I didnt know my friend was dying until after hed died. A mutual friend found me on Facebook and said he needed to talk to me about Rick. Something was clearly wrong. Could coronavirus have come for my friend?

Rick had suffered a heart attack at his Palm Springs home three days earlier. He was in the hospital alone, and according to our mutual friend it wasnt looking good. News was moving weirdly, slowly. A few minutes later, confirmation came. Rick had died that day.

My friend Rick was in his 60s. His passing, while sudden, wasnt related to COVID-19 or any freak accident. Ricks was a regular death in an irregular time. A widower, Rick had been without his beloved husband, Ron, for six years. Perhaps this heart attack finally reunited them. My heart aches, not only for Ricks death, but also for the circumstances under which he was rushed to the hospital. Those closest to Rick couldnt see him; his brother couldnt fly to Ricks bedside. My friend was tended to by first responders in masks that hid their faces. And then he was gone.

What do we do now?

Under normal circumstances, wed throw a big Palm Springs party for Rick. When Ron died, Rick hosted a hundred of us for a lively martini-fueled memorial soiree at San Franciscos City Club. But Ricks death wont be marked with such fanfare. Instead, his memorial service took place on Zoom. Thats right. We Zoomed an online funeral.

As it turns out, digitally streamed funerals are a whole thing now. From all over the globe, friends and family of the newly deceased sit before computer screens to mourn. Due to COVID-19, gatherings of any size are mostly forbidden. Still, our rituals continue  at least as far as Zoom will allow, which for now is a maximum of 100 people for 40 minutes on a free account.

If you die, my husband assured me, Ill upgrade my Zoom to a paid account.

Ricks cremated remains were flown to his family in New York, along with Rons ashes, located among Ricks treasured possessions. A tiny family service was held in person before the rest of us, all of Ricks friends, logged on. We were in our homes and in mostly casual clothes. Some attendees fumbled with the technology; the occasional dog barked. As I scanned through the faces, knowing only a handful of them, I imagined Rick would be bemused by his Zoom memorial. After all, he loved reality television.

Right away, my assumptions of what a Zoom funeral would entail were discarded. A rabbi, a very real and very serious rabbi, was leading the proceedings. It was suddenly clear that Ricks online service wouldnt be an awkward mashup of strangers stumbling over each other but instead a somber and spiritual occasion.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The rabbi muted us and began proceedings in accordance with Ricks Jewish faith. Earlier in the week, Ricks brother had emailed to ask if Id say a few words, so Id planned ahead by turning on my son Leos favorite movie, an Easter-themed 90 minutes of nonsense called Hop. As the Zoom funeral progressed, I could sense Leo growing more and more bored with Hop. I needed him to hold on until after I spoke. I might be Zooming into this funeral from my kitchen, but this was still a funeral.

When it was my turn to remember Rick, Leo was defiantly over Hop. As soon as I started to speak, Leo was at my feet, clamoring at my knees. I continued as Leo changed course and ran in circles around the kitchen island. The distraction was a challenge, one I worried would annoy or offend my fellow funeral attendees. But the only attendees that mattered, the ones who I hoped were somehow there, were Rick and Ron  and they would have been delighted.

Often after funerals, I find Ive come to know whoever passed a little bit better. I get to see their family, their other friends, all their different circles. This Zoom funeral managed to magnify that experience.

I saw Ricks family, both biological and chosen, speak about him from the comfort of their couches. Maybe they spoke so freely because the surroundings were familiar and the rest of us were far away, or maybe that was just what Ricks personality inspired. Either way, despite the miles that separated the dozens tuning in, Ricks funeral was intimate, it was genuine, and it was an appropriate honor for a man so many of us loved.

Beth Spotswoods column appears Thursdays in Datebook. Email: datebook@sfchronicle.com
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A Member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) communication team, Brogya Genfi, has asked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to desist from speaking on issues concerning COVID-19 as if he is on a campaign platform.



According to him President Akufo-Addo never made any proper measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 but now claims the government has adequate funds to build 94 modern hospitals all because he has encountered agitations from citizens for not developing the health sector when he became President.



"President Akufo-Addo's dealings on curbing COVID-19 are all political campaign gimmicks and promises instead of tackling fairly the matter at hand," he said.



"As a leader of a country how do you solve unemployment problems with new ninety-four (94) hospital . . . Ken Ofori Atta (Finance Minister) has confirmed the country will be back on it's feet after three years," he bitterly complained on UTV's 'Adekye Nsroma' political discussion.



Brogya Genfi insisted that President Akufo-Addo together with his appointees should get ready to pack their luggage out of the Jubilee House since they have failed their promises made to Ghanaians.



"It is a disgrace on President Akufo-Addo and his appointees to compare matters of COVID-19 to power crises known as 'Dumsor' encountered by the country some years back during the days of former President John Dramani Mahama," he added.





Source: Elizabeth Semiheva/Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Aboard the carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, recent history is repeating itself.

As sailors and other crew members who were quarantined on Guam return to the ship and begin preparations to return to sea, tensions have flared again between the ship's medical personnel and Navy leadership over whether the Roosevelt is ready to go back to work in the Pacific Ocean.

Medical personnel and crew members aboard the Roosevelt say that several returning sailors have displayed symptoms that they associate with the coronavirus. But Navy officials counter that the sailors have tested negative twice, and that they may have the flu.

In one instance last week, according to a crew member aboard the ship, several sailors with symptoms associated with the coronavirus were accidentally placed on a bus bound for the Roosevelt. The entire bus was then sent back to quarantine and the sailors were tested again, Navy officials said.

"If the results come back negative the sailors will return to the ship  if they are positive then the sailors will remain in quarantine and will be retested after a four-day wait period," the Navy said in an emailed response to The New York Times.

In a letter to the crew of the Roosevelt dated May 1 and obtained by The New York Times, Capt. Carlos A. Sardiello, the current commanding officer of the 1,000-foot-long nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, acknowledged that the threat of the virus "onboard the ship remains real."

But Monday night, the captain also gave a series of telephone interviews from the ship to reporters in Washington in which he repeated assurances that the Roosevelt was ready to get back to work.

"You've just got to give them direction and give them the tools that they need," he told The Associated Press in one interview. "Then, whatever you put in front of them  they're going to knock it out of the park."

Aboard the ship, the crew is not so sure. Medical personnel, who have been reluctant to bring sailors back aboard even after 21 days of isolation and two to three tests, expressed frustration, according to a health care provider on Guam.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

The divergence of assessments mirrors a similar split in March, when the coronavirus first arrived aboard the ship and led to a tumultuous series of events, including the removal of the ship's commander, Capt. Brett E. Crozier, and the resignation of the acting secretary of the Navy, Thomas B. Modly.

The Navy has stopped releasing daily updates on the number of virus cases among the crew after publicly announcing that 100 percent of the sailors had been tested. Roughly 1,700 sailors remain on Guam, many of them still quarantined and recovering.

Sailors clean the Roosevelt three to four times a day, and failing to wear a protective mask may now subject a sailor to nonjudicial punishment, said a crew member aboard the ship.

Sardiello, who previously commanded the Roosevelt, was reinstated just over a month ago when Crozier was removed.
KALAMAZOO, MI -- The number of positive COVID-19 cases in Kalamazoo County soared past 500 on Wednesday, May 6.

The county now reports 544 cases of the virus, indicating 53 new cases since Tuesday. It is the countys highest daily count since the first three local cases were reported on March 23.

Of those 544 patients, 89 have been hospitalized, according to county data.

The county did not record any additional deaths due to the virus Wednesday, and its COVID-19 death toll remains at 22.

Last week, 41 new cases were recorded Friday, May 1, followed by 41 more on Saturday. At the time, those were the countys highest daily totals. More than half of the countys total cases and deaths have been reported within the past two weeks.

RELATED: A timeline of coronavirus in the Kalamazoo area

Kalamazoo County had an average daily increase of 28 new cases over the last seven days. In the prior seven-day span, it averaged 19 new cases each day.

Kalamazoo County Health Officer Jim Rutherford said the testing in the county is finally catching up to where it should be  thanks to the weekly test sites operated by Family Health Center.

We know that were doing the testing that we should have been doing all along, Rutherford said. Were starting to garner some of those results.

Last week, the largest test site yet was set up in Portage at Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency. Family Health Center tested 506 people at KRSEA, according to a spokesperson. Of those tested, 477 tested negative, 26 tested positive and 3 were inconclusive.

On Tuesday, the Family Health Center set up yet another testing site at Comstock High School, where 167 people were tested. Upwards of 150 more tests are available for Thursday, May 7, when the testing effort moves to Vicksburg High School.

Family Health Center officials announced more testing will occur next week as well. Plans call for testing on May 14 at Kalamazoo Central High School.

Individuals who are hoping to get tested must first call the Family Health Center at 269-488-0804 to undergo a pre-test evaluation and assessment to determine whether it is appropriate for them to be tested, said center president and CEO Denise Crawford.

The testing is free and open to all community members, regardless of whether they have been Family Health Center patients in the past or have a primary medical provider. If someone desires to be tested but does not have access to a car for the drive-thru testing, they can call the center and request a curbside test and walk to either Family Health Center location, Crawford said.

Though testing, and therefore positive cases, are increasing Rutherford told county commissioners on Tuesday that there needs to be local guidelines for businesses wishing to reopen.

This reopening is a big train and its leaving the station whether we like it or not, he said. Whether we feel we have enough science to validate it, this is happening.

The county health department plans to have document outlining best practices for businesses by next week, he said.

The health department is also working on a contingency plan in case there is a surge of positive cases among Kalamazoo Countys homeless population. Right now, the health department is testing anyone who is symptomatic and moving those individuals into a quarantine hotel in Battle Creek.

The 60-bed Battle Creek hotel is a joint project with Calhoun County. At one point, the quarantine hotel was at 50% capacity, Rutherford said. This week, about 10-15 rooms were in use for individuals who tested positive, he said.

Those staying at the quarantine hotel receive daily meals and medical service, Rutherford said. The county is working with local first responders and WMed physicians to provide around-the-clock care, he said.

To avoid the spread of COVID-19 in congregate living facilities, the county has also opened a day shelter for 50 individuals and another hotel for families and elderly homeless individuals to stay in.

As of May 1, about 150 people are living at the hotel, occupying 105 rooms, said Michelle Davis of Housing Resources, Inc.

The goal is to allow families to shelter together while still adhering to social distancing guidelines and not overcrowding the Gospel Mission in downtown Kalamazoo.

Rutherford compared the situation of shifting people to the different shelters to pots getting hot on a stove.

When you see one that has too much pressure you try to relieve that," he said.

A visual representation of the increasing case counts and death toll in Kalamazoo County is shown below, based on data reported by the state. Apparent conflicts in data reported there result from slight differences in daily case counts provided by state and county health officials.

Cumulative total cases and deaths in Kalamazoo County:

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PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

More coronavirus coverage on MLive:

Michigan hits 4,250 coronavirus deaths, more than all of Canada

Michigan-made coronavirus vaccine from Pfizer in clinical trials

More people move from Kalamazoo homeless shelter to hotels amid pandemic

Kalamazoo County prepares to reopen whether we like it or not,' health officer says

More staff cuts expected as Western Michigan University grapples with multimillion-dollar loses
Stay tuned to North Bay radio station KBBF 89.1 after one of its English-language coronavirus-related broadcasts and you'll also hear a version in Spanish. And Mixteco, and Triqui and Chatino.

Despite the ubiquity of COVID-19 coverage in news media, there are still many indigenous people in the U.S. from Mexico and Central America who are left in the dark about important health matters because they speak minimal English or Spanish. Even though many languages that are indigenous to Southern Mexico are now endangered, an estimated one-third of California's farm workers speak at least one.

Multilingual DJs at some California radio stations fill these neglected news niches by broadcasting in multiple languages, often providing community-specific information that mainstream outlets miss. Santa Rosa-based KBBF has broadcast in English and Spanish across Northern California for almost 50 years but aired its first regular indigenous language programs during the 2017 Kincade fires as a way to connect with at-risk Mexican immigrants who did not speak either language.

That crisis has readied the station for the coronavirus. One of its two indigenous-focused shows is Radio Autoctona Indigenista, which airs from 6 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday evenings. Gervacio Pena Lopez, one of the show's four hosts, said there are many migrant workers in Sonoma County who can only speak in their first, native language.

"Some understand the basics of Spanish, but not enough to receive all the information when there is a health risk or a real emergency," Lopez said. Lopez and co-host Xulio Soriano speak Mixteco on the show; Maribel Merino and Fausto Gusman speak Triqui.

The four hosts explain where listeners can receive help with food insecurity, how rent rules are changing and how mothers can find care for their kids while they're in virtual classes. Now, as counties roll back stay-at-home restrictions, they will provide guidelines for the many indigenous Latinos working outdoor jobs.

RELATED: Why your N95 mask could endanger others
Marines who fall outside the Corps' height and weight standards won't immediately face the hated tape test, due to special new exemptions put in place during the global pandemic.

The Marine Corps has temporarily halted body composition measurements to meet distance requirements set in place during the novel coronavirus crisis, the service announced last week. And for now, no Marines will be assigned to the Body Composition Program, according to a force-wide administrative message.

The tape test requires a Marine to use a self-tensioning device to measure someone's hips, neck and waist. Those measurements are then used to calculate a Marine's body-fat percentage. If that percentage is above the maximum allowed for a Marine's gender and age, they could be assigned to the Body Composition Program, and face a deadline to get within standards or get out of the military.

Related: Marine Corps Suspends PFT for Remainder of 2020

For now though, "no new BCP assignments will be made until otherwise directed," the administrative message states.

The new rules were set after Commandant Gen. David Berger announced that this year's Physical Fitness Test requirements would be waived. The PFT, like the tape test, requires Marines to come into close contact with one another.

The Defense Department, complying with guidance set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, wants troops to practice social distancing whenever practical.

The Marine Corps is still mandating that trainees at boot camp, Officer Candidates School and other formal programs complete their fitness tests if required for graduation. Recruits, candidates and students in those programs who don't meet height and weight standards could also need to be tape tested, according to the message.

Marines planning to reenlist must also complete the tape test if they're outside height and weight standards.

Those already assigned to the Body Composition Program can come off it at the end of six months if they meet the service's height and weight rules. If they require body-fat measurements, though, Marines will need to remain on the BCP until coronavirus-related restrictions are lifted and tape tests resume.

That won't be held against a Marine who isn't able to come off the program at the end of six months, the message states.

"This particular instance does not count as a second assignment or as a BCP extension as normally defined," it says.

-- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins.

Read more: Marines Told to Cut High-Intensity Workouts During Coronavirus Outbreak
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 15:59:23|Editor: huaxia

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YANGON, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar authorities seized 3.96 kilograms of heroin in Sagaing Region, according to a release from the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) on Wednesday.

Acting on a tip-off, a joint police force stopped and searched a motorcycle in Tamu township on Monday.

Soap boxes filled with heroin worth over 237 million kyats (169,714 U.S. dollars) were confiscated from the motorcycle.

The township police filed a case against the suspect who ran away from the scene under the country's Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law, the release said.

According to a latest release issued by the President's Office on Monday, a total of 1,083 drug-related cases were registered across Myanmar while 1,666 suspects were charged in connection with the cases as of May 2 this year, since the formation of the Drug Activity Special Complaint Department on June 26, 2018. Enditem
These were among incidents reported by the Loudoun County Sheriffs Office and the Leesburg and Purcellville police. For information, contact your police or sheriffs department.
CLEVELAND, OH, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Datatrak International, Inc. (OTC Markets: DTRK), a worldwide Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider and innovation leader of cloud-based technologies for the life sciences industry, today announced its operating results for the first quarter of 2020.



Financial Highlights:

Datatrak was profitable for the first quarter of 2020. Revenue for the first quarter of 2020 was $1,951,000 compared to $1,922,000 for the first quarter of 2019. Direct costs decreased by $46,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2019 due to less amortization related to software development efforts that have been placed into production, which was partially offset by higher employee costs. The Companys gross profit margin was 75% for the three months ended March 31, 2020 compared to 72% for the three months ended March 31, 2019. SG&A expenses increased by $179,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2019. The increase in SG&A expenses was driven by higher employee expenses, due to salary adjustments and lower software capitalization, and consulting costs. However, travel and legal costs decreased for the three months ended March 31, 2020 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2019. Depreciation and amortization was $4,000 and $5,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. As a result of the items discussed, Datatrak had income from operations of $62,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 compared to $165,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2019. After other income of $4,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and $1,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2019, the Companys net income for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was $66,000 compared to $166,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2019.

Datatraks backlog at March 31, 2020 was $12.3 million compared to a backlog of $13.3 million at December 31, 2019. Backlog consists of future value from authorization letters to commence services, statements of work, technology and services agreements, change orders and other customer contracts, billed and unbilled.

All contracts are subject to possible delays or cancellation or can change in scope in a positive or negative direction. Therefore, current backlog is not necessarily indicative of the Companys future quarterly or annual revenue. Historically, backlog has not always been an accurate predictor of the Companys short-term revenue.

On March 20, 2020, Datatrak entered into a revolving line of credit (2020 Line of Credit) with KeyBank National Association. The 2020 Line of Credit provides for draws when requested by the Companys officers of up to $500,000 to be used for business operations. Interest will accrue monthly on any outstanding balance at a rate equal to 1-Month LIBOR plus 2.25% or KeyBanks Prime Rate plus 0.25%. The line of credit is to be repaid in monthly payments of all accrued unpaid interest due as of each payment date, beginning April 30, 2020, with all subsequent interest payments to be due on the same day of each month after that. The outstanding principal and accrued unpaid interest is due in one payment on March 31, 2021, the maturity date of the 2020 Line of Credit. There have been no draws under the 2020 Line of Credit to date.

The Company has evaluated subsequent events through May 6, 2020, the date its consolidated financial statements were available to be issued. While the Company has seen a delay in the signing of some new contracts due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has not laid off and does not currently have plans to lay off any employees. Datatraks employees are all able to work remotely during quarantine, and the Company is continuing to deliver services according to terms of its contracts. The Company has been monitoring state and federal guidelines regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and will modify business operations as needed to comply with these guidelines for the safety of its employees and customers. As the COVID-19 pandemic is a developing situation, the Company cannot provide any assurance that the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak will not have an adverse effect on its business or results of operations going forward. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global economic downturn, and it is possible that it could cause a global recession, which could potentially materially impact the Company.

Executive Highlights:

This past quarter has been an unprecedented one for the Life Science industry. Due to the rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus around the globe, companies have had to adapt to dramatic changes in how trials are conducted, while participating in a collective effort to find a vaccine. In March 2020, Datatrak announced it would waive its EDC software license fees for COVID-19 related research. Now more than ever, we are seeing the need for complete eClinical platforms that offer a comprehensive solution from quick study startups and ease of data collection, to the analytical support to make sense of the massive amount of patient, lab, image and other data being collected hourly, said Scott DeMell, VP Sales at Datatrak.

Our clients are facing a new challenge, with employees working from home and the uncertainty about how or when patients will be able to visit their sites again, and they need to find ways to minimize disruptions with ongoing studies as well as upcoming clinical trials. The need for a unified solution that provides researchers with the ability to collect information directly from the patient in a virtual or hybrid style is more critical than ever. The Datatrak Enterprise Clouds ability to provide real-time access to clinical data from sites, core labs, and patients improves the clinical collaboration and provides better data for faster and more informed decisions, added Jim Bob Ward, CEO at Datatrak.

Our ability to centralize data and workflows minimizes the risk of workforce disruption for global trials. This is highlighted in our image capture product which unifies the image management with intelligent workflows from capture, storage, read, adjudication and archival for better visibility and faster access to the image data. We are seeing an increased need from our clients to help streamline their image acquisition, reduce image queries, automate workflow and combine the image data with their clinical data. This is all a part of our mission of helping our clients to get the right information, to those who need it, when they need it to make better informed decisions, faster.

Join Datatrak thought leaders:

Tweet: Datatrak Reports First Quarter Results for 2020

See the Earnings Release on Datatraks website: https://bit.ly/2L8gpjP

AboutDatatrakInternational, Inc.

Datatrak International, Inc. is a software-as-a-service provider of enterprise cloud-based technologies for the life sciences industry. Datatraks unified eClinical solutions and related services help improve cost and time efficiencies for the clinical trials industry. Datatrak built its multi-component, comprehensive solution on a single, unified platform and expanded this concept to include services delivery via Datatraks Clinical and Consulting Services group. The Company delivers a complete portfolio of software products designed to accelerate the reporting of clinical research data from sites to sponsors and ultimately regulatory authorities, faster and more efficiently than loosely integrated technologies. The Datatrak Enterprise Cloud software solution, deployed worldwide through an ASP or Enterprise Transfer offering, supports Preclinical and Phase I - Phase IV drug and device studies in multiple languages throughout the world. Datatrak is located in Cleveland, Ohio and College Station, Texas. For more information, visit http://www.datatrak.com .

Except for the historical information contained in this press release, the statements made in this release are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements

are made based on managements expectations, assumptions, estimates and current beliefs concerning the operations, future results and prospects of the Company and are subject to uncertainties and factors which are difficult to predict and, in many instances, are beyond the control of the Company, and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. All statements that address operating performance, events or developments that management anticipates will occur in the future, including statements related to future revenue, profits, expenses, cost reductions, cash management alternatives and working capital requirements, release or success of new products, market share, strategic alternatives, raising additional funds, income and earnings per share or statements expressing general opinion about future results, are forward-looking statements. For a list of certain factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward looking statements, please see the Companys report filed with the OTC Markets on March 24, 2020 announcing its results for the full-year period ended December 31, 2019 and subsequent filings with the OTC Markets. Many such factors have been, and may further be, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contacts:

Sales: Scott DeMell

Scott.DeMell@datatrak.com

Employment Opportunities: Laura Stuebbe

Laura.Stuebbe@datatrak.com

Shareholders: Alex Tabatabai

investor@datatrak.com

Datatrak International, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet Data

(Unaudited and Not Reviewed)

March 31, 2020 December 31, 2019 Cash and cash equivalents $3,390,942 $3,990,549 Marketable securities 6,280 6,998 Certificate of deposit 165,306 165,224 Accounts receivable, net 622,958 634,571 Operating right-of-use asset, net 1,769,934 1,845,460 Property & equipment, net 1,370,095 1,355,164 Other 606,812 375,506 Total assets $7,932,327 $8,373,472 Accounts payable and other current liabilities $1,121,582 $ 902,183 Deferred revenue 3,571,444 4,308,563 Other long-term liabilities 1,922,978 2,016,407 Shareholders equity 1,316,323 1,146,319 Total liabilities and shareholders equity $7,932,327 $8,373,472




Shanghai Haohai Biological Technology (HKG:6826) has had a great run on the share market with its stock up by a significant 40% over the last month. Given that stock prices are usually aligned with a company's financial performance in the long-term, we decided to study its financial indicators more closely to see if they had a hand to play in the recent price move. Particularly, we will be paying attention to Shanghai Haohai Biological Technology's ROE today.

ROE or return on equity is a useful tool to assess how effectively a company can generate returns on the investment it received from its shareholders. Put another way, it reveals the company's success at turning shareholder investments into profits.

View our latest analysis for Shanghai Haohai Biological Technology

How Do You Calculate Return On Equity?

The formula for ROE is:

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

So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Shanghai Haohai Biological Technology is:

4.9% = CN274m  CN5.6b (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2020).

The 'return' is the income the business earned over the last year. So, this means that for every HK$1 of its shareholder's investments, the company generates a profit of HK$0.05.

Why Is ROE Important For Earnings Growth?

We have already established that ROE serves as an efficient profit-generating gauge for a company's future earnings. Depending on how much of these profits the company reinvests or "retains", and how effectively it does so, we are then able to assess a companys earnings growth potential. Assuming everything else remains unchanged, the higher the ROE and profit retention, the higher the growth rate of a company compared to companies that don't necessarily bear these characteristics.

A Side By Side comparison of Shanghai Haohai Biological Technology's Earnings Growth And 4.9% ROE

When you first look at it, Shanghai Haohai Biological Technology's ROE doesn't look that attractive. However, given that the company's ROE is similar to the average industry ROE of 4.9%, we may spare it some thought. On the other hand, Shanghai Haohai Biological Technology reported a moderate 9.3% net income growth over the past five years. Considering the moderately low ROE, it is quite possible that there might be some other aspects that are positively influencing the company's earnings growth. For example, it is possible that the company's management has made some good strategic decisions, or that the company has a low payout ratio.

Story continues

We then performed a comparison between Shanghai Haohai Biological Technology's net income growth with the industry, which revealed that the company's growth is similar to the average industry growth of 9.3% in the same period.

SEHK:6826 Past Earnings Growth May 6th 2020

The basis for attaching value to a company is, to a great extent, tied to its earnings growth. What investors need to determine next is if the expected earnings growth, or the lack of it, is already built into the share price. Doing so will help them establish if the stock's future looks promising or ominous. One good indicator of expected earnings growth is the P/E ratio which determines the price the market is willing to pay for a stock based on its earnings prospects. So, you may want to check if Shanghai Haohai Biological Technology is trading on a high P/E or a low P/E, relative to its industry.

Is Shanghai Haohai Biological Technology Making Efficient Use Of Its Profits?

In Shanghai Haohai Biological Technology's case, its respectable earnings growth can probably be explained by its low three-year median payout ratio of 23% (or a retention ratio of 77%), which suggests that the company is investing most of its profits to grow its business.

Moreover, Shanghai Haohai Biological Technology is determined to keep sharing its profits with shareholders which we infer from its long history of four years of paying a dividend.

Conclusion

On the whole, we do feel that Shanghai Haohai Biological Technology has some positive attributes. Even in spite of the low rate of return, the company has posted impressive earnings growth as a result of reinvesting heavily into its business. With that said, the latest industry analyst forecasts reveal that the company's earnings are expected to accelerate. Are these analysts expectations based on the broad expectations for the industry, or on the company's fundamentals? Click here to be taken to our analyst's forecasts page for the company.

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.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg speaks onstage at the Fourth Annual Berggruen Prize Gala in New York City on Dec. 16, 2019. (Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Berggruen Institute)

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Speaks From Hospital During Hearing

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg spoke during a hearing on Wednesday from a hospital, where she was taken after suffering an infection caused by a gallstone.

Ginsburg, 87, was at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, the court said late Tuesday.

The Justice is resting comfortably and plans to participate in the oral argument teleconference tomorrow morning remotely from the hospital, it said in a statement.

The court on May 6 was hearing a dispute over Trump administration rules that let religious groups cite objections on moral or religious grounds to providing free birth control to women.

Ginsburg took aim at the administration.

The glaring feature of what the government has done in expanding this exemption is to toss to the wind entirely Congresss instruction that women need and should have seamless, no-cost comprehensive coverage, Ginsburg said.

Solicitor General nominee Noel Francisco speaks during his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, on May 10, 2017. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

The justice said women are forced to search for other government programs that might cover them. For those who cant get coverage from any programs, they must pay out of their own pocket, which is exactly what Congress didnt want to happen, Ginsburg asserted.

She spoke for about three minutes.

Noel Francisco, the administrations solicitor general, said that nothing in the Affordable Care Act required contraceptive coverage to be provided by all groups. Some organizations were allowed to not provide it, he said.

Ginsburg interrupted Francisco to challenge his views, prompting a strong response from him. She briefly spoke again later during the arguments.

The Supreme Court is broadcasting arguments via online audio live stream, a first in the nations history, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The sessions are being held remotely via telephone.
The Moon may not be the dead rock floating in space that we assumed as a possibility that it still has life emerges after it exhibited hints of tectonic activity on the near side of it. Geologists believe it is recent and may even be ongoing up to today.

After the revelation of ridges across the face of the moon due to the presence of relatively fresh boulders and rocks, geologists suggest that it is caused by a recent tectonic movement.

Peter Schultz, a planetary geologist at Brown University shared that there is this assumption that the Moon is long dead, but we keep finding that is not the case.

He also added that from the paper it appears that the Moon may still be cracking and creaking potentially in the present day, and we can see the evidence on the ridges present as well.

Since the Apollo era, it is known that the Moon is rumbly after seismometers were placed on the lunar surface by Apollo astronauts decades ago which unexpectedly revealed the weak moonquakes deep below its surface, while shallower tectonic quakes are present in the crust.

Based on the conclusion of geologists, deep moonquakes were the result of gravitational interactions with Earth that places a lot of stress on the Moon.

Despite gathered information about shallow moonquakes, it is a little harder to pin down.

Also read: Supermoon 2020: What to Expect, Where and When Can It Be Viewed

Unlike Earth, the moon does not have tectonic plates that will cause it to shudder, so the tremors defied easy explanation however last year scientists discovered one possibility, the tectonic quakes could possibly be due to Moon shrinking as it continues to cool after it formed 4.5 billion years ago.

Newfound ridges too have been detected in the area of the lava-filled impact basins, but it can be attributed due to sagging associated with the weight of the lava, but recent discovery does not support the idea. As per Schultz, the distribution that they have found begs for a different explanation.

Alongside Schultz is another planetary geologist Adomas Valantinas of the University of Bern in Germany where studied data are taken from the Diviner instrument onboard Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter of NASA, it is an instrument for measuring the temperature of the lunar surface.

Chunky surfaces and exposed bedrock retain heat effectively than surfaces covered by regolith, as dust, dirt, and rubble can be used to detect those surfaces during the lunar night.

Moreover, Schultz explained that exposed blocks on the surface have a relatively short lifetime for the regolith buildup is happening constantly. He also mentioned that when we see those exposed blocks, there needs to be some explanation on how and why they were exposed in specific locations.

The data collected by the orbiting spacecraft when the near side of the Moon was shrouded in the 14 days of darkness of lunar night was analyzed by Schultz's team and they found over 500 patches of exposed bedrock that seemed to form a pattern around the lunar maria.

Schultz also stated that it makes them think that what we are seeing is an ongoing process driven by things happening in the Moon's interior.

Related Article: Giant Asteroid to Fly By Earth Next Week and It Looks Like It is Wearing a Face Mask

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A 31-year-old Delhi Police constable who died after falling sick on Tuesday evening had tested positive for coronavirus, registering the first death in the city police due to the infection, officials said on Wednesday.

The constable's sample was sent for COVID-19 test and the reports came as positive on Wednesday, they said.

This is the first casualty in Delhi Police with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 26 police personnel of the force have been tested positive for the virus so far. Some of them have resumed their duties post recovery.

Taking to Twitter, Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava expressed his condolence to the family of the deceased and assured of all assistance.

"The sudden demise of late Constable Amit Kumar from PS Bharat Nagar has saddened the police fraternity. We stand by his family in this hour of grief and pray to the Almighty to provide strength to bear this loss. All assistance to his family will be provided," he tweeted.

The constable, a resident of Sonipat in Haryana, was posted at the Bharat Nagar Police Station in northwest Delhi, police said.

He had fallen sick on Tuesday and was examined at the Deep Chand Bandhi Hospital where he was given medicines, they said.

On Tuesday evening, when the constable reported that he was feeling uncomfortable, he was immediately taken to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital where he was declared brought dead, a senior police official said.

The police personnel who came in contact with the constable have been home quarantined, he said, adding the postmortem examination is yet to be conducted.

The constable is survived by his wife and 3-year-old son, the official added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As the Supreme Court prepares to consider a Republican challenge to former President Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act, leading Democrats said Wednesday that it is the wrong time to repeal health insurance coverage for 20 million Americans as the coronavirus pandemic spreads.

The challenge, mounted by Republican governors and backed by the Trump administration, is an attempt to persuade the court to invalidate the law commonly referred to as Obamacare. Pursuing this repeal while the nation is reeling from coronavirus is an act of staggering cruelty and senselessness, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, said in a telephonic news conference.

This is not a moment to abandon Americans who need to know they have the health coverage to protect their families from the coronavirus, said Attorney General Xavier Becerra of California, which leads a group of 20 states and the District of Columbia defending the health care law before the high court. The states filed their arguments Wednesday.

The 2010 Affordable Care Act enabled uninsured Americans to purchase subsidized coverage through state-sponsored exchanges, expanded Medicaid for low-income households and barred insurers from denying coverage because of someones previous illness or medical condition.

The Supreme Court upheld the law by a 5-4 vote in 2012, saying a provision requiring all U.S. citizens and legal residents to obtain insurance, and imposing financial penalties on those who failed to do so, amounted to a tax that Congress had the power to enact. But after congressional Republicans repealed the penalties in 2017 and passed a new version of the law, a federal judge in Texas ruled, in a suit by Texas and 17 other states, that the insurance mandate was unconstitutional and invalidated the entire health care law.

The law remains in effect while the Supreme Court reviews it, with arguments planned for this fall and a ruling due by June 2021. Despite reports that Attorney General William Barr had urged President Trump to change his stance and support retaining parts of the law, the administration has maintained its position.

Obamacare is a disaster, but weve run it very well. And weve made it barely acceptable, Trump told reporters Wednesday, without elaborating.  Politically I should have run it really badly but Im glad I made the decision to run it great.

He said he would replace the current law with great health care at a lesser price and preexisting conditions will be included, and you wont have the individual mandate, which was expensive and terrible and very unfair to everybody. Supporters of the insurance mandate say that without it, young and healthy people are less likely to purchase insurance, slashing the programs revenues and increasing its costs.

In a separate case, the court heard arguments Wednesday on the Trump administrations order that would allow employers, under Obamacare, to deny birth control coverage to women for religious or moral reasons.

In the case on the laws overall validity, California and other Democratic-led states told the court Wednesday that opponents of the Affordable Care Act now seek from the courts what they failed to accomplish through the political process.

The 2010 law has been instrumental in our nations response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Becerras office, representing the states, said in a court filing. They said the law subsidizes insurance for Americans who have lost their jobs, requires insurers to cover diagnosis and treatment for the virus, and also helps to fund testing and tracking.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The states disputed the judges conclusion that the laws insurance mandate was unconstitutional  but even if it was, they said, it does not invalidate the rest of the law, which Congress left intact. And they said the states challenging the law have not shown they were harmed by elimination of the financial penalties.

In addition to the 20 million who would lose insurance coverage if the law was struck down, Becerra told reporters, 17 million low-income Americans would lose their eligibility for Medicaid, and 12 million seniors would have to pay more for prescription drugs.

Americans cant get the care they need if its not affordable and accessible, Becerra said.

A reporter asked Pelosi whether it was time to move away from employer-based health insurance  an apparent reference to a government-sponsored Medicare for All program  since coverage is now in jeopardy for tens of millions of Americans who are losing their jobs because of the coronavirus. No, the speaker replied, the Affordable Care Act is the path to health care for all Americans.

With 150 million families still covered by employer-based insurance, Pelosi said, Rather than saying lets take that away from them, we say, lets get them their jobs back.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
WONDER POTIONs action-platformer has new content to test in this limited-time preview version of the next side-scrolling hit from NEOWIZ
(Newser)  America is answering China's missile supremacy by planning to deployyou guessed ita lot more missiles. Reuters reports that the Pentagon wants to arm Marines with Tomahawk cruise missiles and hasten a rare order of long-range anti-ship missiles, all to counter China's lead in land-based ballistic and cruise missiles. Another goal is to even out China's advantage in the so-called "range war"missiles that can fly farther than America's or those of its Asian allies. China's military, the People's Liberation Army, stocked up because it wasn't party to a Cold War treaty that restrained the US and Russia. But President Trump left that treaty last year. "The Americans are coming back strongly," says an ex-defense official in Australia.

story continues below

"By 2024 or 2025 there is a serious risk for the PLA that their military developments will be obsolete," he adds. But China responded to Reuters with a stern message, saying Washington is stuck on "its Cold War mentality" and should "stop moving chess pieces around" the Asia-Pacific. For Washington, the issue is China's increasing military pressure on Taiwan and around the South China Sea. The Sunday Times reports that Beijing, which claims nearly the whole area, has stood up to Malaysian oil drillers and reportedly "expelled" a US warship (which Washington denied). Jack Keane, an unofficial Trump adviser, says China wants to "hammer home their message that the US no longer has the status it used to have in that part of the world." (Read more US-China relations stories.)
Family members fought back tears and the Army offered gun salutes as two officers who led from the front in an anti-terror operation in Kashmir were cremated Tuesday in their hometowns.

The body of Colonel Ashutosh Sharma, the commanding officer of 21 Rifles who was killed Saturday night, was consigned to the flames in Jaipur.

Major Anuj Sood was cremated will full military honours in Chandigarh. His family home is in adjacent Panchkula.

The two were among the five security personnel, including a Jammu and Kashmir policeman, killed in a firefight with terrorists in Handwara in north Kashmir on Saturday night. Col Sharma is the second commanding officer of 21 RR to have been killed fighting terrorists.

At the Purani Chungi cremation ground on Jaipurs Ajmer Road, his wife Pallavi Sharma kept a brave face as his brother Piush Sharma lit the funeral pyre.

She held tightly to the folded tricolour, removed from Col Sharmas coffin and handed over to her for a while, as the ceremony progressed. As the body was placed on the pyre she fanned it gently with her dupatta.

The pyre was lit as soldiers fired three volleys in a gun salute.

Earlier, at the 61 Cavalry grounds, where wreaths were laid on Col Sharmas coffin, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and South Western Army commander Lt Gen Alok Kler paid their respects.

Pallavi Sharma and the couples daughter Tamanna also stood in salute.

"The entire nation will remember the sacrifice of Colonel Ashutosh Sharma. The country is proud of him," Gehlot told reporters at the wreath-laying ceremony.

When he met Col Sharma's mother, the chief minister bowed to touch her feet.

Similar scenes were witnessed at the Mani Majra cremation ground in Chandigarh, where Major Anuj Soods body was brought from the family home in Panchkula.

His wife Akriti Sood threw her arms around the coffin in farewell as the body was put on a bedecked Army vehicle.

The majors sister Harshita, who is also an Army officer, consoled her sister-in-law

Slogans like Vande Mataram, Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Major Anuj Amar Rahe, were raised as the body, wrapped in the tricolour, was taken to the cremation ground.

Before the cremation, serving and retired Army officers laid wreaths.

As he placed a wreath, Anti Terrorist Front of India president Viresh Shandilya raised Pakistan Murdabad and Bharat Mata Ki Jai slogans.

Apart from Army personnel, only the family members were allowed inside the cremation ground to ensure social distancing norms in force because of the coronavirus pandemic.

A guard of honour was given to Major Sood by the Army and soldiers fired three volleys in gun salute.

Major Soods father Brigadier Chandrakant Sood (retd) lit the pyre.

He had told the media the day before that he was proud of his sons sacrifice. He was a true son of the nation," he said at his Panchkula home.

The 30-year-old officer was from the Brigade of the Guards regiment, currently part of the 21 Rashtriya Rifles.

He joined the National Defence Academy in 2008. He had one dream, which was to join the Army, according to his family.

His family said he was scheduled to return home after a gap of six months. Having finished his two-year stint in Jammu and Kashmir, he was to join the 12 Guards unit in Gurdaspur
By Trend

France-Azerbaijan Business Council of MEDEF International will hold a meeting on May 12, Trend reports citing MEDEF International.

The meeting will be held jointly with Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) and Azerbaijan-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the format of a webinar.

Azerbaijans Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov will attend the event.

The meeting will focus on measures taken in Azerbaijan to mitigate the impact of coronavirus on the economy; the impact of the pandemic on investment projects, on human resources management, customs procedures.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
A meeting yesterday of the national cabinet, composed of federal, state and territory government leaders, discussed advanced plans to end lockdown measures and force workers back on the job, regardless of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

After the gathering, Prime Minister Scott Morrison told the media that the governments were seeking to ensure that a million employees went back into workplaces across the country in coming weeks.

Morrison foreshadowed the imminent removal of restrictions on industries that were closed as a result of their high threat of COVID-19 transmission, including restaurants, cafes and bars. He indicated a complete reopening of the economy by the end of July.

The national cabinet will review all lockdown policies at a meeting on Friday. State and territory governments already have overturned a host of social distancing measures and are pressing ahead with reopening schools.

While touting claims that Australia has flattened the curve of infections, Morrison was explicit in acknowledging that lifting restrictions would inevitably spread the coronavirus. He bluntly asserted that it was necessary to start balancing up the health crisis with the cost to the economy.

The PM made scant mention of the fact that over the past two months nearly 7,000 people have been stricken with the virus and 98 have died. The dangers were underscored this morning with an additional 17 cases announced in Victoria and nine in New South Wales, continuing an upward trend since the weekend.

Over the past several days, authorities have revealed 45 cases linked to a single meatworks in Melbourne, demonstrating the perils for workers of the return to work campaign. The ruling elites sole aim is to create the conditions for a resumed flow of corporate profits.

In a bid to legitimise Morrisons announcements, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg delivered a speech to the National Press Club earlier in the day, detailing the cost of the shutdown.

Citing figures contained in a Treasury report, Frydenberg claimed that economic activity was down $4 billion every week that the lockdown measures remained in place. He predicted a 10 percent contraction of the economy in the June quarter.

Frydenberg pointed to official figures, which, while dramatically underestimating real unemployment, indicate that nearly one million workers have lost their jobs since mid-March. More than a third have been left jobless in the accommodation and food services industries, and 27 percent have been laid off in recreation and arts. Around 10 percent of those who previously worked in real estate, administration, agriculture and forestry are unemployed.

The government has adopted a series of stimulus packages geared toward underwriting the balance sheets of the largest corporations and the banks. Its $130 billion JobKeeper package, introduced with the support of the Labor Party and the trade unions, is a massive cash handout to big business that does nothing to guarantee the jobs of workers. It has been accompanied by a government-union offensive against wages and conditions.

Now, the governments are seeking to use the social crisis exacerbated by these policies as a battering ram to compel employees to return to their workplaces in unsafe conditions. After reviewing the economic figures, Frydenberg declared: We must get people back into jobs, and we must get people back at work.

Morrison outlined a plan for a COVID Safe economy, in which most businesses would be reopened, even as the coronavirus continued to circulate. He reiterated earlier statements that the policy being pursued by governments across the country was containment and management, not the effective elimination of the virus, because this would be too costly.

Asked by a reporter whether the reopening of businesses would result in a spike of new infections, Morrison stated: Of course you will see numbers increase. That is to be expected.

Morrison emphasised that once the lockdown measures were removed, they would not be restored, regardless of how quickly the virus began to circulate. He said businesses required certainty, and this would be undermined if the governments were to close and then open and then close again.

Instead, Morrison declared that if outbreaks emerged at workplaces, employees should be sent home, and the facilities should be cleaned and then reopened as soon as possible.

Chillingly, Morrison said the authorities were prepared for outbreaks because of an increase in the number of intensive care unit (ICU) beds and ventilators since the pandemic hit Australia in March. Before the crisis, there were roughly 2,300 beds across the country. Health authorities claim that several hundred more have been created over the past two months.

Morrisons statement indicates that the governments anticipate hundreds, or possibly thousands, of people becoming critically-ill in coming months. It dovetails with commentary in the financial press, calculating the economic cost of lives saved by lockdown measures and insisting that it is too high when compared with the hit to corporate profits.

Teachers are on the front lines. Frydenberg and Morrison largely dropped their previous posturing that the drive to reopen school classrooms is motivated by concern for childrens education. Frydenberg said schools should resume face-to-face teaching because they are important enablers for the broader economy, while Morrison declared that returning children to classrooms would allow parents to return to work.

This agenda is being enforced by state and territory governments, the majority led by the Labor Party. Unsubstantiated claims are being made that there is no danger of coronavirus transmissions in schools. These are contradicted by recent studies in France and Germany and the eruption last month of a cluster of 94 cases at a school in Auckland, New Zealand.

Labor and the unions have played the central role in ensuring that broad sections of the workforce have remained on the job throughout the crisis. The unions have imperilled the lives and safety of tens of thousands of construction workers, for instance, forcing them to continue working in unsafe conditions, despite widespread anger and opposition.

Morrison acknowledged the efforts of the unions yesterday. He hailed former Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Greg Combet, who heads a government task force to devise workplace relations rules for the pandemic.

Few details of workplace guidelines have been revealed, but already the national cabinet has declared that social distancing measures are not needed in schools. Government ministers have previously said that distancing requirements do not apply in workplaces.

The de facto political coalition at the national cabinet meeting extended across the Tasman. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern participated via a video link. Her Labour-led government already has eased lockdown measures to reopen businesses. The meeting discussed plans to resume flights between Australia and New Zealand, in a bid to restore tourism and travel industry profits.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry plan to celebrate birthday boy Archie Mountbatten-Windsor turning one today with a 'smash cake' and Zoom chats with friends and family, a source told People magazine.

Earlier today Archie showed off his first teeth as he smiled at his father behind the camera while mother Meghan, 38, read him the children's book 'Duck! Rabbit!' in a sweet video shared to the Save the Children Instagram account.

The sweet clip, filmed last weekend in California, was met with great excitement from royal fans, who noted how much Archie looked like Harry, 35, at the same age.

The family are currently living in a Malibu mansion with their son, having officially stepped back from royal duties at the end of March, and are said to have opted for a low-key affair for the milestone while on lockdown.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry celebrated birthday boy Archie Mountbatten-Windsor turning one with a 'smash cake' and Zoom chats with friends and family, a source told People

'They are celebrating as a family focused on Archie and being together,' the source told the publication.

'They'll have a smash cake and Zooms with family and friends. It's been beautiful weather, so perhaps a family stroll with the dogs.'

The 'smash cake' has been huge in the US for several years and has now taken off in the UK, with celebrities adopting the messy trend. Coleen Rooney celebrated her son Cass' second birthday with a professional cake smash photo session that she uploaded to her Instagram account earlier this year.

It involves letting a one-year-old loose with a giant cake, usually while being pictured by a professional photographer, creating some cheeky and adorable shots their mothers and fathers can treasure forever.

The 'smash cake' trend has been huge in the US for several years and has now taken off in the UK, with Coleen Rooney celebrating her son Cass's second birthday with a professional cake smash photo session that she uploaded to her Instagram account (above) earlier this year

Meghan, 38, and Harry, 35, celebrated their son's big day 'as a family' and were focused primarily on 'being together'. They are pictured in Africa in September 2019

But babies playing with food can inevitably lead to a big mess - which is why the trend has now moved on to include the little ones having a bath after they have smashed a cake.

Royal expert Kate Nicholl previously claimed Harry and Meghan planned to treat Archie to an 'organic, sugar-free cake', followed by a splash around in their pool and a video call with the Cambridge children as part of his birthday celebrations.

She told OK! magazine the duchess would be keen to whip up a birthday cake for her little-one, adding that she 'loves being creative in the kitchen'.

But far from a sweet and sugary treat for Archie, the royal expert said it would likely be 'organic', 'possibly sugar-free' and 'suitably healthy' for the family.

Royal fans noted how much baby Archie looks like his father Prince Harry at the same age (seen right) in the new video

The expert also said that despite recent tensions between the families, the Sussexes would video-call the Cambridges so that the cousins could see each other on the big day.

But while Archie may not be able to enjoy any playdates with friends and family in the Los Angeles region due to the coronavirus lockdown, Katie said he had become 'best friends' with the family's pet dogs.

Speaking of Prince Harry and Meghan's beagle Guy and labrador Oz, the royal expert said they had been 'the family's saving grace'.

She explained that they are 'very good' with Archie and he has become 'very used to them'.

Proud mother Meghan is seen holding the book with one hand and sitting with the other wrapped around her smiling son

Meanwhile the royal expert also said it was unlikely the little royal would be showered with gifts on the big day, saying that he 'has everything he needs'.

She added that the couple would likely appreciate presents 'with meaning', such as donations to children's charities.

The video of Meghan reading Archie a story was part of a celebrity-backed fundraising campaign launched in the US by Hollywood star Jennifer Garner, who is friends with Meghan.

It came after the Queen led senior royals including Prince Charles and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in wishing Archie a happy first birthday on Instagram.
Pegging the April revenue shortfall for Punjab at 88 per cent, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said with all tax revenues dried up and only 1.5 per cent of the industry currently operational, the state was facing a difficult financial situation.

He said that the situation has been compounded by absence of aid from the central government.

Participating in a video conference of chief ministers of Congress-ruled states with party president Sonia Gandhi, along with Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi, Singh shared his state's COVID-19 containment strategy and the roadmap for economic revival.

During the meeting, Sonia Gandhi asked the chief minister to convey her congratulations to the farmers of Punjab for a smooth procurement season, with Singh disclosing that more than 100 lakh MT had arrived in the mandis already, and the entire procurement process was expected to be completed by mid-May.

As against the estimated revenue of Rs 3,360 crore for April, only Rs 396 crore had been received during the month, the chief minister said, adding that the state's power consumption had declined by 30 per cent with a daily loss of Rs 30 crore to the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd.

In addition, the state's GST arrears of Rs 4365.37 crore are yet to be paid by Government of India, he said.

The initial report of the 'Group of Experts' headed by Montek Singh Ahluwalia, on the economic and industrial revival of the state, was likely to be received in three months, and it would take another month after that to refine and finalise the same, Singh said.

However, he said that despite the financial crunch, his government was committed to preparing the society and the common man to manage and contain the coronavirus, and it was also taking every possible step to upgrade and readjust the state's healthcare system to meet the challenges of the pandemic.

The chief minister was of the opinion that the decision on classification of zones as red, orange or green should be left to the states, which, in turn, could authorise the deputy commissioners to demarcate as per the ground realities.

He cited the example of Patiala being classified as a red zone, even though Nabha, a major milk-producing area, is located in the district, an official release said.

Punjab currently has four containment zones and four red zone districts. Fifteen districts are in orange zone and the remaining three in green zone.

Providing an update on the COVID-19 situation in the state, which has reported a total of 1,451 positive cases with 25 deaths (mortality rate of 1.72 per cent), the chief minister said there had been a spike in cases in Punjab after Punjabis started coming back from Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

Of the 4,200-odd people who had returned from Nanded, 969 had tested positive, though only 23 of them were symptomatic, he said.

Some results were awaited, he said, adding that the spike was expected to end, with the situation stabilising in the next 3-4 days, once testing of all such people is completed.

All returnees are now being checked and quarantined, he added.

The chief minister warned of high-risk of spread of infection in the state from those returning to the state, especially the workers coming back from the Gulf in crowded ships.

Four ships of migrants, mostly labourers, were expected to arrive in the next few days, while the first plane with NRIs was expected to reach Punjab on Thursday, he said.

Giving details, the chief minister said around 20,000 international travellers are expected to return to Punjab in the next 3-4 weeks, in addition to around 12,000 who had registered in other states for coming back.

As for the migrant workers wanting to go back from Punjab to their native states, he said that 10 lakh had registered so far, of which 85 per cent belonged to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

The state government has sanctioned Rs 35 crore to provide for train travel cost of these workers, he said, adding that three trains left on May 5 for UP and Jharkhand and six more were scheduled for May 6.

With around 2,500 regular tests being done daily, the total tests in the state had gone up to 30,199, Singh said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Europe has sought about 1,000 tonne of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) for paracetamol -- used commonly to treat body pain and fever -- from India, according to Pharmexcil.

Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) Chairman Dinesh Dua said National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority has given its approval for the shipment of these APIs to Europe and now "the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) and ministry of external affairs has to take the call".

On April 17, the government removed restrictions on exports of medicines made from Paracetamol amid COVID-19 outbreak. However, there are restrictions on exports of Paracetamol active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs or raw materials).

To export a product, which is under restricted category, an exporter requires no-objection certificate or permission of a licence from the DGFT.

Dua said that on an average, Europe require about 1,000 tonne of these APIs per month and at one point of time India had exported about 1,400 tonne in a month in the past.

There is huge domestic availability of this raw material in the country as "we consume only about 2,000 tonnes per month and our production capacity is about 6,200 tonnes per month", he added.

India exported formulations made from Paracetamol worth USD 5.41 billion during April-January 2019-20. It was USD 5.8 billion in 2018-19.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The schools and families learning department at Norwich Cathedral are holding two sessions  morning and afternoon for a Family Activity Day at the Cathedral on Wednesday February 16.

The schools and families learning department at Norwich Cathedral are holding two sessions  morning and afternoon for a Family Activity Day at the Cathedral on Wednesday February 16.

Churches prepare Queen's Platinum Jubilee plans Churches, Christian charities and youth organisations are working together to celebrate the Queens Platinum Jubilee over the four-day Bank Holiday from June 2-5 and a new website has been created to celebrate the Queen's 70 years of faith and service. Read more

Eckling Grange cares for the elderly Despite some bad press, there are some Care Homes where 'Care' really does mean 'what it says on the tin', and a star example of this is the Norfolk Christian residential care home, Eckling Grange, at Dereham. Read more

New Commission to look at use of Norfolk churches A new Church Buildings Commission has been launched with the purpose of looking at the church buildings across Norfolk and Waveney in terms of their use and sustainability. Read more

Norfolk link to teaching opportunity with TCKs A Norfolk couple working in Asia have been helped by teachers of Third Culture Kids, and a programme is now inviting more people to get involved with it. Read more

Norfolk charity seeks mentors for prison leavers Community Chaplaincy Norfolk (CCN) continues to provide a Both Sides of the Gate Mentor support service to people leaving prison in Norfolk. Read more

Prayer and Worship week for Sheringham church Lighthouse Community Church in Sheringham has launched a Prayer and Worship week as they seek Gods guidance for 2022 Read more

South Norfolk church schools are set to merge The Diocese of Norwich St Benets Multi Academy Trust has been given the green light to amalgamate Harleston CE Primary Academy and Archbishop Sancroft High School into one All Through School. Read more

Norwich conference looks at how to tackle spiritual abuse Following a series of revelations about high-profile Christian leaders, a group of Norfolk churches is organising a conference to look at spiritual abuse and godly leadership. Read more

Revelation vacancy for Centre Manager The Revelation Christian Resource Centre and Cafe is seeking to appoint a Centre Manager. Read more

Gardening morning at N Norfolk Christian centre The Pleasaunce Holiday Centre in Overstrand is holding a work-party morning on Saturday February 5 and would like as many people as possible to join in to help get the gardens ship-shape. Read more

Poringland Bible teachers look at a building project The Way of the Spirit is starting the New Year with a meeting in Poringland to explore the Book of Nehemiah. Read more

House of Genesis needs part-time support worker The House of Genesis is seeking a part-time (20 hours per week) Support Worker to contribute to the day-to-day running of the charity, which provides accommodation to homeless adult men in Norwich. Read more

Church marriage  open to all? Regular contributor Philip Young shares with us his personal view on whether churches should marry same-sex couples. Read more

Christian retreat centre has new Chair of Trustees Paul Dunning has recently been appointed as Chair of Trustees of the Quiet Waters Christian Retreat Centre. He explains how he got involved and how others can do the same. Read more

Magdalene Group: Women's Specialist Practitioner The Norwich-based Magdalene Group needs a Womens Specialist Practitioner to provide gender and trauma-informed support to women experiencing multiple disadvantage and provide support to female sex workers and victims of sexual exploitation and coercion. Read more

Ringsfield Hall offers residential trips on Norfolk border Ringsfield Hall provides children with outdoor residential opportunities through school trips. Activities relate to nature, care for the planet and very special care and respect for the physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of each child. Read more

Ministers outreach at Sheringham model boat lake Local Christian, Graham Pickhaver has been sharing his testimony by giving out tracts at the model boating lake in Sheringham. Read more
Legislators in the state of Michigan are reportedly considering new measures to ban guns from inside the State Capitol building after armed protesters staged a provocative protest there last week and prompted criticism from across the political spectrum in the United States.

Hundreds of anti-lockdown demonstrators, some of them armed, gathered at the state capitol building in Lansing, Michigan, last Thursday during a session which a skeleton crew of state legislators gathered to consider a measure rebuking Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmers response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The protesters  as well as many legislators  said the governors measures, among the most strict in the nation, were excessive. On Wednesday, the Republican-led state legislature sued the governor in an effort to block her emergency measures.

John Truscott, the Republican vice-chair of the Michigan State Capitol Commission, which manages, maintains and restores the buildings and its grounds, told local news outlets in Michigan that the commission is considering the logistics of a possible ban.

Weve been dealing with what is the law, what is our jurisdiction. Is there any possibility of limiting people bringing loaded weapons in the building? Truscott said.

Critics of the gun-toting protesters came from across the US political spectrum after images of them were broadcast across the country. Even Fox News Channel commentator Sean Hannity, a noted conservative supporter of gun rights and confidant of President Donald Trump, described the sight of armed, screaming protesters  many of them dressed in military clothing  as counterproductive to their cause.

Im the number one supporter [on] radio and television, that I know of, [of the] First Amendment and the Second Amendment, Hannity said during a May 4 broadcast of his television programme. No one is a bigger defendant of the Second Amendment than yours truly.

This, with the militia look here, and these long guns, uh No, he said. He described the show of force as dangerous.

Protesters were initially held back from entering the Senate floor  which is off-limits to the public  by police, though they eventually made their way into the public gallery of the Senate. Some marched into the building with rifles slung across their chests, shouting at legislators and security guards in the building.

Directly above me, men with rifles yelling at us. Some of my colleagues who own bullet proof vests are wearing them. I have never appreciated our Sergeants-at-Arms more than today. #mileg pic.twitter.com/voOZpPYWOs  Senator Dayna Polehanki (@SenPolehanki) April 30, 2020

The protest was the largest in the state since April 15, when Trump allies organised thousands of people for Operation Gridlock, a demonstration that blocked the streets of Lansing to protest Whitmers strict stay-at-home order. The protesters claimed it, along with other measures, are an overreach of the governors powers.

Operation Gridlock kicked off a round anti-lockdown protests, many organised by conservative or fringe groups, across the US. Along with political signs in support of Trump and Vice President Mike Pences reelection, protesters at some of the demonstrations waved Confederate flags, which many view as a racist symbol.

Whitmer, for her part, did not initially respond to the armed protest, but later told CNN [s]ome of the outrageousness of what happened at our capitol depicted some of the worst racism and awful parts of our history in this country.

Despite the furore, there are some in Michigan who remain opposed to banning guns from the state capitol building.

House Speaker Lee Chatfield told Michigan Information and Research Service on that he does not support such a ban because the building is the peoples house. Truscott said he does not think a ban on firearms will be approved, but said new safety measures are likely.





Trump tweeted support for the protesters, calling them very good people.

Firearms are routinely carried into the Capitol, which has no metal detectors at its entrances, during annual Second Amendment demonstrations. Democrats have proposed banning guns in the Capitol, but they have had no luck as the minority party in both the state House and Senate since 2010.
Coworkers at Roth Staffing's Phoenix location participate in Go Red for Women day to promote heart health. Roth Staffing has been a recognized leader in the staffing industry for years, consistently earning countless awards for its workplace culture.

Roth Staffing Companies has been named one of Inc. magazines Best Workplaces for 2020. This is the second year in a row Roth Staffing has received this honor from Inc. Magazine. Roth Staffing was selected out of thousands of companies to participate and was one of only 300 companies who made the cut on the magazines fifth annual Best Workplaces list.

While everyone at Roth Staffing Companies is extremely busy right now doing what it takes to help keep America working, it is a nice respite for our Coworkers to pause and receive this prestigious recognition, said Adam Roth, CEO of Roth Staffing Companies, Having Coworkers who passionately champion your companys culture is exceptionally important to the health of an organization, but that spirit and resiliency has never become more evident for us here at Roth Staffing than during these recent events.

Omaha Quantum Workplace conducted the employee survey for each nominated company. The survey included topics on trust, management effectiveness, perks, and confidence in the companys future. Roth Staffing is honored to be included in a list that directly reflects the workplace culture they have cultivated throughout the years.

Roth Staffing has been a recognized leader in the staffing industry for years, consistently earning countless awards for its workplace culture, including recently being named one of 2020s Best Staffing Firms to Work For and Temp For by Staffing Industry Analysts. As well as being ranked #1 among small businesses on Fortunes Best Workplaces for Women list in 2018, and in 2017 the company was ranked #1 on Fortunes Best Workplaces for Consulting & Professional Services. Roth Staffing was also recognized by Inc. magazine as one of the Best Places to Work in 2019 and earlier this year received the Best of Staffing Client Award and Talent Award by ClearlyRated for the 10th consecutive year.

About Roth Staffing Companies

Roth Staffing Companies is one of the largest privately held staffing companies in the country, operating from more than 100 locations across the nation via five specialized business lines: Ultimate Staffing Services, Ledgent Finance & Accounting, Adams & Martin Group, Ledgent Technology, and About Talent.

About Inc. Media

Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for todays innovative company builders. Winner of Advertising Ages A-List in January 2015, and a National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012, Inc. has a monthly audience reach thats grown from two million in 2010 to more than 20 million today. For more information, visit Inc.com.

About Quantum Workplace

Quantum Workplace is an HR technology company that serves organizations through employee engagement surveys, action-planning tools, exit surveys, peer-to-peer recognition, performance evaluations, goal tracking, and leadership assessment. For more information, visit QuantumWorkplace.com.


Credit: CC0 Public Domain

An innovative statewide alcohol-monitoring program that requires drunk drivers to be tested frequently for alcohol use significantly lowers the likelihood that participants will be rearrested or have probation revoked, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

The study analyzed results from South Dakota's 24/7 Sobriety Program, a public safety effort that imposes very frequent alcohol testing along with swift but modest sanctions for those testing positive or missing a testtypically a night or two in jail.

Researchers found that among those who had been arrested for a second or third drunk driving offense, 24/7 participants were almost 50 percent less likely to be rearrested or have their probation revoked in the following year compared to those who were not in the program.

Evidence suggests the trend continued into the second and third years following arrest.

The results are published online by the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management.

"The 24/7 Sobriety program is targeted at individuals whose alcohol use leads them to repeatedly threaten public health and safety," said Beau Kilmer, the study's lead author and director of the RAND Drug Policy Research Center. "Our research shows that 24/7 is making a difference in people's lives and reducing the risk of rearrest."

The 24/7 Sobriety program started in 2005 as a pilot project in a small number of South Dakota counties. As a condition of bond, individuals arrested for DUI were ordered to abstain from alcohol and show up at a law enforcement office to undergo twice-daily breathalyzer tests.

Individuals who test positive for any alcohol or who skip the tests are immediately subject to a short jail term.

Over time, the program expanded throughout the state and other alcohol testing technologies were incorporated. More than 30,000 South Dakotans participated in program through early 2017. The program also expanded in terms of who was eligible to participate.

"This study focuses on DUI participants, but the program's impact may be much broader," said co-author Greg Midgette, an assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice at the University of Maryland and an adjunct researcher at RAND. "There are many other kinds of crime, and aspects of life, that may be positively affected by less heavy drinking."

Today, the program is used throughout South Dakota, and similar efforts have been adopted in North Dakota and other jurisdictions, including the Greater London Authority in England. The program also has been designated as "promising" in CrimeSolutions.gov, the U.S. Department of Justice's evidence-based practices portal.

The RAND analysis is the first peer-reviewed study of the 24/7 program using individual-level data.

While previous RAND research focused on the program's impact at the county level, the new study allows policymakers to make comparisons with other well-studied programs that target the same population.

RAND based its analysis on information from 16,513 individuals who were arrested for a second or third drunk driving offense in South Dakota between 2004 and early 2012. The researchers controlled for several factors to help rule out alternative explanations and took advantage of the fact that the program was implemented in counties at different times.

"[W]e find strong evidence that 24/7 participation reduced criminal activity at 12 months after the initial arrest, and perhaps longer," the study concludes. "These findings provide support for 'swift-certain-fair' approaches to applying sanctions in community supervision."

Explore further Alcohol offender program associated with drop in deaths, study finds

More information: Beau Kilmer et al, CRIMINAL DETERRENCE: EVIDENCE FROM AN INDIVIDUALLEVEL ANALYSIS OF 24/7 SOBRIETY, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management (2020). Journal information: Journal of Policy Analysis and Management Beau Kilmer et al, CRIMINAL DETERRENCE: EVIDENCE FROM AN INDIVIDUALLEVEL ANALYSIS OF 24/7 SOBRIETY,(2020). DOI: 10.1002/pam.22217
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 6)  Overseas Filipino workers and other passengers flying in from abroad will be allowed entry to the country beginning Friday  or earlier than originally announced  an official said.

In a public briefing Wednesday, National Task Force COVID-19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez said all inbound passengers will be accommodated starting May 8, as the temporary restrictions on flights will be lifted.

"Pero i-lilimit lang po natin to 400 to 500 po, para at least, kayang-kaya po nating i-manage," Galvez said.

[Translation: But we will limit it to 400 to 500 passengers, so we will be able to manage them.]

The Department of Transportation earlier announced the suspension of international inbound passenger flights from May 3 to 9 on Galvez' request.

Meanwhile, the Task Force chief implementer maintained that the government has not imposed limitations on outbound flights.

Earlier, he explained that the moratorium was imposed to ramp up the capacity of the government to properly process the growing number of Filipinos being brought home on a daily basis.

Galvez also said on Wednesday that 19 repatriated OFWs have tested positive for the coronavirus infection.

"Sa 2,100 na ating tinest na OFWs, meron na pong 19 na positive," he disclosed.

[Translation: Of the 2,100 OFWs we have tested, 19 have been confirmed positive.]

But he noted that they are still waiting for the official results from the Philippine Red Cross.

In Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and other areas under enhanced community quarantine, essential public transportation is still prohibited.

The Philippines now has a total of 10,004 cases of COVID-19, including 1,506 recoveries and 658 fatalities.
Fans of the royal family and automotive enthusiasts often flock to auctions, in the hopes of seeing and bidding on various vehicles once tied to the hierarchy. Humber cars tend to draw tons of attention, as they are models from the late 1890s and early 1900s that were favorites among the high-profile elite politicians of the time. An auction this year featured 16 of these vintage Humber cars, two of which with direct ties to the Queen Mother and the infamous, Wallis Simpson.

Prince Harry | Peter Nicholls-WPA Pool/Getty Images

The story behind Wallis Simpson & the Queen Mother

Royal reveal: How the Queen Mother challenged Wallis Simpsons famehttps://t.co/onwdDJSewU pic.twitter.com/zEpR9M3K8V  Daily Express (@Daily_Express) November 21, 2019

Before the sometimes royal rule-breaking of Princess Diana, there was the Wallis Simpson and the abdication crisis. Simpson was a two-time divorcee and American socialite who rocked the royal tradition with her secret courtship with the intended King Edward VIII. The British establishment would discover the relationship and force Edward to choose between the crown or abdication. In a scene right out of todays Hollywood, Edward took to a BBC broadcast in 1936, declaring his love for Simpson and his willingness to give up the crown to marry her. They married in June of 1937, and Wallis Simpson became the Duchess of Windsor. Simpson was beloved among her fellow Americans, as she was the closest to achieving a Queen title, as any American had ever gotten.

The Queen Mother, the sister-in-law to Edward VIII, assumed her role as Queen upon his abdication. There were rumors that circulated about the Queen Mothers disdain for Simpson. The Duke and Duchess left the country to live in France, and many theories revolve around Wallis never being given her HRH status (Her Royal Highness) based on a decision made by the Queen Mother. The removed royal couple were still, however, receiving an allowance, but werent allowed to attend any royal functions. Some historians refute the rift between Wallis and the Queen Mother and suggest their relationship wasnt as negative or detrimental as once previously believed.

There are some royal cars up for sale

A collection of classic Humber cars used by figures including the Queen Mother and Wallis Simpson are up for sale https://t.co/rQ0NftNMxB pic.twitter.com/s291o0vetd  Tatler (@Tatlermagazine) April 15, 2020

Up for sale is the Queen Mothers 1952 Super Snipe Mk lll, the vintage Humber that she and King George VI used for Sunday church travels. Its reported to still show wear and nail marks from the Queen herself, on the door handles. Also available at auction is the 1932 Humber Snipe 80, driven by the royal family outcasts themselves, Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson. It is suggested to be the very car that the couple used to sneak around town back in the day. It comes equipped with a tiny rear window, making it practically impossible to see whos riding inside. Another model up for sale is a 1951 Humber Imperial Landaulette, initially manufactured for King George VI.

What cars with this much history are expected to go for

Now stored at a potato merchants in #Hull. The Queen Mother's former #Humber car. There's loads of them too pic.twitter.com/12lYCqGc0z  James Hoggarth (@jameshoggarth) June 17, 2013

This auction, hosted by Hansons Auctioneers, of 16 model Humber cars and royal ties, expects to bring top-dollar bidders. The collection of cars, being sold by Allan Marshall, comes complete with additional memorabilia, making them even more valuable to enthusiasts and collectors. There are two Humber bikes, a gramophone, a picnic basket, as well as photographs and letters. The collection is also backed by museum documentation, making the pieces historically official and verified. Sale prices are expected to be roughly 200,000 and 250,000, or more than $300,000.

When theres an auction that includes a collection of vintage cars, it is presumed to attract vehicle collectors. But when those vehicles have historical relevance and ties to the royal family, especially with a tinge of controversy, theyre sure to fetch a pretty penny (or pound). The Humber models tell a story far beyond that an antique car. They are imprinted with one of the greatest American-British royalty love stories.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: The Central government is learnt to have finalised the airfares for the Gulf returnees at about Rs 15,000-18,000 (QR 750-900) depending on the departure destinations, as the first Air India chartered flight to Kochi arrives from Abu Dhabi on Thursday.The civil aviation ministry and the external affairs ministry have reached a consensus on the rates. But it is learnt that the Air Indias fare (one way) would be something between QR 750 and QR 900 (Rs 16,000-18,000), said a source.

A resident in Dubai, whose relatives are looking to come to Kerala, told TNIE that the rates are reasonable. May be during the lean season, one could purchase an Air India ticket for QR500-600. But, the rates fixed are very reasonable and should be welcomed, he said.

As per the rates finalised, the Abu Dhabi-Kochi and Dubai-Kozhikode fare is fixed at Rs 15,000 (AED 725), while the Doha-Kochi ticket is priced at Rs 16,000 (QR 760). For the Bahrain-Kochi route, the airfare is fixed at Rs 17,000 (day 2) and Kuwait-Kochi fare is fixed at Rs 19,000 and Muscat-Kochi at Rs 14,000.



The rate of `17,000 for one-side journey is by and large reasonable at this juncture for a middle class NRI from Doha (Qatar), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE, said a Gulf returnee.

For those who are in financial distress, he said the Indian labour welfare fund available with the Indian missions abroad, which runs into several lakhs of rupees, could be utilised to pay for the ticket rates. A release issued by Air India Express said the air tickets will be issued only to those on the passenger lists prepared by the embassy/consulate.

Shabeer Kizhur, chief coordinator, Dubai Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC), said there had been no clarity on several fronts till Tuesday evening on the ticket rates and the priority under which they would be sent was yet to be known. Under the present circumstances, only 600 passengers can be sent in a week to Kerala whereas several lakhs have registered to return home, he said.

From the financially distressed, we are getting calls asking us if we could help them, he said.

Speaking at a discussion on a TV channel, V Muraleedharan, Minister of State for External Affairs, said those who are evacuated by the ship will also have to pay for their travel.

Kochi airport prepared

AC K Nair, director of Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL), said all arrangements have been made at the Kochi airport to receive the Keralites arriving from Thursday. The seats at the airport have been rearranged to meet the social distancing norms. Similar social distancing norms will be followed in other areas of the airport too, Nair said. While CIAL will provide Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits to its staff, he said other agencies in the airport will have to ensure that their staff are also given the protective gear to safeguard them against the spread of Covid-19. Earlier, two healthcare workers on duty at the Kochi airport had contracted the disease from passengers.

Rs 15,000 The finalised rate from Abu Dhabi-Kochi and Dubai-Kozhikode
Human-made sounds are giving way to more natural sounds as the COVID-19 pandemic pushes people indoors. Credit: Shutterstock

On a Friday, in late February, during rush-hour in Truro, N.S., I recorded 80 seconds of noise dynamics at a four-way intersection. I returned on April 3 after the COVID-19 restrictions sent people in Canada indoors. More than just looking empty, Canada may also be quieter.

Canadian towns and cities are experiencing a significant decrease in their social, recreational, industrial and economic activities due to the protocols required to address COVID-19.

In our urban cities, audio data is more comprehensive than its visual counterpart; noise can be detected from kilometers away and emanates from hidden buildings. Humans are the dominant sound makers in most landscapesfrom machinery to cars to simply being about.

In February, before the pandemic brought about a large-scale societal change, I recorded audio levels of urban and nature sounds in Truro. Compared with recordings taken again in April, acoustical analyses showed a distinct decrease in urban sound signatures and an increase in natural sounds.

Urban soundscapes

Noise has been a concern of city dwellers since Roman times, when a law prohibited the driving of chariots through the cobblestone streets of Rome at night. As cities modernized and industrialized, excessive noise was the foremost "quality of life" complaint in New York City.

Sound is measured in decibels (dB), which reflect the intensity of noise; decibels indicate the relative loudness of sounds. Each 10 dB increase corresponds to roughly a doubling of the average loudness, or noisiness, of the acoustic environment.

Almost everything makes a measurable noise. Standard breathing is 10 dB and normal conversation is 60 dB. Louder noises like a chainsaw are measured at 110 db, while an ambulance siren is 120 dB and a rocket launch is a whopping 180 dB. The World Health Organization has stated that regular and prolonged exposure to noise at 85 dB (cars and trucks) and higher is considered hazardous; even hearing something that measures 100 dB (some construction and manufacturing) for just 15 minutes a day can lead to permanent hearing loss.

As more sounds fill our environments, however, important sounds must become louder. For example, the sound output of the police siren has risen 40 dB in many North American cities as a result of more traffic, additional street activity and an overall increased ambient sound level. An ambulance, fire or police siren needs to be one of the highest levels of city sounds.

Many large cities such as Vancouver and Toronto have strict noise control plans to ensure public health and safety.

Conversely, natural sounds such as that of water, birds, animals and the changing environment are often considered more pleasurable than those within over-saturated urban environments. Acoustic ecology, a discipline founded by R. Murray Schafer and his team at Simon Fraser University, seeks "to find solutions for an ecologically balanced soundscape where the relationship between the human community and its sonic environment is in harmony."

A report on the sources of city noise in New York City in 1900 included this illustration denoting the types of noises in each neighbourhood. Credit: Commission for the study of noise in New York City, 1929

A consumer market exists for natural soundscapes and other stress-relieving noises. Natural sounds have a strong connection to conservation and the importance of ecological awareness. In 1949, Quebecois biologists were the first to record the sounds of marine mammals to promote conservation and awareness. The new and evolving field of ecoacoustics (or bioacoustics) is already changing how researchers assess ecosystem health and evaluate human impact.

As part of the Green Infrastructure Performance Lab at Dalhousie University, I study the differences between urban and rural landscapes, and investigate the changes that occur through urbanization and human development.

The sounds I recorded fall in to five groups and general decibel ranges:

Nature (10-50 dB): lower level noises like rustling leaves, wind and rainfall.

Humans (60-85 dB): noise from socio-cultural actions like sports, talking, tv/radio/phone, small tool use and more.

Urban life (65-95 dB): sounds from urbanized areas like sirens, footsteps, bicycles, ships, airplanes and dogs barking.

Vehicles (70-95 dB): sounds from road transport can indicate engine type, vehicle density and rate and the presence of paved road.

Work (75-100 dB): noise from construction, manufacturing, agriculture, industry and other human economic activities.

In my early findings, in February, it was common to hear the sounds of vehicles and urban lifeplanes, cars, footsteps, barking dogs and otherssounds typically within the 60-100 dB range.

But in April, recordings at the same location revealed the nature noises that were no longer masked by the louder sounds of human activity: rustling leaves, wind, streams and birdssounds of nature below the 50 dB level.

The sounds of nature are important to our well-being

There is an urban rhythm to city soundscapes. Studies conclude this urban background noise is comforting to some. Regardless, there are neurobiological mechanisms operating our physiological and psychological reactions to natural noise stimuli. Natural sounds have the capacity to sooth and impact us the ways urban sounds cannot. This is considered biophilia, or our genetic predisposition towards all things within nature.

Noise levels have an impact on health. Much of the research on the benefits of natural sounds point to Attentional Restoration theory and Stress Recovery theory, which assert the body and brain's ability to recover from fatigue or passively recharge itself.

The human well-being advantages of bioacoustics or listening to natural sounds are many and include reduced heart rate, reduced levels of stress and anxiety, increased positive emotions, overall wellbeing and increased productivity.

Urban lifestyles are often disconnected from the natural environment; hearing the sounds of nature can be rare for city residents. However, those sounds are there, just overshadowed by human noise.

Go out on the porch or deck, listen to the nature in your neighborhoodyou might even hear silenceit won't last.

Explore further Noises from human activity may threaten New England's freshwater soundscape

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Its Monday morning at 7:15 a.m. Our kids, ages 6 and 9, have just finished breakfast, and they know to get their shoes on to go for a walk. We are hand-in-hand, slowly waking up as we put one foot in front of the other. We ambled down our neighborhood streets, listening to birds chirping and squinted as we looked upward to admire their flight.

Out of nowhere, our 6-year-old squeezes my hand and says, I dont want to die young. As a parent, you hear your child say many alarming things, so I tried to brush this one aside. I thought to myself, perhaps she is emotional about something shes just read or watched. To humor her, I say, well, why would you say that? She stops walking, lets go of my hand, hangs her head, and says, the coronavirus.

Like many parents, my husband and I have tried to create a sense of calm amidst the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic. In spite of the kids being at home all day, every day, my husband and I both working from home have created a schedule to keep us all sane and to get through the workday. So, we start every morning with a walk as a way to check-in with one another, to get some exercise but also because there are fewer people from whom to keep a 6-feet distance.

We are all trying to ignore the fact that nothing is normal. Although we love being able to be together more, the circumstances of it all come crashing down when we are reminded that there is a pandemic. And our 6-year-old, though she is safe from harm, feels palpably uncertain and frightened.

I take her hand and come down to her level, look directly into her eyes and being the scientist-mom that I am I say but honey, you know that kids are often not affected as badly by this virus, not like adults. I hope this fact will cheer her up, make her realize she will still celebrate her 7th birthday in the next few weeks. She lifts her head slightly, afraid to look into my eyes. I help lift her head upright, so our eyes meet. There are tears in them, and then she quietly says, but you still have to go back to work, the last word trailing like a forgotten song.

The elephant in the room, the thing none of us speak about out loud is the fact that stranger than the pandemic itself is the fact that I have been home for more days in a row than I have since starting residency almost two years ago. Im a physician completing my residency in San Diego and have been commuting back-and-forth to the Bay Area to be with my family on weekends. Therefore, my family is used to seeing me for no more than 2 to 3 days at a time.

For now, I can complete most of my clinical responsibilities with telemedicine. In this way, I feel fortunate to be able to still continue to care for people in need in spite of the pandemic. However, we all know that this shelter-in-place will eventually come to an end, and then what? Will we go back to normal? Do we want to go all the way back to normal? Despite the logistical challenges of working from home and homeschooling, our children seem to enjoy being immersed in our work lives as much as we have been enmeshed in theirs.

We continued walking in silence, hand-in-hand. I looked over at my husband and our 9-year-old a few steps in front of us. I looked behind us, realizing that we were completely alone on this trail, surrounded by the sweet sounds, smells, and sights of nature. And yet, underneath this seeming calm is a thread of fear and anxiety about our very existence. I wondered, was her fear her own? Was she giving voice to my fear? Was she articulating what so many of us in health care feel and must somehow suffocate or bury deep down in the recesses of our minds so as not to cause even more disruption in the lives of our families?

Our 9-year-old squealed happily as she found yet another roly-poly to add to her growing collection, and she beckoned her younger sister toward her. I was happy to have a moment to hold my husbands hand, to tell him what our 6-year-old was feeling, and to gauge his sense of how to answer her question, ease her angst. He too had no answers.

I am afraid of contracting the virus. Although I am 38, Im not completely comforted by this, given the number of young, seemingly healthy people who have become gravely ill with COVID-19. I became a doctor because it is my calling and the profession within which I feel most whole. But it is scary right now seeing the real danger doctors all over the world are facing in this pandemic, risking their lives doing the very thing they love. There is no greater sacrifice.

As we turned the corner back up to our driveway, our 6-year-old took my hand again, and this time with a big toothless smile she kissed the back of my hand and said:  I am so happy we get to see you every day now even if there is a coronavirus. I picked her up and held her in my arms, kissed her cheeks, and finally had the courage to say me too.

Ogechi Ikediobi is a dermatology resident.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
The novel surface coatings contain nanoparticles of anti-viral and anti-bacterial metal ions and polymers

The coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, which is responsible for the current COVID-19 pandemic, is transmitted between people mainly via respiratory droplets, but it is known that the virus remains stable on various surfaces for days. One of the first indications for this came from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, where active virus particles were found even 17 days after the ship was evacuated. In light of the possibility that the virus can spread through contaminated surfaces, it is important to be able to sterilize surfaces with high contamination potential, such as doorknobs, elevator buttons or handrails in public areas in general, and in hospitals and clinics in particular. However, current disinfectants are mainly based on chemicals such as poisonous sodium hypochlorite (bleach) or alcohol, both of which provide only a temporary measure until the next exposure to the virus.

Prof. Angel Porgador, from the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics at Ben-Gurion University (BGU), Israel and the National Institute of Biotechnology in the Negev (NIBN), and Dr. Mark Schvartzman, the Department of Materials Engineering at BGU, are developing novel surface coatings that will have a long term effect, and contain nanoparticles of safe metal ions and polymers with anti-viral and anti-microbial activity.

Certain metals can be lethal, even in small quantities, for viruses and bacteria and are not poisonous to humans. In proof of concept experiments, in which also PhD students Yariv Greenshpan and Esti Toledo, and postdoc Guillaume Le Saux participated, the researchers assessed the effect of surfaces coated with nanoparticles of various metals on the infectivity of lentiviruses, which belong to the HIV family, in human cells. Findings show that surfaces coated with copper nanoparticles strongly block infection of the cells by the virus. These ongoing experiments show a huge potential for copper ions in preventing surface-mediated infection with SARS-CoV-2.

Based on these findings, the researchers are developing anti-viral coatings that can be painted or sprayed on surfaces. The coatings are based on polymers, which are the starting materials of plastics and paints, and contain nanoparticles of copper and other metals. The nanoparticles embedded in the polymer will enable controlled release of metal ions onto the coated surface. Studies show that these ions have a strong anti-viral effect, which can eradicate virus particles that adhere to the surface. Because the release of ions is extremely slow, the coating can be effective for a long period of time  weeks and even months, and it will reduce the infectivity of the virus particles by more than 10-fold.
For the first time, Russia has allowed a Syrian cargo plane, travelling from Iran, to land at its Hemeimeem Airbase reports Al-Masdar.

In a rare move, the Russian Federation gave Iran access to Syrias Hemeimeem Airbase in the western part of the country, a flight tracking app revealed this week.

According to the reports, a Syrian IL-76 cargo aircraft was tracked flying from Tehrans Mehrabad Airport to the Hemeimeem Airbase near the coastal city of Jableh in Syrias Lattakia Governorate.

The plane, which mostly travels from Tehran to Damascus, is under the watchful eye of the Israeli military, who has on several occasions attacked the cargo unloaded from the aircraft.

Israel, with varying success, has destroyed several military facilities belonging to the Iranian military forces in Syria and damaged the infrastructure of a number of military bases in order to prevent Iranian aircraft with weapons from landing here; however, Russia provided the Iranian military with the opportunity to use its military airfield in the province of Lattakia, thereby challenging Netanyahu, who promised to strike at the Iranian military at any time, the Russian publication Avia.Pro reported.

By allowing Iran to use the Khemeimeem (var. Hemeimeem) airbase, Russia challenged Netanyahu, literally pointing out that just one attempt to attack the Russian military airbase in Syria, regardless of the circumstances, would lead not only to the destruction of Israeli aircraft, but also to strike in Israel itself, an Avia.Pro expert said.

Most recently, Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennett has vowed to intensify strikes against the Iranian forces in Syria, as Israeli seeks to expel the Islamic Republic from the Arab Republic.

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.
KABUL -- Afghanistan's intelligence agency says it has busted a joint "terrorist" cell of the Islamic State (IS) group and the Haqqani network, a powerful Taliban faction.

Five members of the cell were killed and eight others arrested when security forces stormed two hideouts of the group in Kabul and the Shakar Dara district, some 25 kilometers north of the capital, the National Directorate of Security (NDS) said on May 6.

It said in a statement that the cell had carried out "major attacks" in Kabul, including a March 25 assault on a Sikh temple that left at least 25 worshippers dead.

The attack was claimed by the Afghan affiliate of the IS, Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP).

The joint IS-Haqqani cell was also behind a rocket attack during President Ashraf Ghani's swearing-in ceremony on March 9, according to the NDS.

The intelligence agency said the members of the cell also killed several Afghan officials and fired rockets at Bagram Airfield, the main U.S. military base in Afghanistan, located north of Kabul.

Afghan officials have long accused the Haqqani network, a U.S.-designated terrorist group, of carrying out attacks claimed by or blamed on the IS.

The ISKP has been active in the war-torn country since 2015, fighting the Taliban as well as Afghan and U.S. forces.

With reporting by AFP
US Army Alaska Soldier Sgt. Christopher Wesley Curry, photographed above, died in a non-combat situation in Iraq on Monday. Courtesy US Army Alaska.
The Philippines' telecommunications commission shut down the country's largest TV network on Tuesday, in a surprise move that follows other steps by President Rodrigo Duterte's government to put pressure on major media outlets.

Why it matters: The cease-and-desist order for broadcaster ABS-CBN follows legal threats on the Philippines' largest newspaper, which was sold under pressure to a Duterte ally, and legal cases against leading news site Rappler. It also removes a leading source of news from the airwaves during the coronavirus pandemic.

Where things stand: The order came a day after ABS-CBN's 25-year operating license from Congress expired. The renewal remains pending in Congress, which is filled with Duterte's allies.

The big picture: The network, which has become a cultural symbol and is watched by millions of Filipinos worldwide, was forced to sign off early Tuesday night, leaving the jobs of some 11,000 staff in peril.

What they're saying:

A presidential spokesperson backed the commission: We thank the network for its services to the Filipino nation and people especially in this time of COVID-19. But in the absence of a legislative franchise, as we have earlier said, ABS-CBNs continued operation is entirely with the National Telecommunication Commissions decision."

backed the commission: We thank the network for its services to the Filipino nation and people especially in this time of COVID-19. But in the absence of a legislative franchise, as we have earlier said, ABS-CBNs continued operation is entirely with the National Telecommunication Commissions decision." The network also issued a statement, saying: "We trust that the government will decide on our franchise with the best interest of the Filipino people in mind, recognizing ABS-CBNs role and efforts in providing the latest news and information during these challenging times."

also issued a statement, saying: "We trust that the government will decide on our franchise with the best interest of the Filipino people in mind, recognizing ABS-CBNs role and efforts in providing the latest news and information during these challenging times." Media organizations and human rights groups labeled the move an attack on freedom of the press and on the Southeast Asian country's fragile democracy.

Flashback: The media giant was shut down in 1972 during the dictatorial rule of Ferdinand Marcos and reopened after the 1986 People Power Revolution.

The big picture: Duterte has responded angrily to critical coverage, particularly of his violent drug war. He has warned that journalists "are not exempted from assassination."

His actions are part of a worldwide trend of strongmen leaders using the pandemic to clamp down on critics and advance their agendas.

Go deeper: Press freedom is eroding around the world
Trump Nominee to Lead US Intelligence Promises 'Unvarnished Truth'

By Jeff Seldin May 05, 2020

More than eight months after he was first tapped to lead U.S. intelligence efforts, Congressman John Ratcliffe repeatedly pledged to skeptical lawmakers that he would abandon partisan politics and provide the president and top policymakers the "unvarnished truth," no matter what they wanted to hear.

"What anyone wants the intelligence to reflect won't impact the intelligence that I deliver," the Texas Republican told fellow lawmakers, should he be confirmed as director of national intelligence. "It won't be shaded for anyone."

Ratcliffe's journey to Tuesday's confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, in a mostly empty chamber due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, has been an unusual one.

An ardent supporter of President Donald Trump, Ratcliffe initially was forced to withdraw his name from consideration last August after Republican and Democratic lawmakers raised questions about his credentials, specifically about allegations he overstated his counterterrorism achievements as a federal prosecutor.

Many also questioned Ratcliffe's lack of experience with U.S. intelligence agencies, noting his most direct connection has been as a member of the House Intelligence Committee, a seat he got only last year.

But Trump nominated Ratcliffe again this past February, calling him "an outstanding man of great talent!"

In his opening statement, Ratcliffe told lawmakers that despite his partisan background, if confirmed as director of national intelligence, he would seek to be "a stabilizing force" for the U.S. intelligence agencies while protecting the agencies from any political litmus tests.

"You have my commitment to deliver timely, accurate and objective intelligence and to speak truth to power, be that with Congress or within the administration," he said.

Ratcliffe also sought to distance himself from comments Trump made last July, when he said the intelligence community needed someone to "rein in" agencies that "have run amok."

"I have never said that," Ratcliffe said, adding he hoped such talk would not have an effect on morale.

China and COVID-19 his priorities

Ratcliffe told lawmakers that if confirmed, his top priority would be China and the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump and other top administration officials have said there is mounting evidence that the COVID-19 virus spread from a Chinese laboratory in Wuhan where the first cases were reported, though U.S. intelligence officials have said publicly that the virus was not human-made.

"The intelligence community will be laser focused on getting all of the answers that we can regarding how this happened when this happened," Ratcliffe said. "The American people deserve answers."

Despite getting praise from Republicans on the committee, including the chairman, Sen. Richard Burr, Ratcliffe came under criticism from Democrats, who said that although he had provided answers to more than 100 questions prior to the hearing, he had failed to alleviate their concerns.

"I'll speak plainly. I still have some of the same doubts now as I had back in August," said Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair Mark Warner, though he also said he was willing to give Ratcliffe the "benefit of the doubt."

Targeting Russian meddling

One of the biggest concerns for Warner and other Democratic lawmakers has been the Trump administration's reaction to the intelligence community's conclusion that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, with the ultimate aim of helping then-candidate Trump.

A bipartisan report released by the Senate Intelligence Committee last month affirmed that initial finding, calling the conclusion "sound."

Ratcliffe said he could not wholly endorse the intelligence community's conclusion, pointing to a 2018 report by the House Intelligence Committee which disputed the judgment that Russia sought to help Trump win.

"But I have not seen the underlying intelligence to tell me why there is a difference of opinion between the two committees," Ratcliffe said.

Other Democrats pushed Ratcliffe over the issue of protecting intelligence community whistleblowers. Sen. Diane Feinstein accused Ratcliffe of "participation in President Trump's campaign to punish and discredit" the CIA whistleblower whose complaint set the impeachment process in motion.

"My issue was not with the whistleblower," Ratcliffe said. "My issue was with what I perceived as a lack of due process in the House (impeachment) process."

"I want to make it very clear, if confirmed as DNI, every whistleblower, past present and future, will enjoy every protection under the law," he said.

Following the hearing, committee chairman and fellow Republican Sen. Richard Burr endorsed Ratcliffe, saying he hoped to quickly send the nomination to the full Senate for a vote.

"After hearing from Congressman Ratcliffe today, I believe he understands the challenges facing the Intelligence Community in the 21st century and is ready to work to meet them," Burr said in a statement.

Concerns about partisanship

Some former intelligence officials were not as impressed with Ratcliffe's performance.

Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, a former senior CIA official who once headed the agency's Europe division, tweeted that Ratcliffe's testimony on Russian election interference should be an "instant disqualification."

"Means he won't defend IC (intelligence community) conclusions even when definitive," Mowatt-Larssen added. "He can't be counted upon to stand up to Russia when US interests are threatened."

Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, who served under President Barack Obama, told VOA before the hearing that Ratcliffe's relationship with the intelligence agencies going forward bears watching.

"If he's confirmed, we'll have to see how he performs," Clapper said. "If he behaves as strictly a Trump loyalist, there will be a lot of blowback from the ranks."

If confirmed, Ratcliffe would be the first permanent director of national intelligence since last August, when then-DNI Dan Coats resigned.

The post is currently filled by Richard Grenell, known as a Trump loyalist, who replaced former Acting Director Joseph Maguire.

Maguire was reportedly ousted after a top aide told lawmakers in a classified briefing that Russia was seeking to get Trump reelected.

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Public Health England's Prof Yvonne Doyle today insisted nationwide Covid-19 testing is increasing - despite showing a sharp decline since Matt Hancock's 100,000 a day deadline on April 30.

Addressing this evening's Downing Street coronavirus press briefing, Prof Doyle said the number of tests have been increasing and this can explain the increase in the number of positive cases of Covid-19.

However, the slide she used during the briefing showed a dramatic decline in the number of tests since April 30, which was Health Secretary Matt Hancock's deadline for reaching 100,000 tests a day.

Public Health England's medical director, Prof Yvonne Doyle, pictured, said the number of tests performed in the United Kingdom had increased while showing a slide which illustrated how fewer tests have taken place every day since April 30

That figure is just 57 per cent of the 122,327 tests that Matt Hancock boasted had been carried out on Thursday to meet his pledge of 100,000 tests conducted per day by the end of April

Twitter users were suspicious of the message from today's Downing Street briefing, having noticed a decline in the number of tests since April 30

This person also acknowledged the lack of tests and the increase in the number of infections

Opposition leaders have demanded an explanation for the decline in coronavirus testing, after the Government missed its 100,000-a-day target for the fourth day in a row.

Labour said that the news 'does not inspire confidence' in plans to begin easing the UK lockdown, which are expected to be announced on Sunday.

A total of 69,463 tests were conducted in the 24 hours to 9am on Wednesday, according to Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick.

The testing total was 84,806 up to 9am on Tuesday, 85,186 up to 9am on Monday and 76,496 up to 9am on Sunday.

During her briefing, Prof Doyle said: 'The important message is that we should all respect that this virus does transmit and we should stay at home and not to interact too much because people are still very vulnerable to getting this virus.

Now, we can see hear the daily tests and these have increased over time and this is up to May 6 but Ill move on to the next slide which is of interest which is new cases.'

Commenting on the rise in Covid-19, she said: 'We are doing more testing so we are going to find more new cases, and this is what we want to do. We want to find the positive cases and break transmission.

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: 'One hundred thousand completed tests a day was pledged. Instead testing has gone down for the fourth day in a row.

'Testing should be going up, not be on this downward trajectory. Ministers need to explain why they are failing to deliver the testing promised.'

Boris Johnson marked his return to the Commons by setting a new ambition for increasing test capacity to 200,000 a day by the end of the month.

But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer pressed the prime minister on why current capacity had not been fully utilised since the end of April.

'On April 30, the Government claimed success in meeting its 100,000 tests-a-day target. Since then, as the Prime Minister knows, the number has fallen back,' he said.

'On Monday, there were just 84,000 tests and that meant 24,000 available tests were not used.

'What does the Prime Minister think was so special about April 30 that meant that testing that day was so high?'

Deputy leader Angela Rayner added that the 'consistent downward trend' was 'really not good enough'.

'It doesn't inspire confidence to start easing lockdown,' she wrote on Twitter.

It comes as Health Secretary Matt Hancock claimed the UK is now a world leader in testing for Covid-19, though he conceded that capacity for checks had needed to be built up 'almost from scratch' since the start of the outbreak.

Mr Hancock admitted that it would have been 'wonderful' to have a diagnostics industry like Germany to tackle the coronavirus crisis, but insisted the UK has now caught up with the Germans in terms of testing.

Some 69,463 took place in the 24 hours to 9am today, according to Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick

It came as Boris Johnson revealed a new 'ambition' to reach a capacity of 200,000 tests per day by the end of May

Downing Street later confirmed he was referring to capacity, rather than the total amount of tests actually carried out, and it could include new antibody tests if any are found to work accurately.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer savaged the Government over its fateful decision to scale down coronavirus testing in March, only for it later to be deemed vital to beating the pandemic.

He clashed with Mr Johnson over the pandemic as they faced each other for the first time at Prime Minister's Question in the hushed, court room-like surroundings of the mostly-empty House of Commons.

The Prime Minister admitted contact tracing - where those suspected of having the virus are tracked down and tested - was stopped in mid-March as the transmission of coronavirus from individuals in the UK meant that 'it exceeded out capacity'.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer tore into Boris Johnson today over the Government's fateful decision to scale down coronavirus testing in March, only for it later to be deemed vital to beating the pandemic

It came after the Government's chief scientist conceded Britain should have done mass coronavirus testing on the public at the beginning of the crisis and carried it on.

Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser to Downing Street, admitted yesterday that it 'would have been beneficial' to get a handle on testing faster.

Britain's death toll climbed to the highest in Europe last night in one of the darkest days of the coronavirus pandemic.

Two official measures revealed our figures had surpassed Italy's which had previously been the worst-affected nation on the continent.

Facing Mr Johnson, Sir Keir said: 'Contract tracing was happening in the UK but it was abandoned in mid-March. We were told at the time that this was because it was quote 'not an appropriate mechanism' but yesterday the deputy chief medical officer said it was to do with testing capacity.

'So can the Prime Minister just clarify the position for us?'

The two party leaders clashed over the pandemic as they faced each other for the first time at Prime Minister's Question in the hushed, court room-like surroundings of the mostly-empty House of Commons

Mr Johnson replied: 'As I think is readily apparent Mr Speaker to everybody who studied the situation and I think as the scientists would confirm, the difficulty in mid-March was that the tracing capacity that we had, that had been useful as he rightly says in the containment phase of the epidemic, that capacity was no longer useful or relevant since the transmission from individuals within the UK meant that it exceeded our capacity then.

'Now the value of the testing, tracking and tracing operation that we're setting up now is that as we come out of the epidemic and as we get the new cases down, we will have a team that will genuinely be able to track and trace hundreds of thousands of people across the country and thereby to drive down the epidemic.'

Mr Johnson was the latest minister to admit the UK could not handle enough testing at the start of the pandemic.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Security Minister James Brokenshire both made similar confessions in interviews today.

The admissions sparked criticism over how testing was handled.

Senior Lib Dem MP Layla Moran said: 'The Government has admitted what we all knew already: testing did not begin quickly enough.

'Our country has paid a devastating price for this, and in the wake of the crisis we need an inquiry to examine the delays to testing, as well the ongoing lack of PPE for frontline workers.'

Asked whether, had there been the capacity, track-and-tracing should have continued, Mr Brokenshire told the BBC's Today programme: 'Would there have been benefit in having that extra capacity, as Patrick Vallance highlighted yesterday? Yes.

'The challenge that we had is that we have some fantastic laboratories, some fantastic expertise, but it has been the capacity constraints that we have had, and therefore how that posed challenges.'

Mr Hancock this morning said it would have been good if the UK had had the diagnostic testing capability enjoyed by Germany, but insisted the UK had caught up.

He said: 'The Germans started with this enormous diagnostics industry. But if you look at other countries around the world we are miles ahead on testing and we are now one of the world leaders.

'It is true that Germany has a very high capacity - about the same as ours. So we have basically caught up with Germany that started with this massive capability. We are miles ahead of South Korea now. Absolutely.'

The UK Government has only allowed members of the public to get coronavirus tests from last week, and there are still restrictions on who is eligible, even if they have symptoms (Pictured: A woman has a nasal swab taken at the Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge)

Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK's chief scientific adviser, admitted it 'would have been beneficial' for the UK to have testing ramped up weeks earlier than it did

Government data last night showed there had been 29,427 deaths in hospitals, care homes and the community  a rise of 693 in one day.

But a second set of figures from the Office for National Statistics put the death toll at 32,375  once numbers from Scotland and Northern Ireland had been included - taking the UK above Italy.

When the first cases of the coronavirus appeared in the UK every person suspected of having it was being tested and any positive cases would be quarantined in a specialist disease hospital.

As the infection spread, however, the Government gave up trying to test everyone.

On March 12, officials announced testing would be limited to patients and staff in hospitals so that authorities could focus on preparing hospitals for disaster.

That policy continued for six weeks until April 28, when testing was expanded to key workers and over-65s with symptoms, and later to those without signs of the illness.

Speaking to MPs in Parliament's Health Select Committee yesterday, Sir Patrick said: 'I think that probably we, in the early phases - and I've said this before - I think if we'd managed to ramp testing capacity quicker it would have been beneficial.

'For all sorts of reasons that didn't happen.'

One former World Health Organization director, commenting on the lack of focus on testing, said: 'This should not have happened'.

A former director at the WHO and now academic at University College London, Professor Anthony Costello, said the UK should never have let testing slip.

He said on Twitter: 'On March 12 we stopped all community testing at a time when there were less than 10 deaths and only 500 confirmed cases countrywide.

'Most local authorities had tiny numbers of cases. Before we stopped we were only doing 1,500 tests per day. This should not have happened.

'And contact tracing could have easily continued with local authority public health teams, GPs, environmental health officers and trained volunteers. Except maybe in London and W Midlands. This would have reduced spread.'

Sir David King, a chemist at the University of Cambridge, agreed that testing could have spared the UK some of the devastation it has gone through.

Asked whether he thought testing could have cut the death toll he told the BBC: 'I don't think there's any might about it, of course it would.'

In his evidence yesterday, Sir Patrick added: 'I think it's clear you need lots of testing for this but, to echo what Jenny Harries has said, it's completely wrong to think of testing as the answer.

'It's just part of the system that you need to get right. The entire system needs to work properly.'

Dr Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer for England, has explained that the UK stopped its policy of testing everyone so officials could focus on preparing the NHS.

When officials realised Britain was on the cusp of a full-blown epidemic the Government scrambled to try and prepare the already-crumbling NHS for patients.

Videos and reports emerging from Italy, which battled what is still perceived as the worst outbreak in the world, showed patients in corridors and hospitals overwhelmed with the sick and dying.

Afraid Britain faced the same fate, the Government rushed to cancel all non-urgent operations, empty hospital wards and buy as many ventilators as it could get its hands on.

In the process, testing, tracking and tracing of people infected with the virus in the community fell by the wayside.

Professor Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer, said on March 12: 'It is no longer necessary for us to identify every case'.

Throughout March, the Government never tested more than 9,000 people in a day, and the number hovered below 15,000 until mid-April.

During that time, hundreds of thousands of people - potentially millions - are believed to have been infected with the coronavirus and almost 18,000 people had died by the first time the Government managed to test 15,000 in a day.

The World Health Organization, shortly after Professor Whitty's announcement, had urged countries to 'test, test, test'.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, its director-general, said not doing so would be like 'trying to fight a fire blindfolded'.
Brain blood vessels are critical networks for maintaining brain functions. These blood vessels control the exchange of nutrients, gases, and wastes between neuronal cells and the blood. Defects in these blood vessels result in life threatening diseases such as stroke and brain haemorrhages. How blood vessels absorb nutrients for their own functions and how they supply the brain with essential nutrients are yet to be fully understood.

On May 5, researchers from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore reported online in the prestigious Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI) that they had discovered a protein named MFSD7c in blood vessel cells in the brain that is critical for blood vessel development and brain growth. Their findings may pave the way for better understanding of the essential nutrients required for blood vessel health and brain growth.

MFSD7c is an orphan protein transporter that has been linked with Fowler syndrome. Affected subjects with variations in the Mfsd7c gene exhibit signs of severe neurological defects. Typical hallmarks of this disease are congenital hydrocephalus, hydranencephaly, hypervasculation and thinning of cortices in the central nervous system (CNS). These developmental abnormalities are associated with high prenatal lethality. In this breakthrough study, the NUS researchers revealed the effects of Mfsd7c deficiency in mice and compare it to phenotypic findings in humans with bi-allelic Mfsd7c mutations. They found that MFSD7c is required for the normal growth of brain blood vessels and ablation of this gene results in microcephaly-associated vasculopathy in mice and humans.

In the study, led by Assistant Professor Long Nam Nguyen from the Department of Biochemistry and his team (postdoctoral fellows Pazhanichamy Kalailingam and Toan Quoc Nguyen, and undergraduate students Xiu Ru Toh and Kai Qi Wang), the researchers discovered that MFSD7c is not only essential for brain blood vessel development, but essential for brain growth. Loss of MFSD7c causes severely reduced blood vessel density and functions that results in hypoxia and neuronal cell death. Deficiency of MFSD7c also causes microcephaly (small brain) in mice and humans. Although detailed mechanisms by which MFSD7c regulates these two seemingly related processes require further investigations, their study suggested that molecules transported to the brain by MFSD7c are critical for brain development and functions.

The researchers noted that many protein transporters are expressed in brain blood vessels. However, what we know about the human brain is still limited. Nutrients that the brain needs during early development and in adulthood are yet to be fully uncovered. "Our study helped reveal that Mfsd7c is a critical gateway in blood vessels, likely by bringing in essential nutrients to the brain" said Dr Nguyen. "This study opens up new avenues of research aimed at identifying essential nutrients transported via CNS blood vessels for brain growth and functions." "We are actively pursuing these scientific questions with hope that our research outcomes can be utilized for treatment of neuronal diseases via manipulating essentially nutritional molecules required by the brain."

###

The study also involved researchers at the Genetics Institute, Rambam Health Care Center, Haifa, Israel and the Genetics and Rare Diseases Research Area, Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy. The research was supported by the Singapore Ministry of Health's National Research Council NMRC/OF-IRG/0066/20, Ministry of Education MOE2018-T2-1-126, MOE-Tier-1, MOE PDF fellowship, NUS Young Investigator Award (NUSYIA_FY16_P19), NUHSRO/2017/066/BRIDGING/04, and NUSMED-FOS joint research programme healthy brain ageing grants.
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Sean Hannity has condemned the armed Michigan protesters, saying he supported the Second Amendment but not when it was used to intimidate lawmakers.

The Fox News pundit has previously defended people who would like to reopen America during the coronavirus pandemic because of the impact on the economy and everyday life. However, when speaking about the latest protest in Michigan, he took a different tone.

Im the number one supporter in radio and television that I know of  First Amendment and the Second Amendment, he said on The Sean Hannity Show.

Now, no one is a bigger defender of the Second Amendment than yours truly. Everyone has the right to protest, protect themselves, and try to get the country open, he added.

But the militia look with the long guns was not advised by the host when pushing forward a message.

Show of force is dangerous. That puts our police at risk, Mr Hannity said. And by the way, your message will never be heard, whoever you people are. No one should be attempting to intimidate officials with a show of force. And God forbid something happens, theyre going to go after all of us law-abiding Second Amendment people.

Speaking out against the armed protesters who entered the Michigan state Capitol on Thursday contrasted with what President Donald Trump tweeted the following day.

The Governor of Michigan should give a little, and put out the fire, Mr Trump wrote, addressing Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat. These are very good people, but they are angry. They want their lives back again, safely! See them, talk to them, make a deal.

The protest on Thursday, dubbed the American Patriot Rally by organisers from the Michigan United for Liberty group, was controversial because of what people wore while imploring lawmakers to lift stay-at-home measures. Michigans current stay-at-home order was extended until 15 May.

There were swastikas and Confederate flags and nooses and people with assault rifles, Ms Whitmer said about the recent protest. Some of the outrageousnesses of what happened at our Capitol depicted some of the worst racism and awful parts of our history in this country.

Lawmakers were intimidated by members of the protest. State Senator Dayna Polehanki, a Democrat, wrote in a tweet how colleagues were now wearing bulletproof vests to protect themselves.

Senator Dayna Polehanki shared on Thursday some colleagues, like Senator Sylvia Santana (pictured), are wearing bulletproof vests to work as armed protesters storm the Michigan State Capitol (Senator Dayna Polehanki)

When contacted by The Independent, she then shared a picture of State Senator Sylvia Santana, a Democrat, wearing a bulletproof vest and face mask while working.

Mr Hannity got some pushback from Dan Bongino, a Fox News contributor, who defended the protesters for using their Second Amendment right to bring guns to the Capitol.

But the host reiterated the weapons were a distraction from the original intent of the protest, which was to implore the governor to open the state safely.

Nobodys gonna hear them, Dan... You dont need to show force like this, he said. They could do concealed carry, Dan, if theyre worried about their safety, this is to intimidate."
Umar Audi, member representing Bayo constituency at the Borno state house of assembly, is dead. He died at the University of Maidugu...

Umar Audi, member representing Bayo constituency at the Borno state house of assembly, is dead.





He died at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital on Tuesday evening.





A hospital source said Audi was initially rejected because there was no bed space. The health workers were said to have stood their ground that the only available space was for any emergency that has to do with childbirth.





But the family members who took him there reportedly prevailed upon the hospital authorities before he was attended to.





He died shortly after they admitted him. His sample has been sent to the Nigeria Center for Disease Control to certify if the death has anything to do with COVID-19, the source said.





Audis death comes barely a week after the death of Bukar Wakil Lawan, lawmaker representing Nganzai constituency in Borno.
YEREVAN.  Opposition Bright Armenia faction member Karen Simonyan on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in the National Assembly what the reason is for the increase in the number of crimes in the country.

According to the Prime Minister, this is one of the cases when some abuse the opportunity created by the government. "You know that in 2019, we have introduced a reward system for the police to effectively solve crimes, Pashinyan said. And recently there was a case was found out when the head of a police department and some representatives of the staff came to an arrangement with the district criminals that they would go, steal, [and] they [the police] would come, solve that theft, and get a reward for it.

Pashinyan also presented other issues that may be the reason for the increase in the number of crimes in Armenia.

"Today we have people involved as accused in thefts, who are being released from custody by the court, a precautionary measure of signature bond not to leave [the country] is being chosen, [but] they are committing new thefts during the investigation," he added. "There is also the third [reason], () in general, I consider amnesty a very bad tool because in practice, 60-70% of those released by amnesty are caught committing a new crime within the next 1-2 years."

According to the PM, they have already taken an important step, and that is the law on combating criminal subculture. "According to the new Criminal Procedure Code, instead of arrest, we will introduce an electronic bracelet system, which will show the trajectory of a person under precautionary measure."
Chinese State Media, Scholars Snub Trump Threats of New Tariffs

By Joyce Huang May 05, 2020

State media and scholars in China Monday snubbed U.S. President Donald Trump after he said he would resume hiked tariffs on Chinese imports if it fails to buy an additional $200 billion more of American goods and services in the next two years as pledged.

They say that such punitive measures, once re-enacted, will instead hurt the U.S. economy.

But some economists urge China to take Trump's threat seriously because the Chinese economy  already badly hit by the COVIC-19 pandemic  will be the bigger loser, and cannot afford another tariff war with the United States. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Inevitable war?

Economist Darson Chiu warned that the re-emergence of the U.S.-China tariff war before the U.S. presidential election in November looks inevitable, given that the possibility for China to honor its purchase commitment reached in the Phase 1 trade deal is slim.

By my gauge, "(China's) imports will have to grow 60% this year compared to 2019. This will be an impossible tall order. That means the U.S. will become China's largest source country for imports in 2020," said Chiu, a research fellow at the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research (TEIR).

If that happens, China will be a serious violator of the World Trade Organization's rule of non-discrimination, which forbids any member country to discriminate between its trading partners, Chiu added.

Official statistics showed that China's imports of U.S. goods dropped to $122.7 billion in 2019 from $155.1 billion in 2018 and $154 billion in 2017.

Weakened purchasing power

Chiu said speculation that the coronavirus pandemic has significantly damaged China's purchasing power is not groundless after the Chinese economy shrank 6.8% in the first quarter  its first contraction since 1987.

China will have to resort to debt financing to fulfill the U.S. purchase commitment, he said.

Even if China regains its purchasing power, it does not have storage space for more than $50 billion worth of U.S. energy products in the next two years now that energy prices have dropped to new lows, he said.

Making matters worse, the U.S. last week tightened restrictions on much-coveted high-end tech exports to China.

Under such circumstances, Chiu predicted that Trump will likely reignite the tariff war as he attempts to fuel anti-China sentiment to rally support behind his reelection campaign.

New tariffs

Already, Trump is toughening up against China.

On Friday, he threatened new tariffs as retaliatory actions over the coronavirus outbreak, saying tariffs would be the "ultimate punishment."

He told a virtual town hall Sunday from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington that China must honor its Phase 1 deal.

"If they don't buy, we will terminate the deal. Very simple," he said.

The deal ended retaliatory tariffs on some $155 billion worth of Chinese imports, which were set to take effect at the end of 2019, and halved tariffs to 7.5% on another $120 billion in Chinese goods. The U.S. still keeps the 25% import taxes on $250 billion worth of Chinese products.

A snub

Shi Yinhong, an international relations professor at Beijing's Renmin University, told Lianhe Zaobao, the largest Singapore-based Chinese-language newspaper, that China will retaliate if the U.S. imposes any new tariffs.

That, he warned, will force the U.S. economy to slip into a bigger recession and serve as a disadvantage to Trump's reelection bid.

A commentary on Reference News, an affiliate to state media Xinhu News, argued that the U.S. is mulling three "poisonous arrows"  tariffs, stripping China of its sovereign immunity, and cancellation of U.S. debt obligations to China so that the U.S. can sue China for coronavirus damages.

But all three arrows will only end up hurting the U.S. economy, it said.

In an editorial, state tabloid Global Times lambasted U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, calling him an anti-China bluff, and urging him to present proof when he said there was "enormous evidence" to show the coronavirus originated in a Wuhan lab.

As China is closed for a public holiday, its "wolf warrior" diplomats have not responded to Pompeo's accusations.

Asian markets tumbled on Monday as U.S.-China tensions appeared to rise. Hong Kong's Hang Seng benchmark dropped 4.2%, while South Korea's Kospi slipped 2.9%.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an economics professor at Peking University told VOA that any new tariffs will hurt Chinese exports, which may lead to a drop in China's foreign reserves and thus limit its purchasing power.

Tensions escalate

The professor cautioned China to manage its relations with the U.S., though he doubted China will deliberately fail its purchase commitment, unless it is a political decision.

Both he and TEIR's Chiu estimate that China is likely to halve its economic target for this year to around 3% during its "Two Sessions" later this month. The term "Two Sessions" refers to meetings of the national legislature and top political advisory body.

The professor said the export-oriented Chinese economy cannot possibly do too well, if the world economy keeps slipping and given that China is slowly recovering from the outbreak.

Chiu expects China to boost government spending, keeping its 2020 growth target at 3%, higher than most international economic institutes' estimates, which range between 1% and 2%.

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The Syrian Arab Army has engaged Islamic State terrorists on the border with Iraq, as the terrorists try to take advantage of the coronavirus pandemic reports Al-Masdar.

The Islamic State (ISIS) launched a new attack against the Syrian army along the Homs-Deir ez-Zor administrative border, a field report revealed on Tuesday.

According to the report, ISIS militants attacked the Syrian Arab Armys positions in the area between the towns of al-Sukhnah and al-Shoula, resulting in an intense firefight between the two parties.

The report added that the Syrian Arab Army is trying to clear the area, and they are still engaged in fierce clashes with the ISIS terrorists in the Badiya al-Sukhnah region that stretches from Homs to the Deir ez-Zor Governorate.

ISIS has been taking advantage of the coronavirus epidemic in both Iraq and Syria to launch several attacks against the two security forces of these countries.

While ISIS has been unable to hold any ground, they have killed and wounded several security personnel in both Iraq and Syria.

Iraq has responded to these attacks by launching Operation Black Desert, which has concentrated on the Islamic States positions in the vast desert region of the al-Anbar Governorate.

The operation has been successful thus far, as the Iraqi security forces did kill a high-ranking ISIS commander near the Syrian border.

The Iraqi Security Forces announced on Monday the killing of Abu Qasurah, the military leader of ISIS along the Syrian-Iraqi border.

According to the Iraqi Security Forces, the high-ranking ISIS commander was killed by an explosion in the western part of the al-Anbar Governorate, near the Syrian border.

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.
Mothers are picking up almost all the home teaching burden during the coronavirus-induced lockdown in the UK with just 11.8 per cent of fathers taking the lead on helping their children keep up to speed, according to a survey.

Hundreds of parents of primary school-aged children were surveyed by leading resources and lesson plan experts PlanBee.

PlanBee's Oli Ryan, a former primary school teacher, said: We know that not all families are willing or able to help their children with home learning, but we were amazed to find that there was such a huge gender disparity in terms of who was taking up the teaching mantle."



"The vast majority of primary school workforce are women, but we still find it surprising that when it comes to home teaching Dads appear to be doing so little. If it's a sign that teaching young children is considered to be 'women's work', it's pretty alarming," he said.

And parents the vast majority, women are allocating significant parts of their day to home schooling, with over a quarter (27.7 per cent) spending more than four hours a day on it.

Fitting in home schooling with other work and other commitments was the top challenge for parents, with over a third (35.29) per cent citing it. Keeping their children engaged with learning was second biggest bugbear, at 31.09 per cent, the survey report said.

And only 11 per cent said they were loving home-schooling their children.

Nearly 40 per cent of the respondents are primary school teachers as well as parents. And home-schooling is having a big impact on parents' perception of teaching, with nearly one-third (33.6 per cent) saying it had altered their attitude.

One respondent remarked: "Trying to get children engaged to learn is very hard! I know it's a challenging time, but my four-year-old struggles to engage if he doesn't like the subject and I can see how that would translate in the classroom. Hats off to all teachers!"



A teacher-parent said that home-schooling is quite different from work: "I am a teacher but it's different when trying to teach your own."And for teacher-parents, the challenges were particularly marked: "I now have to teach the children in my class remotely as well as home school my own child. I respect myself and my colleagues a lot more."Another said: "Although I work in nurseries and I'm qualified as a teaching assistant, I don't think I realised just how much work (and patience) goes into teaching."And some felt that home-schooling was an ambition too far and that the emotional state of their children was more important: "Some need to realise the situation that some are in with just trying to maintain mental well-being without the constant barrage from schools for replicated school days."Although there was wide respect for the work of classroom teachers, not all parents believed that schools' management of home learning was up to scratch, and there were complaints that there had been scant thought about the practicalities of the school work to be done at home.

One parent said: "I'm actually pretty annoyed with the school - the work sent home is unrealistic, with no thought as to how this is supposed to work. We've been given the work with literally hours' notice, so no prep time at all, and in spite of the fact we're delivering it."



Britain, the world's second worst-hit country after the US with more than 32,000 coronavirus deaths, imposed strict stay-at-home orders in late March.

The government ordered the initial three-week lockdown on March 23. It was extended for another three weeks in mid-April.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A man who police said was found shot dead at his Pittsburgh-area home was a research assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh, where he was working on a coronavirus research project.

Police said they believe that Bing Liu, 37, was shot inside his townhome by a man who then went outside to his car and shot himself. Liu's death is believed to be a homicide, police said.
Facebook on Wednesday announced the first 20 members of its Oversight Board, an independent body that can overturn the company's own content moderation decisions.

The oversight board will govern appeals from Facebook and Instagram users and questions from Facebook itself, although it admitted it will have to pick and choose which content moderation cases to take due to the sheer volume of them.

The board will receive cases through a content management system that is linked to Facebook's own platforms. They will then discuss the case as a group before issuing a final decision on whether the content should be allowed to stay up or not.

Facebook announced it was creating the independent board in November 2018, just after a report was published in The New York Times that detailed how the company avoided and deflected blame in the public conversation around its handling of Russian interference and other social network misuses.

The members are a globally diverse group with lawyers, journalists, human rights advocates and other academics. Between them, they are said to have expertise in areas such as digital rights, religious freedom, conflicts between rights, content moderation, internet censorship and civil rights.

Notable members include Alan Rusbridger, former editor in chief of The Guardian newspaper, and Andras Sajo, a former judge and VP of the European Court of Human Rights.

Helle Thorning-Schmidt, a former Prime Minister of Denmark, is one of the board's four co-chairs. "Up until now some of the most difficult decisions about content have been made by Facebook and you could say Mark Zuckerberg," she said on a call with the press Wednesday. "Facebook has decided to change that."

The board will begin hearing cases in the coming months. It will eventually have around 40 members, which Facebook will help pick, it said.

"It's one thing to complain about content moderation and challenges involved, it's another thing to actually do something about it," said Jamal Greene, co-chair of the board. "These problems of content moderation really have been with us since the dawn of social media, and this really is a novel approach."

The move could help Facebook avoid accusations of bias as it removes content deemed problematic. Some lawmakers and conservative speakers have said that Facebook censors politically conservative points of view, a claim the company rejects.

"It is our ambition and goal that Facebook not decide elections, not be a force for one point of view over another, but the same rules will apply to people of left, right and center," Michael McConnell, another co-chair of the board, told reporters Wednesday.

Facebook pledged to give the board $130 million in funding last December, with the money expected to cover operational costs for at least six years. The board will be compensated an undisclosed amount for their time.

Facebook in January outlined the board's bylaws, making it clear that the social media giant is still in control. The board's decisions do not necessarily set any precedents that Facebook has to follow in the future, and the board is limited when it comes to content it can address.

The board said it will publish transparency reports each year and monitor what Facebook has done with its recommendations.

"It will be very embarrassing to Facebook if they don't live up to their end of this," Thorning-Schmidt, a co-chair, said.

Brent Harris, Facebook's director of global affairs, said Facebook will implement the board's decisions "unless they violate the law."

The full list of members includes:

Afia Asantewaa Asare-Kyei, human rights advocate at the Open Society Initiative for West Africa

Evelyn Aswad, University of Oklahoma College of Law professor who formerly served as a senior U.S. State Department lawyer

Endy Bayuni, journalist who twice served as the editor-in-chief of the Jakarta Post

Catalina Botero-Marino, Facebook Oversight Board co-chair, dean of the Universidad de los Andes Faculty of Law

Katherine Chen, communications scholar at the National Chengchi University and former national communications regulator in Taiwan

Nighat Dad, digital rights advocate who received the Human Rights Tulip Award

Jamal Greene, Facebook Oversight Board co-chair, Columbia Law professor

Pamela Karlan, Stanford Law professor and United States Supreme Court advocate

Tawakkol Karman, Nobel Peace Prize laureate named as one of "History's Most Rebellious Women" by Time

Maina Kiai, director of Human Rights Watch's Global Alliances and Partnerships program

Sudhir Krishnaswamy, vice chancellor of the National Law School of India University

Ronaldo Lemos, technology, intellectual property and media lawyer who teaches law at Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro

Michael McConnell, Facebook Oversight Board co-chair, Stanford Law professor who previously served as a federal circuit judge

Julie Owono, digital rights and anti-censorship advocate who leads Internet Sans Frontieres

Emi Palmor, former director general of the Israeli Ministry of Justice

Alan Rusbridger, former editor-in-chief of The Guardian

Andras Sajo, former judge and vice president of the European Court of Human Rights

John Samples, helps lead a libertarian think tank and writes extensively on social media and speech regulation

Nicolas Suzor, Queensland University of Technology Law School professor

Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Facebook Oversight Board co-chair, former Prime Minister of Denmark

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 16:18:53|Editor: huaxia

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ULAN BATOR, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia's health ministry has launched a mobile app to provide Mongolian nationals abroad with necessary information and advice related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Our country's citizens staying anywhere in the world can get information and advice related to COVID-19 from the app called 'Shuurkhai (emergency) 119' free of charge," Dorj Narangerel, head of public relations and surveillance at the ministry, said during a news conference on Wednesday.

As of Wednesday, Mongolia has confirmed 41 COVID-19 cases, all of which are imported, including four foreign nationals and no deaths. Enditem
Ventus Therapeutics, a Waltham, Mass. and Montreal, Canada-based a biopharmaceutical company, raised $60m in Series A financing.

The round was led by founding investor Versant Ventures with participation from GV (formerly Google Ventures).

The company intends to use the funds to expand its headcount to more than 30 scientists this year and advance three pipeline programs and to expand its structural immunology platform to pursue its drug targets.

Led by Marcelo Bigal, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO, Ventus is a biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing novel small molecule medicines that target the innate immune system to treat autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases and cancer. Its structural immunology platform offers insight into mechanisms and molecular structures, combining proprietary protein engineering capabilities that elucidate innate immune mechanisms, and leading-edge rational and structure-based drug design tools. The company has built an emerging pipeline of multiple drug programs addressing key targets in the innate immune system.

During the stealth period, the academic founders and Versants Inception Discovery Engine assembled the structural immunology platform, pursued screens against multiple targets, and advanced qualified hits into lead discovery. The company plans to pursue its internal pipeline and also consider discovery-stage partnerships to fully exploit the potential of this approach.

The current pipeline includes programs relevant to multiple autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, as well as certain forms of resistant cancers.

The companys scientific founders and advisors include:

Hao Wu, Ph.D. , Professor, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Harvard Medical School; Senior Investigator of Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Childrens Hospital; Member of the National Academy of Sciences.

, Professor, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Harvard Medical School; Senior Investigator of Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Childrens Hospital; Member of the National Academy of Sciences. Richard Flavell, Ph.D., Sterling Professor of Immunobiology, Yale University; Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Sterling Professor of Immunobiology, Yale University; Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Judy Lieberman, M.D., Ph.D. , Endowed Chair in Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School.

, Endowed Chair in Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School. Thomas Tuschl, Ph.D. , Professor and head of the laboratory for RNA molecular biology at the Rockefeller University.

, Professor and head of the laboratory for RNA molecular biology at the Rockefeller University. Feng Shao, Ph.D., Investigator and Deputy Director for Academic Affairs, National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing.

Investigator and Deputy Director for Academic Affairs, National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing. Douglas Green, Ph.D. , Chair, Immunology and Co-Leader, Cancer Biology Program, St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital.

, Chair, Immunology and Co-Leader, Cancer Biology Program, St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital. Russell Vance, Ph.D., Professor of Immunology and Pathogenesis at the University of California at Berkeley; Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

FinSMEs

06/05/2020
A scientist from the Netherlands has worked on a study that looked at the association between COVID-19 infections and exposure to air pollution. Researcher Bo Pieter Johannes Andrees study titled Incidence of COVID-19 and Connections with Air Pollution Exposure Evidence from the Netherlands was released prior to the peer review process on the online server Medrxiv.

Bo Andree is a researcher at the Department of Spatial Economics of the VU University Amsterdam and a data scientist with the Fragility Conflict and Violence unit at the World Bank.

Industrial Pollution - an industrial skyline in Rotterdam - Netherlands. Image Credit: Steve Allen / Shutterstock

What was the study about?

The author explains that the risk of viral respiratory infections such as COVID-19 is substantially raised in the presence of high particulate matter  an indicator of high air pollution exposure. He wrote, Several hot-spots of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 infections are in areas associated with high levels of air pollution.

Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2: This scanning electron microscope image shows SARS-CoV-2 (round gold objects) emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab. SARS-CoV-2, also known as 2019-nCoV, is the virus that causes COVID-19. The virus shown was isolated from a patient in the U.S. Credit: NIAID-RML

Andree wrote that this was a Policy Research Working Paper which aimed at getting to results rapidly. He explains that there had been a rapid spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) caused by the novel coronavirus or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and there are several hot spots that have been identified across the world. These are all areas where most of the cases of the infection have been seen.

Several of these are located in areas associated with high levels of air pollution. This study was essentially conducted to look at the association between exposure to particulate matter and COVID-19 incidence in 355 municipalities in the Netherlands.

What was done?

This study looked at the association between exposures to air pollution (in the form of particulate matter) and the incidence of COVID-19 infection among 355 municipality areas in the Netherlands. The data was obtained from the confirmed cases as well as the hospital records and admissions according to the place of residence of the individuals. The air pollution levels of the residence areas of the patients were assessed using PM 2.5 (Particulate matter 2.5) and PM 10. Apart from that, the density of population at the locality and other health conditions of the patients were also recorded. Tests used to assess the association included spatial dependence, nonlinearity, alternative error distributions, and outlier treatment, wrote the researcher. Andree explained that these results took into consideration several factors, including preexisting diseases, the severity of symptoms, control variables. They take into account ground-measurements and satellite-derived measures of atmospheric particulate matter.

What was found?

Results showed that those exposed to PM2.5 were at a higher risk of getting COVID-19. They wrote, PM2.5 is a highly signicant predictor of the number of conrmed COVID-19 cases and related hospital admissions. The author explained that the World Health Organization (WHO) outlines a guideline of 10mcg/m3 as a baseline. He wrote that this study revealed that cases of COVID-19 rose by 100 percent when the concentration of pollution rose by 20 percent.

Hot spot connection

Bo Andree says that the risk of some airborne viruses could rise if there are higher amounts of ambient ne particles. These fine particles can stay suspended in the air for long and also travel far from one place to another. When inhaled, these particles can also reach deep within the lung tissues causing damage.

Measles is one such virus that has shown an increased propensity to cause infection in regions where there is more air pollution. One previous study has shown that in China, the risk of getting measles rose after 1 to 3 days of exposure to higher concentrations of PM10 and SO2 (Sulphur dioxide). The relative risk of getting influenza also rose if the air pollution levels were high in the Chinese cities, found researchers. The effect was most significant within two to three days after exposure to the fine particulate matter.

If air pollution plays a similar role in the incidence of SARS-CoV-2, there should be a positive relationship between conrmed COVID-19 cases and particulate matter concentrations.

He added that China is one of the worst polluted nations with the highest amount of PM2.5 concentrations. The Hubei province, where the COVID-19 infections first originated, is also one of the worst polluted regions. In another hard-hit nation Italy, one of the worst polluted areas is the Lombardy area in the northern Po valley. This region has some of the worst quality of air in the whole of Europe, say the researchers. Some studies show that most of the severely affected cases of COVID-19 in Italy were from this region. However, not all densely populated areas are badly affected by the infection, say the researchers and the connection could be the quality of air.

Conclusions and future recommendations

This study reveals a strong connection between air pollution and COVID-19. They wrote that these findings make it evident that there is a need for further studies to look at the association between air pollution and SARS CoV-2 infection risk. Bo Andree says, If particulate matter plays a signicant role in the incidence of COVID-19 disease, it has strong implications for the mitigation strategies required to prevent spreading, particularly in areas that have high levels of pollution.

*Important Notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
A former Navy SEAL who spent two weeks in September providing basic medical traning to volunteers who were attempting to ouster President Nicolas Maduro described the plan as 'foolhardy' and said there appeared to have been no seriious attempt to seek U.S. military support.

On Tuesday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said authorities arrested two U.S. citizens among a group of "mercenaries" on Monday, a day after a beach raid purportedly aimed at capturing the socialist leader that authorities say they foiled.

U.S. ex-Green Beret and Silvercorp founder, Jordan Goudreau, claimed responsibility for leading "Operation Gideon," which was launched with an attempted beach landing before dawn on Sunday. Officials said Tuesday that six suspected attackers were killed, giving a revised figure from the eight previously reported.

Ephraim Mattos, the former Navy SEAL who provided medicine training on behalf of his non-profit, which works in combat zones but said he was not involved in the operation itself, said he saw Goudreau's plan as one driven by pride.

"I think it's a mixture of overconfidence, or you could call it arrogance and a chance at a huge pay day," he said.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump said that the United States had nothing to do with the alleged incursion into Venezuela that landed Luke Denman and Airan Berry, both former U.S. special forces soldiers, behind bars in the crisis-stricken South American nation. The two were associated with the Florida-based private security firm Silvercorp USA.

.

Mattos said it's up to Goudreau to now rectify the situation.

"In my personal opinion, the solution is that Jordan Goudreau needs to offer himself to the Venezuelan government in return for the two Americans who are captured right now," he said.
At a time when people are at their most vulnerable  in the midst of a pandemic, for example  thats when scammers usually take their efforts to the next level with the hope of a quick payday.

But thats also when the authorities at the local, state and federal levels dig in deep to protect consumers.

Through a variety of means, thats just what is happening.

Rep. Bryan Steil hosted a town hall meeting by telephone Wednesday morning that included officials from the Federal Trade Commission, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the American Association of Retired Persons to provide information on keeping consumers safe.

Its a daunting task on many levels.

This is a really difficult time, Steil said. I know many people are concerned. Folks cant see their loved ones. This virus is attacking both our health and our economy. This is a challenging time. ... Criminals are using the coronavirus pandemic and the stay-at-home measures to prey upon folks during this really challenging time.

Steil said the FTC has seen a a 70% increase in fraud complaints in just the last two weeks, including hundreds in Wisconsin.

Todd Kossow of the FTC added that the commission has received 36,000 COVID-19 scam complaints for a total of $24 million in losses. In Wisconsin to date, there have been 572 reports filed.

One thing we know from all health emergencies and natural health disasters is that scammers follow the headlines, Kossow said. They take advantage of what may be occurring in the news to find new ways to get consumers to part with their money or their personal financial information.

Kossow highlighted a number of scams his organization is seeing:

False treatment and cures

Kossow said scammers who promote miracle cures, vaccines, home testing kits and the like are one way criminals try to get personal and financial information.

Receiving such information through email or text can lead to malware or virus programs being loaded into the victims computer, Kossow said.

At this point, there are no vaccines or cures for COVID-19, so you know that any claim to the contrary is simply false, Kossow said. ... If you see that type of ad, stop and think to yourself, If theres actually been a medical breakthrough, are you really going to hear about it for the first time from an ad on Facebook or something you have received through a text message or an email?

Kossow added that people on medicare also are being targeted with information that claims to give them special access to testing kits or treatments. A medicare representative will never reach out to make such an offer, he said.

Robocalls

Kossow said his office has seen an increase in robocall complaints, likely because people are home more now during the safer-at-home orders.

Scammers are trying a number of tactics, but also are telling consumers their Social Security number has been suspended due to suspicious activity as it relates to the virus.

Simply hang up on illegal robocallers, Kossow said. Then block the number that appeared on your caller ID and report the call to the Federal Trade Commission.

Kossow also suggests not to press any numbers, because doing that likely will lead to more robocalls.

Scams relating to stimulus checks

Kossow said criminals have begun reaching out to people claiming theres money available from a government agency, but in order to collect that money, an upfront payment or release of personal information is required.

The government wont ask you to pay to get these stimulus checks, he said. Nor will they call and ask for sensitive information like your bank account or Social Security number.

Text messages are also being sent, Kossow said, that claim the stimulus check is ready, but a link within the text needs to be clicked to access it, which he added also is another scam.

The government is not going to send you a text message about your stimulus check, Kossow said. Scammers are trying to take advantage of the fact that consumers have heard about the checks, but dont always know exactly how or when theyre going to be distributed.

Stimulus checks are expected to continue being dispersed through the end of the year, Kossow said.

See more coverage from the town meeting in Fridays edition of the Kenosha News.

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A popular Pennsylvania brand of beer is no longer selling kegs.

The 190-year-old, Pottsville-based Yuengling is still selling plenty of bottles of its beloved brew, but with the coronavirus-prompted closure of restaurants and bars, the demand for beer by the keg has dried up, WNEP is reporting.

Jennifer Yuengling, vice president of operations and the sixth generation of the Yuengling family to run the company, told the station the venues that usually buy up their kegs  the places where people gather  are closed, prompting the decision to stop filling kegs for now.

While much of the beer already in kegs will go stale, she said it wont go to waste. It will be sent to a decanter, who can remove the beer and repurpose the alcohol for hand sanitizer, according to reports.

Yuengling told the station the company has survived wars and Prohibition, and it will make it through the coronavirus pandemic, as well.

In fact, she said bottle and can sales are up, so the company is shifting its operations that way.

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An anonymous donor has left a $1million check at California hospital to thank staff for their hard work.

Medical providers at the Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz were cheering when they discovered the check designated entirely for employees  nurses, cleaning staff, lab techs, medical records, even mailroom staff and security guards who have worked there for at least a year.

Full-time staff get $800, part-timers receive $600.

The bonuses came alongside a note that showed appreciation for their hard work.



Thank you for standing up (and staying up!) to care for our community, it said. This humankindness is what makes you heroic.

Hospital president Dr. Nanette Mickiewicz said the donation is a testament to their employees clinical excellence and their tireless dedication.

After weeks of hard work, nursing supervisor Amy Loudon said she was amazed at the generosity of a stranger, and especially appreciative its being shared with all employees this week.

There are so many people who keep the hospital running, she said.

Nurses and doctors are getting the praise, but we couldnt do it without the staff who clean the floors, deliver supplies, fix machines, everything. Its a team, and Im glad the whole team is getting a thank you.

She said she plans to treat herself with her own bonus.

Im definitely going to spoil myself a little bit, she said.

The do-gooder made the donation as California battles coronavirus. The state has seen over 53,000 cases and 2,194 deaths as of Monday morning.

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Religious Never Trumpers Have to Be Tougher Than the Rest

(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Conservative resistance to President Donald Trump comes at a price. But at least Never Trumpers in politics, such as the conservative operatives behind the Lincoln Project video that so enraged Trump this week, enjoy the praise of liberals and like-minded conservatives even as they are denied contracts with Republican campaigns and interest groups.

White conservative religious leaders who resist the charms of MAGA face similar perils, with little of the upside. Trumps approval rating among white evangelical Protestants has been consistently high. According to the Public Religion Research Institute, it was 66% in April, down from 77% in March, when Trump enjoyed a bump in the brief window after the coronavirus became a national threat and before his personal incapacity was exposed. Even now, his support among white evangelicals is about 50% higher than among Americans generally.

Trumps appeal, says Robert Jones, CEO of PRRI, is based more on fears about demographic change and white Christian displacement than the traditional culture war issues of same-sex marriage and abortion.

Such fears are a consistent element of white Christian conservatism. Its worth noting those who rise above them.

Rick Warrens Saddleback Church, an evangelical megachurch based in Southern California, offers a quiet counterpoint to the politics of white grievance and rage that permeate conservative America. Saddleback is conservative. But not like that.

Warren has built a hugely successful ministry, notes Jonathan Merritt, an author of several books about Christianity in America. But over the last decade and a half, says Merritt over email, every time he has waded into the political arena, he has gotten burned.

Yet how to avoid politics when its all-consuming? A recent Saddleback email to members and supporters highlights the story of Kristy Aguilar, a woman who moved to Southern California from Ecuador just eight months ago and had been working at a hotel until she was laid off. While the immigration status of people like Aguilar is a cruel obsession in the White House, it goes unmentioned in the email. Instead, Warrens church asks its predominantly white, relatively affluent members, many of whom may be suffering themselves, to stretch their moral imaginations:

Story continues

Picture yourself living in a foreign country with no job and a depleting savings account during this global pandemic. Think of the feelings of fear and hopelessness that could gnaw at you day in and day out. That is no imaginary scenario  it is the reality Kristy Aguilar has been facing since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the presidency of George W. Bush or Barack Obama, such a statement might have seemed a gentle chime from the church steeple. Under Trump, it clangs like a fire bell. There is no way to project Christian empathy for an impoverished South American immigrant in 2020 without running smack into the pillars upholding the house of MAGA: xenophobia and racial antagonism.

Later in the email, Saddleback drives home that its broad Christian embrace does not have an immigrant exception: One of Saddlebacks values is that we are an all-nation congregation. Kristys story shows that everybody is welcome and wanted at our church, and that God brings people to Saddleback from all over the world to further his kingdom.

Warren offers a model of how to be deeply conservative without succumbing to the peculiar degradations of Trumpism. With rare exceptions, most notably Senator Mitt Romney of Utah, conservative politicians have failed spectacularly to manage that feat. Yet the pressure on religious conservatives appears no less aggressive than that directed at political conservatives.

Russell Moore, the conservative president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, the public policy wing of the Southern Baptist Convention, criticized Trumps immorality and racial aggression in 2016. Trump attacked him personally, and Moore has been fending off attacks from Christian conservatives ever since.

By contrast, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President Albert Mohler recently revised his stand to make it less offensive to MAGA. In 2016, Mohler called Trump a sexual predator unworthy of support. Last month, he said hes making a different political calculation in 2020. Professional religion, like professional politics, has a high tolerance for hypocrisy. Theres little to no risk in toeing the line.

Thats all the more reason to admire those, like Moore and Warren, who refuse to truckle to the mob.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Francis Wilkinson writes editorials on politics and U.S. domestic policy for Bloomberg Opinion. He was executive editor of the Week. He was previously a writer for Rolling Stone, a communications consultant and a political media strategist.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

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2020 Bloomberg L.P.
The X-ray Science Facilities, with the intent to further coordinate and strengthen their support of scientific research and solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic, assembled for a remote access video SR20 Summit on 23-24 April 2020 and adopted the following Action Plan.

The COVID-19 pandemic is, more than ever, uniting scientists and the X-ray Science Facilities worldwide, in their sorrow for the loss of life and the suffering the virus has caused for the people around the world. They also express heartfelt admiration and lasting gratitude to all frontline health workers for their tireless dedication to treating the people impacted by the pandemic.

The international network of X-ray Science Facilities, composed of the X-ray Synchrotron Radiation and X-ray Free Electron Laser Facilities, is deeply engaged with overcoming the pandemic. The X- ray Science Facilities role is to create and implement scientific and technological research activities to effectively study, understand and contribute solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic, including new drugs, therapeutic strategies and medical equipment developments.

This engagement has already started worldwide, and many X-ray Science Facilities are carrying out research focused on the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and making available their instruments with rapid access and remote channels to scientists desiring to address specific COVID-19 research topics.

The X-ray Science Facilities gathered to align intents and strategies on development of alliances between universities, industry and facilities at their first SR9 Summit, which was held in Sendai, Japan in April 2019.

The X-ray Science Facilities, with the intent to further coordinate and strengthen their support of scientific research and solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic, assembled for a remote access video SR20 Summit on 23-24 April 2020. They shared their experience on facility activities in the recent weeks, and decided to develop a cooperative strategy across all facilities worldwide to work jointly to overcome the pandemic.

The X-ray Science Facilities adopted the following Action Plan:

1) Share information and contribute to the coordination of efforts across all X-ray Science Facilities on scientific research addressing the COVID-19 pandemic

2) Explore the establishment of a worldwide X-ray Science Facilities network including university and industrial users for a comprehensive mobilization of facilities

3) Study the development of a shared IT system to accelerate the process of information distribution, favor global cooperation among facilities, and enable the most rapid and effective access for scientific projects across facilities

4) Exchange experience on remote access and sample mail-in procedures by the user community to maintain and strengthen experimental activities without user travel.

5) Coordinate efforts of the X-ray Science Facilities with those of other analytical facilities as, for example, those using neutrons, cryo-electron-microscopy, lasers and nuclear magnetic resonance

Delegates:

Prof. Dr. Hideo Ohno, President, TOHOKU University

Dr. Chi-Chang Kao , Director , SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

Prof. Paul McIntyre, Director , SSRL

Prof. Michael Dunne, Director, LCLS

Dr. Stephen Streiffer, Director , Advanced Photon Source

Dr. Stephen Kevan, Director , Advanced Light Source

Dr. John Hill, Director, NSLS-Il

Prof Joel Brock, Director, CHESS

Prof. Andrew Peele, Director , ANSTO Australian Synchrotron

Dr. Gwo-Hui Luo, Director, NSRRC

Dr. Robert Lamb, CEO, Canadian Light source

Dr. Tetsuya Tshikawa, Director, RIKEN SPring-8 Center

Dr. Tn Soo Ko, Director , Pohang Accelerator Laboratory

Dr. Francesco Sette, Director General, ESRF

Prof. Edgar Weckert, Reseach Director, DESY

Prof. Robert Feidenhansl, Managing Director, European XFEL

Dr. Jean Daillant, Director , Soleil Laboratory

Dr. Andrew Harrison, CEO , Diamond Light Source Limited

Dr. Caterina Biscari, Director , ALBA

Prof. Gabriel Aeppli, Head Photon Science Division, Paul Scherrer Institut, ETH and EPFL

Dr. Ian McNulty, Director, Max IV

Prof. Jan Luning, Scientific Director, BESSY II, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin

Dr. Claudio Masciovecchio, Director FERMI Free Electron Laser
Photo: Contributed

The British Columbia Securities Commission will not be levelling any additional orders against a Rock Creek-based cannabis company caught in a scheme abusing the stock market.

SpeakEasy Cannabis Club Ltd. was one of several companies named by the BCSC in a November 2018 order that alleged a scheme to sell shares to a group of "consultants."

SpeakEasy Cannabis is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

As part of the settlement agreement, SpeakEasy admitted that it issued a news release saying it had raised $3 million through a private placement, despite having paid back about half to the purported consultants. SpeakEasy only retained $1.55 million of the private placement proceeds.

The remaining $1.45 million was returned to the "consultants," which did not provide any services.

Two members of the consultant group, Bridgemark Financial, and an associate of Speakeasys chief financial officer then resold most of the shares at average prices below the private placement acquisition cost, for a profit.

The BCSC says shortly after the private placement but before the commission initiated any action, SpeakEasys CEO Marc Geen began attempting to remove the companys CFO and investigating internal financial irregularities.

The BCSC says when SpeakEasy became aware of the allegations against them, it started its own internal investigation, made changes to the management team and board and strengthened its internal controls and management processes.

The company is also retaining an independent monitor for at least a year to review corporate governance and compliance policies, procedures and processes.

Geen will also not become or act as a director or officer of any reporting issuer for one year.

The BCSC says SpeakEasy does not have a history of securities misconduct and fully cooperated with the investigation.

As a result of SpeakEasys response to the allegations and because of the potential impact of financial orders on existing shareholders, the BCSC found it was not in the public interest to issue orders against the company, BCSC said.

The BCSCs investigation into the broader scheme continues.
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Digital Editor
A 43-year journalism career ended Tuesday when Jack Kramer died after a year-long battle with cancer. He was 65.

Kramer worked for nearly two decades at the New Haven Register, leaving as the executive editor when it was owned by the Journal Register Co. before going to the New Britain Herald. He spent the last five years reporting for CTNewsJunkie.com and Patch.com.

Mheegan Rollins Bachinski, who was assistant news editor with Kramer at the New Haven Register, said he was the kind of boss who saw your potential even if you didnt.

I didnt believe in myself but Jack Kramer did, Rollins Bachinski said.

She said he had an office on the second floor of the building, but he chose to work in the newsroom next to us. She said he never shut his office door and was ever-present in the newsroom.

Al Santangelo, who has been at the paper for more than 20 years and was promoted to run the copy desk by Kramer, said Jack was someone who was involved in the community.

The police chief knew him, the mayor knew him, and the fire chief knew him, said Santangelo, who is now assistant managing editor at the New Haven Register. When you thought about the Register you thought about Jack Kramer.

Kramer, who started out delivering the New Haven Register, would even field calls from disgruntled readers, Rollins Bachinski said. She said the most calls he ever got from readers was when the national syndicate ran the same Batman comic twice.

The day Jack left the Register was the day that paper changed forever, she said. No one can stand in his shadow or fill his shoes.

Lisa Backus, who worked for Kramer in New Britain, said he understood a good story and was supportive of his reporters.

She said he was always calm when there was breaking news about a hospital shooting or the Sandy Hook school shooting.

Santangelo said the same was true on 9/11. He called everyone to the newsroom and they got to work putting out the paper the next day in addition to a special edition.

What a loss for journalism, Backus said. He was a tremendous editor and truly a reporters editor.

Backus said she did some of her best work under Kramer because he supported her and let her go out and do the reporting.

Whatever windmill I was chasing, he would 100 percent say go for it, Backus said.

At the same time, he was this incredible person who was really modest about it.

He made such a mark on the careers of all the reporters and editors he worked with throughout his career.

He was also proud of the topics he got to cover.

In a goodbye column that never ran because there was hope that his cancer prognosis would improve, Kramer reflected on some of those stories.

He joked that CTNewsJunkie had pulled an old reporter off the scrap heap, but Kramer was never rusty.

He was still reporting from his hospital bed. His final story for CTNewsJunkie was posted April 22.

His family joked that he would do anything for a story, including going to the hospital during a pandemic to see what was happening.

In his final week, he emailed Backus to let her know what a good job she was doing.

Tamara Leigh Kramer, his daughter, said her father didnt know how to stop reporting.

Its just his passion, Leigh Kramer said.

She said he knew everything that was happening in town and if he saw something out of the ordinary he would immediately start thinking that it might be a story.

She said he was willing to do things that made him uncomfortable, like tackling technology, because he didnt want to stop telling the story.

But Kramer was more than just a great editor and reporter. He was a great father and husband.

Leigh Kramer said she was a swimmer when she was young, and even though she wasnt very good, her father was always there in the bleachers watching her swim meets.

He was always there for me, Leigh Kramer said. And he always thought I was smarter, capable, and more talented than I believed.

In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to made in honor of Kramer to the Sarcoma Foundation of American.
The Guardian

The Steelers quarterback is headed to the Hall of Fame. But he was unloved outside Pittsburgh for understandable reasons Ben Roethlisberger almost certainly played his final game in the NFL on Sunday. Photograph: Ed Zurga/AP Ben Roethlisberger is lucky that football legacies are not decided by finales. If Sunday night was indeed Big Bens last ever NFL game, as he has strongly hinted, it wasnt exactly a mic drop. In the 42-21 beatdown by the Chiefs, Roethlisberger struggled with rollouts, and l
For example, reinsurance giant Swiss Re reported a group net loss of $225 million, thanks to COVID-19 as well as a pre-tax charge of $476 million for its property and casualty business. Meanwhile, Argo Group warned before its Q1 release that it expected to report pre-tax net catastrophe losses of $29 million, including approximately $26 million related to the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly due to contingency and property exposures in the groups international operations and property exposures in its US operations.

And the losses get bigger, with Markel Corporation posting a comprehensive loss to shareholders of $1.4 billion, which marks a significant drop from the comprehensive income of $732.2 million it reported in the same period last year.

In the midst of these losses, other companies are already taking steps to minimize fallout, with Aon chief executive Greg Case recently asking for company-wide backing by way of temporary pay cuts. Named executive officers and Aons board of directors will reduce salaries by 50%, and 70% of employees will be asked to take a reduction of approximately 20% of salary.

Its not surprising that insurers are suffering from losses since even though many insurance contracts do not provide coverage that applies to the pandemic, insurers have written some policies that will respond, as noted by Albert Benchimol, president and CEO of AXIS Capital.

Yet despite the significant shift from insurers quarterly and annual results that were for the most part positive not so long ago, there are disagreements about how impactful COVID-19 will be for the industry broadly and for individual companies over the long-term. Lloyds chief John Neal has suggested that the pandemic is likely to be the most expensive event in history for the insurance industry, while Liberty Mutual chair and chief executive David Long said that from a financial perspective, the company expects the impact of COVID-19 on its insurance operations to be similar to those it has experienced for a moderately-sized catastrophe loss.

But erring on the side of the worst-case scenario might be the more logical mindset. Though some countries (like New Zealand) have been more successful than others at fighting the spread of the virus within their borders, its evident that theres a lot more to come in the way of economic and social fallout from the pandemic. There is speculation that travel might be impacted until the end of the year or until we have a vaccine, while periodic social distancing measures might return based on how confirmed cases start trending after restrictions are lifted.

Insurers need to brace for more impact as the debris from the pandemic continues to scatter by cutting expenses and setting aside funds where they can, including potentially trimming salaries. After all, 2020 has yet to present any major natural catastrophes and if recent wildfires in Australia or California are any sign of whats to come, there may be more strain on bottom lines as the year evolves, on top of COVID-19, which is already a heavy burden.

As Swiss Res group CEO Christian Mumenthaler said in the companys Q1 release: The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over and its broader economic and social consequences will be far-reaching.
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous nights highlights that lets you sleep  and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Were all stuck at home at the moment, so here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now.

At Least Hes Consistent

In an interview published Tuesday, President Trump told The New York Post that he would most likely skip this years White House Correspondents Association dinner, reciting his usual complaints about unfair treatment from the press. He singled out the 2011 host, Seth Meyers, calling him a no-talent comic and nasty, before saying that both Meyers and Stephen Colbert, host of The Late Show, are unfunny.

Trump followed with a tweet praising the Fox News host Greg Gutfeld and taking a swipe at Colbert, Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel. A few of the hosts responded to the president in their Tuesday night monologues.
For weeks, like Schrodingers famous cat, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un occupied a liminal space between life and death. There were rumors that the coronavirus killed him, that he underwent heart surgery and was recuperating, that a Chinese doctor dispatched to treat him gave him the virus, and that a delayed medical procedure left him in a vegetative state. Or maybe nothing happened at all. The delicious but unprovable rumors were sparked on April 15, when the reclusive Kim failed to attend celebrations for the birthday of his grandfatherthe countrys founder Kim Il-sungthe countrys biggest holiday. Then, when he ostensibly returned on Friday to cut the ribbon at a fertilizer plant, according to North Koreas notoriously unreliable state media, it served as a reminder to just how little we know about Kim and his country: We see them with a level of detail that is about as distinct and satisfying as scrutinizing the moon with ones naked eye.

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North Korea is the worlds most closed nation. Basic pieces of knowledge, like its urbanization rate, the political views of its people, and even the size of its economy remain obscured. North Korea specialists quip that one should never trust any statistic from the country that has a decimal point. Experienced Korea watchers are counseling we dont know, we have to wait for confirmation, so have another drink,  said the former CIA analyst Bruce Klingner about Kims disappearance.

On issues as important as North Korea, however, we cant just wait for the next roundwe need to make assumptions. This desperately poor state of 25 million matters to the rest of the world because of the threat it poses to its neighbors and to the United States. What would happen to American and Chinese interests if Kim becomes incapacitated or dies, or if he returns to the spotlight stronger than ever? Would a stronger Kim launch nuclear weapons, or is there a greater risk that an unknown general would wrest control of the palaces of Pyongyang?

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The best way to understand North Koreas foreign policy is to assume three things. The first is that Pyongyang rationally pursues its interests: that for all the talk of it being erratic, the Kim regime is doing what it can to maintain and extend its power. The second is that, despite the tectonic shifts in U.S.-China relations, neither Beijing nor Washington want regime change in Pyongyang. The third is that our ignorance remains the exception, not the norm.

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Seen from the level of an individual, North Korea is an abysmal failure. Hundreds of thousands of people starved to death in the mid-1990s, meat remains scarce, and the medical infrastructure is so shambolic that patients have been prescribed crystal meth for headaches. But the Kim family dynasty, begun by Kim Il-sung in 1948, has been stunningly successful in pursuing its interests. The three ruling Kims have survived the fall of their patron state the Soviet Union, outlasted 12 U.S. presidents, andby taking power one year before the Chinese Communist Party, earned the dubious distinction of being the worlds longest-running one-party state. Interviews with and studies on the tens of thousands of defectors seem to show that many North Koreans still genuinely adore Kim Il-sung.

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North Koreas alleged penchant for irrational and erratic behavior is illusionary, writes professor Andrei Lankov, in his 2013 book The Real North Korea. The countrys leaders are neither madmen nor ideological zealots, but rather remarkably efficient and cold-minded calculators, perhaps the best practitioners of Machiavellian politics that can be found in the modern world.

So what does that mean for Schrodingers Kim? That if he is in good health, status quo is the safest assumption. The head of South Koreas intelligence agency Suh Hoon said that Kim is likely healthy and that a fear of the coronavirus explained his disappearance. But what if hes sick? Its still possibleindeed, the public proof of his Friday reappearance comes from a North Korean video, which could have been doctored or shot several weeks ago. If he is or becomes incapacitated, his sister Kim Yo-jong would be the best bet to succeed him. The youngest child of North Koreas second ruler Kim Jong-il, she possesses the holiest bloodlinea key asset in a nation that prides itself on its racial purityand relevant experience.* Some analysts believe she currently manages Kims image and advises him on foreign and domestic policy. Or perhaps she would merely be the face of the regime, with military aides like Choe Ryong-hae making key decisions.

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Status quo, that is, for the countrys leadership: Unpredictable testing of missiles or nuclear weapons is likely to resume. Why take the risk? Because Pyongyang seems to understand that neither Beijing nor Washington want it to fail.

Despite bordering 14 countries, China has not dealt with a refugee crisis in the modern era. A collapsed North Korea could not only send hundreds of thousands of starving North Koreans fleeing across the border, but it could jeopardize Chinas efforts to contain the coronavirusespecially considering North Korean citizens will likely be at or near the end of the line for the eventual vaccination. With tensions high between the United States and China, Beijing does not want the roughly 28,500 U.S. troops in South Korea any nearer to Chinas northeast border, nor does it want the democratic U.S. ally increasing its influence in the northern part of the Korean peninsulaor among the millions of ethnically Korean Chinese living in northeast China.

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As for the U.S., Trump still believes he can solve the threat North Korea and its military pose by improving his personal relationship with Kim. He has shown little interest in dissenting views. In September, a day after firing National Security Adviser John Bolton, Trump called him a disaster on North Korea, for demanding Kim relinquish his nuclear weapons. (Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his other advisers have gotten the message and toned down their criticism of the country.) While Trump abruptly walked away from the negotiating table during the two leaders second summit in Hanoi in February 2019, the leaders may still meet again in 2020, or early in Trumps second term. Besides hurting Trumps ego, a North Korea collapse would also facilitate the global spread of menacing weaponsnot just Kims nukes, but also his stockpile of chemical, biological, and conventional weaponrythreatening the U.S. as many nonstate actors look to harm the country. This dynamic wont necessarily change with a new U.S. president. Although North Korea called Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden a rabid dog who should be beaten to death, Biden said in January that, with preconditions, he could meet with Kim.

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North Korea may be in the throes of regime changeor not. A famous quote attributed to Winston Churchill compared Soviet intrigue to two dogs fighting under a carpet: an outsider only hears the growling until he sees the bones fly out from beneath. All analysis of North Korea should be caveated with an awareness of just how little we know. Thae Yong-ho, a former high-ranking North Korean diplomat, said that in 2011 the countrys own foreign ministry wasnt told about Kim Jong-ils death until an hour before the official announcement. I once spoke to a source who worked for North Koreans in an office building in Pyongyanghe said that the secrecy prevented him from learning what happened on other floors of the office building. And thats for those inside the North Korean system. Intelligence reports, sources in the region, and classified satellite imagery should provide the U.S. government with clearer insight: They at least have tools to see the bumps and ridges of the moon.

For the rest of us, we should remember were doing this without a telescope.

For more of Slates news coverage, listen to What Next.
FILE PHOTO: Saudi Aramco logo is pictured at the oil facility in Abqaiq

By Davide Barbuscia

DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Aramco <2222.SE> is about to finalise a $10 billion loan with a group of roughly 10 banks, three sources familiar with the matter said, as the oil giant seeks cash amid record low oil prices.

Aramco is raising the loan to back its acquisition of a 70% stake in Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC) from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, a deal worth almost $70 billion, sources have previously told Reuters.

Another source has said that while the loan would most likely back the SABIC acquisition, Aramco could also use the cash for other purposes, including dividend payments.

A group of about 10 banks has agreed to provide the financing, with HSBC <HSBA.L> and Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) <8316.T> providing the largest commitments of nearly $1.5 billion each, the three sources said.

The loan has been agreed upon but has not yet been finalised, said the sources. Aramco, HSBC and SMBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Aramco is the world's largest oil producer and its most profitable, but the fundraising plans coincide with historic turmoil in the global oil market.

The company has committed to complete the $69.1 billion acquisition of a controlling stake in SABIC by the second quarter of this year.

SABIC's chief executive said this week he expected no change to the timeline of the deal.

(Reporting by Davide Barbuscia; Editing by Jan Harvey)
People on ventilator support in Delhi saw only 2-fold rise from Jan 1-14: Data

3-kg bomb at Delhi flower market: Police yet to zero in on any suspect

Republic Day: Delhi-NCR under high-security cover after intel inputs of possible terror attack

Delhi police arrests Instagram group 'Bois Locker Room' admin

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, May 06: The administrator of Bois Locker Room, a controversial Instagram group created by Delhi school boys glorifying gang rape, has been arrested by the cyber crime cell of the Delhi Police.

Police said the 18-year-old admin of the group, known as "Bois Locker Room", appeared for his class 12 board examinations this year.

He is a school student in Delhi-NCR. Four group members, who all area majors, above 18 years, have joined the probe on Wednesday, a senior police official said.

The juveniles, who are part of the group, are being quizzed at their home in the presence of their parents and members of NGOs.

On Monday, a juvenile, who was also a group member, was apprehended. Ten members, including minors, of the Instagram group have also been identified, police said.

The cyber unit has sought information about the alleged group and it's members from Instagram. Their reply is awaited.

The devices of the identified members of the group have been seized and sent for forensic analysis.

Instagram had earlier said it takes the issue "very seriously" and does not allow such behaviour. It had said the objectionable content featuring minor girls was removed from the platform as soon as it was made aware of it.

The Delhi Commission of Women (DCW) had issued a notice to Instagram and Delhi Police, taking cognizance of the matter.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a meeting held on May 5 to review the status of India's efforts in developing a coronavirus vaccine, said India's regulatory system for new drugs and vaccines was still "creaky and cumbersome" at the best of times.

According to a report by Hindustan Times, PM Modi told top officials present during the meeting that this has to change.

"The prime minister underscored that we not only had to have the highest quality, ethical standards but also the highest speed," a senior government official told the newspaper.

Also Read | Remdesivir will be available to coronavirus patients this week: Gilead CEO

"This means we need to overhaul the regulatory system, that too at warp speed," another official said.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

According to the report, while European countries and the United States have provisions through which they can conduct trials on humans on emergency clearance basis, in India it takes time for companies to run trials on even mice.

"We really need to revamp the approval processes at the drug controllers office," a third official told the newspaper, citing the example of Gilead Sciences' experimental antiviral drug, Remdesivir, which, according to the official, will take considerable time to reach India due to the red tape in Indian bureaucracy.

Also Read | Why Gilead's Remdesivir trial data is significant in fight against COVID-19

In an official statement after the meeting, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said that PM Modi took note of the "extraordinary coming together" of academia, industry and government, combined with speedy but efficient regulatory process.

"This kind of pride, originality and sense of purpose should dominate our approach going ahead.

"It is only then that we can be amongst the best in the world and not followers, in science," the Prime Minister said during the meeting, according to the statement.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:

Kazakhstan has spent nearly $13 billion to battle coronavirus spread in the country, Kazakhstans President said, Trend reports with reference to TASS.

Kassym Jomart Tokayev highlighted that the measures currently being taken in Kazakhstan are unprecedented.

Overall, the measures taken have cost the country nearly 6 trillion tenge, which equals $13 billion, or over 8 percent of the countrys GDP. That is, I say again, the measures are unprecedented, Tokayev said.

He added that every decision on measures to battle coronavirus are being taken to fight for safety of countrys citizens.

I am doing this on purpose, although, of course, there is criticism, including from the citizens, that we are scattering money. But I believe that we must fight for the lives and well-being of our citizens, above all. Because without a people there is no economy, Tokayev said.

On March 15, 2020, Kazakhstans president signed a decree introducing an emergency state in Kazakhstan due to the coronavirus outbreak, which came in force on March 16 and was to last till April 15, 2020.

Later, by a decree of Kazakhstan's president, the emergency state period in Kazakhstan was extended till May 1, 2020, and then till May 11, 2020.

The 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 total number of coronavirus cases in Kazakhstan reached 4,298, including 1,299 people who recovered from the coronavirus, and 29 patients who passed away.

---

Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh
Professor Neil Ferguson, the scientist whose research helped usher in the lockdown in Britain, has resigned from his role as a key UK Government adviser after admitting that he had undermined social distancing rules by reportedly meeting his lover at his home.

But Prof Ferguson is not the first prominent figure to be caught breaching social-distancing restrictions amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the other prominent names who have been in the spotlight for flouting local lockdown measures.

 Dr Catherine Calderwood

Scotlands chief medical officer resigned in April after twice breaking lockdown restrictions in order to visit her second home, which was located more than an hour away from her main residence in Edinburgh.

Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick was forced to explain himself over a lockdown breach (Andrew Parsons/10 Downing Street/Crown Copyright/PA)

 Robert Jenrick

The housing, communities and local government secretary in the UK was forced to explain himself after travelling more than an hour to visit his parents despite warning people to remain at home.

Mr Jenrick was also criticised for travelling 150 miles from his London property to his Herefordshire home from where he travelled to his parents in Shropshire.

However, he defended his actions, saying he went to deliver food and medicine to his isolating parents.

 Stephen Kinnock

The MP for Aberavon in South Wales was publicly shamed by police after travelling to London to celebrate his fathers birthday.

Confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK.

 Dr David Clark

The New Zealand politician branded himself an idiot for driving his family 20km to the beach on the first weekend of the countrys national stay-at-home measures.

That incident came a week after he was photographed going for a mountain bike ride 2km away from his family home in Dunedin on New Zealands south island.

Manchester Uniteds Marcos Rojo was caught on video flouting Argentinas lockdown restrictions (Martin Rickett/PA)

 Marcos Rojo

It is not just politicians who have found themselves in hot water over social distancing breaches as the Manchester United defender was recently filmed appearing to flout Argentinas coronavirus lockdown rules.

The 30-year-old, on loan at Estudiantes, was seen playing cards and smoking with friends in his homeland in a video on Instagram.

 Kyle Walker

The Manchester City and England full-back was forced to apologise in April after it was widely reported he held a party at his Cheshire home in a blatant violation of the nations lockdown measures.

The club has promised the 29-year-old will also be subject to an internal disciplinary procedure.
A man accused of assaulting his mother allegedly coughed in the face of a police officer and declared that he had Covid-19, a court has been told.

Prosecutors claimed Robert Andrews deliberately targeted a constable called out to the woman's home in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim.

But the 31-year-old's lawyer insisted any comments were only a "sarcastic" response to concerns raised over social distancing.

Andrews, of no fixed abode, was granted bail on conditions including a ban on entering Carrickfergus.

He faces charges of criminal damage, common assault, assault on police and disorderly behaviour.

Belfast Magistrates' Court was told his mother sustained a bloodshot eye during an alleged incident at Rosebrook Grove in the early hours of April 3.

An interior door in the woman's flat had also been smashed before police located Andrews.

A Crown lawyer claimed: "He stated that he had Covid-19 and deliberately coughed all over one of the officers."

She alleged that Andrews continued shouting abuse and violently resisted efforts to detain him.

During interview the accused stated: "I didn't tell anyone that I had coronavirus."

Defence counsel Luke Curran confirmed his client denies any intentional coughing over the officer.

"It was quite heated at a stage where police alleged they had been in a vicinity where they might be exposed if he was coughing or spluttering," the barrister submitted.

"In response to police raising the issue of coronavirus he made a sarcastic reference, but it wasn't as blunt has 'I have coronavirus'."

Granting bail to an approved address, District Judge Mark Hamill cited the Public Prosecution Service's decision to reduce the charge for the alleged coughing from attempted grievous bodily harm to assault on police.

"Someone in the PPS needs to give some thought to the correct level of charging in these cases," he said.

Mr Hamill also ordered Andrews to have no contact with his mother.
HNX - 5/6/2020 5:32:00 PM

Pursuant to the Document No. 2235/TB-BSG dated 22/04/2020 of Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical Joint Stock Company regarding the cancellation of the shareholder list for attending 2020 Annual General Meeting, Vietnam Securities Depository (VSD) would like to announce as follows:

Cancelling the shareholder list for holding 2020 Annual General Meeting on the record date of 01/04/2020

Reason for cancellation: Due to the complicated development of Covid  19 epidemic, the company decided to change the meeting date of 2020 Annual General Meeting according to Resolution No. 1217/NQ-BSR dated 27/03/2020.
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., April 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Satsuma Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (STSA), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, announced today that it will host a Key Opinion Leader (KOL) event discussing STS101 and the acute treatment of migraine on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 at 12:00pm Eastern Time.



The event will feature presentations by headache medicine specialists Jessica Ailani, MD, from MedStar Georgetown Headache Center, and Alan Rapoport, MD, from The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, addressing the current treatment landscape for the acute treatment of migraine, unmet needs, and potential roles for Satsumas product candidate, STS101. As well, Satsuma's Chief Medical Officer, Detlef Albrecht, MD, will review the design of the ongoing STS101 EMERGE Phase 3 pivotal efficacy and safety trial. Following presentations, Drs. Ailani, Rapoport, Albrecht and members of Satsumas management team will be available to answer questions from the audience.

STS101 is an investigational product designed to make the well-established anti-migraine benefits of dihydroergotamine (DHE) more broadly accessible to people with migraine. STS101 is a simple-to-use, nasal-route DHE product featuring easy and quick self-administration (within a matter of seconds) and a pharmacokinetic profile similar to DHE administered by intramuscular injection, which Satsuma believes is necessary for achieving optimal DHE efficacy. In developing STS101, Satsuma has applied proprietary nasal drug delivery, dry-powder formulation, and engineered drug particle technologies to create a compact, pre-filled and ready-to-administer non-injectable DHE product candidate that it believes could, if approved, better meet the needs of people with migraine than current and development-stage DHE products. STS101 has undergone extensive preclinical development, completed a Phase 1 clinical trial, and is currently in Phase 3 development.

Tuesday, May 5, 2020 at 12:00pm Eastern Time Domestic: 1-877-705-6003 International: 1-201-493-6725 Conference ID: 13702842 Webcast: Click here for Webcast

Jessica Ailani, MD, is a Professor of Clinical Neurology and Director of the MedStar Georgetown Headache Center at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC. She received her medical degree from the Stony Brook University School of Medicine in New York, followed by an internship at Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola, New York. Dr. Ailani subsequently completed a residency and Chief Residency in Neurology at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York, New York, followed by a fellowship in Headache Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is board-certified in Neurology with subspecialty certification in Headache Medicine.

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Dr. Ailani is a fellow of the American headache society and of the American Academy of Neurology. She holds a position on the board of the American Headache Society as a member at large. For AHS, Dr. Ailani is a co-chair of the Practice management committee and is on the scientific and Scottsdale program planning committees. Dr. Ailani is Section Editor of Unusual Headache Syndromes for Current Pain and Headache Reports and a reviewer for several professional journals. Dr. Ailani has presented nationally on topics surrounding headache medicine.

Alan Rapoport, MD is a Clinical Professor of Neurology at The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, where he teaches medical students, neurology residents and fellows. He is a Past President of the International Headache Society (IHS) and the founder and Director-Emeritus of The New England Center for Headache, in Stamford, Connecticut. Board-certified in Neurology and Headache Medicine, he has co-authored more than 300 articles,10 books, as well as multiple chapters and posters on headache and other neurological diseases.

Dr. Rapoport is the Co-Founder and CEO of BonTriage, an IT company in Silicon Valley, California, dedicated to helping patients and doctors around the globe by collecting detailed patient histories on line and linking with an app that monitors patient progress and outcomes. Dr. Rapoport has served on the Board of Directors of the American Headache Society (AHS) and is the immediate past President of the Fairfield County Neurological Society (Connecticut), the Founding President of the Headache Cooperative of New England (HCNE), the Founding Director of the Headache Cooperative of the Pacific (HCOP). He is the director of the headache day at the annual Controversies in Neurology (CONy) which was held in Madrid in 2019 and will be held in London in October 2020.

About Satsuma Pharmaceuticals and STS101

Satsuma Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a novel therapeutic product for the acute treatment of migraine, STS101. STS101 is a drug-device combination of a proprietary dry-powder formulation of dihydroergotamine mesylate (DHE), which can be quickly and easily self-administered with a proprietary pre-filled, single-use, nasal delivery device. In developing STS101, Satsuma has applied proprietary nasal drug delivery, dry-powder formulation, and engineered drug particle technologies to create a compact, simple-to-use, non-injectable DHE product that can be rapidly self-administered in a matter of seconds. The Company believes STS101 would, if approved, be an attractive migraine treatment option for many patients and may enable a larger number of people with migraine to realize the long-recognized therapeutic benefits of DHE therapy. STS101 has undergone extensive pre-clinical development, completed a Phase 1 clinical trial, and is currently in Phase 3 development.

Satsuma is headquartered in South San Francisco, California with operations in both California and Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. For further information, please visit www.satsumarx.com.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of Satsuma Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the Company), as well as the Companys plans, objectives and expectations for its business operations and financial performance and condition. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as aim, anticipate, assume, believe, contemplate, continue, could, due, estimate, expect, goal, intend, may, objective, plan, predict, potential, positioned, seek, should, target, will, would, and other similar expressions that are predictions of or indicate future events and future trends, or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the Companys expectations regarding the potential safety and efficacy of STS101; the potential benefits of STS101, if approved; and the likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals for STS101. In light of these risks and uncertainties, the events or circumstances referred to in the forward-looking statements may not occur. The Companys actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited to, risks detailed in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as other documents that may be filed by the Company from time to time. In particular, the following factors, among others, could cause results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements: the Companys ability to demonstrate sufficient evidence of efficacy and safety in its clinical trials of STS101; the results of preclinical and clinical studies may not be predictive of future results; the risk that the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic may negatively impact the development of STS101; the unpredictability of the regulatory process; regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries; the costs of clinical trials may exceed expectations; and the Companys ability to raise additional capital. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee that the events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur, and the timing of events and circumstances and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All such statements speak only as of the date made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

This press release discusses STS101, a product candidate that is in clinical development, and which has not yet been approved for marketing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. No representation is made as to the safety or effectiveness of STS101 for the therapeutic use for which STS101 is being studied.

INVESTOR AND CORPORATE CONTACTS :

Corey Davis, PhD

LifeSci Advisors, LLC

cdavis@lifesciadvisors.com

Tom ONeil, Chief Financial Officer

Satsuma Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

tom@satsumarx.com




Dilday, a member of a longtime Long Beach family, died unexpectedly of a heart attack in his sleep at his home Jan. 10, according to his wife, Diane.
Nevada prosecutors have dismissed criminal charges against Judy Mikovits, the researcher whose findings offered hope to thousands of chronic fatigue syndrome patients before they were retracted and her life became mired in legal trouble.



The criminal charges against Mikovits stemmed from allegations that she wrongfully took lab notebooks, a computer and other proprietary data from her former employer, the Whittemore Peterson Institute for Neuro-Immune Disease in Reno, Nev., which fired her in September.



Mikovits was charged in November with two felonies  possession of stolen property and unlawful taking of computer data, equipment, supplies and other computer-related property.



"Dr. Mikovits always knew she would be exonerated once the proper investigation into the facts had been conducted," said Mikovits' attorney, Tammy Riggs. "She is happy that the complaining witnesses' attempt to destroy her reputation failed and now she can go back to doing the only thing she has ever wanted to do, which is find a cure for chronic fatigue syndrome."



WPI's attorney Ann Hall said the institute was disappointed that the criminal charges were dropped and that Mikovits still has not returned all of the missing property.



"That is one of the reasons why we are so disappointed. We still don't have the data, the notebooks, the materials back," she said. Hall said the institute will continue to pursue the civil lawsuit it filed against Mikovits.



Mikovits and her attorney did not respond to requests for comment; nor did the Washoe County district attorney's office in Nevada.



Some patients reacted to the news with relief and redoubled support for Mikovits. Her friend Dr. Jamie Deckoff-Jones, who has had chronic fatigue syndrome for decades, wrote in an email: "I was thrilled for Dr. Mikovits when I heard. I am also happy for the patient community, because she will be ungagged finally."



The saga began in 2009 when a team of scientists led by Mikovits published a paper in the journal Science that linked chronic fatigue syndrome to a retrovirus called XMRV.



The potential breakthrough elated people with chronic fatigue syndrome, an illness that had baffled scientists and doctors for decades. Not waiting for other scientists to confirm the finding, Mikovits began linking XMRV to autism and other disorders, despite a lack of evidence. Some patients, including Deckoff-Jones, began taking anti-retroviral drugs designed to treat HIV.



But other teams of scientists repeatedly failed to replicate the Mikovits team's results, and evidence mounted that the finding was actually the result of lab contamination.



In September, a study was published showing the Whittemore Peterson Institute could not reliably find evidence of XMRV in patients' blood. The institute fired Mikovits and later filed suit. Mikovits was arrested in California in November, and Science retracted her paper the following month.



This week's dismissal of charges was a bit of good news for Mikovits and her frustrated supporters.



"The charges against Dr. Mikovits never seemed to hold water to many of us in the patient community," one supporter, Boston playwright Rivka Solomon, wrote in an email. "In this whole three-year drama we've all watched unfold, many of us feel Mikovits has acted really selflessly. I hold her in very high esteem."



Hall said the charges were dismissed not because the case lacked merit but because of issues related to the family of institute founder Annette Whittemore. Her husband, Harvey, a Nevada lobbyist and lawyer, was indicted June 6 by a federal grand jury on charges he made illegal campaign contributions to a congressman, caused a campaign committee to make false statements to the Federal Election Commission and lied to FBI agents, according to the Department of Justice.



Harvey Whittemore was arraigned June 7 and pleaded not guilty to all counts. His attorneys John Arrascada and Dominic Gentile emphasized in an email that Whittemore did not sit on the institute board of directors. "The federal indictment has absolutely nothing to do with the foundation or its ongoing mission to discover a cure for chronic fatigue syndrome," they wrote.



ttsouderos@tribune.com
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Two years into the pandemic, the story of Danny Burtch is the story of incalculable loss and choices: whether to be vaccinated, whether to leave the isolation of home for fellowship, whether to partake in a game of cards.
The West Bengal government on Wednesday said it will take a call on the movement of essential goods through the Indo-Bangladesh borders after considering all aspects.

State's Home Secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay said this in reply to the Union Home Ministry letter.

"We will take a call after considering all aspects. There are a lot of things that need to be looked into," he said.

The Centre during the day came down heavily on the West Bengal government for not allowing movement of essential goods through the Indo-Bangladesh border, saying such acts will have international implications.

The MHA in a letter to the chief secretary also said the state government has not implemented repeated directions of the Centre for free movement of cargo and this amounts to violation of the Disaster Management Act.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
National Enquirer boss David Pecker has asked the Trump administration for a government loan meant to help small businesses amid coronavirus.

American Media Inc., the tabloid magazine's publisher, is said to have applied for between $5 million and $6 million from the Paycheck Protection Program. The relief fund was created by Congress to help small businesses through the crisis.

One AMI employee told The Daily Beast: 'Their gumption is breathtaking. Its not right they would be taking money away from a small business that really needs it.'

The staffer added: 'It doesnt surprise me Pecker is trying this as hes desperate, but getting money from the government and Trump after all they have done is sickening.'

American Media, which has around 450 employees, had already announced company-wide salary cuts, in the wake of the coronavirus, though the publishing company was financially troubled long before the viral outbreak.

All of the company's titles, such as Us Weekly, cut employees' salary by 23 per cent on April 1. DailyMail.com could not reach American Media Inc. for comment.

National Enquirer boss David Pecker, pictured, has reportedly asked the Trump administration for a government loan meant to help small businesses amid coronavirus

National Enquirer boss David Pecker has reportedly asked the Trump administration for a government loan meant to help small businesses amid coronavirus. Donald Trump speaks about the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for small businesses adversely affected by the coronavirus disease alongside U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin

One employee said: 'We are not a small business. I cant see how we qualify for this. People are currently working harder for less money and theres a lot of anger towards Pecker. The mood is bleak.'

Pecker has been criticized in the past amid reports he helped to arrange hush money payments to two women who threatened to thwart Trump's presidential campaign in 2016 with stories about their alleged affairs with him.

The two men came up together in New York in the media and business worlds of the 1980s and 1990s, leaning on each other for a mutually beneficial friendship.

When it came time for Trump to run as president, Pecker is said to have agreed to alert him or campaign to any negative stories.

American Media Inc. paid $150,000 to Playboy model Karen McDougal, who claimed an affair with Trump, to buy the exclusive rights to her story, which never ran in a 'catch and kill' deal.

It was brokered by Trump's then lawyer Michael Cohen, who was later sentenced to three years in jail over after pleading guilty to numerous charges, including campaign finance fraud and lying to Congress.

When Stormy Daniels said she too would go public, Pecker is said to have told Trump's campaign.

The phrase 'catch and kill' refers to the practice of tabloid editors buying stories and then burying them, so they never see the light of day.

Former American Media Inc. executive Dylan Howard, who left the company at the end of March, was also accused by journalist Ronan Farrow and The Wall Street Journal of burying stories about President Trump.

Farrow said that the Australian tabloid executive shredded incriminating documents about Trump when he oversaw the Enquirer, which never published the documents.

The Enquirer published an expose about Bezos' extramarital affair and included racy texts to his now-girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez, which forced Bezos to publicly announce his divorce

Then in 2019, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who also owns the Washington Post, accused Howard and American Media of extortion and blackmail.

That came after the Enquirer published an expose about his extramarital affair and included racy texts to his now-girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez, which forced Bezos to publicly announce his divorce.

The Amazon founder made his accusations known in a lengthy written piece, where he said Howard threatened to print a nude photo of Bezos and Sanchez, unless the Bezos-owned Washington Post eased up on their 'politically motivated' coverage of AMI.

The FBI launched an investigation into the hacking of Bezos' phone last year.

Cyber security experts at FTI Consulting, who were hired by Bezos, have suggested that Saudi Arabia listened in on Bezos' calls and texts, when he was in the throes of his secret affair with Sanchez and planning his divorce from his wife MacKenzie.

In January 2019, the National Enquirer revealed that affair in a scandalous expose which Bezos claims was unfairly, and potentially unlawfully, put together. It included nude photographs of Bezos.

American Media Inc (AMI), which owns the National Enquirer, has never confirmed the source of those photos.

The alleged Saudi Arabian hack has raised further questions about AMI's relationship with the country and specifically Pecker's ties to the kingdom.

Pecker has been criticized in the past amid reports he helped to arrange hush money payments to two women who threatened to thwart Trump's presidential campaign in 2016 with stories about their alleged affairs with him. The two men are pictured in 2004

American Media Inc. paid $150,000 to Playboy model Karen McDougal, left, who claimed an affair with Trump, to buy the exclusive rights to her story, which it never ran. When Stormy Daniels.,right, said she too would go public, Pecker is said to have told Trump's campaign

Dylan Howard's contract, which expired on March 31, was not renewed, after more than a decade at the publishing company.

Following scrutiny for the McDougal hush money payout and fallout from the Bezos expose, AMI made a $100 million deal to sell the National Enquirer to James Cohen, the heir to Hudson News, which as of today, has still not closed.

A source says the much-delayed deal has not been called off, and prior to the COVID-19 crisis, the buyer was still working through details, but with the economic crisis spurred by the pandemic, business across all industries is on pause.

When announcing company-wide pay cuts last week, American Media Inc. released a statement to media, noting that no layoffs have occurred. '

American Media is committed to doing everything we can during the COVID-19 crisis to ensure our staff maintain their employment and health benefits,' a spokesperson for the company said.

Former American Media Inc. executive Dylan Howard left the company at the end of March

Prior to the coronavirus-prompted salary cuts at AMI, both RadarOnline and Men's Journal underwent sweeping staff reductions with the men's lifestyle magazine relocating to the west coast and laying off New York-based employees.

Insiders say RadarOnline was hit the hardest, among the company's layoffs.

The Paycheck Protection Program was supposed to infuse small businesses, which typically have less access to quick cash and credit, with $349 billion in emergency loans that could help keep workers on the job and bills paid on time.

News that the $1.6 billion Shake Shack burger empire had received a maximum $10 million loan ignited public anger.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has addressed the issue at a White House briefing, saying: 'The intent of this money was not for big public companies that had access to capital.'

A spokesman for AMI said: 'American Media made the decision to apply for PPP support in an effort to secure hundreds of jobs that might have been lost as we and other publishers continue to navigate the current economic climate created by the Covid-19 pandemic.'

They did not confirm how much they are seeking in help.
Its been many a moon since Michigan Republicans have put up any sort of legitimate candidate for U.S. Senate. In 1996, Ronna Romney, the mother of RNC Chair Ronna Romney McDaniel, got crushed by Carl Levin who had trounced Bill Schuette six years before. He went on to beat Rocky Raczkowski and Jack Hoogendyk before retiring. The seat is now held by Democrat Gary Peters who crushed Terri Lynn Land, arguably the worst candidate to ever run for this seat. After beating incumbent Spencer Abraham in 2000, Debbie Stabenow went on to beat Mike Bouchard, Pete Yellow GirlYellow Girl Hoekstra, and, last cycle, John James.

Well, you may not know this but James is back. After scrubbing the internet as clean as possible of any trace of his last failed campaign, hes the leading Republican vying to run against Gary Peters this year. I say that you may not know that James  the man who palled around with the likes of Lev Parnas last fall  is running because, according to the website John James Revealed, as of today, James hasnt made a television appearance on a Michigan station in 334 days. He hasnt given a print media interview in 228 days.

He has, however, traveled the country courting the most far right, corporatist groups you could imagine. Heres a graphic put together by the fine folks at John James Revealed that shows all the fundraising and schmoozing stops hes made just about everywhere but Michigan:

Thanks to these road trips, James has racked up endorsements from the American Conservative Union (part of the Koch brothers State Policy Network), the Senate Conservatives Fund, and FreedomWorks (also part of the Koch brothers State Policy Network) along with other wealthy donors.

But what has not done is spend any time courting voters in Michigan.

Meanwhile, Gary Peters has been fighting for justice in Flint, accountability in the PFAS fiasco that has poisoned water across the state and across the country, and has been working hard to ensure a vastly improved federal response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Its not a difficult choice for Michigan in 2020 in the U.S. Senate race: An inexperienced grifter relying on conservative/corporatist financial backing, his opposition to the life-saving Affordable Care Act, and his 2000 percent approval of Donald Trump versus a known fighter on behalf of average Michiganders. If you want to be sure Gary Peters keeps his seat in the U.S. Senate, swing by his web page HERE and make a donation. We cant afford to lose a single seat in the Senate this year and Gary Peters is up against a Republican money machine that cannot be underestimated.
Western Port residents have launched an urgent appeal for the Victorian government to push back an assessment of AGL's contentious plan for a floating gas import terminal at Crib Point until after coronavirus lockdowns have ended.

The energy giant's plan to locate a liquefied natural gas terminal in the bay and connect it to a 55-kilometre pipeline from the Mornington Peninsula to Pakenham has faced delays and a bitter backlash from environmental groups and residents worried about the potential risks to the area's ecosystems and tourism.

AGL says LNG imports will ease a looming gas supply crunch in the southern states. Credit:Michele Mossop

AGL chief Brett Redman this week urged the government to consider fast-tracking the approvals process for the $250 million project in order to stimulate desperately needed jobs and economic activity as Victoria re-emerges from the crippling coronavirus crisis.

"My callout has been: look at the projects that are already in the approvals process and get them fast-tracked so we can get them built," Mr Redman said at a Macquarie Group conference.
The Walker Police Department in Walker, Louisiana, on May 2 issued a be-on-the-lookout for, or BOLO.

Police were asking for the publics help in connection with an incident that had occurred at a bank on Walker South Road around 4 p.m. on Friday, May 1.

The incident? Not a robbery  just a complaint of an aggressive chicken.

On Facebook the police department said, Although police reached the bank within a couple of minutes of the call, the chicken apparently anticipated the imminent arrival of law enforcement and fled on foot from the scene.

According to the complaint, the chicken had been terrorizing bank customers all week, at both the walk-up ATM and the drive-thru. Bank officials told officers that the chicken chased customers, attempted to enter customer vehicles and on a number of occasions, failed to engage in proper social distancing. Despite patrols of the area, including the kitchen of a nearby restaurant, the chicken could not be located.

Police released this description  a reddish-tan chicken, approximately 18 tall and 6-8 lbs. in weight. The chicken is wanted on charges of assault, attempted battery, attempted burglary, terrorizing and ignoring an order of the Governor. Given the chickens history of aggressive behavior, the public is urged to avoid confronting the fowl and to instead, contact Walker Police if seen. Thank you!

Of course, some fowl comments followed such as check at KFC or Chik-fil-A and Is there a video of this chicken? Dont want to turn in the wrong chicken. Also, does the law innocent until proven guilty go for chickens?

On Monday, the department shared on Facebook that the post had reached more than 114,000 people and had been shared by news media across the globe.

The (mostly) true post was prepared upon the belief that we could all use a little humor during this remarkable period we are all experiencing. Were pleased that you enjoyed it! Capt. John Sharp, Walker Police Department.

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Volkswagen Philippines has recently placed measures to address the 'new normal' scenario, as soon as the Philippine government announces the lifting of the enhanced community quarantine.

Just like many manufacturers have earlier announced, the local arm for German brand Volkswagen have readied policies and specific practices in its dealership network to keep customers, its employees, and business partners protected.

Just last week, Volkswagen production plants have resumed operations gradually.

Production plants in Zwickau and Bratislava (Slovakia) have started since 27 as well as other plants in Germany Portugal, Spain, Russia that are scheduled since April 27.

The Ayala-backed companysame with Maxus and Kiasaid that once their dealerships reopen as soon as the ECQ is lifted, customers can expect safety in their showrooms.

Clients are also assured that they shall also be expected to be "greeted with and treated to not only a roster of German marque vehicles and a level of service that embody the motoring lifestyle experience only Volkswagen can offer."

In a message to dealer owners and executives, Volkswagen Philippines President Felipe Estrella urged them to follow all steps be taken to comply with the safety protocols, guidelines and regulations issued by the governments Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

The current situation has transformed and altered the condition and behavior of the global population, businesses, the market, and the consumers in general," Estrella said.

" The sense and assurance of safety in gatherings, social contact, crowds and visits to establishments may never be the same in the near future as a result of the pandemic. The same will apply to our businesses, including our most valued dealerships, he explained.

Felipe Estrella

The chief for the local arm of the German maque noted the importance of following the guidelines.

It will be very vital that we collectively create an environment wherein our customers safety, health and well-being are our utmost priority by the time we are allowed to operate and our customers are allowed to visit our dealerships once again. With this, we recommend certain guidelines, procedures and system in order to ensure our readiness and guarantee the safety of everyone, Estrella stressed.

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In this light, every customer who visits any Volkswagen dealership during the GCQ will have to practice the following in order to comply with the guide that is aimed to eliminate, if not minimize, exposure to the life-threatening virus:

Wear a facemask throughout the visit.

Before entry, body temperature will be checked, then alcohol will be sprayed onto hands. Customers who register body temperatures above 37 degrees Celsius will be informed that entry is not allowed and recommend to seek medical consultation.

Shaking hands will be avoided, and physical distancing (at least one meter apart) will be strictly followed.

At transaction tables, customers and sales and service personnel will not sit beside one another, but across the table. Thus, only two persons are allowed per table.

At the showroom and vehicle service bays, customers and attendants shall maintain physical distance, even when inside the vehicle.

All facilities where customers may be inor useshall be regularly disinfected. Every transaction table will have alcohol or hand sanitizer.

Touchless and cashless. Use of credit cards or online payments is highly recommended.

For those who would like to test drive, all vehicles will be fully sanitized and are guaranteed to be safe.

Volkswagen Sta. Rosa

For aftersales operations, customers are asked to schedule service appointments, observe physical distancing, while Service Advisors and personnel are required to wear personal protective gears and all tools used and vehicles before and after being serviced must likewise be disinfected.

All Volkswagen dealership personnel are also advised to follow and practice health and safety protocols for business operations as stipulated in the guidelines of the governments GCQ and Volkswagen Philippines Dealership Sales and Aftersales Operations Guide and Recommendations, to make every customers visit to any Volkswagen dealership a safe move to the new normal.

As of May 4, Volkswagen Cagayan de Oro in Mindanao region, which is placed under GCQ, is already open from Mondays to Saturdays (9:00 am to 4:00 pm).

All Volkswagen dealerships were closed since March 17, in accordance to the enhanced community qurantine announced by President Rodrigo Duterte.

For more information, log on to www.volkswagen.com.ph, like and follow Facebook and Instagram, respectively, or call any of Volkswagen Philippines nine dealerships near you.

Also read:

Volkswagen to Eventually Resume Production Next Week

Luzon Now under Enhanced Community Quarantine
Estonian English

Today, on 6 May 2020, AS LHV Group and Toveko Invest OU signed the foundation resolution of non-life insurance undertaking AS LHV Kindlustus, and approved the companys articles of association. The main business of the undertaking will be offering non-life insurance products. Obtaining an activity licence from the Financial Supervision Authority is still required to commence the operations of the insurance undertaking.

The share capital of AS LHV Kindlustus is EUR 1,250,000, which has been divided into 1,250,000 shares with a nominal value of EUR 1, in a way that 65% of all shares of AS LHV Kindlustus (812,500 shares) belong to AS LHV Group, and 35% (437,500 shares) belong to Toveko Invest OU. The new undertaking is a subsidiary of AS LHV Group, and belongs to the LHV consolidation group. Pursuant to an agreement of the shareholders, the share capital of AS LHV Kindlustus will be increased to EUR 5,000,000 before obtaining the activity licence.

From the standpoint of LHV Group, the purpose of establishing a non-life insurance undertaking is to provide additional value to LHVs retail clients, and, more broadly, to improve insurance opportunities on the Estonian market while acting profitably. Offering insurance protection to the clients of LHV and Euronics will create a synergy that guarantees the insurance undertaking with enough insurance premiums to cover damages and costs, and to achieve profitable operation immediately upon the commencement of insurance operations.

AS LHV Kindlustus intends to apply for an activity licence during this year. From establishing the company to receiving the activity licence, LHV Kindlustus will bear the costs and generate a loss. LHV Group will publish the financial forecast related to the subsidiary after receiving the activity licence.

The companys Supervisory Board includes four members: Madis Toomsalu (Chairman), Erki Kilu, Jaan Koppel, and Veiko Poolgas. The first meeting of the Supervisory Board of the company was also held today.

Tarmo Koll and Jaanus Seppa were appointed Members of the Management Board of AS LHV Kindlustus. Tarmo Kolls powers as a Member of the Management Board come into effect as of today. Jaanus Seppa will take his place as Member of the Management Board as of 1 September 2020, also becoming the Chairman of the Management Board. Members of the management of AS LHV Group do not have personal interests in establishing AS LHV Kindlustus.

Tarmo Koll is a Member of the Management Board of AS LHV Kindlustus. Before that, from 2014 to 2019, he was the Chief Financial Officer and Head of Estonian Operations of the insurance company Ergo Balti, and was a Member of the Management Board of Ergo Insurance SE and Ergo Life Insurance SE. Before that, he operated as the responsible actuary and head of department in the same company. Tarmo Koll is the owner and Member of the Management Board of Aktuaarsed Lahendused OU, and he also belongs to the Management Board of the Estonian Actuarial Society. Tarmo Koll holds 530 shares of AS LHV Group.

Jaanus Seppa was appointed Member of the Management Board of AS LHV Kindlustus; his powers will commence on 1 September 2020. Previously, Seppa worked at the Lithuanian non-life insurance undertaking Compensa Vienna Insurance Group ADB, being a Member of the Management Board and the Head of the Estonian branch from 2015 to 2019. Jaanus Seppa holds 9248 shares of AS LHV Group.

Madis Toomsalu is the Head of AS LHV Group and the Chairman of the Supervisory Boards of AS LHV Pank and AS LHV Varahaldus. As of today, he is also the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of AS LHV Kindlustus. He is also Member of the Management Board of MTU FinanceEstonia. Madis Toomsalu and the persons related to him own 53,819 shares of AS LHV Group. Madis Toomsalu is entitled to a total of 90,920 shares of AS LHV Group for the options issued in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Erki Kilu has been the Chairman of the Management Board of AS LHV Pank since 2008. In addition, Mr Kilu serves as a Member of the Supervisory Board of AS LHV Finance, AS LHV Varahaldus and AS LHV Kindlustus, and is the Chairman of the Management Board of the Estonian Banking Association. Erki Kilu holds 133,200 shares of AS LHV Group. He has the opportunity to acquire 87,214 shares of AS LHV Group for options issued in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Jaan Koppel has been a member of the Supervisory Board of AS LHV Finance since 2013, and as of today, he is also a Member of the Supervisory Board of AS LHV Kindlustus. Additionally, he serves as a member of the Management Board of OU Toveko Invest, Sandman Grupi Aktsiaselts, Osauhing Raglor, Euronics Baltic OU, OU Veicoland and SND Invest OU; he is the Chairman of the Management Board of SIA Euronics Latvia and a Member of the Supervisory Board of aktsiaselts METAAN and Aktsiaselts Antista. Jaan Koppel and the persons related to him do not hold shares of AS LHV Group.

Veiko Poolgas has been a Member of the Supervisory Board of AS LHV Finance since 2013, and as of today, he is also a Member of the Supervisory Board of AS LHV Kindlustus. Additionally, he is a Member of the Management Board of Sandman Grupi Aktsiaselts, SIA Euronics Latvia, Osauhing VP Invest & Holdings, and OU Veicoland. Veiko Poolgas and the persons related to him do not hold shares of AS LHV Group.

LHV announced its intention to establish an insurance company with the 18 February stock exchange announcement: https://cns.omxgroup.com/cdsPublic/viewDisclosure.action?disclosureId=922262&messageId=1162155. Permission to consolidate was received from the Competition Authority in April.

LHV Group is the largest domestic financial group and capital provider in Estonia. LHV Group's key subsidiaries are LHV Pank and LHV Varahaldus. LHV employs over 450 people. LHVs banking services are used by nearly 217,000 clients, and pension funds managed by LHV have nearly 178,000 active clients.





Priit Rum

Communication Manager

Phone: +372 502 0786

Email: priit.rum@lhv.ee




Like her co-hosts, Meghan McCain of The View is currently appearing on the show via video as she self-quarantines at home with husband Ben Domenech. Recently announcing that shes pregnant, the television panelist is remaining on lockdown during the coronavirus crisis in the spirit of being extra cautious.

Married since 2017, McCain has previously spoken on the underlying circumstances surrounding her engagement to Domenech. The View star recently shared details of how her husband sped up their walk down the aisle.

Meghan McCain of The View | Lou Rocco/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images

Meghan McCain moves up the wedding date

McCain and Domenech tied the knot on November 21, 2017, at the McCain family lodge in Sedona, Arizona. The couples engagement was especially brief due to the cancer diagnosis of McCains father, the late Republican Senator John McCain.

I felt like a nuclear bomb went off in my life. I was a mess. I was barely functioning, The View co-host shared when she learned of her fathers diagnosis, as reported by People. With the Senators health on a timetable, the couple made his presence at their vows a priority.

We were originally going to elope before everything happened with my dad, but obviously all these things have taken on new meaning, McCain told People in November 2017. We pushed everything up. My dad is doing really well right now, but its a deeply unpredictable cancer. Youre really just living scan to scan. I wanted to make sure that he was  that we were all  there. Why wait?

The View star recalls her husbands hospital proposal

In a conversation with the End Well Foundation in December, McCain spoke of her fathers illness and how she struggled with his death. The View co-host also recounted how she and Domenech suddenly became engaged while at one of her dads hospital visits shortly after finding out about his diagnosis.

We went in [to the Mayo Clinic] and they said he had something called glioblastoma and they showed us a graph of the mortality rate and

what it means and I just, I reacted like a child, McCain revealed. I mean, I was just screaming and yelling and screaming at him and screaming at the doctors and it was just as anyone who knows it was such a shock.

Despite the traumatic recollection, McCain added, And I ended up getting engaged at Mayo Clinic for whatever its worth. The television personality went on to explain that the same day she was having this life-changing discussion with her fathers physician, Domenech proposed.

I started screaming my dads never gonna blanking see me get married.

And hes never going to see me have kids and my now husband said Yes, he will,  McCain shared. Which is not how you picture getting engaged, but all right.

Meghan McCains view on marriage today

While The View panelist recognizes that her husbands proposal was far from typical, she sees the beauty and romance in Domenechs decisive action. McCain clearly feels a great void after her fathers death in August 2018, yet is grateful for what shes gained through the entire process.

I like, probably wouldnt have gotten married if my dad werent dying, she said. I didnt really believe in it. Now Im like getting married is wonderful if you find the right person. I know before I was like, marriage

isnt for me, whatever. I want to have kids. I didnt want to have kids till my dad died. I didnt believe in that either.

Now with the couple expecting their first child, McCain has a new view on life in general after the loss of her dad. Now I believe in the cycle of life in a totally different way, she reflected. And I just think that theres so much

beauty everywhere and theres so much kindness and compassion.
The Pope to donate 100,000 to help migrants on border of Belarus and Poland

Fourth vaccine against COVID-19 is not enough for Omicron

World is on verge of country defaults

French Foreign Ministry considers unacceptable Azerbaijan statements about Pecresse

US to return two valuable artifacts over 4,000 years old to Iraq

Germany may consider halting Nord Stream 2 if Russia attacks Ukraine

Israel successfully completes test of anti-ballistic missile system

Plane landing in Sochi struck by lightning

Putin and Aliyev discuss Ukraine situation

Greek PM Mitsotakis threatens Turkey with sanctions

Handelsblatt: US and EU abandon idea of disconnecting Russia from SWIFT international payment system

Artsakh President meets representatives of non-governmental organizations

Avalanche kills person in Iran

Erdogan says he is pleased with decline in volatility of lira

NEWS.am daily digest: 18.01.22

Turkey and Azerbaijan to start laying gas pipeline to supply Nakhichevan

UK begins to supply Ukraine with anti-tank weapons

Armenian PM holds meeting on Armenia's Transformation Strategy until 2050

Nagorno-Karabakh: Remains of another Armenian soldier found in Jrakan region

Tehran to not accept any border change in South Caucasus

Dollar holding relatively steady in Armenia

Armenia special representative: Future process depends on Turkeys constructiveness degree

Erdogan: Gas from Mediterranean to Europe can only be pumped through Turkey

Iranian Consul General discusses customs cooperation in Nakhijevan

Inecobank brings Apple Pay to customers

Parliament vice-speaker says he is familiar with Armenia proposals on border demarcation commission work

US Secretary of State to visit Kyiv

Russia, Iran and China to hold joint naval drills

OSCE Chairmanship on Aliyev statement: We reiterate our full support to Minsk Group Co-Chairs

Artsakh NSS denies rumors about penetration of Azerbaijanis into Karabakh villages

Indonesian parliament approves bill to relocate capital

Armenia PM to Bulgaria colleague: Our interstate relations are marked by continuous development of cooperation

Armenian President meets Abu Dhabi Crown Prince

Azerbaijan to ban foreigners from visiting Nagorno-Karabakh occupied part

European Parliament new speaker elected

Armenian National Interests Fund participates in Abu Dhabi Sustainable Development Week summit

North Korea fires missiles for fourth time this year

ECHR recognizes violation of Armenian PM's rights after 2008 elections

Turkey reveals plans to produce combat aircraft

Karabakh official: Azerbaijan presidents impudent behavior is due to OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs silence

Azerbaijan special services force Artsakh resident to intelligence work

Copper price is stable

Minister of State: OSCE MG Co-Chairs must accept exercise of Karabakh people's right to self-determination

Armenia President, UAE Minister of State discuss possibilities of cooperation in science and technology

Investigation into criminal case of several Armenia soldiers returned from Azerbaijan captivity is over

Canada sends detachment of special forces to Ukraine

Armenia ex-President Kocharyan, former deputy PM now MP Gevorgyan case trial resumes

2 more persons die of coronavirus in Artsakh

Armenia family has 10th child

Converse Bank brings Apple Pay to customers

Gold is getting weaker

Lacote: French institute to operate in Armenia (PHOTOS)

Ardshinbank Brings Apple Pay to Customers

Armenia President in UAE, meets with Emirati environment minister

Armenia legislature approves changes to several laws

Differences in data on coronavirus deaths in Armenia are corrected

360 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Norway to begin Breivik early release hearing

Economy minister to head Armenia side of commission on economic cooperation with Kazakhstan

Mexico crime photojournalist killed

Newspaper: Criminal case against Armenia archbishop dropped

Newspaper: Opposition Armenia Bloc in parliament to toughen its tactics

Scientists discover large breeding colony of icefish in southern Antarctica

China creates low-gravity artificial moon

Tehran welcomes normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations

Russian and Iranian Foreign Ministers discuss regional issues

UN Secretary-General: Vaccinate whole world to end pandemic

Giant asteroid to fly past our planet

Armenian President meets with Executive Director of Mubadala Investment Company

UAE counting on Turkey

Indonesia to move capital by 2024

Passenger traffic at Armenian airports decreased by 30%

Armenian Investigative Committee: Six soldiers captured in November arrested

Turkish government to discuss Rubinyan-Kilic meeting results

German FM threatens Russia in case of aggression against Ukraine

Armenian MFA senior staff meets with ambassadors to European countries

Turkish court acquits German journalist Mesale Tolu

Turkish UAV intercepted over Greek island

Protest in front of Armenian Health Ministry

France introduces vaccine passes

Bitcoin begins to lose out competitors

Exchange rates in Armenia

Safari browser caught leaking user data

Xi Jinping: Confrontation between major powers can have disastrous consequences

Lukashevich: Russia concerned that OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs may not be able to visit Nagorno-Karabakh

Court obligates Armenia ruling force MP to prove ex-President Sargsyan lost more than $100M in casinos

Ex-ruling party official: Armenia authorities may renounce Genocide, Karabakh

Armenian PM's party decides to provide free textbooks to non-state schools

Times: Johnson prepares cadre purge to save his own skin

Pecresse accuses French government of inaction after Aliyev's statements on her Karabakh visit

Armenia President attends Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week forum opening

Armenia legislature ruling majority member: It is possible for us to have neighborly relations with Azerbaijan

President approves Artsakh government decisions on provision of financial assistance

Armenia parliament opposition faction leader on canceling US visit: We must fulfill our international duties

Fire in Abu Dhabi kills three people

ANIF Anti-Crisis Fund to invest in Armenia cargo transportation

Azerbaijan to soon open bus routes to Artsakhs occupied Shushi

Armenia ruling force MP, businessman: Turks will be able to use our medical services in Gyumri, Yerevan

Erdogan wants to save Turkish economy with oil production in the Black Sea

Copper rises in price
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- PHOTOS: Documenting COVID-19 in the Pikes Peak region.

Members of the Colorado National Air Guard and the Air Force Reserve have flyovers planned Wednesday to salute Colorado's frontline workers.

Two C-130 Hercules aircraft from the Air Force Reserve's 302nd Airlift Wing will fly over Colorado hospitals to salute local healthcare workers, first responders and essential workers.

The "Hercs Over Colorado" flyovers will start over Pueblo hospitals, beginning at the Veteran's Affairs Clinic just after 11 a.m., then continue on to Colorado Springs, Greeley and Fort Collins.

The C-130s are scheduled to fly over Colorado Springs between 11:24 and 11:30 a.m. View the complete map and times here.

Members of the Colorado Air National Guard's 140th Wing are also scheduled to fly over several Colorado communities early Wednesday evening.

F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft will take to the skies between 4:30 and 6:00 p.m.

The jets will launch from Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora and will fly over multiple locations, spanning from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs, including Fort Carson, Vail, Aspen and Estes Park. Sterling Correctional Facility, the site of the state's largest COVID-19 outbreak, is also on the list.

The F-16s are scheduled to fly over Colorado Springs between 5:33 and 5:44 p.m. View the full list and schedule here.

Air Force units around the country are conducting flyovers in an effort to boost morale during this time of severe health and economic impacts resulting from the pandemic as part of its "Operation American Resolve," officials said in a news release.

"We are really excited to show our appreciation for those men and women who are risking their lives every day in the front lines of the War on COVID-19," said U.S. Air Force Col. Micah Fesler, commander, 140th Wing, Colorado Air National Guard in the news release.

"We hope that when our fellow citizens hear the jets fly over, they will know that we remain strong as a nation and we will get through this as one team."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 17:23:10|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Companies listed on China's Shenzhen Stock Exchange saw more cash inflows from financing activities in the first quarter as authorities stepped up efforts to help firms stay liquid amid the epidemic.

Cash inflows from financing activities surged 17.9 percent year on year in Q1, compared with a rise of 3.4 percent during the same period last year, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange said in a report analyzing over 2,000 listed firms that filed their Q1 results.

The analysis also showed that the listed firms' debt risks are under control, with coverage ratios measuring their ability to service debts staying relatively stable.

Authorities have rolled out a series of measures to support the financing of firms as COVID-19 weighed on their revenues and strained cash flows.

The central bank has been guiding lower lending rates and injecting liquidity into the market via various monetary tools. In the meantime, companies are encouraged to raise funds through bonds and other financing channels.

In Q1, combined revenues of Shenzhen-listed firms dropped by 8.1 percent year on year, while their net profits fell by 25.8 percent, the report showed. Enditem
The display seemed to resonate with scores of students, parents and families coming to terms with virtual ceremonies and changes to festivities for college graduates this spring. While many schools have vowed to hold graduations next year, or as soon as health officials allow, the cancellations delivered another blow to students who held out hope they would be able to return before entering the next phase of life.
A Trump administration health official said in a whistleblower complaint Tuesday that top officials within the Department of Health and Human Services pressured him for years to award contracts based on political connections and cronyism.

Dr. Rick Bright, former head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)  the governments top vaccine procurer  was removed from his role on April 20 and reassigned to a narrower role at the National Institutes of Health. Bright, who ran BARDA since 2016, initially said his removal stemmed from clashes with political leadership over his resistance to the promotion of anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as an unproven treatment for coronavirus.

In his full 89-page complaint, Bright points to repeated clashes with his former boss, HHS assistant secretary for preparedness and response Robert Kadlec, whom Bright accuses of pushing him to secure contracts for drugs that were not meritorious but were personally linked to him. Bright also says he urged his superiors to take up the offer of a major U.S. manufacturer that offered to produce N-95 masks at theoutset of the pandemic, but was rebuffed.

Brights lawyers, Debra Katz and Lisa Banks  who also represented Christine Blasey Ford  called Brights removal from BARDA retaliation, plain and simple.

HHS said in a statement Tuesday that Brights transfer was for a critical role on testing.

Dr. Bright was transferred to NIH to work on diagnostics testing  critical to combating covid-19  where he has been entrusted to spend upwards of $1 billion to advance that effort, HHS spokeswoman Caitlin Oakley stated. We are deeply disappointed that he has not shown up to work on behalf of the American people and lead on this critical endeavor.

Bright told reporters on a Tuesday call that the Trump administration was rushing blindly into a potentially dangerous situation by accepting a donation of 3 million chloroquine pills from Bayer that were produced in India and Pakistan  facilities that had not been inspected by the FDA.

Story continues

Current and former HHS officials have pushed back on Brights claims, telling Politico that his reassignment was more than a year in the making, and that Bright supported the acquisition of tens of millions of doses of the drug he now maligns.

If Bright opposed hydroxychloroquine, he certainly didnt make that clear from his email  quite the opposite, said one official, who has seen copies of the internal email exchanges.

Bright included emails in his complaint showing that he preferred a pilot program for hydroxychloroquine rather than a national roll out. The FDA ultimately issued an authorization for chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine from the national stockpile that is limited to hospitalized coronavirus patients not able to participate in a clinical trial.

More from National Review
By Trend

The price of Azeri LT CIF Augusta, produced at the Azeri-Chirag-Deepwater Gunashli (ACG) oil field, amounted to $29.54 per barrel on May 5, which is $5.43 more compared to May 4, Trend reports with reference to the source from country's oil and gas market.

The price of Azeri LT FOB Ceyhan amounted to $28.49 per barrel on May 5, which is $5.54 more compared to May 4.

Azerbaijan has been producing Azeri LT since 1997 and exporting it via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) and Baku-Supsa Western Export Pipeline, as well as by rail, to the Georgian port of Batumi.

Azerbaijan also sells its URALS oil from the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, delivering it through the Baku-Novorossiysk oil pipeline.

The price of URALS with shipment from the port amounted to $27.41 per barrel on May 5, which is $4.84 more compared to May 4.

The cost of a barrel of Brent Dated oil, produced in the North Sea, amounted to $23.84 per barrel, indicating an increase of $4.52.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
By PTI

RIYADH: Saudi authorities have ordered the arrest of a citizen for abusing a non-Muslim Asian expatriate and asking him to embrace Islam, according to a media report on Tuesday.

A video went viral on social media showing the expat being insulted by an Arabic-speaking man, who does not appear in the clip, for having not embraced Islam and for not fasting, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

A monitoring centre affiliated with the public prosecution examined the video which "shows the citizen's use of abusive words against the Asian resident on the pretext of inviting him to Islam", an official source at the Public Prosecution was quoted as saying. "The public prosecution ordered the arrest of the abusive citizen," the source added.
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
WARREN, Ohio  A man accused of shooting and killing a pregnant woman last month was arrested Tuesday by federal authorities in Baltimore.

According to the U.S. Marshals Service, Kemari James, 27, of Warren, is being held in the Baltimore City Jail awaiting extradition to Ohio. He was wanted on murder charges, officials say. He was taken into custody at a residence in Baltimore.

Investigators say James shot and killed LaNesha Workman, 26, of Warren, on April 17. Officers in Warren were called to a home after reports of shots fired and found Workman dead of gunshot wounds. Police say Workmans other children were found inside the home crying.

The U.S. Marshals and Warren Police Officers were deeply impacted from the callous nature of this crime," U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott said in a statement. "Although we applaud the capture of this violent fugitive, we join the Workman family in mourning the loss of LaNesha.

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Put on stylish display in bright red suit and accessorised with beige handbag

Donned protective mask and rubber gloves as she stepped out amid pandemic

Queen Mathilde Of Belgium donned a protective mask and rubber gloves as she visited a supermarket amid the coronavirus pandemic today.

The mother-of-four, 46, who was without her husband King Philipp, 59, looked very much the lady in red in a bold suit, as she was photographed arriving at the Gerpinnes branch of the Carrefour supermarkets of Mestdagh groupe.

Following all safety measures, the royal took a walk around the store before speaking to a cashier from behind the glass.

Mathilde, who wore her blonde hair loose, accessorised with a beige handbag which she wore on her right arm.

Queen Mathilde Of Belgium, 46, donned a stylish bright red suit as she arrived at a supermarket today. Pictured, talking to a cashier

The royal accessorised her outfit with a pair of leather beige heels and handbag, which she wore on her right arm

The outing comes just weeks after the King and Queen of Belgium shared a sweet portrait of Princess Eleonore cuddling her dog to mark their youngest daughter's 12th birthday during lockdown.

The sweet snap was shared to Instagram, with the royals thanking everyone for wishing the youngster well on her birthday, which falls a day after her father King Philippe's 60th.

Belgium's King used his milestone to send a message of support to the nation from the Chateau de Laeken, where he staying in isolation with his family.

Thanking fans in a Facebook post written in both Flemish and French, King Philippe said the people of Belgium would 'overcome' the crisis together.

The mother-of-four (pictured) donned a protective mask and rubber gloves during her visit to the store

Queen Mathilde of Belgium pictured during a royal visit to the Gerpinnes branch of the Carrefour supermarkets of Mestdagh groupe today

King Philippe, who ascended the throne in 1991, asserted himself as a voice of calm and benevolence among the covid-19 pandemic.

He has sent continued messages of support and encouragement to Belgium since his speech regarding the coronavirus, which was broadcast around the country on March 16.

In his TV address, Philippe called his people to act 'responsibly' and to showcase 'great adaptability' in order to surmount the challenges of life on lockdown.

We have to do this not only for ourselves but also for the others and especially for the vulnerable among us.

On March 18, it was also reported that the monarch also intervened to make sure Belgium would receive 500,000 masks and 30,000 test kits by contacting the Chinese business tycoon Jack Ma directly.

Belgium has so far seen more than 48,500 confirmed cases of coronavirus and close to 7,600 deaths from the disease.
An international research team has identified the mechanism behind one of science's most enduring mysteries: what makes the 100-year-old tuberculosis (TB) vaccine so effective at preventing newborn deaths from diseases other than TB?

The ability of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)--one of the oldest, safest and cheapest vaccines available--to provide protection to newborns beyond its intended purpose of fighting off TB has been known since at least the 1940s, but until now no one has been able to explain why or show how it works.

In a new study, published today in Science Translational Medicine, researchers reveal how they identified a dramatic and rapid increase in neutrophils -- white blood cells that patrol the body and destroy invading bacterial pathogens - in mice and babies within three days of BCG vaccination.

The five-year study is the first to demonstrate the beneficial mechanism triggered by administration of BCG in newborns. It involved researchers from around the world, including senior co-authors Dr. Tobias Kollmann, an affiliate professor in the UBC department of paediatrics, and Dr. Nelly Amenyogbe, a graduate of UBC's experimental medicine program. The study's lead author Byron Brook, a UBC PhD candidate in experimental medicine, is based at the Kollmann Lab at BC Children's Hospital Research Institute in Vancouver.

"It's been known for a very long time that neutrophils play a very important role in managing sepsis, but until now nobody understood the role of BCG in initiating this critical process," said Amenyogbe. "It was actually thought to be biologically implausible, however we've not only shown how BCG is involved, but that it kicks off this process almost instantly following vaccination -- far more quickly than anticipated."

The researchers first witnessed the phenomenon--known as emergency granulopoiesis (EG)--in mice, with the team later validating it in blood samples from newborn babies in West Africa and Papua New Guinea.

Kollmann, who also heads up the Systems Vaccinology team at Telethon Kids Institute (TKI) in Australia in partnership with the Perth Children's Hospital Foundation, said the findings reinforce how critical it is for newborns in low-resource settings to receive BCG immediately after birth. Kollmann was previously the head of the paediatric division of infectious diseases at UBC before relocating to Australia.

"Less than half the babies who should get this vaccine right after birth actually get it then, partly because of logistics and partly because TB is not seen as a huge risk in those first few weeks. Administration is often delayed to four to six weeks, but by then it's too late for many newborns," said Kollmann, also an affiliate investigator at BC Children's Hospital in Vancouver. "Around half of all newborn deaths from infection happen in the first week of life, with about 75 per cent of those deaths caused by sepsis. Given BCG's clear role in helping newborns to fight off sepsis, we could save the lives of close to a million newborns every year if they were given this vaccine within days of birth instead of weeks later."

Brook, the study's lead author, added: "If every newborn was vaccinated with BCG, the greatest impact would be in regions of highest newborn mortality, specifically low- and middle-income countries. It could also help save newborns here in Canada, and represents a new strategy of how to get more benefit from existing vaccines."

The researchers cautioned that while the effect was rapid and offered robust protection against newborn sepsis, it was relatively short-lived and did not occur in adult mice.

Kollmann and Amenyogbe are also involved in Australia's BRACE trial, which is testing BCG's potential to fight off COVID-19. Kollmann said whether BCG may or may not be protective against COVID-19 remains to be seen, but in the meantime, its real and proven potential to save the lives of vulnerable newborns had to be maximized.

"BCG is very, very safe, costs only a few cents per dose, and reduces infectious causes of mortality - not just tuberculosis - in newborns by almost 50 per cent," Kollmann said. "There's nothing that we have in our entire current medical arsenal that is as effective, cheap, safe, feasible and affordable as this vaccine. All we have to do is ensure all newborns at risk get it right away at birth."

###
By Nam Hyun-woo





Figure SK Innovation
Year after that less certain

Grand Coulee Dam School Districts budget is anticipated to be in good standing this coming school year, but maybe not the year after.

I think were going to be OK, Superintendent Paul Turner told the school board April 26 in a meeting held via Zoom. My bigger worry is 2021-22.

The optimism was a shift in tone from the previous board meeting in which larger cuts were anticipated...
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The State government on Tuesday said TASMAC liquor shops will not reopen in the limits of the Greater Chennai City police on May 7. Though it was earlier it was announced that the shops will open across the State, the statement on Tuesday said, in Chennai alone, a fresh date for reopening the liquor shops will be announced later.

Though the statement did not give any reason for the decision, official sources suggested that it could be because of the spike in COVID-19 cases in the city in the recent days.The announcement drew mixed reactions. Many city residents lauded the revised decision for fear of the spread.

Not only in Chennai, the decision should be applicable to other districts in the State as well to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Police personnel are going to have a tough time keeping the crowd under control, said Pradeep Kumar, a resident of Valasaravakkam.

On the other hand, a few others reasoned that the delay in re-opening the shops will only lead to more people from the city flocking the neighbouring Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts to stock up on alcohol.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:

Some 21 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Kazakhstan as of 10:00 (GMT +4) on May 6, 2020, Trend reports with reference to Kazakhstans Healthcare Ministry.

The total number of coronavirus cases confirmed in Kazakhstan since the virus was first confirmed in the country amounted to 4,298 cases. This includes 1,299 people who recovered from the coronavirus, and 29 patients who passed away.

Distribution of overall coronavirus cases in Kazakhstans region is as follows:

Total infected Total recovered Total deaths Nur-Sultan city 754 328 3 Almaty city 1 392 227 8 Shymkent city 222 65 5 Akmola region 101 89 4 Aktobe region 168 33 Almaty region 163 40 Atyrau region 226 78 East Kazakhstan region 30 8 1 Zhambyl region 162 54 1 West Kazakhstan region 208 41 Karaganda region 169 79 3 Kostanay region 54 15 1 Kyzylorda region 222 140 Manystau region 90 10 1 Pavlodar region 152 12 1 North Kazakhstan region 30 28 Turkistan region 155 52 1 TOTAL 4298 1299 29

The first two cases of coronavirus infection were detected in Kazakhstan among those who arrived in Almaty city from Germany on March 13, 2020.

The outbreak of the coronavirus began in the Chinese city of Wuhan (an international transport hub), at a fish market in late December 2019.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019.

---

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Banjul, Gambia(PANA)- The European Union has provided Euros 1,353,120 to fund a long term technical assistance team working in support of the National Environment Agency and Department of Water Resources in mitigating the consequences of climate change in The Gambia
President Trump attacked Dr. Rick Bright, the government whistleblower who said he was demoted because he wouldn't green light the widespread use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19.

'I never met him, I know nothing about him, but he's a disgruntled guy,' Trump said Wednesday in the Oval Office during a meeting with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds. 'And I don't think disgruntled people should be working for a certain administration,' the president added.

Bright, the former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, filed an official whistleblower complaint on Tuesday that alleged he was reassigned to an unspecified role at the National Institutes of Health after he refused to rubber stamp the use of hydroxychloroquine and its sister drug chloroquine.

President Trump (right) in a meeting with Iowa Gov. Kimberly Reynolds (left) called Dr. Rick Bright, a government scientist whistleblower, 'disgruntled.' 'And I don't think disgruntled people should be working for a certain administration,' the president added

Dr. Rick Bright, the former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, filed a whistleblower complaint Tuesday with the Office of Special Counsel, alleging he was demoted because he wouldn't green light the widespread use of Hydroxychloroquine

Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are malaria drugs with a laundry list of side effects.

Bright said the Trump administration wanted to 'flood' hot spots in New York and New Jersey with the drug.

'I witnessed government leadership rushing blindly into a potentially dangerous situation by bringing in a non-FDA approved chloroquine from Pakistan and India, from facilities that had never been approved by the FDA,' Bright said Tuesday on a call with reporters. 'Their eagerness to push blindly forward without sufficient data to put this drug into the hands of Americans was alarming to me and my fellow scientists.'

Bright filed the complaint with the Office of Special Counsel, a government agency that investigates retaliation against federal employees who uncover problems. He wants his job back and a full investigation.

The Department of Health and Human Services issued a terse statement saying that Bright was transferred to the National Institutes of Health to work on coronavirus testing, a crucial assignment.

'We are deeply disappointed that he has not shown up to work on behalf of the American people and lead on this critical endeavor,' HHS spokeswoman Caitlin Oakley said.

According to HHS, Bright has not reported to his new post.

But his spokeswoman said that Bright is on sick leave, following his doctor's orders, and that HHS has provided him no details on his new role.

Bright's lawyer, appearing on CNN Tuesday night, reiterated that Bright had not been given any details about his new position.

Bright's complaint comes as the Trump administration faces criticism over its response to the pandemic, including testing and supplies of ventilators, masks and other equipment to stem the spread.

There have been nearly 1.2 million confirmed cases in the United States and more than 70,000 deaths.

Bright said his superiors repeatedly rejected his warnings that the virus would spread in the U.S., missing an early opportunity to stock up on protective masks for first responders.

Bright said he 'acted with urgency' to address the growing spread of COVID-19 - the disease the virus causes - after the World Health Organization issued a warning in January.

Rep. Anna Eshoo, a California Democrat and chair of the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on health, said she plans to hold a hearing into his complaint next week, and Brights lawyers said he would testify.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, appearing on MSNBC, called the complaint 'very damaging.'

In his complaint, Bright said he 'encountered resistance from HHS leadership, including Secretary [Alex] Azar, who appeared intent on downplaying this catastrophic event.'

During a Feb. 23 meeting, Azar, as well as Bright's boss, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Robert Kadlec, 'responded with surprise at [Brights] dire predictions and urgency, and asserted that the United States would be able to contain the virus and keep it out,' the whistleblower complaint said.

Bright said White House trade adviser Peter Navarro was a rare exception among administration officials, extremely concerned about the potential consequences of an outbreak.

He described working with Navarro to break a bureaucratic logjam and set up military transport from Italy for swabs needed in the U.S.

Navarro was the author of several urgent memos within the White House.

Bright said Navarro asked for his help, saying the trade adviser told him the memos were needed to 'save lives.'

Navarro's memos to top officials raised alarms even as Trump was publicly assuring Americans that the outbreak was under control.

Bright's allegation that he was removed over his resistance to widespread use of the malaria drug was already public, but his whistleblower complaint added details from emails and internal communications while bringing to light his early attempts to acquire N95 respirator masks, which he said were ignored by superiors.

In late January, Bright said he was contacted by an official of a leading mask manufacturer about ramping up production.

It was estimated that as many as 3.5 billion would be needed, while the national stockpile had about 300 million.

The complaint said that when Bright tried to press the issue about masks with superiors at HHS, he was ignored or rebuffed. 'HHS publicly represented not only that COVID-19 was not an imminent threat, but also that HHS already had all the masks it would need,' the complaint said.

The company, instead, sent masks to China.

At the White House briefing Wednesday, Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany was asked if this portion of the whistleblower complain was concerning to the administration.

'I'm not going to get involved in the personnel issues of the substance of that complaint,' the new press secretary said.

As the epidemic spread in the U.S. and engulfed the New York metropolitan area, Bright alleges that political appointees at HHS tried to promote hydroxychloroquine 'as a panacea.'

The officials also 'demanded that New York and New Jersey be `flooded with these drugs, which were imported from factories in Pakistan and India that had not been inspected by the FDA,' the complaint says.

Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned doctors against prescribing the drug except in hospitals and research studies.

In an alert, regulators flagged reports of sometimes fatal heart side effects among coronavirus patients taking hydroxychloroquine or the related drug chloroquine.

Bright felt officials had 'refused to listen or take appropriate action to accurately inform the public' and spoke to a reporter about the drug.

He said he had to tell the public about the lack of science backing up its use, despite the drug being pushed by the president at press briefings.

'As the death toll mounted exponentially each day, Dr. Bright concluded that he had a moral obligation to the American public, including those vulnerable as a result of illness from COVID-19, to protect it from drugs which he believed constituted a substantial and specific danger to public health and safety,' the complaint says.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar 'appeared intent on downplaying this catastrophic event,' Dr. Rick Bright wrote in his whistleblower complaint that was filed on Tuesday

Dr. Rick Bright accused government officials of trying to use Hydroxychloroquine 'as a panacea' to cure COVID-19, despite there not being solid medical testing. The drug, used to treat malaria, comes with a laundry list of side effects

On Jan. 20, according to the complaint, the WHO held an emergency call that was attended by many HHS officials, and WHO officials advised that 'the outbreak is a big problem.'

Trump has accused the U.N. agency of mismanaging and covering up the spread of the virus after it emerged in China.

He has also said he wants to cut the WHO's funding.

Brights agency works to guard against pandemics and emergent infectious diseases and is working to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus.

Top officials also pressured him to steer contracts to a client of a lobbyist, he reported.

'Time after time I was pressured to ignore or dismiss expert scientific recommendations and instead to award lucrative contracts based on political connections,' Bright said in the call with reporters. 'In other words, I was pressured to let politics and cronyism drive decisions over the opinions of the best scientists we have in government.'

Zachary Kurz, a spokesman for the agency where Bright filed his complaint, said the office couldn't comment or confirm the status of open investigations.
(Natural News) A journalist asked Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro regarding the 5,000 coronavirus (COVID-19) deaths in the country. In response, Bolsonaro said: So what? Im sorry. What do you want me to do?

This response has ignited a firestorm of controversy over the countrys response to the global pandemic.

My [middle name] is Messiah. But I cant work miracles, he added.

Noted personalities all over Brazil voiced their disagreement and anger at Bolsonaro over his comments.

Scriptwriter Mariliz Pereira Jorge said Its a mockery. An insult. It is intolerable. Political commentator Bernardo Mello Franco wrote that Bolsonaro wants to turn the country into the Republic of So What.

Wilson Witzel, governor of Rio de Janeiro, said that Bolsonaros remarks were absolutely unacceptable. Marcelo Freixo, a member of the opposition in the Brazilian congress, called Bolsonaro a despicable human being.

"So what?" This was Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's response to the country's #COVID19 death toll of over 5,500 people. pic.twitter.com/2l5JHSC9G9  AJ+ (@ajplus) April 30, 2020

The latest in a string of coronavirus denials

The backlash against Bolsonaros comments is made even worse given his lackluster response to the coronavirus outbreak. In addition, this isnt the first time Bolsonaro has attempted to downplay the severity of the crisis.

He has criticized local governments for issuing quarantine measures over the little flu, and has indicated that the coronavirus threat is being overstated. In late March, he scoffed at the idea of implementing social distancing measures, stating that well all die one day. He has even openly contradicted recommendations from his administrations public health experts and has attempted to overrule quarantine measures instituted by state governors. This has caused the country to experience the worst coronavirus outbreak in South America. (Related: Amid horrifically bad handling of the coronavirus, Brazils Bolsonaro government now appears on the verge of political collapse.)

As of press time, Brazil has 101,147 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 7,025 deaths. However, public health experts estimate that the countrys actual coronavirus figures may be up to 20 times higher.

On top of all this, Bolsonaro has personally undermined and disregarded social distancing guidelines. He has met and mingled with supporters on multiple occasions and fired his minister disagreeing with his stance on the effectiveness of lockdowns, quarantines and social distancing.

Bolsonaros views that the lockdowns are wrongheaded have even led some Brazilian to flout the measures. Support for isolation measures is faltering all over Brazil, and as coronavirus denialism spreads, quarantine measures are falling apart.

In Brazil, far-right Bolsonaro is turning his coronavirus denial into media spectacles and inciting his supporters against journalists

A misunderstood visionary who strives hard to win for Brazil the #CoronavirusDarwinAward, but the competition is fiercepic.twitter.com/jrDaOcfVL7  Alfons Lopez Tena (@alfonslopeztena) May 2, 2020

Bolsonaro unlikely to change course

Despite the backlash, Bolsonaro is unlikely to change his approach to the outbreak. Currently, his administration is embroiled in several high-profile scandals, including accusations that his son Flavio, a senator, is involved in money laundering, as well as the resignation of his very popular justice minister, Sergio Moro.

All these scandals will likely distract Bolsonaro for weeks to come, leaving Brazilians without any federal government to provide them with aid to deal with the crisis.

Bolsonaro has even weaponized the current pandemic, using both the health crisis and growing political unrest to rally his supporters. He has attended more than one openly anti-democratic protest. In a rally held in April, pro-Bolsonaro demonstrators called for the dissolution of both the Supreme Court and the Brazilian Congress and a return to military-led, authoritarian rule.

Brazil-Bolsonaro supporters blocked the traffic on Paulista Av., Sao Paulo, to protest the quarantine imposed by the state government. During the protest, people were shouting that the coronavirus is just a little flu and that the economy cannot stop.pic.twitter.com/vlX3njHjck  Nathalia Urban (@UrbanNathalia) April 11, 2020

While political leaders have said that a military takeover of the country is highly unlikely due to the power held by Congress, the courts, the press and civil society, Bolsonaros participation in these rallies has still been seen as very irresponsible  not only does it undermine the legitimacy of the state, but it also exposes thousands of Brazilians to deadly contagion.

As Brazils president continues to ignore pleas from states  and even from his own administration  to take a tougher stance on the coronavirus, theres no telling how many more of his citizens will become infected and possibly die on his watch.

Sources include:

News.Yahoo.com

TheGuardian.com

Vox.com

WHO.int [PDF]

CanalRural.com.br

APNews.com

AlJazeera.com
Bright Path Labs and Quartic.ai Logos We believe in technologies like AI as key enablers for manufacturing excellence. We are excited about the collaboration with Quartic.ai to demonstrate that digitally enabled smart manufacturing of APIs will be more competitive than offshore imports," said Tony Quinones, CEO of Bright Path Labs.

Quartic.ai, a manufacturing AI and IIoT platform supplier, and Bright Path Laboratories, Inc. (Bright Path Labs), a provider of continuous flow reactor technologies, signed an agreement to develop an AI-powered continuous manufacturing platform for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and other small molecule drugs using Bright Path Labs continuous bioreactor and the Quartic.ai smart manufacturing technology.

The U.S. imports approximately 72% of its APIs used in domestic pharmaceutical production from foreign countries, like China and India. The COVID-19 crisis has quickly exposed significant gaps in the American drug supply.

In the long term, U.S. pharmaceutical companies should also rethink their supply chains, including by changing the practice of replenishing their inventories just in time and diversifying API supplies to reduce dependence on Chinese and Indian manufacturers, according to Yanzhong Huang, a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Bright Path Labs advanced continuous flow Spinning Tube-in-Tube (STT) technology can rapidly produce chemicals and pharmaceutical active ingredients with higher yields, faster reaction times, greater purity, and does so using reaction and process chemistry founded on the principles of Green Chemistry and Green Engineering. Beyond fast, Bright Path Labs advanced manufacturing technology is also directly scalable from development bench, to skid, to modular full-scale commercial operations in months, as opposed to the years that are typical.

The AI technology provided by Quartic.ai will help speed up the design, validation and approval of molecules to use this technology in line with the Quality-by-Design (QBd) guidelines set by the FDA to assure drug safety. We will be able to make DoE (Design of Experiments) dynamic for process development and technology transfer while also providing continuous monitoring of quality for real-time-release. said Quartic.ais CEO, Rajiv Anand.

We believe in technologies like AI as key enablers for manufacturing excellence. We are excited about the collaboration with Quartic.ai to demonstrate that digitally enabled smart manufacturing of APIs will be more competitive than offshore imports. We also know that this advance technology can provide higher process control and compliance; exactly the capabilities that FDA is urging the industry to accelerate. Bright Path is working with the FDAs Emerging Technology Team to integrate real-time AI into the process control strategies for the intermediates actives we are manufacturing using the STT continuous flow reactor, said Tony Quinones, CEO of Bright Path Labs.

This combined Bright Path Labs-Quartic solution will help strengthen Americas drug manufacturing independence and ensure critical supply of medicines to patients.

About Quartic.ai

Quartic.ai is a technology company based in Toronto, Ontario, and San Jose, California with a development centre in Bengaluru, India. Quartic.ai provides AI enabled solutions specific for life sciences industry to enable pipeline acceleration, tech transfer, Qbd (Quality by Design), CPV (Continued Process Verification), RTR (Real-time-release) and continuous manufacturing. Its flagship product, the Quartic Platform, accelerates the adoption of Industry 4.0 for process manufacturing practitioners to develop and deploy their own AI and IIoT-based solutions. The Quartic Platform was recognized with the 2019 Pharma Innovation Award for Pharma 4.0.

For more information, contact Quartic.ai at 1-866-QUARTIC or visit http://www.Quartic.ai.

About Bright Path Labs

Bright Path Labs is a pharmaceutical innovation company focused on reducing drug development cycle times and direct scaling of manufacturing processes for drug substance commercialization. The company deploys its cutting-edge, proprietary continuous-flow reactor technology for chemical synthetic route optimization using green chemistry and then offers development, clinical, and high throughput commercial production applications augmented with advanced closed-loop control for continual process verification.

For more information, contact Bright Path Labs at 1-317-997-0907 or visit http://www.BrightPathLabs.com.
US President Trump on Tuesday (May 5) slammed the Lincoln Project after the anti-Trump group of Republican operatives released an ad, titled "Mourning in America," mounting a scathing attack on Trump's response to coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.

The Lincoln Project, which includes Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway's husband, George Conway, has been trying to get a response from President Trump with its provocative ad strategies and the latest attack by the president shows that it finally succeeded.

The Lincoln Project members also include John Weaver, a strategist for John Kasich's 2016 run, and Rick Wilson, a Republican political strategist who a leading figure in the "Never Trump" movement during the 2016 election. The Lincoln Project's latest ad also refer to a famous 1984 re-election spot from President Ronald Reagan.

Each of the Lincoln Project members came together with the "NeverTrump" movement in the 2016 election and have been openly criticising Trump and the Republican Party ever since.

The Lincoln Project was created in 2019 and has managed to raise as much as $2.5 million through the end of March, spending about $1.2 million of that through the same period. According to FEC filings, majority of the fund has gone to a media-consulting company owned by Galen called Summit Strategic Communications, which is tasked with producing the ads of Lincoln Project. Trump also tweeted accusing the group of "pocketing" the money they've raised from donors.

CNN reported quoting data from Kantar Media's Campaign Media Analysis Group that the Lincoln Project has purchased a total of $115,000 in TV ad time. The report added that most of the TV ad time has been in the Washington, DC, market, including $46,000 for the current ad.
Australian cinemas could reopen as early as July, just in time for the premier of Christopher Nolan's blockbuster starring Robert Pattinson.

The National Association of Cinema Operators (NACO) which represents Event Cinemas, Hoyts and Village Roadshow announced they were 'enthusiastic' for reopening theaters in July but are yet to set a date.

If the plan goes ahead, cinemas will have more staggered movie sessions, spaced seating, contactless payments and sanitisation stations to ensure hygiene amid coronavirus.

Staff will also be encouraged to download the COVIDSafe app.

Australian cinemas could reopen in July under plans by the National Association of Cinema Operators (pictured: Event Cinema in Sydney)

NACO said ultimately the decision would depend on Hollywood studios confirming cinema releases that were postponed are available for the big screen.

'The association has developed an Australian industry standard for sanitisation that it feels confident the industry can achieve,' NACO said in a statement on Tuesday, The Australian reported.

'These will include staggered session times and spaced seating to meet social distancing requirements, contactless and cashless transactions wherever possible, investment in sanitisation stations where appropriate and increased frequency of cleaning cinemas.

'NACO acknowledges that studios will not release new titles until the majority of cinemas are opened around the world.'

The July reopening would welcome the release of Christopher Nolan's action thriller Tenet starring Robert Pattinson (pictured)

The film is due to hit cinemas on July 16 with filmmaker Nolan determined for the release date to go ahead

The association also said cinemas would remain closed until the government said otherwise.

Despite no official date being set, industry figures are hoping for July 16 which would welcome the release of Nolan's action thriller Tenet.

The film stars Pattinson and Denzel Washington's son, John David Washington.

IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond said Mr Nolan was determined to have his film as the first cinema release.

'Chris really would like to be coming out with the film that opens theatres,' Gelfond said last week.

'I don't know anyone in America who is pushing harder to get the theatres reopened and to get his movie released than Chris Nolan.'

Disney's live action reboot of Mulan is also expected to hit cinemas in July.

The second installment of Top Gun, Top Gun: Maverick, was expected to be released on the same day as Tenet but has since been pushed back until December.

The James Bond film, No Time To Die, has also been delayed until November.

Cinemas across Australia were ordered to close amid the peak of COVID-19 in March.
Adm. Robert Timothy Ziemer, pictured in Myanmar in 2014 when he was the U.S. Global Coordinator for Malaria.

AP Photo/Khin Maung Win

Rear Adm. Timothy Ziemer, a top expert on pandemics, is leaving the Trump administration, Politico reported on Tuesday.

Ziemer, who previously led the National Security Council's global health unit, has been at USAID as senior deputy assistant administrator.

The NSC's global health security team was scrapped under Trump in May 2018, and never reinstated.

Critics point to the move as one of the key ways in which the Trump administration left the US unprepared for coronavirus.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The Trump administration just lost one of its top experts on pandemics as the death toll from coronavirus in the US continues to rise, Politico reported on Tuesday.

Rear Adm. Timothy Ziemer spearheaded the National Security Council's (NSC) global health security unit, which was responsible for leading the US response to a pandemic, until the Trump administration disbanded it in May 2018.

Ziemer went to USAID, serving as senior deputy assistant administrator, after the NSC's global health unit was disbanded. His decision to depart the US government was "very difficult and emotional," according to a note obtained by Politico. The exact reasons behind Ziemer's departure are unclear, and there are few details on the nature of his role at USAID in relation to coronavirus.

The NSC's global health security team  established under the Obama administration in 2015 and officially known the Directorate for Global Health and Security and Biodefense  was scrapped under then-National Security Adviser John Bolton. Among other decisions, the move has been pointed to by critics of the administration as one of the myriad ways the US was left less prepared for a pandemic under Trump's leadership. The unit was never reinstated.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top expert on infectious disease who's also on the White House coronavirus task force, in March told House lawmakers it would be nice if the global health unit still existed.

Story continues

"We worked very well with that office. It would be nice if the office was still there," Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during a House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing.

Ziemer had a long career in public service, particularly in relation to public health, leading the President's Malaria Initiative under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama before joining the NSC in 2017.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The sector Minister said the team was working in the interest of Ghanaians and not allowing them to carry out their duty would be disadvantageous to the fight against the disease.

The Health Minister made the call at a COVID-19 press briefing in Accra following reports that some of the contact tracing team were sacked at Jamestown when they went there to follow up on an identified person.

"Allow the team access to you, if they invite you on telephone please pay hid. Treat them nicely when they come to your houses to take your sample to protect us all from the disease, he said.

"By adhering to these protocols you are helping us all so it is not your choice but our choice, so help us to live together and survive the coronavirus battle," he said.

Ghana, as at May 05, 2020, has confirmed a total of 2,719 cases of COVID-19 with 294 recoveries and death toll of 18.

---GNA
06.05.2020 LISTEN

The Bono Regional Communication Director of the NPP, Seth Asare-Bediako has accused former President John Dramani Mahama of lying on statistics regarding Ghana on press freedom ranking.

President John Dramani Mahama during the celebration of World Press Freedom Day on May 3, 2020, stated that During my tenure as President of the Republic of Ghana, we became the country with the highest levels of Press Freedom in Africa. At the time, we were ranked number one out of 54 countries in Africa.

...We also placed 23rd on the global ranking among a hundred and eighty countries. Three and a half years later, we have slumped seven places on the global ranking and lost the number one spot in Africa to Namibia and Cape Verde.

However, the NPP Communication Director for the Bono Region, Seth Asare-Bediako has described the statement from the former President as a lie.

On such an occasion, one would expect that political leadership would speak to facts about efforts made so far as a country to ensure press freedom, challenges faced, and the way forward. Unfortunately, Former President Mahama chose to use the occasion to tell a blatant lie ostensibly to throw dust into the eyes of Ghanaians with the view of scoring cheap political points.

Mr. Asare-Bediako added that under no occasion was ranked first when it comes to press freedom. Mr. John Mahama ruled Ghana as the President from 24th July 2012 to 6th January 2017 and so can he respectfully tell us in which year under his watch did Ghana placed 1st in Africa?

He indicated Ghana was ranked first when it comes to press freedom in 2018 which was under President Akufo-Addo.

He called on President Mahama to explain to Ghanaians why he covered up his bodyguards who mercilessly beat-up a Joy FM reporter, Kwesi Parker-Wilson on Monday, October 29, 2018.

Mr. Asare-Bediako also questioned, What happened to the Petition by the Media Foundation for West Africa on the alleged assault on a reporter of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Yahaya Kwamoah on August 20, 2015, by the then-presidential staffer, Stan Dogbe?

He noted that the good people of Ghana appreciate the efforts of this government under the abled-leadership of Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo Addo to deepen Press Freedom by enacting the Right to Information Act, which was on the drawing board for about two decades.

---First1News.com
ST. LOUIS  An in-home monitoring program for COVID-19 patients who are not sick enough to be hospitalized has been launched by Washington University School of Medicine and BJC HealthCare.

By keeping close watch over COVID patients, doctors hope to identify signs of deterioration early so that they can intervene and, ideally, keep more people out of the hospital.

People with COVID-19 who are seen by Washington University physicians or BJC Medical Group providers, but not sick enough to be hospitalized, can be enrolled in an in-home health monitoring program.

Medical physicians provide daily check-ins for each patient via smartphone app or telephone call.

One of the tricky things about COVID is that it is so new that we are still learning about the ways the illness can progress, said Dr. Jennifer Schmidt, an assistant professor of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine, in St. Louis, and one of the programs organizers.

Sometimes people look like theyre getting better, and then all of a sudden they get worse, she explained. Having the patients regularly check in really helps us catch those who are starting to get sicker, so we can get them the care that they need.

We want to help patients avoid being admitted to the hospital, if possible.

COVID-19 patients are given the option of installing the My Chart app on their cellular phone or receiving daily phone calls. My Chart is produced by Epic, the electronic medical records system used throughout the BJC network of hospitals. The app pings each patient every morning with a series of questions, such as: What is your temperature? How is your cough? Do you have any shortness of breath? How is your appetite?

Those who choose to receive a telephone call, or who dont respond to the app, get a telephone call from a person who asks the same questions.

We can get a great deal of useful information just by asking patients to self-report their symptoms, said Dr. Richard Taylor, a program organizer and the chief clinical informatics officer overseeing Epic for both the School of Medicine and BJC HealthCare.

If a patient reports, for example, Ive got a new cough, and my fevers getting worse, a nurse will call them right back and say, OK, tell us about that.

The COVID monitoring program was developed collaboratively by the School of Medicine and BJC. A team of Washington University and BJC Medical Group physicians, led by Schmidt, spent a few days reading up on how physicians at other institutions have cared for COVID-19 patients. They combined those reports with their own expertise in infectious diseases, pulmonary and critical care medicine, or general medicine, to develop a set of criteria that suggests a COVID-19 patient could be taking a turn for the worse.

Taylor coordinated with managers of Epic to build questions about the relevant symptoms into the My Chart app. BJC Medical Groups Megan Guinn, director of clinical improvement, was brought aboard to figure out how the program would be staffed and supported. BJC Home Care also played a critical role, as well as provided pulse oximeters to measure oxygen levels in the blood and thermometers for home monitoring.

The whole process, from the time the idea of in-home monitoring was floated by Dr. Victoria J. Fraser, the Adolphus Busch Professor of Medicine and head of the Department of Medicine, to the time the first patient was enrolled, became implemented in approximately one week.

A team of BJC and Washington University staff, idled by the cancellation of non-urgent medical procedures, make the daily phone check-ins and flag any worrisome responses. The app works the same way.

Nurses or medical assistants follow up with a telephone call and, if necessary, schedule a telemedicine visit with a doctor or nurse practitioner, or advise the patient to come to the hospital for further care.

Were following how the process is working in real time, Schmidt said.

If we would see a lot of people who suddenly have to call 911, that tells us something needs to change so we can catch those people earlier, she said.

People with COVID-19 who are seen by a Washington University physician or by a provider at a BJC facility are eligible for the in-home monitoring program, including those seen via telemedicine visits or in emergency rooms.

We want to avoid scenarios where a patients condition deteriorates and the health-care provider doesnt realize it until the patient comes to the emergency room, Taylor said.

This is something that we think will improve the quality of care so people can stay at home safely.
The Ukrainian military stopped the enemy's attack, using available weapons.

Ukrainian troops have destroyed an enemy firing position in Donbas.

Read alsoSBU names number of Ukrainians held captive in occupied Donbas

"Yesterday, May 5, the Russian Federation's armed formations shelled Ukrainian defenders' positions in the area of responsibility of the Pivnich [North] operational tactical group. Holding the defense, the Ukrainian military resolutely stopped the enemy's attack, using available weapons," the group's press service wrote on Facebook on May 6.

"Acting professionally, the Ukrainian defenders destroyed the enemy's firing position," it said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Russia's hybrid military forces on May 5 mounted 15 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, with two Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action.
He was born in Syracuse, 89 years ago on May 22, 1930, the last of four sons of the Rev. Barber and Rachel (Saxton) Waters. Ray attended public school in Massena and Watertown and graduated form Watertown High School. While in high school, he held the New York State record in high jump. He was president of the high school fraternity Hi Y and president of the Asbury Methodist Youth Fellowship. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1954 and his Divinity degree in 1957, both from St. Lawrence University, and did further studies at Boston University School of Theology. He received special training in worship and church finance.

Ray was married to Jeanne Carol Ellis of Watertown on Sept. 2, 1951. The couple celebrated their 59th anniversary in 2010. Jeanne passed away on Oct. 12, 2010. Ray served churches in rural northern New York including a home missions building program, prior to transferring to the New York Annual Conference where he served in Croton-on-Hudson, Bristol, Connecticut, and Newburgh. He served as district youth coordinator for many years and summer camp director for several years. He was known for his childrens stories and sermonizing to him who paints pictures with his words, church building renovations, new buildings and debt retirement. Following a pastorate at Christ Church of Glens Falls, in Troy Conference, he retired with 40 years of service under appointment in the United Methodist Church. He then moved to Cambridge where he and Jeanne, had purchased a retirement home several years earlier. Ray began part time ministry with the Covered Bridge Circuit Churches of Eagle Bridge and South Cambridge, which he held for 10 years. He then served the Newman United Methodist Church of Shushan for 10 years, until June 2014, rounding out 60 years under appointment. Through out his ministry, he served on many boards, committees and task forces of the conferences of which he was a member. He was also involved in community activities, serving, as chairman of the Narcotic Guidance Council during the 60s, village board, Red Cross Disaster chairman, and chaplain to several police and fire departments. He was for many years a member of the Rotary International and a past president of the Croton-on-Hudson Club. For 10 years he held perfect attendance. Ray was a volunteer at the Cambridge Village Co-op for 15 years as a double working member. Among his hobbies were cross word, puzzles, crafts of various nature, round and square dancing, rug hooking and enjoyed carpentry and built a summer home in Maine. He and Jeanne served as tour hosts for Educational Opportunities, and educational and religious tour company. They traveled extensively throughout the United States and Canada, Europe, Scandinavia, Mid-Ease, Asian Countries, Cook Islands, Bermuda, the Caribbean and Costa Rica. He and his brother Bill, loved to take drives throughout the country in the beautiful rolling hills of Washington County.
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TEL AVIV - Iran is "gradually" withdrawing from Syria and arranging for the closure of its military bases in the country, following a double attack on Monday night attributed to Israel, said sources at the Israeli defence ministry.



The sources called it a "significant reduction" of forces aimed at decreasing tension in one of the hottest zones in the region, close to Israel's northern border, which is already dealing with the Lebanese Hezbollah. In addition, Israeli sources said they have also seen a reduction in the number of Shiite militants operating in Syria, even though that is more due to the effect of the "natural progression of the civil war" than to actions attributed to Israel.



"We are determined, more determined than Iran, and I can explain why," said Israeli Defence Minister Naftali Bennett.



"For Iran, Syria is an adventure a thousand miles from home.



For us, it's about our lives," Bennett said.



"Iranian soldiers in Syria are risking their own lives and paying the price in blood. We will not allow the construction of an advanced Iranian base in Syria," he said.



This is an objective that Israel has always made clear, including in recent weeks with at least six attacks in Syrian territory attributed to Israel.



The most recent attacks took place in two waves on Monday night, said sources in Damascus.



According to Israeli defence sources, cited by the media, Iran had already begun evacuating its military bases near the border with Israel at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, which hit Iran hard.



The move was caused both by attacks attributed to Israel as well as the Iranian economic crisis, which grew tighter with US sanctions. Israeli daily Haaretz, citing defence ministry sources, said Syrian President Bashar al Assad realised that "Iran has become a weight for his country and he is paying too high a price for its presence".



In addition the Syrian army, dealing with its own reorganisaion, has been damaged by the alleged Israeli attacks and has lost "combat capacity" due to damages on its defence systems and anti-aircraft batteries.
Easton Hospitals corporate owner says 694 workers would lose their jobs if the proposed sale to St. Lukes University Health Network falls through.

Steward Health Care this month filed a notice with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry announcing the number of jobs that would be affected by the hospitals possible closure June 30.

Thats how long Steward has agreed to keep Easton Hospital open while pursuing the prospective sale of the Wilson Borough facility to St. Lukes.

Steward threatened to close Easton Hospital immediately on March 27 amid the coronavirus pandemic without a $40 million bailout from the state.

A last-minute infusion of $8 million in operating funds from the federal stimulus package pushed back the closure for at least four weeks. At the end of those four weeks, state health officials said last week they were told Easton Hospital would remain open at least through June.

Steward Health Care and St. Lukes both declined to comment Tuesday on where the prospective sale stands.

Steward Health Care, a for-profit company, bought Easton Hospital in 2017. The hospital property itself is owned by Medical Properties Trust and leased to Steward. The hospital has served the Easton community since 1890.

Amid dropping revenue, Easton Hospital under Steward narrowed its services in 2019 and earlier this year through a broadening partnership with St. Lukes for certain care including obstetrics and gynecology. The coronavirus crisis further cut into revenues by forcing the postponement of elective surgeries.

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Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.
By Trend

The Caspian European Club organized an online B2B Transport forum attended by Deputy Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Azerbaijan Elmir Velizade, the ministry told Trend.

During the forum, the importance of preserving human resources was emphasized and information on measures of state support to minimize the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the transport sector was provided. During the meeting, issues and proposals of transport and logistics companies were discussed, said the ministry.

The country's leadership set the task of turning Azerbaijan into a regional transport hub. Azerbaijans transit capabilities and existing infrastructure allow local and foreign transport and logistics companies to carry out cargo transportation in all existing directions, said Velizade.

Deputy Head of the State Road Transport Service under Azerbaijani Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies Ibrahim Aliyev, Head of the Transport Policy Department of the ministry Azer Aliyev, Deputy Director General of the Baku International Sea Trade Port CJSC Akbar Karimov, Head of the Transit Department of the State Customs Committee Farid Veliyev, Deputy Head of the Department for Road Taxes of the State Customs Committee Sultan Huseynov, a representative of the Azerbaijan Republic Agency for Small and Medium-sized Business Development for Baku city Vusal Gasimov and top managers of public and private companies, representing different sectors of economy, also participated in the discussions of the online B2B Transport forum.
Stage company embezzlement case adjourned due to illness of Serebrennikov

 RAPSI

14:29 06/05/2020

MOSCOW, May 6 (RAPSI)  Moscows Meshchansky District Court has postponed reopening of the Seventh Studio embezzlement case because of the illness of the Gogol Center theater director Kirill Serebrennikov until May 12, the courts press service has told RAPSI.

Earlier, Moscows Meshchansky District Court decided that the trial is to be conducted in the ordinary course, without the use of videoconference, despite the quarantine restrictions.

In late 2019, the court commissioned the third complex financial and economic, and art valuation examination. A previous evaluation in 2018 failed to establish a fact of embezzlement.

Defendants in the case along with Serebrennikov are producer Alexey Malobrodsky, ex-head of Seventh Studio stage company Yury Itin, ex-official of Russias Culture Ministry and current director of the Russian Academic Youth Theater Sophia Apfelbaum.

Ex-chief accountant of Seventh Studio Nina Maslyayava is tried separately. She admitted guilt in full.

Other defendants pleaded not guilty calling charges against them pointless and absurd. Moreover, Serebrennikov and Malobrodsky lay the blame on Maslyayeva.

One more defendant, producer Yekaterina Voronova has been put on the international wanted list and arrested in absentia.

According to investigators, defendants in the case stole 133 of 214 million rubles ($3.3 million) of budget funds allocated to the Seventh Studio company in 2011-2014 for development and popularization of contemporary art in Russia as part of the project Platforma.

Serebrennikov was arrested in late August 2017 and then placed under house arrest. In early November, Moscows Basmanny District Court seized assets belonging to Serebrennikov including apartment, car, and money in the amount of more than 360,000 rubles ($5,300), over 60,000, and $4,000.

Investigators believe that he was an organizer of the budget money embezzlement. He allegedly created Seventh Studio stage company to actualize Platforma project for promotion of art and called alleged accomplices into the organization.
How do you invest in the time of the coronavirus? Probably not passively.

When Warren Buffett announced at Berkshire Hathaways annual meeting last weekend that he had dumped all his airline holdings -- $US6 billion ($9.5 billion) worth of stocks  it was, according to CNBCs idiosyncratic sharemarket expert Jim Cramer, a wake-up call for investors in index funds.

"Buying America": Warren Buffett dumped airline stocks but disagrees violently with the notion that index investing is dead. Credit:AP

Buffett once described the late Jack Bogle , who founded money manager Vanguard Group and pioneered index investing in the 1970s, as the person who had done the most for American investors.

"A lot of Wall Street is devoted to charging a lot for nothing," Buffett said. "He charged nothing to accomplish a huge amount."
Former Air Force base in Gettysburg on market for $4.5 M

A former air force base near Gettysburg is up for sale. The base is listed as having 50 beds and 15 bathrooms on a 42-acre parcel of land.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has won praise for his response to the coronavirus outbreak. Now, hes risking a public backlash after members of his cabinet reversed some of his measures and made racially charged statements.

South Africa identified its first case of the virus on March 5 and imposed a stringent lockdown three weeks later, shutting schools and businesses and confining everyone but essential workers to their homes. With just over 7,000 confirmed cases out of a population of 59 million people, and one of Africas most widespread testing programs, Ramaphosas health policy appears to be paying off.

But while Ramaphosa and his health minister, Zweli Mkhize, have been lauded for explaining the response and showing compassion with those at risk of losing their income, several ministers in Ramaphosas cabinet have introduced rules that are seen as arbitrary and playing to racial animosity. Thats prompted accusations that authorities have gone too far, and undermined Ramaphosas initial gains.

Serious weaknesses are exposed with certain ministers making statements that are quite divisive, said Nic Borain, an independent economist. There is a certain authoritarian slant in both the policing and the structure of the legislation.

Cigarettes, Exercise

Much of the controversy has centered around a ban on tobacco sales and exercise. In an April 23 speech, Ramaphosa announced that cigarette sales and outdoor exercise could resume from May 1, as part of measures to ease the lockdown and bring it to level 4 from level 5, the most severe set of rules.

Six days later, the lifting of the cigarette ban was reversed by his former rival for the leadership of the ruling African National Congress, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who serves as minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. Outdoor exercise was limited to between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m, she said.

Since then, more than 400,000 people have signed a petition opposing the tobacco ban. British American Tobacco Plc said its considering legal action while the Fair Trade Independent Tobacco Association, an industry body, has filed a legal challenge. Other rules are increasingly being flouted, with more than 17,000 people arrested within the space of one week for non-compliance.

The decision to retain the prohibition on tobacco sales was the result of an inclusive process, the presidency said in an emailed response to comments. There is no foundation to the suggestion that this undermined the authority of the President.

Naughty Children

Then, faced with crowds of joggers, walkers and cyclists on May 1, Police Minister Bheki Cele immediately threatened to reimpose level 5, drawing condemnation for his authoritarian manner of speaking.

Here we find ourselves, somehow being treated like naughty children and yourselves being our self-appointed parents, Mike Abel, founder and chief Executive of M&Saatchi Abel, an advertising agency, said in an open letter to the government. You have overreached in terms of your controls.

Race- and nationality-based policy announcements have further divided public opinion. Less than a year after the country was hit by xenophobic riots, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni said on April 24 that when the crisis is over, more South Africans rather than foreigners should be employed in restaurants and agriculture.

The decision of Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane to prioritize black-owned businesses for aid from a fund designed to help stricken tourism operations has attracted a lawsuit from the Solidarity Labor Union.

It is untrue that there are different messages coming from cabinet, Ramaphosas office said. Government is committed to ensuring that it remains responsive and adaptive at all times.

The divergent statements coming out of cabinet reflect the balancing act Ramaphosa has had to make in the selection of his executive, said Borain. After narrowly winning the presidency of the ANC in 2017, Ramaphosa was forced to accommodate allies of his predecessor, Jacob Zuma, as well as his own choices within the countrys leadership.

It puts the government in a very uneven light, said Susan Booysen, director of research at the Johannesburg-based Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection. The discordant messaging thats coming out of government is doing Ramaphosa few favors, according to Booysen.

He will need every bit of political capital he can muster, she said.

Now read: Government exploring funding options for SAA
Expressing concern over high fatality rate among COVID-19 patients in some districts of Maharashtra and Gujarat, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday asked the states to focus on early surveillance, aggressive contact tracing and early diagnosis to reduce the number of deaths in the areas.

The minister held a high-level meeting with Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Nitinbhai Patel and Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope.

In the meeting, Vardhan stressed on the need for proper interventions like screening and testing of severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and Influenza Like Illness (ILI) cases as this may prevent spread of infection in other areas.

"Implementation of effective containment strategy needs be on the top priority of the states to reduce the mortality rate. It is the need of the hour to take preventive, pre-emptive and comprehensive measures in a systematic manner and follow the protocols laid down by the Centre to prevent occurrence of fresh cases," he said.

It was pointed out that in some cases, the patients either suppressed the information of their infection or reported late to the hospitals for treatment, which may be indicative of some fear or stigma associated with COVID-19.

Aggressive behavioural change and communication exercise need to be taken for removing the stigma against reporting COVID-19, which shall contribute towards timely reporting, clinical management and reduction in fatality rates, the minister stressed.

"This shall also lead to people reporting early for diagnosis and treatment," he said.

Of the 1,694 fatalities and 49,391 cases of coronavirus infections reported till Wednesday morning, Maharashtra tops the tally with 617 fatalities and 15,525 cases followed by Gujarat with 368 deaths and 6,245 cases, according to the data provided by the Union health ministry.

The health ministry had on Tuesday said the nationwide COVID-19 case status will be updated on its website only once a day in the morning instead of twice a day as was being done previously.

In view of Gujarat and Maharashtra reporting larger number of coronavirus deaths and cases, Vardhan suggested that along with the surveillance teams in containment areas, community volunteers may also be identified at the ward-level to spread awareness about the preventive measures like hand washing, physical distancing etc.

Some districts such as Aurangabad and Pune have done this, he said.

The health ministry would provide full support and handholding to the state governments through the National Health Mission (NHM) for health systems strengthening as part of the immediate and long-term measures, the health minister stated.

He also appreciated the move by some districts where the high-risk population, including the elderly and those with non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, were identified and provided focused treatment.

The Union minister urged the states to ensure that persons aged more than 65 years having any non-communicable disease are screened on priority in the Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centers.

He also pointed out that in compliance of the guidelines issued by the Centre, non-COVID-19 essential health services such as antenatal care, immunisation drives, Tuberculosis case finding and treatment, providing blood transfusion for dialysis patients, treatment of cancer patients among others should not be neglected.

Vardhan suggested that the data available with the states on Health Management Information System (HMIS) for various diseases may be optimally utilised for risk profiling.

He also assured that additional teams comprising of officials from the Centre will also be deployed in the states as per their request, adding they may also take support offered by AIIMS, Delhi for treatment guidance and clinical management of COVID-19 patients through the national teleconsultation centre.

A single mobile number (+91 9115444155) can be dialed from anywhere in the country by COVID-19 treating doctors to reach the centre, he informed.

The health minister also asked the states to publicise the Aarogya Setu mobile application and the Aarogy Setu Interactive Voice Response System facility for those without smartphones.

He also appreciated the best practices shared by the district magistrates, commissioners and other officials of various districts like Corona Yodha Samitis developed in slum areas of Surat in Gujarat, distribution of soaps and masks to each family, installation of hand washing machines in slum areas, setting up of fever clinics among others.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Srinagar, May 6 : Security forces started a massive search operation on Tuesday evening in the native village of J&K's most wanted militant commander, Riyaz Naikoo, in Pulwama district.

Sources told IANS that after receiving credible information that top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo had come to visit his home in Beighpora village in Pulwama district, security forces, including the Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the local police, moved in quickly to seal all entry and exit points of the village.

"The adjoining Gulzarpora village has also been brought under the cordon and search operation is on to ensure that once trapped, he is unable to escape," sources said.

The same sources, however, added that so far there has been no firing either from the security forces or from the militants in the cordoned area.

Riyaz Naikoo took over as the commander of Hizbul Mujahideen after the outfit's poster boy and commander Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight with the security forces in Kokarnag area in Anantnag district on July 8, 2016.

Naikoo carries a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head.

Before joining the militant ranks, Naikoo worked as a mathematics teacher at a local school. He was known to have passion for painting roses before he picked up the gun at the age of 33.

Security forces hold Naikoo responsible for holding the Hizbul together after its possible disintegration when Zakir Musa broke away from the Hizbul ranks to form his own splinter group.

Musa split from the Hizbul in 2017 and formed his own group called Ansar Ghazwatul Hind that claimed to be the Indian affiliate of the Al-Qaeda.

Musa was killed in Dadsara area in Tral tehsil in an encounter with the security forces on May 23, 2019.
A drop in demand for wool products as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic could severely impact prices for the next 12-18 months, British Wool has warned.

The crisis has had a significant impact on the global wool market, which affected British Wool before the rest of the UK due to the reduced demand from China in January.

The global cross bred wool market slowed significantly in February and then shut completely at the beginning of March and remains closed.

February to May is normally the busiest selling period of the year and, as a result, British Wool has circa 7 million kgs extra of unsold 2019 clip wool.

This is on top of the circa 3m kgs that would normally be carrying at this time of year, the group said.

The market closed in New Zealand at the same time, meaning NZ wool agents and auctions will also be carrying significant unsold stock.

Joe Farren, CEO at British Wool, said the Covid-19 pandemic would make the objective of repositioning British Wool as a premium product 'more challenging'.

"However, finding new demand for our wool in China at attractive prices will be a key driver of the early stages of recovery in British Wool prices," he said, adding that British Wool must be 'more determined than ever' in this objective.

Wool producers can be assured that British Wool will be at the forefront of leading the growth and renewal of wool values, but this will take time," Mr Farren added.

"We will emerge stronger from this period, in particular because our China based product development strategy will be further advanced and helping to pull prices up out of the trough."

During the coronavirus pandemic, British Wool is maintaining service to producers, working with the industry on the shearing shortage and moving to a remote online auction.
TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor Inc. is cutting a quarter of its workforce and closing offices in San Francisco and Boston in a bid to shrink costs as the coronavirus pandemic decimates travel.

The Needham, Massachusetts-based company is eliminating 600 positions in the U.S. and 300 people in other offices around the world, Chief Executive Officer Steve Kaufer said in a statement Tuesday. Most remaining employees will be forced to take a 20% salary cut and be reduced to four-day work weeks for three months starting June 1.
Last week, the state of Texas began sending prisoners infected with COVID-19 to the Beauford H. Jester prison facilities in Richmond. The county first responded on Thursday, April 30, that the state should stop sending those prisoners to the facility.

On Wednesday, May 6, the county made another call for the state regarding the practice. In a letter to members of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, elected officials urged the state to discontinue the policy. The letter was signed by County Judge KP George, Precinct 3 Constable Wayne Thompson and State Rep. Ron Reynolds, District 27.

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Positive COVID-19 prisoners moved to Fort Bend lockup

We, elected officials of Fort Bend County, write to you to stop sending COVID-19 positive prisoners to Jester Prison in Richmond, according to the letter. We are a major suburb of Houston with a population of over 800,000 people. This is not a rural or isolated place. We are working around the clock to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, but with your unilateral decision to send your COVID-19 positive prisoners here, we are taking on additional risk.

A justification for stopping the transfer of COVID-19 prisoners to Fort Bend County was the citation of a report from www.capitolinside.com, which reported that Fort Bend County leads the state in novel coronavirus testing per capita in the state of Texas.

We will not allow a mandate from Austin to change that ranking and put our citizens at risk for getting coronavirus and going backward to shutting down our economy again, the elected officials said.

MORE FROM ROY KENT: West University Place Police forced to release burglary suspects

The Fort Bend County officials went on to site officials from other counties in the Texas in their plea to stop of the practice of moving COVID-infected prisoners to their areas.

We fully agree with House Speaker Dennis Bonnen and Brazoria County Judge Sebesta when they said the same thing when after they complained about the COVID prisoners in their county, the Fort Bend officials said. Well now we are also saying, no, so put them in a facility far away from highly populated communities.

George, Thomson and Reynolds extolled the support they have from their constituents in making the plea to the Board of Criminal Justice.

Thousands of Fort Bend residents have signed a petition expressing their disapproval, which is attached to this letter, they said. We do not have oversight or control over this facility, so we cannot put in place the testing and safety practices we have done in the rest of the county.

After making their plea, the officials said that in lieu of stopping the practice they want to have information about the inmates being transferred to the county.

Information being sought includes how many COVID-19-positive inmates there are in the Jester Prison  including how many are symptomatic, in the hospital or have died since being transferred. The officials also want to know how many COVID-19 inmates there are in the state, how many will be transferred to Richmond and how they will be transferred. Other questions include how testing for COVID-19 is being conducted and the source of the tests.

Other questions focus on employees at the prison and their health and well-being. Also, the Fort Bend County officials want to know how employees are being screened and what sort of protection they are being provided, among other questions.

Finally, questions about the prison unit itself include ventilation systems, sanitizing procedures, social distancing and shared spaces for prisoners.

You are well aware that we want these prisoners removed from our county immediately, the Fort Bend County officials said. We will not stop pursuing this matter in all manners  whether ballot or court room  to ensure the health and safety of the innocent and productive members of society here in Fort Bend County. We hope to get your response within 48 hours.

Last week, George issued a call to state officials to stop the prisoner transfers.

They should not be coming to our backyard while we are trying to manage going back and re-opening our county and our community, George said at a news conference, hours after he released a statement encouraging county residents to contact their state legislators to demand the convicted criminals with coronavirus get sent someplace else.

Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jeremy Desel said 35 inmates are recovering from COVID-19 at Jester State Prison. The facility was chosen, Desel said, because of its size and proximity to Hospital Galveston, where inmates are being treated for COVID-19.

They may not be ready for general population at their housing unit that they came from, said Desel. They may still need some level of convalescence before that occurs.

A group of prisoners originally housed at the Jester 1 unit were moved to another facility before the current inmates were transferred, according to Desel. Jester 1 unit, which usually houses substance abuse offenders, has a maximum capacity for 323 male inmates, according to the TDCJ website. It also has medical capabilities such as ambulatory medical, dental and out-patient mental health services which is managed by University of Texas Medical Branch, the website stated.

In his statement, George said he was shocked to learn that the State of Texas has been using Fort Bend County as a dumping ground for convicted criminals with coronavirus.

Brooke A. Lewis contributed to this report.

rkent@hcnonline.com
The Marriage

It was purely an arranged marriage for Mammootty and Sulfath, who were introduced to each other by their family members. The couple tied the knot in 1979, the same year in which the megastar made his official acting debut.

Interestingly, Sulfath initially refused to believe that Mammootty is acting in a film since he was practicing as a lawyer during their wedding time. Later, the megastar took the permission of his director to bring his wife to the sets of the movie for a day, to make her believe that he is indeed an actor.

The Kids

Mammootty and Sulfath are blessed with two kids, daughter Surumi and son Dulquer Salmaan. Surumi, who has always stayed away from the limelight, is a painter and entrepreneur by profession. She is married to Dr. Rehan Sayeed and the couple has two kids.

Dulquer Salmaan, as we all know, is one of the leading pan-Indian actors of the contemporary cinema. He also launched his production banner recently. Dulquer Salmaan is married to architect Amaal Sufiya, and the couple has a daughter, Maryam Ameerah Salmaan.

Mammootty's Best Friend

Mammootty has always stated that his wife Sulfath is his best friend and pillar of strength. According to the megastar, Sulfath keeps him grounded. As the entire industry knows, the megastar makes sure that he reaches his home by evening if he is shooting in Ernakulam district, to spend time with his wife.

Sulfath's Bond With The Industry Members

For all of the Mammootty's colleagues, especially Mohanlal, Sulfath is their dear 'Bhabi' who treats them with yummy food whenever they visit the megastar's residence. For the young generation actors like Indrajith & Prithiviraj Sukumaran, Fahadh Faasil, Nazriya Nazim, and so on, she is 'Sulu Aunty', a motherly figure to them.
Senate spokesperson, Ajibola Basiru, disclosed that the report urged the executive to direct the Ministry of Police Affairs and the Inspector General of Police to decentralise the police command structure with operational and budgetary powers vested in the zonal commands.
ZURICH, May 5 (Reuters) - Adecco Group reported a first quarter loss on Tuesday as the new coronavirus sent home temporary workers in factories and as offices shut down to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Revenue fell 9% to 5.14 billion euros ($5.61 billion), better than the 4.9 billion euros forecast by analysts in a company gathered consensus. The company reported a 348 million euro net loss as it was also hit by goodwill impairment charge relating to its business in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. (Reporting by John Revill; editing by Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi)
PHILADELPHIA, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --

FMC Corporation (NYSE: FMC) and Isagro S.p.A. have agreed to a binding offer whereby FMC will acquire Isagro's Fluindapyr active ingredient assets for 55 million (approximately $60 million). The cash transaction, expected to close by the end of third quarter 2020, will transfer to FMC all intellectual property, know-how, registrations, product formulations and other global assets of the proprietary broad-spectrum fungicide molecule.

Fluindapyr, originally discovered by Isagro, has been jointly developed by FMC and Isagro under a 2012 research and development collaboration agreement. Each company has been investing in its own fungicide formulations based on Fluindapyr active ingredient, and each is pursuing registrations in select regions and countries. The transaction will provide FMC with full global rights to Fluindapyr active ingredient, including key U.S., European, Asian and Latin American fungicide markets.

"Fluindapyr is an important SDHi molecule in the FMC portfolio that combats a variety of diseases in row crops, specialty crops and turf," said Mark Douglas, president and CEO-elect of FMC. "This acquisition strengthens our fungicide product line. We expect a pre-launch in Paraguay this year, an initial launch in the U.S. in 2021, followed by launches in China, Europe, Argentina, Brazil and other countries."

The transaction, subject to customary regulatory approvals from relevant antitrust authorities and the finalization and transfer of commercial agreements, excludes liabilities, Isagro sites and workforce. Additional financial details have not been disclosed.

About FMC

FMC Corporation, an agricultural sciences company, provides innovative solutions to growers around the world with a robust product portfolio fueled by a market-driven discovery and development pipeline in crop protection, plant health, and professional pest and turf management. This powerful combination of advanced technologies includes leading insect control products based on Rynaxypyr and Cyazypyr active ingredients; Authority, Boral, Centium, Command and Gamit branded herbicides; Talstar and Hero branded insecticides; and flutriafol-based fungicides. The FMC portfolio also includes biologicals such as Quartzo and Presence bionematicides. FMC Corporation employs approximately 6,400 employees around the globe. To learn more, please visit www.fmc.com.

FMC, the FMC logo, Rynaxypyr, Cyazypyr, Authority, Boral, Centium, Command, Gamit, Talstar, Hero, Quartzo and Presence are trademarks of FMC Corporation or an affiliate. Always read and follow all label directions, restrictions and precautions for use. Products listed here may not be registered for sale or use in all states, countries or jurisdictions. Hero insecticide is a restricted use pesticide in the United States.

Statement under the Safe Harbor Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: FMC and its representatives may from time to time make written or oral statements that are "forward-looking" and provide other than historical information, including statements contained in this press release, in FMC's other filings with the SEC, and in reports or letters to FMC stockholders.

In some cases, FMC has identified forward-looking statements by such words or phrases as "will likely result," "is confident that," "expect," "expects," "should," "could," "may," "will continue to," "believe," "believes," "anticipates," "predicts," "forecasts," "estimates," "projects," "potential," "intends" or similar expressions identifying "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including the negative of those words and phrases. Such forward-looking statements are based on management's current views and assumptions regarding future events, future business conditions and the outlook for the company based on currently available information. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by any forward-looking statement. Currently, one of the most significant factors is the potential adverse effect of the current COVID-19 pandemic on the financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and performance of FMC, which is substantially influenced by the potential adverse effect of the pandemic on FMC's customers and suppliers and the global economy and financial markets. The extent to which COVID-19 impacts us will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence, including the scope, severity and duration of the pandemic, the actions taken to contain the pandemic or mitigate its impact, and the direct and indirect economic effects of the pandemic and containment measures, among others. Additional factors include, among other things, the risk factors and cautionary statements included within FMC's 2019 Form 10-K and FMC's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. Moreover, investors are cautioned to interpret many of these factors as being heightened as a result of the ongoing and numerous adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

FMC cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by the above cautionary statement. FMC undertakes no obligation, and specifically disclaims any duty, to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date on which they were made, except as otherwise required by law.

SOURCE FMC Corporation

Related Links

http://www.fmc.com


Lockdown violations noted in Kolkata, Howrah by specific groups in specific localities: MHA

Delhi government announces summer vacation in its schools from May 11 to June 30: Officials

Instances of overcrowding in bazaars, bathing of people in rivers, people playing cricket, football during lockdown in West Bengal: MHA

Two more cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Ranchi, taking the total number of cases to 127 in Jharkhand

1 death and 68 new Covid-19 positive cases reported in Dharavi today

No 'certainty' but 'significant evidence' coronavirus originated in Wuhan lab: Mike Pompeo

Number of containment zones in Delhi is now 87

44 new cases of coronavirus have been reported in Nagpur today

Total number of cases in Uttar Pradesh is now at 2,998

PM Modi to deliver keynote address on Buddha Purnima in honour of Covid-19 warriors

99 more Covid-19 cases and 7 deaths reported in Pune in the last 24 hours

Air India opens bookings for those passengers who meet eligibility criteria

Donald Trump says coronavirus crisis 'worse than Pearl Harbor' or 9/11

Coronavirus continues to ravage global economies as infections across the globe continue to surge past 37 lakh. Though more than 12 lakh people have recovered, the recovery rate globally still remains 33%. US remains still the worst-affected country but the Trump administration is pushing the governors to reopen their states to restart the economy even as infections are surging.





Click here for the complete coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic





India's recovery rate rose up to 29% as the amount of recovered cases tally crossed the 14,000-mark. India currently has recorded 49,391 cases of Covid-19 with 1,694 deaths.





Follow latest updates on how Covid-19 is affecting India and the world:
News

Washington, DC - Adrian L. Stargell, 39, a former Bureau of Prisons (BOP) corrections officer who worked as an education specialist at the FCI-Aliceville facility in Aliceville, Alabama, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Stargell pleaded guilty to two counts of violating the rights of two women whom he sexually assaulted on multiple occasions and one count of making false statements to federal agents from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (OIG).

The Department of Justice will not tolerate prison officials who abuse their positions of power to sexually assault individuals in their custody, said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigorously prosecute these cases and secure justice for victims of these egregious crimes.

Sexual assault is as despicable as it is illegal, said U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town from the Northern District of Alabama. We will not tolerate this abhorrent behavior. Our resolve must instead be to bring the full weight of our system of justice to every predator among us.

Stargells job was to help advance inmates rehabilitation through education, said James F. Boyersmith, Special Agent in Charge of the OIG Miami Field Office. Instead, he abused his power, sexually assaulted two inmates, and lied to try to cover up his actions. This kind of conduct will not be tolerated. Special Agents at the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General will continue to ensure that anyone who commits these kinds of despicable acts are brought to justice.

According to court documents, during 2017 and 2018, while on-duty as an education specialist, Stargell sexually assaulted two different women who were incarcerated at FCI-Aliceville. Stargell admitted that he knew what he was doing was wrong and against the law, yet he did it anyway. When OIG agents interviewed Stargell about the allegations of sexual misconduct, Stargell lied by falsely denying having any sexual contact with the victims.

Stargell will be sentenced on Aug. 27, 2020.

This case was investigated by the Miami Field Office of the Department of Justice OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Posey of the Northern District of Alabama and Special Litigation Counsel Fara Gold and Trial Attorney Anna Gotfryd of the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice are prosecuting the case.
Courtesy of the U.S. Border Patrol

U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Laredo Sector rescued a group of immigrants who were abandoned by the smuggler in the Freer area, authorities said.

Border Patrol said the case unfolded Monday afternoon and stretched into early Wednesday. Agents from the Freer Station responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle on a ranch located northeast of Laredo.
World Health Organization legal counsel Steven Solomon said on May 4 that two WHO member nations have proposed the organization grant observer status to Taiwan.

Why it matters: China opposes the WHO granting recognition to Taiwan. The decision will likely be seen as a reflection of Beijing's influence within the organization.

Solomon said the 194 WHO member states will discuss Taiwan's status at the upcoming World Health Assembly, the organization's decision-making body, to be held virtually on May 18 and 19.

What's happening: Taiwan's successful coronavirus response and its early warnings to the WHO have renewed international debate around its lack of official status in the organization.

Background: Taiwan had observer status in the WHO from 2009 to 2016, when Tsai Ing-wen, who favored more distant relations with China, was elected president of Taiwan.

After Tsai's election, Beijing took numerous measures to isolate Taiwan internationally, including poaching several of its few remaining diplomatic allies.

What to watch: The debate over Taiwan's status may turn into a superpower showdown.

China will oppose restoring Taiwan's observer status and will likely seek to mobilize its supporters to shut down any related discussion.

The U.S. has long been a strong supporter of Taiwan, and this morning Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged WHO member states to give Taiwan observer status.

Go deeper: Johns Hopkins coronavirus map changes "Taiwan" to "Taipei and environs"
[May 06, 2020] IQHQ Completes Strategic Acquisition of Premier Life Science Development Site in South San Francisco

IQHQ, Inc., a premier life sciences real estate development company, today announced that in an off-market transaction, it has completed the acquisition of a key development site at 580 Dubuque Avenue - currently known as South City Station. Located in the heart of South San Francisco, one of the West Coast's fastest growing markets for life sciences, the South City Station site is situated on nearly two acres and is pursuing entitlements for a 213,000 square foot development. The purchase price was not disclosed. "We are thrilled to acquire the South City Station development site, which not only represents a significant project for the South San Francisco market, but a prized addition to our growing real estate portfolio," said Tracy A. Murphy, President of IQHQ. "Once complete, South City Station will immediately meet the growing demand for premier life science real estate and R&D space in the thriving South San Francisco market. It will be developed to attract top talent." In a prime location with access to public transportation, the South City Station ste is immediately adjacent to the new South San Francisco Caltrain Station, which is expected to open in Spring of 2021 and will connect from San Jose into Downtown San Francisco.



"The IQHQ leadership team has an excellent track record of making dynamic and large-scale life science projects a reality, and we're pleased to partner with them on the South City Station project," said Mike Futrell, City Manager of South San Francisco. "Despite the impact of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the life sciences sector and real estate market continues to be a bright spot, and one the City of South San Francisco is committed to supporting." The South City Station acquisition follows IQHQ's successful completion of a $770 million capital raise that has supported the REIT's strategy to invest in cutting-edge life sciences projects in top innovation hubs.

About IQHQ IQHQ, formerly Creative Science Properties, empowers the life science community to thrive and succeed by creating and developing environments that inspire progress and give innovation a home to grow. IQHQ's focus is to acquire, develop and operate life science properties in the innovation hubs of San Francisco, San Diego and Boston in the United States, and the Golden Triangle in the United Kingdom. IQHQ has offices in San Diego and Boston. To learn more, visit www.iqhqreit.com or follow us on LinkedIn or Instagram. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005125/en/

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AECOM ACM reported second-quarter fiscal 2020 results, wherein earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate but revenues missed the same. Notably, the company witnessed the sixth consecutive quarter of substantial margin improvement in the Professional Services business, continued double-digit adjusted EBITDA growth, a record $9 billion of wins and a new all-time high backlog level. Shares of AECOM gained 2.6% on May 5, following the earnings release.



Delving Deeper



Adjusted earnings per share of 55 cents topped the consensus mark of 53 cents by 3.8% and grew 31% year over year. However, revenues of $3,245.7 million missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3,265 million by 0.6% and fell 5% year over year.



AECOM Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

AECOM Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

AECOM price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | AECOM Quote

Improved profitability reflects the companys efforts to transform itself into a higher-margin and lower-risk Professional Services business.



Segment Details



AECOM reports through three segments  Americas, which consists of the companys business in the United States, Canada and Latin America; International, which includes the businesses in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific regions; and AECOM Capital.



Americas revenues were down 3.9% year over year to $2,475.7 million. This was primarily due to reduction in disaster recovery activity in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Net service revenues or NSR of $933 million in the quarter remained unchanged year over year on a constant-currency organic basis.



Adjusted operating income of $146 million grew 10.6% year over year. Moreover, adjusted operating margin on an NSR basis expanded 160 basis points (bps) year over year on solid execution, continued favorable end-market trends and strong backlog performance.



International revenues dropped 8% on a year-over-year basis to $769.5 million. On a constant-currency organic basis, NSR decreased 2% from a year ago to 262 million in the quarter. Strong performance in the U.K., Australia and New Zealand businesses was offset by declines in Asia due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Adjusted operating income in the segment rose 60.9% year on year to $37 million. Adjusted operating margin on an NSR basis expanded a notable 240 bps year over year. This was attributed to improved profitability in the U.K., and investments to boost utilization and overhead efficiencies. Also, benefits from the actions undertaken to consolidate AECOMs geographic and real estate footprint added to the positives.



AECOM Capital (ACAP)  which develops real estate, public private partnership and infrastructure projects  contributed $0.5 million to total revenues versus $1.5 million a year ago. The segment recorded operating income of $3.8 million.



Operating Highlights



Adjusted operating margin in the quarter amounted to 11.7%, up 200 bps from the year-ago level. Adjusted EBITDA also increased 16% year over year to $182 million. Adjusted EBITDA grew 16% year over year, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth.



At fiscal second quarter-end, the companys total backlog was $41.61 billion, up 14% from the prior-year figure. This provides for all-time high levels of visibility with more than 3 years of trailing 12-month revenues in backlog.



New order wins during the fiscal second quarter were recorded at $8.6 billion. The companys total book-to-burn ratio was 2.5, on account of solid performance across all the three segments. Wins in the first half of fiscal 2020 were $12 billion, reflecting a 1.7 book-to-burn ratio.



Liquidity & Cash Flow



As of Mar 31, 2020, AECOMs cash and cash equivalents totaled $1,135.1 million compared with $885.6 million at fiscal 2019-end.



As of Dec 31, 2019, total debt (excluding unamortized debt issuance cost) was $2.15 billion, decreasing from $3.35 billion at fiscal 2019-end. Of the total debt, AECOM had $900 million of net debt and was undrawn under the $1.35-billion revolving credit facility.



Restructuring Update



AECOM is focused on the ongoing restructuring initiatives and expects to boost margins substantially, going forward. Its restructuring expenses are expected in the range of $160-$190 million. Total cash restructuring costs are projected within $185-$205 million.



Fiscal 2020 Guidance Cut



AECOM lowered its fiscal 2020 guidance. Adjusted EBITDA is now projected in the range of $700-$740 million versus $720-$760 million expected earlier. This midpoint of the guided range indicates 10% year-over-year growth. Also, it would mark the second consecutive year of double-digit adjusted EBITDA growth. The company reiterated its free cash flow projection of $100-$300 million.



Zacks Rank



AECOM  which shares space with KBR, Inc. KBR, Quanta Services, Inc. PWR and Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. J in the Zacks Engineering - R and D Services industry  currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).



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This spring, as the United States faced a critical shortage of masks, gloves and other protective equipment to battle the coronavirus pandemic, a South Carolina physician reached out to the Federal Emergency Management Agency with an offer of help.

Dr. Jeffrey Hendricks had longtime manufacturing contacts in China and a line on millions of masks from established suppliers. Instead of encountering seasoned FEMA procurement officials, his information was diverted to a team of roughly a dozen young volunteers, recruited by the presidents son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and overseen by a former assistant to Mr. Kushners wife, Ivanka Trump.

The volunteers, foot soldiers in the Trump administrations new supply-chain task force, had little to no experience with government procurement procedures or medical equipment. But as part of Mr. Kushners governmentwide push to secure protective gear for the nations doctors and nurses, the volunteers were put in charge of sifting through more than a thousand incoming leads, and told to pass only the best ones on for further review by FEMA officials.

Image Dr. Jeffrey Hendricks, a physician who had a line on millions of masks. Credit... Stephen Stinson

As the federal governments warehouses were running bare and medical workers improvised their own safety gear, Dr. Hendricks found his offer stalled. Many of the volunteers were told to prioritize tips from political allies and associates of President Trump, tracked on a spreadsheet called V.I.P. Update, according to documents and emails obtained by The New York Times. Among them were leads from Republican members of Congress, the Trump youth activist Charlie Kirk and a former Apprentice contestant who serves as the campaign chair of Women for Trump.
The government has little information yet regarding the whereabouts of a South Korean captain missing after being kidnapped by pirates off the coast of Gabon early this week, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday. Yonhap



The government has little information yet regarding the whereabouts of a South Korean captain missing after being kidnapped by pirates off the coast of Gabon early this week, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday.



On Sunday, the unidentified pirates attacked two fishing boats near the Gabonese capital of Libreville in West Africa and abducted six crewmen, according to the ministry. The five other abductees include three Indonesians and two Senegalese nationals.



A total of 18 crewmen had been aboard the two ships when the pirates attacked them at about 4:40 a.m. (Gabon time). The pirates forced the ships to travel further north to Corisco, an island that belongs to Equatorial Guinea, and took off on a speedboat with only the six of them. The rest of them were released.



"At the moment, we haven't been able to figure out the identity or whereabouts of the pirates or obtain information regarding whereabouts of the South Korean national," a ministry official said.



The ministry has informed the governments of Gabon and other countries, such as France and the United States, of the incident and has requested cooperation in tracking down the kidnappers. It also informed the family of the South Korean captain immediately after the incident was reported.



"The ministry will do its utmost to secure the early release of our national by working closely with related agencies and state authorities of other countries," the ministry said. (Yonhap)


Former nightclub boss John Ibrahim has revealed to friends how he missed out on a threesome with model Paris Hilton at a New Year's Eve party in Sydney.

Weeks after Ibrahim was left disappointed by the reality star's rejection she teased him by sending a copy of a book called Lesbian Sex Secrets For Men, which was later seized by police.

Ibrahim had picked up a girl at the Piano Room in Kings Cross and gone to a Coogee house owned by businessman John Singleton, where he ran into the celebrity heiress.

The 'King of the Cross', who had met Hilton previously, called his radio mate Kyle Sandilands, who was still at the Piano Room party, and gave him a blow by blow account of what happened next.

Scroll down for video

Former nightclub boss John Ibrahim has revealed to friends how me missed out on a threesome with model Paris Hilton at a New Year's Eve party in Sydney. Both pictured

Weeks after Ibrahim was left disappointed by Hilton's rejection she teased him by sending him a copy of a book called Lesbian Sex Secrets For Men, which was later seized by police during an August 2017 raid on his home (pictured)

Sandilands revealed the events of December 31, 2008 for the first time on his KIIS FM breakfast program on Wednesday morning, initially leaving out Hilton's name.

Ibrahim told Sandilands he had planned to go home with the girl he met at the Piano Room but had 'done a side step' because Hilton was at Singleton's Coogee house.

Ibrahim already knew Hilton well, Sandilands told his listeners. 'There may have been an encounter or two in the past with [Hilton] a few years before that,' he said.

Sandilands declined an invitation from Ibrahim to join him at Coogee but offered to meet him if he went back to his own Dover Heights mansion.

While Sandilands continued to party at the Piano Room he received another call from Ibrahim, who was in a bedroom at Coogee with Hilton and his new friend.

'He rings me and goes, "Bro, I think I've somehow hooked myself up a three-way,' Sandilands said. 'The girl he's taken there and [Hilton].

John Ibrahim was single when he had his encounter with Paris Hilton at a New Year's Eve party in Coogee. He is pictured with current longtime girlfriend Sarah Budge

Ibrahim already knew Hilton (pictured) well before their New Year's Eve, Kyle Sandilands told his listeners. 'There may have been an encounter or two in the past with [Hilton] a few years before that,' he said

'He says, "I've just ducked out to get a couple of drinks, I'm going back into the room.'

'Ten minutes later a text comes through: "No go, bro. Shut down." And I thought that doesn't sound like my friend John. He hasn't been shut down from a three-way ever, I thought.

'He rings me back half an hour later, bit down-trodden. He's like, "Yeah, went back into the bedroom with the drinks and the whole vibe had changed.

Kyle Sandilands revealed the details of the New Year's Eve when Paris Hilton ignored John Ibrahim's interest in a threesome on his KIIS FM breakfast program on Wednesday morning, initially leaving out Hilton's name

'And he's like, "OK, the girls are getting on very well together, chatting and getting close " John's standing there with the drinks, trying to get in there

'Anyway, he gets back onto the phone to me and says, "Yeah, nah, they were too into each other and talking and getting close".

'They were getting on like a house on fire and it was clear John wasn't going to have a threesome.'

A few weeks later Hilton mailed Ibrahim a copy of the book Lesbian Sex Secrets for Men: What Every Man Wants to Know About Making Love to a Woman and Never Asks.

Lesbian Sex Secrets sat in Ibrahim's library until police investigating the activities of some of his family members and associates executed a search warrant on his home (pictured). It was the only title in his collection of about 375 books seized by police and has never been returned

The book is described by its publisher as 'a groundbreaking dialogue between straight men and gay women, and an erotic look inside the often hidden world of lesbian sex.'

'This frank, frolicsome, and wonderfully illuminating book draws on the sexual advice and sex secrets of lesbians to help men become better lovers.'

A few weeks after her encounter with John Ibrahim, Hilton mailed Ibrahim a copy of the book Lesbian Sex Secrets for Men

A bookmark led Ibrahim to a highlighted passage which said: 'Introduction of a stranger brings added excitement. Do not feel left out if your usual partner naturally gravitates to the third party. It is the unfamiliar that is exciting.'

Hilton had then signed, 'Love, Paris'.

Sandilands said Ibrahim had never decided exactly what Hilton meant by sending the book but he believed it was 'taunting and teasing' his friend.

'She knew he wanted it,' Sandilands told his listeners. 'She obviously knew that it wasn't going to happen and that the two girls connected and he was left out.

'He still doesn't know if she was laughing at him like, "Ha, ha - I knew what you were trying to do" or if it was an excuse why it didn't happen.

'I told him he should never have gone out for the drinks.'

The book sat in Ibrahim's library until August 8, 2017, when police investigating the activities of some of his family members and associates executed a search warrant on his home.

It was the only title in his collection of about 375 books seized by police and has never been returned.
Mr. Biden should head to a Midwestern meatpacking town where Covid-positive workers are dropping like flies and talk with them in front of the plants (at a six-foot distance). Heck, Senator Bernie Sanders can join him. Mr. Biden can shine light on this unconscionable trap where workers are ordered by President Trump to risk their lives and lay out exactly what a President Biden would do differently to protect Americans.

Challenging the president directly in front of the carnage that Mr. Trump has wrought will dramatically change the media narrative, exposing how the administrations policies are literally killing rural Americans. It wont exactly be a campaign rally. It will be much more meaningful, and will reach many more than a speech from Mr. Bidens basement. It might even energize the currently disconnected, hunkered-down Democratic base.

Get out there, Joe. Speak from your heart. And, oh, wear a mask.

Karl Lawson

Camarillo, Calif.

To the Editor:

It is appalling that some politicians are saying we must sacrifice lives to get the country open and get the economy running. The most egregious statement came from Chris Christie, comparing the sacrifice of soldiers in the two world wars to the possible sacrifice of our citizens to Covid-19 for the economy.

Not to make light of this, but some may remember the famous skit in which the comedian Jack Benny, who had the persona of an overly thrifty tightwad, was assailed by an armed thief who demanded, Your money or your life! Benny hesitates to respond. The thief repeats, Your money or your life! Benny says, Im thinking it over!

Is that where we are in America? Lives sacrificed, no, thrown away, for money!

Bonnie Lynn

New York

To the Editor:

Re Trump Finagles a Seat at Mr. Lincolns Feet (White House Memo, May 5):

President Trump has a federal law prohibiting events inside the Lincoln Memorial waived so he can stage a Fox TV political interview there. Vice President Mike Pence visits the Mayo Clinic for a photo op without wearing a mask despite hospital rules that everyone must wear a mask (at least he later apologized).
New Delhi: After weeks of rumours that North Korean president Kim Jong Un had died, he appeared at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at a fertilizer plant on the outskirts of Pyongyang on May 1. Kim's recent images were broadcast by North Korea's state media. He was last seen in public on April 11, when he presided over a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang.

However, wild theorists are claiming that Kim Jong Un has a body double after he made his first public appearance. The pictures have been seized upon by internet sleuths who claim that the man pictured is a political decoy and not Kim at all, said a Mail Online report.

According to the report, the ears and teeth of Kim have been the focus, many comparing very dated images of a younger Kim, to last week's recent pictures of the North Korean leader.

Former Tory MP Louise Mensch, however, tweeted, "Teeth, Cupid's bow, others. Totally different. Look at those gnashes, if you must."

No it isnt. Teeth, Cupids bow, others. Totally different. Look at those gnashes, if you must. pic.twitter.com/efPmn0f5ox  Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) May 2, 2020

Ms Mensch further said, "It's not the same person. But not going to argue it. Hairy moment when I thought my information was wrong. It wasn't wrong though. Not sure whether it suits us to go along with it or not, but these two are not the same."

Its not the same person. But not going to argue it. Hairy moment when I thought my information was wrong. It wasnt wrong though. Not sure whether it suits us to go along with it or not, but these two are not the same. pic.twitter.com/rV3qgK281p  Louise Mensch (@LouiseMensch) May 2, 2020

The North Korean media recently published photographs of Kim smiling and smoking cigarettes at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the inauguration of a fertiliser plant.

On April 15, Kim did not participate in a function honouring his grandfather Kim Il-Sung, the founder of North Korea, and his father, Kim Jong Il. His absence had sparked a wave of speculation about his health, particularly with regards to the coronavirus pandemic.

About the KCNA report, US President Donald Trump was quoted as saying "I'd rather not comment on it yet. We'll have something to say about it at the appropriate time."

The Sun report, however, cited some of the theories that speculate the double could be standing in due to the leader's poor health, or even death, while others questioned if his absence was really a period of recovery following plastic surgery.

Even as Korean State-run media released images and video showing the 36-year-old at a fertiliser factory, eagle-eyed web sleuths believe it was really a lookalike on the photos and they point to changes in his face, hair and teeth compared to previous appearances.

There are suggestions some of the photos have in fact been doctored, while others suggested that Kim's mysterious 20-day disappearance was down to plastic surgery.

Slueths reportedly pointed to slight differences in Kim Jong-un's nose, wrinkles, teeth, cupid's bow, hairline and ears. One reportedly doctored photo shows Kim's teeth looking much straighter, and several shades less white than in previous pics.

Meanwhile, some refused to believe the news and are now convinced that Kim Jong Un is probably using a body double to compensate for his ailing health.

Conspiracy theories suggest that like other dictators, Kim has been using a doppelganger to make public appearances on his behalf.

Human rights activist Jennifer Zeng was reportedly one of the first people to point out that there are discrepancies in Kim's hairline, teeth structure and ears.

International Business Times also reported that Kim Jong has earlier used body doubles numerous times and often used them to ward off assination attempts by his enemies.
WASHINGTON  General Dynamics has received $1 billion since the renegotiation of a $10 billion contract for Canada to sell light armored vehicles to Saudi Arabia, company officials said on its first quarter earnings call.

In a deal last month, Canada lifted its ban on arms sales to Saudi Arabia, which in turn agreed to a speedier payment schedule for the LAVs. Canada had the vehicles on hold since 2018, following the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi; and by October, Saudi Arabia had racked up $1.5 billion in back payments to General Dynamics.

Amid news on the April 29 call that the companys revenue fell $512 million in connection with the coronavirus pandemic, General Dynamics Chief Financial Officer Jason Aiken highlighted the formal signing of the restructured contract on the Canadian international program, which settled all issues to the satisfaction of the parties.

With respect to our standing receivable you may recall that we received $500 million early in the first quarter and we received another $500 million this month. This will be very helpful to free cash flow in the second quarter, Aiken said.

We will begin a regular cadence of scheduled payments in 2021 consistent with deliveries and making further progress in the scheduled amortization of the arrearage.

General Dynamics is missing $1.5 billion due to a Canadian-Saudi spat

The companys Combat Systems division had revenue of $1.7 billion, up 4.4 percent over the same quarter last year, and sales to the U.S. government were up 12 percent. The firms aerospace business segment also had revenue of $1.7 billion, but that represented a 23 percent fall from the same quarter last year.

On April 9, Canadas foreign affairs minister, Francois-Philippe Champagne, announced Ottawa was able to secure significant improvements to the LAV contract, including more latitude for the Canadian government to speak about it.

Under the new terms, Canada could also delay or deny export permits without penalty if it learned Saudi Arabia was not using the vehicles for their stated purpose. Ottawa would also be reviewing permit applications on a case-by-case basis to ensure they meet Canadian law and the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty.

Though the Trudeau government has been under political pressure to scrap the LAV deal over human rights concerns, Champagne said its cancellation would have resulted in billions of dollars in damages and risked thousands of Canadian jobs across the defense supply chain.

The vehicles are made by the General Dynamics Land Systems subsidiary in London, Ontario.
[May 06, 2020] During National Nurses Week 2020, MNA Nurses and Healthcare Professionals Launch Video Campaign to Thank Public and Urge Social Distancing

CANTON, Mass., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, as the nation celebrates National Nurses Day and the beginning of National Nurses Week, the nurses and healthcare professionals of the Massachusetts Nurses Association have launched a video public service announcement campaign to thank the public for their support and to urge the continuation of social distancing during this unprecedented public health crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic  which is requiring great sacrifices of frontline healthcare workers, other essential personnel and the public  has come during the "International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife," as proclaimed by the World Health Organization in honor of the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth. Nightingale is known as the founder of modern nursing. Her birthdate of May 12 marks the final day of National Nurses Week each year. "While nurses and healthcare professionals have been battling COVID-19 in hospitals and healthcare facilities across Massachusetts, countless individuals have given their all to defeating this pandemic in many other ways," said RN and MNA President Donna Kelly-Williams. "During this National Nurses Week, we thank everyone who is doing their part and ask for continued help so we can provide every patient the level of care they deserve." Nurses on the front lines of the pandemic in every region of the Commonwealth have recorded public service announcements. These are on the MNA YouTube channel (see below) and will be shared with the public through Facebook and other social media during National Nurses Week. Please contact the MNA at [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected] to arrange an interview with a nurse in your region. Links to Nurse PSA Videos Diane Lane Cormier, RN, Foster Wing (Progressive Care)

HealthAlliance Hospital, Leominster

Video: https://youtu.be/htSjhJINnbU Debie Falk, RN, Emergency Department





New Bedford

Video: https://youtu.be/w43iLktrOU8 Steven Gill, RN, Intensive Care Unit/Telemetry

Lawrence General Hospital, Lawrence

Video: https://youtu.be/sqf__luvAV8

Samantha Joseph-Erskine, Emergency Department

St. Luke's Hospital, New Bedford

Video: https://youtu.be/iI_7-jEYs58 Suzanne Love, RN, Emergency Department

Baystate Franklin Medical Center, Greenfield

Video: https://youtu.be/Otdo0shI058 Katie Murphy, RN, Special Pathogens Units

Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston

Video: https://youtu.be/0sKgkU2aIFE Dan Rec, RN, Intensive Care Unit

Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital, Jamaica Plain

Video: https://youtu.be/7vVyvsnEJ_s Marie Ritacco, RN, Recovery Room

Saint Vincent Hospital, Worcester

Video: https://youtu.be/7DDn2gUmN4E Karla Robles, RN, Johnson 3 (Adult Medical)

Beverly Hospital, Beverly

Video: https://youtu.be/Ixh1M0l_Lxc

Spanish Version: https://youtu.be/xMcuZRMziQE Shannon Sherman, RN, Emergency Surgery

Cape Cod Hospital, Barnstable

Video: https://youtu.be/C4k4w5o43S4 Nicole Tanner, RN, Critical Care Unit

Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital

Video: https://youtu.be/yaH-EVTkwv0 See MNA COVID-19 information, including letters to Gov. Baker, position statements, videos and more at www.massnurses.org/COVID-19. MassNurses.org  Facebook.com/MassNurses  Twitter.com/MassNurses  Instagram.com/MassNurses Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 23,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/during-national-nurses-week-2020-mna-nurses-and-healthcare-professionals-launch-video-campaign-to-thank-public-and-urge-social-distancing-301053934.html SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association

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Being a nurse was a second career for Jaimie Medina. Yet, she felt drawn to the profession.

Now the Brigham and Womens Hospital nurse is working alongside numerous other frontline workers battling the coronavirus pandemic.

I see nurses gowning up, shedding their own fears, and entering isolated patients rooms to offer a presence of reassurance and comfort, Medina said in a Facebook post on the hospitals Facebook page. I hear nurses supporting family members, answering their questions, and relaying messages of love.

I chose nursing as a second career. It was a committed, intentional decision  one I felt drawn to. It is a privilege... Posted by Brigham and Women's Hospital on Saturday, May 2, 2020

Nurses across the state have had to fight for PPE equipment, hazard pay and are dealing with furloughs.

It hasnt been easy for them to simply do their jobs.

Now people are looking to recognize their hard work. For National Nurses Day (Wednesday, May 6) businesses offered free or discounted food, and one company is offering a free vacation to one nurse in each state. First Lady Melania Trump and Massachusetts native John Cena posted on Twitter thanking them.

In addition to the work you do each day, you have gone above and beyond your call of duty, Trump said. Through this time of uncertainty you have show immense courage and selflessness.

Local hospitals are also showcasing the amazing people behind the masks.

Mercy Medical Center posted a Facebook Live of a nurse singing Hallelujah. And Brigham and Womens Hospital and Baystate Health have both posted photos and stories of their nurses.

"My name is Kimberly Mendibe I am the Unit Nurse Manager of South Wing 6. My team and I are currently located on Mass... Posted by Baystate Health on Tuesday, May 5, 2020

The most challenging thing about being on the frontline for me and the team is when we lose a patient, said a post about Kimberly Mendibe, a Unit Nurse Manager at Baystate. The most rewarding part of being on the frontline is watching our patients journey lead them through the front door back home to their loved ones.

Those rewards also come with a Code Rocky at Baystate, where employees fill the lobby with cheers and the Rocky theme song as the patient was wheeled out of the hospital.

The post said Mendibe is responsible for leading a team of nurses, patient care technicians, and ancillary staff, in the fight against COVID-19.

And no matter what, shes proud to wear the nursing uniform.

Caring for COVID patients is both scary (as we want to ensure we keep ourselves and our families safe) and rewarding (as we see our patients recover), the post stated. Working on the frontlines changed my life."

She said this pandemic has reminded her that life is a gift, and so is the team she works with.

Others on social media have also been asking for shoutouts for local nurses.

Using the #WeAreMightyMA, initiated by Blue Cross, people have been able to give credit to nurses they know and love. In April, Donna Simino spotlighted Nurse Kathy of Baystate Healths outpatient services in Springfield.

NURSE KATHY at Bay State Outpatiient Adult Health Clinic. Springfield, MA. "Thank you Kathy for going to work at such a risky time".  Donut . (@DonnaSimino) April 20, 2020

MassLive also asked for shoutouts to local nurses on National Nurses Day.

Thank you fellow Nurses, one MassLive reader wrote. Our profession is being challenged now more than ever, but we rise to the occasion - every time.

Others simply said, Thank you" or tagged someone they knew.

So, what makes a nurse?

Nurses are built from a foundation of compassion, integrity and honesty, said Mollie Tobey a nurse at Baystate Franklin Medical Center said in a Facebook post. Being a nurse is an active choice and we make that choice every single day because we love what we do.

Mollie, a nurse at Baystate Franklin Medical Center, powerfully defines the role of a nurse. Wishing all Baystate Health... Posted by Baystate Health on Wednesday, May 6, 2020

But no matter how much training you have, sometimes the best medicine is laughter.

Keeping laughter in your day with the team makes a tough day a bearable day, Mendibe wrote. This team enjoys a good laugh!

Related Content:
Marine biologist Dan Gilboa cleans the aquarium inside Los Angeles' Union Station. The tank is part of the artwork "City of Dreams/River of History" by May Sun and Richard Wyatt, and its maintenance is considered essential business during the coronavirus quarantine. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Passengers are few and the restaurants and bars have closed, but some Angelenos are still going about their everyday lives at Union Station.

Swimming, eating a bit, then swimming some more.

The skinny senorita fish, the sex-changing sheephead, the blue-gray blacksmith, schools of rockfish and a horn shark  theyre all going about their business in a 7,500-gallon aquarium at Union Stations east portal entrance, their audience largely reduced to marine biologist Dan Gilboa, who comes every week to check on his underwater community.

Its eerie, no one is hanging out at all, he said, but I have enjoyed being underwater more than usual. I can really hear the bubbles, watch the fish swimming around. Its a real escape from whats going on in the outside world.

The aquarium, marking its 25th year, is part of the installation City of Dreams/River of History by May Sun and Richard Wyatt, and its maintenance has been deemed essential business during the coronavirus crisis. Part of Metros extensive public art network, it brings a slice of Californias beloved coast right into downtown L.A.

I wanted a saltwater aquarium to symbolize the Pacific Ocean, said Sun, who did research at public aquariums and hired a marine biologist consultant when the plan was in its early stages.

The curve of the 40-foot-long acrylic tank was loosely based on a Native American sculpture of a whale, and Sun recalled the consultant telling her that the tail end needed to be enlarged so the fish could turn around more easily.

I was very lucky Metro agreed to the idea, as this was a big project with a big budget, she said of the $300,000 aquarium. The main fight she encountered on the project, she said, was over the suggestion that it feature prettier tropical fish.

I wanted native fish, she said.

May won that battle but, even so, color and variety arent lacking inside the tank. Eye-catching vermilion rockfish share the water with the states official marine fish, the orange garibaldi, which is Suns favorite.

Story continues

Kept at 62 degrees, similar to the local ocean temperature, the aquarium has an acrylic wall featuring Wyatts etchings of early Gabrielino Indians and Latino settlers, including Pio Pico, so that the fish swim through the people, explained Sun.

The exhibit "City of Dreams/River of History" by Richard Wyatt and May Sun at Union Station includes etchings of Native Americans and early Los Angeles settlers. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

More than 200 bronze paving inlays of native animals and plants run from the aquarium across the lobby to a second water-based sculpture. Its bench features artifacts excavated from L.A.s original Chinatown, which was moved to make way for Union Station back in the 1930s, and is dotted with rocks from the L.A. River.

Every week, Gilboa, 61, drives from his Age of Aquariums store in Signal Hill.

We have about 400 clients  commercial offices, private homes and celebrities  but this is such an unusual aquarium, I come myself, he said, declining to reveal his famous customers. Its fun.

A nondescript door leads to the filtration room, which is packed with shiny pipes, filters, gauges, sterilizers and boxes of sea salt.

Gilboa was joined by aquarist Ethan Valfre, 40, who divided up raw, white shrimp, Atlantic silverside, tiny orange krill and cubes of fishmeal into buckets. A single rockfish might eat four shrimp, he said, but all the fish collectively only get through about 3 pounds of food in each feeding.

Most of the fish are broadcast-fed: Food is dispersed on the waters surface. It turns out that this seemingly peaceful underwater world can be deceptive.

Climbing a ladder, Valfre points out a separate area behind the tank thats currently home to the horn shark. Usually pole-fed with squid, the shark had been losing weight because the pesky pair of silver halfmoon fish had been snatching his food.

Theyre getting rather dominant, and theyre very territorial, Gilboa said.

The water level in the tank gets lowered by 200 gallons so that, on tiptoe, a wet-suited Gilboa can shout instructions. Most of the time he uses a yellow hose attached to an air compressor rather than scuba tanks to breathe during tank cleaning and maintenance. The rocks and impressive-looking Macrocystis pyrifera, or giant kelp, are artificial, but theres always housekeeping that needs to be done. Gilboa snapped a fallen piece of coral back into place and, as always, scrubbed the gravel and cleaned the acrylic.

Gilboa, who lives in Long Beach, described himself as a water baby whose childhood passion was turtles. But then Walter Cronkite on the evening news said they had salmonella, so my dad told me to get rid of them and I switched to fish, he said.

Valfre, who studied marine biology in college, said these fish were collected by two aquarists from the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. He tests the salt, nitrate and pH levels and usually comes back twice more each week for additional feedings, though Gilboa has taken over that duty for now.

These fish have been getting home food delivery for years, Gilboa said ruefully, noting the stay-at-home orders mean others arent able to find the measure of peace that the fish provide.

Gilboa looks forward to the day when the coronavirus crisis is over and Angelenos and visitors passing through Union Station can see the horn shark, which has recovered in isolation and is about to be reintroduced into the exhibit.

Kids especially are always just mesmerized by the fish, Gilboa said with a smile, and when they see me in there too, their eyes go wide. I cant wait for that to happen again.
Iraq, OPECs second-largest producer and the biggest cheater in previous production cut deals, faces problems in the new OPEC+ deal as well.

Iraq's compliance with the deal is yet again in question, as negotiations with oil majors about which oilfields should cut production continue, even as the historic agreement entered into force nearly a week ago.

Iraq hasnt informed yet its key oil customers about how much the countrys crude exports will be because of protracted talks with international oil companies, which have been further complicated by Iraqs inability to form a new government, industry and trade sources told Reuters on Wednesday.

As part of the OPEC+ deal, Iraq needs to cut around 1 million barrels per day (bpd) of its production, which stood at 4.585 million bpd in March 2020, as per OPECs secondary sources in its latest Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR).

But Iraq has yet to agree how the cuts should be divided among the many major Iraqi oilfields, most of which are operated by international majors, including ExxonMobil, BP, Eni, and Lukoil, a spokesman for the Iraqi state-owned Basra Oil Company (BOC) told Reuters.

Talks with international oil companies are still continuing to discuss ways of curtailing production that serve all parties and ensure mutual interests are observed, the spokesman told Reuters, adding that he hopes a breakthrough could be reached soon.

According to an industry source in Iraq who spoke to Reuters, international oil firms refuse to cut production, while talks are further complicated by Iraqs problems in forming a new government.



Related: This Could Be The Beginning Of A Tremendous Oil Rally

Thats why Iraq hasnt yet informed its key oil buyers of its export schedule, which is a standard  albeit not obligatory  practice in the industry. The other large Middle Eastern producers from OPEC  Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Kuwait  have already told their clients that they would be cutting exports, according to Reuters sources.

Iraq was the biggest laggard in all previous OPEC+ cuts, and its no surprise that it continues to struggle to pull off some semblance of compliance with the cuts.

Another serial laggard in compliance, Nigeria, was also trying to figure out how and from where to cut production as part of the deal, and was still negotiating with the oil majors, days before the cuts entered into force.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
A view of the intensive care unit at Sittwe General Hospital in Sittwe, western Myanmar's Rakhine state, in an undated photo.

Health authorities in Myanmar are struggling to trace the spread of the contagious coronavirus among several confirmed patients who have reported no travel abroad and no contact with others who are infected, lawmakers in two major cities said Wednesday.

As of Wednesday, Myanmar registered a total 161 confirmed COVID-19 cases, six deaths, and 50 recoveries. Yangon, the countrys largest city with an estimated population of 5.3 million people, accounts for more than 120 confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Health Ministry data show that more than half of those confirmed to have the virus showed no symptoms of the respiratory illness.

The ministry announced on May 3 that coronavirus patient No. 155  a 48-year-old man  became infected, despite not having traveled abroad or having had any contact with others infected with COVID-19.

Thein Myint, a lawmaker who represents Tamwe township in the Yangon regional parliament, said health authorities have placed under observation 22 persons who had been in contact with the man.

The health authorities are working on it, he told RFA. The patient is a worker at a bamboo shop. It is possible he was infected by one of the customers.

Another confirmed coronavirus case  No. 151 from Yangons Insein township  also has no recent history of travel outside the country or contact with other infected people.

The woman has said she has been in self-isolation at a hostel since March, according to Wai Phyo Han, a lawmaker who represents Insein township in the Yangon regional parliament.

She may have gone out for shopping, [but] she said she never went out during the stay-at-home period, he told RFA.

She is one of the patients who got infected without having any travel history or without having had contact with other patients, he said. The virus infection has become silent. It is very difficult to determine where they got the disease.

Three other confirmed cases  Nos. 152, 153, and 154  live in the same hostel, and it cannot be determined who first contracted COVID-19, Wai Phyo Han said.

All four are women between the ages of 19 and 32.

Very mysterious

Similarly, patient No. 132 from Mattaya township in central Myanmars Mandalay region, contracted COVID-19 despite not traveling outside the country or having close contact with infected people, said Min Min, a regional lawmaker who represents the township.

We have traced his family members and all their visitors, she told RFA. He has no travel history since he was already sick and could not go out. All his family members have tested negative.

We have investigated people in his neighborhood and traced all of his visitors, Min Min added.

All of them tested negative. It is very mysterious, he said.

Dr. Win Lwin Thein, vice chairman of the Myanmar General Practitioners Society, noted that five percent to 80 percent of people who have COVID-19 do not show any symptoms

This is the most daunting aspect, he told RFA. There are many people with the infection, but they dont show symptoms, [so] they think that they are free of the virus. Its normal to think like that when you are not sick.

Win Lwin Thein stressed the importance of people continuing to wear face masks, because heath authorities cannot perform COVID-19 tests on everyone.

An infected patient could start spreading the virus in 48 hours even within the incubation period, he added.

A 33-year-old Myanmar military soldier from Zeyarthiri township in the Naypyidaw region also contracted the virus despite no foreign travel or contact with other infected patients, the Health Ministry said Monday.

In response, the defense forces tested more than 300 military personnel in the capital for COVID-19, but they all returned negative results, according to a report in the online journal The Irrawaddy.

This was the first confirmed coronavirus case among Myanmar military personnel inside the country, although five Myanmar military trainees in Russia tested positive for the disease in April, the report said.

Migrant worker woes

As an additional measure to contain the spread of the virus, the Myanmar government last week increased a mandatory quarantine for returning migrant laborers to 21 days from the previous 14 days to ensure they are not infected.

Myanmar migrant workers and nonprofit groups helping them want Myanmar authorities to set up quarantine facilities at land border crossings other than one in the town of Myawaddy, which is the only entry point equipped to check Myanmar migrant workers returning from Thailand.

Aung Min, a migrant laborer returning from the Thai border town of Rayong, said is costing him more money and time to travel to Myawaddy in southeastern Myanmars Kayin state to be processed instead of crossing the border in southern Myanmar and heading directly to his home in Tanintharyi region.

Nearly 500 workers have returned from Rayong via Kawthaung, the southernmost town in Myanmar's Tanintharyi region, but they must travel 16 hours to Myawaddy to be processed and quarantined, he said.

Kyaw Kyaw Min, Myanmars deputy minister of labor, immigration, and population, said border authorities are ready to process returnees at land crossings once their Thai counterparts open corresponding border gates.

More than 26,000 Myanmar migrant workers have registered with the Myanmar Embassy in Bangkok to return home and are waiting for approval from the Thai government to head for the border amid restrictions on interprovincial travel to curtail the spread of COVID-19, The Irrawaddy said in a report on Tuesday.

Reported by Zarni Htun and Kyaw Lwin Oo for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
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India's Combat Capabilities Hit as Deliveries of Defence Equipment Including Rafale Jet Deferred

Sputnik News

Rishikesh Kumar. Sputnik International

13:07 GMT 05.05.2020

New Delhi (Sputnik): Despite intense fighting along its western border, India's modernisation programme will take a major hit this year due to delivery delays and a lack of funds. Defence sources confirmed that most of the contracted weapon systems won't arrive on schedule as production is halted due to lockdowns in several countries.

India's receipt of French Rafale fighter jets, which was expected by July this year, will be further postponed, defence sources told Sputnik. India had signed an $8.7 billion deal with France to purchase 36 Rafale fighter jets in flyway condition in 2016 after years of negotiation.

But with the ongoing health emergency, restrictions on air travel and social distancing have impacted the training schedule of Indian Air Force pilots, which will take almost two months to complete after the restrictions are lifted.

The lockdown has also made it unlikely that all of necessary requirements, including the delivery of logistic equipment for airbases bordering Pakistan will be delivered to India by September.

France's government announced on Saturday that it wants to extend the current health emergency, and social distancing norms will be in place for long to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

Apart from the first batch of four Rafale fighter jets, the delivery of another consignment of the 14 promised fighter jets is unlikely to be carried out by the scheduled date, February 2021.

Besides fighter jets, Indian Armed Forces will also miss the delivery of much-needed Apache, Chinook 47 F (I), and M-777 howitzers, which it will put in place to guard the Chinese border.

This year at least five Apache helicopters were scheduled to enter service, and be stationed along the Western border, where the prevailing tensions are.

Delivery of the M-777 ultra-light howitzer is also delayed due to the lockdown and it is not certain when the remaining batch will be supplied, according to local sources. India ordered 145 howitzers from the US for $750 million in November 2016.

Production of 50 K-9 South Korean 155mm self-propelled howitzers based on a tracked-armored chassis, will also be postponed because of the ongoing pandemic.

"Already signed contracts can be discharged, but new contracts must be with domestic producers Also the delivery of most of the contracted weapon may get deferred further," the defence official said.

Meanwhile, India and Pakistan have been engaged in heavy artillery fire in Kashmir despite a call for a ceasefire affecting all the disputed territories from the World Health Organisation to make joint efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Indian Army has accused Pakistan of targeting civilians with heavy artillery in Kashmir; Islamabad denied the allegations, and in its turn accused New Delhi of violating ceasefire at over 300 times in April alone.

Blessing in Disguise?

Amit Cowshish, former finance advisor to Indian defence ministry, told Sputnik that the deferment of the supplies is a temporary hiatus in the ongoing long drawn process of augmenting the defence capabilities.

"To my mind, it is not a crippling set back because the contract has not been rescinded. Dealing with the pandemic is presently the top most priority, even if it is at the cost of making adjustments in the modernisation programmes in the short run," Cowshish added.

Meanwhile, the deferment of delivery of the equipment will provide relief to the Indian government as defence budget may receive 20-30 percent less allocation than budgeted amount ($62.4 billion) this year due to COVID-19 pandemic. Government spending will see "major re-jig" this year as more funds likely to be allocated to health and agriculture, said the defence official.

"The deferment of supplies will save money, to the extent payments were due this year, provided that money was available in the budget," Cowshish concluded.

A Sputnik

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Hennepin County Jail/Maple Grove Police Department

A controlling and possessive Minnesota man has allegedly admitted to fatally strangling his wife when she threatened to leave him, before burying her in a crawl space beneath their home and calling authorities to report her missing in an elaborate scheme to cover-up the crime, authorities said.

Joshua David Fury, 28, was charged Tuesday with murder and second-degree murder for the April 30 slaying of his wife, 28-year-old Maria Fury, whose body was found Saturday after an exhaustive large-scale search that included several helicopter flyovers, according to Hennepin County Attorneys office. He was being held at Hennepin County Jail on Wednesday.

He said he strangled her during an argument about [Maria] leaving him, according to the criminal complaint obtained by The Daily Beast, adding that Fury placed both hands around [Marias] neck and squeezed until he felt a snap before placing a plastic bag over her head and nose until she stopped death breathing.

Frantic to cover his crime, Fury told authorities he then wrapped his wifes arms in duct tape and hid her body in the crawl space under their Maple Grove home before waiting several hours to call the police to report her missing. The Hennepin County Medical Examiners office confirmed to The Daily Beast the 28-year-old died of asphyxiation from the duct-taped plastic bagwhich was still on her face when she was found.

Maria Pew is a victim of a horrific, unthinkable crime, Marias family said in a statement. But we will not allow her to be remembered that way; Maria would hate it if the world saw her as a victim. Maria was so much more. She was our daughter, our niece, our cousin, our friend; she loved her family and was fiercely loyal. A happy, strong, resilient, supportive, and caring individual, Maria did so much in her 28 years. But she also left behind hopes and dreams, and she left undone infinite possibilities.

According to the complaint, Fury called the Maple Grove Police Department at around 6 p.m. on April 30 to report his wife missing, claiming she did not come home after going for a walk. He initially said he had returned home an hour earlier to find Marias cell phone on the kitchen counter, prompting him to check her normal walking route.

Story continues

Deputies who responded to the couples home outside of Minneapolis immediately launched a search, spending two hours canvassing the surrounding area with the aid of a helicopter. The complaint states that an initial sweep of the couples home revealed nothing unusual and noted that Fury genuinely appeared concerned about his wifes wellbeing.

On May 1, authorities continued a large-scale search and began to interview friends and family. During questioning, the complaint says investigators learned about the couples marital problems. Marias mother expressed her daughters intent to leave her husband, and friends described Fury as controlling and possessive.

That same day, authorities obtained a search warrant for their home with recovery dogswho found indications of human remains in the lower-level crawl space with a dirt floor covered in plastic. Authorities discovered the body at about 1:30 a.m. on May 2, after officers spent hours working together with a system of buckets and tarps to remove the dirt from the small crawl space.

Throughout the investigation, Fury allegedly gave multiple statements in which he denied harming his wife and even attempted to blame his wifes ex-boyfriend for the crime. The complaint states that after Fury was arrested on May 2, however, he told police he was telling the truth about everything.

During a police interview, Fury admitted to killing his wife and burying her body in the crawl space, stating the crime was spurred by an argument about her leaving him. He told police that after he killed her and wrapped her in the same duct tape he was later going to use to hang her missing posters, he cleaned up the house and went to work.

Fury told authorities the murder and cover-up took only two-and-a-half hours.

The complaint says Fury told officers he suffers from depression and attempted to commit suicide after he killed his wife. He admitted hed previously threatened to kill his wife when she said she wanted to leave him.

Adopted as an infant from Mexico City, Maria was described by her family as an intense feeler who loved animals, exercise, and her family. In an effort to use their tragic loss to help others, her family launched Marias Voice, an online campaign dedicated to raising awareness of domestic violence.

If we can change the outcome for at least one woman, Maria would be so proud and honored, the family said in a statement, adding that a push to support safer housing programs might change the ending of Marias story for other women."

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 03:54:23|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Chinese Consul General in Chicago Zhao Jian (R) and Wanxiang America Corporation President Ni Pin (C) have a video chat with former Missouri Governor Bob Holden at Wanxiang America's headquarters in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, the United States, on May 4, 2020. Wanxiang Group, a Chinese multinational automotive components manufacturing company headquartered in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, is donating 1.1 million face masks and 50,000 protective masks to 12 U.S. states, with the first batch of thousands of boxes shipped on Monday. (Xinhua)

CHICAGO, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Wanxiang Group, a Chinese multinational automotive components manufacturing company headquartered in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, is donating 1.1 million face masks and 50,000 protective masks to 12 U.S. states, with the first batch of thousands of boxes shipped on Monday.

A label on each box reads, "Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off." The 12 states are Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Delaware, Mississippi, Colorado, South Dakota and Louisiana.

Before the shipment, former Missouri Governor Bob Holden expressed thanks from his residence in Missouri through a video chat to Chinese Consul General in Chicago Zhao Jian and Wanxiang America Corporation President Ni Pin, who were in Wanxiang America's headquarters in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, overseeing the shipment.

"You've made a lot of people very, very happy and feeling much more safe and secure. And that's what I think is cool about building bridges between your culture and our culture for the benefit of both cultures," Holden said to Ni.

Holden thanked Zhao, saying, "It's very, very important that we find common ground and work together because our two countries both have great histories, can have even a greater future by working together as partners and building those relationships to benefit humanity on both sides."

"Our work together will mean we can be successful together. That is what gives me hope that as we go through the difficult times that we're in today, we will have a brighter future together," he added.

Zhao thanked Holden for serving as a very important bridge between the Chinese people and the Midwest in the United States. "It's a very challenging time, but it's good to see that all relevant partners are working together and acting together, unified against the virus."

"The virus is the common enemy of the whole humanity and no one can deal with it by itself. So we think we need to work together and fight against the virus together," he noted.

Zhao recalled the support and assistance China received earlier this year from American companies and people when China was in the most difficult times of the fight against the virus. "We believe that with the concerted efforts, the people here in the Midwest of the United States will be able to control the spread of the virus."

"We also believe that for China and the United States, the two very important countries, the two biggest economies in the world, we should play a leading role in working together, in helping the world fight against the virus. There are really a lot of things that we need to do together and we can do together," Zhao said.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee sent Ni a thank-you letter. "On behalf of the citizens of Tennessee, I wanted to thank you for your donation of 40,000 disposable masks given through the U.S. China Heartland Association. These masks will help our brave frontline personnel combat the immediate and lasting effects of this terrible virus," it read.

In another thank-you letter, Indiana Secretary of Commerce James Schellinger expressed gratitude for Wanxiang's donation of 100,000 masks to the state of Indiana "during this difficult and uncertain time." "This donation is critical in advancing our state's preparedness and will help protect thousands of lives throughout our communities."

"In a world that is more connected now than ever before, the opportunities and challenges we face are shared. We remain committed partners and we look forward to the opportunity to work together in the future," Schellinger wrote in the letter.

According to Ni, Wanxiang has ordered more masks from China. "There's much more we can do with the local hospitals as well," he said, adding that Wanxiang is looking forward to working with local organizations.

"We stay together, [and] we will defeat this COVID-19," he said.
May 06, 2020 / 08:32 AM IST

Here are the stocks in the news today. (image: Moneycontrol)

Results on May 6 | YES Bank, Adani Enterprises, TCI Developers, Kansai Nerolac Paints, JM Financial, Digicontent

NIIT Technologies Q4: Profit fell to Rs 113.6 cr versus Rs 123.3 cr, revenue rose to Rs 1,109.3 cr versus Rs 1,073.4 cr QoQ. (Image: Moneycontrol)

Rallis India Q4: Profit dipped to Rs 0.65 cr versus Rs 1.52 cr, revenue rose to Rs 346.29 cr versus Rs 339.69 cr YoY. (Image: rallis.co.in)

Astec Lifesciences Q4: Profit rose to Rs 31.17 cr versus Rs 12.72 cr; revenue jumped to Rs 180.57 cr versus Rs 133.75 cr YoY. (Image: astecls.com)

Adani Ports Q4: Profit fell to Rs 334.39 cr versus Rs 1,285.38 cr, revenue down to Rs 2,921.2 cr versus Rs 3,082.49 cr YoY. (Image: PTI)

United Spirits | Company resumed operations at majority of its manufacturing facilities with reduced capacity

Apollo Pipes: Promoter Sameer Gupta bought 1,25,000 shares in company at Rs 309.98 per share. (Image: apollopipes.com)

Majesco: Amansa Holdings bought 8,10,394 shares in company at Rs 245.5, whereas DSP MF sold 8,43,998 shares at Rs 245.5 per share. (Image: majesco.com)

Shilpa Medicare: Company decided to establish subsidiary in Canada (North America) and Spain (Europe) for business operations. (Image: vbshilpa.com)

Precision Camshafts: CARE reaffirmed its credit rating on short term bank facilities at A1. (Image: pclindia.in)

Jiya Eco-Products: Vipul Shashikant Vora resigned as Chief Financial Officer. (Image: jiyaeco.com)

Navneet Education: Company redeemed commercial papers of Rs 30 crore and Rs 50 crore. (Image: navneet.com)

SBI Life Q4: Profit rose to Rs 530.67 cr versus Rs 457.68 cr, net premium income rose to Rs 11,863 cr versus Rs 11,333 cr YoY. (Image: Moneycontrol)

Andhra Petrochemicals: Plant at Visakhapatnam will resume operation from May 6. (Image: andhrapetrochemicals.com)

Wipro: Company signed MoU with Maharashtra to repurpose Pune IT facility to 450-bed COVID-19 hospital. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

Lloyds Metals and Energy: Board meeting on May 8 to consider MoU between company and Thriveni Earthmovers for mining operation JV. (Image: lloyds.in)

Pricol: Operations of plants at Coimbatore will resume operations in phased manner, from May 6.(Image: www.pricol.com)

VST Tillers April sales: Power tillers rose to 761 units versus 289 units, tractors fell to 328 units versus 432 units YoY. (Image: vsttractors.com)

Prince Pipes and Fittings: Company partially resumed manufacturing operations. (Image: Moneycontrol)

Pioneer Distilleries: Company reopened its manufacturing unit. (Image: pioneerdistilleries.com)

Godrej Properties | Board to meet on May 11 to mull raising funds via debt

Tata Coffee | Company reported a 6 percent fall in its consolidated net profit to Rs 9.86 crore for the quarter ended March 31.

Dabur India | Company has resumed production at all its manufacturing locations following the government relaxing guidelines for the third phase of lockdown.
The latest fatal shooting happened about 4 p.m. in the Rogers Park neighborhood in the 1600 block of West Jonquil Avenue. Police said a 22-year-old man was on the sidewalk when a vehicle approached and someone opened fire, striking the victim multiple times. He was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston where he was pronounced dead, police said.
We've lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. 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 before you buy or sell Tse Sui Luen Jewellery (International) Limited (HKG:417), you may well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling.

What Is Insider Buying?

Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock in the company. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market.

We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. For example, a Harvard University study found that 'insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year.

Check out our latest analysis for Tse Sui Luen Jewellery (International)

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Tse Sui Luen Jewellery (International)

Deputy Chief Executive Officer Tat Fung Tse made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for HK$512k worth of shares at a price of HK$1.60 each. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being HK$0.83). 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. In our view, the price an insider pays for shares is very important. It is encouraging to see an insider paid above the current price for shares, as it suggests they saw value, even at higher levels. Tat Fung Tse was the only individual insider to buy shares in the last twelve months.

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

SEHK:417 Recent Insider Trading May 6th 2020

There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. So if that suits your style you could check each stock one by one or you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Insider Ownership

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. It's great to see that Tse Sui Luen Jewellery (International) insiders own 73% of the company, worth about HK$150m. This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Tse Sui Luen Jewellery (International) Tell Us?

There haven't been any insider transactions in the last three months -- that doesn't mean much. But insiders have shown more of an appetite for the stock, over the last year. With high insider ownership and encouraging transactions, it seems like Tse Sui Luen Jewellery (International) insiders think the business has merit. In addition to knowing about insider transactions going on, it's beneficial to identify the risks facing Tse Sui Luen Jewellery (International). Case in point: We've spotted 4 warning signs for Tse Sui Luen Jewellery (International) you should be aware of, and 1 of these is significant.

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.
Yusuf Gagdi, a member of the house of representatives, took a jab at some members of the presidential task force on COVID-19 on Tuesda...





Yusuf Gagdi, a member of the house of representatives, took a jab at some members of the presidential task force on COVID-19 on Tuesday, accusing them of fiddling with their phones at plenary.





Gagdi, who represents Pankshin/Kanam/Kanke constituency of Plateau state, told the PTF team that we do not press phones here.





He had stood to ask the task force questions about the countrys response to COVID-19 pandemic, but asked his colleagues to first permit me to make an important point.





The members of PTF should listen, just like the chairman of the committee (who is) jotting with pen and paper and not touching their phones, he said,





We dont touch phones here, even in the chamber.





The PTF, led by Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation and its chairman, was summoned to brief the lawmakers about the unusual deaths and Nigerias management of the pandemic.





Among the members who attended the plenary include Sani Aliyu, the PTF national coordinator; Chikwe Ihekweazu, director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).





Some ministers were also present: Osagie Ehanire (health), Lai Mohammed (information and culture), Hadi Sirika (aviation), Geoffrey Onyeama (foreign affairs).








The Economic Survey 2018-19 said over nine out of every 10 Indian workers are in this informal sector

Lets look at the economic fallout of the current lockdown today and why measuring it will be easier than such shocks have been in the past. One of the problems India has as a modern economy is that of data. This is something the government and the Prime Minister have acknowledged and they have tried to change this lack of information, but without much success. The problem, briefly described, is as follows.

Indias economy is largely in the informal sector. The informal sector means economic activity which is not taxed directly, and which may not even be registered.

Almost all businesses that use only family labour, paanwalas, sabziwallahs, many shopkeepers, all labourers and most labour contractors, most farmers, domestic workers, many traders and some professionals come under this informal economy. The Economic Survey 2018-19 said over nine out of every 10 Indian workers are in this informal sector, meaning its much more relevant and significant than the formal sector.

However, we dont even know the size of the informal economy. By its very nature, of course, it doesnt have deep engagement with the State in terms of tax payments or being regulated, so the government doesnt know of its existence. The second issue is that some of this informal economy also operates on the formal side. Some small businesses work as suppliers to larger businesses that are formal, meaning regulated and taxed. Many small businesses are partially tax-paying and partially regulated. All this makes collection of data and therefore the estimation of economic growth very difficult.

Indias GDP, or the total value of goods and services produced by our country, is derived primarily from formal sector data. This data is used and it is assumed they have a relationship with the informal sector and thus a national figure is estimated.

The formal sector, though not very big, has good data including high frequency data like the sales of automobiles. Companies like Maruti and Bajaj around the first of every month put out the total number of vehicles they have sold to their dealers in the past month. On May 1, Maruti said for the first time in its history it achieved zero sales in April due to the lockdown, and probably something close to zero in production as well.

But such accurate and frequent indicators are absent from most of the economy, which means we need to rely on guesswork. This is a problem and it is why the Prime Minister and others in the government have been trying to change this, but without much success. So why is this relevant at this point? Lets compare the current crisis to the one that was similar: the demonetisation announced on the night of November 8, 2016.

It became clear around mid-December that this would lead to economic difficulties and wipe out many small businesses. The government denied this would happen, and challenged its opponents to produce data to support the theory that demonetisation had damaged the economy even temporarily, much less permanently.

The critics, of course, didnt have this data, because nobody had it. The formal sector was not hurt at first and GDP estimates based on numbers it was putting out were more or less in line with what they would have been without demonetisation. The first signal that something was dramatically wrong was in imports. The goods India was importing from others shot up after demonetisation. The reason was that those firms that were previously supplying these goods locally were damaged or shut due to demonetisation, making India dependent on foreign goods.

This would also mean that consumption in India would suffer because companies shutting down would lead to a loss of employment. Again, this is not an area where the government has any good data. It does household surveys, but these also have been endangered by the mess over the National Citizenship Register. It is unlikely that in the near term we will have good official data on unemployment from the government. It is the private sector, particularly one company, Centre for Monitoring of the Indian Economy, with hundreds of field agents and its real-time data that offers the most credible numbers on unemployment in India.

CMIE showed that indeed unemployment was rising in India, and by the time of the 2019 election it reached historic levels never before recorded. The third sign of the damage came in formal GDP numbers as well. As businesses were wiped out and people were unemployed, consumption suffered. This began to reflect before long even in the high frequency and other data.

Indias GDP growth as measured by the government through the formal sector began to slip and fell every quarter between January 2018 and January 2020. Why? Because demonetisation had weakened it in ways that are structural.

This time, there are three things which are different. First, the economic shock is more severe than it was in demonetisation. Second, this will be longer lasting, not only because the disruption is vast and because it is global, but also it will take time to rebuild trust. Third, the data will be clear from the start. The formal sector, shut down fully in April and limping along from May, will report results that will show a contraction of the economy. Two consecutive quarters of negative growth are the technical definition of an economic recession, and for the first time in this generations memory, we may be staring at one.
AMHERST - Frederick C. Tillis, an esteemed jazz musician and composer who joined the University of Massachusetts faculty in the early 1970s and spent 20 years as director of the UMass Fine Arts Center, died Sunday at the age of 90, the university announced.

Dr. Fred Tillis leaves an extraordinary legacy at UMass Amherst, said Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy. He was a gentle soul who made me feel at once like we had known each other for a long time.

The cause of death was the result of complications following a recent hip-replacement surgery, according to his family.

As a composer, performer, poet, educator, and arts administrator, Tillis helped shape the cultural and musical life at UMass, the Pioneer Valley and beyond. As a composer and performer, his work spanned both jazz and European traditions, and his more than 100 compositions included works for piano and voice, orchestra and chorus, chamber music and works in the African-American spiritual tradition.

At UMass, he founded many programs and courses of study while at UMass, Tillis founded numerous programs and courses of study that greatly enriched the life of music majors and the general student body. In 1978, he was appointed the director of the Fine Arts Center and helped start some of the universitys most successful art initiatives, including the Jazz and Afro-American Music Studies program, the Jazz in July Summer Music program, the New World Theater, the Augusta Savage Gallery and the Asian Arts and Culture Program.

He also received many awards and represented the UMass Music Department and the university as a cultural ambassador, performing locally, nationally, and internationally with students, alumni, and faculty such as Salvatore Macchia, Jeffrey Holmes, David Sporny, and Horace Boyer.

Upon his retirement from UMass, Tillis was appointed emeritus director of the Fine Arts Center.

In this file photo from November 5, 1997, Frederick C. Tillis stands outside the University of Massachusetts Fine Arts Center. Tillis, the long-time director and faculty member, died May 3 at age 90.

Macchia, the chair of the UMass Department of Music and Dance, said the entire department mourns the loss of Tillis as a both a friend and colleague, and as a gifted composer and performer, poet and administrator.

I first met Fred in 1978, and have many wonderful memories of touring Russia with him, playing local jazz clubs, and presenting concerts of new music in a variety of venue, Macchia said. "He was then, as he remained for the rest of his life, a kind, caring, and knowledgeable human being. He will be sorely missed.

Tillis joined the faculty at UMass in 1970 after previously being on the faculty at Grambling University and Kentucky State University. He would stay at UMass until retiring in 1997.

Willie Hill Jr., a former student who would go on to succeed Tillis as Fine Arts Center director for 20 years until his retirement last year, said he had a gigantic influence on his life and on the lives of many others.

He has meant so much to me since 1964 when I had the privilege of having him as my music theory and orchestra teacher at Grambling State University for two years," he said. "He will be sorely missed for his unselfish contributions to our organization, by the FAC staff, advisory board, friends, and UMass community at large.

Current Fine Arts Center Director Jamilla Deria said I did not have the opportunity to know Dr. Tillis well, but Ive felt his indelible imprint in every facet of our work. From our very first meeting last summer to our many brief encounters at performances throughout the year, it was clear to me that the FAC was not just a place he worked, but was, in fact, a piece of him.

Upon his retirement from UMass in 1997, Tillis was appointed emeritus director of the Fine Arts Center.

The W.E.B. Du Bois Library maintains the Frederick Tillis papers, which document his career in the arts and in arts administration, as well as Tilliss role as a composer and poet.

Tillis, a native of Galveston, Texas, began his jazz career as a teen under the name Baby Tillis, playing trumpet and saxophone.

He enrolled in Wiley College at age 16, graduated three years later with a bachelors degree, and after graduation, was immediately hired by the college to teach music education. This was the start of his lifelong dual careers as a musician and educator.

He earned his masters degree from the University of Iowa in 1952, and then served the Air Force for four years, during which he led the Air Force band.

He earned his Ph.D from the University of Iowa in 1963, and began teaching at Grambling University a year later.

During an interview with The Republican prior to his retirement in 1997, Tillis said he had no regrets about choosing to combine teaching with his music, instead of following many of his contemporaries and becoming a full-time musician and performer.

I would probably be much less comfortable with what Ive accomplished," he said.

He also said that in his time at UMass, he was most proud of helping shape the Fine Arts Center into a vibrant showcase for the arts from around the world.

Art is so important to the life of human beings, he said. I feel Ive been fortunate to have the opportunities to share with others the importance of art to humanity.

A celebration of Tillis life and impact will be held in the future due to restrictions on public gatherings due to the COVID-19 emergency. The Fine Arts Center has established a memorial webpage dedicated to Tillis where people may read about his life, see photos, and leave personal remembrances.

The address is www.fineartscenter.com/Tillis
Miley Cyrus fans (known as Smilers) are impatiently waiting for her previously teased new music. But there are plenty of old tracks, like her collaboration with Mark Ronson, that shes happy to play in the meantime. Discover how these two artists first connected, and why he is praising her recent project: Her Instagram Live show, Bright Minded: Live with Miley.

Miley Cyrus and Mark Ronson first worked together in 2018

Miley Cyrus and Mark Ronson | Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Cyrus had been making music for quite some time before working with Ronson. Her Disney Channel fans may know her best from Hannah Montana, but she had put out five studio albums under her own name when she began working with Ronson in 2018. The result was Nothing Breaks Like a Heart, off his own fifth album, Late Night Feelings.

Ronson, on the other hand, is less known for his own music, and more for being a DJ, songwriting, and producer. Hes won multiple Grammy Awards, including those for producing Amy Winehouses album Back to Black and for co-writing Shallow from A Star is Born. But most are familiar with at least one of his songs: Remember Uptown Funk?

Ronson says he had to stalk her for years

Despite working for many years in the same industry, Ronson and Cyrus apparently didnt cross paths. As he tells it, it wasnt until he saw her perform during the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special in 2015 that he reached out to her  and apparently, it took a while before she got back to him.

But they both believe this was for the best. This song only came because of where we were and how we met, said Ronson on The Graham Norton Show of working on Nothing Breaks Like a Heart together in 2018. I wouldnt have it any other way than sitting with you right now, right here, said Cyrus.

Cyrus participated in his Love Lockdown

In the wake of the songs release, Cyrus and Ronson performed it multiple times together, including  appropriately  on Saturday Night Live. This continued into 2019 when they worked together again on her song The Most off her EP She Is Coming. This was set to be the first of three EPs making up one album, She Is Miley Cyrus.

But then came Cyrus divorce, her multiple surgeries, and then the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In regards to the latter, Cyrus has, like many artists, continued to perform for a good cause. In fact, in May 2020, she participated in Ronsons Love Lockdown concert, playing, of course, Nothing Breaks Like a Heart.

Ronson said Cyrus is ahead of the curve

Speaking of coronavirus, Cyrus started her own initiative while staying home. Bright Minded: Live with Miley saw her reunite with old friends like Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez, as well as shed light on important issues with political figures like Senator Elizabeth Warren.

Ronson spoke to the Wall Street Journal for a May 2020 profile on Cyrus, saying this action was par for the course. Like everything else, Miley got there early and she knows how to connect with people. Shes Mensa-level smart and always ahead of the curve.

Are Ronson and Cyrus going to collaborate again?

If 2019 was for the break, 2020 is for the breakers. Right, @MileyCyrus? (very psyched for you all to hear this one, whenever mama says its ok) pic.twitter.com/XV5IgYrtSm  Mark Ronson (@MarkRonson) January 7, 2020

Discounting her participation on the Charlies Angels theme song Dont Call Me Angel, Cyrus has yet to release new music since her breakup anthem Slide Away. In January 2020, she teased that that was about to change. Though we havent heard exactly what shes planning to release, Ronson has given us a hint.

Along with a lyric-free clip, Ronson wrote in a January 7, 2020, social media post, If 2019 was for the [heart]break, 2020 is for the [heartbreakers]. Right, @MileyCyrus? (very psyched for you all to hear this one, whenever mama says its ok). Lets hope we get this one sooner, rather than later.
Mexicans living and working in the United States are vitally bolstering Mexicos hard-hit economy, sending home unprecedented quantities of cash.

By James Blears

The Covid-19 pandemic has slumped petroleum prices and sunk tourism revenue throughout Mexico.

Yet, money sent home by Mexicans living abroad - principally from the economic powerhouse of the United States - legally and illegally, is surging in order to compensate for that crippling double whammy.

In March, Mexican migrants sent home 4.02 billion dollars. That's nearly thirty-six percent more than the corresponding month last year.

Mexican migrants who recognize and are catering to the hike of desperate need for resources are still able to meet those needs. Most earn their money by working outside in the fresh air, within the construction and agricultural industries.

Lifeline sent home

They faithfully send home remittances - or lifelines - which often prove essential. Whereas the giant US economy will catch a metaphorical cold, their southern neighbors risk perishing from economic pneumonia.

Coming through like this is brave and resolute, because many Mexican migrants, both documented and illegal, are based in New York.

The major US city and its surrounding areas currently make up the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic within the United States.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 18:39:57|Editor: huaxia

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ULAN BATOR, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Mongolian Prime Minister Ukhnaa Khurelsukh announced on Wednesday a set of economic measures to support vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"A total of 793.6 billion Mongolian tugriks (284.4 million U.S. dollars) will be spent on implementing these measures," Khurelsukh said during a news conference.

Monthly allowances of 188,000 Mongolian tugriks for orphans, single parents with more than four children, and disabled people will be increased by 100,000 Mongolian tugriks during the period of May 1 to Oct. 1, Khurelsukh said.

In addition, monthly allowances of 30,000 Mongolian tugriks for all children up to the age of 18 will be increased by 70,000 Mongolian tugriks in a six-month period from April 1 to Oct. 1, Khurelsukh said. The 70,000 Mongolian tugriks that were supposed to be given for children in April will be reimbursed in the coming days, according to the country's ministry of labor and social protection.

Food vouchers worth 16,000 Mongolian tugriks per month for 122,000 low-income citizens in need of social welfare support will be increased by 50 percent from May 1 to Oct. 1, he said.

Also, incentives of 20,000 Mongolian tugriks per kg of cashmere will be provided to herder households to support them and domestic production in the cashmere sector.

Cashmere is one of the main sources of income for Mongolian herders. However, the price of cashmere in Mongolia has dropped sharply due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Enditem
This year marks the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims landing in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The generosity of the Mashpee Wampanoag, who had inhabited that region for 12,000 years, was directly responsible for the newcomers survival.

The Mashpee, a federally recognized tribe, is now confined to a reservation on 321 acres. In late March members were informed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs that their reservation status was revoked.

Legalese surrounds this persecution. A conflict between a giant tribal casino project and others promoted by allies of President Trump in nearby Rhode Island may be behind this breach. Nevertheless, what are the implications of revoking the land status of a federally recognized tribe? Will any First Nation descendants be safe from removal if this occurs? How will this affect tribes seeking federal standing?

Reservations, far from safe havens, have been repeatedly targeted for gas pipelines and mineral extraction. Will these tactics increase if a precedent is set here?

On Thursday, a federal judge will hear the Mashpees argument to retain its land.

Four centuries ago the Mashpee extended kindness to the Pilgrims. Can we do no better than to repeat destructive patterns of history towards the First People?

Anna Maria Caldara

Bangor
Second, China has done its best to share information about the virus. On Dec. 27, a doctor in Hubei province reported three suspicious cases. In the following four days, local and central governments conducted investigations on the ground. On Jan. 3  within a week  China began briefing the WHO, the United States and other countries about the outbreak. On Jan. 12, China released the whole genome sequence of the coronavirus, which has proved critical for diagnosis and treatment of the disease globally.
PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Archie Gamboa on Wednesday, May 6, turned over a check of P228.8 million to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominquez III.

The amount, which was generated through the Bayanihan Fund Challenge among PNP members, is the police forces contribution to the governments coronavirus disease (Covid-19) response.

To jumpstart the fund raising challenge, the PNPs Command Group and Directorial Staff, Police Regional Offices, National Support Units and all star-rank officers committed 50 percent of their basic pay for the month of May.

Policemen were encouraged to donate although it was voluntary.

Aside from our fight against Covid-19, the most challenging battle our government and the rest of the nation is facing is our struggle against poverty which composes majority of Filipinos; the homeless, daily wage earners, marginalized and the poorest of the poor throughout the country. Thus, PNP personnel voluntarily contributed from their salaries as our way to help government take care of poor Filipinos in this prolonged fight against the Pandemic, said PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac.

The fund raising challenge was the PNPs response to Dutertes admission of the governments extreme difficulty in providing the basic needs of the poorest of the poor in a prolonged crisis.

Aside from the PNP, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology has also shed out funds from their own pockets to aid the government in its effort on the coronavirus pandemic. (SunStar Philippines)
Two pet cats in New York state tested positive for the coronavirus; they were first confirmed cases in pets in the United States. Now, Duke University is looking at a possible case in a pet dog. It's a trend that may have pet owners concerned.

But Dr. Casey Barton Behravesh, a CDC official who works on human-animal health connections, told the Associated Press that there's "no need for pet owners to panic, or rush to test their animals." Coronavirus testing for pets isnt recommended unless the animal has been exposed to COVID-19 and has symptoms, Dr. Jane Rooney of the USDA also told the Associated Press.
MIDLAND, MI  DuPont has donated 120 gallons of hand sanitizer to MidMichigan Health and Midland County EMS for distribution across county and city services, including the sheriffs office and police and fire departments.

DuPont produced the hand sanitizer at its electronics and imaging plant in Fort Madison, Iowa, according to a company news release.

Our DuPont family sincerely appreciates all of the efforts the extended MidMichigan health team and our Midland County and City services are doing to ensure our continued safety, Tim Lacey, DuPont vice president and general manager, performance building solutions and Corian design, said in a statement.

Frontline workers across Midland County will use the donated hand sanitizer as they work to keep people safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As of Tuesday, May 5, the pandemic had sickened more than 44,000 and killed 4,179 in Michigan alone.

The county is extremely grateful for the generous donation of hand sanitizer to help protect our first responders and essential staff, Bridgette M. Gransden, Midland County Administrator/Controller, said in a statement. "Midland is truly blessed to have organizations like DuPont who are deeply committed to our community and partnering with us to improve quality of life.

DuPont produces hand sanitizer for use by its own sites, as well as local communities across the country. The company also donated hand sanitizer to the communities of Wilmington, Delaware and Spruance, Virginia.

In total, DuPont has donated approximately 1,500 gallons to nonprofit agencies and small businesses. DuPont officials plan to make 30 more batches over the next few weeks to help many of their other sites across North America and the communities they serve.

PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

Stories that highlight how our communities are Powering Positivity are being done in partnership with The MediLodge Group, which has skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities throughout Michigan.

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Michigan coronavirus deaths down 29%, new cases down 18% compared to last week
Americas governors are used to making tough decisions, but the one facing them now is as hard as it gets: How many deaths are they willing to accept to reopen their economies even though the coronavirus is not receding?

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott summarized the dilemma in a phone call last Friday, when he said, Listen, the fact of the matter is pretty much every scientific and medical report shows that whenever you have a reopening  in the aftermath of something like this, it actually will lead to an increase and spread (of the virus). Its almost ipso facto.

Abbotts call involved members of the Texas Legislature and Congress and was supposed to be private. But it leaked out of course, and he will take some heat for it.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie got roasted when he said this week, We sent our young men during World War II over to Europe, out to the Pacific, knowing, knowing that many of them would not come home alive. And we decided to make that sacrifice because what we were standing up for was the American way of life. In the very same way now, we have to stand up for the American way of life (with reopenings).

These politicians are now saying publicly what many others are saying privately. If you reopen without a decrease in infections (as many states are) you will inevitably produce some new level of Covid cases. Its basic math: more contact with people who havent been tested (about 98% of the country) brings new infections. Fortunately, most of those people wont get very sick, and some will have only mild symptoms  or none at all. But of course some will become very ill, and some will die.

Its not just Red states either. California Governor Gavin Newsom said the nations most populous and Democratic state has enjoyed a ray of sunshine with virus numbers and would begin reopening. He said it could even continue if the number of new infections increased slightly.

None of this meets the federal guidelines of reopening after two weeks of continuously declining infections. Thats only happening in a few cities or regions, and of course people from other hotspots could enter those places at any time and infect more people.

But from coast to coast, pressure is growing from businesses, employees and consumers to end the lockdowns and begin creeping back to normal. Were in a new month, and some people want to think that the worst of this pandemic was in March and April. The weather outside is so inviting, and there is some scientific belief that the virus will fade with warmer temperatures and exposure to more ultraviolet rays.

But fade does not mean disappear. And the nations total number of deaths is already predicted by the Trump administration itself to reach 130,000 by this fall, double the number of just a few weeks ago. Yet more politicians and the people who voted for them are saying that this is the price we have to pay to rebuild our economy. Like generals on the night before a big battle, they are going over the plans and estimating the losses that will come. They are not callous, but they believe the victory is worth the sacrifice.

More Information Deadly calculus Estimate of number of fatalities by Sept. 1 with strict or moderate coronavirus controls Texas - 26,000 or 39,000 deaths Florida - 13,000 or 19,000 deaths Georgia - 19,000 or 31,000 deaths California - 49,000 or 53,000 deaths New York - 34,000 or 39,000 deaths Source: Rand Corp. See More Collapse

Its a tough call, especially because a vaccine for the coronavirus probably wont be available until next year and theres no single form of treatment that helps most victims. Yet if we remain locked down until 2021, the economic and social costs would be staggering.

A better option would be to wait one more month and begin the reopenings in June, at least for secondary business like barbershops, beauty salons and gyms. Carnival Cruise Lines is waiting until August to restart. With restraint like that, the plateau might have turned into a real decline. But that was apparently too much, and now we risk a resurgence of the virus this fall  because it was only stalled this spring by the very measures we are now abandoning.

Will the increase in jobs and sales be worth the tradeoff of more deaths? Will society as a whole accept this and regard the lost as expendable? Well all find out over the long, hot summer. Try to stay cool  and safe.

TTaschinger@BeaumontEnterprise.com
Travel company Airbnb is laying off 1,900 employees, roughly 25% of its workforce, the company announced to employees Tuesday.

According to a memo sent by CEO Brian Chesky, the booking company expects its 2020 revenue will be less than half of what it made in 2019; the company reportedly made almost $5 billion last year. As the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe, travel, both domestic and international, has all but ground to a halt  with no clear picture of when leisure and business trips will resume.
Contact tracing is underway to isolate a small cluster of cases connected to an undisclosed workplace in western Manitoba.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 5/5/2020 (623 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Contact tracing is underway to isolate a small cluster of cases connected to an undisclosed workplace in western Manitoba.

Manitoba's chief public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, also said Tuesday a seventh Manitoban has died from complications of COVID-19.

Public health officials are investigating the cluster of five cases of COVID-19 in the Prairie Mountain Health Region, Roussin said. The workplace is not connected to health care.

"The investigation shows it is not putting members of the public at risk," he said at his daily briefing.

Dr. Brent Roussin, chief provincial public health officer, and Lanette Siragusa, chief nursing officer for Shared Health, speak during the provinces latest COVID-19 update on Tuesday. Public health officials are investigating the cluster of five cases of COVID-19 in the Prairie Mountain Health Region. The workplace is not connected to health care and Dr. Roussin said that the investigation shows it is not putting the public at risk. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)

Roussin said employees who have tested positive and their close contacts are self-isolating and detailed contact tracing is ongoing to identify possible exposures and contain the cluster.

Ten cases have been announced in Manitoba over the past week, including four on Friday. Roussin said cases connected to the cluster in western Manitoba were identified over the weekend.

The provinces top doctor said he doesnt believe the outbreak poses a significant risk to the public and the company is cooperating with the province to test workers and put sanitization protocols in place.

"Certainly it's led to a very thorough contact investigation and a number of people being advised to self-isolate," Roussin said.

Roussin declined to comment on where the cluster is located or what industry the company belongs to.

"It's been investigated internally at the site and so we're not giving further details about that," he said.

A spokesman for United Food and Commercial Workers Local 832 said the union is not aware of any outbreaks of the virus at unionized workplaces in the region, including meat packing plants and grocery stores.

Two large meat processing facilities are based in the Prairie Mountain Health Region  Maple Leaf Foods in Brandon, Man. and HyLife Foods in Neepawa, Man.  and packing plants have proven to be vectors of the virus in other communities. In High River, Alta., over 900 cases have been identified at a Cargill meat packing plant.

"Depending on the situation ... that probably would be something we would disclose given the issues in other places," Roussin said. "Our contact investigation shows that its not posing a risk to the public in general."

He said Manitoba's seventh pandemic-related fatality was a man in his 70s who had underlying health conditions and was in intensive care at hospital before being moved out of the unit. Roussin said the man was not a resident of a long-term care facility.

"We extend our condolences to their family and friends," Roussin said. "Certainly it's sad to see each of these cases and we get lost in numbers, but we certainly realize these are all Manitobans that we've lost."

He said 238 people are considered to have recovered from COVID-19 and 37 cases remain active. Four people are hospitalized with no patients in intensive care, as of Tuesday afternoon. The total number of cases in Manitoba is 282 and 27,775 tests have been performed since early February.

Chief nursing officer with Shared Health, Lanette Siragusa, said the province has made a down payment to buy the rapid COVID-19 testing system known as a Spartan Cube but no decision on moving forward with the purchase has been made as the province awaits approval from Health Canada to use the test in clinical settings.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca

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A Tasmanian hospital worker has tested positive to coronavirus with fears ten other staff members may have also contracted the disease.

The health care worker aged in their 40s at Launceston General Hospital tested positive on Tuesday night.

Ten other staff members came into contact with the patient and will undergo testing on Wednesday and will not return to work until they receive their results.

The staff member who works in the COVID-19 ward had not been at work for a fortnight due to feeling unwell and was the second person to test positive in the state on Tuesday.

A healthcare worker at the Launceston General Hospital (pictured) in Tasmania has tested positive to coronavirus

'The infection of the healthcare worker will be thoroughly investigated,' Public Health Deputy Director Scott McKeown said.

'The likely source is as a result of their work and providing care to someone on the ward but we do need to investigate all possible sources.

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

'Ten staff members have been identified (as close contacts and) won't return to work until they have been tested.'

Dr McKeown said the person had only worked for a very short amount of time when they would have been infectious.

The second case in the state was a person aged in their 70s.

The person living in north-west Tasmania is believed to have been associated with an outbreak at the North-West Regional Hospital.

Premier Peter Gutwein assured Tasmanians he would not relax border restrictions.

'Tasmanians, I'm certain, will not accept a relaxing of our border controls while the virus is still loose in Victoria, New South Wales or other states,' he said.

There have been 223 cases of coronavirus in Tasmania with 13 deaths.
NEW HAVEN  The Bike New Haven program has been suspended for the forseeable future, officials said in a message to riders Tuesday.

Bike New Haven officials previously announced plans to remove all bicycles made available through the program on Jan. 1, as organization sought to transition from one operating system, Noa, to another, TapBike.

That effort has been delayed indefinitely by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, officials said in a statement Tuesday.

Our intention was to improve service and provide frequently requested features. We were working diligently to prepare the system to be relaunched, and we were looking forward to introducing the final product. Unfortunately, given the current instability created by the global COVID-19 pandemic, the delay has been prolonged indefinitely, officials said.

The company will be refunding those with active subscriptions to the service and deactivating those accounts, according to the statement. Those needing further assistance were asked to contact bikenewhaven@p3gm.com.

Lourdes Martinez, a staffer with PG3 Global Management, said that in addition to the technical barrier, relaunching at this time is not prudent considering current circumstances around the globe.

P3GMs JerseyBike system is still operating but has seen a 76% decline in utilization since the middle of March. Across the industry, micromobility vendors have seen declines in utilization and revenue between 40% and 100%, as reported by the New York Times and others, Martinez said in a statement. In New Haven, advertising contracts that were lined up have been canceled as outside partners focus on preserving resources due to the current economic uncertainty.

In addition to the required shift to a new operating system, economic conditions would have to improve for the Bike New Haven effort to relaunch, Martinez said. Relaunching with the original operating system is not possible, she said.

City Transportation, Traffic & Parking Director Doug Hausladen said he hoped the program would return if the city moves past the pandemic.

The Bike New Haven program is, among hundreds of other city programs, being monitored as the Citys response to COVID continues, Hausladen said in an email. As this is a no-cost program to the city ... it is our hope that the Bike New Haven program will be able to return should the public health emergency allow safe operations of the contracted service to resume.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
COVID-19 Not Affecting Afghan Border Fencing, Pakistan Army Says

By Ayaz Gul May 05, 2020

Officials in Pakistan say a unilateral construction effort has erected a robust fence along "more than 70%" of the country's roughly 2,600-kilometer border with Afghanistan, and the coronavirus pandemic has not hampered the work.

Pakistan has reported a relatively low number of cases of COVID-19, with more than 21,500 infections and nearly 500 deaths.

The army-led, roughly $500 million project to secure the largely porous and historically open frontier was launched in 2017, and officials expect it to be finished by the end of this year or by summer 2021.

The fence has been installed along more than 85% of the border in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and almost 70% percent in southwestern Baluchistan province, according to the information shared with VOA by the military's media wing, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The pair of three-meter-high mesh fences, a couple of meters apart, are filled and topped with coils of razor wire, running through rugged terrain and snow-capped mountains as high as 12,000 feet. Additionally, hundreds of new outposts and forts, equipped with modern surveillance gadgetry, also are being built.

Chief military spokesman Major-General Babar Iftikhar told a local news channel Monday night the coronavirus-related lockdown has not affected the border security project.

"The fencing activity has not stopped. The stretch of Pak-Afghan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is near completion and the work is speedily underway on the stretch in Baluchistan," Iftikhar told Pakistani ARY news channel in an interview broadcast.

Officials maintain the fence would go a long way in addressing concerns of Pakistan and Afghanistan stemming from illegal crossings and militant infiltration.

Afghan officials are opposed to Pakistan's border security measures because Kabul disputes the 1893 British colonial era demarcation, what Afghans still refer to as the Durand Line. Islamabad rejects the objections and maintains Pakistan inherited the international frontier after gaining independence from Britain in 1947.

The United States also has hailed Pakistan's border security measures and U.S. officials told lawmakers during recent Congressional hearings that Washington "sees the Durand Line as the internationally recognized boundary."

The border fencing in a traditionally lawless border region followed years of sustained counter-militancy operations, killing thousands of militants and pushing many others into volatile border provinces of Afghanistan.

The Pakistani military says it has effectively "dismantled" terrorist infrastructures in the area, leading to improved security and a sharp reduction in militant attacks in the country.

One of the border districts, North Waziristan, however, has experienced a spike in attacks on Pakistani security forces in recent months, fueling concerns militants are trying stage a comeback in their former stronghold.

The ISPR dismissed those concerns and explained the violence stemmed from ongoing "intelligence-based" security operations to clear remaining "terrorist hideouts" and "sleeper cells" in the district.

The media wing insisted capacity issues apparently have prevented Afghanistan from adequately manning the border, particularly in its eastern and southeastern provinces, which encouraged fugitive militants and those linked to Islamic State to establish bases there and plot cross-border attacks against Pakistan.

Islamabad maintains its security and ensuing diplomatic efforts helped Washington in negotiating and signing the landmark agreement with the Taliban February 29 toward ending nearly 19 years of war in Afghanistan.

In return for a withdrawal of U.S. and coalition forces from the country, the deal seeks Taliban counterterrorism assurances and engagement in negotiations with other Afghan groups to end decades of hostilities in the country.

The proposed intra-Afghan peace dialogue has been delayed, though, because of a slow-moving prisoner swap between the Taliban and the Afghan government and stepped up insurgent attacks.

The Pakistani foreign ministry Sunday described the U.S.-Taliban agreement as a "significant step forward" and a "historic opportunity" toward opening intra-Afghan peace negotiations. It called for a reduction in violence by all parties to the conflict, saying it is "pivotal" in advancing peace in Afghanistan.

"For its part, Pakistan will continue to support a peaceful, stable, united, democratic and prosperous Afghanistan, at peace with itself and its neighbors," according to the statement.

Pakistani officials take credit for arranging and facilitating the U.S.-led Afghan peace process. Taliban leaders and their families have lived among several million Afghan refugees that are still hosted by Pakistan.

Islamabad also had recognized the Taliban government in Kabul in the mid-1990s, along with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, before the Islamist group was ousted from power by a 2001 U.S.-led military invasion of Afghanistan for sheltering al-Qaida leaders.

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GENEVA - A senior Chinese diplomat expressed backing for the World Health Organization on Wednesday, but said an invitation for the agencys experts to visit Wuhan to look into the origins of the coronavirus must wait until after the pandemic is beaten.

First things first: The top priority for the time being is to focus on the fight against the pandemic, said Chen Xu, Chinas ambassador to U.N. institutions in Geneva, when asked about the timing of a possible invitation for a WHO team. We need the right focus and allocation of our resources.

So its not we are allergic to any kind of investigations, inquiries or evaluations, he said, as long as it will be beneficial to the international efforts.

The comments from Chen amount to the latest Chinese diplomatic push, just as the United States has criticized the WHO over its handling of the COVID-19 outbreak that has infected millions and killed at least 250,000 people  and its alleged coziness with Beijing.

Chen said China is now on board for an initiative led by the WHO, many European countries and charity groups like the Gates Foundation to expedite vaccines and COVID-19 treatment tools to developing countries. He didnt offer details on how China would show its support.

The U.S. meanwhile has not lined up for the Access to COVID-19 Tools, or ACT, Accelerator that aims to help the most vulnerable countries gain access to vaccines, diagnostics and treatment tools for the coronavirus as they emerge.

President Donald Trumps administration has criticized the WHOs handling of the early outbreak and announced a suspension of funding from the U.S.  the U.N. agencys top donor. Administration officials have accused the WHO of covering up missteps as the outbreak emerged in Wuhan.

Chen said the U.S. was duty-bound to keep up its funding.

We do hope that the Americans could have second thoughts, to come back to the right track, he said, offering support and praise for the WHO and Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and expressing his total confidence in the integrity of the agency.

Trump last week criticized the WHO as an apparent pipe organ and public-relations agency for Beijing and pointed to unspecified evidence that the outbreak came from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Many scientists and the WHO believe the outbreak has its origins in nature.

___

Follow AP news coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
A study from the University of Hyderabad has found a characteristic dissimilarity between the SARS Coronaviruses that are capable of causing human infection and those which cannot.

According to the research, the sequence motifs specific to human SARS coronavirus-2 hosted by the human bodys ACE-2 receptor can be exploited as potential candidates for antibody design towards a COVID-19 cure.

At the same time, the UoH study cautions that some bat SARS coronavirus genomes are still evolving and may eventually acquire the capabilities to infect humans, posing a potential threat in the future.

Professor Lalitha Guruprasad of the School of Chemistry, University of Hyderabad has analyzed the complete genomes and spike protein sequences of several SARS coronaviruses from the bat, civet, human and human SARS coronavirus 2.

A person is COVID-19 infected when a SARS coronavirus protein named - Spike, that forms a crown-like appearance Corona specifically binds to human angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) receptor.

ACE-2 is a carboxypeptidase of the renin-angiotensin hormone system and acts as a receptor for human coronaviruses SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. To put it simply, an effective handshake between human ACE-2 and spike protein from the virus is required for causing the infection, Professor Guruprasad tells DH.

Guruprasads study revealed that "three sequence regions and a disulfide bridge are present only in SARS coronavirus spike proteins that bind ACE-2 receptor, whereas, these sequences are absent in bat SARS coronaviruses that are incapable of causing human infection".

Mutations of a more transmissible form of SARS coronavirus-2 subsequently reported by the Los Alamos National Laboratory, USA is associated with one of the sequence regions identified by us, says Guruprasad.

Guruprasads research is based on the viruss DNA sequencing database of the National Centre for Biotechnology Information of the USs National Institute of Health.

The present COVID-19 disease is caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) coronavirus-2 with its epicenter reported from Wuhan, China during December 2019. It has rapidly become a pandemic resulting in an alarming number of infections and deaths worldwide. It is known that bats are natural reservoirs of SARS coronaviruses.

The SARS coronavirus constantly gets mutated in bats and jumps across species, thereby animals such as civets and pangolins acquire the virus. Further mutations of the virus and human contact with these host animals would result in a human infection leading to severe respiratory disease.
SPRINGDALE, Ark., May 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc., the beef and pork subsidiary of Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) today announced it will resume limited production at its Waterloo, Iowa facility on Thursday, May 7. Team members have been invited to tour the facility Wednesday to view the enhanced safety precautions and protective social distancing measures installed throughout the plant.



The reopening of the facility follows a tour of the plant by Black Hawk County health officials, Waterloo Mayor Quinten Hart, Black Hawk County Sheriff Tony Thompson, UFCW Local 431 President Bob Waters and other local business leaders and a subsequent joint company and community leader review of the companys protocol to safely resume operations. The pork processing facility temporarily suspended harvest operations on April 22 to test its team members for COVID-19.

Our top priority is the health and safety of our team members, their loved ones and our communities, said Tom Hart, plant manager of Tysons Waterloo facility. We appreciate the collaboration and support of Black Hawk County health officials, Mayor Hart and Sheriff Thompson as we tested team members and took proactive steps to complement our existing prevention efforts, working with epidemiologists and other experts.

Tyson has partnered with Matrix Medical Network, a leading medical clinical services company, to establish an onsite clinic to provide team members with enhanced care. This includes diagnostic (PCR) testing for COVID-19, daily clinical screenings, access to nurse practitioners and employee education and support for personal health goals or concerns.

I had the chance to tour the Tyson plant in Waterloo and see the additional steps taken to keep the workers safe during these trying and unknown times, said Bob Waters, president, UFCW Local 431. Tyson has gone above and beyond to keep their employees safe and I support the reopening of the facility. This pork plant and all of the measures theyve put in place are an example of how to effectively set up a safe work environment for the employees.

It is my sincere hope that the Tyson Waterloo operations can once again find its footing and become a better, even more productive part of our Black Hawk County business community, said Sheriff Tony Thompson. The amount of obvious energy put into addressing this plants workspace and personal protective deficiencies became clear during our recent visit and I look forward to continuing to monitor and work with local plant leadership to ensure a cooperative effort moving forward.

People are our number one asset and first priority, said Mayor Hart. I am pleased that Tyson is working on protecting its employees and partnering with the community leaders for the good of all.

All team members returning to work have been tested for COVID-19, and any team member who has tested positive will remain on sick leave until released by health officials to return to work. Team members who have not been tested will be unable to return to work and all new hires will be tested prior to starting work.

While the plant was idle, the company performed an additional deep clean and sanitization of the entire facility. Returning team members will see the changes made to promote social distancing and protective measures that meet or exceed CDC and OSHA guidance. These include:

Wellness health screening of all team members each time they arrive at the facility, checking for symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath in addition to continuing use of the infrared thermometers to check temperature.

The supply of protective facial coverings to every team member and requiring they are worn.

The required use of face shields for team members where workstation barriers cannot physically be implemented.

Additional dedicated social distance monitors stationed throughout the facility during all shifts to help ensure team members adhere to safety protocols and social distancing requirements.

The company has doubled its thank you bonus for its frontline workers. Team members who cannot come to work because of illness or childcare issues related to COVID-19 will continue to qualify. Tyson Foods has also increased short-term disability coverage to 90% of normal pay until June 30 to encourage team members to stay home when they are sick.

About Tyson Foods

Tyson Foods, Inc. is one of the worlds largest food companies and a recognized leader in protein. Founded in 1935 by John W. Tyson and grown under three generations of family leadership, the company has a broad portfolio of products and brands like Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Wright, Aidells, ibp and State Fair. Tyson Foods innovates continually to make protein more sustainable, tailor food for everywhere its available and raise the worlds expectations for how much good food can do. Headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas, the company has 141,000 team members. Through its Core Values, Tyson Foods strives to operate with integrity, create value for its shareholders, customers, communities and team members and serve as a steward of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it. Visit TYSONFOODS.COM .

Media Contacts:

Liz Croston, 712-259-3079, liz.croston@tyson.com





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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) London, United Kingdom  Wed, May 6, 2020 10:44 623 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd640c22 2 World UK,US,cybersecurity,cyber-attacks,coronavirus,COVID-19,health-worker,professional Free

Britain and the United States warned Tuesday of a rise in cyber attacks against health professionals involved in the coronavirus response by organized criminals "often linked with other state actors".

The transatlantic allies' cyber security agencies issued a joint warning to healthcare and medical research staff, urging them to improve their password security amid the threat.

Britain's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said they had seen "malicious cyber campaigns targeting organizations involved in the coronavirus response".

The two agencies added they had detected large-scale "password spraying" tactics -- hackers trying to access accounts through commonly used passwords -- aimed at healthcare bodies and medical research organizations.

British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab echoed the warning at the daily Downing Street coronavirus press conference, noting perpetrators had "various objectives and motivations" -- from fraud to espionage.

"But they tend to be designed to steal bulk personal data, intellectual property and wider information that supports those aims.

"And they're often linked with other state actors," he said.

In their joint warning, the NCSC and CISA said they had identified targeting of national and international healthcare bodies, pharmaceutical companies, research organizations, and local government.

They added "the likely aim" was gathering information related to the pandemic.

The agencies advised healthcare staff to change any passwords that might be guessed to one created with three random words, as well as implementing two-factor authentication to reduce the risk of being hacked.

Paul Chichester, NCSC Director of Operations, said his agency was "prioritizing any requests for support from health organizations and remaining in close contact with industries involved in the coronavirus response".

"But we can't do this alone, and we recommend healthcare policy makers and researchers take our actionable steps to defend themselves from password spraying campaigns."
The Long March-5B completes a successful maiden flight, officially kicking off China's space station construction

Global Times

By Deng Xiaoci Source:Global Times Published: 2020/5/5 18:18:45

China's latest state-of-the-art carrier rocket, the Long March-5B, made a successful maiden flight on Tuesday, during which the new rocket managed to send the assembly of a trial version of the country's new-generation manned spaceship with no crew and a testing cargo-returning spacecraft into planned orbit. The successful launch signaled that a new era of the construction of China's manned space projects including space stations has been officially ushered in, according to rocket developer and space industry insiders.

The 53.66-meter-long Long March-5B, with a diameter of 5 meters for its core, took off from the Wenchang Space Launch Center on the coast of South China's Hainan Province on Tuesday. After a flight of 488 seconds, the payloads separated from the rocket's body, and went into designated orbit.

"The successful maiden flight of the Long March-5B, a new type of launch vehicle that has been specially developed for China's manned space projects, marked the era of construction of a Chinese space station officially dawning," Wang Jue, chief commander of the Long March-5B rocket, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the State Council [China's cabinet,] and the Central Military Commission extended congratulations on the successful maiden flight of the Long March-5B on Tuesday.

The Long March-5B carrier rocket also made key breakthroughs including achieving a 'zero window launch' - a term to describe extremely high, second-level accuracy of the launch procedure, separation technology between a payload cabin of a large diameter and the rocket body, and high thrust orbiting technology, Li Dong, chief designer of the Long March-5 rocket, told the Global Times.

Such key technological breakthroughs are exclusively relevant to the imminent construction of the space station, Li explained.

Ji Qiming, an official with China's Manned Space Agency, revealed at a Tuesday press conference that China eyes to complete the construction of its space station by roughly 2022 which includes 12 flight missions.

After the Tuesday debut flight of the Long March-5B, there will be launch missions of the Tianhe core cabin, Wentian and Mengtian lab cabinswhich are modules of the space station, Ji said.

There will also be four launch missions each for the Shenzhou manned spaceship and the Tianzhou cargo spaceship, to allow astronauts to rotate time in space and cargo supply.

The One-and-a-half stage

The Long March-5B carrier rocket with one core stage and four boosters - which is known as a half stage - makes it the first heavy-lift rocket with liquid rocket propellant that has adopted such a one-and-half stage into orbit technology in China, according to a statement from the rocket developer, the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), sent to the Global Times on Tuesday.

Such a one-and-a-half stage mode would remarkably increase the rocket system's reliability as the fewer the stages, the simpler the complexity of the system would be. And the reduced time of stage separation also lowers the chance of malfunctions, per the CALT statement.

The one-and-a-half mode also means better cost efficiency, and such technology has been widely applied in countries like Russia in their space projects with a high rate of success, Song Zhongping, a military and space technology expert, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Pang Zhihao, a Beijing-based space expert, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the maiden flight of the Long March-5B would fill in a blank space in China's carrier rocket category, and declared that China has entered the world's first-class league in terms of large-scale Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) carrier rocket technology capabilities.

The new rocket, using clean fuels such as liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen and kerosene, weighed 849 tons at launch and has a take-off thrust of around 1,078 tons, enabling it to carry payloads no less than 22 tons into LEO, CALT told the Global Times.

The 22-ton LEO carrying capability of the Long March-5B means that it could send three Tiangong-1 labs into space on one go, Wang Xiaojun, the CALT head, was quoted as saying in the statement.

From the Long March-1's launch capability of 173 kilograms to the Long March-5B's 22 tons, China's space program has set up a much bigger platform for development, Wang said.

Similar in appearance, different in services

The Long March-5B is a smaller variant of the Long March-5, which is currently the strongest member of China's carrier rocket family, and nicknamed by space fans as the "Fat Five" due to its chubby shape. Both rockets belong to the Long March-5 launch vehicle series as they have a similar appearance.

Observers are able to tell the difference between the two brother models of the Long March-5 series by simply looking at the size of their payload fairing and the nose cone on the top of a rocket to protect it against impact pressure and heating during launch through the atmosphere.

Long March-5B possesses the largest payload fairing among all Chinese carrier rockets to date, with a height of 20.5 meters - as tall as a six-story building - and a diameter of 5.2 meters, which, according to the CALT, is customized for the spaceship's launch mission.

Also, the two Long March-5 models vary significantly in the type of services they are supposed to provide. The Long March-5 is mainly used to send large-scale satellites, as well as deep space explorers such as the Chang'e-5 lunar probe and Mars probes, into high Earth orbit, whereas the Long March-5B is the go-to type for launch missions for spacecraft such as the core and lab cabins of the future space station into LEO.

Two more launch missions of the Long March-5 carrier rocket series will be conducted this year. The Long March-5 Y4 will launch the country's first Mars probe by the second half of the year, and the Long March-5 Y5 will send the Chang'e-5 lunar probe to the moon, returning with moon surface samples as the highlight of the mission, according to the CALT.

The ready lineup of 'three warriors'

By the completion of the Long March-5B's maiden flight, all three types of carrier rockets, dubbed the "three warriors" that are commissioned specially for China's manned space projects, are now ready in place.

The three carrier rockets in this series are the Long March-2F, the Long March-7 and the Long March-5B.

Jing Muchun, chief commander of the Long March-2F, told the Global Times that in the past two decades, the Long March-2F has sent five unmanned, six manned spaceships and two space labs into space with a 100 percent success rate.

The 13 successful Long March-2F missions include one sending Yang Liwei, China's first astronaut, into space in 2003.

The Long March-2F has developed two working modes for manned and cargo-only missions, in order to meet the requirements of China's manned space missions.

The Long March-7 is known as the "charted train" for space cargo with a launch capability of 13.5 tons into LEO, and 5.5 tons into 700-kilometer-solar synchronous orbit (SSO.)

"The Long March-7 will be in charge of cargo shipments for the space station, delivering basic material supplies such as water, food and spacesuits for the astronauts. It will also be used to provide necessary material supplies for the space station maintenance as well as conducting in-orbit refueling missions for the space stations," Meng Gang, chief commander of the Long March-7, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

The Long March-2F, the Long March-7 and the Long March-5B carrier rockets will work jointly to build the country's upcoming space station, carrying out launch missions for the space station cabins, spaceship and cargo shuffles respectively, per the CALT statement.

China aims to complete the construction of its space station around 2022. The space station will be a T shape with the Tianhe core module at the center and a lab capsule on each side. The core module - at 16.6 meters long and 4.2 meters in diameter, with a takeoff weight of 22.5 ton - will be the management and control center, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

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Secretary of state says the US will use every tool to secure the release of Americans held following armed incursion.

The United States government will use every tool available to secure the return of Americans if they are being held in Venezuela, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo promised on Wednesday, after Venezuelan officials said they had captured two US mercenaries in a failed armed incursion.

There was no US government direct involvement in this operation, Pompeo told reporters, echoing President Donald Trumps remarks a day earlier. He added: [If] wed have been involved, it would have gone differently.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Monday that authorities there had detained a pair of US citizens working with a US military veteran who has claimed responsibility for the foiled incursion, launched last weekend.

Pompeo stopped short of confirming the Americans detention but called it a consular matter.

We will start the process of trying to figure a way, if in fact these are Americans that are there, that we can figure out a path forward, he said. We want to get every American back. If the Maduro regime decides to hold them, we will use every tool that we have available to try and get them back.

Asked who may have bankrolled the operation, Pompeo said: Were not prepared to share any more information about what we know took place.

Maduro said authorities arrested 13 terrorists involved in what he described as a plot coordinated with Washington to enter the country via the Caribbean coast and overthrow him. Eight people were killed, Venezuelan authorities said.

Maduro on Monday showed what he said were the US passports and other identification belonging to Airan Berry, 41, and Luke Denman, 34. He said they were in custody and had been working with Jordan Goudreau, an American military veteran who leads a Florida-based security company. All three men are former US special operations forces members.

The US has waged a campaign of sanctions and diplomatic measures against Venezuela in an effort to remove Maduro, a socialist leader they accuse of rigging elections in 2018. But the Trump administration has shown no apparent interest in military action.





Maduros government says the US wants to control the OPEC member nations massive oil reserves.

Since in early 2019, the US and dozens of other countries recognised opposition leader Juan Guaido as the legitimate interim president.

But Maduro remains in power, backed by Venezuelas military as well as Russia, Cuba and China, which some US officials say privately is a source of frustration for Trump.

Guaido  often derided by Maduro as a US puppet  has cast doubt on the governments version of Sundays events.
Ecuador extends state of emergency over COVID-19 pandemic for 1 month - President

Mexico City, May 6 (Sputnik) Ecuador is extending a state of emergency, which was imposed in the Latin American country amid the spread of COVID-19, for 30 more days starting from May 16, President Lenin Moreno said on Wednesday.

"With the support of the Security Council, we extended the state of emergency for 30 days, starting from May 16. The security council is ready to work on a comprehensive review of the budgets of state services, Moreno tweeted.

The president added that around 10-15 percent of the budgets will be reviewed, and thus the main functions of state institutions will be unaffected.
Amid a pandemic thats made emergency service personnel more important than ever, two high school technology departments in Southeast Texas are helping those workers stay safe on the job.

A joint effort from Kirbyville and Sabine Pass school districts has provided Beaumont Emergency Management with 45 new Personal Protective Equipment masks designed to best-fit the needs of hospital workers and other emergency responders taking part in advanced procedures.

Students and faculty at the schools designed the protective headgear in conjunction with Beaumont EMS, then used 3D printers to create the equipment that represents a significant upgrade from they previously used. With students forced to stay home amid coronavirus restrictions, Kirbyville Director of Technology Jimmy Gaspard said it was a win-win for both the schools and Beaumont EMS.

Its nice to be able to create things that can help other people, Gaspard said. We have the 3D printers and the filament only lasts so long once you open it, so this seems like the perfect way to use it.

The idea for the new headgear first started during a separate project by members of the Kirbyville technology department. They were using the 3D printers to create earsavers for nurses who were suffering irritation from constantly wearing cloth masks.

Gaspard shared the finished product in his Facebook page  a post that soon went viral, he said. Before he knew it, Gaspard had more than 300 requests for the earsavers from workers across the country.

It caught the eye of Sgt. Mike Custer, who thought the 3D printers could be useful to Beaumont EMS as well. The department was looking for new PPE headgear, and Custer was intrigued by what the Kirbyville department could create.

After some back-and-forth regarding designs, Kirbyville began the process of creating the new, more-protective masks.

Problem was, Kirbyville only had one 3D printer. So Gaspard enlisted some help from a friend at the Sabine Pass technology department, Mark Simmons.

At Sabine Pass, Simmons had 20 such printers, making him capable of quickly churning out projects.

After Jimmy called me up, we pretty much started printing the headgear right away and never stopped, Simmons said.

The finished product was a more efficient and effective mask than Beaumont EMS had used before. Previous headgear covered less area and included foam strips, making them harder to clean and reuse.

The new 3D-printed masks had a strong plastic frame that allowed the shield to be easily removed.

The big deal about these is they deconstruct, which greatly extends the life of the gear, said Trista Peevey, a spokesperson for Beaumont EMS.

Both districts technology departments continue to make other useful items using the 3D printers.

At Sabine Pass, students have previously worked with Early Childhood Intervention Services to create toys safe for kids with certain developmental disabilities. Theyve also created prosthetic limbs and made headstones for local cemeteries.

We want to work on real-world projects that make a difference, Simmons said. Weve taken a more engineering approach to this and designed an entire curriculum around it.

As for the PPE headgear, Gaspard said even though the 45 masks have been delivered to Beaumont emergency officials, hes more than willing to keep production going.

Well keep printing as many as they need, he said. I think we all get excited when we see something we designed get put to good use in the community.

mfaye@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/mattGfaye
Two weeks after New York City shut down, Poonam Sharma Mathis went into labour.

She had once harboured deep fears about childbirth, but those were soothed when her son, Pierce, was born four years ago without complications. At 42 years old, Poonam was delighted to be pregnant again, this time with a girl. Youll never be alone now, she wrote in a note to Pierce. She bought herself a pink nightgown to match her future daughters pink onesie, envisioning their first picture together.

Then came the coronavirus outbreak. Poonams anxiety began to grow as the death toll rose. Her scheduled cesarean suddenly seemed ominous. It was possible her husband, Kris, 42, would not be allowed by her side. This will be the worst time to be gutted like a fish, she thought.

Mid-March: The fear sets in

Worried about the impending apex, Poonam attempts unsuccessfully to move her delivery date up. An article about a newborn with COVID-19 is particularly rattling.

Poonam decides to channel her fears into recording a podcast about her experience. Her work as an entrepreneur (she had been raising money for her second startup  a co-working space with licensed on-site child care) is on hold anyway. The podcast will be a release for her; a way to start a discussion about the unknown.

So, Im officially scared, she announces on the first episode.

March 30: Going into labor and meeting a baby girl (through a mask)

Poonam begins having contractions. She and Kris arrive at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, which is already slammed with critically ill patients. More than 1,200 people have died from COVID-19, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the worst is yet to come.

Kris is allowed inside after his temperature is taken at the door. The nurses assure them that everything is going to be fine. Kris is ordered to wear a surgical apron, gloves, bootees and a mask. Once Poonams contractions are 15 minutes apart, she is wheeled into the triage room where her nose is swabbed for a COVID-19 test.

At 6:33 p.m., Asha is born. She is 7 pounds, 11 ounces with wise, brown eyes. After about a half-hour in the recovery room, Kris is asked to leave.

March 31: A really, really bad night

Poonam breastfeeds while wearing a mask, her face turned to the side. Later, she learns that she has tested negative for COVID-19. She kisses her daughter for the first time. That night, stabbing pain keeps her awake. It feels as if she has been sawed in half. She has trouble catching her breath. She throws up eight times. She weeps. Meanwhile, Asha cries to be fed.

April 1: The recovery continues to be brutal

Standing seems to make breathing more comfortable, so Poonam slowly paces her room. After a harrowing night, shes still in pain. The whole recovery has been really brutal, she says. I think the nurses are doing their best. And the moms are doing their best. But it is so traumatic being here without somebody to advocate for you. She thinks back to when her son was born and how family members flocked to the hospital. This birth has felt so lonely.

April 2: Going home and staying there

There have now been more than 1,500 deaths from COVID-19 and nearly 52,000 confirmed cases in the city.

Waiting to be discharged from the hospital, Poonam is anxious to be reunited with Kris and Pierce, even if it means being stuck inside their home in Manhattan. Outside the hospital, Pierce is thrilled to meet his sister in person. Asha, he says with glee, the name new and exciting. Asha, wake up, Im your big brother.

Now: A new baby and a new reality

Poonam has been home for more than a month. The pain subsided a couple of weeks ago; she struggles now with bending down and physical exhaustion.

Asha is a good sleeper with a sweet disposition and a bit of colic. Pierce likes to kiss her when she cries. There have been dozens of family phone calls and video chats. And a trip to the window of Poonams parents home where hands were pressed to glass.

The loveliness of having a newborn is offset only by an uncertainty about what lies ahead, how long this all must go on.

The future, I have no idea, I just wait and see, Poonam says. But I dont feel deep terror. I just feel sadness.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday approved a proposal for voluntary monthly contribution of one day's salary for next 11 months to the PM CARES fund for COVID-19 by nearly 1.5 million-strong armed forces and all other employees of his ministry, officials said.

The total estimated contribution would be around Rs 5,500 crore if majority of the armed forces personnel and employees of the ministry including from the defence public sector undertakings decide to go for it, they said.

According to an official note, the contribution to the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund (PM CARES) will start from May and will continue till March 2021.

"Any officer or staff willing to contribute one day's salary for any or all the months from May 2020 to March 2021 may intimate their willingness to their respective Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) in writing mentioning her/his employee code," according to the note.

Officials said the defence minister as well as all senior officials of the ministry and three services are making their contributing to the fund as mentioned in the note.

The armed forces personnel as well as employees of the defence ministry have already made a contribution of one day's salary last month, totalling around Rs 500 crore.

In March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced setting up of the PM-CARES to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

Political leaders, corporates, defence personnel, employees of PSUs such as Railways and Bollywood personalities were among a cross-section of organisations and people making their contribution to the fund.

The government has also decided to accept contributions from abroad to the fund.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
South Carolina police have detained two men in connection to the sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl with 'diminished mental capacity.'

Tasheen A Walker, 20, and Jonah D Fishburne, 18, were detained late on Monday and charged with second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor.

The duo are still detained at the Charleston County Detention Center, KATU reports.

Tasheen A Walker, 20, and Jonah D Fishburne, 18, were detained late on Monday and charged with second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor

The North Charleston Police Department shared that they were alerted of the alleged sexual assault after multiple people began reporting a Facebook Live video.

An officer looked over the video and asked for anyone who had information to call authorities. Details were provided by multiple sources, which led police to an abandoned building.

There, they found the victim and her mother. Both were visibly upset.

An officer asked the victim what happened and she said that she was walking to her grandmother's house after hanging out with her boyfriend, when a group of five guys asked her to hang out with them.

Police asked the victim what happened and she told them that as she was walking to her grandmother's house, a group of five guys (that included Fishburne) asked her to hang out

The victim told police that the men grabbed her and forced her into the house, where they then began assaulting her in the basement of the home.

Police said the victim identified Walker and Fishburne, adding that she didn't recognize the other three. The other three men had left the area by the time police arrived.

The teen was taken to a local hospital, where she received treatment.

Police are asking that people not share the video as it shows child pornography. Sharing the video, images or links to it, is a crime.
- Earlier, the National Telecommunications Commission ordered the closure of broadcasting company ABS-CBN

- Following the decision, the Senators aired their different opinions regarding the cease and desist order

- Some of the Senators shared their concerns over the 11,000 employees of ABS-CBN who are about to lose their jobs

- Meanwhile, Buhay Partylist Rep. Lito Atienza apologized and blamed the Congress and House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano for the pending franchise renewal of ABS-CBN

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On Tuesday, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) issued a cease and desist order against media giant ABS-CBN.

KAMI learned that some Senators voiced out their opinions regarding the decision of NTC.

In various social media posts, the Senators shared their different comments regarding the matter, most especially the 11,000 employees of ABS-CBN who lost their job during the COVID-19 crisis.

Senator Ping Lacson:

My wife says the closure order issued by the NTC against ABS-CBN is the cruelest act of the year because its absence in millions of Filipino homes here and abroad has sealed the ultimate boredom caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senator Sonny Angara:

Standing with ABS-CBN in the time of the pandemic. C'mon Congressmen make it happen pls. Thousands of families will lose jobs and incomes.

Senator Nancy Binay:

Kulang pa ba ang nagugutom dahil sa Covid at kailangan nyo pang dagdagan?

In these trying times, information save lives. Tapos, ngayon n'yo pa tatanggalin ang 11,000 Pilipinong katuwang sa paghahatid ng impormasyon? You don't kill the people and the platform delivering valuable life-saving information.

Senator Grace Poe:

I trust that our colleagues in the House and Senate will do the right thing and act on it. More than ever, it is now that we must uphold our duty under the Constitution, protect the freedoms of the press and expression, and ensure fairness in all our proceedings. The whole government is expected to do the same.

Senator Joel Villanueva:

To issue this cease and desist order against ABSCBN in times of COVID19 when people need jobs to survive the pandemic is just heartless considering congressional hearings have shown that the station has not violated any law to justify none extension of franchise.

Senator Risa Hontiveros:

Nasa 11k ABS-CBN employees ang nanganganib na mawalan ng trabaho habang nasa serbisyo publiko, mga manggagawang maituturing ding frontliners.

Senator Francis Kiko Pangilinan:

Itoy kalokohan. Sa gitna ng pandemya ito inaatupag ng gobyerno.

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As previously reported by KAMI, Buhay Partylist Rep. Lito Atienza apologized because the Congress did not do its job regarding the franchise renewal.

ABS-CBN is one of the biggest TV networks in the Philippines. Its franchise has expired while the renewal case is still pending in the Congress.

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!

In this video, a 4Ps member replied to critics and provided an explanation as to where her cash aid goes! Check out all of the exciting videos and celebrity interviews on our KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel!

Source: KAMI.com.gh
NOTE: This story has been edited to reflect that the final version of the bill didnt attempt to reduce the amount of time a governor could call for a state of emergency.

As promised, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has vetoed legislation that would have shortened the length of some of her executive orders.

Senate Bill 858 would have amended Michigans Emergency Management Act of 1976, laying out deadlines for when some of Whitmers executive orders would end. Notably, it would have allowed restaurants, bars, gyms and other public-facing businesses to open May 15 with social distancing measures in place.

The bill originally included a stipulation to shorten the amount of time a governor can call for a state of emergency without needing legislative approval, from 28 days to 14 days. That provision wasnt in the final version approved by the legislature.

In her veto letter, Whitmer said the bill goes against recommendations from public health officials, it doesnt allow governors to properly address disasters or emergencies and would be useless now anyway since the bill as passed wouldnt take effect until next year.

I will not sign any bills that constrain my ability to protect the people of Michigan from a deadly pandemic in a timely manner, Whitmer wrote.

Whitmer and the legislature are entangled in a debate about the governors emergency powers, since a 1945 law allows governors to call for a state of emergency for as long as necessary, while the 1976 law limits it to 28 days. Whitmer has said lawmakers in 1976 would have made the 1945 law inactive if thats what they intended.

Whitmer called for a 28-day state of emergency on March 10, the day the first COVID-19 cases were reported in the state. The legislature later approved an extension through April 30.

When the legislature declined to extend the emergency further, Whitmer extended it on her own through May 28  citing both the 1945 and 1976 laws. Both the house and senate voted to give leadership the go-ahead to sue Whitmer over this.

"The governor is choosing to consolidate all authority in state government for herself, setting in motion a constitutional crisis in Michigan," said State Sen. Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte, in a news release. Barrett introduced the bill Whitmer vetoed.

The bill also would have required various social distancing measures and other precautions for businesses, as they reopen.

The state of emergency is not the same thing as the stay-at-home order. The emergency allows Whitmer to create executive orders  like the stay-at-home order  without legislative approval and deploy resources as she sees fit.

Keeping everything shut down because of the decisions of one person is not acceptable, Barrett said in the release. "Our severe health and economic crisis is not being best served by our governors irresponsible and reckless actions.

COVID-19 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 coronavirus coverage here

Tuesday, May 5: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Whitmer issues orders extending state of emergency without support of legislature

From closing restaurants to requiring masks, Gov. Whitmer has issued 69 executive orders in 56 days

Six weeks into extreme social distancing, how are Michiganders still catching coronavirus?
SALT LAKE CITY, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As the U.S. begins to re-open on a localized level from precautions taken during the COVID-19 pandemic, forward-looking data is vital to our recovery. A continuously monitored short-term outlook on where the next potential outbreak may occur is critical for successful strategic response. Leavitt Partners Insight recommends that businesses, health care organizations, and public officials should constantly adjust their strategies and develop the best plan based on the potential COVID-19 outlook in their local areas.

Last month, Leavitt Partners Insight, provider of Torch Insight, launched the Leavitt Partners COVID-19 Burden Index. Data from the COVID-19 Burden Index indicates that non-pharmaceutical interventions have significantly "flattened the curve," reducing the projected peak hospitalizations by about 87 percent. The COVID-19 Burden Index helps U.S. health care providers and public health officials in tracking and measuring the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Social distancing efforts are working. The country is outperforming many of the forecasting models. The question is whether the models were overly pessimistic or completely attributable to mitigation strategies. The answer will be revealed in the next few weeks as states reduce their restrictions. We have developed this index to help care providers and state planners as they organize their response," said former Utah Governor and former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt.

"This progress is significant and laudable," said John Fiacco, president of Leavitt Partners Insight. "However, we are not out of the woods yet. It is extremely important to plan to reopen the economy and society in a way that will not lead to a resurgence of the pandemic," he cautioned.

On May 20, 2020, at 2:00 pm (ET), Governor Mike Leavitt will respond to new data from the COVID-19 Burden Index and discuss its implications during the webinar "Monitoring COVID-19: Near-Term Projections and Strategic Responses." David Muhlestein, co-founder and chief product officer for Leavitt Partners Insight, will share insights on the significant differences in state trends and forecasts of COVID-19 cases and how you can plan for the future. The variances may surprise you.

Register for the May 20 webinar here.

To access the COVID-19 Burden Index, visit our website: covid19.torchinsight.com.

About Leavitt Partners Insight

Leavitt Partners Insight provides Torch Insight, a SaaS health care data and analytics tool developed and incubated at Leavitt Partners. The Torch Insight platform combines hundreds of disparate sources to provide a coherent overview of health care markets. We use blended data to develop analytical models that reveal trends and relationships enabling our clients to make more intelligent decisions. For more information, please visit https://torchinsight.com.

Media Contact

Julie Sommer

Phone: 720.244.2138

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Leavitt Partners Insight

Related Links

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BRUSSELS -- After two weeks of negotiations among EU diplomats, the bloc's 27 member states have reached agreement on the membership "aspirations" and economic "integration" of their eastern neighbors into the bloc.

The text, agreed on by the ambassadors of the 27 EU countries on May 5 and seen by RFE/RL, represents the response to the European Commission's communique on the Eastern Partnership that was presented in March. The document is expected to be published in the coming days.

The Eastern Partnership program was launched in 2009 and is meant to bring Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine closer to the bloc without a clear offer of future membership.

Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine have since inked Association Agreements with the EU, including free-trade deals, but some member states have been reluctant to openly discuss the issue of the eventual accession of these countries.

The European Council "recalls the 2017 Eastern Partnership Summit declaration which acknowledges the European aspirations and European choice of the Eastern partners concerned," the final document agreed by the ambassadors reads.

It also says that "continued alignment with the EU internal market and gradual economic integration" of eastern partner countries are "of key importance."

The wording in the two sentences is very similar to the language used in previous EU documents.

Several officials had previously told RFE/RL that France, backed by some southern EU members, was insisting on putting in brackets the two phrases, meaning that unanimity has not yet been reached on the language.

Other parts of the document were slightly watered down.

For instance, in a phrase saying that the council "reaffirms the joint commitment to building a common area of shared democracy, prosperity, and stability," the word "security" was omitted.




Haiti - COVID-19 : MSF demands that the United States end repatriation to Latin America and Haiti





Government of the United States must halt all deportations from Latin America and the Caribbean, countries with lower transmission, to avoid worsening public health crisis in the region "Despite the risk of contagion and the implications for people's health, the US has continued to organise flights to deport migrants and asylum seekers [...]" said Marc Bosch, MSF coordinator in Latin America.



"Most of the countries to which the deportees are sent have fragile health systems. Any measure that contributes to regionally spreading the disease or putting people at risk must be stopped immediately," added Sergio Martin, MSF general coordinator in Mexico



Remember that since the end of March, the Trump administration has closed the US border to asylum seekers, creating an additional risk for people fleeing the violence who, if they are deported, will be exposed to the risk of Covid-19 and death threats.



The public health implications of continued evictions from the United States are not limited to Mexico. The Guatemalan President recently ended deportation flights to the country after the deportees arrived sick.



In Haiti, recent deportees from the United States were also tested positive for Covid-19 during the repatriation of 68 Haitians on April 7, https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30473-haiti-flash-the-united-states-expels-68-haitians-in-the-middle-of-a-pandemic.html followed on April 22 by a second repatriation of 128 Haitians https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30608-haiti-social-128-haitians-repatriated-by-the-trump-administration-arrived-in-the-country.html



MSF recalls that people awaiting deportation from the United States are often detained in centers for weeks, even months. These establishments in the United States have become ideal locations for the massive spread of the disease. MSF called on the American authorities to release the people from immigration detention in order to reduce the transmission.



"Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Haiti have very limited capacity for testing, surveillance, treatment... a major COVID-19 epidemic could be catastrophic. Currently, these countries do not have quarantine mechanisms that guarantee the safe isolation of people arriving from abroad and their full access to diagnostic and treatment methods."



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30579-haiti-usa-haitian-deportation-relief-act-a-bill-to-suspend-the-deportation-of-haitians.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30608-haiti-social-128-haitians-repatriated-by-the-trump-administration-arrived-in-the-country.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30583-haiti-politic-usa-will-repatriate-129-haitians-in-full-pandemic.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30473-haiti-flash-the-united-states-expels-68-haitians-in-the-middle-of-a-pandemic.html



HL/ HaitiLibre


















United Nations officials are praising winners of an international hackathon for creating technical solutions to fight the disease COVID-19.

The hackathon, called CodeTheCurve, was launched on April 6. More than 160 young people from 26 countries entered the competition.

The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, provided support for the hackathon. Additional support came from the American technology company IBM and the European software business SAP.

At first, each team received more than 20 hours of training from computer experts, the hackathons organizers and other technology companies. Then, the actual competition began.

The teams  made up of members under age 25 - had just seven days to develop their COVID-19 solutions. During this period, they received help from technical experts, all of them volunteers.

In the end, the hackathons organizers declared three winning teams in different areas.

The team honored for its solution in the social and health issues category was recognized as the overall CodeTheCurve winner. This team, called X-COV, was based in Spain. It created a data model combining artificial intelligence - AI - programs, machine learning and imaging technology to analyze chest X-rays of COVID-19 patients.

The device-based tool is designed to speed up the process of identifying severe coronavirus cases and to help doctors make faster, more informed decisions.

Joaquin Lopez led the Spanish team. He told an online event announcing the winners that his team was made up of students, radiologists and researchers. The project began when Lopez started talking with doctors and hospital officials. He asked them if there was an immediate need in the medical community to process x-ray data from COVID-19 patients. The answer, he said, was a very strong yes.

Do you have the data? And they said yes, we have tons of data. If you want to analyze chest x-rays from patients, we have thousands of them in this hospital and there are many other hospitals that will help you on this.

Lopez said one thing his team learned was the importance of doing research. He said they spent a lot of time talking with people who would use the system, and not just working on coding.

Another winning team was VRoam of Toronto, Canada. This team  made up completely of high school students - won in the Ensuring Continued Learning category.

A representative of the group, Christy Xie, said the team developed an app that uses virtual reality - VR - to show a virtual world. This software program lets users explore different places around the world while exercising. The system uses AI technology to present well-known places and provide facts about them. Users are required to wear VR eyeglasses, which are connected to a mobile device.

Christy Xie said the idea came about because members of her team were all stuck at home because of public safety measures. Some had to cancel planned trips to other countries. In addition, the students had limited exercise choices.

She said the app provides a solution for all these issues.

It is an app that combines exercise and learning together, so that people are able to travel the world and they can learn, visit historical sites, and exercise from home.

She added that the experience showed her team how unprepared communities were for the health crisis and how the situation affected the whole education system.

It really just emphasizes the point that anything is possible. Like, we could be hit by a pandemic, but at the same time we are able to work together as a team.

The third winning team, called COVIDImpact, was led by Ali Serag of Vancouver, Canada. His team developed an assistance solution for small businesses, which has already begun working with some Canadian companies.

Serag explained that the system is designed to equip founders and business owners with everything they need to immunize their business to COVID-19 and its after-effects.

The system identifies government and private programs that can assist and provide financial support to small businesses during a crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes collecting real-time news about the coronavirus and providing this news to businesses.

Serag said the tool uses AI and machine learning to predict how small businesses might be affected in future pandemics to permit them to take steps to prepare beforehand.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn reported this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

Quiz - Hackathon Winners Provide Solutions for Fighting COVID-19 Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

_____________________________________________

Words in This Story

hackathon  n. an event at which people come together to write or improve computer programs

analyze  v. study something carefully

tons  n. an extremely large amount

coding  n. a language used to program computers

app  n. a program for a smartphone or other device that performs a special function

virtual reality  n. a set of images and sounds produced by a computer to represent a real place or situation

emphasize  v. show that something is important by bringing attention to it

immunize  v. protect a person or animal against disease
Adam Philipson, the CEO of an arts nonprofit in New Jersey, told CNBC on Tuesday that the coronavirus crisis seriously threatens the arts industry.

"We tried to build our runway as long as we can, but unless there's going to be some sort of a reinvestment in the entire arts sector, you're going to see theaters and not-for-profit organizations closing left and right," said Philipson, head of the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, New Jersey.

Philipson said on "Power Lunch" if that happens, "resuming some semblance of normalcy in our lives will be impossible to do because people are going to crave to be together of course when it's safe."

The National Endowment for the Arts received $75 million as part of the $2 trillion CARES Act signed into law by President Donald Trump in March. State arts agencies and regional arts organizations received 40% of the funds to distribute, while the remaining money is for direct grants for arts nonprofits across the U.S. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington also, controversially, received $25 million in the CARES Act.

However, Philipson said the challenges faced by arts organizations is greater than the government aid that has so far been allocated. "Those kinds of numbers are not going to sustain a sector that is critical for the resemblance for our lives," he said.

The Count Basie Center for the Arts has received about $787,000 through the Paycheck Protection Program, but Philipson said those funds will not be able to sustain the organization over the duration of the coronavirus-related revenue hit.

"That can't carry us for long at all. I mean maybe it's two months," he said. "I think back when we applied and got it, and of course we're very grateful that we did get it, June seemed like a year away and now June is coming around the corner pretty quickly."

Philipson said he is hearing chatter in the arts industry that they could begin to reopen and hold events in September, "if we're lucky." "There's talk that it could be as late as January," he added.

The Count Basie Center for the Arts receives about 75% to 80% of its revenue through concerts, classes and similar events, Philipson said. "Being nonprofit, the proceeds, or the extra that we have, the surplus, goes for rainy funds, of which we've blown through all of it in the last three months."

The organization has been able to adapt and move some of its classes and events online since New Jersey moved to ban large events in March, Philipson said. But it has still been a difficult road, he said.

"Survival does not look great for us. In fact it doesn't look great for the entire arts sector," he said. "We have not made a dollar since March 12. The losses are astounding."
STEPANAKERT, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. President of the Republic of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan visited today the town of Mekhakavan where he handed over state awards to a group of servicemen of the Defense Army for the bravery shown during the defense of the homelands borders, the Artsakh Presidential Office told Armenpress.

President Sahakyan got acquainted with the living conditions of the servicemen, gave respective instructions for solving the existing problems.

President Bako Sahakyan was accompanied by Secretary of the Security Council Arshavir Gharamyan, Defense Minister Jalal Harutyunyan and other officials.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
A Large Majority Of US House Members Call For Extension Of Iran Arms Embargo

Radio Farda May 05, 2020

A large majority of U.S. legislators on both sides of the aisle called on President Donald Trump's administration on Monday, May 4, to push for an extension of a United Nations arms embargo on Iran.

In a new letter to the U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, 387 bipartisan members of the House of Representatives urged the State Department on Monday to apply "robust diplomacy" to renew the embargo as well as travel restrictions on people aiding in Iran's proliferation activities.

The embargo expires on October 18.

"We are concerned that the ban's expiration will lead to more states buying and selling weapons to and from Iran," the members wrote. "Additionally, states concerned about Iran's malign activities may feel they do not have sufficient legal authority to stop transfers once the U.N. embargo expires."

They advised the department to work with "allies and like-minded partners" to rally support to extend the embargo and "make clear to the international community that U.S. sanctions on Iranian arms transfers remain in place and will be fully enforced."

The bipartisan group is led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel, New York Democrat, and ranking member Michael McCaul Rep-texas, as well as Stephanie Murphy Dem Florida, and Brian Fitzpatrick, Pennsylvania Republican, and encompasses more than three-quarters of all House members.

The current arms embargo on Iran was adopted in 2015 in conjunction with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers, China, France, Germany, Russia, the U.S., and the U.K.

Under the deal, Iran agreed to halt its sensitive nuclear work in exchange for sanctions relief.

After extending the JCPOA for four consecutive times, Washington ultimately dropped the deal on May 8, 2018, and imposed batches of economic sanctions on the Shi'ite clergy-dominated Iran.

Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo has already said the United States may unilaterally trigger the "snapback" option in the JCPOA, which would restore a broad array of international sanctions because Iran is not complying with the deal. The snapback provisions apply to all parties to the deal once they are triggered by a single party.

Meanwhile, Pompeo has noted that he is also open to working with allies to extend the embargo through other means.

However, referring to Washington's withdrawal from the JCPOA, critics argue that the Trump administration is not a party to the deal; therefore, it is not in a position to exploit the trigger mechanism of the agreement to sanction Iran.

"The United States is not a member of the nuclear deal anymore ... Iran's reaction to America's illegal measures will be firm," the spokesman of the Islamic Republic Foreign Ministry, Abbas Mousavi said.

Furthermore, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, warned in a tweet last Sunday that the nuclear deal "will die forever" by "circumventing (UN Security Council) 2231 Resolution & continuing Iran's illegal weapons sanction".

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/a-large-majority-of -us-house-members-call-for-extension-of- iran-arms-embargo/30593428.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.

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Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Houston Chronicle

Occidental Petroleum warned shareholders Wednesday that it may not be able to sell its assets quickly enough to pay back debt incurred after its high-profile takeover last year of rival Anadarko Petroleum.

The Houston oil and gas producer planned to sell $15 billion of assets by late 2021 to repay investors who funded its $38 billion Anadarko acquisition in August. But the value of many of Oxys assets have taken a big hit during the recent oil crash. Oxy on Wednesday said it did not close on any sales during the first quarter, and was forced to write down $1.4 billion of its assets as oil prices plummeted.
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Everybody knows professional wrestling is a performance, but its still dangerous. The goal is always to put on a show safely, but sometimes wrestlers get injured. Former WWE superstar Dave Bautista says hes been responsible for injuring some of his opponents, and he always felt guilty about it.

| J. Shearer/WireImage for BWR Public Relations

Bautista was a guest on Michael Rosenbaums Inside of You podcast on May 5, calling in from his home in Tampa, Florida. When they got to talking about his wrestling career, Bautista shared some stories of accidental injuries for which he was responsible.

Dave Bautista held back early in his wrestling career

Bautista said there was a learning curve to wrestling performances. Early in his career, he was too reserved out of fear of hurting his opponent.

It was almost a hindrance early on in my career because I was so afraid of hurting someone that I appeared to be nonagressive, which in professional wrestling just doesnt help your career, Bautista told Rosenbaum. I didnt want to hurt anybody. Thats part of our job. We have to protect the people were working with ebcause they also need to make a living. They need ot go out and perform.

Dave Bautista tried to apologize when he hurt Randy Orton

Bautista remembered one bout with Randy Orton. When he tried to apologize for hitting him for real, he only made it worse.

L-R: Randy Orton, Batista and Ric Flair | Djamilla Rosa Cochran/WireImage

I hit him really hard and he sold it and I knew I hit him really hard, Bautista said. I was trying to get close to him to apologize to him so I kept punching him. Then I hit him hard again and Im going oh my God, Im so sorry. The more Im trying to apologize, the harder Im hiting him. He finally smacks me and goes, Just get the f*ck away from me!

Ron Simmons showed professional courtesy

Early in Bautistas wrestling career, he fought Ron Simmons. During the bout, he stuck his thumb in Simmons eye.

I thumbed him and I knew it, Bautista said. I felt my thumb go up in his eye and I felt horrible. Not only did I feel horrible, but at the time I was a rookie and this guy was a former world champion. He had the respect of everybody. I was like oh man, Im getting fired. This guys going to kill me.

After the bout, Bautista tried to apologize. Simmons wouldnt hear it.

Dave Bautista | KMazur/WireImage

I go backstage and start to apologize, Ron, man, Im so, so, so sorry, man, Bautista said. He goes, For what? I said, I thumbed you in the eye. He goes, No, no, no, I just have some sweat in my eye. He didnt want to make me feel bad. It was just one of those things. It just happens. He didnt want to make me feel bad about it, self-conscious about it, worry about it.

Booker T went too far with Bautista

Bautista said hes been on the receiving end just as many times. He knows its part of the job and doesnt hold it against his opponent. However, Booker T once went too far.

Dave Bautista | Gaye Gerard/Getty Images

The thing that really bothers me about that altercation is he started a fight with me when I was injured, Bautista said. We got into it anyway but I always thought it was really, really low of him to start a fight with me when he knew I was injured. Even if he was pissed at me or not, you dont fight a guy whos dealing with an injury.
Help India!

By Dr Farrukh Khan

I have been thinking of writing this for a long time, but could not do it due to facing backlash from all corners. However, this time, I have gathered all my courage to write this.

Support TwoCircles



Our community has a strong activism syndrome which is only reflected by their social media posts. We are so trained in this adventure that we have learnt the art and science- both of jumping the gun, although holding our backs to the wall. I am perplexed that why we tend to engage in hate-mongering social media posts despite knowing very well that even best of constructive arguments wont change the heart of the person who has posted such content-full of hatred.

I have carefully studied this pattern of hate-mongering posts albeit, with a rider that my study cannot be said as perfect. Let us take an example of a politician known by the name of Kapil Mishra. In his pre- BJP days, he was with AAP and just google some of his videos and tweets of the erstwhile AAP era and you would sense what I intend to convey, which I aim not to repeat hereinafter for the sake of brevity. Even he went on record in Delhi assembly levelling serious allegations against our current PM with one incident which happened just before 2014 elections. Thereafter, he switched the sides and aligned with BJP. He was being confronted by a serious identity crisis and due to his earlier venomous speeches against ruling party leaders, he was trying his best to overcome the previous stigma. So, he rebranded himself into well-calculated hate-mongering with high octane contents- and, it worked. Not only he was successful in obtaining ticket in the assembly election, though he was defeated, also, but he also had his hall of fame. This is not a fiction  a story which everyone could testify amid the era of social media contents availability with a click of a button. What moral we take from this? That, in politics, there is no ideology. In politics  what it matters is to get power- at any cost. Remember that someday even if Mishra chooses to switch his sides and join congress- he would be branded as one who wants to pay for his sins. Unbelievable! Okay! So, Sanjay Nirupam is an example!

Please understand that with growing unemployment amid youths, many tend to find their destiny in politics. For that and to avoid the long queue they need some catalyst substance. So, they start with hate contents and this is when we, without understanding the prognosis, and with an attitude of cantankerous headmaster intervene and try to preach senses. Even some of us cross the fine line and take the same approach as to hate mongers. This is where they get success. Why? Wait for a sec. They need you to amplify their hate-mongering so that they could reach the zenith of success by jumping the long queue in drawing imperative attention of their political masters. Do you think that pictures like shooting Mahatma Gandhi with toy gun and ministers praising Godse as nationalist are accidental? No, it is done with the sole purpose of hatching the larger plot as said forgoing. So, what we should do? Should we just avoid? The solution is, no let the law takes its own course. Just report such posts, if you intend so, and keep silence. Do not amplify the posts by sharing and commenting. Unfriend them or block on social media, simply.

Please note that majority of Indians are still people with secular credentials. They want to live in peace! However, they are also scared of confronting these hate mongers. Their apprehensions are not entirely unfounded and unwarranted.

We also need to control our nerves in commenting on each and every issue whether it pertains to us or not. Today morning, I saw my social media flooded with posts commenting, albeit with satire, on alcohol shops. I ask why? Why even we need to comment on such an issue? I know good Samaritan will say how its wrong to call spade a spade? Yes, you are right  but not always. Remember demonetization which was made a communal issue by our own firebrand rhetorical leader! Suddenly bloodthirsty media captured the moment and wow! You may disagree with me  but- let me tell this very stairway that communalisms has also penetrated in the minority community. It may be argued as a reaction but society does not work on the law of Newton! Can we condone hate-mongering rhetoric of Akbaruddin Owaisi under the disguise of similar speeches, or if much higher octane, being made by others? No, I cannot.

Engaging in a verbal spat with hate mongers only embolden them. They get what they want! Believe me  its all about TRPs be it on televisions or any such definition akin to social media. Even rushing to courts or police stations by lodging complaints do not serve the purpose  for all cases. Most people by filing a complaint before a police station thinks that their job is done, and they start boasting it in social media! As a practising lawyer, may I draw your attention that every complaint being filed at police station does not culminate into FIR, without which investigation even do not kickstart? But, wait! Our self-styled warriors think that by filing complaints they have done their job. Now, the police, in their opinion albeit, misconceived, will have Carta Blanche to bring the culprits to justice. SM warriors celebrate such things on their posts and their followers join the show! And the end results  zilch. I have also carefully pursued some social media handles of self-styled social media warriors having lacs and thousands of followers and you know what they do! Just spare some time to search for such handles in our community and see the never-ending fiasco. They are even not worth to be discussed here.

So, by now you would be wondering what is the solution? Indeed, there are solutions although there could not be a prescription-based solution for all problems. First of all, we must forthwith cease and desist in engaging with such hatred related posts even if they are by so-called journalists. Avoid them .. simply .. dont trend it.. dont oppose it the more even if you oppose it gets the desired TRPs or Trending. Let such hate-mongering die a natural death. You are their actual intended receipts and the moment, we react, their purpose stands served. Avoid them, do not comment and dont retweet/share. Let them play their match in their own field. Wouldnt it be interesting? Think over it. Secondly, take professional legal assistance by practising lawyers  not by those holding law degrees and boasting about themselves- having not argued a single case in their life. Dont! Hire a professional lawyer and deal with such cases in accordance with the law. Do not rush to file cases for all such messages  coming from unverified trolls and persons struggling with an identity crisis. Only push for those cases those who have some standing in society and who claim themselves to be a reputed person. And while exhausting legal remedies do not be selective  sue each and everyone  who is hate monger- be it from any community, organisation or party. Last but not the least, have a close watch on new Messiahs which you would find cropping up like anything. They would induce you with their aggressive social media posts however, they would simply log off their accounts, if you, acting in good faith, get induced by them.

Some simple solutions would ease of your life and you could sleep with less anxiety. Law has to take its own course, sometimes it appears not to take, very fairly, however, persistent legal battle with patience will definitely yield results. And remember history has been always cruel to dividers and hate mongers  let them enjoy the patronage today, history will not forgive them. Let us be united and fight for our rights  strictly in accordance with the law and our constitutional framework. The roots of democracy is not so week that it would be stormed by these hate mongers. Throw your trust in our exalted constitution, exhaust your fundamental right of right to constitutional remedies. Dont get scared with recent abnormal trends. The roots of our democracy are so deep-rooted in cohesion that it cannot be destroyed.

Dr. Farrukh Khan, Advocate is an Advocate practising before Supreme Court of India.
He would also be at a higher risk, not only for the gunshot wound, but also for his asthma, based on the situation in the jails for COVID-19, she said, according to the transcript.
KALAMAZOO, MI  More people have moved from a Kalamazoo homeless shelter into hotel rooms as local organizations work to find a safer way for homeless people to live while facing the threat of the coronavirus, which can spread in settings where people spend time congregated together.

After all of the families living at Kalamazoo Gospel Ministries moved to a local hotel in late April, additional groups of people moved over to the undisclosed location in early May, said Michelle Davis of Housing Resources, Inc.

About 150 people are now living at the hotel, occupying 105 rooms, Davis said on Friday, May 1. The hotel-based relief shelter is for people not showing any signs of COVID-19 infection, Davis said.

The goal is to reduce crowding at the homeless shelter while also providing a place where families can stay together and adhere to social distancing guidelines.

Some of the funding to temporarily house homeless people at the hotel is coming from the United Ways Disaster Relief Fund and the Kalamazoo Community Foundations Community Urgent Relief Fund. HRI is also contributing funds for the effort, Davis said.

The funding has allowed agencies including HRI to move quickly, and they are planning to receive additional grant funds in the future that could be used to help replenish some of the initial funding sources, Davis said. She expects state homelessness assistance funds through Michigan State Housing Development Authority Emergency Solutions Grant funds, expected in May, will ultimately cover much of the cost.

The estimated cost for the hotel rooms is $100,000 every two weeks, Davis said, which also includes staffing costs including 24/7 security, as well as laundry and food services. The hotel bill is currently paid through May 15, Davis said.

After moving all families out of the shelter, organizers followed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines in selecting additional people living at the homeless shelter who are the most at risk for COVID-19, and moved them to the relief hotel, Davis said. They began by bringing people who are 65 or older and people with health issues that could put them at a higher risk for complications from the virus, and moved on from there.

During Tuesdays Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners meeting, county Health Officer Jim Rutherford said the communitys homeless population is growing due to the financial crisis the virus brought on. A newly opened day shelter and the local hotel have provided some relief, Rutherford said.

He compared the situation of shifting people to the different shelters to pots getting hot on a stove.

When you see one that has too much pressure you try to relieve that," Rutherford said.

The county has also created a separate quarantine location for people infected with COVID-19 or showing symptoms.

A joint project with Calhoun County, homeless residents who are showing symptoms are being tested and brought to a 60-bed hotel in Battle Creek.

At one point, the quarantine hotel was at 50% capacity, Rutherford said. This week, about 10-15 rooms were in use for individuals who tested positive, he said.

Those staying at the quarantine hotel receive daily meals and medical service, Rutherford said. The county is working with local first responders and WMed physicians to provide around-the-clock care, he said.

With Mothers Day around the corner, Davis said organizations involved in the effort to reduce numbers at Kalamazoos homeless shelter are putting together gift bags for all the mothers staying at shelters in Kalamazoo. They are asking people to donate a Mothers Day gift for the approximately 200 mothers in Kalamazoo County who do not have permanent homes, she said. Visit the organizations web site for more information.

One of those mothers went into labor while staying at the relief hotel for non-symptomatic people in Kalamazoo, Davis said.

Our goal is for this family not to return to the hotel, Davis said, highlighting the organizations mission to place people into housing long-term. HRI staff and other stakeholders are hopeful they can help some of the homeless people find a permanent place to live as an alternative to the homeless shelter.

The organization is expecting the effort to house people at the Kalamazoo hotel to last at least through May, she said, but they are preparing for the possibility of it lasting longer.

When its no longer needed depends on a number of factors including the trajectory of the virus and the government orders and recommendations related to the pandemic, which include rules and guidelines about congregating in groups.

HRI and other stakeholders including the city of Kalamazoo, the United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region, the Kalamazoo Community Foundation, Integrated Services of Kalamazoo, and the Kalamazoo County Department of Health and Community Services have collaborated to establish the different housing shelters to help encourage social distancing and promote safety for homeless people during the pandemic.

In addition to the hotel in Kalamazoo and the quarantine hotel in Battle Creek, organizers also opened a day shelter in Kalamazoo for people with nowhere else to go.

Read more:

Hotel used as quarantine space for homeless population exposed to coronavirus

$850K donated for coronavirus needs in Kalamazoo and Battle Creek

Homeless families move to Kalamazoo hotel to encourage safety during coronavirus
Diller-Odell fifth grader Jesse Gilman-McCown was surprised with candy and posters from his teacher and classmates recently, wishing him luck in the national Battle of the Books Competition sponsored by Gallaudet University.

The competition is to promote literacy among deaf and hard of hearing middle school students, as well as promote academic competition, good sportsmanship and encourage critical thinking.

Gilman-McCown, along with two other Nebraska students, read a number of books to prepare. Over four days, the students were ranked and then played bracketed matches.

There are some critical thinking-type questions where they have to respond with more than just one sentence, then there are questions where theres less content that is specifiedIt takes a lot of teamwork and brainstorming between the kids, Lisa Richardson, an ESU 5 educator, said.

The competition was originally slated to be held at Gallaudet University in Washington D.C., but was transitioned online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Tuesday, the team finished in eighth place after losing to the California School for the Deaf-Fremont with a score of 35-39.

Hilary Milligan, Gilman-McCowns mother, said his favorite books in the competition were The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl.

Richardson said Gilman-McCown has gained public speaking and working under pressure skills from this competition, and that hes already preparing to compete next year.

He has just built a lot of confidence, Richardson said. Knowing that he is able to earn a position on a national team has just been really empowering for himI think he surprised himself.

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PHILADELPHIA, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Independence Blue Cross (Independence) kicks off National Nurses Week, May 6-12, with the announcement of 2020 Celebrate Caring winners and honorees. Celebrate Caring recognizes outstanding nurses in the Greater Philadelphia region.

The nurses being recognized were chosen from over 1,100 nominations submitted by co-workers, patients, family, friends, and neighbors. The winners and honorees represent a variety of health care settings across the region.

Winners can designate a $2,500 donation to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is meaningful to them. Their stories will be featured by Independence and its media partners, 6abc and iHeartRadio. Independence has also coordinated with the nurses' employers and nominators to surprise them with the news. They will receive flowers, gift cards, food deliveries to worksites, and a commemorative plaque.

Daniel J. Hilferty, Independence CEO, also recorded a special "thank you" message for the winners and honorees: "Our Celebrate Caring honorees this year include nurses on the front lines of COVID-19. And they include nurses meeting the time-honored challenges of the profession, helping patients at every stage of life. Congratulations to our winners, finalists, and nominees. And to every nurse who gives everything they have to this incredible profession."

"Independence initially launched Celebrate Caring to recognize the 'unsung' heroes of health care  nurses," said Paula Sunshine, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Independence. "Now, as we fight a pandemic, the world is united in its appreciation of frontline health care workers. This campaign to honor their dedication and caring has become even more meaningful."

Winners

Kemberly Giron , BSN, RN, is a bilingual nurse on a designated COVID-19 floor at Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia. Her nominations said she demonstrates caring, commitment, and advocacy for her fellow nurses, patients, and the community.

is a bilingual nurse on a designated COVID-19 floor at Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia. Her nominations said she demonstrates caring, commitment, and advocacy for her fellow nurses, patients, and the community. Felix Jones , BSN, RN, was nominated for his work as a rehab nurse at Good Shepherd Penn Partners and a nurse in the Philadelphia Department of Prisons. Jones also volunteers with youth through the Department of Health Services' Boy's and Girl's Track Programs and the nonprofit RECLAIM U.

was nominated for his work as a rehab nurse at Good Shepherd Penn Partners and a nurse in the Philadelphia Department of Prisons. Jones also volunteers with youth through the Department of Health Services' Boy's and Girl's Track Programs and the nonprofit RECLAIM U. Andrea Kirsch, RN , CRNP, was nominated by a patient at Women for Women OB/GYN in Wynnewood, PA , who was touched by Kirsch's compassion throughout the patient's challenging journey to become a parent.

was nominated by a patient at Women for Women OB/GYN in , who was touched by Kirsch's compassion throughout the patient's challenging journey to become a parent. Stacey Lang, RN , BSN, CMSRN, was nominated for making a lasting impact for the family of a dying patient at Lehigh Valley Hospital  Muhlenberg . Lang bought greeting cards for every major life event and helped her patient create special messages to leave behind for his daughter.

was nominated for making a lasting impact for the family of a dying patient at Lehigh Valley Hospital  . Lang bought greeting cards for every major life event and helped her patient create special messages to leave behind for his daughter. Jeff Salvatore , MSN, RN, CCRN-CMC, Clinical Nurse Specialist at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, leads a team of float nurses, now known as the "Swab Squad," charged with running the COVID-19 mobile testing site at the hospital's Center City campus. Jeff's team rallied behind him to submit several nominations for Celebrate Caring, pointing to his unmatched positivity and leadership during a crisis.

Honorees

Len Capone, RN , Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania , Penn Medicine

Hospital of the , Penn Medicine Michaela Corcoran, RN , BSN, Pediatric Specialty Care at Point Pleasant

Pediatric Specialty Care at Kim Kristoff , BSN, RN, CBC, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Children's Hospital of Dominica Leisey, RN , BSN, Holy Redeemer Hospital, Meadowbrook, PA

Holy Redeemer Hospital, Andrea Lindley, RN , BSN, SICU RN, Temple University Hospital

Hospital Christina Ryan, RN , CPTC, Gift of Life, Philadelphia, PA

Gift of Life, Laetitia Simeral, RN , MSN, CRNP, Abramson Cancer Center, Penn Medicine

Abramson Cancer Medicine Laura Smith, RN , BSN, DON, Barclay Friends in West Chester, PA

in Edward Welsh, RN , Jefferson Frankford Hospital, Jefferson Health  Northeast

Celebrate Caring is a multimedia campaign designed to honor nurses, Independence continues to work diligently to support members, health care providers, and the community at large during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information about the company's response to COVID-19, visit ibx.com/covid19.

For more on Celebrate Caring, visit ibx.com/nurses or follow #CelebrateCaring on Facebook and Twitter.

About Independence Blue Cross

Independence Blue Cross is the leading health insurance organization in southeastern Pennsylvania. With our affiliates, we serve nearly 8 million people nationwide. For more than 80 years, we have been enhancing the health and well-being of the people and communities we serve. We deliver innovative and competitively priced health care products and services; pioneer new ways to reward doctors, hospitals, and other health care professionals for coordinated, quality care; and support programs and events that promote wellness. To learn more, visit www.ibx.com. Connect with us on Facebook at facebook.com/ibx and on Twitter at @ibx. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

Media contact: Britni Zahodnick

908-451-7521 (mobile)

[email protected]

SOURCE Independence Blue Cross

Related Links

www.ibx.com


Manhasset, N.Y.  The coronavirus hot spot raging at a large agricultural greenhouse in Madison County demonstrates that workplaces with people in close quarters can be breeding grounds for infection spikes, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today.

It is about worker density and large gatherings, he said during a press briefing in Manhasset on Long Island. Thats the caution flag here.

The facility, Green Empire Farms in the city of Oneida, currently has 139 infections confirmed. Two workers have been hospitalized.

The state Health Department tested 186 workers over the weekend. More were tested yesterday.

Cuomo noted that various other food production facilities around the country, including multiple meat plants, have seen similar outbreaks. The type of product involved doesnt matter, he added.

Its when you run a facility with a large number of workers in a dense environment, he said.

It was a lesson New York learned early with one of its first hot spots in New Rochelle, Cuomo said. That involved big gatherings where the virus was able to spread easily.

The situation is being repeated now at the greenhouse, he said.

The facility employs 300 people. Owned by Mastronardi Produce of Kingsville, Canada, it grows and packages strawberries, tomatoes and cucumbers.

The site continues to operate and there are no plans to shut down. Workers who have tested positive are being quarantined in two hotels in the area.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

Is going to school in person obsolete? Cuomo wonders why old model persists

A struggle for PPP funds in Central NY: 6 small business owners, 1 bank and a lot of heartache

Almost half of Onondaga Countys coronavirus deaths are from nursing homes

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com

Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598
The Defense Department has yet to decide whether the traditional wreath-laying and other ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery will be open to the public for Memorial Day, cemetery officials said Wednesday.

Decisions on the possible lifting of restrictions in place at the cemetery to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus will be "conditions-based" and up to Defense Secretary Mark Esper, a cemetery spokeswoman said.

The cemetery, where more than 390 recipients of the Medal of Honor have their final resting place, has been closed to the public during the pandemic, with the exception of family members who are permitted entry to visit gravesites but must wear face masks.

Related: Troops Supporting Pandemic Response Should Get Hazard Pay, Senator Says

During the shutdown, soldiers from the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as "The Old Guard," have continued their solemn 24-hour vigil and changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the spokeswoman said.

The traditional planting of U.S. flags at each of the more than 400,000 gravesites by troops from all the services will continue ahead of the May 25 holiday, the spokeswoman said.

On Memorial Day, the president usually presides at Arlington ceremonies, laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and giving a speech to an audience of thousands in the cemetery's amphitheater.

Last year, President Donald Trump was on a state visit to Japan, so Vice President Mike Pence filled in for him. Prior to leaving for Japan, Trump and first lady Melania Trump visited Arlington and placed flags at several gravesites.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.

Read More: Accepting Gifts May Get Soldiers in Trouble, Army Warns
A federal judge ordered Tuesday that New York state hold its canceled Democratic primary in June, which places Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and other former 2020 candidates back on the ballot.

U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres of Manhattan ruled in favor of the legal team representing businessman Andrew Yang, who dropped out of the Democratic race in early February.

Yang's lawyers sued the State Board of Elections late last month after it canceled the state's primary, which had already been postponed for two months. Citing coronavirus concerns, the board stripped Sanders' name from the June 23 presidential primary ballot after he dropped out  effectively canceling the primary and making former Vice President Joe Biden the winner.

"The Court concludes that Plaintiffs and Plaintiff-Intervenors have shown a clear and substantial likelihood of success on the merits of their claim that the Democratic Commissioners' April 27 Resolution removing Yang, Sanders, and eight other Democratic presidential candidates from the ballot deprived them of associational rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution," Torres wrote in the conclusion of her 30-page ruling.

Dozens of states have postponed their primaries or moved to mail-in or drive-by voting as the pandemic has upended the 2020 election cycle. Some states, however, have gone forward with their usual in-person voting. Wisconsin, for instance, held its April 7 primary with in-person voting after Republicans blocked efforts to move to mail-in ballots, and several cases of the coronavirus have been linked to those who went out to vote.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday asked the central government to spell out its strategy whether it will lift or continue with the nationwide lockdown on May 17.

What after May 17? What criteria is the government using to judge how long the lockdown will continue? she said in her opening remarks at a video-conferencing of the partys chief ministers and senior leaders.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had first announced the 21-day nationwide lockdown to contain the deadly coronavirus disease from March 25 to April 14. The restrictions were first extended till May 3 and then further extended till May 17.

The Congress president also thanked the farmers, particularly of Punjab and Haryana, for ensuring food security due to the bumper wheat crop despite all odds.

Addressing the meeting, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said, We need to know, as Soniaji said, what will happen after the lockdown 3.0?. The CMs need to deliberate and ask as to what is the strategy of the government of India to get the country out of lockdown?

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said the central piece of strategy to fight Covid-19 is to protect the elderly and those who are diabetic and with heart conditions.

The meeting comes days after Gandhi announced that her party will pay for the train travel of stranded migrant workers, a move that triggered a slugfest between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The opposition party accused the government of being insensitive to the plight of stranded migrant workers while the BJP claimed that railways was bearing 85% of the fare cost, and state governments had to pay 15%, thus allowing migrants to go back home free of cost.

On his part, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh said his government has set up two committees to strategise  one on how to come out of the lockdown and other on suggesting ways and means for the economic revival.

Our concern is the people sitting in Delhi are deciding on classification of zones without knowing what is happening on the ground, he said.

His Rajasthan counterpart Ashok Gehlot demanded financial assistance from the Centre to states to sustain the impact of the Covid-19.

Until an extensive stimulus package is given, how will states and the country run? We have lost Rs 10,000 crore of revenue. States have repeatedly requested the Prime Minister for a financial package but we are yet to hear from the Centre, he said.

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel said states are facing an acute economic crisis and need immediate financial assistance.

Chhattisgarh is one state where 80% of small industries have restarted and nearly 85,000 workers have returned to work, he claimed.

His Puducherry counterpart V Narayanasamy said the Centre is deciding on zones without consulting the states. This is creating an anomalous situation. People sitting in Delhi cannot tell the states, No state or chief minister is consulted. Why? The Prime Minister is not saying a word on the economic package for states, he said.

Former finance minister P Chidambaram said states are bleeding in terms of finances but no money is being allocated by the Centre. The media too has brought out the unavailability of finances with states, he added.

For his part, former union minister M Veerappa Moily said the strategy to declare the lockdown or coming out of it has not been stated at all by the Prime Minister.
After his brother was murdered, Ahmad 'Rock' Ahmad's life fell apart.

His older brother Walid 'Wally' Ahmad died in a hail of bullets as he sat in a cafe in Bankstown in 2016, a cold-blooded killing that has never been solved and has been linked to the underworld shootings of at least three other men in south-western Sydney.

Ahmad 'Rock' Ahmad at a funeral in March 2017. Credit:Nick Moir

In the aftermath of Wally's murder, Rock Ahmad took on his brother's debts while he grappled with his grief, the District Court heard on Wednesday.

He also lost his small business and believed there was a price on his head.
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Emirates: 48-storey residential tower in flames, 7 injured In Emirate of Sharjah

(ANSAmed) - ROME, MAY 6 - At least seven people have been slightly injured after a fire broke out Tuesday evening in the 48-storey Abbco Tower in the Emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, said ABC News.



At 190 metres, the residential tower is one of the tallest buildings in Sharjah.



The cause of the fire, which broke out around 10 p.m. local time on Tuesday (7 p.m. in Italy), is still unknown. (ANSAmed).




You would never feel this way on land.

(Not in our country.) What a feeling. Generations of sailors have failed to describe it, so what are my chances? Me, Michael Partlow. Michael Partlow, who cant tell you the title of a single poem. Just ask my wife, her head is full of them.

When I first met him, I thought, Id never marry a guy like that. Too persnickety. Too conventional. No sense of humor! But I was wrong. Marriage and kids and the grind made Michael morbidly funny. He got funnier and funnier, while I, who had been funny, got less funny.

There was this muscle shirt to which he was superstitiously attached when we were living aboard the boat. The memory of this shirt makes me laugh out loud. While sailing in hot climates, you start wearing as little as possible. And cruising kids, they dress like mental patientsgrass skirts and flamenco dresses with muck boots and welding visors and shell necklacesmementos of places theyve been. I have no idea where Michael got the muscle shirt. Panama City? It was white, with huge armholes. Standing ashore, beaming, with his boyish face and unwashed hair, he looked like a prep-school kid whod gotten lost on a hike about twenty years ago.

The crew of our vessel is fit and in good spirits. Bosun Sybil Partlow (age 7) is sitting in First Mate Juliet Partlows lap in the cockpit. Deckhand George Doodle Partlow (age 212) is doing his best to stand upright in the small swell. Hes pantless, waiting for First Mate to let him whiz off of the side of the boat. His slightly delayed vocabulary is strictly maritime. Boat go, fish go. We were just visited by a very large sea turtle! Surfacing portside with a head like a periscope. Sybil says its a spy. Whenever Sybil says anything cute, she tells me to write it down. That turtles a spy, write that down in your book, Daddy.

Pardon me? I say. Are you speaking to me? What do you call me underway, Bosun?

She laughs. Fine, write that down in your book, Captain.

The muscle shirt was so funny because hes normally such a neatnik, a dandy, and a rearranger. He needs almost no sleep. His mother said hed always been that way. Here at the house, he used to work late into the night, sending emails and finishing reports, but mostly, man-tinkering. Learning about electrical wiring by gutting another appliance or making little toys for the kids. Sometimes hed even go across the brook, where hed built a fire pit, and wed sleep to the rustic scent of wood smoke.

[ Read an excerpt from Sea Wife. ]

In the morning, hed leave for work as shiny as an apple. He wouldnt let the children eat in his commuting car. Goldfish, Triscuitsverboten. But the family car, my car? Lawless. A layer of organic material composted under the seats. Mysterious objects thumped against the wheel wells whenever I made a sharp turn.
FORT MCMURRAY, ALTA.Imperial Oil Ltd. is reporting the deaths of 50 birds that landed on tailings areas near its Kearl oilsands project in northern Alberta.

Imperial says more than 100 birds per day, mainly grebes and shorebirds, have landed on the ponds over several days, mostly on open water.

Jon Harding, an Imperial spokesman, says some of the oily birds have been taken to a rehabilitation centre in Edmonton where they will be cleaned and assessed.

Imperial says the birds landed despite active deterrent systems including radar detection, noise cannons, eye-safe lasers, scarecrows, and long-range noise making devices.

It says the system is maintained and operated by a well-trained, experienced and dedicated team that works throughout the annual bird migration and breeding season.

Imperial says it believes exhausted birds landed at the Kearl site in spite of the deterrents because most of the natural water bodies in the area are still frozen.

We very much regret this situation and are making every effort to protect the birds and learn from these increased landings, Harding said in an email Tuesday.

Our personnel, with expert third-party support, continue to actively monitor the situation and are taking all prudent steps to safely encourage the birds to avoid and move off landing areas.

Harding said Imperial has notified industry regulators about what happened.

In January 2019, Syncrude was fined more than $2.7 million after pleading guilty to environmental charges in the deaths of 31 great blue herons at one of its oilsands mines north of Fort McMurray in 2015.

An agreed statement of facts said that Syncrude admitted that an abandoned sump pond in which the birds were found didnt have deterrents to keep waterfowl from landing on it, even though the pond met criteria for being high risk.

Fencing and bird deterrents were then installed and the ponds were brought under Syncrudes plan to keep wildlife away from toxic materials at its mine.

In 2010, Syncrude was fined $3 million after more than 1,600 ducks died when they landed on a tailings pond in 2008.

Syncrude was found guilty of federal and provincial environmental charges over the duck deaths.

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Europe is Indias biggest buyer of paracetamol APIs and imports around 12,000 tonnes annually, according to Pharmexcil estimates.

New Delhi: India will supply Europe with about 1,000 tonnes of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) for common pain reliever paracetamol, a top exports body said, easing export controls on over-the counter medicines used to cope with COVID-19 symptoms.

The Indian government in March put a hold on exports of several drugs including paracetamol to secure supplies for its people after the coronavirus outbreak disrupted the industrys supply chain globally. COVID-19 is the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Europe has sought up to 800 tonnes of paracetamol APIs every month, said Dinesh Dua, chairman of the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil).

We have been under immense pressure from the European Union for the last 10 days, Dua said.

The European Union delegation in India did not immediately reply to an email from Reuters requesting comment on the planned shipment.

Indian authorities have asked drugmakers to ensure the country is adequately stocked for up to four months of domestic requirements, Dua said.

India, the worlds main supplier of generic drugs, has shipped 1.9 million tablets and other forms of paracetamol to 31 countries, the foreign ministry said late last month, adding that consignments of anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine and paracetamol were being sent to 87 countries on a commercial basis.

Europe is Indias biggest buyer of paracetamol APIs and imports around 12,000 tonnes annually, according to Pharmexcil estimates. The common pain reliever is also sold as acetaminophen.

The novel coronavirus outbreak has killed more than a quarter of a million people and Europe has accounted for 57 percent of the global death toll.

India has so far reported more than 49,000 cases of COVID-19. The outbreak has not shown any signs of slowing despite a severe lockdown that has confined its population of 1.3 billion to their homes since late March.

Health experts warn a surge of infections can overwhelm the countrys medical services. Indian pharmaceutical companies get almost 70 percent of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for their medicines from China, where the virus had emerged late last year.

The country is vulnerable in terms of importing the drugs intermediates from China, Dua said.

Pharmexcil counts dozens of pharmaceutical firms such as Pfizer Ltd and Abbott among its members. The council falls under the federal commerce ministry.
Four people, including two children, were killed after they were struck by a car while out in Southern California Tuesday night.

The group was walking in Escondido around 8:30 p.m. when a 28-year-old woman hit them with her 2014 Mazda3, police told NBC News.

Two people were pronounced dead at the scene, while the other two succumbed to their injuries at a local hospital.

The victims include two boys around 10 to 12 years old, as well as a man and woman, NBC reported. Its unclear how the group knew each other, but authorities believe they were a family, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

The Mazdas driver was taken to the hospital with moderate injuries, police said.

No arrests had been made as of Tuesday night, and drugs and alcohol dont appear to be a factor, police told NBC. The crash remains under investigation.

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Several US companies are racing to develop vaccines against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19), which has affected more than 3.5 million and killed 257,207 people across the world.

US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc has administered the first US patients with its experimental vaccine and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals said an antibody treatment could be available by this fall.

Gilead Sciences Inc is working to expand manufacturing of its virus treatment, remdesivir, for use around the world.

Regeneron said an experimental antibody treatment for Covid-19 could be available as soon as this fall, an expedited timeline for a drug thats scheduled to be studied in humans for the first time in June.

Regenerons chief scientific officer George Yancopoulos said on Tuesday during a conference call with investors that to meet the fall timeline will depend on a lot of factors, including whether the treatment works as well as hoped, and there is obviously a lot of risk.

Weve sort of done it before but now we are trying to take it to the next level, Yancopoulos said.

The trials by Pfizer, which has partnered with Germanys BioNTech SE, are being conducted at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine in Manhattan and the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, the drugmaker said on Tuesday.

The short, less than four-month time-frame in which weve been able to move from preclinical studies to human testing is extraordinary, Pfizers chief executive officer Albert Bourla said in a statement.

Researchers said they have begun injecting volunteers with the first of four vaccine shot, which uses a gene-based technology known as messenger RNA, from Pfizer and BioNTech. The first person was vaccinated on Monday.

The RNA, after being injected into the body, slips into human cells and tells them to produce the viral proteins that then cause the body to develop protective antibodies. Its not a technology that has been approved for use yet.

The RNA technology has an advantage as it can move faster into trials because it doesnt involve brewing batches of protein or inactivated viral particles in living cells, which can take months.

The trial has begun with healthy, young people between the ages of 18 and 55. But as safety is established in that population, it will expand to an older group of study participantspeople up to the age of 85.

The trial will help researchers evaluate whether the vaccine candidates are safe, which produces the strongest immune response that could fend off the coronavirus and what the doses should be.

The study is being conducted on 360 people whose results could come as early as next months.

Kathrin Jansen, Pfizers head of vaccine research and development, however, said the vaccine will still need to undergo additional testing in more patients. She added they will track the studys progress to pick the most promising vaccine candidate.

Bourla told The Wall Street Journal last week that a vaccine against coronavirus could be ready for emergency use as early as the falls if everything goes well.

Pfizer and BioNTech are also in a race with Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and dozens of other biopharmaceutical outfits and academic groups to come up with a safe and effective vaccine against the illness within the next year to 18 months.

A handful is in human trials already, including Modernas and ones from CanSino Biologics Inc, the Beijing Institute of Biotechnology and Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Moderna is pursuing a similar RNA approach and started testing its vaccine on patients in March.

(With agency inputs)

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Mumbai: The Committee of Creditors of Jet Airways met on Wednesday to discuss the way forward for the grounded airline. This was the 11th meeting of the CoC of the airline. The tenth CoC meeting of the grounded airline was held on April 24, 2020 and the e-voting was concluded on April 29, 2020.

In March this year, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had allowed 90 days' extension for the corporate insolvency resolution process of the airline. The airline's resolution professional had filed an application in NCLT seeking 90 days' extension for the insolvency process after failing to attract any bidder.

The CoC had on February 18 set a new deadline of March 10 for submission of bids for the grounded airline after South American conglomerate Synergy Group and New Delhi-based Prudent ARC failed to meet the previous deadline.

Later, Synergy Group backed out over slot issues. The March 10 deadline was set after Russia's Far East Asia Development Fund also evinced interest in Jet Airways.

The cash-strapped airline, which was grounded in April 2019, owes more than Rs 8,000 crore to banks, with public sector lenders having significant exposure.

The NCLT on June 20, 2019, admitted the insolvency petition filed by the lenders' consortium led by State Bank of India against Jet Airways.
The Commissionerate of



Police, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack on Wednesday issued a cyber security alert and told people to download the Aarogya Setu application only from the Google Play Store and Apple App store.

The Aarogya Setu app is the government's mobile application for contact tracing and disseminating medical advisories to users in order to contain the spread of COVID- 19.

The police said some people are receiving SMS or WhatsApp messages containing a link to download the Aarogya Setu App. "Please do not click on the link to download Aarogya Setu App," the police said on its twitter handle.

It suggested people to delete any such link and if already downloaded go for factory resetting of their mobile phone.

"These links are malicious and leading to download of an App called ChatMe on the screen, which is being used by Pakistan-based groups to take away data," the Commissionerate of Police said.

It also said: "please download AarogyaSetu from Google Play Store and Apple App Store."



Commissioner of Police Sudhansu Sarangi said the police issued cyber security alert based on the inputs from intelligence agencies.

Rejecting charges by the opposition that the Aarogya Setu application breaches privacy, Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has asserted that the platform is "absolutely robust, safe and secure" in terms of privacy protection and data security.

"This is a technological invention of India -- Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, our scientists, NIC, Niti Aayog and some private (entities) -- whereby it is a perfectly accountable platform to help in the fight against COVID-19," Prasad told PTI.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed peoples routines and interactions in significant ways, not least of which is the amount of time they spend at home.

In households with firearms, safe storage is now especially criticaland is the focus of a new online map developed by students and faculty at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

While the safe storage mapping project began long before the pandemic, the need for this resource has increased substantially in the last few months, says Cassandra Crifasi, PhD 14, MPH, an assistant professor in Health Policy and Management and deputy director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research. As Marylanders experience the impact of COVID-19socially, economically, mentally, and otherwiseaccess to firearms becomes an even greater concern for suicides, unintentional injuries, and domestic violence.

Under Crifasis guidance, MD/MPH students Diana Bongiorno and Eric Kramer, who will both earn their MPH degrees this month, organized the project. They collaborated with Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence, a local organization that focuses on reducing the number of gun-related deaths, to develop and publish the map, which identifies more than 30 gun shops and law enforcement agencies that provide temporary and voluntary safe firearm storage options outside the home for Maryland residents.

Not all firearm owners have immediate access to storage devices, says Bongiorno. The map could potentially save lives by helping to prevent someone in a crisis from having access to a firearm.

In Maryland, more than 250 people each year die from firearm-related suicides, and over 40% of suicides involve a firearm. Restricting access to a firearm has been proven effective in preventing suicide and unintentional injury.

Research shows that fewer than half of all gun owners store their guns safely. And as gun sales have soared during the pandemic, there may be many new gun owners who dont know the best safe storage practices. At a minimum, guns should be stored unloaded and separate from ammunition; storing them with a cable lock or in a wall safe provides an additional safeguard. Storage outside the home may be the best option in some circumstances.

In late 2019, Crifasi began working with other state organizations that were launching similar maps based on the one originally developed by the Colorado Firearm Safety Coalition. She enlisted the help of Bongiorno and Kramer, who reached out to firearm dealers and law enforcement agencies to explain their project. If organizations agreed to participate, their addresses and phone numbers were listed on the map.

Bongiorno and Kramer found that many gun shops already offered the service and noted that many were active in suicide prevention efforts.

It was really powerful to see the vast network of dedicated individuals passionate about suicide prevention, including gun shop owners, suicide prevention experts, and public health leaders," says Kramer.

Earlier this year, Bongiorno and Kramer presented the project at a poster session for state delegates in Annapolis organized by the Johns Hopkins University Homewood Science Policy Group. Their ultimate goal is to make temporary and voluntary gun storage more easily accessible in Maryland, and this map, they say, is an important step.

Firearm dealers and law enforcement agencies play a powerful role in efforts to prevent suicide and protect the community from firearm-related injuries, says Bongiorno. We would be happy to speak to any organization considering being listed on the map.

Businesses interested in being listed as a safe storage location may contact mdsafegunstorage@gmail.com.

Caitlin Hoffman is the communications associate for the Department of Health Policy and Management and communications director for the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research at the Bloomberg School.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio  A state legislator says he will not wear a mask during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, saying in a Facebook post that the face represents the image of God.

State Rep. Nino Vitale, a Republican who represents the 85th district in west-central Ohio, questions the masks policies set by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton, accusing them of flip-flopping on their importance. Vitale also questions whether wearing masks is effective.

He ultimately concludes he wont wear a mask because of his religious beliefs.

This is not the entire world, Vitale says in the post from Monday. "This is the greatest nation on earth founded on Judeo-Christian principles. One of those principles is that we are all created in the image and likeness of God. That image is seen the most by our face. I will not wear a mask.

Vitale says in the post that counties should ignore the unelected Dr. Actons orders, open your counties now, before its too late. Vitale is one of several Republican legislators pushing for DeWine to immediately reopen all of businesses in the state.

According to Newsweek, Vitale says the response to his post has mostly been positive. However, a recent poll shows most Ohioans are concerned about reopening the states economy too quickly.

No one is stopping anybody from wearing a face mask, Vitale said. But quite frankly everyone elses freedom ends at the tip of my nose. Youre not going to tell me what to do and theres a lot of people that feel that way.

The Centers for Disease Control recommends wearing a cloth mask in public settings in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. A study published in Nature says surgical masks significantly reduce transmission of the virus. However, reports say experts are divided on the effectiveness of cloth masks.

Vitales Facebook page temporarily was shut down last week because of suspicious activity." The page was restored after Facebook determined it was secure. Facebook did not specify what the suspicious activity was.

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By PTI

ALIGARH (UP): Thirteen Tablighi Jamaat members, including two Sri Lankan nationals, were arrested here for allegedly staying in a mosque in violation of the coronavirus lockdown orders, police said on Wednesday.

While the two Sri Lankan nationals have been sent to jail, the other 11 Jamaat members were released on bail, they said.

The Sri Lanka embassy in Delhi has been informed about the arrest of its two citizens, they added.

"The 13 were booked under IPC sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life)," police said.

The Sri Lankan nationals were also booked under sections 14 and 14c of the Foreigners Act for violating the visa regulations by indulging in religious activities, they added.

As per the guidelines issued by the Centre, religious places and places of worship will remain shut during the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The district authorities have launched a drive to trace all members of the Tablighi Jamaat who have been in "hiding" since the lockdown was imposed on March 25.

A gathering held at Tablighi Jamaat's headquarters at Nizamuddin in Delhi in mid-March, which was attended by delegates from across India and also abroad, had become a key source for the spread of COVID-19.

At least 9,000 people participated in the congregation, after which many of the attendees travelled to various parts of the country.

District Magistrate Chandra Bhushan had issued an appeal that "it was in public interest that such persons are immediately traced".

During the past two days, 72 such individuals, who belonged to different districts of the state, were identified, police said.

The district authorities with the help of some local Muslim leaders, including former legislator from Aligarh Haji Zameer Ullah, made the arrangements for sending these persons to their native places after completing medical formalities.

Zameer Ullah, in a statement, urged the UP chief minister to take necessary steps for the early release of the two Sri Lankan nationals on humanitarian grounds since they were the victims of the circumstances and also in view of the holy month of Ramzan.
To the Times:

Over the past week, the allegation by Tara Reade that she was sexually assaulted by the presumptive Democratic candidate for president, Joe Biden, has exploded across the print and social media.

The debate, did he do it, did he not do it, is it even at all credible, is still raging. Like so many sexual allegations that reportedly occurred so many years ago, in a he versus she scenario, its impossible to be 100 percent certain of the facts. What is certain is that Ms. Reade has a right to assert her case, but, does not, or should not, have an automatic right to be judged accurate or even truthful.

What is perfectly clear is that Joe Biden has an amply evidenced history, of being overly physically handsy and touchy with women. He has publicly acknowledged this and repudiated this behavior and promised not to repeat it in the future. It is also abundantly clear that a charge of such a crude and forceful sexual assault is totally out of character for Biden and that there is no history of claimed sexual misconduct against him.

Now, compare this to Bidens election opponent, President Donald Trump, for whom over 20 women have alleged sexual misconduct, assault and even rape. Now thats a real history and undeniable pattern of alleged sexual misconduct. As far at the November election goes, given the incredibly short attention span of the public in the turbulence of a constant barrage of scandalous news stories, and the allegations against Biden and Trump,

Ms. Reades allegation will fade away into oblivion and have no real effect on the election outcome.

Ken Derow, Swarthmore
An 18-year old boy of a small village of Bhinder block of Udaipur, Rajasthan has set a new example on social responsibility amid the Covid-19 outbreak. The boy quarantined himself on a Neem tree near his house due to lack of a separate room for isolation. The youth had recently returned from another state and decided to isolate himself for precaution.

Ishwar Lal Rawat, who belongs to Daabkiya village of Bhinder, quarantined himself on the tree as there was no extra room at his house. He wanted to keep himself away from the other members of his family.

Three members of the same family returned to the village from Maharashtra and Gujarat. Two of them, including Ishwar, returned on May 3 from Surat while their brother, Pappu, reached on May 4. Upon getting the information of their arrival, a medical team approached them to get them quarantined.

Also read: 548 doctors, nurses, paramedics infected with Covid-19 across India

In the view of limited space within their house, Ishwar decided to quarantine himself on a Neem tree situated near his house. His family members also showed their support.

The 18-year-old said he will follow all the government orders and will contribute in the battle against coronavirus.

The process of home quarantine for the rural people is common these days, during the coronavirus outbreak, with scores of migrant workers returning to their native places.

But at some places, people are ignoring the directions of the government, in that case, Bhinders Ishwar Rawat sets an example for others to follow.
L ying in his intensive care bed, fearful of death, the question the Prime Minister tells us kept clanging in his head was: How am I going to get out of this?" The same thought might have occurred to Boris Johnson at 12.15pm in the House of Commons when Sir Keir Starmer stood up for his third question.

The word forensic is the one that everyone will use about Sir Keirs silky performance at the Dispatch Box. It was indeed. Yet the word doesnt actually begin to capture the quietly terrifying force of a skilled former Chief Prosecutor assembling all the evidence and nailing it piece by damning piece to the accused.

But in one of the best duels the Commons has seen in many a year, the Conservative leader had plenty of tricks up his sleeve, even if they would not all be allowed in a courtroom.

This was the edition of Prime Ministers Questions that everyone has waited for  especially on the Labour benches where each Wednesday for five years they have watched defendants stroll away unscathed. It was the first since the 2019 election that mattered at all, the first between a PM famous for his Houdini-like escapes from political fixes and the new Leader of the Opposition who once occupied the post of Director of Public Prosecutions, in charge of a department that had mixed success in obtaining guilty verdicts.

Thanks to social distancing there was no packed chamber of braying MPs for the event . This was all to the advantage of Starmer, whose strength so far has been his ability to arrange facts into guilty patterns rather than play to the mob. The Labour leader took his seat without fanfare just before midday. The Prime Minister arrived at the last moment, taking his seat, legs crossed and hair ruffled with seconds to spare.

Keir Starmer has faced Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab during PMQs over the past few weeks / PA

There were some niceties from the Speaker, congratulating Johnson on his recovery from Covid-19 and on the birth of Wilfred , plus a pointed question from Devon Tory Simon Jupp about the need for tourism to survive the lockdown. Johnson exuded goodwill to all and rubbed his hair boyishly. If he was nervous, it didnt show. But there was none of the amused swagger that he had when going up against Jeremy Corbyn with 300 hooting Tories behind him. No, this was a focused, concentrating Johnson going into a tough viva voce or up to the crease against a famous fast bowler.

I now call the Leader of the Opposition, declared Sir Lindsay.

Starmer stood up and peered dispassionately at the defendant. Its good to see him back in Parliament, he said softly, adding warm congratulation on the birth of his son. And then the prosecution began.

When the Prime Minister returned to work a week ago Monday, he said that many people were looking at the apparent success of the Governments approach. Pause for the jury to take this is. But yesterday we learned  tragically  that at least 29,427 people in the UK have now lost their lives to this dreadful virus. Thats now the highest number in Europe. Sir Keir spoke gently, without haste or anger, pausing frequently to let the evidence hang in he air between him and his quarry. Its the second highest in the world , he continued. Thats not success, or even apparent success. Starmer actually lowered his voice for the deadly question that he was leading up to: So can the Prime Minister tell us, how on earth it came to this?

Boris Johnson promises 200,000 daily Covid-19 tests by the end of May

The Prime Minister rose, an earnest and sombre tone in his voice. Of course, every death is a tragedy and he is right to draw attention to the appalling statistics. He then pulled out his get out of jail card, a quote from a top scientist affirming that international comparisons were not valid. The Governments only motive had been to save lives and protect the NHS, he explained. Of course, there will be a time to look at whether we could have taken different decisions, he offered reasonably, but I have absolutely no doubt that what the public want us to do is suppress this disease  and begin the work of getting this countrys economy back on its feet. He then offered to work with Sir Keir in future.

Starmer rose again, a look of studied disdain and held up a sheet of paper with one of the graphs that the Government publishes every day at its press conference  the one with a big label marked International Comparisons. An argument that international comparisons cannot be made when the Governments been using slides like this just really doesnt hold water, he said.

It was a good hit and the Commons might have erupted in normal times. The PM took it coolly, still taking the measure of his opponent.

Many people, went on Starmer, would conclude that the answer to my question was that the UK was slow on lockdown, slow in testing, slow on the supply of PPE.

Boris Johnson announced a new 200,000 testing target in the Commons / PA

Then the prosecutor quoted one of the Governments own scientists who said a grip was needed on the crisis in care homes. I couldnt agree more. Why hasnt the Government go to grips with this already?

Johnson again used his trick of agreeing with the questioner to appear reasonable, a chap with absolutely nothing to hide. Hes quite right to look at the crisis in care homes, he said. The epidemic among the elderly is something I absolutely regret, said the PM. But he retaliated that Starmer was wrong to say the death toll in homes was still rising as there were palpable improvement in recent days.

The prosecutor was not having that. I was using the slide the Government put up for its press conference last night, he volleyed.

He moved onto the curious fact that daily tests only went over 100,000 on the day of Matt Hancocks deadline . What was so special about April 30? he asked, in the manner of Mrs Merton asking what attracted Debbie McGee to her multi-millionaire magician husband Paul Daniels.

Johnson was ready for this and neatly replied with a quote from Sir Keir himself last week paying tribute to the amazing success of the NHS and officials in ramping up testing.

Mr Johnson returned to PMQs for the first time since being treated for Covid-19 and welcoming a new son into the world / PA

He then skilfully changed the rules of the contest by announcing a new target of 200,000 daily tests this month . This was a key moment, because from now on there was a political conversation unfolding between Johnson and the public in parallel with the exchanges between Johnson and his prosecutor. Would an appeal to the mob yet rescue the PM?

Starmer steered things back to the evidence. Just having a target isnt a strategy, he said. But the deputy chief medical officer had conceded that testing and tracing was abandoned early due to lack of capacity.

Johnson confirmed there had been a difficulty with capacity during March but that had all changed. Most people with common sense can see those difficulties we had at the time, he shot, implying that Starmer was ignoring the bigger picture.

Sir Keir ignored the jibe and pocketed the admission. I think the Prime Minister has confirmed it was a capacity problem, he said with a triumphant air. He turned to the shortages of PPE and sought a promise that the public will not go back to work without a plan to keep them safe.

Starmer challenges Raab over coronavirus response at Labour leaders first PMQs

Johnson shared his frustration about PPE. Its been enraging the difficulties we have had supplying PPE to those who need it, he complained. Hang on, arent opposition leaders supposed to show rage during PMQs, not Prime Ministers? It was now openly a combat between Starmers forensic brilliance and Johnsons political genius. While the Labour leader deployed cool reason, the Tory unleashed emotion  and in particular the very emotion that the public felt about the way doctors and nurses lacked gowns.

Johnson then used the Prime Ministerial power to make announcements again  an advantage that criminals at the Old Bailey dock must wish they could have  by revealing details of a PPE plan would be made on Sunday, confirming the date of his coming address to the nation about life after lockdown. Johnson was now edging ahead on news value.

Starmer called for reassurance that there is a plan to keep people safe if they are returning to work or school in future. It was a weak final question that gave the PM free rein to emote about how concerned he is and to reveal that he wants new, modified lockdown rules to come into force from Monday . The few hacks in the Press Gallery dashed off to find out more about the exit plan.

The Prosecutor sat back to congratulations from delighted Labour MPs and praise from commentators for the best interrogation since 2015 (and perhaps earlier than that).

But there was plenty to cheer up Tory MPs, too. First their PM had shown he is not frightened of the new bowler, and they will hope he will in time learn Starmers techniques and be banging balls for six. Second, Johnson showed again the sheer power of a Prime Minister to control the mood music and the headlines through announcements.

Listen to The Leader: Coronavirus Daily podcast



Sir Keir will have won in many of tomorrows opinion columns, but the 10pm headlines may yet belong to the slippery Mr Johnson.
As Russia tries to contain virus, three medics fall from windows after complaining about their working conditions.

Russia has reported the largest number of new daily cases of the coronavirus in Europe with the total number of infections now exceeding 150,000 and deaths nearing 1,500.

In recent weeks Russian medics have been complaining about their working conditions.

But after three doctors fell out of windows in 10 days, there is concern regarding the safety of medical whistle-blowers who raise issues about the conditions they work in.

Al Jazeeras Nadim Baba reports.
In the recent turn of events, a South Korean spy agency reportedly said that the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un did not receive heart surgery when he disappeared from state media for three weeks. Kim recently attended an event at a fertilizer factory which was also the first report of his appearing in public since April 11. His absence led to a flurry of speculation about his health and whereabouts. Several media outlets also reported that the health of the North Korean leader was in grave danger after surgery.

However, the members of South Koreas parliamentary intelligence committee after meeting with the National Intelligence Service (NIS) reportedly said that the reports were groundless. While speaking to an international media outlet, committee member Kim Byung-kee said that the NIS assess that at least Kim Jong Un did not get any heart-related procedure or surgery. Byung-kee added that Kim was normally performing his duties when he was out of the public eye.

READ: Russian President Putin Honours Kim Jong Un With Commemorative WWII Medal

The lawmakers briefed by the spy agency, on the other hand, reportedly said that the leader only made 17 public appearances so far this year, compared with an average of 50 from the previous year. Byung-kee added that Kim Jong Un had focused on consolidating internal affairs such as military forces and party-state meetings. He also noted that the coronavirus concern has also further limited his public activity.

S Korea believes Kim did not have surgery

Furthermore, Byung-kee also added that Kims visit to the fertilizer factory appeared to be aimed at expressing his resolve to ease food shortages and build a self-reliant economy. Kims public disappearance is also believed to be unusual because the country had been taking stringent steps to head off an outbreak.

READ: North Korea Defectors Face Criticism For Wrongly Speculating Kim Jong Un's Death

Meanwhile, a local South Korean media outlet, Yonhap had also cited an unnamed senior official at the Blue House saying that despite the conflicting media reports about Kim based on difference to his walk, the officials in South Korea have reasons to believe that there was no surgery. However, the unidentified official further added, but cannot disclose such details.

Speculations over the condition of Kims health and his sudden lack of public appearances grew intense when an American media cited US intelligence monitoring North Korea to claim that Kim was in grave danger after cardiovascular surgery. However, hours after that report sent shock waves, two government sources of international media outlet from South Korea said on April 21 that he was not gravely ill.

(Image: AP)

READ: South Korea Believes Kim Jong Un Did Not Have A Surgery: Report

READ: Kim Jong Un Appears In Public For First Time In 20 Days, North Korean State Media Reports
Confronting widespread public anger over its criminal negligence in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trump administration is intensifying its campaign of unsubstantiated allegations and lies to shift the blame onto China.

As reported by CNN, Trump, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow and other top officials have in recent weeks spoken to many foreign allies in an effort to enlist them in the campaign of denunciations directed against China for allegedly concealing the dangers of the virus.

Trump himself has reportedly spoken with dozens of foreign leaders in a desperate effort to gain their backing for the US vilification of China and its preparations to take retaliatory action against Beijing.

Measures under discussion in the White House include additional tariffs on Chinese products, a further crackdown on its telecommunications corporations and the stripping of its sovereign immunity in order to pave the way for punitive legal action in US courts.

At the same time, the US has ramped up the propaganda war on its two main frontsfirstly, claiming that China was not initially transparent enough about the severity of the coronavirus, and secondly, the brazen lie that the COVID-19 originated in Chinas Wuhan Institute of Virology, not in a wet market in Wuhan.

A report prepared by the US Department of Homeland Security, details of which were leaked to the US media this week, claims that the Chinese government intentionally hid the dangers posed by the virus while stockpiling imports and reducing exports of medical supplies.

The report declared: China likely cut its exports of medical supplies prior to its January WHO (World Health Organisation) notification that COVID-19 is a contagion. It also claimed that China intentionally concealed its trade activity by publicly denying it has ever imposed an export ban on masks and other medical supplies.

The Trump administration and its state apparatus are clearly clutching at straws. As the report itself acknowledged, its findings are only assessed at moderate confidence. The document, which has not been made public, did not conclude that there was anything nefarious in the Chinese governments actions, even if the allegation was true.

It is on the public record that Chinese authorities acted promptly in informing the WHO and health bodies internationally, including in the US, about a new potentially infectious and lethal virus whose characteristics they were rapidly seeking to identify.

The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission reported a cluster of pneumonia cases on December 31, 2019. China informed the US Centres for Disease Control on January 3 and on January 7 identified the virus that causes COVID-19. Chinese health authorities updated the WHO and warned of the dangers of human-to-human transmission of the disease.

The claims about Chinas alleged lack of transparency are a blatant attempt to divert attention from the Trump administration, which repeatedly dismissed the danger of the virus, and failed to ramp up testing or take much needed action to prevent transmissions for weeks. No efforts were made to secure the necessary protective gear or increase the availability of vital intensive care beds and ventilators which has led to a soaring death toll in the United States.

In recent days, Trump and Pompeo have repeated the big lie that the virus originated in a Wuhan laboratory. This is despite a large body of scientific evidence that COVID-19 was not man-made or engineered in a laboratory, nor was it captured in the wild and accidentally or deliberately released from a scientific facility.

On Sunday, Pompeo brazenly declared that there was overwhelming evidence that COVID-19 came from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. At the same time, he warned: President Trump is very clear, were gonna hold those responsible accountable and well do so on a timeline that is our own.

On the same day, Trump claimed to have seen evidence that the virus originated in a Chinese laboratory and declared that his administration was putting together a report about the outbreak that will be very conclusive. He declared: My opinion is they made a mistake. They tried to cover it, they tried to put it out. Its like a fire.

Neither Trump nor Pompeo has provided a shred of evidence to support this conspiracy theory which originated in the extreme-right milieu in the United States. The report being concocted in the White House will set the stage for a rapid escalation of the confrontation with China. It is necessary to recall the notorious US dossier presented to the UN to justify the illegal invasion of Iraq on the basis of lies about weapons of mass destruction.

Likewise, calls for an independent international inquiry into the origins of COVID-19 being championed by the Australian government on behalf of the Trump administration echo the incessant US demands in 2002 for weapons inspectors to be allowed into Iraq. Washingtons calls for US health officials to be allowed into China are nothing more than a fishing expedition aimed at bolstering their lies.

Even the US intelligence community, in a statement released last week, assessed that the coronavirus was not man-made and had not been genetically modified. The statement indicated that US intelligence was still trying to dredge up evidence that it might have been accidentally released from a laboratory.

However, the top-level intelligence-sharing Five-Eyes network involving close US alliesCanada, Britain, Australia and New Zealandhas gone further, declaring that it was highly unlikely that the virus was accidentally released from a laboratory and affirming that it probably originated in a Chinese market.

An unnamed Western diplomat with knowledge of the Five-Eyes intelligence told CNN: We think its highly unlikely it was an accident. It is highly likely it was naturally occurring and that the human infection was from natural human and animal interaction.

Some of the most damning statements have come from top US virology scientists who have dismissed the claims of the Trump administration.

In an interview with National Geographic published on Monday, Dr. Anthony Fauci explained: The best evidence shows the virus behind the pandemic was not made in a lab in China. Everything about the stepwise evolution over time strongly indicates that [this virus] evolved in nature and then jumped species.

Fauci, who is director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a prominent member of Trumps coronavirus task force, added that he did not believe the theory that someone discovered coronavirus in the wild, brought it to a lab and then accidentally released it.

The coordinator of the coronavirus task force, Dr. Deborah Birx, has also dismissed the claims of Trump and Pompeo. She told CBS News on Sunday that evidence was lacking to prove the coronavirus originated in an accident at the Wuhan laboratory.

China has hit back at the mounting US attacks on its response to the pandemic. On Tuesday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang accused American politicians of telling barefaced lies. They have only one objective: to try to shirk responsibility for their own epidemic and prevention and control measures and divert public attention, he said.

It is certainly true that the US propaganda war against China is aimed at diverting from and covering-up their own responsibility for the death of tens of thousands in the United States. At the same time, however, making Beijing a scapegoat is part of the confrontation that began under President Obama and has accelerated under Trump to undermine China which is regarded in Washington as the chief threat to US global dominance. The fear in American strategic circles is that China will emerge from the pandemic strengthened as compared to the US.

According to Reuters, a report prepared last month by the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR) warned that Beijing faces a wave of anti-China sentiment led by the US in the aftermath of the pandemic and called for preparations to be made. In a worst-case scenario, it envisaged the possibility of an armed confrontation between the two global powers. The think tank is affiliated with Chinas Ministry of State Security and the report was distributed to top Chinese leaders including President Xi Jinping.

Far from the pandemic encouraging international cooperation to stem its spread and save lives, the deep crisis of capitalism that it has exposed is accelerating geo-political tensions and the war drive of US imperialism as it seeks to shore up its strategic interests.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaks during the cabinet meeting in Tehran, Iran, on March 4, 2020. (Official Presidential website/Handout via Reuters)

Iranian President Warns US, Promises Crushing Response if Embargo Is Extended

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned of a crushing response against the United States if an arms embargo on Tehran is extended.

President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of a nuclear deal in 2018 because he didnt think the deal would limit Irans missile program nearly enough. Iran has frequently called on Washington to lift sanctions and provide compensation.

If America wants to return to the deal, it should lift all the sanctions on Tehran and compensate for the reimposition of sanctions  Iran will give a crushing response if the arms embargo on Tehran is extended, Rouhani said in a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, reported Reuters.

The United Nations is set to lift the embargo on Iranian trade in October.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Fox News last week that the Trump administration will work to limit Iran from gaining more arms.

Were going to use every tool we can in our diplomatic capability to ensure that that prohibition on arms sales to Iran doesnt expire [in] just a handful of months, he said.

A woman protests against the nuclear deal reached with Iran before then-Vice President Joe Biden met with Jewish community leaders at the David Posnack Jewish Community Center to discuss the deal in Davie, Florida, on Sept. 3, 2015. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

After the United States pulled out of the deal, Iran rolled back its commitments, but its leadership has insisted that the agreement remains in place.

Irans nuclear steps are reversible if other parties to the deal fulfill their obligations and preserve Tehrans interests under the pact, Rouhani also remarked.

The Iranian president told state-run media that he informed the leaders of Russia, China, France, Britain, and Germany about what Tehran might do if the arms embargo is extended.

They also know that if they ever make such a mistake, what dire consequences it will have for them and that it will be a big defeat for them, he said, according to Tasnim News.

Rouhanis bellicose statements come several weeks after Irans Revolutionary Guards Corps leader warned that American ships will be targeted if they are considered a threat to Tehrans sovereignty in the Persian Gulf.

We have also ordered our military units at sea that if a vessel or military unit of the navy of the U.S.s terrorist military seeks to threaten the security of our civilian ships or combat vessels, they should target that [enemy] vessel or military unit, Major General Hossein Salami told state-run media.

We are fully determined and serious in defending our national security, maritime borders, maritime interests, maritime security, and security of our forces at sea, he added.
A court in Yerevan approved on Wednesday an arrest warrant against Mikael Minasian, former President Serzh Sarkisians fugitive son-in-law prosecuted on corruption charges which he rejects as politically motivated.

Armenias State Revenue Committee (SRC) brought the accusations of illegal enrichment, false asset disclosure and money laundering in March and revealed them one month later. It also moved to arrest Minasian late last month.

One of Minasians lawyers, Mihran Poghosian, denounced the court for allowing investigators to hold him in detention for at least two months. Poghosian noted that the judge in the case is the one who issued last year an arrest warrant for his clients father, Ara Minasian. The latter is facing corruption charges in a separate inquiry conducted by another law-enforcement body.

A bitter critic of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, Mikael Minasian apparently left Armenia shortly after he was dismissed as the countrys ambassador to the Vatican in late 2018. He declined to reveal his current whereabouts in two video messages posted on Facebook in recent days.

In one of the messages circulated late on Tuesday, Minasian said that he is not returning to Armenia because he believes that investigators and judges dealing with his case are acting on illegal orders issued by Pashinian. The prime minister has repeatedly accused him of illegally making a huge fortune during Sarkisians rule.

Minasian also claimed late last week that Pashinian had offered to guarantee his and his fathers immunity from prosecution if he pledges to pay cash and stop challenging the Armenian government. He said that the offer was personally communicated to him in February 2019 by Artur Vanetsian, the then director of Armenias National Security Service (NSS), at a meeting held in Rome. He said he rejected the offer.

Pashinian has still not commented on Minasians allegations. Law-enforcement authorities have pledged to look into them.

I would suggest that Mikael Minasian frequently release such videos, said Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinian. Im sure that we too get some information from those videos.

Another senior official, deputy parliament speaker Alen Simonian, said Minasian thus effectively admitted having liabilities towards the Republic of Armenia.

Minasian, 42, enjoyed considerable political and economic influence in the country when it was ruled by his father-in-law from 2008-2018. He is also thought to have developed extensive business interests in various sectors of the Armenian economy.

Amram Makinian, another defense lawyer, said on April 22 that the money laundering charge brought against Minasian stems from large sums of cash which he transferred from one of his bank accounts to another in 2017-2018. The investigating body has noted that documents at his disposal prove the legal origin of the money and that money resulted from the sale of his stake in a property, he told RFE/RLs Armenian service.

Makinian also insisted that the other accusations are based on a technical error committed by the employee of a private firm which drew up and filed Minasians income declarations. He said that SRC investigators are refusing to summon that person for questioning.
Information reaching YEN.com.gh has it that about 100 workers are expected to exit the Multimedia Group by the end of May 2020.

As reported earlier by YEN.com.gh, Naa Ashorkor Mensah Doku is just one of the 100 people whom the company had laid off. These people are expected to say their final goodbye to the company by the close of May 2020, YEN.com.gh has been informed.

One of the workers who has been affected is Sammy Duodo, News Editor of Adom FM. According to deep-throat sources of YEN.com.gh, the company took the decision to lay off the workers due to financial constraints. Our sources tell us that the company has been facing dire financial difficulties several months even before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana. For this reason, salaries were delayed most of the time and were sometimes paid half-way into the next month.

YEN.com.gh was reliably been informed that the lay off of the workers had been on the mind of management for some time now. Thus, the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic came as an opportunity for the management to let some of its staff go.

Our sources further revealed that the management is refusing to send emails to the affected workers to this effect for fear of the emails being leaked. Some of the brands of the Multimedia Group include Adom FM, Asempa FM, Joy FM, Luv FM, Hitz FM, and Nhyira (Blessing) FM.

Meanwhile, Naa Ashorkor Mensah Doku announced on the morning of Wednesday, May 6, 2020, that her appointment was terminated by the company with immediate effect.

The mother of two remarked that it is a difficult thing to be out of a regular and steady income job at this time. She was, however, full of hope believing that God will grant her another opportunity to get back to a job again.

In recent times, Multimedia lost other media personalities including Ohemaa Woyeje, and Vim Lady. They are currently with the Angel Group and Despite Group, respectively.

---Yen.com
Facebook's independent Oversight Board will be led by two U.S. constitutional scholars, a former prime minister of Denmark and a former official with the Organization of American States.

The big picture: The board is a first-of-its-kind internet governance body, which Facebook spent $130 million to fund to provide independent review of its content moderation decisions.

Details: The board also named a slate of 20 members out of a projected full membership of 40 as part of an official launch Wednesday.

The membership spans the political spectrum and includes legal experts as well as people with backgrounds as human rights activists, journalists, political leaders and victims' advocates.

The co-chairs are:

Helle Thorning-Schmidt, former prime minister of Denmark and CEO of Save the Children.

Jamal Greene, a Columbia Law School professor.

Michael McConnell, former U.S. federal circuit court judge and now Stanford Law School professor.

Catalina Botero Marino, former Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States, who now serves as Dean of the Universidad de los Andes Faculty of Law in Colombia.

By the numbers: All 20 current members of the board have experience advocating for human rights.

70% have experience living in more than one country.

have experience living in more than one country. Only 5 members are based in the U.S. The rest are from all over the globe.

are based in the U.S. The rest are from all over the globe. 90% of the current board members speak more than one language.

of the current board members speak more than one language. 29 languages are spoken amongst the 20 board members combined.

How it works: Users who are unhappy with a content takedown or other moderation decisions by Facebook will be able to file an appeal with the board, which will choose a handful of key cases to decide.

Facebook says it will treat individual content judgments by the board as binding, but responsibility for implementing board decisions will rest solely with the company.

Board members say they are committed to carefully balancing freedom of expression with other human rights, to operating transparently, and to representing global diversity.

What they're saying: On a press call before the announcement, the co-chairs described their work as novel and experimental and said they expect to make mistakes.

"It's one thing to complain about content moderation and the challenges involved in it. It's another to actually try to do something about it," Green said.

One huge challenge will be sifting through an expected firehose of potential controversies to pick the few that the organization will be able to adjudicate.

McConnell said the criteria will include cases that affect a large number of users, those that have a major effect on public discourse, and those that have a big impact on policies across Facebook's platform.

History lesson: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg first discussed the idea of a Supreme Court-like independent board in April 2018 as a way to counter criticism that the company was inconsistent and unaccountable in its decisions to take content down or leave it up.

In November 2018, Zuckerberg committed to the project publicly, and last year the organization rolled out a charter.

Facebook provided initial funding and chose the board's four co-chairs after wide consultation, but the board's leadership says it will now operate fully independently from the company.

Facebook says it is committed to implementing all board decisions "unless doing so violates the law."

Go deeper: Facebook's constitutional moment
An Indian-origin man living in Canada landed in hot soup for his allegedly provocative comments on the local governments decision to allow mosques to broadcast azaan or call to prayer.

Image For Representation/Reuters

Brampton mayor Patrick Brown tweeted that Ontario's noise bylaw which had been passed in 1984 only had exemptions for church bells. However, the exemptions are now being extended to all faiths.

On April 30, Patrick Brown, the mayor of the city of Brampton, tweeted, "Our noise by law originally passed in 1984 only included an exemption for Church bells. It will now include all faiths within the permitted hours & decibel levels. The Muslim community can proceed with the sunset azaan because its 2020 & we treat all faiths equally..."

Our noise by law originally passed in 1984 only included an exemption for Church bells. It will now include all faiths within the permitted hours & decibel levels. The Muslim community can proceed with the sunset azan because its 2020 & we treat all faiths equally. #Ramadan pic.twitter.com/WGPmf8fA5b  Patrick Brown (@patrickbrownont) April 30, 2020

To which the Indian-origin man named Ravi Hooda wrote, "What's next? Separate lanes for camel & goat riders, allowing the slaughter of animals at home in the name of sacrifice, bylaw requiring all women to cover themselves from head to toe in tents to appease the piece fools for votes."

Twitter/@antihateca

Ravi Hooda, who since deleted the tweet and changed his Twitter profile to private, is a real estate agent and immigration consultant.

Source/newsd.in

Soon after Hoodas derogatory views went viral, Twitter users pointed out that he was an executive school council member at the Macville Public School located in the city of Bolton.

People complained about the tweet to the Peel District School Board as Hooda was the school council chair for the Macville Public School in Bolton City. The principal of the school uploaded a statement on the Peel school website on Tuesday, notifying that Hooda had been removed from the school council.

This guy's is also apart of the school council at @MacvillePS. @PeelSchools can you look into this ? pic.twitter.com/MNKweN5C1L  NA (@UmungiNa) May 4, 2020

Here's what people had to say:

#1

Indo Canadian #DoltRight @ravihooda launches a vitriolic tirade against Muslims and is handed his ass on a platter. Good on Canada and his employer @REMAXca for not putting up with bigotry. Sad thing is comments such as these are routine in India but thankfully not ok in Canada. https://t.co/31w4JFEfCZ  Rupa Subramanya (@rupasubramanya) May 6, 2020

#2

A Sanghi Ravi Hooda who lives in Canada was spewing venom against Muslims.



Ravi was terminated for his spreading hatred and Islamophobia in Canada.



This is how civilized society take action against hatemongers. pic.twitter.com/QHjyZ9Bmo4  Arisha Bukhari (@bukhari_arisha) May 6, 2020

#3

Thank you #peelschools for teaching Ravi Hooda a lesson. Hate preachers like him really need to be taught a lesson. He thought he can say whatever he wants and hide under "freedom of speech". THANK YOU #remaxcanada for firing him as well. https://t.co/3fhebjSwUv  ChaiLatte(ssara) (@thenorthaspoken) May 6, 2020

#4

I hope bhakts will now realise that islamophobia is really a problem.

When UAE was terminating its employees, they thought its because it is an Islamic country.



What excuse are they gonna give for Canada? #Islamophobic #Canada https://t.co/5Kc2dpOq8a  Pragya Uike (@PragyaUike) May 6, 2020

"Today, we were made aware of a disturbing, Islamophobic tweet that was written and shared by a member of our parent community. We immediately conducted an investigation into the matter, as the content is a clear contravention of the Peel District School Board's Safe and Accepting Schools Policy 48. As a result, the individual is being removed from the role of School Council Chair and will not be able to participate on School Council, in any capacity," the Macville Public School principal informed.

.@REMAXca agent and Registered Certified Immigration Consultant Ravi Hooda is upset that Brampton is giving mosques the same noise by-law exemptions as churches. In Mississauga, a nightly call to prayer during Ramadan has become a focal point for anti-Muslim hatred. 1/ pic.twitter.com/exzFIzSC6B  Canadian Anti-Hate Network (@antihateca) May 2, 2020

The Canadian branch of RE/MAX, a real estate company, was also dragged into the controversy as Hooda had indicated on his website he was associated with the company. Remax Canada took cognizance of the matter and responded saying that Hooda had been terminated.

Responding to a tweet from the Anti-Hate Network, RE/MAX tweeted, "We do not share nor support the views of Mr. Hooda. We can confirm he has been terminated and is no longer affiliated with RE/MAX..." However, it is not clear when Hooda was terminated from RE/MAX.
New Delhi, May 6 : Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar wants that youth having education in agriculture, Women Self Help Groups and FPOs should come forward to set up soil testing labs at the village level.

While reviewing the progress of the Soil Health Programme on Wednesday, he directed running mission mode awareness campaigns on increasing use of bio and organic fertilisers and reducing chemical fertilisers strictly based on recommendations of Soil Health Card.

Tomar advocated the setting up of village level soil testing labs by youth having education in agriculture, Women Self Help Groups, FPOs etc. He said the SHC scheme will focus on enabling employment generation after appropriate skill development.

During 2020-21, the major focus of the programme would be on mass awareness for farmers in over 1 lakh villages covering all districts of the country, said the Agriculture Ministry in a statement.

The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers' Welfare will launch a comprehensive campaign on soil test based rational application of fertilisers and promotion of organic farming including Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Padhati (BPKP) for safe nutritious food in association with the Departments of Panchayati Raj, Rural Development and Drinking Water and Sanitation, said the statement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the SHC scheme on February 19, 2015 at Suratgarh, Rajasthan under which Soil Health Cards are provided to all farmers at an interval of 2 years. These cards provide information to farmers on nutrient status of their soil along with recommendation on appropriate dosage of nutrients to be applied for improving soil health and its fertility.

Deterioration of soil chemical, physical and biological health is considered as one of the reasons for stagnation of agricultural productivity in India.

Soil Health Card provides two sets of fertiliser recommendations for six crops including recommendations of organic manures. Farmers can also get recommendations for additional crops on demand. They can also print the card as their own from SHC portal. SHC portal has a farmers database of both the cycles and is available in 21 languages for the benefit of the farmers.

A 2017 study by the National Productivity Council (NPC) found that the SHC scheme has promoted sustainable farming and led to a decrease of use of chemical fertilizer application in the range of 8-10 per cent. Besides, overall increase in the yield of crops to the tune of 5-6 per cent was reported due to application of fertiliser and micro nutrients as per recommendations available in the Soil Health Cards.
New Delhi: The birth anniversary of Lord Buddha is celebrated as Buddha Purnima. This year, the auspicious festival falls on May 7. Buddha Purnima is celebrated with full fervour across the globe. However, this time, the celebrations have been marred due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Buddha Purnima is also widely known as the Buddha Jayanti. The day commemorates the birth of Prince Siddhartha Gautam who later became Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism.

Born to a royal couple from Kapilavastu, Siddhartha grew up in an environment that hid the fundamental realities of life. His father never wanted him to be touched by human sufferings. He was raised in the comforts of a palace. But Siddhartha was destined to detach himself from the materialistic pleasures. He chose to lead a life that would inspire the world.

Here's taking a look at the four main places that are associated with the life of Gautam Buddha. Thousands of devotees from across the world visit these Buddhist pilgrimage sites.

Lumbini: Lumbini in Nepal is believed to be the birthplace of Gautam.

Bodh Gaya: Bodh Gaya is in Bihar. It is where he is believed to have attained enlightenment under the Mahabodhi tree.

Sarnath: Gautam Buddha delivered his first speech in Sarnath, near Varanasi.

Kushinagar: It is believed that Gautam Buddha attained Parinirvana after his death in Uttar Pradeshs Kushinagar.

Besides these aforementioned places, Sravasti, Rajgir, Sankassa and Vaishali are also closely associated with the life of Gautam Buddha.
A 42-year-old former corrections officer faces up to six months behind bars after he admitted he had sexual contact with an inmate  his former girlfriend  in a jail bathroom last year, officials said.

Thomas J. Mauro, a former corrections officer at the Monmouth County jail in Freehold Township, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to fourth-degree criminal sexual contact, the prosecutors office said in a statement. He is free until his July 17 sentencing, a spokesman for the prosectors office said in an email Wednesday.

The 31-year-old inmate walked into a bathroom on April 27, 2019 that is supposed to be used only by jail staff, authorities said. Moments later Mauro entered the restroom where the two engaged in sexual activities. The inmate and Mauro then left the restroom separately a few minutes later.

An investigation revealed Mauro and the woman, a Neptune City resident, met when she was previously in jail. The two then began seeing each other in 2013 after her release. Their relationship ended later that year, authorities said.

Mauro, of Beachwood, must forfeit is $106,000 a year job, which held for 13 years. He also faces up to six months in jail and will be banned from future public employment when is sentenced this summer.

All law enforcement officers have a duty to maintain the publics confidence that they are conducting themselves with honor and integrity," Monmouth County Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni said in a statement. "Corrections officers have the added responsibility of ensuring that those who are serving sentences for breaking the law are doing so in an environment that is safe and free from the abuse of authority demonstrated in this case,

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Queen Maxima has opened up about family life as a mother to three daughters in a rare candid interview with her middle child, Princess Alexia.

The 14-year-old princess, daughter of Queen Maxima, 48, and King Willem-Alexander, 53, said her parents were 'very good parents' as she took part in a vlog on King's Day with her mother.

Mother and daughter, who are isolating with the rest of the family at the Royal Palace Huis Ten Bosch in the Hague, made the revelations on a Zoom call with Dutch Youtube vloger Enzo Knol, AD reported.

While Maxima joked that she's a 'cranky' and 'strict' mother, and that work takes up most of her energy, Alexia smiled and said her mother and father are both 'very good parents'.

Princess Alexia of the Netherlands (left) opened up about her illustrious parents in a rare public comment. The 14-year-old princess, daughter of Queen Maxima, 48, and King Willem-Alexander, 53, said her parents were 'very good parents' as she partook in a vlog on King's Day with her mother

Teasing her daughter during the call, Maxima said: '[Alexia] will then say, "She is a very difficult mother who is always very strict, who is always cranky. She has no energy".'

However, the young princess said her mother's energy level 'is really not a problem.'

The teenager shared her heartfelt admiration for Maxima and the work she does.

Alexia said her parents always found time to spend with their family and were good at balancing family and work (pictured from the left: Princess Ariane, 13 with Princess Amalia, 16, King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima and Princess Alexia in the Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague

'I think, given the work my mother always does, that she is doing very well.

'She has to spend a lot of time on her job, but she is there very often. And if not, there is always something we can do together.

'I still spend a lot of time with her. All of us. I think my parents are quite wellvery good parents.

'Sometimes there is of course a bit of stress. But I think that all parents sometimes have better days and sometimes worse days, but in general it is very nice here.'

Posing for pictures on a sunny day to mark King's Day on April 27, the Dutch royal family looked idyllic

Queen Maxima joked she was a 'strict' and 'cranky' mother who had no energy, but Alexia kindly said it wasn't true

Always in on the joke, Maxima applauded her daughter, laughing and indicating the comment had 'not been scripted.'

The Dutch royal family shared lovely group pictures to celebrate King's Day on April 27, which marked King Willem-Alexander's 53rd birthday.

Maxima was pictured cutting a ribbon to celebrate King's Day as her daughter and heir to the throne captured the moment on her tablet.

Alexia said there were always moments of stress for parents, but that her were coping well and that the family had a 'nice' dynamic (pictured with Maxima and Princess Ariane)

The Queen was joined by their daughters Princesses Amalia, 16, Alexia, 14, and Ariane, 13, in a drawing room at the Royal Palace Huis Ten Bosch in the Hague to celebrate her husband King Willem-Alexander, 53.

The event, which takes place every year on 27 April, celebrates the reigning monarch's birthday and typically sees people enjoy markets, outdoor games and parties.

However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, events and public celebrations were cancelled this year, leaving the Dutch to celebrate from home, including the monarch and his family.
Former Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Tofig Zulfugarov gave an interview, the main idea of which is a call for starting a war against Armenia.

"[Armenia FM Zohrab] Mnatsakanyan's last statement means one simple thing: The [OSCE] Minsk [Group] process, its logic has been killed," Zulfugarov said. "Armenia declares its position [on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict], and if we [Azerbaijan] continue the talks, we will actually adopt that 'agenda.'

But the issue is that the basis for the UN Security Council resolution needs to be clarified here as well. This structure is the only organization, the most important one, that makes an imperative decision for mandatory implementation. All other international organizations are under the auspices of the UN, roughly speaking. (). One such regional organization is the OSCE. However, unlike the UN, the OSCE cannot force peace on the aggressor. (). they cannot force Yerevan to liberate the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Based on the above, the [OSCE Minsk Group] Co-Chairs raised this issue, and now one of the partiesthat is, Armeniahas stated its position in this way. And the co-chairs will seek a middle ground. And if the Armenian side insists on this position, everyone will simply say (and the mediators have the right to do so) that, allegedly, The situation is like that, and let's discuss what we can discuss. If Azerbaijan agrees to this agenda, it will mean that we are ready to discuss any issue."

According to the former foreign minister of Azerbaijan, the Karabakh peace talks have run out.

"From the point of view of the new situation, it is necessary to mention the Nakhichevan factor, from the border of which Yerevan is about 40 km away; it's within reach of the Grad-type volley fire systems," Zulfugarov said. "I see that even the Armenian side is preparing for war. And they want to use the prospects for that war differently. During that war, their political elite either wants to do something to harm us, and if that doesn't work and they lose the war, they will blame their ally, Russia, for passing to the side of the West. Therefore, in this case, the [Armenia PM Nikol] Pashinyan elite are fulfilling their minimum plan. It is very actual for everyone to spread the feeling in our society that war is inevitable. And all the components of the societypropaganda, economy, health caremust be ready for it, as there will be a war, not only in Karabakh; it will spread onto the whole territory of the two countries: Armenia and Azerbaijan."
U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady focused on federal efforts to help support businesses impacted by the coronavirus during the Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerces online Lunch-In on Tuesday.

Brady, who is the lead Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, represents Texas 8th congressional district, which includes East Montgomery County and a portion of Kingwood.

AIRLINES: Things just keep getting worse for airlines crushed by coronavirus

This is the most unprecedented challenge most of us will face in our lifetime. To have the country hit with both a major healthcare pandemic as well as an economic challenge [to the] likes we havent seen really since the depression, Brady said. Its taken an unprecedented response.

Surviving the virus

Brady said businesses needed the capital to ride out the effects of shutting down large swaths of the economy to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Federal forgivable loans to businesses in the first round of funding averaged about $206,000 and about $79,000 in the second round, according to Brady. The declining figure indicates that independent contractors, self-employed folks, freelancers and gig workers are starting to get loans as well, he said.

Most of these loans are coming from our local banks, and I can just tell you having held several conference calls with our community banks in Texas, they have devoted an incredible amount of time to processing these loans, working through the technical challenges that always come up in pushing a loan program into existence this quickly, Brady said.

They still continue to put in unbelievable hours, so they have done remarkable work and again it is those small businesses that are getting the loans and small banks who are providing the loans.

Planning to reopen

Brady said state and federal officials are working on a plan to reopen the economy because continuing to close businesses could hurt more people than when there were closures.

My fear was that if we had continued to lock down the U.S. economy, we would have hurt an awful lot more Americans, those who are jobless today, those who would have faced an unnecessarily prolonged economic recession if we hadnt begun to unlock parts of the economy in a responsible way, Brady said. And frankly, look, work is where you get your health care benefits, your retirement benefits, where you tend to get the most money, and it frankly its unhealthy to be unemployed for long periods of time. So I think thats was crucial.

His goal for the next federal funding package is to redesign unemployment benefits as an incentive with a return to work bonus. Brady said the current unemployment benefits that Congress approved was a compromise from the Senate that offers $600 on top of state-provided benefits. He said the extra $600 makes unemployment payments higher than many salaries.

He also said there may need to be some tax help to assist companies offset the cost of increased testing, personal protective equipment and other coronavirus-based changes.

...We not only can reopen the economy, but we have to, Brady said. And we have to do it smart, by continuing to keep maximum pressure on the virus but while reopening with safe and healthy workplaces.

MORE BY SAVANNAH MEHRTENS: Lone Star nursing students near graduation prepare for selfless career amid coronavirus

Future sustainability

Brady said they now know that the U.S. needs to be more medically independent on key medicines, crucial medical supplies and research. This is part of a Medicines made in America proposal that aims to help bring those components of the medical industry to the U.S., he said.

Too much of it is done with unreliable partners like China. So we developed a tax package to incentivize businesses to bring those production lines back to America, if not all of the major parts of it so that we can rely on our own medical resources going forward, Brady said.

Brady answered submitted questions to the Lake Houston Chamber, which can be viewed on the Lake Houston Chamber Facebook Page as a recorded video from the live event. His answers can be viewed online here.

savannah.mehrtens@chron.com
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-07 01:43:10|Editor: huaxia

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DAR ES SALAAM, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian parliament Speaker Job Ndugai on Wednesday ordered 60 members of parliament from main opposition party Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), including their leader, who are boycotting House sessions, to repay allowances of 110 million Tanzanian shillings (about 48,000 U.S. dollars).

Ndugai said the allowances were given to the MPs as allowances for attending parliamentary budget sessions from May 1 through May 15 but the lawmakers stopped attending the sessions at the end of April following a directive from their leader.

"The opposition MPs who took the allowances and boycotted House sessions should repay the allowances or else I will report the matter to security organs for legal action," said Ndugai.

Last week, CHADEMA chairman Freeman Mbowe directed all its parliamentarians from his party, among other things, to stop attending parliamentary sessions and parliamentary committees amid the COVID-19 threat.

Mbowe said in a statement that the party also directed its members not to be close to the two parliamentary buildings, both in Dodoma and Dar es Salaam, as a way of avoiding infections.

"We want the parliament to take necessary steps including suspension of parliamentary activities for 21 days to allow parliamentarians and all workers in the parliament to quarantine themselves," he said in the statement.

However, 11 CHADEMA MPs defied the order and continued attending the sessions that are approving budget proposals for ministries for the 2020/2021 financial year.

On May 3, Tanzanian President John Magufuli ordered that MPs who failed to attend parliament without apparent reasons should not be given allowances. Enditem
Roma Boots Founder and CEO, Samuel Bistrian. Have faith, simplify, run a tight ship, and persevere. The world will not be in this financial crisis forever. Now more than ever, small business owners should take the time to remember why they started their brand."

Starting a business during a rocky economy is a risk most arent willing to take, but ROMA Boots founder and CEO, Samuel Bistrian, is living proof that economic wealth isnt the deciding factor of whether or not a business succeeds or fails.

Buy one give one companies have come and gone but ROMA Boots is here stronger than ever for their 10 year anniversary. Bistrian launched the brand in 2001 during the last recession. Although hell admit difficult economic times certainly presented challenges, its the passion behind ROMA that has helped him thrive through the highs and persevere through the lows.

Yes, we've had challenging times along the way, but It's all worth it when you see the number of lives that have been impacted, explained Bistrian when asked how he dealt with some of the lowest points since launching the brand.

The companys business model combines for-profit fashion with philanthropic initiative. A year before leaving Neiman Marcus to start ROMA Boots, Bistrian met TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie and was inspired by his give back campaign. Growing up in a poor village in Romania, the idea of providing boots to children in need hit home, especially as he returned to visit in 2001 and found children were still growing up without adequate footwear for the wet, cold climate. Little did he know, 10 years later that same experience would be multiplied all over the world.

10 Years ago when I started ROMA we were in a financial crisis as a nation, but I was a risk-taker. The passion that I had to break free from the confinement of a regular job and being an employee, prevailed over any fear I had of the uncertainty of the economy, said Bistrian.

The fashionable footwear company offering boots for everyone in the family is just as popular for its stylish rubber kicks as it is for its heart-warming cause. For ROMA Boots, 2019 was the biggest year on record through expansion and focusing more on wholesale. The brand continues to launch new designs that are becoming must-haves for the rainy spring season.

After a decade in business, giving poverty the boot still remains at the heart of ROMAs charitable causes as a new pair of boots is donated to a child in need with every purchase made. Last year Bistrian estimated that the brand donated around $3 million worth of footwear to children internationally since going into business. This fall, the brand will be donating 10,000 boots in the U.S.

When asked what Bistrainss advice to small business owners who are having a hard time staying afloat during Coronavirus, his words of affirmation are simple.

Have faith, simplify, run a tight ship, and persevere. The world will not be in this financial crisis forever. Now more than ever, small business owners should take the time to remember why they started their brand. Use that passion to drive and shift your business plan accordingly to stay motivated and be patient as you continue to reach your goal.

Holding the title of Americas Favorite Rain Boot, its difficult to imagine how different the marketplace would be and how many children around the world would go underserved if one man didnt step up during hard economic times to carry out his business plan.

About ROMA Boots: Founded in 2010 by Samuel Bistrian, the company name ROMA means love. After spending years working at Neiman Marcus, Romanian-born Samuel Bistrian wanted to take his passion for quality and customer service a step further by giving back to people in need. Following a buy one, give one model similar TOMS footwear, ROMA does the same with boots. Growing up in rural Romania, Bristrian knows how proper footwear can empower and inspire children to live their best lives and encourage them to spread their talents with the world. ROMA Boots are sold at boutiques across the U.S., Canada, and Australia. Theyre also available online at romaboots.com and Amazon.
A Cavan robber who was identified by gardai after they found his DNA on a box of juice he drank shortly before the offence has been jailed for three years.

Gareth Hamilton (26) of Drumconnick, Co Cavan, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery at Applegreen Service Station, Inchicore, Dublin on November 28, 2018. He has previous convictions for attempted robbery, burglary and possession of stolen property.

Detective Garda Sean Byrne told Garrett McCormack BL, prosecuting, that on the evening in question, Hamilton entered the service station, walked up to the counter and asked for cigarettes.

Det Gda Byrne said that after the cashier got the cigarettes, Hamilton asked him to open the till slowly and took a box cutter out of his trouser pocket. He leaned over the counter, took 350 from the till and left with the money and the cigarettes.

Gardai obtained CCTV footage which showed Hamilton drinking a box of Ribena inside the premises. They recovered the box of juice and discovered traces of his DNA and his fingerprints.

Det Gda Byrne agreed with Brian Storan BL, defending, that his client identified himself on CCTV footage. He agreed that Hamilton said he was off his head on drugs and spent the stolen money on crack cocaine.

Mr Storan said his client grew up first in Belfast and was placed in a care home before being taken in by his grandparents. He asked the court to consider that his client had rehabilitated from drug use.

Judge Melanie Greally said his previous convictions were committed over a relatively finite time period in 2018 and 2019. She noted that he was on bail at the time of this offence.

Judge Greally said Hamilton had employment on his father's farm and wished to live with his father once released from custody. She said if he could overcome his drug use he had the potential to get his life back on track.

She sentenced him to four-and-a-half years imprisonment, but suspended the final 18 months on strict conditions. She ordered the sentence to run consecutive to a sentence he is currently serving which will end on November 14, next.
Learn more about the Erie Canals history and current Erie Canal initiatives during Quarantine Coffee Hours, presented by the Erie Canal Museum. The programs are streamed on Facebook Live Thursdays at 10 a.m. They are also uploaded to the Museums YouTube channel for later viewing. Quarantine Coffee Hours are free and open to the public.

Museum Educator Derrick Pratt hosts the programs. Every Monday the Museum posts a Canal-related article on its website. The article is also posted on the Museums Facebook page. On Thursday at 10 a.m., the public can join Pratt on Facebook Live for a discussion about the article.

On May 7, Pratt will host John Montague, director emeritus of the Buffalo Maritime Center. Montague will discuss the Centers project to commemorate the Canals bicentennial by building a replica of Governor DeWitt Clintons packet boat the Seneca Chief. Read more about this project with Montagues article, available here.

Send questions about each coffee hours topic ahead of time by commenting on the Quarantine Coffee Hour Facebook event or emailing derrick@eriecanalmuseum.org. Participants are also encouraged to post questions and comments during the live program.

Future coffee hours will look at the life and recipes of Oliver Wendell Petrie, an Oswego native who served as a cook on an oil tanker that traveled between Detroit and New York City in the 1930s; and the 200th anniversary of DeWitt Clintons first visit to Syracuse in 1820.

Established in 1962, the Erie Canal Museum preserves and showcases the only remaining weighlock building in the country, and shares the history of New Yorks Erie Canal through hands-on exhibits, interactive displays, and original artifacts.

In response to the COVID-19 crisis and to protect visitors, volunteers, and staff, the Museum is closed to the public until further notice. This online event is a great way to learn Canal history as everyone does their part to stay safe and healthy. Until the Museums doors open, staff continue to offer educational services and programs through the Museums website, YouTube channel, and social media. All programs are free with a suggested $5 donation, which can be made online.

For more information, email outreach@eriecanalmuseum.org or visit https://eriecanalmuseum.org.

The Erie Canal Museum is partially supported by a grant from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
By Online Desk

SRINAGAR: A top Hizbul Mujahideen commander and another terrroist were killed in an encounter with security forces in Kashmir's Pulwama district, officials said.

The Hizb commander Riyaz Naikoo, who has been on the run for eight years and carried a reward of Rs 12 lakh, was killed in his home viilage on Wednesday.

The identity of the second dead terrorist is yet to be ascertained.

In a simultaneous gunbattle in another village in the district, two unidentified militants were killed, officials said.

The Jammu and Kashmir authorities have already snapped mobile internet services across the valley as a precautionary measure, in anticipation of a possible a law and order problem, police said, adding that there are strict restrictions on the movement of people.

A police spokesperson said earlier in the morning that a top terrorist commander along with an accomplice was trapped in an encounter but did not reveal his identity.

Later in the day, officials disclosed that the man in their sights was Riyaz Naikoo, operational commander of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen, and he was trapped in Beighpora village in Pulwama.

Naikoo became the de facto chief of the terror group after the death of Burhan Wani, the poster boy of militancy in the Valley, in July 2016.

Naikoo had managed to escape the police dragnet thrice in Shopian in south Kashmir.

Declining to give details, officials only said they had launched a plan to nab Naikoo after establishing his presence in the village and wanted to ensure he did not escape this time.

They said details would be shared after the encounter was over.

In Sharshali village, two militants who are yet to be identified were gunned down in an encounter with security forces.

Acting on a tip-off about the presence of militants in the village, security forces launched a cordon and search operation.

It turned into an encounter after militants opened fire towards security forces' positions, officials said.

In the retaliatory firing, two militants were killed, they said.
Sofia Gonzalez, nine months pregnant, finds a little relief from the heat in a backyard kiddie pool. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Sofia Gonzalez was always too shy to sunbathe on the terrace behind her North Hollywood home, a postage-stamp-size patio in a condo ringed by rear windows and overhung with balconies like sun-scalded bougainvillea.

But this spring, her courage bloomed.

"If they stare, fine," the actress said on a recent sultry weekday. Gonzalez, nine months pregnant, waved to an upstairs neighbor from her bright new inflatable pool. "I'm so uncomfortable, I'm just chasing whatever feels good right now."

She's not alone: With temperatures in the 90s this week and much of the coastline shut down, many Angelenos are seeking snatches of paradise in the pavement around their homes.

"We see a lot of parking-lot pools," said Emily Vaca, founder of Minnidip, whose inflatable "adult kiddie pools" saw a string of record-breaking sales at the end of April, with the vast majority shipping to Southern California. "People are using them everywhere."

Gonzalez is among the many local buyers who buoyed L.A. pool-maker Funboy after major retailers canceled their spring orders in March. Seattle-based competitor Mylle saw a "comically noticeable geographic spike" in purchases the last weekend in April.

"We just had a substantial increase in L.A. orders," Mylle founder Kriss Myllenbeck wrote in an email. "We have been a niche brand for an activity most people were only doing on the weekend, and now all of a sudden everyone is home on a Tuesday trying to deal with 90-degree" weather.

Victoria Perez, 4, normally has a full social schedule, with dance practice, swimming lessons, and frequent visits to Disneyland. Now, she's making the best of the hot weather with her new kiddie pool, which her mother, Rosario, set up in front of their Whittier apartment. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Pools had become so popular that by the time 22-year-old Vanessa Garcia and her roommate set out to find one for their Long Beach apartment complex this week, local big-box stores had all sold out.

"We went to three different Targets and a Big Lots," said Garcia, who just graduated from Cal State Long Beach. "We went through the whole store  there were absolutely no kiddie pools left."

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Sidewalk splash pools were already a summertime staple in many L.A. neighborhoods, particularly for families with young kids. But the pandemic has quickly inflated their appeal, experts said.

"Anything thats really temporary and easy and quick you see a lot more of now, because people can put it in their frontyards or their driveway," said James Rojas, an urban planner and community activist in L.A. "It could be a stairwell  any spot you give people, theyll use it."

L.A.s increasing density has also made the phenomenon more visible: More than half of city residents live in multifamily buildings, census data show, and most families are renters, meaning few have outdoor space to call their own.

"The poster child of urban sprawl is long gone," said Tridib Banerjee, professor of urban and regional planning at USC. "L.A. is now one of the densest [U.S.] cities."

Those who are most likely to rent here are now also much more likely to have small children, studies show. Millennials make up about a quarter of the population of metropolitan Los Angeles and the overwhelming majority of its new parents, yet data suggest fewer than 20% of them own their homes. With school out for the year and hopes dwindling for camps this summer, many are desperate for something to break up long, hot afternoons.

"It's tough trying to keep her occupied because shes an only kid and theres no one to play with her," said Rosario Perez, 31, a Whittier apartment dweller who recently put a pool out front for Victoria, her 4-year-old. "Today she spent almost two hours playing in the pool."

As temperatures soar and the state's protracted stay-at-home orders continue, grown-ups, too, are taking the plunge.

"Usually I would feel weird lying out in a bikini in front of my building, but now everyone knows we're in quarantine; you can't really go anywhere else," said L.A. photographer Kiyana Tehrani, who lives in Westchester. "I see a lot of people outside on their lawns, getting kiddie pools."

Because the pools are in public, some buyers have splashed out on pricier inflatables. Minnidip, Funboy and Mylle's adult-sized pools start at $50, more than double the price of their competitors' pint-sized products. But they're hard not to envy on social media.

"The design is something you show off  it's more of a statement or a conversation piece," said Vaca, the Minnidip founder. "We're seeing people are very proud that they have a blow-up pool."

Gonzalez said several friends reached out to say they'd bought kiddie pools after seeing a photo of hers.

"They have really cute styles, very Instagram-friendly," she said.

But for others, the inflatable pool is less aesthetic statement, or even a way to stay cool, than emotional life raft, a 66-inch island of childlike joy in an ocean of pandemic upheaval.

"Every day we wake up and we have a quest: What are we going to do today to not go crazy?" said Garcia, the new graduate, who is still on the hunt for a pool. "Our kiddie pool was kind of like our little piece of normal."
The health secretary has suggested that police should take action against a government adviser who allegedly violated the coronavirus lockdown by allowing his girlfriend to visit his home.

Matt Hancock said Professor Neil Ferguson took the right decision to resign from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies after conceding he made an error of judgment with the liaison.

The Imperial College London researchers work was crucial in Boris Johnsons move to enforce unprecedented restrictions on movement and association.

Asked about police involvement, Mr Hancock told Sky News: They will take their decisions independently from ministers, thats quite right, its always been like that.

Even though I have got a clear answer to what I think, as a minister the way we run the police is that they make decisions like this.

So I give them their space to make that decision, but I think he took the right decision to resign.

But the Metropolitan Police, who have responsibility for the case as both Prof Ferguson and his girlfriend live in London, said they would take no further action.

We remain committed to our role in supporting adherence to government guidance and have made it clear that our starting position is explaining the need to follow the regulations with anyone who is in breach in order to keep people safe and protect the NHS, a statement said.

It is clear in this case that while this behaviour is plainly disappointing, Professor Ferguson has accepted that he made an error of judgement and has taken responsibility for that. We therefore do not intend to take any further action.

Did Prof Ferguson commit an offence?

The Telegraph reported that he allowed 38-year-old Antonia Staats, said to be his lover, to visit him at home in London at least twice during the lockdown, on 30 March and 8 April.

Under the Health Protection Regulations, which were brought in to enforce the UK lockdown announced on 23 March, it is illegal to leave home without reasonable excuse.

Regulation 6 reads: During the emergency period, no person may leave or be outside of the place where they are living without reasonable excuse.

Violating the law can be punished with a 60 fine, or arrest in more severe cases, although police have been instructed to use enforcement as a last resort.

But the law as it stands only applies to the person who left their home, rather than the person being visited.

So while Ms Staats could be investigated for a potential breach of the Health Protection Regulations, Prof Ferguson could not have broken that law while staying inside his home.

But under the separate Magistrates Courts Act 1980, it is an offence to aid, abet, counsel or procure someone else to commit a summary offence.

No further action will be taken against anyone, a spokesperson for Scotland Yard said.

Professor Neil Ferguson entertained his lover twice during lockdown (Marsha J)

Why are police taking no further action?

Police have been instructed to use arrests and fines under the Health Protection Regulations as a last resort after encouraging people to follow the law voluntarily.

As the statement from Scotland Yard said, its starting position is explaining the need to follow the regulations with anyone who is in breach in order to keep people safe and protect the NHS.

The Metropolitan Police handed out 634 fines in the first month of the lockdown  a much lower rate than other regional police forces.

The number was lower than areas with much smaller populations, including Surrey, Sussex and Thames Valley.

Taking action against Ms Staats risks appearing disproportionate in comparison to Scotland Yards overall approach, which has focused on large public gatherings and other incidents that pose a health risk.

In March, commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said she had been very clear with her officers that they should encourage people to comply voluntarily with the law.

My approach in my service is one entirely of trying to encourage people, to engage with people, to have conversations with people, she added.

Dame Cressida Dick has instructed the Met to use enforcement powers as a last resort (Getty) (Getty Images)

Is there a legal precedent for similar cases?

We do not know. The National Police Chiefs Council has been publishing the number of fines issued by regional police forces  almost 9,000 in England by 27 April.

But because of the way they are handed out, the specific circumstances for each fine are not recorded.

By paying them, people avoid prosecution and cases do not go to court.

If people refuse to pay fines, they can be prosecuted under the Health Protection Regulations, but no data on the number of such cases is yet available and the lockdown has made it difficult for journalists to report comprehensively on magistrates court proceedings.

Is visiting a partner a reasonable excuse to leave home?

It is not, and officials made that clear on the first day of the lockdown.

At a press briefing on 24 March, the deputy chief medical officer suggested couples who live apart should move in together if they wanted to continue seeing each other.

Jenny Harries said: The issue here is that we do not want to have people switching in and out of households. It would defeat the purpose of the reduction in social interactions and would allow transmission of disease.

At the time, Mr Hancock said people should make the choice and stick with it.

The law lists numerous reasonable excuses, which are not exhaustive, and include exercising, shopping, working, moving house and escaping the risk of harm.

What has Prof Ferguson said?

He told The Telegraph: I accept I made an error of judgment and took the wrong course of action. I have therefore stepped back from my involvement in Sage.

I acted in the belief that I was immune, having tested positive for coronavirus, and completely isolated myself for almost two weeks after developing symptoms.

I deeply regret any undermining of the clear messages around the continued need for social distancing to control this devastating epidemic. The government guidance is unequivocal, and is there to protect all of us.

Recommended Expert advising Boris Johnson on coronavirus develops cough and fever

Prof Fergusons research warned that 250,000 people could die in the UK without drastic action before Boris Johnson imposed restrictions.

A mathematician and epidemiologist, he led the Imperial team that modelled the spread and impact of Covid-19 in a government-commissioned report.

The paper said merely slowing the spread of the virus, which had at that point been the aim, would have led to the NHS being overwhelmed by cases.

On 18 March, he announced that he had the fever and cough symptoms of Covid-19 and there was a small risk he had infected others in highlighting the need for the response which has been enacted.

His is not the first high-profile resignation of the pandemic, with Catherine Calderwood quitting as Scotlands chief medical officer after making two trips to her second home.

Imperial College London said Prof Ferguson continues to focus on his important research.
Supporters of women's health rally outside the Supreme Court in Washington, DC, March 23, 2016, as the Court hears oral arguments in 7 cases dealing with religious organizations that want to ban contraceptives from their health insurance policies on religious grounds.

Liberal justices, including Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who called in from Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimore after being treated for a benign gallbladder condition on Tuesday, argued that the Trump administration was unlawfully departing from Congress's intention to provide women with free contraceptive coverage when it passed the Affordable Care Act in 2010.

Trump's Democratic rival, Joe Biden, was vice president at the time the provision that would become the contraceptive coverage mandate was signed into law as part of the Affordable Care Act, the health-care overhaul commonly known as Obamacare.

The high-profile case comes as President Donald Trump is seeking reelection in November. Trump campaigned in 2016 on opposing the contraceptive coverage mandate and won with broad support among religious groups.

It was not immediately clear which side will garner enough votes to form a majority. If the Trump administration wins, more than 125,000 women could lose their contraceptive coverage, according to government estimates.

Arguments, which were conducted by phone as a precaution against the spreading coronavirus, lasted nearly two hours and concluded shortly before noon. A decision is expected over the summer.

Pennsylvania and New Jersey successfully halted implementation of the regulations in the lower courts. The Trump administration, via the Department of Justice, and the Catholic nonprofit Little Sisters of the Poor asked the Supreme Court to reverse those rulings.

The justices of the Supreme court on Wednesday clashed along largely partisan lines in a dispute over Trump administration rules that would allow employers with sincerely held moral or religious objections to deny their employees access to free contraceptive coverage.

"You have just tossed entirely to the wind what Congress thought was essential -- that women receive these services with no cost, no hassle to them," Ginsburg told Solicitor General Noel Francisco, who argued on behalf of the Trump administration.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a Trump appointee, said the case was "difficult," noting that there were "very strong interests on both sides."

Under rules put out under President Barack Obama, churches and other houses of worship were exempted from the contraceptive coverage mandate. Religious nonprofits were entitled to an "accommodation" in which their employees would receive contraceptive coverage, but they would not have to pay for it.

The Supreme Court expanded the accommodation to some for-profit businesses in the 2014 case Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, though religious employers have argued ever since that even having to notify the government or their insurer of their religious objection makes them "complicit" in providing the coverage.

In 2016, the Supreme Court declined to issue a substantial ruling in a case involving those objections.

The justices instead urged the Obama administration to work on a compromise with religious objectors. The administration said shortly before Trump took office that it was unable to do so "while still ensuring that the affected women receive full and equal health coverage, including contraceptive coverage."

Chief Justice John Roberts, who was part of the 5-4 majority in Hobby Lobby, seemed exasperated that the government still had not worked out a compromise.

"The problem is that neither side in this debate wants the accommodation to work," Roberts told Paul Clement, an attorney for the Little Sisters of the Poor.

The argument was the third of 10 to be heard virtually during the first two weeks of May, the first virtual arguments in the court's history. As in the prior two arguments, Justice Clarence Thomas, who is known for his silence, asked questions.

The case appears to be the first virtual argument in which Covid-19 became an element of the discussion. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, an Obama appointee, asked Clement if it would be lawful, hypothetically, for religious groups to object to a mandatory requirement to provide Covid-19 vaccines.

"In the context of Covid-19, I think the government might be able to meet its burden" of requiring the vaccine to be provided, Clement said.

Clement and Francisco argued that the exemptions for religious employers are required under the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The RFRA prohibits the government from imposing a substantial burden on the exercise of religion unless it can show that it is using the least onerous means of doing so.

Pennsylvania Chief Deputy Attorney General Michael Fischer, who argued on behalf of the states, argued that the administration failed to follow the Administrative Procedure Act, which governs agency rulemaking, when it came up with the new rules.

"The prior rules struck a balance that permitted objecting employers to opt out but still allowed their female employees to receive coverage," Fischer said.

Arguing that the Trump administration rules swept too broadly, Fischer noted that even publicly traded companies could claim exemptions under them, despite the fact that none had publicly said they were seeking one.

The cases are known as Donald Trump v. Pennsylvania, No. 19-454, and The Little Sisters of the Poor Saints Peter and Paul Home v. Pennsylvania, No. 19-431.
Odisha reported its second COVID-19 fatality after a 77-year-old man died in Bhubaneswar, the Health and Family Welfare Department officials said on Wednesday.

He breathed his last at the KIMS COVID-19 Hospital here on Tuesday night, they said.

The man had underlying co-morbidities of hypertension, diabetes and kidney ailments, the officials said.

The man, a resident of the Madhusudan Nagar area of the city, was a close relative of another COVID-19 patient.

Though his sample tested negative on April 9, he later developed symptoms. He was tested again and found to be positive for COVID-19 on April 28, officials said.

He was at a government quarantine centre from April 11 to 20 and home quarantine from April 21 to 27. He was admitted to the hospital on April 28 after being tested positive.

On April 6, a 72-year-old man from Bhubaneswar's Jharpada had died due to the disease at the AIIMS here.

Meanwhile, three more people tested positive for COVID-19 in the state, taking the total number of coronavirus cases to 179, an official of the department said.

An 18-year-old man, who recently returned from Surat in Gujarat, tested positive for COVID-19 in Ganjam.

A 48-year-old man tested positive in Balasore, while a 65-year-old man was detected with coronavirus infection in Jajpur district. Both of them returned from West Bengal recently, the official said.

All of them were in quarantine centres due to their travel history, he said.

Till Wednesday afternoon, there were 117 active cases in the state, while 60 people had recovered from the disease, he said.

Jajpur district has reported the maximum number of cases at 54, followed by Bhubaneswar in Khurda district at 47, Balasore at 25, Bhadrak at 21 and Sundergarh at 12.

Four positive cases have been reported from Ganjam district, while two cases each have been detected in Cuttack, Jharsuguda, Kendrapara, Bolangir, Keonjhar and Kalahandi, and one each in Puri, Dhenkanal, Deogarh and Koraput districts



As four positive cases have been detected in Ganjam district and all of them had returned from Surat, the state government rushed an expert team consisting of Director of Family Welfare Bijay Kumar Panigrahi and Scientist of RMRC- Bhubaneswar Jaysingh Khatri.

The team will supervise surveillance and containment measure in Ganjam district, the official said



The Health and Family Welfare Department in a notification said that the dean and principal of MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur will be part of the team, besides some senior professors of medicine.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
L ockdown measures may start to be lifted on Monday "if we possibly can", Boris Johnson has announced.

At Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Mr Johnson said the Government hopes to start easing the coronavirus lockdown early next week.

Addressing MPs and the nation this lunchtime, he confirmed he would give a speech on Sunday to announce the roadmap out of lockdown.

MPs questioned why he is not going straight to the Commons to tell them first.

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

Asked why he was breaking with the usual rules, the Prime Minister said: "The reason for that is very simple, that we have to be sure the the data is going to support our ability to do this.

"That data is coming in continuously over the next few days. We want if we possibly can to get going with some of these measures on Monday."

But Mr Johnson also warned it would be an economic disaster to relax the lockdown in a way which triggered a second spike in coronavirus cases.

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford advised against easing the lockdown too soon, insisting it must remain in place for as long as its needed and discouraged people travelling to tourist areas.

Mr Johnson replied in the Commons: I think the last few weeks have shown the ability of the governments of all four nations to come together and to deliver very clear messages for our people and I think the collaboration has been extremely helpful.

We will certainly be working with the government in Scotland, the Opposition, unions, business to make sure we get the un-lockdown plan completely right.

Government sets target of 200,000 covid-19 tests a day

He added: Itd be an economic disaster for this country if we were to pursue a relaxation of these measures now in such a way as to trigger a second spike  on that point Im in complete agreement with him.

His comments came as the UK's death toll hit 32,313, according to the latest figures from the Official for National Statistics.

The figures suggest the UK could be the worst-hit in Europe, but experts have warned it could be months before full comparisons can be made between countries.

Mr Johnson has set a new target of 200,000 coronavirus tests a day "by the end of the month" and admitted he "bitterly regrets" the crisis in care homes.

But he told the Commons that there had been a palpable improvement in cares homes in the last few days.

One minute silence to NHS heroes who lost lives to the Coronavirus 1 /25 One minute silence to NHS heroes who lost lives to the Coronavirus London Ambulance Staff observe the minute silence today at their HQ in Waterloo Road Jeremy Selwyn Staff stand outside Salford Royal Hospital in Manchester during a minute's silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak PA Shoppers queue in the rain outside Costco in Thurrock during a minutes silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak PA A minute silence in honour of key workers who have lost their lives due to COVID-19 Sky News London Ambulance Staff observe the minute silence today at their HQ in Waterloo Road Jeremy Selwyn Staff react outside Salford Royal Hospital in Manchester during a minute's silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak PA A staff member reacts outside Salford Royal Hospital in Manchester during a minute's silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak PA Members of the public, NHS staff, and Police offices, some wearing PPE (personal protective equipment) of a face mask as a precautionary measure against COVID-19, pause for a minute's silence to honour UK key workers AFP via Getty Images A police officer observes a minute silence in honour of key workers who have lost their lives due to COVID-19 outside 10 Downing Street, Reuters London Ambulance Staff observe the minute silence today at their HQ in Waterloo Road Jeremy Selwyn Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill, Prime minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak stand inside 10 Downing Street, London, to observe a minutes silence in tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak PA A minute silence in honour of key workers who have lost their lives due to COVID-19 Sky News London Ambulance Staff observe the minute silence today at their HQ in Waterloo Road Jeremy Selwyn Staff stand outside the Royal Derby Hospital, during a minutes silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak PA Staff stand outside the Royal Derby Hospital, during a minutes silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak PA Staff stand inside Camberwell bus depot in London, during a minute's silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak PA National Shop Stewards Network protesters outside St Thomas' Hospital in London, during a minute's silence which was to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak. PA Staff members applaud outside the Royal Derby Hospital, following a minute's silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak. PA First Minister Nicola Sturgeon stands outside St Andrew's House in Edinburgh to observe a minute's silence in tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak PA

Labour leader Keir Starmer said: Yesterdays figures that show that whilst happily in hospitals it looks as though deaths are falling, deaths in care homes continue to go up.

At the press conference last night, the deputy chief scientific adviser said, and I quote, what this shows us is that theres a real issue that we need to get to grips with in relation to whats happening in care homes.

I couldnt agree more, but 12 weeks after the Health Secretary declared that were in a health crisis, I have to ask the Prime Minister  why hasnt the Government got to grips with this already?

The Prime Minister responded: I can tell him actually that hes not right in what he just said about the state of the epidemic in care homes because if he looks at the figures, in the last few days, there has been a palpable improvement.

We must hope that that continues and we will ensure that it does continue.
Indonesia is struggling to contain hundreds of new daily cases of coronavirus, including its largest single-day rise in infections on Tuesday.

The country reported 367 new infections on Wednesday and 484 cases on Tuesday. Tuesday's total surpassed the previous record of 436 new infections on April 24.

The big increases come even as government officials including COVID-19 taskforce chief Doni Monardo and Health Department official Achmad Yurianto have previously suggested they were aiming for the spread of the virus to be under control by June and for "normal" life to begin to resume in June or July.

A man looks for discarded plastic near newly dug graves for those suspected of dying from COVID-19 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Credit:Getty Images

But at the daily coronavirus briefings on Tuesday and Wednesday, Yurianto indicated for the first time the government's timeframe for a return to normal could be pushed back to August.
Atlanta: A Georgia district attorney said on Tuesday that a grand jury should decide whether to bring charges in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old unarmed black man who was chased by two white men and shot in southern Georgia in February.

The video purports to show Ahmaud Arbery lying on the road after being shot as Travis McMichael, left, holding a shotgun, and his father, Gregory McMichael, holding a handgun, approach him in Brunswick, Georgia. Credit:AP

"After careful review of the evidence," the prosecutor, Tom Durden, of Georgia's Atlantic Judicial Circuit, wrote in a statement, "I am of the opinion that the case should be presented to the grand jury of Glynn County for consideration of criminal charges."

Arbery was killed after the men pursued him while he was running in the Satilla Shores neighbourhood just outside of Brunswick, in Glynn County. Neither man was arrested after the slaying, which occurred at about 1pm on February 23.

Arbery's family and friends said he was an avid jogger and they do not believe he committed a crime before being chased.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra boasts very powerful camera hardware, but its not the best camera phone out there. The smartphone is tied with the Huawei Nova 6 5G in second place in DxOMarks selfie camera ranking. The Huawei P40 Pro tops the chart.

The Galaxy S20 Ultras selfie camera scored 104 points for photos and 95 points for videos in the benchmark websites tests, giving it an overall score of 100 points. The Huawei P40 Pro has an overall score of 103 points for its selfie camera.

Interestingly, the Galaxy S20 Ultra could only manage to pull one point ahead of the Galaxy Note 10+ 5G in DxOMarks selfie camera tests. This suggests that the formers software still needs a lot of tuning, as it already packs much-improved hardware.

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Samsung has already pushed multiple software updates to the Galaxy S20 Ultra to improve its camera performance. Its unclear if this review was done pre or post those updates, though.

The Galaxy S20 Ultras rear cameras fared worse in DxOMarks tests a couple of weeks ago. With a score of 122 points, the Samsung flagship only secured seventh place in the benchmark websites ranking.

Galaxy S20 Ultra DxOMark test

The Galaxy S20 Ultra packs a 40-megapixel selfie camera with an f/2.2 aperture. It is a large 1/2.65-inch Quad Bayer sensor with 22 pixel binning, PDAF autofocus (Phase Detection), and auto-HDR processing. Theres no optical image stabilization (OIS).

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With 104 points, the smartphone achieved the third-highest Photo Score in the test, behind the two aforementioned Huawei smartphones. Its Video Score of 95 ties with the Huawei P40 Pro at the top of DxOMarks selfie video rankings.

The Samsung flagship received much praise from the benchmark website for consistently delivering good performance across photos and videos.

It has no significant flaws and generally offers good exposure, wide dynamic range, pleasant bokeh shots, low noise, reliable autofocus, and high levels of detail in photos.

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However, the handset still leaves something to be desired as it suffers from white balance casts in all lighting conditions, slightly inaccurate color and skin tone rendering, and visible distortion in group pictures.

DxOMark also praised the Galaxy S20 Ultra for its consistent performance in videography. The device can record 4K videos at 60fps with its selfie camera. Video recordings have accurate exposure, high detail, pleasant colors, and a wide depth of field.

There are some issues with autofocus and white balance, though. Videos also have some visible noise and color quantization. You can read DxOMarks detailed Galaxy S20 Ultra front camera review along with tons of sample photos and videos here.
A landlord group has called for a 'bogan blacklist' of bad tenants and for the ban on evictions to be lifted as many fear they will face bankruptcy without the income.

The Facebook group, known as Landlords Tasmania, features many outspoken members who feel they were not considered when the government rushed to keep people off the street during the coronavirus pandemic.

While many called for additional government financial support for landlords others wanted protections for tenants discarded entirely and labelled them 'stupid' and 'entitled'.

A Tasmanian landlord group has called for the ban on evictions to be lifted as many fear they will face bankruptcy without the income

'I'm happy that the government has wasted a lot of money which could have been better spent to help the mum and dad investors/landlords who are trying terribly hard not to be a burden on society,' one user said according to The Mercury.

'If tenants were protected anymore they would be classified as an endangered species and would be asking for more hand outs from WWF.'

The group has penned a letter to Premier Peter Gutwein asking the government to reverse the halt on evictions, inspections and to stop any extra protection for renters going forward.

The group admin said the 'bogan blacklist' comment had come from a frustrated landlord who believed their tenant had deliberately stopped paying rent when they had the means to do so

A landlord also suggested a 'bogan blacklist' to be started among the group so they could avoid tenants that have not paid their rent.

'Start listing the bad and destructive tenants and watch your (group) numbers sky rocket we need to identify the bogans to protect our investment why have bad tenants in your $350k and above hour/unit wrecking it and not paying rent,' a man said.

Group administrator Louise Elliot told Daily Mail Australia she believes the comments came from a minority of members who were frustrated with the possibility of paying a second mortgage.

'People have different levels to how they emotionally regulate during these very difficult times,' she said.

But she said the many of the comments were not entirely unfounded.

'There is a small percentage of them (tenants) that have a sense of entitlement and a sense that the world owes them and there are landlords that are heartless but that is also a small percentage,' Ms Elliot said.

The group has penned a letter to Premier Peter Gutwein (pictured) asking the government to reverse the halt on evictions, inspections and to stop any extra protection for renters going forward

Ms Elliot said the 'bogan blacklist' comment had come from a frustrated landlord who believed their tenant had deliberately stopped paying rent when the renter had the means to do so.

She said the group was not collecting information on bad tenants.

Ms Elliot said the legislation protecting tenants was passed too quickly and was filled with issues for both parties that was leaving many in financial distress.

'At the moment renters can get an interest free loan for up to 120 days no questions asked with no penalty where as a landlord has to ask their bank,' she said.

'In one case, the day after the eviction ban was announced their tenant stopped paying and that's with the landlord knowing their renter was in an industry that wasn't impacted, they just saw an opportunity and decided to take it.'

She said the situation was pushing the financial problem onto landlords that would see many go bankrupt if the rules were not changed.

On Wednesday, Premier Peter Gutwein said he was considering a fund for residential tenants in financial hardship as a result of Covid-19 which Ms Elliot said was greatly welcomed.
The overall safety of some of the masks distributed by the state of West Virginia to first responders has been called into question by a county emergency management official.

Through a Freedom of Information Request, WSAZ learned that Braxton County Director John Hoffman raised concerns that some of the 100,000 masks were not true N95 masks, which provide the most protection from COVID 19.

On Tuesday, state leaders admitted the masks they received did not live up to the gold standard recommended by the CDC, but added worldwide shortages of PPE created a major challenge.

Some of the masks sent to West Virginia had ear loops. First responders insist headbands, not ear loops, are the signature mark of the N95 mask that has been coveted during the crisis.

But state leaders said these masks, while not the top of the line, had been given temporary approval by the Food and Drug Administration to be used during the health crisis and equipment shortage.

To read more,

We wanted to get anything we could get our hands on, and the emails we received, obviously you are going to have some people who want the gold standard, as you said, but the people who had nothing were firemen going into peoples homes who were sick and had the flu and did not have a mask to put on. We got those to them, Jeff Sandy, Cabinet Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety, told WSAZ.

Emails from the Braxton County director Hoffman mentioned his concerns over staff safety. (We have) Staff out there wearing these things right now, and they think theyre being protected for 95 percent of particulate out there, one email said.

Another concern Hoffman raised was the possibility the items were counterfeit. The CDC also confirmed that in their communications with the company, Shanghai Dasheng, that the companys items had been compromised by a counterfeiter.

According to a memo provided to WSAZ by DMAPS -- the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety:

On Friday, April 10, a West Virginia fire department chief advised DHSEM that he had watched a video conference with the W.Va. Professional Fire Chiefs Association and advised the state had distributed several counterfeit N95s to the various county 911 directors.

But the memo goes on to say that an investigation by DMAPS was able to certify that the masks in question did in fact come from Shanghai Dasheng in China.

In his Tuesday briefing, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice said, We were scrambling in every direction trying to find masks. Our people, whether it be the Guard or DMAPS or whomever it was in this state, we absolutely dropped everything and tried to purchase anything and everything we could to be able to protect our people because our people had no protection.

The governor went on to say, I can tell you really and truly that people are getting beat on here that did a lot of good work.

The president of the West Virginia Emergency Management Council Dean Meadows told WSAZ that EMS directors had no reason to believe that they were not true N95 masks, and later in an email added that once the conversations about the masks started with other emergency management agencies Secretary Sandy was very passionate in telling us to please not use the masks if we were not comfortable in doing so.

Meadows said that prior to this PPE most county first responders and law enforcement agencies had no PPE available.

No one is arguing the fact that head straps provide a better fit for a mask and that the CDC has made this apparent. That being said, many first responders and law enforcement officers have worn the masks with the ear loops and have had a very sufficient fit and the masks have performed well, Meadows said.

Hoffman says in emails that first responders in Braxton County were directed not to use the masks.

"I've have ordered all of my emergency responders in my county to not use them except for last resort when they have nothing else," Hoffman wrote.

Tuesday at the Kanawha County Commission meeting commissioners voted to purchase 1,500 replacement masks.

The West Virginia Firemens Association released a statement Wednesday morning saying in-part:

The members of the West Virginia Firemens Association are deeply concerned to learn that personal protective equipment provided by the state to first responders does not meet NIOSH guidelines and therefore may expose its members to possible infection.
The Coronavirus changed the life, the football, the Concord. Prior to the pandemic forced break of the Frankfurt tradition of the club was the weakest away team of the Bundesliga, and only the relative home strength kept the hessians before slipping into the relegation zone. In the seven games after the restart of the League, Eintracht have won three of their four away games, but none of their three home games. Hutters statement: "The games will be held virtually on a neutral floor. This also shows how important Fans are. In particular, in the case of us. Our viewers have a good sense. You are always there when we need them the most. Bundesliga live Ticker for this

Peter Hess

sports editor.

F. A. Z.

Also, for the opponent, the frenetic to the public in Frankfurt was a factor. "I can't prove it, but I think the 3:3 against Freiburg, the Fans would have been confused at this extreme course of the game, the Freiburg-and especially goalkeeper Schwolow stronger." At that time, the harmony was, in spite of a variety of great scoring chances in a 1:3 behind, the they could against the tough defending in Freiburg shortly before the end of the correct.

That the spectators have the Power to scream the Ball in the opponent's goal, this thought comes to mind when Viewing the statistics. The ratio of home wins per season for the Bundesliga starting in 1963, in the middle of 50.5 percent. 23 percent of the games ended in a draw to have won 26.5 percent of the away teams. To the Corona-Pause the current game time was moved in a statistical framework (maximum value for a season, 57.1 percent, minimum value is 41.2 percent): 43.1 percent of the batches up to and including the 25. Game day ended with three points for the home team. After the restart, the rate (rounded) is 20 percent of the home and 50% away wins.

As seen in the role of a favorite, the Concord for this Wednesday (18.30 occupies in the F. A. Z.-Liveticker for the football Bundesliga and Sky) against Schalke 04 into perspective. But coach Hutter is no one who gives a lot on inputs. "Series are meant to be finished", is his Motto.

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Speaking of series: 13 Times testing the Schalke tried to last in vain, to win a League game, at home and in Foreign lands. The 1:1 on Sunday against Leverkusen, however, was a sign of hope. The Gelsenkirchen-deserved point against the Champions League aspirants, with a courageous performance. "Schalke against Leverkusen very aggressive, snappy, and running strong. Because you have fallen for me well, said the 50-Year-old. "Despite the many injuries they have grown together as a Team." Therefore, Hutter expected to be "a attractive game" with lots of battles and a lot of momentum. "I hope that we will have the longer breath," said the Vorarlberg.

As is so often the after the Corona break. 21 of their 23 goals in the Eintracht scored in the second half. "You can now say, we slept through the first half, but I'm glad, how's it going," says the Concord coach, and certified his team with a "Top-constitutional"  in spite of the mammoth program for the past two years. The clash with Schalke is the 102. Duty game since Hutters the start of work on the Main in July 2018. "Even though we played by all the teams, most of all, we have injured the least, a great compliment to our medical Department and our fitness and rehab coach."

at The Moment, is not only Gelson Fernandes operational, the Swiss returns to a tendon injury in the next week in the team training. Goncalo Paciencia is burning, however, after six weeks of disruption on a test. As long as a muscle injury to put the Portuguese striker out of action. The best scorer of the preliminary round was not missing in the back round, his compatriot Andre Silva. The 24-year-old midfielder's six goals-the best shooter in the League since the reboot.

Updated Date: 17 June 2020, 09:19
Historic Preservation Education Grants, awarded in partnership with Indiana Landmarks, fund programs that educate Indiana citizens about historic places and properties  and particularly about the need to preserve and protect them. According to Indiana Humanities, the grants provide up to $2,500 for programs that come in a variety of formats  workshops, presentations, booklets, brochures, reading and discussion programs, exhibitions, film documentaries and more.
Man, dog pronounced dead after early morning explosion, structure fire near Harbor Springs

A man and a dog have both died as the result of an explosion and structure fire early Tuesday morning in West Traverse Township near Harbor Springs.
Since early February, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has issued a series of warnings to investors to beware of companies hawking miracle cures to the disease known as COVID-19. Surely everyone -- the SEC included -- is certainly eager to see a cure to the disease, which has claimed more than 257,000 lives, found.

Still, there's an old adage that warns us that "if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

So far, the SEC has felt compelled to halt trading in the shares of no fewer than 29 separate publicly-traded companies that are suspected of having made false or misleading statements about the efficacy of cures they're supposedly working on.

The latest entries onto this ignominious list: CNS Pharmaceuticals (CNSP), Moleculin Biotech (MBRX), and WPD Pharmaceuticals (WCOTF) -- three unprofitable, revenue-less, sub-$100 million market capitalization microcaps trading for penny-stock (below $5) prices.

As reported Tuesday, the SEC halted trading in the shares of all three companies Monday, saying it has "questions regarding the accuracy and adequacy of information in the marketplace about the company and its securities." Specifically, all three companies are apparently involved in working up a drug candidate labeled WP1122, which is being touted as a cure to COVID-19.

In an April 13 CNS press release, CNS describes WP1122 as a "prodrug" that, once ingested and metabolized by a patient, will produce in vivo something called 2-deoxy-D-glucose, or "2-DG." Supposedly, 2-DG has been shown in independent research conducted at the University of Frankfurt, Germany (and have you ever noticed how miracle drugs always seem to be verified effective somewhere too far away to conveniently check?) to "reduce replication of the coronavirus by 100% in in vitro testing," reports Marketwatch. (By the way, the "research" has not been peer-reviewed).

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In a statement, CNS CEO John Climaco stood by "the accuracy and adequacy of information the company has released into the marketplace regarding the company and its product candidates."

Be that as it may, perhaps you are wondering how three separate companies came to be involved in developing one and the same, hitherto unheard of coronavirus cure -- even one as miraculous as WP1122 -- in the first place? Well, the story goes like this:

Once upon a time, Moleculin Biotech developed a portfolio of drug candidates that might (or might not) be good for something or other. At some point, WPD licensed the rights to develop these drugs, and at some other point, CNS wandered into the picture and signed an agreement to help WPD with that development, promising to pay WPD about $1 million to move WP1122 through a successful Phase 2 study, in return for WPD's promise to share in 50% of any eventual net sales of the drug once it passes that Phase, passes Phase 3 as well, and is eventually approved for sale on the market.

Thus was this tangled web weaved.

Now, thanks to the SEC, it appears that the jig is up. It only remains to be seen whether shareholders in the three companies will cry "foul" -- or thank the regulators for protecting investors from misinformation, and the pie-in-the-sky promises of penny stocks.

In reaction, Maxim analyst Jason McCarthy noted, "Effective immediately, Maxim Group is temporarily suspending coverage of Moleculin Biotech, Inc. (MBRX) and removing the rating and price target due to the Order of Suspension of Trading of MBRX shares issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on May 1, 2020."

To find good ideas for healthcare stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights.
Things are never as difficult as they appear; they are always far more difficult. A friend of mine once heard this bit of advice from his professor. And although the professor was speaking of theological study, the saying surely applies with equal force to doing an analysis of America, particularly in the era of Donald Trump and COVID-19.

In her new book, American Harvest: God, Country, and Farming in the Heartland, journalist Marie Mutsuki Mockett reckons with that complexity with more care and maturity than nearly any other writer operating in what has become a crowded and tedious space: the Trump-country travelogue.

Ever since polls began showing Trump atop the Republican primary field, journalists and media outlets have been producing pieces meant to explain his popularity among some Americans to those who find it inexplicable. At its worst, these pieces are derivative, condescending, and trite, leaving us with little more than the fact that Trump supporters support Trump, as journalist Ashley Feinberg has shown.

That being said, understanding America in 2020 remains difficult, as many of the nations journalists struggle to capture that complexity in their work. There are differences of geographycity versus country versus suburb versus exurb. There are racial differences. There are religious differences. There are socioeconomic differences.

And as Mockett demonstrates in her book, any explanation of contemporary America that focuses exclusively on one of those factors is bound to be reductionistic. The people Mockett meets, like the overwhelming majority of people we meet in our day-to-day lives, are complicated, surprising, and interesting, if only we will take the time to see them.

A Curious Travelogue

To demonstrate this, Mockett joined a crew of custom harvesters. Custom harvesters are teams of people that travel across the American heartland harvesting crops for farmers who, for whatever reason, are unable to do this themselves. Mockett knew these particular harvesters because they had worked on her own familys farm in western Nebraska for decades. The owner, Eric Wolgemuth, had become a family friend over the years, someone trusted and respected by everyone in Mocketts family, even though they knew practically nothing about him. His work spoke for itself.

Wolgemuth comes from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He is the descendant of Anabaptists, the theological heirs of the 16th-century Radical Reformation. (The book, regrettably, claims that the movement began in the 15th century, which is incorrect.) Traditionally Mennonite, they have become more conventionally evangelical in recent years. In particular, Mockett spends the most time with Eric and his son Juston, an exvangelical and former aspiring pastor who introduces Mockett to the books of Rob Bell and Mike McHargue, among others. Juston and Mockett form a quick friendship due to a shared intellectual curiosity that drives them toward books and conversation.

American Harvest is a travelogue, but of a curious sort: The people with whom Mockett spends the most time are fellow travelersharvesters making their way up from Texas into the Pacific Northwest. So the book is less a study of any one geographic place (or even region) and more a study of the harvesters themselves and the class they come froma class commonly found throughout middle America. This makes the book interesting while also introducing one of the defining complexities of writing about contemporary America.

On the one hand, the unique circumstances of Mocketts relationship with the harvesters positions her to get to know them well. Thanks in part, perhaps, to her background as a novelist, Mockett describes her companions beautifully, demonstrating an affection and sincerity that many coastal journalists have lacked when entering middle America. She manages this even when writing about people who were unkind to her, which is a writerly virtue often lacking in the world of memoirs, particularly memoirs about red states.

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On the other hand, it is telling that in her attempt to study the heartland, Mockett studies an area roughly the size of Argentina mainly by traveling with a group of people who arent even from there and whose bond with the region boils down to commerce mixed with the broad, class-based affinity shared by agricultural workers.

To note this fact is not to fault Mockett. Of any group of rural Americans she might have studied for the book, the harvesters seem the obvious choice because of the knowledge and trust that already existed between her and Wolgemuth. And as already noted, Mocketts handling of these people is both gentle and perceptive. Yet its questionable whether one can tell the story of Americas heartland by telling the stories of people who dont even have a home there.

Americas small towns have been hollowed out in the postwar years, as Mockett discusses briefly when writing about her hometown of Kimball, Nebraska. As families disappear, along with the culture and memories they carry, it often seems as if the only thing justifying the ongoing existence of these communities is a relatively naked, extractive form of commerce that has become detached from broader, non-commercial concerns. And that creates difficulties for someone who wants to write about the culture of a place, the people of a place.

Certainly, many of the old skills and values of pre-industrial America still exist, and that is something to write about. Yet they are diminished and diminishing. Wolgemuth exemplifies basically all of these virtueshis thrift, his conscientiousness, his remarkable and seemingly infinite technical competence, his faith in God, and his fidelity to family all represent the best of the region. Indeed, his ordinary goodness is so compelling that I found myself wanting to learn more about him as I neared the books end.

Yet even so, his life is defined by mobility in a way that complicates the work of building and sustaining a way of life in a place across generations. This is not to denigrate the work of custom harvesters like him, who are only making the best they can out of a challenging situationand who, after all, play a huge role in feeding our nation. But it is an important point to remember as we consider this book and its picture of middle America in the Trump era.

A Starting Point

Mockett has a complex relationship with Christianity. As the book opens, she is mostly baffled by Christians. The initial framing device for the book, in fact, is a question Mockett poses to her family: Why are our farmers and harvesters, who are conservative Christians, okay with GMOs, while people in the city, who believe in evolution, are obsessed with organic food?

Neither of these supposed hypocrisies is nearly as revealing as she supposes. Both questions present the respective groups in simplistic terms. The answer to the first, in particular, is not the least bit surprising to anyone familiar with Christian reflections on science and the natural world. But this is where Mockett begins as she tries to wrap her mind around Christianity, and many of our peers in contemporary American begin in the same place. And so it is worth observing how Mocketts reflections on faith move toward greater maturity and intelligence. Three points are worth emphasizing.

First, faith makes a discernible difference in the life of the harvesters. It is not always a good difference, but sometimes it isand when it is, Mockett finds that compelling. Eric, in particular, is something of the hero of the story. His honesty, lack of pretension, and generous spirit heighten Mocketts interest in Christian faith.

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Second, she meets Christians interested in the life of the mind. Though many will rightly lament that the exvangelical Juston is the chief Christian thinker in the story, his willingness to talk, reflect on his own beliefs, and ask questions of Mockett further convinces her of Christianitys intellectual seriousness.

Third, the work of harvesting, the slow pace of life in the country, and the long drives between farms furnish Mockett with ample opportunity to marvel at the world. One possible reason we talk so much about inhabiting a disenchanted world is that most Americans lack both the desire to look at it carefully and the time required for such looking. Between Mocketts natural inquisitiveness and her experience alongside the harvesters, she learns to see the world the way that Eric does: It can be violent, and it can wear you down, but it can also surprise you with unsought beauty.

There is a very real sense in which, by storys end, Mockett clearly desires to see the world as Eric sees it. As she witnesses a double rainbow with him and a couple of others, including Juston, she says, whoever is painting the colors is not going to let go easily. The right side disappears first, and the original left side remains. Then it is just the upper left corner, with the red most prominent. And then the red, too, slips away, and the day is bright and hot and yellow again.

A profession of faith this is notnot remotely. Yet it does betray a newfound willingness to look at the world and see not a machine, but purpose and intent. As a starting point for a longer conversation about our common life in todays America, across its many dividing lines, you could surely do a lot worse.

Jake Meador is the editor in chief of Mere Orthodoxy. He is the author of In Search of the Common Good: Christian Fidelity in a Fractured World (InterVarsity Press). He lives in Lincoln, Nebraska with his wife and four children.
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - The voting enrolment processes for the November presidential and parliamentary elections, which were suspended because of the coronavirus, will resume next Friday, official sources told PANA here Tuesday
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is supporting the wearing of face coverings for passengers and masks for crew while on board aircraft, as a critical part of a layered approach to biosecurity to be implemented temporarily when people return to traveling by air.





Courtesy IATA



IATA does not however support mandating social distancing measures that would leave middle seats empty. It says evidence suggests that the risk of transmission on board aircraft is low. Mask-wearing by passengers and crew will reduce the already low risk, while avoiding the dramatic cost increases to air travel that onboard social distancing measures would bring.



The safety of passengers and crew is paramount. The aviation industry is working with governments to re-start flying when this can be done safely. Evidence suggests that the risk of transmission on board aircraft is low. And we will take measures - such as the wearing of face coverings by passengers and masks by crew - to add extra layers of protection. We must arrive at a solution that gives passengers the confidence to fly and keeps the cost of flying affordable. One without the other will have no lasting benefit, said Alexandre de Juniac, IATAs Director General and CEO.



IATA recommends mandatory face-coverings for passengers and masks for crew as one of several actions to reduce the already low risk of contracting COVID-19 on board aircraft.



In addition to face coverings, these layers of temporary biosecurity measures being proposed include:

Temperature screening of passengers, airport workers and travelers,

Boarding and deplaning processes that reduce contact with other passengers or crew,

Limiting movement within the cabin during flight,

More frequent and deeper cabin cleaning; and

Simplified catering procedures that lower crew movement and interaction with passengers.

When proven and available at scale, testing for COVID-19 or immunity passports could also be included as temporary biosecurity measures.



IATA does not recommend restricting the use of the middle seat to create social distancing while onboard aircraft. Evidence, although limited, suggests that, the risk of virus transmission on board aircraft is low even without special measures.

Contact tracing for a flight from China to Canada with a symptomatic COVID-19 passenger revealed no onboard transmission

Contact tracing for a flight between China and the US with 12 symptomatic COVID-19 passengers revealed no onboard transmission

Communication with IATA member airlines indicates similar results:

An IATA informal survey of 18 major airlines identified, during January-March 2020, just three episodes of suspected in-flight transmission of COVID-19, all from passengers to crew. A further four episodes were reports of apparent transmission from pilot to pilot, which could have been in-flight or before/after (including layover). There were no instances of suspected passenger-to-passenger transmission.

A more detailed IATA examination of contact tracing of 1,100 passengers (also during the January to March 2020 period) who were confirmed for COVID-19 after air travel revealed no secondary transmission among the more than 100,000 passengers in the same flights. Just two possible cases were found among crew members.

There are several plausible reasons why COVID-19, which is spread primarily by respiratory droplets, has not resulted in more on-board transmission and why air travel is different from other modes of public transport:

Passengers face forward with limited face-to-face interactions

Seats provide a barrier to transmission forward or ft in the cabin

Air flow from ceiling to floor further reduces the potential for transmission forward or aft in the cabin, moreover, air flow rates are high and not conducive to droplet spread in the same way as in other indoor environments.

High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters on modern aircraft clean cabin air to hospital operating theatre quality, further assisted by high levels of fresh air circulation

Moreover, even if mandated, keeping the middle seat open will not achieve the recommended separation for social distancing to be effective. Most authorities recommend 1m-2m while the average seat width is less than 50 cm.



The cabin environment naturally makes transmission of viruses difficult for a variety of reasons. That helps explain why we have seen little occurrence of onboard transmission. In the immediate term, our aim is to make the cabin environment even safer with effective measures so that passengers and crew can return to travel with confidence. Screening, face coverings and masks are among the many layers of measures that we are recommending. Leaving the middle seat empty, however, is not, said de Juniac.



The long-term solutions for COVID-19 depend on medical science.



We need a vaccine, an immunity passport or an effective COVID-19 test that can be administered at scale. Work on all of these is promising. But none will be realised before we will need to re-start the industry. Thats why we must be ready with a series measures, the combination of which will reduce the already low risk of inflight transmission. And we must be careful not to hard-wire any solution so we can be quick in adopting more efficient measures as they will undoubtedly become available, said de Juniac



Economic Impact

Calls for social distancing measures on aircraft would fundamentally shift the economics of aviation by slashing the maximum load factor to 62%. That is well below the average industry breakeven load factor of 77%.



With fewer seats to sell, unit costs would rise sharply. Compared to 2019, air fares would need to go up dramatically - between 43% and 54% depending on the region - just to cover costs.



Airlines are fighting for their survival. Eliminating the middle seat will raise costs. If that can be offset with higher fares, the era of affordable travel will come to an end. On the other hand, if airlines cant recoup the costs in higher fares, airlines will go bust. Neither is a good option when the world will need strong connectivity to help kick-start the recovery from COVID-19s economic devastation, said de Juniac.





Click here to view the COVID-19 Cost of air travel once restrictions start to lift presentation



Click here to view the COVID-19 How to prevent transmission onboard presentation






Connecticut municipalities are among more than 100 across the country that have been awarded Environmental Protection Agency grants to clean up brownfields to make them desirable properties for redevelopment.

The state received $2.3 million for six projects out of $85.6 million distributed across the country, many of them for use in Opportunity Zones that can give developers tax advantages.

In New Haven, the city will use $200,000 to continue its work over almost two decades to clean up properties along River Street, while in Middletown the funds will go to renovations along its riverfront that, among other things, will help create a recreational trail in the heart of the city.

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker called his citys projects complex worthwhile investments. He said the funds will help the city understand the cost of remediation of those specific sites in order to connect with potential developers.

He said it was a beautiful site, with its view of the Quinnipiac River and the new Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge.

The citys flourishing industrial heyday in the late 19th and early 20th century left a legacy of environmental challenges that have to be dealt with, Elicker said.

The target area for this grant in New Haven is the River Street industrial corridor, which was incorporated into the River Street Municipal Development Plan in 2002. The initial investment by the city was $10 million in infrastructure improvements. It has since purchased the majority of the 11 properties in the plan.

Helen Rosenberg, a city development officer, has overseen the project throughout her career.

Priority sites for this latest brownfield money in New Haven include the 2-acre site of the former New Haven Pipe Pending Co.. Despite efforts to shore it up, the building itself had to be razed for safety reasons. The lot is adjacent to the 8-acre former Hess Oil Co. property, which would provide a 10-acre site for a developer, Rosenberg said.

Another parcel the city already owns is the half-acre lot at 112 Chapel St. next to Art to Frames, a new business taking the place of the Von Roll company.The last one is the closed Reagan scrapyard at 53 River St. and 69 Popular St. which already has gone through some cleanup.

Rosenberg said funds to assess the extent of the cleanup is less costly than the cleanup itself, so these funds will go farther.

Nothing is happening right now, but if you dont have the information on costs before a potential developer shows an interest, it could take months of delay for a potential deal. She said the projects later could qualify for state money.

She said developers are continuing to inquire about coming to New Haven, despite the current uncertainty around the coronavirus pandemics economic implications.

Rosenberg said on River Street, Fair Haven Furniture has expanded as has New Haven Awning, while improvements are under way at Patriot Marine. She said property at 46-56 River St., which is above the flood plain, has been cleaned up and is ready to sell.

Elicker at his daily press conference later thanked Rosenberg and Michael Piscitelli for the two decades of work at River street and later in the Mill River section to help change those parts of the city.

A total of $300,000 was awarded for plans in Middletown that Mayor Ben Florsheim said is hugely important.

He said Middletown, which was founded as a port city, has been cut off from the riverfront for a long time through construction of Interstate 91 and major infrastructure such as the sewage treatment plant.

We are trying to open that again, he said of the area he said will be important to the region as a whole.

He said the grant will allow Middletown to conduct environmental assessments and develop cleanup plans for an Opportunity Zone along the riverfront. This area includes the Peterson Oil Co., the OMO site, Sumner Brook and Jackson Corrugated Container sites.

He also talked about a recreational trail that will be a plus for the downtown area.

Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti received two grants: $200,000 to assess the cost of cleanup for a one-mile stretch of Canal Street from Route 8 Commodore Hull Bridge to the Housatonic Canal Locks. This section includes the Wilkerson Bros. site, a former paper mill and the former Better Packages parcel.

That city also is getting a $500,000 grant to clean up the former Star Pin Manufacturing facility at 267 Canal St., a site that is contaminated with heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds.

Lauretti praised the regional EPA for infusing a ray of common sense in decision making. He said the ability to bring back contaminated sites that eventually bring in taxes is a win-win situation.

The Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments received the most, in the form of an $800,000 Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund Grant, through which it provides loans to other groups. It will focus on Waterburys brownfields corridor that covers more than 45 acres of closed manufacturing and foundry buildings.

COVID-19 has impacted the economy and redevelopment in every corner of ... New England. Todays investment of EPA brownfields assessment and cleanup funding provides a much-needed boost for economic development and job creation in many of New Englands hardest hit and underserved communities, EPA New England Regional Administrator Dennis Deziel said on a telephone conference with city officials.

mary.oleary@hearstmediact.com; 203-641-2577
In recent days, Trump and his right-wing allies have escalated their efforts to blame China for the COVID-19 pandemic, claiming it was the result of a release from a Chinese laboratory and that Chinas cover-up blocked an effective global response.

File photo/Xinhua

On May 5, CNN published an op-ed entitled Trump's anti-China theory implodes. The article, authored by Jeffrey D. Sachs, professor and director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, poured cold water on such claims, noting that blaming China for Americas problems is the big lie of the Trump administration.

(Screenshot from CNN website)

According to Sachs, the Trump administrations claims that the virus came from a Wuhan laboratory are reckless and dangerous, which could push the world to conflict just as the Bush Administration's lies about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq pushed the US into war in 2003.

This past Sunday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asserted that there is a significant amount of evidence that the virus came from a laboratory in Wuhan. However, such claims have already been debunked by scientific analysis, intelligence agencies, as well as Trump's top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Neither the biology nor chronology support the laboratory-release story, the article said. Biologists note that the Wuhan lab did not even have the COVID-19 virus under study. The virus is of a kind that originates in bats, but COVID-19 may have had an intermediate mammal host. Perhaps we will learn that the earliest human cases were not even in Wuhan at all, Sachs said.

The charge that the virus was released from the lab accidentally was also illogical, the author said, citing the following example: when the virus had been circulating in Wuhan for weeks, Wuhan authorities organized a major New Year's event on January 18. Why would the Chinese authorities have done that if they knew, and were covering up, a laboratory release from several weeks earlier? he asked. The actual answer is almost surely that they were still in the fog of war against the new virus.

Sachs also rebuked the claim that China had covered up the coronavirus, providing details of Chinas quick response: the doctors in Wuhan first noted unusual cases of viral pneumonia in mid-December. Wuhan health officials notified the World Health Organization office in China on Dec. 31. Chinas health agency called the US CDC on Jan. 3. The genome was fully sequenced and published online on Jan. 11, and Wuhan was locked down on Jan. 23.

Given the inevitable early confusion about a new disease that had never before been seen, that is a rapid timeline, the article said.

However, Trump has played fast and loose with the facts, hitting out at China at every turn, it said, adding that such behavior has been par for the course in Trumps China-bashing.

There was plenty of warning, the author said, directly addressing Trump and Pompeo. To this moment, Americans have not fully gauged your recklessness. You have done enough. Have you no shame?
YEREVAN.  According to the latest data, 8 of the people in Armenia who are infected with the coronavirus are hooked up to ventilators, 80 are in severe condition, and 30 are in critical condition. Minister of Health Arsen Torosyan told about this to RFE/RL.

According to him, the number of people in critical condition and with pneumonia is growing, and this id natural because percentage-wise, the absolute number is growing, and therefore the percentage in it is also growing.

And when asked whether the current state of emergencywhich ends on May 14may be extended again, Torosyan responded. "Its not a fact that its ending. A few days before [May] 14, a decision will be made whether or not to extend it. The state of emergency regime can be maintained even by easing the restrictions regime.
On April 17, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York entered final judgments on consent against three individuals who were charged with defrauding investors in connection with a purported chocolate caffeinated snack company they controlled.

The SEC's complaint alleged that Lisa Bershan and Barry Schwartz, of California, and Joel Margulies, of Tennessee, falsely claimed that Starship Snack Corp. was developing and ready to mass produce its own caffeinated snack, and that investors would receive a one-to-one exchange of Starship shares for Monster or Coca-Cola shares after Starship was acquired by those companies. The SEC's complaint further alleged that Starship had no agreement with Monster Energy or Coca-Cola, and that Bershan and Schwartz used investor funds as their own personal piggy bank, spending them to rent and decorate a New York City apartment and on travel, meals, and other personal expenses. Investors were defrauded out of more than $2.3 million.

In a parallel criminal action, Bershan and Schwartz pleaded guilty. Margulies was convicted after trial.

The final judgments enjoin Bershan and Margulies from violating the antifraud provisions of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, and enjoins Schwartz from violating Sections 17(a)(1) and (3) of the Securities Act and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rules 10b-5(a) and (c) thereunder. The final judgments also order Bershan, Schwartz, and Margulies to each pay disgorgement of $2,257,531.54 with $68,215.60 prejudgment interest, to be offset by an amount equal to the restitution order entered in each defendant's respective criminal case.

The SEC's investigation was conducted by Cynthia A. Matthews, Kerri Palen, and Thomas P. Smith Jr. of the New York Regional Office and the litigation was conducted by Richard Hong and Ms. Matthews. The matter was supervised by Lara S. Mehraban.
Advertisement

Hotels are renting out luxury suites for the market price of an apartment in order to survive the coronavirus pandemic.

Property giant Frasers has transformed some of its CBD hotel boutique suites across the country into affordable residential rentals due to the collapse of the tourism industry in the wake of travel bans.

Frasers Property Management has partnered with its hospitality sector to offer flexible leases from three to 12 months on self-contained, fully-furnished hotel rooms.

Prices start from $310 a week for a deluxe studio apartment Brisbane, $325 for a studio in Melbourne, $500 for a one-bedroom apartment in Perth and $600 for the same in Sydney.

Deluxe studio apartments(pictured) at Capri by Fraser in Brisbane are available for rent at $310 a week, which usually cost $119 per night for hotel guests

Frasers described its rates as being highly competitive with the conventional rental market.

Normal hotel rates for the same room would be $105 a night in Perth, $119 a night in Brisbane and Melbourne and up to $150 in Sydney.

Most rooms are equipped with fully-sized kitchens, internal laundries, windows that can be opened and access to hotel facilities such as a pool and gym with parking and housekeeping available at an additional cost.

Frasers Property Management national property manager Richard Kemp said the hotel apartments are ideal for anyone experiencing housing uncertainty or don't want to commit to a long-term lease.

'We're fielding inquiries from people temporarily downsizing due to changed economic circumstances, and from people with short-term needs who want more security and certainty than the informal AirBnb-style options,' he said in a statement.

One and two bedroom apartments at Fraser Suites in Sydney start from $600 week. Normal rates start from $150 per night

Frasers hopes to make 20-30 per cent of its hotel suites in each property available for longer stays.

'In Melbourne this target has already been exceeded, so well extend this offer to more rooms to meet the demand,' Frasers Hospitality's Matt Rubie recently told the Australian Financial Review.

'In Sydney, we have secured tenants for around 10 rooms and inquiry levels from potential tenants are steady for the Brisbane and Perth properties,' Australian hotel occupancy rates plummet to 48.8 per cent in March, down from 73 per cent 12 months ago, according STC data.

Travel bans enforced by the federal government saw rates drop to as low as 30.7 per cent between April 1-25.

Frasers Suites in East Perth offering one-bedroom units with Swan River views for $500 a week

An STR spokesman told The West Australian Perth was coping better than many other capital cities, where Frasers Suites Perth had an 80 per cent occupancy rate in April.

Frasers isn't the only hotel group that has found an alternative way to survive the coronavirus crisis.

Some Choice hotel franchisees offer work-from-hotel day rates for workers who have to work remotely but want to escape home distractions.

A 10-hour stay at a one-bedroom apartment at Quality Suites Pioneer Sands near Wollongong south of Sydney costs $80 and includes morning tea, lunch and a takeaway coffee alongside free Wi-Fi, parking and printing.
Iranian president Hassan Rouhani has written a letter to the leaders of the Iranian nuclear deal member states.

If the arms embargo (on Iran) is to return one day, with any title, under any statement and with any mechanism, our response will be what I have mentioned in the last paragraph of the letter to the heads (of the JCPOA member states), Tasnim reported quoting the president.

"The heads of state are well aware what our response will be in that case," he added.

According to him, the US made a 'stupid' measure and withdraw from the Iranian deal in 2018, Mehr reported.

"On May 8, 2018, under pressures of extremists in America, Israel, and Saudi Arabia, and for Trumps opposition to the ex-US president, Americans adopted a very stupid measure and withdrew from the JCPOA. They were thinking that Iran would instantly withdraw from the deal and the case would be referred to the UN Security Council and all achievements of the deal would be jeopardized in a night but Trumps dream didnt come true," Rouhani said while addressing a cabinet session on Wednesday,"

"It is some two months that Americans have woke up from a deep sleep and realized their big mistake in pulling out of the deal ... Same Israel, Saudi Arabia and American extremists will tell Trump that they have been wrong," he added.

"A wise approach for America is to return to the JCPOA, repent, and compensate the losses but those ruling in the White House now dont have such a wisdom," the president added.
Lebanon's government is to take back management of the country's two state-owned mobile phone networks, Alfa and Touch, after the recent expiration of the latest contracts given to the groups that have been running the networks until now.

The government also plans to prepare a new tender within three months, according to a number of news reports. This information was apparently revealed in a tweet from Telecommunications Minister Talal Hawat earlier this week. His ministry will run the networks until the tenders are awarded.

Despite having a population of close to seven million, the country only has two service providers. Alfa and Touch serve an estimated combined subscription base of close to five million, a useful source of revenues for the cash-strapped country. Alfa has been run by Egypt's OTMT since 2009. Touch has been run by Kuwait's Zain Group since 2004.

The contracts have been regularly renewed in the past, so it is not clear why the government has found it necessary to take back management of both mobile phone networks. Nor has it been explained how this will affect the many subscribers of the two services.

As news reports have pointed out, the country has been dealing with a major financial and economic crisis for some time, and high prices, exacerbated by a fall in the value of the countrys currency, have led to protests. Phone bills, said to be among the most expensive in the region, have been among the grievances cited by protestors.
Dear Ghanaians, MOE, G.E.S and Education Experts,

It is indeed true that we are in abnormal times. Does that compel us (rational thinking beings) to act abnormally?

We are in this country when the President with veto power, declared the closure of all schools from Pre-School to Tertiary, on the 16th March, 2020 due to Covid-19 outbreak. Albeit, the decision was in the best interest of the whole populace my mother said.

Weeks later, Tertiary institutions began rolling out distance education through e-learning platform or model.

This initiative I must say has not been the best of initiatives taking into consideration that its negativity outweighs the positivity ; poor quality of teaching on the e-learning platform, geographical and technology barrier, instability and glitches of the system programming to say the least.

Recently, there have been concerns raised by experts like Kofi Asare of Education Watch, recommending that the Minister of State, in charge of Tertiary Education, Prof. Kwasi Yanka, should sit down with the Council of the various Universities to deliberate on the quality of teaching and learning in the e-learning platform for university students.

Just last week, my sister, who is a student of UHAS, got provoked and decided to go back to the school due to unstable internet connection at home. She was bereft that she was deducted some marks because after she accessed her assignment online, she had done her necessary research and had submitted the assignment as demanded, but the internet gave her away. The network was not stable hence she had to reload the page severally until luck shone on her, but the system recorded it as though she has logged in twice when she is suppose to do that once. Was that her fault?

Also, the e-learning platform does not give students the opportunity to quiz lectures on what bases and why certain answers were marked wrongly? Normally, the students have the chance to bring before the lecturer a weakness in the marking after a lecturer submits marked assignments to them. All these affect both the GPA and CGPA of students.

Moreover, distance learning programmes have been outlined for our brothers and sisters in the Senior High School which is also a good thing to do. These courses are accessed on Joy learning channel and other satellite channels on Multi TV and DsTV. Yeah, even Gambia Education also televise some of its learning moodles which can also be accessed on Multi TV. All these channels target Senior High School students.

Not all students benefit from this because World Banks survey reveals that 1.2 million households in Ghana do not have T.V in their homes. This gives 22.5% out of the total Ghanaian population who do not have access to electricity. What did we put in place or have we done for such students who from no fault of theirs find themselves within this bracket? Big reason to worry. And oh! the story at the rural areas is not even written yet.

I would like to honor WOLO TV and her sister e-learning platforms that are working hand in hand to deliver lessons for our counterparts in the senior high schools. "Ayekoo" - (well done)

Now, eight (8) weeks along the line and neither the Ministry of Education or Ghana Education Service has come out to confirm when distance programs for Basic Schools would be rolled out. I learned that there is a particular office or department under the Ministry of Education known as "SENLOS" (not really sure about the acronym), is solely in charge of planning open and distance learning. I ask myself why do we have a defunct office operating under the Ministry when the hour has come to discharge their core mandate but like sand in the wind, they are invisible?

Basic School pupils are killing time and we have not done the needful hitherto. Teacher unions such as CCT-Gh, GNAT et cetera are mute because it is not about salary arrears or a policy that did not go in their favor. Honourable Minister for Education, Dr. Opoku Prempeh, we call on you to marshall all resilience resources that outline a perfect learning moodle for pupils at the Basic school. It is now or never.

The minds at the bottom of academia needs considering upfront at the pinnacle of the hierarchy in times like this.

I cannot end this piece without recommending to the government that

1. There is the need to invest into Education in our rural areas.

2. G.E.S and the Ministry of Education must come out and declare or clarify the status of the Basic School academic calender

3. Isaac Jay Hyde, President for NUGS, recommended that, practical discussions on education in the country should be initiated now.

4. Kofi Asare, Director of Education Watch, holds that the Minister In Charge of Tertiary Education should deliberate with the Council of Universities on the quality of teaching on the Learning Management System or e-learning platform for university students.

5. The upcoming mid-semester exams of the various tertiary institutions should be planned in a way that it looks at time-limit dependency and not access-exams-and-work on the go modus.

I may be ignorant about one or two issues raised in this piece, but in all, I am almost right about all that have been said.

Being a citizen is easy, but holding unto it requires discipline.

Best regards,

Kwadwo Mintah-Nuamah

Email - [email protected]
Jeong Eun-bo, left, South Korea's chief negotiator in defense cost-sharing talks with the United States, poses for a photo with his U.S. counterpart, James DeHart. Courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs



South Korea has already made its best possible offer in defense cost-sharing talks with the United States, a diplomatic source said Wednesday, after a senior U.S. official urged Seoul to show flexibility.



On Tuesday, Marc Knapper, deputy assistant secretary of state for Korea and Japan, renewed Washington's call for flexibility, stressing that the U.S. has been "very flexible up until now."



"I cannot mention the number, but the foreign minister has already said that the offer was the best possible one," the source told Yonhap News Agency on condition of anonymity.



The source was referring to Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha's parliamentary remarks last week that a 13 percent increase from last year's defense cost-sharing deal, called the Special Measures Agreement (SMA), was the highest offer Seoul can make.



Kang made the remarks in response to a lawmaker's question regarding the media reports that U.S. President Donald Trump had rejected Seoul's offer of at least a 13 percent increase.






Maharashtra, which is battling



surge in COVID-19 cases, has requested the hospitals under the Railways, the Army and other Central undertakings to make their facilities in the state available to the government which is planning to ramp up the number of ICU beds.

A statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) on Wednesday said CM Uddhav Thackeray was personally talking to the higher authorities concerned for getting more ICU beds for the treatment of the COVID-19 patients.

"As a part of planning, the State Government has requested hospitals, institutions & buildings under the management of the Railways, Mumbai Port Trust, Indian Army, Navy and other Central Gov. undertakings to make their facilities available across Maharashtra," it said.

The government stated that it had been fighting a war against coronavirus for the past few months, and so far has managed to contain its spread through various measures.

It further said that the number of tests is being significantly increased, and hence, the patient count is rising.

"The numbers of patients being cured and discharged has also increased," the statement said.

A total of 2,819 patients were discharged from various hospitals in the state after recovery, a state government official had said on Tuesday.

"Since the Centre has projected rise in the number of coronavirus positive cases in May, the state government has created isolation and ICU facilities in Mumbai and Pune," it said.

Mumbai, its metropolitan region, and areas under the municipal corporations of Pune and Pimri-Chinchwad account for the maximum number of the total 15,525 COVID-19 cases reported till May 5.

"In Mumbai, such (quarantine) facilities have been set up in Mahalaxmi Racecourse, Nehru Science Center, Nehru Planetarium, Goregaon Exhibition Centre, BKC, Richardson Krudas factory land near JJ hospital. Private hospitals have also earmarked some of their facilities for ICU (beds)," the statement said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, Caleigh Stamm had travel plans: she was supposed to visit Las Vegas for punk rock bowling in May, and was waiting for an appointment with the Mayo clinic in the United States to address health concerns.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 5/5/2020 (623 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, Caleigh Stamm had travel plans: she was supposed to visit Las Vegas for punk rock bowling in May, and was waiting for an appointment with the Mayo clinic in the United States to address health concerns.

As the novel coronavirus spread, however, Stamm  like many Manitobans  took the pandemic seriously, following government social-distancing guidelines, staying in as much as possible and cancelling her trips.

Now, as the province begins to reopen its economy and relax precautionary measures, Stamm is among the Manitobans who believe its still too soon to get back to any sense of normal.

"I, personally, am not going to go out and do anything. I go out once a week if I need groceries and thats it," Stamm said in an interview Tuesday. "And Im mentally prepared to do that for a year."

While many lauded Manitobas choice to slowly get back in business Monday, Stamm wants a more robust federal plan, even a vaccine, before risking re-entry.

"Personally, Im completely against it  I feel like we just did testing for everybody who was symptomatic almost the same day they opened the province up. I feel like we should have probably done that for two weeks, and if we had zero numbers for two weeks, it would have made more sense to open up the province," she said.

"Until theres a vaccine, everyone is susceptible."

According to the latest weekly polling data from Leger360, respondents are largely at ease with the pace of provincial plans.

Respondents from Manitoba and Saskatchewan (grouped together in regional polling data) were generally comfortable with Prairie re-entry plans, with 60 per cent preferring to maintain the current pace and 12 per cent noting the pace should be sped up.

More than one-quarter of respondents, however, thought the provincial pace should be slowed down.

Dan Bailis, head of the University of Manitoba department of psychology, said its not surprising residents would have varying levels of comfort with provincial and federal reopening plans, as the risk calculations can be significantly different from person to person.

"I think the hesitancy is there because the virus isnt gone," Bailis said in an interview Tuesday. "Certainly, part of whats affecting peoples feelings is just that weve had some time to get used to this situation, so it seems natural enough to me that our fears would go down over time."

Factors such as passage of time, comfort with isolation, and how other community members choose to act all play a role in each individuals comfort level with returning to "normal," Bailis said.

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.

"But its understanding that that wont be the same for every person. Some people will feel its never been the kind of situation in Manitoba that warranted so much restriction of the economy; others will feel theyve gotten well-adapted to the situation by now, so why then would they take the risk when its still present."

For Stamm, who has asthma and an otherwise compromised immune system, the risks far outweigh the rewards of stepping back into public life.

"Because were in Manitoba, because the numbers are so low, were very fortunate, but its like this false sense of security where people just feel that theyre really comfortable," she said.

As more provinces enter a reopening phase, Bailis predicts comfort levels will likely increase, as individuals learn from watching other community members step back into public life.

"Certainly, people will become more comfortable as it becomes more normal," he said. "Bit by bit, were all going to try things and, if they go OK, were going to try them again."

julia-simone.rutgers@freepress.mb.ca
The Briscoe Western Art Musem and the Witte Museum will open to the public later this month. They are the first San Antonio museum to announce reopening plans.

The Briscoe will open to members May 21 and to the public May 23. The Witte will open to members May 27 and to the public May 30.

The citys museums closed in March as part of the effort to try to halt the spread of COVID-19. Gov. Greg Abbott included museums in his April 27 executive order detailing the first phase of plans to reopen the state, but San Antonios museums have remained closed.

We needed time, even though the governor said we could reopen, said Marise McDermott, president and CEO of the Witte. We needed time to make sure our team and our multigenerational families who visit are safe.

Liz Jackson, vice president of the Briscoe, said a lot of factors went into figuring out when to reopen.

The governor came out with one thing  and Im not criticizing him  and at the same time, youre also trying to follow the guidelines of the city, and youre balancing all of that and leveraging all of that against the safely of yourself, the safety of your staff and your visitors, and youve got to have buy-in from your staff on a big decision like this.

The McNay Art Museum, the San Antonio Museum of Art, Ruby City and the DoSeum are working on plans to reopen, but none have announced dates for that to happen.

The Briscoe and the Witte both plan to open at 25 percent capacity, which was a limit established in the governors order. If capacity limits are relaxed between now and the end of the month, the Briscoe may change plans accordingly. The Witte plans to maintain the 25 percent limit whether or not Abbott or other officials raise the permissible crowd size between now and the reopening of the museum, McDermott said.

Surfaces will be cleaned at both museums throughout the day. And hand-sanitizing stations will be available, as well.

On ExpressNews.com: Online telethon will benefit Bexar County artists

Rather than having folks queue up at the entrance as they have in the past, Witte patrons will be asked to buy tickets in advance of their visit. The tickets will be timed, which will make it a little easier for the museum to plan for visitors and to maintain the attendance cap.

Tickets can be purchased through the web site, wittemuseum.org, or by calling 210-357-1900.

At the Briscoe, visitors will be encouraged to buy tickets in advance through the museums web site, briscoemuseum.org. They also will be able to buy tickets in person at the front desk, where plexiglass shields have been installed to limit contact. During opening weekend, admission will be half-off. And the museum will offer free admission to healthcare workers all summer.

At the Witte, everyone over the age of 10 will be required to wear a face mask. Staff members will wear masks and gloves. Witte-branded face masks, including one adorned with images of bluebonnets, will be available for purchase in the gift shop.

Also at the Witte, a safety chat will be given to visitors when they arrive, which will include a reminder about social distancing guidelines. Fun signs illustrating how much space people should put between each other  one notes its the equivalent of two acrocanthosaurus skulls  are being posted around the campus.

And every patron will be given a disposable stylus when they come in that they can use with digital touch screens. Interactive displays that rely on the sense of touch, such as samples of animal fur, will not be accessible for the time being.

At the Briscoe, staff will wear masks. Guests will be encouraged to wear them, but they will not be required to do so.

Interactive stations, including those involving headphones, have been removed. Access to the elevator and to the gift shop will be limited.

The museums leadership will be monitoring the pandemic, Jackson said, and paying attention to any need to change course.

If anything starts going back, we are prepared to mobilize forces and go back home, yet still keep a lot of the engagement for the museum going with the Beyond the Briscoe (virtual) programming, she said. Now that its all set up and ready to go, its nice not to have to be making it up on the fly in a week, like weve been doing.

dlmartin@express-news.net | Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN

Deborah Martin is an arts writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Deborah, become a subscriber. dlmartin@express-news.net | Twitter: @DeborahMartinEN
Joe Biden is under escalating pressure from competing branches of his party as he ponders the most consequential decision of his presidential candidacy: a running mate.

Black Democrats have joined in a concerted effort to urge him to pick a black woman as his vice-presidential nominee. Now some liberal groups and activists, who have long had an antagonistic relationship with the presumptive nominee, are pressing Biden to select a liberal woman.

Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams has been extraordinarily blunt in saying she would accept the job. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., has taken the opposite tack, remaining low-key while others press for her.

Some liberals are backing Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., who ranks far above others on the left as a potential running mate. But rancor from the primaries has led to schisms on the left: Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., the last competitor to cede to Biden and the liberal figure best positioned to push for concessions, has declined to support Warren despite their ideological alliance, according to three people familiar with his conversations with Biden.

The mad scramble comes at a potentially awkward moment. Biden pledged nearly two months ago to pick a woman as his running mate, elevating the demographic that powered the party's gains in the 2018 midterm elections by pushing back against President Donald Trump. Yet now, as Biden comes closer to a decision, he faces accusations that he sexually assaulted a Senate aide who worked for him in the early 1990s.

Biden has denied the charges, but some potential running mates have been repeatedly asked to respond, presenting them with an awkward test of loyalty.

Biden's decision could foretell which direction he believes is most important for the party he now leads and which parts of the party he thinks must be mobilized to win the White House.

Democrats have been split since 2016 over whether energizing black voters orwinning over some white working-class voters in the industrial Midwest represents the best shot for the party in November. Hillary Clinton's defeat four years ago was sufficiently narrow that either option could explain it, giving Democrats little certainty as they try to wrestle the presidency from Trump.

Biden is believed to be considering as many as a dozen candidates, but much of the focus has centered on a handful of his former primary rivals, each of whom would fulfill different aims for the party: Warren, a liberal icon; Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, a Midwestern moderate; and Harris, who would be the first black female nominee.

"He's in a quandary," said Ed Rendell, a former governor of Pennsylvania who is in regular contact with Biden's campaign. "Some days I wake up and I say, 'We've got to win Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan - and Klobuchar is a great candidate."

"Then I think black voters feel strongly that it should be a black woman, so I think Kamala," he added. "Then some days I'm looking at the Internet and Bernie bros are bashing Biden, and I think: 'Oh my god. We better run Elizabeth.' "

Public polling offers little guidance. A new CBS News-YouGov poll found Warren to be the top pick among registered Democrats, at 36 percent to 19 percent for Harris. But asked whether a liberal or a moderate pick would make victory over Trump easier, 31 percent said a liberal running mate would make Biden's election easier; 42 percent felt that way about a moderate nominee.

There also was no solid endorsement of a nonwhite candidate, with 23 percent favoring a nonwhite pick, compared with 74 percent who said race did not matter to them.

Biden has often talked about wanting a running mate who is "simpatico" with him and who could develop the kind of friendship and trust that he had with President Barack Obama. He has also spoken openly about seeing himself as a "bridge" to a new generation of political leaders, and he could use the pick to ease voters' questions about his age. Biden, now 77, would be the oldest president in American history.

Warren, at 70, would not represent a generational choice. But the liberal groups making a push for her argue that she would excite the ascendant left wing of the party that never fully embraced Clinton in 2016.

The board of Our Revolution, a political nonprofit launched by Sanders and top allies from his 2016 campaign, held a virtual meeting Sunday to discuss whether the vice-presidential pick might help unite the party. The group had just completed a survey of its members that they said showed 62 percent favored Warren as Biden's running mate and 22 percent wanted Abrams. Harris, Klobuchar and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, all more moderate, didn't break 10 percent.

"The overwhelming majority of the board is enthusiastic about Warren," said Larry Cohen, who leads Our Revolution. He said the member survey "established that the number one way to inspire our people to defeat Trump [is] to have a vice president who will stand up to corporate America and corporate greed, and stand for Medicare-for-all and massive investment on the environmental crisis."

Biden's campaign has reached out to the Working Families Party, which backed Warren in the primary contest, though the group's leaders haven't yet connected. "We believe the vice president should be someone who can excite young voters and progressives," said Maurice Mitchell, the group's national director. "Polling shows strong support among Democrats and progressives for Elizabeth Warren, which matches enthusiasm we've seen from our members."

But Sanders has not been part of the lobbying effort.

"Senator Sanders and his team are not advising the Biden campaign's vice presidential selection process in any way, shape or form," said Sanders spokesman Mike Casca, who said the senator's priority remains the party platform.

Liberal groups were dismayed that Biden's vice-presidential vetting panel, which he announced last week, included no names close to their movement. Among those serving on it are Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del.; Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti; former senator Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., a longtime Biden friend; and former Biden aide Cynthia Hogan.

"It raises serious questions as to how seriously the Biden campaign is considering progressive candidates," said Neil Sroka, the communications director for Democracy for America, a liberal organization that backed Sanders in the primary.

Black interests, by contrast, have been incorporated into the Biden campaign. Rochester, a link between Biden's campaign and the Congressional Black Caucus, led a recent Biden campaign call with caucus members that included discussion about black women from various parts of the country whom members believed should considered on the ticket, according to one person familiar with the call.

The Rev. Al Sharpton said he urged Biden during a phone conversation last month to pick a black woman as his running mate.

"I told him I would prefer a black woman but that I'm not making an ultimatum," he said. "I trust he'll make the right judgment."

"He said, 'I hear ya, Al.' "

Sharpton said mobilizing black voters should be the central goal of the campaign.

"Hillary Clinton lost Michigan by 12,000 votes. Three churches I know of could have given that in Detroit," Sharpton said. "It could be a margin of victory if he has the right candidate. That doesn't mean any black running mate could energize. He's got to have the right candidate."

Rep. James Clyburn, a Democrat, whose endorsement in South Carolina was one of the most important moments of Biden's campaign, has been outspoken in his views and has pointed to a deep bench of black women who would be qualified.

"I and several others have expressed our feeling that it would be great for him to select a black woman," he said in an interview. "But that is not a must. That is just what I think would be a great thing to do."

"The vice president must be informed by his vetting and polling," he added. "And he must be guided by his head and his heart."

Minyon Moore, a veteran Democratic activist, said black women not only have consistently shown up in high numbers at the polls but also have been the foot soldiers in campaigns to elect white men and women to higher office.

"That's what we do. We've always fought for the collective," she said. "We're fighting to uplift a community of women that are rarely seen."

Moore was among a group of black female organizers who recently released an open letter to Biden, declaring that "black women are the key to Democratic victory in 2020" and urging him to select a black woman as his running mate.

No one has campaigned as aggressively and openly as Abrams, who after her failed race for governor in 2018 has raised her national profile as an advocate for voting rights.

"I would be an excellent running mate," she told Elle magazine.

"As a young black girl growing up in Mississippi, I learned that if I didn't speak up for myself, no one else would," she said recently on NBC's "Meet the Press." "My mission is to say out loud, if I'm asked the question, 'Yes, I would be willing to serve.' "

Abrams' open campaigning has earned some eyerolls, but several around Biden say it has not necessarily damaged her chances. One aide noted, with a hint of admiration, that Abrams managed to work into a recent interview that she was a native of Wisconsin, a crucial battleground state.

"I would hope she thinks she makes a good running mate," said Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., a co-chairman of the Biden campaign. "She's certainly working hard. She ran a great gubernatorial campaign; she's doing a lot in the grass-roots community. Her touting her desire or qualifications makes sense."

He said there were a number of qualified black women - mentioning Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, Harris and Abrams - but said the process would take a range of considerations into account.

"The most important thing is for the VP to have a synergy with the person," he said. "And to our ability to win. At the end of the day for Democrats, they want a ticket that can win. You can't govern if you can't win."

Fudge said Biden's choice "should be a black woman, no question about it."

"We need to say to black women, who have been the most loyal, the most reliable in the party: It is your time."

Asked if she would consider the role, she said: "Certainly I have been a public servant throughout my adult life in a variety of capacities. I'd be honored to serve in that one as well."

- - -

The Washington Post's Sean Sullivan contributed to this report.
The metaphor is not entirely inappropriate. You enter the cool, shaded villas Studio space in the basement of the Opel, you feel almost like in a laboratory situation. "Laboratory" is the name of the Studio, in the selected art students to work for several months and are able to issue. Lena Grewenig does not use the simple and raw-looking space, however, as a sterile, strictly scientific experimental station. Rather, the open artistic, especially scenic Experiment with Material and color is in her heart.

The part not yet finished paintings of different sizes hanging conspicuously on a wall. Some small formats, however, are a bit shy and hiding in a corner. Here and there a canvas-objects hanging free in space. At the heart of Grewenigs Studio lab is a table, on which the artist boxes several betting and containers with stones and tool stored. The Rock, the visitor finds in the different States and stages, on piece, at other times crumbly or crushed into powder.

From the stones Grewenig manufactures Malpigmente. You use partially, particularly porous lava stones from the Sicilian volcano mount Etna, tells the 1988-born artist. Many stones have you collected in and around the village of Andratx, in Western Mallorca, she says. Last December, a Studio grant graduated from Grewenig there. Your concept was intended to explore the landscape and collect stones. "I wanted to use the pigments of nature for their own work," says Grewenig. In Andratx, you created painted, among other things, on deformed pipes stretched cotton attached fabric pieces that let Mobile think. "With the painting space-consuming fiddling around", so Grewenig describes her former Motivation.

patience is the images

in mid-March, when they moved into the Studio in the Opel villas, prepared them initially, especially pigments. view With the help of pictures began to Grewenig painting, the fragments of historic-genetic building in Russelsheim, Germany to take up. The concept rejected, but to provide a basis for exploring the own body as an object of artistic research. "It gets a little Performative," explains Drawings of your modified approach. The new Oil in admixture of self-produced pigments-executed painting club show tents, and composed of constellations, sometimes alienated parts of the body. The patience, the Drawings of this exercise is to view the images. Here and there you will be amazed about gently protruding veins or precisely formulated parts of the skin.

"I wanted to paint a classic", says the artist about her new series. "The Flesh has interested me," she adds. Quite early it had been painted on them once figurative, remembers Grewenig. As she studied with Christa Closer to the Frankfurt stadel school, whether you, however, from the objective to be moved away  "a new language in painting a try". The more abstract, search functioning remained Grewenig, even after the completion of your degree in 2014 true. She now works closer and more focused, the artist's training as a goldsmith, which she completed from 2016 to 2019 at the Hanau drawing Academy. At the stadel school, it went mainly to the artist's personality, says Grewenig, looking back. At that time, you have thought everything would have to come from the leisure. At the drawing Academy, you have learned, meanwhile, is something else: "You have to bring a lot of diligence."

art and jewelry design, feels that Lena Grewenig as contrasting points: on the one Hand, the concrete, in everyday life, anchored in Design, on the other hand, the painting as something Floating, which takes place mainly in the head. With your training a family continued Grewenig tradition. Her Grand father was a goldsmith, her mother and other relatives would have learned the craft. Their artistic work to Grewenig run parallel to jewelry design. As an artist, it is preferably a continuous process: "There must accompany you always." You should not force yourself to make art, but also the potential work crises happen.

Updated Date: 18 June 2020, 19:20
Six weeks ago the word 'shielding' meant nothing to me. Today it defines my life.

As someone with cancer  a chronic form of leukaemia  I've spent six weeks 'shielding' in one room at home.

I have watched the debate over lockdown with a kind of detached jealousy, because I know that even when the restrictions start to ease, I'll still be especially vulnerable.

Indeed, there are only two ways my semi-imprisonment will end. A vaccine would be best, as it would for all of us.

As someone with cancer  a chronic form of leukaemia  Stephen Pollard has spent six weeks 'shielding' in one room at home

But with no guarantee that will happen for at least a year (if then), the only alternative is ensuring that the virus is repressed.

For only then will it be relatively safe to venture outside for those of us whose underlying health conditions mean we may not be able to fight the disease if infected.

But for that to happen, we need some means of identifying those who may be infected and tracing their contacts.

In this way, we can keep a lid on viral spread and enable Britain's commitment to lockdown to pay off longer term.

Relieved Which is why I  and, I'm sure, my million and a half fellow shielders  were relieved to read about the new NHS app being launched in a pilot trial today on the Isle of Wight.

The app is our only means of escaping from a life in limbo. It's a source of hope and something close to joy, as we dare to contemplate being able to move beyond four walls again.

Those of us shielding will have our own individual causes of misery. For me, nothing has been more upsetting than being unable to hug my children, aged ten and eight.

I can wave them goodnight from my room but the routine we have had for their entire lives  ending the day with a kiss and a cuddle  is now just a memory for them and me.

Stephen Pollard believes the objections to the NHS app are knee-jerk and their claims flawed

One day soon, when the lockdown eases, they and most of the country hope to be able to take some careful steps back to normality.

I accept that I will have to follow them later to be safe. But without the NHS app, it will not be a few weeks later  it will be at some indeterminate date in the distant future.

Yet, astonishingly, there are those who seem intent on thwarting the app.

Critics say the technology could be readily exploited by hackers and fraudsters, while others protest that the app, in effect a tracking device, represents an infringement of civil liberties and should be banned.

Yet the objections of both groups are, I would argue, knee-jerk and their claims flawed.

And they choose to ignore the reality that in today's digital world, every one of us is dealing with the devil on a daily basis when it comes to our data and privacy.

Yes, the NHS Covid-19 app knows where you are and who you have been with but in an entirely anonymous way.

No name, no address, no NHS or NI number. Once downloaded on to a smartphone, the app uses Bluetooth technology to 'recognise' other devices nearby with the same app.

That information, in the form of a randomly generated number, is stored on a central database.

If someone develops symptoms and notifies the NHS via the app, a message can be sent to anyone who the app deems has been in close contact with the symptomatic individual to ask them to self-isolate for 14 days.

If a subsequent test for the virus proves negative, all contacts can be told to come out of isolation (if positive to continue isolation for a week).

It's a simple idea but, of course, immensely complicated in practice.

It relies on people downloading the app and following instructions to the letter, hence the trial before the scheme is rolled out nationwide later this month.

It's not perfect, not least because it's not compatible with some apps used abroad, but it is the best option now.

So when I read that the likes of Matrix Chambers, the leading human rights barristers, pronounce that the app is an 'interference with fundamental rights and would require significantly greater justification to be lawful' I am not just angry  I am despairing.

Depressing And what a depressing irony that their ideology, that everything must bend before socalled human rights, poses a direct challenge to my human right, and that of 1.5million others, to be able to live something resembling a life again.

These lawyers and shrill civil liberties campaigners insist that the app opens the door to State surveillance, dismissing the fact that the data is anonymous and that in developing the app scientists at GCHQ's National Cyber Security Centre and NHSX, the digital arm of the NHS, put privacy and security front and centre.

As former Labour health secretary Patricia Hewitt wrote yesterday, the explanation from GCHQ is 'unprecedented' in what it has revealed about the app to reassure people on matters of privacy.

In truth, some truly ludicrous arguments are being put forward, including that we risk allowing the Government to impose Chinese levels of control if we use the app  the 'slippery slope' cliche.

Unlike China, we live in a democracy, where governments are accountable and elected and can be removed if they overstep the mark  so this claim is entirely removed from reality.

On social media and via radio phone-ins, others express fears that the app is really being used as a Trojan Horse for mass surveillance of the population.

Or that it is all a plot by Boris Johnson's puppet master, Dominic Cummings, to keep the Tories in power.

Coronavirus is leading to some truly deranged behaviour. The reality is that we are in the middle of one of the worst ever crises to face this country.

More than 30,000 people have died so far. The economy is devastated. In order to plot a way through this disaster, most people would agree that it's worth running the potential risk that the NHS might find out where you were at 10am last Tuesday.

In the real world, away from human rights lawyers' chambers, most of us blithely allow a host of other apps to invade our privacy, such as letting 'location services', track our movements.

If we use public transport we swipe our travel passes which can be tracked. And we happily sign away our privacy in using Amazon's Alexa, for example, or through online shopping, Google searches and social media posts, allowing private firms access to reams of information about us.

Thrilled If we are willing to give up our privacy for such trivial convenience, allowing the NHS access to anonymous information to allow us to defeat a global pandemic, save lives and start rebuilding the economy is not so much a small price to pay as a bargain most of will surely be thrilled to have.

And the opponents conveniently ignore the fact that installation of the app will be voluntary. If you're worried about the supposed loss of privacy, the solution is simple: don't download it.

As with any new tech, there will doubtless be problems to be ironed out. The central idea is both sensible and vital.

Instead of letting ideologically driven human rights campaigners destroy hope for the rest of us, let's embrace the technology, thank the people who have made it possible and look forward to a future where we defeat Covid-19.

Stephen Pollard is Editor of The Jewish Chronicle.
According to Krieg, who has served 29 months, his sentence is much more likely a sentence of 27 to 33 months" because recent court rulings undoing the term violent crime for two charges against him. Krieg stated that 85% of 33 months is 28 months, which means he has likely already served, or is about to serve, his likely sentence.
Somalia's president has promised his Kenyan counterpart a thorough investigation into the deadly crash of a Kenyan plane carrying medical supplies in Somalia, while one Somali official asserts that the aircraft was shot down. Six people on board were killed.

The Kenyan Civil Aviation Authority on Tuesday said the twin-engine plane with African Express crashed Monday afternoon on approach to Bardale under circumstances we are yet to confirm.

A projectile fired from the ground hit the plane as it approached the airstrip in Bay region, Ahmed isaq, a local official with the Southwestern State regional administration, told The Associated Press.

The airstrip is a base for the Ethiopian military under the multinational African Union mission, which is combating the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group. The group controls parts of rural southern and central Somalia.

There was no immediate comment from Ethiopian authorities Tuesday.

The plane had left Somalias capital, Mogadishu, and stopped in Baidoa before going on toward Bardale, the Kenyan statement said. Kenyan authorities said they were in contact with the Somali Civil Aviation Authority.

Somalias transport ministry called the crash a terrible accident and said the government was investigating.

Somali President Abdullahi Mohamed Abdullahi in a phone call with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta offered his support and condolences, Somalia's foreign ministry said.
Sitges Hills Villas, the largest holiday rental operator in the Sitges area of Spain, announces a a set of new procedures designed to protect and reassure guests and make their stay as safe as possible



(TRAVPR.COM) UK/SPAIN - May 6th, 2020 - Sitges Hills Villas, the largest holiday rental operator in the Sitges area of Spain, announces a a set of new procedures designed to protect and reassure guests and make their stay as safe as possible

In response to the current global health crisis, Sitges Hills Villas have announced the launch of their new SafeStay policy which has been designed to help protect the health of guests, property owners and employees without compromising on their usual high standards of service and care.

This new policy includes innovative solutions such as contactless check in, virtual concierge service and deep cleaning / sanitisation procedures, all designed to give guests complete peace of mind and reassurance when staying in one of their villas and apartments in Sitges.

The key policy procedures are outlined below, however, the company reserves the rights to make any necessary amendments to these procedures, or to introduce new initiatives should the circumstances require it.

Professional Deep Cleaning / Sanitisation

In addition to the usual highest standards of cleanliness and preparation, all properties will now be professionally deep cleaned and fully disinfected before each stay. In addition, the preparation time between stays will now be extended to a minimum period of 24 hours. Guests will have the option to extend this period to 48 hours during the rest of the 2020 season.

All appliances and surfaces are fully sanitised and then sealed for a minimum period of 24 hours prior to guest arrival. The guests will be the first people to enter the property after it has been sealed.



All linen and towels provided at the property are professionally washed at 60 degrees and, as an additional service, guests will have the option of ordering brand new linen and towels for their stay at an extra cost. Guests will also be able to bring their own linen and towels.



Free hand sanitizer will be available in all properties.

Online / Contactless Check in (via Skype, FaceTime or WhatsApp)

The companys standard check-in and check-out procedures have been streamlined and moved online so that they now offer a fully contactless and no-touch experience from the moment guests arrive in Sitges until the time they leave the property.

Virtual Guest Concierge Service (via Skype or WhatsApp)

New virtual concierge services are available in order to maintain the company ethos of always being available to guests face-to-face to ensure that their stay runs as smoothly and enjoyably as possible, but without creating the need for unnecessary personal contact.



In addition to the usual 24-hour telephone helpline, a new virtual concierge team will be available to guests during office hours on either Skype or WhatsApp to answer any questions or arrange any services. The concierge team can arrange for groceries, freshly cooked food, and other services to be delivered to the property so that guests do not have to leave the property if they do not want to.

For more information about our "SafeStay" policy please email us at services@sitgeshillsvillas.com.

For more information about the new SafeStay policy please see https://www.sitgeshillsvillas.com/page-safestay-policy.html or call us on +44 (0)20 3287 6597 or send an email to info(@)sitgeshillsvillas.com.

About Sitges Hills Villas

Sitges Hills Villas is a hand-picked and personally inspected collection of high-quality holiday villas in and around the popular seaside town of Sitges in Spain. Each property has been selected for its unique character and idyllic setting and is equipped to the high standards. The company have been operating since 2009 and have developed an intimate knowledge of all their holiday rentals and can advise guests on the best choice for their holiday. A locally based management team and concierge desk is on hand to ensure that guest's holidays in the Sitges area run as smoothly and enjoyably as possible. All the villas in the collection are licensed holiday homes and comply fully with all local laws and insurance requirements.

###
DUBLIN, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Medical Tourism Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2020-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global medical tourism market is currently experiencing strong growth. Looking forward, the market is anticipated to exhibit a CAGR of around 8% during 2020-2025.



The thriving medical industry across the globe is one of the key factors driving the growth of the market. Patients are increasingly adopting medical migration, owing to high treatment expenditures for chronic ailments in several developed nations. Furthermore, the availability of state-of-the-art medical facilities at affordable costs in various developing countries is attracting patients from all over the world.



Healthcare centers are focusing on providing improved healthcare, innovative medicines, modern devices and personalized care to patients, thereby providing a boost to the market. Additionally, healthcare organizations and centers are also offering comprehensive medical tourism packages to patients, which include all travel-related services ranging from ticket booking to accommodation and medical insurance. Moreover, growing consumer awareness regarding the availability of advanced medical facilities is another factor favoring the market growth.



Other factors, including the implementation of favourable government policies promoting the growth of the medical infrastructure and extensive research and development (R&D) activities, are projected to drive the market further.



The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined with some of the key players being Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited, Asian Heart Institute, Barbados Fertility Center, BB Health Solutions, Fortis Healthcare, Healthbase, KPJ Healthcare Berhad, Prince Court Medical Centre, Samitivej, Seoul National University Hospital, UZ Leuven, etc.



Key Questions Answered



How has the global medical tourism market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?

What are the key regional markets?

What is the breakup of the market based on the treatment type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the end-user?

What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry?

What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry?

What is the structure of the global medical tourism market and who are the key players?

What is the degree of competition in the industry?

Key Topics Covered



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global Medical Tourism Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Treatment Type

6.1 Cosmetic Treatment

6.2 Dental Treatment

6.3 Cardiovascular Treatment

6.4 Orthopaedic Treatment

6.5 Bariatric Surgery

6.6 Fertility Treatment

6.7 Ophthalmic Treatment

6.8 Others



7 Market Breakup by Type

7.1 Domestic

7.2 International



8 Market Breakup by End-user

8.1 Diagnostics

8.2 Research Laboratories

8.3 Point of Care Testing

8.4 Others



9 Market Breakup by Region

9.1 North America

9.2 Asia Pacific

9.3 Europe

9.4 Latin America

9.5 Middle East and Africa



10 SWOT Analysis

10.1 Overview

10.2 Strengths

10.3 Weaknesses

10.4 Opportunities

10.5 Threats



11 Value Chain Analysis



12 Porters Five Forces Analysis

12.1 Overview

12.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers

12.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

12.4 Degree of Competition

12.5 Threat of New Entrants

12.6 Threat of Substitutes



13 Competitive Landscape

13.1 Market Structure

13.2 Key Players

13.3 Profiles of Key Players



Aditya Birla Memorial Hospital

Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited

Asian Heart Institute

Barbados Fertility Center

BB Health Solutions.

Fortis Healthcare

Healthbase

KPJ Healthcare Berhad

Prince Court Medical Centre

Samitivej

Seoul National University Hospital

Hospital UZ Leuven

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/qkyhy4

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:



Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



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SOURCE Research and Markets

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Community, Charity & Cause, Health & Wellness

By Ls Cohen Published: May 06 2020

A special day week to honor nurses is even more special in the midst of the Coronavirus outbreak.

On Wednesday, May 6 Nurses Day kicked off a week of celebrating the work that nurses do every day. But, this year, the occasion is especially poignant as many of us watch from the sidelines as nurses at hospitals all over Long Island care for patients with Covid-19 at great risk to themselves.

We cant thank them enough.

Below are some ways that others have shown gratitude for nurses and some cool freebies to help nurses get through as they continue to battle during this pandemic.

Free Coffee

We know that long night shifts can be tough. So does Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts. Both companies are offering special deals for nurses this year. Starbucks says it has given more than 1 million free tall brewed (hot or iced) coffees to first responders and front-line health care workers during the COVID-19 outbreak. It plans to continue that through the end of May. Dunkin is offering a free medium hot or iced coffee and a free donut  no purchase necessary  to all healthcare workers who visit participating Dunkin restaurants nationwide, while supplies last.

Comfortable Shoes

According to its website, Crocs is donating 10,000 free pairs of shoes a day (with free shipping) to healthcare workers on the frontlines of COVID-19. Get more info on the deal here. Adidas is also giving verified medical professionals, first responders, nurses and military members an exclusive discount on adidas.com. Click here to sign up. Nike is also giving a discount.

Free Burrito. Maybe

Chipotle is giving away 100,000 burritos as part of their "buy one, give one" program. Nurses and other health care workers can sign up for the deal here.

Showing the Love

Stony Brook Hospital celebrated their nurses with words of encouragement and hope chalked on the outside of their building. It made me feel like what I am doing matters, said Kathleen DiBenedetto, RN, a nurse at Stony Brook. And it's appreciated. In other instances, EMS and police caravaned through the streets of Long Island blasting sirens in show of support for frontline workers.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-07 01:43:20|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

SARAJEVO, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Republika Srpska (RS), one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), has partnered with China Gezhouba Group Co., Ltd. for the construction of the Dabar Hydro Power Plant (DPP) in the southern Herzegovina region. The contract was signed at a ceremony in the city of Trebinje, the Chinese Embassy in BiH announced on Wednesday.

China's Ambassador to BiH Ji Ping and RS Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic attended the signing ceremony via video link, respectively, from Sarajevo, the capital of BiH, and Banja Luka, the capital of RS.

"The COVID-19 outbreak has not stopped China from deepening cooperation with BiH. The DPP is a new achievement in this cooperation and the best evidence of the convergence of interests in the era of globalization," said Ji Ping.

Viskovic said the DPP will be the first large-scale hydropower plant to be built in RS in recent years. The project is of great significance as it will effectively improve the region's power supply and will drive local economic development.

The 200-million-plus-euro (216 million U.S. dollars) plant will generate 249 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity a year. Enditem
Makin Island Escorts Kidd to San Diego

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS200505-02

Release Date: 5/5/2020 11:38:00 AM

From Expeditionary Strike Group THREE Public Affairs

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- In support of the Navy's response to cases of COVID-19 onboard USS Kidd (DDG 100), USS Makin Island (LHD 8) escorted Kidd to San Diego to allow crew members to receive medical treatment.

During transit, Makin Island refueled Kidd and ultimately received 15 patients who needed additional care.

On April 23, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet redirected the amphibious assault ship, with embarked aviation squadrons, the "Scorpions" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 49 and the "Wildcards" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23, to rendezvous with Kidd to establish a COVID-19 afloat medical response in the event the ship needed assistance during its transit to San Diego.

"We were standing by and able to bring those Sailors to Makin Island while still maintaining isolation and quarantine of them and the medical professionals that we have onboard who treated them," said Capt. Chris Westphal, commanding officer Makin Island. "We took every precaution to ensure the safety of both Makin Island and Kidd Sailors, and to ensure Kidd returned to San Diego safely, and we were proud to be able to help our fellow shipmates."

Makin Island provided a surface independent duty corpsman and additional medical supplies to bolster Kidd's medical capabilities on April 26 via HSC 23 helicopter. Crew members wore N-95 masks, medical gowns over their uniforms, and nitrile gloves in addition to the required flight safety equipment.

A MH-60R from the "Wolfpack" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 75 embarked aboard Kidd conducted all patient transfers.

Following their flights, aircrew members also participated in decontamination practices, and helicopters as well as all gear used were heavily sanitized.

Sailors aboard Kidd requiring advanced care, or who showed symptoms likely to elevate, were transported to Makin Island where extensive decontamination and quarantine procedures and equipment were in place. Medical providers who treated COVID-19 patients remained in quarantine while their patients were aboard the ship. After returning to port and transporting patients to shore medical facilities, they began self-isolating at their homes.

"The ability and flexibility of our amphibious force allows for the speed necessary to provide immediate assistance," said Rear Adm. Philip Sobeck, commander, Expeditionary Strike Group 3 (ESG-3). "Ensuring the health and well-being of our Sailors remains our top priority."

A family physician, a medical regulation control officer, and the officer in charge of Fleet Surgical Team (FST) 1 sequestered in port with the Makin Island beginning March 26. An FST 1 critical care nurse, a laboratory technician, a certified registered nurse anesthetist, and a respiratory therapist from FST 5, arrived April 23 as part of the effort to assist Kidd.

Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) amphibious assault ships, such as Makin Island, have robust medical capabilities that include operating rooms, acute care wards, dental examination rooms, and intensive care units. LHD medical departments consist of two medical officers, one surface independent duty corpsman, one medical service corps officer, one dental corps officer, and 19 hospital corpsmen.

Makin Island is considered a Role 2 medical treatment facility, capable of providing advanced trauma management and emergency medical treatment. Makin Island has an intensive care unit (ICU) capacity of 16 beds with the ability to provide five ICU patients critical care to include mechanical ventilation. Additionally, the ship has an acute care ward capacity of 45 beds with the ability to surge to 250 patients using troop berthing.

"The Sailors and Marines from Makin Island sailing in support of USS Kidd reflect the best of Naval Integration," said Sobeck.

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Local hospital administrators have been desperately marshalling resources to deal with increasing numbers of COVID-19 patients.

Theyve cancelled surgeries, reassigned personnel and freed up hundreds of beds.

And while the pandemic response is unprecedented in scope, its interesting to think back to what was probably the biggest health care logistical challenge in Hamilton before now.

Forty years ago this week, a major fire broke out at St. Josephs Hospital and more than 500 patients were evacuated from the Charlton Avenue building that remained closed for two weeks.

The evacuation went smoothly with emergency responders flooding the city from as far away as Toronto and Niagara Falls. No patients were injured save for one who was reported to have had a heart attack and died. Five firefighters were treated for smoke inhalation.

But the Mayday on May Day remains one of the most memorable experiences in local hospital history and has become a guidepost for disaster planning ever since.

May 1, 1980 was a warm and sunny day and started with the best of intentions. But, the early taste of summer was suddenly interrupted by screaming sirens and billowing smoke.

St. Joes physician Dr. Peter Knight had just finished performing hernia surgery and was waiting for his next operation.

It was 9 oclock in the morning and I was sitting in the surgeons room and the fire alarm was going, the retired surgeon said in an interview. We just sat there because false alarms were always going off... But I began to get fed up and opened the door to see the corridor was full of smoke.

The next he knew firefighters were running through the hallways and staff and volunteers were called upon to help patients leave the building.

We couldnt use the elevators so we had to drag patients on beds and mattresses down the stairs. It was not easy, he said.

The electrical fire began in a basement boiler room and moved into the walls and ceilings sending smoke throughout the building.

Surgeries were cancelled except for two major operations that could not be halted. Nurses put wet towels around doors to keep out smoke.

Paul Kuzyk remembers hearing sirens and heading to the hospital to find emergency vehicles everywhere. There were ambulances from all kinds of different places  even an ambulance bus.

There were hundreds of emergency responders. In addition to ambulances, city buses, fire department vehicles and mail trucks were used to transport patients to other hospitals.

Mike Jackson was a rookie Hamilton firefighter who was off duty that day. After hearing about the fire, he rushed over and helped fill air bottles for his colleagues who were fighting flames and managing smoke inside the building.

They had every rig in the city there. Some of the guys were dropping like flies because it was so hot in there.

Jackson, who retired in 2009 and is president of the Hamilton Fire Department Pensioners Association, said the 1997 Plastimet fire was the biggest event of his 30-year career. But the St. Joes evacuation definitely makes his list of memorable experiences.

After extensive repairs, the hospital finally reopened on May 14 and patients were able to return.

One last note: I learned about the 40th anniversary of the evacuation from David Simpson of the Head-of-the-Lake Historical Society. The group planned to host a presentation about it on May 1 but the event had to be cancelled because of COVID-19.

In other words: A discussion about one health care emergency was disrupted by the ongoing experience of another one.

A note from Dieppe

I received a moving email after a story I wrote about the April 17 passing of Ken Curry, the last Royal Hamilton Light Infantry veteran of the ill-fated Second World War raid of Dieppe.

Franck Sorel lives in the French coastal community, and is a bagpiper with the Normandy Highlands Pipe Band. He wanted me to send our sincere condolences to his family and say how grateful we are for all the kids that landed on 19 August 1942.

To pay tribute, he went to the Canadian War Cemetery south of Dieppe, where victims of the raid are buried, to play the lament Hector the Hero  for all his war friends and of course for him. It was a heartfelt gesture especially during a COVID -19 lock down.

The death of Curry, at 97, is another sign of the passage into history of the Greatest Generation. He was one of more than 580 Riley soldiers who took part in the disastrous military operation that killed 197 RHLI soldiers. A total of 174 were captured as POWs, with Curry among them.

Post script

Last week, I wrote about Bill Milnes 10 kilogram cast iron weight that was used to tie down horses that pulled Pure Milk Company milk carts in Hamilton more than 100 years ago. Bill didnt know what the weight was called.

Well, Ive since learned the objects have a history going back to cowboy times and were sometimes called higglers. So the next time you feel someone is holding you back, you can call the person a higgler.
In a Facebook post Monday, May 4, Brazils President Jair Bolsonaro told his more than 10 million followers that he did not see any attacks against members of the media during a Sunday, May 3, political rally he described as having been spontaneous. Multiple news reports said the event actually was pre-planned.

The incident occurred on May 3, which the United Nations has designated the annual World Press Freedom Day.

Mocking Brazils biggest independent news network Rede Globo as Fantasy TV, Bolsonaro told his Facebook followers: TV Globo at Fantasy yesterday dedicated itself to attacks on President Jair Bolsonaro, due to the fact that a photographer from Jornal O Estado de SP was attacked by some possible infiltrators at the peaceful demonstration. We also condemn violence.

Bolsonaro added that he did not see any attacks on journalists, only the joy of the people.

The claim is misleading.

Video reports from the rally tell a different story, and the Reuters news agency cited witnesses who said at least three photographers were attacked by demonstrators at Sundays rally of Bolsonaro supporters. According to Reuters, such incidents are an increasingly routine occurrence in Brazil, where Bolsonaro routinely calls the work of major newspapers fake news.

One victim, a photographer from the Sao Paulo newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo, was pulled off a ladder and repeatedly kicked in the ribs.

According to Bloomberg, O Estado de S. Paulo reported that one of its photographers and his driver were attacked by demonstrators, and that they had to leave under police escort. Two of its reporters covering the event were verbally insulted, but not attacked.

On May 3, Al Jazeeras political show The Listening Post showed a video excerpt in which Bolsonaro points his left index finger towards the group of reporters and addresses his followers: These people say I am wrong and that you all must stay at home. He then turns to the media present and asks: Arent you afraid of coronavirus? Go home!

The Al Jazeera program included other excerpts of video shot at Bolsonaro public appearances during which he specifically named Rede Globo and O Estado de S. Paulo as outlets with which he does not chat.

The Brazilian media watchdog Federacao Nacional dos Jornalistas (FENAJ) reported that in 2019, Bolsonaro made 116 comments about the press that the group considered attacks.

When a head of state systematically attacks professionals and the media, he encourages his supporters to do the same, including with intimidation, threats and even aggression. Bolsonaro potentiates aggression against journalists, and with that he defies democratic values, said Maria Jose Braga, FENAJs president.

Sindicato dos Jornalistas do Distrito Federal, a Brazilian press freedom group, posted on Facebook a video collection of Bolsonaros verbal attacks.

According to the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas, this past March the Inter-American Human Rights Commission said Brazil was creating a threatening environment for journalists.

Videos are circulating on the internet showing people on the streets of Brazilian cities harassing journalists, attacking them verbally and physically, and preventing them from doing their job.

The Rede Globo network and O Estado de S. Paulo newspaper have published reports and investigations critical of Bolsonaros presidency. Lately, they have scrutinized his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
THE Chinese city of Hangzhoi has donated 10,000 facemasks to Limerick as the fight against Covid-19 continues.

The consignment was dropped off at Limerick City and County Councils headquarters in recognition of the growing links between the cities and regions. It will be handed over to staff at University Hospital Limerick who will distribute them on the front-line.

Limerick and Hangzhou first began exploring links in early 2018 in conjunction with the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, the Chinese Embassy in Ireland, and the Department of Foreign Affairs in the Hangzhou Municipal Government. The Irish Chinese community were involved in the relationship from the start.

Its the second relationship Limerick has with a city in China, with former mayor Jim Long setting up trade partnerships with the city of Nanjing. This saw facemasks delivered east from Limerick earlier in the year.

Mayor Michael Sheahan has welcomed the donation, saying: The Chinese know better than most the impact Covid-19 coronavirus is having on its society, and this gesture is a sign of the solidarity between Limerick and Hangzhou as we battle this virus. At a time when there is incredibly high demand for PPE gear for our frontline healthcare workers, the arrival of this generous gift is most opportune. It highlights the importance of Limerick seeking out new links around the world and of developing and nurturing the ones we have already so that there can be mutual benefits to both regions.

John Doyle, head of services, at the UL Hospitals Group, added: This is a virus that does not recognise borders and it is heartening to see international co-operation such as that between Limerick and Hangzhou. We are grateful to the council and to our friends in China and this donation will help us protect patients and staff and reduce transmission of Covid-19.

The Mayor also thanked the people of Limerick for the courage, determination and selflessness they have shown over the past two months or so as we all deal with the ongoing restrictions to daily life imposed to protect our public health.

Mayor Sheahan said: There is a resoluteness in the character of the Limerick people that shows that we can battle against adversity while keeping our spirits up. This resolve is shining through as we life with the restrictions set down by government which have become part and parcel of daily life.

I know it can be very frustrating having to abide by all these rules, but I urge everyone to continue to follow them. The governments roadmap for re-opening society and business will return us to some semblance of normality.

I would like to pay tribute to all those who are working on the frontline in health care and also all the other workers who are deemed essential and who are continuing to provide services to the people of Limerick, and of course the volunteers who have answered the call and a working to support all those in the community as part of the Limerick Covid-19 Community Response or other volunteer groupings.

The links between Limerick and Hangzhou can be traced back to 2018. In December that year, a formal signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Hangzhou, China and Limerick City and County Council took place to explore areas of co-operation and collaboration between Limerick and Hangzhou in economy, trade, tourism, education, and culture sectors.

Mayor Sheahan was invited to represent Limerick at the Hangzhou International Sisters Cities Conference and to present a paper on Limericks experience of the digital economy at the 2019 Hangzhou International Sister Cities Mayors Conference.
The Vietnam Veterans Color Guard at last year's Memorial Day Services at the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial at the corner of 18th and E. Carson streets. This year's South Side/Hilltop Memorial Day Services have been canceled due to the coronavirus.

Regretfully. the folks who stage the annual 16-stop Memorial Day pilgrimage from the Monongahela River to St. Adalbert and South Side Cemeteries every year must cancel the May 25 event.

Co-chairs Curtis Schmitt and Philip Ortego and their committee made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 pilgrimage as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the uncertainty of state-wide self-isolation ending and a lack of sufficient time to resume extensive planning.

Ordinarily the event begins with an 8 a.m. prayer, the placing of a memorial wreath in the Mon river, a rifle salute, a bagpipe rendition of "Taps" and a musical tribute by bugler Adam Warble and bagpiper Andrew Warble.

Subsequent stops include VFW Post 6675, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Armstrong Park Memorial, with a ceremony at every site.

The concluding South Side Cemetery program typically includes the National Anthem, offerings by the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer choir, an invocation, a roll call of recently departed comrades, the placing of wreaths, a rifle salute to the deceased, a valedictory and the playing of "Taps."

The pilgrimage is supported by members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6675, American Legion Carrick-Brentwood Post 725, St. Adalbert Post 1522, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 76, Vietnam Veterans Inc, Vietnam Veterans of America, Italian American War Veterans and Military Officers Association of America.
(Screenshot from northjersey.com)

The mayor of Belleville, New Jersey, Michael Melham has tested positive for coronavirus antibodies, and believes he contracted COVID-19 in November  more than two months before the U.S. first reported cases of the new disease in Washington State, US media reported on April 30.

Melham said he was sick toward the end of November after he left the League of Municipalities Conference in Atlantic City on Nov.21. He thought he would feel better after a good nights sleep, but in the following days, he suffered from chills, hallucinations and a skyrocketing temperature of 102 degrees, according to northjersey.com and patch.com.

He said that it was the sickest he had ever been in his adult life. It felt as if I was an addict going through withdrawal. I didnt know what was happening to me, Melham said in a press release. The doctor told Melham he had the flu and hed recover with a few days of rest, the release said. He did not take a flu test.

Despite eventually getting better, this unusual experience stayed in his mind until COVID-19 began to break out in large numbers across New Jersey.

Melham said he later suspected he had contracted the coronavirus in November but dismissed the notion because the earliest cases in the United States werent reported until January. New Jerseys first positive coronavirus case was not reported until March 4.

I had always been suspicious that I had been potentially positive for coronavirus in November, Melham said. But I dismissed it because I kept hearing the first cases were in January 2020.

He suspected he could potentially be an early, undetected case of the coronavirus, and the suspicion prompted him to go for a blood test. He got the results on April 29 and announced on April 30 that he tested positive for antibodies related to the virus that causes COVID-19, indicating that he has had an infection in the past and has developed antibodies to the disease.

Health experts now say the coronavirus may have been quietly circulating in the United States in January and February, when testing was rare. None have pushed the timeline back as far as November.

We all hear about how COVID-19 didnt really exist here in the U.S. until January, Melham said. That is obviously not the case. I am living, breathing proof that we were all dealing with it months earlier.

He said the antibodies that he had were the longer-term ones, not the most recent ones. He has done no traveling in recent months, other than a late-January trip to Puerto Rico. He lives alone.

Melham said that some people have told him they were also gravely sick in November and December. My fear is that there are many who dismissed a potentially positive coronavirus diagnosis as a bad flu, Melham said.

The state health department and spokesperson for Governor Phil Murphy declined to comment on the mayors statements.
On March 22, Dr. Janine McCready, an infectious disease specialist at Michael Garron Hospital, called out the province for maintaining that COVID-19 is coming primarily from foreign travellers.

We need a clear statement openly acknowledging community transmission & letting go of the preoccupation with travel, she tweeted, saying this information was weeks behind the reality she was seeing in the emergency room. (This) lack of recognition of the increasing number of cases with NO LINK TO TRAVEL is irresponsible.

McCready continued, arguing that the public had been led to believe they were not at risk if they had not been in contact with travellers. But, McCready went on: People need to modify their behaviour NOW & we need to give them accurate information so they can do so.

The next day, the province ordered all non-essential workplaces closed. The day after that, Dr. Theresa Tam, Canadas chief medical officer of health, announced that community transmission had overtaken travel as Canadas primary source of virus cases.

While its questionable if Tam was influenced by McCreadys tweets, the episode is one of many examples of social media presaging public health authorities.

The daily press conferences held by Canadas public health officials are supposed to provide the most up-to-date information on the pandemic and the best advice for how to stay healthy.

But expert voices on social media have become an alternative source for the latest science and most effective policy options  and they often get it right before public health.

Frontline physicians and academic researchers on Twitter proved prescient when they called for borders and road lanes to close, dramatic increases in testing and the public to wear masks. They were right when they warned of asymptomatic spread in long-term-care homes well before it was publicly recognized by officials.

While this expert advice is available online, its lost in the rapids of Twitters river  a volatile mixture of specialist and layman messages that the WHO has called an infodemic.

Much of the legitimate scientific criticism is motivated by a desire to speed up clunky government policy making, which by design is cautious and careful.

The virus is very fast and it requires a speedy and nimble response, McCready told the Star in an interview. I was raising those (issues) in the public view to try and move things along.

As a front-line health worker at a hospital, I have the luxury of seeing everything unfold, she said. Seeing people die in front of me makes me more impatient and makes me want to move those things ahead. Whereas at the policy level, thats not happening right in front of you. And youre seeing the numbers and they dont look that bad.

Public officials say they rely on data-based decision making, but some online critics assert that we need to loosen our definition of good data.

You cant wait for class 1A evidence when youre in a fast-moving pandemic with a brand-new microbe that nobody knows anything about, said Dr. David Fisman, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Torontos Dalla Lana School of Public Health.

To say: Were not certain yet, so were not going to make a decision yet and were going to hold off on acting while we gather more data. Sometimes thats appropriate. But in the face of a public health emergency where lives are on the line and things are moving fast, I think thats actually very dangerous, he said.

A good example, Fisman said, was a general reluctance to acknowledge the silent spread of COVID-19 through asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic transmission.

That information has been out there for a couple of months now, he said, citing reports from coronavirus outbreaks in Asia, the U.S. and Europe. At this point, its pretty hard to ignore.

Yet Ontario didnt prohibit personal care workers from working in multiple long term care homes until April 22, allowing them to spread the disease within a particularly vulnerable population for weeks. More than 950 people have died in long-term-care homes.

To be hauled, kicking and screaming over a period of three weeks to that position (instead of) taking action based on the possibility that that might have been correct in March, when people were starting to flag this, I think its quite likely that would have saved some number of lives, Fisman said.

Frontline doctors are used to making quick decisions based on incomplete evidence. They do it all the time, said Dr. David Walker, a professor and the former dean of the medical school at Queens University. Public health officials, on the other hand, must be far more conservative in their decision-making.

If doctors get it wrong, their patients die and that impacts patients families and friends.

When public health gets it wrong, the quantum is so much greater. It isnt just you who dies, it may be hundreds of you that die, said Walker, who chaired the expert panel on SARS in 2003.

Yet Walker still sees the benefit in the public exchanges between patient-facing physicians and number-crunching epidemiologists, even if they can give the impression of infighting and uncertainty.

Transparency has tremendous risks, but is far better in the long run for gaining the faith of the public than the reverse, he said. But it also makes for a hell of a lot more work.

In many ways, the online discussion is the scientific method being played out in full view of the public.

I find it incredibly useful, said Ashleigh Tuite, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Dalla Lana School. You have people who are from outside your area of specialization, who may not be experts in a particular topic, but theyre asking questions that you might not otherwise ask.

Tuites first epidemic after graduation was the 2009 H1N1 virus, which started in the U.S. and Mexico. Back then, the way public health officials and scientists grappled with the newly discovered virus couldnt have been more different.

At that time, science was science and you communicated by email and in meetings, she said.

During the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa in 2014, things began to change, said Tuite, and collaborating with people you had never met became commonplace. Scientists and researchers started exchanging information online via specialized networks like ResearchGate, and were soon publishing co-authored papers.

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 has taken that one step further, with the scientific conversation moving out of specialist forums and into the public domain.

Several open-sourced research projects and tools have sprung up across the country during the pandemic, including COVID-19 resources Canada and #Howsmyflattening.

Whats different now is that you have scientists communicating in these open forums, but you also have the public much more engaged than then, she said.

You can read in real time what people are thinking and what theyre debating and youre not just a passive viewer. You can interact with these people.

Twitter can be a double-edged sword because it can help scientists digest and evaluate the massive amount of research that is coming out, but it can also muddy the waters for the public, which is not used to being presented with preliminary findings, unconfirmed results and research study preprints that have yet to be peer-reviewed.

Its fraught, said Tuite. The reality is that everybody is overwhelmed. Everybody is in a rush to get data and research out. And even when something is peer reviewed, it doesnt necessarily mean that its good quality science.

Tuite receives emailed requests to peer review studies virtually every day. In the rush to get published, some of them only give her 48 hours to evaluate and sign off on the work.

Watching this scientific truth-finding work itself out in real time can be exciting for those participating, but disorienting for outsiders  the public looking for trustworthy information.

Its a really good moment for thinking about scientific literacy, said Colleen Derkatch, an associate professor of English at Ryerson University who studies rhetoric in health and medicine.

Were seeing scientific and medical research unfold in real time, she said. The debate over fact status is totally normal in the academic disciplines. It just doesnt tend to spill out into the public.

Discerning which expert to pay attention to is the hard part, she said.

Twitter announced on March 20 that it would ramp up its proactive verification of accounts belonging to epidemiologists and public health experts, adding a blue check mark to help distinguish specialist accounts.

The social media platform has also added a feature that puts local public health recommendations at the top of any search results related to COVID-19.

Designating authorities does little to prevent bad science from circulating and even getting promoted by politicians and celebrities, said Derkatch.

Whether its U.S. President Donald Trump speculating that an anti-malarial drug could be used to treat COVID-19 or musing about injecting disinfectants, misinformation and pseudo-science are working their way from the fringes of the internet to government advisories.

One video of a family doctor demonstrating how to disinfect groceries went viral in late March, racking up more than 25 million views. The only problem? It was bad advice (microbiologists say you should not scrub your fruit and vegetables with soap. It could make you vomit or give you diarrhea.)

That video caught like wildfire because he had all the right rhetorical apparatus: He had scrubs on, his name was Doctor. He tapped into that kind of fear that people have and gave people a way to gain a sense of control, said Derkatch.

People are desperate for answers, and when they find something online they have a tendency to grab on to it, said Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease expert at the University of Torontos medical school.

Everyones looking for a win. And rightfully so, this is truly affecting the world. Were starving for information and positive and negative information is pounced on, he said. A study comes out and all of a sudden people say: Oh my god, we have to rethink everything weve done. Well, no we dont.

Anecdotal data, small scale studies and research that hasnt yet been peer reviewed is released and the public doesnt know how to interpret how reliable the data is, he said.

Theyre going right from pre-print to the media without any filter. And all I can think is Ugh. Its going to take a week to dispel this one.

While there has always been debate within the medical and scientific community around translating data to policy, he said, now people have a front-row seat.

Yes, senior health leadership have to be held accountable, he said, but it has to be factual.

If you follow the data, you will find the right path.
A bureaucratic quagmire surrounding JobKeeper payments makes it nearly impossible for many desperate workers to access the cash, thanks to a series of cracks in the system.

On April 8, the government passed a $130billion package aimed at keeping Australians in work during the pandemic - with payments due to start on Wednesday.

But a dizzying list of confusing requirements bars many people from being eligible, even for the most mundane of reasons, with rules changing retroactively.

The baffling array of rules is revealed after the government made a last minute change which shut out thousands of workers who were relying on getting the payments.

On May 1, the government made an 11th hour change to JobKeeper requirements, which excluded companies owned 100 per cent by foreign governments.

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School students with part-time jobs will only be eligible for the payments until May 11 after criteria was changed (pictured, Brisbane schoolchildren on March 24)

This included a catering company, Dnata, which employs 5,500 workers across Australia to produce meal for businesses such as Qantas, but is owned by the government of Dubai.

Workers were originally told they'd be covered by the JobKeeper payments but the retroactive change to legislation has left workers scrambling to find ways to supplement their income.

The company said they had kept their employees on the books under advice from the Australian Taxation Office that workers would be eligible.

A similar situation has unfolded for school students, aged 16 or 17, who have had the payments taken away from them by the government.

If they have part-time jobs, school students are eligible for up to $4,500 of the money - but they have since been told payments will be switched off on May 11.

A shut down cafe for sale in Mollymook on the NSW south coast (pictured on April 7) after businesses across the country were hit by COVID-19 restrictions

5,500 workers at Dnata (pictured at Adelaide airport on April 1), which supplies frozen meals to businesses like Qantas received the news they were no longer eligible for JobKeeper

The last-minute change to the rules bars 16 and 17 year-olds unless they live away from their parents and only study part-time.

It means full-time students, and those living at home, will be ineligible within weeks.

The payments had meant a huge boost for school students' wages, as the JobKeeper wage subsidy is a flat $1,500 a fortnight, no matter how many hours are worked.

Generally, both full and part-time workers, as well as sole traders, can apply, if the business they work for is eligible.

JobKeeper payments can be made for the period beginning March 30, and companies must apply by May 31.

If a business has an annual turnover of less than $1 billion, its revenue has to have dropped by at least 30 per cent since March 1.

This means a local cafe which usually turns over $15,000 a week would need to be losing more than $4,500 every week to be eligible.

This means that if such a cafe lost $4,000 every week, it would receive no help at all - and may be forced to let staff go.

WHAT BUSINESSES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR JOBKEEPER? The following types of companies are barred from accessing the JobKeeper payments. - Those who are subject to the Major Bank Levy, including Commonwealth Bank, ANZ Bank, Westpac, National Australia Bank and Macquarie Bank - Australian government agencies - A local governing body, such as a local council - A entity wholly owned by an Australian government agency or local governing body - A sovereign entity, such as a foreign government - Companies solely owned by a foreign government - A company in liquidation - An individual who has entered bankruptcy - If part-time employees are 16 or 17 years-old and still study full-time, or live at home (ineligible from May 11) Source: Australian Taxation Office Advertisement

For bigger businesses turning over more than $1billion a year, it has to show a 50 per cent or greater reduction in revenue.

If a casual worker - those not on permanent contracts - has been at a company for less than 12 months, they are not eligible for payments.

But the payments are not means-tested, meaning no matter how much someone earns, or has in savings, they could still be eligible.

Thousands of foreigners on working visas are also not eligible, but backpackers can extend their stay in Australia instead.

The majority of temporary visa holders, including the thousands on Working Holiday visas, are instead allowed to access their superannuation early.

While seasonal workers on these popular visas can usually only work for an employer for six months, they will now be exempt from this rule.

Workers at Australia's major banks, such as ANZ (pictured) are not eligible for the JobKeeper payments

Local government workers will also not be able to get the payments, which are first paid to their employer (pictured, Paddington's town hall in Sydney)

International students do not qualify for the payments.

New Zealanders on 444 visas are eligible, after Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced these workers are 'part of an ongoing economy in Australia'.

'We are about keeping them part of it economy because they are part of what happens on the other side,' he told reporters in Canberra.

The government also announced it will allow backpackers to extend their stay in Australia and most temporary visa holders to access superannuation payments early.

The major banks subject to the banking levy are also not eligible, meaning workers at Commonwealth Bank, ANZ Bank, Westpac, National Australia Bank and Macquarie Bank cannot receive payments.

Not-for-profit entities, such as charities, are allowed the payments as long as their turnover has dropped by 15 per cent or more - a much lower threshold.

Workers were told via email on Monday (pictured) they would not be receiving payments though the government's JobKeeper program

But the same can't be said for universities, one of Australia's biggest exports, which are not allowed the lower 15 per cent threshold applied to charities.

HOW IS TURNOVER CALCULATED FOR JOBKEEPER? The turnover calculation is based on a companies sales, not including GST. To work out if your turnover will decline by enough to be eligible for payments, you need to compare sales (or likely sales) for a recent month (usually March or April 2020), with the same month last year. You can also use the April to June quarter to compare the same quarter last year. In working out what is likely, you need to make a reasonable estimate and document your reasons at the time of applying the test. Some of the exclusions to turnover include input taxed sales (e.g. bank interest, sale of shares, residential rental income) and sales not connected with your business type (e.g. sale of private car). Source: Australian Taxation Office Advertisement

Instead, on April 24 the government stipulated that universities must include funding from commonwealth grants towards their revenue.

Under strict rules, when working out their projected downturn, universities must count six months of revenue - rather than one month or three months like other businesses.

The combination of confusing restrictions mean no university in the entire country qualifies for JobKeeper.

Public sector employers are also bared from the payments, with this also applying to local councils.

Speaking about the change to the scheme which bars companies owned by foreign governments from applying, workers called it a 'kick in the guts'.

'Dnata enrolled for the scheme and implemented plans for the retention and payment of our Australian employees on this basis,' a Dnata spokeswoman said.

The company believes the changes are unreasonable because it employs a large number of local workers and is an Australian resident company for income tax purposes.

The business has also invested $300 million over the past 13 years on job creation, infrastructure and technologies, including the $150 million takeover of Qantas's catering business.

People line up outside of a Centrelink office in Melbourne on April 20, after thousands of Australians lost their jobs

Shops across Australia, including this H&M store in Melbourne (pictured on April 5) closed its doors in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic

The Australian Services Union said it was fighting to overturn the changes to protect the wages of the customer service, cargo and ramp employees of Dnata.

'This announcement will come as a complete shock and no doubt will be extremely concerning and upsetting for you,' the ASU said in a statement.

'Please rest assured that the ASU will do everything within its power to attempt to get this outrageous narrow minded decision changed so that you get the support that you deserve.

'Scott Morrison took JobKeeper away from you with the stroke of a pen and we will be demanding that he fix the problem that he has created.

The airline worker's union has written to Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg urging him to fix the 'loophole' and provide support for workers in the commercial aviation industry.

Queues are seen at the east Sydney Centrelink offices on April 14, after more than 1.34 million people claimed the JobSeeker allowance.

Australia is home to 9,946 foreign-owned businesses, data from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Austrade showed.

In a letter to Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, TWU national secretary Michael Kaine and ASU assistant national secretary Linda White warned that the Australian economy would suffer if such companies collapsed.

'It will mean airlines will not be able to return to full capacity in the short to medium term,' it read.

'We hope you will consider the plight of thousands of workers today and examine this loophole.'

It went on to say workers in such industries, and their families, would be 'devastated' by the 'unintended consequences of this loophole'.

People are seen queuing outside a Centrelink office in Adelaide on April 16, with many more workers needing helping during the coronavirus crisis

'The Jobkeeper Payment has given them certainty about their futures and their income and has them on standby to return to work when the Government lifts its travel restrictions,' it read.

'Without it their jobs are under threat and their futures are entirely insecure.'

A Treasury official said government employers were better positioned to support their staff during the financial downturns.

'Government employers are considered to have a greater capacity to support their employees through this period than private businesses,' the spokeswoman said.

As for JobSeeker payments, the maximum $550-a-fortnight payment was doubled to $1,100 to help households stay afloat during the pandemic.

But even before that adjustment, which came into effect on April 27, many out of work were already experiencing problems getting the payments.

'We will be supercharging the safety net,' Mr Morrison said. 'We will be supporting the most vulnerable to the impacts of the crisis.'

The airline workers union has written to Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg (pictured) urging him to fix the 'loophole' and provide support for workers in the commercial aviation industry
Kootenai River  The water flows from Lake Koocanusa are at about 17,900 cfs. The water temperature is at 39 degrees. The water has some off-color downstream from the tributaries, but for the most part the clarity is perfect. Hatches in the river are midge, baetis, March browns, caddis, and stoneflies. Some useful patterns to fish with are Zebra Midge, Midge Pupa, Parachute Adams, Bullet Head and Bullethead Skwala. The stretch from Libby dam downstream to Highway 37 Bridge/Fisher River is now closed for spawning until June 1. Below Highway 37 the river is open to all angling. March brown, caddis and stoneflies have started to pop later in the afternoon each day. Dry fly fishing is spotty. If you see bugs, you will likely see rising fish. Nymphing is still the best way to fish. Nemoura stoneflies have been active as well as early caddis. A Rasta Skwala (12), Purple Chubby, or Bugmeister with a Pheasant Tail (16) will roll nicely. Look for fish in slower currents, pools, tailouts, and especially around cover. Nymphing the Kootenai River is still the most consistent technique this time of year. Be brave and confident and get out the bigger rods and throw streamers. This is a great time of year to catch a big fish. Dont get concrete feet. Cover water and swing small streamers and fish them slowly with a pulse now and again to make them look like struggling baitfish.  Linehan Outfitting Company, Troy.
Trillions of dollars in stimulus funds have stabilized the financial markets, leaving middle and working-class Americans to ask why most of the money is going to help corporations and millionaires.

The White House, Congress and Federal Reserve have spent 95 cents out of every dollar in COVID-19 stimulus money on businesses. They hoped the cash would eventually reach workers, but as with most trickle-down theories, it is not working.

More than 30 million people are out of work, and the number is growing every day. The prognosis for the average American is not good, according to researchers at the University of Chicagos Becker Friedman Institute.

We find three new hires for every 10 layoffs caused by the shock and estimate that 42 percent of recent layoffs will result in permanent job loss, one team found after analyzing the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlantas latest Survey of Business Uncertainty.

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Almost two-thirds of Americans hold jobs that cannot be performed from home, researchers concluded from Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Most of those people make less than the median income and do not get benefits like health insurance.

These jobs also tend to rank highly in terms of the amount of close physical interaction that occurs at work (e.g., a nail salon worker), the researchers found. Combined, these results imply that workers that have been hurt most by the crisis economically, are also at the highest health risk as they go back to work.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell believes the federal government has done enough for the average American. The Treasury Department sent out $1,200 checks, and the feds have added a $600-a-week supplement to unemployment benefits.

This aid seems increasingly piddly, though, as the virus persists. The stimulus checks barely pay for two months of rent, and the $600 a week will run out July 31. Meanwhile, the number of infections keeps climbing, and few businesses can fully reopen.

The federal government has spent more than $764 billion on the Paycheck Protection Program. But as we are beginning to discover, lobbyists made sure the money is not going where Congress intended.

We do not find evidence that funds flowed to areas more adversely affected by the economic effects of the pandemic, as measured by declines in hours worked or business shutdowns, the Friedman Institute professors determined. If anything, funds flowed to areas less hard hit.

More than 300 publicly traded companies received $1 billion in funds meant for small businesses, the Washington Post found. Some are handing it back, while others are quietly depositing their checks. Many will choose to repay the loans at 1 percent interest rather than keep workers on the payroll.

While Republicans and Democrats initially cooperated, partisanship is back with a vengeance. Progressive Democrats are calling for radical intervention, while conservative Republicans are suddenly worried about the deficit again.

Rents and mortgages, meanwhile, are due in a few weeks. Millions of unemployed who never had health insurance now have little income. Those who had employer-funded insurance are losing it in the middle of a deadly pandemic.

The solution, of course, is jobs. But the retail, tourism, travel, retail, energy and personal services industries will not rehire all their workers for months or years. Government must stimulate hiring in other fields. Thats Economics 101.

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Our first step must be to stop the hemorrhaging, which means protecting existing jobs. State and local governments need cash immediately to avoid laying off workers due to collapsing tax revenues.

The federal government should take this opportunity to rebuild Americas failing infrastructure, including roads and bridges. Congress can also focus on supporting the industries of the future, investing in new jobs and boosting U.S. competitiveness.

We need updated roads that not only repair lanes but also to add new technologies to monitor and direct traffic. Federal contracts should require private companies to train, employ, and offer full benefits to people so they can design and build the transportation networks of the future.

If were going to take on debt, we should at least demand investments that will commercialize and deploy clean energy technologies and artificial intelligence. Just as NASAs space shot gave rise to new businesses, so can COVID-19 stimulus dollars create new technologies and fight climate change.

The ultimate focus, though, must be on helping Americans achieve their full potential and build long-lasting careers. Bailing out billionaires who overinvested in the stock market cannot be our sole response to this crisis. We must also help 20-year-olds build a better nation for them and us.

Tomlinson writes commentary about business, economics and policy.

twitter.com/cltomlinson

chris.tomlinson@chron.com
Highlights In containment zones and for office workers, Aarogya Setu is mandatory in India.

Government says that Aarogya Setu app stores users data for up to 60 days.

To allay privacy concerns, the government has said that it will be make Setu app source code public.

As nations increasingly adopt digital contact tracing as part of measures to prevent a resurgence of coronavirus, India's Aarogya Setu app -- though not as invasive as China's -- has sparked privacy concerns, with some experts warning that the tool is prone to surveillance abuse because of no strong data-protection laws in the world's largest democracy.

"As shown by other democratic countries, the contact tracing app should only be voluntary and not made mandatory," said Prasanth Sugathan, legal director at the Software Freedom Law Center, a digital-rights advocacy group.

India's Aarogya Setu, with about 9.08 crore users as of now, has been the most downloaded app on Play Store.

Enforcement Levels: As of now, Aarogya Setu is mandatory for working professionals in government and private sectors.

Technology and security: The app works by using both Bluetooth and GPS location data. Government claims that the Bluetooth interaction data automatically gets deleted after 30 days. But data of positive cases is stored for 60 days.

The location data from Aarogya Setu is stored on a centralised server in an encrypted format. It is used either through the user's consent or once a person tests positive, says the government.

"We should adopt a data minimalistic and decentralised approach," Sugathan said. "Instead of the decentralised approach followed by most countries, we have opted for a centralised approach with very little safeguards."

At present, the tool works using static identity, which is a fixed digital ID assigned to a user. Static identity is less secure and less private than dynamic IDs, which are randomly generated through automation after regular intervals.

The government's principal scientific advisor, Prof K VijayRaghavan, has told India Today that the app will soon be equipped with dynamic-identity features.

The app's source code is not available publically as of now, which has been questioned by privacy advocates.

A source code constitutes the basic structure of a program or app which consists of all its commands. Through the source code, independent researchers can test the functioning of an app.

Prof VijayRaghavan confirmed to India Today that the Aarogya Setu source code be made public in the near future for anyone to test its functions.

Data protection statute

In his comments, Parag Gupta, co-founder of the San Francisco based Tickle Life tech firm, underscored the need for tight statutory safeguards over individual and business data even as he praised Aarogya Setu as an efficient contact-tracing tool.

"There is much to be desired from the Indian policymakers about the next draft of Personal Data Protection Bill and for stricter regulation to safeguard the privacy and protection of individuals' and companies data in India, especially when it comes to government initiatives," Gupta said.

Currently under scrutiny of a parliamentary panel, the proposed legislation mandates that no data would be collected from a citizen unless their consent was taken in a manner prescribed by the law.

Aarogya Setu, Gupta explained, uses a mixture of GPS and bluetooth data, which he said is the current standard in contact tracking apps across the globe.

"Things might look different once Google-Apple's joint effort yields something more concrete. Till then, this is efficient, fast and can give a real sense to people about how they can safeguard themselves," he said.

Dr Peter Bannister, a biomedical engineer and executive chair at the UKs Institution of Engineering and Technology, stressed that winning public trust holds the key to the successful implementation of contact-tracing apps with a centralized database, like Aarogya Setu.

"Studies have consistently shown that the public is equally reluctant to share data with governments as with large multinationals and yet these are the only organizations capable of delivering a solution which can help us manage and ultimately overcome the disease," he remarked.

"In addition, access to population data can enable more sophisticated analysis, including approaches which have not yet been devised. However, this aspect means that use of data and overall trust in the chosen implementation is critical to convincing the public to participate," he added.

Contact-tracing in China

China's level of data surveillance through contact-tracing regime is probably the highest in the world.

Unlike any other country, the Chinese app is not a stand-alone tool. It's embedded in many of the country's popular payment, messaging and search-engine apps.

Its users receive algorithm-based ratings from those hosting apps. For them, it's mandatory to furnish their names, addresses national identity, passport and phone numbers, and so forth.

The use of the Chinese app varies area-wise. It's mandatory for travel in Covid-19 zones.

Using GPS, WiFi, bluetooth and details of financial transactions, calls and messages, the app collects the user's information on physical and digital contacts, location and financial contacts in a centralised manner. A user's health data is then used to grant or reject travelling permissions.

Contact-tracing in South Korea

South Korea probably ranks next to China in terms of high data surveillance. It has adopted a tightly-regulated tracing and testing strategy. Since South Korea doesn't have a lockdown in place, the country is enforcing strict quarantine for those who are infected with coronavirus. If anyone breaks quarantine, South Korea mandatorily asks them to wear a tracking bracelet.

Apart from the government's own Corona 100m app, other private tracking and mapping tools and wristbands are also used in the country.

South Korean authorities use CCTV footage, financial transactions and GPS location to collect user data. Contact-tracing is strict on travellers, possible contacts of positive cases and quarantined people.

Once a person is tested positive, a record of their movement, travel route, age and sex is circulated to all the people in that region.

The installation of the app is part mandatory for those the authorities suspect at risk, but the alerts about a positive case are sent to everyone on a location-based warning through text messages. This raises suspicion that the government could be doing anonymized location tracking of all cell phones.

Contact-tracing in Australia

Australia's COVIDSafe app works on Bluetooth handshake and keeps record of physical contacts of the past 21 days.

The data is stored locally on the users' phones unless they test positive, in which case it is sent to centralised servers hosted by Amazon online services.

The app collects the users' name, age, phone numbers and postcodes. The installation is voluntary but the Prime Minister has urged citizens to install it, saying it will take "millions more (installations)" for the tool to be effective.

Contact-tracing in the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom's health department rolled out the first trial version of the NHS tracking app on Monday.

It works on Bluetooth handshake and randomised IDs. The data is stored on a centralised server. Users are not required to share personal data until they test positive and decide to submit their records for further contact-tracing.

These are still early days for the app and the government has said that, based on feedback, the tool will be rolled out for the rest of the population in near future.

Contact-tracing in the United States

America's federal government has not rolled out any contact-tracing app so far. But President Donald Trump has said his administration will have a look at the upcoming joint initiative by tech giants Google and Apple, which are expected to introduce an app based on Bluetooth technology to help governments contact-trace past cases.

Google and Apple are creating a system using which the governments can create effective contact tracing app for the iPhone and Android. The system mandates that only Bluetooth data is used for contact tracing, that the user ID would be dynamic and refreshed every 15 minutes, that the data will not be centrally stored and that the app will not be allowed to collect GPS location data.

Google and Apple have said they expect this project to roll out later this month and it will be available until WHO doesn't declare coronavirus pandemic over.

Contact-tracing in Singapore

Singapore's TraceTogether app works on Bluetooth handshake technology. It doesn't collect the user's location data. Once a person is tested positive, their Bluetooth contacts are alerted and advised accordingly.

Installation of the app is voluntary. But the government is now appealing everyone to install it as the country is facing a second wave of outbreak after initial success in containment.

The app stores the user's mobile phone number for communication and generates random anonymised IDs for identification. The data is stored on a centralised server and its source code is public, which allows security experts to test the app's functionality.

A user can write an email with their phone number if they wish to opt out from tracing.

Contact-tracing in Israel

After the government in Israel was told by the country's Supreme Court to either stop mass surveillance of cell-phone locations to track Covid-19 cases or seek appropriate permission from the parliament, the Israeli health ministry rolled out an app called The Shield. The use of the app is not mandatory but is encouraged by the government.

The app collects GPS and WiFi data and stores it on a user's phone. It alerts the users if any of their contacts are tested positive for Covid-19.
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A century has passed since the last global flu pandemic but our responses to it have striking similarities judging by these newly colourised photographs from the time.

Face masks became a vital piece of equipment during the 1918 Spanish Flu  be it for those out for a stroll on a street, Red Cross nurses treating the injured or a worker spraying the top of a London bus.

While many masks were made of cotton, some innovated and hooked themselves up to breathing contraptions, believing the air itself was toxic.

These photos have been brought to life by online geneology website MyHeritage, whose colouring tool can now be used by anyone to update their black and white photographs.

The 'Spanish' flu cut down a swathe of humanity towards the end of the First World War, lasting from January 1918 to December 1920 and killing about 50 million people.

A century has passed since the last global flu pandemic but our responses to it have striking similarities judging by these newly colourised photographs from the time. Pictured: A couple out on the street in London in 1919. Their masks only cover their masks leaving them vulnerable through their nose. It is not known why they wore them like this

Face masks became all the rage  be it people going about their daily lives, Red Cross nurses treating the injured (above) or a worker spraying the top of a London bus

While many masks were made of cotton, some innovated and hooked themselves up to breathing contraptions, believing the air itself was toxic (above). In fact, experts say most infection was transmitted by hand

The 'Spanish' flu cut down a swathe of humanity towards the end of the First World War, lasting from January 1918 to December 2020 and killing about 50 million people. This picture, taken in March of 2020 shows a still masked cleaner spraying the top of a London bus with anti-bacterial spray as Britain prepared for a fourth wave of the disease

This photograph shows a British soldier sharing a light for a cigarette with his French counterpart in the vast transit camp and military hospital at Etaples near Calais. Some historians believe that the 1918 flu outbreak actually began at the camp's piggery having migrated from poultry to swine and then to humans

In Britain, war-time censorship prevented the sheer scale of the tragedy from becoming public knowledge and it was only given the tag 'Spanish' because, being a neutral country, their journalists could report what ours could not.

One now colourised photograph shows a British soldier sharing a light for a cigarette with his French counterpart in the vast transit camp and military hospital at Etaples near Calais.

Some historians believe that the 1918 outbreak actually began at the camp's piggery having migrated from poultry to swine and then to humans.

The threat to war morale posed by the flu, coming after four years of bloody trench conflict, was so great that it was downplayed by the newspapers of the day with The Times referring to it being 'mostly in the mind'.

The Royal College of Physicians rated it no worse than the earlier Russian flu pandemic and it was not even considered a 'notifiable' cause of death until 1919 when the worst of the outbreak had passed.

It was taken more seriously in the USA who made wearing a mask compulsory in 1918, prompting the launch of 'Anti-Mask Leagues' by those who objected on libertarian grounds.

One photograph, taken in Seattle, USA, shows a bus conductor refusing to allow an unmasked man in a bowler hat to board.

Unlike today's epidemic, where the elderly are most at risk, the 1918 version, which infected a third of the world's population, was particularly deadly for young adults.

Roi Mandel, Head of Research at MyHeritage, said: 'Colourising these amazing images gives us an insight into the remarkable similarities between the times of the Spanish flu and today's coronavirus.

In Britain, war-time censorship prevented the sheer scale of the tragedy from becoming public knowledge and it was only given the tag 'Spanish' because, being a neutral country, their journalists could report what ours could not. Pictured: A typist wearing a cotton mask while at work in New York

It was taken more seriously in the USA who made wearing a mask compulsory in 1918, prompting the launch of 'Anti-Mask Leagues' by those who objected on libertarian grounds. Pictured: Two fashionable women chat through a car window while both wearing cotton masks

Here a bus conductor in Seattle, Washington, refuses to allow a man without a mask to board his bus. Reports from the time say people were shot for refusing to wear a mask

In the US, it became a legal requirement to wear one during periods of 2018 and Anti-Mask Leagues being formed of those who objected. Most of the deaths came in the deadly second wave of the virus at the end of 1919. Here, policemen in Seattle are all wearing facemasks

Unlike today's epidemic, where the elderly are most at risk, the 1918 version, which infected a third of the world's population, was particularly deadly for young adults. In Japan 1919, girls walked to school all wearing face masks

'From travelling on public transport, the wearing of masks to an increased focus on personal hygiene, we can relate to many of the same day-to-day challenges.'

The one group who appear to have been overlooked for face masks were poorer children. One photograph of a soup kitchen in Cincinnati shows unmasked children being served by masked helpers.

Another shows a group of ragged-trousered children with bags tied around their necks. These would have contained camphor, a type of tree oil commonly used in ointments and thought to guard against flu infection.

Health warnings advised people to keep their bedroom windows open and those newspapers who took the disease seriously, were keen to stop the practice of kissing.

One writer in the Perth Daily News of 1919 observed: 'The gentle art of kissing has become far too common especially among the fair sexlet us at this trying time plump for sanitation and let sentiment take care of itselfthe public should take a firm stand at least until this devastating epidemic is over and be contented with a handshake and thus avoid the risk of passing from lip to lip the germs of the flu.'

Tragically, the flu was mostly spread by the hands.

And for those who could not resist a peck there was the 'kissing gauze'. This device, for the fearful but still frisky, was likened to a ping-pong bat and placed between the lips of lovers for the 'germless kiss'.

These photos have been brought to colour for the first time by MyHeritage, whose colouring tool can now be used by anyone for their black and white snaps. Pictured: Poor children in America were given small sacks containing Camphor to wear around their necks and the oil was considered a good way to guard against the flu
The Lagos State Ministry of Health Wednesday said an additional 37 patients have fully recovered from coronavirus infection and have been discharged.

The discharged patients include one Indian and 36 Nigerians.

They were reportedly discharged from the states isolation centres after testing negative to coronavirus two consecutive times.

This brings the total discharged cases in Lagos to 358.

37 more COVID19Lagos patients; 19 females & 18 males including a foreign national; an Indian were today discharged from our Isolation facilities at Yaba, Onikan & Eti-Osa to reunite with the society.

The patients; 5 from IDH, Yaba, 25 from Onikan & 7 from the Eti-Osa (LandMark)Isolation Centres have fully recovered & tested negative twice consecutively to #COVID19.

With this, the number of patients successfully managed & discharged in Lagos has risen to 358, the ministry wrote.

The confirmed cases of coronavirus in Lagos rose to 1,242 on Tuesday, as 43 new cases were recorded. The state also discharged 60 patients and recorded one more death the same day.

With the commencement of the gradual easing of lockdown in Lagos, the state government has urged residents to heed to the stipulated directives for health reasons.

While some of the directives including wearing of face masks have been largely complied with, Lagosians still violate the physical distancing order at banks, bus stops, markets and other public places, PREMIUM TIMES observed.

The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Monday also decried the violation of the directives, emphasising that citizens need to comply with the directive in order to record reduced cases of COVID-19.

Lagos State is currently managing 835 active cases of coronavirus infection.

A total number of 358 patients have recovered from COVID-19 so far, while 31 COVID-19 deaths have been recorded in the state.
Brisbane City Council was gearing up to send $50,000 worth of personal protective equipment to two Chinese cities before state and federal authorities called off the plan.

The scrapped move was part of Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner's initiative to send aid to Brisbane's sister cities, Shenzhen and Chongqing, in February, at the peak of the coronavirus outbreak.

At the time, China was experiencing the worst of the pandemic, while Australia only had a handful of cases.

Brisbane City Council planned to send hundreds of thousands of PPE items including hair nets, safety googles and latex gloves to its Chinese sister cities in February (stock image)

A city council press release revealed plans to invest money to help provide 'critical medical supplies abroad' and put money back into local business, the Brisbane Times reported.

'l want to act as quickly as possible on this and about 150,000 individual medical items will be leaving Brisbane for China this month', Mayor Schrinner said.

'Coronavirus is a challenge, but it's a temporary one and helping our Chinese sister cities in their time of need is the right thing to do.'

Mayor Schrinner was keen to help out the two cities as they had provided aid to Brisbane after the 2011 floods, and promised to send over hair nets, safety googles and latex gloves to China by the end of the month.

Australia suffered a shortage of essential PPE items when the coronavirus pandemic in the country reached it peak

Plans to ship the supplies were ultimately scrapped and the items were never purchased.

A spokesman told the publication the council chose not go forward with the plan after receiving advice from federal and state governments.

Australia had 14 cases of coronavirus in late January, two of those were from two men who had flown in to Sydney from Shenzhen.

In March, reports revealed Chinese organisations operating in Australia had reportedly sent back bulk medical supplies to China during the crisis.

Australia would later be hit with a shortage of essential PPE items when the country was in the grips of the pandemic.
Dublin: More than 170 years ago, the Choctaw Nation sent $170 to starving Irish families during the potato famine. A sculpture in County Cork commemorates the generosity of the tribe, itself poor. In recent decades, ties between Ireland and the Native American tribe have grown.

Now hundreds of Irish people are repaying that old kindness, giving to a charity drive for two tribes suffering in the COVID-19 pandemic. As of Tuesday, the fundraiser has raised more than $1.8 million to help supply clean water, food and health supplies to people in the Navajo Nation and the Hopi Reservation, according to organizers, though it was not clear how much of the money has come from Irish donors.

Many donors cited the generosity of the Choctaws, noting that the gift came not long after the US government forcibly relocated the tribe and several other American Indian groups from the Southeastern United States, a march across thousands of miles known as the Trail of Tears that left thousands of people dead along the way.

Id already known what the Choctaw did in the famine, so short a time after theyd been through the Trail of Tears, Sean Callahan, 43, an Apple administrator in Cork City who made a donation, said Tuesday. It always struck me for its kindness and generosity and I see that too in the Irish people. It seemed the right time to try and pay it back in kind.

On Sunday the organizers wrote in praise of acts of kindness from indigenous ancestors passed being reciprocated nearly 200 years later through blood memory and interconnectedness.

Thank you, IRELAND, for showing solidarity and being here for us, one said on the GoFundMe page.

Gary Batton, chief of the Choctaw Nation Oklahoma, said in a statement Tuesday that the tribe was gratified  and perhaps not at all surprised  to learn of the assistance our special friends, the Irish, are giving to the Navajo and Hopi Nations.

We have become kindred spirits with the Irish in the years since the Irish potato famine, he said. We hope the Irish, Navajo and Hopi peoples develop lasting friendships, as we have.

News of the donations from Ireland came as the coronavirus has been ripping through tribal lands. The Navajo Nation has had one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the United States. There had been more than 2,700 cases and 70 deaths as of Monday, according to the Navajo Nation.

A high prevalence of diseases like diabetes, scarcity of running water and homes with several generations living under the same roof have enabled the virus to spread with exceptional speed in places like the Navajo Nation, according to epidemiologists. The Hopi reservation is surrounded by the Navajo Nation.

It is not surprising that the ordeals of Native American tribes resonate in Ireland. It is estimated that 1 million Irish people, mainly poor tenant subsistence farmers, died of hunger or disease from 1845 to 1849, and another 1 million emigrated in that period or shortly afterward.

The famine was among the first humanitarian crises to be reported in the early days of global media, which helped spur donations to Ireland from around the world. In addition to the donation from the Choctaw, money was raised from prisoners in Sing Sing, former slaves in the Caribbean and convicts on a prison ship in London.

Choctaw people were the first tribe to be relocated during the Trail of Tears, starting in 1831, with thousands dying and many starving.

Years later, the Choctaws learned of the Irish potato famine and a great empathy was felt when they heard such a similar tale coming from across the ocean, according to the Choctaw Nations description of its bond with the Irish.

Choctaw people then gathered together $170 to send to Irish people in 1847, the equivalent of more than $5,000 today.

When our ancestors heard of the famine and the hardship of the Irish people, they knew it was time to help, Gary Batton, chief of the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma, wrote in 2017. The sculpture commemorating the Choctaws generosity was dedicated in 2017 in Midleton, Ireland.

Diarmaid Ferriter, a historian at University College Dublin and co-author, with writer Colm Toibin, of the book The Irish Famine, said that awareness of the Choctaw donation to Irish famine relief had increased sharply since the commemoration of the 150th anniversary in 1995.

The president of Ireland at the time, Mary Robinson, had visited the Choctaws in Oklahoma to thank them. Two years ago, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar also paid them a visit.

It showed how far the famine resonated that it reached people 4,000 miles away who had themselves recently suffered terrible deprivation and clearance from their land, Ferriter said. There is a belief that the famine has never been forgotten here, and it has made Irish people more likely to make common cause with other marginalized people.

The money donated by the Choctaws was distributed in Ireland by members of the Quaker community, who are still remembered for their leading role in famine relief. More recently, Choctaw representatives have taken part in the annual Famine Walk in County Mayo, which commemorates a forced march in terrible weather by hundreds of starving people hoping for government relief.

Ed OLoughlin and Mihir Zaveri c.2020 The New York Times Company
One terrorist was killled after an encounter between security forces and terrorists in Sharsali area of Khrew Panpore in Southern part of Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.

Reports suggested that a joint team of Army's 50RR, 185 BN of CRPF and police launched cordon and search operation in Sharsali area of Khrew. During cordon and search operation brief exchange of fire took place between security personnel and terrorists. Security forces then tightened the cordon around the suspected spot and killed the terrorist. A search operation is still on in the area.

Meanwhile, massive search operation is underway in Beighpora area of Awantipora which is the native village of top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo.

On Tuesday (March 5), a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel sustained minor splinter injuries below knee after unidentified terrorists hurled a grenade on the troops of 181 Battalion of the CRPF at Pakherpora in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday (May 5). CRPF sources said four civilians were also injured in the incident.

The attack took place hours after a terrorist was arrested by security forces in Gundana tehsil in Doda district. He has been identified as Tanveer Ahmad Malik. The security forces, however, are yet to ascertain the group affiliation of Tanveer.
In all, 84 armed forces personnel being quarantined for coronavirus infection

New Delhi: The Indian Army said on Tuesday that 24 patients admitted at its Research and Referral (R&R) hospital's cancer ward in Delhi have tested positive for COVID-19. These include serving and retired personnel as well as dependents. All these patients have now been transferred to the Base Hospital at Delhi Cantonment.

Currently (excluding Tuesdays new cases), 60 serving personnel from the three services are admitted at various hospitals in relation to the coronavirus. Some 28 armed forces personnel who had been COVID-19 positive were discharged after recovering from the disease.

Meanwhile, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) said Tuesday that till now 45 of its personnel have tested Covid-19 positive. Some 43 personnel are positive from Tigri, New Delhi based unit which is deployed for internal security duties. Two among these are admitted to Safdarjung Hospital while 41 are admitted to the CAPF Referral Hospital, Greater Noida. Some 76 personnel of this unit have been quarantined at ITBP Chhawla Facility, New Delhi. It said that two personnel were earlier tested positive who were deployed with an ITBP company which was in Delhi for Law and Order duties with the Delhi Police.
The Bay of Plenty currently has no active cases of COVID-19, according to the latest Ministry of Health statistics.

Both the Bay of Plenty and Lakes District Health Boards are showing zero active cases of the virus.

The total number of cases for the BOPDHB, which covers Eastern and Western BOP, is 47 cases - all of which have recovered.

Of the cases, 46 were in the Western BOP and one in the Eastern BOP.

The Lakes DHB covers Rotorua and Taupo and has 16 cases of COVID-19  all of these cases have recovered as well.

There were 10 cases in Rotorua and six in Taupo.

Yesterday Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield reported an additional death related to COVID-19.

He says the woman was linked to the Rosewood Resthome cluster in Christchurch, but was not one of the residents who had been transferred to Burwood Hospital.

"She was a woman in her 60s who had underlying medical conditions and was considered a probable case.

"Our thoughts go out to her family and friends."

There were two new cases of the virus yesterday. One a confirmed case and the other probable.

Two people are in hospital, one in Auckland City and the other in Middlemore Hospital.

Nationally, there are 1138 confirmed cases of the virus and 350 probable cases bringing the total number to 1488.

Of these cases 1316 have recovered which is 88 per cent of cases.

Ashley says the continuing low numbers are encouraging.

"But we are by no means out of the woods, we need everyone to stick to the plan and continue to follow the rules around alert level three.

Not doing so does risk undoing all the good work we have achieved so far, we have seen how quickly this virus can spread, so do not give it an inch."
HOUSTON, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Simon Bolivar Foundation Inc., the non-profit, private foundation of CITGO Petroleum Corporation, announced today two grants of its Emergency Relief Fund to two nonprofit organizations working in Venezuela to alleviate the effect of the COVID-19 crisis. The Emergency Relief Fund is a special grant program to provide resources for immediate support to nonprofits with existing agreements with the Simon Bolivar Foundation that was activated at the end of March in response to additional challenges brought about by the coronavirus disease within the existing humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. To date, the Emergency Relief Fund has granted more than $125,000 in total.

The awardees, Saludos Connection and Latin Ladies Foundation of Houston, join Cuatro por Venezuela in providing several initiatives of pandemic attention and prevention that facilitate access to health care, medicines, and supplements for vulnerable Venezuelans.

The Cuatro por Venezuela's project of personal protection equipment (PPE) donations was approved earlier in March given its expedited implementation proposal and the urgent need for medical supplies in the country. The initiative has translated into the purchase and distribution of PPE ( including medical-grade masks, gowns, and gloves) throughout Venezuela's main hospitals and outpatient facilities to protect more than 1,500 health workers on the front line of the COVID-19 outbreak from exposure and infection.

The Saludos Connection grant will provide a community health center in Portuguesa state with funding to support a communication connectivity system, including access to an internet connection, an automated bulk text messaging program, and the activation of a call center that will offer preventive, diagnostic, and follow up telemedicine services to maintain a constant flow of communication with patients. The project will also donate six motorcycles to transport volunteer doctors, allowing them to serve more patients in remote populations. This grant is expected to impact 5,000 families in need.

Latin Ladies Foundation of Houston will deliver sanitation supplies, personal hygiene products, medical equipment, medicines, and supplements to protect at-risk communities in Zulia state from the pandemic.

"We are aware of the serious deficiencies Venezuelans face due to the complex humanitarian emergency existing inside the country and how the situation has worsened with COVID-19; so we continue to support non-governmental organizations in developing concrete initiatives to help alleviate the crisis in Venezuela," said Mariela Poleo, President of the Simon Bolivar Foundation.

Last week, the Simon Bolivar Foundation announced the award of $200,000 to five non-profit organizations working in health-focused initiatives in Venezuela as part of its COVID-19 Small Grants Program, another special round of grants focused in mitigating the impact of the pandemic in Venezuela. More projects submitted for review are under evaluation by the Foundation's independent advisory committee to select beneficiaries and will be announced very soon.

About the Simon Bolivar Foundation

The Simon Bolivar Foundation is the 501(c)(3) non-profit, private foundation of CITGO Petroleum Corporation. The Foundation supports initiatives, leverages existing resources and invests in organizations to meet the immediate and long-term health needs of the most vulnerable individuals particularly in and from Venezuela with a special focus on the health and well-being of children and their mothers.

About CITGO

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, CITGO Petroleum Corporation is a recognized leader in the refining industry with a well-known brand. CITGO operates three refineries located in Corpus Christi, Texas; Lake Charles, La.; and Lemont, Ill., and wholly and/or jointly owns 48 terminals, nine pipelines and three lubricants blending and packaging plants. With approximately 3,400 employees and a combined crude capacity of approximately 769,000 barrels-per-day (bpd), CITGO is ranked as the fifth-largest, and one of the most complex independent refiners in the United States. CITGO transports and markets transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products and supplies a network of approximately 4,700 locally owned and operated branded retail outlets in 30 states and the District of Columbia. CITGO Petroleum Corporation is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc. For more information, visit www.CITGO.com .

SOURCE CITGO Corporation

Related Links

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Carl Lentz urges NY officials to provide clearer guidance as some restrictions lift

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Hillsong Church NYC Pastor Carl Lentz called for clearer guidelines from city officials in navigating the novel coronavirus, noting that the city is "all over the place right now."

These are confusing times, my friends! Lets pray this week for our government, people in leadership, anybody who has a voice to help lead us through this pandemic...NYC is all over the place right now with whats allowed, not allowed, mask/no mask.. in all this disagreement, we can all agree WISDOM IS NEEDED! Lentz captioned a video complaint he made on Instagram. @nygovcuomo@nycmayor big week ahead, praying for you.

The pastors video featured Lentz and his wife, Laura, so baffled at the division in the city concerning restrictions that they jokingly made a plea to the officials of New York and the government.

We're gonna need some details about what exactly the quarantine rules are right now because they seem to be different from block to block, the Hillsong leader said.

His wife noted, "Brooklyn was raging."

Pastor Lentz said, I've seen stuff on the news, people are raging and there's other people that are still completely judgmental, with their eyes from behind the mask. How is anybody supposed to know what the deal is?

Huge shout out to the government for giving us such opaque directions right now. We're praying for our government in New York City Mayor, and beyond, if you give us some details. We appreciate this. It's not a political Insta-story.

He added that he doesn't judge those who are out and about with others considering how obscure the rules are.

As temperatures rose on the east coast, hundreds of New Yorkers decided to disregard stay-at-home orders and go outside.

Photos online showed groups gathered over the weekend in Downtown Manhattan in the West Village parks and sat on blankets, picnicking without masks and gloves. Uptown, in the historic black community of Harlem, parks remained locked and social gatherings were prohibited and monitored by authorities.

On Monday, Governor Andrew Cuomo provided additional details on the process to reopen the city as the shutdown orders are looking to lift in some regions starting May 15. However, he maintained that the stay-at-home orders are still in place.

Lentz contracted the novel coronavirus in March, which he revealed during an Instagram Live chat with pastor Judah Smith of Churchome in Los Angeles, California. He said he first contracted the coronavirus the Sunday after Hillsong NYC closed its doors at United Palace due to the citys restrictions on public gatherings. Lentz told Smith that his "team got hit pretty hard."

In April, the popular pastor posted an update about his health on Instagram.

I tested positive, now negative. I am very very grateful for that.. but the impact of this virus is real and the more of us that play our part, the quicker we can get to the other side of this, Lentz wrote.

At the time, he said social distancing is inconvenient but its worth it, even if it helps just one person. Lentz also said he believes its wise to wear a face mask whether they are effective or not. Surgeon General Jerome Michael Adams said on Wednesday that 25% of people have the virus and are nonsymptomatic, so he recommends everyone wear a mask.

Lentz encouraged his congregants and 646,000 followers on Instagram to do their part in stopping the spread of COVID-19.
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Linkedin Jalees Andrabi and Uzair Rizvi (Agence France-Presse) New Delhi, India  Wed, May 6, 2020 13:33 622 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd64fa42 2 World India,coronavirus,virus-corona,COVID-19,misinformation,online,COVID-19-lockdown,pandemic,social-media Free

Gayur Hassan's Hindu neighbors came at night, throwing stones at his family's home in a northern Indian village and setting his workshop on fire. All because his son "liked" a social media post.

The Facebook post that Hassan's 19-year-old son endorsed had denounced the targeting of India's Muslim minority since the nation of 1.3 billion went into a coronavirus lockdown in late March.

According to the police who arrested two men, his family was threatened with further retribution unless they shaved off their beards and stopped wearing skull caps.

"My forefathers lived here and I was born here," Hassan, 55, told AFP by phone from Keorak, their village where a dozen Muslim families live among about 150 Hindu households.

"We lived like a family and religion was never an issue here," the welder said. But now there is "an atmosphere of fear and hate everywhere".

The attack on the Hassan family was just the latest ugly incident in the wake of a torrent of coronavirus misinformation that is stoking hostility towards India's Muslims.

Hindu nationalists are using the coronavirus to foment hatred against Muslims, using online platforms and some mainstream media to accuse them of spreading the disease.

Critics partly blame Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who they accuse of seeking to remake India as a Hindu nation, undermining the secular and pluralist roots of the world's biggest democracy.

#CoronaJihad

Over the past two months AFP's fact check team has debunked hundreds of social media posts that falsely targeted Muslims in regards to the coronavirus pandemic in India.

Fake and dubious videos have proliferated showing Muslims licking fruit for sale and violating lockdown rules.

In one post debunked by AFP, a photo was shared on Facebook and Twitter with a false claim that it showed Indian Muslims flouting social distancing rules by praying on a rooftop.

In fact, the photo showed people praying in Dubai.

Hundreds of thousands of online posts have also used the hashtag #CoronaJihad, some of which have been shared by members of Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The trolls were given extra ammunition when it emerged that a Muslim group, Tabligi Jamaat, ignored coronavirus guidelines with a religious gathering in March in New Delhi.

At one point the group was linked to almost one third of India's coronavirus cases, with around 40,000 people linked to the event or its attendees in quarantine.

Newspapers and television channels -- as well as the government -- have also been accused of stirring tensions, with alarmist anchors calling Tabligi Jamaat members "human bombs".

Real-world repercussions

As the misinformation has exploded, so too has real-world violence and anger against Muslims.

Around the country, Muslim truck drivers and nomads have been assaulted, and Muslim vendors pushed, shoved and threatened.

In one case confirmed by police, a Facebook video showed a young Muslim man bleeding and pleading as he was beaten with sticks.

One attacker is heard demanding: "Who sent you to spread the coronavirus?"

The animosity has also taken subtler forms, with "No Muslims" posters appearing in some villages.

One hospital said Muslims would not be admitted without a certificate showing they were COVID-negative.

India's 200 million Muslims have long complained of growing hostility under Modi, who came to power almost six years ago.

Modi was in charge of the western state of Gujarat when religious riots killed around 1,000 mostly Muslims in 2002.

His first term as prime minister saw a rise in "cow vigilantism" -- Hindu extremists lynching Muslims accused of eating beef or killing cows, which are sacred to many Hindus, according to activists.

His second term last year began with revoking the autonomy of India's only Muslim-majority state, and new citizenship legislation criticized as discriminatory.

In February, Delhi's worst religious riots in decades left more than 50 dead, two-thirds of them Muslims. A local BJP lawmaker was accused of being a main instigator.

'Unity, brotherhood'

Activists say that in recent weeks, with media attention focused on the pandemic, police have stepped up arrests over the unrest, most of them Muslims and some under anti-terror laws.

"They are making sure there is no one to raise a voice for the community after the pandemic is over," K. Rahman Khan, a former minority affairs minister, told AFP.

Modi has publicly sought to soothe tensions, calling for "unity and brotherhood".

He tweeted that "COVID-19 does not see race, religion, color, caste, creed, language or borders before striking.".

But Shahid Siddiqui, from the Indian Muslims for Progress and Reforms, a civil society group formed to battle Islamophobia, said the state was involved in stoking the hatred.

Muslims were already "maligned and painted as dangerous under systematic propaganda," Siddiqui told AFP.

Coronavirus had added a new dimension, turning Muslims into the new "untouchables", Siddiqui said, a word usually used to refer to India's lowest castes.

"It [has been] a deliberate attempt by media and the government to divert the attention of the country from the crises and allow hate politics to rule."
A court sitting in Katsina State on Tuesday sentenced a 70-year-old man, Lawal Izala, to 18 months imprisonment.

Izala was arrested last week for allegedly insulting President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Aminu Masari.

The septuagenarian and two others were arraigned for inciting disobedience to civil authorities and disrespect to authorities through demeaning utterances.

But speaking with journalists on Tuesday, Izala said he spoke out of anger when he visited his village and found out that bandits had killed his family members and rustled 15 of his cows.



Delivering judgement on the matter, the court found Izala guilty of two count charges of inciting violence and disrespect for civil authorities.

He was sentenced to six months jail term for the first charge and one year for the other charge.

Izala was however, given the option of 10,000 fine for the first charge and N20,000 for the second offence.

SaharaReporters gathered that some kind-hearted fellows in the state paid the N30,000 fine and the 70-year-old had been released.

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Anastasia Katselas' daughter Leah suffered an anaphylactic reaction from nuts on Wednesday and was rushed to hospital.

The Gogglebox star, 56, explained they hadn't checked the ingredients of a yoghurt her 18-year-old daughter was eating, which had 'no clear warnings' of cashews on the packaging.

'My beautiful girl is in hospital,' Anastasia wrote on Instagram with a photo of her daughter in a blue gown.

'My heart is racing': Gogglebox star Anastasia Katselas' daughter Leah (pictured) was rushed to hospital after having an allergic reaction to nuts

She went on to explain: 'Four hours ago she ate a yoghurt that had cashews in it. There was not clear warning there were nuts in the yoghurt.

'She had an anaphylaxis episode. She was jabbed with her epipen. Now we are sitting in hospital waiting until the doctors are happy shes okay to go home.'

Anastasia described the experience as 'very scary' before revealing her heart was 'still racing' hours after the health scare.

'Very scary': The Gogglebox star, 56, explained they hadn't checked the ingredients of the yoghurt her 18-year-old daughter was eating, which had contained cashews but had 'no clear warnings' on the packaging

'People with allergies always be aware. We should have been more careful, knowing that Leah is allergic to nuts.

'Get well my darling daughter. I love you so much,' Anastasia finished the post.

Anastasia lives with her partner Gabriel Massoud and two teenage children, Leah and 15-year-old Emmanuel.

Anastasia stars in Gogglebox Australia alongside her best friend Faye (pictured)

Speaking to Foxtel magazine, Anastasia revealed that Gabriel introduced himself as a fan of the show via Facebook Messenger in February last year.

She said his first message was along the lines of: 'There was always something about you, I just knew you were meant for me.'

Since their initial conversation, their relationship blossomed and they are now living together in Melbourne.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 21:33:57|Editor: huaxia

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MOGADISHU, May 6 (Xinhua) -- At least 16 people have died while more than 200,000 others have been affected by torrential rains and riverine floods since the Gu (April-June) rains started in Somalia a month ago, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Wednesday.

OCHA said 10 other people are missing due to floods and at least 2,000 farms have been swamped by water.

"The rains are likely to increase the risk of water-borne diseases," OCHA warned in its latest report on the impact of floods in Somalia.

The forecast by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) indicates that the moderate to high flood risk is likely to persist at least through mid-May.

This, the UN says, threatens urban and riverine populations, including in BeletWeyne (Hiraan) and Jowhar (Middle Shabelle) of Hirshabelle state.

According to the UN, river levels have risen along the Shabelle basin and there is a high risk of flooding in coming days and advised riverine communities in BeletWeyne to prepare for possible relocation during the week.

The UN said the most impact has been felt in Puntland where a heavy downpour on April 27 killed eight people and displaced more than 22,000 people, and in Galmudug where six people have died and about 22,000 others are affected by floods.

It said more than 100,000 people in South West State have been affected by floods while Jubaland has more than 11,800 flood-affected displaced families reported in Lower Juba region.

The UN agency warned that the ongoing Gu (rainy season)'s flooding will exacerbate the humanitarian situation, joining the COVID-19 pandemic and locust infestation to form a "Triple Threat".

It said disruptions to transport due to damaged roads and COVID-19 restrictions have pushed food prices up in some affected areas. Enditem
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky. John van Hasselt | Corbis | Getty Images

Short-term rental hosts are banding together and launching their own direct-booking websites in an effort to diversify their business after years of mounting frustration with Airbnb and other short-term rental providers. Some of these websites were already in the works. But many hosts have recently prioritized their own direct-booking websites after a turbulent past two months, as the coronavirus pandemic spurred widespread cancellations and many grew unhappy with Airbnb's reimbursement policies. Although these independent websites lack the consumer base that comes with a large service such as Airbnb, they give hosts more power when it comes to how they brand and market their properties. Direct-booking websites also offer hosts an avenue where they can rent their properties to guests at a cheaper price while generating a higher profit than they can when a middleman such as Airbnb is involved. Additionally, they offer hosts more control over situations where guests request refunds, cause damage or complain about a property, according to numerous short-term rental hosts who spoke with CNBC. Competition from these new direct-booking websites represents the latest challenge for Airbnb, which has endured a tough 2020. The company had lined up bankers to lead a public offering, which would test whether Airbnb could live up to its $31 billion private market valuation from 2017. But as the coronavirus decimated travel around the world, the company instead raised $2 billion in new debt funding at a valuation of $18 billion and announced major cost-cutting initiatives, including plans to lay off 25% of its staff, or nearly 1,900 employees.

"The hold that Airbnb had a few years ago is no longer quite as strong," said Henry Harteveldt, travel industry analyst at Atmosphere Research Group. "Hosts that are really unhappy with Airbnb have options  not just listing on competitors like HomeAway but having their own independent, free-standing websites. This is a wake-up call." A spokesperson for Airbnb said that using the platform offers many benefits that hosts cannot get on their own. "Airbnb is a community fueled by trust and that trust starts with the industry-leading tools we provide every host on our platform: 24/7 customer support, insurance and property damage protection, and user identity verification tools."

Seizing control

Gianrene Padilla is among several Airbnb hosts who recently launched their own direct-booking websites as a way to diversify their business. Courtesy of Gianrene Padilla

As the coronavirus pandemic spurred lockdowns on travel, Airbnb instituted a policy in March that allowed guests to cancel reservations in April and May for full refunds, costing some hosts thousands of dollars. Airbnb then reimbursed hosts a portion of the payments based on their cancellation policies. But many hosts had lenient policies in place before the pandemic, and therefore received little or no compensation from the company. That inspired many to take matters into their own hands. Gianrene Padilla started his short-term rental business in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in January, and he lists his properties on Airbnb, Booking.com and HomeAway. He always had plans to launch his own website, but after seeing Airbnb enact its extenuating circumstances policy in response to the coronavirus pandemic, he made it a priority. Padilla and his team used Squarespace and their property management software service Lavanda PMS to build out their website, which launched on April 23. "We felt like Airbnb is doing what any rational business owner would do, which is ensure the survival of their company," Padilla said. "That's totally respectable, but we should do the same for us."

Alexandra Greenawalt is among several Airbnb hosts who recently launched their own direct-booking websites as a way to diversify their business. Courtesy of Alexandra Greenawalt

In North Palm Beach, Florida, Alexandra Greenawalt found herself having to do a lot of her own marketing to keep her property booked after the coronavirus wiped out the vacation market. As she was already doing so much hustling to keep her property busy, Greenawalt decided this was the right time to contract a webmaster and build her own website, which launched on April 27. Greenawalt has been a longtime user of Airbnb, and she became an Airbnb host last year. But after hosting for a year, Greenawalt knew she wanted a way to book her frequent guests at lower rates and without giving Airbnb a cut each time. The company typically keeps between 14% and 20% of each booking, plus other fees. "I do think Airbnb has a place in my business to bring me clients, and I'm happy to pay them a percentage," Greenawalt said. "But if people find me organically, I can make a little bit more money on my direct booking." Additionally, Greenawalt's Salt+Sea Sanctuary website includes a video tour of her property, a feature that Airbnb does not have. "You can't have video on there, which is frustrating because a lot of times people want to visualize what the space is like truly," she said.

Carlos Roman is among several Airbnb hosts who recently launched their own direct-booking websites as a way to diversify their business. Courtesy of Carlos Roman

Carlos Roman, a San Diego host with about 30 properties, decided to launch his own website last year after years of haggling with Airbnb over guest complaints that he says cost him thousands of dollars. Having that website protected Roman's business after Airbnb enforced the extenuating circumstances policy. Although he lost numerous Airbnb-booked reservations, he was able to handle all of his guests who had booked directly through his website. With many of them, Roman was able to provide travel credits or rebook their trips for later dates at no cost. For any guests who demanded full refunds, Roman was able to refer them to their contract and keep the amount they had agreed to. "At least having the control, we were able to be more confident in our position," Roman said. "The biggest benefit was just not losing out 100%."

Jim Borthwick is among several Airbnb hosts who recently launched their own direct-booking websites as a way to diversify their business. Courtesy of Jim Borthwick

Building alternatives

While some hosts are building their own websites, other hosts are banding together to build alternatives to Airbnb. Jim Borthwick, a short-term rental host with properties in Indianapolis, Indiana, launched his booking website LetsConvention.com in late 2018. The website is geared toward connecting hosts with properties near convention centers with guests who travel frequently for business. LetsConvention.com charges guests a 10% service fee and charges hosts a nominal fee, Borthwick said. The website has 50 properties from about a dozen hosts in locations such as Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio. Borthwick said he is looking to add more hosts to the booking marketplace. "Our main mantra is to have this thing be a website that's built by hosts for hosts," Borthwick said.

Na'im Payman is among several Airbnb hosts who recently launched their own direct-booking websites as a way to diversify their business. Courtesy of Na'im Payman

In March, short-term rental host Na'im Payman and his team launched Zeevou.direct, a booking website that aggregates properties and allows guests to book rentals without taking a commission from the traveler or the host. Payman is a host himself with 250 properties spread across the United Kingdom. Hosts who use Zeevou.direct can list for free or they can also purchase Zeevou's channel management software, which helps short-term rental hosts list their properties on multiple services, including Airbnb, Zeevou.direct or their own website. That software costs approximately $50 per month per unit, but the pricing varies depending on how many properties you list. "If you've been a host the last two months, you realize that you're not in control of your own business," Payman said. "This is about giving control back to hosts. That doesn't mean taking control from guests. It's just about rebalancing the power dynamic." These aggregate booking websites built by hosts pose a bigger threat to Airbnb than individual websites built by hosts, Harteveldt said. "If a bunch of hosts get together and put their inventory into their own website, one that acts more like a collective  the more cities, more properties, more variety in price, the greater the appeal of that website," Harteveldt said.

Not all easy

Hosts who choose to build their own websites gain more control over their business, but also a lot of new work, say hosts. They have to set up their own payment systems, draw up their own rental contracts, and maintain their website or find someone to do it for them. "It's a snowball of work," Roman said. "If it's just one person running a business, starting a website will make it so that you're no longer a one-person shop." Having their own website also forces hosts to do their own marketing. This means hosts often end up buying ads on Google, Facebook, Instagram and Yelp, spending money on email marketing or even printing business cards. With websites such as Airbnb, being listed on the service is its own form of free marketing, hosts said.

Polina Raygorodskaya is among several Airbnb hosts who recently launched their own direct-booking websites as a way to diversify their business. Courtesy of Polina Raygorodskaya
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has raised concerns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over certain protocols for repatriation of Indians from abroad such as the requirement of a COVID-19-free certificate and charging the expatriates, especially the blue collar workers, for the return journey.

In a letter to the prime minister, Tharoor expressed appreciation for the central government for "finally deciding to address the plight" of stranded 'pravasis' by commencing the process of repatriation from May 7 onwards.

Tharoor raised several concerns such as the difficulties faced by Indian citizens in submitting COVID-19 test results.

The Civil Aviation Minister had said on Tuesday that Air India will operate 64 flights from May 7 to May 13 to bring back around 15,000 Indian nationals stranded abroad amid the COVID-19-induced lockdown.

"A key consideration that a number of our expatriates have already expressed strong concern over is that of the mandatory submission of COVID-19 RT PCR Test results prior to their departure back to India," he said in the letter also marked to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

"While one is not disputing the merits of this requirement, the practical and logistical challenge of securing such certification should not be overlooked," Tharoor said, highlighting issues such as limited testing facilities in the countries the expatriates are currently based in, transport-related challenges of travelling to a public healthcare facility to undertake this test, as well as the financial constraints.

"I would urge our government to look at a number of potential remedies such as transporting testing kits to these countries on our aircraft, along with a small but qualified team of medical professionals that can help with the testing of our citizens," he said.

The utility of such certificates is in any case limited by the fact that many carriers may be asymptomatic, he said, adding that the obvious solution, of quarantining them on arrival in India, should suffice.

Tharoor also raised the issue of charging expatriates for their return back to India



Some reports have suggested that an individual based in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, would have to pay between Rs 30-40,000 to return back to the country, Tharoor said.

While the commercial charges have not yet been released, there is a strong case for the government to reconsider its position, especially for blue-collar workers, those who have been laid off and are currently without employment and those with limited financial resources, the MP from Thiruvananthapuram said.

He urged the government to strongly reconsider the existing decision and come up with a suitable alternative, particularly catering to the more financially vulnerable expatriates.

"To this end, the government could explore allocating funds from the PM-CARES corpus, the Indian Community Welfare Fund maintained by our Embassies in these countries or work out a suitable formula for cost-sharing with state governments," he said.

Tharoor also called for re-thinking existing definitions for individuals meriting priority evacuations.

He said there was a need to include those with mental and physical disabilities on the priority list, along with one caregiver.

Tharoor said it was important to address certain fundamental concerns so that these operations can ensure that Indian expatriates are brought back to their country in a "humane, considerate and sustainable manner".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Married At First Sight star Stacey Hampton was stopped by police at Adelaide Airport on Wednesday, and ordered to to self-quarantine for 14 days following an interstate trip to Melbourne.

The South Australia Police determined that the blonde law graduate was 'not an essential traveller' and was promptly given the orders.

Stacey, 26, insisted she had travelled home to Adelaide after visiting Melbourne for work purposes to discuss her emerging charity project.

Flying in: Stacey Hampton looked stressed as she waited for a taxi outside Adelaide Airport on Wednesday following an interstate trip to Melbourne

She claimed there had been 'a little hiccup' at the airport due to state border closures, but insisted everything was 'fine' in the end.

'I had an essential workers clearance form, which they didn't realise I had, so I was fine. They had to look into my clearance, which was fine,' she said.

But South Australia Police disputed this, telling Daily Mail on Wednesday: 'SAPOL can confirm that a 26-year-old woman arriving from Melbourne was stopped at Adelaide Airport this afternoon.

Stepping out: The Married At First Sight star, 26, was seen having a tense phone conversation as she emerged from the domestic terminal with her luggage

'Police determined that she was not an essential traveller and therefore she was issued with a direction to self-quarantine for a period of 14 days.'

Stacey later said in response to this police statement: 'This is incorrect. It was just over my form [and] whether or not it was essential.

'Then I proceeded to collect my son from school.'

In South Australia, essential travellers are allowed to enter the state and continue as normal. Non-essential travellers need to self-quarantine for 14 days.

Going offline: The sighting came shortly after she deleted her Instagram account, telling Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday she was fed up with the 'negativity'

Following her 'hiccup', Stacey was seen having a tense phone conversation as she emerged from the domestic terminal with her luggage.

The incident came shortly after she deleted her Instagram account, telling Daily Mail Australia she was fed up with the 'negativity'.

Stacey's followers had turned on her after she posted a throwback video of herself at the gym. Many of them mistakenly believed it was a recent clip and that she was flouting government advice during the coronavirus pandemic.

Not happy: Stacey's followers had turned on her after she posted a throwback video of herself at the gym. Many of them mistakenly believed it was a recent clip and that she was flouting government advice during the coronavirus pandemic

Stacey captioned the video on her Instagram Story: 'Back to gym days.'

Despite making it clear the video was old, some fans were convinced she had only recently visited a packed gym - despite the fact all gyms have been ordered to close.

'Everyone messaging me please read caption on my post prior. It says "back to gym days". No gyms are open, it's common knowledge I believe,' she wrote.

Despite her clarification, Stacey couldn't handle the backlash and deactivated her account in order to take a break from social media.

Stacey told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday: 'I've deleted my Instagram for the moment. I'm just distancing myself from the negativity and all that comes with it.'

She said she wanted to focus more on her new charity, which aims to help women suffering from postnatal depression.

Statement: South Australia Police said on Wednesday that Stacey had been ordered to self-quarantine for 14 days because she was not an essential worker. Stacey has disputed this, however, insisting that she did have clearance to travel interstate for work purposes

'It's a huge passion of mine,' she said of the cause, adding that she had suffered from postnatal depression herself after giving birth to her two sons, Kosta and Kruz.

'I'm just focusing on doing my charity and doing the right thing, and then you'll probably see me back on Instagram soon at some point.'

Stacey added that while she 'hopes' to be back on Instagram soon, her charity is taking 'priority' in her life right now.

Misunderstanding: She claimed there had been 'a little hiccup' at the airport due to state border closures, but insisted everything was 'fine' in the end

'I just want to focus on the charity. That's my main priority. And distancing myself away from the negativity,' she said.

She said the 'negativity' on her Instagram was not coming from 'online bullying' but from from 'other contestants' whom she did not name.

'I just want to be able to focus on the charity itself rather than everything else,' she concluded.
On Monday, the same day that Arizonas Republican governor, Doug Ducey, announced he was lifting some coronavirus restrictions on businesses, and the day before he met with President Trump on a visit to the state, his administration disbanded a panel of university scientists who had warned that taking the step now would be dangerous.

In an email to 23 researchers from Arizona State University and the University of Arizona whose modeling on the spread of the coronavirus had helped guide Duceys implementation of social distancing guidelines, the states Department of Health Services informed the scientists that their services were no longer needed, effective immediately.

We realize that you have been, and continue to be working very hard on this effort, so we wanted to let you know as soon as possible so that you wont expend further time and effort needlessly, S. Robert Bailey, DHS bureau chief of public health statistics, wrote in the email, obtained by the Arizona Republic.

Just a week after extending Arizonas stay-at-home order until May 15, Ducey reversed course and announced Monday that barbershops and hair salons would be allowed to open Friday, with restaurants following suit on May 11.

The model the scientists had developed showed that reopening the state before the end of May would likely result in a spike in coronavirus cases.

I can say, scientifically, no, its not safe to reopen unless youre planning on, you know, shutting down again after a couple of weeks, Tim Lant, a mathematical epidemiologist at ASU, told the Republic prior to Duceys decision to go against the teams modeling.

President Trump, arriving in Phoenix on Tuesday, is greeted by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

On Tuesday, Ducey hosted Trump in Phoenix on a tour of a mask-production facility, where the president made the case that the economic benefits of lifting restrictions and reopening the country outweighed the health risks.

Doug Ducey has done an incredible job as the governor of Arizona, Trump told reporters. The people arent going to accept an indefinite shutdown. They wont accept it, and they shouldnt accept it. We have a great country. We cant keep it closed.

Story continues

Ducey said his administration had put public health first and had consulted the guidelines set forth by the coronavirus task force.

We have looked at the numbers that your medical experts put forward in the Opening Up America Again plan, in terms of our symptoms, our cases, our hospital capacity, our ability to surge on our testing, Ducey said.

As of Wednesday, Arizona had reported 9,707 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, and at least 426 deaths. While relatively low in comparison with harder-hit states, the number of cases reported Tuesday in Arizona rose by 4.3 percent in just 24 hours, and the 33 deaths recorded there represented the single biggest increase since the start of the pandemic. The Opening Up America Again guidelines call for a gradual lifting of social distancing only after a sustained 14-day downward trend in the number of new cases.

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Click here for the latest coronavirus news and updates. According to experts, people over 60 and those who are immunocompromised continue to be the most at risk. If you have questions, please refer to the CDCs and WHOs resource guides.

Read more:
A greenhouse where workers pack strawberries, cucumbers and tomatoes to be sold in grocery stores including Walmart has become the latest COVID-19 hotspot in New York.

Since March 21, 139 workers from Green Empire Farms in Oneida have tested positive for the virus - nearly all of the 189 that have had test results returned.

Two of the cases have been hospitalized. There have not yet been any reported deaths.

The farm is owned by Canadian company Mastronardi Produce and its goods are packaged under the Sunset label.

It has 300 employees in total and there are fears that it is the 'perfect breeding ground' for the deadly virus that has killed more than 72,000 people across the country and infected more than 1lmillion.

Green Empire Farms in Oneida, New York, is now a hotspot for the virus. 139 of its 300 employees have tested positive since the first case was found on March 21

The farm packages fruit and vegetables that is packaged by Sunset and sold in grocery stores like Walmart

Despite recording its first case on March 21, employees have continued coming to work

The first employee tested positive for the virus on March 21, but the company that owns the site did not shut it down. Instead, they asked five people who worked near that employee to quarantine.

The farm continued to operate, with some workers staying mostly in one of two hotels nearby and taking buses to and from the job site. But their accommodation could be one of the reasons it continues to spread among them.

Families of some of the employees say their employers knew about some cases as far back as March but did not alert the public.

As of Tuesday, it was still operating, with at least one employee calling out sick because they did not want to catch the virus, according to one of their relatives.

The farm insists its workers have been having their temperatures checked every day for weeks. Since April 13, all workers have been mandated to wear masks but they were not before then.

While the company insists there is no risk to produce and that the virus is not transferred through food.

But it is the latest food manufacturing plant that has seen an outbreak.

Twenty meat packing plants have closed across the country after outbreaks among employees, triggering fears for whether or not the country will run out of fresh meat.

Kathy Risley, who has two relatives who work at the farm, claims bosses have known about the cases for weeks.

'They have had cases for the last two months that they have not really made the public aware of.

'Then they were not really taking precautions to keep people separated or to protect this from spreading throughout the facility.

Gov. Cuomo called the farm a 'hot spot' on Wednesday during his daily briefing

'Some of these people don't speak English, so they may not even understand what they're supposed to be doing. So their employers should be educating, protecting them,' she said.

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente says that Green Empire Farms is a 'perfect breeding ground' for the virus.

'You have to ask - what precautions were taken at that facility in terms of it? So, really don't know those answers.

'Have to talk more with the company and ask Madison County Health Department,' he said.

The farm is now under investigation by the Madison County Health Department.

It is unclear when the remainder of the employees will be tested or whether or not they will return to work on Wednesday or Thursday.

A spokesman for the company that owns the farm did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's inquiries on Wednesday.
Puli Alam:

A Pakistani government helicopter crash-landed in eastern Afghanistan on Thursday, their embassy in Kabul said, with local authorities saying all six people on board were taken hostage by the Taliban.



The insurgents have not so far commented on the incident in Azra district in the restive province of Logar.



An Mi-17 transport helicopter belonging to the Punjab government was scheduled to fly to Russia for repair. We think the same chopper crash-landed in Logar, Pakistani embassy spokesman Akhtar Munir told AFP.



We dont know anything about the fate of those on-board or why it crash-landed.



The local district governor Hamidullah Hamid said six people on board had been taken hostage by Taliban insurgents.



They have been taken to an unknown location, he said.



The helicopter caught fire after it crashed, said Logar governors spokesman Salim Saleh.



Russian-made Mi-17s are used by the Pakistani military.



There was no official comment from the Pakistani military or Afghan defense ministry officials.



Kabul has long accused Pakistan of supporting the Taliban and continuing to nurture sanctuaries on its soil in the hope of maintaining influence in Afghanistan.

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GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip  Ghazi Hijazi's farm in Rafah, in the northern Gaza Strip, is the last standing rose farm in the besieged enclave. The farm is struggling to survive since local sales have dried up. The Hamas-ruled government in Gaza has imposed a lockdown as part of precautionary measures announced March 22 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus

Flower businesses and other enterprises in Gaza have struggled under Israel's yearslong blockade.

The farm currently covers an area of about 10 dunums (2 acres). Before Israel banned the export of flowers from the Gaza Strip in 2012, Hijazi's farm extended over 50 dunums and produced around 5,000 flowers per day. Due to the imposed state of emergency, Hijazi, his sons and a group of workers are now destroying the remainder of the farms production in a bid to stem losses after the drop in sales.

Currently, 2 dunums are planted with damask roses. Most of the rest of the farm area is planted with white and pink levanta roses. There is also a small area of carnations, calla lilies, gypsophila (baby's breath), child in time lilies and fishmouth (turtlehead), all of which are usually in demand locally. However, before the siege was imposed, only carnations were produced for export, because of their profitability and hardiness to withstand the Israeli-imposed conditions and the delay at border crossings.

According to statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture, farmers in the Gaza Strip at one time planted around 625 dunums of roses, and exported up to 62 million flowers per year. Exports plummeted and by 2014 completely stopped after the Netherlands ended its program supporting farmers in Gaza. Flowers were reaching the Netherlands late and damaged due to the Israeli closure of crossings with the Gaza Strip.

Hijazi's eldest son, Labbad, told Al-Monitor, We are destroying the roses and feeding them to the sheep. Not deadheading roses will cause damage to the seedlings and increases the cost of using pesticides and soil sterilizers.

He added, About 20 stores from different provinces across the Gaza Strip would buy our roses. Only [a handful] are doing this now during this [coronavirus] crisis. The remaining production on the farm is collected by sheep and camel farmers as fodder.

He hopes there will be international or local support, as his family's farm is not the only one affected. Flower shops throughout Gaza are also suffering under the coronavirus state of emergency, which closed wedding and party halls.

Ghassan Hijazi, owner of Bella Rosa flower shop in Rafah, denounced the state of emergency and the market closings, blaming the measures for his drop in his sales. He told Al-Monitor, We missed the high seasons. The first one was right after Mother's Day on March 21, where sales [normally] shoot up for days. The state of emergency halted peoples movement for days before it. Now we are missing the school and university graduation party season too.

He added, "Wedding venues and restaurants are closed. Friends no longer visit each other, let alone buy each other flowers. Only a small number of men are buying their fiancees flowers during the quarantine and the lockdown in the Gaza Strip.

He can barely afford the cost of managing his store in these difficult circumstances. He talked about an initiative by the Rafah municipality to reduce the rent of stores it leases out by 40%. The closure is enforced by the government. How can we secure the rent under these circumstances? Reducing the rent alone is not enough, he noted.

Flower cultivation isn't the only agricultural sector affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

On March 24, the Agriculture Ministry halted the vegetable exports from Gaza due to high prices. Adham al-Bassiouni, the ministrys spokesman in Gaza, told Al-Monitor, Export was suspended for about a week so that the market could recover, following the price hike as a result of the increasing demand from consumers ahead of the quarantine period imposed by the government.

Farmer Mohamed Sami links the drop in vegetable prices to the export ban and closed markets. He has been unable to repay the money he had borrowed from agricultural stores to cover production costs.

The government ordered the closure of weekly markets, [though it] allowed some of them to be open until 2 p.m. only. Also, the ban of exports for about a week increased supply [in the absence of demand] and lowered prices," he told Al-Monitor.

Sami is considering limiting the number of dunums he will cultivate for the coming season, amid the uncertainty in supply and demand caused by the state of emergency.

The ministry is trying to support farmers who suffered losses because of the coronavirus pandemic. A coronavirus emergency committee for agriculture has been established and has distributed government aid. Fodder and agricultural supplies were distributed to chicken breeders and vegetable growers, who are placed at the top of food security priorities.

Wael Thabet, director of the Horticulture Division in the Agriculture Ministry, told Al-Monitor, A number of agricultural projects by local and international institutions were halted. Some will be postponed due to the delay in obtaining the needed materials from abroad, in light of the states of emergency in the exporting countries.

He added, Agricultural production is currently stable, but not for long. There are concerns for the future of animal farming in terms of provision of feed that is only sufficient for a limited number of days. Feed merchants do not have the financial ability to import it and store it should the crossings [remain] closed.
Colleges across America now must hold live testimony hearings with cross-examination in campus sexual assault cases, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced Wednesday in putting new rules in place.

In doing so, DeVos moved the on-campus administrative investigations closer to mirroring a court hearing, complete with questions directed at the people who say they were assaulted. The new regulations are effective Aug. 14.

"We can continue to combat sexual violence, continue to combat sexual misconduct without abandoning our core values of fairness, presumption of innocence, and due process, DeVos said in releasing the regulations. "Our action today brings us closer to fulfill Title IX's purpose  fair education for all."

The move reflects the way courts have been ruling in a steady drumbeat of lawsuits from students accused of sexual assault. The rules issued by DeVos are a direct rollback of requirements put in place by President Barack Obama's administration.

Traumatic for both sides: The hearings are already policy at some colleges

DeVos said the Obama rules led to "kangaroo courts."

The new rules drew condemnation and promises of legal challenges from victim rights groups.

DeVos told reporters she wasn't surprised by this.

"I know many will, unfortunately, offer you scare quotes and half-truths in attempts to undercut this rule," she said.

United States Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos answers a few questions from the media as she tours Detroit Edison Public School Academy in Detroit Friday, Sept. 20, 2019.

The changes drew praise from U.S. Senate education committee Chairman Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.

"This final rule respects and supports victims and preserves due process rights for both the victim and the accused, Alexander said in a statement. For example, the rule ensures victims get the support they need to change classes or dorms if they allege they have been sexually assaulted or sexually harassed and the rule ensures the victim and the accused get a fair hearing to resolve such allegations. I am glad Secretary DeVos undertook this rulemaking to help give more certainty to victims, the accused, and college administrators.

Story continues

But the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, a research, policy and advocacy group, said the new rules could keep some victims from reporting assaults on campus.

One of the most significant concerns we expressed and continue to have with the rule is the unintended consequences of requiring a live hearing with direct cross-examination by counsel as it will likely discourage reporting of incidents of campus sexual misconduct," association President Peter McPherson said in a statement. "Some will worry about an anguish-inducing process that includes requiring them to face direct questioning by respondents aggressive counsel in a live hearing courtroom-like setting."

Campus sexual assault: NCAA looks the other way as college athletes punished for sex offenses play on

"Her rules would promote harmful policies that silence survivors and limit reporting. We promise to do everything we can to make sure these rules never go into effect," the group Know Your IX tweeted out Tuesday night as reports began to surface that the rules were about to be released. "Survivors, we will never stop fighting for your rights!"

The need for regulations stems from a 1972 law known as Title IX that bars sex discrimination at schools receiving federal funding. The rule defines what constitutes sexual harassment or assault as part of Title IX enforcement, what triggers a schools legal obligation to respond to allegations and how a school must respond. Title IX has the force of law. Schools that don't follow the rules can face steep fines.

Many on both sides  those fighting for more due process for the accused and those advocating for victims  believe the ultimate arbitrator of how campuses will handle these issues will be the U.S. Supreme Court in the near future, similar to how the court has ruled on the use of affirmative action in admissions.

Courts have been ruling against colleges: Students accused of sexual assault are suing colleges  and winning most of the time

Over and over in a press briefing, Department of Education officials stressed they are making the entire process fairer.

"It marks the end of the false dichotomy of either protecting survivors, while ignoring due process, or protecting the accused while disregarding sexual misconduct," said Assistant Secretary Kenneth Marcus of the Office for Civil Rights.

The Department of Education released the new rules despite pleas from a number of organizations to delay them until after the coronavirus pandemic ends.

"The issue here is not the merits of these particular regulatory proposals," the American Council on Education, which represents public and private two-year and four-year schools, wrote in a letter co-signed by 23 higher education associations. "Rather, the issue is that given the serious disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, institutions simply do not have the capacity to implement these proposals at this time."

The council wrote that implementation of the new regulations is expected to be enormously complex and burdensome for campuses. It will require a coordinated effort across many departments to identify, review and change existing policies and procedures in a sensible manner.

Attorneys general from 17 states, including California, Michigan, New York and Virginia, also had urged a delay.

According to that letter, finalizing the proposed rule now would also cause confusion about ongoing Title IX complaints and investigations, which have already been disrupted by the coronavirus, with campus closures and employees working remotely.

"During this crisis, schools will need the flexibility to fashion and revise investigation, resolution, and grievance procedures on an ongoing basis, in order to carry out Title IXs mandate in the manner that best addresses the impact of the pandemic and the needs of their school populations and communities," the letter said.

However, DeVos said now is actually the ideal time.

"Civil rights really can't wait," she said. It is "actually an ideal time for campus administrators to begin implementing this when students are not on college campuses."

In 2011, the Obama administration issued what was known as a "Dear Colleague" letter, demanding colleges up their game when it came to sexual assault complaints.

Changes included schools switching to a single investigator method. That meant a single university employee or outside expert did separate interviews with the person who said they were assaulted, the alleged assaulter and any witnesses and then wrote up a report. Both sides often had a chance to review the report, but couldn't ask each other or witnesses questions.

Complaints had started to arise that universities had swung the pendulum too far and were going into the process thinking the accused students were guilty even before gathering the evidence.

There also was a backlash from sexual assault survivors who filed complaints with the federal government alleging their universities hadn't handled their complaints properly. The federal government cracked down on schools, including pre-Larry Nassar scandal Michigan State, which the government said had bad policies that contributed to a sexually hostile environment.

Nassar's survivors had spoken out: Betsy DeVos' proposal to change sexual assault rules drew ire from survivors

Then came the lawsuits.

Those who had made sex assault allegations sued schools, saying the schools weren't acting quickly enough, were mishandling the cases and exposing them to harassment by their attackers during the investigation process.

At the same time, those accused of sexual assault  mostly men  filed their own series of lawsuits, alleging the schools had not given them due process and their right to cross-examine their accuser.

The courts, more often than not, have sided with students accused of sexual assault, according to an analysis of federal lawsuits compiled by KC Johnson, a professor at Brooklyn College and the co-author of "The Campus Rape Frenzy: The Attack on Due Process at Americas Universities." Johnson has tracked the cases and provided the Free Press with his database of cases and outcomes.

The most noteworthy case came out of a situation involving a male student who sued the University of Michigan. In 2018, a federal appeals court emphatically threw out the single investigator model and required cross-examination hearings for all schools in multiple states covered by the district.

"Due process requires cross-examination in circumstances like these because it is 'the greatest legal engine ever invented' for uncovering the truth," the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit wrote in that September 2018 ruling. "Without the back-and-forth of adversarial questioning, the accused cannot probe the witness story to test her memory, intelligence, or potential ulterior motives."

Reaction to DeVos' new regulations was swift. Victims' rights group decried them and groups supporting rights for the accused praised them.

"The new regulations restore the presumption of innocence, require schools to notify accused students of the specific allegations against them in a timely manner, and allow both parties a meaningful opportunity to tell their version of events to an impartial arbiter," said the Independent Womens Forum, praising DeVos' ruling.

Others weren't as happy.

"The rule does not prioritize students and survivors, but rather tips the scales in favor of named abusers and protects universities and their bottom lines. If this rule goes into effect, schools will be shielded from liability for ignoring or covering up sexual harassment," Know Your IX said in a statement on Twitter.

Other organizations agreed, saying victims may be less likely to come forward if they have to sit before the person they say assaulted them.

This final rule is an abomination and, if it takes effect, will silence sexual assault survivors and limit their educational opportunity," said Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. "The rule is the antithesis of what Title IX was intended to do. All students deserve an educational environment free from sex discrimination and violence. We will work with our allies to fight this rule and send it to the dustbin.

In late 2018, DeVos announced her proposed rule changes to Title IX in a federal process that required a comment period.

The announced proposal included holding hearings and allowing cross-examination, mirroring the Sixth Circuit appeals court.

The American Council on Education, higher education's biggest lobby, sent a 33-page letter signed by a number of higher education associations, opposing many of the changes, including the addition of live hearings. They, and many victim's rights groups, believe the hearings retraumatize the students who say they were assaulted. They also believe the administrative system on campus should function differently than the courts. Many times when students say they've been sexually assaulted, the situation never ends up in criminal court. The Obama administration lowered the standard at schools for finding sexual misconduct occurred to one requiring a preponderance of the evidence. That's lower than the standard used in criminal courts.

"The proposed rules impose highly legalistic, court-like processes that conflict with the fundamental educational missions of our institutions," the council's letter said. "We repeat: Colleges and universities are not law enforcement agencies or courts. Unfortunately, the (proposed rules) consistently rely on formal legal procedures and concepts, and import courtroom terminology and procedures, to impose an approach that all schools  large and small, public and private  must follow, even if these procedures, concepts, and terms are wildly inappropriate and infeasible in an educational setting. The proposed rule assumes that institutions are a reasonable substitute for our criminal and civil legal system. They are not."

Follow David Jesse on Twitter: @reporterdavidj

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Sexual assualt, DeVos Title 9 rules: Colleges must cross examine cases
A woman wearing a protective face mask crosses the road in front of the Bank of England in what would normally be the morning rush hour in the City of London on March 17th, 2020. The financial district of the UK is unusually quiet after the government requested people to refrain from all but essential travel and activities yesterday.

The Bank of England is expected to leave rates unchanged on Thursday, with analysts expecting the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to wait until June before acting in order to assess the impact of coronavirus containment measures.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the central bank has cut rates twice from 0.75% to 0.1% and announced 200 billion ($247.55 billion) of new quantitative easing, bringing its bond buying program to a total of 645 billion.

It has also provided direct funding for companies impacted by the pandemic and supplied liquidity for the financial system, along with easing conditions for lenders.

However, despite PMI (purchasing managers' index) readings at record lows and the U.K. expecting its deepest economic downturn in living memory, analysts expect the MPC to withstand pressure to beef up its stimulus program this time around.

As well as the rate decision, Thursday will also see the British government announce the outcome of its second review of lockdown measures, after the U.K. surpassed Italy to record the highest fatality rate in Europe.

As of Wednesday morning, more than 196,000 cases had been confirmed in the country, with more than 29,000 deaths.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government on Wednesday launched a Twitter handle for addressing COVID-19 related queries and complaints of the people.

The handle @DelhiVsCorona will ensure authentic information about the disease and serve as a one-stop solution for all the COVID-19 related queries and complaints, the government said in a statement.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has formed a team to monitor this Twitter handle.

The team will gather live status of the situation in the government hospitals and provide authentic information on COVID-19, it said.

"The team will also respond and solve the issues of patients and doctors in the Delhi government hospitals."

Twitter users can tag @DelhiVsCorona and tweet with their queries regarding ration, checkups, hospital-related queries or any other COVID-19 related questions, the statement read.

"The team of representatives will ensure swift and speedy action on the issues related to COVID-19 treatment raised on Twitter.

This will help reduce panic and anxiety amongst the citizens of Delhi," added the statement.
[May 06, 2020] Berlingske Media and Aria Systems Complete Implementation of the Aria Media and Publishing Suite

Aria Systems, the leader in helping enterprises grow subscription- and usage-based revenue, today announced that Berlingske Media has successfully launched the company's billing and monetization platform along with the Aria Media and Publishing Suite (AMPS) following an expedited implementation process. Print and digital subscribers across four Berlingske Media publications are now being managed via Aria's (News - Alert) platform. Berlingske Media is a leading Danish-based media company and owner of newspapers and websites. With AMPS, the Aria application suite designed exclusively for media and publishing companies, Berlingske Media can generate new recurring revenue streams through the introduction of new products tailored for both print and digital subscribers and delivered via a variety of subscription models. The company is also able to enhance the customer experience with access to a new customer support portal that provides self-service functionalities such as online and mobile payments. "Following a speedy and successful implementation of AMPS, Berlingske Media now ha the ability to manage both print and digital accounts in a single unified environment while offering a superior customer experience," said Tom Dibble, President and CEO, Aria Systems (News - Alert). "Because of its ability to sit alongside legacy systems, the Aria platform is ideal for any publisher seeking to accelerate the introduction of new services and grow recurring revenue from both traditional print and digital customers."



Berlingske Media selected Aria's platform following an extensive competitive review as the publisher sought to enhance billing capabilities, support the rapid introduction of new digital services and improve the end-customer experience while undergoing a digital transformation. Aria's comprehensive solution has replaced the customer, billing and delivery management capabilities previously supported by the incumbent ERP vendor. Berlingske Media is also using AMPS to manage delivery schedules and shipment locations. "Aria delivered on its commitment to quickly and seamlessly integrate its platform into our existing ecosystem with speed and efficiency, so much so that we immediately began experiencing the benefits of its capabilities," said Ann Fogelgren, CIO, Berlingske Media. "From improved management of print delivery schedules to the introduction of enhanced consumer support, we are excited about the potential we now have to accelerate the introduction of new services and maximize recurring revenue across the entirety of our print and digital businesses."

Berlingske Media manages four major media brands in Denmark, including Berlingske, one of the world's oldest newspapers, first published in 1749; B.T.; Weekendavisen; and Euroinvestor. Today, digital content is the largest driver of Berlingske Media's growth, with half of its reader traffic coming from handheld mobile devices. About Aria Systems: Aria Systems' cloud-based monetization platform is the analysts' choice, top ranked by leading research firms. Innovative enterprises like Adobe (News - Alert), Allstate, Comcast, Subaru and Telstra depend on Aria to accelerate time to market and increase flexibility, enabling them to maximize customer value and grow recurring revenue through subscription- and usage-based offerings. For more information, visit www.ariasystems.com. About Berlingske Media: Founded in 1749, Berlingske Media is a media company in Denmark that owns four major media brands; Berlingske, B.T. Weekendavisen and Euroinvestor. For more information, visit www.berlingskemedia.dk View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005123/en/

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To the Editor:

Re The State of the States Is Dire (editorial, April 28):

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and liberal talking heads continue to misuse data to distract from the poor fiscal management of states like New York, Illinois and California.

Your editorial advocates blue-state bailouts by comparing federal taxes paid by individuals to federal benefits (like Medicare and Social Security) received by individuals. The issue at hand is not about what the citizens of our states pay in and receive in federal taxes and benefits. Its about how states have managed their budgets, and which ones are better prepared to withstand the coming fiscal challenges.

New York cant balance its bloated budget without borrowing and consistently raises taxes to pay for its profligate spending. In my eight years as Floridas governor, I paid down a third of state debt, cut taxes every year and had record funding for education, the environment and transportation.

Low-tax policies and sound fiscal management work. Its not fair to Florida citizens to send their tax dollars to bail out liberal politicians in states like New York for their unwillingness to make tough and responsible choices.
BGI Group Laboratory technician working on samples from people to be tested for CCP virus at "Fire Eye" laboratory, Wuhan, Hubei China, Feb. 6, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Australian Intelligence Agencies Consulted Over Deal With Chinese Genomics Firm

The Australian government has consulted national security agencies about rapid COVID-19 testing equipment secured by Andrew Forrests Minderoo Foundation from Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) and confirmed that BGI will not have access to patient information.

BGI will not set up or operate new labs but commercial arrangements will be made with existing Australian pathology providers who will be trained by Chinese fly-in specialists, health minister Greg Hunts spokesperson told The Epoch Times on May 5.

The extent of BGIs involvement with existing Australian laboratories will be limited to the installation of COVID-19 pathology testing platforms and training of staff, Hunts spokesperson said in an email.

A similar deal was struck between Israel and BGI in March. However, Clalit, Israels largest health service organization stated it will not work with BGI because of concerns that data will be shared on Huawei-BGI servers based in China, The Times of Israel reported.

Responding to questions about security, Hunts spokesperson said, Patient data is already heavily protected by existing laws and these apply to all pathology tests.

However, BGI is closely linked with Huawei, the Chinese telecom firm that Australia banned from building its 5G infrastructure. Earlier this year, Huawei was forced to stop work on a Western Australian train network digital radio upgrade project as it was violating U.S. trade sanctions. In 2015, BGI and Huawei signed an agreement to develop big data storage systems together.

The Australian reported on May 4 that BGI will set up equipment in at least 11 Sonic Healthcare and Healius laboratories in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Wollongong, and Hobart.

The 10 million BGI rapid testing kits were secured by mining billionaire Andrew Forrest, chair of the Minderoo Foundation, through his deep friendship with BGI chairman Wang Jian. Minderoo will be reimbursed by the government for costs involved in the procurement.

The BGI Groups profitability has grown during the CCP virus pandemic. BGI has focused efforts on producing mass amounts of its rapid testing kits for foreign countries. BGI Group is one of 23 Chinese companies exporting RT PCR kits.

Some of BGIs kits were said to be inaccurate and were withdrawn from use, as was the case in West Bengal on April 22.
A state correctional officer was stabbed to death during an altercation with a neighbor in Vineland, authorities confirmed.

Zachary T. Latham, 18, of Vineland, allegedly stabbed William T. Durham Sr., 51, multiple times on Monday night after a verbal dispute turned violent on Thornhill Road, according to a criminal complaint.

A friend of the victim said the killing came after Latham terrorized the family for several weeks.

An argument apparently began in front of the Durham home involving Latham, his wife, and Durham and his wife, according to the Cumberland County Prosecutors Office. Latham then left the scene and drove to his home nearby.

As he drove, Latham could see Durham Sr., his wife, Catherine T. Durham, and their two sons, William T. Durham Jr., 21, and a 17-year-old male, following him, he told police.

At his home, Latham retrieved a knife and a stun gun and confronted the family as they arrived.

William T. Durham Sr., a correctional officer at South Woods State Prison, was stabbed to death in a fight with a neighbor.

As Latham fought with the elder Durham and his sons, two of Lathams friends joined the fray as his wife recorded the encounter with her phone, police said. The fight began in Lathams driveway and continued into the garage.

Latham used a stun gun against Durham Sr. and stabbed him with two knives, according to police. One of the knives is described as having a four-inch, fixed blade. The victim was stabbed in the back and left underarm, according to the complaint.

William T. Durham was fatally wounded by the defendant during a prolonged physical assault, police noted in the complaint.

Latham was taken to a hospital for injuries, which included a concussion, according to court documents, treated and released.

He was charged with first-degree aggravated manslaughter, two second-degree counts of aggravated assault and various weapons offenses. He was placed in Cumberland County Jail pending a detention hearing.

The video Lathams wife recorded was obtained as evidence in the case.

Authorities have not disclosed the nature of the dispute that led to the stabbing.

However, PBA Local 105 Vice President Mike Gallagher, a friend of Durhams, said trouble began when Catherine Durham told Latham to slow down when he allegedly sped down their street several weeks ago. Latham cursed her out, then began harassing the family online, Gallagher said.

On Monday, Gallagher said Latham was driving down the street when he allegedly swerved toward one of the Durhams kids. Catherine Durham yelled at Latham and he allegedly punched the woman, touching off the dispute that ended in the stabbing, according to Gallagher.

Latham hasnt been charged with assaulting the woman, according to court documents.

Three members of the Durham family were also charged.

Catherine Durham, 49, was charged with fourth-degree criminal trespass and simple assault. She allegedly punched Lathams wife, according to the charges.

The Durhams sons were each charged with third-degree aggravated assault and fourth-degree criminal trespass.

State PBA Local 105 confirmed the senior correctional officers death on its website.

Durham worked at South Woods State Prison and had served with the New Jersey Department of Corrections for 19 years.

Gallagher, who previously worked with him at South Woods, praised the officer as exceptional.

He would do anything for anyone. He was the kind of officer that you enjoyed working with.

Family was very important to Durham, Gallagher said.

He was a family man and he died a hero defending his family, he said.

Gallagher called the killing a senseless murder."

The Durhams were married for 32 years and his wife is devastated, Gallagher said. She cant stop sobbing, he said. Shes broken up, and rightfully so. Her whole life was taken from her in minutes.

PBA Local 105 is providing a $10,000 check to help the family and has launched a GoFundMe drive.

The investigation into Durhams killing is ongoing, authorities said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Vineland Police Detective Charles Macafee at 856-691-4111, ext. 4317 or Prosecutors Office Detective Ryan Breslin at 856-207-2738.

William T. Durham is shown with his wife of 32 years, Catherine.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com.
An international team of researchers conducted the largest-ever genome-wide study of people from across East Asia to uncover the genetic roots of type 2 diabetes

CHAPEL HILL, NC - May 6, 2020 - In the largest study of its kind in any non-European population, an international team of researchers identified 301 distinct genetic signals at 183 loci, or specific positions on a chromosome, associated with type 2 diabetes in people from East Asia. Sixty-one of the loci were newly implicated in the predisposition for type 2 diabetes. They had not been implicated in previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) conducted in people of European descent.

This research, published in Nature, shows how different populations of people share most of the genetic susceptibilities to developing type 2 diabetes but do have some different genetic variations that can make them more or less susceptible to developing the condition. This genome-wide meta-analysis of 433,540 East Asians, including 77,418 with type 2 diabetes, is the result of two research consortia - AGEN (Asian Genetic Epidemiology Network) and DIAMANTE (DIabetes Meta-ANalysis of Trans-Ethnic association studies).

Ultimately, the goal of such studies is to identify potential genetic targets to treat or even cure the chronic metabolic disorder that affects more than 400 million adults worldwide, according to the International Diabetes Federation.

The international team of more than 100 researchers was led by scientists at five institutions, all co-senior authors of the Nature paper:

Xueling Sim, PhD, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore;

Karen Mohlke, PhD, Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine;

Bong-Jo Kim, MD, PhD, Center for Genome Science, National Institute of Health, Cheongjusi, South Korea;

Robin Walters, PhD, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, United Kingdom;

Takashi Kadowaki, MD, PhD, Department of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, University of Tokyo, Japan.

"Such a large-scale study would never have been possible without the commitment and dedication to collaboration among so many scientists around the world, especially in Asia," said Karen Mohlke of UNC-Chapel Hill. "The data this team collected and analyzed has provided the research community with much-needed new information about the biological underpinnings of diabetes."

In the new analysis of East Asian individuals, researchers used genome-wide association data from 23 cohort studies in China, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the United States to examine type 2 diabetes risk. For example, they found new associations near genes GDAP1, PTF1A, SIX3, ALDH2, and genes that affect muscle and adipose differentiation. At another locus, researchers found two overlapping type 2 diabetes genetic signals that appear to act through two genes, NKX6-3 and ANK1, in different tissues.

"We know diabetes is caused by a complex set of risk factors, such as BMI, that have varying effects on the disease across ancestries." said Xueling Sim, of the National University of Singapore. "These findings expand the number of genetic variants associated with diabetes and highlight the importance of studying different ancestries."

Co-first author Cassandra Spracklen, PhD, assistant professor of biostatistics and epidemiology at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences, conducted many of the analyses for the Nature paper while a postdoctoral fellow in Mohlke's lab.

"Learning about the additional variants can help identify additional genes that influence a person's risk for developing type 2 diabetes" Spracklen said. "These genes teach us more about the pathophysiology of diabetes and could ultimately become therapeutic targets."

This research could help explain why - among people of similar body mass index (BMI) or waist circumference - the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is greater in East Asian populations than in European populations.

The next steps are to combine discovery across populations and to experimentally determine which genes are altered by the genetic variants and how those alterations lead to disease.

###

Other first authors are Momoko Horikoshi, Young Jin Kim, and Kuang Lin.

This research was funded by more than 30 government sources and foundations including the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Korea National Institute of Health, National Biobank of Korea, Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare, Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, National Research Foundation of Korea, National Natural Science Foundation of China, China National Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China National Institute for Nutrition and Health, National Key Research and Development Program of China, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, Japan Atherosclerosis Prevention Foundation, Japan National Cardiovascular Research Grants, Japan Science Technology Agency, Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, Japan National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Singapore National Medical Research Council, Singapore Biomedical Research Council, Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Hong Kong Foundation for Research and Development in Diabetes, Taiwan National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan National Science Council, Taiwan Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Taiwan Academia Sinica, Philippines Office of Population Studies Foundation, United Kingdom Medical Research Council, the United States National Institutes of Health and others.
Yogi Adityanath

Lucknow: The corona virus has made a significant impact in Uttar Pradesh. So far, the number of corona cases in UP has crossed 2800 which has greatly increased the anxiety of the Yogi government. That is why CM Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday reviewed the health services with Team-11.

Yogi AdityanathWith the Yogi government tackling Corona, the state is gearing up to provide better emergency health services. A total of 2481 specialist doctors with 23,000 bands have been deployed in government hospitals in 75 districts for emergency services.

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In addition, more than one lakh beds have been provided in 660 private hospitals. There are also 41,000 separate beds for Covid-19 in Level-1, Level-2 and Level-3 hospitals.

In addition, more than 1250 ventilators and 21,000 quarantine beds have been set up in Covid hospitals. Tele-consultancy facility has been introduced in the districts. The general public can take advantage of this by calling it and people can seek advice from doctors.

CoronavirusThe cases of corona virus are on the rise in UP, with 118 new cases reported in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of corona cases to 2,880.

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It may be mentioned here that 1,152 people belong to the Tablighi Jamaat. Besides, Agra is the most affected city in the state by Corona where 640 cases of corona virus have been reported.
S Lalitha By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: An altercation took place between a railway official and a policeman on duty near Chikkabanavara Railway Station on Monday. The official was on his way to the railway station. According to a source, he was passing on Hessarghatta Main Road around 11.45 am, when a constable on bandobast duty stopped him for a routine check.

The official applied the brakes but one of the tyres went over the constables foot before the vehicle stopped, the source said. The constable did not suffer from any injury other than a swollen foot.

This led to a furious altercation between the two. The real issue was the way the official behaved. Instead of apologising for his mistake, he got out of the car and questioned the constable for stopping him, the source said. Later, the official managed to get to the railway station, from where a Shramik Special was scheduled to leave at 3 pm for Jaipur. He agreed to pay for the constables medical expenses.

About 30 minutes later, police officers took him to Soladevanahalli police station. The injured constable had filed a complaint against the official at the station, another source said. After waiting for four hours, the official requested the constable to withdraw the complaint. He submitted a written apology.

Due to the impending train launch and the work to be done, no one from Railways could help him immediately. The train left at 3.20 pm and a senior official was sent to the police station only after that to handle the problem, the source added. Top railway officials claimed they did not know anything about the episode.
Vast Resources plc / Ticker: VAST / Index: AIM / Sector: Mining

5 May 2020

Vast Resources plc

(Vast or the Company)

Board change

Vast Resources plc, the AIM-listed mining company, announces that Eric Diack has resigned from his position as a Non-Executive Director of the Company with immediate effect as a consequence of taking on a new role which requires his full time attention. The Board would like to thank Eric for his contribution over the years and wishes him well on his new role.

**ENDS**

For further information, visit www.vastplc.com or please contact:

Vast Resources plc

Andrew Prelea (Chief Executive Officer)

Andrew Hall







www.vastplc.com

+44 (0) 20 7846 0974 Beaumont Cornish - Financial & Nominated Adviser

Roland Cornish

James Biddle



www.beaumontcornish.com

+44 (0) 20 7628 3396 SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP  Joint Broker

Richard Morrison

Caroline Rowe



www.spangel.co.uk

+44 (0) 20 3470 0470



Axis Capital Markets Limited  Joint Broker

Richard Hutchison



www.axcap247.com

+44 (0) 20 3206 0320 Blytheweigh

Tim Blythe

Megan Ray



www.blytheweigh.com

+44 (0) 20 7138 3204

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 (MAR).

ABOUT VAST RESOURCES PLC

Vast Resources plc, is an AIM listed mining company with mines in Romania and Zimbabwe focused on the rapid advancement of high quality brownfield projects by recommencing production at previously producing mines in Romania and commencement of the joint venture mining agreement on the Chiadzwa Community Concession Block of the Chiadzwa Diamond Fields in Zimbabwe.

The Companys portfolio includes an 80% interest in the Baita Plai Polymetallic Mine in Romania, where work is now currently underway towards developing and recommissioning the mine and the Community Concession Block in Chiadzwa, Zimbabwe.

Vast Resources owns the Manaila Polymetallic Mine in Romania, which was commissioned in 2015, currently on care and maintenance.

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Over 100 healthcare and educational facilities will be repaired and built in Armenia, said PM Nikol Pashinyan on Wednesday at the parliament.

According to the PM, it is about ensuring employment both for this and the next year.

However, the government is concerned about a sufficient number of companies that can participate in tenders and fulfill their obligations.

The experience of last year is a cause for concern. Last year, we carried out large-scale road construction works. All capacities were fully utilized, and even if we wanted, we could not have done more, the PM noted.

Tenders will be announced soon for the noted 100 facilities.

The PM expressed hope that this project will not only provide work for migrants who have returned from other countries but also make a serious contribution to health care and education.
Riyaz Naikoo, 35, a top terrorist of the Hizbul Mujahideen, was killed in an encounter with security forces at his village in south Kashmirs Pulwama district, officials said on Wednesday, announcing a major breakthrough that is expected to weaken the home-grown terror group significantly.

Naikoo, who carried a Rs 12 lakh reward on his head, was among four militants killed in Pulwama after security forces launched three separate, coordinated operations in a 25km radius on Tuesday night and early Wednesday after inputs that the Hizbul operational commander could be hiding in the area. People familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity that according to inputs Naikoo was visiting his family on Tuesday; he is believed to have stayed overnight at a hideout in Awantiporas Gulzarpora Beighpora village.

Naikoo, also known as Zubair ul Islam and Bin Qasim, who emerged as the face of the Hizbul in the Valley and propagated radicalism through audio and video messages on social media  much like his predecessor Burhan Wani  and another terrorist were shot dead after a five-hour gunfight.

According to a statement by the police, Naikoo was involved in the killings of civilians including truck drivers and policemen. Among Kashmirs new generation of terrorists, he effectively used the social media for recruitment. The people familiar with the matter said that in June, he would have completed eight years as a terrorist with the Hizbul Mujahideen.

The people added that the Kashmir Polices anti-militancy unit, Special Operations Group, knew he was going to be in the village and also that he was going to spend the night there. Late on Tuesday itself, a contingent of J&K Police and troopers from the 21 Rashtriya Rifles surrounded the village. They launched their operation in the early hours of Wednesday. A firefight ensued. When it was over, the terrorist and his associate were found in the bunker. Both died of gunshot wounds. It is a major success for the security forces in Kashmir, a senior J&K police officer said on condition of anonymity.

The police statement said Naikoo was involved in the killing of a panchayat sarpanchs father, Haji Ghulan Mohd Dar, in 2014, that of head constable Ashiq Hussain Mir, and more recently, the murder of migrant workers and truck drivers.

Authorities suspended mobile internet and SMS services soon after the encounter, fearing the circulation of provocative messages following the death of the local terrorist leader and an overall deterioration in law and order situation. Additional security forces were deployed in the four districts of Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag, considered the hotbed of militancy.

After the July 2016 encounter killing of Hizbul leader Wani, a resident of Tral area in Pulwama, stone-pelting mobs descended on streets and clashed with security forces, resulting in the deaths of 75 civilians and two law enforcement personnel in four months in one of the most turbulent phases in militancy in Kashmir, according to official data. But several media reports put the death toll much higher.

Officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity said Naikoos body might not be handed over to his family and could be buried in another district to avoid crowds and to ensure adherence to social distancing norms in place due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak.

The successful operation came just four days after the killing of five security men, including the Commanding Officer of a Rashtriya Rifles battalion and a Major, during an encounter in north Kashmirs Handwara. Two terrorists of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, too, were killed in the gunfight.

Since March 21, over 30 terrorists have been killed in 15 gun battles across the Valley. Twenty security personnel lost their lives in these encounters.

A police spokesperson confirmed the killing of Naikoo, though the army said it will not reveal the names of those gunned down.

Army spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand said: The security forces are the heroes who eliminated four terrorists in 24 hours. We shall not glorify the terrorists by releasing their names.

Two more terrorists were killed in Sharali Khrew, 12km from Naikoos village, a senior police officer who was part of the operation said, requesting anonymity. An overground worker was arrested at the third operation site, Sathura Tral.

Officials said the operation to track down Naikoo began at least two days ago. The army and the police even brought earth-digging equipment, including four JCB machines, to Naikoos village after inputs that the wanted terrorist could be using an underground hideout, according to villagers.

Soon after the news of the operation surfaced, youngsters started pelting stones at security forces. Eleven people were injured in the scuffle.

As security forces surrounded six-seven houses in the village, they came under fire from Naikoo and his associate. An encounter ensued, and both the terrorists were shot dead.

The other militant killed with Naikoo was believed to be Adil Ahmed of Panzan village in Pulwama district. He was active for the past two years. His identity was not confirmed by the police or government authorities who also chose not to divulge details of the two others killed on Wednesday.

Experts said the operation could be a major boost for security forces. Leadership decapitation is always a big blow to terror organisations. There is both a physical dimension of an organisation suddenly losing someone who was in control and also the psychological dimension of the effect on morale and having to find a replacement, said former Northern Army commander Lieutenant General DS Hooda (retd).
Former President John Dramani Mahama has lodged a complaint against the New Patriotic Partys (NPP) Bono Regional Chairman, Abronye DC.

Abronye DC is said to have alleged in a recording on Net 2 TV that there was a plot by the former President and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to assassinate him and some other members of the NPP.

He reportedly said some NPP personalities will be assassinated by NDC hirelings doing the bidding of the former President.

Mr. Mahama in a petition to the CID and signed by his lawyer, Tony Lithur, described the claims as false.

His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama, has firmly instructed me to say that the allegations are, of course, false; and for the avoidance of doubt would like to state that neither the NDC nor he has planned to hire, hired or cause to be hired, or instructed any person or persons to murder or assassinate anybody, portions of the complaint read.

The petition further pointed out that this is not the first time Abronye DC had used similar platforms to denigrate and make scurrilous, outrageous and scandalous allegations against the NDC and former President John Mahama.

Mr. Mahama expressed fears that Abronyes accusations could expose him to attacks from his sympathisers.

He thus asked the CID to investigate the conduct of Abronye DC and his publication.

Mahamas complaint to the CID

---citinewsroom
By PTI

MUMBAI: A distress call from her 14-year- old son forced a disabled woman from Pune to travel 1,200 km to Amravati on a two-wheeler to bring him home amid the COVID-19 lockdown.

An accountant with a private firm, Sonu Khandare had no idea that the lockdown would force her to make the journey of a lifetime.

On April 25, the 37-year-old disabled woman rode her scooter for 18 hours to bring her son home from a village in Maharashtra's Amravati district.

"My son Prateek had gone to my in-laws' place at a village in Anjangaon Surji tehsil on March 17 and was stuck there after the lockdown was announced on March 22," Khandare told PTI.

The Khandare couple was initially not worried about the boy's well-being, but when the lockdown was extended further till May 4, they got restless.

Khandare approached district authorities, applied for a travel pass online and even considered hiring a car for the journey, which would have cost her an exorbitant sum of Rs 8,000.

After none of these options seemed viable, she personally went to the police commissioner's office to get special permission.

"When I was granted a travel pass for 48 hours on April 24, I just headed home, packed some food and water and left on my two-wheeler without thinking twice," the 37-year- old said.

The trip proved to be a test of her grit and perseverance, as she had to encounter harsh weather conditions and dry terrains of Marathwada and Vidarbha along the way.

"I kept riding my two-wheeler even at night, with no light except the dim one coming from the headlight and to make things worse, I was stopped and questioned at every check-post along the way," she said.

In order to break the journey at night, Khandare managed to make a pitstop at a petrol pump along the highway near Khamgaon, where she slept on the sidewalk under the watchful gaze of a CCTV camera.

"When I noticed the CCTV cameras near the petrol pump, I decided to rest there on the open ground, as I believed that if anything were to happen to me, it will be recorded," she said.

Khandare made an early start on April 25 and reached her in-laws home in the afternoon.

"I hardly spent a couple of hours there, as I kept thinking about getting back home safely, before my travel pass expired," said the mother of three, who had to tackle dehydration and hunger, apart from the rough terrain and potholed roads.

Khandare managed to reach her home in Bhosari area of Pune, with limited stops, at around 11 pm on April 26, just an hour before her travel pass expired.

"My son and I immediately rushed to the hospital to check if we needed to be quarantined, as we had travelled," she said, adding that doctors only advised her home quarantine for 14 days and bed rest.

The trip took a toll on Khandare, who is pursuing her post-graduation in commerce in a bid to get a government job.

However, knowing that her son was under the same roof during these unprecedented times, made the journey worth it, she said.


The epidemiologist Anders Tegnell of the Public Health Agency of Sweden at a coronavirus press conference in Solna, Sweden, in March.

JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty Images

The head of Sweden's coronavirus response said in a new interview that the country's high death toll had "come as a surprise" and was "really something we worry a lot about."

The state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell told "The Daily Show" that the Swedish strategy had still been successful in many ways.

But he said the no-lockdown strategy was not a conscious decision in favor of more deaths  instead he said the outsize toll was not part of the plan.

About half of Sweden's deaths have been in nursing homes, which prohibit visitors. Tegnell said health officials had thought it would be easier to keep the disease away from them.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Related Video: How Viruses Like the Coronavirus Mutate

The man leading Sweden's coronavirus response says the country's elevated death toll "really came as a surprise to us."

Dr. Anders Tegnell, Sweden's state epidemiologist, appeared on "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah" on Tuesday, when he described the country's controversial approach.

"We never really calculated with a high death toll initially, I must say," he said.

"We calculated on more people being sick, but the death toll really came as a surprise to us."

As of Tuesday, Sweden reported more than 2,700 COVID-19 deaths and more than 23,000 infections. That death toll is far higher than its Nordic neighbors' and many other countries that locked down.



Tegnell with Trevor Noah on "The Daily Show."

YouTube/The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

Tegnell said there were good points to Sweden's unusual strategy, which largely relies on people to socially distance without fixed rules.

But he acknowledged: "I am not saying we are successful in all different ways. I mean our death toll is really something we worry a lot about."

He noted that Sweden had the same issue as many European countries in terms of a significant number of deaths in nursing homes, even though visits to such homes have been banned in Sweden.

Story continues

"It's very difficult to keep the disease away from there," he said. "Even if we are doing our best, it's obviously not enough."

But he said: "We are not putting anybody's lives above everybody else's lives  that's not the way we're working."

Tegnell said in late April that at least half of the country's deaths had been in nursing homes.

"We really thought our elderly homes would be much better at keeping this disease outside of them then they have actually been," he told Noah.



People outside in Stockholm on April 22.

ANDERS WIKLUND/TT NEWS AGENCY/AFP via Getty Images

Tegnell has previously said it is "very difficult" to know whether a lockdown could have prevented more deaths, especially because so many deaths have been in nursing homes.

You can watch Tegnell's appearance on "The Daily Show" here:

Read the original article on Business Insider
From the marbled halls of Italy to the wheat fields of Kansas, health authorities are increasingly warning that the question isnt whether a second wave of COVID-19 infections and deaths will hit, but when  and how badly

Rome: From the marbled halls of Italy to the wheat fields of Kansas, health authorities are increasingly warning that the question isnt whether a second wave of coronavirus infections and deaths will hit, but when  and how badly.

In India, which partly relaxed its lockdown this week, health authorities scrambled Wednesday to contain an outbreak at a huge market. Hard-hit New York City shut down its subway system overnight for disinfection. Experts in Italy, which just began easing some restrictions, warned lawmakers that a new surge of virus infections and deaths is coming, and they urged intensified efforts to identify victims, monitor their symptoms and trace their contacts.

Germany warned of a second and even a third wave and threatened to re-impose virus restrictions if new cases cant be contained. German Chancellor Angela Merkel met Wednesday with the country's 16 governors to discuss further loosening restrictions that have crippled Europe's largest economy.

There will be a second wave, but the problem is to which extent. Is it a small wave or a big wave? Its too early to say, said Olivier Schwartz, head of the virus and immunity unit at Frances Pasteur Institute. France, which hasn't yet eased its lockdown, has worked up a re-confinement plan to ready for that second wave.

Many areas are still struggling with the first wave. Brazil for the first time locked down a large city, the capital of Maranhao state. Across the ocean, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Africa has shot up 42 percent in the past week. Infections were expected to surpass 50,000 there on Wednesday.

An Associated Press analysis, meanwhile, found that US infection rates outside the New York City area are in fact rising, notably in rural areas. It found New York's progress against the virus was overshadowing increasing infections elsewhere.

Make no mistakes: This virus is still circulating in our community, perhaps even more now than in previous weeks, said Linda Ochs, director of the Health Department in Shawnee County, Kansas.

The virus is known to have infected more than 36 lakh and killed more than 2.5 lakh people, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins that all experts agree is an undercount because of limited testing, differences in counting the dead and concealment by some governments.

The US has seen over 71,000 deaths amid its 12 lakh confirmed infections, and Europe has endured over 1.4 lakh reported deaths.

Burying both parents at the same time? Its hard, said Desmond Tolbert, who lost his mother and father in rural Georgia. Because they had the virus, he couldnt be with them when they died.

The researchers behind a widely cited model from the University of Washington nearly doubled their projection of deaths in the US to around 1,34,000 through early August, in large part because of the easing of state stay-at-home restrictions.

President Donald Trump, with his eye on being re-elected in November, is pushing hard to ease the social-distancing orders and resuscitate the US economy, which has seen over 3 crore workers lose their jobs in less than two months. Though the White House had signaled Tuesday that it would begin winding down the country's coronavirus task force, Trump tweeted Wednesday that it would continue indefinitely with its focus on SAFETY & OPENING UP OUR COUNTRY AGAIN.

A century ago, the Spanish flu epidemics second wave was far deadlier than its first, in part because authorities allowed mass gatherings from Philadelphia to San Francisco.

As Italys lockdown eased this week, Dr Silvio Brusaferro, president of the Superior Institute of Health, urged a huge investment of resources to train medical personnel to monitor possible new cases. He said tracing apps  which are being built by dozens of countries and companies  arent enough to manage future waves of infection.

We are not out of the epidemic. We are still in it. I dont want people to think theres no more risk and we go back to normal, said Dr Giovanni Rezza, head of the institutes infectious-disease department.

In Germany, authorities may reimpose restrictions on any county that reports 50 new cases for every 1 lakh inhabitants within the past week.

Lothar Wieler, head of Germany's national disease control centre, said scientists know with great certainty that there will be a second wave" of infections but said Germany is well-prepared to deal with it. The country has been hailed for testing widely and has had one-fourth the number of deaths in Italy or Britain, which have smaller populations.

Britain has begun recruiting 18,000 people to trace contacts of those infected. British officials acknowledge that they should have done more testing and tracing earlier and could learn from South Korea, which brought its outbreak under control by rigorously testing, tracing and isolating infected people.

South Africa, which has years of experience tracking HIV and other infections, has more than 30,000 experienced community tracers at work. Turkey has 5,800 teams of contact tracers who have tracked down and tested nearly half a million people.

India was concentrated on the immediate drama around the market in the southern city of Chennai, which is now tied to at least 1,000 virus cases. An additional 7,000 people connected to the now-shuttered Koyambedu market are being traced and quarantined. Experts are worried about a health catastrophe in a country of 130 crore people with an already stressed medical system.

New confirmed daily infections in the US exceed 20,000, and deaths per day are well over 1,000, according to the Johns Hopkins tally. And public health officials warn that the failure to lower the infection rate could lead to many more deaths  perhaps tens of thousands  as people venture out and businesses reopen.

The faster we reopen, the lower the economic cost  but the higher the human cost, because the more lives lost, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said. That, my friends, is the decision we are really making.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned on CNN that some states may be reopening too quickly.

My message to the rest of the country is learn from how much effort, how much discipline it took to finally bring these numbers down and follow the same path until youre sure that its being beaten back," he said, or else if this thing boomerangs, youre putting off any kind of restart or recovery a hell of a lot longer.

Trump acknowledged the toll but argued that keeping the US economy closed carries deadly costs of its own, such as drug abuse and suicides.

Im not saying anything is perfect, and yes, will some people be affected? Yes. Will some people be affected badly? Yes. But we have to get our country open and we have to get it open soon, he said during a visit to Arizona in which he did not wear a face mask.
Turkeys coronavirus death toll reaches 3,520 with 59 new fatalities

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca shared the COVID-19 daily numbers on Twitter on Tuesday noting that the number of intensive care patients keeps falling and the number of recovered cases are on the rise, which shows the measures against the outbreak are proving successful.

According to the latest figures, there were 59 new fatalities over the previous 24 hours bring the death toll to 3,520.

The number of recovered patients hit 73,285 with 1,832 new releases.

5,119 people have recovered from the virus over the past 24 hours.

In the same period, over 33,283 additional tests were conducted for a total exceeding 1.2 million.

There are 1,338 intensive care patients in Turkey and 707 patients remain intubated.





Sources:

https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/turkeys-coronavirus-death-toll-reaches-3520-with-59-new-fatalities/news-25340

https://covid19.saglik.gov.tr/

COVID-19 pandemic: Turkey inches toward normalization

Speaking after the Cabinet meeting on Monday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan outlined the countrys normalization schedule but highlighted that it would go ahead stage by stage.

Professor Ilhami Celik, a member of the Health Ministrys Coronavirus Science Board, says Turkey managed to flatten the curve of the peak. Just like we managed to curb a fast peaking in cases, we will be able to reduce the number of cases. It wont be all of a sudden but I predict (cases will end) in June, Celik told Demiroren News Agency (DHA).

Sukru Akyuz, head of the Istanbul Chamber of Barbers, told DHA that both barbers and customers have to comply with a set of rules when barbershops are reopened. Customers are required to make an appointment. They have to wear masks when they walk in the shop. Barbers and customers have to sanitize their hands. Barbers will wear masks and will be required to clean and disinfect seats before and after admitting each customer. They will change their aprons every morning and disinfect their tools, he said. Akyuz also called on the government to ease curfew restrictions for people above the age of 65 and under the age of 20 who work in the industry. Elderly barbers and their young apprentices can be given a work permit, he said.

READ: https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/covid-19-pandemic-turkey-inches-toward-normalization/news

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR OVER 65S

Over 65s will be allowed out on Sunday 10 May between the hours of 11am -3pm. Outings are restricted to within walking distance of home only. STAY CLOSE!

Walking on beaches, kordons (promenades), and Sehit Fethi Bey Park is NOT ALLOWED as these areas are currently CLOSED TO EVERYONE.

Over 65s MUST wear a face mask while out walking to protect their health.

Masks are available from the Zabita office located at:

Kesikkap Mahallesi. Cars Caddesi. No: 304

48300 Fethiye

https://goo.gl/maps/RkBphPT4gnSzCPKG6

Please ask a family member, friend or neighbour to pick up a mask for you. You will need to provide your name, address and Turkish ID number when collecting your mask so make sure you give this information to your representative.

To avoid congestion at the Zabita office, if possible, arrange for a representative to collect masks for a group of people in an area.

For over 65s who DO NOT have a representative who can collect a mask for them, David Ismail Jaime will be posting further information on the Corona Caring Fethiye Facebook group later today on how you will be provided with a mask.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/672522866909614/

Mete Ay welcomes the normalization plan for the tourism sector

Mete Ay, chairman of the Cals Tourism Association pictured here in the grounds of his hotel The Golden Moon in Cals

Turkey has initiated a partial normalization process as the countrys fight against the coronavirus pandemic has proven effective and a decline in the number of new infections and deaths is reflected in the figures. Now, an action plan for the tourism sector is set to be implemented to revive the countrys virus-hit industry safely and steadily.

Fethiye Times met with Mete Ay, chairman of the Cals Tourism Association who welcomed the initiative.

Full details are included in this article:

Mete Ay welcomes the normalization plan for the tourism sector

Global statistics

There are now 3,757,678 confirmed cases of COVID-19 globally, of which 1,258,562 have recovered. The number of fatalities stands at 259,496.

Source: Worldometer.

Follow Fethiye Times on social media for regular updates.

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Todays featured image: A Summer Sunday at Cals Beach by Lyn Ward
Many videos of people tying the knot in quarantine have gone viral online. But it cuts both ways.

Couples are still getting divorced while applying the same type of social distance.

County Court at Law II Judge Victor Villarreal is one of the few judges in Webb County who has been exercising his authority to hear and decide such cases. Although the idea of performing a divorce online might sound strange to some, in reality the process is the same as if it was held in person, the judge said.

It is normal divorce proceedings held via video conference, Villarreal said. The Texas Supreme Court authorized court hearings via video conference on March 13, 2020. Webb County Court-at-Law II had been working on holding court online before the order. When we found out that online hearings were authorized, we realized we were on the right track, ahead of the process, and continued planning.

Cases that had already been scheduled for this time before the pandemic started have not had to be rescheduled or moved significantly as the court has accommodated them to be heard virtually.

The courts have been using Zoom to hold face-to-face meetings virtually. Villarreal said Zoom is the mainstay program for the Texas judicial system.

The Office of Court Administration has acquired Zoom licenses for all Texas courts so that everyone has access to the Texas justice system, he said.

Villarreal said it is best for anyone wanting to go through this process to get it done as soon as possible.

Its a blessing to see people happy to have their day in court and to be able to go on with the rest of their lives without additional worries, he said. ... Some people have laughed with joy, and most are surprised that it is so easy and relieved that the process so user-friendly.

The social distancing may actually be helpful in this situation, Villarreal said.

People are in general more relaxed because they appear from a location of their choice, usually the comfort of their home, and sometimes from their lawyers office, the judge said.

Even attorneys who have participated in the process seem content with the idea of virtual divorces.

The technology that (Webb County Court-at-Law II) implemented has allowed attorneys and clients the ability to dispose of their case before the court in an efficient manner while avoiding a physical appearance in court due to the COVID-19 situation, attorney A. Rene Cantu said. The court created a very safe, accommodating, productive and efficient way of moving cases in our local judiciary.

Cantu said it has allowed attorneys and their respective assistants to follow through with their work in a time when a lot of people have faced layoffs due to local and statewide shutdowns of businesses.

Attorney Armando X. Lopez said the ability to appear remotely has calmed fears in his clients of the possibility of exposure in a crowded courtroom.

The divorces that have been heard by the court during this period of virtual hearings were filed prior to the pandemic, Attorney Armando X. Lopez said. The parties had worked out their differences and were anxious to resolve this chapter in their lives.

It is unclear if virtual divorces will continue to be held after the pandemic is over and social distancing guidelines are lessened. But for the time being these types of family cases will continue to be decided in such manner.

We will continue to offer online hearings as long as we are authorized by the Texas Supreme Court, Villarreal said. The response has been so positive, and many people want to continue holding court online. We are happy to meet the demand and need for online court hearings.
Washington: Top health officials of the Trump administration repeatedly ignored multiple warnings with regard to the coronavirus pandemic, including the alleged poor quality of malaria drug hydroxychloroquine from India and Pakistan, a fired American scientist has said in a whistleblower complaint.

In a complaint filed on Tuesday before the US Office of Special Counsel, which oversees protection of whistleblowers, Rick Bright alleged that top officials of the Department of Health and Human Services repeatedly ignored his messages and that of others with regard to personal protective equipment and medicines like hydroxychloroquine in particular.

When fired, Bright was head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, a research agency within the Health and Human Services (HHS) Department. He reported directly to Robert Kadlec, the assistant secretary of preparedness and response at the US Department of Health and Human Services.

"Dr Bright remained extremely concerned about the drug's importation from Pakistan and India because the FDA had not inspected the drugs or the factory that produced them," the complaint said.

"In Dr Bright's experience, drugs from uninspected factories can be contaminated or dosed improperly, and this could obviously be dangerous to those who took the medication. Apparently unconcerned about this known danger, Dr Kadlec and others in the administration sought to 'flood' the marketplace with these drugs," it alleged.

The Trump administration has imported nearly five crore units of the malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine, which in March had received Emergency Use Authorisation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The Trump administration, the complaint said, was not interested in hearing from Bright and his department or subject matter experts.

"Dr Bright and his team had apparently spent all their political capital in their effort to limit chloroquine and rushing into a potentially dangerous situation and that there was no one to help stop the push to 'flood' the country with this unproven and potentially dangerous drug," the complaint said.

"He concluded that his only remaining avenue was to share his concerns with the journalist who understood the specific issue and risks associated with these drugs and who had already gathered substantial information from multiple sources," it added.

The complaint alleged that HHS Secretary Alex Azar's directive to secure a Nationwide Expanded Access IND protocol for chloroquine, based on scant scientific evidence and on such a short time-frame, sent Bright and his colleagues scrambling.

Within the hour, Bright had called a meeting of Dr Linda Lambert, Chief Medical Officer Dr Robert Walker, Director of Regulatory and Quality Affairs Dr Tremel Faison, and Drs Johnson, Disbrow and Houchens to discuss the directive.

The group expressed serious concerns about a Nationwide Expanded Access IND protocol for chloroquine given the lack of clinical data available about its therapeutic benefits and concerns about its potential safety risks, especially if administered without close physician supervision, it said.

Bright and his FDA colleagues were also concerned about the quality and potential toxicity of the chloroquine supplies produced and shipped in from facilities in India and Pakistan that were not approved by the FDA and therefore, not approved to be used in the US marketplace.

The HHS clinical and regulatory expert teams worked frantically for 48 hours without sleep to come up with a plan that would ensure the greatest level of safety for people who received this drug.

They discussed narrower options for the rollout, including a small pilot study, and established an inter-agency working group of clinical and regulatory experts to determine the safest way to make the unproven drug available without causing harm to the American public, the complaint said.

When fired earlier, Bright alleged that he was ousted because of his "insistence" that the government spend funds on "safe and scientifically-vetted solutions" to address the coronavirus crisis and not on "drugs, vaccines and other technologies that lack scientific merit".
Spain has extended the state of emergency imposed to combat the coronavirus pandemic for two more weeks from Sunday, allowing the government to control peoples movements as it gradually relaxes a national lockdown.

Parliament approved the measure on Wednesday after Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who heads a fragile coalition government, mustered enough support from opposition parties to carry the vote.

Spain, where more than 25,000 people have died from the COVID-19 disease, has been under a lockdown since March 14 and the current state of emergency ends at midnight on Saturday.

Although the situation is improving, Sanchez says it is necessary to maintain some restrictions on movement to keep the infection at bay.

SOURCE: REUTERS
Palestine to cancel all Israel, US deals if annexation plot goes ahead: Abbas

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 05 May 2020 6:59 AM

President Mahmoud Abbas says Palestine will nullify all agreements with the United States and Israel if Tel Aviv annexes any part of the occupied West Bank, urging the international community to block attempts by the regime to exploit the coronavirus outbreak and steal more Palestinian land.

"We have informed all international parties that should Israel take this step, we will be absolved of all obligations, agreements and understandings with Israel and the US administration," he said on Monday in an address to a virtual meeting of the leaders of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Contact Group.

The remarks came shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party submitted a bill to the parliament (Knesset) that calls for the imposition of Tel Aviv's "sovereignty" over the Palestinian regions of the Jordan Valley, the northern Dead Sea area and the occupied West Bank.

Abbas urged the world community, including NAM and Security Council member states, to "uphold their responsibilities in ensuring the applicability of international law, and to prevent the Israeli government from taking advantage of the pandemic to move ahead with its plans to annex parts of the Palestinian territory occupied in 1967, in violation of the Palestinian people's rights and in grave breach of international law, thus destroying any remaining chance for realizing the two-state solution and establishing a just and lasting peace and security."

He also stressed that the coronavirus outbreak in Palestine has been compounded by Israel's "oppressive measures and colonial policies" as well as the detention of thousands of Palestinian prisoners.

"We call upon you to press the Israeli government to release our Palestinian prisoners, and we hold Israel responsible for their safety and lives," he noted.

The Israeli regime has been sharply emboldened by US President Donald Trump's pro-Israel polices, the latest of which is a contentious plot unveiled in January with the aim of legitimizing Israel's occupation and re-drawing the Middle East map.

Trump's self-proclaimed "deal of the century," crafted to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, also calls for the creation of a Palestinian state with limited control over its own security and borders.

The scheme  drawn up in close cooperation with the Netanyahu administration  bars Palestinian refugees from returning to their homeland while enshrines Jerusalem al-Quds as "Israel's undivided capital" and allows the regime to annex settlements and the Jordan Valley.

A recent Israeli coalition government agreement reached between Netanyahu and his main rival, Benny Gantz, includes a framework for implementing the illegal annexations.

The US has expressed its readiness to recognize Israel's annexation of the occupied West Bank areas.

Recent reports, however, suggested the emergence of differences between Washington and Tel Aviv over the issue, with the US demanding that Israel make known its support for "two states for two nations" as stipulated in the deal, if it wanted the US to endorse its annexation plans.

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India observed the highest increase in the number of confirmed cases and deaths in the last 24 hours, with 3,900 new cases and 195 patients passing away.

India observed the highest increase in the number of confirmed cases and deaths in the last 24 hours, with 3,900 new cases and 195 patients passing away. This data was revealed during the Health Ministrys latest press briefing, where Joint Secretary Lav Agrawal also updated that 1,020 patients have recovered. This brings the total number of recoveries to 13,161 while the total number of positive cases in the nation has now reached 46,711.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) representative reiterated that social distancing and wearing face masks is compulsory at all public places. No more than 50 persons are allowed to gather for weddings, and last rites cannot include more than 20 people. All offices which are now operational must ensure thermal scanning, safe hygiene practices and frequent sanitization of all surfaces.

India to start repatriation of Indians stranded abroad on 7 May

India plans to bring home approximately 15,000 nationals stranded in 13 different countries over a period of seven days with 64 flights. Repatriation will begin on 7 May 2020, and about 2,000 Indians are expected to be brought back every day from nations like the USA, UK, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Singapore, the Philippines, etc. Three Indian Navy ships will also sail to the Maldives and West Asia.

The MHA representative at the latest briefing clarified that only asymptomatic Indian nationals will be evacuated. All evacuees will be properly tested and quarantined on arrival. All evacuees will also have to download the Aarogya Setu App and keep the authorities updated about their health.

Rise in COVID-19 cases among armed forces personnel

A considerable rise in the number of COVID-19 cases among the Indian armed forces has been observed today. A total of 67 Border Security Forces (BSF) personnel have been confirmed as being infected currently, including 41 cases in Delhi and 24 from Tripura. Fourteen State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) jawans have been confirmed as COVID-19 positive in Maharashtras Hingoli and 45 Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel have tested positive, 43 of whom were deployed in Delhi. Twenty-four serving and retired personnel, as well as their dependents, have tested positive in the Indian Armys Research and Referral Hospital in Delhi.

Leading pharma company seeking to test Hepatitis drug for COVID-19

Zydus Cadila, the Indian pharmaceutical company, has asked the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to permit a clinical trial using the antiviral drug used to treat Hepatitis B and C to treat adult COVID-19 patients. The DCGI, which is the countrys top drug controller, has been requested to allow the use of Pegylated Interferon Alpha-2B to treat patients, but final decisions regarding this trial are still awaited.

Liquor sales continue to rise as shops open across India

Undeterred by the 70% special corona fee imposed by the Delhi government, long queues continued to form outside liquor stores in the National Capital, albeit with better social distancing being ensured by police forces deployed outside the shops. The Chhattisgarh government is now delivering liquor to homes in the Green Zones of the state for orders up to 5000ml with an INR 120 delivery charge. The Andhra Pradesh Junior Doctors Association (APJDA) has asked the state government to ban liquor sales even as sales continue to rise across the country.

For more information, 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.
The perpetrator had been working on FSB instructions.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has detained a Luhansk resident whom Russian intelligence used as a human asset in gathering classified data on Ukrainian modern missile systems.

The SBU says its counterintel operatives have thwarted another attempt by Russian intelligence agencies to obtain secrets on promising military technology in the missile industry.

Read alsoSecurity agency prevents provocations of pro-Russian forces in Odesa

Acting on the instructions of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), the perpetrator had established contacts with Ukrainian military servicemen in the Joint Forces Operation zone, who had access to the relevant paperwork. The spy offered his contacts a monetary reward for the information he sought, of which servicemen promptly reported to the SBU.

Security operatives detained the suspect in a sting raid on May 6 as the man attempted to send classified data on a modern missile complex to his FSB handlers via a messenger.

Experts have confirmed that the secret data disclosure could significantly harm Ukraine's state interests in the defense sector.

The SBU pressed charges against the suspect under Part 1 of Art. 111 (high treason) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

As UNIAN reported earlier, SBU counterintelligence operatives in Mykolaiv region detained a local resident who had tried to hand over to the FSB classified data on shipbuilding technology.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 16:58:45|Editor: huaxia

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VIENTIANE, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Laos reported no new case of COVID-19 for 24 consecutive days, with the total number of confirmed cases unchanged at 19.

Lao Deputy Minister of Health Phouthone Meaungpak told a press conference on Wednesday, the total number of COVID-19 in Laos remained at 19, as no new case was confirmed.

The National Taskforce Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on Wednesday announced it had been monitoring 608 people at 87 accommodation centers across the country. Enditem
"We are seeing a destruction of the economy, a destruction of people and families... and unprecedented violations of health freedom," Wakefield said, speaking to viewers on a screen split with a poster advertising his new film agitating against vaccines. "And it's all based upon a fallacy. " The new push by prominent anti-vaccine activists - including Wakefield and Robert F Kennedy jnr, who also spoke at the conference - worries vaccination proponents, who are already contending with a steep drop in vaccination rates as families anxious about contracting the coronavirus stay away from paediatricians' offices. An anti-vaccination billboard. Credit: "I've watched the leaders of the anti-vaccine movement scare parents for years. And in this moment, when parents are more scared than ever, they're profiting off it," said Erica DeWald, director of advocacy at the non-profit group Vaccinate Your Family. "Basically, the anti-vaccine leaders are telling their followers, 'This is not real, this is not a concern for you, if you're healthy, if you eat well, if you sleep enough, you will be fine. And this is once again a gateway for the government to force vaccines on to you and your children.' "

The range of views within the movement on the current pandemic was on display last week at the "Health Freedom Summit" where Wakefield and Kennedy spoke. The virtual conference featured dozens of speakers and devoted one full day to the coronavirus. Limited access to the seminars and materials was offered free, with full access for $US69 ($107). Alana Newman, who hosted the online summit, said in an interview that she organised it with a friend using her savings and that outside groups or funders were not involved. She said she became concerned that the coronavirus case numbers were being exaggerated by the news media and that the virus may have been designed and released in order to benefit vaccine makers. An anti-vaccination voice: Robert Kennedy jnr. Credit:AP "We're just trying to do what's best for our kids," said Newman, who lives in south-west Louisiana. "We're not making a billion dollars off this. "

Some speakers promoted unproven treatments or preventive measures, such as zinc, vitamin supplements and sun exposure. Others speculated that the symptoms attributed to the virus could have other causes, such as plutonium falling to earth from destroyed satellites. Still, others warned without evidence of forcible inoculations of unwilling Americans with an eventual coronavirus vaccine. Loading A recurrent focus of the presenters was Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates, who has been a prominent voice on public health policy amid the pandemic and is funding efforts to track, treat and ultimately cure the disease. Gates has been the target of conspiracy theories that he helped create the pandemic and plans to use it for financial gain and to develop a worldwide system of human surveillance.

Kennedy touched on the latter subject in his talk, discussing what he said were Gates' efforts to develop "an injectable chip" and "subdermal biometric tattoos" that would enable the tracking of human movements. "A health authority, the police, whatever, will be able to read your health records," he said. "It's like a barcode. " After sharing a story about friends who had been surfing in Malibu the previous day, when beachgoers were being ticketed by the police for violating state quarantine restrictions, Kennedy mused on a dark future. The target of conspiracy theories: Philanthropist Bill Gates. Credit:Bloomberg "Are we headed for a world where Microsoft is going to be able to follow us?" he said. "What if we live in a world where the police will not have to go to the beach, where they will be able to follow on your cellphone or your biometrics, and see that you went to the beach, and then just take $1000 out of your salary from the cryptocurrency that your payroll check is going into?"

He ended with a plea for listeners to share their emails with his advocacy group, Children's Health Defence. In an interview, Kennedy said he was not arguing that Gates helped engineer the virus, but did believe the Seattle billionaire was "using this emergency, this crisis, to promote his interests." Kennedy said there were legitimate concerns that initiatives such as contact tracing for coronavirus infections could lead to a more sweeping "surveillance state" and that the negative consequences of quarantine measures were not being balanced against their benefits to public health. "People keep saying, 'We have to listen to the science,' but what does that mean?" Kennedy said. "Does that mean we have to listen to virologists and ignore economists?"

Physician Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Centre at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said anti-vaccination activists' response to the pandemic and social distancing measures jibed with the movement's history of accusing the government of tyrannical health initiatives. 'When this [coronavirus] vaccine comes out, even if it's perfect and it's wonderfully safe, they will still say it's causing things that it doesn't cause.' Paul Offit "I think this is consistent with their anti-government stance," said Offit, who has written extensively about the movement and the history of vaccination policies. "I can promise you that even when this [coronavirus] vaccine comes out, even if it's perfect and it's wonderfully safe, they will still say it's causing things that it doesn't cause." Louisiana state Representative Danny McCormick, a Republican, who also spoke at the conference and led a rally in Baton Rouge on Saturday demanding the lifting of quarantine restrictions, said people are newly receptive to warnings of government intrusion as they suffer through the battered economy. "Government overreach has destroyed the greatest economy in the history of the world in a matter of weeks," said McCormick, who is pushing a bill that would require schools to inform parents of their right to opt out of vaccines. "That's of great concern to people."
Queensland's opposition has called on the state government to lay out its long-term plan to ease lockdown restrictions across the state.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was set to meet cafe and restaurant owners on Thursday about the potential to reopen in June.

Giuseppe Petroccitto, left, and his father Jim are eager to reopen their popular Santa Monica restaurant and bar in Brisbane but still think caution is needed in easing restrictions. Credit:Paul Harris

I think June is a good, ambitious target, she said on Tuesday.

So Im going to be speaking to some of the representative associations this week.
Regular readers of this column are familiar with this historical anecdote, but what arguably informs rates regular repeat. During World War I, U.S. exports to Scandinavian countries mysteriously surged. Of course, there was really no mystery to speak of. Due to a cessation of trading relations between Germany and the United States, U.S. trade with Germany continued; albeit via Scandinavian countries.

If youre producing a desirable good, youre ultimately trading with everyone. And while countries dont trade, youre even trading with enemy countries.

Putting a finer, more modern point on it, in 2004 Israels minister of national infrastructures noted that We dont have diplomatic relations with most of the countries from which we import oil. Fast forward to 2020, its a known quantity that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un consumes all manner of Americana, including Mariah Carey music and Nike shoes. Apple iPhones can be found all over Iran even though the United States doesnt trade with Iran.

All of this should clarify something that is increasingly blurry to politicians and those who advise them: short of hoarding a market good, no country can control its final destination. While its wrongheaded on its face for U.S. officials to limit the sale of American-made communications technology to China, and Huawei more specifically, limits like this are ultimately meaningless unless U.S. tech companies cease selling their wares altogether. If theyre selling them, theyre ultimately selling them to the Chinese and Huawei. Good.

Indeed, if Huawei can help Americans reach a 5G future sooner than American companies can, why should we care? Most of us dont live in Seattle or Cupertino, but we benefit from what Amazon and Apple produce for us as though each company is headquartered right next door.

Apple sells 1/5th of its iPhones in China, and the fact that it does hardly hurts the Chinese. It improves them and their productivity in much the same way that having a supercomputer in our pockets here improves us.

Which brings to the latest endeavor of economic advisor, Oren Cass. Cass famously foisted on Mitt Romney a 58 or 85 (the numbers run together) point plan for economic growth ahead of Romneys run for president. Cass surely meant well, but economics is not complicated. Growth is even less complicated. Its as simple as removing the basic governmental barriers to production placed in front of the talented like taxes, regulations, tariffs, and money that bounces around in valueless fashion. 58 or 85 points arent necessary when trying to explain what fosters growth, which helps explain Romneys muddled message in 2012.

Part of the message that Cass pushed on Romney was a mercantilist one. Get Tough on China, or something like that. Cass sees imports as harmful. Hes funny that way. Theres a backwards quality to his thinking. He ignores that imports improve us. If the Chinese wanted to get tough with us, theyd cease producing. Again, with imports we buy them because they improve our lives and our productivity. Since most of cant cut our own hair, or make our own clothes, or manufacture our own TVs, we buy or import from those who do. And the more that the worlds producers can produce for us, the further our paychecks stretch.

Cass ties imports to the loss of jobs stateside and the decline of certain cities. Actually, job destruction is the norm in any dynamic economy. Its in the cities, states and countries where jobs are being destroyed the quickest that theyre also being created the quickest. Imports havent destroyed certain American cities, but the departure of talented people from those cities has led to their decline. Crucial here is that what led to the decline of cities like Aliquippa, Flint, and Detroit was the preservation of the jobs of the past; as in the jobs that Cass romanticizes. The problem is that few actually familiar with those jobs share Cass's excitement born of distance from them, hence the depopulation of those cities. Translated, Cass gets what makes certain cities great, and others destitute, backwards. Its a pattern.

His latest policy initiative, one that hes convinced the hyper-emotional Marco Rubio to help him with, is medicine, equipment and materials independence. Neither Cass nor Rubio looks askance at command-and-control from the proverbial Commanding Heights, and in this case the duo seek what Jeremy Peters of the New York Times describes as a legislative mandate that certain products deemed essential to the national interest  like medicine, protective equipment including masks, and materials used to build telecommunications infrastructure  are manufactured in the United States. Oh for the days when Republicans werent so meddlesome!

Furthermore, what the purpose-seeking Cass and Rubio desire brings new meaning to pointless. Unless producers of medicine, masks and communications gear warehouse those goods on the way to decline, their production will reach us in short order, and as though all three market goods were produced out back. Such is the nature of the open trade that Cass and Rubio would like government to manage. When its not managed by politicians, and when those same politicians arent naively presuming to dictate its cost, all that we want and need independent access to is already there for us in plentiful fashion.

Rubio wants government to demand or force the availability of certain things that he and Cass deem good for the country, but their efforts are wasted. If medicine, masks and telecom gear are good for the country, then the policy theorist and senator neednt worry about legislating their existence.

If theyre good for us, well already have them, along with all manner of other products that Cass and Rubio never imagined us needing. Such is the beauty of the free markets that theyre so skeptical about.
A housekeeper who went 'above and beyond' has become the fourth frontline worker to die at one hospital as another eight NHS workers are killed by coronavirus.

Momudou 'Mo' Dibba, who worked on Watford General Hospital's Letchmore and Lengley wards, died on April 29 after testing positive for the deadly virus.

Mr Dibba would often work extra shifts on reception after finishing his main job in the ward, the West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust said as it paid tribute to the housekeeper.

'Anyone who knew Mo would know how kind, caring and considerate he was to patients and staff,' the trust said in a statement.

'He would go above and beyond for everyone, organising staff leaving parties and supporting everyone in their roles. He will be sorely missed.'

Momudou 'Mo' Dibba (left), who worked on Watford General Hospital's Letchmore and Lengley wards, died on April 29 after testing positive for the deadly virus. Pictured right: Mental health worker Charles Kwame Tanor who died on March 11

Nurses Ate Wilma Banaag and John Alagos and healthcare assistant Khalid Jamil also died while working on the hospital's frontline in the battle against coronavirus.

Stephanie Willocks, a former matron and ward sister at the hospital, died after contracting the virus. She retired in 2005 but had been supporting the trust as a nursing mentor.

A mental health worker dubbed the 'best dad ever' is also among the latest NHS workers to die after contracting the killer disease.

Charles Kwame Tanor, 39, who worked at Eden Place Mental Health Nursing Home in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, died on March 11 after falling ill with the virus.

He left behind his partner Prudence King as well as his four-year-old son Charles and his 12-year-old stepson.

Miss King said the family have been 'devastated' by the father's death, after last seeing him being taken to hospital in an ambulance.

Charles Kwame Tanor (pictured with Prudence King), 39, who worked at Eden Place Mental Health Nursing Home in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, died on March 11 after falling ill with the virus

He left behind his partner Prudence King as well as his four-year-old son Charles (pictured together) and his 12-year-old stepson

'My youngest son used to wait by the window for his daddy to come home from his night shifts, and he still does that,' she said.

'He keeps saying to me "When is Daddy coming home from hospital?" It's something I have to go through every single morning.

'I'm trying to make him understand, I say to him "Look outside at the sky; if you see the stars, that's where Daddy is."

'My eldest is 12 and he understands, and he's devastated. He just keeps crying and I don't know how to console him.'

Originally from Ghana, Mr Tanor joined a film company and produced short series programmes before moving to the UK around two decades ago.

He had successfully completed a Level 1 introductory course in digital photography at Coventry College, while working night shifts at Eden Place Mental Health Nursing Home in Leamington Spa.

Pictured left: Healthcare support worker Afua Fofie and right: Jennie Sablayan, a haematology nurse

Ms Sablayan, 44, had been working at the University College London Hospital (UCLH) for more than 18 years, having previously trained in the Philippines

Mr Tanor's course teacher at Coventry College, Iva Dyke, said: 'I only began teaching Charles at the start of this year, but he was a lively and fun student, with a great enthusiasm for learning new skills.

'He was passionate about image creating and was always ready to help and engage with other students.

'Charles was a pleasure to have in the class. I was saddened to hear that such a caring and young life was taken. My deepest condolences go out to all of his loved ones.'

Tributes have also been paid to two London healthcare workers who recently died after contracting coronavirus.

Jennie Sablayan, a haematology nurse, and Afua Fofie, a healthcare assistant, both passed away after testing positive for the virus.

More than 140 frontline NHS and care workers are now known to have died during the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed 29,501 people in total amid 196,243 cases in the UK.

Domestic services worker Eleuterio Gibela, known by colleagues as Boy, died on Saturday after testing positive for Covid-19

Ms Sablayan, 44, had been working at the University College London Hospital (UCLH) for more than 18 years, having previously trained in the Philippines.

She was described by UCLH as an 'expert in her field' who treated patients with leukaemia and lymphoma with kindness and dedication.

According to a GoFundMe set up to raise money in her memory, she died on May 5 and leaves behind a husband and two daughters.

UCLH chief executive Marcel Levi said: 'UCLH staff and patients will remember Jennie for her hard-working and unassuming approach during her 18 years of invaluable service.

'We will miss her terribly, her humour, her compassion, her friendship and her humbleness in supporting her team and her patients.

'Our thoughts are with her husband Joel and her two children, her friends and other loved ones.'

Ms Fofie, a healthcare assistant on the Pamela Bryant Ward at Teddington Memorial Hospital, died last month, however her family were not ready to share details at the time.

The Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare Trust confirmed her death and described her as being 'known for her infectious laugh and willingness to go the extra mile for patients and her colleagues'.

It added: 'She always put her patients first and her loss will be keenly felt by those who knew her and worked alongside her.'

Domestic services worker Eleuterio Gibela, known by colleagues as Boy, died on Saturday after testing positive for Covid-19.

The 68-year-old had worked at Blackpool Teaching Hospital NHS Trust for nearly 20 years.

Described as 'a true gentleman', members of the critical care team who cared for Mr Gibela said: 'It was a privilege to care for Boy in his final weeks of life.

'We mourn his loss. He was one of our own. Sending our deepest condolences to you all in this time of grief. You are in our thoughts and prayers.'

The deaths of patient transport driver Van Lang Hoang and ambulance care assistant have also been confirmed by the Barts Health NHS Trust this week.

Dr Habibhai Babu, senior house officer at Whipps Cross Hospital, also passed away due to coronavirus, the NHS Trust announced.
Hayes Valley

Photo: Rika N./Yelp

Nancy Boy, selling its own Berkeley-made essential oil-based bath, body and home product line, has closed its Hayes Valley retail store at 347 Hayes St. permanently.

The space is already up for grabs, with "for rent" signage posted in its windows.

Nancy Boy started out with a store at Market and Castro streets 20 years ago and moved to Hayes Valley five years later, co-owner Eric Roos told us when we reached him on the phone.

"20 years ago when we opened the store, we did it to legitimize our online store," he said  at that time, it was still new to sell products primarily online.

In Hayes Valley, the brick-and-mortar store attracted "lots of tourists that we were able to convert to the online store," Roos said. Over time, the online store became stronger on its own, and he said he began to question if it made sense to keep the physical presence.

"It kind of flipped," he said.

Photo: Sebastian L./Hoodline Tipline

Roos said that with the store's lease coming up and shelter-in-place keeping the store closed, he sped up the decision to vacate the space.

Even if shelter-in-place restrictions get loosened up, Roos said he doesn't think that curbside pick-up would have worked for them, as he believes customers are used to browsing. Curbside pick-up usually requires folks to pre-order online and to think ahead. "That would have required a change in behavior," he said.

He also explained that as soon as the "venture-backed high volume brands" arrived in the neighborhood, the "interesting one-off stores disappeared."

"That made it in some ways easier to leave," he said.

As we previously reported, the trend started with apparel brand Kit and Ace, which opened the eighth of a planned 50 shops on Hayes Street in 2015, despite neighborhood pushback. (It has since closed.)

More recently, a number of e-commerce startups have opened brick-and-mortar stores in the neighborhood, including Allbirds, Interior Define, Madison Reed Color Bar and Outdoor Voices.

Story continues

Roos said that since shelter-in-place began in March, he and his business partner Jack Richards received "incredible support from the San Francisco community," who are now ordering online. Previously, most of Nancy Boy's online orders didn't come from SF but the East Coast and other parts of the country.

Almost all products they were selling at the Hayes Valley store are also available online, except decorative pottery and textiles  Roos said buyers want to be able to touch them before purchasing, so they don't work in the online store.

Thanks to Hoodline tipster Sebastian L.! See something interesting while youre out on an essential trip? Text Hoodline and well try to find out what's going on: (415) 200-3233.
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The Enforcement Directorate may submit its first charge sheet against Yes Banks founder Rana Kapoor and his family on May 6 in a special court hearing cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Mumbai. The charge sheet will mainly focus on Rana Kapoor and his family members.

Sources told Moneycontrol that the ED may serve the charge sheet to his three daughters, wife and their companies, which have allegedly received benefits.

On March 8, the investigation agency had arrested Rana Kapoor after more than 30 hours of interrogation. It had initiated a money laundering investigation against him and others, based on a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case for alleged suspicious transactions with Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL) in 2018.

The ED learnt that Yes Bank had subscribed to debentures worth Rs 3,700 crore during April-June 2018 and simultaneously DHFL sanctioned a loan worth Rs 600 crore to Doit Urban Ventures (India), a family enterprise of the Kapoors. Kapoors three daughters -- Roshini, Radha and Raakhee -- are 100 percent shareholders of Doit Urban Ventures via another firm, Morgan Credits Pvt. DHFL is yet to pay back the Rs 3,700 crore invested by Yes Bank in its debentures.

ED said the loan was allegedly provided on a collateral of five properties, which have a meagre value, and by taking into account their future conversion from agricultural to residential land. The statements of several witnesses were recorded as part of the probe and according to which it appears that DHFL granted a loan of Rs 600 crore to Doit Urban Ventures on mortgage of the properties, whose acquisition cost was only Rs 39.66 crore, by showing their inflated value as Rs 735 crore, a source said.

There has been no change in the status quo of the said plots: 7.79 acres in Alibaug and 91.63 acres in Raigad. Their collective worth was assessed at Rs 485 crore by DHFL, which that would have been realised only after converting their land-use and on development, the source added.

A second source said Kapoor is accused of extending financial assistance to DHFL and others in lieu of substantial undue benefit to his family members and himself.

Kapoor is also in the EDs cross-hairs about a Rs 750 crore loan to a firm allegedly controlled by the DHFL group for a redevelopment project in Bandra Reclamation. The ED, the second source said, is of the view that a portion of the loan was transferred to a DHFL-controlled company, which is yet to make an investment in the project.

As part of its investigation, the ED scanned records of around a 104 shell firms controlled by Kapoor and his family for irregularities. On April 26, the CBI arrested DHFLs promoter director Kapil Wadhawan and his brother, the firm's former Non-Executive Director, Dheeraj.

Kapoor is also under its scanner for alleged irregularities linked to the grant of loan worth Rs 202.1 crore to a joint venture -- Mack Star Marketing Pvt -- of Housing Development and Infrastructure (HDIL) and De Shaw group between 2014 and 2016, ostensibly for the renovation/refurbishment of a barely two year-old office premises in Andheri, a third source said. The whole loan amount was allegedly siphoned off to HDIL group companies and were utilised to pay off its loans from Yes Bank, the source added.

The probe revealed that parts (around Rs 9.6 crore) of the total loan amount had been sanctioned by Yes Bank despite having received objections from De Shaw group, which holds 83.36 percent stake in the joint venture, a source said. The investors letter, dated March 18, 2016, notified Yes Bank that the loans extended to Mack Star were "ultra vires to the JVs articles since the investor hadnt approved these loans."

Out of the total loan amount, around Rs 160 crore was sanctioned for refurbishment, modification and renovation of a two-year old office premises constructed at a cost of around Rs 100 crore, the source said.
Celebrity media personality Betty Kyallo reckons that she is ready to give marriage another chance.

After a shortlived marital union with NTV news anchor Dennis Okari that lasted barely a year, Betty Kyallo gave marriage the cold shoulder.

In an Instagram Live interaction with her fanbase, the K24 news anchor said she now knows what went wrong in her failed marriage. She noted that she can be better and knows what to look for in a partner.

For a long time I didnt want to get married after the divorce, but I think I know what went wrong and I know I can be better and I know what I need to look for in somebody. So, Im starting to warm up to the idea of marriage because for me it was a no. But for now, I find myself thinking okay, inaweza, said Betty.

Betty also disclosed that she is open to having more children because she wants her daughter Ivanna to have siblings.

I definitely want more kids because if I dont give Ivanna another brother or sister atakuwa like yeah mommy talk to my hand because my ears aint listening, said Betty Kyallo.

At the same time, the bubbly TV host confessed that she keeps in touch with her exes, but mostly when she is intoxicated.

She however stressed that the communication with her ex-boyfriends is not in any way aimed towards a reunion.

I call my exes. I have a couple of them. I am like Hey Pete, what is up? And it is like 1:47 am and I tell them that the way we broke things off was not the best, she explained.
=A Vietnam Airlines aircraft taxis on a runway at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo by Shutterstock/Duc Huy Nguyen.

The Australian Embassy and Vietnamese authorities are cooperating to organize a commercial flight to take stranded Australian citizens home Thursday night.

Flight VN773, operated by national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, will depart from the Tan Son Nhat Airport in HCMC at 8:45 p.m. (local time), the embassy said on its official Facebook page.

Tickets will cost from VND18.452 million ($785) each.

All foreign travelers have been banned from entering Australia mid-March onwards in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Australia has reported nearly 7,000 infections and 97 deaths.

Australians are allowed to return from overseas, but they have to quarantine themselves for 14 days.

Vietnam suspended international flights on March 25 to contain the spread of Covid-19, leaving thousands of foreigners stranded.

Over 3,000 foreign tourists are stuck in Vietnam, but only 11 percent of them wish to go home immediately, according to official statistics updated last month. Several flights have repatriated hundreds of citizens from Europe and Southeast Asia.

Vietnam received 92,000 Australian visitors in the first three months of this year, down 15 percent year-on-year.

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected 212 countries and territories, with almost 259,000 deaths reported so far.
Two WHO members propose to discuss Taiwan WHA participation: WHO

ROC Central News Agency

05/05/2020 11:43 AM

Geneva, May 4 (CNA) Two World Health Organization (WHO) members have proposed to discuss Taiwan's participation in this year's World Health Assembly (WHA), a WHO officer said Monday, though he did not specify which two members they were.

In response to a question on Taiwan at a press briefing in Geneva, Steven Solomon, the WHO's principal legal officer, addressed Taiwan's participation in the WHA, the WHO's decision-making body, and reiterated the WHO's stance that its policies and guidelines are in line with those of the United Nations.

"Some 49 years ago the U.N. and WHO had decided that there is only one legitimate representative of China within the U.N. system and that is the People's Republic of China. That decision still stands," he said.

On Taiwan's possible participation in this year's WHA that begins in two weeks, Solomon said the WHO secretariat has no authority to make the decision as it is to be made by all 194 member states.

"The involvement, if any, of Taiwanese observers in that assembly, is a question for the 194 governments of WHO. This is not something that WHO secretariat has authority to decide," he stressed.

He said that two countries have already formally proposed that member states consider this matter at the WHA, without naming the two.

A number of world powers, including the United States, Japan, and the European Union, as well as Taiwan's diplomatic allies, have openly expressed their support for Taiwan's participation in the WHA.

Solomon said the WHO understands that a lot of attention has been focused on the issue, "but it is not the role of WHO's staff to be involved in geopolitical issues. In fact our principles of neutrality and impartiality exist to keep us out of those issues."

Taiwan's Foreign Ministry has repeatedly criticized the WHO for ignoring the country's pleas for wider participation in WHO meetings and the annual WHA, which has been limited for years under Chinese pressure.

The WHA is scheduled to hold its 73rd session from May 18 to 19, and it will be conducted virtually due to travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a WHO provisional agenda shows.

From 2009 to 2016, Taiwan participated in the WHA as an observer under the name Chinese Taipei amid better relations with China during the then-Kuomintang administration.

Since 2017, however, China has persuaded the WHO not to invite Taiwan, in line with Beijing's hardline stance on cross-strait relations since President Tsai Ing-wen () of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party took office in May 2016.

(By Tang Pei-chun and Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/ls

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Senior Bihar minister Sanjay Kumar



Jha on Wednesday urged Railway Minister Piyush Goyal to rescind the "outrageous" order to shift century-old Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (IRIMEE) from Jamalpur in the state's Munger district.

Jha, a close confidante of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, said the "intriguing" move to shift the institution out of Jamalpur has hurt the emotions of the the state's people.

Kumar, who served as railway minister in the NDA government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had written to Goyal on May 1, urging him to immediately revoke the decision.

Founded in 1888, IRIMEE has produced several illustrious railwaymen, including current Railway Board chairman Ashwani Lohani.

"#Bihar takes strong exception to @RailMinIndia's 24 Apr order to shift prestigious #Jamalpur-based Indian Railway Institute of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering out of Munger. CM Sri @NitishKumar has asked Sri @PiyushGoyal to intervene on this regressive move (sic)," Jha tweeted.

He said the Bihar government had urged the Centre in 2015 to upgrade IRIMEE to a university but it was informed that instead, the National Academy of Railway in Vadodara was being converted into the country's first railway university and IRIMEE shall operate under it.

The government is planning to shift IRIMEE, the oldest of the five Centralised Training Institutes (CTIs) for officers of the Indian Railways, to the outskirts of Lucknow.

The minister further said that the IRIMEE represents the rich legacy of the railways and Bihar.

Its great historical linkage with Bihar needs to be strengthened and not severed, he said, adding that Goyal should intervene and ensure rescind of the "outrageous order".

IRIMEE, the oldest central training institute, has been a pride of Bihar, he said.

Jha questioned that how can such a legacy be wiped off so brazenly.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Washington: Tensions between the US and China over the origins of the coronavirus are intensifying, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo insisting there is "significant evidence" the virus began in a Wuhan laboratory as the Chinese government demanded he back up his claims.

Pompeo said the Trump administration was not certain about the origins of the coronavirus outbreak, but defended his recent claim that there was "enormous evidence" the virus originated in a Wuhan laboratory.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Credit:AP

The Chinese government on Wednesday (Thursday AEST) challenged Pompeo to back up his recent claim about there being "enormous evidence".

Speaking to reporters in Washington, Pompeo said his comments were not at odds with statements from US intelligence agencies that they were still investigating the cause of the outbreak and did not believe it was man-made.
The COVID-19 pandemic has left us with more questions than answers as we have been faced with near-daily uncertainties. In an effort to relieve parents anxieties about their childrens public school future, administrators and principals of Franklin County Public Schools hosted a Facebook live event April 25.

Sue Rogers, the school systems assistant superintendent, told the more than 600 viewers watching the event that there were three scenarios the school system was exploring for the immediate future. Should Gov. Ralph Northam allow the stay-at-home order to expire June 10, she said summer school would be open for students who need to retake a class because of a failing grade.

If summer school gets canceled, Rogers said schools would prepare instead to open for the new school year in August. Another possibility is that schools could open later than previously scheduled.

We dont have an answer of whats going to happen with the virus and with the social distancing rules, so were going to be relying on the (Virginia) Department of Health, the governor and the (Virginia) Department of Education to advise us in that area, but we will be planning for all three, Rogers said.

No doubt this will be a challenge for teachers, administrators and students. But given what theyve already faced, they should be ready for whatever might come their way.

Since March 13 when schools closed, teachers have been working tirelessly to ensure their students have the resources they need to continue their learning  from teaching via Google Classroom to loaning Chromebooks to students who dont have access to the internet.

During the forum, Franklin County Schools Superintendent Mark Church summed it up best when he said, We have an awesome teaching staff, but also we have an awesome support staff that have been able to really work hard to make sure we have had the continuity of instruction.

Acknowledging that graduation is not only a rite of passage for graduating high school seniors, but also one of the bigger events for Franklin County, FCHS Principal Jon Crutchfield pledged that a physical graduation would take place.

I think its a vital event for our seniors and I truly do believe we owe it to the class of 2020 to provide a graduation ceremony, Crutchfield said. I dont know what that will look like, but certainly were looking at a summer event.

Crutchfield is on point. Even with all the expense and hard work that goes into putting an event like graduation together, these seniors deserve to have at least that lasting memory. Plus, itll give students one final chance to say goodbye to their teachers before embarking on the next phase of their lifes journey.

Other topics discussed during the hourlong forum included school nutritionfood service coordinator Heather Snead said she anticipated the feeding program would continue until May 20 and possibly through the summerand students mental health. Christina Gibson, the school psychologist at FCHS, reassured parents and students that resources are available.

While nothing is ever 100% perfect, the dedication of these professionals to our children was certainly evident from events like this one. For that, we say thank you.
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Since the coronavirus pandemic hit the United States, data has shown that COVID-19 is disproportionately killing African Americans, and a new study has revealed just how alarming those numbers are.

According to the study released by amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, counties with large African American populations, which constitute only 22 per cent of US counties, are 'bearing the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic'.

Black counties account for only 13 per cent of the US population, but those counties account for 52 per cent of coronavirus cases and 58 per cent of COVID-19 deaths.

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According to the study released by amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, counties with large African American populations, which constitute only 22 per cent of US counties, are 'bearing the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic' (depicted above)

Black counties account for only 13 per cent of the US population but account for 52 per cent of coronavirus cases and 58 per cent of COVID-19 deaths. Counties with above average black populations shown in orange. All other counties shown in blue

'Many people have observed large and consistent disparities in COVID-19 cases and deaths among black Americans, but these observations have largely been anecdotal or have relied on incomplete data,' amfAR VP and Director of Public Policy Greg Millett, the studys lead investigator, said in the report.

'This analysis proves that county-level data can be used to gauge COVID-19 impact on black communities to inform immediate policy actions,' Millett added.

Researchers looked at coronavirus cases and deaths in more than 3,100 counties between late January to mid-April.

They found that disproportionately black counties, mostly in the South, have significantly higher rates of infection and mortality.

'COVID-19 deaths were higher in disproportionally black rural and small metro counties,' researchers wrote.

For this study, data was collected on April 13 when there were more than 547,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in the US and at least 21,634 deaths.

Researchers looked at coronavirus cases and deaths in more than 3,100 counties between late January to mid-April (depicted)

Twenty-two per cent of counties in the US have above average black populations (depicted above)

This graph shows the likelihood of COVID-19 diagnoses increase with the proportion of black residents across US counties

'The study clearly showed that COVID-19 diagnoses and deaths increased in counties with a greater proportion of black residents,' the researchers wrote.

Counties with high levels of uninsured people and crowded households were at increased risk for acquiring COVID-19, the study found.

'Collectively, these data demonstrate significantly higher rates of COVID-19 diagnoses and deaths in disproportionately black counties compared to other counties, as well as greater diabetes diagnoses, heart disease deaths, and cerebrovascular disease deaths in unadjusted analyses,' the researchers said.

The study was led by researchers at amfAR, four universities and the Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access at PATH.

In the United States, there are more than 1.2 million coronavirus cases with at least 72,000 deaths.

Among the cities where black residents have been hard-hit include Chicago, Detroit, New Orleans and Milwaukee.

In Chicago, 72 per cent of the deaths have been black residents despite them only making up 30 per cent of the city's population.

There are more than 1.2 million coronavirus cases in the US with at least 72,160 deaths

In Louisiana, where New Orleans is a major hot spot for the virus, about 70 per cent of those who have died were black.

Black people only make up 32 per cent of residents in the state.

A history of systemic racism and inequity in access to healthcare and economic opportunity has made many African Americans far more vulnerable to the virus.

Black adults suffer from higher rates of obesity, diabetes and asthma, which make them more susceptible, and also are more likely to be uninsured.

They also often report that medical professionals take their ailments less seriously when they seek treatment.

Many African Americans have service jobs such as bus drivers, pharmacy workers and grocery store employees, which have become essential during lockdowns across most of the US.

It prevents them from staying at home and increases their exposure to the virus through contact with the public - while white people across the US are more likely to have jobs where they can work from home.

President Donald Trump and the government's top infectious disease expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, acknowledged the issue during a White House briefing last mont, with Trump calling it a 'tremendous challenge', but the president is yet to launch efforts to solve it.
The state attorney general wants people whose loved ones are in New Jersey long-term care facilities to tell him about problems they have seen with care, as he and his staff investigate the high death rates at many facilities from COVID-19, he said Tuesday during Gov. Phil Murphys daily briefing.

Long-term care facilities have been especially hard hit by COVID-19, Murphy said during the news conference. I asked the attorney general to look into the matter and investigate all long-term care that has experienced larger than normal number of deaths.

They did not name the facilities being investigated so far.

Hammonton center has outsized COVID-19 infections; state can't say why HAMMONTON  Gina Acevedo knew something was amiss when she hadnt heard from her mom, a resi

The number of long-term care facilities reporting cases continues to increase, and the number of cases continues to increase along with it, Murphy said. Weve lost too many lives.

About half of the statewide 8,244 COVID-19 deaths have been associated with long-term care, he said. And some in the industry have been slow to adapt to the realities of the novel coronavirus.

We intend to hold folks accountable as we should, and we know you want us to, Murphy said.
Global warming is approaching a tipping point that during this century could reawaken an ancient climate pattern similar to El Nino in the Indian Ocean, new research led by scientists from The University of Texas at Austin has found.

If it comes to pass, floods, storms and drought are likely to worsen and become more regular, disproportionately affecting populations most vulnerable to climate change.

Computer simulations of climate change during the second half of the century show that global warming could disturb the Indian Ocean's surface temperatures, causing them to rise and fall year to year much more steeply than they do today. The seesaw pattern is strikingly similar to El Nino, a climate phenomenon that occurs in the Pacific Ocean and affects weather globally.

"Our research shows that raising or lowering the average global temperature just a few degrees triggers the Indian Ocean to operate exactly the same as the other tropical oceans, with less uniform surface temperatures across the equator, more variable climate, and with its own El Nino," said lead author Pedro DiNezio, a climate scientist at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, a research unit of the UT Jackson School of Geosciences.

According to the research, if current warming trends continue, an Indian Ocean El Nino could emerge as early as 2050.

The results, which were published May 6 in the journal Science Advances, build on a 2019 paper by many of the same authors who found evidence of a past Indian Ocean El Nino hidden in the shells of microscopic sea life, called forams, that lived 21,000 years ago -- the peak of the last ice age when the Earth was much cooler.

To show whether an Indian Ocean El Nino can occur in a warming world, the scientists analyzed climate simulations, grouping them according to how well they matched present-day observations. When global warming trends were included, the most accurate simulations were those showing an Indian Ocean El Nino emerging by 2100.

"Greenhouse warming is creating a planet that will be completely different from what we know today, or what we have known in the 20th century," DiNezio said.

The latest findings add to a growing body of evidence that the Indian Ocean has potential to drive much stronger climate swings than it does today.

Co-author Kaustubh Thirumalai, who led the study that discovered evidence of the ice age Indian Ocean El Nino, said that the way glacial conditions affected wind and ocean currents in the Indian Ocean in the past is similar to the way global warming affects them in the simulations.

"This means the present-day Indian Ocean might in fact be unusual," said Thirumalai, who is an assistant professor at the University of Arizona.

The Indian Ocean today experiences very slight year-to-year climate swings because the prevailing winds blow gently from west to east, keeping ocean conditions stable. According to the simulations, global warming could reverse the direction of these winds, destabilizing the ocean and tipping the climate into swings of warming and cooling akin to the El Nino and La Nina climate phenomena in the Pacific Ocean. The result is new climate extremes across the region, including disruption of the monsoons over East Africa and Asia.

Thirumalai said that a break in the monsoons would be a significant concern for populations dependent on the regular annual rains to grow their food.

For Michael McPhaden, a physical oceanographer at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who pioneered research into tropical climate variability, the paper highlights the potential for how human-driven climate change can unevenly affect vulnerable populations.

"If greenhouse gas emissions continue on their current trends, by the end of the century, extreme climate events will hit countries surrounding the Indian Ocean, such as Indonesia, Australia and East Africa with increasing intensity," said McPhaden, who was not involved in the study. "Many developing countries in this region are at heightened risk to these kinds of extreme events even in the modern climate."

###

The research was funded by a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant under the NSF Paleoclimate Program.
Neither Mr. Yang nor Mr. Sanders had taken formal action to remove himself from the ballot, the judge added. And although she acknowledged that protecting the public from the spread of the virus was an important state interest, she wrote that the Court is not convinced that canceling the presidential primary would meaningfully advance that interest  at least not to the degree as would justify the burdensome impingement on the plaintiffs rights.

Even though he suspended his campaign, Mr. Sanders had repeatedly pleaded for his supporters to vote for him, arguing that the more delegates he could amass, the greater leverage he would have over policy discussions with Mr. Biden and the Democratic platform.

But progressives around New York also sounded the alarm that canceling the presidential primary could have an outsize impact on their turnout. The presence of Mr. Sanders, a galvanizing force for progressives around the country, on top of the ticket was likely to drive more turnout for down-ballot races, they said.

Jeff Weaver, who served as a senior adviser on the Sanders campaign, said he was overjoyed at the judges decision and said the Sanders legal team had coordinated with Mr. Yangs legal team.

These primaries are not just for nominating a candidate for president, but they are also for electing delegates who are going to decide the platform of the party, who are going to decide the rules of the party, Mr. Weaver said. He pointed to Mr. Sanderss 2016 delegates as essential to the partys overhaul of its superdelegate system as an example.

He also called for the State Legislature in New York to meet and pass a new law vastly expanding vote-by-mail, and to use the primary as a testing ground for an all-vote-by-mail system in New York State.

Though the initial decision was made by the independent Board of Elections, and Mr. Cuomo did not directly weigh in during deliberations, liberal groups like Our Revolution, a Sanders-aligned outside group, saw the invisible hand of the governor. Absent the reversal, Larry Cohen, the chair of Our Revolution, had vowed to wage a floor fight at the Democratic National Convention.
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Linkedin Nina A. Loasana (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 6, 2020 07:35 623 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd63464e 1 National COVID-19-in-Indonesia,survey,over-capacity,hospital,NGO,fasilitas-kesehatan,LBH-Jakarta,YLBHI Free

A recent survey conducted by several NGOs suggests that the vast majority of Indonesians are concerned about overcapacity at medical facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NGOs are Amrta Institute, Lokataru Foundation, Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) and Rujak Center for Urban Studies.

"Of the 1,100 respondents, 88.4 percent said they were afraid that medical facilities could not accommodate those who were sick," Nila Ardhianie, the director of the Amrta Institute, said in an online press conference on Monday.

Nila explained that this concern stemmed from the fact that the government had not conducted enough testing for COVID-19.

"Indonesia has a very low testing rate compared to other countries, even in Southeast Asia. Singapore and Brunei have tested around 3 percent of their population, while Indonesia has tested less than 0.1 percent, 0.0318 percent to be exact," she said.

Read also: COVID-19 pandemic exposes problems in our health care, Jokowi says

The lack of testing has made the public wary that the real number of COVID-19 cases in the country is much larger than the data published by the government.

"At the moment we can only test around 3,000 specimens a day. This means we need around three months just to test all of our patients under surveillance and people being monitored," she said.

"Another impact of the lack of tests is that people with the coronavirus are not aware that they have been infected so they still travel around freely and transmit the disease to other people."

According to Nila, respondents of the survey had expressed hope that the government could carry out more tests and move swiftly to handle the COVID-19 outbreak.

"The data show that respondents wished the government could carry out more tests, give transparent and consistent information about COVID-19 patients, including their contact tracing. They also hoped the government could be more strict in imposing the mudik [mass exodus] ban and even advise lockdowns in red zones," she said.

Read also: Non-coronavirus patients grow wary as hospital crisis looms

The respondents, she said, also wanted the government to immediately deliver social aid to affected families.

"The economic impact of the pandemic has also become a huge concern for the respondents. Thirty three percent of the respondents who rented houses said they had begun to struggle to pay the rent. Seventeen percent of respondents also said they had been laid off from their jobs," said Nila.
SAN FRANCISCO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The global dry-cleaning & laundry services market size is anticipated to reach USD 79.91 billion by 2027, expanding at a CAGR of 3.4% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Rising awareness regarding cleanliness and personal hygiene amongst the consumers is expected to escalate the growth of market in coming years.

Key suggestions from the report:

Laundry services are projected to expand at the fastest CAGR of 3.8% over the forecast period owing to consumers' inclination towards casual clothing, hence limiting the need for dry-cleaning services for formal business clothes and other specialty clothes

The residential application segment is projected to register the highest CAGR of 3.7% over the forecast period due to increasing number of working households demanding dry-cleaning and laundry services at economical value

Some of the key players operating in the global market are Alliance Laundry Systems LLC; The Huntington Company; ZIPS Dry Cleaners; Alsco Pty Limited; and Rinse, Inc.

Read 80 page research report with TOC on "Dry-cleaning & Laundry Services Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Services (Laundry, Dry Cleaning, Duvet Clean), By Application, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2020 - 2027'' at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/dry-cleaning-laundry-services-market

Dry-cleaning and laundry services provide the convenience required by the customers at an economical amount. Rapidly evolving city lifestyle appears to be a crucial factor driving the demand for such services. Working population living in the city have a busy lifestyle and they find fewer time to run their household chores. As this population consider doing laundry as a hectic and time-consuming task, they prefer opting for various laundry services. Moreover, women who are working full time to support their family are hardly getting enough time to do their laundry. They are increasingly considering dry-cleaning and laundry services as their prime option for cleaning their clothes. These factors are expected to drive the demand for these services during the forecast period.

In addition, increasing professional workers who wear business clothes, such as suits and jackets, can't be washed with traditional process and require professional cleaning to maintain their quality and lifespan. This factor is driving demand for dry-cleaning services, which is further expected to fuel the growth of market during the forecast period.

The laundry segment accounted for more than half of the share in the market in 2019. Consumers' inclination towards casual clothing, thus reducing the need for dry cleaning, is driving this segment. Moreover, frequency of washing casual or everyday clothes is higher than duvet and dry cleaning. Hence, laundry service is projected to expand at the highest CAGR over the forecast period.

Asia Pacific led the market in 2019 and will continue to enjoy its leading position during the forecast period. Growing working population, coupled with increasing spending on dry-cleaning and laundry services, is expected to propel the growth of dry-cleaning and laundry services market during the forecast period.

Grand View Research has segmented the global dry-cleaning & laundry services market based on services, application, and region:

Dry-cleaning & Laundry Services Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

Laundry



Dry Cleaning



Duvet Clean

Dry-cleaning & Laundry Services Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

Residential



Commercial

Dry-cleaning & Laundry Services Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

North America



New York





U.S. (Excluding N.Y.)



Europe



Germany





U.K.



Asia Pacific



China





India



Central & South America



Brazil



Middle East & Africa

&

South Africa

Find more research reports on Homecare & Decor Industry, by Grand View Research:

Laundry Detergent Market  The global laundry detergent market size was valued at USD 133.3 billion in 2016. The rising penetration of washing machines in the developing economies is likely to be key driver for demand over the forecast period.

in 2016. The rising penetration of washing machines in the developing economies is likely to be key driver for demand over the forecast period. Online Laundry Service Market  The global online laundry service market size was valued at USD 13.3billion in 2018. Rising demand for convenient laundry with less investment will boost the product demand in the market.

in 2018. Rising demand for convenient laundry with less investment will boost the product demand in the market. Laundry Detergent Pods Market  The global laundry detergent pods market size was valued at USD 9.04 billion in 2018. The product has shown a sharp growth in demand over the years owing to the convenience of measurement it offers during laundry.

Gain access to Grand View Compass, our BI enabled intuitive market research database of 10,000+ reports

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead.

Contact:

Sherry James

Corporate Sales Specialist, USA

Grand View Research, Inc.

Phone: +1-415-349-0058

Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519

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SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc.
Princess Eugenie has encouraged her followers to support the 'wonderful' clothing label who crafted her bridesmaid dresses and are now creating masks for children.

Taking to Instagram, the royal, 30, posted snaps of two different colourful floral masks, writing: 'The wonderful @Amaiakids who made the little outfits for my bridesmaids and pageboys are making and donating children's masks.'

She went on to encourage followers to 'get in touch' with the brand if they were in need at 'hospitals, charities and schools.'

Amaia Kids, whose shop is located in Princess Eugenie's stomping ground of Chelsea Green, has long counted royals including the Duchess of Cambridge, 38, among its well-heeled clients.

Princess Eugenie, 30, lent her support to children's brand Amaia Kids, who made her bridesmaid and page boy garments for her October 2018 wedding to husband Jack Brooksbank

The royal shared a snap of one of the brand's masks on her Instagram stories and encouraged followers to 'get in touch' with the label if in need

Princess Eugenie shared the snaps supporting the brand yesterday, posting a picture of a colourful pink floral mask on her social media account and tagging the label.

The royal went on to share a second mask red, white and blue floral mask on her account, commenting: 'Thankyou Amaia London.'

The brand went on to repost Princess Eugenie's story, writing: 'For every mask sold, we make two for charities and hospitals.'

The cotton masks, which are available for children and adults on Amaia's website, cost between 12 to 15 online.

Princess Eugenie went on to share a second snap of a mask by the brand which featured a pretty floral pattern

The masks are described as reusable and come with five filter refills for 'extra security and longer mask duration.'

The brand suggests users 'get ready to get out in style' with the cotton floral pieces.

Prince George and Princess Charlotte stole the show as they joined the bridal party at Princess Eugenie's wedding to Jack Brooksbank in October 2018.

Princess Eugenie selected the beloved brand to dress her bridesmaids and pageboys at her October 2018 wedding (pictured, Prince George and Princess Charlotte)

Joined by cousins Savannah and Isla Phillips, and Mia Tindall, five-year-old George and three-year-old Charlotte wore uniforms designed by Amaia Arrieta of Amaia Kids.

Kate Middleton regularly dresses Prince George, six, Princess Charlotte, five, and Prince Louis, two, in pieces from the store.

The label is one that Kate has turned to on many occasions, most notably for her daughter's first official portrait.

It comes days after Princess Eugenie shared a previously unseen snap from her wedding to husband Jack Brooksbank as she wished him a happy birthday on Sunday. Pictured, the couple on their wedding day in October 2018

The royal simply wrote: 'Happy Birthday my love' - and the post was quickly flooded with comments from well-wishers (pictured)

Kate also dressed Prince George in the brand for his first official portrait in 2014. In his charming Christmas portrait, the 16-month-old wore a pair of corduroy shorts and socks by Amaia Kids.

Princess Eugenie's post comes days after she shared an unseen snap from their wedding day in October 2018, along with a second more casual photograph of him with his back to the camera, and simply wrote: 'Happy Birthday my love... xx'

Her mother, Sarah Ferguson, 60, also took to social media to send her birthday wishes to her son-in-law, and posted a stunning picture from their wedding reception.

Sarah Ferguson, 60, also took to social media to wish her 'James Bond' son-in-law a happy 34th birthday

The Duchess of York penned: 'Happy Birthday my "James Bond" son-in-law...you are such a huge heart of goodness

The Duchess of York penned: 'Happy Birthday my "James Bond" son-in-law .. you are such a huge heart of goodness.'

In the picture, Princess Eugenie can be seen wearing the stunning peach-hued gown by Zac Posen which she wore to her evening reception, after opting for a white low-back dress by Peter Pilotto for her church wedding.

Jack celebrated his birthday at Royal Lodge in Windsor as the couple, who usually reside at Ivy Cottage in the grounds of Kensington Palace, have been staying at the Duke of York's home amid the lockdown.
Ever since the Verzuz music series kicked off between Swizz Beatz and Timbaland, fans have seen battles between a number of their favorite artists and producers.

Many of them, such as Babyface and Teddy Riley, are legends in the industry. May 9 will see sister-friends Erykah Badu and Jill Scott play their own hits for Verzuz, marking the first one featuring women.

But during the past few weeks of these battles, fans and artists alike have been wishing for their own hypothetical matchups, and not all of them are getting the thumbs up.

Recently, Khia took to social media and suggested she and rapper Trina go head-to-head. Trina gave it an emphatic No!

Trina performing at ONE Music Fest | Paras Griffin/Getty Images; Khia | Prince Williams/FilmMagic/Getty Images

What Khia said about a Trina battle

In a now viral clip, one of Khias fans explained what a Verzuz battle is to over the phone, and she laughs and wonders aloud who she should go up against. The caller spits out rappers Trinas name, and Khia rolls with it, challenging her to a musical duel.

You want to have a hit battle, b****? Ive got 285 hits to put on youre a**!

Both Khia and Trina hail from the Florida music scene, but Khia has a history of roasting the Miami emcee that goes back years. With that in mind, this wouldnt be a friendly celebration at all.

I miss lying and saying Im 10 mins away  What do you guys miss? #QuarantineLife pic.twitter.com/atjGUXCdUd  TRINA (@TRINArockstarr) April 27, 2020

Responses to Khia were fast and furious

People were divided about Khias declaration, and many sided with Trina while questioning the amount of hits Khia has in her discography.

Shes mostly known for My Neck, My Back and appearing on VH1s Miss Rap Supreme, but fans who defended her point out that she has an extensive track list with club bangers that could rival Trinas.

Many others were not on board and dragged Khia for comparing her catalogue to Trinas work. Twitter users joked that Khia only had one hit and the battle would be over before it started. Most wanted to know about her 285 songs and laughed off the idea that she could beat Trina.

One person wrote, Theres a difference between 285 hits and plays, Miss Mamas. Another added, She made 285 songs?! These cracks are still the prevailing commentary.

Based on the history between the two women, some said they want to see them square up only because it would turn into a messy verbal brawl. They dont like each other at all. Trina has her own thoughts on the idea.

Trina is not interested in a Khia face-off

Aware of Khias proposal, Trina took a few seconds to sound off on what Khia said in the clip and what fans think. She is not happy that theres even a discussion.

During an appearance on Miamis 99Jamz radio station, Trina made it clear the very notion of someone whos not on her level career-wise is beneath her. Catch it.

Im not stepping off my throne to address no bum, no chicks that are beneath me, and nobody that has not worked as hard as I worked for anything. So when you girlsor whatever you want to beare calling my name, you wanna battle, you wanna do all of this, first of all, make sure you have 10 hits.

With those shots fired, it is clear that there will never be a Verzuz battle with Trina and Khia. Khia has not responded to Trina or the backlash.
Domestic manufacturers have reached the capacity of producing nearly 2.5 lakh PPE and 2 lakh N-95 masks per day which is sufficient to meet the country's requirement in dealing with the novel coronavirus pandemic in the near future, the Group of Ministers (GoM) on COVID-19 has been informed.

New Delhi: Domestic manufacturers have reached the capacity of producing nearly 2.5 lakh PPE and 2 lakh N-95 masks per day which is sufficient to meet the country's requirement in dealing with the novel coronavirus pandemic in the near future, the Group of Ministers (GoM) on COVID-19 has been informed.

The GoM, which held its 14th meeting under the chairmanship of Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday, discussed various aspects pertaining to the performance, impact and benefits of the Aarogya Setu application.

It also highlighted the need for ensuring stringent measures for quality control of personal protection equipment (PPE), masks, ventilators among others.

The GoM was informed that close to 9 crore users had downloaded the Aarogya Setu app as on 4 May.

"People have informed about their health status on the application which has helped in tracing those suffering with any symptoms for COVID-19 containment, a statement from the health ministry said.

The GoM was also informed that a mechanism has been devised to reach out to the people who have landline or featured phones through Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) in local languages for better results," it said.

Vardhan said the use of technology is integral for the containment strategy and is helping the states to manage the deadly disease in a more effective manner.

Random batch sampling for ensuring compliance and adherence to quality standards was also stressed upon by the GoM, the statement said.

It said a detailed presentation on the present status of COVID-19 cases globally and within the country was made to the GoM, and states were asked to follow and further strengthen their contingency plans to combat the infection on the basis of classification of districts.

Several other measures about strengthening capacity of states, including devoting adequate resources for creating dedicated COVID-19 hospitals, equipping medical institutions with adequate number of PPE, ventilators, and other essential equipment, were also discussed at the meeting.

The GoM was apprised that the death rate of COVID-19 patients is around 3.2 percent, while the recovery rate is more than 25 percent, which may be taken as a positive effect of the lockdown in the country along with the cluster management and containment strategy, the statement said.

The GoM was also informed that genome sequencing of strains of the novel coronavirus isolated from patients in different parts of the country has been initiated.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, chairman of the Empowered Group -11 informed the GoM that they are monitoring and supervising the strategic issues arriving out of the measures taken so far in containing the pandemic.

He also apprised the GoM that at different stages during the lockdown, decisions on graded liberalisation were taken after consultations with stakeholders, cutting across various ministries and other Empowered Groups, the statement said.

A presentation was made by Ajay Sawhney, Secretary, MeitY, and chairman of Empowered Group-9, dealing with technology solutions and data management for combating COVID-19, the statement said.

The GoM was also told that under the Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) as on 4 May, 29.38 lakh MT of foodgrain has been distributed to 58.77 crore beneficiaries by 36 states/UTs as first month (April) entitlement.

A total of 5.82 lakh MT of foodgrain has been distributed to 11.63 crore beneficiaries by 20 states and UTs as second month (May) entitlement so far, the statement said.

In total, 66.08 lakh MT food grain has been lifted by 36 states and UTs from the Food Corporation of India so far, it said.

An amount of Rs 6,868.74 crore has been transferred to Ujjwala (PMUY) beneficiaries. Also, 4.98 crore PMUY cylinders have been booked and 4.72 crores have been delivered during April-May.

The financial sanction for 8.18 crore beneficiaries (farmers) at Rs 2,000 each has been generated during 2020-21 and Rs 16,364 crore have been released under DBT cash transfers to farmers during the same period, the statement added.

As support for senior citizens, widows, and divyang', the first installment of funds at Rs 500 per beneficiary has been released to 2.812 crore accounts of eligible beneficiaries, amounting to Rs 1,405 crore. The next installment of Rs 500 will go in the second fortnight, the statement said.

As on date, 20.05 crore Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana accounts of women are being credited with Rs 500 per account as cash transfers under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyana Package ( PMGKP). Besides, 9.27 lakh members of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) had availed the facility of online withdrawal amounting to Rs 2,895 crore, it added.
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Washington, DC - Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State: "As we work together to defeat the coronavirus at home, the United States stands with our global partners in their time of need, as we always have. A healthier world means a healthier United States.

"For more than a half century, the United States has been the largest contributor to global health security and humanitarian assistance, saving lives all over the planet. The United States led the fight against Ebola, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other infectious diseases, as well as humanitarian responses around the globe, including the current crises in Venezuela and Syria.

"Today, the United States continues to demonstrate global leadership in response to the COVID -19 pandemic, with an additional $128 million in global health and humanitarian assistance.

"This enhanced commitment brings our total to more than $900 million in life-saving global health, humanitarian, and economic assistance to more than 120 countries to-date.

"The funding announced today includes $100 million in global health funding to support virus prevention, detection, and control. The remaining $28 million announced today will also help prevent the spread of COVID-19 among vulnerable refugees and migrants, including through the provision of humanitarian assistance.

"Even while battling the virus on the home-front, the American people remain the worlds greatest humanitarians. Together, private American businesses, nonprofits, charities, and individuals have provided nearly $4 billion in donations and assistance, in addition to government aid. All together, Americans have provided nearly $6.5 billion in government and non-government assistance and donations to the global COVID-19 response, accounting for nearly 60% of global totals.

"The United States continues to welcome high-quality, transparent, no-strings-attached contributions from every donor in the world to help fight this pandemic."
Epidemiologist Neil Ferguson, whose research and modelling prompted the Boris Johnson government to impose lockdown in March, resigned on Wednesday from a key committee after it was revealed that he flouted social distancing rules, and may face police action.

A professor in Imperial College London, Ferguson was reportedly visited by a woman friend twice during the lockdown. Catherine Calderwood, chief medical officer of Scotland, had resigned in April after it was revealed she visited her second home during the lockdown.

Ferguson was a member of the influential Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, which has been meeting daily and contributing to the government response to the coronavirus pandemic. The police have been given new powers to enforce lockdown curbs.

Health secretary Matt Hancock said Ferguson had made the right decision to resign, adding he would support police action against the expert. According to him, flouting the lockdown rules by Ferguson was extraordinary, and left him speechless.

Prof Ferguson is a very, very eminent and impressive scientist and the science hes done has been an important part of what weve listened to, and I think he took the right decision to resign, Hancock said.

Johnson faced Prime Ministers Questions in the House of Commons for the first time after recovering from coronavirus on Wednesday, when Labour leader Keir Starmer subjected him to forensic questioning.

Starmer alleged that the government had been slow to lockdown, slow to test, slow to trace and slow on providing personal protection equipment, which led to the UK registering the worst death toll in Europe.

Johnson acknowledged that the capacity to test in initial stages was limited: Its easier to do now on the way out than it was as the epidemic took off. And I think most people with common sense can see the particular problems we had at the time. He set a new target of 200,000 tests a day by the end of May.

Meanwhile, chancellor Rishi Sunak indicated that the wage-subsidy scheme to pay 80 per cent of furloughed staff up to a limit of 2,500 pounds per month from March to June is likely to be wound down as part of plans to remove lockdown measures.

As the number of UK jobless due to the pandemic grew, Johnson told MPs he would announce plans to gradually ease lockdown measures on Sunday.

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ALBANY  The state Board of Elections will appeal a federal judge's ruling that New York must host its Democratic presidential primary as previously scheduled on June 23, officials said.

"Were very disappointed that the judge has placed an uncontested contest for president above the health and safety of the voting public and the poll workers who would have to administer that election," Doug Kellner, the board's Democratic co-chair, said on Wednesday.

The board's Democratic commissioners had called off the primary late last month after removing all candidates from the ballot except former Vice President Joe Biden. They cited the suspension of all other presidential campaigns, as well as safety concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic, saying that canceling the contest would significantly reduce large crowds at the polls.

The move immediately sparked backlash from progressives  especially supporters of Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders  who said scrapping the election would strip candidates of earned delegates that would shape the Democratic Party's platform at the national convention (or its virtual equivalent) in August. A judge for a U.S. District Court in New York agreed with those supporters late Tuesday, deciding that canceling the primary would be unconstitutional and deprive New Yorkers of their right to vote.

"If all but one of the presidential candidates are removed from the ballot and the primary is not held, Delegate Plaintiffs will be deprived of the opportunity to compete for delegate slots and shape the course of events at the Convention, and voters will lose the chance to express their support for delegates who share their views," Judge Analisa Torres wrote. "The loss of these First Amendment rights is a heavy hardship."

The board has enough time between now and June 23 to plan a safe election, she added. The same date will be used to select candidates for the state Legislature and U.S. Congress, as well as hold a special election to fill a House seat in a Buffalo-area Congressional district.

State Attorney General Letitia James said in a court filing Wednesday afternoon that the board will move forward to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. There's no definitive timeline for the appeal yet, but "obviously, this is an urgent matter, and they will be asking the court to expedite the appeal and grant interim emergency relief," Kellner said.

Election officials have discussed contingency plans in the event that the court does not overturn the decision, Kellner said, and will send out presidential primary absentee ballots in the next several weeks if there are no changes.

The judge's decision came in response to legal challenges filed by former presidential candidate Andrew Yang and pledged delegates for both Yang and Sanders, who argued that the cancellation infringed on the rights of more than 6 million New Yorkers who vote in the Democratic primary. Yang wrote on Twitter after the decision Tuesday night that he hoped the state Board of Elections would walk away with "a newfound appreciation of their role in safeguarding democracy."

Meanwhile, progressives lauded the ruling and said it would boost the number of delegates supporting Medicare for All and measures to address climate change.

The BOE should not respond to our public health crisis by canceling elections  but instead by ensuring all New York voters have a safe and effective means to vote," New York Working Families Party State Director Sochie Nnaemeka said in a statement Tuesday.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, who has not formally endorsed anyone for the presidency but is a longtime friend and supporter of Biden, had repeatedly declined to weigh in on the cancellation ahead of time. Asked about the ruling Wednesday, he said elections would go on as mandated by the court, and the state is moving forward with plans to shift as many voters as possible to the use of absentee ballots.

Jay Jacobs, the head of New York's Democratic Party (which is not involved in the lawsuit), said he continues to back the commissioners' decision to cancel the primary.

"I think, as a matter of policy, the commissioners were right to try and protect the health and safety of poll workers and voters, and I hope they choose to appeal," Jacobs said Wednesday.

Jacobs said he would "absolutely" get behind a plan to allocate some delegates to Sanders even without a primary, but would not offer the same support for Yang, who he said had only won a handful of delegates when he was actively campaigning.
Ralph Jump (left and right) was killed in the water buffalo attack, while daughter Isabel (centre) suffered leg injuries. (Wales News)

A man has died and two people have been left with serious injuries after they were attacked by a water buffalo, police in Wales said.

Businessman Ralph Jump, 57, was crushed to death, while his 19-year-old son was left fighting for his life and his 22-year-old daughter was seriously injured when the giant animal rampaged at their village farm.

Emergency services were called to a commercial property in Gwehelog, Monmouthshire, at about 2.50pm on Tuesday after it was reported that two men and a woman had been attacked by the animal.

Jump, a managing director of heating company Wunda Group, rented the idyllic country farm to start a sustainable buffalo soap business with his family.

One person was killed by a rampaging water buffalo in Wales. (Wales News)

The dad-of-three  known as Jon  hand-reared the buffalo at their three-acre farm along with his youngest two children.

Daughter Isabel, 22, organised sales of hand-wrapped bars of scented soap  and the Bufalina Soap Company started selling them last year ahead of Christmas.

But their business dreams were shattered when one of the buffalo went on the rampage at their picturesque farm in the Wye Vallley.

Read more from Yahoo News UK:

Coronavirus: How does the NHS contact tracing app work?

Coronavirus: Italy 'could be heading for deadlier second peak'

Billions of people will live in 'barely survivable' conditions within 50 years

Jump was dead by the time police arrived and his son needed to be airlifted to hospital, where he is said to be "critical".

Daughter Isabel suffered leg injuries but is expected to recover.

Her mother Jo is being comforted by friends after the tragedy.

A commercial property in Gwehelog, Monmouthshire, where a man has died and two people have been injured after being attacked by a water buffalo. (PA)

The buffalo has now been put down.

A friend said: "Jon spent all his life in a shirt and tie but loved pulling on his wellies to get stuck in at the farm. He was as happy as anything there."

The Jump family rented the farmland from the Pontypool Park Estate. A spokesman said: "It is a terrible tragedy and we feel for them.

"The Jumps are very nice people and we feel desperately sorry for them."

Story continues

A neighbour said the farms herd of water buffalo was a familiar sight and the animals were often seen in the fields with the horses.

They added the creatures always appeared to be quite quiet, and that the owners had been seen stroking them.

The family moved to the farm called Upper Berthllwyd about six years ago before introducing the buffalo over the last few years.

Another neighbour said: "You couldn't hope to meet nicer people. Their soap is very nice and they loved making it.

"This is such a quiet area and it was a terrible shock when ambulances and police suddenty turned up with an air ambulance helicopter too. It is a terrible shock."

A spokeswoman for Gwent Police said: "We received a report of an incident at a commercial property in Gwehelog, Monmouthshire, at around 2.50pm on Tuesday 5 May, after two men and a woman were attacked by a water buffalo.

"A 57-year-old man from the Gwehelog area was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics from Wales Ambulance Service.

A neighbour said the herd of water buffalo were a familiar sight on the farm. (Wales News)

"A 19-year-old man from the Gwehelog area sustained critical injuries during the incident. He has been taken to the University Hospital for Wales for treatment by the Welsh Air Ambulance.

"A 22-year-old woman from the Gwehelog area sustained a serious injury to her leg. Her injuries are not thought to be critical and she has been taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital for treatment by the Wales Ambulance Service.

"The water buffalo has been destroyed.

"Officers received assistance from the National Police Air Service (NPAS) at the scene."

Yahoo News UK has reached out to Wunda Group for a comment on Jumps death but their offices remain closed during the coronavirus lockdown.

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Apple and Google will limit contact tracing data extraction and require health authorities to sign legal documents before accessing APIs.

Apple and Google set limits for contact tracing

To access APIs for Apple and Googles exposure notification (the name of Apple and Googles contact tracing solution), health authorities will sign legal documents agreeing to certain conditions. Health authorities cannot access location data, nor can they ask users for access to their location data. This is a big stipulation for health authorities, as it protects users who opt-in to the exposure notification tracking.

Users will have to agree to certain data extraction at various stages in the process, giving them the right to opt-out at any time. Contrary to apps of the past, users wont have to always agree to give information over to developers and companies. The API will only work for one app per country/region. This denies health authorities the ability to mine more information on two or more apps.

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Apps must limit the user data they mine from user interaction. Apps must not be data-hungry. Last but never least, apps must only exist for the sake of aiding in the coronavirus pandemic effort. After the COVID-19 war is past, apps must be done away with. They cannot remain past the COVID-19 war and they cannot target users with ads.

Why the limits?

Health authorities may find that the conditions for app creation (per Apple and Google) are a bit tough. And they are. These limits are designed to prevent health authorities from mining more information than they should. Both Apple and Google want their exposure notification tracking API to benefit the pandemic and honor user privacy simultaneously. Whenever stipulations are not in place, companies mine far more data than they should.

Google is learning this with its Android 10 update from last Fall. In the Android 10 update, Google gives users the ability to limit how much information they share with companies. Users can now limit how long they give up location data, for instance. Health authorities dont need a users location data, since the goal of contact tracing is anonymity for users. Users cannot know that Billy Bob who lives next door has COVID-19, any more than that individual could have access to a users HIV/AIDS information. Anonymity protects users and honors their medical privacy rights.

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Exposure Notification Tracking: How it works

Exposure notification tracking utilizes Bluetooth keys to detect when phones are in proximity to one another. Users must opt-in to put the notification tracking to use. Once users opt-in to the technology, their Bluetooth will work to detect those with whom they come in contact. Exposure notification only works with the aid of users. A user must report to an app that he or she is sick with COVID-19. At that point, users with whom the individual has come in contact will be notified via Bluetooth. They will receive an exposure notification, hence the name of Google and Apples technology.

Google and Apple have said that the numbers representing individuals will be randomly generated and change often, enforcing anonymity. The partnering companies have released an early version of the technology to developers. Both companies will update their operating systems, then leave it to developers to create apps that utilize its contact tracing.
Basic but grim arithmetic implies that if we move from lockdown even 20 percent of the way back to normal life, the epidemic will again be potentially explosive. (For example, if we are currently at an R0 of 0.9, and assuming that the R0 without any distancing is 2.5, then returning to 20 percent of normal would take the R0 to 1.22, clearly in the danger zone.) This is very worrying as the president and many other political leaders seem to be encouraging substantial reversals in lockdown policies.
FLINT, MI  The U.S. Marshals Service Detroit Fugitive Apprehension Team is now offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of a father and son being sought for the shooting death of a security guard at a Flint store.

Calvin James Munerlyn, 43, of Flint was shot May 1 at the Family Dollar store off East Fifth Avenue following an alleged verbal altercation with 45-year-old Sharmel Teague after he told the womans daughter she needed to wear a mask while inside.

Munerlyn told the mother to leave the store and instructed a cashier not to serve her, according to investigative reports of the incident turned over to Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton.

Sharmel Teague left the store after the verbal altercation in a red GMC Envoy, but Leyton said she returned 20 minutes later with her husband, 44-year-old Larry Teague Jr., who accused Munerlyn of disrespecting his wife.

The couples 23-year-old son Ramonyea Bishop also traveled to the store.

Bishop is believed to have shot Munerlyn in the back of the head, officials said. Munerlyn was transported to Hurley Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased a short time later.

Security guard dies after shooting at Family Dollar in Flint

Bishop and Larry Teague managed to make a getaway from the store on foot after the shooting and have been on the run ever since.

Sharmel Teague was arraigned Tuesday, May 5 in Genesee District Court on first-degree murder and felony firearm charges. She is being held in the Genesee County Jail without bond and faces life in prison on the murder charge.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton told MLive-The Flint Journal Sharmel Teague had come to the Flint Police Department as a witness after the shooting, but she was taken into custody there.

Woman arraigned in fatal shooting of Flint security guard over face mask

This senseless act of violence, and the loss of human life over someone doing their job is despicable, said Mark Jankowski, Acting U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Michigan. The United States Marshals Service, and the Michigan State Police will bring these two to justice and they will answer for their crimes.

At a Tuesday, May 5 press conference, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer offered her condolences to Munerlyns family.

It is incredible the people that continue to show up to work to protect everyone else and it is incredibly sad that in this crisis that this life was lost, she said.

Gov. Whitmer offers condolences to family of Flint security guard killed over mask dispute

Leyton announced Monday afternoon that he is also seeking murder and felony firearm charges against Bishop and Larry Teague, who also faces a charge for violation of the governors order which calls for people to wear masks while inside an enclosed building.

They must know that theyre being sought. They are armed and dangerous, said Leyton. We will bring them to justice.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Bishop or Larry Teague is asked to contact the U.S. Marshals Service Tip line at 866-865-TIPS(8477) or text a tip to https://www.usmarshals.gov/tips/.

3 charged in fatal shooting of guard enforcing mask use at Flint store

Crime Stoppers of Flint & Genesee County is also offering a reward of up to $1,000 for each suspect in the case. Tips can anonymously be left at 1-800-422-5245, on the P3TIPS mobile app, or online at CrimeStoppersofFlint.com.

Videos, photos, and audio can be submitted via the Crime Stoppers app or website.

Only tips received through Crime Stoppers that help lead to a felony arrest are eligible for a cash reward.
Dallas, TX, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Associa, the industrys largest community management company, has distributed its fourth round of COVID-19 relief grants as part of $250,000 donated through Associas national non-profit, Associa Cares.

The company has begun issuing community-based grants to local organizations serving at-risk groups in Texas, Nevada, Michigan, Hawaii, Oklahoma, and Washington, DC. The financial support was provided to programs including the Judson Center, San Antonio Good Bank, SHARE Village Las Vegas, Hawaii Meals on Wheels, Inc., the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, and Feeding America.

Associa Cares is continuing our commitment to serving those in need by distributing another round of relief grants to organizations across North America, stated Andrew Fortin, Associa Cares president. We remain steadfast in helping others and serving each community during these challenging times, especially with the current health crisis financially impacting so many.

To donate to Associa Cares or to apply for assistance, please visit our website at http://www.associacares.org.

Associa Cares is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization created to assist families and communities in crisis as a result of natural and man-made disasters. Through donations raised from Associa employees and at fundraising events across the country, Associa Cares is able to provide direct financial relief to those affected by these types of tragedies.



With more than 200 branch offices across North America, Associa delivers unsurpassed management and lifestyle services to nearly five million residents worldwide. Our 10,000+ team members lead the industry with unrivaled education, expertise and trailblazing innovation. For more than 40 years, Associa has provided solutions designed to help communities achieve their vision. To learn more, visit www.associaonline.com.



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ISLAMABAD : Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday claimed that India could use the current tension to launch a "false flag operation" against his country on the pretext of infiltration.

Khan took to Twitter after India said Pakistan was behind the unrest in Kashmir, leading to a spike in the verbal duel between the two sides.

"I have been warning the world about India's continuing efforts to find a pretext for a false flag operation targeting Pakistan. Latest baseless allegations by India of infiltration across LoC are a continuation of this dangerous agenda," Khan tweeted.

Khan also claimed that the violence in Kashmir was local.

He once again accused India's ruling party of following policies that could imperil the peace of South Asia. The international community must act before India's reckless moves jeopardise peace & security in South Asia," he said.

Pakistan Muslims League-Nawaz president and Leader of the Opposition in parliament Shehbaz Sharif also fired a salvo against India.

"Allegation of 'terror launching pads' by India is meant to whip up propaganda against Pakistan!" he said.

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Accused of sexually molesting a boy he taught before he become a priest, Paul Calamari walked into New Orleans Archbishop Alfred Hughes office on Feb. 5, 2004, to discuss what might be ahead.

The Catholic church had only recently been rocked by the sexual-abuse scandal in Boston. Bishops across the U.S. were dealing with allegations in their dioceses, and New Orleans was no different. Calamari ultimately chose to retire, and he began receiving a monthly pension of $1,566 from the archdiocese  which later rose to more than $2,500 a month, according to court records.

The archdiocese slashed the amount by several hundred dollars during the spring of 2019, citing significant budget issues.

But after the archdiocese petitioned for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last week, U.S. District Judge Meredith Grabill ordered the organization to stop paying priests who  like Calamari  are credibly accused child molesters.

After 1st bankruptcy hearing, Archdiocese of New Orleans is told whom it can, can't pay for now A federal judge said Monday that the Archdiocese of New Orleans can keep its lights on, but she held off on other decisions as the first heari

The archdiocese, which said its need for bankruptcy protection was due to the numerous clergy abuse lawsuits it faced as well as the coronavirus pandemic, hasnt said how many priests were in Calamaris position or how much money theyve paid out over the years.

But at least three priests have been described by the archdiocese as both retired and credibly suspected of sexually preying on children. And archdiocesan policies show all retired priests  regardless of their circumstances  are entitled to insurance and their choice of archdiocese-provided living quarters, in addition to the monthly income provided prior to the bankruptcy.

Calamari has received more than $319,000 in pension payments following his forced retirement 17 years ago. Insurance and housing would make the total much higher.

Calamari denies wrongdoing in a filing from his attorney in January. The archdiocese didn't comment Wednesday.

Advocates of clergy abuse victims have long assailed the nationwide church practice of continuing to pay the retirements of suspected predator priests, saying it is simply a way for Catholic bureaucrats to shield criminals among their ranks in a manner no lay institution would even consider.

However, diocesan leaders have insisted they have moral and legal obligations to provide priests  even those believed to be abusers  their retirement benefits rather than allowing them to become destitute.

Archdiocese: Bankruptcy filing for good of church, victims and survivors; abuse claimants skeptical Archbishop Gregory Aymond, facing the mounting financial toll of the Catholic churchs child sexual-abuse crisis and the more acute money trou

The documents outlining Calamaris post-retirement arrangement with the archdiocese surfaced in the record of a pending February 2019 lawsuit which alleged that during trips to a summer home in Mississippi decades ago, he would fondle the genitals of a Gentilly church altar boy  as well as other minors.

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It was not the first time Calamari had been accused of child molestation. He was accused of molesting a minor in 1973, seven years before his ordination as a priest, when he taught at the now-defunct St. John Vianney Prep School in New Orleans.

Records show Calamari, 75, was transferred from New Orleans to a psychiatric treatment facility for priests in Pennsylvania in 1997, and he was stationed at a Delaware diocese when he was removed from the ministry in 2003, a year after the church's ongoing clerical abuse scandal boiled over in Boston.

Then-Archbishop Hughes summoned Calamari to his office in early February 2004 and laid out some potential paths forward for the sidelined cleric, including retirement. In a letter from that year, Hughes said he even sought guidance from Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who headed the Catholic Church as Pope Benedict XVI from 2005 to 2013.

Calamari consulted with a lawyer specializing in church law and reluctantly chose retirement, he later wrote to Hughes.

2 priests on New Orleans' list of accused clerics face additional molestation claims in new lawsuit In the latest legal volley aimed at the Archdiocese of New Orleans over alleged clerical abuse dating back decades, an Illinois man filed a la

I am grateful to you for the pastoral and personal concern you have shown me through this trying time, said Calamari, who was living in Pennsylvania at the time.

Another letter informed Calamari he would begin receiving a monthly pension of $1,566  in addition to health and automobile insurance  beginning April 1, 2004.

The amount of Calamaris monthly pension payment had grown to $2,517 by March of last year, four months after the archdiocese had included him on a list of local clergymen who over the years had been credibly accused of child sex molestation. Two other priests on that roster  T. Gaspard Glasgow and Lawrence Hecker  accompanied Calamari on an archdiocesan list of retired priests for whom the church was soliciting donations in April 2018.

Regardless, in a letter dated March 20, 2019, Executive Director of Clergy Patrick Williams told Calamari his monthly pension would be slashed to $1,882 beginning in July because the archdioceses budget had run a significant deficit for the last several years.

Court documents show Calamari scribbled on Williams letter, calculated he would lose $7,620 annually, and wrote to Hughes' successor, Archbishop Gregory Aymond.

Calamari said the pension was helping keep him afloat in the wake of unflattering media stories and survivors advocates mailings calling him a priest pedophile, which was making it hard for him to find a job and had forced him to move into a motel.

I am asking you, Calamari wrote, to please reconsider the forthcoming reduction.
While cases rise significantly, Russias death toll  at 1,537 people  is far lower than many other countries.

The number of new coronavirus cases in Russia rose by 10,559 over the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide tally to 165,929, the coronavirus crisis response centre said on Wednesday.

It was the fourth consecutive day that cases had risen by more than 10,000.

It also reported 86 new fatalities from COVID-19, bringing the total death toll in Russia to 1,537.

The mortality rate has slowed in recent days and remains much lower, in relative terms, than many other countries.

Russia has said its lower mortality rate was because its outbreak occurred later than in many other countries which gave the authorities more time to prepare, as well as widespread testing and tracking of infections, but critics have cast doubt on the numbers.

Russia has been in partial lockdown since the end of March to curb the spread of the virus.

People in Moscow can leave home to visit the nearest food shop or chemist, walk their dog or throw out rubbish but need special passes for other activities.

President Vladimir Putin has ordered the nationwide lockdown to remain in place until Monday, when Russia finishes celebrating its Labour Day and World War Two Victory Day holidays.

Putin was set to chair a government meeting to discuss a gradual withdrawal from virus lockdown later on Wednesday.

Moscow, which has emerged as the epicentre of the pandemic in Russia, has recorded 85,973 cases and 866 deaths.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has said he believes 2 percent of Moscow, with a population of 12.7 million, had been infected, a much higher figure than official statistics show.

It is obvious that the threat is growing, he said on his website.

He told Rossiya-1 TV station that the Moscow authorities might cut the number of digital permits issued for travel across the city if the situation worsened.

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Russias second-most senior official after Putin, told the president on Thursday he had tested positive for coronavirus and was temporarily stepping down to recover.

First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov is now serving as acting prime minister in his absence.

On Friday, another Russian cabinet member, Construction Minister Vladimir Yakushev, announced he had been diagnosed with the virus and would be treated in hospital. Dmitry Volkov, one of his deputies, also tested positive, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, Russian medics have been complaining about their working conditions.

After three doctors fell out of windows in 10 days, there is concern regarding the safety of medical whistle-blowers who raise issues about the conditions they work in.
Owosso, Mich. There was a line of people waiting to get into Karl Mankes barbershop on Tuesday.

The 77-year-old barber, who has cut hair in town for 60 years, opened Karl Mankes Barbershop on Monday in defiance of Gov. Gretchen Whitmers executive order mandating salons, barbershops and other businesses to stay closed.

I dont need the governor to be my mother," he said. I have one. God bless her, shes gone now. I dont need another mother. I can make these adult decisions myself.

The barber expected to work another 14-hour day Tuesday. He said he worked from 10 a.m. to midnight Monday.

Polka music plays inside the barbershop as Manke cuts hair. A best barber" award from a local newspaper hangs on the shops wall. Manke is also a writer. All eight of his books are on display in the barbershop, novels with titles like Gone to Pot, "The Adventures of Railcar Rogues and his latest, Harsens Island Revenge.

The youngest person in his chair Tuesday was 19 years old and his oldest client was 90. People drove from Saginaw, Milford and Lansing to show Mankes barbershop support.

Kathy Tran drove to Mankes shop from Milford after seeing a Facebook post saying he was open.

We came out here to support him, Tran said. Our main goal is to support the community and small businesses. I feel like every business should be open and they can do it safely.

Manke said he couldnt afford to stay closed. The demand for haircuts is high and he said he could not wait for the shutdown to be lifted.

I can ... run my business how I feel I should run it, Manke said. To tell you the truth, I am scared but I didnt really have any choice. I need to work through that fear and open up.

Manke is worried he may be arrested, fined or have his barbers license taken away.

Ryan Jarvi, from the Attorney Generals office, said there is no basis for the barbershop to be open under the current executive order, but could not confirm whether someone has contacted Mankee. Those who violate the order are subject to a 90-day misdemeanor and/or a $500 fine.

Violations should still be directed to law enforcement agencies overseeing the jurisdiction in which the offense occurred, Jarvi said. We are confident those agencies will use their discretion and authority appropriately in enforcing the Governors orders.

The Owosso Police Department was made aware of the situation on Monday, May 4, officials said Wednesday. Police say they have investigated the matter and submitted a report to the Shiawassee County Prosecutors Office. The prosecutors office could not be immediately reached for comment.

Manke says he will continue to operate in the meantime.

Ill be open until Jesus walks in or until they arrest me, Manke said.

The barber says he does not have a choice but to work. He has had trouble enrolling for unemployment and getting his stimulus check. He has used all his credit.

I cant go that long without an income, I just cant do it, Manke said.

Manke believes he is responsible enough to determine what is needed to protect his clientele and that they have the right to determine whether they are comfortable with coming in for a haircut.

The shops chairs, doorknobs and bathrooms are sanitized, he says. Manke wears a mask and sanitizes his hands between cuts.

All Mankes scissors, clippers, combs and razors are sanitized with a UV light, safety precautions Manke has been practicing for 60 years.

Manke said the building housing his shop is big enough to adhere to seating people six feet apart.

I feel like a pawn in between a bunch of politicians, Manke said. This is something thats going to be with us for a while. We have to live with it.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

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A struggle for PPP funds in Central NY: 6 small business owners, 1 bank and a lot of heartache

Almost half of Onondaga Countys coronavirus deaths are from nursing homes

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com
Representative Adam Schiff said Tuesday that President Trump has embraced the false narrative that the coronavirus escaped from a Chinese lab in order to deflect from the administrations terrible mishandling of the pandemic.

We are told that we are currently informed on the latest intelligence, so I dont know where theyre getting this apart from expressing their desire, or theyre withholding information from Congress, Schiff, who serves as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said during an MSNBC appearance.

President Trump said Thursday that he has seen evidence that the virus escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China.

When pressed for details, Trump responded, I cant tell you that. Im not allowed to tell you that.

U.S. intelligence agencies have not made a determination as to whether the virus was naturally occurring and escaped from the lab, which advertised its research on coronaviruses in the months leading up the pandemic, but the intelligence community has concluded that the pathogen was not manmade.

The intelligence community concurs with the wide scientific consensus that the COVID-19 virus was not manmade or genetically modified, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said in a statement Thursday.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo agreed Sunday that there is enormous evidence but agreed with the intelligence communitys assessment that the virus was not engineered.

I think what theyre clearly trying to do is deflect attention away from the administrations terrible mishandling of this virus, said Schiff, a California Democrat.

Schiff added that after espousing a false narrative early on that the virus is not worse than the common flu, the administration has chosen to go after China.

Look, theres a lot to criticize China about, he added. They should have been far more transparent about the human to human transmission, and they did conceal things.

However theres a danger in the administration either putting out theories that cannot be substantiated or deliberately provoking a fight during the middle of a pandemic, Schiff said.

Story continues

In December, local and national officials issued a gag order to labs in Wuhan after scientists there identified a new viral pneumonia, ordering them to halt tests, destroy samples, and conceal the news.

Schiff added that the president is doing a tremendous disservice to the American public by preventing Dr. Fauci, the chief medical advisor to the Trump administrations coronavirus task force, from testifying to Congress about the virus.

Trump said Tuesday that his administration blocked Fauci from testifying before House lawmakers about the virus due to Trump haters in the Democrat-led chamber.

Apart and away from the glare of the president, hes concerned that Dr. Fauci will be even more candid with the country about the dangers of this virus and feel more free to contradict the false claims that the president has been making. Thats a very poor reason to keep someone from Congress during a pandemic, Schiff said.

More from National Review
courtesy

Local State Farm Agents and Burger Boy are giving away $5,000 worth of gift cards as a way to thank frontline workers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

Between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. today, the fast food restaurant, in conjunction with local State Farm agents, will give away Burger Boy gift cards to doctors, nurses, first responders and grocery store employees, according to a news release.
Amber Portwood and her boyfriend just took a major step in their relationship  meeting the family!

The MTV star met her new boyfriend, Dimitri, for the first time in person on Tuesdays episode of Teen Mom OG. The two met online after Portwoods split from Andrew Glennon, with whom she shares 1-year-old son James. Portwood, 29, also shares 11-year-old daughter Leah with her ex, Gary Shirley.

While at her rental home in Indiana, Portwood and Dimitri, 39, spent a couple of days bonding to make sure were compatible, the mom of two said.

Youre beautiful, Dimitri told her while they were sitting on the couch. I can kiss you?

As Portwood said yes, Dimitri leaned over and gave her a peck on the lips.

MTV's Teen Mom/Youtube Amber Portwood and Dimitri

Dimitri, who is from Belgium and has children of his own, also got the opportunity to practice his English while at a family dinner with Portwood, Shirley, his wife Kristina, and Leah.

When Kristina asked the two how their time together had been, Portwood said, Its been good. Weve been trying to talk.

Leah sought the help of a French translation service to ask Dimitri what he was most looking forward to seeing in America. I dont know. America! he replied.

You failed, youre supposed to say 'Amber,'  Shirley said, teasing Dimitri.

RELATED: Teen Mom OG: Amber Portwood Picks Up Boyfriend Dimitri from the Airport with Ex Gary Shirley

Later in the episode, Shirley and Kristina discussed the family dinner.

I mean, I like the guy. Leah seemed to have a good time, Shirley said. I think she just wants this relationship with her mom to continue. She doesnt want to feel second to him.

Kristina added, No, and she shouldnt feel that way either. And if Amber can keep one thing in mind, that her kids come first, and if Dimitri can accept that, then good.

Meanwhile, Portwood and Dimitri continued spending time together at home. I like coming in the bed for you with the coffee. Its good for you, Dimitri said while sitting closely on the couch with Portwood.

Story continues

RELATED VIDEO: Teen Mom OG's Amber Portwood Says She's 'Heartbroken' Nearly a Month After Arrest

Teen Mom OG's Amber Portwood Says She's 'Heartbroken' Nearly a Month After Arrest

Portwood was arrested and charged with domestic battery on July 5

The MTV star also discussed the dinner with Dimitri, asking him if hed enjoyed himself with her blended family.

Yesterday, did you feel comfortable? she asked him. He replied, Yeah, very, adding Shirley was a good guy and that Leah was very funny.

He described the change in setting as a big change, but reassured Portwood its okay.

In last weeks episode, Portwood revealed for the first time that she had met someone online and that he would be traveling to America from Belgium to meet her.

RELATED: Teen Mom's Amber Portwood Reveals Man She Met Online Will Travel to U.S. for 'First Time' to Meet Her

"It was super chill," Portwood told MTV producer David of how she met Dimitri. "He's a very nice person. Chemistry matters a lot to me. He was the only one who never brought up d--- pics and stuff like that."

"He's a very handsome man," she said. "I started opening up to him and we decided we should meet since we like each other this much."

As for her children, Portwood told David, "Everyone in my life right now understands what's numero uno and that's James, Leah and if I want a happy relationship they have to understand that."

Speaking to PEOPLE last week, Portwood said she and Dimitri are "still talking."

"He's in Belgium. The coronavirus is obviously a big reason [we can't see each other], and that's okay because a lot of couples at the moment who are still in the same state have to do this," she acknowledged.

Teen Mom OG airs Tuesdays (8 p.m. ET) on MTV.
LONDON, May 5 (Reuters) - If the United Kingdom had ramped up testing for COVID-19 earlier, it could have been beneficial, the British government's chief scientific adviser said on Tuesday.

Asked by the British parliament's Health and Social Care Committee to reflect on what he would have done differently, Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance said: "I'd be amazed, if when we look back, we don't think: yep we could have done something differently there."

"In the early phases, I think if we'd managed to ramp testing capacity quicker it would have been beneficial. And you know for all sorts of reasons that didn't happen," Valance said.

"It's completely wrong to think of testing as the answer - its just part of the system that you need to get right," he said.

The British government has ramped up testing over the past month and 945,299 people have so far been tested, though opposition parties say Prime Minister Boris Johnson was too slow to increase testing.

Britain has overtaken Italy to report the highest official death toll from coronavirus in Europe with more than 32,000 deaths, figures released on Tuesday showed.

"I don't think it's chance that two huge cosmopolitan well-connected cities with multiple imports from all over the world - New York and London - got very hard hit," Vallance said. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Kate Holton)
Bamako, Mali (PANA) - Japan has provided Mali 4,237 tons of rice, worth more than one billion CFA francs, as part of its food assistance, said a joint statement issued on Tuesday by the Malian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Japanese embassy in Mali
WATERLOO REGION  Canadians are on high alert as experts in British Columbia hunt for any sign the Asian giant hornet, or murder hornet as its nicknamed, survived the winter.

Vespa mandarinia is the largest hornet in the world with queens that can grow up to five cm long, wingspans up to seven cm and stingers that can penetrate beekeeping suits. In the fall they attack and decimate honeybee populations, which have no natural defence against them.

They were first found in Nanaimo, B.C., in August 2019. That nest was destroyed. Other sightings have been reported on Vancouver Island and in Washington state.

In March, the B.C. ministry of agriculture released an information bulletin warning residents to be on the lookout.

Paul Kozak, Ontarios provincial apiarist, says Ontario is in surveillance mode working with other jurisdictions across North America to share information on monitoring, control methods and to help beekeepers know what to be looking for.

He says its too early to say if the Asian giant hornet could survive in Ontario, but it is known to live in similar temperate areas elsewhere. The most likely way the hornet could arrive in Ontario is through movement of goods, rather than establishing hives across the country year by year.

The Asian giant hornet will be another kick in the pants for the bees if theyre able to establish, which remains to be seen, Kozak said. We are keeping an eye on them. We dont know if theyll survive.

Kozak said Vespa mandarinia is one of two species of hornets pre-emptively named in the Ontario Bees Act, which gives the ministry of agriculture authority to do what they need to do to eradicate it.

Gard Otis is a retired professor from the University of Guelph and an expert in insect ecology and behaviour with a focus on honeybees. He believes there is little risk of interaction between humans and Asian giant hornets.

That said, its sting is extremely painful, and so venomous it destroys the tissue surrounding the sting, leaving pocked scars. Otis recalled being stung on his big toe by a nearly identical species while conducting research in Vietnam. It was the worst sting Ive ever had in my life. I couldnt put a shoe on for three days.

According to Otis, hundreds of foreign species of plants and insects arrive every year in Canada, and most are not able to survive and thrive here.

Asian giant hornets are nicknamed murder hornets because of the way they decimate bee populations by tearing bees heads off and feeding the thorax to their young. The hornets will work together to invade a bee hive in the fall when their own hives are at their peak population.

When a hornet finds a honeybee nest, they will mark it with pheromones. More hornets will join, and over a period of 30 minutes they will mass outside before they attack the bees at once. They are known to kill up to 40 bees a minute.

Native Japanese honeybees have a defence mechanism that involves swarming the first hornet and cooking it with their warmth before it has a chance to let the rest of its hive know where the bees location is. European honeybees, which are the common species in North America, have no natural defence against the Asian giant hornet.

The hornets are not known to attack people unprovoked. In Asia, problems between the hornets and humans occur when a person accidentally steps on a nest.
Opposition leader Siddaramaiah lashed out at the BJP government over cancellation of trains meant for migrant labourers on Tuesday evening, calling it a violation of fundamental rights.

Demanding the government to arrange trains for those who wanted to go back, he said that the exodus was triggered due to a lack of concern towards migrant labourers by the administration.

CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH

Tweeting with the hashtag #MigrantLivesMatter, he said, "The decision of CM B S Yediyurappa to cancel trains for migrants is not just inhuman but also violation of fundamental rights.

The argument of Yediyurappa that construction will not happen if migrants go back just exposes his mindset. He is willing to sacrifice the lives of helpless labourers for the sake of invisible hands," he said, taking a dig at the CM for the decision soon after his meeting with representatives from Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Association of India.

The decision of @CMofKarnataka to cancel trains for migrants is not just inhuman but also violation of fundamental rights.#MigrantLivesMatter 1/4  Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 6, 2020

The argument of @CMofKarnataka that construction will not happen if migrants go back just exposes @BSYBJP's mindset. He is willing to sacrifice the lives of helpless labourers for the sake of invisible hands.#MigrantLivesMatter 2/4  Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 6, 2020

"The decision to go back or to stay back should be with the labourers and not with the government. Labourers are free to choose health or work. Who will take responsibility if something goes wrong? Are we still practicing bonded labour?" he said.

The decision to go back or to stay back should be with the labourers & not with the government. Labourers are free to choose health or work. Who will take responsibility if something goes wrong? Are we still practicing bonded labour? For me #MigrantLivesMatter!! 3/4  Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 6, 2020

"Had the interests of labourers been taken care by the concerned stakeholders, migrants may have stayed back. Even (the) government did little to address their concerns. I strongly urge the CM to arrange trains for those migrants who wish to go back," he demanded.
New Delhi: Delhi Police's Special Cell on Wednesday (May 6, 2020) had to face massive protest during their visit to the Delhi Minority Commission Chief's Zafar Islam Khan's residence in Jamia Nagar. The Special Cell had to return without even starting the probe.

Zafar has also been directed to submit his mobile phone and laptop. He is under the radar for a post on social media where he threatened "Hindutva bigots" of complaining to "Arab countries and the Muslim world" about the "hate campaigns and lynchings and riots in India".

The Special Cell has filed a case under Section 124A and 153A against him.

Zafar in his Facebook post on April 28, 2020, wrote, "Tablighi inmates and many others have completed 28 days in corona isolation, rather detention centre, which is twice the mandatory 14 days quarantine period for corona suspects as per the US and WHO guidelines."

He added, "Keeping people in isolation, who tested negative and spent twice the mandatory period in corona isolation centres, is tantamount to illegal detention."

The DMC Chairman had also termed the Triple Talaq Bill as "wrong" and a "great injustice" to the Muslim community in India, especially on the Muslim male population.
Mr Ebenezer Sackey, the Secretary of the Nsawam/Adeiso Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has commended the Government for the reduction of fuel prices.



He said the price reduction from Gh22.00 to Gh18.00 would enable the drivers to meet the shortfall in their transport fares as they complied with the social distancing directives by reducing the number of passengers on board their cars.



Mr Sackey made the commendation in an interview with the Ghana News Agency and said:



We have provided veronica bucket, hand sanitizer, and tissue and we ensure that passengers wash their hands, wear the nose and mouth mask, including the driver to protect themselves from the COVID-19..



He appealed to the Nsawam Police to assist the GPRTU to drive away taxi drivers who have turned the Nsawam Goil Filling Station as their loading point and prevent the passengers from entering the main Adieso Taxi Station.



Mr Sackey said those drivers have not registered with the Union and their operations put the lives of the passengers in danger while most of them lose their properties since the unscrupulous drivers could not be identified.

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
When a pandemic happens, there is worry, stress and fear. But there is also, hope, humanity and philanthropy. We are already seeing how many people in our community want to help those most vulnerable.

We are amazed by the acts of kindness we are seeing across the community. Neighbors helping neighbors to buy groceries and supplies. Strangers supporting strangers as people voluntarily self-isolate to protect the broader community.

During this time of global pandemic, we have already seen how our lives will change - and we have been asked to prepare, to practice social distancing, and to make responsible decisions with respect to how we conduct our businesses. But at Shalom Center we know that many may not be able to adequately prepare. Many do not have a support system around them if they need to self-isolate, or if they become ill.

People who live in poverty, homeless youth, seniors, and many others are at-risk. Mental health challenges are affecting many of us; however, when you tie in financial challenges, so many are needing help more than ever before.

So many have been greatly impacted during this unprecedented time. As many local agencies alter their operations or close their doors, vulnerable populations are at increased risk.

The Shalom Center adjusted our programs to ensure that we can continue providing high quality service and programming to those families and individuals who are depending on us. We continue to forge ahead to provide essential services, food to the hungry, shelter to the homeless, and comfort to a community in crisis.

We modified our food pantry to be a curbside pick-up pantry. Additionally, we have significantly reduced the number of volunteers on hand which means that our staff is all hands-on deck.

On distribution days, Wednesday and Friday 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., clients drive up and are greeted by a friendly face. The only paperwork required by clients is a current and valid ID as well as a recent piece of mail that shows their Kenosha County address. We will bring the groceries to your vehicle and load you up.

One of the most frequent questions I have received as of late is: how can I help? There are numerous ways that you can spread joy and hope in our community. At present, financial contributions are an effective way of helping us help the community.

Another way to help is by visiting our special COVID-19 needs list: www.shalomcenter.org/covid19needs which will share information about what type of material needs we have at this time.

While, yes, Shalom Center provides many services to our community, we are inspired by the trust that you place in us. We will continue to plant joy and hope in our community knowing that a better tomorrow will bloom soon. Be well.

Tamarra Coleman is executive director of the Shalom Center in Kenosha.

Tamarra Coleman is executive director of the Shalom Center in Kenosha.

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CHARLESTON  Coles County government officials and others reacted favorably Tuesday to Gov. J.B. Pritzker's plan for a regional, phased-in reopening of the state with the coronavirus outbreak.

The approach of not treating all of the Illinois the same while meeting health-based criteria should be good news for closed businesses and others affected by the restrictions in place, they said.

Coles County Board Chairman Mike ZuHone said he agrees with the approach, as the number of virus cases, resources and health care capacity vary across the state.

"We are one state but every community is slightly different, every county is slightly different," ZuHone said.

He noted that it's been two weeks since the last announcement in Coles County of a case of COVID-19, the disease the virus causes.

ZuHone said he recently began meeting with the county health department and others to "start the conversation" about safely reopening the county. Some have advocated for a regional approach, he said.

Mattoon Mayor Tim Gover also noted the lack of virus cases in the county recently. He said he regularly hears from city business owners about when they might be able to reopen and he informs them that's a state decision.

"It sounds like we're making progress," Gover said of Pritzker's announcement. "People need to get back to work. They need the income. It's been a difficult time for all of us."

Business closings have led to a corresponding decline in revenue for the city and other governments, he added.

As an example, he said the city receives an average of $30,000 each month from video gaming fees. The amount for March was $23,000 and it will be zero for April, he said.

Rex Dukeman, owner of Elliott Furniture in Mattoon, was another who noted the relatively low number of cases in the county and the area. The approach should help businesses and still "respect everyone around us," he said.

"I think it's a great idea," he said.

The plan for regions to meet certain criteria based on health data appears to be "an informed policy decision" and should benefit businesses as well, said Angela Griffin, president of Coles Together, the county's economic development organization.

How Pritzker's plan to reopening Illinois would work
Lawyer Explains Californias AB-5 Law and ABC Employment Test: California Insider With Lizelle Brandt

Attorney Lizelle Brandt explains the effects of the new AB-5 law in California and how its changing the gig economy in the Golden State. She also describes the different exemptions available, according to the ABC test for independent contractors.


Journalist and novelist Sally Quinn's bestselling 1991 novel of romance and intrigue, Happy Endings, is about fictional presidential widow Sadie Grey who falls for a sexy medical researcher working for the National Institutes of Health on a new AIDS treatment. Yes, the alluring government scientist with the "low, melodious, sexy, almost hypnotic" voice, as Quinn described the character, is none other than Dr. Anthony Fauci. From Benjamin Wofford's article in Washingtonian:

Part searing romance, part roman a clef, "Happy Endings" made the bestseller list during a year when HIV-related deaths were then the highest ever recorded in the United States. By then, Fauci was the government scientist best known for combatting the virus's spread as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.





It was around this time that Quinn first encountered the real-life Fauci, at a Washington function where the two were paired as dinner partners. With his tie askew and from behind enormous glasses, Fauci left an impression of earnest brilliance, enough to inspire the main character of Quinn's upcoming novel.





"I just fell in love with him," Quinn told me recently, recalling their evening together. "Usually those dinners, you make polite conversation, and that's it. But we had this intense conversation, personal conversation. I though, 'Wow, this guy is amazing.'"

[]

"He was so different from most Washington people, because he's so self-effacing. He's not in it for the glory or the name recognition," Quinn recalled. She decided to have Grey "fall in love with this doctor who does this amazing work, and doesn't get a lot of publicity."
Police in Vancouver, Canada, are seeking the publics assistance in identifying a man who punched a young Asian woman in what they said was an unprovoked assault on April 12.

According to the Vancouver Police Department, the woman was approached by a man while standing at a bus stop on Granville Street in downtown Vancouver.

Surveillance footage released by police shows a man walk up to her, punch her in the face, and walk away. Police said there was no communication between the woman and the suspect prior to the assault.

Police describe the suspect as a white male in his mid-20s with a medium build. He was wearing a dark T-shirt with a distinctive deer emblem on the front, a grey long-sleeved shirt, and a beanie-style hat.

Police have reported an increase in anti-Asian hate crimes in the city. Twenty, they said, had been reported so far this year, compared with 12 for all of 2019. Credit: Vancouver Police Department via Storyful
A total of 25 trains have ferried



migrant labourers to various states outside Maharashtra since the Railway started operating the Shramik Specials, the state government said on Wednesday.

This information was given by Additional Chief Secretary Nitin Kareer to the state Cabinet which took a stock of transportation of migrants who have been stranded in Mumbai, Pune and other cities since the coronavirus-induced lockdown came into force on March 25.

"Kareer informed the Cabinet that so far 25 special trains have left the state carrying migrant workers, except to West Bengal and Karnataka," statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said.

Of the total migrants ferried in 100 trains across the country, 20 per cent migrant labourers from Maharashtra have been benefited from the train travel, it stated.

Two trains carrying migrants within Maharashtra have arrived in Gadchiroli and Chandrapur, it said.

As per the Railways, it has run 122 Shramik Special trains since May 1 and ferried home over 1.25 lakh migrants stranded in various parts of the country due to the COVID-19- induced lockdown.

Meanwhile, the state government has decided to evacuate by a train the UPSC aspirants from Maharashtra who have been stuck in Delhi.

They will be ferried to Bhusawal in Jalgaon district of north Maharashtra and talks are on with the Railway ministry in this regard, it stated.

Only the Madhya Pradesh government has footed the entire travel bill for migrants from that state who were stuck in Maharashtra, it said.

A major political row was erupted over sharing of the train ticket fare for migrants.

The government said that social distancing norms were maintained during the train journey.

"Only 50 passengers were allowed in each compartment of a train as part of a social distancing norms. They were given masks, food and water," it said.

The government also said that 2.48 lakh passes have been issued to stranded persons for inter-state and intra- state travelling in Maharashtra in their own vehicles.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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"Considering the fact that China's specialty chemical market is witnessing steady growth, international specialty chemical companies operating in China must rethink their existing approach and strategies to avoid getting left behind," says a market research analyst at Infiniti Research.

Even though China's specialty chemical market has nearly doubled in size over the last decade, not many international specialty chemical companies have been successful in fulfilling their growth and profitability aspirations from this market. Foreign companies in the sector are facing major setbacks in terms of growth and market share in China. Our market research experts suggest that margins in specialty chemicals in China market for international companies are structurally lower than in other regions and also show wide variance between leaders and laggards. The highly fragmented specialty chemicals market in the region is dominated by overcapacity and intense competition. Although some argue that the lower margins are a part of their global strategy to capture growth in China and establish a long-term presence in the country, there are evident signs that international companies are failing to keep up with the market's growth.

Chemical companies must develop a rapid response to address the ongoing market challenges due to COVID-19. Request a FREE proposal for comprehensive market insights and agile strategies to overcome market disruptions due to the ongoing crisis.

Experts at Infiniti Research has listed below some steps that companies must consider making a part of their approach:

Build market and segment level insights: Specialty chemical companies must take into consideration China's growth trajectory while evaluating specific segments for its growth potential in the country. Experts at Infiniti Research suggest that specialty chemical companies must consider adopting a granular approach that considers regional differences when assessing various specialty-chemical segments. Careful assessment of second and third-tier cities may also show signs of higher growth potential in the years to come.

Develop products tailored to the Chinese market: Designing products to meet the demands of Chinese customers at competitive price points is crucial to success for international specialty chemical companies in the long run. Providing more sophisticated products to Chinese customers would be crucial as local competitors are increasingly adopting western technologies to develop new and improved products. Specialty chemical companies must provide their local teams in China with maximum resource support and operational authority to launch products that are tailored to Chinese consumers.

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By Deb Erdley, Tribune-Review

Lawyers from the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals office will be on deck Wednesday as the U.S. Supreme Court continues streaming oral arguments live for the first time in history.

The case, Trump v. Pennsylvania, centers on the Trump administration and the Little Sisters of the Poor seeking to uphold a rule that allows employer health care plans to opt out of providing birth control to women. The office of Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro has prevailed in prior court battles, arguing the rule is unlawful.

The case is among several the justices will hear by phone  with a live audio feed available to the public  to comply with health guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during the coronavirus pandemic. Other high-profile arguments scheduled to be heard this week include three involving subpoenas seeking the presidents financial records, The New York Times reported.

The Supreme Court, which is closed to the public during the pandemic, has never permitted live broadcasts of oral arguments. It typically makes recordings available a week after the fact. Justices will hear arguments in 10 cases over six days this month, streaming the audio live. Hearings began Monday and will continue through May 13.

Live audio feeds of arguments are provided to Fox News, which serves as the network pool chair, the Associated Press and C-SPAN, which is streamed live at C-SPAN.org. Recordings and transcripts of the arguments also are posted each day on the Supreme Courts website.

The audio broadcast will give the public a rare chance to hear the court in action, said Bruce Ledewitz, a law professor at the Duquesne University School of Law in Pittsburgh.

That is a big deal because its a court that you could only, in theory, go in and sit and listen  and then only if you could go to Washington. And the kind of cases were talking about you could never get in, Ledewitz said.

Case background

Trump v. Pennsylvania is the most recent in a long line of challenges to the Affordable Care Acts requirement that employer health plans provide women with no-cost contraceptive coverage.

Federal officials previously agreed to allowed religious institutions to opt out of paying for that coverage, but required their insurers to provide such coverage to women. In 2014, the Supreme Court ruled that the owners of Hobby Lobby, a privately held retail chain, could likewise opt out of the requirement for religious reasons.

The Trump administration later adopted a regulation allowing employers to opt out of the provision for sincerely held moral convictions, as well as religious reasons.

Shapiro filed a federal lawsuit in 2017 to keep the rule from being implemented.

Arguing the regulation opened the door for millions of women to be denied coverage for what has been deemed a preventive health care service, New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Singh Grewal joined Shapiro in subsequent challenges. More recently, they won a nationwide injunction preventing the rule from taking effect.

They maintain the administration violated the federal Administrative Procedures Act when it failed to advertise the proposed regulation and take public comment.

Although the arguments cite technical points, the case goes to a deeper issue that has sparked emotions on both sides of the political divide.

At the heart of this case is the Trump administration overreached and they violated the guarantee that women need to get the medicine Congress gave them, Shapiro said. Reproductive rights are on the line here. Guaranteed contraceptive coverage is on the line and so, too, is the rule of law.

There is an economic issue as well, he said.

Before this, one in three women struggled to afford birth control and now it is under 4%, Shapiro said.

John Bursch, a lawyer with the Alliance for Defending Freedom, is representing March for Life, a national pro-life group, in a separate case that defends the governments right to grant exemptions from contraceptive coverage for moral in addition to religious objections.

If they decide (in favor of the administration), it would just be recognizing a long-held principle that when you have the power to create a requirement, you have the power to create exemptions as well, Bursch said.

Shapiro said that would open to door to whims of any CEO. He suggested a company leader could use it to enforce a belief that women have no place in the workforce.

Bursch said March for Life is prepared to litigate the issue should Shapiro and Grewal prevail.

Drama-free proceedings

Although the emotional stakes are high, legal scholars said it is unlikely the live audio arguments will include the kind of drama that attends court trials.

Even the small bits of drama that typically unfold in the Supreme Court, where justices often step on each others toes as they jockey for position as they question lawyers, may be absent this week.

Arthur Hellman, a professor emeritus from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, said that give-and-take can be heard in live arguments and in the taped transcripts the court releases.

It will be a very different kind of argument than people are able to listen to on a delayed basis, Hellman predicted. What we will be hearing will be a different and tamer version of that.

Shapiro said his staff considered that as Deputy Attorneys General Michael J. Fischer and Aimee D. Thomson prepared for oral arguments.

In typical moot court rehearsals, the office selects a panel of legal experts to act as justices to prepare lawyers for their day before the high court. But this time, moot court was handled by phone so the lawyers would get a sense of what it might be like not to see the justices but just hear their questions over the receiver.

While that may not be the norm in the future, legal scholars predicted the live broadcast could become a foundation for televised arguments, which have become a norm in many courts.

Once you do it that way, there is no argument whatsoever for not televising, Ledewitz said. Whatever reasons you have for not televising it, the fact that theyre allowing this proves that those arguments were ephemeral.

Live broadcasts could lead to deeper understanding for the public, said both Hellman and Bruce Antkowiak, a professor of law and criminology at Saint Vincent College and a former federal prosecutor.

You see that theyre doing their job very conscientiously, Hellman said.

Its going to give the public the sense that the people deciding this are human beings  that they are subject to prejudices and their own backgrounds, Antkowiak said. I think theyre going to come away understanding the real human dimensions of the process. Its going to have an impact one way or the other.

The significance of that has not escaped Shapiro.

This is first chance for the public to ever listen to a live United States Supreme Court session. And to be able to listen to a case as important as this, we realize we get to be part of something really important in this country. We recognize we get to be part of something special, but we get to stand up and fight for the women of this country, Shapiro said.
The increase in loss coverage was based on modelling of 'severe' multi-year downturn in the UK. (PA)

Challenger bank Virgin Money (VMUK.L) has taken a 232m ($289m) charge to cover the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Virgin Money said on Wednesday it had set aside 232m over the last 6 months to cover an expected increase in losses, with 146m of the provisions directly linked to COVID-19.

The group, which also runs the Clydesdale Bank and Yorkshire Bank, set aside just 77m to cover losses in the same period a year earlier.

The increase in loss coverage was based on modelling of severe multi-year downturn in the UK that sees GDP fall by 10% and unemployment peak at 9.7%. The assumptions are more pessimistic than those used at rivals like Barclays and Lloyds.

READ MORE: UK banks brace for 6.7bn COVID-19 hit

The increase in loss provisions weighed on Virgin Moneys profits. The bank made a loss of 7m in the 6 months to 31 March 2020, compared to a profit of 9m a year earlier. Income fell 3% to 817m.

The COVID-19 outbreak and its impact on the nations businesses and consumers has markedly changed the operating environment, chief executive David Duffy said in a statement.

While we delivered a resilient performance and continued to make good progress on our self-help strategy in the first half of the year, our primary objective now is safeguarding the health and well-being of our colleagues, customers and communities while also protecting the bank.

Like other rivals, Virgin Money said it is helping its customers to weather the pandemic. The bank has granted 40,000 loan repayment holidays and 60,000 mortgage holidays. Virgin has also granted support to 4,500 business customers, including extending coronavirus business interruption loans (CBILs) worth 135m.

Read more: 'Significant' demand as 100% Bounce Back loans launch

We have rapidly adapted our operations, products and services and I am extremely proud of how our colleagues have risen to the challenge and continued to provide the very best support and advice to our customers, Duffy said.

Story continues

We continue to work closely with Government, regulators and the industry to ensure we maximise our support to customers and the UK economy.

Duffy said the pandemic would have long-lasting and wide-ranging effects on how companies do business and on what customers will expect. He said Virgin Money was well-equipped to support changing customer needs and play our part in the UKs economic recovery.

Shares in the bank rose 8% in early trade in London.
By Lambert Strether of Corrente.

#COVID19

At reader request, Ive added this daily chart:

The data is the John Hopkins CSSE data. Here is the site. I have changed to a logarithmic scale for US States and territories.

New York continues flirting with a geometric rate of 1.0, so here are the top ten (worst) states. Seeing some swing states there.

* * *

See Vice, How to Read the Coronavirus Graphs:

Quantities that grow exponentially, when depicted on a linear scale, look like curves that bend sharply upward, with the curve getting constantly steeper. On a log scale, exponentially growing values can be depicted with straight diagonal lines. Thats the beauty of plotting things on log scales. Plots are meant to make things easy to understand, and we humans are much more adept at understanding linear, straight-line behavior. Log plots enable us to grasp exponential behavior by transferring the complexity of constantly steepening curves into the simplicity of an exponentially increasing scale. On a log scale, we want to constantly be making the line more and more horizontal. The general concept of flattening is still a good one, but its never going to curve down. And so what we should be looking, and hoping for is a trend toward horizontal.

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

* * *

2020

Biden (D)(1): It Would Be Completely Absurd to Force Biden Out of the Race [New York Magazine]. All the writers now urging this were fervent Biden opponents during the primary. None of them seem to have considered that the overwhelming majority of Democrats who voted for him might be upset over denying the nominee they picked over something he may or may not have done in 1993. Indeed, none of them seem even remotely troubled at the prospect of the party elite functionally disenfranchising its own electorate. The point at which their argument gets around to the question of replacing the hated Biden is where the mechanics of their proposal break down completely. Replacing Kavanaugh was straightforward. He was selected by a single person. Biden was nominated by a lengthy, almost absurdly complex, and essentially democratic process.  Nonsense. What we learned from the 2020 primaries is that of Obama gave his blessing to Strom Thurmonds corpse, Democrat loyalists would fall right in line. Removing the hyperbole, if Obama wants to get rid of Biden, two weeks of bad news cycles would let him swap in Cuomo (say) and the two of them would be hailed for saving the Republic. Biden (D)(2): The Agony of Joe Biden [Back-Country Populist]. Like 2016, the Democrats are completely failing to read the room. The Democratic Party- the historic defender of rural, far-flung corners of the country and the longtime champion of the working class- has become a country club dominated by wealthy, white progressives. And while Democrats continue to perform among the lowest earners, it is more affluent, credentialed, and urban than ever before. After all, beginning in 2012, the wealthiest 4% of Americans have overwhelmingly voted Democratic. The richest 15% of House districts today are represented by Democrats and as Hillary Clinton infamously observed, those counties that voted for her in 2016 account for 64% of the nations GDP. Trump and his Republican insurgents, on the other hand, are transforming the GOP into the party of Americas working-class by capitalizing on the growing unhappiness and anger bubbling up in Americas middle class.  So far as I can tell, the Bidne campaign wont be relying on door-knocking (unlike the Sanders campaign and, amazingly enough, the Trump campaign), relying instead on Five Minutes of Hate from loyalists to drive turnout (it worked in 2018) and their control of the high ground in the media (and the intelligence community). Old school. Biden (D)(3): Amid Pandemic, Billionaire Donors Swarm To Biden, As Trumps Support Falters [Forbes]. As the coronavirus pandemic took hold of America, a record number of billionaires backed Joe Biden, putting him ahead of Donald Trump in terms of support from Americas wealthiest. Thirty-two billionaires and their spouses backed Biden in March versus 14 who gave to President Trump that same month. Altogether 94 billionaires have now donated to Biden versus 90 who have given to Trump since he started fundraising in 2017. Biden has the momentum. The former vice president received contributions from 27 billionaires or their spouses for the first time in March; contributions from 13 of them came after Trump declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency on March 13, 2020, according to the Federal Election Commission filings. (Contributions to super PACs were not included in this analysis.)  With handy map: Sanders (D)(1): The Majority of Americans Arent Scared Off by Policies Like Medicare for All [Jacobin]. This analysis assumes that most voters have an ideology  an organized structure of political ideas  that runs counter to Bernies socialism. In this telling, the centrists or moderates in the Democratic Party won. In fact, the struggle within the party is not between the center and the Left but between high-income older voters, who are more active in the primaries, and low-income young voters. In fixating on ideology, the media has obscured class disparities and refused to acknowledge the electoral strength of the systematically disadvantaged  including, in an era haunted by climate change, the young.  The old is dying and the new is struggling to be born Warren (D)(1): Remember when Warren demanded Bloomberg to #ReleaseTheNDAs so the women can speak about Bloomberg sexually assaulting them? Hates #MeToo but loves #RapeCulture. I guess that's how you get the VP slot. https://t.co/3nuCzMmz16  Sema (@_SemaHernandez_) May 5, 2020 * * *

Obama Legacy

Michelle Obama Is Mad at Our Folks, Not Trump Voters: Thats My Trauma' [The Daily Beast]. It takes some energy to go high, and we were exhausted from it. Because when you are the first black anything [Michelle Obama] said, referencing anecdotes from her Becoming book. So the day I left the White House and I write about how painful it was to sit on that [inauguration] stage. A lot of our folks didnt vote . It was almost like a slap in the face. I understand the people who voted for Trump, she continued. The people who didnt vote at all, the young people, the women, thats when you think, man, people think this is a game. It wasnt just in this election. Every midterm. Every time Barack didnt get the Congress he needed, that was because our folks didnt show up . After all that work, they just couldnt be bothered to vote at all. Thats my trauma.  Pull up your pants, n****. And have a slice of my pound cake.

Realignment and Legitimacy

Relaxing Household Liquidity Constraints through Social Security [Sylvain Catherine, Max Miller, Natasha Sarin SSRN (JS)]. We show that giving workers early access to just 1% of their future Social Security benefits allows most households to maintain their current consumption for at least two months. Unlike other approaches (like early access to retirement accounts, stimulus relief checks, and expanded unemployment insurance), access to Social Security serves the needs of workers made vulnerable by the crisis, but does not increase the overall liabilities of the federal government or have distortionary effects on the labor market.  Totally like heating your house by throwing the furniture into the fireplace. Natasha Sarin is on the power track for young liberal Democrat economists at The Hamilton Project. I wonder if shell climb a few more rungs up the ladder in a Biden administration? The lanyard class: Remember when Warren demanded Bloomberg to #ReleaseTheNDAs so the women can speak about Bloomberg sexually assaulting them? Hates #MeToo but loves #RapeCulture. I guess that's how you get the VP slot. https://t.co/3nuCzMmz16  Sema (@_SemaHernandez_) May 5, 2020

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.

Employment: April 2020 ADP Employment Declines 20,236,000 [Econintersect]. The total number of job losses for the month of April alone was more than double the total jobs lost during the Great Recession. Last months employment gain was cut. This month the coronavirus had a major impact on jobs. ADP employment has not been a good predictor of BLS non-farm private job growth.

* * *

Big Ag: Coronavirus infects more than 1,600 workers at four Iowa meatpacking plants [Des Moines Register]. More than 1,600 workers at four Iowa meatpacking plants have been infected with the coronavirus, state health officials reported Tuesday. The worst-hit factory is the Tyson pork processing plant in Perry, where 730 workers tested positive for the virus, the Iowa Department of Public Health reported. That means that 58% of the workers who were tested at the plant had the virus, Deputy Public Health Department Director Sarah Reisetter said at the states daily news conference about the pandemic. The plant in Waterloo had 444 workers test positive, which was 17% of those tested. The one in Columbus Junction has 221 workers test positive, which was 26% of those tested. At the Iowa Premium Beef plant in Tama, 258 workers tested positive, which was 39% of those tested, she said.

Shipping: Trucking companies are parking their fleet-expansion plans with unprecedented speed. Orders for heavy-duty trucks plunged last month to the lowest level on record [Wall Street Journal]. Transport research group FTR says it was the lowest order level it has seen in tracking that goes back to 1996, even exceeding the pullback during the 2008-2009 financial crisis. The decline is part of a broad slowdown in the transportation equipment market as companies cope with the deep economic downturn along with the safety of their own workers.

Shipping: A dramatic squeeze in airfreight capacity is pushing companies around the world to choose between sky-high shipping costs and exceptionally long delivery timelines. Postal services and even perishables exporters in Australia are among those turning to slower ocean transport services [Wall Street Journal]. The withdrawal of thousands of passenger flights left overall global airfreight capacity down 25% from a year ago, even after freighter operations accelerated to make up for lost passenger-plane space. That has sent air-cargo prices rocketing higher.

Apparel: Vietnam may become the largest exporter of clothing to the US [Textile Focus]. As soon as the COVID-19 subsidies are issued, Vietnam may become the largest exporter of clothing to the US. After the first two months of 2020 have analyzed the trend in clothing trade and anticipating the remainder of the year. Vietnam exported $2.38 billion worth of clothing in January-February 2020 to the US, which marked an rise of 3.50 per cent. It constitutes 18.80% of overall imports of clothes from the United States. Vietnams share in the US apparel market was 16.17 per cent in the corresponding period of 2019 and this indicates the share has significantly surged in 2020. On the other hand, China, the largest apparel exporter to the US, shipped apparels worth $2.69 billion with a drastic fall of 40.66 per cent.

Apparel: Business relationships in global apparel supply chains are unraveling. High-stakes disputes between manufacturers and their customers have exploded across the garment industry as payments are delayed and retailers cancel orders while they cope with closed stores and plunging sales [Wall Street Journal]. Factories in Asia that have paid raw-material, labor and other costs say they have been left holding huge consignments of clothing or seen them disappear into distribution channels without payment. Many say they have little recourse as apparel contracts have shifted to give importers more flexibility. That is in part because many retailers have moved away from use of letters of credit, a once-common backstop guaranteeing payment through banks, and instead rely on an open-account system that is light on enforcement. The shift has been tough on apparel factories that often pay for labor and material costs out of pocket or with debt.  Hmm. [M]oved away from use of letters of credit is a little light on agency.. Do we have any readers with insight on how this happened?

Pandemic: Perspectives from Main Street: The Impact of COVID-19 on Communities and the Entities Serving Them (PDF) [Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta]. This report offers findings of a survey designed to collect information on the effects of COVID-19 on communities and the entities serving them. n=3899 nonprofit organizations, financial institutions, government agencies and other community organizations. More: Over one-third of respondents (35%) indicated it will take more than 12 months for their communities to return to the conditions prior to the disruption from COVID-19.  A quarter of respondents (25%) indicated their entity could operate for less than three months in the current environment before exhibiting financial distress.  So, May, June, July

Todays Fear & Greed Index: 42 Fear (previous close: 43 Fear) [CNN]. One week ago: 46 (Neutral). (0 is Extreme Fear; 100 is Extreme Greed). Last updated May 6 at 12:38pm.

The Biosphere

Making commodity chemicals requires fossil fuels. New devices could do it with renewables [Nature]. As windmills and solar panels multiply, the supply of renewable electricity sometimes exceeds demand. Chemists would like to put the excess to work making commodity chemicals, such as the raw materials for fertilizer and plastics, which are now produced with heat, pressure, and copious fossil fuels. The electrochemical cells that can harness renewable electricity to make these compounds have been too slow to be practical. Now, two groups report redesigning the cells to achieve a dramatic speedupperhaps enough to put green industrial chemistry within reach. One research group uses carbon dioxide (CO2) as its starting material to make ethanol, a fuel, and ethylene, a starting point for plastics; the other turns nitrogen (N2) into ammonia (NH3), a key component in fertilizer. Both owe their progress to advances in the catalyst-coated electrodes that drive chemical reactions between gases and liquids.

Health Care

Spike mutation pipeline reveals the emergence of a more transmissible form of SARS-CoV-2 (preprint) [bioRxiv (Phacops)]. We have developed an analysis pipeline to facilitate real-time mutation tracking in SARS-CoV-2, focusing initially on the Spike (S) protein because it mediates infection of human cells and is the target of most vaccine strategies and antibody-based therapeutics.  The mutation Spike D614G is of urgent concern; it began spreading in Europe in early February, and when introduced to new regions it rapidly becomes the dominant form. Also, we present evidence of recombination between locally circulating strains, indicative of multiple strain infections. These finding have important implications for SARS-CoV-2 transmission, pathogenesis and immune interventions.  And vaccines. A comment the paper and on media coverage (the Los Angeles Times):

Spike D614G may well have functional importance. It may even increase transmissibility. But we won't know until this is tested experimentally. There's no basis for the breathless OMG #SARSCoV2 HAS MUTATED TO BE MORE TRANSMISSIBLE WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE tone in the LA Times piece.  Dr. Angela Rasmussen (@angie_rasmussen) May 5, 2020

The whole thread is worth reading.

Humoral immune response and prolonged PCR positivity in a cohort of 1343 SARS-CoV 2 patients in the New York City region (preprint) [medRxiv]. Here we show that the vast majority of confirmed COVID19 patients seroconvert, 26 potentially providing immunity to reinfection . We also report that in a large proportion of 27 individuals, viral genome can be detected via PCR in the upper respiratory tract for weeks post 28 symptom resolution, but it is unclear if this signal represents infectious virus. 

Feds Quietly Seek to Remove Leading Cause of Vaccine Injuries From Federal Payout Program [NBC]. A division of the Department of Health and Human Services is proposing to remove the leading cause of vaccine injuries from the federal program that compensates victims. Its called SIRVA, short for shoulder injury related to vaccine administration. Its happened to thousands of people across the country who went in for a simple vaccine, just like millions do each year. But the location of the shot on their arm or the angle at which it was given caused the life-changing injury.

Cardiovascular Disease, Drug Therapy, and Mortality in Covid-19 [NEJM]. Our study confirmed previous observations suggesting that underlying cardiovascular disease is associated with an increased risk of in-hospital death among patients hospitalized with Covid-19. Our results did not confirm previous concerns regarding a potential harmful association of ACE inhibitors or ARBs with in-hospital death in this clinical context.

Class Warfare

Theres a lesson here for all of us:

The way Japanese bees deal with murder hornets is just brutal but satisfying. pic.twitter.com/8zjUloVzPY  Brandon Morse (@TheBrandonMorse) May 5, 2020

Acela Corridor:

At least 1,204,475 cases of coronavirus have been recorded in the US, including 71,078 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University's tally of cases. https://t.co/taW5eumTtR CNN is taking a wider look at US coronavirus cases here: https://t.co/ethKMGStGG pic.twitter.com/IChGlVDzVW  CNN (@CNN) May 6, 2020

But not forever!

Our Broken Unemployment System Is a National Scandal [Vice]. [I]f unprecedented unemployment is a five-alarm national emergency, then our backlogged unemployment insurance system should be treated as a true national scandalan unnecessary and wholly avoidable extra crisis at the worst possible time But to wave off whats happening as an expected consequence of an unprecedented situation papers over the fact that our dilapidated unemployment insurance system was deliberately designed to keep certain people from accessing benefits, long before coronavirus came around. Our countrys social programs have long been built around an ethos of framing people either as deserving or undeserving of benefits [or, as we say today, essential (and not essential]. Its a racist trope furthered by Ronald Reagans welfare queen myth and the Bill Clinton era of welfare reform This ethos can be seen throughout an unemployment insurance system that, like most of our welfare state, is built to prioritize rooting out fraud rather than get benefits quickly to the people who need them.  This is worth reading in full. I dont know what the hecks happened to Vice, that its suddenly worth reading.

There Is Only One Way Out of the COVID-19 Economic Crisis [Daniel Carpenter and Darrick Hamilton, Slate]. The current recession is steep and severe, and even under optimistic scenarios, millions of the jobs now lost are not coming back. Meanwhile, any successful test-fueled rush to reopen the country and get back to the America of January 2020 will only return us to a world in which, despite low official unemployment rates, four in 10 Americans reported that they could not readily meet an emergency $400 expense, millions were reliant upon gig work without benefits, our infrastructure crumbled, and our government was caught flat-footed in the face of a public health crisis. Such a rush will also likely lead to mass death on a scale beyond what weve already seen and is most likely simply impossible to succeed in returning us to the old normal. January 2020 is not a status quo to which we can or should try blindly to return. Instead, like President Franklin Roosevelt did in the 1940s, we call for a federal job guarantee that would create millions of jobs, end involuntary unemployment, and build out necessary and resilient public infrastructure. Unlike the stimulus ideas that have dominated Washington to date, a direct government hiring initiative would address inequality; build robust capacity in public health, conservation, education, and infrastructure; and provide not just stable jobs, but government capacity to meet the current pandemic and economic crisis as well as the next one.  Which is why we should elect Joe Biden.

News of the Wired

When Its Hard to Take a Deep Breath [Current Affairs]. The incessant torrent of urgent and conflicting information is enough to make you hyperventilate, even if youve never had a single symptom of asthma (or any other respiratory illness, for that matter). It doesnt matter how savvy of a news consumer you are. You can listen to the experts like the CDC or WHO all you want, but what they say on Monday is often quite different from what they say on Friday. How is anyone supposed to breathe in conditions like these?

* * *

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 (CR):

TH writes: I took this one because I liked the gold leaves. I like the layers of color. This is what it feels like to stand in the woods and decide whether to move forward or not.

* * *









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Good Morning, welcome to Information Nigerias Newspaper headlines for today, 6th May 2020.

Here are the major headlines.

Buhari Writes Reps  Seeks Approval Of N850bn Loan

President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the House of Representatives, for the approval of N850 billion loan. The lawmakers read the letter on the floor of the House during its plenary session on Tuesday.

Advertisement

FG Finally Reveals Drug Used In Treating COVID-19

The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, has revealed the drug used in treating COVID-19 patients in Nigeria. Ehanire, during a press briefing on Tuesday, said Nigeria has started using Remdesivir.

Buhari Waives Import Duty On Medical Supplies

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a blanket waiver of import duties for medical equipment and supplies.

Prepare For A Fresh Lockdown  NCDC DG

The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu has warned Nigerians of risking another lockdown if the guidelines were not observed and there was a surge in coronavirus cases.

Delta Government Threatens To Quarantine Anyone Seen Without Facemask

Delta Government has issued strong warning to residents who will go out without wearing a facemask, threatening that such persons will be quarantined at isolation centres in the State.

Buhari Begs International Financial Institutions To Cancel Nigerias Debt

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked international financial institutions to help member states to cushion the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Violate Lockdown Regulations Forfeit Vehicles  Fayemi Warns Drivers

The Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, has announced new guidelines for easing the Coronavirus lockdown in the state.

Immigration Service Resumes Issuance Of Passport

The Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, has ordered passport offices nationwide to take advantage of the Federal Government phased easing of lockdown to release processed passport to applicants.

Nigerian Government Receives $311 Abacha Loot From US

The Nigerian government has received $311,797,866.11 recovered assets of General Sani Abacha repatriated from the United States and the Bailiwick of Jersey.

Lagos Records 62 New Cases As FG Relaxes Lockdown

The Lagos State Government has confirmed 62 cases of coronavirus. A tweet by the State Ministry for Health on Sunday, said it has 1,068 confirmed cases in the state.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump's nominee to the most influential federal appeals court clashed with Democrats over his past comments about the Affordable Care Act, while Republicans praised his recent ruling allowing limited Easter church services during the coronavirus pandemic.

Judge Justin Walker, a protege of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, faced criticism at Wednesday's confirmation hearing over his remarks two years ago that rulings upholding the ACA were "indefensible" and about jokes he made at the law's expense at a ceremony in March marking his entry onto the federal bench.

Republicans are pushing to elevate Walker to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit - a promotion that Democrats decry as too quick for the 37-year-old after just six months as a district judge in Kentucky.

Democrats pointed to the early March ceremony in which Walker spoke before a crowd that included McConnell, Kavanaugh and former Supreme Court justice Anthony Kennedy, for whom Walker served as law clerk when Kennedy was in the minority in a ruling upholding the ACA.

Walker defended his comments in March - that the "worst words" he ever had to deliver to Kennedy was that Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the liberal bloc, tipping the case - as a lighthearted joke trying to praise someone he considered a mentor.

"He has been an invaluable mentor and friend to me since I clerked for him in 2011 and 2012," Walker said of Kennedy. "It was not meant as anything more than a reference to the dissent that he wrote, and again, a bit of a tongue in cheek, tongue in cheek allusion to the reality that no Supreme Court justice likes being in the dissent."

Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the committee, said health care groups have raised concerns that Walker's confirmation could "exacerbate the health crisis in this country."

Wednesday's hearing came as the coronavirus played a central role in the hearing, both physically and in terms of Walker's legal background.

Rather than the usual cramped committee hearing room, on the second floor of the Dirksen Senate Office Building, the Senate Judiciary Committee convened in a large room on the ground floor so that senators and the witness could observe social distancing guidelines. Many senators appeared via video to question the nominee.

And Republicans sought to highlight Walker's Easter service ruling in Louisville, from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who introduced him to the panel, to Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the chairman who used his first question to ask about the decision.

Last month, Walker blocked Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, D, from forbidding drive-in church services on Easter to slow the spread of the coronavirus, a decision hailed by McConnell and other conservatives.

"I had to make a decision and I had to make a decision quickly so that people could know on Saturday whether they could go to church on Easter Sunday and looking at the law. It seemed to me that the free exercise clause of the First Amendment prohibited the action that the mayor was taking," Walker told Graham.

He acknowledged Wednesday that his decision, coming days after his nomination to the D.C. circuit, was a long opinion because of the pandemic. "It was a momentous and even severe thing for a court to enjoin a mayor in the midst of this terrible pandemic, when the mayor is asserting that his actions could save lives," he said.

In that opinion, Walker wrote that Fischer had "criminalized the communal celebration of Easter," adding that Fischer's decision was "beyond all reason."

Walker's nomination received a surprise boost late Tuesday when the American Bar Association reversed its initial "Not Qualified" rating during his 2019 confirmation process for the post in the lower trial court, instead deeming him "Well Qualified" for this more prominent post.

The ABA said that its switch came from the differences between the courts, with the appellate court post placing less emphasis on trial experience and instead a "high degree of legal scholarship, academic talent, analytical and writing abilities, and overall excellence."

The ABA said that although a nominee should have 12 years of experience in the practice of law, Walker's varied accomplishments offset concerns about his brief time.

In remarks on the Senate floor Wednesday, McConnell highlighted Walker's decision and the ABA rating.

"In the span of just a couple of weeks, almost simultaneously, Judge Walker has won praise from religious freedom advocates - freedom advocates nationwide and the approval of the ABA, which Democrats call the gold standard," McConnell said. "That illustrates the kind of impressive individual that the committee is considering this morning."

Walker previously served as a law clerk for Kavanaugh, when he served as a judge on the D.C. Circuit, and then for Kennedy before his retirement.

Kennedy was replaced by Kavanaugh after a 2018 confirmation battle that included allegations of sexual assault when Kavanaugh was a high school student, an accusation he denied.

Both Kennedy and Kavanaugh recommended Walker to Trump, and in early March, Kavanaugh flew to Kentucky, along with McConnell, for an investiture ceremony for the senator's protege.

At the ceremony, Walker recalled that as an 8-year-old, he asked his mother why they had a lawn sign for McConnell during the 1994 election.

"My mom said, 'We have this yard sign because this election is important,' " Walker said. "I got to hand it to you, Mom, it has been extremely important to me that Kentucky's senior senator is Mitch McConnell."

Trump taps former Kavanaugh clerk to fill vacancy on powerful D.C. appeals court

Democrats have blasted McConnell's decision to bring the Senate back into session without a legislative agenda focused on battling the coronavirus pandemic, accusing him of instead using the time to advance Walker, who grew up in Kentucky and whose family has known the majority leader for decades.

"Coming back for Mitch McConnell's former intern to be promoted to the second-highest court in the land doesn't fit the description of a national emergency," Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, said Monday just after the Senate convened its first full session in nearly six weeks.

If confirmed, Walker would not tip the ideological balance of the D.C. court, which considers many of the most contentious constitutional clashes involving the federal government, sometimes having the final word on key legal matters if the Supreme Court does not take up the case.

Walker would replace retiring Judge Thomas Griffith, 65, who issued a statement Tuesday declaring that he faced no political pressure to step down so that someone much younger could be confirmed to the influential court.

The "sole reason," Griffith said, was his wife's health and the need to care for her, a move he decided on last June and kept private among his family, law clerks and close friends.

For more than three years, McConnell has moved at a rapid tempo to fill the judicial openings inherited by Trump after the GOP Senate leader refused to act on dozens of President Barack Obama's nominees, most notably Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, who has served on the D.C. Circuit since 1997.

McConnell has vowed to leave no vacancy behind as the president faces reelection this November and Senate Republicans face the risk of losing control of the chamber.

McConnell has paid particular attention to the nation's appellate courts, one step below the Supreme Court where the vast majority of cases stop. Trump has 51 circuit court appointees, which translates to 1 out of every 4 appellate judges. McConnell says the circumstances are different now because both the Senate and the White House are of the same party, which was not the case four years ago.

- - -

The Washington Post's Ann Marimow contributed to this report.
Weather Alert

...Bitterly cold temperatures expected starting Wednesday Afternoon... ...Slick Roads possible late Wednesday Afternoon and Night... An Arctic blast of cold air will move into the Quad State region Wednesday afternoon, pushing the entire region below the freezing mark by 7 pm Wednesday. Once the cold air moves in, temperatures are not expected to rise above freezing until early Saturday afternoon. Gusty north winds will produce very low wind chills Thursday into Friday morning. Wind chills below zero will be likely over southern Illinois and southeast Missouri, with barely above zero wind chills over west Kentucky and southwest Indiana. Wind Chills will remain in the single digits for parts of the area all day on Thursday and into early Friday morning. Anyone traveling or working outdoors should bundle up in layers to protect yourself from developing hypothermia and frostbite. Consideration should also be given to protect pets and livestock left outdoors. For those with water systems vulnerable to an extended period of sub-freezing temperatures, be sure to keep a trickle of water running through those systems. A Winter Weather Advisory is currently posted for part of southwest Indiana and the Pennyrile region of west Kentucky late Wednesday afternoon and night, where the best accumulation of wintry precipitation is expected. However, with temperatures expected to plummet and remain below freezing, any wintry precipitation still left on roadways and sidewalks across the Quad State late Wednesday afternoon and night will freeze. Travelers should use caution while traveling and be watchful for any slick spots on roadways, especially elevated bridges and overpasses. Please stay tuned to the National Weather Service in Paducah for the latest forecasts and statements associated with this winter event.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 15:47:21|Editor: huaxia

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COLOMBO, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Tourism Ministry on Wednesday said efforts were ongoing to assist over 11,000 tourists who were stranded in the country due to the closure of airports globally following the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

In a statement, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), which is part of the Tourism Ministry said that as of May 4, a total of 11,389 tourists were currently in Sri Lanka and the government had requested them to register with the recently launched "Tourist & Expatriate Support Center" website.

Sri Lanka Tourism is also in the process of gathering details of all the international tourists, businessmen and expatriates engaged in the tourism industry of Sri Lanka in the outbreak of COVID-19 Pandemic in the country, the SLTDA said.

"COVID-19 was a severe blow to the Tourism industry which was still recovering after the Easter Sunday attacks last April. On March 12 when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic, there were 76,224 foreign travelers in Sri Lanka," Sri Lankan Tourism Chairperson, Kimarli Fernando said.

"Immediately, a 24/7 call center was set up to assist tourists and with transportation issues in times of curfew, outbound flight tickets were allowed to be used as curfew passes to reach the airport. Sri Lanka Tourism is also liaising with the foreign ministry, embassies, airport authorities and airlines to facilitate safe departures," Fernando added.

Sri Lanka closed its international airports for all incoming passenger flights from March 17 as COVID-19 cases rose in the island country.

The country has a curfew in several districts since March 24 including capital Colombo to prevent a further spread of the virus which has so far infected over 750 people and caused nine deaths. Enditem
CHICAGO, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FreightCar America, Inc. (RAIL) will host a conference call and live webcast on Monday, May 11, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) to discuss the Companys first quarter 2020 financial results. The Companys earnings release for the first quarter 2020 will be issued before the market opens on Monday, May 11, 2020 and will be available on the Investor Relations page of the Companys website at www.freightcaramerica.com.



To participate in the conference call, please dial (877) 692-8957, Confirmation Number 8606324. Interested parties are asked to dial in approximately 10 to 15 minutes prior to the start time of the call. The live audio-only webcast can be accessed at:

Event URL: https://attevent.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1316290&tp_key=c25bd24d9c

Please note that the webcast is listen-only and webcast participants will not be able to participate in the question and answer portion of the conference call.

An audio replay of the conference call will be available beginning at 2:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) on May 11, 2020 until 12:00 a.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) on June 12, 2020. To access the replay, please dial (866) 207-1041 or (402) 970-0847. The replay pass code is 8676330. An audio replay of the call will be available on the Companys website within two days following the earnings call.

FreightCar America, Inc. manufactures a wide range of railroad freight cars, supplies railcar parts and leases freight cars through its FreightCar America Leasing Company subsidiaries. FreightCar America designs and builds high-quality railcars, including bulk commodity cars, covered hopper cars, intermodal and non-intermodal flat cars, mill gondola cars, coil steel cars, boxcars and coal cars. It is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and has facilities in the following locations: Cherokee, Alabama; Grand Island, Nebraska; Johnstown, Pennsylvania; and construction is underway on a facility in Castanos, Mexico. More information about FreightCar America is available on its website at www.freightcaramerica.com.
The Uttar Pradesh government has so far approved nearly 66 Shramik Special trains in order to bring back labourers stranded across the country due to the lockdown.

While, 19 trains have arrived in UP over the past few days, 9 trains are currently en route to the different cities in the state, and 38 more trains have also been given the nod. So far, the trains have mainly originated from Gujarat and Maharashtra, while the new trains are coming from other states as well, including Punjab, Karnataka and Kerala etc, UP additional chief secretary Awanish Kumar ...
The Office of Senate Fair Employment Practices was established in 1991 to investigate claims of discrimination, including sexual harassment, arising from the Senate. Some Senators opposed the creation of this office. The opposition was bipartisan. It included Republicans, led by Warren Rudman, as well as Democrats, including Joe Biden.

Prior to the creation of this office, Congress was exempt from laws banning employment discrimination. Charles Grassley introduced an amendment to the Civil Rights Act of 1991 that would remedy this ridiculous state of affairs.

The amendment provided procedures to protect the right of Senate and other government employees. . .to be free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability. Among the procedures provided was the creation of an office to handle discrimination complaints.

According to this report in the Washington Free Beacon, opponents of applying civil rights laws to the Senate tried to block Grassleys amendment through procedural maneuvering. Rudman raised a point of order aimed at declaring the amendment unconstitutional and striking it from the proposed Civil Rights Act.

Biden voted in favor of Rudmans maneuver. However, it failed by a 76-22 vote.

Rudman then launched a second attempt to derail the creation of the office by introducing an amendment that required senators to pay settlements out of their own pockets. When Grassley and his allies attempted to table the amendment, Biden again voted with Rudman.

There is no serious constitutional argument against applying civil rights laws to Congress and creating an office to handle discrimination claims. Rudmans real argument against doing so was that the office would become a Son of Frankenstein and that everyone here will be in jeopardy.

This must also have been Bidens rationale for opposing Grassleys amendment. His opposition doesnt mean that Biden was engaging in sexual misconduct or thought that he might do so in the future (his alleged sexual assault on Tara Reade occurred two years later). It does suggest, though it doesnt show, that he feared being accused of sexual harassment  the way Clarence Thomas had just been accused in hearings over which Biden presided.

I believe the main thing going on here was a desire to protect the seigneurial rights of Senators. The desire to uphold those rights doesnt imply the desire of a particular Senator to exercise them in a sexual sense. It does imply an unhealthy attitude about the power of Senators and what they should be able to get away with.

If extending to Senate employees the laws protection from sexual harassment creates Son of Frankenstein, then passing such laws and applying them to the rest of America creates Frankenstein himself. Rudman and Biden had no problem with holding American males at-large accountable for sexual misconduct at the workplace. They just viewed themselves as above the law.

And why not? Biden had been receiving passes for misconduct and mediocrity for years, and has been receiving them for decades since.

Its ironic, though, that nearly 30 years after the creation of an office he opposed, Biden now asks that office to search for a complaint that may have been lodged against him.

Whats more ironic is that the office is barred, as Biden must know, from even saying whether such a complaint exists. A Senate resolution enacted that bar, which extends for a period of 50 years after a complaint is made.

Think of that resolution, passed in 1980, as Warren Rudmans revenge. And Joe Bidens.
Key indices are trading lower in early trade, extending two-day slide. At 9:25 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 181.17 points or 0.58% at 31,272.34. The Nifty 50 index was down 45.75 points or 0.5% at 9,159.85.

The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index was off 0.5%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was down 0.53%.

The market breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was negative. On the BSE, 477 shares rose and 695 shares fell. A total of 45 shares were unchanged.

Meanwhile, the government hiked excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 10 and Rs 13 per litre, respectively. This is the steepest such hike in excise duty. Retail fuel prices remain unchanged. These duty rate changes will come into effect from May 6. Global crude oil prices surged on Tuesday as they got a boost from optimism around ongoing production cuts and a recovery in demand as economies reopen. Brent settled 13.86% higher at $30.97 per barrel.

Local stocks extended their losing run for the second day on Tuesday, led by weakness in banks and FMCG shares. The barometer S&P BSE Sensex fell 261.84 points or 0.83% at 31,453.51. The Nifty 50 index lost 87.90 points or 0.95% at 9,205.60.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) sold shares worth Rs 1,059.39 crore, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs), were also net sellers to the tune of Rs 995.30 crore in the Indian equity market on Tuesday, provisional data showed.

Stocks in news:

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) advanced 3.36%. APSEZ reported 72% fall in consolidated profit after tax to Rs 361 crore on 5% fall in operating revenue to Rs 2921 crore in Q4 March 2020 over Q4 March 2019. In FY21, the company will reduce operating costs and capex will be curtailed to Rs 2000 crore. Ports fall under essential services and as such all ports are operating efficiently during this period of crises to ensure that supply chain of essential goods is not disrupted, the company said.

Reliance Industries (RIL) rose 0.62%. RIL said that the company has elected to redeem, in whole, all outstanding US$200,000,000 5% Senior Notes Due 2035 along with interest on or around 5 June 2020.

Wipro shed 0.79%. Wipro has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Maharashtra under which it will repurpose one of its information technology campuses in Hinjewadi, Pune to a 450-bed intermediary care COVID-19 hospital in four weeks and hand it over to the state government by May 30. The hospital will be converted back to an IT facility after a year.

Rallis India lost 5.01%. Rallis India said that the company recorded consolidated revenue of Rs 346 crore in Q4 March 2020, a growth of 2% over revenue of Rs 340 crore in Q4 March 2019. Loss before tax (after exceptional items) was at Rs 3 crore, as against profit before tax (after exceptional items) of Rs 6 crore.

United Spirits declined 2.69%. United Spirits said that on the basis of permissions received from the governmental authorities so far, the company has resumed operations at majority of its manufacturing facilities with reduced capacity. The company is expecting to receive few more permissions in the next few days.

Global Markets:

Overseas, Asian stocks were trading mixed as investors weigh opening up of economies from the lockdown with caution. Markets in Japan and Thailand are closed on Wednesday for holidays.

In US, stocks ended slightly higher Tuesday for a second straight day, but finished well off session highs, as investors watched business restrictions begin to ease in the U.S. and Europe and progress toward an early vaccine to prevent the further spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The US economy could start to recover in the second half of the year after what is shaping up to be the worst recession in decades, but growth is likely to be slow and uneven, several top Federal Reserve policymakers indicated on Tuesday.

On the economic front, the U.S. trade deficit widened by almost 12% in March as the coronavirus pandemic grounded international flights, froze the global tourism industry and caused massive disruptions in the exchange of goods such as new cars and iPhones. Imports fell 6.2%, but U.S. exports tumbled an even deeper 9.6% to cause the trade gap to rise. The U.S. deficit rose to $44.4 billion in March from $39.8 billion in February, the government said Tuesday.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has dismissed reports suggesting it has issued a letter on the selection of a running mate for its flag bearer John Mahama.



A statement purportedly signed by Mr Asiedu Nketia said the partys Special Vetting Committee had settled on Mr Kwame Awuah Darko, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, Prof. Kwesi Botchwey, Mr Kwasi Ahwoi, and Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings as potential candidates for selection to partner Mr Mahama in the upcoming 7 December general elections.



However, Mr Nketia says he has not issued any such statement or caused such publication to be made on his behalf on the subject of selecting the NDC running mate.



"The general public is, therefore, advised to ignore any such frivolous and fictitious letter, which is clearly a creation of some unscrupulous persons, who want to divert attention from serious burning national issues," Mr Nketia said in a statement.



Below is the full statement:



DISCLAIMER: IGNORE FAKE NEWS ON SELECTION OF NDC RUNNING MATE



My attention has been drawn to a fraudulent fake letter on the selection of the 2020 NDC Running Mate, purported to be signed and issued by me.



First of all, I have not issued any such statement or cause such publication to be made on my behalf on the subject of selecting the NDC Running Mate.



The general public is therefore advised to ignore any such frivolous and fictitious letter, which is clearly a creation of some unscrupulous persons, who want to divert attention from serious burning national issues.



Let me use this opportunity to emphasize that the purported letterhead, reference number, email address and signature on the said publication are all fake.



Secondly, no subcommittee of the party has been formed or tasked by the National Executive Committee for selection of a Running Mate. For the avoidance of doubt, the procedures for selecting a Running Mate as prescribed under Article 43 of our party Constitution does not include the formation of any such Sub-Committee.



This fake news comes in the wake of several attempts by some criminal minds to use the names of some high-ranking officials of the party to defraud the unsuspecting public, including some Parliamentary Candidates of our party. This is utterly condemnable.



Even though I do not own any Facebook account, I have had cause to report to the cyber-crime unit of the Ghana Police Service, activities of some criminally-minded fraudsters who have created an account in my name and are using same to defraud innocent citizens. We are eagerly waiting for an action by the Cyber Crime Unit of the CID.



We entreat our teeming members, supporters, sympathisers and the general public to ignore this fraudulent document. We wish to assure all NDC members that leadership shall remain focused on the agenda to #KickNanaOut, no matter the machinations of our detractors.



Signed



Johnson Asiedu Nketiah



(General Secretary)









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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The New York City Police Department is asking for the publics help to find a 15-year-old boy who went missing from Port Richmond.

John Juaman was last seen on Sunday at about 11 p.m. at his residence on Treadwell Avenue, according to a statement from the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information.

Police described him as Hispanic and standing about 58 tall and weighing about 170 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair. He was seen wearing blue jeans, a yellow shirt with a hood and black sneakers.

People with information are encouraged to contact the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-8477 (TIPS) or for Spanish, 1-888-577-4782 (PISTA). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.
Two advocates have urged Delhi High Court Chief Justice DN Patel to take suo motu (on his own) cognisance of the incident of "Bois Locker Room", an Instagram group in which obscene messages and morphed pictures of underage girls were shared.

The participants of the chat room were teenage boys from Delhi who allegedly shared lewd and objectionable content pertaining to minor girls.

The chat room was used for making comments and sharing compromising and allegedly morphed images of minor girls.

Advocates Neela Gokhale and Ilam Paridhi, in a letter to Chief Justice Patel, said the seriousness and gravity of the illegal activities of a large group of boys, discussing ways and means to rape and sexual harass women, including minor and under-age girls via social media platforms, has compelled them to write this letter.

They urged him to direct the authorities concerned to register FIRs for the alleged offences, punishable under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, the Information and Technology Act and the Indian Penal Code, against the perpetrators and initiate investigation in the matter at the earliest.

The chat room stirred a controversy after various screenshots were shared on social media recently.

The letter said while virtual platforms and technology have been a boon for enabling people to learn, share and grow, a few of rogues cannot be permitted to dilute the credibility and utility of the social media platforms to perpetuate and propagate their vile and abusive behaviour.

The mediums which were meant to lend voices even to the voiceless, cannot be permitted to offer its platform as a breeding ground for misogyny and extend all the offline sexism and objectification that prevails, online, it said.

The letter stated that it has been learnt that a group of boys, allegedly from South Delhi and aged about 16-18 years, have created the group chat 'Bois locker room' on Instagram and the contents of the conversation and chats which have now emerged in public domain, are extremely shocking.

The content is related to obscene and lewd comments on the private body parts of the women, with further threats and offers to leak morphed nude pictures and circulate them. Private photographs of women and girls were shared accompanied by foul and degrading comments in respect of the girls in the photos. Furthermore, the conversation between the members went to the extent of making plans to 'gang rape' the said minors, it added.

The advocates said the members of the group have urged the co-members to leave the earlier group to avoid being traced and they have made another one 'Bois Locker Room 2.0'.

The aforesaid unfortunate incident is diabolical in nature and invites abhorrence of the collective, it shocks the judicial conscience and impels it to react keeping in view the collective conscience, cry of the community for justice and the intense indignation the manner in which the crime is committed.

Hence, justice demands that there needs to be punishment meted out which befits the crime, so that it reflects public abhorrence of the crime and that too at the earliest point of time, in order to ensure that not only should the justice be done but it must also be seen to be done, the letter said.

The lawyers urged the chief justice to suo-moto cognisance of the incident and direct the concerned police authorities to register FIR against the perpetrators and initiate investigation in the matter.

We have taken the liberty to write the present letter to you Sir, seeking suo motu cognisance, since as members of the society and especially as members of the legal fraternity, we are under an obligation not to remain silent spectators in matters of violent crime against women and leave it to the victims alone to fight a lonely battle, in face of such open threats issued to them on the same social media platform, which have further increased their vulnerability and left them exposed to further abuse, they said.

An FIR was lodged by the police on May 3 and a juvenile has been apprehended in connection with the matter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Liam Spady, a student at the Community College of Philadelphia, struggled with homelessness --"couch surfing" on friends' sofas at night as he studied by day for his culinary arts degree.

The 22-year-old said that before the coronavirus swept the city, he relied on college resources like his on-campus food pantry for meals and snacks, but since the pandemic's fallout, he is dependent on his credit card to meet those basic needs.

And without the quiet safe-haven that his campus provided, Spady told ABC News that even studying has become more challenging as he adjusts to finishing his last semester. Spady who said he went into foster care at age 16 when he was removed from his mother's home, is now temporarily back in that home with a mix of relatives coming and going at all hours. It's often noisy, which makes it tough to study.

"I would sometimes do my work on campus," he said. "At home, people are not as in tune with like the whole, going to college thing is not the same so doing my work on campus is easier. I have my peers around it just flows much better. And that has drastically been changed because of coronavirus related shutdowns."

The soon-to-be culinary arts graduate will earn his Associates degree on Friday and said he has been accepted to a transitional housing program. He plans to apply for state grants that will allow him to transfer to a four-year university in the fall to earn his Bachelors degree. However, he made it clear that having access to the necessary funding will ultimately determine his ability to continue his education.

In the meantime, as a staffer at the Philadelphia Office of Homeless Services, he is keenly aware that for students like him the next phase of the education journey will be especially tough amid the pandemic.

Theres already a lot of stress when it comes to young people who are homeless and in school because you have to worry about where you're going to stay and if it's safe, Spady said.

Story continues

PHOTO: Liam Spady, a 22-year-old student at the Community College of Philadelphia, visited Capitol Hill to advocate for continued funding for the Youth Homelessness Demonstrations Projects initiative at the House Appropriations Committee, Sept. 5, 2019. (Courtesy Liam Spady)

As colleges and universities around the country shut down campuses and dormitories under coronavirus-related stay-at-home orders, the cost comes at a steep price for low-income and homeless students who rely on on-campus resources to get through school. Further, students on the cusp of graduation in the next few weeks face an uncertain economic future amid record unemployment and uncertain job prospects--the very kind of work needed to help them net and pay for food and housing.

Sara Goldrick-Rab, the founding director of The Hope Center for College Community and Justice, a Temple University-based research group focused on college students' needs, said as soon as the pandemic hit, her organization started hearing from students whose schools were closing.

What I really wish people knew is that students who are so-called housing insecure people, who have trouble paying their rent, people who have trouble paying their utility bills, people who might just be late on a payment or are living in overcrowded conditions that are not safe -- These people often look like me, said Goldrick-Rab, who is also a professor at Temple University.

Everybody thinks this only happens to somebody elses child. The truth is, this can happen to anybody. Rent is really unaffordable now, and its even less affordable around college campuses.

With schools closing dorms, students have begun to file class-action lawsuits as a way to try and be reimbursed. In addition to the growing number of lawsuits, many universities -- including some of the country's most selective and expensive private schools -- are facing mounting public pressure campaigns from students to cut tuition rates during the hiatus from in-person classes.

(MORE: College students clamor for tuition refunds after coronavirus shutters campuses)

According to the National Center for Homeless Education, which operates some programs for the U.S. Department of Education, more than a million children and youth face homelessness and those students meet with greater obstacles when they attend college. Many of these students "struggle to provide for their basic needs. They often maintain rigorous work schedules that impact the amount of time they can devote to their studies. A particular challenge exists during breaks at residential colleges and universities, when dormitories close. During these times, unaccompanied homeless students living in the dorms often have nowhere to go and insufficient funds to pay for housing," the report found.

PHOTO: In this April 25, 2019, file photo, students sit on the lawn near Royce Hall at UCLA, in the Westwood section of Los Angeles. (Jae C. Hong/AP, FILE)

MORE:College grads face one of the bleakest job markets in history

Social distancing and stay-at-home orders have led to many colleges and universities closing on-campus operations, forcing many students to find an alternative place to live for the remainder of the semester and without on-campus services.

For Marcella Middleton, a mother and first-year graduate student at North Carolina State University, the coronavirus pandemic has threatened the stability she has worked to provide for herself and her son.

Housing insecurity is not new to her. Coming out of foster care, Middleton faced homelessness throughout her undergraduate career, telling ABC News she would work on campus in between semesters to have a place to stay.

The pandemic's subsequent shut-down meant that she was forced to telework and work reduced hours. The cut in pay put a drain on her finances and forced her to apply for rental assistance.

I got to a place where I didn't need to ask for much help and now I'm having to do it again, so that's been difficult. But I know that I need help and I know I have to make sure my son is taken care of, Middleton said.

The 28-year-old has relied on resources like on-campus therapy, a benefit she says has been instrumental to her success as she earns her Master's degree in social work. However, Middleton says in-person counseling has become temporarily unavailable as North Carolina State University's Community Counseling, Education, and Research Center has now transitioned to online video counseling in response to social distancing recommendations.

MORE: As learning moves online, coronavirus highlights a growing digital divide

As somebody who experienced a lot of trauma growing up, I really put a lot of stake in the mental health services that are rendered at the college because they're free and they come with the package of going to college. And, so, not having access to that has been really difficult because that's a necessary outlet for my consistent success, Middleton said, adding that shes now looking into the online alternative.

MORE: Unemployment, isolation: COVID-19's mental health impact

Marcy Stidum is the director of Campus Awareness, Resource, and Empowerment (CARE) Services at Kennesaw State University in Georgia. CARE Services offers four programs, including support for students experiencing homelessness, food insecurity, and the foster care system.

When campus closed, the initial wave was students who had nowhere to go and were completely homeless, Stidum said, describing the situation since as a very continuous rollercoaster ride.

Stidum said that about 300 students were able to stay on campus after the initial influx.

That includes international students. That includes our LGBT community who cannot go home. Our domestic violence and family violence community and our students also who were homeless in high school who are actively homeless, she said.

So, all those students had nowhere to go, and it comprised about 300 to 400 students.

Now, she said, they are seeing the second wave -- students who are unable to work and have become housing insecure, which Stidum described as a step right before homelessness.

The emergency assistance program, which CARE Services oversees, is working to help students with rental assistance using federal funding through the recently passed CARES Act, Stidum said.

But then for some students, it's not enough, she added.

MORE: Coronavirus leaves international college students in limbo over their futures

As part of the federal stimulus package, on April 9, the Department of Education announced it was distributing more than $6 billion to colleges and universities through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, which once allocated by schools through cash grants, is intended to go toward students various needs during the pandemic, including food, housing, health care, and childcare.

Whats best for students is at the center of every decision we make, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said in a statement. Thats why we prioritized getting funding out the door quickly to college students who need it most. We dont want unmet financial needs due to the coronavirus to derail their learning.

MORE: Senate's return sets stage for showdown over coronavirus relief package

In addition to federal aid, some groups have been working to crowdfund emergency relief money for students. Goldrick-Rab said this was a priority for her group.

When COVID-19 forced students off-campus, Goldrick-Rab said she started hearing from students and schools struggling to figure out the next steps.

Not only were schools worried about students in residence halls when they closed their doors, but they were also worried about students who lived off-campus who might lose their jobs and not have the means to pay rent, or were being told that they had to leave and go home even though they were locked into leases, she said.

Homelessness in America is often an invisible problem because we think it means that somebody lives on the street or they sleep in a tent, Goldrick-Rab said. But more often than not, especially for people who are pursuing an education, theyre actually couch-surfing."

For Middleton, the pandemic has highlighted the need for policy changes to better support college students who are facing homelessness.

"This is a perfect time to really try to support young people that are experiencing housing instability, especially in the midst of COVID-19," she said. "This is something that has been going on and the inclusion of young people in the planning stage has not been happening."

Editor's Note: The story has changed to clarify that Liam Spady who said he went into foster care at age 16 when he was removed from his mother's home, is now temporarily back in that home. He has been accepted to a city-funded transitional housing program. A previous version stated that he is currently living in city-funded transitional housing.

This report was featured in the Friday, May 22, 2020, episode of Start Here, ABC News daily news podcast.

"Start Here" offers a straightforward look at the day's top stories in 20 minutes. Listen for free every weekday on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, the ABC News app or wherever you get your podcasts.

Coronavirus pandemic exacerbates challenges for homeless college students originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the Islamic Republic of Iran expects Europe to put pressure on Israel and not allow it to continue attacks on Syria, Mehr news agency reported.

Rouhani made the remarks in a telephone conversation with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen on Wednesday.

The two presidents also termed US sanctions as a hurdle ahead of meeting medical and pharmaceutical requirements and announced their opposition against the continuation of these sanctions.

Despite the current tough condition for battling the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, the United States continues to put barriers ahead of Irans path of meeting its pharmaceutical and medical needs, Rouhani said, adding, the US government even strongly opposes Iran for its loan request from the International Monetary Fund [IMF] in order to fight against the pandemic.

Turning to Irans nuclear deal, known as JCPoA, President Rouhani said, in the current situation, we believe that European Union should take more serious and practical measures with regards to its commitments towards the international issues and JCPoA.

In the current situation of the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the global arena, all efforts should be focused on lifting of sanctions, settling differences and suffocating spread of war and conflicts, he said, adding, Islamic Iran is seeking peace and stability in the region and Europe is expected to put pressure on the Zionist regime and not allow it to continue its attack on Syria and Lebanon as well as siege of Gaza Strip at the current condition of the coronavirus global pandemic.

For his part, Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen stressed his country's interest to expand cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran and said, "Austria is ready to share its experience with the Islamic Republic of Iran in the fight against coronavirus."
With cars lined up along Texas 3 as far as the eye could see, hundreds of people were on hand to welcome the U.S. Navys Blue Angels flyover of Ellington Field on May 6..

The scene on the ground included impromptu lunches along the road and children with binoculars glad to escape the house as all waited for the famous flight demonstration squadrons arrival.
YONKERS, NY  The country's first hotspot has created what may be the nation's first memorial to the victims of the new coronavirus pandemic. Ribbons of Remembrance is dedicated to the more than 1,100 Westchester County residents who have already lost their lives to COVID-19.

It was just the beginning of March when Westchester's first case swelled in 11 days into 121 cases in New Rochelle leading to the first "containment zone." SEE: Coronavirus In New Rochelle: Life At The Epicenter.

Wednesday, County Executive George Latimer introduced the memorial, a simple combination of purple ribbons and small trees overlooking the Hudson River at the Lenoir Preserve. Permanent markers are available in a case near the preserve's parking lot. Visitors can write the name of a loved one on a ribbon and tie it to one of the trees.

"Every fatality is not a statistic, it's a human being," Latimer said. "I hope people will come by, and remember that where there is a purple ribbon there was once a person."

People need societal touchpoints, he said. The pandemic has replaced symbolism people are comfortable with  such as St. Patrick's Day parades, Mother's Day, high school proms  with symbols that make people uncomfortable, such as masks.

"One thing we haven't forgotten is how we remember people who have died," he said.

In two months, COVID-19 has killed 1,116 Westchester residents, the New York state health department reported May 5. At the height of the outbreak, the county was reporting 30 to 40 new deaths a day.

"We have had a concentration of loss," Latimer said.

Lenoir Preserve, a nature preserve comprising woodlands and field habitats with a number of unusual specimen trees and shrubs imported from around the world, is one of the Westchester County parks open during the pandemic. Its slopes overlooking the Palisades offer spectacular views.









This article originally appeared on the New Rochelle Patch
Rajesh Asnani By

Express News Service

JAIPUR: While the Rajasthan government has been pro-active in facilitating the return of stranded migrants, students and others to their native places, several states have not been cooperating. While earlier Bihar had refused to allow its students in Kota to return, now the Ashok Gelhot governments efforts to bring back Rajasthani migrants stranded in Kolkata has suffered a rude jolt.

The West Bengal government refused permission to send back about 500 migrant workers from Jalore in the desert state and 15 buses sent to Kolkata for this purpose had to return empty.Despite the permission given earlier, the Bengal government eventually turned down the request to send the Rajasthani migrants on Monday night after delaying the issue for two days.

Bengals refusal has angered the Rajasthan government. However, state Transport Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas blamed the Centre for this impasse and alleged that the Modi government was simply not serious in tackling the issue of migrant workers.
With trillions of dollars in emergency assistance loosed in the global response to COVID-19, some observers warn of ripe conditions for another pandemic: corruption.

The more funds that are distributed, the more likely it is that people are going to try to steal that money, said Jeff Cortese, a former acting chief of the FBIs public corruption unit now working in private-sector risk management. While corruption is ever present, he said, this is, for the first time, happening on a global scale simultaneously.

Governments, businesses, nongovernmental organizations and charities at every level, in every country, are preoccupied with their own immediate challenges, so Cortese and others in the anti-corruption arena foresee more potential for graft, price gouging, embezzling and other misdeeds  and more need to counter it.

In Uganda, four government officials were arrested in April and accused of colluding to commit fraud by inflating the price of food relief amid the crisis.

In China, scam artists have offered online sales of ventilators they might not even possess or charged hospitals up to five times the regular price of machines to help patients breathe, a Bloomberg investigation found.

In the United States, a Michigan medical supplier peddled boxes of 10 N95 respirator masks for nearly $100  more than six times the pre-pandemic price of $15  until the state attorney general sent a cease-and-desist letter.

Concerns abound in balancing the need for speeding access to medical supplies, aid, jobless claims and business bailouts versus providing entry to criminals.

In an emergency, you do need to be able to react quickly  and sometimes that means that you do need to suspend normal procurement processes such as open, competitive bids, said Max Heywood, head of policy and advocacy for Transparency International. But the anti-corruption agency, based in Berlin, urges quickly implementing controls to make processes more visible.

It is essential to maintain a basic level of transparency around what contracts are being signed, what amounts are being spent, he said. That way, at the very least there's a paper trail or a digital trail that allows for some accountability once the main wave of this crisis has passed by.

As Heywood pointed out, every dollar wasted is a dollar that is not reaching the intended beneficiary.

Shared responsibilities

As with combating infection, everyone has a role in fighting corruption, said Cortese, Heywood and his colleague Mokgabo Kupe, Transparencys regional adviser for southern Africa.

They identify government, business, the public and media as key players.

When they are all four healthy and fighting against corruption in a concerted effort  not necessarily shared, but at least an equal degree of effort  you will find your healthiest anti-corruption region, Cortese said. If the government refuses to address corruption or doesn't manage it in the way that [it] should, it is incumbent upon those three other groups  to encourage and hold the government accountable, whether it's through voting, voice, articles or refusal to do business in a particular area.

A quest for government leadership

Political will is essential, Kupe says. Heads of government and legislators, as creatures of the national budgetary process, must demand adequate funding for anti-corruption institutions and efforts.

Corruption risks grow more daunting in poor nations. Sub-Saharan Africa  with the largest concentration of low-income countries  too often has the least favorable regional score in Transparencys annual Corruption Perception Index. Most recently, it scored 32 out of 100 points, against a global average of 43.

Kupe explained the low score. The continent has fast-growing economies but insufficient business frameworks and trade barriers, prompting really high levels of bribery and corruption. Too few institutions tackle corruption; those that do often lack money and expertise. And then, in parallel, you might not even have effective legal frameworks.

On top of that, Kupe said, the bad guys are, you know, getting smarter and smarter.

To combat misdeeds, Kupe said, entities such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) should use their clout to make anti-corruption a priority for states.  Politicians act where there is pressure to act, and the pressure usually comes from donors or those that hold the purse strings.

Top Ugandan Officials Arrested in COVID-19 Purchasing Scandal Defendants who worked in the office of Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda and ran program to provide food relief for the most vulnerable amid coronavirus pandemic, were arrested for causing government losses in excess of $528,000

For instance, the World Bank and aid partners have applied pressure on Mozambique. The southern African countrys history of corruption, including the 2016 revelation of a $2 billion government hidden-debt scandal, led donors to cut off direct funding several years ago.

When Mozambiques finance ministry recently sought more than $700 million to cope with the pandemic, the World Bank, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the United Kingdom opted to give in-kind support rather than money, the All-Africa website reported. It said donors were directly procuring medical goods such as intensive-care beds, N95 masks, pulse oximeters and body bags.

Aid in the form of goods would be easier to monitor than money, said Inocencia Mapisse, an economist and researcher with the Center for Public Integrity in Mozambique. She said that approach supports good governance in her country, where financial aid has proven to end up generating appetites for personal gain.

In late April, the IMF approved a disbursement of roughly $309 million to help with pandemic-related fiscal needs in the country, still reeling from two cyclones in 2019. The IMF is documenting the Mozambique governments major economic responses, along with those of 192 other economies, on its COVID-19 policy tracker website.

But the IMF doesnt go far enough in monitoring its COVID-19 aid, Transparency International, Human Rights Watch and Global Witness wrote to the funds executive board in an April 8 letter, The watchdog groups contend the IMF should require transparency and anti-corruption measures when disbursing funds for emergency relief programs to ensure help for the most vulnerable.

The IMF did not respond to several VOA requests for comment.

A call for enforcement

Cortese, the former FBI official, said governments also must commit to enforcing legislation: You can have the greatest laws in the land, but if you don't have law enforcement willing to investigate, prosecutors willing to prosecute, judges willing to be objective, then those laws are meaningless.

In the United States, the Justice Department has warned of COVID-19 scams and directed all 93 U.S. attorneys offices to prioritize the detection, investigation and prosecution of all criminal conduct related to the current pandemic. With suspected price gouging of masks, hand sanitizers and other sought-after supplies, state attorneys general have issued cease-and-desist letters, leveled fines and filed lawsuits.

Experts Warn of New Round of Price Gouging for Masks Retailers play whack-a-mole in efforts to stop people from trying to profit off coronavirus battle

However, a month after approval of a $2.2 trillion emergency federal spending package on coronavirus recovery, several government oversight bodies have not yet been activated.

Business challenges

Transparencys Heywood noted what he called an encouraging trend of stakeholder capitalism and of businesses committing to contributing to the social good.

Now is the time to see to what extent those commitments were real, he said, and to see if businesses are being transparent  about their political engagements, about their lobbying activities.

Cortese said businesses must not permit bribes, extortion or other unethical behavior, and they must communicate that intolerance to employees, customers and potential trade partners.

Public role beyond voting

As for citizens, their anti-corruption responsibility goes beyond voting.

It's also about what happens in between elections, Transparencys Heywood said. You know, do citizens have chances to participate and observe decision-making, to monitor where government funds are going?

Especially during a crisis, he said, governments need to show openness so constituents have data and other information to carry out that monitoring function.

Kupe emphasized the importance of an enabling environment. Where civic space is restricted, the citizens might have a lot to say, but they may not have a forum in which to safely express their views.

In Zimbabwe, citizen activist Freeman Chari embraces that accountability mindset. He helped organize an online drive to raise $50,000 to supply health workers with personal protective gear, raising roughly $33,000 as of early Friday.

Were in the process of doing due diligence with GoFundMe itself, Chari told VOA about the crowdfunding platform. Then, when we buy anything, when we purchase and deliver, we make sure theres a paper trail, theres a record.  We have to account to  the people that have put [in] their $5, their $10.

The media mission

Journalists have a responsibility to present information and serve as watchdogs in the public interest, all three agree.

Kupe said they also need an open environment in which to operate.

If journalists and news operations face expensive licensing, you may only have one or two private media houses operating in that country, depriving the public of diverse views, she said. Or, in the face of hostility, journalists might not question as much as they should because they don't want to be shut down by the government.

An argument for intolerance

Cortese said all four parties should employ what he called the greatest weapon against corruption: intolerance.

Our greatest success will come from an intolerance of corruption within this global pandemic.

Contributors to this report include Mike Hove of the Zimbabwe Service and Alfredo Junior of the Portuguese Service.
Many have claimed the Green Party risks extinction it if enters a grand coalition, but Fianna Fail faces a much bigger existential threat.

The Red C opinion poll results at the weekend were devastating for Fianna Fail. Having secured 22pc of the vote in February's General Election, support has crumbled to only 14pc.

The former behemoth of Irish politics now trails Sinn Fein and Fine Gael by 13 and 21 points respectively. There isn't a single demographic or area of the country where Fianna Fail comes out on top.

Even in Munster, traditionally a stronghold, the party is on 19pc with Sinn Fein on 26pc and Fine Gael 27pc.

In Dublin, the party is hanging on by a thread at 8pc, compared to 25pc for Sinn Fein and 40pc for Fine Gael. In fact, the Green Party, on 9pc, now enjoys more support in Dublin than Fianna Fail.

Some within the party may try to rationalise these results as being an indirect by-product of the pandemic. During a crisis, support for governments typically surge - a phenomenon known as 'rallying around the flag'.

This is certainly the case with Fine Gael, which has jumped 14 points from 21pc to 35pc since the election. However, there is no comfort for Fianna Fail in this. It is the only party to have seen a dramatic collapse in its vote in recent months. Sinn Fein is holding steady at 27pc.

Fianna Fail's problem is clear. It is a party with neither direction nor identity.

Fine Gael has been in government for nine years, so its policy platform is unambiguous. There is no mystery about what the Green Party would bring to government - a commitment to dramatically reduce our carbon emissions.

But, where is the stand-out Fianna Fail policy it can stamp its brand on? What is the red line it will insist on before entering government? What will it demand in relation to business, education or housing? Does it know itself?

Fianna Fail, under Micheal Martin's leadership, now has only one proposal most people can readily identify. It will not do business with Sinn Fein.

As regards policy, or what the party stands for at its core, there is confusion.

This is a dilemma, not just in terms of opinion polls. It provides a huge stumbling block to the party's grassroots members voting in favour of coalition. Why would they vote for a pig in a poke - particularly when the transaction could prove fatal?

There is already a revolt in Donegal, where the party's councillors have written to Mr Martin this week to warn it would be "destroyed" if it were to enter coalition. The councillors raged about the party losing credibility and undermining its "republican historical and established principles" - whatever they are - but the subtext of the letter could be distilled to a few words: "What's in it for us?"

What can Fianna Fail representatives point to and claim credit for as the hard-won price of doing a deal with their arch nemesis, Fine Gael?

Mr Martin, for three months since the election, has been entirely mute on this. For the first few weeks, he was content to take swipes at Sinn Fein for its inability to perform a mathematical impossibility and form a left-wing government.

Then, the first tentative game of footsie with Fine Gael began with Mr Martin forced into the invidious position of chasing Mr Varadkar, who was at first playing hard to get and then consumed with the fight against coronavirus.

He has now cajoled Fine Gael into agreeing to do a deal and has latterly been earnestly in pursuit of the Green Party.

Mr Martin may be eager to assume the mantle of Taoiseach, but his councillors and grassroots members will need some convincing.

Clearly, an ard fheis is not going to be feasible, but with the Labour Party having recently used postal ballots to elect Alan Kelly as leader, there is no reason Fianna Fail's 18,000 members should be denied their say on any coalition deal.

If they are, the revolt will fast become mutinous, undermining the stability of any government Fianna Fail enters.

The country has now been waiting more than 12 weeks for politicians to do their job - form a government and get to work. Mr Martin has been meeting Mr Varadkar for "exploratory talks" since late February with little to show since then. All that has happened is that the Greens have agreed to join the exploration.

It could be the middle of June before a government is formed, but there is no guarantee these belated efforts will be successful unless Mr Martin can win over his own dressing room.

Meanwhile, there will be small businesses who may be denied vital financial supports unless a government is in place to pass new legislation.

If Mr Martin wants Fianna Fail to enter government, and believes the party can make a difference, he needs to name his price and ensure he does not undersell.

There is no easy escape route for Mr Martin. It is not possible, given the pandemic, to hold another election in the immediate future. It is not tenable for a caretaker government with no mandate to continue making huge spending commitments.

If these talks collapse, the only options remaining are a national unity government, which would be unwieldy and indecisive; some kind of confidence and supply arrangement, which would crumble at the first sign of any controversy; or a deal with Sinn Fein, which would surely necessitate Mr Martin's resignation as leader.

The Green Party has been extremely vocal about its pre-requisites for entering government. No one doubts they will need to be secured if the party is to countenance any agreement.

If Mr Martin wants to get a deal over the line and ensure the new coalition has as stable a foundation as possible, he needs to relinquish his vow of silence and tell his members and the people, what specifically Fianna Fail will deliver in government.

If he doesn't act to distinguish Fianna Fail from Fine Gael now, then he will endanger any prospect of a coalition being formed or risk his own party being devoured by its rival while in office.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Snow showers in the morning will give way to a mixture of rain and snow in the afternoon. High 36F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of precip 60%. Snow accumulations less than one inch. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Cloudy. A few flurries or snow showers possible. Low 2F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph.
Amid the ongoing lockdown to



fight COVID-19, the West Bengal government has decided to celebrate the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore on Friday in a less colourful manner, a senior government official said.

"Rabindra Jayanti will be observed by the state government at 4 PM on May 8 at Cathedral Road in the southern part of the city. The honourable chief minister will remain present at the programme," he said on Wednesday.

"There will be no big celebrations like other years as no gatherings will be allowed due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The chief minister will only garland the statue of Tagore. There will be no stage and no singing programme," he said.

Only accredited representatives of the media may cover the programme, the official added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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.
May 06 : Actor Parineeti Chopra has stepped forward to do more amid the COVID-19 crisis. She has decided to go on a virtual coffee date with people to raise funds that will feed 4000 family members of 1000 daily wage earners of our country.

Parineeti has come on board to help raise funds for GiveIndia's Mission: Ration Kit that aims at delivering food to those most affected by the crisis. The Ishaqzaade star's campaign will enable ration kits, to sustain a family of 4 people, to be distributed to families in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Bihar and Tamil Nadu.

The Namaste England star, who is doing this in association with Arjun Kapoor's sister Anshula's breakthrough charity initiative Fankind, just took to her social media profile and shared, You say coffee, I say with me! Come join me for a virtual coffee date - log onto htttp://fankind.org/parineeti & donate to provide ration kits to daily wage labourers who are struggling to feed their families during the lockdown. #FankindXParineeti @GiveIndia @FankindOfficial

You need to just log on to Fankind website and donate to be eligible for the virtual date which will aid GiveIndia reach out to the ones who need immediate help. The contest will be open for donation for a week, starting 6 May.

Meanwhile on the professional front, Parineeti Chopra has completed Dibakar Banerjee's Sandeep aur Pinky Faraar alongside Arjun Kapoor. She will then star in a biographical film Saina, based on the life of Saina Nehwal and in a Hindi remake of British film The Girl on the Train.
As many as 35,000 businesses left the market in Q1 (suspended operation, we're dissolved or went bankrupt). Over 11,400 businesses do not operate at registered addresses, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

Most of the businesses fulfilling procedures for dissolution are in the fields of retail/wholesale, automobile repair, processing and manufacturing, construction, science and technology, design and consultancy service, accommodation and eatery, tourism and real estate.





According to the Vietnam Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (VINASME), up to 50 percent of SMEs have suspended their operation.



The endurance of SMEs, which have small capital, is always very low. And their situation is getting even worse because of the social distancing policy, said To Hoai Nam, VINASMEs secretary general, adding that many businesses are between life and death.

VCCIs chair Vu Tien Loc commented that the figure of 35,000 businesses leaving the market within one quarter is a record high level. This is the first time in many decades that the number of businesses leaving the market is higher than the number of newly established ones.

VCCIs (Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry) chair Vu Tien Loc commented that the figure of 35,000 businesses leaving the market within one quarter is a record high level. This is the first time in many decades that the number of businesses leaving the market is higher than the number of newly established ones.



Loc cited a quick survey by VCCI as reporting that 85 percent of businesses have seen their markets shrink and 60 percent lack capital and have problems in cash flow. Up to 82 percent of businesses said their 2020 revenue would decrease compared with 2019. At least 30 percent of businesses predicted a 30-50 percent decrease, while 22 percent predicted a decrease of over 50 percent.



The survey found that if the epidemic becomes more complex, 30 percent would be able to keep their operation for no more than three months, while 50 percent said they would be able to exist for half a year.



As a result, millions of workers would lose their jobs in the upcoming months.



Meanwhile, experts believe there is no need to worry about this.



Huynh Trung Minh, a respected economist, said being dissolved or going bankrupt is unavoidable in crisis. Many businesses are easily established and dissolve when the market becomes gloomy.



He believes that other businesses that have reasonable long-term business strategies and have failsafe plans will be able to maintain operation for a certain period. Their strength plus support from the government will allow them to overcome difficulties and bounce back after the crisis.



This happens in many countries: many businesses turn stronger after economic crises and become leading enterprises in their fields, he said.



Dinh The Hien, another economist, warned that bankruptcy may lead to a decrease in the number of jobs, but said this is not too worrying.



The enterprises which exist in crisis will be able to develop in a more sustainable way, Hien said.

Mai Lan

Plummeting stock prices raise fears of businesses being acquired As many stocks have plunged below their real value, foreign funds are combing Vietnamese shares, raising fears that Vietnamese companies will be acquired by 'shark' investors.
Haryana Government has set up a three-member special investigation team to probe into a huge stock of liquor gone missing from a godown in the state's Sonipat district.

Asked about the reports that over 2 lakh alcohol bottles have gone missing, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said he has taken serious note of the matter and ordered registration of an FIR in the case.

Vij said the theft had taken place from the recovered stock kept in a temporary warehouse of the godown.

The matter of theft of liquor from the recovered stock kept in a temporary warehouse at Kharkhoda-Matindoo road in Sonipat was brought to my notice by DGP himself on May 5, Vij said.

He said it was a serious matter and such types of incidents are not possible without the connivance of staff on duty.

Therefore, I have directed for immediate registration of FIR in the matter, he said.

He said till May 5 after the lockdown was announced, there had been no sale of liquor in the state.

Liquor vends reopened in Haryana on May 6.

The home minister apprehended that during the time when sale of liquor in the state remained closed, liquor mafia might have influenced the excise and police staff and such type of incidents might have occurred at other places also.

Vij said he has directed that SIT comprising three members including an IAS officer, one ADGP rank officer from police department and one senior officer from Excise Department be formed for further probe.

The SIT has been asked to submit its finding to the government within 20 days from now, he said.

On Tuesday, Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala, who also holds the Excise Department, on being asked to comment on the matter, had said an inquiry had been ordered by Vij.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hair consultant Ceira Lambert has been inundated with calls from all over Ireland

For some members of the public who pride themselves on keeping up appearances, the prospect of salons not reopening until July 20 is a hair-raising prospect.

However, some people are now taking matters into their own hands when it comes to dealing with six weeks of lockdown regrowth and are clamouring to get their hands on a takeaway home colour kit from their local salon.

Gloves

Hair consultant Ceira Lambert, whose celebrity clients include Rosanna Davison, started selling kits this week and said she's been inundated with queries from people all over Ireland.

The Shankill-based salon owner said that the kits she is selling are just for grey coverage and only for the root area.

Ranging in price from 45 to 65 depending on how much product is needed, the kit includes gloves, a gown and instructions on how to apply the product at home.

She insists clients must carry out a 'patch test' 48 hours beforehand to make sure they don't have a reaction to the product. They must also sign a waiver for insurance purposes.

"The demand for these has been absolutely huge. I've had people contacting me from Galway, Cork, all over," she said.

"I've had people saying that their local salon isn't able to provide the service, even though they know their colour code, so I'm delighted to help out."

She is also offering hair extension removal kits, as some of her clients are cancer survivors who have lost all their hair after treatment and were using extensions while their natural hair grew back.

Extensions must be removed within a certain time frame by a professional, otherwise the hair gets badly damaged.

"I've had clients ringing me up in tears saying, 'I can't leave these extensions in until July; what can we do?' They're the ones I'd love to look after on a one-to-one basis. If physios can still see clients on a one-to-one basis, I don't see why we can't, obviously using all the necessary precautions," she said.

She said that she has already bought PPE equipment and has sought advice on getting screen dividers for her salon for when it reopens.

Meanwhile, the Irish Hairdressing Federation (IHF) is calling on the Government to bring forward the opening of hair salons in a bid to avoid a surge in black market services.

Currently hairdressing salons will not reopen until phase four of the Government's roadmap plan, which comes into effect on July 20, as they are not deemed essential services.

However, IHF boss David Campbell said his organisation is lobbying for salons to be moved into phase three of the plan, which starts on June 29, due to fears of a booming black market economy.

He said cash-strapped hairdressers may be tempted to do call-out visits to people's homes now that the travel restrictions are lifted to 5km, thereby increasing the risk of spreading Covid-19 in the community.

Mr Campbell said he has been contacted by federation members saying they have been offered lucrative cash incentives to go into clients' homes and carry out various services.

Problem

"It's bananas some of the stuff I've heard. One member said she was offered 80 just to go in and do a blow-dry in someone's house," he said.

"She contacted me saying, 'I don't feel good about this'. I told her to tell her client that hairdressers won't be going into people's homes.

"From a black-market perspective, if they lift the radius and people can travel again as normal before the salons open, we're going to have a huge problem if hairdressers do start going into people's houses."

In Spain, Italy and Germany, salons were all included in phase one of those countries' reopening plan.

The IHF, which represents 30,000 workers, is waiting for an official Government response to its proposal.

Mr Campbell is also calling for more guidance about how salons can be re-configured to adhere to the two-metre social distancing once they reopen.
An Indian-origin man in Singapore was on Wednesday sentenced to seven months in prison for verbally abusing police and safe-distancing enforcement officers who were urging compliance with the COVID-19 measures.

Ravi Sinathamby Subramaniam, 53, pleaded guilty to two charges of verbally abusing police and health officers, and a third charge of threatening to "break" the faces of three health officers.

Another five charges were taken into consideration for sentencing, reported Channel Asia.

Ravi had committed the offences over two days last month.

First, he went to a convenience store where he stood in the queue, holding an open can of beer and reeking of alcohol while complaining loudly about why the queue was not properly organised.

When the police spoke to him, he turned aggressive and spoke loudly to them, trying to leave and refusing to cooperate, drawing a crowd.

He hurled multiple vulgarities at the police and was arrested.

He reoffended four days later at a coffee shop. When approached by a health officer enforcing safe-distancing measures as he was wearing his face mask over his chin and not over his nose and mouth, Ravi turned aggressive.

He cursed at the officer and a second colleague who joined her, saying: "You don't let me see you again if not I will break your face."



He later told the two officers and a third colleague: "The next time I see you, I will break your face."



The prosecution had pushed for at least 10 months' jail, saying that the case "presents an important opportunity for this court to send a clear message that such conduct" against frontline officers in the coronavirus fight will not be tolerated.

The judge had asked for further arguments on two similar cases as comparisons against Ravi's case, and Deputy Puiblic Prosecutor Timotheus Koh said that Ravi had committed more serious previous offences, including most recently threatening his brother with boiling water and a chopper.

Koh said Ravi has accumulated a long list of offences spanning decades.

"Despite being imprisoned repeatedly, he doesn't seem to be able to remain crime-free for long," said Koh, adding that Ravi has even been caned before but "continues to be a menace to society".

His crime records now show a trend of intimidating behaviour towards public servants, he said.

Ravi, who was unrepresented, said: "I apologise to the court. I apologise to the civil servant and I apologise to the government for what I have done without my knowledge because I am drunk."



The judge said he noticed that the threats in the two cases used for comparison with Ravi's were "more serious", and gave Ravi a jail term three months lower than what the prosecution had pushed for.

The judge also directed a session for Ravi to be given counselling for his underlying behaviour and for treatment plans to be formulated.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tests for coronavirus have plunged below 70,000 - down more than 50,000 on the daily total of 122,000 claimed by the government last week.

The announcement came as total UK deaths in the course of the pandemic topped 30,000, confirming Britains death toll as the second worst in the world behind the US.

Amid continuing accusations that health secretary Matt Hancock had manipulated figures to meet his target for 100,000 daily tests by Thursdays deadline, prime minister Boris Johnson dramatically announced a fresh target of 200,000 by the end of May.

But his pledge was watered down within hours, as Downing Street revealed it related only to testing capacity and not to the number of tests actually carried out.

Housing secretary Robert Jenrick later announced that the governments tally of tests - including those conducted in NHS and Public Health England labs, drive-through centres as well as home-testing kits sent out in the post - totalled 69,463 in the 24 hours to 9am on Wednesday.

Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Show all 18 1 /18 Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, with a carer in PPE at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jackie Wilson, a healthcare assistant, wearing PPE before going into rooms Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, speaks to a carer at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Carers working at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A care worker wearing PPE opens a drink carton Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, sits with a carer Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, with a carer in PPE Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A care staff member wearing PPE Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A staff member at Newfield Nursing Home looks after a resident SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer wearing PPE uses a speaker Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer helps Jack Dodsley, 79, from his chair Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer wearing PPE helps Jack Dodsley, 79 Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A staff member at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer brings food to a resident at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, with a carer in PPE Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A staff member puts on PPE at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jackie Wilson, a healthcare assistant, puts on PPE before she enters a room SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A bench at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS

The figure was down from 84,806 in Tuesday and 122,347 claimed by Mr Hancock last Thursday - which included more than 40,000 which had been sent out but not necessarily used.

Mr Johnson told the House of Commons that maintaining high levels of testing was a vital part of the governments exit strategy for moving the UK out of lockdown, which he is due to outline on Sunday.

The value of the test, tracking and tracing operation that we are setting up now is that, as we come out of the epidemic, and as we get the new cases down, we will have a team that is genuinely able to track and trace hundreds of thousands of people across the country, and thereby drive down the epidemic, Mr Johnson told MPs.

He admitted that testing had been suspended earlier in the outbreak because the transmission from individuals within the UK exceeded our capacity.

And he came under fire from Labour leader Keir Starmer, who said the UK had been slow into lockdown, slow on testing, slow on tracing and slow on the supply of protective equipment.

Responding to the latest figures, shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: Far from delivering on the promise of 100,000 completed tests a day, testing numbers have now fallen three days in a row.

A test, trace and isolate strategy is crucial to tackling this virus.

Ministers needs to explain why the number of tests being completed daily is falling rather than rising.
Floods and landslides in Kenya have killed nearly 200 people, displaced 100,000 and strained critical infrastructure, with unprecedentedly high water levels at two dams forcing the evacuation of villagers at risk, officials said on Wednesday.

The heavy rain, which accelerated in mid-April, is expected to continue in already hard-hit areas in the coming weeks, the Kenya Meteorological Department said in its most recent forecast. May usually marks the end of the rainy season.

In Budalangi, western Kenya, residents have had to carry their belongings away from their submerged houses using boats and motorbikes, after the River Nzoia burst its banks, spilling over the land for miles around.

Government spokesman Cyrus Oguna said on Twitter that over the past three weeks, floods had displaced 100,000 people -- complicating efforts to protect against the spread of the coronavirus, which has killed 24 people in the country.

The government is providing food and water to the displaced people and has also requested the Health Ministry to provide them with masks as a precautionary measure.

The floods and landslides have been concentrated in western Kenya and have so far killed 194 people, Eugene Wamalwa, the minister in charge of relations between the regional leadership and the national government, said.

"Yesterday alone, we have lost 30 people in a matter of 24 hours," Wamalwa said.

Energy Minister Charles Keter said the water levels at two major Kenyan dams were unprecedentedly high.

The two dams, Masinga and Turkwel, have a combined installed electricity generation capacity of 140 MW, representing about 6% of Kenya's total installed capacity.

As Masinga also feeds into several other dams, officials advised people living near those downstream reservoirs to evacuate.

"We are telling people who are downstream, Garissa all the way to Tana River - things are worsening," Keter said about residents of the two eastern counties.

"We are asking them to move. Let them not wait for water, because this is historical."

Security officials were already evacuating residents in high-risk areas, Interior Minister Fred Matiang'i added.

"We are not waiting for people to move - we are moving some people away from danger," he said.

The floods have also destroyed 8,000 acres of rice fields, the cabinet secretary for water and irrigation, Sicily Kariuki, said.

Kenya was already facing a looming rice shortage due to shipping disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

The heavy rains and landslides could also lead to water shortages, Kariuki said.

"The infrastructure to deliver water has been washed away ... pipelines have been clogged," said Kariuki, asking residents of several cities including the capital of Nairobi to use their water in a "rational" manner.

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 6)  Farm output was off to rocky start in 2020 with lower harvests of rice, corn and fish, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Wednesday.

Agricultural production dropped by 1.2 percent in the first quarter, reversing a slight 0.4 percent increase in harvests during the same period in 2019. This is the biggest decline in output since the second quarter of 2019 when computed based on 2018 prices, the PSA said in its report.

The entire sector's output is worth 441.2 billion, still up by 3.4 percent from the previous year.

Crops, which accounted for nearly 55 percent of the output, saw harvests slid by 2.1 percent year-on-year led by a 3.6 percent drop in palay (rice paddy). Corn production, another major produce for local farmers, also fell by 3.4 percent.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the first-quarter fall was expected with the planting season for rice fields underway and the closure of major fishing grounds around Panay Island, Sulu, and Palawan.

ING Bank Senior Economist Nicholas Antonio Mapa told CNN Philippines that the Taal volcano eruption in January as well as the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic may have affected farmers' output during the period.

"Overall, the lockdown measures may have impacted the quarterly figures as guidelines to restrict mobility may have hampered activities, with fisheries noting a particular challenge during the early stages of ECQ implementation," Mapa said via e-mail, adding that rice farmers may have chosen to plant less knowing that cheaper rice imports are a steady competition.

Some 57 million residents have been forced to stay inside their homes except for workers in essential industries, as the government sought to control the spread of the deadly disease.

READ: National government allows all farming and fishing activities amid COVID-19 threat

RELATED: DA sets rules for easier entry of food items and farm inputs in quarantine area

Other crops which saw big declines were calamansi (10.9 percent), eggplant (6.4 percent), abaca (5.7 percent), and coconut (5.1 percent). On the other hand, some goods saw growth in outputs such as cacao (16.7 percent), onion (7.3 percent), and sugarcane (6.9 percent).

Despite this, total crop harvests actually rose by 3.6 percent in value, to an estimated 239.4 billion.

Meanwhile, the fisheries sector  accounting for more than a tenth of agricultural produce  saw a 5.2 percent slide in the January-March haul. The biggest declines were seen for tiger prawn, which dropped by 31.1 percent, followed by mudcrab and slipmouth fish (sapsap).

Other fish breeds like tilapia, big-eyed scad, Indian mackerel, and yellowfin tuna also saw lower outputs compared to a year ago, the PSA said. Bangus or milkfish production eked out a mere 0.8 percent rise, while other fish items saw supply slip by 3.3 percent.

In nominal terms, the value of local fisheries production steadied at 63.3 billion.

RELATED: DA expands price freeze on basic agri products

Poultry raisers saw a 3.9 percent lift, led largely by bigger production of chicken as well as eggs. The sector enjoyed a 14.4 percent lift in value  the biggest increase among groups  with the haul said to be worth 62.9 billion in the first quarter.

Livestock growers managed a 0.5 percent increase, led by dairy products which saw a 9.3 percent pickup. Goat and hog supply went up, against declines for carabao and cow. The industry was valued at 75.7 billion, 2.3 percent cheaper from last year.

Mapa said the weak agriculture performance would contribute to a "downbeat" economic growth figure for the first quarter, which will be announced by the PSA Thursday morning.

"We are bracing for a disappointing print of 3.9 percent with potential downside surprise growing by the minute," Mapa added.

ANALYSIS: A bounce-back strategy for 'a crisis like no other'

The Department of Agriculture previously set a 2 percent growth goal for the industry this 2020. Dar said that he is "hopeful of a rebound" come April-June due to the rollout of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund as well as the reopening of fish cages.

The economic team expects zero growth or even a contraction for the entire domestic economy this year due to the pandemic.
Wearing masks, washing hands and walking in single file past thermal scanners, teenagers return to school in Wuhan, epicentre of the global pandemic.

Senior school students in 121 institutions were back in front of chalk boards and digital displays yesterday for the first time since their city shut down in January.

They are experiencing what could become the new normal for many across the world.

Wuhan senior school students in 121 institutions were back in front of chalk boards and digital displays yesterday for the first time since their city shut down in January

Senior students had to wash their hands after entering school at Hubei Wuchang Experimental High School in Wuhan. These schools carried out preventive disinfection before opening

Pupils in smaller classes sat at individual desks  some with screens  spaced 3ft apart as they shared a room with their teachers again after months of distance learning.

Some schools staggered arrival times and anyone with a high temperature was not allowed in.

It was the latest step in a gradual normalising of life in Wuhan, where the coronavirus is believed to have originated late last year.

Only those due to take university entrance exams have been allowed back to school.

Return dates in Wuhans province, Hubei, have not yet been confirmed for junior and middle school students.

Pupils in smaller classes sat at individual desks  some with screens  spaced 3ft apart as they shared a room with their teachers again after months of distance learning

Some schools staggered arrival times and anyone with a high temperature was not allowed in and only those due to take university entrance exams were allowed back to school

Elsewhere in China, schools that have been online-only since January began reopening last month.

Staff at one of Britains busiest intensive care units have long been used to donning protective equipment.

But medics treating Covid-19 patients at the Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge have been getting used to wearing visors and facemask respirators that would not seem out of place in a sci-fi movie.

Photographs show doctors working calmly on the front line treating the critically ill, some of whom have an array of wires linking them to machines.

The Royal Papworth, the UKs leading heart and lung hospital, has been admitting the most serious coronavirus victims from across the East of England.

Clinical staff wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as they care for a patient at the Intensive Care unit at Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge

The Royal Papworth, the UKs leading heart and lung hospital, has been admitting the most serious coronavirus victims from across the East of England

The family of the late Professor Stephen Hawking, a regular patient at the hospital until his death in 2018, donated his ventilator so it could be reused by a Covid-19 patient

It has had to double the number of its critical care beds to cope with the increased demand.

Hundreds of staff, including those who do not usually work face-to-face with patients, have been retrained to work on the coronavirus wards.

The hospital has benefited from the generosity of the community.

The family of the late Professor Stephen Hawking, a regular patient at the hospital until his death in 2018, donated his ventilator so it could be reused by a Covid-19 patient.

They also donated six large bags of medical equipment.
Ukraine will try to resume domestic flights in summer but there will be no full-fledged launch of international flights.

"I think we will try very carefully to start to resume domestic flights in summer. The international flights are a much more complicated issue as the decision depends not only on us. Several EU countries, which are classic tourist destinations, now beat their brains over settling this issue. To say frankly, there will be no full-fledged resumption of international flights during the summer. It definitely wont be the way it used to be," Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said on the air of 1+1 TV channel, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

He expressed hope for the resumption of international flights in September.

The second wave of coronavirus is predicted to occur in the world in autumn and there is a need to prepare for it, the minister reminded.

"But we assume that the world will begin to recover [from coronavirus pandemic] in September," the diplomat noted.

On March 12, the Government introduced the quarantine in Ukraine to counteract the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus infection. In particular, trading establishments were closed except groceries, pharmacies, gas stations, and banks. The operation of subway in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro, municipal, intercity, and interregional road, rail, and air transport services were suspended. On March 28, Ukraine completely closed its border for scheduled passenger services, including air services.

The quarantine was extended until May 11 and then until May 22 but restriction measures will be eased from May 11.

As of the morning of May 6, overall 3,727,802 cases of coronavirus were confirmed in the world, including 258,339 deaths and 1,242,388 recoveries.

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FBI Says Unsealed Flynn Documents Previously Handed Over to Durham

The Federal Bureau of Investigations said it had previously turned over a number of documents related to an agency investigation against Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn to U.S. Attorney John Durham, who is currently probing the origins of the agencys 2016 Trump-Russia counterintelligence investigation.

Under Director Wrays leadership, the FBI has fully cooperated and been transparent with the review being conducted by U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen, just as it has been with U.S. Attorney John Durham and was with Inspector General Michael Horowitz, Brian Hale, assistant director of the FBIs Office of Public Affairs, said in a statement to The Epoch Times.

With regard to certain documents in the Michael Flynn matter from the 2016-2017 time period that are now the subject of reporting by the press, the FBI previously produced those materials to the Inspector General and U.S. Attorney Durham, Hale added.

The documents in question have renewed concern among lawmakers and officials over the FBIs handling of their probe on Flynn after the materials were released by the DOJ on April 29. Among the documents are handwritten notes that revealed top officials in the agency had questioned whether the goal of questioning Flynn was to get him to lie, so we can prosecute him or get him fired?

The notes belong to former FBI head of counterintelligence Bill Priestap, multiple officials confirmed to Just the News. The initials in the top right corner of the notes appear to be EP, which would match Priestaps full name, Edward William Priestap.

The notes are available here (pdf).

A heavily redacted portion of the notes said, Our goal is to determine if Mike Flynn is going to tell the truth @ his relationship w/ [with] Russians.

At the core of the FBIs probe into Flynn was a phone exchange he had with then-Russian Ambassador to the United States Sergey Kislyak. At the time, Flynn was the national security advisor on President Donald Trumps transition team, and his role was to establish relations with foreign officials.

The agents appear to have had transcripts of calls between Flynn and Kislyak and had concerns that Flynn broke the Logan Act by conveying to Kislyak the positions of the incoming administration on several diplomatic issues.

The Logan Act, which has never been successfully used in a criminal prosecution, was enacted in 1799 and prohibits Americans from conducting diplomacy on their own with countries that the United States has a dispute with.

FBI agents Peter Strzok, the FBIs then-deputy assistant director for counterintelligence operations, and supervisory special agent Joe Pientka visited Flynn on Jan. 24, 2017, in the West Wing to interview him about his conversations with Kislyak.

He pleaded guilty on Dec. 1, 2017, to one count of lying to FBI agents during the Jan. 24, 2017, interview. In October 2019, he requested to withdraw his guilty plea because of ineffective counsel. Flynn fired his lawyers last year and brought on a new team led by Sidney Powell, a fierce critic of prosecutorial misconduct within the Justice Department.

He is currently fighting to have the governments case against him dismissed, saying that his statement of offense is false and was signed under false representation and undue pressure.

Further unsealed documents, released on April 30, revealed that Strozk urgently reached out to agents handling the Flynn case to advise them not to close the case after the agents determined there were no more leads to follow in the Flynn probe.

The notes and emails were handed over to Flynn as the result of an ongoing review of his case by Jeffrey Jensen, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri, who was directed in January to perform the review by Attorney General William Barr.

These revelations have sparked concerns among lawmakers, who have called for DOJ and FBI leadership to investigate and intervene in the case. Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Mike Johnson (R-La.) wrote a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, urging him to immediately review his agencys actions over their investigation on Flynn. Meanwhile, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) called for Attorney General William Barr to take a close look at the case.

Hale said in his statement that Wray is firmly committed to addressing the failures under prior FBI leadership.

The Flynn investigation was initiated and conducted during this time period, under prior FBI leadership. Since taking office, Director Wray has stressed the importance of strictly abiding by established processes, without exception. Director Wray remains firmly committed to addressing the failures under prior FBI leadership while maintaining the foundational principles of rigor, objectivity, accountability, and ownership in fulfilling the Bureaus mission to protect the American people and defend the Constitution, the statement said.

This also comes after Fox News reported, citing several anonymous sources, that Durham was reviewing the unsealed Flynn documents and is building a serious case. Sources claimed in their statement to the media outlet that some of the revelations could be sufficient for some charges against agents.

Durhams office declined The Epoch Times request to comment.

Petr Svab and Mimi Nguyen-Ly contributed to this report.
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Linkedin Dzulfiqar Fathur Rahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 6, 2020 15:05 622 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd6560d0 1 Business poverty,coronavirus,CORE-Center-Reform-Economics,economy Free

The coronavirus-induced economic downturn might cause up to 12.3 million people to fall into poverty by the second quarter of this year if the government fails to contain the pandemic soon, researchers warn.

The Center of Reform on Economics (CORE) Indonesia based its estimation under the assumption that the pandemic will reach its peak by the second quarter of this year, while noting that the number will be higher if economic woes are prolonged.

In making three possible scenarios, ranging from the addition of 5.1 million to 12.3 million poor people, CORE researchers Akhmad Akbar Susamto and Muhammad Ishak Razak also factored in the severity of the outbreak, which has caused around 12,000 positive cases, and the degree of social restrictions.

The researchers warn that tight social restrictions will affect the earnings of people in the informal sector and the vulnerable to poor, which accounts for 25 percent of the total population or 66.7 million people.

The three scenarios are actually equally possible, but we cannot really tell which will happen because some factors are beyond our control, Susamto told The Jakarta Post via text message on Tuesday. And we still have one month to see the fast-paced development.

For example, under the better-case scenario, at least an additional 5.1 million people will fall into poverty if the situation improves and social restrictions are only imposed in limited areas on Java Island and up to two cities outside of Java.

Statistics Indonesia (BPS) data from September 2019 showed that 24.79 million Indonesians lived in poverty, equivalent to 9.22 percent of the total population. The Joko Jokowi Widodo administration seeks to reduce the poverty rate to 6 percent by 2024.

Previously, SMERU Research Institute estimated that there will be up to 8.5 million people falling into poverty this year as a result of the pandemic, increasing the poverty rate to 12.37 percent of the total population, a figure last seen in 2009.

CORE warns that with a possible surge in the number of poor people that could hike up to 14.35 percent of the total population, the government might have to allocate a bigger budget for social aid.

Currently, the government has earmarked Rp 110 trillion (US$7.3 billion) for social safety net programs, including the Family Hope Program and preemployment card program.

With social restrictions in place, many businesses, especially nonessential ones, are temporarily shutting down operations and laying off their workers to cut costs.

As of May 1, over 1.7 million people reported they were forced out of work by the outbreak, according to data from the Manpower Ministry.

The economists suggested an expansion of the social safety net programs by adjusting their budget. For example, the government can shift the Rp 5.6 trillion allocation from the budget for online courses of the preemployment card  a mix of semisocial assistance and skill-training programs  to cash assistance.

Or it may be better to terminate the preemployment card program altogether, said Susamto. [The allocation] can be shifted to the Family Hope Program or [the Staple Food Card].

The economists also suggested that the government lower fuel prices, which account for up to 5 percent of the poors expenses.

SMERU senior research fellow Asep Suryahadi previously said the surging number of poor people would definitely affect the countrys economic recovery post-pandemic.

We cannot hope for much help from the outside [foreign countries] for our recovery. The jurys still out on whether a quick recovery will happen or not, he said.
OTTAWA  A vast majority of Manitobans say they dont expect life will return to normal any time soon, a new Probe Research poll reveals.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 5/5/2020 (623 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  A vast majority of Manitobans say they dont expect life will return to normal any time soon, a new Probe Research poll reveals.

"The public is really expecting that there is no normal after this," Probe founder Scott MacKay said Tuesday.

METHODOLOGY Click to Expand Probe Research surveyed online 803 randomly selected Manitoba adults April 24-28. The sample was taken from both Probes online panel and a national surveyor, and slightly weighted for age, gender and region. Technically, online samples do not have margins of errors like phone samples, but Probe says its results should be interpreted as having an MOE of 3.46 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. The previous poll of 1,000 adults included some telephone polling.

Of 803 Manitobans surveyed online a week ago, 92 per cent agreed with the statement: "the COVID-19 pandemic will affect how we live our lives for many years to come," a result that surprised MacKay.

"Manitobans are very moved by this pandemic," he said.

And 72 per cent anticipate "permanent damage to our economy" as a result of the coronavirus. The polling also suggests that young men are the most likely group to say the pandemic is overblown.

The polling, released Tuesday to the Free Press and CTV Winnipeg, showed 57 per cent of Manitobans expect life "will be very different than what it used to be" when the pandemic blows over, compared with 23 per cent who expect things to go back to normal.

MacKay said thats probably due to so many sudden shifts, such as wearing masks, talking more often with neighbours, working at home and having time to reflect on life outside of a career.

"All these things cumulatively could add up to this idea that the world has really changed for a long time," MacKay said.

He said he was stunned to see such widely held views, at numbers hed normally attribute to a data error.

"It's probably the most interesting thing weve ever done, because it's just so deep and so unprecedented," said MacKay, who founded Probe in 1994.

"They not only anticipate a drastic redesign of society in the future, but they think that anything that comes out of this new world is going to be lasting."

The poll also found 22 per cent of Manitobans feel the virus "is overblown for people living in this country," down from 36 per cent of respondents a month prior.

Timothy Caulfield, a University of Alberta professor known for his research on medical myths and conspiracies, said hes concerned by those figures, but not surprised given the scope of misinformation circling online.

"It speaks to the idea that there is some sort of nefarious agenda associated with the messaging around the coronavirus. It suggests there's a sector of Canadians that don't trust the leaders in this area," said Caulfield.

Among Manitoba men age 18 to 34, 41 per cent feel the crisis is overblown, compared with 24 per cent of women in the same age group.

Caulfield said young men tend to be more likely to buy into conspiracy theories than the general population, though their views on COVID-19 could be driven by other factors.

Women reported far more job losses than men in the March labour-force survey as businesses closed. Younger people who contract the virus also tend to experience milder symptoms, even if they can easily spread it to others.

However, a poll of 600 Canadians a month ago by the Universite de Sherbrooke found 38 per cent believe their government was hiding important information about the COVID-19, while 15 per cent felt the pharmaceutical industry is involved in spreading the coronavirus.

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"One thing Im worried about is that we are moving to a phase where there is more polarization," Caulfield said, adding Canadians should better vet the information they spread on social media.

MacKay cautioned that only seven per cent of poll respondents feel strongly that the matter is overblown, a smaller percentage than last month.

He noted that young men are also believed to take more risks than the general population, resulting in higher vehicle-insurance premiums.

The polling also showed 76 per cent of Manitobans supported the provincial governments handling of the issue, up from 62 per cent a month prior. However the results were collected just before Premier Brian Pallister unveiled his plan to gradually reopen the economy.

MacKay said his firm might separately ask Manitobans how they feel about the Pallister governments response, and that of the provinces public-health officials.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
Sure, it might be warm Wednesday, but what about the rest of the week?
In the 18 years of our relationship, I must confess, the past one month has been the longest time that my partner and I have actually spent together 24x7 in our beautiful home at Bandra (West) in Mumbai. My better-half is a neurologist and I am a journalist-cum-writer. Like all old happy couples, we argue over small things (news reports, laundry, food, bills, AC temperature --thankfully no TV in our home) but eventually kiss and make up over food, booze and sex (which unfortunately has gone for a toss due to this damn coronavirus social distancing).

Three quarantines

At the outset let me tell you that we have been home quarantined thrice. The first time was after we returned from London on March 12. Although we did not show any Covid-19 symptoms, they asked us to remain in home quarantine for 14 days, as per government rules.

Our second quarantine was when my partner was checking a patient with dementia, who tested Covid +ve. All the 15 doctors and nurses from the hospital who attended on the patient were asked to remain in home quarantine for the next 14 days. The health officials took their swabs. Sigh! I cooked chicken biryani the next day in celebration when the swabs returned negative and we both downed a can of beer each.

But our joy was short-lived when in the evening we learnt that our buildings security guard had tested positive. This time it was not just home quarantine. Our entire building was marked as a containment zone. Simply put, nobody could enter or exit the building for 14 days. Oh, damn. Now we are stuck for another 15 days, said my partner. I just shrugged.

I still remember vividly that it was April 15. We were enjoying the cool summer breeze, watching the sun set on the shimmering Arabian Sea from our balcony, when a WhatsApp message popped up on my housing societys group: Our building watchman has tested Covid+ve. He is admitted at Bhabha hospital.

It took me a few seconds to understand what had hit us. Suddenly, all the popular search words of 2020, Covid+ve, lockdown, hotspots, containment zones, Corona symptoms, staycation that I searched on the Internet were now playing scrabble outside my door.

Worse still, the daily news reports sent a chill down the spine. Mumbai has the highest number of Covid-19 cases in India. According to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare data, the total number of coronavirus patients in Maharashtra has touched 15,000. Mumbai alone has over 9,500 coronavirus patients. The government has already extended the lockdown curbs till May 17. By mid-April, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had already marked out 400-odd containment zones across Mumbai.

The hotspot

From the time we learned of the coronavirus outbreak in Mumbai, our daily routine had changed drastically. After the second scare, my partner moved into a separate bedroom at the far end of the apartment. We paid full salaries to our domestic helps and told them to stay in their respective homes until the lockdown ends. We also assured them that their jobs were safe. Now, I venture out once a week to buy groceries. I wear disposable masks and gloves outside the house, sanitise the cars steering and wash my hands with soap and water. We launder clothes and bed linen at 60 degrees Celsius.

But if COVID-19 has taught us anything, its that it is in time of crisis that good leaders emerge. Within 15 minutes, the residents of my building formed a new WhatsApp group that included new tenants. We quickly messaged the 60-odd residents staying in the 15-storey building not to panic. A Zoom meeting was set up in 30 minutes and we chalked out a contingency plan. I must mention here that like all housing societies, mine too is riddled with byzantine politics and some old and new members are at loggerheads, but for once we were all on the same page  ready to tackle this crisis.

All in a days work

A tech savvy resident organised the Zoom meeting, while another informed the BMC authorities about our watchman. Frankly, none of us knew how to handle an unprecedented situation like this one. However, we had one thing in common  fear, vulnerability and, most important, the spirit to face all challenges together as a team. Even before the BMC authorities swung into action, we quickly informed our building security guards to close the two main gates. We asked all the residents residing in the 21 apartments to strictly adhere to home quarantine and social distancing norms. We requested every family to check if anybody was exhibiting symptoms of Covid-19  cold, cough, high fever, body ache, breathlessness, loss of taste and smell, diarrhoea, etc.

Like most cities, in Mumbai too, people dwelling in these modern high-rise apartments hardly bother to check on their neighours. You could blame it on the muggy weather, fast-paced life and daily work pressure that sap energy. And we were no exception. It was interesting to know that my building is a potpourri of doctors, media persons, hairdressers, professors, homemakers and biggies from Bollywood.

Despite being short-staffed and working 24x7, the BMC staff reached our building within 45 minutes and put up a Containment Zone poster at the gate. All this while, doctors and journalists who were covering this pandemic were considered as the new social pariahs, now my entire building had become a No Go zone. That night, I was mentally and physically exhausted. I had a cold shower, listened to some smooth jazz and gulped down my gin and tonic. The only saving grace was an excellent supper of chicken-chorizo stew fixed by my partner.

Men at work

The next day, photos of my building were doing the rounds on WhatsApp. A few concerned friends called to check on us. People staying in the adjoining buildings stood in their balconies and stared at our building. Some clicked photographs with their cell phones. We had suddenly become the cynosure of all eyes.

The BMCs Covid team comprising a doctor, local area ward officer and a social worker reached our building around 10.30 am. They sought information of all the people who were in proximity to the affected watchman. They sought details of every resident (age, medical condition if any, contact details). Two people from my building collated the information on an excel sheet within two hours. We sent the excel sheet to the BMC ward officer. After two days, the BMCs Covid team called every household in our building again to check if anybody was showing symptoms of Covid-19. Luckily nobody else had been affected so far.

Testing times

The first few days in containment were a little tough as some senior citizens from the society insisted on going out for their regular brisk walk and purchase of fresh fruits, curd and milk. I need fresh bananas and milk daily, said an old resident. However, one had to cajole and tell him that nobody was allowed to step out of the building for the next two weeks.

The milkman, vegetables vendors who earlier waltzed in and out of the building, now stood suspiciously at the gate. Some vendors left essential goods at the gate and watched us from far. But there were some who were kind to enough to wear masks, gloves, maintain social distance and hand over the essential items over the gate. The lockdown had already sent prices of essential goods through the roof, the containment of our building took the price war to a new level. Some vendors started to levy special charges as our building was a containment zone.

To ensure everybody strictly adhered to the containment guidelines it was decided that only one or two persons (preferably youngsters) would go to fetch the daily essential deliveries from the vendor over the gate. A few people volunteered to collect milk packets from the milkman and distribute it in the morning. Ditto for bread, eggs and vegetables. Since the three watchmen could not leave our building, we procured essential items like milk, vegetable and groceries for them as well.

People shared jokes, videos and easy-to-cook recipes on the societys WhatsApp group during the containment. We even celebrated birthdays of two residents via a Zoom meeting and WhatsApp greetings. One night, around 11 pm, I heard an owl hoot outside the bedroom window. I opened the large French windows of the bedroom and whistled in the dark, but there was no response. Sometimes it takes silence to hear others!

Endless wait

As the days of containment reached an uncertain finale, some residents suggested we all party hard once things returned to normal. We all replied in the affirmative but nobody knew what would be the new normal. On April 29 at 4.35 pm, the BMC Covid team came and removed the Containment Zone poster from our gate. I thanked the BMC officers for their support. I clicked a photograph of the building from outside and shared on the group: Hi All, BMC has Released our building right now. Cheers! Within few seconds, the WhatsApp group was flooded with happy emojis. Everybody heaved a sigh of relief, but knew deep down that we are still in for a long haul!
President Trump said Wednesday that the White House would stick to its position in an upcoming Supreme Court case that could strike down Obamacare in full.

'We're not doing anything. We're staying with the group, Texas and the group,' the president said in the Oval Office.

Wednesday was the last day the Trump administration could provide the Supreme Court with a revised position on a case, backed by a number of Republican-led states, which could see the entire Affordable Care Act law invalidated by next spring.

President Trump said Wednesday that the White House would not be revising its argument pertaining to a Supreme Court case that could see Obamacare invalidated by next spring

Attorney General Bill Barr, according to CNN's reporting, encouraged White House officials in a meeting Monday to back off the position of trying to get Obamacare killed in full - arguing it could spell disaster for President Trump on the November ballot

The Supreme Court's decision on Obamacare wouldn't likely come until next spring, but the court could hear the case right around election time in the fall

In a meeting Monday, according to CNN's reporting, Attorney General Bill Barr advised top administration officials to back off that position - predicting it could be damaging politically.

Barr told Vice President Mike Pence, White House counsel Pat Cipollone, press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, members of the Domestic Policy Council and several other officials that the administration should change its position to allow some parts of the Affordable Care Act to be preserved.

'I don't know about that suggestion,' Trump said in the Oval Office when asked about the report that Barr had informed White House staff to back off. 'I've spoken a lot about this with Bill Barr,' Trump added, before saying he was 'in lockstep' with all the states that want Obamacare gone.

The president vowed to replace Obamacare with something cheaper and that ensures people with pre-existing conditions get coverage.

The Supreme Court is expected to hear the case in the fall.

The coronavirus pandemic could make healthcare a top-tier issue in the general election.

While Democrats were split on whether they wanted to improve upon Obamacare - a stance backed by presumptive nominee Joe Biden - or move toward a Medicare-for-all plan - backed by Bernie Sanders and other, more progressive candidates - the party was in lock step on wanting to get more Americans insured.

Republicans, on the other hand, have long wanted to repeal Obamacare - but neither Trump nor his Capitol Hill allies have produced a definitive plan for what would come next.

Democrats are aware of this.

Party members were licking their lips at the idea of 'using the virus as a bat to bludgeon Republicans on healthcare,' Politico Playbook said, after Trump announced on April 1 that he would not be reopening the Obamacare markets.

On April 1, President Trump (left) and Vice President Mike Pence (right) announced that they wouldn't be reopening the Obamacare markets, instead floating a plan to directly pay hospitals to treat uninsured Americans with COVID-19. Democrats saw this move as a political opportunity

Trump and Pence instead pitched paying hospitals directly for uninsured Americans' COVID-19 treatments.

'You have a perfectly good answer in front of you, and instead you're going to make another one up,' one Republican told Politico, responding to the quickly hatched plan. 'It's purely ideological.'

An administration official also told Politico 'it's a bad decision opticswise.'

'It politicizes people's access to health services during a serious national health emergency,' the official said.

A Trump donor, oil executive Dan Eberhart, told NBC News several days later, 'Not having a plan for the rising uninsured yet seems to be a blind spot.'

'The Democrats took the House in the 2018 midterms largely by having better answers on healthcare, so I think this could be a massive political liability in the fall,' Eberhart said.

'Trump has provided sober and strong leadership, but this could prove to be his Achilles' heel in November,' the Trump donor added.

While the result of the Supreme Court's Obamacare case wouldn't be expected until after the November election, the court would likely hear the case in the fall - giving Democrats the chance to wield a big bat when highlighting the administration's position.
Masks and gloves for all employees. Tests for workers. Extra cleaning of surfaces and hotel rooms. Constantly sanitizing dice and chips.

The union representing 10,600 Atlantic City workers outlined steps they said are needed before the doors to the citys casinos could reopen after being shut to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

We all want to reopen as soon as possible but we want everything to reopen safe, said Bob McDevitt, president of Unite Here Local 54. We dont want to rush into it and have bunch of tragedies happen to workers.

While there is no timetable for the Atlantic City casinos to reopen, union officials said they wanted to ensure that new stringent safety procedures would be in place before they do.

On a conference call with reporters Tuesday, union officials they said a casino industry trying to return to business couldnt afford a new coronavirus outbreak.

We desperately want to go back to work, said D. Taylor, president of Unite Here. But we want to go back to work in a safe environment.

Taylor said the same state agencies that regulate casino gambling should regulate the safety of the employees and customers, ensuring that the companies are taking adequate steps to protect them.

There can be no short cuts," he said. "This has to be mandated in the strongest possible terms.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Businesses that are open | Homepage

Emily DAlberto, a spokeswoman for the Casino Association of New Jersey, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The association announced last month that it was working with AtlantiCare to develop its own plan for reopening the casinos.

Gov. Phil Murphy said he would work with the states Casino Control Commission and the unions before reopening the casinos.

Obviously, the governing bodies and the representatives of the workers will be a part of any decisions that get made, Murphy said during his daily coronavirus press briefing in Trenton.

Among the other steps that needed to be taken were changing the seating around slot machines and table games to keep customers six feet apart, installing plexiglass guards at front desks, frequently sanitizing dice and chips, suspending buffets and closing spas and pools for now.

Taylor said he would publicize the names of those casinos that did not follow these safety guidelines.

Any casino that is not taking the kind of measures we are talking about, were going to let customers know this far and wide, Taylor said. If a tragedy hot spot happens, it affects everybody in that town, not just that one casino.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report.

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Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com.
Russia has recorded more than 10,000 new coronavirus cases in each of the past three days; the countrys confirmed total has eclipsed 165,000, with more than 1,500 deaths. There is no official data on how many health-care professionals have died of the coronavirus, so doctors anonymously created an online memory list to keep a count of their fallen colleagues. As of Wednesday, it had 108 names.
100 Years Ago  1920: In the judgement of many citizens Chester has reached the point where City Council and the other city officials must give some attention to devising comprehensive plans for a Great Chester. There is no body and can be no doubt in the minds of all who have given the subject the slightest consideration that Chester has outgrown its present narrow streets, bad avenues leading into the city and the other improvements to the thoroughfares of the city which must come if Chester is to grow and become the city which opportunity has given to it.

75 Years Ago  1945: Chester and Delaware Countians, sated with a week-long period of surrender rumors, climaxed this morning by a premature Associated Press story that the war in Europe had ended, settled back for another night of waiting for the only word that will official  the announcement of President Harry S. Truman. The skepticism over surrender flashes was swept away at 9:45 this morning when radio newscasters, quoting the Associated Press, said that the unconditional surrender has been signed, sealed and delivered.

50 Years Ago  1970: Everybody at Haverford College is going to Washington for a day to protest the war in Southeast Asia. And that includes the janitor. More than 675 students, faculty, administrators, secretaries and maintenance men from the small Quaker liberal arts college  plus 50 girls from neighboring Bryn Mawr  will transfer operations to the nations capital in 15 buses Thursday.

25 Years Ago  1995: A Wilmington, Del., man  out celebrating his wedding anniversary with his office  told police he was shot when he got lost in Chester and stopped to ask for directions. The 34-year-old victim told Detective Joseph Hampel that he and his wife, 33, were returning from New Jersey and made a wrong turn shortly after 8:30 p.m. Pulling over, three men approached his car and the man asked how to get to I-95 South. The victim drove off after the men demanded money and stuck something in the window. He heard three gunshots, realizing he was shot as he drove off and proceeded to Community Hospital.

10 Years Ago  2010: A beef and beer at Bootleggers in Woodlyn this weekend will raise funds for a memorial dedicated to the firefighters, police officers and emergency workers who lost their lives battling the 1978 fire at Wade Dump in Chester and those still suffering the lingering effects. The Chester Toxic Fire of 78 Committee, along with the Delaware County Fallen Firefighter and EMS Memorial Committee, is hosting the benefit.

 COLIN AINSWORTH
If you receive such links, delete it, the police advised. But if youve already downloaded the app from such a link on WhatsApp or SMS, it would be better to do a factory reset of your phone to protect it.

Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate of Police, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack on Wednesday issued a cyber security alert and told people to download the Aarogya Setu application only from the Google Play Store and Apple App store.

The alert was issued because some people were receiving SMS or WhatsApp messages containing a link to download the Aarogya Setu App. Please do not click on the link to download Aarogya Setu App, the police cautioned on its twitter handle.

If you receive such links, delete it, the police advised. But if youve already downloaded the app from such a link, it would be better to do a factory reset of your phone to protect it.

These links are malicious and leading to download of an App called ChatMe on the screen, which is being used by Pakistan-based groups to take away data, the Commissionerate of Police said.

Commissioner of Police Sudhansu Sarangi said the police issued the cyber security alert based on inputs from intelligence agencies.

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Sinn Fein says that "doors are still open" to other parties despite formal negotiations for government between Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Greens kicking off this week.

The party held a parliamentary group teleconference on Tuesday in which leader Mary Lou McDonald told the group her objective remains "a government for change led by Sinn Fein".

The party, who garnered the largest vote in Februarys election but missed out on Dail seats due to an admitted underestimation of the partys popularity, and fielding a conservative number of candidates in the process, discussed possible government formation outcomes.

The party says it has not given up hope of a "left coalition government" with the Dails more progressive parties, with Ms McDonald telling the group "the numbers are not there for anyone".

"Weve made it clear to Greens and independents and others, that we still want to be in government and feel that Mary Lou is the best candidate for Taoiseach," Party finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty said. "The dogs in the street know any government that excludes Sinn Fein would not be legitimate, Leo Varadkar has gone as far to say, that without the Greens there wouldnt be legitimacy, that just shows what kind of facade it is.

"We still want to lead the next government, we dont believe this is necessarily over, no one would be bold enough to suggest these talks are the talks that would lead to a government, there could be many twists in the road from now to then, and theres no sign theyll be successful in getting it passed by two thirds of the Green party membership either.

"Our colleagues have a lot of respect for Green Party members and Councillors, and the decision is for them, but a lot of people would be surprised if the Greens were fooled by the type of talk coming from Fianna Fail and Fine Gael given their record.

"It's up to them, but if I was a Green member Id be asking why this 7% promise wasnt in the first response.

"It was to get the Greens over the line in a system that has been dominated by the centre right for far too long. Has Fine Gael ever delivered on climate objectives? Did Fianna Fail deliver on the objectives the Greens tried to set out in 2007?

"Theyve tried to present themselves in a different fashion, theyre socialists now, theyre going to lead change, taking policies Sinn Fein argued for, and that would be great if it was real, but the reality is its not true.

"Im in politics long enough to know thats not the case.

"Any progressive party that would put those two back in government together dont deserve the label progressive."

The party are "not actively looking for another election", according to a senior source, but "will be ready when it comes, fielding a lot more candidates and all the rest".

Meanwhile, Solidarity/People Before Profit have written an open letter to Sinn Fein, calling for renewed talks to form a left government.

Co-leader Richard Boyd Barrett notes in the letter addressed to Mary Lou McDonald that radical and necessary changes in policy will simply not take place under a government involving Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.

The two parties had, prior to the outbreak of Covid-19 in Ireland, reached quite an advanced stage to develop a programme for government and called for such talks to resume.

Against this background, I am writing to suggest that Sinn Fein, Solidarity-People Before Profit, Left Independents, the Social Democrats and others who see themselves on the left in Irish politics, should renew our previously commenced efforts to develop an alternative programme for real change and press forward a campaign for a left government, Mr Barrett added.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 23:45:40|Editor: huaxia

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-Washington had several opportunities to leap ahead of the virus instead of chasing it, but chose instead to dismiss response proposals, deflect blame, and disseminate misleading information.

-The U.S. administration, instead of combating over one million cases at home, has tried its best to stigmatize China and spread false information about the new virus.





by Xinhua writer Wang Bowen

BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- When world leaders actively responded to the European Union's fundraising conference and pledged eight billion U.S. dollars for COVID-19 vaccine co-research, the United States stood aside.

Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the U.S. administrations' belated response has turned the country into the epicenter of the disease and the blame game it begun has dampened the global fight against the virus.

In mid-March, U.S. President Donald Trump proclaimed himself a wartime president and the coronavirus the enemy. Since then the United States has seen infections soar on its soil, with a death toll surpassing the combined war deaths in Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq.

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

Washington had several opportunities to leap ahead of the virus instead of chasing it, but chose instead to dismiss response proposals, deflect blame, and disseminate misleading information.

A person walks towards the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C., the United States on April 30, 2020. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

In early January, the National Security Council office responsible for tracking pandemics received reports predicting the virus would soon spread to the United States. Within weeks proposals like shutting down cities the size of Chicago and keeping people home had been raised. The White House dismissed all of them.

By the third week in February, top health experts recommended an approach that included social distancing and teleworking, but the White House took a detached attitude, announcing that the pandemic was "under control" in the United States and everything was "going to be just fine."

Two months went by before Washington finally recommended social distancing across the nation, but by then it was too late. It is hard to believe that such a powerful and influential nation handled the health crisis so poorly.

An unfair and unaffordable healthcare system, the contest between American states for scarce medical supplies, the disproportionate death toll among ethnic minorities, and chaotic coordination demonstrated in the U.S. response have made more disenchanted with Washington's "Make America Great Again" slogan.

Medical workers transport a patient at George Washington University Hospital in Washington D.C., the United States, on April 27, 2020. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

The slow U.S. response, on top of the well-documented failures to establish its testing capacity, brought suffering to the American people.

In March, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the United States has been the top origin for most of the COVID-19 cases in his country.

DIVERTING ATTENTION

While China appeals for international cooperation in the fight against COVID-19, Washington is busy slandering Beijing to divert attention on its own poor response to the pandemic, said a former Serbian diplomat.

The U.S. administration, instead of combating over one million cases at home, has tried its best to stigmatize China and spread false information about the new virus.

Trump said on April 14 that he would halt funding for the World Health Organization while a review covering the WHO's "role in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of coronavirus" was being conducted.

The U.S. announcement came amid the worst global pandemic in decades and as Washington was desperate to defend its own handling of the outbreak.

The Europeans were already outraged by reported U.S. efforts to acquire monopoly rights to a coronavirus vaccine under development in Germany.

People wait to pick up food at a food bank distribution site in New York, the United States, on April 24, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)

While the world is scrambling to come up with a vaccine, what the White House has done is a mere manifestation of nationalistic self-interest.

In early March, German government officials said they believed Washington had tried to lure a company based in southwestern Germany that was known to be working on a vaccine to move its research work to the United States.

In early April, 200,000 protective masks destined for Berlin were snatched by the United States at an airport in Thailand, in a dramatic episode which Germany later called an "act of modern piracy."

MUCH-NEEDED COOPERATION

More than 70 scholars on public health from the United States and China have urged the two countries to coordinate responses to COVID-19 in a signed letter published by The New York Times.

"Your power should be focused on caring for others and marshaling resources for disease prevention -- not on deflecting blame, shoring up approval ratings, settling scores or demonizing people because of ethnicity or nationality," read the letter.

An ambulance is seen at the Times Square in New York, the United States, on April 27, 2020. (Photo by Michael Nagle/Xinhua)

Diseases know no borders; supply chains are internationally-embedded; and crisis management necessitates intergovernmental collaboration and data sharing among scientists.

There is no place today for politicians to endanger bilateral ties by spreading conspiracies or insulting language about virological origins, said the letter.

The time has come to stop the blame game, rebuild global public health alliances, such as the WHO, renew scientific exchanges and communicate respectfully across borders. (Video reporters: Guo Wei, Zhao Xu, Du Yang, Liu Qu and Ji Li; Video editor: Zhao Xiaoqing.)
Representative Image

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday questioned the government over the criteria it adopted to judge how long the COVID-19-induced lockdown will continue.

Addressing a meeting of chief ministers of states where the Congress is in power, she asked "what after May 17?." The third phase of the lockdown ends on May 17.

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh and former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi were part of the meeting

"After May 17th, What? and After May 17th, How?...what criteria is GoI (government of India) using to judge how long the lockdown is to continue...," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala quoted Sonia Gandhi as saying in the video conference with CMs.

She thanked farmers, particularly of Punjab and Haryana, for ensuring food security by giving bumper wheat crop produce despite all odds.

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

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh also said, "We need to know, as Soniaji said, what will happen after lockdown 3.0?".

"Soniaji has already pointed out. CM's need to deliberate and ask as to what is the strategy of the government of India to get the country out of lockdown," Singh asked.

Speaking at the meeting, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said he has set up two committees, one to strategise on how to come out of the lockdown and the other on economic revival.

"Concern is people sitting in Delhi are deciding on classification of (COVID-19) zones without knowing what's happening on the ground," he said at the meeting.

Rajasthan Chief minister Ashok Gehlot said, "until extensive stimulus package is given, how will states and the country run? We have lost Rs 10,000 crore revenue."

He said states have repeatedly requested the prime minister for a package, "but we are yet to hear from the government of India".

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said, "States are facing dire economic crisis. They need to be provided immediate assistance."

He said Chattisgarh is one state where 80 per cent of Small Industries hafve restarted and nearly 85,000 workers have returned to work.
In the midst of the pandemic, a Pastor located in Massachusetts was fined $300 for holding an in-person service.

Kristopher Casey, pastor of Adams Square Baptist Church in Worcester, waved an American flag after Sunday's service while his congregation sang 'God Bless America.' Casey explained his sanctuary has been deep-cleaned, a process that costs thousands of dollars, before services, and congregants must wear masks and gloves at all times.

"Police tracked approximately 40 people leaving the church, which seats more than 300, on Sunday, in violation of the state's ban on gatherings of 10 people or more."

With faith, Casey is known to be confident throughout the moment of despair.

"People are excited about someone standing up and protecting our rights. We'll see if I get arrested or not on Sunday."

"If we allow the government to shut down the light of Jesus Christ, America will go dark spiritually and we may never return."

"We saw two folks raise their hand for salvation on Sunday in the service, another young man prayed for salvation standing on the sidewalk outside the church, and a dear lady prayed for salvation after watching Sunday's livestream."

Kris Casey also appeals during Sunday service that whatever valley was going through, one got to understand that God has a plan and purpose.

"You should give your life to Jesus Christ, God here I am, I'm ready to do your battle, I'm ready to do your work. I'm ready to do whatever you want me to do. God, I'm right here, I'm ready to stand tall and fight the battle."

On the other hand, Adam Square Baptist church also continues to engage with people on Facebook.

"Two families want to become members. Another young woman wants to be baptized after receiving Christ as her Savior a few months ago. God is at work!"

As Kris Casey continues to be bold, he thanked those who stepped up to support him throughout this moment.

"We didn't come this far to only come this far. Thank you for all of those who stepped up in support of us and this cause. Here is the civil fine delivered from the Chief of Police in Worcester. He is doing a great job and I have nothing but respect for him and the job he is doing." Kris Casey posted on his Facebook.
Photograph: Siyabonga Sishi/Reuters

They have jetted into some of the most horrifying calamities in recent history, clutching the red, white and blue flag of their small island home.

Earthquakes in Indonesia and Pakistan; a cholera outbreak in Haiti; and the Ebola epidemic in west Africa, where they won international plaudits for their hazardous, frontline work.

Now, as the world grapples with another era-shaping catastrophe, Cuban doctors and nurses are on the ground once again, only this time in a less common location: Europe.

In Lombardy  everyone is grateful for their professionalism and their humbleness and availability to a country they hardly know, said Marco Grimaldi, a politician from north-west Italy who helped to negotiate the arrival of a group of 39 Cuban healthcare workers with diplomats from Havana. Imagine if Europe could manage to do the same.

Cubas communist rulers have been sending medical teams overseas for decades in a bid to save lives and influence people.

Paul Hare, a former British ambassador to Havana, said Fidel Castro launched the doctor diplomacy policy soon after his 1959 takeover as a means of using the islands highly trained professionals to export revolutionary ideas and make new friends.

Fidel was very strategic. He saw they had a surplus of doctors and he saw it as a way of garnering diplomatic support initially. Cuba has not been like North Korea  they have always wanted international support, Hare said.

The scheme has since become an essential economic lifeline: while some missions are provided free of charge, other countries pay Cuba for the medical services, bringing in $6.3bn (4.8bn) annually and making it Havanas largest source of foreign currency.

It is even more crucial now as Covid-19 obliterates Cubas tourist industry, another key source of income.

Today, an estimated 28,000 Cuban medical professionals ply their trade overseas, primarily in the developing world.

But the pandemic has seen a new trend emerge  with Cuba sending medical brigades to bolster struggling health services in developed European nations.

Story continues

The field hospital in Crema, northern Italy, where Cuban doctors have been treating Covid-19 patients. Photograph: Marco Ottico/EPA

Since March teams have landed in Andorra, a small principality wedged between France and Spain, and two of Italys worst-hit regions, Lombardy and Piedmont, where a total of more than 17,000 people have died.

Local newspapers and politicians have celebrated the Cuban reinforcements.

The arrival of these professionals will  give a respite to the healthcare structure, the Diari dAndorra newspaper commented in a recent editorial.

This is excellent news, agreed another newspaper, Bondia, claiming Cuban doctors would save Andorras health system from collapse.

Stephanie Panichelli-Batalla, an academic at the University of Warwick who studies Cubas medical diplomacy, said the humanitarian deployments were partly about rebranding communist Cuba in the international press.

They cant miss out on this opportunity  especially now that its coming from Europe  because it gives even more visibility to the good that they do.

Donald Trumps White House  which has declared Cuba part of a Latin American troika of tyranny alongside Nicaragua and Venezuela and has sought to strangle its economy  is unimpressed.

Related: Trump puts Cuban doctors in firing line as heat turned up on island economy

The state department claims Cuban doctors and nurses are being abused and exploited in order to fill the coffers of an authoritarian regime.

The Cuban medical missions are exploitation: a for-profit front used to fund the regimes repression and sow political discord, the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, tweeted last week.

Panichelli-Batalla said there were legitimate concerns about Cubas authoritarian system and how those sent overseas were treated.

Yes, of course there are big human rights problems in Cuba  there have been since the start [of the revolution] and there are still problems.

But whatever their intentions are, and whatever they gain from those programmes, we need to recognise that they are doing a good job  It is having an impact, said Panichelli-Batalla, who has interviewed Cuban medical workers who have served in countries including Guatemala, Ethiopia, East Timor, Ghana, Brazil and Tanzania.

The work they do there is valued by the local people, it is valued by the local governments and it does make a difference.

That seems to be the case in Italy, where the first Cuban brigada has been working since late March at a field hospital in Crema, a city in the northern region of Lombardy, where Covid-19 has killed more than 14,000 people.

The second team  21 doctors and 16 nurses led by a kidney specialist who previously worked in the Venezuelan Amazon  touched down in Piedmonts capital, Turin, on 12 April to replace overworked Italian professionals.

Other medical brigades have fanned out across the world to fight Covid-19 in 20 other countries, from South Africa to Suriname.

Grimaldi, the Piedmont councillor, said the Cubans were a lesson to Europe. Its incredible that a small island that will pay the consequences more than other countries because it lives mostly off tourism, and which has few inhabitants compared with big European countries, has managed to send 22 medical teams abroad, he said.

How wonderful it would be to see brigades from north or eastern Europe in Spain or Italy, Grimaldi added. But for this people need to work together.
United Nations: The number of confirmed coronavirus cases suggests that Afghanistan could have one of the highest COVID-19 infection rates in the world, a global migration organisation has warned, voicing concern that the expansion of conflict in the war-torn country is exacerbating the disease response.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that with almost 2,900 confirmed cases and 90 deaths as of May 5, Afghan officials have emphasised that in the absence of urgent actions, up to 80 per cent of the country's total population of 35 million could be infected.

The number of confirmed cases suggests that Afghanistan could have one of the highest COVID-19 infection rates in the world.

"Furthermore in recent days, results of a randomised sample of 500 persons in Kabul, a city of between five and seven million people, showed an alarming infection rate of 50 per cent," it said in a statement on Tuesday.

The global agency also warned that Afghanistan is struggling to safely absorb the more than 271,000 people who have returned from Iran and Pakistan since January amidst the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that Afghan refugee returns from Iran and Pakistan are suspended due to COVID-19 precautionary measures.

Further exacerbating the COVID-19 response is the expansion of the conflict over the past three months where security incidents and lack of access to non-government controlled areas means that there is no testing in over 30 per cent of the country.

A key constraint hindering a meaningful response to the pandemic is the low capacity for testing. Eight testing facilities established since January have a daily capacity of 100-150 tests each. However, there is a significant shortage of trained lab technicians and more testing kits are urgently needed.

Another grave concern is that Afghanistan has extremely limited infrastructure to treat severe cases.

Life expectancy is only 50 years for both genders and a high percentage of the population have pre-existing conditions such as TB, HIV-AIDS, malnutrition, cancer and heart and lung diseases, with environmental pollution another major factor in general population health.

"Movement and quarantine restrictions have a limited impact despite being in place countrywide but based on the socio-economic realities in the country - families cannot go for more than a few days without working in order to keep themselves afloat," Emergency Response Officer with IOM Afghanistan Nicholas Bishop said.

"Hence, the out-migration trend back to Iran resumed two weeks where people are desperate to feed their families," Bishop said.

The agency also noted that social distancing is unfeasible in Afghanistan, a country where the average family size is seven and most people live in small, confined, one room homes with poor ventilation.

In rural areas, there is a major gap in awareness. A recent community perception survey carried out by a grouping of NGOs showed 60 per cent of residents were uninformed about COVID-19.

"We may be missing the profound impact of the disease in these areas where the international community is receiving multiple requests for support for health care," Bishop said.

Despite these seemingly insurmountable challenges, IOM said it is actively responding to COVID-19 in close partnership with the Ministry of Public Health and the WHO with over 100 health staff deployed to border level surveillance, health facility-based interventions and mobile health teams.

If temperature checks and symptom screening identify a suspected case, they will be referred by an IOM ambulance to the nearest designated isolation facility. The same is being applied in IOM's migrant transit centres.

"We are also providing training, personal protection equipment and other critical medical supplies for local health workers and supporting risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) in 25 provinces across 10,000 communities through our data collection tool the Displacement Tracking Matrix," IOM Chief of Mission in Afghanistan Stuart Simpson said.

"With such high numbers crossing frontiers, we are also providing coordination support at Points of Entry to the Ministry of Public Health in partnership with WHO and UNHCR."

Each year, IOM Afghanistan provided humanitarian assistance to tens of thousands of undocumented Afghans returning from Iran.

Over 30,000 people have been assisted so far in 2020 through its network of border transit centres. IOM has appealed for an additional USD five million in financial support from donor partners to scale up lifesaving COVID-19 response actions in Afghanistan.
New White House press secretary blasted the media during her second press briefing Wednesday when asked if she wanted to retract a prior claim that the the nation would not see the coronavirus 'come here.'

Still settling into her new role of defending President Trump from the White House podium, McEnany fielded a question about the provocative statement she made as a spokesman for Trump's campaign.

McEnany claimed, with cloudy foresight, that 'we will not see diseases like the coronavirus come here, we will not see terrorism' in a February 25 interview on the Fox Business network.

New White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Wednesday defended her February statement that 'we will not see diseases like the coronavirus come here'

Asked Wednesday if she wanted to take the statement back, McEnany claimed she was referring to the 'intent' of the president's travel restrictions on China.

'First let me note I was asked a question on "Fox Business" about the president's travel restrictions. I noted what was the intent behind those travel restrictions which is: We will not see the coronavirus come here, we will not see terrorism come here, referring to an earlier set of travel restrictions.'

Her comment, made in an interview with sidelined Fox host Trish Regan, did not include caveats.

'Looking at the coronavirus, and with the president saying, 'look, we're not going to be taking in people from China right now,' isn't it just a matter of protecting our national security being really at stake, and he's sort of the first line of defense there," Regan asked her.

McEnany was forced to defend comments she made as a Trump campaign spokeswoman about the virus

'This president will always put America first, he will always protect American citizens. We will not see diseases like the coronavirus come here,' McEnany said while serving as press secretary to his campaign

Citizens wear masks to defend against new viruses on January 22,2020 in Guangzhou, China.The 2019 new coronavirus, known as "2019-nCoV", was discovered in Wuhan virus pneumonia cases in 2019, and the virus was transmitted from person to person. Currently, confirmed cases have been received in various parts of the world

She also blasted the 'awful presidency of Barack Obama'

'Absolutely, this president will always put America first, he will always protect American citizens," McEnany responded. "We will not see diseases like the coronavirus come here, we will not see terrorism, and isn't that refreshing when contrasting it with the awful presidency of Barack Obama?' she continued.

Trump's initial travel ban did not cut off all travel from China. It blocked Chinese nationals from entering the country. According to the New York Times, it still allowed 40,000 Americans to travel to the U.S. from China during a two-month period of air restrictions.

After finessing her prior comment, McEnany went after the press, rattling off a series of major news organizations.

'I guess I would turn the question back on the media and ask similar questions.

'Does VOX want to take back that they proclaimed that the coronavirus would not be a deadly pandemic? Does the Washington Post want to take back that they told Americans to get a grip, the flu is bigger than the coronavirus? Does the Washington Post likewise want to take back that our brains are causing us to exaggerate the threat of the coronavirus?' she asked.

'Does the New York Times want to take back that fear of the virus may be spreading faster than the virus itself? Does NPR want to take back that the flu is a much bigger threat than the coronavirus? And finally once again the Washington Post, would they like to take back that the government should not respond aggressively to the coronavirus? Ill leave you with those questions so maybe youll have some answers in a few days,' she said.

At that point, she ended the briefing and left the podium of the White House briefing room.

Taking a cue from President Trump's attacks on the media, McEnany brought up media misses related to the deadly pandemic that has now taken more than 70,000 American lives.

In the case of Vox, she was referring to an article that the cite tweeted out. It said: 'What is this #coronavirus? Its part of a family of viruses that attack the respiratory system. Should I travel during the outbreak? The CDC and the State Department advise avoiding China for now. Is this going to be a deadly pandemic? No.

She appeared to be referencing a February 18 New York Times story that mentioned discrimination against Asian American businesses, school closures and harmed businesses in Europe. 'But fear itself is proving contagious,' it said, going on to quote the head of the World Health Organization as warning: 'The greatest enemy we face is not the virus itself; its the stigma that turns us against each other.'

It was not immediately clear which clip McEnany was referring to that the U.S. shoudl not aggressively respond to the pandemic. There was considerable reporting as the outbreak grew about the vast number of deaths caused by seasonal flu compared to the still spreading virus. President Trump has made repeated comparisons between the two viruses.
The Michigan legislature is suing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for unilaterally extending Michigans coronavirus state of emergency, House Speaker Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, and Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clark Lake, announced in a Wednesday, May 6 news conference.

The lawsuit is going to the Michigan Court of Claims with hopes for an expedited ruling, Chatfield said. The House and Senate declined to extend the state of emergency last week, but Whitmer later announced it would be extended from April 30 through May 28  citing a 1945 law allowing her to do so.

The 1945 Emergency Powers of Governor Act allows governors to call for a state of emergency for as long as necessary, while the 1976 Emergency Management Act limits it to 28 days, but doesnt invalidate the prior law.

Whitmers interpretation of the 1945 law is unconstitutional, Chatfield said.

The law in Michigan is very clear: Only the legislature has the authority to extend a state of emergency, Chatfield said after removing his American flag face covering to speak. We chose not to do that last week because we were given no real assurances of any substantial changes that would be made, and the administrations refusal to sit down and work together.

Whitmer first declared a state of emergency March 10, the day Michigan's first COVID-19 cases were announced. The legislature later approved an extension through the end of April.

Lawmakers are upset that Whitmer is unilaterally making decisions without their input, Shirkey said. The state of emergency allows Whitmer to create executive orders  like the stay-at-home order  without legislative approval and deploy resources as she sees fit.

"We can't see behind the secret curtain," Shirkey said. "Information is not being shared with us. The decision processes are a mystery to us."

There's still a need for a limited state of emergency, Shirkey said. But there needs to be some checks and balances on the governor and her power, Chatfield said.

Michigan Senate Democrats released a statement, saying they dont support the lawsuit.

We are appalled that those across the aisle are choosing a global pandemic as the time to pick political fights with the governor instead of focusing on what we can do to help the people of our state," the statement said.

A statement from the governors office said Whitmer is working with a variety of business and health care leaders to make her decisions about whats safe for Michigan.

This lawsuit is just another partisan game that wont distract the governor," the statement said. Her number one priority is saving lives. Shes making decisions based on science and data, not political or legal pressure.

Whitmer will continue listening to medical experts to put health and safety first, the statement said.

Its a sad day for our state, because we truly should all be working together, Chatfield said. We should be partnering together, rather than having a battle in court. Because no one truly wanted to have that.

PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

Read more Michigan coronavirus coverage here

Wednesday, May 6: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Whitmer vetoes bill that would have reopened some businesses sooner

Whitmer issues orders extending state of emergency without support of legislature

From closing restaurants to requiring masks, Gov. Whitmer has issued 69 executive orders in 56 days

Six weeks into extreme social distancing, how are Michiganders still catching coronavirus?
Kate Beckinsale has called out the gender inequality she experiences for having relationships with younger men.

In a new interview with Womens Health, the actor opened up about her life in the public eye and commented on how ridiculous it is that people criticise her age-gap romances.

Earlier this year, the 46-year-old ended her relationship with comedian Pete Davidson, 26, and has most recently been linked to 22-year-old musician Goody Grace, who she is living with in Los Angeles during lockdown.

Speaking of the criticism she receives, Beckinsale said: It can feel like a little bit of a political act to be a woman over 32 whos having any fun at all.

Recommended Adele shares rare photo thanking key workers to mark 32nd birthday

And by that, I dont mean doing drugs and drinking and partying, because I never am, but being goofy, and going out, and not going, Oh my God, Im going to sit home and anticipate menopause while crocheting.

She continued: Unless youre doing that, it somehow seems to be risque, which is just ridiculous to me.

The Serendipity star went on to compare how her lifestyle choices are reported in the media compared to those of men, adding: I witness men constantly doing whatever they like, whether in relationships, or deciding to buy a motorbike, or getting a tattoo.

It hasnt been interpreted as, why hasnt he had more children? or is he ever going to decide to become a parent? or why has he had so many girlfriends?.

Beckinsale added that she believes many marriages would prove more successful if couples decided not to live together.

I think more people would do well married if they didnt have to live in the same house. Being married is kind of easy, but the living-with-the-person thing is a lot, she said.

I also think, for women especially, and it is generalising, but its common for us to mentally subjugate our needs to whoever else is in the room.

This is not the first time Beckinsale has responded to criticism over her age.

In December 2019, the actor hit back at online trolls who said she is too old to share photographs of herself wearing a bikini on social media.

After sharing a series of pictures from a holiday to Mexico on Instagram, one person commented: Shes too old... looking for attention.

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Beckinsale issued a lengthy response to the troll, stating: I dont know who has made you feel that if you get older you have no value, cant be attractive or sexy or have a relationship with your body that isnt only self-loathing.

Are you aware that when you get the urge to accuse someone of something, especially someone you dont know, or attribute an intention without ever having met the person, that the only thing really being achieved is revealing something about yourself or something you fear about yourself?

The full interview with Beckinsale appears in the June issue of Womens Health, on sale now.
RICHARDSON, Texas, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The UTD Top 100 Business School Research Rankings, released April 24, show a familiar name at the top of the list. The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania again landed at No. 1, a position it has maintained for 16 years, every year since the rankings were first published.

Dr. Hasan Pirkul The UT Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management has published the UTD Top 100 Business School Research Rankings every year since 2005.

Published annually since 2005 by the Naveen Jindal School of Management at The University of Texas at Dallas, the rankings track the productivity of management- and business-school research faculty as reflected in 24 leading peer-reviewed academic journals covering major management and business disciplines.

"Research forms the foundation of higher education" said Dr. Hasan Pirkul, Caruth Chair and dean of the Jindal School. "The UTD Top 100 provides a clear indication of each school's research productivity."

New York University Leonard N. Stern School of Business (No. 2), Harvard (University) Business School (No. 3), The University of Texas at Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management (No. 4) and Columbia (University) Business School (No. 5) round out the top five in both the Worldwide and the North American rankings.

In the 2020 North American Rankings, 91 American and nine Canadian universities represent the Top 100. The Canadian schools in the top 50 include the University of Toronto Joseph L. Rotman School of Management (No. 16), the University of British Columbia Sauder School of Business (No. 35) and McGill University Desautels Faculty of Management (No. 43).

In the Worldwide Rankings, the Fontainebleau, France-based INSEAD School of Business (No. 6), the University of Toronto Joseph L. Rotman School of Management (No. 17) and the (University of) London Business School (No. 25) are the only schools outside the U.S. to crack the top 25 this year.

Only three universities have made it into the top 10 in the Worldwide Rankings every year: Wharton, NYU and Harvard. And only 18 universities have ever cracked the top 10. Only two from outside the U.S. have done so: INSEAD has done it six times, and the University of Toronto Joseph L. Rotman School of Management has done it twice.

The Worldwide Rankings' biggest upward climb came from the Tulane University A.B. Freeman School of Business, which moved 16 spots, from No. 111 to No. 95. Next was the Northeastern University D'Amore-McKim School of Business, up 12 spots, from No. 85 to No. 71. The University of Connecticut School of Business climbed 13 spots, from No. 91 to No. 78.

To learn more about the UTD Top 100 Business School Research Rankings, visit top100.utdallas.edu.

News Contact: Jimmie R. Markham, Naveen Jindal School of Management, (972) 883-5079, [email protected]

SOURCE The University of Texas at Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management
A 40-year-old migrant labourer



died in a hospital in Chhattisgarhs Bilaspur district after he reached here while making a trip from Maharashtra to Jharkhand on foot and hitchhiking on goods vehicles amid the nationwide lockdown, health and police officials said on Wednesday.sss



The deceased, Ravi Munda, was part of a group of eight Jharkhand-bound labourers admitted to the Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS) here on the late night of May 3 after they were found to be ill, said Dr Aarti Pandey, Public Relations Officer of the hospital.

Munda, who was suffering from dehydration and other illnesses, died during treatment on the morning of May 4 due to multi-organ failure, she said.

His swab sample was sent for coronavirus test which came out negative on Tuesday, Pandey said.

After getting permission from his relatives, his final rites was performed here by a local social organisation, she said.

The remaining seven labourers were discharged after their condition became normal and sent to Jharkhand in a bus arranged by the district administration, she added.

Bilaspur Superintendent of Police Prashant Agrawal said, as per preliminary information, this group of labourers had left from Nagpur in Maharashtra for their native places in Jharkhand on foot via Chhattisgarh.

In between, they probably took lifts from goods vehicles, permitted to operate during the during the ongoing coronavirus-enforced lockdown, to cover a distance of about 400km to reach Bilaspur, he said.

After getting information about their health condition, they were shifted to CIMS, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Aseel Salih knew the delivery was coming, but it still nearly brought tears to her eyes.

Staff from ourBRIDGE for Kidsa Charlotte, N.C.-based after-school program for English-learner and refugee childrenknocked at her door with sacks of packaged breakfasts and lunches for her school-age children, ages 10 and 13.

It was a joy when they knocked at my door to bring the meals for the children, said Salih, an Iraqi immigrant. It takes a bit of the burden from our shoulders.

The extended school closures caused by the coronavirus crisis have upended the nations after-school programs, leaving most with no children to serve and no schools to operate out of. Most organizations have shut their doors. But some, like ourBRIDGE, have pivoted to offer new services and extend their hours, doing what they can to help families struggling with food insecurity, lost jobs, and cooped-up children.

If youre serving meals, youre not doing it between 3 and 6. youre doing it whenever kids need it, said Jodi Grant, the executive director of the Afterschool Alliance, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy organization. If youre checking in on kids, its not necessarily between 3 and 6. The field is very concerned about the kids that theyre serving and trying to do all they can.

Using a combination of grant funds and partnerships with foundations and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools, ourBRIDGE helps distribute about 1,000 meals per day to families, hosts virtual check-ins for students, delivers personalized activity boxes of art and STEM supplies to homes, and conducts U.S. Census outreach efforts in the heavily immigrant neighborhoods it serves in east Charlotte.

When Salihs husband lost his job, ourBRIDGE staff guided him through applying for unemployment benefits. Staff members now deliver dinners for the entire family and dozens of others, securing meals through support from funders and local restaurants.

Similar efforts are underway in other after-school programs based in south Boston, southeast Kansas, and other parts of the country. In some locales, the support comes in the form of twice-a-week Zoom meetings with a trusted after-school counselor. In other places, its food delivery or online tutorials that offer tips on how to pen essays and make sense of algebra.

These are tough times. We need to make ourselves relevant and if the kids are not here, how do we make it happen? said Sil Ganzo, the founder and executive director of ourBRIDGE. Because the need is still going to be there and if anything, its going to increase.

Thus far, the Charlotte-based nonprofit has kept its entire 26-person staff employed, but not all after-school programs have been that fortunate.

Nationwide, at least 70 percent of programs have furloughed staff or cut jobs and hours as a result of the pandemic, estimates Gina Warner, the president and CEO of the National Afterschool Association, a national membership for after-school administrators and staff.

Greater Need for Services

In Connecticut, another provider, EdAdvance, is doing its best to keep staff on the job because theyll be needed when schools there eventually re-openand the programs will need people prepared to work with youth.

The regional education service center, which provides before- and after-school programs for nine school systems in the western part of the state, has kept staff immersed in training sessions, preparing for next school year, said Tracey Lay, the organizations chief talent and collaboration officer and director of before- and afterschool programs.

Staff members are meeting with small groups of students using Zoom, delivering physical education lessons, and checking on their social-emotional status. They are also connecting with school district food service departments to provide grab-and-go meals in towns, such as Torrington and Winsted, that are hit hard by COVID-19.

EdAdvance has tapped its reserves to keep staff on the payroll, but the job loss in the industry has been widespread, advocates said.

Employees from other organizations are taking temporary part-time gigs, such as delivering packages, until they can get back to work. With those employees making comparable money elsewhere, program directors are concerned they will not come back when the spread of coronavirus begins to slow, said Grant, the executive director of the Afterschool Alliance.

Its a field where its hard to get quality people to begin with, Lay said. We need them when were ready to gear up again. And we knew that from the beginning that eventually wed be going back.

Before this week, there was even a slight chance that EdAdvance staff would be working with children again this school year. That was until Gov. Ned Lamont made the call Tuesday to keep school buildings closed for the rest of the academic year, making Connecticut the 47th state to make that call.

The eventual reopening of schools could arguably be the most essential complication to overcome for economic recovery. Many parents simply cannot go back to work if their children are still home; the typical 9 to 5 shift does not align with school bell times.

Yet governors are increasingly lifting the lockdown restrictions that kept many workers at home.

Theres going to be a greater need for services as people get back to their lives, said Warner of the National Afterschool Association. Many of these [out-of-school] programs are going to have to figure things out even before schools do.

Before the pandemic struck there were an estimated 10 million children enrolled in after-school programs.

If some of the proposals floating around to reopen schoolssuch as one-day-on, one-day-off schedules or staggered half-day shiftsbecome reality, an even greater demand could emerge. More children will need a safe place to stay when classes are not in session and the need to maintain social distancing could force some programs to hire even more staff, so that children can attend programs but remain insulated in smaller groups.

Its a scary challenge, but its going to be something that people are relying on us for, said Lay of EdAdvance.

Problems Staying Connected

During social distancing, programs in urban centers and rural towns are adding online tools to more traditional services to remain connected with families.

The Paraclete after-school program in south Boston is working to keep families fed and students learning.

The program, staffed largely by AmeriCorps volunteers, serves about 35 4th through 8th grade students. Most of the children live in two of the citys largest housing projects.

Staff members are offering online tutoring. The nonprofit also provides meals for their students through an agency that collects unused food from restaurants, grocery stories and delivered bags of groceries for families who may be struggling to find meals.

We knew that we still needed to serve the community because thats our mission, helping these families, said program director Molly Zollo.

To help the cause, interns from local universities, including Boston College, created YouTube videos to assist elementary and middle school students with math, reading, and science lessons.

Despite their best efforts, the staff members have struggled to touch base with all their students.

Its a lot easier to connect when parents are coming every day to pick up their kids and you can kind of meet them at the door and engage that way, Zollo said. Technology is not the easiest for a lot of families.

In Iola, Kan., the Safe Base program is connecting with students via Facebook to host cooking and crafting lessons, bike repair tutorials, and TikTok dance competitions. Staff are also offering story time and virtual tours of must-see places in the town of 5,300.

For families with little or no access to technology whose children may need academic support, BellXcel, a national nonprofit that helps design out-of-school time programs, has developed a multi-week curriculum that allows students to work independently on math, English-language arts, and social-emotional learning skills.

BellXcel, which partners with after-school programs in 33 states and the District of Columbia, began rolling out the program this month. The curriculum adjusts for whatever the technology availability is in the home, said Brenda McLaughlin, the chief impact officer for BellXcel.

Education leaders are bracing for an academic summer slide this year for students who struggled to engage in remote instruction due to technology challenges or other factors.

Kids who are living in under-resourced communities may be struggling, McLaughlin said. That is magnified now that were in this period where a young person may not have had any formal in-person schooling since March or earlier.

That time out of school has been painful for many families. As the economic and hunger crisis has intensified in some places, some families who refused assistance at first are now asking for help, officials said.

The relationships that we have built in trust for years are still here. We are not an after-school program [where] if your kids are not here, were not here, Ganzo said. Its like, we are going to be here anytime, all the time. Pandemic or no pandemic. They know that.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), James Oppong-Boanuh says appropriate measures have been put in place to cater for police personnel at the frontline of Ghanas COVID-19 fight.

Over 8,000 police officers have been directed by the IGP to self-isolate while their samples are tested.

This was after they took part in enforcing the partial lockdown imposed earlier by government to curb the spread of the disease in the country.

Subsequently, there have been reports that a police officer at Adenta in Accra has also tested positive for COVID-19, after arresting suspects who defied the lockdown directive.

The Inspector-General of Police, speaking at the launch of Police-Zoomlion Nationwide Disinfection in Accra today, said a Police COVID-19 Management Team has been instituted to assuage the plights of these frontline police personnel.

To the personnel of the Ghana Police Service who have devoted your lives to enforce the restrictions, the police administration thank you very much for your devotion. I want to assure you on behalf of the police management board that appropriate measures have been put in place to support and prevent you from getting infected and to treat any of you who may get infected.

A COVID-9 technical team has been constituted at the headquarters that's dealing with all matters relating to the pandemic and will ensure that you get maximum support, he assured.

On Monday, May 3, 2020, 550 new cases were announced which took the national case count of confirmed cases to 2,719.

---citinewsroom
Chief Executive Officer at PastryStar Antonin Picou wears a face mask at a PastryStar warehouse in Laurel, Maryland, on May 4, 2020. PastryStars factory has been repurposed to produce hand sanitizer. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images)

Survey Finds Public Supports Liability Protections for Firms Against Abusive COVID-19 Lawsuits

The majority of those responding to a recent poll expressed support for proposals to provide special liability protections for companies stemming from claims linked to COVID-19.

Sixty-one percent of those interviewed expressed support or strong support when asked if Congress should protect many businesses and types of companies from lawsuits being filed related to the coronavirus.

Thirty percent of the respondents said they strongly support such protection, compared to only 8 percent who said they strongly oppose it.

The global pandemic has caused tremendous economic harm to our nation. As employers plan to reopen safely and sustainably, the last thing they need is to face a financially crippling lawsuit despite their best effort to comply with public health guidelines, Institute for Legal Reform President Harold Kim said in a May 5 statement in releasing the survey results.

Any protections for employers should be targeted, timely, and temporary, and no business should be protected from lawsuits for gross negligence.

Conducted for the U.S. Chamber of Commerces Institute for Legal Reform by the Alexandria, Virginia-based Public Opinion Strategies (POS) April 2327, the survey interviewed 800 adults and has a margin of error of 3.46 percent.

Support for five more specific forms of liability protection now being considered by Congress was noticeably stronger and spanned across partisan political boundaries.

Eighty-four percent, for example, said they support protecting businesses like grocery stores and pharmacies, which have been allowed to stay open as essential businesses, from lawsuits related to the coronavirus. Of those, 66 percent said they strongly support such protection.

Only 13 percent opposed such protection, with the remainder either declining to answer or not having an opinion.

Eighty-seven percent of Republicans and 82 percent of Democrats favored such protection.

When restaurants, stores, and other businesses are allowed to reopen, 82 percent of the respondents favored not allowing lawsuits filed by individuals who claim they contracted the coronavirus at that place of business unless the business was grossly negligent.

That position was opposed by 15 percent of the respondents, according to POS.

The partisan split showed 85 percent and 79 percent support, respectively, from Republicans and Democrats.

In situations in which an employee shows symptoms that may indicate the presence of the coronavirus but he or she still wants to work, 74 percent of the respondents said they would favor protecting the employer who asks such workers to remain at home.

Twenty-one percent of those surveyed said they would oppose such employer protection.

Four out of five, 80 percent, of Republicans supported such protection, and 72 percent of the Democrats did as well.

Three out of four of the respondents, 75 percent, said they believe hand sanitizer companies, soap companies, and other cleaning supply companies should be protected from coronavirus lawsuits, while 22 percent said they oppose such protection.

Seventy-eight percent of Republicans and 73 percent of Democrats would favor this protection.

On the sensitive issue of protecting individual privacy, 62 percent of the respondents said they believe companies shouldnt be vulnerable to litigation for responding to government requests for health information about which employees have the coronavirus, are sick now, or have recovered from the virus.

Thirty-four percent opposed such protection, including 19 percent who said they would strongly oppose it.

This was the only question among these five in which more Democrats favored the protection, 63 percent, than Republicans, 61 percent.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said recently that providing liability protections is his top priority if Congress is to pass a fourth coronavirus recovery measure.

My red line going forward on this bill is we need to provide protectionlitigation protection, McConnell said.

That statement drew immediate opposition from Democrats, who for decades have benefited from financial and other support from trial lawyers who have won huge liability settlements from corporations, medical professionals, and others.

Republican campaign strategist Matt Mackowiak told The Epoch Times in a recent interview that McConnell is prioritizing liability protection for employers because it is absolutely necessary for the economy to reopen.

Mackowiak, founder of Potomac Strategy Group, added that there is no question that voracious trial lawyers would file thousands of lawsuits against employers, which would harm businesses who are already on thin ice.

The threat of lawsuits will prevent some businesses from opening at all. Democrats need to decide whether they support reopening the economy or owning the continued economic shutdown.

Contact Mark Tapscott at Mark.Tapscott@epochtimes.nyc.
The United States Defence Secretary Mark Esper on May 5 reportedly said that Taliban were not living up to their commitments under an agreement signed earlier this year. The Taliban and Washington signed an agreement in February for reduced violence and a move toward talks with the Afghan government, however, attacks by the group have increased since then.

While speaking to international media reporters, Esper said that he doesnt think Taliban were living up to their commitment. He also added that he believes that the Afghan government was also not living up to its commitment. The defence secretary said that the Taliban and Afghan government both need to come together and make progress on the terms that are laid out.

READ: In Rural Georgia, Death Upon Death During Outbreak

The Taliban-Afghan deal is under strain by a political deadlock. Progress on moving to negotiations between the militant group and the Afghanistan government has been delayed. According to an international media outlet, the militant group have already mounted more than 4,500 attacks in Afghanistan in the 45 days since signing the deal with the US.

Now is the time to stop

Several independent officials tracking the group situation reportedly even said that the increase in attacks shows the insurgent groups willful disregard of a pledge to reduce violence made as part of the accord signed in late February. Meanwhile, recently the US also urged the Taliban for reduction of violence and instead shift their focus to the global health crisis.

READ: Miami Beach Closes Parks Again As Citizens Flout Social Distancing Norms

Earlier this month, US Special Forces Afghanistan (USFOR) spokesperson Col Sonny Leggett called out Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid a day after the report by Pentagon was released that noted spike in the attacks on America's Afghan allies even though, US Taliban had signed a peace deal in February. In a tweet, Leggett has said: now is the time to stop.

@Zabehulah_M33 You asked for clarity on Gen Millers calls for the Taliban to reduce violence. Let's clarify: The people of #Afghanistan want #peace. The world has asked the #Taliban to cease violence and focus on #COVID19. Now is the time to stop the violence. @suhailshaheen1 pic.twitter.com/9EUrUh67Bt  USFOR-A Spokesman Col Sonny Leggett (@USFOR_A) May 2, 2020

(Image: AP)

READ: Trump Team Ignored Warnings On Drug, Virus

READ: McConnell Hits Pause On More Coronavirus Aid
Singapore, May 6 : An Indian-origin man was sentenced to seven months in prison here on Wednesday for verbally abusing police and safe-distancing enforcement officers who were urging compliance with COVID-19 measures.

Ravi Sinathamby Subramaniam, 53, had pleaded guilty to two charges of verbally abusing police and health officers and a third charge of threatening to "break" the faces of three health officers, channel news asia reported.

Another five charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.

Subramaniam had committed the offences over two days last month - first going to convenience store Hao Mart at Block 64, Whampoa Drive on April 14.

He was standing in the queue, holding an open can of beer and reeking of alcohol and complaining loudly about why the queue was not properly organised.

When the police spoke to him, he turned aggressive and spoke loudly to them, trying to leave and refusing to cooperate, drawing a crowd.

He hurled multiple vulgarities at the police and was arrested but reoffended four days later at a coffee shop at Block 81, Whampoa Drive.

When approached by a health officer enforcing safe-distancing measures as he was wearing his face mask over his chin and not over his nose and mouth, Subramaniam turned aggressive.

He cursed at the officer and a second colleague who joined her, saying: "You don't let me see you again if not I will break your face." He later told the two officers and a third colleague: "The next time I see you, I will break your face." The prosecution had pushed for at least 10 months' jail, saying that the case "presents an important opportunity for this court to send a clear message that such conduct" against frontline officers in the coronavirus fight will not be tolerated.

The judge had asked for further arguments on two similar cases as comparisons against Subramaniam's case, and Deputy Public Prosecutor Timotheus Koh said that Subramaniam had committed more serious previous offences, including most recently threatening his brother with boiling water and a chopper.

"The intimidation in the present case has to be viewed against the backdrop of the profile of the victims, the number of victims, the number of times he threatened them, the reoffending of the accused within four days and serious antecedents, many of which are violence-related," said Mr Koh.

He said Subramaniam has accumulated a long list of offences spanning decades.

"Despite being imprisoned repeatedly, he doesn't seem to be able to remain crime-free for long," said Mr Koh, adding that Subramaniam has even been caned before but "continues to be a menace to society".

His crime records now show a trend of intimidating behaviour towards public servants, he said.

Subramaniam, who was unrepresented, said: "I apologise to the court. I apologise to the civil servant and I apologise to the government for what I have done without my knowledge because I am drunk." The judge said he noticed that the threats in the two cases used for comparison with Subramaniam's were "more serious", and gave Subramaniam a jail term three months lower than what the prosecution had pushed for.

He also directed a session for Subramaniam to be given counselling for his underlying behaviour and for treatment plans to be formulated.
Suncor Energy Inc. is going further into a defensive crouch, cutting its capital-spending plans for a second time and shrinking its dividend payout, as the COVID-19 pandemic hammers crude demand.

Capital spending this year will be $3.6 billion to $4 billion ($2.6 billion to $2.9 billion U.S.), down from an already-reduced range of $3.9 billion to $4.5 billion announced in late March, the Calgary-based company said Tuesday. The board also cut the companys quarterly dividend to 21 Canadian cents a share, from 46.5 cents.

Suncor is joining a parade of global oil producers that are hunkering down as record low crude prices cause steep losses. In the first quarter, Suncor was able to shift output to higher priced light crude and its refined-product mix to higher-value distillate. The moves helped the company post a better-than-expected loss, excluding some items, of 20 Canadian cents a share. Analysts estimated a loss of 34 cents, on average.

The virus is affecting Suncors maintenance work, too. The company pushed back plans to return its MacKay River operation to service until later in the second quarter. Its also evaluating other options for its Terra Nova venture off Newfoundland and Labradors coast because the projects production vessel cant undergo planned work at a dry dock in Spain at the moment.

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The cousin of Bashar al-Assad has compared the current situation with Rami Makhlouf, to that of his father, Rifaat al-Assad, in the 1980s reports Sowt al-Asima.

Video clips posted by Rami Makhlouf in recent days have spurred a wave of comments on social media, including analysis touching on this unprecedented appearance, and the timing of the videos release.

One commenter was Firas al-Assad, Bashar al-Assads cousin, who likened what is happening between the Makhlouf and Assad families to what happened between Hafez al-Assad and his brother Rifaat in the 1980s. At the time, Rifaat was ordered to step down from his military strength, while today Rami Makhlouf is being requested to give up his tremendous wealth in Syria.

Firas wrote in a post on his Facebook page, When Rifaat al-Assad reached the stage of defeat, he organized a conference and spoke to hundreds of people about his love for Damascus, justifying his exit and his concerns for Damascus and his fear of a war that could destroy it, despite, the massive difference, of course, is between Rifaat al-Assads gravity and position in the 1980s, and the featherlikeeven punyweight that Mr. Rami enjoys today.

He pointed out that this was what Rami had begun doing, as he reached the stage of defeat. He organized those successive conferences, in the form of videos, to talk about his love and keenness for the poor, while he and his father before him have contributed the most to stealing from the Syrian people and the poor people of Syria.

Firas stressed that the matter is complicated, and much bigger than the problem of tax evasion, as it revolves around billions of dollars that have been tampered with, smuggled and hidden from the eyes of the palace over the past 10 years. Rami is demanded today to give up his massive holdings abroad, he added.

Duraid Assad, Firas brother, expressed his opinion in response to some followers questions, saying that, the truth, unfortunately, is that it was not successfulneither in form nor content, adding that, someone who controls 60 percent of the Syrian economy will of course tell you so much, referring to the Assad family.

He added that, the context of the terms with which he addressed the president via social media constitute a direct offence to the presidency.

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.
Muslims are part and parcel of India and Sangh volunteers helped them during the lockdown without any discrimination, which was complimented by various Muslim community leaders, RSS joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said on Wednesday.

Hosabale, who was interacting online with foreign media,



rejected as "baseless and far from reality" the perception about the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) being "anti-Muslim".

He said Sangh was in touch with Muslim leaders and helped the people from the community across the country including at Shaheen Bagh in New Delhi during the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

Shaheen Bagh was the centre of a prolonged protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act, which critics have alleged was aimed at targeting the Muslim community.

Hosabale also echoed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's remarks made in an apparent reference to the Tablighi Jamaat row that an entire community cannot be held responsible for the mistake of few.

Many Muslim community leaders have written to Bhagwatji welcoming his stand and thanking him, Hosabale claimed.

There has been criticism from activists in Gulf and other countries over allegations that members of Muslim community were facing harassment after a number of people who had attended a Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi tested positive for coronavirus. Indian has rejected it as propaganda by vested interests.

"RSS as an organisation has been in touch wit Muslim community leaders. They are part and parcel of this nation. The service done by RSS workers during the lockdown is a testimony of Hindu society, which looks at all communities including Muslims as their brothers, Hosabale said.

As a result, Muslim community leaders have also complimented the Sangh's relief work, he said.

All benefits provided by the state are reaching them. They are being taken care of by the country. They have all freedom in India. They have been recognised and have received many awards, he said.

He also mentioned that many Muslim children also study at the schools run by the Sangh.

In the wake of the coronavirus crisis, he said Sangh volunteers have been doing relief work and playing a role of support system to government agencies in distributing masks, sanitisers and safety equipment, and sensitising the communities about the virus.

Talking about the economy in the post-COVID19 world, Hosabale said it is prudent that India develops an indigenous economic model centred on Swadeshi and makes the country self reliant by using local resources and workforce.

The materialist world view imposed on the entire world can push us to newer cycles of economic depression and environmental degradation. In such a scenario, it is prudent that we develop a new model based on self-reliance and Swadeshi, he said.

He also talked about the need for a new lifestyle which is less materialistic and more nature-friendly.

When asked whether the source of coronavirus should be investigated, he said it is not for social organisations like RSS but for international community to look into the matter.

Hopefully a detailed inquiry will be conducted. It will be in the interest of humanity that it is probed and we know what is the reason and origin. It is not to pinpoint somebody as culprit, he said.

The RSS leader said India has been exemplary in its fight against the deadly virus.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Why men from Europe and America are so obsessed with Russian and Ukrainian women? What is so special about them? Charming? Beautiful? Intelligent? Witty? Well, everything is true about slavic girls. But let's dig a little bit deeper.

Main Features of Ukrainian & Russian Girls

First of all we have to admit that Ukrainians and Russians are very close but yet they are different nations. However, they have lots in common. They are certainly different from the Western ladies. Here is a good article Russian women vs American Women .

Here are some main features of Slavic women.

Skin . In most of the cases they have light and soft skin. Girls take care of their skin, use creams, lotions, body milk to keep it in a good shape. Sometimes they spend lots of money to maintain their skin, but the result is phenomenal.

Body . Slavic girls take care of their body shape. Most of them visit gyms and beauty shops to keep their bodies in a perfect shape. Ukrainian and Russian girls have average height. Average is about 5.6 feet.

Hair . The vast majority of Slavic women will have a long beautiful hair. The color will be black, brown, light brown and more seldom white. Though, many women paint their heir. For some reason they like a white color.

Makeup & Clothes . Typical Ukrainian girl will certainly use lots of makeup and wear the best clothes. When you arrive to Ukraine and walk down the street you may feel yourself at a fashion show. Indeed, girls there are able to use makeup from young years. And they look awesome all the time. They wear the best shoes, dress and put a makeup even when they are simply take out the trash. Of course it is an exaggeration, but you've got the point, right?

With all the above said it's no wonder that Western men love Slavic women very much.

Ukrainian and Russian Dating

Dating and communication with Slavic women is also an interesting thing to talk about.

First of all they are very intelligent . These countries have free compulsory primary education and a very cheap high education. Also most of Ukrainian girls speak at least 3 languages: Ukrainian, Russian (yes, these are 2 different languages) and in most of the cases English.

I know, it's super interesting to communicate with them.

Second of all, they have different values than Western women. For instance, they care more about the family, husband / boyfriend, parents, kids. They take care of the things around the house, etc. Therefore, when you communicate with them you certainly feel this.

Another important thing before you start dating Russian and Ukrainian girls is that most of them are monogamous . Hence, you can forget about unicorn dating or cheating.

And the last but not the least is that there are plenty of online dating sites that focus on helping Western men communicate with girls from Ukraine and Russia. Though, use only trusted ones and read reviews, like VictoriyaClub dating site. It's a reputable and popular service. There is no need to explain why using reputable sites is important for personal and financial security.

How to Charm a Russian Girl

Considering all the above mentioned features of Slavic girls here are some tips how you can charm them.

Be a man, not in words but in deeds. Probably most of women in the world prefer masculine men. However, Ukrainian and Russian women appreciate honest and decisive men the most.

Tell honest compliments. As we already know they do care of their look. Hence, admit this and tell her that she looks awesome.

Speak about family. Slavic women are family oriented. Thus they love talking about family, parents and possibly your future family with her.

Financial security. Ukraine and Russia are rather poor countries. Moreover, women in these countries earn even less than men. Therefore, they look for the financial security, who doesnt, right?

You have to be older. Its not a strict rule, but its quite common when husbands are older than their wives. In Russian and Ukraine the large age difference is acceptable.

Sense of humor. Since they are intelligent they highly appreciate men with a good sense of humor. If you are funny and smart you have a big chance to win her heart.

Wrap Up

So, as we can see there are lots of reasons why guys from the USA, Canada, Australia and Europe prefer dating Slavic women. They are beautiful, smart, tender and care about the family. So simply put, they are perfect girlfriends and wives.

There is no doubt that modern online dating services will be even more in demand. Men will use them to meet Ukrainian girls over the internet and fly to the Eastern Europe for a real date. Why not? What would you do to get the perfect woman?
Today the James Beard Foundation announced the finalists for its 2020 awards, amid the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.

The announcement was made in an effort to both shine a light on the work of chefs and restaurateurs throughout the nation, as well as to provide a moment of escape during these dark times when restaurants across the nation struggle to sustain their businesses.

Among local nominees is Paul Bartolotta of The Bartolotta Restaurants, who has made the short list for the Outstanding Restaurateur award. It's the fourth year that Bartolotta made the semifinals in this category. If successful in making it through the finals, it will mark the third Beard award for Chef Bartolotta, who holds James Beard awards for both his work at Spiaggia in Chicago and Ristorante di Mare in Las Vegas.

Although no Wisconsin chefs made the final selection for Best Chef Midwest this year, we can remain proud of this year's Milwaukee semi-finalists including Dane Baldwin of The Diplomat, and Karen Bell of Bavette La Boucherie. We can also take great pride that we have countless chefs in our city and state who deserve acclaim for putting forth their best work, even during the toughest of times.

View the complete list of 2020 James Beard nominees here.

Support area restaurants

Milwaukee is blessed to be home to many amazing restaurants, all of which deserve recognition and support during these challenging times. Your support is vital in helping to ensure that restaurants can reopen to the public safely when the time is right. So please consider supporting restaurants by continuing to dedicate a portion of your food budget to ordering take-out.

Your efforts allow restaurants to keep their businesses afloat at the most base level while doing what they do best: nourishing their communities with delicious food. Together we can raise one another up and make a difference, one meal at a time.

Here are more ways to support bars and restaurants during these tumultuous times.

More on the James Beard Foundation Awards

Established in 1990, with inaugural awards issued in 1991, the James Beard Awards recognize culinary professionals for excellence and achievement in their fields and further the Foundations mission to celebrate, nurture, and honor chefs and other leaders making America's food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for everyone.

The 2020 James Beard Awards will mark the 30th anniversary of Americas most coveted and comprehensive honors for chefs, restaurants, journalists, authors, and other leaders in the food and beverage industry.

Stay tuned for updates on the September 25 James Beard awards announcement.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky had a phone conversation with EBRD President Sir Suma Chakrabarti, the presidents press service reported on Tuesday evening.

The parties discussed the issue of the coronavirus pandemic. In particular, Zelensky told about the measures taken by Ukraine to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

In addition to quarantine measures, the President of Ukraine raised the issues of social assistance and business support programs.

"We understand that small and micro businesses suffer the most, and that is our economy. The Office of the President, the Government and the Parliament - we all work together to develop programs to support our entrepreneurs. In this regard, I suggest that the EBRD consider ways to support the government's actions to launch a program of large-scale financing of SMEs, as well as providing guarantees for such loans," said the Ukrainian president.

The parties also discussed the infrastructure project, which could help create jobs. The Ukrainian president reminded that last year Ukraine became the second largest country of EBRD operations in terms of funding and was the first in the number of projects - 51. The volume of annual liabilities reached more than 1 billion euros. Also in 2019, Ukraine had a record disbursement of 950 million euros.

At the same time, Zelensky has said he hopes that the EBRD would approve a EUR 450 million loan to Ukravtodor in July for a new project that envisages further reconstruction of the M05 Kyiv - Odesa road up to Odesa and construction of the northern Lviv bypass road. Together with an additional EUR 450 million from the European Investment Bank, this will allow launching these two important logistics projects as soon as possible.

"Despite the crisis, investment in infrastructure, including road construction, remains one of our top priorities. This year, the budget envisages record funds for road construction, as well as additional borrowings under state guarantees," Zelensky stressed.

He also thanked the Bank for its willingness to support the development of municipal projects in our country and the signing of a Memorandum between the EBRD and the Government of Ukraine at the Mariupol Investment Forum in October 2019.

Zelensky also noted that due to the crisis related to COVID-19, Ukrainian state-owned companies need additional liquidity. He has said he hopes that the EBRD will support the Ukrainian state-owned enterprises.

The Ukrainian president also stated that Ukraine would continue reforms.

iy
Samples from trial also will be used in a study to develop biomarkers to identify patients at risk for severe outcomes

LOS ANGELES -- Keck Medicine of USC physicians are launching a clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of baricitinib, an anti-inflammatory drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat rheumatoid arthritis, as a possible treatment for patients with moderate to severe COVID-19.

"We are learning that in some COVID-19 cases, inflammation might be driving the need for intubation and causing poor outcomes," says Michael Dube, MD, an infectious disease specialist at Keck Medicine and interim chief of the division of infectious diseases at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

Dube is heading up the trial with Heinz-Josef Lenz, MD, associate director of clinical research of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, who serves as the principal investigator.

For certain patients, COVID-19 may trigger a "cytokine storm," explains Dube. Cytokines are small proteins in the body that help the immune system battle infection. However, having a large amount released into the body all at once can result in excess inflammation that causes tissue damage and organ failure.

Baricitinib has been shown to lower levels of a cytokine known as interleukin-6, as well as other cytokines.

"Our premise is that by using baricitinib to reduce the inflammation, we may be able to slow down the progress of the disease, stop the need for a ventilator and save lives," says Dube.

The drug is one of several anti-inflammatories being tested for use in patients with COVID-19.

Dube and Lenz will collaborate with Bodour Salhia, PhD, an assistant professor of translational genomics at the Keck School, on related but different research. Salhia will collect blood samples drawn during the trial to look for molecular biomarkers to identify COVID-19 patients who are at high-risk for developing severe outcomes. Salhia will use a liquid biopsy methodology she has already developed for cancer research.

"Finding such biomarkers will lead to better management and protection of high-risk individuals," she says.

The clinical trial is a double-blind, randomized controlled study. Half the participants will receive baricitinib in the form of a daily tablet medication and the other half will receive a placebo. Researchers plan to enroll 144 patients from Keck Hospital of USC, USC Verdugo Hills Hospital and Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center.

Participants will include patients who exhibit COVID-19 symptoms but have not reached the stage where they have to be intubated. Patients with a heightened risk factor for the virus, such as those 60 or older, with a chronic heart or lung condition, obesity, hypertension or diabetes, are also eligible.

The pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company provided funding for this study.

###

Keck Medicine of USC is one of only two university-based medical systems in the Los Angeles area. Its internationally renowned physicians and scientists provide world-class patient care at Keck Hospital of USC, USC Norris Cancer Hospital, USC Verdugo Hills Hospital and more than 80 locations in Los Angeles, Orange, Kern, Tulare and Ventura counties.

In 2019-20, U.S. News & World Report ranked Keck Medical Center among the top 3 hospitals in Los Angeles and top 5 in California. The hospital also ranked in the top 4 in urology (tie); top 10 in geriatrics; top 15 in ophthalmology, cardiology & heart surgery, gastroenterology & GI surgery and nephrology; top 20 in neurology & neurosurgery; top 25 in cancer; and top 35 in pulmonology & lung surgery.

For more information, visit KeckMedicine.org.
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Linkedin Riza Roidila Mufti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 6, 2020 19:05 622 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd666ec3 1 Business tourism,coronavirus,priority-sectors,hygiene,pandemic,social-distancing Free

The impact of COVID-19 might linger long after the pandemic ends as stakeholders in tourism, one of the hardest-hit sectors, brace for a major shift in customer behaviour and preferences after the dust settles.

As tourists drop travel plans on the back of social distancing requirements, the government, initially set to develop tourism as the countrys economic powerhouse, had to adjust its expectation with a 30.6 percent year-on-year (yoy) drop in foreign visits as of March, according to Statistics Indonesia (BPS).

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) notes that tourism will see a gradual return, but that there will be a new normal before a vaccine is available on a mass scale.

In the post-pandemic new normal, after months under lockdown, public officials and businesspeople predict that hygiene, health and physical distance will be travellers new main concerns.

Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Wishnutama has pledged to focus on anticipating the new trends in tourism.

For future tourism development, we will focus on principal things to anticipate the trends and the new tourism paradigm, known as the new normal, where there is higher concern about sanitation and hygiene, he said in an official statement on Monday.

The ministrys undersecretary for tourism products, Rizki Handayani, said the government was also mulling plans to issue certification as well as standard operating procedures to ensure compliance of tourist destinations and accommodation providers with health and hygiene standards.

Rizki also predicted that visitor management for busy destinations, such as world heritage site Borobudur temple in Magelang, Central Java, would be required to maintain a physical distance between tourists.

If they [the tourists] were okay to go to packed and crowded places, not anymore. They will be more aware of the physical and social distancing concept, she told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

Consequently, tourists might also avoid transit flights to minimize contact and the possibility of transmission, hence direct connectivity to destinations would be preferred in the future, Rizki added.

A study by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) confirms the predicted change in preferences. The survey of more than 1,200 Chinese tourists highlights that health and safety had become the main concern for future travels.

The tourists surveyed hope that travel agencies and destinations can do a good job of health and safety protection, take necessary measures to ensure the health and safety of tourists during travel, the finding reads.

Chinese tourists were the largest group of foreign visitors to the country before the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the WTTC also suggests that new standards and protocols for safety might be required for tourist facilities.

Outlining a new possible protocol, the WTTC said that, in a hotel for example, new protocols may be in the form of check-in involving digital technology, hand sanitizer at frequent points and contactless payment instead of cash.

New preference for tourist product

As people get used to the new normal, tourists might also prefer to go to quieter places and opt for nature-based tourism and outdoor activities, Indonesia Travel Agent Association (Astindo) spokesperson Madeleine Sophie said.

Madeleine, who runs the Era Tour and Travel company, drew the insight from her consumer survey.

Places that offer natural tourism, outdoor activity would be the new preference for tourists in the future. In the past, people would only go to Instagram-worthy places, even if it was crowded, but now guests will avoid crowded places, she said.

The finding contrasted the countrys tourism state before the pandemic, where Tourism Ministry data shows that the majority of foreign tourists visit the country for culture-based tourism products.

Madeleine also said that tourism products that could offer a local wisdom experience, sustainable tourism and culinary experiences would be preferred by tourists after the pandemic ends. People were also likely to go on vacation in smaller groups or with their family rather than in big groups, she added.

PATAs survey on Chinese tourists also shows that more than half surveyed choose to relax at the seaside, while the rest would opt for homestay and mountain sightseeing in the future.

Meanwhile, tourism expert Muhammad Baiquni from Gadjah Mada University said there would be a surge of emerging small-scale, community-based destinations in the future, as people would cease to go to popular destinations like Bali, the countrys main tourism hub.

There will be more destination diversification, he said, adding that wellness tourism would also be a new favourite in the future.

The government has been promoting new destinations as alternatives to Bali, including Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Mandalika in West Nusa Tenggara, as well as Bangka Belitung Islands.

Homesharing platform Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, while laying off nearly 1,900 of its workers on Wednesday, announced that the company would have to evolve its business to meet customers new preferences.

People will want options that are closer to home, safer and more affordable. But people will also yearn for something that feels like its been taken away from them  human connection, he wrote in an official note on the companys website.
Brown County will extend on-site testing in Mount Sterling after the number of positive cases of COVID-19 in the county tripled in a day, and state officials have confirmed several dozen cases among workers at a Cass County processing plant.

Brown County had reported two cases of coronavirus disease Tuesday, when Wellness Express  a partnership that includes the Brown and Adams counties health departments and the Southern Illinois University Center for Family Medicine in Quincy  began offering COVID-19 testing in the city.

On Wednesday, the health department reported four new cases, bringing the total confirmed cases in Brown County to six.

The cases involve a woman in her 20s and three women in their 50s. All are isolated and recovering at home.

On-site testing will continue from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily through Friday. Anyone with COVID-like symptoms or those without symptoms who work in front-line positions such as grocery stores, gas stations or healthcare facilities can be tested. Results usually are returned in one to two days, and those tested are asked to self-quarantine.

These new cases demonstrate the continued spread of COVID-19, both in Brown County and in other areas, according to the Brown County Health Department. COVID-19 is spread through contact with other individuals. Please keep in mind that the best way to avoid COVID-19 exposure is to avoid unnecessary activities in public places.

In neighboring Cass County, the long-speculated presence of COVID-19 among employees at JBS USAs pork processing plant was confirmed Wednesday.

Melaney Arnold, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Public Health, told the State Journal-Register in Springfield that she can confirm an outbreak.

Cass County health officials acknowledged several weeks ago that positive cases had been reported involving a major Beardstown employer, but they declined to identify the facility. JBS has about 2,000 workers at the plant, which was widely discussed as being the facility involved.

Officials told the State Journal-Register at least 30 people associated with the plant were involved, but because they may live outside of the county would not necessarily be among the 49 cases the Illinois Department of Public Health reported in the county as of Wednesday.

That number is up five from Tuesday. The newest cases involve a woman in her 20s, two men in their 30s, and two men in their 40s, according to the Cass County Health Department.

In west-central Illinois, two cases of coronavirus disease have been reported in Schuyler county, Pike County has one case, there are three in Greene County, 15 in Jersey County  up one from Tuesday  39 in Macoupin County  which is an increase of three since Tuesday  and 231 in Sangamon County, which is an increase of 15 from the previous day, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Morgan County saw no new cases Wednesday. There have been 27 positive tests in the county.

Statewide, 2,270 new cases of coronavirus disease and 136 additional deaths were reported Wednesday.

There were 68,232 cases in 97 counties in Illinois as of Wednesday and there have been 2,974 deaths, according to the state health department.
A giant species of bees have reached the US shores and are threatening the native population of insects there. Vespa Mandarinia, dubbed as murder hornets, were first discovered in Washington by a beekeeper and have alarmed the agricultural scientists.

These giant bees though generally do not attack the humans or pets, but once threatened they can sting humans too. And their multiple stings can even kill them.

Here are some things to know about murder hornets:

 The stinging Vespa mandarinia can grow as large as 2-1/2 inches (6.4 cm) in length. They have a large orange/yellow head with prominent eyes, black and yellow striped abdomen and form large colonies that usually nest in the ground.

 The species is native to Southeast Asia, China and Taiwan.

 The murder hornets present a danger to agriculture and the apiary industry, because the insect is known to attack honey bees, with a few of the hornets capable of wiping out an entire hive in hours.

 The Washington State Agricultural Department said that the murder hornets leave piles of dead bees, most of them headless, outside their beehive.

 Scientists dont know for sure how the Murder Hornet made its way to Blaine. The most likely scenario is that it arrived on a container ship docking at one of Washingtons ports. Intentional transport of the killer bug into the United States would violate federal law.

 Their stinger is longer than that of a honeybee and their venom is more toxic. Typical beekeeping protective clothing is not sufficient to protect you from stings.

 A report in the New York Times said that around 50 people are killed every year by murder hornets.

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The upcoming biennial election to Maharashtra Legislative Council will provide an opportunity to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to mark his debut as a legislator, and it will also be interesting to see if there there will be a contest for nine seats which are up for grabs.

Efforts are on to ensure nominees for the nine vacancies are elected unopposed, a Congress leader said.

But, if the situation of a contest arises, all the 288 MLAs, who form the electoral college for the Council polls, will have to come to Mumbai to cast their vote.

If the lockdown is extended beyond May 17, it could be difficult for MLAs to travel to Mumbai.

"All the parties will have to take a decision on avoiding a contest and efforts are on in that direction," a Congress leader said, adding that state party unit president Balasaheb Thorat met Nationalist Congress Part chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday.

Later, leaders of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA-comprising the Shiv Sena, the NCP and the Congress), including chief minister Thackeray, held a meeting to discuss the strategy for the council polls.

Thorat said that the MVA allies have decided to contest the polls together and field six candidates, two from each alliance party.

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party is also firm on contesting four seats, and it is upto the government to ensure nominees get elected unopposed, a source in the saffron party said.

"If the MVA contests six seats, there will be an election. The BJP will field four candidates. There is no doubt about it," the source said.

Elections to the nine council seats which fell vacant on April 24 were postponed in view of the coronavirus outbreak, but last week the Election Commission set May 21 as the poll date.

This was after Governor B S Koshyari acted on a letter of the chief minister and urged the EC to hold the elections to allow Thackeray, who is at present not a member of either of the House of the Legislature, to fulfil the constitutional obligation of getting elected as a legislator.

Thackeray took oath as chief minister on November 28 last year and per constitutional norms, he has to become member of the legislature within six months to continue in the post.

The Shiv Sena has decided to field Thackeray and council deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe in the polls.

The NCP is likely to retain Hemant Takle for another term, but has not declared its candidates so far.

The Congress has also not announced its nominees, but senior party leader Naseem Khan, who lost the last year's assembly polls, is among the front-runners.

Senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse said he has conveyed to his party that he is interested in being a member of the Legislative Council.

"I am interested in state politics and I want to be a member of the Legislative Council," he said.

Khadse said the BJP can win four seats as it has 105 members in the assembly, and 11 members of smaller parties and Independents are also supporting the BJP.

"These members have given in writing that they will be with the BJP on the floor of the House," he said.

The quota for a winning candidate is 29 votes.

If the MVA contests six seats, it will need 174 votes while the BJP will need 116 votes.

During the MVA government's trust vote in the state assembly last year, the ruling alliance had got 169 votes.

The MLCs whose terms ended on April 24 are -- Neelam Gorhe (Shiv Sena), Chandrakant Raghuvanshi and Haribhau Rathod (Congress), Kiran Pawaskar, Hemant Takle, Anand Thakur (NCP), Smita Wagh, Prithviraj Deshmukh and Arun Adsad (BJP).

In the 288-member state assembly, party-wise position is as follows: BJP-105, Shiv Sena-56, NCP-54, Congress-44, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi-three, Samajwadi Party, Prahar Janshakti Party and AIMIM-two each, Peasants and Workers Party, Swabhimani Paksh, Krantikari Shetkari Paksh, Rashtriya Samaj Paksh, Jansurajya Shakti Party, CPM, MNS-one each and Independents-13.

The notification for the council polls on issued on May 4.

The last day of filing nominations is May 11.

The scrutiny of papers will be done on May 12 and nominations can be withdrawn till May 14.

The polls are scheduled for May 21 and results will be announced the same day.
Students scheduled to graduate this May from Faith Lutheran High School will have a unique commencement ceremony this year. The Class of 2020 Crusaders will receive their diploma in their cars while making a lap around Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS) on May 22, at 6:30 p.m.

Students will receive their diploma as they drive across the start-finish line of the 1.5-mile superspeedway. They will continue around the speedway for an approximate one-mile victory lap before exiting the speedway. The students and their families will be able to hear the commencement address as well as remarks from the valedictorian on their car radios via the speedways low-power FM transmitter.

We originally planned to have a traditional commencement at a local church but with the health and well-being of our students, faculty and students families in mind, having a crowd of 3,000 people in one building was not an option, said Dr. Steve Buuck, CEO, Faith Lutheran Middle School & High School. Our seniors have worked hard this academic year. We wanted to recognize their efforts and were so grateful for LVMS making itself available to help provide an unforgettable graduation experience for our seniors.

Were happy to show our support for the graduates of Faith Lutheran with this unique commencement opportunity, said LVMS President Chris Powell. While this is certainly not the ceremony they expected when the school year began, it will be memorable and one we hope they will recall fondly for years to come.

Details on the timing and logistics of the ceremony will be announced in the next couple of weeks.
It makes me truly sad that the fear of death created through prolonged Corona Virus Pandemic for the last nearly 42 days, appeared to had no impact on the minds of people in India if the record crowds at the liquor and gutka shops on 4th May, the first day of partial unlockdown in Delhi and neighboring states are any indicators of mindset of people and their ignorance of the harm that consuming liquor and chewing gutka and smoking can do to them.

It was considered that the lockdown gave a great opportunity to India and it's people to introspect and rethink on our economic models and development strategies. It was also thought that the lockdown due to Pandemic Corona Virus would awaken the people of India and the Government in the centre and in states to coin new strategies to save Indian people from the disaster of the kind in which we were living before the Pandemic Lockdown.

After all India is among the most unhappy countries, having been ranked 144 out of 156 countries and that too in the top 10 unhappiest countries in the world in the UN World Happiness Ranking Report 2020 released on March 20, 2020. We need to seriously ponder on the reasons that make our country and its people so unhappy, says eminent educationists Prof PB Sharma Vice Chancellor of Amity University Gurugram who is also the past President of Association of Indian Universities, AIU.

It is also a matter of grave concern that India also has 21 out of 30 most polluted cities in the world and it's air and water quality before Covid Lockdown was highly questionable for a healthy living. What more 5 out of top 10 polluted cities include Delhi and cities in NCR such as Noida, Gaziabad, Gurugram, and Faridabad.

Knowingly, Air Pollution in India accounted for almost 350000 deaths annually occurring due to chronic respiratory diseases, while approximately 150000 were dying due to chronic heart diseases munch of them attributed to air and water pollution.

What more almost 250000 were dying due to liver cancer caused by increasing use of alcoholic drinks while consumption of Tambakoo has been identified as a major cause of mouth cancer to many.

On top of these avoidable deaths, Road accidents due to uncontrolled traffic and rash driving further cause almost 275000 deaths annually in India.

With this kind of death statistics it was expected that the government of India and the state governments together would do some soul searching to save millions of life that could be saved now that we have seen that Covid Lockdown has a strong positive too.

The air pollution has drastically come down during 42 days lockdown making sky once again turn blue and air quality improving to unimaginable limits of PM2.5 going as low as 5 micrograms per cubic meter. Likewise the holy rivers had a great relief for the toxic industry affluent during the last 42 days, thanks to Covid Lockdown. It is also no secret that there has been 40-50% reduction in cases of heart attacks and a similar reduction in cases of chronic respiratory disorder cases during the lockdown period, credit could go to improved Air and water quality and overall improvement in the health of environment.

But the way unlockdown has begun with the opening of liquor and gutka shops and unimaginable crowds that rushed to these shops in total disregards to the precautions for safety including social distancing. One can well imagine the mad rush on roads that shall follow when the lockdown on public and private transport would be lifted in the coming days. Our roads may once again become the killing fields with almost 750 deaths per day due to road accidents that were being caused before the Pandemic Lockdown.

So what can be done?

In my opinion the government must have a robust protocol for unlockdown. This among other things may include Odd- Even rationing of public vehicles, maintaing social distancing mandatory everywhere, making Govt offices, corporate and IT companies run with 30-40 % staff working from home, factories strictly observing environmental regulations and enforcing a more strict compliance of effective waste management systems are some of the ways that can save life and also reduce the risk of Pandemic Virus crisis in future. The rapid growth of solar energy for electricity and phasing out petrol and diesel vehicles and inducting EVs in a big way on roads of India would bring a sea change in the state of Environmental health in India.

These and other well thought measures need to be implemented to avoid return to the madness of destroying the environmental health.

But none the above measures shall have any meaning whatsoever unless a massive public campaign on TV and on social media is mounted by the government and social agencies to make people ready to accept the change for their larger collective good and well being. Such aggressive campaign would be able to positively impact the mindset and the behavior of masses, says Prof PB Sharma Vice Chancellor of Amity University Gurugram who is also the Founder Vice Chancellor DTU and RGTU.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has bestowed a bachelor's degree from Kansas State University to the northeast Kansas farmer who sent a single N95 mask to help New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo fight the COVID-19 outbreak.

Dennis Ruhnke of Troy, Kansas, made national headlines in late April when he mailed the mask and a heartfelt letter to Cuomo, saying he hoped it could be used by a doctor or nurse. While tearing up, Cuomo read the entire letter at a daily briefing as an example of courage and generosity in dark times.
Tens of thousands of research positions at universities are in jeopardy because of the COVID-19 crisis, prompting the sector to call for boosted government funding to plug the hole left by lost international education revenue.

Universities have urged the federal government to step in after modelling found 38 per cent of salaries in research are at risk because of a reduction of $2.5 billion from high-fee-paying international students this year.

Universities Australia chair Deborah Terry highlighted the economic consequences of cuts to research. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The findings from Curtin University's deputy vice-chancellor for research, Chris Moran, have shed light on the threat to the 79,000-strong research workforce at Australian universities, which includes 24,000 academic staff, 10,000 support roles and 45,000 postgraduate students.

Universities Australia chair and Curtin vice-chancellor Deborah Terry seized on the modelling to highlight the economic consequences of cuts to research, which has come to be heavily subsidised by international student revenue.
Jaipur, May 6 : IIM-Udaipur has announced 18 management courses free of cost on its online learning platform Coursera to ensure uninterrupted learning during the nationwide lockdown for its batch of 2019-21.

The courses are offered as elective and voluntary under domains such as Operations, HR, Marketing, Finance, Analytics, etc.

The coronavirus scare had disrupted educational institutes' functioning, delayed internships of students, and disturbed the academic calendars of B-Schools.

Against this backdrop, Indian Institute of Management-Udaipur has taken the lead in demonstrating the B-School's strong faculty-driven culture, ensuring students continue their learning.

IIM-U Director Prof Janat Shah said: "Across the world, education systems were not prepared for the impact of COVID-19. Even though this pandemic has caught us off guard, institutions are trying their best to adapt to online learning. At IIM-U, we are setting up infrastructure and processes to move to online learning temporarily. Our faculty are offering short courses on FINTECH, Blockchain, and Strategic Digital Transformation, amongst others, using online platform as mode of education delivery. This initiative will help students utilize their free time more productively." Addressing the class of 2021, Prof Sandhya Bhatia, Chairperson, Programmes Committee, IIMU, said: "Our efforts are towards establishing holistic continuum academia in times of coronavirus, and ensure that the managers of tomorrow don't suffer today. IIM-U is looking forward to contribute to our students' learning objectives. We are offering this opportunity in addition to the regular classes that are planned for the second year." The Institute said that students could pick one offered course/bundle of courses from the set of credit courses.

The successful completion of that offered course/bundle of courses will make the student eligible for two credits of the second-year course requirement.

Students could substitute the selected course with an IIM-U elective course offering two credits. However, if they wish, students are allowed to take more than the minimum required credits.

In addition, courses are being offered on Supply Chain Management, Marketing, Analytics, Channel Management, Financial Markets, Investment Strategy, People Analytics, New Technologies for Business Leaders, Digital Product Management, and Fundamentals of Project Management.

Besides, the B-school is offering credit-less voluntary courses, some of which would be facilitated by senior faculties such as Institute Director, depending on the count. The course structure was designed to support students' career requirements.
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday hiked the prices of liquor and fuel to earn a combined extra revenue of Rs 4420 crore in 2020-21. The proposals to this effect were approved at the state cabinet meeting presided over by UP CM Yogi Adityanath in the state capital.

While interacting with media persons over the decision to hike the liquor prices in the state, UP Finance Minister Suresh Khanna said that the hike in prices was inevitable to sustain the economy in red. He claimed that against states tax demand at Rs 12141 crore in April 2020, the collection remained only Rs

1178 crore.

Elaborating on liquor price hike, the minister said that the effective rise in the prices would range between Rs 5 and Rs 400 across the categories. This hike in liquor prices will help the state government to earn an extra revenue of Rs 2350 crore, much needed to consolidate the state coffers in the times of distress, said the minister.

Giving the break-up of hike effected across the categories, Khanna said: While country-made liquor will now be costlier by Rs 5 per bottle, Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL-Economic) in the package of 180 ml will be costlier by Rs 10, 180-500 ml by Rs 20 and 500 ml and above by Rs 30.

Similarly, IMFL-Medium will also follow the same rate of hike in all three packaging, while IMFL-Regular will witness a hike of Rs 20/180 ml bottle, Rs 30/180-500 ml bottle and Rs 50/bottle weighing 500 ml or above.

The minister further elaborated that the IMFL-Premium would also witness the same pattern of hike in prices across all three categories of packing. However, in the imported liquor (IL) category, a steep hike has been effected. While a bottle of imported liquor weighing 180 ml would now be dearer by Rs 100, the cost of a bottle weighing 180ml-500 ml has been hiked by Rs 200 and the cost of a bottle weighing 500 ml or more would be dearer by Rs 400 per bottle.

In another major decision, the state government increased the VAT on fuels, thereby, hiking the price of petrol by Rs 2 per litre and diesel Re 1 per litre.

The new prices will come into effect from Wednesday midnight. State finance minister claimed that the petrol which had been costing Rs 71.91 per litre so far would now cost Rs 73.91 per litre. The existing VAT on petrol levied by the state government had been Rs 16.74/litre. It would now become Rs 18.74/litre.

Similarly, the diesel would now cost Rs 63.86 per after a rise of Re 1per litre. At present, the diesel has been selling at the rate of Rs 62.86 per litre. The current rate of VAT on diesel is Rs 9.41/litre which will now become Rs 10.41/litre in the state. The state government will be able to earn an extra revenue of Rs 2070 crore by hiking the fuel prices, said the minister.
The upcoming biennial election to Maharashtra Legislative Council will provide an opportunity to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to mark his debut as a legislator, and it will also be interesting to see if there there will be a contest for nine seats which are up for grabs.

Efforts are on to ensure nominees for the nine vacancies are elected unopposed, a Congress leader said.

But, if the situation of a contest arises, all the 288 MLAs, who form the electoral college for the Council polls, will have to come to Mumbai to cast their vote.

If the lockdown is extended beyond May 17, it could be difficult for MLAs to travel to Mumbai.

All the parties will have to take a decision on avoiding a contest and efforts are on in that direction, a Congress leader said, adding that state party unit president Balasaheb Thorat met NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday.

Later, leaders of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA- comprising Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress), including Chief Minister Thackeray, held a meeting to discuss the strategy for the Council polls.

Thorat told PTI late Tuesday night that the MVA allies have decided to contest the polls together and field six candidates, two from each alliance party.

The opposition BJP is also firm on contesting four seats, and it is upto the government to ensure nominees get elected unopposed, a source in the saffron party said.

If the MVA contests six seats, there will be an election. The BJP will field four candidates. There is no doubt about it, the source said.

Elections to the nine Council seats which fell vacant on April 24 were postponed in view of the coronavirus outbreak, but last week the Election Commission (EC) set May 21 as the poll date.

This was after Governor B S Koshyari acted on a letter of the chief minister and urged the EC to hold the elections to allow Thackeray, who is at present not a member of either of the House of the Legislature, to fulfil the constitutional obligation of getting elected as a legislator.

Thackeray took oath as chief minister on November 28 last year and per constitutional norms, he has to become member of the legislature within six months to continue in the post.

The Shiv Sena has decided to field Thackeray and Council Deputy Chairperson Neelam Gorhe in the polls.

The NCP is likely to retain Hemant Takle for another term, but has not declared its candidates so far.

The Congress has also not announced its nominees, but senior party leader Naseem Khan, who lost the last years Assembly polls, is among the front-runners.

Senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse said he has conveyed to his party that he is interested in being a member of the Legislative Council.

I am interested in state politics and I want to be a member of the Legislative Council, he told PTI.

Khadse said the BJP can win four seats as it has 105 members in the Assembly, and 11 members of smaller parties and Independents are also supporting the BJP.

These members have given in writing that they will be with the BJP on the floor of the House, he said.

The quota for a winning candidate is 29 votes.

If the MVA contests six seats, it will need 174 votes while the BJP will need 116 votes.

During the MVA governments trust vote in the state Assembly last year, the ruling alliance had got 169 votes.

The MLCs whose terms ended on April 24 are - Neelam Gorhe (Shiv Sena), Chandrakant Raghuvanshi and Haribhau Rathod (Congress), Kiran Pawaskar, Hemant Takle, Anand Thakur (NCP), Smita Wagh, Prithviraj Deshmukh and Arun Adsad (BJP).

In the 288-member state Assembly, party-wise position is as follows: BJP-105, Shiv Sena-56, NCP-54, Congress-44, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi-three, Samajwadi Party, Prahar Janshakti Party and AIMIM-two each, Peasants and Workers Party, Swabhimani Paksh, Krantikari Shetkari Paksh, Rashtriya Samaj Paksh, Jansurajya Shakti Party, CPM, MNS-one each and Independents-13.

The notification for the Council polls on issued on May 4. The last day of filing nominations is May 11. The scrutiny of papers will be done on May 12 and nominations can be withdrawn till May 14.

The polls are scheduled for May 21 and results will be announced the same day.

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Professor Neil Ferguson, the scientist whose research helped usher in the lockdown, has resigned from his role as a key Government adviser after admitting that he had undermined social distancing rules by reportedly meeting his lover at his home.

But Prof Ferguson is not the first prominent figure to be caught breaching social-distancing restrictions amid the global coronavirus pandemic.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the other prominent names who have been in the spotlight for flouting local lockdown measures.

 Dr Catherine Calderwood

Scotlands chief medical officer resigned in April after twice breaking lockdown restrictions in order to visit her second home, which was located more than an hour away from her main residence in Edinburgh.

Despite Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon backing Dr Calderwood to remain in her position, she ultimately decided to relinquish her role so as not to be a distraction from the Governments social-distancing message.

Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick was forced to explain himself over a lockdown breach (Andrew Parsons/10 Downing Street/Crown Copyright/PA)

 Robert Jenrick

The housing, communities and local government secretary was forced to explain himself after travelling more than an hour to visit his parents despite warning people to remain at home.

Mr Jenrick was also criticised for travelling 150 miles from his London property to his Herefordshire home from where he travelled to his parents in Shropshire.

However, he defended his actions, saying he went to deliver food and medicine to his isolating parents.

 Stephen Kinnock

The MP for Aberavon in South Wales was publicly shamed by police after travelling to celebrate his fathers birthday.

After Mr Kinnock posted a photo on Twitter of himself practicing social distancing with his parents outside their home, South Wales Police replied: We know celebrating your Dads birthday is a lovely thing to do, however this is not essential travel. We all have our part to play in this, we urge you to comply with (lockdown) restrictions, they are in place to keep us all safe. Thank you.

Story continues

Confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK.

 Dr David Clark

The New Zealand politician branded himself an idiot for driving his family 20km (12.4 miles) to the beach on the first weekend of the countrys national stay-at-home measures.

That incident came a week after he was photographed going for a mountain bike ride 2km (1.2m) away from his family home in Dunedin on New Zealands south island.

Although the health minister offered his resignation to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, she instead opted to demote him to the bottom of the Governments Cabinet rankings.

Manchester Uniteds Marcos Rojo was caught on video flouting Argentinas lockdown restrictions (Martin Rickett/PA)

 Marcos Rojo

It is not just politicians who have found themselves in hot water over social distancing breaches as the Manchester United defender was recently filmed appearing to flout Argentinas coronavirus lockdown rules.

The 30-year-old, on loan at Estudiantes, was seen playing cards and smoking with friends in his homeland in a video on Instagram.

 Kyle Walker

The Manchester City and England full-back was forced to apologise in April after it was widely reported he held a party at his Cheshire home in a blatant violation of the nations lockdown measures.

The club has promised the 29-year-old will also be subject to an internal disciplinary procedure.
Panaji, May 6 : Criticising the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for its lackadaisical attitude towards the preservation of a 17th century Catholic church, the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Goa Governor Satya Pal Malik on Wednesday appealed to Union Minister of State for Tourism, Prahlad Patel, for assistance.

In a letter to Patel, Malik also urged the Union Ministry to instruct the ASI to complete maintenance work at the Old Goa church complex, one of the most popular tourism destinations in the state, before the onset of the monsoon.

"Though ASI has cited various constraints for the slow pace of work such as non-availability of sand or dillydallying and unresponsive behaviour of the contractors, the entire attitude of the ASI in preserving, conserving and restoring the Basilica seems to be casual and lackadaisical," the Governor said in his letter to Patel.

"The report of the ASI reflects uncoordinated action and non-committal attitude of the different branches of the ASI in dealing with the preservation and restoration of the architectural marvel," Malik said in his letter.

After complaints made by the Rector of the Basilica, Fr Patricio Fernandes, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has ordered the formation of a coordination committee of officials from the state government agencies and the ASI, for streamlining maintenance and restoration work at the Church complex.

The Bom Jesus Basilica is home to the mortal remains of Spanish saint St Francis Xavier, who was also associated with recommending the Inquisition in Goa. Born in Navarro village in Spain's Basque region, Francis Xavier is regarded as the patron saint of Goa by the state's Catholics, who account for around 26 per cent of the state's 1.5 million population.

The Basilica is also recognised as an UNESCO world heritage site and is one of the most prominent places on the itineraries of the several million tourists and devotees who visit the state annually.

Quoting a complaint made by the church authorities, Malik said that the Basilica is in a general state of disrepair and neglect.

In his letter, Malik also urged the Union Minister to direct the ASI to "pull up their socks to complete all the restoration works in a time-bound manner and if possible, before the monsoon arrives in Goa".
Poultry Association commends crackdown on sales of expired meat

The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) has commended Gauteng officials for raids on shops selling expired meat, including chicken. The raids were led by Faith Mazibuko, Gauteng community safety MEC, and Elian Mawela, Gauteng provincial police commissioner and led to the removal of expired meat products from shops in Evaton and Orange Farm south of Johannesburg. SAPA says this crackdown is in the interests of public health and safety, and it encourages health officials in other provinces to crackdown on the sale of expired meat products.



"There is no shortage of fresh chicken in South Africa, despite the impact of Covid-19, so there is no excuse for shops selling meat past its sell-by dates - a potentially dangerous threat to consumers' health. South Africa's poultry farmers are producing more than enough chicken to feed the nation, and our supply chains are ensuring that it reaches all retailers across the country," GM of SAPA's broiler organisation, Izaak Breitenbach said.
The Maharashtra government has



sought clarity from the Railways over whether it is bearing 85 per cent of the transport cost of migrant workers heading home amid the lockdown, state Home Minister said on Wednesday.

These workers do not have jobs and the Railways should not charge train fare from them, Deshmukh said in a video message.

The BJP on Monday said the Railways has subsidised 85 per cent of ticket fare for special trains being run to transport migrant workers and the state governments have to pay the remaining 15 per cent.

"On behalf of the Maharashtra government, I am seeking clarity from the Indian Railways whether it is really bearing 85 per cent cost of the train ticket. No official order has been received from the railways so far," Deshmukh said.

Everybody knows that these migrant labourers have no jobs since last 40 days and they are desperate to return home, he pointed out.

"The railways should do away with charging the ticket cost from the migrant labourers, he said.

So far, nearly 36,000 migrant labourers have left from Maharashtra for their native places, an official earlier said.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday said her party's state units will bear the cost of rail travel of needy migrant labourers stranded at their workplaces due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown and seeking to return home.

She also accused the central government and the Railways of completely ignoring the demands made by the Congress for ensuring the safe and free travel of migrant workers and labourers to their homes.

Rebutting the Congress' criticism, the BJP said on Monday that the Railways has subsidised 85 per cent of ticket fare for special trains being run for migrant workers and the state governments have to pay the remaining 15 per cent.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot has called on the Central Government to announce more financial packages for the state governments amid Coronavirus-forced lockdown. Earlier, the government had introduced a financial package of Rs 1.75 lakh crores to aid the economy. Sources have also reported that a second financial package is in talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi having chaired several meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the Cabinet over the introduction of the package.

Speaking to ANI, Sachin Pilot was critical of the Centre's financial assistance to the states. Pilot remarked that the financial aid provided by the Union Government is almost 'non-existent' compared to other countries. He added that the Central government should announce a package for the state governments and the needy.

READ | Rajasthan CM, South Western Army Chief Pay Tributes To Col Ashutosh Sharma

According to the Central government, around 39 crore people have received financial assistance of Rs 34,800 crore amid the COVID-19 lockdown under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package as of May 5.

The COVID-19 death toll in Rajasthan increased to 90 with one more fatality reported on Wednesday, while 35 people tested positive for the disease, taking the number of cases to 3,193 in the state, an official said. The state has 1,567 active cases now, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rohit Kumar Singh said.

READ | Rajasthan Collected No Money From Migrant Labourers: Sources

Financial packages introduced by other countries

Meanwhile, Italy which has recorded over 29,000 deaths due to the deadly virus had announced a rescue package of $28 billion on March 16 to support employment, healthcare system and included individual cash bonuses. China, where the virus is believed to have originated from, had expanded reverse repo operations by $174 billion on February 3. On March 5, the Chinese authorities allocated $15.93 billion for Coronavirus-related funding and on March 13, China's central bank launched $79 billion stimulus effort to help the country's ailing economy. Thailand too had approved $17.6 billion to battle the impact of the pandemic and the government also announced that it would set up a 20 billion baht fund to help firms or workers affected by the pandemic.

READ | Rahul Gandhi Seeks Ideas From People On Economic Stimulus Package For MSMEs Amid COVID-19

READ | Govt Must Deposit Rs 7500 In Bank Accounts Of Poor; Revive MSME Sector
The United States is already battling the deadly coronavirus pandemic, and it has a new problem to deal with: Murder hornets.

The invasive and predatory insect has turned up in Washington state near the Canadian border, where they could potentially pose a threat to humans and the beekeeping industry.

The stinging Vespa Mandarinia can grow as large as 2.5 inches in length and is native to Southeast Asia, China and Taiwan. It was first discovered in Blaine, Washington, in December by a homeowner though authorities are not sure how they reached the US.

An Asian giant hornet can sting you multiple times and deliver larger doses of venom just because of the size of them. The venom itself is fairly toxic and creates localized necrosis around the wound so youll see melting flesh around the wound, managing entomologist at the Washington state Agriculture Department Sven-Erik Spichiger told news agency Reuters.

The hornets enter a slaughter phase where they kill bees by decapitating them. They then defend the hive as their own, taking the brood to feed their own young, according to the official website of the Washington State Department of Agriculture. A few hornets can destroy a hive in a matter of hours, it further said.

Scientists in the US are now hunting for the hornets, in a bid to eradicate the species before they wipe out the bee population in the country.

While the hornets usually dont attack people or pets, they can do so if threatened. Their stinger is longer than that of a honeybee and their venom is more toxic. They can also sting repeatedly. Multiple stings can kill humans, agricultural scientists in the US said.

A report in the New York Times said that murder hornet stings are believed to cause as many of 50 human fatalities every year.

The insects are roughly the size of a matchbox and have large yellow-red heads and a black-yellow striped body.

Theyre like something out of a monster cartoon with this huge yellow-orange face, Susan Cobey, a bee breeder with Washington State Universitys entomology department, said in a press release on Monday.

The Vespa Mandarinia is the largest existing species of hornets in the world, according to the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

Canada had also discovered Asian giant hornet in two locations in British Columbia in the fall of 2019, it further said.
Republican John Ratcliffe, President Donald Trump's pick to be the nation's top intelligence official, was nothing if not consistent as he told lawmakers a dozen or so times that he wouldn't allow to colour information he took to the president.

The senators kept asking anyway as Trump's firing or forcing out of at least seven top US intelligence officials since last summer overshadowed the Texas Republican's confirmation hearing on Tuesday.

The forced departures have left the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which oversees the nation's 16 spy agencies, without a single Senate-confirmed leader as the nation faces the COVID-19 pandemic, threats from Iran and North Korea, Russian disinformation campaigns to meddle in the US elections, and rising competition from China.

The turmoil has deepened speculation that the president is trying to place loyalists in charge of the nation's intelligence apparatus.

The senators' questions reflected that skepticism: Would you communicate intelligence to Trump even if you knew the president strongly disagreed with it? Of course, Ratcliffe replied.

Even if it put your job in jeopardy?



Of course.

Ratcliffe added: Anyone's views on what they want the want intelligence to be will never impact the intelligence that I deliver. Never."



Variations of the question kept coming, but Ratcliffe offered the same answer: No. I will be entirely apolitical as the director of national intelligence, he said, adding that he had an apolitical job as a US attorney and kept both parties out of everything that I did.

Ratcliffe's critics aren't convinced and worry he's beholden to Trump. They point to his ardent defense of the president during the Russia investigations and Trump's impeachment and argue that he doesn't have enough intelligence experience for the job.

Before being elected to Congress in 2014, Ratcliffe was mayor of Heath, Texas, and a US attorney in the Eastern District of Texas.

Trump first nominated Ratcliffe for the job nine months ago, but Ratcliffe withdrew after doubts about his experience were raised. Trump unexpectedly nominated him again in February and his chances at securing the job appear better, although confirmation is not assured.

He has the backing of former Attorney General John Ashcroft and other fellow Republicans, including Texas Rep. Will Hurd, a former undercover officer for the CIA, who said Ratcliffe has more than 15 years of experience dealing with national security-related issues.

Liberal-leaning lawmakers expressed concern that Trump nominated Ratcliffe to gain an upper hand on the typically nonpartisan intelligence network.

Senator Mark Warner, the Virginia Democrat who is vice chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, specifically accused Trump of not wanting to hear any intelligence that does not comport with his views. The White House has disputed that allegation in the past.

Unfortunately, what we have seen from the president, ever since he came into office, is an unrelenting and undeserved political attack upon the professional women and men of our intelligence agencies, Warner said. This is not because our intelligence community is deserving of these attacks. Nor are they at the heart of some 'deep state' conspiracy to undermine our political leaders."



Warner listed intelligence officials who have been sidelined: former national intelligence director Dan Coats and his deputy, Sue Gordon; former acting director of the National Counterterrorism Center Russ Travers and his deputy, Peter Hall; former acting national intelligence director Joseph Maguire and his deputy, Andrew Hallman; and Michael Atkinson, the former watchdog of the intelligence community who first revealed a whistleblower complaint last fall that led to Trump's impeachment.

The ODNI currently is led by an acting director, Richard Grenell, the US ambassador to Germany who has a background in communications and is seen as a loyalist to Trump.

As acting director, Grenell has made additional personnel moves and ordered a review of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence that Trump critics fear is a house-cleaning and something that an acting official shouldn't be allowed to undertake.

Some intelligence professionals disagree that Grenell is trying to purge the agencies of qualified individuals, saying that in most cases the replacements named for those ousted have been experienced national security professionals.

Amanda Schoch, communications director at ODNI, said Grenell and his staff are addressing reforms recommended by previous national intelligence directors.

Even so, Warner and Senator Richard Burr, R-N.C., the chairman of the intelligence committee, asked Grenell in a recent letter to consult with the committee before making any more personnel changes and perhaps stop making them altogether until someone is officially confirmed for the job.

Warner expressed concern that Shelby Pearson, who leads a unit focused on Russian and other nations' meddling in US elections, might be fired. With the November election just months away, Warner asked Ratcliffe to promise not to dismantle that unit or oust its leaders.

I have no intention of making changes in that regard, Ratcliffe said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 6, 2020) - Mindset Pharma ("Mindset"), a leading drug discovery business focused on developing next-generation psychedelic medicines, announced today that it has successfully synthesized approximately one-quarter of the target compounds identified in its previously filed patent applications, with another quarter of the compounds in late stages of synthesis. Within two months, Mindset expects to complete the synthesis of its additional target compounds that it will then lead through its pre-clinical screening process.

The synthesized compounds are derived from a set of novel compound structures designed by the Mindset scientific team to create pharmaceutically superior next-generation psychedelic drugs to treat a range of neuropsychiatric indications with unmet need.

Mindset CEO James Lanthier commented: "Synthesizing patentable, next-generation compounds is a critical step in our pre-clinical work as we make progress towards identifying a lead compound for later-stage testing and clinical trials and maintaining our first-to-file advantage. We anticipate completing pre-clinical work on our initial drug candidates before the end of the year. We believe that next-generation psychedelic medicines that are pharmacologically optimized and patent-protected will be the future of this market.

Additionally, our scientific team sees tremendous opportunities for both composition of matter as well as process innovations in the psychedelic arena, and we will simultaneously pursue these opportunities to expand Mindset's IP library."

For more information please contact

James Lanthier

CEO

jlanthier@mindsetpharma.com

Jason Atkinson

VP Corporate Development

jatkinson@mindsetpharma.com

About Mindset:

Mindset Pharma is a drug discovery business, based in Toronto, Canada, focused on creating novel and patentable psychedelic compounds for the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Founded by serial entrepreneurs and domain experts in drug development and medicinal chemistry, Mindset is assembling a proprietary library of transformative psychedelic intellectual property designed to address chronic neuropsychiatric disorders efficiently and safely.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/55447
Senior Bihar minister Sanjay Kumar Jha on Wednesday urged Railway Minister Piyush Goyal to rescind the "outrageous" order to shift century-old Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (IRIMEE) from Jamalpur in the state's Munger district.

Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, however, said Railway Minister Piyush Goyal told him that the reports of closing or shifting the IRIMEE from Jamalpur to Lucknow are "baseless".

Jha, a close confidante of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, said the "intriguing" move to shift the institution out of Jamalpur has hurt the emotions of the state's people.

Kumar, who served as railway minister in the NDA government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had written to Goyal on May 1, urging him to immediately revoke the decision.

Founded in 1888, IRIMEE has produced several illustrious railwaymen, including current Railway Board chairman Ashwani Lohani.

"#Bihar takes strong exception to @RailMinIndia's 24 Apr order to shift prestigious #Jamalpur-based Indian Railway Institute of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering out of Munger. CM Sri @NitishKumar has asked Sri @PiyushGoyal to intervene on this regressive move (sic)," Jha tweeted.

He said the Bihar government had urged the Centre in 2015 to upgrade IRIMEE to a university but it was informed that instead, the National Academy of Railway in Vadodara was being converted into the country's first railway university and IRIMEE shall operate under it.

The minister's statement came in reaction to reports that the government is planning to shift IRIMEE, the oldest of the five Centralised Training Institutes (CTIs) for officers of the Indian Railways, to the outskirts of Lucknow.

Its great historical linkage with Bihar needs to be strengthened and not severed, he said, adding that Goyal should intervene and ensure rescind of the "outrageous order".

Sushil Modi later said Goyal told him over phone that there was no question of either closing or shifting the IRIMEE of Jamalpur.

Rather, the Centre has decided to develop the institute as a campus of the Railway and Transport University in Vadodara where mechanical and engineering students of Railway can get training, the deputy chief minister said.

Modi said the railway minister received Kumar's letter and would reply to him to "clarify the situation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After placing sixth in season nine of MasterChef Australia back in 2017, Sarah Tiong set her sights on taking out 2020's Back To Win series.

But from her most recent Tweet on Wednesday, it appears the part-time lawyer may not be the last chef standing on the all-star season.

Sarah, who also owns a pop-up street stall called 'Pork Party', was on the lookout for a television producer to connect with.

MasterChef SPOILER: Does this prove Sarah Tiong (pictured) doesn't win? Back To Win star is already looking to connect with a TV producer for her next project

'Looking to have a chat with a producer/writer for TV, Netflix, Stan, etc. Can anyone help?' Sarah asked online.

Her fans were quick to help, with one connecting Sarah to a Los Angeles-based producer.

As of Wednesday night's episode, Sarah is still in the running to taking out the winning title on MasterChef: Back To Win.

Networking: 'Looking to have a chat with a producer/writer for TV, Netflix, Stan, etc. Can anyone help?' Sarah asked on Twitter on Wednesday

She will soon release her first cookbook - Sweet, Savory, Spicy.

One of the fan favourites for the 2017 season, Sarah shocked fans when she was eliminated during a pressure test challenge at the time.

Sarah failed to impress the judges with her recreation of Pearl On The Ocean Floor - a detailed, multi-sensory dish by Chef Shaun Quade.

Current season: As of Wednesday night's episode, Sarah is still in the running to taking out the title on MasterChef: Back To Win

The most important element of the dish, muscle foam, ended up being her downfall.

Having not mastered the foam, Sarah decided to not include it when plating.

'I'm sorry, chef,' Sarah said. 'But it just... it didn't work, and there was no way I'd put that on a plate.'

MasterChef: Back To Win continues Thursday at 7.30pm on Channel Ten.
The mother and sister of embattled Cult Mom Lori Vallow have broken their silence to publicly defend her for the first time, saying theyre certain her two missing children are alive but claim they havent been told where they are.

Vallow faces charges of child neglect and desertion in connection to the disappearance of her daughter, 17-year-old Tylee Ryan, and her seven-year-old son, Joshua 'JJ' Vallow, who have not been seen or heard from since September 2019.

But speaking to CBS This Morning, Vallow's mother Janice Cox and sister Summer Shiflet claim they know the 46-year-old would ever hurt either of her two children.

She's invested her whole life in those children, Cox told the network. So we know there's another whole side to this. We don't know what it is. But we know her.

Neither Cox nor Shiflet would reveal where they believed JJ or Tylee were. They also failed to explain why Vallow has so far refused to cooperate with investigators trying to find out what happened to her children.

When asked about the matter, Cox and Shiflet both replied in unison: Well, thats a great question, laughing towards one another as they spoke.

Vallow's mother Janice Cox and sister Summer Shiflet claim the 46-year-old would never hurt either of her two children

Vallow, 46, faces charges of child neglect and desertion in connection to the disappearance of her daughter, 17-year-old Tylee Ryan, and her seven-year-old son, Joshua 'JJ' Vallow

Tylee and JJ disappeared in September 2019, shortly after they moved to Rexburg, Idaho from Arizona

Tylee and JJ disappeared in September 2019, shortly after they moved to Rexburg, Idaho from Arizona.

Investigators say Tylee was last seen hiking in Yellowstone National Park with her family on September 8. Meanwhile, all traces of JJ vanished on September 23  but Cox claims to have spoken to the missing 7-year-old by phone on October 1.

I talked to him, she said, before vaguely continuing, He just takes the phone, you know, and he knows  you know, he knows who we are.

Cox provided CBS News with a phone bill that she says shows the alleged call. Rexburg Police have not yet returned a DailyMail.com request for comment on Coxs claim.

During the same fall the two children disappeared, Vallow married for the fifth time to Doomsday author Chad Daybell. Daybells wife of 29 years, Tammy, had died just weeks before.

Lori and Chad fled Idaho for Hawaii in late November, one day after police began asking questions about JJ and Tylee's whereabouts.

Investigators say Tylee was last seen hiking in Yellowstone National Park with her family on September 8. Meanwhile, all traces of JJ vanished on September 23  but Cox claims to have spoken to the missing 7-year-old by phone on October 1

I talked to him, she said, before vaguely continuing, He just takes the phone, you know, and he knows  you know, he knows who we are'

Authorities later tracked Lori and Chad down in the Kauai town of Princeville on January 25 and served the mother with a court order requiring her to physically produce the children to authorities in Idaho within five days.

After she failed to do so, Lori was arrested on charges of child abandonment and desertion on February 20, and then brought back to Idaho where she is being held on a $1 million bond.

Despite the couple fleeing to Hawaii seemingly without JJ and Tylee, Cox insisted that Vallow never expressed any resentment towards her children or blamed them for the failure of her previous four marriages.

When asked why, as a loving grandmother and loving aunt, they hadnt approached Vallow to reveal to them where the children are, Shiflet replied: She cant tell us.

She's in jail. She's not  everything's recorded. So she's not gonna tell us, she can't discuss anything about the case, Shiflet said.

Im positive beyond any doubt that they hasnt harmed those kids, chimed Cox.

The case of missing JJ and Tylee captured nationwide attention when revelations that police are were also investigating three mysterious deaths linked to Lori and Chad surfaced, as well as family members' claims that the couple are members of a dangerous doomsday cult.

When asked why, as a loving grandmother and loving aunt, they hadnt approached Vallow to reveal to them where the children are, Shiflet replied: She cant tell us. She's in jail. She's not  everything's recorded. So she's not gonna tell us, she can't discuss anything about the case'

During the same fall the two children disappeared, Vallow married for the fifth time to Chad Daybell (right). Daybells wife of 29 years, Tammy, had died just weeks before

The first death linked to the case was Tammy Daybell. Her death was initially listed as natural causes when Chad declined an autopsy. Many friends of Tammy have insisted that the 49-year-old was in great shape, casting doubt on the initial ruling.

Authorities exhumed Tammy's body in December after determining that her death could be linked to the disappearance of JJ and Tylee.

The results of the autopsy and toxicology tests have not yet been released.

Despite the couple fleeing to Hawaii seemingly without JJ and Tylee, Cox insisted that Vallow never expressed any resentment towards her children or blamed them for the failure of her previous four marriages

The second death was that of Charles Vallow, Lori's husband of more than a decade who filed for divorce from her five months before he was shot and killed by her brother Alex on July 11, 2019.

Charles and Lori had gotten into an argument when he came to pick up JJ, their adoptive son, at her home in Chandler, Arizona.

Alex intervened and fired two fatal shots into Charles' chest.

Police initially determined that Alex acted in self defense - but the case was reopened with the search for JJ and Tylee, who had moved to Idaho, where Chad lived, with their mother in August.

An email from Phoenix police that was leaked earlier this month revealed that investigators were close to charging Lori in connection with Charles' death.

Court documents from early December indicated that Charles' death was being investigated as 'conspiracy murder'.

Less than two weeks later, Alex was found dead in Gilbert, Arizona, on December 12, the day after Tammy's body was exhumed.

His death, at aged 51, is now under investigation as police wait for an autopsy to determine the cause.

An additional untimely death close to Vallow was unearthed this week: her older sister Stacey Lynne Cox Cope.

Stacey died aged 31 in 1998. The cause is unclear and there is no suggestion Lori was involved in her death.

Chad Daybell and his 'cult' mom wife Lori Vallow are being investigated for the murder of his previous wife Tammy, new documents show. Tammy (pictured with Chad) was found dead under suspicious circumstances at their home in Idaho in October

Four people with links to Lori Vallow have suffered untimely deaths(top in court on March 6). Those deaths are: Lori's brother Alex Cox (left), her new husband Chad Daybell's previous wife Tammy Daybell (second left), her fourth husband Charles Vallow (center), her third husband Joseph Ryan (second right). Her sister Stacey Cox Cope (right) died in 1998. It's not clear what the cause of Cope's death was

Timeline of JJ and Tylee's disappearance July 11: Lori Vallow's husband, Charles Vallow, is killed by her brother, Alex Cox, in Arizona August: Lori moves children JJ and Tylee to Rexburg, Idaho September 23: The last time JJ was seen at his school in Idaho October 19: Chad Daybell's wife Tammy dies at their Idaho home October 25: A friend of Tylee receives a text from her phone November 5: Lori and Chad marry November 26: Out-of-state relatives ask Idaho police to perform a welfare check on JJ. Lori and Chad claim he is in Arizona with relatives. Police also learn Tylee has not been seen since September, either November 27: Police execute a search warrant at Lori and Chad's home, discovering the couple have fled Idaho December 11: Tammy Daybell's body is exhumed from the Utah cemetery December 12: Lori's brother, Alex Cox, believed to have died in Arizona December 21: Police issue a press release about JJ and Tylee, revealing they believe their disappearance is linked to Tammy's death December 24: Lori and Chad issue a statement through an attorney saying they love their son and daughter and look forward to addressing 'allegations once they have moved beyond speculation and rumor' December 30: Police accuse Lori and Chad of lying to investigators and say they believe the couple know where the kids are or what happened to them January 26: Lori and Chad are seen for the first time in months as police serve two search warrants in Kaua'i January 30 Lori misses court deadline to produce the children to authorities February 20: Lori is arrested in Kauai Advertisement

Vallows request to have her bond lowered from $1million to between $100,000 and $250,000 was denied by an Idaho judge last week.

Prosecutors said ahead of the proceeding that a reduction should only be considered by the judge if Vallow could produce the children.

Vallow, who was wearing a face mask along with her jail uniform, had appeared in the mostly empty Idaho courtroom Friday while her lawyer argued for the lowered bond.

As part of his argument, Vallow's defense attorney, Mark Means, asked the judge to consider a more 'reasonable' bond amount than the current $1million, given the coronavirus-induced economic situation, according to East Idaho News.

Means had filed a motion seeking a bond reduction last month, claiming that he did not have adequate opportunity to confidentially communicate in jail with his client.

Means' bond reduction request hinged on his claim that officials at the Madison County Detention Center had on multiple occasions secretly recorded his confidential phone conversations with Vallow, after assuring him that the recording device was off.

After the more than two hours of arguments offered by Means and the prosecutor, Magistrate Judge Michelle Mallard denied the lowered bond request by stating there wasn't enough evidence to support Means' motion.

'I cannot find any good cause to reduce the bond further than it already has,' Mallard said according to the newspaper. 'I would advise Mr. Means consult with local defense attorneys who Im sure have come up with alternatives during this time about ways to surmount any virus problems at the jail in regards to communicating with clients.'

Vallow has so far refused to cooperate with investigators as to where her children are or what happened to them

Vallows request to have her bond lowered from $1million to between $100,000 and $250,000 was denied by an Idaho judge last week

The following day, FOX 10 reporter Justin Lum revealed that Vallow had asked Chad Daybell to determine whether her two children had 'light or dark spirits' nearly a year before they went missing.

On October 30 2018, Daybell emailed Vallow in response to her request for 'family history documents'. He attached a rubric on light and dark spirits, and then graded her relatives accordingly.

He wrote in his message to Vallow: 'Current numbers on Earth at this time of each estate level. These totals represent the 'light' spirits. The 'dark' has equal parts.'

He designated Vallow's 17-year-old Tylee as a '4.1 dark spirit', while her seven-year-old son Joshua 'JJ' was determined to be 'a light spirit, level 4.2.'

Vallow's niece, Melani Pawlowski also revealed that she never once saw her aunt's two children since moving next door to the family in Idaho and never questioned their whereabouts.

Pawlowski and her second husband, Ian, sat down with Dateline presenter Keith Morrison to talk about the twisted case, with the couple urging the public to reserve judgment.

'Id ask Lori [where the kids were],' Pawlowski recounted. 'I wasnt close with Tylee in her teenage years. She was very independent, so if Lori said she was with friends, I just believed her.

Eventually, everything will be exposed and then we'll know, but until then I can't make any judgement on things, she said.

Vallow's niece, Melani Pawlowski (left) also revealed that she never once saw her aunt's two children since moving next door to the family in Idaho and never questioned their whereabouts

On October 30 2018, Daybell e-mailed Vallow in response to her request for 'family history documents'. He attached a rubric on light and dark spirits, and then graded her relatives accordingly. The e-mail was discovered and published by FOX 10 reporter Justin Lum

Pawlowski has emerged as one of the key figures in the case surrounding Lori, following reports that she joined her aunt's doomsday cult.

Her estranged husband, Brandon Boudreaux, accused her of attempting to kill him in a drive-by shooting last fall and claims that she knows where the missing children are but won't cooperate with authorities. Melani has denied those claims.

'Melani essentially appeared to want to present that all is fine,' Morrison told the East Idaho News of the interview. 'She acted like: "I don't know of any problems whatsoever. We were all just doing our own thing and anything that seemed suspicious was merely a coincidence."

'She's a sweet, very attractive young woman who looks at you with big eyes and says it's absolutely the truth. The viewers can look at it and see what they think.'

Morrison seeks to explain how Melani fits into the doomsday cult allegations surrounding Chad and Lori.

Previous reports claimed that Melani thought Brandon had been possessed by a demon, and that Lori and Chad had told her they thought JJ and Tylee were 'zombies'.

'There are all these people who surround Chad and Lori who appear to be part of this group,' Morrison said.

'When you hear people talk seriously about evil spirits inhabiting their spouses or members of their family, or people becoming zombies and needing to be eliminated, you're getting into some serious stuff.

'And those are the kinds of materials we have found ourselves dealing with over this period of time.'
The Central government has nominated Tarun Bajaj, Economic Affairs Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, as a director on the Central Board of Reserve Bank of India following the retirement of Atanu Chakraborty. The nomination of Bajaj is effective from May 5, the RBI said.

Shri Tarun Bajaj, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, nominated on RBI Central Board @RBI#rbitodayhttps://t.co/XhvlD2GMeH a ReserveBankOfIndia (@RBI) May 6, 2020

An old hand at the Finance Ministry, Bajaj had assumed charge as the Economic Affairs Secretary on May 1 after Atanu Chakraborty retired on April 30. Prior to taking over this post, he was the additional secretary in Prime Minister's Office.

Before joining Prime Minister's Office in 2015, Bajaj was joint secretary in Economic Affairs Department, looking after multilateral funding agencies division. He also worked as Joint secretary and director in Department of Financial Services, where he looked after the insurance division.

Also read:Coronavirus Lockdown India Live Updates: Total COVID-19 cases near 50,000; states open liquor, wine shops
All UK Ikea outlets have been closed since 20 March as part of the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown. (Getty)

Ikea is planning to reopen all 22 of its UK stores in less than two weeks time.

Bosses are formulating plans for how the Swedish flat-pack furniture giant can allow its stores to start trading in the UK after having been closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to reports in the Mail.

All UK Ikea outlets have been closed since 20 March as part of the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown.

The report suggests the retailer is hoping to re-open on 18 May although the firm has not confirmed the exact date. Due to lockdown rules, the chain is not allowed to re-open yet as it is not considered an essential store.

According to the Mail a source said the planning includes how best to tackle hygiene, cleanliness and social distancing in stores once the lockdown has been lifted.

A source told the Mail: The objective is to open from 18 May, though there is anxiety about how it can be managed.

Hygiene is paramount and we need to be 100% certain we can clean systematically throughout the day.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Businesses ready to restart in weeks once given the green light

Amid the store closures, customers have still been able to purchase items from Ikeas website or through the store's app. Ikea has continued to make deliveries and customers can choose a contact-free delivery option to maintain social distancing.

During lockdown the car parks at Ikeas Wembley and Gateshead branches have been converted into coronavirus testing centres. It is not yet known how these will operate alongside the re-opening of stores.

An IKEA spokesperson told Yahoo Finance UK: For now, all our stores across the UK and Ireland remain closed.

We are looking forward to welcoming customers back to our stores and will only do so as the situation allows, in line with government guidance.

As a responsible company we are making extensive plans, and adopting even further enhanced safety measures, so that when we do reopen, our customers and co-workers feel safe and comfortable in our stores. The health and safety of our customers, co-workers and suppliers remains our highest priority.

The report comes after other DIY retail chains such as B&Q and Homebase re-opened stores during the lockdown with social distancing measures in place.

Several restaurant chains including Burger King, KFC, and Pret A Manger have also begun opening outlets again.
Recently, an official notice circulated by the government education authority in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), stating that all preschools in Hotan (in Chinese, Hetian) prefectures Qaraqash (Moyu) county are to be converted into boarding schools, has spread widely on WeChat and other social media platforms in China. According to the directive, guardians are required to drop children off at the schools on Monday morning and are not permitted to pick them up until Saturday. The notice has prompted concerned discussion among Uyghur-language accounts and groups on social media, including Uyghurs in the diaspora. While RFAs Uyghur Service was able to confirm the authenticity of the order with a government employee in Qaraqash, it was not immediately clear whether the new policy is effective across the XUAR or only within the county.

In recent years, experts have presented convincing evidence that Chinese authorities are placing the children of what they call double-detained parents into various forms of state care in the XUAR, where authorities are believed to have held up to 1.8 million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities accused of harboring strong religious views and politically incorrect views in a vast network of internment camps since April 2017. In mid-2018, RFAs Uyghur Service cited local authorities at a village in Qaraqash as saying that dozens of Uyghur children whose guardians had been detained had been sent to live in orphanagesclaims that have been echoed in reports from many mostly Uyghur-populated areas around the region. RFA recently spoke with Adrian Zenz, a senior fellow in China Studies at the Washington-based Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation and one of the worlds foremost experts on mass incarcerations in the XUAR, who said converting preschools into boarding schools is a natural extension of existing policies of assimilation in the region.

This fits into the government strategy of increasing control over the young generation and assimilating them, because they can. That means they put them into a highly immersive Chinese language and culture environment, which allows greater assimilation and more control over their culture, language, and traditions.

The effect on Uyghur society is very major because it increases state control over very young children, and the government considers young children to be very strategic, because theyre more easily influenced, and language-learning takes place at a time of worldview formation ... Even in class, they need the care of the family, right? So even if they stay at the preschool all the time, that means that requires more government resources. So thats not really from a real need. Thats not a social need, but its very clearly a step towards a policy of assimilation. Right? Its artificial. Its an artificial creation, because society doesnt need it. The parents want to see their children ... Its a government intrusion. Its an intrusion of the government in family life in order to increase control, even over family units, especially with the young generation.

Intergenerational separation is a targeted strategy of the government, and it is going to be even greater with an expansion of the amount of time the children spend in the government setting. And of course, especially like evening and overnight, the whole time they dont see their parents for six days. Theyre such small children.

Reported by Erkin for RFAs Uyghur Service. Translated by Elise Anderson. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Health Minister Greg Hunt wants doctors to continue treating patients online or by mobile phone after lobbying for telehealth to be part of the post-COVID-19 world.

A spokesman for the Health Minister said he had been working on the telehealth reforms with the sector, including the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Australian Medical Association (AMA).

Dr Charlotte Hespe, from Glebe Family Medical Practice, has been conducting most of her consults over video during the coronavirus pandemic. Credit:Janie Barrett

"Minister Hunt is already engaged with the medical community and other key participants in planning a long-term future for telehealth," the spokesman said.

It comes as an RACGP survey of almost 1200 GPs found 99 per cent were now offering consultations via phone or video.
Nirupa Sampath By

Express News Service

CUDDALORE: "Moved to the big city when I was just 17, says 47-year-old Durai (name changed), who now works as a daily wage labourer at the Koyambedu market. A native of Virudhachalam, Durai, alike a thousand others, moved to the big city Chennai in search of a livelihood. Durai is among several hundreds of people across districts to have contracted COVID-19 from the market in Chennai. From the hospital bed in Cuddalore, he recounts why he had to move out of his hometown.

I did not have any land to farm, says Durai. When I first came to Chennai 30 years back, I was working at the Parrys flower market. It was just a month back that I moved to Koyambedu. Now with the virus outbreak, Durai is worried about continuing his job in the market.

So far, 197 persons with a link to Koyambedu market have tested positive in Cuddalore. The numbers also tell a different story: one of how and why people, mostly of a certain class and caste group, move to bigger cities.

Nearly 1,195 workers and traders from Cuddalore visited Koyambedu in the recent times. Of them, nearly 75 per cent of the workers are Dalits, say an official source. Most of them moved because of poverty, unemployment, and landlessness. Within the district, you can actually see the migration pattern, says the official.

Migration is higher from Virudhachalam, Tittakudi, Veppur, and Panrut -- all dry and rain-fed areas. Unemployment is high here, sources of income low. Additionally, most workers do not own lands. For most of them, being a market labourer is more remunerative than being a farmhand in the village, he adds. Raghu (name changed) moved to Chennai after his father died. He works as a loadman in the market. There was no income once he died. To feed my family, I had to go to Chennai. Raghu currently is in an isolation ward.

Veggies to get costlier?

With the Koyambedu Market closing down due to the outbreak, there is likely to be a shortage in vegetable supply in Chennai. Though the market has been shut, the alternative facility at Tirumazhisai is yet to be opened. Carrot, beetroot, onions, and potatoes may be in short supply, said S Chandran, head of a merchants association at the market. The shortfall could result in a spike in prices.

Officials, however, said the same vegetables would be available in Tambaram and Pallavaram, and hence the city will not be affected. The prices have already started to spike in certain areas. Beans was sold at Rs 200 a kilogram at Luz Corner in Mylapore, while it cost just Rs 140 about 2 km away. Men carrying loads charge Rs 100 per sack, double their usual wage. Also, its difficult to get trucks these days, says G Kanagavel, who distributes vegetables to vendors in Alwarpet.

Cluster continues to wreck havoc

The Koyambedu cluster continued to haunt districts. Tally increased in Villupuram and Kallakurichi on Tuesday, as 63 new cases tested positive. Most of them had a market connection. In Villupuram, twenty five new cases including four women were found positive on Tuesday. All are connected to Koyambedu. In Kallakurichi, 38 cases tested positive on Tuesday, the highest single-day tally till date. Among them 32 had direct or indirect connection with Koyambedu market.

Two workers resting after clearing stock at Koyambedu market on Tuesday; and preparations underway for shifting the market at Tirumazhisai. (Photo | R Satish Babu, P Jawahar, EPS)

202 from Chennai +ve in Mayavaram

Mayiladuthurai Government Medical Hospital on Tuesday was overflowing with patients who arrived from Chennai. So far, 202 people have been admitted to the GH and a nearby quarantine facility. At least 70 people among those admitted had been to Koyambedu. The remaining include those who are from other parts of Chennai who may have contact history, said Dr R Mahendran, a senior medical official in Mayiladuthurai

4 cases were recorded in Nilgiris district on Tuesday. Dharmapuri and Tiruchy also reported 1 case each linked to the cluster

Cuddalore records 197 linked cases

Cuddalore district on Tuesday recorded 68 cases, all belonging to Koyambedu cluster. So far the district had recorded 197 Corona positive cases from Koyambedu cluster, and the total district toll on Tuesday spiked to 229. As per official data, district recorded 107 positive cases on Monday, and 68 cases on Tuesday; all the number were attributed to Koyambedu cluster. Of the total 229 cases, as many as 26 patients have been discharged after recovery
Ford confirmed today that it intends to restart initial production at most of its main continental European vehicle and engine plants from May 4.

Manufacturing will resume on May 4 in a phased approach at Saarlouis Vehicle Assembly Operations and Cologne Assembly Operations and Engine Plant in Germany; Valencia Vehicle Assembly Operations in Spain; and Craiova Vehicle Assembly Operations and Engine Plant in Romania.

Production will restart at Valencia Engine Plant in Spain on May 18, while the resumption date for Fords Dagenham and Bridgend Engine Plants in the UK will be confirmed at a later date.

We need to prepare for a new environment once we are past the initial peak of the Coronavirus pandemic in Europe, with the key priority in our return to work plan being the implementation of Fords global standards on social distancing and strengthened health and safety protocols in the workplace. Our employees need to know that we are taking the appropriate steps to safeguard their well-being at work, said Stuart Rowley, president, Ford of Europe.

Production will start at a low level, prioritising sold customer vehicle orders from dealers, and will gradually be ramped-up over the next few months before full production is resumed. The production plans take into account supplier readiness, national movement restrictions and, Ford dealer sales sites reopening in key markets, as well as customer demand.

Maintaining the health of our workforce is the top priority when restarting production and returning to work at our plants, said Martin Hennig, chairman, Ford European Works Council. Our union leaders across Europe have agreed on far-reaching measures for the best possible protection for our employees, which go beyond the nationally prescribed measures and apply to all our plants in Europe.

A comprehensive list of Ford global standards on social distancing and employee health and safety actions in Fords manufacturing and other facilities across Europe will be implemented, including but not limited to:

 Requiring anyone entering a Ford facility to use a company-provided face mask, and a face shield in select manufacturing positions and other positions where social distancing cannot be met

 All persons entering a Ford facility to have their body temperature checked on entry with scanning equipment that meets any local or national regulations and restrictions

Completion of a daily, wellness self-assessment process to confirm employee fitness and readiness for work before entering a Ford facility

 Redesigning of work areas to ensure proper social distancing guidelines are maintained and phased return to work to reduce employee density in buildings

The company also will provide all employees with a personal care kit on their return to work. The care kits include disposable face masks, reusable thermometer and other hygiene items.

Ford will produce face masks for use at its facilities across Europe. Company-provided face masks will be required to be worn by anyone working at or visiting a Ford site, in line with the companys global protocols. By producing face masks for its own use, Ford is helping reduce demand on stretched supply chains for personal protection equipment also needed by medical services and other industries.

A limited number of employees have continued to work on company sites over recent weeks to ensure the ongoing provision of critical services. From May 4, these activities also will begin to ramp up on a progressive basis towards more normal business levels.

Additionally, employees in non-production areas also will start to return in a phased approach from May 4, with priority given to those participating in key restart planning and business critical activities, or whose job functions require them to use specialised equipment only available at Ford sites, such as vehicle testing apparatus. Other non-production employees who can work remotely will continue to do so for the present time, including those employees on short-time working arrangements.

This is an unprecedented time for our business, but it is bringing out the very best in our people at Ford, so many of whom are engaged in supporting their communities in a multitude of actions across Europe. As we begin to restart production, we will take that positive spirit of commitment and pride back into the workplace for the further benefit of our customers, said Rowley. - TradeArabia News Service
$1,000 Essay Contest for Undocumented Essential Workers What do YOU think of when you hear the word 'IMMIGRANT'?

In an effort to encourage greater appreciation for undocumented immigrant workers, many of whom are valiantly working on the frontlines of COVID-19 in critical industries such as healthcare and food distribution, the Herman Legal Group is sponsoring a $1,000 Essay Contest.

Applicants must be an undocumented immigrant, which includes DACA recipients (Dreamers), and write an essay of at least 300 words, in any language, answering this question:

"What do you think of when you hear the word 'IMMIGRANT'?"

Why the Essay Contest? Why Now? The United States is facing the most challenging healthcare and economic crises in 100 years. The pandemic impacts everyone. Undocumented immigrants are especially vulnerable. U.S. policy on immigration has increasingly become more aggressive and unwelcoming to immigrants. Despite the data to the contrary, many people now believe that immigrants undermine the U.S. economy and do not make the nation stronger.

As immigration attorneys, the Herman Legal Group understands the moral and economic imperative to support undocumented immigrants, particularly those who are working to keep everyone safe and healthy. Undocumented workers are often toiling in high-risk conditions of virus transmission, unprotected by any Personal Protection Equipment, and are getting sick.

Yet, despite their important contributions to the United States, including paying taxes, most undocumented workers (and even some U.S. citizen spouses) are not eligible to receive stimulus checks from the Federal Government, and their families are disproportionately feeling the devastating impact of the shutdown of the economy. Even during this pandemic, the undocumented population continues to be vilified and face the prospect of arrest, detention, deportation, and permanent separation from their U.S. citizen children.

The Herman Legal Group hopes that this contest inspires members of the undocumented community, at this unique moment in history, to share their personal feelings about being an immigrant who contributes to the well-being of the United States, who has deep ties to the United States, who may have U.S. citizen children or other family members, and yet has no legal pathway to normalize their immigration status.***

The Herman Legal Group will publish the winning essay on its website and will keep the winners identity confidential unless otherwise authorized by the winner. The law firm will also be publishing some of the non-winning essays in order to help give voice to the undocumented, to help stimulate a healthier conversation in the U.S. about immigration, and to encourage elected officials to move on legislation that would provide an earned pathway to permanent residency, and ultimately citizenship, to the undocumented.

For these reasons, we are honored to sponsor the What Do YOU Think of When You Hear the Word IMMIGRANT? Essay Contest.

Eligibility Requirements:



Applicant must be undocumented

Must be working, or have recently worked, as an essential worker in the healthcare industry, food supply, or other essential industries

How to Apply:

People who wish to participate should send their essay as an attachment in an email to ImmigrantStrongUSA@gmail.com by August 1, 2020.

In the body of the email, applicants should include the following information:



Your name, address, and phone number

If you are under 18, contact information for your parents

The nature of your job and length of employment

The best way to contact you

Once the application period has ended, our essay committee will review the essays and choose a winner by September 1, 2020. The winner will receive $1,000.

The winner will be chosen considering the following factors:



Originality

Responsiveness to the question asked

The quality of the writing

The substantive content of the response

By applying, all applicants consent to the reproduction and publishing of their essays. Name and other contact information shall always remain confidential. Follow this link for more information on the What Do YOU Think of When You Hear the Word IMMIGRANT? Essay Contest.

#ImmigrantStrong

Footnotes

*In 2018, there were almost 280,000 undocumented workers in the healthcare industry, including 62,600 DACA-eligible individuals. New American Economy.

**3.8 million Immigrants make up more than one in five workers in the U.S. food sector. They are among the essential workers who leave the safety of their homes to handpick fresh vegetables and fruits, processed meat and seafood, stock shelves with groceries, and deliver food to peoples doorsteps. New American Economy.

***There are anywhere from 12 to 20 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S., many of whom have been here for than a decade, have U.S. citizen children and spouse, and run their own businesses. The LIFE Act, which provided a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, expired on April 30, 2001.

Contact the Herman Legal Group for More Information

Founded in 1995, the Herman Legal Group focuses on immigration law, including family immigration, removal defense, employment-based immigration, investor immigration, asylum, immigration waivers. We are headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, and have additional offices in Columbus, Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton, Toledo, Detroit, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, Miami, and Dallas. The firm's immigration lawyers serve clients in over 12 languages and in all 50 states. For over 25 years, the Herman Legal Group has earned the reputation of highly-skilled, compassionate, and innovative immigration lawyers. To contact the firm, call 1-800-808-4013

About the Founder of Herman Legal Group

Richard Herman is a nationally renowned immigration lawyer. As a lawyer, activist, author and speaker, he has dedicated his life to advocating for immigrants and helping change the conversation on immigration. He is the co-author of the acclaimed book, Immigrant, Inc. Why Immigrant Entrepreneurs Are Driving the New Economy (And How They Will Save the American Worker) (John Wiley & Sons, 2009). Richard is one of the pioneers of the movement by Midwest cities to attract and welcome immigrants who can help grow the economy, create jobs and reverse progressive depopulation. He regularly advises cities and counties on innovative ways to leverage existing immigration law to create jobs and attract foreign direct investment.

Voted for inclusion in the 2015-2020 editions of The Best Lawyers in America and listed in Super Lawyers for more than fourteen consecutive years, Richard began his immigration law career by moving to Moscow, Russia in 1993, straight out of law school, to eventually open a law office two blocks from the Kremlin to represent post-Soviet entrepreneurs. As an authority on U.S. immigration law and a provocateur for immigrant-friendly, pro-entrepreneur policies, Richard is often invited to strategize and deliver keynote addresses around the country, as he has often done for Michael Bloomberg and Rupert Murdochs Partnership for a New American Economy, chambers of commerce, universities and cities. Known for his direct and sometimes controversial style, Richard has appeared on FOX News (The OReilly Factor), National Public Radio, and has appeared in the New York Times, USA Today, BusinessWeek, Forbes, Inc., PC World, Computerworld, CIO, TechCrunch and InformationWeek. Richard is married to Kimberly Chen, an immigrant from Taiwan who overcame her undocumented status to become an American physician. They live in the Cleveland area with their two children, whom they are raising to be citizens of the world.
Mothers Day is when we can to tell our mothers how special they are and what they mean to us. Whether it be planning an outing with her or giving her gifts - there are a lot of things which we can do. You could make her a card, buy her gifts, take her for an outing- anything to show her your appreciation and what she means to you.

In UK, Mothers Day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of March in memory of Mother Church on Christian Mothering Sunday. In the Arab countries, it is on March 21 that Mothers Day is celebrated, while some catholic countries observe it on the Virgin Mary Day.

Here are some Mothers Day messages, quotes, messages, SMS, Whatsapp and Facebook status messages which you can share with your mother to wish her:

Our mothers carry us in their wombs for nine months, but in their hearts forever.

Since God not be everywhere, he created mothers.

Our first teachers are our mothers, and the first lesson they teach us is to care for others and be selfless.

Thank you mom, for always being there for me. Happy Mothers Day!

Our mothers are the pillars which on which we lean on for support.

Sometimes when the world seems like a difficult place to live in, all you need is a hug from your mother for everything to seem fine.

Mom, you are my anchor and my rainbow, and there is no one else like you. Happy Mothers Day.

Nothing compares to the love of a mother. Happy Mothers Day!

Your smile makes my day and your love is the purest emotion I have ever felt. Love you, mummy. Happy Mothers Day.

With each passing day I love you even more. Happy Mothers Day.

You are my best friend mom. Thanks for always being there. Happy Mothers Day!

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Blake Lively will headline the upcoming Netflix movie Dark Days at the Magna Carta, a post-apocalyptic film centered on a woman fighting for the survival of her family.

The Gossip Girl actress, 32, is collaborating on the project with filmmaker Shawn Levy, who recently worked with her husband Ryan Reynolds on an upcoming comedy called Free Guy.

The Los Angeles native, who shares three kids with Reynolds - James, five, Inez, three, and a seven-month-old baby daughter - is also a producer on the streaming film via her company B for Effort, according to The Hollywood Reporter, while Levy's 21 Laps company is also linked to the project.

Coming soon: Blake Lively, 32, will headline the upcoming Netflix movie Dark Days at the Magna Carta, a post-apocalyptic film centered on a woman fighting for survival. She was snapped in NYC in 2018

Upstart screenwriter Michael Paisley composed the story and will pen the script, according to THR, as the project is being viewed as a potential three-part anthology.

According to the outlet, the storyline of the film follows a woman (presumably Lively's character) as she looks to forge on after a calamitous event changes the world.

Paisley, 26, initially developed the idea in 2019 and certain themes - isolation and family unity - have since shaped the project as the coronavirus pandemic continues to change the way people live, THR reported.

The Westfield, Indiana native was subsequently courted by producers to develop the project, ultimately partnering up with Lively and Levy on the motion picture.

Creative team: Filmmaker Shawn Levy, who recently worked with Ryan Reynolds on an upcoming comedy called Free Guy, has commandeered the project with Lively

Mindful: The couple have made numerous charitable donations and taken part in fundraisers amid the ongoing pandemic as they hunker down at their home

Paisley's past credits include penning the horror movie Dollhouse and working as a writers production assistant on Netflix's The Witcher.

Lively, who's hunkering down with her family amid the near-national lockdown, headlined the film The Rhythm Section earlier this year.

While the pandemic has virtually shut down all Hollywood productions, Levy's company 21 Laps has been hard at work building a queue of films to make when stay-at-home orders are lifted, the outlet reported.

As of Wednesday, the death total for COVID-19 was at 67,256 people in the U.S., with 1,217,771 total positive diagnoses, The COVID Tracking Project reported. On a global level, 262,709 people have died amid 3,742,665 positive diagnoses worldwide, Johns Hopkins University reported.
Police in the southern Vietnamese province of Dong Nai have arrested members of a racket that forced hundreds of merchants operating near a local industrial park to pay them protection money in order to carry on with their business.

The provincial Department of Police confirmed on Tuesday they had apprehended Ly Thi Loan, 39, and Hoang Thi Tuyet Nhung, 35, who are the two gang leaders, along with their subordinates.

The suspects were caught red-handed collecting protection money from sellers in front of the Thach Phu Industrial Park in Vinh Cuu District at 3:00 pm the same day.

More than 100 officers raided the location and apprehended more than ten members of the gang.

Preliminary information showed that the gang had targeted hundreds of merchants who sell necessities to workers at the industrial park.

Police officers are mobilized to arrest members of a protection racket in Dong Nai Province, Vietnam, May 5, 2020. Photo: B.A. / Tuoi Tre

They used violence to threaten the victims and forced them to pay protection money worth VND50,000 (US$2.14) per day or VND1-1.5 million ($42-64) a month.

According to N.T.D., one of the merchants, the gang had operated for quite a long time.

D. herself had had to pay VND1.2 million ($51) a month to avoid trouble and ensure her livelihood.

Many of the victims eventually had enough and decided to report the crime to police officers.

Police have collected CCTV footage and statements from relevant individuals and will search the suspects houses to assist in their investigation.

Using violence to collect protection money is punishable by at least one to five years in prison, according to Vietnams Penal Code.

A protection racket gang member shows the protection money he had taken from merchants in Dong Nai Province, Vietnam, May 5, 2020. Photo: B.A. / Tuoi Tre

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The General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia has dismissed reports suggesting that some key members of the party have been shortlisted for selection as Running mate to the partys Flagbearer John Mahama.



A statement purportedly signed by Mr. Asiedu Nketia said the partys Special Vetting Committee had settled on Mr. Kwame Awuah Darko, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, Prof. Kwesi Botchwey, Mr. Kwasi Ahwoi and Dr. Zanetor Rawlings as candidates up for selection to partner former President Mahama in the upcoming December 7 general elections.



The NDC General Secretary has asked the teeming party members and supporters as well as the general public to ignore the fraudulent document.



He issued an official statement saying we wish to assure all NDC members that leadership shall remain focused on the agenda to #KickNanaOut, no matter the machinations of our detractors.



The general public is therefore advised to ignore any such frivolous and fictitious letter, which is clearly a creation of some unscrupulous persons, who want to divert attention from serious burning national issues'', Mr. Asiedu Nketia clarified.



Read full statement below:



5th May, 2020



For Immediate Release:



DISCLAIMER: IGNORE FAKE NEWS ON SELECTION OF NDC RUNNING MATE



My attention has been drawn to a fraudulent fake letter on the selection of the 2020 NDC Running Mate, purported to be signed and issued by me. First of all, I have not issued any such statement or cause such publication to be made on my behalf on the subject of selecting the NDC Running Mate.



The general public is therefore advised to ignore any such frivolous and fictitious letter, which is clearly a creation of some unscrupulous persons, who want to divert attention from serious burning national issues.



Let me use this opportunity to emphasize that the purported letterhead, reference number, email address and signature on the said publication are all fake.



Secondly, no subcommittee of the party has been formed or tasked by the National Executive Committee for selection of a Running Mate. For the avoidance of doubt, the procedures for selecting a Running Mate as prescribed under article 43 of our party Constitution, does not include the formation of any such Sub-Committee.



This fake news comes in the wake of several attempts by some criminal minds to use the names of some high ranking officials of the party to defraud the unsuspecting public, including some Parliamentary Candidates of our party. This is utterly condemnable.



Even though I do not own any Facebook account, I have had cause to report to the cybercrime unit of the Ghana Police Service, activities of some criminal minded fraudsters who have created an account in my name and are using same to defraud innocent citizens. We are eagerly awaiting for action by the Cyber Crime Unit of the CID.



We entreat our teeming members, supporters, sympathizers and the general public to ignore this fraudulent document. We wish to assure all NDC members that leadership shall remain focused on the agenda to #KickNanaOut, no matter the machinations of our detractors.



Signed

Johnson Asiedu Nketia

(General Secretary)

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Restating its support to the United Nations, China completed its full payment to the organisations regular budget in 2020 on May 6 that amounts to nearly $336 million. Chinas permanent mission to the UN said that it demonstrates strong support to the peacekeeping body amid the global health crisis. The Asian superpower is also the second-largest contributor to the UN regular budget and according to the mission, the Chinese government has fulfilled all its obligations, stood by the UN and its agencies, and has upheld multilateralism.

According to reports, this also marked the 75th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations and Chinas permanent mission has said that the global community has greater expectations from the organisation. The spokesperson of the UN Stephane Dujarric lauded the full payment by China and appreciated for supporting the organisation with an action.

The spokesperson of the UN, Mr. Stephane Dujarric, expressed great appreciation for Chinas full payment to the @UN regular budget. China has fulfilled its financial obligation by paying more than $336 million to the UN regular budget in 2020. Supporting the UN with real action! pic.twitter.com/dawWfjJO0y  Chinese Mission to UN (@Chinamission2un) May 5, 2020

Read - CPBL Live Stream: Uni-Lions Vs Chinatrust Brothers Live Streaming Details, Team News

Read - China: Nearly 58,000 Students Head Back To School As COVID-19 Restrictions Ease

Chinas support for WHO

Recently, China announced an additional donation of $30 million for World Health Organisation amid coronavirus outbreak. This came after US halted its funds for the United Nations health agency after calling it Chinese-centric and accusing the organisation of delaying the global response to the pandemic. Earlier China had already announced the donation of $20 million and after the recent announcement by China's foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang, the total contribution from the Chinese government to WHO becomes $50 million.

At the regular press briefing, according to reports, Shuang said that the funds will support the global fight against the outbreak of COVID-19 disease and ramp up the response of developing countries to the pandemic. Furthermore, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson added that the donation reflects the support and trust that government in the mainland and its citizens have for the UN health agency.

Read - China Plans To Complete Space Station By 2022

Read - Xiaomi Data Leak Controversy: Is Xiaomi Mobile Sending User Data To China?

(Image Source: AP)
A campaigner with Downs syndrome has urged Stormont to reject hurtful and offensive British Government laws on late-term abortion.

A major change liberalising access to terminations in Northern Ireland was introduced in March.

Ministers in Belfast have not introduced local provision after attorney general John Larkin QC raised legal points with Westminsters intervention.

Please do not let a law come into practice which will end lives on the basis of disability and stop people like me coming into the world Heidi Crowter

Heidi Crowter, a Downs syndrome advocate, said: Boris Johnsons Government did not have to introduce abortion for babies with Downs syndrome up to birth to Northern Ireland. They chose to do this.

Thats both hurtful and offensive. My life has as much value as anyone elses.

I am asking all MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly) to reject Westminsters regulations  please dont vote for more discrimination against people like me.

Expand Close Julian Smith was secretary of state when the regulations were being consulted on (Brian Lawless/PA) PA / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Julian Smith was secretary of state when the regulations were being consulted on (Brian Lawless/PA)

Julian Smith was secretary of state when the regulations were being consulted on but was replaced by Brandon Lewis in February.

New official regulations allow terminations on request in Northern Ireland for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and up to 24 weeks where there is a risk of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman or girl.

Abortion will also be available in cases of severe and fatal foetal anomalies, with no gestational limit.

Downs syndrome is caused by the presence of an extra chromosome in a babys cells. It affects a persons learning abilities.

Ms Crowter wrote to Stormont party leaders requesting they reject any Westminster regulations that allow abortion on the basis of a childs disability up to birth.

She is part of a campaign group which has previously urged that all non-fatal disabilities should be subject to the 24-week limit.

Expand Close Abortion in Northern Ireland was legalised by Parliament last year following a long campaign by organisations like Amnesty International (Niall Carson/PA) PA / Facebook

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Email

Whatsapp Abortion in Northern Ireland was legalised by Parliament last year following a long campaign by organisations like Amnesty International (Niall Carson/PA)

She added: Do not make the mistake which was made in Great Britain in allowing discrimination against people like me just because we

happen to have Downs syndrome.

Please let Northern Ireland continue to be a country where disabled people are valued.

Please do not let a law come into practice which will end lives on the basis of disability and stop people like me coming into the world.

Abortion was legalised in Northern Ireland by Parliament last year following a long campaign by organisations like Amnesty International.
PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-06 07:04:02

Oslo (Norway), 6 May 2020  PCI Biotech (OSE: PCIB), a cancer focused biopharmaceutical company, today announces its interim first quarter 2020 results. Please find enclosed the report and presentation.



Highlights in the quarter

fimaChem

*The main priorities during the COVID-19 pandemic has been identification and implementation of potential mitigating actions for the RELEASE study progress, as well as identification and removal of unnecessary recruitment hurdles in the study protocol. PCI Biotech has not yet a complete picture of the consequences for the RELEASE study, but delays in patient recruitment and increased costs are expected

*Several new initiatives to recoup long-term recruitment projections are being implemented, including potential modifications to screening parameters and further expansion into new countries. These new initiatives are being implemented to accelerate patient inclusion when the current restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic are resolved, with the aim to reach interim analysis by Q2 2022. It is however currently not clear that the cash-position will suffice to reach interim read of the RELEASE trial, given the uncertainty surrounding long-term consequences of the unprecedented situation with the COVID-19 pandemic

*The majority of sites have halted or reduced patient screening and we are still awaiting enrolment of the first US patient. Site activations are delayed, but nonetheless 1 European and 3 US RELEASE study sites have opened since the Q4 2019 report. 34 of the 40 initially planned sites were open by end-April 2020

*Site preparations are ongoing for addition of Asian sites in 2020, to provide access to hospitals and KOLs in a region with higher prevalence of bile duct cancer and to enhance patient recruitment. So far progress has not been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and regulatory approval has been achieved in Taiwan

fimaVacc

*Two US patents granted in 2020 with broad coverage for the combination of fimaVacc with various cytokines and a new important class of adjuvants

*A two-pronged development strategy is pursued, with Phase I results being used both in direct partnering efforts and planning for clinical proof of concept in a disease setting

Corporate

*The management team has been strengthened with appointment of CMO Dr Amir Snapir and CBO Mr Ludovic Robin

Per Walday, CEO of PCI Biotech, comments: The COVID-19 pandemic has temporarily changed the ways of working and the clinical trial environment dramatically, and our highest priority in this unprecedented situation is the safety of our patients, employees and collaborators. This pandemic will result in yet undeterminable delays and increased cost, but it is encouraging to witness the working spirit and the progress being achieved despite these unfortunate circumstances. Four RELEASE study sites have opened since the Q4 2019 report and regulatory/ethics approval has been granted in Taiwan. Two very important fimaVacc patents have also been granted in the US. We are very pleased to have strengthened the executive team with two very competent and experienced individuals: Dr Amir Snapir as CMO and Mr Ludovic Robin as CBO. We are now focusing our efforts to ensure that we are optimally prepared to accelerate development when the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

***

An online presentation in English will be held today, Wednesday 6 May 2020, at 08.30am CEST (local time). The presentation can be followed as a live webcast (access through link https://channel.royalcast.com/hegnarmedia/#!/hegnarmedia/20200506_3 ) or the companys website under Investors  Reports and presentations  Webcasts. It will be possible to post questions through the webcast console.

The interim report and the presentation will also be available on www.newsweb.no and on the company's webpage, www.pcibiotech.com from 07:00am (CEST) on 6 May 2020.

For further information, please contact:

Ronny Skuggedal, CFO

Email: rs@pcibiotech.no

Mobile: +47 9400 5757

About PCI Biotech

PCI Biotech is a biopharmaceutical late stage clinical development company focusing on development and commercialisation of novel therapies for the treatment of cancer through its innovative photochemical internalisation (PCI) technology platform. PCI is applied to three distinct anticancer paradigms: fimaChem (enhancement of chemotherapeutics for localised treatment of cancer), fimaVacc (T-cell induction technology for therapeutic vaccination), and fimaNAc (nucleic acid therapeutics delivery).

Photochemical internalisation induces triggered endosomal release that is used to unlock the true potential of a wide array of therapeutic modalities. The companys lead programme fimaChem consists of a pivotal study in bile duct cancer, an orphan indication with a high unmet need and without approved products. fimaVacc applies a unique mode of action to enhance the essential cytotoxic effect of therapeutic cancer vaccines, which works in synergy with several other state-of-the-art vaccination technologies. fimaNAc utilises the endosomal release to provide intracellular delivery of nucleic acids, such as mRNA and RNAi therapeutics, thereby addressing one of the major bottlenecks facing this emerging and promising field.

For further information, please visit: www.pcibiotech.com

Contact information: PCI Biotech Holding ASA, Ullernchausseen 64, N-0379 Oslo





Forward-looking statementsThis announcement may contain forward-looking statements, which as such are not historical facts, but are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions. These assumptions are inherently subject to significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors. Such risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other important factors could cause actual events to differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in this announcement by such forward-looking statements. PCI Biotech disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

Attachments
COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT

No. 61/2020

Tvis, 6 May 2020

Interim report Q1 2020 (January 1 - March 31)

(All figures in brackets refer to the corresponding period in 2019)

Organic growth of 1.8% in Q1 2020, in line with expectations.

CEO Torben Paulin:

 In Q1 2020, revenue grew organically by 1.8%, in line with expectations. Q1 2020 compares to an ex-ceptionally strong Q1 LY with 17% revenue growth. The growth was driven by the B2C market through branded stores and non-branded DIY stores in both Denmark and Norway.

The outbreak of Covid-19 and the authorities measures to reduce the spread of the virus has had limited impact on the Q1 results. Our key priorities are to protect the health and safety of our employees, custom-ers and business partners, and we are following the recommendations and instructions from the govern-ment and have taken the necessary safety precautions. I am very proud of our employees and their exem-plary approach and the flexibility they have shown in this extraordinary situation.

In late March, we suspended the financial outlook for 2020 as a consequence of Covid-19 outbreak. As an order producing company our order pipeline provides comforting visibility for Q2 2020. Due to con-tinued uncertainties regarding the medium to long term impact, we are unable to accurately assess the magnitude of this impact. We will provide guidance once we have more visibility. Our setup is flexible, which allows us to adjust our production and cost base to the demand situation and thereby safeguarding long-term profitability.

Financial highlights Q1:

Revenue DKK 254.2 million (DKK 249.7 million) corresponding to a revenue growth of 1.8%.

EBITDA down DKK 1.0 million to DKK 35.0 million (DKK 36.0 million), corresponding to a decrease of 2.8%. EBITDA margin was 13.8% (14.4%).

EBIT down DKK 1.3 million to DKK 29.7 million (DKK 31.0 million), corresponding to an EBIT margin of 11.7% (12.4%).

Net profit down 3.3% to DKK 22.6 million (DKK 23.4 million).

Free cash flow was DKK (22.4) million (DKK 2.3 million).

Cash conversion ratio was 87.3% (94.3%).

Story continues

Conference call

A conference call for investors and analysts will be held today at 9:30 CEST. The presentation for the conference call will be available on www.investor-en.tcmgroup.dk

Dial-in numbers for the conference call:

Confirmation Code: 2045238

Denmark: +45 32728042

Sverige: +46 (0)850692180

United Kingdom: +44 (0)844 571 8892

Contact

For further information, please contact:

CEO Torben Paulin +45 21210464

CFO Mogens Elbrnd Pedersen +45 97435200

IR Contact - ir@tcmgroup.dk

About TCM Group

TCM Group is Scandinavias third largest manufacturer of kitchens and furniture for bathrooms and storage. The products are Danish design, produced in Denmark and rooted in a proud tradition of good quality and good craftsmanship. TCM Group pursues a multi-brand strategy, under which the main brand is Svane Kkkenet and the other brands are Tvis Kkkener, Nettoline and kitchn. Combined, the brands cater for the entire price spectrum, and are sold through c. 135 dealers in Denmark and the rest of the Scandinavia. In addition, TCM Group sells private label kitchens through DIY stores in Denmark and independent kitchen stores in Norway. See www.tcmgroup.dk for more information.

This interim report contains statements relating to the future, including statements regarding the TCM Group's future operating results, financial position, cash flows, business strategy and future targets. Such statements are based on managements reasonable expectations and forecasts at the time of release of the interim report. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties and a number of other factors, many of which are beyond the TCM Group's control. This may have the effect that actual results may differ significantly from the expectations expressed in the interim report. Without being exhaustive, such factor include general economic and commercial factors, including market and competitive conditions, supplier issues and financial and regulatory issues.

Attachments
File photo

MIDDLETOWN  City police are investigating a stabbing that took place over the weekend that left a man in stable but critical condition.

The incident happened Monday at 12:10 a.m. at the Traverse Square housing project, according to Middletown police Lt. Heather Desmond.
Washington

In its second argument conducted by conference call, the Supreme Court considered a knotty First Amendment question: May the government require the foreign affiliates of groups receiving federal money to fight AIDS abroad to adopt policies opposing prostitution?

The question was a variation on one the court had decided in 2013, when it said that imposing the requirement on domestic groups ran afoul of the First Amendment's protection of free speech because, as Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority, it required recipients "to pledge allegiance to the government's policy of eradicating prostitution."

The new case, U.S. Agency for International Development v. Alliance for Open Society International, No. 19-177, concerned foreign affiliates of domestic groups that share names, brands, logos and missions but are formally separate entities. The justices appeared to find the new question, of whether the anti-prostitution pledge may be imposed on the foreign affiliates, much harder.

It was common ground between the parties that foreign entities themselves lack First Amendment rights. The question was whether their speech could be attributed to their domestic partners.

"They speak as one, make speech and policy decisions together and are indistinguishable to the public," said David W. Bowker, a lawyer for the private groups challenging the requirement, including Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere, or CARE. "When CARE in Kenya takes the pledge, its affirmation of belief is attributed to CARE in the United States, thus putting words in the mouth of the U.S. entity."

Christopher G. Michel, a lawyer for the federal government, said the domestic groups had suffered no harm from the policy.

"Respondents are still free to use their own free speech rights to explain that they don't share the views of the foreign affiliates on prostitution and sex trafficking," he said. "I think ultimately what respondents are asking for is a sort of right to optimal message management, which is simply not what the First Amendment protects."

Several justices seemed inclined to accept the distinction offered by the government.

"The domestic organization is able to speak for itself," Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said.

The groups challenging the law say they avoid taking positions on contentious political and cultural issues.
DETROIT, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Stratview Research announces the launch of a new research report on Distributed Buoyancy Modules Market by Application Type (Riser Systems, Flowlines, Umbilical, Wind Farm Cables, and Others), by Depth Type (Subsea, Subsurface, and Surface), by Material Type (Synthetic Foam, Polyurethane Foam, and Others), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, The Middle East & Africa, and Latin America), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2020-2025.

This strategic assessment report, from Stratview Research, provides a comprehensive analysis that reflects today's distributed buoyancy modules market realities and future possibilities for the forecast period of 2020 to 2025. The report segments and analyses the market in the most comprehensive manner to provide a panoramic view of the market. The vital data/information provided in the report can play a crucial role for market participants as well as investors in the identification of low-hanging fruits available as well as formulate growth strategies.

Distributed Buoyancy Modules Market: Highlights from the Report

Buoyancy is an upward thrust exerted by fluid opposing the weight of an immersed object. This upward thrust is equal to the weight of the water displaced by the immersed object. Buoyancy products are objects fabricated to apply these solutions. Distributed buoyancy modules are discrete buoyancy clamped to umbilical, risers, or pipelines to hold them in specific geometric configurations with an aim to prevent overutilization of the system. Distributed buoyancy modules are attached to the equipment through clamps, which makes it easy and quick to install. They are widely used in SURF application in offshore oil & gas production and offshore wind farm cables.

In 2014, when oil price began plummeting, offshore exploration activity hobnailed in parallel, falling nearly 40% before finding its bottom in 2016-2017. It led to an approximate plunge of 60% in offshore exploration expenditure during 2014-2017, mainly factored by the reduced cashflow, growth of US shale gas production, and reduction in offshore acreage awarded. But then came 2018, the year of transition of the global offshore oil & gas industry with an increase in the well count since the start of the downturn. In 2019, an increase of 8%-10% was witnessed in the number of offshore exploration wells drilled, compared to 2018.

The oil & gas industry stakeholders were predicting the year 2020 as another remarkable year for exploration as about 45 countries were expected to launch more than 50 lease rounds out of which 60% were in offshore areas. But the outbreak of COVID-19 in China, then the rapid spread across the world flipped the table entirely with gloomy market conditions. The prices of crude oil declined from $60 per barrel at the start of the year to $20 per barrel in the month of April in the wake of the steep fall in crude oil demand followed by the collapse of the three-year-old pact between Russia and Saudi Arabia. As per Rystad Energy, there will be a plunge of almost 60% in newly licensed offshore oil & gas exploration acreage this year. Similarly, the firm is also expecting a massive decline of about 68% in 2020 from 2019 in oil & gas project sanctioning.

The demand for distributed buoyancy modules is largely dependent on the health of offshore oil & gas investments. It is anticipated that the market for distributed buoyancy modules will plummet in 2020, mainly because of nose-diving offshore oil & gas investments across regions. However, the rate of decline will not be that huge as major distributed buoyancy module suppliers have piled many contracts, which may help them to survive in this breath-taking market environment. However, they have been expecting a steep decline in the year 2021. The market is estimated to rebound from 2022 onwards, reaching an estimated value of US$ 91.6 million in 2025.

Click Here and Run Through the TOC of the Report: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/toc/827/distributed-buoyancy-module-market.html

Based on the application type, riser system is expected to remain the largest segment of the market during the forecast period. Continuous efforts of oil & gas companies to obtain maximum efficiency, reduce break-even cost for offshore oil & gas production, and increase deepwater and ultra-deepwater oil & gas production are driving the demand for distributed buoyancy modules in riser systems. However, wind farm cable is estimated to be the fastest-growing application of the market during the same period. High focus on development of renewable energy by the leading economies with increased attention towards offshore wind energy is primarily driving the demand in this segment. Reduction in the production cost of offshore wind turbines with the development of more efficient, larger turbines, and government initiatives to boost renewable energy are attracting companies to invest in offshore wind energy, which, in turn, is propelling the demand for distributed buoyancy modules for wind farm cable applications.

Based on the material type, synthetic foam is expected to remain the dominant material during the forecast period. Distributed buoyancy modules are mostly used for deepwater and ultra-deepwater applications. High buoyancy per volume and extremely low water absorption properties make synthetic foam the first preference for ultra-deepwater and deepwater applications. Polyurethane foam is estimated to be the fastest-growing material type during the same period. Most of the offshore wind farms operate in shallow water and uses polyurethane-foam based distributed buoyancy modules for cable applications. Rapidly increasing offshore wind installations are generating a huge demand for polyurethane-based modules.

Register Here for a Free Sample of the Detailed Report: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/Request-Sample/827/distributed-buoyancy-module-market.html

Despite severely hit European oil & gas industry because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems that the region will remain efficacious in maintaining its lead in the distributed buoyancy modules market in the coming five years, mainly due to the flourishing offshore wind energy in the key countries, such as the UK and Germany. It is anticipated that the demand for DBMs may stall for the short-term in the region with the expected recovery from 2022 onwards. Scheduled new offshore wind turbine installations and increasing activities in deepwater and ultra-deepwater oil fields in the North Sea will contribute towards a healthy demand generation of distributed buoyancy modules in the region in the long run.

North America is expected to be the fastest-growing market for distributed buoyancy modules during the forecast period. Offshore wind production in the USA is expected to commence from 2022 as production cost has been reduced by using more efficient and bigger turbines. As per GWEC, around 5.8 GW of offshore wind energy installations are expected to be installed by 2024 in North America, which will generate a healthy demand in the region. Also, the USA is the largest producer of crude oil in the world, which further aids the demand for these modules in the region.

The supply chain of this market comprises raw material suppliers, distributed buoyancy modules manufacturers, distributors, and end users (such as oil & gas companies, and offshore renewable energy firms). Key players in the distributed buoyancy modules market are Trelleborg AB, Balmoral Offshore Engineering, Matrix Composites & Engineering Limited, Advance Insulation, Fendercare Marine, DeepWater Buoyancy, Inc., Bardot Group, Forum Energy Technologies, Inc., Floatex S.R.L, and ALSEAMER.

Report Features

This report provides market intelligence in the most comprehensive way. The report structure has been kept such that it offers maximum business value. It provides critical insights on the market dynamics and will enable strategic decision making for the existing market players as well as those willing to enter the market. The following are the key features of the report:

Market structure: Overview, industry life cycle analysis, supply chain analysis.

Market environment analysis: Growth drivers and constraints, Porter's five forces analysis, SWOT analysis.

Market trend and forecast analysis.

Market segment trend and forecast.

Competitive landscape and dynamics: Market share, product portfolio, product launches, etc.

Attractive market segments and associated growth opportunities.

Emerging trends.

Strategic growth opportunities for the existing and new players.

Key success factors.

This report studies the distributed buoyancy modules market and has segmented the market in four ways, keeping in mind the interest of all the stakeholders across the value chain. Following are the four ways in which the market is segmented:

Distributed Buoyancy Modules Market, By Application Type:

Riser Systems (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , the Middle East & Africa , and Latin America )

Flowlines (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , the Middle East & Africa , and Latin America )

Umbilical (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , the Middle East & Africa , and Latin America )

Wind Farm Cables (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , the Middle East & Africa , and Latin America )

Others (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , the Middle East & Africa , and Latin America )

Distributed Buoyancy Modules Market, By Depth Type:

Subsea (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , the Middle East & Africa , and Latin America )

Subsurface (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , the Middle East & Africa , and Latin America )

Surface (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , the Middle East & Africa , and Latin America )

Distributed Buoyancy Modules Market, By Material Type:

Synthetic Foam (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , the Middle East & Africa , and Latin America )

Polyurethane Foam (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , the Middle East & Africa , and Latin America )

Others (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , the Middle East & Africa , and Latin America )

Distributed Buoyancy Modules Market, By Region:

North America (Country Analysis: The USA and Canada )

Europe (Country Analysis: Norway , The UK, The Netherlands , Denmark , Russia , and Rest of Europe )

Asia-Pacific (Country Analysis: China , Malaysia , Indonesia , Vietnam , and Rest of the Asia-pacific )

The Middle East & Africa (Sub-Region Analysis: The Middle East and Africa )

& Africa Latin America (Country Analysis: Brazil , Mexico , and Rest of Latin America )

Stratview Research has several high value market reports in the oil & gas industry. Please refer to the following link to browse through our reports:

https://www.stratviewresearch.com/market-reports/Oil-Gas.html

Other related report from Stratview Research:

Subsea Buoyancy Market by End-Use Industry Type (Oil & Gas, Drilling & Mining, Oceanography, Technology, Renewable Energy, and Others), by Function Type (Buckle Mitigation & Tension Reduction, Support Arch & Uplift, Mooring, and Others), by Application Type (SURF, Drill Riser, Mooring System, ROV/AUV, Installation, and Others), by Material Type (Synthetic Foam, Polyurethane, and Others), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, The Middle East & Africa, and Latin America), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2020-2025.

About Stratview Research



Stratview Research is a global market intelligence firm providing wide range of services including syndicated market reports, custom research and sourcing intelligence across industries, such as Advanced Materials, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive & Mass Transportation, Consumer Goods, Construction & Equipment, Electronics and Semiconductors, Energy & Utility, Healthcare & Life Sciences, and Oil & Gas.

We have a strong team of industry veterans and analysts with an extensive experience in executing custom research projects for mid-sized to Fortune 500 companies, in the areas of Market Assessment, Opportunity Screening, Competitive Intelligence, Due Diligence, Target Screening, Market Entry Strategy, Go to Market Strategy, and Voice of Customer studies.

Stratview Research is a trusted brand globally, providing high quality research and strategic insights that help companies worldwide in effective decision making.

For enquiries, please contact:

Stratview Research

E-mail: sales@stratviewresearch.com

Direct: +1-313-307-4176

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660595/Stratview_Research_Logo.jpg
Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - May 6, 2020) - The Stock Day Podcast welcomed MobiCard, Inc. aka Peer to Peer Network (OTC Pink: PTOP) ("the Company"), the company behind the revolutionary digital business card platform that allows individuals to seamlessly share their contact information virtually from anywhere. CEO of the Company, Josh Sodaitis, joined Stock Day host Everett Jolly.

"We've been staying safe, Everett. MobiCard has been staying very productive. In fact, I've actually recruited someone new to the MobiCard team for the Investor Relations department," shared Sodaitis to start the interview. Sodaitis then introduced William Hernandez to Stock Day listeners and MobiCard shareholders. "Hello Everett and MobiCard shareholders! It has been a pleasure to join the MobiCard team, and I am super excited for the MobiCard app to launch," said Hernandez.

"I am originally from the Dominican Republic, and have been an American citizen for the past eighteen years. I speak Spanish fluently and have a lot of family and contacts still in the Dominican Republic," shared Hernandez. "Once the enterprise apps launch, I plan to focus on growth and adding users to the platform in an entirely other country besides the USA," said Hernandez. "Obviously, having multiple countries using the app in the beginning will only accelerate the growth and user-base of MobiCard."

Jolly then referred to the Company's last interview with the Stock Day podcast, and noted that MobiCard had just launched their application with the Google Play Store and were waiting for it's placement in the Apple App Store. "Where are we at in this process?" he asked. "Apple has stated that they are not processing any apps that are not coronavirus related," explained Sodaitis.

Despite the challenges of COVID-19, Sodaitis shared that the Company is continuing to grow. "With 80% of this virus spread by physical contact and 20% of it being airborne, sharing an electric business card via text, email, or social media is more important than it's ever been before," said Sodaitis.

Story continues

Sodaitis then elaborated on the Company's options in accelerating the approval of the MobiCard application through Apple. "You can submit a written request so that we can make a case that we are essential to businesses in an economic sense," said Sodaitis. "We plan to put that request in very soon," he added.

"What do you think will be the driving force going forward?" asked Jolly. Sodaitis discussed his primary goals for the Company, including getting the financials current. "I am personally spearheading the task of getting the financials completed," he shared, adding that he has officially hired a local Boston-based forensic accounting team to handle the accounting and book work necessary to get their financials current. "I am hoping that we'll have the financials wrapped up within 30-45 days," he shared. "This is a game changer. This is a top-notch firm, and this will expedite the completion of the financials."

To close the interview, Sodaitis shared the importance and potential of becoming current with the Company's financials. "In summary, we've made new additions to our team, we're staying safe during the pandemic, and we're working diligently, if not even harder than before," said Sodaitis, adding that they will continue working with Apple to deem the Company essential. "I look forward to coming back on your show and delivering more good news to come soon," closed Sodaitis.

To hear the entire interview with Josh Sodaitis, follow the link to the podcast here: https://audioboom.com/posts/7575605-mobicard-inc-announces-agreement-with-boston-based-accounting-firm-on-the-stock-day-podcast

Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of "Stock Day," and Stock Day Media encourages listeners to visit the company's message board at https://investorshangout.com/

About MobiCard

MobiCard is a digital business card platform that allows individuals to seamlessly share their contact information virtually from anywhere. Be the first to utilize and improve business productivity as well as strengthening relationships between businesses in addition to client and agent business practices. There is no limit to the creativity and ingenuity that this app can provide for business promotion and networking with a new way to set a fast pace business progression and seeing results beyond belief. These were the same ideals behind the creation of this app.

Safe Harbor Statement:

This release includes 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. The Company invokes the protections of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategies, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, as well as statements that include words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include those set forth in our prior filings at www.sec.gov. The company is no longer a fully reporting SEC filing company. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Joshua Sodaitis, Chairman & CEO

MobiCard, Inc.

45 Prospect Street Cambridge, MA 02139

Phone: 1-617-651-2460

Email: info@freemobicard.com

About The "Stock Day" Podcast

Founded in 2013, Stock Day is the fastest growing media outlet for Nano-Cap and Micro-Cap companies. It educates investors while simultaneously working with penny stock and OTC companies, providing transparency and clarification of under-valued, under-sold Micro-Cap stocks of the market. Stock Day provides companies with customized solutions to their news distribution in both national and international media outlets. The Stock Day Podcast is the number one radio show of its kind in America. Stock Day recently launched its Video Interview Studio located in Phoenix, Arizona.

SOURCE:

Stock Day Media

(602) 821-1102

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/55461
Photo: (Photo : Instagram/savethechildrenuk)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's son Archie turned one on Wednesday and his mom celebrated the day by reading him a special story for charity. The video was posted in the Instagram account of "Save the Children UK" where Archie squirmed as Meghan read him the beloved classic "Duck! Rabbit!"

The Duchess of Sussex was casual in the video wearing a denim shirt and white shorts with her hair pulled back in a bun while holding her son that is wearing a white onesie as he sits on her lap. In the video, Meghan calls her son "Arch" as another manly voice was heard in the background, which is safe to say that it is none other than Prince Harry.

From being situated on his mother's lap, the one-year-old boy reached down to get another book, and Meghan commanded her son saying that they should finish the first book then they would proceed with the other book.

Archie dropped the book he was holding and answered her mom with his babbles then he fussed over the pages of the first book that they were reading.

Even though Harry and Meghan gave up their HRH roles, members of the royal family did not fail to celebrate Archie's first birthday. Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Prince William, and Kate Middleton all posted their birthday greetings for the little one on their Instagram accounts.

Meghan Markle Helps in Save With Stories Campaign

Apart from celebrating the first birthday of Archie, the video was also shared to help with the "Save With Stories" campaign that is run by Save the Children. Many celebrities participate in the campaign by reading children's books and then asking the help of their viewers through donations.

According to the organization's Instagram account, they said that the Duchess of Sussex is helping them raise funds for their coronavirus appeal.

Goodbye to the Sussex Royal Title

The couple already retired from the Sussex Royal Instagram account.

On March 31, they posted their last photo on the Sussex Royal Instagram account sending their appreciation to the community for their support, a source of inspiration, and shared commitment to the good in the world.

They captioned the photo saying that even though the world is currently fragile while facing many challenges, they are confident that everyone has the opportunity to make a difference and help lift each other in times of need.

The Sussex couple also said that what is important as of the moment is to take care of your health and wellbeing while at the same time finding solutions to every problem that we will encounter especially now that there is a pandemic.

Apart from that, they said that everyone is going through a shift in their lives and they are also doing their part in helping the people even if it is not known to the public.

Currently, the Sussex family is quarantining in their home in new Los Angeles.
Mr Phanuel Donkor Kadey, Adaklu District Chief Executive has debunked suggestions that the absence of a Presiding Member (PM) is hampering the smooth running of the Assembly.



The Assembly, since its inauguration on January 23, 2020 had on two occasions failed to elect a PM, during, which Rev. Fred Agbogbo and Mr. Phanuel Kudi, the two Members contesting the position garnered nine and eleven votes respectively.



Rev Agbogbo, the immediate past PM of the Assembly and Assemblyman for Ablornu Electoral Area told the Ghana News Agency the PM served as the "check and balance" of the Assembly, and is a position that could not be left void.



Crucial meetings to deliberate on the business of the Assembly cannot be held because there is no Presiding Member, he said.



Mr Samuel Atormy Dorfe, Assemblyman for Torda Electoral Area shared the same sentiments and said the issue must be addressed in time for the Assembly to function well.



But the District Chief Executive said the Assembly was functioning well administratively.



"Just look at this, in the first quarter of last year when we had a Presiding Member, we realised GHC 47, 156.00 as IGF and for the first quarter of this year, 2020, when we don't have a Presiding Member, we generated GHC 83,410.00. This is about 77 per cent increase so we are doing well," Mr Kadey said.



He said the annual action plan for 2020 was approved by the previous Assembly and in motion, thus, the failure to elect a PM was not affecting the smooth running of the Assembly.



Mr Kadey said the Assembly constituted sub committees, which were holding regular meetings and that the only hindrance was the ban on social gathering to contain COVID19, for which reason they could not hold General Assembly Meetings.



He said but for the ban, the District Coordinating Director, who was Secretary to the General Assembly could summon General Meeting to be presided over by any member chosen at the meeting in line with provisions in the Local Governance Act 2016, Act 936 and the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies' Model Standing Orders.



The DCE was hopeful that when the ban on public gatherings was lifted, the Assembly would meet to elect a PM.



The Adaklu Assembly has 19 members made up of 13 elected and six government appointees.

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
America can be proud of many things: our innovation, generosity and entrepreneurial spirit are unsurpassed. Yet when it comes to our nation understanding one of the greatest gifts ever given to humanitythe Biblewe're moving from dumb to dumber, and it's no laughing matter.
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.





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View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union.

Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history.

Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words.




The Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Hospital, Peenya, Bangalore, has invited applications from qualified and experienced candidates' for filling 15 vacancies to the post of Senior Resident under Residency Scheme (06), Senior Resident against the vacancy GDMO (08) and Part Time Specialist (01) through a 'Walk-in-Interview' process scheduled on May 19, 2020 from 9:15 am up to 11:00 am at the office of the Medical Superintendent ESIC Hospital, Peenya, Bengaluru.

CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Senior Residents Organisation Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC Educational Qualification MBBS Degree with PG Degree/Diploma in concerned specialty Experience As detailed in the advertisement Skills Required Desirable Job Location Bengaluru/Bangalore Salary Scale In the range of Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 91,261 per month as per the designation Industry Insurance/Medical Application Start Date May 19, 2020 Application End Date May 19, 2020

Age Criteria And Fees

Desirous candidates applying for Senior Residents post through ESIC Recruitment 2020 must fall in the age group between 37 to 45 years of age (64 years for Rtd. Govt. employees), with relaxations (upper age limit) for SC/ST and OBC categories as applicable.

For details regarding fee towards application processing, refer to the official notification given at the end of the article.

KSP Recruitment 2020 For 2,672 Police Constable And Bandsmen Posts, Apply Online From May 18 Onwards

Educational Criteria And Eligibility

Desirous candidates applying for Senior Residents post through ESIC Recruitment 2020 must possess an MBBS Degree with PG Degree/Diploma in concerned specialty from a recognised University/Institution with relevant years of work experience in the concerned domain.

Selection And Pay Scale

The selection of candidates for Senior Residents post through ESIC Recruitment 2020 will be done based on the candidates' performance in the 'Walk-in-Interview' scheduled on May 19, 2020 at ESIC, Bangalore.

Candidates selected for Senior Residents post through ESIC Recruitment 2020 will be paid emolument in the range of Rs. 60,000 to Rs. 91,261 per month as per the post.

ICMR Recruitment 2020 For Consultant, Computer Programmer And RA Posts Through 'Walk-In' Selection

How To Apply

Candidates applying for Senior Residents post through ESIC Recruitment 2020 must fill the application form in a prescribed format attached with the advertisement, and appear for the "Walk-in-Interview" scheduled on May 19, 2020 from 9:15 am up to 11:00 am at the office of the Medical Superintendent ESIC Hospital, Peenya, Bengaluru.

Download application form and read the detailed notification about ESIC Recruitment 2020 for Senior Residents post here
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 09:15:04|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- No new locally transmitted cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were reported Tuesday across the Chinese mainland, the National Health Commission said Wednesday.

Two confirmed cases arriving from outside the mainland were reported in northwest China's Shaanxi Province Tuesday, the commission said in its daily report.

No new deaths related to the disease were reported on the Chinese mainland, it added. Enditem
Mr Seidi Iddi, Director, Ghana Marine Police has cautioned fishermen against the use of canoes to aid illegal travelers into Ghana in the wake of COVID-19.



Government is putting measures in place so that people dont come in, so you don't create leakage through our backdoor. That is very dangerous and unpatriotic, he said.



The Director who gave the admonition at a meeting to sensitise chief fishermen and their roles in curtailing the COVID-19 spread said fisher folks should not use their canoes to bring in travelers who could not enter the country due to the border closure, saying, that would be a means of importing the virus into country.



He called on them to be vigilant and watch out for the 'bad guys' and come together in this critical hour to protect ourselves, families and the community.



Mr Iddi urged the chief fishers to inform the appropriate authorities of the arrival into the country of fishermen from other parts of the continent and restrain from interacting with them prior to their testing.



He also encouraged the practice of social distancing protocols at the beaches saying, conscious efforts must be made to keep enough distance while pulling the net from the sea and at the landing beaches.



Mr Iddi said it was important to stay safe because for the fact that we live as a community, therell be a spread if one of us tests positive to the disease... so please, prevention is the only way out.



Mr Amos Agboado, Secretary to the Chief fisherman for Atiteti Fuveme said compliance was the key and urged fishers to adhere to the protocols.



Mr Godwin Edudzi Effah, Municipal Chief Executive for Keta asked the participants to take the education to other fishermen at their respective landing beaches for the needed impact.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The body representing global airlines came out in favour of passengers wearing masks onboard, as debate intensifies over how to get airlines flying while respecting social-distancing rules following the coronavirus crisis.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) told reporters that wearing masks would help protect passenger health but came out against leaving middle seats empty on aircraft, a measure it had previously said was likely.

Airlines around the world are planning new measures for when they resume services. Credit:Kate Geraghty

European flights have all but come to a standstill during the coronavirus pandemic. While there is no visibility on when travel restrictions will ease, airlines are considering how to safely restart services and give passengers confidence to fly.

Months without revenues is threatening to force some airlines out of business.
For scientists working at the Department of Homeland Securitys biodefense research laboratory, the directive from senior agency officials was unprecedented: drop everything and focus on one target, the coronavirus.

As the number of positive cases in the United States tops 1.2 million and deaths exceed 70,000, those scientists have been working 15 hours a day, seven days a week trying to crack the COVID-19 code.

This is the most urgent thing we have worked on since 9/11, said Lloyd Hough, a senior official and biology expert with Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate.

The National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center, or NBACC, was created and built by the department as a federal response to anthrax letter attacks in 2001.

Located on the sprawling biodefense campus at Fort Detrick in Frederick, Maryland, an hour outside Washington, D.C., the NBACC was the first national laboratory created by Homeland Security. Two centers are housed in the 160,000 square foot facility: the National Bioforensic Analysis Center which provides law enforcement with forensic testing on suspected bio threat samples such as anthrax and ricin, and the National Biological Threat Characterization Center, which conducts experiments and studies on biological hazards like the coronavirus.

Scanning electron micrograph of the surface of a Vero cell (green) with SARS CoV-2 on the cell surface (purple). (Department of Homeland Security)

The NBACC has a biosafety level 4 accreditation allowing scientists at the facility to perform research on the deadliest of pathogens, those for which no vaccine or treatment exists. Its one of only seven such facilities in the country.

BSL-4 is the highest biosafety laboratory containment level, employing precautions such as dedicated airflow systems, positive pressure suits, layered gloves, and extensive personnel training to prevent exposure to or the spread of highly dangerous and infectious microbes including Marburg, Ebola and Lassa viruses, smallpox and the plague.

Security at the facility is so tight that when an NBC News team recently visited the lab, officials said it was the first time in 10 years that cameras were allowed through the front doors and even then, the crew was not allowed to go beyond the front lobby.

Story continues

I would think that staff working here in the lab, they're probably better protected against the virus than the people walking around out in public who are exposed to the virus without any protection, said Paul Dabisch, a senior research scientist who is leading the coronavirus study at the facility.

Dabisch sat down for an exclusive interview and gave a detailed look at how the lab works.

The National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center at Fort Detrick, Md. (Department of Homeland Security)

Dozens of staff comprise multiple teams investigating different characteristics of the coronavirus, in the hopes of quickly learning more about its survivability and the transmission of the disease, both on common surfaces and in the air. Unlike other viruses, little was known about the emerging coronavirus when the pandemic broke out.

The lab received its first sample of the pathogen from a national repository which obtained the isolate or culture from a case in Washington state that in February became the first confirmed coronavirus-related death in the United States. Researchers have since acquired other samples from around the world with the intent of finding out whether the biological makeup of the virus has changed as it's circled the globe.

Their work is guided by a master question list intended to quickly summarize what is known about the virus, what additional information is needed, and which other research entities across the country are working to answer those questions. The list includes questions such as how much agent will make a healthy individual ill?, how does it spread from one host to another? and how long after infection do symptoms appear? Each question is updated in a weekly report with two sections: What do we know? and What do we need to know?

The approach is modeled after similar work undertaken in 2015 in response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

Preliminary results from the labs testing were first revealed by William Bryan, the acting undersecretary for science and technology at Homeland Security, during a White House coronavirus press briefing two weeks ago. But shortly after Bryan mentioned how disinfectants can play a role in killing the coronavirus, President Donald Trump suggested that scientists test whether disinfectants, such as bleach, could be injected into the human body to fight the virus. The White House later said the comments had been taken out of context and Trump himself said hed been speaking sarcastically, although there was no indication when he made the comment that he wasnt serious about the recommendation.

Transmission electron micrograph of a section of a Vero cell (grey) with SARS CoV-2 (blue capsid, yellow surface proteins, inside a vesicle (green.) (Department of Homeland Security)

Regardless, the intense backlash and ridicule of the president overshadowed Bryans remarks. Doctors and other health officials railed against Trumps musing about injecting disinfectants into people. The comments also prompted warnings from the makers of commercial disinfectants.

What got lost in the message was what Bryan referred to as the most striking observation to date, that ultraviolet rays from the sun may have a powerful effect on the virus.

What we have found so far is that sunlight seems to be very detrimental to the virus, Dabisch explained. And so within minutes, the majority of the virus is inactivated on surfaces and in the air in direct sunlight.

Scientists say that could have a profound effect on eradicating the virus on everyday items such as shopping carts, playground equipment and outdoor furniture.

Our preliminary results say, yes, that the sunlight on plastic will inactivate the virus very quickly. And so we're hopeful that that is the case, Dabisch said.

On a recent day, staffers were looking at such mundane items as the plastic on computer keyboards and mouses, items that people come in contact with on a routine basis.

Testing has also revealed that higher temperatures and humidity may also help kill the virus and reduce its transmission.

In order to replicate different climates from around the country, the lab uses several environmentally controlled chambers -- its the only lab in the country with this capability. It allows researchers to measure the potential survivability of the virus in different regions across the U.S., mimicking the typical levels of sunlight, temperatures and humidity.

In addition to measuring the viruss longevity on surfaces, those chambers are used to analyze how COVID-19 is transmitted through the air and how long it can survive in the form of small particles known as aerosols. That would have an effect on spread at nursing homes, hospitals, meatpacking plants, schools and prisons, where people are in close proximity.

The Homeland Security lab has made at least one critical discovery about the aerosol configuration of the virus: that the size of saliva droplets generated by an infected individual through talking, coughing or sneezing has no bearing on contagiousness. Droplets smaller than a human hair can be lethal.

We're most concerned about the really small droplets that you can't see because those are the ones that get down deep into your lung and for most infectious agents, that's when you get the worst possible infection, according to Hough. Those could be deadly.

Another revelation: common disinfectants found in the home such as isopropyl alcohol and bleach can in some cases destroy the virus within seconds. But while the practical applications of that find are widespread, scientists at the NBACC have a specific purpose in mind: they are desperate to find different decontamination methods for personal protective equipment like N95 masks so the equipment can be reused if necessary. Extending the lifespan of PPE could be crucial in hard-hit areas of the country.

Dabisch said the main goal of the study is to learn the most possible about transmission routes for the virus and then use that data to assess the risks of performing activities in our everyday lives. He said that information can then be shared with policymakers, public health officials and front-line doctors and nurses to make informed decisions on how to combat the spread of COVID-19, and ultimately save lives.

As the death toll continues to mount, so does the pressure on scientists to solve the riddle of the coronavirus.

It's very great, Dabisch admitted. We are working around the clock because of that to try to answer questions that we're being asked about this virus, and hopefully those results can help to inform our response to this and we know the clock is ticking on this.
Armando Sallegue, a widower from the Philippines who once dreamed of joining the seminary, had travelled to Alberta to visit his son's family. But his son works for the Cargill meat-packing plant near High River that has been struggling with the largest single COVD-19 outbreak in North America.

Armando Sallegue developed symptoms and was sent to hospital on the same day that his son, Arwyn Sallegue, was first diagnosed with the illness, on April 23.

Twelve days later, the grandfather died of the infection.

Armando's is the second death linked to the outbreak. A 67-year-old woman, Hiep Bui, who worked at the plant for more than two decades, died in late April. In total, the plant has been linked to 1,560 cases, with 946 employees who tested positive.

"He's my idol, my mentor. He makes me who I am, the way I'm strong, especially in dealing with this situation," said Sallegue about his dad.

Quick to make friends

He says his father was quick to make friends in Canada.

Sallegue says he's been overwhelmed by people offering help and kind words, even those who met his father just once.

"We miss him," said Sallegue.

"Even our kids, they say they're saddened because they made a painting welcoming our dad to recover and to go home, and even we prepared the bed and the room for our dad when he comes home from the hospital."

Armando died at 6:15 p.m. in the Rockyview General Hospital in Calgary, and Sallegue says they were able to say goodbye over FaceTime.

Armando was a deeply religious man who once entered seminary in order to become a priest, but he was removed from his lessons by his mother.

Still, that faith stayed with him and has been passed down to his son.

'He's reunited with my mom'

What also stayed with Armando was the love of his wife, who died three years prior and whose birthday was May 6. Sallegue notes the day had already changed over in the Philippines when his dad died.

Story continues

"My dad told my brother that he kept dreaming that our mom said it's time to go with me," said Sallegue.

"He's reunited with my mom and that's the gift of my dad to my mom."

The family is planning a memorial for Armando this weekend that will be live streamed for the local community as well as friends and family abroad.

Cargill outbreak

Workers started returning to the Cargill plant on Monday as the company faces criticism over the way it handled the outbreak and employee concerns. The union representing workers tried to prevent the reopening but was unsuccessful.

The plant has been linked to 1,560 cases, and a total of 946 employees have tested positive.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health, said provincial health and occupational safety officials are visiting the site regularly.

She said she's been assured that controls are in place at the facility and said an investigation is underway to determine if there was any potential non-compliance of regulations that may have led to the outbreak.

Sallegue, however, will not be heading back to work just yet.

"My supervisor told me in his opinion I do not need to go back to work because of my situation, because my emotion is not yet stable and our work there is dangerous because we're holding knives," he said.

"So he told me to get some rest and take care of my family."

The company said in an emailed statement that it knows how deeply the pandemic has impact the community and the plant.

"Our deepest condolences go out to the family," it reads.
Bestseller: Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar Jones in the TV adaptation of Sally Rooneys Normal People

Bumper sales of the paperback edition of Sally Rooney's phenomenon 'Normal People' contributed to record sales of 33.29m at the Irish arm of WH Smith last year.

New figures show revenues at WH Smith Ireland increased 7pc to 33.2m from 31.1m in the 12 months to the end of August.

Higher costs at the company contributed to pre-tax profits reducing by 5pc to 3.17m.

The paperback edition of Ms Rooney's second novel was released in May last year, in time for summer sales at WH Smith's airport shops here and the book went on to become the second best-selling book of the year with 41,513 copies sold here.

It was only slightly outsold by Heather Morris's 'The Tattooist of Auschwitz', which sold 41,627 copies.

The novel - the TV adaptation of which is currently receiving rave reviews - sold 320,607 copies in the UK last year.

WH Smith operated a network of stores at Dublin Airport in the period under review and the business shared in the dividend from the record 32.9 million passengers travelling through the airport in 2019.

The retail firm today operates eight stores at Dublin Airport and two at Cork Airport while it also maintains a presence at Shannon Airport.

The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in passenger numbers at Irish airports collapsing and the WH Smith Group has reported that the virus may knock 130m off sales this year.

The statement stressed: "WH Smith is a resilient business with a strong balance sheet, substantial cash liquidity and strong cashflow.

"The group has a strong management team in place and has consistently demonstrated that it can adapt and respond quickly to changing market conditions. Over the longer term, the board remains confident in the strategy and believes the group is well-positioned to benefit from the normalisation and growth of the global travel market."

The Irish unit didn't pay a dividend last year after paying a dividend of 4.5m in fiscal 2018.

At the end of August, the Irish unit employed 163 people, a drop of three on the 166 employed at the end of August 2018. Staff costs last year increased marginally to 3.07m from 3.03m.

The profit last year takes account of non-cash depreciation costs of 310,874. The firm's shareholder funds at the end of August last year totalled 6m. Its cash pile increased sharply to 2.3m from 1.6m.

The firm increased its gross profit to 18.67m from 17.35m after the firm's cost of sales increased to 14.6m from 13.8m, and recorded post-tax profits of 2.76m after incurring a tax charge of 413,243.

The company's distribution costs totalled 13.8m and 1.68m in administrative expenses.

In 2009, WH Smith opened its first two stores at Shannon Airport before establishing outlets in Dublin Airport.
Dear patient readers,

I am dealing with more elder care bullshit than I like, and the level is already too high, like physical therapists who manage to make my mother worse, and nursing services who wont just do what they are supposed to do (an at-home blood draw) but insist on subjecting you to upselling. Oh, and I thought I was super remiss on sending her will in.but her trust and estates lawyer refuses to keep one of the originals. WTF???

The agency sent a new person yesterday who proceeded to ignore the two things I said in writing to do, one being to go out and pick up a proper lunch for her and my mother. Instead I find my mother was fed a microwaved breakfast sandwich. And there was a third problem I wont belabor. This after the agency went on about how this person was conscientious, mature and well liked as I should be glad to get her. Gah.

And yes, I recognize these aides are not well paid, but they really do just sit around for over 5.5 hours of a 7 hour shift. The actual work here is pretty minimal. Insubordination regarding tasks that are clearly part of their basic duties really frosts me.

And Lord knows how long it will take them to find another conscientious, mature and well liked person to fill the open slots (and we have another issue, that I am trying to minimize the number of people taking care of my mother so as to reduce coronavirus risk, so we may have open days, as in ones where I have to get up to be on duty, for quite a while).

As a result, no original posts, since I have to get up early to do the stuff this new person, who will no longer be coming, was supposed to do. But you should find the Richard Murphy post on People and Jobs? Or Wealth? gives you a lot to chew on.

Man, dog and five camels rescued from steep fall BBC. My kind of headline

Bioluminescent waves dazzle surfers in California: Never seen anything like it. Guardian. ChiGal: Contains a very cool video of the lightstreams created by dolphins slicing through the dark water.

Were Not in This Together: There is no universal politics of climate change The Baffler (Thomas R)

Pakistan turns unemployed workers into tree planters TreeHugger (resilc)

Video of restaurant headbutt removed with copyright claim, ensuring everyone sees it BoingBoing (resilc). Be sure to read the takedown notice theory.

#COVID-19

Irish Send Money to Native American Community Hit By COVID-19, Returning Historic Favor Time (furzy)

Leviathan in Lockdown London Review of Books

A Tale of Two Countries Peter Turchin (UserFriendly). Sweden v. Denmark.
Three men were fatally shot May 5 outside Golden West High School in Visalia. (Los Angeles Times)

Authorities are searching for a gunman who killed three men in the parking lot of a high school in Visalia late Tuesday, police said.

Officers with the Visalia Police Department found the wounded men in the Golden West High School parking lot around 11:15 p.m. while responding to a report of gunshots in the area, said Sgt. Celestina Sanchez.

There is no known connection between the men and the high school. The campus is closed and students are taking classes online because of the coronavirus, Sanchez said.

Authorities have not provided a description of a suspect. Detectives remained at the scene Wednesday morning trying to piece together what led to the shooting.

"We are currently in the middle of the investigation. Our crime scene team is out here processing the scene right now," Visalia Police Lt. Daniel Ford told ABC 30 Action News. "We're looking for any evidence that will help us in the investigation."

Anyone with information is being asked to call the Visalia Police Department's anonymous tip line at (559) 713-4738.
Listen to Outbreak Alabama: Stories from a Pandemic, above.

Today, we hear from AL.com columnists John Archibald and Kyle Whitmire.

They talk about the Alabama governments response to the pandemic so far, plus the stories currently weighing on their minds related to ways people in the state are impacted. And whats encouraging them about Alabamas fight against coronavirus right now?

Outbreak Alabama will release two or three episodes per week, chronicling the experiences of those directly impacted by COVID-19s spread, including health care professionals, business owners, city leaders, artists, AL.com reporters and many others.

If you or anyone you know is affected by the coronavirus and want to share your story, please email bflanagan@al.com. For all of our coverage on the outbreak and how it continues to impact Alabama, visit AL.com/coronavirus.

Listen and subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, Acast or wherever you get your podcasts. If you like the show, please rate it and write us a review. Thank you for listening.

More from Outbreak Alabama:

The return of retail

A barbers dilemma

Is it really time to reopen Alabama?

A coronavirus survivors message to the rest of us

Ivey not ready to reopen just yet

Crime in the age of coronavirus

What role do our churches play?

The absence of sports

Learning from a distance

Walt Maddox on leading Tuscaloosa through coronavirus

Social distancing, or not

Coronavirus early impact on musicians

Alabama restaurants
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The Global Caprolactam Market is expected to reach USD 28.42 Billion by 2026 according to a new report published by Polaris Market Research. Caprolactam is a major raw material for the production of nylon 6 engineering resins and nylon 6 fibers. The global caprolactam market is primarily drive by high demand from numerous end-use industries such as automobiles, textiles, electrical & electronics, engineered plastics, specialty film packaging, wire & cabling, and others.

Automotive and textile industries have majorly driven the demand for caprolactam. In automotive industry, caprolactam is used in in the production of nylon 6 fibers that are increasingly used for engine covers, tire cord manufacture, and gears & bearings due to their excellent characteristics. Textile industry is driving growth for caprolactam due to rapidly increasing demand for apparels, sportswear, fashion clothing, protective clothing, and others. This industry makes use of nylon 6 fibers that are end-products to caprolactam and are further used for manufacturing textile products and industrial yarns.

Get sample copy of this report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/caprolactam-market/request-for-sample

Growing global population coupled with the increase in the personal incomes of consumers has resulted in the rapid growth of textile and automobile industry. Consumer preference for modern products such as electric vehicles, and strong economic performance of many middle-income countries in the world has rapidly driven the high product demand among consumers. Product is manufactured from ammonia, cyclohexane, and phenol. As its raw materials are petro chemically derived from crude oil, the product prices might witness price volatility. The raw materials production is mainly concentrated in China and the United States. In 2016, the product witnessed high pricing due to rise in its raw material pricing (benzene and derivatives) and tight supply.

Caprolactam includes two major end-use products, nylon 6 fibers and nylon 6 resins. Nylon 6 fibers are the dominant product type due to its large array of applications and excellent properties. Nylon 6 fibers are largely used in carpet, industrial yarns, and textile industries, whereas Nylon 6 resins are primarily used in specialty film packaging, engineering plastics, wires & cables, and automotive industries.

China is the largest consumer of caprolactam in the world and Asia Pacific is the largest and fastest regional player. This is due to excess capacity in China and rapid developments in automobile, textile, and plastic industries of the regions middle-income economies. Other Asian regions with substantial growth for caprolactam market include Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Indian subcontinent, and the Southeast Asian countries.

Complete Summary with TOC Available @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/caprolactam-market

The global caprolactam market comprises of large number of international and domestic market players. Some of the key companies include BASF SE, China National Petroleum Corp., Capro Corp., DOMO Caproleuna GmbH, Honeywell Chemical Intermediates, China Petroleum & Chemical Corp., Royal DSM NV, and IRPC Public Company Ltd.

Caprolactam Market Size and Forecast, By End-Product Nylon 6 Resins Nylon 6 Fibers Others

Caprolactam Market Size and Forecast, By Application Industrial Yarns Engineering Resins & Films Textiles & Carpets Others

Caprolactam Market Size and Forecast, By End-Use Textile Engineering Resins & Films Carpets Automotive Others

Caprolactam Market Size and Forecast by Regions North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany UK France Asia Pacific China India Japan Latin America Brazil Mexico Middle East & Africa



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About Polaris Market Research

Polaris Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide unmatched quality of offerings to our clients present globally. The company specializes in providing exceptional market intelligence and in-depth business research services for our clientele spread across different enterprises. We at Polaris are obliged to serve our diverse customer base present across the industries of healthcare, technology, semi-conductors and chemicals among various other industries present around the world. We strive to provide our customers with updated information on innovative technologies, high growth markets, emerging business environments and latest business-centric applications, thereby helping them always to make informed decisions and leverage new opportunities.

Contact us-

Polaris Market Research

Phone: 1-646-568-9980

Email: sales@polarismarketresearch.com

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The Electric Power Distribution Automation Systems Market is anticipated to reach around USD 23.8 billion by 2026 according to a new research published by Polaris Market Research. In 2017, the industrial segment dominated the global market, in terms of revenue. North America is expected to be the leading contributor to the global market revenue during the forecast period.

The growing adoption of smart cities, along with high demand of smart grids has boosted the adoption of electric power distribution automation systems. The rising demand for electricity, and growing demand for efficient and low-cost solutions for efficient power distribution further support the growth of electric power distribution automation systems market. Increasing investments by vendors in technological advancements, growing need to update existing networks, and increasing ageing infrastructure would accelerate the adoption of electric power distribution automation systems during the forecast period. Growing demand from emerging economies, increasing adoption smart grid applications, and technological advancements are expected to provide numerous growth opportunities in the coming years.

Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/electric-power-distribution-automation-systems-market/request-for-sample

North America generated the highest revenue in the market in 2017, and is expected to lead the global market throughout the forecast period. The presence of established telecom and cloud infrastructure in this region, and growing trend of smart cities drive the market growth in the region. The growing demand from energy sector, and technological advancements further support market growth in the region. The use of smart technologies in energy and utilities, investments in transmission and distribution infrastructure, and increasing ageing infrastructure is expected to support market growth in this region during the forecast period.

The companies operating in the market include General Electric, Eaton Corporation Plc, Mitsubishi Electric Corp., ABB Ltd., G&W Electric Company, Schneider Electric, Elster Solutions, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Siemens AG, and S&C Electric Company. These companies launch new products and collaborate with other market leaders to innovate and launch new products to meet the increasing needs and requirements of consumers.

Browse for full research summary: https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/electric-power-distribution-automation-systems-market

Electric Power Distribution Automation Systems Market Size and Forecast by Component, 2018-2026 Field Devices Software Services Communication Technology

Electric Power Distribution Automation Systems Market Size and Forecast by Implementation, 2018-2026 Feeder Automation Substation Automation Consumer Side Automation

Electric Power Distribution Automation Systems Market Size and Forecast by End-User, 2018-2026 Residential Commercial Industrial Others

Electric Power Distribution Automation Systems Market Size and Forecast by Region, 2018-2026 North America US. Canada Mexico Europe Germany UK France Italy Rest of Europe Asia-Pacific China India Japan Rest of Asia-Pacific Latin America Brazil Middle East & Africa



Avail discount on this report @ https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/electric-power-distribution-automation-systems-market/request-for-discount-pricing

About Polaris Market Research

Polaris Market Research is a global market research and consulting company. We provide unmatched quality of offerings to our clients present globally. The company specializes in providing exceptional market intelligence and in-depth business research services for our clientele spread across different enterprises. We at Polaris are obliged to serve our diverse customer base present across the industries of healthcare, technology, semi-conductors and chemicals among various other industries present around the world. We strive to provide our customers with updated information on innovative technologies, high growth markets, emerging business environments and latest business-centric applications, thereby helping them always to make informed decisions and leverage new opportunities.

Contact us-

Polaris Market Research

Phone: 1-646-568-9980

Email: sales@polarismarketresearch.com

Web: www.polarismarketresearch.com
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - With New York "coming down the mountain" of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, there has been increased talk about a possible "second wave" of the coronavirus hitting us this fall.

If that indeed happens, we have to be better prepared than we were for the first deadly wave of COVID-19 that hit us. And that shouldn't be hard. The lessons are right there in front of us. We can do a better job dealing with coronavirus should it hit us again this fall.

Not only can we do better. We must.

Here's how.

Aristide Economopolous/Star-Ledger

Figure out how to handle mass transit

Rail, bus and ferry service was cut drastically during the pandemic. That actually led to more crowded conditions during travel and in waiting areas.

COVID-19 spreads best in enclosed spaces when people have long exposure to each other. A study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said that subways and buses were a "major disseminator" of the virus here.

If there's a second wave, we may have to either close the system entirely, or actually add service so that people can socially distance.

Don't Edit

Tom Wrobleski/Staten Island Advance

Social distancing, not total shutdown

A second wave will be about protecting those most susceptible to the worst outcomes from COVID. That includes senior citizens and people with underlying conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes. They may need to isolate in their homes.

We may also need to wear masks in stores and other enclosed spaces, and to keep our distance from each other in public.

But that doesnt mean that everything has to be shut down for everybody, or that everybody needs to be quarantined for weeks on end.

Don't Edit

John Raoux/AP

Boost antibody testing

Antibody testing shows if people have had the virus, even if they never showed symptoms.

While not perfect, it can give a good idea of the true spread of the illness, as well as the possible level of immunity in the general population.

That will be important if shutting the economy a second time is on the table this fall.

Don't Edit

Huang Nyguyen/The Republican

Fast and comprehensive travel bans

If we see COVID pop up again in any appreciable way anywhere in the world this fall, travel to and from that country has to be banned until things settle down. Thats the best, first way to stop the spread and flatten the curve.

Don't Edit

John Minchillo/AP

Rely less on ventilators

When the pandemic started, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio banged the table for more ventilators for hospitals.

But some doctors have said that using ventilators on COVID patients is unnecessarily invasive, and that those with COVID dont have the kind of lung condition that responds well to ventilators.

Some research has said that 80 percent of those placed on ventilators dont recover, a number frequently mentioned by Cuomo in his daily briefings.

We may need to try a different treatment if theres a second wave.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Yuri Gripas/Abaca Press/TNS

No spit-balling from the podium, Mr. President

President Donald Trump likes to talk off the top of his head, to speak about any possibility that crosses his mind, no matter the topic.

He simply cant do that in the middle of a deadly global pandemic. One of two things is bound to happen: Misinformation spreads, and information that might be useful gets mangled.

Witness the mess Trump made when talking about disinfectant and UV light. Even he knew that he'd stepped on his tongue that day.

Let the experts be the experts.

Don't Edit

Damian Dovarganes/AP

Have a ready stockpile of medical masks, gloves and gowns

This has been one of the major disgraces of the pandemic: Health care workers without the necessary personal protective equipment to do their jobs.

Each borough should have their own stockpile.

For weeks weve applauded our health-care heroes. So lets all donate a couple of bucks so that we can make sure that these front-line workers have the protection they need, whether it's to battle a potential second wave or just to carry on doing their stellar jobs.

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John Minchillo/AP

Fix the state unemployment system

With millions being laid off or furloughed, a straining state unemployment system has added insult to injury.

New Yorkers have complained for weeks that they cant get through to the system, or dont hear back about claims.

The state has said that some filers may not be logging into the system to re-certify each week, as required.

Either way, if we see have a second wave of COVID and a new round of economic displacement, the system simply has to work better. Computer technology may need to be updated. And even more people may be needed to answer phones.

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John Minchillo/AP

Protect those in nursing homes

Nursing home residents are the most vulnerable of the vulnerable when it comes to COVID-19. They're older, and may have the underlying conditions that can lead to death if they catch the virus.

A state policy mandating that nursing homes could not reject a hospital transfer patient solely because of a COVID diagnosis has been blamed for increased deaths in those facilities.

We have to act to protect nursing homes early if theres a second wave, including taking care of those who work in the facilities.

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Mark Schiefelbein/AP

Dont trust the communist Chinese government

They withheld information about the original COVID-19 outbreak at the end of last year, including the fact that it was possible for the virus to pass from human to human. They put lives at risk, and will have a lot to answer for when this is all over.

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Advance file photo

Don't lump autumn COVID cases in with seasonal flu

If a second COVID wave comes, it will arrive during seasons flu season. We shouldn't confuse the two when compiling stats. It would give a distorted picture of how bad any second wave is. It's bad enough that the city is already lumping "probable" COVID deaths in with confirmed fatalities during the current pandemic.

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Mark Graves/The Oregonian

Reasons for hope?

There are some.

There may not actually be a second wave.

Or we may have some kind of treatment by later in the year. Great progress could be made toward a vaccine.

Herd immunity may build up, providing protection for the must vulnerable.

Or COVID-19 could simply mutate into something less harmful.

Nobody knows exactly how this is going to transpire.

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Photo composite by Tom Wrobleski/Staten Island Advance
They are formidable. They are fierce. Sometimes they're murderous, and often they're mothers. And they're not young: no fresh-faced teens, perplexed millennials or dewy newlyweds in this bunch. These women, on shows such as Killing Eve, Ozark and The Good Fight, have seen some life. They have the scars, physical and emotional, to prove it. And they can do some damage.

Once upon a time, the range of roles available to middle-aged women on TV was limited. They might be cast as wise-cracking secretaries, devoted wives, nosy neighbours or meddling mothers-in-law. When actresses hit 40, romantic leads were out, action heroines were unthinkable and the future seemed to hold a screen life consigned to the margins.

Fiona Shaw plays the cryptic and fierce MI6 boss Carolyn in Killing Eve. Credit:Nick Wall/BBC

Not any more. A new and exciting breed of female characters has emerged. Today, TV offers a range of alternatives to women no longer of the age to play blushing brides, new mums or hot girlfriends, characters focused on activities more challenging than bringing errant sons-in-law into line. In this time of proliferating production companies and streaming services, writers have welcome latitude: options are expanding and so are roles for women "of a certain age".

Take, for example, the third-season arrival of Dasha (Harriet Walter) as the new handler for girlish assassin Villanelle (Jodie Comer) in Killing Eve (Sunday, ABC, 9.30pm, iView). There's a scene in the third episode where the women are sitting at a cafe in a sunny town square in Spain. Villanelle's former trainer and mentor, Russian Dasha is, of course, smoking as the women discuss Villanelle's next assignment in London. Villanelle is reluctant to go, Dasha is dismissive of her concerns: "All you need is an anorak and a face like cheese," she instructs.
[May 05, 2020] 3DEO Posts Triple Digit Annual Growth with Next Generation Metal 3D Printing

3DEO started as a 3D printing company with its revolutionary metal 3D printing technology, Intelligent Layering, at the core. But in order to compete in high-volume traditional manufacturing, the company evolved into a vertically integrated, next generation factory. This new business model meant manufacturers could gain the cost savings, design freedom, and manufacturing flexibility they need to compete - without having to shell out millions of dollars for a metal 3D printer and the supporting infrastructure. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200505006131/en/ 3D printed parts by 3DEO (Photo: Business Wire) As evidenced by 3DEO's success metrics for 2019, this paradigm shift could be a forerunner to building the factory of the future. "We are very proud of the growth that was accomplshed over the last year. It is clear that 2020 will be another record-setting year for 3DEO as our pace of adoption across all industries is accelerating. More than a metal 3D printing company, 3DEO is a solutions provider helping our customers tackle their most challenging manufacturing problems. What's more, almost every customer we are working with is using metal 3D printing in production for the first time. We are in the trenches with our customers, and our growth curve is a testament to the demand for these solutions. In the end, our mission is to do for manufacturing what Amazon's AWS did for the internet by offering low-cost access to flexible, scalable, and world-class manufacturing infrastructure," Matt Sand, the company's President, said.



Being "solutions oriented" has a significant impact in several key areas: 600% growth in revenues for 2019 over 2018

in revenues for 2019 over 2018 172% growth in the number of employees-3DEO has 60 employees compared to 22 employees in 2018

in the number of employees-3DEO has 60 employees compared to 22 employees in 2018 566% increase in the number of production printers at 3DEO-printers are built with proprietary technology specialized for serial production-manufactured in USA.

in the number of production printers at 3DEO-printers are built with proprietary technology specialized for serial production-manufactured in USA. 394% increase in number of parts shipped in 2019 over 2018-with approximately 25% of parts being for aerospace, 35% for medical and 40% for defense "We're doing things in manufacturing that previously couldn't be done," Matt Petros, 3DEO's CEO, said. "And we're doing it by leveraging several enabling technologies that are converging right now in manufacturing-in a way that finally allows metal 3D printing to shift the serial production paradigm."

Amidst a downcycle in manufacturing jobs in America, 3DEO's new solution-focused business model is creating new jobs. High-tech production workers work with robotics and automation. The most noteworthy employee increase was in the R&D department. With over 25 engineers, 3DEO is continuously improving core processes and technology up and down the production line. ABOUT 3DEO: Based in Los Angeles, CA (News - Alert), 3DEO invented a patented metal 3D printing technology, which is the core of its next-generation factory. The company supplies complex stainless-steel components in high volumes to customers in the medical, defense, aerospace, and other industrial markets. By working with 3DEO, customers get access to cutting-edge manufacturing technologies in 3D printing, machine learning, and robotics. For more information, visit www.3deo.co. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200505006131/en/

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Fire up the backyard BBQ without fear of a deadly sting. That hike in the forest or walk in the park should be just fine too.

Theres no need for Canadians to worry for their personal safety with the arrival of so-called murder hornets on the West Coast, experts say.

Theyre kind of a bully to other insects, but not to us, said entomologist Justin Schmidt. They dont really attack us. Itd be really hard to get stung unless they get established, which I would say is a nil to zero chance.

The insect  proper name: Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia)  cuts an imposing figure.

Experts say there's no need for Canadians to worry for their personal safety with the arrival of so-called "murder hornets" on the West Coast. (The Canadian Press)

As big as a mans thumb, it boasts a wing span of up to seven centimetres, a large orange head, black eyes and a sting that could seriously injure or even kill a person.

However, despite the dubious nickname that has been pooh-poohed by experts, murder hornets are not exactly taking over on these shores. But if they do manage to re-emerge, they could be a real threat to honey bees.

Normally found in the forests and low mountains of eastern and southeast Asia, it remains unclear how they arrived in North America. Their moniker  perhaps better suited for a comic book title or rock band name  was coined in Japan.

Three Asian giant hornets were spotted in B.C. for the first time last August in the Nanaimo area, the provinces agriculture ministry said. The single nest was spotted and destroyed, but a specimen was found last November in White Rock, B.C., and two specimens were found in December at Blaine, Wash.

British Columbia classifies the Asian giant hornet as a serious honey bee predator. If it returns, it has the potential to impact that population.

They have massive heads with these giant mandibles and they just chop them in half, said Gard Otis, an adjunct professor at the University of Guelph specializing in bee behaviour and forest entomology. They just cut their heads off, cut their bodies in half, and you end up with a slaughter on the ground in front of the hive.

They kill all the adult bees and then they have (honey, larvae, pupae) thats left over. Its like they just stocked up the refrigerator for the next pandemic.

Farmers in the southern B.C./northern Washington area depend on honey bees to pollinate crops such as apples, blueberries and cherries.

The Asian giant hornet is not currently a pest regulated at the federal level, so it falls under the mandate of the province, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Wednesday in an email.

B.C. issued an information bulletin in March asking residents near the border to be on the lookout. The province has also said it planned to place hornet traps near the border and distribute pest-alert notices to area residents.

There has not been a reported sighting so far this year.

I dont think really we need to worry too much about them, said insect biology expert Peter Kevan, a professor emeritus at the University of Guelph. I think that whoever gave them the name murder hornet is just trying to get some hyperbole in the press.

Mission accomplished.

The murder hornet story has gone viral in recent days as a North American audience  already on edge due to the COVID-19 pandemic  was seemingly given one more reason to worry.

The TMZ website helped pile on by posting a video of what appeared to be a giant hornet savagely snuffing the life of a mouse with repeated stings.

It was almost enough for one to swear off the Great Outdoors altogether, at least for this summer anyway. But fear not, experts say, as the Asian giant hornet isnt interested in humans and last years sightings were very limited.

Its very large and its very defensive of its nests, Kevan said from Cambridge, Ont. If people leave it alone, itll leave them alone because really its a carnivore.

The wooded habitat where it was spotted offers suitable nesting grounds. The hornets life cycle begins in April when queens emerge from hibernation, feed on sap and fruit, and look for underground dens.

They hunt insects and are generally not looking to engage with people, pets or large animals, the B.C. agriculture ministry said.

Disturbing a nest, however, will put them on the attack. And a sting packs a mighty wallop.

Schmidt, an adjunct scientist at the University of Arizona, created the Schmidt Sting Pain Index to rate the relative pain levels of different stings.

A mild sting from a fire ant scores a 1.0 while a high-end 4.0 is reserved for the likes of the aptly named bullet ant.

A 2.5 rating for a trap-jaw ant sting is comparable to having a rat trap snap a fingernail in half. Schmidt pegged the Asian giant hornet sting at a potent 3.0 or even a 3.5.

It has 10 times the venom of a honey bee easily, probably 20 times the average yellowjacket, he said from Tucson, Ariz. So its got a lot of stuff there.

Otis said he was stung in 2013 while doing research in Vietnam.

He recalled a sharp initial penetration in his big toe and a fierce blast of pain setting in about 30 seconds later.

It was this incredible searing pain, he said from Guelph, Ont. I couldnt put a shoe on for two or three days. I had to wear my sandal. I could barely sleep at night.

I had to take more Tylenol than youre ever supposed to take in a 24-hour period just to try to dull the pain. It was bad.

If the Asian giant hornet does re-emerge here, questions remain about whether it would be inclined to travel east given the potential change in climate. In addition, a queen would need to be transported at a certain time of year, likely via truck, train or plane, and manage to survive the trip.

Many insects introduced to this foreign environment dont have enough genetic diversity in the initial group of wasps to sustain their numbers, Otis said.

Schmidt agreed it was unlikely they would prosper in North America.

Theyre probably not going to get established, theyre just going to get eradicated, Schmidt said. Then well be back to good old boring life as usual.
Ontarios processing of COVID-19 tests fell short once again Tuesday, prompting Premier Doug Ford to pledge he will continue to push the system for better results as the number of cases topped 20,000 for the first time, with 1,500 deaths.

Labs across the province produced results for12,961 samples on Tuesday, the Ministry of Health said Wednesday, well below a previous high of 17,000 and shy of the daily target of 16,000 thats expected to get a better picture of the viruss spread.

Health Minister Christine Elliott acknowledged in a tweet that expanding the testing is critical to containing and limiting the spread of the illness.

We continue to invest in further expanding our COVID-19 testing, Elliott said.

On Tuesday, figures revealed just over 10,000 samples had been processed Monday  about half the provinces lab capacity of 19,525  setting Ford off a day after he had boasted Ontario was leading the country in testing. He blamed some regional health units and told medical officers of health to pick up your socks.

The provinces chief medical officer Dr. David Williams later said there is no courier system to get test samples to labs on weekends and some health units did not get all the testing materials they needed.

If I sit back and dont push these regions, who else is going to push them? Ford told his Wednesday news conference.

Im accountable for this whole province and Im going to push the system  until we get the numbers, he added when asked about ruffled feathers at some regional health units.

If they take it personal, then I apologize.

Critics say wider testing and using the provinces full testing capacity are essential as Fords government continues to ease restrictions and reopens the economy in stages, with garden centres and nurseries fully opening on Friday in time for Mothers Day weekend.

By repeatedly missing its own targets since the outbreak began, the province has foregone 155,000 tests that could have presented a more accurate portrayal of the virus and its patterns, said NDP Leader Andrea Horwath.

A massive increase in COVID-19 testing within the community is necessary to reopen businesses, parks and services. The fewer tests Ontario does, the greater the risk is for people out there. Doug Fords job is to fix this problem, not to complain about it.

To date, Ontario has processed 365,675 tests, representing about 2.5 per cent of the provinces 14.5 million residents.

A compilation by the Star at 5 p.m. Wednesday shows health units across the province reported another 429 Ontarians had confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19 in the previous 24 hours, an increase of 2.2 per cent, lifting the total to 20,032 since January.

There were 58 more deaths, raising fatalities to 1,543, the bulk of them in nursing homes that have been hit hard by the virus, with 174 outbreaks in progress.

The infection rate for health-care workers continued to increase, with 3,013 testing positive so far, accounting for 16 per cent of the official provincial total of cases.

A leading union blamed a shortage of N95 respirator masks and other personal protective equipment for the toll.

Supplies are dangerously low in hospitals and long-term care homes, said the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

Most of the sickened health care workers are in nursing homes, where 1,621 staff have active infections of COVID-19, along with 2,819 residents.

The Orchard Villa nursing home in Pickering, for example, has had 62 residents die, with 130 residents and 65 staff infected.

Ford said there is a hotline for nursing homes in need of personal protective equipment to call, but evaded a question on whether a promised overhaul of the long term care sector would result in an end to private ownership of homes.

The Ministry of Health said 13,222 Ontarians who contracted COVID-19 have recovered.

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In this week's interview Rachel Dean talks to Riverdance lead dancer Amy-Mae Dolan (22) from Aghyaran in Castlederg, Co Tyrone. She lives with her mum Siobhan, dad Francie and siblings Rylee (17), Alex (15) and Scarlett (6).

Q. Tell us about your childhood

A. My mum and dad are both from Aghyaran in Castlederg, Co Tyrone, and that's where I grew up with my sister Rylee (17) and my brother Alex (15). My youngest little sister Scarlett (6) was born when I was 16 - and she loves Irish dancing as well. My parents have a painting business, Dolan Decorating. My mum Siobhan does all the book-keeping and accounting side of it and my dad Francie is on site every day.

We're from the most rural area you could ever find - we really are in the middle of nowhere. But it's beautiful and the people here are so lovely. It's a close-knit community which is really nice to come from.

Growing up, I was always involved in dancing and I actually really loved school as well. I went to Holy Cross College in Strabane and I loved it there. I started Irish dancing when I was about two years old, so it really is all I've ever known. It really has been my whole life.

My mum was an Irish dancer, so that's one of the reasons why I ended up getting into it myself. My cousin danced too and her mum babysat me - I used to watch her dance in class and I wanted to do it as well. Then, I had the videos of Riverdance and Lord of the Dance at home and I just obsessed over those, so I think I would have always fallen into dance somehow.

Scarlett started going to Irish dancing classes when she was four, but before that she just followed me around the house, dancing all the time and watching videos of me dancing. Now because we're in quarantine, she and I dance together for about two hours a day, which is lovely.

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Q. What are you most proud of?

A. I'm most proud of joining Riverdance and then becoming the lead dancer of the show. I joined the Riverdance Summer School just after I finished my A-levels in 2016, which is a week-long camp environment. There, you basically learn the choreography of Riverdance from the people who are in the show.

It's like a week-long audition process. Then, in August, the day after I got my A-level results, they phoned my mum and asked would I be interested in joining the show. So, I went on my first tour to China in November of that year.

You're usually in the show for a while before you build yourself up to a lead role, but it just happened that year that a new position came available for new female lead dancers to be trained in.

They asked me then to train in as a lead in April 2017, after my first tour, which was absolutely the biggest moment of my life.

I watched Riverdance my whole life growing up and I used to fast-forward to the female lead parts and watch her over and over again - it was Jean Butler and then it was different dancers. That role was so inspiring to me, so now to get to do it myself is just really fun and I'm so proud.

Whenever I stop to think about the fact that I could be that role model for little girls like me, I just can't believe it, it's crazy.

I was in the BBC documentary True North: Born to Riverdance, which aired on Monday. I remember when things like documentaries and films would come out when I was younger, as an Irish dancer you were so excited for that because there wasn't much Irish dancing stuff on TV or the internet.

So I was just thinking, "They're going to be so excited to watch the documentary" and then I thought, "Oh my God, it's me they're watching". I have to pinch myself a lot - even when people come to see the show and I get messages afterwards saying "I'd love to dance like you when I'm older!" I can't believe it's me sometimes.

It's really inspiring in other ways for me too though, because then I'm pushing myself to be better, to be worthy of that.

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Q. The one regret you wish you could amend?

A. I actually don't think I have any right now. I'm still young, but any mistakes I've made I've learned from them.

Q. What about phobias? Do you have any?

A. I have a phobia of clusters of holes - it's called trypophobia. I could throw-up when someone shows me something like that. I hate it! I remember everyone was sharing this particular image a while back and I was thinking, "I have to stay off Facebook".

Q. The temptation you cannot resist?

A. Either dancing whenever there's music on, or talking about dancing. I have to stop myself. I say to myself: "You've talked too much about dancing today".

Q. Your number one prized possession?

A. That would have to be my little sister Scarlett. I was 16 when she came along and my parents were really busy with things that were going on with their own parents, so I took on a lot of responsibilities with her.

We're just very close and I can't imagine my life without her.

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Q. The book that's most impacted your life?

A. I have two for this. One is Mindset by Carol Dweck and the other is Commit! by Enda McNulty. Whenever I read them, about a year-and-a-half ago, I knew what my goals were for dancing, but I was kind of just doing it.

Then, I read them one after the other and they completely changed how I looked at every single day, by having a schedule, setting smart goals, trying to achieve them and maintaining a positive mindset. I really enjoyed those books, and I've read them both again since.

Q. If you had the power or the authority, what would you do?

A. Right now, I would put more money into our health service. Just with everything that is going on at the moment, I think we should reward the doctors and nurses a lot more.

I would make sure that the NHS had enough money to keep functioning.

Q. What makes your blood boil every time without fail?

A. People using their phone when they're driving. It's so irresponsible - just put your phone down.

Q. Who has most influenced you in life?

A. My mum, for sure. The main thing she instilled in me was that if there was something I wanted to do, I should just work really hard to try and get there. She's always said to me, "There's no such word as can't. You can try anything".

As well as being so motivational that way, she was also my best friend throughout it all. She made sure I was okay and happy with my dancing. I wouldn't have got anywhere in dancing without her - she's probably done more than I have to get me where I am today. She's my biggest cheerleader and we're very much a team through all of it.

Q. Your top three dinner party guests, dead or alive, and why?

A. Carol Dweck, the psychologist and author who wrote Mindset. I would love to know even more about the stuff she talks about in her book.

And Michelle Obama because I find her so interesting.

From anything I've ever watched or read about her, I've noticed that she goes about everything with kindness, consideration and respect.

Then, I thought Gordon Ramsay could do the cooking. People always expect me to say Jean Butler, but I actually already got to have a sit down with her, which was great and so lovely. I have so many other interests outside of dancing that I'd love to explore.

Q. The best piece of advice you've ever received?

A. Definitely my mum's advice to me and my siblings - there's no such word as can't.

Q. The unlikely interest or hobby that you love?

A. I love sightseeing, which I do quite often while on tour with Riverdance. Or even exploring Ireland, getting to experience new places that are on my doorstep.

One of my favourite places I went to with Riverdance was Singapore. It was very clean and the weather was amazing. I would love to go to Bali someday, but I don't think I'll get there with the show. I would love to tour with the show in Australia.

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Q. The poem that touches your heart?

A. A Poem About Alzheimer's (or Do Not Ask Me To Remember). This poem has held a special place in my heart since I was about 17 because of my nanna, Bridget Coyle. It helped me understand what she was going through.

Whenever someone has Alzheimer's, it's really confusing for the whole family involved, and that little poem just explains what's going on in their mind. Sadly, my nanna passed away about four years ago. She was my mum's mum, and I was so close to her. She was so supportive of my dancing.

Q. The happiest moment of your life?

A. Whenever my little sister Scarlett was born that was pure happiness and a relief that she was born safe too because mum was a little bit older.

Then, last year, I danced in Croke Park in front of 80,000 people for the Pope. It was one of those moments that you don't actually believe is happening. It was a dream come true without it ever being something you had ever dreamed of. I couldn't take it in.

Q. And the saddest moment of your life?

A. My two grannies passed away within a couple of months of each other. That was definitely the saddest time in my life.

Q. What event changed your life?

A. Doing the Riverdance Summer School. It really determined the course of my life. I would love to be with Riverdance for as long as I can - everyone's career is a bit different in length, but I want to dance for as long as possible. Then, I have different goals outside of that.

I was meant to study medicine at university and now I'm trying to decide if that's something I want to do.

I love the idea of TV presenting as well, so right now I'm trying to work out what I want to do after Riverdance.

Q. What's the ambition that keeps driving you onwards?

A. To always keep improving, whether it's in dancing or improving myself as a person. I recently created a YouTube channel, which was funny and really scary at the start, but I'm all for doing something every day that keeps me pushing forward.

Q. What's the philosophy you live by?

A. Do something every day that scares you. I try to go by that, and I like trying to put myself out of my comfort zone to see where that could take me.

Q. How do you want to be remembered?

A. As someone who always worked hard, was kind to everyone and was happy.

Watch Amy-Mae in True North: Born To Riverdance, which is available to stream on BBC iPlayer now
An excise official checks the stock at a liquor shop after authorities permitted the opening of liquor shops with certain restrictions in Hyderabad, Tuesday, May 5, 2020. (PTI)

Hyderabad: The state will be under a lockdown till May 29 but with several relaxations, the Cabinet decided at a meeting chaired by chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Tuesday.

This is irrespective of the decision the Centre will take regarding the national lockdown that ends on May 17. Shops including liquor outlets would be opened from Wednesday.

The chief minister while briefing the media on the Cabinet decisions at Pragathi Bhavan said, The situation in Hyderabad and its neighbouring districts, Ranga Reddy and Malkajgiri-Medchal, is very serious and there is no way we can take any chances. No relaxations will be allowed in these three districts.

He announced that the conditions announced by the Centre in its advisory will be implemented without a change in the green and orange zones covering 25 districts. Liquor shops throughout the state except those in the containment zones will be opened on Wednesday. Liquor prices would be hiked by 16 per cent on average and 13 per cent on cheap liquor.

All shops will be allowed to open from Wednesday in the rural areas and 50 per cent of shops in municipal towns. Shopkeepers in municipal areas will get to open their shops on alternate days which will be decided by a lottery system. Draws will be held on Wednesday.

Real estate and construction activity will commence and stamps and registration offices will start functioning from Wednesday. Shops selling steel, iron, hardware and electricals will also open. He said relaxations had been announced for farm-related establishments.

The chief minister said RTA offices will open to entertain applications for registration of vehicles and allied activities.

He said a high-level meeting will be held on May 15 to evaluate the relaxations given by the Centre and decide the future course of action. A decision will be taken on resuming RTC services after May 15. Autorickshaws and cab services will be allowed in green zones from Wednesday. Marriage functions will be allowed with a gathering of 20 people and funerals with 10. No religious gatherings will be allowed until May 29. He apologised to the Muslim community as the government was not able to allow congregational prayers during Ramzan, including the Id-ul-Fitr prayers.
James S. Gordon, MD, and his faculty provide trauma healing to frontline health care workers

Washington, DC, May 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- James S. Gordon, MD, the worlds authority on healing population-wide trauma, and his nonprofit Center for Mind-Body Medicine, have launched a program of psychological support and self-care for health care workers on the frontlines of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This timely initiative provides step-by-step psychological trauma-healing using the same evidence-based approach Dr. Gordon and The Center for Mind-Body Medicine have introduced at crisis points around the worldand now makes the program available immediately in an online platform.

The small eight-week-long groups, taught in real-time, meet weekly for two-hour sessions. Instructors include Dr. Gordon himself and The Center's 140-person international faculty. Some 50 groups have already begun meeting, and 100 more will be up and running within the month. Participants are from 49 states and 19 countries.

Participants learn practical, evidence-based self-care tools  various forms of non-denominational meditation, guided imagery, nutrition, and self-expression. Each group is limited to 10 participants. As they share their experience of the techniques, the communal bonds that develop among the health care workers accelerates the healing process. The program is free, although donations are accepted.

Dr. Gordon, CMBM Founder and Executive Director, a clinical professor of Psychiatry and Family Medicine at Georgetown Medical School, was Chair of the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy. A Harvard-educated psychiatrist, he is the lead author of the first-ever randomized controlled trial of any intervention with war-traumatized children. The study, which was published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, showed a greater than 85 percent decrease in symptoms of PTSD in high school students who participated for 11 weeks in a small group in which they learned the approach that Dr. Gordon describes in The Transformation: Discovering Wholeness and Healing After Trauma (HarperOne) and that is offered in CMBMs current online Mind-Body Skills Groups for health care workers. Subsequent studies have confirmed these results.

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Dr. Gordon has long served as the doctor on call when psychological trauma strikes. He and his CMBM faculty work with government and non-government partners here in the US, and overseas, to implement successful, large-scale programs to treat and prevent psychological trauma: with conflict-affected populations in the Balkans and the Middle East; in four Central Asia Republics at the request of the United States Institute of Peace; and with communities and countries devastated by natural and climate-related disasters in Haiti, Southern Louisiana, Houston, Northern California and Puerto Rico.

CMBM runs programs in the US that help to heal communities ravaged by the opioid epidemic and with indigenous tribes in South Dakota and elsewhere suffering from poverty and historic trauma. CMBM has programs at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, throughout Broward County, and at other school shooting sites. The Center also works with active duty US military and their families and is implementing a pilot project serving more than 1.5 million US Veterans across the Southeastern United States in an ongoing partnership with VISN-8, Veterans Integrated Service Network, the largest division of the Veterans Health Administration.

Dr. Gordon notes, the pandemic has generated unprecedented levels of trauma and stress for the medical community and for our entire population. The good news, he continues, is that all of us, regardless of age or education, can use the tools of self-awareness, self-care, and social support to heal the trauma and stress of the coronavirus pandemic.



###

About James S. Gordon, MD



Hailed as a "pioneer in integrative medicine" by Deepak Chopra, MD, and "amazing" by Nobel Peace laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, James S. Gordon, MD, founded The Center for Mind-Body Medicine in 1991. He has edited or authored 10 books and over 140 articles in professional journals as well as in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and The Atlantic. He has served as an expert for 60 Minutes, CNN, NPR, and other news organizations. Andrew Weil, MD, has said of Dr. Gordon's most recent book, The Transformation, "This is the book on integrative trauma treatment I've been waiting for."







About The Center for Mind-Body Medicine

The Center for Mind-Body Medicine, the worlds leader in successfully addressing population-wide psychological trauma, was founded in 1991 by James S. Gordon, MD, a former National Institute of Mental Health researcher.

Providing innovative solutions to some of the worlds most intractable and complex psychological and social problems, The Center for Mind-Body Medicines international faculty of 140 has worked with communities in over a dozen nations as well as here in the United States, training health professionals, educators, community leaders, and youth peer counselors, who in turn integrate the CMBM model into their work with millions of children and adults.

CMBM, a nonprofit based in Washington, DC, has successfully worked with population-wide trauma in communities challenged by war, poverty, mass shootings, climate-related disasters, opioid addiction, and genocide. In response to the unprecedented psychological trauma of the Covid-19 pandemic, CMBM most recently launched an innovative online program of self-care and social support for healthcare workers and those afflicted by Covid-19 that is designed to heal psychological trauma, strengthen resilience as well as relieve the symptoms of stress. For more information, please visit: https://cmbm.org/onlinegroup/.

Mary-Elizabeth Gifford

The Center for Mind-Body Medicine

202-244-330

mgifford@cmbm.org


Illinois five Republican congressmen asked Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday to seek federal emergency funds for a state pork production industry in crisis mode due to the coronavirus.

The money would go in part to pay for the safe disposal of hundreds of thousands of euthanized hog carcasses.

More than 750,000 hogs are produced a week and many have no market as restaurants and schools remain closed due to statewide closures mandated by your administration, the letter said.

Combined with temporary processing facility closures, this will result in producers euthanizing many hundreds of thousands of market-ready hogs. The financial impact of these decisions on hog producers, many of which are small, family-owned business, will be devastating for years to come.

The letter added that if not conducted properly, the disposal of so many animal carcasses presents a potential danger to public health and safety.

The letter was sent by U.S. Reps. John Shimkus of Collinsville, Rodney Davis of Taylorville, Mike Bost of Murphysboro, Darin LaHood of Peoria and Adam Kinzinger of Channahon. The other 13 members of Illinois House delegation are Democrats

The Republicans said money from Washington is available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but only if a governor makes a request. They said the funds would support a critical infrastructure industry and ensure those carcasses are disposed in a manner that protects the public health and safety, and ensures that financial assistance is provided to producers in covering disposal costs.

The governors office said that while the state and pork industry are taking steps to prepare for the need to euthanize hogs, federal resources to put plans into action are absent.

Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said the state has received no formal guidance from FEMA on potential funding. And she said the U.S. Department of Agriculture has said it doesnt have the authority to provide indemnity, financial resources or boots-on-the-ground assistance because animals are nondiseased, though the state made such a request earlier this month.

How Pritzker's plan to reopening Illinois would work

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Microsoft has just announced a lot of new hardware like the Surface Book 3, Surface Book 2 and more

The Covid-19 outbreak has brought practically every industry to a grinding halt, but as time has passed, corporations have started to move past the pandemic. Amidst the slow re-opening of global economies, Microsoft has announced a slew of new Surface hardware. For those curious, todays announcement includes a new Surface Book 3, Surface Go 2 and Surface Headphones 2 along with a few other accessories.

Microsoft Surface Book 3 Specifications

Microsofts transforming laptop is now on its third avatar. Microsoft has refreshed both the 13.5-inch and 15-inch models and unlike the Surface Book 2 which came with different generations of Intel processors, the new Surface Book 3 are all equipped with 10th generation Intel processors. Practically everything across the board has been given a roughly 50 percent bump. The display size and resolution remain the same, but other important components like RAM, storage and even the GPU have far more options available to the consumer. Buyers can now configure their Surface Book 3 with up to 32GB of LPDDR4x memory and up to 1TB of solid-state storage on the 13.5-inch model and 2TB on the 15-inch Surface Book 3. The graphics cards on both the machines have also been bumped up, with the 13.5-inch model getting capped to the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 while the larger model now can go up to Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti. Both the machines have been upgraded to Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0, and they both also come with IR camera to support Windows Hello biometric authentication.

Microsoft Surface Book 3 Price and Availability

Microsoft has revealed that the Surface Book 3 would be available in the U.S. starting May 21, but there is no word on when the franken-tablet-laptop would come to India. In terms of pricing, the Surface Book 3 13.5-inch model would start at $1599 and go all the way up to $2,699 for the top-end configuration. The Surface Book 3 price will start at $2299, going all the way up to $3399 for the highest configuration. India pricing has not yet been announced.

Microsoft Surface Go 2 Specifications

Microsoft Surface Go 2 seems to partially address the biggest criticism of the original Surface Go tablet, its display. The new Surface Go 2 comes with a 10.5-inch display just like its predecessor, but this time, the bezels are narrowed. Microsoft is offering the Surface Go 2 with two flavours of Intel processors; the Intel Pentium Gold 4425Y and the Intel Core m3-8100Y. RAM options swing between 4GB and 8GB while storage is a choice between 64GB eMMC and 128GB SSD. The Core m3 powered Surface Go 2 will come with 8GB RAM and 128GB SSD as standard.

Microsoft Surface Go 2 Price and Availability

Microsoft has announced that the Surface Go 2 will start at a price tag of $399, going all the way up to $729. Microsoft Surface Go 2 will be available in several countries around the world on May 12, with the tablet being launched in India on July 14. However, the India price has not been announced yet.

Microsoft Surface Headphones 2

Microsoft is also updating the Surface Headphones which they had announced last year. This year, the Surface Headphones two also get a new black colour variant, although thats as far as the cosmetic changes go. On the inside, Microsoft says users can expect better battery life and the headphones will charge completely in 2 hours. Surface Headphones 2 now also sport Bluetooth 5.0.

Surface Headphones 2 Price and Availability

The Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 will cost consumers $250, significantly cheaper than the original model which debuted at a hefty price tag of $350. The headphones are already up for pre-order and will start shipping May 12 in the U.S. Once again, no word on when they will be launched in India and at what price.

It is interesting that just two days ago, Microsoft had announced the availability of the Surface Pro X, Surface Pro 7 and the Surface Laptop 3 in India. The trio of devices is the newest in their respective product-lines, with Surface Book and Surface Go being the only two devices that were due for an upgrade. That upgrade has finally come today.
The NSW Department of Education has had to clarify that teachers will still be allowed to work remotely when some face-to-face teaching resumes next week, after new guidelines suggested all staff would be expected in schools from Monday.

A fact sheet emailed to school staff on Tuesday night said all teachers including casuals were expected to work on site from May 11, unless they were in an at-risk category for COVID-19.

Only staff aged over 65, those with compromised immune systems, pregnant women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged over 50 with chronic medical conditions would still be allowed to work from home, under the advice.

Education Department Deputy Secretary Murat Dizdar had to clarify expectations on Wednesday afternoon, telling staff that flexible roster arrangements still applied and some teachers could work remotely.
Customers desperate for haircuts and treatments are prepared to pay up to 200, or four times the normal price, an industry leader has said.

Incoming President of the Irish Hairdressers Federation, Danielle Kennedy, told RTEs Today with Sean ORourke programme that there had been a huge surge in demand from customers who felt they could not wait until July, when restrictions are expected to be eased on hair salons and barbers.

"It erupted even further since the announcement that we arent going to open until July 20. People just arent prepared to wait that long for a haircut," she said.

"Roughly 150 to 200 for a haircut compared to 40 to 50, so three and four times the normal price to get it done.

"Its putting salons under an awful lot of pressure because there is a fear that the owners are going to crumble and will just try and look after their clients."

The federation was proposing measures to move the reopening of salons and barbers to Phase Three of the Governments measures at the end of June, Ms Kennedy said.

"Hairdressing salons are sterile environments. We are well equipped to cope with this and we are happy to take that up a notch.

"We are all salon owners so we know what we suggest are things that will work and are practical for the industry."

Almost 5,000 people have signed a collective hair and beauty petition, made up of a number of industry bodies and supported by the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association (ISME), asking the Government for a range of supportive measures as it rebuilds.

They include financial grant payments in order to ensure liquidity of organisations; the reinstatement of statutory redundancy rebates; the reduction in Vat to 9%; and the reduction in employers PRSI contribution.

It also includes a review of the apprenticeship payment model to include a training allowance; a freeze on commercial rents and rates; and a one-month vulnerable industries wage support grant paid to employers who rehire laid-off employees.

"This would help to generate cash flow as the business enters recovery mode," the petition said.

It added: "As an industry, we fully support the HSE and Government requests for social distance. We as an industry take our social responsibility very seriously - hence the vast amount of voluntary closures nationally. The health and welfare of those in our society is our key priority.

"Thousands of salons across Ireland have already been forced to close their doors in order to meet the HSE requirements on social distancing. The hair and beauty industry employs 25,800 [people].

"2019 proved to be one of the toughest years within the industry. Labour market figures fell by 8% due to the reversal of the Vat rate, abolition of the trainee rate, and increase in national minimum wages. We say this in a time of crisis as these businesses are the backbone of Irelands towns and villages, providing essential services, and employment."

The petition was instigated by a number of groups including the Hair and Beauty Industry Confederation, Irish Hairdressers Federation and the Hairdressing Council of Ireland.
When Adama Kamara delivers her Emory College graduation speech, she will face fears  and fulfill a mothers dream.

Kamara, an anthropology and international studies double major who grew up in Lexington, Virginia, is a first generation American whose parents immigrated from Sierra Leone.

She was chosen as Emory Colleges featured speaker by faculty, students and administrators after a competitive selection process, including interviews and auditions. She will speak at the Emory College online graduation celebration to be virtually broadcast on May 11.

Facing fear

The theme of tackling fears seems prescient, with Kamara settling on the idea before the COVID-19 pandemic struck (in fact, about half of Kamaras speech came from a fall journal entry). Her speech details personal fear  her own and others  in hopes of delivering a relatable message for her classmates.

Shes adaptable, good at living in the moment and making peace with your feelings, says Naomi Tesema, a fellow 2020 graduate and STEM Pathways mentor.

I am terrified of putting myself out there and being vulnerable. The sheer fact that Im presenting is a huge milestone for me, says Kamara, who is even more nervous because the speech will be online. It invites people to be more critical and thats a little scary.

Her courage to face fear comes from her parents, who fled war-torn Sierra Leone. Before they immigrated, her mother hoped to study at Emorys highly regarded Rollins School of Public Health. The challenges of starting a new life in the United States upended those dreams. She didnt tell her daughter the story until Kamara was considering Emory for herself.

Kamaras graduation from college is especially poignant for her family and parents who left a war and gave up a lot, Kamara says. This moment gets to come full circle with my graduation. For my mother especially, I am fulfilling many of the dreams that got disrupted for her.

Kamara will use her platform to praise those who face fears for a higher purpose. She will highlight former Emory visiting professor, Isabella Alexander-Nathani 16P, a human rights activist who risked her life to share sub-Saharan migrant stories in The Burning, a film Kamara collaborated on.

She also will honor Boris Niyonzima 20C who wrote about his mental health struggles last semester in The Emory Wheel.

We are facing a collective fear of the unknown, Kamara says. Fear is inevitable, especially embarking on post-grad life. The message is that we shouldnt be shying away from it or letting it consume us, but rather lean into it and let it teach us things about ourselves and be a source of introspection.

Social justice to storytelling

When Kamara started at Emory, her focus was public health and human rights. She always loved reading and writing but rarely found that her high schools books represented her experience as a black woman until she was assigned Zora Neale Hurstons Their Eyes Were Watching God.

In an Emory literature class, she learned Hurstons writing was informed by her cultural anthropology work. That inspired Kamaras anthropology major. Her next step was getting immersed and involved.

Impressed by her work as an administrative assistant, former Emory professor Kali-Ashet Amen 14PhD recruited Kamara as a research and curatorial assistant for the James Weldon Johnson Institute for the Study of Race and Difference. There, Kamara developed digital interactive media for the Black Cosmopolitan exhibition at the Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library.

Her work ethic, her willingness to expand and learn whatever she needs to get the job done is integral to her character, says Amen, now an assistant research professor of sociology at Johns Hopkins University.

Kamaras gift of fostering relationships with sensitivity to cultural differences made her a natural fit for her next role as program assistant for the John Lewis Fellowship, a Humanity in Action educational program where international fellows explore social justice issues and Atlantas civil rights history, Amen says.

She is industrious, super communicative, always kind and fiercely stands up for her values and fellow human beings, says Humanity In Action U.S. National Director Yael Herskovits.

Those same communication skills were integral to the role that later became Kamalas legacy at Emory: editor-in-chief of BLACKSTAR*, the universitys only black student publication. Although fear led her to initially turn down the role, after one year in the position Kamara built a strong online community featuring black art and a hub that brought organizations and resources together. She more than tripled BLACKSTAR*'s contributors and increased engagement by 400 percent.

Kamara currently is working part-time as a digital media strategist with ISE-DA, an online black visual arts platform founded by Adefolakunmi Fola Adenugba 17B. After graduation, she will begin a full-time fellowship with Venture for America which will match her with a business startup. In both roles, Kamara hopes to use her storytelling skills to amplify marginalized voices and promote social advocacy in the corporate and tech worlds.

(My parents) left a civil war. They lost so much and had nothing, Kamara says. From them, Ive learned that the way we make something out of nothing, the way we preserve memories and continue the spirit of those who have passed, is through storytelling. Whatever I end up doing with my career, I want to continue this tradition by elevating black voices using the power of storytelling  its the most beautiful way to make connections between communities and across experiences.
Credit Suisse employees have been told to expect to return to offices in four phases as the Swiss bank prepares to reopen offices that have been shuttered to halt the spread of the coronavirus.

The first phase will allow a very limited number of essential staff to return to offices, and phase two will see additional employees returning in alternating groups, according to a memo from the bank's executive leadership seen by Bloomberg News. In phase three, more people will return while the split model arrangement is still in place, while phase four will allow for a full return and resumption of all services.

"We anticipate that in the first weeks and months, many of us will either continue to work from home or in split operations," the bank said in the memo.

Switzerland's second-largest bank said regional management together with crisis managers in each region will decide when to move between phases.The bank did not say when employees would begin returning to work. A bank spokesman declined to comment.

Banks across the world are telling employees to expect further weeks and months away from their desks, with many refraining from giving specific dates for reopenings. At UBS, officials are telling New York City employees not to expect a return to work until June at the earliest and possibly well into the summer. A spokesperson for UBS declined to comment on when employees in different regions can expect to return to work.

Here is what other financial firms said about returning to the office:

- Capital One, potentially setting a standard for the U.S. financial industry, plans to keep most employees working at home at least four more months as it waits for the pandemic to ebb.

- Goldman Sachs said it's carefully thinking through a gradual "return to office" framework for its people around the world. Employees in Hong Kong, mainland China, Stockholm and Tel Aviv have started gradually returning to the office, while New York and London will take longer.

- Citigroup President Jane Fraser said last month that the firm will conduct its own analysis of risks and won't necessarily reopen offices just because local authorities issue the all-clear.

- Jefferies CEO Rich Handler and President Brian Friedman said this month that employees had shown they can work efficiently at home and should have the final say on whether to return.

- Barclays CEO Jes Staley said headquarters built to house thousands of staff might be a "thing of the past" if social distancing means only two people can take an elevator at a time. Branches might work as alternative sites for investment bankers once staff are cleared to stop working from home, he said.

- London-based Standard Chartered's chairman Jose Vinals last month suggested that staff at its sprawling global operations keep staying at home. "One thing is for sure -- after this crisis is over we may have to rethink our work-from-home practices," said Vinals. "The experience so far has been rather good. It may be that going forward you don't need to have 100% of the people in the office, 100% of the time."

Around 70% to 80% of Credit Suisse employees are working remotely, while health measures are in place for staff who are still working in the bank's offices, CEO Thomas Gottstein said last month. Credit Suisse is headquartered in Zurich and also employs thousands in financial centers such as London, Hong Kong and New York.
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Amazon has promised to check temperatures and provide surgical masks for workers at its fulfillment centers and Whole Foods grocery stores starting next week, according to multiple reports.

Instacart workers have not received similar promises.

The news came in the midst of brewing turmoil among employees.

Some full-time and contract workers at Whole Foods, Amazon and Instacart walked out or called in sick on Monday and Tuesday, ramping up their fight for protection from coronavirus infection.

The UFCW (United Food and Commercial Workers) on Monday issued a statement in support of the demands of workers at Amazon, Instacart and Whole Foods.

Fourteen state attorneys general last week signed a letter to the CEOs of Amazon and Whole Foods, asking them to improve their sick leave policies.

The letter asks the CEOs to adopt a more generous paid leave policy for their employees and independent contractors in order to curb the spread of the coronavirus during the current pandemic.

It cites the CDCs interim guidance for businesses and employers, and points out that the companies COVID-19 sick leave policies are inconsistent with those recommendations. It warns that the companies are placing their other employees, their customers, and the public at large at significant risk of exposure to COVID-19.

Their narrow criteria is particularly insufficient given the realities of the public health crisis, where the lack of access to COVID-19 testing has been widely reported, and warns this would seriously undercut efforts to promote social distancing, the letter warns.

Amazon has responded to the letter and is engaged in discussions about strengthening its paid sick leave policies for employees, according to the office of Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, who wrote the letter.

Deaf Ears?

Mondays labor action had absolutely no impact to Instacarts operations, a company spokesperson said in a statement provided to the E-Commerce Times by company rep Dani Pietro. We saw 40 percent more shoppers on the platform on Monday compared to the same time and day last week.

Whole Foods Market saw no changes to overall absenteeism and we continued to operate all of our stores without interruption, a company spokesperson said in a statement provided to the E-Commerce Times by company rep Rachel Malish.

The workers have no choice but to protest, said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group, because in effect the firms are passing the risk on to them without adequate compensation.

Their only other alternative is to refuse to work, which isnt a tolerable solution for many individuals, Enderle told the E-Commerce Times.

Amazon and other firms behaving this way are unintentionally laying the groundwork for very invasive unionization, particularly when they fire organizers, he added, referring to the termination of an Amazon strike leader following an action on Monday.

Why Workers are Furious

Over the past few weeks, some staff in at least 10 Amazon warehouses in the United States have been infected by COVID-19 but the company apparently has not shut down those warehouses.

Workers at Amazons DTW5 sorting center south of Detroit reportedly learned a colleague had been infected from rumors on Facebook. A human resources staffer later confirmed the rumors in the break room.

After confronting management, they learned that five colleagues who had been in contact with the infected person had been notified.

Whole Foods employees in at least three locations  San Francisco, Huntington Beach and Chicago  have been infected.

Instacart reportedly informed a shopping team that a supermarket employee at Star Market in Auburn, Massachusetts, one of its grocery store partners, was diagnosed with COVID-19.

It reportedly offered to provide any team member feeling unsafe to work with seven to 30 days of unpaid time off on a case-by-case basis, and urged anyone who might have developed COVID-19 symptoms to contact a health provider.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Given the work conditions, many of these workers will need PPE (personal protective equipment) to keep themselves safe, as well as prevent potentially spreading COVID-19 to customers, observed Ray Wang, principal analyst at Constellation Research.

Hazard pay, which the workers are demanding, may be tough to win, he told the E-Commerce Times.

However, it makes sense to improve working conditions for safety and provide PPE, Wang added. Bring on the testing of workers and thermometer scans.

Actions Taken

The companies have responded to repeated petitions from workers for better working conditions, but the workers have deemed those efforts inadequate.

We are consulting with local and federal health authorities and medical experts how to handle building closures for deep cleaning if an employee tests positive for COVID-19, an Amazon spokesperson said in comments provided to the E-Commerce Times by company rep Alyssa Bronikowski.

Amazons evaluation process examines various issues, including where the affected employee was in a building, for how long, how long ago the employee was there, and who interacted with the employee.

Anyone in close contact with an infected person at an Amazon building will be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days with pay, in addition to unlimited unpaid time off for all hourly employees through the end of April.

Paid sick leave is new for Amazon, Wang said.

Amazon also has increased the frequency and intensity of cleaning at all sites, implemented various social distancing measures, and insisted on frequent hand washing for at least 20 seconds or use of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Instacart in the last four weeks has introduced new product features, health guidelines, shopper bonuses, sick leave policies, and safety supplies, according to a spokesperson, as well as pay for those affected by COVID-19.

Whole Foods has rolled out extensive measures to keep employees safe at work, an additional $2 per hour in pay, and increased overtime pay, according to a spokesperson. It is offering an additional two weeks of paid sick time for employees who are in quarantine or have tested positive for COVID-19.

Amazon Under NYs Microscope

Amazon fired an activist who led Mondays walkout at its New York warehouse.

That prompted New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to call for an investigation.

It also sparked condemnation by New York State Attorney-General Letitia James, who described the firing as disgraceful, pointed out that the right to organize is codified into the states law, and said her office was considering all legal options, including calling on the U.S. National Labor Relations Board to undertake an investigation.

Right now, its cheaper to replace workers than it is to protect them, Enderle said. Until it stops being cheaper to allow employees to die than to protect them, you wont get a middle ground to reach a collective decision.

Governments need to implement robust financial incentives, like requiring companies to pay adequate death benefits, if they want the situation to change, he suggested.

Companies risk huge fines, costly regulations and draconian responses to mass employee deaths in states that have substantial employee rights, Enderle cautioned, such as California and New York.
The coronavirus tracking app Aarogya Setu was secure and there was no privacy breach in it, Union IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Wednesday, rejecting charges that it was a sophisticated surveillance system that was leveraged to track citizens without their consent.

The governments assertion also came a day after French hacker and cyber security expert Elliot Alderson had claimed that a security issue has been found in the app and that privacy of 90 million Indians is at stake.

Describing the app as a prominent preventive measure in Indias fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, an official release said as per information available, close to nine crore users have downloaded it as on May 4. The mobile application is used by the government for contact tracing and disseminating medical advisories to users in order to contain the spread of Covid-19.

This is a technological invention of India -- Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, our scientists, NIC, Niti Aayog and some private (entities) -- whereby it is a perfectly accountable platform to help in the fight against Covid-19. It is safe and secure.

The data is in an encrypted form. Most importantly, it is for the safety of Indians in public interest because it cautions you in the event there is a Covid-infected person in your vicinity. Prasad told PTI.

Last week, the Centre made it mandatory for government and private sector employees to use Aarogya Setu mobile application to bolster the efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, and instructed the organisational heads to ensure 100 percent coverage. The Union Home Ministry also said the mobile app will be a must for people living in Covid-19 containment zones.

Following the governments announcement, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the app is a sophisticated surveillance system, outsourced to a private operator, with no institutional oversight, raising serious data security and privacy concerns.

Technology can help keep us safe; but fear must not be leveraged to track citizens without their consent, Gandhi had said.

Using the GPS (global positioning system), the app helps in tracking movement of Covid-19 patients within coronavirus hotspots. However, the opposition party and others have maintained that the application captures more information than necessary for the tracking purposes.

Prasad said the mobile application also helps tracing contacts in the event a person is infected. It is a very robust invention of technology and many other countries are using similar applications to fight Covid-19. And the second most important point is that the data is limited. Routine data remains for 30 days and in the event you are infected, then (for) 45 to 60 days. Then automatically it will vanish, he explained.

There is always an option to scratch the app out of the phone or uninstall it, he added. Then what is this hangama (rukus) all about? The country has understood its utility and has willingly accepted it, he said.

The Aarogya Setu app is for smart phones.For feature phones we have developed Aarogya Setu IVRS. The app is absolutely robust in terms of privacy protection and safety and security of data, he said.

According to the Union home ministry, it is mandatory for all government and private sector employees attending office to download the app.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been urging people to download the Aarogya Setu app, saying it is a fantastic use of technology to combat coronavirus.

Tracks the spread of Covid-19 and notifies you if someone around you is suffering from it. Also lists help-desk numbers of various states, he had said in a series of tweets last month.

Dismissing Aldersons claim, the government said no personal information of any user has been proven to be at risk by this ethical hacker.
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A few of Missoula's historic Northside neighborhood supporters are temporarily discouraged at the loss of a brewery taproom that served as a community hub. But, they're also hopeful that the area will be able to attract new businesses and remain vital.

Bob Oaks, the executive director of the nonprofit North Missoula Community Development Corporation, has been working for decades to build a thriving neighborhood north of the railroad tracks. He was disheartened when Kettlehouse Brewing Co. announced late last week that it was permanently closing its Northside taproom on North 1st St., although the building will still be used to brew beer.

"The Northside taproom has become an extremely important neighborhood gathering spot," he said. "It's become a treasure over the last 10 years."

Oaks said it serves as a place where Northsiders meet acquaintances and make new connections in the community. Taprooms don't have the feel of a bar or casino and are more welcoming for families, he noted. Oaks, 72, has lived in Missoula for 30 years and said the Kettlehouse taproom served as a walking-distance social networking gathering place where ideas and friendships could be formed. Coupled with the Zootown Arts Community Center's move to downtown from the Northside near the Kettlehouse, Oaks and others are dismayed those opportunities for community will be lost.

"It's a heavy hit for the Northside," he said. "It's a big deal."

Mikyla Rae Veis, who bought a house just down the street from the Kettlehouse, said the taproom has had an important connective power in the little neighborhood. Both she and Oaks said they understand the Kettlehouse's business decision. So they're focused on making sure the Northside remains attractive to similar businesses. They both wrote letters to Suzy Rizza, who owns Kettlehouse with her husband, Tim O'Leary, asking if they could brainstorm ideas.

"The Northside has permanently lost our only community gathering place," Veis said. "It is devastating to our neighborhood, in addition to being devastating to the staff who lost their jobs and to the town for losing its best brewery."

Although the Northside is close to other neighborhoods, she said "what is being lost cannot be replaced by anything south of the tracks."

"Once we cross the tracks we disperse, and our sense of neighborhood camaraderie disperses with us," she said. "I understand that the larger Missoula community still offers gathering spaces and ways for us to meet people and learn, and have good times. But this is still a big loss to me as a Northsider, and many of my neighbors, no matter how many other places remain on the other side of the tracks."

She works for the Zootown Arts Community Center, and when that nonprofit moved to downtown she said the blow was softened because the Northside taproom was still there. Now that they're both gone, she feels a sense of loss for her "micro-community."

"The Northside never had much, and now we have even less," she said.

The Northside has long been the working-class neighborhood of Missoula, and many historic pictures are housed in the Kettlehouse.

"(The taproom) is housed in an historic building and the interior is something akin to a museum of Northside artifacts and images," Veis said. "All the out-of-towners who came to the brewery got to see a glimpse of our neighborhood's past. The Northside is the oldest neighborhood in Missoula aside from the Heart of Missoula (downtown), and the railroad history is integral to how Missoula became what it is today. There is nothing drawing attention to this history now. It will be lost to many."

Rizza responded to Oaks and others by saying they appreciate the love and connection the taproom's supporters have for the Northside. She said the business hasn't been profitable for a few years, and she and her husband "will remain open minded and welcome proposals for solutions for this space."

"Because it wasnt profitable, our other two locations were paying some of its expenses. We were OK with that. It was a business decision  maybe a poor one  that we were willing to make to keep the Northside open. When the pandemic hit, it became evident that our other locations would no longer be able to subsidize Northside operations," Rizza wrote. "For the health of the entire KettleHouse, we made the difficult decision to close the Northside.

Veis made it clear that it should be a community effort to keep the Northside vibrant. She is hoping that the city will eventually follow through on the recommendations of the last two Downtown Master Plans, which suggested that the city should purchase some of the railroad yard land nearby and use it for housing and parks and businesses.

"It just keeps getting set aside, I'm sure because it's so expensive, but I think that would add a lot of vitality," she explained. "Because we could add God-knows-how-much affordable housing on that land."

On Orange Street not far from the former taproom, a new soup shop is expected to open later this year, and Pagoda Thai and Chinese Restaurant has been in operation for years.

Closer to the tracks, Oaks said he wants to see "street life" on North 1st St.

"It's such a joy to see," he said. He said his organization is going to send out surveys to find out what Northsiders want their neighborhood to become in the future. He and Vies are optimistic that the Northside will remain as tight-knit and lively as ever, they just need to get ideas going.

"We're scrappy," he said. "We'll figure out something. There's always people that are willing to work together to try to make it happen. That's the good thing about the Northside."

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Academic writing is an integral part of the educational process. Starting from school and all the way until graduation from college or university students are being assigned to complete hundreds of academic papers.

Written assignments come in all shapes and kinds. Essays, research papers, theses, dissertations - these are just a few of the most commonly assigned tasks and there are many others. These assignments can be completed on all kinds of subjects, topics, and specializations, which means avoiding them is impossible.

Assignment writing has lots of value in the academic landscape. Such assignments are given to students to test their knowledge and skills. The grades you score for such tasks often play a big role in the overall performance. However, despite this, students are normally not very fond of such assignments.

Top 9 Pros of Academic Written Assignments

Students are often struggling with such tasks. They find written assignments too time-consuming and complicated, not to mention that not everyone possesses the needed skills and knowledge to handle these tasks.

Whether you like it or not, academic writing can't be avoided. Of course, when you have no time or energy left to write a particular task, you can always turn to professionals for help. Expert writers can help writing university assignments of any complexity and ensure a high grade. However, have you ever thought that you can actually benefit from assignment writing? Here are some of the biggest advantages you can get from completing your academic tasks:

1. It Boosts Your Writing Skills

Writing is among those basic skills a person needs to master to succeed not only at school or college but also in a future career. This brings us to the first (and probably most obvious) benefit of assignment writing - it helps to boost your skills.

College writing format seen in academic papers gives you enough space for creativity, promotes clarity of expression one's thoughts, and helps hone those basic writing skills.

2. Stronger Research Skills

Whenever you are searching for some items or information in any kind of external source, you engage your research skills. Be sure that these skills will come in handy at all stages of your life and the sooner you acquire them, the better!

Assignment writing is almost all cases implies conducting in-depth research, study a particular topic, and collect lots of info. When doing this, you are boosting your research skills.

3. Better Analytical Skills

Apart from collecting info from various sources, writing college papers also requires carefully analyzing the gained data. Thus, writing such tasks also boosts your analytical skills.

4. Better Knowledge

As was already mentioned earlier, written tasks are assigned to students to test their knowledge. However, as you conduct research and delve deeper into the topic, your knowledge expands. Besides, assignment writing can also help you gain technical and practical knowledge, depending on the topic and type of task you are handling.

5. Stronger Cognitive Skills

Apart from writing, research, and analytical abilities, assignment writing also boosts one's rationality, critical-thinking, imaginative, and experimental skills.

6. Enhances the Learning Process

Academic writing is a great exercise for one's brain. When working on written assignments, you broaden your knowledge scope, boost a variety of vital skills, and also improves your memory and overall brain function, especially if you are writing by hand. Thus, it can also improve the overall learning process.

7. It Is a Great Test Prep Practice

You already know that writing down the collected information helps you memorize it better and faster, right? This basically makes academic writing one of the best ways of preparing for exams.

8. Better Organizational and Planning Skills

Pretty much any assignment format assumes lots of planning and self-organization. First of all, to get started with your assignments, you need to organize your workflow, prioritize tasks, and plan the process according to the given time frames.

9. It Boosts Your Time Management Skills

Finally, one of the biggest advantages of written assignments is that they also help enhance your time management skills. As a rule, such tasks are time-bound and require proper time management in order to complete the task with no rush and panic. Thus, writing college papers, you also learn to manage your time wisely.

The Bottom Line

As you now know, assignment writing has plenty of benefits to offer you. It helps students boost some of the most vital life skills, enhances knowledge, and gives good exercise to your brain.

Of course, coping with a huge load of written tasks is never easy. But it is an integral part of the educational process. Luckily, today assignment writing gets easier than ever. With the help of available tools, resources, gadgets, and tons of academic writing tips given by experts, mastering the art of writing is much simpler and faster. All you need is to be persistent, dedicated, and hardworking - then you will be able to nail college writing and get all the benefits mentioned above!

Author's Bio: Jeff Blaylock is a professional academic writer. Every day, Jeff faces hundreds of college students desperately seeking help with their college assignments. However, Jeff claims that writing those tasks on their own can bring plenty of benefits and, in this article, he names the most significant advantages of assignment writing.
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Former motor racing driver Rosemary Smith, who had been cocooning, takes her bike out for a spin yesterday. Photo: Gerry Mooney

Long-suffering "cocooners" will be able to enjoy their new-found freedom during specially designated hours at more than 100 parks in the Greater Dublin Area from today.

A day after the restrictions on over-70s and other vulnerable people were lifted to allow them to exercise and get fresh air, four local authorities have brought in new measures to give cocooners the space to enjoy short walks in the park without the fear of being contaminated by other park users.

A special two-hour time slot has been set aside from 1.30pm to 3.30pm each day in which the public is being asked to stay away from parks to allow the over-70s and other vulnerable people exclusive use of the parks.

Although the measure is not mandatory, the local authorities - Dublin City, Fingal, South Dublin, and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Councils - are asking the public to respect the designated time slots.

Dublin Lord Mayor Tom Brabazon said: "I welcome this new initiative by Dublin's four local authorities to give older people the long-awaited opportunity to exercise in their local park.

"I would encourage all Dubliners to allow the people that have been cocooning in their community for the last number of weeks the chance to enjoy using their park safely during this dedicated two-hour period every day."

While the lunch-hour time slot may interfere with workers or other park users who would otherwise go to the parks for walks, he said "there is never really an ideal time" that would suit everyone.

But he said it is a small price to pay for people who have effectively been prisoners in their own homes for the past two months, he told the Irish Independent.

"We're asking people to be flexible," he said. "They [cocooners] have been effectively under house arrest. It's to give people that confidence," he said, of ensuring they will be able to practise social distancing away from others.

"And for the rest of us, we've had a free run of the parks," he said, adding: "It's not a diktat, it's a request."

Aileen Hickie, chief executive of the Parentline online support line for parents, said she believes most parents will agree it is not a huge request to ask of parents with both young and older children alike who can still use the park outside those hours.

"It's two hours out of 12 hours at a minimum," she said of public park opening times.

"I think that's very little to ask of cocooners," she said.

"I think they've been exceptionally good and I think two hours out of the day is very little to ask."

As a keen jogger and walker herself, Ms Hickie said she understands the legitimate fears of older and vulnerable people whom she sees out for walks, while some younger people or young families pay little heed to social distancing.

"A lot of families are taking over footpaths with buggies and I've seen elderly people literally squeeze themselves into the bushes to avoid them," she said.
An international team of researchers has developed a new mathematical tool that could help scientists to deliver more accurate predictions of how diseases, including COVID-19, spread through towns and cities around the world.

Rebecca Morrison, an assistant professor of computer science at the University of Colorado Boulder, led the research. For years, she has run a repair shop of sorts for mathematical models -- those strings of equations and assumptions that scientists use to better understand the world around them, from the trajectory of climate change to how chemicals burn up in an explosion.

As Morrison put it, "My work starts when models start to fail."

She and her colleagues recently set their sights on a new challenge: epidemiological models. What can researchers do, in other words, when their forecasts for the spread of infectious diseases don't match reality?

In a study published today in the journal Chaos, Morrison and Brazilian mathematician Americo Cunha turned to the 2016 outbreak of the Zika virus as a test case. They report that a new kind of tool called an "embedded discrepancy operator" might be able to help scientists fix models that fall short of their goals -- effectively aligning model results with real-world data.

Morrison is quick to point out that her group's findings are specific to Zika. But the team is already trying to adapt their methods to help researchers to get ahead of a second virus, COVID-19.

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"I don't think this tool is going to solve any epidemiologic crisis on its own," Morrison said. "But I hope it will be another tool in the arsenal of epidemiologists and modelers moving forward."

When models fail

The study highlights a common issue that modelers face.

"There are very few situations where a model perfectly corresponds with reality. By definition, models are simplified from reality," Morrison said. "In some way or another, all models are wrong."

Cunha, an assistant professor at Rio de Janeiro State University, and his colleagues ran up against that very problem several years ago. They were trying to adapt a common type of disease model -- called a Susceptible, Exposed, Infected or Recovered (SEIR) model -- to recreate the Zika virus outbreak from start to finish. In 2015 and 2016, this pathogen ran rampant through Brazil and other parts of the world, causing thousands of cases of severe birth defects in infants.

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The problem: No matter what the researchers tried, their results didn't match the recorded number of Zika cases, in some cases miscalculating the number of infected people by tens of thousands.

Such a shortfall isn't uncommon, Cunha said.

"The actions you take today will affect the course of the disease," he said. "But you won't see the results of that action for a week or even a month. This feedback effect is extremely difficult to capture in a model."

Rather than abandon the project, Cunha and Morrison teamed up to see if they could fix the model. Specifically, they asked: If the model wasn't replicating real-world data, could they use that data to fashion a better model?

Enter the embedded discrepancy operator. You can picture this tool, which Morrison first developed to study the physics of combustion, as a sort of spy that sits within the guts of a model. When researchers feed data to the tool, it sees and responds to the information, then rewrites the model's underlying equations to better match reality.

"Sometimes, we don't know the correct equations to use in a model," Cunha said. "The idea behind this tool is to add a correction to our equations."

The method worked. After letting their operator do its thing, Morrison and Cunha discovered that they had nearly eliminated the gap between the model's results and public health records.

Being honest

The team isn't stopping at Zika. Morrison and Cunha are already working to deploy their same strategy to try to improve models of the coronavirus pandemic.

Morrison doubts that any disease model will ever be 100% accurate. But, she said, these tools are still invaluable for informing public health decisions -- especially if modelers are up front about what their results can or can't tell you about a disease.

"This epidemic has revealed how difficult it is to model a real system," Morrison said. "But I hope that people don't take that to mean that we shouldn't trust our scientists."
The City of Pittsburgh has asked the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court to reverse a lower court decision blocking the implementation of gun violence prevention measures enacted after the mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue, the City Law Department and Everytown Law has announced. Everytown Law is the litigation arm of Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund and is co-counsel for the City of Pittsburgh in the case.

Pittsburgh residents expect us to do what we can to make them safer, and Im proud of the steps weve taken, said Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto. Public health research is on our side, Pittsburgh residents are on our side, and the law is on our side, too. Its disappointing our efforts have had to come to this, but well continue to show the court that our measures comply with every word of state law.

"We believe city officials acted well within their authority when they passed these measures to prevent future gun violence, said Eric Tirschwell, managing director for Everytown for Gun Safety. We look forward to the Commonwealth Courts review and are hopeful the trial courts ruling will be corrected."

The ordinances blocked by the lower courts ruling include:

 A prohibition relating to the use of assault weapons and large capacity magazines;

 A local Red Flag law which provides a judicial framework for families and law enforcement officers to petition for a court-issued Extreme Risk Protection Order, which temporarily restricts a persons access to firearms when they pose a significant risk of harming themselves or others;

 A Child Access Prevention law which creates a civil penalty if a minor gains access to and uses a firearm, and the firearms custodian knew or reasonably should have known that a minor was likely to gain access to the firearm.

Everytown Law is the litigation arm of Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, and fights for the right of every American to be free from gun violence. It is the largest team of litigators in the country dedicated full-time to advocating in the courts and through the criminal and civil justice systems to advance gun safety. Learn more about Everytown Law at http://www.everytownlaw.org.
Buddha Purnima is considered to be the biggest religious festival celebrated majorly by the Buddhist community. The festival is also enjoyed by people across the entire country. Buddha Purnima will be celebrated on May 7 and according to the auspicious time, the festival will begin at 7.44 pm on May 6 and end at 4.14 pm on May 7. A number of reputed identities including President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh have created various messages greeting the Buddhist community on the occasion of Buddha Purnima. Read more about to know why do we celebrate Buddha Purnima.

Also Read | Cambodia: Locals Discover Reclining Buddha Carving On Kangva Hill

Also Read | Sri Lanka Organises Week-long Buddhist Prayers To Combat Coronavirus

Why do we celebrate Buddha Purnima?

Buddha Purnima marks the birth, enlightenment, and death of Gautama Buddha. On this specific day in 563 BC, Buddha was born in the form of Siddhartha Gautama in Kopilabostu. It is believed that Gautam Buddha attained supreme enlightenment at the age of 35 and then went into "nirvana" at the age of 80 in 483 BC. Every year on this day, devotees who have embraced Buddhism in India pay a visit to the common Viharas in order to celebrate the festival. The festival is about praying with the purest of feelings, and adapting to the things Buddhism stands for - peace, non-violence and harmony. A number of people also share quotes and messages of Buddha Purnima. We have a list of quotes and greeting to send on Buddha Purnima. Here are some Buddha Purnima quotes and greetings.

Also Read | Stranded Buddhist Monks & Tourists Return To Thailand By Chartered Plane

Buddha Purnima wishes

We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves. - Buddha

The wise ones fashioned speech with their thought, sifting it as grain is sifted through a sieve - Buddha

Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind - Buddha

Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship. -Buddha

To understand everything is to forgive everything - Buddha

An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea - Buddha

No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path. - Buddha

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. - Buddha

On the auspicious occasion of

Buddha Purnima

I wish that you may find rays

of hope & your life is enlightened by the

divine grace of Lord Buddha!

Happy Buddha Purnima!!!

May the full moon of Buddha Purnima away the darkness of ignorance, bigotry, and hatred and herald an era of contentment peace and enlightenment for the world! Heartiest Greetings on this day Happy Buddha Jayanti!!

In the burst of illumination he discovered the meaning of existence and became Lord Buddha Warm Greetings on Buddha Jayanti

May Lord Buddhas preachings for right conduct, right motive, right speech, right effort, right resolve, right livelihood, right attention and right meditation help us to eradicate evil and suffering from this world.

Also Read | COVID-19 Pandemic: Thailand Provinces Ban Alcohol Sales Ahead Of Buddhist New Year

Also Read | Coronavirus: Buddhists Monks Offer Special Prayers In Bodh Gaya For Eradication Of Virus
Kolkata, May 6 : The number of Royal Bengal Tiger in West Bengal's Sundarbans has risen to 96, up by eight, according to the latest census.

"The number of big cat in the Sundarbans region has climbed to 96 as per the 2019-20 census. As per the 2018-19 census, the number of tigers in Sundarbans was 88," Bengal Forest Minister Rajib Banerjee told IANS, here on Wednesday.

In 2017-18, the total count of Royal Bengal Tiger in Sundrabans was 87. "This year, it has taken a big leap with eight tigers. According to the video footage, all the tigers are quite healthy. We are expecting this number to touch at least 100 soon," the Minister said.

He said the Forest Department had taken various steps to increase the mangrove cover in the Sundarbans region to improve tiger habitat's condition.

"The tiger sighting, recorded on cameras installed across 4,200 sq km, of which 3,700 sq km is known as the tiger territory, has increased significantly in the time of lockdown. Earlier, our officers could spot tigers only once or twice a day. But now it has increased to 6-7 times a day due to zero movement of steamers and boats inside the creeks," Banerjee said.

The Minister said the state government had some plans for Dooars in north Bengal, but the census process was getting little delayed due to lockdown as the region shared border with Assam and an international border with Bhutan.

Spread over 4,262 sq km, the Sundarbans has mangrove cover in 2,125 sq km in India alone. A large part of the Sundarbans forest, the world's largest mangrove reserve and one of the most unique ecosystems in South Asia recognised as UNESCO World Heritage site, lies in Bangladesh.

It's a part of the world's largest riverine delta, formed by Ganga, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers. The whole tract of forest reaches about 100-130 km inland from the confluence.
In a video conferencing, senior BJP leaders ask their party leaders, no to encourage migrant labours to leave places they work in as it can severely impact the economy.

As senior BJP leaders engage with their party leaders via video conferencing on matters of urgency in their respective constituencies, issue of migrant labourers wanting to leave for their villages dominates these discussions. According to sources, there is a major concern about workers returning to their villages and party wants its leadership not to encourage workers to leave cities they work in.

It can have severe consequences on the economy. The government is opening sectors in the economy in a graded manner. There is also a fear that these workers might not return soon causing a dearth of labour in urban and industrial belts, said a source in the party.

Top BJP leadership wants its leaders to discourage the mass movement of migrant labourers towards villages. Though state leadership was of the view that migrant workers and students stranded in various parts of the country should be allowed to go to their native states.

#WATCH West Bengal: Disinfectant was sprayed on ppl at Dankuni railway station who arrived in Hooghly y'day from Ajmer(Rajasthan) by 'Shramik Special Train.' The train carrying around 1100 ppl, mainly migrant workers, had arrived in Hooghly yesterday. #CoronavirusLockdown (05.05) pic.twitter.com/i35WHzNoBW  ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2020

A senior leader of BJP said that while the central party leadership heard the state leadership patiently, it has been communicated to them to not encourage labourers to move out from their workplaces.

There are two reasons for suggesting to not promote the sentiments of migration to villages. First is related to the economy. It is understood that those workers going to villages will not return to cities their workplaces for several months. This will not be good for the economy.

#WATCH Maharashtra: A 'shramik special train' carrying around 1200 people, mainly migrant workers, left from Kalyan yesterday for Darbhanga in Bihar. #CoronavirusLockdown pic.twitter.com/lrVxs6F4su  ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2020

Secondly, such mass movement also underlines the looming fear of COVID-19 spread in rural areas despite taking care of social distancing, added the source. The Ministry of Home Affairs on May 1 had issued an order to extend the ongoing lockdown by two more weeks from May 4 with some relaxations.

Maharashtra: Scores of migrant workers were seen in long queues outside private medical clinics today in Dombivli city of Thane, to get medical certificates in order to obtain transit passes to return to their native places amid #COVID19 lockdown. pic.twitter.com/MtgZx9PIMb  ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2020

The MHA had also allowed the movement of migrant workers, tourists, students and other persons stranded at different places by special trains. The Ministry of Railways has been running Shramik special trains, to ensure smooth movement of migrant labourers and others to their respective native places.

Punjab: A Shramik special train, carrying around 1200 people, left from Jalandhar last night for Uttar Pradesh, last night amid #CoronavirusLockdown. pic.twitter.com/d94vacB7GD  ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2020

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[May 06, 2020] Simplicity Esports and Gaming Company's Subsidiary Flamengo Esports is Playing in its Fourth Consecutive Finals of League Legends CBLoL in Brazil

Boca Raton, Florida, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Simplicity Esports and Gaming Company ( OTCQB:WINR ) (Simplicity Esports), an owner and manager of multiple esports teams, host of online tournaments and franchisor of esports gaming centers, announced today that Flamengo Esports, its 90%-owned subsidiary, has once again made it to the Finals of the Campeonato Brasileiro de League of Legends (CBLoL Brazil). Flamengo Esports will defend its title as reigning champions at the Finals, which can be watched via live stream on the RiotGamesBrazil Twitch channel starting at noon, Eastern standard time, on Saturday, May 9th.

Jed Kaplan, CEO of Simplicity Esports, stated, First, I want to congratulate our incredible players and staff for staying focused on training and winning, despite the challenges thrown at them because of COVID-19. They played great last week in the Semi-Finals, sweeping their opponent three ames to none and they have our full support this weekend in the Finals. I would also like to thank our loyal fans who continue to be a source of support and inspiration for us.



About Simplicity Esports and Gaming Company: Simplicity Esports and Gaming Company (WINR) is an established brand within the esports industry, competing and streaming in popular games across different genres, including Apex Legends, PUBG Mobile, Overwatch, League of Legends, and various EA Sports titles. Additionally, Simplicity Esports operates as a franchisor of Esports Gaming Centers that provide the public an opportunity to experience and enjoy gaming and esports in a social setting, regardless of skill or experience.

Apex Legends, PUBG Mobile, Overwatch, League of Legends, Fortnite and EA Sports are registered trademarks of their respective owners. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond Simplicity Esports control, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of Simplicity Esports Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on August 29, 2019, as amended or updated from time to time. Copies of Simplicity Esports filings with the SEC are available on the SECs website at www.sec.gov. Simplicity Esports undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law. Simplicity Esports Contact:

Roman Franklin

President

[email protected]

561-819-8586

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
A n NHS worker was fatally stabbed outside his home while on the phone to his girlfriend, a court has been told.

Two teenagers are accused of murder after David Gomoh, 24, was allegedly chased and knifed eight times in Newham, east London, on April 26.

The marketing graduate, who worked for the NHS in supplies and procurement, was on the phone to his girlfriend on the way to go shopping when he was attacked, it is said.

Mr Gomoh, whose mother is a nurse, was killed just days before he was due to attend the funeral of his father, who died after contracting Covid-19.

A post-mortem examination found Mr Gomoh died of stab wounds to the chest and abdomen.

Muhammad Jalloh, 18, of no fixed address, and a 16 year-old boy, of Telford, Shropshire, were charged with his murder.

They were also accused of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm with intent in connection with another alleged incident shortly before Mr Gomoh was found with knife wounds in Freemasons Road.

On Wednesday, the teenagers appeared at the Old Bailey by video link from custody and spoke to confirm their identities.

During the virtual hearing via Skype, Judge Anthony Leonard QC set a plea hearing for July 22 and remanded the defendants into custody.

The 16-year-old defendant cannot be identified because of his age.
President Trump on Wednesday vetoed a war powers resolution that would have curbed his ability to direct military action against Iran without Congress' authorization.

Why it matters: The bipartisan measure came after Trump ordered a strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani in January, bringing the two nations to the brink of war.

The Senate passed the resolution 55 - 45 in February. Eight Republican senators  Mike Lee (R-Utah), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine)  joined Democrats in voting for the resolution.

45 in February. Eight Republican senators  Mike Lee (R-Utah), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine)  joined Democrats in voting for the resolution. The House passed the resolution 227-186 in March. It's unlikely that either chamber will have the two-thirds majority necessary to override Trump's veto.

What he's saying:

"Today, I vetoed S.J. Res. 68, which purported to direct me to terminate the use of United States Armed Forces in hostilities against Iran. This was a very insulting resolution, introduced by Democrats as part of a strategy to win an election on November 3 by dividing the Republican Party. The few Republicans who voted for it played right into their hands.

In addition, S.J. Res. 68 is based on misunderstandings of facts and law. Contrary to the resolution, the United States is not engaged in the use of force against Iran. Four months ago, I took decisive action to eliminate Qassem Soleimani while he was in Iraq. Iran responded by launching a series of missiles at our forces stationed in Iraq. No one was killed by these attacks. Further, the strike against Soleimani was fully authorized by law, including by the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 and Article II of the Constitution.

Finally, S.J. Res. 68 would have greatly harmed the Presidents ability to protect the United States, its allies, and its partners. The resolution implies that the Presidents constitutional authority to use military force is limited to defense of the United States and its forces against imminent attack. That is incorrect. We live in a hostile world of evolving threats, and the Constitution recognizes that the President must be able to anticipate our adversaries next moves and take swift and decisive action in response. Thats what I did!

Congress should not have passed this resolution. "


Aviation is a confidence trick. The very idea that a mammoth machine can transport more than 500 people many thousands of miles relying on a principle of fluid dynamics established by the 18th-century Swiss mathematician, Daniel Bernoulli, seems absurd. Yet even in this worst of years, hundreds of millions of people will fly safely to pursue adventures to the ends of the world, meet the loves of their lives or, more mundanely, do some auditing in Augsburg.

The announcement by Virgin Atlantic of 3,150 job losses  almost one third of its staff  marks the bitterest moment in the history of the airline that Richard Branson founded in 1984. A similar proportion of employees at British Airways face redundancy.

Thousands more jobs will go among airport staff working at Gatwick, which Virgin Atlantic is abandoning and BA may leave.

Coronavirus is destroying jobs and dreams.

For people who have devoted themselves to the industry of human happiness, this is unbearable news  and part of a worldwide pattern.

The celebrated American investor, Warren Buffett, he believes the world has been changed permanently by Covid-19. He has lost so much confidence in aviation that he has just sold his entire holdings in the four biggest US airlines.

Yet even as the bleakest midsummer for decades approaches, there are some fragments of confidence amid the misery.

Evidently both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic see light at the end of the lockdown tunnel, and believe that they will still have plausible businesses when passengers collectively start booking again at scale.

And while Virgin Atlantic was revealing the deepest cuts in its history and the closure of its original base, a budget airline was announcing six new short-haul routes from Luton airport.

Wizz Air, based in Hungary, will begin with a link to Faro in Portugal on 16 June. New routes to four Greek islands will follow, with maiden flights on the first four days of July: in date order, to Zakynthos, Heraklion in Crete, Corfu and Rhodes. A Marrakech service will follow in late October.

Although travel is currently restricted by government regulations, we are planning for the easing of restrictions as the situation improves and our customers are able to start travelling again, said Owain Jones, managing director of Wizz Air UK.

Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Show all 11 1 /11 Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Ben Gurion International airport, Israel Reuters Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Daxing International Airport, Beijing AFP via Getty Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Taoyuan International Airport, Taiwan EPA Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Noi Bai International Airport, Vietnam AFP via Getty Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Haneda Airport, Tokyo Reuters Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Changsha Huanghua International Airport, China Reuters Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Shanghai Pudong Airport in Shanghai, China EPA Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Daxing International Airport, Beijing AFP via Getty Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Haneda Airport, Tokyo Reuters Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Shanghai Pudong Airport in Shanghai, China EPA Airports empty as Coronavirus affects aviation industry Noi Bai International Airport, Vietnam AFP via Getty

Warren Buffett famously urged: Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful. Wizz Air is evidently taking the latter part of that advice, despite the reservations of the Sage of Omaha.

But to secure reservations for those new flights, Wizz Air has to instil confidence in travellers that they will be able to fly with minimum risk of contracting coronavirus.

As it becomes ever clearer that commercial aviation and social distancing are mutually exclusive, airlines, airports and a good few politicians are pressing for a range of internationally agreed measures to bestow confidence among passengers. The common denominators: temperature checks at the departure airport and everyone wearing face coverings during the boarding process and on board.

The medical evidence for both these precautions is, to put it politely, flaky. Travellers and aviation staff can make a far bigger difference by washing their hands assiduously and staying well away from people and planes if they feel remotely symptomatic.

But if some amateur medical dramatics are necessary to get the world flying again, I judge the policy worthwhile.
The home of an innocent woman related to a man who has pleaded guilty to firearms charges associated with the Coolock feud was burnt down just hours after he was charged with the offences in court.

Jake Kearney, of Coolock Drive, Dublin 17, admitted the unlawful possession of a Grand Power semi-automatic pistol in Oscar Traynor Road, Santry, on October 30, 2019, at the Special Criminal Court yesterday.

He will be sentenced on June 29 and the court heard that his guilty plea was "without prejudice" to a charge that he possessed eight rounds of 9mm ammunition on the same date.

The Herald can reveal that the home of Kearney's female relative was burnt to the ground in an arson attack on the same day that he was originally charged with the offences.

Revenge

"This woman has no involvement in crime but her home was torched in a revenge attack because Kearney had decided to get himself involved in a feud which led to five murders last year," a source said last night.

"There have been a number of arson attacks linked to this feud and one of the suspects for the attack on that woman's home was the victim of an arson attack himself last week as part of a separate dispute."

Gardai believe they foiled a gangland hit when they arrested Kearney and one of his associates in a taxi being driven by a man who had no knowledge of who was in his cab.

Detectives believe Kearney was working for the so-called 'Little' faction which has been involved in multiple revenge plots since drug dealer Sean Little (22) was lured to his gun death near Balbriggan on May 21 last year.

Little's father Stephen Little (46) and a 55-year-old man are due to go on trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court in July for having a handgun with intent to endanger life in relation to a separate alleged feud-related incident which happened in Harmonstown last September.

Kearney was busted after a major surveillance operation by the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (DOCB) which has arrested a number of the leading players in the Coolock feud, which has eased off recently, with many of the protagonists either locked up or dead.

However, the activities of a crazed 33-year-old criminal who constantly takes to social media to post bizarre and sinister threats against his enemies continue to be a cause of concern.

Associates of this man are suspected of being behind the arson attack on the woman related to Kearney last November.

However, a property the 33-year-old owns was targeted on Adare Road, Coolock, last Thursday night when a car was set on fire outside it. The property is occupied by an innocent family who rent it.

Afterwards the criminal again made wild threats on social media.

"Every gaff is going down tonight. Clonshaugh, Bunratty, Donaghmede, the whole lot of them will get burnt tonight. Every f**king one of them, watch my words," he screamed in a widely circulated video.

Threats

In January, the Herald revealed that he posted threats on social media against one of his many enemies just hours after being released from garda custody, where he and a 31-year-old gang boss had been quizzed about a botched double shooting in Swords.

The 33-year-old and the mob boss have twice been released without charge after being arrested for serious firearms offences.

On July 30, detectives from the DOCB seized a pistol and a revolver during an intelligence operation in Coolock which they believe led to a gangland murder being prevented.

Both men were quizzed for a number of hours before being released without charge.

However, the 33-year-old is facing separate serious drugs charges after being arrested in February by armed officers.
Technavio has been monitoring the food packaging machinery market and it is poised to grow by USD 4.05 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of over 4% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005069/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Food Packaging Machinery Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Latest Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. Coesia Spa, GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft, Graphic Packaging Holding Co., Illinois Tool Works Inc., Ishida Co. Ltd., John Bean Technologies Corp., KRONES AG, MULTIVAC Sepp Haggenmuller SE Co. KG, Syntegon Technology GmbH, and Tetra Laval International SA are some of the major market participants. The increased demand for food packaging 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.

Increased demand for food packaging has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Food Packaging Machinery Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

Food Packaging Machinery Market is segmented as below:

Type FFS Labeling and Coding Wrapping and Bundling Others

Geography APAC Europe North America South America MEA



To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43265

Food Packaging Machinery Market 2020-2024: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our food packaging machinery market report covers the following areas:

Food Packaging Machinery Market Size

Food Packaging Machinery Market Trends

Food Packaging Machinery Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies increased demand for smart packaging as one of the prime reasons driving the food packaging machinery market growth during the next few years.

Food Packaging Machinery Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the food packaging machinery market, including some of the vendors such as Coesia Spa, GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft, Graphic Packaging Holding Co., Illinois Tool Works Inc., Ishida Co. Ltd., John Bean Technologies Corp., KRONES AG, MULTIVAC Sepp Haggenmuller SE Co. KG, Syntegon Technology GmbH, and Tetra Laval International SA. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the food packaging machinery market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

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Food Packaging Machinery Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist food packaging machinery market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the food packaging machinery market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the food packaging machinery market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of food packaging machinery market vendors

Table Of Contents:

Executive Summary

Market Overview

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2019

Market outlook: Forecast for 2019 2024

Five Forces Analysis

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Type

Market segments

Comparison by Type

FFS Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Labeling and coding Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Wrapping and bundling Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Others Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by Type

Customer landscape

Overview

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024

North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Overview

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

Coesia Spa

GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft

Graphic Packaging Holding Co.

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Ishida Co. Ltd.

John Bean Technologies Corp.

KRONES AG

MULTIVAC Sepp Haggenmuller SE Co. KG

Syntegon Technology GmbH

Tetra Laval International SA

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005069/en/

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Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media Marketing Executive

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UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: media@technavio.com

Website: www.technavio.com/
Maharashtra BJP president



Chandrakant Patil on Wednesday said Pune and Mumbai are COVID- 19 hotspots, where liquor shops should not be allowed to remain open during the lockdown.

He said social distancing norms were not followed when people gathered outside liquor shops when they opened on Monday following relaxations in lockdown rules.

Patil said earning revenue from alcohol sale should not be the driving force behind opening liquor outlets during the lockdown.

"Allowing the sale of liquor during the lockdown in Pune and other districts in the state is dangerous and it should be stopped," said Patil while talking to reporters here.

The former minister there are two reasons why liquor outlets should not be allowed to operate during the lockdown which has been imposed to halt the spread of coronavirus.

When permission to open liquor shops was given, long queues were observed outside them with no compliance to social distancing norms, Patil said.

Secondly, it involves issues at the domestic level, the BJP leader said.

"Keep aside the revenue angle and think about social problems that will surface due to the decision," said the MLA from Kothrud in Pune.

He said liquor does not come under the "essential commodity" category, and Pune and Mumbai have been declared hotspots for COVID-19, where liquor shops should not be allowed to remain open.

On Tuesday night, the Mumbai civic body withdrew permission given to liquor shops to operate during the lockdown.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Representatives of trade union organisations on Wednesday held a meeting with Union labour minister Santosh Gangwar via video conferencing and appealed against the use of coercion to stop migrants workers from returning to their homes, sought more trains for them to do so amid the Covid-19 crisis and incentives for their return to their host states.

They [workers] should be provided incentives to return to host states such as cash, electronic passes, free train tickets etc. You cannot hold them captive, said CK Saji Narayanan, the head of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sanghs labour wing, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh.

Narayanans comments came a day after Karnataka withdrew a request sent to the Railways to provide trains to ferry migrants from the state back to their homes towns. The development came after representatives from the construction industry met chief minister BS Yediyurappa and expressed concerns about labour shortage if the migrants went back. Over 50,000 people had registered to go back to Bihar alone.

The Centre has made an exception for the stranded people and allowed them to travel even as inter-state borders remain closed as part of the national lockdown.

At the meeting with Gangwar, the BMS opposed the extension of working hours at factories in several states, saying it violated International Labour Organization conventions and labour laws. Many are fleeing due to lack of proper treatment. Industrial associations, trade unions, government officials and local elected representatives should collectively undertake a campaign to retain labour at the workplaces..., Narayanan said. He urged the ministry to ask states to stop pay cuts, and frame regulations and guidelines on automation, robotics etc.

The All India Trade Union Congress demanded sufficient trains for workers to return to their home states and improvement in ration distribution. We asked for the implementation of the ministrys own advisories in regard to payment of wages, no retrenchment..., AITUC general secretary Amarjeet Kaur said in a statement after the meeting.

As per a statement issued by the ministry, Gangwar pointed out that there is a need to find solutions to the challenges for workers. He asked the Central Trade Union Organizations to suggest measures .

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Gunfire erupted in an Ensley neighborhood Tuesday sending two teens to the hospital.

The shooting happened shortly after 5 p.m. in the 1000 block of 43rd Street in Ensley. According to Birmingham police, the two juvenile males were driving in a white sedan on 43rd Street when another vehicle approached them and opened fire.

One of the victims was shot in the back and the other in the arm, police believe. Shell casings are scattered throughout a block area.

Both victims were transported to the hospital. It wasnt immediately clear whether they were taken to Childrens of Alabama or UAB Hospital. Their conditions werent known.

Police are currently searching for the shooter or shooters. This story will be updated if more information becomes available.
[May 06, 2020] Ultimate Software Releases UltiPro Giving for Workplace Charitable Giving Campaigns

Ultimate Software, a leading global provider of human capital management (HCM) and employee experience solutions in the cloud, announced today the release of UltiPro Giving, a convenient, easy-to-use solution that empowers organizations and their employees to make a philanthropic difference at the local, national, and international levels. Available to all UltiPro customers at no additional charge, UltiPro Giving enables organizations to facilitate and promote charitable giving, enabling both formal campaigns and one-off donations through automatic deductions from employees' pay. With UltiPro Giving, charitable giving becomes a more efficient process, completed in a few clicks. HR administrators can easily create, schedule, and distribute campaigns to their employees via UltiPro and the UltiPro mobile app, empowering employees to "Click. Give. Change the World." "Giving to our communities has always been core to Ultimate's 'People First' culture, and we couldn't think of a better way to pay it forward to our customers than to provide a free solution that makes supporting charitable causes easier than ever," said John Machado, chief technology officer at Ultimate. "People are increasingly seeking out employers that share their values and lead with a sense of corporate social responsibility. UltiPro Giving allows organizations to extend their community impact exponentially, while strengthening employee engagement-a crucial element of business success." Through UltiPro Giving, employees can view available charitable-giving campaigns, select the cause they want to support, and choose how much they want to donate from their paychecks on a one-time or recurring basis. Employees can see the deductions in their paychecks and access detailed summaries of all giving campaigns to which they've donated. "The UltiPro Giving app is a real game-changer for our people and for our organization," said Gregg Paulk, chief information officer at Anderson Center for Autism, a non-profit organization and Ultimate customer. "It's going to make it that much easier for our employees to be able to donate to the issues they care about. What's even better is that Ultimate, through its corporate philosophy of philanthropy, is providing this solution at no additional charge: a benefit for communities everywhere." HR professionals can create new campaigns and configure the information within them, including details about the causes an why they're important to support. When employees opt to donate, the deduction gets automatically processed in the selected payroll cycle-no additional steps required. The organization can then download a report containing all employee contributions and donate the funds accordingly.



Administrators can also use UltiPro Giving's intuitive dashboard to quickly access and manage campaign details. The dashboard provides a comprehensive overview of amounts raised across all campaigns, with the ability to track employee-participation levels and make updates to specific donations, as needed. UltiPro Giving was inspired by Ultimate's own longstanding tradition of employee-led philanthropy. Before developing UltiPro Giving for widescale customer release, Ultimate employees built a similar in-house solution to facilitate internal philanthropic campaigns. To date, Ultimate employees have raised more than $2.5 million through the internal giving platform in support of several non-profit organizations and charitable causes, including donating more than $250,000 towards Covid-19 relief last month and over $1 million to the American Red Cross' disaster-relief efforts over the past few years.

To learn more, view Ultimate's UltiPro Giving interactive demo. About Ultimate Software Ultimate Software is a leading global provider of cloud human capital management (HCM) and employee experience solutions, with more than 51 million people records in the cloud. Ultimate's award-winning UltiPro delivers HR, payroll, talent, and time and labor management, as well as HR service delivery solutions. Founded in 1990, Ultimate is headquartered in Weston, Florida, and employs more than 6,000 professionals. Ultimate merged with Kronos (News - Alert) Incorporated on April 1, 2020, to create one of the world's most innovative HCM and workforce management companies in the world. To learn more, visit www.ultimatesoftware.com. Ultimate Software: People First. About Kronos Incorporated Kronos is a leading provider of workforce management and human capital management (HCM) cloud solutions. Kronos industry-centric workforce applications are purpose-built for businesses, healthcare providers, educational institutions, and government agencies of all sizes. Tens of thousands of organizations-including half of the Fortune 1000-and more than 40 million people in over 100 countries use Kronos every day. Kronos merged with Ultimate Software on April 1, 2020, to create one of the world's most innovative HCM and workforce management companies in the world. To learn more, visit www.kronos.com. Kronos: Workforce Innovation That Works. UltiPro is a registered trademark of The Ultimate Software Group, Inc. All other trademarks referenced are the property of their respective owners. Follow Ultimate Software on Twitter (News - Alert): www.twitter.com/UltimateHCM and on LinkedIn (News - Alert): https://ulti.pro/LinkedIn View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005540/en/

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Capital markets regulator Sebi has directed eight entities to make an open offer to shareholders of Kanchan International Ltd. The market regulator also directed the entities to pay 10 per cent interest along with the offer price to shareholders who were holding shares at the time when the company violated the Sebi norms.

The entities have been asked to make the open offer within 45 days from the date when the coronavirus-induced lockdown would be lifted. The order would come into forceon May 18, 2020or at the end of the lockdown period, if the lockdown is further extended ...
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Euro Manganese Inc. (TSX-V / ASX: EMN) (the "Company" or "EMN") is pleased to announce that, following the approval by 100% of the shareholders who voted at a special meeting held on May 1, 2020, it has closed the second tranche of the non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") announced on March 24, 2020.

The second tranche of the Offering (the "Related Parties Tranche") was comprised of subscriptions by related parties of the Company (consisting of directors of the Company and companies controlled by directors of the Company) of 4,261,142 common shares ("Shares") at a price of $0.11 per Share and 174,615 CHESS Depositary Interests ("CDIs", with each CDI representing one Share) at a price of AUD$0.13 per CDI for aggregate gross proceeds of $487,780. The Related Parties Tranche was subject to approval by the Company's shareholders as required by Listing Rule 10.11.5 of the Australian Securities Exchange ("ASX").

Aggregate gross proceeds under the Offering were approximately $1,005,300. Net proceeds of the Offering will be used by the Company to further advance its Chvaletice Manganese Project in the Czech Republic, including advancing the feasibility study and preparation of the Environmental Impact Assessment submission, and for other general corporate purposes. Fees payable by the Company in connection with the Offering are a management fee, payable in cash, of 1% of the aggregate gross proceeds from the Offering. Shares issued pursuant to the Related Parties Tranche of the Offering are subject to a four month and one day statutory hold period expiring on September 7, 2020.

The Shares and CDIs issued under the Offering have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to U.S. Persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration. This press release is not an offer or a solicitation of an offer of securities for sale in the United States, nor will there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Euro Manganese:

Euro Manganese Inc. is a Canadian mineral resource company focused on the development of the Chvaletice Manganese Project in the Czech Republic. The Project will recycle historic mine tailings that host Europe's largest manganese deposit and result in an environmental remediation of this site. The European Union is emerging as a major electric vehicle manufacturing hub. EMN's goal is to become the preferred supplier of sustainably-produced ultra-high-purity manganese products for the lithium-ion battery industry and for producers of specialty steel, high-technology chemicals and aluminum alloys.

Authorized for release by the CEO of Euro Manganese Inc.

Contact:

Euro Manganese Inc. Marco A. Romero

President & CEO

(604)-681-1010 ext. 101

Fausto Taddei

Vice President, Corporate Development

& Corporate Secretary

(604)-681-1010 ext. 105 E-mail: info@mn25.ca (mailto:info@mn25.ca)

Website: www.mn25.ca (http://www.mn25.ca/)

Company Address:

1500 - 1040 West Georgia Street,

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6E 4H8

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this news release constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, its projects, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "expect", "believe", "plan", "anticipate", "estimate", "scheduled", "forecast", "predict" and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Such forward-looking information or statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds of the Offering.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. Forward-looking statements and information involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indicators of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements or information, including, but not limited to, the factors discussed under "Risks Notice" and elsewhere in the Company's MD&A, as well as the inability to obtain regulatory approvals in a timely manner; the potential for unknown or unexpected events to cause contractual conditions to not be satisfied; unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; the failure of parties to contracts with the Company to perform as agreed; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; and the failure of exploration programs or studies to deliver anticipated results or results that would justify and support continued exploration, studies, development or operations.

Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of the factors set forth in the "Risks Notice" section and elsewhere in the Company's MD&A for the year ended September 30, 2019 and its Annual Information Form.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange), or the ASX accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper has said the Taliban is not living up to its commitments as militant violence is increasingly threatening a fragile deal signed with Washington this year.



After extended talks in Qatar, the Taliban and the United States signed an agreement on February 29 for reduced violence and a move toward talks with the Afghan government aimed at ending the 18-year conflict, but attacks by the militants have increased since then.



"I don't think they are," Esper told reporters on May 5 when asked if the Taliban were living up to their commitment.



Esper said he believed the Afghan government was also not living up to its commitment.



The Afghan government was not part of an agreement between the United States and the Taliban, but the deal called for Kabul to release 5,000 Taliban fighters as a confidence-building measure ahead of intra-Afghan talks.



Esper said the Afghan government and the Taliban "both need to come together and make progress on the terms that [are] laid out."



Progress on advancing to discussions between the Taliban and the Afghan government has been delayed, partially by the political feud between President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, who both claim to be Afghanistan's rightful leader following September's disputed election.

The Taliban has stepped up violence, with an increasing number of attacks in the 45 days since signing the deal, which paves the way for a U.S. troop drawdown.



The United States is continuing its drawdown of forces in Afghanistan, which are expected to reach about 8,600 troops this summer.



The violence in the war-damaged nation has coincided with the rapid spread of the coronavirus.



A recent report from the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction warned that the spread of COVID-19 could derail the stalled peace efforts.



Afghanistan has registered 2,704 coronavirus infections and 85 fatalities, but there are fears the actual number could be much higher.



On May 4, the Taliban called on the Afghan government to speed up the release of prisoners amid the rapidly spreading outbreak.



"In the last 3 days, our 300 prisoners were released from the Kbl Adm. [Kabul administration] prisons which we welcome," Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen tweeted.



"However, it is not enough -- the process should be expedited so the prisoners be saved from the Coronavirus and the way be paved for an earliest inception of intra-Afghan negotiations," Shaheen wrote.



The Afghan government so far has released about 750 Taliban inmates from jails, according to the Office of National Security Council (ONSC).



The agreement also provides for the militants to release 1,000 Afghan security force members.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and tolonews.com
Denny's Corp., the publicly traded restaurant chain based in Spartanburg, says more than half of its 1,491 franchise locations throughout the country obtained federal emergency loans being offered to help small businesses survive the coronavirus pandemic.

The loans are part of the Paycheck Protection Program, a $659 billion piece of emergency financing that is being administered by the Small Business Administration.

Denny's informed investors Monday of the widespread use of the new loans at its U.S. locations, but it did not disclose how much those loans were worth in total.

"Each of our franchises is independently owned and operated and we do not disclose financial information regarding their operations past the business updates which can be found on our website or through our SEC announcements," said Josiah Adams, a spokesman for the company.

The company suggested even more of its operators could soon cash in on the federally backed loans.

"Dennys franchisees are pursuing available forms of relief under recent federal stimulus programs, and franchisees representing just over half of total domestic franchise restaurants have received funding under the Paycheck Protection Program with additional approvals and funding pending," the company said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Denny's, which was valued at $1.4 billion in early February and $521 million as of Tuesday, also informed investors that its earnings are likely to take a severe hit in 2020.

The company, which is known for its Grand Slam breakfast menu, has already seen its stock price plummet from $22 per share in February to roughly $9.60 on Tuesday. That drop wasn't helped by the company's announcement on Monday that sales at Denny's restaurants in April were down 76 percent compared to the year before.

"The COVID-19 pandemic and various related government mandates restricting dine-in restaurant service have continued to disrupt domestic and international operations for Dennys Corporation and its franchisees," the company reported.

Denny's has tried to help franchisees in its own way by delaying remodeling costs the corporation requires at its restaurant locations. It also secured rent deferrals and temporarily stopped collecting its royalty and advertising fees from its franchisees, according to its SEC filing.

But the Paycheck Protection Program is still being relied on heavily by Denny's franchisees.

The emergency loans are a hot commodity for many businesses right now because of the terms of the financing. Companies and nonprofits that are eligible can have the loans completely forgiven by the federal government if they use the money to cover payroll costs for at least eight weeks.

That's why small businesses and large publicly traded companies rushed in early April to grab a piece of the emergency financing. The initial $349 billion that was appropriated ran out quickly, forcing Congress to pump another $310 billion into the program last month.

The amount on each individual loan is capped at $10 million, but the program allows large franchises and chains to qualify for multiple loans for each of their business locations.

Denny's franchisees are some of the beneficiaries of that rule. They can tap into the loans based on how many employees they have at each location.

According to Denny's annual financial report from 2019, 85 percent of the company's franchisees own 10 or fewer restaurants. The company's 35 largest franchisees run a combined 1,050 dining locations.

"Most of our franchises are small, locally owned businesses that have felt the economic burden this crisis has caused, like so many others," Adams said. "This financial assistance is crucial to their survival and their ability to protect local jobs, and we fully support their individual decisions to apply for and secure economic aid during this time."

It could be another week before investors and the public can get a full picture of how much Denny's and its franchisees are benefiting from the emergency loans.

The corporation plans to release its financial results from the first three months of the year on May 14.
The Israel Defense Forces reported early in the morning of May 6 that a rocket had been fired from Gaza into Israel and landed in an open area. No injuries were indicated. In response, IDF tanks shelled three Hamas positions in the northern Gaza Strip. The rocket fire came after 40 days of relative calm on the Gaza-Israel border, with both sides preoccupied with battling the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The virus has also opened a window of opportunity for advancing a prisoner-exchange deal. On April 2, Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar indicated that his group is ready to make some concessions in exchange for what he called a "humanitarian gesture" by Israel of releasing elderly, young and female prisoners. Palestinian officials expressed concerns for the health of Hamas prisoners held in Israeli jails during the pandemic, and they clarified that Hamas needs Israels medical assistance in combatting the virus and preventing a large outbreak in Gaza. The "concessions" Sinwar was referring to relate to two Israeli nationals and the bodies of two Israeli soldiers, all held by Hamas. Avraham Avera Mengistu crossed into Gaza in 2014 and Hisham al-Sayyad crossed in 2015. Both men apparently suffer from mental health issues. IDF soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin were killed in the 2014 Protective Edge operation in Gaza. Israel has been demanding the release of its citizens and bodies of soldiers for several years, but no deal has been reached so far.

Still, ever since Sinwars April 2 statement, indirect contacts have been taking place, and there are increasing signs in the press that talks are indeed advancing. Israeli news outlets reported last week that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had convened the ministerial committee responsible for returning Israeli captives on April 21 to discuss such efforts, and that after that meeting, Israels coordinator for captives and missing persons, Yaron Blum, met with the families of the missing soldiers. German weekly Die Zeit reported recently that a senior Swiss foreign affairs official, two senior German intelligence officials and an Egyptian general are all involved in talks.

On May 5, Hamas again denied that any progress has been made on a deal with Israel, but said that Egypt and Russia were involved in mediation efforts. Hamas-affiliated websites quoted an unnamed Palestinian source as saying, There is no qualitative progress in the negotiations conducted with the occupation through mediators.

This recent Hamas statement, coupled with the single rocket, could actually indicate that Hamas is eager to seal a deal before the coronavirus window of opportunity closes. Netanyahu eased more restrictions on May 4, with the goal of Israels economy completely reopening by June 1.
The county has been trying to unload this property for a long time. It will have to wait some more.
Coronavirus test concept. Test tubes for 2019-nCoV analysis and medical form Coronavirus test over laboratory desk. Chinese Wuhan virus outbreak.

SINGAPORE  When a female health officer performing safe-distancing measures enforcement measures asked Ravi Sinathamby Subramaniam to cover his nose and mouth with his face mask, he turned aggressive and hurled vulgarities at her.

The 53-year-old Singaporean had also threatened to break another health officers face when the man intervened.

Ravi was jailed seven months on Wednesday (6 May) after previously pleading guilty to two charges of verbally abusing a public servant and one of criminal intimidation. Other charges, including breaches of circuit breaker measures by not wearing a mask over his nose and mouth, were taken into consideration for his sentencing.

Disturbing customers while drunk

On 14 April this year, Ravi was standing in a queue at a Hao Mart, located opposite Whampoa Community Club. A caller had alerted the police that Ravi was disturbing customers.

At about 7.23pm, Ravi stood in the queue holding a can of beer, reeking of alcohol and complaining loudly that the queue was not properly organised. He had earlier met a friend for a chat.

When officers arrived to interview him, he turned violent, refused to cooperate and tried to leave several times. He also uttered vulgarities at the a police officer.

Ravis aggression attracted attention from members of the public, who crowded around to observe the scene. He was arrested at about 8.12 pm for being a public nuisance. Even after he was handcuffed, he continued to shout vulgarities at the officer.

Hurling vulgarities, threatening violence

Four days later, Ravi again caused trouble, after three health officers came across him with a mask over his chin rather than covering his nose and mouth while he was buying food at a coffeeshop at Block 81 Whampoa Drive at about 1pm. The officers were performing safe-distancing measures enforcement.

One of the health officers, a woman, requested that Ravi cover his nose and mouth with his mask, but Ravi turned aggressive and hurled the vulgarities at her.

Story continues

When a male officer intervened to tell Ravi that they were just doing their job and that they were there to remind you gently to wear your mask, Ravi also spewed vulgarities at him.

He added, You dont let me see you again, if not I will break your face.

The woman officer feared that Ravi would attack them and called the police. The officers watched as Ravi entered a convenience store. When he exited the store, he repeated his threat, The next time I see you, I will break your face.

The three officers stopped interacting with Ravi for fear of their personal safety.

Lengthy criminal history

Ravi, who was unrepresented, told the court, I apologise to court and civil servants for what I have done  without my knowledge, because I was drunk.

The prosecution sought at least 10 months jail for Ravi, whom it said had a lengthy criminal history, including robbery with hurt, snatch theft, and outrage of modesty. Ravi had also threatened his brother last year with a chopper and boiling water.

The courts must send an unequivocal message that persons who not only wilfully defy the actions of frontline officers enforcing anti-COVID-19 measures but also go on to abuse, threaten or use violence against our frontline officers will face stiff sentences, Deputy Public Prosecutor Timotheus Koh said.

DPP Koh added that Ravi continued to be a menace to society and appeared to be directing his offending behaviour at public servants.

For abusing public servants, Ravi could have been jailed up to a year, and fined up to $5,000, or both. For criminal intimidation to cause grievous injury, he could have been jailed up to 10 years, or fined, or both.

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MBABANE  The country has now recorded 119 cases of COVID-19. The latest figure was revealed by the Minister of Health, Lizzie Nkosi, in a press statement yesterday afternoon.



Nkosi reported that a total of 116 results were received yesterday out of which, three tested positive and 113 negative.

The three new cases, according to the minister, were that of a 44-year-old female from Manzini Region, who had contact with a confirmed case and currently had mild symptoms.



She said case number 118 was a 56-year-old female from Manzini Region who was a contact of a confirmed case and had mild symptoms.



The minister said the third case was that of a 28-year-old male from the Lubombo Region, who was a contact of a confirmed case and was asymptomatic.



It was reported that the cumulative incidence line (see graph) showed that Eswatinis curve still had an upward trend, and the goal was flattening the curve by practising the public health measures already given to the public.



Transmission



The Ministry of Health wishes to emphasise that the definition of a suspect case had changed due to the fact that Eswatini had an established local transmission.

This means all flu-like illnesses must be considered suspect cases of coronavirus infection hence the public is encouraged to seek healthcare as soon as they can, the minister said.



The ministry further emphasised on the importance of cooperating with health advice, which was to wash hands with soap and running water or use a hand sanitiser and to observe hand hygiene always.



It was further stated that people should cover their mouth when coughing or sneezing and preferably use a face mask.

All suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19 should wear a mask as advised by health practitioners and isolate themselves from others, reads the statement.



The ministry said a mask should be worn properly, covering the nose and mouth and after use it must be disposed of properly.



Advice



The minister further stated that patients put on home care were expected to adhere to clinical advice given, which included self-isolation and proper hygiene measures.



The public is requested to cooperate with Rapid Response Teams as they go about their duties finding contacts of positive cases.

The Ministry of Health wishes to thank all frontline staff in this COVID-19 fight. These include; healthcare workers and security forces, among others.



Their dedication and selfless commitment is highly appreciated and noticed by emaSwati, she said.

She further stated that Covid-19 was an infection with evolving events which meant the approach would continuously be marked by changes.



We would like to assure the nation that the Ministry of Health is committed to bringing about all necessary changes in the intervention, thus reshaping the countrys response to the pandemic, said Nkosi.
(Photo/National Institute for Defense Studies)

By Guo Yilun and Song Yuchao

The National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS), the core policy research arm of the Japanese Ministry of Defense, recently issued the East Asian Strategic Review 2020. Since 1997, this annual report has been focusing on "strategic environment and security affairs in East Asia" to conduct annual strategic assessments of neighboring countries and regions and Japan itself. In this year's report, Japan detailed its foreign security policy with the theme of "free and open Indo-Pacific", and proposed to rely on diversified military cooperation to actively expand its influence in the Indian Ocean. The military outline of its "Indo-Pacific Strategy" is already very clear.

The report proposed that Japan's "free and open Indo-Pacific" concept aims to create a "multi-angle, multi-level" security cooperation strategy. That means, in addition to the Japan-US military alliance, Japan will develop military cooperation with South Korea, Australia, India, and ASEAN. Besides, Japan has made a seemingly reasonable excuse for that -- to make up for the lack of American power in East Asia.

At present, the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) has signed the so-called Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) with the armed forces of Australia, the UK, Canada, France and other countries. The preparations for signing the agreement with India have also been completed. Besides, Japan has also established a "2 + 2" meeting mechanism of foreign ministers and defense ministers with Australia, France, the UK, South Korea, and India. The continuous expansion of joint military exercises with Australia and India is an important measure for the JSDF to accelerate the implementation of its strategic vision. According to incomplete statistics, there are 29 exercises held or participated by the JSDF in 2019. Among them, there are seven joint exercises held or jointly participated by Japan and Australia, and four by Japan and India.

Japan has attempted to maintain a military presence in many parts of the world on the grounds of maintaining "freedom, democracy, and the rule of law" in the wide swath of "the Western Pacific region, Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean and the vast areas of Africa."

In essence, Japan wants JSDF to go abroad and realize its military intervention in important areas of overseas interests. Since 2017, Japan has sent large ships such as Izumo and Kaga to the Indian and Pacific regions for long-term cruises. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) has also been continuously strengthening its military presence overseas by participating in bilateral and multilateral joint training and overseas navigation training of transport aircraft. In 2019, the JSDF also held an operation called "India-Pacific Deployment 2019", focusing on Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) to visit and port countries in Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean and carry out joint training with those countries.

Japan uses military aid to Southeast Asian countries as a lever to increase its regional influence. In recent years, Japan has assisted relevant countries to improve their maritime security capabilities and continue to expand its influence by signing coast guard cooperation agreements with Southeast Asian countries, helping them train coast guard personnel, providing maritime patrol vessels, providing anti-submarine patrol aircraft and trainer aircraft. In November last year, the Japanese Defense Minister Taro Kono attended the ASEAN-Japan Defense Ministers Informal Meeting while attending the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus in Bangkok. Taro Kono stressed at the meeting that Japan will continue to provide support for enhancing ASEAN's capabilities, especially in technology. Through equipment export, joint training and drill, personnel training, and academic exchanges, Japan is accelerating its military influence in ASEAN region.

It is easy to see that Japan's East Asian Strategic Review 2020 report reflects the country's Cold War thinking. The report tries to find various excuses for JSDF's expansion of its scope and influence and actually helps it break through the restrictions of the pacifist constitution. For such a dangerous trend, the international community should stay highly vigilant.

(The authors are from the Air Force Research Institute of the PLA)
Airlines and airports must adopt even more measures against the spread of Covid-19, some of which would imply major new costs for an industry already suffering steep losses, a public health expert will tell lawmakers.

Passengers should be screened for elevated temperatures and all employees should be required to wear masks and gloves, according to prepared testimony by Hilary Godwin, dean of the University of Washingtons School of Public Health. In-flight seating, she said, must be arranged so that people arent too close together, and airports have to be reshaped to promote social distancing.

The air-travel industry and government agencies overseeing it must allow public health considerations to play a far greater role than before this pandemic, Godwin said in the remarks. She is among four witnesses scheduled to appear Wednesday before the Senate Commerce Committee in a hearing on the state of the airline industry during the coronavirus pandemic.

While the hearing will be held in person despite the virus, Godwin thanked the committee for allowing her to testify remotely. Her testimony was obtained by Bloomberg News.

She recommended dramatic changes to how airport terminals looked before the pandemic, when passengers clustered in boarding areas, restaurants and security lines. Now, there should be social distancing in all those areas, she said.

The probability that healthy individuals will interact with one or more individuals who are infected but may not know increases exponentially as the number of people passing through the airport increases, she said in her written testimony.

Other measures that should be considered include requiring passengers or aviation employees to attest they are healthy before being allowed to travel or report to work. It may also be possible soon to test each person for infection before entering airports, she said.

While each of the strategies discussed here comes with inherent limitations and poses its own logistical challenges, combining them together creates a net that will help to reduce overall risk to the millions of individuals who work in, travel using, and benefit from the aviation industry each day, she said.

While all large US airlines now or will soon require flight attendants and passengers to wear face coverings, standards for other employees vary. Transportation Security Administration screeners, for example, have the option to work without masks.

Airlines have been burning through $10 billion a month as passenger totals have tumbled more than 90% during the past month, according to Airlines for America.

Other Witnesses

The senators will also hear from representatives of the airline and aviation industry.

Eric Fanning, president of the Aerospace Industries Association trade group, plans to tell lawmakers that companies of all sizes in the sector are weighing job cuts and furloughs, citing one company that had to lay off half of its engine manufacturing staff, according to a copy of his prepared remarks.

Fanning also plans to raise questions about whether the rules governing $17 billion in aid offered by the Treasury Department for national security-critical companies under the bill is too restrictive.

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Face masks, recommended by public health officials as a way to slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus, have become the latest battleground in the partisan war between the nations Republicans and Democrats.

Even as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi walks the halls of Congress with her scarf pulled up to cover her nose and mouth, President Trump was barefaced Tuesday for a pair of events in Phoenix, including a visit to a mask factory  where there were signs saying everyone was required to wear a mask.

At a House Rules Committee hearing in Washington last month, the Democratic chairman slammed Republican members for not wearing masks. And at recent rallies in Sacramento and across the nation calling for states to ease stay-at-home restrictions, there were plenty of pro-Trump signs and red Make America Great Again hats, but not so many masks.

Its no surprise that masks have become a flash point, said Jack Pitney, a professor of politics at Claremont McKenna College in Southern California.

These days, everything is a partisan issue, he said. Everything is political, and that includes health regulations.

As the Bay Area, other communities and even entire states like New York, Massachusetts and Michigan begin to require people to wear masks in public when physical distancing is impossible, theres been push back.

A security guard in Flint, Mich., was shot to death last week in a dispute over face masks. Stillwater, Okla., dumped its mask requirements after workers in stores were threatened when they tried to enforce them. And Republican Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio on Sunday rolled back a week-old order requiring that masks be worn in stores, saying he had gone too far and that people were not going to accept the government telling them what to do.

Thats an argument that rings true to many Republicans, said Rob Stutzman, a GOP consultant in Sacramento.

Republicans by nature are more focused on individual rights, he said. They tend to bristle when presented with government mandates.

That attitude is echoed by the nations top Republican, Trump. Last month, he tweeted out messages to liberate Michigan, Minnesota and Virginia, states where demonstrators were protesting government orders shutting down businesses and requiring physical distancing and other antivirus measures.

Even after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended in April that people cover their faces to protect themselves and others from the coronavirus, the president said he wouldnt wear a mask.

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Its a recommendation, they recommend it, Trump said at an April 3 news conference. I just dont want to wear one myself.

Not everyone in his family agreed. His wife, Melania, posted a picture of herself wearing a cloth mask as she urged people to follow the CDC guidelines.

Trumps recommendation also gave Joe Biden, Trumps presumptive Democratic opponent in November, a chance to draw some coronavirus distinctions with the president.

I dont walk out of this house without a mask on, he said during an April online town hall from his home in Delaware. I dont walk out in my yard to talk to the Secret Service without a mask on.

But for Republicans, especially Republican officeholders, crossing Trump is something thats likely to damage their political careers. No Republican wants to be wearing a mask while walking behind a president who is barefaced.

When it comes to masks, the reaction to Trump may be solidarity, said Stutzman, the GOP consultant.

As president, Trump sets an example and in this case it isnt a good one, said Pitney from Claremont McKenna.

Republicans give plenty of reasons for not wearing masks. Trump says he doesnt need to because he is regularly tested for the coronavirus. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul argues that since he tested positive in March, hes now immune. Nino Vitale, a state representative in Ohio, said that because were all created in the image and likeness of God ... I wont wear a mask.

Evan Vucci / Associated Press

But as the coronavirus ravages the country, the anti-mask position is becoming harder to hold.

A Gallup Poll last month found that 62% of Americans were using masks, although that included 75% of Democrats surveyed and 58% of Republicans. Two weeks later, the number of people using masks had climbed to 75%.

Politicians have noticed. Vice President Mike Pence was roundly criticized when he was the only unmasked person during his visit to Minnesotas Mayo Clinic on April 28. A few days later, he wore a mask during a tour of a ventilator factory in Indiana. I should have worn a mask at the Mayo Clinic, he said during a virtual town hall on Fox News on Sunday.

Even Trump seems to be adjusting his stance on masks. Although he has yet to be seen in public with a mask, he said before leaving for the Phoenix trip that he would be willing to wear one if required. He said Tuesday that officials at the mask factory had told him he wasnt required to be masked.

However, at a Wednesday event in the Oval Office, Trump told reporters that I had a mask on for a period of time while out of public view. I cant help it if you didnt see me.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writers Dustin Gardiner, Tal Kopan and Alexei Koseff contributed to this report.

John Wildermuth is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfwildermuth
: As tipplers in Tamil Nadu prepare to cheer the resumption of liquor sales from May 7, the state government on Wednesday announced an increase in IMFL rates, while the police devised age-based happy hours, apparently as a crowd control measure in these COVID-19 times.

With a surge of booze lovers expected to hit the state- run TASMAC outlets on Thursday, police announced age-specific time slots for the sale of liquor, which will however, be not available in this city and three of its adjoining districts.

The DMK-led opposition bloc decided to oppose the government's move by asking its cadre to wear black badges and raise slogans against the ruling AIADMK, as well as the Centre on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the price revision was being effected following a 15 per cent increase in excise duty on Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), an official release here said.

Accordingly, the rate of a normal brand of 180 ml of IMFL will go up by Rs 10, while premium ones will see a price increase of Rs 20, it said.

The decision to hike the rates comes a day ahead of TASMAC retail outlets set to reopen in Tamil Nadu, with the government giving the nod to resume sales citing the Centre's relaxation in this connection and tipplers from border districts thronging shops in Karnataka and AP on May 4.

Liquor sales contributes significantly to the state's coffers, with the turnover said to be around Rs 29,000 crore in 2019-20 FY.

The country had entered the third phase of the ongoing coronavirus-triggered lockdown on Monday, albeit with some relaxations, including on resuming liquor sales.

Incidentally, the Andhra Pradesh government had twice increased the liquor rates in the past two days, totally effecting a 75 per cent increase to 'discourage' people from consumption and safeguard their health.

Meanwhile, the state police, tasked with ensuring law and order at the vends, proposed age-based sale slots.

Accordingly, liquor for people aged over 50 years will be sold from 10 am to 1 pm, while those between 40-50 years can visit the retail outlets from 1 pm to 3 pm.

Those below 40 years will be sold liquor from 3 pm to 5 pm when the shops run by the state-run Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) close for the day.

Identity cards may be checked to enforce this norm.

Presence of adequate personnel, erecting of barricades and maintaining social distancing are part of the police' bandobast plans for the TASMAC outlets.

Further, with the government making it clear that retail shops in areas covered under Greater Chennai police limits will not be open, the outlets in Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallore districts, all adjoining the city, will remain closed.

The government had earlier announced resumption of sale of liquor with restrictions, including social distancing, but made it clear bars will not function.

It had also redflagged business in containment zones, but has faced flak, including from the main opposition party DMK, for opening up the flow of booze from Thursday onwards.

Meanwhile, the DMK-led opposition decided to protest agianst the government on the issues of its handling of the pandemic as well as re-opening liquor shops.

A DMK release said its workers and those from alliance parties will wear black badges on May 7 and a gathering of not more than five people outside their homes will raise slogans against the government over these issues for 15 minutes.

They will also protest againt the Centre for not heeding Tamil Nadu's plea for funds to fight the COVID-19 battle.

The party slammed the government for its handling of the pandemic, alleging that there was no scientific approach against the contagion, even as it questioned the need to open up the liquor shops.

The ruling AIADMK's ally PMK also reiterated its displeasure over resumption of the liquor business.

Party chief S Ramadoss expressed apprehension that it will further impoverish a section of the population already suffering from joblessness, besides voicing concern over the possible spread of coronavirus.

MNM chief Kamal Haasan questioned the rationale behind re-opening liquor shops, saying during the lockdown people were supposed to venture out only to buy essentials.

"Whose essential requirement is liquor?," he asked in a statement.

He also recalled the AIADMK's assurance in the 2016 Assembly polls of implementing prohibition in a phased manner.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
COVID-19 deaths, hospitalisations and lockdowns could be over this year, says WHO

COVID-19: West Bengal continues to be data hider No. 1

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, May 06: West Bengal continues to hide data about the number of coronavirus cases, government sources have said.

West Bengal has not shared the information with the Centre since May 1 until Tuesday evening. The mortality figures in Bengal alone rose by 72 in a day ie from 61 to 133 between Monday and Tuesday.

While the rise in cases could also be attributed to the relaxations in the lockdown norms in green and orange zones, sources say that the case burden was also mainly due to the previously hidden data becoming public now.

Low testing, high death rate, lack of tracking: Central team flags West Bengal

The Health Ministry said that timely reporting of cases is critical as it is the first step towards initiating contact tracing, containment as well as management.

The West Bengal government has also come in for criticism by the Congress, which accused the administration of hiding figures. Congress leader, Adhir Ranjan Choudhury accused the TMC government of instructing local hospitals against reporting the coronavirus related deaths or even mentioning COVID-19 as the reason for the deaths.

Earlier, the Inter-Ministerial Central Team that visited West Bengal has said that the state has the highest mortality rate among coronavirus patients in the country. It said that at 12.8 per cent the mortality rate is the highest, while also accusing the state of low testing, discrepancies and weak surveillance.

The team completed its two week tour of West Bengal and sent a letter to the Chef Secretary of the state, Rajiva Sinha. The letter was titled 'Final Observations of the IMCT."

The team while praising the increase in daily testing in Bengal from 400 to 2,100 also flagged the non-cooperation by the state bureaucracy. It urged the state to take this exercise in the right spirit.

"The IMCT notes that the state government has on 30.04.2020 made a pronouncement that henceforth all death of COVID patients would be indicated in the daily statistics and the death certificate would be issued by hospitals with the Committee of Doctors examining random samples. This is a big step towards transparency. At the same time, it raises the total death count of COVID patients in the state to 105 on 30.04.2020. For a total reported number of 816 Covid patients, the mortality rate of 12.8 per cent is by far the highest in the country," Ministry of Defence Additional Secretary Apurva Chandra said.

He also said that this extremely high mortality rate is a clear indication of low testing and weak surveillance and tracking.

Bengal announces relaxations for standalone shops, bus services; flags dilution concerns

The state was also accused of non-cooperation. The team was not given access to officials, barring the Principal Secretary, Health. The state has taken an antagonistic view and has not supported the IMCT in performing its duties. This contradicts with the experience of the IMCT in other states.

The Centre, it may recalled had constituted 10 such teams to tough districts in West Bengal, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Telangana, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh.

The Centre said that this was done because there were routine violations of the lockdown guidelines in these states. The team made an on the spot assessment of the situation and suggested measures.
By Akbar Mammadov

Head of occupied Nagorno-Karabakhs Azerbaijani Community Tural Ganjaliyev has said that Armenia is not the security guarantor of the regions Armenian community.

Ganjaliyev was commenting on the recent controversial statements by Armenian officials who have announced that Yerevan would not return any of the Azerbaijani lands around Nagorno-Karabakh as part of the phased settlement of the conflict, citing security reasons.

Ganjaliyev said that such statements by Yerevan serve the purpose of covering up the fact of occupation and appease the Armenian public.

"The Armenian army is not and cannot be a security guarantor for the Armenian community in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan," Ganjaliyev said in his Facebook post on May 5. He also urged Nagorno-Karabakh's Armenian community to demand the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan if they are interested in peace.

Ganjaliyev noted that Armenia is left alone in the international arena due to the occupation of Azerbaijani territories and makes controversial statements aimed at the domestic audience.

The head of the Azerbaijani community reminded that the international community has taken a fair and tough stance against Armenia's policy of aggression.

This position has been enshrined in the resolutions of the UN Security Council, in the decisions of many international organizations, and in the sharp reaction of the world community to the so-called "elections" organized by Armenia in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. "Armenia is left alone in the international arena due to the occupation of Azerbaijani territories", he added.

Grasping as straws, the Armenian leadership and its henchmen in the occupied territories are trying to calm the domestic audience with such baseless statements, Ganjaliyev added.

"However, the internationally recognized territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied territories and the return of internally displaced persons will be among the main points of any solution to the conflict", he noted.

Ganjaliyev recalled that despite all the military and political capabilities of Azerbaijan, so far Baku's efforts to resolve the conflict peacefully are an indicator of the value that the country attaches to human life.

"Azerbaijan's peaceful behavior is also an indication of respect for the peacekeeping mission carried out by the OSCE Minsk Group", he added.

"As the Azerbaijani community of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, we are confident that the conflict will soon be resolved and our violated rights will be fully restored. We will peacefully coexists with the Armenian community of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, taking advantage of the exceptional benefits of being a citizen of Azerbaijan", Ganjaliyev concluded.

---

Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Chong Chun Wah, 47, seen leaving the State Courts after being charged on 21 April 2020. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore)

SINGAPORE  A man was warned by Immigration & Checkpoints Authority Officers (ICA) after he left his home to buy food from a coffeeshop while on a Stay-Home Notice (SHN) but he did so again days later.

Chong Chun Wah, 47, was jailed five weeks on Wednesday (6 May) for one breach of the Infectious Diseases (COVID-19  Stay Orders) Regulations by violating his SHN two days before it ended. The Singaporean pleaded guilty to the offence.

On 17 March, at about 7pm, Chong returned to Singapore from Batam, Indonesia via the Singapore Cruise Centre, HarbourFront.

He was served an SHN valid from 17 to 31 March by an ICA officer. Chong understood the contents of the SHN and knew that he had to remain in his place of residence at all times for 14 days. He acknowledged and signed the SHN before clearing immigration.

From 16 March 2020, 11.59pm, all travellers entering Singapore with recent travel history to ASEAN counties, Japan, Switzerland or the United Kingdom within the last 14 days were issued a two-week SHN upon arrival. The SHN required individuals to remain at home at all times for two weeks.

While Chong knew the requirements, he still left his residence.

On 24 March, during a check by ICA officers, Chong was noted to have left his flat. He claimed that he had left to buy food from a coffee-shop in the vicinity of Blk 252 Jurong East, some three to four bus stops away. The officers then reminded Chong the importance of adhering to the SHN, which he again acknowledged.

However, five days later, at about 1pm, Chong again left his residence and walked to a coffeeshop at Block 447 Bukit Batok, which was some 140 metres away, to buy food. Chong claimed that the coffeeshop was not crowded.

He returned home about 30 to 45 minutes later.

Deputy Public Prosecutor V Jesudevan sought at least seven weeks jail stating that while Chongs breach was minor, his culpability was high.

(Chong) is a recalcitrant offender. After being caught red-handed on 24 April for breaching the SHN, and being reminded by...(ICA) officers of the importance of adhering to the SHN, (Chong) did not take compliance with the SHN seriously.

Story continues

Barely five days later, he went ahead to breach the SHN for exactly the same purported reason  to buy food. His purpose of heading out of his home, to buy food is unreasonable, especially since he could have made alternative arrangements for it, or availed himself to having food delivered to him, said the DPP.

Chong, who was unrepresented, pleaded for leniency as he had to pay for house and rental bills.

For breaching his SHN, Chong could have been jailed up to six months and/or fined up to $10,000.

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Eric Parlette quickly responded when summoned to the front lines of the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

I got the call on a Saturday night. They said, Hey would you be willing to go, and I said, absolutely, and four days later I was on a ship to go help strangers, said Cmdr. Parlette, a Navy reservist and doctor in the Medical Operations Center on the USNS Comfort.

Parlette 94 and the other crew members of the Comfort sailed into Manhattan on March 30 to aid the citys hospitals, which were overwhelmed with patients related to the coronavirus outbreak. They spent the next month treating a combination of very sick people with and without the virus.

Medical is typically ancillary support for military operations for when things go bad. But in this case, health care is the tip of the spear to take on this attack, an attack on American soil no less, said Parlette, who lives in Richmond. There is no other answer than yes, I have go.

The willingness to help others is a core belief for Parlette, which he credits to both his upbringing in a military family  his father also served in the Navy - and his time at Virginia Tech.

The top two things I really value being a part of are Virginia Tech and the military, because they are about service, leadership, and helping build up other people, Parlette said. They both provide an opportunity to serve and be a part of something bigger than yourself.

Parlette, who spent his adolescent years in Maryland, said Virginia Tech gained visibility on his radar as a possible university to attend as he continued to visit his brother, Les 91, and saw the warm, welcoming, and collegial environment of Virginia Tech.

Every time I went to visit Tech, I felt included and welcome. I felt like I was already family. Its just a super tightknit place, he said.

With his decision made, he went on to earn a bachelors degree in psychology, with minors in biology and chemistry, while also running on the Hokies cross-country and track teams.

Following graduation, he joined the Navy via the Health Professions Scholarship Program to cover medical school at the University of Virginia. After medical school, he served nine years on active duty in various locations across the globe, including two years with a Marine infantry battalion as well as completing his dermatology residency. He separated from active duty to complete a dermatologic surgery/Mohs surgery and cosmetic fellowship in Boston, and now works in private practice. He recommissioned in the Navy Reserve in 2012 because he missed the service, camaraderie, and being part of something bigger than ones self. He is currently an instructor for the Naval Leadership and Ethics Center and teaches leadership and ethics to intermediate and senior Navy Reserve officers across the country.
[May 06, 2020] Global Payments to Provide Credit Card Processing Services for Truist Financial Corporation

Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN), a leading worldwide provider of payment technology and software solutions, today announced that TSYS, its Issuer Solutions business, has signed a long-term agreement with Truist Financial Corporation (NYSE: TFC), to process the bank's consumer, commercial and small business credit card portfolios. Truist, the sixth largest commercial bank in the United States, will have access to a suite of market-leading solutions across the TSYS product ecosystem, including the TS2 processing platform, and will also take advantage of TSYS' card and statement production capabilities. "The decision to select Global Payments and TSYS as critical strategic partners in our payments business aligns with our commitment of creating better financial experiences that we set forth when Truist was formed," said Brad Strock, Executive Vice President, Card and Direct to Consumer Lending, Truist. "TSYS' suite of innovative capabilities help Truist reach our strategic goals and together we can help people and businesses achieve more." Prior to their merger with BB&T in 2019 to form Truist, SunTrust was a long-time existing TSYS customer. "We've known both BB&T and SunTrust for years and are thrilled that together as Truist, they've entrusted us to deliver exceptional solutions for their entire credit card business," said Gaylon Jowers, Senior Executive Vice President, Global Payments and President, TSYS Issuer Solutions. "Truist's strategy to transform its payments businesses using technology is the perfect fit for TSYS, providing further validation of our market leading technologies, products and services. We look forward to working with the Truist team to provide innovative ways to maximize efficiencies across their business and helpthem grow their credit card programs."



Truist is expected to begin conversion-related activities in late 2021 to begin utilizing TSYS' issuer processing services in 2022. Terms of the long-term agreement were not disclosed. About Global Payments

Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN) is a leading pure play payments technology company delivering innovative software and services to our customers globally. Our technologies, services and employee expertise enable us to provide a broad range of solutions that allow our customers to operate their businesses more efficiently across a variety of channels around the world. Headquartered in Georgia with nearly 24,000 employees worldwide, Global Payments is a member of the S&P 500 with worldwide reach spanning over 100 countries throughout North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. For more information, visit www.globalpaymentsinc.com and follow Global Payments on Twitter (News - Alert) (@globalpayinc), LinkedIn and Facebook. About Truist Truist Financial Corporation is a purpose-driven financial services company committed to inspire and build better lives and communities. With 275 years of combined BB&T and SunTrust history, Truist serves approximately 12 million households with leading market share in many high-growth markets in the country. The company offers a wide range of services including retail, small business and commercial banking; asset management; capital markets; commercial real estate; corporate and institutional banking; insurance; mortgage; payments; specialized lending and wealth management. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Truist is the sixth-largest commercial bank in the U.S. with total assets of $506 billion as of March 31, 2020. Truist Bank, Member FDIC. Learn more at Truist.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005484/en/

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Having engaged and happy employees allows us to focus on our customers and their needs more closely, every single day.

Hippo, the high-growth company thats transforming home insurance and ownership, has been named to Inc. magazines annual list of the Best Workplaces for 2020. Hitting newsstands May 12 in the May/June 2020 issue, and as part of a prominent Inc.com feature, the list is the result of a wide-ranging and comprehensive measurement of private American companies that have created exceptional workplaces through vibrant cultures, deep employee engagement, and stellar benefits.

HIppo Home Insurance offers modern insurance coverage with smart home devices and is available to nearly 65 percent of U.S. homeowners across 25 states. Driving north of $200 million in premiums, Hippo now has more than 250 employees across three offices including its Palo Alto, California headquarters and its Texas-based offices in Austin and Dallas insurance offices. Across its three offices, female managers account for more than half of the companys management team and over a third of its leadership is female.

Hippo, the family of companies that includes Hippo Home Insurance, provides all of its employees with a comprehensive benefits package which includes 100 percent employer-paid medical, dental, and vision plan options for employees and their family members, along with reimbursement programs catered to child adoption and infertility. Plus, fully paid parental leave for caregivers and secondary caregivers. In addition, there are executive and management training programs available for managers and leaders.

Collecting data from more than 3,000 submissions, Inc. singled out 395 finalists for this years list. Each nominated company took part in an employee survey, conducted by Quantum Workplace, on topics including trust, management effectiveness, perks, and confidence in the future. Inc. gathered, analyzed, and audited the data. Then we ranked all the employers using a composite score of survey results. This year, 73.5 percent of surveyed employees were engaged by their work.

The strongest engagement scores came from companies that prioritize the most human elements of work. These companies are leading the way in employee recognition, performance management, and diversity. It is a different playbook from a decade ago, when too many firms used the same template: free food, open work environments, and artifacts of fun.

Every member of the Hippo team shares our passion for making home insurance a proactive and positive experience, from securing a homeowners quote in less than 60-seconds, having access to modern coverage for the things you actually use at home like home office and electronics, and knowing theres an empathetic claims concierge team on hand for when you need us said Anna Lee, Vice President of People, Hippo. Having engaged and happy employees allows us to focus on our customers and their needs more closely, every single day.

Building a great corporate culture comes only from strong leadership, says Inc. magazine editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. The companies on Inc.s Best Workplaces list are setting an example that the whole country can learn from, especially now, when company culture is more important to the workforce than ever.

While researching the finalists, Inc. and Quantum saw distinct themes:



100 percent provide health insurance.

50 percent allow employees to bring pets to work.

62 percent take employees to offsite retreats to relax and recharge.

20 percent offer paid sabbaticals to reward length of service.

About Hippo

Hippo Insurance Services is on a mission to transform home insurance for the modern household. The company brings homeowners closer to a modern home insurance experience with an efficient online purchase experience using trusted data sources, a smart home device kit included with every policy and even more coverage for possessions like appliances, electronics and home offices. Hippo Insurance is part of Hippos family of companies that brings together home wellness and home insurance for todays homeowners. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, the companys policies are available to over 65 percent of homeowners in the U.S.. Hippo Insurance Services is a licensed property casualty insurance agent with products underwritten by various insurance companies. For more information, including licensing information, visit http://www.hippo.com.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

About Quantum Workplace

Quantum Workplace, based in Omaha, Nebraska, is an HR technology company that serves organizations through employee-engagement surveys, action-planning tools, exit surveys, peer-to-peer recognition, performance evaluations, goal tracking, and leadership assessment. For more information, visit https://www.quantumworkplace.com/.
Member of Parliament for Yapei/Kasawgu constituency, John Jinapor says Ghanaians should be worried over government's subsidization of electricity bills because there will be serious implications in the offing.



The Government of Ghana told the citizenry that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) financial aid of 1 billion dollars to the country is interest-free and will not accrue a long term effect.



According to Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, the loan was transferred into Ghanas account to be used to mitigate the impact of the raging coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic affecting the lives of the people and the economy at large.



The money is reportedly the biggest loan facility received from the IMF in Ghanas 63-year old history with the Bretton Woods institution.



Contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM's programme 'Kokrokoo', John Jinapor wondered why the Akufo-Addo government would revert to the IMF for assistance when they promised Ghanaians not to borrow money like previous administrations.



He accused the government of massaging the truth for saying the IMF loan is interest-free, claiming Ghanaians will bear future consequences which will boomerang on the economy.



"In any case, didn't Dr. Bawumia tell us that borrowing is a lazy man's option. Is that not what he told us?" he quizzed.



He further stated that President Akufo-Addo's promise to subsidize electricity bills didn't come as a freebie but part of the IMF loan facility which will be paid back in 15 years.



"Today, in less than 3 weeks you've written to the IMF to borrow money. The money that they're using to subsidize electricity is borrowed money. We will pay back in 15 years time with interest, both principal and interest," he stated.





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.

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New Delhi:

American defence major Lockheed Martin has said it has offered to move its lone production line of the latest version of fighter aircraft F 16-Block 70 to India from Texas to meet Indian and global requirement. However, the company made it clear the proposal is conditional to IAF choosing the worlds largest-sold fighter aircraft for its fleet.



The offer we have given to the Indian government is unmatched and from our side unprecedented, Randall L Howard, F16 Business Development head at Lockheed Martin, said here.



Interacting with mediapersons here, Howard said the company wants to make F 16-Block 70 for India, from India and export to the world.



However, he parried questions on whether the company is willing to give a commitment not to sell F16s to Pakistan saying it will be part of discussions between the Indian and American governments.



Asked if the offer to move the production line from Fort Worth to India is conditional to IAF picking up the aircraft for its fleet, Abhay Paranjape, National Executive, India said, Yes.



He said it is conditional to assured orders from the Indian Air Force which is looking to acquire new aircraft to beef up its depleting strength.



Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has said India will choose at least one more aircraft, besides the indigenous Tejas, for the IAF through the Make in India route.



Lockheed Martin, which has sold 4,588 F16s in the world, faces competition from its American rival Boeing (F/A-18E), Dassault Aviation of France (Rafale), Swedish plane Gripen by Saab and the Eurofighter. All the companies have offered to set up a production facility here.



But we are offering not only moving the lone production line to India but also meeting the global requirement through the same unit here, Howard said, adding it is a win-win situation.Arguing the F 16-Block 70 will be the best fighter aircraft in the Indian region, he said, It is critical for you to pick up a partner who will deliver on his promise.



Howard said the company is having multiple discussions with the government here besides the industry and they have not been told to go away, indicating the discussions are on.



He added Lockheed believes the production in India will also bring down the cost of the aircraft which in turn will increase its global demand.

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Army Chaplain under fire for sharing John Piper's book 'Coronavirus and Christ'

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Twenty-two military chaplains are calling on a senior army chaplain to be disciplined and possibly court-martialed for sending nearly three-dozen other chaplains an email containing a copy of John Pipers new e-book, Coronavirus and Christ.

Secretary of Defense Mark Esper is being urged by a national legal organization to punish Senior Chaplain Col. Moon H. Kim, the command chaplain of U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in South Korea, the largest U.S. military installation outside of the United States.

In a letter sent this week, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation said Kim sent out an email using his official military email address to 35 other chaplains on Wednesday containing an unsolicited PDF copy of Pipers new e-book Coronavirus and Christ.

MRFF, which advocates for a strict separation of church and state within the U.S. military, is representing 22 clients all of whom are Christians from mostly mainline and progressive traditions and felt if they came forward publicly in opposition to Kims email they would face repercussions.

The clients, some of whom are from the LGBT community, do not subscribe to the ultra-conservative/Reformed/evangelical Christian theology of John Piper. Piper is the chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary in Minnesota and the founder of DesiringGod.Org.

The clients take issue with the fact that the famed preachers book says that some people will be infected with the coronavirus as a specific judgment from God because of their sinful attitudes and actions.

In Chapter 7 in a section titled Examples of Specific Judgements on Specific Sins, Piper wrote that one example is the sin of homosexual intercourse. Piper cited Romans 1:27 in which the Apostle Paul states that men committing shameless acts with men received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

That due penalty is the painful effect in themselves of their sin, Piper wrote. This due penalty is just one example of the judgment of God that we see in Romans 1:18, where it says, The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. Therefore, while not all suffering is a specific judgment for specific sins, some is.

The Christian Post reached out to Kim for comment about his email and the MRFF complaint. A response is pending.

A copy of Kims email that contained the PDF sent to the chaplains was reviewed by CP. In the body of the email, Kim wrote to fellow chaplains that he wanted to share the short booklet with them.

This book has helped me refocus my sacred calling to my savior Jesus Christ to finish strong, Kim wrote. Hopefully this small booklet would help you and your Soldiers, their Families and others who you serve.

MRFF contends that the book was clearly meant as a full-fledged endorsement and validation of what the book espouses and proclaims.



Thus, in CLEAR effect, especially to the recipients of his shocking email, Chaplain (Colonel) Kim is likewise endorsing and validating the very same dictates as established by the author of this book, the letter written by MRFF Founder Mikey Weinstein to Esper reads.

Weinstein claims that the book pushes the belief that the coronavirus is Gods judgment.

The MRFF letter also took offense to Pipers "complementation views and argued that his belief in Predestination means that even something as deadly as coronavirus is sent from God.

The letter contends Kims email was sent to subordinate chaplains by a man in a position of substantial power and influence over them. MRFF argues that the email violated the Department of Defense and Army equal employment opportunity policies.

This shot through the Chaplains Corps when that thing went out, Weinstein, who identifies as Jewish but not very religious, told CP. It was like a 10-alarm fire. We dont go looking for this stuff. We have clients asking for help and we put them through a protocol. We had to take a hard look at this because they are keeping this within the chaplains area and is not going to anybody else.

We took a look at the book and we listened to what the chaplains said and how it made them feel, he added. What are you supposed to tell a couple that has a gay child who also has COVID? Well, this is your due penalty? Its just horrible and wrong from the perspective that it destroys good order, discipline and unit cohesion within the military.

Weinstein contended that the Supreme Courts 6-2 decision in Parker v. Levy found that the First Amendment can be applied differently in the military context.

The [ruling] stands for the fact that in the military, which includes chaplains, your First Amendment rights can be severely constrained compared to civilians because the compelling governmental interest in the military is to maximize the lethality of the military, which means maximizing good order, morale, and cohesion, Weinstein said.

Weinstein added that Kim has every right to believe the beliefs in Pipers book but not necessarily to use his government platform and rank to promote it.

CP also reached the Department of Defense and the U.S. Army. No responses were received by press time.

Although MRFFs letter does not specifically state which kind of disciplinary actions the legal group would like to see Kim subjected to, Weinstein told CP outright that he is calling for Kim to be subject to general court-martial as he is a full colonel who is in rarified air in the U.S. Military Chaplains Corps.

The entire world is being ravaged by COVID-19 and he has endorsed a booklet claiming that this is the punishment of God for people who have sinned, which includes gay people, Weinstein said. This not only in violation of the EEO provisions of the Department of Defense but a ton of other DoD and U.S. Army provisions.

Mike Berry, general counsel for the First Liberty Institute, an organization that defends the First Amendment rights of military members, told CP that Kim was within his rights to send the email.

The MRFF is not only going overboard, it is showing its true colors by asking the Pentagon to punish a chaplain for engaging in constitutionally protected activity, Berry said. Congress has recently and repeatedly taken actions to protect chaplains to share their religious beliefs.

The Constitution and federal law protect chaplains (and service members) who share their religious beliefs, he added. Our brave service members should be offended that Mikey Weinstein thinks they are so delicate and frail that they are incapable of hearing something with which they might disagree. Quite the contrary, the vast majority of service members with whom I served, whether senior or subordinate, were smart enough to decide for themselves.

Berry said that First Liberty Institute would be happy to provide Kim with a free legal representation if he is subject to disciplinary action.

First Liberty has won numerous cases similar to this before, and Im very confident we would win this one too, Berry stressed.

Although Weinstein said that 95% of MRFF clients are Christians, he said it's uncommon for MRFF to have an outpouring like this in which all clients coming forward on a certain case are all Christians.

We have not heard from any imams, rabbis or Hindu or any other chaplains, only Christian chaplains, a number of whom are evangelical Christian chaplains, Weinstein said. Usually, we have atheists, agnostics, secularists, and humanists who come to us.

One current U.S. military chaplain and one former active duty military chaplain who spoke with CP on the condition of anonymity after being connected through MRFF said that about 80% or more of the U.S. military chaplaincy subscribes to Calvinistic, conservative Christian theology.

The current chaplain said he has met Kim in the past and has never had any problems with him. However, he said that while chaplains are entitled to their views, they need to be careful not to put forth a view that whatever their religious background is is the established or preferred one.

It is a slippery slope and a place that we are better off not going, the current chaplain said. Now, if it were in the context of a sermon or a Bible study and you share that is your view, that is entirely appropriate.

The chaplain said that he had never seen anything like that from Kim in the past.

The former active-duty military chaplain said that he wasnt sure what Kims intentions were in sending the email so he couldnt state for sure whether he thought court-martial was an appropriate course of action.

I dont know the intent and the heart of chaplain Kim, the former chaplain said. He may have had the purest of intent motives that he read this book and it warmed his heart and he thought everybody in the world should read it. If that is the case that is extremely poor judgment considering his position and trust given to him by the Chaplain Corps. If his intent was to leave his stamp and push his theological perspective then he should be court-martialed.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-05 22:39:56|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Tourists took more than 50,000 trips to 19 museums in Beijing during the five-day May Day holiday, according to the Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage Tuesday.

A total of 19 museums in the capital reopened during the holiday, adopting stringent measures for COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control, such as implementing the real-name booking systems and limiting visiting hours and number of visitors each day to prevent the gatherings of crowds.

The Palace Museum, National Museum of China and the Capital Museum were among the most popular during the holiday.

During the holiday, many other museums in the city moved their exhibitions online, allowing audiences to have a new experience.

China saw nearly 104 million domestic tourist trips in the first four days of the May Day holiday season which started May 1. Domestic tourism revenue generated during the period totaled 43.23 billion yuan (about 6.12 billion U.S. dollars), according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Enditem
A Nigerian woman aboard an Emirates Airline flight evacuating Nigerians from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was delivered of a baby boy.

The woman, identified as Kafayat Amusan, was among the Nigerian travellers stranded in the country.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) on Wednesday revealed this in a press release on its Twitter page.

Mrs Amusan put to bed 30 minutes after take-off which led to the return of the aircraft to Dubai. She is currently on admission, at a hospital in Dubai, the statement added.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the chairperson of the commission, said the new mother will return to Nigeria after obtaining a birth certificate and other necessary travel documents for her baby boy.

She also congratulated Mrs Amusan for another addition in her family and prayed for her safe return to the country.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian ambassador in Dubai, Mohammed Rimi, alongside the staff of the embassy revealed that both mother and child are in good health and the initial aircraft bringing evacuees from Dubai was changed and is still en route to Lagos with 265 returnees on board.

Background

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Tuesday, said in a statement that 265 Nigerian evacuees were expected to arrive at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. on May 6.

The ministry said it is in the process of evacuating Nigerians from abroad and in accordance with NCDC guidelines, the evacuees will undergo a mandatory 14-day supervised quarantine in a monitored environment.

Due to the delivery of Mrs Amusans delivery, the flight had to return. Passengers had to change aircraft and hence are still on their way to the Lagos Airport.

About 300 evacuees are also expected from London, on Friday, May 8 and arrangements to evacuate Nigerians from New York to Abuja are also ongoing with Ethiopian Airlines.
A Twitter manager was shot dead on Friday evening, after getting caught in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting.

Courtney Brousseau, a 22-year-old associate project manager at Twitter, was walking through Dolores Park, in San Francisco, when he was killed.

As he walked through the park, two men got out of their car and opened fire, before driving away, KTVU reported.

According to The San Francisco Chronicle, between 50 and 60 shots were fired by the two men, during the incident.

An 18-year-old was also caught in the crossfire, but did not sustain life-threatening injuries, according to The Chronicle.

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Brent Andrew, the San Francisco General Hospital spokesman, told the outlet that Mr Brousseau was on life support until Sunday, but died at 7pm on Monday.

Mr Brousseaus friend and Twitter colleague, Savannah Badalich, told The Chronicle that he was trying to make technology more inclusive.

He just had such fierce empathy for so many communities, Ms Badalich said. He wanted to make a difference, and he did.

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The New York Post reported that Mr Brousseau, who previously interned for Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren, helped people in March, by offering financial support to those in need during the coronavirus pandemic.

I spent a lot of $ on LEGO last night for my own mental health, he tweeted in March. Now I want to help other folks who might be struggling due to Covid-19.

If you know someone who needs help, an organisation that is helping, or a donation you want me to match, reply w/ info. Ill donate up to $400.

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At the time of writing, no arrests have been made into the shooting, according to San Francisco police spokesperson Officer Robert Rueca.

This active and ongoing homicide investigation is looking into all aspects, he said, and added that at this stage officers are not confirming or ruling anything out.

A Twitter spokesperson said that the organisation is heartbroken to confirm the passing of a Twitter employee involved in a shooting last week.

Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and teammates at this difficult time.
The Walled City of Old Delhi was home to great poet Ghalib. More than a century after his death, the historic quarter continues to nurture a few men (and, in one instance at least, a woman) so passionate about poetry that they might as well believe that poems are enough to cure any ailment.

One such sophisticate is poet Ameer Dehlvitall, handsome and very frail. He is 90, and one is naturally inclined to worry for him in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Indeed, it has proved to be particularly fatal to the elderly. One thing to fear in particular: getting some other illness that might necessitate to leave the sanctuary of home for a visit to the hospital, and risking ones safety over the expedition.

This is exactly what happened to Mr Dehlvi.

Late last month Ameer abba suffered a complete heart block, a disturbance in the rhythm of the heart, explained his nephew Suhail Qureshi, an oncologist, in a phone text. He explains that the poet had to be transported to the Holy Family hospital for emergency surgery. A permanent pacemaker was inserted into his chest. That hospital is 13 kilometres from home but the roads were empty because of the lockdown, and we were able to reach in 20 minutes.

The surgery lasted for one hour. All went well during Mr Dehlvis three-day stay in the hospital, except that his loud chatty voice would often startle the fellow patients. Nevertheless, the poet is so charming and affectionate that to nobodys surprise he won many hearts  no pun intended here. He would cheer up everybody in the ICU and ended up becoming friends with other patients as well as with members of the nursing staff.

Now Mr Dehlvi is back to the isolation of his Chawri Bazar house. An old-fashioned dwelling with a courtyard in the middle, it harbours four generations of Mr Dehlvis family, numbering to more than 30 people. He is the second eldest among six brothers. His wife lies buried in distant Kashmir.

In the BC (Before Corona) era, Mr Dehlvi would spend his days in the family-run hotel near Jama Masjid, where he could be seen intently gazing upon the crowd from the hotel balcony. He would also listen to songs on his old radio, or read poetry, if not write a ghazal or two himself.

The prolonged lockdown might have made him yearn for the street life, but the heightened frailty after a major health scare makes him more inclined to rest at home. He still reads Urdu newspapers, and often talks to friends on phone. Many a times, nephew Suhail says, Ameer abba can be heard reciting verses from the Quran while in bed (a Hafiz, he can read the entire book from memory).

This being the month of Ramzan, Ameer abba prays for everyones well-being and often thanks God for giving him a fresh lease of life, says Suhail.

One thing Mr Dehlvi is particularly disconcerted about is that he hasnt been able to get his beard trimmed. A nephew did try to shape it with a trimmer but the poet is used to the able hands of local barber Shakeel. And there is no knowing of when the barbers will be allowed to work again.

One evening, the gracious poet agrees to a brief interview on WhatsApp video with this reporter. He is sitting in his bedroom, dressed in white. Soon after resuming the major updates of his new life with a pacemaker, Mr Dehlvi breaks into the impromptu recitation of a shayari he wrote recently. His face is suddenly animated with intense feelings, and glows with hints of good health. Watching and hearing him gives a sense of beauty and relief and privilege.

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'Unless we make our own testing kits, we will not get out of this disease faster.'

IMAGE: The Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology in Thiruvanathapuram has decided to transfer technology developed by it free of cost to manufacturers in order to boost the production and combat the coronavirus pandemic. Photograph: ANI Photo

"The earlier you identify the person, you can isolate him faster. So, it is not only good for the patient, but for the population also. When an asymptomatic patient walks around, s/he spreads the virus," Dr Anoop Thekkuveettil, senior scientist in the division of molecular medicine at the Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology in Thiruvanathapuram, tells Shobha Warrier/Rediff.com in the second segment of a three-part interview.

You and your team developed the testing kit Chitra Gene Lamp-N first, and now Chitra Magna. What is the difference between the two?

They are not two different things; just two parts of a kit.

In COVID-19 detection, you need RNA isolation because this is an RNA virus. Only if you isolate the RNA can you convert it to the DNA.

After that you need to amplify it either in a lab or in a PCR (polymerase chain reaction, which is a method widely used in molecular biology to make millions of copies of a specific DNA sample).

We do lab LAMP (loop-mediated isothermal amplification) reaction of the DNA, and that's why our testing kit is called Chitra Lamp-N.

Chitra Magna is mainly to isolate the RNA, and it is part of Chitra Lamp-N.

Right now, all the RNA isolation kits, rather 99% of them, are coming from abroad. Because we do not have any good high-quality RNA isolation kit, we decided to develop it.

In fact, it is mainly for the LAMP reaction that we developed it.

Then we found that even those doing PCR also suffer from lack of RNA isolation kits. That's when we thought why can we not give Chitra Magna to them so that they can isolate the RNA through their PCR.

Though Chitra Magna is essential for our testing, PCR people also can use it. That's when we decided to split the testing into two; for us and also for PCR.

Chitra LAMP reaction is a new kind of chemistry which is an alternate to RT- PCR. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, or RT-PCR, is the current technology that is used by everyone to detect COVID-19.

But RT-PCR is a very expensive machine costing around Rs 50 lakhs to Rs 1 crore and operating the machine also requires very high expertise. That's why it is done only in medical colleges and research institutes. Moreover, there are only very few machines available in the country.

We felt we needed a smaller, simple system which can be used, for example, in a district hospital so that we can test faster and at a cheaper rate. And we get almost equivalent PCR results.

How fast is your result?

Usually in a PCR from the sample to result takes about 6 to 8 hours, but in our machine you get the results in less than 2 hours.

Chitra Lamp N, left, is faster and it is the size of a laptop only. So, you don't require a very high-end machine. And even normal technicians can run this machine.

From the swab, we isolate the RNA using Chitra Magna and then test for the virus.

Your hospital press release says Chitra Magna has an advantage in RNA extraction...

The advantage Chitra Magna has in RNA extraction is, we can extract a very highly concentrated RNA.

On the other hand, the other kits used currently give only a very diluted RNA.

When the RNA is fresh it works everywhere, but the problem in India is that the testing centres are far away. So, samples have to be transported to the testing centres.

You are supposed to transport the samples in a very low temperature, which is -20 degree centigrade.

What happens if the temperature rises?

In high temperatures the RNA will get spoilt, and you will get a negative result even if the person is positive. This problem can only be solved by maintaining the cold chain, which is very difficult in India.

We thought if we could increase the amount of RNA, even if some of the RNAs get spoiled we would have a few good ones left. That's where Chitra Magna has an advantage as it extracts a very high concentrated RNA.

The second advantage is, it is very easy to do the extraction. You don't need any equipment; you only need a small magnet and can isolate the RNA.

The best kits are made in Germany, but they are not selling them now as they also need them. So, they will not sell us till the disease is over there.

What India suffers from right now is lack of good testing kits. What we get are from China, Korea, etc.

And the testing kits that came from China are said to be defective and ICMR is sending them back to China.

Yes. We have no choice right now. Since we do not have any testing kits in our country, we have to buy from somewhere.

As the good quality kits are bought by other countries, we are only left with these Chinese kits.

Unless we make our own testing kits, we will not get out of this disease faster.

IMAGE: Dr Anoop Thekkuveettil, second from right, with his team at the Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology.

Will you be able to make it in bulk so that it is available all over the country?

We plan to make the testing kit Chitra Lamp-N together with Chitra Magna, and also Chitra Magna alone, available in the market.

We have given the technology to a company in Kochi and they are making it in bulk.

We also plan to give it to three more companies so that more kits are available in the market. We will be signing an MoU with one of the biggest companies in the country very soon.

Is it because the genetic information specific to the coronavirus is in the RNA that the extraction of RNA is very important in detecting the virus?

Yes. Only by testing the RNA can you recognise whether it is COVID-19 or not. That's because every virus has a particular signature gene.

Is there any advantage for the patient in testing the RNA?

Yes, the advantage of testing the gene is that you can pick up the presence of the virus in the patient even on day one.

The earlier you identify the person, you can isolate him faster.

So, it is not only good for the patient, but for the population also. When an asymptomatic patient walks around, s/he spreads the virus.

The problem with the antibodies test is that it takes 7 days to show the antibodies in the blood. By the time s/he would have infected many people. That is why ICMR has now withdrawn many antibodies testing kits.
In its latest report, U.S.-based democracy monitor Freedom House warns of a "stunning democratic breakdown" across Central Europe, the Balkans, and Eurasia as many leaders in the region attempt to do away with any remaining checks on their power.



"A growing number of leaders in Central and Eastern Europe have dropped even the pretense that they play by the rules of democracy. They openly attack democratic institutions and are working to restrict individual freedoms," the group says in its annual Nations In Transit report, released on May 6.



The report says the attacks on democratic institutions could be accelerated by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but Freedom House President Michael Abramowitz said the health crisis also creates an "inflection point" after which things could become much worse, or democracy could be revitalized.



The hope is that the experience of the epidemic "will illustrate the importance of transparent and accountable governance and catalyze new demands for change," Abramowitz said.



Freedom House says that the number of democracies in the 29 countries covered in the report is at its lowest point ever at just 10.



The overall democracy score for the region, an average of all the countries assessed, declined for the 16th year in a row.



The report says the slippage of democratic reforms is demonstrated through the manipulation of electoral frameworks that gives undue advantage to incumbents, parliaments that have been sidelined by opposition boycotts, and smear campaigns against independent media and civil society.



It also says the judiciary and the rule of law have become targets in many countries through such maneuvers as packing courts with loyalists and adopting restrictive laws that do away with judicial independence.



The reports judicial framework and independence category had the largest number of declines, with six countries registering a deterioration: the Czech Republic, Georgia, Latvia, Montenegro, Poland, and Slovakia.

'Hybrid Regimes'



The report identifies several countries that have been downgraded according a rating on democratic progress. It says Poland has dropped out of the group of consolidated democracies and is now rated a semi-consolidated democracy.



Hungary, Serbia, and Montenegro have all left the category of democracies entirely and are now classified as transitional government/hybrid regimes.



The report singles out EU member Hungary as having the largest drop ever recorded in the 25 years since Freedom House -- a nonprofit organization largely funded by the U.S. government -- published its first Nations In Transit report.



The countrys democracy score has been on a steep decline in the past decade and the report describes Prime Minister Viktor Orban as a leader who has "dropped any pretense of respecting democratic institutions."



Similarly, Poland, also an EU member state, moved downward, becoming a semi-consolidated democracy largely because of losses in judicial framework and independence over the past five years.



The report also notes that in Russia, which is classified as an authoritarian regime, President Vladimir Putin's constitutional reforms, which if implemented, would allow him to retain his post beyond two terms, "demonstrate a contempt for the rule of law and the basic principles of constitutional government."



There were positive developments in some places, such as in Kosovo, the only country to secure gains in each of the last five years, and in North Macedonia, which saw multiple score improvements.



Armenia also gained its highest score based on improvements related to elections and corruption.

Ukraines national democratic governance score saw a slight improvement, and Uzbekistans corruption score improved from rock bottom based on recent efforts to root out petty graft.
Residents will have two elections in June.

In addition to the school elections on June 9, there will be a primary election on June 23. This election will feature candidates vying for the nomination in various local and state races.

June 23 voting will also feature the Democratic presidential primary, after a judge ruled Tuesday that it was unconstitutional for the Democratic Party to cancel the primary in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The situation is changing day by day. As of now, primary voters will have the option of either voting in person at polling places or by absentee ballot  unlike the school budget and candidate voting, which is by mail only.

Warren County Board of Elections Democratic Commissioner Beth McLaughlin said applications for absentee ballots will be mailed out to every registered Republican, Democratic, Conservative and Independence party member.

Theyre due to go out on Friday, but thats a tentative date. People need to fill them out and get them back to us, she said.

People can also call, email or fax the Warren County Board of Elections to request a ballot.

Because the situation is in flux, McLaughlin encouraged people to visit the Board of Elections website at www.warrencountyny.gov/boe or its Facebook page for up-to-date information. They can call the Warren County Board of Elections at 518-761-6458 or 518-761-6459 or fax them at 518-761-6480.

For Democratic voters, the situation is a little more complicated. McLaughlin said she believes those who want to vote by absentee ballot will get two ballots  one for the state and local races and a separate one for the presidential primary.

The presidential primary is on as of today, she said.

McLaughlin and GOP Elections Commissioner William Van Ness sought to have more clarity on Tuesday after a statewide conference call.

Were hoping to get a lot of our questions answered, she said.

Absentee ballots have to be postmarked by June 22 and the Board of Elections needs to receive them by June 29. McLaughlin said she hopes that the election will be certified by June 30.

Another wrinkle is early voting is still scheduled to start June 13 and go through June 21.

There are a few local contests.

Democratic, Independence and Conservative party members will select candidates for the Warren County judge race. Glens Falls City Court Judge Nikki Moreschi and Queensbury lawyer Greg Canale are vying for the Democratic nomination to replace retiring Warren County Judge John Hall.

Canale and Rob Smith, court attorney for Hall, are seeking the Conservative Party nomination. Moreschi and Smith are competing for the Independence Party line.

In Warrensburg, Republicans Ilana Laney Morgan and Pamela Lloyd are vying for the nomination to be elected to fill three years of a term for town clerk.

Washington County has no primaries, except for the Democratic presidential primary. Deputy Republican Elections Commissioner Tom Rogers said election officials are making plans for one, but a lower courts ruling reinstating the primary may be appealed to a higher court.

Its kind of a waiting game to find out exactly whats going to happen, he said.

Rogers said there was going to be a Republican primary in the 45th Senate District between Assemblyman Dan Stec, R-Queesnbury, and Richard Berry, of Canton, to fill Sen. Betty Littles seat. However, Rogers said Berrys petitions were invalidated. The district includes all of Warren, Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties and parts of St. Lawrence and Washington counties.

There was also going to be a Republican primary in the 113th Assembly District. David Catalfamo and Michael York were vying for the Republican ballot line to challenge incumbent Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake. However, Rogers said Yorks petitions were invalidated.

In Saratoga County, there is a Democratic primary for the 49th Senate District, which includes Hadley, Corinth and Day among other communities. Donovan McRae and Thearse McCalmon are vying for the Democratic nomination to take on Sen. Jim Tedisco, R-Glenville.

Essex County has no races except for the presidential primary.

Village government elections in the state, which initially had been rescheduled from March to June because of the pandemic, will now be held on Sept. 15.

Reach Michael Goot at 518-742-3320 or mgoot@poststar.com and follow his blog poststar.com/blogs/michael_goot/.

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The executive board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced on Wednesday that it will convene on 11 May to discuss Egypts request to get a financial package under the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI), according to the boards calendar published on the IMF website.

According to the IMF, the RFI provides rapid and low-access financial assistance to member countries facing an urgent need for a balance of payments, without the need to have a full-fledged program in place.

It can provide support to meet a broad range of urgent needs, including those arising from commodity price shocks, natural disasters, conflict and post-conflict situations, and emergencies resulting from fragility.

As a single, flexible mechanism with a broad coverage, the RFI replaced the IMFs previous policy that covered Emergency Natural Disaster Assistance (ENDA) and Emergency Post-Conflict Assistance (EPCA), according the IMF.

In response to members large and urgent COVID-19-related financing needs, the IMF announced that access limits under the regular window of the RFI have been temporarily increased from 50 to 100 percent of quota per year, and from 100 to 150 percent of quota on a cumulative basis. Net of scheduled repurchases and higher access limits will apply for an initial six-month period, from 6 April 2020 to 5 October 2020, and may be extended by the IMFs Executive Board.

Egypt is qualified to get a maximum of $2.78 billion (100 percent of its quota) on the back of the success of Egypts economic reform program, which was funded by the $12 billion Extended Fund Facility, according the IMF.

On 27 April, Egypts Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced that Egypt filed a request with the IMF seeking financial support to back its efforts to curb the impacts of COVID-19, including the RFI loan and Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) loan.

According to the IMF, the meetings calendar is subject to change, and the agenda for each meeting is typically finalised the day before the meeting.

The Institute of International Finance (IIF) said in a report issued on Sunday that the IMF is expected to disburse 200 percent of Egypts quota to help contain COVID-19s harsh impacts on the Egyptian economy

The RFI loan would facilitate increased health spending, a stronger social safety net, and assistance to SMEs to mitigate fallout from the crisis, and it would also provide a backstop against the decline in official reserves, according to the IIF report.

Official sources at the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) told Ahram Online that the details of the two loans, including the time of disbursal, will be announced after Eid if the IMF approves it on 11 May.

On 26 April, Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the IMF, announced that Egypt filed a request for two loans, adding that the emergency financing under the RFI will allow the government to address any immediate balance of payments needs and support the most affected sectors and vulnerable groups of people.

My staff is also working with the Egyptian government to support its strong set of macroeconomic policies through an SBA. We fully support the governments aim to safeguard the significant gains made under the successfully completed three-year Extended Fund Facility last year, she said.

This comprehensive package of financial support, if approved, would help strengthen confidence in the Egyptian economy, make further progress to protect the most vulnerable and provide the basis for a strong economic recovery. It would also help accelerate Egypts reform efforts aimed to support broad-based, job-rich and sustainable growth.

On 11 November 2016, the IMF approved a three-year extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility for Egypt with a loan worth $12 billion, 422 percent of Egypts quota, to support the countrys economic reform program.

On 24 July 2019, the IMF announced the success of the program in achieving its objectives.

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SEOUL, South Korea  The de facto head of Samsung, Lee Jae-yong, apologized on Wednesday for the corruption and union-busting scandals that have bedeviled his conglomerate, declaring that he will be the last of his family members to lead the South Korean corporate empire.

During a nationally televised news conference, Mr. Lee, 51, said Samsung would also respect its workers right to organize independent labor unions, ending its decades-old no-union philosophy. That stance was often cited as one of the key reasons Samsung could grow so rapidly while other conglomerates, like Hyundai, were often crippled by militant labor activism at their work sites.

Mr. Lee  known as J.Y. Lee in the West  officially holds the title of vice chairman of Samsung, but his influence there goes much further. He has been running the conglomerate founded by his grandfather Lee Byung-chull since a heart attack incapacitated his father, Lee Kun-hee, the chairman, in 2014. But he has also stood trial on charges of bribing Park Geun-hye, the former president of South Korea, who was impeached and ousted for corruption and abuse of power.

Samsung has not strictly complied with laws and ethics, Mr. Lee said with a bow during the news conference at a Samsung headquarters in Seoul. Although it has been lauded for being first rate in technology and products, Samsung has faced harsh criticism.
Afghan security forces arrested eight members of a network grouping Islamic State and Haqqani militants responsible shootings of worshippers at a Sikh complex as well as rocket attacks on President Ashraf Ghanis swearing-in ceremony and on Bagram airbase

Kabul: Afghan security forces arrested eight members of a network grouping Islamic State and Haqqani militants responsible for bloody attacks in the capital including on Sikh worshippers, the countrys security agency said on Wednesday.

The arrests were made as special forces carried out a raid on a property in Kabul on Tuesday evening, seizing weapons and explosives and killing five members of the joint network.

The group was responsible for shootings of worshippers at a Sikh complex and at a large ceremony attended by many in the Hazara community, as well as rocket attacks on President Ashraf Ghanis swearing-in ceremony and on Bagram airbase, the National Directorate of Security said in a statement.

Gunmen and suicide bombers raided a Sikh religious complex in Kabul in March, killing 25 people. That was the second attack on a minority group claimed by Islamic State in a month after more than 30 people were shot dead in a gathering attended by many members of the ethnic Hazara community marking the anniversary of the death of a Hazara leader.

Also in March, attackers fired rockets at Ghanis inauguration ceremony and in April sent rockets into the Bagram airbase, though no one was killed in either attack.

The violence underscored the challenges to securing lasting peace in Afghanistan even after the United States signed a troop withdrawal agreement with the militant Taliban in February. The Islamist group has since held off on large-scale attacks on foreign forces or in major centres, though it has continued attacking Afghan security forces throughout the provinces.

Islamic State, which is not a party to the agreement and has fought the Taliban in the past, has a small presence in Afghanistan, largely in the north, though it has waged high profile attacks further south in the capital.

The militant Haqqani network, founded in the 1970s, is one of the most powerful and feared groups in the Afghan insurgency and has in the past had links to the Taliban.
IOWA CITY, Iowa - Investigators on Wednesday arrested a long-haul trucker from Iowa who they say is linked by DNA evidence to the killings of three women whose bodies were dumped in Wyoming and Tennessee in the early 1990s.

Police arrested Clark Perry Baldwin, 58, at his home in Waterloo, Iowa, on murder charges filed in Wyoming and Tennessee in the deaths of the women, including two who were pregnant. Investigators said they were looking into whether Baldwin could be responsible for other unsolved slayings.

Baldwin was arrested after investigators used semen and other material recovered from the victims to develop DNA profiles of their perpetrators, according to court documents in Wyoming. Last year, they learned that the same profile matched all three cases.

Investigators zeroed in on Baldwin after finding DNA in commercial genealogy databases of someone related to the suspects profile, court documents say. Last month in Waterloo, the FBI secretly collected DNA from Baldwins trash and a shopping cart he used at Walmart and it matched the profile.

In Wyoming, Baldwin is charged in the deaths of two unidentified women whose bodies were found in 1992 roughly 400 miles (643.74 kilometres) apart.

A female trucker discovered the nude body of the first victim in March 1992 near the Bitter Creek Truck turnout on Interstate 80 in southwestern Wyoming. An autopsy determined the woman suffered head trauma consistent with strangulation and her body had likely been in the snow for weeks.

A month later, Wyoming Department of Transportation workers found the partially mummified body of a pregnant woman in a ditch off of Interstate 90, near Sheridan in northern Wyoming.

An autopsy didnt determine the cause of death but found the victim had an injury potentially consistent with suffering a blow to the head.

Investigators never identified the women and referred to them as Bitter Creek Betty and I-90 Jane Doe. Both were believed to be in their late teens or early 20s, Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation Cmdr. Matt Waldock said.

In Tennessee, Baldwin is charged with two counts of murder in the 1991 killing of a 32-year-old pregnant woman from Virginia, Pamela McCall, and her fetus.

McCall was found in woods off Interstate 65 in Spring Hill, Tennessee in March 1991. An autopsy determined McCall had neck injuries and died of strangulation. Sperm was recovered from pantyhose worn by McCall, who was last seen at a Tennessee truck stop days earlier.

Court documents say that Baldwin allegedly raped a female hitchhiker in Wheeler County, Texas, at gunpoint in his truck in 1991. The 21-year-old woman told police that Baldwin struck her on the head, bound her hands and mouth and tried to choke her to death. He allegedly admitted to the assault but was released pending grand jury proceedings. Court documents do not indicate whether he was charged or prosecuted.

Baldwin, who has previously lived in Nashua, Iowa, and Springfield, Missouri, was a cross-country truck driver for Marten Transport at the time.

Baldwins name also surfaced during a 1992 homicide investigation in Iowa. His ex-wife told police then that Baldwin once bragged about killing a girl out west by strangulation and throwing her out of his truck, court documents say.

Waldock said investigators were hopeful to solve other cases with Baldwins arrest.

One case of interest is the 1992 death of Tammy Jo Zywicki, 21, an Iowa college student who was last seen after her car broke down on an Illinois highway. A white man who was driving a semi-trailer was seen near her vehicle. Zywickis body was found in rural Missouri, stabbed to death.

Another is the 1992 killing of Rhonda Knutson, 22, a truck stop convenience store clerk in northern Iowa who was bludgeoned to death during an overnight shift. Investigators have released sketches of two men who were in the store, including one trucker. Baldwin lived in nearby Nashua then.

In 1997, Secret Service agents raided Baldwins apartment in Springfield, Missouri, after learning he was making counterfeit U.S. currency on a personal computer. He and two female associates were indicted on counterfeiting charges. Baldwin was sentenced to 18 months in prison and released in 1999.

In 2008, a fire destroyed a Nashua building where Baldwin operated a candle business and damaged two adjacent buildings, including one that housed the towns newspaper. The cause of the fire was never determined.

Baldwin is being held at the Black Hawk County jail pending extradition proceedings to Tennessee.

The charges stunned Jazz Baldwin, 32, of New Hampton, Iowa, who said she learned two years ago that Baldwin was her father after he purchased a DNA test kit. The two had been in contact over Facebook since then, she said.

I heard rumours about his possible crimes but always thought they were bogus, she wrote in a Facebook message. Murder was NOT on the list of things we thought he had done and gotten away with.

__

Associated Press journalists Rhonda Shafner in New York City and Mead Gruver in Cheyenne, Wyoming contributed to this report.
Staff from Debenhams stores around the country held further protests today.

The day of action saw the sacked workers protesting peacefully, as well as meeting with TDs in Cork and outside Dail Eireann.

Staff were informed that Debenhams Retail Ireland was going into liquidation on Thursday, April 9. A provisional liquidator was appointed on April 16.

In a statement released at the time, Debenhams Ireland said the withdrawal of Debenhams Retail UKs support, following the appointment of an Administrator to the UK business, meant that legally the Directors of Debenhams Retail Ireland had no option but to seek the appointment of a liquidator.

Valerie Conlon, representing the workers of the two Debenhams stores in Cork said their protest outside Cork City Hall coincided with staff from the Dublin stores demonstrating outside the Dail.

"We also handed letters into Simon Coveney, Michael McGrath and Micheal Martins constituency offices.

"The Lord Mayor joined us and we got a great reception. We are very grateful for his support, and he let us sign the Mayors book.

"After 97 years, the [Patricks Street] store will be completely closed. It would be terribly sad to see.

Imploring the Government to act, Ms Conlon said: "Rather than every single shop closing, save us like you did the banks."

The Debenhams workers are now calling for State intervention to save their jobs.

Some of the measures they are suggesting include utilising some of the governments new 6.5 billion fund for businesses, as well as tapping into the EUs new 100 billion fund, called Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency (SURE).
MIAMI, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Cano Health has long since been prepared to weather a crisis of the magnitude that is now gripping the country with the spread of COVID-19. More than 1,500 company associates and clinical staff labor daily to win the battle against the unprecedented pandemic by using the enterprise's proprietary care management system (CanoPanorama) which allows for complex, high-risk case management and patient disease stratification.

To date over 25,000 of Cano's members have been called by case managers with the aim of identifying and closely monitoring high-risk patients through its COVID-19 clinical task force. These patients also receive the benefit of early treatment and preventive medication. The sickest patients, identified through a COVID-19 specific and proprietary algorithm, get daily specialized care.

As part of the program, Cano Health has also significantly expanded its telemedicine, pharmacy in-home delivery and 24/7 urgent care support line with patients' safety and convenience in mind. The company conducts daily an average of 1,500 virtual visits, 700 in-home prescription deliveries and 300 urgency calls through its proprietary Cano at Home program.

Clinical results from patient risk stratification and early course of treatment have been promising. Cano Health's overall mortality rate in COVID-19 patients is 66% better than that of the comparable Florida population (age and county match). In-hospital deaths are at 10% of hospitalized Cano patients versus 37% of hospitalized patients of a comparable population.

COVID-19 Clinical Course and Investigational Treatments

Cano Health's Chief Clinical Officer Richard B Aguilar, MD and Chief Executive Officer Marlow B. Hernandez Cano, DO, MPH have collaborated with prominent South Florida medical colleagues in the pre-print publication of Current Understanding of COVID-19 Clinical Course and Investigational Treatments (April 24, 2020; medRxiv).

In response to a lack of unified or standard approach, the paper presents the first evidence-based recommendations for individualized treatment for COVID-19, based on an exhaustive review of clinical reports and scholarly articles from around the world.

Findings from the study show that COVID-19 progresses through three distinct stages; beginning at the time of infection (Stage I); sometimes progressing to pulmonary involvement (Stage II, with or without hypoxemia); and less frequently to systemic inflammation (Stage III).

In addition to modeling the stages, the paper also presents a treatment algorithm which considers age, comorbidities, clinical presentation, and disease progression in order to suggest drug classes or treatment modalities.

Dr. Hernandez stated: "Very proud to have co-authored this paper. The more we know about COVID-19, the more lives we can save. Although treatments will change, what is certain from our research and clinical experience is that early individualized intervention is the key to best outcomes."

Link to the full article:

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.19.20071548v1

About Cano Health

Cano Health, LLC operates 46 primary care centers and several pharmacies in Florida that specialize in primary care for older adults. As part of its care coordination, the enterprise provides sophisticated, high-touch population health management programs including patient-centric programs such as home visits, telehealth, transition of care, and high-risk & complex care management. Cano Health's personalized patient care and proactive approach to wellness and preventive care sets it apart.

SOURCE Cano Health, LLC
MELBOURNE, Australia, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Slalom, a AUD $2.5 billion modern consulting firm that helps organisations solve their most intractable business and technology problems, recently opened its Melbourne office with plans to debut a Sydney office later this year. Slalom's expansion into Australia will bring 200 new jobs to the region over the next two years, with the aim of helping local Australian businesses realise true business transformation, create modern technology-building cultures and develop game-changing new offerings by leveraging modern ways of working and modern technologies to help deliver transformational outcomes. With this move into Australia, Slalom has expanded its footprint to all major markets across the world, with 8,400 employees in over 35 markets.

"The Australian market is extremely compelling right now," said Slalom Founder and Chief Experience Officer John Tobin. "With the current business and tech boom, and despite the current situation, there is huge potential for growth and transformation, for Australia-grown and international companies alike. We believe the time is right to bring our unique consulting approach to these businesses. And being one hundred percent private and employee-owned, Slalom is well positioned to navigate the current economic reality, taking a long-term view of the launch in Australia."

Slalom works with more than half of the Fortune 100, powering the engineering behind some of the world's largest global technology companies, such as Twitter and AWS, along with startups, mid-tier organisations, not-for-profits, and other innovative companies. Slalom, having seen significant growth in North America for its AWS, Salesforce and Tableau practices, will bring that experience and tailor it to the needs of the Australia market.

"Slalom will bring a unique blend of global consultancy capabilities mixed with the agility of a local startup to help Australian businesses innovate at scale and compete on the global stage. We've also worked to ensure that our new employees get the best onboarding experience possible, despite the necessary stay-at-home orders across Australia," said Michael Shimota, the global consultancy leader tapped to spearhead Australian operations.

Slalom's strong people-first culture emphasizes sustainable and exciting careers for consultants, builders, designers and architects. Slalom continues to be recognised as one of the best companies to work for by Fortune 100, Forbes and Great Places to Work. This same emphasis on people applies to the company's Australian operations, with unique benefits including commuter, wellbeing and technology allowances for employees.

"Slalom Australia is committed to creating an inclusive environment, where everyone is inspired and empowered to make their own unique impact. We focus on a meaningful balance of work and life for our people and we purposefully engage with clients, while providing the opportunities to grow careers based on an individual's strengths and potential," said Fiona Hathaway, who leads new market expansions as part of Slalom's Global People Team.

A custom-fit Melbourne office space, to be revealed later this year, will also house a Slalom Build Center to help customers co-create modern software and technology products. Mike Cowden, president of Slalom's fastest-growing division, Slalom Build, adds, "The Build Centers are a key component of this expansion. We've created a new category for cloud-native software and product engineering called Build as a Service. We've seen immense success with this model in the US, and plan to bring what we've learned to Australia working with enterprises, government, and mid-market companies. With a team of highly skilled builders, Slalom's Melbourne office will help local businesses build modern software for the future."

About Slalom

Slalom is a modern consulting firm focused on strategy, technology, and business transformation. In cities across the US, UK, Canada and Australia, Slalom's teams have the autonomy to move fast and do what's right. They're backed by 10 regional Build Centers, a global culture of collaboration, and partnerships with the world's 200+ top technology providers, with an emphasis on Cloud, Salesforce and Data and Analytics. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Seattle, Slalom has organically grown to 8,400 employees. Slalom was named one of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For in 2019 and is regularly recognized by employees as a best place to work. Learn more at slalom.com .

About Slalom Build

Slalom Build, the next generation of software- and technology-building, reimagines how companies build modern software, transforming how they create change with technology. With 1,200 builders and 10 Build Centers distributed across North America, the UK, and Australia, Slalom Build establishes "Build as a Service" (BaaS), a new category for cloud-native software and product engineering. Slalom Build puts interdisciplinary teams to work in close proximity with clients, to build modern technology and software products for enterprises  faster, cleaner and more nimbly than ever before. Learn more at slalombuild.com .

SOURCE Slalom Consulting

Related Links

https://www.slalom.com


T he first cohort of children are returning to school in Wuhan, China, where the first case of the new coronavirus was reported late last year.

Students in grade 12 and 9 at high schools in the Hubei province were allowed to return to class on Wednesday to study for upcoming exams in the summer.

Most grade 12 students already returned to school in March in other parts of the country.

All students returning to class had to do a coronavirus test and there will be measures to ensure social distancing, such as partitions in the school canteen, according to state media.

Wuhan students return to school after Coronavirus 1 /9 Wuhan students return to school after Coronavirus AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images AFP via Getty Images REUTERS REUTERS AFP via Getty Images

Teenagers will have their temperature checked before going into school, and sit one metre apart from other students.

Other measures to ensure students could return safely include smaller class sizes and staggered arrival times, according to China Daily.

Return dates have not yet been confirmed for junior and middle school students.

Wuhan lifts Coronavirus lockdown - In pictures 1 /20 Wuhan lifts Coronavirus lockdown - In pictures A medical worker from China's Jilin Province, in red, embraces a colleague from Wuhan as she prepares to return home at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport AP A pilot leans out of the cockpit window to wave goodbye before the China Eastern airlines flight, the first domestic flight from Wuhan that resumed service after travel restrictions to leave the capital of Hubei province and China's epicentre of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak were lifted, takes off from Wuhan Tianhe International Airport to Sanya Reuters A medical staff member from Jilin Province tears up during a ceremony before leaving as Tianhe Airport is reopened in Wuhan AFP via Getty Images Passengers wearing face masks and suits to protect against the spread of new coronavirus walk past a display screen at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport i AP A passenger wearing a face mask is seen in the counter at the Tianhe Airport after it was reopened today AFP via Getty Images People wearing protective clothing and masks arrive at Hankou Railway Station in Wuhan AFP via Getty Images Travellers wearing protective gear ride an escalator at Wuchang Railway Station before travel restrictions to leave Wuhan Reuters Medical staff from Jilin Province (in red) hug nurses from Wuhan after working together during the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak during a ceremony before leaving as Tianhe Airport is reopened in Wuhan AFP via Getty Images Medical workers from China's Jilin Province react as they prepare to return home at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport AP A man wearing protective gear gets through security check at Wuchang Railway Station before travel restrictions to leave Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province and China's epicentre of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak are lifted Reuters A woman wearing a face mask to protect against the spread of coronavirus puts a poncho on a child at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan AP Bullet trains at a station in preparation for resuming operations after authorities lifted a more than two-month ban on outbound travel, in Wuhan AFP via Getty Images People wait for the train at the Hankou Railway Station in Wuhan as travel restrictions for leaving the city, the epicentre of a global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, are lifted and people will be allowed to leave the city via road, rail and air Reuters A train staff member stands on a high-speed train at Wuhan's Hankou Railway Station Reuters People wait for the train at the Hankou Railway Station in Wuhan as travel restrictions for leaving the city, the epicentre of a global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, are lifted and people will be allowed to leave the city via road, rail and air Reuters

It comes as health officials in China said it has been three weeks since any new deaths have been reported in the country where the pandemic began in December.

Just one new infection has been confirmed, and fewer than 400 patients are still being treated for Covid-19.

Extra measures will be in place such as temperature screening and social distancing in the canteen / AFP via Getty Images

The country's major cities are gradually returning to normal after imposing strict travel restrictions to control the spread of the virus.

On Tuesday, Liu Xiaoming, China's ambassador to the UK, said China has the Covid-19 outbreak "under control" and said the economy is showing a "steady momentum of recovery".

The Forbidden City in Beijing has reopened / AP

"China will continue to be the factory and the market of the world," he said. "China will remain an important powerhouse for world economic growth."

Shanghai Disneyland will reopen next week, the company announced on Tuesday, with enhanced safety measures including temperature checks and social distancing.


remaining of

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SAN FRANCISCO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Virgin Hotels, the lifestyle hotel brand, today filed a lawsuit in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco against the owner of its Virgin Hotels San Francisco property. Virgin Hotels manages the property for the owner, Jay Singh, under a long-term Hotel Management Agreement (HMA). While operations are temporarily suspended at the hotel in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Virgin Hotels continues to manage the property and is planning for the reopening of the hotel and its highly successful food and beverage operations, including the popular rooftop bar Everdene, when public health authorities determine it is safe to do so.

Raul Leal, CEO of Virgin Hotels, said, "After our decision to temporarily suspend operations at our highly-acclaimed Virgin Hotels San Francisco in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we were surprised to be informed by the property's owner, Jay Singh, of his intention to prematurely and unlawfully terminate our 20-year hotel management agreement less than a year after fully opening this award-winning property. In the short time since opening, the hotel was successfully ramping up, already profitable and leading its peers in guest satisfaction.

"Mr. Singh's action is unwarranted and has left us no choice but to protect our rights and take legal action," added Mr. Leal. "Virgin Hotels has not breached any of its contractual obligations, and we are confident the law is on our side.

"Since agreeing on our contract in 2013, Virgin Hotels worked closely and faithfully with Mr. Singh to develop the hotel and agree upon a vision to achieve his long-term investment objectives. Now in the infancy of its ramp up, the hotel has quickly become a destination," continued Mr. Leal. "In that time Virgin Hotels San Francisco has become an award-winning property, named one of the top 10 best new hotels by USA Today, and nominated for the Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Award. It also generated more than one billion media impressions in 2019.

"Strong, constructive partnerships are at the heart of how we operate at Virgin Hotels. Despite numerous starts and stops with the project construction, at no fault of our own, we have gone to great lengths over the years to support Mr. Singh and those involved with the San Francisco hotel. We are deeply disappointed that our partnership has taken this unfortunate turn and are hopeful to reach a resolution that serves the best interests of both parties," concluded Mr. Leal.

The lawsuit  which is for anticipatory breach by the owner of the long-term HMA, among other things  states that the owner "is attempting to seize upon the disruption created within the hotel industry by the current COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to prematurely and wrongfully terminate the HMA upon manufactured and false grounds."

In response to the devastating COVID-19 crisis, Virgin Hotels has been focused on taking the responsible steps to protect its teammates, guests and local communities. Since temporarily suspending operations at the San Francisco property on March 19th, 2020, Virgin Hotels has taken the lead in assisting the hotel's teammates, including having funded continuation pay for furloughed workers and covering 100% of the cost of healthcare benefits.

Virgin Hotels San Francisco fully opened in May 2019. Following its opening, the hotel was named one of the top 10 best new hotels by USA Today and the hotel's TripAdvisor ranking has rapidly improved to now being in the top 15% of 245 rated hotels in San Francisco. The hotel also leads its competitive set in guest satisfaction scores and TripAdvisor rankings.

ABOUT VIRGIN HOTELS

Virgin Hotels is a lifestyle hospitality brand that combines heartfelt service, straightforward value and a seamless, personalized hotel experience with the track record of innovation and smart disruption that Sir Richard Branson's global Virgin Group has pioneered for 50 years. Each property intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music and culture, fusing with the local landscape and providing a vibrant and inclusive environment for travelers and locals alike. Currently the brand operates Virgin Hotels San Francisco, Virgin Hotels Dallas and Virgin Hotels Chicago - named the "#1 Hotel in United States" in 2016, and "#1 Hotel in Chicago" in both 2016 and 2017 in the Conde Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice Awards. Locations in Nashville, New York, New Orleans, Miami, Palm Springs, Edinburgh, Las Vegas and others are to follow. Virgin Hotels continues to explore hotel and office conversions as well as ground-up development in cities such as Boston, Los Angeles, Austin, Seattle, and London.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Ana Lanzas

[email protected]

Wendi Kopsick / Jeffrey Taufield

Kekst CNC

[email protected] / [email protected]

SOURCE Virgin Hotels
"Peru's economic foundations are in an enviable situation and allow us to face this emergency in conditions much better than those of other countries," Velarde expressed.

"We have a sufficiently strong macroeconomic strength that has allowed us to put into action a series of measures that other countries cannot," he emphasized.
In response to a surge of COVID-19 cases in Amarillo, Texas, a federal strike force has been dispatched by the Trump administration to respond to the outbreak and make sure meatpacking plants in the area remain open.

On Saturday, Amarillo Mayor Ginger Nelson announced that the team of federal officials will arrive in the Texas Panhandle, the northern region of the state, to take over testing and investigating workers contracting the virus.

Likewise, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced on Tuesday that the state is planning to deploy surge response teams, made up of health officials, emergency responders and National Guard troops which will be deployed to respond to flare-ups of coronavirus infections as the state moves to reopen its economy, eliminating any social distancing orders which were aimed at slowing the spread of the virus.

Downtown Amarillo, Texas (Wikimedia Commons / Skyscrapercity.com)

Currently, Potter County, which includes approximately half of Amarillo, has confirmed 818 cases of COVID-19, giving the county an infection rate around four times higher than Houston and Dallas, cities with much larger populations. Moore County, which is just north of Potter County and home to a massive JBS meatpacking plant, has an infection rate three times higher than Potter.

Texas health officials confirmed that they were investigating over 159 cases tied to a JBS meatpacking plant in Cactus, Texas. The infections are not confined to Moore County since JBS provides shuttles for the workers from Amarillo and others commute from neighboring areas including Oklahoma.

The JBS plants workforce is largely composed of immigrant Hispanic workers, some of whom have previously been the targets of ICE raids. The federal strike force puts these workers at a genuinely increased risk of being targeted and victimized by federal officials due to their immigration status. In conjunction with Trumps executive order last Tuesday to force meatpacking plants to remain operational through the pandemic, meatpacking workers are now facing the threat of deportation while being forced to work shoulder-to-shoulder in a deadly pandemic, often without protective gear.

Even prior to the deployment of the federal strike force, many immigrants working in epicenters of COVID-19 outbreaks have avoided the limited opportunities for testing or treatment out of the very real fear of detention and deportation or losing legal immigrant status for relying on public aid.

In December 2006, six JBS USA facilities were raided by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), resulting in the arrest and detention of 1,282 immigrant workers originating from South America, Africa and Asia.

In manufacturing and food processing industries, such as US meat packing where they compose a substantial section of the workforce, immigrants are less likely to report injuries and contracted illness for fear of employer reprisal. Under the present pandemic, immigrant workers are also impeded in their ability to seek out testing or have options adequately communicated to them due to language barriers.

Meatpacking plants across the US have emerged as major epicenters for the spread of coronavirus. A report published Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that three percent of meatpacking workers at affected plants have tested positive for COVID-19. So far there have been confirmed cases at 115 meat and poultry processing plants across 19 states. There have been more than 4,900 confirmed cases and 20 deaths among meatpacking workers, the number is likely much higher as testing in the US is still limited.

Another report from the Iowa Department of Health further reveals the rapid spread of the virus in meatpacking plants. One of the largest outbreaks in the state was revealed at a Tyson meatpacking plant in Perry, a town in central Iowa. In the plant, 730 workers tested positive, a staggering 58 percent of those who were screened.

Coronavirus outbreaks have caused meatpacking plants across the US to close or slow production. Last week, Trump issued an executive order using the Defense Production Act to deem meatpacking as vital infrastructure and cut off meatpacking workers from unemployment benefits. Together with the local and state governments, both Democratic and Republican, the Trump administration is making its priorities clear in the pandemic: meatpacking plants, although some of the most dangerous workplaces in the COVID-19 pandemic, must remain operational to maintain the profits of major meat and poultry processing companies.

Trumps executive order has served the dual purpose of shielding the meat and poultry corporations and executives from any legal liability for their workers contracting COVID-19 and becoming sick, dying, and the virus spreading in the communities and counties where meat processing operations are located.

The unions have aided in enforcing Trumps order. Specifically for JBS, the United Food and Commercial Workers union agreed to a meager $4 an hour pay increase to entice workers to stay on the job along with a vague, nominal dedication to provide protective equipment to workers and other measures such as expanding break rooms to aid with social distancing.

The situation facing meatpacking workers reveals the real nature of the political forces in the United states. From the federal government to state and local governments, run by Republicans and Democrats, along with corporate CEOs as well as the trade unions which act as another layer of management, all are lined up to protect the profits of the rich against the needs of the working class for health and safety.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday assured his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali of India's support in ensuring supplies of essential medicines and offsetting the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During their telephonic conversation, the two leaders discussed the domestic, regional and global challenges posed by the pandemic, and expressed solidarity with each other at the time of the crisis.

"The prime minister assured Dr Abiy Ahmed Ali of Indian support to Ethiopia, for ensuring supplies of essential medicines and ameliorating the economic impact of the pandemic," an official statement said.

Spoke to PM Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali. We discussed the COVID-19 situation. India stands in solidarity with our friends in Ethiopia as well as other countries in Africa, and will be a reliable partner to provide essential medical supplies and other assistance to handle the crisis.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 6, 2020

In a tweet, Modi said "we discussed the COVID-19 situation."

He said India stands in solidarity "with our friends in Ethiopia as well as other countries in Africa, and will be a reliable partner to provide essential medical supplies and other assistance to handle the crisis".

Extensive discussions on the COVID-19 pandemic. Our nations will continue working together and support each other in these times, especially in ensuring supplies of medical products, sharing research and best practices. @antoniocostapm https://t.co/EcuvkdeKjP  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 5, 2020

According to the statement, Modi recalled the close ties between India and Ethiopia and the excellent development partnership between the two nations, it said.

Prime Minister Modi, on behalf of the people of India and himself, wished the people of Ethiopia success in the fight against COVID-19.
Google has developed a tool that it says can protect people from online scams, which have dramatically risen now that so much of life has moved into the virtual realm during the coronavirus pandemic.

NBC senior international correspondent Keir Simmons was given exclusive access into Google's safety engineering headquarters in Munich, Germany, for a look at how tools can protect against scammers looking to access sensitive information like your passwords, banking information and location data.

Close up of hands typing on laptop. Night work concept. (Getty Images)

Google announced that it is intercepting 18 million malware and phishing emails a day related to coronavirus. It also found that at its peak, 15% of scam texts sent to the Google Messages app were coronavirus-related.

Download the TODAY app for the latest coverage on the coronavirus outbreak

Scam emails on Gmail have targeted users with downloadable attachments they claim are related to the stimulus payments, while another claims to be from the World Health Organization and asks users to donate using bitcoin.

In response to the increased scam activity, Google is reminding users about a tool called Password Checkup.

"We have a checkup which can help you see whether any of your passwords have been compromised or if you're maybe using passwords in multiple places,'' Google Senior UX Designer Anneke Glasius told Simmons.

Simmons found out by using the tool that he has 26 compromised passwords, including his Amazon account, a banking app and the site he uses to prepare his taxes. Any compromised passwords should be immediately changed, and security experts suggest creating unique passwords for each website or app and to update them regularly.

The Password Checkup can be quickly used with these simple steps:

Go to passwords.google.com or take the Security Checkup and click on the "Password Checkup" option.

Sign into your Google account to verify that it's you.

Click on the "Password Checkup" option.

Review the results, which are broken down into three categories.

You can see if you have any compromised passwords, learn how many times you reused passwords and find out if you have any accounts that have weak passwords by clicking on the dropdown menu in each of the three categories.

Change any compromised, weak or commonly reused passwords.

The Federal Trade Commission also has some general tips for avoiding coronavirus-related online scams.
US bid to bring Taiwan to WHO table 'will backfire'

Global Times

By Yang Sheng Source:Global Times Published: 2020/5/5 20:43:40

Washington desperate for distraction from failure

Trying desperately to distract public attention from its botched coronavirus response, Washington is excessively provoking China on the Taiwan question by helping the island's separatist authority to attend the World Health Assembly (WHA). But analysts said the attempt could backfire and Washington's tricks to pick a diplomatic fight could irresponsibly paralyze WHO in the pandemic.

The WHA is an annual meeting held by the WHO, during which its director-general reports on the WHO's annual work and various topics are discussed. This year's WHA is scheduled to kick off on May 17.

The Trump administration has circulated a draft proposal that would bring Taiwan to the table at the WHO "in an effort to push back against China and punish the global body for being too China-centric," Fox News reported on Tuesday.

Tweets from State Department and US Mission to the UN on Saturday already demanded Taiwan be included in the WHA.

Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations of the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the US is now trying to increase the presence of Taiwan separatists among the international community to make more trouble for China, as the terrible handling of the COVID-19 outbreak in the US makes Washington look bad.

"Technically, the US and Taiwan separatists are unlikely to achieve any meaningful goal as the US and its allies cannot represent the majority of the international community, and among the members of the WHO, most countries are backing the one-China principle," he said.

Steven Solomon, the WHO's principal legal officer, said on Monday that the WHO recognized the People's Republic of China as the only "legitimate representative of China", in keeping with UN policy since 1971, and that the question of Taiwan's attendance was one for the WHO's 194 member states, Reuters reported.

Two WHO members have proposed discussing Taiwan's participation during this year's WHA, a WHO officer said on Monday, although he did not specify which two members, Taiwan-based media CNA reported on Monday.

Li Xiaobing, a Taiwan studies expert at Nankai University in Tianjin, said that although China has enough influence and international support to safeguard its sovereignty in the WHO, the US and its allies could possibly use some tricks to break the rules of the organization and unilaterally put Taiwan's representatives into the assembly.

"That could paralyze the WHA and even force other members to deal with debates that have nothing to do with the pandemic. The diplomatic and political struggles would seriously interrupt public health affairs, which should be the theme of the assembly, and this is a dangerous and highly irresponsible move by the US," Li Xiaobing said.

The Trump administration's performance in handling the pandemic is extremely poor and more than 1.18 million people in the US have been infected, so it is trying its best to find other issues to distract public attention, and helping Taiwan separatists join the WHO or WHA is one of those tricks, Li Xiaobing noted.

The Trump administration's national security team is even considering the creation of a new global health organization - one that would have more US influence - among a range of options, Fox News reported.

However, the US can't even win the support of its closest allies to punish the WHO. According to the Guardian on April 16, US President Donald Trump found himself isolated among Western leaders at a virtual G7 summit, as they expressed strong support for the WHO after the US's suspension of its funding.

From 2009 to 2016, when the pro-reunification party KMT's authority ruled the island, Taiwan participated in the WHA as an observer under the name "Chinese Taipei," which was permitted by the Chinese mainland because the two sides of the Taiwan Straits have the 1992 Consensus that recognized the one-China principle.

Since 2017, after the separatist Democratic Progressive Party took power and abandoned the 1992 Consensus, the cross-Straits relationship has been seriously damaged and the island's authority has lost the right to attend the WHA as an observer. However, the normal rights of Taiwan's public health sectors to cooperate with the WHO and the Chinese mainland for information and technology sharing have not been affected at all, according to Chinese mainland foreign affairs and Taiwan affairs departments.

Li Xiaobing warned that if the US excessively provokes China on the Taiwan question, which directly challenges China's core interests and sovereignty, it could leave China with no choice but to respond with decisive actions, including military operations, to send deterrent signals to separatism, and the regional peace and stability of the West Pacific would be jeopardized.

Li Haidong agreed that the US might believe it can make trouble for China by playing the "Taiwan card," but China has the overwhelming advantage to decide when and how to solve the Taiwan question once and for all, so it is very unwise and dangerous for the US to use the island to provoke China.

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A former Green Beret who claimed responsibility for an ill-fated coup in Venezuela that resulted in the arrest of two U.S. citizens is under federal investigation for arms trafficking, according to current and former U.S. law enforcement officials.

The investigation into Jordan Goudreau, 43, is in its initial stages and it's unclear if it will result in charges, according to a U.S. law enforcement official who spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

The probe stems from a frenzy of contradictory comments Goudreau has made since a small cadre of volunteer combatants he was advising on Sunday launched an impossible raid aimed at overthrowing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Members of the U.S. Congress are also asking the State Department about its knowledge of Goudreau's plans and raised concerns that he possibly violated arms trafficking rules.

Former U.S. soldiers Luke Denman, 34, and Airan Berry, 41, were arrested Monday after Venezuelan officials foiled the attempted attack. Denman was shown in a video on Venezuelan state TV Wednesday in which he claimed that he was hired by Goudreau who was commanded by Trump.

Former Green Beret Jordan Goudreau (pictured center) has claimed responsibility for a failed operation to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro in a plan named 'Operation Gedeon'.

Goudreau has been placed at the center of a plot hatched with a rebellious former Venezuelan Army General, Cliver Alcala, to secretly train dozens of Venezuelan military deserters in secret camps in Colombia to carry out a swift operation against Maduro.

The law enforcement official said Goudreau's comments suggests his work on behalf of the volunteer army may have violated laws that require any U.S. company supplying weapons or military equipment, as well as military training and advice, to foreign persons to seek State Department approval.

'Goudreau's public comments alone show he was exporting his lethal expertise into a foreign country,' said Sean McFate, a former U.S. Army paratrooper who worked as a private military contractor and is the author of a book, 'The New Rules of War,' on the foreign policy implications of privatized warfare.

'This is a serious violation.'

The men were being readied for combat at three rudimentary camps in Colombia with the help of Goudreau and his Florida-based company, Silvercorp USA, multiple Maduro opponents and aspiring freedom fighters told the AP.

But the plot seemed doomed from the start because it lacked the support of the Trump administration and was infiltrated by Maduro's vast, Cuban-trained intelligence network, the AP found.

Goudreau declined to comment on Tuesday. The State Department said it is restricted under law from confirming licensing activities.

The U.S. has offered a $15 million reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest or conviction. He was indicted by the Trump administration in March on narcoterrorist charges.

The law enforcement official said Goudreau's possible involvement in weapons smuggling stems from the March 23 seizure by police in Colombia of a stockpile of weapons being transported in a truck.

Alcala claimed ownership of the cache shortly before surrendering to face U.S. narcotics charges in the same case for which Maduro was indicted.

The stockpile, worth around $150,000, included spotting scopes, night vision goggles, two-way radios and 26 American-made assault rifles with the serial numbers rubbed off.

Fifteen brown-colored helmets seized by police were manufactured by High-End Defense Solutions, a Miami-based military equipment vendor owned by a Venezuelan immigrant family, according to Colombian police.

High-End Defense Solutions is the same company that Goudreau visited in November and December, allegedly to source weapons, according to two former Venezuelan soldiers who claim to have helped the American select the gear but later had a bitter falling out with Goudreau amid accusations that they were moles for Maduro.

The AP reported that they could not independent verify their account.

The equipment used by the group of 'mercenaries' aiming to capture the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The president blamed the attacks on the Trump administration, Venezuela's opposition leader and neighboring Colombia all of which have denied involvemen

Company owner Mark Von Reitzenstein has not responded to repeated email and phone requests seeking comment.

Two former law enforcement officials said an informant approached the Drug Enforcement Administration in Colombia prior to the weapons' seizure with an unsubstantiated tip about Goudreaus alleged involvement in weapons smuggling.

The anti-narcotics agency, not knowing who Goudreau was at the time, didnt open a formal probe but suspected that any weapons would've been destined for leftist rebels or criminal gangs in Colombia - not a ragtag army of Venezuelan volunteers, the former officials said on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

One of the officials said the information was later passed on to the Department of Homeland Security.

The DEA said it does not comment on ongoing potential investigations.

Authorities in Colombia are also looking into Goudreau as part of their investigation into the seized weapons shipment, a Colombian official told the AP on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing case.

Former Green Beret Jordan Goudreau, an American citizen and three-time Bronze Star recipient for bravery, used his Florida-based company Silvercorp to train Venezuelan opposition combatants in Columbia. He is now under U.S. federal investigation

Meanwhile, officials in U.S. Congress are expressing concern. Democratic congressional staff contacted the State Department multiple times on Monday seeking information about any possible contacts with Goudreau or knowledge of his activities, and whether his work may have violated International Traffic in Arms Regulations, according to a staffer on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private outreach.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday reiterated President Donald Trump's claims a day earlier that there was no direct U.S. government involvement in Goudreau's brazen operation.

'If we'd have been involved, it would have gone differently,' he joked. 'As for who bankrolled it, we're not prepared to share any more information about what we know took place. Well unpack that at an appropriate time, we'll share that information if it makes good sense.'

Goudreau, a three-time Bronze Star recipient, has insisted that his work providing only strategic advice to the combatants doesn't require special licensing.

Still, he acknowledged sending into battle two special forces buddies associated with Silvercorp and who are now in Venezuelan custody after the plot was foiled.

Luke Denman (right) and Airan Berry (left), both former U.S. special forces soldiers, were arrested Monday for their part in an attempted coup of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Denman featured in a video released Wednesday in which he claimed the Goudreau coup was under the command of President Donald Trump. Berry has not yet been seen

'You've got to introduce a catalyst,' he said in a phone interview with the AP on Monday from Florida.

'By no means am I saying that 60 guys can come in and topple a regime. Im saying 60 guys can go in and inspire the military and police to flip and join in the liberation of their country, which deep down is what they want.'

Goudreau has said he was hired by Juan Guaido, who the U.S. and some 60 nations recognize as Venezuelas rightful leader. To back his claim, he's produced an 8-page agreement he signed with what appears to be the signature of Guaido.

The opposition leader has refused to say whether the signature is authentic but has insisted he has no relationship with Silvercorp.

'The dictatorship insists on lying,' Guaido said Tuesday in a virtual session of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, over which he presides. 'The interim government has nothing to do with this operation.'

U.S. President Donald Trump and Juan Guaido, who swore himself in as the leader of Venezuela, right, stand for photographers outside the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on February 5. Guaido was a surprise White House guest at Trump's State of the Union speech

Contradictions abound in Goudreau's account as well. In a televised interview with 'Factores de Poder,' a Miami media outlet popular with Venezuelan exiles, he claims he never received a 'single cent' for his work yet continued to prepare the men for battle, in the process going deep into debt.

JJ Rendon, a Miami-based adviser to Guaido, said that he gave Goudreau $50,000 as requested to cover some expenses. Goudreau acknowledged the payment to the AP and other media.

A person familiar with the situation said the agreement was signed by Rendon and another U.S.-based aide to Guaido, lawmaker Sergio Vergara, in October.

Guaido at one point briefly greeted Goudreau via video conference - as evidenced by an audio recording made on a hidden cellphone by Goudreau and which he shared with the Venezuelan journalist.

'Let's get to work!' said a voice that appears to be Guaido in the leaked recording. He makes no mention of any military incursion.

A few days later, the team cut off contact with Goudreau, realizing he was unable to deliver what he had promised and because they were not getting along, the person said. An attempt to reactivate the accord fell through in November because the opposition has abandoned support for a private military incursion, the person said.

The last contact with Goudreau was a few weeks ago when a lawyer on the veteran's behalf wrote Rendon seeking to collect a promised $1.5 million retainer. Goudreau, through intermediaries, made it known that if they didn't pay up he would release the agreement to the press, the person said.

On Wednesday, President Nicholas Maduro held up a document that he claims was a contract between Goudreau and Guaido. Goudreau has said he was hired by Guaido and has also produced a copy of an eight-page agreement he signed with what appears to be the signature of the opposition leader and he advisors. The opposition leader has refused to say whether the signature is authentic but has insisted he has no relationship with Silvercorp

It's unclear how the weapons were smuggled into Colombia. But Silvercorp in December bought a 41-foot fiberglass boat, Florida vessel registration records show, and proceeded in February to obtain a license to install maritime navigation equipment.

On his application to the Federal Communications Commission, he said the boat, named Silverpoint and with a capacity for ten passengers, would travel to foreign ports.

The boat next appeared in Jamaica, where Goudreau had gathered with a few of his special forces buddies looking to participate in the raid, according to a person familiar with the situation on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive dealings.

But as they were readying their assault, the boat broke down at sea on March 28 and an emergency position-indicating radio beacon was activated, alerting naval authorities on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao.

Goudreau had to return to Florida, prevented from rejoining his troops prior to the landing because of travel restrictions put in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.

'He would have 100% gone out in a blaze of gunfire because thats who he is,' said the person.
Even during the height of the Iran debate earlier this year, few lawmakers expected the president would sign a measure into law that would considerably restrain his national security powers. But backers had hoped the bipartisan support for the Iran measure would send a message to the administration about Congresss role in acts of war and begin to reassert lawmakers authority in such national security matters.
In 2012, a Pakistani woman named Walaiha Arafat was accused of desecrating the Koran. Court documents claim that Arafat was found sleeping atop pages of the Islamic scripture, prompting her arrest on blasphemy charges. Arafat was detained for almost 42 months in Central Jail Lahore, a detention facility in the province of Punjab, before being released on bail in what amounted to a rare display of leniency from the nations supreme court.

New York treats its blasphemers better than Pakistan does, but neither society seems eager to tolerate those who offend its most basic religious convictions.

Since the coronavirus pandemic began, the volunteers for Samaritans Purse, an Evangelical relief organization run by the televangelist Franklin Graham, have been the most notable heretics in New York City. After weeks of protest from the citys diversity clerics, the volunteers are at last collapsing the groups field hospital, disinfecting its tents, and leaving New York City in apparent disgrace. In two weeks, the volunteers will return home, shunned by the city whose sick they treated free of charge without regard to race, religion, or sexual preference. The city officials who usher them out offer the group nothing but scorn: A statement released by New York City council speaker Corey Johnson instructed Samaritans Purse to leave Central Park, calling the groups presence in the city an affront to our values of inclusion.

New York is an inclusive city, he says: Get the hell out.

The demonstrations outside the Samaritans Purse COVID-19 field hospital have been covered, perhaps too closely. Many of the protesters were clearly disturbed. Their anger at an innocuous group of religious volunteers provided a window into some of the excesses of LGBT politics and the desperation for enemies in a moment in history when enemies are scarce. But the protesters were a small, if vocal, group without much pull. The way in which the presence of Samaritans Purse has exercised the organs of government, however  the city council, the mayors office, and even the federal government  is another issue entirely. As the volunteers prepare to depart, it is worth pondering what this entire debacle says about the state of religion and culture in New York City.

Story continues

It is now clear  if it wasnt before  that the leaders of our cultural revolution are not interested in coexisting with their perceived enemies. So appalled were the citys leaders by the mere presence of volunteers with traditionalist views on marriage and sexuality that they refused their help in the middle of a lethal pandemic. Johnson conceded that the battle against COVID-19 is still ongoing, and the city still needs support in defeating the virus. Even with lives on the line, Johnson resolved that a city that values diversity and compassion for all could not, in effect, defile itself by coexisting with the ideologically unclean. Metaphors abound, but practically speaking, what message are Johnson and New Yorks elected officials sending to the observant Jews, Christians, and  yes  Muslims in the city who hold beliefs identical to those espoused by Samaritans Purse?

One marvels at the abuse of language by protesters and elected officials. State senator Brad Hoylman, for instance, claimed that the citys mere association with Franklin Graham and Samaritans Purse inflicted reputational harm with LGBTQ New Yorkers and the wider public. The suggestion that Samaritans Purse  an organization that brought volunteers to the front lines of a collapsing hospital system at no charge to the city  was somehow inflicting harm on New York was remarkable. The harm, here, was forcing LGBTQ New Yorkers to endure the thought that somewhere in the city of New York, someone might have had an opinion about their sex lives.

In this telling, the charitys offense was requiring its volunteers to affirm the Samaritans Purse statement of faith, which contained blasphemous views on LGBT issues. New York City effectively banished Samaritans Purse for failing to adhere to its own de fide commitments.

Most striking was Johnsons decision to defend inclusion and diversity by excluding those with unfashionable views from the city. This Orwellian sense of inclusion recalls Herbert Marcuses essay on repressive tolerance  a defense of a liberating tolerance that requires intolerance against movements from the Right and toleration of movements from the Left to facilitate progress in civilization (my emphasis). G. K. Chesterton said that the thought that stops thought was the only thought that ought to be stopped. German political theorists from Karl Loewenstein onward have spoken of streitbare Demokratie: militant democracy, the notion that the liberal (or inclusive) order requires taking illiberal (or exclusive) action against those who would subvert it. Would-be excluders must themselves be excluded for inclusions sake.

In a 1968 postscript to Repressive Tolerance, Marcuse wrote,

There are issues where either there is no other side in any more than a formalistic sense, or where the other side is demonstrably regressive and impedes possible improvement of the human condition. To tolerate propaganda for inhumanity vitiates the goals not only of liberalism but of every progressive political philosophy.

The ill-treatment of Samaritans Purse and its selfless volunteers demonstrates that officials in New York no longer view the other side of the marriage and sexuality debates as anything but obstacles to the inclusive society  a goal apparently more precious even than the lives of New York Citys COVID patients.

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[May 06, 2020] Publix Donates More Than 1 Million Pounds of Produce, 100,000 Gallons of Milk in First Two Weeks of Effort to Support Farmers, Feed Those in Need

Publix's initiative to support farmers and feed those in need reached a milestone after two weeks. The company announced it has purchased more than 1 million pounds of fruits and vegetables and more than 100,000 gallons of milk to donate to Feeding America member food banks. "We're proud of the success this initiative has had in supporting farmers and families affected by the pandemic," said Publix CEO Todd Jones. "As a food retailer, feeding families is our greatest opportunity to give back, and we are grateful to be able to do so while supporting produce and dairy farmers. During such challenging times, we are even more committed to supporting those in need and doing good, together." Launched on April 22, the initiative aims to help farmers and families struggling due to the coronavirus pandemic by purchasing fruits, vegetables and milk from Florida produce farmers and southeastern dairies to donate directly to Feeding America member food banks throughout the company's seven-state operating area. Feeding America estimates an additional 17 million people will experience food insecurity due to the pandemic, many of whomare turning to Feeding America member food banks to feed their families. At the same time, farmers are feeling the effects of an unexpected decrease in demand, and some are being forced to discard produce and milk due to the closures of schools, restaurants and other establishments.



"There are some things you can't plan for, and this is one of them," said 5 Brothers Produce Senior Sales Associate Thomas Torbert. "You just hope that you can find the right people to work with, people who can come up with the right solutions to help you make it through. We found that right partner in Publix." Publix has a long history of supporting organizations working toward alleviating hunger in the communities they serve. Since 2009, Publix has donated more than $2 billion in food to people in need and has pledged an additional $2 billion in food donations over the next 10 years.

Publix Super Markets Charities, which supports nonprofits in Publix's operating area, has also donated $2 million to support Feeding America member food banks during the pandemic. Publix, the largest employee-owned company in the U.S. with more than 220,000 associates, currently operates 1,242 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. For 23 consecutive years, the company has been recognized by Fortune as a great place to work. In addition, Publix's dedication to superior quality and customer service is recognized among the top in the grocery business. For more information, visit the company's website, corporate.publix.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005605/en/

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Seeing the cosmonauts in white suits standing in the void behind the plexiglass doors was the moment it hit.

In time, I would come to learn the names of the doctors and nurses. But for now, in the pitch black, I could barely make out the human features behind their masks. The otherworldliness of it all was the only comfort in my now dawning horror of being admitted to one of Moscows Covid-19 red zones.

The undercover reporting assignment was, to put it mildly, unplanned. Throughout the course of the week, Id gone through several stages of malaise: feeling peculiar, then feverish, and as fatigued as a rusty bike chain. I spoke to doctors over Skype, but they were unable to offer any clear answers. A nurse dropped by my flat to do a Covid-19 test; that came back negative. By day seven, I was coughing up blood. So I took the shallowest of deep breaths, fumbled to put on a face mask, and headed to the clinic.
[May 06, 2020] Santhera Signs Agreements in Gene Therapy Research for Congenital Muscular Dystrophy with Rutgers University



Pratteln, Switzerland, May 06, 2020  Santhera Pharmaceuticals (SIX: SANN) announces the signing of two agreements with Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey as part of its program to advance gene therapy research for the treatment of LAMA2-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy (LAMA2 MD or MDC1A). Under the agreements, Santhera gains rights to intellectual property developed at Rutgers on certain gene constructs that will be further studied under a collaboration agreement. Santhera has entered into a license agreement with Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and a collaboration with Prof. Peter Yurchenco, a pioneer in a novel gene therapy approach for the treatment of LAMA2 MD. These agreements complement the ongoing collaboration of Santhera with Prof. Markus Ruegg from the Biozentrum of the University of Basel [1]. Previous collaborative work by Prof. Ruegg and Prof. Yurchenco has established the potential of this approach in animal models. The novel gene therapy strategy developed by these leading experts uses two linker proteins that are composed of domains derived from extracellular matrix proteins agrin, laminin and nidogen [2-5]. In animal models for LAMA2 MD, this approach has led to restoration of muscle fiber basement membranes, recovery of muscle force and size, increased overall body weight and markedly prolonged survival thus demonstrating strong evidence for disease modifying potential [2]. The coordinated work of both collaborations will further advance Santheras effort to bring this innovative gene therapy approach to patients with LAMA2 MD. Gene replacement is a promising therapeutic option for the treatment of LAMA2 MD, said Peter D. Yurchenco, MD, PhD, Professor at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, USA. We have been working on continuously optimizing linker proteins engineered from extracellular matrix proteins which will aid in advancing such gene therapy approach towards clinical use. Santhera is excited to extend its collaborative network for this therapeutic approach, now including experts from Rutgers University, added Kristina Sjoblom Nygren, MD, Chief Medical Officer and Head of Development of Santhera. This will add value to our gene therapy program for LAMA2 MD and complements the work already under way with the Biozentrum at the University of Basel, which was awarded a grant by Innosuisse in 2019. Both of our collaboration partners have pioneered this field and will work closely with Santhera, clinical experts and the patient community to establish the best way to bring this approach to clinical use. About LAMA2 MD (CMD Type 1A or MDC1A) and Emerging Therapy Approaches

Congenital muscular dystrophies (CMDs) are inherited neuromuscular diseases characterized by early-onset weakness and hypotonia alongside associated dystrophic findings in muscle biopsy. Progressive muscle weakness, joint contractures and respiratory insufficienc characterize most CMDs. Laminins are proteins of the extracellular matrix that help maintain muscle fiber stability by binding to other proteins. LAMA2-related muscular dystrophy (LAMA2 MD, also called MDC1A), is one of the most common forms of CMD. It is caused by mutations in the LAMA2 gene encoding the alpha2 subunit of laminin-211. Most LAMA2 MD patients show complete absence of laminin-alpha 2, are hypotonic (floppy) at birth, fail to ambulate, and succumb to respiratory complications.



Previous work has demonstrated that two linker proteins, engineered with domains derived from the extracellular matrix proteins agrin, laminin and nidogen, could compensate for the lack of laminin-alpha2 and restore the muscle basement membrane [2-5]. Through simultaneous expression of artificial linkers (SEAL), this gene therapy approach aims to overcome the genetic defect by substituting laminin-alpha2 deficiency with small linker proteins containing necessary binding domains to re-establish muscle fiber integrity. In a transgenic mouse model, the linker expression increased the lifespan of LAMA2-deficient mice 5-fold to a median of 81 weeks compared to 15.5 weeks in the disease model without the therapeutic linker expression [2]. Recently, it was demonstrated that such linker constructs could be applied by standard adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors [6, 7]. First results using the AAV technology have been presented by Prof Ruegg [8]. References

[1] Santhera press release on gene collaboration with Biozentrum Basel (May 21, 2019), accessible here





[2] Reinhard et al. (2017). Sci Transl Med 9, eaal4649

[3] Moll et al. (2001). Nature 413, 302-307. [4] Meinen et al. (2007) J. Cell Biol. 176, 979-993.

[5] McKee et al. (2017) J. Clin. Invest. 127, 1075-1089.

[6] Qiao et al. (2018) Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 9, 47-56. [7] Qiao et al. (2005) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 102, 11999-12004.

[8] Reinhard, J. et al. (2019) Neuromuscular Disorders, Volume 29, S164 About Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a leading national research university and the state of New Jerseys preeminent, comprehensive public institution of higher education. Established in 1766, the university is the eighth-oldest higher education institution in the United States. More than 71,000 students and 23,000 faculty and staff learn, work and serve the public at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, Rutgers University-Newark, Rutgers University-Camden, and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences. About Santhera

Santhera Pharmaceuticals (SIX: SANN) is a Swiss specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative medicines for rare neuromuscular and pulmonary diseases with high unmet medical need. Santhera is building a Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) product portfolio to treat patients irrespective of causative mutations, disease stage or age. A marketing authorization application for Puldysa (idebenone) is currently under review by the European Medicines Agency. Santhera has an option to license vamorolone, a first-in-class anti-inflammatory drug candidate with novel mode of action, currently investigated in a pivotal study in patients with DMD to replace standard corticosteroids. The clinical stage pipeline also includes lonodelestat (POL6014) to treat cystic fibrosis (CF) and other neutrophilic pulmonary diseases, as well as omigapil and an exploratory gene therapy approach targeting congenital muscular dystrophies. Santhera out-licensed ex-North American rights to its first approved product, Raxone (idebenone), for the treatment of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) to Chiesi Group. For further information, please visit www.santhera.com . Raxone and Puldysa are trademarks of Santhera Pharmaceuticals. For further information please contact:

[email protected] or

Eva Kalias, Head External Communications

Phone: +41 79 875 27 80

[email protected] Disclaimer / Forward-looking statements

This communication does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe for or purchase any securities of Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG. This publication may contain certain forward-looking statements concerning the Company and its business. Such statements involve certain risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Readers should therefore not place undue reliance on these statements, particularly not in connection with any contract or investment decision. The Company disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

# # # Attachment 2020-05-06_GenTher_Rutgers_e_final

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Another study conducted internally by Gilead involved 397 patients that divided them into two groups -- one treated for 5 days while the other for 10 days. The study revealed that the drug was equally effective over five days of use as it is over 10. This basically meant that the drug was effective in low and high doses, meaning it can be offered to more patients. However, the study lacked a placebo treatment, that made it slightly difficult to compare its overall impact.
?Oslo, 6 May 2020 - DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, today announced that the Annual General Meeting scheduled for 27 May 2020 will be held at 3:00 pm at the Company's offices located at Dokkveien 1, Oslo.

The formal notice of the Annual General Meeting is attached.

Due to the extraordinary situation with Covid-19, shareholders are strongly encouraged not to attend the Annual General Meeting in person. Shareholders are instead asked to vote by electronic advance voting or submission of a proxy prior to the meeting.

Shareholders should also note that the Company reserves the right to conduct the meeting as an electronic meeting.

The Company refers to the attached notice for further information on the proceedings of the Annual General Meeting. Any changes to the proceedings will be published on the Company's website.

The electronic system for notification of attendance and for registration of advance votes is available at the following link: Electronic registration

--

For further information, please contact:

Media: media@dno.no

Investors: investor.relations@dno.no



--

DNO ASA is a Norwegian oil and gas operator focused on the Middle East and the North Sea. Founded in 1971 and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange, the Company holds stakes in onshore and offshore licenses at various stages of exploration, development and production in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Norway, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Ireland and Yemen.

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.





Attachment
WATERLOO REGION  A lot more variety when it comes to buying recreational cannabis could be coming to Waterloo Region.

As of Wednesday, a dozen applications for legal pot shops in this region are currently being evaluated by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). Half the locations are in Kitchener, four are in Cambridge and two are in Waterloo.

There are currently three legal retail cannabis stores operating in the region  one in each city.

Its unclear when these new stores will be approved and allowed to open, however, as the provincial government has halted all non-essential construction projects and the AGCO is now conducting some of its inspections virtually.

This has delayed many new retailers in the preparation of their store, said AGCO spokesperson Raymond Kahnert in an email to The Record. Any potential store that is still under construction has seen its application paused until the shutdown is eased.

Stores that had finished construction prior to the shutdown will be allowed to continue working toward a retail store authorization, Kahnert said.

This authorization allows stores to begin ordering pot from the Ontario Cannabis Store. Its unclear if any of the dozen potential stores in this region completed construction prior to the shutdown.

Retail locations must pass a final AGCO inspection before they are approved to open.

Kahnert said customers are currently not permitted inside retail cannabis shops that have already opened, but that curbside and delivery options are still available.

If all 12 additional stores are approved and eventually permitted to open, it would be a major boost for the local recreational cannabis market.

Waterloo Region was initially shut out of the first 25 stores permitted to open by the province last year, and it wasnt until August 2019 when the province rolled out its second round of lottery applications that a location in this region was selected.

The first retail cannabis store location in Waterloo Region didnt open until this past February, nearly 18 months after the drug was legalized recreationally.

In December, the provincial government scrapped its controversial lottery system to open up more retail opportunities, and it appears the market is responding  hundreds of new retail applications have been submitted from across the province in recent months.

The three existing shops in Waterloo Region are at 75 Pinebush Rd. in Cambridge, 569 Fairway Rd. in Kitchener and 32 King St. S. in Waterloo.

The new proposed locations are:

Kitchener

1400 Weber St. E. (near Kinzie Avenue)

201 King St. W. (across from Carl Zehr Square)

1283 Victoria St. N. (near Natchez Road)

370 Highland Rd. W., Unit 15B (near Food Basics)

73 King St. W., Suite 101 (near the corner of Ontario Street)

57 Queen St. S. (near the corner of Charles Street East)

Waterloo

71 King St. N., Unit A (across from the former Canada Post office on Bridgeport Road East)

258 King St. N., Unit 12 (just north of the 7/11 at University Avenue East)

Cambridge

480 Hespeler Rd., Unit 9/10A (near Value Village)

101 Holiday Inn Dr., Unit B1 (near the Shoppers Drug Mart)

611 Hespeler Rd., Unit 2 (across from Mastermind Toys)

561 Hespeler Rd., Unit 14 (near Burger King)
Some municipal corporations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) have barred their residents from returning home if they work in Mumbai, triggering a sharp response from employees in essential services.

MMR has nine municipal corporations, including Mumbai, Thane, Ulhasnagar and Kalyan-Dombivali, with an estimated population of 23 million.

The municipal bodies of Kalyan-Dombilvali, Ulhasnagar and Badlapur issued orders on Tuesday banning their residents to come back home if they travel to Mumbai for work.

Also Watch | Highest increase in Covid-19 cases, deaths, says Govt; recovery rate also up

The Thane Municipal Corporation, the second largest corporation in the MMR, too, is considering such a ban, as announced by the municipal commissioner Vijay Singhal, who said 70% of the Covid-19 cases in Thane are from the people working in Mumbai.

Ambernath municipal council, too, has issued such an order. Following criticism, Kalyan put the order on hold.

Mumbai has close to 10,000 of the over 15,000 cases in the state. Tens of thousands of people travel to Mumbai from the adjoining cities for livelihood every day. Many of them work in essential services, including hospitals, government departments and water supply services in Mumbai.

Eknath Shinde, public works department (public undertaking) minister and the guardian minister of Thane, said the viruss spread in the city is largely because of the people travelling between Mumbai and Thane.

We will have to take decision for the arrangements of stay of these employees travelling to Mumbai on daily basis, he said.

Mumbais guardian minister, Aslam Shaikh, said the decision by these municipal corporations is unfair and the issue will be discussed in the cabinet meeting to be held on Wednesday evening.

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Miguel Mora, director of the independent Nicaraguan news outlet 100% Noticias, oversaw its move online after its television broadcast license was revoked by the government in April 2018. He and his colleagues transferred their archives onto two YouTube accounts and used them to continue documenting the governments repressive response to escalating protests in the months that followed. On March 5, 2020, YouTube notified him that the accounts would be shut down following copyright complaints.

100% Noticias is not alone. Another Nicaraguan independent outlet, news website Confidencial, told CPJ that it has had to challenge copyright claims on YouTube in the past year. Complaints in both cases came from media companies owned by members of President Daniel Ortegas family, and involved footage of presidential speeches that is released to select outlets and routinely rebroadcast by others as a matter of public interest.

Since April 2018, CPJ has documented a brutal crackdown on the media in Nicaragua that includes harassment, threats, surveillance, and imprisonment of journalists who report on protests and challenge the pro-government media narrative. Now, amid the COVID-19 pandemicwith the Ortega government facing criticism for failing to take action to stem the spread of the virusindependent information is more crucial than ever.

Ortega and [Vice President Rosario] Murillo want to present an alternative reality, and having independent media like 100% Noticias shut down is crucial for their narrative, Gioconda Belli, president of PEN Nicaragua and a well-known Nicaraguan writer, told CPJ.

YouTube shut down 100 NOTICIAS NICARAGUA and 100% Noticias, the two accounts run by the outlet, on March 10, Mora told CPJ via email, and as of late April both remained unavailable. Their physical backups are inaccessible because their newsroom remains in the possession of the government, according to news reports. Mora said the shutdown of the YouTube channels prevents the staff from accessing all of the outlets video archives, including images of government repression of protests from 2018 and 2019.

By cancelling our channels, the Nicaraguan dictatorship eliminates evidence of crimes against humanity, Mora said to CPJ via email. The files on our YouTube channels are the only resources we have, because our physical material was confiscated.

CPJ emailed Vice President Murillo for comment about these allegations but did not receive a reply. The Inter-American Commission of Human Rights has accused high-ranking officials of the Nicaraguan government of rights violations, including crimes against humanity, for leading the repression of protests in 2018 that allegedly included the use of excessive force, arbitrary detentions, and killings by police and armed pro-government groups.

Mora and the news director of 100% Noticias, Lucia Pineda Ubau, were imprisoned following a police raid on their Managua newsroom on December 21, 2018. They spent 172 days behind bars and were released under a controversial amnesty law in June 2019. In November, CPJ honored them with a 2019 International Press Freedom Award.

100% Noticias continues to publish new stories on its news website and its Facebook and Twitter accounts, but most of its video archive remains unavailable, Mora told CPJ.

In notifications seen by CPJ, YouTube said the shutdowns followed 44 copyright complaints issued by Nicaraguan TV news channel Canal 4 for use of images and video footage in 44 videos dating from between 2013 and 2015. Canal 4 is owned by the family of President Ortega and run by his sons Daniel Edmundo and Tino, according to investigative reports by Nicaraguan outlets.

Mora told CPJ that the material referenced in the complaints involves Ortegas speeches, which the government obliges all television channels to broadcast under Nicaraguas telecommunications law, as well as some images of official government videos of social programs that they were authorized to use by Canal 4. But Canal 4 gave verbal authorization to use the footage, he said, before filing the complaints without advance warning this March.

Mora told CPJ via email, 100% Noticias used parts of [Canal 4s] content that was about public administration to make our own news reports, adding that Canal 4 gave verbal permission. The other material they are claiming is about Ortegas speeches that we were obliged to transmit. They force us to transmit their content and then claim copyright.

Mora told CPJ that the content was broadcast in the public interest, and constituted fair use.

YouTube is obligated to comply with copyright claims under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), a 1998 U.S. law that requires intermediaries to immediately respond to a notice of copyright infringement by taking down the relevant content, without requiring an evaluation of user claims of, for example, fair use, according to a CPJ review of the law and legal analyses. If the company fails to do so, it can lose its immunity for copyright liability.

This requirement also allows users to contest the takedown. The email that YouTube sends to notify users includes a link to file a counter notice and claim, for example, fair use. However, when 100% Noticias attempted to file a counter notice addressing fair use as advised by YouTube during the writing of this article, they received a notification that it could not be processed.

A screen shot of a notice received from YouTube by independent Nicaraguan news outlet 100% Noticias, after the outlet contested a copyright claim filed against it by a media outlet owned by the family of President Daniel Ortega. (100% Noticias)

Our copyright removals process aims to strike a balance between making it easy and efficient for rightsholders to report infringing content while also protecting free expression on the web. This system has been effective at significantly reducing access to infringing content, a YouTube spokesperson, who declined to be named due to company policy, told CPJ in an email. At the same time, we actively fight against abuse from bad actors who try to limit access to information through censorship. In addition to providing channels with avenues to dispute copyright claims and submit counter notifications, we also employ proactive methods to root out abuse.

YouTube said it had flagged the 100% Noticias case for its review team but did not respond to questions about who made the copyright complaint or whether this incident would be considered an abuse of the system by the Nicaraguan government, saying that they were unable to comment on specific governments or cases.

CPJ emailed Canal 4 via the contact information available on its website, but did not receive a response. CPJ was unable to locate any other contact information for the outlet. CPJ contacted Jose Miguel Fonseca, news director of Canal 4, on Twitter for comment, but did not receive a response.

In June 2019, Canal 13, another channel owned by the Ortega family, filed copyright complaints in relation to images of Ortegas speeches that were used in a Confidencial video broadcast on YouTube, Elmer Rivas, an audiovisual producer for the outlet, told CPJ via phone in March.

Rivas said that only pro-government media are allowed to attend state events. Independent media are often banned from covering these events, and government officials do not grant them interviews, according to the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas. Independent outlets are only allowed to use video from public events at the discretion of the outlets cleared to cover them, Rivas told CPJ.

If they [pro-government media] publish video of something that should be publicfor example, the presidents speechesthey do it as if it were a private production, Rivas said. If someone uses those images, they claim it as theirs.

Rivas said Confidencial took the video down, and the incident was resolved in a matter of days, though YouTube required the outlets staff to complete its online course for first-time copyright offenders in order to be able to upload content.

However, Rivas said that the complaint was clearly an attempt at censorship.

This is a political attack, he said. Censorship goes from the physical sphere, where they dont let us in to the public events, to the digital, where they want to take us off YouTube.

CPJ emailed Canal 13 for comment but did not receive a response. CPJ also asked YouTube about the incident involving the complaint filed against Confidencial, but received no additional information beyond the emailed statement.

CPJ has documented the harassment of several Confidencial journalists, including director Carlos Fernando Chamorro, who was forced into exile due to death threats in early 2019. The newsroom was raided in December 2018, CPJ documented, and police continue to occupy it, according to Confidencial.

Amid criticism of the Ortega governments failure to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, PENs Belli says that these attempts to censor independent media outlets represent a threat to Nicaraguans right to get proper information about the crisis. The government wants to isolate Nicaragua so that only their version of events appears in the world, Belli said.

Courtney C. Radsch, CPJ advocacy director, contributed reporting.
Rogerwilco, 2021 FM AdFocus Digital Agency of the Year, is an independently owned level 2 B-BBEE full service digital marketing agency with a presence in Cape Town, Johannesburg and London.
Two Covid-19 patients have been given convalescent plasma therapy at the SMS hospital in Jaipur and doctors say their condition is stable. The plasma donors were recovered Covid-19 patients.

Dr Sudhir Bhandari, the principal, SMS Medical College, said both patientsaged 63 and 54-years --- showed moderate symptoms of the disease and were given the convalescent plasma therapy on Monday.

The patients started feeling better and their symptoms such as breathlessness and persistent fever has gone away, said Dr Raman Sharma, senior professor of medicine at SMS hospital.

The patients oxygen saturation would fall if they walked a little bit. We saw that if the therapy is given timely, then the progression of the disease can be stopped. Now, their fever is gone and their oxygen saturation has improved, Dr Sharma added.

Dr Bhandari said while it will take longer to confirm the healing through X-ray and CT scan, but a sense of well-being and reduction in symptoms is seen within 12-14 hours of administering the plasma therapy.

He added that in the coming days, three more patients could be given the therapy, depending on their condition.

Patients who move into stage two and three and show significant symptoms are not responding adequately and need oxygen support... so when the patients are in moderate to severe illness stage, they are considered eligible for plasma therapy, he said.

Rajasthan, on Sunday, received permission from the Indian Council of Medical Research to begin clinical trials for the convalescent plasma therapy.

The state has so far recorded 3,193 Covid-19 cases and 90 deaths. The government has pinned its hopes on plasma therapy to help cure critical patients and bring down the death rate.

The centre has stressed that plasma therapy is still in an experimental stage and should not be used for regular treatment of coronavirus patients until it is approved, otherwise, it may lead to life-threatening complications.

Convalescent plasma therapy entails taking antibodies from cured Covid-19 patients and injecting them in the blood of active coronavirus patients.

The antibody brings down the viral load in a patient, said Dr Sharma.

A team of doctors at SMS hospital has studied the feasibility and technique of carrying out plasma therapy on critical patients.

The blood bank in-charge at SMS hospital, Dr Bundas said the quantity of plasma taken from a donor ranges from 300-500 ml and the transfusion process takes 60-90 minutes.

Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Jaipur has also received permission from ICMR to conduct phase-II clinical trial of the plasma therapy, named as PLACID trial to assess its safety and efficacy in Covid patients with moderate infection, said Dr. Vikas Chandra Swaranakar, chairman of Mahatma Gandhi Medical University.

He said the trials will begin soon at the Mahatma Gandhi Hospital, the only hospital in the private sector in the state to have earned the nod.

The HT Guide to Coronavirus COVID-19

The hospital said that people over the age of 18 who have been cured of coronavirus can donate their plasma voluntarily. The transfusion of donated plasma into a Covid-19 infected patient is done after consent. The results of the trial will be shared with ICMR.

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Nearly 500 Indian nationals with resident permits in Germany have been stranded across the country ever since the COVID-19 lockdown. As many as 107 of them are in Bengaluru, concerned that their permits will soon expire and their childrens education in Germany would be in serious jeopardy.

Germany had operated special flights to fly back German nationals from the Kempegowda International Airport and other airports countrywide. However, those with resident permits residing in Germany for years were not allowed in those flights.

We had come to India on vacation and got stuck here. Eighty per cent of us have jobs in Germany. But the companies have said that the work from home (WFH) facility will be available only for the next two weeks. There is a big fear of losing jobs, Sushma, one of the 107 stranded in Bengaluru told DH.

Asked to reach Delhi

They had approached the German embassy, which offered to accommodate them in two special flights departing from Delhi on May 3 and 5. They said if you can reach Delhi, we have no problem taking those with resident permits. But with the lockdown, we are unable to go anywhere, said Sushma.

The first priority in repatriation flights were given to German nationals and those from the European Union. Though stranded here, we are all paying hefty rents back there. We have tried to reach out to the embassy and the PMO, but all our efforts have been in vain.

Among the stranded, Ranjan Chowdhary had arrived in India on March 5, with plans to take his family back. I have a job in Hanover in an Indian firm. Now, they are saying if I cannot return, they will pay me only Indian salary, around 400 Euros. My rent alone is 1,000 Euros, he said.

Chowdhary is also concerned about his educational documents and other certificates stuck in his house in Germany. I tried reaching out to an Indian group there, but everyone seems helpless. The lockdown announcement was so sudden that I could not make any arrangements, he lamented.

Of the 484 stranded, 107 each are in Bengaluru and Delhi, 61 in Hyderabad, 56 in Mumbai, 43 in Chennai, 36 in Kolkata, 24 in Ahmedabad, 21 each in Kochi and Pune, eight in Lucknow and three in Dhanbad. Eighty per cent of them are employed in various companies based across Germany, while the rest are dependents, mainly spouses and children.
For too long, stigma and shame have kept the reality of mental illness hidden from view. Most people are shocked to learn that one in five adults experiences a mental health condition. Because of COVID-19, PTSD and anxiety are increasing. Since May is Mental Health Awareness Month, Id like to lift the veil and shed some light on this difficult condition that millions of Americans live with every day.

Many famous people have struggled with mental illness. President Abraham Lincoln and the writers Virginia Woolf and Sylvia Plath had depression. Rhode Island Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy, who led the fight for the landmark Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, struggles with bipolar disorder and addiction. Artist Vincent Van Gogh, jazz pianist Thelonious Monk and Nobel Prize winner in economics John Nash had schizophrenia.

Many people think schizophrenia means split personality as in the stories of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde or The Three Faces of Eve or Sibyl. Schizophrenia actually means split from reality. Its marked by hearing voices, hallucinations and delusions - thoughts like you can fly or the TV is talking to you. Sometimes schizophrenia makes you appear catatonic.

Some people think that those with clinical depression should snap out of it or put on a happy smile and think positive. However, clinical depression, like schizophrenia, is caused by the deficiency of certain chemicals in the brain needed for the functioning of a healthy mind, like the deficiency of insulin causes the physical illness diabetes.

Depression is the leading cause of suicide. Each year, 40,000 people die by suicide in the United States. Thats the same number of people who die from breast cancer. People at risk for suicide should have the same amount of public attention and support, treatment, funding and medical research as those at risk for breast cancer do.

Many politicians blame those who are mentally ill for the proliferation of gun violence in the United States. This is illogical. Mental illness is worldwide, yet other Western democracies do not have a high level of gun violence. Stricter gun safety laws in Europe account for the difference. When a terrorist, neo-Nazi or white supremacist commits an act of violence, many people say they must be sick or they are crazy. The shooters actions are due to their political ideologies, not mental illness. Mental illness does not account for the many women in the United States killed with guns by their present or former domestic partners, either.

In the 1980s and 1990s, many state mental hospitals closed. Regular hospitals have a shortage of beds available to psychiatric patients. When mentally ill people dont get the treatment they need, they cant function well and lose their jobs. Then they lose their apartments because they dont have money for the rent. Once homeless and living on the streets, they get sucked into the criminal justice system. Drugs and alcohol used as a means of self-medication becomes abuse, which together with loitering, disturbing the peace and petty theft are reasons the homeless mentally ill are arrested. Lacking money for bail or attorneys, the mentally ill languish in jails and prisons. According to a 2014 survey, Approximately 20 percent of inmates in jails and 15 percent of inmates in state prisons have a serious mental illness. Based on the total number of inmates, this means that there are 356,000 inmates with serious mental illness in jails and state prisons. This is ten times more than the 35,000 individuals with serious mental illness remaining in state hospitals.

I advocate that society place nonviolent mentally ill criminal offenders into community-based mental health programs and also work to ensure that individuals with mental illness who are sentenced to prison receive appropriate and humane treatment including access to appropriate medication.

My dream is for our society to have an open, honest, fact-based discussion about mental illness and to begin to treat it like any other chronic illness. As the artist Vincent Van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo in 1889: As for me, you must know, I shouldnt have chosen madness if there had been any choice. What consoles me is that I am beginning to consider madness as an illness like any other and that I accept it as such.

End the silence! Stop the Stigma!

Beth Lazar lives in Bridgeport.
COLUMBUS, Ohio  Gov. Mike DeWines office is not making available reports of recommendations provided to his administration by groups coming up with plans to re-open restaurants, bars and other Ohio businesses closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

DeWine said during his daily coronavirus news conference on Tuesday that he expected to receive those reports within the next day. Cleveland.com requested the reports shortly afterwards. As of Wednesday evening, the records had not been provided, although a DeWine administration spokesman has acknowledged receiving the request.

Ohios public records law requires that any public records, upon request, shall be promptly prepared and made available for inspection to any person at all reasonable times during regular business hours." It also says copies of public records are to be provided upon request "within a reasonable amount of time.

David Marburger, an attorney and expert on Ohio public records law, said governments are able to delay releasing records if they are required to be reviewed for confidential information. The DeWine administration has not asserted there is confidential information in the reports.

Theres no way of knowing if these guys dont tell you why its taking so long, Marburger said.

He said the governor has made clear in his comments the reports were being created for a public purpose.

In my judgment, these would be public, he said.

DeWine announced the formation of 11 working groups, made up largely of business owners, last Friday. Each one is assigned to review a different group of businesses to come up with safety protocols and a timeline for opening.

Once we get the best practices up, well set a date for reopening each sector, he said.

On Monday, DeWine said the groups were nearing completion of their work, and he hinted that restaurants could be re-opened not too long after May 12, when a health order lifts that had closed nonessential retailers.

On Tuesday, he said he expected to have the groups reports by Wednesday, a day he did not have a scheduled news conference.

"I will be receiving and reviewing in the next day reports from business working groups  to look at day care, to look at restaurants and bars, and to the other group that has been working on hair (salons). I will be reviewing these and hope on Thursday to have some announcements about that, he said.

DeWine repeatedly has said his administration values transparency, particularly during the current health crisis.

Ive felt all along that, as Governor, we have to tell people what we know, when we know it, he said on April 15. We will continue to do that.
NEW YORK, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Galien Foundation announced today upcoming events throughout the year, including the annual Galien Forum and Prix Galien USA Ceremony, the biennial Prix Galien International, the inaugural Prix Galien Africa and the Prix Galien Golden Jubilee, which culminates the Foundation's 50 years of celebration of innovation across the globe. The Foundation continues to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic response and plans to follow recommended actions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Galien Forum and Prix Galien USA Ceremony will take place on October 29 in New York City at the Alexandria Center for Life Science and Museum of Natural History.

During this year's special ceremony, the short list for the Prix Galien Golden Jubilee will be debuted. Of the 500 Prix Galien winners recognized by past and present Committee members across the globe throughout the Foundation's history, the top 10 have been selected as the most groundbreaking achievements in health care across the globe in over 50 years. A summary of the past 50 years of Prix Galien awards can be found here .

"For 50 years, we've witnessed incredible achievements by those at the forefront of health care innovation, which have become the backbone of many biomedical and technology advances we rely on now more than ever," said Bruno Cohen, Chairman of the Galien Foundation. "We're currently witnessing the remarkable coming together of minds to seek healthcare innovations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Foundation is honored to have the opportunity to reflect on these achievements and work with world-renowned scientific committees as we continue to evaluate and embrace the most impactful innovations of our generation."

The Prix Galien Golden Jubilee, Prix Galien International and the launch of the first annual Prix Galien Africa awards will gather the heads of state and ministers of health and/or environment of African Countries, the World Health Organization's (WHO) Director-General, leading scientists and industry leaders in Dakar, Senegal.

"We're thrilled to pursue this important culmination of the life science community's efforts over the past 50 years, recognizing our nominees and winners' unwavering dedication to breakthrough science," commented Sue Desmond-Hellmann, Former CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Chair of the Prix Galien USA and Prix Galien International Committees.

The Galien Foundation is delighted to welcome five new members to the Committee this year. They include: Linda Buck, Nobel Laureate, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Professor, and Affiliate Professor of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Washington; Susannah Fox, Independent Consultant and Health Care Innovation Leader & Former Chief Technology Officer of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Mary-Claire King, American Cancer Society Professor of Genome Sciences and Medical Genetics at the University of Washington; Steven J. Lester, Chief Medical Officer of the Mayo Clinic-ASU MedTech Accelerator & Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science; and Tachi Yamada, Venture Partner, Frazier Healthcare Partners. For a full list of The Galien Foundation's Committee Members, featuring the best minds from science and research across the globe, please see here.

About The Galien Foundation

The Galien Foundation fosters, recognizes and rewards excellence in scientific innovation to improve the state of human health. Our vision is to catalyze the development of the next generation of innovative treatments and technologies that will impact human health and save lives. The Foundation oversees and directs activities in the USA for the Prix Galien, an international award that recognizes outstanding achievements in improving the human condition through the development of innovative therapies. The Prix Galien was created in France in 1970 in honor of Galen, the father of medical science and modern pharmacology. Worldwide, the Prix Galien is regarded as the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in biopharmaceutical and medical technology research.

For more information, visit www.galienfoundation.org.

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Shelley Luther was issued a citation for keeping open her Dallas salon despite directives to close.

The attorney general of the state of Texas, Ken Paxton, on Wednesday described as outrageous a judges order that the owner of a hair salon spend a week in jail after she continued to operate her business despite restrictions put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a letter to Dallas County Judge Eric Moye, Paxton called for the release of Shelley Luther from jail. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, a fellow Republican, also issued a statement calling for her release.

I find it outrageous and out of touch that during this national pandemic, a judge, in a county that actually released hardened criminals for fear of contracting COVID-19, would jail a mother for operating her hair salon in an attempt to put food on her familys table, Paxton said.

Luther was booked in the Dallas County jail on Tuesday afternoon following a video hearing, during which she was found in contempt of court. The hearing occurred as Abbott relaxed more restrictions statewide, allowing barbershops and hair salons to reopen Friday.

Last month, Luther was issued a citation for keeping open her Dallas salon despite state and local directives that kept nonessential businesses closed.

In Tuesdays hearing, Luther said she kept the salon open because she needed the money.

I couldnt feed my family, and my stylists couldnt feed their families, Luther testified, saying she had applied for a federal loan but did not receive it until Sunday.

Shelley Luther should immediately be released from jail. Locking her up is a misguided abuse of power, especially considering Dallas County released real criminals to protect them from COVID-19. Release her now so she can return to her family. pic.twitter.com/67KrhQBEyf  Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) May 6, 2020

Judge Moye said during Tuesdays hearing that he would consider levying a fine instead of jail time if Luther would apologise and not reopen until she was allowed to do so. Luther refused.

Feeding my kids is not selfish, she told Moye. If you think the law is more important than kids getting fed, then please go ahead with your decision, but I am not going to shut the salon.

Moye wrote in his judgment of contempt: The defiance of the courts order was open, flagrant and intentional. He noted that despite being given the opportunity to apologise, Luther has expressed no contrition, remorse or regret for her actions.
Gov. Greg Abbott will allow barber shops and beauty salons to partially reopen Friday, and more businesses soon thereafter, as the state continues to ramp up COVID-19 testing and the percentage of Texans testing positive for the disease declines.

The governor said Tuesday that the outbreak has slowed to a manageable level, even as he warned that new infections and hospitalizations are likely to increase as restrictions are lifted. He encouraged people to continue wearing masks and maintaining physical distance from one another.

"If you look at where we are now, if you look at how we've been able to manage infections, then we shouldn't have any problems," he said.

HAIRCUT PROTEST: Texas GOP lawmakers Briscoe Cain and Steve Toth get haircuts, defying Abbotts order

Abbott said gyms and non-essential manufacturing will be able to partially reopen May 18, as the second phase of his reopening plan begins. He laid out several guidelines for the reopenings, including one-on-one appointments at salons, and gloves and constant disinfecting at gyms.

School graduation and promotion ceremonies will be allowed in some cases, such as outdoor events with proper distancing between families and events in which attendants stay in vehicles. A decision is still pending on when and how public schools will reopen, but education officials are looking at mid-August.

Public swimming pools can open at reduced capacity. Bars are still closed as safety strategies are worked out.

The announcements came less than a week after the governor lifted his statewide stay-at-home order as well as some restrictions on businesses. He has barred local officials from enforcing stricter measures such as mandating masks in public, as several cities had.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

Some fellow Republicans, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, had been pressing Abbott for weeks to issue a wider reopening, saying early projections for the outbreak were overblown.

Many parts of the state are still struggling to contain infections, and last week the state reported its highest weekly increase in new cases and deaths since the pandemic began.

Democrats quickly accused the governor of reneging on an initial plan to wait for data before moving forward with more reopenings. At a press briefing last week, Abbott said he wanted to see two weeks of data to confirm no flare up of COVID-19 before allowing more businesses to open, and those already open to expand the number of customers allowed inside at one time.

Gov. Abbott said that he would reevaluate opening Texas up but after four straight days with over 1,000 new cases and some of the highest death totals since the crisis began, Abbott decided to throw data and science out the window and continue to fight for his lobbyists and billionaire donors, Texas Democratic Party Executive Director Manny Garcia said in a statement.

Some health officials have warned of the potential for new outbreaks as Texas and other states continue reopening. A closely watched projection nearly tripled its death estimates for Texas this week, citing the moves to lift restrictions.

Abbott largely dismissed those estimates Tuesday, pointing instead to the percentage of people who have tested positive, which continues to fall. He said he expects case totals to rise as identification of the outbreak becomes stronger across the state, but said there are plenty medical resources to respond.

We're going to be testing a lot more people, Abbott said. A lot more people are going to test positive. There could very well be the need for more people to need hospitalization. What matters is not how many people are hospitalized. What matters is what our hospitalization capacity is."

He added: We haven't even begun to tap into our hospital capacity.

About 1,900 people were hospitalized for the virus as of Tuesday, with over 25,000 general and intensive care beds still available. Abbott said availability will likely fall as non-essential medical procedures  which had been on hold for the month of April  pick up again.

The rate of people who test positive is a helpful measure to track outbreaks like COVID-19, though it has limitations, especially as testing is still increasing, according to some health experts.

The state is averaging about 18,000 tests per day, a sharp increase from previous weeks but still short of a near-term goal of 30,000.

The governor did not provide updates Tuesday on how many people the state has hired to track down contacts of those infected, a process known as contact tracing. He said last week that nearly 3,000 more tracers would be brought on by the end of May.

On Tuesday he announced he was creating "surge response" teams to help contain outbreaks in hotspots as they emerge. The teams will work with local officials to make sure they have enough protective gear and testing in place.

The state has already mobilized more than 3,000 members of the Texas National Guard to help manufacture protective gear and set up roving test sites.
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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is holding his daily press conference on the Covid-19 outbreak, which has infected more than 321,100 people across the state as of Wednesday, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

On Tuesday, Cuomo rebuked President Donald Trump's complaint that it's unfair for Republicans to provide "bailouts" to Democrat-led states suffering from the coronavirus pandemic. Trump said that doing so would be unfair to Republican-led states because the states that need financial help are "run by Democrats in every case. Florida is doing phenomenal, Texas is doing phenomenal, the Midwest is, you know, fantastic  very little debt."

Cuomo said that he wouldn't call financial assistance from the federal government a bailout, saying it was a "rhetorical, hyperbolic" word.

"It's not red or blue, it's red, white and blue. This coronavirus doesn't pick Democrats or Republicans. It doesn't kill Democrats or Republicans, it kills Americans," Cuomo said at his daily press briefing.

The coronavirus has infected more than 1.2 million people in the U.S. and has killed at least 71,000 people, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Globally, the coronavirus has infected more than 3.6 million people and has killed at least 257,800 people.

CNBC's live updates to see the latest news on the Covid-19 outbreak.
Texas A&M University divisions and academic colleges have been tasked with making plans to reduce their budgets by 7.5%, in case the need to make cuts arises.

No budget cuts have been formally requested by the state, A&M Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Jerry Strawser said in a Monday email to employees, but he emphasized the importance of preparing for the possibility. In his message, he said leaders anticipate challenging state budget conditions and that the economic impacts of COVID-19 will continue to affect university resources.

I just think its good to plan ahead, Strawser said in a Tuesday interview with The Eagle. It would be fantastic if we went through this exercise, and the economy was great and we got no cuts from the state. ... But the bottom line is you always want to think about what might happen in the future and plan for it accordingly, and thats the whole purpose of this.

Divisions and colleges will send their plans to officials in about a month, Strawser said, and the submissions will be reviewed early in the summer. A final plan will not include the full 7.5% decrease across every unit, and Strawser said there likely will be some programs that are prioritized over others if cuts are called for.
BERLIN, May 6 (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel and the premiers of Germany's federal states have agreed that people from two households can go out to eat together, Bild newspaper reported on Wednesday without citing its sources.

Merkel is due to hold a news conference later on Wednesday after meeting the premiers to discuss restrictions introduced in Germany to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

A draft document seen by Reuters shows the federal government and states have agreed that states will each decide on reopening restaurants. (Reporting by Michelle Martin Editing by Paul Carrel)
The Odisha government has also decided to formulate a model policy to resolve the problems faced by the industries, he said, adding that it has been decided to start discussions regarding the problems faced by the industries due to the pandemic.

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has already started consultation with different business houses in Japan, Korea and United States for investment in the state, an official said on Tuesday. This was revealed at the coronavirus situation review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here on Tuesday.

Talks have already been started to attract more investments from Japan, Korea and America, a senior official said after the meeting.

This apart, the government has also decided to formulate a model policy to resolve the problems faced by the industries, he said, adding that it has been decided to start discussions regarding the problems faced by the industries due to the pandemic.

Senior state government officials will hold discussion with Chamber of Indian Industries, Indian Chamber of Commerce and Banks as early as possible before formulating the model for overcoming the crisis, the official said, adding that the states MSME sector has reportedly been badly hit in the crisis and required specific action plan for their revival.

The official said the MSME sector provides employment to large number of people, mostly unskilled and semi-skilled workers whose number is large in the state like Odisha.

Meanwhile, Additional Chief Secretary cum-Special Relief Commissioner P K Jena said the state government has issued necessary orders to facilitate hassle free Inter-district movement of workers.

Normal labour intensive works will continue in both rural and urban areas of the districts and municipal corporations coming under green and orange zones, Jena said, adding that all sorts of labour intensive works are permitted in the rural areas of the districts and Municipal Corporation coming under red zone.

Construction works in urban and Municipal Corporations areas under red zone will be carried on if required number of workers are available in those areas. In such urban areas under red zone, workers from outside shall not be permitted to come, he said.
(Newser)  "Frogs, nowadays, are known on all six other continents. Now we know they were also present on the seventh." That's according to Swedish scientist Thomas Mors, whose discovery of 40-million-year-old ancient horned frog fossils in Antarctica suggests frogs were transported around the globe by the breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana, per Popular Science. The skull and pelvic bone discovered on Seymour Island match those of the South American frog genus Calyptocephalella, close relatives of which have also been found in Australia. As Mors points out, Gondwanathe name given to one half of the landmass Pangaea as it broke apart more than 230 million years ago, per Live Sciencewas once a mashup of modern-day South America, Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Indian subcontinent, Australia, and Antarctica.

story continues below

"Antarctica was a perfectly accessible midway point" between South American and Australia, per Popular Science. And as Gondwana broke up, the frogs found a permanent home. The fossil represents the first evidence of a freshwater amphibian in Antarctica during the Cenozoic Era, which began 66 million years ago and continues today, according to the study published last month in Scientific Reports. Scientists believe the horned frog enjoyed a wet and temperate climate, with temperatures ranging from around 39 degrees Fahrenheit to 57 degrees. Still, the frog may have hibernated in mud during winter, reports CNN. There were "at least ephemeral ice sheets existing on the highlands within the interior of the continent," according to the study. Antarctica would freeze over some 6 million years later. (We're just beginning to understand the continent's ancient past.)
[May 06, 2020] WIRELESS TELECOM GROUP ANNOUNCES FIRST QUARTER 2020 FINANCIAL RESULTS WILL BE RELEASED MAY 13, 2020

Parsippany, New Jersey, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wireless Telecom Group, Inc. (NYSE American: WTT), a leader in wireless communications and radio frequency instrumentation, announced it will release its first quarter 2020 financial results on Wednesday May 13th, 2020, before the market opens.

The Company will host a conference call on Wednesday May 13th, 2020 at 8:30 am EDT in which management will discuss first quarter results. To participate in the conference call, dial 800-346-7359 or 973-528-0008. The conference identification number is 512854. The call will also be webcast over the internet at the following URL: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/1690/34713 A replay will be made available on the Wireless Telecom website for a limited period of time following the conference call. Wireless Telecom Group, Inc., comprised of Boonton, CommAgility, Holzworth, Microlab and Noisecom, is a global designer and manufacturer of advanced RF and microwave components, modules, systems, and instruments. Serving the wireless, telecommunication, satellite, military, aerospace, semiconductor and medical industries, Wireless Telecom Group products enable innovation across a wide range of traditional and emerging wireless technologies. With a unique set of high-performance products including peak power meters, signal generators, phase noise analyzers, signal processing modules, LTE PHY/stack software, power splitters and combiners, GPS repeaters, public safety components, noise sources, and programmable noise generators, Wireless Telecom Group enables the development, testing, and deployment of wireless technologies around the globe. Wireless Telecom Group is headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, in the New York City metropolitan area, and maintains a global network of Sales and Service offices for excellent product service and support. Wireless Telecom Groups website address is http://www.wirelesstelecomgroup.com .



Wireless Telecom Group Inc.

25 Eastmans Road

Parsippany, NJ 07054

Tel: (973) 386-9696

Fax: (973) 386-9191

www.wtcom.com Contact:

Michael Kandell

(973) 386-9696



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MEXICO CITY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th May, 2020) Ecuador is extending a state of emergency, which was imposed in the Latin American country amid the spread of COVID-19, for 30 more days starting from May 16, President Lenin Moreno said on Wednesday.

"With the support of the Security Council, we extended the state of emergency for 30 days, starting from May 16. The security council is ready to work on a comprehensive review of the budgets of state services," Moreno tweeted.

The president added that around 10-15 percent of the budgets will be reviewed, and thus the main functions of state institutions will be unaffected.

Ecuador started to gradually east the lockdown from Monday. At the same time, the restrictions on movement for the elderly, the ban on movement between provinces, and the prohibition of mass events are still in place.

According to the latest data, Ecuador has so far confirmed 31,881 COVID-19 cases and 1,589 coronavirus-related fatalities
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday assured his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali of India's support in ensuring supplies of essential medicines and offsetting the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During their telephonic conversation, the two leaders discussed the domestic, regional and global challenges posed by the pandemic, and expressed solidarity with each other during the crisis.

"The prime minister assure Dr Abiy Ahmed Ali of Indian support to Ethiopia, for ensuring supplies of essential medicines and ameliorating the economic impact of the pandemic," an official statement said.

Modi recalled the close ties between India and Ethiopia and the excellent development partnership between the two nations, it said.

Prime Minister Modi, on behalf of the people of India and on his own behalf,wished the people of Ethiopia success in the fight against the COVID-19.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump vetoed a bipartisan resolution Wednesday that would limit his ability to unilaterally launch a military attack in Iran, arguing that the measure was an election year ploy by Democrats to divide Republicans.

The resolution, which the House had approved in March, marked a rare bipartisan effort to curb Trump's powers and underscored lingering concerns among some lawmakers that tensions with Tehran could escalate into a war. Supporters have acknowledged they do not have enough support to override Trump's veto, the seventh of his presidency.

Though the veto was expected, Trump's statement leveled unexpectedly harsh criticism at members of his own party who supported it. Trump described the resolution as "very insulting" and dismissed it as a "strategy to win an election."

"The few Republicans who voted for it," Trump said, "played right into their hands."

Related Video: Iran Missile Launch Is Malign Behavior

More: House approves measure to limit Trump's war powers against Iran

Six Republicans in the House joined 220 Democrats in supporting the war powers resolution. The measure cleared the Senate with eight Republicans and all Democrats.

The Senate plans to vote Thursday on whether to override the veto, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said.

Trump made his predecessor's posture toward Iran a centerpiece of his 2016 campaign, suggesting that a nuclear agreement worked out by President Barack Obama on behalf of the USA and five other nations was too soft on the country. Tensions have flared significantly since then, culminating in a U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani near Baghdad International Airport in January.

Trump has frequently touted the killing of Soleimani on the campaign trail.

Lawmakers who supported the measure conceded they do not have the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto in either chamber. But the House and Senate votes were a rebuke to Trump and signaled disapproval of his Iran policy.

Story continues

"The American people don't want war with Iran. The Congress has not authorized war with Iran. That should be crystal clear," Rep. Eliot Engel, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said during the House debate in March.

Engel, D-N.Y., and other Democrats said Trump brought the United States to the brink of war with Iran when he green-lighted the deadly strike against Soleimani on Jan. 2. Iran responded by launching ballistic missiles at an Iraqi air base housing American troops, which left more than 100 service members with traumatic brain injuries.

Tensions have eased recently as both countries turn their attention to battling the coronavirus pandemic.

Contributing: Christal Hayes

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump vetoes bipartisan measure limiting his military powers in Iran
Barclays customers who are desperate for one of the Government's new 'bounce back' loans are still waiting to even be able to make an application.

The bank, along with other major lenders, opened to applications under the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) on Monday this week.

The scheme was designed to make it easier for small businesses to access cash to keep them afloat during the coronavirus lockdown.

Barclays  which is led by chief executive Jes Staley  approved 200 of its initial applications within minutes of the portal opening  but began to fall behind as the requests kept coming

Banks had promised customers that the streamlined application process would mean they would see money in their account in as little as 24 hours.

And Chancellor Rishi Sunak tweeted earlier this week: 'You could apply for a bounce back loan in the time it takes to have lunch.'

But swathes of potential borrowers have been left hanging, as Barclays' online application portal crashed due to the demand.

Within hours of the portal opening, error messages began popping up on customers' computer screens.

At first it asked them to bear with the bank as it processed the huge initial wave of applications.

Later, it asked customers to try again the next day.

By Tuesday night the error message was telling applicants that if they were struggling, it may be because their account needed two signatures or their details were not up to date.

Yet several customers complained they were the only person named on the account, and that all their details were filled in.

BBLS was designed to be an alternative to the cumbersome Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) for Britain's small and medium-sized businesses.

Hope is being taken away Ricky Panesar a mobile phone repair shop near London's busy Oxford Circus Ricky Panesar spent hours on the phone to get through to Barclays, as he was repeatedly faced with error messages when applying for a bounce back loan. Panesar runs Icorrect, a mobile phone repair shop in London which serves major corporates, and takes walk-in clients. Business has slumped since the lockdown and he wanted to borrow 25,000 from Barclays to pay suppliers and keep things ticking over. He said: 'We'd heard it was going to be super-quick, so we were really keen.' On Monday, he logged on at 8.30am but at 10.30am, an error message appeared and he has never progressed beyond the error page. He phoned the bank on Tuesday, and was on hold for two and a half hours before hanging up. He said: 'I've kind of given up at this point. It's hope which is being taken away from small businesses.'

Under CBILS, which launched in March, many firms were struggling to access small enough loans on terms they could afford, and on a quick enough timescale.

BBLS was supposed to be a lifeline for the thousands of small businesses which have been unable to trade due to the coronavirus lockdown and are now at risk of collapse.

Sunak said yesterday: 'Small businesses will be the driving force of our recovery from the pandemic, creating jobs and securing economic growth.

'These loans will help them bounce back from this crisis  getting money fast  so it's great to see more than 69,000 business benefiting in just the first day.

'It's vital this speedy progress continues in the days and weeks ahead.'

But banks have been inundated with BBLS applications since the scheme launched on Monday, and have been struggling to process the sheer volume of requests.

They received around 100,000 applications on Monday alone, and the Treasury revealed yesterday that more than 69,000 loans worth over 2billion had been approved during the first 24 hours.

Barclays  which is led by chief executive Jes Staley  approved 200 of its initial applications within minutes of the portal opening  but then began to fall behind as the requests kept coming.

Loan : Swathes of potential Covid-19 borrowers have been left hanging, as Barclays' online application portal crashed due to the demand

Even customers who did have their application approved by Barclays on Monday were still complaining yesterday that the money was not in their account, three days later.

Mike Cherry, national chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: 'Unfortunately, we are hearing reports that bounce back application forms are hard to access or enquiries are simply being acknowledged with a 'we'll call you' message and nothing further.

'Many of the most vulnerable business owners  particularly sole traders  only have personal banks accounts and, as a result, are being told that they can't access a bounce back loan.

'It's vital that they are helped to secure the finance on which many will depend to make it through this challenging time.'

A Barclays spokesman said: 'We're sorry that some customers are having trouble applying for a bounce back loan on our website and may be receiving an error code.

'We require additional information from some customers to complete their application, and will be updating our web page soon with further details.
Washington: The Trump administration failed to prepare for the onslaught of the coronavirus, then sought a quick fix by trying to rush an unproven drug to patients, a senior government scientist alleged in a whistleblower complaint Tuesday.

Dr. Rick Bright, former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, alleges he was reassigned to a lesser role because he resisted political pressure to allow widespread use of hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug pushed by President Donald Trump. He said the Trump administration wanted to flood hot spots in New York and New Jersey with the drug.

I witnessed government leadership rushing blindly into a potentially dangerous situation by bringing in a non-FDA approved chloroquine from Pakistan and India, from facilities that had never been approved by the FDA, Bright said Tuesday on a call with reporters. Their eagerness to push blindly forward without sufficient data to put this drug into the hands of Americans was alarming to me and my fellow scientists.

Bright filed the complaint with the Office of Special Counsel, a government agency that investigates retaliation against federal employees who uncover problems. He wants his job back and a full investigation.

The Department of Health and Human Services issued a terse statement saying that Bright was transferred to the National Institutes of Health to work on coronavirus testing, a crucial assignment. We are deeply disappointed that he has not shown up to work on behalf of the American people and lead on this critical endeavor, HHS spokeswoman Caitlin Oakley said.

According HHS, Bright has not reported to his new post. But his spokeswoman said that Bright is on sick leave, following his doctor's orders, and that HHS has provided him no details on his new role.

Bright's complaint comes as the Trump administration faces criticism over its response to the pandemic, including testing and supplies of ventilators, masks and other equipment to stem the spread. There have been nearly 1.2 million confirmed cases in the United States and more than 70,000 deaths.

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Bright said his superiors repeatedly rejected his warnings that the virus would spread in the US, missing an early opportunity to stock up on protective masks for first responders. He said he acted with urgency to address the growing spread of COVID-19  the disease the virus causes  after the World Health Organization issued a warning in January.

Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., chair of the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on health, said she plans to hold a hearing into his complaint next week, and Brights lawyers said he would testify. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, appearing on MSNBC, called the complaint very damaging.

In his complaint, Bright said he encountered resistance from HHS leadership, including Secretary (Alex) Azar, who appeared intent on downplaying this catastrophic event.

During a Feb. 23 meeting, Azar, as well as Bright's boss, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Robert Kadlec, responded with surprise at (Brights) dire predictions and urgency, and asserted that the United States would be able to contain the virus and keep it out, the whistleblower complaint said.

Bright said White House trade adviser Peter Navarro was a rare exception among administration officials, extremely concerned about the potential consequences of an outbreak. He described working with Navarro to break a bureaucratic logjam and set up military transport from Italy for swabs needed in the US.

Navarro was the author of several urgent memos within the White House. Bright said Navarro asked for his help, saying the trade adviser told him the memos were needed to save lives.

Navarros memos to top officials raised alarms even as Trump was publicly assuring Americans that the outbreak was under control.

Brights allegation that he was removed over his resistance to widespread use of the malaria drug was already public, but his whistleblower complaint added details from emails and internal communications while bringing to light his early attempts to acquire N95 respirator masks, which he said were ignored by superiors.

In late January, Bright said he was contacted by an official of a leading mask manufacturer about ramping up production. It was estimated that as many as 3.5 billion would be needed, while the national stockpile had about 300 million.

The complaint said that when Bright tried to press the issue about masks with superiors at HHS, he was ignored or rebuffed. HHS publicly represented not only that COVID-19 was not an imminent threat, but also that HHS already had all the masks it would need, the complaint said.

As the epidemic spread in the US and engulfed the New York metropolitan area, Bright alleges that political appointees at HHS tried to promote hydroxychloroquine as a panacea. The officials also demanded that New York and New Jersey be flooded with these drugs, which were imported from factories in Pakistan and India that had not been inspected by the FDA, the complaint says.

Last month, the US Food and Drug Administration warned doctors against prescribing the drug except in hospitals and research studies. In an alert, regulators flagged reports of sometimes fatal heart side effects among coronavirus patients taking hydroxychloroquine or the related drug chloroquine.

Bright felt officials had refused to listen or take appropriate action to accurately inform the public and spoke to a reporter about the drug. He said he had to tell the public about the lack of science backing up its use, despite the drug being pushed by the president at press briefings.

As the death toll mounted exponentially each day, Dr. Bright concluded that he had a moral obligation to the American public, including those vulnerable as a result of illness from COVID-19, to protect it from drugs which he believed constituted a substantial and specific danger to public health and safety, the complaint says.

On Jan. 20, according to the complaint, the WHO held an emergency call that was attended by many HHS officials, and WHO officials advised that the outbreak is a big problem.

Trump has accused the UN agency of mismanaging and covering up the spread of the virus after it emerged in China. He has also said he wants to cut the WHO's funding.

Brights agency works to guard against pandemics and emergent infectious diseases and is working to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus.

Top officials also pressured him to steer contracts to a client of a lobbyist, he reported.

"Time after time I was pressured to ignore or dismiss expert scientific recommendations and instead to award lucrative contracts based on political connections, Bright said in the call with reporters. In other words, I was pressured to let politics and cronyism drive decisions over the opinions of the best scientists we have in government.

Zachary Kurz, a spokesman for the agency where Bright filed his complaint, said the office couldnt comment or confirm the status of open investigations.
'Whatever else may or may not happen, China and its people are likely to pay a very heavy price for the lack of transparency of its Communist regime,' predicts Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).

IMAGE: Artists perform a scene depicting a doctor killing coronavirus in Bikaner, May 6, 2020. Photograph: PTI Photo

There is a general consensus that the post-COVID-19 world will be a different place.

A geopolitical earthquake comparable to the end of World War II is predicted by many analysts.

Many think-tanks the world over, including in India, are busy in this exercise as I write this.

But before we can speculate on the changes the world may see post-COVID-19, it is essential to understand the current world system.

The roots of the COVID-19 crisis faced by the world today go deep into the history of the last 300 years.

To a large extent the reason for the current crisis is the fact that while much has changed in these 300 years, the basic principles of the world's political system have changed very little.

Contrary to many Hollywood disaster movies wherein the world comes together to fight a common danger (of course under leadership of the US president), instead today we find the situation exactly opposite.

Partly this is due to the fact that at this very crucial moment in history, the world is ill-served by the leadership of the two major powers. One has a comic character who thinks it is reality TV and other a megalomaniac.

But even more than this accident of history, the very political system militates against any kind of collective action.

Westphalian sovereignty, or State sovereignty, is a principle in international law (external link) that each State has exclusive sovereignty (external link) over its territory.

Political scientists have traced the concept to the Peace of Westphalia (external link) (1648), which ended the Thirty Years' War (external link). The principle underlies the modern international system (external link) of sovereign States (external link) and is enshrined in the United Nations Charter (external link), which states that "nothing should authorise intervention in matters essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any State."

According to the idea, every State, no matter how large or small, has an equal right to sovereignty.

The end of World War II saw a slew of international organisations come up including the UN. But the purpose of these organisations was to solidify and institutionalise the prevailing power balance and consolidate the position of the US. Its economic counterparts were the International Monetary Fund and the World bank.

The end of WWII also saw the beginning of the Cold War between the socialist and capitalist camps led by the USSR and the US respectively. The Cold War ended in 1992 with the break-up of the USSR and victory of the capitalist world and a democratic system of government.

There was a brief opportunity between 1992 and 2000 when the US was the sole superpower and was unchallenged. It was an opportunity for the US to shape the world order keeping in view of the ideals of the American constitution.

This opportunity was frittered away by a US leadership that was more interested in sexual peccadillos than reshaping of the world order.

In the meanwhile, the march of technology, of travel, communication and trade integrated the world economically as never before while the political system continued to be of 17th century Europe.

The UN security council continued to reflect the power balance of 1945 rather than of 2000.

All these old problems left over from the last century have come to roost in 2020 when the world finds itself divided in the face of a major challenge to mankind's existence.

The UN is paralysed and the security council has not even been able to discuss the threat, leave alone a unified plan to fight it.

The only silver lining is that professionals like doctors and scientists have come together despite their governments.

China, on the other hand, has still not come clean on the start of the pandemic or authentic data, hampering the world response.

Whatever else may or may not happen, China and its people are likely to pay a very heavy price for the lack of transparency of its Communist regime. Economic and political isolation of China in the post-COVID-19 world is a distinct possibility.

But to predict the future course of world events and make reasonable assumptions, it is first necessary to look at historical precedents.

It is this lack of genuine understanding of history and processes that led leading American think-tanks like the Rand Corporation to predict the 'end of history' when the Cold War ended.

The Francis Fukuyamas of this world are busy in writing the obituary of the pre-COVID-19 world and like him may prove to be totally wrong and end up with egg on the face.

The reason for this intellectual illness is that the 21st century has seen, along with globalisation, the rise of intellectual ghettos led by the liberal Western elite who have long ceased to be thinkers and instead have become an echo chamber or a privileged club.

The one thing that Indians must be extremely cautious about is the free advice and opinions that will and are being proffered from the likes of The New York Times, sundry think-tanks and many NRIs settled in the US.

These analysts have such a long record of being wrong on India that it is only due to our 'comprador' elite that these views get prominent display in the Indian media.

Just as an example, one of the most prestigious American think-tanks, the Rand Corporation, and its analysts in the work The Year 2000 (Herman Kahn and A J Wiener) published in 1967 predicted chronic food shortages and food riots in India.

Reality: In 1992, when Russia was in turmoil and facing food shortages, India gifted 2 million tonnes of wheat to Russia. This year, Indian grain reserves are likely to exceed 100 million tonnes!

Yet, the perception that India is chronically short of food persists thanks to the negativity constantly peddled by a small section of the elite that has benefited hugely from selling Indian poverty worldwide.

Views, opinions and suggestions coming from the West that has been badly bruised in the COVID-19 pandemic must be taken with a tonne of salt!

Colonel Anil A Athale (retd) is a military historian.
Building a brand new spacecraft means knowing when to innovate and when to stick to flight-proven methods, and for Crew Dragon, SpaceX decided to ditch the buttons and dials and go full touchscreen. The astronauts who will fly it later this month have had likewise to ditch years of training and muscle memory  but it's not all bad, they say.

Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, the two astronauts soon to launch to the International Space Station aboard a Dragon capsule, will be the first to actually fly the craft in space.

"It's probably a dream of every test pilot school student to have the opportunity to fly on a brand-new spaceship, and Im lucky enough to get that opportunity with my good friend here," said Behnken in a press interview broadcast by NASA .

Of course they're more than adequately prepared  not only have they spent countless hours in simulators, but they collaborated with SpaceX from the early days.

"It was on the order of at least 5 or 6 years ago that we went out to SpaceX and evaluated a bunch of different control mechanisms," said Hurley. "They were looking at every which way of flying the vehicle, and ultimately they decided on a touchscreen interface."

"Of course, you know, growing up as a pilot my whole career, having a certain way to control the vehicle, this is certainly different," he continued. "But we went into it with a very open mind, I think, and worked with them to define the way you interface with it  the way your touches actually registered on the display, in order to be able to fly it cleanly and not make mistakes touching it, not potentially putting in a wrong input."

Compare the photo at the top of the story with the following shot of the physical simulator where astronauts learn to pilot the Russian Soyuz capsule:

Not a lot of leg room in either one, to be honest.

And of course even modern aircraft are still a mess of physical controls, no doubt familiar to the pilot but inarguably dated in design.

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Behnke pointed out that these spacecraft are made with a very specific purpose in mind: Going to and docking with the ISS. No one is going to Mars in one of these things, and that impacts how they're designed and piloted.

"The flying task is very unique: To come close to the space station and fly in proximity, then slowly come into contact, is maybe a little bit different from what you would see for flying a space shuttle or an aircraft," said Behnke, with characteristic understatement (the difference is night and day). "When we evaluated the touchscreen interface we really did focus on the task at hand and trying to get good performance for that specific task."

A prototype Crew Dragon has already launched to the ISS and returned, having been piloted both autonomously and remotely.

"It was challenging for us and for them at first to work through those different design issues, but we got to a point where the vehicle, from the manual flying standpoint with the touchscreen, flies very well," said Hurley.

"The difference is you've got to be very deliberate when you're putting in input, relative to what you would do with a stick," he continued. "Because you know, when you're flying an airplane for example, if I push the stick forward it's going to go down. I actually have to make a concerted effort to do that with the touchscreen, if that makes sense."

"I don't think I'm going too far out on a limb to say that the right answer for all flying is not to switch to a touchscreen, necessarily," said Behnke. "But for the task that we have and to keep ourselves safe flying close to the ISS, the touchscreen is gonna provide us that capability just fine."

Hurley pointed out that one major advantage is that the controls and readouts are all in the same place: "You're seeing the docking target, for example, right in the same place you're looking to fly the vehicle. So it is a little bit different way of doing it, but the design in general has worked out very well."

There's only so much one can learn in a simulator, though, and this first crewed flight is still very much a test, the feedback from which will inform the next iteration of the capsule. It's easier, after all, to push a software update than to rewire the pots of 20 different knobs in a system that goes back decades.

"We specifically, as part of this test flight, designed in some time in the preflight phase, as well as closer to space station, so we can test out actual manual flying capability of the vehicle," Hurley explained. "Just to see and verify that it handles the way we expect it to, and the way the simulator shows it to fly. It's a prudent part of our flight test just like anything else, in case the eventuality happened that a future crew needed to take over manually and fly the spacecraft. So we're just doing our part, to kinda test out all the different capabilities of the Crew Dragon."

We are sure to hear more about the version of Crew Dragon that will be flying later this month if everything goes according to plan. In the meantime, I have asked both SpaceX and NASA for more information on the control scheme and its development.
Last week, upstate New York resident Elizabeth Barber filed a lawsuit against the United States Department of Education, alleging that employers continue to garnish the wages of 285,000 people over unpaid student loans, in violation of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act signed into law by President Trump on March 27. The continued collection practices are entirely in line with the priorities of the Trump administration and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos in the continued privatization and financialization of higher education.

Barber, a 59-year-old home health aide who makes under $13 per hour, is seeking class-action status for the lawsuit on behalf of all the others who have been similarly affected.

Aside from ostensibly stopping wage garnishment for student loan debt, the CARES Act implemented a number of other temporary measures to alleviate pressure on the nearly one in seven Americans who owe money on student loans, many of whom have no doubt lost their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of those owing money on federally administered student loans were placed into administrative forbearance, essentially suspending their loan payments through September 30. Interest capitalization, that is, adding unpaid interest to the balance owed, was also temporarily stopped.

One of the apparent reasons for the continued garnishments is that many of these deductions are applied automatically by employers, who receive instructions from the Education Department to seize wages on behalf of the federal government, which holds or administers much of this student loan debt. As a result, even though the garnishment has been formally suspended as a legal matter, the Education Department has not told all employers to stop the practice.

As Seth Frotman, executive director of the Student Borrower Protection Center, told the Washington Post, We have built a student loan debt collection monster that we cannot physically stop, even in violation of the law.

Additionally, because the CARES Act was passed March 27, but provided relief for the period of March 13 to March 26, student loan borrowers who had wages garnished during that time are eligible for refunds. Those eligible for refunds include those who made payments that were due before the law passed. In many cases, these refund requests have been met by complete silence or interminable waits to speak to a representative from the loan servicing companies contracted by the government to act as go-betweens.

Huge numbers of student loan borrowers are receiving no relief under the CARES Act because they either hold ineligible federally administered loans, or because they have entirely privately issued student loans. The number of these borrowers is estimated at around seven million. Most of these students had little or no choice in the matter, because which type of student loans they were even offered is often a decision made by colleges and universities.

Even before the wave of coronavirus-related layoffs, which have already hit over 30 million Americans and are expected to exceed the worst levels seen in the Great Depression, many student loan borrowers were struggling under the weight of their loans. More than 9 million student loan borrowers have not made payments on their student loans in over a year, making them eligible to have their wages garnished.

Before the start of the pandemic, household debt had already topped existing records. According to a Tuesday report from the New York Federal Reserve, US household debt rose 1.1 percent to $14.3 trillion. By way of comparison, this is $1.6 trillion more than the level of household debt total recorded in 2008. Outstanding student debt alone amounts to $1.54 trillion, $27 billion more than in the previous quarter.

A group of Democratic Senators and House members, most prominent among them Dick Durbin and Elizabeth Warren, have attempted to position themselves as being on the side of students. They proposed immediately discharging student loans for students who attended for-profit schools ITT and Corinthian, among others, measures that target only the most egregious abusers of the student loan system. DeVos has repeatedly opposed discharging loans for for-profit schools, an industry to which she has close ties.

Democratic Party presidential candidate Joe Biden has called for a paltry $10,000 in student loan forgiveness. Aside from providing little relief to many borrowers, there is no reason to believe the Democrats are even committed to making it happen. The same proposal to forgive $10,000 in student loan debt for all borrowers was proposed by Democratic Party leaders during the passage of the CARES Act, only to be negotiated away.

The Socialist Equality Party calls for the immediate forgiveness of all student loan debt. Education should be free to all, not an entry into a glorified form of debt peonage. The trillions that have been squandered on Wall Street through the bipartisan CARES Act must be diverted to actually fighting the pandemic, while expanding funding for public education and relieving the working class of the crippling debt that it faces.
Washington:

In a strong message, the US has asked Pakistan to act against all the terror groups in the country, especially those targeting its neighbours and not just the ones that pose a threat to it.

"We have been very clear with the highest levels of the Government of Pakistan that they must target all militant groups and that includes those that target Pakistan's neighbors. They must also close all safe havens," Deputy Spokesman of the State Department Mark Toner said yesterday.

"They (Pakistan) have made progress. They're going after groups, but selectively. We need to see them go after all groups and as I just said, even those groups that might not threaten Pakistan itself but threaten its neighbors," he said. Responding to questions about Pentagon's decision to withheld USD 300 million military aid to Pakistan, Toner said,"We've urged the Government of Pakistan to address this and to pursue closer counter terrorism cooperation with Afghanistan against all groups that pose a long-term security threat to the region, not just to Pakistan," Toner said.

He added that Pakistan has taken considerable actionagainst terrorist networks. "I would answer it is we believe that Pakistan has taken and is taking steps to counter terrorist violence and certainly focusing on those groups that threaten Pakistani or Pakistan's stability," he said. "They have, the military has shut down some of these safehavens.

They've restored government control to parts of Pakistan that were used as terrorist safe havens for years. The spokesman said these are important steps that have continued or contributed to security interests in the region. "And they have come at a cost of Pakistani lives lost,"Toner said.

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AccuWeather forecasters are warning chances of snow and other wintry weather to break out across portions of the eastern United States, just after a winter storm spent the weekend making a mess of places from the Tennessee Valley through the Southeast and up the Eastern Seaboard into New England.
West Bengal health department authorities have started counselling sessions for people suffering from mental stress due to the ongoing lockdown restrictions that have been imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak.

Initially, the lockdown was enforced for 21 days from March 25, then extended for another 19 days till May 3 and from Monday further prolonged for 14 more days.

Kolkata is among other metros, such as national capital Delhi and Mumbai, which is part of the 130 districts that have been earmarked as Covid-19 red zones, where lockdown 3:0 was enforced from Monday.

Coronavirus outbreak: Full coverage

Earlier, we had started psychological counselling of Covid-19 patients undergoing treatment in hospitals and in quarantine centres. Now, weve launched a facility, where any person can call and avail of tele-counselling, said a senior state health department official.

The counselling session is available between 11am and 5pm on all seven days of a week.

Any person seeking counselling can call on the helpline numbers of the health department and book a slot. Later, the person can call at the appointed time to receive counselling over the phone, the official said.

Prolonged lockdown restrictions have necessitated the need for counselling, he added.

The growing fear of Covid-19 has triggered immense anxiety, stress, and insecurity in the minds of people. This stress is manifesting in various forms. People with pre-existing mental conditions are feeling threatened with an overload of information about the pandemic. Psychological crisis intervention is urgently needed for the timely prevention of hazards from the secondary mental health crisis. Counselling may also help overcome issues related to anxiety and stress and restore emotional balance, said Kasturi Thakur, a clinical psychologist at a Kolkata-based state-run medical college and hospital.

Covid-19 patients, who are undergoing treatment, and suspects, who have been kept in either institutional or home quarantine, are already undergoing counselling.

Earlier, the state government had directed chief medical officers of all the districts to arrange counselling sessions in all institutional quarantine centres and other such facilities.

The Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare had also flagged the issue of mental stress of Covid-19 suspects, patients, and those who have recovered. The ministry had released a presentation Minding our minds during the Covid-19 in April on how to cope up with fear, anxiety, panic, and other stress-related ailments, listing dos and donts.

Weve deployed two psychologists and two psychiatrists, who are not only counselling Covid-19 suspects, but even doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers treating these patients at the hospital. Weve provided all our staff with the number of the psychologists and psychiatrists to make use of tele-counselling between 8 am and 8 pm, said a senior doctor of a state-run hospital that is treating Covid-19 patients.

A doctor of another state-run hospital said that the decision to deploy psychologists at quarantine centres was taken following reports that several patients were suffering from stress-related disorders during their 14-day quarantine period, where they have to remain isolated from their family members. Some refused to eat, some were not cooperating with doctors, some were too silent and some even made escape bids.

Many patients and even healthcare staff are suffering from anxiety, fear, depression, and other kinds of stress. Talking to a psychologist helps them to ventilate their stress. This is the key to a crisis situation. Tele-counselling is the best possible option, as it helps us maintain social distancing norms, said Amit Kumar Bhattacharya, professor at the Institute of Psychiatry in Kolkatas SSKM Hospital and Medical College.

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Police on patrol in Belfast city centre during the lockdown. PA

Crime in Northern Ireland has dropped by a third after lockdown measures were introduced, new PSNI statistics show.

There were 7,138 crimes recorded by the PSNI in the period between March 23 and April 26.

That was down from 10,491 reported in the same period in 2019.

Crimes fell across all categories, except murder. There was were homicides during the period compared to two during the same time frame in 2019.

The statistics show:

* * Violence against the person has fallen by more than one fifth,

* Violence with and without injury both fell by around one third,

* Sexual offences have fallen by half,

* Robberies dropped by more than two fifths,

* Robbery of personal robbery more than halved, while robbery of business property has fallen slightly from 14 to 12,

* Theft offences have fallen by nearly half,

* Burglaries are nearly two fifths lower,

* Shoplifting is three fifths lower,

* Vehicle offences have fallen by more than two fifths; and

* Criminal damage has fallen by more than one third.

* Drug offences have fallen by nearly half and public order offences have fallen by more than one third.

Justice Minister Naomi Long welcomed the decline in reported crime.

These statistics reflect the public adherence to the current lockdown and social distancing restrictions, she said.

However this is not a time to be complacent. We must all continue to adhere to the regulations whilst they remain in place. Victims services remain fully operational in this period of lockdown.

Despite the overall decrease in crime, I am acutely aware of the increase in reporting for incidents within a domestic setting.

I am fully conscious of the detrimental impact Covid-19 is having on victims of domestic violence and abuse and their greater vulnerability during this period. It is important that those suffering from abuse, violence or the threat of violence in their home reach out and seek help.

Victims need to know that they are not alone and that support and help continues to be available. The 24 hour Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline run by Nexus remains fully operational (0808 802 1414) and additional staffing and training has been secured to bolster resources during the pandemic period, and if you feel you are in danger, you should contact the police.

Over recent weeks, my department has taken proactive steps, working on a multi-agency basis to ensure joined-up responses for those who are vulnerable at this time and require particular protections.

This has included provision of much needed support, advice and practical help such as accommodation for those needing to leave their homes.

Deputy Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said: Crime has fallen across each of the main crime types, with the exception of homicides with six having been recorded, compared with two in the same time period the previous year.

The current Covid-19 pandemic has created a uniquely challenging environment in which the PSNI, and indeed wider society, must function and operate.

However, our priority and commitment to keep people safe remains unchanged.
Wipro Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Maharashtra under which it will repurpose one of its Information Technology campuses in Hinjewadi, Pune to a 450-bed intermediary care COVID-19 hospital and hand it over to the state government by May 30.

The hospital will be converted back to an IT facility after a year, the Bengaluru-headquartered company said in a statement.

The 450-bed hospital, to be equipped to treat moderate cases, will include 12 beds to stabilise critical patients before shifting them to a tertiary care facility.

According to Wipro, this is an independent, isolated COVID-19 dedicated complex that also includes 24 rooms to accommodate doctors and medical staff.

Wipro will provide the physical infrastructure, medical furniture, and equipment besides appointing an administrator and skeletal support staff to help operationalise the hospital quickly with the required medical professionals.



Commenting on the MoU, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said, This humanitarian contribution by Wipro will further strengthen our medical infrastructure and benefit the medical fraternity who are at the forefront of our fight against the pandemic.



Image For Representation/AP

We are completely committed to supporting the countrys response to the pandemic and believe that we must all work together to deal with this crisis and minimise its human impact. We stand firmly with the government of Maharashtra in its battle against Covid-19," Financial Express quoted Wipro chairman Rishad Premji as saying.

Wipro and Azim Premji Foundation are carrying out COVID-19-related humanitarian and healthcare relief work in Maharashtra across Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad-Waluj, Amalner, Ahmednagar, Akola, Beed, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli, said the company statement.


Massachusetts residents must now wear face coverings in public.

Gov. Charlie Baker announced the executive order last week amid the coronavirus pandemic. The order went into effect on Wednesday.

Earlier in April, the state was only recommending that people use personal protective equipment when venturing outside, though some cities and towns passed their own community-wide face mask mandates.

Now, anyone over the age of two is required to wear a mask or cloth face covering when going to a public place like a grocery store, pharmacy or park. Baker ordered residents to use masks or coverings when using public transportation or ride-sharing as well.

This order applies to all workers and customers of businesses and other organizations that are currently open to the public and permitted to operate as COVID-19 Essential Businesses, Bakers office said in a statement. Residents are also required to wear a mask or face covering at all times when using any means of transportation service or public mass transit.

Anyone who violates the mandate will face a $300 fine, per the governors executive order, though Baker noted enforcement will be left up to cities and towns.

The order does not apply to individuals with medical conditions that prevent them from being able to wear a face covering.

Face coverings or masks must be worn in public spaces where maintaining proper social distancing from another person - at least six feet - to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is not possible.

Wearing face masks when going outside ones home is seen as essential by health experts in staving off transmission of the viral respiratory infection, which spreads from person to person via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks.

Public health officials have said face coverings helps protect individuals from contracting the virus from those who may be asymptomatic.

A face covering may include anything that covers your nose and mouth, including a mask, scarf or bandana. Medical-grade masks should not be used by the general public, but instead preserved for health care workers and first responders, officials urged.

Cloth masks should not be worn by young children under the age of two, persons with difficulty breathing or those who are unable to remove the mask without assistance, Bakers office said.

Baker last week encouraged people to make face coverings if they are unable to buy them. Instructions about how to make a cloth mask are available on the Center for Disease Control and Preventions website. Individuals can purchase masks online as well.

In Massachusetts, the mask order is one step in preparations to reopen the state, which has been hit particularly hard by the outbreak, Baker said. The commonwealth joins Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island and multiple other states in requiring the use of face coverings in public.

As of Tuesday, 4,212 have died from the coronavirus in Massachusetts, and the total number of cases stood at 70,271, according to the state Department of Public Health.

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DETROIT  A 68-year-old Michigan man is expected to face charges after he was captured on surveillance video wiping his nose and face on a Dollar Tree employee's sleeve rather than wear a mask.

Police said they were tipped off to the identity of the Linden, Michigan, man by a viewer who saw the footage, and the case has been referred to the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office for charges.

The suspect who wiped his nose on a Dollar Tree clerk.

The incident happened at 1:30 p.m. local time Saturday at the store in Holly, Michigan, and was captured on surveillance footage.

According to the Holly Police Department, the suspect walked past door signs indicating all customers entering the store were required to wear a face mask and reacted when a young female clerk reminded him of the new store policy.

"Here, I will just use this as a mask," the suspect said as he wiped his face on the clerk's sleeve.

Police said the man continued to be loud and disruptive inside the store before leaving in a white van.

The car of the suspect who wiped his nose on a Dollar Tree clerk.

The incident occurred the day after Calvin Munerlyn, a security guard and father of nine, was gunned down Friday in Flint, Michigan, after turning a customer away for trying to enter a Family Dollar without a mask, according to authorities.

"Decisions like staying home when we can, wearing a mask when going to the store and staying a safe distance from those around us, these should not be political arguments," Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said. "They don't necessitate acts of defiance, and we simply cannot devolve into an us vs. them mentality."

Contributing: Meredith Spelbring, Detroit Free Press

More: Security guard shot and killed in Michigan after telling customer to put on face mask

The Georgia town of Albany, a coronavirus epicenter, isn't ready to reopen: There's still too much grief, uncertainty

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Man who wiped face on Michigan Dollar Tree store clerk arrested
A sleek new bridge in Genoa built in record time is being acclaimed in Italy as a model for rebuilding the economy by investing in major infrastructure projects. Such stimulus is sorely needed as the country slides towards its worst recession since World War II because of the coronavirus pandemic. The government admits it badly needs to renovate crumbling roads, bridges and railways, and doing so could also save lives. Yet the possible impediments are many -- from funding to political will, bureaucracy and a recent safety reports scandal. The completion of the Genoa bridge was hailed as a sign of renewal for Italy, where over 28,000 people have died in the coronavirus pandemic and millions risk losing their jobs due to an economically-crippling nationwide lockdown. The hi-tech flyover "is a symbol for the whole of Italy. An Italy that can rise again, that will roll up its sleeves, that will not allow itself to be beaten," Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said at the unveiling ceremony. As ships in the maritime city's port sounded their horns to mark the completion, Conte paid homage to the 43 people who plunged to their deaths when the former span, the Morandi flyover, collapsed in 2018. Other such tragedies could be averted by funding roads, bridges, schools, hospitals and climate change adaptation, which would create jobs and fuel short- and long-term growth. Almost 750 public works worth 62 billion euros ($68 billion) were on hold at the end of last year, from large bridges to small-town schools, according to Italy's construction lobby ANCE. Kick-starting them would create 962,000 jobs, it said. Sceptics wonder where the money will come from -- with Italian GDP forecast to contract by between eight and 10 percent this year -- and whether the political will exists in a fragile coalition government. - Disasters in the making - The Morandi -- one of the world's longest concrete bridges when it opened in 1967 -- was a symbol of rebirth for postwar Italy, which was modernising rapidly, throwing up thousands of concrete viaducts, tunnels and bridges. But by 2018, Italy ranked 22nd out of 28 EU countries for the efficiency of its transport network. While its ancient Roman cement structures still stood, it discovered that modern versions had much shorter life-spans. The Morandi collapse followed a string of similar incidents and it finally set alarm bells ringing. Most of Italy's 6,500 kilometres (4,000 miles) of motorway are managed by private companies, which must ensure their bridges are safe. A post-disaster probe found evidence of poor maintenance by Autostrade per l'Italia, which is among Italy's biggest toll-road operators and owned by the powerful Benetton family. It also unearthed allegedly falsified safety reports by the motorway unit and its sister company for several other bridges, in what prosecutors suspected were attempts to cut costs. Autostrade per l'Italia denies any wrongdoing and widespread calls for it to be stripped of its concession have as yet come to nothing. It is not the only operator failing to keep its network safe. The latest bridge to crumble in Italy, managed by state-owned ANAS, fell last month into a river between Liguria and Tuscany. It would have been heavily used at the time, had it not been for the virus lockdown. There are 20 more bridges at risk of collapse across the country, and 200 road tunnels that do not meet European safety standards, according to investigative reports seen and cited by the Repubblica daily in January. - 'Give the country a plan' - "I am begging you on my knees, give the country a great plan -- like the Marshall Plan -- to restart it," Pietro Salini, CEO of Italy?s biggest builder Salini Impregilo, told Conte last week. Salini Impregilo, which was charged with reconstructing the Genoa bridge with shipbuilder Fincantieri, wants to create a construction hub called Project Italy by combining its assets with those of struggling building companies. It says it would help restart numerous projects that are currently blocked across the country. But its biggest challenge may be generating sufficient liquidity. Since the shutdown, Conte has unveiled stimulus packages worth 750 billion euros ($830 billion). He has also, however, had to apologise several times for long delays in payments. Last week, he lifted the lockdown early for construction projects considered to have strategic importance, from schools, prisons and council housing, to disaster risk reduction for extreme weather events. Environmentalist lobby Legambiente has urged the government to make the climate crisis its infrastructure priority, after nearly 160 extreme events in 2019 -- flash floods, whirlwinds and landslides -- killed 42 people. A historic high tide that washed through Venice in December, causing millions of euros of damage to Saint Mark's Basilica alone, was blamed both on climate change and huge delays to a vast flood barrier project. The country's schools are also in an alarming state. Fifty-five percent of school buildings in Italy were built before the 1974 anti-seismic regulations were brought in, according to ANCE. Some 43 percent of them are in areas classified as high-risk for earthquakes. Over 70 percent do not have fire safety certificates. Stories regularly hit the news about pupils evacuated over crumbling classroom ceilings. Many have pointed out that the national closure of schools until September because of the coronavirus is the perfect opportunity for the renovation of ageing structures. - Red tape - The government has said it will widen the budget deficit by 55 billion euros, a "shock cure" which would see public debt in the eurozone's third largest economy jump to 155.7 percent of GDP, from the already mammoth 134.8 percent in 2019. It pledged to speed up new public works that are in an advanced planning stage and maintain existing ones. And it also promised to "urgently and drastically simplify administrative procedures" in critical sectors, including construction, the green economy and Internet connectivity. Italy is famed for its red tape and projects often drag on for years, plagued by bureaucracy. The country has at least 50 large infrastructure projects that are blocked but have been signed off on, with the money ready to spend, from a high-speed train in Sicily to the widening of a motorway in Tuscany, ANCE says. Financial experts caution however that some of those funds may be withdrawn and channelled to projects considered more essential due to the crisis, or with immediate prospects of a payoff. The National Council of Engineers (CNI) is one of many bodies to have sent the government proposals on how best to use infrastructure to reboot the country and shape it along different lines. "Cities have proved fragile spaces in sanitary terms," the council's head Armando Zambrano told AFP. He suggested investment could be made to encourage a return to the countryside, revitalising hundreds of abandoned little towns across Italy, and improving internet connections to encourage working from home. - Mafia - Zambrano acknowledged, though, that he had little hope the government would actually do the necessary tape-cutting. Reforms aimed at reducing bureaucracy in construction, in 2018 and 2019, were disappointing. "There are always elements of the government that are distrustful, who equate big projects with corruption, ever since the Mani Pulite (Clean Hands) scandal," he said, referring to widespread political corruption in the 1990s. The crisis has sparked a fierce debate over whether projects are being obstructed by overly-strict corruption and mafia controls, with some even calling for them to be scrapped. Italy's anti-corruption authority has warned the rules are essential to prevent mafia infiltration. "Organised crime groups would certainly be interested in getting a slice of public contracts, construction is where they thrive," criminology expert Anna Sergi told AFP. The powerful 'Ndrangheta in Calabria and Camorra in Campagna have infiltrated road and airport construction, while the Cosa Nostra in Sicily prefers lower-key infrastructure projects which are easier to control, she said. - Politically controversial - Political economy expert Erik Jones from Johns Hopkins University said the greatest problem lay with the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, which governs Italy in coalition with the centre-left Democratic Party. The Movement (M5S) is the largest party in government and has components within it that loathe big infrastructure projects, from the high-speed Turin to Lyon train line to a Trans Adriatic gas pipeline. "There are many of these products that are shovel-ready, but are politically controversial, as well as being held up for bureaucratic reasons," Jones told AFP. Pushing forward on them would "light a spark" under M5S supporters who had regularly taken to the streets to protest such projects and were already suffering "pent-up frustration" after two months of lockdown. The government could pick other big, less controversial pieces of infrastructure that are not shovel-ready, but it would take time to identify them and go through the entire planning process. Jones also warned of another potential flaw in the plan. "The Italian state is not great at paying firms that do work for it. It has a huge stockpile of arrears that it owes." All said, the idea of restarting the economy through massive infrastructure spending is, he says, "just pie in the sky". The completion of the Genoa bridge was hailed as a sign of renewal for Italy The new Genoa bridge replaces a viaduct that collapsed in August 2018, killing 43 people The Morandi was the 10th Italian bridge to collapse since 2004, and it finally set alarm bells ringing 'The Italian state is not great at paying firms', one observer said
Works on the Creative Arts Senior High School (SHS) in the Kwadaso Municipality are progressing steadily, courtesy four different contractors who have been engaged for construction.

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Kwadaso, Richmond Agyenim Boateng, stated that government is determined to complete the school as planned.

That is why we have four different contractors on site who have specific projects to complete on site, the Kwadaso MCE disclosed.

President Nana Akufo-Addo, supported by Education Minister Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, cut the sod for the construction to start some months ago.

The Creative Arts SHS, the first of its kind in the country, the President explained during the sod-cutting ceremony, will boost the creative arts industry in the country.

Highlighting the works done so far at the construction site, the Kwadaso MCE stated that the four contractors who have been engaged by government are living up to expectation so far.

According to him, the project is dear to the heart of government, especially President Nana Akufo-Addo, who wants the school to be completed as scheduled.

In this regard, Mr. Agyenim Boateng said the contractors continued working even when Kumasi was partially locked down for three weeks due to the deadly COVID-19.

He indicated that the contractors have sustained their hard work after the lifting of the lockdown, adding, Workers and visitors are tested for COVID-29 before entering the site.

---Daily Guide
(CNN) - Blood thinning drugs may help save some patients worst affected by coronavirus, doctors reported Wednesday.

Their findings could point a way to help the virus-related issue of blood clots throughout the body. The team at Mount Sinai Hospital says it is now running experiments to see which anticoagulants may work best, and at which doses.

Our findings suggest that systemic anticoagulants may be associated with improved outcomes among patients hospitalized with Covid-19, they wrote in their report, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Dr. Valentin Fuster, director of Mount Sinai Heart and physician-in-chief of the Mount Sinai Hospital, and colleagues looked at more than 2,700 patients treated at Mount Sinai in New York City, which has been hit hard by coronavirus. Starting in March, some patients were given anti-clotting drugs based on bedside decisions made by doctors.

The team started taking a systematic look at whether the drugs made a difference. They did, especially for patients who were put on ventilators to help them breathe.

They found 29% of patients on ventilators who were given blood thinners died, compared to 63% of patients on ventilators who were not given blood thinners.

The patients who received anticoagulants did better than those who didnt, Fuster told CNN.

The findings are not clear-cut enough yet to make solid recommendations. The team noted that patients who were already severely ill were more likely to be given the blood thinners.

The researchers did not find that the patients who got blood thinners were significantly more likely to have bleeding problems  one of the risks of the drugs.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Study finds blood thinners may help patients with severe Covid-19 infections"
Medicare isn't free. And for beneficiaries whose income suddenly has dropped, that fact may now be more challenging. More than a third (37%) of Medicare recipients have experienced income loss due to the coronavirus crisis, according to a recent survey from ehealth.com. Younger beneficiaries are more likely to have suffered: 40% of respondents age 65 to 70 said they have experienced an income loss, compared with 30% of those age 80 or older. Roughly 62 million people are on Medicare, the majority of whom are age 65 or older. In addition to premiums for certain parts of the program, beneficiaries pay deductibles and other out-of-pocket costs.

Amid one of the worst public-health crises in history, a record number of Americans are without health insurance. John Fedele

While it depends on your circumstances  i.e., what you already were paying for your coverage, your current income and why it is suddenly lower  there may be options available to ease your how much you're paying for Medicare.

Reducing monthly surcharges

If you've been paying more than the standard premium amounts for Part B (outpatient care coverage) or Part D (prescription drugs) through so-called income-related monthly adjustment amounts, or IRMAAs, a sudden reduction in income may justify eliminating or reducing those surcharges. Of Medicare's 62 million beneficiaries, about 7%  4.3 million people  pay IRMAAs, which kick in if your modified adjusted gross income is more than $87,000. For married couples filing joint tax returns, they start above $174,000. The standard monthly premium for Part B this year is $144.60, which is what most Medicare beneficiaries pay. (Part A, which is for hospital coverage, typically comes with no premium.) The surcharge for higher earners ranges from $57.80 to $347, depending on income. That results in premiums ranging from $202.40 to $491.60.

For Part D, the surcharges range from $12.20 to $76.40. That's in addition to any premium you pay, whether through a standalone prescription drug plan or through an Advantage Plan, which typically includes Part D coverage. While the premiums vary for prescription coverage, the average for 2020 is about $42. The process to get rid of IRMAAs (or getting them lowered) involves asking the agency to reconsider. However, local Social Security offices are closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, and there are long waits to get through on the phone, said Patricia Barry, author of "Medicare for Dummies." The alternative is to appeal via an online form you can download and mail in. (The Social Security Administration did not have information immediately available about whether there is any delay in processing these requests.) You'll also need to provide supporting documents to justify your appeal. Suitable proof may include a letter from your former employer or something similar showing evidence that your income has dropped.

The required form includes a list of "life-changing" events that qualify as reasons for reducing or eliminating the IRMAAs, including marriage, death of a spouse, divorce, loss of pension or the fact that you stopped working or reduced your hours. "This could result in Social Security re-assessing your Part B premium and lowering it now," said Danielle Roberts, co-founder of insurance firm Boomer Benefits in Fort Worth, Texas. And, as long as you meet one of the qualifying reasons, "most of the time it gets adjusted," said Elizabeth Gavino, founder of Lewin & Gavino in New York and an independent broker and general agent for Medicare plans. If it doesn't, you can appeal the decision to an administrative law judge, although the process could take time and you'd continue paying those surcharges in the meantime.

Medicare Savings Programs

Depending on how far your income has dropped, you may be able to enroll in a Medicare Savings Program, which is administered through state Medicaid offices, said Mary Johnson, Social Security and Medicare policy analyst for The Senior Citizens League. There are several versions of the program, each of which depends at least partly on your cash flow. For instance, one program lets you have up to $1,084 in monthly income (in most states) if single and $1,457 if married. Each of the options also come with limits on your available resources (i.e., savings).
T heresa May has hit out at world leaders for failing "to forge a coherent international response" to the coronavirus pandemic.

Writing in The Times, the former prime minister claimed the virus had prompted a shift towards "nationalism and absolutism", warning that "polarised politics" had taken hold.

She wrote: "The global impact of Covid-19, and our inability to forge a coherent international response to it, have raised new questions about the effectiveness of a system of cooperation through shared institutions."

Her comments came as the UK's death toll hit 32,313, according to the latest figures from the Official for National Statistics.

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 figures suggest the UK could be the worst-hit in Europe, but experts have warned it could be months before full comparisons can be made between countries.

Writing in The Times on Wednesday, Mrs May urged Boris Johnson not to turn away from his "responsibilities on the world stage".

The MP for Maidenhead said the UK must "embrace its wider international role beyond the day to day of the pandemic".

"Governments are faced with an enormous challenge, and it is no surprise that they see as their first job the immediate protection of their own citizens," she wrote.

"But there remains no collective international view as to what works best in dealing with the virus - nor does there seem to have been any attempt to form one. Instead, states have each gone their own way."

Mrs May said this "risks exacerbating the shift towards nationalism and absolutism in global politics".

"A highly infectious novel virus, life-threatening for many, might seem to be just the sort of thing countries would want to work together on," she said.

"Instead, it has been treated as a national issue for countries to deal with alone. Researchers and scientists may work together across the world but there is little evidence of politicians doing so."

Mrs May said there is "little evidence" of politicians working together to fight the pandemic / Reuters

She said: "Lost is the idea that countries do better by working together to solve common problems, even if doing so sometimes means an apparent sacrifice of short-term benefit for the greater good."

It comes as Boris Johnson is set to come under fresh criticism over his handling of the coronavirus crisis when he faces Sir Keir Starmer for the first time during Prime Ministers Questions in the Commons on Wednesday.

Boris Johnson is set to face questions from Labour leader Keir Starmer over the handling of the crisis / Jeremy Selwyn

The Labour leader is expected to quiz Mr Johnson on the Governments response to the crisis and also pressure him to set out a detailed plan on easing the lockdown.

Mr Johnson has not taken questions in the Commons since March 25 before Parliament broke early for Easter as MPs struggled to keep their distance in Westminster.

He returned to Downing Street last week after recovering from Covid-19, but Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab deputised for him in PMQs as Mr Johnson welcomed the birth of his new son.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has celebrated late President Umar Musa YarAdua on the occasion of the 10th-year anniversary of his death.

In a statement on his official Twitter handle, Jonathan described the late president as a lover of the masses who stood on their side, toiling day and night to make their lives better

He was a President like no other who lived and died for the sake of his country. He stood on the side of the people, toiling day and night to make their lives better.

Read Also: Nigeria Was Among The Happiest Nation Under Jonathans Regime  Omokri

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President YarAdua built strong bridges of hope, love and understanding for which he became a force for national unity and positive change across our blessed land.

In many ways, he stood out. He had an accommodating spirit and enormous goodwill that secreted a web around our national fault lines to strengthen the bond; thus leaving for his successors the task of reinforcing the band.

President YarAdua no doubt left enduring legacies in his wholehearted devotion to the ideals of democracy, respect for peoples rights, freedoms and reason for living as well as commitment to the rule of law and laws of equity and justice.

I will continue to remember President YarAdua as a colleague and boss who became my brother and friend, Jonathan tweeted.

It has been a decade since His Excellency President Umar Musa Yar'Adua was snatched by the cold hands of death. On this day, every year, his image fills our consciousness as a mark of his selflessness, typical modesty and exceptional flair.  Goodluck E. Jonathan (@GEJonathan) May 5, 2020

He was a President like no other who lived and died for the sake of his country. He stood on the side of the people, toiling day and night to make their lives better.  Goodluck E. Jonathan (@GEJonathan) May 5, 2020

In many ways he stood out. He had an accommodating spirit and enormous goodwill that secreted a web around our national fault lines to strengthen the bond; thus leaving for his successors the task of reinforcing the band.  Goodluck E. Jonathan (@GEJonathan) May 5, 2020

President Yar'Adua no doubt left enduring legacies in his wholehearted devotion to the ideals of democracy, respect for peoples' rights, freedoms and reason for living as well as commitment to the rule of law and laws of equity and justice.  Goodluck E. Jonathan (@GEJonathan) May 5, 2020
Late Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan has left a void in the world of cinema. After years of excelling at his craft, the National award-winning actor had created a niche for him, gaining perfection in every role he portrayed on the screen.

His sudden demise has left many filmmakers and actors in shock, with many of them expressing their desire to work with him. One of them is filmmaker Anand Gandhi, who was in talks with Irrfan for a movie about pandemics.

The script was in the process. The plot revolved around women scientists fighting a contagion. The movie was supposed to be titled Emergence. Talking to the Mumbai Mirror, Gandhi revealed, Irrfan and I drove to Pune once and became friends over the years He revealed that the makers also explored the way to collaborate with Irrfan for Tumbbad, however, the schedule changed everything. Hed have been in Emergence too. I wish I had created something with him.

Apart from Gandhi, actor-director Naseeruddin Shah also expressed the wish to collaborate with Irrfan. Remembering about the movie Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota (2006), Naseer expressed his grief over chopping Irrfans part to practically nothing. Not once did he complain or make me feel that I had given him a raw deal. I do regret that I never got a chance to make it up to him.

Filmmaker Farhan Akhtar also revealed that he wanted to collaborate with the actor of a project. Always wanted to collaborate with him but unfortunately never got the opportunity, he wrote on Instagram.

In fact, director Anurag Kashyap also mentioned about the many failed attempts of him working with Irrfan. We came close to working together thrice and couldnt ... Whether he was on the set or not, we almost always ended up discussing him and his craft, he captioned a picture.

Follow @News18Movies for more
COVID-19 Researcher Killed in Murder-Suicide, Police Say Its Not Related to Research

Officials add there was 'zero indication that there was targeting due to his being Chinese'

A University of Pittsburgh professor who was researching COVID-19 was shot and killed in a murder-suicide over the weekend, authorities said.

A researcher, Bing Liu, was found dead in his home on Saturday with gunshot wounds to the torso, neck, and head, according to the Ross Police Department in Pennsylvania.

Detective Sgt. Brian Kohlhepp told CNN that there is zero indication that there was targeting due to his (Liu) being Chinese. Police said that a second man, who was found dead in his vehicle, shot Liu before returning to his vehicle and killing himself.

The University of Pittsburgh also confirmed Lius death in a statement this week.

Officials identified the suspect as 46-year-old Hao Gu, and officials believe that the murder-suicide was not connected to Lius research on the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, a novel coronavirus that emerged in China last year.

We havent had anything at this point that has come to the investigation that has anything to do with Mr. Lius employment or his research, Kolhepp told WTAE, an ABC affiliate station.

Police said Liu and the man who shot him had known each other, although authorities havent made reference to a motive for the shooting.

Liu, meanwhile, was a researcher at the Pitt School of Medicine, according to the university.

Bing was on the verge of making very significant findings toward understanding the cellular mechanisms that underlie SARS-CoV-2 infection and the cellular basis of the following complications, the department said in a statement, referring to another name of the CCP virus, which causes COVID-19. We will make an effort to complete what he started in an effort to pay homage to his scientific excellence.

It added that it is deeply saddened by the tragic death of Bing Liu, a prolific researcher and admired colleague at Pitt. The University extends our deepest sympathies to Lius family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time.

Members of the universitys School of Medicine said he was an outstanding researcher and will complete Lius research in an effort to pay homage to his scientific excellence.
Dubai, May 6 (UNI) The first repatriation flight from the UAE to India - Air India Express Flight IX0344 - will leave Dubai for Kozhikode in Kerala at 1410 hrs on Thursday, May 7, Gulf News has learnt.

Neeraj Agrawal, Press Consul at the Indian Consulate in Dubai, told Gulf News: The first repatriation flight Air India Express IX0344 will leave from Dubai International to Kozhikode at 1410 hrs tomorrow.

He said that Only passengers with confirmed tickets must proceed to the airport. They are required to reach the airport five hours prior to departure.
A man charged with possession of drugs and the assault of two gardai who were trying to search him, is due to appear in court on May 19.

Fabrice Nguegoue, Richmond Court Hostel, Richmond Street, Longford, was not in court last week, due to Covid-19 restrictions, which are currently in place.

At last weeks sitting of Longford District Court, Judge Seamus Hughes heard the evidence of the incident from Gda Noelle Fahy and Gda John Hanley, who were the victims of the alleged incident.

On September 11, the two gardai were on duty and observed Mr Nguegoue on Richmond Street.

We informed him that he would be searched, Gda Fahy explained to the court.

Mr Nguegoue resisted the search and, in the struggle, assaulted Gda Fahy.

He struck me in the neck, in my throat, she explained.

We followed him to a house and he swung the door, which hit me in the chest. He then assaulted Gda Hanley.

I attended Dr Trueick that day. I had soft tissue damage and was off work for three days, she added.

Gda Hanley, when giving his evidence, explained that he had soft tissue damage to this thumb as a result of a struggle when he tried to put the handcuffs on Mr Nguegoue.

It was very sore for a long time and there was some swelling. I took nurofen for four days, he said, when Judge Hughes asked him about the injury.

I attended Dr Trueick on the same day as Gda Fahy. I got an x-ray but there was no bone injury. Its okay now. Im left-handed, so Im alright, he said.

Having heard the evidence, Judge Hughes accepted jurisdiction and adjourned the case to May 19 so that he could hear from Mr Nguegoue.

I want to know what his attitude is,he said.
Ho Chi Minh City is asking for the green light for its have $2.96 billion Metro Line 3A

According to the Management Authority for Urban Railways (MAUR) of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, Metro Line 3A is an especially important component in completing the city's public transport system.

Once completed, the metro line will offer a direct connection to the Ben Thanh-Suoi Tien metro line (Metro Line 1), creating a modern transport corridor linking the city's northeast to the southwest.

According to a study conducted by JICA, the project will span 20 kilometres with 18 stations through eight districts.

The construction is designed in two phases. The first one spans 9.9km and the construction is expected to be implemented in 2025-2031. The construction of the second phase is expected to last from 2028 to 2034.

As of now, the construction of Metro Line 1 has been 73 per cent completed and is expected to be finished by the end of 2021. Being invested by Hitachi, Metro Line 1 will run 20 kilometres, 2.6 kilometres of which will be underground, and cost VND46.3 trillion ($2 billion). It will have 14 stations, three of them underground.

In addition, the construction of Metro Line 2 from Ben Thanh to Tham Luong is planned to be kicked off next year and start operations in 2026. It has a total length of 11.3km, passing through districts 1, 3, 10, 12, Tan Binh, and Tan Phu with the total investment capital of more than $2.1 billion from the Asian Development Bank, the German Development Bank (KfW), and the European Investment Bank (EIB). 9.3km of the route will run underground and 0.78 kilometres will be elevated. The whole system has 11 stations, including one elevated station. This is one of eight metro lines which are being constructed in Ho Chi Minh City.
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A federal judge this week sharply criticized the Food and Drug Administration for waiting 15 years to take enforcement action against the manufacturer of Purell for falsely advertising that its hand sanitizer can prevent diseases such as Ebola and the flu.

The FDA in January formally warned Gojo Industries, which makes Purell, about its product claims. Those claims are unproven, the FDA says. And such claims could put consumers at risk by giving them a false sense of security about how effective a hand sanitizer can be.

But the FDA only took that action in response to evidence uncovered by a smaller competitor, Innovative BioDefense, which the agency had sued in 2018 for making the same sort of claims as Gojo. Consumer Reports previously covered the issue.

During the trial, which concluded in March, Innovative BioDefense claimed the FDA unfairly singled out the company and its Zylast products, when other hand sanitizer manufacturers make similar claims about their products being able to prevent disease.

Innovative BioDefenses attorney even forced an FDA official who testified in December to concede that Gojo made the same kind of claims about Purell in marketing materials that Innovative BioDefense is accused of.

Health authorities agree that hand sanitizers can be an effective backup to washing your hands to kill viruses, including the novel coronavirus. But under FDA regulations, hand sanitizer companies cannot claim that their products prevent any specific disease without having gone through the agencys formal drug-approval process.

On Monday, the judge in the case, David O. Carter, agreed with the FDA that Innovative BioDefense violated federal law when it made disease-specific claims about its hand sanitizer.

Carter also ordered Innovative BioDefense to stop making hand sanitizer until it addresses the regulators concerns.

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But in his 32-page order, the judge blasted the FDA for a total lack of enforcement against bigger companies in the hand sanitizer market that are arguably causing more harm to consumers.

The disparity in enforcement creates a perception of favoritism that, while not impacting this Courts decision about the particular Defendant before this Court, may erode public confidence in the agency, Carter wrote.

An FDA spokesperson and attorneys for Innovative BioDefense didnt immediately have comments when reached Tuesday by CR. A spokesperson for Gojo said, As Gojo was not involved in this litigation, it would not be appropriate for us to comment.

Carters criticism of the FDAs hand sanitizer enforcement comes as Americans are buying increasing amounts of the product to help combat the ongoing pandemic. The agency last week warned about hand sanitizers being made by alcohol distilleries to fill a marketplace void caused by the crisis that could be confused for water or other beverages.

Now more than ever, people should be able to trust that a product theyre using to prevent infection actually does what it claims, says William Wallace, manager of home and safety policy at Consumer Reports. Thats why its critical for federal and state authorities to crack down on false or misleading marketingespecially for products like hand sanitizer that people are using to protect themselves during the pandemic.

Gojos Yearslong Lobbying Campaign

The judges order laid out a timeline of events involving Gojo, documenting how the company had aggressively lobbied the FDA to take enforcement action against Innovative BioDefense. Gojo contacted the FDA about Innovative BioDefenses hand sanitizer as early as November 2013, arguing that the companys disease-specific claims were illegal.

The agency initially decided against taking enforcement action at that time. But Gojo continued to push the FDA to target Zylast for enforcement action.

Carter cites a number of examples of Gojos effort. In February 2015, for example, Gojos counsel left the FDA a voicemail threatening to take complaints about Innovative BioDefense higher up in the agency. In April, Gojos lawyer wrote to the agency, urging it to launch a criminal investigation into Innovative BioDefense, Carter says. The following month, the Gojo attorney wrote to the FDA calling for vigorous regulatory action against the companys smaller competitor.

Eventually, the FDA filed its suit, alleging that Innovative BioDefense made statements in marketing materials, including descriptions on the companys website and in ads, that Zylast was effective against pathogens including Ebola, norovirus, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (or MRSA).

Troubling Enforcement Disparities

Gojo, though, had a long history of its own making similar disease-specific claims.

In April 2015, in fact, Innovative BioDefense notified the FDA that other companies were making similar claims. But until the recent trial, the agency had failed to act against any other hand sanitizer company for making pathogen-specific statements, Carter said.

An FDA employee admitted during the trial that the agency was aware that hand sanitizer manufacturers routinely make pathogen-specific claims in their marketing materials. At a Dec. 18 hearing, for example, an attorney for Innovative BioDefense pulled up a recent blog post from the Gojo website about Purell that mentions it can combat MRSA, according to a court transcript.

The attorney asked the FDA employee whether the language violated agency rules, because it appeared on a webpage that linked to Gojo product. The employee said it did. The FDA even conceded that it had known about Gojo making violative claims for years.

Despite being aware of pathogen-specific statements by Gojo since 2005, the FDA failed to take any action against Gojo until during this trial, when it finally issued Gojo a Warning Letter in January 2020, Carter wrote.

The Gojo claims cited by the FDA in the warning letter were strikingly similar to those made by Innovative BioDefense: that Purell hand sanitizer can prevent the spread of the pathogens that cause the flu, Ebola, MRSA, and norovirus, and that it can even reduce absenteeism among students.

Carter acknowledged that the FDA holds considerable discretion in making decisions on whether and how to use its enforcement resources.

However, as this Court has already made clear, the circumstances surrounding the lack of enforcement against Gojo Industries is troubling, he wrote, and the Court is of the opinion that the disparities in enforcement should be addressed expeditiously.

He noted that once a warning letter had been issued to Gojo, a class-action consumer protection suit was filed against the company regarding the pathogen-specific claims itd previously made.

Whether or not such a lawsuit is meritorious, it is clear that FDA enforcement actions are an important part of public health and safety, Carter said. Thus, it is imperative that such enforcement is done in a consistent manner.

CRs Wallace agreed with Carters sentiment, though he adds that the FDA needs additional funding to be able to perform its duties.

Part of this is about being fair and unbiased, but another part is about agency resources, he says. Congress must make sure the FDA has the funding it needs to take strong action across the board, and not back down from any fight necessary to keep consumers safe.





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Top pick tires for 2016

Best used cars for $25,000 and less

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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.
The battle to expand vote-by-mail erupted in April in Wisconsins primary when state Republican lawmakers denied Gov. Tony Evers call to mail a ballot to every registered voter in hopes of reducing the threat of COVID-19. The reason cited: voter fraud.

But this fight is not about a potential for voter fraud. It is about suppressing the vote of potentially millions of Americans, using a national crisis to politically game our elections all the way to November.

Since April 4, President Donald Trump has repeatedly  without evidence  charged that voting by mail is rampant with fraud. This type of incendiary remark is nothing new from Trump. Remember his unsubstantiated claims after the 2016 election of millions of illegal voters in California?

Here are the facts. First, it is undisputed among top election researchers that voter fraud is exceedingly rare, including elections using mail ballots. Further, states with extensive mail-in-balloting systems have enacted safeguards such as signature verification requirements that make fraud virtually nonexistent. And there is no clear research that supports a partisan disadvantage for Republicans  a charge Trump made recently.

In the age of COVID-19, do we want our leaders to be vulnerable and in their 70s Now more than ever, we put ourselves in a precarious position by nominating someone in their mid-70s for the nations highest office, law professor Jessica A. Levinson says.

Second, about a quarter of Americans already use mail-in ballots conveniently and securely. However, access to mail-in voting varies widely across the country; from all vote-by-mail elections in five states  Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington and Utah  to only allowing mail balloting when voters provide an excuse, in about a third of U.S. states.

Third, current modeling of the coronavirus pandemic has led election officials in every state to plan for the very real possibility that we wont be able to hold a status-quo General Election. Dr. Anthony Fauci, our nations top infectious disease expert and a member of Trumps COVID-19 Taskforce, has addressed the topic directly saying that he is unsure whether voting at the polls will be safe in November due to the coronavirus.

We also know that in California and elsewhere in the country volunteer poll workers and voting sites are pulling back from their commitments to upcoming elections due to their own safety concerns.

But the General Election will happen. Only Congress has the power to delay the election in November and the calendar window for such an act is very limited.

California food banks need our help As the coronavirus crisis impacts the economy, the pressure on food banks have grown. I volunteer at a food bank and we need volunteers and food donations, epidemiology masters student Farrah Lynn Ezzeddine says.

In many states, Republican leaders are encouraging people to vote-by-mail during this public health crisis. In Maryland, New Hampshire and Georgia, elected officials are encouraging the use of vote-by-mail in upcoming elections.

However, Trumps claims of fraud can serve a purpose in these states and others by providing a justification for not expanding vote-by-mail to more broadly reach the full diversity of those who typically vote in-person. Indeed, some of the restrictions placed on mail-in voting, such as a requirement to request a mail ballot in advance, may have a disproportionate effect on minority communities and young people.

The fight over expanding vote-by-mail is not about fraud or whether mail voting hurts Republican candidates. It is about the fact that forcing in-person voting only  with limited safe voting alternatives  will discourage turnout of all parties, but likely benefit Democrats more. This is because typically higher turnout elections mean more new and infrequent voters are participating, groups that vote Democratic in higher numbers.

Legislature should declare a moratorium on new housing bills The California Legislature should impose a moratorium on new housing legislation until true public hearings can be held 30 days after the statewide shelter-in-place order has been lifted, community organizer Susan Kirsch says.

Not providing safe voting options in many parts of the country during a public health crisis becomes another form of suppression, particularly for historically underrepresented voters of color and young people.

Allowing widely accessible vote-by-mail is a no brainer. Not only should all states allow it, Congress should fund states as they build needed critical technical capacity and public outreach on administering mail-in voting, as well as federally mandate uniform vote-by-mail standards for all states.

In California, voters already have wide access to vote-by-mail. About two-thirds of voters cast mail-in ballots in 2018, either through the US Postal Service or by dropping them off at a secured dropbox. In 2020, 14 counties adopted the states Voter Choice Act, and now counties automatically send every registered voter a mail-in ballot which they have the option to mail, drop off at a vote center, secured dropbox or surrender so they may vote in-person.

Pandemic reveals need for schools to utilize technology for online classrooms Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it appears some California leaders are finally recommending schools to consider how to take full advantage of online instruction, says Bill Lucia, president and CEO of EdVoice.

As state leaders, including Democrats and Republicans, work together to adjust to the challenges of providing required in-person voting locations under COVID-19, there is recognition that maintaining as many as possible safe in-person voting options that are accessible for Californians is critical to ensuring the voters who want to or need to vote in person will not be disenfranchised.

Research in California has shown that many voter groups such as first-time voters, Latinos and young people are more likely to use in-person voting and often less likely to be reached by public information campaigns. Addressing the needs of these voters will be critical to staging a successful election.

Undeniably, our country has a shameful history of restricting access to voting, such as Jim Crow-era literacy tests and poll taxes, implemented by Republicans and Democrats alike. But even with our long history of denying the right to vote, never have some of our government leaders openly pursued formal policies that quite literally threaten the physical well-being of our voting population, all to prevent their representation.

Elected officials on both sides of the aisle must do what is right for all voters across the country this November.

Mindy Romero is a political sociologist and director of the California Civic Engagement Project at the Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California. She wrote this commentary for CalMatters, a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias Capitol works and why it matters.
National carrier Air India on Wednesday opened bookings for those passengers who meet eligibility criteria and wish to travel from India to London, Singapore and select destinations in the United States on flights operating between May 8 to May 14, a statement from the airline said.

We would like to inform all those who wish to travel from India to London, Singapore and select destinations in the USA on Air India flights operating between May 8 and May 14 to click on http://www.airindia.in/r1landingpage.htm for booking. Passengers are requested to read the eligibility criteria carefully as available on the link and proceed further for booking only if they meet the same, the Air India statement read.

The flights scheduled for Thursday under the Vande Bharat mission will ply from Kochi to Abu Dhabi, Delhi to Singapore and Calicut to Dubai.

The first scheduled flight under Indias massive Vande Bharat Mission to bring back stranded Indians from abroad is likely to be the one from New Delhi to Singapore on Thursday.

Following the proper Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which were released on Tuesday, Air India has tested its pilots and crew for Covid-19 and the results are expected by Thursday.

The Delhi-Singapore flight will be the first in the 64 ferry services which will be operated by the airline and its subsidiary Air India Express from May 8-14. It will also be the only one to be operated on Thursday, according to news agency IANS.

Earlier on Wednesday, Air Indias repatriation flights could not be operated as the crew members Covid-19 tests were not done on time, the airline said.

The Vande Bharat mission plans to evacuate stranded Indians from abroad amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

On Tuesday, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs stated that a person who has an OCI card, or has held the citizenship of a foreign country, or held a valid visa of more than one year of that country, or had the green card of that country, can travel on the repatriation flight leaving India under the Vande Bharat mission.

India has been under lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of the coronavirus. All scheduled commercial passenger flights; both domestic and international, have been suspended for the duration of the lockdown.
Michigans new auto insurance no-fault law, passed in May 2019, does not take effect until July 2, but the states governor and insurance regulators say recently approved insurer rate filings already show that insurance rates for Michigan drivers will be lower than the 10% reduction required by the law. In some cases, it appears the reduction could be significant.

Michigans auto insurance premiums have been among the most expensive in the nation, a condition most attribute to its requirement that drivers purchase unlimited, lifetime medical benefits with their auto insurance policy. The new law allows drivers to opt out, or choose the amount of Personal Injury Protection (PIP) medical coverage to purchase on their policies.

Under the 2019 law there are six levels of personal injury protection, the portion of a premium that covers medical treatment and rehabilitation expenses. It also covers lost wages and in-home help.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) on April 28 unveiled results of a review by outside independent actuaries of PIP rate filings showing that rates were coming in lower than expected.

The review is based on an initial six approved filings that represent a quarter of Michigans auto insurance market, according to DIFS.

DIFS rejected filings that used any rating factors not permitted under the new law, such as sex, marital status, home ownership, or zip code, requiring companies to resubmit each filing with prohibited factors removed.

The Michigan Chamber of Commerce praised the new findings. In a statement, Wendy Block, vice president of Business Advocacy and Member Engagement with the Michigan Chamber noted that the auto insurance legislation was the product of bipartisan compromise. While the Chamber views the compromise bill as being far from perfect, Block said its clear from this report that parts of the legislation are working to bring savings to Michigan drivers and businesses.

Michigan drivers have been paying some of the highest auto insurance premiums in the country and this independent report shows the bipartisan legislation is beginning to work, Block said. This is welcome news at a time when businesses and employees across Michigan are facing unprecedented challenges.

When the new law takes effect, drivers can choose to keep unlimited, lifetime medical benefits, or they could choose lower levels including $500,000, $250,000 and $50,000. Drivers with health insurance through their employer that covers auto accident-related injuries or Medicare can completely opt-out of medical coverage with their car insurance.

Gov. Whitmer has previously said that PIP rates will be cut for eight years under the law,

The rate reductions derived from the six recently approved filings are shown below are statewide averages.

PIP Limit Mandated Reduction Avg. Reduction Unlimited At least -10% -16.5% $500,000 At least -20% -36.3% $250,000 At least -35% -41.9% $50,000 At least -45% -54.3%





Table and bar chart: Michigan DIFS

Michigans no-fault system has been in place since 1973. Under the system, after an accident, drivers are required to file a claim with their insurer whether they are at fault or not. The law was amended in 1978 to require unlimited lifetime coverage for medical expenses stemming from an auto accident. Insurers have been eligible for reimbursement by the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association for claims that exceed $580,000. No-fault insurers currenlty are assessed a $220 fee, which is typically passed on to policyholders, for every private passenger vehicle they cover in order to pay for the reimbursement by the MCCA.

Related:

Topics Legislation Auto Personal Auto Michigan
OSCEOLA TOWNSHIP -- An April 24 ruling by Administrative Law Judge Daniel L. Pulter upheld the permit issued to Nestle Corporation allowing them to pump water from the White Pines Springs well in Osceola Township at a rate of 400 gallons per minute (gpm).

Pulter stated that the higher pumping rate was "reasonable under common law principles of water law in Michigan."

"Nestle Waters North America (NWNA) is pleased that the Administrative Law Judge upheld the permit granted to us by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)," a spokesperson for NWNA said. "We firmly believe that EGLE's decision to approve our permit application was appropriate, as it carefully reviewed and considered our permit application in what it called 'the most extensive analysis of any water withdrawal in Michigan history.'

"We have the confidence in the science behind our application, the EGLE's thorough review, the 18 years' worth of environmental data collected near the site since beginning our operations in Michigan, and the EGLE's analysis," the spokesperson continued.

In a previous statement from NWNA, natural resources manager Arlene Anderson-Vincent said, in the case of the site in Osceola Township, we maintain nearly 100 "early warning stations" or monitoring locations, which allows us to verify that the groundwater is being naturally replenished and that our water use is not impacting our neighbors or the local environment.

From the beginning, our goal has been to reduce, as much as possible, the impact to the local community and the environment, the statement said.

The permit, originally issued in 2018 by the Michigan Department of Environmental Equality (MDEQ), now EGLE, will allow an increase in water withdrawals from the current 250 gpm, to 400 gpm, a 60 percent increase.

Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation (MCWC), and the Grand Traverse band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians had challenged the permit approved by Gov. Rick Snyder's administration, filing a petition for a contested case hearing.

The contested case brought forth by MCWC and Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa And Chippewa Indians was denied, a statement from MCWC president Peggy Case said.

EGLE successfully argued in support of the original permit decision granted to Nestle Gov. Rick Snyder's administration in 2018, following a year of public comment and protest, the statement read.

According to a news release from MCWC, Nestle had been granted a permit to withdraw 150 gpm from the White Pine Springs well in 2009. It was then given an additional permit to add another 100 gpm in 2015.

In 2016, Nestle applied for the permit to increase withdrawals to 400 gpm.

MCWC and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians challenged the permit, saying the increased pumping would harm the environment in the Chippewa Creek watershed.

"The response was so overwhelming in opposition to the permit that the public comment period was extended twice, and the public hearing was forced into the spring of 2017," Case said. "Comments were ultimately taken form roughly 80,000 people, with only a handful supporting the permit."

Despite the overwhelming opposition, the permit was granted, and they then filed the petition for a contested hearing, Case said.

Following the administrative law judge's decision, MCWC stated it intends to continue to educate and advocate on behalf of water justice, and in opposition of pollution, plunder and privatization of the waters of the Great Lakes Basin.

The recent set-back, a remnant of antiquated laws and the continuing control of our governments by large corporations, is a temporary one.

"We were not surprised that our efforts did not result in victory in the court of EGLE, even after a lengthy and expensive legal battle," Case said. "In the court of public opinion, we won long ago."

"This little set-back, in one insignificant court, will not deter us from continuing our challenges to business-as-usual, or our determination to enact laws and policies that actually serve all the people and preserve our ecosystems," Case said.

Pulter said any appeal to the decision would go to Liesl Clark, head of EGLE.

EGLE spokesperson Scott Dean said the department will look at Pulter's decision and consider his proposed findings.

MCWC are currently weighing their options as presented by the judge and will make a decision as soon as they complete their analysis, Case said.

In December, the Michigan Court of Appeals reversed a circuit court decision that allowed Nestle to build a booster pump station in Osceola Township.

The proposed pump station would have been located about two miles away from the White Pine Springs well and would have allowed the company to move more water, more easily through the pipeline to the trucking station in Evart, from which the water is transported to the Ice Mountain bottling facility in Mecosta County.

The township argued that the booster station was not allowed under its current zoning ordinance.

Nestle argued that the booster pump station and that their plan constituted an "essential public service," but the court of appeals disagreed.

"The trial court erred in effectively concluding that because water is essential, the provision of water in any form, manner or context is necessarily an 'essential public service,'" the judge said.

Nestle Waters North America announced in February that it would not appeal the Michigan Court of Appeals ruling that blocked the company from building a booster-pump station in Osceola Township.
The Odeon Cinema in Leicester Square in London, Thursday, April 16, 2020. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Cinema chains have proposed a reopening of venues across the country by the end of June, according to the official body representing the industry in the UK.

Cinemas have been shuttered since 18 March, a few days before official lockdown began on 23 March.

But now plans are being formulated for them to reopen, with 'safeguarding' procedures in place to protect movie-goers.

UK Cinema Association chief executive Phil Clapp told Variety: Weve made representations to government on the safeguards which UK cinemas would look to have in place for audiences and staff alike upon re-opening, and have asked that consideration be given  with these in mind  to allow cinemas to open by end June.

He went on to say that cinema owners would be 'led by the governments understanding of the risk presented by COVID-19 and respond accordingly'.

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Clapp added to Yahoo Movies UK that it 'hopes to be able' to add further details of how cinemas might re-open, and in what capacity, shortly.

Chief Executive, The Cinema Exhibitors' Association Limited Phil Clapp speaks at CinemaCon at Caesars Palace, 2015. (Gabe Ginsberg/WireImage)

Tim Richards, the chief executive of the Vue cinema chain added to the BBC: We are seeing our markets in Europe opening before ours. We are trying to work with the government to demonstrate we are not like sporting fixtures and pop concerts.

We can control how many people come into our cinemas at any one time - we have the ability to control the exit and entrance.

Tenet (Credit: Warner Bros)

Titles which might accompany a reopening of UK cinemas include Christopher Nolan's sci-fi crime thriller Tenet, and Disney's big budget, live-action remake of Mulan, both slated for release in July.

But the reopening comes following a high-profile row between the Odeon chain  via its parent company AMC  and Universal Pictures, after the studio released the film Trolls: World Tour direct to VOD rather than delaying its release.

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Read more: Odeon bans Universal movies after Trolls snub

As a result of the snub, AMC boss Adam Aron has said that the chain will no longer show Universal movies, which in the UK might include the new Bond film No Time To Die, which is being distributed by Universal.

The prime minister Boris Johnson is expected to make an announcement detailing some easing of the lockdown measures on Sunday.
Photo credit: Deana Lawson, courtesy of Sikkema Jenkins & Co., New York, and Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago.

From Esquire

The galleries are shut, the museums are closed. But worry not, art fans. We've tapped some of the art world's leading curators, collectors and experts to talk us through the exhibitions none of us can attend in person. Here curator Alona Pardo and curatorial assistant Chris Bayley talk us through some highlights from their Masculinities: Liberation Through Photography exhibition at the Barbican.



Masculinities: Liberation through Photography explores the ways in which masculinity is variously experienced, performed, coded and socially constructed as expressed and documented through photography and film from the 1960s to the present day.

Simone de Beauvoirs famous declaration, published in her revolutionary 1949 book The Second Sex, that one is not born a woman, but rather becomes one provides a salient parallel for considering the process of becoming a man, the place of photography and film in shaping masculine gender identity and what it means to be male in todays world. What we have thought of as masculine has changed considerably during different historical periods and within different cultures, and the social position of masculinity has helped shape the gender order by which we continue to define ourselves. In the twenty-first century, it seems more apt to reflect on masculinities in the plural to underscore the many ways in which one can be a man or become one.

With ideas around masculinity under increasing scrutiny and terms such as toxic and fragile masculinity filling endless column inches, an investigation of this expansive subject is particularly timely given the current global socio-political climate, which has seen the resurgence of far-right ideologies and a masculinist nationalism characterised by male world leaders shaping their image as strong men, set against the backdrop of the #MeToo movement. With masculinity under the microscope as never before, the exhibition surveys the representation of masculinities in all their myriad forms, rife with contradiction and complexity.

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Touching on themes of queer identity, the black body, power and patriarchy, the perception of men by women, heteronormative stereotypes, hegemonic masculinity and the family, the works in the show present masculinity as an unfixed performative identity shaped by cultural and social forces. Over the last five decades, artists have consistently sought to disrupt and disturb the narrow definitions of gender that determine social structures in order to encourage new ways of thinking about identity, gender and sexuality. We are delighted to bring together artists, photographers and filmmakers whose work traverses different aesthetic strategies, spaces and times, from pioneering practitioners such as Robert Mapplethorpe, Peter Hujar, Catherine Opie, Richard Billingham, Rotimi Fani-Kayode, Wolfgang Tillmans and Larry Sultan to lesser-known and younger artists including George Dureau, Hal Fischer, Sam Contis, Hank Willis Thomas, Paul Mpagi Sepuya and Marianne Wex, among many others.

Ultimately, the performance of masculinities as expressed through the work in the exhibition underscore the instability of gender and throw light on the challenges and complexities of being male as well as any simple definition of masculinity. Rejecting any singular idea of the ideal man, the works argue for an understanding of masculinity liberated from societal expectations and gender norms.

Disrupting the Archetype

Disrupting the Archetype explores the representation of conventional and at times cliched masculine subjects such as soldiers, cowboys, athletes, bullfighters, body builders, wrestlers and men at work. By reconfiguring the representation of traditional masculinity  loosely defined as an idealised, dominant heterosexual masculinity  the artists presented in this section challenge our ideas of these hypermasculine stereotypes.

John Coplans

Photo credit: Tristan Fewings - Getty Images

Reflecting on his own work, the British-born artist John Coplans astutely commented: My body is actively male and I view the world through it. But this is the expression of an existential rather than sexual outlet ... My maleness is chance, not choice, and my imagery is more concerned with the psychosexual than with identity and anxiety. Emphasising the imperfections of the naked form while also continuing a dialogue with depictions of the classical nude, Coplans' monumental self-portrait that consists of four panels each containing three black and white photographs of the artists body arranged in a column very deliberately opens the exhibition in a bid to disrupt preconceived ideas about the male form from the very outset.

A pioneer in the field of self-portraiture, Coplans deliberately jettisoned conventional ideals of youthful male beauty when he began forensically photographing his own ageing body in the mid-1980s. Replete with wiry pubic hair, deflated buttocks and sagging pectorals, Coplans presents an image of the male figure as imperfect and soft. Through his black-and-white self-portraits which home in on fragments of the body, Coplans reveals the white male as someone who is not necessarily powerful and strong, but as someone who is also human and vulnerable. By photographing his body in the later years of his life, Coplans confronts issues of ageing and deterioration, subjects generally ignored and feared in contemporary society.

Bas Jan Ader

Photo credit:  The Estate of Bas Jan Ader / Mary Sue Ader Andersen, 2019 / The Artist Rights Society (ARS), New York / DACS, London. Courtesy of Meliksetian | Briggs, Los Angeles.

In Bas Jan Aders poignant film Im Too Sad to Tell You, the Dutch conceptual and performance artist is seen weeping uncontrollably before the camera in what appears to be a profound and revelatory experience. As the title suggests, the reason for this outburst of emotion remains deliberately opaque, however over the years critics have speculated that it has to do with Aders father, who was executed by the Nazis for harbouring Jews during the Second World War. Directly addressing questions around the stability of masculinity while simultaneously debunking the reductive concept that boys dont cry, Aders film navigates the boundaries of traditional performances of masculinity while also prising open more emotionally expressive ways of being manly.

Male Order: Power, Patriarchy & Space

Male Order: Power, Patriarchy and Space examines the unequal power relations that exist between genders as well as the relationship of marginalised masculinities to the patriarchal order, which is predicated on the dominance of hegemonic masculinity. To that end, the artists gathered in this rather mischievously titled section have all variously attempted to subvert, destabilise and expose how certain types of behaviour associated with hegemonic dominance and power create inequalities both within and between genders. As the esteemed Australian sociologist R. W. Connell has noted:

The concept of hegemony  refers to the cultural dynamic by which a group claims and sustains a leading position in social life. At any given time, one form of masculinity rather than others is culturally exalted. Hegemonic masculinity can be defined as the configuration of gender practice which embodies the currently accepted answer to the problem of the legitimacy of patriarchy, which guarantees (or is taken to guarantee) the dominant position of men and the subordination of women.

Clare Strand

Photo credit: Philipp Ottendoerfer

Subversion as an aesthetic strategy is central to Clare Strands playfully sculptural work Men Only Tower (2017), which consists of 68 copies of the British softcore publication Men Only (published between the 1930s and 1970s) which unashamedly claimed: We dont want women readers. We wont have women readers. Interleaved within the magazines are 20 images of resistance in black envelopes designed to subvert the male-only premise of the original editorial statement. Precariously stacked one on top of the other in acknowledgement of the shaky foundations upon which hegemonic masculinity is founded and in a nod to its possible future collapse, Strands decision to contain these publications in a vertical glass case, referencing the phallic form, speaks not only of exaggerated size with its clear reference to Trumpian America but astutely alludes to how women have historically been excluded from the corridors of power, and how that practice continues to prevail in our contemporary moment.

Mikhael Subotzky

Photo credit: Max Colson

With the current crisis characterised by physical distancing, we wanted to highlight Mikhael Subotzkys photographic installation that is anchored in the racial injustices of the South African penal system. Predicated on the architecture of exclusion and spaces of confinement, Subotzkys images consider the interplay of gender with class and race highlighting the inequalities that exist between hegemonic and marginalised masculinities. In his complex body of work I Was Looking Back (200412), Subotzky undertook a process of revisiting every photograph he had ever taken, selecting those where the process of looking, or being looked back at, was resonant in an attempt to formulate a new narrative that actively exposes and deconstructs white masculine power, a defining feature of his lived experience as a white privileged South African male. Consisting of works from several earlier documentary photographic series  including Die Vier Hoeke (The Four Corners; 2004), a study of life inside Pollsmoor Prison in Cape Town; Umjiegwana: The Outside (2005), a startling exploration of the life of former prisoners and the hardships they encounter after release; and Beaufort West (2006-08), images of a disenfranchised town situated along the main artery that slices through the country  these troubling colour prints which often represent the black male body being subjected to violence and oppression are an attempt to expose and destabilise systems of hegemonic male power that enable and normalise these acts of violence.

Subotzky has described the installation as an attempt to question his own very deep ambivalent feelings about photography and my relationship to photography and the typical lefty white male instinct to describe the effects of violence on the other, rather than  reflecting on ones own complicity. In a last act, Subotzky frequently smashes the glazing of these works in a process of re-shrouding the image, frustrating the viewers desire to gaze at or consume the image while drawing attention to the surface and materiality of the photograph, preventing the viewer from having this complacent relationship with what a photograph is.

Too Close to Home: Family & Fatherhood

Since its invention, photography has been a powerful vehicle in the construction and documentation of family narratives. However, as the photography historian Mary Warner Marien has noted, The content of family photographs was dominated by celebratory occasions, such as weddings, birthdays, and vacations. Few families resolutely set out to record the look of everyday life, such as messy kitchens and unmade beds. Fewer still made visual records of emotionally trying times or used the camera for psychological self-study or therapy. By contrast, the artists presented here including Larry Sultan, Duane Michals, Hans Eijkelboom and Richard Billingham among others deliberately set out to record the messiness of life, at once subverting, reinventing and recoding the conventional family photograph in a bid to present a more complex view of fatherhood and family dynamics more broadly. By reflecting on notions of misogyny, class, race, violence, mortality, familial dysfunction, the paternalistic role of the state, interfamily relationships and psychosexual drama as well as emotional intimacy, tenderness, empathy and belonging, the works put forth different and competing models of fatherhood.

Masahisa Fukase

Photo credit: Masahisa Fukase Archives

Drawing on the conventions of the traditional family portrait, Japanese photographer Masahisa Fukases series Family, produced between 1971 and 1989, uses the backdrop of his family-run photography studio in Hokkaido in Northern Japan to construct highly performative yet formal photographs of members of his family in which semi-clad young women often appear striking deliberately comedic or subversive poses.

For the purpose of this article, we wanted to focus on Fukases concurrent series Memories of Father (published in book form in 1991), in which the artist chronicled his father through life, death and cremation. Raw and immediate, Fukases photographs of his father as he approaches the latter stage of his life are a poignant study of the ageing male body; the thin skin of his hands, the lines etched into his brow and the frailness of his once robust frame allowed Fukase to reflect on the loss of independence ageing engenders and symbolised for the artist the loss of the only cornerstone of his life that had not, until then, been shaken.

Anna Fox

Photo credit: Anna Fox, courtesy James Hyman Gallery, London.

Anna Foxs My Mothers Cupboards and My Fathers Words (1999) is a uniquely intimate and revealing autobiographical work that seeks to undermine expectations. The documentary photographer works in the British tradition of a warts and all style, deploying everyday subject matter in the service of commenting wryly on socio-political issues. Originally conceived as a miniature artists book, the series reveals the struggles of a turbulent relationship and, by extension, Foxs difficult experiences growing up within such a household. Fox juxtaposes fourteen colour photographs depicting her mothers neatly kept cupboards with written extracts from her fathers rantings, the experimental imagetext intersections functioning as a kind of storytelling device. An image showing stacked plates is accompanied by a caption that reads: Im going to tear your mother to shreds with an oyster knife, while a photograph of fresh bedsheets is paired with the line: They shouldnt be allowed to breathe the same air as me. The unabashed violence of the words not only resists the meticulous arrangements of the photographed objects but also pushes back against notions of bourgeois order and respectable appearances.

The sense of a polite front is further heightened in the way cruel words are treated typographically on the page through sumptuous calligraphy, bestowing an odd, dark humour upon the series. These outbursts were largely directed towards the various female members of the family when Foxs father was ill for a number of years. The language used call to mind a certain brand of toxic masculinity, one bound up in exerting power and control over intimate partners and typically perpetrated through verbal abuse and threats, the very act of their repetition working to establish and normalise forms of behaviour. With the dramatic rise of domestic abuse cases being reported across the UK during the lockdown, Foxs work serves as a powerful reminder of latent violence.

Queering Masculinity

In defiance of the web of restrictive gender norms spun in Europe, the United States and beyond over the last century, the second largest section of the exhibition in our upstairs galleries titled Queering Masculinity explores how artists forged a new queer aesthetic, at once railing against the patriarchal heterosexual system while creating sensual bodies of work that reflected their own queer experience. Propelled and empowered by the sexual liberation and countercultural movements that gained momentum through the 1970s, artists such as Peter Hujar, David Wojnarowicz and Sunil Gupta all harnessed the power of the camera to record the energy and rage of their queer communities, who increasingly demanded visibility and thereby legitimacy in public space.

Peter Hujar

Photo credit: 1987 The Peter Hujar Archive LLC; Courtesy Pace/MacGill Gallery, New York and Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco

After the 1969 Stonewall riots and pre-AIDS, the west side piers along Manhattans Hudson River, which had largely stood abandoned and in a state of decay following the shipping industrys move to the north of the city, were informally occupied by the LGBTQ+ community who used the site as a place for sexual and artistic liberation and experimentation. Documenting the various gay subcultures along Christopher Street Pier  a popular cruising spot dubbed the sex pier  Hujars photographs present the piers as an idyllic, safe space where men of all creed and colours congregated to sunbathe on the concrete paving slabs, cruise and have sex. Despite the gentrification of Christopher Street Pier and the wider area through the 1990s, Hujars images are a vital visual record in documenting how these queer spaces became a site of refuge as the LGBTQ community fought for legal recognition and freedom.

Paul Mpagi Sepuya

Photo credit: Paul Mpagi Sepuya and team (gallery, inc.), New York.  Paul Mpagi Sepuya

Elsewhere, the exhibition presents the work of a younger generation of artists who continue to overturn binary codes of gender and sexuality. Reflecting on his own queer experience, Paul Mpagi Sepuyas intimate self-portraits which often include the presence his lovers, friends, artists and collaborators disrupt traditional portraiture through layering and fragmentation. Exploring the studio and darkroom as a site of homoerotic desire as it relates specifically to the black queer experience, Sepuya manipulates the picture plane by deploying mirrors, curtains and fragments of previous works such that disembodied figures are at once concealed, revealed and obstructed. Often bearing fingerprints, smudges, the visibility of the camera lens and impressions of the body on fabric, Sepuyas images allude to the presence and absence of the body and evince a certain vulnerability between subject and photographer, highlighting the fragility and sensuality of the male form.

Reclaiming the Black Body

Changing representations of black men must be a collective task declared bell hooks in Black Looks: Race and Representation, a collection of critical essays that interrogated notions of black subjectivity and representation. Giving visual form to the complexity of the black male experience, the exhibition foregrounds artists who have, over the last five decades, consciously subverted expectations of race, gender and the white gaze by reclaiming the power to fashion their own identities.

Kiluanji Kia Henda

Photo credit: Courtesy the artist and Goodman Gallery

In Angolan artist Kiluanji Kia Hendas theatrical five-part series The Last Journey of the Dictator Mussunda NZombo Before the Great Extinction (2017), the artist examines the troubled history of Western representations of the black African male figure as well as the warped self-image of African men of power. Set against the backdrop of dilapidated diorama amid a herd of taxidermied antelopes, a flamboyantly dressed figure - modelled on Mobutu Sese Seko, the kleptocratic former president of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) whose official state ideology of Authenticite or Zairianisation sought to rid the country of the lingering vestiges of colonialism while creating a more centralised and singular national identity for his own personal enrichment  poses and preens to the camera and can be read as a wry commentary on male vanity. Reflecting on the misrule of the big men of Africa, such as Ugandas Idi Amin and Liberias Charles Taylor - dictators who ruled with an iron fist and were propped up by numerous Western powers - Kia Hendas work, which takes the form of a tableaux vivant, reimagines the politics and history of Africa within shrewdly conjured fictional scenarios.

Deana Lawson

Photo credit: Deana Lawson, courtesy of Sikkema Jenkins & Co., New York, and Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago.

In her meticulously staged photographs, American artist Deana Lawson explores black intimacy, family, sexuality and spirituality. Exploiting cultural stereotypes in order to challenge them, in Sons of Cush a heavily tattooed, torso-nude muscular man gazes directly yet warmly at the camera, a new-born baby in his protective embrace. To his left, disrupting the frame, a second mans arm clutches a stack of dollar bills, the word DOPE etched onto his knuckles. Lawsons photographs leave nothing to chance, and through the artists careful placing of props she demands the viewer unravel the symbols of black culture. For instance, on the whiteboard in the top left-hand corner of the image, a hand-drawn diagram traces the origins of the word Cush  referring to black history, civilisation, family, spiritualism and religion.

Women on Men: Reversing the Male Gaze

As the second-wave feminist movement gained momentum through the 1960s and 70s, an attendant feminist theory developed that sought to expose and critique entrenched patriarchal codes and to articulate alternative perspectives on gender and representation. Against this background, or motivated by its legacy, the artists gathered in the final section of the exhibition have placed the active male figure within their work, with the intention to either subvert the invasive nature of the male gaze or revel in the scopic pleasure derived from looking at the objectified male body.

Marianne Wex

Photo credit: Marianne Wex. Courtesy of the artist and Tanya Leighton, Berlin.

In her encyclopaedic visual survey Lets Take Back Our Space: Female and Male Body Language as a Result of Patriarchal Structures, 1977, German artist, turned self-healer, Marianne Wex analysed the differences between female and male body language by assembling hundreds of images culled from advertisements, reportage, fashion magazines, studio portraits and art history alongside photographs she took of people in the streets of Hamburg. Through a process of compare and contrast, and presenting the results as a quasi-scientific study with images of men presented on top and images of women below, Wex identified that men, for instance, usually sat with their legs apart and their feet pointing outward, while women tended to keep their knees and feet together, calling out manspreading long before the term was invented. Thus men invariably claim more space than women. These differences in posture are, Wex concludes, products of a social conditioning that defines one sex as strong and the other as weak, perpetuating a hierarchical distinction between the sexes in the form of patterns of physical behaviour.

Tracey Moffatt

Photo credit: Courtesy of the artist and Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney, Australia.

Scrutinising the performance of masculinity from a feminist perspective, Tracey Moffatts awkwardly humorous film Heaven (1997) is comprised of footage filmed by the artist and six additional female camera operators employed by the artist. The 28-minute film disrupts traditional representations of desire to interrogate the power of the female gaze in the objectification of mens bodies. Beginning with surreptitiously filmed footage of male surfers changing in and out of their wet suits while in the indeterminate space between the public arena of the beach and the privacy of their cars, over a soundtrack that oscillates between the ocean surf and male chanting and drumming, Moffatt gradually moves closer to her subjects who respond with a combination of masculine bravado or shyness. In what can be seen as an attempt to regain power, in the final segment of the film, Moffatts hand reaches out from behind the camera and snatches one surfers towel to expose his bare buttocks. This playful work is a potent and comic meditation on cinematic and everyday sex roles, voyeurism, power and the boundaries of flattery, teasing and invasiveness.

As we socially distance ourselves and are forced to stay at home in an attempt to curtail the rapid rise of coronavirus, the clandestine strategies employed by Moffatt in Heaven feel somewhat synonymous to the kind of voyeurism of the everyday we are all currently experiencing - retreating to our windows to observe the outside world and watch our neighbours perform the banal rituals of life in lockdown.

Masculinities: Liberation through Photography, Barbican Art Gallery, London, UK, 20 February 2020  TBC

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As Mumbai stares at a public health crisis due to the rising number of reported COVID-19 cases, the city's private medical practitioners have been directed to report to work immediately or face action. They are required to rejoin work and mandatorily serve COVID-19 patients for atleast 15 days.

The Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) on May 6 issued a notification to this effect, asking around 25,000 private doctors in Mumbai to resume their duties with immediate effect. Failing to do so may lead to a revocation of their medical licences.

Track this blog for LIVE updates on the COVID-19 pandemic

The doctors will be provided with necessary protective gear, the DMER said, adding that they will also be allowed to choose the location and time.

However, doctors above the age of 55 years and those with co-morbidites like diabetes, hypertension or other ailments have been exempted from the same.

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 | COVID-19 pandemic: Mumbai on the brink of public health crisis with shortage of doctors, no ICU beds

The order has come at a time when the number of coronavirus cases in Maharashtra has soared to over 15,500. The reported cases in Mumbai are nearing the 10,000 mark. Earlier today, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan also said that the situation in the state is a cause for concern as 34 of its 36 districts are affected by the coronavirus disease.
A motorist who reported being shot at on Interstate 5 in Douglas County was arrested after troopers determined paranoia from being high made him think a bullet blew out his tire and they found nearly $30,000 in cash hidden in diapers, state police said Wednesday.

Oregon State Police troopers said they found Juan Felipe Moreno, 20, of Florida shortly before midnight Sunday in a rest area in southern Lane County. He had traveled with a flat tire for about 20 miles after his call to authorities.

Troopers said they determined Moreno was under the influence of marijuana, and they found about 95 grams of marijuana, paraphernalia and the cash-full diapers.

Moreno was arrested and cited for driving under the influence of intoxicants. He and passenger, Jose Noe Guisjon, 30, of California, will be referred to the Lane County District Attorneys Office on money laundering charges, police said.

-- Andre Meunier

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
While my inner troll is delighting in Tara Reade exposing the moral bankruptcy of the Democrats phony Believe all women stance only when political enemies are accused, I am a skeptic. And I fear that her efforts will help the Dem establishment in pulling the plug on Biden, whose declining mental capacity cannot be hidden for the nearly 6 months of presidential campaigning ahead.

Make no mistake: rushing to deny the nomination to Bernie Sanders by backing Biden was a colossal blunder. Shooing his rivals out of the race enabled a big Super Tuesday delegate harvest for Biden, but because the media failed to alert them to Bidens true mental decline, the powers-that-be accidentally backed a loser, not a safe known commodity.

Last night, Tucker Carlson focused on the problems with Reades changing story, noting her enthusiastic backing for Bernie Sanders, and the troubling timing of her charges. The entire 6 minute segment and a rush transcript are embedded below, but the most serious issue is:

Rush transcript via Grabien:

Of segments on this show about Tara Reade and her allegations against Joe Biden, weve told you about Bidens weird reaction to the charges, he stammered when asked  we told you at length about the infuriating and sickening hypocrisy of the media and the professional feminist movement. Believe all women? They dont, it depends on the Politics. One thing we have not yet addressed in any detail is reads the story itself, what does she say happened between herself and Joe Biden, is there any evidence to back it up? We probably shouldve started their witches is at the beginning. We want to take you through the details of the story because we think we are going to be hearing a lot more about it and its good to be grounded in what the facts are. Tara Reade worked as an aid in Joe Bidens Senate office in Washington from December 1992 to August of 1993. In a recent interview, she said in the spring of 1993 she found herself alone with Joe Biden in an isolated corner of Capitol Hill, she later said it was in the basement of the Senate office building but it was in the Senate. Biden, she said, pinned her against the wall, kissed her and reached up under her skirt and penetrated her with his fingers, horrifying. She pulled away from Biden and as she pulled away he became angry, Youre nothing to me she says Biden hissed at her. She complained to her superiors but didnt provide any of these horrifying details, a short time after she complained, she was fired, thats what she says. Did this happen, did this assault and its particulars take place, we cant know for sure it was more than 25 years ago but heres the evidence reade points to to support her case. Two unnamed friends of hers have spoken to media outlets hearing that she complained about harassment at the time, reades brother and a neighbor also say they heard something about it, then theres a recently unearthed CNN clip from 1993 in which an unnamed woman calls into Larry King live and asks Larry King what her daughter to do about problems with a U.S. Senator.

>> Hello.

>> Yes, hello. Im wondering what a staffer is to do besides go to the press in Washington, my daughter has just left there after working for a prominent senator and could not get through with her problems at all and the only thing she could have done was go to the press and she chose not to do it out of respect.

>> She had a story to tell but out of respect for the person she worked for, she didnt tell it.

>> Thats true.

>> Tucker: That clip just emerged, it was found by someone on Twitter and thats a real clip. Reade says the woman you heard is her mother, we cant confirm that because her mother has passed away but the facts seems to match, the color identifies herself as being from St. Louis, reades mother lived there at the time. There is evidence on the other side as well and we feel honor bound to tell you about it. Just last year, Tara Reade told a different story about what happened with Joe Biden. In 2019, she said he touched her inappropriately on the neck and shoulders, she said not that she was fired for complaining about harassment much less for being penetrated by Joe Biden, she said she was fired because she refused to serve drinks at an event. That was the version of the story that reades brother remembered one was asked. He told reporters she mentioned him touching her neck and shoulders, he didnt mention anything about assault. A several days later, he texted reporters to say he also remembered reade saying Biden reached under her clothes and assaulted her. Then theres a question of her Politics, we normally wouldnt get into that because its not germane but keep in mind this story is unfolding during a presidential campaign and its also playing out against the backdrop of fierce infighting within the Democratic Party, you might not know much about event and Lester connected to them but its intense, the establishment people and the many Democrats who still support Bernie Sanders. Atari read appears to be in the Bernie Sanders camp. Intercept reporter Brian Grimm tweeted A head-to-head Biden versus Sanders contest will force voters to have a close look at Biden again, that went very badly for him last time. Should he suggest we would be taking a close look at Biden? She responded Yep, timing. Wait for it. Tick tock. Thats cryptic, was she referring to her plans to announce the assault story, suggesting it was politically timed? We dont know that, we have no evidence of it but its interesting and possible. Its notable before Joe Biden started beating Bernie Sanders in the primary, Tara Reade wasnt attacking Joe Biden, instead she had effusively positive things to say about him. In 2017, Tara Reade repeatedly praised Joe Biden for his work against sexual assault. At one point reade wrote My old boss speaks the truth. She was like in comments that Biden had made saying he opposed the sexual assault of women. In retrospect knowing all that we know now about what reade says happened, statements like that are baffling. They are hard to understand or to explain. As we learned so bitterly during the Brett Kavanaugh hearing, political imperatives sometimes influence claims like this, that does not mean that Tara Reade is some kind of liar or a devious partisan, we dont know that is true and we are not saying it now, we are not asserting that. But the timing does mean  and this is our duty  that we ought to keep our guard up as this story progresses, those of us who cover its going forward should be very wary of being used. Again, this is a presidential year. Weigh everything against the facts, take nothing for granted. The one thing you can be certain of this year is you are being lied to. Thats what we know so far about the Tara Reade story, those of the facts, decide for yourself what you make of them, well be updating it regularly.
A group of seven children have sued Donald Trumps administration after it denied their migrant parents access to crucial relief funds amid the coronavirus pandemic because they were living in the United States without documentation.

The kids  all US citizens  were asking in the complaint to represent millions of other children living in the country with undocumented parents.

Congress passed the sweeping $2trn Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act in March, which included $1,200 payments for taxpayers earning up to $75,000 and $500 for every child.

However, taxpayers must have Social Security numbers in order to qualify for the relief  meaning that, despite the fact many undocumented immigrants work and pay taxes annually, they would not be able to receive any of the crucial funds. Taxpayers who are married to undocumented immigrants are also unable to receive the payments.

The lawsuit argued that families with children who are US citizens should be entitled to the $500 payments, regardless of whether one or both of the parents lack papers to be living in the country legally.

The refusal to distribute this benefit to US citizen children undermines the Cares Acts goal of providing assistance to Americans in need, the complaint read.

It went on to say the barring of undocumented immigrants with American children frustrates the acts efforts to jumpstart the economy and punishes citizen children for their parents status.

The lawsuit also argued such a punishment was nonsensical due to the fact that undocumented immigrants, collectively, pay billions of dollars each year in taxes.

The lawsuit was filed earlier this week in federal court in Maryland. It cited the US government and US Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin as defendants.

Studies have shown immigrant populations as well as black and brown communities in the US stand to face the most severe impacts from the pandemic, with more workers from each group on the front lines and considered essential than other demographics.

While the federal government has refused to provide relief to undocumented immigrants, California announced new initiatives last month to support the states immigrants. Nearly 10 per cent of Californias workforce is undocumented.

Californias initiatives are meant to provide undocumented immigrants with one-time payments of $500 per adult.
They have been firm friends for years, with their sweet friendship documented on TOWIE and now First Time Mum.

And Ferne McCann and Danielle Armstrong revealed the strength of their friendship on Wednesday's episode of the former's reality show, as she reveals her pregnant pal has asked her to be bridesmaid at her upcoming wedding to Tommy Edney.

During a cosy chat, after Danielle revealed details of her grass roots proposal, Ferne delightedly announced that she had been recruited to be bridesmaid.

Sweet: Ferne McCann and Danielle Armstrong revealed the strength of their friendship on the latest episode of the former's reality show, as she reveals her pregnant pal has asked her to be bridesmaid at her upcoming wedding to Tommy Edney

Discussing her March proposal to her childhood sweetheart, Danielle said: 'It was no getting down on one knee, it was just 'Will you marry me darling?' but that's what I love. I just screamed. I didn't even say yes!'

As Ferne gushed over Tommy's process, she also excitedly said: 'Then you called and asked me if I wanted to be a bridesmaid! Do you still mean that?' after which Danielle assured her good pal: 'Of course I mean it'.

The debut series of her reality show documented her journey to single motherhood.

And Ferne showed how far she's come in last week's episode of First Time Mum, as she's the one giving out pregnancy advice this time around. The mother-of-one warned pregnant Danielle not to make the same mistakes as in her in a candid chat.

Yay! During a cosy chat, after Danielle revealed details of her grass roots proposal, Ferne delightedly announced that she had been recruited to be bridesmaid

Her love: Discussing her March proposal to her childhood sweetheart, Danielle said: 'It was no getting down on one knee, it was just 'Will you marry me darling?' but that's what I love. I just screamed. I didn't even say yes!' (pictured in April)

Ferne, 29, explains: 'There's no secrets between me and Danielle. We overshare with each other'. The former TOWIE star, who welcomed daughter Sunday in 2017, goes on to grill Danielle about her pelvic floor episodes.

As Danielle, 31, sheepishly admits she isn't doing them as much as she should be, Ferne warns, 'You should do them every single day... two to three times'.

As the expectant mum reasons, 'I do the thing with the wee, like you told me', Ferne hits back, 'No, they need to be separate! Actively do the pulses, squeezes...

Of course! As Ferne gushed over Tommy's process, she also excitedly said: 'Then you called and asked me if I wanted to be a bridesmaid! Do you still mean that?' after which Danielle assured her good pal: 'Of course I mean it'

Experienced: The debut series of her reality show documented her journey to single motherhood

'It must be extremely difficult when you're pregnant. I wouldn't know because I didn't do them when I was pregnant. Babe, seriously, you've got to otherwise you'll end up in a world of bother'.

Satisfied that she's hammered home the importance of pelvic floor exercises, Ferne goes on to ask a baffled Danielle if she has been doing her perineal massages (deigned to reduce the risk of tearing in childbirth).

Ferne has previously spoken about the importance of doing pelvic floor exercises, which help to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor, which come under great strain in pregnancy and childbirth.

Mum life: Ferne welcomed daughter Sunday in 2017, with her reality series documenting her life as a mother

Mum-to-be: And Ferne showed how far she's come in last week's episode of First Time Mum, as she's the one giving out pregnancy advice this time around

If the pelvic floor muscles are weak, it can be common to leak urine after a cough, sneeze or strain.

Last year, Ferne detailed her 'embarrassing' incontinence battle, as she admitted she didn't think she'd be experiencing the problem in her late 20s as she 'associated it with the elderly' and is currently 'in my prime'.

In a bid to raise awareness on how to help treat incontinence, the TV star then practised pelvic floor exercises with panellists Coleen Nolan, Brenda Edwards, Jane Moore and Ayda Field.

Oversharing: Satisfied that she's hammered home the importance of pelvic floor exercises, Ferne goes on to ask a baffled Danielle if she has been doing her perineal massages

Embarrassed: Ferne has previously spoken about the importance of doing pelvic floor exercises after she detailed her 'embarrassing' incontinence battle

Urinary incontinence is the loss of bladder control and affects up to six million people in the UK and 17 million in the US.

On developing the problem after childbirth, the reality star admitted: 'It is really embarrassing theres no two ways about it.

The former TOWIE personality admitted that while she's been brave enough to speak about the issue 'openly', she still finds her battle 'embarrassing'.

Ferne McCann: First Time Mum airs Wednesdays at 9pm on ITVBe and catch up on ITVHub

Oops: The former TOWIE star goes on to grill Danielle about her pelvic floor episodes, as Danielle, 31, sheepishly admits she isn't doing them as much as she should be
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Expect refining throughput in 2Q20 to be approximately 80% utilization

Completed drop-down of Big Spring Gathering System to DKL increasing DK ownership of DKL to 71%

Maintain strong liquidity with $785 million of cash as of March 31, 2020

BRENTWOOD, Tenn., May 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Delek US Holdings, Inc. (DK) (Delek US) today announced financial results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2020. Delek US reported first quarter 2020 net loss of $(314.4) million, or $(4.28) per diluted share, versus a net income of $149.3 million, or $1.90 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2019. On an adjusted basis, Delek US reported Adjusted net loss of $(128.0) million, or $(1.74) per share for the first quarter 2020. This compares to Adjusted net income of $129.4 million, or $1.64 per share, in the prior-year period. Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("Adjusted EBITDA") was $(29.7) million compared to Adjusted EBITDA of $244.1 million in the prior-year period. Reconciliations of net income reported under U.S. GAAP to Adjusted net income and Adjusted EBITDA are included in the financial tables attached to this release.

Adjusted quarterly results include a negative after-tax impact of $(106.1) million or $(1.44) per share. This is comprised of an "other inventory" headwind in the amount of $(90.8) million pre-tax, or $(70.0) million after-tax, related to FIFO accounting. This inventory detriment was driven by the precipitous decline in commodity prices in the quarter, stemming from COVID-19 and excess global oil supply from OPEC+. Note, "other inventory" is separate from LCM inventory impacts that are excluded from adjusted results. Additionally, adjusted results include a $(36.1) million elevated tax headwind resulting from applying the annual estimated effective tax rate to quarterly results.

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Uzi Yemin, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Delek US, stated, "Covid-19 is having a meaningful impact on near-term demand trends within our industry. That said, we have taken steps to maintain safe and reliable operations and continue supporting the communities that we serve. In an effort to adjust to the prevailing environment, we are reducing capital spending by approximately $75 million or 23% from previous 2020 guidance of $325 million. Separately, we expect to reduce our overall cost structure by roughly $100 million or 10% versus 2019 levels. This is driven through ongoing optimization of operating costs and implementation of a hiring freeze to minimize overhead.

"Despite enormous macro volatility, we have seen bright spots in the second quarter with the crude curve moving into steep contango. Additionally, our niche product markets tend to be more resilient during a downturn and the regions where we conduct business appear to be on-pace for re-opening from COVID-19. The combination of these factors should allow us to run at refinery utilization rates above the industry average in the second quarter."

Mr. Yemin continued, "On March 31st, Delek US sold the Big Spring Gathering assets to Delek Logistics through a combination of cash and equity. This increased DKs ownership of DKL to approximately 71%, including the GP interest. Finally, our balance sheet remains strong with $785 million of cash as of March 31st."

Regular Quarterly Dividend

Delek US announced today its Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.31 per share. Shareholders of record on May 20, 2020 will receive this cash dividend payable on June 3, 2020.

Liquidity

As of March 31, 2020, Delek US had a cash balance of $784.9 million and total consolidated long-term debt of $2,216.9 million, resulting in net debt of $1,432.0 million. As of March 31, 2020, Delek Logistics Partners, LP (DKL) ("Delek Logistics") had $940.0 million of total debt and $4.2 million of cash, which is included in the consolidated amounts on Delek US' balance sheet. Excluding Delek Logistics, Delek US had approximately $780.7 million in cash and $1,276.9 million of debt, or a $496.2 million net debt position.

Refining Segment

Refining contribution margin decreased to $(290.4) million in the first quarter 2020 from $301.9 million in the first quarter 2019. On a year-over-year basis, results were reduced primarily by inventory impacts due to the precipitous commodity price decline that occurred in March of 2020. The total inventory charge was $360.1 million in first quarter 2020 compared to a benefit of $129.9 million in first quarter 2019. Of this amount there was $277.8 million lower of cost or market ("LCM") valuation charge from product and crude oil prices in the first quarter 2020. This compares to a LCM valuation benefit of $52.2 million in the prior year period. Separate from LCM, there was a negative impact from "other inventory" in the amount of $79.2 million pre-tax, driven by FIFO accounting and the drop in commodity prices. Additional drivers were a lower crude oil differential and crack spread environment, coupled with reduced operating performance at the Big Spring refinery due to the major turnaround. Further, during the first quarter 2020, the realized Midland-Cushing crude oil premium was $0.79 per barrel compared to a realized discount of $4.26 per barrel in the prior year period.

Logistics Segment

The logistics segment contribution margin in the first quarter 2020 was $47.3 million compared to $40.1 million in the first quarter 2019. Results improved on a year-over-year basis primarily due to a $3.6 million increase to income from equity method investments, as well as increased contributions from the Paline Pipeline, the Lion Pipeline System and the Gathering Assets. This was partially offset by lower West Texas gross margin on a year-over-year basis.

Retail Segment

For the first quarter 2020, contribution margin was $12.3 million compared to $10.2 million in the prior year period for the retail segment. Merchandise sales were approximately $71.7 million with an average retail margin of 31.6% in the first quarter 2020, compared to merchandise sales of approximately $75.3 million with an average retail margin of 31.0% in the prior-year period. Approximately 48.0 million retail fuel gallons were sold at an average margin of $0.31 per gallon in the first quarter 2020 compared to 53.9 million retail fuel gallons sold at an average margin of $0.19 per gallon in the first quarter 2019. In the first quarter 2020, the average merchandise store count was 253 compared to 281 in the prior year period. On a same store sales basis in the first quarter 2020, merchandise sales increased 1.7% and fuel gallons sold decreased 8.2% compared to the prior-year period.

Corporate/Other

Contribution margin from Corporate/Other was a loss of $13.1 million in the first quarter 2020 compared to a loss of $18.4 million in the prior-year period. Note, hedging gains (losses) related to the refining segment have been reclassified from the corporate and other segment to the refining segment in the first quarter of 2020 and have been retrospectively reclassified in the first quarter of 2019 for comparison purposes.

First Quarter 2020 Results | Conference Call Information

Delek US will hold a conference call to discuss its first quarter 2020 results on Wednesday, May 6, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. Central Time. Investors will have the opportunity to listen to the conference call live by going to www.DelekUS.com and clicking on the Investor Relations tab. Participants are encouraged to register at least 15 minutes early to download and install any necessary software. Presentation materials accompanying the call will be available on the investor relations tab of the Delek US website approximately five minutes prior to the start of the call. For those who cannot listen to the live broadcast, the online replay will be available on the website for 90 days.

Investors may also wish to listen to Delek Logistics (DKL) first quarter 2020 earnings conference call that will be held on Wednesday, May 6, 2020 at 7:30 a.m. Central Time and review Delek Logistics earnings press release. Market trends and information disclosed by Delek Logistics may be relevant to the logistics segment reported by Delek US. Both a replay of the conference call and press release for Delek Logistics are available online at www.deleklogistics.com.

About Delek US Holdings, Inc.

Delek US Holdings, Inc. is a diversified downstream energy company with assets in petroleum refining, logistics, renewable fuels and convenience store retailing. The refining assets consist of refineries operated in Tyler and Big Spring, Texas, El Dorado, Arkansas and Krotz Springs, Louisiana with a combined nameplate crude throughput capacity of 302,000 barrels per day.

The logistics operations primarily consist of Delek Logistics Partners, LP (DKL). Delek US Holdings, Inc. and its affiliates own approximately 71% (including the 2% general partner interest) of Delek Logistics Partners, LP. Delek Logistics Partners, LP is a growth-oriented master limited partnership focused on owning and operating midstream energy infrastructure assets.

The convenience store retail operates approximately 253 convenience stores in central and west Texas and New Mexico.

Safe Harbor Provisions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based upon current expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Statements concerning current estimates, expectations and projections about future results, performance, prospects, opportunities, plans, actions and events and other statements, concerns, or matters that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements, as that term is defined under the federal securities laws. These statements contain words such as possible, believe, should, could, would, predict, plan, estimate, intend, may, anticipate, will, if", potential, expect or similar expressions, as well as statements in the future tense. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding throughput at the Companys refineries; crude oil prices, discounts and quality and our ability to benefit therefrom; share repurchases; returning cash to shareholders; payments of dividends; growth; investments into our business; the performance and execution of our midstream growth initiatives, including the Big Spring Gathering System, the Red River joint venture and the Wink to Webster long-haul crude oil pipeline, and the flexibility, benefits and the expected returns therefrom; RINs waivers and tax credits and the value and benefit therefrom; cash and liquidity; opportunities and anticipated performance and financial position.

Investors are cautioned that the following important factors, among others, may affect these forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to: uncertainty related to timing and amount of future share repurchases and dividend payments; risks and uncertainties with respect to the quantities and costs of crude oil we are able to obtain and the price of the refined petroleum products we ultimately sell; including uncertainties regarding future decisions by OPEC regarding production and pricing disputes between OPEC members and Russia; uncertainty relating to the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the demand for crude oil, refined products and transportation and storage services; risks related to Delek US exposure to Permian Basin crude oil, such as supply, pricing, gathering, production and transportation capacity; gains and losses from derivative instruments; management's ability to execute its strategy of growth, including risks associated with acquisitions and dispositions; acquired assets may suffer a diminishment in fair value as a result of which we may need to record a write-down or impairment in carrying value of the asset; the possibility of litigation challenging renewable fuel standard waivers;changes in the scope, costs, and/or timing of capital and maintenance projects; the ability to grow the Big Spring Gathering System; the ability of the Red River joint venture to complete the expansion project to increase the Red River pipeline capacity; the ability of the joint venture to construct the Wink to Webster long haul crude oil pipeline; operating hazards inherent in transporting, storing and processing crude oil and intermediate and finished petroleum products; our competitive position and the effects of competition; the projected growth of the industries in which we operate; general economic and business conditions affecting the geographic areas in which we operate; and other risks described in Delek US filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), including risks disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings and reports with the SEC.

Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and will not be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Forward-looking information is based on information available at the time and/or management's good faith belief with respect to future events, and is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in the statements. Delek US undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur, or which Delek US becomes aware of, after the date hereof, except as required by applicable law or regulation.

Non-GAAP Disclosures:

Our management uses certain non-GAAP operational measures to evaluate our operating segment performance and non-GAAP financial measures to evaluate past performance and prospects for the future to supplement our GAAP financial information presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. These financial and operational non-GAAP measures are important factors in assessing our operating results and profitability and include:

Adjusted net income (loss) - calculated as net income attributable to Delek US adjusted for certain identified infrequently occurring items, non-cash items and items that are not attributable to our on-going operations (collectively, "Adjusting Items") recorded during the period;

Adjusted unrealized hedging (gains) losses - calculated as GAAP unrealized (gains) losses on commodity derivatives that are economic hedges but not designated as hedging instruments adjusted to exclude unrealized (gains) losses where the instrument has matured but where it has not cash settled as of the balance sheet date. This adjustment more appropriately aligns matured commodity derivatives gains and losses with the recognition of the related cost of materials and other. There are no premiums paid or received at the inception of the derivative contracts, and upon settlement there is no cost recovery associated with these contracts;

Adjusted net income (loss) per share - calculated as Adjusted net income (loss) divided by weighted average shares outstanding, assuming dilution, as adjusted for any anti-dilutive instruments that may not be permitted for consideration in GAAP earnings per share calculations but that nonetheless favorably impact dilution;

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") - calculated as net income attributable to Delek adjusted to add back interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization;

Adjusted EBITDA - calculated as EBITDA adjusted for the identified adjusting items in Adjusted net income (loss) that do not relate to interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation or amortization, and adjusted to include income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interests;

Refining margin - calculated as the difference between total refining revenues and total cost of materials and other;

Adjusted refining margin -- calculated as refining margin adjusted for certain identified infrequently occurring items, non-cash items and items that are not attributable to our on-going refining operations recorded during the period;

Refining margin per sales barrel - calculated as refining margin divided by our average refining sales in barrels per day (excluding purchased barrels) multiplied by 1,000 and multiplied by the number of days in the period; and

Adjusted refining margin per sales barrel - calculated as adjusted refining margin divided by our average refining sales in barrels per day (excluding purchased barrels) multiplied by 1,000 and multiplied by the number of days in the period;

We believe these non-GAAP operational and financial measures are useful to investors, lenders, ratings agencies and analysts to assess our ongoing performance because, when reconciled to their most comparable GAAP financial measure, they provide improved comparability between periods through the exclusion of certain items that we believe are not indicative of our core operating performance and that may obscure our underlying results and trends.

Non-GAAP measures have important limitations as analytical tools, because they exclude some, but not all, items that affect net earnings and operating income. These measures should not be considered substitutes for their most directly comparable U.S. GAAP financial measures. Additionally, because Adjusted net income or loss, Adjusted net income or loss per share, EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA or any of our other identified non-GAAP measures may be defined differently by other companies in its industry, Delek US' definition may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. See the accompanying tables in this earnings release for a reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures.





Delek US Holdings, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (In millions, except share and per share data) March 31,

2020 December 31,

2019 ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 784.9 $ 955.3 Accounts receivable, net 436.0 792.6 Inventories, net of inventory valuation reserves 473.1 946.7 Other current assets 262.1 268.7 Total current assets 1,956.1 2,963.3 Property, plant and equipment: Property, plant and equipment 3,539.8 3,362.8 Less: accumulated depreciation (975.4 ) (934.5 ) Property, plant and equipment, net 2,564.4 2,428.3 Operating lease right-of-use assets 177.1 183.6 Goodwill 855.7 855.7 Other intangibles, net 111.5 110.3 Equity method investments 365.2 407.3 Other non-current assets 63.4 67.8 Total assets $ 6,093.4 $ 7,016.3 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 1,102.3 $ 1,599.7 Current portion of long-term debt 31.4 36.4 Obligation under Supply and Offtake Agreements 97.9 332.5 Current portion of operating lease liabilities 40.6 40.5 Accrued expenses and other current liabilities 354.7 346.8 Total current liabilities 1,626.9 2,355.9 Non-current liabilities: Long-term debt, net of current portion 2,185.5 2,030.7 Obligation under Supply and Offtake Agreements 179.5 144.8 Environmental liabilities, net of current portion 136.3 137.9 Asset retirement obligations 67.1 68.6 Deferred tax liabilities 242.2 267.9 Operating lease liabilities, net of current portion 137.3 144.3 Other non-current liabilities 28.7 30.9 Total non-current liabilities 2,976.6 2,825.1 Stockholders equity: Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 11,000,000 shares and 10,000,000 shares authorized at March 31,2020 and December 31, 2020, respectively, no shares issued and outstanding   Common stock, $0.01 par value, 110,000,000 shares authorized, 91,089,920 shares and 90,987,025 shares issued at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively 0.9 0.9 Additional paid-in capital 1,157.4 1,151.9 Accumulated other comprehensive income 1.2 0.1 Treasury stock, 17,575,527 shares and 17,516,814 shares, at cost, as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively (694.1 ) (692.2 ) Retained earnings 861.6 1,205.6 Non-controlling interests in subsidiaries 162.9 169.0 Total stockholders equity 1,489.9 1,835.3 Total liabilities and stockholders equity $ 6,093.4 $ 7,016.3









Delek US Holdings, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited) (1) (In millions, except share and per share data) Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 Net revenues $ 1,821.2 $ 2,199.9 Cost of sales: Cost of materials and other 1,910.6 1,699.4 Operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization presented below) 129.2 140.9 Depreciation and amortization 47.0 39.3 Total cost of sales 2,086.8 1,879.6 Operating expenses related to retail and wholesale business (excluding depreciation and amortization presented below) 25.3 25.8 General and administrative expenses 65.7 62.2 Depreciation and amortization 5.6 7.5 Other operating (income) expense, net (0.7 ) 2.4 Total operating costs and expenses 2,182.7 1,977.5 Operating (loss) income (361.5 ) 222.4 Interest expense 36.3 28.7 Interest income (1.7 ) (2.5 ) Income from equity method investments (5.1 ) (2.6 ) Other income, net (0.9 ) (1.4 ) Total non-operating expenses, net 28.6 22.2 (Loss) income from continuing operations before income tax (benefit) expense (390.1 ) 200.2 Income tax (benefit) expense (83.1 ) 45.8 Net (loss) income (307.0 ) 154.4 Net income attributed to non-controlling interests 7.4 5.1 Net (loss) income attributable to Delek $ (314.4 ) $ 149.3 Basic (loss) income per share $ (4.28 ) $ 1.92 Diluted (loss) income per share $ (4.28 ) $ 1.90 Weighted average common shares outstanding: Basic 73,437,730 77,793,278 Diluted 73,437,730 78,446,690 Dividends declared per common share outstanding $ 0.31 $ 0.27









Delek US Holdings, Inc. Condensed Cash Flow Data (Unaudited) (In millions) Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 Cash flows from operating activities: Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities (154.1 ) 133.4 Cash flows from investing activities: Net cash used in investing activities (146.6 ) (127.0 ) Cash flows from financing activities: Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities 130.3 (96.0 ) Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents (170.4 ) (89.6 ) Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the period 955.3 1,079.3 Cash and cash equivalents of continuing operations at the end of the period $ 784.9 $ 989.7









Delek US Holdings, Inc. Segment Data (Unaudited) (In millions) Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 Refining Logistics Retail Corporate,

Other and

Eliminations Consolidated Net revenues (excluding inter-segment fees and revenues) $ 1,569.3 $ 56.8 $ 178.6 $ 16.5 $ 1,821.2 Inter-segment fees and revenues 158.6 106.6  (265.2 )  Operating costs and expenses:  Cost of materials and other 1,906.6 101.3 144.1 (241.4 ) 1,910.6 Operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization presented below) 111.7 14.8 22.2 5.8 154.5 Segment contribution margin $ (290.4 ) $ 47.3 $ 12.3 $ (13.1 ) $ (243.9 ) Depreciation and amortization 37.2 6.3 2.9 6.2 52.6 General and administrative expenses 65.7 Other operating income, net (0.7 ) Operating loss $ (361.5 ) Capital spending (excluding business combinations) $ 168.1 $ 3.0 $ 6.2 $ 12.9 $ 190.2





Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 Refining (1) Logistics Retail Corporate,

Other and

Eliminations (1) Consolidated Net revenues (excluding intercompany fees and sales) $ 1,907.4 $ 89.6 $ 197.2 $ 5.7 $ 2,199.9 Intercompany fees and sales 184.6 62.9  (247.5 )  Operating costs and expenses: Cost of materials and other 1,669.1 96.3 163.4 (229.4 ) 1,699.4 Operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization presented below) 121.0 16.1 23.6 6.0 166.7 Segment contribution margin $ 301.9 $ 40.1 $ 10.2 $ (18.4 ) $ 333.8 Depreciation and amortization 31.1 6.5 4.3 4.9 46.8 General and administrative expenses 62.2 Other operating expense, net 2.4 Operating income $ 222.4 Capital spending (excluding business combinations) $ 81.7 $ 0.9 $ 5.1 $ 40.7 $ 128.4

(1) The refining segment results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2019, includes a component of cost of materials and other related to hedging activity of $7.6 million gain which was previously included and reported in corporate, other and eliminations.









Refining Segment Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 Tyler, TX Refinery (Unaudited) Days in period 91 90 Total sales volume - refined product (average barrels per day)(1) 74,981 70,028 Products manufactured (average barrels per day): Gasoline 40,041 39,341 Diesel/Jet 27,403 27,383 Petrochemicals, LPG, NGLs 1,992 2,056 Other 1,242 1,166 Total production 70,678 69,946 Throughput (average barrels per day): Crude oil 65,966 64,479 Other feedstocks 5,741 6,471 Total throughput 71,707 70,950 Per barrel of refined product sales: Tyler refining margin $ (21.51 ) $ 22.26 Tyler adjusted refining margin $ 0.24 $ 16.22 Operating expenses $ 3.73 $ 4.70 Crude Slate: (% based on amount received in period) WTI crude oil 92.6 % 89.6 % East Texas crude oil 7.4 % 9.1 % Other  % 1.3 % El Dorado, AR Refinery Days in period 91 90 Total sales volume - refined product (average barrels per day)(1) 77,551 52,440 Products manufactured (average barrels per day): Gasoline 36,407 20,490 Diesel 27,637 15,451 Petrochemicals, LPG, NGLs 2,061 806 Asphalt 6,641 4,825 Other 972 639 Total production 73,718 42,211 Throughput (average barrels per day): Crude oil 71,621 41,112 Other feedstocks 2,643 2,192 Total throughput 74,264 43,304 Per barrel of refined product sales: El Dorado refining margin $ (8.45 ) $ 13.45 El Dorado adjusted refining margin $ (1.23 ) 12.67 Operating expenses $ 4.42 $ 6.69 Crude Slate: (% based on amount received in period) WTI crude oil 34.4 % 41.3 % Local Arkansas crude oil 19.2 % 27.7 % Other 46.4 % 31.0 %









Refining Segment Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 Big Spring, TX Refinery (Unaudited) Days in period - based on date acquired 91 90 Total sales volume - refined product (average barrels per day) (1) 38,086 81,849 Products manufactured (average barrels per day): Gasoline 14,607 38,900 Diesel/Jet 9,796 28,359 Petrochemicals, LPG, NGLs 1,381 3,848 Asphalt 850 1,512 Other 480 1,237 Total production 27,114 73,856 Throughput (average barrels per day): Crude oil 29,905 72,329 Other feedstocks (1,327 ) 1,890 Total throughput 28,578 74,219 Per barrel of refined product sales: Big Spring refining margin $ (12.60 ) $ 18.16 Big Spring adjusted refining margin $ (4.92 ) $ 17.71 Operating expenses $ 7.37 $ 3.81 Crude Slate: (% based on amount received in period) WTI crude oil 56.3 % 79.5 % WTS crude oil 43.7 % 20.5 % Krotz Springs, LA Refinery Days in period - based on date acquired 91 90 Total sales volume - refined product (average barrels per day) (1) 81,016 78,231 Products manufactured (average barrels per day): Gasoline 29,933 38,062 Diesel/Jet 30,932 30,391 Heavy oils 731 1,090 Petrochemicals, LPG, NGLs 3,006 7,269 Other  105 Total production 64,602 76,917 Throughput (average barrels per day): Crude oil 72,481 72,330 Other feedstocks (8,383 ) 3,166 Total throughput 64,098 75,496 Per barrel of refined product sales: Krotz Springs refining margin $ (1.49 ) $ 11.95 Krotz Springs adjusted refining margin $ 4.48 $ 10.97 Operating expenses $ 3.43 $ 3.89 Crude Slate: (% based on amount received in period) WTI Crude 66.1 % 65.0 % Gulf Coast Sweet Crude 33.9 % 35.0 %

(1) Includes inter-refinery sales and sales to other segments which are eliminated in consolidation. See tables below.





Included in the refinery statistics above are the following inter-refinery and sales to other segments:

Inter-refinery Sales Three Months Ended March 31, (in barrels per day) 2019 2018 (Unaudited) Tyler refined product sales to other Delek refineries 763 197 El Dorado refined product sales to other Delek refineries 1,466 847 Big Spring refined product sales to other Delek refineries 1,025 1,296 Krotz Springs refined product sales to other Delek refineries 293 797





Refinery Sales to Other Segments Three Months Ended March 31, (in barrels per day) 2019 2018 (Unaudited) Tyler refined product sales to other Delek segments 3,207 540 El Dorado refined product sales to other Delek segments 328 253 Big Spring refined product sales to other Delek segments 25,112 26,862 Krotz Springs refined product sales to other Delek segments  





Pricing statistics (average for the period presented) Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 (Unaudited) WTI  Cushing crude oil (per barrel) $ 45.57 $ 54.87 WTI  Midland crude oil (per barrel) (1) $ 45.51 $ 53.70 WTS -- Midland crude oil (per barrel) (1) $ 44.99 $ 53.93 LLS crude oil (per barrel) (1) $ 47.63 $ 62.36 Brent crude oil (per barrel) $ 50.82 $ 63.83 US Gulf Coast 5-3-2 crack spread (per barrel) (1) $ 8.76 $ 13.02 US Gulf Coast 3-2-1 crack spread (per barrel) (1) $ 11.41 $ 15.18 US Gulf Coast 2-1-1 crack spread (per barrel) (1) $ 8.12 $ 7.33 US Gulf Coast Unleaded Gasoline (per gallon) $ 1.25 $ 1.52 Gulf Coast Ultra low sulfur diesel (per gallon) $ 1.47 $ 1.88 US Gulf Coast high sulfur diesel (per gallon) $ 1.36 $ 1.75 Natural gas (per MMBTU) $ 1.87 $ 2.87

(1) For our Tyler and El Dorado refineries, we compare our per barrel refining product margin to the Gulf Coast 5-3-2 crack spread consisting of WTI Cushing crude, U.S. Gulf Coast CBOB and U.S, Gulf Coast Pipeline No. 2 heating oil (high sulfur diesel). For our Big Spring refinery, we compare our per barrel refined product margin to the Gulf Coast 3-2-1 crack spread consisting of WTI Cushing crude, Gulf Coast 87 Conventional gasoline and Gulf Coast ultra-low sulfur diesel, and for our Krotz Springs refinery, we compare our per barrel refined product margin to the Gulf Coast 2-1-1 crack spread consisting of LLS crude oil, Gulf Coast 87 Conventional gasoline and U.S, Gulf Coast Pipeline No. 2 heating oil (high sulfur diesel). The Tyler refinery's crude oil input is primarily WTI Midland and east Texas, while the El Dorado refinery's crude input is primarily a combination of WTI Midland, local Arkansas and other domestic inland crude oil. The Big Spring refinerys crude oil input is primarily comprised of WTS and WTI Midland. The Krotz Springs refinerys crude oil input is primarily comprised of LLS and WTI Midland.









Delek US Holdings, Inc. Reconciliation of Refining Margin per barrel to Adjusted Refining Margin per barrel (1) $ in millions, except per share data Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 (Unaudited) Tyler (2) Reported refining margin, $ per barrel $ (21.51 ) $ 22.26 Adjustments: LCM net inventory valuation loss (benefit) 21.75 (6.04 ) Adjusted refining margin $/bbl $ 0.24 $ 16.22 El Dorado (3) Reported refining margin, $ per barrel $ (8.45 ) $ 13.45 Adjustments: LCM net inventory valuation loss (benefit) 7.22 (0.78 ) Adjusted refining margin $/bbl $ (1.23 ) $ 12.67 Big Spring (4) Reported refining margin, $ per barrel $ (12.60 ) $ 18.16 Adjustments: LCM net inventory valuation loss (benefit) 7.68 (0.45 ) Adjusted refining margin $/bbl $ (4.92 ) $ 17.71 Krotz Springs (5) Reported refining margin, $ per barrel $ (1.49 ) $ 11.95 Adjustments: LCM net inventory valuation loss (benefit) 5.97 (0.98 ) Adjusted refining margin $/bbl $ 4.48 $ 10.97

(1) Adjusted refining margin per barrel is presented to provide a measure to evaluate performance excluding inventory valuation adjustments and other items at the individual refinery level. Delek US believes that the presentation of adjusted measures provides useful information to investors in assessing its results of operations at each refinery. Because adjusted refining margin per barrel may be defined differently by other companies in its industry, Delek US' definition may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. (2) Tyler adjusted refining margins exclude the following items. Net inventory valuation benefit/loss - There was approximately $148.4 million of valuation loss and $38.1 million of valuation benefit in the first quarter 2020 and 2019, respectively. These amounts resulted from lower of cost or market adjustments on LIFO inventory in the respective periods. (3) El Dorado adjusted refining margins exclude the following items. Net inventory valuation loss - There was approximately $51.0 million of valuation loss and $3.7 million of valuation benefit in the first quarter 2020 and 2019, respectively. These amounts resulted from lower of cost or net realizable value adjustments on FIFO inventory in the respective periods. (4) Big Spring adjusted refining margins exclude the following items. Net inventory valuation loss - There was approximately $26.6 million of valuation loss and $3.3 million of valuation benefit in the first quarter 2020 and 2019, respectively. These amounts resulted from lower of cost or net realizable value adjustments on FIFO inventory in the respective periods. (5) Krotz Springs adjusted refining margins exclude the following items. Net inventory valuation loss - There was approximately $44.0 million of valuation loss and $6.9 million of valuation benefit in the first quarter 2020 and 2019, respectively.These amounts resulted from lower of cost or net realizable value adjustments on FIFO inventory in the respective periods.









Logistics Segment Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 (Unaudited) Pipelines & Transportation: (average bpd) Lion Pipeline System: Crude pipelines (non-gathered) 55,471 28,683 Refined products pipelines 54,106 23,092 SALA Gathering System 34,906 16,998 East Texas Crude Logistics System 14,174 18,113 Wholesale Marketing & Terminalling: East Texas - Tyler Refinery sales volumes (average bpd) (1) 72,650 68,577 West Texas marketing throughputs (average bpd) 16,081 13,314 West Texas gross margin per barrel $ 2.70 $ 3.56 Big Spring Marketing - Refinery sales volume (average bpd) (for period owned) 66,386 87,741 Terminalling throughputs (average bpd) 135,329 152,469

(1) Excludes jet fuel and petroleum coke.









Retail Segment Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 (Unaudited) Number of stores (end of period) 253 281 Average number of stores 253 281 Retail fuel sales (thousands of gallons) 47,959 53,890 Average retail gallons per average number of stores (in thousands) 194 199 Retail fuel margin ($ per gallon) (1) $ 0.31 $ 0.19 Merchandise sales (in millions) $ 71.7 $ 75.3 Merchandise sales per average number of stores (in millions) $ 0.3 $ 0.3 Merchandise margin % 31.6 % 31.0 %





Same-Store Comparison Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 (Unaudited) Change in same-store fuel gallons sold (2) (8.2 )% 4.1 % Change in same-store merchandise sales (2) 1.7 % 0.8 %

(1) Retail fuel margin represents gross margin on fuel sales in the retail segment, and is calculated as retail fuel sales revenue less retail fuel cost of sales. The retail fuel margin per gallon calculation is derived by dividing retail fuel margin by the total retail fuel gallons sold for the period. (2) Same-store comparisons include period-over-period increases or decreases in specified metrics for stores that were in service at both the beginning of the earliest period and the end of the most recent period used in the comparison.









Delek US Holdings, Inc. Reconciliation of Amounts Reported Under U.S. GAAP $ in millions Three Months Ended March 31, Reconciliation of Net (Loss) Income attributable to Delek to Adjusted Net (Loss) Income 2020 2019 (Unaudited) Reported net (loss) income attributable to Delek $ (314.4 ) $ 149.3 Adjustments Net inventory valuation loss (benefit) 280.8 (52.1 ) Tax effect of inventory valuation (66.2 ) 12.2 Net after tax inventory valuation loss (benefit) 214.6 (39.9 ) Adjusted unrealized (gain) hedging loss (7.6 ) 13.3 Tax effect of adjusted unrealized hedging (gain) loss 1.7 (3.0 ) Net after tax adjusted unrealized hedging (gain) loss (5.9 ) 10.3 Retroactive biodiesel tax credit (1)  9.7 Tax effect of retroactive biodiesel tax credit   Net after tax retroactive biodiesel tax credit  9.7 Tax adjustment to reduce deferred tax asset valuation allowance resulting from Big Springs Gathering Assets Acquisition (22.3 )  Total after tax adjustments 186.4 (19.9 ) Adjusted net (loss) income $ (128.0 ) $ 129.4

(1) An adjustment for the portion of the retroactive biodiesel tax credit reenacted in December 2019 that was attributable to the first quarter of 2019 has been included in the three months ended March 31, 2019 for comparability.









Delek US Holdings, Inc. Reconciliation of Amounts Reported Under U.S. GAAP per share data Three Months Ended March 31, Reconciliation of U.S. GAAP (Loss) Income per share to Adjusted Net (Loss) Income per share 2020 2019 (Unaudited) Reported diluted (loss) income per share $ (4.28 ) $ 1.90 Adjustments, after tax (per share) (1) Net inventory valuation loss (benefit) 2.92 (0.51 ) Adjusted unrealized (gain) hedging loss (0.08 ) 0.13 Retroactive biodiesel tax credit  0.12 Tax adjustment to reduce deferred tax asset valuation allowance resulting from Big Springs Gathering Assets Acquisition (0.30 )  Total adjustments 2.54 (0.26 ) Adjusted net (loss) income per share $ (1.74 ) $ 1.64

(1) The tax calculation is based on the appropriate marginal income tax rate related to each adjustment and for each respective time period, which is applied to the adjusted items in the calculation of adjusted net income in all periods.









Delek US Holdings, Inc. Reconciliation of Amounts Reported Under U.S. GAAP $ in millions Three Months Ended March 31, Reconciliation of Net Income attributable to Delek to Adjusted EBITDA 2020 2019 (Unaudited) Reported net (loss) income attributable to Delek $ (314.4 ) $ 149.3 Add: Interest expense, net 34.6 26.2 Income tax expense - continuing operations (83.1 ) 45.8 Depreciation and amortization 52.6 46.8 EBITDA (310.3 ) 268.1 Adjustments Net inventory valuation loss (benefit) 280.8 (52.1 ) Adjusted unrealized hedging (gain) loss (7.6 ) 13.3 Retroactive biodiesel tax credit (1)  9.7 Net income attributable to non-controlling interest 7.4 5.1 Total adjustments 280.6 (24.0 ) Adjusted EBITDA $ (29.7 ) $ 244.1

(1) The portion of the retroactive biodiesel tax credit reenacted in December 2019 that was attributable to the first quarter of 2019 has been added to the three months ended March 31, 2019.









Three Months Ended March 31, Reconciliation of Refining Segment Gross Margin to Refining Margin 2020 2019 (Unaudited) Net revenues $ 1,727.9 $ 2,092.0 Cost of sales 2,055.5 1,821.2 Gross margin (327.6 ) 270.8 Add back (items included in cost of sales): Operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization) 111.7 121.0 Depreciation and amortization 37.2 31.1 Refining margin $ (178.7 ) $ 422.9









Three Months Ended March 31, Reconciliation of Unrealized (Gains) Losses on Economic Hedge Commodity Derivatives Not Designated as Hedges to Adjusted Unrealized Hedging (Gains) Losses 2020 2019 (Unaudited) Unrealized (gain) loss on economic hedge commodity derivatives not designated as hedges $ (52.0 ) $ 27.1 Less: Net effect of settlement timing differences Portion of current period unrealized (gain) loss where the instrument has matured but has not cash settled as of period end (37.6 ) 5.6 Less: Prior period unrealized loss (gain) where the instrument had matured but had not cash settled as of prior period end 6.8 (8.1 ) Total net effect of settlement timing differences (44.4 ) 13.7 Adjusted unrealized hedging (gains) losses $ (7.6 ) $ 13.4









Investor/Media Relations Contacts:

Blake Fernandez, Senior Vice President of Investor Relations and Market Intelligence, 615-224-1312
Dermot F. Shea, the police commissioner, defended his officers actions on Sunday, saying they had been enforcing executive orders intended to keep people alive.

So while we greatly, greatly respect the right of people to protest, there should not be protests taking place in the middle of a pandemic by gathering outside and putting people at risk, he said on Monday.

Mayor Bill de Blasio also said on Monday that dispersing the protesters was necessary to protect lives.

People who want to make their voices heard, theres plenty of ways to do it without gathering in person, Mr. de Blasio told reporters the following day. He encouraged people to use all the other tools you have to get your point across but avoid anything that might put other people in harms way.

The news conference and demonstration on Sunday took place near Mount Sinai Beth Israel hospital and lasted 15 minutes. It was organized by the Reclaim Pride Coalition, and members of a second group, Rise and Resist, also participated. About a dozen people took part.

They were criticizing the mayor, governor and Mount Sinai Health Systems for welcoming Samaritans Purse, a evangelical organization that had operated a field hospital in Central Park for Covid-19 patients, into New York.

Video from the event shows a New York police official, in a white shirt and a mask, using a bullhorn. This gathering is unlawful and you are ordered to disperse, he told the group. Gatherings of any kind have been prohibited by the governor and by the mayor.
The University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) has opened an 18-bed capacity isolation centre for testing and treatment of COVID-19 patients.

The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of UPTH, Henry Ugboma, disclosed this on Tuesday at the inauguration of the centre in Port Harcourt.

He said the hospital is concerned with the increasing number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the country.

Based on this, UPTH, with the support of the federal government, decided to build an isolation, treatment and testing centre for coronavirus patients.

The centre has capacity for 18-bed spaces but presently, we have 14 beds already installed in the facility.

The centre is equipped with ventilators and the personal protective equipment (PPE) donated by NIMASA, Salvation Ministries and other well-spirited individuals and organisations.

Mr Ugboma said the centre would be upgraded to accommodate more patients in the unfortunate event of community outbreak in the state.

He said the hospital was currently expecting additional equipment from other organisations to enable it to effectively tackle the pandemic.

Presently, we have three ventilators, dedicated only to COVID-19 patients, just as we also have seven others in our intensive care units for the management of other patients.

Aside this, we also have PPE and other gadgets needed for the treatment of coronavirus patients. However, what we have is not enough.

So we are hoping that multinational companies, both state and federal governments, as well as kind-spirited individuals will provide us with additional equipment, he said.

Mr Ugboma said UPTH had the expertise and facilities to tackle the disease, saying that testing and treatment were free for those with COVID-19 symptoms.

The UPTH CMD explained that another isolation and treatment centre, built by the Federal Government for treatment of other cases, like Ebola, was still in use by the hospital.

(NAN)
Leading Texas Republicans on Wednesday condemned the jailing of a Dallas salon owner who gained national attention for openly defying the governor's stay-at-home order.

The owner, Shelley Luther, was sentenced to a week in jail and fined $7,000 on Tuesday under the ruling from Judge Eric Moye. Luther had refused to comply with a cease and desist order  publicly ripping it up  and quickly became a champion among conservatives who have been agitating for a faster statewide reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic.

I find it outrageous and out of touch that during this national pandemic, a judge, in a county that actually released hardened criminals for fear of contracting COVID-19, would jail a mother for operating her hair salon in an attempt to put food on her familys table, Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a statement Wednesday.

RESTRICTIONS SCRUTINIZED: As COVID-19 restrictions drag on in Texas, legal challenges gain a foothold

Gov. Greg Abbott, who lifted the stay-at-home order last week, said "jailing Texans for non-compliance with executive orders should always be the last available option."

"Compliance with executive orders during this pandemic is important to ensure public safety; however, surely there are less restrictive means to achieving that goal than jailing a Texas mother," he said in a statement.

Abbott has urged Texans to take precautions that prevent the spread of infection, but has said he would leave enforcement of his orders up to local authorities and regulatory agencies. He has barred local officials from imposing stricter restrictions, including fines for not wearing face masks in public.

Moye told Luther in court Tuesday that he would consider only imposing a fine if she apologized and agreed to keep her business closed until Friday, when Abbott has said salons can partially reopen. She refused.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

I have much respect for this court and laws. I have never been in this position before and its not someplace that I want to be, Luther said, according to local news reports. But I have to disagree with you sir, when you say that Im selfish because feeding my kids is not selfish."

In an interview last week, Luther said she was trying to prove the point: Theres nothing that the government can do to take away God-given rights.

But Moye described her defiance as "selfish," saying she had put your own interest ahead of those in the community in which you live."

Dallas County has released some jailed inmates since the pandemic began over concerns of infections spreading. Nearly 250 inmates at the jail had tested positive.

Other prominent Republicans chimed in Wednesday, including U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, who applauded the condemnations on Twitter. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told reporters on a press call that he disagrees with the ruling and offered to pay Luthers fine.

Luthers attorney, Warren Norred, did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday afternoon.
SAN FRANCISCO  After Mayor London Breed of San Francisco issued the nations first shelter-in-place order March 16, the city of nearly 900,000 quickly fell in line. Nonessential businesses and schools closed, parks and playgrounds thinned out, and social distancing became a way of life.

And for those trying to maintain a semblance of pre-coronavirus normalcy, authorities have been quick to intervene. On a recent sunny Sunday, the police descended on Dolores Park, a popular picnicking spot, to disperse those who might come within 6 feet of strangers; the mayor even threatened to close the park if visitors didnt comply with health guidelines. As of April 27, at least 17 citations had been handed out for violations of the mayors order.

But steps from City Hall, a different scene has unfolded. The streets and sidewalks in the citys impoverished and overlooked Tenderloin district are humming with activity.

Groups of 10, 15 or more congregate on corners and spill into the street. Open-air drug use, rampant before the virus struck, continues unabated, alongside sidewalk bazaars of bric-a-brac. The walkways are fuller than ever, particularly as the number of street tents has tripled, by one estimate, to more than 300 in the 50-square-block Tenderloin. A city mandate for masks in public goes virtually unheeded, including in grocery and liquor stores.

Here, in the citys densest neighborhood, police dont enforce the 6-foot social-distancing mandate  on just one block, a patrol car drove by three men sharing a glass pipe, a social circle of seven and two elderly women nudging a man sleeping in a doorway.

Bushra Alduais, who lives in the Tenderloin with her husband and three children, is accustomed to seeing the needle sharing, violence and mental disorder endemic to the neighborhood, but the outbreak of the coronavirus has brought a new element of danger. She said she hasnt set foot outside her apartment in more than six weeks. My kids are bugging me, Alduais said. They want to go outside, I want to go outside. Her husband ventures out to buy groceries and other essential goods.

Nothing has changed in the Tenderloin, Alduais said. Its worse and worse.

The Tenderloin and nearby South of Market, or SOMA, present a particular challenge for city officials. As one of San Franciscos oldest neighborhoods, the Tenderloin is chock-full of historic buildings, theaters and restaurants, but decades of political indifference have also left it a haven for homelessness, drug use and prostitution amidst cramped living spaces like single-room-occupancy hotels, where residents share bathrooms and other facilities. You dont move to the Tenderloin  you end up there.

Median household income in the Tenderloin from 2014 to 2018 was just $22,150, according to data San Franciscos chief economist, Ted Egan, provided  far below the citywide median of $104,552. And almost 30% of residents in the district, including an adjacent neighborhood, live below the federal poverty line.

The city treats the Tenderloin like a containment zone, said David Elliot Lewis, who has lived in the neighborhood for 14 years. They wouldnt tolerate what you see here in the Marina or Pac Heights  two of the citys most affluent neighborhoods and home to some of its technology billionaires  particularly with this virus that can spread so quickly.

Its scary and it feels threatening to my health to just be outside, said Lewis, who has been posting photographs of sometimes disturbing Tenderloin street scenes on his Facebook page. He straps on a mask and form-fitting goggles to venture to grocery stores and walks in the street, rather than on the sidewalk, to keep his distance.

Lewis is not alone in his frustration. A group of residents, businesses and the University of California Hastings College of Law, located in the Tenderloin, sued the city in federal court Monday to clean up the neighborhood, alleging squalid conditions that threaten peoples health in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Rather than acting as an equalizer, the coronavirus is deepening socioeconomic rifts. The wealthiest receive the best care, have access to testing and enjoy emotional support from family members over video calls, while the most vulnerable are too often simply ignored. Less than 2% of the U.S. population has been screened for the virus, while wealthy enclaves like Bolinas, California, have arranged for each of its 1,300 residents to get a test.

Were already having problems as it is with the Tenderloin, Breed told me. We think that just because theres a pandemic that the problems that many people who are homeless face would just all of a sudden disappear and this would become the priority.But people who suffer from substance-use disorder and mental illness, that just doesnt turn off because of a pandemic, she said.

When it comes to the poorest in places from Philadelphias Kensington to Los Angeles Skid Row, city officials grappling with COVID-19 are collectively shrugging. Their options are few and unpalatable: Put them in shelters, large encampments or even jails, where the virus has spread quickly, or in costly and logistically difficult hotel rooms; or simply let them fend for themselves. Critics say officials too often are choosing the latter.

And these solutions seem more like a Band-Aid than a long-term fix.

A lack of reliable information means many in the nations most-downtrodden districts resist wearing masks or altering their daily routines and still more simply have nowhere else to go other than makeshift tents.

Sheltering in place works, but it is a recourse for the privileged who can afford to stay at home for weeks on end, because their jobs or bank accounts permit it. Panhandling is only possible out in the open.

An even more troubling future is on the horizon. Local eviction moratoriums and rent-stabilization initiatives will help keep in their homes some of the 30 million who have filed for unemployment benefits in the past five weeks, but a new wave of homelessness is likely. More than 60,000 have filed unemployment claims this year in San Francisco alone, and the mayor expects at least 40,000 more, suggesting 1 in 9 residents will have lost their jobs.

You cant pitch a tent in a wealthy neighborhood, so youll probably head for the Tenderloin, said Matt Haney, a San Francisco supervisor who represents the area.

Breed quickly ordered quarantines, helping to keep infection rates low and winning her praise and national recognition (the crisis also delivered a timely distraction from a roiling fraud scandal involving a Breed administration official). Just over 1,600 positive coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the city and 29 deaths, far fewer than in New York City, the pandemics epicenter. Even as tourism dollars have dried up, Breed extended the shelter-in-place order to the end of May, a contrast with states like Texas and Georgia, where officials are pushing to open more businesses more quickly.

But the mayor has also attracted the ire of supervisors like Haney and Hillary Ronen, who told me their districts lack sufficient portable toilets and hand-washing stations as officials focus their efforts on other neighborhoods. Demonstrators gathered outside Breeds home on April 30 to protest a shortage of mandated hotel rooms for the citys 8,000 homeless residents.

The 11-member board of supervisors had pushed through emergency legislation requiring the city to secure 8,250 hotel rooms for homeless residents  1,250 more rooms than originally planned. But by the end of April, San Francisco had secured only about 2,500 rooms and had moved just over 1,000 people into them. Breed said she was working to lease or even buy more hotel rooms and pointed to the logistical challenges of transporting people to these rooms while maintaining social distancing. And theres the hefty bill to contend with  about $56 million per month  that will be only partly offset with federal funds.

Breed bristled at a new encampment of an estimated 100 people that sprouted beside the Asian Art Museum downtown in the weeks after the coronavirus arrived, saying well-meaning philanthropic groups distributing tents could attract more people to the city.

The mayor said the citys gains are threatened by neighborhoods like the Tenderloin where residents are resistant to change: Even though weve been able to handle almost everything else in a way that has put us in a decent place as it relates to the number of infections of COVID-19 in the city, it could take off at any time because of our not only congregate living settings but also because of a population of people who are just not going to naturally comply.

Were at an impasse as it relates to this particular population, she said.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Australians could be free to gather in homes in groups of up to 10 people as soon as Mother's Day following Scott Morrison's much-anticipated coronavirus announcement this week.

The ban on public gatherings of more than two people could reportedly be lifted when the prime minister addresses the nation following Friday's National Cabinet meeting.

It comes as Mr Morrison said on Wednesday night he wanted Australia to get back as 'close as we possibly can' to normal life as the world waits for a COVID-19 vaccine.

The barbecue could reportedly be back on Down Under with Australians free to gather in homes in groups of as many as 10 people (stock image)

Mr Morrison pictured with a drink in hand at a Parliament House event in October 2018. He said on Wednesday evening in a live Q&A he wanted Australia to get back as 'close as we possibly can' to normal life while the world waits for a COVID-19 vaccine

The 10-person rule could be a part of the National Cabinet's advice when they meet at the end of the week and then put in place by the federal government for the weekend, 7News reported.

It would allow family barbecues and dinner parties to go ahead in time for the annual celebration of motherhood in Australia.

While the federal government can announce what measures will be used across the country going forward, it is up to each state and territory to decide how and when each rule will be implemented.

Health data from across the country is being analysed this week ahead of the highly-awaited cabinet meeting on Friday.

The death toll nationally stands at 97, while 6,875 cases of the deadly virus have been recorded in Australia.

The revelation comes as the prime minister spoke in a Q&A session with news.com.au on Tuesday evening to provide an update on the government's response to the coronavirus.

Family and friends could be able to gather together for dinner parties as soon as the weekend following Friday's national cabinet meeting (stock image)

Mr Morrison said Australians needed to download the COVID-19 app to enable contact tracing of coronavirus cases and preventing a second wave of infections

'You're going to see changes happen gradually, they're not all going to happen at once,' 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

'Until there's a vaccine then there isn't the possibility of us getting fully back to normal, but we want to get as close as we possibly can.'

The Australian leader added the widespread use of the COVID-19 government app was vital to the slow re-opening of society and preventing a second wave.

'The number one reason [to download it] is to keep you safe,' Mr Morrison said.

'The app helps you and your family first and foremost. The more people who do it, the more that we can track down and fight against the virus.'

He remained mostly tight-lipped about when the National Cabinet will consider re-opening children's playgrounds though - indicating it may be a while yet before they are open to the younger generation again.

'It's something I know the medical expert panel is working through,' he said during Wednesday evening's live stream.

Mr Morrison also revealed his discussions about the virus with other leaders including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (pair are pictured together in August of last year)

The prime minister also shared his conversations with other world leaders - saying British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was 'full of beans' when they spoke following his recovery from the virus.

'I was able to take him through what we'd done on the border shutdown, and then the tracing, and the testing we'd put in place,' he said.

'The common elements of how you deal with this are quite clear.'
Two persons have been killed in cult clashes which broke out in Afikpo South local government area of Ebonyi State.

Irked by the incident, Governor David Umahi on Wednesday ordered security agencies to fish out the perpetrators and prosecute them.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the second victim was killed in the area on Wednesday morning in a reprisal attack.

The Commissioner of Police, Awosola Awotinde, confirmed the killings and arrests of the suspects.

Background

One Onu Ukpai Chima was allegedly killed in Owutu community in the area on Sunday as two rival cult groups clashed.

The killings allegedly led to the raid of hideouts of the cultists by police on Tuesday night.

But after the police left, a cousin of the late Chima, whose name was given as Ukegbu, reportedly went on a reprisal attack and killed one Raphael Chijioke alleged to be a member of the cult group that allegedly killed Chima.

Reacting to the killings on Wednesday, Mr Umahi described the killings as unacceptable.

He urged security agencies to move in an arrest anybody involved in the killings no matter how highly placed they may be.

The killings in Afikpo south is not acceptable. If we can solve this problem once and for all, it will be good.

As the Governor of the state, I cannot take side. Security agents should go and do investigation and arrest whoever that is involved, get the person arrested and do proper investigation.

Take the people involved in the killings to court. I will sign any paper for execution, I will do it to prove a point in Afikpo south.
Rodney McMillian

Through June 13. Petzel, petzel.com.

Rodney McMillians paintings on found blankets, Recirculating Goods at Petzel, continues the long conversation about the value of art made with cheap or salvaged materials  but also, surprisingly, the history of landscape painting. I saw the show in person before the lockdown but the online edition can give you an idea of this Los Angeles artists deft merging of the tactile, political and absurd.

The titles cement the landscape association. Untitled (landscape on blue afghan), from 2018, is made with latex and ink on a worn blue blanket and evokes rolling hills under a staccato-patterned sky. Untitled (clouds) (2019) turns celestial while Untitled (setting sun) (2019) uses a few dashes of paint to cut through concentric squares and suggest a horizon line.

Mr. McMillians paintings, which use a few quick brush strokes or paint-pours to create a work, playfully upend the academically created genre of landscape. They also have obvious precedents in the improvisatory, jazz-inspired look of African-American quilts, African textiles and David Hammonss sly sculptures made with minimal materials.

The politics of Mr. McMillians objects in relation to their context was amplified when you saw these works on the tony Upper East Side. Online, however, the scale is obscured and the horizontally oriented paintings look almost like face masks, which have exploded in recent weeks as another ad hoc canvas and a repository for politics and creative expression.

MARTHA SCHWENDENER
Washington: Donald Trump's campaign is changing its message to refocus voters' attention on what it predicts will be a rosy post-coronavirus world.

The president's re-election effort is gripped by polls showing Americans broadly souring on Trump and his performance managing the virus outbreak and the economic fallout. To combat that, the Trump campaign is reupping the winning slogan of 2016, "Make America Great Again."

US President Donald Trump in the East Room of the White House in Washington. Credit:AP

The new campaign message is that he can rebuild the economy better than presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden, who the Trump camp argues co-piloted a sluggish rebound from the 2008 financial crisis, according to two officials familiar with the strategy. They asked not to be identified discussing internal strategy.

A new ad released on Sunday stitches together images of health-care workers cheering, Trump talking at the State of the Union about "safeguarding our citizens," and Democratic governors Andrew Cuomo of New York and Gavin Newsom of California praising steps he took to help states get some equipment to fight the coronavirus.
Facebook is not leaving any leaf unturned where relief and support efforts amid the disastrous pandemic are concerned.Last month only, Facebook had launched its  Community Help  platform. It was meant to provide as much assistance to people within their communities as possible. Also, through this feature, people could ask for help from the local communities as well.This platform was already being used to request for food and supplies, along with significant information about local resources. People have been extending their support voluntarily, on an individual level, or in the form of groups.Seeing the effect of this wonderful platform, Facebook is now going to add more features to the Community Help Hub, to let more people get the support and help they need concerning small businesses, nonprofit organizations, blood banks, etc.Now Facebook users will be able to use Community Help Hub to buy support gift cards for local businesses, and volunteer as donors for blood banks. Donation for fundraisers and nonprofit organizations is also possible through this hub, as well as finding local job opportunities for those whose employment got adversely affected due to the coronavirus pandemic is also going to be a priority.All these new features have launched on the  Giving Tuesday Event , which has specially held on May 5th, 2020.Giving Tuesday Event always used to be held on the immediate Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the U.S. or after the wrap up of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. But this time, due to the unprecedented circumstances, it has been held in May, as an emergency day of giving.All these features are going to be launched in the result of partnerships that Facebook has been forming over the years and the technology they have been building around this motivation.Facebooks efforts to connect users with blood banks are not new, but now they are going to be on a more expanded level.The major partners and supporters for this Giving Tuesday Event include Facebook, PayPal, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Americas Food Fund, LinkedIn, GoFundMe, CDC Foundation, and more.Facebook is not alone in these philanthropic activities. Facebook-owned Instagram has also launched various features like Donate Stickers , Live Fundraisers, and extending help through other options like Stories and Highlights. There are tools to connect to the customers to Facebooks stickers or gift cards for ordering food or asking for help through different means.Another application that has launched various tools to let local businesses promote their gift cards and fundraisers, is the famous Neighborhood social network, Nextdoor.Yelp has also included ways for businesses to extend and promote their virtual services.These times are very distressing, as the world goes through a crucial pandemic. Due to safety precautions, people have to stay locked in their homes and this has prompted them to use the internet excessively. This has also resulted in their heavy reliance on these social media platforms, amongst which, Facebook remains the most popular and widely used.Therefore, it is good to know that Facebook and its fellow apps are trying their best to help as much as possible during this dark period.Read next: Survey of 1K+ Instagrammers reveals the changes that the app has seen amid coronavirus pandemic
[May 06, 2020] Bank of San Francisco Launches "Catering to the Community" Initiative to Support Restaurants and Benefit Frontline Workers

Bank of San Francisco, (OTCQX: BSFO), the modern Bay Area community bank that supports the entrepreneurial goals of people, businesses and nonprofits, announced today the launch of "Catering to the Community," an initiative to support local small businesses and benefit frontline workers of government agencies and nonprofit organizations during the coronavirus pandemic. Bank of San Francisco is purchasing gift cards from its restaurant clients in the Bay Area and donating them to government and nonprofit workers who are out front during this critical time. So far, the restaurants include: 4505 Burgers & BBQ,

Andytown Coffee Roasters,

b. patisserie,

Bamboo Asia,

The Little Chihuahua,

Subway,

and Sushirrito. /li>



First Responder EMTs,

Emergency room and hospital staffs,

Nonprofit workers assisting the homeless,

Nursing home staff,

Muni drivers and public health workers,

Fire fighters,

Police officers,

and, labor union members working in hospitality. "We support the businesses, agencies and nonprofits that support our community in this time of crisis," said Ed Obuchowski, Chief Executive Officer of Bank of San Francisco. "We started 'Catering to the Community' to extend that support, in a more tangible way, during this difficult time."

Restaurants are turning to creative solutions to keep customers and revenues flowing. Some have devoted part of their space to selling prepared food and other household food items. Others are preparing meal kits customers can purchase at the door or through delivery services. Government agencies and nonprofit organizations are providing life-saving services, for which we are all so grateful. "We are committed to helping our community weather this crisis and emerge stronger," added Obuchowski. About Bank of San Francisco Bank of San Francisco, headquartered in San Francisco, is a progressive community bank that reflects the best of San Francisco and Bay Area culture - flexible, entrepreneurial, and forward-thinking. We are a local bank, with significant ownership by members of the community, serving Bay Area businesses, nonprofits, individuals, and families. Bank of San Francisco delivers high-touch, personalized service with agility and accountability. Our team is as diverse as the community we serve, which allows us to understand our clients' unique needs and goals. We invite you to learn more about Bank of San Francisco and to join our family of successful, community-minded clients. For more information about Bank of San Francisco, please call us at (415) 744-6700, or visit us at www.bankofsf.com. Bank of San Francisco is a member of the FDIC and is an Equal Housing Lender. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005310/en/

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Since the fateful Brexit referendum in June 2016, the entire saga has been punctuated by a series of 'cliff-edge' moments. Key dates with supposedly key decisions, often hyped beyond recognition by the British tabloid media.

Many of these so-called moments, in fact the vast majority, were solely the creation of domestic British politics and the dramatics that engulfed Westminster: indicative votes, confidence motions, countdown clocks, Super Saturday and much more.

They were fuelled by the fact the UK was led by a minority government with a prime minister vulnerable to attack from within her own party as well as the opposition. For much of this time, too, the opposition was utterly divided - not just in terms of Brexit, but within the various parties as well.

We saw repeated crunch European Council meetings as well as many predictions that the EU would buckle, that Ireland would be thrown under the bus, that the German car manufacturers would force matters.

When the withdrawal agreement was eventually ratified, many believed the difficult part of Brexit was done.

Many in the UK felt this was all about getting Brexit done and voted as such in their December general election.

Their subsequent departure date on January 31 was the end of it for much of the British public and perhaps for many here too.

However, as we have subsequently seen, the withdrawal agreement was merely the precursor for the far more difficult negotiations. It has bought time through a transition period, but that time is running out.

Regardless of the onslaught of Covid-19, agreeing a future relationship between the EU and the UK was always going to be difficult and the one-year time-line ambitious.

Covid-19 has made this even more difficult, with negotiations occurring at distance and running far beyond schedule. The read-outs from the discussions so far have been pessimistic at best.

We now begin to approach another set of 'cliff-edge' moments: three more rounds of negotiations will be held before a stock-taking exercise on progress in June.

The UK needs to request an extension to the transition period by late June, but thus far it has been adamant one will not be required. The current plan involves ploughing on towards the next key moment and the end of the transition period.

Agreeing the future relationship before the end of the year looks extremely difficult. Differences have already been signalled in relation to access to markets, standards and the governance of such an arrangement. Having one's cake and eating it seems to be firing these negotiations.

Parallel to this, there are genuine concerns about the British intentions to implement the withdrawal agreement.

The lack of preparation to allow implementation of the Irish protocol has been cited, while the UK seems to have reneged on the prospect of an EU office in Belfast.

Such an office would seem sensible given the nuance of the withdrawal agreement, the presence of hundreds of thousands of EU citizens in Northern Ireland, and the fact so many others - such as the USA and China - are afforded offices in Belfast.

As this familiar dance plays out, we again see the same misplaced rhetoric that punctuated the earlier stages of Brexit begin to appear.

The same folk who pushed the herd-immunity approach to Covid-19 are talking about the ease of trading on WTO terms, and shadowy sources assert that the EU will buckle at the last minute, while even a 'Blitz spirit' has been referenced.

The fact Boris Johnson has a secured a large majority in the House of Commons has also been, incorrectly, perceived as somehow giving the UK a stronger hand with an EU whose position has been clear throughout.

What is also worrying is the deafening silence from British business groups, farm organisations or trade unions, on the need for an extension.

A few political voices such as Claire Hanna MP, Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill and some from the SNP have called for an extension ,but not many beyond that.

If dealing with Covid-19 wasn't stressful enough, it is clear the Brexit soap opera will soon return to worry us all.

For Irish businesses struggling to contend with the onslaught of a pandemic, they must unfortunately continue to prepare for all Brexit eventualities.

Neale Richmond is a Fine Gael TD for Dublin Rathdown.
Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

Greater emphasis on public safety monitoring and soaring need for patient screening and early detection are pushing the demand for more sophisticated touch-less biometrics technology. Driven by broadening application for identity verification, payments, transactions, and access control, global contactless biometrics technology market will grow exponentially at over 17% through 2030.

As indicated by a new report of Future Market Insights (FMI), the novel coronavirus outbreak will have a widespread influence on contactless biometrics technology market. A considerable uptick in online transactions will be a complementary force. Adoption rates will remain higher at facilities that require stringent surveillance, law enforcement, and access control. Key companies are leveraging demand from law enforced and government sectors. Healthcare and biotechnology facilities would account for a majority of demand, especially for facial recognition systems.

"An influx of innovative and secure avenues of healthcare applications will arise amid the COVID-19 pandemic, fostering demand specifically for iris recognition and facial recognition systems," projects the FMI report.

Contactless Biometrics Technology Market - Key Takeaways

Application for facial recognition will experience a boom, with soaring demand for verification and access control.

Demand for application in identity verification is soaring, followed closely by access control.

Software installed base continues to account for a significant market share.

North American market continues to lead, majorly driven by military and government applications.

Contactless Biometrics Technology Market - Key Driving Factors

Increasing government investments in iris recognition, facial biometrics, and fever detection is driving market growth.

Declining preference for contact forms of biometrics among enterprises, healthcare facilities, and border control units has augured well for market growth.

Visible rise in collaborations between biometric system vendors and governments for introducing citizen-centric contactless solutions is pushing demand further.

Operational benefits of accuracy, hygiene, security, and minimal maintenance are complementary to market growth.

Contactless Biometrics Technology Market - Key Restraints

High price point associated with contactless biometric systems in comparison to conventional systems limits broader adoption.

Privacy and security concerns remain longstanding constraints that go hand in hand with each new innovation introduced in market.

Competition Analysis

Key players are primarily investing in varying biometric modalities such as contactless fingerprint tech, facial recognition, voice and iris recognition, and palm vein recognition to appeal to a wider consumer base. Biometric system vendors will specifically emphasize raising awareness about the benefits of security and hygiene maintenance through contactless biometrics technology. The global COVID-19 pandemic has created opportunities for market players as touch based alternatives are losing their share to touch-less systems. Equipment manufacturers are collaborating with governments to contribute towards virus containment. Some of the leading players include but are not limited to IDEMIA, NEC, Fujitsu, and Gemalto.

Request for covid19 Impact Analysis: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/covid19/rep-gb-11283

More About the Report

The FMI's market research report of 300 pages offers comprehensive insights on contactless biometrics technology market. The market is analyzed on the basis of technology (contactless fingerprint technology, facial recognition, iris recognition, palm vein recognition, voice recognition, and contactless cards), component (hardware, software, services, and others), application (identity verification, payments & transactions, and access control), and industry (BFSI, government & law enforcement, healthcare, military & defense, retail, and others) across six key regions (North America, Latin America, Europe, East Asia, South Asia and Pacific, and MEA).

Source Link: https://www.accesswire.com/588238/Gauging-the-COVID-19-Impact-Contactless-Biometrics-Technology-Penetrates-Security-Infrastructure-Faster-as-the-World-Goes-Touchless-Future-Market-Insights

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Ukraine has prepared all necessary military base to join the NATO Enhanced Opportunity Partnership.

Vice Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Vadym Prystaiko stated this during a video conference with the Ambassadors of the Alliance members, the NATO Delegation to Ukraine, which took place on May 5, according to the Government portal.

From a military point of view, Ukraine is ready to join the Enhanced Opportunity Partnership program, which will allow increasing the interoperability of the Ukrainian military with units of NATO member states. There is still some homework to be done in this direction, but the work is well planned and understood by representatives of Ukraine's security and defense sector, as well as their NATO partners. From a political point of view, we also observe the formation of a consensus on inviting Ukraine to this format by the Alliance's close partners, he said.

Prystaiko has reminded that Australia, Jordan, Sweden, Finland and Georgia are cooperating with NATO under the program.

I expect an invitation for Ukraine during the next meeting of the North Atlantic Council at the level of defense minister, he said.

The Ukrainian vice prime minister thanked NATO representatives for their consistent support for Ukraine in the defense sector reform, in particular the implementation of the Annual National Program, which is as close as possible in contents to the NATO Membership Action Plan.

Prystaiko also stressed that Ukraine continues to its course towards full membership in the EU and NATO, as defined by the Constitution of Ukraine.

iy
People stare at data sets and come to different levels of confidence, he added. Every one of us stares at this and knows the reality. The reality is this came from Wuhan. Every one of us stares at the situation and says: Who can provide the answer to precisely where Patient Zero is from, where this actually came from? We all know who can unlock the keys to that.
In a major relief for the industry in designated focal points and shopkeepers selling essential commodities, the district administration on Wednesday lifted the restriction of securing curfew passes to operate these units.

Deputy commissioner (DC) Pradeep Kumar Agrawal said permission had been granted to operate industry without passes, but an industrialist will have to submit a self-declaration with the department and he will strictly adhere to the Covid-19 management guidelines.

The relaxation has also been extended to private offices, with a rider that no such office will allow more than 33% staff.

The labourers and workers of these industrial units will be allowed to commute on the passes issued by their employer, while the staff of shops dealing in essential items have been asked to carry personal ID cards or any document of the shop. The movement of industrial labourers is allowed from 7am to 9am and 5pm to 7pm, while the shop workers are allowed to commute from 8am to 9am and 6pm to 7pm.

As per the District Industries Centre (DIC) officials, industrialists have already availed of permission to run over 5,000 factories in the district and from now on, no permission is required for operating these units.

As per the district administration directives, rural shops have been allowed to operate between 7am and 3 pm; urban standalone shops, neighbourhood shops from 7am to 3pm; shops selling essential goods in urban areas from 7am to 3pm and shopkeepers can deliver essentials from 3pm to 7pm.

For construction in rural areas and urban areas (for ongoing projects and for in situ construction), the owners will have to submit a self-declaration at acgludhiana@gmail.com.

Agricultural, horticulture and veterinary services, courier and postal services can remain open between 9am and 1am. Banks can be opened from 9am to 5pm but no public dealing will be allowed after 1pm.

The residents have been allowed to fetch essential items from 7am to 3pm, but they will have to move on foot. They have been prohibited from using vehicles and e-pass is mandatory for using personal transport.

INDUSTRY WANTS PERMISSION FOR MIXED LAND USE AREAS

The industry has welcomed the move, however, it reiterated its demand for permission to operate in mixed land use areas.

Janta Nagar Small Scale Manufacturers Association (JNSSMA) president Jaswinder Thukral, Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings (CICU) president Upkar Ahuja and United Cycle and Parts Manufacturers Association (UCPMA) president DS Chawla said thousands of micro and small units were located in mixed land use areas, and industrial units in designated areas cannot survive without its vendors, who mostly operated from these areas.

The large industry will not be able to survive for more than a week without its vendors as most of the products are manufactured in mixed land use areas, said Thukral.

ALLOW TEXTILE INDUSTRY TO OPERATE IN NIGHT

The Federation of All India Textile Manufacturers Associations (FAITMA), Ludhiana, has demanded that the administration allow the textile industry to operate between 8pm and 7am.

President of the association, Tarun Jain Bawa, said this will reduce the rush in the market during the day and will also bring the industry back on track.
The sons of infamous drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman have been enforcing a 'curfew' in place on the citizens of the city of Culiacan, northwestern Mexico, due to the coronavirus crisis.

The sons, known as 'Los Chapitos' or 'the little Chapos', have threatened to 'sanction' any who do not comply with the 10 p.m. curfew, and have even sent their henchmen to torture anyone found breaking it.

Ivan Archivaldo Guzman and Jesus Alfredo's men have posted videos of themselves patrolling the streets in cars, which has then been shared online by concerned Mexicans.

Two of El Chapo's sons (Los Chapitos), Ovidio Guzman Lopez (left) and Ivan Archivaldo Guzman (right). Ivan Archivaldo Guzman is one of the sons who has been enforcing the 10 p.m. coronavirus curfew in Culiacan, threatening anyone who breaks it with violence

In the video, people in the patrolling car can be heard warning that anyone who does not comply with the curfew would face punishments such as 'boardings' (being beaten with a plank of wood), 'arrests', and also face 'fines'.

'After ten o'clock at night, all the people must be inside their homes due to the coronavirus, otherwise they will be punished, these are orders 'from above (from Los Chapitos)', one voice can be heard saying in the video.

'This is no game, we're not playing.'

In a separate video, an apparent enforcer for the cartel says 'anybody caught after 10 oclock, if not an essential worker, will be 'lifted' for two days (and face boarding), and will have to pay a fine.'

The cartel members say that only those essential workers returning home after their workday will be allowed on the streets during the curfew.

Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman is escorted as he arrives at Long Island MacArthur airport in New York, U.S., January 19, 2017, after his extradition from Mexico

El Chapo was captured in 2016 in Mexico, extradited to America in 2017 and handed a life-sentence in the U.S. in 2019, when he was found guilty of a number of criminal charges relating to his leadership of the Sinaloa Cartel. He is now serving a life sentence in ADX Florence.

The 'Los Chapitos' have reportedly taken up key roles in the cartel, with Ivan Archivaldo Guzman and Jesus Alfredo now reportedly leading it along with Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada.

Culiacan has been the epicenter of much violence relating to El Chapo's sons, and the Los Chapitos control drug sales the city, the capital of Sinaloa, including a growing trade in methamphetamine, according to one official in October.

In 2019, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, one of El Chapos sons, was found in Culiacan by police who came across him by chance. The police attempted to arrest him without military support.

In response to Lopez's capture, Ivan Archivaldo Guzman, another of the 'Los Chapitos' and now one of the leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, ordered hundreds of heavily armed men to take over the city and force the release of his step-brother.

Despite El Chapo being incarcerated, his influence in Mexico is still felt. While his family has a reputation for violance, his daughter has reportedly been organizing the distribution of PPE to people vulnerable to the coronavirus. Pictured: A woman distributes face masks with El Chapo's picture printed on them

Mexican security forces had Guzman Lopez outside a house on his knees against a wall before they were forced to back off and let him go as his cartel's gunmen shot up the Culiacan.

It was like nothing Mexico had seen before, a military-style operation that outfoxed and outnumbered security forces, leaving the city shocked and smoldering.

The show of strength dashed hopes the cartel was seriously weakened by the life sentence El Chapo received in the United States this year.

A humbled Mexican government was forced to order Ovidio's release, opting against a bloodier confrontation that officials later said could have claimed hundreds of lives.

In further retaliation, the police officer who first arrested Ovidio Guzman Lopez, was shot in killed in broad daylight, reportedly receiving over 150 bullet wounds.

This October 17, 2019, frame grab from video provided by the Mexican government shows Ovidio Guzman Lopez at the moment of his detention, in Culiacan, Mexico, before the violence broke out

Culiacan has been the epicenter of much violence relating to El Chapo's sons, and the Los Chapitos control drug sales in the city, the capital of Sinaloa

Not only were the new generation of Guzmans, collectively known as Los Chapitos, keeping alive their family's near-mythical outlaw reputation, they were doing it with a brazenness akin to open warfare.

'We're facing a new generation of organized crime that doesn't respect civilians,' Cristobal Castaneda, head of Sinaloa state security, told Reuters after the attacks.

Four surviving sons of El Chapo are known to be regulars in Culiacan's nightclubs and restaurants, despite U.S. indictments against them even before October's dramatic show of force.

A concrete monument in the parking lot of a Culiacan supermarket marks the spot where a fifth son was gunned down in 2008.

None of the four are older than their mid-thirties. They have already survived kidnappings, arrest attempts and cartel infighting to establish themselves as the city's most prominent traffickers, with the support of cartel elders.

But the cartel's bigger interests are still believed to be handled by El Chapo's former partner, Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, a discrete capo in his early 70s who has never been arrested.

The businesses Zambada handles move billions of dollars, U.S. authorities say, and are diversified across many sectors in dozens of countries, including even niche markets like wildlife and timber smuggling.

Northwestern Mexico was turned into a war zone as a result of a gun battle between armed cartel members and Mexican law enforcement following the arrest of one of El Chapo's sons
The doctors association in Kogi State has expressed concern over the refusal of Kogi State to test suspected cases of coronavirus.

As of Tuesday night, Nigeria has tested 19,512 people with 2,948 confirmed cases and 98 deaths across the country.

Kogi is one of the two states yet to confirm any case of the virus since the country recorded its index case in February. The other state is Cross River.

In Kogi, the state government is deliberately discouraging COVID-19 tests and has alleged that there is a plot by unnamed persons to ensure Kogi records cases of the virus

This attitude of the Kogi government has irked the doctors association in Kogi who warn it could be dangerous.

The Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Kogi chapter, Kabir Zubair, in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, expressed fears that the consequences of not testing people for the COVID-19 may be too enormous to deal with.

If the state is not testing anybody despite having many suspected cases, it only translates that there may be more cases to deal with later and we dont know where they are now.

Community transmission will be inevitable. And this could only spell impending doom, he said.

Similarly, last month, the Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu, expressed dissatisfaction over the number of samples brought in for testing from states that were yet to record COVID-19 cases.

Naming Kogi alongside other three states (Nasarawa, Yobe and Cross River), the official said there was a lot of capacity to test, but there were not enough samples.

Mr Ihekweazu accused the states of possible negligence or attempts at hiding any record of the disease in the states.

Yobe and Nasarawa have since recorded cases of the virus.

We have looked at the number of samples collected from these states and we are not satisfied. So, we need to test more. But to test more, we need to collect more and the collection part is the responsibility of the states and their public health teams.

You cant hide this. Eventually, it will emerge. There is absolutely no doubt that there are people that have pneumonia, acute respiratory infections in your states, Mr Ihekweazu said.

In what appeared a reaction to Mr Ihekweazus statement, the Kogi State Government alleged there were recent pressures from some interesting quarters for Kogi State to find and declare cases of the disease.

In a Tuesday statement by its commissioner for information, Kingsley Fanwo, the state alleged plans to import cases of coronavirus into the state through illicit means.

The Kogi government said it would not manufacture cases to satisfy the expectations of unnamed health officials, amidst allegations, including by a journalist, that the state has recorded deaths from the virus at a Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in the state.

Falsehood

Mr Fanwo, in a phone interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday, said nobody had died from the disease in the state.

He said the FMC is owned by the federal government and controlled by the federal ministry of health.

It is your duty as journalists to discern fake news from facts. Kogi has no case of COVID-19 or deaths relating to that, he said.

Asked how suspected cases were being detected without testing, he said the state had developed a self-assessment app around the NCDCs checklist for suspected and high-risk cases.

He said more than 200,000 people had accessed the app but when investigations were carried out, no case had been identified as high-risk.

When they fill the questionnaire on the app, we trace them to their houses and have a personal interrogation with them.

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From there, the team of health experts take it with the supervision of the state epidemiologist who reports to the commissioner and then to the NCDC. So if they say there is no case, there is no case. Thats all, he said.
'Convention' for the climate, was rejected Saturday, June 20, a proposal of reduction of working hours to 28 hours a week, after heated debates. The proposal to "reduce the working time without loss of pay in an objective of simplicity and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions" was rejected by 65% by the 150 members of the Convention.

read also : the climate Convention: a series of proposals in shock that advocate sobriety at all costs

This is the first of the 150 measures subject to the adoption of the members to be rejected. Many stakeholders are worried about the economic consequences of the measure, and the image that adoption would give their work.

heated Debate

"This is completely disconnected of the reality, and it is untenable in the current context. And this discredits totally the convention, it is to give the stick to get beaten. If this is proposed, it will be rejected and it will just be discredited our work," thus thought Melanie (in session, the members of the convention are referred to only by their first names).

read also : "The' Convention 'for the climate's going to give birth to a big waste"

"sharing this is beautiful but with the current crisis it is not possible. I've worked all my life 50 hours a week, raising only two children. It's always the same people working less, always the same who work for wages pitiful," started from his side, Marie-Helene rejecting the measure. "It is out of mandate relative to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions", saw his side Lionel, while others abounded : "There should be a 'convention' separate on the job."

"telework before it was a ufo, no one imagined that. But the application of this measure it is not in six months, that is, in ten years, it is necessary to plan and reflect", said Sylvie to defend the measure. "We can be agree or not agree, but it's not up to you to say that we are going to have the air of puppets" was Annie. "We wanted to say that the model, and the system does not suit us, then dare".

The editorial team conseilleLa green copy and a salt of the Convention for the climate"The' Convention 'for the climate's going to give birth to a big waste""Work more" : outcry of the unions after the words of Emmanuel Macron29 commentairessombra do marle 20/06/2020 14:41

For info, on average, a worker German works 29,8 h per week (1362 / (365 - 137 non-working days ) * 5 days per week).



So in the end by basing it on the germans it is not so far away from the 28h... However, if the week has 32h can have meaning ( 4 times 8), that 28h is not optimal (4 times 7), since it does not optimize the productivity on 7am daily (4 + 3). 22VENDEEle 20/06/2020 14:41

Dare... do nothing fuck ? But this is already the case in the finction public and z-assisted or 10 million of penny sisant assets

Super tough 2709le 20/06/2020 14:41

to Damage, the work is not limited to the employment and technological advances should contribute to produce as much in less time. a

A leak before : there will always be more consumers to to find the growth, therefore, increase without end the world's population. And as usual, a good war will reset the counters to zero....

Updated Date: 20 June 2020, 08:47

Read the 29 comments
My twin sons college graduations would have been last weekend  University of Alabama Birmingham and Auburn University, respectively  but COVID-19 put the kibosh on that. They dont seem terribly bummed by the lack of ceremony, of closure, though. Not terribly. Theyve adjusted, as good millennials do  have adapted their expectations because, well, whats the alternative?

Pate is graduating Auburn and heading to grad school at Indiana University in jazz trombone. Jackson is graduating UAB and headed to med school at University of Florida.

So I reckon theyll be receiving their diplomas in the mail, by which point the thrill will be gone and they already will have moved on both psychically and physically towards graduate school and the next chapter.

But as their dad, Im not quite as ready for this unceremonious rite of passage as they seem to be. Yes, theyre 22 and pretty much grown. Pretty much. But finishing college looms in my thinking as a bigger signifier of adulthood, the barrel out of which one is propelled into real life, than their turning 21.. Maybe I need the ceremony more than they do, because without it my insecurities are taking over: What have I forgotten to tell them?

I dont mean the big stuff: faith, integrity, morality, all that. If weve failed to instill those, its likely too late.

No, Im thinking about the little stuff, the assorted minutia that a civilized fellow should know? The small stuff that greases the skids of coping? The MacGyver-worthy tips that aid survival? The uncommon love-thy-neighbor kindnesses that promotes the flourishing of ones fellow man, erperson? Have I prepared them well enough?

I feel the incredible urge to give them one last tutoring, to run down this list things I meant to tell them:

Know how to thread a needle and sew a button.

Start saving for retirement early  so that maybe youll be able to retire if not early, then comfortably. An employers 401k match is a valuable thing.

Write at least one handwritten note to someone each week: thank, encourage, praise, sympathize, comfort.

Your leather belt and shoes should match. Brown with brown, black with black, etc.

Taking care of your stuff  car, clothes, furniture, electronics  is a means of conserving resources. In our throw-away culture, it demonstrates youre a person who preserves, cares, and values.

Stand up when you are introduced to someone or to shake hands with someone. Always.

Keep your shoes shined. People notice, and shined shoes whisper that youre a person who is attentive to detail. I once hired one man over another because, all things being equal, his shoes were shined and the other fellows werent. One of the best hires I ever made.

Hang a suit or sportscoat on a good wooden hanger to protect its shape. Hang dress pants by the crease. Im not convinced you have yet grasped this one.

Keep your neck shaved and nails trimmed and clean. Dont bite them. Just dont.

Keep a clean car. Inside and out. You dont want folks to recoil at the filth and make judgments, now do you?

Dont make happiness your goal. It ebbs and flows, and when you cant achieve it consistently, it can lead to despair. Aim for contentment, and if you can find it more often than not, youll be doing better than most.

Carry some cash when you travel. Trust me.

When you are among others in a group, be the person in the group who first makes others feel comfortable before making yourself comfortable. Your grandparents have a gift for this. Imitate them.

Never buy just one tire. Always buy two or four. Also, keep a tire pressure gauge in your glove box and know how to use it.

Read newspapers  the mainstream ones with diverse perspectives. Youll be better informed than most.

Calling your mom is not the same thing as calling your dad, and vice versa. We are not interchangeable. Call us both. Grandparents, too, occasionally.

Move around some. Live in different places if you can. It will broaden your perspective in ways staying put cannot.

Write with a fountain pen. Just because.

Never cruise the parking lot in search of that elusive near-the-door space. Its a time-suck. Park afar where folks wont ding your doors. Plus the walking will do you good.

Understand the difference between correlation and causation.

Wherever you work, dont just know the names of the folks lowest in the pecking order  assistants, custodians, others  but know them. They may have something to teach you that those on the upper end of the food chain cannot.

Visit cemeteries, especially those in which your forebears rest. Spend time remembering those you knew, and ask parents and grandparents about the others while theyre still around to answer you. Trim the weeds and wipe the bird poop from the gravestones while youre there.

Know how to use an iron. The guy in the well pressed suit/shirt/pants will almost always get the job/girl/whatever over the wrinkled schmo. Also, use collar stays in your dress shirts so your collar doesnt flap and curl.

Dont try too hard to fit in. Nothing good can come of it.

Dont wait too late to apply the brakes. That goes for driving and also for rocky relationships.

Exercise. Not just cardio. Do 100 crunches daily and at 50 you may just be the old guy without the belly.

If you drink, stop at one.

Scrub your face before bed.

Let another man praise thee, not thine own lips. Thats in the Bible.

Carry a Tide-to-Go stick in your car and backpack. You never know when your lunch will land on your pants.

Floss.

Cook and eat at home five times more than you eat out. If you marry and kids come along, eat dinner together, gathered round the table, as often as you can.

Keep in touch with your cousins.

Use lotion on your skin after a shower. Start now, and 20 years from now youll be glad you did.

Wherever you are, be a part of a church. It will sustain your faith, yes, but also provide a support network of people who will love you indeed. Also, it will teach you patience.

Keep breath mints handy.

Read at least 12 books a year...at least. And if you want to collect something, collecting books is a defensible vice.

Make time to pray, even if it doesnt come naturally to you. Ive learned its more about listening than being listened to. Maybe thats helpful?

Table manners are a lot more important than you may think they are. Have them.

Never divorce the salt and pepper. I dont know how they came to be so co-dependent, but I was taught this in my college fraternity pledge class, and Ive never forgotten it.

Im an Oxford comma man but will leave it to you to decide for yourself on that one.

As the years roll by and youve come to visit your mother and me and are leaving, save that image of us waving bye as you drive away. Years from now, Id like to think it will be a mental photograph youll cherish. I sure do cherish mine.

And regardless of what anyone else may say: After jazz, 80s music is definitely the best.

***

I cant help thinking theres more I should have said, part of a more ceremonious send-off. Yet for all my desire to equip them, I also hold to the view that a fellow needs to make a few mistakes he can call his own. Maybe I leave those for them to discover?

But now they cant say I didnt warn them.

***

Scott Brunner is an association executive in Alexandria, Virginia. He grew up in Bessemer, Alabama.
OTTAWA  As the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic sent a tsunami sweeping through the economy, Ottawa quickly rolled out financial assistance to the millions of suddenly unemployed Canadians.

With businesses slowly reopening and the prospect of people getting back to work, now comes the hard part for policy-makers  deciding how and when to dial back those emergency benefits.

Some politicians are already pushing for change. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said this week that the emergency benefits will serve as a tranquilizer on the economy, deterring people from taking available jobs.

Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said hes not panicked about the benefit discouraging people from returning to work, but ask me in two weeks once more businesses are reopened and I think this will be a significant issue.

Kelly predicts a very messy recovery and said a combination of factors risk keeping people away from jobs. For example, weeks of public health messaging have left many wondering about the risks of leaving the house, he said. Other challenges for parents are the lack of child care and schools being closed.

The governments main support to individuals has been the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), which pays $500 a week over 16 weeks. As of Sunday, 7.5-million Canadians had applied for the benefit and it had paid out $27.7 billion.

Kelly said the government will have to adjust that program as the economy moves into the recovery phase. His association is also urging Ottawa to extend its wage subsidy beyond June 6.

I think theres going to be need to be a phased approach to weaning the economy off of the benefits because the economy is not going to bounce back instantly, Kelly said.

The benefit was designed to encourage people to stay home, noted Rob Gillezeau, an assistant professor of economics at the University of Victoria.

We actively wanted to keep people away from work. That was the policy goal, he said. It definitely makes sense to revise it again as we shift into the reopening period.

Gillezeau and other experts say the government should remove the restriction that bars anyone earning more than $1,000 a month from collecting it. Instead, the benefit could be gradually clawed back based on income, he said.

It means a lot of people in the working poor will get the benefit, so its not actually making it less generous, its making it more generous, he said.

David Macdonald, a senior economist at the Canadian Centre of Policy Alternatives, agrees that the hard cap on earnings should be lifted and instead be scaled to income.

But he took issue with the suggestions that the benefit is encouraging greedy workers to stay home, noting that the payments fall short of covering the living expenses in most cities.

In almost all cases, they would make far more from working than on the CERB, Macdonald said.

The main reason theyre not going to return to work isnt the economic incentive. Its the health incentive  or disincentive.

Macdonald said the focus should be on employers and their responsibility to provide a safe workspace with precautions such as barriers and personal protective equipment to safeguard employees.

Everyone is happy to blame workers making minimum wage but no one wants to turn their attention to employers who arent creating safe work environments, he said.

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The Delhi Polices Crime Branch questioned the son of Maulana Saad, the Tablighi Jamaat chief, for two hours on Tuesday. He was questioned about Jamaat members, activities at their headquarters and office-bearers of the organisation.

A senior officer, who did not wish to be named, said Saads son was particularly asked about the whereabouts of 20 people who worked at the Markaz in Nizamuddin area to look after the visitors. These people have been missing since cases pertaining to the gatherings were registered, the officer said.

According to the police, Saads son is involved in the Jamaat activities and was hence, questioned.

Shahid Ali, spokesperson for Tablighi Jamaat, said they welcome all investigations by the police. We seek fair and impartial probe and therefore, expect Maulana Saad and others will be cleared of all charges, Ali said.

A criminal case was registered by the Delhi Police against Maulana Saad and six other senior officials of the Jamaat on March 31 for defying a series of government directives in the national capital, as cases linked to the Jamaat have been traced across the country.

The Delhi Police did not respond to repeated texts and calls for comment.

In an earlier interview to HT, the Tablighi chief had told through his lawyer that he is willing to cooperate with the police and that no illegal activity took place at the Markaz.

JAMAAT ATTENDEES RELEASE

The Delhi government on Wednesday decided to release 4,000 persons, mostly those who had visited Tablighi Jamaat headquarters, from government-run quarantine facilities after they tested negative and completed 28 days of quarantine.

The decision was taken by Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain, as the Delhi government didnt receive any response from the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) to their letters in this regard.

There was no response the MHA. The Delhi government has decided to allow them to return to their home states as they have recovered and completed more than the mandatory quarantine period, said a senior Delhi government official, requesting anonymity.

When contacted, an MHA spokesperson said they have not sent any communication to Delhi government on Tablighi Jamaat. Asked if MHAs permission is required for the release, the spokesperson refused to comment.

Of the 4,000 persons, 3,013 are those who were shifted from the Markaz and other mosques in the capital, while the rest are those they had come in contact with.

According to a senior Delhi government official, those evacuated were sent to quarantine centres at Narela, Bakkarwala, Mandoli, Sultanpuri, Dwarka and Badarpur. Of this, 2,446 are Indian nationals, including 191 from Delhi, while 567 are foreign nationals.

For sending the foreign nationals to their home countries, there will be discussions with the Central government in the coming days. Those who want to return to other states can apply in the government scheme for helping stranded individuals reach their home states, which covers pilgrims. Those who have access to private vehicles can apply for inter-state passes, the senior government official said.

Within the city, there is no restriction in movement from 7am to 7pm. They can stay with their relatives and friends. If they wish to stay continue staying in the quarantine facility, there is no restriction on that as well. Their quarantine period is over, the official said.
Florida Democratic Rep. Val Demings is the latest vice presidential contender to say publicly that she would serve alongside Joe Biden  as a key member of Biden's team is urging him to select a minority woman.

Demings cited her time as the police chief in Orlando Wednesday, saying would be 'honored' to serve alongside Biden, who has pledged he will choose a woman as his running mate.

'If asked, I would be honored to serve alongside Joe Biden and do everything within my power to get this country back on track  not just here in the nation, but around the world,' Demings told MSNBC.

She cited her time on the police beat and connected it to the coronavirus crisis.

'I have dedicated my life to public life to public service. And having served as a social worker, career law enforcement officer, police chief, and now a member of Congress, I chose tough jobs,' she said.

'I would be honored to serve alongside Joe Biden,' said Rep. Val Demings (D-Florida)

'We're dealing with a tough time right now. We're in the middle of a crisis. I've dealt with crisis before,' she continued. She said the country faced an 'absolute lack of leadership.' She was the first woman to lead the force in Orlando.

She also tried her hand at firing at Biden's rival, which traditionally is a key part of the role of a running mate.

'You know, at the very least we ought to be able to have a leader that we can trust. We ought to be able to have a leader that when they're taking the podium and giving direction, that we can believe that what is coming out of their mouths is true. We don't have that right now,' Demings told the network.

Demings serves as a member of the House Intelligence Committee and was a manager during Trump's impeachment trial in the Senate  a process that infuriated Trump. She called the impeachment a 'defining moment' in the nation's history during the House impeachment inquiry, weaving her own biography into her opening statement.

Demings spoke to MSNBC from her home

In a pool photo provided by the Michigan Office of the Governor, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer addresses the state during a speech in Lansing, Mich., Friday, May 1, 2020

Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., speaks at a campaign rally for presumptive Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) might be a way for Biden to appeal to left-wing supporters of former rival Sen. Bernie Sanders

She told ABC's 'The View' during the January trial: 'I believe the president's team  and the president of course  is trying to turn this very serious trial into a circus. We're going to do everything we can not to let them do this.'

In overtly expressing her desire for the job, Demings is following in the footsteps of former Georgia candidate for governor Stacey Abrams.

'Yes, I would be willing to serve,' Abrams told ABC last month.

Both women have appeared regularly on lists of possible prospects. Others include Sen. Kamala Harris of California, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

Biden's hunt for a VP selection comes as former Senate aide Tara Reade continues to voice claims he assaulted her years ago, which Biden and his team says did not happen.

Biden leads Donald Trump by 50 to 41 in a new Monmouth University poll, and by 46 to 42 in a new Economist / YouGov poll.

Although he has pledged to name a female candidate, he is also being urged to choose a minority running mate  which could help him try to recapture the winning Obama coalition, while also acknowledging the key role black voters played in his primary win.

House Minority Whip Jim Clyburn, who helped swing South Carolina to Biden and a senior member of the Congressional Black Caucus, said he 'clearly' prefers Biden choose a black woman, the AP reported. But he said he isn't pushing Biden that way.

'Im the father of three grown African American women. So naturally I prefer an African American woman, but it doesn't have to be,' Clyburn said. 'I've made that very clear.'

Biden has led Trump in a series of Florida polls, although Trump carried the state over Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Cook Countys complex property tax system has driven up tax rates in the area. That makes investment unattractive to developers. It also burdens homeowners and causes some businesses to close or leave the area. The tax rate for the property at Vollmer and Harlem in Matteson, for example, is 19.14%, according to Cook County tax records.
A senior living and rehabilitation center in Southern California got a very exciting visit last week  from a pair of therapy alpacas.

Helen Woodward Animal Center in Poway, California runs a Pet Encounter Therapy program, which typically involves 'cuddle therapy' with pets like dogs, bunnies, and guinea pigs.

But due to the pandemic, passing around furry animals for a wholesome snuggle is hardly safe  so the center trotted out two of its alpacas, Kronk and Kuzco, for a socially distanced visit to Boulder Creek Post Accute on April 28.

An unexpected social call: A senior living and rehabilitation center in Southern California got a very exciting visit last week  from a pair of therapy alpacas

Helping out: Helen Woodward Animal Center in Poway, California runs a Pet Encounter Therapy program, which typically involves 'cuddle therapy' with pets

Boulder Creek Post Accute houses 149 beds for both long-term care and short-term rehabilitation, like for knee replacements or broken hips.

During the pandemic, its residents haven't been able to entertain visitors, so the Helen Woodward Animal Center decided to drop by with a bit of fun.

Kronk and Kuzco usually hang out at the center's corral, where kids visit as part of the Humane Education program.

With the center closed, though, they went out for a day trip.

The alpacas stayed outside, of course, and visited with the seniors in the facility through windows.

Move over, doggies! Usually they use smaller animals like dogs and bunnies, but now two alpacas are joining in

Cuddly guys: The center trotted out two of its alpacas, Kronk and Kuzco, for a socially distanced visit to Boulder Creek Post Accute on April 28

Hey, there! They stood outside while residents looked out from windows

Video from the visit show several residents sitting up close to the window, smiling and laughing at the furry friends.

'In the many years I have worked with this program, I have seen the unique gifts each animal can bring to this type of therapy,' Robin Cohen, PET Manager, said in a press release.

'Cockatoos are wonderful with clients dealing with paralysis because they can sit on a shoulder and nuzzle and talk. Mini horses are wonderful for children because they are right at eye level.

'These alpacas are some of our funniest characters. They make us laugh every day and we knew theyd be the perfect key to inspiring smiles right now,' she went on.

'These alpacas are some of our funniest characters,' Robin Cohen, PET Manager, said

'This has been a very challenging time for all of us and its particularly hard on individuals who are inside facilities without visits from their regular friends and family members,' she added

'The one thing I know from my work is that animals have a magical way of healing. I am so happy to be a part of providing a little bit of their magic,' Robin said

'This has been a very challenging time for all of us and its particularly hard on individuals who are inside facilities without visits from their regular friends and family members.

'The one thing I know from my work is that animals have a magical way of healing. I am so happy to be a part of providing a little bit of their magic.'

The Pet Encounter Therapy has been a comfort to many.

'The program brings the unconditional love and tactile benefits of animals to people inside skilled nursing facilities, childrens shelters, hospitals, psychiatric units and many more,' reads the press release.

'The basis of the important therapy stems from studies showing that holding and caressing an animal provides benefits such as relaxation, lower blood pressure, improved long- and short-term memory, and sensory stimuli.'
Coronavirus kills an American every 45 seconds, and the number of active US cases will soon be north of 1 million. But the federal governments only real plan for furnishing our health workers with supplies is to find out where states are getting their masks and gloves and ventilators, then seizing them for commercial distribution.

These supplies are then placed in the warehouses of six medical supply companies, which invite the states to fight over their inventory. Its a Jared Kushner operation, known as Project Airbridge: The materiel goes to the highest bidder  Fifty states competing with each other and with the Feds, just like on E-Bay, sneered Andrew Cuomo  and nobody in the Trump Administration flinches about holding such an auction during a global pandemic.

Fortunately, seven governors in the Northeast think otherwise, and New Jersey is among the states that can no longer tolerate the feds prioritizing a lust for profit over human life.

Our state has joined a consortium that will jointly procure equipment, which will not only bring down prices by reducing the bidding war, but increase the market muscle with the more powerful seven-state coalition.

Its a travesty that this is necessary, but when there is no federal mobilization and your country is led by someone who says hes totally in charge but not responsible for anything, you need options.

This is so important for everyone to understand. This explains why Governors say: I'm not getting the supplies I need - yet @POTUS says we are sending tons of supplies: It's going from the federal govt to commercial distributors who then deliver to the highest bidder: states! pic.twitter.com/A9jfmgBDLl  David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) April 2, 2020

We do in New Jersey, anyway: Last month, Somerset County Freeholder Shanel Robinson told the Franklin Reporter that a shipment of 35,000 masks destined for Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital never reached central Jersey.

Robinson said it was commandeered by the federal government  probably by FEMA  somewhere along the supply chain, according to the vendor. As of yesterday, our congressional delegation have been unable to track it.

Every state has stories like this. The most famous came from Massachusetts, one of the coalition states, which had a shipment of 3 million masks lost after it arrived in New York  confiscated and put in the federal stockpile, according to an irate Gov. Charlie Baker. Patriots owner Robert Kraft came to the rescue, skipping the middleman by using his teams plane to fly in a cache of personal protective equipment directly from China.

Or consider Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan: The lack of federal cooperation prompted him to enlist his Korean American wife to obtain 500,000 test kits from South Korea. He told the Washington Post that the tests were under the armed protection of the National Guard at a hidden location.

Maryland @GovLarryHogan on whether he was concerned that the federal government would seize the tests the state procured from South Korea. He says the tests are being guarded by the National Guard at an undisclosed location. https://t.co/uGcUi6U5rL pic.twitter.com/15BhHmLzql  Washington Post Live (@postlive) April 30, 2020

In Colorado, the feds blew up a deal the state had made to purchase 500 ventilators. FEMA swept in, leaving Colorado empty, and triggering reports that Donald Trump was using the equipment as a form of patronage  essentially, directing them to states with Republicans facing tough re-election campaigns, sent with his Twitter compliments to the ally in political trouble.

Government at work.

This tragedy calls for the feds to bring all forces to bear  manufacturing, procurement, logistics  so that states have the equipment they need to save lives. But Trump was even late in ramping up the Defense Productions Act to manufacture things as simple as swabs.

Then he told the states that they are responsible for getting their own supplies, because as Kushner explained, the strategic national medical stockpile was our stockpile. . . .its not supposed to be states stockpiles.

And then he saddled states with Project Airbridge, which Bloomberg News describes as a program that runs outside the standard federal channels for competitive bidding, disclosure and transparency -- the government hasnt documented how the products are sold, how prices are determined or which hospitals and other customers receive the supplies.

So New Jersey, among others, has moved on. The notion of coordinating makes an enormous amount of sense, Gov. Murphy said. The seven states will buy about $5 billion in medical supplies this year, hopefully in time to save more lives.

Maybe the rest of the country thinks it can muddle through, but sooner or later, the other states will learn that the absence of federal leadership is actually destructive incompetence. This is also what you expect from a president who measures progress in profit and power by his ability to deflect accountability.

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Birds chirped in the morning sun, rain showers fell on the forest and hikers gleefully walked the muddy trails, soaking in the bright green glow of nature after nearly two months of being kept out.

Dozens of hikers, joggers, dog walkers and families started showing up at 8 a.m. to Tryon Creek State Natural Area in Southwest Portland, though the gates didnt open until closer to 9. Tryon Creek is one of only eight state park sites in Oregon that reopened to the public Wednesday.

All of Oregons 256 state park sites have been closed since March 23, the same day Oregon Gov. Kate Brown issued her statewide stay-home order in response to the coronavirus outbreak. But Tuesday, six weeks after the closure, Gov. Brown announced that outdoor recreation areas  including state parks  could begin to reopen.

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department announced that eight parks would partially reopen Wednesday, with more to follow the week of May 11 and throughout the spring.

People return to Tryon Creek State Natural Area in southwest Portland, one of the first Oregon state park sites to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

People return to Tryon Creek State Natural Area in southwest Portland, one of the first Oregon state park sites to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

People return to Tryon Creek State Natural Area in southwest Portland, one of the first Oregon state park sites to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

That included Tryon Creek, a 658-acre urban forest in the southwest corner of the city. Known for its 11.5 miles of trails and many wooden bridges, the park is popular as a destination for families and beloved as a neighborhood green space, accessible by several small trailheads in addition to its main entrance on Southwest Terwilliger Boulevard.

Signs posted at trailheads told visitors to maintain six feet of distance between themselves. In announcing the plan to reopen, the state parks department also asked people to wear face coverings, carry hand sanitizer and to hike only with others in their immediate households.

As the day warmed, it got busier in the main parking lot and out on the trails, and people found it difficult to maintain physical distance, parks spokesman Chris Havel said. Some people wore face coverings, and some didnt, and some of those that did were upset at those who didnt.

One hiker wearing a mask said she was scolding those who walked with their faces uncovered. After spending her hike counting face masks, she had seen about 50 percent compliance, she said.

Take no prisoners! she shouted as she walked down the trail.

People return to Tryon Creek State Natural Area in southwest Portland, one of the first Oregon state park sites to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. Trails were open, but a pathway to the restroom was made one-way.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

People return to Tryon Creek State Natural Area in southwest Portland, one of the first Oregon state park sites to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

People return to Tryon Creek State Natural Area in southwest Portland, one of the first Oregon state park sites to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. Signs posted at trailheads instructed visitors to maintain six feet of distance.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The biggest change at Tryon Creek was found at the restroom. The park usually keeps three restrooms open, but Wednesday only one was open to the public. Paths to the restroom were marked as one-way and led to a waiting area, where a sign told visitors to maintain social distance.

While crowds were sparse Wednesday morning, Havel said more people showed up in the afternoon. Even more are expected once the weather warms up this week. Temperatures are expected to reach the mid-80s Friday, lasting through the weekend.

Unlike most state park sites, Tryon Creek is accessed by a number of neighborhood trailheads including bike paths that lead to the nearby Lewis and Clark Law School. That can make the park more crowded than its parking lot suggests.

Were looking at the result of day one to see if there are changes we should make to operations or signs to encourage more people to spread out, postpone their trip when they see the lot is nearly full, and stick to their own household group, Havel said.

Already, park officials are considering staffing the gate at Tryon Creek to limit the number of cars that can enter, he said.

People return to Tryon Creek State Natural Area in southwest Portland, one of the first Oregon state park sites to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

People return to Tryon Creek State Natural Area in southwest Portland, one of the first Oregon state park sites to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. People use a neighborhood trailhead at Red Fox Hills.Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

People return to Tryon Creek State Natural Area in southwest Portland, one of the first Oregon state park sites to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Tryon Creek is acting as something of a test case for the reopening of Oregon state park sites, a process that park officials said will be gradual and instituted on a case-by-case basis.

Limited day use will slowly return to other state parks starting next week, the parks department said, depending on the readiness of local communities and how prepared each park is with staff, supplies and equipment.

All parks in the Columbia River Gorge will remain closed for the time being, officials said, as well as coastal areas that are not yet ready to welcome visitors back.

We know these last six weeks has seemed longer, but your health is important to us, Lisa Sumption, director of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, said Tuesday. It is true outdoor recreation boosts our mental and physical health, but parks concentrate people in a community, and we have to do this carefully if its going to work.

Heres the full list of Oregon state park sites that reopened May 6:

 Tryon Creek in Portland

 Willamette Mission north of Keizer

 Mongold boat ramp at Detroit Lake

 State Capitol State Park in Salem

 The Cove Palisades boat ramp at Lake Billy Chinook near Culver

 Prineville Reservoir boat ramp near Prineville

 Joseph Stewart boat ramp on Lost Creek Lake near Shady Cove

 Pilot Butte to pedestrians (no vehicles) in Bend

--Jamie Hale; jhale@oregonian.com; 503-294-4077; @HaleJamesB

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
ROME (AP)  From the marbled halls of Italy to the wheat fields of Kansas, health authorities are increasingly warning that the question isnt whether a second wave of coronavirus infections and deaths will hit, but when  and how badly.

As more countries and U.S. states chaotically re-open for business  including some where infection rates are still rising  managing future cases is as important as preventing them.

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In India, which partly eased its virus lockdown this week, health authorities scrambled Wednesday to contain an outbreak at a massive market. Experts in hard-hit Italy, which just began easing some restrictions, warned lawmakers that a new wave of virus infections and deaths is coming. They urged intensified efforts to identify possible new victims, monitor their symptoms and trace their contacts.

Germany warned of a second and even a third wave, and threatened to re-impose virus restrictions if new cases cant be contained. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was meeting Wednesday with the country's 16 governors to discuss further loosening restrictions that have crippled Europe's largest economy.

There will be a second wave, but the problem is to which extent. Is it a small wave or a big wave? Its too early to say, said Olivier Schwartz, head of the virus and immunity unit at Frances Pasteur Institute.

Many areas are still struggling with the first wave of this pandemic. Brazil for the first time locked down a large city, the capital of Maranhao state. Across the ocean, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Africa has shot up 42% in the past week and infections are expected to surpass 50,000 on Wednesday.

An Associated Press analysis, meanwhile, found that U.S. infection rates outside the New York City area are in fact rising, notably in rural areas. It found New York's progress against the virus was overshadowing increasing infections elsewhere.

Make no mistakes: This virus is still circulating in our community, perhaps even more now than in previous weeks, said Linda Ochs, director of the Health Department in Shawnee County, Kansas.

The virus is known to have infected more than 3.6 million and killed more than 251,000 people, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins that all experts agree is an undercount due to limited testing, uneven victim criteria and deliberate concealment by some governments.

The U.S. has seen over 71,000 deaths amid its 1.2 million infections, and Europe has endured over 144,000 reported coronavirus deaths. Behind each of those vast numbers is a family in pain.

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Burying both parents at the same time? Its hard, said Desmond Tolbert, who lost his mother and father in rural southwest Georgia. Because they had the virus, he couldnt be with them when they died.

U.S. President Donald Trump, with his eye on being reelected in November, is pushing hard to ease state stay-at-home orders and resuscitate the U.S. economy, which has seen over 30 million workers lose their jobs in less than two months. Trump is expected to wind down the countrys coronavirus task force, possibly within weeks, despite concerns that states arent being careful enough as they reopen.

A century ago, the Spanish flu epidemics second wave was far deadlier than its first, in part because authorities allowed mass gatherings from Philadelphia to San Francisco.

As Italys lockdown eased this week, Dr. Silvio Brusaferro, president of the Superior Institute of Health, urged a huge investment of resources to train medical personnel to monitor possible new cases. He said tracing apps  which are being built by dozens of countries and companies and touted as a possible technological solution  arent enough to manage future waves of infection.

We are not out of the epidemic. We are still in it. I dont want people to think theres no more risk and we go back to normal, said Dr. Giovanni Rezza, the head of the institutes infectious disease department.

In Germany, authorities may reimpose restrictions on any county that reports 50 new cases for every 100,000 inhabitants within the past week.

Lothar Wieler, head of Germany's national disease control center, said scientists know with great certainty that there will be a second wave" of infections but said Germany is well-prepared to deal with it. The country has been hailed for testing widely and has suffered four times fewer deaths than Italy or Britain, which both have smaller populations.

Britain has begun recruiting 18,000 people to trace contacts of people infected. British officials acknowledge that they should have done more testing and tracing earlier and could learn from South Korea, which brought its outbreak under control by rigorously testing, tracing and isolating infected people.

South Africa, which has years of experience tracking HIV and other infections, is already testing and tracing widely. Turkey has an army of 5,800 teams of contact tracers who have tracked down and tested nearly half a million people linked to infected cases. Israel plans to conduct 100,000 antibody tests to determine how widespread the coronavirus outbreak has been and prevent a second wave.

India was concentrated on the immediate drama around the market in the southern city of Chennai, which is now tied to at least 1,000 virus cases. Another 7,000 people connected to the now-shuttered Koyambedu market are being traced and quarantined. Experts are worried about a health catastrophe in a country of 1.3 billion people with an already stressed medical system.

New confirmed daily infections in the U.S. exceed 20,000, and deaths per day are well over 1,000, according to the Johns Hopkins tally. And public health officials warn that the failure to lower the infection rate could lead to many more deaths  perhaps tens of thousands  as people venture out and businesses reopen.

The faster we reopen, the lower the economic cost  but the higher the human cost, because the more lives lost, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo sai d. That, my friends, is the decision we are really making.

Trump acknowledged the toll but argued that keeping the U.S. economy closed carries deadly costs of its own, such as drug abuse and suicides.

Im not saying anything is perfect, and yes, will some people be affected? Yes. Will some people be affected badly? Yes. But we have to get our country open and we have to get it open soon, he said during a visit to Arizona in which he did not don a face mask.

___

Charlton reported from Paris and Blake from Bangkok. Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report.

___
Queensland workers could soon be headed back to offices and other places of business as part of the coronavirus recovery, but not everywhere, and not all at once.

No new cases of coronavirus were recorded in Queensland on Wednesday, which health authorities said was a good indication that social-distancing measures were continuing to keep the case numbers down.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young says businesses should consider staggering their work hours to avoid peak-hour crushes as the state emerges from the coronavirus. lockdown. Credit:AAP

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said with schools beginning a staggered reopening next week and talks to reopen cafes and restaurants in the near future, more changes to restrictions could be reconsidered if the numbers stayed low.

"If you can work from home and it works for both you and your employer, then you should consider continuing to do that," Dr Young said.
The official jobs report out Friday will be one of 'worst ever' in US history, a Federal Reserve bank boss has warned.

James Bullard, President of the St Louis Fed, told CNBC the 'unemployment rate is going to be extremely high', adding: 'We think 20 per cent isn't unlikely, could even be higher than that.'

His stark warning came two days before the official monthly job figures from the U.S. Labor Department are released. Economists believe the Friday report will reveal unemployment in the U.S. stands at least 16 per cent, up from 4.4 per cent in March.

A Wednesday report from payroll company ADP said U.S. businesses cut an unprecedented 20.2 million jobs in April.

The massive drop in U.S. private payrolls for April, reported on Wednesday, is 'not a surprise' but employment could recover dramatically in the second half of the year if the coronavirus pandemic is controlled, Bullard said.

He said 'it can come down under double digits by year end,' if economic relief programs work well and the virus is adequately controlled.

James Bullard, President of the St Louis Fed, right, told CNBC the official jobs report out Friday will be one of 'worst ever' in US history

Bullard added: 'You've also got this PPP program, which has encouraged firms to keep their workers on their payrolls even though they're not doing that much business.

'It's not surprising. It's a pandemic. It's a shutdown situation.'

In November last year President Trump gloated about a 'blowout' job creation record Trump tweeted 'GREAT JOBS REPORT!'

But the Wednesday report from payroll company ADP showed the tragic depth and scale of job losses that left no part of the world's largest economy unscathed.

The losses will likely continue through May, with a recovery in hiring likely to begin in the months that follow, said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics.

'This is one for the record books,' Zandi said. 'The good news is that we're at the apex of the job loss.'

Even though Zandi expects hiring to resume in June as states ease lockdowns, he cautioned that it will be a 'slog' over several years to recover all the jobs lost in April.

The private industry report comes two days ahead of the official monthly job figures from the U.S. Labor Department.

According to ADP, the leisure and hospitality sector shed 8.6 million workers last month. Trade, transportation and utilities let 3.4 million people go. Construction firms cut nearly 2.5 million jobs, while manufacturers let go of roughly 1.7 million people.

The health care sector cut 1 million jobs, but education services eked out a gain of 28,000 as colleges and universities do not appear to have forced significant layoffs that could come later this year.

There were 3.8 million new claims for unemployment benefits filed last week, according to the latest Labor Department figures released last Thursday

More than 30 million Americans have now lost their jobs in the six weeks since the coronavirus outbreak began as the US economy slides further into a crisis that is becoming the most devastating since the 1930s

More than half of April's job losses came from smaller companies with 500 workers or fewer. But larger employers cut 8.9 million jobs.

Polling by The Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research indicates that nearly eight in 10 households that suffered job losses expect to return to their previous employer.

'One thing for sure is that this pandemic health crisis has produced depression-magnitude job losses which means this recovery is going to take longer than many are thinking,' said Chris Rupkey, chief economist at MUFG in New York.

'The Great Depression lasted three and a half years, and it will be a miracle if the economy gets anywhere near back to normal within the next couple of years.'

Data for March was revised to show private payrolls decreasing by 149,000 jobs instead of the previously reported 27,000, which was the first decline since September 2017.

The ADP report is jointly developed with Moody's Analytics.

Dismal US employment figures are expected with the release Friday May 8 of figures for April's US jobs report, with 30 million Americans filing for unemployment in the last six weeks

A man writes information in front of Illinois Department of Employment Security in Chicago. U.S. businesses cut an unprecedented 20.2 million jobs in April

The staggering numbers were widely anticipated, since 30.3 million people had filed claims for unemployment benefits since March 21, equivalent to nearly one out of every five workers losing their job in just over a month.

The ADP report was published ahead of the government's more comprehensive employment report for April scheduled for release on Friday. While it has a poor record predicting the private payrolls component of the government's employment report because of methodology differences, economists said it offered some clues on the size of anticipated job losses in April.

The ADP noted that its April report 'does not reflect the full impact of COVID-19 on the overall employment situation.'

'The ADP report and the government data don't always align, but at least the ADP report suggests that we are in the right ballpark when thinking about the massive job losses to expect in the government data,' said Daniel Silver, an economist at JPMorgan in New York.

According to a Reuters survey of economists, nonfarm payrolls are forecast to have tumbled by a historic 21.853 million in April, which would blow away the record 800,000 dive seen during the Great Recession.

Employment dropped by 701,000 jobs in March, ending a record streak of gains dating to September 2010.

The unemployment rate is seen jumping to 16 per cent in April, which would shatter the post-World War Two record of 10.8 per cent touched in November 1982. In March the jobless rate shot up 0.9 percentage point, the largest monthly change since January 1975, to 4.4 per cent.
For a city with a population of 12.44 million, 42% of which resides in informal settlements spread over just 8% of its landmass and the average density is 31,700 people per square kilometre (making it the second-most crowded city in the world), Mumbai has fared better than cities across the globe while fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, experts opine.

A recent analysis by a think-tank, Observer Research Foundation (ORF), of the top 10 most-affected metropolitan areas (including New York, London, Madrid, Lombardy, and Ile De France) in the world reveals that urban agglomeration accounts for 32.19% of the total cases recorded in all the countries and 29.53% of the total deaths, on an average.

However, as of Wednesday morning, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), which includes the city and its neighbouring areas, accounted for 25% of the total cases in India and 26% of the deaths in the country. The numbers were lower than New York (33.57% of total cases in the US), Lombardy (36.51% of cases in Italy), Flanders (58.67% of Belgium cases) and Hubei (82% of the total cases in China).

Dhaval Desai, vice-president of ORF, Mumbai, who also authored the report, said Mumbai has done well when compared to medically-endowed cities across the globe. The pandemic has exposed the weakness of even global cities like London and New York that boast of highly-advanced medical and public health systems, Desai said. With large informal settlements spread across the city, Mumbai has done largely well, he added.

When compared with Asian counterparts, Singapore, which was lauded for its response initially, has recorded 19,410 cases with 18 deaths. The city-state had not entered double-digits even till mid-March. Tokyo has recorded 4,654 cases, of which 1,589 were already discharged and 150 have died. South Koreas Seoul has recorded 637 cases with two deaths.

According to Pankaj Joshi, executive director at the city-based Urban Design Research Institute (UDRI), the city performed well owing to strategies like active primary health-care centres, pre-empting the lockdown, substantial response from the NGOs working on the field and early sealing of containment zones.

Many global cities reacted late, which was not the case in Mumbai. The lockdown was in place even before the country-wide lockdown was imposed, Joshi said.

A senior official from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said, Decentralisation of power to local wards, aggressive contact tracing and testing, and getting quarantine facilities ready in time have helped the civic body in controlling the spread to a large extent.

However, experts feel the city also needs to strategise its long-term response to the pandemic, which also looks at mitigating scenarios like migrants crowding at Bandra station or social distancing norms being flouted with liquor shops being opened on Tuesday.

Dr Anant Bhan, researcher, global health, bioethics and health policy, said that Mumbais response has to be more nuanced and well-resourced in the coming days with aggressive testing. The civic body has to strategise a medium to long-term response which means investing more in resources and public health systems, he said.

Delhi fared slightly better than Mumbai with the concept of mohalla clinics and more investment by the state government in the health sector. Although one cannot deny the neglect in the Nizamuddin event, Bhan added.

While major European cities planning and re-thinking responses to a post-Covid world, Mumbai is yet to draft a comprehensive strategy in that sector. Cities like Paris, London and Milan have started rebuilding streets to make them more pedestrian and bicycle-friendly.

We will have to do some major re-thinking in terms of urban planning, especially for slum rehabilitation in the city. Even mobility will need to be thought through before the city starts opening again, Joshi said.

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UN report says in 2019 alone, almost 1.9 million people were displaced in Syria.

A new United Nations report says Syria had the largest number of people displaced because of conflict last year.

Almost a million people fled a government offensive in Idlib in December alone.

Since a ceasefire in March, tens of thousands of people have returned to find their homes have been destroyed.

Al Jazeeras Laura Burdon-Manley reports.
Carriageworks started discussions with insolvency experts at KPMG as far back as March, on the same day as the performing arts venue closed due to coronavirus and weeks before its public collapse.

The Eveleigh-based organisation, chaired by former Goldman Sachs investment banker Cass O'Connor, called in accounting firm KPMG to run the company on Monday, citing "irreparable loss of income" due to the cancellation of performances as a result of coronavirus-induced shutdowns.

Carriageworks knew it was in financial trouble as soon as coronavirus took hold. Credit:Louise Kennerley

Documents lodged by KPMG with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission on Wednesday reveal the Carriageworks board was concerned about its financial situation the day it closed its doors.

Between March 23 and Monday night, when Carriageworks formally called in administrators, directors held five teleconference meetings with KPMG.
A legal challenge by John Waters and Gemma O'Doherty against laws introduced by the State due to the Covid-19 pandemic is doomed to failure, lawyers for the State have argued before the High Court.

The challenge by the two journalists was also described by lawyers representing the Houses of the Oireachtais as "a full frontal attack" on articles of the Constitution concerning the separation of powers.

In judicial review proceedings against the State and the Minister for Health Ms O'Doherty and Mr Waters seek to have various pieces of recently enacted legislation, which they contend are unconstitutional and flawed, quashed by a judge of the High Court.

They also want the court to make a declaration that the legislation is unconstitutional.

The State, and lawyers acting for the Dail, Seanad and the Ceann Comhairle who are notice parties to the proceedings, oppose the action.

That preliminary application came before Mr Justice Charles Meenan, who following the conclusion of submissions from the parties this afternoon, reserved his decision.

The Judge, who did not say when the court would be able to deliver its decision, said he would give the matter his "complete priority".

He said that in line with what has become the normal practice during the pandemic, the judgment would be delivered electronically and would be emailed to the parties.

On the second day of the hearing Patrick McCann SC, appearing with Gerard Meehan Bl, for the State told the court the application was "doomed" on several grounds.

He said the action was procedurally flawed. It should have been brought by way of plenary hearing, which would involve the hearing of oral evidence before a court, and not by way of judicial review, counsel said.

Judicial review, he said, was something used to ensure lower courts and public administrative bodies have carried out their lawful functions and not a way to challenge a decision of the legislature or the Oireachtais, counsel added.

A supporter of John Waters and Gemma O'Doherty outside the High Court today. Pic: Rollingnews.ie

There was a failure to put expert evidence supporting their challenge before the court, counsel argued.

Counsel added the applications lacked the legal standing to bring the case to a full hearing, as they had not set out how the regulations challenged personally affects them.

Francis Kieran Bl for the notice parties described the challenge as "a full frontal attack" on articles of the Constitution associated with the separation of powers.

Counsel said that the courts should not interfere with decisions made by the Houses of the Oireachtas in relation to the laws brought about by Covid-19, and that leave should not be granted as the matters raised cannot be decided on by a court of law.

Counsel said the caretaker government was entitled to bring forward the laws, that they were unanimously passed by agreement of the parties and technical groups of the incoming Dail.

Caretaker government

The Dail was perfectly entitled to have a reduced number of TD attend and vote on the laws, counsel said.

The numbers of TDs present, which due to Covid-19 was reduced by agreement to over 40, in the Dail for the vote on the new laws exceeded the required quorum of 20 elected members, counsel said.

There was no issue in relation to the outgoing senate voting on the laws.

Counsel said while the Dail is dissolved on the calling of an election, the Seanad remains in place until the day before a new one is elected and is entitled to vote on any legislation that comes before it.

In their submissions to the court the applicants had raised questions about the manner how the new laws were passed by the legislature, and in particular by an outgoing Seanad, that the laws were proposed by a caretaker government.

They also rejected the States claim that they lacked legal standing to bring the action, as like every other citizen they said they are affected by the Civid 19 regulations.

Mr Waters argued the laws were so draconian that they amounted to an exceptional circumstance which would allow the court interfere with a decision of the legislature.

He added that after considering all the options he and Ms O'Doherty believed the best way to bring such an important action was by way of judicial review.

'Like a coup'

Ms O'Doherty, who said that the action was being brought "on behalf of the people of Ireland", described the situation as like living under "martial law" and described the actions of the government as something "like a coup".

During the hearing the Judge told asked her to cease making what he described as speeches that were not assisting the court in the decision it had to make.

Ms O'Doherty denied making speeches and said she had a right to be heard on what was a very important issue.

In their action Ms O'Doherty and Mr Waters have challenged legislation including the 2020 Health Preservation and Protection and Other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, the 2020 Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act Covid-19 Act, The 1947 Health Act (Affected Areas) Order.

Their proceedings are also aimed at striking down temporary restriction regulations brought due to Covid-19 under the 1947 Health Act.

They claim the laws, and the manner in which they were enacted, are repugnant to several articles of the Constitution including rights to travel, bodily integrity and the family.

The laws they claim amount to a suspension of constitutional rights.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been hospitalized with an infection, the Court announced Tuesday evening.

The 87-year-old justice developed an infection caused by a gallstone and received nonsurgical treatment on Tuesday. The infection was discovered during outpatient tests at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C.

The justice is resting comfortably and plans to participate in the oral argument teleconference tomorrow morning remotely from the hospital, the Supreme Court said in a statement.

Ginsburg expects to remain in the hospital for a day or two, the Court added.

In January, Ginsburg missed oral arguments at the Court for the first time in her over 25 years as a justice. She worked from home the following week and made decisions using briefs and transcripts of oral arguments.

The famously resilient justice has survived cancer several times, including colorectal cancer in 1999, pancreatic cancer in 2009, and lung cancer two years ago. She has dismissed the possibility of retiring soon, saying last summer that she plans to serve at least five more years on the court. Her health has remained a subject of intense speculation among Court-watchers, given the possibility that she could vacate her seat and give conservatives a chance to grow their fiveseat majority.

For the first time in its history, the Supreme Court on Monday began hearing oral arguments remotely by teleconference. Ginsburg participated in Tuesdays argument and plans to continue doing so remotely.

On Wednesday, the court will hear a case involving the Little Sisters of the Poor, who have waged an eight-year fight against the Obama administrations mandate that employers provide contraception coverage in the health insurance plans for their employees. Pennsylvania and New Jersey have sued the federal government over the Trump administrations exemption from the mandate for the Little Sisters.

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Val Sparks has served as Midland Memorial Hospitals infection preventionist for 28 years. Her career has spanned several pandemics and epidemics, including SARS, MERS and Ebola  deadly viruses that impacted other parts of the world but left the United States largely unaffected.

The novel coronavirus is different, spreading rapidly in every country it sneaks into and bringing the daily lives of people around the world to a crashing halt. Sparks said its something that someone in her position never hopes for, but always plans for.

This is something that I never envisioned -- never imagined would happen, she said. But we are doing the best we can with the resources available to us.

As the hospitals subject matter expert, the coronavirus has been consuming every second of her life since Midlands first confirmed case in mid-March, she said.

From housekeepers asking questions to nurses and respiratory therapists and physicians contacting you in the middle of the night, Sparks said. Its quite different right now because its 24 hour-call, all hands on deck.

Pre-pandemic, she oversaw the hospitals infection prevention team in monitoring for hospital-acquired infections and diseases that come through the emergency department. They also provided education for other employees and created policies for everything from cleaning to complicated nursing procedures.

Now, the size of her team has doubled, and their day-to-day is communicating with the health department, organizing the hospitals drive-thru COVID-19 testing, working with the employee health group to monitor staff who are ill or traveled to hot spots and daily meetings with clinicians caring for persons under investigation.

Sparks moved to Midland 36 years ago from Omaha, Nebraska, after Midland Memorial recruited her for a two-year contract. She said she met her husband within the first week after she moved here and opted to stay.

She got started in infection prevention after working in the blood bank testing for infections such as HIV and hepatitis C.

I became interested in it and I became the only person for it in this department 28 years ago, she said.

COVID-19 is a very involved and long-lasting illness, Sparks said, and is definitely impacting our institution.

I certainly am hoping they figure out a vaccine for this coronavirus sooner rather than later, she said.

Like others, shes awaiting the end of social distancing precautions and the restoration of a sense of normalcy. She said shes most looking forward to seeing her grandchildren and family again, and possibly taking a vacation.

In the meantime, Sparks said hospital staff maintain morale by focusing on the patients who get better and go home. She said theyve seen good results with the azithromycin-hydroxychloroquine drug regimen recently approved for COVID-19 patients, and it helps to see critical patients improve and be discharged.

We like to see that, she said. We like to be optimistic.
Rishi Kapoor's daughter Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, who couldn't attend the veteran actor's funeral, just cannot stop revisiting throwback memories, some of which she's also sharing on her Instagram stories.

Riddhima has now shared two black-and-white pictures on her IG stories. While one of the photos features Rishi with Neetu Kapoor during their wedding celebrations, another is with his mother Krishna Raj Kapoor.

The candid wedding picture shows Rishi in a suit, with his bride Neetu Kapoor, who is wearing a heavy sari with a veil on her head. In another picture, we see Rishi holding his mother, Krishna Raj Kapoors hand as if asking her for a dance. She captioned the particular picture as: Reunited with his most favourite person.

Riddhima, who watched the funeral over a FaceTime session with Alia Bhatt, had earlier written she couldn't say a "final goodbye" to her father on her Instagram story. Later, she posted a photo of Rishi to say "Legends live forever... miss you." Riddhima also shared a bunch of childhood memories featuring herself and her brother, actor Ranbir Kapoor as pint-sized versions. In one of the photos posted by Riddhima, Rishi Kapoor features with his mother Krishna Raj Kapoor, who died in October 2018.

Rishi Kapoor died in Mumbai on the morning of April 30. Just the night before, Riddhima was granted permission to drive to Mumbai from Delhi. Riddhima is a jewellery designer and lives with her husband and daughter in Delhi.

On Sunday, she immersed her father's ashes in Mumbai's Banganga along with brother Ranbir and mom Neetu.

On the day of Rishi Kapoor's death, Riddhima shared an emotional post on her Instagram. "I miss you already, come back na, Papa" and "Wish I could be there to say goodbye to you, Papa," she wrote.
UNESCO has joined hands with the University of Calicut in Kerala to launch a set a guidelines for parents and caregivers of children with disabilities.

UNESCO has joined hands with the University of Calicut in Kerala to launch a set a guidelines for parents and caregivers of children with disabilities. The guidelines come in the form of a booklet titled Life in the Times of COVID-19: A Guide for Parents of Children with Disabilities.

Are you a parent/caregiver of a child with #disability? If yes, then this post is for you! Follow @unesconewdelhi for your daily dose of boost and guide as we share 11 easy steps to help you take care of your child!  https://t.co/IlZv3852Fq#Mentalhealth pic.twitter.com/O3bhxeErxt  UNESCO New Delhi (@unesconewdelhi) May 5, 2020

The guide explains and illustrates the different aspects that a parent and caregiver must realise while dealing with these youngsters. It also addresses the need to maintain mental health of guardians and their various duties and responsibilities during the coronavirus pandemic.

Eric Falt, the director of UNESCO New Delhi, said that the guide is action-oriented and would help serve all families with special needs in dealing with the extreme crisis of COVID-19.

Prof K. Manikandan, UNESCO Chair on Community Based Disability Management and Rehabilitation Studies, added that the radical changes and stress brought about by result in different sorts of difficulties among children with disabilities.

An article in ABC News recently pointed out that homeschooling for parents of students with disabilities require urgent attention. The report quoted the CEO of Victorian peak body for autism Amaze in Australia saying that students with disabilities and their families are scrambling for solutions to homeschooling.

UNICEF too issued guidelines for children and adults with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic stating that they may be at risk of exclusion from education if distance learning programmes are not accessible.

They said that quarantine, health facilities and transport facilities established as part of the COVID-19 response may fail to cater to the requirements of children and adults with disabilities.

Children with disabilities may have underlying health conditions that increase their risk of complications due to COVID-19 as well, states UNESCO
A Texas preschool teacher who missed her class full of 3 and 4-year-olds came up with a way to bring her classroom to her students' driveways.

Myra Garza, a teacher at Holy Spirit Catholic School in San Antonio, packed her car full of preschool activities and drove to the homes of each of her 15 students, all of whom are doing virtual learning after the school closed in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"I just wanted to connect with them somehow," Garza, a 13-year teaching veteran, told "Good Morning America." "I was thinking how can we do it to where we still respect all the rules that we need to be following, and it just came to me, what if I did it outside their house and tried it that way?"

PHOTO: Myra Garza, a preschool teacher at Holy Spirit Catholic School in San Antonio, Texas, took her classroom to students' driveways during the coronavirus pandemic. ( Courtesy Myra Garza)

Garza said she spent about 30 minutes at each student's home and received a memorable flurry of questions and stories from each student.

MORE: Teacher who went viral for memorizing 75 handshakes beats COVID-19

"Im so glad youre here. Why did you come? Why dont you come back? Can you come tomorrow? Can you come inside?" Garza said, recounting the questions she received. "They wanted to show me everything -- their entire yard, their garage, their swimming pool -- and just wanted to tell me all kinds of things that they hadnt told me in seven weeks."

"I thought back to when I was a little girl and how I would have loved for my teacher to show up to my house and I think they were just equally as shocked," she added. "They were fascinated with my car. They had no idea I could drive. My hair was up and they had never seen my hair like that. A lot of them were fascinated with my clothes because I wasnt wearing what I would normally wear to school."

PHOTO: Myra Garza, a preschool teacher at Holy Spirit Catholic School in San Antonio, Texas, took her classroom to students' driveways during the coronavirus pandemic. ( Courtesy Myra Garza)

Garza has been recording videos for her students and talks with them on FaceTime and Zoom, but seeing them again in person for the first time since March brought her to tears.

"A couple of times I left their houses and I cried because I missed them," she said. "I knew I missed them but theres a lot of joy and a lot of happiness when youre around a child like that."

Story continues

MORE: Chance the Rapper on why he's honoring teachers across the nation

"They have no idea whats going on in the world," she said. "It was a complete mood booster, just to put everything in perspective, all the things we took for granted."

PHOTO: Myra Garza, a preschool teacher at Holy Spirit Catholic School in San Antonio, Texas, took her classroom to students' driveways during the coronavirus pandemic. ( Courtesy Myra Garza)

Garza's home visits were mood boosters for the students and their parents too, according to Amanda Wise, whose 3-year-old daughter Paloma is in Garza's class.

"We miss seeing her and interacting with her," Wise told "GMA" of Garza. "We see her on video and talk on the phone but its different than being around her and feeling her energy and all the passion that she puts into her job."

PHOTO: Holy Spirit Catholic School teacher Myra Garza teaches student Paloma Wise in her driveway. (Courtesy Myra Garza)

Wise and her daughter made a banner to welcome Garza to their house and gave her a blanket and a bottled water to have while she taught Paloma from afar on the driveway. Wise described the 30 minutes Garza spent at their home as a "sense of normalcy" and a "breath of fresh air."

"We still talk about it and Paloma wants her to come back every day," said Wise. "I had neighbors walking by and they had the biggest smiles on their face. It really brightened everyones day."

Garza is one of about 50 teachers at Holy Spirit, a school of 420 students. All have quickly embraced virtual learning and many are, like Garza, going above and beyond with home visits to make sure no student is left behind, according to Holy Spirit principal Margaret Webb.

PHOTO: Myra Garza, left, a preschool teacher, poses with Margaret Webb, principal of Holy Spirit Catholic School in San Antonio, Texas. (Courtesy Myra Garza)

"It warms my heart," said Webb. "The teachers here are very committed to having no gaps in the kids education. Were going to do everything we can to help them and to help their parents, many of whom are having to work from home too."

Garza said she has shared a consistent message with the parents of students in her class.

"I tell them, Youre doing your best. Your best is good enough,'" she said. "Everybody has a story of how theyre functioning right now ... the last thing I want to do is add to their plate."

Preschool teacher takes her classroom to students' yards originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com
We are working collaboratively to accelerate diagnostic testing for COVID-19 with healthcare organizations and other entities like The Rockefeller Foundation, Mike Pellini, Managing Partner of Health Venture Firm Section 32 and diagnostic expert who helped write the Rockefeller Plan.

Halfpenny Technologies, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Accumen, Inc., today announced the launch of its COVID-19 Test Capacity and Routing Network (The Network). The Network addresses three critical areas of need identified by hospitals and health systems throughout the current healthcare crisis: real-time availability of hospital and labs testing capacity, order entry and routing, and delivery of results to all appropriate parties. This level of connectivity in turn delivers faster turnaround times for these vitally important tests and results.

Large-scale tracking of laboratory capacity is essential to achieving efficient turnaround times for COVID-19 testing. We are proud to be able to leverage our existing footprint of 870 hospitals and labs to play an active role combating the spread of this coronavirus, said BG Porter, Accumens Chief Executive Officer.

Halfpenny Technologies operates secure Clinical Data Exchange Networks (cloud-based hubs and portals) across 48 states. This network integrates with the most prevalent lab and hospital information systems and over 400 electronic health record (EHR) systems. As these systems manage clinical data for the majority of the U.S. population, Accumen is uniquely positioned to facilitate the rapid deployment of regional COVID-19 Network hubs to facilitate test capacity tracking, order dispatching and results routing, added Charles Halfpenny, Chief Technology Officer at Accumen.

The Rockefeller Foundation is partnering with Accumen to address this lab data operability need. A private foundation, founded by the six-generation Rockefeller family, is focused on the well-being of humanity and advancing innovations around the world, including healthcare.

We are working collaboratively to accelerate diagnostic testing for COVID-19 with healthcare organizations and other entities like The Rockefeller Foundation that has published its plan to beat back COVID-19 and get Americans back to work more safely. The network is designed to bring unprecedented levels of transparency to testing and results, for COVID-19 and future viruses. We are proud to work with Accumen and support hospitals across the country in their participation, said Mike Pellini, Managing Partner of Health Venture Firm Section 32 and diagnostic expert who has been contributing to the Rockefeller plan.

Order Processing

Each regional Network hub receives COVID-19 test orders from EHR systems in local physician practices, hospitals, temporary hospitals and drive-thru testing facilities. Those orders are then routed to the closest regional lab with capacity. The orders are submitted in the required format, together with the necessary information to ensure proper laboratory billing, in advance of the specimens arrival.

The Network also provides a secure website for order entry to accommodate any sites that lack electronic ordering capabilities.

The Network determines which laboratory is best suited to perform the relevant test, and communicates this back to the ordering system, accompanied by labels and a requisition clearly identifying the destination lab for the ordering specimen.

Test Reporting

As COVID-19 test results are reported to the hub, the automated routing rules direct results to the ordering physicians EHR system, health plans, contact tracing solutions, state health departments, CDC, and other agencies as required. Results can also be retrieved from a secure website.

COVID-19 Test Capacity and Routing Network dashboards show lab capacity and turnaround times in real-time, including grouping by platform and Logistical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) to help address reagent and assay inventory imbalances. The Network also supplies information to a national hub for federal health agencies to use to manage the COVID-19 crisis.

Hospitals and labs that are offering COVID-19 testing and would like to join Halfpenny Technologies COVID-19 Test Capacity Network, should contact Dan McGuinn at (610) 574-5085. Health plans that would like to participate, should contact Wendi Beld at (970) 391-9577.

About Halfpenny Technologies

Founded in 2000, Halfpenny Technologies allows for the exchange and analysis of clinical data to improve patient care. Halfpenny Technologies is a leading provider of clinical data exchange and business intelligence solutions. Its cloudbased, fully managed solutions provide clinicians, labs, hospitals, pharmacies, accountable care organizations (ACOs) and health plans with a secure, vendorneutral infrastructure that supports care coordination, care management, regulatory requirements and data analysis within and between healthcare organizations. For more information, visit http://www.halfpenny.com.

About Accumen Inc.

At Accumen, our focus is helping healthcare get better, faster. Accumen is a technology-enabled organization that partners with hospital, health system, commercial laboratory and payer clients, to provide strategic solutions and services that deliver sustainable performance improvements. Our offerings include lab and imaging transformation, consulting, supply chain optimization, lab outreach, 3D post-processing, patient blood utilization, test utilization, anemia management and clinical data exchange. Accumens offerings enable our clients to achieve and exceed their cost, quality, and service targets, as well as deliver excellent patient care through evidence-based data and clinical decision support capabilities. Find out more at http://www.Accumen.com.

Disclaimer: Neither Accumen nor Halfpenny has any authority, responsibility, or liability with respect to any clinical decisions made by  or in connection with  a providers laboratory, patient blood management, or other operations. Nothing herein and no aspect of any services provided by Accumen or Halfpenny is intended  or shall be deemed  to subordinate, usurp, or otherwise diminish any providers sole authority and discretion and responsibility with respect to all clinical decision-making for its patients.

Accumen Contact

Kimberly MacDowell, Chief Marketing Officer

Phone: 858.621.3167 | Email: kmacdowell@accumen.com

2111 E Highland Ave, Ste 145 | Phoenix, AZ 85016

Media Contact

Lisa Osborne, CEO

Rana Healthcare Solutions

Phone: 206.992.5245 | Email: lisa@ranahealth.com
TORONTO, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mandalay Resources Corporation ("Mandalay" or the "Company") (TSX: MND, OTCQB: MNDJF) announces that due to the public health impact of the coronavirus ("COVID-19") pandemic, the venue of its Annual General and Special Meeting ("AGM") have been changed.

The AGM will still proceed on Wednesday, May 20, 2020, at 9:00 a.m. (Toronto time) but will now be held at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, 100 Front Street West, Toronto, ON, Canada M5J 1E3. All other details of the AGM, including the resolutions to be proposed at the meeting, remain unchanged from those notified to shareholders.

To follow provincial COVID-19 guidelines prohibiting group gatherings and to mitigate the health and safety risks of our shareholders, employees and directors, the Company is discouraging physical attendance in person. The AGM will not be open to the general public and will be limited to registered shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders only.

The vast majority of our shareholders vote by proxy in advance of the meeting and we encourage shareholders to continue to vote in this manner using one of the methods described in the management proxy circular. The notice of availability of Proxy material, the Management Information Circular and proxy related material can be obtained from the Company's website at https://www.mandalayresources.com/reports/agm2020/ . Starting at 9:00 a.m. (Toronto time) on May 20, 2020, shareholders may listen to the Meeting by live audio teleconference by dialing 877-407-8289 or 201-689-8341. Please note that Shareholders will not be entitled to vote at, or otherwise participate in, the Meeting by way of teleconference or other electronic means.

For Further Information:

Dominic Duffy

President and Chief Executive Officer

Edison Nguyen

Manager, Analytics and Investor Relations

Contact:

647.260.1566

About Mandalay Resources Corporation:

Mandalay Resources is a Canadian-based natural resource company with producing assets in Australia and Sweden, and care and maintenance and development projects in Chile. The Company is focused on growing production at its gold and antimony operation in Australia, and gold production from its operation in Sweden to generate near-term cash flow.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 6, 2020) - Getchell Gold Corp. (CSE: GTCH) (OTCQB: GGLDF) ("Getchell" or the "Company") a leading Nevada focused Gold and Copper exploration company is pleased to provide; i) an update on its comprehensive review of the Fondaway Canyon data set that covers gold exploration and production spanning the last 50 years; and ii) significant highlights from the most recent drill program that was conducted in 2017, as it directly underscores the positive assessment and significant potential of the Project.

Key Highlights:

7.69 g/t gold over 9.8 m and 5.28 g/t gold over 7.9 m within a longer interval of 2.83 g/t Au over 65.4 m and 1.77 g/t Au over 62.9 m intersected at the Colorado zone supporting the continuity and extent of the mineralization 250 metres down dip of the surface expression of the zone;

Pack Rat zone extended 250 metres down dip by hole FC17-01 that ended in mineralization grading 1.29 g/t Au over 46.6 m and remains open to depth;

Intervening 400 metre distance between and along trend of the Colorado and Pack Rat zones are open and underexplored;

Half Moon zone extended 70 metres down dip by hole FC17-04 grading 1.01 g/t Au over 66.1 m;

Drill Hole FC17-05 testing the South Pit area intersected 5.97 g/t gold over 6.1 meters within a longer interval of 3.48 g/t Au over 12.8 m. The hole ended in mineralization considered outside of the known extents of mineralization at Fondaway; and

The 2017 drill campaign occurred after the completion of the historical mineral resource estimate conducted in 2016 and, as such, the results were not included in the historical resource estimate.

"The key highlights summarized above illustrate the extent of the gold mineralizing system and the upside potential at Fondaway Canyon." states Bill Wagener, CEO Getchell Gold Corp.

The most recent drill program at Fondaway, conducted in 2017 by a previous operator, consisted of seven drill holes broadly arrayed across a number of the more prominent gold zones. The objective of the drill program was to:

Confirm the substantial width of gold mineralization at critical locales; Test exploration gaps between known gold occurrences; and Test gold mineralization at depth.

The 2017 drill program was highly successful in terms of supporting gold mineralization widths and grade, the continuity of mineralization along trend, extending the depth of the known mineralization and intersecting significant intercepts outside of the known boundaries of the mineralization. The following are selected highlights from the five drill holes, FC17-01 to FC17-05, that were drilled in the central area of the Project (Figure 1).





Figure 1: Fondaway Canyon Central Area Plan Map showing drill traces solely from the 2017 drill program

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3941/55478_447ba1ceb4264a8e_001full.jpg

Two drill holes, FC17-02 and FC17-03, targeted the Colorado zone, the most northern and one of the more densely mineralized zones at Fondaway. The two holes intersected lengthy sections of gold mineralization reporting 62.9 m grading 1.77 g/t Au from 253.1 to 316.1 m and 65.4 m grading 2.83 g/t Au from 122.7 to 188.1 m respectively (see Table 1 and refer to Figure 2).

The 2017 drilling at Colorado supports the continuity and extent of the mineralization 250 metres (820 feet) down dip of where the zone is expressed at surface.





Figure 2: Fondaway Canyon Long Section, Colorado to Pack Rat Zone along 240 Az. looking SE

To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3941/55478_447ba1ceb4264a8e_002full.jpg

Drill hole FC17-01 targeted the Pack Rat zone at depth. The Pack Rat zone is located approximately 400 metres to the SW of Colorado along an extensional fault zone, the Pack Rat Fault, considered one of the many mineralizing structures at Fondaway. Hole FC17-01 ended in mineralization reporting a 46.6 m intersection grading 1.29 g/t Au from 319.1 to 365.8 m down hole. This intersection extends the mineralization 250 metres (820 feet) down dip from the historical shallow drilling and remains open to depth.

Drill Hole FC17-04 tested the northeast striking quartz-vein stock-work hosted shear zone down dip from the Half Moon gold zone. Hole FC17-04 reported a 66.1 m intersection grading 1.01 g/t Au from 226.2 to 292.3 m down hole and extending mineralization about 70 metres (230 ft) down-dip from previous drilling.





Figure 3: Fondaway Canyon Long Section, Half Moon to South Pit Zone along 240 Az. looking SE

To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3941/55478_447ba1ceb4264a8e_003full.jpg

Drill Hole FC17-05 tested the South Pit area that is situated at the southwestern extent, 500 metres (1,640 ft) to the SW of the start of the Half Moon zone (Figure 3), of an extensional fault zone parallel to the Pack Rat fault and also considered one of the many mineralizing structures at Fondaway. Numerous mineralized intersections were encountered, but of specific significance:

FC17-05 ended in gold mineralization grading 3.48 g/t Au over 12.8 m from 345.3 to 358.1 m down hole; and the mineralization encountered at the bottom of the hole is a previously unknown gold zone outside of the known extents of mineralization at Fondaway.

"The results from the 2017 drilling support our initial assessment as to the opportunity and continue to add to the story at Fondaway." states Bill Wagener, CEO.

Of special note, the 2017 drill campaign by a previous operator occurred after the completion of the historical mineral resource estimate conducted in 2016 and published in 2017 that stated Indicated resources of 409,000 oz. Au contained in 2,050,000 tonnes grading 6.18 g/t and Inferred resources of 660,000 oz. Au contained in 3,200,000 tonnes grading 6.4 g/t at Fondaway Canyon. Therefore, the results from the 2017 drill program were not included in the model that formed the historical resource estimate.

This historic resource estimate was completed by Techbase International Ltd of Reno, Nevada, and it is contained within a NI 43-101 report dated April 3, 2017 that was commissioned by Canarc Resource Corp of Vancouver, B.C., Canada. The resource estimate was compiled only from drill holes that could be validated (591 holes @ 49,086 m), a sufficient amount to deem the historic resource as reliable. Using Techbase software, a method of polygons was used along each vein. With a minimum 0.10 opt Au and 1.8 m horizontal vein width used as cut-off parameters, twelve veins had sufficient composited intercepts within the sulfide mineralization for the estimate. No capping or cutting of grades was applied. The historical resource estimate used classifications in accordance with NI 43-101 standards, namely, "indicated" and "inferred". A review and/or re- calculation of the historic resource is required by an independent Qualified Person to confirm these as current resources as defined by NI 43-101. A qualified person for Getchell has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources; and the Company is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources.

Table 1: Fondaway Canyon Central Area - Select Highlights from the 2017 Drill Program





Cannot view Table 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3941/55478_447ba1ceb4264a8e_004full.jpg

Downhole sample interval lengths reported in this news release are not representative of true width and true width will be less than the reported core length intervals by a certain factor. Getchell has performed insufficient work to determine the attitude of the mineralized zones and an estimation of true width.

Table 2: Fondaway Canyon Central Area - Summary of 2017 Drill Program





Cannot view Table 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3941/55478_447ba1ceb4264a8e_005full.jpg

The 2017 drill samples were analyzed by Bureau Veritas Minerals of Sparks, Nevada, an ISO-certified lab that meets the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and ISO 9001:2015. The laboratory employed a QAQC protocol that included insertion of control samples at a rate of 1 per 100 feet of core, approximately 1 per 22 samples, and conducted duplicate analyses of core pulps and rejects. Control samples included a blank and four gold standards at various grades. A qualified person from Getchell has verified that the 2017 drill program results disclosed have been generated with proper procedures, have been accurately transcribed from the original source and are suitable to be used.

Dataset Compilation Update

The Fondaway Canyon dataset includes data from gold exploration and production conducted by multiple operators spanning the last 50 years. During this period, 735 reverse circulation and core holes have been drilled totaling 185,963 feet (56,682 meters) that has produced over 30,000 samples. In addition, to assist with the geological interpretation and modelling, approximately 2,800 core photos were indexed, and the majority of the drill logs have been converted from static paper copies to digital format with the significant geological attributes coded into a standardized database. This modernization of the data will facilitate the development of a 3D model that will be used to identify high profile targets for drilling.

Over the coming weeks the Company's technical team will take the unformed data and perform a comprehensive interpretation by combining all of the geological attributes (e.g. drill intercepts, assay results, surface and underground sampling, lithology, alteration, structure and mineralization) into one database. The objective is to i) work towards the development of a new or revised geological and gold mineralizing model and ii) design and initiate a field exploration program.

Bill Wagener states that, "As the interpretation and modelling progresses, a greater understanding and more detailed geological insights will be formed. The Company looks forward to sharing those conclusions as they are reached."

2020 Fall Exploration Program at Fondaway Canyon

There are numerous exploration targets with significant merits and blue-sky potential. It is anticipated that multiple drill campaigns will be required to determine and define the extent of the gold mineralization at Fondaway Canyon; especially considering that the known gold occurrences extend along an impressive east-west strike length of 3.5 kilometres, a perpendicular width of up to 800 metres and a vertical range of 670 metres from the higher elevations in the east to the range-front in the west.

The Company is planning for a Fall 2020 drill program at Fondaway Canyon. The drill program will be scaled accordingly with the intention to provide "high value enhancement relative to cost" and set the stage for the further advancement and development of the Project.

Scott Frostad, P.Geo., is the Qualified Person (as defined in NI 43-101) who reviewed and approved the contents of this news release and has verified the data disclosed herein.

About Getchell Gold Corp.

The Company reiterates that its near-term strategy to advance its assets is not impacted by the COVID-19 Corona virus. The Company continues to monitor the situation and is in compliance with all government guidelines.

The Company is a Nevada focused gold and copper exploration company trading on the CSE: GTCH and OTCQB: GGLDF. Getchell Gold is directing its efforts on its most advanced stage asset, Fondaway Canyon, a past gold producer with a significant in-the-ground historic resource estimate. Complementing Getchell's asset portfolio is Dixie Comstock, a past gold producer with a historic resource and two earlier stage exploration projects, Star Point and Hot Springs Peak. Getchell has the option to acquire 100% of the Fondaway Canyon and Dixie Comstock properties under an agreement with Canarc Resources Corp. (see January 7, 2020 news release for further details).

For further information please visit the Company's website at www.getchellgold.com or contact the Company at info@getchellgold.com.

Mr. William Wagener, Chairman & CEO

Getchell Gold Corp.

+1 303 517 8764

info@getchellgold.com

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Not for distribution to U.S. news wire services or dissemination in the United States.

Certain information contained herein constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the private placement and the completion thereof and the use of proceeds. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "will" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including: the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, use of proceeds from the financing, capital expenditures and other costs, and financing and additional capital requirements. Although management of Getchell have 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. The Company will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/55478
The United States President Donald Trump said hes sending 250 ventilators to Nigeria to help fight the coronavirus.

He revealed on Tuesday the size of the aid he promised Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari during a phone conversation last week.

He spoke during a visit to Honeywell International in Phoenix Arizona. The company produces masks.

Trump claimed during the visit that the U.S. has now flattened the curve on coronavirus.

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He said he is helping other nations, including Nigeria with essential medical supplies.

We have more ventilators now than anybody in the world and we are helping France, as you know. We are helping France, Italy, Spain, Nigeria. We are giving I think 250 to Nigeria. We have many countries that we are helping, he said.

Thanks to the profound commitment of our citizens, we have flattened the curve and countless American lives have been saved. Our country is now in the next stage of the battle. A very safe, phased and gradual reopening of our country, Trump said in his remarks at Honeywell International in Phoenix.
The summer is coming and the Bay Area's coronavirus shelter-in-place order is relaxing. Many residents' shutdown daydreams of sitting by a pool with a cocktail in a sunny vacation home may turn into a reality in the coming months. While taking a flight to a faraway country or booking a stay in a hotel may be still a long way off, vacations by car within the state may be back this summer. We looked into if, how and when this could happen.

Can I book an Airbnb summer vacation in California right now?

Yes, but you can't vacation yet.

Reservations can currently be made for the summer from anywhere from Tahoe to Palm Springs through Airbnb right now. However, the current Bay Area shelter-in-place order is set to be in force until at least May 31, so vacationing prior to then would be an infringement on the mandate to stay at home. There is still a risk that vacation plans for June and beyond may be scuppered by extensions to the orders. Both Governor Gavin Newsom's statewide order and the Bay Area mandate are subject to change. Keep an eye on our updates for any modifications as they happen.

This list from Airbnb provides links to both California and individual counties' current rules.

What about travelling out of state?

While California's shutdown order is showing signs of relaxing, travel in the United States is still not encouraged. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention site reads:

"Cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have been reported in all states, and some areas are experiencing community spread of the disease. Travel increases your chances of getting and spreading COVID-19.

"CDC recommends you stay home as much as possible, especially if your trip is not essential, and practice social distancing especially if you are at higher risk of severe illness. Dont travel if you are sick or travel with someone who is sick."

Are Airbnb hosts preparing for increased cleaning of rentals?

Yes.

The company has issued a new "Enhanced Cleaning Initiative," with guidance from the U.S. Surgeon General. Guests will be able to see on the site when booking if hosts are following the new protocols. CEO Brian Chesky explains the changes in a video on their site.

Can I book an Airbnb in Palm Springs?

The City of Palm Springs' most recent order on short-term rentals, which encompasses short-term lodging establishments including hotels, vacation rentals, timeshares and homeshares, extended the moratorium to May 31.

Can I plan a vacation to Hawaii?

Technically yes, but it's likely too soon for any out-of-state bookings without some risk. Hawaii has a mandatory, 14-day quarantine for all incoming travelers which is currently preventing nearly all travel to the islands. Hawaii's most recent order on vacation rentals, updated on April 10, is absolute and currently indefinite. All vacation rentals are closed and this will continue through the COVID-19 emergency, or until terminated sooner by the mayors order, per statements from the respective mayors of the islands.

ALSO: What travel will look like for the next year or two

What if I booked an Airbnb at the start of the year and can't go due to the shutdown?

Airbnb will refund bookings made before March 15 for vacations up to June 15. Their statement on this reads:

"Reservations for stays and Airbnb Experiences made on or before March 14, 2020, with a check-in date between March 14, 2020 and June 15, 2020, are covered by the policy and may be canceled before check-in. Guests who cancel will have a variety of cancellation and refund options... Airbnb will either refund, or issue travel credit that includes, all service fees for covered cancellations. In order to cancel under the policy, you will be required to attest to the facts of and/or provide supporting documentation for your extenuating circumstance."

Short-term rental site VRBO has a similar policy.

What about for reservations made after March 14?

These will not be covered under the added coronavirus refund policy, and the host's usual cancellation policy applies. Airbnb says:

"Reservations for stays and Airbnb Experiences made after March 14, 2020 will not be covered under our extenuating circumstances policy, except where the guest or host is currently sick with COVID-19. COVID-19 related circumstances not covered include: transportation disruptions and cancellations; travel advisories and restrictions; health advisories and quarantines; changes to applicable law; and other government mandateslike evacuation orders, border closures, prohibitions on short-term rentals, and shelter-in-place requirements. The hosts cancellation policy will apply as usual."

What if the shelter-in-place is extended and I can't go? Will I get a refund?

Maybe.

Airbnb states that, "If your check-in is June 16 or later, you can always change or cancel your existing reservation under the terms of your hosts cancellation policy. If travel continues to be disrupted, our extenuating circumstances policy may be expanded to cover reservations with check-ins beyond June 15 that were booked on or before March 14."

So I can make a reservation and take a trip to anywhere in California after May 31?

Not necessarily.

Beyond the chance of an extension to the state mandate, many counties across the state have their own rules, and many popular destinations are understandably worried about a surge in visitors post shutdown. Check this list for the various counties' current rulings.

Where can I take my family swimming?

Public swimming pools were absent from the recent relaxation in the shelter-in-place mandate across the state. While some think that public pools should have been included in the update, there is currently no timeline for their reopening. It's likely that private pools at Airbnb rentals will be accessible, but it would be a good idea to confirm with the host beforehand.

Can I go camping?

No, not yet.

On March 17 California State Parks closed all campgrounds, about 15,000 total campsites, within the state parks system to support state and local efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19.

The California Department of Parks and Recreation site states that, "all reservation holders affected by the campground closures received a notification from ReserveCalifornia and refunds were provided. Cancellation fees were waived."

When will state campsites reopen?

There are currently no plans to reopen. The California Department of Parks and Recreation site states that "the situation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic is evolving daily and at this time, State Parks does not have an exact date for reopening our campgrounds. The department will be following guidance from the Governors Office via the California Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as to when it is safe to allow the public to gather in larger groups."

Andrew Chamings is a digital editor at SFGATE. Email: Andrew.Chamings@sfgate.com | Twitter: @AndrewChamings
New Delhi, May 6 : After several questions were raised on Jawaharlal Nehru University's decision to organise a webinar on 'Lessons from the Bhagavad Gita during the Covid-19 Crisis, JNU Vice Chancellor Jagadesh Kumar Mamidala evoked Jawaharlal Nehru's 'Discovery of India where Nehru had claimed that Bhagavad Gita does not address any particular school of thought and is universal in its approach for everyone.

Speaking to IANS exclusively, Mamidala said, "The spiritual nature of Gita is beautifully explained by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru in Discovery of India: 'The message of the Gita is not sectarian or addressed to any particular school of thought. It is universal in its approach for everyone. Therefore, learning lessons from Gita in an educational institute is not out of place." He also mentioned about IIMs using Bhagavad Gita to train their students in the art of management and claimed that the varsity will continue to conduct more such webinars in future.

"Many IIMs too are drawing lessons from the Bhagavad Gita to train future corporate leaders. JNU is a place open to all good ideas and critical thinking. We will continue to conduct more such interesting webinars for the benefit of the students," he added.

Many people have raised concerns over JNU's move to conduct webinars based on Hindu mythology. A section of JNU teachers on Tuesday had issued a statement where they accused Mamidala of propagating "a particular religious philosophy and belief system." "Merely calling them webinars doesn't make them truly academic events. The JNUTA views this as inappropriate conduct and misuse of the office of the Vice Chancellor," the section of teachers had then said.

Mamidala though brushed the allegations and said, "From Gita, we learn that we must act conscious of our responsibilities. We must do our duties without a desire for personal benefit. Qualities that are essential in situations such as COVID-19. For many of us, finding the purpose and the meaning of our existence does not come easily. Bhagavad Gita teaches us this important life lesson." The webinar is scheduled for Thursday at 6 pm and according to latest data over 800 individuals from across the country have already registered to attend the same.

JNU has been conducting several webinars on different issues related to COVID-19 during the lockdown period, one of them which gained a lot of eyes was a webinar on leadership lessons from Ramayana.

"Mahatma Gandhi emphasised how Lord Rama taught us to uphold truth, justice, equality even under adverse circumstances, there is a great deal to learn from Ramayana to enrich our lives particularly during these challenging times of coronavirus," Mamidala had then said.

Earlier the university had organised a webinar on challenges and solutions to COVID-19. Over a thousand people including many from foreign countries had reportedly participated in that webinar.

"When we are in the midst of a pandemic like COVID-19, it is not uncommon for us, particularly the students, to experience doubts, anxiety, uncertainty and psychological stress. To successfully fight COVID-19, while we need to follow all the guidelines suggested by experts, it is also important to remain mentally strong," Mamidala said as he defended the webinar on Bhagavad Gita.

The university was also among the first ones to form a dedicated COVID-19 taskforce and a website for the benefit of its students.
The wedding date had been fixed, as was the venue.

But what this young couple from Dehradun didn't plan for was the lockdown that prevented them from going back home to get married.

Not to worry, the Pune police went out of their way to arrange for a venue, pandit, even for someone to do the kanyadan.

A Ganesh Nadar/Rediff.com describes a most unusual wedding.

Aditya Bisht, a marketing professional, and Neha Kushwaha, a doctor, were married in Pune on May 2, 2020.

There was a pandit who solemnised their marriage.

What was unusual about this marriage was that there were no relatives or friends attending the marriage.

The only attendees were the Pune police.

But the young couple had no occasion to miss their near and dear ones, as the men in khaki stepped in for them, and even arranged for live-streaming the ceremony so the families back home could see it all.

Assistant Police Inspector Prasad Lonare of the Hadapsar police station in Pune, whose idea it was, tells Rediff.com about how this marriage happened.

"Last month, the groom's father, Devendra Bisht, called me to ask if the couple who were to be married in Dehradun on May 2 could travel there. I told them it was not possible because of the lockdown. Then he asked if I could help.

"He told me that he was a retired colonel from the Indian army. The girl's father is also a colonel, he is a retired doctor from the Armed Forces Medical College and is currently working at AIIMS-Nagpur.

"As both families were from the defence forces, I thought it was my duty to help them.

"As both the groom and bride were in Pune, I thought I could do something. I consulted with my superiors and my DCP, and they all agreed.

"So we found a pandit, made arrangements for clothes and flowers. It took eight days to arrange all this.

"You must keep in mind that besides this we were also attending to our daily duties during the lockdown.

"We arranged the marriage in the hall of a club house. We asked them for the hall for two hours and they agreed.

"A colleague, Manoj Patil, and his wife did the kanyadan as per marriage rituals. Eight to 10 officers attended the function and we all maintained social distance."

Aditya Bisht, the groom, was very happy when he spoke to Rediff.com. "We cannot believe that our marriage has become national news," he says.

Dr Neha Kushwaha, the bride, says, "We were engaged on February 14 at my in-laws's place. Both our parents were there and a few relatives. My elder brother, who is a major in the army, was also there. On that day we decided that the marriage would be held on May 2, 2020."

Aditya explains the sequence of events. "Because of the lockdown we could not travel to Dehradun. We then thought we would have the marriage in Nagpur but that too involved travelling, which was not possible."

Everything changed after that one phone call Aditya's father made to API Prasad Lonare.

"We came to the hall expecting that we would have to sign the register and come back home. But everything was done as per our custom," recalls Aditya.

"They had bought a sari for Neha, they had arranged for flowers and also for a pandit who conducted the marriage very well. A police officer and his wife did the kanyadan. We were very touched."

"Deputy Commissioner of Police Suhas Bawche, who attended our marriage, gifted us with a sanitiser and face masks which I think was very appropriate at this time.

"We feel lucky that our marriage took place on the day it was supposed to be. Our parents were also happy that they could see all the proceedings that were live-streamed.

"We are happy to know that our marriage is an inspiration to other young couples. We will be eternally grateful to the Pune police."
Its not just the magnitude of these numbers; its the speed with which theyre happening thats really stunning, said Nick Bunker, who leads North American economic research at the Indeed Hiring Lab.

Fridays report will paint the clearest picture yet of the economic devastation, and could provide some important hints about the eventual recovery. But it will also bring complications that will make the numbers difficult to interpret.

The numbers will be more complete  but less timely.

Its no surprise that employers have cut millions of jobs; weekly data on filings for unemployment benefits have tracked the destruction. The most recent report, covering the last full week of April, showed that roughly 30 million Americans had filed jobless claims since the new coronavirus began to shut down the economy. The next weekly report, due Thursday, will probably add millions more.

Those figures are more up to date than the monthly jobs report coming Friday, which will cover hiring and firing through mid-April. But the monthly numbers are more comprehensive than the weekly ones, which almost certainly understate the damage. Not everyone who has lost a job qualifies for benefits, and many who do qualify have not yet filed a claim because the flood of applicants has overwhelmed state unemployment offices.

The monthly data, based on surveys of businesses and households, should provide a more complete estimate of job losses. It will also reflect the extent to which hiring at companies like Amazon and Walmart has offset them. And unlike the weekly data, which mostly counts losses, the monthly report includes data on working hours, which will help quantify the millions of people who have held on to their jobs but had their hours cut.
After a six-week nationwide lockdown in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, on May 3rd the Indian government commenced a calibrated relaxation of this unprecedented shutdown. To discuss the economic impacts of the crisis and what steps government can take to cushion the blow, this week on the show Milan Vaishnav (Director of the South Asia programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace) welcomes back the economist Arvind Subramanian. Arvind served as the chief economic advisor to the Government of India between 2014-2018 and is currently a professor at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and a Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute.

Milan speaks with Arvind about how Indian authorities should respond to the economic crisis, the utter failure of global economic cooperation, and whether Chinas reputational hit offers India an opportunity. Plus, the two discuss Arvinds long-standing support for a universal basic income (UBI) for India and whether the country has the necessary infrastructure in place to deliver an effective UBI.

YOURE INVITED: Join Milan, Tanvi, and Sadanand for a special LIVE episode of Grand Tamasha on Tuesday, May 19, at 11am EST / 8:30pm IST. Tune in as they break down the weeks news - and join the live chat to ask questions! Add it to your calendar, and join the live show here.
The total number of confirmed cases in Afghanistan show that the country could have one of the highest COVID-19 infection rates in the world, a global organisation has warned. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has reportedly speculated that, in the absence of urgent actions, nearly 80 per cent of the nation could be infected. Afghanistan has till now reported 3,224 positive cases and 95 fatalities.

"Furthermore in recent days, results of a randomised sample of 500 persons in Kabul, a city of between five and seven million people, showed an alarming infection rate of 50 per cent," IMO said in a statement on May 5.

Constant quest for work

According to reports, the Asian nation is currently struggling to absorb nearly 2,71,000 people who had returned from Iran and Pakistan since January. Owing to the socio-economic condition of the Afghan society, families cannot survive without constant to and fro from Iran and other neighbouring countries for work. Meanwhile, extending conflicts in an area due to increased attacks from the Taliban and the US have worsened the situation.

Read: NATO Mission In Afghanistan Withholding Information About Taliban Attacks: US Watchdog

The organisation asserted that authorities have a lack of access to non-government controlled areas which points out to the fact that there has not been COVID-19 testing in as much as 30 per cent of the nation. Adding to that, Afghanistan also has an extremely limited infrastructure to treat severe cases . According to reports, life expectancy in the country is only 50 years, for both genders, with a majority of the population born with existing conditions like TB, HIV Iaids, Cancer etc. additionally, environmental pollution ads to the risk.

Read: US-Taliban Deal 'historic' Opportunity To Bring Peace In Afghanistan: Qureshi

Social Distancing

The agency also noted that it was nearly impossible to adhere to social distancing norms in Afghanistan owing to poverty. According to reports, the average size of a family was seven people and most people lived in small confine, one-room homes without any ventilation. In rural areas, there is a major Lck of awareness A recent community perception survey carried out by a grouping of NGOs showed 60 per cent of residents were uninformed about COVID-19.

Despite these seemingly insurmountable challenges, IOM is reportedly very active in battling COVID-19 pandemic in the region. The organisation is working in close partnership with the Ministry of Public Health and the WHO with over 100 health staff deployed to border level surveillance, health facility-based interventions and mobile health teams.

Read: UN: Over 500 Civilians Killed In Afghanistan In First 3 Months Of The Year

Read: Afghanistan President Thanks PM Modi For HCQ Export; PM Assures To Combat COVID Together
[May 06, 2020] Allovate Therapeutics Provides Free Allerdent To Physicians

New York, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allovate Therapeutics , a New York-based biotechnology company, announced today that it is making its allergy immunotherapy delivery platform available without charge to allergy professionals facing difficulties bringing their patients into the office for injections. Allovate was founded in 2012 with the goal of improving and advancing the administration of allergy immunotherapy for patients of all ages. Allovates lead product, Allerdent, is designed to deliver proteins, such as immunotherapeutic agents, to the immune system while the user brushes their teeth.



During this global COVID-19 pandemic, many allergy patients are required to stay at home, reducing their ability to visit physicians offices for allergy treatments, such as allergy shots, said Robert Pomrenke, CEO, Allovate. Upon request, we are making free supplies of our Allerdent product available for physicians who can provide treatment to patients unable to travel to their offices. A survey conducted April 28, 2020 by Advanced Data Management (ADM) on behalf of Allovate found that 95% of physicians who responded (including allergists, otolaryngologists, and other physicians who treat patients with allergies) were having difficulty providing treatment to their patients suffering from respiratory allergies. Oral mucosal immunotherapy (OMIT) is administered by the user from home using the proprietary Allerdent platform, which is a specialized toothpaste formulated to incorporate and stabilize immunotherapeutic agents. OMIT delivers biologically active compounds to the areas lining the oral cavity that have the highest likelihood of initiating allergy desensitization. Allerdent can be personalized by physicians for respiratory allergy sufferers, mixing the base paste from a kit with any combination of the allergens which are the underlying cause of the problem. The final toothpaste mixture can be easily, painlessly, and conveniently used at home as part of the everyday tooth-brushing routine. During this global pandemic, many physicians offices have been limited to emergencies only, said William Risacher, MD, Associate Professor of Otolaryngology and the Director of Allergy Services at Weill Cornell Medical College/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. For many offices, these restrictions have significantly disrupted the ability to administer allergy injections to their patients. And even after restrictions ease, many patients will still be very nervous about travelling into the doctors office.



Under this special program, physicians can visit this website to request samples of Allerdent for a limited time during this pandemic crisis. Any patient who would be adversely impacted by a discontinuation period in their subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT aka allergy shots) is eligible.



About Oral Mucosal Immunotherapy (OMIT)

Respiratory allergies affect at least 60 million people in the United States, resulting in 11.1 million visits to the doctor in 2010. 100 million Europeans suffer from allergic rhinitis and 70 million suffer from asthma. Symptomatic treatment, at a global cost of over $25 billion yearly, keeps symptoms at bay temporarily but does not offer a long-term solution. Allergen-specific immunotherapy is the only treatment method that targets the root cause of allergies, consistently exposing the allergy sufferer's immune system to sufficient amounts of allergenic proteins to desensitize them to allergens over time. Oral mucosal immunotherapy (OMIT) uses a proprietary, specially formulated toothpaste to incorporate and stabilize allergenic proteins that are administered while users brush their teeth. OMIT simplifies long-term daily adherence to immunotherapy for patients, while delivering key agents to broad areas of the oral cavity, including those with the highest density of the immune cells responsible for effecting immunotherapy.

About Allovate Therapeutics

Allovate Therapeutics is a New York-based biotechnology company founded in 2012 with the goal of improving allergy treatment for all patients. Allovates mission is dedicated to improving the delivery of medical therapy. Allovates lead product, Allerdent, is designed to deliver proteins, such as immunotherapeutic agents, to the immune system while the user brushes their teeth. Allovates licensee, Intrommune Therapeutics, is exploring allergy immunotherapy for life-threatening food allergies.



For more information, please visit www.allovate.com .

About ADM

Advanced Data Management LLC (ADM) is a privately held market research and sales support firm focusing on healthcare. ADM regularly surveys and conducts market research studies for clients including pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, healthcare IT (including EHR, mobile health, and venture investment in healthcare IT). We regularly survey thousands of physicians currently practicing in the United States from our registered proprietary database of 520,000+ U.S. based physicians. www.adm-health.com .

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements



This release may contain "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are identified by certain words or phrases such as "may," "will," "aim," "will likely result," "believe," "expect," "will continue," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "contemplate," "seek to," "future," "objective," "goal," "project," "should," "will pursue" and similar expressions or variations of such expressions. These forward-looking statements reflect the company's current expectations about its future plans and performance. These forward-looking statements rely on a number of assumptions and estimates which could be inaccurate and which are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could vary materially from those anticipated or expressed in any forward-looking statement made by the company. The company disclaims any obligation or intent to update the forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.



Contact: Robert Pomrenke, CEO Allovate [email protected] John F. Kouten JFK Communications, Inc. 609-241-7352 [email protected]

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Vodacom recently launched its 5G mobile network in three cities in South Africa  Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Cape Town.

Vodacoms 5G network supports both mobile and fixed-wireless services and is currently available on 20 live 5G sites.

These 20 sites are grouped into six clusters  Midrand, Sandton, Menlyn, Centurion, Waterfall/Sunninghill, and Century City.

Vodacoms 5G network uses the 1 x 50MHz of temporary spectrum in the 3.5GHz band which has been granted by ICASA, and on the few sites where it is roaming on the Liquid Telecom network, Liquid Telecom has deployed its spectrum.

This follows Vodacom and Liquid Telecom concluding managed network services and national roaming agreements for a national 5G network in December 2019.

Liquid Telecoms spectrum includes a 1 x 56MHz permanent assignment and 1 x 4MHz temporary assignment, for a single 1 x 60MHz Liquid Telecom carrier.

Vodacom said the deployment of its 5G network will help it to manage the 40% increase in mobile network traffic and the 250% increase in fixed traffic it has experienced during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The equipment used to test Vodacoms 5G network

To test Vodacoms 5G network, MyBroadband purchased an LG V50 ThinQ 5G smartphone  the only 5G phone currently available in South Africa.

The LG V50 ThinQ 5G is hard to find in South Africa, but excellent client service from Vodacom World made the purchasing process easy  a big thank you to Vodacom World employee Grayson.

We also purchased a new prepaid Vodacom SIM to test the network. The sales agent assured us that all SIMs are provisioned to use the 5G network.

MyBroadband inserted the SIM into the phone, booted it up, and loaded data after the SIM was activated.

The phone immediately picked up Vodacoms 5G network  exactly as the Vodacom agent said.

Testing Vodacoms 5G network

To test Vodacoms 5G mobile network, we used their coverage map to select testing locations.

The testing locations covered Vodacoms five 5G clusters in Gauteng  Midrand, Sandton, Menlyn, Centurion, and Waterfall/Sunninghill.

The tests were conducted on 5 May 2020 between 11:00 and 19:30.

The first stop was Menlyn, and we quickly realised that the coverage map was not an accurate reflection of where Vodacoms 5G service is available.

We only had a 5G signal when we had a direct line-of-sight with the tower  or at least when we were very close to it.

The moment you moved away from the tower, especially when there was no longer line-of-sight, the 5G signal was lost.

This was unexpected. We expected the higher-frequency 3.5GHz spectrum to have some coverage constraints, but not to the extent we experienced.

The poor coverage may also be a result of Vodacom only seeming to have activated a single 5G site in the area.

Vodacom 5G network performance

MyBroadband performed multiple speed tests using the MyBroadband Speed Test App in locations around Vodacoms 5G sites in Gauteng.

For these tests, the download speed, upload speed, and latency were measured to a Johannesburg speed test server hosted at the NAPAfrica peering point.

The results were consistent. The download speeds for nearly all the tests ranged between 100Mbps and 200Mbps.

The upload speeds typically ranged between 12Mbps and 15Mbps. When the signal strength dropped, however, the upload speed quickly deteriorated to below 10Mbps.

The latency was very consistent at between 28ms and 32ms. This increased to just below 40ms when the signal deteriorated.

What was striking was that the typical upload speed on 5G was lower than what we experienced on Vodacoms 4G network.

Vodacom said upload speeds will not be as good as download speeds initially, as the users device has lower transmission power to communicate back to the base station, relative to a base station communicating to the customer device.

This is combined with other elements such as the lower propagation characteristics of higher frequency bands, such as 3.5GHz.

Uplink performance will improve as newer devices support capabilities such as uplink downlink decoupling, said Vodacom.

The latency is then influenced by how far away a site is from the core network and a speed test server, added Vodacom.

At the moment 5G latencies will be very similar to 4G, until new elements such as mobile edge computing and new capabilities like network slicing are introduced.

The table below provides an overview of the performance testing on Vodacoms 5G network in Gauteng.

Vodacom 5G Network Performance Component Performance Area Average Download Speed 154Mbps Gauteng Maximum Download Speed 200Mbps Midstream Minimum Download Speed 104Mbps Midrand Average Upload Speed 14Mbps Gauteng Maximum Upload Speed 40Mbps Noordwyk Minimum Upload Speed 0.6Mbps Hyde Park Average Latency 31ms Gauteng Maximum Latency 40ms Waterfall Minimum Latency 27ms Waterkloof Glen

Midstream Estate

The performance in Midstream Estate was very good, partly due to the fact that most tests were done very close to the Vodacom 5G tower in the area.

Midstream Estate Test Location Download Speed Upload Speed Latency Location 1 200.041Mbps 14.260Mbps 29ms Location 2 195.260Mbps 9.133Mbps 30ms Location 3 161.321Mbps 13.765Mbps 30ms Location 4 139.696Mbps 14.115Mbps 29ms

Menlyn

The performance in Menlyn was highly dependant on the location. There was essentially one area  Menlyn Maine  in which the 5G tower was located, which had good Vodacom 5G coverage.

Menlyn Test Location Download Speed Upload Speed Latency Location 1 176.810Mbps 14.407Mbps 28ms Location 2 169.210Mbps 7.041Mbps 28ms Location 3 155.306Mbps 5.569Mbps 33ms Location 4 149.048Mbps 13.765Mbps 28ms

Hatfield

MyBroadband could not find any 5G signal in Hatfield despite driving around for 30 minutes in the areas which should have had coverage.

Hatfield Test Location Download Speed Upload Speed Latency Location 1    Location 2    Location 3    Location 4   

Eco Park

After we located the Vodacom 5G tower, which was close to ICASAs offices, the performance was in line with that in other locations.

Eco Park Test Location Download Speed Upload Speed Latency Location 1 118.639Mbps 14.294Mbps 28ms Location 2 132.982Mbps 13.887Mbps 30ms Location 3 137.683Mbps 11.735Mbps 30ms Location 4 146.533Mbps 14.096Mbps 29ms

Waterfall

It was difficult to locate a 5G signal in Waterfall. There were only a few spots in the area where we found coverage.

Waterfall Test Location Download Speed Upload Speed Latency Location 1 123.074Mbps 6.036Mbps 29ms Location 2 143.613Mbps 9.937Mbps 30ms Location 3 147.882Mbps 8.877Mbps 40ms Location 4 151.043Mbps 6.455Mbps 30ms

Hyde Park

We located the 5G signal close to the Hyde Park Corner shopping centre. It quickly disappeared as we moved away from the shopping centre.

Hyde Park Test Location Download Speed Upload Speed Latency Location 1 161.855Mbps 13.355Mbps 29ms Location 2 169.216Mbps 20.282Mbps 38ms Location 3 174.826Mbps 14.113Mbps 28ms Location 4 116.725Mbps 0.645Mbps 31ms

Vodacom World

There was good coverage close to Vodacom World and in the Noordwyk area. What stood out about the performance of the 5G network in this area is the high peak upload speeds  which were absent in other areas.

Vodacom World Test Location Download Speed Upload Speed Latency Location 1 157.765Mbps 7.050Mbps 35ms Location 2 135.101Mbps 40.030Mbps 28ms Location 3 125.405Mbps 40.423Mbps 33ms Location 4 104.173Mbps 14.393Mbps 30ms

Now read: Vodacom launches 5G mobile network
A newborn has tested positive for



COVID-19 in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, which currently has 395 cases, a health official said on Wednesday.

At least 47 new cases were reported in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday, taking the count in the region to 395, the official said.

A pregnant woman, who was being treated at a COVID-19 hospital, delivered a baby girl, whose reports have also come out positive, he said.

The positive cases include several workers and vendors from the APMC market in Vashi, he added.

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation on Wednesday decided to provide accommodation to its employees, who travel to work from other areas.

Civic personnel travelling from their homes in Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan, Ambernath, Badlapur, among other places will be provided accommodation in Navi Mumbai itself, an official said.

In a related development, nine persons, including four policemen, tested positive for COVID-19 in Kalyan on Wednesday, public relations officer of the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation Madhuri Phopale said.

The region has so far reported 233 cases, including three deaths, she said.

Meanwhile, the Thane city unit of the BJP has set up COVID-19 testing booths at three main junctions called 'Kamal Kavach'.

Tests will be conducted at a subsidised rate of Rs 3,000 as against Rs 4,500 being charged in other parts of the city, Thane unit president and MLC Niranjan Davkhare said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Workers at a clothing company in Hung Yen Province

Record falls were seen in output, new orders, employment and purchasing amid company shutdowns and the cancellation of orders.

The Vietnam Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) fell sharply to 32.7 in April from 41.9 in March, which itself had signaled a record monthly deterioration in the health of the sector. Business conditions worsened in each of the past three months.

The impact of Covid-19 was most keenly felt with respect to production and new orders. Both fell severely during April amid order cancellations and company closures.

The decline in overall new business was outpaced by that seen for new export orders, reflecting the effects of the virus in markets all around the world.

Lower workloads led manufacturers to reduce staffing levels, while there were also some reports of employees having resigned.

Purchasing activity also decreased at a substantial pace. As a result, stocks of purchases declined sharply. Stocks of finished goods also fell, albeit to a lesser extent than in March.

Input prices decreased for the first time in 16 months during April and at a marked pace that was the fastest since September 2015.

With input costs falling, manufacturers continued to lower their output prices, extending the current sequence of decline to three months.

Firms were pessimistic on the outlook for production over the coming year. Sentiment dropped amid fears that the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic could last for a prolonged period.

Whether April proves to be the nadir of the downturn will depend on how firms and their customers respond to an easing of the lockdown and reopening of businesses that have been closed temporarily, said Andrew Harker, economics director at IHS Markit. SGT
KDMC commissioner Vijay Suryavandhi suspended the decision to deny entry to local residents employed for essential services in Mumbai, however, Ulhasnagar, Ambernath and Badlapur have decided to go ahead with the ban

Mumbai: The Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) on Wednesday put on hold its controversial decision to deny entry to local residents employed for essential services in Mumbai, which has reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, after a furore.

Apart from KDMC, the municipal corporation of Ulhasnagar and municipal councils of Ambernath and Badlapur -- all in neighbouring Thane district--had announced similar decisions on Tuesday.

However, only KDMC has stayed the decision, which was supposed to come into force from May 8 and remain effective till 17 May, during the period of the extended lockdown.

The announcement to suspend the decision was made on Wednesday by KDMC commissioner Vijay Suryavandhi.

Issuing an order, the KDMC commissioner had on Tuesday appealed to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other establishments to arrange for the stay of their employees who travel from KDMC to Mumbai.

"Many COVID-19 cases found in Kalyan-Dombivli and Ulhasnagar municipal corporations traced the source of their infection under the BMC limits.

"Unless we stop people from moving between these cities and Mumbai, we cannot control further spread of COVID- 19," said officials from both the municipal corporations.

Ambernath and Badlapur municipal councils have given options to their residents who travel daily to Mumbai to either stay in the metropolis from 8 May till 17 May, or to avoid going to work and stay at their homes.

Meanwhile, several nurses and employees of the state government and the BMC have expressed their concerns over the decision of the KDMC and Ulhasnagar.

"What will happen to daily chores if I stay here in Mumbai for more than a week. My son is not even three-year- old, who will look after him?" said a nurse from state-run Nair Hospital who travels from Dombivli via bus.

"It is not an issue of one or two days. Everyone is scared of coronavirus infection. We feel safe when we go home and spend time with our family members. We can not simply stay in Mumbai. I am not even sure about what kind of facilities we will be provided if we choose to stay in Mumbai," said a BMC staffer.

However, several health officials attached with these municipal corporations and councils have said that more than 50 percent of COVID-19 cases in the metropolitan areas were traced to Mumbai.

"Some people returned from Mumbai have infected local residents, which has further stressed our already fragile health infrastructure," they said.

Congress leader and Mumbai city guardian minister Aslam Shaikh said the issue would be discussed at the state government level.

"This is the time to applaud the coronavirus warriors.

The people who travel from KDMC, Ulhasnagar, Badlapur and Ambernath to Mumbai are nurses, BMC employees and other officials who are required to work in this crisis. We should be respecting their efforts.

"There are some places identified in Mumbai where temporary arrangements for accommodation can be made for people working in hospitals and other essential services. The state government will discuss the issue and decide further," he said.

However, Shiv Sena leader and Thane guardian minister Eknath Shinde said that no such decision will be taken without consulting the authorities concerned.

Earlier in the day, Thane Municipal Corporation Commissioner Vijay Singhal suggested that similar decision  to ban entry of local residents working in Mumbai  can be taken.

Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde expressed the need for a proper staying facility for the people who travel to Mumbai to avoid further spread of coronavirus infection.

"Such arrangement can be made in Mumbai city," he said.

Millions of working class people commute daily to Mumbai in local trains and other transport for work from Thane, Navi Mumbai, Virar, KDMC, Ulhasnagar, Ambarnath and Badlapur.
President Trump said he believed the American coronavirus death toll was accurate - but not China's - amid reports that he planned to start sowing doubt about the U.S. totals.

'It is approximately now 70,000,' Trump said in the Oval Office Wednesday, sitting alongside Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds. 'Do I believe them? Yeah. I don't believe them for China and I don't believe them for other countries where a tiny number of people died.'

Several hours earlier, Axios reported that Trump had been complaining to his advisers on how the death toll in the United States was being calculated, suggesting the real number was lower.

President Trump said he believed that there had been more than 70,000 coronavirus deaths in the United States, though questioned China's death toll reporting. The president's comments came after Axios reported he privately had been complaining about the numbers

Through May 5, 2020 there have been 72,160 U.S. deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic. A White House official did tell Axios there was concern that hospitals were being incentivized to over-report and that presumed cases were being included in the number

Experts largely believe that the death toll has been undercounted, not overcounted.

'It is what it is,' Trump said Wednesday at the White House.

'Our numbers are essentially certified numbers,' he added, explaining how each individual hospital reports them. 'I don't imagine there would be a very big variation.'

But there are fears within the administration, Axios said, that hospitals are being incentivized to push the COVID-19 cases up because Medicare is giving hospitals a 20 per cent bonus when they treat coronavirus patients.

This is to make up for the money lost from postponing other procedures due to the pandemic.

Intentionally misdiagnosing patients with COVID-19 would be fraud.

Axios reported that nobody within the administration would take this line of thinking that far.

Another concern is that presumptive cases of COVID-19 are now being added to the tally.

That has created spikes in the death count.

Probable cases, for instance, added around 3,700 to New York's death toll.

In the Oval Office, Trump said the number of Americans killed was still at the 'lower scale' of predictions early on.

'And now it's time to open up our country, gotta open up our country,' the president said.
A woman wears a mask in Moscow. (Getty Images)

The British public are said to be the more concerned by the coronavirus outbreak than residents of any other affected country.

Scientists from the University of Cambridge asked nearly 7,000 people across Europe, Asia and the US how they felt about the pandemic.

UK residents were found to be the most anxious, while South Koreans appeared the most relaxed.

The scientists noted areas where residents were more concerned were more obliging with measures to combat the outbreak, like regular hand washing and social distancing.

Early research suggests the coronavirus is mild in four out of five cases, however, it can trigger a respiratory disease called COVID-19.

A florist pulls down his mask to smoke a cigarette in Rome. (Getty Images)

Without pharmaceutical treatment, we are relying on people changing their behaviour to put the brakes on this pandemic, said lead author Dr Sander van der Linden.

The willingness to adopt protective behaviours such as frequent hand washing or physical distancing is likely to be influenced, in part, by how risky people perceive the virus to be.

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

Between mid-March and mid-April the scientists asked more than 6,900 residents across 10 countries how they felt about the coronavirus.

Respondents rated how prevalent, life-threatening and worrying they perceived the infection to be.

Results  published in the Journal of Risk Research  suggest Britons are the most anxious, followed by Spaniards and Americans.

Germans came in fourth and the Swedish fifth, followed by Australians and the Japanese.

Perhaps surprisingly, residents of Italy  the former European epicentre of the outbreak  ranked fairly low in the list of concerned nationalities.

Only Mexicans and South Koreans reported a lower average risk perception.

The scientists noted, however, differences between the countries were small and all participants had a fairly high perception of risk.

Story continues

The results also revealed the male participants were generally less concerned than their female counterparts, despite statistics showing more men are dying with the coronavirus.

Across all the countries, people who suspected they had caught the coronavirus perceived it to be a higher risk.

In several nations, residents who obtained information on the infection from their friends and family also ranked it as a greater threat.

Prosociality, behaviours intended to benefit others, was linked to greater concern over the virus in nine of the 10 countries.

Appealing to prosocial motives can be an important part of solving social dilemmas during pandemics, said study author Dr Claudia Schneider.

For example, clap for our carers campaigns help us to publicly signal prosocial intentions through shared sentiment and the spread of positive emotions.

In contrast, the belief the government is meddling in our lives by imposing the lockdown was linked to people perceiving a lower risk from the virus.

The perception the government is restricting people's freedom might cause psychological pushback among some people with strong individualistic world views, said study author Dr Sarah Dryhurst.

We see this expressed in anti-lockdown protests in the US and Germany, for example.

Political views were not largely linked to coronavirus concerns, or lack of.

A more conservative outlook, however, was associated with lower levels of anxiety in the UK and US.

A doctor wears a mask in Pichincha, Ecuador. (Getty Images)

What is the coronavirus?

The coronavirus is one of seven strains of a virus class that are known to infect humans.

Others cause everything from the common cold to severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars), which killed 774 people during its 2002/3 outbreak.

Since the outbreak was identified, more than 3.6 million cases have been confirmed worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Of these cases, over 1.1 million are known to have recovered.

Globally, the death toll has exceeded 252,300.

The coronavirus mainly spreads face to face via infected droplets expelled in a cough or sneeze.

There is also evidence it is transmitted in faeces and survives on surfaces.

The coronavirus has no set treatment, with most patients naturally fighting off the infection.

Those requiring hospitalisation are given supportive care, like ventilation, while their immune system gets to work.
05.05.2020 LISTEN

Prior to the heavens sending down the prophetess Maame Sarah as the spiritual guide to the Goka people, Goka had a deity called Tamom, that was much consulted in all affairs by all people within and outside Goka.

One of these faithful who consulted this powerful Tamom was a young man who had travelled from a faraway land to work as a labourer in Goka.

He told the priest of the deity to intercede on his behalf to be inoculated against the venom of the poisonous snakes who threaten the progress of his work when he picks his machete for weeding.

The labourer was assured of that no snake can do him harm by biting, and even if bitten, the concoction he'd been given to apply on his body would render the serpent's venom powerless.

True to the word, the labourer could clear a lair of snakes without a shred of fear in him. He killed those snakes who never fled from his presence but mounted any challenge.

Word reached every corner in Goka about the powers of this labourer if it came to battling snakes. Where people saw snakes, they came to call him. Some he'll not bludgeon to death or cut into pieces, but he could make fun of these venomous serpents by picking them up in his hands with life in them. When those who feared the presence of snakes ran away, it was sure to pass for mirth for him, and he boasted of his achievement.

One day was not a lucky one for this showman labourer who now relishes his hunting of snakes higher than the labourer work for which he'd travelled to Goka. Some kids saw a cobra half stuck in a hole. They with haste fetched the labourer to add this snake to his trophies of serpents' heads.

This time, he'd not done the killing in earnest and dragged the snake from the trapped hole. He laid prostrate in front of this fearful spitting venomous threatened redthroat snake.

What he was not told by the priest of the deity of Tamom was that the cobras when threatened could spit corrosive saliva into the eyes of their predator as far as two meters away.

The labourer had a succession of doses of these secreted venoms from the fangs of the cobra. He went blind. His labourer work came to an abrupt end. He turned into begging for alms sitting by the roadside every day.

Today, there's a threatening pandemic disease, coronavirus covid-19, in the streets of Ghana, Africa, and the world over. The experts announce the readily known medicines against these lethal viruses is wearing nose masks, social distancing, regular washing of hands, and usage of hand sanitizers.

But behaving like the now blind labourer who didn't know the whole truth about the attacks of snakes, some self-assured faithful is parading the streets without any care for the protective measures, claiming their fortifications in their religious beliefs.

Some, forgetting that the human body, not the edifice erected to accommodate thousands of people, is the temple of God, are agitating to be allowed to congregate and pray to their God against the covid-19. They see no need for gates of temples to be closed to congregants in this crisis time.

Yes, there's a powerful God that the faithful of the *One Ghana Movement (1GhM)* I lead is recommended for. This same God is a giver of wisdom to the scientists who are now assigned with the mandate to battle this threatening global pandemic. We either abide by their instructions amidst praying to our God or be added to the chapters of those washed away by the currents of Covid-19 when the history of our world is rewritten Post the pandemic.

Stay safe!

*Written by: Charles Yeboah (Sir Lord)*

*The Founder Of One Ghana Movement (1GhM)*

*Email: [email protected]*
Exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), an industrial chemical used to make certain plastics and resins, inner coatings for food cans and bottle tops, thermal paper used in store receipts, dental sealants and so on, is a concern because of possible adverse health effects, including a reduction in fertility.

A study performed at Harvard Medical School (HMS) in the United States by Maria Fernanda Hornos Carneiro and her research group shows that the harmful effects of BPA can be reversed by administering a supplement known as CoQ10 (coenzyme Q10), a substance naturally produced by the human body and found in beef and fish. Hornos Carneiro is a former Sao Paulo Research Foundation - FAPESP scholarship awardee.

The article published in the journal Genetics is the first to present this strategy for reversing the effects of BPA in the organism. In this study, the researchers tested the antioxidant action of CoQ10 in nematodes of the species Caenorhabditis elegans exposed to BPA.

As an excellent antioxidant, CoQ10 is an electron donor. By donating its electrons, it stabilizes free radicals, reducing the oxidative stress and cell damage caused by BPA.

"BPA has oxidation potential as it's chemically unstable and produces reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. When the antioxidant reserves in cells [electron donors] run out, the amount of reactive oxygen and nitrogen increases. Because of their chemical instability, they 'poach' electrons from mitochondria and other cellular organelles, cell membranes, proteins, and even DNA, damaging cells significantly and potentially causing cell death. If this problem becomes extensive, it poses a major threat to the organism," Hornos Carneiro told.

The study measured the number of fertilized eggs laid and hatched and the number of progeny that reached adulthood. The problems detected can be compared to difficulty in becoming pregnant, miscarriages and chromosome anomalies in humans.

"BPA is a chemical contaminant that acts as an endocrine disruptor, causing cellular oxidative stress [an imbalance between oxidant and antioxidant molecules], which results in damage to gametes and embryos," said Hornos Carneiro, who conducted the study under the supervision of HMS Professor Monica Paola Colaiacovo. "In the study, the worms exposed to BPA and given CoQ10 displayed lower egg cell death rates, less DNA breakage and fewer abnormalities in chromosomes during cell division, as well as less cellular oxidative stress."

In the experiment, worms were exposed to different combinations of BPA, CoQ10 and a solvent (DMSO): solvent only, solvent and CoQ10, BPA only, and BPA plus CoQ10.

The amount of exposure to BPA mimicked the estimated amount in humans. "We know it's practically impossible to avoid exposure to BPA and similar contaminants in this day and age, so we looked for a strategy to minimize the harm done. Many studies have shown that age reduces fertility in women, and because exposure to BPA [and other endocrine disruptors] occurs throughout life, it's not yet possible to estimate separately the extent to which observed infertility is due to exposure to toxic chemicals in the external environment and how much is due to aging," Hornos Carneiro said.

The nematodes used in the study were transgenic, with a fluorescent protein sequence inserted into their DNA to enable in vivo observation of protein expression. Fluorescent antibodies were also used, as well as advanced microscopy and molecular biology techniques. The researchers were thereby able to observe in real time the effects produced at the cellular and molecular levels during the process of cell division (meiosis) and embryo formation in the worms.

Estrogen mimic

According to Hornos Carneiro, BPA's chemical structure is similar to that of estrogen, a female sex hormone that plays a key role in ovulation. As a result, BPA can bind to estrogen receptors in humans, leading to a number of significant effects. "Depending on the tissue, the effects may be pro-estrogenic or anti-estrogenic, with an impact not just on the reproductive system but also on other systems and processes that are important to a person's health," she said.

Hornos Carneiro is currently a professor in the School of Chemistry and Pharmacy at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. She conducted the study at the University of Sao Paulo's Ribeirao Preto School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (FCFRP-USP) in Brazil with the support of a FAPESP scholarship for postdoctoral research internship abroad.

DNA breakage and mitochondrial dysfunction

According to Hornos Carneiro, exposure of the worms to BPA alone resulted in more DNA breaks. "This was potentially due to the action of reactive oxygen species formed as a result of the presence of the contaminant in the organism," she said. "We found that the breaks were not correctly repaired in this group of worms."

The damage was observed by monitoring a protein involved in DNA breakage and repair when genetic material is exchanged between homologous chromosomes during meiosis.

This exchange of genetic material, known as crossing over, is important for increasing genetic diversity and driving evolution. "One hypothesis is that the increase in DNA breakage [and inefficient repair] was due to a rise in gonad oxidative stress caused by BPA," she said.

Another finding was that mitochondrial dysfunction increased. Mitochondria are energy-producing organelles in cells. "Because of oxidative stress, mitochondrial membrane potential was significantly altered in the worms exposed only to BPA, while in the group that received the CoQ10 supplement, this marker was much improved," Hornos Carneiro said.

Effect on embryos

The effect of BPA on embryos was also studied in this experiment. As a hermaphrodite, C. elegans self-fertilizes, and it is therefore possible to observe in its gonads all stages of germinative cell development in meiosis up to the polar corpuscle and embryo formation.

"In the study, we observed embryo formation in vivo using a technique called live imaging," Hornos Carneiro explained. "The benchmark for analysis of the occurrence of defects was the first cell division [the precise moment at which the unicellular embryo divides in two]. In the group exposed only to BPA, a larger number of defects were observed, such as formation of chromatin bridges and cell division cessation."

###

About Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)

The Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) is a public institution with the mission of supporting scientific research in all fields of knowledge by awarding scholarships, fellowships and grants to investigators linked with higher education and research institutions in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. FAPESP is aware that the very best research can only be done by working with the best researchers internationally. Therefore, it has established partnerships with funding agencies, higher education, private companies, and research organizations in other countries known for the quality of their research and has been encouraging scientists funded by its grants to further develop their international collaboration. You can learn more about FAPESP at http://www.fapesp.br/en and visit FAPESP news agency at http://www.agencia.fapesp.br/en to keep updated with the latest scientific breakthroughs FAPESP helps achieve through its many programs, awards and research centers. You may also subscribe to FAPESP news agency at http://agencia.fapesp.br/subscribe.
PHILADELPHIA, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Aberdeen Global Premier Properties Fund (NYSE: AWP) (the "Fund") held its Annual Meeting of Shareholder (the "Annual Meeting") on May 6, 2020. At the Annual Meeting, shareholders of the Fund voted to re-elect two Class III Trustees to the Board of Trustees.

As of the record date, February 27, 2020, there were 85,407,951 outstanding shares of the Fund.

85.5% of the outstanding shares were voted at the Annual Meeting representing a quorum.

The description of the proposal and number of shares voted at the Annual Meeting are as follows:

To elect two Class III Trustees to the Board of Trustees:



Votes F or Votes Withheld Nancy Yao Maasbach 62,447,717 10,603,270 Martin Gilbert 62,471,386 10,579,601

Trustees whose term of office continued beyond the Annual Meeting are as follows: P. Gerald Malone and John Sievwright.

The Board of Trustees also announced today that its Special Meeting of Shareholders, initially scheduled for and convened on May 6, 2020 (the "Special Meeting"), was adjourned in order to permit the continued solicitation of additional votes. As of the time of the Special Meeting, the Fund had not received sufficient votes to constitute a quorum. The adjourned Special Meeting will be held at 11:45 a.m. in virtual format only on Wednesday, May 27, 2020. Details on how to attend the virtual meeting are included below.

In order to avoid further adjournments, we urge shareholders who have not yet voted to vote and submit your proxy in advance of the Special Meeting by one of the methods described in the proxy materials for the Special Meeting. .

Attending the Special Meeting as a Shareholder of Record

Shareholder of record of the Fund as of February 27, 2020 is entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Special Meeting or any postponements or adjournments thereof. To participate in the Special Meeting at the following site, www.meetingcenter.io/227580885, you will need the control number found on your proxy card, voting instruction form or notice you previously received and the password (ABD32020).

Registering to Attend the Special Meeting as a Beneficial Owner

If you hold your shares through an intermediary, such as a bank or broker, you must register in advance to attend the Special Meeting. To register you must submit proof of your proxy power (legal proxy) reflecting your Fund holdings along with your name and email address to Computershare Fund Services, the Fund's proxy tabulator. You may forward an email from your intermediary or attach an image of your legal proxy to [email protected] Requests for registration for the Shareholder Meetings must be received no later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on May 22, 2020. You will receive a confirmation email from Computershare of your registration and a control number that will allow you to vote at the Shareholder Meetings.

In the United States, Aberdeen Standard Investments is the marketing name for the following affiliated, registered investment advisers: Aberdeen Standard Investments Inc., Aberdeen Asset Managers Ltd., Aberdeen Standard Investments Australia Ltd., Aberdeen Standard Investments (Asia) Ltd., Aberdeen Capital Management, LLC, Aberdeen Standard Investments ETFs Advisors LLC and Standard Life Investments (Corporate Funds) Ltd.

Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. The Fund's investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the net asset value (NAV) of the fund's portfolio. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

If you wish to receive this information electronically, please contact [email protected]

aberdeenawp.com

SOURCE Aberdeen Global Premier Properties Fund

Related Links

http://www.aberdeenawp.com


Prime Minister Niikol Pashinyan believes the decline of foreign investments is one of the major issues of the government and says it can be solved through functioning of an independent judiciary.

Yesterday the government discussed the issue of investments in the field of technologies and learned that there is major potential in this field, yet the biggest obstacle is the level of protection of intellectual property in Armenia, and the problem is related to the judiciary, Nikol Pashinyan declared in parliament today.

In response to a question from deputy of the Prosperous Armenia Party Mikayel Melkumyan, who asked how is it that there are no investments in Armenia, if Armenia is developing, the Prime Minister said the people who had made investments are taking their money and leaving on the background of the fight against corruption.

Ill bring up the example of a foreign investment that was sensational and successful and led to the construction of the Golden Palace Hotel in Armenia, and I dont know, I think Gonzalo Sanchez Higuain had come to Armenia to make investments, and later it became clear that the property, at least with regard to the city of Tsaghkadzor, is owned by the Republic of Armenia and has been seized as property obtained through corruption. Since everyone has realized that the fight against corruption is going to be serious, those people are taking their money from Armenia, he said.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to intervene with steps taken by the Union and state governments to provide relief and transport to stranded migrant workers, while disposing of a plea seeking directions to the central government to ensure free travel for workers who wanted to return home.

The petition, filed by Jagdeep Chhokar and Gaurav Jain, said that migrants were being asked to pay the fare for their journeys, and that they were unable to do so because of the financial burden imposed by the national lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19.

But a bench of justices Ashok Bhushan, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and BR Gavai, which heard the matter through video conferencing, disposed of the public interest litigation (PIL). Insofar as charging of 15% of railway ticket amount from workers, it is not for this Court to issue any order regarding the same, it is the concerned state/Railways to take necessary steps under the relevant guidelines, the bench said.

The principal point raised by Chhokar was that migrant workers be allowed to travel to their home states during the lockdown, and the top court noted that an April 29 order of the Union government allowing the movement of stranded people satisfied this main prayer.

The substantial relief in the writ petition having been fulfilled we cannot expand the scope of the writ petition to consider other issues sought to be raised by the learned counsel for the petitioners during course of argument, the court said.

The Union government, through solicitor general Tushar Mehta, told the court that the central government, in consultation with the concerned state governments and Indian Railways, was taking necessary steps for the movement of stranded migrant workers.

A fierce political war broke out over the issue of train fare for the migrant workers returning home on Monday, with the Congress declaring that the party and its state committees would pay the fare to enable workers to return and accusing the Centre of being insensitive to their plight.

The Union government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) responded by saying said that the railways was bearing 85% of the fare cost, and state governments had to pay 15%, thus allowing migrants to go back home free of cost. But the Opposition rebutted the assertion, citing government orders which asked state governments to collect fares from migrants and hand them over to railways.

Several state governments on Monday said that they will pick pay for the tickets, with some even promising that any money collected so far from migrant workers will be returned.
T he top scientist, Professor Neil Ferguson, whose research aided Boris Johnsons decision to impose a lockdown, has resigned after reportedly allowing a woman to visit his home in an "error of judgment".

Prof Ferguson announced he had "stepped back" from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) following the revelation.

The move was described as regrettable but "right" by security minister James Brokenshire.

In an early TV interview in mid-February, when the government was still preoccupied with Brexit, Prof Ferguson said: "This virus is probably the one that concerns me the most, of everything Ive worked on."

Here's what we know about the government's former leading scientific advisor.

Who is Professor Neil Ferguson?

Professor Neil Ferguson, 51, is a British epidemiologist and virus modeller from Imperial College London, who has been a scientific adviser to the Government for 20 years.

His coronavirus modelling suggested 250,000 people could die without drastic action, which prompted Prime Minister Boris Johnson to announce a nationwide lockdown on 23 March to stop the spread of the virus.

He is based in the faculty of medicine at Imperial's School of Public Health, and was previously awarded an OBE by the Queen for his modelling work on the spread of foot and mouth disease among cattle in 2001. His work suggested the culling of animals should include not just those infected with the virus, but also those on adjacent farms, even when there was no physical evidence of infection.

Professor Ferguson's advice contributed to widespread pre-emptive culling under Tony Blair's government, which cost 10 billion and led to deaths of over six million cattle, sheep and pigs.

Professor Neil Ferguson and his lover Antonia Staats

However in 2011, a report said his models made a serious error by ignoring the species composition of farms, and how the disease spread faster between some species than others.

During the swine flu in 2009, his team's models forecasted that 65,000 people in the UK could die, which prompted the WHO's issuing of a pandemic, but in the end the death toll was just 457.

He also predicted that up to 50,000 people could die from mad cow disease, but the human form of BSE killed just 177.

Professor Ferguson has always defended his work, saying limited data and time meant the models weren't 100 per cent accurate, but the conclusions were still valid.

Overall, the scientist's research aims to improve the understanding of the epidemiological factors and population processes shaping infectious disease spread in human and animal populations.

His work on coronavirus has gone on to form the strategies pursued by the White House, in the US, and the governments of France and Germany, according to reports.

He also accused the Government of acting too slowly on mass testing, which he said is key to easing the tight lockdown restrictions.

How did he breach lockdown?

According to The Telegraph, Professor Ferguson broke the UK's social distancing rules by allowing his married lover, Antonia Staats, to visit him at home during lockdown on at least two occasions.

He had only just finished a two-week spell self-isolating after testing positive for coronavirus, before being confronted by the Daily Telegraph on Tuesday.

When did he quit?

The scientist resigned from his Government advisory position on Tuesday night.

In a statement, Prof Ferguson said: "I accept I made an error of judgement and took the wrong course of action.

"I have therefore stepped back from my involvement in Sage (Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies).

"I acted in the belief that I was immune, having tested positive for coronavirus and completely isolated myself for almost two weeks after developing symptoms.

"I deeply regret any undermining of the clear messages around the continued need for social distancing."

He went on to stress that the government's advice on social distancing was "unequivocal", adding that it was there "to protect all of us".

Listen to The Leader: Coronavirus Daily podcast



A statement from Imperial College London said Prof Ferguson "continues to focus on his important research".

Security minister James Brokenshire said the top scientist "made the right decision" in resigning.
Around 150 highly-trained foreign terrorists mostly belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) are active in the Kashmir Valley, two people involved in counter-insurgency in the region said on Wednesday amid a spike in the violence there.

Four terrorists, including Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo who carried a bounty of Rs 12 lakh on his head, were killed in gun battles with security forces in Kashmir on Wednesday. Security forces have intensified operations in Kashmir amid a nationwide Covid-19 lockdown and killed at least 36 terrorists since late March. Around 20 soldiers, including a high-ranking army officer, have been killed during the same period.

According to the government data, 13 of the 68 terrorists killed in Jammu & Kashmir this year were foreigners. Foreign terrorists accounted for 31 out of 156 killed in gun battles with security forces in the Union Territory last year. According to the data, 219 locals joined militancy in Kashmir in 2018, 119 in 2019 and 35 this year till date.

The presence of the higher number of foreign terrorists in the Valley has particularly set alarm bells ringing among the security forces and intelligence agencies. A large number of them are believed to have infiltrated into India in April. Close to 150 local militants were also active in the Valley.

Most of the foreign terrorists are usually holed up in Pulwama, Anantnag, Kupwara, Shopian, Kulgam and Baramulla districts and they try to attack camps of security forces or their patrols.

The presence of over 150 FTs [foreign terrorists] in the Valley that too in the first four months of the year is worrisome. This number is likely to swell with the opening of infiltration routes as over 250 terrorists are waiting at the launch pads across the border, said one of the officials cited above.

The second counter-insurgency official said the foreign terrorists are getting support from locals while they hide for weeks in different villages.

A large number of foreign terrorists are believed to be a part of the new outfit called The Resistance Front (TRF) created by the Pakistan army and spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence in response to the nullification last year of the Constitutions Article 370 that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Indian agencies believe TRF is the LeTs new name as Islamabad faces international scrutiny over the terror groups sheltered in Pakistan. Terror groups have changed their names in the past too in similar situations.

Lt Gen Satish Dua (retd), a former commander of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, said Pakistan has been trying to step up its activities in the Valley after Article 370 was nullified. There was no internet for so many months. So, there was no communication. The intelligence about the movement of FTs was weak as well as these terrorists were also not moving much. But they are under pressure to carry out strikes, Dua said, referring to the communications blackout imposed last year to check protests against the nullification. Dua said through moves like creating TRF, terror groups were trying to repackage their methodology and aggregate various groups.
Olam Grains, producers of the popular First Choice and Royal Gold wheat flour brands have teamed up with prominent bakeries in Accra, Kumasi and Tamale to provide Ghc 70,000 worth of freshly baked bread to frontline health workers and patients.



The month-long initiative, launched on April 1, started with the Suntreso Hospital in Kumasi and has so far covered 10 health institutions across Accra, Tema, and Kumasi



Mr. Bishesh Ranjan Jha, Vice President of Sales for Olam Grains commented, This is a very small way in which Olam Grains and our bakery partners have come together to support frontline health workers in the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic, as well as patients.



Olam Grains, a subsidiary of Olam Ghana Limited, is the owner of a state-of-the-art flour mill which produces some of the countrys most popular flour brands, among which are First Choice and Royal Gold.



Established in 1994, Olam Ghana is a leading agro-commodity company in the country and is currently the largest private Licenced Buying Company in the cocoa sector. In addition to the flour mill, Olam Ghana operates a Tomato mix processing and canning facility and a biscuit manufacturing factory, producing top-grade brands like Perk, King Cracker, Royal Feast, Royal Aroma and Tasty Tom enriched tomato paste under respective portfolios.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Midland County recorded one new positive coronavirus case Wednesday, bringing the total to 63 cases and seven deaths, according to the daily state report.

Fourteen new cases and one death were added for Bay County, making its total 176 cases and nine deaths. Gladwin County added one case and Isabella County none, bringing their totals to 15 cases and one death, and 61 cases and seven deaths. Saginaw County added 18 cases and four deaths, bringing its totals to 760 cases and 74 deaths.

The state added 657 new cases and 71 deaths. Overall, Michigan is at 45,054 cases and 4,250 deaths.

The average death age is 74.9, according to the state website, mich.gov, with the deceased ranging in age from 5 to 107. The state lists 41% of the deceased as 80-plus and 28% age 70-79. State statistics show 53% of coronavirus deaths are male and 46% are female.

The state lists the total recovered at 15,659 cases, as of May 1, which represents COVID-19 confirmed individuals with an onset date on or prior to April 1, 2020, according to the state website, mich.gov. The numbers will be updated every Saturday.

The state lists the majority of races in positive cases as 32% Black/African American; 34% Caucasian and 20% unknown, and the top three races in deaths as 41% Black/African American; 49% Caucasian and 5% unknown.

The total positive cases are 46% men, 53% women and 1% unknown.

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," said Fred Yanoski, Midland County Public Health director/health officer. "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 MidMichigan Urgent Care in Midland at 989- 633-1350 or MidMichigan Medical Center's Emergency Department in Midland at 989-839-3100.

MidMichigan Health has a COVID-19 informational hotline with a reminder of CDC guidelines and recommendations. The hotline can be reached toll-free at 800-445-7356 or 989-794-7600. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services also has a hotline number for Michigan residents for questions about COVID-19. The number is 1-888-535-6136 and is available seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents can also e-mail COVID19@michigan.gov. E-mails will be answered seven days a week between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

If you are feeling anxious, stressed, depressed and feel you need to talk to someone, reach out to Community Mental Health for Central Michigan by calling 800-317-0708.
Tony Abbott's political comeback is up in the air after he was named as a contender for the federal seat of Eden Monaro.

The former Prime Minister issued a statement yesterday via a spokesman saying rumours he was returning to politics was 'bullshit'.

But speculation remains he is weighing up a tilt for the upcoming by-election with reports Liberal Party vice president Teena McQueen is secretly counting the numbers to see if Mr Abbott had a chance in pre-selection.

The former Member for Warringah lost his seat last year to independent Zali Steggall but is seen as a strong conservative voice after rivals pulled out of the race.

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott (pictured) is being forward as a possible contender for the federal seat of Eden Monaro

The Coalition is yet to endorse a candidate for Eden Monaro after Labor Member Dr Mike Kelly announced his retirement last week due to ill health.

The seat in southern NSW surrounds the ACT and includes the towns of Yass, Bega and Cooma.

Nine news political reporter Chris O'Keefe said the conservative faction of the Liberal party are proposing Mr Abbott run for the by-election.

'I'm told the VP of the liberal party has been quietly sounding out options on behalf or Mr Abbott to see if he could make a run for the seat on behalf of the Liberal party,' Mr O'Keefe said.

But he said the odds of Mr Abbott being endorsed by the party are incredibly slim.

'No on seems to know in the New South Wales Liberal party where these decisions will ultimately be made.. whether or not Ms McQueen has actually spoken to Tony Abbott if he has any interest in it,' he said.

'I am told that I don think Scott Morrison would take too kindly to it and there is almost no chance of him getting up when it does finally get to state executive.'

The Sydney Morning Herald/Age Chief Political Correspondent David Crowe refuted the claims adding to the mystery.

'Teena McQueen says she is not advocating for Tony Abbott to run for Eden-Monaro,' he said.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro also pulled his candidacy this week (pictured with his wife and three daughters)

A spokesman for Mr Abbott told the Ben Fordham radio show the rumours were 'complete bullshit, utterly without foundation, distracted mischief making'.

New South Wales Transport Minister Andrew Constance and Deputy Premier John Barilaro have both withdrawn their names as candidates after initially announcing they would be running.

Mr Constance said he had unfinished business as the local member for Bega and needed to 'remain focused on the bushfire recovery'.

Mr Barilaro's announcement about withdrawing from the race on Monday was tainted after a series of text messages were leaked to Sky News of him attacking Nationals Federal leader Michael McCormack.

Bega Valley mayor Kristy McBain has been selected as Labor's candidate

The New South Wales Nationals leader said Mr McCormack felt threatened by him and blamed the deputy prime minister's lack of support for his decision not to run in the by-election.

Retired army general and New South Wales liberal senator Jim Molan also announced he would not be running in a statement to the media on Wednesday.

There's speculation the decisions were made based off early polling figures showing a loss for the coalition in the wake of the response to the catastrophic bushfieres which devastated south east New South Wales in the past few months.

The town of Cobargo in the electorate was the scene of a several viral videos which revealed growing frustration among locals with Prime Minister Scott Morrison during the bushfires.

Nine news political reporter Chris O'Keefe said the conservative faction of the Liberal party are proposing Mr Abbott run for the by-election headed up by Liberal Party Vice President Teena McQueen (pictured)

Mr Morrison was filmed grabbing a woman's hand after she refused to shake his before bystanders yelled out he should be 'ashamed of himself'.

Local farmer Fiona Kotvojs, who contested the seat in May 2019, is being named as the most likely candidate to win Liberal pre-selection.

The decision will come down to a vote of 142 Liberal party members when nominations close on Friday.

Bega Valley mayor Kristy McBain has been selected as Labor's candidate.

The date of the by-election is still be to confirmed with the seat currently held by Labor with a 0.9 per cent margin.
The halls of Splendora ISDs Peach Creek Elementary were filled with tables piled with students things, pallets covered in books, and garbage bags stuffed with whatever wont be necessary next year. But unlike most years end-of-the-year cleanout, this one weighed heavy with the knowledge that the school year isnt over, but the last day of class had already passed.

To slow the spread of COVID-19, schools in the area havent been in class since mid-March, and wont be back until next school year since Gov. Greg Abbott closed schools for the rest of the year.

Very soon, parts of Peach Creek Elementary school will be renovated. Teachers clearing out their rooms had to pack whatever theyll need next year and label it for storage while hoping their kids wouldnt try to facetime them in the empty classroom. Some of the first-grade and kindergarten students still dont know they wont be coming back to school this year.

Not in your wildest imagination

Not in your wildest imagination would you ever think this would happen, said first-grade teacher Heather Brown as she made labels for her tables.

No, and to think this came on the heels of Imelda, said Peach Creek Principal Duana Brashear as she sported a Wonder Woman face mask. First semester, we were supporting kids in a different way. We were out in the community bringing food and bringing water and visiting homes and buying school supplies and getting new backpacks and saying dont worry about your library books.

It has been an unexpectedly difficult year for Splendora ISD schools. As schools closed and moved to distance learning, primarily online, both teachers and their students were asked to turn on a dime to a completely new format. Parents are now trying to teach their kids from home as they juggle jobs, or, for some, sudden unemployment as the pandemic closes businesses too.

When parents call her, Brashear said, its not about curriculum or classwork. Its about being overwhelmed. This has become a new reality for teachers as well, helping parents cope. While they put together lesson plans, teach themselves the new technology, teach their students the new technology, and deal with the effects of the pandemic on their personal lives, they are continuously checking in with their families to see how they can help.

I was freaking out to my sister because I was like I dont know what Im doing! and she was like Nobody knows what theyre doing! said first-grade teacher Katherine Wilie about moving her classes online, while also supporting her families. When somebody is feeling overwhelmed Im like I feel you, I feel you, let me help you.

This past week has been an especially hard one for Wilie. She, and all her fellow teachers, really miss their kids. Shes been able to connect with all her families and checks in daily, but its not the same. Its hard for her to hear them say I love you Miss Wilie during their Google Classroom time. She can tell its hard for them too, they miss her and they miss their friends.

I want to be strong for them because everybodys struggling and so I want to be strong for them, she said. And I balance that. I cant fix this, and I cant lie that I can. Theres an aspect of commiserating that I dont shy away from and Im like Yes, this sucks.

Missing their students

As she packed up her room, more than 12 boxes worth of stuff, kindergarten teacher Caitlin Odom was thinking about her kids. Her students parents were letting her know throughout the day that she was missed.

My last nine weeks with my babies got stolen, she said. And it stinks.

But shes found a few silver linings through distance learning. By setting up online Google Classrooms and allowing the pre-kindergarten students that will be in her class next year into them, shes already building relationships with next years students.

Shes not too worried about the students shell have next year, but she is worried about how her students now will do next year since their last nine weeks was moved to online instruction.

I feel like a lot of our expectations are going to not necessarily lower but you cant have expectations when you havent taught something to some of the kids, she said.

Looking ahead

Whatever next year looks like, Brashear, the principal, said the school and the district are prepared to adapt. Whether that means all the students are back in class, or some are still doing distance learning, Brashear said the school is committed to filling the gaps and getting kids on track. She is proud of what her teachers and staff have accomplished throughout all of this.

What her teachers have done, Brashear said, is to demonstrate that teachers can, and will, do their jobs well even without testing.

Well nobodys testing these kids, nobodys testing these teachers, nobody has come in and said Well you better teacher for your eight hours a day, you better do three Google Hangouts a day, she said. Theres no standardized tests, these kids are not getting tested, and teachers are still being exceptional. You dont have to have a standardized test for teachers to do their jobs and for kids to learn.

Lingering effects

Beyond the disruption to curriculum and possible gaps in knowledge for her students, kindergarten teacher Angelia Vandver-Wright worries about how social distancing will affect how her students react to physical touch. At Peach Creek, students are taught to share love and acceptance through handshakes, hugs, and high fives. Now, for their own safety, theyre being taught to stay away from others instead.

All weve told them all year is hug and love and now were like dont do that, she said. How are we going to teach them again its safe to hug? How are we going to re-change that way of thinking for these little kids? Thats a hard thing. Once its ingrained in their head, theyre always going to have that fear of is this handshake the one thats going to make me sick?

To help remind her students that they are loved Vandver-Wright made signs for each of them telling them she missed and loved them. Hand-delivering one of these signs was a painful reminder of the changes COVID-19 has brought to the student-teacher relationship.

It was probably the hardest thing I ever had to do, she said. He got out and he ran and his mom stopped him and she said You cant hug him, and he just started crying.

While they dont know what will be coming next, educators in Splendora ISD have already handled more than they ever expected this year. In the simplest terms, Brashear said, Education didnt stop.

jamie.swinnerton@chron.com
MIAMI, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- CBT College announced the appointment of its new senior management team, composed by Luis Llerena, incoming President/C.E.O., Monica Llerena, designated as Corporate Communications Officer, and Maricel Spezzacatena assigned as Chief Operating Officer.

Founded in 1988 by Gladys Llerena and Fernando Llerena, CBT College is an accredited trade school located in South Florida that prepares students for technical careers that fulfill the employment and economic development needs within the local, national, and international markets. According to Mrs. Gladys Llerena, Chairperson, and co-founder of CBT College, "we pride ourselves on being able to serve the community, especially immigrants, as well as being able to give jobs to members of our community. With our leadership, we hope to continue growing and building the educational legacy that we set ourselves when we founded the organization."

Luis Llerena, the incoming President/CEO, is a US Army veteran, former CBT College's Director of Business Development, and co-owner of the organization where he has built a career spanning over 25 years. In this new capacity as President/CEO, Mr. Llerena will oversee the organization's corporate growth, maintaining and growing the mission and vision. He will also be working alongside marketing and operations to develop clear cross-channel messaging and to create awareness for the organization.

"One of our primary goals is to continue engaging with the community at large by strengthening our brand and creating trust through credibility and positive outcomes. Internally, we aim to promote our in-house talent and to create growth opportunities for the organization. This team effort will lead to new programs, new students' experiences, and new locations, which will then allow our CBT members to see growth in their career pathway," Mr. Llerena said.

To fulfill the corporate goal of responding better to the challenges that the adult student population faces when going back to school, and help enroll more students, Mr. Llerena highlighted that the new management plans to implement hybrid online/in-person programs. "We do understand that to be competitive in our industry, we do and should provide some level of online services through a hybrid approach from which our students can benefit due to their busy schedules."

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, CBT College converted its residential programs to remote instruction to secure the health and safety of the community while also being able to continue offering its distinctive educational programs. "CBT College has received temporary authorization to provide online courses during these difficult times," Llerena said. "When the temporary approval ends, the remainder of the programs will return to in-person teaching on campus, while we get the pending authorizations for the hybrid programs." This temporary authorization covers the current programs, as well as programs starting on May 11 and June 8.

Mr. Llerena also mentioned that CBT College would continue to develop and engage the professional community through its continuing education courses. Also, they will introduce new non-degree-seeking programs, and keep offering the construction, allied health, network, and business certifications preparation courses.

NEW CORPORATE DIVISIONS

To streamline and improve its external communications and internal processes, CBT College introduced the Corporate Communications Officer and reintroduced the Chief Operating Officer positions to their organizational chart. These additions will facilitate leadership and improve both areas that are critical to the entire operation.

During the past five years, under the leadership of Monica Llerena, co-owner and former President/CEO of the organization, CBT College partnered with small businesses, corporations, non-profit organizations, appointed and elected officials, and several players of the college industry, to advocate for trade education and find job placement opportunities for their students and alumni.

Throughout Ms. Llerena's term, the organization also addressed the shortage of qualified, skilled workers with the South Florida legislative community and local employers. Likewise, the organization actively participated in industry events to expand the organization's business and institutional network. Ms. Llerena also spearheaded and launched the "Begin. Belong. Be More" Campaign, which has engaged the College toward different levels of accountability among the administration and students, to gain better results in student learning outcomes. As well as the most recent slogan, "Where There's a Skill There's a Way" which was launched to create an awareness of practical skills that would encourage confidence to achieve a better outcome for student development and job placement.

"I was fortunate enough to be able to have various leadership roles within the organization, to have made a strong network of connections within our industry, and to be able to see that their challenges are similar to ours. This has made me able to get a great perspective on who and what we truly are and how we need to serve our sector, our students, and our employers," stated Ms. Llerena.

This personal and professional commitment, coupled with her recent appointment as President of the "Association of Private Colleges and Schools of South Florida," and the visibility that she gained in her 20+ years career at CBT College, made Ms. Llerena become the perfect fit for the newly created Corporate Communications Officer's position.

"In this new role, I'm going to assist the College in communication, corporate social responsibility and advocacy strategies to ensure the proper management of the organization's reputation (as seen and understood by the public, policymakers, industry representatives, and essential government staff), in alignment with our shareholders' goals and objectives. "

During the coming months, CBT College will endure a technology upgrade that will demand training and commitment at all levels. According to Maricel Spezzacatena, CBT College's new Chief Operating Officer, the IT department is evaluating different software, "Which will allow us to improve many of our day-to-day productivity in several departments. With this in mind, we will put in place training for the users (our students, our staff members, our employees, and the leadership) to be able to take advantage of these new resources and to introduce new efficiencies".

Mrs. Spezzacatena, a finance expert with over 16 years of experience at CBT College, points out that her division will also focus on enhancing students' experience by improving processes, updating the labs, and bringing in new software.

"Our curriculum has a high percentage of practices in the lab environment  70% hands-on training and 30% lecture. This learning approach is why we are constantly improving our labs by creating new simulations and using different resources to update them with the latest technology [equipment, tools, and software] available. Another key element in our hands-on training is that our faculty members have experience in the field, so when they come here, they're able to give examples and teach our students the professional approach to real situations that they will face in their jobs. Our bottom line is that our students get to feel better coming to class, using new technology, being able to complete the program successfully, and thus, advance in their careers".

Under the leadership of the new management team, CBT College will continue to honor its "Begin. Belong. Be more" campaign by supporting their students, alumni, employees, and related communities in their academic, professional, and personal growth.

Related links: www.cbt.edu

About CBT College:

CBT College provides career training through a hands-on learning approach within the construction, technology, and allied health fields at its three locations across Miami-Dade County (Cutler Bay, Flagler, and Hialeah.) Over the past 31 years, the organization has graduated thousands of students into the Miami-Dade County workforce throughout more than 70 graduation ceremonies. The College's involvement with employers, local organizations, and strategic business initiatives has opened up plenty of opportunities for our current students and graduates.

CBT College is also listed as a Military-friendly school and participates in the Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program, as well as is approved by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to participate in the Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) to enroll International F-1 Visa students. The College is nationally accredited by ACICS, licensed by the Commission of Independent Education (CIE), and certified by the US Department of Education to receive Title IV funding.

SOURCE CBT College
B ritons will enjoy another mini heatwave as temperatures soar to an unseasonably high 25C just in time for the Bank Holiday weekend.

The heat could spark a widespread outbreak showers across the nation and even thunderstorms on Friday and Saturday as the warm air rises and cools.

But much of the country will enjoy mostly wall-to-wall sunshine, with the mercury expected to peak at 25C - some 10C above average for this time of year.

Brits have been reminded not to be tempted by the warm weather into the breaking lockdown restrictions in places to curb the spread of coronavirus.

There wil also l be lots of sunshine across England and Wales on Wednesday and Thursday, with scattered showers expected to break out in the southwest.

Met Office meteorologist Marco Petagna told the Standard: There will hardly be a cloud in the sky and lots of sunshine today for most of the UK on Wednesday.

But on Thursday there will be an east-west split.

There will be showers across parts of Wales and the southwest. Further east it will be generally fine with sunny spells. Top temperatures could get to 22C in parts of England.

Of the soaring temperatures expected on Friday and Saturday, he said: The heat will help to spark showers, providing the instability of the air.

Sunday will see a dramatic drop in temperatures, which are set to plunge almost 10C. Top temperatures in the south will be about 15C in the south, with highs of 9C in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
PICKERING, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 6, 2020 / Renforth Resources Inc. (CSE:RFR)(OTC Pink:RFHRF)(WKN:A2H9TN) ("Renforth" or the "Company") is pleased to provide shareholders with a pit constrained gold Mineral Resource Estimate for Renforth's wholly owned Parbec Property, located on the Cadillac Break, in Malartic, Quebec and contiguous to the open pit Canadian Malartic Mine. This Mineral Resource Estimate has been calculated by P&E Mining Consultants Inc. of Brampton, Ontario, with an effective date of April 30th, 2020, using only assay data from between 2007 and Renforth's last work on the property in 2019, excluding all assay results obtained historically, or prior to 2007. Renforth has in its possession all the core from 2007 to date.

"Delivering this pit constrained Mineral Resource Estimate for our wholly owned Parbec Gold property to Renforth's shareholders is done with a great deal of satisfaction. Renforth awaits the results of our recently announced metallic screen work for Parbec and will use those, once received, in conjunction with this deposit model, to assess our next steps at Parbec. In Parbec Renforth has the luxury of being well positioned, on the Cadillac Break in Malartic Quebec, with accessible surface ounces in a rising gold market and is able to make our next moves with no outside pressures" states Nicole Brewster, President and CEO of Renforth.

Parbec April 2020 Pit Constrained Mineral Resource Estimate

The engineered open pit geometry has a maximum depth of 225 m and a maximum length of 1,300 m, whereas mineralization at Parbec reaches a maximum depth of 738m and is present the length of the Cadillac Break on the Property, ~1.8km.

Renforth can use the new 3D model generated with this Mineral Resource to plan future drilling at Parbec relative to the constraining pit shell.

Assay composite results used, those obtained between 2007 and 2019, were capped at 20 g/t Au in this model. Renforth has determined that there is a nugget effect present at Parbec which could impact future development, capping of the composite grade within the constraining pit shell is a prudent and conservative approach.

The Mineral Resource Estimate totals 104,500 oz of gold in 1,822,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.78 g/t Au in the Indicated classification and 177,300 oz of gold in 3,122,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.77 g/t Au in the Inferred classification as follows;

Parbec Mineral Resource Estimate (1-6) Area Classification Cut-off Au

(g/t) Tonnes

(k) Au

(g/t) Au

(koz) Pit Constrained Indicated 0.32 1,782 1.77 101.4 Inferred 0.32 1,997 1.56 100.3 Out-of-Pit Indicated 1.44 40 2.38 3.1 Inferred 1.44 1,125 2.13 77.0 Total Indicated 0.32 + 1.44 1,822 1.78 104.5 Inferred 0.32 + 1.44 3,122 1.77 177.3



1) Mineral Resources which are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues.

2) The Inferred Mineral Resource in this estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resource could be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration.

3) The Mineral Resources in this report were estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions and Guidelines prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by the CIM Council.

4) Historically mined areas were depleted from the Mineral Resource model.

5) The pit constrained Au cut-off grade of 0.32 g/t Au was derived from US$1,450/oz Au price, 0.75 US$/C$ exchange rate, 95% process recovery, C$17/t process cost and C$2/t G&A cost. The constraining pit optimization parameters were C$2.50/t mineralized mining cost, $2/t waste mining cost, $1.50/t overburden mining cost and 50 degree pit slopes.

6) The out of pit Au cut-off grade of 1.44 g/t Au was derived from US$1,450/oz Au price, 0.75 US$/C$ exchange rate, 95% process recovery, C$66/t mining cost, C$17/t process cost and C$2/t G&A cost. The out of pit Mineral Resource grade blocks were quantified above the 1.44 g/t Au cut-off, below the constraining pit shell and within the constraining mineralized wireframes. Additionally, only groups of blocks that exhibited continuity and reasonable potential stope geometry were included. All orphaned blocks and narrow strings of blocks were excluded. The longhole stoping with backfill method was assumed for the out of pit Mineral Resource Estimate calculation.

Renforth would like to offer readers of this press release an understanding of the meaning of the Indicated and the Inferred Mineral Resource classifications. In both instances the gold ounces stated are verified to the satisfaction of the Qualified Person who authored the Mineral Resource Estimate. The difference is the level of confidence the author of the Mineral Resource Estimate has regarding the likelihood of mining, as stated in bullet #2 above the level of confidence is lower in the Inferred classification than the Indicated, it is reasonable to expect that with some amount of additional exploration Inferred ounces can be mined, whereas the Indicated ounces do not require any additional exploration, in the opinion of the Qualified Person.

Parbec Mineral Resource Gold Price and Cut-Off Grade Sensitivity

The tonnes, gold grade and contained ounces within and outside of the engineered pit shell are sensitive to an increase or decrease in their respective numbers based upon the price of gold used in the economic calculations which constrain the pit shell. In the same way a change in the price of gold used can lower or increases the gold cut-off grade used in the calculation for the Mineral Resource Estimate sensitivity, as shown below.

Sensitivity of Parbec Pit Constrained Mineral Resource Estimate Classification Cut-off Au

(g/t) Au Price*

US$/oz Tonnes

(k) Au

(g/t) Au

(koz) Indicated 0.36 1,300 1,717 1.80 99.3 0.34 1,375 1,751 1.78 100.3 0.32 1,450 1,782 1.77 101.4 0.30 1,525 1,809 1.76 102.1 0.29 1,600 1,840 1.74 102.9 Inferred 0.36 1,300 1,820 1.57 92.0 0.34 1,375 1,907 1.57 96.1 0.32 1,450 1,997 1.56 100.3 0.30 1,525 2,086 1.56 104.3 0.29 1,600 2,167 1.55 107.7



*Au price used to determine Au cut-off grade for Resource Estimate sensitivity analysis.

Sensitivity of Parbec Out of Pit Mineral Resource Estimate Classification Cut-off Au

(g/t) Au Price*

US$/oz Tonnes

(k) Au

(g/t) Au

(koz) Indicated 1.61 1,300 41 2.68 3.6 1.52 1,375 41 2.52 3.3 1.44 1,450 40 2.38 3.1 1.37 1,525 43 2.26 3.1 1.31 1,600 45 2.15 3.1 Inferred 1.61 1,300 972 2.28 71.4 1.52 1,375 1,052 2.21 74.6 1.44 1,450 1,125 2.13 77.0 1.37 1,525 1,201 2.06 79.5 1.31 1,600 1,243 2.01 80.5



*Au price used to determine Au cut-off grade for Resource Estimate sensitivity analysis

This Mineral Resource Estimate has been prepared as a result of a continuous disclosure review, at the request of Staff of the OSC, and supersedes the previous, Oct. 2018, Mineral Resource Estimate. This Mineral Resource Estimate, unlike the prior estimate, has been prepared on the basis of a constraining open pit shell.

Technical information in this press release was reviewed and approved by Eugene Puritch P.Eng, FEC, CET, President of P&E Mining Consultants Inc. and an independent "Qualified Person" pursuant to the requirements specified in NI 43-101.

For further information please contact:

Renforth Resources Inc.

Nicole Brewster

President and Chief Executive Officer

T:416-818-1393

E: nicole@renforthresources.com

#269 - 1099 Kingston Road, Pickering ON L1V 1B5

ABOUT RENFORTH

Renforth Resources Inc. is a Toronto-based gold exploration company with five wholly owned surface gold bearing properties located in the Provinces of Quebec and Ontario, Canada.

In Quebec Renforth holds the New Alger and Parbec Properties, in the Cadillac and Malartic gold camps respectively, with gold present at surface and to some depth, located on the Cadillac Break. In both instances' additional gold bearing structures, other than the Cadillac Break, have been found on each property and require additional exploration. Renforth also holds Malartic West, contiguous to the western boundary of the Canadian Malartic Mine Property, located in the Pontiac Sediments, this property is gold bearing and was the recent site of a copper discovery. In addition to this Renforth has optioned the wholly owned Denain-Pershing gold bearing property, located near Louvicourt, Quebec, to O3 Mining Inc.

In Ontario, Renforth holds the Nixon-Bartleman surface gold occurrence west of Timmins, Ontario, drilled, channeled and sampled over 500m - this historic property also requires additional exploration to define the extent of the mineralization.

No securities regulatory authority has approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and information under applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward looking. Forward-looking statements are frequently identified by such words as 'may', 'will', 'plan', 'expect', 'believe', 'anticipate', 'estimate', 'intend' and similar words referring to future events and results. Such statements and information are based on the current opinions and expectations of management. All forward-looking information is inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, fluctuating commodity prices, the risks of obtaining necessary approvals, licenses and permits and the availability of financing, as described in more detail in the Company's securities filings available at www.sedar.com. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and the reader is cautioned against placing undue reliance thereon. Forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is provided and the Company assumes no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.

SOURCE: Renforth Resources Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/588702/Renforth-Releases-Parbec-Gold-Mineral-Resource-Estimate
As Great Britain commemorates the 75th anniversary of VE Day, also known as Victory in Europe Day, PBS released a new documentary showing the monarch's experience during World War II.

"The Queen at War" revealed how the members of the royal family dealt with the conflict against Nazi Germany -- from being relocated to the countryside as Buckingham Palace was under attack by the Blitz, down to King George VI's historic speech on VE Day after Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced through a radio broadcast the surrender of German forces.

"She was evacuated, her home was bombed, she lost a family member and she volunteered to help the war effort," read the PBS description of Queen Elizabeth II's experience in WWII.

The Queen's "Most Exciting Night"

The documentary also revealed the "most exciting night" of a then 18-year-old Princess Elizabeth as she celebrated the end of WWII in 1945.

It recounted her remarkable experience being in the streets of London with a huge crowd along with her younger sister Princess Margaret, who was said to persuade her father to let them join the party.

The official Instagram of The Royal Family also posted in their story how Elizabeth was shaped by World War II. The Queen explained how "terrified" she was of being recognized in public, so to prevent that, she pulled her uniform cap down to her eyes while almost covering her face.

As cited by Town and Country, Chris Granlund -- the executive producer of the film -- explained that although they have provided tons of archival footage, there is no video of the young princesses celebrating on the streets.

"There is no existing footage of the Queen in the crowd that we know of. She was in uniform; she was with a small group, but we certainly didn't find any. It was an unprecedented thing," Grandlund said.

Granlund added how "extraordinary" it was for the Queen to roam around London together with hundreds of people.

"It was probably the first time she'd been in a crowd of people of that size without it being a ceremonial occasion-[It was] probably the first time in her life, and probably the last time that she was, in a sense, free to wander, relatively free to wander and roam among a crowd of people in London. It is quite extraordinary," he exclaimed.

The Windsors At World War II

When the palace was under attack by the Nazis, King George VI and his heir to the throne Princess Elizabeth strived to do their royal duties and remained in the country.

The Queen Mother also pointed out how their family refrained from escaping the United Kingdom and mentioned that "the king will not leave the country in any circumstances, whatever."

Queen Elizabeth II's former private secretary, Martin Charteris, also noted King Geroge VI's achievement during WW2. He described the previous King as a sincere and dedicated leader which was required from a public figurehead.
COVID-19 deaths, hospitalisations and lockdowns could be over this year, says WHO

Coronavirus structure offers clue to high infection rate

India

pti-PTI

New York, May 6: Researchers studying the structure of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 have found a unique feature in the virus that could explain its high transmissibility between people, an advance that may help develop new drugs against the disease.

The study, published in the Journal of Molecular Biology, identifies a structural loop in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, an area of the virus that facilitates its entry into cells.

In this loop, the researchers, including those from Cornell University in the US, assessed a sequence of four amino acids which make up the protein.

They said these amino acids are different from those in other known human coronaviruses part of this viral lineage. Analysing the lineage of SARS-CoV-2, the scientists showed that it shared properties of the closely related SARS-CoV-1 behind the 2002-03 SARS pandemic, and HCoV-HKU1, a highly transmissible but relatively benign human coronavirus. They said SARS-CoV-2 is both highly transmissible and lethal.

"It's got this strange combination of both properties," study co-author Gary Whittaker from Cornell University said. "The prediction is that the loop is very important to transmissibility or stability, or both," he added.

Whittaker and his colleagues focused on further studies of this structural loop and the sequence of four amino acids. Aside from primates, they said, cats, ferrets, and mink are the animal species most susceptible to the human novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2.

In order to infect a cell, they said features of the spike protein must bind with a receptor on the host cell's surface, and cats have a receptor binding site that closely matches that of humans. To date, the scientists said, infections in cats appear to be mild and infrequent, with no evidence that cats, in turn, infect humans.

Recent research had suggested that Malayan pangolins could be intermediate host for SARS-CoV-2, carrying the disease from bats to humans. However, the scientists speculated that both humans and pangolins could be final hosts from a different intermediate host.

"We hypothesise that despite having a common origin in bats, the relationship between pangolin coronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2 is not sufficient to support the claim that pangolins harbor the direct precursor to the currently circulating human SARS-CoV-2," the scientists reported in the study.

They said while the origin of the novel coronavirus has been found to be in bat reservoirs, there is still no definitive evidence of the possible intermediate host that could transmit the virus to humans. Whittaker added that studies probing into feline coronaviruses can provide further clues into SARS-CoV-2 and coronaviruses in general.
Chris Pratt-starrer conspiracy thriller series "The Terminal List" has been acquired by Amazon Prime Video.

Antoine Fuqua, best known for "The Equalizer" series and "Training Day", will direct the series, based on Jack Carr's bestselling novel of the same name.

David DiGilio is adapting the book for the show, which marks Pratt's return to television after he featured in shows such as "Parks and Recreation" and "Everwood".

According to The Hollywood Reporter, The story follows Reece (Pratt) whose entire platoon of Navy SEALs is ambushed during a high-stakes covert mission.

"Reece returns home with conflicting memories of the event and questions about his culpability. However, as new evidence comes to light, Reece discovers dark forces working against him," the plotline of the show read.

Pratt and Fuqua previously worked together on 2016's "The Magnificent Seven", which also featured Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke.

"The Terminal List" will be produced by MRC TV and Civic Center Media in collaboration with Amazon Studios.

Pratt, Fuqua and DiGilio will also executive produce the series.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gurugram, May 6 : Gurugram reported 17 more coronavirus positive cases on Wednesday, the highest in the city in a day since the nationwide lockdown.

Gurugram Civil Surgeon JS Punia said that 10 of them are wholesale vegetab le dealers in Khandsa Anaj Mandi, who have direct contacts with the Azadpur vegetables and fruits wholesale market.

Earlier, nine wholesalers or their employees in the same market tested positive and have been hospitalised.

After corona patients were found for the first time in Khandsa market on May 3, it was shut for the next five days. Due to this, the city is facing acute shortage of vegetables and fruits.

Besides, four residents of Dundehera village have also tested positive. They came in contact with earlier infected persons from their village who are employed in Delhi. Three other new cases are of nursing staff of a private hospital.

The official said that 65 persons are under quarantine after they returned from other states.

"All of them are isolated at different government, ESI and private hospitals. Their family members are also put under home quarantine. The health officials are making efforts to identify other persons who were infected after coming in contact with them," Punia said.

The total coronavirus cases is 104 in Gurugram, including 52 who were cured and discharged from hospitals.
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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
Flaring made its way into the conversation surrounding whether or not the Railroad Commission should implement statewide oil production cuts, or prorationing.

Several speakers at the RRCs April 14 hearing on prorationing urged the commissioners to use cutbacks as a way to address the problem of flaring in the state.

As the three commissioners headed toward a final decision on prorationing, Commission Chair Wayne Christian asked the Blue Ribbon Task Force for Oil Economic Recovery to study the ongoing problem of flaring.

Flaring is an ongoing problem for the oil and gas industry. The problem of flaring and its perception has caused a lot of financial problems in the past, Christian said. The issue is not going to go away when the industry recovers, unless we do something about it now.

RELATED: RRC votes against requiring cuts

He said the commission has waited for industry feedback, but time is ticking, and we want the agency to address the issue. Im asking the task force to continue meeting and come back to our June 16 meeting with ideas on how the commission can better regulate flaring.

Commissioner Christi Craddick told the Reporter-Telegram in a phone interview on Monday that flaring has been an important issue at the agency the last eight months and the topic of a lot of conversations.

As an agency, we have rules in place, she said. Weve gotten input from industry about best practices. Weve been adjusting our processes, as well. Weve limited more flaring than people realize.

Commissioner Ryan Sitton, who supported prorationing, agreed flaring is a challenge. But he questioned why, if those who opposed prorationing rules said the commission couldnt consider economics but only physical waste, should the commission adopt a new stance on flaring thats not related to an emergency situation.

Lets take the testimony on prorationing and apply it to flaring, he said.
The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged United Kingdom citizen and purported French resident Damon Elliott and his entity Piptastic Limited in connection with a Ponzi scheme, alleging that they fraudulently raised and then misappropriated more than $9 million from at least 80 investors, including at least $5.3 million from at least 30 investors in the United States.

The SEC's complaint alleges that, from at least January 2016 to May 2019, Elliott, operating through Piptastic, falsely represented to investors that he would use their money for an overseas fund that purportedly engaged in a trading strategy known as "spread trading" or "spreadbet trading," which involves speculating on the price movement of a security or other financial instrument. According to the complaint, Elliott instead knowingly misused investor assets for his own personal benefit, as well as that of his wife, relief defendant Sharon Elliott, and others including his associate, relief defendant Paul Rose. As further alleged, from at least 2019 through the present, when investors tried to redeem their money from Piptastic, Elliott lied about the status of the investments. Specifically, Elliott allegedly claimed that he had profited from spread betting and that the funds were safely held in trading accounts for the benefit of the investors. Elliott also allegedly provided fictitious account statements that purport to reflect the investors' preserved assets.

The SEC's complaint, filed in federal court in Massachusetts, charges Elliott and Piptastic with violating the antifraud provisions of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. The SEC seeks permanent injunctive relief, civil penalties, and disgorgement with prejudgment interest. The complaint also names DSE Retail Limited, a second Elliott-controlled entity; Rose and his entity Unique Asset Management Limited; and Sharon Elliott as relief defendants in connection with their receipt of ill-gotten gains without a legitimate claim to those funds.

The SEC's case is being handled by Ellen B. Moynihan, Eric A. Forni, Mark B. Albers, and Kevin B. Currid of the Boston Regional Office. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority and the Massachusetts Securities Division.
The Emory University School of Law Volunteer Clinic for Veterans (VCV) has launched a program to provide advance directives, wills and other estate planning assistance to medical residents completing their training at Emory University School of Medicine.

The new Medical Residents Assistance Program supports Emorys 1,500 medical residents and fellows with essential information, consultation and referrals.

The risks that health care workers and medical residents face have been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Knowing that their wishes are documented and that their family is taken care of in the worst-case scenario can provide peace of mind in uncertain times.

The VCV, a legal clinic run by faculty, student and community volunteers, typically serves veterans in Georgia who are unable to afford legal counsel on issues such as service-connected disability, estate planning and discharge upgrades. With social distancing measures in place for this vulnerable population, the clinic has temporarily turned its efforts toward helping support Emorys medical residents and fellows.

I am proud of the VCV for quickly compiling useful legal resources for everyone in our community, including forms for an advance directive for health care and power of attorney, says Rita Sheffey 21T, assistant dean for public service at Emory Law. We are honored to offer personalized short-term assistance to Emorys medical residents and fellows. Providing these critical services to young doctors serving on the front lines of COVID-19, as we routinely provide to veterans who have served our country, is a privilege.

The support is deeply appreciated, notes Philip Shayne, assistant dean for graduate medical education at Emory University School of Medicine.

The law school stepped up valuable and specific aid for our medical residents with incredible speed and generosity. We hadnt even realized that wills and advance directives were an active concern, and they were able to provide this resource within a week, Shayne says. The silver lining of the pandemic for health care workers has been the tremendous support from the community, and we are grateful to our law school colleagues for jumping into action for us.

As the exposure and number of cases continue to grow across the state and country, the VCV hopes to ally some fears through an informational website, a series of webinars and referrals to volunteer attorneys in the community.

The residents are not alone in their request for counsel. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused all of us to face our own mortality in ways we may never had before, and a byproduct of that seems to be that estate planning is moving up the priority list, says Emory Law alumnae Margaret Scott, a partner at the law firm Alston & Bird LLP. Without a carefully crafted estate plan, unresolved issues about who makes critical health and financial decisions or who controls and receives property at death can leave your loved ones in an even more tragic situation by adding conflict and confusion to an already difficult time.

Scott, who specializes in a wide range of estate planning has seen an uptick in clients seeking to complete long-unfinished estate planning projects or start new ones. Making sure your affairs are in order and a plan is in place is something you can control and is one way to gain certainty during this uncertain and anxious time, she says.

About Emory Law

Emory Law is a top-ranked law school defined by creativity and innovation in legal education. Located in Atlanta, it enrolls students from throughout the United States and the world pursuing juris doctor, juris master, master of laws, doctor of juridical science and master of comparative law degrees. Emory Law alumni work across the globe as leaders in law, business, government, philanthropy and education. Emory Law strives for a world in which law provides a common framework for courageous leaders to engage our most complex social and economic challenges and to achieve positive social transformation by advancing the rule of law.
Since the governor banned dining-out options for Illinoisans, Dimitri Kallianis, owner of The Shanty, has used social media to connect with the thousands of followers the 600-seat restaurant has cultivated since he reshaped the longtime Wadsworth fixture in 2006. The popular restaurant, which underwent one of the areas largest expansions a few years back, has been featured on the Food Networks Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.
How common is it?

There is no good data on how many children have developed the syndrome, but it appears to be a small number so far. On May 8, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said there had been 73 reported cases in New York state and that the health department was investigating several child deaths as other possible cases. A handful of cases have been reported in other states, including Louisiana, Mississippi and California. There have been at least 50 cases reported in European countries, including Britain, France, Switzerland, Spain and Italy.

How old are the children who have gotten it?

Hospitals have seen cases in children of all ages, from infants to older teenagers.

What should parents do if their child has symptoms?

Dr. Katie Schafer, a general pediatrician who has a private practice in Birmingham, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, said that because there were still many unknowns about the condition, parents of children who have symptoms should take them to pediatricians rather than assuming that a rash or fever or abdominal pain is only a sign of a typical childhood illness.

This is presenting very much like a common childhood illness, which it is not, she said. This is a novel diagnosis that doesnt exactly have a name, doesnt exactly have a timeline, doesnt exactly have a protocol. We didnt learn about this in medical school.

How do we know its related to the coronavirus?

Many of the children who have become sick with the syndrome either tested positive for the coronavirus at the time of their symptoms, or had positive antibody tests suggesting they may have been infected weeks earlier. Dr. Schafer said it was possible that this may be a post-infection condition and not necessarily part of the acute phase of Covid.

What is the treatment?

Treatments have included steroids, intravenous immunoglobulin, high-dose aspirin and antibiotics, as well as supportive oxygen through the nose, a mask or, in the most serious cases, a ventilator. Most children who are intubated can be removed from the ventilators within a few days, doctors said.

Will there be long-term effects?

Its unclear. Children who have had serious effects on their hearts will need to be monitored by cardiologists in case there is residual heart damage. Others will undoubtedly need to be followed by their pediatricians to keep track of any lingering effects.

Why would children get this and not adults?

Children may be at greater risk for this syndrome because their immune systems are not fully developed, Dr. Kernie said. But there are no clues yet as to why some children get sick and not others. Many of the children have been previously healthy. And the syndrome doesnt seem to run in families, but Dr. Kernies hospital and others are doing genetic testing to see if there is a predisposition or genetic reason one child becomes very sick while siblings seem unscathed.

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Iran accepts one fifth of all IAEA 2019 inspections, tops members' list - ambassador

Moscow, May 6 (Sputnik) Iranian Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Kazem Gharib Abadi said on Wednesday that Tehran had accepted over 20 percent of total IAEA inspections in 2019, having thus topped the list among a 62-member group, the IRNA official news agency reported.

Out of 466 inspections among all IAEA member states, at least 432 were directed to Iran, Abadi said, as cited by the media outlet. The number made up 92 percent of the total safeguards in its own group and 20 percent globally, he added.

The ambassador went on to say that 73 percent of the IAEA inspection accesses in the 62-member group were made in Iran, which is 24 percent on a global scale.
The World Food Programme (WFP) on Tuesday said over 40 million people across West Africa will face desperate food shortages in coming months.

According to a report on the United Nations (UN) website, the food shortages are coming with COVID-19 restrictions as a new factor adding to peoples vulnerability.

The WFP spokesperson, Elisabeth Byers, in the report, said the new coronavirus risked exposing populations that had fled armed conflict and endured climate change emergencies.

The report estimated that 12 million children under five years old could be acutely malnourished in the lean season  from June to August  unlike 8.2 million in the same period last year.

It also highlighted that the alert follows a similar warning from the UN agency about a potentially massive spike in global food insecurity in East Africa, as a direct result of the pandemic.

For WFP, the priority continues to be the most vulnerable individuals.

During the lean season in June and August, more than 21 million people across West Africa will struggle to feed themselves, she explained, adding Gambia and Benin to the list of countries in need.

An additional 20 million people could struggle to feed themselves due to the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 in the next six months, doubling the number of food-insecure to 43 million in this region, Ms Byers said highlighted in the report.

Conflict in African Countries

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Babar Baloch, in another report, described West and central Africa as one of largest displacement situations in Africawe are talking about 5.6 million internally displaced people, more than 1.3 million refugees and 1.6 million stateless.

The UN refugee agency has repeatedly called for greater support for increasing numbers of people forced to flee for their lives amid renewed conflict in West Africas turbulent Sahel and Lake Chad region.

This report said Burkina Faso had also witnessed massive displacement  of more than 838,000 people since January 2019, a figure which keeps climbing, each passing day.

In recent weeks, the agency said the armed groups had targeted thousands of Malian refugees sheltering in camps near the border of Burkina Faso and Mali.

The agency, on May 4, condemned attacks on May 2 on Malian refugees in Burkina Faso  reportedly by the countrys security forces, in Mentao refugee camp in which at least 32 people were injured.

The camp is located in Burkina Fasos volatile Sahel region close to the border with Mali and hosts some 6,500 refugees, UNHCR said in a statement.

Feeding on daily proceeds

This category of people, the urban poor  who live hand-to-mouth  (who) are most at risk, Ms Byers said.

She highlighted how COVID-19 travel restrictions have compromised the transport of supplies and the functioning of open-air markets that serve most people, resulting in price increases in some countries.

Movement restrictions could also affect farmers as the planting season approaches, WFP said in a statement, warning that an inadequate response to current needs would put the future well-being of millions of people in the region at stake, particularly women and young children.

While addressing the hand to mouth feeding, she said it could also lead to civil unrest in parts of a region already challenged by insecurity and violent extremism.

READ ALSO:

The agency said it was seeking to overcome (these) challenges, in partnership with the authorities.

School Meals

A significant problem highlighted by the report is the halt in school meal distribution.

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This halt has affected 18 million pupils supported through government-led programmes and 2.2 million schoolchildren in WFP-supported schools.

When Governments have had to close schools and stop school meals, we have worked with them, said Ms Byers.

We are working with them, to organize distribution points for the most vulnerable families who can take food rations so that they arent penalized, as schools have been forced to shut, in line with confinement measures.

She said the food agency has put in place monitoring and evaluation systems to help target the most at-risk populations.

Ms Byers said it is done in collaboration with other international partners and governments.

WFP urgently requires an additional $574 million to provide crucial assistance for the next six months in West Africa. These requirements are likely to increase in the coming weeks as the impact of COVID-19 is fully analysed, the UN report said.
The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen: The terrorist Houthi militia has launched today (Tuesday) two ballistic missiles from (Sana'a) governorate using civilian objects as launching sites as missiles fell short in (Amran) and (Sadah) governorates

Saudi Press Agency

Tuesday 1441/9/12 - 2020/05/05

Riyadh, May 05, 2020, SPA -- A statement by the Official Spokesman of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen COL Turki Al-Malki:

"The terrorist, Iran-backed Houthi militia launched two ballistic missiles this morning (Tuesday 05 May 2020) from (Sana'a) governorate using civilian objects as launching sites, the first missile fell short after (121) kilometers in (Amran), while the other fell short after (148) kilometers in (Sadah) governorate.

The Houthi militia continues to violate the International Humanitarian Law by launching ballistic missiles that fall indiscriminately on civilians and densely populated civilian areas, threatening the lives of hundreds of civilians.

These hostile acts, and ballistic missile launches represent the continued violations of the terrorist, Iran-backed Houthi militia of the ceasefire and de-escalation initiative announced by the Coalition, which began on (09 April 2020). The violations have exceeded (2400) breaches using all kinds of SALWs, heavy weapons and ballistic missiles.

The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition continues to undertake all rigorous and deterrent measures to neutralize and destroy these ballistic capabilities to safeguard civilians in Yemen, and protect regional and international security."

--SPA

20:18 LOCAL TIME 17:18 GMT

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 22:25:30|Editor: huaxia

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WARSAW, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The Polish economy will contract by 4.25 percent in 2020 before growing again by around 4 percent in the following year, the European Commission (EC) said on Wednesday.

"The COVID-19 pandemic is set to end nearly three decades of uninterrupted growth in Poland. GDP is projected to decline in 2020 by about 4.25 percent due to a disruption in economic activity caused by the lockdown measures and an unprecedented fall in external demand," the EC said in its Spring 2020 Economic Forecast.

The report said that Poland's GDP should bounce back by around 4 percent in 2021.

"The recovery will largely depend on the effectiveness of government measures and how they cushion the impact of the shock on the labor market. Also, beyond global downside risks, the virus could have a long-lasting impact on some sectors, particularly services, which could limit the scope for recovery," it added.

According to the forecast, Poland's labor market is "set to be impacted by the lockdown measures and the drop in demand, bringing the unemployment rate to around 7.5 percent in 2020."

The Polish Minister of family, labor and social policy Marlena Malag said Wednesday that jobless rate increased slightly to 5.7 percent at the end of April.

However, the reading "does not reflect the real situation" and the underlying unemployment is likely higher, the minister told public radio PR1. Enditem
On Tuesday, two prominent Democrats, one in politics and one in media, made it clear that they have no interest whatsoever in Tara Reades allegation that, in 1993, Joe Biden sexually assaulted her in the Senate building. This is in marked contrast to the Democrats behavior in 2016, when they claimed to be shocked that Trump remarked, accurately enough, that certain women will allow unlimited sexual liberties to rich and powerful men.

Its also different from the feeding frenzy in 2017 with the #MeToo movement. That movement, which probably had Donald Trump as its intended target, managed to take out a slew of Democrat men, including Al Franken, Harvey Weinstein, and Matt Lauer.

And of course, the studied disinterest in Bidens conduct is in even greater contrast to the vile, slanderous kangaroo court Democrats created around Brett Kavanaugh, a man with a deserved choir boys reputation. In 2018, Christine Blasey Ford, a passionate pro-abortion advocate, came forward with a remarkably changeable and vague story about a person who lived near her and grew up to be a potential conservative Supreme Court justice. Her unprovable accusations, which her own witnesses rejected, sparked a cottage industry of hashtags, especially #BelieveAllWomen.

Naive people might have assumed that this support for women who accused powerful men of sexual abuse would be the new standard. After all, every leftist, progressive, and Democrat preached and repeated it endlessly. It turns out, though, that the old saying is true: If leftists didnt have double standards, they wouldnt have any standards at all.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was one of Fords stalwart defenders. Thats not the case when it comes to Tara Reade, who has more detailed memories about being assaulted by a man she knew well and one, moreover, with a reputation for dirty doings in the bowels of the Senate building. Pelosis new position isnt #BelieveAllWomen; its #BelieveJoeBiden. Shes done with the subject and doesnt want to hear any more about it:

Speaker Nancy Pelosi says that the Tara Reade sexual assault allegation against Joe Biden is a "closed issue" and that she "believes him when he says it didn't happen."



"I'm not going to answer this question again." pic.twitter.com/nPaL1zchEE  Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) May 5, 2020

As a reminder, everything Nancy says or does is a lie. For example, in the middle of an economic crisis of unparalleled proportions, shes refused to reconvene the House  but she was able to attend the ceremonial swearing-in of Democrat Representative Kweisi Mfume, who took over for the late Elijah Cummings. Pelosi made much of wearing a face mask, but she and everyone else willingly stripped the masks off for the photo ops:

But Nancy Pelosi ditched the mask for this photo op.pic.twitter.com/xgvwmxDHXi https://t.co/Z8vCZ52JZh  Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) May 5, 2020

Pelosi may pretend to believe Biden, but Martin Tolchin, who spent 40 years as a New York Times journalist before founding both The Hill and Politico, has a different approach. In response to the Timess anguished editorial saying that, to keep the FBI away from Biden, the DNC should investigate Reades claims, Tolchin wrote a candid letter. In it, he asserts that Biden should not be investigated lest he is found guilty as charged, derailing the Democrats last, best hope to defeat Trump:

Frame it and hang it on a wall. pic.twitter.com/QeBH2P9jnT  Guy Benson (@guypbenson) May 5, 2020

I totally disagree with this editorial. I dont want an investigation. I want a coronation of Joe Biden. Would he make a great president? Unlikely. Would he make a good president? Good enough. Would he make a better president than the present occupant? Absolutely. I dont want justice, whatever that may be. I want a win, the removal of Donald Trump from office, and Mr. Biden is our best chance. Suppose an investigation reveals damaging information concerning his relationship with Tara Reade or something else, and Mr. Biden loses the nomination to Senator Bernie Sanders or someone else with a minimal chance of defeating Mr. Trump. Should we really risk the possibility? Martin Tolchin, Alexandra, Va. The writer is a former member of The Timess Washington bureau and a founder of Politico.

Tolchin is not alone. When Morning Consult polled Democrats who had watched Biden deny Reades claims, 61% did not cry out, Believe all women! Instead, they said Biden should still run for president. The only ones who wanted him out were younger Bernie supporters who hoped to see Bernie run against Trump.

Its fascinating, in an ugly way, to watch Democrats instantly abandon principles they embraced with such fervor only eighteen months ago. Its to be hoped that Americas independent voters are not impressed with this unprincipled turnaround.
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Fears were raised today that the new NHS coronavirus contact tracing app only 'half-works' on iPhones after experts claimed it can only effectively operate on the devices if the screen is unlocked.

The 'NHS Covid-19' app is a key piece in the UK Government's plan to get the country out of lockdown and back to work and will need at least 60 per cent of the nation to download it for it to be effective.

But another series of concerns about the app have been raised today, after experts yesterday warned that it was open to abuse because it lets users trigger alerts to all their contacts themselves simply by telling the program they feel unwell. This could lead to chaos if too many people 'cry wolf' and trigger a slew of false alerts.

Now an expert has claimed that the NHS app only half works on iPhones  because its Bluetooth technology only 'listens' for other phones when the handset is locked and does not broadcast its status. It means that when two locked iPhones with the app are together, they will not record contact.

The joint Google and Apple technology in the tech giants' own contact tracing app fixes this flaw, but the NHS app does not use this software.

In another potential flaw, residents on the Isle of Wight taking part in the trial told Mail Online that the app appeared to drain their phone's battery life at a faster rate while others on the island said that privacy fears made them reluctant to download the app.

And the Scottish government also dealt a potential hammer blow by saying it will only commit to the technology if it is shown to work and is secure.

Dr Michael Veale, a lecturer in digital rights and regulation at University College London, told MailOnline that the app 'only half-works on iPhones'.

He added: 'This is because the UK has decided, unlike countries such as Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Estonia and more, to not use the new decentralised building blocks Apple provides in its new iOS 13.5 operating system next week.

'In particular, iPhones are only able to 'listen' when they are locked, and not to reach out to other phones. To talk to another phone and register a contact, they need a phone that can reach out to prod them and 'wake' them up, or they won't spot them.

NHS worker Anni Adams looks at the new NHS app on her phone on the Isle of Wight today

The NHS is rolling out its new coronavirus track-and-trace app today for testing across the Isle of Wight. This is how it will work: The user will provide the first three digits of their postcode to activate the app. If the user starts experiencing they will enter them into the app. The data is sent to an NHS server, which will calculate which of the user's contacts are at risk and send them an alert telling them to self isolate

How will the NHS app work? The NHS is rolling out its new coronavirus track-and-trace app today for testing across the Isle of Wight. This is how it will work STEP ONE: DOWNLOAD THE APP Britons will be able to download the app for free from the Department of Health website. It is also available via the Apple and Android app stores or via a link sent by email to NHS and public sector workers. It is being tested on the Isle of Wight before a potential roll-out across the country, probably one region at a time. STEP TWO: PROVIDE A PARTIAL POSTCODE To register the person will be asked to provide the first half of their postcode, which shows the NHS the town or borough they live in - but not their name or their exact home address. The user will be asked to allow the app to use the phone's bluetooth to keep track of other phones it comes in to close to and for how long for. The NHS insists it will not be tracking location data - only phones But while the Government has said 'your postcode will not be used to track your location' - it is less clear if they also mean your location will not be tracked at all. STEP THREE: KEEP YOUR PHONE ON The user will be told to keep their phone and Bluetooth switched on at all times and the app will run in the background without them doing anything. The user will also be asked to allow 'push notifications' - which allows the NHS to send a person messages directly to their phones. When an individual goes out, the app will keep a log of every time it comes within Bluetooth range of another phone - but that person must also have the app. All IDs will be anonymous, with each app registered to a code rather than a person or address. STEP FOUR: REPORT YOUR SYMPTOMS IF YOU BECOME ILL If someone becomes ill they will be asked to log on to the app and input it. They will be asked if they have the common symptoms of coronavirus such as a high temperature and a continuous cough. If no, nothing will happen. If yes, they will be told to order a coronavirus test. STEP FIVE: APP SENDS YOUR DATA TO THE NHS SERVER FOR ANALYSIS BY EXPERTS If it is a suspected coronavirus case, these symptoms and the anonymous IDs of all the phones the user has come into contact with are automatically sent to an NHS server. The NHS will analyse the data sent by the original sufferer using an 'algorithm' based on distance of between one and two metres, and the amount of time, probably around ten to 15 minutes. STEP SIX: NHS SENDS AN ALERTS TO CONTACTS It will then alert app users who have been in significant contact with the original person with symptoms. In early versions of the app, this warns the user that they have been in contact with someone who has reported symptoms and should self isolate. If the original sufferer tests positive, everyone they have been in contact with will receive a stronger 'red' alert telling them to go into quarantine. The original sufferer triggers the red alert by entering a PIN issued by the NHS after they test positive. The Department of Health has not revealed exactly what the alerts will say. The Department of Health says: 'The app will advise the public what action to take if a user has been close to someone who has become symptomatic. The advice on what people should do can be adapted as the context and approach evolves.' The app will calculate how at risk a contact is by measuring their exposure to the person with symptoms. It will measure exposure by time and proximity. The NHS analysts will set the risk parameters that trigger alerts. STEP SEVEN: ORIGINAL SUFFERER CONTACTED BY HUMAN NHS CONTACT TRACERS The app will issue the original person with symptoms instructions on how to get a test using the software. One of around 10,000 UK human contact tracers may also get in contact on the phone and ask the app user how many people are in their household, where they have been and who they have been close to, that they know of, to find people who may not have been picked up by the bluetooth. They will also try to contact these new contacts if required. STEP EIGHT: SUFFERER IS TESTED Once the Covid-19 test arrives at the person's home they will be expected to swab and then put it back in the post to an NHS testing centre. They may also be eligible for a home test by a health worker or visit one of the country's test centres. The result should be available within 48 hours. There are then two possible outcomes:  The person tests negative. In this case, your contacts are told via a message that it was a false notification.  The person tests positive. In this case, your contacts are asked to isolate for 14 days, and get them into the clinical testing path. STEP NINE: HUMAN CONTACT TRACERS CONTACT AT-RISK CONTACTS OF ORIGINAL SUFFERER AND PLOT HOTSPOTS The NHS' army of human contact tracers will contact app users who have been in 'significant contact' with the original person with symptoms will be alerted through the app. They will provided with 'health advice'  which may include self isolation  based on the NHS' assessment of their level of risk. Not everyone who has been in contact will be alerted based on the NHS algorithm. This advice will be constantly modified by doctors based on the current siutuation. Advertisement

'When two iPhones users are together, as they are both only listening, no contact will be made or recorded. It is only if there is a nearby Android phone present that the phones can be nudged to 'wake up'.'

The same issue was faced by Singapore, which was the first country to try a contact tracing app. TraceTogether gained only a 20 per cent uptake with many users finding their iPhone had to be unlocked for it to work properly.

Another technology expert, Timandra Harkness, author of Big Data: Does Size Matter?, told the New Statesman that the app 'wouldn't work with the phone locked or while you are using it for anything else'.

She added that a friend in Singapore found this to be an issue on the TraceTogether app, which meant that 'you have to leave it on and  'upside down' in your pocket to go into Low Power mode.'

If a person with the app reports Covid-19 symptoms, a risk score for an interaction is calculated based on the distance between devices, how long they were in contact for and the infectiousness of the person at the time.

It comes as the Scottish government dealt a potential hammer blow to Health Secretary Matt Hancock's app after saying it will only commit to the technology if it is shown to work and is secure.

Nicola Sturgeon has said she is 'cautious' about the app and has stressed Scotland's approach to stopping the spread of the disease will be more 'old fashioned'. Meanwhile, Professor Jason Leitch, Scotland's national clinical director, said he will only download the app 'once I'm confident that it works' and the 'security is good'.

In other developments in the UK's coronavirus battle today:

Britons could spend four days working in the office and the next ten working from home in radical new plans put to the government today.

Another 436 people were last night confirmed to have died of COVID-19 in England, Scotland and Wales, taking the number of victims past 29,000 and making Britain the worst-hit nation in Europe;

The scientist nicknamed 'Professor Lockdown' who convinced Boris Johnson to impose the coronavirus shutdown quit his Government role after it was revealed he flouted the restrictions he helped craft by holding secret trysts with his married lover;

The Foreign Secretary dashed hopes of a widespread return to school after half-term, warning that it was too soon to even consider the move;

Nicola Sturgeon has again jumped the gun on Westminster by revealing Scotland's provisional 'exit strategy' from the coronavirus lockdown. The First Minister released a 27-page plan for how the loosening might happen north of the border, days before the PM is expected to unveil his 'road map' on Sunday.

Should Scotland refuse to recommend the app it will undoubtedly hit the UK government's efforts to hit the 60 per cent threshold.

It came amid growing concerns over the way in which the app works and the data it will collect with experts warning Mr Hancock it is 'almost inevitable' he will face a legal challenge.

Civil liberties campaigners and barristers are demanding the government legislate to restrict the way in which the data collected by the app can be used.

Some are concerned that the lack of regulation could result in the movement of people data eventually being used to identify anyone who is not sticking to social distancing rules so they can be punished.

The UK government has insisted so-called 'shoe leather epidemiology' will be part of its 'test, track and trace' programme with 18,000 staff due to be recruited - but the app will be integral to its success.

It began to be trialled on the Isle of Wight this week with a view to then rolling it out nationwide in the coming months.

Willoughby Matthews, 21, from Cowes, who has now got the app on Android, told MailOnline: 'I downloaded the app last night, so far it's been alright.

'It has had a slight effect on the battery life but not as bad as I was expecting. It's fairly user-friendly, once downloaded you just put the first part of your postcode in, then you're asked to give location permissions.

'Bluetooth has to remain on all the time, if you try and turn it off you get a warning message, which is a bit annoying, but you get used to it. You can't do much with it, apart from push the 'I feel unwell' button, so I'd say it's very user friendly.'

The proportion of Apple IOS to Android users in Britain is roughly 50:50, while 75 per cent of people responding to a poll in the Island Echo said they intended to download the app.

The results of another online survey carried out by Isle of Wight Radio were similar - showing that 79 per cent of respondents said they would download it while 21 per cent said they would not.

The Isle of Wight's population is about 140,000, meaning more than 100,000 people could download it.

Isle of Wight resident Omar Lakhssassi told LBC News: 'It's caused a bit of a split opinion across social media here on the Isle of Wight.

'Many people including myself are very happy to download this app and to try and make a difference to the data recording so the Government can track and trace people that have Covid-19 symptoms.

'I'm hoping that it will enable us to come out of the lockdown sooner rather than later on a national level.

'Some people though are quite dubious - they are worried about their privacy being breached, and very vocal on social media, saying they won't download this app.

'Personally I've got no problem downloading the app, having read the guidance it is very anonymous, it doesn't ask for my personal details, it doesn't ask for my name, or my email address or even my phone number.

'It just asks for the first four digits of my postcode and just asks three simple questions on how I'm feeling.

'And I believe that if the symptoms are consistent with coronavirus, it will alert me to getting a test and hopefully that will limit the impact I will have on other Isle of Wight residents.'

And Oliver Dyer, from Isle of Wight Radio, told the BBC: 'We've got a high elderly population over here, some people who don't have iPhones, and they've raised concerns on how they're supposed to download the app, how they're supposed to get behind this scheme.'

The app, developed by NHSX, works using bluetooth which logs whenever someone is within two metres of someone else for more than 15 minutes.

People will be told to tell the NHS when they develop coronavirus symptoms and at that point the data collected by the app will be used to contact everyone the infected person has been close to in recent weeks.



The Government has insisted that all data will be completely anonymised, with Mr Hancock rejecting claims the app could open the door to 'pervasive state surveillance'. He said that was 'completely wrong'.

But the Health Secretary is facing an uphill battle to win over critics of the initiative after the UK adopted a different path to other European nations.

Britain's app will see contact information held centrally by the NHS with ministers arguing this will speed up the tracing part of the programme so that people can be tested quickly.

But other European nations are using decentralised apps, one of which is backed by Google and Apple, which see phones communicate directly with each other.

Artificial intelligence firm involved with NHS worked with Dominic Cummings on Vote Leave An artificial intelligence firm involved with the NHS's coronavirus response was hired to work with Dominic Cummings on the Vote Leave campaign, it has emerged. The London-based firm, Faculty, has also been awarded at least seven government contracts worth nearly 1million in only 18 months, reported the Guardian. Cabinet Office minister Theodore Agnew has a 90,000 shareholding in the company - and Faculty's chief executive Marc Warner was present at a meeting of the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (Sage). Faculty is working with NHSX - which is behind the new NHS app - on a project to create a data store system that brings multiple data sources into one secure location. However the firm said is not involved in the new app. Faculty has previously supplied data science services to the Vote Leave Brexit campaign, which Mr Cummings ran before he became chief adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Advertisement

Experts believe this approach is less likely to face a legal challenge because the data is not stored centrally.

Barristers told the Telegraph that the UK's app proposes 'significantly greater interference with users' privacy' and as a result it will require 'greater justification'.

They argued the government is yet to justify its approach and that it is 'almost inevitable' that legal proceedings will be brought against it with the potential for a protracted court battle.

The fact the UK has chosen a different path to many other European countries has sparked fears that the different systems will be incompatible.

That could result in Britons having to unnecessarily quarantine themselves for 14 days when travelling to another country.

But Mr Hancock said misunderstandings about privacy issues with the UK's contact tracing app are making it harder to fight coronavirus.

Amnesty International UK has been among the voices to share their fears that privacy and rights could become another casualty of the virus as a result of the app, while a group of UK academics working in cyber security, privacy and law recently signed a joint letter saying it could open the door to surveillance once the pandemic is over.

The Government has refuted such suggestions, saying data is kept on a person's smartphone and can only be shared with the NHS when the individual decides, if they are displaying symptoms and request a test.

The UK now has more confirmed COVID-19 deaths - according to backdated statistics from the Office for National Statistics, National Records Scotland, and Northern Ireland's NISRA - than any other country in Europe

How is the NHS tracing app different to one made by Apple and Google? The app technologies developed by Google/Apple and the NHS are based on the same principle - they keep a log of who someone has come into close contact with - but the way they store data is the main difference. The NHS's keeps information in a centralised database, while the Google/Apple app is de-centralised. NHS app: Lists on NHS servers The NHSX app will create an alert every time two app users come within Bluetooth range of one another and log this in the user's phone. Each person will essentially build up a list of everyone they have been in 'contact' with. This will be anonymised so the lists will actually just be numbers or codes, not lists of names or addresses. If someone is diagnosed with the coronavirus or reports that they have symptoms, all the app users they got close to during the time that they were considered infectious - this will vary from person to person - will receive an alert telling them they have been put at risk of COVID-19 - but it won't name the person who was diagnosed. NHSX insists it will delete people's data when they get rid of the app. Apple/Google: Contained on phones In Apple and Google's de-centralised approach, meanwhile, the server and list element of this process is removed and the entire log is contained in someone's phone. That app works by exchanging a digital 'token' with every phone someone comes within Bluetooth range of over a fixed period. If one person develops symptoms of the coronavirus or tests positive, they will be able to enter this information into the app. The phone will then send out a notification to all the devices they have exchanged tokens with during the infection window, to make people aware they may have been exposed to COVID-19. The server database will not be necessary because each phone will keep an individual log of the bluetooth profiles someone has come close to. These will then be linked anonymously to people's NHS apps and alerts can be pushed through that even after the person is out of bluetooth range. It is understood that if someone later deletes the Google/Apple app and closes their account their data would be erased. Will NHS benefit from central data? If the NHS collects the data it may be able to use it as part of wider contact tracing efforts as well as being able to detect local outbreaks using location data. In future, if someone is diagnosed with COVID-19, members of an army of 18,000 'contact tracers' will be tasked with working out who else that patient has come into contact with and put at risk. It is not clear how much access the human contact tracers will have to data collected through the app. Advertisement

Speaking to Sky News, the Health Secretary said concerns that the app could track people are 'wrong' and 'not based on what's happening in the app'.

'I haven't yet seen a critique based on privacy that is accurate or based on actual understanding of what the app does, so if anybody... has those concerns or is proposing to write about them, I would suggest that they go and look at what the app actually does before doing so,' he said.

'Because if you are spreading those sorts of stories and discouraging people from downloading the app, then what you're actually doing is making it harder for us as a community to fight this virus.

'I'm being quite robust in my response to these critiques because we have taken the concerns into account.'

Mr Hancock reiterated that an ethics advisory board will oversee the app, and there are plans to publish a data protection impact assessment and the source code for public scrutiny.

One of the key issues has been around the decision to take a centralised approach, meaning when a person chooses to share their data it is sent to a computer server anonymously, instead of staying between smartphone devices, known as decentralised.

Professor Michael Parker, a member of the Government's Sage advisory group and an NHS adviser on the app, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'The advantage of a centralised system is that we want our health system to be coherent, we want it to work in a way that is intelligent.

'And we want the NHS to be taking control of this. We don't want, I think, our health system to be managed by tech companies in a way that is potentially disconnected.

'I would argue that we really want an integrated system that is centralised but carefully managed and in an approach that treats patient information in a way that is appropriately depersonalised.'

Former deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman has called for legislation to protect the personal data of those using the NHS coronavirus app.

Meanwhile, there are also fears the UK app could be abused because it is reliant on people reporting symptoms.

Experts believe mischievous pupils could falsely report having symptoms in order to shut down schools or disaffected workers could do the same to try to get firms closed.

Jim Killock, the executive director of the Open Rights Group, said: 'Someone might feel that they are fed up with their boss and want to cause some trouble so they self-report and get half of the work force sent home to self-isolate.'

Lawyers are also concerned that the app is not underpinned by its own legislation.

Some civil liberties campaigners are concerned that the lack of regulation could see the data collected being abused in the future.

For example, they fear the data could be used to show who has been breaking social distancing rules with punishments then being dished out.

Legal experts have put forward a draft bill which would set 'basic safeguards' on how the app could be used in the future.

Those safeguards would include a guarantee that no one would be penalised for not having a phone, for leaving their house without a phone and that no one will be 'compelled' to install the app.

Concerns have been raised about the safety of the NHS holding such sensitive data given the fact the health service has previously been targeted by hackers.
With 2958 new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and 126 deaths, Indias tally crossed the 49,000-mark, according to Union health ministrys data on Wednesday morning.

According to the Union health ministrys dashboard at 8am, there are 33,514 active cases of Covid-19 and 1,694 fatalities across the country.

The recovery rate of coronavirus disease cases in the country went up to 28.71% from 27.41% a day earlier. There are 14,182 people who have been cured or discharged, the health ministry data showed.

Lav Agarwal, joint secretary with the health ministry, had said during the routine press briefing held on Covid-19 on Tuesday that the doubling rate of the respiratory disease had improved from 3.4 days before the lockdown to 12 days now.

The nationwide lockdown was first clamped on March 25, which has been extended twice, and the third phase will end on May 17.

Lockdown has yielded very positive results, doubling time has improved from 3.4 days before lockdown to 12 days now. At the same time, it is important that we sustain the momentum, said Agarwal.

He said it was important to trace every contact of infected people.

Conducting surveillance for SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Infection) and ILI (Influenza-like illness) symptoms in facilities in containment zones and otherwise yields very valuable data and guides further action, Agarwal said.

Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan had said on Tuesday that India had managed to keep a check on coronavirus pandemic by not letting it slip into the community transmissions phase.

Globally, more than 3.6 million have been infected by Sars-Cov-2, which causes the disease, and 257,207 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins Covid-19 tracker.
New York, NY, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Legacy Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: LGC) (Legacy), a publicly-traded Special Purpose Acquisition Company, announced today a change in location for its special meeting of stockholders (the Special Meeting) to be held on May 18, 2020, at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Due to the public health impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and related government actions, and to support the health and well-being of our officers, stockholders and community, the Special Meeting will be held in a virtual meeting format only. The access information for the virtual Special Meeting is as follows:

Meeting Date: Monday, May 18, 2020 Meeting Time: 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time Conference Call Access: +1 (888) 965-8995 (U.S. and Canada); or +1 (415) 655-0243 (outside of the U.S. and Canada) Passcode for Telephone Access: 63792880# Webcast Access: https://www.cstproxy.com/legacyacquisition/2020

You will not be able to attend the Special Meeting in person.

The Special Meeting is being held to vote on the proposals described in Legacys definitive proxy statement, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on March 31, 2020 (the Definitive Proxy Statement), relating to its proposed business combination (the Business Combination) with a wholly-owned holding company (Blue Impact target) of Blue Valor Limited, a company incorporated in Hong Kong (Seller), which will hold a digital-first, intelligent and integrated, global advertising & marketing services group (the Blue Impact business).

Important Information About the Business Combination and Where to Find It

In connection with the business combination contemplated by the Amended and Restated Share Exchange Agreement (the Business Combination), Legacy filed a definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A (the Business Combination Proxy) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on March 31, 2020. In connection with the solicitation of the registered holders of Legacys public warrants to consent to proposed amendments to Legacys Warrant Agreement (the Warrant Amendments), Legacy filed a preliminary consent solicitation statement (the Warrant Consent Solicitation) with the SEC on March 31, 2020 and intends to file other relevant materials with the SEC in connection therewith, including a definitive consent solicitation statement on Schedule 14A. Additionally, in connection with another extension of the deadline by which Legacy must complete its business combination (the Deadline Extension), Legacy filed a definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A (the Extension Proxy) with the SEC on April 21, 2020. Legacys stockholders and other interested persons are advised to read the Business Combination Proxy, as well as the preliminary Warrant Consent Solicitation and the Extension Proxy and the amendments thereto and other relevant materials to be filed, respectively, in connection with the Business Combination, the Warrant Amendments and the Deadline Extension with the SEC, including, when available, a definitive warrant consent solicitation on Schedule 14A in connection with the Warrant Amendments and documents incorporated by reference therein, as these materials contain, with respect to the Business Combination and the Deadline Extension, and will contain with respect to the Warrant Amendments, important information. The definitive proxy statement and other relevant materials for the Business Combination and the Deadline Extension were mailed to stockholders of Legacy as of March 20, 2020 and April 6, 2020, respectively. When available, the definitive proxy statements and other relevant materials for the Warrant Amendments will be mailed to warrant holders of Legacy as of March 20, 2020. Warrant holders and stockholders are also able to obtain copies of the Business Combination Proxy and Extension Proxy, as well as the preliminary proxy statement and other documents filed with the SEC incorporated by reference therein, and will also be able to obtain, once available, the definitive proxy statements and other documents filed with the SEC that will be incorporated by reference therein, without charge, at the SECs web site at www.sec.gov, or by directing a request to: Legacy Acquisition Corp., 1308 Race Street, Suite 200, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202, Attention: Secretary, (513) 618-7161.

Participants in the Solicitation

Legacy and its directors and executive officers may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies from Legacys stockholders with respect to the Business Combination and Deadline Extensions and consents from Legacys warrant holders with respect to the Warrant Amendments. A list of the names of those directors and executive officers and a description of their interests in Legacy is contained in the Definitive Business Combination Proxy filed with the SEC, the Warrant Consent Solicitation and the Extension Proxy and in Legacys proxy statement for its 2019 Annual Meeting that was filed with the SEC on November 22, 2019 and are available free of charge at the SECs web site at www.sec.gov, or by directing a request to: Legacy Acquisition Corp., 1308 Race Street, Suite 200, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202, Attention: Secretary, (513) 618-7161. Additional information regarding the interests of such participants will be contained in the definitive proxy statement that Legacy intends to file with the SEC in connection with the Business Combination when available.

The Seller, Blue Focus Intelligent Communications Group, and their respective directors and executive officers may also be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of Legacy in connection with the Business Combination. A list of the names of such directors and executive officers and information regarding their interests in the Business Combination will be included in Legacys definitive proxy statement that will be filed with respect to the Business Combination.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This Current Report on Form 8-K includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Legacys and the Blue Impact business actual results may differ from their expectations, estimates and projections and consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as expect, estimate, project, budget, forecast, anticipate, intend, propose, plan, contemplate, may, will, shall, would, could, should, believes, predicts, potential, continue, positioned, goal, conditional and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the Legacys expected Contributions to the trust account in respect of future Extensions (if any), Legacys intention to borrow the funds for any such Contributions from the Seller, and the timing of payment of any such Contributions.

These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Most of these factors are outside Legacys and the Blue Impact business control and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: (1) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Share Exchange Agreement, (2) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Legacy and other transaction parties following the announcement of the Share Exchange Agreement and the transactions contemplated therein; (3) the inability to complete the proposed Business Combination, including due to failure to obtain approval of the stockholders of Legacy or other conditions to closing in the Share Exchange Agreement; (4) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could otherwise cause the Business Combination to fail to close; (5) the receipt of an unsolicited offer from another party for an alternative business transaction that could interfere with the proposed Business Combination; (6) the risk that the proposed Business Combination disrupts current plans and operations as a result of the announcement and consummation of the proposed Business Combination; (7) costs related to the proposed Business Combination; (8) changes in applicable laws or regulations; (9) the aggregate number of Legacy shares requested to be redeemed by Legacys stockholders in connection with the proposed Business Combination; (10) the ability of the Blue Impact business to ameliorate or otherwise mitigate its existing material weaknesses and any material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting or significant deficiencies that may be identified in the future; and (11) other risks and uncertainties indicated from time to time in the proxy statement relating to the proposed Business Combination, including those under Risk Factors therein, and in Legacys other filings with the SEC. Legacy cautions that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Legacy cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Legacy does not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.

No Offer or Solicitation

This Current Report on Form 8-K shall not constitute a solicitation of a proxy, consent or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the Business Combination. This Current Report on Form 8-K shall also not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any states or jurisdictions in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of section 10 of the Securities Act, or an exemption therefrom.

Investors:

Peter Stabler

ICR

peter.stabler@icrinc.com

Media:

Phil Denning

ICR

Phil.denning@icrinc.com
1. Raaz (2002)

2. Bhoot (2003)

3. Darna Mana Hai (2003)

4. 13 B (2009)

5. Ragini MMS (2011)

6. Ek Thi Daayan (2013)

7. Pizza (2014)

8. Tumbbad (2018)

9. Stree (2018)

Bollywood filmmakers have sort of rediscovered the horror genre in the last 20 years. Earlier, it never used to enjoy the patronage of A-list actors and big-budget studios but the last two decades saw that changing. Filmmakers have realised its earning potential and have been keen to invest in the genre. It hasnt fully evolved as yet -- we have miles to go as turning out a well-rounded product is concerned but we will surely get there. Bringing you a list of some of theof the last two decades for you to binge-watch this quarantine.Director: Vikram BhattCast: Bipasha Basu, Dino MoreaThe film is adapted from the Hollywood hit What Lies Beneath. Sanjana (Bipasha Basu) and Aditya (Dino Morea) are a young couple having problems in their marriage. They decide to live together in a cottage in Ooty to sort out the differences. Sanjana keeps having one supernatural encounter after another. She keeps hearing a girl's voice and later sees the spirit as well. Upon the advice of professor Agni Swaroop (Ashutosh Rana), she talks to the spirit and finds out that it belongs to a young girl Malini (Malini Sharma) who was killed in the cottage. Further investigation makes her realise that Malini was having an affair with Aditya and committed suicide when he wasn't interested in taking the relationship further. The professor informs them that they have to burn the dead girl's body in order to exorcise her ghost. Otherwise, she will kill Aditya in all likelihood. How Bipasha Basu, with the help of Ashutosh Rana, exorcises the ghost to save her husband and her marriage forms the crux of the film. Nadeem Shravan composed the music and songs like Jo bhi kasme khai thi humne and Aapke pyaar mein main were much appreciated.Director: Ram Gopal VarmaCast: Urmila Matondkar, Ajay Devgn, Fardeen Khan, Rekha, Nana Patekar, Seema biswas, Victor BanerjeeBhoot was adesigned as a revenge drama. Vishal () and Swati (Urmila Matondkar) rent an apartment in a high rise at a meagre price. Later, they come to know to that a girl who was staying there earlier had committed suicide. Vishal doesn't believe in ghosts, but his view changes when he sees Swati behaving strangely. She even kills the watchman in a fit of anger. He knows that his wife is not a killer and calls in a medium (Rekha) for help. The medium and the girls mother find out that the girl didn't commit suicide but was killed. Vishal, inspector Liyaqat Qureshi (Nana Patekar), who is investigating the watchmen's death, the medium and the girl's mother hatch a plan to capture the actual culprit. How that comes about forms the climax of the film. The film was genuinely scary and was admired for its taut screenplay. Urmila also won accolades for her acting.Director: Prawaal RamanCast: Saif Ali Khan, Vivek Oberoi, Nana Patekar, Boman Irani, Sanjay Kapoor, Shilpa Shetty, Sohail Khan, Antara Mali, Sameera Reddy, Rajpal Yadav, Aftab Shivdasani, Isha Koppikar, Peeya Rai Chowdhary, Revathi, Raghuvir Yadav, Gaurav Kapur, Kiku Sharda, Abir GoswamiIt was anhaving supreme narratives woven into one. It was inspired by the Hollywood film Campfire Tales (1997). Six friends regale each other with supernatural horror tales after they have to find shelter in an abandoned house in a forest after their car breaks down. The stories were macabre and splattered with dark humour -- a fashion photographer (Saif Ali Khan) is imprisoned in a hotel owned by a paranoid anti-smoker (Boman Irani). A housewife (Shilpa Shetty) gets haunted by red apples. A rich guy (Vivek Oberoi) giving a lift to a man (Nana Patekar) who may be a ghost -- etc. The participants keep dwindling as a serial killer is stalking them one by one. The seventh story -- one which held the others together was probably the weakest, but overall the film was good, clean fun.Director: Vikram KumarCast: R Madhavan, Neetu Chandra, Sachin Khedekar, Deepak Dobriyal, Murali SharmaThis one had a really unique concept of a TV serial haunting a middle-class family. Manohar, (Madhavan), moves into a new apartment, 13B, on the 13th floor with his family, fulfilling his life's biggest dream. But they encounter a series of strange incidents, such as milk getting spoiled, which are regarded as inauspicious by his family but are shrugged off by Manohar. The elevator in the building doesnt work just for Manohar and this fact too doesnt bother him largely. He begins to see a pattern in whats happening to the family portrayed in a popular TV programme and his own family. The happenings start to mirror each other and sometimes predict things for his family. Spooked, he investigates and finds that a family of eight were murdered in the same place in 1977. And it looks like the spirit which had haunted the earlier family has come to haunt him and his loved ones as well. The film was praised for its. Madhavans acting came for praise as well.Director: Pawan KripalaniCast: Rajkummar Rao, Kainaz MotivalaIts a found-footage horror film that combines the story of a real scandal with strands from Stephen Kings novel Geralds Game. Uday (Rajkummar Rao), wants to make a sex video with Kainaz Motivala without her knowledge. He has set up hidden cameras and takes advantage of innocent girls. He brings Ragini (Kainaz Motivala) to his house situated in a secluded place, handcuffs herself to the bed and starts making out. However, hes killed by a malevolent spirit, who also kills a couple of his friends. Ragini, who is chained to the bed, somehow breaks free but the spirit haunts her as well. She passes out and later is shown getting treated for mental disorders. The film has plenty of moments which send a chill down your spine. Andas a sleazy guy is a must-watch as well.Director: Kannan IyerCast: Emraan Hashmi, Huma Qureshi, Konkona Sen Sharma, Kalki KoechlinThe film is based on Mukul Sharmas story Mobius Trips. Emraan Hashmi plays Bobo, a top magician, who keeps having hallucinations about meeting a witch. It seems that his father had married a witch who has come to haunt him again after 20 years. The witch needs a human sacrifice and prepares his adopted son Zubin (Bhavesh Balchandani) as a victim. Bobo, it transpires, is a supernatural entity himself, and fights the witch to save the child. Only a pure soul can kill the witch by cutting off its plaits and Bobo makes sure Zubin is successful in doing so. However, as she is dying, the witch promises Bobo that she will be back. The film managed to build an atmosphere of supernatural horror despite its convoluted plot. Some scenes did give you genuine chills. The acting of the entire cast was appreciated and Konkona Sen Sharma was singled out for her performance as the original daayan.Director: Akshay AkkineniCast: Akshay Oberoi, Parvathy Omanakuttan, Arunoday Singh, Dipannita SharmaThe film is a remake of 2012 Tamil film,, directed by Karthik Subbaraj. Kunal Malkholkar (Akshay Oberoi) is a pizza delivery boy who lives with his wife Nikita (Parvathy Omanakuttan), who is an aspiring novelist and is researching material for a. Kunal himself doesnt believe in the supernatural but circumstances force him to believe in it. He concocts a ludicrous story involving multiple murders by a supernatural entity to dupe his employer only to experience them later in reality.Director: Rahi Anil BarveCast: Sohum Shah, Mohammad Samad, Anita Date, Deepak Damle, Jyoti MalsheIts morality tale peppered with stylised horror.draws upon our folklore, mythology, as also morality tales to weave together a saga revolving around greed and how like a curse it gets passed from generation to generation and corrupts everyone it touches. The first ten minutes are sure to spook you. A woman more dead than alive,, is tied up in a remote house in a remote village in Maharashtra. The period is the early 1900s. The woman, who's perpetually sleeping, has to be fed periodically...or else. Feeding her one night when his mother has taken his injured brother to the doctor becomes a rite of passage for a young boy. They leave the place after the brother dies but the youth takes a vow to go hunt for ancestral treasure hidden inside the well and he does so when he grows up. The treasure is guarded by the firstborn son of the earth goddess and he's not easily seduced to part with it. The young man flirts with death on each journey inside the ancestral well and for years emerges triumphant. Tragedy strikes when later his teenage son becomes too greedy. The cocky youngster wants all the gold gathered at one go, forgetting that he's trying to outwit a mad god.Director: Amar KaushikCast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khuranais a mix of comedy and horror with a bit of intrigue thrown in. It is said to be based on actual events. A small town supposedly in MP getsby an entity during the four days of pooja dedicated to a local deity. Three friends -- Vicky (Rajkummar Rao), Jana (Abhishek Banerjee) and Bittu (Aparshakti Khurana) take it upon themselves to rid their town of this menace once and for all. They are helped in this journey by a motley crew comprising a bookseller, Pankaj Tripathi, Vijay Raaz, an author who wrote the history of the town and, the girl Vicky loves. How they combat the spirit and get rid of it forms the crux of the film.
"Every day we see incredible acts of service and kindness across America to people who need it the most, and for Pepsi, these acts serve as a reminder that we can all do something to help," said Chauncey Hamlett, VP, Marketing, South Division, PBNA. "We want to make sure that the impact these heroes are having on their communities do not go unnoticed. Together with our restaurant, hospital, retail and media partners, we want to give them something to smile about and reward them for their heroics by highlighting their stories. That's what our 'Stronger Together' program is all about."

To kick off the "Stronger Together" platform and celebrate Nurses' Appreciation Day, Pepsi visited four different hospitals and universities across the Southeast, including Orlando, Florida, the home of PBNA South Division, Washington D.C. and Maryland. In Orlando, the brand was joined by local partners, including the Orlando Magic, to help distribute food to nurses and other essential workers at AdventHealth. This marks the first of a half-dozen stops across the country to help our most vulnerable communities by bringing moments of much needed relief, with the show of support coming to Washington D.C., Tampa, Knoxville, Miami, Memphis, Atlanta in the coming weeks.

"Nurses are the lifeline of our mission to care for our community in body, mind and spirit  and there has never been a more important time to provide that care," said David Collis, president of the AdventHealth Central Florida Foundation. "The outpouring of support from both the business community and the public has been overwhelming. We thank Pepsi for recognizing these true heroes."

In addition to showing up in local hospitals to provide moments of relief and enjoyment to healthcare workers, PBNA South Division needs help finding stories of frontline workers and can't do it without you. Starting on May 11, you can help us nominate these local heroes and read more about the amazing work Americans are doing everywhere, by visiting www.PepsiStrongerTogether.com and show some love to our heroes. Some of these stories will be featured in :30 spots, on nationally syndicated platforms including such as iHeartRadio's Elvis Duran and The Morning Show and The Breakfast Club. Select nominees will receive $1,000 care packages from PBNA South Division. Follow the conversation on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #PepsiStrongerTogether.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $67 billion in net revenue in 2019, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. "Winning with Purpose" reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of the business. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com

SOURCE PepsiCo Beverages North America
NRPLUS MEMBER ARTICLE F rom leafy Windsor to the former mining town of Bolsover, British prime minister Boris Johnson has achieved what Theresa May could not: a Conservative majority that spans the countrys traditional class divides. But Mays failure was not for want of trying. In June 2017, she held an ill-fated snap election to attempt to wrest back control of Parliament. The aim was to charm working-class Labour heartlands, particularly in the north. It failed. And as the clock struck 10 p.m. on polling day, she panicked and called her joint chief of staff, Nick Timothy.

She was sobbing, writes Timothy in his new book, Remaking One Nation: Conservatism in an Age of Crisis. I remember thinking she sounded like a child who wanted to be told everything was just fine.

It was not going to be fine. Least of all for him, the co-author of the partys campaign manifesto. By the weeks end, he would have no choice but to resign.

Much has been made of the political adviser in recent times  whether its The Great Manipulator, Steve Bannon, or the Brexit firebrand and brooding puppet master, Dominic Cummings. For his part, Timothy was dubbed the Sage of Birmingham by The Economist, with a Rasputin beard to boot. In the weeks that followed the campaign, he was pilloried in the press as the ruthless tyrant who had smuggled ruinous policies into the Tory agenda. The red lines on leaving the European Union. The so-called Dementia Tax to fund senior care. And even the hostile environment strategy to root out illegal immigration.

It is little wonder, then, that this erstwhile aide  now clean-shaven  is eager to set the record straight with a retelling of his time at Number 10. Or rather, certain parts of it. Readers may be surprised to find that only the tiniest sliver of Timothys 224-page book, the introduction, is actually about himself.

Advisers, like Victorian children, he says, should be seen but not heard. And true to form, the rest of Remaking One Nation reads less like a tell-all memoir than it does an ambitious blueprint for post-Brexit Britain. Of course, Timothy cannot resist landing a few punches. In his opening salvo, he takes aim at Aussie campaign strategist Lynton Crosby and the consultants, as well as several recently departed or demoted cabinet ministers, who either muddied the Tories message or failed to get fully on board with the partys program.

Story continues

More pointedly, perhaps, Timothys reluctance to divulge further details is suggestive of his desire to make a political comeback. In November, he put in an unsuccessful bid to run as a Conservative candidate for Meriden in the recent election; had he won, he would likely now be a sitting member of Parliament.

The title of the work gives a hint as to the cherished conservative ideal that he hopes to resurrect (what he calls a communitarian correction). It hearkens back to the one nation conservatism of 19th-century prime minister Benjamin Disraeli, who expanded the franchise and sought to appeal to the masses with a mix of patriotism and social reform.

Indeed, the books epigraph is lifted from the pages of Disraelis novel Sybil (1845):

Two nations [of rich and poor]; between whom there is no intercourse and no sympathy; who are as ignorant of each others habits, thoughts, and feelings, as if they were dwellers in different zones . . . are not governed by the same laws.

Although a somewhat worn trope, much like the New Deal coalition, this term finds a new lease on life at the end of Timothys pen, particularly as it comes as a stunning rebuke of Thatcherism.

Born to a working-class family in Birmingham, Timothy had a steelworker father and a mother who found employment as a school assistant. With this background, he writes, he could never have been an ideological liberal or libertarian.

When the young Brummie got his start at the Conservative Research Department in the early 2000s, he chafed at the attempted indoctrination of his fertile mind with the political philosophy of Ayn Rand, whose selfish individualism left [him] cold. Similarly, the legend that Margaret Thatcher would often pull Friedrich von Hayeks The Constitution of Liberty from her handbag and declare this is what we believe had him shaking his head.

In fact, Timothy would probably have found as many, if not more, agreeable elements in Mario Cuomos A Tale of Two Cities speech at the 1984 Democratic National Convention as he would in Thatchers This Ladys Not for Turning address three years prior.

At the heart of this book is the claim that liberalism has gone too far  on both the left and the right. But Timothy draws important distinctions between what he calls essential, elite, and ultra liberalism.

Essential liberalism is defined as the necessary laws and institutions that underpin free societies, in addition to norms of behavior, such as a willingness to compromise and restraint in the exercise of power. (Although this is not explicitly drawn out, Timothys ideas seem akin to Rawlss theory of overlapping consensus  the notion that all citizens can endorse a core set of laws despite having differing ideas about justice.) The usual suspects are all there: Edmund Burke, John Stuart Mill, and Isaiah Berlin, to name a few. Yet their ideas are footnoted rather than explored in depth.

Elite liberalism, he says, is borne of the social and economic revolutions of the 1960s and 1980s, respectively. Political elites place such a great emphasis on individualism that they care little for the communal and relational nature of societies, which leads to the masquerading of certain policies  high levels of immigration, limited support for the family, and the marketization of public services  as supposedly centrist positions.

These elites are the citizens of nowhere that he famously ridiculed through Mays keynote speech at the 2016 Tory party conference:

Today, too many people in positions of power behave as though they have more in common with international elites than with the people down the road, the people they employ, the people they pass in the street.

This is Timothy at his most insightful: Combining some free-market reforms with a smattering of socially liberal policies is doomed to failure in the U.K. because, in reality, mainstream public opinion is more to the left on the economy and more to the right on cultural issues. Previous Labour and Tory prime ministers Tony Blair and David Cameron were of this ilk, he argues, and their assumptions led to blind spots in how they each dealt with the rising social anxiety within the country.

Furthermore, Timothys view that citizenship is something relational instead of transactional also holds much merit. There is indeed an impatiently universalistic liberal school of thought, which sees citizenship as a laundry list of rights to be granted anywhere and everywhere, rather than as a set of rights that spring from our communal obligations, civic engagement, and shared traditions. But his ideas about citizenship lead to some awkward conclusions that surface in his discussion of ultra-liberalism (including a proposal for mandatory courses in British culture for foreign nationals on work visas of less than a year).

Ultra-liberalism, Timothy says, is the marching advancement of liberal policies on opposite ends of the political spectrum, from market fundamentalists to the proponents of militant identity politics, which come at the expense of the communitarian ideal. This term is used to describe beliefs that are not shared between the mainstream parties, but which still drive ideological liberalism onward.

It must be said that these passages lack evenhandedness. Repeatedly, he refers to how left ultra-liberals sacralize their policy objectives. The paradoxical conclusion, therefore, is that their liberalism is, as he says, a teleological fallacy. That view invariably attributes some measure of bad faith to those who hold such beliefs, and one begins to wonder whether Timothys framework is a suitable interpretive tool to understand them.

A much thornier issue, however, is the authors half-baked appeal for a cohesive society, based on an inclusive but still distinctly British culture. There is a strong case to be made against identity politics in this regard, though a persuasive argument ought not to fixate so heavily on the plight of the white working class, which he subsequently mentions no less than 31 times. Few converts will be won with clumsily worded tracts calling on minorities to respect and understand the ethnic and cultural identities of white Britons, and the long story, spanning hundreds of generations, of our national life.

There is an inkling from Timothy that this British identity naturally extends to migrants from Commonwealth countries, but again, he decries the idea that there is any such thing as a unique set of British values, so the question of identity at once becomes uncomfortably cultural in its dimensions.

These arguments warrant a more comprehensive treatment than Timothy gives them, one that takes pains to parse out Britishness and set some standards for integration of immigrants (whether that is full assimilation or a more accommodating model). Without that, it remains to be seen whether his vision is really a reclaiming of Britishness or whether it is a nostalgic throwback to some idealized state; my guess is that it falls somewhere in between.

The confusion is not helped by Timothys own muddled views. By his own admission, Britishness is about countless things, which he then enumerates as if he were a speechwriter for Hugh Grants character in the film Love Actually: pale ale, Monty Python, the Oxford-Cambridge boat race, Dunkirk  and the list goes on.

Remaking One Nations looseness in this regard is more of a handicap than a strength, as it paints Timothys brand of conservatism as managerial and ad hoc, rather than principled and systematic. The act of trimming  what Timothy calls seeking balance by weakening the stronger side of a novel idea, rather than making the case for it outright  seems a little rudderless and reactionary. What use is it to retain some vague cultural memory of the church or the traditional family, for instance, if, as he admits, these things carry significantly less import today?

Nevertheless, this is a book for its time. Somewhat ironically, Timothys policy proposals on everything from China to Europe, immigration to inequality, and public spending to civic capitalism could yet come to fruition under a Johnson premiership. Imagine that. Timothy writes that it is no coincidence that the Second World War, a time of great national solidarity and a strong state, ushered in a spate of bold new policies. In the throes of a pandemic, it may be that a similar opportunity beckons in the not too distant future.

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Hyderabad, May 6 : Six more special trains carrying over 6,000 migrant workers left Telangana for various states, officials said on Wednesday.

The trains left for Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh. According to Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat, six trains were run on the intervening night of May 5 and 6.

The trains departed from Ghatkesar, Charlapally and Bibinagar railway stations near Hyderabad. They were flagged off by collectors of Hyderabad, Medchal and Yadadri Bhuvangiri districts and officials from Rachakonda police commissionerate.

Two trains for Bihar and Jharkhand departed from Bibi Nagar railway station in Yadadri Bhuvangiri district early morning.

Migrant workers from Yadadri Bhuvangiri and other districts were brought to the railway station by buses late Tuesday night A team of 50 personnel from the health department led by District Medical and Health Officer screened the workers before allowing them into the station.

Officials said all necessary arrangements were made for the smooth journey of the workers. Yadadri Bhuvangiri District Collector Anitha Ramchandran along with senior officials supervised the arrangements at the railway station.

The workers expressed their happiness on returning to their home states after a long wait. They said they had registered their names with the police stations concerned and they were informed about the travel arrangements accordingly.

With this, the number of special trains operated for migrant workers from Telangana rose to eight. The first train had left for Jharkhand on May 1 while the second departed for Bihar in the early hours of May 5.

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao late on Tuesday said 11 trains carrying migrants would leave, including five for Bihar, two each for Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and one each for Jharkhand and Rajasthan.

However, the information about the trains is kept confidential to avoid entry of unauthorized persons at railway stations.

The Chief Minister had said after the state Cabinet meeting that the migrant workers can't be sent in thousands and lakhs as this needs consent from their home states.

He said he spoke to Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other states and they wanted Telangana to send the list of the workers who wanted to return so that proper arrangements could be made for their transport to respective districts and villages.

"I wanted to send 40 trains but we need consent from those states," he said.

The Chief Minister said the trains carrying migrant workers to Bihar will come back with 20,000 to 25,000 workers from Bihar who work in rice mills in Telangana.

A train which left early Tuesday to Bihar will bring 1,200 workers from there.
The Assam forest



department has slapped a penalty of Rs 43.25 crore on PSU major Coal India Ltd for carrying out "illegal mining" inside a reserve forest for 16 years from 2003, officials said on Wednesday.

The forest department has also filed an FIR at the Sub-Divisional Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court in Margherita in Tinsukia district against officials responsible for the alleged illegal activity in around 73 hectares of land inside the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve forest between 2003 and 2019.

Accepting that the mining was going on since 2003 without a renewed lease, the North Eastern Coalfields, a unit of the Maharatna PSU, claimed that it had applied for renewal of the lease when the agreement had expired, but the Assam government did not act upon it for a "long time".

Taking up the issue at its latest meeting last month, the Standing Committee of the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL), under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, refused to accord permission to the miner to commence operations unless it fulfils a set of 28 conditions, including payment of the penalty amount.

A campaign with hashtag "#SaveAmazonOfEast from Coal Mafias" has also gathered steam on social media, with leading environmentalists, activists, teachers and students demanding a complete ban on mining inside the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve, which is straddles Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts.

"From 2003 to the first half of 2019, mining activity was going on without any clearance certificate. A mining lease was given to CIL in 1973 for 30 years. After its expiry, CIL was supposed to apply for forest clearance but they applied only in 2012," a senior forest department official told PTI.

The mining was going on using all equipment with forest areas being opened up by cutting some trees, he said.

After the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, came into force in 2003, any activity for non-forest purposes in a protected area requires prior approval from the central government.

"No clearance was given by the central government under the FC Act. Any mining activity inside a forest can take place only after the final nod, which is Stage-II, not the Stage-I, that is in-principle approval. CIL did not get even the Stage-I clearance at that time," the official said.

The department had sought clarification from the company about this issue in July 2019, and its officials had also seized 5,297 cubic metres of coal lying at the Ledo railway yard in October last year, he said.

"CIL had applied for clearance of 98.59 hectares. Out of which, 73 hectares they had already broken. Initially, it was 57.2 hectares, but finally we found that the figure was 73 hectares. It was a clear violation of forest laws," the official said.

The DFO was asked to file an FIR against CIL general manager concerned and others, and it was done in a Margherita court in December 2019, he said.

Meanwhile, the Stage-I clearance was given to CIL for 57.20 hectares in December 2019 with 28 conditions, including payment of fine and action against officers responsible for violating the FC Act, he said.

"The Centre clearly said that the Stage-II clearance, which allows starting of mining work, will be given only after fulfilment of these conditions. Accordingly, the DFO has placed a demand note of Rs 43.25 crore to CIL in April 2020," the official said.

He, however, claimed that the company is yet to initiate any action regarding payment of the penalty amount.

The government has asked the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest to draft charges against DFOs and Range Officers concerned since 2003 onwards for initiating departmental disciplinary action against them, he said.

The state government has also been requested by the Centre to approach the Coal Ministry for asking it to take disciplinary action against the errant CIL officials.

The NBWL, at the 57th Meeting of the Standing Committee, recommended that cautious approach should be adopted in the light of the rich biodiversity of the area in Saleki, a proposed reserve forest, which is a part of the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve.

Citing a report of the committee comprising NBWL member Prof R Sukumar, representative from the Wildlife Division and the State Chief Wildlife Warden, the minutes of the meeting stated that it would be prudent to preserve the basic integrity of the forested hill slope.

"The proposed area is on a steep hill slope that is part of the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve, adjoining good forest area in the neighbouring state of Arunachal Pradesh, which includes Deomali Elephant Reserve with a sizeable population of elephants," it added.

Declining to give permission to begin coal mining immediately, the Standing Committee asked the CIL to submit two sets of documents of "the broken up and unbroken areas" of the forest for further consideration.

When contacted, North Eastern Coalfields General Manager J K Borah said the company had an old lease till 2003 and it was not covered under the FC Act.

"After 2003, the NEC and CIL management had applied for approval from the Assam government. But the state government did not act upon that till 2013, and probably there was no follow-up from the NEC also," he said.

Borah said that coal mining in the Tikok area was going on for over 130 years since 1884 and that the 98.59 hectares within the minefield did not require any forest clearance till 2003.

Asked why the company started mining inside the forest in 2003 without the necessary approvals, he said, "The work was going on because it was a continuous mine and it was anticipated that permission would be given. Till 2012, only 57 hectares were broken.

"We had applied in 2003 for forest clearance for 98.59 hectares as a project. It was not done till 2012. Then, we have further applied. In 2013, the Forest Advisory Committee recommended work with certain conditions, including some to be fulfilled by the Assam government."



The NEC official alleged that the Assam government had "delayed the process" and the company had to follow it up again in 2019 to expedite the grant of permission.

"The state gave clearance with certain conditions and forwarded it to the NBWL which has given us the permission in the broken area only. In the rest of the area, a feasibility report has been sought on the possibility of underground mining," he said.

Borah also claimed that the elephant corridor is almost 20-25 km away from the project site.

"We are regularising the area, which has already been broken. The land was part of our lease land. Except this area, the rest of our mining area falls outside the forest area. At present, no mining is going on in the entire area," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
1. Yes. Too many kids are staying home. They need a virtual learning option to keep up.

2. Yes. Teachers are out sick and subs cant handle the load. Online learning is needed.

3. No. Its too late in the school year to make a wholesale switch in teaching platforms.

4.No. Many parents arent in a position to stay home while their kids learn virtually.

5. Unsure. It may seem like a good idea from a health standpoint, but it has shortcomings.

Vote

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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday US President Donald Trump made a stupid mistake by pulling out of Tehrans nuclear deal with world powers, and called on Washington to lift its sanctions.

Trump pulled the United States out of the pact in 2018, arguing it did not go far enough to constrain Tehrans missile programme and influence in the region.

Trump made a stupid mistake by exiting the nuclear deal, Rouhani said.

If America wants to return to the deal, it should lift all the sanctions on Tehran and compensate for the reimposition of sanctions ... Iran will give a crushing response if the arms embargo on Tehran is extended, Rouhani added.
Khiron is the exclusive Latin American supplier to Project Twenty21, a leading UK registry study enrolling up to 20,000 patients by the end of 2021, to create the largest body of evidence in Europe for the effectiveness and tolerability of medical cannabis

First import of EU GMP medical cannabis products is complete





Khiron branded products available to participating UK doctors, with first prescriptions now received





Khiron has secured a strategic partnership with an EU GMP fulfilment partner which can deliver patient prescriptions to their homes





UK medical cannabis clinics and doctors have received regulatory approval to conduct teleconsultations with patients, a new milestone in opening up patient access





Approximately 1.4m people in Great Britain are using "street cannabis" to treat medically diagnosed, chronic health conditions (source: YouGov)





people in are using "street cannabis" to treat medically diagnosed, chronic health conditions (source: YouGov) By 2024, the UK medical cannabis market is predicted to be worth nearly 1bn, servicing nearly 340,000 active patients (source: Prohibition Partners)

TORONTO, May 6, 2020 /CNW/ - Khiron Life Sciences Corp. ("Khiron" or the "Company") (TSXV: KHRN ), (OTCQX: KHRNF), (Frankfurt: A2JMZC), a vertically integrated cannabis leader with core operations in Latin America and Europe, today announced the receipt of its first medical cannabis prescriptions for patients participating in Project Twenty21 in the United Kingdom (UK). Khiron branded EU GMP medical cannabis is now available for prescription from doctors and clinics participating in Project Twenty21, Europe's largest study of the effectiveness and tolerability of medical cannabis.

Khiron has been actively preparing to supply Project Twenty21 since first announcing its participation in November 2019. The supply of EU GMP medical cannabis is fully supported by the Company's global medical education team, led by Dr. Maria Fernanda Arboleda, International Director for Medical Services. Khiron will leverage educational materials and key learnings from the Company's Colombian cannabis experience in making therapeutic recommendations for Project Twenty21.

Leading the project, Professor David Nutt from the UK's leading independent scientific body Drug Science commented: "Khiron's assistance in delivering Project Twenty21 will expand the formulary significantly. Our shared vision, accelerating access of medical cannabis to patients who need it the most, will be greatly enhanced by the support provided by the Khiron team."

Tejinder Virk, President of Khiron Europe, commented: "The receipt of our first prescriptions in the UK is a testament to Khiron's regulatory strengths and globally diversified supply chain strategy. We have the flexibility to source medical cannabis products from multiple countries, with an aim to optimize for quality, speed and economics. The implementation of virtual consultations in the UK and mail order fulfilment are also huge milestones, which remove friction for patients and help to drive positive health outcomes."

Khiron is the exclusive LatAm supplier to Project Twenty21, Europe's first and largest national medical cannabis registry study in November 2019. Project Twenty21 aims to enrol 20,000 patients by the end of 2021, creating the largest body of evidence for the effectiveness and tolerability of medical cannabis - with an aim to demonstrate to policymakers that medical cannabis should be as widely available, and affordable, as other approved medicines for patients who would benefit from them.

About Khiron Life Sciences Corp.

Khiron Life Sciences Corp. is the dominant integrated medical cannabis company in Latin America. Khiron has core operations in Latin America, along with activity in North America and Europe, and is licensed in Colombia for the cultivation, production, domestic distribution, and international export of both tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) medical cannabis. The Company delivers best in class regulatory compliance, has the first approved line of CBD cosmetic products on shelf in Colombia, and is fully authorized to manufacture high- and low-THC medical cannabis, and to fill prescriptions for low-THC medical cannabis in the country.

With a focused regional strategy and patient oriented approach, the Company combines global scientific expertise, agricultural advantages, branded product market entrance experience and education to drive prescription and brand loyalty to address priority medical conditions such as chronic pain, epilepsy, depression and anxiety in the Latin American market of over 620 million people. The Company is led by Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Alvaro Torres, together with an experienced executive team, and a knowledgeable Board of Directors that includes former President of Mexico, Vicente Fox.

Visit Khiron online at www.khiron.ca and on Instagram @khironlife

Cautionary Notes

Market and Industry Data

This press release includes market and industry data and forecasts that were obtained from third-party sources, industry publications and publicly available information. Third-party sources generally state that the information contained therein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but there can be no assurance as to the accuracy or completeness of included information. Although management believes it to be reliable, Khiron has not independently verified any of the data from third-party sources referred to in this presentation, or analyzed or verified the underlying studies or surveys relied upon or referred to by such sources, or ascertained the underlying economic assumptions relied upon by such sources.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All information contained herein that is not historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. Khiron undertakes no obligation to comment analyses, expectations or statements made by third-parties in respect of Khiron, its securities, or financial or operating results (as applicable). Although Khiron believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements in this press release are reasonable, such forward-looking statement has been based on expectations, factors and assumptions concerning future events which may prove to be inaccurate and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond Khiron's control, including the risk factors discussed in Khiron's Annual Information Form which is available on Khiron's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and are made as of the date hereof. Khiron disclaims any intention and has no obligation or responsibility, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

Investor Contacts: Chris Naprawa, President, T: +1 (416) 705-1144, E: cnaprawa@khiron.ca; Media Contact: Jon Packer, Vice President, Communications, T: +1 (416) 543-9179, E: jpacker@khiron.ca; Khiron Europe: Tejinder Virk, Europe President, T: +49 160 91225423, E: tvirk@khiron.ca




President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Wednesday government is also now focusing on post Covid-19 programmes such as ensuring that the country is food secure.





In an opening address to the Zanu PF Politburo meeting, he said as the nation continues to grapple with challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, it was also equally important to be preparing for the post Covid-19 phase.





As such, government continues to monitor progress on all the programmes we had outlined in our 2020 national budget statement and the Transitional Stabilisation Programme. Our agriculture must continue to produce to ensure food security through climate change mitigation strategies, he said.





In recognition of the importance of agriculture, President Mnangagwa said he had tasked Vice President Constantine Chiwenga to supervise the sector.

I asked VP Chiwenga to spearhead resuscitation, modernisation and mechanisation of that sector, he said, adding that government had availed enough resources towards the success of winter wheat farming.





In the immediate term, we have availed the resources for a successful winter wheat season. In the medium to long term, the irrigation development strategy will continue to be rolled out to mitigate the impact of climate change, he added.





President Mnangagwa urged small to medium entrepreneurs (SMES) and the manufacturing sector to harness the potential of home grown innovative solutions to drive the countrys modernisation agenda.





In this regard, there should be closer co-operation between the manufacturing sector, SMEs and our education institutions, he said.





He said government would also accelerate the implementation of infrastructure projects such as dualisation of the Beitbridge-Harare Chirundu highway.





He commended the international community for assisting Zimbabwe with Covid-19 response materials.





On behalf of the party, allow me to express my profound appreciation to all individuals, corporates, churches, humanitarian organisations and friendly countries and international institutions such as the Peoples Republic of China, United Kingdom, India, United States of America, United Arab Emirates, European Union, Japan and the African Union who have given towards our national response needs to the Covid-19 pandemic.





We are as a nation truly grateful for their generosity and goodwill, he said.





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Local chicken and beef producers are not immune to the impact of the coronavirus, with demand falling due to virus-induced restrictions.

Orangeburg County poultry farmer David Funchess, for instance, says he's slowed down operations at his farm to reflect the reduction in staffing at the Pilgrims Pride processing plant in Sumter.

"That has not hurt too much, Funchess said. "I can see a little bit of a slowdown, but nothing to alarm me at this point."

Funchess and his son, David Jr., contract with the plant. Pilgrims provides the bird, feed and veterinary services, while the growers provide the labor, housing, litter and utilities.

Because of the changes, Funchess will go about two weeks without having chickens. The normal time window without a flock is about 10 days.

The number of chickens per house has also been lowered from about 19,000 chickens to about 18,000 chickens. Funchess noted the cutback is not unusual for the poultry business as the heat of the summer months will soon be upon producers.

President Donald Trump last month used the Defense Production Act to classify meat processing as critical infrastructure to try to prevent a shortage of chicken, pork and other meat.

He issued the order as more than 20 meatpacking plants closed temporarily under pressure from local authorities and their own workers because of the virus. Others have slowed production as workers have fallen ill or stayed home to avoid getting sick, according to the Associated Press.

Funchess says he is unsure of what the future will hold, but Trump's order is a step in the right direction.

Orangeburg County Clemson Extension Agent Jonathan Croft said there is no large processing facility in The T&D Region. The nearest poultry processing facilities are in Columbia and Sumter and the largest beef processor is in the Upstate.

"All large facilities in South Carolina are still running at full capacity and there is a long wait at smaller facilities that take animals from individuals or small farms," Croft said.

"It very important for all of the processing facilities to continue running as vertically integrated operations, like poultry and pork have animals constantly at an age for harvest," Croft said. "Local facilities are very important to farms that do direct-to-consumer sales and for individuals that purchase an animal they want processed."

Funchess echoed Croft.

"It is almost imperative we stay up and going," he said.

He noted that right now row crop farming is tough.

"Commodities on the farm such as soybeans, corn, cotton and even peanuts are just lower and lower, Funchess said.

Last year, Funchess says he pretty much lost all his soybean crop. It was the first time in 50 years the crop was a complete disaster.

Fort Motte cattle farmer Larry Elmore described the current COVID-19 situation as an amazing time, noting reports in the Midwest where hogs have to be destroyed because of closed processing facilities.

"I never thought I would see that," Elmore said. "I can't imagine destroying hogs where someone has invested that much in it."

Locally, Elmore said the hog market is much smaller and has avoided such extreme measures, but said the beef sector has seen its own share of COVID-19 impacts.

One is seen directly in beef prices.

"A lot of it is the fact that restaurants have been out of the picture," Elmore said. "The demand suddenly dried up for these commercial things."

Elmore expressed his support for keeping processing facilities open and classified as essential, noting any reduction in processing facilities will eventually trickle down to the grocery store level, causing shortages and a spike in consumer prices.

"Some (processing plants) are running one shift and a lot of those jobs require training," he said. "You can't have someone walk in from the National Guard and do that stuff without having a learning curve."

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Researchers are urging policy makers to recognize the critical values of intact, undisturbed native forests.

Remember the horror that was the Australian wildfires? While they feel like ages ago, they were at their peak just in January, not that long ago at all  apparently, pandemic time is like dog years.

Between September 2019 and January 2020, 5.8 million hectares (14,332,112 acres) of Australia burned, destroying thousands of buildings and killing more than 34 people. And it was devastating for wildlife, killing more than 800 million animals and affecting one billion animals in all.

"Over the past several decades, as the world has increasingly warmed, so has its potential to burn," writes Ellen Gray at NASA. She explains that since the 1980s, wildfire season has lengthened across a quarter of the world's vegetated surface, "and in some places like California," she adds, "fire has become nearly a year-round risk."

In the United States, the president has suggested that "raking" the forest will help prevent fires. And on December 21, 2018 he signed an executive order that calls for, among other things, "Reducing vegetation giving rise to wildfire conditions ... by increasing health treatments as part of USDAs offering for sale at least 3.8 billion board feet of timber from USDA FS [Forest Service] lands."

But in Australia, it's a different story, according to researchers from The University of Queensland (UQ). Rather than the dystopian euphemistic "forest health treatment" of cutting down trees to enrich the lumber industry, the researchers conclude that the logging of native forest increases the risk and severity of fire. And in the case of the devastating 2019-20 fire season, logging likely had a profound effect.

The authors write, "It is clear that discussions about links between climate change and fire are warranted and should galvanize action to halt climate change. However, the contribution of land management, and especially forestry practices, to wildfires has often been neglected in these discussions."

 The University of Queensland

UQ Professor and Wildlife Conservation Society Director James Watson explained that logging practices have made many forests more vulnerable to fire for a number of reasons.

"Logging causes a rise in fuel loads, increases potential drying of wet forests and causes a decrease in forest height," Watson says. "It can leave up to 450 tonnes of combustible fuel per hectare close to the ground  by any measure, that's an incredibly dangerous level of combustible material in seasonally dry landscapes."

"By allowing these practices to increase fire severity and flammability, we undermine the safety of some of our rural communities," he adds. "It affects wildlife too by creating habitat loss, fragmentation and disturbance for many species, with major negative effects on forest wildlife."

The study's lead author David Lindenmayer, a professor from Australian National University, said there are land management actions that can help prevent such catastrophic fires in the future.

"The first is to prevent logging of moist forests, particularly those close to urban areas," Lindenmayer says. "We must also reduce forest fragmentation by proactively restoring some previously logged forests. In the event of wildfires, land managers must avoid practices such as 'salvage' logging  or logging of burnt forests  which severely reduces recovery of a forest."

Michelle Ward, a researcher from UQ's School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, stresses that government needs to be proactive in creating policy to help prevent future devastation.

"We urge policy makers to recognise and account for the critical values of intact, undisturbed native forests, not only for the protection of biodiversity, but for human safety," she says. "Let's act strongly and swiftly for the sake of our communities, the species they house, our climate and Australia's wild heritage."

The research was published in Nature Ecology & Evolution.
Anusha Ravi By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: Karnataka government on Wednesday announced a tax hike of 17 per cent on liquor in the state. Two days after liquor shops were allowed to open owing to easing of lockdown restrictions, chief minister BS Yediyurappa on Wednesday announced hike in excise taxes.

The special 11 per cent 'COVID19 fees' comes in addition to 6 per cent hike on excise that the state government had announced in its budget for 2020-2021 taking the total hike in taxes to 17 per cent. The announcement on hike was made byCM BS Yediyurappa while announcing an economic relief package to farmers, weavers, construction workers, MSMEs and workers from the unorganised sector.

On May 5, second day of liquor sales, Karnataka had sold 36.37 lakh litres of IML worth Rs 182 crores and 7.02 lakh litres of beer worth Rs 15 crore. In all Rs 197 crore worth liquor was sold in the state on Tuesday. A cash strapped Karnataka hopes to generate additional revenue with increased tax hike on liquor.
Even in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Canadian provinces are still holding draws inviting immigration candidates to apply for a provincial nomination for Canadian permanent residence

PNP still providing pathways to Canadian PR Even in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Canadian provinces are still holding draws inviting immigration candidates to apply for a provincial nomination for Canadian permanent residence

PNP still providing pathways to Canadian PR Even in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Canadian provinces are still holding draws inviting immigration candidates to apply for a provincial nomination for Canadian permanent residence

PNP still providing pathways to Canadian PR Even in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Canadian provinces are still holding draws inviting immigration candidates to apply for a provincial nomination for Canadian permanent residence Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Many provincial nominee programs across the country are continuing their operations to bring immigration candidates closer to the highly sought-after permanent residence status.

Provincial nominee programs (PNPs) offer more options to immigrate to Canada for foreign nationals who have worked or studied in the province, and in some cases, for those who have not.

Despite Canadas temporary travel restrictions spurred by coronavirus, most PNPs are still holding invitation rounds.

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs

Ontario

Over the past couple of weeks, the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) has held three draws. Entrepreneurs, French-speakers, and tradespeople in certain occupations were targeted in these draws that all occurred in late April.

So far in 2020, Ontario has issued Notifications of Interest (NOIs) otherwise known as invitations to:

The province also released its PNP results from 2019, revealing that most nominations went to candidates who had profiles in the federal Express Entry system. They also nominated more principal applicants than they were allotted by the federal government last year. In the end, 7,391 principal applicants, brought 6,340 spouses and dependents for a total of 13,731 new immigrants to Ontario in 2019.

The federal governments 2020 PNP allocation numbers for Ontario have not yet been released.

Alberta

The Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) has held eight draws so far this year, and three following coronavirus measures.

The Alberta Express Entry Stream, which is managed by the AINP, has held draws inviting federal Express Entry candidates with Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) scores as low as 300 to apply for a provincial nomination.

If invited candidates receive the nomination, they will get an additional 600 CRS points toward their overall score, which would effectively guarantee them an Invitation to Apply (ITA) in a subsequent federal Express Entry draw.

The AINP has also put in place its own special coronavirus measures, which give some more flexibility for candidates to submit their applications. Though the AINP is still holding draws, they will only consider candidates who are currently living and working in Alberta for a provincial nomination at this time.

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs

Saskatchewan

The Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) held five draws so far this year, inviting candidates from the Express Entry and Occupation In-Demand streams. Candidates in these categories must submit an Expression of Interest in order to be eligible.

The draw held after the onset of coronavirus travel restrictions targeted Occupation In-Demand candidates only, inviting 205 people from 71 occupations to apply for a nomination.

As part of special coronavirus measures, SINP nominees can now request an extension of six months to apply for permanent residency with the federal government.

B.C.

The British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) continues to hold draws regularly, inviting candidates with job offers in the province and especially those working in the tech sector.

B.C. holds a Tech Pilot draws weekly, inviting candidates with job offers in 29 eligible occupations to apply for a provincial nomination.

Some weeks, candidates selected through the Tech Pilot are also invited in regular Skills Immigration and BC Express Entry invitation rounds. In the March 30, and April 16 draws certain occupations were left out of the draw in response to COVID-19-related measures in the province.

Manitoba

The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) has held three draws since travel restrictions went into place on March 18, and nine draws since the year began.

Manitoba draws regularly invite candidates in the Skilled Worker in Manitoba, Skilled Worker Overseas, and International Education immigration categories. They also invite a few Express Entry candidates in each invitation round.

The MPNP has issued 1,808 Letters of Advice to Apply (LAAs) to immigration candidates in these categories so far this year.

Nova Scotia

The Nova Scotia Provincial Nominee Program (NSPNP) held its first draw of the year on April 27. French-speaking Express Entry candidates were invited to apply for a provincial nomination in this invitation round.

These Express Entry candidates needed a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) of 8 in all French language abilities such as speaking, reading, writing, and listening. They also needed CLB of at least 6 in all English language abilities.

Find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs

 2020 CIC News All Rights Reserved
President Donald Trump answers questions from reporters in the East Room of the White House in Washington on April 30, 2020. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo)

Trump Denies Ties to Venezuelan Attack With 2 US Men Jailed

CARACAS, VenezuelaPresident Donald Trump said on May 5 that the United States had nothing to do with an alleged incursion into Venezuela that landed two U.S. citizens behind bars in the crisis-stricken South American nation.

Trump said he had just learned of the detention of the pair, accused by Venezuela of being mercenaries. Venezuelan Socialist dictator Nicolas Maduro said they were part of an operation to kill him that was backed by neighboring Colombia and the United States.

Whatever it is, well let you know, Trump told reporters in Washington before departing from the White House to Arizona. But it has nothing to do with our government.

Authorities in Venezuela identified the two men as Luke Denman and Airan Berry, both former U.S. special forces soldiers associated with the Florida-based private security firm Silvercorp USA.

Venezuelan soldiers in balaclavas move a suspect from a helicopter after what Venezuelan authorities described was a mercenary incursion, at an unknown location in this still frame obtained from Venezuelan government TV video, on May 4, 2020. (Venezuelan Government TV/ Handout via Reuters TV)

A third U.S. ex-Green Beret and Silvercorp founder, Jordan Goudreau, claimed responsibility for leading Operation Gideon, which was launched with an attempted beach landing before dawn on Sunday. Officials said Tuesday that six suspected attackers were killed, giving a revised figure from the eight previously reported.

The two ex-U.S. soldiers were detained Monday dozens of miles from the first attempted beach landing in the fishing village of Chuao. Authorities say theyve confiscated equipment.

Goudreau said the operation was designed to captureand not kill Maduro. He said he carried it out on a shoestring budget after signing an agreement with U.S.-backed Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who Goudreau accuses of failing to pay him.

Goudreau did not respond on Tuesday to requests for comment from The Associated Press.

On Tuesday, Guaido again said he had nothing to do with Goudreau, and that he had no relationship with Silvercorp, for obvious and evident reasons, but we have to make that clear.

Security forces guard the shore area and a boat in which authorities claim a group of armed men landed in the port city of La Guaira, Venezuela, on May 3, 2020. (Matias Delacroix/AP Photo)

Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez presented video testimony from a Venezuelan military deserter, Capt. Victor Pimenta, one of 13 captured participants.

Pimenta said that a group of nearly 60 combatants left Colombia at sundown on Friday, May 1 in two boats aiming to reach La Guaira along the coast near Venezuelas capital of Caracas.

The second vessel carrying the commander of the operation, Capt. Antonio Sequea, and the two Americans experienced motor problems and had to abort the mission, he said.

Initially, the stranded group tried to reach the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire, Pimenta said, but as the vessel was running out of fuel it dropped off a group of combatants along the Caribbean coastline. Commandos from Venezuelas armed forces caught up with them.

Rodriguez also presented video testimony of another individual, Jose Socorro, who claimed that he had been working with Sequea to collect and stash weapons for the combatants at a safe house in La Guaira.

Venezuela is gripped by a deepening social and economic crisis under Maduros rule that has led nearly 5 million residents to flee crumbling social services, such as unreliable water, electricity, and broken hospitals.

The United States is among nearly 60 nations that back Guaido as Venezuelas legitimate leader, saying Maduro clings to power despite a sham election in 2018 that banned the most popular opposition candidates from running.

Venezuela and the United States broke diplomatic contacts last year, so there is no U.S. embassy operating in Venezuelas capital of Caracas that can offer the two detained men assistance.

It shocks me how insane they were, said Mike Vigil, the former head of international operations for the Drug Enforcement Administration. They walked right into a coiled rattlesnake without even having minimally studied the capacity of the Venezuelan armed forces. Theres no way the U.S. government wouldve supported an operation like this.

By Scott Smith and Joshua Goodman
An employee operates an agar manufacturing machine in the northern province of Bac Giang. Photo by Shutterstock/Bamboovn.

Vietnams Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) in April plunged to its lowest point in nine years, indicating a heavy blow to the manufacturing sector.

A recent report released by London-based global information provider IHS Markit said Vietnams PMI fell to 32.7 in April from 41.9 in March. Vietnams PMI had always higher than 40 since IHSMarkit began collecting market data in 2011, dropping below the mark for the first time in April this year.

The decline in PMI in April by itself signals an intensification of the downturn in the Vietnamese manufacturing sector as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a recent report by the London-based global information provider IHS Markit.

Business conditions have now worsened in each of the past three months, the report said.

In April, record falls were seen in output, new orders, employment and purchases amid company shutdowns and the cancellation of orders, with the impact of Covid-19 most keenly felt in steep falls in production and new orders, leading to some companies downing shutters.

The decline in overall new business in April reflected the effects of the virus in markets all around the world, the report said.

The lack of new orders and resultant lower workloads have led to reduced staffing levels, and some employees having resigned.

The rise in unemployment in this period is among the sharpest on record, and a new employment low was seen for the second month running.

Meanwhile, business sentiment regarding the outlook for the next 12 months turned negative for the first time since HIS Markit began collecting market data in 2011. Sentiment dropped amid fears that the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic could last for a prolonged period. Around 40 percent of respondents signaled a negative outlook in April, IHS Markit said.

"The latest Vietnam manufacturing PMI report highlights the devastating impact that the Covid-19 pandemic and efforts to restrict its spread have had on the Vietnamese manufacturing sector," said Andrew Harker, associate director at IHS Markit.

"Whether April proves to be the nadir of the downturn will depend on how firms and their customers respond to an easing of the lockdown and reopening of businesses that have been closed temporarily," he added.

Vietnams PMI ranked third in Southeast Asia after Thailand with 46.7 and Singapore with 33.3.

The PMI, indicating the health of its manufacturing sector, is a weighted average of five indices: new orders, output, employment, suppliers delivery times and stocks of purchases.

The index ranges between 0 and 100, with a reading above 50 indicating an overall expansion of the manufacturing sector compared to the previous month, below 50 represents a contraction, and 50 indicates no change.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump is once more pushing to have his border wall painted black, a design change that is projected to add at least $500 million in costs, according to government contracting estimates obtained by The Washington Post.

The president's determination to have the steel bollards coated in black has fluctuated during the past several years, and military commanders and border officials believed as recently as last fall that they had finally talked him out of it. They consider the black paint unnecessary, costly and a significant long-term maintenance burden, and they left it out of the original U.S. Customs and Border Protection design specifications.

Trump has not let go of the idea, insisting that the dark color will enhance its forbidding appearance and leave the steel too hot to touch during summer months. During a border wall meeting at the White House last month amid the coronavirus pandemic, the president told senior adviser Jared Kushner and aides to move forward with the paint job and to seek out cost estimates, according to four administration officials with knowledge of the meeting.

"POTUS has changed his mind and now wants the fence painted. We are modifying contracts to add," said one official involved in the construction effort who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of being fired.

Trump, during that meeting, directed aides to seek input from North Dakota-based Fisher Sand and Gravel, a company the president favors. Fisher has a $400 million contract to build a section of new barrier in Arizona, an award that is under review by the Department of Defense inspector general.

The Post obtained a copy of painting estimates that federal contracting officials produced, and it shows costs ranging from $500 million for two coats of acrylic paint to more than $3 billion for a premium "powder coating" on the structure's 30-foot steel bollards, the high end of the options the officials have identified.

The White House has not yet chosen a grade of paint, but Trump has insisted for years that the barrier should be black to discourage climbers. He has favored a shade known as "flat black" or "matte black" because of its heat-absorbent properties.

The president has promoted the border wall in tweets as well as in private conversations in recent weeks, aides say, amid criticism of the administration's handling of the coronavirus pandemic. He also has touted the structure - along with his efforts to block immigration - as a defense against the virus and a benefit to public health.

Trump has made the border wall a pillar of his reelection pitch, promising to finish 500 miles by early next year, a goal that will require crews to nearly double their pace in coming months. Crews have completed about 175 miles of new barriers so far, according to the latest CBP data.

The White House declined to comment. A White House official speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters said Trump believes the black paint would make the structure more difficult to climb and less likely to rust. CBP did not respond to requests for comment on Trump's decision to have the wall painted.

The steel used for the project is designed to be weather resistant, with a 30-year service life, despite exposure to intense solar radiation and extreme temperature changes. Painting the bollards would add significant costs to what already is one of the most expensive federal infrastructure projects in U.S. history.

The unpainted metal absorbs a significant amount of solar energy in the desert environment, and black paint would increase its ability to retain heat - or "emissivity" - by less than 10 percent, according to Rick Duncan, a materials engineer who works for trade associations and specializes in rooftop coatings.

"It won't make much of a difference," Duncan said. "There's no technical reason to paint it to make it hotter."

He also said the black paint will lose heat absorption as it fades from exposure to the sun. Sections in southern Arizona and other desert areas probably would need to be repainted after about 10 years, Duncan said.

The White House has obtained about $15 billion for the project so far, two-thirds of which has been diverted from Defense Department construction funds and counternarcotics programs. CBP projections indicate the money will pay for approximately 731 miles of new barriers, but those estimates did not take into account the president's painting plans.

Officials working on the project said the paint job risks slowing the pace of construction, because crews will need to return to already-completed sections of the barrier, which quickly oxidizes into an orange hue with exposure to the elements.

Engineers also note that painting sections that are already set in concrete and weathered will be significantly more expensive than painting the bollards in advance of setting them in place.

"Painting it before it's installed would be cheaper," said Ed Zarenski, a retired construction cost estimator in Massachusetts who worked on large public works projects. "Otherwise you'll have to run a bucket truck on both sides of the barrier."

One official with knowledge of the plans said it wasn't clear how the painting crews would operate on the Mexico side of the barrier, where only a narrow strip of land separates the two countries. Painters would potentially need to apply the black coating using a specialized boom long enough to extend up and over the barrier from the U.S. side.

The Trump administration had a section of new barrier in California painted black last year, at a cost of about $1 million per mile, but U.S. troops provided the labor for that effort, reducing costs.

The private contractors are projected to charge about $1.2 million per mile to apply two coats of acrylic paint, estimates show. That is by far Trump's cheapest option, but documents note that repairs to the structure will be impossible to color-match with the acrylic paint, making welds and other patches obvious and unsightly.

Scarring is certainly a factor in high-traffic border regions. The Post reported last month that smuggling crews in the San Diego area sawed into the new bollard fencing 18 times during a one-month span last year.

Other midrange paint options include a military-grade epoxy coating and sealant used for dams, canals and other hydraulic infrastructure projects, known as System 21, the documents show. It is highly resistant to abrasion and rust, and is amenable to welding, but the cost would be at least $4.5 million per mile.

Even more expensive would be a black powder coating, a process commonly used to paint cars and appliances because of its sleek appearance. It would cost $6.8 million per mile to apply, according to the government estimates.

Trump told military commanders and border officials to research different painting options and to consult with Fisher in particular.

Last year, after Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., heavily promoted Fisher to the president as a cheaper option for building the border wall, Trump urged aides to give the firm a building contract. The North Dakota company and its owner have donated to Cramer and the president, and the company sued the government when its border wall bids were not accepted.

The U.S. Army Corps awarded the company a contract worth up to $400 million in December to complete 31 miles of new barriers along a national wildlife refuge in Arizona. After lawmakers raised concerns about White House interference in the contracting process, the Pentagon's inspector general said it would audit the Fisher deal.

One administration official working on the project said Trump's mention of Fisher in a recent meeting about the wall project did not amount to an attempt to influence the painting contract, and instead reflected his opinion of the company and its CEO, Tommy Fisher, who the president sees as an innovative thinker and loyal supporter. Attorneys for Fisher did not respond to requests for comment.

During the same White House meeting, Kushner expressed frustration at the pace of land acquisition in the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas, where the Trump administration is preparing to seize hundreds of parcels of private land from owners who have refused to sell.

Trump's son-in-law, who is also at the center of the administration's pandemic response, has been placed in charge of overseeing construction. He expressed frustration at this role during the meeting, telling others the wall was not his favorite project but that he is the only one who can get it done.

A White House official said Kushner was only reiterating that the wall's progress had been much slower - and had produced less coverage than Trump wanted - before Kushner took over the effort. The White House declined to discuss Kushner's statement.

Three officials with knowledge of the meeting said Kushner complained that the current firms contracted to assist with land acquisition were not moving quickly enough, and he urged military commanders and border officials to work with larger firms capable of performing a broader array of services, such as survey, title work, appraisals, condemnation packages and design.

The administration plans to build about 150 miles of new barriers along the banks of the lower Rio Grande, where nearly all of the land is in private hands.

Raini Brunson, a spokesperson for the Army Corps of Engineers, confirmed this week the agency has requested information from additional real estate firms.

"In response to new requirements and changing market conditions, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regularly seeks input from industry to inform future acquisition strategies," she said.

As the White House border wall meeting wound down, Trump was shown pictures and charts of the wall, and was pleased to hear that crews remain on track to complete nearly 500 miles by November.

About 75 new linear miles have been added since the beginning of the year, so contractors would need to more than double the pace of construction in the coming months to fulfill that goal.
Together with concurrent ceremonies held across Vietnam, one of the most important events to observe Buddhas Birthday was celebrated in the northern province of Quang Ninh on Tuesday.

The Buddhist Sangha of Vietnams managing committee in Quang Ninh, about 153 kilometers east of Hanoi, conducted a Buddhas Birthday ceremony at Hoa Yen Pagoda, located on the local Yen Tu Mountain.

In Vietnam, Buddhas Birthday is traditionally celebrated by Buddhists during which many big programs are often organized by monasteries to mark the important event.

While taking part in these programs, Buddhists will spend time reviewing the Buddas birth and life, the history of Buddism, as well as his teachings.

This years ceremonies, however, were very different from previous ones because of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

Crowded religious ceremonies and large gatherings of more than 30 people in public spaces are restricted in Vietnam to avoid spreading the respiratory disease.

Unlike previous years when droves of Buddhists from across the country would gather on Yen Tu Mountain for Buddhas Birthday rituals, this years ceremony was only observed by local monks and Buddhists as per guidelines issued by the Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam.

In order to prevent any risk of COVID-19 infection, the Sangha has ordered local managing committees to organize ceremonies in a simple manner and avoid gatherings in large crowds.

Buddhists take part in a Buddhas Birthday ceremony at Hoa Yen Pagoda on Yen Tu Mountain, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam, May 5, 2020. Photo: Le Anh / Tuoi Tre

The most important ritual of the ceremony was the bathing of a Buddha statue, in the shape of a newborn, in a clean basin.

According to Venerable Monk Thich Dao Hien, deputy director of the managing committee of the Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam in Quang Ninh Province, there is a special tale tied to this solemn bathing ritual.

When the Buddha was born, there were nine dragons that were making rain to bathe him.

This process is seen as the symbol of getting rid of the bodys dirtiness, as well as conveying the message of scrapping afflictions and sins to focus on the souls purity.

Buddhists take part in a Buddhas Birthday ceremony at Hoa Yen Pagoda on Yen Tu Mountain, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam, May 5, 2020. Photo: Le Anh / Tuoi Tre

To conduct this ritual, monasteries set up the altar with flowers and incense and lay a statute of the Buddha in the shape of a newborn into a big clean basin.

The Vietnamese faithful often boil water with jasmine, cinnamon, and daisy flowers as per local customs, but there are also simpler options using rainwater or purified water.

On this special occasion, the managing committee of the Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam in Quang Ninh Province offered presents to poor and near-poor families in Thuong Yen Cong Commune in the province.

One-hundred and fifty offerings, each including cash and essential supplies such as rice, instant noodles, cooking oil, and more, were handed out to the families with the hope that they would be able to overcome the difficult period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Buddhist monk prays during a Buddhas Birthday ceremony at Hoa Yen Pagoda on Yen Tu Mountain, Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam, May 5, 2020. Photo: Le Anh / Tuoi Tre

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LEELANAU COUNTY, MI - Gale-force winds may have driven a two-masted schooner named the Jennie & Annie to its deadly demise near Empire nearly 150 years ago, but Mother Nature has a way of unearthing pieces of this shipwreck every few years as a maritime history lesson.

Heavy wave action and shifting sands have again brought a piece of the 137-foot wooden ships wreckage to float at the shoreline along Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

Kim Kelderhouse, curator of collections for the nearby Leelanau Historical Society Museum, heard the schooners pieces had made a reappearance recently. She and her husband set out for a walk along the beach to see if they could spot them.

They saw a big chunk of the wreck floating in Lake Michigan, just off the shore.

The past is still very much a part of our world and shipwrecks are a tangible reminder of that, said Kelderhouse, who is sharing her photographs with MLive readers. Artifacts still in their original location give us perspective and context of the place where we live. They remind us that history is all around us, not just in the past.

As someone whose work days are steeped in the stories of Northern Michigans past, Kelderhouse said seeing the ships remains is not only a testament to the power of Mother Nature, but a reminder of how tough life was for those who worked the Great Lakes in other eras.

"It is a final resting place for seven men and should be treated with respect, she said.

Jennie & Annie had a short, tumultuous history.

The history of this cargo-hauling schooner shows that while it had auspicious beginnings, it also went through many mishaps during its nine years plying the waves. The ship was built in 1863 in New York by William Crosthwaite, who for years was considered one of the leading shipbuilders on the Great Lakes. He lived in Bay City and Saginaw for a time, records show.

The schooner was originally built for John Kelderhouse, the brother of Thomas Kelderhouse, a Port Oneida entrepreneur. The ships dual name was a hat-tip to their little sisters. Thomas Kelderhouse was museum curator Kim Kelderhouses great-great-great grandfather.

National Park Service records show the ships early troubles included twice losing its canvas and gaffs during windstorms. In 1869, it was severely damaged when it went ashore near Racine, Wisconsin. It had to be rebuilt. It returned to cargo-running in 1870.

The schooner was filled with a load of corn in mid-November, 1872 when gale-force winds likely pushed it into shallow water about nine miles south of Sleeping Bear Point. It was pounded by heavy surf, and eventually broke into pieces.

The crew of 10 took to the masts and remained there until the vessel broke apart, according to a Port Huron Daily Times article that ran on Nov. 15, 1872. Only 3 of the crew made it to shore; the rest drowned in the strong surf and cold water.

A piece of the Jennie & Annie, a schooner that met its demise in gale-force winds in 1872. Image courtesy of Kim Kelderhouse.

A Peek-A-Boo Shipwreck

Pieces of the Jennie & Annie have surfaced with some frequency over the years, according to park rangers and locals. In 1980, a section of bilges believed to have belonged to the schooner was found exposed between the outlets of North Bar Lake and South Bar Lake, park records show. The section, made of white oak and metal fasteners, was 105 feet long and 22 feet wide. Shifting sands reburied it before an official identification could be completed.

In 2012, a 40-foot hull piece belonging to the Jennie & Annie was positively identified when it emerged along the shoreline.

Locals again spotted the wreck fragments in 2015. Park Service historians have said this section of Sleeping Bear shore is dotted with shipwreck pieces that periodically wash ashore or are uncovered by winds and moving sand.

While its fine to scout them out and take a look, all these shipwreck pieces are considered property of the state and cannot be removed or disturbed.

A Pirate Tale

While it may not have any real connection to the Jennie & Annie, there is a Great Lakes pirate tale that is associated with this wreck, according to park records. This lore is tied to a Northern Michigan pirate name Joe Perry, who supposedly worked the Manitou Passage area along the modern-day Sleeping Bear Dunes. In 1861, Perry lived near North Bar Lake, then called Perrys Lake.

He reportedly would lure vessels ashore with a light, then plunder them after abandonment by the crew. Perry died in 1887. The Jennie & Annie loss in 1872 is associated with the Perry legend, according to an Empire Area Heritage Group publication.

The 137 foot long, two master schooner Jennie & Annie was built by William Crosthwaite for John Kelderhouse in Buffalo,... Posted by Leelanau Historical Society Museum on Tuesday, May 5, 2020

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B usinesses have rushed to get financial help during the Covid-19 crisis, with 69,000 bounce back loans worth over 2 billion approved during the first day of the scheme.

The Treasury gave the update just two days after firms were given the chance to apply for the scheme which offers loans of 2000 to 50,000 to small and medium-sized businesses.

The scheme should provide money within days and loans are 100% backed by the government.

The seven largest lenders (Barclays, Danske, HSBC, Lloyds, RBS, Santander and Virgin Money) received more than 130,000 bounce back loan scheme applications on the first day of the scheme, May 4.

Virgin Money today said it has been approached by 5600 applicants, and to date has advanced 170 million.

Yesterday Lloyds Banking Group said 1 billion worth of bounce back loans had been distributed to business customers in the first 48 hours of the scheme

Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: Small businesses will be the driving force of our recovery from the pandemic, creating jobs and securing economic growth.

These loans will help them bounce back from this crisis - getting money fast - so its great to see close to 70,000 businesses benefiting in just the first day.
Iraq will purchase Russian missile system if US does not provide modern armaments: Lawmaker

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 05 May 2020 1:12 PM

A senior Iraqi lawmaker says his country will buy long-range surface-to-air S-300 or S-400 air defense missile systems from Russia in a bid to update its own defense infrastructure in case Washington does not help Baghdad in getting modern armaments.

"Iraq is contemplating buying S-300 or S-400 systems from Russia in order to secure its own airspace against any foreign act of aggression. Iraq will reach out to purchase such systems in case the American side does not provide modern air defense armaments," the head of the security and defense committee in the Iraqi parliament, Mohammad Reza al-Haider, told Iraqi News Agency (INA) in an exclusive interview on Tuesday.

He added, "Iraq needs to upgrade its air defense infrastructure in order to protect its skies and sovereignty, and to prevent any possible violations of the country's airspace. There is an ineffective American air defense system as well as a Russian system that can strike air targets at ranges up to 20 kilometers."

"The security and defense committee plays a supervisory and legislative role to improve the morale of security forces, meet their needs in cooperation with the executive branch, approve necessary funds in the budget, and offer advice particularly in the field of intelligence," the senior Iraqi legislator pointed out.

Back on April 30, Russian Ambassador to Iraq Maksim Maksimov said Moscow was prepared to provide Baghdad with advanced S-400 air defense missile systems once the Arab country made an official request for the military hardware.

"The Russian side has, thus far, not received an official request in this regard. There is no doubt that recent developments have increased interest in [procurement of] air missile defense systems, especially the S-400 system," Iraq's Arabic-language al-Ahad news agency quoted Maksimov as saying at the time.

The United States has already warned Iraq of the consequences of extending military cooperation with Russia, and striking deals to purchase advanced weaponry, particularly S-400 missile systems.

Washington had earlier threatened sanctions against Iraq under the so-called Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) as a possible consequence of striking defense deals with Moscow.

The CAATSA was signed into law in August 2017, imposing sanctions on Iran, North Korea, and Russia.

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The Trump administration has started talks on winding down the White House Task Force on coronavirus and gradually delegating its responsibilities to the relevant federal agencies, US Vice President Mike Pence said on Tuesday. "I think we are having conversations about that and about what the proper time is for the task force to complete its work and for the ongoing efforts to take place on an agency-by-agency level," said Pence, Reuters reported.

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On April 19, Alan Snider and his wife were walking into a Walmart in Cleburne when a city marshal stopped the couple. To slow the spread of the coronavirus, only a single customer from each party could enter the store. One of them would have to wait in the car.

Snider started cursing the marshal, and dared him to write a ticket, said Sgt. Kelly Summey. And guess what.

Now, Snider has joined a lawsuit arguing the states restrictions on personal movement and business operations are unconstitutional and being unfairly enforced.

On Tuesday, the Texas Supreme Court bumped the complaint to a lower court. Yet the justices seemed to sympathize with Snider and nearly a dozen other plaintiffs, writing that As more becomes known about the threat and about the less restrictive, more targeted ways to respond to [COVID-19], continued burdens on constitutional liberties may not survive judicial scrutiny.

The lawsuit, which includes hair salons, vape shops and fitness businesses shuttered by the rules, was only one of several recent challenges to the state and local emergency orders. Even as Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday afternoon announced further loosening of the rules enacted to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, enforcement actions by police and regulators against individuals or businesses that have violated them have piled up.

FOR THE LATEST: Interactive maps, charts show spread of COVID-19 across Texas

In Houston, a strip club filed a lawsuit claiming it should be allowed to stay open. The Department of Licensing and Regulation, which oversees many state-regulated occupations, has nearly 300 active investigations into barbers, cosmetologists and massage therapists that have been accused of violating state or local orders to stay closed. It remains to be seen how many of those will be contested.

In one sense, the legal protests represent frustration with a lengthy lockdown that has kept people at home, out of work in many instances and away from loved ones. Politics may play a role. One attorney filing the lawsuit on behalf of Snider was state Rep. Briscoe Cain, a Deer Park Republican associated with hardline conservative positions.

Yet legal experts also say that the unprecedented length of the restrictions, as well as the number of people they have affected, have provided a unique opportunity for substantive, even overdue legal challenges that could clarify the limitations of the emergency rules.

Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

In the past, they say, orders restricting where people can go and which businesses must close have been relatively brief and limited to specific disaster zones. Any complaints that the restrictions compromised individual liberty or caused undue economic stress have dissolved when the restrictions were lifted.

As a result, emergency orders and their legal underpinning have not been tested in court. There isnt precedent where weve had to work this out and fill in the gaps in the law, said Emily Berman, a University of Houston Law center associate professor who has studied questions of civil liberties under national security restrictions.

Experts cite several areas ripe for challenge.

Texas DAs cautioned about bringing charges

In Texas emergencies, county rules trump city rules. Yet authority for the governor to issue orders superseding both are less clear, said Shannon Edmonds, director of government relations for the Texas District and County Attorneys Association, which represents state prosecutors.

There is nothing that gives that trump card power to the governor, he said.

In addition, the social distancing and essential/non-essential business rules themselves, and how they are to be enforced, has not been clear, making them susceptible to a legal attack. The Snider lawsuit noted that Abbotts order, for example, said only that people shall avoid non-essential businesses such as hair salons.

Does that say the salon shall close? No, it says the people shall avoid it, said Arlington attorney Warren Norred, who also represents plaintiffs in the Supreme Court case. If I used to go get a haircut every week and I now go every month, I am avoiding the salon.

Following a similar complaint from Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough that the restrictions were too vague, Attorney General Ken Paxtons office late last week released clarifications stating that non-essential businesses must stay closed.

The letter also noted that violators could face criminal penalties. Yet that has presented another legal target as different county judges and mayors have interpreted the governors restrictions differently and with a wide range of enthusiasm.

While police in most cities have refrained from issuing citations to social distance scofflaws, in Beaumont, an H-E-B shopper was ticketed for violating social distancing rules. Laredo police conducted a sting operation on beauticians operating in violation of the coronavirus restrictions.

In Abilene, when a man whod tested positive for the coronavirus vowed he would not self-quarantine in his house, a district judge ordered him to wear an ankle monitor. He said, If you do not shelter in place we will put a monitor on you and pursue charges, explained Taylor County Commissioner Chuck Statler. The man agreed to stay home, Statler said.

Citing the uncertainty and contradictions in the restrictions, however, the prosecutors organization cautioned members they could face obstacles bringing violations of emergency orders to court. These kinds of orders are likely written more by doctors than lawyers, and if we started arresting people for not following doctors orders wed all need to quadruple our present jail capacity, it said.

As with previous disasters, any challenges to the coronavirus rules may disappear naturally as the legal restrictions dissolve.

At the end of April Abbott announced a phased opening of the economy, with parks, churches and restaurants able to restart their operations in a limited capacity.

On Tuesday, he announced that barbershops, and hair, nail and tanning salons could also reopen at the end of the week with proper social distancing measures in place. Fitness businesses and manufacturers will be permitted to start up again on May 18, he said.
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Job

Title: Motor

Pool Supervisor

Organisation: United

States US Embassy, US Mission in Uganda

Duty Station: Kampala,

Uganda

Salary: UGX

64,941,542

Open to: Current

Employees of the Mission  All Agencies and/or U.S. Citizen Eligible Family

Members (USEFMs); Eligible Family Members (EFMs); or Declared Members of

Household (MOHs)  All Agencies

Position Number: Kampala-2020-021

About US Embassy:

The United States

Embassy in Kampala, Uganda has enjoyed diplomatic relations with Uganda for

over 30 years. Ambassador Deborah R. Malac currently heads the U.S

Mission to Uganda. The Mission is composed of several offices and

organizations all working under the auspices of the Embassy and at the

direction of the Ambassador.

Among the offices

operating under the U.S Mission to Uganda are:



Development (USAID) United States Agency for InternationalDevelopment (USAID)

Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

Peace Corps

Job Summary:The Motor Pool Supervisor oversees all the employees in the Motor Pool

unit. The Supervisor plans, directs, and

monitors the use and maintenance of motor vehicles and the training and assignment

of chauffeurs to provide efficient and safe transportation to post personnel

and official visitors.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

NOTE: All applicants must address each selection criterion detailed

below with specific and comprehensive information supporting each item.



The

applicants for the United States US Embassy Motor Pool Supervisor job

opportunity should have completed two years of college or university studies



A

minimum of three years of experience in vehicle fleet management, PLUS at least

one year in a supervisory role is required.



Knowledge

of host country motor vehicle practices, traffic laws, vehicle licensing,

registration and procedures, host country streets, traffic patterns, and

commonly visited locations is required.



Must

have knowledge of vehicle maintenance and budget planning.



Excellent

organizational, leadership, negotiation, communication and writing skills; must

have good working computer skills to use MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)

and motor pool applications; must have a valid drivers license. This may be tested.



Language: Level

III (Good Working Knowledge) spoken/written of English is required. This may be

tested

How to Apply:

All those interested

in working with the US mission in Kampala should send their applications online

at the link below.

Click

Here

Deadline: 27th May 2020

For more of the

latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or

find us on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline
Click here to read the full article.

Their purchase has just been finalized, and Sonia Rykiels new owners are starting with social media as they set out to breathe new life into the label, which has been shuttered since last July.

In this current context, we wish to focus and mobilize our efforts on the reopening of the brands social media that already have a large community, said Eric Dayan and Michael Dayan, citing the historic labels 450,000 Instagram followers, 140,000-strong Twitter following and 90,000 Facebook followers.

We want to share the messages of support we have received for the brand, and convey its uniting and inspiring key values, the brothers said in a joint statement. The siblings have experience in retail and online commerce as founding members of Showroomprive.com, an online private sales business for branded goods that started in 2006.

Stressing interest in preserving the brands heritage while focusing on modernity and creativity, the brothers hope to revive the house through their purchase of the intellectual rights of Sonia Rykiel and Rykiel Homme as well the sister line, Sonia by Sonia Rykiel, encompassing fashion, fragrance, beauty and lifestyle categories. The Dayans said the coronavirus crisis has caused them to postpone presenting details of their relaunch plans, but noted they are thinking hard about the artistic direction and cited knitwear as an emphasis.

Reopening social media, by the end of this week, will serve as a link with brand followers in the meantime, they suggested.

The famous knitwear label, which is closely associated with its late, fiery-haired founder Sonia Rykiel, known as the Queen of Knits, captured the lively, liberated spirit of the French capitals intellectual Left Bank, with signature stripes that carried broad appeal.

The house struggled to find its footing in recent years, despite strong heritage and approval from fashion critics for collections by its last designer, Julie de Libran, symbolizing the challenges facing smaller labels in the highly competitive apparel industry. The rise of digital commerce has brought on the need for deep investments in technology and infrastructure, and larger fashion groups are better equipped, with high marketing budgets and leverage for negotiating prime real estate. The coronavirus crisis, which has brought much of the industry to a standstill, is further complicating the environment for fashion companies.

Story continues

The brands previous owner, Fung Brands, which had bought the brand from the founding family in 2012, invested hundreds of millions of euros into the house, including 50th anniversary celebrations throughout 2018.

They sought a buyer for the label in early 2019, but by April it had entered receivership and was liquidated last July. Assets were then put up for sale, and the Dayan brothers emerged as winners of a bidding contest in November led by court-appointed liquidators Fides and Montravers Yang-Ting who were advised by Richard Morgan Advisory that had drawn international interest.

The pair said they would draw on their experience in the fashion industry and the digital realm to ensure the label will have a presence in France and abroad.

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VERS-LE-PETIT, France - In normal times, Frances state Defence Procurement Agency would be busy shopping weapons systems for Frances military. During the coronavirus pandemic, its brief has been expanded to include a smaller-scale but equally important task: Testing face masks.

The agency known by its French acronym DGA currently tests around 80 masks a day, which are sent in by French companies hoping to receive its official stamp of approval  even though thats not a legal prerequisite for the masks to be sold.

What the DGA tests show is a guarantee on a quality of filtration of the masks against the fine particles example of small droplets which are not visible to the naked eye, said Brigadier General Raymond Levet.

(We can) prove that the fabric has the right properties for filtering particles, he added during an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press that was granted rare access to the agency in the small town of Vers-le-Petit in the Essonne region, just south of Paris.

The first stage of the testing is on a mannequin, where experts check whether it fits correctly around the face and nose. At a second stage, a machine blasts air at the mask to see how good its level of filtration is.

The material, that is usually cotton, is then passed into a machine that shoots pulverized corn to see how fine particles enter the mask. A 70%-90% particle filtration is what the DGA has deemed the minimum acceptable standard.

The DGA says that around a fifth of masks submitted for testing make the grade for protection against the transmission and dissemination of COVID-19.

So far, 3,600 masks have been tested.

___

Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
Supplies at a veterans nursing home that lost one-third of its residents to COVID-19 were so depleted that staff was told to share intravenous morphine drips between the dying.

In at least one case as soon as a veteran died, his IV drip was unhooked and the half-full bag transferred to another resident.

And even after the first veteran at the Holyoke Soldiers Home in Massachusetts had tested positive, the management took away all protective masks from residents' rooms to preserve them.

'It's been heartbreaking,' certified nursing assistant Kwesi Ablordeppey, 49, told DailyMail.com. 'When I try to sleep, I get nightmares. I see myself loading up a body bag and finding three more bodies in there.'

The Holyoke home has become the center of national attention for its mishandling of the pandemic after residents' relatives protested that they could get no information about what was going on inside the 68-year-old home.

Susan Kenney made worldwide headlines when she scrawled 'Is My Dad Alive?' in blue grease crayon on the side window of her car when she drove to Holyoke to check on her father Charles Lowell (pictured together)

Kenney was forced to scrawl 'shame on you' on her car in blue grease crayon after hearing nothing about 78-year-old veteran for 30 hours

Lowell was still alive at the time of his daughter's April 3 protest. But he passed away 12 days later adding to the grim death toll at the home. The Air Force veteran was an air launch missile guide technician for the 17th Airborne Missile Maintenance Squadron until 1965 before working at IBM

FIRED: Blame for the disaster at Holyoke has been placed mainly on the shoulders of its now-suspended superintendent, Bennett Walsh (pictured), a well-connected former Marine who was appointed by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker in 2016. His mother is a city councilwoman in nearby Springfield and his uncle a former district attorney

Even after the first veteran at the Holyoke Soldiers Home in Massachusetts had tested positive, the management took away all protective masks from residents' rooms to preserve them

The home had established a hotline for relatives  but staffing shortages meant it wasn't manned, leaving them in the dark about whether individual veterans were dead or alive, COVID-19 positive or negative.

Susan Kenney made worldwide headlines when she scrawled 'Is My Dad Alive?' in blue grease crayon on the side window of her car when she drove to Holyoke. 'Shame on Soldiers Home, over 30 hours with no call back,' she added.

'I had seen the death toll rising daily and I needed to know if my father was alive,' Kenney told the BBC.

'I saw a young woman come out the building and she had scrubs on, and she saw what was on my car and hung her head and gave out a sigh and I knew she felt as horrible as I did, and she said she knew who my father was.'

Air Force veteran Charles Lowell was still alive at the time of his daughter's April 3 protest. But he passed away 12 days later, aged 78, adding to the grim death toll at the home.

The list of the dead  and the sacrifices they made for their country only to be deserted at the end  is excruciating.

Emilio DiPalma guarded top Nazis, Hermann Goring, Rudolph Hess and Albert Speer as they went on trial at Nuremburg after World War II. He recalled giving Goring a little shove after he had refused to go into a hallway until a group of onlookers had dispersed.

'He turned around, and he swung at me, and he hit me on the arm,' DiPalma said in a 2002 interview.

'I give him an awful belt in the kidneys. He never said a word to me. But he didn't like me.' DiPalma was aged 93 when he died on April 8.

'I had seen the death toll rising daily and I needed to know if my father was alive,' Kenney (pictured) told the BBC. 'I saw a young woman come out the building and she had scrubs on, and she saw what was on my car and hung her head and gave out a sigh and I knew she felt as horrible as I did, and she said she knew who my father was'

Supplies at a veterans nursing home that lost one-third of its residents to COVID-19 were so depleted that staff was told to share intravenous morphine drips between the dying. 'It's been heartbreaking,' certified nursing assistant Kwesi Ablordeppey, 49, (pictured) told DailyMail.com. 'When I try to sleep, I get nightmares. I see myself loading up a body bag and finding three more bodies in there'

Frank Olbrych was awarded the European Theatre of Operations Ribbon, five Campaign Stars, a Good Conduct Medal, and a letter of gratitude from the French Government after World War II service in Normandy and the Ardennes. He died on April 20, aged 96.

John Clare manned the service window at South Hadley Post Office for decades after his three years in the Navy. He picked up the nickname 'Mudslide' at the home where he entertained the troops by singing old-time songs 'mostly off-key' according to his family. He died on April 23 aged 82.

And Thomas Curran, an Army corporal who served in the Korean War, and then spent a lifetime as a hospital orderly was 87 when he died on April 25.

Curran's widow Theresa told DailyMail.com his death was too painful to talk about.

Blame for the disaster at Holyoke has been placed mainly on the shoulders of its now-suspended superintendent, Bennett Walsh, a well-connected former Marine who was appointed by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker in 2016.

His mother is a city councilwoman in nearby Springfield and his uncle a former district attorney.

In a statement issued on April 1, the day after he was placed on paid administrative leave, Walsh said: 'At no time did I, or anyone on my staff, hide, conceal or mislead anyone regarding the tragic impact of the virus and it would be outrageous for anyone to even think of doing such a thing.'

He later issued another statement saying the state was kept informed about everything happening at the home.

Emilio DiPalma guarded top Nazis, Hermann Goring, Rudolph Hess and Albert Speer as they went on trial at Nuremburg after World War II. DiPalma was aged 93 when he died on April 8

DiPalma (pictured) recalled giving Goring a little shove after he had refused to go into a hallway until a group of onlookers had dispersed. 'He turned around, and he swung at me, and he hit me on the arm,' DiPalma said in a 2002 interview. 'I give him an awful belt in the kidneys. He never said a word to me. But he didn't like me.'

Frank Olbrych (left) was awarded the European Theatre of Operations Ribbon, five Campaign Stars, a Good Conduct Medal, and a letter of gratitude from the French Government after World War II service in Normandy and the Ardennes. He died on April 20, aged 96. John Clare (right) manned the service window at South Hadley Post Office for decades after his three years in the Navy. He picked up the nickname 'Mudslide' at the home where he entertained the troops by singing old-time songs 'mostly off-key' according to his family. He died on April 23 aged 82

Thomas Curran (left), an Army corporal who served in the Korean War, and then spent a lifetime as a hospital orderly was 87 when he died on April 25. Curran's widow Theresa told DailyMail.com his death was too painful to talk about. Stephen S. Kulig, 92, (right) of Chicopee, died on April 18, at the Soldier's Home in Holyoke from COVID 19. He retired in 1990 from Monsanto Chemical Co. in Springfield after 40 years of service as an Instrument Mechanic

But Cory Bombredi a full-time official with the Service Employees International Union Local 888, which represents workers at the home, said Walsh was the wrong person in the wrong job.

'His was a political appointment. He had zero medical experience,' Bombredi told DailyMail.com.

The home was seriously understaffed, which led to a policy of 'floating' staff from one unit to another, bringing with it the added risk of passing on the virus.

As staff shortages became more serious, the home decided to consolidate units, moving six beds into rooms which previously held four, meaning veterans were in even closer confined space.

The result was disaster, the Holyoke Soldiers Home where Western Massachusetts veterans from all branches of the US military had for decades gone to live out their final years, lost 84 men between March 21 and April 30. At least 71 of those deaths were due to COVID-19.

At the start of the outbreak, 210 veterans were living at the home on Holyoke's Cherry Street. Fewer than 100 remain with another 29 having been transferred to a special unit at the Holyoke Medical Center.

Bombredi said the home had always enjoyed a good reputation until Walsh took over. 'There was always a backlog of veterans wanting to get in,' he said. 'It was a great place for families.'

But he said the new management team brought with it a culture of intimidation, which led to 90 staff leaving or being fired in Walsh's tenure.

'That is more than a 50 percent turnover,' the union official said. 'When you have a turnover of that size, especially in a rural area, you know something's not right.

Cory Bombredi (pictured) a full-time official with the Service Employees International Union Local 888, which represents workers at the home, said Walsh was the wrong person in the wrong job. 'His was a political appointment. He had zero medical experience,' Bombredi told DailyMail.com

As staff shortages became more serious the home decided to consolidate units, moving six beds into rooms which previously held four, meaning veterans were in even closer confined space. Pictured: Val Liptak, the interim superintendent of the Holyoke Soldiers' Home, addresses Mass. National Guardsmen before they enter the facility

Army Spc. Chris DiCarlo, a medic with the Mass. National Guard Medical Command, and a staff member of the Holyoke Soldiers Home administer the COVID-19 test to a resident of the Soldiers Home

'They were short-staffed and always mandating overtime. Day shift workers never knew when they would be told they would have to work an extra eight hours at the end of their shift.'

The result was that the home got a bad name in the area and had difficulty attracting new staff.

'It was a very hostile work environment with a lot of bullying from the management. People who were qualified to work there, had either heard the stories or had already worked there and didn't want to go back,' Bombredi said.

The staffing situation is so bad that Val Liptak, who replaced Walsh on an interim base, immediately said she wanted to hire 60 new employees. In the meantime, the Massachusetts National Guard is assisting at the home.

Joe Ramirez, a CNA on the dementia unit, said morphine was regularly given to dying patients to ease their pain. 'But it got to the stage of robbing Peter to pay Paul just to make patients a little more comfortable.'

'We know when a veteran is in pain, but the administration made it impossible for us to help them,' Ramirez told DailyMail.com. He said there was at least one incident when a morphine bag was taken from a dead veteran and given to a dying one.

Adding to the problems was the shortage of personal protective equipment. As early as March 4 the home's veteran-care coordinator Vanessa Gosselin had sounded the alarm.

'We have a very small supply of masks left in the facility,' she wrote in an email obtained by DailyMail.com. 'I ask that you only use a mask if you have NOT had the flu vaccine, have a cough or are working with a veteran who is ill and coughing.'

But even that policy was being countermanded from the top.

All masks were suddenly taken from the residents' rooms for future use, several members of staff said.

The staffing situation is so bad that Val Liptak who replaced Walsh (pictured) on an interim base immediately said she wanted to hire 60 new employees. In the meantime, the Massachusetts National Guard is assisting at the home

At the start of the outbreak, 210 veterans were living at the home on Holyoke's Cherry Street. Fewer than 100 remain with another 29 having been transferred to a special unit at the Holyoke Medical Center. Pictured: The letter Walsh sent announcing a resident tested positive for COVID-19

Then on March 16 a nurse told nightshift worker Ablordeppey that a resident he was working with was sick and displaying symptoms of Covid-19. He donned gloves, his own mask and a gown  and was then reprimanded for causing unnecessary panic.

'Your actions are disruptive, extremely inappropriate and have caused unnecessary resources to be deployed that may be needed in the future,' chief nursing officer Vanessa Lauziere wrote in a formal warning to Ablordeppey.

'Your behavior unnecessarily disrupted and alarmed staff. We expect more from a seasoned employee of the Soldiers' Home and perceived leader,' Lauziere continued.

But Ablordeppey, who has worked at the home for 20 years and is the union's chapter president, told DailyMail.com: 'I was following the CDC guidelines. This man was coughing and vomiting. I just wanted to protect myself and my family.

'But the next day I came in and there was a letter on my desk saying I was being reprimanded because I had caused alarm. It didn't make sense.'

Lauziere did not return a call for comment.

That same day Walsh sent out a memo to staff telling them that all work at the home had been 'deemed necessary.'

'Basically they were being told if they didn't turn up they wouldn't get paid and wouldn't have a job to come back to,' said Bombredi.

A week after Ablordeppey put on his mask, the state Department of Veterans Services announced the first positive case inside the home. It was a man living in the dementia and Alzheimer's unit.

But staff say nothing was done to stop the man socializing with other residents  and the veteran was not well enough to understand that he should quarantine himself.

On March 16 a nurse told nightshift worker Ablordeppey (left and right) that a resident he was working with was sick and displaying symptoms of Covid-19. He donned gloves, his own mask and a gown  and was then reprimanded for causing unnecessary panic

'Your actions are disruptive, extremely inappropriate and have caused unnecessary resources to be deployed that may be needed in the future,' chief nursing officer Vanessa Lauziere (pictured) wrote in a formal warning to Ablordeppey

Chief nursing officer Lauziere highlighted the manpower problems in an email to staff on April 14 when she outlined what was being done to hire new staff

'Clearly there was a lack of protocol and improper quarantining,' Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse told DailyMail.com.

'Bennett Walsh has become the face of the problem as far as poor management is concerned. But, he said the problem goes deeper than one man. We have a health care system that is modeled on who can make the most money rather than who can we keep healthy,' he said.

Bombredi spoke with senior officials at the home on March 24. He says they 'hid behind' HIPAA privacy laws and would not discuss any details of the man who had tested positive.

'Bennett Walsh told me this veteran was in isolation and all three of his roommates had been moved to their own isolated units,' union official Bombredi said. 'None of that was true.

'This man died on March 29. He had been around 24 other veterans for a week, coughing on people, touching surfaces and interacting with somewhere between 42 and 44 staff members, from kitchen staff, to maintenance, to housekeeping and people who deliver medicine.

'They had been told they did not need safety equipment.'

The veteran's three roommates have all since died from COVID-19. The home's first day without a single death was recorded on May 1.

'Clearly there was a lack of protocol and improper quarantining,' Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse (pictured) told DailyMail.com

Both Governor Baker and Massachusetts attorney general Maura Healey have now launched investigations into what went wrong at Holyoke

The Federal Justice Department is also trying to discover whether the home 'violated the rights of residents by failing to provide them adequate medical care generally, and during, the coronavirus pandemic'

Bombredi said it wasn't until March 26 that the home made any real effort to get adequate protective equipment. A Holyoke van was dispatched to its sister facility in the Boston suburb of Chelsea and came back full.

He said several staff at the home have tested positive for the virus and three had had to be intubated. All have recovered.

One of those affected, CNA Erin Saykin told DailyMail.com her main symptom was difficulty breathing. 'It was like someone had put my lungs in a chokehold,' she said.

'At first I was hoping I had just got a cold then other symptoms started coming in fast. And I started to have nausea, fatigue and weakness  I couldn't even sit up in bed for longer than five minutes.'

She said she self-isolated in her room at the home she shares with her parents and brother.

'I was out for three weeks,' said Saykin, 38. 'By the time I came back the place was so empty it was almost unrecognizable.'

Both Governor Baker and Massachusetts attorney general Maura Healey have now launched investigations into what went wrong at Holyoke.

The Federal Justice Department is also trying to discover whether the home 'violated the rights of residents by failing to provide them adequate medical care generally, and during, the coronavirus pandemic.'

'I certainly believe there should be criminal prosecutions,' said Bombredi.
Lois Henry is the CEO and editor of SJV Water, a nonprofit, independent online news publication dedicated to covering water issues in the San Joaquin Valley. She can be reached at lois.henry@sjvwater.org. The website is sjvwater.org.
A woman is fighting for her life in hospital after running into her burning home to rescue her pet dog, Dexter.

The 34-year-old woman suffered serious burns to her body and face after rushing into the blazing house just after midnight on Wednesday.

She had been able to escape the home in Marayong in Sydney's west with her mother, 64, after a raging fire broke out.

But she soon realised her pet dog had been left behind, and bravely returned to rescue him.

Dexter was trapped in one of the back rooms, according to 9News.

A woman has suffered serious burns to her face and body after going back into a burning house in Sydney's west to find her dog.

Scroll down for video

Dexter (pictured) escaped unscathed from the inferno after his owner ran in to rescue him

The 34-year-old woman was able to flee the property in Marayong when the fire broke out just after midnight, along with her mother, aged 64.

But she decided to go back inside to search for her dog, Dexter, who was trapped in one of the back rooms - but couldn't find him.

The dog's owner was then rushed to Westmead Hospital, before being transferred to Concord Hospital's burns unit.

Her condition has been described as critical but stable.

Dexter was later found safe and is being looked after by a neighbour.

Crews from NSW Fire and Rescue put out the blaze just after 12.30am, but the house has suffered significant damage.

A crime scene was in place on Wednesday while police investigate, but the blaze is not being treated as suspicious.
South Korea urges caution over the rumours after Kim Jong Un failed to appear at a key national commemoration.

South Koreas spy agency chief Suh Hoon told a parliamentary committee on Wednesday that there were no signs North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has had heart surgery, refuting claims he had been seriously ill.

Rumours that Kim was sick gathered momentum after he failed to attend the annual ceremonies to mark the April 15 anniversary of the birth of the countrys founder Kim Il-sung and were only quelled on Saturday when Kim was pictured by state media at a fertiliser factory.

South Korea had urged caution over the reports of Kims ill-health, emphasising that intelligence services had detected no unusual movements across the border.

On Wednesday, the spy agency told legislators that Kim had appeared in public 17 times so far this year, the fewest in recent years, according to a report by South Koreas Yonhap news agency.

Kim usually makes an average of 50 public appearances during this period of the year, it added, saying the decline in appearances was probably the result of Kim focusing on domestic affairs and the effect of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Reward Increased to $20,000 for Missing Georgia Teen

A Georgia community has raised $20,000 for information leading to the whereabouts of a 17-year-old girl who hasnt been seen since February.

Julia Mann, 17, vanished Feb. 20 after she voluntarily walked out of her familys home in Watkinsville, authorities said, reported WGCL. She hasnt been seen since then.

I mean its the worst thing in the world, Manns mother, Terri Clark, told the station. She means everything to us, and I cant stand to think about life without her.

Over the past two-and-a-half months, ground and air searches have been carried out to locate Mann but to no avail. Officials have also used K-9 units in their efforts.

Around Watkinsville, the community has raised $20,000 to fund a reward for information that leads to her location, Oconee County Sheriff Scott Berry stated.

We are concerned right now that Julia is met with harm, Berry told the outlet. When we have these kinds of cases I work them as if theyre my child. Theres nothing I wouldnt do to find my child and theres nothing I wouldnt do to find Julia Mann.

Mann took her laptop and cellphone with her when she went missing. But neither devices have been used, officials said.

Clark, meanwhile, told WGCL that she isnt angry with Mann if she ran away.

I know how much she loves her family and her little sister, and I just feel like something is really wrong, she said.

The mother told Fox5 that the family just moved to Oconee County earlier this year.

According to WXIA, she is about 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighs around 100 pounds.

Those with information can contact the sheriffs office at 706-769-3945 or email investigator G. Sanders at gsanders@oconeesheriff.org.
Iraq mounts counter-terrorism operations amid warnings of US-Daesh plot to split region

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 05 May 2020 10:53 AM

Iraqi army troops and allied fighters from Popular Mobilization Forces  known as Hashd al-Sha'abi  have conducted fresh operations against Daesh militants amid warnings of collaboration between the United States and remnants of the Takfiri terror outfit in the country.

On Monday, Iraq's Security Media Cell announced the launch of a new military campaign, dubbed 'Desert Lions,' against Daesh sleeper cells in the country's desert areas.

The operation covers "Wadi Houran, Husayniyyat, Al-Kara, H2, and Wadi al-Hallcom, all the way to international borders" in Iraq's western Anbar Province with an aim to "enhance security and stability in these areas, to pursue terrorist elements and to arrest those wanted," it said in a statement.

The new campaign followed a string of deadly attacks by Daesh terrorists targeting Iraqi forces, among them Saturday's assault in Salahuddin Province that killed at least 10 Hashd al-Sha'abi fighters.

On Monday, the Iraqi Army's intelligence detained a Daesh ringleader, called Abu Hajar, in Nineveh Province.

It came one day after the arrest of another Daesh element, Abu Abdulmalik, in Nineveh's provincial capital of Mosul, which once served as the terror group's main bastion in the Arab country.

Also on Monday, Rudaw media network reported that an explosive-laden vehicle had gone off in Madham area in western Anbar, killing the occupants  all terrorists.

Among those slain were Daesh military commander Abu Ghasurah, the report said.

Concerns rise about Daesh-US collaboration

Meanwhile, Mahmoud al-Rubaye, spokesman of Iraq's Asaib Ahl al-Haq group, which is part of the Hashd al-Sha'abi, said that the US has long been supporting terrorists in Iraq and Syria and that Daesh is part of Washington's scheme to disintegrate the region.

The US, he added, plans to settle Palestinians in western Anbar under President Donald Trump's self-proclaimed "deal of the century."

Rubaye also emphasized that the Americans should honor the Iraqi parliament's resolution on the withdrawal of foreign forces from the country. The resolution was passed in January following the US assassination of top Iranian anti-terror commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani and senior Hashd commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, in addition to several other comrades.

The US is evacuating its bases in Iraq and amassing its troops at Ain al-Assad and Harir bases, situated in Anbar and Kurdistan's regional capital of Erbil, respectively, in the face of the outrage of the Iraqi people and popular forces, he pointed out.

Asaib spokesman further warned of armed resistance if the US refuses to leave Iraq and settles in the country's remote areas.

Additionally, Iraq's Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, which is also part of Hashd al-Sha'abi, said the US has been planning to transfer senior Daesh commanders from eastern Syria to neighboring Iraq.

"Washington is insisting on the implementation of a plot to return the terrorists to Iraq by transferring a large number of ISIS (Daesh) commanders and militants from the eastern Euphrates and other parts of Syria," it said in an online statement.

The group also described the Americans as "occupiers," noting, "We stress that the Islamic Resistance of Iraq is monitoring all your destructive plots to prevent the dangers which threaten the Iraqi provinces."

Daesh began a terror campaign in Iraq in 2014, overrunning vast swathes in lightning attacks.

Hashd al-Sha'abi fighters played a major role in reinforcing the Iraqi army, which had suffered heavy setbacks against the Takfiri elements.

Iraq declared victory over Daesh in December 2017 after a three-year counter-terrorism military campaign, which also had the support of neighboring Iran.

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Today's Wake Up newsletter is longer than usual because it includes every coronavirus story from the last 24 hours. Read it and you're up to date on the crisis.

Weather

Today will start out chilly and cloudy, but skies are expected to clear as the day progresses. Look for a high around 50. It will be clear and brisk overnight, with lows in the mid-30s. Read more.

The headlines

State budget: Gov. Mike DeWine said Tuesday the state will cut nearly $800 million in spending over the next two months to offset the loss of tax revenue stemming from the coronavirus crisis. Cleveland.coms Andrew Tobias reports the cuts include $300 million in cuts to K-12 public-school funding, $210 million in cuts in Medicaid spending and $110 million in college and university funding.

Back to school? Ohio students could return to the classroom in August, going to school two days per week, supplemented with online learning, reports cleveland.coms Emily Bamforth. Gov. Mike DeWine said Tuesday a task force of superintendents, principals and teachers is considering different options for the fall.

Subtext: Cleveland.com has started a new, free Subtext account to send coronavirus updates. Every day, the team covering the coronavirus will send three to four updates about the progress of the virus -- confirmed cases of the virus, major cancellations, the latest medical advice, relevant scientific information and more. You can even text us back. Go to https://joinsubtext.com/ohiocoronavirus and enter your phone number. Fill out the form below. Or send a text to 216-279-7784. Did we mention its free?

This Week in the CLE: If were all going to end up getting the coronavirus, why not just get it now? Thats the provocative question editors are asking on This Week in the CLE, the daily half-hour news podcast on cleveland.com.

Coronavirus cases reported by the Ohio Department of Health are spread more evenly across age groups than the fatal statistics.Rich Exner, cleveland.com

New numbers: At least 1,135 people have died from the novel coronavirus, and at least 20,969 are infected with it, reports cleveland.coms Laura Hancock. That includes 897 probable cases and 97 probable deaths.

Cleveland numbers: One more Clevelander has died as a result of the COVID-19 coronavirus and Cleveland reached 825 confirmed cases, cleveland.coms Robert Higgs reports. Thirty-nine people in Cleveland have died from the coronavirus.

Trends: Ohios coronavirus deaths increased 7.5% Tuesday from 1,056 the day before, while the case total was up 2.4% from 20,474. Cleveland.coms Rich Exner reports the deaths increased by 79 Tuesday, after being under 20 each of the three previous days.

Mask or not: Do you really need to be wearing a mask outside to protect yourself and others? Cleveland.coms Evan MacDonald talked to experts who say no, but recommend carrying a cloth face mask in a paper bag or envelope in your pocket in case you pass by someone and need to wear it.

Ohio Turnpike: The Ohio Turnpike is losing millions of dollars in tolls each month because of reduced traffic attributed to the coronavirus crisis, reports cleveland.coms Robert Higgs. Preliminary numbers for April show a decline of nearly $9 million, nearly 35% from 2019, with 62% fewer passenger cars on the turnpike last month than in April 2019.

County spending: Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish told County Council on Tuesday that he is considering very strategic cuts in spending to offset anticipated losses in revenue attributable to the coronavirus crisis, cleveland.coms Courtney Astolfi reports.

RTA: The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority will install barriers separating drivers from passengers on RTA buses, and require all employees to wear face masks, reports cleveland.coms Courtney Astolfi. The clear barriers, made of marine-grade vinyl, will be on all 350 RTA buses by the end of next week.

Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder.

Larry Householder: Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder has been putting his skills to work in countering Gov. Mike DeWines response to the coronavirus crisis. Cleveland.coms Andrew Tobias reports on the long string of moves the Republican has made pressuring the governors office to pull back its COVID-19 response.

Smoking: Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, health experts have said smokers are at greater risk of complications from COVID-19 than non-smokers. But could just the opposite be true  that smokers are actually less likely to become seriously infected? Cleveland.coms Peter Krouse reports on a controversial new French study.

Ashland trial: A defense attorney has asked the Ohio Supreme Court to stop an Ashland County judge from trying again to hold whats believed to be the nations first jury trial during the coronavirus pandemic after the first attempt resulted in the defendant being rushed to the hospital with COVID-19 symptoms, cleveland.coms Cory Shaffer reports.

High water: Lake Erie last month broke its April record, rising 9 inches above the April 2019 level. Cleveland.coms Laura Johnston reports the water rose 4 inches from the record-breaking level in March, to 574.31 feet.

ACLU: The American Civil Liberties Union on Tuesday asked a federal judge to release 20 detainees in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the Morrow County Jail, after dozens of detainees there tested positive for the coronavirus. Cleveland.coms Eric Heisig reports the nonprofit told a federal judge in Columbus that the people it represents in the jail in Mount Gilead are in grave, imminent danger and (are) not able to be safely housed, receive adequate medical attention, or protect themselves by maintaining social distance while in the jail.

Stimulus checks: Ohio members of Congress want Ohioans who cant access the internet to be able to track the economic stimulus payments the federal government is issuing to help people pay their bills during the coronavirus pandemic, reports cleveland.coms Sabrina Eaton.

Jim Jordan: Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan is accusing FBI officials of trying to entrap former National Security Adviser Michael T. Flynn in a lie so he could be prosecuted or fired. Cleveland.coms Sabrina Eaton reports that Jordan wrote a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray on Monday, accusing the bureau of facilitating an incorrect public impression that President Donald Trumps 2016 campaign had colluded with Russia.

Government watchdogs: A pair of nonprofit organizations are teaming up to monitor Cleveland and Cuyahoga County government and document their actions for residents. Cleveland.coms Robert Higgs reports that Neighborhood Connections and City Bureau launched Cleveland Documenters, a program that will hire and train people to document official committee meetings.

Restaurants reopening: The much-anticipated decision on a possible reopening plan for Ohio's restaurants and bars probably will come Thursday afternoon, reports cleveland.coms Marc Bona.

Tri-C: Sam and Anne-Marie Petros donated $500,000 to Cuyahoga Community College to help students during the coronavirus pandemic. Cleveland.coms Emily Bamforth reports that the fund will offer emergency aid and tuition assistance, with a focus on helping low-income women with children.

Funniest pets: Time to meet the 12 pets who have advanced to the finals in Clevelands Funniest Pet Video contest! Cleveland.coms12 finalists consist of nine dogs, two cats and one gerbil -- and their escapades caught on video are sure to make you smile.

Coronavirus mistakes: As states begin to reopen, Dr. Seema Yasmin outlines some critical mistakes that we should try to avoid while fighting the COVID-19 pandemic from cleveland.coms sister site, WIRED.

Bahama Breeze: Bahama Breeze in Beachwood has closed. The decision to shutter the Caribbean-themed chains only Ohio location came down Monday from Orlando-based owner Darden Restaurants, reports cleveland.coms Joey Morona.

Teacher parade: Family and children of the Berea Horizon Education Centers held a teacher-appreciation parade for teachers and support staff on Tuesday. About 35 cars participated, saluting more than 40 teachers wrapping the outside of the building and practicing social distancing. Cleveland.coms John Kuntz has photos.

Other headlines

ODH director Dr. Amy Acton featured in New York Times video The Leader We Wish We All Had Read more

Maple Heights High School secretary accused of embezzling more than $40,000 Read more

Akron man accused of fatally stabbing brother in neck during drunken fight Read more

Man arrested in 2018 double fatal shooting on I-90 in Cleveland Read more

Teen accused of leading Elyria police on chase with 2 toddlers in car Read more

Dog fatally shot during home invasion in Cleveland, police say Read more

Kent State Universitys Board of Trustees to meet Wednesday to discuss employee pay cuts, buyouts Read more

Top of the Hill real estate closing sets stage for start of construction at gateway to Cleveland Heights Read more

North Royalton Schools to have in-person, socially distanced commencement; Brecksville-Broadview Heights to host in-car ceremony Read more

Akron RubberDucks season officially delayed Read more
KYIV -- Former Ukrainian Prosecutor-General Ruslan Ryaboshapka, who was forced out in a parliamentary vote of no confidence two months ago, is now under investigation.

Ukraine's Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office told RFE/RL on May 6 that it had opened "criminal proceedings" against Ryaboshapka for what the Criminal Code describes as "declaring...false information" and "accepting an offer, promise, or obtaining an illicit benefit from an official."

"We have complied with a court decision and filed a case [against Ryaboshapka] at the Unified Register of Pretrial Investigations on Prior Legal Qualification under Articles 366-1 and Part 4 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine," the office's representatives said.

Ryaboshapka told RFE/RL that the case against him was "pointless from the point of view of criminal law."

"I have already dozens of times explained this and had thought that it had been forgotten," he said. "This announcement by a prosecutor whom I fired and who is apparently offended by me concerns a fact that has been covered many times in the media."

The case apparently involves a house in France where Ryaboshapka's wife and children live. Ryaboshabka has said his wife took out a commercial loan to purchase the nearly 500,000-euro ($540,500) property, which he said they continue to pay.

"This situation is being manipulated," he told Ukraine's 112.ua website in February, "because we still owe around 400,000 euros [$432,400] on this loan. We continue to pay it off monthly."

Ryaboshapka was well-regarded by anti-corruption activists for his efforts to streamline and professionalize the scandal-ridden Prosecutor-Generals Office.

The 43-year-old Ryaboshapka made headlines last year as one of the officials to decide whether to launch a probe into former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter over the younger Biden's role at energy firm Burisma Holdings. The case was entangled in the impeachment trial of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Ryaboshapka served as prosecutor-general from August 29, 2019, until March 5.
Two unidentified militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Wednesday, while another operation where a top militant commander is trapped was entering its final stages, officials said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Sharshali village of Pulwama following information about the presence of militants there, the officials said.

They said the search operation turned into an encounter after militants opened fire towards security forces' positions.

In the retaliatory firing, two militants were killed, the officials said, adding the operation was going on when the last reports were received.

Another operation at Beighpora in Pulwama was entering its final stages, an official said.

A top militant commander and two of his close aides are believed to be trapped in the hideout, he said.

"Police last night launched an operation on a specific input at Beighpora. Senior officers are monitoring it since last night," a police spokesman said earlier.

He said contact has been established with the militants and a "top terrorist commander" is trapped.

"Exchange of firing is on. Further details shall follow on due course," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
One in four Alabama public school teachers are 50 years old or older, putting them at a higher risk of complications if they have COVID-19. That could exacerbate Alabamas teacher shortage if older teachers decide not to return to the classrooms in August.

We are concerned about adults, teachers, staff who have underlying health conditions who may just take (time) off, said Alabama State Superintendent Eric Mackey. He said districts do need to consider the age of teachers as they plan for next school year.

According to data from the Alabama State Department of Education, Alabama has about 51,100 certified teachers and about 14,000 of them are 50 or older.

More than 1,000 of those are 65 and older, the age group that is most at risk of needing medical intervention for COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Another 8,200 Alabama teachers are aged 45 to 49, according to state department data.

The ages of teachers even got President Donald Trump's attention. In a virtual town hall Sunday televised on Fox News, Trump said some older teachers may need to "sit it out" for a while when schools reopen.

When Trump was asked about reopening schools, he responded, "So when you go backand you have one problem that is a bigger problem, and that's teachers over 60 or 65 years oldthe teachers."

He added that students should be fine because of their age. "But if you have a teachers that's 65 or 70 years old and has diabetes," Trump said, "that one, I think, they're going to have to sit it out for a little while unless we come up with the vaccine sooner."

Teachers could use either stored-up sick leave or take up to 12 weeks of paid leave under the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act to delay returning to school.

That could leave hundreds, maybe thousands of Alabama classrooms looking for substitute teachers for up to 12 weeks at a time.

"We are worried that we could end up short-staffed in places," Mackey said.

It's still too early to know exactly what teachers might do, as this is the time of year when teachers typically let their employers know what their plans are so school officials can hire teachers to replace them.

Official notices of retirement are due to the Retirement Systems of Alabama by July 1.

Roanoke City School Superintendent Chuck Marcum chaired the states teacher shortage task force last year and knows the challenges of recruiting and retaining teachers. And health concerns related to the coronavirus already became an issue when schools closed in March.

After schools closed, Roanoke schools kept handing out meals to students. That meant using volunteers to work, and while they were being paid, Marcum didn't want them to be forced to take unhealthy risks.

"We didn't want anyone to come that didn't feel comfortable being out in the public," Marcum said. "We had several teachers who wanted to help but weren't comfortable with it."

School districts across Alabama faced the same problem with workers who were unwilling or unable to hand out school meals, and many stopped serving, leaving children without the food they rely on when schools would otherwise be open.

Related: As Alabama schools end meal programs, burden shifts to food banks

Whether the experience schools had finding enough workers to hand out meals translates into teachers not returning to classrooms in August is unknown. And if large numbers of teachers retire or choose to take leave, it will be a big problem for school officials.

Alabama has a hard time replacing all of the teachers that normally leave the profession or retire, he said. Rural areas have a harder time than others, and yet that's where the most experienced teachers are, according to data from the state department of education.

Nearly 20% of the 110 teachers in the small Roanoke district have 20 years of experience or more. Fortunately, to date, he said, only one teacher has told Marcum of plans to retire.

The economic downturn that results from fewer people working and lowered income tax collections could work in school districts' favor, though.

Related: Pandemic reduces proposed Alabama schools budget by $320 million

Mackey said historically, when there is an economic downturn, teachers put off retiring. And while some states are preparing for big cuts in education spending, state spending for education for the 2020-21 school year is expected to be the same for the current school year or maybe more, Mackey said.

The House Education budget committee approved a $92 million increase in spending for all education levels and the full House is expected to vote on the budget on Thursday.

What the data shows

While a breakdown of teacher ages by district wasnt available, AL.com took a look at the number of teachers, by years of experience in each school district for the current school year. There are marked differences among districts, and heres what those differences look like on a map showing Alabamas school districts.

The percentage of teachers having 20 or more years of experience ranges from a high of 44% in Pickens County in west Alabama to a low of 1% in Chickasaw City schools in south Alabama.

Some districts are more at risk of losing veteran teachers. In 10 of Alabama's 138 regular school districts, one-third or more of teachers have 20 or more years of experience.

While in 59 school districts, fewer than one in five teachers have 20 or more years of experience.

If you are unable to see the map, click here.

Related: Coronavirus in Alabama: Cases, maps, charts and resources

Read all of AL.coms coverage of the coronavirus at this link: https://www.al.com/coronavirus/
South Koreas spy agency has claimed there are no signs Kim Jong-un had heart surgery when he vanished for weeks  and that his absence was possibly because of a coronavirus outbreak.

The North Korea leader sparked speculation that he was dead or in grave danger after a news outlet claimed he was recovering from a heart operation following his disappearance from the public eye for 20 days.

But he appeared to be in good health when he attended the completion of a fertiliser plant on Saturday, in his first reported public appearance since 11 April.

Seouls National Intelligence Service (NIS) told members of the parliamentary intelligence committee on Wednesday that the reports of his ill health and heart surgery were groundless, according to Yonhap news agency.

Committee member Kim Byung-kee told reporters after the closed-door meeting: The NIS assesses that at least he did not get any heart-related procedure or surgery.

Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Kim Jong-un rides a horse during snowfall in Mount Paektu in this image released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency on 16 October 2019 Reuters Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Kim Jong-un visits the newly built Pyongyang Orphans' Primary School on 2 February 2017 AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Kim Jong-un inspects a women's company under Unit 5492 of the Korean People's Army in November 2019 AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Kim Jong-un inspects the test-fire of intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-14 at an undisclosed location in July 2017 AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Kim Jong-un celebrates the successful test-fire of the intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-14 at an undisclosed location in July 2017 AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Kim Jong-un inspects a potato at the Samjiyon Potato Factory in North Korea in October 2018 AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Kim Jong-un rides a horse through a forest in this image released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency on 16 October 2019 EPA Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Kim Jong-un inspects a block of frozen fish at a processing facility in North Korea in November 2018 Reuters Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Kim Jong-un celebrates the succeful launch of a strategic submarine-launched ballistic missile in August 2016 AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Kim Jong-un shakes hands with Donald Trump as they meet for the first time at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa island in Singapore in June 2018 Reuters Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump share a glance as they meet in the Demilitarised Zone in Panmunjon, Korea in June 2019 AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Kim Jong-un inspects mushrooms at Pyongyang Mushroom Farm AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Kim Jong-un inspects a super-large multiple rocket launcher ahead of a test in September 2019 Reuters Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Kim Jong-un inspects an apple farm in South Hwanghae Province in September 2017 AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Kim Jong-un inspects an apple farm in South Hwanghae Province in September 2017 AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Kim Jong-un inspects dental wares at a newly built factory in June 2017 AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Kim Jong-un visits Farm No 1116 in September 2017 AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Kim Jong-un visits a motor factory in November 2017 AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Kim Jong-un rides a horse during snowfall in Mount Paektu in this image released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency on 16 October 2019 AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un: Power in pictures Kim Jong-un inspects the Command of the Strategic Force of the Korean People's Army at an undisclosed location in August 2017 AFP/Getty

He was normally performing his duties when he was out of the public eye.

The politician said Kim Jong-un has only made 17 public appearances so far this year, compared with an average of 50 appearances by this time in previous years, which the NIS attributed to a possible coronavirus outbreak in North Korea.

Kim Byung-kee acknowledged his lack of appearances could be down to Covid-19  despite North Korea maintaining it does not have any cases.

He said: Kim Jong-un had focused on consolidating internal affairs such as military forces and party-state meetings, and coronavirus concerns have further limited his public activity.

Though North Korea maintains it has zero cases, it cannot be ruled out that there is an outbreak there given they had active people-to-people exchanges with China before closing the border in late January.

South Koreas unification minister Kim Yeon-chul, who oversees North Korea affairs, said Mr Kims public disappearance was not particularly unusual because the country had been taking stringent steps to head off an outbreak.

He said Kim Jong-un had ordered measures to prevent the disease, stabilise prices and strengthen military discipline, as border shutdowns and market closures prompted rises in food prices and panic-buying in the capital Pyongyang.

The NIS said the coronavirus pandemic is likely taking a heavy toll on North Koreas economy, mainly because of the border closure with China, its biggest trading partner and aid provider.

China accounts for about 90 per cent of North Koreas external trade flow.

Students wearing face masks have their temperature checked as a precaution against the new coronavirus as their university reopens following the holidays at the Kim Chaek University of Technology in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP)

The trade volume between North Korea and China in the first quarter of this year was $230 million, a 55 per cent decline from the same period last year.

In March, the bilateral trade volume suffered a 91 per cent drop, the NIS was quoted as saying.

This led to the prices of imported foodstuffs such as sugar and seasonings skyrocketing, Kim Byung-Kee quoted the spy agency as saying.

He said the NIS also told lawmakers that residents in Pyongyang, the capital, recently rushed to department stores and other shops to stock up on daily necessities and waited in long lines.

The NIS said prices in North Korea are being stabilised a little bit after authorities clamped down on people cornering the market, he said in a televised briefing.

Additional reporting by Reuters and Associated Press.
Carole Baskin tried to evict her ex-boyfriend before he filed a certain restraining order against her claiming that she told him "dead bodies can not talk," referencing her missing husband. Netflix's Tiger King drama continues in real life!

The 67-year-old Jay Baykal filed for this petition back in October 18, 2002, saying that he was in fear for his life! This all happened two days before Baskin suddenly filed eviction papers against him.

According to the textile buyer that listed his address as Baskin's home over in Tampa, Florida, Baykal was actually a joint owner of the property itself!

Additional revelations said that the ex-boyfriend was afraid of Baskin's two loaded handguns, which she actually kept in both her truck and her home.

Baykal himself wrote, "I honestly fear I am in danger of death or serious bodily injury because her prior husband is missing and presumed dead."

Did Carole Baskin kill her husband?

The whole controversy of Netflix's Tiger King focuses on both Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin who are two interesting characters and it is true that Baskin's second husband named Don Lewis previously vanished in 1997.

Just a few months before he disappeared, Don Lewis also filed for a restraining order against Baskin. Lewis also claimed that Baskins threatened to kill him on two different occasions and that she took away his gun and hid it.

It was the author Robert Moor who first uncovered Baykal's request for this restraining order. Moor spent four years capturing the drama between both Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin.

Currently, the former owner of Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park also known as the Tiger King is serving 22 years in prison for allegedly attempting a "murder for hire" on Carole Baskin.

An article by DailyMail.com also unveiled that aside from Baykal, Carole Baskin actually filed a number of other petitions to evict other men from her own property throughout all the years.

Carole Baskin's reply to DailyMail's inquiries was "Oh, shut up" before she hung up the phone. Baskin avoided several attempts to ask for answers.

Joe Exotic himself allegedly claimed that Carole Baskins killed Don Lewis, put his body through a meat grinder, and fed the parts to the big cats she kept at her rescue center.

Because of the publicity, the local sheriff started to look for fresh leads regarding Lewis' disappearance.

Read Also: Nicolas Cage as Joe Exotic: Here are 5 Other Choice Actors for the Role of Netflix's Tiger King

Carole Baskin's denial and Baykal's petition

The human rights activist has denied on many occasions her involvement with Lewis' disappearance. When Don Lewis went missing, she then suggested that he could have just gone to Costa Rica, where he oftentimes goes to.

According to Baykal's petition, when he asked Baskin what would happen if ever Lewis came back, her response spooked him the most. "Dead bodies can not talk" is what Baskin said to Baykal.

Just last month, a Florida sheriff actually admitted that he believes that Don Lewis was likely killed by the hands of more than one person in a possible murder-for-hire plot.

Read Also: [Spoiler Alert] "Billions" Season 5 Gets Wilder With Pharmaceutical Psychadelics: What Happens to Bobby Axelrod, Chuck Rhodes, and Tyler Mason?
The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday held a flurry of meetings to fine tune arrangements for evacuation of thousands of stranded Indians from abroad under a mega exercise beginning Thursday.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla held a video-conference with chief secretaries of a number of states as part of efforts to ensure proper coordination in the operation christened 'Vande Bharat Mission', sources said.

As per the plan, the government will start sending flights to various countries from Thursday.

They said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is personally keeping an eye on execution of the mission and held a series of meetings on the exercise also involving the Home Ministry, the Civil Aviation Ministry and the Health Ministry besides the states.

The Ministry of External Affairs has deputed nodal officers for most of the states for the evacuation exercise.

Additional Secretary in the MEA Vikram Doraiswami has been assigned to coordinate with Kerala while another Additional Secretary Nagma Malik will coordinate with the government of Karnataka.

Senior Indian Foreign Service Officer P Harish has been tasked to coordinate with Andhra Pradesh, Additional Secretary in MEA V Paul has been assigned Punjab and Additional Secretary B Bala Bhaskar will coordinate with Telangana, the sources said.

Over 300,000 Indians in Gulf have registered for evacuation but the government will bring back people like pregnant women, elderly people, students and those having "compelling reasons" to return such as medical emergencies, expiry of visas and facing the prospect of deportation.

The sources said all laid down guidelines like screening of people at origin countries as well as on arrival will be strictly followed and the states have been told to arrange for mandatory quarantine of the returnees.

The immediate focus of the multi-agency operation will be to bring back Indians from the Gulf, countries in the neighbourhood as well as from the US, the UK and Singapore, the sources said.

Initially, 64 flights will be operated from May 7 to May 13 to bring back around 15,000 Indian nationals stranded abroad. The government has not given any estimate about how many Indians it plans to evacuate.

The Indian Navy has already sent two of its ships to the Maldives for evacuating Indians stranded in the island nation while the Indian air force has kept ready about 30 transport aircraft including C-17 Globemaster and C-130J Super Hercules for any requirement.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NEW DELHI: Delhi Police Crime Branch has expedited its ongoing investigation against Nizamuddin Markaz chief Maulana Saad, whose outfit Tablighi Jamaat is under scanner for flouting the social distancing norms during lockdown that led to a sudden rise in COVID-19 cases in the country.

According to reports, the Crime Branch has on Tuesday grilled his second son, who is believed to be more involved in activities at the Nizamuddin Markaz.

During his interrogation, the Crime Branch sought the details like addresses, mobile numbers and email ids of the 20 Markaz members who look after the accommodation of guests arriving there.

These 20 Markaz members have been absconding since then and the police is trying to trace their whereabouts.

The Crime Branch id also mulling to send another notice to Tablighi Jamat chief Maulana Saad, who has been booked under relevant sections of the Epidemic Diseases Act and IPC for allegedly violating government orders with regard to the management of the Nizamuddin Markaz.

The Crime Branch, which recently served fourth notice to Maulana Saad in connection with holding a religious congregation at the Markaz and the finding, is unsatisfied with answers filed by his lawyer so far.

In the fourth notice, the investigative agency had sought for details about videos that were uploaded on Markaz's website delhimarkaz.com. However, the reply by the religious leader against the notice by the Crime Branch was found to be unsatisfactory.

The fourth notice had been sent after the religious leader did not respond to earlier notices posted by the department. As per reports, three sons of the Maulana Saad have also been interrogated by the Crime Branch in connection with the case.

The Crime Branch had also sought the coronavirus test report from a government-run lab of Tablighi Jamaat head. But according to the source, the reports have yet not been furnished before the agency. On the other hand, Saad's lawyer Advocate Fuzail Ayyubi had claimed on Friday (May 1) that his coronavirus test report, which is from a private lab, has been handed over to an Investigation Officer of the Crime Branch.
Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

Turning out mostly cloudy and not as cold. There might be a rain or snow shower late..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy with some rain and snow showers. Any rain will be early in the night.
Taiwan accuses WHO of being 'irresponsible' on Taiwan issue

ROC Central News Agency

05/05/2020 07:16 PM

Taipei, May 5 (CNA) Taiwan's health minister on Tuesday accused the World Health Organization (WHO) of being "irresponsible" in the face of requests from some of its members and Taipei to allow Taiwan to attend this year's World Health Assembly (WHA).

"Incomplete rules should be rectified" no matter how many years they have been in place, said Chen Shih-chung (), who also heads the Central Epidemic Command Center, at the center's daily press briefing on COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in Taiwan.

Chen was responding to remarks by Steven Solomon, the WHO's principal legal officer, at a press event in Geneva Monday regarding Taiwan's participation at the WHA, the organization's top decision-making body.

Reiterating the WHO's stance that its policies and guidelines are in line with those of the United Nations, Solomon said the U.N. and WHO decided 49 years ago that there is only one legitimate representative of China within the U.N. and that is the People's Republic of China.

"That decision still stands," he said.

As a result, Solomon said the WHO secretariat has no authority to make a decision on Taiwan's possible participation at this year's WHA which begins in two weeks, as it has to be made by all 194 member states.

Chen characterized the comments as "a bureaucratic response," and said the rules should be different when the global situation changes and under different healthcare and human rights scenarios.

"As long as they (the WHO rules) are incomplete, they should be changed" regardless of how long -- two, seven or 49 years -- they have been in place, Chen said.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Joanne Ou () said the WHO director-general has the authority to decide who to invite as an observer to the WHA, according to the organization's rules of procedure and past precedent.

For years Taiwan has sought wider participation in WHO meetings and the annual WHA, but has been prevented from doing so by pressure from Beijing.

This year, the call has been louder because many have argued Taiwan should not be excluded from the WHO as the new coronavirus spreads around the world.

The WHA is scheduled to hold its 73rd session from May 18-19, which will be conducted virtually due to travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a WHO provisional agenda shows.

From 2009-2016, Taiwan participated in the WHA as an observer under the name Chinese Taipei amid better relations with China under the then-Kuomintang administration.

However, China has persuaded the WHO not to invite Taiwan in line with Beijing's hardline stance on cross-strait relations since President Tsai Ing-wen () of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party took office in May 2016.

(By Chang Ming-hsuan, Hsu Chih-wei and Elizabeth Hsu)

Enditem/AW

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The tragic death of four Indian Army personnel, including a colonel and a major, and a sub-inspector of the J&K police in a terrorist encounter in Handwara, in J&Ks Kupwara district, late Saturday night highlights how while the rest of the country  and the world  is focused entirely on fighting the coronavirus pandemic, there seems little change on the ground in what used to be our northernmost state. As in every preceding summer, as the Himalayan snows melt, there is a resurgence in infiltration attempts across the Line of Control, and even the severe restrictions imposed in J&K following the scrapping of Article 370 do not seem to have stamped out militant attacks.

The terrorists are learnt to have taken civilians hostage at a house in the Changimulla area of Handwara, where they had come to receive a group of infiltrators from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Col. Ashutosh Sharma, commanding officer of 21 Rashtriya Rifles, led from the front in a successful operation to rescue the hostages and eliminate the terrorists, but regrettably he, along with Maj. Anuj Sood, Naik Rakesh Kumar, Lance Naik Dinesh Singh and sub-inspector Shakeel Qazi of the J&K police, had to lay down their lives. Col. Sharma was decorated twice for operations in Kashmir, and the nation will salute the bravery of all these martyrs. (His unit, 21 Rashtriya Rifles, has a stellar record, credited with 300-plus terrorist kills.)

The defence minister has said these deaths were deeply disturbing and painful, but the question we must ask is this: despite the severe restrictions J&K has been living under for the past nine months, since August 5, not to mention the nationwide lockdown since March 25, how is it that terrorists and their ilk seem to move around freely in Kashmir? In the first four months of 2020, 41 cordon-and search operations have been conducted, in which 24 security forces personnel and 14 civilians lost their lives, while 74 militants were killed.

Pakistan is unlikely to change its stripes anytime in the near future, so we must step up to ensure that its nefarious efforts go in vain.
NEW DELHI - Security forces on Wednesday killed the commander of a militant group in Kashmir, eliminating a leading figure in the long-running anti-India insurgency amid a recent surge of violence in the disputed territory.

Riyaz Naikoo, the leader of the Hizbul Mujahideen, was killed in a joint operation by Indian forces, according to a senior security official in New Delhi who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter. Naikoo's death was also confirmed on Twitter by a police official and a member of Parliament.

Hizbul Mujahideen is the largest of the three main militant groups in Kashmir, a majority-Muslim region claimed by both India and Pakistan. For three decades, militants in the Indian-controlled portion have fought either to become independent or join Pakistan. In 2017, the United States designated Hizbul Mujahideen a terrorist organization.

In the aftermath of Naikoo's killing, protesters threw stones at security forces in the village of Beighpora where the gunfight took place, according to local media reports. Indian authorities also suspended internet service, text messaging and most mobile phone networks across the Kashmir Valley to quell potential unrest.

Like the rest of India, the territory of Kashmir is under lockdown to combat the spread of the coronavirus. In recent weeks, however, Kashmir has witnessed its most significant spike in violence in months. Dozens of security personnel and militants have been killed in gunfights while India and Pakistan have traded mortars and small-arms fire across the unofficial frontier dividing the territory.

Last August, India broke with seven decades of policy toward Kashmir, stripping the region of its autonomy and statehood. The government sent in thousands of additional troops, snapped all communication links and arrested mainstream politicians.

India accuses Pakistan of training and arming militants and helping them slip across the frontier that divides Kashmir. Pakistan denies such accusations, but militant groups fighting in Kashmir have operated openly in Pakistani territory.

India and Pakistan regularly shoot at each other's forces across the Line of Control, the de facto border dividing Kashmir, a situation that some analysts have called "a war by other means." Such provocations have intensified this year, violating an official cease-fire between the two nations. Ceasefire violations in the first four months of 2020 increased 67 percent over the same period in 2019, according to Indian data.

Formerly a math teacher, Naikoo joined the militancy in 2012 to fight India's "brutal occupation" of Kashmir, he said in an interview with Al Jazeera. He gained a following on social media and sometimes came out of hiding to deliver fiery speeches at funerals of fellow militants.

Indian authorities said that Naikoo played a key role in the killings of several police officers and the murders of six migrant workers last fall. His killing is "extremely important" and will lead to a "loss of morale among the terrorist leadership," D.S. Hooda, a former Indian general, said in an interview with New Delhi Television.

Naikoo reportedly became the leader of Hizbul Mujahideen months after the killing of Burhan Wani, another high-profile militant, in 2016. Wani's funeral was attended by thousands of people, and his killing set off months of deadly protests in Kashmir.

In recent weeks, authorities in Kashmir have declined to hand over the bodies of local militants to their families for burial, a departure from years of practice. Officials have said the move is to prevent large gatherings at a time when the coronavirus is spreading.

- - -

Shams Irfan in Srinagar, India, contributed to this report.
FP Trending

Facebook has added a new feature to its Coronavirus community Help Hub to assist local businesses, blood banks and non-profit organisations.

Facebook, on 4 May, had revealed that they launched a new platform called 'Community Help' where people can offer assistance to others within their community, or request help with various tasks from locals.

Now, they have decided to add more features to the hub and have rolled out these additions today as part of their efforts with Giving Tuesday.

Facebook has an update about this on its blog, writing that starting 5 May, people will be able to find gift cards and vouchers to support local businesses, donate to local nonprofit fundraisers and sign up to become a blood donor under Community Help.

Facebooks COVID-19 community hub can be accessed here.

While the hub is not accessible in India, Facebook has launched a COVID-19 information centre, which is visible on top of the news feed. It contains information regarding the coronavirus pandemic from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).

Facebook had recently introduced support for donations on live videos in Instagram. Users can create a fundraiser on Instagram Live with 100 percent of the money being raised going directly to non-profit organisations of communities of their choice.
As the children of healthcare workers, three Bellaire High School juniors know the strain front-line workers are under. Seeing firsthand the long hours medical professionals in the Houston Medical Center are working, they understand the lack of time the workers have to get lunch and dinner and they decided to do something about it.

The three friends, Jeffrey Chuong, Bryce Liu, and Omar Busaidy created Food For Heroes, a non-profit aimed to support front-line workers by delivering free meals to them at work, as well as support their local restaurants.

MORE FROM RYAN NICKERSON: From dance videos to funeral planning, Communities In Schools is helping Houston-area families

Using donations through GoFundMe, the three students use 100 percent of the proceeds to pay restaurants directly to deliver meals to hospitals. Thus far, the three have delivered more than 100 meals and have raised more than $4,000.

We dont want to use any meal delivery services because our goal is to target and help these local businesses make as much profits as they can without any fees associated with delivery, said Chuong.

So far, Food For Heroes has partnered with Hus Cooking, Lolas Diner, Niko Nikos, The 401 and Fadis, and have delivered food to Baylor St. Lukes Medical Center, Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital and Methodist Hospital Sugar Land.

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: These 10 Houston-area teachers and staff go beyond the classroom amid the pandemic

Because they are all minors, the three received help from their parents on filing Food For Heroes as a 501(c)3 non-profit so that all donations can be made tax deductible.

Right now, were still focused on whatever we can do right now before the pandemic is over, said Chuong. After that were looking to possibly continue donating meals but were not too sure yet. This kind of work is going to change everyones life and daily work. We definitely want to continue helping the community as much as we can.

To donate to Food For Heroes or learn more, go to foodforheroestx.org.

ryan.nickerson@hcnonline.com
SAN CARLOS, Calif., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- LakePharma today announces that the company will be supplying the Mount Sinai Health System (Mount Sinai) recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins to the Mount Sinai Laboratory as a component in its blood test for antibody response against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Serologic testing for COVID-19 is an important step in understanding the body's response to the virus," says Erik Lium, PhD, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Innovation Officer at Mount Sinai. "We continue to partner with industry leaders, such as LakePharma, as rapidly as possible to facilitate broad serologic testing with this technology."

"The recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins are produced using LakePharma proprietary TunaCHO manufacturing platforms. We achieved high purity and high yield, and Mount Sinai has generated good results with the reagents," said Dr. Hua Tu, President and CEO of LakePharma. "LakePharma has been working actively with various medical centers, including Mount Sinai. We are very happy that our recombinant spike proteins are being adopted in clinical serological assays. We are committed to working with Mount Sinai and other leading institutions in making these vital serological assays broadly available soon."

For academic and commercial organizations interested in more information about these proteins and potentially other reagents related to COVID-19, please contact us on the LakePharma website or email [email protected].

For inquiries related to commercial licensing of the Mount Sinai serological assay, please visit www.mountsinai.org/covidantibodytest.

About the Mount Sinai Health System

The Mount Sinai Health System is New York City's largest academic medical system, encompassing eight hospitals, a leading medical school, and a vast network of ambulatory practices throughout the greater New York region. Mount Sinai is a national and international source of unrivaled education, translational research and discovery, and collaborative clinical leadership ensuring that we deliver the highest quality carefrom prevention to treatment of the most serious and complex human diseases. The Health System includes more than 7,200 physicians and features a robust and continually expanding network of multispecialty services, including more than 400 ambulatory practice locations throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, and Long Island. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked No. 14 on U.S. News & World Report's "Honor Roll" of the Top 20 Best Hospitals in the country and the Icahn School of Medicine as one of the Top 20 Best Medical Schools in country. Mount Sinai Health System hospitals are consistently ranked regionally by specialty and our physicians in the top 1% of all physicians nationally by U.S. News & World Report.

For more information, visit https://www.mountsinai.org or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

About LakePharma

LakePharma is a US-based Biologics CRDMO with operations in CA, TX, and MA. This biotech company specializes in the production and evaluation of DNA vectors, viral vectors, cell lines, proteins, antibodies and conjugates, while providing integrated solutions bridging discovery, engineering, development and GMP manufacturing. LakePharma has contributed to the development of 200+ therapeutic or diagnostic products and strives to do hundreds more. www.lakepharma.com.

Click here to see current LakePharma COVID-19 activities.

SOURCE LakePharma, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.lakepharma.com


How often is often?

Vice President Mike Pence said he was not concerned about the COVID-19 virus as he is tested regularly.

How often is regularly? Once a week, twice a week or every day? Everyone in the White House and their immediate family are tested on a regular basis, while the majority of the country suffers without tests, PPE and ventilators.

If President Donald Trump and Pence were considered essential, I would have no problem. But, to be honest, they are as helpful as a beauty mole on a warthog.

Fred M. Vasquez

The rush to open

Re: Texas AG helped donor fight virus lockout, Metro, Thursday:

I read the brief article about Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtons attack on the Colorado Health Department for unconstitutional infringement on Texans who cant get to their luxury second homes for coronavirus respite.

After reading this article, it occurred to me: What could possibly go wrong with the rush to opening Texas and San Antonio with Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Paxton in charge?

Thank goodness for Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Judge Nelson Wolff!

Thomas L. Robison

As Ben Franklin said

After all the federal, state and local government guidelines that have been dictated to us, it is time to remember the words of Benjamin Franklin: Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

John Kiser
May 06 : In the month of May, we will celebrate one of the biggest festivals - Buddha Purnima 2020. This year, this auspicious festival falls on May 7, Thursday. It marks the birth anniversary of Gautam Buddha, the saint who is most revered by the Buddhist community and also Hindus around the world. The festival is celebrated in many Asian countries like India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Bangladesh.

Image Source: Prokerala Buddha Purnima greetings

This day will be a public holiday in many places and hence people will spend time with loved ones at home. Along with saying prayers, and engaging in a lot of charity works, people make sure to exchange messages, wishes, and Lord Buddha pictures on social media and make this day extra special. Similarly, if you are on the search for Buddha Purnima wishes, greeting cards and messages to send across to your special ones, this we have created some for you. Take a look and send them across the globe.

Image Source: Prokerala Happy Buddha Poornima images

Be blessed with eternal peace and good thoughts

Happy Buddha Purnima

Image Source: Prokerala Live in enlightenment this Buddha Purnima

Wishing that all your dreams come true and sadness comes to an end

May you have a Happy Buddha Purnima

Image Source: Prokerala Whatsapp stickers for Vesak festival

May Lord Buddha wipe away your tears

May you gain wisdom in abundance

Happy Buddha Jayanti

Image Source: Prokerala Lord Buddha images for Facebook

Sending across my heartfelt Vesak wishes to each one in your family

Happy Vesak

Image Source: Prokerala Buddha Purnima Twitter posts

Be compassionate in life

Let go of ego

Live a life of love

Happy Buddha Purnima

Image Source: Prokerala Sunset image with Lord Buddha

May more days of peace reach your life

May your sorrows melt away into dust

May you be an enlightened person in heart and deed

Happy Buddha Purnima

Image Source: Prokerala Hope and get enlightened this Buddha Poornima festiva;

Wishing that Lord Buddha enriches your mind and body with love for others

Live for a soulful purpose

Happy Vesak

Let your life be controlled with ethics and diligence

Happy Buddha Purnima

Image Source: Prokerala Buddha Purnima wishes

Let prayers purify your mind

Let your thoughts be honest

Sending across Happy Vesak greetings

Shine in His grace and live a life of goodness

Happy Buddha Purnima
The markets may have been hoping for a period of calm ahead of the summer. Alas, it seems as though this may have been wishful thinking.

With U.S President Trump and the administration needing to take some blame for the 1.2m COVID-19 cases and 72,285 deaths, the markets will need to prepare for a Republican salvage operation.

Bernie Sanderss withdrawal from the Democratic primaries couldnt have come at a worse time for Trump.

Democratic Party in-house fighting would have at least given Trump and the Republicans something to target. With Biden now the front runner and Trumps opponent, the tactics have certainly changed, for now at least.

The U.S economy is in meltdown and will have its worst contraction since the Great Depression.

For a U.S President who had a campaign slogan of Make America Great Again, it has certainly not panned out as planned.

The U.S  China Trade War

Of greatest concern is that the U.S trade war with China has not been enough to prize the global supply chain from Chinas grip.

Trump and the administration now need another stab at diluting Chinas position on the global supply chain. It has taken almost 260,000 COVID-19 deaths and a global economic shutdown

After more than a year of punitive tariffs, the U.S is back to square one. China is not able to stick to the phase 1 trade agreement and no one will blame them for it. In fact, China may just decide that it will not stick to the agreement

If the U.S administration doesnt move fast, one of Trumps campaign pledges will have left the President red-faced.

Then there is the Iran nuclear agreement that Trump announced boldly that he would withdraw from.

If the last week is anything to go by, the U.S administration is now claiming that it never withdrew Failure number 2.

We can then look at the U.S stock markets, healthcare, and the outlook for U.S farmers and shale producers.

Story continues

Neither is positive and both are unlikely to be seeing anytime but despair for the remainder of the year.

In fact, another red-faced moment for the U.S president was an unprecedented fall of WTI Futures into negative territory.

What to Expect

Its hard to imagine what tricks the U.S administration has up its sleeve. A number do spring to mind, however.

A U.S  UK trade agreement would demonstrate that the administration is able to form alliances with the right partners. The UK economy may not be the largest, but it would be an easy win for the administration.

Trump could then force the EU into submission by using the UK as a pawn in the U.S  EU trade war. Lets face it, the EU is in no position to battle the U.S in a trade war, let alone stomach punitive tariffs.

As for Iran, some sort of military action will be needed to justify the administrations change in position on the nuclear agreement.

If the UN Security Council agrees to an arms embargo it would likely be a green light for a U.S led attack. A big concern, however, would be Russia and Chinas stance on such a move.

Will they sit back at a time when the chances of Trumps 2nd term look questionable?

As the summer approaches, we can expect the noise to build. In fact, it already has and China is not going to sit back. This time around there is too much at stake and, at a minimum, the goal must be to nudge Trump out of the Oval Office.

At the time of writing, the EUR was down by 0.27% to $1.08076. Dire economic data has left the EUR on the back foot once more.

One does wonder, however, whether Trumps immediate gamble to open the U.S economy at all costs will backfire. A sudden surge in new cases and, more importantly, COVID-19 related deaths, would sure undo all of the efforts made by the FED and Capitol Hill until now.

As geopolitical risk resurfaces, at a minimum, Trump will need to end the COVID-19 pandemic.

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

More From FXEMPIRE:
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 23:19:21|Editor: huaxia

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ADDIS ABABA, May 6 (Xinhua) -- As the world has been affected by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and demanding ventilators used to treat COVID-19 patients, a company in Ethiopia, dubbed Yascai, said it has produced a prototype of ventilators, eying partnership with companies in China to launch manufacturing of the products.

Speaking to Xinhua on Wednesday exclusively, Samuel Yitbarek, Chief Executive Officer of Yascai and Family Plc Ethiopia, said his company has already started contacting companies in China to partner on the production in Ethiopia of the product, not only for the local market, but to also serve overseas markets.

Established about 21 years ago, the company in Ethiopia is also known as the biggest labeling glue business made out of organic products. Yascai is currently producing casein-based labeling adhesives.

Emphasizing that innovation is the core value of the company's approach to produce quality and sustainable solutions, the Chief Executive Officer said Yascai endeavors to produce the ventilators upto the standard and supply to the market with fair price.

"The main thing that motivated and enabled us to come up with the idea of producing ventilators is our experience in the process automation. Given our experience in that regard, we have been able to adapt the technology for this product, and we have been able to produce the prototype," he said.

Stating that the Chinese have the expertise and better technologies of such products, Yitbarek has expressed his company's keen interest to partner with Chinese companies for manufacturing of the product.

Speaking of the China-Africa relations and cooperation, he reiterated that China has been supporting and partnering with African countries, whereby tangible results have been gained out of the cooperation in different areas.

He noted that the China-Africa partnership has brought significant contribution to infrastructure and industry development on the African continent, and most importantly job creation for the local people.

Hailing the assistance and support from China to Africa in the battle against COVID-19, he noted that China has been providing support of different forms in the fight against the pandemic on the continent and the rest of the world.

He noted that the Chinese experience in curbing the pandemic should serve as a big lesson to Africa and the rest of the world.

"In addition to donation of medical supplies, China has also been supporting our country and others, by sending medical experts to share their experience with our doctors so that we could address the problem," he said. Enditem
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip  A Georgian-Israeli billionaire believes he has found a solution to the Gaza Strips chronic water crisis.

Michael Mirilashvili wants to deliver hundreds of generators that produce drinking water out of thin air. His company, Watergen, sent a machine to a Gaza hospital last week in a rare case of Israeli-Palestinian cooperation in the Hamas-ruled enclave.

Gazas water situation is dire. Since the 2007 Hamas takeover of the crowded Palestinian territory, Gazas 2 million people have endured endured a crippling border blockade by Israel and Egypt that froze virtually all trade and most travel.

The 13-year-old lockdown, along with three Israel-Hamas wars, has produced chronic power cuts and damaged Gazas infrastructure, contributing to water contamination.

Electricity shortages prevent proper sewage treatment, forcing the strip to spew over 100,000 cubic meters (3.5 million cubic feet) of poorly treated sewage into the Mediterranean each day, according to U.N. estimates.

Gaza relies on an aquifer as its main source of potable water. But over-extraction has allowed sea water to seep in, rendering 97% of the areas water undrinkable.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Mirilashvili said he wants to send more water generators to Gaza because they are our neighbors and its a great pity to look at them suffering from such severe water shortages.

He spoke days after one of his machines was installed on the roof of the Al-Rantisi Medical Center in Gaza City. Just a day after delivery, the generator, a large blue cube roughly the size of a vending machine, began producing cold, clean water for the hospitals pediatric cancer ward.

Most of Gazas households buy water from private vendors who desalinate water at small-scale stations. But experts warn this water is impure. UNICEF estimates two-thirds of this water is already contaminated by the time it is delivered.

The children undergoing cancer treatment at the Gaza hospital need clean food and water because their immune system has been compromised, said Nima Ashour of the Palestine Childrens Relief Fund, a U.S.-based charity that runs the pediatric department.

The dire shortage of clean water makes the Watergen machine very important for the hospital, she said.

The Watergen device runs on electricity. But because of frequent power outages, the machine will soon be connected to solar panels. In the winter, the device can be hooked up to conventional power supplies.

Functioning like a dehumidifier, the machine extracts moisture from the air and converts it into drinking water. The machine sent to the Gaza hospital is a medium-sized model and generates about 800 liters, or over 200 gallons, a day. Watergen says its largest generators can provide clean drinking water to thousands of people. The company has also developed a new consumer version for home use.

Watergens technology was initially developed for military use in 2009, but it shifted gears to civilian markets after Mirilashvili bought the company in 2017.

Even the billionaire has had to wrestle with Israels military bureaucracy, which tightly controls access to Gaza. Mirilashvili said that it took him over a year to receive permission to transfer a first Watergen machine to Gaza. It was delivered to a southern town last December for a separate project.

Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas from arming, and it closely inspects all incoming cargo to make sure it is not used for military purposes.

After winning swift permission for the hospital project, Mirilashvili believes the procedure will now get easier and that he could deliver enough water generators to meet the territorys daily drinking water needs within a year. The generators can cost tens of thousands of dollars apiece. Watergen, which donated the new machine to the hospital, said it is prepared to sell additional devices to Gaza at a substantial discount.

COGAT, the Israeli defense body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs, said it coordinated the entry of the machine to Gaza. We will continue working around the clock to prevent the humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip from further deteriorating, said Col. Iyad Sarhan, a commander for Gaza affairs.

Mirilashvili, who was born in Georgia, controls a vast business empire that has included casinos, hotels, oil, real estate and Russias largest social network.

In the 2000s, he spent eight years behind bars in Russia on kidnapping charges he dismissed as fabricated. The European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2008 that he didnt receive a fair trial, and he was subsequently released. He now spends much of his time in Israel, where he is a prominent philanthropist.

Watergen has deployed its machines in over 60 countries, both developing countries lacking water infrastructure, such as India and Uzbekistan, and in areas of developed countries suffering from drought, such as California.

Mirilashvili donated the generator to the hospital after he was approached by Jerusalem-based Palestinian businessman Fayez Husseini, a former chief executive of Palestinian mobile phone company Wataniya. Husseini now owns a small firm that promotes water and solar projects in Gaza.

Husseini said he learned about the hospitals critical situation in February while working on another project with the Palestine Childrens Relief Fund. He said he looked at various options and concluded the Watergen machine provided the fastest and simplest solution.

It doesnt need pipes. It doesnt need concrete, he said.

Bassem Naim, a Hamas official who was not familiar with the project, said he believes its all right to cooperate with Israel in humanitarian matters that affect the life of Gazans.

Husseini said that for this project, Israeli authorities gave quick approval to move the generator across the border. Although there were no dealings with Hamas authorities in Gaza, he said he did not expect any trouble there either.

I think both sides need to take electricity and drinking water off the table, he said. This should not be part of politics.
Bengaluru, May 6 : The Karnataka government on Wednesday announced more financial support to the 15.8 lakh construction workers, even as a Labour Department official said that migrant labour was moving between different districts with negligible movement to other states.

"We have decided to provide Rs 3,000 each to 15.8 lakh registered construction workers in the state. This is over and above Rs 2,000 each already being transferred to their accounts," said Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said.

"To support large industries to overcome lockdown difficulties we have decided that payment of fixed charges in electricity bills of large industries will be deferred without penalty and interest for two months," he said.

Karnataka government has also waived two-months fixed electricity bills of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), including similar support to daily-wagers like barbers, taxi drivers, autorickshaw drivers and washermen.

Meanwhile, the Labour Department official said that migrant labourers are mostly moving in the districts but not out of the state.

He said such situation prevailed in Bengaluru. "We are in touch with migrant workers, and distributed food kits to them on Tuesday," said the official.

In the past three days, the department has distributed 30,000 food kits to construction workers in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahangara Palike (BBMP), Bengaluru Urban and Bengaluru Rural areas.

The official, however, said that the exact number of migrant labourers in Karnataka is not available. "We do not have the data on migrant labourers," he said.

He said the department stopped collecting information on migrant labourers from 28 districts a week ago.

On Tuesday, Yediyurappa held a meeting with builders to discuss about the migrant labour issue.

"Covid situation in the state is in control in comparison to other states. The builders said that the labourers were given all essential facilities and construction activities have already started," tweeted Yediyurappa.
A SWAT team, using an armoured vehicle, raided a Texas bar that opened in defiance of the states lockdown orders.

On Monday, the team raided Big Daddy Zanes Bar after the owner Gabrielle Ellison asked Open Texas  a group that goes around the state protesting for it to reopen  to help defend her place of business.

At least 20 protestors arrived to help Ms Ellison, and six were armed with AR-15 type weapons, according to the Odessa American.

Multiple police deputies and state troopers arrived at the bar on Monday, and aimed their guns at the protestors while telling them to stand down.

Ms Ellison was arrested for opening her bar during the lockdown, and the six armed men were also charged with possessing firearms on a licensed property.

Ector County Sheriff Mike Griffis, told the outlet that he understands Ms Ellisons argument for opening the bar, but said the armed men created a bigger problem.

Defying the governors orders is one thing, but when you bring a bunch of armed vigilantes in from other parts of the state for a show of force, I just got a problem with that, he said.

Texas governor Greg Abbott is currently enforcing social distancing measures in the state, but has started the process of reopening the economy.

Restaurants and malls reopened on 1 May, with a 25% capacity limit, and by 18 May, salons and business offices will be open with the same restrictions in place.

The state has been met with protests in recent weeks, and demonstrators have called for Texas to reopen and for social distancing measures to end.

The sheriff told Fox 24 that the raid was not intended to violate anybodys rights or take good citizens guns from them.

He added: Were just here to enforce the orders set forth by the governor and enforce the law, and said that the protesters were trying to intimidate people and provoke a response.

Ms Ellison said that she does not think the protesters should have been arrested.

They were practising their second amendment right to protect my first amendment. They have absolutely no business in this jail right now, no business at all, she said.

There have been a confirmed 32,332 cases of coronavirus in Texas, and upwards of 884 deaths, according to Googles dedicated coronavirus page.

According to a tracking project hosted by Johns Hopkins University, there are now upwards of 1.2 million people who have tested positive for coronavirus in the US. The death toll has reached at least 71,079.
India and Pakistan regularly shoot at each others forces across the Line of Control, the de facto border dividing Kashmir, a situation that some analysts have called a war by other means. Such provocations have intensified this year, violating an official cease-fire between the two nations. Cease-fire violations in the first four months of 2020 increased 67 percent over the same period in 2019, according to Indian data.
Shocking video appears to show the moment when a black man jogging in Georgia was gunned down by a man who claimed he was looking for a burglar suspect - as the victim's family lawyer says the footage clearly shows a 'murder.'

Ahmaud Arbery, 25, was killed Febuary 23 in a neighborhood outside the coastal port city of Brunswick. No one has been arrested or charged in the case, prompting an outcry from the local NAACP and others. Arbery was black and the men who chased him are white.

The cellphone video has circulated heavily across social media on the same day as an announcement from a Georgia prosecutor that he wants a grand jury to decide if criminal charges are warranted against the two men.

Arbery can be seen jogging down the street, in the middle of the road as the parked pickup truck waits further up. Gregory and Travis McMichael are believed to be the two men waiting at the vehicle.

Scroll down for video

Cellphone video has been circulating showing the moment Ahmaud Arbery, 25, was killedon Febuary 23 as he was jogging in a Georgia neighborhood

Arbery can be seen jogging down the street, in the middle of the road as the parked pickup truck waits further up. Gregory and Travis McMichael are believed to be the two men waiting at the vehicle. The clip shows the jogger trying to get around the group

Screaming can be heard, but it is inaudible.

The jogger can be seen trying to make his way around the vehicle but a man believed to be Travis blocks his path with a gun.

A shot can be heard and the two can then be seen scuffling as Arbery looks to try to get the gun away from Travis.

Two more shots can be heard and are fired at point-blank range before Arbery is seen stumbling to the ground.

Tom Durden, a Georgia prosecutor assigned to examine the case, declined to comment Tuesday when the prosecutor was asked if he could verify that the video showed the shooting of Arbery.

Durden announced on Tuesday he plans to have a grand jury hear the evidence in the shooting.

The announcement that a grand jury will review the case came as an attorney for Arbery's mother posted a cellphone video on Twitter that he said shows the shooting. 'This is murder,' lawyer Lee Merritt said.

'Mr. Arbery had not committed any crime and there was no reason for these men to believe they had the right to stop him with weapons or to use deadly force in furtherence of their unlawful attempted stop,' said a statement by Merritt, who represents Arbery's mother, Wanda Cooper.

A shot can be heard and the two can then be seen scuffling as Arbery looks to try to get the gun away from Travis. Two more shots can be heard and are fired at point-blank range before

Arbery can be seen stumbling to the ground as the clip comes to a close. 'This is murder,' Arbery's family lawyer, Lee Merritt said

The grand jury won't happen for more than a month, as Georgia courts remain largely closed because of the coronavirus until at least June 13.

'I am of the opinion that the case should be presented to the grand jury of Glynn County for consideration of criminal charges against those involved in the death of Mr. Arbery,' Durden said in a statement Tuesday.

Reached by phone, Durden said no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting. He declined to say what charges he would have a grand jury consider or to comment further.

John Perry, a Brunswick pastor and president of the local NAACP chapter, said he was glad to hear that Durden will send the case to a grand jury. But he was dismayed that the armed men who went after Arbery remain free.

'Mr. Arbery had not committed any crime and there was no reason for these men to believe they had the right to stop him with weapons or to use deadly force in furtherence of their unlawful attempted stop,' said a statement by lawyer Lee Merritt, who represents Arbery's mother, Wanda Cooper

'It's very problematic,' Perry said. 'To shoot and kill and not get arrested, it doesn't compute.'

Arbery was shot dead in the Satilla Shores neighborhood in Brunswick, Georgia, just after 1pm on February 23.

According to Glynn County Police, officers responded to the area as a result of a 911 call, but by the time they arrived to the scene Arbery had been shot by a white man identified as 34-year-old Travis McMichael.

Travis and his father, Gregory, 64, a retired Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney investigator, had seen Arbery, who was unarmed, running in the area and armed themselves before chasing him down in a pickup truck.

Ahmaud Arbery was shot dead in the Satilla Shores neighborhood in Brunswick, Georgia, just after 1pm on February 23

According to Glynn County Police, officers responded to the area as a result of a 911 call, but by the time they arrived to the scene Arbery had been shot by a white man identified as 34-year-old Travis McMichael (right). The other man was identified as Travis' father, Gregory (left)

According to The New Brunswick News, 911 dispatchers received two calls about Arbery being in the neighborhood.

About 50 seconds into one of the calls, the dispatcher interrupted the caller and said: 'I just need to know what he was doing wrong.'

During the chase, the McMichaels yelled for Arbery to stop because they wanted to talk to him, according to The New York Times.

They then pulled up to Arbery, and Travis got out of the truck with the shotgun.

Gregory claimed that Arbery started to 'violently attack Travis' and the two men started fighting over the shotgun.

That's when Travis fired one shot and then 'a second later there was a second shot'.

More than two months later and neither Gregory nor Travis McMichael have been charged with Arbery's death.

Arbery's family has started a Facebook page called I Run with Maud that serves as an outlet for relatives to advocate for justice.

'On February 23rd 2020, Ahmaud Arbery was wrongfully chased and killed by two individuals who took the law into their own hands after they thought Ahmaud 'looked suspicious' because he was 'running' down the street.

'Join us in bringing light to this tragedy as we demand justice for Ahmaud Arbery,' the page reads.

During the chase, the McMichaels yelled for Arbery (pictured with his family) to stop because they wanted to talk to him. They then pulled up to Arbery, and Travis got out of the truck with the shotgun

Gregory said Arbery (pictured with his family) started to 'violently attack Travis'. That's when Travis fired one shot and then 'a second later there was a second shot'. More than two months later and neither Gregory nor Travis McMichael have been charged with Arbery's death

In mid-April, the family shared a statement from the office of Jackie Johnson, the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District attorney, announcing that she had recused her office from the case because Gregory served as an investigator within the office.

Arbery's case was then sent to George E. Barnhill, the district attorney in Waycross, Georgia.

But he also had to recuse himself from the case after Arbery's mother argued that Barnhill had a conflict because his son also works for Johnson.

According to the Times, before Barnhill gave up the case, he had argued that there was not sufficient probable cause to arrest Arbery's attackers.

Barnhill claimed that the McMichaels were within their rights to carry their firearms under Georgia's open carry law and had the right to pursue a 'burglary suspect'.

Under Georgia law, Barnhill had argued that if Arbery attacked Travis, he was 'allowed to use deadly force to protect himself'.

Barnhill also claimed that Arbery had mental health issues and prior convictions, which include shoplifting and violating probation.

Arbery's defender, Michael J. Moore, called Barnhill's statements 'flawed', noting that the McMichaels were the ones who appeared to be the aggressors.

'The law does not allow a group of people to form an armed posse and chase down an unarmed person who they believe might have possibly been the perpetrator of a past crime,' Moore said, according to the Times.
FILE PHOTO: Jose Vinals, CEO of Standard Chartered PLC, speaks during an event to launch the private finance agenda for the 2020 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) at Guildhall in London

By Sinead Cruise and Iain Withers

LONDON (Reuters) - Standard Chartered defended its environmental credentials after renewed criticism from climate campaigners for its funding of fossil fuel companies as the bank held its annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday.

Chairman Jose Vinals delivered his message to investors via a video posted on the bank's website because the coronavirus lockdown restrictions in Britain means that shareholder gatherings are not allowed.

The Spanish economist, who has served as chairman of the bank since December 2016, said StanChart had "long recognised" the threat of climate change and would continue to "respond robustly", pointing to goals to help clients transition to having less than 10% of revenues derived from coal by 2030.

He reiterated the bank's targets to become net carbon zero in its own operations by the same year, and said it had an opportunity to play a leading role in delivery of the United Nations Sustainable Development goals, "pushing capital from where it is now to where it is most needed."

The pledges came a day after German environmental pressure group Urgewald renewed its calls on the bank to cease all financial services to companies expanding their fossil fuel activities.

"Divesting from all coal miners, utilities and service providers must be finalised by 2030. This is not about formalities, it is about killing an industry that is killing us," Katrin Ganswindt, Energy & Finance Campaigner at Urgewald said in a statement.

Urgewald said with $8.5 billion invested in coal plant developers, mainly in India, Indonesia and the Philippines, the Asia-focused bank has provided the most financing for coal expansion of all UK banks since the Paris Agreement.

PAY CONCESSIONS

Vinals told shareholders the bank's board had "acted decisively" to cut executive pension perks after a sizeable investor rebellion last year.

The bank has drawn criticism in the past few years after paying rewards and salaries out of kilter with shareholder returns and outsized pensions compared to the rest of its workforce.

Story continues

StanChart reduced Chief Executive Bill Winters and Chief Financial Officer Andy Halford's pension allowances by half to 10% of total salary from the start of this year.

The lender defines total salary as base salary plus a pay allowance paid in shares, meaning the pension contribution as a proportion of base pay dropped from 40% to 20%.

Last month, Winters and Halford said they would also take salary cuts and waive their cash bonuses for the year due to the coronavirus crisis. Winters also donated 825,000 pounds to the bank's COVID-19 Assistance Fund, Reuters reported.

Vinals also said the bank was well placed to benefit from a late 2020 economic rally, despite the "extraordinary" impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy.

All of the board's resolutions passed in proxy voting, with the remuneration report securing 97% support of votes cast, up from 89% the previous year.

(Reporting by Sinead Cruise and Iain Withers, editing by Kirstin Ridley and Jane Merriman)
The US Navy Blue Angels will be completing another flyover mission in New Orleans, Houston and the Dallas-Fort Worth areas today as a tribute to frontline workers risking their lives amidst the coronavirus.

When and where will it be happening?

There will be three flyovers throughout the day in different locales.

At 11am the first flyover will take place in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, it is expected to last around 35 minutes.

At 12.30pm the next display will take place in Houston and the surrounding cities, lasting about 30 minutes.

At 1.45pm the final leg of the flyover will take place in New Orleans completing a flight path over the city that will last 20 minutes.

The US Navy recommends that everyone avoid travelling and watch safely from their homes while practicing safe social distancing.

Why is the flyover happening?

The Blue Angels are one of the US military's flight demonstration squadrons and the tribute is being conducted as a sign of support for health care workers and first responders fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

Last month the Blue Angels conducted similar display with the Thunderbirds over New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington, Baltimore and Atlanta.

Those who do manage to capture images of the flight paths are encouraged to share them on social media with the hashtag #AmericaStrong.

America Strong is about showing how much we, as a nation, count on our frontline responders and that we have their back just like they have had ours, US Navy Cmdr. Brian Kesselring told CNN.

They have always been there for us all, holding our nation together, even more so during this pandemic. It is really impactful to see this nation come together and stand in solidarity during these unprecedented times.
TempleLive in Fort Smith, Arkansas has announced that Bishop Gunn frontman Travis McCready will perform at the venue on May 15. The concert is likely to be the first live concert performed to an audience in the United States since the spread of the novel coronavirus decimated the touring industry as large gatherings across the country were banned.

The venues 1,100-person maximum capacity has been reduced to 229 seats, separated into what Ticketmaster is calling fan pods, which are rows of 2-12 tickets sold in groups at least six feet apart, with the intention of isolating separate groups of people. All attendees are required to have their temperature taken upon entry and wear face masks, which will be sold at the event. A 10-person limit will be enforced in each bathroom.

The concert does not appear to adhere to Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinsons directive that limits audience sizes at venues to 50 people. The directive is intended to be implemented on May 18, three days after McCreadys scheduled performance in Fort Smith. Pitchfork has reached out to representatives at TempleLive.

Neighboring state Missouri became the first state in the U.S. to reopen live events amid the coronavirus pandemic on Monday (May 4), though the mayors of Missouris major cities St. Louis, Springfield, and Kansas City declared that the cities stay home orders will remain intact.

Read Pitchforks Updated List of Tours and Festivals Canceled or Postponed Due to COVID-19.

(When our readers buy something through links on our site, Pitchfork may earn a small commission.)

Originally Appeared on Pitchfork
By Kang Hyun-kyung





I happened to learn about a media competition for North Korea coverage many years ago which pit two leading newspapers against each other.







I won't disclose who shared this with me to protect their privacy, other than that it was at a lunch with a few journalists from other media outlets hosted by a government official.







Contrary to his calm demeanor, the soft-spoken official initiated a provocative talk. He asked a reporter from one of the leading newspapers who was among us that day whether a rumor about his company's rivalry with the other was correct or not.







The official said he heard a Beijing correspondent of the newspaper was stressed out because another Korean correspondent from a rival media outlet ran scoops on North Korea several times, thanks to his extensive network in China and sources who had insiders' views of the Hermit Kingdom. He mentioned a newspaper article about North Korea that was published that day by the rival media as the reason behind his question.







His "curiosity" seemed to have offended the reporter. The journalist said what was reported in the rival newspaper was a known thing as the Beijing correspondent of his company shared the same information a day earlier with his editor and fellow journalists, noting his company decided not to publish the story because it was unconfirmed.







"We filter stories like that," he noted.







He blamed the rival media for its "irresponsible stories" about North Korea.







"Previously, they published six stories about North Korean leader Kim Jong-il visiting China, each time claiming it was an exclusive. What happened was that the first five reports turned out to be baseless and the last one was true. The reporter got a prize for the scoop even though his previous five reports were not based on facts," he lamented.







I am a skeptic regarding news on North Korea.







I began to question the credibility of newspaper stories after

who tried to cooperate with U.S. experts to prepare for a post-unification Korea.



For journalists, I think, covering the North is a high-risk poker game. North Korea is an important foreign policy issue that can make or break the security of East Asia. Its nuclear program is a global security threat as well.







As the fellow journalist put it, the tricky thing is that in many cases, it's almost impossible to verify whether certain information obtained is true or not, mainly because of the reclusiveness of the state.



It's no exaggeration that North Korea news  other than some technical issues such as their nuclear tests or launching of missiles that can be verified  is doomed to be flawed.







The recent fuss about global media coverage of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's health, albeit embarrassing as it turned out to be wrong, is a reflection of the daunting reality journalists are facing.







Inaccurate reports deal a blow to the media, as well as the experts who were quoted in them.



Two lawmakers-elect  former North Korean diplomat Thae Yong-ho and fellow North Korean defector Ji Seong-ho  have been suffering the fallout of their previous media interviews about North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's health.







In an interview with CNN, Thae said Kim's health was in "grave danger" and he couldn't stand up by himself or walk properly. In an interview with other media, Ji said he was convinced Kim was already dead, noting he was 99 percent certain.







Their speculation turned out to be baseless. Kim reappeared in the North Korean state media with seemingly no major health issues some 20 days after he was last seen.



Their comments hurt their credibility. Thae and Ji offered apologies to the public for their hasty remarks, but some are still critical of the defectors.







I think it was inappropriate for the lawmakers-elect to have given inaccurate comments without checking the facts. But I have no intention to join the critics who insist the defectors be held accountable for sharing "fake news."







I would like to rely on what Jesus said to the crowd who tried to judge the woman caught in adultery in John 8:7 and react to those who are critical of the defectors with my own words.



"If there are any media or journalists having no previous records on misleading reports on North Korea, they feel free to accuse them of their careless remarks."




Chinese youngsters in the global virus epicentre of Wuhan filed back to class on Wednesday, wearing masks and walking in single file past thermal scanners.

Senior school students in 121 institutions were back in front of chalk boards and digital displays for the first time since their city -- the ground zero of the coronavirus pandemic -- shut down in January.

"School is finally reopening!" posted one user of Weibo, China's Twitter-like short messaging platform.

"This is the first time that I'm so happy to go back to school, although I have to sit a monthly examination on the 8th."

Teenagers sat at individual desks spaced a metre (3.3 feet) apart, seeing their teachers in the flesh after months of distance learning.

Wednesday's back-to-school was the latest step in a gradual normalising of life in Wuhan and surrounding Hubei province.

The city, where the coronavirus appeared late last year before spreading around the world, was locked down for 76 days and only reopened last month.

Only the province's oldest students were present on Wednesday -- vocational students and seniors who are due to take the make-or-break university entrance exams.

Return dates have generally not been confirmed for junior and middle school students, although some localities have allowed their return as well.

Officials in Wuhan say students and staff must all have had virus tests before going back to school, and campuses have been disinfected and cleaned.

In preparation for reopening, some schools spaced out their desks and organised smaller class sizes, according to local media.

Thermal scanners greeted everyone walking through school gates, and anyone with a high temperature was not allowed in.

State-run China Daily said some places arranged staggered arrival times for teachers and students.

Armed police officers were seen standing guard at the entrance of Wuhan No.17 Middle School, with officers also pictured outside other schools around the province.

Story continues

Elsewhere in China, schools that have been closed or online-only since January began gradually reopening last month, with Beijing and Shanghai letting some students return last week.

China's major cities are gradually returning to normal after imposing strict travel restrictions and closing huge swathes of the economy to control the spread of the virus.

In recent months infections nationwide have dwindled, and there have been no new cases reported in Hubei province for over a month.

Over a five-day holiday to start the month, there were 115 million domestic trips, with many tourist sites reopening -- although with limited attendance.

Shanghai Disneyland will reopen next week, the entertainment giant said Tuesday, with enhanced safety measures including temperature screening and social distancing.

However, most foreigners are still banned from entering the country as China works to contain infections being brought in from overseas.

Chinese nationals returning home must undergo 14 days of quarantine.
While Elizabeth Aguirre was being treated for coronavirus at Christ Hospital, she kept thinking of the people that depended on her. She had a 4-year-old son at home, and her parents, who lived in Ecuador, relied on the money she sent them.

She was also 20 weeks pregnant with a daughter.

As Aguirre, 40, deteriorated in the hospital, doctors tried many strategies to save her and her unborn daughter: intubation, courses of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin, and, for the first time at Christ Hospital, the anti-Ebola medicine remdesivir. On Tuesday, after 24 days in the hospital, she returned home to her family.

All I could do was ask God to give me the opportunity to live through this to take care of my children, she said through an interpreter.

On March 23, Aguirre, a Union City customer service agent, first noticed her symptoms: fever, chills, headaches, shortness of breath. She was admitted to the Jersey City hospital on March 30.

Aguirre was entering a war zone. Hudson Countys outbreak was still accelerating, and Christ Hospital was dealing with a tidal wave of patients, the hospitals chief medical officer, Dr. Tucker Woods, said in March. The hospital was running critically low on ventilators and protective gear, and patients were being housed in previously unused rooms.

Normally staff saw roughly five or six intubations a day. During the outbreak, more than 20 patients were on ventilators every day.

I was thinking about all of the things that I saw in the news media, about how many people were dying at that moment, Aguirre said. I was very scared.

Aguirre was assigned to the care of Dr. Shil Patel. A gastroenterology fellow, Patel was not supposed to be taking charge of patients who were critically ill with respiratory diseases. But after the massive influx of coronavirus patients, Patel agreed to brush up on his general medicine and step in.

There was a period of time where I (was) just reading like a madman, trying to catch up on if theres anything new that Ive been missing, Patel said.

Taking care of Aguirre was a little nerve-wracking, he said, in her case particularly because shes pregnant.

Id already seen quite a (number) of patients not doing so well, and unfortunately not even making it, he said. I didnt want her, obviously, to be another one of those patients."

Aguirre was isolated and put on high-flow oxygen. Because her pregnancy was still early, Patel said the doctors attention was focused on saving her life. If her condition took a turn for the worse, it would be extremely difficult to save the baby. She remembers being told that her chances of recovery were low.

Patel hoped that Aguirre would follow a path that theyd seen in some other patients: We would essentially support her, take care of her until her symptoms (peaked)," he said. "And she would ease her way into again normalizing.

Instead, Aguirres condition deteriorated. Doctors tried the antimalarial hydroxychloroquine and the antibiotic azithromycin, with little effect. On April 2, she was put on a ventilator. Doctors say theyve learned that once patients are intubated with a ventilator, its extremely difficult to get them off again. Many die on the machines.

Aguirres doctors had already decided to explore other avenues. Theyd heard that California-based pharmaceutical company Gilead was offering the drug remdesivir, which was initially developed to treat Ebola, for compassionate use, meaning that the drug could be used to treat severely ill patients as a last resort.

At that point, using remdesivir was granted on a case-by-case basis, and was allowed for only two categories of patient: children and pregnant women.

But figuring out how to secure the drug was another challenge.

I was like, all right, how the hell do I do this? Patel said. Our hospital is not one of those big hospitals. We dont even have departments that (are) familiar with this.

Patel contacted Gilead, which sent instructions: Aguirre would need to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and that approval would then need to be sent to Gilead, which would then send a course of the medicine. Some 36 hours and one sleepless night later, Patel succeeded in acquiring the drug.

The remdesivir arrived in time to start treating Aguirre just a day or two after she was intubated.

After the drug was administered, Aguirre improved. Her breathing got stronger, and she stopped depending on the ventilator. She was extubated after just three days on the machine.

I just remember that I just continuously kept breathing to help my lungs get better, Aguirre said. I was just thinking to breathe.

She spent the next 18 days in the hospital in what Patel calls a recovery phase. On April 23, she was discharged. For fear of spreading the disease, Aguirre instead went to stay at her mother-in-laws home. She still needs oxygen for most of the day, but her breathing is improving, and her gynecologist told her that the babys heart is healthy.

Patel is wary of attributing her recovery to remdesivir, though the hospital has expanded its use of the drug.

Its hard to tell if it was just the course of the disease, because she was still a relatively young patient, or if it was the drug itself, he said.

On Tuesday, Aguirre received the results of her last coronavirus test: negative. For the first time in a month, she was able to come home and see her husband and son.

I was crying. He was crying, she said. Im very happy that Im cured.
Regarding Tara Reades allegation that she was sexually assaulted by Joe Biden in 1993, and what the allegation could mean for Democrats this fall, some stock phrases come to mind. Hoisted on their own petard. Whats sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Be careful what you wish for.

Above all: The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Lets not start with the Brett Kavanaugh precedent. Rewind instead to 2011, when then-Vice President Biden and Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced a new policy of comprehensive guidance on matters of sexual violence and harassment for any school, college or university receiving federal aid. The guidance, issued in the form of a Dear Colleague letter, demanded that campus administrators use a preponderance of evidence standard  also known as 50 percent plus a feather  to adjudicate accusations of sexual assault.

As with so many such policies, the intentions were irreproachable. To take a zero-tolerance attitude toward every form of sexual abuse. To transform the way that women thought of their experiences of abuse and of their rights. To teach men to think much harder about their behavior and their responsibilities. As Biden put it in a 2015 speech, We need a fundamental change in our culture. And the quickest way to change culture is to change it on campuses of America.

But if the goal was laudable, the means frequently were not. Its one thing to use a preponderance of evidence standard in a civil case. Its another when theres a 50 percent minus a feather chance that an innocent person might have his (and occasionally her) reputation destroyed and life wrecked by a dubious accusation.

Within a few years there were at least hundreds of such cases. Accused students, sometimes facing charges based on ambiguous sexual encounters, were left to fend for themselves in campus tribunals with little regard for due process. Guilty verdicts in these kangaroo courts tended to run high but so did stories of financial settlements between schools and the families of the accused.

Theres no reason why one cant be in favor of tough penalties for sexual misconduct and fairness toward the accused. But if Biden ever spoke up against the miscarriages of justice carried out in the name of his policy, Im unaware of it.

Nor, with honorable exceptions like The Washington Posts Ruth Marcus, do I recall liberal politicians and pundits worrying about the unintended consequences of the #BelieveWomen approach to allegations of sexual misconduct. So long as it was politically advantageous  as it was with Kavanaugh accuser Christine Blasey Ford  then women were seen as courageous truth tellers.

By contrast, when it was not advantageous  as it was with Bill Clinton accusers like Juanita Broaddrick and Kathleen Willey, or with Reade today  then they were unreliable people whose accounts had to be scrupulously weighed against the available evidence.

This is the heads, I win; tails you lose school of political argument. It fits in well with the sentence first  verdict afterward school of legal judgment from which it emerges, along with the all women are truthful, but some are more truthful than others school of forensic analysis.

In his Friday morning interview on MSNBC, Biden was asked by Mika Brzezinski how he could square his past support for Blasey Ford  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, as he said at the time  with his insistence that Reades allegation is unequivocally false. Bidens answer, Women have a right to be heard, and the press should rigorously investigate claims they make, was what a lawyer would call nonresponsive. Being heard is not, and should never be, the same thing as being believed. The entire difference between hearsay and proof, rumor and reason, mob rule and justice, lies in the distinction.

For my part, I dont believe Biden. I dont believe Reade, either, barring dispositive factual disclosures. Belief in the absence of convincing evidence is a form of religion. It should not be a part of our legal system, confirmation hearings, campus codes or political campaigns.

What I do believe in is the presumption of innocence, whether in courts of law or public opinion, and in high standards of proof for high sorts of crime. Thats a presumption I will continue to extend to Biden. The least he can do now is extend it to everyone else, including those who suffered when he didnt.

Stephens has been an Opinion columnist with the New York Times since April 2017.
Midland Countys elections administrator said Tuesday her office is anticipating the coronavirus pandemic will create several challenges with the next election.

A runoff election for 142nd District Court judge will take place on July 14, according to Elections Administrator Carolyn Graves. Mary Baker and David Rogers were scheduled to face off this month after neither captured more than 50 percent of the vote in the Republican primary, but the election was delayed over COVID-19 concerns.

Graves served as assistant elections administrator for 11 years before she was appointed to her new position six weeks ago. She was appointed after the previous elections administrator, Deborah Land, resigned on March 16, several months after she accepted responsibility for a lost ballot box generating chaos during the Midland ISD bond election in November.

Many states have postponed or canceled their primary elections amid the pandemic. State leaders in Wisconsin opted not to postpone their Democratic presidential primary and are now facing lawsuits from voters who say they were disenfranchised.

Graves told county commissioners on Tuesday she believes the county should prepare for similar legal challenges. County Attorney Russell Malm said he also expects Midland County could face lawsuits related to the runoff election.

While some states have switched exclusively to mail-in elections for the time being, or expanded provisions for those requesting mail-in ballots, Texas has not, Graves said.

There has been a lot of speculation out there that if you felt at-risk by the COVID-19 that you could ask for a ballot by mail, she said. We got a directive from the Department of Justice that is not the case.

She said only residents who are over the age of 65, disabled, or who will be outside the county on Election Day can request mail-in ballots. The Elections Office receives no more than 2,500 mail-in ballots in any election, she said.

Graves encouraged anyone who does qualify to vote by mail to do so.

In addition to potential lawsuits and limited mail-in options, Graves expressed concern there could be a shortage of volunteers to work the election, as most workers fall into the elderly and at-risk categories.

We are concerned we might not even have enough workers to have the July 14 runoff election, she said.

Graves said she has ordered personal protective equipment for staff but does not know if it will be delivered before the election. Nationwide shortages have created significant backlogs for entities seeking protective gear.

Graves remarks to commissioners were given during a strategic planning meeting, in which county department heads were asked to detail how the coronavirus could affect their departments over the next year.

Increase in child abuse cases

Malm said during the planning meeting that the county already has seen a rise in child abuse cases, and he expects that trend to last as long as the economic downturn does. He said there is an increase in cases involving Child Protective Services any time the economy is in bad shape.

The family courts office may need to hire an additional staff member to assist with the added case load, he said.

Civil cases could create backlog

The postponing of all civil cases could create a backlog in when these cases are settled or go to trial, according to Judge David Cobos, Justice of the Peace for Precinct 2.

Gov. Greg Abbotts order to temporarily halt evictions could also create an influx of civil cases on June 1, Cobos said, as landlords file to evict tenants unable to pay their rent because of the pandemic.

Property taxes will decline significantly

The economic downturn inevitably will lead to a reduction in property tax revenue for the county, according to County Auditor Veronica Morales. This will not affect revenue for 2021, she said, but the auditors office is predicting a 40 to 50 percent drop in property tax revenue for 2022.

She said they are also expecting a large decrease in sales tax revenue, but its unclear by how much.
To live in New York is to know the city as a patchwork of tight-knit neighborhoods defined by local characters: the beloved bartender, the mayor of the block, the habitual stoop-sitter, the chatty sidewalk vendor.

And while the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 18,000 city residents, has claimed the lives of prominent figures, the wider toll has been on these lesser-known but no less distinctive citizens.

When the city struggles back to a semblance of normalcy, New Yorkers will emerge from their homes and greet one another, only to find gaping holes in the human fabric that fixtures like these helped weave together.
- The 15-day orders which will take effect from 7 pm beginning May 6 will also see markets, restaurants and eateries shut down

- The government also halted some operations at the Port of Mombasa and directed non-essential employees to stay home

- The control measures were informed by many coronavirus cases reported from the two affected area with Eastleigh registering 71 patients

The government has imposed restriction of movement in and out of select coronavirus hotspot areas in Nairobi and Mombasa counties.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe announced cessation of movement in and out of Eastleigh estate in Nairobi and Mombasa Old Town in a bid to slow the virus spread.

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READ ALSO: William Ruto ignored my advice against dissolution of URP, said Uhuru was his friend - Alfred Keter

The 15-day orders which will take effect from 7pm beginning Wednesday, May 6, will also see markets, restaurants and eateries shut down.

There shall be cessation of movement in and out of Eastleigh area of Nairobi with effect from today May 6, 2020 at 7pm for the next 15 days. There shall be cessation of movement in the area known as Old Town in Mombasa with effect from today May 6, 2020 at 7pm for the next 15 days, he said.

READ ALSO: Idadi ya vifo kutokana na COVID-19 yaongezeka Uingereza na kupiku Italia

A normal day in Eastleigh market. The area has been put on lockdown for 15 days. Photo: Business Daily.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Opinion: Local universities doing good job in fight against coronavirus

Additionally, the government halted some operations at the Port of Mombasa and directed non essential employees to stay home to allow core duties.

Kagwe clarified the specific geographical areas of locked down estates will be specified by the Ministry of Interior adding that public transport into the two estates will remain suspended.

Health CS Kagwe warned of dire consequences to those flouting guidelines. Photo: Ministry of Health.

Source: UGC

The control measures were informed by many coronavirus cases reported from the two affected area with Eastleigh currently standing at 71 patients.

"If you have a colleague in Eastleigh dont let them come to stay with you if they have not taken a test. I request people to take responsibility," he urged.

During the daily briefs, the CS announced confirmation of additional 47 cases bringing the national tally to 582 as on Wednesday, May 6.

Out the 47 new cases, 32 are from Mombasa, 11 from Nairobi (eight in Eastleigh), two from Busia and one each in Kiambu and Kwale counties.

The two more patients succumbed to the virus at their homes in Mombasa putting number of casualties at 26.

The CS continued to beseech members of the public not to disregard the government recommended guidelines such as curfew and social distancing.

"People, do not break the curfew regulations because severe action will be taken against you. We ask you to stay home if you do not have to work in an office," he warned.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Kenyans come through for elderly couple kicked out by landlady over rent arrears | Tuko TV.

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Actor and Bear State native Clark Duke (The Office, Kick-Ass, Hot Tub Time Machine) shows he has good taste by opening his directorial debut with a quote from Charles Portis, an author of such cult-inspiring comic invention that hes been compared to Mark Twain, Cormac McCarthy, and Tom Wolfe. Most of the fuss about Portis stems from his 1968 novel True Grit, which Hollywood adapted twice, once with an Oscar-winning John Wayne and then a Coen brothers version with Jeff Bridges. But if you want the cream of this Dixie yarn-spinners crop, check out 1979s The Dog of the South, a tale of deadly doings that brims over with deadpan humor and internal monologues that sing on the page. Bill Hader has been promising for years to make a film version. While were waiting, heres the quote from the novel that Duke uses to kickstart his own Portis-flavored movie: A lot of people leave Arkansas, and most of them come back sooner or later. They cant quite achieve escape velocity.

Excuse the rambling introduction, but rambling is what Arkansas is all about. And not being able to achieve escape velocity is at its core. Take Kyle, the improbably handsome and impeccably groomed drunk embodied by Liam Hemsworth. Im a drug dealer, bottom rung, Kyle describes himself, adding that organized crime in the South is not that organized, just a loose affiliation of deadbeats and scumbags. Thats how Kyle links up with Swin, winningly played by Duke as an unjustifiably over-confidant scam artist with a wispy mustache and a wardrobe made up of Hawaiian shirts and track pants.

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Are you one of those witty people? Kyle asks with annoyance. Ive been called worse, says the amiable Swin. And a mismatched partnership is born. At the request of their unseen boss named Frog (Vince Vaughn), the boys run a truckload of drugs out of state only to be stopped by Bright (John Malkovich taking quirky to the max), a park ranger who pegs them correctly as amateurs. No matter since Bright is also on the Frogmans payroll and able to set them up with covers as junior rangers. Brights rules include no fraternizing with locals, which prompts Swin to hit on Johnna (Eden Brolin), an employee at the Piggly Wiggly who tells Swin hes creepy. Do you like creepy? asks Swin. The maybe look she gives Swin is deliciously funny and Brolin (daughter of Josh, Thanos himself) is a find whose fresh comic timing comes with genuine emotional nuance.

Story continues

Wheres all this going? If narrative drive is your thing, steer clear of Arkansas, which revels in an appealing randomness that becomes its saving grace. The animating action kicks in when a livewire Vaughn makes his appearance as Frog. And not just an appearance, we get Frogs backstory, about how he learned his criminal trade and the importance of cost analysis from Almond (the always-electric Michael Kenneth Williams) and then took over himself by any means necessary. Frogs cohort  played by Vivica A. Fox, and known only as Her to avoid wiretaps  keeps an eye out as the violence escalates. I like boys like you, she tells Kyle and Swin. They dont get hung up on living a long life.

Frog, who lets say to avoid spoilers hides in plain sight, likes the fact that Kyle and Swin are dim bulbs he can easily manipulate: Whether they have a plan or theyre just lost in a maze of their own fuck-ups dont matter.

What does matter, besides the collection of deranged characters who cant escape their limitations, is the southern-fried atmosphere so resonantly captured by DP Steven Meizler (Contagion). Though there is a brutal scene shot in one of the famous bathhouses of Hot Springs  the hometown of Clark Duke and Bill Clinton  most of Arkansas was actually filmed in Alabama to take advantage of tax incentives. The irony seems only right for a film in which time and place are basically states of mind. Duke, working from a script he and Andrew Boonkrong carved out a 2008 book by John Brandon, fares best at catching the vibe of characters going nowhere in no particular hurry. The rush toward a coherent ending defeats the purpose. Kyle had previously told us: I always suspected that I didnt want the desirable things in life  women, cars, houses  the things people use to chisel out a tidy philosophy of life. I was just as pleased to get drunk or drink a bunch and not get drunk. If those words speak to you, Arkansas is a movie destination that wont disappoint. Once scheduled to premiere in March at SXSW,

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Everyone calls her Toni. Mothers take selfies of her with their children, and street hawkers push bracelets into her hand as presents. Artists sketch her portrait and post them to social media. TV networks vie for interviews and run profiles asking, Who is Maria Antonieta Alva?

The answer: Shes the 35-year-old finance minister of Peru steering an ambitious recovery package during a devastating pandemic, and she is winning praise for its generosity to small businesses and ordinary citizens.

From a Latin perspective, Peru is a clear leader in terms of macro response, said Ricardo Hausmann, a Harvard economist who was Alvas professor and is leading a team of experts advising Peru and 10 other countries on mitigating the effects of coronavirus. You could have imagined a very different outcome if Toni werent there.

Appointed only last October, Alva is increasingly seen as a central figure in President Martin Vizcarras cabinet, part of a rising generation of new leaders, and spends a great deal of time explaining public policy to a nervous public.

Shes very good at communicating and thats become much more important in the current context, said Carlos Oliva, Alvas predecessor in the post.

While Alvas the only woman, she is part of a group of millennial finance ministers in the region, including Argentinas Martin Guzman, 37, the Dominican Republics Juan Ariel Jimenez, 35, and Ecuadors Richard Martinez, 39.

These arent easy times to oversee policy and it remains to be seen whether Alva survives. Some economists forecast a drop in GDP of more than 10% this year, the worst in decades, along with mass unemployment. She also has to contend with a populist agenda from the congress (where the government has no representation) that undermines the ministrys, with elections less than a year away.

Her office said Alva wasnt available for an interview.

Back to Growth

Alvas initial focus was on reversing a slump in government infrastructure outlays by helping regional and local authorities spend faster, which led to a record increase in public investment. She wanted to reduce deficits in health, education and infrastructure, and get Peru back to growth after a decade-low 2.2% rate last year.

Since the pandemic broke -- and it has hit Peru especially hard despite an early severe lockdown -- her focus switched to containment, including aid for families and businesses, and preparing for a reactivation with this months reopening.

The daughter of Jorge Alva, a civil engineer whos rector of the Universidad Nacional de Ingenieria (and a former teacher of Vizcarra), Alva has said she was exposed to the extreme poverty in Peru as a child when she accompanied her father on visits to its hinterland, and was determined to change things.

In a region known for its machismo, where female accomplishment is often largely seen through the prism of motherhood, Alva cuts an unusual figure, decked out in no-nonsense clothes and a distinctive piece of jewelry: a gold necklace with a pendant in the shape of Peru.

Shes strong but not aggressive, observed Patricia Zarate, head of polling at the Institute of Peruvian Studies. She shows it through her work. Its a different type of female empowerment.

Just Machismo

Some sneered at her ministerial appointment, saying she was there because she was someones daughter rather than because of her years in public finance. Its impossible not to think this is just machismo, she said at the time. If I were a man, that wouldnt necessarily have been called into question.

Alva attended a Peruvian university and then got a masters in public administration from Harvard in 2014. She spent most of the past decade working for the government in public planning and expenditure, including two years overseeing the countrys $52-billion national budget.

Just months into her ministerial tenure, epidemiologists presented the government with a dilemma -- lock down the population, including millions of shopkeepers, artisans and street sellers who live hand-to-mouth, or the health system risks collapsing under the strain of virus patients.

After consulting economists in Peru and overseas, she negotiated with cabinet colleagues to build a consensus for an array of solutions including cash handouts, payroll subsidies and government-backed business loans, none of which had been tried before in Peru.

Its been her push within the government that has led to such a clear articulation of the measures and the response, said Jaime Reusche, an analyst at Moodys Investors Service.

Two weeks ago, Peru sold $3 billion of bonds in the international market at record low rates in a show of investor confidence.

Country of Paradoxes

Peru, with 32 million inhabitants, is a country of paradoxes. It has internationally recognized economic institutions and large foreign reserves, yet health care and education are among the most under-funded in the Americas.

As a student Alva was troubled by those contradictions and by ongoing inequality and poverty, said Enrique Vasquez, who taught her at Universidad del Pacifico in Lima. While studying, she co-founded a charity to help poor children attend university and started a public-policy debate group. Upon graduation, she went to the Finance Ministry.

She attended Harvard on scholarship and spent two months in India studying educational opportunities for girls. She returned to Peru to work at the Education Ministry, becoming head of planning and budget, before returning to the Finance Ministry to oversee the budget and a team of more than 150 people.

It hasnt been all smooth sailing as a minister. For many, the cash handouts are arriving too slowly, meaning the lockdown has left them with no income, food or shelter. As the virus digs deep, thousands whove lost jobs are leaving Lima and returning to their home provinces in desperation.

In February, the chairman of Perus state oil company, Petroperu, quit after calling Alva stupid in a taped, expletive-laden conversation, for not authorizing $1.5 billion in financing. Days later, a group of university students draped banners over 18 highway bridges supporting Alva.

Last week, there were rumors on social media of her resignation amid claims that her family was benefiting from the rescue package. She denied the resignation and said her finances were publicly available online.

Vasquez, the professor, recalled a conversation he had with her when she was a student. I said to her, Toni, I hope one day you get the chance to be president of Peru. But youre going to need to be minister first. She just smiled.

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Need to know more about coronavirus in New York? Sign up for THE CITYs daily morning newsletter.

Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance Jr. is blaming the coronavirus pandemic to justify dropping charges in a major construction fraud case tainted by allegations of prosecutorial misconduct, THE CITY has learned.

In what appears to be the first instance of COVID-19 knocking out a high-profile criminal prosecution in New York City, Vance revealed in court papers filed Monday that he wont put a key bribery case back before a grand jury.

Thats because the actions of sitting grand juries have been suspended and no new panels have been convened since mid March when the coronavirus forced the shutdown of much of the states court system.

The case dropped by Vance involved one of several defendants in a wide-ranging construction bribery prosecution thats now the subject of an internal review. At issue are accusations that the lead prosecutor in the case, Diana Florence, withheld evidence undermining her star witness.

One of those defendants was Henry Chlupsa, a former executive of an engineering firm charged with bribing the witness, a city bureaucrat, for inside information to win multi-million-dollar contracts.

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Thomas Farber convicted Chlupsa in November following a three-week non-jury trial. Weeks later, Chlupsas attorney, Nelson Boxer, learned that the DAs office had failed to turn over thousands of internal emails and interviews with the informant in which he claimed he never took bribes from anyone.

In January, Nelson asked Farber to vacate the conviction and dismiss the indictment.

Bid to Conserve Resources

In a court filing Monday, Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Moore Jr. agreed the conviction should be vacated, conceding the DAs office hadnt handed over the disputed material as it should have.

Moore insisted, though, the criminal charges against Chlupsa were still viable. But because of the COVID-19 restrictions on grand juries, the DA decided not to bring a new case against the now 77-year-old Chlupsa, Moore said.

In an effort to conserve resources, especially in light of the coronavirus pandemic, and for the other reasons described below, the People will not be seeking to re-present new charges against the defendant to a new grand jury, Moore wrote.

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, no new grand juries will be convened for the foreseeable future, he noted.

Under normal circumstances, grand juries  which in New York consist of 23 citizens meeting in a room to hear evidence  vote on whether to hand up an indictment.

An indictment is a formal allegation that must be resolved either by plea or trial. Law enforcement is required to bring a case to a grand jury within six days of arrest or release the defendant.

But with COVID-19 wreaking havoc on the criminal justice system and making it impossible for 23 New Yorkers to gather in a relatively small room, Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order suspending that rule. The state Office of Court Administration shut down grand juries until further notice.

Danny Frost, a spokesperson for Vance, said the Chlupsa case is the only major case dropped by the Manhattan DA so far due to the virus crisis.

Frost said prosecutors handling other ongoing grand jury investigations are still able to issue subpoenas and continue pursuing cases. But he acknowledged that because the grand juries cannot meet in person, they cannot vote to indict.

Thats put all cases pending when the virus struck are now in a state of suspended animation. The stuck-in-time cases include major white collar fraud, public corruption and racketeering prosecutions.

Probes Go On

Its not just a challenge for Vances office: The city Department of Investigation, for instance, had multiple pending cases before grand juries when the virus all but shut courts.

Diane Struzzi, a DOI spokesperson, said Tuesday that the agencys investigators are finding ways to work around the frozen state of grand juries.

Not convening grand juries has had an impact on how cases move forward, but that situation has not resulted in the abandonment of any DOI case or a slowdown in DOIs work, Struzzi said.

She added that DOI investigators are instead focusing on case aspects that can be accomplished consistent with remote work and social distancing.

Thats led to prioritizing investigations that involve a lot of email and records review over cases that require door-knocking and interviewing witnesses, Struzzi said.

The judge who convicted Chlupsa must still approve the motion to vacate that conviction.

On Tuesday, Boxer, Chlupsas attorney, stated, After a long, hard fight, its a big step towards justice for Henry.

But he disagreed with the DAs assessment that it was still possible to bring a case against his client. Boxer contended the case was fatally damaged by the DAs office withholding of evidence.

The Chlupsa decision by Vance marked the second time charges against defendants in the big construction bribery case overseen by Florence have been tossed. In February, another judge threw out the case against another engineer, Kyriacos Pierides, calling the scope of the withheld evidence in that case staggering.

As THE CITY revealed in January, Florence resigned from the DAs office and was replaced as head of Vances Construction Fraud Task Force. Vance has said his office is reviewing the handling of the bribery case  scrutiny that Frost said Tuesday was ongoing.

Florence has said she turned over the material as soon as she learned of its existence. In her resignation letter, she charged she faced a hostile work environment, bullying and interference with pending legal cases while for Vance.

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Steel and iron manufacturing giant, B5 Plus Ghana Limited, has debunked media reports that it has increased the prices of its products amid the coronavirus.

A report by the news portal, ModernGhana had indicated that B5 Plus and some six other steel companies have increased their prices despite enjoying 50% reduction in electricity bills.

The report implied some level of insensitivity on the part of B5 Plus with the price increment at a time the country is facing challenges due to coronavirus.

But Chairman of B5 Plus Limited, Mukesh Thakwani, in a brief interaction with the media on Wednesday, May 6, 2020, dismissed the report, saying never has B5 Plus Limited and any other steel company increased their prices in such trying times.

Mr. Thakwani says the company was more focused on supporting the country to overcome the coronavirus pandemic and not money-conscious.

Contrary to claims that the company was enjoying a 50% reduction in electricity, he says B5 Plus has not even received its electricity bill for the month to know how much it is going to pay or how much the reduction is.

According to him, B5 Plus has rather been facing water and electricity challenges for the past six months.

In spite of the challenges, he says B5 Plus has been highly responsive to the plight of everyone during the pandemic and shall remain committed in helping the less privileged and the State until the pandemic was over.

In that regard, he welcomed all Government and private hospitals to visit B5 Plus Limited at Kpone with their oxygen cylinders for free oxygen.

He says B5 Plus has been distributing free oxygen since the beginning of the crisis and shall continue to do so, with the view of helping to save lives.

Mr. Thakwani bemoaned how challenging it has been for the company to maintain its operations during the pandemic.

He says the company's costs of production have gone up significantly, but still maintaining its operations to ensure that people get jobs to do to be able to cater for their families in these trying times.

According to him, the company has been providing free meals, Personal Protective Equipment to its employees since the outbreak of the virus.

He says the company has also been providing meals for families of its employees.

Other Contributions

In addition, he stated that B5 Plus in spite of the challenges it is facing has donated about 1,000 free meals to residents within the communities in which it operates.

Also, he disclosed that the company has been donating PPEs to residents and has contributed a whooping Ghc 300,000 to the National Covid-19 Trust Fund established by President Nana Akufo-Addo.

He seized the opportunity to praise the Ghanaian Government for the excellent manner in which it has managed the coronavirus situation in Ghana.

Mr. Thakwani called for cooperation and collaboration from across board in the management of coronavirus in the country, saying emphatically that the only way everyone will truly win the covid-19 is when Ghana as a country wins the pandemic.

During these trying times, he says it was not in the interest of the company to focus on making profit when indeed many people are suffering.

He stated that the company's primary concern is humanity's survival and not a money-making agenda.

That, he said, was evidenced by the fact that despite the electricity and water crisis facing the company coupled with unexpected expenditures occasioned by a coronavirus, the company has continued to maintain its prices, give back to society across board, and still keep its employees and paying them their salaries.

Appeal To Media

He has therefore appealed to the media to always cross-check for facts and speak to both sides to an issue before publishing their stories.

He stated that some degree of checks and balancing would have prevented ModernGhana from going ahead with such a misleading reportage.

He was of the view that in such trying times, the media should be of support to companies that are helping the State and the less privileged and not rather worsen the plight of companies by creating disaffection for them (firms) through wrong or false reportages.

---Daily Guide
CHICAGO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Grubhub Inc. (NYSE: GRUB), a leading online and mobile food-ordering and delivery marketplace, today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2020 and also posted a letter to shareholders on its investor relations website. The Company reported revenues of $363 million, which is a 12% year-over-year increase from $324 million in the same period last year. Gross Food Sales grew 8% year-over-year to $1.6 billion, up from $1.5 billion in the same period last year.

"The restaurant industry is facing enormous challenges in light of the difficult, but necessary, steps taken to keep us safe as we fight COVID-19," said Matt Maloney, Grubhub founder and CEO. "Grubhub is using nearly all of our profits in the second quarter to generate as many additional orders for our restaurant partners as possible. We hope that the darkest days are behind our restaurant partners and they can start focusing on the recovery."

First Quarter 2020 Highlights

The following results reflect the financial performance and key operating metrics of our business for the three months ended March 31, 2020, as compared to the same period in 2019.

First Quarter Financial Highlights

Revenues: $363.0 million , a 12% year-over-year increase from $323.8 million in the first quarter of 2019.

, a 12% year-over-year increase from in the first quarter of 2019. Net Income (Loss): $(33.4) million , or $(0.36) per diluted share, a decrease from $6.9 million , or $0.07 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2019.

, or per diluted share, a decrease from , or per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2019. Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA: $21.0 million , a 59% year-over-year decrease from $50.9 million in the first quarter of 2019.

, a 59% year-over-year decrease from in the first quarter of 2019. Non-GAAP Net Income (Loss): $(37) thousand , or $(0.00) per diluted share, a decrease from $27.9 million , or $0.30 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2019.

First Quarter Key Business Metrics Highlights1

Active Diners: 23.9 million, a 24% year-over-year increase from 19.3 million Active Diners in the first quarter of 2019.

Daily Average Grubs (DAGs): 516,300, a 1% year-over-year decrease from 521,000 DAGs in the first quarter of 2019.

Gross Food Sales: $1.6 billion , an 8% year-over-year increase from $1.5 billion in the first quarter of 2019.

"COVID-19 has driven a significant uptick in new diners and orders from existing users as most restaurant dining rooms have been temporarily closed nationwide," said Adam DeWitt, Grubhub president and CFO. "At current volume trends, we could be generating meaningful Adjusted EBITDA in the second quarter. But as Matt highlighted, we believe the absolute best use of our cash is to support our restaurants, their employees, our drivers and the entire takeout ecosystem through this crisis, by generating as many orders as possible while funding extra safety measures for restaurants, drivers and diners. We hope that these additional sales help make a difference to our partners in this time of crisis."

Second Quarter 2020 Guidance

Based on information available as of May 6, 2020, the Company is providing the following financial guidance for the second quarter of 2020.





Second Quarter 2020



(in millions) Expected Adjusted EBITDA

$5







First Quarter 2020 Financial Results Conference Call

Grubhub will webcast a conference call tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. CT to discuss the first quarter 2020 financial results. The webcast can be accessed on the Grubhub Investor Relations website at https://investors.grubhub.com, along with the Company's letter to shareholders, earnings press release and financial tables. A replay of the webcast will be available on the same website.

About Grubhub

Grubhub (NYSE: GRUB) is a leading online and mobile food-ordering and delivery marketplace with the largest and most comprehensive network of restaurant partners, as well as nearly 24 million active diners. Dedicated to connecting diners with the food they love from their favorite local restaurants, Grubhub elevates food ordering through innovative restaurant technology, easy-to-use platforms and an improved delivery experience. Grubhub features over 300,000 restaurants and is proud to partner with more than 200,000 of these restaurants in over 4,000 U.S. cities and London. The Grubhub portfolio of brands includes Grubhub, Seamless, LevelUp, AllMenus and MenuPages.

Use of Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" regarding Grubhub, "the Company's" or our management's future expectations, beliefs, intentions, goals, strategies, plans and prospects, which are made in reliance on the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve substantial risks, known and unknown, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements including, but not limited to, achievement of the benefits of our planned additional investments, to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance and include, without limitation, statements relating to the potential impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on our business and operations. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as "anticipates," "believes," "contemplates," "could," "seeks," "estimates," "intends," "may," "plans," "potential," "predicts," "projects," "should," "will," "would" or similar expressions and the negatives of those terms. While forward-looking statements are our best prediction at the time they are made, you should not rely upon them. Forward-looking statements represent our management's beliefs and assumptions only as of May 6, 2020, unless otherwise indicated, and there is no implication that the information contained in this press release is made subsequent to such date. For additional information concerning factors that could affect our financial results or cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the cautionary statements included in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), including the "Risk Factors" section of our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 28, 2020 and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and any further disclosures we make in our Current Reports on Form 8-K. Our SEC filings are available electronically on our investor website at investors.grubhub.com or the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements or this press release, or to update, supplement or correct the information set forth in the press release or the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Adjusted EBITDA, non-GAAP net income (loss) and non-GAAP net income (loss) per diluted share attributable to common stockholders are financial measures that are not calculated in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or GAAP.

We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) adjusted to exclude acquisition, restructuring and certain legal costs, income taxes, net interest expense, depreciation and amortization and stock-based compensation expense. Non-GAAP net income (loss) and non-GAAP net income (loss) per diluted share attributable to common stockholders exclude acquisition, restructuring and certain legal costs, amortization of acquired intangible assets, stock-based compensation expense and other nonrecurring items as well as the income tax effects of these non-GAAP adjustments. We use these non-GAAP financial measures as key performance measures because we believe they facilitate operating performance comparisons from period to period by excluding potential differences primarily caused by variations in capital structures, tax positions, the impact of acquisitions, restructuring and certain legal costs, the impact of depreciation and amortization expense on our fixed assets and the impact of stock-based compensation expense. Adjusted EBITDA, non-GAAP net income (loss) and non-GAAP net income (loss) per diluted share attributable to common stockholders are not measurements of our financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to performance measures derived in accordance with GAAP.

See "Non-GAAP Financial Measures Reconciliation" below for a reconciliation of net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA, non-GAAP net income (loss) and non-GAAP net income (loss) per diluted share attributable to common stockholders.

1 Key Business Metrics are defined on pages 28 - 29 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on February 28, 2020.

GRUBHUB INC. STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (in thousands, except per share data)



Three Months Ended

March 31,



2020



2019

Revenues $ 362,980



$ 323,770

Costs and expenses:













Operations and support

214,561





161,350

Sales and marketing

90,742





78,454

Technology (exclusive of amortization)

31,273





27,250

General and administrative

38,949





22,787

Depreciation and amortization

33,363





25,089

Total costs and expenses

408,888





314,930

Income (loss) from operations

(45,908)





8,840

Interest expense  net

6,380





2,812

Income (loss) before provision for income taxes

(52,288)





6,028

Income tax benefit

(18,861)





(862)

Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders $ (33,427)



$ 6,890

Net income (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders:













Basic $ (0.36)



$ 0.08

Diluted $ (0.36)



$ 0.07

Weighted-average shares used to compute net income (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders:













Basic

91,793





90,951

Diluted

91,793





92,918



KEY BUSINESS METRICS







Three Months Ended

March 31,









2020



2019



Active Diners (000s)





23,892





19,286



Daily Average Grubs





516,300





521,000



Gross Food Sales (millions)



$ 1,630



$ 1,502





GRUBHUB INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands, except share data)



















































March 31, 2020



December 31, 2019

ASSETS













CURRENT ASSETS:













Cash and cash equivalents $ 560,708



$ 375,909

Short-term investments

36,359





49,275

Accounts receivable, less allowances for doubtful accounts

135,661





119,658

Income tax receivable

20,271





3,960

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

18,051





17,515

Total current assets

771,050





566,317

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT:













Property and equipment, net of depreciation and amortization

189,050





172,744

OTHER ASSETS:













Other assets

32,154





26,836

Operating lease right-of-use asset

101,758





100,632

Goodwill

1,007,968





1,007,968

Acquired intangible assets, net of amortization

487,797





500,481

Total other assets

1,629,677





1,635,917

TOTAL ASSETS $ 2,589,777



$ 2,374,978

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY













CURRENT LIABILITIES:













Restaurant food liability $ 152,551



$ 131,753

Accounts payable

29,317





26,748

Accrued payroll

24,255





19,982

Current operating lease liability

11,999





9,376

Other accruals

87,438





61,504

Total current liabilities

305,560





249,363

LONG-TERM LIABILITIES:













Deferred taxes, non-current

24,438





27,163

Noncurrent operating lease liability

112,863





111,056

Long-term debt

668,242





493,009

Other accruals

817





817

Total long-term liabilities

806,360





632,045

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY:













Common stock, $0.0001 par value

9





9

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(2,271)





(1,628)

Additional paid-in capital

1,182,757





1,164,400

Retained earnings

297,362





330,789

Total Stockholders' Equity $ 1,477,857



$ 1,493,570

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY $ 2,589,777



$ 2,374,978



GRUBHUB INC.



CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS



(in thousands)

























Three Months Ended

March 31,







2020



2019



CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES















Net income (loss)

$ (33,427)



$ 6,890

Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash from operating activities:















Depreciation



8,658





6,193

Amortization of intangible assets and developed software



24,705





18,896

Stock-based compensation



20,185





16,478

Deferred taxes



(2,725)





(986)

Other



3,479





735

Change in assets and liabilities, net of the effects of business acquisitions:















Accounts receivable



(18,333)





(30,391)

Income taxes receivable



(16,311)





(916)

Prepaid expenses and other assets



(4,602)





(10,666)

Restaurant food liability



20,857





13,099

Accounts payable



4,678





(18,644)

Accrued payroll



4,277





411

Other accruals



26,085





12,845

Net cash provided by operating activities



37,526





13,944

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES















Purchases of investments



(19,790)





(12,160)

Proceeds from maturity of investments



32,900





11,636

Capitalized website and development costs



(14,243)





(10,692)

Purchases of property and equipment



(19,678)





(8,018)

Acquisition of other intangible assets



(510)





(5,379)

Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired









127

Other cash flows from investing activities



(250)







Net cash used in investing activities



(21,571)





(24,486)

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES















Proceeds from borrowings under the credit facility



175,000







Taxes paid related to net settlement of stock-based compensation awards



(8,051)





(9,966)

Proceeds from exercise of stock options



1,414





2,424

Repayments of borrowings under the credit facility









(2,031)

Payments for debt issuance costs









(1,647)

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities



168,363





(11,220)

Net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash



184,318





(21,762)

Effect of exchange rates on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash



(600)





232

Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of year



379,594





215,802

Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of the period

$ 563,312



$ 194,272

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF NON-CASH ITEMS















Cash paid for income taxes

$ 



$ 351































GRUBHUB INC. NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES RECONCILIATION (in thousands, except per share and per order data)





Three Months Ended

March 31,





2020



2019

Net income (loss)

$ (33,427)



$ 6,890

Income taxes



(18,861)





(862)

Interest expense - net



6,380





2,812

Depreciation and amortization



33,363





25,089

EBITDA



(12,545)





33,929

Acquisition, restructuring and certain legal costs



13,376





486

Stock-based compensation



20,185





16,478

Adjusted EBITDA

$ 21,016



$ 50,893



















Net income (loss) per order

$ (0.71)



$ 0.15

Adjusted EBITDA per order

$ 0.45



$ 1.09













Three Months Ended

March 31,





2020



2019

Net income (loss)

$ (33,427)



$ 6,890

Stock-based compensation



20,185





16,478

Amortization of acquired intangible assets



12,685





11,942

Acquisition, restructuring and certain legal costs



13,376





486

Income tax adjustments



(12,856)





(7,862)

Non-GAAP income (loss)

$ (37)



$ 27,934

Weighted-average diluted shares used to compute income (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders



91,793





92,918

Non-GAAP income (loss) per diluted share attributable to common stockholders

$ (0.00)



$ 0.30















Guidance





Three Months Ended

June 30, 2020





(in millions)

Net loss

$ (42)

Income taxes



(16)

Interest expense - net



7

Depreciation and amortization



34

EBITDA



(17)

Acquisition, restructuring and certain legal costs





Stock-based compensation



22

Adjusted EBITDA

$ 5



SOURCE Grubhub Inc.

Related Links

https://www.grubhub.com


An elderly woman will hold onto a 102,000 damages award after Dunnes Stores lost its appeal over a finding its negligence lead to her falling and suffering hip injuries while shopping in its store in Cork's Bishopstown shopping centre.

Rose Desmond was awarded the damages by the High Court's Ms Justice Miriam O'Regan over the fall on August 31st 2017.

Ms Desmond, then aged 83, slipped and fell after stepping on a spillage on the floor of one of the aisles.

She suffered a fractured right hip which required surgery involving replacing half of the hip joint with a prosthetic.

The trial judge was satisfied Ms Desmond had fallen on a contaminant on the floor and Dunnes had not established its system of care at the time of the fall was sufficient.

Dunnes appealed the finding of negligence to the Court of Appeal but did not appeal the sum of damages.

In a judgment delivered electronically today, the three-judge Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.

Giving the judgment, Ms Justice Mary Faherty noted Ms Desmond had said, while crossing an aisle towards the grocery section, she suddenly slipped and fell forward heavily to the right and onto the floor.

Ms Desmond said, after falling, she was assisted by others, one of whom removed her right shoe and wiped some substance from the heel.

She said a strip of clear liquid on the floor had been pointed out to her which she first thought was water but later wondered if it was shampoo. A Dunnes staff member produced a wheelchair, drove her to a health clinic and stayed with her until she was x-rayed.

After her evidence, counsel for Dunnes had accepted there was "something on the floor".

Ms Justice Faherty noted the trial judge had seen CCTV evidence of the incident.

An employee seen on CCTV to be sweeping the aisle floor a number of times before Ms Desmond's fall at 13.03pm had said she was keeping a lookout and saw no spillage.

In its appeal, Dunnes argued the trial judge erred in various respects, including in finding Dunnes had not shown the spillage occurred after 12.58pm, the time of the employee's final passage along the aisle with a brush, and that the latter failed to see the spillage.

If Dunnes had established the spillage occurred after 12.58pm, it was not disputed Dunnes would have discharged the onus to show it had a reasonable cleaning system in place after that time.

Ms Justice Faherty said there was nothing to preclude the trial judge's finding that, on balance, the spillage was likely to have occurred between 12.40pm and 12.58pm because of the volume of customers passing through the aisle at that time, plus the fact another employee was cleaning shelves in the aisle at that time.

Dunnes had to establish the spillage was not there before 12.58pm and there was a "credible evidential basis" for the trial judge's finding it had not done so.

The trial judge had seen CCTV evidence of the employee brushing the floor "looking straight ahead" for almost the entirety of her hour shift and the employee had accepted her mind could wander doing that "boring" job.

The trial judge also emphasised the employee's training had not concentrated on how vigilant her passage through the aisle should be.

The trial judge's lack of confidence in the employee's testimony that she was keeping a lookout was also "implicit" in her judgment.

The judgment contained a sufficient analysis of the evidence before the trial judge which led her to conclude as she did and the appeal would be dismissed, Ms Justice Faherty concluded.
Rajasthan Congress president Sachin Pilot held a video conference on Wednesday with a state-level committee set up to assist and coordinate the movement of migrant workers.

"Migrant workers are stranded away from their homes due to the lockdown in different states. They are facing a lot of problems due to the shutdown of employment," Pilot said.

The deputy chief minister said the committee had been formed to assist and coordinate the movement of migrant workers on the call of the party president Sonia Gandhi.

Pilot said the party workers had to play important role in taking the workers to their homes. During the video conference, the members of the committee gave their suggestions on the issues of migrants.

Pilot informed that control rooms had been set up by all the district Congress units for coordination.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
General Motors said Wednesday it eked out a $294 million profit for the first quarter despite the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic that has shuttered factories and devastated sales.

The Covid-19 outbreak cut deeply into GM's performance, costing the largest U.S. automaker $1.4 billion before taxes during the first three months of the year. Of the top U.S.-based automakers, GM has the biggest operations in China where the pandemic originated in late December and shuttered factories beginning in late January.

"We believe that we're positioned well to manage through this because we've taken swift actions to preserve liquidity," GM CFO Dhivya Suryadevara told reporters on a conference call Wednesday morning. She declined to provide an outlook for the company, saying the second quarter is expected to be the hardest hit by the pandemic.

GM's pretax earnings per share was 62 cents per share, topping Wall Street projections of 30 cents earnings per share, based on Refinitiv consensus estimates.

GM's earnings showed some of that strain already, with net profit sliding 86.7% from $2.2 billion during the same three months last year. On an adjusted basis, its pretax profit for the first quarter was $1.3 billion, down 45.9% from $2.3 billion a year earlier. Revenue also slipped, but not as much: It fell 6.2% to $32.7 billion in the quarter, down from $34.9 billion a year ago.
New Delhi: The Madras High Court on Wednesday (May 6, 2020) refused to stay the decision of Tamil Nadu governments to re-open state-run TASMAC liquor outlets which are likely to re-open from Thursday. The decision of the High Court is applicable for the whole state except for the shops falling under the Chennai City Police limits.

The special division bench directed the Government to ensure that an individual is permitted to buy only one 750ml bottle of liquor, per day, if the payment is made in cash.

The court has also directed the State to add the option of online payment to prevent crowding at liquor outlets. If the payment is made online the time would be intimated and an individual would be able to get two bottles. Strict implementation of social distancing and other precautions have also been instructed.

The bench passed the order after the state government ruled out the means of liquor via online mode.

The Court will monitor the functioning of shops and if any violation is reported, based on enquiry the TASMAC shops will be directed to be closed by the Court.

The petitioners had sought to quash the Government Order issued on Monday, which announced that TASMAC liquor outlets would be reopened from May 7th. The plea was on the grounds that liquor outlets are crowded even on normal days and that expecting social distancing and precautions at this time was not practical.

The shops would function between 10 am and 5 pm and the government stated that a distance of 6 feet should be maintained between customers and that additional staff would also be deployed at the stores to ensure crowd control.

However, while tipplers in the rest of the state can get their hands on their drink starting Thursday, the government has said that the reopening of shops falling under Greater Chennai Police Limits would be deferred and dates would be announced later. This revision came after severe backlash over how the Capital city, Chennai has the maximum Covid-19 cases and the possible worsening of the situation due to overcrowding at liquor shops.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu on Wednesday reported 771 new COVID-19 cases and now has 4,829 cases, of which 3,275 are active. The number of people who died due to the virus in the state surged to 35 on Wednesday.

The reason behind the liquor outlets being shut in Chennai is because of the rising number of cases in the capital city. Chennai has a total of 2,328 coronavirus cases.
A team of three senior doctors



from Mumbai and Delhi, including AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria, is likely to visit Ahmedabad, which has recorded a higher COVID-19 death rate, the Gujarat government said on Wednesday.

A request for sending a team of highly-experienced medical experts has been made by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani to Union Hhome Minister Amit Shah in a letter, an official release said.

At 6.1 per cent, the COVID-19 death rate in Ahmedabad is almost double than the national average of around 3.3 per cent, according to officials.

Ahmedabad has so far recorded 4,425 COVID-19 cases and 273 deaths.

"The top doctors of India will guide civil hospital staff in Ahmedabad for better treatment of critical patients and boost the morale of the team," the release said.

Apart from Dr Guleria, Dr Rajesh Chawla of New Delhi Apollo Hospital in Delhi and noted pulmonologist Dr Rohit Pandit from Mumbai, are likely to be the part of the team, officials said.

The government has not announced the exact date of the visit by the doctors.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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In Little Village, a testing facility operated by Howard Brown Health and Project Vida had tested 1,175 people since April 16, and a majority  about 56%  tested positive for COVID-19, with almost all showing multiple symptoms. Some have shown up so sick at the clinic that workers had to call for an ambulance after people passed out while waiting for the test, Howard Brown Health officials said.
The number of Covid-19 infections among medical personnel in Egyptian hospitals has been rising, with critics pointing to a lack of protective materials

Among Egypts 6,813 cases of Covid-19, there have been 113 doctors, eight of whom have lost their lives after being infected in the course of duty. A report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) states that around 13 per cent of those infected in Egypt are among healthcare staff.

On 4 May, the Ministry of Health ordered the closure of the Al-Raquda Hospital in Alexandria for 14 days, due to the spread of Covid-19 among its personnel.

The decision came a couple of weeks after a hospital in the Daqahliya governorate was shut down for two weeks after 21 doctors, nurses, and radiologists tested positive for the coronavirus. A few days earlier, the National Cancer Institute saw the infection of several healthcare workers with the coronavirus, leading to concerns among patients and staff members.

Some doctors said they were risking their personal safety due to poor working conditions, mismanagement, and shortages of protective materials, adding that they felt their worries were not being taken sufficiently seriously.

The Doctors Syndicate filed a complaint with the prosecutor-general on 3 May against the head of the Agami Hospital in Alexandria for ignoring a doctors request to be tested for the coronavirus after being in contact with coronavirus cases.

The doctor, who tested positive for the virus, asked to undergo the test for two days. He tested positive on a third test but was forced to return to work after the first two tests were negative for the virus.

Secretary-General of the Doctors Syndicate Ihab Al-Taher told Al-Ahram Weekly that the syndicates board had issued a statement expressing its concern over the high rates of infection among healthcare staff.

The syndicate expects further health professionals, including pharmacists, dentists, nurses and other medical specialists, to have also contacted the disease, Al-Taher said.

He said the syndicate had not received complaints of a shortage of protective supplies in hospitals, but the ministry was depending on serological testing, which has not always been proven effective in detecting the disease, thus risking the lives of healthcare workers.

Medical protective supplies required for protecting doctors and staff members are available only at quarantine hospitals and fever hospitals designated for quarantine, Al-Taher said, adding that according to WHO guidelines rapid serological tests cannot be relied on for diagnosis of the coronavirus and that the only approved test for the moment was the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test.

According to Maher Al-Garhi, manager of the Imbaba Fever Hospital, the Ministry of Health is generally providing enough protective supplies to medical teams. My staff wears gloves and face masks, but the ministry has not provided us with the protective medical vests that doctors and nurses dealing with Covid-19 patients should be wearing. These vests are available only for staff members working at quarantine hospitals, Al-Garhi said.

Khairia Ebeid, a staff member at the Menouf Chest Hospital, said the high rate of infection among health workers was due to a lack of protective supplies. Neither the disposable face masks that surgeons use during surgical operations nor masks made of cloth protect doctors against contracting the virus from infected patients. Only N95 face masks protect against contracting the virus, though by 95 per cent and not 100 per cent, Ebeid said, adding that the ministry does not provide these masks to general hospitals on a regular basis.

According to Ebeid, N95 face masks are reusable if used by the same person and if properly sterilised. They are expensive, with one mask costing more than LE200. Not many doctors or nurses can afford to buy masks every day at this price, Ebeid said, adding that they were standard issue at quarantine hospitals along with special vests.

Osama Mahmoud, a doctor at the Menoufiya Public Hospital, said that though the ministry provides hospitals with the necessary preventive supplies, some doctors either do not use them or misuse them. Some doctors put on and take off the face masks in the wrong way, thus increasing the possibility of being infected, especially when dealing with patients positive for the coronavirus, he said.

Ahmed Leila, a doctor at the Um Al-Masryeen Public Hospital, said that the high infection rates among doctors and nurses was to be expected as they were dealing closely with the virus. Doctors working in quarantine hospitals would be dealing with infected patients, he said.

Doctors dealing with Covid-19 patients who are being placed on ventilators have to insert the ventilators tube into the patients throat. They have to be very close to the patient to see the tube. The body, even if under anesthesia or in a coma, makes a gag reflex reaction against the tube. So, the patient unconsciously coughs, thus spreading respiratory droplets, Leila said.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 7 May, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Cancer is deadly, but available cancer treatment methods are quite limited. The use of therapeutic gas molecules such as H2, NO, CO and H2S for cancer treatment is promising owing to their unique properties for selectively killing cancer cells and protecting normal cells from damage from other traditional therapies. However, these gases and most of their prodrugs lack the abilities of active intratumoral accumulation and controlled gas release, causing limited therapeutic efficacy and potential side effects. The development of precision and intelligent gas delivery nanomedicines can maximize the profits of gas therapy by enhancing the bio-availability and bio-safety of therapeutic gases.

More and more gas-releasing nanomedicines are being developed by virtue of multifunctional nanoplatforms, making it ever-increasingly expectable to make breakthrough in cancer treatment. Even so, there are still many gaps between gas therapy and nanomedicines, needing to be filled.

In a new overview published in the Beijing-based National Science Review, scientists at Shenzhen University, China propose a series of engineering strategies of advanced gas-releasing nanomedicines for augmented cancer therapy from four aspects, 1) stimuli-responsive strategies for controlled gas release, 2) catalytic strategies for controlled gas release, 3) tumor-targeted gas delivery strategies, 4) multi-model combination strategies based on gas therapy.

"This review systematically dissects the roles of carrier and gas prodrug within nanomedicine for stimuli-responsive gas release, catalytic gas generation routes, tumor-targeted gas delivery approaches and gas therapy-based combination methods, and also provides an insight into their engineering principles and working mechanisms, and correspondingly proposed a series of superior engineering strategies of nanomedicines for gas therapy of cancer to guide the future research." Dr. Yingshuai Wang said "We believe this review could provide inspiration for constructing advanced gas-releasing nanomedicines."

Moreover, they have also pointed out current issues and gaps in knowledge, and have envisaged current trends and future prospects of advanced nanomedicines for gas therapy of cancer in this review.

"There are many gaps intriguing me, such as high tissue penetration stimuli-responsive gas release, the local, endless and prodrug-free generation of gases by catalysis, and the super ability of assisting other almost all therapies." Prof. Qianjun He adds "It is noticeable, in the recent fight of novel coronavirus pneumonia, hydrogen therapy is playing an vitally important role in assisting large numbers of patients to improve oxygen inhalation, relieve hypoxia, and scavenge inflammation. I hope our hydrogen-producing medicines would make bigger contribution to human being in the near future."

###

This research received funding from National Natural Science Foundation of China, Shenzhen Basic Research Program, and Special Funds for the Development of Strategic Emerging Industries in Shenzhen.

See the article:

Yingshuai Wang, Tian Yang, and Qianjun He* Strategies for engineering advanced nanomedicines for gas therapy of cancer Natl Sci Rev https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwaa034

The National Science Review is the first comprehensive scholarly journal released in English in China that is aimed at linking the country's rapidly advancing community of scientists with the global frontiers of science and technology. The journal also aims to shine a worldwide spotlight on scientific research advances across China.
A council has forced employees to download the Australian Government's COVIDSafe app on their work phones.

Workers at Strathfield Council, in Sydney's inner west, were told via email they were required to install the app to their council-provided mobile device to help speed up the process of loosening coronavirus restrictions.

But the email goes against a determination by Minister for Health Greg Hunt under the Biosecurity Act, which prohibits forcing an individual to download the Bluetooth tracing app.

Henry Wong, the council's chief executive, sent this 'high' importance email to employees on Monday April 27, following the launch of COVIDSafe.

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A council has forced employees to download the Australian Government's COVIDSafe app on their work phones

'Achieving the capability for rapid contact tracing is one of three conditions that must be satisfied before the government would consider relaxing the current restrictive measures to combat COVID-19,' the email said.

'The sooner we achieve downloads better than 40 per cent of the entire population, the sooner we can get back to normal.

'And if you have a council provided mobile device, you are required to download the app by the COB today.'

According to The Daily Telegraph, at least one employee raised concerns about being forced to install the app. However, they downloaded COVIDSafe as they didn't want to lose their job.

Section 9 of the Biosecurity Act determination, 'coercing the use of COVIDSafe', says users cannot be forced to download the app.

Henry Wong, the council's chief executive, sent this 'high' importance email to employees on Monday April 27, following the launch of COVIDSafe

'A person must not require that another person download COVIDSafe to a mobile telecommunications device,' it reads.

'A person must not take adverse action (within the meaning of the Fair Work Act 2009) against another person.'

Earlier this week, the government released a draft of its legislative backing to privacy and data protections for the COVIDSafe tracing app.

It proposes to make it illegal for anyone to refuse a person without the app entry to a public place, ban them from an activity or refuse to buy or sell goods and services to them.

The legislation would also make it an offence to access the data without proper authorisation and for the data to be stored anywhere outside of Australia.

All offences have a maximum penalty of five years in jail, a $63,00 fine or both.

The legislation, which will be put to parliament when it returns next week, backs up rules already laid out in a biosecurity determination.

A Strathfield Council spokeswoman said Mr Wong stands by his original request for staff to download the app on work devices.

'He maintains that as CEO his call for work assets to have the app installed is a lawful direction and reasonable given the mandate issued by the National Cabinet and the PM,' the spokeswoman said.

'As a responsible employer of staff who provide essential services to the community, the app installed on Council's owned devices will provide the means for the rapid contact tracing and stopping the spread of COVID-19 from unknown sources involving key staff, and therefore would protect Council's entire workforce.'

Workers at Strathfield Council, in Sydney's inner west, were told via email they are required to install the app to their council provided mobile device to help speed up the process of loosening coronavirus restrictions. Pictured: Strathfield Municipal Council Chambers
The boss isnt going to like this one bit.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told National Geographic its unlikely the coronavirus pandemic somehow started in a Chinese lab, despite suggestions to the contrary by U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

If you look at the evolution of the virus in bats, and whats out there now is very, very strongly leaning toward this (virus) could not have been artificially or deliberately manipulated, Fauci said in an article published this week. A number of very qualified evolutionary biologists have said that everything about the stepwise evolution over time strongly indicates that it evolved in nature and then jumped species.

The 79-year-old Brooklyn native also dismissed the conspiracy theory that the virus was brought into a lab by Chinese scientists, then somehow spun out of control.

But that means it was in the wild to begin with, Fauci said in the interview, published Monday. Thats why I dont get what theyre talking about (and) why I dont spend a lot of time going in on this circular argument.

In his far-reaching interview with the science and nature publication, Fauci said there are always theories floating about, but he has a small team that decides which matters deserve his attention. The expert immunologist compared trying to consume all of the information about the pandemic to drinking from a fire hydrant.

Trump said last week that he had seen evidence that gives him a strong degree of confidence the virus originated in the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Yes, I have, Trump said without giving details. I think the World Health Organization should be ashamed of themselves because theyre like the public relations agency for China.

The president also said last Thursday that a terrible thing had happened in China.

Whether they made a mistake or whether it started off as a mistake and then they made another one, or did somebody do something on purpose? he proposed.

Pompeo told ABCs This Week on Sunday that there is enormous evidence to support the presidents claim that coronavirus came from a lab, but seemed to waver on whether or not the virus might be man-made.

The best experts so far seem to think its man-made, I have no reason to disbelieve that at this point, he said.

When This Week host Martha Raddatz noted that the nations top intelligence experts have said it was probably neither man-made nor modified, Pompeo seconded that theory too.

Thats right, he said. I agree with that.

Chinas Foreign Ministry counters that the Trump administration is looking for a scapegoat to justify its own handling of the pandemic.

Nearly 1.2 million Americans have been infected with coronavirus, which continues to spread. Fewer than 84,000 people in China have tested positive for the deadly virus, according to Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide there have 3,646,206 confirmed cases since the virus was detected in Wuhan in November.
Alma Tacuboy and her ailing father were signalled to a grey vinyl tent on the lawn as soon as she pulled her car into the driveway of the Canadian Centre for Refugee and Immigrant Health Care.

The Toronto clinic, at Sheppard and Midland Avenues, serves the citys uninsured and undocumented migrants, but had been shut down since mid-March due to COVID-19. Patients could only call in over the phone or be seen virtually on a video app.

However, with a pent-up demand for basic health-care needs in the midst of the pandemic, volunteers and staff have erected the tent to make sure primary care remains accessible to the most vulnerable population.

We had to stop seeing patients and started doing things virtually. There are clearly patients to be seen and their conditions are deteriorating in isolation, said Dr. Paul Caulford, a co-founder of the clinic, which opened the 10-by-20-foot field tent to patients last week.

With primary care backing up, things still need to be done for newborns who are not immunized and patients who have chronic health problems.

From behind a glass panel, a masked Caulford conducted a thorough medical assessment of Hilario Tacuboy, who woke up feeling light-headed and with blurred vision in his right eye.

Wearing a face shield, an N95 mask and isolation suit coveralls, Caulford came out from behind the glass divider and gingerly examined the 60-year-old mans eye. He was looking for symptoms of a stroke  something that couldnt be done through the glass, let alone over the phone.

Alma Tacuboy said her father had come to visit from the Philippines, but couldnt return home because the country is locked down and all flights have been cancelled. His travel health insurance expired and friends referred them to the clinic.

She said she decided against taking her father to the emergency room after her father-in-law died alone at North York General Hospital two weeks ago of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The family couldnt visit.

Were afraid to go to a hospital with my dad because of COVID. Were scared we couldnt see him, hear him or just give him food if hes hungry, she said. We feel safe in this tent. We have our masks and gloves. And there is fresh air.

Even though the Ontario government has relaxed the access to health care and expanded medical coverage to the uninsured and undocumented patients in the wake of the pandemic, Caulford said many patients still fear seeking help and going to the hospital.

In mid-April, Caulford reached out to GlobalMedic, a Canadian humanitarian group, for a tent that is usually used for disaster relief. A contractor donated the labour to build the wooden deck and interior of the makeshift outdoor clinic.

The staff and volunteers were then faced with the challenge of finding personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect themselves and patients. When their own clinic shuttered, they donated what they had to their front-line colleagues fighting the pandemic in hospitals.

An effort led by the local Chinese Canadian community came to the rescue with boxes and boxes of PPE, which made the opening of the field clinic possible.

I was in tears watching the community effort, said Caulford, adding that the clinic also got support from local MP Jean Yip (Scarborough-Agincourt), the Canadian Medical Protective Association and the Ontario Medical Association, as well as local health authorities.

The outdoor clinic is open from noon to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Before they can be seen in person, patients must call for virtual care and triaging. The virtual appointments are mandatory and must be completed before a patient can see a doctor at the clinic.

Correction - May 7, 2020: This article was edited from a previous version that misspelled the name of GlobalMedic.
The last of overnight storms that drizzled over Houston moved off the coast early Wednesday morning.

That leaves sunny skies and not-so-terrible temperatures for the rest of the day, which will include a 30-minute flyover by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels across the Houston area. The flyover, scheduled to commence near The Woodlands at 12:30 p.m., is in support of frontline workers battling the COVID-19 pandemic.
The governments anti-crisis plan and Saakashvilis candidacy in Ukraine: the main issues of controversy

By Malkhaz Matsaberidze

Consensus between the government and the opposition regarding the coronavirus has long been broken. The opposition has been criticising the governments additional anti-crisis program. The sudden nomination of Saakashvili for the post of Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine also caused a stir.The coronavirus epidemic continues in Georgia, and according to doctors and government officials, the peak of the epidemic will come in the first half of May. The number of infected is within the range which the Georgian healthcare system can deal with, and even in the case of a certain increase in the number of infected people, there is a reserve (to an extent).On April 24th, Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia presented the government's anti-crisis plan to the State Chancellery. The opposition demanded that the plan be presented at a parliamentary session on April 22nd, and since the government did not do so, it did not support the continuation of the state of emergency in the country. However, this was done by the supporters of the government and the state of emergency was extended for one month - until May 22nd.The Prime Minister began presenting the anti-crisis plan with describing the difficult situation the economy is in: this year, the country's economy will shrink by 4% instead of growth, the budget will lose ?GEL 1.8 billion in revenue, and the government will reduce current expenditures by ?GEL 300 million. However, the Prime Minister did not present a new version of the budget and noted that the government still has time by law. This has been criticised by the opposition as, according to them, the anti-crisis program would be real if it were based on the already introduced budget changes.The anti-crisis plan provides for a variety of social assistance for citizens for 6 months and a package of certain benefits for businesses. ?GEL 3.9 billion will be mobilised from the budget for the anti-crisis plan and 350 thousand Georgian citizens will benefit from the aid package. According to Gakharia, this is what the Georgian government can offer to every citizen today. According to the Speaker of the Parliament Archil Talakvadze, ?GEL 35 billion will be spent for the care of citizens and ?GEL 2 billion 110 million for the support of the economy and business. In total, the state will spend ?GEL 3.5 billion to help people.Opposition groups harshly criticised the program. According to Giga Bokeria, this is delayed, superficial and harmful instincts, full of inadequate criteria. According to Nino Burjanadze, the government is forced to quench the hunger of a large part of the population, because the assistance provided by the government is miserable and does not include several categories of people in need. Davit Bakradze, the leader of European Georgia, noted that their anti-crisis plan envisages ?GEL 6 billion in aid and is intended for 8 months.The government considers the opposition's statements to be demagogic and populist. Irakli Kobakhidze also reminds the National Movement once again of their rule and notes that the social assistance system in Georgia was regulated thanks to the rule of the Georgian Dream.On April 23th, more than 25 opposition parties wrote an open letter to their country's partners and supporters, stressing the government's failure to comply with the March 8th election agreement, namely the release of political prisoners, and urging them to reconsider their agreement. The government has already received a traditional response to this. The March 8th agreement provides not for the release of anyone, but for the non-interference of politics in the court case. As for the electoral reform, it will be carried out on time and there is no danger of holding elections in October.The news of the possible appointment of the third President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili as the Deputy Prime Minister in Ukraine caused a great stir last week. Information about this appeared on April 22nd and caused a stir on the part of the government circles of Georgia and Russia. As it turned out, Saakashvili was collecting only 140-170 votes instead of the required 248 votes in the Ukrainian Rada, and on April 28th, his candidacy was stopped.But before that, the first persons of the Georgian government - the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Parliament, the President - said that it was unacceptable for them to appoint a person convicted in Georgia to Ukraine, thus threatening Ukraine's strategic partnership with Georgia. In response, opposition members said that such statements were an interference in Ukraine's internal affairs, and that the Georgian government, in the interests of the party, was endangering the country's strategic partnership with Ukraine. With the removal of Saakashvili's candidacy, the problem disappeared, but left an unpleasant feeling and question marks.Meanwhile, the opposition is tired of the governments restrictions amid the epidemic, especially since some of them consider it completely absurd. Such a request was made on April 28th by European Georgia. Earlier, on April 26th, Labor demanded the right to hold peaceful rallies and lift restrictions. As time goes by, such a mood will increase in the opposition, especially with 6 months left before the parliamentary elections
SAN ANTONIO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- San Antonio Water System announced the city's newest water source came online on time and is now flowing through water taps, giving one of the fastest-growing cities in the country confidence in its long-term water security for generations.

"I'm incredibly proud of this accomplishment," said SAWS Board of Trustees Chairman Berto Guerra. "For much of our lives, San Antonio has been water-challenged, worrying about drought that came along in the summer months. With Vista Ridge, we can be assured that our children will have the water they and their families need to thrive here."

The 142-mile Vista Ridge pipeline from Burleson County in Central Texas is the result of a public-private partnership  unprecedented in the water industry  that shifted the pipeline development risk from SAWS ratepayers to the private company Garney Construction. The pipeline will deliver 45 million gallons a day.

"This is probably the biggest achievement in our lifetimes and established a new way for water utilities to secure new sources of water," SAWS President/CEO Robert R. Puente said. "I'm incredibly proud of what our City Council, our Board, our staff and our community have accomplished."

Under the direction and guidance of Guerra and Puente, SAWS set a new benchmark for transparency by negotiating this public-private partnership at open meetings attended by the news media, elected officials, environmental groups and the public. Other highlights of the project include:

Vista Ridge delivers the largest non-Edwards Aquifer water supply to the city.



Vista Ridge will provide up to 20 percent of San Antonio's water supply  enough for 162,000 new families.



water supply  enough for 162,000 new families. The new water source is crucial to protect the Edwards from prolonged drought.



Ownership of the wells and pipeline system will transfer to SAWS after 30 years.

San Antonio Water System provides water and wastewater services to more than 1.8 million customers in the San Antonio region and continues to set the standard for service within our industry. SAWS is the national leader in water innovation with the largest direct recycled system in the country and the largest groundwater-based Aquifer Storage & Recovery facility in the nation. SAWS was the first in the U.S. in converting methane gas to energy, making this wonderful city  Waterful. For more information, visit www.saws.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Anne Kenny Hayden

Office: 210-233-3622

Cell: 210-823-0194

SOURCE San Antonio Water System

Related Links

http://www.saws.org


At the same time, Andriy Yermak says any negotiations with representatives of unrecognized quasi-entities in eastern Ukraine are unacceptable.

The Ukrainian side to Minsk talks on Donbas settlement is proposing to restart the work of the Trilateral Contact Group, according to the press service of the Ukrainian President's Office citing its chief, Andriy Yermak.

The statement came as Yermak spoke over the phone with political advisers to Normandy Four leaders.

The head of Presidential Office said, in order to speed up the Minsk process, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree to significantly increase the level of Ukraine's representation in the TCG.

"We raised it to a very high official level," Yermak said, recalling that Vice Prime Minister, Minister for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories, Oleksiy Reznikov, was appointed deputy head of the Ukrainian delegation to the TCG. At the subgroup level, Ukraine is now represented by deputy ministers or people's deputies  chairs of the relevant parliamentary committees.

Read alsoFM Kuleba comments on idea of setting up "advisory council" with representatives of occupied Donbas

The Ukrainian side also proposed to attract to the work of TCG subgroups as "invited persons" a number of internally displaced citizens forced to leave the occupied areas in Donetsk and Luhansk regions after May 2014.

Yermak noted that the participants in the TCG would involve these individuals in discussions, consultation, and coordination of issues stipulated by Minsk agreements.

At the same time, Andriy Yermak says any negotiations with representatives of unrecognized quasi-entities in eastern Ukraine are unacceptable.

As UNIAN reported earlier, on May 5, President Volodymyr Zelensky approved the composition of the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group for the Peaceful Settlement in Donetsk and Luhansk Regions.
It is even more crucial to the health and safety of anyone who steps on a transit vehicle to ensure buses are clean and disinfected . Public transportation is often a lifeline for essential workers and families who need public transportation to get to work or for other daily activities

Zonar, the leader in smart fleet technology, today announced that its patented Electronic Verified Inspection Reporting (EVIR) solution has a new electronically verifiable configuration for ensuring and documenting the sanitation of metro buses. The new configuration is an essential feature for transit fleet managers to ensure buses and equipment are properly sanitized regularly for the safe travel of passengers and operators during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the future. The sanitation configuration is an extension of EVIR which is already widely used for verifying Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) mandated pre- and post-trip inspections have taken place.

The new configuration for sanitation leverages EVIR, the only verified, visual inspection system available in the market today. With EVIR, transit cleaning crews can verify that every step of the sanitation of metro buses has taken place by scanning an RFID or NFC tag at designated zones, as outlined by the American Public Transit Association (APTA) standards of best practices.

"Cleanliness has always been a critical component of transit operations  now more than ever," said H. Kevin Mest, senior vice president of passenger services at Zonar. "It is even more crucial to the health and safety of anyone who steps on a transit vehicle to ensure buses are clean and disinfected. Public transportation is often a lifeline for essential workers and families who need public transportation to get to work or for other daily activities  we're committed to helping metro fleet managers provide confidence and peace of mind to the communities we serve."

The EVIR configuration for sanitizing metro transit vehicles can also help transit organizations:



Streamline their vehicle sanitation process for improved productivity while prioritizing cleanliness of operations

Digitize the records of cleanings while eliminating a lengthy paper trail and make a major task easier to manage

Meet new Federal Transit Administration requirements of documenting specific disinfectants used for sanitation of vehicles

Increase productivity by identifying the exact areas and sanitation requirements of each zone

Set and monitor expectations of how to sanitize areas and the duration of each task

The sanitation configuration is also compliant with Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (PTASP). Transit systems that receive Urbanized Area Formula Grants program funds must comply with the new PTASP rule by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Effective July 19, 2019, the FTA requires certain public transit agencies and all rail transit operators to develop safety plans. This rule requires these safety plans to include processes, procedures and performance targets for a safety management system (SMS). - The deadline for compliance has recently been extended December 31, 2020but agencies are still required to work toward compliance.

Zonar is providing compliance and regulatory assistance and advice on COVID-19 via the Zonar COVID-19 Resource page, as well as a free weekly webinar hosted by the company's Safety & Compliance team. This resource includes on-demand replays and Q&A sessions and 1:1 advice for drivers, operators and businesses around compliance and regulations through an easy-to-use form. This is all in addition to Zonar's 24/7/365 customer success team, which is available at the ready to handle any customer or product specific inquiries.

About Zonar

Founded in 2001, Zonar has pioneered smart fleet management solutions throughout vocational, pupil, mass transit and commercial trucking industries. Zonar helps fleets of all sizes maximize the use of their assets with solutions dedicated to improving compliance, efficiency, maintenance, ridership visibility, safety and tracking. Cloud-based services with open API's drive Zonar's smart fleet solutions by making it easy for fleet owners and managers to stay connected to their fleets and drivers and operators to dispatch. Headquartered in Seattle and majority-owned by technology company Continental, Zonar also has a Technology Development Center in downtown Seattle, a regional office in Cincinnati, and a distribution center outside of Atlanta. For more information about Zonar, go to http://www.zonarsystems.com
Something about Prince Charles changed immensely after Princess Diana died, and it was for the better.

Growing up, Prince William and Prince Harry established a closer relationship with Princess Diana since she did most of the parenting. It left Prince Charles having a more detached relationship with them.

However, a royal commentator recalled how it changed following the tragic death of Princess Diana in 1997.

According to Lady Julie Montagu, the Prince of Wales underwent a "monumental change" in parenting Prince William and Prince Harry as he had to raise his two teenage sons alone.

"I think at first, when Prince Charles became a father, he left a lot of the parenting to Princess Diana. We can see that in the hugging, the laughing, the cuddling that she did. After her death, it changes completely," Lady Montagu said in the documentary "The Queen and Prince Charles: Mother and Son".

She added that the heir to the throne became very hands-on in parenting -- as he had to be.

Meanwhile, former royal butler Grant Harrold -- who worked for Prince Charles and his family for several years -- described the Prince of Wales as a "very considerate father."

"He is a fantastic parent. Very caring, very loving and considerate," Harrold recalled. "As far as where is parenting style came from, the Queen Mother would have given him some pointers and advice."

Because of his close relationship with the Queen Mother, he might have drawn inspiration from her and King George VI, who were also focused on raising Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret.

In addition, Prince Charles repeatedly admitted that he felt "distant" from Queen Elizabeth II during his childhood and called Queen Mother as "everything to him".

What Kept Him Busy To Be A Father?

Prince Charles' previous detachment from his two sons was not because it was what he wanted. Unfortunately, his work as the heir apparent took much of his time with William and Harry.

"It is a slightly tricky relationship, because Charles has always been quite a remote figure, he has always been consumed by work," royal biographer Penny Junor told the Daily Beast.

Junor added that the detachment was not a product of lack of love. Instead, it was because of Prince Charles' too much focus on his work that made him overlook his loved ones and friends.

Prince Charles was not totally "an absentee," though. Sometimes, he would take his family on his farm at Broadfield and Balmoral, the royal family's estate in Scotland.

Moreover, Prince Harry acknowledged his father's efforts during his interview in the BBC documentary "Diana, 7 Days." Although Prince Harry questioned Prince Charles' decision to let him be part of Princess Diana's funeral procession (which was undoubtedly traumatic for a 12-year-old child), he tried to understand him as his son.

"[Our dad] was there for us - he was the one out of two left, and he tried to do his best and to make sure that we were protected and looked after," he added. "But he was going through the same grieving process as well."
Horner Rd., 1700 block, 7:42 a.m. April 28. An intoxicated man threatened to harm himself with a power tool on the porch of a residence. He then charged at officers with the power tool in his hands and spat on an officer escorting him to the police vehicle. Investigation revealed that before police arrived, the man also threatened to burn down the residence while holding a gas can. The 54-year-old Woodbridge man was arrested and charged with assault and battery on law enforcement, threats to burn, disorderly conduct and intoxicated in public.
Since the partial ease of the coronavirus lockdown in Abuja, Lagos, Ogun and other parts of the country on Monday, financial Institutions have been besieged by large crowds of Nigerians.

This has been taken by many as evidence of the ineffectiveness or outright failure of the digital banking provided by commercial banks through the various E-Banking channels.

Various banks regularly send e-mails, text messages to their customers, providing them with information on alternative channels to visiting bank branches.

Although the turnouts were not as much as seen nationwide on Monday, bank customers were still seen in large numbers in bank premises on Tuesday in Abuja, only that this time they were better organised, some seated under a canopy.

An Ecobank official who asked not to be named said the majority of the customers were traders who were there to deposit money.

Some also came for ATM card issuance, issues relating to ATM cards, Internet banking passwords and the rest, she said.

She urged customers to sign up on the digital space to enable them transact their businesses without having to visit banking halls.

A lot of them are not on the digital channel, not even one, they will say they will steal their money.

This lockdown is an eye opener for some of them, they have been coming to get their cards and some are still not requesting for ATM cards.

As we are going into the digital era, these customers need to be sensitised, everyone needs to go completely digital so that they will be able to do everything from their home space, she said.

She also said the bank tries as much as possible to take preventive measures.

For bulk cash and cheques, we do that with a boxed system. You drop your bulk cash or cheque in a box, it is left for a period of time before we check it.

Johnson Adewale, a bank customer waiting his turn at the Ecobank, Wuse market branch, said he was at the bank to rectify issues from failed transactions he made during the lockdown.

I transferred N20,000 to my family in Lagos, I have been deducted and they (family) have not seen the alert for three weeks now. I have called their customer care, I even called customer complaint commission, but I am yet to get a refund, he said.

Another customer at First Bank, Wuse Zone 2 branch, Salawu Ibrahim, said he was there to collect his ATM card.

I could not access my money during the lockdown because I dont have ATM. Now I want it, any day they deduct my money anyhow, I will close down the account, he said.

Mandate Digital Banking

A financial analyst, Paul Alaje, said digital banking at this point should be mandatory for all bank users so that more Nigerians could embrace it.

The campaign towards digital banking is popular more among the elite and the middle-class, the downtrodden have not embraced it because of several hidden charges.

Banks should mandate that if the technology is not embraced, they will not solve customer-related problems and the Central Bank of Nigeria should in turn mandate commercial banks in a way of redoing the cost of people using online banking.

If they are charging people for USSD, then it becomes unfair, he said.

He also advised that more should be done to advertise and educate the lower-income group on digital banking.

People still have the notion that CBN and their bank is actually exploiting them without giving necessary service, he said.

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K Sujatha Rao By

Understanding the importance of testing for gaining control over what could be a runaway epidemic, Andhra Pradesh rightly focused on expanding access to free testing. It swiftly did three things: procured one lakh rapid kits from South Korea; put to use the PCR based TRUENAT technology; and issued a well thought out comprehensive testing strategy with the target of 15 lakh tests. The AP Testing strategy delineates persons to be tested in accordance with the level of risk  primary contacts living in red zones, elderly with co-morbidities, symptomatics, SARI and ILI cases, healthcare workers, fever cases, asymptomatics living in buffer zones, one person from every tenth household in the green zone and so on. A variety of mediums are being used  True NAT, RT PCR, Rapid diagnostic kits  each as per a laid down protocol.

Along with the analysis of deaths, the emerging data will provide AP information for formulating future strategies. Assessed over three parameters, AP is one of the better performing states: 1) fourth highest in number of tests done in March and April  as on 2 nd May, 1,08,403 tests were done compared to 1,44,159 tests by Maharashtra; 2) Doubling rate of infections has been encouraging, giving hope that the curve may finally be bending; 3) infection rate is better at 1.4% compared to 8% for Maharashtra, suggesting effective management. Of concern is the death rate at 2.1 compared to less than 1 in Kerala, indicating poorer quality of care. Besides, the majority of people dying or in critical care are 50+ age group with co-morbidities.

Data has enabled AP to categorize districts in terms of infectivity  five account for 80% of all infections in AP. Four rounds of fever surveys have been conducted among the 1.46 households providing information on the demographic and health profile of fever cases, enabling prioritization for testing and initiating containment measures. Epidemiological data is vital to target interventions for disrupting transmission. Absence of such vital data means fighting the battle blindfolded. Testing is the only means of getting a grip on the situation and the only means of providing confidence and credibility to assessments of future scenarios.

Decentralized approaches for Effective Implementation



Such rapid scaling up of the testing strategy and the effective implementation of welfare measures at the community level is as much a reflection of the political and administrative leadership as it is of the delivery structures provided at the village and ward levels by the current government. Envisioned by the Chief Minister, established for every 2000 households, the system consists of 8 qualified persons covering major sectoral activities and a volunteer for every 50 households. For Health, a qualified ANM has been appointed as the Village Health Secretary. All these 13 persons ensure programme delivery to households.

In the case of Covid, the volunteers, the ASHAs and the ANM together have been utilized for carrying out surveys, communicating preventive messages of staying home, washing hands, maintaining distance and using masks; organizing the quarantine arrangements; delivering rations and pensions etc.

Way Forward



AP has done well in keeping caseloads within its coping ability. Detailed action plans regarding availability of ICU beds, ventilators and PPE kits, masks etc. in public and private facilities to address any surge in caseloads have been readied. With the graded lifting of the lockdown from May 4, AP is now faced with a new round of challenges  ensuring the fresh wave of migrant returnees and restoration of economic and social activity does not undo the gains made. There are four areas in which

AP needs to pay attention:

1) Resume hospitals for treatment of non-Covid cases



Closure of hospitals to all care except emergencies has created unimaginable hardship to the sick and should have been avoided. With the diversion of personnel to Covid work, routine services  immunization, maternal care, provisioning of drugs to patients with chronic diseases like TB, HIV, diabetes, hypertension etc. could stand affected resulting in the emergence of drug resistance that is more difficult and expensive to treat. These services need to be immediately resumed and in order to avoid cross infections, the 104 services should be started and services for routine ailments, chronic patients, the elderly and those 50+ more vulnerable to Covid be provided at the village level. Besides, to avoid spiking of diarrhea and vector borne diseases, preventive action needs to be taken  spraying, distribution of bed nets, supply of drugs and kits to fieldworkers etc.

A stocktaking of the availability of essential drugs is necessary in the background of news that lockdowns have disrupted supply chains and manufacture of drugs by pharma companies.

Reports of an exponential rise in domestic violence and mental stress need to be investigated and addressed on priority. The social and economic disruption of the last six weeks is bound to leave deep scars resulting in depressions and suicidal tendencies. Experienced counsellors appointed in the HIV AIDS Control program need to be mobilized. There is an urgent need to enforce standardized treatment protocols and triaging patients for home treatment. Evidence suggests that 85% of patients do not require institutional treatment. Operationalizing this strategy would require assessing ability of the infected persons ability to self-isolate, train family members on precautions, deliver medicines at home and monitor electronically.

2) Zoning



Government of India has directed states to lift the lockdown in a graded manner. Basically, it amounts to locking down the red zone  i.e areas having positive cases and in the rest, restore normal life. Such a balanced approach is necessary. But then, it also demands a more effective enforcement of lockdown in the red zones. AP needs to take two important steps. In slums and high density areas, there is nopoint in talking about physical distancing as five people cannot be cooped in a small hut in this heat. Social interaction being inevitable, not only must all supplies be provided at the household/basti level but masks, soaps and extra supply of water must also be provided. Inaddition, a mobile testing van be deployed for frequent testing of persons to identify any potential cases before they become super spreaders. Finally, it is essential to launch massive multimedia information campaigns  TV, newspaper, mikes on mobile vehicles etc. towards using masks and avoiding unnecessary movement. Behaviour change is difficult, but is the only way of protecting ourselves from the virus.

3) Promote civil society and NGOs



Covid is here to stay, atleast for two years. Cyclical lockdowns is an option but entails substantial trade offs and exhausts staff. It is therefore important to normalize the infection and learn to live with it. AP does not have many civil society organizations. It would be useful to strengthen those available and fully utilize the self-help groups and other community organizations in helping remove fear and stigma, encourage people to come forward for testing, managing quarantine centers; and building social solidarity and support systems.

Conclusion: The tasks ahead are immense. The challenge of coping with ensuring healthcare in the wider context of continued access to health determinants, namely food and incomes required for ensuring a healthy body, is overwhelming. Creating employment, mobilizing civil society, keeping transportation routes open, and restoring the social and economic life balance without allowing the infection to get the better of us would need granular planning done in constant motion factoring at every level of human interaction, physical distancing and use of masks. This requires imagination and innovation. The districts need to be asked to prepare micro plans, spelling out the pathways for ensuring appropriate sequencing of interventions and comprehensive approaches. Difficult but doable.

(K Sujatha Rao Former Union Health Secretary)
It seems to me that state governments are suffering the same economic disaster that businesses and workers are facing. Clearly, governors will want to open less-essential businesses as soon as they can do so safely, while recognizing that the same groups protesting now will condemn the governor for opening too early if it turns out to be disastrous. I do not refer to the federal government because I think it is evident by now that it is lost in chaos.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak continues, Lyft is working to help make rides more affordable -- especially for those who need transportation to essential services.

The e-hail company announced this week that it is expanding its Wait & Save pilot program throughout most of the United States, including New York City. Through the program, riders can opt for a longer wait time but pay a lower fare than for a standard ride.

According to Lyft, 34% of the companys rides in New York City start or end in a low-income area.

Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Lyft has provided access to transportation for essential services and is a lifeline for many communities," wrote the company in a blog post.

When looking at rides to essential locations -- such as supermarkets, convenience stores, police stations, pharmacies, laundromats and banks -- the number of rides has increased in by an average of 90% in New York City, according to Lyft.

In March, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed an Executive Order that banned shared rides on popular e-hail services in an effort to promote social distancing. Shared rides allowed Lyft customers to pay less for a trip with the e-hail service.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

To help slow the spread of COVID-19, we paused Shared Rides in all markets. This was the right thing to do, but it also removed our most affordable ride option, explained Lyft.

Riders will see Wait & Save as an option in their Lyft app alongside the standard ride modes. Those who choose Wait & Save will always pay less than they would for a standard Lyft ride, and typically the longer they need to wait, the more they will save, according to the company. This option allows for the rider to be matched with the best-located driver.

For those who need a quicker pickup, a standard Lyft ride is still available.

Offering affordable, reliable transportation is more important now than ever, especially as people are relying on transportation services like Lyft to fulfill essential needs, the company stated.

SAFETY MEASURES

Last month, Lyft announced that it is providing hundreds of thousands of cloth face coverings for its drivers, as well as the employees who handle the companys fleet of bikes and scooters.

Additionally, the company is providing hundreds of thousands of bottles of hand sanitizer and other cleaning products, with over 35,000 sanitizing products handed out so far.

Lyft has also expanded the conditions under which drivers can receive funds from the company if they are unable to work.

Since March, the company has offered funds to drivers who have tested positive for COVID-19 or were put under individual quarantine by a public health agency.

Now, drivers who are diagnosed as being immuno-compromised and are directed to self-isolate by a doctor also qualify for funds through the company.

Drivers can find additional information by visiting the companys driver resource page.
Storms with high winds swept through Tennessee knocking down trees and power lines, causing one death and leaving more than 100,000 customers without power, officials said.

The storms Sunday caused one of the largest power outages on record in Nashville, with about 130,000 people without power at one point, according to the Nashville Electric Service. About 101,000 customers remained without power Monday morning.

Officials warned that power for some customers will continue to be out for at least a week, but it could be as long as two weeks for others.

The outage is widespread and large scale and will take some time to get all power restored, said Decosta Jenkins, the president and CEO of Nashville Electric Service, while speaking to reporters during Nashvilles daily COVID-19 briefing.

Jenkins said they hoped to bring up to 60,000 back on line Monday.

A wind gust of 72 mph was reported at the airport, the National Weather Service said.

The line of storms took down a number of trees, power lines and poles, the electric service said.

One person was killed: Spring Hill Firefighter Mitchell Earwood died due to a tragic weather-related incident at his home, the Spring Hill Police Department said in a statement. Earwood was off-duty at the time. Details were not immediately released.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Windstorm Tennessee
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 5, 2020 / Codebase Ventures Inc. ("Codebase" or the "Company") (CSE:CODE)(FSE:C5B)(OTCQB:BKLLF) announces it has completed a second closing of a non-brokered private placement. The Company issued 20,470,000 units at a price of $0.002 per unit, for gross proceeds of $409,400. Each unit consists of one common share and one common share purchase warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional common share at $0.05 for a period of two years from the date of closing. Securities issued pursuant to this financing are subject to trading restrictions until September 5, 2020.

The Company paid finders fees to a qualified finder of $13,072 and issued 653,600 broker warrants, which are on the same terms as the warrants forming part of the units. Net proceeds from the private placement will be used for general working capital and to fund future investments.

About Codebase Ventures Inc.

Codebase Ventures Inc. is an investment company, led by technology and business experts who invest early in great ideas in sectors that have significant upside, including the cannabis sector. We operate from the understanding that technology is always evolving, bringing early opportunities for strategic investments that can deliver the exponential returns to our shareholders. We seek out and empower the innovators who are building tomorrow's standards with platforms, protocols and innovations - not just products. We invest early, support those founders, take their ideas to market and work tirelessly to help them realize their vision.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information, please contact:

George Tsafalas - Ivy Lu

Investor Relations

Telephone: Toll-Free (877) 806-CODE (2633) or 1 (778) 806-5150

E-mail: IR@codebase.ventures

Forward Looking Statements

Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds, corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the successful development of a transdermal patch, the successful results of trials, other competing products, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions and dependence upon regulatory approvals. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities laws.

SOURCE: Codebase Ventures Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/588634/Codebase-Ventures-Inc-Announces-Second-Closing-Of-Financing
Latinos are feeling a good part of the brunt of the disproportionate impact that the pandemic is having on the country, and when you consider that for years now theyve been under direct attack from the president, from his administration, its no wonder that they arent as likely to seek testing, Garcia said. And too, they were left out of the provisions of the bills that we have passed so far for treatment.
Florian quietly and patiently explained that emotion is a strange word, Mr. Bangs wrote, and he proceeded to quote Mr. Schneider: There is a cold emotion and other emotion, both equally valid. Its not body emotion, its mental emotion. We like to ignore the audience while we play, and take all our concentration into the music.

We are very much interested in origin of music. The source of music. The pure sound is something we would very much like to achieve.

Florian Schneider-Esleben was born on April 7, 1947, in Ohningen, then part of West Germany. His father, Paul Schneider-Esleben, was a prominent modernist architect whose projects included the Cologne-Bonn Airport.

Mr. Schneider met Mr. Hutter in 1968 in an improvisation class at the Robert Schumann Hochschule, a music school in Dusseldorf. They soon began performing together, with Mr. Schneider on flute and Mr. Hutter on keyboards, and they joined a progressive rock band, Organisation, which released one album, Tone Float, in 1969.

The two men started Kraftwerk  the word means power station  in 1970 and established Kling Klang, the Dusseldorf studio that would be their home base for decades. That year, Mr. Schneider also purchased a synthesizer and became interested in manipulating acoustic sounds through electronics.

I found that the flute was too limiting, he was quoted as saying in Kraftwerk: Man, Machine and Music, a 1993 book by Pascal Bussy. Soon I bought a microphone, then loudspeakers, then an echo, then a synthesizer. Much later I threw the flute away; it was a sort of process.
Cornelio Pepino was shot dead by unidentified assailants on Tuesday while on a motorcycle with his wife.

A Philippine radio broadcaster from the central island of Negros has been shot dead, becoming the third media worker slain in Dumaguete City since 2018 and the 16th nationwide since President Rodrigo Duterte came to office in June 2016.

Cornelio Pepino was riding home from work on his motorcycle with his wife late on Tuesday when he was shot and killed, capping a turbulent 24 hours in the countrys media industry, which also saw the closure of its largest television network.

According to the police report obtained by Al Jazeera, two unidentified male perpetrators on a motorcycle shot and killed Pepino, also known as Rex Cornelio to radio listeners in the community.

Before fleeing, the attackers shot the victim once more in the head, according to a radio report quoting Pepinos wife, Colen.

The 48-year-old Pepino was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

In a video, Colen, who was unharmed, was seen weeping and begging for help on her mobile phone, while cradling her bleeding husband who was slumped next to their overturned motorcycle.

Police said an investigation is still ongoing.





The Philippines is one of the worlds most dangerous countries for journalists, with at least 186 media professionals killed since the countrys return to democracy in 1986, according to the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP).

Media observers say the level of impunity has reached an unprecedented level since Duterte was elected president.

This latest media killing comes as the country is under lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Across the country, police have set up several checkpoints, raising questions about how Pepinos killers managed to flee.

Al Jazeera has learned that just days before Pepinos killing, a police checkpoint was set up near the area of the shooting incident, but that had been decommissioned after some of the restrictions were eased in the city.

Critic of government corruption

In his afternoon radio programme, Pepino was known as a critic of corruption in local government in Negros. He had also criticised the distribution of allegedly overpriced food packs to communities affected by the coronavirus lockdown.





The management of the radio station where Pepino worked told Al Jazeera it was saddened and angered by the senseless and brutal killing.

While hard-hitting in his commentaries, colleagues were quoted as saying the victim never used profanity and would never flare up with emotion on the radio.

Authorities should leave no stone unturned in bringing the killers of journalist Rex Cornelio Pepino to justice, said Shawn Crispin, Committee to Protect Journalists senior Southeast Asia representative.

Until the Philippine government shows it is serious about solving media murders, the vicious cycle of impunity will continue.

The Dumaguete Press Club said the attack could be politically motivated since politics was his favourite topic, which might have hit the nerve of some political sectors, adding that divine justice in all its forms will unmistakably come and be served.

New level of impunity

Meanwhile, the NUJP urged the Duterte administration to investigate the murder immediately.

We demand justice for Cornelio Pepino, aka Rex Cornelio, and will continue to hold this government accountable for every death that remains unsolved.

In a statement, Joel Egco of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security vowed that justice will be served and that police have been directed to hunt down the suspects.

As in the past cases we handled, we will leave no stone unturned, Egco said.

Maria Ela Atienza, professor of political science at the University of the Philippines, said that while the killing of journalists and targeting of media companies are nothing new in the country, it got worse.

The Philippines is one of the worlds most dangerous countries for journalists, with at least 186 people working in the media killed since the countrys return to democracy in 1986 [File: Bullit Marquez/AP]

The level of impunity and the killing of journalists and critics has been pushed to a new level by the Duterte administration, Atienza told Al Jazeera.

Since becoming president, Duterte has been known to denounce the press for critical coverage of his administration, including the deadly war on drugs that left thousands of people dead.

He had previously cursed foreign journalists for their reporting and said corrupt journalists are legitimate targets of assassination.

On Tuesday, the countrys largest media company, ABS-CBN, which was a frequent target of the presidents tirades, was forced to shut down after his allies in Congress refused to renew on time the stations 25-year licence to operate.





The government had also filed charges against the Rappler website and its editor, Maria Ressa and forced the countrys largest newspaper, The Philippine Daily Inquirer, to sell the publication to billionaire Ramon Ang, a Duterte ally.

President Duterte, however, has repeatedly assured reporters that he welcomes questions from the media and that the country still has a free press.

I have nothing against you. I am not at liberty to [be] angry at anybody, said Duterte.

Atienza said that given Dutertes popularity now as president, it is surprising that the level of insecurity of his administration is so high it has to threaten and harass critics.

This is worsened by a group of rabid bloggers and PR (public relations) machine working relentlessly not only through regular media but social media to attack critics and promote intrigues and fake news.
A Norwalk man was issued a summons for allegedly spitting on a driver in the Rings End Lumber parking lot after telling the driver he had the coronavirus.

Darien Police responded to the report of an altercation at Rings End Lumber on April 29 at 11:50 a.m.

The complainant said he had been driving towards the exit when the suspect, identified as Saul Aguilar-Nuricumbo, jumped in front of his vehicle, police said.

When the complainant rolled his window down to tell Aguilar to be careful, police said the suspect walked up to the drivers window, told the complainant he was infected with the COVID-19 virus, and spat on him.

In response, the complainant told police he pushed the suspect out of his car window and away from him, and asked a Rings End Employee to call the police, and pulled into a parking spot. The suspect said while crossing the lot the complainant yelled to him, calling him stupid, police said. Aguilar allegedly then approached the complainant to ask him what the issue was, and was struck in the face. Aguilar then kicked the complainants vehicle, according to police.

Based on the above, Aguilar was issued a misdemeanor summons for breach of peace. He was released from the scene on the promise to appear and is due in Stamford court on June 22.
A worrying number of Australians have turned to day trading the sharemarket during COVID-19. The trouble is, they arent good at it.

And they are losing money.

According to research from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission there has been a big increase in the number of retail investors trading the market during the coronavirus pandemic. They are investing more money and churning stocks way more frequently.

Even in good times retail investors trying to make quick profits by playing the market haven't done well, the regulator warns. Imagine how they will do in the pandemic. Credit:Michel O'Sullivan

Average daily turnover by retail brokers increased from $1.6 billion in a regular period to $3.3 billion between the end of February and the start of May. And each day during this COVID-19 period a staggering 4,675 new accounts were registered - up by a factor of 3.4 times. At the same time there was a large spike in dormant accounts.
In the latest development in the US-Iran tensions, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said on May 6 that US President Donald Trumps decision to exit the nuclear accord of 2015 was a stupid mistake. According to reports, Rouhani called on Washington to lift sanctions from Tehran amid the deadly coronavirus outbreak as a condition to let the country back in the nuclear deal that was exited by Trump in May 2018. Since that move, the White House has imposed sanctions on Iran that are severely taking a toll on the latter's economy.

However, Iranian President also warned of a crushing response if the arms embargo imposed on the Islamic Republic by the US is extended. The United States renewed the existing sanctions on Iran on March 30 for 60 additional days while permitting Russian, European, and Chinese firms to continue their work on Islamic Republics civilian nuclear facilities without American penalities. While the world has been tackling the coronavirus outbreak, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo signed off on the waiver extensions but decided to continue to impose restrictions on Tehran.

Read - Iran's Rouhani Accuses Foreign Media Of 'over-exaggeration' Amid COVID-19 Crisis

Read - US Renews Restrictions On Iran's Nuclear Program For 60 Days Amid COVID-19 Crisis

Iran balancing sanctions, pandemic

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani defended his governments action to combat the unprecedented outbreak of deadly coronavirus while also dealing with a crippled economy. According to reports, as thousands have died in Iran due to COVID-19 infection, Rouhani said that it was not a time for political war. While the heavy sanctions imposed by the United States have taken a toll on Irans economy, Rouhani called health as the countrys principle along with the security of the society.

The global death toll of coronavirus outbreak continues to spike, it has also increased the challenges that leaders across the world face of striking a balance between imposing harsh measures to stem the spread of COVID-19 but also maintain the economy. From stimulus packages to major cities under lockdown, the pandemic has forced countries to take necessary steps but Hassan Rouhani has said that it is not the time to gather followers. Iran has emerged as one of the worlds hardest-hit countries from the coronavirus and has reported at least 99,970 cases and 6,340 deaths.

Read - Iranian President Says Tehran Closely Follows US' Activities, But Won't Initiate Conflict

Read - Iran's Revolutionary Guards Chief Hits Back At Trump, Warns US Of 'decisive Response'

(With agency inputs)

(Image Source: AP)
NEW YORK, May 5 (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc is working on a strategy to gradually return staff to working in offices worldwide, the bank's chief executive told staff on Tuesday in an internal memo viewed by Reuters.

Goldman Sachs staff in Hong Kong, mainland China, Sweden and Israel have already started returning to work in phases, according to the memo, which was verified by a Goldman spokeswoman.

"However, in certain cities, such as New York and London, it will take longer before we start to slowly increase the number of people in our offices," stated the memo, which was signed by Chief Executive Officer David Solomon, President John Waldron and Chief Financial Officer Stephen Scherr. (Reporting By Elizabeth Dilts Marshall, Editing by Franklin Paul)
The state Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a challenge by conservatives to Gov. Gavin Newsoms allocation of $75 million in state funds to undocumented immigrants affected by the coronavirus pandemic and ineligible for federal aid.

Plaintiffs represented by attorney Harmeet Dhillon, a Republican national committeewoman and founder of the nonprofit Center for American Liberty, sued Newsom on April 22 over his order directing funds to nonprofits for distribution to as many as 150,000 undocumented residents.

The suit, filed directly in the states high court, argued that the funding had not been authorized by the Legislature and violated federal laws denying unemployment benefits, or coronavirus relief funds, to the undocumented. The court dismissed the suit Wednesday in a brief order, without explanation. The court said Justice Goodwin Liu did not participate in the case but did not state the reasons.

Newsom approved the funding April 15. State officials said most of the money comes from SB89, legislation approved in March that provides up to $1 billion in coronavirus aid.

In court filings, state lawyers said Newsoms finance director, Keely Martin Bosler, told the Joint Legislative Budget Committee of the planned one-time cash payments to the undocumented so that all Californians impacted by the coronavirus, including those ineligible for federal emergency response benefits because of their undocumented status, can weather the crisis safely. Sen. Holly Mitchell, D-Los Angeles, the committee chairwoman, concurred, the lawyers said.

But the lawsuit argued that SB89 did not mention, and was not intended to provide, any cash benefit to undocumented workers. Newsoms order, Dhillon told the court, was an unlawful and unconstitutional gift of public funds.

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.

Another conservative group, Judicial Watch, has filed a separate suit challenging the funding in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Dhillon has filed suits challenging state shutdowns of restaurants and other businesses classified as nonessential and seeking to allow in-person religious services. She declined to comment on Wednesdays court order.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko
The National Green Tribunal has directed the Mathura District Magistrate to submit action taken report on constructions raised on the Yamuna riverfront in Vrindavan allegedly in violation of environmental laws.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed the DM to submit report by August 31 by e-mail.

The tribunal passed the direction after Vrindavan Development Authority informed it that the area was in the control of the Irrigation Department and no construction was permitted there.

However, some temporary huts have been constructed, it said.

"The Public Works Department had started construction of a semi-circle type bridge near Keshi Ghat which was removed on the orders of the Allahabad High Court.

Earlier, a temple was constructed illegally against which proceedings have been initiated. Temporary huts are removed from time to time," the report said.

The tribunal noted that the photographs annexed to the report do show constructions which may call for further action.

"It may also be necessary to devise an appropriate mechanism to ensure that no such constructions take place in the flood plain zone so that the flow of the river is not in any manner adversely affected," the tribunal said.

The Uttar Pradesh government, under the Vrindavan rejuvenation project, has proposed "expansion, renovation and beautification" work of three kilometres riverfront from Kesi Ghat to downstream of the river Yamuna.

The project, which proposes expansion of Kesi ghat by 750 metres into the river floodplain, also involves a mechanism to clean tributaries entering the river and construct interceptor drains to counter overflow of sewer into the river.

The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by nature enthusiast Akash Vashishtha, who claimed that reclamation of the eco-sensitive Yamuna floodplain is being carried out in gross violation of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the provisions of the EIA Notification of 2006.

The plea, filed through advocate Rahul Choudhary, had contended that the project proponent was encroaching right into the river floodplain in order to create space for a new ghat and an interceptor pipeline. This expansion was taking place over and above the already encroached land consisting of illegal colonies and other construction projects.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[May 06, 2020] McAfee Warns of Scams Targeting Consumers During Uncertain Times

McAfee (News - Alert) warns that as we adjust to a changed world, bad actors are also changing the tactics and approaches they use to take advantage of people. From phishing scams to fake ecommerce sites, consumers are exposed to a number of potentials threats during this uncertain time. McAfee has identified the following scams- some new and others tried and true- as ways that bad actors are targeting and tricking consumers into handing over personal information or financial resources. As we spend more time online, consumers should stay vigilant and informed about the following popular scams: Stimulus Checks -This takes the form of a phony message from the government or the IRS, asking you to submit personal information or file a tax form to receive a government stimulus check, which can lead to identity theft.

-This takes the form of a phony message from the government or the IRS, asking you to submit personal information or file a tax form to receive a government stimulus check, which can lead to identity theft. Health Alerts -This includes emails masked as coming from a reputable health organization, such as the CDC, asking you to click on a link to see health news in your area, which could download some form of malware to your computer.

-This includes emails masked as coming from a reputable health organization, such as the CDC, asking you to click on a link to see health news in your area, which could download some form of malware to your computer. Work From Home Offers -These messages include job offers that require you to pay upfront to hold your position or purchase a piece of software. The job offers may be for positions like medical biller or rebate processor.

-These messages include job offers that require you to pay upfront to hold your position or purchase a piece of software. The job offers may be for positions like medical biller or rebate processor. The "CEO Scam" -Fraudsters spoof the email address of someone in your workplace with a position of power. Emails from this spoofed address involve work-from-home policies or safety precautions, and ask you to download an attached policy sheet, which contains malware.

-Fraudsters spoof the email address of someone in your workplace with a position of power. Emails from this spoofed address involve work-from-home policies or safety precautions, and ask you to download an attached policy sheet, which contains malware. Delivery Notices -You might receive a warning that your order or account is on hold until you verify some details or that require you to click on an attachment to see the delivery time. These alerts often spoof popular e-commerce sites, like FedEx or Amazon.

-You might receive a warning that your order or account is on hold until you verify some details or that require you to click on an attachment to see the delivery time. These alerts often spoof popular e-commerce sites, like FedEx or Amazon. Fake E-Commerce sites-Hundreds of new e-commerce sites have been popping up offering everything from hard-to-find products, medical equipment, and more. Some are legitimate middlemen hoping to turn a quick profit, but others are fake websites looking to collect your personal and financial information.



Safety from Home page for the latest information and tips on how to stay safe online, during this time. About McAfee

McAfee is the device-to-cloud cybersecurity company. Inspired by the power of working together, McAfee creates business and consumer solutions that make our world a safer place. www.mcafee.com McAfee technologies' features and benefits depend on system configuration and may require enabled hardware, software, or service activation. No computer system can be absolutely secure. McAfee and the McAfee logo are trademarks of McAfee, LLC or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Other marks and brands may be claimed as the property of others. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005805/en/

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If the urge hit, Mr. Tunney would not hesitate to belt out a song. Read more

People Weve Lost Joe Tunney

69 years old

Lived in Philadelphia

This math whiz loved barbershop quartet music More Memorials

Joe Tunney was 26 when he announced in 1977 that he was leaving Philadelphia and going to live in Florida. He had 20 bucks in his pocket and a wealth of youthful adventurism.

When he left home, he left behind a note with clues about a treasure chest he hid in our house, said his brother Mike, who shared a Nov. 30 birthday with his brother, who was one year older. We spent days looking for it. It was a miniature treasure chest filled with pennies.

Mr. Tunney, 69, died on Friday, April 10, at Nazareth Hospital from the coronavirus. He had lived at Chapel Manor nursing home for about three years and was buried in the same family plot as his paternal grandmother, who died in the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic when Mr. Tunneys father was 2.

Mr. Tunney grew up in Port Richmond, near Salmon and Venango, went to North Catholic High School, and never met a math problem he couldnt solve. He mastered Rubiks Cube, loved astronomy, and could belt out a tune on a whim.

Mr. Tunney and his brother were kids when they first heard the Buffalo Bills, the barbershop quartet made famous by the Broadway play and film The Music Man.

We started to emulate them, Mike Tunney said. There were only two of us, but we tried to sound as barbershoppy as possible.

The family sang On Eagles Wings at Mr. Tunneys service.

Mike veered off into theater, but Mr. Tunney stuck with singing. Throughout his stint in Miami, his 20 years as a surveyor in the Philadelphia Streets Department, and his relationship with his wife, Allyson, the music was always there.

Mr. Tunney, who is survived by his wife, had seven siblings and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and great-great-nieces and -nephews.

He was really gregarious, Mike said. If he had a song to sing, hed get up and sing it. Even in a restaurant or a public place or in somebodys house. He would get up and sing a song at the drop of a hat. He was very entertaining in that way.

Even as his condition deteriorated, there was music. Mr. Tunney and his wife, whom Mike called an angel sent by God, would sing 'Til Tomorrow by phone each night. At his services, they saluted Uncle Joe with a rendition of On Eagles Wings.

Everybody in the family can sing, Mike Tunney said, so everybody was on key. It sounded like a choir of angels. It was beautiful.

 Ed Barkowitz
The Embassy of Qatar trimmed Ballard Partners monthly fee from $115K to $50K effective May 1.

The Trump-connected firm is working to better US-Qatari relations and on political, legislative and regional developments in Qatar.

Qatar initially signed Ballard Partners to a one-year contract on June 28, 2018, at $50K per month. That fee was upped to $115K last year.

The current amended pact runs through December 31.

Qatar was the biggest foreign spender at Ballard Partners during the six-month period ended Oct. 31, 2019. It contributed $660K of the total $2.1M fees.

Qatar topped outlays from Zimbabwe, Kosovo, Dominican Republic and Turkey's Halbank, which cut ties with the Ballard Partners on Oct. 16, 2019, after spending $455K during the period.

Brian Ballard is finance chair of the Florida unit of Trump Victory organization.
When the Netherlands Trade and Investment Office changed its name to Netherlands Office Taipei, Chinese officials were enraged threatening to stop sending medical aid.

The terse response to the name change which include the word Taipei warns to ditch Dutch products for Chinese consumers, worse was cutting off medical assistance that the Dutch needed for their coronavirus cases back home.

According to the Dutch representative in Taipei, Guy Wittich, the new name as "little bit less, but a lot more." A video was released on Monday evening, though it was removed later, wherein the Dutch Rep said the name is changed to make it simple and was so because it encompassed the activities, which both countries were doing jointly.

The words "trade and investment" were omitted because the dealings with the Netherlands and Taipei were expanded. In a spread of eight years, the Australian, British, Japanese, and Polish representative offices have made the names simple, especially the de facto embassies they have in Taiwan. This was explained by Wittich to enlighten everyone about the name change that Beijing objected to.

Chinese embassy officials in the Netherlands, on Tuesday, were expecting an independent state to explain why it changed name, but the Dutch government reserved itself from explaining to another country an internal matter to itself. Coming short of interloping, the embassy expected the Netherlands to conform to its definition of the "one China Principal"

The Global Times of China on Tuesday cited analysts that the announcement came on Netherlands' King's Day (April 27), a commemoration when Taiwan was a Dutch colony in the 17th century. Global Times made insinuations that the name change is about former glory but it might humiliate the island nation.

Also read: US Fears That China's Coronavirus Vaccine Will Be Used as Extortion on All Nations

More reports from the Global Times was released on the same day, with saying that the name change is a "provocative move" and is "destructive to regional stability" and would "likely face a backlash."

Claims were made that Chinese netizens who did not have access to social media were demanding that Chinese companies stop sending supplies to the Netherlands. Whether it was actual or is not verified, Beijing controls China.

More claims are not verified like the Chinese saying they will boycott Dutch products, and cancel going to Holland. Some even allegedly posted icons of Ming Dynasty leader Zheng Chenggong, who defeated the Dutch in one post saying, "Although he was from the Ming dynasty, many of his descendants are still here, just across the Taiwan Straits."

A communist mouthpiece, mentioned Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations of the China Foreign Affairs University, which stressed that the Netherlands' intent was on improving relations with Taiwan. It also said that interference of Chinese internal will not be met, and against regional stability, claiming it will muddle effort to contain COVID-19. Words were expressed that the independent country of Taiwan and its Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) of bowing to foreign countries to realize its goal of Taiwan independence.

Li added that interference by the Dutch will disadvantage already independent Taiwan. Next China might cut aid for the Netherlands.

China cutting medical supplies as a threat is impotent, with 600,00 substandard masks sent back to them. Many Chinese made low quality medical gear, including what was expressed earlier. Taiwan has been stepping up and producing PPEs that are better quality without strings attached.

Related article: Proof of China's Lies? COVID-19 'Patient Zero' Reportedly Discovered in a French Hospital

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Reuters) - Plant-based meat maker Impossible Foods will start selling its flagship burgers in supermarket chain Kroger Co's 1,700 stores in the United States, as it taps growing demand for vegan alternatives among home chefs. Kroger, which also operates Fred Meyer, King Soopers, Ralphs, Smith's and other stores, will sell the vegan burgers online as well on Kroger.com for curbside pickup and delivery, starting Tuesday. Impossible Foods said the Kroger rollout represents an eighteen-fold increase in the California-based company's retail footprint so far this year

(Reuters) - Plant-based meat maker Impossible Foods will start selling its flagship burgers in supermarket chain Kroger Co's 1,700 stores in the United States, as it taps growing demand for vegan alternatives among home chefs.

Kroger, which also operates Fred Meyer, King Soopers, Ralphs, Smith's and other stores, will sell the vegan burgers online as well on Kroger.com for curbside pickup and delivery, starting Tuesday.

Impossible Foods said the Kroger rollout represents an eighteen-fold increase in the California-based company's retail footprint so far this year.

The Beyond Meat Inc rival already sells its products in about 2,700 U.S. grocery stores including Albertsons, Safeway, Gelsons in Southern California, Fairway Markets in New York City among others.

Impossible Foods expects to expand its retail footprint fifty-fold this year, it said, as demand for plant-based meat soars both in retail and restaurants among health and environment conscious customers.

Beef and pork producers including Tyson Foods Inc have signaled disruptions to the U.S. food supply as they are forced to shut many meat plants to curb the rapid spread of the coronavirus.

(Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
A federal judge Wednesday signaled he might order the Oregon State Hospital to test all its patients for the new coronavirus in an effort to speed up admissions to avoid dozens of defendants with acute mental illnesses having to wait longer in county jails before being transferred to the hospital.

U.S. District Judge Michael W. Mosman directed the state to return to him next week with more information.

What is the hospital doing to create empty beds there? the judge asked.

He said he wants to know by Monday if the state hospital is moving patients already at the hospital into community placements and whether there are prospective patients in jail who can be placed in interim community treatment settings as they wait for a bed at the state psychiatric hospital.

He also asked if he were to order all state hospital patients be tested for COVID-19, how that would speed up the availability of hospital beds for defendants in jail.

The hearing was held as the state seeks the courts approval to allow the state hospital to continue to limit admissions during the coronavirus pandemic, which has resulted in dozens of criminal defendants who cant assist in their own defense waiting longer in county jails in violation of a court order.

The judge said he needs to balance competing principles.

Criminal defendants who cannot participate in their own defense because of serious mental illness and are ordered by a judge to get treatment at the state hospital must get out of jail and be accepted at the state hospital within seven days of a courts finding.

Thats a vitally important principle that needs to be honored, Mosman said.

But amid the current coronavirus pandemic, patients and staff at the state hospital also must be kept safe and not subjected to COVID-19, Mosman said. One employee tested positive for the coronavirus but no patient has reported testing positive, yet theres been no widespread testing.

Its inaccurate to say that what the state has done here is to close its doors to such patients, Mosman said. Instead it has slowed entry to allow quarantine, which is a widely accepted response.

Since mid-March, the Oregon State Hospital has restricted admitting new patients to try to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Its allowing entry only to two groups of people: those who have been found guilty except for insanity in criminal court and had their community release revoked, and a limited number of people deemed unable to assist in their defense who are exhibiting psychotic symptoms or active suicidal intentions.

Last month, 45 people were on the state hospitals admission list waiting to get in. Of those, 32 have remained in a county jail beyond the seven-day deadline, according to Sheila Potter, a state Department of Justice lawyer representing the hospital and the Oregon Health Authority.

Disability Rights Oregon lawyer Tom Stenson urged the state to take other steps to quicken admissions, such as moving defendants waiting in jail for a hospital bed into a temporary community placement.

Not every person committed to the hospital is in need of a hospital-level of care, Stenson said.

Potter urged the judge to allow the hospital to continue to modify its practices as a result of the coronavirus risk.

To prevent the potential spread of COVID-19 into the general patient population, the state hospital is using two units to treat people who are under investigation for or have symptoms of the virus. The hospital is admitting new patients on a cycle, alternating between 15 patients admitted on one week, and 19 on the next. The admission process begins with medical screening, followed by a 14-day quarantine and additional screening before patients transition to other units.

The state hospital wants to continue this admissions process as long as long as it is safe for all patients, she said.

This option has been the only one that can get patients in the door as quickly and as safely as possible, Potter said.

But the judge pressed if the 14-day quarantine is the only solution to the problem.

Is there no other answer? Mosman asked. Are there other options youre exploring?

The hospital hopes to get COVID-19 tests from a state stockpile, which could make things move more quickly, Potter said.

Testing has been hard to come by, she said. My understanding is that tests should be coming. There is a state stockpile.

Once tests are available, the hospital would test new patients about four days after their arrival to allow for an incubation period and it would take two or three days to get results, Potter told the court. Testing all patients would allow the hospital to move healthy patients now in quarantine into the general population, clean the units they were in and allow the hospital to take new patients in, she said.

Attorney Jesse Merrithew, one of the plaintiffs attorneys representing the Metropolitan Public Defenders Office, said the hospital had converted two of its units into a quarantine area, which had reduced its capacity and led to a backlog of people waiting in jail to get in. As of last month, 50 people were waiting in jail around the state, with some delayed in jail for more than a month, he told the court.

Potter argued that the hospital cant place criminal defendants who are found unable to assist in their defense at a lower-level community care setting when a court has ruled they need psychiatric hospital care.

Attorneys from Disability Rights Oregon disagreed. Cooper said community restoration programs already exist in the state. She questioned why the state doesnt make use of those placements to allow people in jail to get transferred in the interim for immediate treatment.

The judge said hell hold a new hearing Tuesday after he gets answers to his questions from the state.

He said hes leaning toward allowing a modification of the seven-day requirement that is grounded in testing of state hospital patients in a medically sound way and moving of certain patients to community placement who havent been ordered to the hospital because they cant assist in their criminal defense.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

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Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong bows before a nationally-televised apology over the company-involved past various wrongdoings at Samsung Seocho Tower, Wednesday afternoon. Yonhap



By Kim Yoo-chul



Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, the de-facto head of the country's most-powerful conglomerate, said Wednesday he will lead the changes needed to the group's web-like holding structure, vowing not to pass on the management to his children.



"I will not pass the company's management on to my children. This was always my idea, but I've been hesitant to share and open up on it, because I think it's not right to talk about issues relating to management succession before a thorough evaluation of my managerial ability, as Samsung is facing an unfavorable business environment," Lee said in a nationally-televised statement from Samsung Seocho Tower in which he issued a formal apology.



"I am offering my sincere apology to the public. Yes, Samsung and I have been criticized over succession-related issues. Specifically, I was the center of criticism over Samsung Everland and Samsung SDS issues. Also, hearings are going on because of alleged bribery related to the management succession," Lee said.



"Much of the controversy about Samsung and myself originally arose from these issues. Let me be clear. There won't be any more controversies about management succession. There won't be any activities that break the law. There won't be any activities against ethics and there will be no favors. I will only focus on doing things to improve corporate value."



The apology came after the Samsung Group's external compliance committee recommended Vice Chairman Lee announce details regarding improvements to group-wide management transparency.



Wednesday's public apology is the first since one made in June 2015, when Lee apologized over a Samsung hospital's apparent mishandling of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). The vice chairman didn't take any questions from reporters and left the room packed with hundreds of local and foreign correspondents.



"I would take this opportunity to share my deepest thoughts on issues. After Chairman Lee was hospitalized, I've done everything that I could and had to do. However, my efforts brought quite mixed results and it's hard to say I am proud of them. I am hoping to take Samsung to the next level. Through tireless innovation and improvements in technologies, Samsung will focus on the businesses that we do best. However, I will accept the challenge of expanding Samsung's footsteps into new business areas," Lee said.



In addition, he also apologized over the group's long-time reluctance to guarantee the activities of unions. "No union management" has long been embraced as a Samsung criteria, pushing its employees and executives to strictly focus on given tasks. "I will guarantee free activities of unions inside Samsung units," Lee said.



But the vice chairman didn't give any details on what the expected new holding structure for Samsung would be. The group currently has a complex ownership structure with cross-holdings among affiliates that enable the founding family to control the business with a very small stake in direct ownership. Specifically, the cross-holdings involve one group firm having a large equity stake in another. Samsung Life is the single largest shareholder of Samsung Electronics and Samsung Life belongs to the Samsung group.



Lee made it clear that Samsung will let experienced executives who have high expertise and insight manage the group's core businesses. "Only the best-level management can guarantee Samsung's growth. This is the sense of crisis that I have. Samsung has to hire proven personal regardless of sex, education level and nationality. These recruited personnel should work hard with greater loyalty and get a better position than me in managing the group's core businesses."



The vice chairman is facing a re-hearing at a high court of influence-peddling charges, for which he spent almost a year behind bars from 2017 to 2018. Lee has a huge influence over Samsung Electronics despite holding a small fraction of its shares and no longer being a board member, because of the ownership structure established around other group affiliates and holdings of his family members including sisters Lee Boo-jin and Lee Seo-hyun.



But it is still unclear who will represent the family's core interests if Lee is sent back to prison.


The Israeli occupation army attacked military positions of the Islamist Hamas movement early Wednesday after militants in the Palestinian enclave fired a rocket at the Jewish state, the army said.

"A rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israeli territory," the occupation army said in a statement. "In response, an (army) tank targeted three Hamas military posts in the northern Gaza Strip."

A security source in Gaza confirmed three positions had been damaged, but reported no casualties.

The Gaza rocket hit an open field near the border, with no immediate reports of casualties or damage, a military spokeswoman said.

Wednesday's rocket was the first since March 27, and came as Israel was lifting restrictions imposed during the coronavirus outbreak.

It also followed strikes on Iranian-backed militias and their allies in Syria that killed 14 fighters and are presumed to have been carried out by Israel.

No Gaza group took responsibility for the Wednesday rocket fire.

Separately on Wednesday morning, Hamas's military wing announced the death of a militant killed when a tunnel he was working in collapsed in Gaza the previous day.

*This story has been edited by Ahram Online

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US forfeited any right to seek renewal of UN arms embargo on Iran: European diplomats

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 05 May 2020 2:30 PM

European diplomats say by withdrawing from a nuclear agreement with Iran, the US forfeited any right to demand an extension to a United Nations arms embargo against the Islamic Republic that the deal has mandated to expire later this year.

Bloomberg News cited the officials as making the remarks on condition of anonymity in a feature that it ran on Tuesday.

The United States has expressed a resolve to have the embargo on the sales of conventional weapons to Iran prolonged. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo first announced the intention and Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook told reporters last week, "We are operating under the assumption that we will be able to renew the arms embargo."

The ban is to expire by October under the 2015 nuclear deal, and Washington is legally prohibited from seeking its extension as it left the deal in May 2018.

Hook claimed that if the other members of the United Nations Security Council the UK, France, Russia, and China  would not fall into step with Washington's drive, then, "we are well within our rights" to force a "snapback" of all UN sanctions against the Islamic Republic.

The Bloomberg report, however, noted, "That's not an interpretation many countries agree with," and warned that the administration of US President Donald Trump was risking "escalating tensions with allies" as it sought to renew the embargo.

Even if the US manages to bring about the so-called snapback, its effect "would be largely symbolic," the piece noted.

The article was apparently suggesting that potential reinstatement of the UN sanctions would not be considerably affecting Iran that has already weathered the effects of the sanctions that the US reinstated after leaving the deal, through its "Resistive Economy" and cooperation with its traditional allies and neighbors.

Besides, "renewing the arms embargo won't be easy," Bloomberg said, referring to expected stiff opposition by other veto-wielders Security Council members Russia and China that have, on all occasions, blasted the US for leaving the nuclear deal and returning its sanctions.

Zarif spells out UN resolution 'for dummies'

Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif addressed the US's intensions concerning the moribund embargo and Washington's misconceptions about it.

The nuclear agreement was ratified by the Security Council in the form of Resolution 2231 upon conclusion in Vienna in July 2015.

"Pompeo pretends UNSCR 2231 is independent from #JCPOA," the Iranian top diplomat tweeted.

"He should READ 2231. JCPOA is PART of 2231. That's why it's 104 pages& why he's not read it," he added.

Zarif then outlined a number of factual information about both the resolution and the nuclear deal that he gathered under the sobering "2231 for Dummies" heading.

On Monday, Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi said the country would serve a "decisive response" to a potential extension of the arms embargo.

He, however, said Tehran was "certain" that Washington would fall short of its objective because "the world is far from likely to cave in to the US's bullying."

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Trump administration officials this week - including President Donald Trump on Tuesday - rejected any link to an apparent failed military operation over the weekend in Venezuela that involved a group of armed defectors and at least two American mercenaries who are now in Venezuelan detention.

President Nicolas Maduro said Monday that his government had stopped a "terrorist" assault on the country, killing eight and capturing more than a dozen of the plotters over two days. Maduro said they sought to incite a rebellion and possibly kill him. Thousands of Venezuelan reservists were deployed to the country's coasts in a show of force.

For years, the embattled demagogue has warned of foreign plots against his rule, waving at the specter of treacherous coups and imperialist invasions. Such alarmism often served as a smokescreen for his government's failures and the economic collapse that has taken place under his watch. But this time - as footage circulated by Venezuelan authorities on social media appeared to show a number of apprehended insurrectionists, including two former U.S. Special Operations soldiers - Maduro may have a point.

A key figure behind the plot is Jordan Goudreau, a former U.S. Green Beret who runs Silvercorp USA, a Florida-based private security firm. From Florida, Goudreau announced the incursion alongside a former Venezuelan national guard officer in a video on Sunday and told reporters that the ongoing operation had the support and encouragement of the Venezuelan opposition, including opposition leader Juan Guaido. (Guaido's office has denied any contact with Goudreau or signing any agreement with him, but various people familiar with the situation allege that there were direct contacts between Goudreau and other members of the opposition last year.)

"The main mission was to liberate Venezuela, to capture Maduro, but the mission in Caracas failed," Goudreau told Bloomberg News. "The secondary mission is to set up insurgency camps against Maduro. They are already in camps, they are recruiting and we are going to start attacking tactical targets."

That may be a fantasy. In an interview with my colleagues on Monday, Goudreau said the two captured Americans - identified as Airan Berry and Luke Denman - had been in a boat off Venezuela's Caribbean coast late Sunday, hoping for extraction, before they were seized by Maduro's forces. Now, he wants U.S. officials to "engage and try to get these guys back," Goudreau told The Washington Post. "They are Americans. They are ex-Green Berets. Come on."

"They were playing Rambo," said Maduro, on whom the United States has placed a $15 million bounty. "They were playing hero."

Reports of Goudreau's operation paint a bizarre picture. Initial planning meetings a year ago in Colombia involved what one person described to the Associated Press as a "Star Wars summit of anti-Maduro goofballs," replete with "military deserters accused of drug trafficking, shady financiers" and former regime officials. The AP identified Goudreau's principal contact and the main ringleader as Cliver Alcala, a retired Venezuelan major general who is in detention in the United States on narcotics charges.

Observers weren't impressed by the handful of clandestine training camps that sprang up in Colombia. "You're not going to take out Maduro with 300 hungry, untrained men," Ephraim Mattos, a former U.S. Navy SEAL who trained some of the would-be combatants in first aid, told the AP.

The number of fighters involved in the botched invasion appears to be considerably less than that, and a far less real threat to Maduro's hold on power than a quashed uprising a year ago that did have Guaido's direct involvement.

The current episode smacks of "Keystone Cops" meets "Bay of Pigs," Brett McGurk, a former Trump and Obama administration diplomat, suggested on Twitter. The latter incident is the failed invasion of Cuba in 1961 by a force of Cuban exiles secretly backed by the United States. Its memory was conspicuously harnessed by Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton, who delivered an address to the Bay of Pigs Veterans Association in Florida last year hailing the "twilight hour of socialism" in the hemisphere.

"There's a kind of tragedy meets farce element to this, in part because so many of the people Trump has surrounded himself with, or at least outsourced his policy to . . . are Cold Warriors repeating these well-worn scripts," New York University academic Alejandro Velasco told the American Conservative.

The Bay of Pigs is also an enduring, loaded metaphor for American meddling and overreach abroad. For that reason, analysts doubt the Trump administration played any serious role in encouraging this weekend's quixotic raid. "There's not one person at the State Department or the CIA who says let's repeat the Bay of Pigs," Eric Farnsworth, vice president of the Council of the Americas and a former senior U.S. diplomat, told Today's WorldView.

The incident does expose some of the problems that ail Venezuela's opposition: Although Guaido is now a well-known figurehead, recognized by the United States and dozens of other countries as Venezuela's legitimate leader, he presides over a decentralized mess of factions inside and outside the country. The opposition finds it both "tough to maintain message discipline," Farnsworth said, and is "awfully easy for the regime to infiltrate." In this case, regime officials boasted of knowing about the plot well in advance.

For Maduro, the incident is a welcome distraction. Tanking oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic have put him under even greater pressure, with aid organizations and opposition officials warning of the risk of the country's already enfeebled health system collapsing under new strains.

It's a "convenient narrative," Farnsworth said. "What better way to rally a country that's flat on its back than to expose an invasion from the empire?"
According to PM, the Ukrainian business should be ready to work in new conditions

Meeting of Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers www.kmu.gov.ua

Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmygal stated that the government will abolish first quarantine measures from May 11 as 112 Ukraine TV channel reported.

The first restriction will be abolished since May 11. It is important that we imposed lockdown in time. But it is equally important to lift the restrictions right and safely. That is why, until May 11, the business should be ready to work in new conditions, Shmygal said.

As we reported, Ukraines Cabinet of Ministers intends to extend the lockdown in Ukraine until May 22. However, some easing is expected. So, that is what should be expected to start from May 11: the opening of parks, squares, recreation areas, beauty salons, summer venues of food establishments, libraries, museums.

As of May 6, the overall number of Covid-19 patients in Ukraine made 13,184. On May 5, 487 new cases were observed. 327 lethal cases have been observed since the epidemic reached Ukraine. 2,097 patients recovered.
Liverpool Central School District joins the Empire State Purchasing Group Liverpool Central School District invites all vendors to register on the Empire State Purchasing Group to start receiving business opportunities.

The Liverpool Central School District announced it has joined the Empire State Purchasing Group and will publish and distribute upcoming bid opportunities on the system. BidNets Empire State Purchasing Group connects participating agencies from across New York to a large vendor pool and streamlines the bid and vendor management process. BidNets New York purchasing group provides notifications to registered vendors of new relevant solicitations, as well as any addenda and award information from participating agencies from across New York, and can be accessed at http://www.bidnetdirect.com/new-york.

The Liverpool Central School District joined the purchasing group in April, and will utilize the system to streamline its purchasing process including bid management, bid distribution and vendor relations. The Empire State Purchasing Group is a single, online location that manages sourcing information and activities and provides local New York government agencies the tools needed to minimize costs and save time throughout the purchasing process.

The Empire State Purchasing Group expands an agencys vendor pool and enhances vendor competition without increasing distribution costs. In addition to the existing vendors on the Empire State Purchasing Group, all vendors looking to do business with the Liverpool Central School District can register online: http://www.bidnetdirect.com/new-york. The Liverpool Central School District invites all interested bidders to register today.

Registered vendors can access all open bids, related documents and files, additional addenda and award information. In addition, the Empire State Purchasing Group offers a value-added service to notify vendors of new bids targeted to their industry, all addenda and advance notification of expiring term contracts. Registered vendors have access to not only Liverpool Central School District bid opportunities, but all participating agency bids.

We invite all vendors to register on the Empire State Purchasing Group to start receiving business opportunities, said Liverpool Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark F. Potter. Our vendors can now save time and paper by having direct access to not only Liverpools open bids, but those from other agencies throughout the state.

Vendors may register on the Empire State Purchasing Group at: http://www.bidnetdirect.com/new-york. BidNets vendor support team is available to answer any questions regarding the registration process or the bid system at 800-835-4603 option 2.

Other local New York government agencies looking to switch from a manual bid process, please contact the Empire State Purchasing Group for a demonstration of the no-cost sourcing solution.

About the Liverpool Central School District:

The Liverpool Central School District has a long history of providing an excellent educational environment for its nearly 6,900 students. The district consists of nine elementary schools, three middle schools, one ninth grade school and one high school, and offers a wide range of programs and services, including honors and Advanced Placement courses, cutting-edge technology, a highly respected special education program and numerous extracurricular activities.

Liverpool also maintains active relationships with many local colleges and universities including Syracuse University, SUNY Cortland, SUNY Oswego, SUNY ESF, Le Moyne College, Rochester Institute of Technology, Onondaga Community College and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Students have the opportunity to earn both high school and college credit in a variety of subjects. In all, approximately 84 percent of Liverpool Central School District students pursue higher education after graduation.

About the Empire State Purchasing Group:

The Purchasing Group is a part of BidNets regional purchasing groups available at no cost to local government agencies throughout the country. With years of input from procurement professionals, BidNet specifically developed the bid system to fill the need for a robust bid and supplier management solution for local government agencies. BidNet runs regional purchasing groups across all 50 states that are used by over 1,300 local governments. To learn more and have your government agency gain better transparency and efficiency in purchasing, please visit https://www.bidnetdirect.com/buyers
An American study published on the preprint server medRxiv in April 2020 shows the frightening limitations of any relaxation of social distancing norms with respect to containing the COVID-19 spread. Currently, the illness is the cause of massive numbers of deaths, close to 70,000, as well as widespread business shutdowns, loss of revenue and employment, and social disruptions in America.

Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and virus testing are melded in the effort to flatten the curve, thus reducing the number of new cases occurring daily and offering healthcare systems and public authorities the time to prepare for the coming wave of infections. However, given the resulting instability of the social and economic situation, both federal and state governments are chafing to return to normalcy as soon as possible.

Flatten the COVID-19 curve illustration slowing the spread of the virus. Image Credit: DigitalMammoth / Shutterstock

The current study aims to examine how feasible the strategy of gradual easing of lockdown orders can be in the absence of a vaccine.

How was the study done?

The researchers looked at a large urban area in Washington States King County. They modeled various scenarios of removing lockdown and social distancing requirements over one year dating from the first infection. They hope to develop a potential guideline for the authorities to optimize the changes that should be implemented to evolve a sound lockdown relaxation policy.

The researchers used the open-source FRED model to create an agent-based simulation. FRED stands for Framework for Reconstructing Epidemic Dynamics. The model included the county population, patterns of daily contacts, SEIR-model based transmission estimates for COVID-19 in the county, and current NPIs in place.

After running a 365-day simulation, the daily incidence of new cases was estimated to evaluate how relaxing social distancing would change the situation.

The fundamental assumptions

The baseline assumptions made by the researchers included:

The first infection date in King County is January 15, 2020, in a man from Snohomish County who commuted to Seattle, WA, thereby possibly having some influence on King County.

This case represents the only non-local transmission, with all other patients being attributed to community transmissions in the county.

All patients were classified as non-severe and severe groups. They assumed similar patterns of illness in those with or without symptoms, terming this the non-severe cases.

Symptoms are more severe in those who are older, but severe illness does not mean more infectious.

Recovered patients were considered entirely immune to the illness.

The researchers modeled three NPIs used commonly in the USA  case isolation at home, school closure, and social distancing. They did not include contact tracing or voluntary home quarantine because these were not being done or were incorporated into the other measures.

Ending the lockdown

The researchers also simulated mixnmatch strategies using eight different levels of social distancing that were possibilities after the lifting of the current total lockdown on May 4, 2020. They also simulated a scenario in which no interventions were implemented. They simulated interventions before this date as set out in the Washington State emergency order.

School opening in fall was assumed given the practical difficulties involved in extending the closure beyond the close of the current academic year.

Scenarios

Diagram of Simulated Scenarios

The outcomes

The researchers found that in comparison to scenario 1-8, scenario 0 is associated with a far worse outcome. In other words, any intervention is better than no intervention, and the NPIs set in place in March did reduce cases and postpone the new cases.

The scenarios rank in ordinal number from 1 through 9, and finally 0, in terms of effective reduction in the viral spread.

The most robust and lasting intervention was in scenario 1, and the total infections go down from over 40% to 15% of the numbers in scenario 0.

The peak of the new daily cases was on March 18, 2020, in scenario 0, at 37,300 people. With other scenarios, the peak arrived earlier on March 11, 2020, affecting almost 18,800 people.

The second wave

Whichever the scenario, a second wave hit. With scenario 1, where the daily new infection rate dropped to 2 by June 4, in the simulation, and remained at about 20 until August, the incidence surged with the lifting of lockdown and opening of school. At this point the cases jumped back again to 874 cases a day in the absence of any importation.

In scenario 2, social restrictions were removed entirely from September 1 onwards. In scenario 5, on the other hand, low-level social distancing norms were kept in place from September to the time the simulation ended. Both ended with the same total number of infections.

In other words, the choice is between extending social distancing at high levels for one more month (until June 4) or keeping low-level social distancing in place through September.

One more comparison between scenario 1 and scenario 2 shows that when analyzed by place, the total lifting of social distancing requirements will cause a doubling of the peak workplace infections and a tripling or more of neighborhood infections after May 4, compared to keeping a low-level lockdown in place.

Limitations

The model has its limitations. For instance, in the early phase of the spread of the virus, the daily number of new cases is much higher than the number reported. This overestimation of true incidence may be acceptable since only 12% of symptomatic cases are reported in the US, especially till March 2020, and because so many COVID-19 infections go unnoticed or undiagnosed. Secondly, the researchers used only self-isolation and not the hospitalization or death rates during the disease spread. This was based on the assumption that disease transmission will be reduced to the same extent by hospitalization, death, or 100% self-isolation at home for severe patients.

Future challenges

The researchers summarize: While reopening society is important in revitalizing the economy, policymakers should be very cautious in reopening even if daily confirmed cases decrease to one digit or even zero due to low reporting rate.

*Important Notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
The following speech was delivered by Socialist Equality Party (Sri Lanka) General Secretary Wije Dias to the 2020 International May Day Online Rally held by the World Socialist Web Site and the International Committee of the Fourth International on May 2.

Dear comrades and friends,

The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an unstoppable erosion of public confidence in the rule of the Sri Lankan capitalist elite. Even before the pandemic began, the deepening crisis of world economy and the developing struggles of working people testify to the worldwide loss of confidence, by the oppressed masses, in capitalist rule. And it will not be restored after the COVID-19 catastrophe has abated.

However, there is no room for complacency on the part of the working class and its supporters among the youth and rural poor. The Socialist Equality Party warns the workers and youth in Sri Lanka and internationally, that the capitalist class will try all its reactionary measures, including a military coup, to retain political power, which is threatening to slip out of its control.

The speech by Wije Dias begins at 45:50 in the video.

It is essential that the working class is armed with an alternative socialist strategy to counter such regressive moves.

Notwithstanding the extraordinary advances in medical science and technology, the capitalist system failed miserably in identifying, and beginning treatment, to save the precious lives of hundreds of thousands of the working population.

Responding to the shock and horror of millions at the utter incompetence of the ruling elites, governments everywhere were forced to instigate lockdowns of workplaces and neighborhoods.

But by April, as the virus continued to spread, the bourgeoisie hurriedly floated a vicious campaign to reopen the economy, claiming that the cure cannot be worse than the disease. Major businesses were much more preoccupied with reopening production linesto prevent any impediment to profit-making, irrespective of the danger to the lives of the workers, who were forced to go back to work.

There are currently 50,000 coronavirus victims in South Asia, mainly India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, while the death toll stands at nearly two thousand. The figures are low, mainly because the necessary mass testing has been ignored.

Despite this nightmare, bourgeois governments are marching in lockstep with the fascistic US president, Donald Trump, ordering workers back to work, without essential personal protective equipment. Indias Barathiya Janatha Party government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is leading the region, and has already promoted the Indian military as the patriotic savior of India against its enemiesPakistan in the North West and China in the East.

Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapakse has even surpassed Modi, placing the military at the head of the civil administration, even prior to the current health emergency. Military men, with criminal cases pending in the judiciary for slaughtering thousands of civilians during the thirty-year-long anti-Tamil war, are being elevated as war heroes. The president promotes the military as the most efficient instrument for defeating the virus, just as it dealt with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan, who came to power promising to cleanse the countrys military rule, has followed suit, by calling on the military, on April 24, to conduct special tasks related to the pandemic.

In Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheik Hassina, who depends heavily on the armed forces to confront growing opposition to her rule, uses the pretext of the influx of Rohingya refugees from Burma to boost the militarys role in her administration, utilizing the new situation created by COVID-19.

At the same time all these governments are whipping up communalism, to disorient and divert the working masses from the failure of the ruling elites to meet the challenge posed by the pandemic.

In both India and Sri Lanka, the ruling elites are promoting anti-Muslim xenophobia as Sri Lankan Muslim families are held responsible for creating the so-called virus clusters.

The capitalist media is being used incessantly to drown the population in servility, with the ready assistance of the reformists, trade union bureaucrats and fake lefts.

Only the Socialist Equality Party-Sri Lanka, along with its sister parties of the International Committee of the Fourth International around the world, is prepared to undertake the historic task of providing the socialist revolutionary perspective and leadership to working people of all races in the South Asian region. Our theoretical and political preparation is firmly grounded on the historical lessons of the struggles of the world Trotskyist movement throughout the past century.

72 years ago, when fake independence was granted to the British colonies of the region, the Trotskyists of the Bolshevik-Leninist Party of India correctly denounced this as a bogus independence deal between the British imperialists and the local bourgeoisie. They called for the overthrow of capitalist rule, which had become the indirect rule of global finance capital.

The analyses of the ICFI and its sections, based on Leon Trotskys theory of permanent revolution, have been vindicated. Neither independence from imperialism, nor the unification of working people against communalism, are possible under the rule of the bourgeoisie, in Sri Lanka or anywhere else, because it is nothing but the rotten agency of finance capital.

During the past decades, formerly free health services have been gutted by the bourgeoisie, under the dictates of the IMF and World Bank, bringing devastation to billions, especially under conditions of the current catastrophic pandemic.

The global COVID-19 pandemic has created the conditions to expose the bankruptcy and reactionary role of world capitalism. The historic necessity of globally unifying the resources, knowledge and efforts of working people to conquer, not only viruses, but every devastating depredation of the profit system, can only be achieved under world socialism.

The fight for the establishment of an international federation of socialist states, of which a socialist federation of South Asia will be an indivisible part, depends on the building of ICFI sections in every country as the leadership of the working class, as it engages in the emerging revolutionary struggles. We call on all our listeners to join this struggle.
Authored by Gautam Madhavan, Founder and CEO - Mad Influence.

The Indian Advertising and Marketing Agencies are no aliens to the chaos and devastating effects of the deadly Covid-19 Virus. The outbreak of the virus has spilled beyond the national boundaries and so the scenario is quite uncertain and at the same time unpredictable in the way how the industry is going to work between widespread travel restrictions and a terrifying pandemic prevailing all over the globe. And this has taken the industry to an inflection point which will be looked back as a total transformational system.

Certainly this large-scale turmoil has forced brands and agencies to find out newer ways in reaching out their publics. Since they are bound to adapt to options which let their staff work remotely and create virtual events as and when required. Clearly, there are four facets of the industry that will be affected the most because of the virus, the key parts being, Ad Spends, Experimental Marketing and the Agencies and Production Companies. The time has come to embrace change for the hard core traditional agencies as its the age of adopting the digital tools of co-working.

No wonder the corona virus has brought a lot of marketing campaigns to an indefinite halt and postpones. It has not only slowed down brands, but even social media influencers, who are now shooting their content while they are self-isolated at their homes. But the job needs to be done, so continuing the show, many brands have already initiated their campaigns over various platforms, the most trending and influential being Tiktok. Amid the chaos, many brands are launching creative campaigns, encouraging people to stay at home and stay safe.

As confirmed novel corona virus cases have reached a whooping figure of 551 as of now in India, brands across different sectors have started creating social awareness campaigns to educate consumers in relation to the pandemic. Big Brands like Netflix, Zomato, Hindustan Unilevers Lifebuoy, Reckitt Benckisers Dettol and Amul, etc. are on their way in expressing unanimity with people during these crucial times of Covid-19.

Undoubtedly the current situation is too much frustrating for marketers but opportunities do exist and one just has to make the most of it. Some marketers have really found the way and are interacting even better with their consumers. Since people are isolating themselves either at homes or quarantined areas, this makes it all the way easier for brands to capture their audiences by the means of television commercials, digital and social media based advertisements campaigns and Public Service Messages.

In order to aware the public and sensing the need of personal hygiene many brands are actively coming up. HULs Lifebuoy for instance has taken quite an active stand in promoting its alcohol based hand sanitizers. The best part of this advertisement was that the campaign urged the public to buy such products no matter which brand they might opt for, mentioning the name of its competitors itself in the ad. Interesting! , isnt it? Also it partnered with Paytm in crowd funding campaign to donate soaps and sanitizers to the poorly and needed ones.

Another big brand Dettol came in with a superb behavior change communication drive. In fact the #HandWashChalllenge as a result partnership of Dettol with TikTok to raise awareness among the people proved to be a milestone in the prevailing situation.

Who can miss the Dairy brand Amul from the chance to stand out on all social platforms? The Amul Girl is portrayed washing her hands and the advertisement goes with the caption: Better saaf than sorry!

Next in the list comes Pidlites Fevicol. The brand came with up with the same iconic logo of two elephants and marketed the same ad by increasing the distance between the two, depicting beautifully the notion of social distancing, Kal ke mazboot jod ke liye, aaj thodi doori maintain karona. Wow!!

Even the famous food delivery app Zomato, had a notification that if consumers wanted to maintain social distance, it had a provision for the delivery person to leave the packet at the door via special instructions. Even it added a message on washing hands before eating anything.

Encouraging people to stay at home and stay safe, Dineout India changed its Instagram user name to encourage people to not eat outside. Nice!

These are a few out of many examples by which brands are doing their part of stimulating awareness amongst common folks along with marketing themselves. This is the time when the emotions and sentiments of the public can be aroused and using such chosen words can render an awesome response and a win your brand a great deal of consumer loyalty. Yes, it definitely can!

And Marketing teams of brands and agencies like Mad Influence are deja on the path. They are continuously working on designing such creative content in aligning them for not an aloof future.

So, with the underlying message Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, the Advertising and Marketing Agencies are on their toes to market their brands and at the same time caution and aware the public about their health, hygiene in such devastating situation.
Thirty BSF jawans, forming part of a company deployed earlier in the Walled City area in Delhi on internal security duty, tested positive for Covid-19 here on Wednesday, an official of the border guarding force said.

According to the BSF official, all these jawans were the part of a BSF company comprising 65 jawans, which had been sent to Delhi from Jaipur on internal security duty and had been put up at the Jama Masjid in the national capital.

The entire company was air-lifted to Jodhpur on Monday and was quarantined at the BSF's Subsidiary Training Center (STC) here after some of the jawans of the company deployed in the walled city area in New Delhi tested corona positive.

Their samples were taken on Tuesday after their arrival at Jodhpur and had been sent to AIIMS for examination. The report was released by AIIMS on Wednesday morning, in which they were tested positive, the BSF official said.

All of them have now been admitted in the AIIMS for treatment, he said, adding the remaining jawans continue to be quarantined at the STC, which is well-equipped for the purpose and the administration here has been taking proper care of all the jawans.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia will open their borders to each others' citizens from May 15, creating a Baltic "travel bubble" within the European Union amid an easing of pandemic restrictions, their prime ministers said.



The Baltic travel area would be first of its kind in the bloc, where most countries restricted entry to non-nationals and imposed quarantine on incoming travelers as the novel coronavirus spread across the continent.



"We have agreed that all three Baltic states have properly contained the spread of the coronavirus, and we trust each others' health systems," Lithuania's Prime Minister Saulius Skvernlis wrote on Facebook.



"So, starting from May 15, we are removing all restrictions for citizens of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia traveling between the Baltic states."



People entering the region from other countries will need to self-isolate for 14 days, he added.



The European Commission has recommended that internal border controls between all member states should be lifted in a coordinated manner, once their virus situation converges sufficiently, the commission's office in Lithuania said.



Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, all major trading partners with each other, are also taking cautious steps to re-open their economies after lockdowns imposed as local outbreaks struck.



Since the start of the pandemic, Lithuania has recorded 48 deaths in the disease, Latvia 17 and Estonia 55, Reuters reported.
Tom Cruise is going to star in one of his epic movies yet, and that could be thanks to Elon Musk.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, popularly known as NASA, confirmed on Tuesday that they are working with Tom Cruise for a movie which will be filmed in outer space.

According to NASA administration Jim Bridenstine's tweet, "NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station!"

NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station ! We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASA s ambitious plans a reality. pic.twitter.com/CaPwfXtfUv  Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) May 5, 2020

He added, "We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASA's ambitious plans a reality."

The actor will launch into space and stay aboard the International Space Station, which is known as a multi-billion dollar laboratory that orbits about 250 miles above the Earth.

Since 2000, rotation astronaut crews lived in the International Space Station, and a couple of high-paying tourists have also checked out the station over the years.

Even Lance Bass of the former band NSYNC planned a visit in the early 2000s; however, it was cancelled.

Though a sci-fi movie shot onboard the space station may not be Tom Cruise's first film to be on, as he has narrated 2012's "Apogee of Fear," he will be the first actor to endure extraterrestrial travel to shoot a movie.

Though no further details of the new Tom Cruise movie were revealed, Bridenstine's tweet came after an article published by Deadline that Cruise was working with Tesla and SpaceX entrepreneur Elon Musk to create the first movie ever to be shot in space.

As per the news portal, it will be an action-adventure film, and according to Variety, the project will not be an installment of Tom Cruise's famous "Mission: Impossible" series.

Despite the lack of height, Tom Cruise is known for performing his own stunts, especially the most daring ones.

In the 2015 "Mission: Impossible" film, the actor impressively shot a scene while clutching the side of an Airbus A400 as it took off.

His love for pushing the envelope of action stunt work by a leading man and because of that, for being the first person ever to star in a movie that has been shot in space, would make Tom Cruise alone in the Hollywood record books.

The next movie of Tom Cruise is "Top Gun: Maverick," which is scheduled for release in 2020, while his "Mission: Impossible 7" film production was halted in Italy recently because of the coronavirus.

NASA has previously revealed that they want to open the International Space Station to more commercial ventures, even offering it as a filming site.

Elon Musk's SpaceX will presumably take part as Cruise rides the Space Station. The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule is set for a final demonstration mission in the latter part of 2020 to establish its ability to carry humans to and from the International Space Station, with a crew launch of two NASA astronauts.

Both NASA and SpaceX have reportedly intended to make part of the Crew Dragon's passenger volume also accessible to commercial entities, as the spacecraft can transport up to seven passengers. However, NASA will only book four of those seats.

SpaceX has also previously declared that it will be offering private tourist aviation aboard the Crew Dragon.

READ MORE: Justin Bieber Confesses Great 'Jealousy,' 'Insecurities' Before Marrying Hailey Baldwin
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory say a potentially more contagious strain of the coronavirus appears to be emerging as the dominant version  a finding that could influence work toward a vaccine.

A research team at the laboratory has been working with scientists at other institutions to examine mutations in the coronavirus, and the group published its preliminary work last week.

The scientists say a new strain of the coronavirus is rapidly replacing the Wuhan version and spreading across the globe.

This version of the virus may be more contagious and present new challenges for vaccine development, according to a recent paper by the researchers. The team also raises the possibility that the new version will make people more susceptible to reinfection, even after they were already sick once, though thats still an unknown.

The work hasnt been peer reviewed. Instead, the scientists shared the work quickly to aid in research happening elsewhere.

Bette Korber, a scientist in theoretical biology and biophysics at LANL, said research into the new strain is important work thats possible only because of incredible cooperation among experts around the globe.

This is hard news, but please dont only be disheartened by it, she said in a post on her Facebook page.

The more scientists learn about the coronavirus, she said, the more quickly they can develop treatments and vaccines.

Because we know how the virus is evolving, we can respond to it, and fold this knowledge into our collective vaccine efforts, Korber said. We cannot afford to be blindsided as we move vaccines and antibodies into clinical testing.

The mutation research is just part of the work at Los Alamos to respond to the pandemic. A data team at the laboratory also developed a statistical model to forecast the growth in disease cases  work thats been highlighted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Los Alamos model offers state-by-state forecasts and is part of the statistical analysis employed by New Mexico health officials coordinating the local response to the virus.

As for the mutations, the LANL researchers said tracking the evolution of the virus is an important step to ensure a new vaccine is effective. They said more than 60 vaccine approaches are being explored.

The Los Alamos team is examining mutations in the spikes of the coronavirus, a trait that helps the virus spread within cells in the body.

They identified a particular mutation spike as an urgent concern; it began spreading in Europe in early February, and when introduced to new regions it rapidly becomes the dominant form, the research paper says.

Its common for viruses to mutate. Different strains of the flu, for example, are usually present each season.

The LANL paper noted that the coronavirus surfaced just six months ago in China but rapidly spread globally to become a pandemic of devastating impact, unparalleled in our lifetimes.

Korber said her team alerted other scientists as soon as they discovered the potentially more transmissible form of the coronavirus.

If the mutation is not an issue for current vaccine designs, Wonderful! she wrote on Facebook. But if so, we need to know ASAP, and our colleagues need to get the experiments going to resolve how to best handle it.

The research team includes representatives of LANL, Duke University and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals in England.
Two policemen and an ambulance



driver were injured when a mob allegedly attacked them to stop a civic team from performing the last rites of a COVID-19 victim at a crematorium in Gujarat's Anand district, officials said on Wednesday.

The incident took place in Vallabh-Vidyanagar town on Tuesday night, following which 56 people residing near the electric crematorium were arrested, Deputy Superintendent of Police B D Jadeja said.

"Nearly 100 locals residing near the crematorium in Hariom Nagar area surrounded a Khambhat civic team that reached there on Tuesday night with the body of a person who died of coronavirus at a hospital in Karamsad," he said.

They asked the civic personnel to take the body somewhere else, claiming its cremation will spread coronavirus in the area, Jadeja said.

Before police reached the spot, the mob, armed with sticks and stones, allegedly attacked the driver of the ambulance in which the body was kept. The locals also broke window panes of a car belonging to the Khambhat municipality, police sub-inspector T R Gadhvi said.

"Though officials tried to convince the locals that they were following all the safety protocols and guidelines for coronavirus, the mob did not listen. When the police reached the spot, they also hurled stones the security personnel," he said.

"A head constable and a Home Guard received head injuries," Gadhvi said, adding the police lobbed a teargas shell and baton-charged the mob to disperse them following which the situation was later brought under control.

The ambulance driver also sustained injuries in the attack, Jadeja said.

Fifty six people from the area were arrested and booked on charges of rioting, assault, criminal conspiracy, attempt to murder and under provisions of the Disaster Management Act, Gadhvi said.

The civic team later performed last rites of COVID-19 victim at the crematorium, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
PruittHealth wants to give back to its partners on the front lines  those who have dedicated themselves to the mission of caring for our patients. To support its staff during this stressful time, the PruittCares Foundation created a COVID-19 Fund for caregivers who serve the elderly and medically fragile in our communities and are suffering financial hardship as a result of the pandemic.

By donating to the PruittCares COVID-19 Fund, the Foundation will be able to help PruittHealth partners who are struggling financially during this pandemic. PruittHealth seeks community support for its partners, as they have been working tirelessly for their patients and residents who are the most vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic. Any contribution made through May 15 will be matched up to $100,000. For more information about the PruittCares Foundation or to make a donation to the COVID-19 Fund, please visit www.pruittcares.org.

Additionally, PruittHealth has established the Committed to Caring Hero Fund, which will apply a $1,500 bonus, paid from PruittHealth, directly to qualifying partners' paychecks to assist during this stressful time. The health care organization is also spotlighting its nurses to honor them during National Nurses Week. By sharing their heroic stories on social media and throughout the community, the organization hopes to inspire a wave of appreciation and thanks for their hardworking nursing staff.

PruittHealth thanks its community and those who have already generously donated for their support of the PruittCares Foundation, patients, and employed partners.

About PruittHealth

A family-owned organization for 50 years, PruittHealth provides a seamless network of post-acute care services and resources, offering skilled nursing care, home health care, end-of-life hospice care, therapy services, as well as pharmacy and infusion services across the Southeast. Our 16,000 employed partners serve approximately 24,000 patients daily in more than 180 locations in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. For more information about our commitment to caring, visit pruitthealth.com.

SOURCE PruittHealth

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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Danaher Corp. (DHR) Wednesday said Executive Vice President Rainer Blair will succeed Thomas Joyce Jr. as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 1.



Blair will also become a member of the company's Board of Directors. Joyce will continue as a senior advisor at Danaher through February 28, 2021.



Blair joined Danaher in 2010 as President of North America & Europe for Videojet and was promoted to President of SCIEX in 2011. In 2014, Blair was promoted to Group Executive and in 2017 Executive Vice President, with overall responsibility for Danaher's Life Sciences platform.



Chairman Steven Rales said, 'This announced transition comes at a time when Danaher has never been stronger or better positioned to compete given our attractive portfolio of businesses, seasoned leadership team, and Danaher Business System culture. The selection of Rainer to succeed Tom reflects the culmination of our ongoing succession planning process.'



Meanwhile, Danaher reported first-quarter profit of $575.5 million or $0.81 per share, up from $327.3 million or $0.46 per share last year.



Adjusted earnings for the quarter rose to $1.05 per share from $0.99 per share last year.



Revenue for the quarter rose 2.8% to $4.34 billion from $4.22 billion last year.



Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected earnings of $1.01 per share on revenues of $4.29 billion for the quarter.



Looking forward, Danaher anticipates second-quarter adjusted core revenue growth including Cytiva to be in the range of about flat to down 10%.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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Immune-boosting antibodies in the blood plasma of people who have recovered from COVID-19 continue to show promise as a treatment for critically ill patients.

Hunterdon Medical Center on Tuesday announced a success story in the use of the so-called convalescent plasma. Separately, former U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent, who had tested positive for the coronavirus, said he donated plasma to help others -- something Lehigh Valley Health Network urges others who have recovered to consider.

"At the present time, no medications have been proven to treat this illness," Dr. Timothy Friel, chairman of the LVHN Department of Medicine, said in a statement last week. "We are eager to offer any potential interventions like convalescent plasma that might make a difference for our critically ill COVID-19 patients.

"The only way we can continue to offer this option to patients and gather the data to determine if this treatment works is for people to donate plasma.

In the Hunterdon case, Flemington resident Bob Kovacs was discharged Tuesday to continue his recovery at home after a marked improvement in his month-long battle with the coronavirus illness. The administrator at the Hunterdon Care Center nursing facility, Kovacs had worked 29 days straight when he took a day off March 29. By the following Wednesday, he had a high fever and trouble breathing and was rushed to Hunterdon Medical Center, where he tested positive for COVID-19, according to a news release from the hospital in Raritan Township.

I dont remember anything from the first two weeks in the hospital. I was on heavy oxygen and close to being placed on a ventilator," Kovacs notes in the release. Diane, his wife of 37 years, also tested positive and has been recovering at home.

Last Thursday night, he received an infusion of convalescent plasma from another COVID-19 patient, Hunterdon Medical Center says.

"Right after receiving the infusion, I felt a burst of energy and stood up," Kovacs says in the release. "The next day, I got dressed myself and felt so much better.

Tuesday marked his 30th day in the hospital, and he says he was discharged with gratitude to the team of physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists and other staff who helped him in his fight.

St. Lukes Hospital in Phillipsburg last month credited convalescent plasma with helping to ween a COVID-19 patient off a ventilator.

The Lehigh Valley's Miller-Keystone Blood Center as well as the American Red Cross strongly encourage plasma donations from recovered COVID-19 patients, Lehigh Valley Health Network says. Plasma is the liquid part of blood and cannot be manufactured.

A recovered COVID-19 patient can donate plasma 28 days after their symptoms have resolved or 14 days if they receive a negative COVID-19 test, according to LVHN. All patients interested in donations will have the same screening performed on all blood product donors.

"Yesterday I donated my plasma to fight #COVID19," Dent wrote Tuesday on Twitter. "The antibodies can attack the virus. Save lives, stay well & donate plasma."

Yesterday I donated my plasma to fight #COVID19. The antibodies can attack the virus. Save lives, stay well & donate plasma.  Charlie Dent (@RepCharlieDent) May 5, 2020

Convalescent plasma is considered an investigational treatment by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration because clinical studies are not yet complete, says Lehigh Valley Health Network. The network urges recovered COVID-19 patients interested in donating to call the MyLVHN Nurse Line at 888-402-5846 (LVHN). St. Luke's invites prospective donors to contact Liz Nivar at St. Luke's Pulmonary and Critical Care Associates at 484-503-0350.

To learn more, visit covidplasma.org, Miller-Keystone Blood Center at GiveaPint.org or the Red Cross Donation Center at RedCrossBlood.org.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.

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.
TELEMMGLPICT000230117414.jpeg

Priti Patel yesterday urged the French to back a new crackdown to enable the UK to return Channel migrants to France even if they are caught in British waters.

The Home Secretary is also seeking to renegotiate an international agreement that would enable Britain to return more asylum-seekers who land in the UK.

In what were described as positive talks with her French counterpart, Ms Patel said it was in the interests of both countries to deter migrants from attempting the perilous crossing in the first place by having the threat of returning to France whether they were at sea or on land.

"If people know that they can't get across the channel, they are less likely to congregate in the camps so it is a benefit to the French. It's not just in the interests of the UK, it's also in the French interests," said a source close to the Home Secretary.

In the past 16 months, only some 155 migrants who crossed the Channel have been returned despite more than 2,500 having made the journey on small boats in the same period.

There have already been more than 1,000 who have made the crossing to the UK this year, double the rate of last year.

There have been cases of migrants deliberately sailing just beyond the halfway point to then call the UK coastguards or police to rescue them so they can come to the UK to claim asylum.

In the talks with Christophe Castaner, Frances interior minister, Ms Patel proposed a three-pronged plan to close the temporary camps in northern France, increase measures to prevent attempts and a new deal on returning migrants. We have to let people know we mean business, she told him.

A source added: There are three asks. One is ensuring that theres no tolerated presence of illegal migrants in northern France, preventing migrants from attempting the crossings in small boats and intercepting at sea and returning immediately to France.

Story continues

The call was very positive and Mr Castaner said he wanted to do whatever he could to help.

The Home Secretary is also seeking to renegotiate the Dublin agreement under which the country in which any asylum seeker first applies for asylum is responsible for processing the claim.

Home Office sources say this is rigid and restrictive as it prevents the UK returning migrants who have dodged fingerprint and identity checks as they have made their way across the EU, often through numerous countries where they should have been processed.

Another source said the French are sympathetic as a means to end the trade which has now spread during the coronavirus pandemic to the coast of Belgium. Any reform of the agreement would be likely after Brexit once Britain has left the EU.

Returns to Europe are bound by the Dublin regulations which is restrictive and rigid legislation. We are in negotiations with the EU to put in place more favourable returns agreements with our European partners after the UK has left the transition period, said a source.

Britain has already provided at least 50 million to help beef up security in France including drones and other detection equipment but this has still failed to stem the rise in migrants.
An irate goose was determined to not let a woman get to work as it flew at her head and even got inside a car to attack her.

The woman approached her workplace in Brampton, Ontario, in Canada, with caution and gave the clearly angry goose a wide berth in the parking lot.

But despite her distancing efforts, the bird, who is protecting its nest, starts to fly at her head as she approaches the entrance.

A woman in Brampton, Ontario, in Canada, was attacked by an angry goose as she walked towards the entrance of her work

In a bid to help the woman a driver in the car park quickly drives towards the bird which is unfazed and continues to attack her.

Desperate to escape from the bird she ditches her bag on the floor and manages to open the passenger car door.

Terrifyingly the determined bird, which attacked the woman on April 19, then flies into the open car door and carries on flying at her before she is forced to push it out.

The geese in Brampton have made a name for themselves with repeated attacks on residents.

The aggressive bird continuously flies at her head and chases her around the car park before a driver comes to her rescue and drives towards the bird

Unfazed by the car the goose carries on attacking the woman and even flies into the car as she tries to escape it

At the Peel Regional Police 22 Division station, Brampton Guardian reported officers were forced to set up 6ft-tall scarecrows to ward off a pair of nesting geese, affectionately named by the staff as Casey and Gary.

Constable Akhil Mooken said: 'Our feathered friends have been a welcome part of our team for a long time.'

He said the police try to ensure the geese and residents can live together peacefully but the geese 'seem to have other ideas'.

Other Canada geese have settled at other stations in the city.
Ocado is facing a shareholder revolt today over 'excessive' pay as its chairman is questioned over his independence.

The online grocer awarded a 58million pay packet to chief executive Tim Steiner last year, and will give him a bonus of up to 100million over five years if its share price continues to rise.

Now three City advisory firms  Pirc, Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS)  have urged the shareholders to vote against the pay policy at today's annual general meeting, calling the bonuses 'excessive' and saying that Steiner's 12 per cent salary increase is 'unacceptable'.

Ocado awarded a 58m pay packet to chief executive Tim Steiner (pictured) last year, and will give him a bonus of up to 100m over five years if its share price continues to rise

ISS has also said Stuart Rose, formerly the boss of Marks & Spencer, is not an independent chairman due to his large shareholding, and investors should therefore oppose his reappointment.

Royal London Asset Management (RLAM), which holds a 0.3 per cent stake in Ocado worth around 34million, said it would vote against the bonus structure calling it 'poorly designed' and 'excessive'.

The enormous pay packets awarded last year were primarily due to a five-year bonus scheme, implemented in 2014 paying out 87.5million as a result of exceptional share price growth.

Steiner received 58.7million in total, while the company has handed 15.8million each to fellow executives Duncan Tatton-Brown and Mark Richardson.

Ocado has become a stock market darling after expanding its robotic warehouse technology to more than a dozen countries, including Japan, the home of robots.

But critics of its pay policies say that there is too much focus on the share price, which is subject to market forces, rather than the underlying performance of the business.

Ocado said it was 'satisfied that pay schemes past and present, all of which have already been approved by shareholders, deliver above-market payouts only for outstanding results'.
The Big Bang Theory star Melissa Rauch and her writer-husband Winston Rauch have welcomed a baby boy together. The actor, who played Bernadette Rostenkowski in the hit sitcom series, shared the news of their second child on Instagram on May 4.

Melissa, 39, thanked the front line heroes who helped bring her son Brooks into the world during the current coronavirus pandemic. Words cant describe how grateful I am to have this baby boy join our family, but to say that it is a surreal time to be bringing life into the world is an understatement, she described her surreal experience.

Also read: Anup Jalota denies marrying Jasleen Matharu, says she is like his daughter and he will do her kanyadaan

Given that, I wanted to share some thoughts with other expectant mothers or Pandemamamas - as I like to call us - who are navigating these uncharted waters... So to those dealing with infertility or grieving a loss, please know you are in my heart and Im sending you so much love, she added.

Melissa and Winston, 41, also share three-year-old daughter, Sadie.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 19:39:36|Editor: huaxia

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An empty street in Gaborone, capital of Botswana, on April 3, 2020. (Photo by Tshekiso Tebalo/Xinhua)

Following a five-week lockdown to fight COVID-19, Botswana plans to slowly open up the economy under strict supervision.

GABORONE, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Botswana has intentions to slowly open up the economy following a five weeks lockdown, ending on Thursday, to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The country's legislators will convene an emergency parliament meeting on Wednesday to discuss new regulations expected to usher in the opening of businesses and schools, under strict supervision.

According to proposed regulations, presented by President Mokgweetsi Masisi to parliament on Tuesday, the southern Africa country wants to gradually allow businesses, traders or schools to operate after satisfying Health Services Director or any authorized official that they will prevent the spread of COVID-19.

"From 8th May, 2020 until 20th May, 2020 at midnight during this phase of the lockdown and for the remainder of the state of public emergency, a trade, business or school may operate where it has satisfied the Director of Health Services, or any person authorized by the Director for that purpose, of its ability to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including the following," said the planned regulation.

Few people were seen at a station in Gaborone, capital of Botswana, on April 3, 2020. (Photo by Tshekiso Tebalo/Xinhua)

Some of the proposed interventions that institutions and entrepreneurs are expected to put in place include checking of body temperature of all persons accessing the trade business or school.

In addition, the government wants regular disinfecting of the trade, business or school premises, under the supervision of the Health Service Director. 
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Eleven inmates and three jail



staff members at the Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad have tested positive for coronavirus in the last one week, an official said on Wednesday.

However, none of the 11 prisoners, who include both convicts and undertrials, came in contact with other around 2,500 inmates as they had been already isolated, said Deputy Superintendent of Police, Sabarmati jail, D V Rana.

Three staff members -- two havaldars and one jail sahayak (constable) -- were the latest to test positive for virus, he said.

"We deploy jail staff to frisk incoming prisoners who are kept in isolation area away from the main campus for 14 days. After the test reports of some of these newly-arrived inmates came positive around a week ago, we sent 12 of these jail staffers, who had come in contact with these inmates, to civil hospital for tests on May 4.

"Reports of three staffers came positive on Tuesday," said Rana.

Last week, two inmates tested positive for coronavirus. Both were already lodged in the prison's isolation ward upon arrival.

One of them was a murder convict who returned after his parole was over, while the other was a rape accused.

Later, four men, sent to the jail following arrest in a case, also tested positive and sent to civil hospital for treatment, said Rana.

"In the last few days, five convicts, who returned to the jail after completing their parole, also tested positive. In total, 11 prisoners tested positive so far. Luckily, none of them came into contact with others as they were not let inside as per our policy," said Rana.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chief strategy officer at Ogilvy South Africa, Neo Makhele's account of work-life in the time of Covid-19, part of a series of articles looking into how agencies and agency folk are responding to the crisis and viewing it through a creative lens.

What was your initial response to the crisis or lockdown and has your experience of it been different to what you expected?

Partnership: shared load, shared solutions



Agility/ flexibility: a willingness to adapt, and be proactive



Usefulness: the humility to be what is needed at any point, ego aside



Empathy: the ability to feel for others, and yourself as we go through constant change and uncertainty

Comment on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the agency and creative industry and/or economy as a whole.

With the lockdown in place, the teams adopted remote working like a duck to water. But then, when the romance wore off, we all felt the pressure of Zoom and Teams calls and miss human connections. The dream of having a brainstorm whilst you eyeball someone will be okay even if you are two seats apart  not having to wait for a connection.

How is the agency responding to the crisis and current lockdown?

Comment on the challenges and opportunities.

Speaking of opportunities, the world has really turned to creativity during this time. Why do you think this is the case and what does this mean for the industry, agencies and their clients or brands?

Brands in a modern society are social citizens, digital natives and accountable entities that are alert and engaged. At least this is what consumers would like them to be.

How has the lockdown affected your staff? What temporary HR policies have you put in place regarding remote working, health & safety, etc.?

High virtual engagement, contact and connection weekly  checking on the health and wellbeing of our people and their capacity to work





We have a Health & Wellness business, which enabled our people team to design bespoke programmes for our staff ranging from counselling to yoga





Loss of community is the biggest soul eroding challenge, so our staff designed and launched an internal culture platform to connect, and share the work being produced during remote working

How are you navigating physical distancing while keeping your team close-knit and aligned and your clients happy?

What are you busy working on? Any initiatives or campaigns relating to the coronavirus?

Has this global crisis changed your view of the future of advertising/marketing in any way?

Any trends youve seen emerge as a result of the crisis?

As economies around the world stumble and essential services highlighted, we will see shifts in consumer spending into more essential goods with delayed discretionary spend.





Remote working has influenced the culture of work  expect there to be a retooling of teams across many industries.





Project management will become even more important in increasing agility.





Cash is king has resurged so more and more business will aim to retain significant liquidity.





Impact on supply chain management as businesses reduce their dependency on single supply markets  e.g. for manufacturers who imported parts solely from China.

Your key message to fellow industry folk?

I think I am more mindful  isnt everyone? A litany of meditations flies through my head each day. This too shall pass; There is a season for everything; Change is good, change is inevitable, play with change, sway with it and get the opportunity to perhaps shape it; Each one gives one, so others can live better;"Working from home in our industry seems more hectic than from the office. There is no excuse of travel time in between meetings. Everyone knows that you must be at home; where else could you be? So, boundaries get eroded. Balance becomes quite fragile, especially where things that were let out are now unavailable, with no end in sight. No running, no church, no gym, no people. Im slowly adapting to change."Ive learnt a few life hacks to get me through these uncertain times."My day starts with scripture, meditation, and caffeine. Since I am unable to run, for the time being, Ive taken up an online HIIT class, with the most insane trainer! My workout includes a 30 minute class with Hannah Eden and skipping ropes for 500  1000 beats. Post-workout, I feel like a monster with purpose. After Ive done my hair, put on a dressy top with a pair of track pants or tights, and some lipstick, Im ready to start my day. On most days, Im in back to back Zoom calls from morning till the early evening. But I always break for prayer at noon, reflect with my prayer group, and chat to family and friends. I feed my soul constantly because I need to share it with many people. I have dinner at 18:30 and spend a few more hours going through emails, doing team check-ins and reports. In my free time, I binge-watch my favourite shows before bed  I am a bit of a series junkie, and I love an inspiring movie. That pretty much sums up my day!"Ive never trusted myself to work or study from home  that is where my peace is  but sadly we have had to break down those walls. Thanks to the life-hacks Ive picked up, I can be present at work.  Chief strategy officer at Ogilvy South Africa, Neo Makheles account of work-life in the time of Covid-19.It was a seesaw between clarity and uncertainty. It had never happened before. So being a strategist, I leaned into research and insight. I embraced uncertainty and human frailty and learned what people, businesses and communities needed more than anything was four things:In the beginning, these were insights we designed and applied to businesses and client leads navigating turmoil, and now theyve become more real each day. Your point of control has been eroded, and each day you adapt, but the principles stay the same for me. They are more nuanced.The general practice is that greater uncertainty and economic erosion will lead to pressure on marketing budgets, which means pressure on agency budgets. So, it is tough. At the same time, agencies are made by the calibre of talent you keep. We are well invested in our people (I know everyone says this), but our people are our brand, our currency, our capabilities, and ultimately, what makes us Ogilvy. We are diverse in background, way of life, and our nuances, yet we all count ourselves as creatives. We are nowhere near perfect, but we fit perfectly-imperfect.It is hard for any employed South African not to feel uncertain, so it becomes critical to navigate through these times with a healthy, engaged approach, with each employee that makes up your business.A friend of mine, Mrs Woolf, referred to the notion of the Cobblers children having no shoes in a thesis study she did on the creative industry. To simplify, marketing communications specialists are bad at communicating. Physicians heal thyself is an old adage. We have learned this lesson well.As a result, we are connecting daily through network leadership teams. We use a simple framework to communicate in a crisis: CIA (offer compassion, inform and act). We are a two-way learning organisation. We offer learning to our teams and receive from them as well. We have optimised network learning from markets in Asia, Europe and the US on how to partner clients in uncertain times.Working remotely has its challenges. There are constraints in accessing data, challenges of staff feeling insecure about their wellbeing, the safety of their family, and being distanced from the creative process. There is also the reality of being and feeling confined, with schools being closed  this can test your patience. The realisation that teachers are the most amazing human beings is a theme that has come across quite often.The opportunities of remote working range from new business skills, building an e-ecosystem to connect, work and share, and accessing clients who have not been considered before. I think the biggest opportunity is learning selflessness, humility and gratitude from an industry where ego has held centre stage. When dealing with what you think is a tougher situation, you learn of other agencies passing on an opportunity through to you. We as an industry have done that under these conditions.People in our world place significant value in brands they trust. In many cases, they trust brands even more than institutions. So, brands become a symbol of community.So, brands needed to first show that they cared before they could sell.It is critical that trust is earned and affirmed in turbulent times before transactions are pushed.The creative industry is, therefore, essential to brand leadership, in as much as they can offer solutions that matter at the point in time. Is that not what we call creativity  the ideas that empower brands, culture and businesses?Our people have always been at the heart of our business, so we have a robust peoples team led by not a chief HR officer but a chief people officer. We are a business with an obsession to shape brands, businesses and culture. Therefore, our EVP is to offer experiences that shape the creative destinies of our people. I will not talk in detail to our HR policies as I am not an expert, but we have retained a few principles:We are still working remotely, so all our interactions are virtual, with both clients and staff. But we infuse them with meaning. We just call to say hello. We share details about where to get masks of varying kinds. Our staff have been stimulated by opportunities to develop ideas in solidarity with South Africa  sometimes stimulating our clients brands to help SA or offering services to help. Then there is the fun stuff, where each brings their own beverage to a non-bar night. When it comes to clients, partnerships and agility has been well received and appreciated. It does come with its own pressures though.We have developed several pieces of work during the lockdown. The first remotely produced ad for Vodacom, Castle and Dis-Chem. Theres also been creative work done for social good initiatives that are coming out quite soon to encourage home safety.I think it somewhat has. Advertising in South Africa was in a transition, experiencing birth pains that limited how modern communications could be experienced  limitations of bandwidth, lack of broad data access, high-income disparity and inequality. These challenges hampered the ambitions of clients for their brands and customers. They reigned dreams to develop and democratise e-ecosystems for brands and experiences.So, there was tension between pragmatism and development. The dormant complacency has been shaken with the new normal storming into our timing plans.I think the lockdown has shaken the industry to its core and will insist on ushering in barrier-breaking transformation that is needed to offer enriched e-ecosystems in e-commerce, e-sports, and e-socialisation accessible for all.We will perhaps have a renewed vision of modern marketing that tests all South Africas market segments  those who have the least, those who have some and those who have lots.This is a new normal for all of us. Be kind, patient and compassionate with yourself. Then extend it to others  your people, clients and suppliers who make up your business. We are a breed of different people. We believe in the impossible dreams, imagine a different future, and have the tenacity to weather the storms. This will pass. #stayhome #staysafe #stayhealthy #bekind
The first five days of May has seen the arrest of five journalists under the draconian Digital Security Act (DSA) over their news articles and Facebook posts. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) expresses its serious concern over the arrests and urges the authorities to release the journalists and drop all charges against them immediately.

On May 5, editor of Haorancholer Katha and district correspondent of SATV, Mohammad Mahtab Uddin Talukder, was arrested at his residence over his Facebook post that allegedly spread false information about Member of Parliament (MP), Mouzzam Hossain Ratan.

According to Dhaka Tribune, the complaint filed against Mahtab Uddin was made citing his Facebook post that reportedly harmed the reputation of the MP, who was questioned earlier this year about his involvement in the embezzlement of government money.

The arrest of Mahtab Uddin comes only days after Shafiqul Islam Kajol, editor of Pakkhakal Shafiqul magazine,was arrested on World Press Freedom Day, as was previously reported by the IFJ.

On May 1, Dainik Grameen Darpans news editor Ramzan Ali Pramanik, staff reporter Shanta Banik and publisher and editor of online news portal Narsingdi Pratidin, Khandaker Shahin, were arrested over their news report that allegedly quoted a police official who claims that he had never spoken to the journalists, implying that the quotes were fabricated. The news report covered the incident of a young man who was allegedly beaten to death by the Ghorashal police.

More than 1,000 cases, mostly against Facebook users, have been filed under the Digital Security Act (DSA) since 2018. The High Court on February 24, 2020, issued an order asking the government to declare some of its provisions unconstitutional. The controversial Digital Security Act was enacted in September 2018 .

Bangladesh Manobadhikar Sangbadik Forum (BMSF) said: We strongly condemn the attack on freedom of press and freedom of expression under the DSA. We protest against the arrest of the journalist.

IFJ said: IFJ calls on the Bangladesh government to withdraw the cases against all five journalists to ensure that the government supports the spirit of freedom of expression and freedom of press. IFJ is against any efforts that control the online space, criminalizes journalism and violates freedom of expression. IFJ reiterates its call to amend the controversial provisions in the act.
Chandigarh, May 6 : Pegging the April revenue shortfall at 88 per cent, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, here on Wednesday, said with all tax revenues dried up and only 1.5 per cent industry operational, Punjab was facing a difficult situation.

Participating in a virtual meeting of Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states with party chief Sonia Gandhi, along with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi, he shared Punjab's Covid containment strategy and the roadmap for economic revival amid absence of the central support.

Sonia Gandhi asked the Chief Minister to convey her congratulations to Punjab farmers for a smooth procurement season. The Chief Minister said over 100 lakh tonnes wheat had arrived at mandis, and the procurement process was expected to be complete by mid-May.

As against the estimated revenue of Rs 3,360 crore for April, only Rs 396 crore had been received, he said. The power consumption had declined 30 per cent causing a daily loss of Rs 30 crore in tariff to Punjab State Power Corporation.

The state's Rs 4,365.37 crore GST arrears were yet to be paid by the Centre, he said.

The initial report of the group of experts, headed by Montek Singh Ahluwalia, on the economic and industrial revival of the state was expected in three months, he said and added, it would take one more month to refine and finalise it.

However, despite the financial crunch, the Punjab government was committed to contain coronavirus and taking steps to upgrade the healthcare system, he said.

The Chief Minister said the decision on classification of zones as red, orange or green should be left to the states, which, in turn, could authorise the Deputy Commissioners to demarcate the area as per the ground realities.

He pointed to Patiala being classified red zone, even though Nabha -- a major milk-producing area -- was located in the district.

Punjab has four containment zones and four red zone districts. Fifteen districts are in the orange zone and the remaining three in the green zone.

Sharing an update on the Covid-19 in the state, which has reported 1,451 positive cases with 25 deaths (mortality rate of 1.72 per cent), the Chief Minister said there had been a spike in cases after Punjabis residing in other states, like Rajasthan and Maharashtra, started returning.

Of the 4,200 Nanded returnees, 969 tested positive, though only 23 were symptomatic.

Stating that some results are awaited, he said the situation would stabilise in three-four days once all such people were tested. All returnees are now being checked and quarantined, he added.

The Chief Minister warned of high risk of spread of infection from those returning to the state, especially workers returning from the Gulf states in crowded ships.

Four ships ferrying migrants, mostly labourers, were expected in few days, while the first plane with NRIs would reach Punjab on Thursday, he said.

The Chief Minister said around 20,000 international travellers were expected to return to Punjab in three-four weeks, in addition to around 12,000 who had registered in other states for coming back.

On the migrant workers wanting to go back from Punjab, he said 10 lakh had registered. Of this, 85 per cent belonged to UP and Bihar. The state, he said had sanctioned Rs 35 crore to foot train travel cost of these workers.

Three trains left on May 5 for UP and Jharkhand, and six more were scheduled for May 6.

All returnees to Punjab would be kept in one-week isolation until tested for coronavirus, he said. Persons testing negative would be placed in home quarantine for two more weeks, while those testing positive would be admitted to containment wards, he added.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
A leading epidemiologist who advised UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on its coronavirus response resigned from his government advisory position on Tuesday, after the Telegraph newspaper reported that he broke social distancing rules to meet his married lover.

Professor Neil Ferguson, who is one of the architects of the UK government stay-at-home strategy and was a prominent member of Britain's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) which has been spearheading the coronavirus response.

The Telegraph reported Tuesday that he broke the lockdown rules he helped shape when a woman visited his home twice despite social distancing guidelines.

In a statement to CNN, Professor Ferguson said he accepted he made "an error of judgement and took the wrong course of action," and had therefore stepped back from his involvement in SAGE.

"I acted in the belief that I was immune, having tested positive for coronavirus and completely isolated myself for almost two weeks after developing symptoms. I deeply regret any undermining of the clear messages around the continued need for social distancing to control this devastating epidemic," he said.

"The government guidance is unequivocal, and is there to protect all of us."
Manager Danny Justman stands inside Pawnmart business in Norwalk. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Danny Justman, manager of the Pawnmart pawnshop in Norwalk, was thrilled to see $99,000 and change show up in the company bank account Tuesday morning. That was his long-awaited slice of the federally sponsored Paycheck Protection Program intended to backstop small businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Itll ensure that our employees get paid for the time they were off without any penalty to sick days or vacation time, Justman said. Pawnmart, which is open for pawns and redemptions but not yet for retail sales, has 13 employees.

About three-quarters of more than $600 billion in PPP money now has been distributed, according to the National Federation of Independent Business.

Small-business owners say they are being treated better under the latest round of emergency government-backed loans. That is just one of their concerns about surviving the coming months.

Loans are starting to hit bank accounts. Thats great news, said Holly Wade of the National Federation of Independent Business. But there are still many concerns about reopening the economy.

The biggest worry is whether customers will return in sufficient numbers to keep businesses afloat once shelter-in-place orders lift, Wade said. Theyre also anxious about payback and forgiveness terms for their loans.

Other worries, according to a May 1 National Federation of Independent Business survey of its membership: Shortages of hand sanitizer and face masks and the availability of credit from lenders in the future.

And many small businesses fear that opportunistic lawyers will leverage the COVID-19 pandemic to sue businesses trying to protect employees and customers in good faith, Wade said. Congress is grappling with the liability issue, which could affect companies of any size.

Congress approved a second, $310-million round of PPP funding after snafus at the SBA and banks  which manage the loan process  resulted in stories of business owners not being able to get applications filed or acknowledged in the first round.

Story continues

If government guidelines are followed  such as using 75% of the money to keep workers on payroll  each business owners PPP loan will be transformed into a government grant.

Justman applied for a loan on the first day of the program, April 3, through Wells Fargo and, later, U.S. Bank. Neither application went anywhere.

On Saturday, Justman applied again through Quicken, whose software Pawnmart uses for payroll processing. That loan was approved within hours and the cash showed up Tuesday. Meantime, Wells and U.S. Bank continue to send emails to let Justman know his requests are still pending.

The big banks are hidebound by convention and regulations and bureaucracy, Justman said. Companies such as Quicken are more nimble and way more eager and willing to get the job done.

Larger companies took advantage of legal loopholes to grab a significant portion of the initial, $349-million round of PPP money. Under public pressure, those universities, several publicly held businesses and others with deep-pocketed owners, such as the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team, gave money back.

Some applicants now face criminal charges. On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice charged a restaurant owner in Massachusetts with fraud for falsifying an application for a $438,000 PPP loan. A Rhode Island man was similarly charged for seeking $100,000 to pay employees at his wireless company, employees who turned out not to exist.

Under public pressure more of the second round of money was directed through small banks and provisions were added to help ensure the money went to legitimate small businesses.

Loans for $150,000 or less made up 74% of the first round, but 90.1% of the loans in the second round, according to the Los Angeles Economic Development Corp.

California benefited more the second time around, the group said. The state received 6.8% of the 1.66 million loans issued in the first round, as of April 16. As of May 1, the state accounted for 9.8% of second-round loans.

Business groups are seeking more flexibility on what PPP loan money can be spent on and more clarity on whats required to turn the loan into a grant. Some owners of restaurants and other small businesses worry that if they use the money for payroll now there won't be anything left to start back up when customers feel safe to return. Business owners also told the National Federation of Independent Business theyre afraid theyll be stuck with loan payments they cant afford if they make an innocent mistake.

Lena Swann, owner of All About the Dogue grooming studio in Emeryville, with her daughter, Caliana. (Russ Mitchell)

Help is on the way, according to Neil Bradley of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The administration made clear further guidance is coming out. There are some confusing aspects to how loan forgiveness works," he said in a conference call with reporters Tuesday.

The business federation's Wade doesnt know whats taking so long to clarify the rules. Its very frustrating, she said.

Meantime, even as they contemplate a difficult future, many small employers are happy the moneys starting to roll in.

Lena Swann, owner of the All About the Dogue canine grooming shop in Emeryville, Calif., said via email she received notice from Wells Fargo at the end of last week that her $33,000 PPP loan had been approved. Her initial attempts to get funding hit a brick wall.

This has been very stressful. Lots of sleepless nights, Swann said. "Patience has been a virtue in this case.
Laredo police had a COVID-19 scare on Tuesday when a supposed infected homeless person tried to break into his exs home on Olive Street, authorities said.

Investigator Joe E. Baeza, police spokesman, said he could not confirm or deny that the man was positive or not. He added that the situation was handled.
A new artwork by Banksy has been painted onto the wall of an NHS hospital corridor to pay tribute to healthcare heroes battling coronavirus.

The piece, entitled Game Changer, is now on display on Level C of Southampton General Hospital.

It shows a boy dressed in dungarees playing with a nurse superhero toy that he has taken from a basket filled with superheroes like Batman and Spiderman on the floor.

The nurse, wearing a cape, face mask and a white apron featuring a red cross, has her arm raised as if she is flying.

Banksy left a note for hospital workers, saying: "Thanks for all you're doing. I hope this brightens the place up a bit, even if its only black and white."

After lockdown measures are lifted, the piece - which is approximately one metre high and one metre wide - will be put on public display.

It will then be auctioned to raise money for NHS charities, a spokeswoman for Banksy confirmed.

Banksy - In pictures 1 /85 Banksy - In pictures PA AFP via Getty Images A new artwork painted by Banksy during lockdown, which has gone on display in a hospital corridor PA Banksys Girl With A Pearl Earring modified during Coronavirus @Anth0ny_Ward Stormzy performs on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival 2019 wearing a vest designed by Banksy EPA Sotheby's employees pose with 'Love is in the Bin' by British artist Banksy during a media preview at Sotheby's auction house Jack Taylor/Getty Images Two men are sitting in front of a famous graffiti of British street artist Banksy, painted on a wall of a gas station in the West Bank city of Bethlehem Getty Images Banksy's homage to Pulp Fiction in East London Rex Features A new Banksy artwork in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter appears to have been vandalised days after it first appeared. The mural depicts two reindeer painted onto a brick wall appearing to pull along a bench PA Sotheby's host the first unauthorized retrospective exhibition of works by Banksy Curated by Steve Lazarides-Banksy's agent in the early years Alex Lentati Graffitti art by the 'guerilla' artist Banksy is seen on May 16, 2006 in Chalk Farm, London. The striking large scale spray-painted image entitled 'Sweeping It Under The Carpet' depicts a maid who cleaned the artist's room in a motel in Los Angeles. The piece commissioned by 'The Independent' newspaper edited on Tuesday by U2's frontman Bono, is intended to represent a metaphor for the west's reluctance to tackle issues such as Aids in Africa Getty Images Mural: the artwork before it was covered (Photo: PA) PA Banky's Les Mis artwork in Knightsbridge Jeremy Selwyn A piece of urban art by Banksy discovered on the wall of the Poundland store in Wood Green Nigel Howard A woman attacked by seagulls piece by Banksy, during the press view for the artistis biggest show to date, entitled 'Dismaland', at Tropicana in Western-super-Mare, Somerset PA Builders remove a sheet of wood covering a Banksy artwork moments after being told to take it down from the building opposite the French embassy Getty Images Banksy's Barcode Leopard Rex Features A migrant looks at the work by Banksy in the Calais migrant 'jungle' Banksy A blanket covers a mural by elusive street artist Banksy of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, in a migrant camp on the outskirts of Calais. The piece has gained such popularity that people are being charged for the blanket to be lifted to that they can view it PA An employee holds Banksy's 'Girl and Balloon' which was painted on an Ikea frame at Bonhams auctioneers on March 23, 2012 in London Getty Images Dismal, and not how he meant it: Banksy's Dismaland PA Banksy, Brick Lane Rex Features Banksy - Love is in the Air street art, Soho, London Rex Features A graffiti titled "Art Attack" made by the British, guerrilla, graffiti artist Banksy is seen on Israel's highly controversial West Bank barrier in Ramallah Getty Images Sold: This Banksy on the Gaza Strip was bought for just 118 Banksy Banksy's provocative take on an iconic image from the Vietnam war Alex Lentati A stencil image of a Banksy rat in Haringey, London Jeremy Selwyn Children pose for their photo with an installation of British graffiti artist Banksy's art in New York in 2013 Reuters Art installation by British artist Banksy, a robot and a barcode, is seen on a wall in the Coney Island area of New York City Reuters Mobile Lovers by Banksy on Clement Street, Bristol PA Art Buff created by street artist Banksy in Folkestone, KenT PA Banksy's Walled Off Hotel in the Israeli occupied West Bank town of Bethlehem Getty Images Self-portrait by Banksy PA Grafitti by the illusive artist Banksy adorns a building August 28, 2008 in New Orleans, Louisian Getty Images Vulture Petrol Head Mural by Banksy at Dungeness Susan Pilcher British graffiti artist Banksy's artwork 'No Ball Games' EPA Banksy's Bronx Zoo at Yankee Stadium Reuters Banksy's Eton Posse PA Cardinal Sin by artist Banksy at the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool PA A worker holding Banksy's portrait of Kate Moss (2005) at a press preview for the exhibition Banksy: The Unauthorised Retrospective, curated by Steve Lazarides, at S|2 Gallery in London PA A Banksy mural which was painted on the side of one of the classrooms at Bridge Farm Primary in Bristol during half-term PA A stencil image of a rat in Haringey, London Jeremy Selwym A dancer poses with a new installation of art by British graffiti artist Banksy painted on the front door of the Hustler Club in New York Reuters "Flower Girl," a delicate stencil on a massive brick wall by popular street artist Banksy, is displayed in a warehouse in the greater Los Angeles, California AP Brexit mural: The artwork on the side of an abandoned arcade in Dover Reuters Detail from an installation by artist Banksy, entitled Civilian Drone Strike, on display at the Art the Arms Fair art exhibition 2017 PA A man takes a photo of one of two new murals painted by the artist Banksy near the Barbican Centre in London PA Banksy's lost 'Snorting Copper' at it's original home on Curtain Road in Shoreditch Gareth Richman A woman passes one of two new murals painted by the artist Banksy near the Barbican Centre in London PA The painting 'Devolved Parliament' by the graffiti artist Banksy, which is on show at Bristol Museum PA A Banksy artwork on a bridge in Hull Banksy A man walks past an artwork by street artist Banksy in Paris AFP/Getty Images People gather around fences that have been erected to protect the latest piece of artwork by the underground guerrilla artist Banksy Getty Images A street stall with oil paintings creating an image of a yacht in the Venice canal with a sign reading "Venice in oil", set up by a person purporting to be British artist Banksy, in Venice Reuters A motorboat passes in front of an alleged work of British street artist Banksy 'The shipwrecked child', that appeared on the outer wall of a house overlooking the canal Rio de Ca Foscari in Venice, Italy EPA Banksy created Stormzy's Union Jack stab proof vest worn at Glastonbury in July 2019 @banksy Banksy hits Notting Hill Bronwen Weatherby A shopfront displays a mini exhibition by secretive British artist, Banksy with the sign 'Gross Domestic Product', in Croydon AFP/Getty Images Displays in a homeware store, Gross Domestic Product, that is being launched in South London by the graffiti artist Banksy PA Banksy turned a rough sleeper's bench into Santa's sleigh in a social commentary on homelessness at Christmas Banksy A new work of art on the side of a house on Marsh Lane, Barton Hill, Bristol PA A section of the new work he has created during lockdown, in his bathroom. The artist captioned the post "My wife hates it when I work from home Banksy via PA Banksys Girl With A Pearl Earring modified during Coronavirus @Anth0ny_Ward

Paula Head, chief executive of University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Here at Southampton, our hospital family has been directly impacted with the tragic loss of much loved and respected members of staff and friends.

"The fact that Banksy has chosen us to recognise the outstanding contribution everyone in and with the NHS is making, in unprecedented times, is a huge honour.

"It will be really valued by everyone in the hospital as people get a moment in their busy lives to pause, reflect and appreciate this piece of art.

Banksy creates new work in his bathroom during Coronavirus lockdown 1 /9 Banksy creates new work in his bathroom during Coronavirus lockdown Banksy has shared some lockdown artwork in his bathroom Banksy Banksy via PA Banksy via PA Banksy via PA Banksy via PA Banksy via Rueters Banksy via PA

"It will no doubt also be a massive boost to morale for everyone who works and is cared for at our hospital."

The hospital previously paid tribute to members of staff Mike Brown, 61, and Katy Davis, 38, who both died after testing positive for coronavirus.

Mr Brown, a linen porter who had been with the organisation for 20 years, died on April 29 after receiving care in the hospital's critical care unit.

He was described as a well-recognised and popular member of staff who shared his good sense of humour with those around him.

Ms Davis, who worked in child health, had been unwell for some time before her admission to hospital and died on April 21 after testing positive for Covid-19.

Listen to The Leader: Coronavirus Daily podcast

She was described by Ms Head as a "nurse people would aspire to be like".
Late on March 6, the Hanoi 115 Medical Emergency Centre received a call. Three workers were quickly scrambled and donned hazmat suits before setting off for Ba Dinh District, sirens wailing.

Medical workers from the Hanoi 115 Medical Emergency Centre pick up a COVID-19 patient on Truc Bach Street on March 6.

There, on Truc Bach Street, the first patient in the second phase of Vietnams fight against the COVID-19 pandemic  patient number 17  had been reported. Their task was to deliver her to the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

While medical workers from the city's Centre of Disease Control (CDC) were sterilising the entire neighbourhood and conducting an epidemiological investigation, Quy and Lien entered her house, instructed the patient to take preventative measures and warned her to not speak during the trip to the hospital. The patient was developing a mild fever at the time.

That same night, two more people  her aunt and private driver  were also hospitalised. They later tested positive for the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), becoming patients 19 and 20.

The number of incoming calls received by the Hanoi 115 Medical Emergency Centre witnessed a two-fold increase after the city reported its first case of COVID-19, Doctor Nguyen Huu Lien told Tien Phong (Vanguard) newspaper.

They were answering up to 1,800 calls per day during the peak of the disease. Many of them were not medical emergencies, but requests for advice from people panicking over flu symptoms.

Amid the pandemic, medical workers from the centre also took charge of investigating callers epidemiological history. Those who had not been to disease-hit areas or in contact with reported patients were excluded from the risk list. In case of doubt, their cases were transferred to local medical facilities.

Each shift at the centre runs for 24 hours with three people ready to answer six telephones which can ring anytime. Some emergencies have taken them up to ten hours.

An estimated 40 per cent have been prank calls.

We've got used to the nuisance, said Lien. The only thing we worry about is the lines being busy when there's a genuine call for help.

Patients arriving at the centre are at high risk of infection, so it is crucial for medical workers to strictly follow protective protocols. After each ride, the ambulance is thoroughly disinfected with both chemicals and UV light.

There are four married couples working at the centre. All of them have sent their children to stay with their grandparents in the countryside. Schedules have been tight, and they have met their children only once or twice since Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year).

Doctor Lien said they were in need of testing because they had been exposed to the disease.

We need to check our own health conditions so we can continue devoting ourselves to the community, said Lien.

Nguyen Van Chanh, the centres deputy director who has 17 years of experiences in medical emergencies, said compared to other epidemics, including SARS, avian influenza H5N1 and influenza H1N1, COVID-19 was much more complicated and severe.

Eat and sleep whenever you have time has become their motto. Additional packs of bread and milk are being provided for the workers to fill their stomachs during long shifts, as Chanh put it.

Since medical workers cannot remove their hazmat suits while they are out on emergencies, Quy said it was better for them to eat and drink as little as possible.

When overseas Vietnamese nationals flocked back to the country and the centres medical workers were in charge of moving them to centralised quarantine camps, the whole team did not dare to eat anything except tiny bits of bread and water.

Tran Anh Thang, the centres deputy director, said there was no longer any emergencies related to COVID-19 after nearly 20 days without a community transmission.

It has given us space to breathe after an intense period when we battled to push back the disease, said Thang. VNS

Silent trips in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic Since the coronavirus outbreak began in HCM City, every day has been a busy one for health workers at Emergency Centre 115.
Gi Beum and the rest of the Rugal team are now a public figure. They don't wear the black mask that hides their identity as they help the community. Deuk Goo captured Min Jung and sent him to Dr. Oh as a candidate to mechanize his body. But the doctor declined, which prompted Deuk Goo to end his life.

Gi Beum recorded a video that tells his story and how he protects the citizens from Argos. Together with the bus that they rescue, they upload the videos to the public. Soon after the people started to call them "Argos Hunters," the citizens took their side in eliminating any illegal plans by Argos.

The chairman advised Geun Chul to disband and kill the Rugal team since it makes the police department being blamed for all the troubles. Geun Chul insisted that there is no other team he may create the same as the Rugal team. He wished to continue to let the team operate and help the police department. Argos is creating planned chaos to make the citizens blame the police for not maintaining peace in their city.

The citizens created fans based on social media and programmed games in their support for the Rugal team. Deuk Goo is not happy with the outcome and went to the police crime department to report his disappointment. He voluntarily submitted himself as a citizen and Argo's member. Deuk Goo made a bargain agreement to be detained and will divulge any information.

Gi Beum, with the help of the undercover agent of Rugal with detective Yang he went to the police station with Tae Woong. He faces and asks Deuk Goo his plan why he chose to be detained. Deuk Goo, in their heated argument, shared that Gi Beum's wife is alive and into prostitution via the dark web.

Deuk Goo found a lady that looks like Gi Beum's wife, Kim Yeo-jin. She works as a prostitute in one of the bars. He sued Kim as bait to distract Gi Beum in his fight to destroy Argos.

Gi Beum went to the bar with Tae Woong tailing to watch his temper. They didn't find Yeo-jin inside the bar. Gi Beum was about to kill the club manager, but Tae Woong stopped him. The AI eyes of Gi Beum advised that the club provides fake identity pornography. Gi Beum requested Tae Woong to keep the incident in secret from Geun Chul. They wanted to find out who took the dead body of Yeo-jin.

The Rugal team reopened the case of Gi Beum's wife's death. Mi Na found out that the entry points to Gi Beum's house were not destroyed. Hence, someone aside from the Argos team who killed his wife was there. The camera was damaged, and there was no footage of someone who entered the apartment.

Gi Beum wasn't able to attend the funeral of Yeo-jin as he was at the hospital. He only knew from the reports during that time that his wife died and was buried. Knowing Yeo-jin is alive now distracts Gi Beum with his commitment to Rugal. He now works to recover the whereabouts of Yeo-jin, the woman Deuk Goo presented.
SRINAGAR: The security forces on Wednesday trapped and killed the most wanted and Pakistan-supported Hizb-ul-Mujahideen's top terror commander Riyaz Naikoo along with his associate in an encounter in Beighpora village of Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir.

With this, the security forces also avenged the deaths of five security men recently killed in Kupwara district on May 3. Naikoo, Kashmir`s most wanted terrorist and Hizbul chief was trapped late on Tuesday in his native Beighpora village in Jammu and Kashmir`s Pulwama district.

The Hizbul Mujahideen commander and his associate were killed early on Wednesday while another terrorist was killed in a separate operation in Sharshali village of Khrew area in Pulwama district away from Naikoo`s encounter spot.

Two terrorists, a Pakistan national and a local terrorist were also killed in the encounter in Chanjimulla village of Handwara tehsil on May 3 along with martyrs.

Soon after his death was confirmed, #RiyazNaikoo became a top trend on Twitter.

According to officials, the operation to eliminate Naikoo was carried out with pinpoint precision without any collateral damage. After receiving credible information that the top Hizbul Mujahideen commander had come to visit his home in Beighpora village, the joint operation by the Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the local police began. The security forces also sealed all entry and exit points of the village.

Authorities had suspended mobile Internet across the Kashmir Valley and imposed curfew in most major towns of the valley to ensure that no ugly fallout of Naikoo`s death affects the law and order.

Riyaz Naikoo took over as the commander of Hizbul Mujahideen after the outfit`s poster boy and commander Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight with the security forces in the Kokarnag area in Anantnag district on July 8, 2016.

Naikoo carried a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head. Naikoo had been masterminding the killings of local policemen to put pressure on them not to engage in anti-militancy operations.

It was because of this threat perception that policemen were advised not to visit their homes especially in South Kashmir districts where Naikoo held sway among the militant ranks.

Before joining the terror ranks, Naikoo worked as a mathematics teacher at a local school. He was known to have a passion for painting roses before he picked up the gun at the age of 33.

In another operation, the security forces had earlier killed one terrorist in the Sharsali area of Khrew Panpore in the Southern part of Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.

Reports said that a joint team of Army's 50RR, 185 BN of CRPF, and police launched cordon and search operation in the Sharsali area of Khrew. During cordon and search operation, a brief exchange of fire took place between security personnel and terrorists. Security forces then tightened the cordon around the suspected spot and killed the terrorist. A search operation is still on in the area.

Meanwhile, a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist was also arrested and arms and ammunition seized from his possession in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The JeM terrorist was arrested in Satura village of Tral area of the south Kashmir district late Tuesday night, a police official said.

On Tuesday (March 5), a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel sustained minor splinter injuries below the knee after unidentified terrorists hurled a grenade on the troops of 181 Battalion of the CRPF at Pakherpora in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday (May 5). CRPF sources said four civilians were also injured in the incident.

The attack took place hours after a terrorist was arrested by security forces in Gundana tehsil in Doda district. He has been identified as Tanveer Ahmad Malik. The security forces, however, are yet to ascertain the group affiliation of Tanveer.
The Supreme Court of Israel has unanimously struck down petitions seeking to block Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been indicted on corruption charges, from forming a coalition government with his former rival Benny Gantz.

Why it matters: The decision paves the way for the new government to be sworn in on May 13, bringing an end to more than a year of political deadlock in which Israel was forced to hold three consecutive elections.

The big picture: As part of the deal between Netanyahu and Gantz, Netanyahu will stay on as prime minister for at least another 18 months even as his corruption trial gets underway. The position will then rotate to Gantz, though many of Netanyahu's critics don't trust the longtime Israeli leader to leave office.

The coalition deal posits that Netanyahu can bring "the understandings with the Trump administration" about West Bank annexations up for debate in the cabinet, and potentially for a vote in parliament after July 1.

Netanyahu views the annexations as critical to his legacy, but they're widely opposed by many players in the international community. The Trump administration has told Israel it won't support the annexations unless Israel agrees to negotiate over a Palestinian state and fully endorses its Middle East peace plan.

Go deeper: Israel stunned as rivals Netanyahu and Gantz join forces
Best movies to stream on Hulu, according to critics

What are the best movies to stream on Hulu? The streaming giant offers mainstream hit movies alongside a wide selection of oddball masterpieces and little-known wonders that gained acclaim from critics. Stacker's list of the top 100 movies on Hulu has artsy thrillers, compelling dramas, international sensations, and popular favorites from across the globe. You'll also find a range of documentaries known for riveting, often unbelievable, forays into out-of-the-way subjects that wow and shock. These are the best films according to critics, so consider them vetted in terms of artistry and impact. Because they're esteemed by critics, a hard crowd to impress, these films are entertaining and watchable-they're the kind of films that pull you in from the first frames and keep you captivated until the end.

Stacker's list has a range of great movies from every genre, but there's no doubt that documentaries dominate the list. Documentaries have a reputation for being merely educational or staid and boring. Hulu's streaming the kind of documentaries that keep you on the edge of your seat until the end. The ones on this list are known for their dramatic, suspenseful qualities and their emotional power. You'll also find exposes on little-known topics. A few of these documentaries changed the world after they brought their subjects to light. Several offer intimate, newly surprising insights into stars like Whitney Houston, Grace Jones, Glen Campbell, and Joe Strummer that you'll find uplifting and stirring.

Hulu's fiction features include horror and sci-fi films that will awe and scare with plots that take unexpected detours. You'll find true stories and biopics that open a view into intimate and dramatic worlds.

Hulu's streaming critically acclaimed films in every genre. Check out the top 100 movies on Hulu that score big on Metacritic.

This article was first published on Stacker
Photo: Ray Bouknight/Flickr

Missed the most recent top news in Sacramento? Read on for everything you need to know.

Sacramento nursing students might have to repeat 'emotional roller coaster' semester

Nursing students at American River College are speaking out after learning they'll have to redo their semester, just weeks before the finish line.

Read the full story on ABC10.

Another Northern California heat wave: Sacramento could hit 95 degrees before weekend

Hot weather is coming back to Sacramento Valley, with a vengeance.

Read the full story on The Sacramento Bee.

Arden Fair Mall plans reopening retail for curbside pickup Friday

The single-largest retail center in Sacramento is preparing to open back up for business in a whole new way.

Read the full story on CBS13 CBS Sacramento.

Drive-in movie theaters reopen in San Jose, Concord, Sacramento, Arizona

West Wind Drive-In Theaters has opened all three of its locations in California  in San Jose, Concord and Sacramento  plus one in Glendale, Arizona.

Read the full story on The Mercury News.

Get ready to ride the rails on the first-ever railbikes in the Sacramento region

For many, railbikes are a favorite outdoor activity you once had to go a long distance to enjoy. That is going to change soon.

Read the full story on ABC10.

This story was created automatically using data about news stories on social media from CrowdTangle, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
As part of our #LockdownLessons series, Bizcommunity is reaching out to South Africa's top industry players to share their experience of the current Covid-19 crisis, how their organisations are navigating these unusual times, where the challenges and opportunities lie, and their industry outlook for the near future.

Llewellyn Allen, head of marketing, Metropolitan

Talk us through a typical workday in the life of the lockdown

What was your initial response to the crisis/lockdown and has your experience of it been different to what you expected?

How is your company responding to the crisis and current lockdown?

Speaking of opportunities, the world has really turned to innovation during this time. Why do you think this is the case and what does this mean for the industry, your company and the economy?

Consumer preference - as everyday life and spending have had to move online, the trackable behaviour of the consumer is now more apparent, especially in those who may not have previously engaged through this channel. This allows for greater insight into their needs, wants and preferences. How businesses internalise this information to adapt, evolve and innovate their digital strategies and overall UX is going to be exciting. The rise of consumerism is well known; however, this coupled with an environment of uncertainty and a far more selective (prudent) consumer may drive many businesses to reassess priorities such as brand visibility and relevance, as well as their overall customer experience.

What are you busy working on? Any initiatives relating to the coronavirus?

Llewellyn Allen, Metropolitans head of marketing, explains how the financial services giant is navigating the rapidly changing world we find ourselves in.For most people who work in an office, the shift to a solitary day working from home is more of an adjustment. Days are now spent on Zoom or the like - perhaps in sweat pants or even half dressed-up - in an environment that may have always been your sanctuary away from work.I believe the bigger shift happened in our sales and service environment, where - BC (Before Covid-19) -our employees worked from branches and external sites spread across SA. Our personalised approach to client service is something that has always differentiated us. And despite all the challenges and changes, it is something that we refuse to let slip because of lockdown. The key difference now is that this dialogue is taking place virtually.We have made a number of new channels available that will enable financial advisors to stay in contact with colleagues and clients, and to submit documentation digitally. This includes the establishment of new interaction channels such as WhatsApp and Zoom  while this may seem passe to most office dwellers, when your work day was previously spent interacting on a face-to-face basis, it presents an entirely new way of communicating.For financial advisors, their new normal day may begin with reviewing leads from a remote leads system, followed by contacting clients via phone call, WhatsApp or email to check in with them; ascertaining their needs with regards to policy updates and cover.I dont think anyone expected such a massive impact to the way we do business, the disruption to our economy and our very way of life. We have had to pivot rapidly, to allow our business to continue delivering on its mandate to our clients and stakeholders.The safety of staff and clients is our priority, and thus we began preparations for a remote working scenario at the beginning of March. We achieved this by equipping the majority of our business with the necessary equipment & data where needed, and promoted alternative contact channels to our clients.The result was that when the hard lockdown came into effect, we already had many of the necessary systems and processes in place to ensure our people were safe, and that we could continue servicing our clients.However, it is a scenario that moves rapidly, and we are navigating new challenges - while also discovering new opportunities - every day. Weve had to remain agile as a business.Weve chosen to view Covid-19 as an opportunity and not an obstacle.Many of the initiatives we had in place prior to the crisis have, in essence, become more relevant; however, the urgency to get them ready for market has allowed us to accelerate their roll-out. Our new generation solutions, sales and service approach couldnt have had a better stress test. It is fair to say that it has passed, with a couple of important lessons and tweaks along the way. Many of the benefits built into these solutions have demonstrated their value and forward thinking.We have also made a conscious decision to maintain a human tone in all internal & external communication, and have increased the frequency of this communication. Its important for our clients to feel connected to us and aware of what is going on; particularly as a business that considers personal interaction and the elimination of uncertainty as part of its very DNA.Crisis is a catalyst for innovation, and businesses will have to adapt or risk closure. When the stakes are high, we often see incredible things.Moving forward, I believe that people will increasingly seek security and stability as a result of the crisis, and will prioritise financial planning and savings. I suspect we may see a continued decline in non-essential spending, as South Africans realise the importance of saving for that rainy day. I also predict that we will see more and more people establishing alternative revenue streams, either to supplement their existing income or to replace an income lost as a result of retrenchment. I think we will see a lot of creativity and the rise of more entrepreneurs and micro-businesses.We will also see many businesses evolving their product or service offering. With consumers under increased pressure their needs have changed, and businesses will need to diversify accordingly.The dramatic switch to digital - both for the consumer and business alike - has highlighted two critical areas:We know that money (and the lack thereof) is on everyones mind right now, so during lockdown we have been running a free, zero-data financial literacy course in partnership with FunDza to help people manage their money better.From a group perspective, we have extended our HelloDoctor platform to all South Africans. Those concerned about Covid-19 now have rapid access to a healthcare professional, through their mobile phones. The service is endorsed and approved by the NICD, is free of charge (no airtime required), works on any mobile device, and is available 24/7 from anywhere in South Africa.There has also been a great deal done from a CSI perspective. In addition to the R5m which Momentum Metropolitan Holdings has committed to the Solidarity Fund, a further R4,7m in emergency funding has been made available by the Momentum Metropolitan Foundation, in order to buoy and supplement community-focused interventions. Weve partnered with those organisations closest to Metropolitans communities, so that we can offer support where it is most needed, in line with our promise that Together We Can.In addition, we have also set up a Covid-19 testing station in partnership with Gift of the Givers at our head office in Cape Town, and our Group CEO, Hillie Meyer, has committed to donating a third of his salary for three months to the Solidarity Fund.These are just a few of the initiatives we have implemented that relate to Covid-19 - there are also several other larger national plans in the pipeline which will be rolled out over the next few months, closer to the projected peak of the curve.
Samsung, along with other big OEMs, extended the warranty on most of its products due to the COVID-19 crisis about a month ago. With the service centers closed, the company had to compensate its customers somehow, so anyone with a Samsung device with expiring warranty between March 20 and April 30 will be able to fix their phone until May 31. Today, Samsung Croatia is extending that period even further.

Since the extended period is slightly different depending on the market, the new date for Croatian Samsung owners is pushed back to July 15. Initially, customers in the country had their warranties extended until June 15. Now anyone with a Samsung product with warranty ending between March 15 and June 15 is applicable for an extension until July 15.

Even though the Croatian branch is the first to re-extend the warranty period, others will probably follow suit soon enough as the crisis in some parts of the world deepens.

Source (in Croatian)
San Francisco Mayor London Breed unveiled a plan Wednesday afternoon for stemming the appalling increase in homelessness in the troubled Tenderloin neighborhood that has had residents there  and the homeless themselves  on edge for weeks as everyone crams in too closely on the sidewalks.

Breed rolled out the plan just two days after the city was sued by residents and business owners in the Tenderloin, seeking to force the city to clean up the camping, garbage and brazen drug dealing that have radically worsened during the pandemic.

The plan will try to address the problem street by street in the 49-block Tenderloin, with special focus on the 13 most troubled blocks, including the ever-problematic Willow Street. An alley of that road at Polk Street, like parts of Eddy Street and other nettlesome tent haunts, regularly gets cleared and then repopulates with hard-core drug addicts within a day. Its gotten worse in the past month, with 30 tents and jury-rigged shelters jamming the sidewalks.

According to the 32-page Tenderloin Neighborhood Safety Assessment and Plan for COVID-19, the number of tents and makeshift structures throughout the Tenderloin has exploded by 285% since January to 268 today. By comparison, the city as a whole during the same period saw a 71% increase in tents and structures  and a 12% decline in homeless people living in vehicles.

This is going to be a targeted plan, and its going to be a challenging one, Breed said. We are set to be as aggressive as we can be for implementing it.

She also cautioned that cooperation will be needed from everyone in the neighborhood to make the plan work.

Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle

We need to hold everybody accountable, she said. Its not just the citys responsibility. Its the people who are part of that community, whether they are housed or not. We all play a role.

John Blanchard

One of the main new tactics will be moving people Tuesday to a sanctioned encampment in the parking lot between the Main Library and the Asian Art Museum. That area is already jammed with 90 tents erected by homeless people desperate to get away from overcrowded sidewalks, and its been proposed as a sanctioned encampment spot for weeks by community leaders including Tenderloin Housing Clinic director Randy Shaw.

The plan  compiled over the past 2  weeks by several departments, including public health, police and homelessness  also calls for painting lines on sidewalks every 6 feet in heavily populated camping areas so people know how to space out their tents, and enforcing that distancing more vigorously. Police could issue more citations, but the emphasis still will be on urging people to be safer for their own good. And 50 community ambassadors, or workers from homeless-aid nonprofits, will be added to roam the Tenderloin, helping campers space out their living areas and access city services.

Jeff Kositsky, who as head of San Franciscos Healthy Streets Operations Center is overseeing the plan, said it is a series of goals, not mandates. But many of its recommendations, such as adding four Pit Stop restrooms, six water fountains  manifolds attached to fire hydrants  and cracking down on drug dealing are already happening.

Its a living document. Its not the bible  more of a playbook, Kositsky said. At the end of the day, this is not just a tent problem. Its a people problem, and we need to meet their needs. This is about helping everybody, sheltered and unsheltered.

No official counts have been compiled to show increases in homelessness during the pandemic, but several factors appear to have contributed to the increased visibility in the Tenderloin.

Programs routing homeless people into housing have slowed while the city handles emergencies, and street addicts in need of a narcotics supply that is dwindling because of the crisis know its most readily available in the Tenderloin. Also, some street people are coming from outside the city, hearing that they might get hotel rooms being leased for homeless people to protect them from the virus. Adding to the visual effect is the fact that homeless advocates have handed out about 1,000 tents to street people in San Francisco since the pandemic began.

As the tent and street populations grew, residents have felt less able to travel, fearing the sidewalks are crowded with dysfunctional people who might be infected with the coronavirus. And many homeless people are just as unhappy.

Its crazy out here, a man who gave his name only as Jeffrey said the other day as he sat alongside his tent on Eddy Street. Everyones side by side like this, virus everywhere. But this is my neighborhood. Where can I go?

Kositsky said he and others involved in the Tenderloin project met repeatedly with residents, community members and homeless people to pinpoint challenges, needs and tactics. Chief among those concerns was how to create proper distancing between tents and around busy doorways, cleaning up growing mounds of rat-infested feces and trash, and helping vulnerable homeless people into shelter or temporary hotel rooms.

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.

Supervisor Matt Haney, who represents the Tenderloin, was encouraged by the plan, which he said incorporated many of the requests he and others in the neighborhood made in a letter to Breed on April 20. But he said he is doubtful it will solve the problem.

Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle

I think theyre on the right track  its a positive step forward to get an assessment, he said. But we want to see action, and Im not sure if its enough. Theres not much in there about getting people off the street into hotel rooms, which is where they should be.

Its more about managing the dangerous situation in the Tenderloin rather than solving it.

Others were more upbeat.

I think to start with, anything is better than nothing. We are in a place where we cant afford to waste any more minutes, said Michael Vuong, a Boys & Girls Club director in the Tenderloin, who helped draw up the plan. I wish wed started this process earlier. But at least we now have an opportunity to make it better. This is our starting point.

A few roadways, such as Ellis Street around Glide Memorial Church, will be blocked off to help provide access to food giveaways and other functions residents and homeless people need. Kositsky and health workers also intend to dramatically ramp up testing on the street for the coronavirus, to better assess who most needs help and where outbreaks might be most severe.

Some people say the citys not doing anything around homelessness  but now you can see how much we were doing, Kositsky. In six weeks, we went from not-great conditions to completely off the hook. This plan is a real effort to address that in the Tenderloin, and Im proud of all the departments that are working on it.

Kevin Fagan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kfagan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KevinChron
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 21:04:47|Editor: huaxia

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BUDAPEST, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Hungary received over 4 million face masks from China in the last two days, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto informed on Wednesday.

"During Tuesday and Wednesday, a total of 595 ventilators, 4.2 million face masks and 2.9 million gloves arrived in Hungary," Szijjarto said on his Facebook page.

The minister noted that some governments in western Europe are loosening the restrictive measures -- a move raising concerns that a surge in human contacts might speed up the spread of the virus again.

"As a result, it remains our task and duty to prepare the Hungarian health care system in such a way that the tools that are essential for the success of defense are constantly available. Therefore, shipments from China continue to arrive this week," he added.

On Monday, the minister dismissed media reports that Chinese supplies fell short of European standards, insisting all protective equipment from China did meet the criteria.

According to official figures, the number of coronavirus cases in Hungary stood at 3,111 on Wednesday, with 759 recoveries and 373 fatalities. Enditem
(Alliance News) - Ireland's chief medical officer has denied claims he was overruled by the government on a key aspect of the country's coronavirus recovery plan.

Tony Holohan said reports that cabinet had rejected National Public Health Emergency Team advice on the extended cocooning of older people was not true.

Holohan, who chairs the NPHET, also refuted suggestions of tensions between him and ministers.

The senior medic was pressed on media reports claiming he and certain ministers were at odds on elements of the five-phase recovery plan published by the government on Friday.

Holohan was pressed why a proposed NPHET plan, presented to cabinet on Friday, stated that shielding of over-70s should continue into the later phases, while the final government roadmap made no such specific reference.

The chief medical officer said there were textual differences in the two documents but he insisted the government had accepted all NPHET's advice on cocooning.

He told the daily Covid-19 briefing that the notion NPHET had given advice to the government on cocooning and that advice had been rejected "simply isn't true".

Holohan also acknowledged that NPHET's advice in relation to the recovery plan was "conservative and cautious" after being asked whether the country was reopening at too slow a pace.

He warned that if Ireland moved too quickly there was a very real risk that cases of the virus could surge and stricter measures would have to be reintroduced.

"We are going to be conservative about this, we're going to be cautious about this," he said.

Ireland's coronavirus death toll rose to 1,339 on Tuesday after a further 23 deaths were announced.

There were 211 new confirmed cases of the virus announced, bringing the total to 21,983 since the outbreak began.

Earlier on Tuesday, tanaiste, meaning government deputy head Simon Coveney also rejected claims of tensions between NPHET and the cabinet, telling RTE the relationship was "fantastic".

Holohan said he was confused by weekend reports that suggested that NPHET's briefing to cabinet on Friday has been fractious.

"That's not the meeting I was at," he said.

"Glynn (deputy chief medical officer Ronan Glynn) and I went and briefed cabinet, we went through a slide presentation, the A to Z of the disease, we were asked reasonable, sensible questions, we answered them and the meeting ended.

"And then I saw the characterisations of that meeting a I understand why characterisations of things happen in particular ways a as far as I'm concerned I haven't come across any tension in either any grouping of ministers or individual ministers that we've briefed.

"It's been a perfectly straightforward interaction and I haven't either experienced any of some of what's reported or any the kind of pressure being applied to us that is alleged to have informed some of our decisions.

"We've been, and I say thankfully in this country, in a position where we've been able to do our work, which is to consider the public health issues involved, and to provide the advice to government and for government to make decisions in relation to that, and that's what's happened here.

"It hasn't happened in that way in other jurisdictions."

Holohan stressed that it was NPHET's role to give advice, not to make decisions a that, he said, was the role of government.

"I am confident about the relationship," he added.

"It's worked well so far, we've given advice to the minister (health minister Simon Harris) who brings the advice to government, and we've seen government respond to that advice, and we'll continue to do that as we move through the next phase."

source: PA

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
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Good morning. President Trump is disbanding his coronavirus task force. More kids are getting sick. And the meat shortage is getting worse. But lets start with a virus success story.

No lockdown, little virus

The New York Timess staff members in Hong Kong  like many other workers there  returned to their offices on Monday for the first time in six weeks. They did so after the local government eased some coronavirus restrictions.

To get into the building that houses the Times bureau, reporters and editors had to wear a mask and walk through a thermal scanner that took their temperature. In the elevator, they found a small table with hand sanitizer and tissues, as well as a trash can. Only half of the staff comes into the office at any one time.

This is the new normal in Hong Kong  both very different from before the virus and very different from an American-style lockdown.
A U.S. think tank reported Tuesday that the country may be nearing completion of a site linked to Kim Jong-un's missile program. Yonhap



By Do Je-hae



A U.S. think tank, Beyond Parallel, has reported the possibility that North Korea may be nearing completion of a new site in relation to its missile program near Pyongyang Sunan International Airport.



In a report Tuesday, the think tank said the facility, which has been under construction since 2016, "is likely designed to support ballistic missile operations and for the interim is identified as the Sil-li Ballistic Missile Support Facility."



The report underlined that some of the buildings on the site were tall enough to accommodate the Hwasong-14 or Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) on their transporter-erector-launchers (TEL).



"The facility has been constructed next to an underground facility whose likely size is also large enough to easily accommodate all known North Korean ballistic missiles and their associated launchers and support vehicles," the report stated.



The report also noted that it was close to ballistic missile component manufacturing plants in Pyongyang, in addition to having some unique features, including interconnected buildings designed for drive-through access and an "unusually large" covered rail terminal.



The analysis was prepared in conjunction with Jane's Intelligence Review.



But some experts raised doubt over the report's claim that the facility is "almost certainly" linked to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's missile program.



"We will need more research to find out if the site actually has to do with ICBMs," said Cho Sung-ryul, a senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS), in a radio interview Wednesday.



He said the facility likely has more to do with the expansion of Sunan Airport.



"North Korean airports are normally used by civilian aircraft, but missile units are deployed there because military aircraft have to be flown in case of emergencies," Cho said.



"Because the airport has been expanded, North Korea may have found the need to deploy missile bases and missile units to defend it," he said. "It is premature to conclude that the facility is for launching ICBMs."






The Jammu and Kashmir Congress on Wednesday lauded the security forces for killing terror group Hizbul Mujahideen's de facto chief Reyaz Naikoo and said the entire nation stands behind them.

Naikoo, who had been on the run for eight years and carried a bounty of Rs 12 lakh on his head, was killed in a gunfight with security forces in his native village Beighpora in Kashmir's Pulwama district earlier in the day.

The gunning down of the Hizbul Mujahideen commander is a major breakthrough for the forces in the fight against terror.

"The entire nation is behind the armed forces (in their efforts) to eliminate terrorism from the Indian soil, including Kashmir Valley, and effectively check the cross-border firing from Pakistan," Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said.

He said the party has always been proud of the Army and the security forces, including police, for their bravery and dedication.

"The jawans and officers of the Army and other security forces have made a lot of sacrifices to defend the (Indian) territory and the citizens of this country," he added.

Sharma expressed concern over jawans losing their lives due to a recent spurt in terrorist activities in the valley and cross-border firings by Pakistan.

"More than 113 jawans have lost their lives in nine months, which is a big loss," he said.

There were 3,289 ceasefire violations last year as compared to over 1,460 during the first four months this year, which have caused loss of life and property, he claimed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The ADB and cash-strapped Pakistan have finalised a USD 305 million emergency COVID-19 loan to help the country buy medical equipment and disburse money to poor women, according to a media report on Wednesday.

The Asian Development Bank will extend the loan on commercial terms, The Express Tribune reported.

Last month, Pakistan had received an emergency loan of USD 1.39 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and an aid of USD 200 million from the World Bank (WB).

While the IMF loan was to boost Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, the WB aid focused on supporting preparedness and emergency response in the health sector.

Explaining the need for the ADB loan, Pakistan's Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Jahanzeb Khan told The Express Tribune that the government was looking at ways to assist those who were directly hit by the virus but could not till now apply for financial help. Pakistan had sent the official loan request to the ADB in March.

The USD 305 million package will be combined under the Pakistan National Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan (NEPRP) for COVID-19 which is under the Planning Commission.

The NEPRP is worth USD 588 million, which includes a USD 238 million World Bank loan.

Out of the USD 305 million loan, USD 200 million is for social protection for vulnerable sections -- cash transfers and unconditional cash transfer instalments -- and USD 105 million for health emergencies like maintaining stores.

The novel coronavirus which first surfaced in China's Wuhan city has claimed over 250,000 lives and infected 3.6 million people across the world.

In Pakistan, the virus has killed 526 people with 22,413 confirmed infections.

The virus has also adversely hit the country's economy. On Tuesday, Pakistan requested the members of G-20 nations for debt relief with a commitment of not contracting new non-concessional loans except those allowed under the IMF and World Bank guidelines.

The country's foreign currency reserves had dropped to a four-month low at USD 10.97 billion on April 10, 2020.

The reserves had partly depleted due to capital pullout worth around USD 2.69 billion by short-term foreign investors from Pakistan's debt market over the past five to six weeks.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two police constables have tested



positive for COVID-19 in the eastern suburb of Kurla here, police said on Wednesday.

The swab reports of two constables, attached to the Kurla police station, came out positive on Tuesday and the duo has been quarantined, an official said.

Both policemen were in their 40s and one of them lives in Airoli, while the other resides at the police colony in Nehru Nagar, he said.

Expressing concern about the rise in coronavirus cases in the police department, a constable, on condition of anonymity, said, "We are worried about our families. Who knows how many people had come in contact with the infected policemen? Several personnel above the age of 50 are still working."



Meanwhile, senior inspector Dattatray Shinde of Kurla police station said, "It is true that policemen above 50 years are still working, but we have relieved those above 55 from duty."The BMC will decide whether to screen other staffers at Kurla police station, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Lyft rideshare driver wears a mask during the coronavirus outbreak, as he leaves passengers in the U.S. Capitol Hill neighborhood in Washington, U.S. April 1, 2020.

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Lyft is set to report its first-quarter financials on Wednesday.

It's the first look investors and analysts will have into the coronavirus' impact on the ride-hailing firm.

In recent weeks, Lyft has cut jobs and withdrawn its forecast for the year, but hasn't hinted at how bad things might be.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Lyft is set to unveil its first-quarter financial performance on Wednesday afternoon, offering investors and the public their first look at the impact the coronavirus is having on the No.2 ride-hailing firm.

Unlike Uber, which has disclosed some details about the dropoff in its core ride business, Lyft has remained relatively quiet aside from withdrawing its 2020 guidance.

Here's what Wall Street is expecting from Lyft for the first-quarter, of which only the final weeks were impacted by the full force of the coronavirus:

Revenue : $829.6 million

Net loss (adjusted) : $179.6 million

Losses per share (adjusted): $0.64

Ride-hailing has been hit hard by shelter-in-place orders around the world, and Lyft is no exception.

Data from SuperFly, a firm that tracks anonymized spending data from 2 million users, showed Lyft revenue sinking to about 10% of its revenues earlier in the year. The impact could be even greater on Lyft's second-quarter, with no meaningful uptick yet detected in SuperFly's data.

Lyft data from SuperFly

SuperFly

And while Lyft doesn't have a delivery arm as large as Uber's to make up for some of the ride-hailing losses, its limited global footprint of only North America could prove to be a positive in the long run.

"As Uber is exposed to earlier-hit markets in Europe and Asia, we expect demand for the company to have been more greatly impacted than Lyft in 1Q20E," Dan Ives of Wedbush told clients Wednesday. "Given Uber's greater exposure to business and airport travel use cases, we also expect that the company will see a relatively greater flow-through impact on revenue, with a Y/Y contraction of -41% in Rides revenue vs. -17% for Lyft."

Story continues

In order to cut costs, Lyft announced in April it would lay off nearly 1,000 employees, or roughly 17% of its total headcount. Executives and high-level employees are also taking pay cuts.

"It is now clear that the COVID-19 crisis is going to have broad-reaching implications for the economy, which impacts our business," CEO Logan Green said in a press release at the tine. "We have therefore made the difficult decision to reduce the size of our team. Our guiding principle for decision-making right now is to ensure we emerge from the crisis in the strongest possible position to achieve the company's mission."

On the call following Wednesday's earnings release, company leadership will likely be pressed for insight into the effect of such cost-cutting. Lyft's market value has been cut in half since February as the coronavirus pandemic catalyzed a larger market selloff.

"Uber and Lyft face Herculean-like challenges looking ahead as the new reality will likely change the business models of these companies (and competitors) for the foreseeable future," Ives said in his note to clients. "Even in food delivery while consumer demand is there, competition is driving meaningful pressure on profitability."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Kooser Elementary School librarian Betsy Thomas daily videos  complete with T-Rex costumes, flour-tossing cooking sessions and reading to chickens  landed her on NBCs "Today" show Monday morning.

The segment, which included an interview with host Hoda Kotb and a surprise gathering of students outside her home dressed up in costumes based on the books shes read to them, was part of a series of segments the morning show has done to honor teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week.

I had no idea, Thomas said of the drive-by parade, which ended up being mostly kids standing in the yard or waving from their cars, since the librarian lives on a cul-de-sac. I was just completely surprised and I was crying. I was kind of a mess  it was really cool.

She did know she would be on the show after getting a call from her principal, Ann Jablonski, on Wednesday at about 10 p.m., after Jablonski had done an interview about Thomas for the show.

The next day, Thomas got a call from a "Today" producer, who wanted to schedule a video interview  then do it right that minute, messy house and all.
[May 05, 2020] Global Financial Technology Platform Nium Closes Latest Funding Round

SINGAPORE, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Global fintech platform Nium announced its latest fundraise today. Visa, the world's leader in digital payments, participated in the round along with existing investors. Another new investor to join the fold was BRI Ventures, the Corporate Venture arm of Bank BRI of Indonesia. The funding announcement comes on the heels of major wins for Nium in 2020, some of which were: Winning the account of a large European marketplace payment provider to process a billion Euros annually

Winning a large international bid for one of the world's biggest maritime businesses to process crew payments via cards and collections for vessel management

Working with a prominent Asian Neobank to help them expand overseas by providing international collections

Supporting the development of a migrant bank in the US through integration of Nium's Banking-as-a-Service stack Nium has carved a niche for itself and its diversified suite of offerings, with clients often approaching them to solve problems at the cross section of Send, Spend and Receive. As part of their own consumer and SME remittance offering (InstaReM) and remittance-as-a-service capabilities, Nium now reaches millions of customers across 10 licensed jurisdictions[1] with Japan and Indonesia being the latest additions. On the enterprise front, they serve clients across six continents. Through a fully micro-service driven model, Nium solves inefficiencies that plague traditional payment processes across industries like eCommerce, large corporates to SMEs, from services such as payroll disbursement to travel & expenses management etc. "I am thrilled to announce that we have closed another round of funding and added two more prestigious investors to our cap table. Visa and BRI Ventures' participation is a vote of confidence for our business model and its resilience despite the climate," said Prajit Nanu, CEO and Co-Founder of Nium. Nium will be using the funds to further build out its uniquely diversified payment infrastructure offering that includes outreach to consumers, SMEs, large enterprises as well as banks and financial institutions. The newly raised corpus will be largely directed towards product development and tuck-in acquisitions that compress time to market. For the latter, Nium will focus on vertical expertise in markets like Europe, India, U.K. and U.S. According to Nanu, "We are interested in tech infrastructure players with capabilities in issuance, local payment rails etc., which complement our own and can help us ship faster in markets we are bullish on." "Nium and Visa's collaboration began in early 2019 when Nium joined the Visa Fintech Fast Track program in Asia Pacific. We've worked together on new commerce experiences like instant remittances for consumers and businesses in Southeast Asia," said Chris Clark, Regional President, Asia Pacific, Visa. "We are excited to extend our partnership with Nium by investing in their business. Working with fintechs like Nium is a key part of Visa's strategy to enable payments for anyone, anywhere, on any network." "BRI Ventures always look to support developments in the banking and financial industry, especially for partners looking to provide digital financial care to customers in Indonesia. We have been working closely with Nium since their InstaReM days when they were processing consumer remittance, and are excited to witness their growth as they expand their service offerings to include financial institutions and corporates. The potential of financial technology is limitless and we forward look to supporting Nium on their path of growth as they expand their presence into Indonesia and beyond," said Nicko Widjaja, Chief Executive Officer of BRI Ventures. Nium currently operates its Send, Spend and Receive business in over 90 countries, 65 in real-time, and in 63 currencies.







[1] Australia, Canada, Europe, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and the U.S.

About Nium Nium is a global financial technology platform redefining the way consumers and businesses send, spend and receive funds across borders. The company is continuously innovating to provide the most relevant and agile solutions to meet the needs of consumers and businesses, having evolved from solely focusing on consumer remittance via InstaReM, to also providing fintech solutions for businesses from 2019. Nium is regulated in Australia, Canada, European Union, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and the United States of America, and processes billions of dollars a year for banks and payments institutions, the next generation of e-commerce players, OTAs and retail users across the world. Nium's investors include Visa, BRI Ventures, Vertex Ventures, Vertex Growth, Fullerton Financial Holdings, GSR Ventures, Rocket Internet, Global Founders Capital, SBI Japan, FMO (Netherlands Development Finance Company), MDI Ventures, Beacon Venture Capital and Atinum Investment. Media Contact Gillian Loo

[email protected]

+65 9863 8120 Logo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200120/2696826-1LOGO SOURCE Nium

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Former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has paid glowing tribute to former President, the late Umar YarAdua, on the 10th anniversary of his passing on.

Writing on his Facebook page, Tuesday morning, Ekweremadu, in a short tribute entitled YarAdua: Remembering a Leader, True Democrat, and Bridge Builder, described the Katsina-born former President as a man of peace and justice.

He recalled that it was YarAdua, who approved the designation of the Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu, as an international airport after many decades of denying the South East a direct access to the world, created the Ministry of Niger Delta, and restored peace in the region through the amnesty deal with militants.

The Senator equally revealed that he had nominated YarAdua for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize for choosing dialogue and suasion instead of force in resolving the Niger Delta challenge, although he did not eventually win the prize.

Ekweremadu wrote: We lost a leader in the late President YarAdua 10 years ago. When in July 2007 I led a delegation of South East Senators to discuss challenges facing the region with him, he was surprised that the South East had no direct access to the world and he graciously broke the jinx by designating the Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu an international airport.

He wrote his name in gold by creating the Ministry of Niger Delta in 2008 and pulled the amnesty deal in 2009 to restore peace, security, economic stability, and promote development in the region. I actually nominated him for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize. He didnt win, but the world noted that he was a man of peace and justice.

May God continue to have mercy on his soul and continue to grant his fine, gentle soul a peaceful repose. Amen.

Continue to rest in peace, Sir.
The first Shramik Special train from Haryana carrying 1,200 migrant workers who were stranded in the state due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown left for Katihar in Bihar from Hisar railway station on Wednesday, officials said.

All the labourers were brought to the station in Haryana Roadways buses and screened by health teams before they boarded the train, they said.

Social distancing was ensured inside the train, which started from the station at 2 pm, the officials said, adding that the state government will bear the fare of all the passengers.

According to a Railways spokesperson, only two passengers were allowed on each seat and all of them wore a mask or had covered their mouths with a cloth.

The Government Railway Police and the district police were deployed inside and outside the railway station for security, the officials said.

A government spokesperson said due to the lockdown, which began on March 25, many migrant workers have been stranded in Haryana and they want to return to their native states.

The Haryana government has made arrangements to send stranded migrants to their home states as per the central government guidelines, the spokesperson said.

Following a request by the state government, the Railways will run six trains to Bihar from different districts of Haryana, the spokesperson said.

Besides the train which left from Hisar on Wednesday, special trains will leave from Ambala to Katihar, Hisar to Muzaffarpur, and Bhiwani to Gaya on May 7. On May 8, trains will leave from Rohtak to Katihar and Ambala to Bhagalpur.

Earlier, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had said migrant labourers who are stranded in Haryana would be sent back to their homes in a safe and systematic manner.

The Haryana government has also launched a web portal where migrant workers in the state who want to return to their native places can register themselves.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Modern Family's Ariel Winter flaunted her trim physique in a series of throwback snaps posing in a plunging cream skirt suit on Tuesday.

The flame-haired bombshell modeled a plunging white top, as she playfully pulled her mermaid-like tresses in front of a purple backdrop.

The 22-year-old star, who also voices Sofia The First for Disney, reminisced on a 'pre-quarantine' shoot with StyleCaster, which was first released four weeks ago.

Posing up a storm: Modern Family's Ariel Winter flaunted her trim physique in a series of throwback snaps from her Stylecaster shoot while posing in a plunging cream skirt suit

While her skin-tight ensemble put her toned legs on full display, all eyes were on Winter's freshly dyed strawberry blonde hair.

'Im not going to have dark hair again unless somebody pays me to have dark hair again,' she joked to the outlet, after 11 years of playing Alex Dunphy on the hit ABC sitcom, which concluded last month.

The natural blonde got cheeky with her latest Instagram caption by referencing a behind-the-scenes picture of herself in a grey hoodie, black leggings and sneakers.

All smiles: The 22-year-old star, who also voices Sofia The First for Disney, reminisced on a 'pre-quarantine' shoot with StyleCaster, which was first released four weeks ago

New hue: The flame-haired bombshell modeled a plunging white top, as she pulled played with her mermaid-like tresses in front of a purple backdrop

'Swipe to the end to see me post shoot holding up the paper towel I planned on using to open the door because germs,' she wrote with an angry face emoji.

Unlike the other ultra-glamorous shots of herself smirking on the the floor with her fingers in her hair, the petite beauty took a mirror selfie in a bathroom in New York City.

Despite her casual attire, she was still full fully made-up and posed cheerfully in front of the dirty mirror.

'Im not going to have dark hair again unless somebody pays me to have dark hair again,' she joked to the outlet, after 11 years of playing Alex Dunphy on the hit ABC sitcom, which concluded last month.

During the candid interview, she also opened up about going on antidepressants, body-shaming and her mental health.

'I have to change my hair. I cant wear this makeup. That dress was so ugly. I cant believe I wore that,' she recalls thinking after an onslaught of criticism from hitting puberty.

She added: 'Therapy is literally one of my favorite parts of my week. Im a huge therapy advocate.'

Open book: During the candid interview, she opened up about going on antidepressants, body-shaming and seeking help for her mental health

The star, who was 10 when her hit series debuted, previously confessed that it's difficult 'for any child actor to grow up on TV in front of millions of people because millions of people then think they know you and they think they know you really well and think they can comment on everything you wear or everything you do or how you grow and change.'

Ariel admitted that she 'especially hated' the year she got braces.

'Im an adult now and Im starting again in my career,' she told StyleCaster of her future endeavors. 'Its exciting, but its also scary. The unknown is scary. Its like closing a chapter and opening a new one.'
India may have escaped unscathed when the world economy is projected to shrink in 2020, but that will not be the case if the coronavirus lockdown is extended through May.

With many economists estimating a one-month lockdown could hit a 2 percentage point blow to the economy, the extension of the lockdown in May will turn Indias 1% growth forecast for 2020-21 to 1% contraction.

Track live updates on coronavirus here

The earlier projections by the World Bank, IMF and major brokerages including Nomura, ranged between 1.5 and 2.8% for the current financial year. However, a two-week extension of the lockdown to May 17 could mean a further slowdown in economic activities, even if the restrictions have been lifted partially.

The Indian economy has not seen a first full-year contraction since 1980.

Also Read: Coronavirus India update: State-wise total number of confirmed cases

A marked slowdown will also be visible in the January-March quarter, the official data for which is expected on May 29. Though the economy was under the lockdown only for 10 days in March, all high-frequency data indicated towards a slowdown even before that. The official estimates suggested India would grow at 5% in 2019-20. That could be revised downward by 1 percentage point in the provisional annual estimates of 2019-20, an official told DH.

The government is also likely to change the fiscal estimates for 2020-21, with a major breach expected in the 2019-20 fiscal deficit numbers, which could be close to 4.5% of the GDP as against 3.5% estimated earlier. The government is yet to release the numbers for 2019-20.

Economists, including Ruchir Sharma of Morgan Stanley, have estimated that if India remained under lockdown for three months, it could knock off 6 percentage points of any growth that was being projected.

A State Bank Of India research projected a 6% loss in nominal gross value added if the lockdown was extended.

The Industry body CII said the economy could contract up to 0.9% in the financial year 2020-21 in the worst-case scenario if the coronavirus pandemic prolongs and the government is unable to restore economic activity fully.

The economic growth forecasts are likely to change frequently during these uncertain times. The economic recovery will depend on how quickly we are able to contain the virus, noted economist Pronab Sen said.
Liquor sales have soared across India as states reopened alcohol and wine shops amid chaotic scenes following a relaxation in Covid-19 lockdown rules.

Serpentine queues of tipplers began forming at liquor stores across the country from Sunday evening before the government-run off-licences were due to open the following morning.

As alcohol sales resumed after 40 days of Covid-19 lockdown, chaos erupted in several cities with police resorting to baton charges and in many places vendors had to shutter their premises.

Physical distancing norms were flouted.

Similar scenes played out in all the big metropolitan centres including the financial capital, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and Jaipur.

These queues are unimaginable. We never expected such a massive turnout and obviously we had a tough time controlling the crowds, Delhi police inspector Dependra Gupta told RFI.

Despite the Delhi government marking up alcohol prices by 70 percent, levying a 'corona tax' across categories, it did not prove a deterrent as crowds surged on the nearly 100 shops that were allowed to operate.

The bedlam that prevailed in the capital forced chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to intervene, threatening to close the liquor shops.

If we come to know about violations of social distancing and other norms from any area, then we will have to seal the area and revoke the relaxations there, said Kejriwal.

Alcohol a big revenue spinner

The manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages is one of the major sources of the government's revenue and the reopening of shops comes at a time when Indian states have been struggling to fill their coffers on account of the economic disruption the lockdown has triggered.

In Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, liquor sales reached around 300 billion rupees (36.5 million euros), while in the state capital, Lucknow alone, liquor worth 975,000 euros was sold.

The state has more than 25,000 off-licences.

We have had bumper sales for the last two days. We had stocked up enough so that stocks do not fall short, excise commissioner Guru Prasad told RFI.

In the western state of Maharashtra, almost 400,000 litres of alcohol was sold in just one day worth nearly one millon euros.

The northern state of Haryana also levied a "corona tax" and the price of high-end liquor was significantly increased.

Fearing huge financial losses and job cuts, the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) has urged state governments to impress upon the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government the urgent need to start sale of liquor in non-Covid-19 hotspots.

The alcoholic beverage industry contributes around 2 trillion rupees (24 billion euros) every year as revenues to the government. The tax on alcohol makes up 20 - 40 percent of tax revenues of [individual] states. A total ban on liquor deprives state governments of own revenue so vitally required in fighting Covid-19, CIABC Director General Vinod Giri told RFI.

The prolonged unavailability of alcohol has had serious consequences with growing reports of liquor smuggling, sale of illicit and spurious alcohol, and even looting of shops.
The coronavirus pandemic has forced restaurants to shutter their dining rooms and chefs and kitchen teams to adjust to different business models. You've got Prairie and Lazy Bear selling pantry goods, Atelier Crenn and Lord Jiu's assembling meal kits, Che Fico and Manresa serving family meals, and many, many more offering their restaurant menus (or revised versions of them) for curbside pick-up and delivery.

The idea of opening a new restaurant these days may seem cuckoo, but some entrepreneurs are braving the new landscape. Tosca recently stuck to its plan to re-open under changed ownership; Square Pie Guys is now dishing fried chicken sandos under the brand Hetchy's Hots; and Benu's Corey Lee is planning a fresh Korean barbecue takeout concept to help make use of the funding he gained from the federal Paycheck Protection Program.

Meanwhile in Oakland, chef-owner Kyle Itani, of Itani Ramen and Hopscotch, is playing around with the concept of a "virtual" restaurant: new brand, a slew of fresh menu options to pump up sales, and no dedicated dining room whatsoever: Get ready for newcomer and takeout-only restaurant Nikkei Sushi.

The project was already in the works with plans to open in a new space in Uptown Oakland; when COVID-19 struck, the team pressed pause to adjust. Now, a few months into shelter in place, Itani felt ready to move forward with a slightly different incarnation of his new sushi restaurant. Instead of getting the Nikkei shop fully up and running, he's shifted operations into the Itani Ramen kitchen. From there, his team is crafting fresh maki rolls, sashimi, and nigiri that's suited for to-go dining.



"Everyone is struggling right now, so we are doing our best to keep the price point down so more people can enjoy sushi delivered safely to their doorstep, but also to maintain the high standards of food we have built our reputation upon," said Itani, who is also offering carryout sake, Japanese whiskey, and craft cocktails.

The menu is available for pickup at Itani Ramen or for delivery via that restaurant's Caviar page, which means you can also order up some ramen and gyoza to go with.

If you're craving a sushi fix (there's only so much sourdough we can eat!), check out some of Nikkei's signature dishes below.

Photography by Sarah Chorey If you love both maki and nigiri, opt for the combo. You'll get four pieces of nigirituna, salmon, yellowtail, and unagiand your choice of a roll: spicy tuna roll (pictured), rainbow, Alaska, or caterpillar, to name a few.

// Open daily from 11:30am to 8pm and until 9pm Friday and Saturday; order delivery via Caviar or pick up at Itani Ramen, 1736 Telegraph Ave. (Oakland); itaniramen.com/nikkei-sushi.
Cocktails to-go may be coming to Pennsylvania, but for now, the practice is illegal. MUST CREDIT: Washington Post photo by James Pace-Cornsilk. Read more

With Pennsylvania bars and dining rooms shut down during the coronavirus lockdown, some enterprising owners have begun offering mixed drinks to go.

Although legislation to allow this practice temporarily is pending in Harrisburg, and other states have loosened their laws recently, it is against the law in Pennsylvania. This includes mimosas from fancy brunch spots and margaritas from corner bars. Sealed wine bottles and canned and bottled beers are allowed if the business is licensed to sell them.

The State Police has issued three warnings to bars and restaurants found to be selling cocktails, said Brent Miller, a spokesperson for the department, which enforces the regulations. The establishments werent in the Philadelphia area, and police declined to specify them. Fines for violations of the liquor code typically start at $500.

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Bar owners, contending that theyre being kicked while down, are clamoring for the right to sell drinks, whether packaged in kits or sold out the door in plastic containers and bags. Alcohol accounts for more than a quarter of many restaurants revenue, and could spell the success or failure of restaurants that had to switch on a dime to delivery and takeout.

A bill amending the liquor code to allow cocktail sales passed the House last month and has moved to the Senate, which reconvenes Monday.

The legislation is intended as temporary, covering only the COVID-19 disaster emergency and mitigation period after the termination of the disaster emergency in which a licensee is operating at less than 60% capacity. Mixed drinks are defined as a sealed container of no greater than 64 ounces. A lid with sipping holes or opening for straws must be capped with an additional seal. Sales must be completed by 11 p.m.

New York, New Hampshire, Maryland, Illinois, California, Texas, and Washington, D.C., have loosened their laws to allow delivery and takeout during the shutdown.
Tennessee authorities have identified a person of interest in connection to the death of Evelyn Boswell whose body was found at the home of a relative in March.

Investigators did not release the identity of the individual. Officials also said they are still waiting on autopsy results.

Authorities added there is still a lot of work to do in the investigation and they are still waiting on the autopsy results.

On March 6, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced that the child's remains were found at a property in her hometown of Blountville, Tennessee.

The child was wearing the 'exact clothing' her mother Megan Boswell, 18, said her daughter was in when she went missing.

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Tennessee authorities have identified a person of interest in connection to the death of 15-month-old Evelyn Boswell (pictured) whose body was found at the home of a relative in March

On March 6, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced that the child's remains were found at a property in her hometown of Blountville, Tennessee. Evelyn (right) was wearing the 'exact clothing' her mom Megan Boswell (left), 18, said she was in when she went missing

Other clothing, diapers and toys that would have belonged to the child were also found on the property.

The little girl had not been seen by some family members since mid-December but was not reported missing by her mother until February 18.

Evelyn's last sighting was initially reported as December 26, 2019, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).

Investigators had been searching for Evelyn since February 19, when an Amber alert was issued.

Angela Boswell (pictured) is being held in jail as well, on charges of theft and violating probation in a separate case

Evelyn's mother, Megan Boswell, 18, was locked up on February 25 and charged with filing a false report in her daughter's disappearance and has been held in the Sullivan County jail.

TBI Special Agent Brian Fraley testified that Boswell has made 'inculpatory statements' during interviews with investigators since her daughter went missing.

Inculpatory statements are legally described as implying or placing guilt.

Boswell initially claimed that she left Evelyn with a person she trusted while she was at work.

'Well the reason I didn't report it or anything was I knew the person who had her, and I didn't want them to run away with her,' Boswell said after first reporting her missing daughter.

'And as soon as they thought anything was going on they just kinda vanished. So I'm just kinda worried, you know, about where they are at. What they're doing with her at this point in time.'

Her arrest came just hours before the Wilkes County Sheriff's Office said a search of a pond in the Shepherds Crossroads Community, in Wilkes County, was 'inconclusive'.

The toddler's grandmother was also arrested in connection with the case.

William McCloud, 33, and Angela Boswell, 42, were arrested and charged with possession of stolen property after they were seen in a vehicle involved in the Amber alert for the toddler.

Evelyn's body was found surrounded by toys at the home of a relative in March. Clothing, diapers and toys that would have belonged to the child were also found. Cops are seen at a home on Muddy Creek Road in Sullivan County in March

Community members place items at a memorial for Evelyn Mae Boswell outside of the Boswell family property on Muddy Creek Road in Blountville
The US government reacted too slowly to contain the COVID-19 pandemic as the virus was spreading from Europe, which led to the surge of infections and deaths in the country, a top official at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Anne Schuchat, second in command at the CDC, said that limited testing and delayed travel alerts contributed to the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus across the United States.

An article published by the CDC on Friday, which was written by Schuchat, re-examined the US government's response to the coronavirus and suggested that the country's top public health agencies missed chances to contain the spread of the disease.

Schuchat said in the article that nearly 2 million travelers from Italy and other European countries arrived in the US in February, fueling the spread of the virus, while the US government didn't halt travel from European countries until March 11.

"The extensive travel from Europe, once Europe was having outbreaks, really accelerated our importations and the rapid spread," she told The Associated Press. "I think the timing of our travel alerts should have been earlier."

She also noted in the article that over 100 people who had been on nine separate Nile River cruises during February and early March had come to the US and tested positive for the virus, which nearly doubled the number of confirmed cases in the US at that time.

The explosive effect of some mass gatherings in late February has also caused a jump in the number of coronavirus cases, including a scientific conference in Boston and a funeral in Georgia.

Schuchat said that in retrospect, taking action earlier could have delayed further amplification of the novel coronavirus outbreak in the US, or delayed the speed of it.

As of Saturday, there were more than 65,000 deaths due to the COVID-19 disease in the US and more than 1.1 million confirmed cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The US is currently the worst-hit country by the virus.

Globally, there have been 3,272,202 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Saturday, including 230,104 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.

The WHO reiterated on Friday that the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 disease originates from nature.

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he had seen strong evidence that the virus originated from a lab in Wuhan, despite a statement by the US intelligence community that it concurs with the scientific consensus that the COVID-19 virus was not man-made nor genetically modified.

"We listened again and again to numerous scientists who looked at the sequences and looked at this virus. And we are assured that this virus is natural in origin," said Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, during a virtual news conference.

Ryan emphasized the importance of better understanding the virus and understanding the animal-human interface and how the barrier between them was breached.

"The purpose of understanding that is that we can put in place the necessary prevention and public health measures to prevent that happening again anywhere," he said.

At the Friday conference, Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, said it is "very very welcome news" to hear that there are no more severe cases and no more patients of COVID-19 in Wuhan.

"China has worked very hard to bring the outbreak under control," said Van Kerkhove, a US scientist who spent two weeks in China during the peak of the outbreak.

She said the world has learned from China as it has learned from all countries as they are dealing with COVID-19.

US grocery store owners are being urged to do more to protect employees during the coronavirus pandemic after at least 72 workers died and thousands were infected with the virus.
By AFP

PHOENIX: President Donald Trump conceded on Tuesday that more Americans will die in reopening the US economy but underlined his insistence on a dwindling coronavirus threat by refusing to wear a mask, even as he toured a mask-making factory.

Asked by ABC News whether a lifting of social distancing measures and reopening of the shuttered economy will lead to higher death tolls, Trump said "it's possible there will be some."

"Because you won't be locked into an apartment or a house or whatever it is," Trump said at the Honeywell factory in Phoenix, Arizona, which he visited on his first major trip since the coronavirus lockdown began.

"Will some people be affected badly? Yes. But we have to get our country open," he admitted earlier at the factory.

Trump's November re-election campaign is reeling from the massive shutdown ordered to try and stop the spread of the virus, which has already killed 70,000 Americans and is forecast to take tens of thousands more lives.

Praising the Honeywell workers, who churn out masks used by medical staff and other first responders, Trump reiterated that it's time to look ahead. "I want to be a cheerleader," he said. Bolstering that shift of direction, the White House said that Trump's emergency coordination group for the pandemic would be disbanding, probably by early June.

ALSO READ| US service sector shrinks due to COVID-19; first time since Great Recession

Unpresidential masks?

Trump's audience at Honeywell sat masked in compliance with US government recommendations and their own company rule, which was clearly displayed on a sign in the facility reading: "Please wear your mask at all times."

Trump had teased as he left Washington that after months of resistance he might finally cover his face. The fact that he skipped the opportunity to make a statement about safety was in line with his new focus on getting Americans to return to work.

And he has been skeptical about masks since early on. White House medical experts and even First Lady Melania Trump promote masks as a crucial tool in fighting the viral spread. But the president, tuned closely into his loyal right-wing base, has used his massive visibility to downplay the need.

"I think wearing a face mask as I greet presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens, I don't know," he said in April, apparently suggesting a mask would be unpresidential. "Somehow, I don't see it for myself."

ALSO READ| New York reports more than 1,700 previously undisclosed coronavirus deaths

Alterative facts

Trump's Arizona mask moment came after his vice president, Mike Pence, caused an uproar a week ago when he was photographed mask-less during a visit to the famous Mayo Clinic hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, which requires visitors to cover up.

Pence -- unusually for a member of the Trump administration -- publicly admitted he'd been wrong. "I didn't think it was necessary, but I should have worn a mask," he said on Sunday. On a subsequent trip, Pence did wear a mask.

The White House says that because top officials and their guests are frequently tested for the coronavirus they generally don't need to follow the guidance. However, the controversy runs deeper, reflecting a dispute over facts that has turned swaths of the United States into camps where the left and right see different basic realities.

Polls show that Democrats support face covering as a sign of shared responsibility, while some Republicans see mask-wearing orders as a big government threat to individual liberty. Trump-supported groups protesting the coronavirus lockdown -- sometimes ostentatiously brandishing firearms and parading in paramilitary garb -- liken going mask-free to an act of political independence.

In Stillwater, Oklahoma, and other cities, local leaders abandoned orders to wear masks after threats of violence. A common slogan at the protests now is that the entire pandemic is a "hoax."
By Syed Raza Hassan

KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistan's finance ministry will share part of the risk banks face in lending to struggling small businesses, in a bid to protect jobs in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the central bank said on Wednesday.

The South Asian nation, which has reported more than 22,000 COVID-19 infections and 526 deaths, is looking to restart commercial activity to limit any rise in unemployment after a nationwide lockdown that has lasted over a month.

"Under this risk sharing arrangement, the Federal Government will bear 40% first loss on (the) principal portion of disbursed loan portfolios of the banks," the central bank said in a statement.

Last month the central bank itself launched a refinancing scheme aimed at limiting any economic stagnation, with concessionary loans offered to businesses that committed not to lay off workers in the next three months.

The bank said in its statement that the finance ministry recognised the difficulties faced by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in arranging collateral and the risk-aversion of banks in lending to them.

"This facility will incentivize banks to extend loans to collateral-deficient SMEs and small corporates with sales turnover of up to 2 billion Pakistani rupees ($12.7 million) to avail (themselves of) financing under the central bank refinancing scheme," the central bank said.

Last month, Pakistan received $1.39 billion from the International Monetary Fund in the form of a Rapid Financing Instrument to tackle balance-of-payment problems related to the pandemic.

The federal government has allocated 30 billion rupees under a credit risk-sharing facility for banks, spread over four years to share the burden of losses related to any future bad loans.

Pakistan's economy has been badly hit by the pandemic, with the IMF forecasting a 1.5% contraction this financial year.

($1 = 158.1600 Pakistani rupees)

(Reporting by Syed Raza Hassan; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
In an exclusive interview to CNN-News 18, Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the aviation sector in India will be opened in a "gradual and calibrated manner".

Throwing light on the evacuation process of Indian citizens stranded abroad, Puri said: "We are open to the idea of involving private carriers if the situation arises."

India plans to bring back 15,000 Indians stranded in more than 10 countries, over seven days in 64 flights. The evacuation will begin on May 7. On an average, about 2,000 Indians will be flown back each of the days.

Track this blog for latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak

Those coming back to India will be required to fill a self reporting form to declare if they have any COVID-19 symptoms, as well as register the Aarogya Setu app on reaching their destination.

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

Read Also: First flight with stranded Indians may be on London-Mumbai route

After scrutiny, they would be quarantined for 14 days, either in a hospital or in an institutional quarantine on payment-basis, by the concerned State government.

On the role of the state government, Puri said, We are not going to go ahead with the evacuation plan until respective states are ready with the quarantine plan. The Centre can only provide service to the people of picking and dropping them to their respective places. Rest, the states have to take care of the logistics.

On the current status of the aviation sector in India, Puri said, Challenges that airlines are facing are from the pre-COVID period. We all know that the aviation sector has suffered a lot.

When asked about resuming operations of the aviation industry after the lockdown lifts, Puri said that the government will navigate the way-forward depending on how the situation evolves.

Read Also: Stranded overseas? Or want to travel from India? This is what you should do

"We will have to open aviation sector in a gradual and calibrated manner. We can only plan for flights between two green zones. It will be difficult to resume services between red zones," Puri added.

The civil aviation minister also told the news channel that the process of divesting Air India is ongoing.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak
Tens of thousands of people in Pakistan have protested the assassination of a prominent ethnic Pashtun rights activist and political leader who some say was killed by state-backed militants in the South Waziristan tribal district.

Sardar Arif Wazir, one of the leaders of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), was traveling by car in the town of Wanna when unidentified gunmen opened fire on May 1. He died from injuries on May 2.

Wazirs death prompted an outpouring of grief and frustration as peaceful protesters defied restrictions on gatherings because of the coronavirus to hold demonstrations in several cities across the country on May 5, with the main protest held in Wanna, the center of South Waziristan.

"Our main message is to tell the world about how this happened and who did it, and how our state supports these terrorists, gives them weapons, and protects them, Mohsin Dawar, a leader of PTM, told RFE/RLs Radio Mashaal.

"Our movement is a peaceful movement based on nonviolence. Our only weapon is protest," he said.

'Enforced Disappearances'

The PTM has campaigned since 2018 for the civil rights of some 35 million ethnic Pashtuns, many of whom live near the border of Afghanistan where the military has conducted campaigns that it says have defeated the Pakistani Taliban.

But the PTM accuses Pakistans security services of cooperating with the "good Taliban" fighting in Afghanistan and allowing militants to return to the mountainous area.

The movement has attracted tens of thousands of people to public rallies in recent years to denounce the powerful Pakistani Army's heavy-handed tactics that have killed thousands of Pashtun civilians and forced millions more to abandon their homes since 2003.

The PTM has been calling for the removal of military checkpoints in tribal areas and an end to "enforced disappearances," in which suspects are detained by security forces without due process.

Pakistan's government rejects allegations that its security forces cooperate with militants, pointing out that the military has lost thousands of soldiers fighting the Pakistani Taliban. It also denies intelligence agents are responsible for forced disappearances.

Since the PTM was formed in January 2018, international rights groups say authorities have banned peaceful rallies organized by the group and some of its leading members have been arbitrarily detained and prevented from traveling within the country. Some members have also faced charges of sedition and cybercrimes.

The attack on Wazir came after Pakistani police arrested him on April 17 for delivering an "anti-Pakistan" speech during a recent visit to Afghanistan. He was released on bail days before his death.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has said the authorities have made allegations of anti-state activities "an expedient label for human rights defenders, particularly those associated with the PTM."
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Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan  Wed, May 6, 2020 06:01 623 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd63150e 1 National COVID-19,COVID-19-Indonesian-patients,North-Sumatra,Medan,reinfection,Sumatra-Utara Free

A patient in Medan, North Sumatra, has reportedly tested COVID-19 positive again after a month of recovery.

Ori Kurniawan is the first person known to have been reinfected in North Sumatra and is now under isolation at a hospital in Medan.

Ori, 25, who works as an aide for North Sumatra deputy governor Musa Rajekshah, had recovered from COVID-19 before he was declared positive for a second time on Monday after taking a swab test at Adam Malik Hospital in Medan.

North Sumatra COVID-19 rapid response task force spokesperson Aris Yudhariasyah said it was the first reinfection in the province.

[He] is the first COVID-19 patient [in North Sumatra] to have experienced reactivation and reinfection [of the virus], but where he got reinfected is still unclear, Aris told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Read also: WHO says you may catch coronavirus more than once

According to Aris, ever since Ori was eventually declared negative last month, he had not been self-isolating but instead went to his hometown in Bireun regency, Aceh.

Aris said the man had allegedly met with his colleagues when he was at home.

Currently, the Bireun Health Agency is tracking down people who have had direct contact with this patient. Theyre still conducting the tracing, Aris said.

Ori was declared to have recovered from COVID-19 by doctors at Adam Malik Hospital in Medan on April 6 after undergoing isolation since March 25. He was believed to have contracted the virus while on duty, accompanying Musa Rajekshah on his official trip to Jakarta.

After being declared reinfected, Ori was hospitalized at Martha Friska Hospital in Medan.

Read also: North Sumatra may see spike in poverty, unemployment as pandemic damages economy: BI

When asked about the issue, Musa said he was shocked to hear that one of his aides had been reinfected with the virus. He said he had told Ori to take rest after recovering from his first infection.

He asked my permission to go home to see his parents in Aceh and to take rest and I allowed it, said Musa, who has yet to meet with Ori.

Musa said he had told his aide to take a swab test again before returning from Aceh. The test came back positive.

Ever since he took the swab test, I have not met him and he has yet to be allowed to go to work, Musa said. (asp)
Photo: The United States currently runs a trade deficit with China, whose port at Lianyungang in the eastern Jiangsu province is pictured. (Photo: AFP/STR)

The comments come amid a sharp drop in global trade caused by the coronavirus pandemic as well as a dispute between the two powers over fault for the spread of the virus, which first broke out in Wuhan, China.

The US and China in January signed an agreement to end a nearly two year-long trade war, that included a commitment by Beijing to buy an additional US$200 billion in American goods over the next two years.

"I'm expecting them to meet their obligations," Mnuchin said on Fox Business Network.

"I have every reason to expect that they honor this agreement and if they don't, there would be very significant consequences in the relationship and in the global economy as to how people would do business with them."

However, relations between Washington and Beijing have soured in recent weeks, with US President Donald Trump blaming China for the pandemic, and threatening tariffs.

The US has been hit with tens of millions of layoffs as the virus has spread, significantly weakening the previously solid economy, which Trump was counting on to win re-election in November.

The trade agreement signed in January includes US$77.7 billion in additional purchases from the manufacturing sector, US$52.4 billion from the energy sector and US$32 billion in agricultural products.

The US currently runs a trade deficit with China, and the objective is to realign the trade balance between the two countries.
The arrival and spread of COVID-19 has had significant and far-reaching social and economic impacts upon individuals and businesses throughout the United States. In an effort to curtail the spread of the virus, local and state authorities across the country have issued orders effectively closing all non-essential businesses from further operation.

Due to such mandatory suspensions of business and the enforcement of quarantines, business owners have begun to look to their commercial insurance policies to help lessen the economic blow of the pandemic.

One common type of insurance that business owners have sought to utilize is business interruption coverage, which generally insures against the temporary suspension of business operations as a result of a covered loss. However, there are many important considerations business owners should take into account when making a claim for recovery of business interruption insurance benefits as a result of COVID-19.

Although one might assume that business interruption insurance is triggered any time the business is faced with an unexpected or involuntary shutdown or suspension, many business owners have been surprised to learn that such coverage applies in a more narrow set of circumstances. Specifically, a typical business interruption provision makes clear that the business suspension must be caused by direct physical loss of or damage to property at the insured location. Moreover, such policies typically require that [t]he loss or damage must be caused by or result from a Covered Cause of Loss  which itself is often defined as direct physical loss unless the loss is excluded or limited in this policy.

Notwithstanding broad assumptions regarding the scope of such coverage, business interruption insurance typically is only triggered by some quantifiable physical loss to property requiring repair or replacement contemporaneously with such business suspension  such as is the case with vandalism, fires, floods, hurricanes or earthquakes.

Faced with limited options to keep their businesses afloat, insureds are arguing that the presence of COVID-19 itself is sufficient to trigger business interruption insurance, even in the absence of direct physical damage. This has resulted in many insureds throughout the country initiating lawsuits against their insurers, seeking judicial declarations that the resultant surface contamination from the presence of COVID-19 is itself physical loss or damage.

Even assuming that such surface contamination can qualify as physical damage, business owners may still face an uphill battle to obtain insurance benefits, as it may be difficult to demonstrate that the virus was actually present so as to cause such direct physical loss in the particular business seeking coverage.

Regardless of whether COVID-19 itself can be said to cause direct physical damage to property, coverage may still be excluded under the policy. Since the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in the early 2000s, the insurance industry as a whole began to exclude coverage for similar spreads of viruses, as such losses are considered too widespread to be economically feasible to insure against. In many instances, coverage is excluded where the loss or damage is the result of a virus or bacteria.

For example, a virus exclusion endorsement from the Insurance Services Office (ISO) which is widely used in many business insurance policies provides that coverage is excluded for loss caused by or resulting from any virus, bacterium or other microorganism that induces or is capable of inducing physical distress, illness or disease. COVID-19 will likely be considered a virus capable of inducing distress, illness, or disease.

If the business owners policy contains such a virus exclusion, business losses resulting from the closure of non-essential businesses to slow the spread of the virus could be excluded from coverage under the typical business interruption policy. On the other hand, it is important to note that some businesses may have paid an extra premium for inclusion of an endorsement which specifically extends coverage for virus-related losses.

For example, some policies may include endorsements  such as a Pandemic Event Endorsement  which may provide coverage for losses resulting from the spread of COVID-19. Business owners will need to look closely at their policies to determine whether they have paid an additional premium for this added protection.

Despite the presence of virus exclusions in many business insurance policies, many insured businesses have sought to recover under their policies civil authority coverage.

In general, civil authority coverage allows a business to obtain insurance benefits where a governmental authority issues an order which restricts access to the business, thereby preventing the business from conducting its normal operations. Businesses have claimed entitlement to civil authority coverage because local and state authorities stay-at-home orders have restricted access to their business premises.

And to circumvent the policys virus exclusion, insureds have asserted that their businesses are not closed because of the virus itself, but are instead closed only because a governmental authority has directed them to close. Although such an assertion may receive varying levels of success depending upon the jurisdiction in which the claim is litigated, many such claims are likely to be unsuccessful when considering the breadth of language used in the policys virus exclusion, which excludes coverage for any loss caused by or resulting from a virus.

Insurers have pointed out that such orders mandating closure of businesses are themselves caused by or resulting from COVID-19 and, therefore, losses resulting therefrom are likewise excluded.

In any event, regardless of whether an exclusion applies to bar coverage, it is important to understand that most provisions of civil authority coverage  like business interruption coverage  require that the loss be the result of some type of direct physical damage to property.

Specifically, for civil authority coverage to apply under most business insurance policies, the civil authoritys shutdown order must first be the result of some physical damage to a location other than the insureds premises. Such a situation commonly arises where a property damage event occurs nearby  such as a fire to a neighboring property or a gas main break  which requires authorities to prevent access to the insureds business in an effort to respond to the event, such as preventing the spread of such fire or requiring evacuation of the area.

Consequently, the typical civil authority coverage likely would not apply to business interruptions caused by closures ordered merely to prevent the spread of viral contamination in the absence of property damage. With the spread of COVID-19, it will be difficult for insureds to point to some identifiable property damage to a specific nearby location directly resulting from the virus so at to implicate coverage.

With the mounting number of insurance denials for claims related to COVID-19, some lawmakers have begun to propose bills that would require insurers to retroactively cover such claims. For example, proposed legislation in places such as Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania would create mandatory coverage for losses resulting from the pandemic and require insurers to cover business interruptions due to global virus transmission. Bill S.D. 2888 introduced in the Massachusetts legislature mandates that no insurer may deny a business interruption claim on account of COVID-19 even if the relevant insurance policy excludes losses resulting from viruses.

Some lawmakers are facing pressure from groups such as the Business Interruption Group (BIG), an advocacy group of prominent chefs and restaurant owners which calls for federal subsidies for insurers that opt to waive policy exclusions applicable to COVID-19 in favor of coverage for such business interruption losses. Likewise, the Independent Restaurant Coalition  a group representing thousands of chefs and restaurant owners  has asked Congress to compel the mandatory payment of business interruption claims resulting from COVID-19.

Any such state law requiring mandatory COVID-19 coverage for business interruption claims will most certainly be subject to constitutional challenges.

In addition to emphasizing that any such law will create significant solvency risks for the insurance sector, insurers will challenge the law as an unconstitutional impairment of private contractual obligations in violation of the Article I, Section 10, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution. Often referred to as the Contracts Clause, this provision generally prohibits states from passing laws which impairs certain contractual obligations. Thus, such laws will have to withstand challenges by insurers that that they attempt improperly rewrite existing insurance policies.

In any event, it is important to remain aware of such proposed legislation, which may nevertheless incentivize or otherwise put pressure on insurers to pay claims related to COVID-19.

As a result of the flurry of coverage denials, a massive wave of litigation is expected to take place throughout the country, as individual businesses begin to initiate lawsuits against their insurers with many class action suits likewise contemplated. As the number of lawsuits grow, courts of various jurisdictions will undoubtedly struggle to come to consistent rulings on these issues. Part of this inconsistency will undoubtedly be rooted in the differing language of each particular policy, as each case of coverage will be required to be determined on the specific contractual language and unique circumstances of each case.

Differing results may arise by virtue of the state in which the particular policy was issued, as some jurisdictions may interpret exclusionary provisions  such as the virus exclusion  more narrowly than other jurisdictions.

It is of critical importance that all insured businesses carefully review their policy language in detail, as the ultimate determination of whether coverage might be available for a suspension in business operations as a result of COVID-19 will depend on the particular language in the policy.

If coverage is potentially available for COVID-19-related shutdowns, it is important that such insured businesses promptly make a claim with their insurance carriers or otherwise risk a further basis for denial of coverage  as most policies require claims to be made promptly or as soon as practicable. In connection with such claims, insured businesses must also ensure that they are making every effort to adequately document the business impacts resulting from the pandemic in order to properly support any claim for insurance coverage.

Moothart is a member at the Kansas City-based law firm, Seyferth Blumenthal & Harris. He focuses his practice on the representation of businesses and professionals in complex litigation with an emphasis on insurance-related issues. Daugherty is an associate at the law firm Seyferth Blumenthal & Harris. His practice focuses on commercial litigation and counseling in all stages of litigation, with an emphasis on insurance-related issues, representing insurers in various coverage-related cases.

Topics Lawsuits Carriers Legislation Claims Profit Loss Property
In the middle of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, celebrities have been sort of a wild card. Some have been praised for their generous donations toward relief efforts, while others have been criticized for their tastelessness or the way theyve been treating their employees during these cutbacks. Kylie Jenner is one celebrity whos getting creative with her skincare line with the goal of aiding first responders and medical workers during these troubled times.

Kylie Jenner | Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Kylie Skin sent hand sanitizer to Los Angeles hospitals

So amazing . @kylieskin donated over 6,000 pounds of #handsanitizer to us today.



We currently have a shortage of @PURELL hand sanitizers for #HealthcareHeroes



This has all been a true labor of . Thank you to @KylieJenner @KrisJenner for your generous donation and warm pic.twitter.com/adE26CdyXH  Dr. Shirin Towfigh (@Herniadoc) April 11, 2020

Kardashian sister Kylie Jenners skincare line, Kylie Skin, announced at the beginning of April that they would be starting to produce a line of hand sanitizer. This hand sanitizer wouldnt be just for sale to the general public, however; this was to go directly to medical workers and first responders in the Los Angeles area.

Coty, a beauty company that is also a majority shareholder of Kylie Skin, would be producing the hand sanitizer at their own facility, so the production of other Kyle Skin products wouldnt be affected by the additional stock. The hand sanitizer was first delivered to L.A. area hospitals in mid-April. Each bottle had a message printed on it saying, Dedicated to first responders working to support our communities.

Kylie Jenner has been using her fame to urge people to stay home

In March, the U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams spoke with Good Morning America news anchors about the importance of staying home in order to lessen the spread of coronavirus. He stated that social media influencers could use their platforms to reach out to their followers and urge them to stay home, an idea thats based on the very reason influencers exist: marketing.

He called out Jenner by name, saying, We need to get Kylie Jenner, we need to get our social-media influencers out there in helping folks understand that, look, this is serious. This is absolutely serious. People are dying. Jenner went on to post on Twitter and Instagram about the importance of staying home to protect those who are at higher risk of complications with contracting the coronavirus.

In addition, Kylie Jenner has made monetary donations

Dr. Thais Aliabadi, an OB-GYN at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in L.A., posted a thank-you on Instagram, sharing that Jenner donated $1 million to the facility. In her post, she stated that the money would be going to help us buy hundreds of thousands of masks, face shields, and other protective gear which we will have delivered directly to our first responders, as too many masks at hospitals are disappearing before making their way onto the faces of our front line heroes.

As the keeper of the title youngest self-made billionaire, Jenner has a history of donating some of her money to those in need. Last year, she donated $750,000 to Nest of Love, an organization dedicated to working toward female empowerment. She donated $200,000 to a single mom working full time while supporting her family. On her 20th birthday, she made a donation to Teen Cancer America.

The rest of the Kardashian-Jenner family has also prioritized philanthropy. Kendall Jenner, Kylies next-older sister, raised money for Charity Water for her 22nd birthday. Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West donated to help relief efforts during the California wildfires in 2018. She and mom Kris Jenner also visited Haiti after an earthquake in 2011. Kourtney Kardashian works with the Environmental Working Group to lobby for change in the cosmetics industry.

Additionally, the entire KarJenner clan has started a money-raising campaign in partnership with the All-In Challenge to raise money for food charities during the coronavirus pandemic. People can donate money to the campaign in exchange for being entered into a drawing to win a lunch with the Kardashian-Jenner family.
Mumbai:

Nine bodies have been recovered from scouring Savitri river after it swept away parts of a Maharashtra bridge, engulfing two buses with 22 people. The bridge on Mumbai-Goa Highway had collapsed near Mahad, about 170 km from Mumbai, on Tuesday.



Massive multi-agency operations continue to find the missing vehicles and rest of the passengers.



Earlier this morning, a 300-kg magnet was lowered in the waters with the help of a crane to trace the missing buses.



Something has got stuck to the magnet and efforts are on to pull it out of the river, a local official said.



An NDRF jawan, who came out of the river after three hours of intense search, said, The fast flow of flood water is posing a tough challenge for us but that is not going to be a deterrent in our mission.



Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a judicial probe into the incident.



In other Maharashtra districts, while rains spared Nashik after incessant downpour over the past few days, moderate to heavy rainfall disrupted normal life in Kolhapur, filling small dams almost to capacity.



In the national capital and some northern states including Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, there was no rainfall and maximum temperatures rose by few notches.



In New Delhi though there was no rainfall, it was a humid day with the mercury settling at 36.7 degrees Celsius, three notches above the normal.



The flood situation continued to be grim in Bihar where the death toll mounted to 64 with over 33 lakh people in 13 districts still affected.



Purnia has witnessed 26 fatalities, followed by 15 in Katihar and eight in Supaul.



Meanwhile, the flood situation in Assam improved considerably, though nearly three lakh people are still reeling under its impact in 10 districts. Close to eight lakh people were affected across 638 villages till yesterday.



In Odisha, incessant rains triggered by a low pressure area over the Bay of Bengal disrupted normal life, leaving low-lying areas in cities like Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, Sambalpur, Jagatsinghpur and Koraput inundated.



Flood-like situation was witnessed in Sambalpur city in the western part of the state which recorded highest rainfall of 240 mm. Rain water gushed into houses.



Rajasthan has recorded excess rains with 20 of its 33 districts receiving more than normal rainfalls so far this monsoon.





Average rainfall in the state from June 1 to August 3 is 267.05 mm but this year during the corresponding period the state has recorded 360.45 mm rain, nearly 35 per cent higher than the average.



Districts of West Bengal received little or no rainfall, but day temperatures remained low owing to cloudy conditions.



Diamond Harbour and Digha in the coastal area near Bay of Bengal received the highest rainfall in the state at 17.8 mm and 17.2 mm.

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This is no small thing that we are doing together. It is so incredibly hard to have shut down our lives the way we have. I am absolutely certain you will look back and know that you helped save each other. This is Dr. Amy Acton, director of the Ohio Department of Health. Trademark lab coat, emphatic hand gestures, and a knack for metaphors. Its like Swiss cheese. So I want you to picture a hurricane. When you have a fire on your stove and you have your kitchen extinguisher, youll want to get it quick. You may not have seen her press briefings. But in Ohio, theyve become a daily ritual, catapulting her from unknown local official to cult icon. Hi, my name is Amy Acton. Any questions? Dr. Amy is going to help us fight out the coronavirus. In her youth, Dr. Acton overcame neglect and homelessness on her way to being crowned homecoming queen. And last year, she became the first doctor appointed to run Ohios health department. Under her, Ohio has become a leader in responding to Covid. It declared a state of emergency with just three confirmed cases, and it was the first state to shut down schools. Later that same week, some governors were still proudly eating in packed restaurants. And Dr. Acton issued a stay-at-home order affecting more than 11 million people when the death toll was still just three. So how did Dr. Acton do it? To find out, we watched more than seven weeks of press briefings, and we noticed themes that, well, lets just say other leaders should pay attention to. First up, she empowers us. Take a look at this clip from the day Dr. Acton issued that stay-at-home order. I dont want you to be afraid. I am not afraid. I am determined. But I need you to do everything. I want you to think about the fact that this is our one shot in this country. All of us are going to have to sacrifice. And I know someday well be looking back and wondering, what was it we did in this moment? Of her 65 words there, 12 are pronouns. Her repeated use of I tells us shes in it with us. Shes taking ownership. Her use of you makes the audience feel a connection with her, even though were watching from home. Toward the end, she switches from singular to collective pronouns, signaling that shes just like us, and were in it together. Shes in charge, yet shes made us feel like the heroes. There are everyday heroes everywhere. We know that not all heroes wear capes. Youre heroic when you stay at home and watch your neighbor whos a nurses child. I know youre all donning those capes in big ways and small ways. Please help us. Thank you. Ohioans were inspired. Not just to stay at home, but to spread her messages to each other. Another theme of Dr. Actons briefings is brutal honesty. And to understand this one, we have to take you back to mid-April. People were getting restless, wondering when things would get back to normal. So I do hope no one at home thinks like, its wide open, May 1, going back to life as normal. The rules have changed, and theyre not going to be quite the same. Life will be different for quite some time to come, and maybe in some ways that are permanent. Shes preparing us for the long haul, even if its not what we want to hear. Its really hard to hear that, but we are not going back to six months ago. Thats not the reality we all face. This is something she does a lot, actually. Setting up bad news with a warning. Ohioans, you know, I know thats hard to take. I know thats a hard truth for people, because we want there to be a right answer and a right way. And I know this is a deep breath we all must take. Dr. Acton is also honest about what she doesnt know. We have to be very clear and transparent with you. All of these numbers are a gross underestimation, and we have no real idea of the prevalence of this infection yet. A lot of leaders just avoid talking about uncertainty. But when Dr. Acton repeatedly says, We dont know. Its actually calming to hear her admit what we all feel deep down, that we just dont have the full story. And finally, Dr. Acton sees vulnerability as a strength. After watching dozens of hours of briefings, there was one word we kept hearing over and over. Please just acknowledge and give a name to what youre going through. Acknowledge it with each other. And so I just want to acknowledge that these are still really tough times. This is wearing on all of us, and I just want to acknowledge that. I just want to acknowledge that all of us are feeling this. Its such an unprecedented time. Hearing Dr. Acton acknowledge our harder emotions forces us to face them head on. Stuffing down fear and sadness just causes more stress, and may make us act more selfishly instead of empathizing with each other. And youll have days when youre anxious. But dont kill yourself over that. Please know and forgive yourself and try again. And take a look at what she does here. Every day I go through stages of grief. I go through, you know, denial. I go through a little anger. I go through a little bargaining. I dont have to wear this. I might not need it. This isnt true. I get a little down. When she tells us shes struggling too, we feel seen, and heard and less alone. And maybe thats all any of us want right now. In a pandemic, the words our leaders choose can save lives. As of the end of April, Ohio had recorded fewer than 1,000 Covid deaths. By comparison, neighboring Michigan suffered more than 3,000, even though Ohio has a bigger population and had its first case three weeks earlier. Of course, other factors help explain this. But Dr. Acton convinced millions of Ohioans to stay at home. Not by ordering them, but by inspiring them. People at home, you are moving mountains. You are saving lives. Again, I get emotional talking about this, because this is no small thing that we are doing together. It is so incredibly hard to have shut down our lives the way we have. I am absolutely certain you will look back and know that you helped save each other in this state. The impact is profound. Please, at home, dont stop.
The brother of SAS: Who Dares Wins star Ant Middleton has been arrested and charged by police after a 350,000 cocaine bust.

Michael Middleton was one of three men charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs after 7kgs of the substance was seized from a rucksack in a raid on a house in Heston, south-west London.

Mr Middleton, one of the TV hardman's three brothers, and another man had driven back to the UK via the Eurotunnel service from Calais to Folkestone, the National Crime Agency (NCA) said.

Ant Middleton, pictured left, proudly displays this image with his brother Michael, pictured right, on his website

They then drove to Westbrook Road in Heston, where they met a third person before officers from the joint NCA and Metropolitan Police Organised Crime Partnership arrested the trio having discovered the haul on March 12.

Officers also recovered 2,000 in cash and a small quantity of cocaine from a property in Tooting and they were all charged the following day.

Mr Middleton lives in Portsmouth, Hampshire, where Ant also grew up before moving to France and then later Essex.

An image of the pair together is proudly part of the TV star's photo gallery on his personal website.

Ant revealed the close bond he shares with his brothers in his book, which tells the story of how at just 15, he saved his suicidal sibling Daniel's life, after he had spiraled into depression after a break-up and the death of his father.

Ant Middleton, pictured, is the star of the popular Channel 4 TV series SAS: Who Dares Wins

Now 39, he also recently admitted he would burn letters from his family in a bid to cope with being away from his loved ones.

Speaking as the Guest Editor for the June edition of Men's Health, the ex-soldier said: 'When I was in the military and on operations, I wouldn't read any letters from my wife and family. I'd burn them.

'I didn't need that in my head. I wanted to be totally focused on the job and to do it to my best ability. And then I could get back to them.'

Michael Middleton, 40, of Rochford Road, Portsmouth, Andrew Adams, 55, of Sudboughn Road, Felixstowe, and Ervis Hoxha, 31, of Beechcroft Road, Tooting were due to appear before Kingston Crown Court on April 14.

However, the hearing was adjourned due to the coronavirus pandemic and is now scheduled to take place at Isleworth Crown Court on June 29.

Representatives for Ant have been approached for comment.
The health body has presented a series of steps that countries should take before lifting coronavirus restrictions.

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of a surge in cases and a return to lockdowns if countries emerging from coronavirus pandemic restrictions do not manage transitions extremely carefully.

Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a virtual briefing from Geneva on Wednesday, listed a series of steps countries needed to take before lifting measures designed to control the spread of the coronavirus, such as surveillance controls and health system preparedness.

The risk of returning to lockdown remains very real if countries do not manage the transition extremely carefully and in a phased approach, he said.

To date, more than 3.7 million people have been infected with the coronavirus, which first appeared in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December of last year. Over 260,000 people have died globally from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

Around half of the worlds population is under some form of lockdown measures imposed in an unprecedented global bid to contain the spread of the virus, although several hard-hit countries, including the United States, Italy and Spain, have recently pivoted towards reopening their economies.

Call for investment

The warning from WHO was accompanied by a plea for countries to invest in their healthcare systems to preempt the next pandemic, rather than scrambling to respond when it hits.





The COVID-19 pandemic will eventually recede, but there can be no going back to business as usual, Tedros said. We cannot continue to rush to fund panic but let preparedness go by the wayside. As we work on responding to this pandemic, we must also work harder to prepare for the next one.

The director-general said the world spends about $7.5 trillion on healthcare each year, accounting for almost 10 percent of global gross domestic product, but that the investment in preparations for emerging pathogens lagged far behind before the pandemic.

If we learn anything from COVID-19, it must be that investing in health now will save lives later, he said.

History will judge all of us not only on whether we got through this pandemic, but also on the lessons we learned and the actions we took once it was over.

After-action assessment

Tedros  who has come under fire, particularly by the agencys top funder, the US, for his handling of the outbreak  also announced on Wednesday that the health body would conduct an after-action assessment of the agencys response. However, he said, such an assessment would wait until the health crisis recedes.

The administration of US President Donald Trump has accused the Geneva-based WHO of being China centric, recently cutting off funding.

While the fire is raging I think our focus should not be divided, he said.





Amid a war of words between the US and China, and growing calls for investigations into the origins of the virus, WHO epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove also said on Wednesday that the agency was discussing a further academic mission to China.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said he has evidence that the virus emerged from a laboratory in Wuhan. Scientists have advised the WHO that the pathogen is animal in origin and that there is no evidence it came from the lab, calling the US governments claims speculation.

Beijings United Nations ambassador in Geneva said on Wednesday that China will not invite international experts to investigate the source of the outbreak until China secures the final victory over the outbreak in the country and until the right atmosphere is restored with the US.
OTTAWA, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 6, 2020 / Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc. ("Tetra" or the "Company") (TSXV:TBP)(OTCQB:TBPMF), a leader in cannabinoid-derived drug discovery and development, is pleased to announce that it has now completed the modifications to the nonclinical safety program of PPP003 to ensure the launch of a Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers later this year and subsequently be able to initiate a Phase 2 trial in patients with COVID-19 immediately after.

The Company is not making any express or implied claims that its product has the ability to eliminate, cure or contain the Covid-19 (or SARS-2 Coronavirus) at this time. As with any new drug candidate, PPP003 has not been shown to be safe or effective in the prevention or treatment of inflammatory cytokine conditions. Dr. Melanie Kelly, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Tetra Bio-Pharma has read and approves of the scientific disclosure in this news release.

Tetra's drug development program for PPP003 was adjusted to support a Clinical Trial Application (CTA) in Canada and an Investigational New Drug (IND) application in the USA for an intravenous sterile finished drug product. The nonclinical safety studies required to support a CTA/IND in healthy volunteers for a new molecular entity (NME) include: drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics, cardiovascular and respiratory safety pharmacology, genetic toxicology and repeat dose toxicology in accordance with the regulatory requirements. The intention is to have completed these CTA/IND-enabling studies to allow initiation of the Phase 1 single ascending and multiple ascending dose with complete cardiovascular assessment by late calendar Q3 2020.

Once human studies begin, the research and development team will continue to advance the nonclinical safety studies to ensure readiness for an eventual Phase 2 trial in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19. In parallel, Tetra will complete the nonclinical safety studies required to support a new drug submission/application in Canada/USA. These latter studies include longer term repeat dose toxicology, teratology and fertility and early embryonic toxicology.

The phase I study will enroll approximately 100 healthy volunteers and will be conducted at one clinical site located in Montreal, Quebec. The study will include standard safety assessments, pharmacokinetics and cardiovascular evaluations. The phase II study will enroll approximately 100 covid-19 infected patients in several hospitals. A Phase II sub-study will explore the molecular mechanisms of the cytokine release syndrome in treated and non-treated patients. This latter sub-study will be performed with Tetra's partner Onegevity Health and will aim to monitor select cytokines and biomarkers to predict organ damage.

Guy Chamberland, CEO & CRO of Tetra commented, "the nonclinical safety program is typical for any intravenous NME drug and these studies will also be part of the toxicology package for the ophthalmic indications. We want to ensure that PPP003-covid will be safe for use in patients struggling COVID-19. We are excited to be working on an NME that may provide a solution to physicians battling COVID-19. The research performed since 2014 by Panag Pharma (PANAG) demonstrating PPP003-covid's ability to potentially decrease the inflammatory cytokines in severe systemic inflammatory disease models is amazing and demonstrates their leadership in this field."

Dr. Chamberland further commented, "Tetra has submitted a grant application to the Strategic Innovation Fund announced two weeks ago by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. We hope that this committee will recognize the extensive research performed by the PANAG founders at Dalhousie University. This level of in-depth research, which has been published in over ten peer reviewed scientific journals, is exceptional for a biotechnology company, especially when it is recognized by the international scientific and medical community.

About PPP003 in COVID-19 Infected Patients

Severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) represents viral pneumonia from SARS-CoV-2 leading to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with lung inflammation and damage (alveolar damage). These patients have exaggerated inflammatory and immune responses, with enhanced release of pro-inflammatory molecules - referred to as "cytokine storm". Essentially the immune system is in overdrive/out of control which can lead to further complications including blood clots and scarring or fibrosis. ARDS develops in 42% of patients presenting with COVID-19 pneumonia, and 61-81% of those requiring ICU care.

The "cytokine storm" in this context is easier to consider as a symptom than a cause, and is triggered by infection (viral e.g. SARS-CoV-2 or bacterial e.g. sepsis). As with other potential Covid-19 therapies being considered, PPP003 will target symptoms rather than the origin of the disease to reduce the extreme outcomes of a "cytokine storm" in patients with ARDS.

In sepsis, ARDS represents the severe end of lung dysfunction which can result from systemic inflammatory responses or from infection in the lungs, themselves. This cytokine-mediated inflammatory response is very similar to what is seen in viral infections like influenza or Covid-19. PPP003 was shown in experimental models to decrease pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF) in acute lung injury models similar to what occurs in sepsis . PPP003, a specific CB2 agonist, also stops the efflux of inflammatory cytokines like TNF and IL-1 in acute lung injury induced in other experimental models.

About Tetra Bio-Pharma

Tetra Bio-Pharma (TSX-V:TBP) (OTCQB:TBPMF) is a biopharmaceutical leader in cannabinoid-based drug discovery and development with a Health Canada approved, and FDA reviewed and approved, clinical program aimed at bringing novel prescription drugs and treatments to patients and their healthcare providers. The Company has several subsidiaries engaged in the development of an advanced and growing pipeline of Bio Pharmaceuticals, Natural Health and Veterinary Products containing cannabis and other medicinal plant-based elements. With patients at the core of what we do, Tetra Bio-Pharma is focused on providing rigorous scientific validation and safety data required for inclusion into the existing bio pharma industry by regulators, physicians and insurance companies.

For more information visit: www.tetrabiopharma.com

Source: Tetra Bio-Pharma

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 statements

Some statements in this release may contain forward-looking information. All statements, other than of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements regarding potential acquisitions and financings) are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of the words "may", "will", "should", "continue", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "believe", "intend", "plan" or "project" or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict, that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, without limitation, the inability of the Company to obtain sufficient financing to execute the Company's business plan; competition; regulation and anticipated and unanticipated costs and delays, the success of the Company's research and development strategies, including the success of this product or any other product, the applicability of the discoveries made therein, the successful and timely completion and uncertainties related to the regulatory process, the timing of clinical trials, the timing and outcomes of regulatory or intellectual property decisions and other risks disclosed in the Company's public disclosure record on file with the relevant securities regulatory authorities. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results or events not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities legislation.

For further information, please contact Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc.:

Investor Contact:

Alpha Bronze, LLC

Mr. Pascal Nigen

Phone: + 1 (646) 255-0433

tetra@alphabronze.net

Public Relations:

Energi PR

Ms. Carol Levine

Phone: + 1 (514) 288-8500 ext. 226

carol.levine@energipr.com

SOURCE: Tetra Bio-Pharma

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/588660/Tetra-Bio-Pharma-Provides-PPP003-Inflammatory-Cytokine-Reduction-Drug-Program




DARING armed robbers raided a Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) container depot in Bulawayo and went away with a consignment of 148 boxes of Broncleer, a cough mixture which was banned over abuse as a euphoric drug.





The total value of the contraband, which includes four cases of gin, is about US$20 000. The stolen goods believed to have been smuggled from South Africa were confiscated by Zimra on Tuesday and the gang struck at the depot on the same day at around 7.30PM.





The suspects were armed with an FN rifle and they threatened to shoot the security guards who were manning the premises in the event that they raised alarm before tying their hands using a rope.





The suspects whose exact number could not ascertained used bolt cutters to destroy the locks at the main gate to access the premises.





They found four security guards and ordered them to lie down at gunpoint before they tied them and offloaded the impounded goods from the truck.





The contraband, which was concealed under a consignment of groceries, was being transported to Bulawayo in a haulage truck when it was intercepted by police in Esigodini. The truck was seized and taken to the Zimra container depot at Raylton Industrial Area in Bulawayo.





When a Chronicle news crew visited the depot yesterday, police had been deployed to beef up security. The empty truck, which had been carrying the stolen goods was also parked at the yard.





Sources said the suspects were travelling in a Toyota Quantum which had no number plates.

They tied up four security guards and offloaded 144 boxes of bronco (Broncleer) and four boxes of Gordons Gin from the impounded truck before they drove off at high speed, said the source.





Sources said when the truck was intercepted at a roadblock in Esigodini, the driver tried to bribe a police officer so that he could be allowed to pass through without being searched.





The police officer was, however, adamant and demanded to search the truck leading to the discovery of the illicit drugs and he immediately alerted Zimra officials in Bulawayo.





Chronicle established that the suspects had been monitoring the truck between Esigodini and Bulawayo while it was being escorted to the Zimra container depot with the intention of hijacking it.





After failing to hijack the truck, that is when they decided to raid the Zimra container depot at night. It appears that these robbers knew what the truck was carrying, said the sources.





National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday said no arrests had been made.





I can confirm that we had a robbery case which occurred at the Zimra container depot in Bulawayo last night (Tuesday night) where security guards manning the premises were attacked by a group of robbers. The suspects used bolt cutters to destroy the locking system at the main entrance before they drove in, he said.





Asst Comm Nyathi said two suspects who were armed with iron bars and bolt cutters emerged first from the Toyota Quantum and confronted the security guards.





He said they were later joined by their accomplices and they offloaded the loot from the impounded truck.





Initially, it is these two suspects who confronted the security guards and later on the kombi drove into the premises and it could not be established how many others were inside the vehicle. They loaded some illicit goods which were in a truck that had been impounded with smuggled goods, which included 144 boxes of Broncleer and four boxes containing bottles of Gordons Gin, said Ass Comm Nyathi said.





He said the suspects sped off. We are investigating and we are also appealing for information from members of the public so that we establish some links. According to our preliminary investigations, the two suspects were part of a gang of robbers and as police we would like to assure the public that people who are engaging in any form of criminality will be accounted for, said the police spokesperson.





Meanwhile, police in Beitbridge from the anti-corruption unit on Monday intercepted two vehicles, a Toyota Granvia and a Nissan Caravan near Panda Mine along the Limpopo River carrying smuggled groceries and arrested three suspects.





The value of the goods, which included soap, sugar, cooking oil, rice, flour and lotion was not stated.





Three suspects were arrested in connection with the case. Investigations conducted so far revealed that one of the vehicles, a Toyota Granvia did not have a customs clearance certificate, said Ass Comm Nyathi.





He said they also arrested a Kwekwe truck driver on the same day at a roadblock in the border town for smuggling groceries from South Africa through Beitbridge Border Post.




Buddha Purnima, which is also known as Vesak Day, is a sacred occasion for millions of Buddhists around the world.

Buddha Purnima marks the birth anniversary of Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. His birth anniversary usually falls in April or May on a full moon day and is celebrated across the world.

This year, Buddha Purnima will be celebrated on 7 May.

On this day, devotees offer prayers to Buddha. Some of them also visit Mahabodhi Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located in Bihar. Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment at the site of the temple.

Buddha Purnima 2020 Date and Time

The auspicious time for the purnima starts at 7.44 pm on 6 May and ends at 4.14 pm on 7 May.

Buddha Purnima Significance

Buddha was considered as one of the greatest spiritual leaders. He gave up all sort of materialistic possessions and worldly pleasures, in order to find truth of life. After years of meditation, he became enlightened and began preaching the philosophy of life. It is believed that by following his principles one can get rid of sufferings in life.

Buddha Purnima, which is also known as Vesak Day, is a sacred occasion for millions of Buddhists around the world.

On the occasion of Buddha Purnima, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres extended his wishes to all. On this date marking the birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha, all of us, Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike, can reflect on his life and draw inspiration from his teachings, he said.

Guterres added that in a time of growing intolerance and inequality, Buddhas message of non-violence and service to others is extremely relevant.

Buddha Purnima 2020 celebration

This year, devotees cannot visit Mahabodhi temple due to the coronavirus lockdown. One can offer prayers to Buddha at home, read about the teachings of Buddha and meditate.
PALO ALTO, Calif., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Enya, a privacy and data security company, today announces the launch of FeverIQ, the first COVID-19 symptom map that uses privacy-preserving analytics to help scientists better understand which symptoms are most indicative of the disease, and provide early warnings of potential infection clusters at the neighborhood level to help businesses and policy makers safely restart the economy.

FeverIQ Map

With FeverIQ, individuals report daily whether they are feeling well or have any COVID-related symptoms, and see a map of what other people have shared. They can also learn about their personal risk of contracting the disease and what they can do to mitigate the risk. FeverIQ downsamples location data to 1km resolution to protect privacy. Businesses and policy makers can monitor the potential development of any clusters of symptoms around different neighborhoods to adjust the pace and areas of re-opening to ensure the safety of their community.

Traditionally, healthcare and biomedical research involve transmitting sensitive data to medical professionals and scientists, risking possible exposure in a data breach. In contrast, FeverIQ uses the secure multiparty computation (SMC) capability of the Enya SDK to compute the results that are relevant to researchers instead of storing the symptoms directly, balancing insight and privacy. In addition, FeverIQ uses SMC to calculate the personal risk level without ever directly seeing or storing user inputs. Enya has open sourced the code behind FeverIQ, which is already being incorporated into mobile applications with broad usage around the world.

"There is immense pressure to sacrifice personal privacy for the sake of public good, but FeverIQ demonstrates there is a better way," said Alan Chiu, CEO of Enya. "With secure multiparty computation, we all can help scientists fight COVID and businesses re-open safely, while still keeping our privacy intact," said Jan Liphardt, Chief Technologist of Enya.

About Enya

Enya is a privacy and data security company that helps companies protect their customers' privacy and reduce their data liability while capturing valuable insight. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Enya offers the easiest way to take advantage of secure multiparty computation and fully homomorphic encryption anywhere, including mobile devices. For more information, visit https://enya.ai.

Contact

Alan Chiu | 650.418.3042 | [email protected]

SOURCE Enya
Fasten your seatbelts, travelers. We are in for a bumpy ride. Travel as we know it is going to be a lot different over the next year or so as the world awaits a vaccine or some other breakthrough to rid us of the coronavirus and reopen our travel horizons.

Overall, the travel industry, which has ballooned in recent years as the world economy expanded, is going to become much, much smaller in the near term. Airline ticket prices will likely soar. Weekend jaunts to faraway places will fly away. Getting through the airport is going to take longer, and require much more patience than before. Hotel stays will become dull, utilitarian and depressing with guests and staff hiding smiles behind masks. Hotels will also become more expensive. Joyful meals in popular, crowded restaurants? Nope. International travel? As residents of the country with the largest COVID-19 outbreak in the world, Americans are going to have a tough time finding a warm welcome in other countries for a while. Big company events and boondoggles where you can schmooze with clients and colleagues? Off the table for at least a year.

While it's nice to dream of breaking free of stay-at-home orders with big, glossy trips far and wide, the reality is going to be more prosaic. I don't foresee anything close to what we experienced in 2019 for at least three years or longer. As a matter of fact, for the next couple years I think the travel experience is going to be more like what we saw in the 1970s.

First off, travel is going to become much more expensive. Airlines, hotels and rental car companies are not going to be able to discount their way out of this crisis.

In order to comply with social-distancing rules, which are here to stay as long as there is no vaccine to prevent COVID-19, airlines are reducing capacity on each flight by not booking middle seats. What happens when a third of a company's inventory is no longer available? Basic economics says that when you reduce supply, prices will increase. Demand for airline seats will come back slightly, but it's not going to pop back to pre-COVID-19 levels until there's a proven vaccine and fliers don't have to worry about sharing arm rests or cabin air any longer. In order to survive until then, airlines are going to have to raise prices significantly on the few flights left operating. Their mothballed fleets will stay mothballed until demand comes back. We are already starting to see this play out... tried booking a holiday 2020 trip yet? A quick scan shows that it's not cheap.

Significantly fewer travelers means that getting through the airport screening process should be faster, but it won't until there's a vaccine. In addition to screening for bombs or knives, we will soon face a whole new layer of health screening. Like we've already seen in Dubai, passengers could have to submit to rapid coronavirus tests at the airport. Or passengers will have to get screened beforehand and arrive at the airport with a "health passport." Temperature checks will become mandatory. Some airports are already talking about disinfecting passengers with chemical sprays or beams of UV light.

Who wants to put up with all that? These airport hassles mean that only travelers with serious business on the other end are going to put up with flying  this will be people going to visit sick or dying relatives, technicians needed to keep machinery humming, medical or scientific professionals and the like. Planeloads of kids headed to Europe for singing tours, or seniors jetting off to catch a cruise lined up at airport security? Frequent flyers taking "mileage runs?" We won't see any of that until there's a vaccine.

Moxy Hotels

Hotels have spent billions over the last decade turning lobbies into social spaces where travelers can eat, drink, work and interact with each other. Now they are going to have to spend millions to modify those spaces to protect guests. They will also have to discourage use of public spaces until there's a vaccine, which means guests sheltering in their "sanitized for your protection" -style rooms. And who wants to do that?

Big hotels will also have to reduce capacity  by booking only certain floors or every other room down a corridor. And imagine the problems high-rise hotels will have around social distancing on elevators? Ugh. Hotel pools are going to be another tough area for social distancing with fewer chairs spaced further apart, and rules such as allowing only one person in the pool at a time.

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As we all measure our personal risk tolerance for travel, I think vacations are going to look a lot like they did in the 1970s when I was a kid. Airline ticket prices were prohibitive for families eager for a summer vacation. And planes flew about 60 percent full. Instead of flying, back then we loaded up the station wagon and headed to the beach, the mountains or the lake for two weeks every summer.

That usually meant a day-long drive to somewhere in our state or a neighboring state. That's what I think we will seen this summer and next summer, too. Vacations by car close to home. And instead of heading off to big resorts or amusement parks or national parks, we will book Airbnbs or VRBOs with big yards and backyard pools or private beach or lake access. Family trips by RV, relatively sealed off from other vacationers, will be popular. And like the 1970s, cheap gasoline is going to fuel the resurgence of the road trip.

There is a bright side to this murky outlook, however. Most major tourist destinations have suffered massively from over-tourism in recent years, which has frustrated locals, degraded the experience for travelers, and ruined many cherished destinations. Think of the coral reefs ruined by suntan lotion, hillsides strewn with trash, plastic and sewage seeping into waterways from overtaxed systems or wildlife bothered into near extinction. For about two more years, the worldwide tourist economy, which has been pushed to its limits, will get a much-needed rest.

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Rajesh Kumar Thakur By

Express News Service

PATNA: A day after the Uttar Pradesh police with the help of Bihar arrested a cop for posting a derogatory remarks on Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, the Bihar's Economic Offences Unit (EOU) with Vaishali police arrested an aspirant of constabulary exams for duping the people on the pretext of providing Rs 15,000 as aid from Prime Minister.

A team of EOU officers apprehended an 21-year-old intermediate pass,who was running a WhatsApp users' group illegally with the logo of Bihar police for duping the people. The team with the support of Vaishali police arrested the man, identified as Rajan Kumar, from Khurampur under Goraul police station limits on Tuesday.

Sharing details, Addl DGP (HQ) Jitendra Kumar said that the accused was sending messages to common people asking them to fill an online form to financial assistance of Rs 15000 from the prime minister.

"He was sharing a website link asking the people to fill their forms to avail the cash benefit of Rs 15,000, "Kumar said, adding that the user was immediately identifed as a youth of Vaishali district soon after the matter came to the surveillance of EOU, headed by Addl DGP JS Gangwar.

The cyber fraud is an intermediate pass and has also recently applied for the job of constabulary in the Bihar police. "The police team is taking details of his bank account and other cyber activities to ascertain the network of his cyber-crime. An FIR under sections 419/420of IPC and 66(D)IT Act has been lodged with the concerned police station," Kumar said.

Recently, the IT cell of Bihar police has also arrested more than 85 persons on charges of being involved in unlawful activities of cyber criemes and posting objectionable and false posts on social media.

Kumar further made an appeal to the people of Bihar to send any suspicious on their smartphones or email or SMS or WhatsApp to 612-2216236 or email at cybercell-bih@nic.in
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ANUS H A RAV I By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: The sudden spike in Covid cases from districts initially identified as Red Zones as per the state governments classification, but had to be downgraded as Orange Zones as per the Union governments criteria has spooked the state government. With lockdown restriction eased drastically in Orange and Green zones despite big numbers, the state government is worried about the possible rapid spread of coronavirus. The state has already voiced its concern to the Centre and has proposed that 14 out of the 30 districts be categorised as Red.

We had decided to deem all districts with more than five active cases as Red Zones, but the Centre did not accept it. We are now categorising districts as per Centres guidelines, but cases are increasing. We have sought 14 districts to be categorised as Red Zones, said Health Minister B Sriramulu. He said that district authorities have been told to ensure restrictions that apply to Red Zones in these districts as a precaution. We are identifying and sealing containment zones, while testing secondary contacts even in orange zones, he said.

The state has also asked the Centre to allow door-to-door collection of samples for testing in Red Zones. On May 1, before the Centres classification kicked in, Karnataka had identified 14 districts as Red Zones, four as orange and 12 as green zones. Karnatakas classification was case-centric, and districts that had not reported cases in the last 28 days were categorised as Green zones.

Districts that hadnt registered any new cases in the last 14 days but had at least one case 15 to 28 days were classified as Orange Zone. Any district that had reported even one case in the last 14 days was identified as Red Zone. But the Centre had its own criteria.

Districts shall be defined as Red Zones by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, taking into account total number of active cases, doubling rate of confirmed cases, extent of testing and surveillance feedback, the Union Home Ministrys order on May 1 said. It noted that districts that havent reported a single case in the last 21 days were to be deemed as Green zones and all others that dont qualify for both categories will be deemed Orange Zones. By May 2, the state had converted its zones as per the Centres guidelines marking only three districts as Red, 14 as Orange and 13 as green.

Bengaluru Rural with just one case on May 2 was classified as Red Zone, while districts like Kalaburagi and Belgavi with 45 and 61 cases respectively were categorised as Orange. As on May 5, 15 districts in Karnataka were categorised as orange with Haveri adding to the list but there were no changes made to Red Zones. Bengaluru Rural had zero cases on May 5 but continues to be marked as Red Zone. While the MHA order said that the list would be updated on a weekly basis, the prolonged wait for changes given the infectious nature of the virus has become a concern.
Over 700 persons suspected of entering Ebonyi State illegally have been taken to the states holding area.

They were rounded up across the state especially at the boundaries as they entered from states with high risk of the novel coronavirus infection.

Governor David Umahi stated this after a joint meeting of the state security council and Covid-19 Committee.

The governor spoke in Abakaliki, the state capital, in a live briefing on the states broadcast stations.

He said the 700 persons under quarantine were being kept at the Pa Oruta Ngele Township Stadium, Abakaliki.

On the five confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state, the governor said they were responding to treatment at the isolation centre at Unity Square, Abakaliki.

Mr Umahi said that another 300-bed isolation centre built by the state government at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki is ready and will be handed over to the hospital in the next 10 days.

He, however, said the state government has decided to decentralise the quarantine procedure to the 64 Development Centres and the 13 local government areas.

From henceforth, anybody entering the state should be taken to the nearest development centre and quarantined there, he said.

While there, they will attended to and monitored by the medical teams 24 hours of the day. Anyone who manifests symptoms of Covid-19 will then be brought to Abakaliki holding centre for tests, he said.

READ ALSO:

The governor said the new method will place the responsibility of detecting returnees on every community.

He charged community leaders and residents to take the task serious.

You are not doing yourself, family or community a favour if you allow any returnee stay at home without coming to the isolation centre. If the persons has it then he will likely spread it to more people in your area. So it is better you help bring such persons to any of the development centres for isolation, he advised.
The number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in the country crossed 50,000 on Wednesday, nearly doubling over the course of 11 days, even as limited reopening of businesses made necessary by a sluggish economy triggered worries of another wave of the contagion across hot spots.

The spread of the infectious disease has largely been pushed by urban hot spots in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi, the three worst-hit states. On Wednesday, 3,490 new Covid-19 cases were diagnosed and 98 more deaths from the disease were reported, taking the total tally to 52,967 and fatalities to 1,711.

The latest 10,000 infections were recorded in three days, two fewer than it took for the tally to go from about 30,000 to 40,000. It took seven days for the cases to climb from 20,000 to 30,000. India recorded its first 10,000 Covid-19 cases in nearly 43 days, with a wave of infections beginning in March after three isolated cases were first reported in Kerala in January.

The diseases doubling rate, which is defined as the average period it takes for a twofold rise, decreased from 11.5 days on May 3  the cases hit 40,000 on that day  to 10.3 on Wednesday, the first time the figure has significantly reduced during the lockdown. The doubling rate -- which is calculated over a period of last seven days -- was four days at the beginning of April. Experts say the peak of the outbreak is yet to come. Some projections show the peak for the current wave of cases could hit in four-six weeks, with studies expecting another spurt in winter this year.

On Wednesday, the number of infections in Delhi rose to 5,532 after 428 new cases were reported.

On average, India has reported 2,900 cases over the last five days. The corresponding numbers for the previous five days and those before that were 1,731 and 1,547. The data, which is based on official figures from states, shows that more than a third of the total cases have been reported over the past week.

Maharashtra reported 1,233 new cases and 34 more deaths during the day and its overall tally was 16,758. Of these, 10,527 cases  about a fifth of the national tally  have been reported in Mumbai alone. Union health minister Harsh Vardhan said he will hold a meeting with Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to discuss the worsening situation in the state.

The situation in Maharashtra is certainly a matter of concern right now as 34 out of 36 districts are affected by Covid-19 Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Nagpur, Nashik, Aurangabad, Solapur, among the 34 districts are a cause of concern for us, the minister said at a news briefing, adding that a team from the Centre will provide further help to the state.

Maharashtra is followed by Gujarat, which recorded 6,625 cases till Wednesday.

The surge of Covid-19 continued in Tamil Nadu as the state recorded its biggest single-day jump of 771 cases, the majority of them linked to the hot spot of a market in Koyambedu. The total infections in the state stood at 4,829.

Experts fear Indias tally may increase as the government plans to bring back a large number of Indians stranded abroad.

In the first week of a massive air operation expected to begin on Friday, 64 flights will bring 15,000 Indian citizens home from 12 countries. All those who travel back have to pay for their tickets, undergo screening and quarantine after landing. The navy has already kicked off one leg of the evacuation exercise by dispatching two warships to the Maldives.

The Union government has maintained that the country is on the right path in controlling the infections.

While experts have praised Indias action in enforcing a nationwide lockdown on March 25, they say the next few weeks will be crucial for the country to flatten its curve of infections.

On Monday, the third phase of the nationwide lockdown, which allows considerable relaxations in low-risk areas, began after nearly 40 days of strict restrictions.

Experts say that while the impact of the lockdown appeared to have relatively controlled the spread, the gains could get undermined if clusters were not contained effectively, and people not tested widely. The next few weeks will determine the countrys trajectory in managing the outbreak and preventing the health care infrastructure from being overrun.

The number of samples tested for Covid-19 in India crossed a million on Saturday, up from 38,914 on April 1, which took the number of tests to almost 783 per million of the population. The health ministry expects testing to cross 100,000 tests a day soon.
By Express News Service

BHOPAL: Its not only strict enforcement of ongoing lockdown which is keeping the cops busy in Madhya Pradesh. The men and women in khaki are also helping lovebirds to tie the knot in the central Indian state.

A young police sub-inspector Anjali Agnihotri recently donned the role of a priest to solemnize the marriage of a couple in the want of the full-time priest at a temple in Narsinghpur district.

Four days back, the bride Ritu and groom Lakshman reached the Shiv-Parwati temple in the Jhoteshwar area in the district for their arranged marriage following permission from authorities. Five relatives on each side were permitted by the administration for witnessing the wedlock.

But the solemnization of the marriage hit a roadblock as the temple was closed and there was no temple priest present to render the rituals and Vedic shlokas for the marriage.

The woman sub-inspector Anjali Agnihotri, who was tasked with ensuring social distancing at the marriage, ultimately turned the savior for the bride and groom.

Both the groom and brides kin requested me to don the role of the priest outside the temple as Im a Brahmin. But not fully knowing the shlokas and rituals necessary for the wedlock, I took the help of Google and managed to find the rituals and shlokas. Subsequently, I turned the makeshift priest for bride and groom and ultimately managed to solemnize the wedlock while being in the official uniform only, the sub-inspector said.

A day later, Yuvraj Singh Chauhan, in-charge of Naugaon police station in Dhar district, got the marriage of another couple solemnized outside the police station.

Chauhan said their move came after the bride Poonam Bagri and the groom Kapil, who were slated to be married on April 15, could not do so due to the lockdown.

On the night of May 2, Poonam left her house to marry Kapil but was stopped by the Naugaon police at a checking point. On coming to know about her desperation to marry Kapil, both families were called to the police station the next morning. We subsequently got the marriage solemnized in the presence of two members each from both families. The marriage happened with the bride and groom exchanging floral garlands with the help of a wooden stick to ensure proper social distancing even during the Jaimal ceremony, Chauhan recounted.
These are the schools that have canceled classes for Jan. 18

Some school districts across the county are virtual today. Others will make up the snow day.
A year after announcing plans to open a satellite campus in Montgomery County at the Deison Technology Park, officials with The University of St. Thomas confirmed Wednesday they will open a nursing simulation lab in Shenandoah and launch a micro campus in downtown Conroe this fall.

According to Jeff Olsen, vice president of market and university relations, the school has leased 20,000 square feet at the Vision Park Medical office, located at 121 Vision Park Blvd., in Shenandoah. The school will occupy the third floor of the building and will offer an accelerated Bachelor of Science in nursing program for students who already have a degree.

Olsen said the micro campus will be located in the historic Carter Building, 336 N. Main St., in Conroe. That location will be more focused on online classes, but will have one actual classroom.

The micro campus, Olsen said, will support the nursing lab in Shenandoah.

Online learning

Olsen said the micro campus will focus on providing online learning for students.

We will be able to support a lot of students there, Olsen said.

The school will offer three new programs that are primarily online making the Conroe campus a optimal location for students. Olsen said the programs will be cybersecurity, applied science in networking and electronics and electrical circuitry.

We think this is a good time to offer that to students, Olsen said.

According to information from the school, cybersecurity is a much needed skill in todays world where cyberattacks on government, medical, pharmaceutical and corporate entities are commonplace.

An Associate in Applied Science in Networking will prepare students to perform essential support work managing and maintaining computer networks.

A degree in electronic technology will teach students how to troubleshoot different types of circuits using software simulations and test equipment, how to program a microcontroller, and how to describe the basic hardware and software components of a computer system.

Olsen said the school announced this week it would waive the first semester tuition for the first 100 students who enroll in the programs at their campuses, including the two Conroe locations.

According to Olsen, the nursing lab will support several cohorts of about 25 students at different times.

Conroe campus

The university has been working to locate smaller sites in Montgomery County for more than a year.

In April 2019, school officials hosted an event at the Deison Technology Park in Conroe where they unveiled plans for a satellite campus. School alumnus Vincent DAmico offered the donation of about 50 acres of land at FM 1485 and Waukegan Road as a way to raise capital for the development of the satellite campus.

However, University President Richard Ludwick later said those plans were just a concept of what they might do in Conroe but said in the interim it would lease the former Conroe Police headquarters on Old Montgomery Road.

To date, the school has not inked any deal for the purchase of land in the Deison Technology Park.

School officials later scrapped the deal with Conroe noting the building would not work for their needs. In October, the school said it would move forward with opening a mirco campus in Conroe.

Conroe Councilman Jody Czajkoski, founder of MHW Commercial Real Estate, purchased the Carter Building in early 2019 and announced in May his plans to turn the space into shared office suites. Czajkoski has been instrumental in getting St. Thomas officials to consider opening a campus in Conroe after approaching them with the idea soon after being sworn into office.

Our commitment to Conroe has never been in question, Ludwick said in a previous Courier article. We are excited about coming up there and bringing different programs as the future unfolds.

cdominguez@hcnonline.com
Todays guest blog is written by Dr. Timothy M. OLeary, director, Educational Data Talks, and research fellow at the University of Melbourne in Melbourne, Australia.

Do you remember your first few years of teaching? At the time, we felt like we could take on the world, but as we look back, we were probably just treading water. When I began training as a teacher, I was overly optimistic and somewhat idealistic. I was fresh out of what I then called my quarter-life crisis, because I was 23 years old and already in need of a new career. Having originally graduated with undergraduate degrees in engineering and science, I had taken a job as an IT consultant.

Unfortunately, I found this work to be interesting but disappointingly soulless. At that time, when I reflected on what I enjoyed doing, what I arrived at was the time I had spent working as a tutor whilst at university. I had enjoyed sharing my technical knowledge and expertise and helping students to understand and make sense of the world. Mathematically speaking that is.

I turned to teaching.

After the conclusion of a nine-month initial teacher education certification, I started work in a hard-to-staff pubic school. It was a low-socioeconomic status school, with students from a diverse range of ethnic, cultural, and language backgrounds. There were also a lot of single-parent families. It was a tough placement. For example, my firmest memory from that school is not, sadly, about teaching. It was about having to physically restrain a students stoned 19-year-old friend from attacking a fellow teacher before the police arrived; this will haunt me forever.

To be perfectly honest, I dont think my students learned much through me at that time, at least not because of me, perhaps despite me? I did not learn much about teaching either during my time at this school. I did, though, learn about managing difficult behaviour, maintaining order, and about keeping kids under control.

Looking back, I realized I lacked a bit of credibility and clarity as a teacher. I wished that I had someone around that could have provided me with effective feedback as to how to improve my teaching. I also wish that I had the foresight to take my students behaviour, or lack thereof, as direct feedback to my teaching. Instead, I moved on to a different situation.

Different Situation, Same Results

After that year in a difficult setting, I transferred to a high fee-paying independent school. Kids are, of course, still kids, but gone was the need to manage extremely challenging behaviour. Now what emerged as a new difficulty for me was the need to cultivate a culture of learning in my classrooms.

Where I had been successful in maintaining a sense of control (or so I thought), I now struggled and found students did not respond well. Nor did their parentsin high-fee-paying schools this can be a challenge for teachers. Fortunately for me, I had some good mentors through those challenging years who supported me in becoming a much more effective teacher.

Back then, I assumed that my deep understanding of the content was all I needed, but what I learned is that just because I had the understanding of the content didnt mean I knew how to get it across to students. The more I struggled to get it across, the more some students took advantage of the situation. What I really needed to focus on was my credibility as a teacher and my clarity to get across what the students should learn.

Classroom Culture

It begins with understanding the culture in the classroom, which is the atmosphere of the classroom as communicated to and perceived by its students. It does not just happen. Rather, it is the consequence of the relationships we as educators cultivate with our students. It is also about the competence, passion, and clarity we demonstrate through our practice.

Taking this one step further, I now use a set of lenses that focus on tangible, visible, observable elements of a classroom that are, thanks to the research of John Hattie (and others), known to have a significant positive influence on student learning.

Two of the most important influences required to create a classroom culture focused on learning include:

Teacher Credibility

Teacher Credibility is an umbrella term used to describe whether a teacher is considered by their students to be believable, convincing, and capable of persuading students that they can be successful"[1] . Research has shown that Teacher Credibility is a vital factor in supporting student learning and is not simply a matter of students liking a teacher. Rather, it is about whether they perceive them as someone who will enhance their learning. Teacher Credibility is made up of four core aspects including Trusting Relationships, Perceived Competence, Passion for Teaching, and, Immediacy.

Teacher Clarity

Teacher Clarity is a measure of the clarity of communication between teachers and students"[2] and is a vital factor in promoting student learning. Teacher Clarity is more than whether a teacher speaks clearly. For a teacher to have clarity means they have complete understanding about what students are ready to learn, know, and be able to do in an upcoming unit of work before they plan any instruction and assessments. Teacher Clarity is comprised of four components including Organisation, Explanation, Examples and guided practice, and, Assessment of student learning.

Research to Provide Feedback

If youre a teacher or school leader reading this, what is the level of credibility and clarity in your classrooms? Do you believe you have a high level of credibility and clarity? If your answer is yes, can you follow up that belief with evidence that you have credibility and clarity?

Teachers are crying out for actionable feedback related to strengths and weakness in their practice that help them improve, especially during the time of the coronavirus. What many need to understand is that student perceptions of teaching have been shown to be one of the most reliable forms of feedback a teacher can get (Balch, 2012, Kane & Cantrell, 2010) and also a useful source of ideas about how to improve their teaching (MET Project, 2012). Those teachers who understood that before the pandemic are having an easier time engaging students virtually during the pandemic.

In order to get a better sense of credibility and clarity in classrooms, I have designed a survey, which you can check out here www.classroomvibe.com.au . This survey has been used in schools across the world. The use of such forms of feedback to teachers is of critical importance.

Where my thinking has turned to recently is what classroom culture looks and feels like in the context of the remote and online learning that is increasingly taking place across the globe in response to COVID19. Indeed, I am now curious if my previous work might be adapted to provide teachers with feedback, from their students, with regards to their online delivery of learning experience for their students.

Connect with Tim on LinkedIn . If youre interested in learning more, or being a part of this international research, please let me know. You can find me here .

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

[1] Fisher, D & Frey, N (2018) Show & Tell: A Video Column / Boosting Your Teacher Credibility. Educational Leadership. 76 (1). Pages 82 - 83.

[2] Fendick, F. (1990). The correlation between teacher clarity of communication and student achievement gain: A meta-analysis. Unpublished Ph.D., University of Florida, FL.
3 Indian Soldiers Killed in Renewed Kashmir Clashes

By VOA News May 05, 2020

Three Indian soldiers were killed in clashes with militants in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, officials said, a day after a gun battle in which five were killed.

The flare-up comes amid a major offensive by India that has killed 22 militants in the past month.

New Delhi said 20 Indian soldiers have been killed during the same period, the biggest death toll since a militant suicide attack killed 40 paramilitary police in February 2019.

On May 3, five Indian soldiers, including a high-ranking army officer, were killed in India-administered Kashmir.

Muslim-majority Pakistan and Hindu-led India have fought two wars over control of Kashmir, which is claimed in full by both nuclear-armed countries.

India accuses Pakistan of funding militant groups fighting Indian troops, a claim Islamabad denies.

Tensions in Indian-controlled Kashmir have been running particularly high since August 2019, when India stripped the region of limited autonomy and implemented a months-long crackdown on militants and supporters of independence or unification with Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

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Downstream Virtual is free to attend for all With oil prices at all-time lows and the COVID-19 pandemic causing demand to flatline, downstream players need to come together to chart a route through an uncertain future

The Downstream 2020 online conference and expo, scheduled for June 9-11, will offer more than 15,000 attendees access to 40-plus live and on-demand sessions from at least 150 speakers, giving the industry a unique opportunity to share knowledge and best practice at a critical time.

Downstream industry players that have reaffirmed their commitment to the event include Air Liquide, AkzoNobel, BASF, Bechtel, BP, Chevron, Dow, Eastman, P&G Chemicals, Phillips 66, SABIC, Shell and Wood Mackenzie, among others.

Attendance is free, with visitors able to book tickets from today at http://www.downstreamevent.com

With oil prices at all-time lows and the COVID-19 pandemic causing demand to flatline, downstream players need to come together to chart a route through an uncertain future, said Kerr Jeferies, global project director for Petrochemical Update, the Reuters Events unit staging the event.

It is more important than ever for there to be fluid dialogue between all those affected by our new market reality, he added. Running Downstream 2020 as a virtual event will ensure our experts can reach as wide an audience as possible, contributing to the search for solutions.

The Downstream 2020 virtual event will include:



Content geared to the downstream sectors three core verticals: engineering and construction, operations, and supply chain and logistics.

The cutting-edge agenda will feature more than 150 world-class presentation, panels, interviews and exclusive COVID-19 and oil price crash updates.

A dedicated virtual meeting platform to facilitate one-to-one networking.

The best speaker lineup the industry has ever seen, offline or online.

Fully interactive sessions including live Q&As and audience polls.

A unique virtual exhibition featuring more than 50 exhibitors.

The Downstream 2020 virtual event will give participants unparalleled access to industry thought leaders, with the ability to get in-depth answers and participate in key discussions in real time as well as catch up on missed sessions with on-demand recordings.

Downstream has a reputation as not only the biggest but also the most innovative conference in the sector, said Jeferies. With the unprecedented challenges we face in 2020, it made sense for us to reinvent this vital event in a way that delivers more value than ever before.

Downstream 2020 takes place on June 10 and 11, 2020, and registration is free at http://www.downstreamevent.com.
Over 2,500 migrant labourers reached Uttar Pradesh's Ballia and Lucknow districts on two special trains from different parts of Gujarat on Wednesday, over a month after a coronavirus-induced lockdown left them stranded away from their homes.

While 1,250 labourers arrived in Ballia on a train from Rajkot, another 1,262 reached Lucknow on a train from Anand, officials said.

Uttar Pradesh State Roadways Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) buses were arranged to take the labourers home from railway stations, they said.

Ballia District Magistrate Pratap Shahi said, "A special train carrying 1,250 migrant labourers from Rajkot in Gujarat arrived at Ballia railway station on Wednesday morning. Of the 1,250 migrant labourers, around 650 are from Ballia, while rest of them are from Mau, Deoria, Azamgarh, Ghazipur, Fatehpur and Kanpur."



They underwent medical check-ups and later headed for their native places in 50 UPSRTC buses, he said.

All the migrant labourers have been told to remain in home quarantine for 21 days, he added.

The returnee migrant labourers said they were looked after during the journey and were happy to have reached their native state safely.

"As the train reached Jaipur from Rajkot, we were given food packets and water. We were provided breakfast at the Ballia station," said Rajesh, a native of Ballia's Bansdih.

Manoj Kumar Chauhan, who hails from Mau district, said the government did not charge him anything for the train journey.

Ajay Yadav, a resident of Ghazipur, thanked the government and said he was happy to have come back safely.

In Lucknow, 1,262 migrant labourers arrived from Anand around 8.30 am, UPSRTC Managing Director Raj Shekhar said.

"UPSRTC deployed 50 buses to ferry the migrant labourers from Lucknow to their hometowns.

"The migrant labourers who arrived in Lucknow left for (their homes in) Gorakhpur, Deoria, Prayagraj, Pratapgarh, Farrukhabad, Kasganj, Jaunpur, Hathras, Jalaun and Hardoi in UPSRTC buses," he said in a statement.

While regular rail operations remain suspended during the lockdown, the Railways is running special trains to ferry home migrant labourers stranded in different parts of the country.

A decision to run these trains was taken by the Centre last week following repeated requests by several states.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
DENVER, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- General Cannabis Corp (OTCQX: CANN), a company with extensive experience in providing services to the cannabis industry, announced today that Boulder County has approved the transfer of ownership of SevenFive Farm to General Cannabis. This is an important part of the state regulated change of control process; General Cannabis will now work with the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division to establish a date for the formal change of ownership, which the Company anticipates will occur within the next two weeks.



SevenFive Farm is a 17,000 square foot light deprivation greenhouse cultivation facility in Boulder, Colorado that produces wholesale cannabis products. General Cannabis Corp already operates Next Big Crop (NBC), a full-service cannabis consulting firm with expertise in the application, design, buildout and operation of cultivation facilities. NBC has designed and operated over 100 cultivation facilities throughout the country and enabled clients to produce over 100,000 pounds of regulated cannabis. SevenFive Farm will leverage the NBC team to improve production yield.

About General Cannabis Corp

General Cannabis Corp is the comprehensive national resource for the highest quality service providers available to the regulated cannabis industry. The company is a trusted partner to the cultivation, production and retail sides of the cannabis business. It achieves this through a combination of strong operating divisions, capital investments and real estate. As a synergistic holding company, the company's divisions are able to leverage the strengths of each other, as well as a larger balance sheet, to succeed. The company's website address is www.generalcann.com .

Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact, such as the statements described above, should be considered forward-looking statements. Some of these statements may be identified by the use of the words "may," "will," "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects" and similar expressions. General Cannabis has based these forward-looking statements on current expectations and projections about future events as of the date of this press release. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors, including that the pending acquisition may not be consummated and including those factors described from time to time in General Cannabis's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q under the heading "Risk Factors" and in subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. General Cannabis undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements made herein.
After US President Donald Trump said he had evidence that COVID-19 originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, intelligence which is shared among the Five Eyes nations suggests that it is very unlikely.

According to two Western officials, it is most likely that the virus originated in the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan, citing an intelligence assessment.

A Western diplomatic official who has knowledge of the said intel stated that they believe it is very unlikely that the virus is a laboratory accident. He also added that the intelligence is inclining to the fact that the epidemic was caused by a naturally occurring virus which started from a natural animal to human interaction.

The countries in the Five Eyes which is an alliance made of the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, are already coming together around this assessment. According to the official, however, the US is yet to make a formal public assessment given that the intelligence contradicts statements previously released by Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Another source from the Five Eyes said that the level of confidence and certainty that both Trump and Pompeo expressed are way out based on the current assessment. The source also acknowledged that although the intelligence suggests otherwise, the possibility of a laboratory leak should not be ruled out.

However, he cautioned that there is no evidence to prove that yet.

Also Read: Proof of Chinas Lies? COVID-19 'Patient Zero' Reportedly Discovered in a French Hospital

Furthermore, the source said that it is clear that it was in the market where the epidemic exploded from but it remains unclear how the virus got in the area. He also added that despite their findings, it is still impossible to make any conclusions on the issue.

On top of this, the source also said that there is a possibility that the US is keeping some of the intelligence and is not sharing everything with the alliance. This followed after Trump and Pompeo claimed that they have access to evidence that SARS-CoV-2 which is the causative agent for COVID-19 originated in a laboratory at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Last Thursday, the US intelligence community released a statement that they are still working to determine the true origin of the outbreak, whether it began through infected animal contact or a lab-leak accident.

However, it was stressed in the statement that the COVID-19 virus was not man-made or genetically modified. According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases and also the USs top expert on COVID-19, evidence strongly suggests that the virus evolved in nature and then jumped species.

It can be recalled that the Trump administration stated that they were going to find ways to punish China for their role in the spread of the virus. It was also stated that US intelligence was already working on proving this.

However, with the USs claims and the Five Eyes assessment contradicting, it still remains to be known if where and how the virus indeed originated.

Related Article: 'COVID Toes' and Other Peculiar Skin Conditions May Be Symptoms of Coronavirus

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Foseco India announced its manufacturing unit located at Pune has resumed operations partially from 5 May 2020, with limited number of staff / workers.

The District Collector cum District Magistrate at Puducherry has on 29 April 2020 granted permission to the Company to start production at its Puducherry unit with limited number of staff / workers.

Accordingly, the Puducherry unit has resumed operations partially.

Both the manufacturing units are strictly following the guidelines issued from time to time by the Government of India and the respective State and local governments in this regard including adherence to all safety precautions. Rest of the employees at both the units continue to follow 'Work from Home' policy until further directions.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
President Donald Trump's pick to lead the US intelligence community said Tuesday that he would focus on China as the country's greatest threat, saying Beijing was determined to supplant the United States' superpower status.

But John Ratcliffe, an outspoken Trump defender nominated to become director of national intelligence, came under pressure in a Senate confirmation hearing over whether he would politicize the intelligence process to keep the president happy.

It's the second time Ratcliffe has sought the crucial position - which has lacked a permanent office holder for nearly nine months - after he withdrew from consideration in August following questions over his experience and credentials.

Rep. John Ratcliffe said that if confirmed, he would focus on the virus' impact, questions about its origins in China and U.S. competition with Beijing

President Donald Trump's pick to be the nation's top intelligence official, Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, is adamant that if confirmed he will not allow politics to color information he takes to the president

'I view China as the greatest threat actor right now,' Ratcliffe, a Republican congressman from Texas, told the Senate Intelligence Committee.

'Look with respect to COVID-19 and the role China plays; the race to 5G; cybersecurity issues: all roads lead to China,' he told the panel.

He cited China's geopolitical thrust through its 'Belt and Road' global infrastructure initiative, its programs to acquire strategic technologies quickly, and its 'military-civil fusion initiative' that keeps the private sector beholden to government priorities.

'These are all spokes of the same initiative and that's for China to supplant us as the world's superpower.'

Ratcliffe said he viewed China as the greatest threat to the United States, on many fronts. 'I won't say all roads lead to China, but a lot of them do,' he said. Pictured, Donald Trump poses for a photo with China's President Xi Jinping last June

Ratcliffe added: 'We very clearly don't want an authoritarian regime like the Chinese Communist Party setting standards in the world marketplace.'

Ratcliffe appeared before the first committee hearing held in Congress after a weeks-long hiatus forced by coronavirus, with masks required for those not speaking and hand sanitizer accompanying bottles of water for those addressing the chamber.

The director of national intelligence job has been vacant since Dan Coats, who was regularly at odds with the president, left in August. Trump then forced out other top intelligence officials who were, like Coats, seen as not politically loyal to the White House.

Trump has repeatedly accused the US intelligence community of plotting against him as a 'deep state,' fueling increasing resentment among the US spy community.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is pictured speaking by video with patients and medical workers at the Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan, China in March. A poll conducted last month by the non-partisan Pew Research Center found that two-thirds of Americans surveyed had an unfavorable view of China

In July, Trump first nominated Ratcliffe as DNI but he quickly withdrew in the face of strong resistance in Congress, even from among some senior Republicans. Lawmakers faulted him for an extremely thin resume on national security matters - just one year serving on the House Intelligence Committee.

The DNI job requires overseeing and coordinating 16 other intelligence bodies, including the CIA, the National Security Agency and the FBI's counterintelligence division.

Trump then named counterterrorism official Joseph Maguire as acting DNI, only to remove him in February after a Maguire aide told Congress that Russia was meddling in the 2020 election and had developed a preference for Trump.

Trump then named his ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, another strong political defender, as acting DNI, and renominated Ratcliffe as permanent DNI.

Ratcliffe is known to be a fervent supporter of Trump but stressed in the hearing that he would 'speak truth to power' and not shape intelligence reports to the president's preferences

That has left the Democrats and Republicans who opposed Ratcliffe last year - including, it is believed, Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr - caught between approving him as permanent DNI or accepting Grenell in the job for another half year.

Ratcliffe stressed in the hearing that he would 'speak truth to power' and not shape intelligence reports to the president's preferences.

But Democrats expressed doubts, noting his rejection of the intelligence community's conclusion that Russia tried to help Trump in the 2016 election.

'Never has anyone more unqualified been formally nominated by a president to lead the US intelligence community,' former CIA chief of staff Larry Pfeiffer wrote of Ratcliffe Tuesday.

However, he said on Twitter the committee should confirm him in the job, 'because there's never been anyone less qualified to sit in the DNI's chair that the current acting DNI Ric Grenell.'
The office of Chief Labour Commissioner, which had ordered a count of stranded migrant labourers in the country last month, does not have any data on it, the Union Labour Ministry told an RTI activist.

Applicant Venkatesh Nayak from Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative said the data remains unavailable even after the CLC, on April 8, directed its regional office to count within three days every labourer who was stranded after the lockdown imposed to combat coronavirus.

The circular issued by the Chief Labour Commissioner (CLC) said a huge number of migrant workers were impacted due to the lockdown.

A number of them are stranded and placed in shelters, relief camps arranged by state governments, employers at work place, and also at some clusters, it said.

"In view of above, comprehensive data in respect of the migrant workers are urgently required within three days," it said, giving three categories in which data should be collected--relief camps, employers and where labourers are clustered.

Nayak said he filed a Right to Information (RTI) application after waiting for almost two weeks for the official announcement of the results of the enumeration exercise.

In his application, he sought to know the state-wise names of districts from which data about the stranded migrant workers has been received.

He also asked the CLC to provide district-wise numbers of male and female migrant workers belonging to each of the three categories from each state, occupation-wise number of male and female migrant workers, the sector-wise number of male and female migrant workers and state-wise cumulative figures for male and female migrant workers.

"Given the widespread debate about the plight of migrant workers and the yeomen service provided by several government agencies, hundreds of NGOs and thousands concerned citizens to ensure that many of them were served food, water and other essentials, this information I believed has an enormous public interest dimension attached to it," Nayak said.

The online system of filing RTI applications directs the queries to the CPIO concerned. If the department concerned receiving it does not have the information, it is transferred to the CPIO which is closely linked to the subject.

The application was received by the stat section of the CLC. The RTI mandates in case the CPIO does not have information he will transfer it to the department which is likely to have the sought information or seek help of the officer who is supposed to have the information.

"As per the stat section is concerned, no such details are available based on requisite information," the CPIO who was assigned the application said.

Under the RTI Act, the CPIO has to provide information, transfer it to the correct officer or reject it citing exemption provisions of the RTI Act, Nayak said.

"The CLC's CPIO resorted to none of these actions. He did not even send a signed reply. Most other CPIOs upload a scanned copy of their reply on the RTI Online Facility in addition to emailing it to the RTI applicant under their name and signature," he said.

He claimed CLC CPIO's "cryptic one-liner reply" raises serious doubts about availability of data about migrant workers despite the launching of the enumeration exercise.

"Does the CLC or any other public authority in government have accurate data about the number of stranded migrant workers or is there any reason why it does not want to make such information public? I have already filed a complaint before the Central Information Commission in this case requesting an early hearing," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Janus Henderson Issues Amended Dividend Dates

Janus Henderson Group plc (NYSE/ASX: JHG) has amended the record date and payment date of its recently declared quarterly cash dividend of US$0.36 per share. The record date has been changed to 18 May 2020 from the previously announced date of 11 May 2020, and the payment date has been changed to 3 June 2020 from the previously announced date of 27 May 2020. This change assures that the dividend record date is consistent with the New York Stock Exchange requirements.

About Janus Henderson







Janus Henderson Group is a leading global active asset manager dedicated to helping investors achieve long-term financial goals through a broad range of investment solutions, including equities, fixed income, quantitative equities, multi-asset and alternative asset class strategies.

At 31 March 2020, Janus Henderson had approximately US$294 billion in assets under management, more than 2,000 employees, and offices in 28 cities worldwide. Headquartered in London, the company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005316/en/
The Broadband Multimedia Marketing Association (BMMA) recently announced the winners of the 2020 Best in Class Marketing awards.

Each year, the BMMA (http://www.bmma.org) recognizes teams and companies that demonstrate innovation and excellence in marketing broadband services, said Ellis Hill, President of ResearchFirst, Inc., the BMMAs management firm. This years awards went to one service provider, Windstream, and three vendor companies, Calix, Actiontec, and F-Secure, each of which executed best in class marketing practices related to broadband products and services."

The winners are:

1. Service Provider Marketing Award:

Windstream (http://www.windstream.com) Windstream Kinetic Wi-Fi & Kinetic Secure Pack Launch

Kinetic by Windstream launched a new Wi-Fi management platform in September 2019 called Kinetic Wi-Fi, available within the Windstream MyWIN mobile app and portal. The app gave customers enhanced control and access to Wi-Fi settings, passwords, speed tests, device usage, and support when using the Windstream dual-band wireless gateway.

Following this launch, in December 2019, Kinetic launched a new VAS bundle called Kinetic Secure, including Gateway IoT security as well as other VAS services, such as Identify Theft and Premium Technical Support.

Kinetic Secure features are also accessed within the Kinetic MyWIN app/portal in conjunction with Wi-Fi management. Subscribers to Kinetic Secure VAS packages see premium management functionality in the MyWIN app, such as parental controls, profile management, time limits, time gifts, content blocking and a companion on the go app that works when the customer is not connected to Kinetic Wi-Fi.

Kinetic Secure with Wi-Fi Management has introduced a functionality that is unique in the marketplace, including an all-inclusive experience with Wi-Fi management, IoT security, ID Theft protection, Premium Technical support and account management all from the same location (app or portal).

With Kinetic Secure and our enhanced Wi-Fi management app, weve created something for our customers that gives them the power and control to have the best online experience possible. As the trusted provider for our customers, its our privilege to provide this special access and peace of mind online when subscribing to Kinetic service says Brian Ragsdale, Director of Kinetic Product Management at Windstream.

The user experience in the app has received tremendous accolades from users due to its sleek and easy user interface. Simply put, Kinetic Wi-Fi and Kinetic Secure allow customers to manage, defend, secure and block when online and using devices within the connected home.

2. Vendor Marketing Award:

Calix (http://www.calix.com) Calix Revenue EDGE

Calix Revenue EDGE is about transforming CSP business models. It is no longer enough to offer the fastest Internet speeds and the most advanced Wi-Fi. The Revenue EDGE is the industrys only scalable application platform, designed to deliver managed services that delight subscribers and crush competitors.

We are grateful to the BMMA for their continued support and are extremely proud that for the third consecutive year, a Calix marketing campaign dedicated to the success of our CSP partners, has been recognized, said Matt Collins, Calix chief marketing officer. All of our marketing efforts are informed by our customers. We are 100 percent invested in their success, learning from their input and experience. Everything created by our marketing team is designed with this objective in mind. Likewise, the Revenue EDGE solution exists to provide CSPs with opportunities to generate new sources of revenue and grow their businesses.

The Revenue EDGE integrates real-time subscriber insights and new revenue-generating applications, such as network security and enhanced parental controls. At ConneXions, Calix also announced a new partnership with Samsung SmartThings, which will allow CSPs to manage connectivity to more than 1,500 certified devices from more than 120 partners around the world. Available toward the middle of 2020, this is another example of the power of the scalable application platform that is the Revenue EDGE. The Revenue EDGE campaign was kicked off on October 28, 2019, at ConneXions, Calixs customer event, which took place in Las Vegas. The program campaign has been running since then.

The Revenue EDGE is designed for CSPs that are dealing with increased competition from non-traditional players (such as Google and Amazon) and the declining revenue that results. The campaign featured a variety of marketing content from fun, entertaining videos to white papers to reach multiple audiences.

3. Partnership Marketing Award:

Actiontec, F-Secure, & Windstream (http://www.actiontec.com, http://www.f-secure.com, & http://www.windstream.com ) Managed WiFi and Security Partnership

Windstream, F-Secure, and Actiontec joined forces for their Managed Wi-Fi and Security Partnership, which resulted in the launch of a solution that provides consumers with comprehensive protection for connected homes while being easy enough to manage with a simple user-friendly app.

Windstreams worked with both F-Secure and Actiontec separately over the years. In 2019, we collaborated on a comprehensive solution for the problems facing consumers living in an increasingly connected world, says Joe Johnson, vice president of Kinetic Product Development and Management at Windstream. Working together, with each company having a unique role in the partnership, we delivered a solution that allows customers to enjoy the benefits of a connected home without sacrificing security.

The partnership brought together the different companies unique expertise and resources: Actiontecs expertise in router/gateway design, Wi-Fi and home network performance, and remote management tools; F-Secures expertise in cloud-based security, malware, parental controls, and connected home security; and Windstreams communications and technology expertise in consumer markets, including customer insights and behavior.

The solution offered to Windstream customers, Kinetic Secure, integrates the security capabilities of F-Secure SENSE and Actiontecs Optim Managed Service Assurance Platform into a single service delivered within Windstreams own sleek and easy to use MyWIN mobile app.

According to Brian Murray, F-Secures Regional Head of Consumer Security for North America, the increasing number of internet-connected devices in peoples homes is putting pressure on companies to work together to find new ways of helping users protect themselves.

The explosion of internet connected devices in homes has given cyber criminals more doors and windows into peoples lives. Companies need to work together to inform consumers about these risks and provide them with user-friendly solutions that make security a painless, practical choice, says Murray. Our partnership has delivered a solution that empowers individuals and families to take control of their digital homes, and were pleased with the BMMA award recognizing our work in communicating that.

We are thrilled to be honored by BMMA along with our close partners F-Secure and Windstream. As consumers add more and more devices to the connected home, theres an urgent need to boost cyber security inside the home, said Michael Gondar, director of strategic accounts at Actiontec. Our partnership with F-Secure adds industry leading cyber security to Optim, enabling the home router to protect every device connected to it, including vulnerable IoT devices. And, were so proud to be working with Windstream on this initiative. Theyve been at the forefront of the mission to optimize the performance and security of home Wi-Fi.

More information on F-Secures Connected Home Security solution for service providers is available here: https://www.f-secure.com/en/partners/operators/solutions/connected-home-security

More information on Actiontecs Optim Managed Service Assurance Platform is available here: https://www.actiontec.com/optim/

About the BMMA

The BMMA is an international organization dedicated to helping Telco internet service providers and their vendors advance the adoption and use of broadband services.

Our membership includes many of the key Telco and broadband vendor organizations in North America and is open to any broadband industry Telco service provider, vendor, CPE manufacturer, government agency, consultant, analyst, or other party with a demonstrated interest in promoting the mission of the BMMA.

Our goal is to advance the adoption and use of broadband services by identifying key industry success factors and sharing best practice marketing initiatives, new product and customer trends and other relevant industry information.

Please see our website at http://www.BMMA.org for more information or to apply for membership in the BMMA.

Executive Director: ResearchFirst, Inc. (http://www.researchfirst.com)
Tech experts have warned overseas students and backpackers could be deterred from downloading the government's COVIDSafe app as the country is starting to reopen because Australian accounts and phone numbers are needed to sign up.

The concerns have prompted the health department to promise it is working on making the app more accessible to users with international Apple or Google accounts.

As Australia re-opens, there are fears expats may face barriers to downloading the COVIDSafe app. Credit:Jane Barrett

More than five million Australians have downloaded the contact tracing app, which has been positioned as a key safety measure for when the country opens back up after the coronavirus lockdown. To download the app and register, users must have an Australian Apple or Google Play account and phone number.

This means any expats in Australia who might still be using app store log-ins set to their home countries will be unable to download the app unless they switch their designated country to 'Australia' or create a brand new Australian account.
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - May 6, 2020) -Pacific Iron Ore Corporation (the "Corporation") announces the resignation of Joel Freudman and Damian Lopez as directors, and thanks them for their service to the Corporation. To fill the foregoing vacancies Elias Levy and Yaakov Eizicovics have been appointed to the board of directors of the Corporation (the "Board"). Joel Freudman, who will remain president and chief executive officer of the Corporation on a transitional basis, provides context with respect to the Board change and explains, "The new board of directors will rely on their collective business experience in the financial services industry and will seek to reactivate Pacific Iron Ore Corporation based on this experience."

Mr. Levy has over 20 years of experience as a senior executive, managing large staffs and complex integrated systems for maximum efficiency. His most recent experiences include managing one of the largest private schools in Toronto, as well as directing the largest agency in Canada focused solely on financially assisting persons with disabilities.

Mr. Eizicovics is a lawyer who advises businesses on acquisitions, divestitures, financings, and general commercial matters. His experience includes acting as counsel to companies that provide services to the disabled community. Mr. Eizicovics earned his LL.B. and MBA degrees from Osgoode Hall Law School and the Schulich School of Business in 2004.

Early Warning Report Disclosure

Further, 2674443 Ontario Inc. ("267") announces it has acquired beneficial ownership of an aggregate of 3,698,483 common shares of the Corporation (the "Shares") at a purchase price of $0.035, by way of two share purchase agreements with three vendors (the "Share Purchase"). The total cash consideration for the Shares is $129,447. 267 acquired 2,900,000 Shares on May 6, 2020, and will acquire the balance of the Shares on or about May 11, 2020.

Prior to the Share Purchase, 267 held zero (0) Shares and zero (0) convertible securities. Prior to the Share Purchase, 267's controlling mind, Binyomin Posen ("Mr. Posen") held 100,000 Shares and zero (0) convertible securities, representing approximately 1.38% of the issued and outstanding Shares. Together with Mr. Posen, 267 now will hold an aggregate of 3,798,484 Shares, representing approximately 52.34% of the Shares. 267 acquired the Shares for investment purposes and may, from time to time, acquire additional Shares or dispose of some or all of the Shares it currently holds. 267 will consider a range of opportunities to maximize shareholder value for the shareholders of the Corporation.

The Shares were acquired pursuant to the private agreement exemption from the formal take-over bid requirements of National Instrument 62-104, on the basis that the Shares were acquired from less than five vendors and there was a reasonable basis to conclude that the purchase price did not exceed 115% of the value of the Shares.

Further, Resurgent Capital Corp. ("Resurgent") reports that it has sold a total of 2,900,000 Shares by way of disposition under the Share Purchase at a price of $0.035 per Share, and as a result now holds no Shares. Prior to the Share Purchase, Resurgent held an aggregate of 2,900,000 Shares, representing approximately 40% of the issued and outstanding Shares. Resurgent disposed of the Shares for portfolio management purposes and does not intend to acquire additional Shares in the future.

This news release is issued pursuant to the early warning requirements of applicable securities laws. This news release and the related early warning reports will be filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com under the Corporation's profile.

Corporation's Contact Information:

For further information relating to the Corporation, please refer to the Corporation's profile on SEDAR which can be accessed at www.sedar.com or contact:

Joel Freudman

Chief Executive Officer and President

Telephone: (647) 880-6414

For further information or to obtain a copy of the related early warning report, please contact:

Resurgent Capital Corp.

Attn: Joel Freudman, President

Telephone: (647) 880-6414

2674443 Ontario Inc.

Attn: Binyomin Posen, President

Telephone: 416.481.2222 x 246

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/55490
By Express News Service

BHOPAL: A violent dispute over the question of home or institutional quarantining in Balaghat district resulted in the killing of a young tribal migrant labourer by his father.

The incident happened in Kugaon village in Garhi area of Balaghat district on Wednesday.

According to reports, Tekchand Panchtilak had recently walked back to Balaghat from Hyderabad, after which he was institutionally quarantined for a day by the authorities in his district. He was subsequently asked to undergo home quarantining for the next 10-12 days.

ALSO READ | 'Will die here, but won't go elsewhere again': Migrants make an emotional return to Bihar

When he reached home in Kungaon village, his father Bhimalal asked him to go for institutional quarantining at the quarantine facility arranged by the village panchayat instead, but Tekchand refused and instead insisted on being home quarantined.

This triggered a violent clash between the father and son, during which the father Bhimalal snatched the wooden stick from Tekchand and hit his son on the head, resulting in grievous head injuries to the young migrant labourer.

"Tekchand was rushed to the Baihar government hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival, after which his father Bhimalal has been arrested and booked for murder," additional SP (ASP-Baihar) Shyam Kumar Marawi said.

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The Ranking Member on Parliament's Mines and Energy Committee, Adam Mutawakilu, has challenged the governing New Patriotic Party to enumerate just one intervention it has put in place to improve the energy sector since assuming office on January 7, 2017.

His comment follows recent remarks by Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia who compared former President John Mahamas handling of the power crisis during his tenure in office as against the NPPs handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Damongo legislator addressing the media today, May 6, 2020, called on the Vice President to respect the holy month of Ramadan and it's restrictions before making such utterances.

This is the period of fasting and expects all Muslims to be truthful for at least a month because the Ramadam fasting is not only limited to the stomach but what you say, what hear and what you see. I want to refer to 2016 March, Dr. Bawumia did indicate that Ghanaians should not thank president Mahama for ending dumsor and that it is his responsibility to make sure he ends dumsor and Im surprised that four years down the lane, the same Dr. Bawumia is telling Ghanaians that President Mahama couldnt manage dumsor. What level of hypocrisy is that and this is a man he wants Ghanaians to trust?

He further challenged Vice President Dr. Bawumia to name one intervention his government has done in the energy sector since they assumed power in 2017.

He also did indicate how President Akufo-Addo has done well in the power sector. I can mention the interventions that President Mahama brought because he increased generation to the extent that we have more than we need as a country. He also brought in the Energy Sector Levy Act to raise money to settle the energy sector debt and also had the largest investment under his (Mahama) regime in the oil sector in sub-Saharan Africa to have our own domestic gas and all these took place under the NDC regime of eight years.

I want Vice President Bawumia to tell us just one intervention that he and his boss had done in the energy sector to take credit in any case, even with these huge investment President Mahama did we still have dumsor not because we dont have generation capacity but just because we cannot buy fuel to power the plants. He should go and rethink and consider the month of Ramadam and come and apologise to the people of Ghana, he dared Dr. Bawumia.

---citinewsroom
By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 06, 2020 | 01:16 PM | MCCRACKEN COUNTY





On Wednesday, City of Paducah officials announced that A&K Construction has donated $5,000 to the fund. The city is currently matching any donations made to the fund, which brings the total amount of this donation up to $10,000 for Paducah's small businesses.







A&K Construction provided the following statement to city officials, "A&K Construction is so fortunate to be in a position to help. There are so many small businesses that make up the truly unique fabric of this great community, and we sincerely hope this gift will help some of them to stay on their feet."







Anyone that wants to donate to the fund should contact the Community Foundation at the link below, or by calling 270-442-8622. The Community Foundation's website also has a tracker to show the current amount of donations from the community.







The second round of funding is set to be distributed May 15 to the next eligible businesses. The number of businesses that will qualify for the second round of funding and future rounds will be dependent upon the amount of donations raised by the community with the city's matched funds.







The program is a partnership between the City of Paducah, WKCTC, and the Community Foundation of West Kentucky. For additional information and a list of frequently asked questions, visit the link below.

The City of Paducah has announced yet another donation to their Small Business Relief Fund.
A militant was killed in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, officials said.

Srinagar: An unidentified militant was killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Wednesday, officials said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Sharshali village of Pulwama following information about the presence of militants there, they said.

The officials said the search operation turned into an encounter after militants opened fire towards security forces' positions.

In the retaliatory firing, one militant was killed, they said, adding the operation was going on when the last reports were received.

Meanwhile, another encounter broke out between militants and security forces in the Beighpora area of Pulwama district, a police spokesman said.

"Police last night launched an operation on a specific input at Beighpora. Senior officers are monitoring it since last night," he said.

The spokesman said contact has been established with the militants and a "top terrorist commander" is trapped.

"Exchange of fire is going on. Further details shall follow on due course," he said.
ALBANY  Advocates for survivors of sexual abuse are denouncing the Buffalo Diocese this week after the institution, temporarily headed by Albany Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger, moved forward with two legal filings that activists say diminish victims' experiences and could allow the diocese to dodge consequences for decades of alleged abuse and cover-up.

The most recent filing on Tuesday was a lawsuit against the federal Small Business Administration for denying the diocese's application for relief under the CARES Act because of its ongoing bankruptcy proceedings. It followed a separate legal action on Saturday in bankruptcy court, in which the diocese argued that all cases filed against the institution under the state's Child Victims Act, including those that also name local parishes and schools, should be permanently suspended.

Last summer, the act opened a one-year "look-back" window allowing survivors of sexual abuse to pursue previously time-barred cases against their alleged offenders. The Buffalo Diocese, the most-named defendant in claims filed under the act, is facing more than 250 actions.

"The Buffalo Diocese should not use the current pandemic as an excuse to evade responsibility for the decades-long abuse of children," said Michael Polenberg, the vice president of government affairs for the victims advocacy group Safe Horizon. "Every survivor of childhood sexual abuse deserves to hold offenders  including negligent institutions  responsible for their actions. That is the promise of the Child Victims Act ... and that's what survivors deserve."

All lawsuits lodged against the diocese have been frozen since February, when the institution filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which allows for reorganization of assets instead of liquidation. Some cases that also name separate Catholic entities where the abuse allegedly occurred would typically be allowed to move to trial at a later date  a move the diocese said would open the door to a cumbersome and costly discovery process.

Buffalo Diocese spokesman Greg Tucker declined to make Scharfenberger, who took the helm of the scandal-plagued diocese in December, available for an interview on either topic.

On the federal stimulus funds, Tucker said the institution decided to sue the SBA because it "exceeded its authority" in denying money to an organization moving through bankruptcy proceedings. The CARES Act "makes no reference to disqualifying applications on the basis of an entity in Chapter 11 reorganization," he said.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

State Sen. Brad Hoylman, a Manhattan Democrat and CVA sponsor, said in a statement Tuesday that the lawsuit "is just the latest example of the church failing to take responsibility for decades of egregious misconduct. They should be ashamed of themselves.

In reference to the proceeding in bankruptcy court, Tucker said suspending all cases would allow the diocese to negotiate settlements "without the distraction of piecemeal litigation" and would also make the payouts more equitable for all survivors, not just those who filed first.

"While the process continues, any lawsuits against the diocese are halted to allow the diocese and its creditors to come to agreement on settlement terms," he said. "The action that the diocese recently filed is intended to provide the same 'breathing spell' for parishes, schools and other Catholic entities in the hopes of achieving a global resolution."

Stacey Benson, an attorney with the Manhattan-based law firm Jeff Anderson & Associates that represents several plaintiffs suing the Buffalo Diocese, said the filing was an "unnecessary legal tactic (that) is insensitive to survivors of child sexual abuse who have already been deeply harmed by the abuse they suffered, as well as by the actions and inactions of top diocesan officials."
The minister of health blames peoples ignoring of social distancing for this weeks rapid increase in the number of coronavirus cases

It began less than a month ago when for a few minutes I came in contact with a work colleague who had coronavirus but at the time was displaying no symptoms, a 40-year-old married coronavirus patient told Al-Ahram Weekly in a telephone interview.

The man, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he usually wore a mask at work, but on that particular day he had left the mask in his car.

Legislation approved by MPs last week now allows health authorities to oblige the public to wear facemasks and take other preventative measures while outside their homes. Non-compliance can result in a fine of up to LE5,000.

A few days later I developed cold symptoms and visited a doctor who prescribed medicine for flu. Unfortunately I did not recover, said the father of two. He then decided to self-isolate at home, cutting all interaction with other people, even family members.

When matters did not improve he visited another doctor. Once the doctor saw my chest CT scan he asked me to head immediately to the nearest fever hospital for a PCR coronavirus test, said the man.

On 20 April he entered Helwan Fever Hospital, one of 47 fever hospitals nationwide dedicated  alongside 35 pulmonology hospitals  to conducting tests, triage and referral of coronavirus patients.

On Monday, Health Minister Hala Zayed said that 34 fever and pulmonology hospitals would now also serve as isolation facilities, providing treatment and quarantine.

The 34 chosen hospitals, which are being upgraded in three stages, will host coronavirus cases who do not display complex symptoms.

On 25 April, Zayed said Egypt had carried out 200,000 rapid diagnostic tests for coronavirus and 90,000 PCR analyses through 27 central laboratories nationwide.

The patient was then transferred to Sheikh Zayed Al-Nahyan hospital, one of 17 operating quarantine hospitals at the time, where he stayed for two weeks and was treated with Hydroxychloroquine and paracetamol. I noticed that not all cases received the same drugs. Some were prescribed Remdesivir, he said.

On Monday Zayed said treatment protocols in Egypt were up-to-date and linked to international research, and on 30 April the Ministry of Health announced that it was introducing plasma therapy trials.

Fully recovered patients will be asked to donate plasma. After working on it, we inject critical cases with this plasma after adding the antibody to it, Zayed said. She added that the plasma therapy trial results are promising so far.

Two weeks ago the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said convalescent plasma has the potential to lessen the severity, or shorten the length, of illness caused by Covid-19.

After almost two weeks in the isolation hospital, on 1 May, my health was improving, but my result remained positive, continued the patient. They once again transferred me, this time to a hostel in New Cairo, to continue my treatment.

To free beds at the 17 isolation hospitals for the increasing number of Covid-19 patients, on 23 April the Health Ministry decided to transfer mild coronavirus cases from quarantine hospitals to university hostels.

Despite lockdown measures imposed in March to stem the spread of the virus Egypt had reported more than 6,000 coronavirus cases by Saturday, 2 May. The first case of Covid-19 in Egypt was confirmed on 14 February, and though it took seven weeks to reach the milestone of 1,000 infections on 4 April it has taken just 28 days to move from 1,000 to 6,000 cases.

Ahmed Al-Subki, Assistant Minister of Health, told parliaments Health Affairs Committee on Monday that more than 900,000 citizens had been traced after being directly or indirectly in contact with confirmed coronavirus patients.

The highest single day spike in cases  358  was reported on Friday, 1 May. Zayed told MBC Masr satellite channel that recent rises were within expected levels, and that the cases detected on Friday were the result of more than 6,000 PCR tests.

She attributed recent increases in the number of cases to peoples behaviour outside curfew hours, especially during the two weeks that preceded Ramadan.

According to Zayed, visits to markets decreased by 40 per cent immediately after the crisis erupted, but the fall had been reduced to just 11 per cent during the two weeks preceding Ramadan.

Measures applied by the government since mid-March to contain the pandemic include closing schools and universities, mosques and churches and suspending international flights. The cabinet also imposed a curfew, subsequently eased at the beginning of Ramadan to begin at 9pm instead of 7pm.

Zayed said people will have to adapt to the presence of coronavirus until a vaccine is found, and maintain social distancing.

It doesnt matter when the curfew starts, what matters are our habits throughout the day, she said.

During recent days some restrictions have been relaxed. Car licensing sections at traffic departments, real estate registry offices services and some court services have now reopened.

Cabinet Spokesperson Nader Saad said people will be able to book hotels starting with the Eid Al-Fitr holiday which begins on 23 May, after the cabinet decided they could reopen as long as social distancing measures were observed. What this means in practice, said Antiquities and Tourism Minister Khaled Al-Enany, is that hotels will be able to accept guests and day-use customers provided they operate at 25 per cent capacity. Hotels will not be allowed to host parties or weddings, or any kind of overnight activity.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 7 May, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under headline: Keep your distance

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The Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah has participated in the Extra-ordinary Virtual meeting of the Bureau of the Executive Committee of the African Ministers Ministers Conference on Water (AMCOW) on April 22, 2020 via online.

The webinar was organized by the African Ministers Conference on Water (AMCOW) Secretariat at the instance of the AMCOW Resident H.E Pascal Houangui Ambouroue, Minister for Water and Energy of the Republic of Gabon.

The African Ministers Conference on Water (AMCOW) is the Specialized Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment under the auspices of the African Union Commission.

The objective of AMCOW is to promote Cooperation, Security, Social and Economic development and poverty reduction among member states through the effective management of the Continents Water Resources and the provision of Water Supply Services.

The meeting was convened for member states to discuss the Coordination programmes of member states in the water sector in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The meeting was also to discuss the readiness of member states in the WASH Sector to tap into the World Bank Emergency Fund and the proposal to hold the 12th Extra Ordinary meeting of the Bureau of the Executive Committee (EXCO) scheduled for June 2, 2020.

The sector Minister Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah outlined the various measures the government of Ghana has put in place to combat the spread of the COVID 19 Pandemic. The measures include the free distribution of Water to vulnerable Communities throughout the Country, the decision by the government to absorb the water bills for Ghanaians for the months of April, May and June respectfully and the distribution of Veronica buckets to Institutions, Organizations and Public places to promote effective hand washing.

Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah Stated that the practice of World Health Organisation protocol on containing the spread of the pandemic could be effective if there is the availability of Water and Sanitation Services, especially to the vulnerable and people living in slums.

She called on the need for all stakeholders to leverage resources for the implementation of the broader Emergency plan.

Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah commended the various Countries that have committed resources to support the implementation of the broader Emergency response strategy to combat the spread of the COVID 19 pandemic.

The Sector Minister also briefed the member states about the efforts being made by AMCOW to secure additional funding from the World Bank for the implementation of COVID 19 response strategies.

At the end of the deliberations, member states affirmed the decision that AMCOW Secretariat and the respective Technical Advisory Committee members synthesize their respective Country programmes into a composite work plan to be forwarded to Development partners for support. A communique at the end of the meeting endorsed the proposal to hold the 12th Exco meeting on June 2.

The meeting was attended by the Vice Presidents of AMCOW, each representing one Regional Bloc,. The Western African Bloc was represented by Ghana.
Instead, Byrd-Bennett was promised hundreds of thousands of dollars as a signing bonus once she left her duties at CPS and rejoined SUPES as a consultant, her plea deal said. The bonus was to be concealed in trust accounts set up in the names her twin grandsons -- with the cash available to her once she left CPS.
At least 256 Nigerians evacuated from the United Arab Emirates arrived Lagos Wednesday night.

They arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, via an Emirates Airline flight, PREMIUM TIMES gathered.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, confirmed their arrival in a tweet Wednesday night.

The flight conveying 256 Nigerians evacuated from Dubai has landed Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, he tweeted via his verified handle.

The evacuated Nigerians were expected to arrive Nigeria earlier but had to make a detour after one of the passengers went into labour.

Mr Onyeama gave details of the development in a series of tweets earlier on Wednesday.

He tweeted: Presidential Taskforce on #COVID19 Press briefing: with regards to the evacuation of Nigerians back home 

A woman went into labour on the evacuation flight from UAE today. The flight had to return to land. Mother and child are doing very well in hospital.

The flight is now back on its way to Nigeria, and should arrive 7.00pm today.

In regards to @NigeriaGov patronizing Nigerian airlines: we did a bidding process when it was decided to bring our nationals home, we intend to utilize the services of Nigerian airlines for the evacuation process. We have been speaking with our domestic airlines. The @emirates airline evacuating Nigerians has nothing to do with Government.

Background

Mr Onyeama explained that the government of UAE decided to repatriate foreigners to various countries not just Nigeria. They informed Nigerians who are willing to come back that there is a flight going to Nigeria.

According to him, Nigerians spontaneously without any reference to the Nigerian government started buying tickets.

The British Airways was also because the flight was already coming to Nigeria to repatriate British nationals here. There are about 4,000 Nigerians abroad awaiting evacuation to Nigeria, the minister said.

Ive given personal directives to our Missions in the U.S. to get in touch with our domestic airlines and see the ones that can come and give them timelines in which to deliver.

I have been in touch with three Nigerian airlines, @AzmanAir, @flyairpeace and Max Air and we are hoping to finalise a deal.

Similarly, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission confirmed the arrival of the evacuated Nigerians in a separate tweet Wednesday night.

Upon arrival, the commission reportedly addressed the 256 Nigerians who arrived from Dubai, UAE, at the Murtala Muhammed Intl Airport Lagos.

They are all expected to be on 14 days of compulsory isolation (quarantine).

All tested Negative of #COVID19, the commission added in a tweet.
Press Release

May 6, 2020 GORDON LAUDS LGUs FOR GETTING THEIR CONSTITUENTS TESTED FOR COVID Amid the need for at least 13 percent of Metro Manila's population to be tested for the Coronavirus disease - 2019 or COVID-19 in order to stem the spread of the disease more effectively, Senator Richard J. Gordon commended local government units (LGUs) that are already conducting tests on their constituents. Several LGUs in the National Capital Region (NCR) entered into an agreement with the Philippine Red Cross when the latter opened up COVID testing centers or molecular laboratories. Under the agreement, trained LGU personnel will do the swabbing and the samples will be turned over to the Red Cross for the testing. Gordon, PRC chairman and CEO, cited the mayors for getting their constituents tested. As of May 3, Mandaluyong conducted 1,621 tests; Makati, 1,134; Caloocan, 921; Pasay, 832; Las Pinas, 342; Paranaque, 308; and Navotas, 76. Quezon City, meanwhile, handed over the P5-million advance payment. "Testing is the key and I commend the mayors who are ensuring that their constituents are tested. I call on the LGUs to test more people, because the more people are tested, the faster the enemy will be unmasked," he said. The PRC already opened two testing centers that are both equipped with polymerase chain reaction machines that can run up to 8,000 tests a day. The PRC's testing capacity would expand to 20,000, with the opening of another testing center in Port Area, Manila this week and four others in Subic, Clark, Batangas and Los Banos in the next few weeks. "Kung maraming magpapa-test, mahihiwalay 'yung mga positive at malalagay sila sa mga mga ospital o sa mga quarantine centers. Bibigyan ng pagkain 'yung pamilya nila habang sila'y naka-quarantine at i-momonitor ang status ng kanilang kalusugan. Di na kakalat 'yan masyado pag nagawa natin yan. Our aim is to ensure victory over the virus," Gordon stressed.
YPSILANTI TWP., MI  An Ypsilanti Township elected official may face a vote of no confidence from her colleagues at the Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday.

The elected body in Ypsilanti Township will consider a vote of no confidence in Clerk Karen Lovejoy Roe at the May 5 meeting, according to the board agenda. Trustee Monica Ross-Williams requested the action after learning of an unknown legal error in her filing paperwork to run in the August primary for Ypsilanti Township treasurer, she wrote in a Facebook post Saturday.

Ross-Williams said she learned on April 25 that her filing was not valid because it was not notarized the day she filed. An affidavit of identity and receipt of filing shows she filed Dec. 16, 2019. The affidavit was notarized on Dec. 19, 2019.

Lovejoy Roe did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday afternoon.

Ross-Williams said requested the vote of no confidence because she believes the clerks office should have notified her of the error before the initial April 21 filing deadline so it could be fixed. She alleged there have been more filing errors in other races this year.

The office of clerk is the keeper of records in the township, Ross-Williams said. They are required to review records, they are required to keep records, they are required to make sure that records are thorough and complete. The fact that four peoples notary information was incorrect, and some allegedly reviewed by the clerks office and it was still not correct? Or better yet, the parties didnt have an opportunity to correct it? I just believe that is beyond ridiculous.

Ross-Williams intends to seek a court intervention to remove her name from the ballot, she said Tuesday. The countys unofficial list of candidates for Ypsilanti Township treasurer includes Ross-Williams and Stan Eldridge as of April 30, the most recent list.

Ypsilanti Township leaders colluded to keep clerk seat in family, colleagues allege

Ross-Williams and Township Supervisor Brenda Stumbo also allege Lovejoy Roe colluded to help secure the clerk position for her daughter-in-law, Trustee Heather Jarrell Roe, by withdrawing from the clerk election and switching to the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners race just before the original filing deadline on April 21. That left Jarrell Roe as the only candidate in the race.

Both Lovejoy Roe and Jarrell Roe declined to respond to the allegations, but said they look forward to serving Ypsilanti Township residents.

A judge on April 20 extended the filing deadline for Michigan political candidates to May 8 due to extraordinary circumstances caused by the coronavirus outbreak, but the ruling excluded races in which theres an option to appear on the ballot through a filing fee in lieu of filing a nominating petition.

MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS/MLIVE:

Michigan Medicine to furlough 1,400 employees, delay construction on new hospital

Six weeks into extreme social distancing, how are Michiganders still catching coronavirus?

Police seek suspected gunman in Ypsilanti Township liquor store shooting

It wont be like this forever. Ann Arbor officials embrace vision for downtown gathering place
As dusk settles on the forest of gutted buildings around them, Tareq Abu Ziad and his family break the Ramadan fast at the remains of their home.

The northern Syrian town of Ariha looks like the scene of a monster earthquake  a silent, grey sea of loose cinder blocks and mangled iron rods.

Abu Ziad had to make a little clearing in the rubble on his roof to lay out three foam mattresses for his wife and children to sit on as they share their Iftar meal.

Now, my family and I are here on top of the destruction, the 29-year-old father of three said. We are re-living a very difficult and painful memory. I pray that God doesnt let anyone else experience this.

He and his family fled Ariha late last year when Syrian government troops, backed by Russian aircraft, launched an offensive on the town.

Within a few weeks, about one million civilians fled the assault on the wider Idlib region, the last stronghold of opposition to the government of President Bashar al-Assad after nine years of war.

Arihas entire population headed north as much of the town was razed to the ground.

But as a ceasefire held, some of the most destitute have since opted to return and look for cheap accommodation amid the ruins.

Abu Ziad came back last month and found a place to stay.

But he wanted to share at least one Iftar  the meal that breaks the dawn-to-dusk fast  where his home used to be.

Every year, we used to spend Ramadan here, and we wanted to spend one day of this Ramadan here, he said.

There was not a soul around them, just row after row of destroyed homes etching out a scraggly, sinister skyline in the twilight.

The homes kitchen is long gone, but Abu Ziads mother said they came prepared.

We brought ready meals from outside, she explained. The most important thing is that we re-live our memories and eat in our home.
Face masks

No, not that kind of face mask  the fun kind. Covering our faces with cloth or N95s, while necessary for our health and safety, is probably not great for our skin. Here are several DIY recipes that can help.

Hydrating Honey Mask

1/2 avocado

1 tablespoon of honey

1/2 cup of oats

Instructions: Mix ingredients together and apply evenly to face and hands. Leave on for 15 minutes for smooth, hydrated skin.

From Tina Hay, spa director at the Four Seasons Hotel Houston

Hello Summer Mask

3 tablespoons of orange juice

1/4 cup of honey

Instructions: To give skin a boost, brighten your skin with this honey-citrus mask. Combine the two ingredients. Rub the mixture over your face and turn on your favorite playlist while masking for 15 minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water and follow with your favorite moisturizer.

From Solaya Spa & Salon by The Houstonian Hotel

Saturday Morning Mask

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon of honey

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1/2 cup of oatmeal

Instructions: Combine all ingredients. Stir well, then apply to your face for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water and then moisturize. We suggest rinsing in the kitchen sink, which is more drain-friendly for rinsing oatmeal!

From Solaya Spa & Salon by The Houstonian Hotel

The Sweet Treat Mask

1 tablespoon of raw cacao powder

1 tablespoon of fine coffee grounds

11/2 tablespoons coconut milk yogurt

2 drops of lavender essential oil

Instructions: Set aside a few ingredients you might have on hand while on your next baking extravaganza and treat your skin to the softening and brightening effects of this chocolate-coffee mask. Combine all ingredients. Apply to the face and allow the mask to harden for 15-20 minutes. Wash gently with warm water and remove any excess with a washcloth. Apply your favorite moisturizer to finish.

From Solaya Spa & Salon by The Houstonian Hotel

Body, bits and extremities

Gentle Body Scrub

1 cup of olive oil

1/2 cup of sea salt

Instructions: Mix a 2-to-1 ratio of olive oil and sea salt to make a quick and effective body scrub. This helps get rid of dead skin cells and creates softer, more glowing skin.

From ZaSpa at Hotel ZaZa

Himalayan Foot Scrub

1 cup pink Himalayan salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 teaspoon lavender oil

Instructions: Mix ingredients and apply in circular motions to exfoliate skin. After exfoliation, rinse and massage warmed coconut oil to seal in moisture.

From Tina Hay, spa director at the Four Seasons Hotel Houston

Lip Scrub

2 tablespoons of brown sugar

1-2 drops of peppermint essential oil

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

3 tablespoons of coconut oil

Instructions: Using a lip scrub helps remove dead skin cells, keeping lips smooth. Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and mix well. Rub gently on lips and rinse. Transfer to airtight containers and store for up to 6 months.

From Nicole Burke, esthetician at Milk + Honey River Oaks

Something to nourish from within

Serenity Smoothie

1/2 cup coconut water

1 teaspoon of dried lavender

1 tablespoon of coconut oil

1 tablespoon of honey

1 banana

1/2 apple

2 cups fresh blueberries

1 tablespoon of chia seeds

1/2 cup ice

Instructions: Add all ingredients into blender and mix until smooth.

From Tina Hay, spa director at the Four Seasons Hotel Houston

Extra tips

One of my favorite things about a spa day is the scents throughout the spa, says Nicole Burke, aesthetician at Milk + Honey River Oaks. Aromatherapy has amazing benefits, such as easing anxiety, reducing stress, and fighting bacteria.

To re-create this ambiance at home, Burke suggests making your own aromatherapy room spray. Fill a spray bottle a quarter of the way with either rubbing alcohol or witch hazel, then the rest with water. Add 10 to 15 drops of essential oil, whatever you like best (and you can mix and match). I like lavender, lemongrass, orange, cinnamon, or peppermint, she says. Then shake well and spray as needed.

The team at ZaSpa also swears by cucumbers and aloe vera. Cucumbers can help with dull skin, congestion and puffy eyes, thanks to its antioxidants, vitamin C and beta-carotene. Aloe vera has antibacterial properties, which is good for preventing acne and redness, as well as retaining moisture in dry skin.

emma.balter@chron.com
New drink-driving regulations were already beginning to change customer habits before the pandemic

The dual pressures of COVID-19 and Decree No.100/2019/ND-CP enacted last December on administrative penalties for road traffic offences and rail transport offences have forced beer manufacturers to cut 30-70 per cent of their target profits this year. The situation has prompted the Vietnam Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Association to send a document to the prime minister and related ministries in opposition to the new decree in particular.

Well-known drinks companies in Vietnam are experiencing stormy waters. In December 2017, ThaiBev used $4.78 billion to acquired 343.62 million shares, equivalent to 53.59 per cent of Vietnams leading brewer Saigon Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Corporation (Sabeco) at the unit price of VND320,000 (nearly $14). However, only two years afterwards the Thai company has seen nearly half of its investment in Sabeco eroded amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and stricter regulations outlining sanctions for drink-driving. Last week, Sabecos share was showing a slight recovery at VND180,000 ($7.80) per unit in the stock market.

Some Sabeco members have published their financial statements for the first quarter. Among them, Saigon-Central Beer JSC decreased by 33 per cent to VND237 billion ($10.3 million), while gross profits fell by nearly half to VND41 billion ($1.8 million). Profit after tax in the period was only VND19 billion ($826,000), down 54 per cent on-year.

Another of its members, Saigon-Phu Tho Beer JSC, saw revenues drop from VND154 billion ($6.7 million) to VND27 billion ($1.2 million), down 82 per cent on-year, even with a combined loss of over VND3 billion (over $130,400) for the first quarter. The after-tax loss of Saigon-Phu Tho is nearly VND7 billion ($300,000), while it posted a profit of VND14 billion ($600,000) in the same time last year.

The dual pressures are likely to crash Sabecos profits this year. In 2019, it recorded a total net revenue of VND37.89 trillion ($1.65 billion) and after-tax profit and minority interests of VND5.1 trillion ($221.74 million).

But 2020 promises to be a different kettle of fish. Sabecos net sales reduced by 47 per cent on-year in the first quarter, explained by the unexpected coronavirus crisis.

Katsuhiko Usui, general director of Sapporo Vietnam, told VIR, We believe that after loosening social distancing solutions, the market will quickly restart, especially in the fields of retail, manufacturing, and trading of food and beverages, as well as the restaurant business. However, a full recovery of the domestic market will take some more time.

Regarding business targets this year, it will be difficult for Sapporo to achieve any sales targets. However, we will make efforts in improving work efficiency and cutting costs in order to maintain profit targets.

Usui added the domestic segment is embarking on revival activities after COVID-19 by engaging and accompanying with each customer, giving them the best value even in difficult circumstances.

Usui said the restaurant business could be quite quick to recover. However, there is also an economic refinement, whereby inefficient business units will find it hard to maintain business operations in the coming period, leading to bankruptcy or having to adjust their business models, he added.

Hanoi Alcohol Beer and Beverage Company (Habeco) is in the same boat as other beer groups, although its financial report for first quarter has not been released so far.

Meanwhile Bloomberg quoted that HEINEKEN, a major foreign beer brand in Vietnam, has fallen as much as 4.6 per cent in sales since July last year.

An industry insider said that while COVID-19 and Decree 100 are affecting the sales volume of the whole industry, small brands will actually be affected more.

Bao Viet Securities (BVSC) reported that 2020 will be a challenging year for Sabeco, with the two main sources of headwinds set to remain Decree 100 and the pandemic outbreak that have slowed down beer and alcohol consumption in Vietnam. BVSC has drawn up five scenarios for business results in 2020, it said, but revenues will likely decrease.

The situation of the beer industry and Sabeco in particular could be negative for the next couple of years. Specifically, beer sales volume in 2020 may dip by 20-25 per cent on-year, and the beer selling price will decrease by 5-10 per cent on-year due to the supply-demand regulation of the market.

Sabeco delayed its shareholders annual general stakeholder meeting and no new date is yet forthcoming. But even after COVID-19 subsides, the group will continue to face difficulties.

To cope with challenges, Sapporo Vietnam plans to invest in additional machinery and equipment to improve production capacity to meet the demand, especially for Sapporos popular premium draft beer. Meanwhile, Sabeco could ease the burden on its cash flow by not having to fully pay tax penalties and late interest payments of up to VND 3.14 trillion ($136 million) that was imposed on the group in 2019, after long discussions have been held between Sabeco and tax agencies.
"Extraordinary challenges require extraordinary responses, and it's a time for businesses  including ours  to step up in a big way," said Patrick Criteser, TCCA's president & CEO. "We are inspired by the critical role we play in keeping food on America's tables, and are fortunate that our company is strong right now so we can help others."

TCCA will focus most of its relief efforts in the rural Oregon communities where the company operates production facilities and where many TCCA employees work and live  in Tillamook and Morrow Counties.

"From our founding more than 100 years ago, we've always been a company that cares for our communities," said Shannon Lourenzo, TCCA farmer-owner and chairman of the board. "People across the country are hunkering down at home and looking out for family, friends and neighbors. We are rising up to support the people and the places that have supported us for decades."

Key elements of TCCA's relief efforts include:

Expanding sick leave, offering premium pay for front-line manufacturing workers and maintaining full wages and benefits for all employees, even those who were working at the company's temporarily closed Tillamook Creamery visitor experience. The company is also creating a special resilience fund for team members experiencing substantial financial distress.

Doubling paid volunteer hours for employees and establishing a new employee donation matching program, so employees can directly participate in relief efforts.

Increasing the scale of direct-to-community product donations and expanding community enrichment funding to support nonprofits severely impacted by the pandemic, particularly those that serve the company's three primary focus areas for giving: Food Security , Healthful Children and Agricultural Advocacy . At the outset, this includes immediate donations to several organizations that serve the needs of its hometown communities including: $200,000 to the Oregon Food Bank, a longstanding partner, to address food insecurity statewide, including significant donations to the food banks in Tillamook and Morrow Counties. $100,000 to the Oregon Community Foundation to support its relief efforts in communities across the state. $20,000 to Tillamook County Action Resource Enterprises, Inc. (CARE) to help with rental, energy and other emergency services for low- to middle-income families in Tillamook County who have been laid off or lost wages as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. $15,000 to the Tillamook County Wellness program to help fund a new Youth Outdoor Recreation Coordinator. $10,000 to Tillamook Early Learning Center to help keep one of the few childcare facilities in Tillamook afloat and offer scholarships to families returning to care once they reopen. $5,000 to the Oregon State University Foundation to fund scholarships for students studying agriculture.

, and . At the outset, this includes immediate donations to several organizations that serve the needs of its hometown communities including: Earmarking another $500,000 to create or invest in programs that aid business revitalization efforts in Tillamook and Morrow Counties and support the communities' small businesses as they recover from the impacts of COVID-19.

"Local non-profits and small businesses are part of the fabric of rural communities, and we know they are hurting," said Criteser. "We see an opportunity in our hometowns to help meet the unprecedented needs created by the pandemic. By investing in programs that support our hometowns, ideally we can help return our communities to their thriving and robust potential and perhaps even create a model of business helping businesses that could be replicated elsewhere."

While the bulk of its relief efforts will be focused on hometown support, TCCA is also planning to support its retail, restaurant and foodservice partners nationwide. Those efforts will include financial and product donations to support COVID-19 response efforts in the weeks and months ahead.

"We've built a lot of flexibility and accountability into our overall response plan," said Criteser. "We will learn along the way and adapt as needed to ensure we're making as strong of an impact as we possibly can."

More details about TCCA's comprehensive COVID-19 response plan can be found at Tillamook.com/COVID.

About Tillamook County Creamery Association

Founded in 1909 as a farmer-owned cooperative, the Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) prides itself on its commitment to bringing to market the most consistent, best tasting, highest quality dairy products made in the most natural way possible. Guided by the belief that everyone deserves real food that makes them feel good every day, Tillamook has earned top awards for their cheese, ice cream, sour cream, butter, cream cheese and yogurt products made with unwavering values that never sacrifice or compromise quality for profit. The TCCA is currently made up of almost 80 farming families, primarily based in Tillamook County, Oregon. Tillamook operates production facilities in Tillamook and Boardman, Oregon and employs nearly 900 people throughout the state. The Tillamook Creamery is the largest tourist attraction on the coast of Oregon and one of the most popular in the state, attracting more than one million visitors each year. For more information on Tillamook, visit Tillamook.com.

SOURCE Tillamook County Creamery Association
Greek Forces on Alert Following 'Provocations' from Turkey

By Anthee Carassava May 05, 2020

Greece has lodged a stiff demarche with Turkey claiming Turkish officials ordered fighter jets to buzz a military helicopter carrying Greece's defense minister over the Aegean sea. Turkey denies the accusation, saying Greece  in the words of Turkish officials  is over dramatizing what Ankara says are routine flights in the region.

The government in Athens is concerned that a fresh standoff in the Aegean could scare travelers who are starting to make vacation plans to the Greek islands once the coronavirus emergency ends.

Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas said Greece was ready to resist any Turkish provocation.

He said harassment of the Greek defense minister's plane by a group of Turkish warplanes over the Aegean Sea was indicative of what he called Turkey's practice of breaching good neighbor relations and international rules.

Greece and Turkey have had a long history of testy relations, each challenging the other's claims to air, sea and land rights in the Aegean Sea that divides them.

The two NATO allies have come to the brink of war three times in the last 30 years. Athens most recently accused Ankara of orchestrating an invasion, a term Greek officials use to describe Turkey's decision to allow and encourage tens of thousands of migrants who had been trapped in Turkey to push their way into Greece and the heart of Europe.

Officials tell VOA Turkish warplanes came within 400 meters of the defense minister's military helicopter as he was travelling to inspect observation points on remote islands in the Aegean.

Officials say the jets were quickly intercepted by Greek warplanes. But then, the officials said another sortie of Turkish firefighters continued to do dangerous maneuvers over the Aegean. Since then, 20 more aerial confrontations have followed despite Greece's protest to Turkey.

Officials in Ankara deny there has been any harassment. They say Turkish airplanes were merely conducting routine flights and accused Athens of exaggerating.

It is not the first time Greek and Turkish warplanes have faced off over the Aegean. But tensions between the two countries have soared dramatically since Turkey's bid to push more than 150,000 migrants into Greece. And now, officials here fear a new standoff, either in the sea, land or air that separates the two age-old rivals.

In the last few days, authorities here captured video of the Turkish coast guard pushing migrant vessels to Greece, increasing refugee flows to a country already inundated with more than 100,000 asylum seekers.

Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos says it would be a false illusion or expectation for Greece to anticipate anything less from Turkey, especially after it has already made clear that will re-open its borders and allow migrants free access to Europe once it manages to contain the outbreak of the coronavirus in its country.

How long that will take remains unclear.

Greece has successfully managed its health crisis and is now easing restrictions nationwide. There is concern that any fresh standoff in the Aegean may spook travellers from making plans to visit Greece and its sun-kissed islands this summer.

Tourism is Greece's biggest industry and the government here hopes to open the country up for business by July.

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The government was heavily criticised on Wednesday for its wholly inadequate proposals to protect staff returning to work when coronavirus restrictions are lifted.

Labours shadow employment secretary Andy McDonald tabled an urgent question in the House of Commons calling on ministers to put in place proper protections to keep employees safe from Covid-19.

No worker should have their lives put at risk simply for going to work, Mr McDonald said, adding that trade unions had been given just 12 hours to review the governments plans for worker safety.

The governments plans, rushed out with minimal consultation on Sunday, did not even meet the existing legal rights that workers have to be kept safe by their employer, he said. They laid out no guidance on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) without which it is impossible to make judgements on safe working practices, Mr McDonald added.

He called for a requirement for most businesses to produce specific Covid-19 policies for safe working that are registered with the Health and Safety Executive and publicly available.

The government laid out draft proposals on Sunday including reduced use of hot-desking, staggered start times to reduce the number of people at a workplace during each shift. It also said physical screens should be used where possible workers should be kept two metres apart.

Unions have strongly criticised the plans, which they say do not go far enough to protect workers who could soon go back to work after the government reviews the lockdown on Thursday.

The prime minister is expected to produce a road map for exiting lockdown on Sunday, but Mr McDonald said the current plans have been produced without consultations with workers whose lives may be put at risk.

Junior business minister Paul Scully told the Commons that it was speaking to hundreds of businesses, unions and Public Health England, with full guidelines published in due course.

Mr McDonald said: The proposals themselves are wholly inadequate, adding that crucially, worker safety was a legal right before the crisis and must not be cast aside now.

The documents present measures to maintain safe workplaces such as hand washing and social distancing as being at the discretion of employers, when in fact they are requirements of the law. The government should make this clear and inform workers and businesses of their respective rights and duties.
We note particularly the chaotic scenes around the banks and other financial institutions. We urge citizens to minimize the risk of getting infected while trying to transact in the banks.
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: In order to provide legal protection to Corona Warriors, the Yogi Adityanath government has brought a stringent law by amending the existing Epidemic Act 1897. The proposal in this connection was approved by the state cabinet here on Wednesday.

As per Principal Secretary, health, Amit Mohan Prasad, Uttar Pradesh Public Health and Epidemic Disease Control Ordinance-2020 provides for punishment ranging from six months to seven years and a penalty ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh on assault or misbehavior with corona warriors including health workers, paramedical personnel, police personnel, sanitation workers as well as any corona warrior deployed by the government.

The principal secretary said that the new ordinance had the provision of strong action against those who indulge in spitting on corona warriors, throwing filth at them besides violating the isolation norms during the quarantine period.

He added that it recommended action against those who incited people to attack or misbehave with the Corona warriors. To tame such elements, it had the provision of imprisonment for two to five years and a penalty ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh.

Defining the provisions pertaining to the punishment for escaping quarantine facility or the hospital under the ordinance, accused would be liable to get a jail term amounting to 1-3 years and the fine ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs one lakh.

It has the provision of a jail term up to three years for passing indecent comments or indulging in obscenity targeted at any corona warrior. This provision also spells out a penalty ranging from Rs 50 thousand to Rs one lakh to be slapped on the offender.

Under the ordinance, any bid by anyone to spread this disease or prompting someone to spread it deliberately would attract harsh punishment in the form of a life sentence.

Moreover, to translate the impact to the ground, the state government has decided to set up two authorities for the prevention and treatment of the corona. A state epidemic control authority will be formed under the headship of UP CM along with seven other members including the Chief Secretary. Apart from this, a second three-member District Epidemic Control Authority will also be formed to be headed by respective district magistrates.

While the state authority will advise the government in matters related to epidemic prevention control, the district authority will coordinate the activities of various departments at the district level.

Ordinance at a glance:
Goonies cast

joins together

Josh Gad had a notion about what might soothe the kid in him during a scary time and maybe do the same for others. The actor got to work organizing an online reunion of the cast and creators of the 1985 movie The Goonies, which quickly tallied a million-plus views.

Gads YouTube effort isnt alone in providing a screen version of comfort food for the housebound. With an uncertain future defined by coronavirus and its fallout, old movies, TV reruns and favorite characters offer a way to briefly swap current woes for familiar happy endings.

It is the absolute right place, right time to revisit The Goonies, said Gad, the Frozen star who was a preschooler when he first saw the movie that left an indelible impression of joy. I think nostalgia is so important right now because we all want to go back to simpler times. We all are hoping for something we can connect with that reminds of us better days.

The Goonies video, featuring cast members including Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Ke Huy Quan and Kerri Green and producer Steven Spielberg, is raising money for those affected by the pandemic.

There are other COVID-19-related fundraising reunions, including a scripted one with the original Parks and Recreation cast on NBC, and an online virtual get-together of Melrose Place cast members held last week.

Throughout May, CBS is bringing back its Sunday movie showcase, a longtime fixture that ended nearly 14 years ago. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark is the lead-off film, followed by Forrest Gump; Mission: Impossible; Titanic and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (Titanic airs 6-10 p.m. CDT, all others 7-10 p.m. Central).

Scholarship honors

Hate U Give author

A Mississippi teenager with a talent for writing is receiving a full-ride college scholarship named for the author of The Hate U Give.

Belhaven University is awarding its first Angie Thomas Writers Scholarship to Imani Skipwith of Jackson, the university announced. Skipwith will be graduating from the Mississippi School of the Arts, and submitted writing samples to support her application.

Thomas graduated from Belhaven in 2011. Her third young-adult novel, Concrete Rose, is set to be published in January.

She wrote the bestselling The Hate U Give, about an African American teenager who sees a police officer shoot and kill her best friend. It was published in 2017 and was released as a movie in 2018. Her 2019 novel, On the Come Up, is about a young rapper who finds her identity and confronts stereotypes through music.

 Associated Press
06 May 2020

Type Media Article



Andrew and Leonie grow, mill, package and distribute their organic wheat, rye and spelt direct from their farm. Oats are also grown on contract for the organic porridge market.



Introduction

Andrew and Leonie Workman have been farming organically for the past 16 years. From a tillage background growing cereals, there have been many changes in relation to the crops grown and routes to market since 2004. A family farm business has evolved with the Workmans now growing, milling, packing and distributing their organic wheat, rye and spelt direct from their farm. Oats are also grown on contract for the organic porridge market.

Organic Cereal Enterprise

The total area of cereals on the farm at present is 66.5 hectares. This is divided between winter and spring crops. Last October winter rye and spelt were sown. Andrew admits that they got off to a bad start due to waterlogging; however he is happy at how the crops look now. On the 4th of April spring wheat was sown with spring oats sown on the 7th of April. Andrew expects that they will be harvesting from early August, starting with spelt then rye followed by oats and finally the wheat.

Crop Varieties and Seeding Rates

Organic Spelt crop - 25 April 2020

Clover on the Farm

Red Clover

Red clover is sown in a monoculture on the farm. The red clover acts as a valuable break crop as part of the rotation, improving soil structure, fertility, limiting weed invasion and supplying organic matter.

The Workmans generally implement a two year fertility building phase with the red clover followed by a five year cycle of cereals. This can vary depending on soil type, weed burden and fertility. The red clover is mulched during the growing season with a mulcher that was purchased in Denmark. It will be mulched from early to mid-May and every 3-5 weeks after that depending on growth.

There are plans to sow a further 12 hectares of red clover this year. It will be sown at a rate of 5kg per hectare.

Red Clover Year 2 - 2 May 2020

White Clover

White clover has been under sown with the spring oats. The white clover was sown at a rate of 5kg per hectare. Andrew is hoping that this will help suppress weeds while also improve soil fertility and soil structure. This will be ploughed back before the next crop is sown.

On Farm Milling

About seven years ago Andrew and Leonie wanted a way that they could add value to their grain themselves. They decided they way to do this was to start processing the grains themselves and thats when they started milling. They also recognised an opening in the market for other organic flours from other grains such as spelt and rye which they then started to grow. Overtime the Workmans sourced all the necessary equipment. Here is an overview of the on farm processing that takes place:

After harvesting the grains are cleaned pre drying.

Grains are then dried.

The grains are cleaned as many times as is required, depending on weed levels.

The spelt goes through a further process of being dehulled.

The grains are then stored in 500-700kg bags.

Milling takes place according to demand.

This is followed by packaging, labelling and storage before being dispatched.

This move into processing has resulted in the development of an on farm family business. The Workmans have full control from the sowing of the grains through to the distribution of the flours from their farm. Andrew and Leonie are very happy at how they and their farm have evolved in the past sixteen years.

For more information go to www.teagasc.ie/organics
By Express News Service

KOCHI: Panic gripped the residents of Kakkanad for hours after a major fire broke out at the top of a 30-story under-construction building at Edachira near Infopark in Kochi.

The blaze, which engulfed the top of the high rise, was completely doused by around 8 am on Wednesday after nearly 10 hours long fire-fighting efforts by hundreds of the Fire and Rescue Service officials.

According to the Fire and Rescue Service officers, the fire broke out on the 22nd floor of the building - Cyber Tower - owned by Lulu Group at 10.30 pm on Tuesday. "As per the statements of the owners of the building, the plywood materials stored in the building for construction purposes caught fire. The preliminary inquiry suggested that a short circuit might have led to the blaze," said a Fire and Rescue Service personnel.

"We received an alert by 10.45 pm and seven units from four fire stations Thrikkakakara, Thripunithura, Floor and Gandhinagar pressed into service. The building has a NOC for the construction of the 30-storey building and the construction of 17 storeys has been completed while the construction above 17 floors is underway. We assumed that welding works were underway at the site and a short circuit might have triggered the fire. However, a detailed examination is underway," said K K Shyju, Divisional Fire Officer, Ernakulam. The loss caused by the fire is yet to be estimated.

It was a tough task to the firemen to contain the blaze erupted on the top of the building and it might be first experience of such hour-long fire fighting exercise for them in recent times. "We struggled in the initial hours as we could not reach the spot. The construction above the 17th floor are mere structures with no proper walls. The burning materials were kept on the floors, making it impossible to reach the spot through the building.

"We used the lift of the building to reach the 10th floor. Then using our ladder the fire-fighters landed on the 17th floor. Then a water tank was set up using a crane there and pumped water using high-pressure pumping equipment to the top floors as water could be pumped only at a height of 15 floors from our fire tenders," said Divisional Fire Officer.

"For concreting, purpose plywood sheets were laid on the floors and the sheets on 22nd floor caught fire," said Ranjith Kumar V S, Thrikkakara Fire Station Officer. According to him, it was for the first time recently fire force personnel stored water during fire fighting and doused fire using it.

It was a scary sight at night to see the blaze on the top of such a tall building, according to the local residents. "The fire was engulfing to the top floors and that triggered panic among the people. However, the fire officials managed the situation well, said Anish Panthalani, a nearby resident and an employee of Infopark.
Sweden is nearing the 'horrifying' death toll of 3,000 from coronavirus, with 87 new fatalities, including a child under ten.

The Scandinavian country, which has taken a softer approach to containing the virus, reported another 87 deaths, compared to 85 fatalities the day before. There were another 702 cases, compared to 495 on Tuesday, taking its total to 23,918.

'We are starting to near 3,000 deceased, a horrifyingly large number,' state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell told a press conference.

Among them, according to Aftonbladet, a child aged under ten who had been in intensive care. Tegnell told the paper it was investigating the death but would not confirm whether it was as a result of COVID-19.

'We are starting to near 3,000 deceased, a horrifyingly large number,' state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell told a press conference

The epidemiologist added that there was a minimal risk to children and cases around the world are virtually non-existent. Furthermore, those that have succumbed to the virus have had severe underlying health conditions.

Sweden has not imposed the kind of extraordinary lockdowns seen elsewhere in Europe, instead opting for an approach based on the 'principle of responsibility'.

It has allowed schools for under-16s, cafes, bars, restaurants and businesses to stay open while urging people and businesses to respect social distancing guidelines.

The Swedish approach has received criticism both domestically and internationally as its death toll has leapt much higher than its Nordic neighbours, which have all instituted more restrictive containment measures.

Sweden's virus death rate of 291 per million inhabitants is far higher than Norway's death rate of 40 per million, Denmark's rate of 87, or Finland's rate of 45.

In the United States, which has suffered the most coronavirus deaths, the toll per million inhabitants is lower than Sweden's at 219.

People have lunch at a restaurant in Stockholm, during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic on April 22 - scenes like this have not been seen in the UK since before March 23

Sweden's virus death rate of 291 per million inhabitants is far higher than Norway's death rate of 40 per million, Denmark's rate of 87, or Finland's rate of 45. Pictured: Medics put on protective clothing at a Stockholm hospital in April

Swedish officials have nonetheless insisted their plan is sustainable in the long-term, rejecting drastic short-term measures as too ineffective to justify their impact on society.

On Tuesday, the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency published a survey showing that most Swedes had changed their behaviour and were sticking to those changes, 'and in some areas people are even reporting an increase in changed behaviour'.

'Almost nine in ten respondents (87 percent) state that they are keeping a greater distance from other people in shops, restaurants and on public transport this week, compared with 72 percent last week,' the agency said in a statement.
MITRE Adds Robotics and National Security Experts to Visiting Fellows Program

MITRE named two additional Senior Visiting Fellows: Daniela Rus, director of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at MIT (News - Alert), and Nadia Schadlow, former U.S. deputy national security advisor for strategy. MITRE's Senior Visiting Fellows programs was created in 2018 to engage the nation's leading experts on topics of critical national importance including emerging technologies, national defense, health, and cybersecurity.

"Daniela and Nadia bring deep practical experience and unique perspectives to our distinguished team of Visiting Fellows," said Jason Providakes, president and CEO. "Daniela's cutting-edge research in robotics and artificial intelligence are contributing to our critical pandemic response efforts at MITRE. Nadia's robust research and experience in global competitiveness and disruptive technologies and the 'great power competition' are shaping today's national security dialogue. Both Daniela and Nadia will help to advance MITRE's efforts of addressing large, complex problems facing our society."

Visiting Fellows contribute to research and innovation programs and many have been advising MITRE on healthcare, supply chain, and other issues in response to COVID-19.

In addition to Rus and Schadlow, Visiting Fellows include: Ashton B. Carter, Ph.D., distinguished visiting fellow and former U.S. secretary of defense; LTG Steven Boutelle, USA (Ret.), senior visiting fellow and former CIO, U.S. Army; Michael Chernew, senior visiting fellow and director, Healthcare Markets and Regulation Laboratory, Harvard Medical School; Tom Chi, senior visiting fellow and founding team member of Google (News - Alert) X; Dr. Robert Darnell, senior visiting fellow, professor of cancer biology, Rockefeller University and founder, New York Genome Center; Rick Ledgett, senior visiting fellow, and former deputy director, NSA; Dr. Mark McClellan, senior visiting fellow and director, Duke Margolis Center for Health Policy; Robert Work, senior visiting fellow and former deputy secretary of defense.







About MITRE

MITRE's mission-driven teams are dedicated to solving problems for a safer world. Through our public-private partnerships and federally funded R&D centers, we work across government and in partnership with industry to tackle challenges to the safety, stability, and well-being of our nation.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005937/en/
Dear Editor:

Tribune Columnist Cal Thomas wrote (Sentinel, April 23, 2020): That there has been an overreaction to this virus, in my opinion, is hard to dispute."

I dont find it hard to dispute his opinion. Our leadership has responsibility for an incomparably complex crisis whose dimensions and nuances are not yet fully understood by scientists and elected officials as they consider measures to protect all of us.

Mr. Thomas and I share some memories. My earliest is the bombing of Pearl Harbor. (I was 8; he was born the following year.) Next was the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945. (He had been president my entire life.)

Then, in rapid order came a stream of headline events, some of them frightening: Cold War, space exploration, war in Korea, Sputnik, soldiers enforcing civil rights in Little Rock, the Cuban missile crisis, war in Vietnam; the assassinations of Jack Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Bobby Kennedy; Kent State, our man on the moon, LBJ and civil rights, womens lib  a busy decade. Then, resumption of the Cold War, opening to China, Watergate, Nixons disgrace, collapse of the Soviet Union, the end of history (and the victory of democracy and capitalism), 9/11, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, impeachment of two presidents.

But not even WWII caused the confusion and fear evident today. My generation experienced a surge of hyper-patriotism after the attack on Pearl Harbor that was well managed by FDR until he died. It was hard, but we knew what we were doing and why.

Mr. Thomas, the overreaction to this virus has been by the million infected Americans and over 50,000 dead, as of late April 2020. The sheer scale, confusion, and propect suggest that we are not overreacting.

Henry G. Gole

Carlisle
N'Djamena, May 6 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th May, 2020 ) :Chad's capital N'Djamena will be isolated from the rest of the country for two weeks from Friday to stem the spread of coronavirus, the government announced.

The central African nation, one of the world's poorest, has recorded 117 coronavirus and 10 deaths, according to an official count on Tuesday.

The vast majority of these cases -- 115 -- were diagnosed in the capital, the health ministry said.

"The entry and exit of people in the city of N'Djamena is banned for a period of two weeks" from May 8, the government said in a decree on Wednesday.

Only "vehicles transporting goods and food" are authorised to enter the city, the decree added.

Inside the city, travel will be allowed until 8:00pm and wearing a mask will be mandatory from Thursday.

Chad, where half of the 16 million population live in poverty, also faces a measles outbreak, with 25,500 suspected cases and 255 deaths recorded between January and November last year.
This is the dramatic moment police on quarantine patrol in Paris were targeted with fireworks by a group of 15 rioting residents on Sunday evening.

Chaotic scenes broke out in the French capital's eastern Noisy-le-Grand suburb, amid the country's stringent Covid-19 lockdown.

Footage taken at the scene shows policemen clashing with protesters at the Pablo Picasso square, as explosions go off around them.

One anti-riot officer is seen being targeted with exploding fireworks as he attempts to pin down one of the alleged attackers

Chaotic scenes broke out in the French capital's eastern Noisy-le-Grand suburb

One anti-riot officer is seen being bombarded with exploding fireworks as he attempts to pin down one of the alleged attackers.

The violent incident involved some 15 residents in addition to the responding police officers.

Two of the attackers, both aged 18, were apprehended and five officers received minor injuries, according to local reports.

One officer was hit in the arm by an explosion and another was wounded in the face after being punched.

The incident comes after riots broke out in Paris last month amid anger over police 'heavy-handed' treatment of ethnic minorities during the coronavirus lockdown.

Footage taken at the scene shows policemen entering the Pablo Picasso on motorcycles

The violent on Sunday evening incident involved some 15 residents in addition to the responding police officers

The unrest was sparked by a 30-year-old who was critically injured in the neighbourhood of Villeneuve-la-Garenne in northern Paris, in a collision with an unmarked police car.

France starts lifting confinement measures on May 11, with businesses to resume activity and parents to return to work.

French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed plans to gradually reopen schools next week amid concerns from mayors, teachers and parents about the timing.

The country has been one of Europe's hardest hit by the pandemic, and has so far reported 170,551 cases and 25,531 deaths.
The Tokyo metropolitan government said Tuesday it will give more financial aid to small and medium-sized businesses in the capital that agree to its request to suspend operations until the end of this month in an effort to prevent the further spread of the new coronavirus.

The policy for the Japanese capital came a day after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe extended a nationwide state of emergency, originally due to expire on Wednesday, through May 31.

The scheme and the size of Tokyo's subsidies will be similar to what had been decided before the extension of the state of emergency, involving payouts of 500,000 yen to business owners with a single shop and 1 million yen to those running multiple outlets. The payouts are set to start from next Monday.

"The next one month will have life-or-death importance," Tokyo Gov Yuriko Koike told a press conference on Tuesday.

Koike will propose a draft extra budget to finance the additional support to the capital's ordinary assembly session in June.

The metropolitan government will additionally earmark some 96 billion yen to assist 130,000 businesses, bringing the total of the aid package to 192 billion yen.

The businesses eligible to receive the financial assistance include restaurants, bars and live music venues, which have been asked by the metropolitan government to suspend operations during the period.

Koike again requested residents limit the frequency of grocery shopping to every three days to prevent supermarkets from becoming too crowded and refrain from going outdoors for nonessential purposes.

Koike also asked companies to implement teleworking and flexible commuting hours as much as possible.
Riyaz Naikoo was a top commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen

Engagement between security forces and militants has intensified this week in Kashmir. Here we see security personnel leaving after an encounter with militants in Handwara in Kashmir earlier this week. (PTI)

Srinagar: Security forces on Wednesday killed top Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo in a gunfight in Pulwama district in Jammu & Kashmir on Wednesday.

Riyaz Naikoo is said to be the successor of Burhan Wani. According to security forces, Naikoo carried a reward of Rs. 12 lakh on his head.

A senior police officer, Imtiyaz Hussain, tweeted Riyaz Naikoo wanted by law in crimes against humanity finally taken down by security forces. As always a never dying sprit, resolute & single minded devotion of J&K police at the forefront of this ugly proxy war has been the key. God bless @JmuKmrPolice.

The killing was the major event in no less than three encounters that raged in southern Kashmirs Pulwama district since Tuesday evening. Mobile internet services were snapped and the forces began enforcing curfew-like restrictions in almost the entire Kashmir Valley on Wednesday.

The authorities in Srinagar said that the restrictions were being enforced as a precautionary measure.

Earlier reports emanating from Pulwama said Naikoo was among militants trapped in Beigpora village after columns of the Army's 55 Rashtriya Rifles, Jammu & Kashmir police's counterinsurgency Special Operations Group (SOG) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) moved in to launch an operation overnight.

Police sources said fighting broke out between the holed-up militants and security forces early Wednesday. Contact with the militants was established early today. The exchange of fire is going on, said a police officer on the phone from Pulwama.

Confirming this, the J&K police tweeted, Contact established in the third operation at #Beighpors #Awantipur. Top terrorist commander is trapped. Exchange of fire on. Details shall follow.

In a separate encounter that was going on in Sharshali village in the Krew area of Pulwama, one militant was killed. Police said the firefight broke out after the security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in the village on Tuesday night after receiving inputs about the presence of militants in a private house.

Army sources said more than a dozen families living in the vicinity of the encounter site were evacuated to safety.

Security forces have stepped up their tough campaign against militants in Kashmir. They have killed 75 militants across J&K so far this year. Twenty-seven security personnel and 15 civilians have died in clashes and other incidents of violence during this period.
Following guidance by the Texas Education Agency and backlash from students and parents over a drive-thru diploma pickup, Beaumont ISD on Wednesday announced plans to hold an in-person graduation ceremony in June.

Our team has remained committed to ensuring our seniors are honored properly for this large life accomplishment, BISD Superintendent Shannon Allen said in a written statement. We were thrilled to make this decision following the recent release of guidance from the Texas Education Agency.

The TEA on Tuesday released updated information for graduation ceremonies, giving districts four options  completely virtual, hybrid ceremonies, vehicle ceremonies and outdoor in-person ceremonies with social distancing guidelines.

Delila Dang, a top graduating senior who attends West Brook High School, welcomed the decision after decrying the drive-thru diploma celebration that was announced Tuesday.

I feel a lot better that they decided to have an actual ceremony for us, Dang told The Enterprise.

Dang was originally worried about her whole family not being able to attend the drive-up ceremony, which limited guests to two parents or guardians, but said the new decision puts her mind at ease.

I was disappointed, because I was doing really well this year, she said. I was graduating summa cum laude, I was in the top 3% of my class, and I was ranked 15 out of a little less than 600. So I was really excited for my family to come watch us walk across the stage and just be able to witness that and like just for us to have recognition and I dont know how thats going to go now.

While more than two guests likely will be permitted, the TEA guidance suggests strict social distancing procedures, including limited guests, staggered seating arrangements and assigning seating for each graduates family.

Graduation ceremonies mark a major milestone for students and their families, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said in a release. All educators are committed first and foremost to ensuring the health and safety of our students, families and staff.

The graduation ceremonies will be held at BISD Memorial Stadium on June 3 for Early College High School, June 4 for Beaumont United High School and June 5 for West Brook High School, with alternative dates in case of inclement weather.

More details involving graduation are expected and will be subject to change provided the coronavirus restrictions set in place at the time, the district said in a release.

BISD also will be livestreaming the entire event.

Kacy Rodgers, a Beaumont ISD alum who now teaches in Spring Branch ISD, said she understood the predicament the district was in.

I have a niece that is graduating this year  so I was just as disappointed about the situation, Rodgers said. However, I also understand as a teacher that there are safety regulations that we have to make sure are in place not only for students but for family and the staff.

Before the district canceled the drive-thru diploma pickup, Rodgers noted that some students would not be able to attend a later ceremony.

One of the threats of postponing it toward the end of summer is how many of those kids are already going to be gone off to college or enrolled in the military or gone into the work force and wont be able to attend the ceremony, she said.

Shannon Laird, who sent a letter rebuking the district for not announcing a graduation plan earlier, said Wednesdays announcement is all any of the parents wanted.

Allen said that despite the planned dates, the safety of the community is most important.

While we know how important this event is to our students and their families, we must remember that the health of our community is our top priority, Allen said. We are prepared to follow all guidance provided by state and local officials to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone involved.

Rodgers said the focus should be on the accomplishments and not on the ceremony.

At the end of the day, I know a lot of people are hurt at the way these celebrations are taking place, she said. But when we express that hurt over a ceremony in front of our kids, what are we teaching them? To value their celebration over their accomplishments.

isaac.windes@hearstnp.com

twitter.com/isaacdwindes
The Australian Financial Complaints Authority has activated an emergency response plan usually reserved for monitoring major crises after ME Bank changed the rules of a legacy banking product, leaving thousands of customers without access to cash.

It comes as senior banking experts accuse ME Bank of breaching federal credit legislation and banking codes, which could trigger a deluge of complaints and end up costing the bank millions of dollars in fees.

The financial complaints authority has launched an emergency response to ME Bank's bungled redraw policy change. Credit:Ken Irwin

The boutique lender that is owned by 26 union-backed super funds angered customers last week when it cut access to redraw facilities on a portion of its home loans without informing them. The bank posted a letter to some affected customers on April 28, a day after the changes had taken effect.

Hunt and Hunt partner Richard Williams said this is a breach of the National Credit Code that dictates customers must be given at least 20 days notice before such a policy change takes effect to enable them to rearrange their finances.




South Korea reported two more cases of the new coronavirus, all of which are imported cases, on Wednesday, marking no local new infections for the third consecutive day amid relaxed social distancing.







The new infections brought the nation's total caseload to 10,806, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).







On Tuesday, the country added just three cases, the lowest figure in more than two months.







The country decided to lift its strict social distancing scheme that had been put in force since early March starting Wednesday, amid a slowdown in the number of new infections that had peaked at 909 in late February.







South Koreans are allowed to go back to their daily routines while adhering to basic precautionary guidelines. Schools will open in phases starting next week as well.







The nation's death toll increased by one to 255.







In total, 9,333 people in South Korea have recovered from the virus, up 50 from a day earlier.







Daegu, the nation's worst virus-hit region located 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, added no new cases for third consecutive day. The city accounts for 64 percent of the nation's total COVID-19 cases.







In sync with the eased quarantine guidelines, health authorities said earlier that they are also considering lowering its warning level by a notch from the highest level of four.







Health authorities, however, say the latest changes do not mean that South Korea has fully won the battle against the pandemic.







Experts warn another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic may hit the country hard later, given the lack of a vaccine for the highly contagious virus. (Yonhap)


ARLINGTON, Va., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Innovation Research Interchange (IRI) is excited to announce its first virtual-only Annual Conference, an online free event that will offer educational programming for innovation professionals on the next best practices in managing global innovation teams and virtual networking sessions with peer innovation leaders on May 12  22. You can register here, https://www.iriweb.org/vac20.

Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, IRI was forced to cancel an in-person 2020 Annual Conference originally scheduled for May 12-15, in Philadelphia, PA. There was simply no safe way in which to conduct a large, in-person meeting with our members and non-members this year.

"It's important we adapt to our environment and support the innovation community in new ways, recognizing the vast potential and reach of a virtual conference," said IRI President Edward Bernstein. "We've been closely tracking coronavirus developments and examining all risk factors. The progression of the pandemic has made it clear that the most prudent course of action for the safety and health of everyone involved is to present a virtual event. We look forward to meeting over 1,000 innovation leaders online as we learn, grow and evolve in these changing times."

Mirroring the in-person conference, Globalization Transformed: Next Practices To Revolutionize Global Innovation will feature two to three educational sessions per day that will provide innovation professionals with tools and resources they can use today and beyond  Building a Global Technology Innovation Network, Cultivating a Robust International Innovation Culture, i101 Innovation Bootcamp, Making Design Thinking Work, Sustainability: A Catalyst For Global Innovation, Global R&D Funding Models and Making Them Work, along with a host of other informative sessions and networking happy hour meet ups.

All presentations will be recorded and will be available for 30 days, completely free after the 2020 Virtual Annual Conference for attendees to revisit and share with their colleagues. All participants will be able to learn and engage with industry trendsetters that were scheduled to present in Philadelphia, PA for the original onsite conference.

For more information about IRI and the 2020 Virtual Annual Meeting, visit https://www.iriweb.org/vac20.

The Innovation Research Interchange (IRI) is an organization of 200+ industrial and service companies having a common interest in the effective management of technological innovation. IRI member companies span diverse industries and represent a substantial portion of our nation's gross domestic product. IRI is the only cross-industry organization creating innovation leadership solutions and best practices in innovation management developed through collaborative knowledge creation. For more information, call 703-647-2580 or visit www.iriweb.org.

Media Contact

Mary Stewart, Marketing & Communications Manager

Phone: (703) 647-2587

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Innovation Research Interchange (IRI)

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Traverse City, Michigan-based insurance brokerage, High Street Insurance Partners (HSIP), has added Scott Goodreau as managing partner and chief operating officer.

Goodreau, who joined the company in April, brings nearly two decades of insurance executive leadership experience to HSIP. Most recently, Goodreau served as COO of Toronto-based SCM Insurance Services. Prior to that he was chief sales officer of Chicago-based Hub International.

High Street, an ExecFactor platform formed in August 2018 by Huron Capital, has completed 10 acquisitions since its formation.

Goodreau is responsible for all insurance operations, including insurance company relationships; information technology; and legal and compliance for High Street. He joins a management team led by Wick and Dave Tuit.

Founded in 2018, High Street Insurance Partners is a full-service insurance brokerage that provides a broad array of business insurance and risk management; employee benefits and human capital management; financial and retirement services; and personal insurance solutions. HSIP has offices throughout Michigan and Pennsylvania and has over 300 employees.

Source: High Street Insurance Partners

Topics Mergers Talent Michigan
In a big move to stop glorification and big funeral procession of terrorists, the bodies of Pakistan-supported Hizb-ul-Mujahideen's top terror commander Riyaz Naikoo and his associate will not be given to their relatives. They were killed on Wednesday in an encounter in Beighpora village of Awantipora in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The administration of the union territory has decided to bury them and not reveal the location. This decision also came at the backdrop of stone-pelting by youths on a vehicle of security forces in Pulwama at the encounter site of Naikoo.

Watch: Youths pelt stone on vehicle of security forces in Pulwama at Riyaz Naikoo's encounter site pic.twitter.com/dPPsj1C972  Zee News English (@ZeeNewsEnglish) May 6, 2020

Naikoo's elimination is a major blow to the local terror groups active in the area. He became a terrorist in May 2012 and was a close associate of former Hizb-ul-Mujahideen chief Burhan Wani. The dreaded terrorist was involved in more than a dozen killings since he picked up the gun at the age of 33.

On March 8, 2014, Naikoo was involved in the killing of Haji Ghulam Mohammad Dar, the father of a sarpanch at Dogripora in the Valley. He was involved in the firing on a police bus near Bhatpora Tokena. Naikoo was also a part in the killing of Gh Mohi-Ud-din Dar, Javaid Akbar Khanday a resident of Khandaypora, a Police Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Mir at Padgampoara crossing, six migrant labourers in Kulgam, and truck drivers and fruit traders after August 5, 2019.

He was also involved in the kidnapping of constable Naseer Ahmad, looting of nine weapons from the residence of former MLA Wachi and release of an audiotape threatening attacks on the jail staff after preferential treatment being provided to terrorists and the separatists lodged in various jails was discontinued.

Naikoo was also responsible for a large number of innocent youths getting into terrorist ranks and indulging in serious violence against the security forces and the local population. He resorted to brutal killings of civilians by branding them as informers of the police and security forces. Apart from the above, he was involved in many other cases of a heinous crime for which several number of FIRs were registered against him.

He had been continuously making audio and video clips and putting up on social media to motivate youth to join terrorism and went on recruiting new boys. He was a mastermind behind the revival of the outfit in Jammu and Kashmir. He also released videos and audios on a number of occasions carrying pro-Pakistan and separatist propaganda.

He also looted orchard owners and farmers to collect funds for his outfit and collected booty from illicit cultivation of opium in South Kashmir. Naikoo's outfit was also involved in narco trade case in Jammu where a huge sum of sale proceeds was transferred to one of his contacts.

Riyaz Naikoo took over as the commander of Hizbul Mujahideen after the outfit`s poster boy and commander Burhan Wani was eliminated in a gunfight with the security forces in the Kokarnag area in Anantnag district on July 8, 2016. Security forces hold Naikoo responsible for holding Hizbul together after its possible disintegration when Zakir Musa broke away from the Hizbul ranks to form his own splinter group.
On Tuesday, India saw its largest single-day spike in both, the number of fresh coronavirus positive cases (3,875) and deaths (194)

On Tuesday, India saw its largest single-day spike in both, the number of fresh coronavirus positive cases (3,875) and deaths (194).

Story continues after infographic

Tuesday also happened to be the second day of what some parts of the the media are calling 'Lockdown 3.0'  the edition of the nationwide curfew to feature the greatest degree of loosening of restrictions on citizens living in the green and orange zones thus far.

Follow all the latest coronavirus updates here

While Tuesday's numbers represent fresh cases and deaths for just a solitary day  making for an inadequate sample size  what they do serve to do is act as an indicator of what could happen if Indians get carried away by the easing of the lockdown and rush out of their homes without a care in the world.

There are lessons to be learnt from the experience of the Japanese island of Hokkaido, where it was initially believed that a timely lockdown had contained the COVID-19 threat. It may be recalled that the Hokkaido prefecture had declared its own state of emergency on 28 February  over a month before Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (on 7 April) declared a state of emergency in other parts of the country.

By 19 March, however, Hokkaido  assuming the curve had been flattened and that cases were subsiding  had lifted its own curfews and life had begun returning to normal. A second wave of infections caused the imposition of another lockdown. "Now I regret it, we should not have lifted the first state of emergency," chairman of the Hokkaido Medical Association Dr Kiyoshi Nagase told Time. The magazine also quoted Kazuto Suzuki, vice-dean of International Politics at Hokkaido University, as saying, "That's what we now know: Even if you control the first wave, you can't relax."

Before the Indian government considers further relaxations in the present lockdown, it would do well to visit the Hokkaido example.
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The Committee to Protect Journalists joined 23 other free speech and human rights organizations in a letter sent yesterday urging the United Nations Human Rights Council to extend the mandate of the special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Eritrea.

The letter notes that the human rights situation in Eritrea continues to be dire, and encourages the Human Rights Council to renew the special rapporteurs mandate at its next session, to be held in June.

Eritrea has at least 16 journalists behind bars, and is among the most censored nations in the world, according to CPJ research. The letter states that Eritrea has failed to remedy its human rights violations, has dismissed calls for reform, and has failed to cooperate with the special rapporteur.

The signatories urge the Human Rights Council not to reward non-cooperation by one its member states but instead to maintain scrutiny on Eritrea.

The letter can be read in full here.
SALEM  In Salem on Tuesday, a woman with a black mask covering her mouth and nose opened the door to her salon and let a man inside to the cheers of strangers who gathered on the sidewalk.

It was an act of defiance and, she said, desperation.

The woman in the mask is Lindsey Graham, owner of Glamour Salon in downtown Salem. Tuesday morning she let in her first customer since Gov. Kate Browns executive order closing businesses and enforcing social distancing.

Graham reopening her store violated that order, but she said she needed to provide for her family.

I cant speak for other businesses, Graham said. I know they need to make a living. If they can open their business safely  I would encourage that. I can only speak for myself and what I need to do is provide for my family.

Related: Photos from the Statesman Journal in Salem

A spokeswoman for Gov. Brown said she is aware the salon opened and violated the order. She called the re-opening "irresponsible and unfortunate" and added the business owners are putting the public at risk.

Violating the governors order is a misdemeanor, and the penalty could be up to 30 days in jail, a fine up to $1,250  or both.

The Oregon State Police tried to contact Graham to talk about the crowd on her sidewalk. But the agency said she did not answer the phone.

The state police took no other action.

The states Occupational Safety & Health division would not say whether its pursuing action against Graham. The agency did point out that a willful violation of its rules carries a minimum fine of $8,900.

 Pat Dooris, KGW-TV

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This article was originally published by KGW-TV, one of more than a dozen news organizations throughout the state sharing their coverage of the novel coronavirus outbreak to help inform Oregonians about this evolving heath issue.
Vietnam is getting back to work, but businesses must be wary of a second outbreak wave, Photo: Le Toan

The General Statistics Office (GSO) last week reported that in the first four months of 2020 there were 37,600 newly-established enterprises, with total registered capital of VND445.2 trillion ($19.36 billion), down 13.2 per cent in the number of enterprises and 18 per cent in capital.

Some 11,700 operational businesses also increased their capital by VND680.9 trillion ($29.6 billion), raising total registered capital in the economy in the first four months of 2020 to $48.96 billion, down 20.4 per cent on-year.

Notably, the number of enterprises with halted operation hit 22,700, up 33.6 per cent on-year.

The GSO said never has the economy witnessed such a dim picture for enterprises performance in a four-month period of a year as it is doing now.

This will have bad impacts on the economys growth this year, said GSO head Nguyen Bich Lam.

Under a recent scenario by the Ministry of Planning and Investment, if COVID-19 ends in the second quarter of 2020, GDP will likely grow 5.56 per cent this year, and the rate will likely be 5.39 per cent if the pandemic ends in the third quarter of the year.

In the first quarter, the rate was only 3.82 per cent on-year.

However, John Walsh, programme manager for international business of RMIT Vietnam School of Business and Management, said it is difficult to be certain about the economy outlook because so many elements of the pandemic are still unknown.

Will it mutate into a new form? Will there be a second wave of outbreaks? Are the many asymptomatic carriers going to infect more people at some stage in the future? We cannot know the answer to any of these questions now  each pandemic is by definition new and possibly different from any to have gone before, he said. However, we can anticipate the shape of the Vietnamese economy at some stage in the future when the wave of infections has decreased and has reached a stable situation. The optimistic view is that things will return more or less to normal, albeit that there will be a persistent demand deficit that will depress potential growth in Vietnam and elsewhere. In this view, market fundamentals will not have changed and trade will simply resume.

Standard Chartered Bank has expected Vietnams economy to grow 3.3 per cent in 2020 due to increased external headwinds.

Vietnam is now more integrated with the global economy via its booming manufacturing sector. Its trade-to-GDP ratio has risen to 300 per cent, among the highest in Asia, signifying its high dependence on global demand, said Chidu Narayanan, economist for Asia of Standard Chartered Bank. Lower global demand amid likely recessions in the US, the Euro area, and other G10 economies will weigh on 2020 growth. We see growth rebounding to 6.5 per cent in 2021 given an expected demand recovery and the low base from 2020.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) forecast that Vietnams economic growth will slow sharply in 2020, to 4.8 per cent, but if the outbreak is contained within the first half of 2020, the rate will rebound to 6.8 per cent next year and remain strong over the medium and long term.

The International Monetary Fund has also forecast Vietnam will achieve the fastest growth of 2.7 per cent this year in the ASEAN, before bouncing back to 7 per cent in 2021.

The World Bank is also seeing a positive outlook in Vietnam. It stated that over the medium term, growth is projected to rebound back to 7.5 per cent in 2021 and converge at around 6.5 per cent in 2022, reflecting an improved external demand and a firming of the services sector, as well as a gradual recovery in agricultural production. The economy will also rebound from the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the ADB, one of the key drivers for Vietnam to positively grow next year is that the countrys middle class is one of the fastest-growing in Southeast Asia.

The disbursement of public investment has improved significantly, growing by nearly 18 per cent in January and February over the same period in 2019, stated a fresh ADB report on Vietnam. Disbursement will continue to improve in 2020 as this is a priority measure in response to COVID-19.

Moreover, the large number of trade agreements in which Vietnam participates promise improved market access essential for an economic rebound. Containment of COVID19 in China and that markets likely return to normal will help revive global value chains and facilitate economic recovery in Vietnam, the report stated.
The Dover Air Force base will conduct a C-17 Globemaster III flyover across Delaware on Wednesday to salute the states first responders fighting against the coronavirus.

The large aircraft is scheduled to fly over Christiana at 3:15 p.m. and proceed south to reach Dover at 3:30 p.m. The plane will then fly to Milford at 3:40 p.m. before turning to Lewes at 3:45 p.m., then turning west to reach Seaford at 3:50 p.m., before turning back north and returning to Dover.

Defending the homeland has taken a new shape, and Team Dover is proud to serve alongside the first responders, medical professionals and all other frontline personnel during COVID-19 response efforts, said Col. Matthew Jones, 436th Airlift Wing commander, in a statement. We hope these flybys inspire our local communities to remain resilient during these trying times and reassure them that Dover AFB continues its unwavering support.

Wednesdays hour-long flyover is one of a series of efforts from the military to pay tribute to the nations healthcare workers working to save lives amid the pandemic. Last week, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flew over Philadelphia, Delaware, New Jersey and New York.

During the Philadelphia flyover, hundreds of people gathered across the city, including on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art where most did not follow social distancing guidelines.

 ASK US: Do you have a question about the coronavirus and how it affects your health, work and life? Ask our reporters.

 READ MORE: Photos: Navy Blue Angels and Air Force Thunderbirds fly over Philadelphia
Paul Stephen / Staff

Some national interest shifted to Texas last week after Gov. Greg Abbott announced last week that restaurants could reopen for dine-in, but many San Antonio businesses elected not to and one owner went on CNN to explain his decision.

Mike Nguyen, owner of Noodle Tree, a ramen spot near the University of Texas at San Antonio, spoke with CNN anchor Erin Burnett on "Outfront" on May 1, the day restaurants had the green light to reopen for dine-in. He told Burnett his grandmother died of COVID-19 and he has decided to pause his own chemotherapy treatment for lymphoma due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Manila  The Philippine government ordered the country's largest broadcast network, ABS-CBN, to stop broadcasting immediately on Tuesday after its license expired. The network, which employs about 11,000 people, went off the air on free TV and radio across the Philippines on Tuesday evening.

"This is in compliance with the cease and desist order issued by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) today that prohibits ABS-CBN from continuing its broadcast operations effective immediately," the company said in a statement.

Congress has sole authority in the Philippines to grant broadcast licenses, but lawmakers in the Lower House, who are overwhelmingly allied with President Rodrigo Duterte, have declined to act on bills seeking the renewal of ABS-CBN's permit. Duterte has repeatedly stated his disdain for the network and the family who own it.

Critical coverage of the government's controversial war on drugs has angered the Philippine leader, but his gripe with ABS-CBN predates that, going back to the 2016 presidential election when he accused the network of refusing to run a number of his campaign's political ads.

Duterte accepted an apology from ABS-CBN President Carlo Katigbak in a Senate hearing in February. During those proceedings Philippine Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the government could issue provisional authority to allow ABS-CBN to continue broadcasting while the network waited for official legislative approval of its license.

On Sunday, however, as journalists marked World Press Freedom Day, the Philippine government's top lawyer, Jose Calida, threatened to charge regulators at the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) with graft if they went ahead with granting ABS-CBN a temporary permit. Calida had also filed a case asking the Supreme Court to invalidate the media giant's license. NTC officials have said they've no choice but to follow the law.

Story continues

Media organizations and press freedom advocates call the order for ABS-CBN to stop broadcasting an attack not only on the company, but on freedom of speech and the country's fragile democracy.

"The order threatens press freedom at a time when the public needs an unfettered press the most," the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines said in a statement. "As the Philippines reels from the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, ABS-CBN's critical eye is needed now more than ever to help inform the public."

ABS-CBN is not the first news organization to be on the receiving end of pressure from Duterte's government. Maria Ressa, who was a correspondent for CNN International and now runs the Manila-based online news service Rappler, is facing close to a dozen court cases.

Ressa told "60 Minutes" last year that she's been threatened not just with imprisonment, but rape and even death for her reporting on Duterte's drug war.

Separately, Ressa told CBSN that Duterte's policies were an attempt to silence and manipulate the media to pervert the course of democracy, and she called it "a cautionary tale for the United States."

Study suggests a coronavirus mutation may make it more contagious

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ABC NewsBy BEN GITTLESON and JORDYN PHELPS, ABC News



(PHOENIX) -- President Donald Trump, criticized for an apparent lack of empathy during the crisis, has a new message for Americans who have lost a loved one to the coronavirus that has killed more than 70,000 people in the United States: "I love you."



"We've lost more people now than we lost in the Vietnam War. What do you want to say to those families tonight?" ABC News' World News Tonight anchor David Muir asked in an exclusive interview with the president Tuesday in Phoenix, Arizona.



"I want to say, I love you.' I want to say that we're doing everything we can," Trump told Muir.



The president said the government was taking extra measures to protect people over 60.



"It's a vicious, vicious virus," Trump said. "But I want to just say to the people that have lost family and have lost loved ones, and the people that have just suffered so badly, and just made it -- and just made it -- that we love you."



"We're with you," he continued. "We're working with you. We're supplying vast amounts of money, like never before. We want that money to get to the people. and we want em to get better."



Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, Trump has generally eschewed excessive expressions of empathy or the outreach to victims typical of American presidents during times of crisis. His first major trip in nearly two months took him not to a hospital or other medical facility, but to a factory in Phoenix churning out protective masks.



Late last month, an analysis by The Washington Post found that, over 13 hours' worth of briefings in three weeks, he had spent just 4 1/2 minutes expressing condolences for victims.



In the days that followed, Trump read from prepared remarks at the start of his public appearances, briefly noting the toll the virus has taken on victims.



And as the U.S. death toll from the pandemic surpassed that of the Vietnam War last week, Trump said he had only spoken to just a handful of families who had lost loved ones.



"I have many people. I know many stories," Trump said in response to a question from ABC News on April 28. "I have spoken to three, maybe I guess four families unrelated to me. I did. I lost a very good friend. I also lost three other friends, two of whom I didn't know as well, but they were friends and people I did business with."



Trump did not share details of those with whom he said he spoke, describe any of their stories or say if speaking to them impacted him. Instead, he quickly pivoted to discussing how he would like schools to reopen.



A White House spokesperson said that by "unrelated," the president meant not just relatives but also "people he has a connection to."



Trump has in the past spoken of a friend in New York who passed away due to coronavirus, real estate developer Stanley Chera. "It hit him very hard," the president said last month.

Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
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Maharashtra is a cause for concern with 34 of its 36 districts affected by the coronavirus disease, Union health minister Harsh Vardhan told state authorities while reviewing the Covid-19 situation on Wednesday.

In the online meeting with state health minister Rajesh Tope, Vardhan highlighted that seven districts  Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Aurangabad and Sholapurhave been reporting heavy case load, and need special focus to contain the spread of the disease.

The western state has 26 containment zones, which are earmarked pockets in red or orange zones where there are no relaxations of lockdown rules. The two districts that are in green zone (no case reported in at least 21 days) are Gadhchiroli and Wardha, which are about 200km apart.

Coronavirus outbreak: Full coverage

Till 2pm on Wednesday, Maharashtra reported 15,525 of 49,391 cases in India, and 617 of the countrys 1,694 deaths.

Maharashtra is an area of concern for us at the moment as higher number of cases is being reported from the state. Experts from the central team are stationed there to help the state government. The teams from National Centre of Disease Control (NCDC) are also closely monitoring the situation, and looking at ways by which we can reduce the number of cases, Vardhan said during the review.

The Centre is ready to help in every way possible  be it manpower increase, capacity building, technical assistance etc. or any kind of handholding that is required to manage the situation. We have to get into the minute details to devise a better strategy for disease control, he said.

He also directed experts from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Nagpur, to take help in local surveillance.

Even though rapid response teams of all medical colleges are active at the ground level, I would ask AIIMS, Nagpur, to also proactively assist the state government in managing the disease in the district since they are located in the district. We are in constant touch with all district magistrates who are managing the situation on ground. The idea of this review is to redefine the strategy in these severely affected areas for better outcome, he added.

Apart from Maharashtra, the Union health minister later in the day is also scheduled to review the situation in Gujarat, which is another state reporting high case load of Covid-19.

Last week, the health minister conducted a digital meeting with Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, and is expected to hold meetings with other states in the coming weeks.

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Below are the 10 stocks that moved the most today:

Bharti Airtel | Share price jumped over 3 percent after the Delhi High Court, in its judgment, allowed to claim a refund of Rs 923 crore on account of overpayed GST between July and September of 2017.

NIIT Tech | Share price surged 20 percent after the company reported an 11.4 percent jump in consolidated net profit to Rs 113.6 crore for the March 2020 quarter. It declared a third interim dividend of Rs 11 per share, and the record date for the same has been fixed as May 15, 2020.

Astec Lifesciences | Share price zoomed 20 percent after the company's net profit jumped 145.13 percent to Rs 31.18 crore in the quarter ended March 2020 as against Rs 12.72 crore during the previous quarter.

ITC | Share price tumbled 5 percent after a media report stated that the Centre is reportedly looking to raise Rs 22,000 crore by selling its stake in ITC (7.94 percent) which it holds through the Specified Undertaking of the Unit Trust of India (SUUTI), in a bulk deal on the exchanges.

Bharat Dynamics | Share price rose more than 4 percent after the company received a Rs 293-crore order from the Indian Air Force. The order is towards the supply of MRSAM Missile Sections for Indian Air Force deliverables and has to be completed in the next 24 months.

Persistent Systems | Share price jumped 7 percent after the company reported a marginal decrease of 0.8% in net profit at Rs 83.82 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. For the financial year 2019-20, the company reported revenues of Rs 3,565.80 crore, up 5.9%.

JB Chemicals | Share price jumped over 7 percent after a media report suggested that global buyout funds KKR, Carlyle, Apax Partners and PAG are in the race to acquire the domestic pharmaceuticals firm.

YES Bank | Share price ended in the red ahead of its March quarter numbers. According to brokerages, net interest income (the difference between interest earned and interest expended) may decline around 60 percent compared to the year-ago quarter due to weak loan growth.

Apollo Pipes | Share price was up almost 3 percent after promoter Sameer Gupta bought 1,25,000 shares in the company at Rs 309.98 per share.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

Trend:

To provide support to member countries of the Non-Aligned Movement that are most in need of assistance, Azerbaijan will allocate an additional donation of $5 million to the World Health Organization, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev while making an opening speech at the online Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement Contact Group in response to Covid-19, Trend reports.

These funds are intended for those most in need of assistance from the regional groups of Africa, Asia and Latin America. The Non-Aligned Movement, which unites 120 countries, is the largest international organization after the UN General Assembly. During the presidency of Azerbaijan, we intend to jointly enhance the international authority and role of the Non-Aligned Movement in the international arena. Friendship, solidarity and mutual support among countries play a special role, said President Ilham Aliyev.

He noted that friendship, solidarity and mutual support among countries play a special role.

With your consent, we, as member countries of the Non-Aligned Movement and as an example of global solidarity, can propose holding a special session of the General Assembly at the level of heads of state and government, as provided for in the UN Charter, dedicated to the COVID-19 pandemic in the format of a video conference, said President Ilham Aliyev.
For the first time, labs around the world can 3D print their own precision microscopes to analyse samples and detect diseases , thanks to an open-source design created at the University of Bath.

The OpenFlexure Microscope, described in Biomedical Optics Express, is a fully automated, laboratory-grade instrument with motorised sample positioning and focus control. It is unique among 3D-printed microscope in its ability to yield high-quality images. It has been designed to be easy to use, with an intuitive software interface and simplified alignment procedures. It is also highly customisable, meaning it can be adapted for laboratory, school and home use.

Best of all, the Bath design is a lot more affordable than a commercial microscope, both in terms of the upfront cost and the maintenance costs of the equipment. A commercial microscope intended for lab use can sell for tens of thousands of pounds. An OpenFlexure microscope can be constructed for as little as 15 or US$18 (this would cover the cost of the printed plastic, a camera and some fastening hardware). A top-end version would cost a couple of hundred pounds to produce, and would include a microscope objective and an embedded Raspberry Pi computer.

Dr Joel Collins, co-creator of the microscope and physics researcher at the University of Bath, said, "We want these microscopes to be used around the world - in schools, in research laboratories, in clinics and in people's homes if they want a microscope just to play with. You need to be able to pick it up and use it straight away. You also need it to be affordable."

To date, over 100 OpenFlexure microscopes have been printed in Tanzania and Kenya, demonstrating the viability of a complex piece of hardware being conceptualised in one part of the world and manufactured elsewhere.

Co-creator Dr Richard Bowman said, "Our Tanzanian partners, STICLab, have modified the design to better suit their local market, demonstrating another key strength of open source hardware - the ability to customise, improve, and take ownership of a product."

Covid-19 and 3D-printed medical devices

There has been a surge of interest in 3D printers since the onset of the pandemic, with many projects springing up around the world to develop low-cost, open-source 3D ventilators - or ventilator parts - to address the global shortage.

However, a piece of medical hardware requires years of detailed safety checks before it can be trusted for medical or laboratory use - the OpenFlexure Microscope project, for instance, has taken five years to complete. The Bath team believes it is highly unlikely that a new ventilator will be designed and approved during the course of this pandemic. They say it is much more likely that modifications of existing designs will be chosen by health authorities, where this is an option.

Dr Bowman, who has been working on the OpenFlexure project since its inception, first from the University of Cambridge and then from the Department of Physics at Bath, said, "Building a safety-critical medical device like a ventilator takes years for an organisation with hundreds of experienced engineers and an established quality management system. Making a ventilator that works in a few weeks is an impressive achievement, but ensuring it complies with even the relaxed, emergency version of the rules takes a lot longer than creating the initial design. Demonstrating to a regulator that the design and the manufacturing process meet all the requirements will be even harder."

He added, "The flip side is that the medical device industry is very conservatively regulated, and it would be a good thing if all of this new attention (in 3D printed hardware) means there's some rethinking done about how we can uphold high safety standards but make it easier to build something if you're not a mega corporation."
Technavio has been monitoring the vacuum insulation panels market and it is poised to grow by USD 1.83 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of almost 5% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005870/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Vacuum Insulation Panels Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Latest Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. BASF SE, Dow Inc., Evonik Industries AG, Hitachi High-Technologies Corp., LG Hausys Ltd., OCI Co. Ltd., Panasonic Corp., Rockwool International AS, Sealed Air Corp., and Stiferite Spa. are some of the major market participants. The demand for frozen sea 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 frozen sea food has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Vacuum Insulation Panels Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

Vacuum Insulation Panels Market is segmented as below:

Material Silica and Fiberglass Others

Geography APAC North America Europe South America MEA

End-user Construction Logistics Cooling and Freezing Devices Others



To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43296

Vacuum Insulation Panels Market 2020-2024: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our vacuum insulation panels market report covers the following areas:

Vacuum Insulation Panels Market Size

Vacuum Insulation Panels Market Trends

Vacuum Insulation Panels Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies increased urbanization and investment in infrastructure development as one of the prime reasons driving the vacuum insulation panels market growth during the next few years.

Vacuum Insulation Panels Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the vacuum insulation panels market, including some of the vendors such as BASF SE, Dow Inc., Evonik Industries AG, Hitachi High-Technologies Corp., LG Hausys Ltd., OCI Co. Ltd., Panasonic Corp., Rockwool International AS, Sealed Air Corp., and Stiferite Spa. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the vacuum insulation panels market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

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Vacuum Insulation Panels Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist vacuum insulation panels market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the vacuum insulation panels market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the vacuum insulation panels market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of vacuum insulation panels market vendors

Table Of Contents:

Executive Summary

Market Overview

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2019

Market outlook: Forecast for 2019 2024

Five Forces Analysis

Five Force Summary

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by End-user

Market segments

Comparison by End user

Construction Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Logistics Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Cooling and freezing devices Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Others Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by End user

Market Segmentation by Material

Market segments

Comparison by Material

Silica Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Fiberglass Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Others Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by Material

Customer landscape

Overview

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024

North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024

South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

BASF SE

Dow Inc.

Evonik Industries AG

Hitachi High-Technologies Corp.

LG Hausys Ltd.

OCI Co. Ltd.

Panasonic Corp.

Rockwool International AS

Sealed Air Corp.

Stiferite Spa

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

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In a major success in anti-militancy operations in J&K, security forces on Wednesday killed the most wanted militant commander, Riyaz Naikoo along with his associate in Pulwama district thereby avenging the deaths of five security men killed in Kupwara district on May 3.

Naikoo, Kashmir's most wanted terrorist and Hizbul chief was trapped late on Tuesday in his native Beighpora village in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.

The Hizbul Mujahiddin commander and and his associate were killed early on Wednesday while another militant was killed in a separate operation in Sharshali village of Khrew area in Pulwama district away from Naikoo's encounter spot.

Confirming Naikoo's death a senior security forces officer said, "Naikoo has been neutralized along with his associate.

"We had said that the martyrdom of our bravehearts, Colonel Ashutosh Sharma, major Anuj Sood, Lance naik Dinesh Singh, naik Rakesh Kumar and sub-inspector Saqeer Khan would be avenged and that pledge has been fulfilled within three days."

Two terrorists, a Pakistan national and a local terrorist were also killed in the encounter in Chanjimulla village of Handwara tehsil on May 3 along with bravehearts.

Officials said the operation to eliminate Naikoo was carried out with pinpoint precision without any collateral damage.

Authorities have suspended mobile Internet across the Kashmir Valley and imposed curfew in most major towns of the valley to ensure that no ugly fallout of Naikoo's death affects the law and order.

A video conferencing meeting was reportedly held earlier between senior officers of the Union Home Ministry and J&K top brass to address any law and order issues peacefully.

In Srinagar city, the District Magistrate announced that all curfew passes issued on or before May 5 have been cancelled and fresh passes would be issued after two days.

Authorities do not want to take any chance after killing the most wanted militant commander who happened to be a Kashmiri.

No chances are being taken with the law and order situation since in a similar situation in July 2016 when Naikoo's predecessor and Hizbul poster boy chief commander, Burhan Wani was killed, said an official.

A six month long unrest had followed Burhan's death when over 100 protesters were killed in clashes with the security forces in the Valley.

The overnight operation to trap Naikoo by the security forces was started on Tuesday evening when a massive search operation was launched in the native Beighpora village of Naikoo near the Awantipora town of Pulwama district.

Sources had told IANS then that after receiving credible information that the top Hizbul Mujahideen commander had come to visit his home in Beighpora village the joint op by the Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the local police, moved in quickly to seal all entry and exit points of the village.

"The adjoining Gulzarpora village has also been brought under the cordon and search operation is on to ensure that once trapped, he is unable to escape," sources said.

Riyaz Naikoo took over as the commander of Hizbul Mujahideen after the outfit's poster boy and commander Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight with the security forces in Kokarnag area in Anantnag district on July 8, 2016.

Naikoo carried a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head.

Naikoo had been masterminding the killings of local policemen to put pressure on them not to engage in anti-militancy operations.

It was because of this threat perception that policemen were advised not to visit their homes especially in South Kashmir districts where Naikoo held sway among the militant ranks.

Before joining the militant ranks, Naikoo worked as a mathematics teacher at a local school. He was known to have passion for painting roses before he picked up the gun at the age of 33.

Security forces hold Naikoo responsible for holding the Hizbul together after its possible disintegration when Zakir Musa broke away from the Hizbul ranks to form his own splinter group.

Musa split from the Hizbul in 2017 and formed his own group called Ansar Ghazwatul Hind that claimed to be the Indian affiliate of the Al-Qaeda.

Musa was killed in Dadsara area in Tral tehsil in an encounter with the security forces on May 23, 2019.
Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has accused President Muhammadu Buhari led government of playing politics with the relocation of Almajiris to their various states in the North.

Many State governments are taking the measure to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Also Read: Wike Places Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor LGAs On Total Lockdown

Governor Wike spoke at the Government House in Port Harcourt, when he received traditional rulers on Tuesday.

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He insisted that the shutdown of Port Harcourt and Obio-Akpor local government areas was necessary to curtail the spread of the virus.

At the event, Wike also threatened to punish anyone who violates the states directive on the use of face masks and the closure of markets.
The company's founder and CEO, William Yates, MD, anticipated COVID-19 would become a serious public health issue in the U.S. early on. In December 2019, he began searching for practical safety measures that could help protect people from the virus. In January 2020, the Chicago-based company began offering a line of COVID-19 protection products that use the highest quality and most precise temperature sensors on the market today.

"When business is allowed to resume, it will be in a form we are not accustomed to," Dr. William Yates said. "What will the new normal look like? It must include fast, efficient safeguards to protect people. Because fever is the only COVID-19 symptom that can be measured, temperature detectors are an effective way to help prevent the spread of this infectious disease."

The safe, efficient and easy-to-use temperature detectors Yates Enterprise is providing have become standard in countries such as China and South Korea as they reopened after their stay-at-home-orders were lifted. The devices accurately and rapidly measure the body temperature of people entering a facility. Employees standing six-feet apart and wearing masks approach the detector one at a time, placing their forehead or wrist a couple of inches from the sensor. If their temperature is normal, they are free to pass. If an alarm sounds, the employee is screened again with a handheld infrared forehead thermometer. If his or her temperature still exceeds the company's standard, the employee is sent home. This helps keep potentially ill employees from infecting coworkers and patrons.

Mazzone Pasta of Bloomingdale, Ill., manufactures pasta products for grocery stores and restaurants around the country. Company president Carl Mazzone said the thermal scanners installed at their production facility are critical for his business..

"The heart and soul of every operation is your employees. You have to take their safety seriously and you have to give them peace of mind that your company is doing everything possible to protect them and keep them safe," he said. "The temperature detector is an efficient way for us and other businesses to do this. "

Yates Enterprises' COVID-19 protection products include:

Portable Infrared Non-Contact Thermal Detector  Mounted on the wall near a building's entrance. Can rapidly detect body surface temperature from a safe distance without physical contact. In addition to a green light signifying in-range temperatures and a red light indicating out-of-range body temperatures, the system also uses voice warnings. The sensor also can be integrated into walk through metal detectors, ordinary doors, and intelligent access control systems.

Portable Infrared Non-Contact Thermal & Facial Detector  Combines infrared temperature measurement with 3-in-1 facial recognition. Intelligent analysis records date, time, body temperature and other details of employees entering facilities.

Walk Through Non-Contact Thermal Detector  Maintains social distancing, while ensuring rapid screening of those who may be ill. Features a large digital display and sounding alarm system. Measurement is taken two inches from the sensor at a rate of one second per person.

Thermal Temperature Monitoring System  A faster, more sanitary way to identify a person with an elevated temperature in a group of up to 50 people. The system captures the person's identity automatically with the facial recognition feature, and immediately sends an alert.

Infrared Forehead Thermometers  Provide secondary screening with the Walk Through Temperature Scanners and other screening in smaller-scale environments.

To date, the company has sold temperature detectors to food service warehouses, bakeries, manufacturing plants, big box stores, nonprofit organizations and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Yates Enterprise is also looking to donate Temperature Detectors to selected nonprofits in cities across the country.

The company recommends ordering its COVID-19 protection products two to four weeks prior to reopening. For more information, please call 312-882-5431 or email [email protected].

Chicago-based Yates Enterprises was founded by William Yates, MD, a former trauma surgeon who uses his medical experience and business acumen to market products for the continued safety and health of the U.S. and its people. The company is believed to be the first black-owned enterprise in the public safety space focused on COVID-19. Yates Enterprises is committed to the highest customer satisfaction and service before, during and after purchase and implementation of its safety devices.

SOURCE Yates Enterprises

Related Links

https://www.yatesenterprise.com/


I KEA has refused to comment on reports its 18 UK stores will be reopening later this month.

IKEA closed its UK stores in March due to the coronavirus pandemic but a reopening date which is being proposed is May 18, according to the Daily Mail.

Following in the footsteps of DIY chains Homebase and B&Q, the Swedish furniture firm said it is firming up plans for how the store can operate with enhanced safety measures.

But it refused to comment on the reopening date and said in a statement its stores will remain closed for now, adding that it is making "extensive plans" to safely reopen for customers when "the situation allows".

Europe takes it's first steps out of Coronavirus lockdown 1 /25 Europe takes it's first steps out of Coronavirus lockdown People queue at a hardware store during a partial reopening after the Austrian government eased lockdown restrictions Reuters A worker checks the temperature of a customer at the entrance of a supermarket in Itay Reuters Customers hold flowers in front of a DIY store in Graz, Austria, after it re-opened on April 14, 2020, following a "shutdown" in a measure to limit the spread of the new coronavirus APA/AFP via Getty Images People wearing protective face masks and gloves walk in the streets as the Italian government allows the reopening of some shops while a nationwide lockdown continues following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Venice, Italy, Reuters People queue to enter a hardware store during a partial reopening after the Austrian government eased restrictions following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Eisenstadt, Austria Reuters Camilla Cocchi wears a face mask and gloves as she sorts out clothing in her children's clothes shop after it was allowed to reopen following lockdown measures to contain the spread of Covid-19, in Rome AP A man wearing a face mask shops in a hardware store during a partial reopening after the Austrian government eased restrictions following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Eisenstadt, Austria Reuters "Respect the 2 meters distance" banner is seen at a fish stand as the Italian government allows the reopening of some shops while a nationwide lockdown continues following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Venice, Italy, Reuters Customers wearing face masks push shopping carts in front of a DIY store in Vienna, Austria, after it re-opened on April 14, 2020, following a "shutdown" in a measure to limit the spread of the new coronavirus APA/AFP via Getty Images A worker checks the temperature of a customer at the entrance of a supermarket, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Turin, Italy Reuters Customers line up in front of a DIY store in Graz, Austria APA/AFP via Getty Images Gianfranco Mandas wears a face mask as he sorts out clothing in his children's clothes shop after it was allowed to opens following restriction measures to contain the spread of Covid-19, in Rome AP Customers wearing face masks push shopping carts in front of a DIY store in Vienna, Austria, after it re-opened on April 14, 2020, following a "shutdown" in a measure to limit the spread of the new coronavirus APA/AFP via Getty Images Customers queue at the Trastevere market, as new restrictions for open-air markets are implemented to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Rome, Italy, Reuters Customers wearing face masks push shopping carts in front of a DIY store in Vienna, Austria, after it re-opened on April 14, 2020, following a "shutdown" in a measure to limit the spread of the new coronavirus APA/AFP via Getty Images A man wears a protective face mask and gloves at the newsstand as the Italian government allows the reopening of some shops while a nationwide lockdown continues following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Venice, Italy Reuters People wearing face masks work in a hardware store during a partial reopening after the Austrian government eased restrictions following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Eisenstadt, Austria Reuters Customers queue at the Trastevere market, as new restrictions for open-air markets are implemented to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Rome, Italy Reuters A general view of the parking area of a hardware store during the partial reopening of shops after the Austrian government loosens its lockdown restrictions during the global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Vienna Reuters

An IKEA spokesman said: For now, all our stores across the UK and Ireland remain closed.

"We are looking forward to welcoming customers back to our stores and will only do so as the situation allows, in line with government guidance.

"As a responsible company we are making extensive plans, and adopting even further enhanced safety measures, so that when we do reopen, our customers and co-workers feel safe and comfortable in our stores.

"The health and safety of our customers, co-workers and suppliers remains our highest priority."

It comes as Homebase reopened all 164 stores on Saturday and B&Q reopened its 288 stores.
The countrys largest residential landlord has warned of uncertainty over rent collection levels and unforeseen impacts on its performance due to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

Irish Residential Properties Reit  or I-Res  said trading levels during the first quarter of the year met its expectations; with occupancy rates in its properties at 99% and net rental income margin at just under 81%. It said rent collection rates were around 98% in April. Furthermore, the company has maintained its dividend policy, paying out a combined 16.2m in relation to its 2019 performance, in March.
These days, any national leader not actively urging their citizens to drink disinfectant is managing to look (relatively) good on the world stage.

Certainly, compared to the neurotic leadership south of the border, Justin Trudeau has emerged as a steady hand on the tiller, quickly providing Canadians with a wide economic safety net and behaving like an adult in the crisis.

So its all the more disappointing that, out of the limelight, hes doing a great deal to make the situation worse during this pandemic for some of the most vulnerable people on the planet.

Im referring to the prime ministers decision to ignore a plea last month from United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres  and the Pope  for nations to lift sanctions against other nations in order to help some of the weakest and poorest countries cope with the coronavirus crisis.

That sounds like a reasonable request, under the circumstances.

Indeed, even if we dont care about the worlds vulnerable people, helping them deal with the crisis is in our interests too. As the UN leader noted: Let us remember that we are only as strong as the weakest health system in our interconnected world.

Yet Canada, ignoring the plea from the UNs highest official, continues in the midst of the pandemic to impose sanctions on 20 nations, including Lebanon, Venezuela, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Nicaragua and Yemen.

While Canadas sanctions are typically aimed at punishing the regimes running these countries, the impact of the sanctions falls primarily on ordinary citizens, according to Atif Kubursi, professor emeritus of economics at McMaster University.

Kubursi, who also served as a UN under-secretary-general and has extensive UN experience in the Middle East and Asia, says the impact of Canadas sanctions on the people in these countries is devastating.

While the sanctions often appear to be directed exclusively at military items, they frequently end up being applied to virtually all goods  including spare parts needed to operate machinery in hospitals and pharmaceutical companies, notes Kubursi, who signed a letter from prominent Canadians to Trudeau requesting the lifting of sanctions.

For instance, if a Syrian businessman wants to buy Canadian products, he has to open an account for the transaction. But Kubursi says the Canadian government instructs Canadian banks not to allow such accounts for the purposes of trade with Syria  no matter how benign the Canadian product may be, or how urgently it might be needed in Syria.

For that matter, Ottawas sanctions prevent Canadians from using our banks or financial services to transfer money to Syria  for instance, to family members living in Syria.

The impact of sanctions, while always painful, is particularly deadly during the pandemic, when even advanced nations have struggled to obtain life-saving equipment.

While Canadas sanctions mostly date back to the Harper era or earlier, the Trudeau government has generally maintained them and even added new ones against Venezuela.

Ottawas sanctions appear primarily aimed at appeasing the U.S., which ruthlessly enforces sanctions against regimes it wishes to destabilize or overthrow. Washington also punishes countries and companies that dont co-operate with its sanctions.

Ottawas willingness to fall in line behind Washington is reflected in the fact it doesnt impose sanctions against U.S allies Saudi Arabia or Israel, despite Saudi Arabias brutal murder of dissident Jamal Khashoggi and Israels illegal occupation of the West Bank. Even Israels announcement that it plans to annex the West Bank in July has produced no sanctions or criticism from Canada.

Trudeaus decision to continue sanctioning 20 nations seems quite out of sync with the spirit of the times, when its hard to find a TV commercial that doesnt proclaim the sentiment that were all in this together.

That spirit of international togetherness has been amply demonstrated by Cuba, which sent Cuban doctors to Italy to help its overwhelmed health care system and has offered similar medical help to First Nations in Canada.

When 36 Cuban doctors arrived in Milan last month, a grateful Italy thanked them and Italians at the airport cheered.

Meanwhile, Canada, in the spirit of the international togetherness, rebuffs Cuban doctors, ignores the UN and imposes sanctions on some of the worlds poorest nations.
HOLYOKE  Members of Brighton Marine came to the Holyoke Soldiers Home bearing gifts Wednesday that will allow every single veteran the ability to communicate with friends and family any time they want.

Just after the 104th Fighter Wing from Barnes Air National Guard Base flew a formation of fighter jets over the home in the units effort to honor veterans and to pay tribute to frontline healthcare workers fighting the coronavirus across the region, Brighton Marine members dropped off 175 iPads to be used by residents.

The donation will supplement a previous donation of 20 iPads given to the Holyoke Soldiers Home by the Military Family Relief Fund.

As I started to read the stories and hear the stories, particularly in Holyoke where vets are dying alone, it really hit me and I asked what can I do to make it better, said Tom Lyons, a member of the board of directors for the Brighton Marine and the chairman of the Chelsea Soldiers Home Board of Trustees.

The non-profit organization, which has operated for 37 years to assist service members, retirees and veterans with many services including health management and housing, initially agreed to donate 25 iPads to the nearby Chelsea Home to help veterans there who had not been able to see any family members or friends since the home was closed to visitors in mid-March.

The feedback they received was positive. Veterans and family members said the iPads helped them reach relatives much easier, he said.

Meanwhile members of Brighton Marine continued to hear that the virus had spread through the Holyoke Soldiers Home, leaving 70 percent of the veterans infected with the virus and killing 71 of the about 210 veterans who were living there when the first resident tested positive on March 21.

The crisis was so severe in Holyoke that officials for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services placed Superintendent Bennett Walsh on paid administrative leave and tapped Val Liptak, a registered nurse and CEO of Western Massachusetts Hospital to take over his duties. Officials also set up a clinical command team of professionals and called in 160 National Guard members to augment the depleted staff, many of whom were infected with COVID-19.

What was crushing was the many stories, the group was hearing about the difficulty families were having contacting their relatives. Many nurses were using their own phones or other electronic devices to help veterans they cared for talk to wives, sons and daughters and grandchildren, he said.

Lyons went back to members of Brighton Marine and proposed they purchase 350 more iPads from their relief fund. On Monday they donated half to residents at Chelsea, Lyons said.

While the Chelsea Soldiers Home has not been hit as hard with the coronavirus, currently 28 have died and 29 others have been infected with COVID-19, the remaining 188 veterans have not seen friends or family in nearly two months.

At the same time, he contacted a long-term friend Richard Girard who he met through veterans events, and said the organization wanted to donate the remaining iPads to the residents at Holyoke. Girard, a new member of the Holyoke Board of Trustees, responded quickly to say they were needed and would be used, Lyons said.

By providing these iPads, veterans can now stay in contact remotely with those who care and worry about them. Our veterans deserve the best that we can provide for them, and this effort by Brighton Marine will make a very tough situation a little easier for them and for their families, Lyons said.

Although the cost of the iPads was sizable, Lyons said all the members of Brighton Marine supported the plan to spend the money to help the veterans who are the most vulnerable to falling seriously ill from COVID-19.

As part of our mission at Brighton Marine, we connect veterans to a variety of resources to meet their needs. We saw a very real need for veterans in isolation to be able to connect with loved ones during this pandemic, and are taking action to help solve that problem, said Michael Dwyer, president at Brighton Marine. The social distancing resulting from COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of staying connected. Our goal is to re-establish a connection between our Veterans and their loved ones.

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IENTC Telecomunicaciones, a service provider operating in the Mexican market, today announced it has selected Telia Carrier's IP Transit backbone services to provide reliable, low latency and high capacity services to its customers and enterprises. Serving the market for more than 10 years, IENTC Telecomunicaciones is scaling up its existing relationship with Telia Carrier to support the release of its upcoming television offering and recent MVNO business model without compromising the customer experience.

IENTC Telecomunicaciones offers high speed internet through its own fiber optic network and, in some cases, via microwave wireless technology, supporting customers in the government, corporate, manufacturing, retail, and banking sectors, among others. IENTC Telecomunicaciones chose Telia Carrier because of its extensive global network that ensures service availability and provides the low latency services end-users demand.

"Having an existing partnership with Telia Carrier enabled us to quickly determine they were the best fit to support the growing demands of our customers," said Carlos Arguimbau CEO, IENTC Telecomunicaciones. "Working with Telia Carrier allows us to confidently roll out new services and cost-effectively receive the capacity needed to ensure a seamless experience for all."

"We are continuing to see an increasing demand from service providers in the LATAM market for our services," said Luis Velasquez, Mexico business manager, Telia Carrier. "Operating the world's #1 Global Internet Backbone, we are uniquely positioned to serve partners and customers with the network connectivity needed to meet their current demands and those of the future."

Telia Carrier expanded into Mexico in the Spring of 2018, providing wholesale IP Transit, Ethernet, IPX, and Cloud Connect for Internet Service Providers (ISPs), content and cloud providers in the region

About Telia Carrier

Telia Carrier solves global connectivity challenges for multinational enterprises whose businesses rely on digital infrastructure. On top of the world's #1 ranked IP backbone and a unique ecosystem of cloud and network service providers, we provide an award-winning customer experience to customers in 120 countries worldwide. Our global Internet services connect more than 700 cloud, security and content providers with low latency. For further resilience, our private Cloud Connect service connects directly to Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, IBM Cloud and Oracle cloud across North America, Europe, and Asia. Discover more at teliacarrier.com.

About IENTC Telecomunicaciones

IENTC is a company with more than 10 years in the telecommunications industry with presence in the central zone of Mexico. With high-speed internet that is offered through our own fiber optic network we provide best in class service and customer experience to guarantee your business is always connected. We have the most advanced technology available in the market, which allows us to offer additional services such as Mobile phone, Virtual PBX, Smart Internet, among others. Discover more at ientc.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005318/en/

Contacts:

Telia Carrier: Martin Sjogren, Senior Manager PR and Analyst Relations, Telia Carrier, +46 (0)707 770 522, martin.sjogren@teliacompany.com

Media contact: Jeannette Bitz, Engage PR, +1.510.599.5499, jbitz@engagepr.com

IENTC Telecomunicaciones: Fernando Sanchez, Sales VP, IENTC Telecomunicaciones, +52 442 628 0000, fernando@ientc.com

Media contact: Joanna Estrada, IENTC Telecomunicaciones, +52 442 628 0000, joanna@ientc.com
Like other vulnerable countries whose economies have been buffeted by the coronavirus pandemic, getting the economy back up and rolling again presents a huge and perplexing challenge for Egypt. On the one hand, there is the need to continue to contain the spread of the novel virus. On the other, there is the need to curb the damage done to the poor and middle classes who have been hard hit by the economic turndown during the past two months of lockdown. It is a baffling dilemma that presents difficult choices. But it is clear that as economic activities resume, it will be vital to maintain stringent hygienic measures and social distancing precautions in the workplace, if the economic deterioration is to be reversed in a sustainable way. This will necessitate the highest levels of awareness at both the governmental and public levels.

Experts believe that the coming months will be particularly challenging if the crisis persists. They foresee further decreases in demand for goods and products and an increase in customers unable to pay their bills, which means that manufacturers, retailers and credit lending companies will need to take appropriate precautions.

They also fear possible shortages in liquidity and working capital in 2020. Businesspeople and entrepreneurs believe that, if the crisis continues, trouble will loom for their projects during the second half of this year and in 2021, forcing them to suspend some activities or expansion plans. Not all sectors will be affected evenly. For example, the prospects of projects in the health sector would be much better. Egypt should also step up its drive in the production of clean and renewable energy, in which it has already made considerable strides, as this will help boost economic growth, and further the realisation of its sustainable development goals despite the effects of COVID-19.

International donor agencies, which have a crucial role to play in supporting emerging economies, have affirmed their support for the Egyptian economy, among others. It, along with other economies harmed by this crisis, will need more technical and technological support at this critical stage, which demands concerted multiparty efforts to ensure that the necessary liquidity is available so that building can continue and both private and public sector companies can grow. It is worth noting here that the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group and the largest global development institution, focuses exclusively on supporting and developing the private sector. Similarly, an important part of the activity of the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development focusses on supporting the private sector. After the pandemic struck, these international institutions offered support in the form of credit lines to private sector companies so as to increase liquidity.

In their recent statements, these international institutions stressed how crucial it was for governments to consult with the private sector in order to attain sustainable economic growth. This applies, above all, in times of uncertainty over the economy when governments should promote private sector efforts to find innovative solutions to the many challenges posed by COVID-19 and help private sector firms turn these challenges into opportunities.

In their recent statements, WHO officials stressed that the ease-up in lockdown measures should proceed in tandem with the ability of local health systems to absorb possible new increases in identified coronavirus cases and, simultaneously, with continued monitoring to ensure that social distancing and other precautionary measures are in place. Health experts believe that infection rates could climb again as people begin to report back to their workplaces, which is why it is essential to remain extremely vigilant in order to keep rates down and avert overwhelming the health system.

WHO officials have also urged the development of a climate conducive to the hygienic obligations COVID-19 has brought. For example, governments should reduce crowding in public transport as much as possible, by increasing the numbers of vehicles, reducing peak transport times in metros and railways, and ensuring the availability of hygiene and sanitation equipment and materials. Also, lawmakers should pass legislation to protect public space and to avert exploitation of emergency needs, as exemplified by the soaring prices of disinfectants and medical supplies.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 7 May, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

Trend:

Economy ministers and heads of customs services of Turkic Council member states held discussions via videoconference on May 6, Azerbaijans Economy Ministry told Trend.

Representatives of observer states in the Turkic Council also joined the event.

The videoconference focused on the joint efforts to resolve the issues raised by the heads of state during the extraordinary summit of the Turkic Council held on the initiative and under the chairmanship of Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev on April 10.

Azerbaijans Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov, who currently chairs the organization, was the event moderator.

The discussions focused on the current economic situation in member states, developing joint proposals and practical measures on eliminating the negative socio-economic consequences of COVID-19, as well as the ways of further enhancing the cooperation in the corresponding spheres during the post-pandemic period.

Jabbarov pointed out that COVID-19 cases in Azerbaijan are low as a result of the numerous timely measures taken under the leadership and direct control of Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev.

As a model of well-thought-out and focused policy, Azerbaijan compares favorably in this sense, according to the minister.

Jabbarov gave detailed information on operational and systematic measures implemented primarily based on solidarity between the state and the citizens, in order to protect people's health, reduce the impact of the pandemic on the national economy, provide support to entrepreneurs and employees who have lost their jobs, and to maintain jobs, ensure social protection of the population, as well as prepare real soil to apply a new model of economic development in the post-pandemic period.

In order to effectively use the advantages of the bilateral free trade agreements between the Turkic Council members, as well as to ensure the development of e-commerce, Azerbaijans economy minister proposed to take measures for mutual recognition of electronic signatures, create a Turkic trading house, a catalog of border and transit regimes available in the countries of the Council, inform each other about urgent or planned changes in transport and transit regimes, as well as in the near future to create an online information exchange system to track products and procedures.

Recalling the issues of promoting the activities of the Turkic Chamber of Commerce and the creation of the Joint Investment Fund during the extraordinary Summit held by the heads of state of the Turkic Council in order to eliminate the negative effects on trade and investment, Jabbarov said that along with the expansion of mutual investment opportunities, such a Fund contributes to the development of entrepreneurship, in particular small and medium-sized businesses, the creation of new jobs, support for innovation and eventually, the economic and social development of countries.

The minister said that Azerbaijan is ready to fully support the creation of a joint investment fund in Baku.

Touching upon the digital economy, Jabbarov recalled that in early

2020 it was decided to create a branch of the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution of the World Economic Forum in Azerbaijan. He noted that all necessary measures will be taken to ensure the regional significance of the Center for the benefit of fraternal states.

Jabbarov emphasized the importance of creating state food reserves. From this point of view, it would be advisable to create a single list for all countries of the Turkic Council.
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Following his whistle-blower complaint alleging retaliation from White House officials for sounding the alarm over an untested drug that Donald Trump pushed to treat coronavirus patients, a top federal health official says he was pressured to ignore or dismiss expert and scientific recommendations and instead award lucrative contracts based on political connections.

In a statement to reporters following the filing of the report, Dr Rick Bright said: I was pressured to let politics and cronyism drive decisions over the opinions of the best scientists we have in government. And ultimately, I was removed from my position because of my continued insistence that the government invest funds allocated by Congress, hard-earned tax payer dollars, to address the Covid-19, and invest them into safe and scientifically vetted solutions instead of funding projects that were promoted by cronies, or politically connected companies.

The stunning whistleblower report is one of the first high-profile revelations of the inner-workings of Trump administrations response to the pandemic, alleging deep ties between the White House and Congress with pharmaceutical companies and other interests as health officials sent multiple warnings about the seriousness of the looming crisis that went ignored or were dismissed entirely.

He is expected to testify to members of Congress next week.

Dr Brights complaint claims US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar appeared intent on downplaying this catastrophic threat and linked government contracts to private companies to pressure from Jared Kushner, the presidents top adviser and son-in-law.

The complaint alleges that Dr Bright was removed from his position with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority after telling reporters about an unproven malaria drug promoted by the president to treat coronavirus patients, which the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) later warned could cause serious health issues.

In his statement, Dr Bright said: I witnessed government leadership rushing blindly into a potentially dangerous situation by bringing in a non-FDA approved chloroquine from Pakistan and India, from facilities that had never been approved by the FDA. Their eagerness to push blindly forward without sufficient data to put this drug into the hands of Americans was alarming to me and my fellow scientists. I could not, in good conscience, ignore the scientific recommendations to limit access to those drugs under the direct care of a doctor and instead allow political ambition and timelines to override scientific judgment. And that was just one of the many improper things that I pushed back on with senior leadership within HHS.

He also urging that a special counsel investigate his report and demanded that the administration reinstate his position.

Dr Bright condemned leadership that places dedicated scientists in crosshairs and called on officials to provide Americans with clear and consistent guidance and communications and refrain from pressuring [scientists] to ignore science, to bend the rules, and to prioritise politics above all else.

He said: Our governments focus right now should be on saving lives and ending this pandemic. We are in a race against the virus and every day counts. It is my sincere hope that my team at BARDA will be able to continue their race to develop safe and effective drugs, tests, and vaccines. And thats an endeavour that requires all hands on deck approach.
Boris Johnson is very often talked about as a lucky politician, quite often by people who want to point out that his luck has run out.

When Michael Gove turned on him, when he quit as foreign secretary over Theresa Mays Brexit deal, all were apparent denouements for the lucky man. But luck bears down more heavily upon you when you are not in control of events.

That his first prime ministers questions facing Labours new leader Keir Starmer should take place the day after the UK officially recorded the highest coronavirus death toll in Europe, and the second-largest in the world, is nothing to do with luck. It is a direct consequence of his own actions. It didnt need to be like this.

That the first question he would receive from his new interrogator-in-chief should end with the justifiably disdainful words, How did it come to this prime minister? is also not a matter of luck.

It is certainly not good luck that Johnson looks completely knackered. A week in intensive care followed by a night in the maternity unit is liable to do that to a man.

When asked about his presiding over one of the worlds worst national responses to coronavirus and the staggering, avoidable death toll for which he bears responsibility, would a less exhausted Johnson have thought better than to say that international comparisons are not always accurate?

We ask this because Johnson is the key member of the current generation of Tory politicians, the one that has never psychologically left the Oxford Union, which is to say the most malignant generation in our nations history, for whom life is all just one big debate.

Would he not have seen what would come next, which would be Starmer holding up one of the governments own slides, from one of its more than 50 press conferences on consecutive days, in which all it does is compare the scale of the UKs outbreak to other countries, and quietly pointing out that it doesnt hold water that the day on which the UKs death toll would become the highest in Europe should also be the day that we must all stop comparing ourselves with other countries.

Scarcely a sentence seems to ever be written about Starmer without mentioning his past as the countrys chief prosecutor, and the fact that there is no shortage of prosecuting now to be done. But backstories and CVs dont make good politicians. People just have it or they dont.

Probably, it helped him that the chamber was empty. Detailed, difficult questions could not be blustered away. There was no traditional Tory backbench baboon chorus to be relied upon to rise to the empty chest beating of their chimpanzee leader.

At one point, Johnson just breezily doubled the coronavirus testing target to 200,000 a day by the end of the month. This was in response to the overwhelming evidence that the current target was a PR exercise and fundamentally a joke, so he just issued a new one.

But none of this is to say that Johnsons luck has run out. Not even close. Its hardly the case that he is unlucky to have to deal with Starmer, when his predecessor had three comparatively glorious years of Jeremy Corbyn.

Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent Show all 19 1 /19 Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent Two elderly people chat on a street in Valencia, Spain on 4 May EPA Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent People look at the city from Villa Borghese park in Rome during the first day of Italy's next phase in its coronavirus lockdown Getty Images Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent An elderly couple who has not been outside for nearly two months enjoys the weather as they sit on a bench in a park in Athens on 4 May AFP via Getty Images Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent Henri de Chassey, wearing a protective face mask, kisses his partner Margaux Rebois, who is returning to Paris after spending two months in Brussels on 4 May REUTERS Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent A commuter in protective mask wears gloves at an underground station in Brussels as some companies are allowed to bring workers back to the office EPA/STEPHANIE LECOCQ Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent Paralympic swimmer Inigo Llopis prepares to swim in San Sebastian, Spain, for the first time since the lockdown began Getty Images Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent A worker wearing personal protective equipment disinfects a school in Athens as Greece relaxes its nationwide lockdown REUTERS Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent A Spanish National Police officer distributes protective masks in Melilla, Spain, on 4 May EPA Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent An employee poses in front of halfway-cured hams in a factory in Guijuelo, Salamanca, Spain, on 4 May EPA Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent Workers in protective suits disinfect a high school in Athens as Greece moves to reopen schools for final-year students on 11 May EPA Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent A worker disinfects a bus as transport vehicles are disinfected several times a day as part of Belgium's lockdown exit strategy Belga/AFP via Getty Images Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent A worker from Textilia haberdashery in Brussels holds a fabric that can be used to make customised protective face masks as Belgium relaxes its lockdown measures REUTERS/Yves Herman Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent A bride tries on a wedding dress at a bridal shop in Madrid on the first day that some small businesses are allowed to open during Spain's lockdown REUTERS Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent People walk across the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping mall in central Milan as Italy eases its lockdown AFP/Getty Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent A couple kiss in the Duomo Square in Catania as Italy starts moving out of its lockdown Reuters Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent Mirel Chetan organises the books of the Antonio Machado bookstore in Madrid after 51 days of closure Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent A couple kiss in front of the sea in Catania as Italy begins a staged end to a nationwide lockdown due to the spread of the coronavirus disease ANTONIO PARRINELLO/ REUTERS Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent A waiter at Caffe Cracco handles takeaway coffee in Milan on 4 May as Italy starts to ease its lockdown Miguel Medina/AFP via Getty Images Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent A woman holds a yoga posture as she exercises by the Colosseum monument in Rome on the first day of Italy relaxing its lockdown measures VINCENZO PINTO/AFP via Getty Images

Counterfactual histories are a bit of a mugs game. But had Michael Gove not decided, in 2016, that Johnson was unfit to be prime minister (before re-re-changing his mind again rather more recently), its not too much of a leap to think that there would have been a snap election, no hung parliament, no Corbyn, and hed have had Starmer to worry about at a rather earlier stage in the Brexit process.

He would also, as it happens, be staring down the barrel of a coronavirus election.

That Johnson has a functioning opposition to worry about will be useful for pundits. But many such pundits also have a long enough memory to recall William Hague terrifying Tony Blair at prime ministers questions for several years. The evidence would suggest it did not appear to make a huge amount of difference to the voters.

Still, it is commonly agreed that Blairs comfortable 2001 victory on a low turnout with a strong economy was evidence of the politics of contentment.

The year 2024 is a long way off, but it is probably already early enough to forecast that particular emotion will still be in short supply by then.
Pakistan Army on Wednesday resorted to firing on forward areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in two sectors of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, drawing retaliation from Indian soldiers, a defence spokesperson said.

"Around 1540 hours today, Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms along LoC in Shahpur sector," the spokesperson said, adding the Indian Army retaliated befittingly.

Cross-border shelling between the two sides was going on when last reports were received, officials said.

However, there was no immediate report of any casualty.

Fear has gripped villagers along the LoC in Rajouri, Poonch and Kupwara since three civilians were killed last week in shelling by Pakistan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
People hold signs as they take part in a "reopen" Pennsylvania demonstration on April 20, 2020 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Nicholas Kamm | AFP | Getty Images

About three-quarters of likely voters in 2020 election battleground states support sustained direct payments to Americans during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new CNBC/Change Research poll. Across the key states of Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, 74% of respondents approve of continuing government relief payments to Americans until the country can safely resume economic activity, the States of Play survey found. Only 22% of likely voters in those states disapprove. The poll surveyed 3,544 likely voters across the six states from May 1 to 3, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.7 percentage points.

The $2 trillion package passed in March, which aimed to rescue a U.S. economy ravaged by efforts to contain the outbreak, included direct deposits or checks of up to $1,200 for individuals and $500 for every child. As Congress considers its next potential relief bill in the coming weeks, Democratic leaders will likely push for at least one more stimulus payment to Americans  though Republican lawmakers have grown more wary of massive federal spending to respond to the crisis. Throughout the CNBC/Change Research poll, Democratic and Republican voters diverged on a range of topics, from how concerned they are about the coronavirus to whether the economy is in a recession and what precautions they are taking during the pandemic. Even so, respondents across the ideological spectrum backed more direct payments as the economy crumbles. Nearly all Democrats surveyed, 96%, said they support sustained payments, as did 74% of independents. A majority of GOP respondents, 53%, also said they approve of more money going directly to Americans. At the same time, not all of those voters who expect to get money as part of the March package have received it. About 6 in 10 respondents, 61%, said they have received their direct payment. Another 24% said they expect to get one in the future, while 11% responded that they do not expect to receive one.

President Donald Trump's name appeared on coronavirus economic assistance checks that sent to citizens across the country April 29, 2020. Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will celebrate the first birthday of their son Archie  while under lockdown in the US.

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor turns one on Wednesday but the milestone is likely to be marked by just Harry and Meghan in person.

The couple have made Los Angeles their home and they and other residents of California have been living under a stay-at-home order made by the states governor Gavin Newsom.

America is where they plan to bring up their son after walking away from the royal family in order to become financially independent, after their hopes of earning money while still supporting the Queen were ruled out.

Archie received happy birthday wishes from the official social media accounts of the Queen, Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, which all featured pictures of the young royal.

A post on the monarchs official Twitter account said: Happy Birthday to Archie Mountbatten-Windsor who is celebrating his 1st birthday today! Archie is The Queens eighth great-grandchild.

The young royal has experienced an eventful 12 months since he was born at Londons Portland Hospital  first living in a cottage in the grounds of Windsor Castle, then an exclusive home on Vancouver Island in Canada and now in the sprawling metropolis known as the City of Angels.

Meghan and Harry show off their newborn son to the world (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Archie was born on May 6 2019 at 5.26am, weighing 7lb 3oz, and a few days after his birth his parents proudly showed him to the world, before the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh saw the infant for the first time.

Meghans mother Doria Ragland, a yoga instructor and social worker, was pictured at the royal gathering and she has been a constant presence in the Sussexes lives, and lives in Los Angeles where Meghan grew up and went to school.

Fans will be hoping the couple follow royal tradition and release a picture of Archie, who has rarely been seen in public.

Story continues

He received his greatest exposure when the Sussexes took their son on his first royal tour, visiting South Africa last autumn when he was four months old.

Happy Birthday to Archie Mountbatten-Windsor who is celebrating his 1st birthday today!  Archie is The Queens eighth great-grandchild. pic.twitter.com/PMaiY6NR1a  The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 6, 2020

The royal baby received a welcome kiss from Archbishop Desmond Tutu when Harry and Meghan introduced him to one of the heroes of the anti-Apartheid movement.

Archie made an impression with the Archbishops daughter Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe, who joked the young royal favoured ladies better when she caught him glancing in her direction and Meghan declared he likes to flirt.

Earlier in 2019 Archie was photographed in his mothers arms while his father took part in a charity polo match.

Meghan and Harry are the subject of a highly anticipated book, due for publication in August, which its authors have said they want to be a definitive story about the couple.

Meghan and Harry with the duchess mother Doria Ragland who has been a presence in Archies life (Ben Stansall/PA)

And in another development in their lives, the duchess lost the first High Court skirmish in her claim against the publisher of the Mail on Sunday over publication of a private and confidential letter to her estranged father.

Meghan is suing Associated Newspapers over five articles, two in the Mail on Sunday and three on MailOnline, which were published in February 2019 and reproduced parts of a handwritten letter she sent to Thomas Markle, 75, in August 2018.

In a ruling last Friday, Mr Justice Warby struck out parts of Meghans claim against the publisher, including allegations that it acted dishonestly by leaving out certain passages of the letter, following an application by Associated Newspapers.
A man was arrested and charged with the attempted rape of a nurse, who came to New York City from upstate to help with the coronavirus outbreak, police said.

Bronx resident Jason Roberts allegedly attacked the woman on Friday night.

The New York Post reports that he followed her inside the apartment building in which she is staying at 149th Street and Broadway in the Hamilton Heights neighbourhood of Manhattan.

Mr Roberts allegedly punched the victim in the face and tried to tear off her clothing. She was able to fight him off and he fled, taking her cellphone.

He was arrested by NYPD officers on Monday night and charged with attempted rape, robbery and burglary.

The woman was bruised and suffered some pain, but refused medical attention.

As many as 90,000 retired and active health care workers volunteered to help New York battle the Covid-19 pandemic when the city and state became the epicentre of the outbreak in the US.

Some 21,000 came from out-of-state according to figures from the governors office.

Many volunteer medical personnel are housed in hotels and serviced apartments at heavily discounted rates while they work to combat the surge of cases New York has seen in the past month.

On Tuesday morning there were 181,034 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in New York City. The official death toll is 18,580.

NYPD statistics show an overall dramatic fall in crime during the month of April as the statewide lockdown continues  a 28.5 per cent decrease over April 2019.

The number of car thefts and murders was up, and there was substantial increase in burglaries of commercial premises. Reported incidents of rape were down 55.2 per cent, but NYPD stresses that many rapes go unreported.
This is a critical scenario, and we are being cautious in giving any kind of further relaxation, over and above the permissions given to industrial units and businesses, says Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani.

Gujarat was one of the last states in India to record its first coronavirus infection, in the month of March, but earned the dubious distinction of recording the highest single-day fatality due to the virus  49  on Tuesday. The positive cases now stand at 6,245, with 368 deaths.

To add to the woes, scores of migrant workers came out on the streets on Tuesday in the states commercial hubs  Ahmedabad and Surat  following rumours about bus services to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

As the infections and fatalities spike up in the state, Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, in an exclusive interview with Firstpost talked about his administrative preparedness in dealing with the advancing pandemic, use of plasma therapy, third phase of lockdown, the migrant labourer-crisis, restarting economic activities in the state and more. Edited excerpts follow:

Whats Gujarat governments approach towards lockdown 3.0?

We have adopted a two-pronged approach. First, to ensure the safety and health of our citizens, for which we identified the hotspots and areas with fewer cases. Hotspot areas were sealed and the movement was restricted under the cluster containment strategy.

The second approach ensures sufficient availability of essential goods and services in the state. Weve not let this lockdown affect our supplies of food grains, fruit, vegetables, milk, medicines and other medical supplies, and these are available in sufficient quantities across the state.

Through a strong supply-chain mechanism, we have ensured that the shelves of shop-owners have enough supplies and people are able to access them. While the citizens of Gujarat are cooperating, our police personnel are on the alert to maintain law and order and enforce the lockdown strictly. On the other hand, our lead COVID warriors  doctors, medical staff and police  are fiercely protecting the infected people.

Were going very strict with red zones and continue to maintain lockdown in hotspot districts of Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Bhavnagar and Gandhinagar. However, following MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) guidelines, certain relaxation has been given to small businesses and standalone shops in red, orange and green zones.

Botad, Bopal, Khambhat, Bareja, Godhra and Umreth, which fall in the red zone, have not been provided with any other liberties except those related to essential items.

Click here for Coronavirus Outbreak LIVE Updates

Jamnagar and Junagadh Municipal Corporations, and 156 other municipalities will be provided necessary permissions to restart industries and units in accordance with the Centres guidelines. Relaxation in the green zone will be as per the MHA guidelines, keeping social distancing and safety in mind. No movement of any kind shall be allowed from 7 pm to 7 am in any of the zones in Gujarat. Licensed liquor shops and tobacco shops shall remain closed in all the zones across the state in order to prevent crowding of people.

This is a critical scenario, and we are being cautious in giving any kind of further relaxation, over and above the permissions given to industrial units and businesses.

Gujarat had very few COVID-19 positive cases and fatalities initially. The first case was reported on 19 March, almost one-and-half months after Indias first case. How did it become the second state after Maharashtra in the number of cases (6,245 so far) so rapidly? And why does Ahmedabad account for the bulk of infections and deaths in Gujarat?

Right, the first case was registered on 19 March, but the government had already started taking preventive measure since early March, keeping in mind the inflow of travellers in Gujarat throughout the year.

As a pre-emptive measure, we started thermal screening at our airports and any traveller returning from a COVID-19 affected country was closely monitored. Around 30,000 people were home quarantined after being screened. Suspected cases were examined and only a few were found positive. This is the primary reason why Gujarat did not witness a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases immediately after the first case was reported.

The increase in the number of cases started happening post the Tablighi Jamat incident. As soon as we got to know about the infected people entering Gujarat, we started identifying them but by then, they had already come in contact with their friends and family in large numbers. In fact, a majority of the cases from Ahmedabad are from residential areas of the people, who had attended the Markaz event in Delhi.

At present, the spike in cases is because of the aggressive testing strategy. Our health department teams are going to every nook and corner, be it hotspot areas or infected areas of all the districts, to conduct these tests. Hence, the number is proportionate to the density of the population in each of these areas.

Surat also has emerged as a major hotspot...

Surat is now under control and 20 to 25 cases per day are being reported. Besides the factor that triggered infection in Ahmedabad, there is the Rana community in a locality called Maan Darwaja in Surat, among whom coronavirus got spread and led to the spike in numbers there.

What steps has your government taken to contain the fast spread of Coronavirus in the state?

We were almost the last state to see the first case for the virus, but the precautionary measures had been implemented when we got to know that this deadly virus had entered India.

Once we had our first case reported, we formed a core committee and discussed the strategy in detail with a conclusion to start our next step that was the identification of the potential cases through testing and their subsequent treatment and cure of the infection. At present, we are conducting more than 3,000 tests per day, and our test per million capacity is also increasing gradually.

For example, we put 750 teams of health officials for seven consecutive days in the hotspot areas of Ahmedabad and a team of 666 health officials in Surat for three days to conduct door-to-door tests and awareness drive in the hotspot areas.

Once the patients are tested and identified, we take them to the dedicated COVID-19 hospitals. We were the first state to open COVID-19 hospitals with a capacity of 2,200 beds (altogether) in four major cities in March itself. At present, Gujarat has 61 COVID-19 hospitals, including 31 private hospitals, with a capacity of 10,500 beds with 1,500 ICU beds and 1,500 ventilators. Treatment expenses are borne by the state and soon, we will expand the capacity to 22,500 beds, including 10,000 beds in COVID-19 Care Centres.

We are using drones to monitor the situation and anyone found violating the rules is punished. The use of a drone has further helped us in controlling the movement of people while giving real-time updates.

Despite having such an advanced system of micro-level tracking and monitoring every sector through your pet project  CM Dash Board, whats the reason behind this sudden spike in COVID-19 cases?

Let me describe the mechanism behind the CM dashboard. The tool works on the input of thousands of data points, which are collected and processed at the level of districts and the departments. However, pandemic requires peoples cooperation and support. The spike happened because there were cases of Tablighi Jamaat members hiding their travel history. While on one side, we are aggressively testing in the infected areas, on another side, we also have helpline numbers for inquiries related to COVID-19 and for online consultations for people who have symptoms or even a doubt of the infection.

At the same time, the CM dashboard has been of utmost importance during this lockdown period. I have been conducting all administrative tasks and meetings using CM dashboard during this lockdown. Through this platform, Im regularly in touch with the Corona warriors, who are working on the front line, like doctors, medical staff and police, and with district collectors, on the status of infection in each district.

What has the government done for migrant labourers and workforce stranded in the state?

The lockdown across the country was imposed at short notice, and the movement of people was restricted. Though the lockdown has caused inconvenience to the people, we all know it is for everybodys welfare. As Surat is one of the fastest-growing cities in India, it has a large number of migrant workers from across the country. The government had communicated to the district administration, municipal corporations, business houses and social organisations to take care of all the people who were not from our state and to provide them with all necessary help.

I am proud of our local administration which has made special arrangements for more than 1.25 lakh labourers in Surat. We have distributed free rice, pulses, sugar and salt to these labourers, under our states scheme Anna Brahma Yojana meant for the poor, deprived, and helpless sections of the society. Weve also covered those migrant workers who dont have ration cards. Till now more than three crore food packets have been distributed to the people in need, including poor.

Very recently, we have also made provisions for the workers to return to their home states in case they want to. However, now with the opening up of industries and labourers getting work and wages, I hope the movement will be less.

Your government has roped in teachers of government-run primary schools to trace migrant workers and provide them with free ration. How far has this move been successful?

As part of the government machinery, the teachers are also rendering their services. This has been very successful as with the help of teachers acting as volunteers we could reach more people in a short span of time. This step ensured that no one in Gujarat sleeps hungry during this tough time. We all are in this together.

What are your plans to restart economic activities without inviting the risk of spreading COVID-19 and how would you manage social distancing at work? Are enough masks and protective gear available for the industrial workers?

After the Centre announced certain relaxation in the lockdown rules post 20 April, the core committee came up with a plan to ease the lockdown in a phased manner. We decided to grant permission to all those industrial units and businesses falling outside the limits of municipalities and municipal corporations and containment zones. We also provided the freedom to labourers to work for a 12-hour shift with additional remuneration for extra hours. The export units outside the containment zone with prior export orders were also granted permission to operate. Based on the MHA guidelines, industrial units are expected to follow certain Standard Operating Procedures to ensure safe and hygienic atmosphere at the workplace. The norms of social distancing are also being followed stringently.

As the number of cases was gradually rising in the country, we held meetings with the key manufacturers of medical supplies and pharmaceuticals in the state. We asked them to increase their productivity and ensure uninterrupted supplies. The government is regularly procuring these items, including N95 masks, PPE kits and protection gear, after checking the product quality. Were also manufacturing Hydroxychloroquine medicine and we are comfortable with our stock. Gujarat is the first state to manufacture ventilators locally. After successful testing, we have placed an order of 1,000 units of the ventilator with a Rajkot-based firm.

Apart from this, after the Centres decision to relax the lockdown rules, we have till now opened around 40,000 industrial units where more than 5 lakh workers are back at work. At the same time, more than 30,000 people are working at private construction sites.

Are Gujarat hospitals going for plasma therapy to treat COVID-19 patients?

Weve asked the Centre and ICMR to guide us on this. In Gujarat, this therapy has been tested on a patient and ICMR is also conducting experiments. If they succeed and we get a nod from them, well implement it in our hospitals.

Recently, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi urged your government to relocate 6,000 fishermen from Andhra Pradesh who had got stranded along the Gujarat coast and were facing poor hygiene and sanitation facilities...

Weve sent all of them back home safely. In fact, the Andhra Pradesh government delayed it for a week, otherwise, these fishermen would have reached home earlier.

Will you open up one of your major tourist destinations  Statue of Unity and the adjoining 18 tourist spotsthat record more than 30,000 footfalls on weekends, once the lockdown is over?

The lockdown shall be lifted in a measured and phased manner. Our first priority is to safeguard lives and livelihood. Tourists destinations, places of mass gatherings etc. shall be opened at an appropriate time and we are not in a hurry to open them without weighing all the options.
Cleaning services for all schools will be ramped up from Monday as part of the NSW government's $250 million spend to hire extra cleaners.

Cleaners will be hired to provide day-time cleaning in all schools from Monday when more students are expected to return to the classroom.

The Berejiklian government said cleaners would step up daily cleaning of hard surfaces including hand rails, light switches, door handles, desks, tables and chairs.

Arou Akot is among school cleaners in Sydney being asked to work extra hours. Credit:Wolter Peeters

Cleaner Arou Akot said he has welcomed an extra two hours of work on top of his regular shifts per day.
MIDLAND, MI  Northwood Universitys 42nd annual Freedom Seminar is taking place online and the theme this year is coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Northwoods McNair Center for the Advancement of Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship is hosting the seminar titled, How to Cope with COVID," Thursday through Sunday, May 14-17, via a series of virtual presentations.

Presenters will address the pandemics effects on the economy and the solutions a free-enterprise society can offer in response," according to a Northwood news release. Topics will include how to make moral decisions in a time of crisis and what COVID-19 has taught us about our health care system.

A dozen academic and business leaders from Northwood University, the McNair Center, Galen Institute, American Enterprise Institute, University of Michigan-Flint, The Fund for American Studies, American Legislative Exchange Council, Association of Builders and Contractors, and Middle Tennessee State University will lead the panel discussions.

How does a free society cope with the political, economic, and ethical challenges arising from this global pandemic? These are the kinds of questions Freedom Seminar speakers will address in light of the world situation, Dale Matcheck, professor and chairman of the Northwood University Economics Department, said in a statement. While the virtual format is a change from years past, we think this highly relevant topic will be of interest to a broad range of people.

Tim Nash, director of the McNair Center for the Advancement of Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, added in a statement, The Freedom Seminar is an annual opportunity to remind ourselves of the personal freedoms we exercise and the responsibility that comes with having those freedoms. Sharing the philosophy of The Northwood Idea through the Freedom Seminar is even more critical given todays circumstances. Our guests can expect a robust dialogue that challenges all of our thinking.

Go to northwood.edu/freedom-seminar for more information and the full list of events.

Stories that highlight how our communities are Powering Positivity are being done in partnership with The MediLodge Group, which has skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities throughout Michigan.

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Wednesday, May 6: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan
NDC Member of Parliament for Bia East constituency, Richard Acheampong says Ghanaians will never make the second mistake of giving President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his NPP government a second term to mess up the proper economic measures put in place by his predecessor.



Speaking on Okay FMs 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, the Bia East MP said the Akufo-Addo government should not delude itself into thinking that it has that sense of entitlement.



The NPP is advancing an argument that former President Kufuor did most of the developmental projects in his second term and so the second term of President Akufo-Addo, he will do a lot of projects . . . but who gave them that sense of entitlement that Ghanaians will give them a second term? . . . they will have to account for their stewardship to Ghanaians for the 4 year mandate to determine their fate, he stated.



Delving into the dumsor saga, the NDC MP pointed out that John Mahama inherited that particular crisis, and therefore it cannot be said to be incompetence on the part of the NDC.



What happened before President Kufuor carried pastors to pray at the Akosombo Dam? What was happening there? Was it not because of dumsor that the pastors went to pray at the Akosombo Dam? Where did President Mahama bring dumsor from? He inherited dumsor and he made sure that he fixed it before he left power. He didnt bring dumsor into the country, we knew it but he put measures in place to address the issue, he recalled.



He stressed that President Akufo-Addo is giving freebies to Ghanaians in the midst of the COVID-19 due to the availability of the commodities provided by former President John Mahama; thus, President Akufo-Addo in his almost 4 years in office cannot show one water system, electricity plant and a hospital project he has added to the existing ones.



He reiterated that it would have been difficult for President Akufo-Addo to supply free water and subsidised electricity and even have enough hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients if former President Mahama has not invested in water, electricity and the health sector.



These are the issues we are raising that John Dramani Mahama made a lot of investments in the health, Agric, electricity, oil and gas sectors and even in the service sector and that is why we are benefiting from these dividends. Governance is continuos and so if you take advantage over what someone did, you give credit to the person who started all these projects and finished them, he argued.



Touching on the economy, the Bia East lawmaker said that the so-called robust economy which is projected by the Akufo-Addo government has a growth rate of 1.5 percent as compared to the NDCs 3.5 percent which was brandished as bad.



He again mentioned that the debt to GDP ratio after rebasing is around 76 percent; thus, with rebase under the NDC, the debt to GDP ratio was 52 percent, showing that the NDC performed better than the NPP doing currently.



Our total debt was 120 billion under the NDC but as we speak it is 136 billion and so which one is better? To whom much is given, much is expected and so if you ask the Akufo-Addo government the projects they have used all these monies for, they will tell you that all the projects will be done in the second term. Who told them that we will give Nana Akufo-Addo a second term? he rhetorically asked.

Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to reporters at the State Department (AFP Photo/KEVIN LAMARQUE)

Washington (AFP) - The United States will use all options to free two Americans said to be detained in a failed mercenary attack in Venezuela, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday.

"If the Maduro regime decides to hold them, we will use every tool that we have available to try to get them back," Pompeo told reporters.

He reiterated President Donald Trump's denial of US involvement, quipping: "If we had been involved, it would have gone differently."

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whom the United States has been seeking to topple for more than a year, on Monday displayed the passports of two Americans he said were arrested in a plot to bring him down.

While it was unclear where they were detained, Venezuelan officials earlier said they had foiled an attempted landing by mercenaries on a beach near Caracas in which eight people were killed.

Maduro tried to tie the alleged plot to Juan Guaido -- the opposition leader considered interim president by the United States and some 60 other countries.

Venezuelan officials said that Guaido had a $212 million contract with a Florida-based security firm founded by former US special forces soldier Jordan Goudreau, who has openly said he is working to oust Maduro.

Guaido denied the contract and Pompeo declined comment.

"As for who bank-rolled it, we're not prepared to share any more information about what we know," Pompeo said.

The State Department earlier dismissed Maduro's account as "melodrama" and accused him of concocting details to deflect from mounting troubles at home.
By Daniel Wiessner

May 6 (Reuters) - A U.S. federal judge has dismissed a worker advocacy group's lawsuit accusing Smithfield Foods Inc, the world's largest pork processor, of failing to adequately protect employees from the novel coronavirus at a plant in Missouri.

Smithfield is already taking many of the steps called for by the Rural Community Workers Alliance, including screening production-line workers for symptoms and installing barriers between them, U.S. District Judge Greg Kays in Kansas City, Missouri said in his ruling on Tuesday.

Kays also said that under President Donald Trump's executive order in April requiring meatpacking plants to remain open during the pandemic, the federal government, and not the courts, were responsible for overseeing working conditions.

Virginia-based Smithfield, which is owned by China's WH Group Ltd, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

David Muraskin, a lawyer for the advocacy group, on Wednesday said the decision was disappointing but that the lawsuit had spurred Smithfield to make changes in response to workers' concerns.

"We wish that Smithfield would do more, but the decision shows that workers can organize and move companies to make changes, and that's a really important development," Muraskin said.

In the lawsuit filed last month, the RCWA accused Smithfield of creating a "public nuisance" by failing to protect workers at the Milan, Missouri plant and endangering the surrounding community.

Smithfield responded that it had implemented protections recommended by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and other agencies.

The company said the lawsuit should be dismissed because OSHA is already conducting an investigation of the Milan plant, and government agencies are continually changing their guidance for the industry.

Kays agreed in his decision on Tuesday.

"Under these circumstances, where the guidelines are rapidly evolving, maintaining a uniform source for guidance and enforcement is crucial," the judge wrote.

Smithfield has closed other pork-processing plants in Missouri, Wisconsin and South Dakota after outbreaks of coronavirus cases among workers. Companies like Tyson Foods Inc, Cargill Inc and National Beef Packing Co have also shut U.S. meat plants during the pandemic.

Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that about 4,200 workers at meat and poultry plants had contracted the novel coronavirus, and 20 had died. (Reporting by Daniel Wiessner in Albany, New York Editing by Paul Simao)
Rotunda Rumblings

Coronavirus cuts: Gov. Mike DeWine announced $775 million in state budget cuts on Tuesday, most of which affect education and health care, cleveland.coms Andrew Tobias reports. The cuts include $300 million from K-12 school funding, $210 million from Medicaid and $110 million from higher education. But it leaves the states $2.7 billion rainy-day fund intact  for now. DeWine said additional details will be coming later today.

Crisis communication: Since nearly the start of the crisis, House Speaker Larry Householder consistently has pushed back against DeWines sweeping actions to respond to the coronavirus. As Tobias writes, fellow GOP House members say hes responding to their concerns and standing up for separation of powers, but state Sen. Matt Dolan says Householder is scoring political points at the expense of the states crisis response.

Not really a day off: DeWine said hes taking a break from his weekday briefing Wednesday to review reports from the working groups advising him on the reopening of restaurants, bars, day cares and salons. He said he hoped to make an announcement Thursday, cleveland.coms Marc Bona reports.

School solution? If Ohio children return to school in August, it could be for two days a week of classroom instruction, supplemented with online learning. DeWine said Tuesday thats an option being considered as officials try to figure out the best path for K-12 education during the pandemic, cleveland.coms Emily Bamforth reports. No decision has been made, though.

The numbers: Ohio now has at least 20,969 coronavirus cases, including 1,135 people who have died, cleveland.coms Laura Hancock reports. During the governors daily briefing, people who dont think their workplace is safe were encouraged first to talk to their employers, and if they get nowhere, to complain to local health departments.

Death total: The 79 deaths reported Tuesday by the Ohio Department of Health was the second highest total since the outbreak of coronavirus in early March. But it will take a few days to know whether that is a new trend. Cleveland.coms Rich Exner reports this data sometimes is lagging, and notes that the number of deaths reported totaled just 54 for the previous three days combined (18, 17 and 19).

Taking a toll: The Ohio Turnpike is losing millions of dollars in tolls because of reduced traffic attributed to the coronavirus crisis, cleveland.coms Robert Higgs reports. Ohio Turnpike Commission has imposed a hiring freeze and plans to reduce some work shifts, among other cost-cutting measures.

Blast from the past: DeWine said Tuesday that former Gov. Ted Strickland has been advising the governors office on how to manage COVID-19 in prisons. Strickland, a Democrat who led the state during the Great Recession, is a former prison psychologist. DeWine also said Tuesday hes also been in touch with his immediate predecessor, former Gov. John Kasich.

First aid for hospitals: Hospitals in Ohio that got advance payments from Medicare to help them weather the coronavirus pandemic would like to have the loans forgiven in light of the dire financial circumstances theyre facing because of the outbreak, reports cleveland.coms Sabrina Eaton.

Hello operator: Ohio members of Congress want Ohioans who cant access the internet to be able to track the economic stimulus payments the federal government is issuing to help people pay their bills during the coronavirus pandemic, writes Eaton. Theyd like the IRS to consider creating a telephone hotline for those who cant access the agencys online portal, or to let congressional offices work with IRS liaisons to update information for their constituents.

FBI probe: Republican Rep. Jim Jordan, suggesting a pattern of misconduct and politicization at the highest levels of the Obama-Biden-era FBI, is accusing Federal Bureau of Investigation officials of trying to entrap former National Security Adviser Michael T. Flynn in a lie so he could be prosecuted or fired, Eaton writes. The Champaign County congressman wants the FBI and House Judiciary Committee to probe the matter.

Good, doctor: Ohio Health Department Director Dr. Amy Acton got some more positive publicity on Tuesday. The New York Times opinion department produced a video praising Acton as the brains behind Ohios aggressive coronavirus response and also the states most effective messenger.

In general: Former Joe Biden campaign manager Greg Schultz, an Ohio native, joined the Cuyahoga County Democrats Tuesday night for a Zoom call where he gave some glimpses into what the general election campaign might look like. Schultz, who now works as a general election adviser for Biden in Midwestern states, said  assuming a return to some semblance of normalcy  people can expect to see paid staff and campaign offices, with Cuyahoga County likely having one.

Bit by bit: As far as strategy for how the Biden campaign intended to flip Ohio, Schultz had this to say: There is no silver bullet. You have to keep the numbers up in Cuyahoga but you cant get crushed in Delaware and Medina and Ashtabula and counties across the state. Joe Biden has a history of losing better. And what I mean by that is instead of getting 41% in a county, Joe Biden will get you 43%. If you do that in enough places, its very hard for a Republican to chip away and win a statewide office.

Full Disclosure

Five things we learned from the Feb. 18, 2020 financial disclosure of state Rep. Kristin Boggs, a Columbus Democrat:

1. In addition to her House salary of $87,814, Boggs disclosed making $10,000 to $24,999 in rental income from a condo in Grandview.

2. At some point in 2019, she owed at least $1,000 to PNC Bank, the U.S. Department of Education, SunTrust Mortgage Company, EdFinancial and FirstMark Student Loans.

3. The Ohio Chamber of Commerce provided her with $70.25 in lodging for its policy conference at Salt Fork State Park.

4. She received an award from the Fraternal Order of Police worth $214.68.

5. She has an active law license.

On The Move

Kimberly Padilla will serve as lead fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Tim Ryans re-election campaign. She is an experienced Democratic fundraiser who previously served as finance director for Sen. Sherrod Brown.

Birthdays

State Rep. Haraz Ghanbari

Daryl Jones Jr., legislative aide to state Rep. Terrence Upchurch

Bill ONeill, former Ohio Supreme Court justice

Straight From The Source

This is a political game of chess between the Republican-led executive and legislative branches, and the legislative staff and thousands of other workers are just their pawns.

- House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes, in a Tuesday op-ed published on cleveland.com describing disagreements among Republican state officials on when and how to re-open businesses.

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.
Israel has suggested 50 topics in health and science where it can cooperate with India to find solutions to the Covid-19 crisis even as it works to bring together private enterprises from both sides to develop technologies to manage and overcome the pandemic.

After successfully controlling coronavirus infections, Israel is sharing its experiences, best practices and strategy for exiting from a lockdown with the Indian side, Israeli ambassador Ron Malka told a small group of journalists via video conference on Wednesday.

We have started a special form of cooperation for Covid-19 and weve nominated a point of contact in Israel, who is coordinating with Israeli experts. We have offered India 50 topics for cooperation in health and science regarding the coronavirus, Malka said.

At the same time, Israel is working to put together start-ups and entrepreneurs from both sides to work on finding solutions to different aspects of the Covid-19 crisis. The focus, Malka said, is not just on equipment to prevent infections and defeat the virus but also on facilitating new ways of doing things amid the unprecedented lockdown.

The focus is on top priority areas we want to promote to defeat the virus but also on new methods and equipment to manage the situation, he said, referring to the development by Israel of solutions such as hand washing stations, ultra-violet light technology, 3D printing of face masks and anti-virus fabrics that block and kill viruses.

He also referred to the development of a low-cost ventilator, whose design and codes are open-source, by Israeli researchers from private companies and state-run companies such as Microsoft and Israeli Aerospace Industries, and the breakthrough by the Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR) in isolating an antibody that neutalises SARS-CoV-2.

I think this crisis brought Israel and India even closer together, given the fact that we are seen as a precious and close friend, given that there is mutual trust and respect between Israel and India, especially in areas of science and technology, Malka said.

Malka also spoke of Israels use of technology for tracing those who tested positive and the people they were in contact with against the backdrop of a debate in India on privacy concerns related to the Aarogya Setu aap.

This is a very careful line that we are now playing because we need to balance betweenthe need not to violate privacy [since] Israel is a democracy respecting the rights of everyone and universal freedom [and] on the other hand, we have this tech that can help us get control and help save peoples lives, he said.

The technology is being used for a limited extent and time by the executive while the legislative branch works on laws and procedures under the supervision of the judiciary, he said. The basic thing is trust and understanding. In other times, no one will even dare to offer this kind of tracing, he added.

Israel is also keen to share data on Covid-19 with India as having more data to analyse will help uncover patterns and characteristics of the disease, he said.

Malka, a trained economist, said any exit strategy for a lockdown will be all about balancing life and livelihood. He said, We understand health is very important but the economy is also important for the health of the people.

Asked about the call from several countries for an investigation into the origin of Covid-19, Malka said: The focus now is on trying to defeat the virus, taking the right measures to fully control the infection curve and develop a vaccine or a medicine as fast as we can while we find a balance between the needs for health and the economy.

The investigation  where did it come from and why  this is something that we can leave for later. I dont think Israel is involved with that and I know we have harnessed all our efforts, our experts and our technology just to defeat this virus.

Israel, which was one of the first countries to go into a total lockdown, has so far recorded more than 16,000 Covid-19 cases and 238 deaths. More than 10,500 people have recovered and only 70 are still in intensive care, the envoy said.

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Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 6, 2020) - Gravitas Financial Inc. (CSE: GFI): Further to its April 21, 2020 announcement of its debt repurchase agreement (the "Debt Repurchase Agreement") with the fiduciary acting on behalf of the beneficial holders of substantially all of Gravitas' secured debt (the "Debtholder"), Gravitas Financial Inc. ("Gravitas") announces that it has closed the transactions contemplated in the Debt Repurchase Agreement and acquired all of the 8% variable secured debentures issued pursuant to the trust indenture of Gravitas dated June 25, 2013 and the 3.5% secured notes issued pursuant to the trust indenture of Gravitas dated December 3, 2014 (collectively, the "Notes") held by the Debtholder on behalf of the beneficial holders (collectively, the "Purchased Notes"). The purchase price paid for the Purchased Notes was $1,189,394.00, being an amount equal to all cash and cash equivalents of Gravitas as at the date of closing (other than the amount of $171,582.67 and certain further amounts that the Debtholder has approved for use to pay certain obligations of Gravitas, including transaction expenses and the Defeasance Amount (defined below)) (the "Transaction").

Immediately upon completion of the Transaction, Gravitas paid to the remaining holders of Notes other than the Purchased Notes (collectively, the "Remaining Notes") all amounts owing under such Remaining Notes, being $73,852.88 (the "Defeasance Amount", with such transaction being the "Defeasance Transaction").

As previously announced, in connection with the completion of the Transaction and the Defeasance Transaction, all outstanding Notes (being all of the Purchased Notes and the Remaining Notes) were cancelled. Gravitas has applied to have the Notes delisted from the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") in accordance with CSE policies, and it is anticipated that the Notes will be delisted effective at the close of business on May 6, 2020.

Gravitas also announces the resignation of Brent Houlden from the board of directors effective as at the close of business today. The board thanks Mr. Houlden for his contribution to Gravitas and intends to appoint a replacement director in due course.

Forward-looking Statement

Certain statements in this news release constitutes "forward-looking" statements. These statements relate to future events and can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipated", "intents to" and "will" occur. Forward-looking statements include the timing and completion of the delisting of the Notes by Gravitas from the CSE and the board's intention to appoint a replacement director in due course. All such statements involve substantial known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results to vary from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect current expectations regarding future events and speak only as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, they should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and they will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of Gravitas believes are reasonable assumptions on the date of this news release, Gravitas cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in Gravitas' ongoing filings with the securities regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and Gravitas disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable securities laws.

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It appears Willis Raburu might not be the G.O.A.T he is being made out to be on social media after his supposed new catch disowned him.

The Citizen TV presenter has been the talk of the town after it was reported in the gossip tabloids that he dumped his wife, Marya Prude, and moved on with a fine lass from Uganda.

As a result, this has seen Raburu earn bizarre praise from people of the internet. But as it turns out, the gorgeous lass who is said to be rubbing Raburus belly doesnt even know the 10 Over 10 presenter.

This is according to the popular Instagram busybody Edgar Obare who apparently got in touch with a friend of the lass who goes by the name @mivanoella on Instagram.

It also turns out that she is Rwandese and not Ugandan. I knew she was too fine to be Ugandan. Im sure even some Ugandans were wondering how she can be from their landlocked country.

As evidence, the notorious scandalmonger Obare shared a WhatsApp screenshot of the babe revealing that shes been having a difficult time as a result of the rumors.

I am crying right now everybody is sending me that. I dont even know the guy, the text reads.

Another says: Like how can people just badmouth somebody they never even met.
MahiFX launches a new look website as they celebrate the firm's 10th anniversary

LONDON, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- MahiFX has been crafting eFX solutions for banks and brokers since 2010; helping to drive profits and deliver low risk, stable growth. Towards the end of last year, MahiFX announced the sale of the retail trading platform to focus on the provision of technology and eFX consultancy to banks, brokers and buy-side clients.

Over the last ten years MahiFX has evolved from a retail forex application for consumers, to a modern software provider and consultancy for financial institutions. This progression of the MahiFX brand is designed to reflect the change and direction going forward.

Susan Cooney, Co-Founder said:

"The new website centres on both our technology as well as our people, because this is one of the things that sets us apart. Whilst technology is very important, the insight on how to use it intelligently is vital. The market has become increasingly challenging. In the past it was possible to just install technology, aggregate pricing and run an e-FX business - this is no longer the case. Our role is looking at the problems clients are facing, diagnose issues and ensure they are then armed with the technology and know-how to solve those issues.

We focus on optimising PnL through our automated market making and risk system, as well as providing clients with a powerful analytical system. Users can delve into a range of enquiries around pricing, hedging and client activity, giving them fantastic visibility on their trading.

In 10 years of running MahiFX we have continually evolved to meet new challenges and our technology continues to keep pace with the ever changing market. We are lucky to work with such brilliant minds, many of whom have been with us since the beginning. We are looking forward to the next phase in MahiFX's history and we want to ensure our technology and expertise is available to everyone."

About MahiFX

MahiFX is a financial technology provider specialising in trading optimisation solutions; offering pricing and risk management, algorithmic execution and cutting edge analytics. With an experienced team of traders, technologists and analysts, MahiFX provides both technology and eFX consultancy services, ensuring the most intelligent application of the software.

MahiFX global operations are headquartered in London with offices in New Zealand.

For more information please visit https://mahifx.com

For media information please contact:

media@mahifx.com

T: +44-(0)-203-397-1825
Tens of thousands of mosques across the country were reopened late last month, despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Islamabad, Pakistan  As night falls, worshippers file into the Abdullah bin Masood mosque, in the Pakistani capital Islamabad, hurrying up the steps to attend newly recommenced congregational prayers.

Inside, more than 200 people are gathered, separated by a few feet between them  to maintain physical distancing  as they offer tarawih prayers, a special Muslim prayer offered in the holy month of Ramadan.

There is not a face mask or bottle of hand sanitiser to be seen, as more worshippers walk past the police picket outside to crowd into the mosques inner chamber, with its fluorescent lights twinkling off the latticed mirror ceiling.

Essential services have been reopened, and offering prayers as part of a congregation is also an essential service, Hanif Jallandhri, a Pakistani religious leader who leads a network of more than 20,000 mosques and religious schools, tells Al Jazeera.

In most Muslim countries, authorities have, with the backing of religious leaders, shut down all mosques to the public in a bid to contain the spread of the highly contagious coronavirus, which has claimed more than 247,500 lives worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

In Pakistan, however, tens of thousands of mosques across the country reopened late last month, after religious leaders prevailed upon the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan to allow them to restart congregational services.

It is a unique decision, among Muslim countries, and one that ties into the complex interplay of how political and social power flows in a country where religion is central to public life but does not have a formalised role within State structures.

The result is a constant push-and-pull between religious and political leaders, such as has been seen over the decision to reopen mosques.

Islamic Republic vs Islamist republic

Cases of the coronavirus in Pakistan crossed 20,000 early this month, with at least 526 people dead and more than 6,200 having recovered. Cases have been rising exponentially in recent days, and are expected to hit more than 130,000 by the end of May.

At least 2,682 cases, or 12 percent of the countrys total cases, can be traced back to a single religious gathering by the Tableeghi Jamat missionary organisation outside the eastern city of Lahore in March. It is the largest single group of those infected in the countrys outbreak so far.

Part of the issue for Prime Minister Khans government  which has advocated for loose shutdowns since the start of the outbreak  when taking on religious leaders is one that goes back to the foundation of the country as a homeland for the Muslims of the subcontinent, in 1947.

Pakistan is sort of a unique case, says Ahsan Butt, a political scientist at the George Mason University in the US state of Virginia.

Its a case where its a state built on Muslim nationalism, so Islam and Muslim identity are crucial to the State and the wider society, and the conception of the collective self.

But it is not erected strictly as a Muslim or Islamist state, like Iran or Saudi Arabia.

Worshippers offer the Ramadan tarawih prayer at a mosque in Islamabad [Asad Hashim/Al Jazeera]

As a result, Butt explains, religious leaders and institutions wield a great deal of influence and social power but are not explicitly a part of the State. By comparison, states where religious authority is melded into governance, like Saudi Arabia, have been more able to control their religious establishments during the coronavirus outbreak, shutting down places of worship, including the holiest site in Islam, the Kaaba.

So this leads to a dichotomy: that Islam is central to Pakistans being, but [religious] actors are, in their perception, outside the State. Clerics may influence the country very strongly, but they are not the ones actually in power.

Religious parties have never won a significant number of seats in Pakistani elections. Butt argues that they rely instead on latent power, not juridical power.

Their power comes from their standing and status; it comes from the threat of coming out on the street.

Impossible to enforce plan

Tensions came to the fore on April 14, when an alliance of religious leaders from across the Pakistani Muslim sectarian spectrum  a rare occurrence  came together to declare that they were unilaterally reopening mosques for congregational prayers, in defiance of government lockdown orders.

The step prompted the government to negotiate with a committee of religious leaders, agreeing to a 20-point plan for reopening mosques from late April. The steps include enforcing physical distancing guidelines between worshippers, discouraging the sick and elderly from attending prayers, providing hand sanitiser to congregants and discouraging socialising within the mosque.

Days later, leading Pakistani doctors warned that the decision could lead to a spike in coronavirus cases. Religious leaders say they will take responsibility for implementing the directives and that the government can act if rules are not followed.

In visits to observe congregational prayers at six major mosques in the Pakistani capital, Al Jazeera observed varying levels of compliance with the safety directives. In some, a handful of congregants stood more than six feet (two metres) apart and only those wearing face masks were allowed inside. In others, hundreds of worshippers crowded in, shoulder-to-shoulder, to offer prayers with no safety precautions visible.

Its impossible to enforce, says Madiha Afzal, a fellow at the Brookings Institution who studies political economy and extremism.

The buck is on the [the mosque leader]. Who is going to ensure that the cleric is doing this? Can there be any authority that ensures this all over the country, [five] times a day?

So why does the Pakistani government itself not enforce these rules more strictly, forcing the religious leaders to obey government-mandated guidelines?

Afzal argues that this is because of how religious authority in Pakistan is organised  in a decentralised structure not controlled by the State.

The Pakistani state does not have the ability to be authoritarian in terms of religion, she says. It is the Islamic republic, but it is not a theocracy. Its a democracy with a very [] complicated relationship with religion, says Afzal.

Government regulations require areas where worshippers normally perform ablutions to be roped off, although many mosques have not followed these directions [Asad Hashim/Al Jazeera]

Butt concurs with that analysis.

Pakistan is not a fully democratic state, but unlike Egypt, for instance, where the State can clamp down on protests and collective action and on freedom of assembly pretty easily, regardless of who is doing it [] Pakistan does not have that fully authoritarian structure, he says.

Both experts, however, were quick to point out that the Pakistani state had a history of taking authoritarian measures against other types of actors  those opposing the countrys powerful military or advocating for causes deemed prejudicial to national security interests, for example.

Questions of social power

For religious leaders, bound in a constant push-and-pull for social and political power with the State, the calculus in such a situation appears fairly clear.

If you have religious institution or mosques shut down, then the question arises that you have all these other [groceries and businesses] that are open, does that imply that religious aspects of our lives are less important? asks Arsalan Khan, an anthropologist who studies Islamic revivalist movements in South Asia. This is a deen [religion] versus duniya [worldly concerns] problem.

For leaders of organised religion, Khan says there is a real fear, across the board, that religion will be rendered unimportant.

When the politics of religion is organised around the sense that religious feeling is essential to the wellbeing of society, then it is hard to argue that mosques should be closed.

Jallandhri, the religious leader, says Pakistanis need to take spiritual steps to combat the virus, in addition to hygiene precautions.

The government has opened many sectors to ease the lockdown, he says. Our position is that if you open groceries, bazaars, banks, other types of businesses, then the mosque should also be reopened.

There are also very real financial implications for religious institutions if they remain closed. Pakistans government is largely uninvolved in regulating or financing mosques across the country, leaving that up to independent religious boards and organisations.

These [mosques and religious leaders] are basically freelancers, and it is a pretty vicious market, with tens of thousands of mosques, says Butt. They need the donations [and] a lot of it comes from foot traffic  if you cut that during Ramadan, then you cut their income significantly for the year, not just that month.

A notice at a mosque in the Pakistani capital asks worshippers to follow safety precautions while entering the building, including wearing masks, bringing their own prayer mats and offering certain types of prayer at home [Asad Hashim/Al Jazeera]

For religious leaders, there is also the danger of not being seen to adequately protect the place of religion in society, and being outflanked by others who are willing to take a harder line.

If I, as a leader of [a] mosque, dont take the most extreme position, then the second or third in control of this mosque will look to replace me and will have a stronger [or more extreme] argument, says Butt.

Khan agrees, suggesting that senior religious leaders who pushed for the 20-point plan to reopen mosques with the government were reacting to pressure from the bottom of their organisations.

There is a fear [for them] that lower-tier upstarts could rise up, he says. Whoever can control the politics of the street, has leverage and so [] more established religious leaders are very worried about these more radical forces that come from the bottom [replacing them].

Finally, there is the question of how religion may well be something many Pakistanis consider to be an essential service  regardless of questions of social power.

The idea that wellbeing comes from God, this is not just religious leaders that say that, it is a widely accepted thing [in Pakistan], says Khan. This is not necessarily built on an irrational perception of the risk. It may be that you accept those risks, and yet you find that the importance of going to the mosque is greater.

At a small mosque in Islamabads G-8 sector, questions of outflanking and potential ideological coups at the top of religious institutions feel like distant concerns.

A handful of worshippers gather for the nightly tarawih prayer. Across the road stands the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), the capitals main government hospital and the heart of efforts to control the coronavirus outbreak here.

The worshippers stand shoulder-to-shoulder, on a bare marble floor, as the imam begins the prayer.

Asad Hashim is Al Jazeeras digital correspondent in Pakistan. He tweets @AsadHashim
Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday asked the government why stranded migrant workers continued to walk on highways from one state to another and also about its promise of transporting them to their homes in buses or trains.

He also alleged that the pandemic has made every minister and official unaccountable.

"I see images on TV of people walking on the highways from one state to another state. Why is government totally oblivious to and uncaring of their plight?



"What happened to the promise that the migrant workers will be transported by bus and train? Why are these people still walking to their home states," he asked in a series of tweets.

The former Union minister also said that no one in the government answered any questions asked by the opposition or by the people.

"The pandemic has made every minister and official unaccountable," he said.

His tweets referred to groups of migrants including pregnant women and children walking for many kilometres on highways to reach their homes.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pastor reacts to shooting of church board member killed over stimulus check

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A 45-year-old woman, who is a U.S. postal carrier and a board member of a church in Indiana, was shot dead as a resident supposedly hadnt received a stimulus check from her deliveries. The pastor of her church expressed shock.

A 21-year-old man, identified as Tony Cushingberry, was arrested in the shooting of Angela Summers, a board member at Unity of Indianapolis church in Indianapolis, according to KCRA3.

Its real hard. This never happened to us before, the churchs pastor, the Rev. Michael Davis, was quoted as saying. To have someone so integral to the community  to have their life taken so quickly and so violently, its hard to take that in; its hard to understand that.

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is working with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to investigate the circumstances that led up to the shooting, according to Fox59.

Summers, who leaves behind a teenage daughter, was shot in the chest Monday, and the USPIS had offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case.

She couldnt speak, she was hyperventilating, a neighbor, Alondra Salazar, said, according to The Kansas City Star. I think she said something about her kid and thats when I started crying.

Angela was quick a laugh, Davis recalled. Also she was quick with her opinion. You never questioned what Angela was thinking because she would let you know.

Responding to the arrest, the pastor added, It doesnt stop the tears. It actually brought more today because of the relief on knowing this wont have to go on and on. There can be some closure.

The accused faces a life sentence, as Summers was a federal employee on duty. He was charged Wednesday with second-degree murder, assaulting a federal employee and discharging a firearm during a crime," according to court documents, the Star reported.

Paul Toms, president of the local branch of the National Association of Letter Carriers, said Summers had expressed concerns about certain people living at the house where the shooting occurred, according to WXIN.

He said the person inside the house likely did not receive the familys stimulus check as all mail was required to be picked up by residents for about two weeks. Summers had notified the residents about it. She had also requested the owners of a small dog to keep it away from her while she delivered mail.

Yes, there was a history on this for quite a while, as I understand it, Toms was quoted as saying. I want something like this to never happen again. It should never happen.

The dog is a nasty devil that Ive actually had to spray  twice, Summers wrote in a Facebook post days before she was shot, according to the Star. She also said that mail at the residence was stopped until they signed a letter saying they would keep their dog away during her deliveries.

Melissa Hardy, Summers friend of 15 years, remembered her as a loving person. She loved the people on her route. She worried about the older people on her route during this time. She always carried treats, and she would give the dogs treats on her route, she was quoted as saying.
The number of novel coronavirus infections in Delhi mounted to 5,532 on Wednesday after 428 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours, the biggest single-day spike so far, the government said.

The death toll due to the Covid-19 pandemic rose to 65 with a fatality after a gap of three days, according to the Delhi government.

As many as 1,542 patients have recovered so far, while there are 3,925 active cases, the Health Department said, adding that 84 patients were in the ICU and 12 on ventilators.

In the last 24 hours, 428 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Delhi, taking the tally to 5,532, it said. This is by far the largest single-day spike in coronavirus infections in Delhi. The previous highest jump was 427 on May 3.

The number of containment zones in Delhi have reduced to 88, the department said.

A total of 71,934 Covid-19 tests have been conducted till date. The number of Covid-19 patients under home isolation stands at 695, it said.

Health Minister Satyendar Jain told reporters that the coronavirus cases were now doubling in 11 days, which was earlier 13 days. It is so because lot of pending reports were there whose results have now come out, he said.

Jain also visited the newly-constructed hospital at Burari with the health secretary and other officers of the department, with an aim to initially start this hospital as a 450-bed Covid-19 care centre, the bulletin said.

Out of the total 5,532 cases recorded so far, at least 1,299 are admitted at various hospitals like the LNJP Hospital, RML Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital (RGSSH) and AIIMS Jhajjhar, it said.

An order has been issued on the standard operating procedure for shifting asymptomatic or mild symptomatic Covid-19 patients from hospitals to care centres, and shifting of moderately or severely-affected patients from the care centres to hospitals, the bulletin said.

According to the statement, an order has been issued on guidelines for effective tracking and monitoring of people, who are suspected to be infected with Covid-19 and getting themselves tested at various accredited labs across Delhi.

An order has also been issued regarding mobilisation of district teams to ensure timely action and proper follow up of cases under home isolation, it added.
A British family has spent their precious time outdoors during the CCP virus lockdown cleaning the gravestones of more than 20 strangers in the last month.

Ryan van Emmenis, the owner of Cleaning Helps, from Cheshire, England, and his three young children have been working hard at doing good for others amid the spreading pandemic of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus.

In the times when many are unable to visit the gravestones of loved ones, the Van Emmenis familys service to clean headstones at local cemeteries makes it worth appreciating. Whether the headstones are brand new or centuries old, the professional cleaner dad and his three children have been hard at work, all the while paying respect to those who have passed away.

Van Emmenis first got the idea to start cleaning headstones when a friend posted a picture of his sisters graves on social media, reported The Gazette.

The friends picture showed a gravestone that was dirty and weathered, and Van Emmenis knew he could do something about it. So he offered to use the free time hes allowed outside each day as a part of quarantine lockdown to go and clean the headstone.

I thought I can do this more, he told the PA news agency.

Van Emmenis said when he is out on his walks, he comes across some churches that have some really old headstones and tombstones. He planned to take a little brush and some cleaning products with him and help clean a bit each day on his short breaks. He spends about one hour each day on each headstone, which can take a few sessions per stone to fully clean.

You see results and youre like oh, this is great so I just wanted to keep doing it, he said.

Van Emmeniss three childrenBrooke, 12, Lana, 4, and Larsson, 3have found a way to get involved in this act of kindness.

The children dont handle any of the professional cleaning chemicals when they help their dad out. However, as Van Emmenis tidies everything up, the budding little experts work on brushing the headstones while learning from their father about respecting history and respecting those who have already passed away.

Youve got to be respectful of the fact that its someones family member, its someones memories, he said.

Youve got to make sure youre using the right products and youre being careful and delicate with it, he added. Some of these headstones Im cleaning are over 100 years old.

Van Emmenis told the news outlet that people have reached out to him to thank him for being able to clean up the headstones of their loved ones; some even said that they hadnt been able to stop by and pay the headstones proper attention in a while.

When a grave is dull and its got algae on it and you cant read it, he said, theres [sic] nobody seems to give it much time if they dont know the person.

Once youve cleaned up one of these graves, its really noticeable, which means people are stopping and taking a moment to read and remember these people, he added.

A little bit of patience, care, and attention and a soft bristled [sic] brush with a bit of soapy water will do a fantastic job, Van Emmenis told the news outlet.
London: European pharmaceutical giants and research laboratories are on the cusp of releasing tens of millions of coronavirus antibody tests, including one that might reveal whether someone has had the disease or is currently infected.

The race to design, test and distribute antibody testing has been underway since the pandemic exploded across Europe in late February. The kits would test a person's blood to check for the presence of antibodies, which would indicate if they have already had the virus, possibly without even knowing it.

Antibody tests will help scientists understand how widely COVID-19 has spread in the community. Credit:AP

The tests are crucial to better understanding how widely the disease has spread through the community but might also be used to issue some sort of "immunity passport" that would allow people who have been infected and recovered to return to work.

The scientific and medical community is still split on whether a person who had coronavirus is permanently immune to it. They are also divided on how many months or years any immunity might last.
May 6 (Reuters) - Gilead Sciences Inc is in talks with chemical and drug makers to produce its experimental drug remdesivir, a potential coronavirus treatment, for Europe, Asia and the developing world, the firm has said.

Its patent gives the U.S. company exclusive rights to make the antiviral. But international trade rules allow nations defined by the United Nations as least-developed countries (LDCs) to ignore the patent and make drugs such as remdesivir more affordable in their markets.

Here is how production and distribution of remdesivir would work in less developed countries, under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.

WHICH ARE THE LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES?

Of the 47 countries in this U.N. category, 36 https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/tif_e/org7_e.htm belong to the WTO and technically qualify for a waiver on drug patents under the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).

The countries are: Afghanistan; Angola; Bangladesh; Benin; Burkina Faso; Burundi; Cambodia; Central African Republic; Chad; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Djibouti; Gambia; Guinea; Guinea Bissau; Haiti; Lao People's Democratic Republic; Lesotho; Liberia; Madagascar; Malawi; Mali; Mauritania; Mozambique; Myanmar; Nepal; Niger; Rwanda; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Solomon Islands; Tanzania; Togo; Uganda; Vanuatu; Yemen and Zambia.

HOW DO LDCs BENEFIT?

The TRIPS pact https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/trips_e/pharmpatent_e.htm allows LDCs to grant a "compulsory licence" for certain uses of a patented invention without the consent of the patent holder.

It originally restricted drug production to serve mainly domestic markets, but amended rules let LDCs export medicines to countries in need because some nations may lack manufacturing infrastructure.

The agreement will run until at least 2033.

One of Bangladesh's largest drugmakers, Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd, told Reuters it planned to produce the drug initially for domestic use and would seek government approval for exports.

Story continues

WHAT ABOUT OTHER COUNTRIES?

Other WTO members typically have to seek licenses for patented drugs, but may have other recourse.

India, for instance, can issue a compulsory local license to make and sell a drug in circumstances such as public need or if a patented drug is not available at an affordable price. India issued https://in.reuters.com/article/natco-pharma-bayer-nexavar-idINDEE82B0II20120312 such a licence in 2012 to a domestic firm to make German drugmaker Bayer's cancer medicine Nexavar.

Indian drugmakers, a key supplier of cheap medicines to the world, have also struck licensing deals. Gilead issued voluntary licenses https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gilead-sciences-india-idUSKBN0HA0TT20140915 to several Indian firms in 2014 to make cheaper versions of its blockbuster hepatitis C drug sofosbuvir for India and other countries in need.

Similar deals are likely for remdesivir, after Gilead said statement https://www.gilead.com/news-and-press/company-statements/gilead-sciences-statement-on-remdesivir-global-supply it was negotiating with several generic drugmakers in India and neighbouring Pakistan to license and produce the drug for developing countries. Gilead did not give details.

Cipla Ltd, one of India's largest drugmakers and part of Gilead's hepatitis C pact https://www.gilead.com/~/media/files/pdfs/other/hcv%20generic%20agreement%20fast%20facts%20101615.pdf?la=en, has said it is working on developing remdesivir, but has not given details. Cipla is among a handful of firms with the specialised capabilities to make injectable drugs such as remdesivir.

HOW MANY DOSES WILL BE AVAILABLE?

Gilead, which has cut by roughly a third the process time to make remdesivir at scale, expects to have more than 1 million courses of treatment by December and to be able to produce several million in 2021.

It also said it would donate the first 1.5 million doses.

While the global drug industry races to develop a treatment or vaccine for the fast-spreading virus, more than 3.68 million infections have been reported worldwide, with over 256,000 deaths.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?

The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER), which weighs drug effectiveness to decide appropriate prices, put the production cost of a 10-day course at $10, but suggested the price could rise to $4,500 based on patient benefits shown in clinical trials.

Beximco said a course of remdesivir treatment could cost between $295 and $781 per patient in Bangladesh. (Reporting by Sayantani Ghosh and Miyoung Kim in Singapore and Zeba Siddiqui in New Delhi; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
US President Donald Trump denied the governments involvement in what Venezuela called a failed armed incursion and captured two American mercenaries. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro had said that the authorities two American citizens who were working with a US military veteran who has claimed responsibility for the foiled operation.

Well find out. We just heard about it. But it has nothing to do with our government, Trump told the reporters.

The Venezuelan President had said that the authorities seized US passports from the arrested people which belonged to Airan Berry, 41, and Luke Denman, 34. He added that the plot was coordinated with Washington to attempt a coup but the authorities foiled it by killing eight and arresting 13 people.

The US State Department lashed out at Maduro for allegedly cooking up a melodrama to distract people from problems inside crisis-hit Venezuela. A State Department spokesperson reportedly said that there is a major disinformation campaign underway in Venezuela which is making it difficult to separate facts from propaganda.

Referring to alleged falsehoods and manipulation by the Maduro regime, the State Department denied any involvement and asked not to take it at face value. It accused Maduro of highly questionable representation of the details and distortion of facts.

Read: Opposition Leader Denies Ties To Venezuela Invasion Plotters

Ex-Green Beret claims responsibility

Earlier, a former Green Beret, Jordan Goudreau, had taken the responsibility for the failed attack aimed at overthrowing Maduro. Goudreau along with retired Venezuelan Capt. Javier Nieto posted a video from an undisclosed location saying the daring amphibious raid was launched from the border of Colombia deep into the heart of Caracas.

Read: Ex-Green Beret Claims He Led Foiled Raid Into Venezuela

Goudreau claimed that their units have been activated in the south, west and east of Venezuela and 60 of his men are still on the ground. Meanwhile, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido denied his involvement with ex-Green Beret saying he has no relationship nor responsibility for any actions taken by the US war veteran.

Read: Ex-Green Beret Led Failed Attempt To Oust Venezuela's Maduro

Read: Venezuela's Maduro Urges Top Court To Postpone Elections Due To Coronavirus Outbreak

(Inputs / Image: AP)
Ocados sales jumped 40 per cent in the second quarter of the year thanks to surging demand for online grocery shopping.

As the coronavirus spread during March and April, British shoppers stocked up via online deliveries, giving Ocado a sales boost.

The online supermarket expanded capacity in response and sales might have increased even further if Ocado had been able to scale up more quickly.

The company said it had increased capacity at its warehouse in London from 80,000 to 110,000 orders per week. However, it said more normal shopping patterns have returned in recent weeks.

In an attempt minimise the risk of spreading Covid-19, Ocado has introduced what it describes as contact-free deliveries, temperature monitoring for staff, and regular testing of frontline workers.

The sales update came as Ocado prepared to face anger at its annual meeting over chief executive Tim Steiners 58.7m pay deal last year.

Ocado isnt the only grocer enjoying bumper sales. Consumers are making fewer trips to the shops but are spending more when they do venture out, according to data from Kantar. Grocery sales in Britain rose by 5.5 per cent year-on-year in the four weeks to 19 April, the analysts said.

Ocado said it expects the long-term shift towards online grocery to accelerate post-crisis, but said it is unable to provide guidance for its outlook for the rest of the year due to the uncertainty caused by the pandemic.

Mr Steiner said: We are facing quite a different challenge to many, as we scale-up Ocado.com to play its part in feeding the nation, and as we help our clients launch and roll out their online businesses more rapidly against a backdrop of a likely long-term increase in demand for online.

Ocado remains in a strong position and, while we should be grateful that our current challenges are around growth, expansion and increased demand, we have great empathy for all who are facing different challenges at this time.

In retail, we are working with our small suppliers to make sure we pay them earlier than normal and we will work closely with any who are struggling.

Ocados 40 per cent sales jump added to a 10 per cent increase in the first quarter of its financial year. Established in 2000, it is now a joint venture with Marks & Spencer after a tie-up between the two companies agreed last year. M&S announced this week that it would introduce a new 30-minute delivery service in some areas.
Mumbai registered 769 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, the citys highest single-day spike, taking the financial capitals total number of coronavirus cases to a staggering 10,714, according to state health department data.

The total number of deaths in Mumbai city currently stands at 412. Mumbai alone accounts for 63.93% of the Covid-19 cases in the state.

Maharashtra reported 1,233 fresh Covid-19 cases  this too a new single-day high in the last 24 hours, taking the states tally to 16,758. Maharashtras doubling rate currently stands at 10 days, as it crossed the 8,000-mark on April 26.

At least 34 Covid-19 positive patients died in the last 24 hours, with 25 of them from Mumbai. The death toll in the state due to the Covid-19 pandemic now stands at 651.

This is the second time recently that Maharashtra has reported new Covid-19 cases in four digits in a single day, according to the state health department.

The previous one-day high was 1,008 cases, which was reported on May 1.

In India, Maharashtra has been the worst-hit by the highly infectious coronavirus disease. Out of the 34 deaths recorded today, 25 were from Mumbai, three each from Pune and Akola, one each from Jalgaon and Solapur.

According to a senior bureaucrat, the Centre had projected a spike in coronavirus cases in mid-May and therefore the state is making necessary arrangements to deal with the surge in positive cases. The official said that the state is ramping up the number of intensive care unit (ICU) beds and ordering around 15,000 private doctors in Mumbai to go on Covid-19 duty.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has interacted with the central agencies including the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Ministry of Railways and Mumbai Port Trust to provide their hospitals in Mumbai, Pune and other major cities as part of preparedness.

As a part of planning, the state government has requested hospitals, institutions & buildings under the management of the Railways, Mumbai Port Trust, Indian Army, Navy and other Central Gov. undertakings to make their facilities available across Maharashtra. This is to make sure there is availability of ICU beds & isolation centres as a part of preparedness, the chief ministers office tweeted.

State health minister Rajesh Tope too held a meeting with union health minister Harsh Vardhan on the preparation and planning related to the pandemic. The health minister said that the state has issued a notification making it mandatory for private doctors in Mumbai to report to hospitals for treatment of Covid-19 patients.
She's one of the biggest names in Australian breakfast television.

So it's no surprise Samantha Armytage was left aghast after noticing that her own name was spelled incorrectly in the script for Wednesday's episode of Sunrise.

Outraged, the veteran journalist, 43, exposed the gaffe on her Instagram Stories by uploading a photo of her script with the egregious misprint highlighted.

'I've only worked for 17 years': Samantha Armytage, 43, was left outraged after noticing an embarrassing mistake in her Sunrise script on Wednesday morning

'I've only worked for 17 years...', the blonde huffed in her caption.

'My scripts this morning. It's ArmYtage,' she wrote, adding an eye-roll emoji and a crying/laughing emoji.

It's no wonder Samantha was bothered by the misspelling, as the name Armytage is steeped in Australian history.

'It's ArmYtage': Outraged, the veteran journalist exposed the gaffe on her Instagram Stories by uploading a photo of her script with the egregious misprint highlighted

Samantha is a direct descendant of British pioneer George Armytage, who settled in Australia in the early 1800s.

George was exceedingly wealthy and owned amounts of land in Tasmania and Western Victoria.

These days, the Armytage family owns several heritage mansions, including The Hermitage in Geelong and Como House in Toorak.

She's back! Samantha returned to Sunrise on April 20, after taking six weeks off to recover from a 'respiratory infection' at her $2.2million estate in Bowral, NSW

It comes after Samantha returned to Sunrise on April 20, following a six-week break recovering from a 'respiratory infection' at her $2.2million estate in Bowral, NSW.

Her last appearance on the show was on March 13.

She had previously taken a leave of absence on February 26, citing an ongoing 'respiratory illness', before returning for a brief stint on March 3.
Preventing the spread of the coronavirus should be the priority over preventing an extended economic downturn, according to a poll released Tuesday.

And Americans were more concerned states would start reopening their economies too soon rather than not quickly enough, according to the Monmouth University Poll.

The survey was conducted as several governors began to let businesses closed during the pandemic reopen their doors.

Not Gov. Phil Murphy, though. Weve got to do it responsibly, weve got to do it safely, and we are committed to that, he said Tuesday at his daily coronavirus press conference.

In the poll, 63% of Americans said they were more concerned that states would move too quickly, while 29% said they worried that they would be too slow.

In addition, 56% said the more important factor should be making sure as few people as possible get infected, with 33% saying economic concerns should be the top priority.

And 59% said state actions in response to the pandemic were appropriate, compared with 22% who said they had not gone far enough and 17% who said they went too far.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

Governors received praise for how they were handing the pandemic, with 73% saying they were doing a good job and 22% said they were doing a bad job. Views of federal health agencies were 63% positive and 25% negative.

By contrast, only 42% said President Donald Trump was doing a good job handling the coronavirus while 51% saying he was doing a bad job. And by 42% to 33%, Americans said Trumps advise was harmful rather than helpful, with another 23% saying it was neither.

People are looking for a steady hand in a crisis," said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.

State officials and public health professionals have largely been consistent in their approach to the pandemic. This is one reason why satisfaction with their response has been high and stable throughout, unlike views of the presidents actions.

The poll of 808 adults was conducted April 30-May 4 with a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com.
Press Release

May 6, 2020 Gatchalian eyes learning from home as "new normal" in schools for SY 2020-2021 Learning from home. This is the "new normal" that Senator Win Gatchalian sees for School Year (SY) 2020-2021 that will ensure the safety and continued education of the country's more than 27 million learners amid the threat of COVID-19. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture said that with the opening of classes in August, students and teachers would still need to maintain social distancing measures to slow down possible virus transmission in schools. For Gatchalian, this would entail allowing only a maximum of 20 learners in a classroom who can come to school on staggered schedules. Gatchalian emphasized, however, that going back to school does not necessarily mean face-to-face learning because even when learners do not report to classrooms, they should continue their lessons at home with the help of flexible learning modalities, including online platforms, television, radio, and printed materials. He said that the mix of digital, low-tech, and no-tech methods will help the Department of Education (DepEd) reach all learners, especially those in the far-flung areas without access to the internet. Since not all learners have connectivity and available gadgets for online-based learning, the senator said that television and radio will be key to reaching more learners nationwide. According to a 2019 study conducted by Dataxis, a global firm specializing in media business, 18.7 million households in the Philippines still watch television and still the preferred medium of 93 percent of Filipinos. Under Republic Act No. 8370 or the Children's Television Act of 1997, television stations are mandated to allocate a minimum of 15 percent of its daily total airtime for child-friendly shows. Global media intelligence firm Kantar Media's 2019 Media Trends Study also revealed that up to 52 percent of Filipinos still own a radio. While Gatchalian sees a more prominent role for traditional media in DepEd's Learning Continuity Plan, he proposes that the number of subjects be reduced only to the core subjects such as Math, English, and Science to name a few. He also added that DepEd should build partnerships with state-run media organizations such as the People's Television Network (PTV-4) and the Radyo ng Bayan to air these learning materials. "Marami pa rin sa ating mga mag-aaral sa buong bansa ang hindi nakakagamit ng internet, kaya malaki ang potensyal ng radyo at telebisyon upang maipagtuloy natin ang edukasyon sa loob ng ating mga tahanan. Sa pagpasok ng SY 2020-2021, mahalagang magamit natin lahat ng paraaan upang maipagpatuloy ang edukasyon ng ating mga kabataan at mapanatili ang kanilang kaligtasan." said Gatchalian. Gatchalian concluded that the time leading to the opening of classes should focus on preparing teachers, parents, and learners on using different tools for home-based learning. ### Pag-aaral sa tahanan ang 'new nomal' ayon kay Gatchalian Learning from home o pag-aaral sa tahanan. Ito ang nakikita ni Senador Win Gatchalian na pinakamabisa at pinakaligtas na paraan upang maipagpatuloy ang pag-aaral ng mahigit dalawampu't pitong (27) milyong mga mag-aaral sa buong bansa sa kabila ng patuloy na banta ng COVID-19. Ayon sa Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, kailangang panatilihin pa rin sa mga paaralan ang social distancing kapag nagbukas na ang klase sa buwan ng Agosto. Sabi kasi ni Gatchalian, hindi dapat lumagpas sa dalawampung (20) mag-aaral ang kailangang pumasok sa isang silid-aralan upang mapigilan ang patuloy na pagkalat ng COVID-19. Dagdag ng senador, maaaring hindi na pumasok araw-araw ang mga mag-aaral upang maiwasan ang mga malalaking pagtitipon na maaaring maging sanhi ng lalong pagkalat ng virus. Kung halimbawang hindi na kailangang pumasok ng mga mag-aaral mula Lunes hanggang Biyernes, sinabi ng mambabatas na kailangan pa rin nilang ipagpatuloy ang kanilang pag-aaral sa tahanan gamit ang iba't ibang plataporma o learning modalities. Kabilang dito ang mga online platforms, telebisyon, radyo, at mga printed materials. Ayon kay Gatchalian, ang sabay-sabay na pag-gamit sa digital, low-tech, at no-tech na pamamaraan ng pagtuturo ay makatutulong upang maturuan ang lahat ng mga mag-aaral sa bansa, lalo na iyong mga nasa malalayong lugar at walang internet. Dahil hindi lahat ng mga mag-aaral ay kayang mag-online, nakikita ng senador na malaki ang magiging papel ng radyo at telebisyon upang maabot ang mas maraming mga mag-aaral. Ayon sa ulat ng Dataxis, isang global firm na dalubhasa sa media business, mahigit labingwalong (18.7) milyong sambahayan sa Pilipinas ang nanonood pa rin ng telebisyon. Kung ihahambing sa ibang medium tulad ng radyo, mas pinipili pa rin ng mahigit siyamnapung poryento (93) ng mga Pilipino ang panonood sa telebisyon. Sa ilalim ng Republic Act No. 8370 o ang Children's Television Act of 1997, mandato sa mga istasyon ng telebisyon ang maglaan ng hindi bababa sa labinlimang porsyento ng kanilang air time para sa mga programang pambata. Ayon naman sa ulat na 2019 Media Trends ng media intelligence firm na Kantar Media, mahigit limampung (52) porsyento ng mga Pilipino ang nagmamay-ari o gumagamit pa rin ng radyo. Bagama't malaki ang nakikita ni Gatchalian na magiging papel ng radyo at telebisyon sa binubuong Learning Continuity Plan ng DepEd, iminungkahi niya na bawasan ang mga subjects at tumutuk na lang sa mga tinaguriang core subjects tulad ng Math, Science, English, at iba pa. Ipinanukala rin ni Gatchalian ang pakikipag-ugnayan ng DepEd sa media sa ilalim ng gobyerno tulad ng People's Television Network o PTV-4 at ang Radyo ng Bayan, kung saan pwedeng ipalabas ang mga programang makapagbibigay ng edukasyon sa mga estudyante. "Marami pa rin sa ating mga mag-aaral sa buong bansa ang hindi nakakagamit ng internet, kaya malaki ang potensyal ng radyo at telebisyon upang maipagtuloy natin ang edukasyon sa loob ng ating mga tahanan .Sa pagpasok ng SY 2020-2021, mahalagang magamit natin lahat ng paraaan upang maipagpatuloy ang edukasyon ng ating mga kabataan at mapanatili ang kanilang kaligtasan." ani Gatchalian. Kasunod ng anunsiyo ng DepEd na sa Agosto na magbubukas ang klase, mahalaga ayon sa mambabatas na ihanda ang mga mag-aaral, mga magulang, at mga guro para sa home-based learning. ###
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by Kim Sang-wook

The North Korean leader did not undergo any heart surgery. In recent weeks, rumors circulated about his poor health or even death. The regime is grappling with the global pandemic. US Study Center: Pyongyang is building new missile site.

Seoul (AsiaNews) - South Korean secret services deny that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is ill or has undergone heart surgery. The same sources affirm that Kim is still leading the regime, as stated April 3 by the Office of South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

In recent weeks, rumors circulated about his poor health or even the death. Kim reappeared on May 1 while taking part in the inauguration of a fertilizer factory in Sunchon, north of the capital. He had not appeared in public since April 11, when he chaired a high-level meeting of the Workers' Party, which has been governing North Korea since the end of World War II.

Seouls intelligence service, having spoken to a group of national deputies, states Kim reduced his public appearances to focus on domestic problems, particularly the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Pyongyang claims that there is no case of infection in the country: South Korean intelligence officers believe otherwise. The regime closed the border with China in January, when the disease had already spread to many Chinese provinces; until then the exchanges along the border had been very intense, multiplying the chances of contagion.

According to South Korean services, the blockade of connections with the Chinese neighbor has led to a worsening of the economic situation in North Korea, with food prices rising significantly.

Despite this, the same sources say, the situation remains stable in the North, from where there are no signs of a resumption in nuclear activities. This is being contested by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington that the regime is completing a new missile site near the capital. The complex is visible from satellite images and US analysts say it can host intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The social media site Pinterest has rolled out new features to its app, making it easier for users to manage their boards by letting them add dates and notes to them.

Pinterest is an app where users save images  called pins  to collections called boards, with a large base of fashion, travel, home decor and hobbyist users.

Adding notes to boards will allow users to annotate things theyve saved with personal information, such as adding ingredients to an image of a meal or creating to-do lists for crafts.

Users can use dates to track timelines for projects, as well as letting users archive the boards afterwards.

Pinterests other major feature its introducing is an improvement to its recommendation technology, suggesting sections to organise your boards topics.

Recommended Managing your screen time and social media use during lockdown

Maybe you have an unruly number of do-one-day-kids activities on a board, but youll be much more likely to try them if organised into sections like art projects and outdoor games, Pinterest says.

For new users, Pinterest is also recommending more sections when they save their first image, such as suggesting food and drinks when a user starts planning a birthday celebration.

The new features have launched globally on both iOS and Android.

This news comes as Pinterests revenue suffers, as the impacts of the coronavirus continue to damage the technology industry.

The spread of COVID-19 has certainly had an impact on our business and the businesses of our advertisers, but we remain optimistic about the future, Todd Morgenfeld, chief financial officer of Pinterest, said in a statement.

Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100 Google Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019 Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB Apple Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash PA Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology EPA Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty

Things like food and beverage, health and beauty had relatively better demand in the early part of this crisis, he also said. But even those advertisers began to experience supply chain difficulties that had various impacts on their appetite for spend.

Bloomberg reports that April revenue fell eight percent compared to last year due to the shrink in the advertising industry.

This is despite Pinterest reporting a 60% increase in the number of boards created compared to last year, and an increase in engagement.
Every day, MySA.com compiles the latest headlines and helpful links on the COVID-19 pandemic in the San Antonio area.

COVID-19 cases update: The city of San Antonio announced 84 new cases of COVID-19 in Bexar County and one additional death. The total number of cases in Bexar County has swelled to 1,761, and the death count grows to 53.

Traders Village update: Traders Village and other flea markets have received approval by the state to reopen after the city denied their initial opening last weekend. Last week, the city sent told Traders Village officials the outlet could not open based on its understanding of Gov. Greg Abbotts executive order, which allowed places such as retail stores and malls to open, with restrictions.

Bexar County first: In what could be a first for Bexar County, a man convicted of murder will be sentenced online. he was scheduled to be sentenced in March, but about that time, court proceedings were halted as coronavirus restrictions kicked in.

Harlandale commencement: High school graduates at Harlandale Independent School District will have their commencement ceremonies on time, and theyll be with their classmates, but it will look a lot different this year.

Wurstfest update: New Braunfels Wurstfest is keeping its 60th anniversary celebration on the calendar as crews continue rebuilding and repairing two iconic structures devastated by fire last year. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the cancellation of other annual gatherings well in advance, including Oktoberfest in Germany, officials are hopeful Wurstfest will go on.

COVID-19 Tracker: Interactive maps track coronavirus cases in San Antonio, Texas counties and the U.S.

THE GOOD NEWSLETTER: A weekly dose of inspiring San Antonio stories, delivered to your inbox
The ABS-CBN, one of the oldest television broadcasters in the Philippines, was forced off air on Tuesday night, May 5, after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered the company to stop television and radio operations. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) to condemn the cease and desist order and urge the authorities to allow ABS-CBN to continue its operations.

Workers of ABS-CBN and members of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines rally to show support for the broadcaster in Manila on May 5, 2020. Credit: Maria Tan/AFP

NTC has issued a cease and desist order against ABS-CBN on May 5 after the companys congressional franchise expired on Monday, May 4. The network went off air at 7.52 pm local time, just after the airing of flagship news program TV Patrol. NTC has also ordered the radio networks of ABS-CBN, DZMM and MOR, to stop operations.

The cease and desist order comes in the middle of the global health pandemic where media play a vital role in keeping the public safe and informed. ABS-CBN has more than 11,000 workers. NTC has given 10 days for ABS-CBN to respond and explain why the frequencies assigned to it should not be recalled.

The order to stop operations comes after the Philippine governments top lawyer warned the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) against granting ABS-CBN provisional authority to operate while the approval of its franchise is pending in Congress. ABS-CBN is known to have reported critically on key decisions by the Duterte administration.

Prior to being forced off air, the president and CEO of ABS-CBN Carlo Katigbak saidthat the network has done everything and has not violated any laws, in having its franchise renewed and Congress had acknowledged its importance. ABS-CBN chair Mark Lopez said it was painful to go off the air, but the company was not losing hope.

NUJP said: The cease and desist order issued by the NTC against ABS-CBN is a deplorable assault on free press that further reveals that this administration is more interested in restricting basic freedoms than in containing a pandemic.

IFJ said: This is a disgraceful but not unexpected outcome in President Dutertes long-running campaign to silence critical journalism in the Philippines. The president has attempted to muzzle the countrys major broadcaster in submission but journalists at ABC-CBN and their friends globally will not be silenced. We urgently call on all people in the Philippines to voice their disapproval to this outrageous act to shutter ABS-CBN  and voice it loudly and relentlessly. Media freedom should not be at the behest of political power."
How has lockdown gone for you? Have you found time to write your novel, bake Instagram-worthy sourdough bread, train for a marathon and learn to crochet? Nope? Me neither.

Im in the large camp of people who are busier than ever.

Most people working from home don't have time to bake bread during a working day that's busier than ever. Credit:Wayne Taylor

We are the lucky ones, of course. My heart breaks for everyone doing it tough in this economy  the youngsters couch-surfing, the small business owners hitting the wall, the breadwinners suddenly unemployed, the artists and performers left out of JobKeeper, the migrant workers and international students relying on charity and going hungry. The list goes on.

Im immensely grateful to have a job but Im mystified why anyone could think I have more time on my hands. There is more work than ever.
(CNN)  Lufthansa is locked in crunch talks with the German government on the terms of a rescue deal, as it fights to avoid bankruptcy while keeping state influence at bay.

Europe's leading global airline group held its first virtual annual general meeting on Tuesday, unveiling a 1.2 billion ($1.3 billion) first quarter loss and painting a bleak picture of the outlook for global aviation, which has been brought to a virtual standstill by the coronavirus pandemic.

Lufthansa declined to answer questions from shareholders regarding details of its bailout discussions, according to Bloomberg. It said last week that the Swiss government had agreed to guarantee 85% of a $1.5 billion loan package for its Swiss carriers. The group also owns airlines in Germany, Austria and Belgium.

German weekly Der Spiegel and Bloomberg reported Friday that Lufthansa is negotiating a 10 billion ($10.8 billion) bailout with Germany that would give the government 25.1% of the company and a seat on its supervisory board.

Lufthansa declined to comment on the reports. But the company said in a letter sent to staff on May 3 and shared with CNN Business that it believes talks "can be brought to a quick conclusion."

"The support of the German government would be a decisive step for our future viability," the executive board wrote in the letter. "Competitiveness and investment capability continue to be important prerequisites for this."

Analysts are worried that government interference could hamper Lufthansa's ability to quickly execute a planned restructuring program, which would trim its fleet by 13% and could result in as many as 10,000 job cuts. About two thirds of its staff, or more than 80,000 people, are already on reduced working hours.

CEO Carsten Spohr stressed Tuesday that Lufthansa wants to preserve its "entrepreneurial freedom of decision and action."

"We therefore now need government support, but we do not need government management," he told shareholders via video conference.

Adding a "political component" to Lufthansa's board will make things much more difficult because history has shown that decisive action is the best way for an airline to survive a crisis, said Daniel Roeska, a senior research analyst at Bernstein.

"The bigger strategic worry is how long the government influence will be there," he added. "We would hope that investors would also get a chance to participate in an equity raise to demonstrate their support for the company."

Strings attached

Several major carriers in Europe and the United States have sought investor funds and government bailouts to survive a mounting financial crisis brought on by travel restrictions to curb the coronavirus pandemic.

These have come with conditions, including agreements by carriers to cut carbon emissions and a temporary prohibition on layoffs among US airlines. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said last week at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue that governments responding to the pandemic with economic stimulus packages should not pull back from climate protection goals.

Budget carrier Norwegian Air said in a statement Monday that it qualified for state aid of 3 billion Norwegian Krone ($288.7 million), after lessors and bondholders agreed to convert nearly $1 billion of the company's debt to equity and shareholders gave it the go ahead to issue more stock.

French state-backed loans amounting to 7 billion ($7.6 billion) given to Air France-KLM last month included new commitments to cut absolute carbon emissions in half by 2024 on its domestic network, compared with 2019. This will involve reducing capacity on that network and replacing half of its short and medium-haul fleet with less carbon intensive planes, according to a spokesperson.

A spokesperson for Lufthansa told CNN Business last week that capacity adjustments as a result of the coronavirus crisis are accelerating the phasing out of older aircraft with lower fuel efficiency. But "crisis management" means that future investments, such as into sustainable aviation fuels, will be more difficult.

"If we are to continue our broad commitment to climate protection in the future, it is crucial that we regain our economic strength as quickly as possible," the spokesperson said.

Lufthansa is burning a hole in its cash reserves at a rate of 1 million ($1.1 million) per hour, Spohr said Tuesday. "All of our efforts are being annihilated by a single global event. No one could have foreseen this outcome," he said.

Europe's top airlines have announced that as many as 35,000 jobs could be lost between them, as they shrink their businesses for a world in which people fly less. The latest  Virgin Atlantic  said Tuesday that it would cut over 3,000 jobs from its workforce.

"People's travel behavior will change, both in terms of leisure and business travel. As a result, global air transport will have to restructure itself," Spohr said.

This story was first published on CNN.com "Europe's leading global airline is losing $1 million an hour and needs a bailout"
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court heard arguments on Wednesday about whether the Trump administration may allow employers with religious or moral objections to deny women free birth control coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

The case returned the court to a key battle in the culture wars, one entering its second decade and one in which successive administrations have switched sides. According to government estimates, about 70,000 to 126,000 women would lose contraceptive coverage from their employers if the Trump administration prevails.

In the Obama years, the court heard two cases on whether religious groups could refuse to comply with regulations requiring contraceptive coverage. The new case presented the opposite question: Can the Trump administration allow all sorts of employers with religious or moral objections to contraception to opt out of the coverage requirement?

Even as the justices appeared deeply divided along the usual lines on Wednesday, there was broad agreement that the case, Little Sisters of the Poor v. Pennsylvania, No. 19-431, required the court to balance religious freedom against womens health.
Vice President Pence meets with staff and a patient at the Mayo Clinic. You might notice he's the only one not wearing a mask. (Pool report)

Vice President Mike Pence, who's supposed to be in charge of the federal government's coronavirus response, is being properly pilloried Tuesday for strolling through the Mayo Clinic without wearing a face mask.

This despite a clinic rule, issued April 13, requiring "all patients and visitors to wear a face covering or mask to help slow the spread of COVID-19."

Yes, it's true that Pence displayed the utmost arrogance and insensitivity and a profound ignorance of what it means to be a national political leader by flouting the rule. But there's a party in this affair that deserves even more blame: The management of the Mayo Clinic.

Since I dont have the coronavirus, I thought itd be a good opportunity for me to be here, to be able to speak to these researchers these incredible health-care personnel and look them in the eye and say thank you.

Vice President Mike Pence

The Rochester, Minn., clinic has been silent about why it failed to hold Pence to its own policy or why it believes he didn't pose a threat to clinic personnel or patients by failing to wear a mask. The clinic's published rule doesn't list any exceptions. It's fair to observe that Pence, by refusing to wear a mask, made chumps of the Mayo management. It's also fair to say that they should have had the spine to stand up to a politician.

"Patients and visitors are asked to bring their own face covering or mask to wear," the clinic's rule says. "If a patient or visitor does not have a mask, Mayo Clinic will provide one." It attributes its guidance to "recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Mayo Clinic experts."

That's odd, because Pence told reporters after the visit that he believed that he was following guidance from the CDC. "As vice president of the United States," he said, according to a pool report, "I'm tested for the coronavirus on a regular basis, and everyone who is around me is tested for the coronavirus."

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That's irrelevant, as Pence should know. COVID-19 tests are not 100% accurate by any means; Pence could be an asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic carrier, and in any event he didn't produce test evidence for the clinic before being admitted.

Everyone else in the vice-presidential delegation, including Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn, was face-masked, as were the clinic escorts and the patient Pence met with personally.

Pence said, according to the pool, Since I dont have the coronavirus, I thought itd be a good opportunity for me to be here, to be able to speak to these researchers these incredible health-care personnel and look them in the eye and say thank you." Of course, the face masks issued as weapons against the spread of the coronavirus don't cover the eyes.

For Pence's information and to remind the Mayo Clinic, here's what the CDC's guidance says:

"The virus can spread between people interacting in close proximity  for example, speaking, coughing, or sneezing  even if those people are not exhibiting symptoms.... CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain ... especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. It is critical to emphasize that maintaining 6-feet social distancing remains important to slowing the spread of the virus. CDC is additionally advising the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.

There's nothing there, obviously, about vice presidents being exempt. It's worth observing, by the way, that Pence failed to maintain a six-foot distance from others during his tour.

Beyond that, there's a concept known as setting an example that Pence, and the Mayo management, seem to have overlooked. Pence in a face-mask would have sent a strong signal to the American public that going without is socially unacceptable behavior.

On the other hand, it's consistent with Trump administration behavior. Trump himself has disdained wearing a face mask. He has consistently flouted his own policies as when he issued an advisory discouraging states from prematurely opening businesses and followed it with a series of tweets supporting demonstrators against stay-at-home rules in several states: "LIBERATE MINNESOTA," "LIBERATE MICHIGAN," "LIBERATE VIRGINIA," etc.

Leadership is an alien notion to this administration.

As for the Mayo Clinic, what were they thinking? The clinic says it made Pence and his staff aware of its face mask policy. It posted, then deleted, a tweet stating, "Mayo Clinic had informed @VP of the masking policy prior to his arrival today."

But the clinic hasn't explained why it admitted Pence to the premises without a face mask. Pence doesn't own the place. He has no authority to enter the clinic without authorization, and certainly without complying with its safety measures.

It's conceivable that the clinic management weighed the pros and cons of standing its ground with the vice president of the United States and figured that it was better to look pusillanimous than to tick off the Trump administration. Wrong choice. If the Mayo Clinic it sets down a principle grounded in public health, it should brook no backchat, no matter where it comes from.

The fact is that the Mayo Clinic is perhaps the most respected medical institution in the country. By reputation, at least, it sets nationwide standards for the practice of medicine. If it rolls over for anyone, vice president or otherwise, what's its reputation worth going forward? Short answer: Nothing.

The Mayo Clinic blew a major opportunity to communicate proper anti-virus hygiene to the public. Instead, it communicated just the opposite  that it's not serious about its rules, that wearing face masks is just theater anyway and not really necessary, and that it will allow big shots to get away with anything. None of that is cause for pride.
CALGARY, Alberta, May 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Black Diamond Group Limited ("Black Diamond", the "Company" or "we"), (BDI.TO), a leading provider of space rental and workforce accommodation solutions, today announced its operating and financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2020 (the "Quarter") compared with the three months ended March 31, 2019 (the "Comparative Quarter"). All financial figures are expressed in Canadian dollars.



In the first quarter of 2020, Black Diamond reported consolidated revenue of $45.1 million, Adjusted EBITDA of $9.9 million, and core rental revenue of $17.1 million.

Consolidated rental revenue of $17.1 million increased 17% from the Comparative Quarter.



Adjusted EBITDA increased 22% from the Comparative Quarter to $9.9 million in the Quarter.



Modular Space Solutions ("MSS") rental revenue of $8.9 million grew 17% from the Comparative Quarter.

MSS rental fleet grew to 6,503 units, or 9% from the Comparative Quarter while utilization held steady and average rental rates increased 7%.



Workforce Solutions ("WFS") rental revenue increased to $8.2 million, up 17% from the Comparative Quarter. Consolidated WFS revenue of $28.6 million improved by 25% versus the Comparative Quarter.



The Company closed the acquisition of Spectrum Modular (Spectrum), expanding the Companys Southeast U.S. operating region to over 400 units.

Key Highlights from the First Quarter of 2020

In the MSS business unit, Adjusted EBITDA of $4.6 million was essentially flat versus the Comparative Quarter. MSS consolidated revenue of $16.5 million decreased 27% from $22.5 million due to lower sales and non-rental revenue in the Quarter. Sales and non-rental revenue can fluctuate quarter-to-quarter as the timing of certain custom sales projects can vary. Adjusted EBITDA margins of 28% improved from 22% due to the change in sales mix as rental revenue of $8.9 million grew 17% from the Comparative Quarter.

Adjusted EBITDA in the WFS business unit was $7.8 million, 30% higher than the Comparative Quarter. Consolidated revenue of $28.6 million increased 25% due to an increase in rental and non-rental revenue of 17% and 167% respectively, slightly offset by a decrease of 41% in Lodging revenue.

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During the Quarter, the Company announced the acquisition of Spectrum, based in Gainesville, Georgia. Spectrum's asset base includes 202 high-quality modular buildings backed by a high performing team with deep expertise and relationships in the region. Following the Spectrum acquisition, Black Diamond now has over 400 units in the area and expects to see continued growth in the U.S. Southeast as a result of ongoing economic development in the region.

At the end of the Quarter, Net Debt increased to $110.6 million, compared to $98.1 million at December 31, 2019. The increase in debt during the quarter was driven by capital investments of approximately $19 million, including the acquisition of Spectrum, as well as a $5 million increase in working capital. The Company has deferred uncommitted or uncontracted capital which is expected to take effect in the second half of the year. As such, the pace of capital deployment is expected to slow until there is more end market certainty with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On January 15, 2020, Black Diamond announced TSX approval of a Normal Course Issuer Bid ("NCIB"). Over a 12-month period, the Company may, in normal course, purchase up to 4,180,249 common shares in the capital of the Company ("Common Shares") (10% of the public float of Common Shares). Since the implementation of the NCIB, the Company has purchased 173,800 shares at an average price of $1.11 per Common Share.

Outlook

On March 13, 2020, Black Diamond instituted elements of the Company's Business Continuity Plan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This resulted in the suspension of all non-essential business travel and events, self-quarantine for any individuals that had recently traveled by air, and work from home options for any employees not required to be on site at the field level, among other initiatives. The safety and well-being of our employees and communities remains of highest priority and the Company will continue to monitor the situation and work with our customers and vendors to ensure interruption to essential business elements are minimized.

Currently a little under two-thirds of the Companys $35 million gross capital plan is spent or committed to contracts in place. While the Company's financial and liquidity situation remains strong, with approximately $80 million of available liquidity, Black Diamond has elected to defer most uncommitted capital investments planned for the latter half of the year.

Despite the near-term disruption to certain of the Company's markets caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company remains committed to executing on its long-term strategy of growth and diversification. The MSS business has remained stable to date. While the Company expects certain elements of the MSS business to soften due to deferral of a handful of custom sales projects, the core rental revenue driven by our MSS assets is expected to remain healthy owing to the diversified nature of our customers, geographies and end-markets. As a result of the pandemic and physical distancing measures, over the last month and a half, Black Diamond has seen an increase in demand for certain products and services both within the MSS and WFS segments. These products include testing or pre-screening facilities, hand-wash or sanitization stations, field hospitals, and quarantine centers, among others. The Company is also seeing increased demand for square footage at existing facilities to facilitate physical employee-distancing on site. Overall, MSS performance is expected to remain relatively stable in the near-term and as the global economy begins to re-start in the coming months, Management expects a resumption of steady growth in this segment.

The WFS business unit has continued to diversify its operations with recent equipment having been mobilized into eastern Canada under contract. The Company's Australian assets remain highly utilized and stable with healthy recurring rental revenue. However, given the usual seasonal slow-down in the second quarter, combined with the current disruption caused by COVID-19, the Company expects overall WFS segment performance to weaken in the near-term. The remaining revenue to be earned on the previously announced $46.8 million Sukunka Lodge contract is approximately $32 million. The medium-to-longer term opportunity set for the Company's large-camp assets continues to see several outstanding bids and potential contracts throughout our operating regions being contemplated.

LodgeLink, Black Diamond's digital marketplace platform for workforce travel and accommodation, continues to scale, with 485 unique corporate customers and almost 1,400 properties, representing approximately 145,000 rooms of capacity listed at the end of the Quarter. While room bookings contracted year-over-year due to slowing travel and accommodation activity in March caused by COVID-19 related restrictions, gross booking revenue grew modestly due to the introduction of additional services and continued diversification of the customer base. While the Company is taking a modest pause on growth in hiring in this platform, we are redoubling our efforts to develop and improve the technology, operating processes, and user experience in anticipation of a resumption of the marketplace expansion when travel restrictions are eased.

While recent macroeconomic shocks have presented near-term challenges in parts of our platform, Management believes the Company is well-equipped to weather any near-term or even prolonged weakness in end-markets. Our diversification strategy over the last several years, particularly in our MSS business unit, is expected to result in comparative stability throughout the current difficult operating environment. Further, the Company's ABL credit facility provides ample flexibility and liquidity at attractive rates and is termed up until October 2023. Black Diamonds longer-term focus and strategy is unchanged and the Company remains committed to creating a stable, diversified and growing platform to drive long-term value creation.





First Quarter 2020 Financial Highlights

Three months ended

March 31, (in millions, except where noted) 2020 2019 Change $ $ Revenue Modular Space Solutions 16.5 22.5 (27)% Workforce Solutions 28.6 22.9 25% Total Revenue 45.1 45.4 (1)% Total Adjusted EBITDA 9.9 8.1 22% Funds from Operations 10.3 8.8 17% Per share ($) 0.19 0.16 19% Loss (0.1) (2.7) (96)% Loss per share - Basic and diluted  (0.05) (100)% Capital expenditures 12.5 8.3 51% Business acquisitions 6.6  % Property & equipment (NBV) 349.5 336.6 4% Total assets 452.5 418.2 8% Long-term debt 120.2 88.3 36% Cash and cash equivalents 9.6 0.2 4,700%





Additional Information

A copy of the Company's unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements for the three month periods ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 and related management's discussion and analysis have been filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities and may be accessed through the SEDAR website ( www.sedar.com ) and www.blackdiamondgroup.com .

About Black Diamond Group

Black Diamond is a specialty rentals and industrial services Company with two operating business units - Modular Space Solutions (MSS) and Workforce Solutions (WFS). We operate in Canada, the United States, and Australia.

MSS through its principal brands, BOXX Modular, Britco, and MPA, owns a large rental fleet of modular buildings of various types and sizes. Its network of local branches rent, sell, service, and provide ancillary products and services to a diverse customer base in the construction, industrial, education, financial, and government sectors.

WFS through its principal brands, Black Diamond Camps and Black Diamond Energy Services, owns a large rental fleet of modular accommodation assets of all types and sizes and a fleet of liquid and solid containment assets. Its regional operating terminals rent, sell, service, and provide ancillary products and services including turn-key operated camps to a wide array of customers in the resource, infrastructure, construction, disaster recovery, and education sectors. The WFS business unit also includes the Companys wholly owned subsidiary, LodgeLink, which operates a digital marketplace for business-to-business crew accommodation, travel, and logistics in North America.

Learn more at www.blackdiamondgroup.com .

For investor inquiries please contact Jason Zhang at 403-206-4739 or investor@blackdiamondgroup.com.

Reader Advisory

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, the amount of funds that will be expended on the 2020 capital plan, how such capital will be expended, expectations for asset sales, management's assessment of Black Diamond's future operations and what may have an impact on them, financial performance, business prospects and opportunities, changing operating environment including the impact of COVID-19, amount of revenue anticipated to be derived from current contracts, anticipated debt levels, economic life of the Company's assets, future growth and profitability of the Company and realization of the anticipated benefits of acquisitions and sales.With respect to the forward-looking statements in the news release, Black Diamond has made assumptions regarding, among other things: future commodity prices, that Black Diamond will continue to conduct its operations in a manner consistent with past operations, that counter-parties to contracts will perform the contracts as written and that there will be no unforeseen material delays in contracted projects. Although Black Diamond believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release, and the assumptions on which such forward-looking statements are made are reasonable, there can be no assurances that such expectations or assumptions will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of such statements may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Black Diamond. These risks include, but are not limited to: the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, fluctuation of commodity prices, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company's ability to attract new customers, failure of counterparties to perform on contracts, industry competition, availability of qualified personnel and management, timely and cost effective access to sufficient capital from internal and external sources, political conditions, dependence on suppliers and stock market volatility. The risks outlined above should not be construed as exhaustive. Additional information on these and other factors that could affect Black Diamond's operations and financial results are included in Black Diamond's annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2019 and other reports on file with the Canadian Securities Regulatory Authorities which can be accessed on SEDAR. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Furthermore, the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and Black Diamond does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any of the forward-looking statements, except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

Non-GAAP Measures

In this news release, the following terms have been referenced: Adjusted EBITDA, Funds from Operations and Net Debt. Readers are cautioned that these measures are not defined under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). Readers are cautioned that these non-GAAP measures are not alternatives to measures under IFRS and should not, on their own, be construed as an indicator of the Company's performance or cash flows, a measure of liquidity or as a measure of actual return on the common shares of the Company. These Non-GAAP measures should only be used in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements of the Company. A reconciliation between these measures and measures defined under IFRS is included in management's discussion and analysis for the three month periods ended March 31, 2020 filed on SEDAR.
Donald Trump is again insisting the southern border wall be painted black so it will attract the sun and be hot to the touch  deterring any considering climbing over the wall, especially in summer months.

According to government contracting estimates obtained by The Washington Post, the cost of painting the entire border wall black would add a minimum of $500 million in costs for acrylic paint, but could top $3 billion if a premium 'powder coating' is used.

'POTUS has changed his mind and now wants the fence painted. We are modifying contracts to add,' one official involved in the construction effort told the Post.

The instruction came during a border wall meeting at the White House last month amid the coronavirus outbreak, four administration officials with knowledge of the meeting revealed.

They also said that Trump directed Jared Kushner and other aides to move forward with the paint job and to acquire cost estimates.

Donald Trump wants the border wall painted black because he claims it will absorb heat and deter wall-jumpers. This is not the first time the president has floated this costly idea

'POTUS has changed his mind and now wants the fence painted. We are modifying contracts to add,' an official involved in construction said. The paint job would cost between $500 million and $3 billion

This isn't the first time Trump has floated painting the border wall black, but military commanders and border officials thought they had talked him out of it last fall.

Reports have emerged in the past over Trump's obsession with micromanaging the physical appearance of his famed border wall.

In May 2019, a Post report revealed Trump had floated painting the 'slats' of the border wall a 'flat black' so the metal would absorb more heat from the sun and make it harder for people to scale.

Trump also said he wanted the border barrier to include metal spikes at the top that will cut climbers' hands.

Fisher Sand and Gravel, a South Dakota-based company already being considered for $400 million contract to build new portions of wall in Arizona, were consulted to provide estimates for painting.

They provided the $500 million - $3 billion estimates for painting the structure's 30-foot steel bollards depending on the option of paint, which the White House has not yet chosen.

The president, however, has insisted in the past that the barrier be black to discourage climbers  and he has expressed he prefers a 'flat black' or 'matte black' because it would absorb and retain heat.

Trump has reupped in recent weeks his demand for strong borders and his campaign promise of a border wall, also claiming that the structure and immigration policy have acted as a defense against coronavirus spreading into the U.S. from other countries.

He now claims the border wall is not only to stop illegal immigration, but also a point of public health.

'Mexico is sadly experiencing very big CoronaVirus problems, and now California, get this, doesn't want people coming over the Southern Border. A Classic!' Trump tweeted Tuesday.

'They are sooo lucky that I am their President,' he gloated. 'Border is very tight and the Wall is rapidly being built!'

Trump now claims the border wall is a point of public health, claiming it will stop infected individuals from spreading coronavirus by illegally crossing the border into the U.S.

'Border Wall is going up FAST,' he said in another tweeted Saturday with a video showing new portions being constructed in California. 'Over 172 miles already built. 450 miles by early next year, or sooner! Dems want OPEN BORDERS. I want STRONG BORDERS!'

Other than paint and spikes, Trump has proposed some other measures he assured would be more physically appealing and deter people from scaling the wall.

At one point he considered a design plan that included a field-tested anti-climbing surface and rounded metal cylinders at the top. But he ditched that idea, claiming metal points would be more intimidating.

Trump also originally wanted a concrete barrier, but said he is OK with a steel 'slatted' fence.

In October 2019, Trump slashed down an assertion in a book written by two New York Times reporters indicating that he once considered adding a moat filled with snakes and alligators to his border wall plans.

'Never said it. Never thought of it,' he told journalists in the Oval Office last fall, blasting it as 'corrupt news.'
Attacks on civilians, arbitrary arrests, top list of abuses in Libya: ICC Prosecutor

5 May 2020 - Unabated violence, particularly in and around the Libyan capital, has now been raging for more than a year, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) told the Security Council in a virtual briefing on Tuesday, warning that war crimes may have been committed.

"Of particular concern to my Office are the high numbers of civilian casualties, largely reported to be resulting from airstrikes and shelling operations", said Fatou Bensouda.

The stalled offensive on Tripoli is being carried out by the so-called Libyan National Army, an eastern-based militia headed by General Khalifa Haftar, with the backing of some foreign powers.

As Ms. Bensouda's team gathers and analyses information, she reiterated that under the Rome Statute, intentionally attacking non-combatant civilians is a war crime that could be tried by the ICC.

Detainees

The top prosecutor also highlighted "grave and persistent" arbitrary detentions and serious mistreatments of migrants and refugees who attempt to transit through Libya.

Noting "widespread" detentions without due process, she reminded that those detained unlawfully or denied their fundamental procedural rights are at greater risk of murder, torture and various forms of sexual violence.

"Such crimes are all too common", she said. "Former detainees report brutal methods of torture" and other have died from their injuries or lack of medical care.

Urging "serious and urgent" prison reforms, she said that her offices "continues to closely follow-up on these allegations".

Enforced disappearance

The prosecutor said an increasing number of enforced disappearances are occurring with close to total impunity, reminding Council members that these are crimes against humanity that inflict "severe suffering" on families and can spread terror across all of society.

Moreover, when targeted against prominent members of the community, such as political activists, human rights defenders and journalists, "it sends a strong message that voices of dissent will not be tolerated", and causes "grave consequences" for both individuals and communities.

Ms. Bensouda drew attention to the case of Siham Sergewa, a psychologist and leading rights campaigner, who has been a member of the Libyan House of Representatives for Benghazi since 2014. She been missing since last July when she was allegedly abducted from her home, by a large group of armed men.

"Her fate and whereabouts remain unknown", asserted the prosecutor.

Hate speech

Meanwhile, "derogatory and dehumanizing language" targeting certain individuals or groups, has become "pervasive" in both traditional and social media.

She argued that "this is cause for concern", because it generates hatred and fear in the community; deepens divisions within society, and "foments conditions in which mass atrocity crimes can occur".

Under the Rome Statute, a person who "instigates the commission of crimes by others" is also responsible for those crimes, the ICC Prosecutor spelled out, giving the example of "making public statements inciting attacks on specific ethnic or social groups".

"Leaders and prominent members of the community have a special responsibility to lead by example and to refrain from hate speech", she added.

Suspects at large

Amidst continuous violations, a second round of ICC litigations unanimously ruled in March that Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi's case is admissible to the top court.

Noting that Mr. Gaddafi, son of the former dictator, was convicted in Libya in absentia, Ms. Bensouda flagged that since April 2016 he has made no effort to surrender himself and called him "a willful fugitive" who is "actively evading justice" in both Libya and before the ICC.

She also reported that arrest warrants for Al-Tuhamy Khaled in Cairo and Mahmoud Al-Werfalli, who is reported to be under the command of General Haftar, have yet to be executed.

"The course of justice cannot make further progress without the arrest and surrender of ICC suspects", she stressed. "This is a responsibility that neither rests on my Office nor the Court, but other actors in the Rome Statute system, namely States.

In closing, she underscored the importance of international criminal justice to ensure the pillars of "stability, progress and prosperity".

"I call on this Council, the Court's States Parties and the international community more broadly, to stand firmly by the ICC and its crucial mandate to end impunity for the world's gravest crimes", concluded the ICC Prosecutor.

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With Mumbai having more than two-third of the states Covid-19 cases and more than 2,000 containment zones, other districts and municipal corporations are cautious of allowing entry to those coming from Mumbai.

Two municipal corporations and two municipal councils in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) on Tuesday passed orders sealing the boundaries of their cities and towns for those working in Mumbai. After harsh reactions from employees working in the essential and emergency services, the orders have been stayed for the time being. We discussed this issue after the state cabinet meeting today, and it has been decided to stay the order. We are trying to make alternative arrangements for the staff staying in other municipal corporations, said Aslam Shaikh, guardian minister of Mumbai city.

The Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) stayed the order on Wednesday, citing lengthy process to prepare a list of those who work in Mumbai.

Making a list of people travelling regularly for work and making provision for accommodation will take time, so we have decided to stay the order, said Vijay Suryavanshi, KDMC commissioner.

The Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation and Kulgaon Badlapur Municipal Council have also stayed the decision to stop entry for those travelling to Mumbai for essential services. According to officials from the health department, 70% of the 42 cases in Badlapur have contracted the virus at their workplace in Mumbai.

The cases in Solapur, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg have been found to be linked to those who have travelled to Mumbai or Pune. The district authorities do not approve applications for inter-state travel from Mumbai, said an official from Mantralaya.

Many villages have barred entry to those coming from Mumbai. In one of the villages in our district, a girl and her family, who had come from Mumbai, were not allowed to attend the funeral of her relative, said an official from the collectors office. Although the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has not issued any order to bar entry, it has made a list of 1,100 residents who travel to Mumbai for work every day and submitted it to BMC this week, requesting it to make arrangements for their accommodation in Mumbai.TMC said it is looking at options to curb the spread.
JERSEY CITY  A street fight involving dozens of people Tuesday evening ended in five arrests after officers used pepper spray and batons in an ugly and chaotic scene caught on video.

The fight near 30 Bostwick Ave. began with 20 people and grew to approximately 100 within minutes, according to Jersey City Public Safety Director Jim Shea.

During a press conference at the citys Public Safety Headquarters on Wednesday, Shea said police officers who initially responded to the scene called for backup after a civilian pulled at one officers duty belt where a weapon was stored.

From there, video footage shows officers striking people with batons and using pepper spray to end the melee.

The Jersey City Police Department has reviewed body camera footage from the officers and the incident remains under investigation. Shea said he did not know what precipitated the initial fight.

Jennifer Morrill, a spokeswoman for Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez, said Suarezs office has been in communication with the Jersey City Police Department about the incident.

The initial investigation is being handled by the Jersey City Police Department Internal Affairs Unit and as is standard for all use of force incidents will follow the normal course of review, she said. As this is an internal affairs investigation, no further information can be released at this time.

The first 911 call was made at 5:16 p.m. for a 20-person street fight.

Within 60 seconds a second call came in for a street fight involving 50 persons and then 40 seconds after that another call, a third call came in for a street fight now involving 100 persons, Shea said.

Six officers came to the scene during the initial response and tried to disperse the crowd. Shea said an officer was attacked by a male juvenile who pulled at the officers duty belt and appeared to try to take the officers weapon. Two other officers tried to place the individual under arrest, but he resisted, as did two females who engaged as well.

Another officer tried to help but was bear-hugged by a man identified as Dashawn Muhammed. The officer fell and another man, Roland Gregory, approached and went on top of the officer, Shea said.

Officers began to use pepper spray. When the civilians did not back off, one officer used his expandable baton to hit two individuals in the arms, legs and buttocks, he added.

A witness told The Jersey Journal the incident began when an altercation between two groups turned physical and spilled into the street. The crowd had started to disperse when police arrived, shortly before officers attacked one man, he said.

It got out of hand from there, the witness added.

This situation is very unfortunate, and it has to be a moment where we heal as a community because right now folks feel as though theyve been violated and thats not a good position," added Chris Gadsden, a civic activist and former city councilman.

Jersey City Police Chief Michael Kelly said his officers acted appropriately and showed restraint.

Of all of the video that Ive seen on social media, police video body cam, our police officers acted with great restraint and used exactly the force necessary to bring this situation to a close, Kelly said.

Muhammed and Latia Gregory were both arrested on charges of aggravated assault on a police officer, disorderly conduct, obstruction, resisting arrest and failure to disburse.

Roland Gregory faces an obstruction charge.

The city did not disclose the names of the other two individuals who were arrested because they are juveniles.

Those who were arrested were released with court dates and refused medical assistance.

Two police officers were treated for pepper spray exposure and another two were treated for lacerations, bruises and bloody noses, Shea said.

Mayor Steven Fulop praised the citys use of body cameras as an important tool for evaluating incidents such as this one.

We take the relationship between our police department and our community very, very seriously, he said.

In a statement Wednesday afternoon Jersey City Councilman at-large Rolando Lavarro urged calm and patience from the community as the incident is investigated further.

The video is deeply concerning on so many levels, and even more so given our current state of emergency with the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

Coronavirus crisis or not, we all have to redouble our efforts and pledge to address the root causes that allow for such an incident to explode on our streets, he added. We all have to acknowledge that generations of neglect and outright racism have led to the conditions that we have today."

The following video contains some graphic language:

A city spokeswoman clarified that two juveniles had been arrested after saying that three were charged on Wednesday. An earlier version of this story should have stated the incident occurred at Bostwick Avenue and that Latia Gregory was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, disorderly conduct, obstruction, resisting arrest and failure to disburse and Roland Gregory was charged with obstruction.
By his early 20s, Lanigan had begun collecting. The first big investment I made was what I thought at the time was a screen-used Roger Rabbit toon pistol from Who Framed Roger Rabbit that Bob Hoskins had used. I bought it in the early days of eBay and I got on the phone to confirm it was a person who had worked on the film, I was able to verify that. Then a number of years later I found out through additional research  because youre always finding out about this stuff after the fact  that it was not a screen-used piece, it was just a crew gift given to people after the movie." Though Lanigan doesnt like to talk money, he did tell me how much this mistake (or, call it an education) cost him: "I paid three grand for it, which was a lot of money for me. Thats a lot of money for anybody. In retrospect it was probably worth 400 bucks.
Fintech startup N26 now has a proper funding war chest to face the economic downturn. The Berlin-based startup has extended its Series D round with another $100 million of funding at the same valuation of $3.5 billion. In total, N26 has raised $570 million as part of its Series D round.

N26s Series D seems like a never-ending list of big numbers. In January 2019, the company announced a $300 million Series D at a $2.7 billion valuation. In July 2019, the company added $170 million at a $3.5 billion valuation. And now, here comes another $100 million.

Like the last extension, theres no new investor on board. Major investors in the company participated in the extension funding.

You may have noticed that the valuation didnt go up this time. Id say its a very good valuation, co-founder and CEO Valentin Stalf told me. While N26 started the fundraising process before the economic downturn, the company thinks its already quite an achievement that the valuation didnt go down.

When the crisis arrived, it made even more sense to go ahead and extend the Series D round. Stalf called it an opportunity without a lot of effort.

Like most challenger banks, N26 generates revenue from premium subscriptions, interchange fees, and third-party and in-house financial products that induce fees, such as overdraft and credit.

The startup noticed a huge shift away from cash as people use their debit card and contactless payment even more than before. Online payments have been on the rise. Overall, spending volume has been down 20 to 30% depending on the market, Stalf said. Revenue from interchange fees has been down.

Conversely, account balances have been going up as people are postponing payments. N26 says that subscriptions are quite stable and churn isnt higher than usual.

With todays new funding, the company wants to double down on its most promising markets  Europe, the U.S. and Brazil. Earlier this year, N26 shut down its operations in the U.K.

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Unfortunately, we were all surprised by the clearness of the election that happened around the new year with a fast Brexit, Stalf said. He then said that it would have required a big investment to apply to a new banking license in the U.K. and adapt the product to work with the new system.

For me, it was a super clear decision. I would have loved to stay in the UK, Stalf said. But there are more attractive markets out there like the U.S. and Brazil, he added.

In the U.S., N26 is iterating to adapt its product to the market. You can now leverage ACH transfers to top up your N26 account using another bank account. N26 said it had 250,000 customers in the U.S. back in January.

In Brazil, the company applied to a fintech license. We hope to obtain a license within six months, maybe earlier, Stalf said. But the company will assess the situation when it has secured its license as N26 could postpone its launch in Brazil due to the economic crisis.

I asked the company about potential layoffs and hiring freeze. We're much more selective on hiring. We're still hiring but we're a little bit more picky, Stalf said. Some employees, such as office managers and event staff, are now covered by short-time working in Germany. They still get the majority of their pay but they don't need to work full time for you, Stalf said.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar By

Online Desk

After years of resistance, the term 'feminism', still raises eyebrows in the Asian subcontinent. For most, it's confusing, synonymous with misandry or a communist concocted word. Even today, to fight for equal rights for women in a patriarchal world is still an alien concept for the greater number.

Once the world is done with tainting the f-word, the most dangerous question perhaps looms in our subconscious -- who is a perfect feminist?

In the Islamic state of Pakistan, the word brings back memories of a tall political leader, who was assassinated in cold blood -- Benazir Bhutto. This was a woman who revolutionised Pakistan's polity. Although she left a polarising legacy, her achievements are celebrated as a win for Muslim women.

But, will Allah Rakhi Wasai, popularly known as Noor Jehan, who mellifluously gave voice to Faiz's haunting words "mujhse pehli si mohabat mere mehboob na mang" be considered a feminist?

A child star in Calcutta, Wasai moved to Lahore in 1938 and went on to rule the film industry for over 30 years, mesmerising the world with almost 10000 songs and becoming the nation's Malika-e-Tarannum. Her first big break arrived in the form of the film Chan Wey where she not only acted and sang but co-directed with her husband, becoming Pakistans first female director. "No mean feat for a woman of her time," writes Amneh Shaikh-Farooqi in her book Fearless: Stories of Amazing women of Pakistan.

The conversation around feminism deviates from its aim when we become oblivious of such women of colour and their fight. Ever since the suffrage, women of colour have been fighting a dual war, one with patriarchy and another for their representation in the movement.

"Over and over research reiterates the importance of diversity in mainstream media, and literature and yet what many of us consume is often restricted to (a) Western construct and aesthetic," Amneh writes in the introduction of her book, acknowledging the lack of representation of women of colour, especially South Asian women in feminism.

"Intersectional Feminism" was first coined by a black American professor Kimberle Crenshaw in her study of overlapping social identities and related systems of oppression, domination or discrimination. Thirty years later, in the subcontinent where identity politics overpowers a woman's life, it's perhaps a matter of shame that the term "intersectionality" has failed to gain a place in our collective consciousness.

In her book, published by Penguin India, Amneh traces the history of Pakistan's women movement and brings to the fore, stories of 50 remarkable women who have over the years aced fields of science, technology, arts and shaped the future of their country. Aziza Ahmad's illustrations breathe life into the stories of these women.

The book underlines through their stories to the world that it's time for the west to acknowledge inclusivity.

Patriarchy finds its roots in Islam too, which binds Muslim women to private spaces, enabling misogynists to oppress women. But in a country where misogyny is so ingrained that for some surviving itself becomes an act of resistance, my kind has been fearless. One can only imagine the gravity of suppression in the early 1900s that has now led to Pakistan ranking third-worst at 151 on the Gender Parity Index of the World Economic Forum.

When inequalities in the field of education between men and women were stark, defying odds, Fatima Jinnah, the sister of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, became the first Muslim woman in Calcutta to set up a dental clinic in 1923. Fatima stood shoulder-to-shoulder with her brother and played a crucial role in the signing of the Lahore Resolution of 1940. After her brother's death, Fatima's voice was suppressed by the military rule of Ayub Khan.

Her death brought six lakh people together who bid "Khatun-e-Pakistan" a tearful goodbye. "Fatimas courage and determination made her one of the most fearless women of Pakistan. Fatima was often photographed standing next to important men of her period, something unusual for the time; but her message was clear: women need to play a role in society and politics alongside men," Amneh writes.

The book comes at a time when Pakistani women are raising their voices to reclaim the public space through protests and marches. March 8, 2020 marked one of the exceptional days for the country's revolution when thousands of women marched on to the streets of Lahore and Karachi demanding autonomy.

The magnanimity of the march, which faced several challenges, marked a new phase of the feminist movement in the Islamic country. Women, irrespective of their social backgrounds, trans women, everyone came together to raise their voices in unison against oppression, yet in unique ways.

With 'Khudmukhtari (autonomy) and Violence (both sexual and economic)' as this years theme, women rallied against patriarchy and its cataclysmic effect.

The concept of bodily autonomy is so frowned upon in Pakistan that it often claims the lives of women who dare to assert theirs. After all, 26-year-old Quendel Baloch, who finds mention in the book, was killed by her brother in 2016, for being fearless in claiming her right to her body.

"No one expected her to become a feminist icon for young women in the country". The country's first celebrity-by-social-media used the platform to "push the conversation around how women were expected to behave in public. She used her celebrity status to empower women," Amneh writes.

"As a woman, we should step up for ourselves" she roared. She extended her voice to empower the younger generation till one day she was silenced by patriarchy.

The 'aurat march', which should have been appreciated by the country by and large, instead rattled the far-right, including their Wazir-e-Azam Imran Khan.

Khan termed the struggle of Pakistan's women a western concept and added, "I disagree with this western concept, this feminist movement, it has degraded the role of a mother. My mother had the greatest impact on my life."



The march notably took out pidarshahi ka janaza (funeral procession of patriarchy) among other things.

In Islam, women are barred from being a part of the funeral procession. And such sexism transgresses borders. While some of us privileged lot suffer less in the hands of patriarchy, the less fortunate battle for their existence every day. Having said that, in the intellectually progressive state of West Bengal in India, I too was barred from being a part of my mother's janaza.

Although the far-right doesn't acknowledge it, the women's resistance in Pakistan isn't new. In 1960, the All Pakistan Women's Association (APWA) became the face of the women's movement in the country. The passage of the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, pushed by APWA, created a ripple.

Over 30 years ago, when Zia-ul-Haq proposed the "Evidence Bill", which suggested that the evidence of two women should equal that of one man, it was these fearless women of Pakistan who created history by standing up for their rights despite facing the brunt of police action.

Every woman is a novel in herself, every step is an act of resistance and while the book salutes the revolutionaries, it's women like Amneh Shaikh-Farooqui, Aziza Ahma, Girls at Dhabas, Malala Yousafzai, Mukhtaran Mai, are carrying the inclusive feminist struggle forward. Perhaps, for a woman, to be fearless, is the only way to survive.

Fearless: Stories of Amazing Women from Pakistan

Author: Amneh Shaikh-Farooqui

Illustrator: Aziza Ahmad

Publisher: Penguin Random House

Pages: 112

Price: Rs 399
A plane with a charitable medical cargo from China purchased by the Naftogaz Group has arrived at the Antonov airport in Hostomel, the Kyiv region.

Naftogaz broadcast the landing of the plane on Youtube.

On board the aircraft are personal protective equipment and medical devices weighing a total of 111.5 tonnes.

Naftogaz said earlier that a Mriya cargo aircraft would deliver 500,000 protective suits, 700 patient monitors, 50 mobile digital X-ray machines, and 50 handheld ultrasound devices.

Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolyev, Deputy Head of the President's Office Yulia Sokolovska, Deputy Health Ministers Svitlana Shatalova and Viktor Liashko, and Deputy Director of Antonov Airlines Vitaliy Shost met the aircraft at the airport.

The Naftogaz Group, with the support of the President's Office and the Health Ministry, purchased personal protective equipment and medical devices for medical institutions in Ukraine.

op
Mr. Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah, the Director of Communication at Ghana Gas has backed Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumias assertion that, the Ghanaian economy under former President Mahama was so bad that he could not formulate any social intervention policy to cushion Ghanaians during the dumsor crises.

Dr. Bawumia, after a COVID-19 meeting at the Jubilee House on Monday responded to Mr. Mahamas claim that the NDC managed the economy better than what the NPP is currently doing, saying, the data does not support his claims.

We have been able to perform much better on the situation we inherited. In fact, the data makes it very clear. So My humble advice to former President Mahama is to take a look at the data before you speak, otherwise, you will end up embarrassing yourself, Dr. Bawumia said.

The Vice Presidents statement has been heavily criticised by a section of the public, particularly those on social media.

But Mr. Bempah, in a write-up said, former President Mahama has no moral credibility to talk about the economy and crisis management.

As a matter of fact, the economy then was so fragile that John Mahama couldnt even mitigate and cushion people from an internally created problem like dumsor. And for John Mahama to turn around to describe the economy under the leadership of President Akufo-Addo today in a global pandemic as weak speaks volume, he said.

Below is Mr. Bempahs full write-up:

Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah writes; Bawumia was right; Never Again, John Mahama

It's humorous reading from the Mahama camp twist themselves into logical knots trying to avoid admitting that Vice president Bawumia has all along been spot on with his comparative analysis on the 'Dumsor' and COVID-19 crises.

Why are these people so ugly in their thinking? Mahama was in government between 2012-2016 when the nation was plunged into energy crisis and he offered nothing in terms of social mitigating measures to cushion the citizenry.

As a matter of fact, the economy then was so fragile that John Mahama couldnt even mitigate and cushion people from an internally created problem like dumsor. And for John Mahama to turn around to describe the economy under the leadership of President Akufo-Addo today in a global pandemic as weak speaks volume.

How did John Mahama managed Ghana's economy under the 'Dumsor' crisis? Didnt 'Dumsor' wreak havoc on the Ghanaian economy and businesses for 4years under Mahama? Did Mahama's weak economy able to mitigate the impact of dumsor?

Can Ghanaians be informed the measures instituted by John Mahama during the 'Dumsor' crisis, and Cholera outbreak that kills over 200 Ghanaians?

Indeed, the 'Dumsor' crisis actually crippled Ghana's economy for four years, and there was not a single mitigating measures offered to businesses and individuals.

Even during 'dumsor', electricity prices were increased, fuel prices were increased, teacher trainee allowances were cancelled, nursing trainee training allowances were cancelled. And this was under a crisis situation.

If we compare that to the COVID-19 crisis, the difference is clear - The President has reduced electricity prices and has made it free for lifeline consumers. He has given free water to all Ghanaians for three months, has made sure that there is a stimulus package of 600 million for businesses and we have seen domestic production of PPEs (personal protective equipment) for our health workers locally.

Let me be blunt and state that I do not envy Mr. Mahama at all in his time of distress, for that is what he has effectively brought upon himself: as far as Ghana politics is concerned, he can liken himself to a leprous recluse, for while smiles may greet him when he mixes with party apparatchiks on any given front, everybody would be extremely guarded whenever and wherever he shows up. If nobody would tell him, I dare say he has become a pariah within a multitude, at once higher than Judas the Iscariot and simultaneously lower than a snakes belly. Most people Ghanaians would never take him seriously again, especially because of his handling of the 'dumsor' crisis.

Mahama needs to stop screwing around and accept the fact that he is done politically and have nothing to offer Ghana.

Fact is, he has no moral credibility to talk about the economy and crisis management.

And he must think again if he thinks he can return to power nicodemusly through the back door with some of these stunts.

Indeed, Dr Bawumia was right on his criticism of former President John Mahamas handling of the Ghanaian economy between 2012 and 2016.

I shall be back.
In order to justify the effort of selecting individual stocks, it's worth striving to beat the returns from a market index fund. But every investor is virtually certain to have both over-performing and under-performing stocks. At this point some shareholders may be questioning their investment in Tian Teck Land Limited (HKG:266), since the last five years saw the share price fall 38%. And it's not just long term holders hurting, because the stock is down 31% in the last year. Furthermore, it's down 15% in about a quarter. That's not much fun for holders. However, one could argue that the price has been influenced by the general market, which is down 7.9% in the same timeframe.

Check out our latest analysis for Tian Teck Land

To paraphrase Benjamin Graham: Over the short term the market is a voting machine, but over the long term it's a weighing machine. One way to examine how market sentiment has changed over time is to look at the interaction between a company's share price and its earnings per share (EPS).

In the last half decade Tian Teck Land saw its share price fall as its EPS declined below zero. The recent extraordinary items contributed to this situation. Since the company has fallen to a loss making position, it's hard to compare the change in EPS with the share price change. But we would generally expect a lower price, given the situation.

You can see below how EPS has changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image).

SEHK:266 Past and Future Earnings May 6th 2020

Before buying or selling a stock, we always recommend a close examination of historic growth trends, available here.

What About Dividends?

When looking at investment returns, it is important to consider the difference between total shareholder return (TSR) and share price return. The TSR is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. So for companies that pay a generous dividend, the TSR is often a lot higher than the share price return. As it happens, Tian Teck Land's TSR for the last 5 years was -19%, which exceeds the share price return mentioned earlier. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!

Story continues

A Different Perspective

We regret to report that Tian Teck Land shareholders are down 27% for the year (even including dividends) . Unfortunately, that's worse than the broader market decline of 14%. Having said that, it's inevitable that some stocks will be oversold in a falling market. The key is to keep your eyes on the fundamental developments. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 4.0% per year over five years. 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. 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. For example, we've discovered 2 warning signs for Tian Teck Land (1 doesn't sit too well with us!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on 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.
What is Donald Trump's plan to deal with the expected near doubling of the daily coronavirus death toll to 3,000 in early June? There is none.

Unless reopening the economy and shifting the focus of the coronavirus task force to "safety and opening up our country again" is deemed a public health strategy.

Trump, who wasted valuable time before recognizing the threat from COVID-19, will position the daily carnage as acceptable collateral damage in order to rebuild the economy.

The Grim Reaper strategy is at the core of Trump's re-election campaign.

Former Jersey governor Chris Christie, who led Trump's presidential transition team, told CNN: "Of course, everybody wants to save every life they canbut the question is, towards what end, ultimately. Are there ways we can thread the needle here to allow that there are going to be deaths, and there are going to be deaths no matter what." In short, you are on your own.

NYU professor Jay Rosen, who writes the PressThink blog, wrote that Trump's plan is to default on public problem solving and then prevent the public from understanding the consequences of that default.

Sowing confusion is the key. Rosen wrote:

"The plan is to have no plan, to let daily deaths between one and three thousand become a normal thing, and then to create massive confusion about who is responsibleby telling the governors theyre in charge without doing what only the federal government can do, by fighting with the press when it shows up to be briefed, by fixing blame for the virus on China or some other foreign element."

What is the beauty of Trump's "no plan" strategy? The media won't be able to uncover any nefarious plot because the facts will be known, and simultaneously they will be inconceivable, noted Rosen.
Oil prices slipped back Wednesday after two days of gains, although Brent crude remained above $30 a barrel. (AFP Photo)

SINGAPORE: Oil prices slipped back Wednesday after two days of gains, although Brent crude remained above $30 a barrel, as renewed US-China tensions offset optimism about the easing of coronavirus lockdowns.

Brent, the international benchmark, fell 1.1 percent to $30.63 a barrel in early Asian trade. On Tuesday, the contract surged 14 percent and rose above $30 for the first time since mid-April.

US marker West Texas Intermediate slipped 1.9 percent and was changing hands for $24.13 a barrel.

Oil markets have been battered as the virus strangled demand due to business closures and travel restrictions, with US crude falling into negative territory last month for the first time.

They started rallying strongly this week as countries from Europe to Asia ease curbs and economies start shuddering back to life.

But gains were capped Wednesday as dealers follow a brewing US-China row after Donald Trump hit out at Beijing over its handling of the outbreak, saying it began in a Wuhan lab, but so far offering no evidence.

"Traders are incredibly cautious this morning, weighing all the possible China responses," said Stephen Innes, chief global market strategist at AxiCorp.

"And the one that would hurt the most would be for China to reduce imports of US oil."

This week's rally was in part driven by a deal agreed between top producers to reduce output by almost 10 million barrels a day, which came into effect on May 1.

There have also been signs that the massive oversupply in the market is starting to ease as demand slowly comes back.

Energy data provider Genscape said earlier this week that stockpiles at the main US oil depot in Cushing, Oklahoma had increased by only 1.8 million barrels last week following weeks of major rises.
New Delhi, May 6 : Global sportswear giant, adidas under the brand movement #hometeam, has mobilised its entire internal community to inspire hope and optimism for a return to sport through its latest brand film 'Ready for Sport. The film was released exclusively by adidas employees and uses the unifying spirit of sport to motivate the world as it looks to re-enter the physical spaces of sport -- be it streets, stadiums or stores.

'Ready for Sport' is the second phase of the adidas #hometeam narrative; part of adidas' response to the COVID-19 global relief efforts to collect funds for the World Health Organisation's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. Till date, adidas has made a direct a3 million donation and also plans to raise additional funds.

This is the first time that adidas has launched a campaign solely through its internal community of employees. 'Ready for Sport' is an open-sourced film featuring the #hometeam adidas employees, over 2500 athletes and the wider sporting community. All adidas employees had an exclusive twenty-four-hour window to post the launch film on their social channel and were encouraged to highlight what they are "ready for" -- whether it be something to look forward to or that holds a newfound sense of appreciation.

According to Manish Sapra, Senior Brand Marketing Director, adidas India, "'Ready for Sport' aims to be an inspiring and optimistic rallying call for people everywhere to look forward and imagine how incredible sport is going to feel when the current Covid19 situation is over. We strongly believe that we as a nation should keep moving so when the time comes, India will be more than ready for sport again." Since launch, #hometeam has connected more of adidas' global and Indian athletes and creator community than ever before; with the likes of Rohit Sharma, Hima Das, Mirabai Chanu to global icons like Lionel Messi, Noah Lyles and Gareth Bale providing hours of content to inspire and motivate people to keep their bodies, hearts and minds healthy.

To help people get 'Ready for Sport', adidas is also extending free access to the adidas workout apps for an additional 90 days, providing its community with access to over 260 exercises in 15 languages to keep them moving.
BRUNSWICK, N.Y.  State Police in Brunswick recently arrested Hector M. Zayas, 32 of Brunswick.

Zayas was charged with two counts of misdemeanor fourth-degree criminal mischief, misdemeanor second-degree obstruction of governmental administration, misdemeanor resisting arrest, and second-degree harassment.

State Police responded to a home in Brunswick for a domestic dispute shortly before 9 p.m. When Troopers arrived, they say they found Zayas and the victim in an argument outside of the residence.

According to troopers, they attempted to place Zayas in custody but he refused to follow commands and pulled away from them, trying to flee back into the residence. Troopers were eventually able to bring him into custody.

Zayas is accused of striking the victim multiple times. He is also accused of taking the victims cell phone to keep them from contacting police and damaging property inside of the home.

Zayas was arraigned in Brunswick Town Court and released on his own recognizance. He is due back in court on June 24 at 5 p.m.
Having worked for nearly 30 years at City Fresh Market in Bushwick, Brooklyn, perched on her stool at cash register No. 4, Cecilia Nibbs knew customers by the things they bought, keeping a mental list of their spending habits, much like taking stock of the stores inventory.

In March, some of them started disappearing, one by one. They had died, other residents told her. The news got grimmer: They had fallen victim to a new and incurable disease.

People came to tell me: Oh Ceci, remember that guy? He died, Ms. Nibbs said. Oh Ceci, remember that one? He died.

Their deaths were ominous early signs of the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic.

Suddenly, going to work felt like walking into a war zone where the enemy was invisible and could be carried by any person whose groceries she packed and into whose hands she placed change.
Pakistan's top decision making body on the coronavirus crisis on Wednesday proposed easing in lockdown restrictions from next week, even as the country reported a record 40 deaths due to the COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of fatalities to 526.

The National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC), in a meeting chaired by Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar, proposed easing in lockdown restrictions and the resumption of transport services across the country after May 9.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has summoned a National Coordination Committee (NCC) meeting on Thursday to mull over the NCOC's proposals. The meeting, which would be attended by all chief ministers, will take the final decision about easing the lockdown.

Meanwhile, Pakistan reported a record 40 deaths due to the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, taking the total toll to 526, health officials said on Wednesday.

The Ministry of National Health Services said that Punjab reported 8,420 cases, Sindh 8,189, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 3,499, Balochistan 1,495, Islamabad 485, Gilgit-Baltistan 386 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 76 cases.

The country detected 1,049 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total to 22,413, it said.

A total of 6,217 patients have recovered. So far 232,582 tests were conducted, including 10,178 in the last 24 hours.

Official sources said the NCOC discussed the issue of allowing public transport and opening up more business ahead of Eid festival which will be celebrated on May 24 or 25 depending on the sighting of the moon.

Among others, it was also expected that the train service may be allowed to begin operation partially from May 10 as Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said that initially some 40 trains could be made operational.

But officials said that all provinces opposed the proposal in the NCOC meeting and the final decision will be taken by the Prime Minister in the NCC meeting on Thursday.

Separately, official said that 180 persons out of 209 passengers brought from Dubai to Pakistan were tested positive and shifted to a quarantine centre in Lahore.

Renowned charity worker, Faisal Edhi, who is the chairman of the Edhi Foundation, tweeted that he has recovered from coronavirus. He was tested positive for the novel coronavirus on April 21.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Health Minister of Taiwan on May 6 appealed to the World Health Organization (WHO) to provide access to first-hand information about the coronavirus, according to reports. Chen Shih-Chung reportedly said that the lack of information slowed the pandemics containment efforts in the province after it was banished from WHO on recommendations of China. He urged that the island wanted to have a full picture of the pandemic to be able to control it, as per media reports.

Taiwans health officials were quoted saying at the press conference that the islands exclusion from WHO and objection to membership has aggravated Taiwan and created a gap in the global fight against the COVID-19 disease. Health Minister Chen Shih-Chung was quoted saying that the province needed proper access to WHO and first-hand information like the rest of the countries, indicative of China. He added, any second-hand information that was given to the province delayed appropriate containment measures and actions, and distorted the officials judgment about the pandemic. The island failed to see woods from the trees, he said metaphorically.

Read: Barcelona In 470m Debt As Club Braces For Financial Losses In Coronavirus Crisis: Report

Read: WHO: France's First Coronavirus Case In December 'not Surprising'

China blocked islands participation

In a list of complaints that it prepared against the WHO, Taiwan accused the organization of listing incorrect data about the death toll and cases for the province. Further, it said that the WHOs exclusion of Taiwan distorted the island's policies and strategies to control the pandemic that slowed the response and misguided the healthcare system, as per media reports. Taiwan accused the WHO of withholding the information and rejecting the provinces appeals for help due to pressure from China. According to reports, China had blocked the islands further participation after the election of Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen who China views as a separatist.

In a campaign this month, Taiwan ramped up the efforts to attend the virtual meeting of the WHO's decision-making body, the World Health Assembly (WHA) as an observer amid Chinas objection, local media reports confirmed. Steven Solomon, the WHO's principal legal officer, told the press conference that the WHO recognized the People's Republic of China as the "one legitimate representative of China", and the body adhered to the U.N. policy since 1971. Therefore, Taiwan's attendance was a bigger question for the 194 member states of WHO as China had assumed the UN seat from Taipei in the 1971 decision.

Read: New York City Subway To Close At Night For Sanitation Amid Coronavirus

Read: Study Reveals Coronavirus Has Mutated And Appears To Be More Contagious Now

(Image Credit: Twitter/ @TaiwanPresSPOX)
S taff from top restaurants, including Ottolenghi, Nopi, Hicce, Shed and Wahaca, have joined forces to cook for 450 families reliant on free school meals  and are using produce supplied by our campaign partner The Felix Project.

The effort has been organised by Chefs in Schools, a charity co-founded by former Ottolenghi chef Nicole Pisani, together with Henry Dimbleby, founder of Leon restaurants and Louise Nichols, executive head teacher of three Hackney primary schools.

It comes as our appeal passed the 3.6 million mark, with substantial new donations from life insurance group Athora and financial institution ING.

Ms Pisani, 38, said that 16 chefs deployed at four hubs in Hackney and Lewisham have been turning fresh produce supplied by Felix into 9,000 meals a week  comprising five lunches a week for two adults and two children in each of the 450 families.

We believe that no child should go hungry during the Covid-19 crisis, said Ms Pisani.

With schools closed and many children going without their vital free school meal, were working to get lunch boxes to children at home. Felix deliver about 12 pallets of fresh food to us every Monday, we gather to cook at our hubs in schools on Tuesday and the food is delivered to the families on Wednesday.

Each box contains enough lunches for five days, plus cereal, pudding, fruit, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggs and pasta. Last week we made cauliflower and turmeric curry, pasta with pesto sauce and with tomato sauce and a carrot and ginger soup. Our mission has always been to improve the health of children by transforming the food culture and food education on offer.

Chefs in Schools is one of more than 120 charities and schools being supplied by The Felix Project, which has quadrupled its deliveries since lockdown to 40 tonnes a day, the equivalent of 100,000 meals.

Naomi Duncan, chief executive of Chefs in Schools, said: Its been a real team effort. As well as helping families whose children are eligible for free school meals, were supporting families with no access to financial support. Their cupboards are empty, their children going hungry.

Our Food For London Now appeal is aiming to raise 10 million over three years to help Felix feed Londoners unable to access enough food.

Ulf Larsen, chief people and culture officer at Athora, which gave 25,000 euros (21,700), said: Felixs work is essential in helping the most vulnerable Londoners and we are delighted to support their tremendous efforts.

ING UK chief executive officer Malgorzata Kolakowska said: Our UK team has backed the charity since last year, so it is close to our hearts.

We are supporting through our global fund and colleagues in London who want to ensure people get the help they need.
Laura Whitmore revealed she began talking frequently with fiance Iain Stirling when he slid into her DMs to ask about her dog Mick.

The Love Island host, 35, chatted about her beloved pet's part in bringing her and the comedian, 32, together as she spoke with Darren Kennedy on his podcast The Secret Life Of Celebrity Pets on Wednesday.

Detailing how her beau first approached her for a chat, she said: 'Iain slipped into my DMs to ask about him.

Getting to know each other: Laura Whitmore revealed on Wednesday that she and fiance Iain Stirling started talking regularly after he slipped into her DMs to ask about her DOG

'What he said was "this girl I know wants to know what kind of dog you have" so I thought that's what it was. I was like okay, I could have just replied maltipoo.

'But it turns out that was his way of starting a conversation with me, but I thought that was him talking to me to try and get on with that girl.'

Of how well they knew each other at the time, she added: 'I had met him a few times at ITV things, at the TV Baftas and things like that, but I didn't know him that well, he didn't have my number so he went into my DMs to ask me.'

Ice breaker: Detailing how Iain asked about her maltipoo Mick, she said: 'What he said was "this girl I know wants to know what kind of dog you have" so I thought that's what it was'

Smooth talker: Laura went on, 'I could have just replied maltipoo. But it turns out that was his way of starting a conversation with me'

Laura let slip news of her engagement to Iain Sterling last month when she flashed her dazzling new yellow diamond ring.

Although news of Iain's proposal didn't come to light until last week, when Laura was seen heading out with her large sparkler, the pair are said to have engaged earlier in the year.

According to The Sun, Iain got down on one knee in South Africa after they filmed the most recent series of Love Island and the couple told their families in March.

Engaged! Meanwhile, Laura let slip news of her engagement to Iain Sterling last month when she flashed her dazzling new yellow diamond ring (Pictured in February)

A family friend said: 'They couldn't be happier. We're thrilled for them. He'd obviously thought about it for a while, as he designed the ring and yellow's her favourite colour.'

The insider added that the couple's wedding plans are on hold for the time being due to the ongoing coronavirus lockdown.

They said: 'Their wedding plans are on hold due to the lockdown but it's lovely to have a wedding to come.'

Laura and Iain met in 2016 but it wasn't until the following summer that things turned romantic between them.
STOCKHOLM, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- OssDsign announces the appointment of Eric Patermo as VP of Sales for OssDsign USA, Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of OssDsign AB. Eric will be responsible for further strengthening the company's sales organisation in the United States with the aim to deliver continued strong growth.

This appointment follows a period of very positive development for OssDsign in the United States since the IPO in May 2019. During this period, OssDsign resumed control of all commercial operations and strengthened the US organisation. The company has since reported strong consecutive quarterly growth and an acceleration in the number of new accounts with 70% of the new accounts added in the second half of 2019. With this appointment the company is now ready to take its US strategy to the next level.

As VP of Sales for OssDsign USA, Inc, Eric Patermo will lead the US sales organisation, and continue to build on the positive momentum that has been built up in the US market. Eric will be based in OssDsign's new US headquarters in Columbia, Maryland and will report to OssDsign's VP of Commercial Operations Rick Thomas.

"Eric is an outstanding addition to the OssDsign team, his sales leadership and his strong background in building top performing teams will further accelerate OssDsign's growth as we continue to expand our US operation. We are thrilled to have him on onboard!" says OssDsign's VP of Commercial Operations Rick Thomas.

"I am honoured to join the OssDsign team and help build on the solid foundation developed in 2019 and up until today. OssDsign is perfectly positioned to help US surgeons deliver improved outcomes to their deserving patients," says Eric Patermo.

Eric Patermo brings 25 years of sales and marketing experience in the neurosurgical and orthopedic segments. Most recently, Mr. Patermo served as Vice President of sales for Burst Biologics (Smart Surgical), a biopharmaceutical manufacturer focusing on technologies to promote bone healing. Prior to this he held various sales management and leadership roles in Spine and Orthobiologics companies, including as a primary member of the US commercial team for Apatech Ltd., a British company successfully sold to Baxter for around USD 330 million in March 2010.

About OssDsign

OssDsign is a Swedish medical technology company that develops and manufactures regenerative implants for improved healing of bone defects. Providing neuro and plastic surgeons with innovative implants, OssDsign improves the outcome for patients with severe cranial and facial defects worldwide. By combining clinical knowledge with proprietary technology, OssDsign manufactures and sells a growing range of patient-specific solutions for treating cranial defects and facial reconstruction. OssDsign's technology is the result of collaboration between clinical researchers at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm and material scientists at the Angstrom Laboratory at Uppsala University.

For further information, please contact:

Anders Lundqvist, CEO, OssDsign AB

Tel: +46-73-206-98-08

Email: [email protected]

Certified Adviser:

Erik Penser Bank AB is the company's Certified Adviser. Contact information: Erik Penser Bank AB, Box 7405, 103 91 Stockholm, Sweden, phone: +46 (0)8-463 80 00, email: [email protected].

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/ossdsign-ab/r/ossdsign-appoints-vp-of-sales-for-ossdsign-usa--inc-to-drive-continued-growth-in-the-company-s-large,c3104563

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/18020/3104563/1242288.pdf OssDsign appoints VP of Sales for OssDsign USA, Inc

SOURCE OssDsign AB
LONDON, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Chubb today announced the appointment of Mark Quinn as Regional Head of PowerGen for Eurasia & Africa.

In this role, Mark will have overall responsibility for underwriting and business development activity for this line of business across its Eurasia & Africa region, where he will be supported by local underwriting teams.

Mark, who was previously Head of PowerGen in MENA, will report to Nikolay Dmitriev, Regional Director Property and Casualty. He will also maintain his responsibilities as Senior Executive Officer of Chubb Underwriting (DFIC) Ltd, reporting to Mojgan Khoshabi, Regional Managing Director, MENA. Mark will continue to be based in Dubai and the appointment is effective immediately.

Giles Ward, Regional President, Eurasia & Africa, Chubb, said:

"I'm extremely pleased that we have a professional of Mark's calibre in the team. In his new role, his deep technical and market knowledge, backed by Chubb's excellent risk engineering and claims capabilities, will help us capitalise on opportunities for profitable growth in the region in this line of business."





About Chubb

Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries and territories, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London, Paris and other locations, and employs approximately 33,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: www.chubb.com

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/324916/Chubb_Logo.jpg
San Antonio Police Department

San Antonio police are still searching for those responsible for a deadly prom night shooting three years ago.

On April 9, 2017, Joe Manuel Soto, 20, was shot and killed after attending an after-prom party near the 4000 block of Moss Spring. Soto was leaving the party in a pickup truck with several other males at around 3:15 a.m., when two young males fired multiple times into the vehicle, police said.
(Photo : Pixabay)

Brace yourselves as another heavenly frame will visit the Earth soon. Comets are magnificent to look at because of their beauty. It's like their tails sprinkle fairy dirt on the planet. Now, it's Comet Swan's chance to shine.

ALSO READ: Supermoon 2020: The Year's Last Super Flower Moon Is Happening This Week

When talking about comets, the well-known Halley's Comet comes to everyone's mind. Comet Atlas seemed to be the talk of the town this year before it broke up. But as promising space snowball cracks up, Comet C/2020 F8 SWAN was discovered late March.

Comet Swan could now deliver its promise of providing a rare night sky show that Atlas failed to produce. Swan might be seen to those with exquisitely dark skies and sharp eyes.

They will have another shot at wishing when Comet Swan passes by the Earth. The comet, according to astronomers, will brighten in the coming days.

"[Comet Swan] should be an 'obvious' naked eye target in mid-May," Astronomer Con Stoitsis said on Twitter.

ALSO READ: [BREAKING] China Launches Largest Carrier Rocket in Space Bigger Than an Olympic Swimming Pool

When and where to see Comet Swan

Comet Swan's bright light will pass by Earth in the coming days. Scientists are not sure how long the visit will last, though, that's why they tell comet watchers to mark their calendars on May 13 and May 27.

At the moment, Comet SWAN is predicted to reach a brightness of approximately magnitude 2.5 - that is as big as the fourth brightest star in the Southern Cross  (Delta) Crucis.

However, the light is diffused, so it won't look that bright. The comet will seem like a new fuzzy blob on the eastern horizon with the naked eye.

Although the light could brighten, it is also getting closer to the horizon every day as it moves closer to the Sun. Hence, as a way to make it tougher to look inside the dawn twilight.

Juggling some of these factors, the best time to look the comet can be on Wednesday morning between 4:30 to 5:00 AM after the Moon has disappeared.

Astrophotographer and astronomer Dylan O'Donnell told Australian news site ABC.co.au the Supermoon would wash out the view of the comet. Hence, stargazers should be taking every opportunity they could while its darkest.

ALSO READ: Supermoon 2020: The Year's Last Super Flower Moon Is Happening This Week

Why the excitement about Comet SWAN?

Michael Mattiazzo, an astronomer from Swan Hill in Victoria, discovered Comet SWAN early April while sifting through data from NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory.

"Everyone is getting really excited because this is the biggest comet we've had in a long time, and it's particularly photogenic," O'Donnell said.

So how vibrant will Comet SWAN get? Jonti Horner, an astronomer at the University of Southern Queensland, says astrophysicists aren't absolutely sure, too.

"Comets are a bit like cats; you can try to predict what they're going to do, but they'll do their own thing anyway," Professor Horner says.

While the comet can be bright enough to see with your eyes as it passes by Earth, Comet SWAN remains still a bit dim at the moment unless you stay in a dark sky area.

Mr. O'Donnell, who has been observing comets from his backyard in Byron Bay, suggests taking photos if stargazers cannot see it with naked eyes.

"I haven't been able to see it with my naked eye, but my camera with its long exposures really reveals the whole thing," he says.

ALSO READ: The Universe Is Expanding Faster Than It Should, Scientists Say; Here's Why

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
President Donald Trump's angry attacks on members of a group that attacked his response to the coronavirus with a scathing TV triggered a $1 million fundraising haul for The Lincoln Project.

Trump went after the group and its members  who include lawyer George Conway, husband of White House counselor Kellyanne Conway  after it released the ad this week.

'They should not call it The Lincoln Project. It's not fair to Abraham Lincoln, a great president,' Trump said when asked about the ad Wednesday. 'They should call it the losers project.'

Pegged to Ronald Reagan's sunny 'Morning in America' campaign theme, the ad describes an economy 'in shambles' with 26 million out of work.

It infuriated Trump, who fired off a tweet storm after midnight on Tuesday.

George Conway released an ad Monday blaming the severity of the coronavirus pandemic and the economic downturn as a result of Donald Trump's response to the outbreak in the U.S.

He slammed George Conway as a 'deranged loser' and 'moonface' in a series of bizarre tweets.

The tweets brought scrutiny and media attention, and prompted the group to experience its best fundraising day of the year, with a $1 million haul, CNBC reported.

They also brought 'earned media'  where a group gets portions of its ad essentially played for free through news coverage. The group's ad had a limited run on Fox News stations in the Washington, D.C. area  a relatively cheap way to get national exposure.

The group raised nearly $2 million last quarter and had more than $1 million in the bank in order to produce more anti-Trump ads.

As it turns out, the ad aired hours after Trump gave a sit-down with Fox News in front of the famed Daniel Chester French statue of Lincoln inside the Lincoln Memorial.

'That was the luck of the political gods,' John Weaver, an advisor to the late Republican Trump rival Sen. John McCain, told CNN.

The ad demonized Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic and questioned the vitality of America as a nation if the president is reelected.

Trump referred to the group as 'RINO Republicans'  Republicans In Name Only.

President Trump has slammed Kellyanne Conway's lawyer husband as a 'deranged loser' and 'moonface' in a series of bizarre tweets

In a series of tweets, the President said: 'A group of RINO Republicans who failed badly 12 years ago, then again 8 years ago, and then got BADLY beaten by me, a political first timer, 4 years ago, have copied (no imagination) the concept of an ad from Ronald Reagan, 'Morning in America', doing everything possible to get even for all of their many failures.

'You see, these loser types don't care about 252 new Federal Judges, 2 great Supreme Court Justices, a rebuilt military, a protected 2nd Amendment, biggest EVER Tax & Regulation cuts, and much more.

'I didn't use any of them because they don't know how to win, and their so-called Lincoln Project is a disgrace to Honest Abe,' Trump wrote.

'I don't know what Kellyanne did to her deranged loser of a husband, Moonface, but it must have been really bad. John Weaver lost big for Kasich (to me). Crazed Rick Wilson lost for Evan 'McMuffin' McMullin (to me).

'Steve Schmidt & Reed Galvin lost for John McCain, Romney's campaign manager (?) lost big to 'O', & Jennifer Horn got thrown out of the New Hampshire Republican Party. They're all LOSERS, but Abe Lincoln, Republican, is all smiles!'

Conway's minute-long political ad which was released yesterday asserts: 'There's mourning in American. And under the leadership of Donald Trump our country is weaker and sicker and poorer.'

The ad includes several desolate images of the struggling U.S. economy, including empty roads and shut down factories

'And now Americans are asking: If we have another four years like this, will there even be an America?' the narrator questions in his conclusion.

'There's mourning in America,' the ad reiterated, then goes on to blame Trump for the poor economic downturn due to the coronavirus outbreak. 'Today more than 600,000 Americans have died from a deadly virus Donald Trump ignored.'

'Trump bailed out Wall Street, but not Main Street,' it asserted. 'This afternoon, millions of Americans will apply for unemployment, and with their saving run out, many are giving up hope. Millions worried a loved one won't survive COVID-19.'

In a statement released Monday, the group said the ad is a play on Ronald Reagan's 1984 campaign ad titled Morning in America, where he highlighted the positive impact of his first term.

Jennifer Horn, the co-founder of The Lincoln Project, said the goal of the PAC ad is to highlight Trump's failures as president, specifically during a time of crisis.

'Americans are asking: If we have another four years like this, will there even be an America?' the ad, titled Mourning in American, concludes

Conway, a former Republican who turned independent in 2018, is a vocal and public Trump critic  even though his wife works closely as one of the president's top advisers.

Kellyanne Conway currently serves as counselor to the president and has previously held roles as campaign manager and strategist in the Republican Party.

George Conway helped start The Lincoln Project in December 2019 with other anti-Trump Republicans to derail his reelection efforts while remaining true to their conservatives roots and values.

The new ad comes as Trump's 2020 campaign has launched its own national advertising blitz after internal polling showed the president slipping in some battleground states.

The ad campaign is aimed at praising the president for his response to the coronavirus outbreak  and reports indicate a second wave of ads will come soon attacking his presumed Democratic contender Joe Biden.
Survivor: Cagayan champ Tony Vlachos is known for his hilarious antics, which include constructing spy shacks and giant ladders. However, construction worker Boo Bernis actually built the first spy shack 14 seasons prior in Survivor: Fiji.

Kenward Boo Bernis | Andrew H. Walker

Tony Vlachos spy shacks on Survivor

Initially placed on the Brawn tribe in Cagayan, New Jersey-based police officer Tony Vlachos quickly allied with fellow cop Sarah Lacina who pinpointed his profession.

He also connected with longstanding ally Trish Hegarty. After noticing people spoke to each other at the water well, Tony decided to build a spy shack behind it and expertly disguised himself with leaves and bushes.

SPY SHACK  SPY BUNKER  SPY NEST



Another great week for Tony #Survivor pic.twitter.com/8IsMttEpea  edward (@edmacasadia) April 30, 2020

The police officer overheard several conversations, including how people felt about working with him. Three years after his victory, the police officer returned for Game Changers.

He attempted to dig up a spy bunker near the water well, but Caleb Reynolds and Sandra Diaz-Twine eventually caught him. Tony returned for his third time in Winners at War, where he initially put himself on probation.

However, after his team lost their first immunity challenge after a tribe swap, he reverted to his old ways and hid in another spy shack behind the water.

Sandra found his disappearance mysterious and chose not to talk gameplay around the wells. After the merge, he elevated the spy shack into a spy nest, which is an area he sits hidden in a tree above the water well.

While the spy nest hasnt come into play yet, his Cops-R-Us partner Sarah confirmed that no one could see him when standing at the well.

Boo Bernis first to build a spy shack on Survivor

In 2007, then 35-year-old construction worker Kenward Boo Bernis competed on Survivor: Fiji, initially as part of the Moto tribe. They had a luxurious camp and dominated in the majority of the immunity challenges, only losing one.

After the merge, he joined the Syndicate Alliance alongside Stacy Kimball, Yau-Man Chan, Michelle Yi, and Cassandra Franklin, led by eventual winner Earl Cole.

The alliance then systematically eliminated the Four Horsemen, excluding Dreamz, who strategically flipped to their side. Once all the strong men were voted out, Earl wanted to target Boo due to his strength.

Knowing he was on the outs, the construction worker made a back pathway to the water well so he could overhear his tribemates talking about him. Back at camp, the remaining castaways discussed their plan to eliminate Boo next. However, the construction worker won the next immunity challenge, foiling their scheme.

Boo then lost the following challenge and attempted to save himself by suggesting they eliminate Dreamz, who he believed would get sympathy votes at the Final Tribal Council. His scrambling did not work, and the other four unanimously made him the eighth member of the jury.

Even though the spy shack, or any variation, has been attempted five times in Survivor, it hasnt led to any valuable information the listener could use to further their game, as of yet. Survivor 40: Winners at War airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST on CBS.
Increased excise duty on alcohol, heavier deployment of police personnel to enforce social distancing, long queues and speculation over home delivery of liquor in some states marked the second day of liquor sales across the country after curbs on sale of alcohol was lifted after 42 days on May 4.

Till Tuesday evening, four states  Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Rajasthan -- had announced an increase in the excise duty for liquor. Delhi increased the tax by 70%, Andhra by 75%, West Bengal by 30% and Rajasthan by 10%, all to raise funds to fight the pandemics and manage state finances, the governments said.

To reduce chaos at liquor vends, the Chhattisgarh government set up a new company, Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited, to deliver liquor at home in green zones, a government statement said.

A customer can order up to 5,000 ml of liquor at a time for home delivery and the delivery charge will be Rs 120, the release stated. Except Raipur and Korba districts, the remaining 26 districts of the state are green zones.

West Bengal also allowed online sale and home delivery from retail outlets to restrict footfall at the shops, officials said. How did it facilitate online delivery?Will delivery men from stores come home? We welcome the governments decision, said Dilip Pal, a shopkeeper from the Sealdah market in Kolkata.

Punjab is likely to take a call on a similar proposal at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday. For allowing home delivery of liquor, we need to make changes in the excise policy.For that, Cabinets approval is needed, said a Punjab government official. Others states have brought in changes in excise policy through a Cabinet decisions. In Punjab, the proposal to is deliver liquor at home from local vends.

In the excise policy for current financial year, the Punjab government had approved a pilot project for home delivery of liquor in Mohali. However, the proposal could not be implemented as curfew was imposed all across Punjab from March 22 to contain the outbreak of Covid-19.

Some states, such as Assam and Andhra Pradesh recorded high sales on first few days. Assam, where liquor shops opened from Saturday, earned between Rs 75 crore to Rs 80 crore in the first three days, officials said. Assam earns on an average earns Rs 65 crore per month from liquor sales.

On the first day (Monday), Andhra Pradesh earned around Rs 68 crore through liquor sales, said a state government official. On the second day, Tuesday, higher revenue is expected as the price of liquor has increased and shops will open for an extra hour, the official said. In Karnataka, the estimated excise revenue on Tuesday was Rs 197 crore as compared to Rs 45 crore earned on Monday. The average for a day in 2018-19 was Rs 54 crore, official estimates showed.

Some states, such as West Bengal and Karnataka, issued orders to limit the sale of liquor bottles. In both the states, a person is entitled to buy only two bottles of distilled spirits and six bottles of beer. In Karnataka, where a similar order was issued on Monday morning, action was taken against a vend owner who sold more than the prescribed bottles to a customer, who put out his Rs 52,000 liquor bill on social media.

To enforce social distancing norms, local administrations deployed additional police personnel at liquor vends and, in some places, such as Mumbai, bouncers were hired to prevent unruly behaviour and jostling among customers. However, in some places in Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, police had to use mild force to disperse the crowds. UPs excise secretary, Sanjay Bhoosreddy, said the sale of liquor has been smooth and the government expects the revenue to increase in the coming days.

In Andhra Pradesh, where liquor is 75% costlier than it was in the pre-lockdown period, people scrambled to buy alcohol despite the price hike even as women in Nellore and Visakhapatnam districts protests at opening of the shops.

At Yetapaka village of East Godavari district, people queued up in front of wine shops from 9 am, though the shops are supposed to be open for business from 11 am. In Guntur, the staff issued tokens to the people in queue. Out of 3,468 retail outlets, only around 500, located in red zones and containment areas of orange districts and in malls, remained closed.

The steep hike in liquor prices is to discourage the consumption of alcohol and number of shops would also be slashed by month end, the official release said, adding that the number of shops may be reduced by 15% by the end of May.

Officials said there was huge rush at liquor vends in districts bordering Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, which are yet to resume the sales. Police on Monday had to carry out a mild lathi-charge to shoo away more than 2000 people who crossed over into Karnataka through porous borders to purchase liquor.

In Rajasthan, where excise duty was increased by 10% to shore up money to combat Covid-19, shops opened late as police tried to control unruly crowds. In some places in Jaipur, buyers carried chalk to make marks to maintain social distancing. There were also complaints of overcharging from Jaipur and Chandigarh.

Unlike in the rest of India, liquor sales in Goa were devoid of incident because of the states high number of liquor dealers per capita. Goa has around 3,000 liquor retailers and 11,000 licensed liquor vendors, a bulk of whom are serving liquor through a bar or restaurant and cannot currently reopen. Many of our loyal regular customers have visited us to restock on their supplies. There wasnt any rush as such, Dattaprasad Naik, the president of the Goa Liquor Traders Association, said.

While Kerala decided not to open liquor shops till May 17, the shops will open in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday and in Punjab on Thursday. Tamil Nadu also announced that liquor vends will not open in Chennai till further notice while allowing liquor sale in the rest of the state.
America holds its Greatest Generation in a unique place of honor. We treasure the enormous contributions the men and women who are now our senior citizens have made to our freedom and prosperity, at home and abroad.

Yet the sacred right of todays seniors to have their political choices honored at the ballot box are at high risk because of vote fraud.

Faced with challenges of aging such as sensory and mobility changes, access to transportation or a residence change to a new voting jurisdiction, seniors often rely on others to assist them with voting. They are also are the trusting generation, and their personal values demonstrate an integrity they often assume is present in everyone.

Unfortunately, that is not the case.

Proven instances of vote fraud committed against the elderly occur at their homes and in coordinated activity at senior residences. Fraudsters illegally harvest, manipulate, and falsify voter forms and ballots at senior communities.

Demographics also contribute to why seniors are targeted for fraud by the left. Citizens in their 70s and 80s vote Republican in high numbers and have the highest turnout (71 percent) of any age category.

According to a 2016 Pew Research study, although 48 percent of all registered voters identify as Democrats and 44 percent Republican, it flips for seniors. Fifty-three percent of seniors lean GOP vs. 40 percent Democrat. In 2016, voters aged 65+ voted for Trump by 53 percent over Clinton at 45 percent.

Seniors in institutional settings are also convenient and captive audiences for fraud activists. According to 2016 data from the Centers for Disease Control, there are more than 800K in assisted living and 1.3 million in nursing homes. This does not include many thousands in independent living and adult day centers or receiving home health care.

In 2017, a Texas man was convicted of using a false photo of himself as a police officer to gain trust and entry into a nursing home where he illegally requested ballots for residents -- many unable to make voting decisions.

That same year, the family of 91-year-old Lucy Corrato -- a resident at a Philadelphia nursing home who had always refused to vote -- reported that someone falsely signed her up to vote in a Democratic primary. Subsequently, families of two other elderly residents discovered their loved ones were also victims of fraud. A staff member accused by the families of participating in the fraud is still employed at the facility, according to LinkedIn. The winner of that primary won by only 18 votes, and her challenger contends 34 of them came from Mrs. Corratos nursing home.

In Wisconsin in 2008, a nursing home resident voted, for the first time in his life, for McCain/Palin only because his grandson worked for the campaign. Two years later, the grandson discovered his non-voting grandfather, who showed signs of dementia -- and 15 other residents -- requested permanent absentee ballots on the same day in 2010. The person the family suspected of assisting in this case is also still employed by the facility based on her social media.

Although both facilities were contacted by families and media, it appears no actions were taken to protect residents votes.

In Texas, vote fraud is often blatant. The states elderly are preyed upon by activists called politiqueros, many of whom have been prosecuted for vote fraud. A short documentary by the Texas Public Policy Foundation on politiqueros (balleteros in other states) provides a disturbing look at institutionalized fraud.

Conservative vote integrity advocates, liberal election experts (often grudgingly) and even a few Democrat officials agree that absentee ballots have the greatest potential for fraud. In a recent New York Times article, a Democrat on New Yorks State Board of Elections expressed his worry about absentee ballot fraud while referring to a previous New York nursing home vote fraud scandal.

Despite this public concern, and using COVID-19 as an excuse, Democrat New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issued an order in March rescinding codified vote integrity protections for residents in state senior facilities. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) wants to overturn constitutional provisions that give electoral procedure decisions to states by mailing a ballot to every registered voter in America whether they are alive, dead, not living there anymore, or a non-citizen wrongly signed up to vote.

By 2030, aging boomers will double senior residence populations. Out of concern for the integrity of votes cast by todays seniors, and tomorrows, ACRU recently launched a Protect Elderly Votes project to inform and support elderly voters and bring the criticality of this issue into the public square. The problem will only get worse if not halted now.

Seniors have made invaluable contributions to American freedom. In turn, we must ensure their political choices are respected and defend their right to be free of attempts to manipulate or steal their votes.

Ken Blackwell is a Policy Board Member at the American Civil Rights Union and its Protect Elderly Votes project. He is a Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission and former Secretary of State for Ohio.
Chinas foreign ministry said on Wednesday tariffs should not be used as a weapon, after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened new tariffs last week as a retaliatory measure over Beijings handling of the coronavirus crisis.

Spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters during a daily briefing that tariffs in general hurt all parties involved.

She reiterated that the United States should stop shifting its responsibilities over Covid-19 and said accusations that China deliberately spread the virus are baseless.
By Akbar Mammadov

The United States supports Azerbaijan's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Leyla Abdullayeva said in a press-conference on May 5.

Commenting on the information spread in the Armenian media on May 5 about the adoption of a resolution by the US Senate of Minnesota on the "recognition" of the so-called regime in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, the spokeswoman said:

"Presented as a resolution of the Minnesota State Senate and signed by Senator Mary Kiffmeyer, Senate Secretary and Chairman of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, the paper is a personal statement of the senator and has a symbolic gesture."

She also noted that no voting is required for the adoption of such a paper, which can be declared by any member of the Senate, meaning that this paper is not adopted by the state of Minnesota as an official resolution.

"Apparently, the paper, presented by the state of Minnesota allegedly as recognition of the so-called regime in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, is in fact a symbolic document signed by the senator, which was not considered in the Senate and put to a vote", the spokeswoman added.

In general, I would like to emphasize that the recognition of any institution as a "state" is outside the powers of the state legislative authority. As for the position of the United States at the federal level, this position is clear. The US supports Azerbaijan's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders", she said.

Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a conflict over Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh breakaway region, which along with seven adjacent regions was occupied by Armenian forces in a war in the early 1990s. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and around one million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

The OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired by the United States, Russia and France has been mediating the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict since the signing of the volatile cease-fire agreement in 1994. The Minsk Groups efforts have resulted in no progress and to this date, Armenia has failed to abide by the UN Security Council resolutions (822, 853, 874 and 884) that demand the withdrawal of Armenian military forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

---

Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
WASHINGTON, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley said on Tuesday that "we don't know" where the coronavirus originated.

"Did it come out of the virology lab in Wuhan, did it occur in the wet market there in Wuhan or did it occur somewhere else? And the answer to that is we don't know," the top U.S. military officer told reporters in a Pentagon briefing when asked about the origin of COVID-19.

"Various agencies both civilian and U.S. government are looking at that," he added.

Milley said that the weight of evidence indicated the coronavirus was "natural and not manmade" and was "probably not intentional."

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, also noted in his Monday interview with National Geographic that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, could not have been artificially or deliberately manipulated.

Asked about the possibility that the virus was found outside the lab, then brought back and escaped, Fauci said, "That means it (virus) was in the wild to begin with."

"That's why I don't get what they're talking about (and) why I don't spend a lot of time going in on this circular argument," he said.

The remarks of Milley and Fauci were in stark contrast to the claim made by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday that "there is a significant amount of evidence" that the virus came from a lab in Wuhan.

U.S. media reported last week that some U.S. intelligence analysts had expressed concern that senior Trump administration officials' pressure to link the coronavirus with a Chinese lab will distort assessments about the virus and they could be used as a political weapon.

As COVID-19 deaths continue to increase in the United States, some individuals in the Trump administration have tried desperately to deflect criticisms about their blunders by blaming others.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the United States reported more than 1,194,000 COVID-19 cases with over 70,000 deaths, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
France wants to control her on the ground the whole chain of production of the paracetamol in the next three years, announced Thursday the ministries of Economy and Health, two days after the president's call Macron for the relocation of certain medications.

"Of the work is thus engaged with Seqens, Upsa and Sanofi to that, by 3 years, France will be able to reproduce, package and distribute paracetamol," said a joint statement of the secretary of State at the ministry of the Economy Agnes Pannier-Runacher and the minister of Health Olivier Veran.

The editorial team conseilleDans hospitals, stocks of equipment and medicines difficult to reconstituerAucun comment

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Updated Date: 18 June 2020, 06:47

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Russia and Turkey jointly patrol M4 Motorway in Idlib, northwest Syria

China and the United States are delaying an international effort to end fighting in conflict zones around the world for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic as they jockey for dominance in a post-pandemic world.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Gutteres called for a global ceasefire or humanitarian pause to allow the world to concentrate on fighting the coronavirus pandemic in March.

But a United Nations security council resolution drafted by France and Tunisia has been stuck in suspended animation due to what diplomatic sources described as a tussle between Washington and Beijing over dominance in the post-Pandemic world.

A video summit between the leaders of the permanent members of the security council, China, France, Russian, the United Kingdom and the United States has also repeatedly been delayed. It is very frustrating, said a European diplomat with knowledge of the talks. The world is looking up to us, it is a global catastrophe, and the Security Council, the most important body of governments in the world, is not saying anything.

Proposals were initially delayed when the United States insisted on stating that Covid-19 began in the Chinese city of Wuhan, and later when Russia and the United States insisted on changing the text to allow them to continue counter terrorist operations.

The US later dropped its insistence on the Wuhan reference, and the text was amended to refer only to countries and conflicts on the Security Council agenda.

A second delay came when US officials insisted on deleting references to the World Health Organization, the UNs global health agency, after Donald Trump suspended US funding for it on March 15.

Two diplomatic sources told the Telegraph that China immediately began to insist on making references to the WHO more prominent, in a move that some have interpreted as a deliberate delaying tactic.

Story continues

The draft resolution calls for a ceasefire in all conflicts currently on the Security Councils agenda, including in Syria, Yemen, Libya, Congo, the Central African Republic, and Colombia.

While largely symbolic, it would enshrine a "humanitarian pause" in international law and could create additional impetus for a diplomatic solutions.

Diplomats have put special emphasis on Yemen, where after five years of stalemate the Saudi-led coalition has indicated it may be willing to contemplate a negotiated solution to the conflict with Houthi rebels.

Elsewhere, however, prospects for a ceasefire seem slim.

In Libya, fighting has escalated over the past two months as forces loyal to the Tripoli-based government backed by the Turkish military seek to push back General Khalifa Haftars Libyan National Army, which is backed by the United Arab Emirate and Russia.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will celebrate the first birthday of their son Archie  while under lockdown in the US.

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor turns one on Wednesday but the milestone is likely to be marked by just Harry and Meghan in person.

The couple have made Los Angeles their home and they and other residents of California have been living under a stay-at-home order made by the states governor Gavin Newsom.

America is where they plan to bring up their son after walking away from the royal family in order to become financially independent, after their hopes of earning money while still supporting the Queen were ruled out.

Archie received happy birthday wishes from the official social media accounts of the Queen, Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, which all featured pictures of the young royal.

A post on the monarchs official Twitter account said: Happy Birthday to Archie Mountbatten-Windsor who is celebrating his 1st birthday today! Archie is The Queens eighth great-grandchild.

The young royal has experienced an eventful 12 months since he was born at Londons Portland Hospital  first living in a cottage in the grounds of Windsor Castle, then an exclusive home on Vancouver Island in Canada and now in the sprawling metropolis known as the City of Angels.

Expand Close Meghan and Harry show off their newborn son to the world (Dominic Lipinski/PA) PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Meghan and Harry show off their newborn son to the world (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Archie was born on May 6 2019 at 5.26am, weighing 7lb 3oz, and a few days after his birth his parents proudly showed him to the world, before the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh saw the infant for the first time.

Meghans mother Doria Ragland, a yoga instructor and social worker, was pictured at the royal gathering and she has been a constant presence in the Sussexes lives, and lives in Los Angeles where Meghan grew up and went to school.

Fans will be hoping the couple follow royal tradition and release a picture of Archie, who has rarely been seen in public.

He received his greatest exposure when the Sussexes took their son on his first royal tour, visiting South Africa last autumn when he was four months old.

Happy Birthday to Archie Mountbatten-Windsor who is celebrating his 1st birthday today! 



Archie is The Queens eighth great-grandchild. pic.twitter.com/PMaiY6NR1a  The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 6, 2020

The royal baby received a welcome kiss from Archbishop Desmond Tutu when Harry and Meghan introduced him to one of the heroes of the anti-Apartheid movement.

Archie made an impression with the Archbishops daughter Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe, who joked the young royal favoured ladies better when she caught him glancing in her direction and Meghan declared he likes to flirt.

Earlier in 2019 Archie was photographed in his mothers arms while his father took part in a charity polo match.

Meghan and Harry are the subject of a highly anticipated book, due for publication in August, which its authors have said they want to be a definitive story about the couple.

Expand Close Meghan and Harry with the duchess mother Doria Ragland who has been a presence in Archies life (Ben Stansall/PA) PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Meghan and Harry with the duchess mother Doria Ragland who has been a presence in Archies life (Ben Stansall/PA)

And in another development in their lives, the duchess lost the first High Court skirmish in her claim against the publisher of the Mail on Sunday over publication of a private and confidential letter to her estranged father.

Meghan is suing Associated Newspapers over five articles, two in the Mail on Sunday and three on MailOnline, which were published in February 2019 and reproduced parts of a handwritten letter she sent to Thomas Markle, 75, in August 2018.

In a ruling last Friday, Mr Justice Warby struck out parts of Meghans claim against the publisher, including allegations that it acted dishonestly by leaving out certain passages of the letter, following an application by Associated Newspapers.


By Andrea Plate





It was big news in 2016 when the novel "Kim Ji-young, Born 1982," by author Cho Nam-joo, awakened a semi-somnolent women's movement in South Korea. The book sold one million copies  only the second novel in the country's history to do so.



The novel made news again in April, when an English language version, beautifully translated by Jamie Chang, an award-winning teacher at the Ewha Womans University in Seoul, was published in the U.S.



"Literature is news that stays new,'" said the famously noted American poet, critic and expatriate Ezra Pound.



Why has Cho's novel had such an extraordinary impact in South Korea? Oddly, the 30-something protagonist Kim Ji-young is a rather ordinary literary creation  a kind of Jane Doe of South Korea. She is a curious, ambitious teen-turned-college graduate-turned-careerist who eventually  perhaps inevitably, in 1990's South Korea  gives it all up to become a housewife and mother (against her better instincts). How does she fare?



Suffice it to say that the narrator of this alarming tale is the protagonist's psychiatrist. South Korean sociology professor Lee Na-young of Chung-Ang University explains, "It [the novel] follows Kim Ji-young's life cycle and along the way one detects discrimination, exclusion and violence. And it hurts." Which is why she sees a psychiatrist.





Another emotionally loaded and much lauded novel  "Please Look After Mom," by Shin Kyung-sook, published in 2009  was the first in South Korean history to sell a million copies. Shin told a different type of tale about an old-school, traditionally loyal wife and mother who steps into a crowded subway station with her husband and suddenly, inexplicably, disappears.



The symbolism of one generation replacing another was not lost on the South Korean public. In fact, it was Yoo Soon-taek, wife of former U.N. Secretary-General and former South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon, who gifted me this book at a small dinner party with the diplomatic power couple in 2011.



Now in her 70s, the college-educated Madame Yoo had just proffered a brief personal history describing how she left her post at the Chung-Ang University library, some 40 years ago, to marry and raise children. The secretary-general, also at the dinner, explained to me, somewhat wincingly: "Korea then was not like America. If you married, you didn't pursue a career."



Not anymore. Cho's novel got a big-time boost from the late Roh Hoe-chan, a prominent leader of the Justice Party, who presented the book to President Moon Jae-in with a message that read "Please embrace Kim Ji-young, Born 1982."



This was in 2018  the same year that the largest women's rally in the history of Seoul took place and the same year that America's #MeToo movement took off. In literature as in life, timing is everything.



Cho had no idea that she would strike a national nerve. "I wanted to write about the everyday and common, but nonetheless undeserved, experience of women around me, about the despair, exhaustion and fear that we feel for no reason other than that we're women," she has said. "I also wanted this story to not just be a work of fiction, but a very likely true-to-life biography of someone out there."




Europol arrested five members of the Infinity Black hacker group that were selling stolen user credentials and hacking tools.

Europol announced another success in the fight against cybercrime, today it has arrested five Polish hackers who were members of the Infinity Black hacking group.

The joint operation coordinated by the Europol, saw the participation of the Polish and Swiss law enforcement authorities, and Eurojust.

The crime gang was formed in 2018, it was involved in distributing stolen user credentials, developing and distributing malware and hacking tools, and fraud.

The stolen credentials were available for sale on a website set up by the criminal organization.

Polish and Swiss law enforcement authorities, supported by Europol and Eurojust, dismantled InfinityBlack, a hacking group involved in distributing stolen user credentials, creating and distributing malware and hacking tools, and fraud. reads the press release published by Europol.

On 29 April 2020, the Polish National Police (Policja) searched six locations in five Polish regions and arrested five individuals believed to be members of the hacking group InfinityBlack.

Data amassed by the hackers were obtained from third-party data breaches, they were offered on several hacking forums.

On 29 April 2020, the Polish National Police (Policja) raided six locations in five Polish regions and arrested the five alleged members of the hacking group InfinityBlack. The agents seized electronic equipment, external hard drives and hardware cryptocurrency wallets, all worth around 100 000. The authorities shut down two platforms containing databases with over 170 million entries.

The online platforms created by the group to sell user stolen login credentials are known as combos. The authorities reported that the crime crew was efficiently organised into the following defined teams:

Developers, who were tacked of creating tools to test the quality of the stolen databases;

Testers, who analysed the suitability of authorisation data;

Project managers that were distributing subscriptions against cryptocurrency payments.

Infinity Black also used the hacking tools that was offering for sale. They used stolen credentials to gain access to other online accounts that shared the same username and passwords.

The group focused on online services running loyalty programs with the intent to compromise the accounts and exchange the loyalty points from each account for expensive electronic devices.

Swiss authorities investigated the groups activity after it hacked a large number of accounts belonging to Swiss users, then the Infinity Black hackers sold access to other cybercriminals.

The hackers created a sophisticated script to gain access to a large number of Swiss customer accounts. Although the losses are estimated at 50 000, hackers had access to accounts with potential losses of more than 610 000. continues the press release. The fraudsters and hackers, among them minors and young adults, were unmasked when using the stolen data in shops in Switzerland.

Swiss police shared the results of its investigation with Europol and Eurojust, which were able to identify and arrest the five individuals at the end of April.

Once the criminal gang cashing out the loyalty points was identified in Switzerland, police exchanged criminal intelligence and uncovered links to members of the separate hacking group in Poland. Transmitting the data on searched computers between the Swiss and Polish authorities led to the arrest of the hackers in Poland. concludes the Europol.

Please vote Security Affairs for European Cybersecurity Blogger Awards  VOTE FOR YOUR WINNERS

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Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs  Infinity Black, hacking)

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Raising concerns over data security and privacy issues in use of the Aarogya Setu App, the Congress on Wednesday alleged that it was like a "surveillance camera" over everyone and could lead to serious breach of privacy.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala asked the government to clarify on the security and privacy concerns raised over the application, especially after an ethical hacker has pointed out its alleged flaws.

"The Aarogra Setu App is as if a surveillance camera is on your head, which is telling the app as also app's operators where are you going, who are you meeting and for how long are you meeting, this itself is a gross breach of privacy," Surjewala said at a press conference.

"I think there are genuine privacy issues that the Government is refusing to answer despite an ethical hacker now justifying it and CERT (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) contacting. If there was no problem, why was CERT contacting the ethical hacker? These are the questions that still lie unanswered," he asked.

The government has, however, claimed that the coronavirus tracking app Aarogya Setu was "secure" and there was no privacy breach by its use.

Union IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad rejected the charges that the coronavirus-related application was a "sophisticated surveillance system" that was leveraged to track citizens without their consent.

The government's assertion also came a day after French hacker and cyber security expert Elliot Alderson claimed that "a security issue has been found" in the app and that "privacy of 90 million Indians is at stake".

Asked about the concerns, Surjewala said a leading ethical hacker has pointed out serious privacy flaws in the Aarogya Setu App and has also said the problems in it pointed out by Rahul Gandhi were absolutely correct.

He said the Supreme Court has recognised the right to privacy as a fundamental right, but the Aarogya Setu App keeps a complete track of your entire movements throughout the day, including the person that an individual meets and also the period for which the meeting took place.

He said the Aarogya Setu App has been developed not by the Government and its engineers but by Goibibo and MakeMyTrip founders.

"We all know that Goibibo and MakeMyTrip have close to 40 per cent Chinese ownership and now this app is also being operated finally by private operators. How are you so sure that privacy cannot be breached then," he asked.

Surjewala said the App has a back end human interface because of which a person can be described as from a red, orange or green zone. "So, if they do not like anyone, someone can by mischief term them as red...and (that person) will virtually be quarantined. Where is the security for this?" he asked.

He also said the data of this app is stored on a cloud server, but asked where that server is, whether in China, Korea, Japan, or India. "That question has not been answered," he said.

"Lastly, none less than the Indian Army itself has come forward and warned its officers of Pakistan replicating a similar app and consequently attempting to steal the data," he alleged.

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

May 6, 2020 Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2020 to ease qualms of PH 'Naytays'- Revilla Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. on Tuesday urged his colleagues to amend R.A. 9872 (Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2000) to expand the benefits and privileges of single mothers and fathers and their children. In his co-sponsorship speech, the veteran legislator stated since R.A. 9872 has been passed into law 20 years ago, circumstances have already changed for Filipino single parents. He justified the need to enact the "Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act of 2020" to ease the burden of millions of present-day 'Naytays,' or single parents who take the sole responsibility of being "mother and father" in raising their children. "Ang oras na kailangan nating ilaan upang gabayan ang kanilang maayos, responsable, makabayan, at maka-Diyos na paglago ay dapat pagtuunan at bigyan ng ibayong halaga. Kaakibat pa niyan ay ang mga gastusin para sa pagpapalaki ng ating mga anak na patuloy na tumataas ay dapat bigyan din ng pansin. Dagdag pa po dito ang iba't ibang suliranin at pagsubok na kailangang tugunan ay hindi rin nawawala," Revilla said. If passed into law, the proposed measure will provide more privileges for solo parents, including discounts on certain products and services. Such benefits will significantly unburden single moms and dads of financial worries, and allow them to focus on the educational, psychological, and spiritual aspects of rearing up their children. Bong Revilla also pointed out that the proposed law expands the definition of the term "solo parent", increases the age of dependents, and shortens the required period of employment to enable the solo parent to avail of the benefits. The measure also proposes other services, facilities and systems to promote the welfare and well-being of both the solo parents and their children. He also stated that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), who has been at the forefront of implementing RA 8972, along with the Department of Health (DOH) and other key government agencies, as well as private sectors, support the amendment of the law. "With the commitment of the President to grant additional benefits to solo parents as promised during his last State of the Nation Address (SONA), I am optimistic that all solo parents nationwide will also be able to enjoy such benefits soon," Revilla said. In 2007, the World Health Organization (WHO), Department of Health (DOH) and the University of the Philippines - National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH) estimated the number of solo parents at around fourteen (14) million, 95% of which are women. Revilla said that since these figures have definitely increased, the swift action of the government is certainly expected.
Regulatory News:

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA:PSH) today released its regular weekly Net Asset Value ("NAV") and performance returns on its website, https://www.pershingsquareholdings.com/company-reports/weekly-navs/. The NAV and returns were computed as of the close of business on Tuesday, 5 May 2020.

PSH NAV per share as of close of business on 5 May 2020 was 31.02 USD 24.93 GBP and year-to-date performance was 15.5%.

Weekly net asset value ("NAV") is calculated as of the close of business on each Tuesday and posted on the following business day. In the event that Tuesday is not a business day, the Company will calculate the close-of-business NAV as of the business day immediately preceding that Tuesday. The end-of-month NAV is calculated as of the close of business on the last day of the month and posted on the following business day. For weeks that include a month-end NAV report, PSH will provide only the month-end NAV and not report the Tuesday NAV. Monthly NAVs are published in accordance with the Decree on Conduct of Business Supervision of Financial Undertakings under the Wft (Besluit Gedragstoezicht financiele ondernemingen Wft).

Performance is presented on a net-of-fees basis and reflects the deduction of, among other expenses: management fees, brokerage commissions, administrative fees and accrued performance fees, if any. The performance figure includes the reinvestment of all dividends, interest and capital gains. Depending on the timing of a specific investment, net performance for an individual investor may vary from the net performance as stated herein. Net performance is a geometrically linked time weighted calculation.

Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. All investments involve risk including the loss of principal.

About Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd.

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (LN:PSHD) (NA:PSH) is an investment holding company structured as a closed-ended fund that makes concentrated investments principally in North American companies.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506006098/en/

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Ed Gascoigne-Pees Hazel Stevenson +44 020 3757 4989, media-pershingsquareholdings@camarco.co.uk
New Delhi: With 3,900 fresh cases and 195 more deaths, India recorded its all-time high coronavirus cases in a day. With several offices resuming work, the fear of a larger outbreak looms as an officer at Delhis Shastri Bhavan and several doctors, nurses and patients at the Armys R&R Hospital too tested positive. The 24 found positive at the Army hospital include both serving and retired military personnel.

The home ministry issued guidelines for workplaces on Tuesday: they should have thermal scanners, sanitisers and face masks. There should be a suitable gap between shifts and staff must have staggered lunch breaks. Workplaces must be sanitised between shifts, and a list of nearby Covid-19 hospitals available.

The total number of Indias Covid-19 cases stood at 46,711 on Tuesday, with 31,967 still under treatment and 13,161 discharged. The total deaths so far is 1,583.

Economist Shamika Ravi, who is monitoring the Covid-19 graph, said active cases were now growing at 6.4 per cent, and doubling every 11 days. She said Maharashtra and Gujarat are not testing enough, though the infection is way ahead in these states; that Tamil Nadu and Haryana are seeing a second wave; while only Kerala has managed to flatten the curve.

West Bengal shows a massive spike in the death rate overnight  from 0.53 (May 3) to 1.41 (May 4).

Despite the steep jump in new cases/deaths, the health ministry said the doubling rate remains 12 days and the recovery rate 27.41 per cent. Health minister Harsh Vardhan said India had so far been able to stave off its community transmission.
Places of worship will be able to welcome up to 30 per cent of their maximum capacity for Friday prayers and Sunday Mass. Social distancing and sanitary rules will remain in place to prevent contagion. Prime Minister Diab appeals to fellow Lebanese to end divisions and join forces to help the country overcome its economic crisis.

Beirut (AsiaNews/Agencies)  After weeks of lockdown and no religious services as part of a policy to contain the novel coronavirus pandemic, Lebanons Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmi today partially lifted the ban on churches and mosques allowing them to reopen.

Christian and Muslim places of worship will be able to welcome worshippers at 30 per cent of their maximum capacity during Friday prayers and Sunday Masses.

Whilst meeting the demand of many worshippers  who, like in other parts of the world, want to go to church, receive the Eucharist and attend mass  the minister urged people to be extremely cautious.

All precautionary measures in fact are still in place to prevent new infections, including social distancing and personal sanitary measures introduced at the start of the outbreak to fight COVID-19.

Last month, the government approved a five-phase plan to reopen the country. The first phase began on 27 April, with the opening of some businesses and activities; the second started on 4 May; the third is set for 11 May with the opening of places of worship; the fourth, on 25 May and the fifth and last, on 8 June when, hopefully, the emergency will be mostly over.

Lebanon imposed a lockdown on 21 February. Since then, it has reported 741 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus and 25 deaths.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Hassan Diab made an appeal to the country to put aside differences and divisions so that it can overcome an unprecedented economic and financial crisis.

The governments recovery plan, which is backed by the Church, is not a sacred text and changes and improvements can be made. In fact, Lebanons banking sector is highly critical since it risks losing US.2 billion.

"Time is very precious," said Diab, and accumulated losses are very big. The situation is very painful, and the chance to rectify [it] will not last long.

For months the country has been in a deep economic and political morass, exacerbated by the war in Syria, and now the novel coronavirus.

An increasingly chaotic Lebanon has been a source of concern for Church leaders, who bemoan a plot to change the face" of the country.
The West Bengal government on Wednesday said it would consider all aspects before taking any call on the movement of essential goods through the Indo-Bangladesh border after the home ministry snubbed it saying such acts of non-compliance will have international implications.

"We will take a call after considering all aspects. There are a lot of things that need to be looked into," state Home Secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay told reporters.

His comments came hours after the Centre came down heavily on the West Bengal government for not allowing movement of essential goods through the Indo-Bangladesh border, saying such acts will have international implications.

The Union Home Ministry in a letter to the chief secretary also said the state government has not implemented repeated directions of the Centre for free movement of cargo and this amounts to violation of the Disaster Management Act.

Talking about the return of those workers stuck in other states to West Bengal, Bandyopadhyay said the state government believes that a robust plan is required to bring back stranded migrant labourers, tourists, students and pilgrims.

"The state government has been taking steps to bring back these people. Everyday, there are a good number of people who are entering West Bengal through its borders. I would like to tell that we would not stall people in the bordering areas of our neighbouring states like Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Sikkim and Assam," he said.

"We are trying to bring back all those who have come suddenly at the state borders without information. There will be proper medical protocol, swab tests for all mainly for those who are coming from Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat where number of infection is quite high.

"All of them will be given help and assistance by our local district administration. The transport department is overseeing and arranging return of these people," he said.

The state government has also launched an "entry app" to help people, stuck in other states and have small vehicles to drive back to West Bengal, a seamless entry following necessary medical protocol, Bandyopadhyay said.

"We appeal to all the people of Bengal-origin stranded in various parts of the country, and have small vehicles, to visit our website and download the entry app, fill up the particulars for a seamless entry into the state," the home secretary said.

The state government was also preparing another app to help pilgrims stuck in various parts of the country, having facilities like buses or other vehicles, return to the state.

"These pilgrims (in Rishikesh, Vrindaban and in Shirdi) who have got buses have written to us to give permission so that they can come back. For such people we are preparing an app and it will be uploaded on Egiye Bangla website tonight," he added.

For migrant labourers who do not have arrangements of vehicles to come back, the West Bengal government is talking to the state government officials concerned.

"We already have a detailed database (of those stuck in other states). We will be contacting the concerned state government officials for their return," the officer stated.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
When the pandemic hit and put us all on lockdown it changed the dating landscape entirely. No longer were we able to be just a swipe away from a quick hook up, or from going on a date with the potential love of our lives. To overcome the obstacles, dating apps such as Tinder, Bumble and Hinge introduced video-calling features to give singletons the option of having virtual dates with their new squeeze.

Tinder and Bumble took things one step further by opening up the restricted nature of their respective Passport and Distance Filter features. Tinder made its feature available free for everyone, instead of those on the paid-for premium tier and Bumble relaxed the restrictions of its distance filter, allowing users to match with anyone, anywhere in their home country instead of within the default 160km radius. Bumble also has an additional Travel Mode that does let you find and match with users in other countries, but this remains a paid-for feature.

With Tinder Passport, users can find and match with people all over the world.

The idea isnt necessarily to just create potential love interests, but for people to just interact with people they would never normally come across, to see how theyre doing during the quarantine.

The feature has been around for a couple of years now, and neither Tinder nor Bumble were first past the post to introduce it. OkCupid has had the ability for members to chat with others around the world for some time. One member, Dale Markowitz, spoke of his experience in an article for The Atlantic in 2018.

After becoming bored with the dating scene in Manhattan, NY, he expanded his search radius, but thought early conversations would be awkward because what were you supposed to say to a complete stranger youd probably never meet?

But he spun this thought process around and turned it into, What couldnt you say to a complete stranger youd probably never meet?

Freed from the pressure of a pending outcomeno question of a second drink, moving to a second bar, or going back to anyones placeI became immersed in these conversations that lasted, sometimes, for hours.

He goes on to cite others who speak about the benefits of long-distance relationships. Andy Merolla, a professor who studies interpersonal communication and long-distance relationships at the University of California at Santa Barbara, told him, Theres a potential benefit of being apartit forces you to learn how to have extended conversations with someone.

RELATED: Important Dating Rules You Need To Know Before Hooking Up In France

Its this kind of thinking that spawned the Passport feature, and more recently, the thinking behind making it available to everyone. But has it actually proved successful in the recent months for singletons all around the world? Travel blogger Ciara Johnson posed the question to her Instagram followers, asking if anyone had found a foreign bae.

The post has since attracted a lot of comments (and provides an insight into what Bumbles passport feature is like to use).

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ciara | Solo Female Travel (@hey_ciara) on Apr 30, 2020 at 2:41pm PDT

Ive been to Colombia, PR, Spain, France, Senegal, NYC, Chicago, Miami, Phoenix, BrazilI think thats it  its been interesting for sure. said one user.

She then added, Brazil was my favourite but I cant speak Portuguese so I dont know why I went there. Using Google Translate constantly is not fun but hey know I know some very basic Portuguese.

Another user adds, potentially sarcastically, Been doing it for weeks now been round the world lol, some cuties but no one that can actually keep an interesting conversation I think theres only a certain type of men on these apps, do you agree or am I too picky?

Others have questioned whether they will actually meet up with any far-flung matches once the lockdown lifts, So we just pen pals, naw I need a travel bar when this is all over. [sic] says one Instagram user.

As for the hot and heavy part of the ~interaction~, this isnt the place to go into details, but if youre looking to improve your hook up abilities this 21st-century guide to casual sex is for you.

Reddit has a thread dedicated to the Tinder Passport feature, and a user on there is also sceptical as to the actual usefulness of being able to speak to anyone, anywhere, Why bother swiping right on a girl that far away anyways? I dont care if you are a Playboy playmate of the year, if you are 3700 miles away thats a hard pass. F*ck long distance.[sic]

Food for thought, most definitely.

On the subject of travel, if you do manage to spark up some fun and interesting relationships with various people in different continents, you could find yourself with accommodation when you start travelling once the pandemic subsides. Its something blogger Anthony Botta has done, going by the alias Tinder Surfer. He uses the app to match with people and then travels to meet up with them. The fact he continues to do so clearly means the dates arent successful, however.

Theres nothing to say you couldnt do the same. It just might take some courage and obviously, the willingness to travel several thousand kilometres.

But when love is at stake, would you let something as trivial as distance stand in the way?

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Egypt's ministers of finance, trade and industry inked on Wednesday a number of settlement agreements with 41 foreign and domestic export firms to resolve the arrears meant to be disbursed for them through the Export Development Fund (EDF).

According to a joint statement, the settlement agreements are part of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi's directives to support export and economic sectors to maximise their productive capabilities amid the COVID-19 crisis.

The agreements also contribute to providing cash liquidity for export firms to be pumped in the production process and to retain their workforce with an entire commitment to all preventive and precautionary measures.

The agreements were signed by Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait and Minister of Trade and Industry Niveen Gamee.

Maait said that 30 percent of export firms arrears will be disbursed with a minimum of EGP 5 million for each before the end of the current fiscal year, that ends in June, in order to support the economy against the repercussions of COVID-19.

The agreements are also meant to enhance the competitiveness of Egypts products globally and expand the exporting base by heading to the international markets, according to Maait.

He added that export firms will disburse their arrears without the need to extend a tax position statement.

For her part, Minister Gamee said that electronic payment orders are to be issued for 2,056 export firms, worth a total of EGP 1,900 billion, in implementation of President El-Sisi directives to fast-track the disbursal of export firms arrears despite the challenges the COVID-19 crisis imposes.

She added that the total arrears that have been disbursed from the EDF for export firms as of January until the end of April recorded EGP 2,133 billion.

On Sunday, the trade and industry ministry inked exports support contracts with 20 export firms with a total of EGP 3 billion to expande their investments.

Export firms have been suffering from the accumulation of their dues that have not been disbursed from the EDF for three years with a total of EGP 10 billion.

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A third of Navajo Nation residents do not have running water.

A coronavirus relief fund for Native American communities has seen an influx of Irish donors, looking to repay the favor of aid which was given by a tribe to Ireland during its potato famine of the 1840s.

The "Navajo & Hopi families Covid-19 relief fund" was set up on GoFundMe in March for Native American communities in Arizona that have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. To date it has raised over $2.5 million and is aiming to raise a total of $3 million.

The Native American territory of the Navajo Nation, which contains the Hopi Reservation and stretches across Arizona, Utah and New Mexico, has been among the worst hit areas by the coronavirus in the U.S.

The Navajo Nation has 2,474 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 73 deaths, according to the Navajo Times.

Vanessa Tulley, one of the organizers of the campaign, singled out generosity from Ireland on its GoFundMe page.

"Acts of kindness from indigenous ancestors passed being reciprocated nearly 200 years later through blood memory and interconnectedness," she wrote. "Thank you Ireland for showing solidarity and being here for us."

Some Irish donors tweeted that they were inspired by the Choctaw Nation tribe who provided relief of $170  thought to be the equivalent of around $5,300 today to Ireland during the Great Potato Famine in 1847.

Irish writer Hazel Hayes said on Twitter she was "honoured and humbled to help repay that favour by donating to the Navajo Nation and Hopi Reservation in their hour of need."

Tweet 1

Before Ireland's famine began in the 1840s, some 60,000 Native Americans, including the Choctaw people, were made to relocate to new territory. The forced march, on which thousands of people died, became known as the Trail of Tears.

Upon hearing of Ireland's suffering during the famine, in which an estimated 1 million people died, the Choctaw people sympathized and sent aid. To commemorate this generosity, in 2017 Ireland unveiled an outdoor sculpture of feathers, called "Kindred Spirits," in a park in County Cork.
M att Hancock has slammed Professor Neil Ferguson for his extraordinary breach of coronavirus lockdown rules, adding he was left "speechless" by his actions.

The Health Secretary was quizzed over reports which emerged of Prof Ferguson allowing his "lover" Antonia Staats into his London home on at least two occasions while the lockdown was in place.

The top scientist has now resigned from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), admitting he made an "error in judgement".

Asked about Prof Ferguson's actions, reported by the Daily Telegraph, Mr Hancock told Sky News: "It's extraordinary. I don't understand."

Police should consider whether to take further action against the scientist, he added.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock / Sky News

Mr Hancock said that it was just not possible for him to continue his role within Sage, saying he made the right decision to resign.

He added: "Professor Ferguson is a very eminent and impressive scientist and the science that he has done has been an important part of what we have listened to.

"I think that he took the right decision to resign."

Professor Neil Ferguson / UnHerd

Pressed on whether the academic should be prosecuted, he added: "It's a matter for the police".

Prof Ferguson, 51, a leading epidemiologist at Imperial College London, steered Boris Johnsons approach to the pandemic with his teams modelling warning of 250,000 deaths if Britain did not enter lockdown.

He was a vocal critic of the Governments "herd immunity" strategy and has risen to become the most prominent scientist backing the social distancing curbs.

But the Telegraph on Tuesday reported that he had allowed his lover to cross London from her family home to visit him on at least two occasions since lockdown began on March 23.

Antonia Staats

The visits allegedly occurred shortly after Prof Ferguson emerged from self-isolation after testing positive for Covid-19.

The second of the visits, on April 8, allegedly came after Dr Jennie Harries, Englands deputy chief medical officer, and Mr Hancock clarified that non-cohabiting couples had to stay apart.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock was left speechless by Prof Ferguson's behaviour / PA

Prof Ferguson said in a statement that he had made an error of judgement, adding: I deeply regret any undermining of the clear messages around the continued need for social distancing to control this devastating epidemic. The Government guidance is unequivocal, and is there to protect all of us.

On Wednesday morning Home Office minister James Brokenshire agreed he had made an error of judgement and stressed social distancing measures are there to protect us all.

Listen to The Leader: Coronavirus Daily podcast

He added that the academics resignation was an appropriate course of action after the sacrifices Brits have made during the pandemic.
Press Release

May 6, 2020 Stranded Laborers Should Be Allowed To Return To Work Senator Cynthia Villar joins the clamor from other public officials as well as from the general public for the government to urgently address the situation of stranded and displaced workers in various parts of Luzon who are experiencing hunger and undue stress from being away from their families without any work and income. Majority of the said worker are employed in the construction sector. Villar has earlier urged the government to open up the construction sector as well as agriculture and manufacturing since its workers are the most adversely affected by the ongoing community quarantine. "I agree with those who say that there is a "humanitarian crisis in the making" in the current situation of those laborers who are not only stranded in their workplaces away from their families, but cannot help themselves and their families since they have no source of income. It's doubly difficult for them," said Villar The senator recommended that on top of helping the stranded workers go back to their homes in the provinces, they should also be given the option to return to their work. "Many of them would rather stay here and continue working to provide for their families. So, those are willing to stay should be allowed to work," she added. According to Villar, people are increasingly getting agitated and anxious which could lead to social unrest. Thus, immediate actions are needed to alleviate the situation of the workers and their families as well. Majority of the stranded and displaced workers are from the NCR and Calabarzon areas. Villar noted that 70 percent of the GDP of the Philippines is in NCR, Calabarzon and Central Luzon. The construction sector accounts for 10 percent of the workforce in the country. There is an estimated 3.9 million construction workers as of 2018. The Philippine Construction Association (PCA) cited that 1.3 million workers are expected to lose or have in fact lost their jobs due to the implementation of the community quarantine. "We should come to the aid of these displaced workers immediately to avert further problems. Let them continue their work to be able to fend for themselves and provide for their families," said Villar. Most of them, she cited, are not qualified for the financial assistance provided by the government and are not even reached by relief efforts since they are in construction sites. She cited that while there may still be health risks, workers who will be allowed to work are still expected to follow government-implemented health and safety protocols such as social distancing and wearing of face masks. The employers can also provide for their transport or accommodation if necessary.
The ongoing legal confusion about the millions of dollars raised by comedian Celeste Barber during Australia's unprecedented bushfire season may soon be resolved.

Barber raised $53million four months ago with her Facebook appeal on January 3, after bushfires engulfed her property on the New South Wales south coast.

The social media star, known for imitating glamorous celebrities, originally set a goal of $30,000, but by January 5 more than $30million dollars had been donated from around the world.

Barber originally directed the money to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service Brigades Donations Fund, but was unaware money sent to this fund is only used on training, resources and fire equipment - not for volunteers and their families or fire-affected communities.

With more money than expected rolling in, Ms Barber also wanted to share the donations with other charities.

'I'm going to make sure that Victoria gets some, that South Australia gets some, also families of people who have died in these fires, the wildlife,' Barber said in an Instagram story in January.

But the New South Wales Rural Fire Service Brigades Donations Fund cannot by law give their donations to other charities - meaning the money has sat in limbo since January.

Australian Comedian Celeste Barber is pictured at ANZ Stadium in Sydney for the Fire Fight Australia concert

A Rural Fire Service volunteer is pictured near a blaze in the New South Wales South Coast community of Tumburumba on January 11, 2020

The confusion as to where the money will go could be solved this month, with an urgent hearing being granted at the NSW Supreme Court on May 18.

'The confusion began when the Celeste had the intention to redirect some of the funds,' Rural Fire Service spokesman Ben Shepherd told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday.

'When the trust was initially set up with the goal of $30,000 there was a statement on the post saying the money would be directed to the Rural Fire Service trust.

'The trust is obviously set up with very strict laws and rules that didn't not allow those funds to be redirected to anything other than Rural Fire Service Brigades  so when Celeste identified she wanted some of that money to go elsewhere, the trust did not have the ability to redirect those funds.

Mr Shepherd said the Rural Fire Service is working to distribute the money in line with Barber's wishes and that the discussion have been very amicable.

He said the organisation is also examining ways to directly give some of the funds to the brave volunteer firefighters and their families.

'I was like, let's just give it to all these different places, turns out it's not that easy because there's laws or something,' Barber said.

'A comedian raised money, not a lawyer, politician, accountant lady  so back off.'

Over 18.6 million hectares of vegetation were burnt in Australia's horror bushfire season resulting in the deaths of 34 people and destroying 5,900 buildings.

It's estimated over one billion animals were also lost in the devastating fires.

Barber is pictured in Los Angeles on February 7 at the 2020 Autumn/Winter 2020 Runway Show
A two-month-old baby was among 17 new COVID-19 cases reported in Nepal, the health ministry said on Wednesday.

As many as 14,096 coronavirus tests have been conducted so far in Nepal.

Seventeen people, aged between two months and 66 years, from Birgunj city in Parsa district have been tested positive for the coronavirus, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to 99, health ministry officials said.

The officials said three patients who were cured of the viral infection have been readmitted to the isolation facilities after they were tested positive for the virus in the follow-up tests.

A 58-year-old man from Kathmandu who was discharged on April 23 and a 19-year-old youth from Rautahat and a 44-year-old man from Parsa who were discharged on April 26 have been tested positive for the coronavirus again, they said.

Meanwhile, six Indian nationals, who had come to Nepal after attending the Tablighi Jamaat gathering in Delhi in March and were tested COVID-19 positive, have been discharged from hospital after they were cured of the disease, the officials said.

They will be kept in isolation for a week to monitor their condition before being allowed to return to India, the health ministry said.

The six were among the 13 Indian nationals undergoing treatment at the Biratnagar-based hospital for the past 20 days.

Twenty-two coronavirus patients have been cured so far, the officials said.

Tablighi Jamaat members have emerged as the prime suspects among potential coronavirus carriers, not just in India, but also in Pakistan, Malaysia and Brunei.

In India, the Jamaat has come under severe criticism for defying the lockdown and organising the congregation in south Delhi's Nizamuddin Markaz last month.

According to officials in Delhi, as many as 2,100 foreigners visited India for Tablighi activities since January 1 and all of them first reported at its headquarters in Nizamuddin.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
CASTLETON - In the early morning hours on Wednesday, April 29, a Delmar man was arrested after he allegedly assaulted his domestic partner in a village home, State Police said.

Shayne T. Collucio, 24, allegedly argued and shoved his victim to the ground, causing injury, police said. He also allegedly caused more than $2,000 worth of damage to items inside of the home, police said.

He was charged with felony criminal mischief, assault and harassment, police said.
The Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court of Ukraine at 10:30 on June 15 will continue considering the cassation appeal of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), the Cabinet of Ministers and PrivatBank (Kyiv) against the decisions of lower courts on the lawsuit of the Surkis family on the cancellation of NBU decisions to recognize them as persons related to PrivatBank and invalidate contracts for the exchange of their funds in the bank in the amount of over UAH 1 billion for the bank shares (bail-in), later purchased by the state for UAH 1, the press service of the Supreme Court has said.

It was reported that on April 27 the Grand Chamber of the Supreme Court took this case off the table. The judges appealed to the Office of the Prosecutor General and the High Council of Justice with a claim about pressure being posed on court.

In the corresponding complaint, the judges noted that they considered the statement by Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova in this case "to be an interference with the court's activities, a means of influence and pressure in order to approve the decision in favor of one of the parties."
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I recently wrote that practical obedience to God today is far more important than speculation about the mark of the beast tomorrow. I have also made clear that I do not believe that COVID-19 is one of the plagues from the Book of Revelation. At the same time, a number of recent developments help illustrate how quickly a false Messianic figure could emerge on the earth, in both religious and secular circles.

Prepare to read some shocking quotes. But first, let me set the stage.

As I have stated, I do not believe that a potential COVID-19 vaccine, replete with microchip is the mark of the beast. And I do not believe that the virus is part of a larger, nefarious plot hatched by a clandestine one-world government cabal. (For more on all this, see my new book.) Yet the events surrounding the coronavirus have demonstrated how quickly the status quo can be overturned, how dramatically the fortunes of nations can shift, and how a call for one-world cooperation can arise.

And what if there was a worldwide economic collapse, accompanied by plague and famine? Is it too farfetched to imagine that a powerful, problem solving leader could gain an international following?

To say it again, I do not believe we are at that point. But I do believe that, in front of our eyes, were seeing how quickly the table can be set, even from an entirely secular point of view.

All the more does this become feasible when we add in religious beliefs.

Jesus famously warned His disciples, saying Be careful that no one leads you astray! For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Messiah, and will lead many astray. (Matthew 24:45 TLV) He also warned that, Many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. (Matthew 24:11, TLV)

So, from a Christian perspective, before the true Messiah (= Christ) will return in the clouds of heaven, there will be counterfeit Messiahs (= antichrists) who will deceive many.

And this leads us to the promised, shocking quotes.

In the Islamic world, the belief in the Mahdi, the hidden Imam waiting to be revealed, could easily prepare the way for a counterfeit Messianic figure.

To be sure, Muslims believe that Jesus is the Messiah (although, quite plainly, they do not believe in the Jesus of the Bible). So, technically speaking, the Mahdi is not the Messiah. On the other hand, since he functions in Islamic lore as the end-time redeemer, he could be the perfect counterfeit Christ type of figure.

And heres where it gets very interesting: there are Muslim leaders today who claim to have met the Mahdi numerous times.

Writing in the Jerusalem Post on January 20, Brian Schrauger explained that the Mahdi is Islams messiah, the 12th of 12 Imams who are successors to Mohammed. Said to have been born in 879 CE, the Imam Mahdi is believed by Shia Muslims to still be alive, but hidden from mankind in occultation until a time of such upheaval on the earth that only his reappearance will rescue mankind and, in fact, usher in an age of global peace; Islamic peace, that is; a kind of peace in which all mankind is living in submission to the Allah of the Koran.

He continues, Crazy to Western ears, this messianic creed is the raison detre for the Islamic Republic of Iran according to its founders and leaders. It is also the basis of Tehrans foreign and military policies; and it is impossible to overemphasize the Iran regimes visceral commitment to it. The Imam Mahdi is invoked in every public gathering, both civil and military; he is the singular inspiration for every policy, every tactic, every mission; indeed, he is nothing less than the regimes reason for its existence and, as such, its singular and unwavering motivation for the future.

And Schrauger can provide documentation for every single claim he has made.

In the words of Irans Supreme leader Ayatollah Khamanei, The Iranian nation, enjoys a great privilege today: the atmosphere of the country is an atmosphere of Imam Mahdi. . . . And, Khamanei states, many of our great scholars have personally met with this beloved [Imam] of hearts of the admirers during his occultation; many have made a pledge to him in person; many have heard from him some heartwarming words; many have been caressed by him and many others have received his kindness, care, and love.

The Islamic Mahdi is here, he is known to many insiders, and he is about to be revealed. And remember: this article was written before Iran was smitten with COVID-19. What are the leaders thinking today?

But theres more.

A February 20 headline in Israel Todaystated that, Israeli Rabbi Says Hes Already Holding Meetings With Messiah. And, Israels biggest rabbis are all afraid to leave the country lest they miss Messiahs coming.

The article, by Ryan Jones, cited a three-hour radio interview in which Rabbi Yaakov Zisholtz told religious broadcaster Radio 2000 that Kanievsky recently told him that he (Kanievsky) is already in direct contact with the Messiah.

Rabbi Kanievsky, now in his early 90s, is considered to be the leading authority in the ultra-Orthodox (haredi) community in Israel, and he has often spoken of the nearness of the Messiahs coming. But it seems he is saying even more today.

According to Rabbi Zisholtz, the process of redemption is about to start happening very quickly and at a fast pace. It is important that people remain calm and steady to act properly in the right time.

There is a potential Messiah in every generation and there are righteous men who know precisely who it is. This is, of course, true in this generation.

Getting the word out now that the Messiah is closer than ever is a matter of life and death. Havent you heard of Gog and Magog? That is what is going to happen very soon. Right now, the situation is explosive more than you can possibly imagine. Everyone needs to know whether they are on the inside or if they are going to be left out.

Yes, these are the words of an ultra-Orthodox rabbi in Israel, not those of an evangelical Christian, Bible in hand, with end-time prophecies heavily underlined.

While Rabbi Zisholtz was careful to say he couldnt promise anything, he was certainly raising the bar with specific predictions and events. And again, he claimed that certain religious Jews knew exactly who the Messiah was and have even met with him.

Adding to all this was the statement of Israels Health Minister, Yaakov Litzman, himself ultra-Orthodox, as reported in HaAretz on March 26 and with reference to COVID-19: We are praying and hoping that the Messiah will arrive before Passover, the time of our redemption. I am sure that the Messiah will come and bring us out as [God] brought us out of Egypt. Soon we will go out in freedom and the Messiah will come and redeem us from all the troubles of the world.

The Messiah would be the cure to the coronavirus, and he would come (meaning, be publicly revealed, since in Jewish thought, he could already be here) by Passover.

Well, Passover ended on April 16. And, in case you missed the news, the expected Jewish Messiah did not come.

Ironically, Litzman himself contracted the virus, although he has since recovered. And for a number of reasons, including heavy criticism of his handling of the crisis, he is reportedly considering quitting.

But all this talk about the Mahdi being here, ready to be revealed, along with the traditional Jewish Messiah being here, ready to be revealed, underscores the point I have been making. It would not take much for a counterfeit Messianic figure to arise and deceive many.

And so, while I believe the table has not yet been set for this grand finale, it could clearly be set on very short notice.

Let us, then, keep our focus on the Second Coming of the true Christ (= Messiah). But let us not forget the warnings about that false Messiah (= antichrist) who will come first.
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The CyPAD Unit (Cyber Crime Cell) of the Delhi Police on Wednesday arrested the admin of Bois Locker Room, the Instagram private chat group in which teenage boys planned gangrape and made derogatory remarks on girls. Nearly 20 boys were part of the group in which they shared pictures of minor girls and commented on their body parts. The teenage boys are students of schools located in South Delhi.

The CyPAD Unit has also asked for information about the group and its members from Instagram. The report from the platform is still awaited. Earlier, a juvenile group member was apprehended in the case on May 4.

The Delhi Police May 5 identified 10 members involved in the group chat. An FIR under sections 66 and 67A of IT Act and IPC was registered on May 4 at PS Special Cell and investigation has been taken up by CyPAD Unit. The devices of the identified members of the group have been seized and sent for forensic analysis. The role of other group members is being ascertained.

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief, Swati Maliwal also took notice of the group and issued notices to the Delhi Police as well as the Instagram. She said that all the culprits should be arrested to give a tough message.

Swati Maliwal took to Instagram and wrote, "DCW has issued notice to Instagram and Delhi Police in the matter of a group named "boys locker room" being used by some miscreants to share objectionable pictures of minor girls and planning illegal acts such as gangrape of minor girls. All the people involved in this act should be immediately arrested and a strong message needs to be given out." She also released a video message on Twitter to express her concern over such an incident.

The matter came into light after a Delhi based girl leaked screenshots of the group chat on Instagram and Twitter after which social media was flooded with posts demanding strict action against the boys. They were sharing images of women, many of them minors, without their permission on the group, and were involved in a porn chat. When certain women began to threaten the members of the group with action, they were allegedly threatened to "leak" their nude photos and even threatened them with violence and rape.

Most of the schools and colleges are closed across the country due to the coronavirus scare and parents believe that their wards are busy studying and preparing for their exams. The harsh reality, however, is that their kids on social media platforms are involved in posting lewd comments and misbehaving with the opposite gender
INGREDIENTS - MAKES EIGHT PASTRY: Strong flour - 200g Salt -  tsp Chilled butter - 200g cubed Chilled water - 40g FILLING: Pork sausages - 450g Green apple - 1 (peeled and grated) Fennel - 2 tsp Salt & Pepper to taste 1 beaten egg for brushing and finishing

METHOD: PASTRY

1. Preheat your oven to 190c. Mix the flour and salt together in a mixing bowl.

2. Add the butter and rub in using your fingertips. Stop when the butter is pea-sized. It will not be completely mixed in.

Add the cubed butter and rub in using your fingertips. Stop when the butter is pea-sized, then add enough chilled water to make a shaggy dough - you may not need all of it

3. Add enough chilled water to make a shaggy dough - you may not need all of it.

4. Turn the dough out onto your work surface and work the dough with your hands into a ball. Flatten slightly and wrap your disc of dough in cling film.

5. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

6. Once chilled, remove the pastry dough from the fridge and dust your work surface with flour.

Turn the dough out onto your work surface and work the dough with your hands into a ball. Flatten slightly and wrap your disc of dough in cling film before chilling

Remove the pastry dough from the fridge and dust your work surface with flour before rolling the pastry out. Roll the pastry out to a 30 x 15cm rectangle, then take the short ends of the rectangle and fold towards the middle of the dough. Repeat again to form a book

7. Roll the pastry out to a 30 x 15cm rectangle, then take the short ends of the rectangle and fold towards the middle of the dough. Repeat again to form a book.

8. Repeat step 6 and rest the dough in the fridge for a further 30 minutes. While the dough is resting, make your filling.

METHOD: FILLING

1. Remove the sausages from their casings and place in a large mixing bowl.

2. Peel and grate the apple and add to the pork along with the fennel, salt and pepper.

Peel and grate the apple and add to the pork along with the fennel, salt and pepper

3. Mix to combine and shape into two logs both around 30cm long and wrap in cling film. Rest in the freezer.

4. Now split the dough into 2 portions, roll each portion into a rectangle 15 x 30cm.

5. Lay half your sausage mixture down each piece of dough length ways in a cylinder shape, leaving a 1-2cm edge.

Mix to combine and shape into 2 logs 30cm long and wrap in clingfilm. Rest in the freezer

6. Brush the long edge with beaten egg and tightly fold the pastry over the sausage mixture until the edges meet each other.

7. Turn the sausage logs over and cut into 8cm lengths, brush with egg and top with fennel seeds.

8. Rest in the freezer for 20 minutes.

9. Bake on a greased baking tray for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Brush the long edge with beaten egg and tightly fold the pastry over the sausage mixture until the edges meet each other
PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-06 15:03:03

BHD Leon selected Temenos cloud-native, cloud-agnostic software to deliver operational excellence and provide personalized digital banking services to 1.5 million people

BHD Leon, a Leading Bank in the Dominican Republic, Selects Temenos to Power its Digital Transformation

Jessica Wolfe & Grace Collins

Temenos Global Public Relations

Tel: +1 610 232 2793 & + 44 20 7423 3969

Email : press@temenos.com

Alistair Kellie & Andrew Adie

Newgate Communications on behalf of Temenos

Tel: +44 20 7680 6550

Email: allnewgatetemenos@newgatecomms.com

Temenos (SIX: TEMN), the banking software company, today announced that BHD Leon has chosen to implement Temenos Transact, the next generation core banking product, as part of its digital transformation program. The implementation will be conducted in two phases, migrating business lines across retail, SME, corporate and wealth management sectors from a legacy system to Temenos cloud-native, API-first microservices-based platform. Temenos digital banking platform will enable the bank to provide improved digital services tailored to the customers needs and gain operational resilience amid the evolving COVID-19 pandemic.

BHD Leon aims to grow its customer base of 1.5 million by expanding in other countries in the region, including in Panama. The bank plans to expand its market share in underbanked populations by rolling out new products, such as credit and savings offerings to address the financial needs of women and small businesses. BHD Leon will run Temenos software in the public cloud to elastically scale based on its business demands.

The Dominican Republic is the largest economy in Central America and the Caribbean, and one of the most dynamic in the region. The government has invested in ongoing financial and structural reforms in order to maintain rapid growth1. As an organization deeply committed to social responsibility, BHD Leons contribution to creating a prosperous economy is a key initiative for the bank. The banks mission is to improve the world by empowering individuals and businesses, driving economic and financial growth and stability, even in uncertain times.

As part of its strategy, the bank will institute a digital transformation plan that will help BHD Leon to meet the emerging needs of clients, and the demands of innovation and financial stability. With Temenos Transact, BHD Leon will automate its back office systems and processes, and achieve tangible business results. Temenos cloud-native, cloud-agnostic core banking platform will provide increased scalability, and a 360-degree customer view to drive relationship banking. Temenos Transact leverages the clouds elastic scalability to manage millions of accounts with the lowest Total Cost of Ownership. Once implemented, the bank will be able to quickly roll out new products to market as it responds to customer needs and expands to new countries.

Steven Puig, President, BHD Leon, commented: We are committed to being the benchmark for banks in the Dominican Republic. Our vision for digital transformation required a partner with open technology, fast time to market, and the ability to scale. We are delighted to have found a partner that shares our vision for enabling everyone, from the student; to the small business owner; to the tourist; to the large corporation, with personalized banking services for all of their needs. Temenos modern, open and agile technology will drive powerful change as we seek to support even more people and expand into other countries.

Enrique Ramos OReilly, Managing Director  Latin America and the Caribbean, Temenos, said: We are delighted to partner with a leading bank in Latin America on a project that will set the standard in digital banking for the region. More than ever, digital transformation is imperative for banks to address immediate priorities and build a sustainable business in the future. Temenos cloud-native, cloud-agnostic software will enable BHD Leon to scale and reduce time-to-market for new products and services from months to days. Temenos Transact with its API-first, microservices-based architecture, delivers to banks the richest banking functionality, unprecedented speed, scalability, and resilience. BHD Leons new digital banking platform will enable the bank to offer superior banking experiences and innovative services rapidly, at the pace of market demand.

Temenos has a proven track record of helping banks to digitally transform. High-performing clients using Temenos software have achieved industry-leading cost-income ratios of 26.8% and returns on equity of 29%, three times the industry average. Temenos gives banks freedom of choice to deploy software on premise, in any public cloud, or as Temenos SaaS.

 Ends 

About Temenos

Temenos AG (SIX: TEMN) is the worlds leader in banking software. Over 3,000 banks across the globe, including 41 of the top 50 banks, rely on Temenos to process both the daily transactions and client interactions of more than 500 million banking customers. Temenos offers cloud-native, cloud-agnostic and AI-driven front office, core banking, payments and fund administration software enabling banks to deliver frictionless, omnichannel customer experiences and gain operational excellence.

Temenos software is proven to enable its top-performing clients to achieve cost-income ratios of 26.8% half the industry average and returns on equity of 29%, three times the industry average. These clients also invest 51% of their IT budget on growth and innovation versus maintenance, which is double the industry average, proving the banks IT investment is adding tangible value to their business.

For more information, please visit www.temenos.com.

1 Euromoney. Dominican Republic guide 2016: Macroeconomy. 2016.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005
Acting director of national intelligence Richard Grenell has notified House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff (D., Calif.) that 53 interviews conducted by the committee as part of the Russia investigation are ready for release.

All of the transcripts, with our required redactions, can be released to the public without any concerns of disclosing classified material, Grenell wrote to Schiff in a May 4 letter first reported by Byron York of the Washington Examiner. I urge you to honor your previous public statements, and your committees unanimous vote on this matter, to release all 53 cleared transcripts to Members of Congress and the American public as soon as possible.

The transcripts detail interviews conducted by the committee in 2016 with former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, Donald Trump Jr., former FBI director Andrew McCabe, former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, and many others connected to the investigation.

The interviews were handed over to intelligence agencies for redactions in 2018, with 43 transcripts completed by June 2019. Schiff refused to release those transcripts at the time, and now all 53 have been reviewed and redacted.

Initially, Schiff had called on Republicans to release the interview transcripts.

Republican efforts to protect the president at the cost of a serious investigation would make that impossible, Schiff wrote in a March 2018 op-ed inA USA Today. The next best thing will be to release the entire body of witness transcripts, so the public can see the facts for themselves.

Republicans on the committee released a report in 2018 saying the investigation had turned up no evidence of collusion between the Trump-campaign and Russian operatives. However, the report did find poor judgment and ill-considered actions by the Trump and Clinton campaigns.

Former special counsel Robert Mueller in his own investigation concluded that there was insufficient evidence of collusion.

More from National Review
Details added, first version published on 12:28

BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 5

Trend:

The videoconference of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is an indicator of the authority of Azerbaijan on the international arena, Speaker of Azerbaijans Parliament Sahiba Gafarova said at a meeting of the parliament held on May 5, Trend reports.

The Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement on the We are together against COVID-19 theme was held via videoconference on May 4.

The support of the initiative of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev by the heads of state and government of more than 40 member states, as well as the leaders of affluent international organizations, and their participation in the summit, once again show the high authority of Azerbaijan and its leader in the international arena, said the speaker.

Solidarity and cooperation between countries and international organizations in the face of pandemic is very important. Cooperation and solidarity are very important for stopping the spread of this global calamity. Azerbaijan creates a bridge for cooperation in this direction with its initiatives, Gafarova noted.
Eighty-five fresh cases of COVID-19 have been detected in the Border Security Force with about 40 per cent being reported from troops who were deployed for law and order duties in old Delhi areas, officials said on Wednesday.

The fresh numbers, the highest rise witnessed in the force since the coronavirus outbreak, have taken the overall infected cases in the 2.5 lakh personnel strong force to 154.

Two personnel among these have recovered.

The tally includes over 60 troops who were deployed for law and order duties in Jamia and Chandni Mahal areas of the national capital in March, they said.

About 30 of these have now been sent to Jodhpur in Rajasthan and admitted to an isolation facility of the force while the rest are admitted to the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) Referral hospital in Greater Noida.

Six jawans deployed in the escort team of the inter-ministerial central team (IMCT), which toured West Bengal to check COVID-19 containment measures in the state, have also tested positive for the disease, the officials said.

At least 37 infected personnel are from the Tripura frontier of the force where it guards over 800 km, out of the total 4,096 km, of the India-Bangladesh border.

Most of the personnel in Tripura are asymptomatic and the troops have been in their camp since it was found that a jawan who came back from leave could have contracted the infection from outside, a senior BSF officer said.

A force spokesperson in Delhi said all the troops who contracted the disease were "performing essential and operational duties and that is how they contracted the infection".

There were 69 cases of BSF personnel testing positive till Tuesday and with the addition of new cases the total stands at 154.

The force is primarily tasked to guard India fronts with Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The force headquarters in Delhi, whose two floors were sealed early this week for sanitisation, is "functional" from Wednesday, the spokesperson said.

A jawan deployed in the staff of an Additional Director General (ADG) rank officer at the headquarters had tested positive early this week.

The second floor of the building was, however, not opened on Wednesday.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 05:05:24|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, May 5 (Xinhua) -- The total number of COVID-19 cases in Turkey approached 130,000 on Tuesday, while Iran's tally of coronavirus infections is poised to cross the major threshold of 100,000.

Turkey's Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted that 1,832 new COVID-19 cases were recorded, bringing the total number in the country to 129,491.

The death toll from the coronavirus in Turkey, the hardest-hit country in the Middle East, climbed to 3,520 after 59 new fatalities were added in the past 24 hours, he said.

In Iran, the tally of COVID-19 infections came closer to the major threshold of 100,000 on Tuesday by surging to 99,970, after 1,323 new cases were reported. Meanwhile, the death toll soared to 6,340, after 63 more fatalities were added.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that the U.S. should lift the "unlawful" sanctions against Iran to prove that it is sincere in offering help in the battle against the coronavirus.

If the Americans are honest in offering their help to Iran, "the only way for them is to end the illegal sanctions on Iran," Rouhani said in a telephone conversation with the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Saudi Arabia reported 1,595 new cases of coronavirus infection and nine more deaths, raising the tally of confirmed cases to 30,251 and the death toll to 200. The total recoveries rose to 5,431 after 955 more patients were cured of the disease.

Qatar's Health Ministry on Tuesday announced 951 new COVID-19 cases, increasing the tally of confirmed cases in the Gulf state to 17,142.

It added that 114 people recovered from the disease, leading the total recoveries to 1,924, while the death roll remained at 12.

In Kuwait, the Health Ministry reported 526 new COVID-19 cases and two more deaths, bringing the total infections to 5,804 and the death toll to 40.

The ministry also announced that Kuwait will participate in an initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO) to compare options for treating the COVID-19 disease.

The initiative, entitled Solidarity, aims to obtain the largest number of data and results that contribute to determining safe and effective medicines and finding an effective treatment for the coronavirus, said Abdullah Al-Bader, the ministry's assistant undersecretary for drug and food control affairs.

The United Arab Emirates announced 462 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number to 15,192, including 146 deaths and 3,153 recoveries.

Egypt's daily COVID-19 infections set a new record of 388 cases on Tuesday, raising the total cases in the country to 7,201.

Meanwhile, 16 patients died from the coronavirus, bringing the death toll to 452. Egypt's recoveries increased to 1,730 after a new daily record of 98 recoveries was set.

Morocco reported 166 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number to 5,219, while the death toll rose to 181 after two more fatalities were added.

Sudan recorded 100 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number to 778. Four new deaths were confirmed, bringing the death toll from the coronavirus to 45, the Health Ministry said.

In Iraq, the Health Ministry confirmed 85 new COVID-19 infections and four more deaths, bringing the total number of infections to 2,431 and the death toll to 102.

In Israel, the number of coronavirus infections rose to 16,289 after 43 new cases were added. The death toll increased to 238, after three new deaths were reported, while the number of recoveries increased by 401 to 10,465.

Israel prepares for the lifting of more restrictions, as malls, markets and gyms are expected to reopen on Thursday. On May 10, all kindergartens in the state are expected to reopen, a week after school classes were partially resumed.

Yemen's health authorities confirmed nine new cases of COVID-19 and one more death, raising the total number to 21, including three deaths.

Palestine announced 11 new coronavirus cases, including three children, bringing the tally to 543.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Ishtaye told reporters that the restriction measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus will begin to ease starting from Tuesday.

Lebanon on Tuesday recorded one imported COVID-19 case, raising the total number of infections to 741. The new case is an expatriate who arrived in Lebanon two days ago.

The Lebanese cabinet decided to extend the general mobilization measures by another two weeks until May 24 despite its approval of gradual reopening of businesses.

The European Union (EU) Ambassador to Lebanon Ralph Tarraf said that the EU granted the WHO 15 million euros (16.2 million U.S. dollars) in support for Lebanon's health sector. Enditem
A prisoner and a correction officer tested positive for the coronavirus at the Bristol County House of Correction last week.

The prisoner was sent to St. Lukes Hospital for a pre-existing medical condition on Wednesday, nearly a week ago, according to a news release from the Bristol County Sheriffs Office. He took a test on Thursday and learned he tested positive on Friday.

He returned to the jail on Friday and was placed in a single cell in the Dartmouth facilitys medical unit, according to the Bristol County Sheriffs Office. He is being closely monitored by health care workers.

The Bristol County Sheriffs Office said the county prisoner is the first incarcerated man to test positive in the Dartmouth facility.

Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, executive director of Lawyers for Civil rights, said Monday that an ICE detainee tested positive for the coronavirus. The sheriffs office declined to comment and deferred to ICE for comment. ICE declined to comment.

A correction officer who last worked on Thursday also tested positive for the coronavirus. The officer worked at the facility on Wednesday and was on the hospital detail with the inmate on Thursday. He left work that day after reporting he didnt feel good. He got tested and learned he tested positive on Sunday.

That officer and six other staff members are out due to COVID-19. Four others who were sick fully recovered and returned to work, according to the news release.

There are almost 70,000 COVID cases in Mass., including more than 4,000 in Bristol County, Sheriff Thomas Hodgson said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. We feel very fortunate that none of the cases among our staff or the incarcerated population is life-threatening.

The Bristol County Sheriffs Office said the low number of COVID-19 cases among prisoners was the result of several protocols implemented at the facility, including giving prisoners and staff masks, cleaning and disinfecting the facility, screening staff members and arriving prisoners before they enter the building and suspending visitations.

Staff received medical grade masks in early April, spokesman Jonathan Darling said. He said prisoners received masks the second week of April, but he wasnt sure what kind of masks.

The Supreme Judicial Court mandated weekly reports under a ruling that allows some prisoners to request a hearing for release due to the coronavirus pandemic. Hodgson told WBUR last month that he doesnt believe the SJC should get involved.

The sheriffs have got this, Hodgson said. Taking people out of a place thats got control and support  and by-and-large most of them dont have good self-discipline  and having them go out into the community and then thinking theyre just going to be fine is really short-sighted.

Related Content:
Depleted national stockpile leaves Canada reliant on China for masks, gowns and other supplies during pandemic

More than two months into the coronavirus pandemic, federal and provincial governments are using extraordinary measures to supply health-care workers with personal protective equipment, including letting them use expired masks.

And with more than 61,000 cases of COVID-19 coast to coast, and the country reaching the milestone of more than 4,000 deaths on Tuesday, supplies are just trickling in from overseas suppliers.

In March, Ottawa passed an interim order that allows masks, face shields and gowns to be imported and sold in Canada even if they do not meet Health Canada's pre-COVID-19 standards.

Health Canada hasn't responded to questions from CBC News about the ways in which it has relaxed its rules, but the order's description says that the products must still be "manufactured according to comparable standards."

The United States appears to be taking a similar approach. The U.S. Food and Drug administration says that "for the duration of the pandemic," it will allow the importation of KN95 masks, which are respirators manufactured according to Chinese standards.

CBC

As of April 30, Health Canada had ordered 1.8 billion units of PPE, from masks to gloves to gowns. Of the 36 devices approved so far under the order, 34 are manufacturers in China, including Wuhan Orient Honest International Trade Co., Shandong Zhushi Pharmaceutical Group Co., and Peek-a-Boo! I A See U!.

Ottawa has not said whether it has yet placed an order with any of these companies.

Much of the global supply of PPE comes from China.

That makes Canada's situation even more complicated, as the Chinese market is currently fraught with troubles, according to Lynette Ong, an associate professor in the department of political science and China specialist at the University of Toronto. The chief difficulty, she said, "is sorting out the good and the bad apples."

Last month, China's own government revealed it had seized 89 million pieces of poor-quality product. Canada has also received at least one million masks from China that don't meet its standards since the pandemic began.

Story continues

An 'unprecedented and urgent need'

Health Canada's interim order was prompted by what the agency's website calls an "unprecedented and urgent need for medical devices during the COVID-19 crisis." That demand has caused critical shortages, it says.

Submitted by Joe Audette

The shortage is also leading some provinces to make unusual decisions.

For example, CBC News has learned that the Saskatchewan Health Authority has decided to allow health care workers to start using expired N95 masks from its stockpile.

They were purchased during the H1N1 outbreak in 2009-2010. The province says they expired after five years, meaning they've been expired for about five years.

The province told CBC News the masks were stored in optimal conditions and have been tested by an independent lab "where they passed both inhalation/exhalation and filtration tests."

The province pointed CBC News to a Health Canada directive that said while ordinarily, expired masks should be discarded, in such unusual times, "an expired mask can still be effective at protecting health care providers if the straps are intact, there are no visible signs of damage, [and] they can be fit-tested."

CBC recently reported that last May, Ottawa threw two million expired N95 masks into the Regina landfill when it emptied its medical supply warehouse in the city. Those masks had also been purchased around the time of the H1N1 outbreak.

Worried about 'substandard supply'

The president of the Canadian Medical Association, Dr. Sandy Buchman, says such exceptional measures make some doctors anxious.

"That sends a signal, a message to us, that we're getting substandard supply, and that is putting us and our patients  at risk," he said.

Buchman said he's been hearing from doctors from across Canada who are concerned about a lack of quantity and quality of PPE.

"In certain regions, specifically like in Alberta, the doctors felt the supplies were substandard, and they couldn't be used," Buchman said.

Canadian Medical Association

He said this highlights a failure of government planning.

"If we had planned properly and monitored these provincial and federal supplies of the equipment, we wouldn't be scrambling," he said. "We would be stockpiled and ready to go."

'China is our only hope'

On April 22, Sally Thornton a vice-president with the Public Health Agency of Canada, which is responsible for the National Emergency Strategic Stockpile (NESS), told the federal standing committee on health that the stockpile was "doing well."

"The NESS had been actually monitored and stockpiled as it was mandated and funded to do," she said.

Thornton told the politicians that provinces and territories are primarily responsible for stocking their own supplies and Ottawa is merely there to provide "surge capacity" in a time of crisis.

But Wesley Wark, a national security expert from the University of Ottawa who's studied Canada's national stockpile, said the pandemic has exposed a gaping hole in Canada's supply chain that urgently needs to be filled.

"The NESS concept has failed Canada in this current crisis," he said.

Patty Hajdu, the federal health minister, has publicly acknowledged Canada "likely did not have enough" PPE in its national stockpile.

Watch: Health Minister Patty Hajdu addresses the need for personal protective equipment:

Wark says Canada has made efforts to spur domestic production of PPE but says that's more of a long-term solution.

"We find ourselves in a position where China is our only hope," he said.

'A Wild West market'

The Public Health Agency of Canada is co-ordinating the purchasing of PPE for the provinces and territories.

"Over the coming weeks, some companies that required time to scale up their operations will begin delivering supplies on a regular basis," said an explanatory note attached to the May 1 update on Public Services and Procurement Canada's website.

"Given the high global demand for these goods, there is a possibility that not all contracts will be entirely fulfilled."

Thornton said once a supplier has been chosen, the products are visually inspected in China. Once they arrive in Canada, they're given more rigorous testing in a lab.

University of Toronto website

She says Canada will need to exercise great due diligence in such an uneven market.

"I know what a Wild West market it is out there. It's very complicated," she said.

There have been a host of concerns about PPE from China.

In a meeting of the standing committee on government operations last month, Bill Matthews, the deputy minister of public services and procurement, confirmed the government had received a shipment of one million masks from China that, when tested, were deemed to be substandard. He said the manufacturer "is going to provide replacement product."

On its list of received supplies, Canada notes that while it has received more than nine million N95 respirators, "a significant portion of these remain under testing."

On April 18, CBC reported that health care workers in Alberta are complaining about the quality of masks brought in from China.

According to an April 27 report in the state-owned China Daily, market regulators seized 89 million masks and 418,000 other protective supplies.

The country's vice-minister of the state administration for market regulation, Gan Lin, is quoted as saying "we mainly clamped down on those producing or selling fake, expired or [low-quality] protective materials, including masks and disinfectants, and people who falsified others' trademarks to mislead consumers."

On its website, Makrite Industries, one the manufacturers recently approved under the government's interim order to fast-track PPE to Canada, has sounded the alarm about fraudulent products.

www.makrite.com

"Please be warned that the 9500-N95 particulate respirator shown in the pictures is a counterfeit product. It is not manufactured by Makrite," the company said in an April 8 news release.

Ong, the China specialist, said that in normal times, China had well-established companies that provided the world with quality PPE. But the global pandemic has spurred many new entrants to the market, she said.

"It is only by going to the factory, looking at their quality and looking at the certification one by one, that you're able sort that out."

Canada is 'vetting suppliers' in China

Canada says that's exactly what it's doing. Anita Anand, the federal minister of public services and procurement, told the standing committee on health that Canada has retained the accounting and auditing firm Deloitte, which "plays a role in vetting suppliers and helping us with our supply chain."

Suzhou Fangtian Industries website

When asked why Canada doesn't get the supplies tested in China, Thornton said "we do prefer to do them here. It's good to have our National Research Council, our own testing and our own engineers taking a look at it. [We are] very cautious about what we'd send out to health care workers."

While there will be some challenges, Wark says, the Chinese government will work hard to ensure Canada gets quality products.

"China wants to be able to retain a reputation not just as a mass supplier of goods but as a supplier of goods that work and of sophisticated goods," he said. "That's important to China's self-reputation."

Markham Stouffville Hospital

A lack of co-ordination

Thornton said while Ottawa is playing the role of co-ordinator in the ordering of PPE internationally, early on in the pandemic response, it was flying blind. There wasn't a clear picture of what supplies were held by each province and where the shortages might be.

"We are not that familiar with what provinces had in their respective stockpiles," Thornton told the committee. "So, very quickly, we got a heads-up in terms of where there would be national gaps."

She said in early February, provinces were asked to fill out a survey indicating what supplies they had and what they needed.

Wark said if Ottawa doesn't know what the provinces have, then "you can't build NESS on the basis of being sure it's complementary to provincial stockpiles."

In addition, he pointed out, the provinces have no idea what Ottawa has in stock.

"That is, it seems to me, a huge strategic problem," he said.

He said it's a problem politicians had better fix because public health officials are predicting multiple waves of COVID-19 infections, which means this crisis could go on for years.
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LOS ANGELESWith the coronavirus pandemic and the accompanying widespread shutdowns of business and everyday life continuing to wreak havoc in countries around the world, sex workers  who were already marginalized and in many societies, criminalized  have found themselves in especially dire straits.

Not only have brothels shut down, and customers largely vanished due to fears of contracting the virus, but in many countries, sex workers have not been able to replace lost income with government relief, because those governments have often specifically excluded them from receiving benefits. By early April, the situation was so desperate that a United Nations agency publicly called for government aid packages not to overlook struggling sex workers.

Now, the British, independent media organization Open Democracy has taken its own step to remedy the marginalization of sex workers, publishing a new, online e-book, The Fight To Decriminalize Sex Work.

The COVID-19 pandemic brutally demonstrates what happens to marginalized and excluded people when things start to go wrong, the group wrote, in announcing the books release. They die.

The book, which may be downloaded for free in PDF form at this link, includes 13 essays on such topics as Getting anti-trafficking advocates on board with decriminalized sex work, Selling decriminalization to the public, and The false feminism of criminalizing clients.

Calling the book a blueprint for policy makers, Open Democracy says that as a result of the coronavirus crisis, sex workers organizations around the world have not only set up mutual help and solidarity systems but renewed their calls for decriminalization with an unprecedented sense of urgency.

According to the group, law enforcement agencies have used quanratine requirements as a pretext to further crack down on sex workers, particularly migrants.

For many sex workers the situation is now desperate, and many are choosing to return to work despite the risk to their personal health, the group writes, in an introduction to the book.

In the United States, 2020 opened as what could have been a good year for the decriminalization movement, with lawmakers in New York and Vermont both pushing legislation for decriminalization in their respective states. But the coronavirus pandemic appears to have put those discussions on the back burner, indefinitely.

But according to the new Open Democracy book, now is precisely the time to move sex work decriminalization efforts forward.

Sex workers are fighting for their lives, the books introduction says. Decriminalization is absolutely mandatory to increase safety.

Photo By Carys Boughton / Open Democracy
New Delhi: Actress Deepika Padukone, who is making the most of her quarantine break with husband Ranveer Singh in Mumbai, took out a moment to thank "music" which has been her constant companion during the period. She shared a picture of her piano and described how her life would have been incomplete without music.

"Thank you for the music, the songs I`m (NOT) singing... Thanks for all the joy they`re bringing. Who can live without it? I ask in all honesty. What would life be? Without a song or a dance, what are we? So I say thank you for the music, For giving it to me... music," Deepika captioned her post.

Her piano also has her framed photos kept on top of it. One of them is an old picture of Deepika as a baby.

Check out her post below:

A few weeks ago, Ranveer had also revealed that Deepika is learning to play the piano. He shared a monochrome picture of her playing the piano and wrote that they are spending their quarantine break by eating, sleeping, exercising, watching movies and DP is teaching herself to play the piano.

Apart from trying her hands on a piano, Deepika is using the break for some productivity. She has been sharing such insights from her daily life ever since the beginning of the lockdown.

Heres a glimpse:

Deepika and Ranveer married in November 2018 in Italy. They are top-rated stars of Bollywood.

On the work front, Deepika, last seen in Chhapaak, has a Shakun Batra film coming up. She also signed up for the Hindi remake of Hollywood film The Intern.
Crude oil futures jumped to Rs 1,955 per barrel on May 6 as participants increased their long positions. Prices gained on expectations of a recovery in vehicular traffic, which will boost fuel demand as many Asian and European countries ease lockdown.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) reported that US crude inventories rose 8.4 million barrels for the week ended May 1.

Crude oil prices held steady on expectations of a rise in weekly crude oil and product inventories. The output cut from OPEC+ nations and reopening of lockdown in several nations may support crude oil prices, said Tapan Patel- Senior Analyst (Commodities), HDFC Securities.

In the futures market, crude oil for May delivery touched an intraday high of Rs 1,964 and an intraday low of Rs 1,845 per barrel on the MCX. So far in the current series, black gold has touched a low of Rs 796 and a high of Rs 3,905.

Crude oil delivery for May rose Rs 86, or 4.6 percent, to Rs 1,955 per barrel at 14:55 hours IST on a business turnover of 7,590 lots. The same for June delivery gained Rs 69, or 3.37 percent, to Rs 2,115 per barrel on a business volume of 1,157 lots.

The value of May and June contracts traded so far is Rs 1,028.54 crore and Rs 24.52 crore, respectively.

Patel expects WTI to face resistance near $27 per barrel with support at $22. "See support for MCX May Crude Oil at Rs 1,700 and resistance at Rs 2,100."

West Texas Intermediate crude gained 3.34 percent at $25.38 per barrel, while Brent, the London-based international benchmark, rose 1.97 percent to $31.58 per barrel.
Sonoma County is expected to follow Gov. Gavin Newsoms phased reopening plan for California, county officials said.

Health officer Dr. Sundari Mase said during a Tuesday night town hall that the county will align with Newsoms approach, which includes reopening retail businesses for curbside pick-up as soon as Friday.

Were planning to align, Mase said. Were actually, along with the Governors executive order, moving towards Phase 2 of the roadmap. So were still in the safety and preparedness Phase 1, but were moving towards lifting more restrictions, on retail businesses, for example, for curbside pick-up. That would be part of our initial Phase 1 plans.

The governor is expected to release specific guidelines for retailers on Thursday.

Stricter local orders could still supersede the governors order. On Tuesday, Marin County officials said they are considering allowing retailers to open for curbside pickup on May 18.

Sonoma County extended its shelter-at-place order with loosened restrictions on outdoor businesses and activities that went into effect Monday. Like the states order, the countys order has no end date so it can be amended and revised as needed, officials said.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

Mase said she hopes the county will achieve its goal of completing 700 to 800 tests per day in the next couple weeks. Increased testing and contact tracing allow officials to lift restrictions, she said.

Once we get this king of testing in place, of course it makes it much easier for us to loosen shelter-in-place restrictions, Mase said.

Anna Bauman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: anna.bauman@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @abauman2
A man carrying goods in plastic bags crosses a street where a sign promoting a plastic bag-free shopping experience is displayed outside a department store in Bangkok on Aug. 13, 2019. (Romeo Gacad/AFP via Getty Images)

Ban This! No, Never Mind!

Commentary

Recently, many politicians were in such a hurry to ban plastic bags.

California and Hawaii banned them, then New York. Then Oregon, Connecticut, Maine and Vermont passed laws against them. More than 400 cities did, too.

Why? Because plastic bags are evil, didnt you know?

Look at the damage done by plastic bags! It is everywhere! complained New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

A Washington state senator cited videos of animals choked by plastics, tangled in garbage!

So what should we use instead of plastic? Cloth bags! Theyre reusable! Certainly the way to go! said New Jerseys assembly speaker.

But now, suddenly, politicians are canceling their bans. Instead, theyre banning the once praised reusable bags.

Its because of COVID-19, of course.

Reusable bags already brought bacteria into stores. Were supposed to wash them, but almost no one does. Studies found reusable bags crawling with dangerous bacteria. After plastic bags were banned in San Francisco, food poisoning deaths increased sharply.

But environmental groups, like Greenpeace, call those disease fears misinformation.

There are no studies or evidence that reusable bags are transmitting viruses, says Alex Truelove of the Public Interest Research Group, in my new video.

Hes right. There are no human studies, but COVID-19 is so new. Millions of piglets died from swine coronavirus. The agriculture department concluded that reusable feed bags were probably the cause.

Still, even now, some politicians cant wait to ban plastic again. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh says as soon as this crisis is over well go back to all paper bags and reusable bags.

Politicians are always just looking for something to do, complains supermarket executive Andrea Catsimatidis.

She points out that paper bags cost five times what plastic costs. When youre talking billions of bags, it really adds up!

And paper bags dont hold as much. They rip.

Plastic is more convenient. Why must politicians take away whats convenient?

Over two-thirds of everything we use is not recycled or composted and ends up in a landfill, complains Truelove.

So what?

People think America is running out of room for landfills, but thats not true.

All Americas trash for the next century would fit in one landfill just 18 miles square, says environmental economist Ross McKitrick. Landfills take up so little space that if you look the air you wouldnt even be able to see where landfills are.

And modern landfills hardly pollute. Theyre surrounded by layers of clay and plastic that keep nasty stuff in the garbage from leaking out.

But what about all that plastic in the ocean?

Plastic bags are sometimes eaten by animals. Some sea turtles mistake the bags for jellyfish and then starve. Islands of floating garbage have formed in the Pacific Ocean.

Green groups have convinced Americans that we are to blame.

But we arent! Even if you litterand today, fewer Americans doyour litter is unlikely to end up in an ocean.

Almost all the plastic in oceans comes from Asia and Africa. Less than 1 percent comes from North America.

In other words, banning plastic bags in America will accomplish roughly  nothing.

What it will do is inconvenience Americans and make some of us sick.

Truelove says, We should  set an example for the rest of the world.

Thats posturing, replies McKitrick. The rest of the world isnt looking to see what you do with your Starbucks cup.

If we are concerned about other countries waste going into their river systems, he adds, there are better things we can do. We can share technology with them so they process their waste better. Thats better than imposing on consumers tiresome inconveniences in hopes that it will somehow change behavior on the other side of the planet.

Politicians looking for something to do routinely do more harm than good.

John Stossel is an Award-winning news correspondent and best-selling author. His latest book is No, They Cant: Why Government FailsBut Individuals Succeed.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
(CNN) - A day after Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings warned investors that it could be forced to go out of business, the company announced it is well-positioned to weather Covid-19 impacts.

In a statement, the company reported it has raised more than $2 billion, including (1) $400 million public offering of common equity, (2) $750 million exchangeable senior notes offering, (3) $675 million senior secured notes offering and (4) $400 million private investment from global consumer-focused private equity firm L Catterton.

Norwegian said the raised cash will allow them to withstand more than a year of suspended cruises. Norwegian suspended sailings of all its fleets on March 14 during an industrywide shutdown that has been extended through at least June 30.

This significantly strengthens the Companys financial position and liquidity runway and it now expects to be positioned to withstand well over 12 months of voyage suspensions in a potential downside scenario, Norwegian wrote in a statement.

The cruise industry has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic as there were several high profile ships with multiple people testing positive for the coronavirus. Many died from the disease.

Some ships had difficulty finding ports where they could discharge their passengers.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Norwegian Cruise Line raises $2 billion after warning coronavirus would force it out of business"
More than 30 tonnes of fresh seafood, meat and other produce is on its way to Asia on the first direct freight service from Adelaide since the coronavirus outbreak.

The Singapore Airlines flight, the first of two scheduled out of South Australia, is loaded with local products including chilled seafood, tuna, lamb, chicken meat and eggs.

It's expected that once in Singapore the produce will then be distributed across Asia to markets including Hong Kong, Thailand and China.

A Singapore Airlines Cargo plane, the first international flight out of South Australia since the pandemic started, has left with 30 tonnes of fresh seafood, meat and other produce destined for Asia (a Singapore Airlines Cargo plane is pictured)

The flight, one of two scheduled out of South Australia, left Adelaide Airport (pictured) on Wednesday with supplies destined for Asian countries such as Thailand and China

Federal Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said the agreement with Singapore Airlines would re-establish a direct freight route for South Australian exporters.

'We're backing South Australia's farmers and fishers through this agreement that will restore this critical freight route and give exporters a direct line back into key export markets across Asia,' Senator Birmingham said.

'The more South Australian produce, meat, and seafood we can (get) onto these flights and headed overseas, the more local jobs we can secure and the more export dollars we can bring back into South Australia.'

Premier Steven Marshall said the freight service would provide a significant boost for local exporters and jobs.

'Today marks a real turning point for South Australia's exporters who have been struggling with the impacts of coronavirus,' he said.

'It's fantastic that our local producers now have a clear pathway to supply their fresh premium produce to markets around the world.'

The International Freight Assistance Mechanism is part of the federal government's $1 billion relief and recovery fund to support regions, communities and industry sectors disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

The Federal Government set up an air freight network designed to continue overseas exports during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On April 8 the first plane to fly out of Wuhan since January brought medical supplies to Sydney (pictured) but the cargo has been impounded in a warehouse ever since

The network is made up of 15 air freight providers and more than 560 Australian businesses had already registered for the service.

Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Michael McCormack, said the network was a critical tool.

He said the service had already helped markets including lobster from Western Australia, lamb from Victoria and salmon from Tasmania to be shipped to international ports and markets.

'The quicker we can get our products off the farm and onto airplanes, the more Australian jobs we can save and the quicker our agricultural exporters can bounce back,' Mr McCormack said.

The first of the flights to leave Melbourne as part of the network contained lamb and left on April 16, destined for Abu Dhabi.

Meanwhile on April 8 the first plane to fly out of Wuhan since January brought cargo to Sydney, cargo which has been impounded in a warehouse ever since.

The plane, which left Sydney the next day, brought 70 tonnes of cargo which included antiseptic wipes, coronavirus testing kits and face masks.

The cargo is set to be examined by the Australian Border Force on May 11.
Blood thinners may help keep COVID-19 patients on ventilators alive longer, a study published Wednesday suggests.

In recent weeks, physicians have noticed that the sickest coronavirus patients are more prone to forming blood clots  an unexpected symptom for a respiratory virus.

Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

Clotting means "patients are at increased risk for deep vein thrombosis, strokes, heart attacks" and pulmonary embolisms, said Dr. Hugh Cassiere, a pulmonologist and the medical director of Respiratory Care Services at North Shore University Hospital on Long Island, New York.

Cassiere, like many ICU physicians, has responded by treating patients with blood thinners.

Now, early data indicates that using these drugs may be beneficial.

In a study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, researchers at Mount Sinai Health System analyzed the health records of 2,773 COVID-19 patients.

A total of 395 were placed on ventilators. Among those who weren't given a type of blood thinner called an anticoagulant, 62.7 percent died, compared with 29.1 percent of those who were given the medications.

"Using anticoagulants should be considered when patients get admitted to the ER and have tested positive for COVID-19 to possibly improve outcomes," Dr. Valentin Fuster, the study's author and director of Mount Sinai Heart, wrote in a press release. However, Fuster added doctors should also carefully consider whether patients may have an increased risk for bleeding.

"This is an observational study and should be interpreted with caution," Fuster told NBC News. That means the research cannot prove the anticoagulants indeed led to fewer deaths or had any real therapeutic impact. More research, including randomized trials, will be needed to answer those questions.

Cassiere agreed. "This study doesn't help us figure that out, but it is helpful because we've been anticoagulating these patients anyway based on no data."

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Anecdotally, the drugs are working.

Warnell Vega, 33, arrived at the Mount Sinai Morningside's emergency room in New York City last month with a blood clot in his lungs.

Warnell Vega with his therapist

"He was really in dire straits," said Vega's physician, Dr. John Puskas, the hospital's chair of cardiovascular surgery. "The clot almost completely blocked blood flow to his right and his left lungs."

Vega tested positive for COVID-19 and was admitted to the intensive care unit, where he was put on several medications in an attempt to treat the virus. He was also given anticoagulants to help break up the clot.

Download the NBC News app for full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

Vega was able to go home, but still needs to take two types of blood-thinning drugs: a low-dose aspirin and the drug Eliquis, a type of anticoagulant.

"I have to take that for the next three months," Vega said.

More data on the effects of blood thinners on COVID-19 patients may be coming soon. Fuster's team plans to double the number of patients they're observing in a similar study, ahead of clinical trials aimed at figuring out which blood thinners and at what doses may be most beneficial.

The group also plans to study the effect of blood thinners for patients who are not sick enough to be hospitalized.

Follow NBC HEALTH on Twitter & Facebook.
Something to look forward to: Its been an interesting week for the once again vibrant PC industry. We saw the release of several new systems from different vendors, announcements on the future directions of Windows, and hints of yet more new systems and chip developments on the near-term horizon.

While most of the news wasnt triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, all of it takes on a new degree of relevance because of it. Why? As recent US retail sales reports demonstrate and conversations with PC OEMs and component suppliers have confirmed, PCs and peripherals are hot again-really hot.

Admittedly, there are many questions about how long the sales burst can last, and most forecasts for the full year still show a relatively large decline, but theres little doubt that in the current era, the PC has regained its role as the most important digital device that most people own-both for personal and work-related purposes. And, I would argue, even if (or when) the sales do start to decline, the philosophical importance of the PC and its relative degree of usage-thanks in part to extended work-from-home initiatives-will likely remain high for some time to come.

The recent blog post from Microsofts Windows and Surface leader Panos Panay provides interesting insights in that regard, as he noted that Windows usage has increased by 75% compared to last year. In recognition of that fact, the company has even decided to pivot on their Windows 10X strategy --which was originally targeted solely at dual-screen devices -- to make it available for all regular single-screen PCs. Full details on what exactly that will bring remain to be seen, but the key takeaway is Windows PCs will be getting their first major OS upgrade in some time. To my mind, thats a clear sign of a vital product category.

Apple is moving forward with their personal computer strategies as well, having been one of several vendors who announced new systems this week. In their case, it was an upgrade to their MacBook Pro line with enhanced components and, according to initial reports, a much improved keyboard.

Samsung also widened their line of Windows notebooks with the formal release of their Galaxy Book Flex and Galaxy Book Flex  2-in-1 convertibles, and Galaxy Book Ion clamshell, all of which feature the same QLED display technology found in Samsungs TVs. The Galaxy Book Flex and Ion also have the same type of wireless PowerShare features for charging mobile peripherals as their Galaxy line of smartphones.

The broadest array of new product announcements this week, however, comes from HP. Whats interesting about the HP news isnt just the number of products, but how their range of offerings are reflective of several important trends in the PC market overall. Gaming PCs, for example, have been a growing category for some time now, even despite the other challenges the PC market has faced. With the extended time that people have been staying home, interest, usage and demand for gaming PCs has grown even stronger.

Obviously, HP didnt plan things in this way, but the timing of their new Omen 25L and 30L gaming desktops and Omen 27i gaming monitor couldnt have been better. The desktops offer a number of refinements over their predecessors, including a choice of high performance Intel i9 or AMD Ryzen 9 CPUs, Nvidia RTX 2080 or AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT graphics cards, Cooler Master cooling components, HyperX high-speed DRAM, WD Black SSDs and a new case design. The new gaming monitor features Quad HD (2,560 x 1,440) resolution and a 165 Hz refresh rate with support for Nvidias G-Sync technology.

HP showed even more fortuitous timing with the launch of their new line of enterprise-focused Chromebooks and, believe it or a not, a new mobile thin client. Chromebooks have been performing yeomans duty in the education market for learn-from-home students as a result of the pandemic, but theres also been growing interest in the enterprise side of the world as well.

While the market for business-focused Chromebooks has admittedly been relatively modest so far, the primary reason has been that most companies are still using many legacy applications that havent been optimized for the cloud. Now that many application modernization efforts are being fast-tracked within organizations, however, a cloud software-friendly device starts to make a lot more sense.

Now that many application modernization efforts are being fast-tracked within organizations, however, a cloud software-friendly device starts to make a lot more sense.

With its latest announcements, HP expanded their range of business Chromebook offerings. They now start with the upgraded $399 Chromebook Enterprise 14 G6, which offers basic performance, but a large 14 display and a wipeable/cleanable keyboard, then move up to the mid-range Pro c640 Chromebook Enterprise, and finally end up at the Elite C1030 Chromebook Enterprise. Interestingly, the C1030 is the first Intel Athena project certified Chromebook (it features a 10th Gen Intel Core CPU) and offers the same 2-in-1 form factor as their high-end EliteBook Windows PCs. Its also the worlds first Chromebook made with a 75% recycled aluminum top lid, a 50% recycled plastic keyboard, and speakers made from ocean-bound plastics-all part of HPs ongoing sustainability efforts.

HP also introduced the mt22 Mobile Thin Client, a device that in another era, would barely get much of a mention. However, with the now critical need in certain industries for modern devices that are optimized for VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure) and Windows Virtual Desktop (WVD), the mt22 looks to be a great solution for workers in regulated or highly secure industries who still need to be able to work-from-home. Finally, HP also announced ThinPro Go, a USB stick that can essentially turn any functioning PC with an internet connection into a thin client device running HPs Linux-based ThinPro OS. While similar types of devices that work by booting from the USB stick have existed in the past, they once again take on new meaning and relevance in our current era.

All told, HPs announcements reflect the continued diversity that exists in todays market and highlight how many different, but essential, roles PCs continue to play. Couple that with the other PC-related announcements from this week and its clear that the category continues to innovate in a way that surprises us all.

Bob ODonnell is the founder and chief analyst of TECHnalysis Research, LLC a technology consulting and market research firm. You can follow him on Twitter @bobodtech. This article was originally published on Tech.pinions.
High Times Set to Expand Quickly with Cannabis Dispensaries and E-Commerce

Horvath Brings Decades of Retail, Digital Sales Experience including Aerie, Victorias Secret

Horvath Also Led IPO Process, Public Investor Comms at DSW, Green Growth Brands

By John Jannarone, IPO Edge

Hightimes Holding Corp., owner of the eponymous magazine, has hired Peter Horvath as its new CEO, tapping a retail industry veteran with extensive e-commerce experience at multiple public companies ahead of the upcoming stock listing.

All of the retail industry has seen a massive shift in consumer behavior and its been accelerated by COVID, Mr. Horvath said in an interview with IPO Edge. Its going to be very exciting to really be the first post-COVID cannabis company.

Mr. Horvath brings experience from apparel and fashion giants including L Brands, Inc. (Victorias Secret, Bath & Body Works), American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (American Eagle & Aerie), DSW (now Designer Brands, Inc.), and, most recently, cannabis dispensary and lifestyle company Green Growth Brands, which went public in November 2018.

The news comes just days after High Times announced the acquisition of 13 active and planned retail dispensaries from Harvest Health and Recreation, Inc. for $80 million in cash and stock, giving the company an almost instant foothold in Californias cannabis market. The Harvest dispensaries will be part of a vertically integrated model High Times has developed through acquisitions. Last month, High Times said it would acquire California-based cannabis holding company Humboldt Heritage Inc. along with its subsidiaries Humboldt Sun Growers Guild and Grateful Eight LLC.

While High Times continues to have key media assets such as the magazine that made the brand famous, the next leg of growth hinges on converting its loyal following to retail customers. The connection between media and retail is something we need to show respect for and know its part of the plan, Mr. Horvath said.

Story continues

Mr. Horvath said a key focus will be creating the ideal customer experience in the New High Times stores, which will be branded with the companys iconic red-and-white logo and aesthetic. You need constant newness and great staff behind the timeless High Times brand, he said.

With cannabis, people arent allowed to touch the product in the stores, he said, adding that its important to convert in-person shoppers to online customers. Stores are where the stickiest customers come from  they make the most purchases. If someone finds you on the web, they arent sticky.

Indeed, some of the most successful retail companies  including Aerie  have been adept at moving customers online. Margins can be much higher for e-commerce given the absence of rent and salespeople, though there are extra costs associated with cannabis delivery.

Mr. Horvaths experience taking companies public will also be critical as High Times prepares to list on a stock exchange. When DSW went public in the mid-2000s, Mr. Horvath led the process as president of the company. Once public, he also led quarterly investor earnings calls along with regular media and investor outreach.

Mr. Horvath is also unusual in that he also has cannabis experience with Green Growth Brands, which operates The Source dispensaries in Nevada. During 2019, GGB introduced the Camp, Green Lilly, and Seventh Sense CBD and Cannabis brands to over 400,000 consumers in over 200 locations across the country.

High Times has sold public shares but they havent yet begun to trade. The company has over 27,000 investors who have subscribed to an offering of up to $50 million which remains open. Some of the shares sold have generated cash that wont appear on the companys balance sheet until the stock begins to trade.

We are pleased to welcome Peter to the High Times family, and to be able to tap into his wealth of experience capitalizing on major consumer brands. There are few executives with his retail experience in the mainstream world and, up to this point, none in the cannabis world with such an accomplished background, Hightimes Holding Corp. Executive Chairman Adam Levin said. The team and I would like to thank Stormy for all of her hard work in getting us through this transition period, and we are excited to have her continue working with us on this mission to grow High Times into all the business areas it helped create.

Contact:

John Jannarone, Editor-in-Chief

editor@IPO-Edge.com

www.IPO-Edge.com

Editor@IPO-Edge.com

Twitter: @IPOEdge

Instagram: @IPOEdge
While not a mind-blowing move, it is good to see that the Smartac Group China Holdings Limited (HKG:395) share price has gained 15% in the last three months. But don't envy holders -- looking back over 5 years the returns have been really bad. In fact, the share price has declined rather badly, down some 64% in that time. So we're hesitant to put much weight behind the short term increase. But it could be that the fall was overdone.

Check out our latest analysis for Smartac Group China Holdings

Smartac Group China Holdings isn't currently profitable, so most analysts would look to revenue growth to get an idea of how fast the underlying business is growing. Generally speaking, companies without profits are expected to grow revenue every year, and at a good clip. Some companies are willing to postpone profitability to grow revenue faster, but in that case one does expect good top-line growth.

In the last five years Smartac Group China Holdings saw its revenue shrink by 14% per year. That puts it in an unattractive cohort, to put it mildly. Arguably, the market has responded appropriately to this business performance by sending the share price down 19% (annualized) in the same time period. It's fair to say most investors don't like to invest in loss making companies with falling revenue. You'd want to research this company pretty thoroughly before buying, it looks a bit too risky for us.

The image below shows how earnings and revenue have tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail).

SEHK:395 Income Statement May 6th 2020

You can see how its balance sheet has strengthened (or weakened) over time in this free interactive graphic.

A Different Perspective

We regret to report that Smartac Group China Holdings shareholders are down 50% for the year. Unfortunately, that's worse than the broader market decline of 14%. Having said that, it's inevitable that some stocks will be oversold in a falling market. The key is to keep your eyes on the fundamental developments. Unfortunately, last year's performance may indicate unresolved challenges, given that it was worse than the annualised loss of 19% over the last half decade. Generally speaking long term share price weakness can be a bad sign, though contrarian investors might want to research the stock in hope of a turnaround. 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. For example, we've discovered 4 warning signs for Smartac Group China Holdings that you should be aware of before investing here.

Story continues

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of companies that have proven they can grow earnings.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on HK exchanges.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
A top terrorist commander of Hizbul Mujahideen was trapped in a village in Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama as the security forces launched three operations in different areas of the district, officials said on Wednesday.

A terrorist was also shot dead in Sarshali in Awantipora area of the district in one of the operations, which is still underway in the village, they said.

The operation to nab Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Riyaz Naikoo, launched by the joint team of Jammu and Kashmir police and security forces on Tuesday night on a specific input, is also in progress at Beigpora in Awantipora.

Contact established in the third operation at #Beighpors #Awantipur. Top terrorist commander is trapped. Exchange of fire on. Details shall follow, J&K police tweeted.

The forces are also conducting house-to-house searches, an officer said.

Also read | Assalamualaikum: How one word changed the course of Handwara encounter

A Jaish-e-Mohammed ()JeM terrorist was arrested in Satura village of Tral area of the district late on Tuesday evening. The joint team of police and security forces apprehended the terrorist at Satura crossing, the police said.

On his questioning the Following arms and ammunition were recovered from the arrested terrorist. 1. AK-56 : 01 No. 2.AK Magazines : 05 Nos 3.AK Rds : 150 Nos 4.Chinese Grenades: 03 Nos 05 .Cell phones : 02 Nos (sic), the police tweeted.

The last two months have seen a series of operations in the Kashmir region.

In the past three days, eight security force personnel, including the commanding officer of the armys 21 Rashtriya Rifles, were killed in two separate encounters in Handwara.
Odisha reported its second COVID-19 fatality on Tuesday night after a 77-year-old man died due to the disease in Bhubaneswar, health and family welfare department officials said.

He breathed his last at the KIMS COVID-19 Hospital here, they said.

The elderly man had underlying co-morbidities of hypertension, diabetes and kidney ailments, the officials said.

On April 6, a 72-year-old man from Bhubaneswar's Jharpada had died due to the contagion at the AIIMS here.

Meanwhile, an 18-year-old man, who recently returned from Surat in Gujarat, tested positive for COVID-19, taking the total number of coronavirus cases in the state to 177, an official of the department said.

Till Wednesday morning, there were 115 active cases, while 60 persons have recovered from the disease, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 5/5/2020 (623 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  Manitoba MP Jim Carr began stem-cell treatment Tuesday as he battles a blood cancer.

He is undergoing an autologous transplant, which involved taking his own stem cells in February, and then undergoing intensive chemotherapy before having those stem cells reintroduced through the veins.

That procedure is much less risky than using a donors stem cells to treat multiple myeloma, according to the Canadian Cancer Society.

Carr, 68, wrote Tuesday that he expects to be recovering at the Health Sciences Centre "for a few weeks." Tuesdays treatment had been rescheduled twice as the COVID-19 pandemic postponed elective surgeries.

Stem-cell transplants generally improve blood cancers, by having the body produce more healthy blood. However, it does increase the risk of infection in the immediate aftermath.

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.

Carrs son Ben wrote on Facebook that he went to visit his father Tuesday morning from the front porch. "He was energetic and ready to fight," Ben wrote.

The MP for Winnipeg South Centre announced his diagnosis last October, which came with the discovery of kidney failure.

"The past few months have been a challenging and unprecedented time for everyone but I know that we will get through this and emerge stronger than ever," Carr wrote in his statement.

He was made aware of the treatment before the Canadian Judicial Council announced Monday that it had found Carrs wife, Justice Colleen Suche, erred in advising Carr about judicial appointments.

Carr served as energy and trade minister for the Liberals four-year majority mandate. After last Octobers election and diagnosis, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made Carr his special advisor for the Prairies, which is not a cabinet post.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
A research professor at the University of Pittsburgh who was on the verge of making very significant findings about the new coronavirus, according to his schools officials, was killed in a suspected murder-suicide over the weekend, authorities said.

Bing Liu, 37, was found shot multiple times in his townhouse in Ross Township, Pennsylvania., on Saturday afternoon following whats believed to have been a lengthy dispute regarding an intimate partner, a detective with the Ross Police Department told HuffPost Wednesday.

Liu, who the Pittsburgh Post Gazette reported was married and without children, had been alone in his home when authorities say Hao Gu, 46, entered the property and shot him multiple times. Gu is believed to have then taken his own life inside of his car a short distance away, police said.

We have found zero evidence that this tragic event has anything to do with employment at the University of Pittsburgh, any work being conducted at the University of Pittsburgh and the current health crisis affecting the United States and the world, Police Det. Sgt. Brian Kohlhepp said in an email.

Bing Liu, 37, was a research assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh who had been "on the verge of making very significant findings" about the new coronavirus when he was killed, school officials said. (University of Pittsburgh)

Liu is being remembered as a prolific scientific researcher who co-authored more than 30 publications  four of which were published this year  and had been using his expertise in systems biology to help make medical advancements in fighting the new coronavirus, officials at his school said.

Bing was on the verge of making very significant findings toward understanding the cellular mechanisms that underlie SARS-CoV-2 infection and the cellular basis of the following complications, according to a university statement. We will make an effort to complete what he started in an effort to pay homage to his scientific excellence.

Liu received his bachelors and doctorate degrees in computer science at the National University of Singapore and completed his postdoctoral studies at Carnegie Mellon University, according to the...

Continue reading on HuffPost
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) currently has no treatment or vaccine, leaving countries grappling with the wrath of the infectious disease. Caused by the novel coronavirus, now called the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the viral infection has killed more than 257,000 people and infected at least 3.66 million. Scientists across the globe are racing to develop vaccines and therapies to combat the infection.

Israel has been one of the most active countries in battling COVID-19, and has been successful in "flattening the curve." The country has announced dozens of medical studies and technologies they are developing to contain the spread of the virus and treat those who are critically ill.

Now, in a significant medical breakthrough, Israel's Institute for Biological Research Institute (IIBRI) has wrapped up the development of a potential treatment for the coronavirus disease. The scientists say they have identified an antibody that neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 in vitro or outside of a living organism.

Identifying an antibody against SARS-CoV-2

Israel's Defense Minister Naftali Bennett said he witnessed a significant breakthrough accomplished by the IIBR in moving towards an antibody against the dreaded virus. The team had already completed the developmental phase and is now preparing for the mass-production of the potential treatment after obtaining a patent for the discovery.

Bennett visited the laboratories of the IIBR, a secretive unit that works under the auspices of the office of the Prime Minister. The team shows how the antibody can attack the virus in a monoclonal way and can neutralize it.

Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-produced molecules engineered to serve as substitute antibodies that can restore, enhance, or mimic the immune system's attack on cancer cells. They are designed to bind to antigens that are generally more numerous on the surface of cancer cells than healthy cells .

Antibody illustration: Image Credit: Mirror-Images / Shutterstock

Statement from the Israel Ministry of Defense

3 key parameters:

The antibody is monoclonal, new and refined, and contains an exceptionally low proportion of harmful proteins The antibody is able to neutralize the coronavirus The antibody was specifically tested on the aggressive coronavirus

"Based on comprehensive scientific publications from around the globe, it appears that the IIBR is the first institution to achieve a scientific breakthrough that meets all three aforementioned parameters simultaneously," Bennett said in a statement.

The IIBR has been leading Israel's efforts to develop a vaccine and treatment for the novel coronavirus, including testing of blood from those who have already recovered. Antibodies in the samples taken from recovered patients are now being studied for their potential as a possible cure for COVID-19. Antibodies are immune system proteins that are residues of the body's successful fight against a pathogen.

Antibodies attacking SARS-CoV-2 virus, the conceptual 3D illustration for COVID-19 treatment. Image Credit: Kateryna Kon / Shutterstock

The breakthrough is a significant step in the fight against COVID-19 because the scientists developed it from a single recovered cell, hence, the term monoclonal antibody. This means that the antibody is more potent in developing an effective treatment. To compare, the antibodies that have been extracted across the globe are all polyclonal.

Promising milestone

IIBR is now working to patent its antibody discovery, possibly landing a contract for its commercial development. If the antibody continues to show promise as a cure for the coronavirus disease, it will make a significant impact across the affected countries, particularly the hardest-hit countries in Europe.

"This is an important milestone, which will be followed by a series of complex tests and a process of regulatory approvals. That said, the scientists at the institute believe that the nature of this breakthrough could lead to a shortening of the process, which could span over several months," Bennett added.

The IIBR has not only developed the antibody against the novel coronavirus, but it was also involved in collecting plasma from recovered patients in an attempt to aid in research. It has also taken part in the progress of developing a vaccine, along with MigVax, an affiliate of the MIGAL Galilee Research Institute. The scientists have reported being close to completing the first phase of developing a potent coronavirus vaccine.

The institute is working tirelessly to find a cure for the novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 16,000 in the country and has killed at least 238.

The IIBR and the town of Yeoham plan to open the country's first vaccine production facility. They will team up with two international pharmaceutical companies and present the plan for the quick establishment of the facility if the Israeli government provides approval.

The coronavirus global pandemic has now affected more than 187 countries and territories. North American and Europe reported the highest number of infections. The high infection rate of the pathogen is driving scientists to race in developing effective vaccines and treatments for the infection. Now, the United States has the highest number of infections, topping 1.2 million confirmed cases and more than 71,000 fatalities.
Adrein Green, 17, was shot and killed outside a home in Sanford, Florida, early Tuesday

A Florida man shot and killed a 17-year-old burglary suspect in what authorities say will likely be investigated under the state's 'stand your ground' statute.

Adrein Green was found collapsed in the street with a gunshot wound at around 1.15am on Tuesday, minutes after a man called 911 and said he'd shot someone outside his home in Sanford.

Investigators said Green was burglarizing cars parked outside the gated home when the owner, who has not been identified, opened fire from his front door.

In audio from the 911 call, the homeowner is heard explaining how his wife woke him up when she heard noises outside while she was up feeding their baby.

He said that he believed someone was trying to break in to the home, so he grabbed his firearm and went to investigate.

'Are there any weapons,' the dispatcher asked.

'Yes. I just fired a shot, he came by. Help me out, please help,' the caller said.

Asked whether the teen was armed, the caller said he wasn't sure.

'I don't know he just ran, he just ran, he faced me and I got super scared and my wife was behind me with the baby cause we kept hearing like a big bump, we kept hearing something,' he said, later adding he wanted to scare the unknown person off.

Investigators said Green was burglarizing cars parked outside the gated home (pictured) when the owner, who has not been identified, opened fire from his front door

Sanford Police Chief Cecil Smith played the audio at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon and told reporters that preliminary evidence shows the homeowner was about 20 feet from the victim when he opened fire.

Green took off on foot after he was shot, and police officers found him lying in the road nearby minutes later.

Smith said the officers performed life-saving measures before first responders arrived and transported him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

The investigation has now been turned over to the state attorney's office, Smith said.

Seminole County Assistant State Attorney Dan Faggard said the case will likely be investigated under Florida's controversial stand your ground law, which allows victims to use deadly force in self-defense when they fear their life is in danger.

'[The] man indicated that he was in fear of his life but mostly for his newborn child and his wife who were in the home,' Faggard told Click Orlando.

'We have to find there is probable cause to believe that the individual did not act in self-defense or justifiably. That's a very high standard.

'Currently, we're not able to make that determination and therefore he was not arrested this morning.'

Green's great aunt, Lillian Wright, told the outlet that the homeowner went too far regardless of the circumstances.

'We just want right done, justice done, and we will see that justice will be done,' Wright said.

'We need justice on this case because we feel it. Our family was in an uproar this morning - 17 years old.'

Green's great aunt, Lillian Wright, told Click Orlando his family will fight for justice in his death

Smith said evidence at the scene led officers to believe Green had been trying to break into the homeowner's car.

A large rock and a car battery were found next to the vehicle, which had marks on the windows and the sides that were indicative of an attempted break-in.

'What we want our community to understand is that at the time it's a unique situation, it's a tragic situation, one that we hope never happens again within our community or any community around,' Smith told reporters.

'No one wants to see a young person lose their life in such a tragic manner, and for what purpose? We will never know.

'You have a victim here who is married, who has a young child and bears those scars as well equally for the rest of their lives with regards to the incidents that took place today.'
The district, which stretches from the rural farmlands in Lancaster to the populous city of Santa Clarita, was held by a Republican for 26 years. For almost all of that time, it was Buck McKeon who would ascend to chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. He won his last election in 2012 with 60 percent of the vote. After he retired, Steve Knight won the next two elections until Hill unseated him in 2018, beating him by eight percentage points.
Paris: With a face mask 100 per cent made in France, President Emmanuel Macron has shown the famously fashionable French people that civic responsibility and style are not mutually exclusive.

Macron used a visit to a primary school to promote the type of cloth masks that will be de rigueur on public transportation and other locations when France starts emerging from its coronavirus lockdown next week.

Fighting spirit: President Emmanuel Macron, wearing the new 100 per cent French face mask, speaks with children during class at the Pierre Ronsard elementary school on Tuesday. Credit:AP

The dark blue version Macron wore while visiting the school west of Paris complemented his tie and blue suit, and came embellished with ribbon detail in red, white and blue, the colours of the French flag.

The French presidency said the mask, designed specifically to protect the public from the virus, was produced by knitwear manufacturer Chanteclair and retails for 4.92 ($8.30). The French military tested the garment's breathability and effectiveness in filtering out small particles, the presidency said.
- Vice President Leni Robredo released a statement on ABS-CBNs shutdown amid the COVID-19 crisis

- Her statement came after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered ABS-CBN to cease and desist from broadcasting on television and radio

- Robredo pointed out that closing the leading broadcasting company in the country that provides thousands of jobs and plenty of assistance to the poor should not have been shut down amid the pandemic

- According to the vice president, it seems unfair that the network got shut down while the Philippine offshore gaming operations (POGOs) were allowed to reopen

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Vice President Leni Robredo broke her silence on the shocking news of ABS-CBNs shutdown amid the COVID-19 crisis.

The shutdown occurred after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered ABS-CBN to cease and desist from broadcasting on television and radio, just a day after its 25-year operating franchise expired.

Robredo pointed out that closing the leading broadcasting company in the country that provides thousands of jobs and plenty of assistance to the poor should not have been shut down amid the pandemic.

She added that it seems unfair that the network got shut down while the Philippine offshore gaming operations (POGOs) were allowed to reopen.

Lalong nakabibigla na isasara ang ABS-CBN habang muling pinapayagang magbukas ang mga POGO. Hindi mahirap matukoy kung alin sa dalawang ito ang mas nakatutulong sa pagtugon sa krisis na kinakaharap natin ngayon.

All hands on deck dapat. All social institutions including media should be united under a single purpose: ang pagsiguro sa kaligtasan ng buhay ng bawat Pilipino

Umaasa tayong mamumulat ang administrasyon sa panganib na dala ng pagsasara ng ABS-CBN, lalo na habang patuloy ang krisis pangkalusugang dala ng COVID-19, Robredo stated.

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In a previous report by KAMI, Robredo thanked Kapamilya actor Enchong Dee for delivering his donations for the poor to her office.

Leni Robredo is the current and 14th Vice President of the Philippines. She is also the widow of late Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo.

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!

In this new episode, we explain to you the symptoms of COVID-19 that everyone should be aware of amid the pandemic. Check out all of the exciting videos and celebrity interviews on our KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel!

Source: KAMI.com.gh
President Donald Trump, followed by Vice President Mike Pence, enters a White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington on April 9, 2020. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Trump: White House Coronavirus Task Force Will Operate Indefinitely

The White House coronavirus task force wont wind down in the near future, President Donald Trump said Wednesday, though members could be removed.

Trump praised the group, which is headed by Vice President Mike Pence and includes Surgeon General Jerome Adams, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci, and Dr. Deborah Birx.

The task force has done a fantastic job of bringing together vast highly complex resources that have set a high standard for others to follow in the future, he said, singling out their work on ventilators and personal protective equipment like face masks.

Because of this success, the Task Force will continue on indefinitely with its focus on SAFETY & OPENING UP OUR COUNTRY AGAIN, Trump said in a social media statement, in addition to vaccines and possible treatments for COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, a coronavirus from China.

Trump said he and Pence might add or subtract members when they feel its appropriate.

He told reporters later that he thought officials could wind it down sooner.

But I had no idea how popular the task force is until actually yesterday when I started talking about winding down, he added.

Dr. Anthony Fauci director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases attends the daily briefing of the White House Coronavirus Task Force at the White House in Washington on April 10, 2020. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Pence told reporters Tuesday that the task force could wind down by June.

I think were having conversations about that and about what the proper time is for the task force to complete its work and for the ongoing efforts to take place on an agency-by-agency level, Pence said in an off-camera briefing.

Trump formed the task force in January, initially placing Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar in charge.

Members have given near-daily updates on the U.S. response to the virus, both at the White House and elsewhere. The group hasnt given a briefing since April 27, though members like Fauci continue to appear on cable news networks.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany called reports suggesting the White House is no longer involving medical experts totally false.

Trump will continue his data-driven approach towards safely re-opening, she added.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
Europe faces a recession of 'historic proportions' as Covid-19 cripples economies, according to forecasts published by Brussels.

In a devastating report on the outbreak, the European Commission has estimated output in the eurozone will decline by 7.7 per cent this year.

'Europe is experiencing an economic shock without precedent since the Great Depression,' said Paolo Gentiloni, European Commissioner for the economy.

Paolo Gentiloni, European Commissioner for the economy said: 'Europe is experiencing an economic shock without precedent since the Great Depression

It came as analysts said a German court ruled that the European Central Bank's 2trillion emergency bond buying programme to prop up the eurozone violated the country's constitution.

Experts believe the decision challenges the supremacy of the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice and sets a precedent for future challenges by eurosceptics.

German bond ruling Germanys top court has challenged the European Central Bank (ECB) stimulus scheme, sparking a row that threatens the EUs economic response to the crisis. Constitutional court judges have ordered Germanys central bank, the Bundesbank, to stop participating in the 2trillion bond-buying programme unless the ECB provides evidence within three months to support it. They dismissed previous legal rulings on the scheme by the European Court of Justice as not comprehensible. In Germany, critics claim the ECB is overstepping its mandate.

Luis Garicano, a liberal Spanish member of the European Parliament, said: 'Europe cannot work if national constitutional courts decide unilaterally when the Luxembourg court has primacy.'

The Commission's economic forecast warned of a painful slump that poses a threat to the region.

The report said: 'Despite the swift and comprehensive policy response at both EU and national level, the EU economy will experience a recession of historic proportions this year.' Greek GDP will contract most, by 9.7 per cent.

Italy will have the second deepest recession  9.5 per cent  and Spain will fall 9.4 per cent. UK output is expected to fall 8.3 per cent. The eurozone is then forecast to grow by 6.3 per cent next year.

Gentiloni said recovery was likely to be uneven across Europe, adding: 'Such divergence poses a threat to the single market and the euro area  yet it can be mitigated through decisive joint action.'
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) takes questions April 9 from socially distanced reporters outside the Senate chamber on Capitol Hill. (Patrick Semansky / Associated Press)

Phone interviews with lawmakers all start with the same disclaimer now: I apologize in advance for the screaming child. Hes fine, hes supervised.

We learned quickly when The Times closed its Washington bureau because of the coronavirus in March that my 10-month-old could not handle seeing me pop in and out throughout the day while I worked from home. He has some separation anxiety, and after a week of missed naps and screams, my beleaguered husband suggested no more pop-ins to say hello, and that I sequester in the spare bedroom while I work.

But the baby can still hear me on the phone doing interviews, and has taken to standing at the foot of the stairs, rattling the baby gate and screaming Hey!  the one word he knows  like a hostage yelling for help from the basement.

Thankfully, most representatives and senators just laugh it off.

Like millions of Americans, my job has dramatically changed in the past month and a half.

Covering Congress is a physical, tactile job that doesnt lend itself to social distancing. Capitol Hill is one of the few beats left in Washington where walking the halls in search of news is both viable and necessary to get the story.

For seven years, my days have included hours of waiting in marble hallways for news, chatting with staff members over coffee, shaking so, so many hands. Once or twice a day theres a 30-minute burst of adrenaline as I grab impromptu interviews from members of Congress walking to and from votes, squeezing through crowds of hundreds of reporters, staff and representatives to find out what I need to know. The scrums of reporters pursuing senators for a quote can get so tight, I can name the deodorant brands worn by some of the biggest names in political journalism.

Now I write from a laptop resting on a bookcase in an empty room, listening to news conferences by phone, keeping an eye on what cable news has at the moment, wading through thousands of pages of legislation and regulations to track how the nearly $3 trillion Congress passed to deal with the pandemic is being spent  and sneaking downstairs to refill my coffee during my son's nap.

Story continues

Many members of Congress are eager to jump on the phone, but the process of working with a spokesperson to find time in their schedule is slower than grabbing whoever I need for three minutes before or after a vote.

On the bright side, it means I often get longer interviews. And it makes it easier to get the human moments: hearing about how theyve caught their parents breaking the stay-at-home orders or which of their colleagues cant manage to mute themselves during video conferences. At times I hear their children or dogs in the background as well. Occasionally its easier to get a scoop on the phone, without competitors breathing on the back of my neck in the Capitol.

But it also means only those who want to talk to me have to return my calls. When the assault allegation against Joe Biden jumped into the news, it suddenly got very difficult to get some Democratic senators on the phone. If Id been on the Hill, my colleagues and I would have been waiting outside committee rooms, the Senate chamber, the elevators, even the bathrooms, to get a response.

Congress has largely been operating remotely since early March, with some notable exceptions. But with the Senates return this week and the House's expected return next week, the job of covering Congress enters a new phase. With stay-at-home orders and social-distancing policies still in place in Washington, every day is a calculation of the risks. Can I get the information I need from home? Is the story worth traveling to the Capitol, securing the straps of a mask behind my ears and hoping that members of Congress and Capitol Hill staff are being as careful as I am?

Before businesses began shuttering in March Id already been asked to stay away from The Times Washington Bureau for two weeks after learning I was in a news conference with someone waiting for test results. Since then, Ive been in the same room in the Capitol with at least two others who tested positive, and thats just the ones I know of.

More than a half-dozen members have disclosed their positive diagnosis; more have reported family members who are ill. At least two dozen people working on Capitol Hill, including Capitol Police officers, have reported positive cases.

Congressional leaders have rejected the White Houses offer of rapid testing, saying members of Congress shouldnt jump the line before front-line workers. It is a reality that as members travel back from across the country, and thousands of staff members resume working from the Hill, Ill likely encounter others who have been exposed. The Capitol physician recently warned House members that normal Capitol business may not resume for years.

A group of reporters have agreed to pool notes and audio from their hallway interviews in an attempt to limit how large the scrums get, trusting each other to ask the right questions, and to share the responses no matter how juicy. It's allowed me to not have to visit the Capitol every day. But not everyone participates, and in the competitive atmosphere of Capitol Hill, I fear it won't last. At the same time, we need to make sure the House and Senate do not impose new safety rules that unnecessarily limit reporters' ability to freely gather information.

Inside the Capitol, signs are posted on walls, doors, elevators and floors reminding people to stay six feet apart. In a House Appropriations Committee hearing Wednesday, just 15 chairs were allotted for an audience that normally numbers more than 100. Instead, many lobbyists, advocates and staffers watched from home. Representatives spread out across the dais and pulled their face masks down temporarily to question witnesses about whether the country is reopening too soon. Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) joked that his preferred mask makes him look like he's in Al Qaeda.

Some senators wear masks, but others dont, or take it off when they speak to reporters. I find myself torn between the desire to get the quote and the urge to scooch back from those that are bare faced. Mask or not, I turn my body to stand at a diagonal, straining a recorder forward to catch comments in the echoey halls of the Capitol.

A walk down a lengthy Senate hallway Wednesday while interviewing Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) became a comedy routine when we encountered Sen. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) coming from the other direction. The senators, their staffs and I all try to squeeze through the logjam as safely and remotely as possible. "Give us a little space, keep moving, but we're just gonna give Sen. McSally a little room to come on through," Coons said, trying to guide me  without touching  to one side. None of us managed to stay the requisite six feet apart.

A lingering part of the daily calculation of whether to stay home or go to the Capitol is the knowledge that there are more stories to tell than I can possibly write. People are scared and concerned and they want to know whats next. And the L.A. Times wonderfully vocal readers send me hundreds of story ideas and personal experiences, that mirror the questions I hear from my own family. Why dont they qualify for unemployment benefits? When will the stimulus payout arrive and will another one follow? What will Congress do next and when? I have access to decision-makers in a way that many people dont, and I feel an obligation to answer as many as I can.

After a brief trip to the Capitol on Wednesday, I calculate that I can get the rest of the interviews I need by phone. Back in the car, I begin a familiar routine: hand sanitizer, antiseptic wipe-down of all my supplies and then a shower when I get home before I can interact with the baby again.

My phone rings. And as I answer, I hear the shuffle of baby knees against the hardwood floor. The downstairs gate begins to rattle. And then the urgent refrain of Hey!...HEY!

Hello, Senator, I say. Dont worry. Hes fine.
Photo: (Photo : Screenshot from a video uploaded on Facebook)

Ruthie Ramirez is a single mother from Miami. She was an employee-turned-patient at the Miami Institute. On April 7, Ramirez tested positive for coronavirus. She was immediately rushed to the ICU and was put on ventilation.

Weeks went by, and her condition worsened. While on a ventilator, all she could ever think of was her kids, and that she had to fight for her kids.

A Fight For Her Kids

Every day, Ruthie's motivation to wake up is her kids. So when she was faced with a life and death situation, all she could ever think of is that she's all that her two kids have. "I sat there and thought, I'm all they have. I have to keep pushing," Ramirez said.

She was so worried about what could happen to her children if she is no longer around. All she wanted was to get back to them, no matter what.

A Glimmer of Hope

As everyone knows, there is no known cure to the coronavirus yet. Also, there is no available vaccine for this disease. However, Ramirez had a glimmer of hope when the doctor suggested an experimental treatment. This treatment is called mesenchymal stem cell treatment, which has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Ramirez's sister was given a power of attorney, and then Ruthie was all set for the treatment.

The experimental treatment has not been proven to be responsible for the recovery, but according to Ramirez, as soon as she was given the treatment, she started improving and felt better.

What is the mesenchymal stem cell treatment?

According to the Miami Cancer Institute, the mesenchymal stem cell is from the umbilical cord lining. This stem cell is particularly known for reducing severe lung inflammation.

This treatment is very new but has been seen effective to the four other patients in the Miami Cancer Institute. One of them is already out of the Intensive Care Unit, although continuing medication.

COVID-19 Free

Although it took some time, Ramirez is now COVID-19 free. After spending a month in the ICU, she is now how with her two kids.

When she was released from the hospital, her daughter Sofia, who is eight years old, and son Isaac, who is five years old, were waiting to welcome their mother.

The meeting was very emotional for the three, while all of Ruthie's friends, co-workers, and family were cheering on her recovery.

Even after a month of being tied up in bed, the exhaustion seemed gone when Ruthie saw her children. "Just seeing them was awesome," she said.

Thankful to Everyone

Ruthie's battle against COVID-19 was difficult, especially because she was worried about her children during the entire time.

Yet, she is beyond grateful to the medical staff who helped her recover from the illness.

Aside from the medical staff, Ruthie is also thankful for her work friends and family, who made sure that her kids were okay. Her friends from work helped her sister during her time at the hospital by providing them with food.

For Ruthie, knowing that the people she works with are very supportive means a lot to her.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown, many industries and companies will have to make alternative plans to keep their doors open.

That being said, the show must go on and projects across the world and in Africa must continue.

Now more than ever, the impact that Artificial intelligence will have on the fast-tracking of production in the continent, is evident.

The role of human resource management will take another deeper dip, as its administrative tasks continue being replaced by self-service portals such as the intranet, workforce planning tools, and payroll software.

This is all in line with the lean way of thinking and digitisation. However, many organisations are still practising a lengthy and cumbersome manual process when it comes to onboarding and offboarding employees.

Chances of lay-offs  This comes as a direct result of companies being on lockdown and in some cases, halting production.

According to Bartley Joseph MD of Rosstone Consulting, South Africa has always been slow to follow other countries in adopting the ever-growing trend towards employment outsourcing and the use of contingent labour.

The advent of Covid-19 should make all employers reconsider their stance in this matter. The benefits far outweigh the traditional permanent and direct employment models. More than ever, companies need to enjoy the flexibility and on-demand options that these models provide. Why pay for tenure when it is more impactful and efficient to use skills only when you need them?, Joseph concluded.

The challenge many organisations face is particularly prevalent when it comes to needing to pay contingent employees across borders.

When one considers doing business in Africa, one of the first challenges is access to financial resources and the risk involved with making foreign payment. Furthermore, in- country laws pertaining to work permits, registration of businesses, labour, and taxation can be quite daunting.

Companies such as Rosstone offer services that align with Africas needs in the time of fast-tracked COVID-19 challenges.

Rosstone Professional solutions will identify the right skills for your company, vet them, and ensure that they comply with the regulations in the country of your business operation. Rosstone will also facilitate the payroll process, taking on the role of employer of record.

COVID-19 may have caught the world off guard, but payroll roll out and finding the right skills doesnt have to become a last-minute job. Together we can come out victorious.

For more info, visit us at www.rosstone.co.za or send us an email at [email protected]
Ukraine hopes that the EBRD will be able to support this country's state programs of funding small and medium businesses - as well as the activity of state companies. The press office of the head of the state quoted Zelensky who had a phone conversation with Suma Chakrabarty, the EBRD President.

"We understand that small and micro businesses suffer the most, and that is our economy. The Office of the President, the Government, and the Parliament - we all work together to develop programs to support our entrepreneurs. In this regard, I suggest that the EBRD consider ways to support the government's actions to launch a program of large-scale financing of SMEs, as well as providing guarantees for such loans," Zelensky said.

He noted that because of the crisis caused by the spread of coronavirus, Ukraine's state companies need extra liquidity, too. The official expressed hope that the EBRD could provide support for these companies.

Besides, the Ukrainian leader expects that the Bank will approve the allocation of a loan for Ukravtodor company in the amount of 450 mln Euros; the funds are supposed to cover the needs of reconstruction of M05 highway (Kyiv - Odesa) and the construction of northern bypass roadway around Lviv (western Ukraine).

"Suma Chakrabarti praised the ongoing reform process in Ukraine despite the COVID-19 epidemic, noting, in particular, the effective concession law and the vote for the land market opening law. Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that Ukraine will continue reforms," reads the message on the web site of the President's Office.
DANBURY  Police are investigating the Monday morning crash on Main Street that resulted in two people  including a firefighter  being hospitalized with minor injuries.

Emergency personnel responded to the area of 120 Main Street around 12:07 a.m. Monday, after a car crashed in front of the Connecticut Institute for Communities.

Evidence in the vehicle suggests alcohol was involved, Detective Lt. Mark Williams said Tuesday morning.

Police said the vehicle had been heading north on Main Street when it struck the center median in front of St. Peter Church, crossed both northbound lanes and crashed into a railing and shrubbery at 120 Main Street.

Shortly after impact the engine compartment caught fire and was extinguished by responding officers, Williams said.

The driver was on the sidewalk when first responders arrived.

Danbury Fire Department spokesperson Jamie Gagliardo said the man removed himself from the vehicle and was transported to the hospital with minor injuries.

Shortly after fire department personnel arrived to assist, a second accident occurred, which involved one of the firemen being struck by an EMS vehicle at the scene, Williams said.

The firefighter sustained a minor foot injury after being bumped by the vehicle and was transported to Danbury Hospital, evaluated and released shortly after, Gagliardo said.

Williams said there is an ongoing investigation into the initial crash.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

Trend:

These days, the whole world once again focuses on Baku, Azerbaijani MP Nagif Hamzayev said.

The video conference of Non-Aligned Movement Contact Group in response to COVID-19 held upon the initiative of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev as chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement, became the main topic of the world politicians and made the headlines of the media outlets, the MP added.

The summit conducted under the motto "United against COVID-19 and dedicated to combating the coronavirus pandemic that covered the whole world, was held with the unanimous support of 120 member states, the MP added.

In his opening speech at the summit, President Aliyev rereminded that the coronavirus pandemic had a negative impact on all countries, emphasizing that the elimination of this disaster and its consequences is the most important problem facing the Movements member-states and the entire humanity, Hamzayev said.

The Azerbaijani president noted the urgent, flexible and necessary measures taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection in the country, stressing that ensuring human health and social protection during the pandemic is a priority for the Azerbaijani government, the MP said.

Hamzayev emphasized that Azerbaijan, which is heading the Non-Aligned Movement from 2019 through 2021, as a responsible member of the world community, focuses on the possibility of overcoming COVID-19, mutual support and joint efforts.

The president emphasized that Azerbaijan is ready to share the positive experience gained in the fight against the pandemic with other countries, the MP said. At the summit, it was emphasized that the decrease in the level of infection among the population in Azerbaijan over the past three weeks, the positive dynamics between the number of infected and the number of cured are clear indicators of the taken measures.

As we know, the socio-economic difficulties following the pandemic caused serious shocks for all countries, especially countries with limited financial resources, Hamzayev added. Given the fact that many member countries of the Non-Aligned Movement also have limited resources, it is inevitable that they will face difficult challenges in the future.

As the country leading the Non-Aligned Movement, Azerbaijan fulfilled its duties in such a difficult period, the MP said. The summit, which was initiated by the president and in which the heads of state and government of more than 40 member states participated, confirmed that no country can overcome this difficulty and this obstacle alone.

President Aliyev, who heads the Non-Aligned Movement, has proposed cooperation in the economy, trade, transport and other fields to jointly combat the coronavirus pandemic, demonstrate solidarity and mutual support, and to eliminate the negative consequences of this infection, Hamzayev added. The second biggest international organization, the Non-Aligned Movement, was welcomed by the heads of state and government of the member states.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, President of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat, European Commission Vice President Josep Borrell Fontelles and others praised the Azerbaijani presidents appeal for all countries to join forces in the fight against the pandemic, Hamzayev said. They emphasized the importance of the role played by the movement.

The summit once again demonstrated the readiness of the Non-Aligned Movement, the second biggest international organization in the world after the United Nations, to cooperate with other international institutions and the international community, the MP said. At the same time, the summit confirmed that Azerbaijan, heading the Non-Aligned Movement, is adequately managing its responsibilities.
An aerial view shows the P4 laboratory at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province on April 17, 2020. (Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images)

Evidence Weighs Against Intentional Release of Virus, Top US General Says

Evidence gathered by the U.S. military weighs against a theory that the CCP virus was purposely released from a laboratory in Wuhan, China, the Pentagons top uniformed official said.

The weight of evidencenothing is conclusivethe weight of evidence is that it is natural and not man-made, U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Army Gen. Mark Milley told reporters at the Pentagon on May 5.

Milley left open the possibility that the virus did originate at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

The second issue is, was it accidentally released? Did it release naturally into the environment or was it intentional? We do not have conclusive evidence in any of that but the weight of evidence is that it was probably not intentional, he added, noting he wouldnt talk about any detailed intelligence.

Questions surrounding the origin of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus and which causes the disease COVID-19, have left researchers around the world frustrated because of the lack of transparency from the CCP.

While the virus emerged in Wuhan last year near the top-level lab there, Chinese authorities have said it originated at a nearby wet market.

Chinese virologist Dr. Zhengli Shi, is seen inside the P4 laboratory, the Wuhan Institute of Virology, in Wuhan, capital of Chinas Hubei province, on February 23, 2017. (Johannes Eisele/AFP via Getty Images)

Various agencies are probing the origin of the virus, Milley said, adding officials dont yet know the source.

It would help a great deal if the Chinese government would open up and allow inspectors and investigators to go there in full transparency so the world can learn the actual, original source of this so that we can apply the lessons learned to prevent outbreaks in the future, he said.

The Chinese regime has largely blocked international scientists from entering the country, including repeatedly rebuffing offers from the United States to send experts to help analyze lingering questions about the new virus.

U.S. intelligence agencies said late last month that the virus wasnt man-made or genetically modified but said officials are still looking into whether the outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan.

This scanning electron microscope image shows the CCP virus, (round yellowish objects) emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab. The virus shown was isolated from a patient in the U.S. Photo published Feb. 19, 2020. (NIAID-RML)

President Donald Trump said April 30 that he saw evidence pointing to the virus originating at the Wuhan Institute of Virology while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said over the weekend that a significant amount of evidence supports the thesis that the CCP virus originated at the lab.

These are not the first times that weve had a world exposed to viruses as a result of failures in a Chinese lab, he added, later declining to say whether he believes the virus was intentionally released.

Trump said May 3 he believes China was embarrassed by the CCP virus outbreak.

My opinion is that they made a mistake, they tried to cover it, they tried to put it out. Its like a fire, its really like trying to put out a fire, he added. They couldnt put out the fire.
Canadas black market of pot is still riding rampant over licensed retailers, a year into what many say continues to be a slow rollout of brick-and-mortar stores in Ontario and regulatory challenges.

Retail stores in Ontario sold approximately $200 million in recreational pot last year, accounting for the lions share of just under $300 million in estimated Ontario Cannabis Store recreational sales, said Cheri Mara, chief commercial officer for the OCS. Thats far below the estimated $2.9-billion provincial market value.

I wouldnt be honest with you if I said we were happy with that number  when our mandate is to eradicate the illicit market, she said.

At the end of 2018, Canadas legal market accounted for roughly 12 per cent of the total recreational cannabis sold. Thats estimated to have jumped to 35 per cent by the end of 2019, said Rosalie Wyonch, policy analyst at C.D. Howe Institute. The institute made estimates based on consumption trends gleaned from Statistics Canada data.

It does show significant gains, but legal consumption is still only about a third of the (Canadian) market, she said. The black market is likely to remain for some time.

Mitchell Osak, cannabis advisory lead at consulting firm MNP, said the current pace at which stores are being approved in Ontario is not going to put a major dent in satisfying demand.

To date, 54 stores are authorized to operate in Ontario, but its not clear how many are currently open. Only 13 have been authorized to open in Toronto.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario says its on track to issue up to five retail store authorizations per week.

Alberta, meanwhile, has issued more than 450 retail licences to date.

Online sales have remained slow because there is still stigma attached, said James Burns, president and CEO of Alcanna, the parent company for Nova Cannabis, which was the second store to open in Toronto.

People dont want to give their name or credit card, he said.

Alcanna runs 30 stores in Alberta with the Toronto Nova store being its sole shop in Ontario.

Nova saw a noticeable increase in sales in the summer, when the city and police clamped down on illegal storefronts, Burns said. The store did about $500,000 in weekly sales during its summer peak.

He said illegal dealers have become more nimble and ingenious in their counterattacks.

When customers flooded to Toronto stores to stockpile pot amid the early days COVID-19, the dealers were working our lines, handing out business cards, Burns said. Theyre highly organized and they will stay that way until we have a lot more stores in Ontario.

There was approximately $1.57 billion worth of recreational cannabis consumed through licensed avenues in 2019, compared to the estimated $3.7 billion purchased through unlicensed channels, according to Statistics Canada. Those numbers do not account for the $618 million in medical sales during the same time.

Health Canada told the Star that the experience of U.S. states demonstrates that displacing the illegal market takes a few years.

Various estimates have consistently found displacement of the illegal market to be between 60 per cent and 70 per cent after three or four years in the U.S. states that have regulated access to cannabis, Health Canada said.

Cameron Brown of Hunny Pot Cannabis Co., the first retail store to open in Toronto, said he didnt have the one-year celebration that we wanted to have as the store marked its first full year of operation last month.

Growth in 2020 will hinge on the ability of the regulated market to win over new users, who are older and are getting into CBD topicals such as oils and lotions. As legal stores gain traction in parts of the province that had no such options before, it will continue to eat away at that illicit market, he said.

Jason Miller is a breaking news reporter for the Star and is based in Toronto. Reach him on email: jasonmiller@thestar.ca or follow him on Twitter: @millermotionpic
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 20:09:49|Editor: huaxia

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CAIRO, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The Sovereign Fund of Egypt (TSFE) and the New York-based Concord International Investments Group signed on Wednesday a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a 300-million-U.S. dollar fund for investing in the healthcare sector in the Middle East and Africa.

"The fund aims to maximize long-term assets value by benefiting from direct investment opportunities in Egypt," the TSFE said in a press release.

It targets creation of a diversified healthcare platform that benefits from the growing population in Egypt which needs various and large medical services. The fund will also benefit from Egypt's unique location and relatively lower service and production costs to serve Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, the statement added.

"Investing in healthcare is a priority for the Egyptian government at this critical time when the world is facing the COVID-19 pandemic crisis," said Hala al-Saeed, minister of Planning and Economic Development and TSFE chairperson.

Mohamed Younes, chairperson of Concord International, said Egypt's large growing market will provide the fund with opportunities for expansion in the Middle East and Africa. Enditem
Indian gov't to facilitate return of nationals stranded abroad

Global Times

Source:Xinhua Published: 2020/5/5 15:11:10

The Indian government announced it would initiate the process of bringing back citizens stranded abroad in the next two days in a phased manner, officials said Tuesday.

Authorities said Indian embassies and high commissions were preparing a list of distressed Indian citizens and the facility would be made available on payment basis.

"Government of India will be facilitating the return of Indian nationals stranded abroad on compelling grounds in a phased manner. The travel would be arranged by aircraft and naval ships. The Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) has been prepared in this regard," a statement issued by federal home ministry said. "The travel would begin in a phased manner from May 7 (Thursday)."

According to officials, medical screening of passengers would be done before taking the flight.

"Only asymptomatic passengers would be allowed to travel. During the journey, all these passengers would have to follow the protocols issued by health and civil aviation miniseries," the statement said.

"Everyone would be medically screened. After scrutiny, they would be quarantined for 14 days, either in a hospital or in an institutional quarantine on payment-basis, by the concerned State government. COVID test would be done after 14 days and further action would be taken according to health protocols."

A nationwide lockdown imposed on March 25 is underway in India to contain the pandemic. It is likely to end on May 17.



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Englands initial impulse with Wuhan virus was to go with the plan that Sweden implemented: Keep the country open while protecting those most vulnerable to the virus. Neil Ferguson changed all that. He and his Imperial College London epidemiology team predicted that, if Britain went ahead with that plan, more than 500,000 people would die. He also warned America that anything less than a total, Chinese-style lockdown would result in 2.2 million deaths.

It was Ferguson who sparked the lockdown frenzy in both countries. He later lowered his estimates and real events have shown how grossly wrong he was. Still, thanks to his initial hysteria, the harm was done.

Ferguson has often been wrong. When Frederick Forsyth blasted the British government for relying on Ferguson, he referenced past Ferguson predictions:

He was the genius who, on the issue of swine flu, confidently forecast global deaths at four million. The worldwide total turned out to be 18,500. In 2005, Ferguson said that up to 200 million people could die from bird flu. Between 2003 and 2009, just 282 people died worldwide from the disease.

With that track record, it's possible that Ferguson doesn't believe in his own data. That would explain the major story that broke in Britains Telegraph newspaper. It seems that Ferguson was forced to resign from his government advisory position because, while he was on lockdown, he got several visits from his girlfriend, a married woman with two children:

Professor Neil Ferguson allowed the woman to visit him at home during the lockdown while lecturing the public on the need for strict social distancing in order to reduce the spread of coronavirus. The woman lives with her husband and their children in another house. [snip] Prof Ferguson has frequently appeared in the media to support the lockdown and praised the "very intensive social distancing" measures. [snip] On at least two occasions, Antonia Staats, 38, travelled across London from her home in the south of the capital to spend time with the Government scientist, nicknamed Professor Lockdown. [snip] Ms Staats, a left-wing campaigner, made a second visit on April 8 despite telling friends she suspected that her husband, an academic in his 30s, had symptoms of coronavirus. She and her husband live together with their two children in a 1.9 million home, but are understood to be in an open marriage.

The icing on this cake is that Staats, the married girlfriend in the posh London home, works for an anti-Semitic, hard-left Soros-funded organization:

Professor Doomsday's married "partner" works for a notorious Soros-funded organization known for its anti-Semitism, hard-left politics, climate change fanaticism, and campaigns to unseat President Trump. Consider me shocked...https://t.co/yaob52Pc26  Jordan Schachtel (@JordanSchachtel) May 5, 2020

With news of Fergusons hypocritical, narcissistic conduct, Tucker Carlson put together a 10-minute segment about the bold-faced hypocrisy that characterizes our political class. These people are a disgrace:
Polish medical team, Illinois Guard side-by-side in COVID-19 response

By Sgt. 1st Class Jon Soucy, National Guard Bureau / Published May 05, 2020

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) -- A nine-person Polish military medical team is assisting Illinois National Guard members with COVID-19 response efforts, sharing insights gained from dealing with the outbreak in Europe.

"We are deeply moved by the incredible act of support from our friends in Poland who are joining us here in Chicago," Brig. Gen. Richard Neeley, the adjutant general of the Illinois Guard, said April 29.

The Illinois Guard and the Polish military are partners in the Defense Department's State Partnership Program, a program that teams National Guard elements with partner nations worldwide.

Developed in 1993 after the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the program has grown to 82 partnerships involving 89 countries. The partnership between the Illinois Guard and Poland was one of the first in the program.

"This is why today we have this nine-person medical team from Poland joining us, who have traveled to Illinois to respond to this COVID-19 fight," Neeley said.

Members of the Polish team took part in the COVID-19 fight in Poland as well as in northern Italy, one of the areas hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We have seen, observed, this disease for nearly three months right now in different regions," said Polish Capt. (Dr.) Jacek Siewiera, Polish medical team lead.

Arriving in Chicago April 23, the team worked with the Illinois Guard and civilian hospital staff and healthcare workers throughout the Chicago area. They also took part in web-based conferences with healthcare workers in other parts of the state.

"The team is involved in consultations and experience exchange," Siewiera said. "We are trying to provide the best practices which we have seen."

Those best practices include insight into clinical procedures, diagnosis and treatment and additional ways X-ray images can be used for diagnosis, including a scoring system based on items in the X-ray photo.

"The score of the scale depends on the status of the symptoms in the X-ray picture," Siewiera said. "That supports the decision to dismiss patients home or admit (them) to the hospital."

Additionally, the team advised on hospital organization, including ways to streamline triage as well as administration of patient care.

Siewiera added that he's been impressed with what he's seen in Chicago  specifically with how the McCormick Place Convention Center in downtown Chicago was converted to a hospital facility.

"We are amazed at how it was done by the National Guard in the McCormick, how it was done at Cook County emergency medical center, and we are amazed how they are using data to support the decision-making process," he said. "It should look like this all the time."

Other items the team focused on included ways to limit spread of the disease, especially among healthcare workers.

"We also have seen that one of the most important vectors of the disease might be the clothes which were taken from the hospital to the home, to the families," he said, referring to clothes worn by hospital staff.

Siewiera emphasized that those are important steps that help to "flatten the curve" and allow for greater medical capacity. That was very different in northern Italy, where the region's medical infrastructure was overwhelmed with patients.

"Here (in Chicago), we don't have collapse of the administration of the medical services," he said, emphasizing that following basic things like frequent hand washing and maintaining social distancing are especially important.

"All these things among the society (help) to flatten the curve," Siewiera said.

That's important, Siewiera said, as there is no overarching vaccination against the virus.

"Unfortunately, we see that there is no optimal treatment yet for the COVID-19," he said.

Still, the insights gained from the Polish team have been invaluable, Neeley said.

"This team is very disciplined," he said. "I really appreciate all their dedication."

Without the SPP relationship, the visit probably wouldn't have been possible, said Brig. Gen. Thomas Hatley, the vice director of strategy, plans, policies and international affairs at the National Guard Bureau.

"Poland reached out specifically to Illinois," Hatley said. "It just truly epitomizes the greatness that is the State Partnership Program."

Over the 27-year-old partnership, Polish forces and Illinois Guard members have taken part in more than 400 training events and subject-matter-expert exchanges, Neeley said. Illinois Guard units and Polish units have also co-deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, integrating into each other's units.

"One of the strengths of the National Guard is we build these enduring relationships," Neeley said, adding the medical team's visit is just another example of the enduring relationship between the Illinois Guard and the Polish military.

"We have fought side-by-side for many years, and now we fight this pandemic together," he said.

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D rakes bed has been making headlines since it was revealed that the Hastens x Rafauli Grand Vividus collaboration set him back 314,000.

The Canadian rapper - whose full name is Aubrey Drake Graham - showcased his exclusive purchase, draped in Alexander McQueen bedding, in the April issue of Architectural Digest.

It is said to be the stars favourite item in his 80 million Toronto home, while the makers call it a work of art for the bedroom.

However, Jan Ryde, fifth-generation owner and chief executive of Swedish luxury bed makers Hastens, has revealed the super-luxe creation almost didnt make it into production.

Throughout the two years of working on the project it was stopped five times.

Drake's 314k bed features an in-built champagne and whisky bar / Architectural Digest.

We pushed the limits to make it the best ever bed we have made... this is a new standard, says Ryde. The boundaries were set so high that even the companys master craftsmen, who spent 600 hours bringing it to life, doubted it was possible.

Celebrity Canadian architectural and interior designer, Ferris Rafauli, has teamed up with Hastens on projects for 10 years, but this is his most extravagant work with them to date. Rafauli designed not just the bed, but Drakes entire home, calling the end result modern Art Deco.

Handcrafted with horsehair, master saddlery and leatherwork, it is about as bling as a bed gets. There is even a whiskey and champagne bar built into the headboard. Drake opted for a dark colourway to suit the styling of The Embassy, his 50,000sq ft mansion, but the bed is available in Hastens signature fresh blue check as well.
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Its a trap! proclaim social media memes, copying the scene from Star Wars where a fish-like space admiral warns the rebel fleet to beat a hasty retreat. Sometimes it really is a trap. Sometimes it is deadly.

In God We Trust. Its on our nations money. But do we? Do we trust in our money? Or do we trust in God?

We have watched much of our nations wealth vanish in the last few months. How quickly our great, modern, super-sophisticated country has been brought to a halt. Has God reminded us that our greatness is fleeting, our strength a vapor apart from God?

God built America. Only God can preserve it. Psalm 127:1 warns, "Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain." Psalm 33:16-19: No king is saved by the multitude of an army; A mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety; Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine.

It is a biblical truth: We must place our dependence only on God. Psalm 33:12 tells us, Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance.

Time and time again the nation of Israel forgot itself. In modern slang, sometimes the Israelites thought they were too cool for school, too big for their britches. Israelites started to trust in themselves, believe in themselves, and depend on only themselves, instead of placing their trust firmly on God and God alone. They forgot where their blessings came from.

And were so different? We read of the cycle of Gods people growing strong from the blessing of God, then forgetting about God, and then collapsing, only to repeat the cycle. How can we imagine we are exempt from the same temptations common to mankind?

Pride is one of the so-called seven deadly sins. Proverbs 16:18 warns, Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 21:4 also cautions, "A haughty look, a proud heart, And the plowing of the wicked are sin."

I love America. The United States of America is the greatest achievement of government and social development in the history of the world. We should be pleased. As the Pilgrims explicitly prayed, we should be a city set on the hill to light the way for all of the world to learn from for their own blessing and benefit. We are here to be a blessing. But we should not falter in our devotion and appreciation for what God-fearing people called and gathered out from the nations have accomplished.

Through my maternal grandmother I trace my lineage with satisfaction and pleasure back to the Mayflower Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth and dedicated this continent to Jesus Christ as its Lord and Savior using Plymouth Rock as an improvised altar. (They came to share Jesus love with the inhabitants, although later arrivals violated that trust.) My mother insisted on having us family scatter her ashes at the grave of Governor William Bradford in the Pilgrims graveyard. (I think the statute of limitations has expired.) I cherish what the blessing of God has fashioned here on these shores, despite the faltering imperfections of humans.

Where did our wealth come from? And how does it remain strong? According to Deuteronomy 8:18-19 And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish.

Academic analyses of the USAs failure to help develop other countries, which I studied in a post-graduate course at George Washington University, criticize that by the 1950s and 1960s the USA had come to believe that we could heal other, poor nations with what we treasure and worship: Our money. We did not give developing nations the principles and precepts and values that built our own success. Instead we just sent them green paper. Our actual god in recent times.

Do we still trust in God as a nation? We exalt in the glory of the United States of America. We trust in our high status as Americans. We truly believe that we are superior and untouchable because we are U.S. citizens. And too much of this attitude seeps in even to otherwise God-fearing Christians and into the Church as an institution.

Trusting in anything else distances us from the blessings. Proverbs 29:25 reads, The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe. In John 15:5, Jesus said, I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."

We must return to the spring from which we came. Isaiah 51:1-2: Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, You who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were hewn, And to the hole of the pit from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you; For I called him alone, and blessed him and increased him. 1 Peter 5:6-7: Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
Venezuela Govt Captures 'New Group of Mercenaries', Alleged 'Terrorist Operation' Leader

Sputnik News

00:21 GMT 05.05.2020

Earlier on Sunday, the government of Venezuela reported that security forces had killed eight and captured two people described as "Colombian mercenaries" illegally entering the country on speed boats in an "attempt for a coup".

Diosdado Cabello, president of Venezuela's National Constituent Assembly - the Caracas government's declared branch in opposition to the National Assembly - tweeted that the armed forces, along with police, had captured eight "mercenaries" after the attempt to invade the country on speed boats on Sunday. The alleged "leader of the terrorist operation", Antonio Sequea, was captured as well.

"In action, in a developing Civic-Military-Police operation, 8 mercenaries were captured, among whom is the head of the terrorist operation Antonio Sequea, already under orders from the authorities. We will win!", Cabello tweeted.

Earlier, Venezuela's Attorney General Tarek William Saab tweeted that police headed to La Guaira in order to "transfer a new group of mercenaries who came from another boat and are captured".

A tweet reads: "We report that in relation to the attempted assassination and coup, there is 1 new detainee: Gustavo Adolfo Hernandez [...] Police commissions move to La Guaira to transfer a new group of mercenaries who came from another boat and are captured".

On Sunday, Caracas Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said that several militants had attempted to invade the northern state using high-speed boats, noting that eight were killed and two others captured. Reverol declared that one was an agent of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which the DEA denied.

Jordan Goudreau, a retired Green Beret and CEO of private security contractor Silvercorp USA, claimed that he was behind the invasion attempt, posting a YouTube video statement on Sunday. According to Goudreau, the Venezuelan self-proclaimed 'interim president' Juan Guaido signed an 8-page "general services" contract with Silvercorp in October 2019, which Guaido's press team denied on Monday in a statement.

Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro, said in a Monday video statement that the maritime invasion was "a terrorist attack during a pandemic". He said his administration had evidence that the arrested militants had been trained in neighboring Colombia in an operation funded by Bogota and Washington in an attempt to murder him.

The Colombian government denied the accusation, slamming it as an effort to drive attention away from ongoing significant internal issues troubling Venezuela.

Tensions between Caracas and Bogota have intensified for years, with Venezuela accusing its neighbour of supporting political forces that seek to overthrow the Maduro government.

 Sputnik

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London's Heathrow Airport, one of the world's largest air travel hubs, has begun trials of technology to conduct temperature checks on patients as the global aviation industry tries to put measures in place to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

Heathrow Chief Executive John Holland-Kaye told UK MPs from the House of Commons Transport Select Committee on Wednesday that the tests are already being carried out at departure gates on people going to places where this is a requirement, with plans for a wider roll-out as part of an exit strategy from the current lockdown measures.

Body temperature is among the key symptoms of coronavirus and therefore used as a check on passengers before they board flights.

Aviation is the cornerstone of the UK economy, and to restart the economy, the government needs to help restart aviation, said Holland-Kaye.

The UK has the world's third largest aviation sector offering the platform for the government to take a lead in agreeing a Common International Standard for aviation health with our main trading partners.

"This Standard is key to minimising transmission of COVID-19 across borders, and the technology we are trialling at Heathrow could be part of the solution, he said.

Technologies under review during the trials being conducted at Heathrow include UV sanitation, facial recognition thermal screening technology and contactless security procedures.

Data from trials will be shared with government and industry to jumpstart the creation of a Common International Standard for health screening.

The aim of the collective measures being trialled is to reduce the risk of contracting or transmitting COVID-19 while travelling.

"If we are told that the only solution until we can get a vaccine in 12 to 18 months' time is to socially distance in an airport, then tens of thousands of jobs will be cut. We cannot afford to wait that long to get flying again," Holland-Kaye added.

Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, told MPs that airlines have outlined three levels of measures, with the idea that each country adopts a specific level.

Any flight between two destinations would have to comply with the highest level, with staff wearing personal protective equipment and all passengers wearing masks under the strictest level three, for example.

The Transport Committee hearing follows the announcement by Virgin Atlantic on Tuesday that it is cutting more than 3,000 jobs in the UK and ending its operation at Gatwick airport temporarily.

Airlines, which have been largely grounded during the pandemic lockdown, have sought greater state assistance to survive the crisis.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Thousands opted to set up life outside Northern Ireland, new figures suggest.

Over 20,000 people left Northern Ireland in the year up to June 2019, new population statistics have revealed.

And the growth of the older population was found to continue to outstrip the overall total population number.

The number of people aged over 65 increased by 2.1% to 314,700 while the overall population increased by 0.6%. Therefore the older population is growing over three times faster than the total population.

The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency found the overall population was at 1.894million at June 2019.

With 22,600 births, 15,300 deaths and net inward migration of 4,800, there was an additional 12,000 people the statistics show.

For migration there was 25,600 people moving to Northern Ireland to live with 20,800 leaving to.

The number of children (aged under 16) also increased, by 0.6%, up to 395,900 children.

Meanwhile the UK population increased to 66.797m in mid-2019  overall annual growth of 361,300 people or 0.5%.

The population of England grew by 0.6% to 56.287m, Scotland by 0.5% to 5.463m and Wales by 0.5% to 3.153m.

In the Republic of Ireland (year to April 2019) the population grew by 1.3% to 4.92 million.

This leaves the population for the island of Ireland at around 6.816m in mid-2019.
WESTPORT  The Representative Town Meeting has unanimously approved the General Fund budget of $212,772,828 for the 2020-21 fiscal year.

This included $75.2 million for the selectmens budget approved on Monday, and $121.9 million for the Board of Educations operating budget.

RTM members largely showed support for the schools budget, but some questioned additional costs that may come because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Assuming that the COVID pandemic doesnt end tomorrow, or in a month or two, Im guessing that well have costs associated with trying to help the students who have been out of school for pretty much a semester return to school, Wendy Batteau, a RTM member, said at the meeting Tuesday.

She said she was also worried about the potential financial impact if Westport schools were closed again after reopening.

But Interim Superintendent David Abbey said a newly established Schools Reopening Committee will give regular updates to the Board of Education.

Part of that, inevitably, will be related to finance, he said.

RTM member Peter Gold said creative ways to do things will be needed to manage growing costs. One example he provided was sharing teachers for smaller elective classes across districts if schools remained closed.

Given that salaries are such a large portion of the budget, if some of the salaries could be shared across the school districts through distance learning that would be something I think you should probably look at, Gold said.

RTM members also questioned where things stood between the school board and Shipman and Goodwin, its legal representation.

The Hartford-based law firm had been criticized by local officials for representing both the BOE and a developer of a highly contested affordable housing application in town. The town has been embroiled in a legal battle with the firm since the application was denied.

This is an unacceptable situation for an organization that were paying good money for to represent us while at the same time theyre taking money out of us, RTM member Matthew Mandell said.

In October, the BOE voted to put out a request for proposals for new legal services following controversial remarks made by an attorney from the firm regarding race and affordable housing in Westport.

BOE Chair Candice Savin said the school board looked to start the process after the budget season.

We made a commitment to do the RFP, we will do the RFP and we will let you know the status, Savin said.

The Board of Finance is expected to meet on May 20 to set the mill rate.

dj.simmons@hearstmediact.com
TORREMOLINOS, Spain, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The COVID-19 pandemic has put the entire world in alarm, but without a doubt, the Tourism industry more than any other is getting a terrible impact.

The industry is experiencing an unprecedented crisis, which therefore also requires exceptional measures to be taken.

As an affiliate member of UNWTO; Skal International joins UNWTO campaign #TravelTomorrow to Support the statement of calling for shared responsibility among travellers and the tourism sector around the world to deal with the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

"It is in these moments that we realize most that unity is strength. Skal International, with almost 15,000 members, more than 400 clubs around the world and with a presence in more than 100 countries, is the only international association that brings together all branches of the Tourism industry," said Daniela Otero, CEO of Skal International.

Otero added, "Thats why we are offering as much support as possible to the Tourism sector and our members, implementing a contingency plan. On our website, we have arranged a summary of press releases, official statements, and keys from regulatory bodies and government ministries to have an objective perspective on the global situation of COVID-19 at all times, as well as useful resources of valuable content for the Tourism and Travel industry."

On the other hand, Skal International members, through different clubs and Areas Committees are also taking interesting initiatives.

Thus, Skal USA or Skal Rome (Italy), has carried out surveys to measure the impact that COVID-19 has had on Skal International members in terms of employment and income, as well as to determine the potential impact and possible actions that this crisis could have on our membership.

Other clubs such as Skal Goa (India), are working with assistance initiatives and donation of medical material through the period of lockdown or Skal Mexico, that has also organized the campaign #Quedateencasa (#StayHome) with online meetings and supplies delivery to hospitals.

Political and financial commitments are essential to ensure that Tourism can lead a broader economic and social recovery, as has been demonstrated in past situations, due to the highly resilient nature of the sector and its ability to recover strongly. The coordination between Tourism and health officials to guarantee the containment of the epidemic is very important to achieve the recovery.

"The industry is preparing and analyzing some ideas: hotel reservations with the right to free cancellation, airlines' commitment to eliminate the flight change fee, strengthening customer service to solve questions, travel agencies and insurance companies will also review their policies around cancellation and insurance, and months of low-cost prices will come to tempt travelers!" said Daniela Otero, CEO of Skal International.

The recovery will be gradual and at first, there will be a preference for getaways to nearby destinations, crowds will be avoided, and everyone will worry about being more attentive to hygiene standards; something that should always be taken care of but will now take on a key role.

Travelling is already a fundamental part of the contemporary way of life, therefore the travel will continue and people will enjoy the experience, but now, perhaps, in a more conscious way.

Skal International is proud to announce its participation to the UNWTO campaign #TravelTomorrow and encourages everyone sharing the passion of Travel to participate to this campaign.

Skal International is the world's largest global network of Tourism Professionals promoting Tourism, Business and Friendship worldwide since 1934. Its members are Directors and Executives of the Tourism sector who relate to each other to address issues of common interest, improving a business network and promoting destinations.

For more information about Skal and membership, please visit www.skal.org

Press Release Contact:

Burcin Turkkan

Director, Skal International

[email protected]

SOURCE Skal International

Related Links

https://www.skal.org/


North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) visits a fertilizer factory in Sunchon, South Pyongan province, near Pyongyang, North Korea, in this May 1, 2020, photo provided by the North Korean regime. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

South Korea Spy Agency Says No Signs North Koreas Kim Received Heart Surgery

SEOULThere are no signs North Korean leader Kim Jong Un received heart surgery when he disappeared from state media for three weeks, but he reduced public activity due to CCP virus concerns, South Korean lawmakers briefed by the spy agency said on Wednesday.

Kim attended the completion of a fertilizer plant, North Koreas official media said on Saturday, the first report of his appearing in public since April 11.

His absence fueled a flurry of speculation about his health and whereabouts, with a South Korean news outlet reporting Kim was recovering from a cardiovascular procedure, while CNN said U.S. officials were monitoring intelligence he was in grave danger after surgery.

Members of South Koreas parliamentary intelligence committee said after a meeting with the National Intelligence Service (NIS) that the reports were groundless.

The NIS assesses that at least he did not get any heart-related procedure or surgery, committee member Kim Byung-kee told reporters. He was normally performing his duties when he was out of the public eye.

At least theres no heart-related health problem.

But the lawmaker said Kim Jong Un only made 17 public appearances so far this year, compared with an average of 50 from previous years, which the NIS ascribed to a possible Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus outbreak in North Korea.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C) cuts a tape, watched by his sister Kim Yo Jong, during his visit to a fertilizer factory in Sunchon, near Pyongyang, North Korea, in this May 1, 2020, photo provided by North Korean state media. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

Kim Jong Un had focused on consolidating internal affairs such as military forces and party-state meetings, and coronavirus concerns have further limited his public activity, Kim Byung-kee said.

Though North Korea maintains it has zero cases, it cannot be ruled out that there is an outbreak there given they had active people-to-people exchanges with China before closing the border in late January.

North Korea has said it has no confirmed cases. South Koreas Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul, who oversees North Korea affairs, has said Kims public disappearance was not particularly unusual because the country had been taking stringent steps to head off an outbreak.

The lawmaker said Kim Jong Un had ordered measures to prevent the disease, stabilize prices, and strengthen military discipline, as border shutdowns and market closures prompted rises in food prices and panic-buying in the capital Pyongyang.

Kims visit to the fertilizer factory appeared to be aimed at expressing his resolve to ease food shortages and build a self-reliant economy, Kim Byung-kee noted.

By Hyonhee Shin

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report.
Islamabad:

The ongoing strain in Indo-Pak relations was evident at the SAARC Interior/Home Ministers conference here when Home Minister Rajnath Singh came face-to-face with his Pakistani counterpart Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan for the first time today and the two leaders barely shook hands.

As Singh arrived at the venue of the conference at the posh Serena Hotel here, Khan was at the gate to receive the dignitaries. The two leaders barely touched their hands, not even a formal handshake, before Singh moved ahead to enter the meeting hall.

Members of the Indian media, which came from New Delhi to report the conference, were not allowed to capture the moment and was kept at a distance by Pakistani officials, which led to a verbal dual between a senior Indian official and a Pakistani official.

Indian officials said the ongoing chill in Indo-Pak relations after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani was clearly visible in the conference.

Meanwhile, Khan said Pakistan was committed to SAARC processes, and, desires to see it as a successful regional organisation.

We must do a reality check of what we have achieved so far and what still remains. It is time for us to seize the moment, to leverage our potential and overcome our choices, he said.

We have made substantial contribution towards various SAARC processes and have taken a number of initiatives in furthering the goal of close regional integration, he said.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
A teenager with autism has shown and developed an incredible talent for making cheesecakes. He recently entered into a countywide baking competition, and the young man surprised everyone by winning. After his remarkable victory, the 15-year-old has now started his own business, which he runs with the help of his family.

Jack Leach is a nonverbal autistic teen from Oconee County, Georgia. According to his father, Brent Leach, the teen developed a passion for making cheesecakes after learning the trade from his grandmother, Donna Leach. She made one with Jack, and he was so excited he asked for his own Cheesecake Pans, which she bought him, Brent explained on the Jacks Cheesecakes Facebook page.

Jack started taking his cheesecakes to his middle school to help raise money for his special-needs class, and his delicious desserts received plenty of praise. And they just kept saying: You need to start selling these. These are the best cheesecakes we ever had, Brent told WSB-TV2.

At the end of February 2020, Jack entered a countywide contest called Taste of Oconee. The teenager was not only up against amateur cooks, but the competition included several local restaurants. Despite the fierce competition, to everyones surprise, the 15-year-old was awarded first prize for Best Dessert.

His grandmother said she couldnt be prouder of Jacks achievement. Hes a hard worker. Hes the best, Donna said.

Brent Leach admitted he had worried about his sons future. Eventually, youre going to be gone. Your kid will be left behind. Fortunately, I have two daughters to help him when Im gone. But its still worrisome, he shared.

However, the father did state that seeing his autistic son develop an ability to make a living has brought him a lot of joy. To know he can do a skill. Its nice to know he knows how to make a living for himself, Brent said.

Currently, Jacks Cheesecake is an online business catering to the local area via a Facebook group. Brent says that one day he would like to open a bakery where he can give work opportunities to some of Jacks friends with special needs.

Jacks Cheesecake business seems to be booming with over 70 customers rating it highly and recommending the delicious desserts made by the talented teen.

One review read, I ordered the Cheesecake two days ago and received the delicious strawberry cheesecake today. I did not expect it to be delivered so fast. It is the best Cheesecake me and my husband have ever tasted and I plan on ordering more. Thank you, Jack and Family, you made our evening.

While another noted, Best Cheesecake ever, if you havent had a Jack cheesecake, you havent truly had Cheesecake.

And one particularly satisfied customer had this to say, not only about the cake but also about the cheesecake chef himself:

Jacks Cheesecakes are absolutely delicious and beautiful!! The fresh fruit on top is also throughout the cake and makes it just perfect!!! Also, the delivery was fast, and I enjoyed seeing Jack, himself, who delivered it with a big SMILE!! Thank you, Jack, for this treasure!!

We would love to hear your stories! You can share them with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.nyc
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced their departure from the royal family back in January, and they officially stepped down at the end of March. Since then, the two have uprooted their newly-planted lives in the United Kingdom in search for something better across the pond. They spent some time in British Columbia and recently relocated to Los Angeles, California.

A source close to the duchess said that Meghan had some words about Harrys character in comparison to the rest of his family  that, combined with the interesting photos posted for Archies first birthday, might have hinted that Harry wont be quick to reconcile with the others.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Rosa Woods/Pool/Getty Images

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are supposedly on rocky terms with the royal family

Harry and Meghan made the decision to leave the royal family back in January, though the underlying drama might have started long before that. Once Harry and Meghan were married, rumors surfaced that Meghan and Kate did not have a good relationship. Those rumors were never confirmed, but as time went on, the public learned that Harry and William were not on great terms, either. Harry revealed the news during an interview while he and Meghan were spending time in Southern Africa last fall.

Once the two decided to leave the family, the queen released a statement that she supported Harry and Meghans decision to lead a separate life. But things once again appeared to go downhill when the two tried to trademark Sussex Royal.

Meghan reportedly once suggested the two are not on good terms with the family

A source close to the duchess once revealed to Express that Meghan said Harry had the most loyalty and integrity of any family member. Though it might have had something to do with why they left the family, those words might also greatly explain how Meghan and Harry feel about their relatives at the moment.

To suggest that Harry is more loyal, honest, and moral means Meghan could be suggesting that the other royal family members are lacking those qualities  and that could have a significant impact on the prince ever patching things up with other members of the family.

The royal Instagram accounts each posted photos for Archies first birthday, but the images were old  none were more recent than Archies christening last July, which also seemed to signal that things still arent in the best place  and that Archie hasnt spent much time with the family since last year. If those are Meghans true thoughts about the other royals, then she and Harry might not be willing to make things work with the family any time soon.

Harry supposedly feels some guilt for moving to L.A.

Harry and Meghan recently settled into Los Angeles, though there have been reports that Harry already regrets his decision to move to California  more than 5,000 miles away from his family in the U.K. Those close to the couple have said that Harry feels guilty for having left his family behind, though there is no confirmation that the reports are true.

Harry and Meghan recently celebrated Archies first birthday, which cant help but make us question what the dynamic will be between Archie and his cousins. Archie isnt close with any family on Meghans side besides his grandmother, Doria Ragland, so he will grow up without any other children around unless Meghan, Harry, William, and Kate make a joint effort to allow their kids to spend more time together.
The United States is expected to deport Iranian professor Sirous Asgari, who was acquitted of stealing trade secrets, once he receives medical clearance to leave, U.S. and Iranian officials said.

Asgari might be part of a rare prisoner swap between foes Iran and the United States. Iranian sources have told Reuters that Tehran is prepared to take part in a swap.



The 59-year-old Asgari, who tested positive for the novel coronavirus around 10 days ago, is under the medical care of U.S. immigration authorities and awaits a health clearance to travel, said Abolfazl Mehrabadi, an Iranian diplomat who is deputy director of Tehrans interests section at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington.



"We are working and cooperating with the immigration office to deport him as soon as possible to Iran," Reuters cited Mehrabadi as saying.



A spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) declined to provide a specific timeline but confirmed that the agency was expecting to carry out Asgaris removal from the country once he is medically cleared to travel.



The ICE spokesman, who asked not to be named, confirmed Asgari had tested positive for COVID-19 and was currently in quarantine, receiving care.



Three Iranian officials said a prisoner swap between the two countries is in the works. Michael White, a U.S. navy veteran who has been detained in Iran since 2018, is a likely candidate to be swapped. He was released from prison in mid-March on medical furlough but remains in Iran.
The boss of London Heathrow has admitted it could be 10 to 15 years before the airport needs a third runway because of the coronavirus crisis.

John Holland-Kaye told MPs the airport's 14billion expansion plan is no longer a priority - and suggested a failure to reboot the economy could see it scrapped altogether.

Heathrow have spent years arguing that a third runway is needed to boost the economy and keep up with an ever-increasing demand for air travel.

London Heathrow Airport boss John Holland-Kaye gives evidence to an online remote session of a Parliamentary transport committee hearing on the 'Implications for Transport' today

But the coronavirus pandemic means the future of the aviation industry is uncertain. The crisis is likely lead to a long-term fall in passenger numbers, with airlines flying reduced schedules for months or even years to come.

To add to the uncertainty, households have been warned to brace themselves for the worst recession in living memory - jeopardising the future of many big infrastructure projects, including Heathrow.

Speaking to the Commons transport committee, Mr Holland-Kaye said: 'Whether that [third runway] will be needed we will have to see how things turn out over the next few years.

'If we are successful in rebuilding the UK economy, we will be needing that in 10-15 years' time - if not, then I think we're all in a different world.'

A computer generated image released by Heathrow on June 18, 2019 shows how it intends the airport will look like in 2050 following the completion of a third runway and new terminals

Mr Holland-Kaye also revealed the airport was burning through 200 million a month during the economic shutdown but has the liquidity to survive for up to a year.

How this is the latest development in 17 years of wrangling over Heathrow Airport December 2003: Labour ministers publish plans for a third runway at Heathrow, saying it is needed to keep pace with other European hubs. January 2009: Gordon Brown green lights plans despite opposition from residents, environmental activists and many of his own MPs. October 2009: As Opposition leader, David Cameron publicly states he will block Heathrow expansion. May 2010: The Tory-Lib Dem Coalition emerges after the election, and rules out the west London plans. September 2012: The idea is revived as an independent commission is set up to look at expansion of Heathrow and Gatwick, and a new airport in the Thames Estuary. July 2015: The Airports Commission recommends Heathrow should get a new runway. July 2016: David Cameron resigns as PM in the wake of the EU referendum, and is replaced by Theresa May - with no decision taken on Heathrow. July 2017: Heathrow scales back proposals for a new terminal to reduce project costs. June 2018: Revised plans with a 14billion price tag are approved by Cabinet, with the proviso that taxpayers will not face any cost. June 25, 2018: Greg Hands resigns from government to vote against the National Policy Statement (NPS) - effectively outline planning permission. But Boris Johnson, who previously vowed to 'lie down in front of bulldozers', is abroad in Afghanistan when MPs vote in favour by a majority of 296. December 2019: As PM, Boris Johnson does not change official policy on Heathrow but says he will 'find a way' of honouring his bulldozer pledge. February 2020: The Court of Appeal rules that the NPS was unlawful as government had not considered its obligations under the Paris Climate Change Agreement. The government says it does not support appealing the case, but Heathrow says it will go to the Supreme Court. April 2020: The airport says all expansion plans will be pushed back by at least two years due to the disruption caused by the coronavirus. May 2020: Heathrow admits it could be 10 to 15 years before the airport needs a third runway due to the crisis Advertisement

Heathrow's expansion plans were already in question following a Court of Appeal ruling in February, in which judges said the project was illegal because the Government had failed to take its climate commitments into account.

The airport has been due to challenge the court's decision at the Supreme Court. Anti-third runway campaigners are now calling for the project to be scrapped.

Paul Beckford, policy director of the No 3rd Runway Coalition, said: 'It is remarkable that even Heathrow's chief executive now appears to accept that there may be no need for his expensive and climate busting third runway.

'The economic case for a third runway has always been negligible, has been eroded by delays even before a planning application has been submitted and must now be non-existent given the uncertainty around future demand.

'We believe that this uncertainty combined with the climate emergency means that Heathrow should withdraw their appeal to the Supreme Court and stop any planning or enabling costs associated with their expansion plans.

'Communities that have lived under the cloud of expansion for decades must be given proper reprieve from the threat of destruction and increased noise and air pollution.'

Mr Holland-Kaye clarified to the committee that the airport was still pursuing its appeal against the Court of Appeal's decision in February.

According to the judgement, the government's policy statement on the project did not take into account its commitment to the Paris climate accords signed in 2016.

Last week the airport said all expansion plans would be pushed back by at least two years due to the disruption caused by the virus.

It comes as it emerged Heathrow passengers will have their temperatures checked by heat-seeking cameras as part of new measures to control the spread of the virus.

Trials of the facial recognition technology will take place in the immigration hall at Terminal 2 within the next two weeks before a potential airport-wide rollout, bosses have said.

They will also consider trials of 'contactless' security screening and UV lighting to cleanse security trays.

The airport is in talks with Border Force and Public Health England (PHE) over what action can be taken if a passenger with a fever is identified, but they could be asked to quarantine or prevented from boarding planes.

The trials have been set up to ensure the technology works before proper regulations are drawn up.

Heathrow's expansion plans were already in question after a Court of Appeal ruling in February in which judges said the project was illegal. Protesters are pictured reacting to the ruling

It follows anger over the UK's failure to screen passengers. Critics say the lack of stringent checks makes a mockery of the lockdown and threatens the health of the nation.

Whereas most countries around the world have introduced screening at airports, there are no tests whatsoever on the 15,000 passengers continuing to arrive into Britain every day.

Ministers claim temperature checks are ineffective, but public health experts have questioned the approach and airport bosses say checks are needed to restore confidence in air travel.

Earlier this week, it emerged that fewer than 300 people arriving into the UK were quarantined in the weeks leading up to the lockdown. Meanwhile, evidence shows that an influx of travellers from virus-ravaged Italy and Spain over the Spring half-term break could have worsened the outbreak.

The empty concourse at Heathrow Terminal Five just before the Easter weekend last month

The announcement of trials at Britain's busiest airport will lead to questions over why screening measures weren't introduced when the virus first took hold months ago.

Writing in the Daily Mail last week, Heathrow boss John Holland-Kaye said a 'common international standard' of biosecurity is needed to protect passengers post-pandemic.

This could include a ban on elderly people entering airports, until a vaccine is found, as well as a requirement that travellers carry health passports proving they are medically fit.

Mr Holland-Kaye said yesterday: 'Aviation is the cornerstone of the UK economy, and to restart the economy the Government needs to help restart aviation.

Heathrow released an image today showing how the thermal screening technology works. It involves using a camera detection system to monitor the temperatures of passengers

'The UK has the world's third-largest aviation sector, offering the platform for the Government to take a lead in agreeing a common international standard for aviation health with our main trading partners.

'This standard is key to minimising transmission of Covid-19 across borders, and the technology we are trialling at Heathrow could be part of the solution.'

Data from the Heathrow trials will be shared with the Government, which has faced criticism over its lack of engagement with the stricken aviation industry.

Giving evidence before the Commons transport committee, Mr Holland-Kaye yesterday revealed he has not spoken to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps since the outbreak of the virus, although he has been in regular contact with the aviation minister.

Ministers are said to be accepting the need for long-term screening measures to control the spread of coronavirus.

Last week, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he is 'actively looking at' proposals to quarantine all visitors to the UK for two weeks after arrival.

However, industry leaders have warned that could devastate the travel industry and there are also major questions over how it would be enforced.

Plan to reduce the virus risk on planes are also being considered by some airlines, with easyJet saying it could keep middle seats free to enable social distancing between passengers.


Musetta Vander has been to several of the most famous national parks in the United States. She has captured images of herself doing yoga among the Joshua trees, driving on a tree-lined road in Yosemite with the huge rock formations behind her and sitting on a cliff hundreds of meters above a bend in the Colorado River.

Sometimes its so beautiful you want to share it with the world immediately, said Vander, who lives in West Hollywood, California. However, I feel that you miss out on the magical experience nature provides you when you dont let go of social media

Vanders comments demonstrate a long-running debate about how much national park visitors should be connected to the internet. Park administrators are seeking the best way to expand service without interfering in the peace found in natural settings.

Right now, the parks are closed because of the coronavirus spread. But national park officials are firm about their plans to settle the connectivity issue as states start easing restrictions.

We are doing our best to maintain as many project timelines as possible, park service spokeswoman Vanessa Lacayo said.

The coronavirus shows the need for better internet service as more people work from home, said Christine Gale Reynolds. She lives in Yosemite Village within the park. The current equipment there is not able to meet needs during the summer, when many visitors come to the park.

When my community expands to include a lot of tourists and travelers, its very competitive to get on the Wi-Fi she said.

Kam Redlawsk points to internet service as a safety measure. She and her husband got lost visiting the federally managed Trona Pinnacles, an area with massive rock structures in the central California desert. They could not get wireless phone service.

Access should be an equal right, especially in times of crises, she said.

Luckily, they found a path out of the wilderness without internet access.

Federal law requires parks to consider permits for equipment that could expand internet, cellphone and radio service.

At the Grand Canyon, park officials are deciding where to put the tall metal structures  called towers  needed for phone service. Some already can be seen in popular tourist areas. Others can be seen through the parks trees.

A proposal calls for adding up to five towers, none of them below the edge of the canyon. Officials may also consider new equipment case-by-case. They are to decide later this year.

The Grand Canyon gets more than 6 million visitors a year. In a large survey from 2016, 83 percent of visitors said using electronic devices was at least a little important to their stay in the park.

Elly Boerk is an environmental protection specialist at the Grand Canyon. She said officials know people depend on wireless phones and other devices for directions, guest services and more. That expectation is reasonable, she suggested.

But a group of Grand Canyon river guides supports keeping the backcountry, or more wild areas, free of cellphone service.

Cellular companies only care about increasing profits and expanding coverage, the groups leaders argued.

Improving communications equipment could help in emergencies and with traffic cameras, electronic message boards and visitor records, said park official Lacayo. And younger visitors -- many of whom grew up with cellphones -- want the connection, she added.

Most parks communication improvement plans center on developed areas. The plans also seek to hide towers among trees or other landscapes.



Officials at Death Valley National Park along the California-Nevada border approved a plan last year to build a new cell tower. However, that plan is on hold until communications company AT&T makes changes to the proposal to meet environmental requirements.

Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming has approved a plan for 100 kilometers of new underground communications wires. The labor is to begin this summer. The park is also considering a proposal for a cell tower.

Yellowstone National Park is considering a permit to add devices on existing equipment to increase Wi-Fi speeds near guest and employee housing.

The interior of Yellowstone has been starved for bandwidth, said Bret De Young, branch chief of technology.

At Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah, officials are considering a request from the communications company Verizon. It has asked to put up an 18-meter-tall cell tower on high ground near a canyon of red rock formations.

The number of visitors to the park has more than doubled in the past 10 years. The park depends on social media to warn visitors about dangerous conditions, such as flash floods in narrow canyons. But tourists can only receive the messages in a few places with Wi-Fi and cell signals. Many of those places are outside Bryce Canyons park borders.

Im Caty Weaver.

The Associated Press reported this story. Caty Weaver adapted it for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

cliff -n. a high, steep surface of rock, earth, or ice

maintain -v. to continue having or doing (something)

tourist -n. a person who travels to a place for pleasure

access -n. a way of being able to use or get something

survey -n. an activity in which many people are asked a question or a series of questions in order to gather information about what most people do or think about something

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.
"Just like savings can compound, the wage gap can compound, too, into something much bigger  and in this case  more financially devastating by the time a woman reaches retirement."

Today, Human Interest, the affordable, full-service 401(k) provider for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) released data* that confirms the wage gap has implications for women that expand well beyond their time on the job.

Womens Wage Gap Woes: Compounding into Retirement

In this second report in a series, data released by Human Interest shows that while men and women contribute to their 401(k) at similar rates7.9 percent and 7.5 percent of income, respectively, this seemingly small difference can compound over the course of someone's life.

Its no secret that women earn less than men, with a woman, on average, making around 80 cents for every dollar a man makes, said Jeff Schneble, CEO of Human Interest. We hear all the time about how serious this 20-cent differential is, but we fail to put this difference in context: What does it mean over the course of a 40-year career? After 40 years of earning the average salary for their gender, a man would end up with a 401(k) balance that breaks down into a $2,200 payout every month for the rest of his life whereas a woman would have 30 percent lessonly $1,500 a month. Just like savings can compound, the wage gap can compound, too, into something much bigger  and in this case  more financially devastating by the time a woman reaches retirement.

The Math: The Difference 0.4 Percent Can Make Over Time

Take two 25-year-olds, a man and a woman. Say each earns the average salary for their gender, and contributes 7.9 percent and 7.5 percent to their respective 401(k). If that 401(k) gets 5 percent returns over the course of 40 years, the man and woman will reach retirement age with a difference of more than $100,000 in the size of their savings.

More Key Findings: How SMB Employees Save for Retirement

Data shows that SMB employees across the board will invest when given access to a vehicle to help them save for retirement. Across demographics and industries, people contribute between 5-10 percent of their salary when they have access to a workplace 401(k).

Married People Save More with Married Women Leading the Charge

Compared to people who are single or divorced, married people contribute the highest percentage of their income to their 401(k):



On average, married people are allocating 8.2 percent of their income to their 401(k). Those who are single contribute slightly more than those who are divorced, (7 percent and 6.8 percent, respectively).

In general, men are contributing a higher portion of their income to their 401(k) than women. However, the one exception is married women: Married women are saving more in their 401(k), at 9.0 percent vs. just 8.2 percent for men. This data suggests that married women working at SMBs and contributing to their company 401(k) will have less of a shortfall in retirement.

For years, women have been at increased risk of financial insecurity in retirement. Our data shows that married women, specifically, are now out-saving men. By allocating more funds to their retirement plans, theyre shoring up their financial future, said Schneble.

No Employer Match? Not a Dealbreaker

While offering an employee match can drive plan participation, an employer gives employees a strong vehicle for retirement savings by simply providing a 401(k):



On average, with a match, employees contribute 7.4 percent per year; without one, they contribute 7.1 percent.

All Income Levels Save

Data highlights that when given access to a retirement plan, employees  even those with lower salaries  are committed to setting themselves up for a financially secure future:



People earning a $30,000-$39,999 salary are saving 6.1 percent of their salary in their company 401(k).

Workers earning $200,000-$209,999 are saving 7.7 percent of their salary in a 401(k).

*Methodology

This data was created by analyzing the savings patterns of more than 28,000 anonymous SMB employees saving for retirement through the Human Interest 401(k) plan offered by their employer. The participation rates were calculated by comparing the number of employees eligible to participate in an employer-sponsored Human Interest 401(k) with the number currently participating. Contribution rates were calculated by averaging each individuals contribution rate throughout the lifetime of the plan. These rates were analyzed by age group, gender, marital status, salary, industry, region, and employer match availability; sample sizes vary by group. The data was compiled and analyzed by Human Interest, and is the second part of a series of reports about the retirement preparedness of SMB employees in America.

Sources: Human Interest proprietary data; average wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics; average life expectancy: Social Security Administration

About Human Interest

Human Interest is the affordable, full-service retirement benefit provider for small and medium-sized businesses. With a Human Interest 401(k) or 403(b), employees in all lines of work can access a high-quality retirement savings plan to help them on the way to financial independence. Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, Human Interest has helped more than 60,000 employees working at 2,000+ small and medium businesses across America. For more information please visit humaninterest.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Investment advising services are provided by Human Interest Advisors LLC, an SEC-Registered Investment Advisor. This is not an offer, solicitation, or advice to buy or sell securities in jurisdictions where Human Interest Advisors is not registered. An investor should consider investment objectives, risks and expenses before investing. There are risks involved with investing. Investors should consider all of their assets, income and investments. All opinions and results included in this publication constitute Human Interest Advisors' judgment as of the date of this publication and are subject to change without notice.
Opto 22's latest groov EPIC firmware adds support for groov RIO edge I/O

Today, Opto 22 announced the second major version of its firmware for groov EPIC, the edge programmable industrial controller for automation applications and the industrial internet of things (IIoT). The groov EPIC 2.0 firmware includes updates to both of groov EPICs real-time control engines and provides an under-the-hood refresh to many ecosystem components. This update also increases the reach of the control platform with support for groov RIO, Opto 22s new industrial edge I/O module, which supports 61,260 unique I/O combinations in a standalone unit.

With groov EPIC 2.0, Opto 22s PAC Control, a flowchart-based, multi-tasking control engine, is updated to version R10.3a; and 3S Softwares CODESYS Runtime, an IEC 61131-3 compliant runtime engine, is updated to version 3.5.15.10. Both control options are capable of executing user-configured, high-speed, closed-loop control programs for process control, manufacturing, and OEM machines. In combination with the jointly updated design softwarePAC Project Suite 10.3 and Opto 22s CODESYS Library Package 2.0.0.0, which is compatible with the CODESYS Development System v3.5 SP15these updates allow the number of groov EPIC I/O points to be expanded with an unlimited number of groov RIO remote I/O modules. Each groov RIO module is an independent edge I/O unit that can sense and control a wide variety of traditional wired I/O signals or devices from anywhere on a connected Ethernet network.

groov RIO modules accept a software-configurable mix of analog inputs (volt, millivolt, milliamp), temperature inputs (ICTD, TC), discrete and powered switch inputs, analog outputs (volt, milliamp), discrete outputs, and normally-open or -closed relay outputs. Each module is also capable of executing up to four PID loops independently of the EPIC controller.

Direct interoperability between the groov EPIC system and the new groov RIO modules gives engineers, technicians, and developers more options for distributed and direct-to-cloud I/O processing. In addition to communicating I/O signals to the EPIC, each groov RIO module provides basic and advanced I/O signal processing, database transaction capability, and communications with other control systems, web services, and cloud IoT platforms, independently of groov EPIC. Both groov RIO and Opto 22s field-proven SNAP I/O system are compatible remote I/O with the groov EPIC 2.0 firmware.

With groov EPIC 2.0 and groov RIO, applications like remote condition monitoring, building management systems (BMS), and data center infrastructure monitoring (DCIM)applications that need to move many real-world signals into on-premises or cloud-based softwarebecome easier than ever before, simplifying the complex technology stack and cross-functional skillset previously required for these applications.

The update rounds out this significant platform expansion with upgrades and improvements to many basic system components, providing better user management controls, more flexible serial device detection, and more stable VPN and MQTT performance. Third-party applications are also updated, including Ignition (7.9.13) and Node-RED (1.0.3). As a final note with this release, Opto 22 has added the popular, open-source Mosquitto to its cryptographically signed repository, providing users a proven, no-cost option for adding an MQTT broker to groov EPIC.

Availability

groov EPIC firmware 2.0 is available now for all current users through manage.groov.com. Complete upgrade instructions are available in the groov EPIC Users Guide. For new customers, all groov EPICs now ship with this latest firmware version.

PAC Project Basic 10.3 and the Opto 22 Library Package for CODESYS 2.0.0.0 are also available as free downloads.

About groov EPIC

groov EPIC is an edge programmable industrial controller (EPIC). More than a PLC, PAC, or PC, it is a Linux-based processor in a compact industrial enclosure, with local and remote I/O and wide-ranging programming and communications options. In addition to real-time control, groov EPIC provides the connectivity many of todays projects require: it connects to field sensors and devices, legacy PLC systems, software applications, remote equipment, and cloud services for anything from weather conditions to big data analytics and predictive maintenance.

About Opto 22

Opto 22 designs and manufactures industrial control products and Internet of Things platforms that bridge the gap between information technology (IT) and operations technology (OT). Based on a core design philosophy of leveraging open, standards-based technology, Opto 22 products are deployed worldwide in industrial automation, process control, building automation, industrial refrigeration, remote monitoring, and data acquisition applications. Designed and manufactured in the U.S.A., Opto 22 products have a worldwide reputation for ease-of-use, innovation, quality, and reliability. For over 40 years OEMs, machine builders, automation end-users, and information technology and operations personnel have and continue to trust Opto 22 to deliver high-quality products with superior reliability. The company was founded in 1974 and is privately held in Temecula, California, U.S.A. Opto 22 products are available through a global network of distributors and system integrators. For more information, contact Opto 22 headquarters at +1-951-695-3000 or visit http://www.opto22.com. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube.
ELYRIA, Ohio  A teen trying to escape from officers led them on a chase into Cleveland, all with two toddlers in the car, according to police.

The suspect eventually was caught during a short chase on foot after he bailed from the car in Cleveland, police say. The two children, ages 1 and 2, were not injured.

Dvon Clark, 19, of Garfield Heights, is being held in the Lorain County Jail on several charges, including felonious assault, discharging a firearm in a prohibited place, carrying a concealed weapon, and endangering children. A female passenger in the car, Roneisha Banks, has been charged with endangering children.

The chase started after officers received a call of shots fired in the area of Melvyn Lane and Allen Street in Elyria just after 3 p.m. Tuesday. Callers said the suspect in the shooting left the area in a gray Toyota.

Officers spotted the vehicle but it refused to stop, beginning the chase that ended in Cleveland.

The two toddlers in the car have been turned over to Cuyahoga County Children Services, police say.

More crime-related content on cleveland.com:

Maple Heights High School secretary accused of embezzling more than $40,000

Man arrested in 2018 double fatal shooting on I-90 in Cleveland

Akron man accused of fatally stabbing brother in neck during drunken fight

Dog fatally shot during home invasion in Cleveland, police say
We had come so close to death that we wanted to fling open the doors of life and crowd everyone and everything inside. But that joy soon yielded to its opposite: grief. The nights of partying began to end tearfully, with questions that began: Why? There werent answers, only the names of the guys who werent there, no matter how hard we tried to party them back to life. By that fall one of us, a lieutenant whod had a promising career, was arrested for D.U.I. Hed flipped his car after a night of heavy drinking. By the following summer, our friend who wed celebrated in Pamplona had filed for divorce. Celebrating was a way to take our lives out of the darkness and hold them to the light. But in the light we saw how life had become unalterably different. When America emerges from quarantine  even if that process is gradual  people will want to celebrate. Every filled bar, movie theater, or stadium will be a reclamation of life.

Except life wont be what it was before. Almost everyone will have experienced some kind of loss. A job. A loved one. As America reopens and we assert that life goes on we will also be acknowledging the ways life has forever changed. At that point public celebrations will yield to private grief.

The mental health crisis that has been predicted focuses on the medical professionals bearing the brunt of this pandemic and the post-traumatic stress they will surely experience. The rest of us will likely experience it, too. But there is a silver lining, one not widely discussed. The traumas that create post-traumatic stress also create conditions for post-traumatic growth  broadly defined as a positive change experienced as a result of the struggle with a major life crisis or a traumatic event.

Although post-traumatic growth has long been a theme in religious and spiritual teachings, it is only in the past 25 years that mainstream psychology has acknowledged that those who survive trauma might benefit from a stronger personal makeup and greater capacities for compassion. Clinicians have identified general areas where they see post-traumatic growth, including a change in relationships with others and increased connection with those who suffer; an enhanced sense of ones own strength; and a greater appreciation for life. The wars taught me that we appreciate life through a lens. To enjoy all that is best  love, friendship, adventure  we have to widen the aperture; but when you widen your aperture it wont only expose the good, it also makes you vulnerable to the bad. When loss comes, how will we react? Will we leave our lens open? Or will we constrict it?

The people I went to war with were the greatest friends I ever had. When some were killed, the pain felt irreversible. Aaron, Doug, Dan, Garrett and the others  they would never come back and friendship with anyone else would never be like it was with them. This wasnt entirely true, of course. But it felt true then. It took years to understand that what those friends had given me wasnt only friendship but also the capacity for friendship, a capacity that informs relationships I hold dearest today. In expressing the relationships I have now, my old friends return to me.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 6)  ABS-CBN's shutdown has revived calls for the House of Representatives to finally decide on the network's franchise renewal bid, which has been pending at the lower chamber for more than three years.

Senator Nancy Binay hopes the House committee on legislative franchises will finally convene next week to discuss the media giant's fate.

"We have four more weeks before we go on a break," Binay said in an interview with CNN Philippines' News Night.

"Nakakafrustrate lang because hindi nasisimulan ang proseso ng pagrereview kaya hindi mo alam kung ano ba talaga ang problema ng franchise," Binay said, adding that the public should not be kept hanging.

[Translation: It's just frustrating because the review process has not begun so you can't tell what really is the problem with the franchise.]

TIMELINE: ABS-CBN franchise

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines also questioned the foot-dragging, stressing that "delay is not good governance."

"Is it fair for Congress to keep the numerous bills for the renewal of the franchise of the first radio-television company in Southeast Asia (1953) and the biggest in the Philippines, pending for more than three years, and let the franchise expire?" the IBP said in a statement.

Numerous House bills have been filed seeking to grant ABS-CBN Corporation a fresh 25-year franchise, but none was tackled.

House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said lawmakers were too busy with more pressing matters, and instead asked the National Telecommunications Commission to give the Lopez-owned network provisional authority pending the renewal of its franchise. The Senate also passed a resolution to that effect.

ABS-CBN's franchise expired on Monday, and the NTC ordered it to stop its TV and radio broadcasts the next day. The cease and desist order came after Solicitor General Jose Calida, the government's top lawyer, warned NTC officials they may face graft charges if they allowed ABS-CBN to air without a legislative franchise.

READ: Calida pins blame on Congress, says NTC only followed law in shutting ABS-CBN

The IBP stressed that the NTC can grant the network provisional permit, as it earlier promised, and as it did with other media entities that were waiting for the renewal of their franchise.

Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III and his colleagues have called on the House to finally pass a bill so they can approve it and send to President Rodrigo Duterte for enactment. Cayetano has not made public any statement on the issue.

ABS-CBN's shutdown hogged headlines as more than 11,000 media workers lost their jobs amid the coronavirus disease pandemic. It was heavily criticized as an attack on press freedom, since Duterte had publicly lashed out at the ABS-CBN and warned that he would block the renewal of its franchise, over the network's refusal to carry his campaign commercials even if they had been already paid for.

In late February, Duterte accepted ABS-CBN's apology for airing a political advertisement of the opposition in 2016 which offended him. He was then a mayor gunning for the presidency of the republic.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Wednesday said Duterte is "completely neutral" on the issue, and lawmakers should act on ABS-CBN's franchise renewal bid without worrying about what the President would feel.
While a North Carolina pug appears to be the first American dog to test positive for the novel coronavirus, Connecticut veterinarians say theres no need to panic about pets contracting the illness.

Researchers at Duke University said Tuesday that Winston, a pug who lives in Chapel Hill, could be the first known case of the virus detected in a dog in the United States. The dogs owners are a family participating in a research study, and three of the family members have also been infected with the virus, according to WRAL, the Raleigh television station that first reported the news.

Weve been watching this since February, quite honestly, and always looking for things on the radar, said Dr. Andrea Dennis, a veterinarian at Bloomfield Animal Hospital in upstate Connecticut. Weve had our eyes open for cases.

Theres no evidence that pets are spreading the virus to humans, Dennis said.

Dont feel theres any need to be alarmed, but theres a need to try to be safe, she said.

Cats and ferrets are more susceptible to the disease than canines, who are less likely to get the infection than humans, said Dr. Daniel Hochman, a veterinarian at Brookside Veterinary Hospital in Bridgeport.

Thats because cats and ferrets have the same receptor that the virus binds to in humans cells, he said.

Thats why theyre more likely to get the actual infection, as opposed to carrying it like a dog, Hochman said.

The biggest threat from mans best friend is that the virus can pass from person to person on a dogs coat or collar, just as it can on other surfaces, Hochman said. If an infected person coughs on their dog, a healthy person who pets the dog next could contract the virus that way, just as if they were sharing any other surface.

Thats not to say that dogs cant get the virus: in addition to Winston, two dogs in Hong Kong have also tested positive. The symptoms in pets arent different from those humans should be aware of themselves: fevers, upper respiratory systems and not eating, Hochman said.

Dennis said labs are testing some pets for the virus, but supplies are limited. The swabs used for the tests are slightly different from those used for human tests, she said.

The test is available, she said, but theyre asking that we only submit samples from pets showing respiratory symptoms, that weve pretty much ruled out other respiratory diseases, and that the owners in the household or people in the household are positive for COVID.

People who are sick and have confirmed or suspected cases of the coronavirus should keep their distance from their pets, Dennis said.

The animals should be quarantined like humans, Hochman said, and pets that have been exposed to a sick person should be kept away from healthy people in the household.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have also issued guidelines, including keeping pets from interacting with other people and animals, and avoiding places like dog parks where large numbers of people and dogs gather.

Dennis reminded pet owners that most veterinary offices in the state are open and able to answer questions about pets health and safety. We are here for the questions you have, she said.

Liz.Teitz@hearstmediact.com
The spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in New York

(Reuters) - Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now:

Post-pandemic workspace makeover

As lockdowns are gradually lifted and people anticipate returning to offices, many wonder what the post-pandemic workspace will look like.

Occupational experts say one-way corridors, buffer zones marked out by coloured carpet or tape around desks, and clear plastic screens to guard against colleagues' coughs and sneezes may become the norm.

The changes could be hard to adapt to, and could have a negative impact on employee well-being, said organizational psychologist Brad Bell.

Remdesivir pricing

Beximco Pharmaceuticals, one of Bangladesh's largest drugmakers, will start this month to make the experimental antiviral drug remdesivir, which has shown promise in fighting the virus.

In a first cost indication, the company plans to price each vial between $59 and $71, Beximco's Chief Operating Officer Rabbur Reza told Reuters, adding that a patient might need anywhere from five to 11 vials.

Gilead's remdesivir patent in theory means it has exclusive rights to make it, but global trade rules allow nations defined by the United Nations as least-developed countries, including Bangladesh, to ignore such patents and make drugs more affordable in those markets.

Bangladesh would then be allowed to export the drug to other least-developed countries, though Reza stressed Bangladesh would get first priority.

Pakistanis testing positive on repatriation

Many Pakistani citizens being repatriated from the United Arab Emirates are testing positive for the virus on arriving home, officials said on Tuesday.

The UAE government rejected the claim, saying everyone was tested before departure, with those found infected not being allowed to travel.

About 12% were testing positive on most flights, but on a couple, the proportion rose to between 40% and 50%.

"The hypothesis is that a lot of the labourers live in crowded dormitories and in those, essentially, it's easier to infect each other," Moeed Yusuf, a prime ministerial special assistant on national security, told Reuters.

Story continues

Llama nanobodies

A llama called Winter could prove useful in the hunt for a virus treatment, say U.S. and Belgian scientists who have identified a tiny particle that appears to block the coronavirus.

The llama in Belgium is central to the studies of the scientists, from the country's VIB-UGent center for medical biotechnology and the University of Texas at Austin, who published their research on Tuesday in the journal Cell.

Llamas and other members of the camel family are distinct in creating standard antibodies and smaller antibodies called nanobodies, with which scientists can more easily work.

The team aims to begin animal tests, with a view to allowing trials with humans to begin by the end of the year. Saelens said negotiations were under way with pharmaceutical companies.

(Compiled by Karishma Singh; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Ahmedabad reported 291 new coronavirus cases, taking the total to 4,735, while with the death of 25 more COVID-19 patients, the toll rose to 298 on Wednesday, a health department official said.

Ahmedabad also reported discharge of 74 COVID-19 patients, taking the number of such people to 778, the official said.

With the new cases, the tally in Ahmedabad, worst hit by COVID-19 in Gujarat, shot up to 4,735, while the death toll inched towards the 300-mark, the official said.

Amid the mounting cases, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Wednesday took several decisions with an effort to contain the coronavirus spread, including ordering that no shops, other than those selling milk and medicines, will remain open in the city over the next one week.

The AMC also took steps to set up 1,000 more beds for coronavirus patients across nineprivate hospitals,and create 500-bed capacity COVID care centres in private hotels in each ward of the city to accommodate the rising number of patients.

In an effort to improve recovery rate and bring down fatalities among coronavirus patients in Ahmedabad, the Gujarat government has roped in a team of specialists, including experts in the field of critical care, Principal Secretary (Health) Ravi said.

A team of such private doctors on Wednesday visited a COVID hospital to see the quality of treatment ofpatients, especially those who are in critical condition, she said.

They will make such visits every day,Ravi said.

"With their visits, the rate of dischargewill increase and more number of patients will be able to go back home. These private doctors have decided to provide their services free-of-cost," Ravi said.

A high-powered meeting was also held at the city's UN Mehta Institute where doctors brain stormed over treatment of the disease in the presence of Gujarat Health Minister Nitin Patel, she said.

"Many decisions have been taken to improve the recovery rate and bring down decrease deaths caused by coronavirus.

"Some of the best doctors from Gujarat practicing abroad have also been roped in to provide their inputs via video-conferencing, which we will implement here," Ravi said.

The city civic body, at a meeting here, also decided to screen 500 "super spreaders" every day for the next seven days, and distribute COVID-19 care kits in slum areas.

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

The Steelers quarterback is headed to the Hall of Fame. But he was unloved outside Pittsburgh for understandable reasons Ben Roethlisberger almost certainly played his final game in the NFL on Sunday. Photograph: Ed Zurga/AP Ben Roethlisberger is lucky that football legacies are not decided by finales. If Sunday night was indeed Big Bens last ever NFL game, as he has strongly hinted, it wasnt exactly a mic drop. In the 42-21 beatdown by the Chiefs, Roethlisberger struggled with rollouts, and l
Oil prices are rising as supply shut ins mount and oil demand seems to be turning a corner. Some oil market analysts even warn that a supply deficit could be on the horizon, one that could balloon in the coming years because of the damage done today.

Demand remains sharply down, but April is widely considered the nadir, even if consumption remains depressed for months to come. Several European countries, along with a number of U.S. states, are easing stay-at-home orders. While there is still some doubt surrounding the production trends, the market already appears convinced  amid growing economic optimism  that demand and prices will recover rapidly, Commerzbank wrote in a note on Tuesday.

The supply shut ins will be severe. Current activity levels in US shale are now so low that the declines will become precipitous without a rebound in completions, Standard Chartered wrote in a note. The bank sees shale output falling by 2.74 million barrels per day (mb/d) by the end of the year.

But the losses wont just come from U.S. shale. Worldwide conventional production, which makes up the bulk of total global supply, will also suffer from low prices, deferred maintenance, and shut ins.

The dramatic decline in global oil production, some of which may be permanent, could sow the seeds for the next upcycle. Lower activity and gradual normalization of demand should drive a more favorable 2021, Goldman Sachs wrote in a note. The investment bank sees oil prices rallying to $65 per barrel by the end of next year. Related: Is It The Right Time To Buy Into The Oil Price Rally?

Beyond that, some analysts see an even bigger supply/demand mismatch. Even though the world is currently facing what is arguably the largest oil glut ever recorded, the tables will turn dramatically in coming years, Rystad Energy said in a report. The lack of activity and investments currently planned by cost-conscious E&P firms, combined with an inevitable rebound in global oil demand, is set to cause a supply deficit of around 5 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2025.

Rystad says it sees Brent rising to about $68 per barrel by 2025, but may need to go higher due to the prospect of a supply shortfall.

However, expectations of such a supply shortfall hinge very heavily on a rebound in demand. Rystad said its base case for oil demand is growth to 105 mb/d by 2025, which would require growth of another 5 mb/d in demand over the next five years.

There are numerous reasons why that might be overly optimistic. Given the unfolding recession and a possible great depression, it will take time simply to repair what has been lost in the last few months. Even if governments manage to rescue savaged economies, the lasting scars on aviation and driving, as well as an increase of telework, could prevent a full rebound of oil demand. Combine that with ongoing progress in EVs, and you have a toxic cocktail for oil demand growth.

Even some oil executives are beginning to fear peak demand. We are looking at a major demand destruction that we don't even know that will come back. So the oil price may come back. But if the volumes are significantly lower, we still have a major dislocation, of course, in our own cash wheel, Royal Dutch Shells CEO van Beurden said.

But Rystad Energy is not the only one predicting a supply shortfall and sharp price rebound. Standard Chartered pointed to the flat futures curve, which it says is too flat at the back end. We think the market is underestimating the extent of permanent supply damage, Standard Chartered said. The bank said that longer-dated prices need to rise in order to head off the supply shortage.

By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The stimulus check guidelines are laid out on the IRS website and seem basic, yet there are still so many questions.

For people in periods of transition, especially young adults in college, graduating or recently graduated, it can be unclear whether stimulus checks will be arriving in their bank accounts. Even experts can find the guidelines hazy, but we tried to clear up some common questions young adults are asking:

How do I track my check?

You can track the status of your stimulus check through the IRS Get My Payment tool.

What if it went to the wrong person?

If your stimulus check was sent to an account number you dont recognize, you should contact your tax preparer and then wait for a letter from the IRS.

Based on conversations AL.com had with some taxpayers, theres some indication this may be affecting people who filed their taxes with a tax preparer. Other reports suggest some who used the popular tax preparation companies H&R Block and TurboTax also had this problem.

If the account is closed or no longer active, the bank will reject the deposit and you will be issued a check that will be mailed to the address we have on file for you. This is generally the address on your most recent tax return or as updated through the United States Postal Service (USPS). You do not need to call the IRS to change your Payment method or update your address at this time. As required by law and for security reasons, a letter about the Payment will be mailed to each recipients last known address within 15 days after the Payment is made. The letter will provide information on how the Payment was made and how to report any failure to receive the Payment," according to the IRS.

I'm not sure if I'm a dependent because I'm right on the line. How do I determine my dependency status?

If you are claimed as a dependent or if you qualify for dependent status, you are not eligible for a stimulus check. If your parents qualify for the stimulus and you are 17 or younger, your parents will get an additional $500. If youre over the age of 17, your parents will not get the additional $500, even if you are a dependent or live in their home.

Knowing if you qualify as a dependent can seem complicated. Here are some general guidelines:

You may qualify as a dependent if you are under 19 or a full-time student under the age of 24

 If your parent(s) or guardian(s) provide more than half of your income

 If you've lived with your parent(s) or guardian(s) more than half the year, though exceptions apply

However, being eligible to receive a stimulus check doesn't all depend on your age. If, for example, you are 22, married and work and file joint tax returns with your spouse, you are not eligible to be claimed as a dependent, even if you are a full time student. In that scenario you would be a potential candidate for a stimulus check.

If you are 23, a full time student, and rely on your parent(s) or guardian(s) for more than half of your annual income, you are eligible to be claimed as a dependent and are likely not a potential candidate for a stimulus check.

To qualify as a full-time student according to the IRS, the person must be, during some part of five months of the year be a full-time student at a college or university or be a student taking a full-time, on-farm training course given by a school or by a state, county, or local government agency. The five months do not have to be consecutive.

Its also important to be aware that a parent cant just choose NOT to claim a child as a dependent in order to let the child claim himself, if he qualifies under the rules for dependents below age of 24. In other words, parents of a child under 24 they support cant just say we release you, said Brad Garland, a certified public accountant at Brand Blackwell & Co. in Huntsville.

However, everyone should take the time to check their own status using the Get My Payment tool provided by the IRS.

If youre still unsure about your dependent status, talk to a tax professional.

Im in my early 20s and this is my first year working. I havent filed a tax return based on my current income. Will I be able to get adequate unemployment? Will I get a stimulus check?

Typically, unemployment is based on your past income, but you may be able to receive unemployment benefits based on the limited work history you have if you meet the eligibility requirements. That also applies if you are now partially employed or unable to work because of COVID-19-related issues, McIntosh said.

For the stimulus checks, you should meet the requirements if you have a valid social security number and are not claimed as a dependent. If you didnt file a 2019 tax return because you didnt make enough to file taxes in 2019 (under $12,200 for individuals or under $24,400 for couples) or for some other reason arent required to file taxes and cant be claimed as a dependent, you can report your income and bank information through the IRS website. Garland said you should be eligible for a stimulus check, even if you made zero income last year. Youll ultimately qualify for the relief credit based on your 2020 income tax situation, he said.

Garland is urging people to only submit income and bank information through the IRS website. He said the IRS will never initiate a phone call with you.

[You] want to be sure you do everything through irs.gov. Dont use a third party website.

My parents still support me but I have a job. Should I file independently to get a check?

If you are eligible for dependent status (see above for more on dependent status), you are not eligible for a stimulus check. However, you may be eligible for unemployment. Alabama residents can file unemployment claims at labor.alabama.gov.

If you could file independently or as a dependent, you should consider how much your parents tax liability will increase.

If their tax liability increases more than what their kids will get as their stimulus check, then it makes no sense that their children file independently, McIntosh said.

What if Im not making enough to file a tax return? What do I do?

For the stimulus checks, if you didnt file a 2019 tax return because you didnt make enough to pay taxes in 2019 (under $12,200 for individuals or under $24,400 for couples) or for some other reason arent required to pay taxes and cant be claimed as a dependent, you can use the Get My Payment IRS tool to submit your information. You should be eligible for a stimulus check, even if you made zero income last year.

I receive disability or social security benefits. Am I eligible for a stimulus check?

Yes, you are eligible.

My parents claimed me as a dependent already for 2019. But I have a job now because I just graduated. Can I still get a check?

If you no longer qualify for dependent status (see question #12 and #13), you may qualify for a stimulus check. However, Garland said hes not received any further guidance from the IRS on eligibility for individuals whose dependent status has changed this year. Check with a tax professional for guidance on dependent status.
[May 06, 2020] Inc. Magazine Reveals Annual List of Best Workplaces for 2020

ITASCA, Ill., May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flexera, the company that helps organizations maximize business value from their technology investments, has been named to Inc. magazines annual list of the Best Workplaces for 2020. Hitting newsstands May 12 in the May/June 2020 issue, and as part of a prominent Inc.com feature, the list is the result of a wide-ranging and comprehensive measurement of private American companies that have created exceptional workplaces through vibrant cultures, deep employee engagement, and stellar benefits.

In business for more than 30 years, Flexera is the largest homegrown technology company in the Chicago area, employing more than 1,300 globally with over 300 in its suburban Chicago office, and serving more than 50,000 customers worldwide. Flexera is committed to providing solutions that enable companies to increase their category relevance, avoid obsolescence and strengthen their journey to digital transformation. Collecting data from more than 3,000 submissions, Inc. singled out 395 finalists for this years list. Each nominated company took part in an employee survey, conducted by Quantum Workplace, on topics including trust, management effectiveness, perks, and confidence in the future. Inc. gathered, analyzed, and audited the data. Then we ranked all the employers using a composite score of survey results. This year, 73.5 percent of surveyed employees were engaged by their work.



The strongest engagement scores came from companies that prioritize the most human elements of work. These companies are leading the way in employee recognition, performance management, and diversity. It is a different playbook from a decade ago, when too many firms used the same template: free food, open work environments, and artifacts o fun.



Regardless of the economic climate, Flexera places maximum value on making sure we are a great place to work. Our employees are nothing if they arent candid and passionate, said Jim Ryan, President and CEO of Flexera. They keep score always and hold the company to an exceedingly high standard. Im proud and humbled to have our employees validate our approach and we celebrate their success thus far. Building a great corporate culture comes only from strong leadership, says Inc. magazine editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. The companies on Inc.s Best Workplaces list are setting an example that the whole country can learn from, especially now, when company culture is more important to the workforce than ever.

While researching the finalists, Inc. and Quantum saw distinct themes:

100 percent provide health insurance.

50 percent allow employees to bring pets to work.

62 percent take employees to offsite retreats to relax and recharge.

20 percent offer paid sabbaticals to reward length of service. About Flexera Flexera helps companies turn technology into a competitive advantagewhether they make it or use it. For software suppliers, we offer solutions that allow technology companies to drive more value from their software while protecting their IP. For software buyers, our solutions enable enterprises to maximize business value from their technology investments. Headquartered in suburban Chicago, Flexera Holdings more than 1,300 employees serve category-leading customers across the globe.? About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com . About Quantum Workplace

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The Shiv Sena on Wednesday



criticised states which have insisted on coronavirus testing of migrant workers before taking them back, terming it is a "cruel and inhuman" stand.

An editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' also criticised the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government, saying it brought back students from Kota in Rajasthan without any testing "since they were rich", while train fares were charged from the poor.

The Sena praised Congress president Sonia Gandhi's decision asking her state party units to bear the cost of the train fare of migrant workers returning home.

Workers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh migrate mostly to Maharashtra and Gujarat, it noted.

"Till yesterday, these workers were the vote bank of political parties and leaders, as if Mumbai and Maharashtra have been built on the hard work of these migrant workers. These people are running away in times of crisis and their political mentors have turned them away," the Sena said.

It alleged thatthe Uttar Pradesh government made a "u-turn" on taking back migrant workers and put stringent conditions for them, including that they be tested for coronavirus before return.

"This stand of states is cruel and against humanity," the Sena said



It also accused the Uttar Pradesh government of "rich-poor bias".

"Hundreds of buses were sent to Kota to bring students back to Uttar Pradesh without any testing since they were rich. For poor, rail ticket fares were charged," the Marathi daily said.

The Sena said migrant labourers stuck in different parts of Maharashtra have to face a new ordeal now. Maharashtra looked after them well but they want to go home while their home state is not ready to take them.

It praised Congress president Sonia Gandhi's decision asking her state party units to bear the cost of the train fare of migrant workers returning home.

This was done on humanitarian grounds, the Sena said.

"Migrant workers are not cats and dogs. But their native states are not showing humanity," it said.

The Sena said Union minister Nitin Gadkari has rightly pointed out that "migrant labourers may run away from Maharashtra but what will they eat in their home state".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Editors note: This is one of a 12-part series introducing this years YWCA of Alton Women of Distinction honorees, who will be recognized at the 30th annual Women of Distinction ceremony. The events previously scheduled date of May 28, at the Commons at Lewis and Clark Community College, has now been rescheduled to Thursday, Sept. 17, due to current stay-at-home orders surrounding COVID-19. For more information, visit www.altonywca.com.

ALTON  Olivia Ervins commitment to what she believes in is evidenced in the annual events she participates in with her church and community, along with the 35 years she has spent working at the Madison County Clerks Office.

A lifelong Venice, Illinois, resident, Ervin is a member of World Changing Word of Faith church. She has also been park board commissioner for the city of Venice for 24 years, and is involved with a number of events through the Venice Park District. The Joe W. Roberts Youth Club (JWRYC) is a youth organization that Ervin has worked with for 20 years  and both JWRYC and the park district network together many of their services.

JWRYC was formed in 1985, with its primary goal to provide programs designed to provide underprivileged youths with recreational and educational activities, which allow them to become positive and productive citizens of society. Its youth ball, Imagine Me, is held every three years at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

We run a six-week workshop, and the kids sell $5 tickets, and the two who sell the most tickets become the queen and king, Ervin said. We dress every child in prom attire and present the kids to society in a beautiful environment.

We also provide services for the youth and young adults in the Metro East area, she said. The program Empowered Minds helps develop high school students intellect, by encouraging, training and developing life and educational skills.

In addition, Ervin participates in the city of Venices Black History event, the African Dance Program, which celebrated its 20-year anniversary in February, and creates all its summer programs through the Venice Park District, including the citys annual health fair, the city Halloween party and Christmas party. She was also involved with the Second Chance 2017 program and Census 2020.

Ervin describes herself as God-fearing, committed, dedicated and motivated to help her community and others.

Knowing who I am and who I serve, Ervin said about one of her biggest accomplishments, along with becoming the first black deputy clerk in the Madison County Clerks Office, and being blessed with a daughter, son-in-law, four grandsons and two granddaughters.

She studied early childhood education at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Eastern Illinois University, in Charleston, Illinois.

Ervin is currently the supervisor of vital records at the Madison County Clerks Office, and plans to retire at the end of June.

As for being recognized as a YWCA of Alton Woman of Distinction, she said, I feel blessed, humbled and grateful to have met so many beautiful women working to better their communities.
Journalist Tashny Sukumaran arrives at federal police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur to answer questions regarding her tweets about an immigration raid last week, May 6, 2020.

Malaysian police questioned a reporter for a major regional newspaper on Wednesday over tweets about a migrant roundup as rights groups warned that the new government could be reviving old practices of media suppression.

Tashny Sukumaran, a staff writer for the South China Morning Post, was questioned for two hours at federal police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, her lawyer said.

She is being investigated for allegedly sharing offensive and menacing content online as well as for intentional insults and provocation to disrupt the public peace, attorney Sin Yew New said.

The government is harassing Tashny by investigating her for tweets made in the course of her duties as a journalist. This is an assault on press freedom by the government, which is absolutely vital in times of crisis like what we are facing currently, the lawyer told BenarNews.

Sukumaran declined comment as she emerged from the building with her lawyer. The reporter is being investigated under Malaysias Communications and Multimedia Act and Section 504 of its Penal Code, Sin Yew New said.

The Post, a Hong Kong-based newspaper, did not immediately publish a report on the appearance by its reporter at police headquarters or issue a statement on Wednesday.

Her questioning by police occurred three days after the communications minister said the journalist had the right to publish her story.

In his official Twitter feed on May 3, Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said he had directed the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission to not act against Sukumaran.

I may not like your piece but I will defend your right to write it. Yesterday, (Health Ministry Director General Noor Hisham) has clarified the issue you raised  this is the way to do it. In this example, clarify and explain, Saifuddin said in response to a tweet by Sukumaran over the investigation into her reporting.

Two days earlier, Sukumaran posted a tweet thread recounting her experiences at the Selangor Mansion area in Kuala Lumpur that was under the enhanced Movement Control Order (MCO) because of a coronavirus cluster identified there. The MCO is the Malaysian governments name for its coronavirus lockdown.

This is ridiculous. Hours after the announcement on relaxed measures, the authorities start arresting people left and right (despite) Malaysia not having beaten COVID-19 yet. Now migrant workers, refugees, and other vulnerable groups will go underground and not come forward even if ill, she wrote.

I am running out of fingers on which to count the human rights abuses that have transpired in just a few hours.

A joint operation involving the Royal Malaysia Police, the Immigration Department, the Malaysian Armed Forces and the Ministry of Health was carried out at that site to contain the COVID-19 spread, according to authorities.

Speaking to national news agency Bernama on Saturday, Inspector-General of Police Abdul Hamid Bador said authorities launched the operation to ensure that no undocumented immigrants snuck out from identified areas and spread the disease somewhere else.

Ismail Sabri Yaakob, a senior minister for defense, said those detained were placed in humane conditions where social distancing was being observed.

On Sunday, Sukumaran responded to the communications ministers tweet.

I appreciate your gesture, but it doesnt change the fact that I am still being harassed by the police for doing my job as a reporter, she tweeted.

Im afraid it is not our job to write what the government likes. We write based on observation, interviews, fact, she wrote.

She also highlighted other challenges faced by reporters, particularly those reporting for foreign media. Those challenges include being excluded from official communication channels such as the Prime Ministers Office official WhatsApp group.

Ushar Daniele, a journalist working for a Middle East news network, echoed Sukumarans concern regarding lack of access.

We have to rely on statements shared by peers from the local side of the industry, Ushar told BenarNews.

Saifuddin could not be immediately reached for comment and the prime ministers office did not respond to BenarNews regarding foreign media restrictions.

Media advocacy



Meanwhile as it marked World Press Freedom Day on Sunday, Malaysian media advocacy group Gerakan Media Merdeka (Geramm) cited Sukumarans case as it implored the government to not revive certain legacies of the Barisan Nasional government, which had ruled the country for decades.

Restrictions against any media outlet from attending press conferences held at the prime ministers office should not be revisited, even with the current limitation of ensuring adherence to the social distancing guidelines, the statement said.

Any COVID-19 prevention measures which has and will be taken must not be at the expense of the medias role as a check-and-balance to the government, Geramm said.

The Barisan bloc was defeated by the upstart Pakatan Harapan coalition in the 2018 general election on a promise to clean up government. But the Pakatan government collapsed earlier this year. It was replaced by a new ruling coalition headed by Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and that includes the United Malays National Organization, the anchor party of Barisan Nasional.

Human Rights Watch was among groups that denounced the action against Sukumaran.

The police made a patently absurd decision to call in Tashny Sukumaran for questioning on her news article about the May Day migrant arrests, Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for the rights watchdog, said in a news release. A truly professional police force would have simply dismissed the complaint as having no grounds and told the complainants to go play politics somewhere else.

Sadly, Malaysias government is dragging the country back towards its bad-old human-rights abusing past, when harassing independent journalists doing their job was a regular tactic to seek to contain press freedom.



The questioning came weeks after Reporters Without Borders praised Malaysia under the Pakatan government for showing great improvement in its treatment of journalists. The country jumped 22 spots to land in 101st place out of 180 countries on the groups 2020 World Press Freedom Index, released on April 22.

Malaysia outranked Southeast Asian neighbors including Indonesia, 119, the Philippines, 136, Myanmar, 139, Thailand, 140, Cambodia, 144, Brunei, 152, Singapore, 158, Laos, 172, and Vietnam, 175.
KYODO NEWS - May 6, 2020 - 22:39 | All, Japan

Japan will find a new location for its new Aegis Ashore land-based missile defense system amid strong local opposition to deployment in the northeastern city of Akita, government sources said Wednesday.

The government had hoped to introduce the U.S.-developed system to a Ground Self-Defense Force training area in Akita's Araya district by 2025, but may have to push back that plan as it looks at other candidate sites within the same prefecture.

The Aegis Ashore will supplement the Maritime Self-Defense Force's Aegis-equipped destroyers in protecting Japan from North Korean ballistic missiles.

The government decided in 2017 to deploy two batteries to counter the threat of North Korean missiles, with one in Akita Prefecture and another in the GSDF's Mutsumi training area straddling Hagi and Abu in Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan, as candidate sites.

Together, the Aegis batteries are expected to start operation in 2025 at the earliest.

But the plan is unpopular with local residents concerned about the health effects of electromagnetic waves emitted by the Aegis Ashore's radar, as well as the possibility that it could become a target in an armed conflict.

Local sentiment further soured after a geographical survey used by the Defense Ministry as the basis for picking the sites was found to contain numerical errors.

A senior Defense Ministry official said it had effectively become "impossible" to go through with the Aegis Ashore's deployment in Araya after the local mayor, governor, assembly and ruling party chapter all voiced their opposition.

The government remains set on bringing the system to some other part of Akita Prefecture, with one of the sources calling the deployment there crucial to its ability to cover the whole of Japan. "Without that, the whole plan falls apart."

The current candidate sites are nine swathes of state-owned land spread across the cities of Noshiro, Yurihonjo, Nikaho and Oga.

They are among the sites where the ministry is conducting a redo of the geographical survey, the results of which were slated to be compiled by March 20 but have been pushed back to the end of May due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Any new location chosen is likely to bring about the same concerns voiced by local residents in Araya, which could further push the system's deployment off schedule.
A Mississauga councillor has put forward a motion to have the citys diversity committee consider the decision that allowed the easing of noise bylaws to broadcast the call to prayer during Ramadan, citing unsolicited feedback from thousands of members of the public.

Council passed a resolution on April 29 to temporarily relax noise bylaws, allowing mosques to broadcast the evening call to prayer during Islams holy month at a time when religious gatherings are prevented by the pandemic. The changes dont affect physical distancing restrictions put in place to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The motion, moved by Councillor Sue McFadden, proposes referring the decision to councils Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee for discussion and public input on the matter of broadcasting audible expressions of faith.

Thousands of members of the public have provided their unsolicited feedback to members of council and the city clerk after the approval of the (April 29) resolution, demonstrating a keen interest in matters of faith in the public realm, the motion reads.

McFadden declined to provide comment Tuesday night. A spokesperson said she would be available to the media after Wednesdays council meeting where the motion will be considered. The motion proposes that the Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee meet via electronic conference call within five calendar days to discuss the matter.

Other Ontario municipalities, including Toronto and Ottawa, have also allowed the call to prayer to be broadcast during Ramadan, citing the need for emotional well-being and spiritual connection at an exceptionally difficult and isolating time. Mississaugas April 29 resolution stipulated that calls could be broadcast for no longer than five minutes.

Mississaugas resolution was welcomed by members of the Muslim community. Muslim Council of Peel director Rabia Khedr said in a statement that The decision gives the community great solace during Ramadan, when we would be assembling at the mosque every evening breaking fast in Ramadan  our holiest of months.

The move also sparked backlash. At least one petition called for the decision to be rescinded, saying it was unfair to members of other faiths and to secular citizens, and suggested the call to prayer might perpetuate post-traumatic stress syndrome in veterans who served in the Middle East. The petition has since been taken down.

The Canadian Anti-Hate Network, which monitors hate groups in Canada, said that Mississaugas decision has become a focal point for anti-Muslim hatred.

The latest motion says councillors were not notified in advance of the original resolution to suspend the noise bylaw, preventing a thoughtful, informed decision, and no public input was solicited.

McFaddens spokesperson noted that the motion does not recommend any changes to what was approved last week but that it also be considered by the committee that council established to deal with such matters.

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Resurrection Sunday is a time where we celebrate the good news that Jesus rose from the dead. Despite enduring the bloody death and suffering on the cross, Jesus ascended to heaven. The resurrection of Christ represents hope, new life, and the reminder that there is purpose to our pain.

How do we continue to live out and have the hope that the resurrection represents beyond Easter Sunday? During this unique and uncertain time with COVID-19, we desperately seek and need the hope of the resurrection every day to strengthen and sustain us throughout the year.

Here are four ways that we can continue to keep the hope and new life of the resurrection alive with us in the coming days and weeks to come:

1. Be Grateful for the Gift of Life Each New Day

Each day that God allows us to wake up and experience the freshness of a new day, we should be grateful. We keep the hope of the resurrection alive by maximizing each day to the fullest and treating it as a gift. How will we use the gift of time and life of a new day to accomplish the purposes that God has for us?

Psalm 107:1 states Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. It is so easy to focus and lament on our trials and suffering. While suffering is part of life and we do want to acknowledge the pain that is present, God also wants us to continue to maintain a grateful heart. It is not always easy, but God assures us that He will never leave us (Joshua 1:9).

Maintaining a grateful heart for the gift of life each new day will uplift our spirits, renew our minds, and change our perspective. While our lives are not perfect and come with various challenges, the good news is that we are still here. I invite you to continue to remain hopeful by giving thanks to God for the gift of each new day.

2. Share Personal Testimony to Inspire Hope within Others

We all have a powerful testimony of how God has kept, strengthened, and delivered us. To inspire hope and encouragement in others, it is important that we share our testimony with others as a source of strength and encouragement reminding us of Gods faithfulness (Mark 5:19). Sharing our personal testimonies reminds others who may be going through similar challenges that they are not alone.

During this current climate where we are practicing social distancing, it is imperative that we are creative in finding ways to stay connected and encouraged. When we share the good news of how God has kept us, it will serve as a source of hope in these unsettling times. We dont want to keep our testimony silent because someone else is depending on the good news of Christ to keep moving forward.

Your personal testimony has a purpose and God wants you to share it as a source of strength and hope. If you dont feel comfortable sharing your testimony verbally, you can write it down, sing, draw, or dance through it. There are creative and diverse ways that you can share your testimony to inspire hope in the lives of others. Be bold and find the method that works best for you.





Photo credit: Getty Images/Yakobchuk Olena



3. Use Your God-Given Gifts for a Purpose

God has given us all gifts to use to fulfill our God-given purposes. A way to keep the hope of the resurrection alive is by using our God-given gifts to bless others (1 Peter 4:10-11). Many people will benefit from the unique gifts that we willingly give and share. Today, I invite you to continue to use your God-given gifts and abilities to glorify God and inspire encouragement, hope, and strength in the lives of others.

If you are unsure about what your spiritual gifts are, or how to use them, I invite you to pray for wisdom. Take some time to think about what things you enjoy and are good at. What brings you joy when serving? Often the areas in which you excel and are excited about center on what your gifts are. Take some time to reflect and use your God-given gifts to inspire hope and purpose for yourself and others.

4. Read and Study Gods Word for Encouragement

It is essential that we continue to rely on Gods word by reading and studying it for encouragement. As we meditate and keep Gods word in front of us, it will help in overcoming negative and discouraging thoughts. Due to the overwhelming nature of this pandemic, the news is saturated with stories of grief and loss. It is easy to become discouraged or anxious, not knowing what the next day will bring. Reading and studying Gods word will keep us hopeful and encouraged during difficult times.

Scripture can also provide us an assurance and help to renew our minds with peace, comfort, and strength. The great news about Gods word is that it is always available and designed to keep us spiritually connected to God. Within our own strength and human frailty, we allow anxious thoughts to consume us, but Gods word can help us overcome anxiety and hopelessness.

Today, I invite you to carve out time each day to read and study Gods word for hope and strength. Find a Scripture verse that resonates with you and place it somewhere that you can see daily. In times where your mind begins to worry, meditate on the Scripture to help you move forward.

In these uncertain and unprecedented times, it is important that we continue to carry the hope of the resurrection by being grateful each new day for life, sharing our personal testimonies and using out God-given gifts for a distinct purpose. While it is not always easy to remain hopeful, it is important to continue to represent the hope of Christ to inspire, uplift and comfort others during difficult times.

The good news is that the hope of the resurrection represents rebirth, renewal, and hope that better days will come. Trials and tribulations wont last forever. If you are going through a challenging season right now, I encourage you to lean on and gain strength from the hope of Christs resurrection. Christ died and rose so that we may have new life and walk in freedom.

Photo credit: Getty Images/Anton Ostapenko

Kirstyn Mayden is a Christian blogger who writes devotionals that empower and equip believers in their everyday lives. She is a wife, Mom, and loves Jesus. She has a Master of Divinity degree from Emory University in Atlanta, GA. For the last 20 years, Kirstyn has served in several ministry capacities. She has a passion to serve with women empowering them to grow and live out their God-given purpose. Currently, she serves alongside her husband in ministry in West Virginia. She is the author of Merciful Moments: A Devotional Journal for Moving Forward with Grace Each Day. Connect with Kirstyns blog here.
The global aviation body said Tuesday that the risk of catching COVID-19 on a plane was low and there was no need to leave the middle seat empty once the industry takes off again.

Follow latest updates on the COVID-19 pandemic here

The International Air Transport Association backed the wearing of masks by both passengers and crew but said it did not support physical distancing measures that would leave the middle seat empty in a row of three.

There would be "dramatic cost increases" if such seats were left empty, IATA said in a statement, warning that airlines might otherwise go bust if they struggled to break even.

The aviation industry has taken a big hit in the coronavirus crisis, as lockdown measures and travel restrictions bite.

IATA said that evidence so far -- which it admitted was limited -- suggested the risk of virus transmission on a plane was already low.

It said the reasons why this could be include the fact that passengers face forwards, with limited face-to-face interaction, while seats provide a barrier to the person in front.

It said the air flow downwards from the ceiling to the floor further reduces the potential for transmission, while air flow rates are not high and "not conducive to droplet spread" as in regular indoor environments.

Meanwhile, High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters on modern aircraft clean cabin air to hospital operating theatre quality, said IATA.

"The cabin environment naturally makes transmission of viruses difficult," said IATA chief Alexandre de Juniac.

"Our aim is to make the cabin environment even safer with effective measures so that passengers and crew can return to travel with confidence.

"Screening, face coverings and masks are among the many layers of measures that we are recommending. Leaving the middle seat empty, however, is not."

Besides everyone adopting masks on board, proposed temporary measures to reduce the risk of infection include temperature screening of passengers, airport workers and passengers, and limiting movement in the cabin mid-flight.

More frequent and deeper cleaning measures are being considered, along with boarding and disembarking processes that reduce contact.

Immunity passports and testing for the novel coronavirus could also be included, in time.

Geneva-based IATA said that physical distancing measures on planes would "fundamentally shift the economics of aviation".

It said the maximum load factor would be cut to 62 percent -- well below the industry's break-even figure of 77 percent.

Ticket costs would therefore have to go up by between 43 percent and 54 percent just to cover costs, said IATA.

"Airlines are fighting for their survival. Eliminating the middle seat will raise costs. If that can be offset with higher fares, the era of affordable travel will come to an end," said Juniac.

"On the other hand, if airlines can't recoup the costs in higher fares, airlines will go bust.

"Neither is a good option when the world will need strong connectivity to help kick-start the recovery from COVID-19's economic devastation."
Burst Oral Care, a startup that sells an electric toothbrush boasting charcoal bristles and 33,000 sonic vibrations per minute, has raised a Series C of undisclosed size.

Although we don't know the amount of the round, the Series C was led by Goldman Sachs Growth Equity, and Burst says it more than doubled the valuation from its previous round. (Goldman Sachs' other direct-to-consumer investments include women's razor startup Billie, which was recently acquired by P&G.)

The startup also says it has hundreds of thousands of subscribers who don't just buy the $69.99 toothbrush but are also signed up to receive $6 replacement heads every 90 days. Co-founder and President Brittany Stewart argued that the need for a product like this has only grown in recent months, as the COVID-19 pandemic has shut down many dentists' offices (dentists were facing some of the highest risks of exposure).

"The only care that you're getting is oral care at home," Stewart said.

As a result, she suggested that more dentists are pointing their patients to Burst as a way to keep their mouths in good shape until it's safe to get a professional cleaning. (Meanwhile, some of the factories that Burst works with in China were closed by the pandemic, but Stewart said the company had done enough inventory planning that subscriptions were not affected.)

Burst founders Hamish Khayat and Brittany Stewart

Burst founders Hamish Khayat and Brittany Stewart

In fact, although Burst sells its toothbrush through a direct-to-consumer, subscription e-commerce model, it reaches new customers through a network of 25,000 "ambassadors"  namely, dental professionals who get a personalized discount code and referral fee for recommending the product.

This approach has prompted at some skeptical comparisons to multi-level marketing programs, but Burst and its investors have said it's closer to an affiliate model. And during our interview, co-founder and CEO Hamish Khayat suggested that one of the startup's real strengths compared other toothbrush and dental care startups is its involvement with the professional community.

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"Since we started the company, we've been to every single dental show, we've been to dental offices, and through that we've garnered a very different set of knowledge," Khayat said.

Stewart added that as Burst develops new products, it's doing so in consultation with "thousands of dental professionals." It's already expanded beyond the toothbrush with products like floss, whitening strips and toothpaste, and Khayat said one of the big priorities in the comings months is launching a lineup of products for kids.

Burst previously raised a total of $20 million in funding. As part of the new investment, Goldman's Allison Berardo and Hillel Moerman are joining the company's board of directors.

"We are excited to back Brittany, Hamish, and the rest of the BURST team as they harness the power of the dental community to build a next-generation oral care business," Berardo said in a statement. "BURST has a clear vision and brand ethos and we believe they have meaningful runway ahead with regard to both their product suite and go-to-market strategy.
People pray outside the Baitul Mukarram mosque in Dhaka, which has been temporarily closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, May 1, 2020.

Bangladesh authorities on Wednesday announced a re-opening of mosques, despite a steep daily increase in coronavirus infections in recent days, while tightening a clampdown on speech critical of the government.

The governments move came in response to pressure from religious leaders, and was conditioned on participants adhering to safety precautions, a senior official said, adding that the re-opening applied only to Muslim houses of worship.

All mosques will be open to public for mass prayers on Thursday after Zohr prayers. Sheikh Md Abdullah, state minister for religious affairs, told BenarNews, referring to noon-time rituals.

There was strong pressure on the government to open the mosques. Islamic scholars were demanding it. We are opening mosques considering their demands, on condition of adhering to health safety guidelines.

Mass public worship has been banned nationwide due to coronavirus contagion fears since April 6. Confirmed infections have been ramping up sharply for the last two weeks, reaching 11,719 on Wednesday after 790 people tested positive in the last 24 hours. A total of 186 deaths have been reported.

At the same time, authorities have been cracking down on speech deemed to be anti-government, misinformation or rumors. The paramilitary Rapid Action Battalion police unit on Wednesday filed a First Information Report (FIR) against 11 people under the Digital Security Act.

The people named were spreading rumors about the coronavirus on Facebook and using defamatory language  that may destroy the governments image, according to the FIR, which is a formal police complaint, obtained by BenarNews.

Four were immediately arrested under 2018 draconian law that allows people to be detained based on suspicion of wrongdoing. Those arrests brought to nine the number of people arrested under the act thus far this month, including five journalists and a cartoonist.

Limitations in healthcare

Leaders of Islamic organizations, including Hefazat-e-Islam chief Allama Ahmed Shafi, hailed the decision to open mosques, but it came as a surprise to many.

The number of coronavirus patients is increasing every day. We discussed the situation and the possible outcome of opening businesses at a meeting of the National Committee Regarding COVID-19 on Tuesday, said Kanak Kanti Barua, vice-chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in Dhaka.

The health minister himself in the meeting said that more people will contract coronavirus if business and religious sites open, Barua told BenarNews, referring to Zahid Maleque. I agree with him and I expressed the same view in the meeting.

We have limitations in healthcare in Bangladesh. We neither have the ability, nor the structures and facilities to serve thousands of coronavirus patients, he said.

Mustafizur Rahman of the Dhaka-based think tank Center for Policy Dialogue noted that most countries were re-opening when infections were declining, not increasing.

It is going to be a dangerous decision to open up businesses when the maximum number of corona-positive patients are still being identified, he told BenarNews.

Tens of thousands of Bangladeshi garment workers went back to work in late April, and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced Monday that cottage industries, markets and small enterprises could reopen as long as health and safety standards were maintained.

Earlier Wednesday, the ministry issued a circular outlining health and safety guidelines for mosques reopening amid the pandemic. Mosques must not use carpets, but must sterilize the floor before every worship service and provide hand sanitizer or soap to worshippers to use before entering, it said.

Worshippers must perform pre-prayer ablutions at home, wear masks to mosque and stand three feet apart. Children, the elderly, the sick, and those caring for sick people must stay home.

Lawyer Hasnat Qaiyum holds a news conference via Facebook Live after relatives of IT specialist and activist Didarul Islam Bhuiyan said he had gone missing, May 6, 2020. (Sharif Khiam/BenarNews)

Cartoonist, writers arrested

A cartoonist and two expatriate journalists were among those cited Wednesday for allegedly spreading rumors.

Tasnim Khalil and Shahed Alam published content about Bangladesh while in Sweden and the United States, respectively. Ahmed Kishore had been posting original satirical cartoons about the pandemic on his Facebook page.

Kishore was immediately arrested, along with IT specialist and activist Didarul Islam Bhuiyan, writer Mushtaq Ahmed, and business owner Minhaz Mannan Emon, police sources told BenarNews.

Minhaz is the brother of Xulhaz Mannan, who was among a string of activists and intellectuals killed by Muslim extremists between 2013 and 2018.

They have been arrested on charges of spreading anti-government remarks and rumors regarding the coronavirus situation and various law enforcement agencies, Police Sub-Inspector Jamshedul Alam said.

On World Press Freedom Day, May 3, Amnesty International said some governments were using the COVID-10 pandemic as a pretext to crack down on critical voices.

Amnesty noted that BenarNews itself has been blocked inside Bangladesh since it reported on an internal U.N. memo leaked in late March estimating that Bangladesh could see as many as two million deaths as a result of the pandemic without interventions.
The magistrates court in Putrajaya banned journalists from covering an open court proceeding against the eldest daughter of UMNO party president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Nurulhidayah Ahmad Zahid and her husband Saiful Nizam Mohd Yusoff on May 5. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has backed its affiliate the National Union of Journalists Peninsular Malaysia (NUJM) in expressing regret regarding the banning and demand the authorities respect the rights of journalists.

Journalists were on standby since early morning on Tuesday to cover the case. However, at least five reporters were told to leave without clear explanation. The court still allowed some members of the public to remain in court.

Nurulhidayah and her husband were fined RM800 each or US$ 185 by the magistrate's court for violating the government's movement control order (MCO) last month. They were charged with travelling from Kajang, a town located around 20 km southeast of Kuala Lumpurto the Environment Department in Putrajaya at 9am on April 20.

Malaysia announced the MCO on March 18 in order to contain the spread of Covid-19. The government says it does not interfere in the judiciary, amid questions about the disparity in punishments for those violating the MCO.

NUJM in its statement said it regrets such action, especially for a case that was set for an open court hearing where public has the right to attend the proceedings. The incident is an attempt to prevent journalists the freedom to gather information.

As long as the journalists do not violate court rules, the directive can be deemed as an obstruction to the journalist's duty in obtaining news. Such directive would showcase Malaysia as not practising media freedom since the court was the symbol of justice in the country, NUJM added.

IFJ said: Journalists should have the unimpeded right to access the open court and cover a case of public interest. IFJ is disappointed with the incident and calls on authorities to ensure journalists can work freely and safely to serve the public by providing high quality, accurate information.
One civilian was killed in a protest that broke out in a village in Awantipora after the killing of Reyaz Naikoo, a most wanted terrorist and the so-called chief of banned terror group Hizbul Mujahideen, officials said on Wednesday.

Protestors pelted stones at the security forces when they were withdrawing from the encounter site at Beighpora in Awantipora area of Pulwama district, 40 kms from here.

The civilian was buried after the necessary formalities were completed by the hospital authorities, they said.

Taking a cue from North Kashmir where authorities did not handover the body of a 14-year-old boy who was killed in cross fire to his family members to avoid a large gathering at the funeral, the local residents kept the death of the civilian a secret till the time of his burial.

Mohammad Hazim Bhat, 14, was killed in a brief shootout when militants opened fire on a CRPF patrol party at Wangam-Qaziabad in Kralgund area of the north Kashmir district on Monday.

Three CRPF jawans were killed in the incident, police said, adding that a civilian, Bhat, was also found dead at the scene of the incident. However, Bhat's body was not handed over to his family and instead was laid to rest in a graveyard more than 30 kilometres away from his village.

At least four other persons have suffered bullet injuries and 12 others were admitted to the hospital with pellet wounds, they said, adding, the condition of all of them was stable.

Naikoo, who had been evading arrest for the last eight years, was killed in an encounter with security forces this afternoon along with a fellow terrorist.

In a separate encounter in the same district, security forces carried out a cordon and search operation at Sarshali following intelligence inputs that terrorists were hiding there.

During the cordon and search operations, terrorists fired at the approaching police party and in the ensuing encounter two terrorists belonging to Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Taiba terror group were killed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
DENVER, May 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- SM Energy Company ("SM Energy" or the "Company") (NYSE: SM) today announced an amendment to its existing Credit Agreement to increase the aggregate amount of second lien debt permitted thereunder. The Fourth Amendment to the Sixth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement provides that the Company is permitted to grant a second-lien security interest on up to $1.0 billion in aggregate amount, including the entire amount of its outstanding $172.5 million 1.500% Senior Convertible Notes due 2021.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

SM Energy Company is an independent energy company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids in the state of Texas. SM Energy routinely posts important information about the Company on its website. For more information about SM Energy, please visit its website at www.sm-energy.com .

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Hyderabad, May 6 : Say no to Eid shopping this year to help the needy campaign is gathering momentum with the backing from a cross section of Muslim community.

The campaign which started on social media a few days ago found huge support in cities across India. The community is being urged to celebrate the true spirit of Ramzan by feeding a family, by paying someone's school fee, helping someone restart the business and pay someone's rent.

Religious scholars, intellectuals, politicians and youth have appealed to the community to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr with simplicity without new clothes and new footwear and use the money thus saved to help those who are facing severe hardships due to the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown.

With little more than two weeks to go for Eid, which marks the culmination of Ramzan, appeals are being made to the entire community to avoid shopping and use the money to help the needy among their relatives, neighbours or other people in their towns and cities.

As the Telangana government has extended the lockdown till May 29, there will be no Eid celebrations in the state. Hyderabad, a key hub of Ramzan festivities and shopping, is deserted and there are no chances of garment or footwear shops re-opening before the festival.

As Hyderabad is one of the six red zone districts, the government has ruled out allowing markets to open. Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao said he will review the situation on May 15 to consider any relaxation.

He has also made it clear that no congregational prayers will be allowed on the occasion of Eid. Muslims offer 'namaz' in Eidgahs and mosques to mark the festival.

"When there will be no Namaz-e-Eid, what purpose will new clothes serve. As it is there is no festive atmosphere due to the pandemic and the lockdown and the miseries they caused to millions," activist S.Q. Masood told IANS.

On an average a middle class family spends about Rs 50,000 on Eid shopping. They not just buy the new clothes and new footwear but also go for new curtains, upholstery, crockery and some other household items.

The crisis triggered by the outbreak of Covid-19 and resultant lockdown has already considerably impacted purchasing power of many families. Those depending on the business during Ramzan have been hit hard.

As Ramzan is called as the month of empathy, community leaders have urged the affluent to come forward to help the needy, the daily wagers and those rendered jobless by nearly a 50-day long lockdown.

"The so-called poor are anyway getting the help from the government and many organisations. A person will stand in many queues and receive help from many quarters. We have to think of the lower middle class who are going through very tough times but who don't seek any help," said Affan Quadri of Mehar organisation which has been distributing ration kits and cooked food among the needy since the lockdown began in March.

Setting an example for others, Affan and other office bearers of the organisation have taken the responsibility of the food and other requirements of their neighbours for the entire lockdown period. "Whatever money one saves by not doing Eid shopping should be spent on the neighbor so that they can also celebrate Eid," said Affan.

Nawab Najaf Ali Khan, the grandson of Nizam, the ruler of erstwhile Hyderabad State, has also lent the support to 'no Eid shopping'. "In these critical times when many people have lost their livelihood and are starving, we should not indulge in unnecessary Eid shopping and instead use this money to help those in need," said Khan.

For the last 40 days, dozens of organisations are distributing ration kits or cooked food among the needy.

With the beginning of Ramzan, Muslims started paying their 'zakat' to meet the needs of those badly affected by the lockdown.

Muslims who possess wealth in excess of the minimum exemption limit, pay 'zakat' or 2.5 percent annual tax to the poor and the needy during every Ramzan.

Before Eid, all the Muslims irrespective of their wealth and age have to pay 'fitra' (2.5 kg wheat or equivalent amount). Aid workers say both 'zakat' and 'fitra' this year are being used to help those affected by the lockdown.

Help, through the money saved on Eid shopping, is expected to give more push to the aid work.

"Wear the best clothes and not new clothes. Celebrate the Eid with simplicity and help the needy," eminent religious scholar Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rehmani urged all men, women and children.

He said Muslims should not go to markets for Eid shopping as this may lead to violation of social distancing norms and result in the spread of the disease. "Your health and the health of your near and dear ones should be more important than new clothes," he said.

The religious scholar said Muslims should also give no opportunity to certain communal elements who are trying to spread the hatred even during the times of pandemic.

He pointed out how a section of the media already started showing burka-clad women in cities where garment shops have been allowed to open with certain relaxations in the lockdown.

Messages have been circulating over social media since the beginning of Ramzan, cautioning them about the conspiracy to open the markets for Eid shopping and then blaming them for spreading the coronavirus.
There was no Champagne, no handing over of keys, and definitely no celebratory hug with their real estate agent, but Josh and Trish Poupore bought a new house last week.

Home sales have plummeted during the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing many individuals involved with real estate - agents, lawyers, photographers, appraisers, inspectors and title searchers - to do things differently than ever before. But deals are still getting done.

Josh Poupore, senior vice-president of Corning Place Communications, and his wife, Trish, a high school counselor, found a house they wanted to buy in Niskayuna on March 8 and quickly put in an offer. The inspection was March 14, and with the process moving smoothly, the Poupores prepared to put their Scotia home on the market. Then came the shutdowns.

"We expected everything to stop moving, we expected to be stuck and it would be that way a while," Josh Poupore said.

But the Poupores' real estate agent, Joe Mulone from the Property Shop, kept things in motion. He coordinated virtual showings and the Poupores let the prospective buyers' real estate agents in the house, each one carrying hand sanitizer and wearing masks. The agents gave their clients tours with their phones. During one showing, Josh and Trish sat in their car in the driveway so they could access WiFi and continue working. The next time, they stopped at a Panera drive-through and drove around eating lunch.

After three virtual showings the couple accepted an offer of $210,000 on April 10. The closing, easily the weirdest part of the whole thing, was in a parking lot near the 1st National Bank in Scotia.

The Poupores stayed in their car wearing matching masks while they signed paperwork and wrote checks. Their real estate attorney, Gary O'Connor, stood outside the car, passing paperwork over to Bill Bates, the lawyer for the bank. When it was done, the Poupores drove over to their new house, where they used a code to enter and found the keys on the kitchen counter. Neither the sellers or their attorney were required to be at the closing.

O'Connor has been a real estate attorney for 45 years. He's lived through a lot of ups, downs and changes in the business, but nothing as weird as this, he said. Lawyers are considered essential employees, he's continued to come to the office, less than a mile from his house in Scotia. His partner, Lydia Marola, works on the other side of the office. He's done four closings since Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo order non-essential workers to stay home.

"One was in a car, the other was the back of a truck, one was on the patio of a tavern owned by the other attorney," O'Connor said.

Mulone, the Poupores' Realtor, has moved onto helping a client in Ohio buy a house in the Capital Region and jumped through hoops in that instance as well.

At the buyer's request, Mulone sent a virtual tour to his client, but it wasn't enough to give the prospective buyer a sense of the floor plan and layout. When Mulone asked the seller for permission to film the house, the seller said no, but agreed to a Zoom conference with Mulone's client. But because the conference was conducted over laptop, the quality of the images wasn't good enough. Afterward, the homeowner allowed Mulone, a professional photographer as well as a real estate agent, to film the house himself for his client.

"The buyer felt comfortable enough to put in an offer," Mulone said.

Now, he's waiting to see if it will be accepted.

"Staying in compliance is a challenge," Mulone said. "Josh and Trish did the final walk through by themselves, without either me or the seller's agent. That's unheard of."

Mulone is also worried about his colleagues. Real estate agents are independent contractors, and all the expenses of marketing a house come out of their pocket before a commission check comes in.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

"Yes, there's business, but not enough to go around. Not everyone is going to survive this," he said.

Kristi Benson, a real estate photographer, has been offering her photo editing skills while she was out of work. Wednesday, after two tries and weeks of waiting, she received approval from the state to go back to work because she can do it by herself.

Pauline Cusick, a real estate salesperson with Howard Hanna who has eight years of experience, has been using this time to learn new skills.

"I did an open house by myself last weekend over Zoom. I never thought I'd be doing something like that," Cusick said.

She advertised the conference on social media and five people came.

"I figure if people are taking the time to log in, they're interested - it's different from popping into an open house."

Cusick doesn't have an offer on the house yet, but she says the quiet time has been nice in a lot of ways. She's checking in with past clients, attending webinars hosted by Howard Hanna and spending time with her children, both college age.

"We're all adapting, learning new technology, and now we know it, we'll use it in the future in powerful ways."
(Newser)  "We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASA's ambitious plans a reality," per a Tuesday tweet from NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, and what better way to accomplish that than to fly Tom Cruise to the International Space Station to make a movie? NASA announced Tuesday it has signed on to the plan to do just that, CNN reports, though it's not clear exactly when the actor will get thereor how he'll get there, as Russia is currently the only country that is able to get humans to and from the ISS. SpaceX and Boeing have been working on spacecraft that would be able to transport humans to and from the station, and Deadline reports that SpaceX is reportedly working on the Cruise-NASA project.

story continues below

While films including a Cruise-narrated documentary have been shot on the space station, this will be the first "narrative feature film" shot there. The New York Times reports footage for television commercials has also been shot in space. Other than the genreaction-adventurelittle is yet known about the movie, which is said to be in its early stages, with no studio yet attached. "We will say more about the project at the appropriate time," a NASA rep says. (Read more Tom Cruise stories.)
For more coverage, visit our complete coronavirus section here.

Another San Francisco company is preparing for major layoffs.

San Francisco-based Uber announced Wednesday it's cutting nearly 3,700 full-time employees as demand for its service has dropped dramatically amid the coronavirus pandemic.

With people taking fewer trips, the unfortunate reality is that there isnt enough work for many of our front-line customer support employees," Uber said in a statement. "Since we dont know how long a recovery will take, we are taking steps to bring our costs in line with the size of our business today. This was a tough decision, but it is the right one to help protect the companys long-term health and ensure we come out of this crisis stronger.

Uber said it is eliminating positions in customer-support operations and recruiting teams. The company has already reduced costs by dropping incentives and marketing campaigns. Its business partner operations workforce has been reduced by more than half, Uber said.

Yesterday, California announced it's suing ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft, alleging they misclassified their drivers as independent contractors under the state's new labor law.

The labor law, known as AB5 and considered the nation's strictest test, took effect Jan. 1 and makes it harder for companies to classify workers as independent contractors instead of employees who are entitled to minimum wage and benefits such as workers compensation.

California represents Uber and Lyfts largest source of revenue. The companies, as well as Doordash, are funding a ballot initiative campaign to exclude their drivers from the law while giving new benefits such as health care coverage. The initiative is likely to qualify for the November ballot.

ALSO: ADP: More than 20 million jobs vanished in April

The news of Uber's layoffs comes after S.F.-based Airbnb announced Tuesday it is cutting 1,900 employees, roughly 25% of its workforce, and Lyft laid off 982 workers and furloughed another 280 last week.

The economy is suffering as COVID-19 continues its march across the U.S., and payroll provider ADP said Wednesday that 20.2 million Americans lost their jobs in April. The losses will likely continue through May, with a recovery in hiring likely to begin in the months that follow, said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics.

This is one for the record books," Zandi said. The good news is that we're at the apex of the job loss."

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 at SFGATE. Email her: agraff@sfgate.com.
Striking images show the diversity of some of India's most remote tribes including Drokpas and Apatani

Advertisement

Stunning images capture the incredibly diverse tribes of India, including members of the 'wife-swapping' Himalayan Drokpa people, Konyak 'headhunters' and the solemn faces of the Apatani.

The striking images are part of a series called 'The Last Avatar' and were taken by photographer Aman Chotani, 31, from Delhi, India.

The photographer's aim is to educate people about Indian communities and to help stop them from dying out.

Mr Chotani travelled to 10 Indian states to capture each image; Gujrat, Rajasthan, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Varanasi, Odisha, Uttarakhand, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Karnataka.

An Aghori tribesman pictured covered in electric blue. The Aghori are a reclusive and holy Hindu sect thought to possess healing powers. The Aghori reside near cremation sites along the banks of the Ganges in Varanasi where bodies are routinely cremated and scattered into the sacred river

A woman wearing colourful flowers on her head from the Drokpa tribe, left and a Drokpa tribeswoman solemnly staring out of a window, right. The striking images are part of a series called 'The Last Avatar' and were taken by photographer Aman Chotani, 31, from Delhi, India

A man considered a 'Head Hunter' from the Konyak Tribe. The Konyak tribe, nestled in India's remote and mountainous north east, are distinguished by their unique headdresses - the result of a successful hunt in which the head of an enemy is adorned to capture the enemy's spirit and represent the captor's courage and bravery

The Drokpa people live in small tribes along the Indus River in the Jammu and Kashmir region of northern India.

Drokpa means Aryan or white-skinned in Ladakhi  and the 3,000 or so remaining members are believed to descend from a group of long-lost soldiers from Alexander the Great's army, according to Mr Chotani.

Mr Chotani says Drokpas  who still use the ancient Sanskrit swastika symbol, corrupted by Nazis as a propaganda tool  count fashion as an important part of their culture.

An elderly woman from the Drokpas tribe smiling and wearing decorated multi-coloured headgear, left, and a more pensive-looking female member of the tribe. Drokpa means Aryan or white-skinned in Ladakhi  and the 3,000 or so remaining members are believed to descend from a group of long-lost soldiers from Alexander the Great's army, according to Mr Chotani

A group of tribeswomen from the Drokpas tribe. Mr Chotani says Drokpas  who still use the ancient Sanskrit swastika symbol, which has been corrupted by Nazis as a propaganda tool  says fashion is an important part of the tribe's culture. He captured portraits of women wearing traditional dresses, headdresses and goatskin capes - and adorned with intricate hand-made jewellery, flowers, feathers and seashells. 'This is all in an effort of attracting a mate and identifying themselves enough to be seen and chosen by a suitor,' he said

He captured portraits of women wearing traditional dresses, headdresses and goatskin capes - and adorned with intricate hand-made jewellery, flowers, feathers and seashells.

'This is all in an effort of attracting a mate and identifying themselves enough to be seen and chosen by a suitor,' he said.

However, he says they don't share or follow societal norms.

'Public displays of affection are normal and encouraged in the Drokpa community; as was the concept of wife-swapping,' he said.

Other striking photographs show the Konyak Tribe from Nagaland in the north east.

The Konyak tribe, nestled in India's remote and mountainous north east, are distinguished by their unique headdresses - the result of a successful hunt in which the head of an enemy is adorned to capture the enemy's spirit and represent the captor's courage and bravery.

The tradition is seen as a rite of passage for young boys transitioning into manhood and reflects the Konyak's more violent history of attacking enemy tribes, where the heads of tribe warriors were taken home as trophies and hung in houses for all to admire.

A Konyak tribesman creating a fire. The Konyak tribe, nestled in India's remote and mountainous north east, are distinguished by their unique headdresses - the result of a successful hunt in which the head of an enemy is adorned to capture the enemy's spirit and represent the captor's courage and bravery

One of the Konyak tribesman wearing facial tattoos and horns on his head, left, and right, a close-up shot of a man from the Konyak Tribe. The headdress tradition is seen as a rite of passage for young boys transitioning into manhood and reflects the Konyak's more violent history of attacking enemy tribes, where the heads of tribe warriors were taken home as trophies and hung in houses for all to admire.

A woman from the Raikas tribe who live in the state of Rajasthan, pictured looking solemn. Chotani spent weeks living with the tribes to immerse himself in their lives, saying he was inspired by the life they lead.

The more heads a warrior had, the more powerful he was seen to be, with the headdress made and adorned to show off his skill, strength, and prowess.

The photo series also depicts members of the Apatani tribe, who live in the Ziro valley in the Lower Subasiri district of Arunachal Pradesh, India.

The images show the Apatani women's nose plugs, a form of body modification originally intended to make females of the tribe less attractive and therefore less likely to be kidnapped by their enemies.

Nose plugging was a ritual performed to make the women of the tribe look less appealing to potential kidnappers.

The Apatani tribe, who live within the jaws of Ziro Valley in Arunachal Pradesh, India, are also referred to as Tani and are commonly known for nose plugging and dark facial tattoos.

An elderly couple from the Apatani tribe. Nose plugging was a ritual performed to make the women of the tribe look less appealing to potential kidnappers. The elders of the tribe felt at the time that they had to do this in a bid to prevent the women being attacked

The elders of the tribe felt at the time that they had to do this in a bid to prevent the women being attacked.

Ziro Valley was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2014.

One striking image shows an Aghori tribesman covered in electric blue, pictured against the setting sun. The Aghori are a reclusive and holy Hindu sect thought to possess healing powers.

The Aghori reside near cremation sites along the banks of the Ganges in Varanasi where bodies are routinely cremated and scattered into the sacred river.

The ashes are collected and smeared across the skin to create a bluish grey colouring, aiding the Aghori's search for spiritual enlightenment.

Shunning material belongings, the Aghori often walk around unclothed in an attempt to encourage detachment from what they see as earthly delusions and better present the human body in its purest form.

Also pictured are two young girls from the Ahir tribe who live in the Satapar village in Anjar, in the state of Gujarat, and a woman from the Banjaras tribe, which exemplifies existing in harmony with nature.

Chotani spent weeks living with the tribes to immerse himself in their lives, saying he was inspired by the life they lead.

A little girl from the Ahir tribe, left, and right another girl from the Ahir tribe who lives in the Satapar village of Anjar. Mr Chotani states that by saving other cultures we are 'saving ourselves' and his photo series has brought so many people together who loved his project. 'It is the beauty of the people and places, that I encountered through my journey that added spark to my intentions,' he said

Mr Chotani said of his work: 'The sole purpose of the images is to shoot them in their true avatar, which to me is more like the manifestation of an Indian deity.

'I see the god's image in them; beautiful, vibrant, and powerful. And their ethnic wear with the striking jewellery and much celebrated head gears, does truly give the impression of the lord almighty and that's why I call this project "The Last Avatar".'

Mr Chotani states that by saving other cultures we are 'saving ourselves' and his photo series has brought so many people together who loved his project.

'It is the beauty of the people and places, that I encountered through my journey that added spark to my intentions,' he said.

'I started this journey alone and eventually kept coming across like-minded people who not only encouraged me but also supported my initiative.

A woman from the Bheel Tribe, wearing a headscarf, left, and a woman from Banjaras tribe - a tribe that exemplifies existing in harmony with nature, wearing a scarf over her face, right. Mr Chotani said of his work: 'The sole purpose of the images is to shoot them in their true avatar, which to me is more like the manifestation of an Indian deity

'This idea originally came from my Guru, Louis Kleynhans, whom I used to assist in Durban, South Africa. He was quite actively involved with the indigenous communities residing there.

'Not only was he documenting them but was also helping them in building their community. Often, I would assist him in these activities.

'When I came back to India, I was so moved by these tribal experiences that I started to travel across the tribal regions.

'Initially I was only focussed on documenting them but as I started interacting with them, I started to develop a deeper understanding of their traditional knowledge systems and sustainable tourism. And since then, I have dedicated my efforts on building the project around these concepts.'
An anxiety-inducing college admissions requirement  the dreaded standardized test  could be temporarily scrapped at most University of Wisconsin campuses over the next two school years.

UW System President Ray Cross will ask the UW Board of Regents Thursday to temporarily suspend, for all campuses but UW-Madison, a Systemwide policy requiring applicants to submit ACT or SAT scores, according to board meeting materials. The suspension would be in place for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years.

If approved, most System institutions would follow in the footsteps of a growing number of universities across the country that have temporarily waived the testing requirement amid coronavirus uncertainty. Colleges that recently adjusted their admissions policies, including the University of California system, the University of Washington and the University of Oregon, argue that it is an unfair burden on students to take timed tests in these extraordinary circumstances.
YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has become a beacon of hope for democracy in Europe and Eurasia. Two years ago, the Armenian people took to the streets to demand a change of leadership  hungry to usher in democratic reforms and replace the kleptocratic practices that had held their country back for a generation. For 40 days, hundreds of thousands of Armenians conducted peaceful, organized protests throughout the country. In May 2018, thisVelvet Revolution" brought to power a new reform-minded government.

USAID has seized this window of opportunity to support the vision of those demanding change by aiding the government and Armenian society in developing and implementing an ambitious reform agenda.

Here are five ways USAID has fostered Armenias progress on its Journey to Self-Reliance

Photo Credit: Reuters / Gleb Garanich

Caption: Armenian youth gather in Republic Square in Yerevan during Armenia's Velvet Revolution in April/May 2018. The peaceful campaign brought to power a new, reform-minded government.

Free and Fair Elections

Just weeks after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took office, USAID brought international experts to Armenia to support the governments top priority: conducting parliamentary elections.

A heavy lift for a newly-formed government, USAID experts worked closely with Armenias Central Elections Commission to train 20,000 poll workers, educate voters, combat disinformation, and facilitate the first national election debate. As a result, just seven months after the new government was installed, they successfully conducted parliamentary elections that were widely deemed by international and domestic observer groups to be free and fair  a first in Armenias 28-year post-Soviet history. The elections strengthened the trust between the government and its people, a fundamental principle of democracy, upon which further reforms will be based.

To ensure that future elections will be free and fair, USAID is supporting Armenias efforts to reform its electoral system  helping to amend its electoral code and strengthen its electoral institutions. Since 76 percent of the newly elected parliamentarians are serving for the first time, USAID is helping them build the skills they need to represent their constituents through hands-on training, including activities tailored to support female parliamentarians and a new internship program.

Photo Credit: USAID/IFES

Caption: CEC poll workers are trained by International Foundation for Electoral Systems through USAID's Strengthening Electoral Processes and Political Accountability project in advance of snap parliamentary elections in 2018.

Transformational Reforms to Spark an Economic Revolution

The Armenian government has taken a deliberative, strategic approach to implementing reforms, and has made significant progress. It has developed a 30-year Transformation Strategy, which focuses on anti-corruption measures and judicial reform, while seeking to set the foundations for an economic revolution. USAID support will help ensure that these reforms improve the quality of life for ordinary Armenians. Over the past year, USAID has worked hand in hand with the government in developing strategies to expand sectors of Armenias economy with high-growth potential, including tourism, high-tech and agriculture. These efforts will be bolstered by investments to develop renewable energy sources, fostering energy independence and fueling Armenias economy.

Photo Credit: From TIAC CPI Report 2019

Photo caption: Transparency International's Anti-Corruption Center's annual Corruption Perception Index shows Armenia's improvement in combating corruption.

Rooting Out Corruption

For the Armenian government to make good on its commitment to a new chapter in Armenias democracy, however, policy reforms alone are not enough. Eradicating corruption is also among the governments highest priorities. This year, Armenia received its highest score ever in Transparency Internationals Annual Corruption Perception Index, the fourth-highest score of 19 countries in Europe and Eurasia. Armenia registered the second highest gains globally in V-Dems liberal democracy index, a metric used by USAID to measure a countrys Commitment to its development in the Journey to Self-Reliance.

USAID has been quick to support this progress, and to leverage Armenias expanding political will into an opportunity to achieve real impact in rooting out corruption. The new Corruption Prevention Commission (CPC), for example, is charged with combating corrupt practices and building integrity throughout the public sector. USAID will provide expertise to inform the CPCs organizational and management structure; support the design and adoption of a new methodology to prevent corruption in government ministries; establish integrity checks of nominees for public office; and foster the development of an electronic open data system to publish, analyze, and enforce public officials declaration of assets. The intended overall impact of the CPC is to help rebuild trust between Armenian citizens and their government.

Inspiring Citizens to Remain Engaged

Across Armenia, USAID has also doubled down on efforts to empower citizens to remain engaged in the civic and political future of their communities. In November, 2019, USAID launched the Lets Do Something campaign to sustain the momentum of citizen activism sparked by the Velvet Revolution by engaging citizens across Armenias 10 regions in community service projects. USAID also supports efforts to enhance the Armenian governments ability to communicate progress on reforms to citizens  reinforcing new norms of more citizen-responsive and accountable governance. And since March 2020, USAID has provided support to the Government of Armenia to develop campaigns to share timely, critical information regarding COVID-19, which has further strengthened trust between the government and its citizens.

Photo Credit: ASI/OTI

Photo Caption: USAID/OTI's Armenia Support Initiative's "Let's Do Something" campaign supported the Armenian city of Gyumri to host a holiday market in December 2019. Residents and city leadership supported the campaign, which is working to sustain the momentum of citizen engagement in Armenia.

Empowering Young People

Looking toward the future, engaging Armenias youth is also a top USAID priority. Armenias young people played a pivotal role in the Velvet Revolution, and their continued engagement in political and community life at the local and national level will help sustain political will for further reform. USAIDs Schools of Local Democracy provide an online learning platform to foster youth engagement. USAID also engages youth in citizen journalist activities to encourage their participation in responsible management of water in their communities. USAID Anti-Corruption Schools build young peoples awareness of corruption and involve them in anti-corruption efforts, with the goal of building a new generation of Armenians who will not tolerate corruption.

Whats Next?

While Armenians have demonstrated a strong commitment to democratic reforms, they recognize that significant challenges remain for building sustainable democratic institutions. USAID will continue to support Armenia as it works to build and foster the democratic future its people want and deserve.

Op-ed by Deborah Grieser

USAID Armenia Mission Director

Materials in the OPINIONS section express exclusively the authors opinion and may not coincide with the viewpoint of the editorial.
Thousands of families will receive cheques in the mail in the coming weeks with refunds for cancelled field trips and uneaten hot lunches.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 5/5/2020 (623 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Thousands of families will receive cheques in the mail in the coming weeks with refunds for cancelled field trips and uneaten hot lunches.

Every school year, students pay in advance for services ranging from classroom supplies to field trips. Combined, fees can cost hundreds in extra expenses.

Now that hallways have emptied and extracurricular activities have been called off, schools are holding onto fees for events that wont happen and expenses they wont incur.

In anticipation of in-person classes resuming in autumn, some administrators are banking unused fees for next year. Others are directly reimbursing students with funds, which vary between divisions and schools.

KRISTIN MURPHY / THE DESERET NEWS FILE Thousands of families will receive cheques in the mail in the coming weeks with refunds for cancelled field trips and uneaten hot lunches.

"Our commitment is to get money back in the pockets of families during these challenging times," said Stacey Ashley, spokeswoman for Pembina Trails School Division.

In Pembina Trails, which includes 35 schools and nearly 15,000 students, school staff were asked to aim to put cheques in the mail this week.

Ashley said delivery dates are expected to vary depending on school population, among other factors. The total sum that will be returned to families in the division is still unknown.

The provinces public school fee policy allows schools to charge students for paper, writing tools, calculators, student planners, exercise books and other equipment. Music instrument rentals, field trips, team trips and special events can also cost students extra.

On top of those fees, parent councils raise funds and collect fees to run programs throughout the school year.

BORIS MINKEVICH / FREE PRESS FILES Louis Riel School Division has opted to reimburse parents with three months worth of transportation fees.

Barb Bogen paid approximately $150 in fees this year for her two sons in the River-East Transcona School Division, where schools are giving students credits for the upcoming school year, where possible, and returning funds to graduating students without younger siblings via cheque.

A member of both school parent councils, Bogen said it doesnt make sense for schools to waste money on stamps and envelopes to return parents' minimal amounts.

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"I am in the school, I see how much teachers are putting out, what these (fees) go towards," she said. "The school fees are barely covering what the school teachers need, but every little bit counts."

Division scolaire franco-manitobaine will also carry over fees into next year, while the Louis Riel School Division has opted to reimburse parents with three months worth of lunch and transportation fees, as well as cancelled field trip funds. However, parents can also request their extra fees be rolled over for future use.

Winnipeg and St. James-Assiniboia school divisions have handed schools the task of dealing with excess fees at their discretion.

While Seven Oaks School Division doesnt charge student fees, pupils who live outside free transportation catchments and pay for bus service will not be charged for April, May or June.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, speaks on artificial intelligence during a Bruegel think tank conference in Brussels, Belgium January 20, 2020.

REUTERS/Yves Herman

Google employees have been told they can't expense food and other perks while working from home, as they're made to forego the company's usual free meals.

The company clarified its policy in an internal Q&A, as reported by CNBC.

Google is feeling the sting of the pandemic and no expense can be spared. But the company is making more significant concessions to save costs, including a slowdown in hiring for the rest of the year and slashing budgets.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Google is keeping a close eye on expenses as the company enters a particularly challenging quarter  and it doesn't stop at the little things.

According to CNBC, Google employees have been told they won't be able to expense food or other perks while working from home. This also includes things like home office furniture and fitness subscriptions, the company said.

Employees also won't be able to put their unused budgets towards any of these expenses, nor can they put the surplus cash towards a charity. The news was delivered to employees via an internal Q&A post.

However, a spokesperson told Business Insider that this is not a new policy. "Google does not reimburse Googlers for general food expenses incurred while working from home," said a spokesperson.

Since moving to work from home, Google's workforce has had to skip the regular free meals, an oft-praised perk of working for the tech giant. Several employees have told Business Insider it's the biggest benefit they have missed since leaving the office.

But the clarification from Google isn't all that surprising, as the company battens down the hatches for the months ahead. In its Q1 earnings last week, the company revealed that its ad business was feeling the sting of the pandemic.

However, the pandemic hit the company only in the second half of the quarter, so all eyes are on the company's Q2 performance to see the true devastation the currently global situation will wreak.

Story continues

Google CFO Ruth Porat said last week she anticipates the second quarter will be "a difficult one" for the company.

And expenses is just one of the ways Google is tightening its belt. Last month, the company said it would slow hiring for 2020 in all but key areas, while marketing budgets for the year have also been slashed.

The company said last week that it also expects "a modest decrease" in the total amount of capital expenditures in 2020 as it slows the pace of growing its global office space.

Last week, Business Insider reported that Google employees will see a "staggered" return to work later in the year, with CEO Sundar Pichai extending work-from-home until at least June 1.

Do you work at Google? Contact this reporter securely using encrypted messaging app Signal (+1 628-228-1836) or email (hlangley@businessinsider.com).

Read the original article on Business Insider
Texas State Parks will resume limited overnight camping beginning May 18, Texas Parks & Wildlife announced. However, parks will only honor existing reservations for now, to prevent overcrowding and continue social distancing.

After careful consideration, we are taking this additional step towards returning to normal operations in our parks by resuming some overnight camping at Texas State Parks, Executive Director of TPWD Carter Smith said in a statement. As overnight campers are welcomed back to their favorite natural spaces, our team will continue maintaining the cleanliness of frequently used facilities such as campsites, cabins and restrooms to ensure that visitors, volunteers and staff can continue to enjoy Texas State Parks safely.
Daniel Deforte hadnt had a fever in about 10 years. Admittedly, every fall, the 36-year-old Norwalk resident would get sick, but never like he did last November.

For three days, Deforte was struck with a 103-degree fever. His two boys, ages 2 and 4, and his wife, 35, also came down with the intense illness. Altogether, Deforte said the family was sick for about two months.

We all had extremely high fevers. It was very hard for me to breathe. There was a lot of coughing. Its taken us months to get over this coughing, Deforte said. My 4-year-old son actually got pneumonia from it, which is really strange. He still has a heavy cough till this day.

The family was tested for the flu, but results came back negative. Other than his sons pneumonia, doctors found no bacterial infection.

It just completely wiped us out, Deforte said.

The Defortes had mostly put the illness behind them until a few months ago when the COVID-19 outbreak started to intensify here. When the first case was confirmed in Connecticut on March 8, Deforte and his family began seriously questioning whether their illness was actually the coronavirus.

The family is not alone in wondering, especially amid recent reports that two California residents died of the virus in early- to mid-February, several weeks before what was believed to be the countrys first official COVID-related death.

In Norwalk, for example, Deforte was one of more than 100 people who responded to a post on a private Facebook community group, asking if anyone suspected they had the virus in February or earlier. Many, like Deforte, believed they had it in the fall or early winter.

But, despite reports like the one out of California, epidemiologists here are somewhat skeptical that the virus could have been present in Connecticut as early as the fall and are still limited in their ability to establish a timeline of the disease locally.

COVID-like symptoms can encompass a wide-range of symptoms with a wide-range of severities, said Dr. Patrick Kelley, a senior scholar at the Health Studies Program at Fairfield Universitys College of Arts and Sciences. Many of these symptoms can be found with other infectious diseases, including influenza, which is typically common during the months of January and February. So it would not be surprising that some folks in this area would have had COVID-like symptoms late in 2019, but many people who have had those symptoms would likely have conditions other than COVID-19.

The origins of the novel coronavirus, the seventh such virus in the family of illnesses, have been somewhat hotly contested, with conspiracy theories rife that it might have been man-made in a Chinese laboratory. But experts say the virus likely spread from bats to humans in Wuhan, China, sometime in November 2019.

Kelley and Dr. Michael Parry, chairman of infectious diseases at Stamford Health, pointed to this timeline as evidence that there likely could not have been transmission into the U.S. by the fall.

I suppose you could have had travels from that Wuhan area from mid- to late-December, Parry said. But common knowledge seems to be that most of the U.S. data around cases involves movement from Europe to the U.S.

I think December or November is very unlikely, Parry continued. But January or February is possible.

Dr. Nathan Grubaugh, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health, is part of a team using genome sequencing to track the virus mutations and determine its patterns of transmission. According to data from the teams COVIDTracker project  which is updated weekly  early transmission to Connecticut mostly came from Washington state, while the abundance of new transmissions more recently have come from within the state, or through contact with New York.

By mapping genomes, Grubaughs group hopes to answer when the virus arrived in Connecticut and where the first case originated. But there are inherent difficulties to arriving at those answers.

Thats the nature of this, there are always barriers to detecting that first case, Grubaugh said. Some of that is the fact that a lot of cases are asymptomatic. Youre going to have a lot of transmission happening before you have somebody going to a clinic.

According to Kelley, it was determined retroactively that the first cases in New York appeared to have been present in late February.

Which suggests that community-level circulation was likely for some weeks before that, Kelley said. (But), many of these infections would have been asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic.

But more research is still needed and is limited by the effectiveness and availability of serological (antibody) tests, which could, in theory, provide a more accurate account of when exactly the virus might have entered the state.

To determine the exact timeline is a challenge and partly dependent on the number and specimen date of historically available samples, Kelley said. Testing a significant number of representative stored samples from December, January and February might allow one to see when specific SARS-CoV-2 antibodies first appeared in the general population.

But, even now, its believed only a small percentage of the population has developed COVID-19 antibodies, Kelley said. So the likelihood of a large enough sample size of cases dating back to January or February might be insufficient.

For some, like the Defortes, not knowing comes with some anxiety.

Weve been interested to see if it really was that, if we had antibodies, Deforte said. But, so far, his family hasnt been able to get tested for antibodies.

If I was tested, Id definitely feel more comfortable, he said.

justin.papp@scni.com; @justinjpapp1; 203-842-2586
Bamboo Learning, the leader in voice-powered education, earned the distinction of Webby Honoree in two categories in the 24th Annual Webby Awards earlier this week. Bamboo Luminaries Alexa skill was the only honoree in the Apps, Mobile, and Voice: Education & Reference category, and Highlights Storybooks from Bamboo was honored in the Apps, Mobile, and Voice: Best Writing category. The Webby Awards, which are judged by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences, are hailed as the Internets highest honor by The New York Times, and have served as validation for some of the Internets best experiences for over two decades.

The judges were clearly impressed with the creativity and innovation of Bamboo Learning's two voice applications  Bamboo Luminaries and Highlights Storybooks from Bamboo, said Claire Graves, Executive Director of The Webby Awards. It is a remarkable accomplishment to be selected among the best from nearly 13,000 entries for the 2020 Webby Awards.

We are elated to have both our Bamboo Luminaries and Highlights Storybooks from Bamboo Alexa skills honored as part of the 24th Annual Webby Awards, said Ian Freed, Co-Founder and CEO of Bamboo Learning. Our team works hard every day to create engaging, fun voice applications to help children and families learn using Alexa, and it is terrific to be recognized for our work.

Bamboo Luminaries is a free voice application for Alexa for ages 7 to adult that teaches history through interactive exercises and trivia games about notable historical figures. Bamboo Luminaries now includes over 165 luminaries with diverse geographic, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds from various fields including art, film, literature, music, science, social justice, and sports. Alexa owners can just say Alexa, open Bamboo Luminaries to try it.

Highlights Storybooks from Bamboo is a free voice application for Alexa designed by literacy experts at Highlights for Children and Bamboo Learning. Highlights Storybooks from Bamboo helps children aged 5 to 9 develop and practice skills in vocabulary building, language acquisition, and reading comprehension. Because the majority of interaction occurs through listening to exercises on Alexa, children can build the listening comprehension skills needed to become strong readers and learners. Alexa owners can just say Alexa, open Highlights Storybooks to get started.

We are grateful to receive this honor from the Webby Awards for our work with Bamboo Learning to bring Highlights Storybooks to families in over 80 countries using Alexa, said Kent Johnson, CEO of Highlights for Children. Families have trusted Highlights for Children to foster Fun with a Purpose for over 70 years, and our work with Bamboo Learning is even more important today with so many children home from school for the foreseeable future.

"We are thrilled to have Bamboo Luminaries and Highlights Storybooks from Bamboos educational content and listening comprehension exercises honored by the Webby Awards this year, said Irina Fine, Co-Founder and Head of Content for Bamboo Learning. We know how important it is to keep children engaged in learning, particularly while they are home from school and throughout the summer to address summer knowledge loss. Our Alexa skills are both fun and easy for children to use independently, relieving parents of some of the direct burden of ensuring their children are learning.

Parents can review how their children are progressing in Bamboo Luminaries, Highlights Storybooks from Bamboo, and most of Bamboo Learnings other Alexa skills  Bamboo Math, Bamboo Books, and Bamboo Music, by signing up for a free Bamboo Grove account at https://grove.bamboolearning.com. Using Bamboo Grove, parents can track their childrens progress and help them identify areas to work on in each Bamboo Learning Alexa skill. To learn more about Bamboo Learnings Alexa skills, families can go to https://www.bamboolearning.com.

About Bamboo Learning

Based in Seattle, Bamboo Learning is the award-winning leader in voice-powered education with a mission to bring engaging, high-quality educational experiences to customers around the world. Bamboo Learning develops skills for Alexa that enable families, teens, and adults to have fun learning and practicing diverse subjects while listening, viewing images, and using their voice. Bamboo Learning Alexa skills, including Bamboo Luminaries, Bamboo Books, Bamboo Math, Bamboo Music, and Highlights Storybooks from Bamboo, offer a range of challenging and engaging exercises to help customers master different levels of subjects. Customers can sign up for a Bamboo Grove account to follow their progress in Bamboo Learning Alexa skills.

Bamboos co-founders are Ian Freed, CEO, and Irina Fine, COO and Head of Content. Ian Freed is a 30-year veteran of the technology industry, including 12 years at Amazon, having served as vice president of Amazon devices, where he led both the Amazon Echo and the Amazon Kindle businesses, and served as technical advisor to Amazon founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos. Irina Fine is a 30-year veteran of curriculum development and teaching, having worked in public and private sectors of education in New York, Washington DC, London, and Moscow, after receiving her M.Ed. in Curriculum Development and an undergraduate degree in Piano Performance and Music Education.

Connect with Bamboo Learning, and learn more at: https://www.bamboolearning.com, http://guide.bamboolearning.com, https://grove.bamboolearning.com, Facebook: https://Facebook.com/BambooLearning, Twitter: @learnwithbamboo, YouTube: https://bamboolearning.com/youtube, and LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/bamboolearning

About Highlights

Highlights is a beloved global media brand dedicated to helping children become curious, creative, caring, and confident through engaging content and experiences that are focused on nurturing and developing the whole child. Highlights reaches children 012 with its most popular magazines and books, on multi-platform digital experiences, digital apps, toys/games, video platforms, and more. To learn more and connect with Highlights, visit https://Highlights.com, https://HighlightsKids.com, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

About The Webby Awards

Hailed as the Internets highest honor by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites, Video, Advertising, Media & PR, Apps, Mobile, and Voice, Social, Podcasts, and Games. Established in 1996, this years Webby Awards received nearly 13,000 entries from all 50 states and 70 countries worldwide. The Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include: WP Engine, Monday.com, Slack, YouGov, BASIC, KPMG, Adweek, Fast Company, The New Museum, and Social Media Week.

Press Inquiries:

Ian Freed for Bamboo Learning

info@bamboolearning.com
MEXICO CITY, May 4 (Reuters) - Remittances to Mexico, one of the country's main sources of foreign exchange, surged to a record in March, central bank data showed on Monday, as workers abroad likely rushed to take advantage of a favorable exchange rate.

Mexico received $4.02 billion in remittances from abroad in March, a 36% increase from the $2.96 billion in March 2019, the Bank of Mexico figures showed. It compares with $2.69 billion in February.

Most of the money sent to Mexico comes from the United States, which is home to millions of people of Mexican origin.

"The significant acceleration of remittances in March is difficult to square with labor market conditions and sentiment in the U.S.," Alberto Ramos, economist at Goldman Sachs, wrote in a note to investors.

"We speculate that perhaps fearing a significant deterioration of the employment and income prospects in the U.S., many workers may have capitalized on a favorable USD/MXN level to send part of their accumulated savings in the U.S. back to Mexico," Ramos added.

In recent weeks, the Mexican peso has reached all-time lows versus the U.S. dollar as emerging market currencies around the world and broad financial markets took a battering amid the rapid spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

In the first three months of 2020, remittances rose by 18.4% year-on-year to $9.29 billion. (Reporting by Anthony Esposito; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Several officials of Myanmars ruling party in Rakhine state have gone into hiding after a group of unidentified men wearing police uniforms tried to arrest them at their homes, a lawmaker from the volatile region said Wednesday.

The officials the group tried to arrest said they suspect that the disguised men were members of the Arakan Army (AA), a mostly ethnic Rakhine military that is fighting Myanmar forces for greater autonomy for the Rakhine people in the western state.

Min Aung, a lawmaker from Taungup townships No. 2 electoral district, said some of the targeted officials, who are members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party, are now on the run to avoid apprehension by the men.

The group of men surrounded the home of Than Htay, a township-level NLD executive committee member who has a party signboard on his property in Bushwemaw village, prompting him to flee to safety, Min Aung said.

A group of men in police uniforms also tried to arrest Win Hlaing, a state-level NLD executive committee member, at his home in Kyaw Kaing village, he said.

He was suspicious of them and has been on the run, he added.

Min Aung also said that NLD members had recently received several death threats from fake user accounts on social media.

Than Htay said he received a death threat by phone on April 9 from someone speaking in an ethnic Rakhine dialect.

On the night of April 9, someone called me saying they would come to kill me and that they know what I did, he told RFA.

Then on the night of April 14, I heard someone trying to break the gate of the fence [to my home], he said. When I looked out, I saw five men, three of whom held rods, and two others who were not armed. I think they are the ones who called me with the death threat.

The men ran away when relatives and neighbors noticed them trying to break into the housing compound and started to take action, Than Htay said, adding that he is certain they were AA members.

Min Aung suggested that after the abductors looked for Than Htay but could not find him, they instead seized his close friend, villager Than Shwe.

Myanmars military commander-in-chiefs office later announced that the AA had abducted Than Shwe, who was identified as chairman of the villages COVID-19 Disease Protection Committee.

The AA has engaged in intensified hostilities with the Myanmar military in northern Rakhine for 16 months, with clashes spilling over into Paletwa township of neighboring Chin state.

Both the AA and Myanmar military routinely detain and interrogate civilians and local government employees whom they believe may be assisting the enemy.

Second incident

Similarly on May 2, four men in plainclothes went to the home of the administrator of Kyaw Kaing village and demanded that he bring Win Hlaing to them, Than Htay said.

At the time, the administrator refused because the men were not wearing police uniforms, he said.

Though the men later returned in uniform to seize Win Hlaing, the state-level NLD executive committee member avoided capture by hiding, he said.

The group threatened the village administrator, saying that they would kill his family if he could not deliver Win Hlaing to them, Than Htay said.

Police Major Than Naing, head of the Taungup Township Police, said the men who tried to arrest the NLD party members were not officers, but he declined to provide any details about the incidents.

Neither Zaw Htay, spokesmen for the Presidents Office, nor Rakhine state municipal affairs minister and spokesman Win Myint were available for comment.

NLD party spokesman Monywa Aung Shin told RFA that he had not yet received any reports about the incidents.

If they are true, they should have been reported to the state government or to local members of parliament, he said.

Going on the run to avoid being abducted is good, he added. Its the right decision. We dont know which groups these assailants belong to, so I suggest they first inform local authorities and then avoid being abducted.

Arakan Army responds

AA spokesman Khine Thukha said that accusations that the men were AA members are groundless and suggested that they were fabrications to damage the reputation of the AA.

We have nothing to do with these issues, he said.

The AA has seized other lawmakers and NLD party members in recent months.

Whay Tin, an NLD lawmaker from Chins Paletwa township, was abducted in November 2019 because the AA believed he was a Myanmar military informant who had helped soldiers arrest ethnic Rakhines in the township.

The AA freed him in January as a goodwill gesture amid the ongoing fighting.

The AA also abducted Ye Thein, chairman of the NLD in Rakhines Rathedaung township in December, for organizing a public rally in support of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi.

Nearly two weeks later, the rebel force said he was killed during a mortar attack by the Myanmar military.

Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NYSE:NLY) shareholders (or potential shareholders) will be happy to see that the CEO, Chief Investment Officer & Director, David Finkelstein, recently bought a whopping US$603k worth of stock, at a price of US$6.03. Not only is that a big swing, but it increased their holding size by 25%, which is definitely great to see.

Check out our latest analysis for Annaly Capital Management

Annaly Capital Management Insider Transactions Over The Last Year

In fact, the recent purchase by CEO, Chief Investment Officer & Director David Finkelstein was not their only acquisition of Annaly Capital Management shares this year. They previously made an even bigger purchase of US$956k worth of shares at a price of US$9.56 per share. That means that even when the share price was higher than US$6.28 (the recent price), an insider wanted to purchase shares. 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. 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 Annaly Capital Management insiders were buying shares, but not selling. The average buy price was around US$8.29. These transactions suggest that insiders have considered the current price attractive. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

NYSE:NLY Recent Insider Trading May 6th 2020

Annaly Capital Management is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Does Annaly Capital Management Boast High Insider Ownership?

For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. It appears that Annaly Capital Management insiders own 0.3% of the company, worth about US$28m. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders.

Story continues

So What Do The Annaly Capital Management Insider Transactions Indicate?

It is good to see recent purchasing. We also take confidence from the longer term picture of insider transactions. However, we note that the company didn't make a profit over the last twelve months, which makes us cautious. Insiders likely see value in Annaly Capital Management shares, given these transactions (along with notable insider ownership of the company). So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 5 warning signs for Annaly Capital Management (of which 3 shouldn't be ignored!) you should know about.

But note: Annaly Capital Management may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE 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.
Members of European Parliament (MEPs) have called on European Commission to take "strong action" against Pakistan for brutal killings of Pashtun leader Arif Wazir and journalist Sajid Hussain.

In a letter to European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen on Tuesday, four MEPs-- Helmut Geuking, Peter Lundgren, Ryszard Czarnecki, Bogdan Rzonca-- accused Pakistan's spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence, of silencing human rights defenders and journalists.

Wazir, a leader of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), was attacked by unidentified assailants outside his home in Wana, South Waziristan on May 1. Hussain, who had been living in exile in Sweden, was found dead in a river in Stockholm after disappearing few weeks ago.

"As Members of the European Parliament, we call on the European Commission to take strong action against Pakistan for the brutal murders of these two human rights defenders. Both murders were carried out by the Pakistani Intelligence," read the letter.

The MEPs have also asked the commission to support international human rights advocates, in calling for an independent and effective investigation into the ongoing attacks on Baluch activists and into enforced disappearances.

"It is not coincidental that these murders are taking place whilst the international community is distracted with the Coronavirus pandemic. Pakistan's spy agency, ISI, has continued to silence human rights defenders and journalists both inside Pakistan and externally during this time," the letter read

"Discrimination through the denial of access to Covid-19 testing and medical supplies has also been inflicted on the Baluch people during this period," it added.

-ANI

Also Read: Pakistan apex court's decision to hold elections in Gilgit Baltistan is illegal, unconstitutional, say activists
When Guy Nizan flew to Israel with his wife and daughter for a family emergency in March, Gula - their six-year-old German shepherd mix - stayed behind in New York with a pet sitter.

But as the coronavirus outbreak accelerated and airlines began cancelling flights, it became clear the family would not be coming home anytime soon. With airlines scrapping pet transport services, the Nizans became increasingly desperate to have Gula join them until the crisis abates.

We just couldnt stand the thought of her being alone, Nizan said.

After nearly two months, a pet transportation firm found a spot for her on one of Israeli airline El Als rare freight flights. She was one of the lucky ones, however.

More than a thousand pets are currently stranded worldwide by the flight cancellations and border closures aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, according to seven international pet transport firms contacted by Reuters.

Major airlines like United Airlines Holdings Inc, which have slashed passenger flights by more than 90%, suspended their pet programs in mid-March, saying the transports no longer made sense financially or could not be continued safely.

Only a handful of carriers, including IAG Cargo, a sister company of British Airways, still transport pets. IAG, which was quick to set up cargo-only flights on passenger aircraft, flies dogs from New York to London on a daily basis.

Australian pet owners have been hit especially hard. No airline currently transports pets to the country, which has stringent regulations on animals that include extensive checks and treatments prior to boarding a flight.

That meant Frances Hayter and her husband Alan, on an eight-month work secondment in Texas, had to make a heart-wrenching decision when they caught one of the last flights back to Australia, leaving their 10-year-old cat Indigo to follow later.

We dont have kids, so abandoning our pet was a pretty serious decision, Hayter said.

Indigo has been boarding with a veterinarian in Houston since March 18, but Hayter said the Abyssinians advanced age is a constant worry.

Indigo is one of some 20 Australian animals that Scott Williams, the owner of Pet-Express, is trying to fly home.

He is trying to arrange a charter flight, but the logistics and costs could be prohibitive. Transporting a pet across borders costs thousands of dollars at the best of times and pet agencies said the coronavirus restrictions increase the price tag further.

On the bright side, Ross Hayes, the deputy manager of Londons Heathrow Airport animal reception center, said some airlines were trying to recover lost passenger revenue by transporting cargo, including pets.

Pet transportation makes up a sliver of the $65 billion global air cargo market and many airlines offer the service solely to retain passengers.

Some 40 cats and dogs arrived at Heathrow on a single day last week, one of the few global airports still handling pets. Hayes said that was more than expected but still a far cry from the more than 150 pets they handled per day last year.

We have a lot of correspondence with people desperate to get home with their cats and dogs and well do our best to assist them, he said.

Within the United States, only American Airlines Group Inc and Alaska Airlines still fly pets domestically on limited direct routes.

That has been a boon to Sunny Summers, the Georgia-based owner of Exec Pet Transportation. Demand for her business, driving pets across the country in vans, has increased by 25% since flights were canceled.

(This story has been published from a wire agency without modifications to the text)

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Overall, adding robots to manufacturing reduces jobs -- by more than three per robot, in fact. But a new study co-authored by an MIT professor reveals an important pattern: Firms that move quickly to use robots tend to add workers to their payroll, while industry job losses are more concentrated in firms that make this change more slowly.

The study, by MIT economist Daron Acemoglu, examines the introduction of robots to French manufacturing in recent decades, illuminating the business dynamics and labor implications in granular detail.

"When you look at use of robots at the firm level, it is really interesting because there is an additional dimension," says Acemoglu. "We know firms are adopting robots in order to reduce their costs, so it is quite plausible that firms adopting robots early are going to expand at the expense of their competitors whose costs are not going down. And that's exactly what we find."

Indeed, as the study shows, a 20 percentage point increase in robot use in manufacturing from 2010 to 2015 led to a 3.2 percent decline in industry-wide employment. And yet, for firms adopting robots during that timespan, employee hours worked rose by 10.9 percent, and wages rose modestly as well.

A new paper detailing the study, "Competing with Robots: Firm-Level Evidence from France," will appear in the May issue of the American Economic Association: Papers and Proceedings. The authors are Acemoglu, who is an Institute Professor at MIT; Clair Lelarge, a senior research economist at the Banque de France and the Center for Economic Policy Research; and Pascual Restrepo Phd '16, an assistant professor of economics at Boston University.

A French robot census

To conduct the study, the scholars examined 55,390 French manufacturing firms, of which 598 purchased robots during the period from 2010 to 2015. The study uses data provided by France's Ministry of Industry, client data from French robot suppliers, customs data about imported robots, and firm-level financial data concerning sales, employment, and wages, among other things.

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The 598 firms that did purchase robots, while comprising just 1 percent of manufacturing firms, accounted for about 20 percent of manufacturing production during that five-year period.

"Our paper is unique in that we have an almost comprehensive [view] of robot adoption," Acemoglu says.

The manufacturing industries most heavily adding robots to their production lines in France were pharmaceutical companies, chemicals and plastic manufacturers, food and beverage producers, metal and machinery manufacturers, and automakers.

The industries investing least in robots from 2010 to 2015 included paper and printing, textiles and apparel manufacturing, appliance manufacturers, furniture makers, and minerals companies.

The firms that did add robots to their manufacturing processes became more productive and profitable, and the use of automation lowered their labor share -- the part of their income going to workers -- between roughly 4 and 6 percentage points. However, because their investments in technology fueled more growth and more market share, they added more workers overall.

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By contrast, the firms that did not add robots saw no change in the labor share, and for every 10 percentage point increase in robot adoption by their competitors, these firms saw their own employment drop 2.5 percent. Essentially, the firms not investing in technology were losing ground to their competitors.

This dynamic -- job growth at robot-adopting firms, but job losses overall -- fits with another finding Acemoglu and Restrepo made in a separate paper about the effects of robots on employment in the U.S. There, the economists found that each robot added to the work force essentially eliminated 3.3 jobs nationally.

"Looking at the result, you might think [at first] it's the opposite of the U.S. result, where the robot adoption goes hand in hand with destruction of jobs, whereas in France, robot-adopting firms are expanding their employment," Acemoglu says. "But that's only because they're expanding at the expense of their competitors. What we show is that when we add the indirect effect on those competitors, the overall effect is negative and comparable to what we find the in the U.S."

Superstar firms and the labor share issue

The competitive dynamics the researchers found in France resemble those in another high-profile piece of economics research recently published by MIT professors. In a recent paper, MIT economists David Autor and John Van Reenen, along with three co-authors, published evidence indicating the decline in the labor share in the U.S. as a whole was driven by gains made by "superstar firms," which find ways to lower their labor share and gain market power.

While those elite firms may hire more workers and even pay relatively well as they grow, labor share declines in their industries, overall.

"It's very complementary," Acemoglu observes about the work of Autor and Van Reenen. However, he notes, "A slight difference is that superstar firms [in the work of Autor and Van Reenen, in the U.S.] could come from many different sources. By having this individual firm-level technology data, we are able to show that a lot of this is about automation."

So, while economists have offered many possible explanations for the decline of the labor share generally -- including technology, tax policy, changes in labor market institutions, and more -- Acemoglu suspects technology, and automation specifically, is the prime candidate, certainly in France.

"A big part of the [economic] literature now on technology, globalization, labor market institutions, is turning to the question of what explains the decline in the labor share," Acemoglu says. "Many of those are reasonably interesting hypotheses, but in France it's only the firms that adopt robots -- and they are very large firms -- that are reducing their labor share, and that's what accounts for the entirety of the decline in the labor share in French manufacturing. This really emphasizes that automation, and in particular robots, is a critical part in understanding what's going on."
In a first such instance, the body of a civilian killed in a brief shootout in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district was not handed over to his family but buried at an isolated place, officials said on Wednesday.

Mohammad Hazim Bhat, 14, was killed in a brief shootout when militants opened fire on a CRPF patrol party at Wangam-Qaziabad in Kralgund area of the north Kashmir district on Monday.

Three CRPF jawans were killed in the incident, police said, adding a civilian, Bhat, was also found dead at the scene of the incident.

However, the body of Bhat -- a resident of Wanagam -- was not handed over to his family and instead was laid to rest in a graveyard more than 30 kilometres away from his village, the officials said.

"The teenager was buried at Sheeri (in neighbouring Baramulla district)," they said.

The officials said there was an apprehension of a gathering at Bhat's funeral, "which would have violated the lockdown protocols".

A few members from Bhat's family were present at the burial at Sheeri.

"We asked the authorities to handover the body to the family so that Hazim would have been buried at his ancestral graveyard, but they refused, saying there were orders and guidelines that the body will not be handed over to the family," a relative of the deceased said.

He said Bhat -- who was a Class 7 student -- was buried at Sheeri on Tuesday and 17-18 members of the family attended his funeral.

The relative said Bhat had to buried somewhere and "whatever they (authorities) did is right. It is better for him".

In the past few weeks, the J and K Police has not been handing over bodies of militants, including locals, to their families "because of the lockdown".

The militants killed in gunfights have been buried at isolated locations in Baramulla and Ganderbal districts.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
When Teresa Coleman needs groceries, she has to leave her apartment complex in Decatur, Georgia, wait for a bus to arrive, ride roughly 20 minutes with other passengers, enter a store with other shoppers and hope that employees there will help her grab any items she cant reach herself from her motorized wheelchair.

In normal times, this process is cumbersome. But during the coronavirus pandemic, its dangerous. Coleman, 56, has both asthma and bronchitis and relies on a wheelchair for mobility, which means that if she gets COVID-19, she is at high-risk of becoming seriously ill and facing outsized hurdles at a hospital. When youre in the store, you have to be around people, she says, and thats real scary.

Its about to get worse for her. Starting May 1, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp lifted the states shelter-in-place order, but advised elderly and medically fragile residents, like Coleman, to continue sheltering through June 12. But theres only so much Coleman can do: she still needs to get food somehow. While many other Americans have turned to ordering groceries or food delivery online during the pandemic, thats not an option for her. She relies on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known as food stamps, to help her buy food, which doesnt allow for grocery delivery in her state.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been working on a pilot program for years that allows SNAP recipients to order groceries online, but so far only 12 states have implemented it. Now, as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread around the country, advocates for low-income people, those with disabilities and older Americans are pushing more states to sign up in an effort to help allow the 37 million Americans using SNAP benefits to shelter at home.

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In addition to Americans with disabilities and chronic health conditions, like Coleman, the coronavirus has been hitting low-income areas particularly intensely. COVID-19 is killing black Americans at a much higher rate than their white counterparts. It is well documented at this point that the risks of the pandemic are greater for those very groups that were already struggling, says Kyle Waide, president and CEO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Communities of color, older Americans, lower income familiesall of these are facing greater risks than the general population.

Many of those same groups are disproportionately likely to be SNAP recipients at this time. A record 30 million Americansmostly those in lower income roleshave lost their jobs since March. At least 12.7 million have lost their employer-provided health care benefits, and millions more are newly relying on charity and donations to access basic necessities, like food and medicine. The food pantries served by Waides organization have seen 30 to 40% more people relying on food donations since the pandemic began, he says, and his staff has seen a surge in SNAP applications, too.

Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, and Washington state have so far implemented the SNAP online purchasing program. The 2014 Farm Bill first authorized the USDA to explore using SNAP benefits online and the departments Food and Nutrition Service chose retailers to participate in 2017, but the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot did not launch until April of 2019. In the past month, an additional six states plus Washington, D.C. have received approval and expect to start in May or June, according to the USDA.

At least 14 other states have applied to join the pilot, according to RespectAbility, a disability group that has been pushing the program to expand. That list includes Georgia, which submitted an application to join the program last month, a spokesperson for the states Division of Family & Children Services tells TIME. The state has partnered with Kroger and Walmart to allow SNAP recipients to order groceries for in-store or curbside pickup, but the application for the USDAs online program is still being processed, and once it is approved, Georgia expects it will need another seven to nine weeks to coordinate systems and conduct testing before it can go live.

Part of the reason for the long timeline is the specific technology the online pilot requires. Each states SNAP system has to be updated to handle online purchasing, and retailers must be able to accept SNAP electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards as payment. While the Food and Nutrition Service initially approved eight retailers, the ones currently participating include Amazon, Walmart, ShopRight and Wrights Market. A USDA study last August found that nearly two-thirds of the authorized retailers did not have systems or equipment that could identify SNAP-eligible products, and that meeting the requirements in the Farm Bill could cost between $7,000 and $10,500 per retailer.

As the pandemic has continued, a coalition called the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities wrote to Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and Food and Nutrition Service Administrator Pam Miller urging more action on the program. And the issue has gotten some attention from members of Congress, such as Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey and Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar.

The topic is one that appeals to advocates from a wide variety of communities, says Janet LaBreck, a board member at RespectAbility who helped bring the issue to the groups attention. LaBreck is blind, so she started shopping online when the pandemic hit to avoid touching unnecessary items or needing assistance at her local grocery store. But she would like SNAP recipients to have the same options she has. The pandemic, she says, offers an opportunity for agencies to re-examine their policies and find ways to help more people.

For now though, as states work to set up their programs and others wait for federal approval, SNAP recipients are left with limited options. Martha Lindsay, 75, lives on less than $1,200 per month and relies on a combination of SNAP and help from her local food pantry. While the pantry has been wonderful, she says, theres always a long line at the grocery stores, even when she goes at 7 a.m. for their senior hour, which is meant to limit customers during the pandemic. Ordering online would be a blessing, Lindsay adds. We need to stay safe.

Coleman, too, would like to avoid exposing herself and her family to the virus. She can sometimes ask her brother for assistance, but her relatives also have their own families to worry about. Im very independent and I hate to ask for help, she explains. If she could use her food stamps to get groceries delivered, that would help a lot, she adds. I would feel more secure.

Please send tips, leads, and stories from the frontlines to virus@time.com.
The central government is reportedly looking to raise around to Rs 22,000 crore by selling its entire stake in FMCG major ITC and private sector lender Axis Bank. Reacting to the news, shares of ITC and Axis Bank declined as much as 7.64 per cent and 5.42 per cent, respectively, during intraday trade on the Bombay Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of this week or early next week, Economic Times reported quoting sources aware of the development. The transaction will be done through a bulk deal on the domestic stock exchanges, the daily reported.

As on March 31, 2020, the Centre owned 7.96 per cent stake in ITC through the Specified Undertaking of the Unit Trust of India (SUUTI), the administrator that manages the funds of the erstwhile Unit Trust of India (UTI) on behalf of the government. Similarly, the government owns 4.69 per cent shareholding in Axis Bank via SUUTI, as of March quarter of FY20.

The report said that the proposed transaction will be done at a marginal discount of 2-3 per cent to underlying trading price on the transaction date. The government may "exit completely" from ITC and Axis Bank, it added.

Shares of ITC ended at Rs 163.80, down 5.81 per cent, while ITC closed marginally down (0.22 per cent) at Rs 388.35 on the BSE.

The move is being seen as a part of Modi government's plan to raise Rs 2.1 lakh crore through divestment in state-run companies. This includes Rs 90,000 crore from partial stake sale in Life Insurance Corp (LIC) through an initial public offer (IPO) and equity sale in IDBI Bank. The Centre has already offloaded its entire stake in Larsen & Toubro.

By Chitranjan Kumar

Also Read: ICRA downgrades 8 Edelweiss Group companies on funding, stress concerns
Aragon Research Announces Special Report: Hot Vendors Part I for 2020 In its latest Hot Vendors report, Aragon Research Inc. identifies emerging vendors in three markets.

Each year, Aragon Research selects Hot Vendors across multiple markets that are noteworthy, visionary, and innovative. They may have a new technology that expands capabilities, a new strategy that opens up markets, or just a new way of doing business that makes them worth evaluating. In its latest Hot Vendors report, Aragon Research Inc. identifies emerging vendors in three markets: digital work hubs, learning, and sales enablement.

Hot Vendors in Digital Work Hubs

Digital work hubs are an emerging category of enterprise technology that facilitate and manage the creation, curation, and communication of business content from the individual to ecosystem level. As digital work hub products evolve from being task management software into fully-fledged workspaces that support a smart enterprise, this market can be expected to grow significantly.

The report identifies four key elements that define digital work hubs:



Collaborative Content Creation

Content Curation and Content Management

Communications

Task and Project Management

Aragon Research examines four Hot Vendors that stand out in the digital work hubs market for 2020: Bluescape, ClickUp, Whimsical, and Workfront.

Hot Vendors in Learning

The race to the high-performance organization is on and enterprises have realized that training is vital to ensure growth. In an era where remote work has become mandatory, there is a need to not only enhance skills to maintain productivity, but also to develop new skills.

Remote work will be with us after the pandemic is over, but in the meantime, it's critical to move fast to ensure associates, managers, and even customers have developed the right skills for tasks at hand. Emerging providers are offering new and cutting-edge learning solutions to meet this need, says CEO of Aragon Research, Jim Lundy.

Aragon Research identifies three Hot Vendors in the learning market for 2020: BenchPrep, GoSkills, and TalentLMS.

Hot Vendors in Sales Enablement

Remote work also puts the pressure on sales teams to sell virtually. While selling virtually is not new for inside sales teams, direct sellers face pressure to deliver the same revenue and to do it without direct, face-to-face contact. Sales enablement providers are stepping up to offer fully-featured solutions to a broad set of sales needs.

Some of the capabilities that make sales enablement platforms (SEPs) unique are:



Advanced content analytics

Automatic logging of calls, emails, and engagement

Multi-channel communications

Task automation

Aragon Research identifies four Hot Vendors in the sales enablement market for 2020: DealPoint, PitchHub, Regalix, and Revenue Grid.

Aragon clients can learn more about these providers by reading the Special Report: Aragon Research Hot Vendors for 2020 Part I.

About Aragon Research

Aragon Research delivers high-impact visual research, consulting, and advisory services to provide enterprises the insight they need to make better technology and strategy decisions. Aragon Research serves business and IT leaders and has a proven team of veteran analysts. For more information, visit https://www.aragonresearch.com.
 Flash

French people would have to spend summer holidays at home as international trips and travel within Europe may have to be limited on risks of new wave of coronavirus epidemic, President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday.

"It is too early to say whether we can take holidays. What I can say is that we will limit major international travel, even during the summer holidays," Macron said during a visit to a school in Paris suburbs.

"We will stay among Europeans and, depending on how the epidemic evolves, we might have to reduce that a little more. We will know early June," he added, warning that the combat against the coronavirus is not yet won.

"The virus is still there. We have slowed it down. We are going to open a new phase. If we are all collectively responsible, I am sure that we will succeed," he said.

As part of the country's strategy to lift anti-virus confinement, the government unveiled a color-coded map, showing departments in red, orange or green depending on the spread of the virus and pressure on intensive care units.

Following the evaluation of the health situation of each region, authorities, based on the map, will rapidly unwind lockdown measures in departments in green while maintain high vigilance in those in red.

"Let it be very clear: We know how it (the virus) circulates and that it is very dangerous. For someone who is fragile and rather old, even in the green zone, the situation is very dangerous," Macron said.

"When we are classified in green, we say to ourselves everything goes back to normal that would be wrong. It is the whole country that is engaged together in this phase. It is the same caution, the same spirit of responsibility," he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 08:30:31|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese youths from all walks of life have risen to challenges and played an important role in the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic.

Monday was China's Youth Day, a time to reflect on the heroic roles young Chinese played in history. This year, the celebration took on special significance since many ordinary youths acted as heroes and showed high responsibility amid the epidemic fight.

"VIRUS DETECTIVE" WALKING ON KNIFE-EDGE

Hao Yingge, 22, never thought her internship in a medical testing company in the city of Wuhan, hard hit by the COVID-19 epidemic in central China, would let her have "face-to-face" contact with the virus for over two months.

Hao is a senior student majoring in medical testing in a college in central China's Henan Province. She was about to return home from Wuhan before the Spring Festival.

However, the epidemic disrupted her schedule. On hearing the lab undertook part of the nucleic acid testing tasks, she decided to cancel her ticket home immediately and stay at the company to act as a real "virus detective."

"As a medical student, I've learned how to detect the virus. Staying in Wuhan, that is my responsibility," Hao said.

Dressed head to toe in protective clothing, Hao has been working around the clock to extract nucleic acid from throat swab samples, prepare detection reagents and analyze the results with specific equipment.

Her hands would be icy cold after a long operation in the safety cabinet, while her body was drenched in sweat by wearing thick protective gear.

During the busiest time, the company tested more than 8,000 samples a day on average. "I need to be responsible for each sample, which is to be responsible for each patient. I must be extremely cautious," Hao said.

GUARDIAN OF PEOPLE'S FOOD BASKETS

Tao Zui, 27, is among an up-and-coming younger generation, who has become a guardian of people's food baskets in northern China's Tianjin Municipality since the epidemic outbreak.

As a local market regulator, Tao puts on a mask and wears a red band around his arm, shuffling around the markets and malls every day. His jobs include taking customers' body temperatures, reminding people to show their health codes and keep social distance and checking the product labels on the shelves.

"The epidemic needs prevention and control, but people's lives still move on. We must make sure they can buy the necessities safely as usual," he said.

Tianjin downgraded its public health emergency response for the COVID-19 epidemic from the top level to the second-highest level last week.

More than 200 stores in markets and malls supervised by Tao have resumed operation. He needs to investigate the reopened stores on site one by one, inquire about the staff's health conditions and send them guide books for work resumption.

"I feel more involved in this job and get even closer to more local residents. Their kind words and thanks offer me great power," he said.

TURNIP DONOR BUSY AS A BEE

Zhu Haiyang got the nickname "turnip brother" during the epidemic as the 30-year-old man donated over 100 tonnes of turnips to the frontlines of novel coronavirus fight in Henan, such as residential communities, nursing institutions for the aged and hospitals.

Zhu started an intelligent agriculture company in 2015. "My company benefits from many preferential policies. When our country is in difficulty, we should do our best to do something for it," he said.

In early February, Zhu decided to pick up the first batch of turnips from the company's planting base. Many villagers voluntarily helped him and loaded over 15,000 kg turnips on the trucks in the cold wind.

Then, Zhu donated some fresh turnips to a hospital construction site. "We were very touched. With these turnips, we cooked several delicious meals," said Ma Hongli who worked here.

Now, Zhu is busy promoting unsalable agricultural products via livestreaming platforms to help local villagers expand their markets amid the epidemic.

"We post-90s have grown up, and we hope to take more responsibilities and contribute more to the society," Zhu said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 08:59:22|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

- - - -

LONDON -- Britain has overtaken Italy as the worst-hit country in Europe by the novel coronavirus, according to the latest official figures released on Tuesday.

Chairing Tuesday's Downing Street press briefing, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said another 693 COVID-19 patients have died, bringing the total coronavirus-related death toll in Britain to 29,427.

- - - -

NEW YORK -- The number of COVID-19 cases in the United States reached 1,201,337 as of 6 p.m. (2200 GMT) Tuesday, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

Meanwhile, the death toll from the disease in the country hit 70,646.

- - - -

NEW YORK -- The number of COVID-19 deaths in the United States topped 70,000 on Tuesday, reaching 70,115 as of 2:15 p.m. (1815 GMT), according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.

A total of 1,192,119 cases have been reported in the country, according to the CSSE.

- - - -

MEXICO CITY -- Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Tuesday that he hoped to gradually reopen productive and social activities on May 17 in light of the evidence of a slowdown in the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

The president said that activities could be generally resumed at the end of the month, provided that the health situation in the country does not worsen.

- - - -

OTTAWA -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday announced 252 million Canadian dollars (179 million U.S. dollars) to the agri-food sector to help protect farmers and food processors against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The money can be used to buy personal protective equipment for workers, adapt to health protocols and support other social distancing measures, Trudeau said at his press conference in Ottawa.

- - - -

NEW YORK -- ICBC US Region, a financial service group comprising ICBC New York Branch, ICBC USA, ICBC Financial Service LLC and ICBC Standard New York, has donated 100,000 N95 masks to two hospitals in New York City to help combat COVID-19, said a release by ICBC US Region.

ICBC US Region provided 50,000 N95 masks to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in Queens borough and Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn borough, respectively, according to the release obtained by Xinhua on Tuesday.

- - - -

ANKARA -- Turkey on Tuesday confirmed 1,832 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number in the country to 129,491.

The deaths from the coronavirus have reached 3,520 after 59 new fatalities in the past 24 hours, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca tweeted.

- - - -

CHICAGO -- Wanxiang Group, a Chinese multinational automotive components manufacturing company headquartered in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, is donating 1.1 million face masks and 50,000 protective masks to 12 U.S. states, with the first batch of thousands of boxes shipped on Monday.

A label on each box reads, "Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off." The 12 states are Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Delaware, Mississippi, Colorado, South Dakota and Louisiana. Enditem
New Delhi, May 6 : Even as India is in a warlike situation with an invisible enemy like coronavirus, the country is just a few weeks away from the onset of season responsible for vector-borne diseases (VBDs) like dengue, malaria and chikungunya.

On the top of it, the national capital is one of the most susceptible regions in the country for the VBDs outbreak. Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday had a meeting with Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain to take stock of preparedness to deal with VBDs amid the corona crisis. There are over 5,000 cases of coronavirus in Delhi as on Wednesday according to the Health Ministry data.

"VBDs are outbreak prone and prevention is the best strategy, therefore coordinated efforts between various agencies are required," Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal said in the meeting. Dengue cases start in the month of July, spike in October and ebb in November and December. According to the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) data there were at least 15,867 dengue cases and 60 deaths in the year 2015, 4,431 dengue cases and 10 deaths in 2016, 9,271 cases and 10 deaths in 2017 and 7,136 cases and 4 deaths in 2018.

While till November 2019 there were 4,155 cases in the national capital. Fortunately no fatalities were reported in 2019 in Delhi due to dengue as per the NVBDCP data. Similarly there were at least 577 cases of malaria and 31 deaths reported due to it in the capital in the year 2017. Delhi reported 473 cases in 2018, 713 cases in 2019. Delhi reported 64 confirmed cases of Chikungunya in 2015, which broke out in 2016 with cases mounted to 9,793. In 2017 there were 940 confirmed cases of Chikungunya, 407 cases in 2018 and 442 cases in 2019 in Delhi.

Baijal, in the Tuesday meeting said, authorities should ensure case-based surveillance, trace source of transmission, identification of vulnerable areas and launch of targeted activities. Decisions were also taken for active surveillance, early detection and adequate protective measures to control VBDs.

Baijal also suggested authorities to intensify Information Education Communication (IEC) and community awareness activities & involvement of RWAs.

"Prevention of vector borne diseases is very important considering the already strained health infrastructure due to the present situation of COVID-19," he said. The Health Department of North MCD said "We are working on making strategies to control the vector borne diseases in the month of July and to utilise available resources for the same. On May 7, we will hold video conferencing with RWA officials. Special attention will be paid to markets, construction sites and RWA Association." The department also said that it planned to use latest technology to check breeding of mosquitoes in households. "But keeping in mind the corona infection, fogging will be avoided in the areas currently in the Containment Zones," said the department.
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Market Overview

A baking mix is a known to be a pre-mixed formulation ingredients, one which is widely used for baking cakes, pancakes, biscuits, and cookies. Alongside being convenient to use, baking mixes also helps reduce the preparation times, thereby catering to the needs of working couples. This is in a way driving the market growth. Moreover, health-conscious consumers are showing increasing inclination towards clean label and organic products, thus the demand for organic baking mixes in recent years have grown at an impressive rate.

Additionally, booming growth of the organized retailing system and e-commerce industry has made the product easily accessible for the consumers. Rising health awareness regarding celiac disease has boosted the demand for free-from products across the globe such as gluten free baking mixes. Evolving consumption patterns and rapid-paced globalization are most likely to enhance the market growth at a striking pace. Also, sound promotional strategy and product launches in various different flavors are expected to continue supporting the market in coming years.

Attractive designs of packaging and customization of product as per the needs of the consumers offer huge opportunities to the players to ensure market expansion. Increasing rate of urbanization and growth in the overall female workforce are some of the other key factors aiding the market growth. The product is usually priced at a reasonable slab, however, consumers are not shying away from purchasing even premium priced products. Consumers are showing increasing interest in understanding what goes into their product and are more interested in buying quality products. Thus, an increase in the demand for premium range baking mix items has been reported in recent years.

Competitive Landscape

Global Baking Mixes Market Size comprises a host of key players. This includes names like Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (US), Conagra Brands, Inc. (US), General Mills, Inc. (US), Chelsea Milling Company (US), Associated British Foods Plc (UK), Continental Mills, Inc. (US), Simple Mills. (US), Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods, Inc. (US), Dr. Oetker (Germany), Stonewall Kitchen (US), Mondelez International (US), Keto and Company (US), Pioneer Brand (US), Miss Jones Baking Co. (US), and Foodstirs, Inc. (US).

Market Segmentation

Global Baking Mixes Market has been segmented in terms of type, distribution channel, and category.

By type, the market includes pastry & muffin mixes, cookie & biscuit mixes, cake, bread mixes, others.

By category, the market segments into gluten-free and conventional.

By distribution channel, the market branches into store-based and non-store-based channels. The store-based segment is narrowed down into convenience stores, supermarkets and hypermarkets, and others.

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Regional Analysis

Global Baking Mixes Market is geographically distributed across the following key regions: Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and the Rest of the World (RoW).

Europe is anticipated to dominate the baking mixes market over the forecast period. Countries like the UK, Germany, and France are expected to be the major contributors to the growth of the regional market. Increasing demand for convenience bakery food items among the working population base is primarily driving the growth of the regional market.

North America is also slated to enjoy a major share of the global baking mixes market. The US is touted to be the leading contributor to the growth of the North American regional market. However, Asia-Pacific stands out with the potential to exhibit the highest CAGR over the forecast period. Herein, developing nations such as India and China are some of the largest contributors to the growth of Asia-Pacific regional market. Rising per capita disposable income, evolving consumer lifestyle, and changing inclination of consumers towards convenience bakery products are some of the leading factors driving the Asia Pacific baking mixes market.

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NOTE: Our Team of Researchers are Studying Covid19 and its Impact on Various Industry Verticals and wherever required we will be considering Covid19 Footprints for Better Analysis of Market and Industries. Cordially get in Touch for More Details.
People queue up outside a Centrelink office in Melbourne for government payments on April 20, 2020. (Willian West/AFP via Getty Images)

Private Business Investment Key to Australian Economic Recovery: Deloitte

As federal and state governments are preparing to reinvigorate the economy, a newly published report suggests the focus should be on boosting smaller projects and private business investment, as well as making overdue changes to improve productivity.

Deloittes latest quarterly Investment Monitor report released on May 6 maps out a road to recovery driven by smaller projects, in anticipation of a deep recession in 2020 with widespread job losses and a drastic decline in business and consumer confidence.

One of the key findings of the analysis is that governments should focus their stimulus spending on areas that boost productivity and deliver quicker results.

This means a wide range of small-scale works spread across the nation, rather than a few big road and rail projects mainly in Sydney and Melbourne, will be the best way to revitalise the economy.

The report states:

There will be a temptation for governments to pursue large nation-building projects as a way of stimulating the economy.

But the focus should instead be on improvements to existing infrastructure and smaller developments.

These types of investment tend to generate the largest economic returns, while smaller-scale projects are also easier for contractors to commence quickly and to deliver on time and on budget.

The report also predicts the total amount of private business investment is set to fall by more than one third in 2020, and it will take some years for private investment to recover.

Despite the challenges, Deloitte Access Economics partner and report lead author Stephen Smith sees the fight against economic crisis an opportunity for rolling out overdue reforms, saying it is time to make changes to the way projects are developed and financed.

These include removing barriers for private investment, improving the management of project risks, and looking into new funding sources.

These proposed reforms are not new, but in responding to COVID-19, governments have a rare opportunity to make changes that help drive productivity and improvements to the living standards of Australians in the long-term, Smith said in a summary of the report.

The findings of the report back up the federal governments position in restarting the economy.

At an address to the National Press Club on May 5, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg reiterated that it will be private industry, rather than the government that drives economic activities and job creation during the recovery.

The federal government has so far announced $320 billion (USD$206 billion) in stimulus packages, amounting to 16.4 percent of GDP, to keep Australian in jobs and businesses going.

However, more is needed to boost the economy.

Smith said that while these measures include some changes that will directly support business investment, more will be needed.

With business confidence at record lows it is likely that governments will have to lead by example in the near term, he said.
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) issued A Plan to Safely Reopen Americas Schools and Communities on April 29 in line with the demands of Wall Street and the Trump administration to reopen business. This initiative in the midst of the crisis amounts to the unions indispensable assistance in the governments policy of forcing people to choose between returning to work at the risk of their lives or facing destitution.

Hundreds of walkouts and protests by teachers and other workers are occurring around the world against the premature return to work. Many are beginning to draw profound conclusions on the nature of capitalism, which is imposing increasingly fascistic policies such as herd immunity and the normalization of mass death.

Randi Weingarten speaking at a Chicago Teachers Union rally in May 2019

A Plan to Safely Reopen proffers the unions hand to the Trump administrations back-to-work policy, which scientists warn will lead to tens, if not hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths. The AFTs announcement follows Democratic Party presumptive nominee for president Joe Bidens nearly identically-named column, My Plan to Safely Reopen America, in which he aligned himself with the fully bipartisan back-to-work bandwagon.

The unions 20-page report dutifully focuses on reopening school buildings so that parents, who work outside the home, can go to work. That is the key to the reopening of the broader economy, they note.

The AFTs plan centers on five pillars. The first calls for maintaining physical distancing until there are 14 consecutive days of declining COVID-positive cases, an endorsement of the official Trump administration policy. Every state currently opening businesses under Trumps Phase 1 of Opening Up America has ignored this toothless two-week mandate.

Then the union calls for a series of measures, which the organization knows full well will never be funded. These include: ramping up the capacity to test, trace and isolate each and every new case; the deployment of somewhere between 100,000 and 250,000 contact tracers; reducing class sizes to 12-15 students to ensure physical distancing; adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) for educators, nurses and staff; daily sanitizing of all schools; hand-washing stations upon entry at schools; additional medical and mental health staffing; and wrap-around services through a community schools model.

AFT plan to reopen schools

When AFT President Randi Weingarten was asked by Politico what the unions would do if schools were reopened without the prescribed safety measures, she replied, you scream bloody murder  and you do everything you can  to use your public megaphones. National Education Association (NEA) President Lily Eskelsen Garcia went a tad further, saying she would not rule out strikes. You put all things on the table when it comes to student safety, Eskelsen Garcia proclaimed.

While the unions rhetorically scream and put things on the table, they are, in reality, plotting with federal and state administrations to force educators back to school no matter how unsafe. The AFT and NEA will not lift a finger to defend teachers and students, much less the population as a whole, in the face of the ruling class homicidal policy.

When Wall Street calls, Weingarten et al. are certain to answer. Making over a half a million dollars a year herself, the AFT president is regularly listed among the top power players among Wall Street institutional investors. According to a 2016 report in the Wall Street Journal, Weingarten calls the shots in over $1 trillion in pension fund investments. To be perfectly candid, the amount of money the union paid out in pension benefits would be sharply reduced if a large number of older teachers died due to exposure to the deadly virus.

The union is not a workers organization but a business that rightly fears the growing anger of educators. As the New York Times bluntly put the quandary faced by the AFT and NEA, Forcing educators to work at a perceived risk to their own health could be not only a public health danger but also a recipe for labor unrest Weingarten likewise said the union executives advocated proceeding in a safe and coordinated way so that people feel that theyre all in.

Under Trumps three-phase plan, the federal government has recommended that schools reopen in Phase 2. No state has scheduled a school reopening this academic year, although Idaho said local districts could, if they so choose, and Maryland had not officially announced its final decision. Nevertheless, there are calls in various states for summer remedial work with in-person classes. The AFT goes so far as to advocate, A voluntary multiweek summer session for enrichment and catch-up time.

Among the most important lessons of the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic was that closing schools early and longer was one of the most effective firewalls against the spread of the pandemic. Dr. Howard Markel, a specialist in the history of pandemics, emphasized this point to the New York Times, warning that, cities that acted fast, for lengthy periods, and included school closing  saw the lowest death rates.

In other words, reopening schools without adequate protective measures virtually guarantees a comprehensive community spread, posing a catastrophic threat to the population. Making an explicit warning against an unlimited re-opening of schools at present, a team of German researchers has published a study whose data suggests that viral loads in the very young do not differ significantly from those of adults. ... Children may be as infectious as adults.

Additionally, teachers are particularly at risk. As Education Week reported, with 29 percent aged 50 and older and many with underlying health conditions, about one-third of teachers are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Teachers workplaces also rank among the germiest of all professions, noted a recent study, with 27 times more germs on computer keyboards than others.

Finally, despite the claims that children are relatively unscathed by the virus, some have died. Further, a new, highly dangerous inflammatory condition that afflicts young COVID patients indicates that there is still much scientists do not know about the disease, including its long-term implications.

But the central aim of the AFT and NEA has nothing to do with protecting teachers, school workers, or students and everything to do with maintaining their dues stream and government-anointed role as labor contractors. The AFT plan misses no opportunity to emphasize the need for the union to be intimately consulted and involved. Now is the time for unions and employers to work on all issues for returning to school, they say, asking to be included in decisions on programming, space, operations, logistics, calendar, and aligning all the public health interventions.

An entire section is labeled A Seat at the Table. The AFT states, Our commonsense approach requires real partnerships with employers and community stakeholders on state and local levels. School districts, universities, and hospitals should look to unions and the collective bargaining process as opportunities to provide genuine participation, communication and buy-in from the workers ultimately responsible for ensuring the health and safety of our students, patients and those we serve.

Collective bargaining, they reiterate, is an opportunity to solve problems facing school districts, universities and hospitals as they plan for and manage reopening For educators, decades of this type of collective bargaining in which they had no input or impact has meant disaster. Rotten deals, betrayed strikes and secret negotiations brokered by the AFT have created conditions where teachers are working in decaying, unsanitary schools, students learn in buildings without safe drinking water, there is a widespread lack of nurses, librarians and support staff, and impoverished educators are buying supplies with their own resources. A return to work under the supervision of the AFT will mean death and suffering.

However, the AFT is speaking not to educators here, but to the ruling elites. The clear subtext is: You can count on the union to suppress struggles to the best of our ability, as we have been doing for decades. Further, it is warning, Without us, you may not be able to keep teachers, nurses and other public employees under controlespecially with their very lives at stake.

Over the last two years, more than 700,000 teachers and other school employees went on strike against the austerity program of both big business parties, which will be drastically escalated in the wake of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. This will pit teachers in even sharper conflict with the AFT and NEA, which are critical pillars of the Democratic Party.

The Socialist Equality Party calls on teachers, students and workers to reject the outright surrender being callously plotted by the unions. Instead, drawing the lessons of the nature of the pro-capitalist unions, workers must begin the formation of new organizations of strugglerank-and-file committees in every school and neighborhood. These organizations should base their demands not on what capitalism says is affordable, but on what is necessary.

When and how schools should be reopened must be determined by these rank-and-file safety committees of educators, parents and neighborhood residents in consultation with medical experts. There must be no return to schools, factories or workplaces without safety precautions as guaranteed with independent scientific appraisal. The working class must demand that governments make available the resources required to contain the spread of the disease, treat and care for those who are infected, and secure the livelihoods of the hundreds of millions of people who will be affected by the economic fallout.

The resources exist to achieve what is necessary: universal testing, free high quality health care, nurses in every school, and the rebuilding of public education infrastructure and more, but these trillions are monopolized by a criminal oligarchy, which is willing to drive society into the abyss in order to defend its wealth and privileges. The priority has not been saving lives, but saving profits. It is this that has prevented any scientific, rational and globally coordinated response to the pandemic.

The alternative to capitalism is socialismthe restructuring of social and economic life, on a world scale, to meet social need, not private profit. The fortunes of the super-rich must be seized and redirected toward combating the pandemic and addressing urgent social needs. This means the fight for socialism. We urge all those who agree with this perspective to make the decision to join the Socialist Equality Party today.
The Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS) offers its services for the construction of a 100-bed capacity Infectious Disease Centre valued US$4.5 million for the Ga East Municipal Hospital at Kwabenya.

The project which is being financed by the Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector Fund is expected to be completed in six weeks.

The Centre is to complement government efforts in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking to the media during a visit by the executives of the institution to the site, President of the GhIS, Dr John Amaglo, called on government to work with the country's professional institutions in the built-environment to enable them to build their capacity and save the nation from the high cost of engaging foreign consultants for government projects.

He indicated that the GhIS is offering pro-bono consultancy to the project as its contribution to complement government effort in the fight against the Coronavirus disease.

He said the nation's professionals such as surveyors, architects, planners and engineers were capable of delivering to the highest level on any project assigned to them.

Mr Senyo Hosi, Managing Trustee of the Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector Fund, key partners of the Fund, said members had been kind and generous in their donation to the project.

He said despite the very difficult times when businesses were struggling and personal financing were challenging, people had identified with the project and found time and energy to donate.

He commended the GhIS and other professional institutions such as the Ghana Institute of Architect, the Planners and Engineers for their time and dedication to the project.

If you look at all the professionals that have work on the project, they have dedicated their priceless time to make sure we are where we are today, he added.

Mr Hosi expressed the hope that the project would serve as a benchmark or a model that governments and key construction players in the country would use to re-orient their views about the technical professionals that the country has.

He urged government to continue to work with the country's professional institutions to enable it save money in terms of hiring foreign consultants for its projects.
Pedestrians wearing masks walk past the boarded up Gap store at Powell Street and Market Street on Friday, March 27, 2020 in San Francisco, Calif.

Gap Inc. is preparing to reopen 800 of its apparel shops by the end of May, as states such as Texas and South Carolina slowly begin to lift lockdown restrictions that were put in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The San Francisco-headquartered company, which owns Banana Republic, Old Navy and Athleta, joins a growing list of retailers  including Macy's, Nordstrom, Abercrombie & Fitch and Chico's  that are taking steps to get back to business, albeit with plenty of precautionary measures.

"Our whole goal is to be the gold standard when it comes to safe retailing," Chief Executive Sonia Syngal told CNBC in a phone interview. "Being trusted in this process is paramount for us."

For Gap, getting the lights back on in its stores likely needs to happen sooner rather than later, as its financial situation appears dire.

On April 23, the company warned investors it might not have enough cash to sufficiently fund operations, with its shops temporarily shut to try to help curb the spread of Covid-19. A day later, Gap issued $2.25 billion of new secured bonds to help it repay existing debt. At the end of March, Gap drew down its entire $500 million credit line and said it was suspending dividend payments.

Looking for ways to cut costs, Gap also said last month that it stopped paying rent to its landlords, with monthly rent expenses amounting to roughly $115 million in North America.

"We are fully engaged in conversations with landlords regarding these decisions and plans to reopen," Syngal said.

Meantime, only about 20% of Gap Inc.'s revenue comes from indoor shopping malls, she went on to say. Gap's net sales totaled $16.4 billion in fiscal 2019.

Mall-based retailers, including apparel companies and department stores, have been some of the hardest hit during the pandemic that has kept families holed up at home. Even as lockdown restrictions lift, analysts say malls could be one of the venues consumers look to avoid, longer term, because of their enclosed nature. Nordstrom said Tuesday evening that it plans to permanently shut 16 of its department stores, after assessing the market.

The biggest U.S. mall owner, Simon Property Group, notably has 412 Gap stores, including Banana Republic and Old Navy, at its malls and outlet centers. This makes Gap Simon's biggest in-line tenant at its properties in terms of rent. Simon started opening some of its malls in the South last Friday.

"We feel confident that our online composition and street, strip, outlet and lifestyle [outdoor] malls give us an advantage," Syngal said about Gap's positioning away from enclosed malls. "That is exciting for us."

As Gap reopens its doors to customers again, the changes will be noticeable. And it is unclear how long some of them will be in place. Some could become permanent.

Among them: Gap will be placing plexiglass dividers at registers to protect workers from shoppers. It will place signs in stores encouraging customers to wear face coverings and to follow social distancing protocols. Restrooms and fitting rooms will be temporarily closed. Hand sanitizer will be positioned at store entrances, and store hours will be reduced for the foreseeable future.

Gap will also be holding any returned merchandise for 24 hours before placing it back on the sales floor, a practice Syngal said the retailer agreed upon based on conversations with industry peers and the trade group Retail Industry Leaders Association. It remains unclear how long the Covid-19 virus lingers on materials such as clothing.

Gap operated 3,345 stores globally, with an additional 574 franchise locations, as of Feb. 1.

To meet online demand and to try to utilize inventory sitting in dark stores, the company currently is fulfilling and shipping online orders from 1,000 locations. And it has curbside pickup available at 75 shops.

Gap plans to double the number of locations where it is shipping from the store, as well as add additional curbside pickup options, according to Syngal. "When Covid hit, we saw a meaningful acceleration in our online performance."

When it warned about its financial situation last month, Gap also said it is possible that some of its stores never reopen.

Syngal, who became CEO effective March 23 after leading the Old Navy brand, said the retailer is still "thoughtfully" evaluating its real estate.

Gap shares have fallen more than 58% this year. The retailer has a market cap of $2.7 billion.
Restaurant Strong Cap There are more than 1 million restaurants in the U.S., home to more than 15 million employees nationwide who are especially vulnerable to the effects of Covid-19 closures. .

With the Covid-19 virus impacting a wide range of industries, one sector that has been especially hard hit is restaurants and their employees.

Upon learning of the Restaurant Strong Fund, a collaboration between The Greg Hill Foundation and Samuel Adams that helps restaurant workers impacted by the Covid-19 closures, Imperial Promotions, a custom embroidery and screen printing company based in Boston, MA, was inspired to help the cause, according to the companys President, Eric Grande.

Grande asked the designers at Imperial Promotions to come up with cap that paid homage to the industry. The result is a cap, which is highlighted by a symbol of appreciation and love for restaurant employees. For every cap sold, Imperial Promotions will donate $10 to the Restaurant Strong Fund.

The cap, available in white, pink, and black can be purchased at ImperialPromotions.com. There are discounts for volume purchases and shipping is free.

The restaurant/hospitality industry has been a prominent customer segment for Imperial Promotions since our founding in 1959, said Grande. Its heartbreaking to see so many of our clients and the industry in general experience the devastating impact of having to pretty much shutdown. Between mass layoffs and reduced hours, restaurant employees are under enormous stress, added Grande.

According to The Restaurant Strong website, there are more than 1 million restaurants in the U.S., home to more than 15 million employees nationwide who are especially vulnerable to the effects of Covid-19 closures.

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About Imperial Promotions

Since 1959 Imperial Promotions has been helping businesses and organizations place their logo and branding on the right product for the right price - delivered on time. The company serves customers throughout the United States and Canada. Imperial Promotions offers embroidery and screen printing services, apparel from the leading brands, and a wide selection of personalized promotional products, For additional information, visit http://www.imperialpromotions.com.
Riyaz Naikoo, who rose to prominence in the Hizbul ranks after the encounter killing of militant leader Burhan Wani in 2016, dodged the police for eight years, before he was finally killed in an encounter in his village in south Kashmirs Pulwama on Wednesday.

After Wanis death, he was actively involved in militancy in Kashmir, especially south Kashmir. A resident of Gulzarpora Beighpora village, Naikoo was named in the killings of civilians including truck drivers, and policemen, according to a statement by the police.

Before joining the Hizbul Mujahideen, Naikoo used to teach mathematics at a private school in Pulwama. The son of a farmer, Naikoo was detained by security forces during the unrest of 2010 and released in 2012. He was believed to have been radicalised around the same time.

After Wanis death created a vacuum in Hizbul, Naikoo stepped up, and circulated his audio and video messages on the social media to attract the youth. According to the security establishment, the bespectacled de facto chief Hizbul chief used the web to find new recruits.

A postgraduate, he carried a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head. Naikoo was listed a category A++ militant, which is the classification for most-wanted militants in the Valley.

The forces have actively pursued him over the past couple of years and launched several operations in south Kashmir to trap him. He managed to escape every time  until Wednesday, when he and an associate were killed in Gulzarpora Beighpora, 16km from Pulwama town.

According to local residents, he had come to his village to meet his ailing mother.

In the third week of May 2012, he left home, according to news agency PTI. In 2016, he made a dramatic appearance at the funeral of a militant in Shopian carrying a Kalashnikov rifle. He fired several shots in the air, starting a trend of giving gun salute to militants who were killed by security forces.

Naikoo released a video in 2017, saying he would welcome the return of Kashmiri Pandits in the Kashmir Valley and claimed that terrorists were not enemies of the Pandits.
A variety of baby products have been delivered to 10 Downing Street today as the Prime Minister and his fiancee stock up on goods for their son Wilfred.

Carrie Symonds gave birth to Boris Johnson's sixth child Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson on Wednesday last week and the couple have been busy ordering baby products to get through the first few months of the youngster's life.

A delivery from My 1st Years - which describes itself as 'the number one personalised baby brand in the world' - arrived at 10 Downing Street this morning.

Its website offers customers personalised goods from teddies and toys to blankets and clothing alongside bed, bath and home accessories.

It comes just one day after a courier delivered products from eco-friendly range Kit & Kin - sells non-irritable baby skincare products, including nappies, wipes and cotton clothing - the Prime Minister's official residence.

A delivery from My 1st Years - which describes itself as 'the number one personalised baby brand in the world' - arrived at 10 Downing Street this morning

My 1st Years offers customers personalised goods from teddies and toys to blankets and clothing alongside bed, bath and home accessories

A variety of products are available on the My 1st Years website including dressing gowns, toys and blankets

The range was created in 2017 and co-founded by Spice Girl Emma Bunton and Christopher Money.

In a statement on the company's website, Bunton says: 'We want to take away the stress and worry parents often experience when trying to choose the best products for their family.

'Thats why weve developed an amazing range you can trust to care and protect for your family as they grow.'

Mr Johnson has previously admitted that he will help change the baby's nappies, during an appearance on This Morning before the baby's arrival in March.

Presenter Philip Schofield asked: 'How good are you at changing nappies? Will you change nappies?' The Prime Minister appeared flustered before replying: 'I expect so.'

The Hermes delivery driver seen wearing a face mask and carrying two boxes, with the eco-friendly range Kit & Kin labelled across one of the deliveries

Carrie Symonds revealed the name of her and Boris Johnson's son as Wilfred, as the beaming parent shared her first photograph of the baby boy on Instagram last weekend

Carrie Symonds retweeted a video from UCLH, the hospital in London where she gave birth last week, thanking its midwives on International Day of the Midwife

Ms Symonds gave birth in London last week on Wednesday morning with the Prime Minister at her side, days after he himself had been released from medical care following a lengthy battle with coronavirus.

In a heart-warming Instagram post revealing the boy's name on Saturday, Ms Symonds revealed that the middle name Nicholas was a tribute to two NHS doctors, Dr Nick Price and Dr Nick Hart, who 'saved Boris' life last month' following his battle with coronavirus.

Yesterday, she praised the midwives who delivered baby Wilfred.

She retweeted a video from UCLH, the hospital in London where she gave birth last week, thanking its midwives on International Day of the Midwife, captioning: 'A big thank you from me too! You guys are incredible.'

The website for Kit & Kin, which sells non-irritable baby skincare products, including reusable cloth-nappies made with 'reclaimed fishing nets', wipes and cotton clothing

The first name is a tribute to Mr Johnson's paternal grandfather, Osman Wilfred Kemal, and Lawrie a reference to Ms Symonds' grandfather.

Accompanying the caption was a photograph in which the first-time mother was seen tightly cradling her son, who sported an extraordinary full head of hair not dissimilar to that of his father.

The 32-year-old fiancee of Mr Johnson, who said 'my heart is full' in the caption, also revealed for the first time that Wilfred had been born at the maternity wing of the NHS's University College Hospital in central London.

Osman Wilfred Kemal: Boris's half-Turkish grandfather who gave his family the name Johnson The baby's first name is a tribute to Mr Johnson's paternal grandfather, Osman Wilfred Kemal. Mr Kemal was the father of Stanley Johnson, whose former wife Charlotte gave birth to Boris in 1964. It is through Wilfred Kemal, who changed the family name to Johnson, that Boris gets his Turkish heritage. Johnson had been his maternal grandmother's maiden name. Mr Kemal's own father, Ali Kemal, was an interior minister of the Ottoman Empire. He was lynched and stoned to death by a mob during the 1922 Turkish War of Independence. Both his son and daughter moved to southern England, where Osman would drop his first name in favour of his second name, Wilfred. Wilfred Johnson later married Irene Williams, who according to an episode of BBC's Who Do You Think You Are? was the constant subject of jokes from the family due to her grandiose claims of an aristocratic French background. On the show, it was revealed through Wilfred's birth certificate that his mother had died during childbirth. Advertisement

The caption read: 'Introducing Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas born on 29.04.20 at 9am. Wilfred after Boris' grandfather Lawrie after my grandfather Nicholas after Dr Nick Price and Dr Nick Hart - the two doctors that saved Boris' life last month.

'Thank you so, so much to the incredible NHS maternity team at UCLH that looked after us so well. I couldn't be happier. My heart is full.'

It was also revealed that Boris Johnson received a congratulatory phone call from the Duke of Cambridge on Friday afternoon, with a record of their conversation recorded as an official event in the Court Circular.

Among the first to send their well-wishes following the announcement were Dr Nick Price and Prof Nick Hart, who said they were 'honoured and humbled' to serve as the inspiration for the newborn's middle name Nicholas.

They said in a statement: 'Our warm congratulations go to the Prime Minister and Carrie Symonds on the happy arrival of their beautiful son Wilfred.

'We are honoured and humbled to have been recognised in this way, and we give our thanks to the incredible team of professionals who we work with at Guy's at St Thomas' and who ensure every patient receives the best care.

'We wish the new family every health and happiness.'

There was also a message of congratulations from the University College Hospital, where Wilfred was born.

UCLH chief executive Professor Marcel Levi said: 'Congratulations to Carrie Symonds and Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the birth of their son. We wish them every happiness at this special time.

'I would like to thank the teams who cared for Carrie and her baby.

'They are an incredibly skilled, dedicated and compassionate group of professionals who put patients at the heart of everything they do.

The couple revealed the boy's full name as Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson, with the first name a tribute to Mr Johnson's paternal grandfather, Osman Wilfred Kemal (pictured)

Boris Johnson's grandfather, Wilfred, is pictured standing with his wife Irene, his eldest son Peter (left), daughters Hilary (right) and Gillian (kneeling) and his son Stanley (Boris' father)

'I am very proud of them and all our staff at UCLH who are working extremely hard in very difficult circumstances at the moment.'

Downing Street said the Prime Minister, who is back leading the country in its fight against the Covid-19 crisis, would plough on with his duties and take a 'short period' of paternity leave later in the year.

The new family are planning to live in their Downing Street flat along with their dog Dilyn, the Number 10 spokesman confirmed last week.

The birth came after an extraordinary month for the couple, who were self-isolating separately, first because of Carrie's pregnancy and then when Boris fell ill.

Mr Johnson then spent a week in hospital, including three days in intensive care, and Ms Symonds was also briefly bedridden with symptoms of Covid-19, but made a full recovery.
Junior Minister for Tourism Brendan Griffin has said he supports calls for a 0% VAT rate for the tourism and hospitality sector to help it recover after the coronavirus pandemic.

It comes as the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) called for the rate to be introduced for the period of the pandemic and for 12 months thereafter.

Responding to calls from TDs in the Dail on Wednesday for the VAT rate to be cut, Mr Griffin said: This is something I think is very necessary to give us a fighting chance to recover as quickly as possible and to take on the huge competition there is internationally.

It is only when you go to places like the world travel market in London or the ITB in Berlin that you see the huge number of exhibitors that are there from all over the world.

You realise how competitive it is for Ireland but also how well we do for tourism as we attract close to 11 million tourists per year.

In relation to calls for a dedicated minister for tourism, he said: Im not Taoiseach yet so I dont get to decide what ministries go where but I think it would be something that would be very beneficial to our industry and I would certainly think it would be a positive move.

Mr Griffin said the hit television drama Normal People, based on the novel by Sally Rooney, has helped to showcase the country to a worldwide audience.

Heart Radio in the UK reports: "Where is Normal People filmed? Find out about the filming locations from Sligo to Dublin" - Heart @thisisheart https://t.co/lvzpmayJRQ  Tourism Ireland (@TourismIreland) May 5, 2020

Some of the filming for the series took place in Tubbercurry in Co Sligo last year.

Mr Griffin said Tourism Ireland has used cinematography from the series to showcase the county to the world.

They have been selective with the cinematography as some of it would not have been suitable for a worldwide distribution from a tourism perspective but Sligo looked fantastic on it and it looks fantastic on screen always, he said.
WASHINGTON - Some senators now say theyd like lawmakers to be tested for the coronavirus, just days after congressional leaders declined an offer of 1,000 tests from the Trump White House.

Without testing, Were disease vectors, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said Wednesday, adding that Washington is a hot spot for the infection.

The remarks by King and others underscore the pressures facing lawmakers as the U.S. remains seriously short of the amount of testing experts consider necessary. Many members of Congress face higher risks because theyre older and travel often, but theyre also loathe to be seen as getting special access to a scarce resource.

Its totally responsible to have tests, not just to protect us but to protect all the other people that are involved in that travel, said Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo. He said lawmakers and congressional staff should be tested, but without taking resources away from other people.

On Tuesday, Sen. Lamar Alexander, chairman of the Senate health committee, said that with more testing becoming available, he expected attitudes to change quickly about the decision to rebuff the White House offer of tests. Alexander, R-Tenn., said lawmakers travel back and forth to Washington creates a highly efficient virus spreading machine.

One senator and seven House members have reported testing positive for the disease. At least 19 congressional employees, including eight Capitol Police officers, have also tested positive, according to a letter last week by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.

Despite assurances by President Donald Trump that the U.S. had all the testing it needs, public health experts say the country is far short of the tests needed to detect and control fresh outbreaks. The virus is continuing to spread across the country, with over 1.2 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease the virus causes, and more than 72,000 deaths.

While more and faster tests are becoming available, many doctors offices and labs have been overwhelmed by demand and long backlogs have been common. A gradual reopening of businesses in some states is likely to increase infections and exacerbate the problem.

Last Friday night  two days before the Senate returned to Washington for the first time in weeks  Health Secretary Alex Azar tweeted that the White House was sending 1,000 tests to the Capitol. Early Saturday, Trump tweeted that there was tremendous testing capacity available and said the Senate would be sent a test from Abbott Laboratories that he said produces results in five minutes.

But the next day, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., turned aside the offer in a rare joint statement.

Congress wants to keep directing resources to the front-line facilities where they can do the most good the most quickly, they said.

Trump responded that lawmakers rejected the tests due to politics and added a swipe at Pelosi, tweeting, Crazy Nancy will use it as an excuse not to show up to work! The House, which is much larger than the Senate, is not returning to Washington until at least next week.

McConnell and Pelosi have not changed their minds about declining the White Houses tests, aides said.

Trump, Vice-President Mike Pence and their aides are routinely tested for the virus, as are visitors who come in contact with them.

Brian Monahan, Congress official doctor, has told lawmakers in briefings that he has sufficient tests to use for people showing COVID-19 symptoms, said a senior House Democratic aide.

Estimates vary but doctors believe significant numbers of people with the disease show no symptoms but are capable of infecting others.

Monahan has not said how many tests there are. Those tests involve obtaining a sample with a swab and mailing it to a lab, with the results available in two or three days, said the aide, who revealed the details only on condition of anonymity.
May 5, 2020

Release

Readout of the Bilateral Engagement With His Excellency Imed Hazgui, Minister of Defense of the Republic of Tunisia

Chief Pentagon Spokesman Jonathan Hoffman provided the following readout:

Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper spoke with Tunisian Minister of Defense Imed Hazgui today by telephone. The two leaders discussed the historic and deepening partnership between the Tunisian and U.S. militaries to address security concerns, counterterrorism priorities, and border security objectives.

Secretary Esper highlighted Tunisia's strategic importance to the United States and underscored the United States' enduring commitment to Tunisia. He commended Minister Hazgui on the Tunisian military's transformation to address new threats and challenges as diverse as terrorism, border security, and even coronavirus.

Minister Hazgui underscored the depth of the bilateral relationship based on mutual trust and confidence, thanking Secretary Esper for the United States' support for the development of the Tunisian Armed Forces. He emphasized Tunisia's role as a gateway to North Africa and the Sahel.

Both Secretary Esper and Minister Hazgui expressed their sincere commitment to maintaining a strong bilateral partnership founded on common values and mutual security interests.

https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2177407/

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The group, including telecom operators Vodafone, AT&T and Verizon, says it wants to avoid depending on any single technology supplier.

Washington: More than 30 technology and telecom firms unveiled an alliance Tuesday to press for open and interoperable 5G wireless systems that eliminate the need for a single supplier.

The move comes amid heightened global debate over politically sensitive deployment of the ultrafast fifth-generation networks in a market led by Chinese-based Huawei, along with European-based Nokia and Ericsson.

The new Open RAN Policy Coalition said an open-standards system with competitive bidding for various components in a radio access network would avoid depending on any single technology supplier.

The alliance of 31 firms is letting (wireless) providers know there are options other than a single vendor with a closed proprietary system, said Diane Rinaldo, coalition executive director.

The group includes large technology firms Microsoft, Google, IBM and Cisco; carriers including AT&T and Verizon in the United States and global operators Vodafone, Rakuten and Telefonica; and hardware and chip-making firms Qualcomm, Intel and Samsung.

Rinaldo told AFP that the coalition was not formed to address concerns about any particular company but to discuss the need to have a robust supply chain and prevent any one company from dominating.

The move comes however with Washington banning Huawei from American networks amid what officials say are national security concerns, and urging US allies to follow suit.

As evidenced by the current global pandemic, vendor choice and flexibility in next-generation network deployments are necessary from a security and performance standpoint, Rinaldo said.

By promoting policies that standardize and develop open interfaces, we can ensure interoperability and security across different players and potentially lower the barrier to entry for new innovators.

Rinaldo said the alliance is promoting privately deployed networks in the United States, with the federal government helping to foster a diverse supply chain and fund research into these open networks.

The alliance points out that most mobile networks have typically been deployed using fully integrated systems where the radio, hardware and software are provided by a single manufacturer. An open system can work, the group noted, as long as standards are consistent.

It added that there are already examples of successful mobile deployments of 4G or 5G networks using open standards in Japan, India and other parts of the world.

This concept has been out there, Rinaldo said.

Our coalition is helping to amplify the message on this.
Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, are planning to create a so-called Baltic "travel bubble" where theyll open their borders to each others citizens from May 15, amid an easing of pandemic restrictions.

It would mark the first of its kind in the EU, a tiny step toward returning freedom of movement.

Speaking at a news conference, Lithuanian Prime Minister said that citizens of the three countries will be free to travel within the region, but anyone entering from outside will need to self-isolate for 14 days.

Most EU countries have restricted entry to non-nationals and imposed quarantine on incoming travelers as the coronavirus spread across the continent.

The European Commission has recommended that internal border controls between all member states should be lifted in a coordinated manner.

Moves to selectively open borders have also emerged elsewhere. For example, Australia and New Zealand are working towards resuming travel amongst themselves.
Africa has more than 30,000 confirmed cases of Coronavirus, according to the World Health Organization. And while these numbers are relatively small compared to the rest of the world, the continent is not taking any chances in its fight against the virus.



Residents are creating local solutions to help curb the spread of the virus. In Nigeria, tailors are handmaking protective gear like face masks and medical overalls. And in Kenya, even though schools are closed, one woman is providing food for schoolchildren from poor families.



Now, in Ghana, a software engineering company, Cognate Systems, is using technology to track coronavirus symptoms and hotspots in the West African country.



Using a platform called Opine Health Assistant, the company is able to record and track the frequency of Coronavirus symptoms like a cough and high temperature in different parts of the country.



Opine Health Assistant



The Opine Health Assistant platform, launched March 26, collects information from residents about their possible Coronavirus symptoms and location through a USSD short code, says Kwabena Nuamah, co-founder of Cognate Systems.



USSD is a short code used mostly by mobile telecommunications networks and mobile money service providers like banks for transactions.



When you dial a number that starts with * and ends with # to top up your phone credit or make a bank transfer, you are using USSD.



"To use the platform, they have to dial the shortcode *920*222# or *714*444# on their mobile phones and then follow the prompts to answer questions about symptoms and other risk factors," Nuamah told CNN.



"It is free to use and users can make use of it on any type of mobile device they have, even without credit," he added.



Dialing the USSD code allows residents to fill a form with questions about their symptoms, who they have been in contact with, age-range, and travel history.



It also asks if they need essential supplies such as food and shelter in the wake of the pandemic.



Nuamah, who is also an artificial intelligence researcher in the UK, says the questions are coined from the Coronavirus risk factors established by the WHO and are aimed at helping the platform make sense of the symptoms reported by the public.



"When people fill the form, with the information they give us, we can analyze and predict if the person is likely to be infected by the virus. We can also use the location of those who have symptoms to predict new regions that are likely to get hit by the virus," he said.



Data collected from USSD is built into Opine Health Assistant, and information provided by the public on coronavirus is visualized on maps and graphs to make it easier to understand, monitor, and share.



Where does the data go?



According to Nuamah, the data collected will be shared with public health experts, data scientists, relief providers, and disease surveillance teams who are better suited to understand the information and can use it to provide local solutions to coronavirus.



Ghana currently has more than 2,000 recorded cases of the virus, and 18 deaths resulting from it, according to the WHO.



Nuamah says Opine Health Assistant is helping the country predict the next possible high-risk areas for the virus, so that it is better prepared to handle the pandemic.



So far, 6,000 people have used it.



"We have seen some patterns over the past days that we launched. We have seen that the spread of the virus in Ghana has been mostly within the Greater Accra Region and the Ashanti region," he said.



"From the data we got, we were able to see certain patterns to suggest that the eastern region would have cases of the virus next before it was reported. And almost 24 hours after predicting the spread of the virus in that region, about 16 reported cases were reported there," he added.



With the tool, he said, experts and disease surveillance agencies in Ghana can start preparing to contain coronavirus before it hits a particular region.



Providing essential supplies



Opine Health Assistant also links the public with agencies and nonprofit organizations that provide essential supplies and relief materials.



Part of the data collected at the point of filling the form generated by the USSD code is information on where a person lives and if they need essentials like food and shelter.



"For people who might need food or shelter, within the series of questions, there is a part that asks for their location. We pass the locations to relief providers who are in our databases like churches and NGOs," Nuamah said.



"If a person says he is in Accra, for example, and needs food. We share this information with relief providers in Accra so they can identify people in that region and match them with supplies," he added.



Nuamah says the team has been in touch with the government of Ghana and one of their goals is to get the Ghanaian government to use their platform to identify Coronavirus symptoms and hotspots.



After the Coronavirus pandemic, Opine Health Assistant will be used to monitor different diseases in Ghana, according to Nuamah.



"We are already thinking outside of the current pandemic. We want to, in the future, be able to give heads-up as to what type of viruses are coming from different parts of the globe. We don't want to be chasing cases after they have occurred, we want to be able to predict cases coming for different diseases."

Source: cnn.com









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By coincidence, astronomers using the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope on Mauna Kea had recorded an outburst of light from that same spot in 2005. That was perhaps the first fatal bite.

Moreover, the knot of stars resembled precisely what astronomers thought the core of a small galaxy would look like if it had been swallowed by bigger one. It fit the notion that galaxies are assembled by mergers.

This is good news, as it was thought that it is likely that intermediate-mass black holes are found in dwarf galaxies, Dr. Webb said.

Back in the day, the black hole had been the center of its own little dwarf galaxy. Now it was an empty-nester, most of its stars gone. And it was on the way to an eventual marriage with the bigger black hole at the center of Gal1.

Therefore, the new observations confirm the source as one of the best intermediate-mass black hole candidates, Dr. Lin wrote in the recent paper.

This is only one of a few good candidates for the missing link black holes. Another one, HLX-1, was discovered in 2009  by many of the same astronomers  on the edge of a distant galaxy called ESO 243-49. It, too, is in a small cluster of stars that looks like the remains of a dwarf core, and weighs in at about 20,000 solar masses.

In the case of HLX-1, however, the X-rays seem to be coming from an accretion disk, the doughnut of hot, doomed material swirling outside the edge of a black hole  material that is periodically ripped from a star orbiting the black hole.
As Connecticut looks to gradually reopen some businesses this month, public health care workers raised concerns Wednesday that the state could see a resurgence of coronavirus infections in the fall, leading some to suggest the opening could be too soon.

This is a game of attrition right now, and we may not be winning this game, said Bill Garrity, president of University Health Professionals Local 3837 and a registered nurse at UConn Health Center. One patient with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, can sometimes take four nurses to treat at a hospitals intensive care unit, Garrity said.

So maybe in my opinion, May 20 may be too soon, he said. Coming back too soon is going to overwhelm the system. One of my favorite memes right now is Im sorry, yeah the parachute slowed us down so we can take it off well, were not on the ground yet.

The comments came during a teleconference hosted by SEIU 1199 New England, a health care workers union that has members in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

At the end of April, Gov. Ned Lamont announced the state would begin slowly reopening some businesses starting May 20. Restaurants will be limited to outdoor service only, and hair and other personal care shops will also be allowed to reopen in a limited way.

Also on Wednesday, the governors office received a report recommending college and university campuses could reopen over the summer, starting with research programs and administrative offices on May 20.

The report came as the state reported on Wednesday 85 new fatalities attributed to the illness, bringing the death toll to 2,718, even as the number of people hospitalized continued to fall.

Rob Baril, president of SEIU 1199, who opened the meeting with a moment of silence for state workers and their family members who have died, said public health care workers are the glue that has held our society together over the past several weeks.

Asked about reopening the state, Baril said the union needs engagement with the state thats looking beyond the 24-to-48-hour crisis period to develop a plan to reopen the state effectively.

Dr. Chris Steele, a physician at UConn Health Center, posed reopening as a balancing act between getting people back to work while preventing the virus from spreading.

At some point we do have to reopen, but by reopening there might be the risk that people will get sick, Steele said.

If the state does reopen as planned, he said people should continue to be responsible in public  including avoiding congregating in large groups and wearing face masks.

I dont think that theres a good answer, because Ive heard people say if I dont get back to work, Im not going to be able to provide for my family. I get that, Steele said.

Several health care professionals on Wednesdays call said they believe there will be a second peak of COVID-19 cases in the fall, and how well they are able to handle it will depend on the states preparations now.

Shirley Watson, a licensed clinical social worker with the state Department of Correction, said health care workers providing care through this wave of the virus have to live with trauma.

If the state reopens in the near future, we have to be prepared to take care of the mental health of the health care professionals who went through the first wave, because were going to have to go through the second one.

She said workers need more protective gear and resources to help the people under their care.

This will trend in the fall, lets just be real about that, Watson said.

Steele said how the public health sector handles the second wave will depend on how the community and state prepare them. That includes access to mental health service, adequate supplies of protective equipment and public health campaigns.

I think if we expand on our public health sector, well 100 percent be in a better position for the fall. But if we ignore those, it could be harder coming the fall. Because usually the second wave historically is usually stronger than the first.
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Linkedin Norman Harsono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, July 17, 2020 21:31 550 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd634fd2 1 Business Bukit-Asam,PTBA,coal-miner,financial-report,capital-expenditure,India,PLN,COVID-19,lockdown Free

State-owned coal miner PT Bukit Asam (PTBA) plans to cut its capital expenditure (capex) this year amid falling power demand in India and at home as the company books a sharp profit slump in the first quarter.

The miner initially budgeted Rp 4 trillion (US$264.9 million) of capex for 2020, mostly to develop a giant coal-fired power plant in South Sumatra.

There will likely be a change in capex but we are still reviewing how that might look and we will convey this during our second quarter performance briefing, Bukit Asam finance director Mega Satria said during a video conference on Monday.

He added that the publicly listed coal miner, which was the second-most-profitable company of its kind last year, had absorbed Rp 407 billion  equal to 10.1 percent  of the budgeted capex as of the first quarter.

Around two-thirds of the absorbed capex went into developing the Sumsel 8 coal plant, which is slated to become one of the largest in Indonesia.

In the first quarter, we didnt really feel the lockdown impacts yet. We will start feeling the impacts in the second quarter, said Mega.

Coal miners across Indonesia have been hit hard by worldwide lockdowns in the first quarter as governments scramble to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

Indonesian export of coal, a commodity mainly used for power generation, is projected to reach 419 million tons this year, according to market consultancy IHS Markit. The projection is 32 million tons lower than last year's exports of 451 million tons.

PTBA commerce director Adib Ubaidillah highlighted two risks that would be faced by the company in the second quarter, which were lower demand from India and from Indonesias state-owned electricity company PLN.

The South Asian economy, which is Indonesias largest coal buyer, entered a "voluntary lockdown" on March 22 and is slated to continue a mandatory lockdown until May 17.

The lockdowns caused Indias electricity consumption to fall 9 percent year-on-year (yoy) to 97,698 gigawatt hours (GWh) in March, according to data from Indias Central Electricity Authority.

PTBA can still sell to India but only via private harbors whose numbers are not that great, said Adib.

He went on to say that PLN, which buys around 60 percent of PTBAs coal, had requested a quite significant cutback in coal for April and May as power consumption falls in Southeast Asias largest economy.

He said the company planned to compensate for lower sales to India and PLN by ramping up exports to other Asian markets such as Brunei, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.

Bukit Asam shares, traded on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) as PTBA, remain unchanged at Rp 1,815 apiece on Tuesday as the benchmark Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) climbed 0.53 percent. The stocks have lost more than 47 percent of their value in the last year, Bloomberg data show.

PTBAs latest quarterly financial report revealed that the company's profits fell 20.5 percent annually to Rp 903.24 billion in the January-March period amid weakening coal demand and prices as key Asian coal markets curb economic activity.

Bukit Asams sales volume rose 2.1 percent yoy to 6.8 million tons yet revenue fell 4.01 percent yoy to Rp 5.12 trillion. Higher sales volume was offset by low coal prices, which fell 26 percent yoy to $65.77 per ton in April, based on Indonesian benchmark prices (HBA).

Meanwhile, costs rose 1.04 percent yoy to Rp 3.59 trillion due to higher transportation costs associated with the higher sales volume. Costs also rose because foreign mining-related services became relatively pricier after the rupiah depreciated in March, the company said in a statement.

Editor's note: This article has been revised to state that IHS Markit projects Indonesian export of coal to reach 419 million tons this year, 32 million tons lower than last year's exports of 451 million tons.
NEW YORK  Fifteen children, many of whom had the coronavirus, have recently been hospitalized in New York City with a mysterious syndrome that doctors do not yet fully understand but that has also been reported in several European countries, health officials announced Monday night.

Many of the children, ages 2 to 15, have shown symptoms associated with toxic shock or Kawasaki disease, a rare illness in children that involves inflammation of the blood vessels, including coronary arteries, the citys health department said.

DATA: Houston-area cities with the most COVID-19 cases

None of the New York City patients with the syndrome have died, according to a bulletin from the health department, which describes the illness as a multisystem inflammatory syndrome potentially associated with COVID-19.

Reached late Monday night, the state health commissioner, Dr. Howard A. Zucker, said state officials were also investigating the unexplained syndrome.

The syndrome has received growing attention in recent weeks as cases began appearing in European countries hit hard by the coronavirus.

There are some recent rare descriptions of children in some European countries that have had this inflammatory syndrome, which is similar to the Kawasaki syndrome, but it seems to be very rare, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, a World Health Organization scientist, said at a news briefing last week.

It was not immediately known whether children in other parts of the United States have come down with this illness. New York City has been the center of the pandemic.

COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, tends to be much more dangerous for older people and those with underlying health conditions. Children are less likely to become seriously ill than adults. But some do. In New York City, six children have died of COVID-19, according to data from the health department.

Reports of children sick with the unexplained syndrome in New York City have been circulating for several days, but Mondays bulletin was the first time the citys health authorities warned doctors to be on the lookout for patients who might have it.

The bulletin said that most of the 15 children had a fever and many had a rash, vomiting or diarrhea. Since being hospitalized, five of them have needed a mechanical ventilator to help them breathe, and most of the 15 required blood pressure support.

The full spectrum of disease is not yet known, the bulletin said. Of the 15 patients, most either tested positive for the coronavirus or were found, through antibody testing, to likely have been previously infected.

The citys health commissioner, Dr. Oxiris Barbot, said in a statement: Even though the relationship of this syndrome to COVID-19 is not yet defined, and not all of these cases have tested positive for COVID-19 by either DNA test or serology, the clinical nature of this virus is such that we are asking all providers to contact us immediately if they see patients who meet the criteria weve outlined.

And to parents, she added, if your child has symptoms like fever, rash, abdominal pain or vomiting, call your doctor right away.

Conjunctivitis, or inflammation of the eye, and swollen lymph nodes are also symptoms of Kawasaki disease.

The health department identified the 15 patients by contacting hospital pediatric intensive care units across the city in recent days. Only severe cases may have been recognized at this time, the bulletin said.

The 15 patients were all hospitalized on or after April 17.

WNBC-TV previously reported that Mount Sinai Kravis Childrens Hospital had treated some patients believed to have this syndrome  and that some had developed heart problems and low blood pressure.

Zucker, the state health commissioner, was asked last week about reports of toxic shock in younger patients. He responded that officials were aware that the virus attacks different organs, including the lining of blood vessels, something some doctors believe may be contributing to blood clots in some coronavirus patients.

What we have been seeing is that there are some children who may have an inflammation of those blood vessels, and are developing a toxic-shock-like syndrome, he said, adding that he had spoken to number of hospital directors about a small number of cases.

On Monday night, Zucker reiterated that state health officials were aware of multiple cases of this syndrome in New York City hospitals, and that he had spoken with medical providers statewide about it.

Zucker said the state health department was also looking at possible Kawasaki cases in children and adolescents in Europe, which were the subject of an international webinar last weekend.

So far, from what we understand, this is a rare complication in the pediatric population that they believe is related to COVID-19, Zucker said, adding, We are following it very closely.

Pediatricians in several European countries, including Italy, Britain, France and Spain, have reported dozens of cases of children presenting these kind of symptoms.

No deaths have been recorded, and although many of the children tested positive for the coronavirus, others didnt.

In Italys northern town of Bergamo, a hot spot for the outbreak, one hospital had 20 cases in April alone. In four Parisian hospitals, 20 children were hospitalized with inflammatory heart conditions, and in Britain, over a dozen children with such symptoms have required intensive care.

Spain has recorded a few dozen cases throughout the country, and Switzerland and Belgium have reported a handful.

Pediatricians have urged families whose children have high fever, rashes or stomach pains to call doctors immediately. Some have said they were concerned that parents might not take their children to the hospitals because of the pandemic.

As those countries are weighing how to reopen schools, health experts said the small number of these unusual cases shouldnt prevent authorities from doing so.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
Help India!

By Najiya O, TwoCircles.Net

Fresh raids by National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Kerala in recent days has left families of individuals accused to be Maoists perplexed, and activists alarmed, reports Najiya O for the TwoCircles.net.

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Kerala: The International Labour Day on May 1 was a busy day for the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Kerala. The NIA conducted two raids in the Kozhikode district and interrogated three people including a journalist and two others in connection with the Pantheerankavu Maoist case.

All three were taken into custody for interrogation and later released on condition that they should be present at the NIA office in Kochi later. They have reportedly refuted any links with the youth already arrested in the case.

The raids have come barely four days after the NIA submitted its charge sheet in the case, naming Alan Shuaib as the prime accused. Thaha Fazal is the second accused and CP Usman said to be absconding is the third accused in the case taken up by the NIA in December 2019 from the Kerala Police.

The chargesheet reportedly alleges that the young men were active members of the banned Maoist organization.

Meanwhile, the Kerala police have raided the houses of the brothers of CP Jaleel, said to be a Maoist and killed in a police encounter in Wayanad in March 2019.

The police have reportedly seized documents, mobile phones and laptop from the houses in Malappuram.

There have also been reports that more than 20 people in different parts of Kerala, including a doctor, lawyers and human rights activists, would be further questioned in connection with the case.

Alan Shuaib and Thaha Fazal were arrested by the Kerala police in the first week of November 2019 from Kozhikode, and charged with the UAPA. CP Usman, who was also with them, is understood to have run away on seeing the police and has been absconding since.

The arrest became controversial in the state, especially since the young men and their families were active members of the communist party. The charging of the UAPA also was criticized as the CPI(M) in power had taken a strong stand against the law in the Parliament and spoken against it outside but slapped the charges on its own members in their ruling state.

Sabitha Sekhar, the mother of Alan Shuaib, told TwoCircles.net that the communist partys policy is against the UAPA. But the left government in Kerala has stood with charging it and that is a mistake.

The responsibility lies with the Home Ministry and the CPI (M) has not been able to rectify it. However, we will continue our life of secular left politics, she said.

Sekhar said that they are not depending on the party for the case. We will move things legally on our own with the help and support of our friends, she added.

Dr Azad, convenor of the Alan-Thaha Manushyavakasha Samithi (Alan-Thaha Human Rights Committee) told TwoCircles.net that the UAPA was charged by the Kerala police against Alan and Thaha upon their arrest.

Azad pointed out the irony in the CPI (M)-led government slamming the UAPA on anybody against its own proclaimed stand against the law.

The case came up out of nowhere when there was no issue or problem of any kind, he said.

The Committee chaired by veteran journalist BRP Bhasker is trying to bring up the matter as a human rights issue before the government and the public.

Thaha Fazal (24), a student of journalism hailing from Pantheerankavu in Kozhikode comes from an economically weak family. His father is not able to work following an accident a few years back. His mother works at a tailoring shop. His brother is studying and Thaha used to work while studying to support the family.

The family is finding it hard to find resources to fight the cases and are relying on the help of others.

Alan Shuaib (20), is a student of law hailing from Thiruvannur in Kozhikode. His parents are known in the social life of the city as his father Shuaib has been a leader of the CPI (M). His mother Sabitha and her sister Sajitha Madathil (an actress in Malayalam films) are active on the social media and in social issues.

While talking to media, both families had expressed their disbelief and discontent in the attitude of the party and its leaders towards this issue.

The police arrested Alan and Thaha on the evening of November 1 and raided their houses early morning the next day. A cellphone was taken into custody from Alans house and two books, a laptop and flags from Thahas house, according to reports.

However, the police then explained that the boys had been under observation for five years and that they were urban Naxals.

The Sessions Court in Kozhikode, the district court and later the Kerala High Court denied them bail upholding the charges under UAPA and the need for further investigation.

Charged with sections 20, 32 and 39 of the UAPA, the boys were sent to judicial custody. On the basis of the police claims that they had worked with the banned CPI (Maoist), the case was taken over by the NIA in December. However, the NIA court turned down their bail application in February.

The arrests were widely criticized in Kerala.

Initially, some leaders of the CPI (M), especially some in the district leadership, spoke against the arrest. But later all including the state and district leadership as well as the Chief Minister denounced them, even as CPI (M) national general secretary Sitaram Yechury announced that the party would provide them legal assistance.

The CM reportedly said in a press meet that they were arrested not for drinking tea. Certain leaders went a step further to connect Maoists and Muslim terrorists. In the literature festival held in Kozhikode in January, there was a session on Maoism and Islamism.

Meanwhile, after the charge sheet was filed by the NIA in the case, the Alan-Thaha Manushyavakasa Samithi accused that the NIA has not been able to present any evidence against the two even after months of investigation. The Samithi urged the Kerala Home Ministry to request bail for the two from the NIA court.

It had earlier requested the Chief Minister to take initiative to release them from prison in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, hinting towards the UN Human Rights Commission direction to release maximum prisoners and to give priority to political prisoners.

The CPI (M) announced the expulsion of Alan and Thaha from the party in mid-February. Till then the party district leadership had not denounced them, though the state leadership had spoken otherwise.

Even though the leftist parties and organizations are generally said to be in the forefront against injustice and human rights violations, the absence of the CPI (M) and sister organizations in any opposition to the arrests was evident in this particular case.

Interestingly, even though both the young men and their families are explicitly leftist, those who raised their voices for them first were Muslim parties and organizations, pointing out that their names led to the arrest and UAPA.



Collectives with pro-people policies also spoke for them, such as those leftist groups which are not in the official fold of the CPI (M). Later the Congress and the Muslim League also raised voice for them in the Assembly in January, which prompted the Chief Minister to write to the central Home Minister requesting to transfer the case from the NIA to the state police, after his initial hesitation that the state cannot do anything on the NIA taking up the case.

The Opposition leaders also visited the houses of the accused youth and offered financial support to run the case.

The most important thing for us now is to get our child back. We are trying for bail, but the COVID-19 outbreak and lockdown has made everything slow, Sekhar said.

The family do not possess a copy of the charge sheet, which is needed to apply for bail. They also couldnt meet Alan for two months, though he calls whenever he can.

Alan has been experiencing a life of quarantine for six months, said Alans father Shuaib, when asked about his life after the arrest of his son. We began experiencing quarantine life much before the virus outbreak and lockdown.

Though Kerala is seen as a comparatively calm and peaceful state, a considerable number of UAPA cases have been charged there.

Presently there are three cases related to Maoist activity investigated by the NIA in the state.

Though attacks by Maoists are not common, suspected Maoists were seen in hilly parts of the state where they had collected food and other essentials from the local people and pasted posters against the government acts or actions against Maoists.

Also, there have been a few encounters with the police in which suspected Maoists were killed like those that took place in Palakkad, Wayanad and Nilambur etc in recent years.

However, it would also be interesting to note that several rulings of the different High Courts and the Supreme Court of the country had in various times upheld that it was not a crime to be sympathetic to the Maoist ideology or to possess Maoist literature.

Now that the NIA has filed charge sheet in the case and more interrogations are expected to come up in the coming days, activists are concerned with the human rights aspects in the matter.
Many Democratic Oregon lawmakers are calling for their party colleague, Rep. Diego Hernandez of Portland, to resign from the Legislature because he has been accused by multiple women of sexually harassing them at the Capitol, which for many of them is their work place.

Hernandez, who has not been fully apprised of the accusations against him, says he will not resign and wants to have his alleged conduct judged in a fair manner. In 2017, he was accused of making a list of the hottest female lobbyists in Salem, but investigators who checked out that complaint found no evidence that such a list ever existed or that you ever engaged in ranking of lobbyists.

The new accusations against Hernandez are more widespread, however, with two women having disclosed their identities to lawmakers and five having made official confidential reports to the Legislatures Equity Office. And Democrats including House Speaker Tina Kotek have issued unequivocal calls for Hernandez to step down. Some of them have called on him to leave his position on the Reynolds school board as well.

"I believe Rep. Hernandez should resign from the Legislature and focus completely on getting the support he needs, Kotek said Monday.

Here are some of the other notable Oregonians who have publicly called for Hernandez to leave the Legislature:

Sen. Shemia Fagan, D-Portland: As a civil rights attorney, an elected leader, and a survivor, I take allegations of sexual harassment very seriously, she said, revealing that she was sexually harassed at jobs she held prior to winning election to the Legislature. Ive made my values on this clear, and Ive been a vocal advocate for strengthening protections and changing the culture of the legislative workplace in Salem.

Fagan tried, without success, to try to elect a new Democrat to head the Senate after she felt Senate President Peter Courtney didnt act fast enough or profoundly enough when women, including senators, alleged sexual harassment and groping by Sen. Jeff Kruse and a member of Courtneys own staff. I voted for a change in my own partys leadership because I believed there was an inadequate response to a culture of harassment. Harassment continues to be pervasive throughout society, and the Legislature should meet a higher standard. I call on Rep. Hernandez to resign.

Sen. Sara Gelser: She says she spoke directly with two of the women who say Hernandez harassed them. I believe them. Rep. Hernandez should resign.

Ive heard directly from 2 women. I believe them. Rep Hernandez should resign To the brave women whose names have been shared & those who havent- Many stand ready to support you through this time Dont let anyone make you feel guilty for telling truth re your experience. #orpol https://t.co/uD41TVBXJl  Sara Gelser (@SenSaraGelser) May 5, 2020

Rep. Dan Rayfield: The Corvallis Democrat tweeted on Tuesday that significant and credible allegations were made by seven women against Rep. Hernandez yesterday.

Rayfield said he did not make the decision lightly, but he spoke with one of the women and reached the conclusion Hernandez must resign in order to ensure a safe workplace. After hearing the allegations and speaking with one of the women, there is only one conclusion I can make: he should resign immediately.

Significant and credible allegations were made by seven women against Rep. Hernandez yesterday. After hearing the allegations and speaking with one of the women, there is only one conclusion I can make: he should resign immediately. #orpol  Dan Rayfield (@DanRayfield) May 5, 2020

-- Hillary Borrud: hborrud@oregonian.com; @hborrud

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In a bizarre mix up, a man claimed a wrong body as that of his father and cremated it Wednesday morning sparking a major controversy at the Government General Hospital in Rajasthans Alwar.

The hospitals principal medical officer Dr Sunil Chauhan ordered a probe into the lapse after another family raised a ruckus over the mix up.

Dr Chauhan said senior medical officer Dr Rajeev Gupta and medical jurist Dr KK Meena have been ordered to conduct an inquiry in this matter. They were asked to submit their report at the earliest.

Two bodies were put in the hospitals mortuary on May 3. One was of Rajmohan (70) of Uttrakhand and other was of Pappu Ram Prajapat (55) of Alwar city. Hospital authorities did not hand over the bodies to the relatives because they were waiting for results of the samples that they had given for Covid-19 tests. When both samples tested negative, the hospital asked the relatives to come on May 6.

Click here for full Covid-19 coverage.

Rajmohan was admitted due to old age related disease. He worked as a chowkidar in a private house in Alwar. His son Sanjay came from Dehradun on Wednesday morning and went to hospital with his fathers employer to take his body for cremation.

After the house owner and Rajmohans son identified the body, police handed it over to them. After the cremation, Sanjay returned to Dehradun.

Trouble started a few hours later when Pappu Ram Prajapats family and relatives reached the hospital in the afternoon to take the body. His sons Deepak and Sonu and other relatives pointed out that the body was of a different person and refused to take it.

It then became clear that there had been a mistake while releasing the first body in the morning. Rajmohans employer was called to the hospital and she realised that there had been a mistake.

When Sanjay was contacted he said that he hadnt seen his father for the last 20 years and relied on his fathers employer to recognise him, a hospital official said.

Deepak Prajapat and Sony Prajapat insisted that they will not take the body which is not of their fathers at any cost and have asked the police to file an FIR against the hospital.
Hyderabad, May 6 : As many as 2,350 Indians stranded in six countries would arrive here in seven flights, a top Telangana official said on Wednesday.

Seven flights to Hyderabad will be part of the largest evacuation exercise 'Vande Bharat Mission', beginning on May 7. Under the exercise, the Centre will operate 64 flights till May 13 to bring home nearly 14,800 nationals stranded abroad due to the coronavirus lockdown.

During the day, Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar reviewed arrangements for arrival of people by special flights.

He said the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had issued orders regarding movement of Indian nationals stranded in foreign countries and also the standard operating protocol (SOP).

He asked officials to make arrangements for institutional quarantine, medical screening at the airport and coordination with the nodal officers, designated by the Ministry of External Affairs.

As per the guideline, the returnee will have to undergo institutional quarantine at their own cost. There will be medical teams for regular check-ups. Transport arrangements from airport to quarantine centres have been entrusted to the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC).

The Chief Secretary asked officials to co-ordinate with hotels to prepare the 14-day stay packages as per budgets of different travellers.

The special flights will be operated by Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express. Only the Covid-19 negative persons will be allowed to travel. About 2,000 people are expected to fly back to India daily.

Shanthi Kumari, Special Chief Secretary (Health & Family Welfare); Principal Secretaries Sunil Sharma and Vikas Raj; Jithender, Additional Director General (Law & Order); Sandeep Kumar Sultania, Secretary (Panchayat Raj and Rural Development); and airport, immigration officials attended the meeting.
(Bloomberg) -- Amazon.com Inc. said an employee who worked in a Staten Island warehouse died from Covid-19, heightening concerns among workers that the online retail giant isnt doing enough to protect those toiling through the pandemic.

The employee, whose identity wasnt disclosed, last worked at the New York facility on April 5 and notified Amazon April 11 that he had tested positive for Covid-19, a spokeswoman said on Tuesday. The mans family told Amazon about his death Monday, and warehouse managers began alerting workers Monday evening. He had no known contact with any other employees since getting sick, according to Amazon.

We are deeply saddened by the loss of an associate at our site in Staten Island, Amazon spokeswoman Lisa Levandowski said. His family and loved ones are in our thoughts, and we are supporting his fellow colleagues.

At least five Amazon employees have died from coronavirus-related illnesses, according to news reports. The Staten Island workers death was reported earlier by the Verge.

People who worked at Amazon warehouses in Hawthorne and Tracy, California, have died of Covid-19. So have at least two employees of Amazon-owned Whole Foods Market. The Seattle-based company and other retailers such as Walmart Inc. have faced calls to do more to protect employees following deaths in their employee ranks.

During the pandemic, Amazon has been overwhelmed by demand from shoppers ordering products online while they remain home to minimize exposure to the virus, and the company is hiring 175,000 workers to help keep up. Amazon staffers have staged demonstrations around the country asking the company to increase efforts to keep them safe from the outbreak, including closing facilities for more thorough cleaning.

Amazon has said it is checking employee temperatures at the beginning of shifts, cleaning facilities, increasing space between workers and taking other safety measures. Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos last week said the company would spend $4 billion to get products to customers and keep workers safe while operating through the outbreak.

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The company hasnt disclosed how many workers have tested positive for Covid-19, creating anxiety among staffers who sometimes learn about cases informally in online chat rooms. Amazon said it uses contact tracing and video surveillance to identify colleagues who have worked in close proximity to those who have been infected.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

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After easing some restrictions, amid lockdown, now the Delhi government is planning to focus on immunization services for the people. Especially for children to protect them from polio, tetanus, and diphtheria dieases.

The Delhi government is taking proactive measures to ensure minimal disruption of immunization services during the lockdown period.The Delhi government is ensuring immunization services at functional fixed public facilities and the government has already issued instructions to all the District Immunization Officers to update the list of children eligible for vaccination who could not be vaccinated due to the lockdown.

The birth dose of vaccines (OPV, Hepatitis) and BCG was being given to newborns at all the delivery points even during the lockdown, an official release said. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led government has decided to prioritize the immunization of children to protect them from deadly diseases such as polio, tetanus, and diphtheria.

This is also critical to keeping other children safe by eliminating or substantially reducing the spread of dangerous diseases from child to child. Immunization is one of the safest, most cost-effective, and powerful means of preventing morbidity and mortality among children, it reads.

Some relaxations have been given in Delhi as per guidelines of Central govt. But please follow social distancing, wear masks and sanitize your hands frequently for your own safety https://t.co/hS8iS1ufa1  Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) May 4, 2020

Over the years, countries across the world have enlarged the ambit of vaccination as a public health intervention to improve child survival and quality of life, read the release, it reads.

The birth dose of vaccines (OPV, Hepatitis) and BCG was being given to newborns at all the delivery points even during the lockdown. The Delhi government took a proactive stand and immunization services continued at the fixed facilities on the designated immunization days i.e. Wednesdays and Fridays at primary health centers, it said.

Centre Govt didn't give Delhi its due GST share. Centre Govt allocated 17,000 crore for other states but didn't allocate a single penny for Delhi : @raghav_chadha #WhyBJPHatesDelhi pic.twitter.com/vaGlnif1BJ  AAP (@AamAadmiParty) May 6, 2020

However, active mobilization could not be done because of the involvement of ASHA workers and ANMs in COVID-19 works. Families, who were seeking immunization services voluntarily for their children were provided with the services following all due protocols and advisories like social distancing and hygiene.

The Delhi government has urged that now all the parents should proactively contact their ASHA workers, ANMs, or reach their designated primary health facilities for ensuring full immunization of their children.

            11    30                        pic.twitter.com/A5SYUjFOqL  AAP Express  (@AAPExpress) May 6, 2020

Delhi has 640 immunization facilities belonging to different agencies including that of the Delhi Government. The Government has already issued instructions to all the District Immunization Officers to ensure that the health facilities update the list of children eligible for vaccination who could not be vaccinated due to the lockdown.

2 more area De-contained today at S. No 11, 12 in first box, Total De-contained zones-12. No New addition in containment zones today. pic.twitter.com/vLKeUkgEKO  AAP Express  (@AAPExpress) May 5, 2020

These children will be vaccinated in the upcoming weeks. The Delhi government is formulating micro plans to ensure 100 percent coverage of the children for all vaccines, read the release.

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Most Canadians support measures requiring them to stay home to curb COVID-19, but many admit the pandemic is taking a toll on their mental health, a new poll suggests.

The Campaign Research survey for the Star found overwhelming approval of the shutdown of most businesses that began in mid-March and could continue for many weeks.

Clearly, the public is letting the (federal and provincial) governments lead as long as governments are following the advice of public-health officials, Nick Kouvalis, a principal of Campaign Research, said Tuesday.

Indeed, 47 per cent said they would strongly support provincial governments keeping them home to curb the spread of coronavirus with 33 per cent somewhat supportive of that. Eight per cent were somewhat opposed, seven per cent were strongly opposed and four per cent were unsure.

Overall, that suggests four out five Canadians think the rules that have been put in place have been effective, said Kouvalis.

Campaign Research polled 2,007 people across Canada on Saturday and Sunday using Maru Blues online panel. It is an opt-in poll, but for comparison purposes, a random sample of this size would have a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

When asked if they would continue to accept the rules if deemed necessary by medical officers of health for the entire month of May, two-thirds  66 per cent  said they would willingly accept them and one-quarter  25 per cent  said they would grudgingly accept such restrictions.

Only five per cent said they would neither accept nor follow the rules, while four per cent had no opinion.

Canadians seem to be willing and able to tolerate these measures for another month or so, added the pollster.

Similarly, 61 per cent said the rules have been effective, but  should remain in place for a while longer and 22 per cent said they had been effective but it is time to relax them. Six per cent said the rules were not effective and advocated more restrictions and more enforcement while five per cent said the measures were unnecessary and over the top and five per cent werent sure.

Asked if all businesses should be allowed to open and children sent back to school, 49 per cent strongly disagreed, 23 per cent somewhat disagreed while seven per cent strongly agreed, 15 per cent somewhat agreed, and six per cent were unsure.

That suggests 72 per cent  almost three-quarters  oppose an expedited return to normal. But 69 per cent said more businesses should be allowed to open if schools remain closed and people exercise safe social distancing. Only 20 per cent opposed that and 12 per cent werent sure.

The poll found 10 per cent of respondents were feeling a lot more depressed while 36 per cent were feeling a little more depressed. Only four per cent reported feeling a little less depressed and three per cent a lot less depressed, while 47 per cent said they felt no different than before the pandemic.

Queried as to whether they were feeling upset, 12 per cent said a lot more and 38 per cent said a little more, while four per cent said a little less and three per cent said a lot less, with 43 per cent reporting no change in how they felt.

Theres more anxiety than ever about what the future holds with people losing their jobs or worrying about their kids education or prospects, said Kouvalis.

Twelve per cent of respondents saying they were not currently working because of a recent layoff or business closure.

About a quarter  24 per cent  are drinking more alcohol while 11 per cent are drinking less, and 10 per cent are using more cannabis while five per cent are using less.

For tobacco, eight per cent are smoking more and five per cent are smoking less.

Robert Benzie is the Star's Queen's Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 20:13:54|Editor: huaxia

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RIGA, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Prime ministers of the three Baltic countries, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, agreed on Wednesday to reopen the countries' internal borders as of May 15, Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins informed.

Karins wrote on Twitter that his videoconference with Estonian Prime Minister Juri Ratas and Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis resulted in an agreement to reopen the countries' internal borders to free movement of people starting May 15.

People arriving from other countries will still be required to spend 14 days in self-isolation.

Meanwhile, Latvian Transport Minister Talis Linkaits said that international passenger traffic, which has been banned in Latvia since mid-March, might resume on May 13.

To contain the spread of COVID-19, the Latvian government declared a national emergency on March 12. A few days later, all international passenger traffic via Latvia was banned.

While Latvia did not impose any ban on travel within the European Union (EU), its neighbors Lithuania and Estonia set a number of travel restrictions with other EU member states, including Latvia. Enditem
Dr. Rick Bright, who helped lead COVID-19 vaccine efforts before clashing with the Trump administration, filed a complaint on Tuesday alleging that senior officials in the Department of Health and Human Services largely dismissed his months-long push for a strong response to the pandemic and eventually ousted him in retaliation.

Bright headed the Department of Health and Human Services Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) since 2016. He claims he was demoted to a job with the National Institutes of Health after persistently raising alarms that the administrations response was slow and appeared to disregard science in favor of cronyism.

Bright, who is pushing for reinstatement at BARDA, filed an 89-page complaint Tuesday with the Office of Special Counsel, a nonpartisan independent federal agency charged with protecting whistleblowers. One of Brights lawyers told reporters during a conference call that he will testify on Capitol Hill next week, CNN reported Tuesday evening.

In addition to alleging that political infighting and nepotism hampered the federal governments coronavirus response, Bright says he was pressured by HHS leaders to allow the wide distribution of a malaria drug that remained in clinical trials for COVID-19 treatment, hydroxychloroquine, which President Donald Trump frequently touted. The Food and Drug Administration recently cautioned against using the drug outside a hospital or clinical trial setting.

Here is the full complaint. The introduction begins on page 27.

Related Content:
$252M emergency aid package coming for farmers, food processors  but critics warn it's not enough

The Liberal government unveiled a multimillion-dollar aid package this morning aimed at helping farmers and food processors safely navigate the novel coronavirus pandemic  an announcement that comes in response to concerns about food security in Canada and the health of vulnerable food sector workers.

But the funding envelope  an "initial amount," according to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau  falls far short of the $2.6 billion emergency fund requested by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.

Trudeau announced a new $77 million fund for food processors of various sizes, including meat packers, to help these businesses retrofit their factories and increase their capacity to deal with a backlog of livestock building up in parts of the county.

Watch | Prime Minister Justin Trudeau talks about federal role in keeping meat plant workers safe

The money can be used to buy personal protective equipment for workers, adapt to health protocols and support other social distancing measures, said the prime minister during his daily briefing outside of Rideau Cottage today.

While money can be used to make conditions safer for workers on the line an official in Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau's office also stressed that occupational health and safety is a provincial issue.

The government is also adding $125 million to the AgriRecovery fund, a federal-provincial-territorial program aimed at helping farmers during disasters.

"For many farmers, this crisis means that they have to keep animals for longer periods of time, and that can be expensive. So, with this funding, we're giving extra help to beef and pork producers so they can adapt to the crisis," said Trudeau.

The cattle industry has been pushing for this type of funding to help cover the cost of extended stays in feedlots  something similar to the "set-aside" program in place during the bovine spongiform encephalopathy ("mad cow disease") outbreak.

Story continues

$50M surplus purchase program

The government also announced $50 million for a purchase program for surplus food, similar to what's available for some farmers in the U.S. Trudeau said the goal is to redistribute the surplus to food banks.

Such a program could help the french-fry potato industry, which has seen plummeting sales because restaurants have been closed from coast-to-coast since the beginning of the pandemic.

"The government will buy large quantities of certain products at risk of going to waste  say, potatoes or poultry  and redistribute them to organizations addressing food insecurity," said Trudeau. "This will help ensure that our farmers are being compensated for their hard work and that our most vulnerable have access to fresh food during this crisis."

Watch | Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked about size of agrifood aid package

The government also wants to expand the Canadian Dairy Commission Act to allow it to buy and store more surplus dairy products  like cheese and butter  to avoid more instances of milk dumping, a move welcomed by the Dairy Farmers of Canada.

"Never have we seen such fluctuation in demand for milk from one week to another, and despite the best efforts to manage production to align with consumer needs, bottlenecks resulted in milk having to be disposed at the farm, something no dairy farmer wants to see," said Pierre Lampron, president of the Dairy Farmers of Canada.

The announcements come as some farmers begin the spring planting season  and as some are warning that they could start culling their animals to cope with reduced capacity at some of the country's largest meat processing plants, a sector that's been particularly hard hit by the pandemic.

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture has been warning that a financial boost is urgently needed to protect against food shortages in Canada. It called for a $2.6 billion emergency fund last Thursday.

Nicole Williams/CBC

Federation president Mary Robinson told CTV News she welcomes the announcement but it falls "well short" of what is needed.

"We had hoped to see something much more significant," she said. "It's discouraging to be given such a small amount."

"If your house was burning down and I offered you a bucket of water to put it out, you'd probably have an issue."

When asked about the federation's multi-billion request, Trudeau said more will need to be done.

"We know that there is more to do and we will keep working with them to determine exactly how we can best help," he said.

"This is an initial investment and if we need to add more, we will."

Conservative MP John Barlow, the party's agriculture and agri-food critic, said the money allocated won't meet the needs of farmers and producers who have been raising the alarm for weeks now.

"Canada's food supply chains depend on our farmers and producers. But once again, the Trudeau Liberals have made it clear that they do not consider our agriculture sector to be a priority," he said in a statement.

"When food security should be a priority, the Liberals are sprinkling water on a burning farm house."

The NDP's critic echoed that argument.

"Sadly, the government is still letting down many producers who are still not eligible for current support programs," said Alistair MacGregor in a statement.

"New Democrats will continue to ask the government to make sure their national food policy connects food producers to local communities so that no one in Canada has to worry about where their next meal is coming from."

Alberta meat plant reopens amid controversy

The federation has been calling for the creation of an emergency preparedness fund specifically for farmers dealing with increased expenses and obstacles due to the pandemic. It also wants the federal government to ensure farmers and food processors have the personal protective equipment they need to do their jobs safely.

Fabian Murphy, president of the Agriculture Union, said Tuesday's announcement doesn't go far enough to protect food inspectors.

"Generally speaking, a handout to processors is not going to solve the issue of protecting workers' safety if they cannot access adequate personal protective gear," he said in a statement.

"It might result in separation of workstations on the production line, but it will do little to address cramped quarters elsewhere in the hallways, lunchrooms and washrooms of the plants."

Watch | Those who feel unsafe won't be forced back to work, can get CERB: Freeland

Trudeau's announcement comes one day after the Cargill meat processing plant near High River, Alta., reopened. It closed more than two weeks ago after an outbreak swept through the plant.

More than 900 of Cargill's 2,000 workers have tested positive for the novel coronavirus and one worker has died, making the plant the site of the largest single COVID-19 outbreak in Canada.

The union that represents the workers is asking a court to stop work at the plant and has also filed unfair labour practice complaints against Cargill and the province

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland told that a virtual House of Commons session on Tuesday that workers are not obliged to go to work if they feel unsafe  and will still qualify for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit if they opt to stay home.

"It is absolutely the case that no Canadian should feel they have to work in an environment that is unsafe," said Freeland, after being questioned by NDP MP Heather McPherson.

"The government, of course, should not penalize workers for doing the right thing and declining to go to work in unsafe conditions."
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 are rising in the Bismarck-Mandan area, due to nine new cases reported at a Mandan nursing home and possibly to mass testing over the weekend at the Bismarck Event Center.

Meanwhile, a lawsuit over a shuttered hair salon in Minot has been broadened to challenge Gov. Doug Burgum's authority to prevent people from making a living.

The state Department of Health on Tuesday reported 41 new cases of the coronavirus disease statewide, including nine new cases apiece in Burleigh and Morton counties. That brings Burleigh County's total to 92 and Morton County's to 35.

Recent testing at the Sunset Drive Prospera Community nursing home in Mandan -- where a resident tested positive in mid-March -- has confirmed nine additional cases, five in residents and four in staff members, the facility said in a statement to the Tribune. Results from about 20 more tests were pending.

"We are working closely with the North Dakota Department of Health to help ensure our response plan meets the needs of the rapidly changing situation," the statement said. "We continue to employ proactive measures at the community, including visitor restrictions, health monitoring, screenings and masking."

The state has reported a total of 11 Morton County cases this week.

Health officials over the weekend tested 661 people at the Bismarck Event Center in a mass testing event similar to those held elsewhere around the state, including in Fargo, Grand Forks and Williston.

However, testing results were caught up in a backlog of thousands at the state lab in Bismarck, when an order of testing supplies arrived over the weekend missing some components. Burgum on Monday said North Dakota State University had extras of the plates used to process tests and was sending 100 to the lab.

The state's Joint Information Center on Tuesday did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether any of the new Burleigh-Morton cases were tied to the testing.

The new COVID-19 cases reported Tuesday raised the state's total to 1,266. Cass County, home to Fargo, had 13 new cases, raising its state-high total to 643. Williams County, home to Williston, had two new cases, raising its total to 13.

Burke County also had two new cases, and Mercer County had three -- the first reported in that county, which is home to Beulah and Stanton. Grand Forks, Pembina and Stutsman counties had one new case apiece.

No coronavirus-related deaths were reported for the second consecutive day. There have been 25 previous COVID-19-related deaths confirmed in North Dakota, 18 of them in Cass County. The state Department of Health categorizes deaths this way: 17 cases in which COVID-19 is listed as the cause of death, two deaths in which the disease was not the primary cause, and six cases in which an official death record has not yet been filed. That can take up to 14 days under state law.

A total of 95 people statewide have been hospitalized due to COVID-19; 31 remained so, same as the previous day. There were 19 new recoveries, raising that total to 559. Active cases rose by 22, to 682.

State and private labs have tested 36,421 people for COVID-19, with 35,155 being negative. There were 1,667 tests conducted Monday. The state's goal is to work toward 4,000 tests per day this month and 6,000 daily in June.

There was no scheduled state briefing on Tuesday, as there has been almost daily since the outbreak in the state began in mid-March, drawing thousands of viewers on social media and local TV stations. Burgum announced on Monday that he no longer plans to hold news conferences every weekday. This week he also plans briefings Wednesday and Friday, but that schedule is "not necessarily set in stone for future weeks," spokesman Mike Nowatzki said.

"He's prepared to call a press conference any day if the situation warrants," Nowatzki said.

New lawsuit claim

Burgum's executive order temporarily restricting or closing food and drink businesses, fitness centers, and personal care services such as hair salons in North Dakota to stem the spread of the virus expired last Thursday, and many of those businesses began fully reopening on Friday.

The forced closure of a hair salon at a Minot assisted living facility prompted a lawsuit against the state last month. Somerset Court LLC sued Burgum and State Health Officer Mylynn Tufte in an effort to allow the facilitys in-house hair salon to continue providing services to its residents.

The plaintiffs have now filed an amended complaint expanding the scope of the lawsuit and challenging Burgums authority to shut down businesses.

It is our view that the recent actions of the Governor have to be reviewed under strict scrutiny because these powers have been used to prohibit persons from the constitutionally protected right to earn a living, plaintiffs attorney Lynn Boughey said in a statement. These same actions have taken away the right of businesses to engage in otherwise lawful activities which are protected by both the state and federal constitutions.

Nowatzki and state attorney general's office spokeswoman Liz Brocker declined comment, citing pending litigation.

Reach Blake Nicholson at 701-250-8266 or blake.nicholson@bismarcktribune.com.

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The Yanar Dag on Azerbaijan's Absheron Peninsula is known to have fire that has burned for 4,000 years and has never stopped. Even the rain, snow, and wind coming, the fire across a 10-meter stretch of hillside never stops burning, making a hot day even hotter.

Yanar Dag is one of several occurring fires to have fascinated travelers to Azerbaijan over the years. Marco Polo, a Venetian explorer, wrote of the phenomena when he passed through the country in the 13th century. Even merchants brought news of the flames as they would travel to other nations, and this is the reason why the country of Azerbaijan earned the title "Land of Fire."

Land of fire

Fires were once plentiful in Azerbaijan, but due to the reduction of gas pressure underground, interfering with commercial gas extraction, most have been snuffed out. Yanar Dag is one of the few remaining pits that tourists can visit. Fires played a key role in the ancient Zoroastrian religion, which was founded in Iran and thrived in Azerbaijan in the first millennium BCE.

Zoroastrians believe that fire is the link between humans and the supernatural world, and a medium through which spiritual insight and wisdom can be gained. Fire is a purifying, life-sustaining, and important part of their worship.

Also Read: Tom Cruise Reportedly Pressured Celebrities to Join Scientology

In recent times, most visitors who arrive at Yanar Dag come for the experience instead of religious fulfillment. The sight is said to be more impressive at night or in winter. When the snow falls, the flakes dissolve in the air without touching the ground. Despite the claim that the Yanar Dag flames were burning for thousands of years, some argue that it may only have been ignited in the 1950s.

Ateshgah Fire Temple

To know more about Azerbaijan's history of fire worship, tourists could head east of Baku to Ateshgah Fire Temple. Since ancient times, believers think that their god resides in the temple. The pentagonal complex was built in the 17th and 18th centuries by Indian settlers in Baku.

The fire rituals in the site date back to the 10th century or earlier. The name Ateshgah means "home of fire" in Persian and the centerpiece of the temple is a cupola-topped alter shrine that was built upon a natural gas vent.

A natural flame burned on the central altar until 1969, but these days the fire is fed from Baku's main gas supply and is only lit for tourists and local visitors. The Ateshgah Fire Temple is linked to Zoroastrianism but it is a Hindu place of worship that its history is better documented.

The complex is built like a caravanserai-style travelers' inn, and it has a walled courtyard surrounded by 24 cells and rooms. These were used by pilgrims, passing merchants and resident ascetics, some of whom submitted themselves to ordeals such as lying on caustic quicklime, wearing heavy chains, or keeping an arm in one position for years.

The temple is no longer used as a place of worship and it fell out since the late 19th century, at a time when the development of the surrounding oil fields meant that veneration of Mammon was gaining a stronger hold. The complex was named a museum in 1975 and was nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.

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I see them right now, the little monsters. The boys are standing in the empty patch of grass that lies just beyond my shed, the backyard of a house that has been on the market for a while. One of them has a ball. The other three are chasing him, getting closer every second. Six feet? I'd say they're about six inches apart. Not a single one is wearing a mask.

This is not the first time I have encountered these miscreants. Not only are they almost certainly trespassing on the property of whoever has been trying to sell the blue house for more than a year now. They are violating whatever has replaced the now-expired statutory emergency declaration as the pretext for my governor's shelter-in-place order, a misdemeanor in the state of Michigan.

And I'm glad. What am I supposed to do? Open my window and politely inform them that they are not observing the Centers for Disease Control-approved six-feet rule? (They would get more leeway if we were in Europe, where the authorities maintain that distances be kept to 1.5 meters.) Call the cops and demand an immediate halting of this dangerous activity, i.e, a game for which the politest name is muckle? The mind reels.

What in the world is the point of coronavirus snitching? If stories like this one are any indication, we have become a nation of bored joyless scolds. "Four teenage girls with lacrosse sticks and white hoodies just walked past our place." The horror! A few weeks ago, the city of Frisco, California, removed a "compliance" feature from an app after receiving too many complaints. A hilarious poll even reports that liberals are far more likely to snitch than their right-wing neighbors. You can't make this stuff up.

One of the things the pandemic has shown us is that most of America's problems have been hiding in plain sight for ages. We have always known that nursing homes are dens of illness and misery, that most of what passes for public debate about health in this country is empty self-aggrandizement, that much of the official content of liberalism can be reduced to "I am so much better and more virtuous than certain uncouth others." Coronavirus did not turn people into snitches  it just gave people who always wanted an excuse to be tattletales their chance. The people who are screaming "SIX FEET! SIX FEET!" to random teenagers at the park have probably been that way since they were teenagers themselves.

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This doesn't make it more bearable. This is true not least because unlike nursing homes, which I expect us to abandon as a society in the years to come, the snitching trend is unlikely to disappear any time soon. Nor will this activity be the exclusive province of amateurs. As I write this, the New York Police Department is harassing the homeless and otherwise enforcing state and city lockdown rules selectively, along the usual racial and geographic lines. Cops are behaving like officious morons across the country, in some cases with the assistance of drones manufactured explicitly for the purpose of spying in (where else?) China. Only a fool would expect this kind of thing to go away once the pandemic is over. Nearly two decades after the attacks of September 11, 2001, our transit bureaucracy still forces us to participate in the bizarre fiction that water bottles and shoes are favorite weapons of terrorists the world round.

Fear, suspicion, hostility, seeing one's neighbor as a vector of disease rather than a fellow human being: these are all incompatible with civilization. This is one of the greatest lessons we have to learn from the totalitarian regimes of the 20th century  and from the current one in Beijing. A country in which children playing outdoors are objects of loathing, as they are in neighborhoods across this country already if their skin is a certain color or their voices too loud, is one in which a return to normal life is impossible. The conditions that make normal life possible were not there to begin with.

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Gov. J.B. Pritzker said three of the states four regions are on pace to enter the next phase of reopening the states economy by the end of May, but he pushed back against suggestions that the state should begin to reopen earlier.
The Adventures of Harmon: a delightful story that will take the readers on an exciting trip across America. The Adventures of Harmon is the creation of published author Brandie Wagner, who is from a small town in Ohio. In her spare time, she enjoys hanging out with her husband, son and dog named Zoey.

Wagner writes, Ever wonder where our pets would go if they could travel? Find out as Harmon takes his furst punny adventure around Americat! Hop on as he gets whiskered away to Los Angeles, takes a bus to Mew York Kitty, and so much more! Just when you thought your pets couldnt get more pawsome

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Wagners new book is an entrancing tale of a little cat that will surely leave a smile on the face of the readers. Every page of the story will take readers along for a ride as Harmon enjoys his first adventure.

View a synopsis of The Adventures of Harmon on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase The Adventures of Harmon at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about The Adventures of Harmon, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns have had a devastating impact on the Canadian and global energy sector. Oil and gas demand have sharply plunged, as citizens all over the world have been grounded in one way or another. Predictably, this has had a negative impact on energy stocks. Today, I want to discuss why the energy infrastructure giant Enbridge (TSX:ENB)(NYSE:ENB) is a worthy pick in the month of May.

Enbridge is a dividend beast with nice value

In late 2019, Id targeted Enbridge as one of my top dividend stocks entering this new decade. The company possessed a wide economic moat and a deep project pipeline. Moreover, it has a fantastic track record as a dividend payer.

Enbridge last paid out a quarterly dividend of $0.81 per share. This represents a tasty 7.5% yield. A dividend hike in 2020 will mark 25 consecutive years of dividend growth at Enbridge. It has achieved a forward dividend-growth rate of 6.3%. This is a mouth-watering rate for income investors. When it comes to yield, dividend-growth history, and company quality, there are few dividend stocks that can measure up to Enbridge on the TSX.

Better yet, Enbridge also offers good value right now. The stock has dropped 21% over the past three months as of close on May 5. Shares are down 6.3% year over year. The stock last had a favourable price-to-earnings ratio of 16 and a price-to-book value of 1.5. It was still trading at the low end of its 52-week range at the time of this writing.

Enbridge is set to release its first-quarter 2020 results tomorrow on May 7. Investors should consider its good value right now, while also bracing for turbulence in the near term.

Dont count out the Canadian energy sector

In late April, Id pinpointed three Canadian energy stocks that were on the path to rebounding in 2020. Enbridge was not among those targeted, but it can benefit from the same trends going forward.

Canadas oil and gas sector has taken its lumps so far in 2020, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. One of the main culprits of the volatility was the Saudi-Russia price war and instability at OPEC. There are still underlying tensions, but both parties have been able to agree on sharp production cuts going forward.

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The other half of the equation for energy stocks has been the COVID-19 pandemic. This outbreak has rattled governments all over the world. Many nations elected to pursue strict lockdowns to contain the pandemic. This has resulted in an unprecedented fall in demand for the oil and gas sector. Governments around the world are now exploring a gradual re-opening while expending massive financial resources on searching for a viable vaccine.

This process may be slow, but demand in the oil and gas sector should gradually recover in the months to come. Enbridge and other energy giants will be the beneficiaries of this path to normalization.

The post Canadians: 2 Reasons Enbridge (TSX:ENB) Stock Is a Steal Today appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

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Fool contributor Ambrose O'Callaghan has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Enbridge.

The Motley Fools purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool Canadas free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. Motley Fool Canada 2020
MUMBAI: The Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association has written to the Maharashtra government and appealed it to include more items in the essential services category.

The appeal came after the civic body - the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) - decided to withdraw the relaxations given from Coronavirus lockdown in Mumbai city, including the permission to reopen liquor shops in view of rising COVID-19 cases and failure to follow the social distancing norms.

The BMC declared that only essential services will be available from Wednesday. In an order issued in the night, the BMC said only groceries, medical stores and chemist shops will be allowed to remain open in the city.

The relaxations given by the Maharashtra government to run certain non-essential services and shops are withdrawn, it said. In the order, the BMC expressed fear that allowing some non-essential services may lead to deterioration of the coronavirus situation in Mumbai.

Hence, the relaxations will have to be withdrawn for the city, the worst-hit by COVID-19 in Maharashtra, it said. Gathering of crowds in large numbers without following social distancing norms will be detrimental to the control of the spread of the virus, it said.

The BMC expressed fear that the advantages of the lockdown will be lost due to the gathering of people in large numbers.

Upset with the BMC order, FRTWA wrote a letter to the state government appealing it to add more items in the essential services category with a promise that they will fully abide by the COVID-19 social distancing norms.



In its letter addressed to the government, FRTWA stated, We shopkeepers are surprised to see the order after the Honourable Chief Minister offered relaxation on non-essential products. However, our association or members have never asked for any relaxation but when govt announced we accepted thinking to revive economy this was the best option chose by the govt to start wine shop to get revenue and which was a big shock to not only all of us but in the general public at large including political parties.

Sir, after 50 days of lockdown many people staying home, families and especially kids got fatigued and are looking for various items such as garments like shorts/nightwear/undergarments/T-shirt/track pants. Housewives looking for Kitchenware like utensils, burner, toaster, vacuum cleaner, roti maker, juicer/mixer, shaver, trimmer, women waxing accessories. Especially newly baby born mother needs baby products like a pram, cots, baby powder accessories, and clothing. Toys and games for all age groups to stay home in lockdown to kill the boredom. All this Non Essential items  becomes Now essential after 50 days of lockdown from Mumbaikars besides, of course, groceries fruits vegetables and dairy products.

Kindly look into and add all the above products as Essential product and allow us to serve to all Mumbaikars as there are hundreds of shops catering to these products which are in great demand.

From Monday, the Maharashtra government had allowed reopening of certain non-essential services, including wine shops, which pulled large crowds across the city.

Due to the reopening of liquor shops, a large number of people had gathered outside such outlets without following social distancing norms, the civic body said.

The third phase of lockdown is in force till May 17.
Bing Liu

Washington: China is being blamed around the world for corona virus. Meanwhile, a Chinese researcher was killed at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

PhotoThe researcher had recently said that he has done a great deal of research on the corona virus and is about to complete his research.

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The researcher was attacked while he was alone in his house while his parents are still in China. The Chinese researcher's name is Dr. Bing Liu.

CoronavirusAccording to media reports, while he was at his home on Saturday, a man approached his house and started firing.

He is identified as 46-year-old Hao Gu. Bing Liu was shot in the neck and head which took his life. His wife was not at home at the time of the incident.
Pastor Jamal Bryant to give free coronavirus tests at Mothers Day event Sunday

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Just over a month after offering coronavirus tests to minorities for $150 each at an event he was forced to cancel, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Jamal Bryant is now offering the tests for free to anyone who needs it if they show up at his church on Mothers Day.

You dont have to be a member of our church, you dont have to be a member of a church, all you have to do is be a part of humanity, Bryant said in a Facebook Live announcement Tuesday night. I want you to pick your mother up on Sunday, bring your dad, bring your aunt, bring whoever it is that you care about to New Birth on Sunday from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.

In early April, Bryant announced that he had canceled a two-day drive-thru event that would have seen up to 1,000 people get tested for the coronavirus for a fee of $150 at his church in Lithonia, Georgia.

He said he was approached by a Florida lab that wanted to partner with his church to provide the coronavirus test kits and had reached an agreement with RoweDocs and Oakhurst health clinics to provide the tests. The process to obtain a test at New Birth would have involved a pre-screening to be performed by RoweDocs for a fee of $25 followed by an additional cost of $125 each for the coronavirus test.

Bryant, who said he had canceled the April event to remain compliant with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemps shelter-at-home order, had also come under heavy criticism online for charging for the tests. Coronavirus tests are mostly free as current legislation forces health insurers and employers to cover the costs to healthcare providers for screening without any out-of-pocket charges. There might still be costs, however, if a test is returned negative, The Wall Street Journal previously reported.

Starting on April 24, Kemp made the nations biggest push to reopen in the country when he gave the greenlight to barbershops, gyms, salons, and massage therapists to reopen. Restaurants and movie theaters followed on April 27 while the states stay-at-home order expired on April 30. Kemp urged at-risk residents to stay at home until at least mid-June.

The Georgia Department of Public Health confirmed 30,602 cases of coronavirus in the state at 12:25 p.m. Wednesday, up by 710 from Tuesday at 7:25 p.m. Some 11 additional deaths were also reported overnight, pushing coronavirus fatalities in the state to 1,306.

While lamenting Kemps move to reopen businesses and pointing to Georgias infection numbers, Bryant warned those who plan on getting tested at his church to prepare to be patient in potentially long lines. All tests will be drive-thru and is expected to last between four to five minutes.

Im excited because Atlantans, particularly black Atlantans, are woefully underserviced. As well as I am grateful to partner  both of our partners MAJL [Diagnostic] Laboratories and RoweDocs, both of those companies are owned and operated by black women, he said.
China's ambassador to UN hopes the United States will have second thoughts about a Trump administration halt to funding for the World Health Organisation.

Chen Xu also announced China's support for a WHO initiative led by European countries and philanthropic groups like the Gates Foundation to expedite vaccines and COVID-19 treatment to developing countries.

The United States has not aligned with the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator that aims to help vulnerable countries gain equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics and treatment.

Chen Xu says the United States was duty-bound to keep up its WHO funding and offered support for WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo persisted in his criticism of China on Wednesday for obscuring details and early signs of the coronavirus outbreak, as Beijing accused him of pushing an unverified theory that it began in a lab in Wuhan.

In a news conference at the State Department, Pompeo blamed China's lack of transparency for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people around the world.

"They knew," he said.

"China could have spared the world a descent into global economic malaise," he said. "They had a choice but instead - instead - China covered up the outbreak in Wuhan.

"China is still refusing to share the information we need to keep people safe," he added.

More than 3.7 million coronavirus cases have been confirmed worldwide, nearly a third of them in the United States. Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, has killed more than 258,000 people, including 71,000 U.S. deaths.

Pompeo's repeated condemnation of China has prompted Beijing to bristle at the chief U.S. diplomat in extremely personal terms, as he has spent most of his two years in office castigating the ruling Chinese Communist Party for its foreign policies, parsimonious humanitarian spending and, lately, its refusal to share precise information on the origins of the virus.

Last week, President Donald Trump said the United States has evidence that made him confident that the coronavirus began in the Wuhan Institute of Virology. In an ABC interview that aired Sunday, Pompeo said there was "enormous evidence" behind that assertion.

"I can tell you that there is a significant amount of evidence that this came from that laboratory in Wuhan," he said Sunday on ABC's "This Week."

Intelligence agencies are more uncertain, and Anthony S. Fauci, the top U.S. infectious-disease specialist, said that the coronavirus "was in the wild to begin with" and that he does not "spend a lot of time going in on this circular argument" about a lab origin.

China's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday accused Pompeo of pushing a theory that "doesn't have any" evidence.

"Mr. Pompeo repeatedly spoke up, but he cannot present any evidence. How can he? Because he doesn't have any," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said. "I think this matter should be handed to scientists and medical professionals and not politicians who lie for their own domestic political ends."

Pompeo grew testy with reporters who asked him Wednesday about the apparent inconsistencies in assertions coming from different parts of the administration. He accused one reporter of dedicating her life to driving a wedge between senior administration officials and said another reporter appeared unable to parse his grammar.

"We don't have certainty, and there is significant evidence that this came from a laboratory," he said. "Those statements can both be true. I've made them both. Administration officials have made them. They're all true.

"We do not know, we don't have certainty about whether it began in the lab or whether it began someplace else. . . . There's an easy way find out the answer to that - transparency, openness, the kinds of things that nations do when they really want to be part of solving a global pandemic, when they really want to participate in the things that keep human beings safe and get economies going back again."

Pompeo denied there was any "separation" or significant differences of opinion among U.S. officials who have looked at the available evidence.

"Every one of those statements is entirely consistent," he said. "Every one of them. Lay them down together. There is no separation. We are all trying to figure out the right answer. We are all trying to get to clarity. There are different levels of certainty assessed at different places.

"People stare at data sets and come to different levels of confidence," he added. "Every one of us stares at this and knows the reality. The reality is this came from Wuhan. Every one of us stares at the situation and says: 'Who can provide the answer to precisely where Patient Zero is from, where this actually came from?' We all know who can unlock the keys to that."

On another issue, Pompeo declined to confirm or deny Israeli media reports that he will travel to Jerusalem next week to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Pompeo has sharply curtailed his international travel since the pandemic erupted, and the State Department issued a Level 4 "Do Not Travel" alert for the entire world.

The State Department has notified diplomats domestically and in capitals around the world to begin preparations to phase out of teleworking and return to work. Officials have said the changes will be phased in gradually and depend on local conditions.

Stay-at-home orders remain in effect in Washington, meaning most of the staff working there will continue telework for the time being. But Pompeo acknowledged he is eager for diplomats to return to the field and begin resuming the normal functions of diplomatic engagement.
Awilco LNG ASA's (OB:ALNG): Awilco LNG ASA, together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels in Norway. The kr153m market-cap company announced a latest loss of -US$8.3m on 31 December 2019 for its most recent financial year result. Many investors are wondering the rate at which ALNG will turn a profit, with the big question being when will the company breakeven? In this article, I will touch on the expectations for ALNGs growth and when analysts expect the company to become profitable.

Check out our latest analysis for Awilco LNG

Expectation from Oil and Gas analysts is ALNG is on the verge of breakeven. They expect the company to post a final loss in 2020, before turning a profit of US$1.0m in 2021. So, ALNG is predicted to breakeven approximately a few months from now. In order to meet this breakeven date, I calculated the rate at which ALNG must grow year-on-year. It turns out an average annual growth rate of 89% is expected, which signals high confidence from analysts. Should the business grow at a slower rate, it will become profitable at a later date than expected.

OB:ALNG Past and Future Earnings May 6th 2020

Given this is a high-level overview, I wont go into details of ALNGs upcoming projects, but, keep in mind that typically energy companies, depending on the stage of operation and resource produced, have irregular periods of cash flow. This means that a high growth rate is not unusual, especially if the company is currently in an investment period.

One thing Id like to point out is that ALNG has no debt on its balance sheet, which is quite unusual for a cash-burning oil and gas company, which usually has a high level of debt relative to its equity. This means that ALNG has been operating purely on its equity investment and has no debt burden. This aspect reduces the risk around investing in the loss-making company.

Next Steps:

This article is not intended to be a comprehensive analysis on ALNG, so if you are interested in understanding the company at a deeper level, take a look at ALNGs company page on Simply Wall St. Ive also compiled a list of relevant factors you should further examine:

Valuation: What is ALNG 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 ALNG 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 Awilco LNGs 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.
THE Cebu City Government has placed the entire Sitio Alaska in Barangay Mambaling on lockdown after the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases breached 500 in the barangay on Wednesday, May 6, 2020.

Mayor Edgardo Labella made the decision to limit the movement of the residents and contain the spread of the virus. He had talked to Mambaling Barangay Captain Gines Abellana before he announced the lockdown.

"We have to impose a lockdown on the entire Sitio Alaska as it is a large area similar to the size of a barangay and it is a very depressed area," he said.

Mambalingan urban village with dense population and rows of cramped houseshas 539 Covid-19 patients as of Wednesday106 new cases from Lawis, Alaska, Alaska Proper, Sitio Tinabangay, Sentro Alaska and Sitio Ypil-Ypil. Two other new cases were recorded in two barangaysone each in Tejero and Suba.

Sitio Alaska is home to around 22,000 individuals and the sub-village comprises half of the total land area of Mambaling, according to Abellana.

In less than two weeks, the Covid-19 cases in Mambaling rose exponentially, surpassing those of Barangays Luz and Labangon which previously registered the most cases of Covid-19.

Blaming ECQ violators

Abellana blamed the residents in Sitio Alaska for not following the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) protocol such as social distancing and the stay-at-home order.

On Wednesday afternoon, Abellana said the military and police personnel were already stationed at the eight entry points of Sitio Alaska.

With the lockdown, he said no residents are allowed to go out from Alaska while non-residents are not allowed to enter.

The City sent goods to the barangay which will be given to the residents affected, said Abellana.

The relief will reach the Badjao community. Each of the Badjao families will be given 25 kilos of rice and canned goods.

All asymptomatic Covid-19 patients are currently staying at the Mambaling Elementary School, which is the Barangay Isolation Center (BIC). The school can house 45 Covid-19 patients.

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Abellana said the barangay is currently preparing the Alaska Elementary School to accommodate the remaining Covid-19 patients who are still in home quarantine.

Regarding the viral video showing Mambaling residents dancing, Abellana explained the residents in the footage are Covid-19 patients.

One of our (barangay) councilors living in the area initiated it so the patients will have a recreation, Abellana said.

For Barangay Basak San Nicolas, Mambaling's neighboring village, Barangay Captain Norman Navarro said a stricter border control will be implemented starting Thursday, May 7.

Navarro urged his constituents to just buy fish, vegetables and fruits from the vendors selling within Basak San Nicolas jurisdiction.

He said most of his constituents often buy goods at Tabada Public Market, which is located in the boundary of Mambaling and Basak San Nicolas. (JJL with a report from PAC)
Read more: Coronavirus checklist: 10 steps to safeguard your business

USG has always worked hard to maintain a culture with high employee morale, but how we have continued that during the COVID-19 crisis has changed, said Jennifer Kessel, marketing director at USG Insurance Services. The most important tool weve used is video software to continue our production meetings and one-on-one calls. Conference calls are great, but seeing someone face to face, especially in a time like this, is critical.

USG also launched internal initiatives focused on gratitude and bringing joy to its teams. These have featured new co-workers, such as dogs, kids, and even a donkey, and health and wellness information focusing on mental health, physical health, and financial well-being. The wholesaler and managing general agent also prepared 30-minute weekly interactive webinars on gratitude, habits, goal-setting, and other personal development topics.

These types of activities have become especially important to keep teams connected since remote work has become the new normal for most companies. Experts have warned that long-term isolation from work colleagues, as well as basically everyone else, can take a toll on people in what is already a state of crisis. At the same time, employees still need to be productive, despite the many distractions, which presents managers with a tough juggling act.

In a Q&A that accompanied a webinar on leading remote workers, which was organized by the Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association (WSIA), panellist Leah Ohodnicki, SVP and US head of producer management for Argo Group, noted how leaders can address production goals among staff during this time.

Each situation is unique, but considering the myriad of possible distractions in the home currently  many of them completely unavoidable  now is a time to manage with empathy, she explained. Work with your associates to review expectations pre-COVID-19 and have an honest discussion with them about whats reasonable currently. Set new production goals and determine together the cadence for checking in on those goals. Communication and space for real talk in this work remote extreme circumstance are of the utmost importance.

For some companies, the transition to remote work and the ability to track production metrics was made easier thanks to technology and pre-existing work from home protocols  an important lesson for those companies that werent as well-prepared for this new normal.

USG is fortunate to have state-of-the-art proprietary technology and that made our transition to 100% work from home easy, said Kessel. About 10% of our team worked from home prior to COVID-19 mandates, which allowed us to already have the workflows, productivity metrics, and reports in place that are needed for the success of the 100% work from home operating model.

Besides focusing on employees, being empathetic with clients is likewise critical considering the struggles that many businesses are currently facing. Take the hotel industry, which since mid-February has already lost more than $10 billion in room revenue, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA).

Were all in new territory, so you have to be sensitive to  all the clients that have renewals coming up as their environments have changed as well, said Joel Cavaness, president of Risk Placement Services (RPS), during a recent Insurance Business webinar. Youre talking about clients who are having to make employee adjustments. Theyre having to cut their staff. A lot of people arent able to do the same work that they were doing before, so [businesses are] repurposing people to do things that maybe they werent accustomed to doing [before].

Even as lockdown restrictions ease up in some parts of the country, maintaining consistent communication with insureds will be of the utmost importance, whether its on insurance-related topics or just to stay in the loop on how theyre doing during this stressful time.

Read more: Fitch Ratings: The impact of the coronavirus on the global insurance industry

Our sales team has been very focused on picking up the phone and calling their clients  not to discuss business or accounts, but to see what we can do to help during this time, said Kessel. We understand that this is new uncharted, sometimes scary territory for everyone. Our goal is to lead with our hearts and compassion during these times and support our clients and their communities in any way that we can.

If it wasnt clear before, its certainly clear now  the work of insurance professionals is essential, especially in times of crisis like this one.

You cannot run this economy without insurance, said Cavaness. Insurance professionals need to be there for their clients in one way or another [for them] to be able to operate  Things still have to be insured  people still need to be insured for their personal effects, people still need to get their business coverage, there still has to be workers compensation. We cannot run this economy without insurance.
Daesh used gorge near ex-bastion in Syria to dump corpses: HRW

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 05 May 2020 7:33 AM

Human Rights Watch (HRW) says the Daesh terror group used a gorge in Syria's northern city of Raqqah  the Takfiri outfit's former stronghold in the country  as a dumping ground and mass grave for bodies of the people it had abducted and killed.

In a report released on Monday, the HRW urged authorities to remove the human remains from the al-Hota gorge located 85 kilometers (53 miles) north of Raqqah city and preserve the evidence for criminal proceedings against the murderers.

By flying a camera-equipped drone into the 50-meter-deep gorge, the rights group discovered the remains of at least six people floating at the bottom.

Based on the state of decomposition, the HRW said, the bodies were dumped there long after Daesh had left the area. The identities of those victims and their causes of death remain unknown.

According to the report, geological maps and a 3D topographic model of al-Hota from the drone imagery suggest that the gorge goes deeper than the drone was able to see; therefore, more human remains may lie below the water's surface.

"Al-Hota gorge, once a beautiful natural site, has become a place of horror and reckoning," Sara Kayyali, Syria researcher at HRW said.

"Exposing what happened there, and at the other mass graves in Syria, is crucial to determining what happened to the thousands of the people ISIS [Daesh] executed and holding their killers to account," she said referring to the terror group.

The HRW investigation also involved interviews with local residents and a review of Daesh recorded videos in addition to the analysis of satellite imagery.

Locals recalled that when Daesh controlled the Raqqah area, its members threatened people with being thrown into al-Hota. Some said they saw bodies scattered along the gorge's edge.

One man who had gone to collect desert truffles that grow in the area in March 2015 said he saw a body stuck on a protruding ledge.

"This was a dumping area for bodies from all over," he told HRW. "They [Daesh terrorists] brought them in from Raqqah, Dayr al-Zawr  nobody knows how many bodies were there."

A Daesh-recorded video posted on Facebook in 2014 showed a group of men throwing two bodies into the gorge.

The clothes on the men matched those worn by two people shown in another video being executed by the terrorists.

More than 20 mass graves containing thousands of bodies have been found in areas formerly held by Daesh in Syria, the HRW said.

However, efforts to exhume these mass graves have been faltering due to a fluid security situation, limited resources and minimal outside support, it said.

The al-Hota gorge is currently controlled by Turkish-backed militants, while Raqqah city remains under the control of the Kurdish-led militants supported by the US. The two anti-Damascus parties are engaged in a conflict in the northern parts of Syria.

Kayyali said those in control of the gorge "should facilitate the collection of evidence to hold ISIS members accountable for their horrendous crimes, as well as those who dumped bodies in al-Hota before or after the ISIS [Daesh] rule."

Many believe that the US created the Daesh terrorist group and helped it rise and commence its reign of terror and destruction in Syria and Iraq in 2014.

Daesh has already been driven out of all its urban bastions both in Iraq and Syria, but its remnants carry out sporadic terror attacks in both neighboring Arab countries.

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After Islamist in Gulf nations and Pakistanis started targeting Indians, especially Hindus over their social media posts, a similar incident has been reported in Canada after Islamists in Canada backed by certain anti-Hindu establishments targeted him over his tweets while bullying the authorities to terminate him from his job.

On Tuesday, a group of Islamists attacked NRI Ravi Hooda for expressing his opinion over Canadian authorities allowing Mosques to play azan over loudspeakers every day during Ramzan.

Last week, several Toronto-area municipalities had reportedly granted permission to local Mosques to broadcast the azan over speakers at sunset every day during Ramzan, the Muslim holy month.

Azan from loudspeakers

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown took to Twitter to state that the new laws will allow the Mosques to broadcast azan and claimed that they treated all the faiths equally.

Our noise by law originally passed in 1984 only included an exemption for Church bells. It will now include all faiths within the permitted hours & decibel levels. The Muslim community can proceed with the sunset azan because its 2020 & we treat all faiths equally. #Ramadan pic.twitter.com/WGPmf8fA5b  Patrick Brown (@patrickbrownont) April 30, 2020

Responding to Mayors tweet, Ravi Hooda questioned the decision of allowing Mosques to play the Islamic call for prayer on loudspeakers, which is considered to be a nuisance in most societies. Hooda asked whether they would allow separate lines for camel and goat riders and also allow to slaughter animals at home in the name of sacrifice. It is notable here that blaring Azan from loudspeakers is prohibited even in Saudi Arabia, the centre of the Islamic faith.

As Ravi Hooda expressed his opinion on the need of municipalities granting local mosques permission to broadcast the Azan over speakers, the Islamists and self-proclaimed hate trackers descended on his timeline to attack the Indian-origin Hooda and also bullied the authorities to take strict action against him for the alleged Islamophobic tweets he had made.

The users Twitter account has since been made private since constant attack on him by Islamists.

.@REMAXca agent and Registered Certified Immigration Consultant Ravi Hooda is upset that Brampton is giving mosques the same noise by-law exemptions as churches. In Mississauga, a nightly call to prayer during Ramadan has become a focal point for anti-Muslim hatred. 1/ pic.twitter.com/exzFIzSC6B  Canadian Anti-Hate Network (@antihateca) May 2, 2020

The Islamists even doxxed Ravi Hoodas employment details and bullied the employers to sack him from the job.

Result of Islamists outrage

Following the outrage by the Islamists, ReMax Canada, which is one of Canadas top real estate marketing websites, too informed that it had terminated Hoodas contract.

It tweeted, We do not share nor support the views of Mr. Hooda. We can confirm he has been terminated and is no longer affiliated with RE/MAX. Multiculturalism & diversity are some of the best qualities in our communities, and we are committed to upholding these values in all that we do.

We do not share nor support the views of Mr. Hooda. We can confirm he has been terminated and is no longer affiliated with RE/MAX. Multiculturalism & diversity are some of the best qualities in our communities, and we are committed to upholding these values in all that we do.  RE/MAX Canada (@REMAXca) May 5, 2020

The Peel District School Board in Brampton, where Hooda was the School Council Chair, also announced that it had removed Hooda from his position and said an investigation was underway against him.

The Principal's message has been posted to the Macville website: https://t.co/pwnagrJSZq  Peelschools (@PeelSchools) May 5, 2020

Hooda was also an executive school council member for the Macville Public School in the city of Bolton.

In a letter posted online, Macville school principal Robin Perri wrote, Today, we were made aware of a disturbing, Islamophobic tweet that was written and shared by a member of our parent community. We immediately conducted an investigation into the matter. Perri said the content contravened its Safe and Accepting Schools Policy.

Please know that this individuals views in no way reflect the values of the Macville Public School community, nor those of the Peel board. Comments like these are upsetting and hurtful, and never acceptable.

Hooda says the tweet was misinterpreted

Meanwhile, Hooda said that his comments were not directed towards any community or entity but just my attempt to state that we should not be going back to the times where such means of communication was necessary.

Unfortunately my tweet was misinterpreted, he said.

Hooda said he removed his tweet and immediately put out another one apologizing unconditionally, but that the action hasnt made much difference.

He says the school board unilaterally decided his tweet was directed at a specific community and that did not give him an opportunity to explain himself before removing him from his post. I am in the process of legally addressing that, he said.
Players wont be granted an exemption to visit family on Mothers Day as the NRL put back the starting date for the first contact training sessions until next week.

Footballers were hopeful that rugby leagues strict biosecurity measures would be lifted on Sunday to allow them to visit their mothers. The plan was to allow a special one-off visit if they asked parents the same list of health questions - including whether they had a sore throat, runny nose, increase in temperature or a loss of taste or smell - as they must answer themselves on a daily basis.

However, Rugby League Central has written to all clubs on Thursday informing them no exemption will be granted and that players are expected to stick to the strict protocols that will allow the code to resume play on May 28.

"After further consultation with our medical experts, the NRL has determined that Mothers Day is not an acceptable circumstance for players or club officials to leave their residence," the NRL stated in an email.

Read the full story here.
Oregon got a few moments in NBCs late-night comedy spotlight Monday, thanks to Seth Meyers, and Jimmy Fallon and his guests, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher. For example, in a brief joke during the monologue portion of Late Night With Seth Meyers, which for now is being taped in the hosts attic, Meyers mentioned the Oregon strip club thats offering a drive-thru experience for customers as they wait in the parking lot.

As The Oregonian/OregonLive earlier reported, the business in question is the Lucky Devil Lounge, the Southeast Powell strip club that closed in the wake of Oregon Gov. Kate Brown ordering Oregon restaurants and bars to halt on-site dining, as a way to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Since take-out food is allowed under Browns guidelines, the lounges dancers first delivered food to people at home. Then, as OregonLive reported, the lounge launched a second creative venture: food pickup via a drive-thru strip club. Four dancers, in short shorts and pasties, perform under cover of an outdoor tent in the club parking lot, while customers wait for their orders in their cars. Owner Shon Boulden is calling it Food 2 Go-Go.

After informing viewers of the service, Meyers took a jab at a familiar target, Vice President Mike Pence. You know its bad when a strip club is following safety guidelines better than the vice president, Meyers said, referring to Pences visit to the Mayo Clinic, where the vice president was criticized for not wearing a face mask.

Also on Monday, the at-home edition of The Tonight Show featured Fallon interviewing Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher about the couples 2018 Quarantine Pinot Noir. Though the actors didnt mention that the wine is made from Willamette Valley pinot noir grapes, they talked at length about how sales of the wine benefit charities Americas Food Fund, Direct Relief, Give Directly and the Frontline Responders Fund.

In a weird way, I just combined both my favorite things, Kunis said. Drinking and donating. (Read more about the quarantine wine, and how it was made, in this Oregonian/OregonLive story.)

More of our coverage:

-- Kristi Turnquist

kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
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Florists, bookstores and clothing shops in some parts of California may be able to reopen for pick-up as soon as Friday and L.A. businesses likely within a few weeks.

Still, some business owners say curbside pick-up is not going to help them.

Carolina Diaz, who owns Love's Flowers in Boyle Heights, says no one wants flowers right now.

"There haven't been graduations, people aren't celebrating birthdays, you can't bring flowers to the hospital," she tells me in Spanish.

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Until big public celebrations return, Diaz doesn't think being able to sell flowers curbside will help her business.

Plus, she says, people like to come in and see the flowers before they buy them.

"The type of flower, the color, the design, the structure. If they can't see them, they buy something small, like a $15-20 bouquet."

Before coronavirus forced Eso Won Books to close in mid-March, the Leimert Park bookstore frequently held events and book signings, like this one with Rodney King on April 30, 2012. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

STILL MISSING 'THE WHOLE FELLOWSHIP'

It's similar for books.

"Browsing, coming into a bookstore, the whole fellowship, talking to people, all of that" is very important, says James Fugate, who co-owns Eso Won Books in Leimert Park.

Since the Safer at Home order began in mid-March, Fugate has been shipping books to customers and promoting new books via email and on his website.

But he says without the store being open, and without events like book signings, "we're down at least 50% last month."

Still, Fugate says he'll sell books from the curb outside his store as soon as he's able.

"It's lonely," he says of communicating with customers solely via email and mailed deliveries. "It's really strange."
Christian 'Stars' to Shine at First-Ever Backyard Movie Night

Author David Benham, music artists Keith and Kristyn Getty will help thousands of families shake off lockdown blues, make memories, May 16



Note for Editors and Producers: To access the livestream for b-roll, or to connect with local families, contact Matti Stevenson at 719-360-0586 or mstevenson@inchristcommunications.com.





CHRISTIAN 'STARS' TO SHINE AT FIRST-EVER BACKYARD MOVIE NIGHT: Boys adventure movement Trail Life USA (www.TrailLifeUSA.com) today announced its first-ever, memory-making "Backyard Movie Night" on May 16 -- featuring best-selling author and speaker David Benham, Christian music artists Keith and Kristyn Getty, and showing The Pilgrim's Progress movie produced by Revelation Media.



NEWS PROVIDED BY

Trail Life USA

May 6, 2020



GREENVILLE, S.C., May 6, 2020 /Standard Newswire/ -- Well-known Christian author-speaker David Benham and gospel music artists Keith and Kristyn Getty will help launch a one-of-a-kind nationwide backyard movie event -- capturing the imagination of thousands of lockdown-weary American families.



The first-ever Backyard Movie Night and Campout -- organized by boys' adventure group Trail Life USA (www.TrailLifeUSA.com) -- will take place Saturday, May 16, with tens of thousands of participants across all 50 states connected by a real-time video link right in their own backyards.



"This is the perfect occasion to watch a great movie with a message and make memories together with your family," said Mark Hancock, CEO of Trail Life USA, a Christian adventure movement that has more than 30,000 members in 830-plus troops in every state. "We'll be showing the inspirational movie The Pilgrim's Progress that reflects Trail Life USA's core values of character and adventure."



Benham, best-selling co-author of Whatever the Cost and Living Among Lions, will emcee the event -- which follows Trail Life USA's first-ever National Backyard Campout on April 17, when more than 6,000 self-isolating families across all 50 states took part in a "virtual" campout at home.



The Gettys, best known for the modern hymn In Christ Alone, will kick off the virtual movie night with an online musical performance, streamed live into backyards across the nation.



America's Night to Make Memories

"We're all tired of being stuck inside our homes, and we're desperate to get out and breathe the fresh air again," said Hancock. "We're inviting all families, everywhere, to join us on this special night, roast some marshmallows over your backyard campfire, look up at the sky, and make memories."



The backyard movie night aims to encourage every family to get together for a memorable evening -- even if they don't choose to camp out.



"This tedious lockdown doesn't have to get the better of us," Hancock said. "We can turn this around to make some of the very best memories ever."



Trail Life USA has set up a secure online portal for families to share their own pictures and campfire video clips in real-time with others self-isolating with their families across America.



With showings starting at 8:45 p.m. in each local time zone (ET, CT, MT, PT), Trail Life USA will live-stream The Pilgrim's Progress -- produced by Revelation Media -- that tells the story of one man's perilous and adventurous journey to reach heaven. It's based on the classic novel The Pilgrim's Progress written by John Bunyan -- the second best-selling book of all time, surpassed only by the Bible.



Any family can register for the backyard movie night on Trail Life USA's website (www.TrailLifeUSA.com/Backyard) where they'll receive a free movie link and also find camping tips, outdoor recipes, and activity ideas contributed by thousands of Trail Life USA volunteers across the country.



With troops operating in local churches across the U.S., Trail Life USA (www.TrailLifeUSA.com) is a Christian character development organization, empowering boys and young men to honor God, lead with integrity, serve others, and experience outdoor adventure. Trail Life USA has more than 30,000 members in 830-plus troops across all 50 states.



SOURCE Trail Life USA



CONTACT: Matti Stevenson, 719-360-0586, mstevenson@inchristcommunications.com


Federal authorities will be asked to intervene in the treatment of asylum seekers in Australian detention centres to prevent a coronavirus outbreak because of the risk of infection in crowded conditions.

A group of asylum seekers will lodge the complaint with the Commonwealth Ombudsman on Thursday to seek an urgent inspection of the facilities, citing conditions that require five men to share a room.

Lawyers want federal authorities to intervene to help asylum-seekers in detention over fears about COVID-19.

The request is the second legal move within the past few weeks on behalf of asylum seekers in detention in Australia, arguing the commonwealth has an obligation to ensure the facilities are safe.

Public Interest Advocacy Centre chief executive Jonathon Hunyor said the best way to ease the risk of infection would be to reduce the number of asylum seekers in the cramped conditions by releasing some of them into community detention.
U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves Downing Street to attend Prime Minister's Questions at the House of Commons on May 6, 2020 in London, England.

The U.K. could start easing its coronavirus lockdown restrictions as early as Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Wednesday.

"We will want, if we possibly can, to get going with some of these measures on Monday," Johnson told Parliament in his first Prime Minister's Questions session since falling ill with Covid-19.

He added that a statement will be made on Sunday after the government reviews the latest data, adding it would be a "good thing" if people knew what to expect the following day.

Britain now has the highest Covid-19 death toll in Europe, according to the latest official figures, climbing past Italy which, alongside Spain, has been among the worst-affected countries globally.

Keir Starmer, leader of the opposition Labour Party, criticized the prime minister over the latest death statistics, asking him: "How on Earth did it come to this?"

In reply, Johnson said: "At this stage, I don't think that international comparisons and the data is yet there to draw all the conclusions that we want."
GREENVILLE, S.C., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Premier Medical Laboratory Services (PMLS), the first commercial laboratory in South Carolina to be validated for COVID-19 testing, has expanded their hours of operation to meet current testing demands. Now capable of processing 20,000 COVID-19 tests per day or up to 620,000 per month, the laboratory has added employee shifts to remain operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Among South Carolina laboratories, this is a groundbreaking amount of test results being processed daily within the state.

Premier Medical Laboratory Services Premier Medical Laboratory Services

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, PMLS has progressively increased their testing capacity by adding staff, equipment, and by using cutting edge technology including OnGen, a cloud-based Laboratory Information System (LIS) which allows their testing orders to be entered and communicated directly to laboratory instruments. These measures combined have more than quadrupled the volume of tests that PMLS successfully processes each day.

PMLS's COVID-19 test is a part of their comprehensive respiratory pathogen test. It is developed to determine the full causation for symptoms that a patient may be experiencing, as COVID-19 can exist as a co-infection. These results deliver vital knowledge - ruling out or detecting multiple causative pathogens and allowing a physician to provide the most suitable care for their patients during this critical time, helping to flatten the curve.

"As everyone prepares for opening up America again, we have adapted quickly so we can be prepared with the level of testing capacity needed for South Carolina," said Kevin Murdock Founder of Premier Medical Laboratory Services. "We join everyone in wanting this pandemic to be controlled as soon as possible, so we are using the latest in technology and science to meet COVID-19 testing demands as they evolve."

PMLS is working under FDA regulations to soon provide an antibody test which will indicate a patient that has had COVID-19 in the past and is potentially immune to a reinfection of the virus. As gathering data on COVID-19 to understand its complexities is of utmost importance in overcoming it, PMLS is dedicated to making this antibody test accessible to South Carolina as soon as possible.

As a reminder, Premier Medical Laboratory Services does not conduct specimen collection for their tests. Samples are collected via a specimen collection kit ordered by a healthcare professional and then sent to PMLS for processing. Results of this molecular diagnostic test are provided within 24 - 48 hours upon lab receipt of the testing sample - Lead times subject to extend due to volume.

Hospitals and physicians offices can provide COVID-19 testing by clicking on the following link for easy account activation with PMLS: www.premedinc.com/covid-19. For more information, please visit www.PreMedInc.com or call 1.877.335.2455.

ABOUT PREMIER MEDICAL LABORATORY

Premier Medical Laboratory Services (PMLS) is a CLIA and COLA regulated laboratory based in Greenville, South Carolina focused on providing clinically meaningful results to medical practitioners. Premier Medical Laboratory Services offers a variety of highly specialized tests including: the only Type II Diabetes molecular predisposition test available in the U.S., advanced cardiovascular testing, hereditary cancer screening, carrier screening, women's health panels, pharmacogenomics, serum allergy testing, blood wellness, Hepatitis C genotyping, respiratory pathogens, gastrointestinal pathogens, and more. In addition to its specialty programs, Premier Medical Laboratory offers a comprehensive testing menu of general chemistry, immunoassay, and hematology tests. The company also is proud to offer a patient friendly billing policy.

For more information, please visit www.PreMedInc.com or call 1.877.335.2455.

Media Contact:

Kristina Loughrey

[email protected]

864.360.5848

SOURCE Premier Medical Laboratory Services

Related Links

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HT Media Limited, the publisher of Hindustan Times, and its subsidiary Hindustan Media Ventures Limited, publisher of the Hindi-language daily Hindustan, secured interim relief in a trademark case against US-based Brainlink International Inc., with the Delhi high court restraining the latter from using the domain name www.hindustan.com or any other mark similar to Hindustan and Hindustan Times.

In an order passed on April 28, the HC also barred Brainlink from creating any third-party rights with respect to the domain name until the next hearing.

The high court has directed the domain registrar to block the name. Brainlink admitted to not using the domain name since 2000, but had blocked it .

Brainlink offered to sell the domain name to HT Media at an exorbitant price in an unsuccessful attempt, according to the case made out against the firm.

The court observed that the firms bad faith could be inferred from the extortionist price quoted for the sale of the trademark and that HTs goodwill spills over Internationally to other countries. Brainlink also filed a suit in New York Court to prevent HT from availing further legal remedies. The suit was an attempt to legitimise the alleged infringement,HT said, and made a prima facie case for an anti-suit injunction before HC.

(This report has been updated to reflect that the high court's injunction was an interim relief)

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Photo: The Canadian Press

As the RCMP investigate the case of the Nova Scotia gunman who killed 22 people during a 13-hour rampage last month, a key question remains unanswered: Why?

The Mounties have said little about possible motives behind one of the worst mass killings in Canadian history. But experts say police could use an unusual tool to help them find answers.

It's called a psychological autopsy  an investigative technique that goes well beyond regular forensic analysis.

When asked if this approach was an option for the RCMP, spokeswoman Cpl. Jennifer Clarke said the Mounties would be providing an update on their investigation as early as today.

"That is something that we would like to address," she said in an emailed statement. "We are considering every tool at our disposal."

In use since the 1950s, psychological autopsies are most often used to learn why individuals take their own lives. But these in-depth studies can also help unravel the motives of killers, including suicide bombers.

"These are much more than police inquiries," said Antoon Leenaars, author of the 2017 book "The Psychological Autopsy" and a clinical and forensic psychologist based in Windsor, Ont. "They are investigations of the mind."

The probes involve extensive interviews with family, friends and co-workers of the individual in question. They also examine personal documents, email and any record that could reveal the reasons underlying the tragedy.

The goal is to build a psychological profile beyond what police are capable of assembling and shed light on what motivates homicidal or suicidal people.

"These are in-depth interviews, but they are done by people who are trained in psychology or psychiatry," said Leenaars, who has conducted research in 35 countries.

Leenaars said a psychological autopsy of the gunman in the Nova Scotia case would begin to answer some questions about why he killed so many people  some he knew, others he didn't  on April 18 and April 19.

"Given what this was designed for, I think this would be a perfect situation .... That evidence can be extremely helpful in terms of trying to understand what happened."
NEW HAVEN, Conn., May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Woodbridge International, a global mergers and acquisitions firm, is pleased to announce the acquisition of its client, Phoenix Loss Control, by Konkordia Capital and AAVIN Private Equity.

Phoenix Loss Control, headquartered in Denver, Colorado helps utility, cable and telecommunications companies recover the costs of repairing damage to outside facilities and replacing damaged infrastructure. The Company, with a strong national client base, has gained a strong reputation for rapid and reliable recovery results.

As part of the transaction, Andrew Czernecki, Managing Partner at Konkordia Capital, will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer at PLC. Mr. Czernecki said, Together with AAVIN, we are very excited to begin this partnership and see PLC continue its success well into the future. I am personally excited and eager to join the fantastic Phoenix management team and provide whatever support I can to them.

Owned and operated by William Rush and Cathy Barna, the Company is poised for long term growth and continued success. We are pleased to partner with Konkordia and AAVIN to drive the next stage of PLCs evolution. We are excited for Andrew to step into the business and continue providing the best customer service and support to our clients, said William Rush, President. Konkordias partnership with AAVIN only enhances the deep knowledge-base and experience of the PLC Board of Directors, we are excited to see the continued growth of PLC, said Cathy Barna, Vice-President.

Konkordia Capital LLC, located in Miami, Florida, is a proprietary investment vehicle designed to partner with small businesses seeking growth capital and/or liquidity solutions. Konkordia partnered with AAVIN Private Equity, a Cedar Rapids, Iowa based private equity company that focuses on late-stage and expansion-stage financings and buyouts.

AAVIN is a private equity firm based in the heart of the Midwest and is investing out of the teams 13th private fund. As a licensed Small Business Investment Company (SBIC), AAVIN provides flexible junior capital to small businesses throughout the United States.

About Woodbridge International

Woodbridge Internationals ground-breaking approach to marketing a company globally has transformed the way the sell-side M&A industry does business.

Please contact Don Krier

203-389-8400 x 201
So much to unpack from the last few weeks. Whew. Why not get comfortable and kick back with your favorite virus-cure cocktail?

Im actually enjoying a Tilex Mold and Mildew Mojito right nowvery refreshing, not to mention the most sanitary thing I have ever consumed. Its like the president said: its really doing a number on my lungs. And my stomach is chiming in, too, promising itll be the last drink Ill ever need.

Who knew our president was not just a terrific epidemiologist, but an outstanding mixologist, too? Cant wait for October, and the arrival of the new Lysol Pumpkin Spice Latte.

So, aside from wondering how the president could so consistently mislead and confuse viewers of his coronavirus/election campaign infomercials, one of the burning questions of the day is: How has Dr. Anthony Fauci managed to keep his job on the White House Coronavirus Task Force? The little buggers been asking to get fired for months now  contradicting our president in network television interviews or sometimes even standing next to him in the press room. Whats his secret? Has he got a copy of Melanias pre-nup? Or is he the only one with a line on hard-to-find chinos for the president, the ones with the Double Z Balloon Seat?

Why should Fauci be bulletproof when other distinguished medical professionals have been unceremoniously canned for contradicting the Elmer Fudd-in-Chief? Why, for example, should Dr. Rick Bright, head of coronavirus vaccine research, be tossed out of his position on April 22 simply because he pushed to limit use of the famous hydroxychloroquinea malaria treatment touted by the president as a possible. but decidedly untested. cure for COVID-19?

Fauci and Bright are similar in many ways, after all. They are both clearly members of the Deep State, that malicious, slippery army of long-time government employees who insist on upholding that silly constitutional loyalty oath instead of cuddling up to the presidents irrational, sometimes even dangerous pronouncements. Bright is toppled for one public statement that virtually every expert agrees with, while Fauci remains even after he corrects the president about the need for massive testing, about the resurgence of the virus in the fall, and other issues.

Rocking the stocks Your Turn: With traditional stocks in a tailspin, Napa author Paul Moser considers some alternative investment opportunities.

Trump seemed ready to dump him on April 13, when he re-tweeted a tweet that included the hashtag #firefauci. Not exactly subtle. So why wasnt it Off with his head!? After all, Trump has pledged over and over again to drain the swamp of these renegade patriots.

The answer, of course, lies in the showboating, approval-craving nature of the president. The downfall of Dr. Bright and others like him had nothing to do with their patriotism, nor with the quality of their work, but more with the fact that they were tragically too anonymous to defend themselves properly, to command the news cycle even briefly. Trump risked nothing in dumping them. Hell brand any relatively unknown, long-time dedicated government worker as Deep State if they do not perform like a trained seal for him; what he will not do is mess with his approval ratings and his precious brand, even if it means he has to swallow some rebellious, contrary statements from a hired hand who happens to have established a brand of her/his own.

And Fauci is one of those.

To Trumps chagrin, he had to realize that Americans were trusting Fauci more than him, that Fauci had a public following and professional stature that was virtually unassailable. You can bet after he floated the #firefauci test balloon, he got an earful not just from the public, but from his advisors, too. Want to stay in office? Leave Fauci alone.

So its ironic that, in spite of the presidents aversion for Deep State denizens who refuse his demands for personal blood loyalty oaths a la The Godfather, the Deep State is now rescuing usand him. Fauci, with his no-nonsense scientific manner and deep experience, is rescuing even the #firefauci crowd, the ones who would refuse the benefits of his expertise, preferring instead to leap off a cliff to demonstrate their rabid loyalty to Trump.

The point is not that Fauci is infallible. He is certainly capable of error and will admit that he doesnt have the answer to every question, but he is consistent and credible as the voice of greatest expertise in this crisis. The public knows it, too: even an April 10 Fox News poll that puts Trumps crisis approval rating at around 50% puts Faucis at 77%.

Thank God Trump has not yet succeeded in removing all expertise and experience from high government positions, though hes not giving up. We recently got a new head of Health and Human Services virus response, someone called Brian Harrison. Best known for breeding labradoodles. Whos a good boy?

Moser lives in Napa and is the author of the memoir Seeking. He blogs at thisunholymess.com.






DETROIT (Reuters) - The union that represents U.S. hourly workers at Detroit automakers gave its tacit approval on Tuesday for the companies to restart production amid the coronavirus pandemic, after Fiat Chrysler said it expected to reopen its North American plants on May 18.

The United Auto Workers union has been negotiating with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, General Motors and Ford over how and when to safely restart U.S. production after widespread lockdowns aimed at curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

"We continue to advocate for as much testing (for the disease) as possible at the current time and eventually full-testing when available," UAW President Rory Gamble said in a statement. "As for the start date, the companies contractually make that decision and we all knew this day would come."

FCA said as it reported its first-quarter results that it expected to restart its North American operations on May 18.

GM and Ford have not announced restart dates, but the Detroit companies want to resume production so they can start bringing in much-needed cash.

U.S. automotive production ground to a halt in March as the number of cases of the novel coronavirus jumped. But with President Donald Trump pushing for Americans to get back to work and several U.S. states reopening their economies, the focus in the auto sector has shifted to when production can safely restart.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer previously extended the state's stay-at-home order through May 15, but lifted restrictions for some businesses other than manufacturing. Neighboring Ohio allowed manufacturing to resume on Monday, and Whitmer is facing increasing calls to follow suit.

Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk was highly critical last week of the various states' stay-at-home orders, which have idled the electric carmaker's California plant. He called the policies "fascist."

Ford said on Tuesday it had not determined when to restart North American production.

Story continues

"We are continuing to assess public health conditions, government guidelines and supplier readiness to determine when the time is right to resume production," Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker said in an email.

Last week, Ford outlined the safety measures it will institute to restart its U.S. plants and said getting clearance from Michigan would be the last step. GM and FCA have instituted similar measures at their plants.

GM officials could not immediately be reached to comment.

Gamble, who had previously said early May was "too soon and too risky" to resume production, said his own family would be among those reporting to plants. His previous rule for automakers was asking whether they felt it was safe enough to send their own family members into plants.

Ford Chief Operating Officer Jim Farley said last week he would "absolutely" be comfortable having his family working at a Ford plant, given the steps taken to ensure employee safety.

"We must implement and follow these guidelines and self-reporting procedures we have worked out," Gamble said on Tuesday, referring to guidelines on worker health and safety.

"And the UAW will fulfill its role to continue to actively monitor and aggressively respond regarding all issues impacting the health and safety of UAW members in whatever manner may be necessary as we return to the worksite.

(Reporting by Ben Klayman; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
Greetings, social-distancers. Restaurants are slowly making their way back, pivoting into takeout and delivery. One of the hardest-hit neighborhoods in this crisis has been Chinatown, and the business community there is working on a recovery. Also this week: Staff writer Jenn Ladd explains why meat shortages may be in the offing. (Or offal-ing, as it were.)

In a bit of good news, Philadelphia has five names on the James Beard Award finalist list.

If you need food news, click here and follow me on Twitter and Instagram. Email tips, suggestions, and questions here. If someone forwarded you this newsletter and you like what youre reading, sign up here to get it free every week.

 Michael Klein

How to cook up a restaurant comeback

Weeks before the U.S. spread of the coronavirus made headlines, Chinatown businesses took a hit  not only from non-Asian patrons fearing the unknown but from Asian-born locals whod heard horror stories from back home.

John Chin, executive director of Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corp., sat down with his 200 constituents, including some 70 restaurants, to create a return campaign. It will be unveiled shortly, but for now, you can see it in action at Vietnam Restaurant (221 N. 11th St.), where owner Benny Lai has followed CDC sanitation guidelines and offers takeout from the front door, which is set up with a table, a Venmo QR code and credit-card chip reader, and a hand sanitizer pump  in short, the model for the rest of Chinatown as it reopens. Chin explains that other old-time restaurants, such as Lee How Fook (next door), are on board for contactless pickup and payment, and will inspire the younger owners to adopt it.

Vietnam is only one destination restaurant of many to switch over to takeout this week. The latest is Vedge (1221 Locust St.), which on Friday starts pickup (only) with a $50 French picnic menu for two and a bar box of wines and snacks. Details will be posted at Vedges Instagram.

In fact: If you dont have Instagram, now is the time to join, on the web or app. Restaurants use it to post menus, ordering info, and other deals. Its far less cluttered than Facebook, and tends to be updated more frequently than restaurants own websites.

Also newly taking the plunge into takeout/delivery land, in no particular order: El Vez, Morimoto, Via Locusta, Alpen Rose, Goldie, Dizengoff, Laser Wolf, Le Virtu, Bistrot La Minette, Gabi, Pizzeria Beddia, Suraya, and that King of Prussia stalwart, Creeds. Im also hearing that the Four Seasons Philadelphia is working on it.

No matter where you order, paid-in-advance pickup is probably your better option, given the attention that restaurants are paying to contactless food handoffs. The third-party delivery services not only charge restaurants (and sometimes customers) a fortune, but the drivers cant always be counted on for speed or accuracy.

Theres a meat shortage looming, from supermarkets to local butchers

The nations meat supply has been shaken by the coronavirus as sickened workers have prompted temporary plant closings. Even if you skip the supermarket and seek out meats from local butchers, you still may find shortages, writes Jenn Ladd. On a positive note: The quality out there is outstanding. Many butchers lost their restaurant business and are redirecting that prime merchandise to everyday home cooks.

Worried about meat shortages? Heres where to buy. And how about the farmers markets? Heres where to shop.

Noms from the James Beard Award nominees

The James Beard Awards were delayed this year by you-know-what. On Monday, the very day the awards were to be handed out in Chicago, the foundation announced its list of nominees. This was an average year, as the short list has Marc Vetri (chef), Kalaya (new restaurant), and three of the six slots for Mid-Atlantic chef: Nick Elmi of Laurel, ITV, and Royal Boucherie; Rich Landau of Vedge, V Street, and D.C.'s Fancy Radish; and Cristina Martinez of South Philly Barbacoa and Casa Mexico. (New year, same faces there.)

We may not be able to enjoy these restaurants as we used to, but critic Craig LaBan has sampled many of their takeout offerings, and Grace Dickinson lays out how to order from them.

Four chefs share their mom-ories and family recipes

We go from noms to moms: Mothers Day, the Social Distance Edition, arrives Sunday. Freelancer Sarah Maiellano asked four Philadelphia chefs to reminisce about their early memories of cooking with their moms and grandmothers: Lou Boquila, Jose Garces, Chutatip Nok Suntaranon, and Joe and Angela Cicala. There are recipes, too.

Handy resources

Craig LaBans Q&A does not appear this week.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 6)  Shares of media giant ABS-CBN were placed by the local bourse on a trading halt Wednesday, a day after the network signed off to comply with the National Telecommunications Commission's cease and desist order.

In an advisory, the Philippine Stock Exchange said, aside from the order, the suspension was made "pursuant to existing rules, applicable laws and regulations in order to maintain a fair, efficient and orderly trading market."

The PSE also required ABS-CBN to submit a full disclosure on the order's impact on "the business, financial condition, operations, and prospects of the Company, as well as its business continuity plan, risk mitigation measures, and such other material information for the investing public."

The trading halt also covers the Philippine Deposit Receipts issued by ABS-CBN Holdings Corporation, the stock exchange added.

Trading will resume on trading day after ABS-CBN successfully disseminates the said disclosure to the investing public, the PSE said.

Meanwhile, the share price of GMA Network, the media conglomerate's biggest rival, rose to 5.90 on Wednesday, 23.69 percent up from the 4.77 close the day before.

In a disclosure to the local bourse, GMA said it "is not aware of any undisclosed information that could have triggered the unusual price movement" of its shares. However, the network mentioned the cease and desist order the NTC had issued to ABS-CBN.

Fellow listed media firm Manila Broadcasting Company also saw a spike in its share price a day after the beleaguered network's shutdown. From 10.64 on Tuesday, the price climbed by 31.58 percent to 14 on May 6.

The NTC ordered the broadcast giant on Tuesday to stop operations, due to the expiry of its legislative franchise. ABS-CBN signed off at 7:52 p.m. on the same day.

The shutdown covers five AM stations, including DZMM, 18 FM stations and 42 TV stations, including Channels 2 and 23.

The commission gave the network ten days to explain why the frequencies assigned to it should not be recalled.

The NTC had earlier committed to the House Committee on Legislative Franchises that it will give ABS-CBN a provisional authority to operate, pending the granting of a fresh 25-year franchise to the company.

However, Solicitor General Jose Calida opposed this, saying no law has delegated to the NTC the powers of Congress to approve franchises and warning graft charges for Commissioners, should they keep their promise.

On Wednesday, Calida added that the Commission should not be blamed, as it is only following the law, adding ABS-CBN's renewal is up to Congress.

"Without a valid and subsisting franchise from Congress, the NTC cannot allow any broadcasting entity from operating in the country," he said.

Numerous bills seeking to grant ABS-CBN Corporation a fresh 25-year franchise remain pending in Congress.

Some business organizations have also expressed concern over the broadcast giant's shutdown.

In a joint statement, the Makati Business Club, along with Management Association of the Philippines, Shareholders' Association of the Philippines Inc., and Bishops-Businessmen's Conference for Human Development said the shutdown is "a setback in a time when the country needs to be united against the pandemic."

The groups also expressed support for a balanced, fair, and swift consideration of the bills filed in Congress for the renewal of ABS-CBN's franchise.
Dental Monitoring has acquired Loum, "the digital assistant for patients and healthcare professionals. Founded in 2017, Loum's objective is to ensure that patients perceive their healthcare positively, and not as a burden. Their innovative developments, in particular an application designed to improve the patient experience, complements Dental Monitorings expansive suite of AI-driven tools. The app implements a playful and dynamic system that facilitates the doctor-patient relationship and allows patients to engage fully with their treatment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200505005871/en/

(Photo: Business Wire)

"We are delighted with the acquisition of Loum, which allows us to integrate complementary skills into our teams and meet the expectations of patients and their doctors worldwide. We are coordinating a robust solution and collaborating with a team of skilled colleagues who will enhance our AI-powered platform with new strategies and an innovative approach. Ultimately, we want to design a more playful version of our patient application, and through Loums gamification approach, which allows for careful monitoring of treatment, this is an angle that we are now addressing," says Philippe Salah, CEO of the Dental Monitoring.

"Placing gaming at the heart of the healthcare protocol not only brings a little lightness to the patients journey, but also makes any follow-up care much more appealing, accessible, and more likely to be followed, explains Michael Sutter, CEO of Loum.

"Joining Dental Monitoring is great news for us and our customers. We now offer them the possibility of benefitting from a broader range of cutting-edge solutions for the management of their patients care, while continuing to provide them with personalized and local support. This integration is also an accelerator in terms of innovation and is therefore in line with a product offering that remains at the forefront of market expectations. We are delighted to bring our vision of the patient journey and to partner with those who share our taste for service and excellence," announced Michael Sutter, CEO, and Clement Coicault, COO of Loum.

###

About Dental Monitoring:

Founded in 2015 by Philippe Salah, Dental Monitoring is the first AI-based company to target dental professionals and improve the care they provide their patients.

Dental Monitoring solutions are created to assist dental professionals throughout their patients journeys by:

 Simplifying the connection between dental professionals and patients

 Facilitating follow-ups and providing an easier virtual experience during treatment

 Improving treatment stability and results over time

Dental Monitoring is present across Europe, the United States and Asia Pacific. It has 250 employees and 5 offices (Paris, Austin - Texas, London, Hong Kong and Sydney).

Dental Monitoring is changing the way dental and orthodontic professionals care for patients. If you would like more information about Loum and this acquisition, or about the Dental Monitorings full suite of tele dentistry solutions, please visit www.dental-monitoring.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200505005871/en/
TDT | Manama

A proactive global strategy must be developed to monitor epidemics, pandemics and disasters in order to respond to them as they occur or as quickly and as ably as possible.

This was recommended by Deputy Prime Minister His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, who participated in a virtual summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) on behalf of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

The meeting, called by Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, who is the chair of the current session of NAM, was held under the theme of United Against COVID-19 and discussed responses to the ongoing pandemic crisis.

HH Shaikh Mohammed proposed a number of recommendations that Bahrain believes might contribute to supporting efforts against such crises, both in the present and the future.

The Deputy Premier added that strengthening scientific research centres for peaceful purposes within a collective and international framework, supported by the transparency of work and clarity of goals, is also essential.

HH Shaikh Mohammed also recommended helping developing countries build and enhance their infrastructure and sustainable development sectors, especially in healthcare and education.

This will help them immunise themselves against epidemics and diseases, particularly those that are infectious and widespread. At the same time, it would help provide food and medicine to countries in need of such assistance.

The Deputy Premier further noted the importance of supporting the World Health Organisation and its efforts to fulfil its role and goals in the service of all humanity. Also during the virtual summit, HH Shaikh Mohammed conveyed the greetings of HM the King to President Aliyev and to the heads of participating delegations, wishing them success.

The Deputy Premier referred to the conditions in which the summit is being held as extremely dangerous and unprecedented in modern history. He said the pandemic does not spare any country or people and it has caused severe human, economic and social damage.

Bahrains participation in the summit is a confirmation of its support for the goals and principles of the NAM to protect the security and safety of the world from all dangers and disasters, he added.

HH Shaikh Mohammed said that Bahrain, since the outbreak of the virus and being aware of its national responsibilities, undertook under the guidance of HM the King proactive efforts and measures to confront the epidemic.

The Kingdom was able, through its precautionary and preventive measures, to contain the virus thanks to the speedy detection of affected cases and their contacts, and thanks to the intensification of awareness campaigns, which have contributed to mitigating its spread and limiting the number of its victims, HH Shaikh Mohammed said.

The strenuous efforts made by Bahrains National Taskforce Combatting COVID-19, as well as those of volunteers, have had a great role in responding effectively to the virus within a framework of transparency.

Comprehensive free medical care is also provided to citizens and residents alike. Bahrain is ready to share the experiences of its success that was praised by the WHO and other countries around the world, he added.
The United States is accusing china of expanding territory illegally as the COVID-19 is keeping Asian countries busy fending off infections in their territories.

According to the US, China has been busy maneuvering while the allies are busy dodging the coronavirus outbreak in areas near Taiwan and the South China Sea.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday, in a virtual conference of the US and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers. They discussed the actions of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and how China is stealing territory openly. The US said it opposes the bullying of China in their home waters.

In a press briefing, Pompeo said before meeting ASEAN partners,"The Chinese Communist Party is exerting military pressure on Taiwan and coercing its neighbours in the South China Sea, even going so far as to sink a Vietnamese fishing vessel. It is hoped that other nations will hold them to accountable." Reports said that the U.S. will not let China get away with it and will support the ASEAN.

The U.S. and Asean summit aims to strengthen ties with ASEAN nations, especially that China acts like a bully while expanding its territory. The US/ASEAN dialogue was moved because of the coronavirus outbreak, China is suspected as the propagator of the COVID-19 disease.

Warning of the possible pushback against China's illegal claims are answered by conducting flight operations in the South China Sea since mid-April to show that Washington is not backing down, but facing the threat of the encroaching PLA in ASEAN home waters.

So far, Beijing has coopted and declared "research stations" on land features in the disputed waters making military bases on Fiery Cross Reef and Subi Reef. They also have special military aircraft landings on Fiery Cross Reef, confirmed the state department.

Also read: US Warships Challenge People's Liberation Army in South China Sea as Tensions Escalate

Acts opposed to civilized nations, Chinese official declare their illegal pilfering of disputed areas in the South China Sea legal, but The Hague ruling does not support this action. The PLA has been engaging in hostile actions against peaceful ships.

As a show of force, the Chinese are patrolling areas that are not theirs, even sailing their Haiyang Dizhi 8 Fleet on disputed tracts of the South China Sea last week.

The Taiwan defense ministry said a battle group entered the east coast of Taiwan, then into the Taiwanese south on April 11 or 12, engaged in exercises to show off their fleet that has not engaged in actual combat, just preparatory exercises to prepare the PLA.

Drew Thompson, a former U.S. defense official in Taiwan remarked China's PLA is pushing forward as other nations got their hands full with the coronavirus. He is also a senior research fellow at National University of Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

This is a renewed criticism of China's ruling Communist Party which is under suspicion why they did not report the outbreak, and delayed its reporting to the World Health Organization (WHO).

As of this writing, the WHO is now questioned why it defers to China like a PR company for Beijing.

As the COVID-19 out happens now, it appears that the United States accusation of China's illegal expansionism has validity.

Related article: US Navy Destroyer Challenges China by Sailing Through Waters Near Paracel Islands

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Portshift, a leader in Kubernetes-native solutions, today announced that Portshift has been selected as a 2020 Red Herring Top 100 Europe winner. After much consideration, the Red Herring judging panel released its list of winners, where the organization recognized Europes leading private companies and celebrated the innovations and technologies of these startups across their respective industries.

Red Herring Top 100 Europe enlists outstanding entrepreneurs and promising companies. It selects the award winners from approximately 1,200 privately financed companies each year in the European Region. Since 1996, Red Herring has kept tabs on these up-and-comers. Red Herrings Top 100 list has become a mark of distinction for identifying promising new companies and entrepreneurs. Red Herrings editors were among the first to recognize that companies such as Alibaba, Facebook, Google, SalesForce.com, Skype, SuperCell, Spotify, Twitter, and YouTube would change the way we live and work. Thousands of the most interesting and innovative companies have graced the Top 100 list over the years.

In 2020, selecting the top achievers was by no means a small feat, said Alex Vieux, publisher and CEO of Red Herring. In fact, we had the toughest time in years because so many entrepreneurs had crossed significant milestones so early in the European tech ecosystem. But after much thought, rigorous contemplation and discussion, we narrowed our list down from hundreds of candidates from across Europe to the Top 100 Winners. We believe Portshift embodies the vision, drive and innovation that define a successful entrepreneurial venture. Portshift should be proud of its accomplishment, as the competition was very strong.

Red Herrings editorial staff evaluated the companies on both quantitative and qualitative criteria, such as financial performance, technological innovation, management quality, overall business strategy and market penetration. This assessment was complemented by a review of the track records and standings of similar startups in the same verticals, allowing Red Herring to see past the hype and make the list a valuable instrument of discovery and advocacy for the most promising new business models in Europe.

Following Portshifts well-deserved win, the company has the option to showcase the company to the US market at the Top 100 North America event and compete internationally for the Top 100 Global in October. Red Herring is dedicated to following Portshifts path to further success and innovation.

We greatly appreciate the recognition of Portshift in these awards as it highlights our successful efforts in securing Kubernetes infrastructure for organizations around the world, said Ran Ilany, CEO and Co-Founder of Portshift. As one of the leading companies featured, we would like to thank the judges for this acknowledgment."

To learn more about Portshift, please visit https://www.portshift.io/product/

Tweet this: @Portshift Chosen as a 2020 Red Herring Top 100 Europe Winner - https://www.portshift.io/company/in-the-media/

Resources

To learn more about Portshift:

 Become a Trusted Portshift Partner: https://www.portshift.io/partners/

 Visit Portshift at https://www.portshift.io

 Follow Portshift on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/portshift

 Follow Portshift on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/portshift/

About Portshift

Portshift is a Kubernetes-native solution providing a single pane of glass for containers and Kubernetes security. With a single Portshift pod deployment, DevOps can leverage the power of our lightweight solution to protect from vulnerabilities across images, containers, Kubernetes, and runtime deployments. Portshift ensures a continuous hardening process during the entire containerized applications lifecycle, from code to runtime. Leveraging service-mesh, Portshift delivers network communication security inside and outside the mesh.

Go to portshift.io for more info.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 09:45:11|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, May 5 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday paid the remaining balance of its membership dues, completing its full payment to the United Nations (UN) regular budget for the year 2020, said China's Permanent Mission to the UN on Tuesday.

China's full payment, which amounts to 336 million U.S. dollars, demonstrates its staunch support to the world body, said the mission.

As the second-largest contributor to the UN regular budget, China has actively fulfilled its obligations, supporting the UN and its specialized agencies and upholding multilateralism, it said.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the UN, and the international community has high expectations from the world organization, said the Chinese mission.

In fighting COVID-19, all countries need to make solid moves to support the UN and its specialized agencies. The World Health Organization (WHO) has a critical and central role to play in combating the pandemic. China has decided to donate another 30 million dollars to the WHO in addition to the 20 million dollars already donated to support the global fight against COVID-19 and strengthen developing countries' health systems, said the mission.

The virus knows neither borders nor race. China will continue to work with all parties to contribute to the maintenance of regional and international public health security and to work toward a community with a shared future for mankind, it said. Enditem
More than 20 people were arrested after a clash broke out between two villages over sharing of Shivala Kala canal water in Naujheel area here, police said on Wednesday.

The incident happened on Tuesday evening in which 24 villagers of Lalpur and Chandpur Kalan were arrested while seven people sustained injuries due to the fight, police added.

The arrested villagers include 12 villagers each from Lalpur and Chandpur Kalan villages falling under Naujheel police station limits of Mathura district," Deputy Superintendent of Police Varun Kumar said.

He said the accused have been sent to judicial custody.

Police force has been stationed at the site where the skirmish took place, he added.

Kumar said trouble began when the canal water was stopped by a villager and the local residents of the other village protested against it.

A clash ensued between both the villages that left seven villagers with minor injuries, the SP added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Republic's chief medical officer has denied claims he was overruled by the Irish government on a key aspect of the country's coronavirus recovery plan.

Dr Tony Holohan said reports that the cabinet had rejected National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) advice on the extended cocooning of older people was not true.

Dr Holohan, who chairs the NPHET, also refuted suggestions of tensions between him and ministers.

The senior medic was pressed on media reports claiming he and certain ministers were at odds on elements of the five-phase recovery plan published by the Irish state on Friday.

Dr Holohan was pressed why a proposed NPHET plan, presented to Cabinet on Friday, stated that shielding of over-70s should continue into the later phases, while the final government roadmap made no such specific reference.

The chief medical officer said there were textual differences in the two documents, but he insisted the Irish government had accepted all NPHET's advice on cocooning.

He told the daily Covid-19 briefing the notion NPHET had given advice to the government on cocooning and that advice had been rejected "isn't true".

Dr Holohan also acknowledged that NPHET's advice in relation to the recovery plan was "conservative and cautious".

Earlier, Tanaiste Simon Coveney also rejected claims of tensions between NPHET and the cabinet, telling RTE the relationship was "fantastic".

Dr Holohan said he was confused by reports that suggested that NPHET's briefing to the cabinet on Friday has been fractious.

"That's not the meeting I was at," he said.
The Minister of Health, Zweli Mkhize, has stated that South Africa has received a call from the government of Madagascar to help with the scientific research of a herbal cure for COVID-19.

Mkhize said that while South African scientists would be able to help with the research, they will only get involved with the scientific analysis of the herb.

We are not at that point yet, Mkhize said.

Mkhizes comments were made in the context of a deluge of comments and questions on social media regarding Madagascars alleged cure for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

The president of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina, formally launched a herbal remedy in April which he claimed prevents and cures COVID-19.

Rajoelina claimed that the tonic gives results in seven days.

Reportedly derived from Artemisia annua, the remedy was developed into a tonic by the Madagascar Institute of Applied Research. It has been dubbed COVID-Organics

Artemisia annua as malaria treatment

AFP reported that the artemisia plant has proven effective in treating malaria. However, it should be noted that malaria is caused by a mosquito-borne parasite, while COVID-19 is caused by a novel coronavirus.

In 2012, the World Health Organization issued a statement in which it recommended artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria due to Plasmodium falciparum.

ACTs recommended by WHO combine an artemisinin derivative such as artemether, artesunate, or dihydroartemisinin with an effective antimalarial medicine, the WHO stated.

One of the combinations it recommended was the dry leaves of the artemisia plant for the treatment and prevention of malaria.

However, WHO does not recommend the use of Artemisia annua plant material, in any form, including tea, for the treatment or the prevention of malaria.

Other malaria drugs investigated as treatments for COVID-19

Artemisia is not the only malaria treatment that has received support from a state president. US President Donald Trump has touted hydroxychloroquine as a possible treatment for COVID-19.

Testing of the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19 is underway.

There is currently no evidence to suggest that hydroxychloroquine is effective as a treatment for COVID-19.

Several African nations importing Madagascars COVID tonic

Despite the fact that COVID-Organics has not undergone rigorous clinical trials, several African nations have already placed orders for the tonic.

Al Jazeera reported that Tanzania, Liberia, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau have either placed orders or received their shipments already.

Guinea-Bissau has reportedly received a donation of the tonic from Madagascar, while the president of Tanzania has said that he has dispatched a plane to collect a consignment of COVID-Organics.

Artemisia annua is unproven

Africa Check has noted that Madagascars own National Academy of Medicine warned that there is currently no scientific evidence to back up the claim that Artemisia annua is an effective treatment for COVID-19.

The organisation discouraged government officials from distributing the tonic and said that it risks damaging the health of the population, in particular that of children.

According to the law, only health professionals within health facilities are authorised to distribute medicines, and not administrative structures. We appeal to the sense of responsibility of the competent authorities and of the parents of pupils, the National Academy of Medicine of Madagascar stated.

The Telegraph reported that school pupils in Madagascar were told that they faced expulsion if they refused to take COVID-Organics.

More recently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued a statement in which it said that it supports scientifically proven traditional medicine.

However, it cautioned against the use of unproven treatments like Madagascars Artemisia-derived COVID-Organics tonic.

Medicinal plants such as Artemisia annua are being considered as possible treatments for COVID-19 and should be tested for efficacy and adverse side effects, the WHO said.

Africans deserve to use medicines tested to the same standards as people in the rest of the world. Even if therapies are derived from traditional practice and natural, establishing their efficacy and safety through rigorous clinical trials is critical.

Headline image by Kristian Peters.
When the news broke yesterday that the New York Timess egregious 1619 Project had won a Pulitzer Prize for commentary, I knew the only thing to do was get Phillip W. Magness on the line. Magness, a senior research fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research, is the author of a brand new and indispensable book answering the factual errors and gross interpretive distortions of the 1619 Project, entitled The 1619 Project: A Critique.

But theres more to the Magness portfolio on my mind just now. I regard Phil as the LeBron James of the conservative-libertarian community, because he is playing monster defense against bad ideas from all corners, and dunking hard on a lot of lefties who richly deserve it, from the authors of the 1619 Project to the Thomas Piketty/Emanuel Saez/Robert Reich/Gabriel Zucman distortions about income inequality that informed Elizabeth Warrens proposal for a wealth tax. Phil has dug deep into the data the equality crusaders have assembled and exposing their methodological weakness.

Last but not least, Phil has also been following the coronavirus crisis, and has been posting a lot of observations on the defects of our understanding of the virus itself, and pointing out the poor calculations of the tradeoffs involved in the extreme lockdowns we have chosen as a remedy. He even breaks some news along the way, so listen to the end as we walk briskly through all three of these topics.

You know what to do nowlisten here, or download from our hosts at Ricochet, or from your favorite podcast platform.
The General Secretary of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC) says the advertising agency that put up a mask-less picture of President Akufo Addo on billboards asking Ghanaians to wear a mask was spot on with the artwork.



The billboards which have sprung up in many parts of Accra advocating the need for mask-wearing as a measure in curbing COVID-19 show a giant image of the President without a mask.



The spectacle has provoked criticism on social media with many questioning the commitment of the governments campaign against the virus.



The Government on Sunday directed city authorities to remove the COVID-19 awareness billboards that feature President Akufo-Addo without a mask.



However, in a tweet, Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah suggested the billboards are not sponsored by the government.



We appreciate all who seek to help Govt communicate at this time. But pls do well to engage with Govt on imaging and messaging. This billboard of the President without a mask is not from Govt. Note that at his last public appearance the President wore his masks till his speech, he wrote.



But speaking in an interview with Kasapa FM, Johnson Asiedu Nketia stated that the advertising agency did not err as it realized that the Akufo Addo government since assuming power preaches one thing and does another.



How on earth can anyone say the advertizer got it wrong with this billboard? It is a reflection of the deeds of the Akufo Addo administrationlaws that are applied to prosecute criminals are for other people and does not apply to government appointees. That is the impression they have created and so if someone is dealing with government that is the way the person thinks. So if somebody has put up a billboard and the President is not wearing a mask, the person is thinking the President is exempt from wearing a mask and that it is for only members of the public.



Asiedu Nketia added: Have you seen the President wearing a mask in any of the national addresses he has made so far? Meanwhile, he advises Ghanaians to wear it always. When ex-President Rawlings was in power and he urged Ghanaians to desilt our gutters he himself got down into the gutters at Nima and desilted them. So President Akufo Addo must do what he preaches and the citizens will learn from him.







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.

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, Apr. 28

Trend:

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 23 times, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijani Defense Ministry on April 28.

The Armenian armed forces were using large-caliber machine guns.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 21:47:41|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The trial version of China's new-generation manned spaceship is now working normally in orbit, having completed a series of operations as planned, according to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) on Wednesday.

The experimental spaceship was launched without crew by China's new large carrier rocket Long March-5B from the Wenchang Space Launch Center on the coast of south China's island province of Hainan on Tuesday evening.

So far, the new spaceship, developed by the China Academy of Space Technology under the CASC, has unfolded its solar panels and positioned them toward the sun, deployed its relay antenna and established a relay communication link, as well as conducted autonomous orbit control four times.

It is now in a stable flight attitude in a highly elliptical orbit, with the power supply, measurements and control links normal, said the CASC.

Next as planned, it will raise orbit three times, and re-enter the atmosphere and return to Earth after braking at the apogee, the CASC said.

It is scheduled to touch down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Friday, according to Ji Qiming, an assistant to the director of the China Manned Space Agency. Enditem
An under-fire police chief who has been criticised throughout the coronavirus crisis for following walkers with drones has today announced his retirement.

Derbyshire Police Chief Constable Peter Goodman is stepping down, weeks after his force was accused of 'abusing emergency powers' after footage showed police drones hovering over walkers in the Peak District and shaming them on social media.

The force was also criticised for dyeing a normally bright blue lagoon in Buxton black in a bid to deter people from gathering there.

The former Supreme Court Justice Jonathan Sumption, QC, likened the force's approach to the restrictions on public movement to 'a police state'.

He also said filming walkers with drones was 'disgraceful' and 'shamed our policing traditions'.

Chief Constable Goodman has today announced he will retire in July, after 13 years in the role.

Derbyshire Police Chief Constable Peter Goodman has today announced he will retire in July, after 13 years in the role

Derbyshire Police sent up their drone and filmed people on 'not essential' trips to the Peak District including people posing for an 'Instagram snap'

Derbyshire Police dyed the 'blue lagoon' in Harpur Hill, Buxton black, as gatherings there are 'dangerous' and are 'in contravention of the current instruction of the UK Government'

At the start of the lockdown in March, Chief Con Goodman defended his officer's tactics and blamed the government, saying the emergency laws were 'unclear'.

He also defended using drones to shame walkers, saying the methods were 'slightly unusual' but claimed other forces were implementing 'more draconian measures'.

In a statement, Chief Con Goodman said: 'It has been my privilege and pleasure to lead Derbyshire Constabulary and I am very proud to have been part of such a hardworking and dedicated organisation.

'I have seen many changes during my career, in particular the change in crime trends.

'Technology now plays a large part in crime and I have been lucky enough to be involved in the work that is happening nationally to tackle this as the national lead for cyber crime and serious and organised crime.

'I am extremely proud of the work that officers and staff do day-in-day-out, most of it going unsung.

'The dedication to keeping the communities of Derbyshire safe is second to none by all members of the force and I know that this will continue.'

Chief Con Goodman defended his officer's tactics in March and blamed the government, saying the emergency laws were 'unclear'

Former High Court judge Lord Sumption (left) criticised Derbyshire Police for having 'shamed our policing traditions', while former independent reviewer of terrorism legislation Lord Anderson (right) said reports of 'over-enforcement by police and public are deterring the timid from exercising even the limited freedoms they have'

Police and Crime Commissioner Hardyal Dhindsa said: 'Peter has made a significant contribution to policing and the public over the course of his 32-year career and during the last three years we have enjoyed a good working relationship serving the people of Derbyshire.

'It has been my privilege to work with such a professional and inspirational chief constable in order to protect the vulnerable in our communities, prevent crime and preserve Derbyshire's reputation as a safe place to live, work or visit.

'I wish him good luck, health and every happiness for the future.'
Bengaluru, May 6 : The Karnataka government is bracing to bail out hundreds of Kannadigas living abroad but who now want to return to their home state, as they are in distress due to the coronavirus pandemic fallout, a state minister said on Wednesday.

"Hundreds of overseas or non-resident Kannadigas (NRKs) reached out to us through voice and video calls, emails, relatives and friends, expressing readiness to return to their home state, as the situation in the countries they are working in is grim after the Covid-19 outbreak," Minister for Tourism, Kannada and Culture C.T. Ravi told IANS in an e-mail statement.

The 'SOS' calls from NRKs in the US, Europe, Africa, Gulf region and Australia during the last couple of weeks have made the state government to set up a special cell in the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) to facilitate their return at the earliest.

"We have set up a dedicated website, app and are in the process of setting up a 24x7 helpline to assist Kannadigas wanting to relocate and resettle in their home state after the Coivd crisis ends and normalcy is restored," said Ravi.

The state is, however, focusing on the early return of the Kannadigas who have been stranded in various countries since March 23 when international flights were suspended and nationwide lockdown clamped since March 24 midnight and extended twice since up to May 17.

"As our priority is to first rescue about 10,500 Kannadigas stranded the world over, we are coordinating with the Ministry of Civil Aviation for their safe passage to Bengaluru or Mangaluru from Friday onwards," said Ravi.

Following a videoconference call between Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa with 55 Kannadiga organisations in 34 countries on May 2 on "reverse brain drain", the state has sought the help of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to facilitate the return of NRKs through Indian embassies, high commissions and their consulates in countries where more Kannadigas are working, studying, or living as NRIs.

"As Covid pandemic devastated economies of many countries, including the US, Germany, France, UK and the Gulf region, hundreds of Kannadigas working as professionals (white collar jobs) don't want to stay or live in those countries any more but return to India and their home state due to uncertainty of jobs, future of their children and their families or relatives back home," Ravi pointed out.

As hundreds of NRKs in Dubai, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain have also lost their blue-collar jobs due to the collapse of the oil economy and Covid crisis, they are desperate to return home at the earliest.

"The NRKs are asking for admission in schools and colleges for their children, housing sites to build homes and opportunities to invest in the state so that they could be self-employed and also create jobs for fellow Kannadigas or others," noted Ravi.

Similarly, hundreds of students from the southern state, who are studying in Australia, have urged Yediyurappa to get their visas extended and education fee waived so that they could complete their studies and return home as they are also unsure of getting jobs as expats in the post-Covid times.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: The Karnataka State Transport Corporation (KSRTC) staffer and workers federation has submitted a memorandum to CM B S Yediyurappa seeking funds for paying salaries to its employees. The corporation has crossed a `469 crore revenue loss from March 3 to May 4. A meeting was held between the corporation management and the chief minister. The government has only provided Rs 160 crore for the transport corporations, which is not enough.

The employees alone require Rs 330 crore, says AITUC chief secretary D A Vijay Bhaskar. Sources stated that discussion is going on with Transport Minister Laxman Savadi in this regard. However, it has been informed that salaries for April will be given by the state government.
NRPLUS MEMBER ARTICLE M any years ago now, Milton Friedman explained something that should never have needed explaining, when, writing for the New York Times Magazine, he reminded his readers what and whom  a company is meant to be for:

In a free-enterprise, private-property system, a corporate executive is an employee of the owners of the business. He has direct responsibility to his employers. That responsibility is to conduct the business in accordance with their desires, which generally will be to make as much money as possible while conforming to [the] basic rules of . . . society, both those embodied in law and those embodied in ethical custom. . . . What does it mean to say that the corporate executive has a social responsibility in his capacity as businessman? If this statement is not pure rhetoric, it must mean that he is to act in some way that is not in the interest of his employers.

The executives who retool a companys mission to suit a particular conception of social responsibility are spending shareholders money on a moral agenda unrelated to company objectives, an affront thats only made worse if their crusade depresses returns, share price, or both.

Friedman was writing in 1971. Since then, like so many bad ideas, corporate social responsibility has become institutionalized. To take a recent example, in 2017 JP Morgan Chase gave $500,000 to the Southern Poverty Law Center, an organization that, sadly, has strayed far from its original ideals. Had they learned of it, this gift would probably have irritated a good many shareholders. The employee who had to justify it was  you guessed it  the banks head of corporate responsibility, a title that signifies how deep the rot has gone.

Its been a long time since companies supposed social responsibility could be discharged by a handout or two, but the pressure on them to toe some outsiders line has, in recent years, been stepped up. Often repackaged as a demand that corporations be measured by the extent to which they match arbitrary and ever-tightening E (environmental), S (social), and G (governance) standards, it is now a way of corralling private enterprise without the bother of legislation. The G, which can cover such issues as transparency and compliance, is relatively uncontroversial, but so far as many shareholders are concerned, insisting on the E and, to a lesser degree, the S, which can range from the benign (worker safety) to the malign (stipulating what legal products a company may or may not sell), is a form of expropriation.

Story continues

It is a mark of just how ingrained the ideas behind ESG have become that the Financial Times, mistakenly thought by the old-fashioned to be the house journal of capitalism, now has a section presumptuously called Moral Money, billed as the trusted destination for news and analysis about the fast-expanding world of socially responsible business, sustainable finance, impact investing, [ESG] trends, and the UNs Sustainable Development Goals  a rebarbative combination for which those running the FT clearly believe there is an audience.

If Davos is any indicator, they are right. Heres an extract from the World Economic Forums Manifesto for 2020:

A company serves society at large through its activities, supports the communities in which it works, and pays its fair share of taxes. It ensures the safe, ethical and efficient use of data. It acts as a steward of the environmental and material universe for future generations. It consciously protects our biosphere and champions a circular, shared and regenerative economy. It continuously expands the frontiers of knowledge, innovation and technology to improve peoples well-being. . . . A company is more than an economic unit generating wealth. It fulfils human and societal aspirations as part of the broader social system. Performance must be measured not only on the return to shareholders, but also on how it achieves its environmental, social and good governance objectives.

Unfortunately, what goes on in Davos does not stay in Davos.

The existence of the FTs Moral Money section is yet more evidence of this larger trend. In a recent edition, we could read about how a Bank of America analyst examined the environmental implications (at least as seen from the perspective of climate warriors) of bringing supply chains closer to home in the wake of COVID-19. The authors conclusion that doing so would reduce emissions would, in happier times, not have concerned investors  their interest would only have been in the financial consequences of such a change. But we do not live in those times.

Banks are not charities. They would not write research reports of this type unless there was a market for them, and there is. ESG investing is becoming big business. Thus, as one of the Moral Money team reports:

According to research from Sustainable Research and Analysis, an independent research shop based in New York, the total assets held in sustainable mutual funds and ETFs hit $1.6tn in 2019, growing from a base of just $400bn at the end of 2018. Even with the coronavirus outbreak sending markets into a tailspin, ESG funds added a further $500bn in assets through Q1 2020.

Reading on, there is a glimmer of hope:

But only a small portion came from net new money. In 2019, investment managers rebranded 475 existing funds to incorporate ESG factors, which accounted for more than $1tn, or 86 per cent of the total new ESG assets.

So Wall Street is behaving with its customary cynicism, and in the moral universe of Moral Money that will not do:

On the face of it, this seems troubling and sends up red flags for greenwashing.

It would take a heart of stone not to laugh here, but one would be laughing too soon:

Henry Shilling, director of research at Sustainable Research and Analysis, says most asset managers are not just slapping an ESG label on their funds and calling it a day. Most of the rebranded funds have adopted ESG integration strategies, he said, explaining that they had explicitly changed their prospectus documents to include ESG as a part of their investment process and were engaging with portfolio companies on ESG issues.

Engaging with, however, can mean sending a token memo or doing something more substantive. So its time for some more pearl-clutching:

Even with all of the companies making public commitments to cut emissions and look out for stakeholder interests, a shocking minority have gone so far as to tie executive pay to any sort of ESG metric. In fact, new research from Sustainalytics shows just 9 per cent of all companies in the FTSE AW index have done so. And on top of that, the vast majority of those that have done so have only targeted occupational health and safety.

Only is doing a lot of work there.

Its worth pausing to note the citations of Sustainanalytics, which describes itself as the leading independent global provider of ESG and corporate governance research and ratings to investors, and of Sustainable Research and Analysis, a firm that serves as a source for sustainable investment management information, research, opinions and sustainable fund ratings. Both are part of the flourishing (and profitable) ecosystem that ESG investing has created. It encompasses consultancies, advocacy organizations, chief sustainability officers, and many, many more rent-seekers besides. ESG is bad news for investors, but it is not a bad way of filling the wallets of those that feed off it.

None of this is to deny that there is room for ESG-based investment strategies. If investors want to base their stock selection in whole or in part on ESG criteria, that is, of course, up to them, and if investment companies wish to market ESG-compliant funds, thats fine. Funds that will not invest in companies that, say, sell guns or alcohol have been around for a long time. ESG-compliant funds are simply an extension of the entirely reasonable idea that investors should not be forced to choose between their principles and smart investment. The more choice that such investors have the better.

But choice is the key word here. Much of the pressure for companies to raise their ESG game comes either directly from state or other governmental pension funds, which are not exactly free from political pressure and ideological bias, or from the investment companies that wish to sell to them. Thus Moral Money reports on a number of proxy fights over ESG issues brewing at companies such as ExxonMobil and the British bank Barclays. Among those named as leading the charge in these battles are Brunel Pension Partnership, which manages the pension funds for ten local British governments, the Liverpool-based Merseyside pension fund (also for local government employees), and  this is far from just a British thing  the New York State Common Retirement Fund.

Turn to Brunels website, and you find that:

[Brunels] investment team [has] the ability to clearly think in 10 to 20-year timeframes. As such, environment and social risk considerations, along with good governance and stewardship, are integrated into [its] decision making processes. . . . The key objective of our climate policy is to systematically change the investment industry to ensure that it is fit for purpose for a world where temperature rise needs to be kept to well below 2C compared to pre-industrial levels.

Pension funds ought to be trying to deliver the best possible economic returns for their pensioners, who are, in a sense, captive clients. Equally, where such pensions are funded or, in the case of defined-benefit schemes, underwritten in whole or in part by taxpayers, there is  or there ought to be  a duty owed to those who may end up on the hook for them. But for Brunel, other objectives now seem to have come into play.

A still bigger problem may yet come from investment groups such as BlackRock. As the FT notes, the firm is currently coming under fire from ESG activists, despite the stance taken by its chairman and CEO, Larry Fink, who claimed in a letter earlier this year that climate change has become a defining factor in companies long-term prospects, and went on to explain how:

BlackRock [has] announced a number of initiatives to place sustainability at the center of our investment approach, including: making sustainability integral to portfolio construction and risk management; exiting investments that present a high sustainability-related risk, such as thermal coal producers; launching new investment products that screen fossil fuels; and strengthening our commitment to sustainability and transparency in our investment stewardship activities.

More details were set out in a letter to clients:

We have been working to improve access for several years  for example, by building the industrys largest suite of ESG ETFs, which has allowed many more individuals to more easily invest sustainably. . . . We intend to double our offerings of ESG ETFs over the next few years (to 150), including sustainable versions of flagship index products, so that clients have more choice for how to invest their money.

Some of this merely reflected BlackRocks self-interest  and theres nothing wrong with that. As noted above, extending investor choice is to be welcomed. But there is also the fact that:

Every active investment team at BlackRock considers ESG factors in its investment process and has articulated how it integrates ESG in its investment processes. By the end of 2020, all active portfolios and advisory strategies will be fully ESG integrated  meaning that, at the portfolio level, our portfolio managers will be accountable for appropriately managing exposure to ESG risks and documenting how those considerations have affected investment decisions.

Investors are free not to invest with BlackRock, but because BlackRock is so large, that doesnt eliminate the problem that this new policy could pose. Before the coronavirus crisis began, BlackRock had over $7 trillion under management. If a company doesnt play by BlackRocks ESG rules, it risks shutting itself off from a potentially substantial source of capital and/or support for its share price. If a companys management decides that it doesnt want to run that risk, it may have to adopt policies that damage the businesss long-term prospects. That might help the share price, at least for a while, but it is hardly a desirable outcome.

Even if a company has no interest in having BlackRock as a shareholder, BlackRock may have an interest in it. Once BlackRock takes a stake in a company, the chances are that it will apply pressure on management, as any shareholder has the right to do. Most shareholders only do so to increase their return, but BlackRock, whatever its claims about the connection between sustainability and longer-term profitability, has other targets in mind:

We have engaged with companies on sustainability-related questions for several years, urging management teams to make progress while also deliberately giving companies time to build the foundations for disclosure consistent with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and TCFD. We are asking companies to publish SASB- and TCFD-aligned disclosures, and as expressed by the TCFD guidelines, this should include the companys plan for operating under a scenario where the Paris Agreements goal of limiting global warming to less than two degrees is fully realized. Given the groundwork we have already laid and the growing investment risks surrounding sustainability, we will be increasingly disposed to vote against management when companies have not made sufficient progress. [Emphasis added.]

SASB and TCFD are two other creatures in the ESG ecosystem. The former was once chaired by Michael Bloomberg, while the latter still is. SASB says that it is on a mission . . . to help businesses around the world identify, manage and report on the sustainability topics that, it claims boldly, if inaccurately, matter most to their investors. Meanwhile, TCFD, the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, says it aims to develop voluntary, consistent climate-related financial risk disclosures for use by companies in providing information to investors, lenders, insurers, and other stakeholders, an objective with a clever twist: If companies do not go along with these voluntary disclosures, their banks and insurers  part of a sector unusually susceptible to political pressure  may turn the screws.

As a shareholder, BlackRock has every right to insist that the managements of the companies in which it invests comply with its diktats. Equally, other shareholders are free to insist that BlackRock be told to take a hike, at which point the whole thing can be thrashed out at a general meeting. But many of the other shareholders will also be institutional investors. Even if they do not agree with BlackRocks agenda, they may feel compelled by commercial pressures of the type that I have mentioned above to go along.

In effect, therefore, many companies  and not just those that are publicly listed  will be forced to change the way they do business as they try to keep up with ever-more-stringent rules set not by democratically elected legislators but by the unaccountable, the ambitious, the greedy, and the fanatical. Milton Friedman would have been appalled (if not altogether surprised) that activists such as these ESG vigilantes could exercise such a power through their ownership of shares. Todays small investors, pensioners, and, for that matter, anyone else who depends on a robustly growing economy ought to be angrier still.

More from National Review
Monogram Health, a Nashville, Tenn.-based kidney disease care management company, secured $7m in funding through the closing of a Series A-1 financing round.

The round was co-led by Frist Cressey Ventures and Norwest Venture Partners.

The company intends to use the funds to continue to grow and increase health plan partnerships.

Monogram Health is a renal disease care management company providing partnering with health plans through a national network of nephrologists and kidney care specialists. Through these regular visits, its specialized care teams monitor and manage patients kidney care delivery, such as appropriate medication compliance, as well as transitions to and adherence with renal replacement, palliative care, and other evidence-based treatment modalities.

Monogram currently operates its kidney disease care management programs for thousands of patients across the U.S., including Humana Medicare Advantage and Commercial plan members in Louisiana and Mississippi.

FinSMEs

07/05/2020
Health Minister Robin Swann has warned against "getting ahead of ourselves" by setting dates on how Northern Ireland's lockdown measures could be eased - as the situation remains "incredibly serious".

Speaking at Stormont's daily press briefing yesterday as 17 further deaths were confirmed, Mr Swann said that while evidence suggests Northern Ireland is through the worst of the first peak of the pandemic, more families will be "thrown into mourning in the days and weeks ahead".

Noting that traffic levels had increased in recent days and another bank holiday weekend was approaching, the North Antrim MLA said he wanted to issue a May Day alert to urge people to continue "to do the right thing".

"No matter how good the weather is, no matter how strong the temptation might be, don't give in and don't give up," Mr Swann said.

On relaxing social distancing, Mr Swann said any change in the current restrictions would be gradual, with no overnight change or "big breakouts".

He added: "I am becoming increasingly concerned. I am concerned that the debate on the future of the lockdown is getting ahead of itself.

"It is getting ahead of the reality people are still facing.

"It would pile tragedy upon tragedy if Northern Ireland lost its way at this stage."

Mr Swann urged the public to stick to the guidelines to keep saving lives and protect the NHS.

"We have a long way to go yet. This is no time for bailing out or doing your own thing,

"We must stick to social distancing. We can't lose our way.

"We don't want to look back in the future with regret," said Mr Swann.

Earlier yesterday, figures released by the Department of Health confirmed that Northern Ireland's coronavirus death toll has now reached 404.

Six people died in the previous 24 hours, with a further 11 deaths occurring outside this period but only being reported yesterday.

A further 45 people tested positive for the virus, bringing the total number of people infected here to 3,881.

New figures have also suggested the UK coronavirus death toll of 32,375 is now the highest in Europe, overtaking 29,315 deaths in Italy.

Meanwhile, the number of deaths in the Republic of Ireland has risen to 1,339 after a further 23 deaths were announced yesterday.

The Republic has already published its own timetable for exiting the lockdown, while Stormont ministers are due to meet tomorrow to review regulations.

But Mr Swann said putting dates on changes to the regulations "leads people into the false sense of security".

"During the next period of time, we will not be returning to what we knew as being normal.

"There will be a new normal in Northern Ireland for a long period of time while we get Covid-19 under control," he added.

Addressing the briefing, Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride said there was a "long way to go yet" before the crisis passed and it was important people don't regret their actions during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr McBride said careful planning was needed before any decisions could be made, while social distancing would also have to continue alongside good respiratory and hand hygiene. He added that a number of things were certain, including that people who could work from home would have to continue to do so.

Dr McBride acknowledged that the stay-at-home order was extremely difficult and causing social and economic issues but he said the reproductive number of the virus had to be kept below one or there would be an "exponential rise in new cases".

Dr McBride confirmed plans to ramp up contact tracing and that discussions were ongoing with colleagues in the Republic of Ireland and UK around digital platforms for doing so.

He said 80% of cases would need to be identified within 48 hours for the plan to be effective.

Dr McBride also urged people not to break the restrictions during the upcoming bank holiday.

"People are tired and we have a number of weeks to go yet before we are in a position where I believe the evidence suggests that it would be safe to step down any of these measures without seeing that R number (the number of people each person with the virus infects) increase and us getting back to that situation that we had an exponential growth."

Dr McBride called for "mature and respectful" discussion with the public and said that now is not the time for confusion around the easing of measures when it was not yet safe to do so.

"We just need to ensure that we don't give mixed messages. I would be reluctant to put in place an artificial time frame for those decisions prematurely."
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

By Tamilla Mammadova  Trend:

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili held a telephone conversation with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, Trend reports referring to Georgian presidents press service.

The heads of state discussed the situation with the pandemic in the world and in their countries, and its impact on the economy.

Salome Zourabichvili noted that tourism is one of the most affected sectors of the economy both in Georgia and Romania, and in the post-crisis period, active cooperation and work are necessary to revive it.

As reported, the presidents noted how important it is to develop safety and health standards for tourism industry in the post-crisis period.

The presidents of the two countries also discussed other pressing issues of Georgian-Romanian relations.

Iohannis expressed his deepest condolences to the families of Georgian citizens who died from the coronavirus during the pandemic.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Mila61979356
Dr. Scott Gottlieb on Wednesday urged caution about a new study that suggests the coronavirus has mutated, with the new, dominant strain appearing to be even more contagious.

"It doesn't prove that this new strain is in fact more infectious," Gottlieb said on CNBC's "Squawk Box."

According to researchers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, the new strain of the coronavirus started to spread in Europe in early February and then migrated to other parts of the world, including the U.S. By the end of March, this new strain became the dominant form of the virus in the U.S. and Canada.

"The analysis could be confounded by the fact that this just became the dominant strain in Europe because it got into Europe early and then got into the United States from Europe," contended Gottlieb, a former head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. "It really doesn't prove anything."

Gottlieb said the study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, is only based on computational analysis and therefore more work needs to be done. "We don't have any other data to support it, including cell culture data."

"We saw a change like this with Ebola and we initially thought that it also made Ebola more contagious and we actually had cell culture data to support it at that time," said Gottlieb, a CNBC contributor who sits on the boards of Pfizer and biotech company Illumina. "We found that when we put it into animal studies, in fact the change in the virus didn't change its contours at all, didn't make it more infectious."

Pfizer is developing a vaccine. If the study were to be proven correct, it may complicate vaccine development.

The Los Alamos researchers said the mutation was of "urgent concern" because of the more than 100 vaccines in the process of being developed to prevent Covid-19. Some vaccine researchers have been using the virus's genetic sequences isolated by health authorities early in the outbreak, which began late last year in China.

So far, the Los Alamos researchers have identified 14 mutations. Their analysis was assisted by scientists at Duke University and the University of Sheffield in England.

Gottlieb said there are different strains of the coronavirus circulating, but contended that mutation alone does not mean it is more contagious.

"Just because it mutates doesn't mean it's changing in ways that's going to make it more virulent or more infectious," he said. "It is going to drift over time. Generally the drift should be in the direction of making it less virulent, less dangerous, not more, if it's selected for, because it wants to keep its host alive."

The study did not conclude that the new strain causes a more severe illness, based on a comparison of 447 people in Sheffield, England. Hospitalization rates for people with the original strain and the new strain "remained relatively constant across this time period," researchers wrote.

There are nearly 3.7 million confirmed cases of Covid-19 across the world, according to Johns Hopkins University data Wednesday morning. Globally, 257,096 people have died. In the U.S., which has the most infections of any country, there are more than 1.2 million cases and at least 71,000 deaths.

 CNBC's Berkeley Lovelace Jr. contributed to this report.
On National Teachers Day, Teachers Health Trust (THT), the dedicated health plan for the educators and licensed professionals in Clark County, is donating 200 handcrafted masks to local educators.

In partnership with the Mask Task Force powered by the Las Vegas Fashion Council; and in coordination with nonprofit, Communities In Schools of Nevada, the protective masks were delivered on May 5 (and May 6) to teachers at local schools, including, JT Williams Elementary School and J.D. Smith Middle School.

Our thoughts are with everyone involved with the health impacts related to the COVID-19, especially to our educators. Maintaining our teachers health and wellness is our top priority. said Michael Skolnick, ceo of Teachers Health Trust. We wanted to do our part. We are proud to collaborate with the Mask Task Force, powered by the Las Vegas Fashion Council, and non-profit, Communities in Schools, with this donation and program to help our teachers in Clark County fight against the pandemic.

Crafted by local designer and Fashion Council volunteer, Larissa Navarro, owner of Tailor Shop by Larissa; Navarro has provided nearly 5000 face masks and face coverings to date, producing from 150up to 300 masks per day. Each mask is made of 100% woven cotton and are machine washable, as well as CDC approved.

We are grateful for the Las Fashion Council and Teachers Health Trust for their eagerness to help teachers who are working tirelessly to meet the needs of Clark County School District students, especially during these times of uncertainty and while schools are closed, said Cheri Ward, executive director, Communities In Schools of Southern Nevada.

Its because of community partners like these that were able to continue to provide basic needs such as wholesome food and educational supplies, while still maintaining proper social distance and safety measures. These masks will enable teachers at JT McWIlliams Elementary School and J.D. Smith Middle School to continue going above and beyond for their students and theres no better way to celebrate National Teachers Appreciation Day than through acts of kindness such as this one.

In its ongoing mission to provide access and quality of care to educators, Teachers Health Trust offers a suite of benefits including its IPA Health Network, featuring established Clark County primary care physicians to provide a real-time virtual care to all members, always-free same-day prescription delivery and an in-house Mental-Behavioral Health network with a dedicated phone number to find an aligned therapist (many also offering virtual sessions)  all with the clear intention of improving access, offering more convenience, improve quality of care and redefine cost-savings.

The Mask Task Force powered by Las Vegas Fashion Council was assembled due to the dire news of the mask shortage, amongst other items, to fight the COVID-19 crisis and support our front line medical and health workers, senior centers, food banks, CCSD food distribution volunteers and more. The Mask Task Force has donated over 4000 masks to the Las Vegas community due to generous support of volunteers.

To learn more information for the #masktaskforce, please visit the website at http://www.lasvegasfashioncouncil.com/mask-task-force.
FLORHAM PARK, N.J., May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BASF, together with its North America Agricultural Solutions business and several U.S. sites, will continue its support to people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic by donating more than $365,000 to Feeding America, the nations largest domestic hunger-relief organization.

The $365,000 includes a $150,000 corporate donation, $170,000 collected during a virtual employee food drive sponsored by the North America Agricultural Solutions business, and $45,000 donated by BASFs facilities in Geismar, Louisiana; Wyandotte and Southfield, Michigan; and Freeport, Texas. BASF will continue matching employee contributions through the companys matching gifts program. All contributions will support the Feeding America network of food banks by providing nutritious food and resources to communities in need during the pandemic.

Millions of people across the United States are struggling to find nutritious food and provide meals for their families during this unprecedented time, said Paul Rea, Senior Vice President, BASF Agricultural Solutions North America. There is no time where the need is more pressing than during and after a crisis of this magnitude. We hope our support inspires communities to assist Feeding Americas efforts by donating money, goods or their time to help neighbors, friends and families during their time of need.

BASF matched the employee virtual food drive contributions dollar-for-dollar, and the money is being donated to Feeding America food banks based on employee donor zip codes. This allows employees to help their communities and make an impact where they live.

Feeding America will also distribute the corporate donation to member food banks close to BASF facilities in Louisiana, Michigan, Texas, Georgia, New York, North Carolina, California and Ohio.

We are grateful to BASF for being a partner of Feeding America before the COVID-19 pandemic and for coming forward with additional support, said Lauren Biedron, Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Feeding America. This gift will allow member food banks to continue helping families put food on their tables during this difficult time.

BASF invites the community to make donations to Feeding Americas COVID-19 Response Fund at www.feedingamerica.org/take-action/coronavirus.

About BASF

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 18,800 employees in North America and had sales of $18.4 billion in 2019. For more information about BASFs North American operations, visit www.basf.com/us.

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 117,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of 59 billion in 2019. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.
While COVID-19 has us all working from home, we remain committed to recognizing our employees for their hard work and efforts. We are delighted to announce the promotion of these 11 team members who are being recognized for their leadership. said Becky Zimmermann, president of Design Workshop.

Design Workshop, an international landscape architecture, planning and urban design firm, is pleased to announce 11 promotions across five offices. Aimee Duffy in Aspen, Chris Geddes in Denver, Manisha Kaul in Chicago and Conners Ladner in Austin were promoted to principals. Jamie Fogle in Denver was promoted to technical principal. Being promoted to associates are Xiaojian Fan in Los Angeles, Alex Hill in Denver, Jessica Garrow, Nicole Rebeck-Stout and Marianne Stuck in Aspen, and Emily McCoy in Raleigh, N.C.

While COVID-19 has us all working from home, we remain committed to recognizing our employees for their hard work and efforts. We are delighted to announce the promotion of these 11 team members who are being recognized for their leadership, commitment to professional growth, contributions to their communities, and their efforts towards the growth and success of others, said Becky Zimmermann, president of Design Workshop.

Principal

Aimee Duffy is the firms director of human resources and leads Design Workshops people initiatives across all studios.

A planner and urban designer, Chris Geddes is driven by the desire to provide clients and community members a meaningful voice in the planning and design of public spaces.

Manisha Kaul is a landscape architect who is passionate about creating synergy in the natural environment through an equitable, resilient, and regenerative approach to design.

A landscape architect, Conners Ladner is dedicated to the craft of landscape architecture and developing a creative response to parallel the inherent beauty of nature in urban environments.

Technical Principal

Jamie Fogle is a landscape architect and urban designer with 23 years of experience in the built environment. Fogle leads all firm-wide quality management initiatives with a keen focus on technical proficiency and project execution.

Associates

Xiaojian Fan is a landscape architect dedicated to high performance design and planning projects that gracefully blends science and art.

Alex Hill is a landscape designer and urban planner motivated by storytelling and form-giving that expresses the cultural and environmental conditions specific to each site.

Jessica Garrow is a community planner who has more than 15 years of experience visualizing, developing, and implementing cutting-edge planning policy, managing robust community engagement, and building relationships.

Nicole Rebeck-Stout is a landscape architect committed to performance-based design to forge a path toward academia and health campus design.

Marianne Stuck is an urban designer and planner with a propensity for cities, streetscape projects and tactical urbanism.

Emily McCoy is a landscape architect, educator and ecologist whose passions are rooted in the natural and cultural narratives of place through design.

About Design Workshop

Founded in 1969, Design Workshop is an internationally renowned design firm specializing in landscape architecture, urban planning and strategic services with seven offices in the U.S. and projects spanning the globe. The firm has been recognized with more than 460+ prestigious awards. Design Workshop differentiates its planning and design process through DW Legacy Design, the integration of art, community, environment and economics in every project. From fragile ecosystems to urban sites in rapidly changing cities, Design Workshop works in challenging environments around the world. For additional information visit http://www.designworkshop.com.
CENTRAL Visayas's top cop is ordering city and provincial police chiefs to monitor local officials who allegedly mismanage government financial aid meant for qualified constituents.

Police Brigadier Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro, Police Regional Office-Central Visayas (PRO 7) director, wants his personnel to look into the matter after receiving reports of barangay officials reportedly favoring relatives to get financial aids such as the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).

Ferro told SunStar Cebu that the financial assistance provided by the national government is aimed to alleviate those who are in dire straits due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Ferro said that aside from city and provincial police chiefs, he has tasked the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 to conduct investigations on local officials who failed to distribute the SAP to deserving beneficiaries.

From the very beginning the president had been telling us that during this time corruption is a mortal sin. Let's not take advantage of this money especially since this is necessary for the survival of every Cebuano, Ferro told Superbalita Cebu.

Social media was recently flooded with complaints from netizens about barangay officials who choose friends and their relatives as recipients of government financial aid even if they are not qualified beneficiaries.

Akong hangyoon ang mga halangdon nga mga barangay opisyal diri sa Sugbo (I am appealing to honorable barangay officials in Cebu), please be compassionate and kind to your constituents. Dili nato i-pocket ang ilahang (Let us not deprive them) support from the Philippine government, Ferro added.

On Monday night, May 4, President Rodrigo Duterte offered a P30,000 reward for information on corrupt local officials in the distribution of SAP aid amid the Covid-19 crisis.

The cash incentive was announced by Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque after Dutertes televised meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Tumawag lang po kayo sa 8888, syempre po kung gusto ninyo ng ayuda, mag-iiwan kayo ng pangalan at telephone number, at pag napatunayan po yung inyong reklamo sa korapsyon laban sa mga opisyales...P30,000 po ang pabuya na ibibigay ng Presidente sa inyo (Call 8888 to make a report, leave your name and phone number. If your complaint against a corrupt official is proven true, that's a P30,000 reward from the President for you), Roque said. (AYB / CBQ / SunStar Philippines)
Meghan Markle reads to baby Archie for the #SaveWithStories project. (#SaveWithStories)

Happy birthday, baby Archie!

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle honored their son's first birthday on Wednesday by sharing an adorable video of the Duchess of Sussex reading Archie one of his favorite books from their new home in Los Angeles.

The video debuted on Instagram as part of #SaveWithStories, an initiative launched by actresses Amy Adams and Jennifer Garner for coronavirus relief.

"Good job!" Meghan tells Archie as he turns the pages of "Duck! Rabbit!" for her  and laughs and almost cries and tries to wiggle out of mom's arms and repeatedly grabs, and drops, another book. "Let's finish this book first. Then we'll have that book."

Meanwhile, dad Harry plays cameraman, making a brief voice cameo at the end to congratulate his wife and son on a story well read.

"Yay, the end!" he cheers as Meghan gives Archie a hug and a kiss. "Woo! Bravo!"

Meghan and Harry are the latest celebrities to participate in #SaveWithStories, a project that supports Save the Children and No Kid Hungry's efforts to help families experiencing food insecurity amid the coronavirus crisis.

Among the other names who have answered Garner and Adams' goodwill call in recent months are Constance Wu, Lupita Nyong'o, Reese Witherspoon, Natalie Portman, Jimmy Fallon, Gal Gadot, Camila Cabello, Kerry Washington, Brie Larson, Jamie Lee Curtis and many, many more.
The coronavirus pandemic that has rippled across the globe has linked Australia and New Zealand closer, as two leaders issued a joint statement that would pursue a trans-Tasman COVID-free travel zone once both countries had lifted restrictions.

With the new travel bubble, travelers could fly between Australia and New Zealand without undergoing the mandatory 14-day quarantine at either end of the journey. The new link is now being discussed by the two leaders, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, and Australias Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Qantas and Air New Zealand aircraft. Image Credit: aiyoshi597 / Shutterstock

The ongoing discussions will help prioritize flights across the Tasman before Australia, and New Zealand lift restrictions on international travel.

NZ PM says trans-Tasman travel bubble would deliver 'huge advantages' to Australia | ABC News Play

What is the trans-Tasman travel bubble?

The trans-Tasman travel bubble involves establishing an exclusive travel zone, opening the borders between two countries. It was initially an agreement between the two countries in 1973, allowing for the free movement of citizens between these two countries. The arrangement also allows residents of each country to reside and work in the other, with some restrictions.

The arrangement will be modified amid the coronavirus pandemic. Typically, traveling to another country today may have a new normal, with travelers having to spend 14 days in quarantine once they arrive in their destinations. However, in the trans-Tasman travel bubble, residents of both countries will not need to self-quarantine once they arrive.

Huge advantages for both countries

New Zealands Prime Minister has announced that the travel bubble would offer massive benefits to both countries, as they intensify negotiations over potentially opening borders later this year.

The coronavirus pandemic has not taken a heavy toll on either country in terms of infections and fatalities when compared with others. Both countries have gained international praise for effectively containing the spread of the virus by successfully flattening the curve.

Since the coronavirus has negatively impacted both countries, opening international flights over the Tasman could aid in kickstarting their economies. The countries are scheduled to discuss the proposal in the Australian Governments National cabinet meeting.

There are significant advantages to New Zealand in terms of a trans-Tasman bubble not only [in terms of] domestic tourism, but equally we have a flow of people traveling between both countries, for business purposes, trade and so on. So, it is to our advantage, but equally, Prime Minister Morrison has articulated a huge advantage for Australia, Prime Minister Arden said.

The key to a successful travel arrangement between the two countries will be sturdy and sound planning and implementation. They should impose comprehensive public health measures to facilitate safe travel, including preparing for all travel to be stopped again if the situation calls for it.

However, both leaders have cautioned that a travel bubble will not commence immediately. The safe travel zone is still some time away, but it is essential to negotiate now amid the coronavirus pandemic. Both countries are still fighting the pandemic and have reported reduced cases over the past weeks.

Successful COVID-19 fight

Australia and New Zealand have gained immense praise from the international community as they had successfully flattened the curve of infections. Australia has reported 6,849 cases and 96 deaths, while New Zealand has only 1,488 cases and 21 deaths.

Australia daily new cases of COVID-19. Image Credit: COVID-19 Dashboard by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) New Zealand daily new cases of COVID-19. Image Credit: COVID-19 Dashboard by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Health experts say Australia and New Zealands low case rates are good examples of how to combat the coronavirus pandemic successfully. Both countries have worked hard to contain the virus spread, and have now eased restrictions while developing new normal measures to reduce future transmission. For instance, New Zealand has avoided a widespread transmission of the virus. It has now lifted strict social measures, while Australia has eased some restrictions. Social distancing measures are still in place in the country, while citizens are downloading the governments voluntary coronavirus tracking app, which notifies if someone they know has contracted the virus. Both countries were successful in imposing early lockdown measures, restricting international travels, and providing widespread testing capacities. Further, the key to their success is public adherence to the rules. Despite the success, the countries are not being complacent in lifting restrictions, as they impose new rules that residents should follow to prevent the transmission of the virus. Overall, social distancing measures are still in place while they will conduct mass testing to isolate infected individuals efficiently.
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Linkedin Moh. Fiqih Prawira Adjie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 6, 2020 13:03 622 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd64d189 1 National COVID-19,COVID-19-in-Indonesia,coronavirus,rapid-testing,PCR-test,robots Free

As demand for medical devices and innovation grows in virus-hit Indonesia, the Research and Technology Ministry's consortium for COVID-19 studies has pushed for the development of domestically produced medical equipment, ranging from test kits to robot assistants, to boost the country's battle against the pandemic.

The consortium, comprising research institutes, universities, private companies and state-owned enterprises, has developed rapid diagnostic test kits to detect SARS-CoV- 2  the virus that causes COVID-19  amid shortages of reagents used in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, Research and Technology Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said.

Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Airlangga University in Surabaya, East Java, and medical equipment manufacturer PT Hepatika are set to produce 10,000 synthetic peptide-based Immunoglobulin G and Immunoglobulin M (IgG and IgM) antibodies rapid detection kits by Friday.

Some 50,000 more test kits will be made by June after the equipment passes the validation test through public use.

The Bogor Institute of Technology in West Java also aims to produce 10,000 gen spike and nucleocapsid rapid detection kits and codevelop 100 prototypes of biosensory-based rapid detection kits with Bandung-based Padjadjaran University by July.

Bambang previously acknowledged that rapid testing kits would be less accurate than PCR tests considered by experts to be the gold standard" for coronavirus detection. However, he said the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) was currently in the process of developing more accurate test kits using the reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) method.

Read also: Antibody tests key to ending COVID-19 lockdowns

The LIPI-developed rapid testing kits are expected to be ready in July, Bambang said during a work meeting with the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

"The advantage of this rapid test is it is equally as sensitive to PCR tests and can produce results in about one hour, [faster than PCR]," he said adding that the method did not use PCR reagents.

Meanwhile, state-owned pharmaceutical company PT Bio Farma, genome firm Nusantics, Indonesian International Institute for Life Sciences (I3L), Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology and the Health Ministry's Research and Development Agency (Balitbangkes) are set to produce 50,000 PCR test kits by the end of May, with 10 boxes currently being validated and registered.

The consortium also developed domestic-made Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) and emergency ventilators involving 28 developers, including the University of Indonesia (UI), automotive holding Dharma group and the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), to meet the Health Ministrys demand.

The ventilators are expected to enter the mass production on May 12.

Read also: Eijkman Institute finishes sequencing Indonesian coronavirus strain

The BPPT has also introduced mobile Biosafety Level-2 (BSL-2) laboratories made inside a repurposed 6-meter container connected to a truck. Set to be launched on May 20, the laboratory will be able to conduct drive-thru testing and test up to 260 samples a day.

Furthermore, a joint team from Surabaya-based November 10 Institute of Technology (ITS) and Airlangga University Hospital (RSUA) developed a robotic assistant for medical staff called RAISA, which is expected to also reduce physical interaction between healthcare workers and patients.

RAISA, which stands for Robot medical Assistant ITS-Airlangga, could be utilized to remotely deliver food, clothes and medicine for patients in isolation, Bambang said.

The consortium is currently conducting studies to look for raw materials that could be domestically sourced to produce personal protective equipment as well as to search for local herbs that could function as immune-boosting supplements.

Additionally, the consortium will participate in global research efforts for finding a COVID-19 cure and vaccine, as well as develop plasma, serum and stem cell therapy.

As of Tuesday, Indonesia has recorded 12,071 positive cases of COVID-19 with 872 fatalities and 2,197 recoveries.
(Newser)  At the height of the Great Famine in Ireland, help arrived from an unexpected source: Members of the Choctaw Nation raised $170, the equivalent of more than $5,000 in today's money, for famine relief in 1847, despite being impoverished and dispossessed by the "Trail of Tears" forced relocations. Now, 173 years later, the Irish are repaying the favor by helping Native American tribes hit hard by the pandemic, reports Time. A GoFundMe fundraiser to supply food and clean water to people in the Navajo Nation and the Hopi Reservation has raised almost $2 million, and organizers say many of the 34,000 donors are Irish. Issues including overcrowded housing and a shortage of health care facilities have made Native American communities especially at risk from the pandemic, reports CBS.

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"Id already known what the Choctaw did in the famine, so short a time after theyd been through the Trail of Tears, Cork resident Sean Callahan tells the New York Times. "It always struck me for its kindness and generosity and I see that too in the Irish people. It seemed the right time to try and pay it back in kind." In Ireland, a sculpture of eagle feathers was erected in 2017 to commemorate the Choctaws' generosity. Gary Batton, chief of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, says the tribe was " gratifiedand perhaps not at all surprisedto learn of the assistance our special friends, the Irish, are giving to the Navajo and Hopi Nations." (Read more Navajo stories.)
WASHINGTON - Supreme Court justices on Tuesday sounded skeptical that the government may force foreign affiliates of U.S.-based health organizations to adopt policies opposing prostitution if they wanted money to fight HIV/AIDS.

As the court held its second day of oral arguments via teleconference - again with minimal technological glitches and the formally reticent Justice Clarence Thomas joining in the questioning - justices returned to an issue it had partially addressed before.

In 2016, the court ruled that it violated the free speech rights of the health organizations to force them to "pledge allegiance" to the government's point of view by having a policy "explicitly opposing prostitution and sex trafficking."

In the view of the groups, that hindered their effectiveness, because combating HIV/AIDS meant engaging with sex workers.

But the new case involved the foreign affiliates of those U.S.-based organizations, and Justice Department lawyer Christopher G. Michel told the court that made a huge difference.

"Foreign entities lack constitutional rights, so they cannot bring an unconstitutional conditions claim," Michel said. And the U.S.-based groups have nothing to complain about "thanks to their victory in this court."

The groups "can choose to affiliate with foreign entities that must comply with the policy condition, but any effect on [the groups'] message is now a product of their own choice, not government compulsion."

That question of whether the speech of the foreign entities could be attributed to the domestic organizations seemed key to the case.

Several justices who were in the majority in the 6 to 2 ruling in 2016 agreed the case raised new complications.

Chief Justice John Roberts Jr., who wrote the opinion in the 2016 case, did not sound as if he were among them.

"They have the same name, the same logo, the same brand," Roberts told Michel. "And I wonder if it makes more sense to think of the foreign entity as simply another channel for the domestic entity's speech."

Justice Stephen Breyer told Michel that the court decided before it would undermine the integrity of the domestic organizations to force them to denounce prostitution while working with prostitutes.

"Since the foreign workers are identified by name, mission, logo, with the domestic workers, how does it interfere one whit less if we accept your argument?" Breyer asked. "They will be seen, domestic, as well as the foreign ones, as hypocrites or, worse, interfering with their mission. If we accepted that argument before, why don't we accept it now?"

In response to a question from Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Michel said the requirement did not affect how foreign organizations perform their jobs.

There is no requirement to "shout it from the mountaintops or get into anybody's face about it," he said. "They are completely free to, and encouraged to, work with prostitutes and victims of sex trafficking to prevent HIV/AIDS."

He said the government has spent $80 billion on the effort, saving 17 million lives.

But David Bowker, representing the groups, said it is impossible to separate the message from the domestic organization from its foreign affiliate.

"When CARE in Kenya takes the pledge, its affirmation of belief is attributed to CARE in the United States, thus putting words in the mouth of the U.S. entity," Bowker said.

Justice Neil Gorsuch questioned whether there was much evidence of that assertion.

Justice Samuel Alito Jr. noted that he voted with the majority in the last case, but worried that doing so again "force Congress either to withhold foreign aid entirely or to allow foreign aid to be used in ways that are contrary to the interests of the people of this country."

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who like Gorsuch was not on the court in 2016, said he worried about other implications. He wondered if agreeing with the groups would undermine the ban on campaign contributions from foreign interests, or whether the government could fund foreign organizations only if they agreed, for instance, to recognize the legitimacy of Israel.

Bowker said ruling for the groups in this case would not necessarily imply broader application.

"This particular requirement is unique," the lawyer said, "There's no other requirement like it in U.S. law. And I think a decision for [the groups] can be very narrow, turning on the facts of this case and the prior ruling of this court, which declared the policy requirement unconstitutional.s

The case is U.S. Agency for International Development v. Open Society International.
More patients who have hospital and GP appointments will be asked to wait in their car until they are ready to be seen as part of a radical shift in the way care is delivered due to the coronavirus crisis.

Hospitals and family doctors are hoping to ramp up treatments for non-Covid patients in the coming weeks, amid concern about a backlog of waiting lists and a reluctance among the public to seek emergency treatment.

Dublin GP Dr John O'Brien, who has been seconded by the HSE to oversee primary care during the crisis, said it was "easier to slam the brakes" - where appointments were deferred over the last two months - than to take them off.

"You do not want to expose anyone to unnecessary risk of getting the virus.

"There will be more virtual consultations where the patient is contacted by phone or online," he said.

"If they need to see the doctor, a good deal of information would already have been gathered if they need to come to surgery - the time they are physically present would be minimised."

He said GPs who operated out of modest premises would be hardest hit by implementing physical distancing in the waiting room, and patients would be nervous about sharing space with others.

"Patients who have come by car could be asked to stay in the car until the GP is ready to see them. But not every patient has a car," he added.

"We have to proceed with new ways of working. It will slow things down. There is no simple one size fits all."

He emphasised the important message to patients was that GPs were open for business and they should not hesitate to make an appointment if they had any concern.

Dr Niall Sheehy, a radiologist in St James's Hospital in Dublin, said the area of radiology, involving scans and diagnostics, had taken a huge hit in capacity because so much equipment such as CT scanners had been given to the Covid-19 section of care.

"It takes it out of circulation for everybody else," he said.

"Patients are not able to be brought in at the same density as before."

The capacity to do outpatient work has diminished significantly. He added: "The challenge from a radiology point of view as we move on is will we get the capacity back."

He said in the future, due to the Covid-19 restrictions, it would not be possible to scan at the same rate as before.

"If you had a throughput of five patients per hour, you might have three patients per hour," said Dr O'Brien.

He said that down the line the way the hospital system was designed was not suitable for physical distancing.

"Waiting rooms can be tiny," he added.

While other areas of patient care can use telemedicine, that is not possible in radiology because the patient must be physically present.

Dr Stephen Frohlich, who manages a large practice of intensive care consultants and anaesthetists in the Beacon Hospital, said the average occupancy of private hospitals, which have been temporarily taken over by the HSE, was at less than 20pc.

Private practice doctors will work as public consultants under a HSE contract but they needed their expenses for consulting rooms and staff reimbursed, he added.
The West Bengal government on



Wednesday appointed a 14-member board of administrators with Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim as chairman to run the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

The board of administrators was formed following the postponement of the civic elections in the state amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The board of administrators would look after the operations of KMC from May 8 and to ensure unhindered essential services to the common people.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation election was last held on May 8, 2015 and a five year term of the office of the councillors is going to expire on May 7, 2020.

The first meeting of the board of administrators of the KMC will be held on Friday, a notification issued by the state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department said.

"It would be expedient in the public interest to constitute and appoint a board of administrators to ensure municipal administration in Kolkata in the manner contained in the said (Epidemic Diseases Act 1897) Act not only for containing infections and taking measures to combat COVID-19, like insulating the community from transmission of the disease, but also for rendering essential services ...," the order said.

"The constitution and appointment of the Board of Administrators is also necessitated for effective implementation of the orders and directions issued by the government under the Disas"ter Management Act 2005 and Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897," it added.

"We are grateful that chief minister Mamata Banerjee entrusted her confidence on us. Hopefully, we will be able to keep up to her expectations," Hakim said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The opening of hair salons should be brought forward to avoid a surge in black-market services, the Irish Hairdressers Federation (IHF) has warned.

Hairdressing salons will currently not reopen until Phase 4 of the Government's roadmap plan, which comes into effect on July 20, because they are not deemed essential services.

However, IHF boss David Campbell said his organisation was lobbying for salons to be moved into Phase 3 of the plan, which starts on June 29, due to fears of a booming black-market economy.

He said cash-strapped hairdressers may be tempted to do call-outs to people's homes now that travel restrictions had been extended to 5km, thereby increasing the risk of spreading Covid-19 around the community.

Mr Campbell said he had been contacted by federation members saying they had been offered lucrative cash incentives to go to clients' homes and provide various services.

"It's bananas, some of the stuff I've heard. One member said she was offered 80 just to go in and do a blow-dry in someone's house," he told the Irish Independent.

"She contacted me saying, 'I don't feel good about this'. I told her to tell her client that hairdressers won't be going into people's homes.

"From a black-market perspective, if they lift the radius and people can travel again as normal before the salons open, we're going to have a huge problem if hairdressers do start going into people's houses. It could create another spike in the virus."

In Spain, Italy and Germany, hair salons were included in phase one of the roadmaps out of lockdown.

His organisation, which represents 30,000 workers, has been in contact with two Government ministers and is waiting for an official response to their proposal.

He is also calling on the Government to give more guidance about how salons can be reconfigured to adhere to the two-metre social distancing regulations once they can reopen.

Meanwhile, some members of the public have taken matters into their own hands when it comes to dealing with their pesky greys by purchasing takeaway colour kits that they can apply at home.

The kit includes gloves, a gown and a video on how to apply the colour.

Hair consultant Ceira Lambert, whose celebrity clients include Rosanna Davison, started selling kits this week and said she had been inundated with queries from people all over Ireland.

The Shankill-based salon owner said that it was just for grey coverage.

She insists clients must carry out a 'patch test' 48 hours beforehand to make sure they don't have a reaction to the product.

They must also sign a waiver for insurance purposes.

She is also offering hair-extension removal kits because some of her clients are cancer survivors who lost all their hair after treatment.

Extensions must be removed within a certain time-frame by a professional, otherwise the hair gets seriously damaged.

"I've had clients ringing me up in tears, saying, 'I can't leave these extensions in until July, what can we do?' They're the ones I'd love to look after on a one-to-one basis."

Ms Lambert has already bought personal protective equipment (PPE) equipment and has sought advice on getting screen dividers for her salon.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 17:27:56|Editor: huaxia

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U.S. preparedness for coronavirus in the early stage has aroused concerns among health experts as early warnings of the virus were ignored by the Trump administration. And attacking China will not help save the lives of U.S. people. Scientists and health professionals say the humanity needs cooperation to win an up-hill battle against COVID-19. The investigation on the origin of the virus should be based on science rather than political purposes.
A church warden was stabbed to death in a Co-op yesterday as his dementia-suffering wife waited in the car, it has been revealed.

Church warden John Rees, 88, left his wife Eunice, 87, in their Honda car while he queued up at a convenience store in Pen-y-Graig, south Wales on Tuesday for their weekly shop.

But he died after a woman 'went mad' and stabbed him in the throat - also injuring three others during her rampage including NHS nurse Lisa Way, 53, who was on a shopping trip between shifts.

His family said in a tribute today: 'John was the very definition of a good man, extremely respected and liked in the community.

'He was proud of his family, proud to be a Welshman and devoted to All Saints Church. We will all miss him terribly.'

A 29-year-old woman from Porth, Rhondda, has been arrested on suspicion of murder. She is in custody for questioning.

People were socially-distancing in the queue outside when the incident happened today

A close-up of police evidence markers near cans and a hat outside a Co-op store in Pen-y-Graig, south Wales following a stabbing on Tuesday

Nurse Lisa Way, 53, was stabbed as she was shopping in the village after completing her shift at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in nearby Llantrisant

A friend said: 'It is so tragic. John was so dedicated to Eunice and they were always together.

'She has no idea what has happened. Eunice has dementia and she can't take it in. She keeps on saying: 'Where's John?'

Father-of-two Mr Rees - described as a pillar of the community - took his wife to the Co-op store in Pen-y-Graig, Rhondda, from their home a mile away in Tonypandy.

But he never returned. Police found her 15 minutes later still in the car waiting for her husband.

The family friend said: 'He was known to everyone around here as Uncle John - he was that sort of man. He was very smart and always wore a shirt even though he was long retired.

'He was a church warden and never had a bad word to say about anyone. He was the perfect gentleman.'

Flowers were left at the scene today as tributes continued to flood in for Mr Rees, who rang the bells at All Saints Church in the village of Trealaw at 8pm every Thursday for frontline NHS workers in the Covid-19 crisis.

However, villagers will ring the bells in his memory tomorrow night, locals said.

Vicar Rev Peter Gale described him as 'one of the best members of the congregation.'

A note left with flowers left at the scene of the horrific attack said: 'Our hearts go out to John and his beloved wife Unis (sic). We are all heartbroken.

'He was such a lovely gentleman, kind and caring.'

Another read: 'RIP. Heartbreaking losing your life in such a horrific way. Can't stop thinking of your poor wife. Thoughts are with you and your family.'

Neighbour Tracey Goodridge, 60, said: 'It's so sad and unbelievable.

'John was a carer for his wife and would help anybody, he was such a gentleman.

'He rang the church bells at the end of the street and he couldn't wait for the church services to start up again.'

Fruit seller George Price, 69, said how Mr Rees called at the stall on his regular daily walk to All Saints.

He said: 'You wouldn't wish for a nicer man.'He would go to the chapel every day.

'I met him when I was 12. He was a lovely man. It's a sin that this has happened to him.

'He would pass this stall and he would go to the shop for his newspaper. Everybody knew him. I have never known a nicer chap.'

Flowers were left at the scene today, pictured, as tributes continued to flood in for Mr Rees

One note, pictured, read: 'RIP. Heartbreaking losing your life in such a horrific way. Can't stop thinking of your poor wife. Thoughts are with you and your family.'

The couple had an actress daughter who died about two years ago and a son living in London. They have two grandchildren.

Mr Rees retired decades ago from his senior job with the South Wales Electricity Board.

The couple were enjoying retirement even though Eunice was severely affected by dementia.

The friend said: 'Eunice can't look after herself and she will have to go into a home. She doesn't really understand. People are talking to her and she is nodding but then she says: 'Where's John?'

'Maybe it is better that she doesn't know at this stage of her life.'

Passers-by at the scene described Eunice as 'upset' and 'looking for her husband' after the stabbing before she was escorted away by police.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark O'Shea, of South Wales Police's Major Crime Investigations Team, said: 'Our sympathies are with Mr Rees's family at this very distressing time for them and they are being supported by specially trained officers.

'This is a very tragic incident and we are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the matter.

'This incident has understandably caused a lot of shock in the local community and I want to reassure residents that a full investigation is underway.

Another man Andrew Price, 58, is recovering in hospital after he was stabbed in the horrific attack.

Eunice Reese, 87, pictured left, was waiting in the car as husband John was stabbed to death, while Andrew Price, pictured right. was rushed to hospital after suffering injuries

Police officers today outside the Co-op in the village of Pen-y-Graig in Rhondda, South Wales

Mr Price had queued up to go inside the Co-op star when he was stabbed in the horrific attack. He is currently in a stable condition.

Andrew's niece Katie Evans said: 'My uncle was sadly one of the victims that got stabbed in Penygraig earlier. This world has gone crazy.

'Hope you make a speedy recovery Andrew Price. Our thoughts are also with the others.'

Friends took to social media to send their best wishes to Andrew who remains in hospital.

One wrote: 'So glad he's okay, bloody hell!!' and another said: 'Speedy recovery Andrew.xx'

Nurse Lisa Way, 53, was also injured in the attack at the village store just one mile away from her home.

Grandmother Lisa works at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in nearby Llantrisant, South Wales, and is married to husband Carl, 53.

She is being treated at her own hospital and is expected to recover from her non life-threatening injuries.

Husband Carl said he was too upset to talk about the attack in the quiet village. He said: 'It is bad but we'll just leave it there.'

A neighbour said: 'Lisa just popped down the Co-op and this happens. It is just terrible especially when you think what the NHS is going through at the moment. Its devastating.

'Thank God that we've been told she will pull through. But it is going to have a terrible effect on her.'

One of the victims was slashed in the face and ran to a nearby shop pleading with the owner to put the security shutters down.

Police surrounded the small Co-op supermarket at lunchtime on Tuesday after 999 calls saying a woman was in the shop stabbing people with a knife.

The woman was arrested in connection with the incident which was being treated as murder.

Police at the scene of the stabbing in the village of Pen Y Graig in South Wales today

A South Wales Police spokesman said on Tuesday: 'Shortly after 1.45pm today police officers were call to a serious incident at a convenience store on Tylacelyn Road in Penygraig in the Rhondda.

'An elderly man has died, another man is in a stable condition at the University Hospital of Wales and two other people have suffered non life-threatening injuries.

'A 29-year-old woman from Porth has been arrested on suspicion of murder and taken to Merthyr Tydfil police station.'

Detective Chief Inspector Mark O'Shea of South Wales Police's Major Crime Investigations Team said: 'This is a very tragic incident and one man has died and his family is being supported by specially trained police officers.

'Our thoughts and condolences remain with the victim's family at this very sad time.

'This incident will have understandably caused a lot of shock in the local community and I want to reassure residents that a full investigation has been launched. However, we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.'

The South Wales force had also referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, but did not say why.

Locals said the arrested was from the village but now lives with her mother and young son in the nearby town of Porth, Rhondda.

A relative said she had mental health issues and had come out of a psychiatric hospital six weeks ago.

The main street through Penygraig was cordoned off while forensic officers examined the scene.

Police forensics officers investigate following the stabbing in South Wales this afternoon

Eye-witnesses said the supermarket floor was covered in blood and a knife had been removed by police.

Locals believe the alleged knifeman took the weapon into the shop because it doesn't sell knives.

Chris Bryant, Labour MP for the Rhondda, said: 'I've been informed of the horrific events in Penygraig and will keep people updated as soon as I have further news.'

South Wales Police said a woman was arrested at the scene. The force helicopter landed at a nearby rugby field and the public were warned to stay away.

Raj Ravi, 35, manager of the local Post Office, said: 'It was horrific, there was blood all over the shop floor. She must have gone in there and just gone mad with a knife.

'I saw two people being taken out of the Co-op, both had neck wounds. I was told one is dead and the other is critical. Two more people were also injured.'

Police at the scene of the investigation today following the incident at the local supermarket

Mr Ravi added that he hopes those injured will be OK, and said he believed the woman went into the shop at about 1.30pm armed with a knife.

He said: 'They don't sell knives in the Co-op, she must have taken it in with her. It is a terrible thing to happen, this is a busy little street but it's quiet and we don't get trouble.'

It is understood the man who died was in the shop while his elderly wife was waiting in their car outside because of coronavirus restrictions.

Locals in the former mining village told how one bearded man was stabbed in the neck in the street after the armed woman 'went berserk' in the shop.

A neighbouring shopkeeper said: 'I saw a man with blood dripping down the back of his head and a woman with a cut on her neck.

'It was crazy - we think it was just a random attack. But everyone is feeling very uptight.'

Another shopkeeper said: 'The man was just sat there in his van when he was stabbed in the neck. He was left slumped over the wheel covered in blood.

'She then went on and stabbed two women in the Co-op. One of the women who was stabbed was just going about her daily shop when she was attacked.

Emergency services were called to the former mining village today following the knife attack

South Wales Police said a woman was arrested at the scene following this afternoon's stabbing

'I saw her mother outside the Co-op after and she was in bits. The police came round afterwards and told us we had to close and go home. It's so scary.'

Grandmother Sheila Reynolds, 68, who lives nearby said: 'I had been to the ironmongers next door to the Co-op just moments before.

'The next thing the street was full of police and ambulances.

'It is dreadful for the families of those involved, espeially at this time.

'This is usually a very quiet village- everyone is really shocked.'

Police are treating it as a random attack and say they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the stabbing incident.

Several ambulances, police cars and an air ambulance were called to the scene. The shopping street was closed off while police forensic teams carried out their work.

Another witness said: 'I just saw a hat and cans on the floor outside the Co-op as I was pulling up and thought 'that's strange', then paramedics arrived.

'My husband went to go into the Co-op but got stopped by people who told him that there was a woman inside with a knife who was stabbing people.

'I stayed in the Jeep and more police and paramedics arrived and they went to a man who was in the van parked in front of my Jeep.

'This was the man who had been stabbed repeatedly, they took him out of the van and placed him into the ambulance.'

Forensic officers look into what happened after a man died in the stabbing incident today

Emergency services outside the Co-Op this afternoon following the horrific stabbing incident

Councillor Andrew Morgan, leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, said: 'I have this afternoon been made aware by the police of the serious incident which has occurred in Pen Y Graig today.

'My thoughts are with the families and friends of those involved in this awful incident.

'More details will be issued by the police in due course, but council services stand ready, working alongside South Wales Police, to provide reassurance and support to the community at this very difficult time.'

Leanne Wood, Plaid Cymru Assembly Member for Rhondda, said: 'I have heard a terrible incident has happened in Pen Y Graig and someone has been arrested.

'I very much hope everyone involved is OK. Please get in touch if there is anything I can help with.'

Alex Davies-Jones, Labour MP for Pontypridd, said: 'Really concerned by the news coming out of Pen Y Graig this afternoon.

'Thank you to all our emergency services for responding so quickly. Thoughts are with all those involved.'
NEW CANAAN  Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bryan Luizzi recommended closing the district schools for good weather, since the school districts calendar has more days than whats needed to get to the requisite 180 days.

Instead of calling the school day off because it is snowy and dangerous outside, we call it off because it is a beautiful day and people should be outside getting fresh air, Luizzi told the Board of Education at the virtual online meeting Monday, May 4.

He called it a reverse snow day.

He raised the issue after learning that the state does not want schools to let out earlier than their original target day, while knowing there are extra days on the calendar since spring break was shortened and the district calendar has two more days than the 180 required by law.

Commissioner Miguel A. Cardona, Gov. Ned Lamont and the Connecticut Board of Education have been consistent in asking districts to keep the last day in school intact, Luizzi said. The state officials want schools to close on the day planned when the district closed to stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

So they have specifically and expressly asked every district in Connecticut not to shorten their school year, but to keep that as their target end of the school year date, Luizzi, also president of the Southern Fairfield County Superintendents Association, said.

The New Canaan Board of Education had agreed on March 31, to shorten spring break to provide more distance learning for public school students.

Instead of taking the full week off in mid-April, the school board approved distance learning classes to be in session that Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, April 14, 15 and 16.

We did our extra days over the spring break and we talked about if possible and appropriate we could look at shortening our school year, he said.

But since shortening the school year is not possible, We could also look at sporadically using a day here and there to break up the remainder of the school year, and use it for families, for teachers and for everyone to just be able to take a step back and enjoy a nice day, Luizzi said. Kind of a reverse snow day.
DALLAS, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Academic Partnerships (AP) today announced the release of AP Off Campus, a robust, step-by-step toolkit designed to support universities in developing sustainable, high-quality online experiences for their on-campus students, including the ability to quickly move back and forth between classroom and online instruction as needed.

"As universities plan for the fall, they are emphasizing their need to implement a more sustainable and flexible instructional model for the next semester and beyondone that can quickly adapt to public health guidance and other fast-moving events," said Rob Ganji, Chief Executive Officer of Academic Partnerships. "We're supporting our partner universities with a new framework for adapting on campus courses to online instruction informed by best-in-class technologies and pedagogical practices."

AP Off Campus supplements AP's comprehensive online services and is being offered to AP's partner universities free of charge. It guides university leaders through a planning process that allows them to better understand their online capabilities and needs and helps faculty align instruction with online best practices through an extensive orientation series of how-to videos, teaching strategies, and quality review rubrics. The faculty resources are considerable and allow professors to draw from evidence-based online course templates, a best practices video library, and live Q&A instructional sessions.

The toolkit also provides resources to students with a plug-and-play online student course for those new to remote learning.

"This is much more than a list of best practices or links to tools," said Dr. Amanda Smith, Senior Vice President of Academic Services at AP. "This is a practical, in-depth solution that our university partners can access now to help on-campus faculty develop online equivalency courses that can be quickly deployed as needed."

AP Off Campus is specifically designed to stand up quality online learning solutions quickly and effectively and is embedded with structured course templates and evaluative rubrics to ensure sound instruction and student success.

For more information on the AP Off Campus toolkit, visit www.academicpartnerships.com.

About Academic Partnerships

Academic Partnerships is a leading online service provider for higher education. The Dallas-based company assists universities in converting their on-campus degree programs into an online format, recruits qualified students for those programs, and supports enrolled students through graduation. Serving primarily public, not-for-profit universities, Academic Partnerships is guided by the principle that the opportunities presented through technology-aided learning make higher education more accessible and affordable and workforce relevant. For more information on innovative online learning solutions, please visit www.academicpartnerships.com.

SOURCE Academic Partnerships

Related Links

http://www.academicpartnerships.com


Columbia engineers use a membrane-based technique and a closed-loop system to recover ammonia as a valuable fertilizer product while simultaneously removing it as a pollutant from waste streams

New York, NY--May 6, 2019--Ammonia is a key component of fertilizer and vital in supporting plant growth and ultimately providing food for populations around the world. It is also a major pollutant that, after it is used in the food chain, enters municipal wastewater treatment plants where it is often not adequately removed. It is then released into the environment where it pollutes aquatic settings and damages ecosystems, triggering destructive algal blooms, dead zones, and fish kills.

Ammonia capture is now a critical challenge for the 21st century, especially as city populations are expected to increase dramatically, with a projected urban growth of 2.5 billion people by 2050. At the same time, providing improved sanitation to the 2.3 billion people who are currently unserved globally will entail the installation of new toilets, wastewater facilities, and sanitation infrastructure, putting even more stress on the environment.

To date, most ammonia capture is done through an extremely energy-intensive technique, the Haber-Bosch process, which is used by industry across the globe to produce fertilizer and accounts for 1-2% of the world's annual energy consumption. A Columbia Engineering team, led by Ngai Yin Yip, assistant professor of earth and environmental engineering, reports today that they have recovered ammonia through a new method that uses a very low level of energy, approximately a fifth of the energy used by the Haber-Bosch process. In addition, because the technique recycles ammonia in a closed loop, the ammonia can be recaptured for reuse in fertilizer, household cleaners, and other industrial products. The findings are published today by ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering.

The management of nitrogen, an essential nutrient for life, has been recognized by the National Academy of Engineering as one of the Grand Challenges of the 21st century. Yip's group, which focuses on advancing sustainable production of both energy and water, wanted to invent a better, more ecological way to produce nitrogen, of which ammonia is a bioavailable form.

"It was clear that we needed a paradigm shift to transition to a circular economy model, where nitrogen is recovered and recycled, instead of the current unsustainable linear approach of costly production, utilization, and then discarding pollutants to the environment," Yip says.

Yip's team has expertise in membrane distillation, a technique that drives the permeation of volatile species, in this case, ammonia, from a feed stream to a collector stream, while the non-volatile species remain in the feed stream. The volatile species are driven across the membrane by a difference in vapor pressure, which is dependent on temperature and concentration. The researchers developed a technique, which they call "isothermal membrane distillation with acidic collector," or IMD-AC, that uses low-temperature heat, and applied it to selectively separate and capture ammonia from the ammonia-rich waste stream of urine (simulated for this project).

"Because our process is driven by moderate temperatures as low as 20-60 degrees Celsius, the energy can be supplied by cheap or even free waste heat from, for instance, cooling tower water, bath water, or solar thermal collectors," Yip says.

Next steps for the team include exploring ways to recover phosphorus, another key ingredient of fertilizer, sustainably and cheaply from urine.

"Now that we've demonstrated the sustainable recovery of nitrogen from urine," Yip adds, "we think that the growing population and sanitation trends present ideal opportunities for the introduction of decentralized urine diversion facilities for nutrient recovery, without costly retrofits or overhauls of the existing system, shifting wastewater management to a more sustainable and efficient paradigm."

###

About the Study

The study is titled "Novel Isothermal Membrane Distillation with Acidic Collector for Selective and Energy-Efficient Recovery of Ammonia from Urine."

Authors are: Stephanie N. McCartney, Natalie Williams, Chanhee Boo, Xi Chen, and Ngai Yin Yip, (Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering, Columbia University; Yip is also a member of the Columbia Water Center).

The study was supported by the National Science Foundation INFEWS Award (#1903705).

The authors declare no financial or other conflicts of interest.

LINKS:

Paper: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acssuschemeng.0c00643

DOI: 10.1021/acssuschemeng.0c00643

http://engineering.columbia.edu/

https://engineering.columbia.edu/faculty/ngai-yin-yip

https://eee.columbia.edu/

http://www.engineeringchallenges.org/challenges/nitrogen.aspx

Columbia Engineering

Columbia Engineering, based in New York City, is one of the top engineering schools in the U.S. and one of the oldest in the nation. Also known as The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, the School expands knowledge and advances technology through the pioneering research of its more than 220 faculty, while educating undergraduate and graduate students in a collaborative environment to become leaders informed by a firm foundation in engineering. The School's faculty are at the center of the University's cross-disciplinary research, contributing to the Data Science Institute, Earth Institute, Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Precision Medicine Initiative, and the Columbia Nano Initiative. Guided by its strategic vision, "Columbia Engineering for Humanity," the School aims to translate ideas into innovations that foster a sustainable, healthy, secure, connected, and creative humanity.
An anti-abortion student group is suing Chemeketa Community College, alleging two "free speech'' zones on campus and a requirement to provide a two-week notice before holding a demonstration are unconstitutional and violate their First Amendment rights.

Marcos Sanchez and Emma Howell, co-presidents of Chemeketa Students for Life, are named as plaintiffs and allege the colleges policies prevent them and other students from openly or spontaneously expressing their views in most of the common outdoor areas of campus.

Mr. Sanchez and Ms. Howell believe that peacefully engaging with other students on the Colleges campus verbally, with signs, pictures, pamphlets, or other means is an essential way for them to fulfill their moral obligation to work to end abortion, the suit says.

The two-week notice prevents students from speaking out in response to the unpredictable and fast-moving nature of political debate," making it less effective, the suit contends.

Attorneys for the students are from Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian nonprofit organization. They filed the suit in U.S. District Court in Eugene on Tuesday.

The only permission slip students need in order to speak on public college campuses is the First Amendment, said Michael Ross, one of the lawyers for the alliance. Students dont give up their constitutionally protected freedoms when they step on to campus or hold a specific viewpoint.

Marie Hulett, a spokeswoman for Chemeketa Community College, said the college "endeavors to uphold the constitutional rights and civil liberties of all student groups equally. We are looking into the claims and will have more information available as appropriate, but our practice is to not comment about pending litigation.''

The colleges website says its free speech guidelines are to inform the campus community and the public "of the time, place and manner in which they may engage in constitutionally protected speech and expression.'' These individuals or groups include, but are not limited to, those that represent religious organizations, groups desiring petition signatures, political candidates and their representatives and groups representing political issues.

"It is the intent of these Guidelines to ensure the primary educational purpose of the College is maintained, while promoting debate and the sharing of information and ideas, while ensuring the safety and security of every individual,'' the college says.

The Alliance Defending Freedom has sued schools in Georgia, Michigan and other states for restricting demonstrations to designated areas on campus, sometimes referred to as free speech zones. The alliance has been able to force some colleges to revise their policies and successfully defended before the Supreme Court a Colorado baker who refused to make a cake for a gay wedding.

On Feb. 26, members of Students for Life hosted a debate on the Chemeketa campus about the morality of physician-assisted suicide.

While the students applied for and received approval from the college to host the event indoors on campus, they had wanted to promote the event outdoors between classes by handing out flyers and describing the services of local pregnancy resource centers. But they didnt to avoid violating the colleges policies restricting speech, the suit says.

The suit asks a judge to declare Chemeketas speech zone policies unconstitutional and order the college end its policy of requiring two-week advance notice for students to participate in a free speech event.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

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GoAigua, a water technology company based in Spain that operates about 300 water utility systems in Europe, has developed a method with The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) to analyze the spread of coronavirus through wastewater. In addition, the company is using its broad proprietary data platform to synthesize automatic sampling results with data from utility networks and measure the spread of Covid-19 across city districts in real-time.

Due to widespread lack of reliable testing, it has proved incredibly difficult for governments to monitor cases of the highly infectious virus. GoAigua has engineered a unique and innovative solution: by monitoring wastewater networks, it can provide regulators and public health officials with a new and effective tool to establish social distancing guidelines or anticipate future spikes in hospitalization. "There's a possibility that the assault of the virus on our nation next winter will actually be even more difficult than the one we just went through," CDC Director Robert Redfield said in an interview with The Washington Post.

A History of Public Health Collaboration

This is not the first time GoAigua has been at the cutting-edge of combining water technology with national public health efforts. In 2017, the GoAigua's parent company (Global Omnium) launched a partnership with The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), a National State Agency for scientific research, to detect different infectious virus in wastewater, which was successfully completed by the end of 2019.

In March 2020, at the peak of the pandemic in Spain, GoAigua's parent company (Global Omnium) reengaged with CSIC to adapt the methodology developed over the previous 2 years to detect the amount of coronavirus present in sewage water. The methodology works, in simple terms, by quantifying genomic units of SARS-CoV2 in wastewater. In other words, it measures how much of the virus DNA is in the sewer water, which offers valuable information about how many people in certain areas are infected, even if asymptomatic.

The company is already in conversations with the regional government of Valencia (Spain) to implement a large-scale surveillance program in the territory.

How can the US benefit from this development?

GoAigua has gone above and beyond by leveraging their systemic sampling capacity to bring testing up to scale. Combined with the company's unparalleled data integration and analytic tools, GoAigua's software allows water utilities to assist local public health agencies with real time maps of virus spread in different areas of cities, anticipating testing availability. GoAigua also offers a mobile-based app for operators to monitor sampling processes and integrate other internal data such as pH or chlorine levels to adjust the results of the analysis. To make such testing even more effective, GoAigua further harnesses its deep experience in managing water utilities to strategically locate sampling in the most efficient locations according to the morphology and topology of the sewer network.

Beginning immediately, GoAigua will partner with several water utilities in the United States to train them on the methodology. This will empower some American water utilities to become fully capable of conducting massive testing like they are in Spain, where they can process 300 tests per day. This significant development in testing, together with GoAigua's digital platform, will help US communities better monitor the spread of COVID and anticipate future outbreaks.

Mr. Pablo Calabuig, CEO of GoAigua in the US, noted that this proprietary solution may not provide users with exact figures about the spread of the virus. Nevertheless it is a remarkably reliable way to show the intensity at which COVID has hit a community, and will be crucial during the fall, when public health officials are concerned about the possibility of another peak in the global COVID-19 pandemic.

GoAigua Background

GoAigua is the digital innovation arm of Global Omnium, a family-owned major European utility operator, with about 300 municipalities under management and 130 years of experience in water. After completing their successful digital transformation, GoAigua was launched as their smart water platform, in an ambitious effort to catalyze the adoption of modern and cutting-edge digital technologies at water utilities around the world. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, GoAigua further accelerated their research efforts to integrate their smart water capabilities with massive sewer testing, thereby helping local communities better track and stop the spread of the virus in real-time.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506006120/en/

Contacts:

Pablo Calabuig

203 893(2961) pablo.calabuig@go-aigua.com

www.goaigua.com
Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR) has developed an antibody which can neutralise the virus responsible for COVID-19 within the bodies of those infected, the country's Defense Minister Naftali Bennett has said.

Recounting his visits to the labs of the institute, Bennett on Monday said that he witnessed a "significant breakthrough".

He was shown the "antibody that attacks the virus in a monoclonal way and can neutralise it within the bodies of those ill," according to a statement from his office, as reported The Times of Israel.

Located in Ness Ziona, the Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR) is a secretive unit that works under the country' Prime Minister's Office, said the report.

After completing the development phase of the antibody, the researchers are now in the process of patenting the find "and in the next stage, researchers will approach international companies to produce the antibody on a commercial scale."

"I am proud of the institute staff for this terrific breakthrough," Bennett was quoted as saying in the statement.

The statement from the Defense Minister's office did not specify whether human trials were conducted.

Earlier on Monday, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu committed $60 million at an international donors conference raising funds for the joint fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

According to data from Johns Hopkins University, over 16,000 people in Israel have tested positive for COVID-19 which has so far killed 237 people in the country.

Globally, more than 3.6 million people have tested positive for the disease which has so far killed over 252,000 people.
By Zaidee Stavely

EdSource

Gov. Gavin Newsom's big plans for expanding child care and preschool have hit a big roadblock - the coronavirus.

Ten thousand more California 4-year-olds were expected to be able to enroll in state-subsidized preschool for the first time this year, beginning in April. Newsom hoped to add an additional 20,000 over the next two years. Newsom also had invested millions in expanding child care for younger children.

Now, the first new preschool slots and expanded child care are on hold until at least July, according to the California Department of Education. And it's unclear whether there will be enough money in this year's or next year's budget for the next 20,000 preschool slots.

The coronavirus pandemic is expected to greatly affect the state budget, though it is not yet clear to what extent. In January, Newsom had proposed an additional $32 million in 2020-21 and $127 million ongoing for state-subsidized preschool. Children are eligible for state-subsidized preschool if their family income is 85 percent or less of the state median income - $80,623 for a family of four.

Budget concerns

"There's going to be a big hole in the budget when we vote on it this August," said Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, who has long been an outspoken advocate for expanding early education. "We don't know if that's going to be a one-time gap, or an ongoing one. There are many unanswered questions."

Last year's budget, Newsom's first, included the first big infusion of funding for early education in years, with close to $2 billion for young children, including expanding preschool, child care and full-day kindergarten, building more child care facilities and training early childhood educators. The demand is huge. More than 250,000 eligible low-income children 3-5 years old were not enrolled in full-day subsidized preschool or child care in 2017, according to the California Budget and Policy Center, a nonprofit research organization that works to improve social service programs for low- and middle-income residents.

On April 28, Newsom acknowledged his investments in child care and preschool may be derailed by the coronavirus.

"With the budget deficits looming, I caution that the progress in that space may be impeded by the new reality of our obligation to balance the budget," Newsom said. "I can assure you this is an area of deep concern and concentrated effort, because child care is economic development. Child care is foundational to getting back to work."

Advocates expect that after the pandemic, there will be even more need for state-subsidized early education, with more parents unemployed or with lower income and children having missed months of preschool, which could put them at risk of being unprepared for kindergarten. In addition, many child care and preschool programs may not be able to survive weeks or months of closures or less tuition revenue, with many children staying at home.

"We understand that new investments may not happen, but we will advocate for keeping what we have, especially because more than ever, if people are losing jobs, they won't be able to pay for pre-K," said Patricia Lozano, executive director of Early Edge California, a nonprofit organization that advocates for more high-quality early learning programs in the state. "At least keeping the programs we have, especially for low-income kids, is going to be crucial."

More than 755 organizations last month sent a letter to the governor and Legislature asking them to prioritize funding for early education and K-12 education in the 2020-21 budget.

'We can't repeat that history'

"During the last economic downturn, it was child-serving programs, including early childhood and K-12 education, that received the most dramatic funding cuts in California," reads the letter. "We can't repeat that history."

The letter asks the Legislature and governor to extend emergency funding and policies that were put into place after the stay-at-home order went into effect in March for child care and preschool programs through the end of the fiscal year, in addition to funding for K-12 schools, foster children and other programs. California is currently still funding programs that serve low-income children, even if those children do not attend, or if the programs are forced to close because of the coronavirus pandemic. The new policies are currently set to end in June.

"The focus right now is really just trying to hold the fragile system together," said Samantha Tran, senior managing director for educational policy at Children Now, one of the organizations that signed the letter. "Just trying to maintain the supply that we had is going to be hard."

That supply was not sufficient, even before the pandemic. California still lags behind many other states in quality preschool and access to programs, according to the "State of Preschool Yearbook," a report published every year by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER), based at Rutgers University, that ranks all state-funded preschool programs.

With the coronavirus threatening many state budgets, NIEER researchers are recommending the federal government offer new funding to help states plan both for short- and long-term expansions and improvements to their pre-K programs.

"The COVID-19 pandemic and current looming crisis pose a considerable threat to state-funded pre-K," said Steve Barnett, NIEER founder and senior co-director, during a press call about the report. He emphasized that pre-K programs need to grow and improve, and not just maintain their current levels, to truly support children.

"If we miss investing in them now, there's not a second chance," Barnett said.

This story was originally published by EdSource. Please use the following link when sharing: https://edsource.org/2020/big-plans-to-expand-preschool-in-california-put-on-hold/630629

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 Delhi Polices Crime Branch questioned the son of Tablighi Jamaat chief Maulana Saad for two hours on Tuesday, Hindustan Times Hindi language publication Hindustan reported.

The police questioned hom about the whereabouts of 20 people who worked at the Jamaats markaz (centre) in Nizamuddin area and looked after the visitors. These people have been missing since cases were registered against Jamaat, Hindustan reported.

The police, during their investigation, came to know about these people through travel agents. They had gone through these peoples phone records and emails and found important information, Hindustan reported.

The Crime Branch called Maulana Saads son because he is involved in the activities of the Jamaat. He was asked about the activities of the Jamaat headquarters and the officer-bearers of the organisation.

He was also asked to get the Maulana tested again for coronavirus disease Covid-19.

Maulana Saad has been under fire for organising a congregation of the Jamaat in Delhi in March which fuelled a spike in Covid-19 cases in the national capital and other parts of the country.

Maulana Saads lawyer had earlier told Hindustan Times that the Jamaat chief has completed the 14-day quarantine and got himself tested for Covid-19

In an earlier interview to Hindustan Times, Fuzail Ayyubi had said that Maulana Saad is willing to cooperate with the police, and that no illegal activity took place at the groups markaz.

Police had filed a criminal case against Maulana Saad and six other top officials of the Jamaat on March 31 for defying a series of government directives, which curbed religious and large gatherings, issued to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease Covid-19 in the national capital.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) booked him for money laundering last month.
WASHINGTON - The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into Blue Flame Medical, a firm created by two well-connected Republican operatives who started selling covid-19 supplies this spring as the virus spread across the country.

Prosecutors are focused on at least two contracts that the firm signed for medical masks and other equipment with Maryland and California, according to two people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the matter. Both states ultimately canceled those contracts.

An attorney for Blue Flame, Ethan Bearman, has said the firm acted in good faith with the states. He declined to comment about the Justice Department investigation.

Last weekend, Maryland terminated a $12.5 million contract for personal protective equipment (PPE) with the firm after state officials said the company had failed to deliver masks and ventilators as promised.

California had separately hired the firm to provide 100 million face masks, according to two people familiar with the transaction. That contract, which was first reported Wednesday by the California news website CalMatters, was then abruptly canceled, and the state scrambled to get its $457 million deposit back. The funds were returned the same day.

Bearman had no comment on the California contract, which drew the attention of the Justice Department when it was suddenly canceled.

A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment Wednesday.

Michael Ricci, a spokesman for Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Rpeublican, confirmed Wednesday in an email that the state government has received subpoenas from federal prosecutors seeking information about the canceled Blue Flame contract. Asked what law enforcement officials are seeking, Ricci replied, "Federal investigators have asked us not to disclose that information."

State officials said Blue Flame Medical failed to deliver masks and ventilators as promised. The matter was referred to Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh, a Democrat, last week for review.

"After directing Maryland's attorney general to investigate this company last week, Governor Hogan is encouraged to hear that there is an ongoing federal investigation as well," Ricci said.

A person familiar with the inquiry said that while the Justice Department is studying the transactions, there has been no indication so far that charges will be filed.

Blue Flame received a down payment of nearly $6.3 million from Maryland in early April - after promising to provide, within a few weeks, desperately needed PPE for front-line medical personnel dealing with the novel coronavirus.

Bearman said in a statement Tuesday that the complaints from Maryland were puzzling. "Blue Flame Medical is devoted to getting masks and ventilators to the people in Maryland who so desperately need them," he said. The company "fully intends to honor that contract" to supply 1.5 million masks and 110 ventilators by June 30, Bearman said.

A letter sent to the firm on April 30 by Danny Mays, Maryland's director of procurement, revealed deep frustration.

"Despite numerous requests for information and order status, Blue Flame Medical has yet to deliver any items under this order, or provide any pertinent data as to a pending shipment," Mays wrote. "As Blue Flame Medical LLC has failed to honor its delivery commitment under the terms and conditions, [the Department of General Services] is now formally requiring Blue Flame Medical to cure this deficiency."

Bearman acknowledged that delays have occurred in filling the order, but he said such problems have become commonplace this spring during the chaotic rush to locate masks and other PPE.

The April 1 purchase order, obtained by The Washington Post, identifies June 30 as the delivery deadline - but that is only because June 30 is the end of the current fiscal year, Ricci said. The agreed-upon shipping date for the masks and ventilators was April 14, according to a Blue Flame invoice obtained by The Post.

In a phone interview Wednesday, Maryland state Sen. Jill Carter, a Baltimore Democrat, said the incident highlights a need for greater oversight over purchases that state officials are making to curb the pandemic's spread. Carter noted that many minority businesses and small firms have reached out to the Maryland Emergency Management Agency about possibly supplying the state with tests, protective equipment or testing materials, but have not heard back.

"My question was always, what is the process for vetting companies and determining who would be used?" Carter said, adding that it is clear that at least one of the firms selected could not preform. "The only solution is that there has to be some oversight. It shouldn't be up to the one agency. There should be a cross-section of folks, from the minority business community, the local business community, the medical community."

"I understand we need to act quickly. I don't want to stall the process," she added. "But the process isn't working this way. We're not getting the supplies."

Blue Flame was started in late March by Michael Gula, a Republican fundraising and lobbying consultant in Washington, and John Thomas, a California political consultant.

Before entering the medical supply business, Gula was known in GOP circles for his political fundraising skills. His firm has raised campaign money for Sens. Patrick Toomey of Pennsylvania, Steve Daines of Montana, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and dozens of other influential Republicans. He startled some longtime clients in March when he announced he was quitting the fundraising world during an election year to start the medical supply business with Thomas.

Thomas recently worked as a strategist and fundraiser for Republican Don Sedgwick, who sought to run against Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., but lost in the March primary.

The two Republican consultants incorporated their firm in Delaware on March 23 and a week later received the contract from Maryland.

Porter last month asked the Inspector General's Office at the Department of Health and Human Services to look into the company as the office reviews complaints of price gouging and poor quality control by inexperienced distributors. In her letter, she expressed concern that Blue Flame "is potentially creating a costly and burdensome middleman from which states and localities must now purchase supplies."

Gula contacted a staffer he knew in Hogan's administration to make a pitch for the sale, according to a Maryland official familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive legal matter. Gula started using that staffer's name on a reference sheet to seek contracts with other states, the official said. The staffer referred the matter to the chief legal counsel for Hogan, Mike Pedone, on April 9.

Pedone then referred the matter on Friday to the Maryland attorney general's office, the official said.

- - -

The Washington Post's Erin Cox, Alice Crites and Devlin Barrett contributed to this report.
Enraged youth of Tevikope and Dokpo in the Adaklu District have deployed brute force to set one Asigbey Kudzo, a theft suspect, in police handcuff free.



The youth also besieged Kudzokope, the cottage of the complainant and set it ablaze, damaging motorbikes, dispersing herds of cattle with gun shots and causing injury.



Superintendent of Police, Mr Anthony Danso, Ho Municipal Police Commander, who confirmed the incident to the Ghana News Agency said the Police received a complaint from Mr Emmanuel Bello, a cattle ranch owner over theft of cows from his kraal, on April 29, this year, which investigation led to the arrest of the herdsman.



He said the suspect mentioned Asigbey Kudzo as the fellow who convinced him to steal the animal so the proceeds could be shared between them.



The Municipal Commander said Police then mobilised to arrest Kudzo, but the irate youth carrying offensive implements, guns and clubs succeeded in forcibly freeing the suspect in handcuffs on May 03, 2020.



He said it was after the abortive arrest that the group sieged Kudzokope and burnt down the cottage.



Mr Danso, who led the arresting team restrained his men from a possible bloodbath, but later met the traditional authority and opinion leaders, who promised to bring the culprits and the handcuff.



He said the presence of the Police as mandated by the Constitution was to maintain law and order and entreated the public not to see Policemen as enemies in any matter, but peace makers at all times.



Mr Danso said it would be in the interest of such groups to cooperate with the police or have themselves to blame.



Meanwhile, the Police has stepped up investigations into the matter.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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MEXICO CITY - Amid an austerity drive to confront the coronavirus pandemic, Mexicos government is threatening to cut funds to counselling centres for indigenous women just as lock-downs are causing domestic violence reports to spike, activists said Wednesday.

Womens rights groups say the government will save little money by cutting funds for the Houses of Indigenous Women, which counsel and advocate for victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse, and co-ordinate programs for reproductive health. Each of the 30 houses receives only $25,000 to $40,000 in government funding per year.

The governments Indigenous Peoples Institute told the community-run centres in late April that their already-meagre funding would be cut entirely. Activists have started a campaign to save the centres.

Rubicelia Cayetano, who helps run one of the centres in the southern state of Oaxaca, said they have seen an upsurge in domestic violence cases since the new coronavirus lock-down began in March.

We are desperate and full of anguish, because this is such an important resource for saving the lives of women who face violence, she said of the centre, which serves largely Mixe indigenous women. Only a couple of weeks ago a woman who had been beaten by her husband and whose life was at risk walked into her shelter with her 5-year-old son, she said.

The centres are needed now more than ever, because violence against women has increased in this COVID-19 health emergency, because now they are living closer with their attackers, she said.

Figures from the governments National Security System show that emergency calls reporting domestic violence rose from 52,858 in February to 64,858 in March, while reports of violence against women rose by 20% in the same period. The number of women killed nationwide rose from 219 in February to 254 in March.

Amnesty International called those numbers  and the government cutback  alarming, noting that womens shelters are nearing full capacity.

The Indigenous Peoples Institute did not respond to repeated requests for comment, but on Wednesday President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador flatly denied that violence against women had increased, and countered reports of domestic violence with an emotional defence of the Mexican family.

There was an assumption that if families spent more time at home there could be more domestic violence. But that did not necessarily happen because the same conditions dont apply everywhere in the world. In Mexico, there is a lot of brotherhood in the family, Lopez Obrador said.

He didnt answer questions about the cutbacks, but almost suggested the problem was impossible in Mexican households, claiming: The parameters of the rest of the world do not completely apply to Mexico if we want to measure domestic violence.

Yes, yes, yes, there is machismo, but there is also a lot of family brotherhood, the president said. The family in Mexico is exceptional, it is the warmest human nucleus ... it is among the good things we have.

Lopez Obrador won the presidency on a pledge to transform the government to serve the poor, forgotten and indigenous population. But he believes the best way to do that is to put cash in peoples pockets through government job, scholarship and pension programs, and distrusts non-governmental initiatives.

Tania Reneaum, the director of Amnesty International in Mexico, said it is a very bad sign that Lopez Obrador denied there had been an increase in violence against women, and called on the government to stop cutting programs that protect women.

The Houses of Indigenous Women are vital, activists say, because indigenous women face more poverty, oppression, powerlessness, isolation and mistreatment than almost any other group in Mexico. Mexicos 9.5 million indigenous people have a lower rate of new coronavirus infection than most Mexicans  the institute says there have been only 210 confirmed cases and 43 deaths  but their towns and villages have often closed themselves off to the outside world to avoid infection, thus isolating women further.

Because of language and cultural barriers, indigenous women are often less willing or able to file complaints about domestic violence, and less listened to when they do. The mostly bilingual staff at the houses act as advocates, translators, and liaisons for midwives, social services or shelters.

When they (indigenous women) go to government offices, they dont pay attention to them, because they often dont understand the language they speak, said Cayetano.
Flights resuming at Phnom Penh International Airport (Photo: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/)



Cambodia Angkor Air, China Air and Eva Air all reinstated air routes to Phnom Penh International Airport at the start of this month. Other major airlines such as Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, Thai Airways and Emirates are also scheduling for flights to resume to Cambodia in June and July.

However, the airlines have also applied strict biosecurity measures during their flights with passengers having to undergo on the spot blood tests, as well as staffs wearing of personal protective suits.

An Emirates representative said in order to resume flights in June, the airline has introduced on-site rapid finger prick tests for the virus at its Dubai Airport Terminal which can produce results in under 10 minutes. In addition, the carrier requires passengers to wear their own masks when at the airport and on board the aircraft, and follow social distancing guidelines.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) on May 4th updated its analysis of the COVID-19 impact on the industry, showing that air passenger revenue could plummet 252 billion USD  44 percent below the 2019 figure./.
Salacious gossip: It creates clickbait, helps sell magazines (or at least used to) and employs a mysterious sub-species known as the paparazzi.

It has always been there  the desire to know the inside mail, particularly when it involves anyone with the slightest public profile.

The arrest of AFL identity Dean Laidley is a case in point. A picture was snapped, by a senior constable and sent to a few mates  it soon went viral. That was inevitable the moment he pressed send, and it may cost him his career.

He has come forward and admitted what he did. It was an impulsively stupid  but not malicious  act that has had, and will have, terrible consequences. He and a colleague have been suspended. More are expected to follow.

Compare that split-second stupidity  and its terrible consequences  to a paparazzi photographer, who gets up every morning, has breakfast and then heads out to try to capture an image of a compromised celebrity.
A car belonging to one of two North Carolina women who have been missing since mid-April was found with two bodies inside in a heavily wooded area.

Police in Wilmington, North Carolina, announced Tuesday that on Monday they discovered a gray Dodge Dart belonging to Paige Escalera. Escalera, 25, was last seen with her fiancee, Stephanie Mayorga, 27, on April 15, and authorities said at the time that the two disappeared under suspicious circumstances.

Imgae: Stephanie Mayorga and Paige Escalera (Wilmington Police Dept.)

The car was found just after 3 p.m. outside the Watermark Marina with two unidentified bodies inside, Wilmington police said in the statement Tuesday. The vehicle was deep in the woods and covered in vegetation, and authorities believe the car may have been involved in an extremely high velocity crash.

"Due to the effects of decomposition, police cannot positively identify the two bodies at this time," police said, but autopsies are scheduled.

Escalera and Mayorga were reported missing by their roommate, who filed a missing persons report several days after they were last seen on April 15.

Police Capt. Thomas Tillman said surveillance footage showed the couple leaving their Wilmington home and driving the 2013 Dart with two stickers on the back windshield and South Carolina plates.

The couple had only recently met and moved in together in March.

Police said Tuesday that they had received a report of a high-speed crash in mid-April in the area near where the car was found this week.

A caller advised that they saw a car in their rearview mirror heading west on Independence Boulevard, going at a high rate of speed, possibly hitting a wall and then going into the wooded area, police wrote in the statement.

Police, the fire department and emergency medical responders used flashlights to search the woods but did not at the time see any evidence of an accident or of the car discovered Monday.

They were unable to find any sign of a collision and no one with injuries, the police statement said.
Washington

A government scientist was ousted after the Trump administration ignored his dire warnings about COVID-19 and a malaria drug President Donald Trump was pushing for the coronavirus, according to a whistleblower complaint Tuesday.

Rick Bright, ex-director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, filed the complaint Tuesday with the Office of Special Counsel, a government agency responsible for whistleblower complaints.

He alleges he was reassigned to a lesser role because he resisted political pressure to allow widespread use of hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug favored by Trump. He said the Trump administration wanted to "flood" hot spots in New York and New Jersey with the drug.

Bright's complaint comes as the Trump administration faces criticism over its response to the pandemic.

Bright also said the Trump administration rejected his warnings on COVID -19, the disease caused by the virus. He said he "acted with urgency" to address the growing spread of COVID-19 after the World Health Organization issued a warning in January.

But he said he "encountered resistance from HHS leadership.

Bright alleges that political appointees at the Department of Health and Human Services tried to promote hydroxychloroquine "as a panacea." The officials also "demanded that New York and New Jersey be 'flooded' with these drugs, which had not been inspected by the FDA," the complaint says.

But Bright opposed broad use of the drug, arguing the scientific evidence wasn't there to back up its use in coronavirus patients.

Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned doctors against prescribing the drug except in hospitals and research studies.

The decades-old drugs, also prescribed for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, can cause a number of side effects, including heart rhythm problems, severely low blood pressure and muscle or nerve damage.

In late January, Bright said he made an effort to ramp up federal procurement of N95 respirator mask.

But he said his boss, Assistant Secretary for Planning and Preparedness Robert Kadlec, gave short shrift to the warnings during a meeting Jan. 23.

At another meeting that day, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Kadlec "responded with surprise at (Bright's) dire predictions and urgency, and asserted that the U.S. would be able to contain the virus and keep it out," the whistleblower complaint said.

Bright found an ally in White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, who was also urgently concerned about the virus.

Bright felt officials had "refused to listen or take appropriate action to accurately inform the public" and spoke to a reporter who was working on a story about the drug.

Top officials also pressured him to steer contracts to a client of a lobbyist, he reported.

In the complaint, Bright says he wants to be returned to his position as the director and a full investigation.
Authorities have charged a Maryland man in the shooting death of a South Jersey resident.

Jerry Wright, 57, was shot in the face following an argument outside of a home on the 200 block of East Broadway in Salem on April 25. He died the following day.

Daniel Evans, 36, of Temple Hills, Maryland, and Lauren Sheriffs, 38, of Salem, were arrested Tuesday in Maryland, according to Salem County Prosecutor John T. Lenahan.

Evans is charged with murder, aggravated assault, criminal restraint and several weapons offenses related to the killing.

Sheriffs is charged with hindering, tampering with evidence and false swearing.

Both are awaiting extradition to New Jersey, Lenahan said.

Agencies involved in the apprehension included the prosecutors office, Salem City Police Department, U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force and Prince Georges County Police Department in Maryland.

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Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com.
Pig producers across Wales will be able to access bespoke promotional materials as part of an initiative being launched by an industry body.

The initiative by Menter Moch Cymru will help pig producers promote their brand by creating bespoke marketing and point of sale materials.

It will enable farmers to draw attention to their products and services, raising awareness of the quality and availability of pork from Wales.

Businesses can access up to 500 to work with an approved design company to develop branded promotional materials such as flyers, labels, digital adverts and graphics.

The Menter Moch Cymru project aims to support and develop the pig sector in Wales. The programme is funded by the Welsh government and the European Union.

Melanie Cargill, Menter Moch Cymru Project Manager, it is 'more important than ever' that businesses promote themselves and their products.

"Latest statistics show that consumers are sourcing more of their food from local businesses," she said.

"We have launched this new funding to help those enterprises, that form part of the pig sector in Wales, to ensure the take full advantage of this new trend and to build their brand for the future.

By playing a hands-on role in the design of their marketing materials, they will be able to project their story to the broader public, add value to their offering and hopefully increase their customer base.

Additionally, it will hopefully result in a better consumer understanding of the fantastic pork being reared in Wales.
YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. Democratic stability is established in Armenia since May 2018, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in his remarks in the Parliament during the debate of the performance of the governments 2019 action plan.

The Republic of Armenia is a stable democratic state. You know that for many years authoritarian stability has been established in Armenia. And on the background of the authoritarian stability the democratic stability sometimes can leave an impression of instability. But I want to state that a democratic stability is established in the Republic of Armenia, peoples and democratic stability is established in the country, and nothing threatens the democratic stability of Armenia. I am honored to record that there is no political, criminal, mafia force in Armenia which will be able to undermine Armenias democratic stability or question the 2018 peaceful, peoples, Velvet Revolution, the PM added.

Pashinyan said in all international democracy indices of 2019 Armenia recorded an impressive growth, moving from the backstage of the international democratic community to the forefront of the international democratic community.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan


Thai hairstylist Pornsupa Hattayong is making medical workers fighting the new coronavirus feel just a little better. She is providing free haircuts for them at hospitals in Bangkok.

Pornsupa says at first she was unsure about offering her service, thinking it was unimportant. But now, she is pleased with the warm welcome she receives from health care workers.

Thailands hair shops have been closed for more than a month to help stop the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. Pornsupa began her free service at the end of March.

On her first hospital visit, Pornsupa had planned on cutting the hair of six health workers. Instead, she gave haircuts to 30 of them. On her second visit, a group of 20 quickly turned into 50.

Pornsupa said, They just kept coming. Some arrived in their medical gowns and asked if they could get a haircut right away as they had to go to work.

At that point, she asked her friends to help her.

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration General Hospital is the fourth hospital where she has given haircuts. The team provides about 50 haircuts each day.

For this kind of work, they would normally ask customers to pay 500 baht, or about $15.

Pornsupa wears protective clothing on all parts of her body as she works. She uses a spray containing alcohol on her equipment between customers.

The haircutting team is not paid and Pornsupa says she is living on money she had saved. She adds that she is just proud her skill is making a difference.

She told the Associated Press, The doctors are so happy to get a haircut. Its like we lift something off their chest, perhaps not chest but head. I think they feel lighter and relaxed. They all want to do something with their hair so its easy to clean and ready for work.

For Dr. Teerapat Jittpoonkuson, it is the humanity behind the haircut that really counts.

He said, I dont feel like this is merely a service I am getting. It feels like more of a kindness given by a group of people to our hospital staff. This is more than just a haircut.

Im Jonathan Evans.

Tassanee Vejpongsa reported this story for the Associated Press. Jonathan Evans adapted the story for Learning English. Bryan Lynn was the editor.

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

customer  n. a person who buys from or uses the services of a company especially regularly

proud  adj. very happy and pleased because of something you have done, something you own, someone you know or are related to, etc.; feeling pride

relaxed  adj. calm and free from stress, worry, or anxiety; not worried or tense

merely  adv. nothing else than; just

staff  n. a group of people who work for an organization or business
Three more people tested positive for COVID-19 in Himachal Pradeshs Kangra and Chamba districts on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases in the state to 45, officials said.

One of the patient is a 43-year-old man from Jamanabad panchayat near Kangra town and has a travel history to Dubai. He had returned to Delhi on March 21 where he stayed for over a month and then came to Himachal on April 27 with four others in a car, Kangra deputy commissioner Rakesh Kumar Prajapati said.

The man was under home quarantine since April 28 and developed Influenza-like Illness symptoms. A health team collected his sample on Tuesday which came out positive.

Prajapati said earlier his sample had tested negative for Covid-19 in Delhi. The patient has been admitted to a treatment facility at Panchyati Raj Training Institute (PRTI), Baijnath.

Twenty-four of the patients primary contacts, including his four co-passengers have been traced and put under quarantine. They will be tested for Covid-19 on Thursday.

Meanwhile, authorities have sealed the Jamanabad panchayat and no activities will be allowed in the area till further orders. The fresh case from Kangra was reported on the day when the district was set to be declared a green zone. The last case in the district was reported 21 days ago.

Two other positive cases have been reported from Kihar area of Salooni sub-division in Chamba district. Both had a travel history to Baddi area of Solan. They returned to Chamba on April 30. Authorities have started their contact mapping. The patients are being shifted to a treatment facility and the area they belong to is being sealed.

Himachal Pradesh has reported five fresh cases in the last three days, including a casualty. A 21-year-old youth from Sarkaghat of Mandi district had died of Covid-19 at IGMC, Shimla on Tuesday. The number of active cases is five.

Earlier, a youth from Jogindernagar of Mandi district had tested positive on Monday. The positive cases from Mandi and Kangra had returned home from Delhi on or after April 27, when the state government opened the borders to facilitate return of residents stuck in other states.

Till date, a total of 16,936 people were under surveillance in the state, of which 10,024 are under home or institutional quarantine. As many as 8,491 people have been tested for Covid-19 so far.

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Workers need to be freed from furlough and allowed to go back to work safely to 'earn their pay packets', Boris Johnson said today amid anger over plans to 'wind down' the Government's wage support scheme.

The Prime Minister spoke out following reports Chancellor Rishi Sunak will next week announce how he intends to reduce the scale of the furlough scheme with a view to eventually scrapping it.

Some in Whitehall are worried that the nation is becoming 'addicted' to state financial help but others are concerned cutting back payments too soon could lead to a wave of redundancies.

The Chancellor is widely expected to start shrinking the scheme from July after it emerged it has a current monthly cost of approximately 8 billion, covering more than six million workers.

Mr Johnson was pressed on the matter at PMQs by shadow health minister Justin Madders, who said it would be 'an obscenity, either through employers' decision or government inaction, if those people whose jobs we have been trying to save ended up redundant anyway'.

The PM replied: 'The furlough scheme has been one of the outstanding provisions that this government has been able to put in.

'Its given huge numbers of people - more than six million people in this country the security they need.

'Obviously what we want is to make sure that people continue to feel security, but at the same time what we also want is to enable people safely and securely to go back to work and to earn their pay packets as they want to do.'

Boris Johnson was quizzed on the furlough scheme in his first PMQs appearance since he became ill with coronavirus

Rishi Sunak will reportedly announce next week plans to reduce the goverment's furlough scheme from July

The Prime Minister was pressed on the scheme by shadow health minister Justin Madders, who said it would be 'an obscenity, either through employers decision or government inaction, if those people whose jobs we have been trying to save ended up redundant anyway'

Downing Street this week revealed the monthly cost of furlough is 8 billion. The NHS has a monthly budget of approximately 11 billion

Experts recommend over-70s should remain in lockdown Over-70s and vulnerable people should remain in lockdown when the draconian social restrictions are lifted, scientists advising the Government have insisted. The Edinburgh and London researchers have called for a 'two tier' action plan which would see the elderly and those with chronic conditions kept apart from society. They say the approach, dubbed 'segmentation and shielding', is the only way to get the UK back to normal without overwhelming the NHS and causing a second wave. Healthy Britons would be allowed back out, but stringent contact tracing, social distancing and strict hand washing rules would need to be in place. Anyone with symptoms would need to quarantine along with their entire household for two weeks. The study, which used modelling to predict the virus' spread after lockdown, did not say how much longer elderly people would need to stay cooped up at home. However, it was reported last night that the Government is planning to dismiss the report and allow over-70s the same freedoms as the rest of the UK. Advertisement

Mr Sunak has said the current furlough bill is 'not sustainable' in the long term and he is in the process of figuring out how best to reduce support.

One way forward could see the level of wage support reduced from 80 per cent to 60 per cent while the monthly cap of 2,500 could also be lowered.

Experts believe the final bill to taxpayers for the scheme could end up being more than 40 billion.

The Chancellor is adamant workers will not face a 'cliff edge' of financial help being totally removed.

It is thought he could therefore choose an approach which would see subsidies reduced for different sectors of the economy at different times as they reopen for business.

The furlough scheme currently allows employers to claim 80 per cent of a worker's wages, up to a monthly cap of 2,500.

More than 800,000 firms have made applications to the initiative, covering some 6.3 million workers.

Analysis published yesterday showed more than 50 per cent of British adults are now receiving some form of money from the state.

There have been more than 1.8 million new claims for Universal Credit since the middle of March and if the unemployed, 5.4 million public sector workers and 12 million pensioners are taken into account, the state now helps over half of the UK's 52 million adults.

A new study today suggested that part-time employment has fallen at its fastest rate in eight years in further evidence that many families are facing hard times.

Seven out of 10 part-time jobs have been lost in recent weeks because of the virus-related economic downturn, according to work carried out by jobs site Adzuna.

There are growing fears within the government that if the furlough scheme remains in place for too long it could act as a disincentive to going back to work and result in a prolonged over-dependence on state help.

A senior Government source told The Times: 'People are addicted to the scheme.

'We're not talking about a cliff edge but we have to get people back to work.'

Scotland refuses to commit to NHS contact tracing app The Scottish government has dealt a potential hammer blow to Matt Hancock's coronavirus contact tracing app as it said it will only commit to the technology if it is shown to work and is secure. The app is a key piece in the government's plan to get the UK out of lockdown and back to work and will need at least 60 per cent of the nation to download it for it to be effective. But Nicola Sturgeon has said she is 'cautious' about the app and has stressed Scotland's approach to stopping the spread of the disease will be more 'old fashioned'. Meanwhile, Professor Jason Leitch, Scotland's national clinical director, said he will only download the app 'once I'm confident that it works' and the 'security is good'. Should Scotland refuse to recommend the app it will undoubtedly hit the UK government's efforts to hit the 60 per cent threshold. It came amid growing concerns over the way in which the app works and the data it will collect with experts warning Mr Hancock it is 'almost inevitable' he will face a legal challenge. Civil liberties campaigners and barristers are demanding the government legislate to restrict the way in which the data collected by the app can be used. Some are concerned that the lack of regulation could result in the movement of people data eventually being used to identify anyone who is not sticking to social distancing rules so they can be punished. Advertisement

The newspaper reported that Mr Sunak is weighing up the merits of a three stage approach to easing off the furlough scheme.

The first would see small shops and outdoor workplaces allowed to reopen with subsidies reduced when they do so.

The second would then see large shopping centres reopen their doors and the third would relate to pubs, restaurants, hotels and leisure centres.

The sections of the economy last to get back up and running would be able to access furlough support for the longest period of time as it is gradually wound down.

Paul Johnson, head of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said the Chancellor will need to strike a careful balance between being too generous and too stingy.

He said: 'If you remove it quickly you risk a wave of unnecessary redundancies.

'If you are too generous then you risk a longer, deeper recession and a bigger hit to the public finances.'

The current version of the furlough scheme is due to last until the end of June.

Experts believe it could ultimately cost the taxpayer in excess of 40 billion.

It was claimed yesterday that the Chancellor could opt to cut the support from 80 per cent of wages to 60 per cent as part of the plan to get Britain back to work. The 2,500 limit could also be reduced.

Another option would see furloughed staff allowed to go back to work but they would only receive a smaller state subsidy.

Furloughed workers are currently prohibited from performing their duties with the scheme designed to maintain a link between employers and employees during lockdown.

Downing Street did not deny that wage support could be tapered.

The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman said the Chancellor was 'working on the most effective way to wind down the scheme to ease people back into work in a measured way'.

In an interview on Monday night Mr Sunak tried to reassure workers and businesses that they will not face a 'cliff edge' of subsidies being withdrawn immediately when lockdown measures are eased.

But amid signs of strains within government about the huge burden on the country's finances, Mr Sunak pointed out that the furlough scheme could soon be costing the same as the NHS budget - an estimated 11 billion a month.

'I'm working, as we speak, to figure out the most effective way to wind down the (furlough) scheme and to ease people back into work in a measured way,' he told ITV.

The number of UK adults now receiving money in some form from the state is now approximately 27 million out of a total adult population of 52 million

Chief Scientific Adviser admits UK failed to ramp up testing quick enough Britain should have carried out mass coronavirus testing on the public at the beginning of the current crisis and carried it on, the Government's chief scientist has said. Sir Patrick Vallance, the Chief Scientific Adviser to Downing Street, admitted yesterday that it 'would have been beneficial' to get a handle on testing faster. Today a senior minister admitted that 'capacity constraints' earlier in the coronavirus crisis meant contact tracing among the public was abandoned in March. Security Minister James Brokenshire conceded a higher capacity for testing at the start of the Covid-19 outbreak could have allowed continuing widespread checks in the community. When the first cases of the coronavirus appeared in the UK every person suspected of having it was being tested and any positive cases were quarantined. However, as the infection spread, the Government gave up trying to test everyone. On March 12, officials announced testing would be limited to patients and staff in hospitals so that authorities could focus on preparing hospitals for the surging outbreak. That policy continued for six weeks until April 28, when testing was expanded to key workers and over-65s with symptoms, and later to those without signs of the illness. Mr Brokenshire told the BBC's Today programme: 'Would there have been benefit in having that extra capacity, as Patrick Vallance highlighted yesterday? Yes.' Speaking to MPs yesterday, Sir Patrick said: 'I think that probably we, in the early phases - and I've said this before - I think if we'd managed to ramp testing capacity quicker it would have been beneficial. For all sorts of reasons that didn't happen.' Advertisement

'As some scenarios have suggested, we are potentially spending as much on the furlough scheme as we do on the NHS, for example.

'Clearly that is not a sustainable situation.'

Analysis in The Daily Telegraph suggested around 27million adults - around 53 per cent of the total - are now receiving some form of financial assistance from the Government.

The figure is made up of furloughed workers, people claiming benefits, pensioners and public sector workers.

Former Tory chancellor Lord Lamont of Lerwick told the Telegraph: 'It is not practical and not affordable for the state to pay people not to work  ultimately the Government only has the money it gets from taxation from people who create the wealth.

'It is not a sustainable position except in the short term.

'It illustrates the danger and precariousness of our situation.'

Today it emerged that more than 69,000 small businesses had loans approved under the Governments new bounce-back loan scheme in the first 24 hours after it launched on Monday.

The loans, valued at more than 2 billion in total, were available to small businesses who wanted extra support during the coronavirus crisis.

The Treasury said that the seven biggest lenders had more than 130,000 applications between them.

On Tuesday, Lloyds Banking Group revealed that it alone had approved loans of 1 billion to 32,000 small businesses on the first day.

Mr Sunak said: 'Small businesses will be the driving force of our recovery from the pandemic, creating jobs and securing economic growth.

'These loans will help them bounce back from this crisis - getting money fast - so its great to see close to 70,000 businesses benefiting in just the first day.

'Its vital this speedy progress continues in the days and weeks ahead.'
NRPLUS MEMBER ARTICLE T he U.S. Navys decision last week on a new frigate design for domestic production undercuts the argument that the United States is withdrawing from the world. On Thursday evening, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced that it had awarded a contract to Marinette Marine Corporation of Wisconsin to build up to ten new guided-missile frigates for the Navy. Marinette Marine is a subsidiary of Fincantieri Marine Group, which is in turn a subsidiary of the Italian firm, Fincantieri. The winning design, which was required by the U.S. Navy to be mature and proven to minimize both risks and costs, was the FREMM (Fregata Europea Multi-Missione), a ship currently in use by four navies. Construction of the first ship of the new design at the Wisconsin yard is set to begin next year. That ship will enter the fleet in the mid 2020s.

The selection of the FREMM design suggests that the U.S. government intends to remain engaged in the world. First, by selecting a design of foreign origin, DoD has reversed a not invented here arrogance, which has been reflected in an eagerness to export high-tech and highly expensive weapons such as the F-35 stealth fighter to allies and partner nations while being reluctant to purchase major platforms from them. Selecting the FREMM should actually make it easier for other U.S. manufacturers to sell their systems abroad. Additionally, by selecting Fincantieri, one of the largest shipbuilders in the world (with shipyards in seven countries), as the builder, the Navy will have the opportunity to benefit from an innovative design. U.S. shipbuilders will get the opportunity to learn design and construction best practices from Europes leading shipyards. The rising tide of naval architectural knowledge will lift all industrial boats.

Second, by operating a design already in use in several other navies, the U.S. Navy will demonstrate its commitment to true interoperability. Over the past three decades, the surface forces of the American navy have become increasingly dominated by highly sophisticated and expensive cruisers and destroyers outfitted with the Aegis combat system, the pinnacle of technical complexity, which few other navies can match. During international exercises, smaller navies have been known to grumble privately that Americans tend to look down on them, both figuratively and literally, from their larger and more powerful ships. By purchasing frigates of the FREMM design but equipping them with the latest in U.S. sensors and missiles, the U.S. Navy will maintain its technical standards while operating ships that are similar to those used by its operational partners.

Story continues

Third, because the new frigate is expected to cost $850 million or less, which is half the cost of the Navys next larger ship, the Arleigh Burkeclass destroyer, it will be cheap enough to be purchased in larger numbers. This will be critical for growing the Navy from its present size of 299 ships to 355 ships. Current Navy plans call for 20 of the new ships to be built. But various force-structure studies suggest that number could climb higher than 50 ships. These increased numbers will allow the U.S. fleet to sail the worlds oceans more consistently, upholding the global norms of free trade and free navigation upon the high seas. At the same time, more ships will also enable the Navy to work more closely with other seafaring nations on a broad range of maritime-security issues, ranging from fisheries protection to counter-piracy patrols to territorial defense.

Last, because the new design is smaller than the U.S. Navys larger cruisers and destroyers, future frigates will be able to make calls into smaller ports that have gone unvisited in recent years, allowing U.S. sailors to interact directly with more citizens of other nations. The importance of Navy ships and their crews serving as goodwill ambassadors to foreign countries should not be understated. Increasing visits to a more diverse set of foreign ports and cities can only increase U.S. influence abroad. Such considerations are of growing importance in the face of rising Chinese activity across the globe. Port calls even in the era of COVID-19 remain vital no matter how many (or few) sailors actually depart the vessel. Showing the flag has never been more important than when the world is in fear.

All of this is not to diminish the fighting qualities of these new ships. They will enter service with a myriad of guns, missiles, and torpedoes, and will be ready to render lethal service should U.S. or allied security interests be threatened. Perhaps even more important, however, the selection of the European FREMM design sends a powerful message to friend and foe alike that the United States intends to be out and about on the worlds oceans, fully engaged in protecting its interests and those of its allies and partners.

More from National Review
A man was on Monday arraigned before the Makadara Law Courts on charges of raping his wifes grandmother.

The accused, only identified as Kanyi, allegedly committed the offence on April 22, 2020, within West Park Area in Ruai, Nairobi.

The suspect was arrested by members of the public on Friday last week at about 5 pm and handed over to the police. During investigations, the 72-year-old granny told detectives that she was asleep when she was awoken by noise on her door at about midnight.

Noting that it was raining, the victim said she then saw someone armed with a panga breaking in. The man grabbed her by the neck and ordered her to do as he told her.

She said that after the ordeal, the assailant told her there were eight other attackers who would each come to assault her on different days.

Kanyi, who was was represented by lawyer Kimani Wakimaa, is also facing an alternative charge of indecent act with an adult contrary to Section 11 [A] of the Sexual Offences Act. In the alternative count, he is accused of intentionally touching the grannys private parts.

The accused denied both charges and was released on Sh300,000 bond.

Senior Resident Magistrate Jackie Kibosia set the hearing of the case for July 2.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The coronavirus pandemic is "under control" in Turkey, the country's health minister said on Wednesday, but warned citizens they still need to take the necessary precautions.

The number of deaths per day in Turkey has fallen in the past week, remaining under 100 within a 24-hour period since April 26.

And new infections are sharply down on the peak of over 5,000 in one day last month.

"The pandemic is under control but the realities of the virus have not changed. Your homes remain the safest place against the virus," Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said.

He said Turkey had "completed the first phase in the fight against the coronavirus" but said people must now have a "controlled social life".

Koca warned that the "second phase" would only be successful if people followed rules when outside such as wearing masks and practising social distancing.

Shopping centres will reopen on May 11 with only a limited number of people allowed inside, but Koca stressed that restaurants and cafes inside the malls will not open.

Barbers and hairdressers will also be allowed to open but weekend lockdowns will continue in 31 cities including Ankara and Istanbul.

Turkey has so far recorded 3,520 coronavirus deaths and nearly 130,000 confirmed infections after the first positive case was confirmed on March 11.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

 2020 AFP
High schools around the Capital Region have been quietly working with drive-in theaters in an attempt to plan alternative graduation ceremonies for their seniors amid the coronavirus shutdown.

Initial proposals call for everyone to stay in their cars while pre-taped segments are shown on the screen. But it's unclear if such an activity will be allowed in New York, as drive-in theaters have been classified as movie theaters and not allowed to open since the shutdown began in mid-March and closed schools for the rest year of the 2019-2020 year.

Hathaway's Drive-In, located in Hoosick Falls, has been approached by three schools so far about hosting a graduation ceremony for students.

"I responded to all the schools and said, 'Absolutely,'" said owner Duane Greenawalt. "I really feel bad about the seniors getting short-changed this year on so many levels."

One school already booked a date for their graduation ceremony, Greenawalt said, planning to project a video and do live speeches that families could listen to on their car radios. Students would receive their diplomas in the mail.

The Greenville Drive-In Outdoor Cinema also briefly mentioned on its Facebook page that "we've talked to both churches and schools about services/graduations."

Jericho Drive-In in Glenmont said in a recent Facebook post that it's been contacted by over a dozen school districts to hold graduation ceremonies - many of which, including Guilderland and Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk high schools, have already locked in dates.

Guilderland High School principal Mike Piscitelli wrote in an email to parents and students that the district is considering canceling its reservation at SEFCU Arena for graduation "because we do not believe a large gathering such as graduation will be allowed by June 27th."

Piscitelli continued, "We feel we need to start making alternative plans. I have reserved a date at the Jericho Drive-In in Glenmont, for Saturday, June 20th. This venue is a possibility but we are also considering other venues. The ceremony could be a combination of live and taped events and we could incorporate some new, creative ideas. It is unknown at this time if the conferring of diplomas will be allowed."

Guilderland is encouraging students and parents to also submit any other ideas for recognizing graduates in an online form.

"These plans are ongoing and things may change as we get additional information. We are going to do our best to make these events special and I appreciate your help in accomplishing this," Piscitelli wrote.

Brian Bailey, superintendent of Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central Schools, also reserved the Jericho Drive-In for a graduation ceremony. He plans to set up time slots for students to be taped walking across a stage, one student at a time, and create a montage of students crossing the stage that would be displayed on the screen at the ceremony. Live speeches are also being considered.

"We have an entire cohort of children who have been deprived of a normal rite of passage," Bailey said. "It becomes our responsibility to try and amplify how special this accomplishment is."

Drive-in owners had already been lobbying to allow their businesses to reopen, with social distancing protocols put in place.

More for you Tedisco: Host high school graduations at drive-in theaters

State Sen. James Tedisco, R-Glenville, sent Gov. Andrew Cuomo a letter Monday morning urging him to issue an executive order permitting the "outside-the-box approach" of hosting graduation ceremonies at local drive-ins, such as the Malta Drive-In Theatre.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Other school districts statewide are doing the same; a middle/high school in North Salem, Westchester County said it has already planned a June 22 drive-in graduation.

The governor's office had not responded to the Times Union's requests to comment on the issue as of Wednesday afternoon.

Drive-in movie theaters have been lumped in with regular movie theaters in Cuomo's order to close non-essential businesses as the state grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. But drive-in owners have said the generalization is unfair because, unlike indoor movie theaters, their customers are able to social distance in their cars  just like at any drive-thru restaurant that is remaining open during the state's "pause" period.

State Assemblywoman Pat Fahy (D-Albany) said she hasn't had any constituents contact her on the issue yet, but she raised a concern about accessibility.

"My only problem is it doesn't work for those in urban environments, and not everybody has a car or a drive-in nearby," she said, pointing to the number of parents who might not have cars in the Albany city school district.

However, Fahy asserted she's open to creative ideas to "create some special moments under the circumstances" as long as they're executed safely and responsibly.

"Every single drive-in owner that I know within a two-hour radius of Albany has been approached by several schools in their areas," said Greenawalt, Hathway's Drive-In owner. "They all want to help out, they just need the state to say, 'Yes, but just do it this way.'"

Bailey of the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk school district said a ceremony at the drive-in would in no way violate Cuomo's directives regarding social distancing since everyone would remain in their cars.

Plus, he said, it's their job as an essential business, since schools have remained open to provide and facilitate child care for the families in the district, and "within those responsibilities is the emotional and social wellness of children," Bailey said. "Things like graduation is a component of our responsibility."
I was drawn to a guest opinion that appeared in the Nashville Tennessean and written by an Army battalion chaplain. Captain Malcolm Rios is currently stationed at Camp Zama, an Army Garrison located in the cities of Zama and Sagamihara, in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan (about 25 miles southwest of Tokyo). What struck me is Captain Rios is watching us from afar and sees a lot of us eager to step away from quarantine while many think its still too early. He sees protesters cry for freedom, New Yorkers complain of an unwanted police state, Californians by the thousands defying Beaches Closed signs, and our top health experts in near panic as our nations coronavirus numbers still climb.

Captain Rios doesnt take a position but his message should be at the top of every news hour: True freedom isnt doing whatever you want without any consequence.

Everything you and I do in the name of freedom must be filtered through some kind of lens: moral, ethical, spiritual, legal, agnostic, whatever. And the chaplain, born and raised in Cookeville, Tn., wisely adds, The concern for individual freedom is honorable  as long as its gain is not at the expense of others' freedom.

Applying Rioss truths, is freedom not wearing a face mask, or infringing on anothers freedom if you happen to cough or sneeze?

I think youll like this story 

* * *

MANY HAVE A FALSE IMPRESSION OF WHAT TRUE FREEDOM IS

By Captain. Malcolm A. Rios

[NOTE: This guest opinion appeared in the Nashville Tennessean on Monday, May 4, 2020]

Shelter in place (SIP). That little three-word phrase has reeked about as much havoc in some peoples lives as COVID-19 itself.

Lines have been drawn. Opinions are being shared more often through social media and office scuttlebutt and appear to be escalating in their intensity.

Those of us who have enjoyed freedom for so long are experiencing something none of us have ever experienced  except maybe when we got grounded for throwing a party in high school while our parents were out of town. I dont know about that; just speaking for a friend.

Ive also read and heard a lot of comments from service members who have deployed either operationally or combat. Yes, those of us who have deployed in either manner have experienced restrictions of numerous freedoms, but we know, quite honestly, we signed up for it.

Yes, restrictions create inconvenience.

In these days of SIP I was reminded of our Battalions deployment to Kuwait. The U.S. Army 1st Battalion, 66th Armored Regiment (aka Iron Knights), was scheduled to fly out of Colorado Springs one day and, wouldnt you know it, it snowed. Huge accumulation.

We got stuck for over 48 hours. Imagine being stuck in a building, much like an airport hangar/terminal, with 250 or more of your "closest friends" who dont want to be there either.

For 48 hours we had to entertain ourselves without infringing upon our neighbors who were trying to entertain themselves as well. You can imagine. The introverts hated it. The extroverts sat up, playing Spades and various other card games which increased the noise level in the main bay.

The Iron Knights 2017 deployment to Poland started out the same way, but fortunately, we werent stuck in the terminal as long. The interesting thing about our time in Karliki, Poland is that we fell in on a spot which had to be built to accommodate us upon our arrival. For those of us in the military, weve bought into the idea, Freedom isnt free. We know the price of defending it.

Actress Lena Headey, playing Queen Gorgo in the movie "300," said, "Freedom isnt free at all, that it comes with the highest of costs. The cost of blood.

I think thats why we can appreciate our freedoms so much despite our willingness to forgo them for years at a time in defense of our nation.

And now, were being asked to be vigilant with our freedoms once again. Some of us see the restrictions placed on us as a means by which to protect the other. This is an honorable intent.

On the other hand, some see these restrictions as the very means by which a government exercises unregulated power over its people. The concern for individual freedom is honorable as well as long as its gain is not at the expense of others' freedom.

Regardless of which side of the fence you fall on  if there really is a fence during a pandemic  it remains your responsibility to be safe, be smart, and be proactive in protecting yourself and those around you.

I would be remiss to not say anything about true freedom because so many have a false perception of what true freedom really is.

True freedom isnt doing whatever you want without any consequence. Everything you and I do in the name of freedom must be filtered through some kind of lens: moral, ethical, spiritual, legal, agnostic, whatever.

From the biblical worldview though, freedom is easily found:

* -- "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." -- Galatians 5:1 English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible

* -- "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love, serve one another." -- Galatians 5:13 ESV

One of the greatest mottoes the Army has belongs to the U.S. Special Forces: De oppresso liber or free the oppressed.

We, as a people, have yet to feel the full burden of being oppressed. Thank God for it.

But I also challenge you to be thankful for the current experience of what the loss of freedoms means to you and to us.

By all means, fight like heck for your freedoms, but never allow the actions of your freedoms infringe upon the freedoms of others.

* * *

AND THEN THIS MARINE TOOK A STAND

By last weekend Democrat Governor Gavin Newsoms very restrictive shelter in place was falling apart. Many thousands were openly defying his house arrest and  get this -- the Republican mayor of San Diego decreed that, yes sir, his citizens could go to the beach if they followed distancing rules and that's what they did  thousands walking and running and laughing. But in other parts of the state there were protesters everywhere. There were thousands in the state capital, where earlier the California Highway Patrol had announced there would be no protest because the week before the protesters had not obeyed the distancing order. Well, that just made it worse because twice as many angry citizens showed up.

But last Friday in Sacramento there were lines of police in full riot gear, with their face visors locked down, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with their menacing batons in full view. They were guarding the capitol building but, according to the Guardian, hundreds of the protesters gathered on the steps of the building regardless, chanting Whose house? Our house!  Whose house? Our house!

Freedom! Freedom! Freedom! chanted other Sacramento protesters, according to video footage recorded by California resident Joshua Coleman. In Colemans video now widely available on the Internet, a Marine veteran named Cordie Lee Williams can be seen speaking into a megaphone, challenging California police officers to stand down.

In the face of tyranny, in the face of freedom, are you going to sit there in your riot gear against peaceful protesters? asked Williams. Or are you going to say, you know what, its time to stand up for my country. Because I took an oath of office and it said, I will defend all enemies, foreign and domestic.'

Williams continued, You might lose your job, but Id rather lose my job than lose my soul.

Then the Marine really got on a roll. What are you going to tell your little boy or your little girl tonight? That you took your baton and you crushed somebodys skull, who was a mom? Is that what a tough guy does? Thats not what honor, courage, and commitment means in the Marine Corps.

Williams then directly challenged the officers integrity, We always have in the military, we have whats a lawful order. And youve gotta check your nutsack when youre given an order, and youve gotta say, Is this a lawful order or, is this a B.S. order?

When somethings a B.S. order, and it doesnt pass the sniff test, Williams said, thats when you say, Sergeant  thats when you say, Colonel  thats when you say, General  thats when you say, Governor, Im not doing that. I didnt sign up for that.

The protesters wildly cheered and the police officers looked at one another. Then every police officer turned and walked away, and did not return.

Im not doing that  I didnt sign up for that  And that, my friend, is true freedom.

royexum@aol.com
TORONTO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Denison Mines Corp. ("Denison" or the "Company") (DML: TSX, DNN: NYSE MKT) today filed its Consolidated Financial Statements and Management's Discussion & Analysis ("MD&A") for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. Both documents can be found on the Company's website at www.denisonmines.com or on SEDAR (at www.sedar.com) and EDGAR (at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml). The highlights provided below are derived from these documents and should be read in conjunction with them. All amounts in this release are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated. View PDF version.

David Cates, President and CEO of Denison commented, "During the first quarter of 2020, Denison announced several positive developments related to the application of the In-Situ Recovery ('ISR') mining method at the Company's 90% owned Wheeler River uranium project. These results have increased our technical confidence in advancing the Phoenix deposit as the Athabasca Basin's first ISR uranium development project. Unfortunately, also during the first quarter, the significant social and economic disruptions created by the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated that Denison suspend the Wheeler River Environmental Assessment ('EA') and certain other activities planned for Wheeler River in 2020. While we are disappointed to pause the EA process, we our proud of our swift action to ensure employee safety, support public health efforts to limit transmission of COVID-19, and exercise prudent financial discipline.

An important element of our approach to the temporary suspension is the retention of all senior technical and supporting staff involved in the advancement of Wheeler River. With our project development team in-tact during this time, we have developed work plans that are financially prudent and designed to make the most of this interim opportunity to organize our efforts so that we can quickly resume activity in support of the advancement of Phoenix, once determined appropriate.

In recent days we have learned more about the troubling out-break of COVID-19 in northern Saskatchewan. Denison was a first mover in supporting several communities in northern Saskatchewan  with both financial support and the procurement and distribution of critical preventative health supplies, including nearly 1,000 litres of hand sanitizer, soap, and other essential hygiene supplies. Northern Saskatchewan communities are resilient, and we are continuing to actively support community-led COVID-19 response initiatives that are foundational to achieving success against these outbreaks and ensure the protection of Northern Saskatchewan citizens."

HIGHLIGHTS

Temporary suspension of Wheeler River Environmental Assessment ('EA') amidst COVID-19 disruptions

In March 2020, in light of the significant social and economic disruption that has emerged as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and in line with the Company's commitment to ensure employee safety, support public health efforts to limit transmission of COVID-19, and in order to exercise prudent financial discipline, Denison announced the decision to suspend the EA process and certain other activities planned at Wheeler River for 2020. The decision to temporarily suspend the EA process is expected to impact the project development schedule outlined in the Pre-Feasibility Study ('PFS') for Wheeler River, though the extent of any such impact is currently unknown.

Successful completion of equity financing to provide ongoing funding for business activities

In April 2020, Denison successfully completed a public offering of 28,750,000 common shares at a price of USD$0.20 per common share for gross proceeds of $8,041,000 (USD$5,750,000), which includes the full exercise of the overallotment option of 3,750,000 common shares. The estimated net proceeds of $6,800,000 are expected to be used to fund the Company's business activities for the remainder of 2020 and into 2021.

Uranium concentrations from initial core leach tests reported up to four times the amount assumed in PFS for Phoenix In-Situ Recovery ('ISR') operation

In December 2019, Denison announced the initiation of the next phase of ISR metallurgical laboratory testing for uranium recovery, which will utilize mineralized drill core recovered through the installation of various test wells during the 2019 ISR field test program. The metallurgical laboratory test program builds upon the laboratory tests completed for the recovery of uranium as part of the project's PFS and is expected to further increase confidence and reduce risk associated with the application of the ISR mining method at the Phoenix deposit. The results are expected to facilitate detailed mine and process plant planning as part of a future Feasibility Study ('FS'), and will provide key inputs for the EA process. Significant components of the metallurgical laboratory test program include core leach tests, column leach tests, bench-scale tests and metallurgical modelling.

In February 2020, Denison reported that initial data from core leach tests includes the recovery of elemental uranium concentrations, after test startup, in the range of 13.5 grams per litre ('g/L') to 39.8 g/L, with an average of 29.8 g/L over 20 days of testing (see Denison's press release dated February 19, 2020). This compares favourably to the previous metallurgical test work completed to assess the use of the ISR mining method at Phoenix  which supported a uranium concentration of 10 g/L for the ISR processing plant design used in the PFS.

Ability to achieve hydraulic conductivity values consistent with PFS confirmed by results from 2019 ISR field test at Phoenix

Extensive hydrogeological data was collected during the 2019 ISR field program to be incorporated into a hydrogeological model for Phoenix. In February 2020, Denison reported that the results from the hydrogeological test work completed to-date have confirmed the ability to achieve bulk hydraulic conductivity values (a measure of permeability) consistent with the PFS (see Denison press release dated February 24, 2020).

About Wheeler River

Wheeler River is the largest undeveloped uranium project in the infrastructure rich eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin region, in northern Saskatchewan and is a joint venture between Denison (90% and operator) and JCU (Canada) Exploration Company Limited (10%). The project is host to the high-grade Phoenix and Gryphon uranium deposits, discovered by Denison in 2008 and 2014, respectively, estimated to have combined Indicated Mineral Resources of 132.1 million pounds U 3 O 8 (1,809,000 tonnes at an average grade of 3.3% U 3 O 8 ), plus combined Inferred Mineral Resources of 3.0 million pounds U 3 O 8 (82,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.7% U 3 O 8 ).

A pre-feasibility study ('PFS') was completed in late 2018, considering the potential economic merit of developing the Phoenix deposit as an ISR operation and the Gryphon deposit as a conventional underground mining operation. Taken together, the project is estimated to have mine production of 109.4 million pounds U 3 O 8 over a 14-year mine life, with a base case pre-tax net present value ('NPV') of $1.31 billion (8% discount rate), Internal Rate of Return ("IRR") of 38.7%, and initial pre-production capital expenditures of $322.5 million. The Phoenix ISR operation is estimated to have a stand-alone base case pre-tax NPV of $930.4 million (8% discount rate), internal rate of return ('IRR') of 43.3%, initial pre-production capital expenditures of $322.5 million, and industry leading average operating costs of US$3.33/lb U 3 O 8 . The PFS was prepared on a project (100% ownership) and pre-tax basis, as each of the partners to the Wheeler River Joint Venture are subject to different tax and other obligations.

Further details regarding the PFS, including additional scientific and technical information, as well as after-tax results attributable to Denison's ownership interest, are described in greater detail in the NI 43-101 Technical Report titled "Pre-feasibility Study for the Wheeler River Uranium Project, Saskatchewan, Canada" dated October 30, 2018 with an effective date of September 24, 2018. A copy of this report is available on Denison's website and under its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml.

Given recent social, financial and market disruptions, Denison has suspended certain activities at Wheeler River, including the EA program, which is on the critical path to achieving the project development schedule outlined in the PFS. Given the uncertainty associated with the duration of suspension, the Company is not currently able to estimate the impact to the project development schedule outlined in the PFS, and users are cautioned against relying on the estimates provided therein regarding the start of pre-production activities in 2021 and first production in 2024.

About Denison

Denison Mines Corp. was formed under the laws of Ontario and is a reporting issuer in all Canadian provinces. Denison's common shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the 'TSX') under the symbol 'DML' and on the NYSE American exchange under the symbol 'DNN'.

Denison is a uranium exploration and development company with interests focused in the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan, Canada. The Company's flagship project is the 90% owned Wheeler River Uranium Project. Denison's interests in Saskatchewan also include a 22.5% ownership interest in the McClean Lake Joint Venture ('MLJV'), which includes several uranium deposits and the McClean Lake uranium mill, which is currently processing ore from the Cigar Lake mine under a toll milling agreement, plus a 25.17% interest in the Midwest deposits and a 66.57% interest in the J Zone and Huskie deposits on the Waterbury Lake property. The Midwest, J Zone and Huskie deposits are located within 20 kilometres of the McClean Lake mill. In addition, Denison has an extensive portfolio of exploration projects in the Athabasca Basin region.

Denison is engaged in mine decommissioning and environmental services through its Closed Mines group (formerly Denison Environmental Services), which manages Denison's Elliot Lake reclamation projects and provides post-closure mine and maintenance services to a variety of industry and government clients.

Denison is also the manager of Uranium Participation Corporation ('UPC'), a publicly traded company listed on the TSX under the symbol 'U', which invests in uranium oxide in concentrates ('U 3 O 8 ') and uranium hexafluoride ('UF 6 ').

Technical Disclosure and Qualified Person

The disclosure of scientific and technical information regarding Denison's material properties in this MD&A was prepared by, or reviewed and approved by, Dale Verran, MSc, Pr.Sci.Nat., the Company's Vice President Exploration, or David Bronkhorst, P.Eng., the Company's Vice President Operations, each a Qualified Person in accordance with the requirements of NI 43-101.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain information contained in this news release constitutes 'forward-looking information', within the meaning of the applicable United States and Canadian legislation concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of Denison.

Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as 'plans', 'expects', 'budget', 'scheduled', 'estimates', 'forecasts', 'intends', 'anticipates', or 'believes', or the negatives and/or variations of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results 'may', 'could', 'would', 'might' or 'will be taken', 'occur', 'be achieved' or 'has the potential to'.

In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information pertaining to the following: exploration, development and expansion plans and objectives, including the results of, and estimates and assumptions within, the PFS, the plans and objectives for ISR and the related field and hydrogeological testing results, plans and objectives; the suspension of EA activities and anticipated results of such suspension; the impact of COVID-19 on Denison's operations; expectations regarding environmental and regulatory standards and permitting processes; the estimates of Denison's mineral reserves and mineral resources; plans for any FS, and any work to be undertaken in respect thereto; expectations regarding Denison's joint venture ownership interests; and expectations regarding the continuity of its agreements with third parties. Statements relating to 'mineral reserves' or 'mineral resources' are deemed to be forward-looking information, as they involve the implied assessment, based on certain estimates and assumptions that the mineral reserves and mineral resources described can be profitably produced in the future.

Forward looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Denison to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. For example, the results and underlying assumptions and interpretations of the PFS as well as the ISR field test and hydrogeological test programs discussed herein may not be maintained after further testing or be representative of actual conditions within the Phoenix deposit. In addition, Denison may decide or otherwise be required to extend the EA and/or otherwise discontinue testing, evaluation and development work at Wheeler River, and may not complete a FS, if it is unable to maintain or otherwise secure the necessary approvals or resources (such as testing facilities, capital funding, etc). Denison believes that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be accurate and results may differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information. For a discussion in respect of risks and other factors that could influence forward-looking events, please refer to the factors discussed in Denison's Annual Information Form dated March 13, 2020 under the heading 'Risk Factors'. These factors are not, and should not be construed as being exhaustive.

Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Any forward-looking information and the assumptions made with respect thereto speaks only as of the date of this news release. Denison does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information after the date of this news release to conform such information to actual results or to changes in Denison's expectations except as otherwise required by applicable legislation.

Cautionary Note to United States Investors Concerning Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources and Probable Mineral Reserves: This MD&A may use the terms 'measured', 'indicated' and 'inferred' mineral resources. United States investors are advised that while such terms have been prepared in accordance with the definition standards on mineral reserves of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum referred to in Canadian National Instrument 43-101 Mineral Disclosure Standards ('NI 43-101') and are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, these terms are not defined under Industry Guide 7 under the United States Securities Act and, until recently, have not been permitted to be used in reports and registration statements filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission ('SEC'). 'Inferred mineral resources' have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. United States investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of measured or indicated mineral resources will ever be converted into mineral reserves. United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource exists, or is economically or legally mineable. In addition, the terms "mineral reserve", "proven mineral reserve" and "probable mineral reserve" for the purposes of NI 43-101 differ from the definitions and allowable usage in Industry Guide 7. Effective February 2019, the SEC adopted amendments to its disclosure rules to modernize the mineral property disclosure requirements for issuers whose securities are registered with the SEC under the Exchange Act and as a result, the SEC now recognizes estimates of "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources". In addition, the SEC has amended its definitions of "proven mineral reserves" and "probable mineral reserves" to be "substantially similar" to the corresponding definitions under the CIM Standards, as required under NI 43-101. However, information regarding mineral resources or mineral reserves in Denison's disclosure may not be comparable to similar information made public by United States companies.

SOURCE Denison Mines Corp.

Related Links

http://denisonmines.com/s/Home.asp


Increased financial stress, higher alcohol consumption and being forced to stay at home has led to a surge in domestic and family violence, Queensland officials say.

Magistrates have been inundated with cases of domestic and family violence in their courtrooms, and paramedics are getting more calls for help.

A dramatic increase in the brutality and severity of attacks on women and children has been reported. Credit:Gabriele Charotte

The crisis pushed the state government to hold an online domestic violence summit on Wednesday with stakeholders and advocates to assess where funding should be directed.

"I've been disturbed to hear from our emergency department staff that the reduction in sporting injuries and road trauma has been partially offset by trauma caused by domestic and family violence," Health Minister Steven Miles said.
Non-state education establishments had to close the doors during the epidemic, but some of them began using online teaching activities.

Online teaching



Alpha School, a private school chain, is recruiting more teachers.





The school has cut the activities of the administration and supportive divisions, but we need 5-10 more teachers to support classes, Nguyen Si Thu, chair of Alpha School, said.



Other education establishments have also organized online classes on a large scale. One of them is Nguyen Hoang (NHG), which has many education brands for different education levels, from preschool to higher education, with 50 schools in 18 cities/provinces.



Teaching online with multi-dimensional interactive technology platform is the best choice in current situation, said Do Manh Cuong, deputy general director of NHG.

Non-state education establishments had to close the doors during the epidemic, but some of them began using online teaching activities.

The digital classes as called by Cuong are organized on basic apps such as Microsoft Office 365 Teams and Quizizz. Each teacher in NHGs system is granted one Microsoft Office 365 for use in daily teaching. Students can learn from a distance through book and lecture exchange, home exercise assignments, grading, and tests, and make real-time transactions or through livestreaming.



Obstacles



While educators believe that online teaching is the best choice for now, they admit that online classes cannot compare with traditional classes in terms of efficiency.



It will take many years to build and develop a high-quality course or an online program because it is necessary to prepare lesson plans, train teachers and find suitable technologies. Meanwhile, schools, students and parents still have not prepared well enough for online teaching.



Online education remains unfamiliar to both students and teachers, said Cuong from NHG.



Schools remain concerned about teaching and interaction platforms, curricula and training programs. Many parents still have not got used to computers and technology.



Poor interaction is also a problem of online education, which affects students concentration and enthusiasm in learning. The new form requires teachers to have more information technology skills, new knowledge transfer methods, and creativity in teaching.



Platforms play an important role in the success of online teaching systems. Educational institutions have different training competencies, depending on their investment capability.



Before activating the online teaching system, an international school in district 7, HCM City, ran a virtual school system which helped communicate with parents. It was then easy for the school to switch from direct (offline) to indirect (online) teaching.



According to NHG, using the same technological platform is needed to ensure consistency and uniformity. The platform chosen by NHG is Office 365 with the teaching app MS Teams.

Le Ha

Vietnamese teachers, students frustrated with online teaching Students play truant to avoid learning, teachers are confused about teaching aids, and apps for online learning have security risks.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

By Ilkin Seyfaddini  Trend:

Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are discussing a shared cut in gas supplies to China, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic's impact on demand, Uzbekneftegaz CEO Mekhriddin Abdullaev told to S&P Global Platts, Trend reports.

"China requested a cut, but indicated that any reduction in gas supplies would be carried out proportionally between Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan," Abdullaev said.

"A coordinating committee of the three Central Asian countries that supply gas to China is discussing exact volumes. A decision has not yet been made," he added.

Chinese demand for gas has fallen this year as a result of measures introduced to combat the spread of the coronavirus. In March Kazakhstan's authorities said that country cut natural gas supplies to China by 20-25 percent after PetroChina issued a force majeure notice on imports.

The three Central Asian countries ship gas to China via the Central AsiaChina gas pipeline network, which has a design capacity of 55 billion cubic meters a year.

Uzbekistan supplies around 10 billion cubic meters a year of gas to China. Chinese Customs data indicated that in 2019 Kazakhstan exported 7.1 billion cubic meters, and Turkmenistan 33.2 billion cubic meters, the message said.

Uzbekneftegaz is a state-owned holding company and the largest state company in Uzbekistan. The company ranks 11th in the world's natural gas production.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
YEREVAN.  Past daily of the Republic of Armenia writes: According to Past newspapers information, a new initiative is currently being worked out, according to which a legislative change is planned to be put into circulation in the near future, whereby RA PMs will also be allocated by the state, in the appropriate manner, private houses after the termination of their powers.

According to the current law, retiring presidents of Armenia are given a private house in the capital city (with the right of ownership), a lifelong service car, security, etc. by the state. Taking into account that according to the constitutional amendments in 2015, the actual head of the country is [now] the RA Prime Minister, it is considered logical that he, too, be given the above-mentioned opportunities.

Taking into account that, according to the information we received, the [respective] plan is being developed in the government, we turned to the press secretary of the RA Prime Minister, Mane Gevorgyan. Gevorgyan first clarified that according to our information, where such a plan is being developed, then, hearing our response that in the government, she gave a short answer, "no."
Ghanaian journalist, Lord Kweku Sekyi has hailed BET Award-winning rapper and CEO of SarkCess Music, Michael Owusu Addo a.k.a Sarkodie for donating mechanised hand washers to the National COVID-19 Treatment Centre in the Ga East Municipal Hospital, Kwabenya, in the Greater Accra Region.

In an Instagram post of him standing near a handwashing machine made from steel barrels locally known as ankore, Sekyi added the caption: "Sarkodie says he's stuck in the United States, but his record label has provided the National COVID-19 Treatment Centre with a mechanised hand-washer made by a Ghanaian company. Great thanks to all the amazing workers here who are doing their best to manage the cases and get the patients to fully recover. #frontlinejournalism #madeinghana #citizennotspectator #oneafrica #onelove #sarkcessmusic."

CEO of Apinko-1 Engineering, manufacturers of the apparatus, Kwame Ofosu Mensa, revealed to Modernghana.com that members of the management team of the rapper contacted him in April to order customised prototypes of his invention for donation to some health facilities which his company delivered accordingly.

He said his product, named Apinko Basin, is an eco-friendly hand washing machine manufactured out of recycled food-grade drums and designed to use pedals instead of electric power.

He said the hand-washer is tailor-made for use in public places to avoid human contact with surfaces which can lead to the spread of disease-causing organisms such as viruses and bacteria.

In a demonstration video, Mr. Ofosu Mensa, who is a contracting civil engineer by profession, explained that washing hands with the device requires the use of two pedals linked to a tap and liquid soap respectively, either of which can be activated whenever a user wants to wash hands.

According to him, his company is currently developing a special basin for children from 3 to 9 years old which can be used in early childhood centres and primary schools.

"It will interest you to know that some of my workers have never been to school, but they are very smart and are able to follow guidelines to do their jobs as welders, plumbers, and painters excellently," he said.

He also appealed to the government to support local manufacturers to enable them to grow their businesses and create jobs to reduce the high unemployment rate in the country.
The Texas attorney general on Wednesday harshly criticized a decision by a Dallas County judge to sentence a woman to prison for opening up her hair salon in defiance of the states lockdown order.

In a statement, Attorney General Ken Paxton said Shelley Luther was unjustly jailed for trying to feed her family and sent a letter to Dallas County State District Judge Eric Moye calling on him to release her.

I find it outrageous and out of touch that during this national pandemic, a judge, in a county that actually released hardened criminals for fear of contracting COVID-19, would jail a mother for operating her hair salon in an attempt to put food on her familys table, Paxton said in his release.

The trial judge did not need to lock up Shelley Luther. His order is a shameful abuse of judicial discretion, which seems like another political stunt in Dallas. He should release Ms. Luther immediately, the attorney added.

The salon owner was sentenced to seven days behind bars after she refused to apologize for opening her salon. She was told she could either apologize for her selfish actions and admit the error of your ways, close the salon until Friday and pay a fine  or accept a jail sentence.

I have to disagree with you, sir, when you say that Im selfish because feeding my kids is not selfish, Luther told the judge. I have hairstylists that are going hungry because they would rather feed their kids. So sir, if you think the law is more important than kids getting fed, then please go ahead with your decision. But I am not going to shut the salon.

As a mother, Ms. Luther wanted to feed her children, Paxton wrote in his letter to the judge. As a small business owner, she wanted to help her employees feed their children. Needless to say, these are laudable goals that warrant the exercise of enforcement discretion.

Governor Greg Abbot, whose lockdown order Luther defied by opening her salon, said Wednesday that he agreed with his attorney general on the matter and called her sentence an excessive action by the judge.

Story continues

Jailing Texans for non-compliance with executive orders should always be the last available option, Abbot said. Compliance with executive orders during this pandemic is important to ensure public safety; however, surely there are less restrictive means to achieving that goal than jailing a Texas mother.

Texas is set to allow salons, barber shops, and nail parlors to reopen this Friday when the governors lockdown order in response to the coronavirus expires.

More from National Review
Asked about how hed like to see the state reopen, Vos said he would prefer a more regional approach that imposes regulations differently depending on the number of cases in that area. He also said hed like to see some form of mass gatherings allowed this summer.

Why wouldnt we focus our efforts where we know they are problematic and continue to do the testing around the state as we gradually, slowly reopen? Vos said. If Gov. Evers keeps saying its a dial, not a switch, well lets start to turn the dial.  If we wait for Milwaukee and Brown (counties) to be the indicator its going to be a long time potentially before Wisconsin can open up.

Vos also said he likes the proposal brought forth by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, which would effectively reopen all businesses in the state  with varying regulations based on risk.

On Monday, Evers said the WMC plan has good pieces but he added it lacks metrics for determining when its safe to take next steps.
New Delhi, May 7 : National carrier Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express are all set to embark upon one of the world's largest evacuation operations on Thursday.

Accordingly, the two airlines will at different time slots operate the first 'special ferry' flights from New Delhi, Cochin and Kozhikode to Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Dubai respectively.

These flights under India's massive 'Vande Bharat Mission' are being organised to bring back stranded Indians from abroad.

The two airlines following the laid down Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) which were released on Tuesday have tested their pilots and crews for COVID-19.

The airlines have readied the aircraft type and taken care of all other logistical aspects to embark on this mission.

According to the schedule, which was first reported by IANS on Wednesday evening, Air India will operate the Delhi-Singapore flight on Thursday around 11 p.m. from IGI Airport.

The flight will arrive back to Delhi at 7 a.m. on Friday morning.

Similarly, Air India Express will operate Cochin-Abu Dhabi-Cochin and Kozhikode-Dubai-Kozhikode services.

These will be the first in the 64 ferry services which will be operated by the two airlines from May 7-13.

Besides one-way ferry service, Air India invited passengers, who qualify under the government's new international travel norms to apply for passage from India to various destinations the airline will send its aircraft to conduct evacuation flights.

The development comes as India will commence one of the world's largest air evacuation operations from May 7, when the two airlines will start the first phase of the mission.

As per plans, these two airlines will operate 64 flights in seven days to bring back 14,800 stranded Indians from 12 countries.

Overall, more than 190,000 Indian nationals, who would have to pay a one-way ferry service charge, are expected to be brought back in the airlift operation.

In comparison, three decades ago, Air India led a group of airlines which included Indian Airlines and Aeroflot as well as IAF to rescue an estimated 111,711 Indians from the Gulf, after Iraq invaded Kuwait in the year 1990.

The 59-day operation involved 488 flights and was conducted before the first Gulf war. This time, the exercise will encompass flights to the US in the West to Philippines in the East.

As per the plan, 10 flights will be operated to the UAE to bring Indians from May 7-13, while seven will be sent to the US, seven to Malaysia and five to Saudi Arabia, amongst others.

Lately, despite its precarious financial position, the flag carrier has emerged as one of the few airlines in the world that have evacuated more than 9,000 passengers during the COVID-19 crisis.

The airline to date has carried out massive flight operations to China, Japan and Europe to bring back stranded Indians, mostly students and pilgrims.

Additionally, the airline has been instrumental in repatriating foreigners to Israel, UK and Germany. Moreover, Air India and its subsidiary Alliance Air has reached every corner of the country to supply essential medical equipment.
1. When it comes to providing state-funded financial aid for college students, Montana ranks 49th in the nation. Do you think the state should contribute more toward higher education funding or should it be the responsibility of the student to fund their own college education?

The state should contribute more toward higher education funding and financial aid. Being 49th is a stark statement of our failures in this area. The 6-mill levy is not enough. I put myself through school working in the library and as a motel maid, but I also had help from my parents that many people do not have. Costs and tuition are simply higher now. A failure to strongly support higher education (and apprenticeship and trade programs) leaves the poor and lower middle class in the dust. I would like us to aim for free tuition for all.

2. Do you think the state of Montana should increase state funding for affordable housing? Why or why not?

Absolutely. When I have talked with owners of businesses both large and small, affordable housing for their workers is a top issue in their ability to hire. In my work in human services, I have seen the lack of affordable housing directly feed into homelessness and higher costs and risks for our community members and taxpayers. Supporting affordable housing turns into jobs, a stronger economy, and eventually more revenue for state programs. There is no down side.

3. What, in your view, is the largest issue with management of Montanas public lands? What should be done about it?

The largest issue with management of Montana's public lands in going to be responding to the mandates of climate change and population growth. Climate change has already increased the danger of our fire seasons and placed stress on our forest- and tourist-based economies. We need to support our current governor's first steps for studying, planning, and preparing for this future and ensure that our Montana Legislature "gets it" by voting for representatives that worry about climate change.

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Federal officials who had spent years devising emergency plans were layered over by Kushner allies, working with and within the White House coronavirus task force, who believed their private-sector experience could solve the countrys looming supply shortage. The young volunteers  drawn from venture capital and private equity firms  were expected to apply their deal-making experience to quickly weed out good leads from the mountain of bad ones, administration officials said in an interview. FEMA and other agencies, despite years of emergency preparation, were not equipped for the unprecedented task of a pandemic that impacted all 50 states, they said.
A Chinese government-controlled firm with Communist Party links will be eligible to receive $1,500 a fortnight wage subsidies as workers at a similar, foreign-owned company miss out.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg's last-minute change to JobKeeper rules has barred employees from receiving taxpayer help if their employer is 100 per cent foreign government owned.

Under these May 1 amendments, 5,500 workers at airline catering company Dnata will miss out on $750 a week because their employer's parent company Emirates Group is fully-owned by the United Arab Emirates government.

Airport baggage handling company Swissport's 2,500 Australian staff, however, will be eligible for a share of the $130billion JobKeeper program.

That's because its Chinese parent company HNA, an aviation and real estate giant, isn't strictly a wholly state-owned firm, even though a Chinese provincial government now has a controlling interest in it.

A Chinese-owned firm with Communist Party links will be eligible to receive $1,500 a fortnight wage subsidies as workers at a similar, foreign-owned company miss out. Swissport's (logistics worker in Geneva pictured) Chinese parent company HNA, an aviation and real estate giant, isn't strictly a state-owned firm, even though a Chinese provincial government now has a controlling interest in it

'Swissport Australia is not affected by the restrictions on JobKeeper because it is not wholly owned by any foreign state or government entity,' a Swissport spokesman told Daily Mail Australia.

The JobKeeper changes explained Under the changes to the Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Payments and Benefits) Act 2020, a 'sovereign entity' won't qualify for the JobKeeper payment. The term 'sovereign entity' takes its meaning from the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 and, generally, includes a body politic of a foreign country, a foreign government agency, and an entity wholly-owned by a body politic of a foreign country or foreign government agency Source: Treasury spokeswoman Advertisement

While HNA's key shareholders are private companies and individuals, China expert Professor Clive Hamilton said the company had murky connections to the Chinese Communist Party.

'HNA is a shadowy company that is believed by some experts to be an investment vehicle for powerful Communist Party families,' the Professor of Public Ethics at Charles Sturt University in Canberra told Daily Mail Australia.

Professor Hamilton said Chinese firms like HNA advanced the geopolitical interests of the Communist Party by going on debt-fuelled global acquisitions.

'Their purchases of assets abroad build China's influence and Beijing can call on them to engage in influence activities and assist intelligence operations at any time,' he said.

Labor senator Tony Sheldon - a member of a parliamentary committee on foreign affairs, defence and trade - questioned why HNA, a Chinese government controlled firm, was more deserving of receiving JobKeeper than Dnata.

Under Treasurer Josh Frydenberg's JobKeeper changes, 5,500 workers at airline catering company Dnata (Adelaide airport pictured) will miss out on $750 a week because their employer's parent company Emirates Group is fully-owned by the United Arab Emirates government

'Swissport is owned by HNA which has recently come under the full control of the Chinese government as part of a bailout,' he told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday.

Australia's JobKeeper program Treasurer Josh Frydenberg unveiled the $130billion JobKeeper package on March 30 to provide $1,500 fortnightly, wage subsidies to six million Australian workers - or almost half the 13million people in the labour force Australian workers are set to receive their first payments by Friday, May 8, with money to arrive in bank accounts from today To be eligible, workers had to have been employed on a regular basis for at least 12 months as of March 1, 2020 They could not be a permanent staff member of another employer Businesses, with annual turnover of less than $1billion, had to demonstrate their turnover in early 2020 was 30 per cent weaker compared with the same month in 2019 Advertisement

'It would be a diabolical double standard if the Australian government extends JobKeeper to these workers and abandons those who work for a company that is transparently owned by another government  in this case the UAE.'

In February, as coronavirus saw Wuhan locked down, the government of China's southern Hainan province was in talks with HNA to take it over, sources told Bloomberg and the South China Morning Post at the time.

Senator Sheldon, a former leader of the Transport Workers Union, said JobKeeper was supposed to help all Australian workers, regardless of who owned their employer.

'The government needs to explain why it is splitting hairs over the ownership structure of these companies resulting in some workers in the aviation industry doing the same job can access stay employed, while others are thrown on the dole queue,' he said.

HNA Group founder and chairman Chen Feng has spoken openly of being a key ally of Chinese President and Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping.

In 2018, he told Communist Party members HNA would 'unswervingly follow the party' and 'consciously safeguard the Communist Party's central authority with General Secretary Xi Jinping as the core', in a speech reported by the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post.

'HNA is a Hainan company, rooted in China. HNA's businesses also belong to the party, the people and mankind,' he said.

HNA Group founder chairman Chen Feng (pictured) has spoken openly of being a key ally of Chinese President and Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping

Mr Chen, on HNA's website, also touts his roles with the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the National Air Regulations Bureau.

He also served as the 'aviation business adviser' to the Provincial Governor of Hainan province, a role with ties to the Communist Party.

Under last week's changes to the Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Payments and Benefits) Act 2020, a 'sovereign entity' won't qualify for the JobKeeper payment.

The term 'sovereign entity' is defined as a body that is wholly-owned by a foreign country or foreign government agency.

A Treasury spokeswoman defended the JobKeeper changes.

'Government employers are considered to have a greater capacity to support their employees through this period than private businesses,' she told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday.

A Treasury spokeswoman defended the JobKeeper changes, as part of Treasurer Josh Frydenberg's amendment to the Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Payments and Benefits) Act 2020

Dnata stood down 4,000 employees on March 30 when the COVID-19 pandemic caused the shutdown of the commercial aviation industry, with the Adelaide workers retrenched first on March 26, the Australian Services Union told members in a staff bulletin.

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

Workers were originally told JobKeeper payments would cover them but the retroactive change to legislation has left workers scrambling to find ways to supplement their income.

As part of the loophole, Dnata will be barred from receiving JobKeeper because it is wholly foreign-government owned.

Emirates Group bought out Australian logistics company Toll Group's shareholding in January 2015, with approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board.

Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus said the government needed to reverse the JobKeeper loophole barring wholly foreign government-owned firms from receiving the COVID-19 wage subsidy.

'All working people who have lost their job or been stood down because of the coronavirus should have access to JobKeeper,' she told Daily Mail Australia.

'It should not matter who owns your company, if you have lost your income, you have lost your income.

'This is inflicting unnecessary economic hardship on millions of Australian workers and their families.

Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus said the government needed to reverse the JobKeeper loophole barring wholly foreign government-owned firms from receiving the COVID-19 wage subsidy

'The Treasurer can make this change immediately and should do so.'

The $130billion wage subsidy scheme was unveiled on March 30 to enable businesses to keep their employees on the books during the economic downturn resulting from COVID-19 shutdown.

It also meant staff could keep being paid, without having to apply for the JobSeeker unemployment benefit.

Australia is home to 9,946 foreign-owned businesses that are at least 50 per cent foreign-owned, data from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Austrade showed.

Chinese, UAE and Qatar state owned firms are the biggest source of wholly, foreign government-owned entities in Australia, University of New South Wales trade economist Tim Harcourt said.

Foreign businesses employ 966,000 Australians about 8.7 percent of the workforce

China is Australia's fifth biggest foreign investor but is the biggest two-way trading partner, as the biggest export market for iron ore, coal, tourism and university education.
The total sum of registered budgetary obligations on all purchase of goods and services for fight against Covid-19 makes almost 2.4 billion hryvnia ($89.2 million)

1.8 billion hryvnia ($66.9 million) from state and local budgets were spent for prevention of the spread of coronavirus, as the Finance Ministry of Ukraine reported.

The ministry stated that it holds constant monitoring of budget funds for the purchase of goods for the fight against coronavirus.

According to the State Treasury, since March 1 until April 29, 2020, 1.8 billion hryvnia ($66.9 million), including 455 million hryvnia ($16.9 million) from the state budget and 1.3 billion ($50 million) from the local budgets, were allocated, the message said.

The total sum of registered budgetary obligations on all purchase of goods and services for fight against Covid-19 makes almost 2.4 billion hryvnia ($89.2 million), 512 million hryvnia ($19 million) from the state budget and 1.8 billion hryvnia ($66.9 million) from the local budgets.

As of May 6, the overall number of Covid-19 patients in Ukraine made 13,184. On May 5, 487 new cases were observed. 327 lethal cases have been observed since the epidemic reached Ukraine. 2,097 patients recovered.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Most inhabitants of the U.S. spent the month of April abiding by economically devastating stay-at-home orders, hoping that would crush the coronavirus epidemic.

It hasn't. Not even close. While the daily toll has leveled off, the numbers remain staggeringly high. On Monday, the nation had about 23,000 new cases, and 1,200 more deaths, according to the Coronavirus Tracker. And a draft government report forecasts a sharp upward trend beginning in eight days.

This defies what little experts thought they knew about the life cycle of COVID-19. It also means the many models that have been developed to inform decisions about reopening are, at best, educated guesses, and at worst, dead wrong.

"While models can be important tools, their approaches and assumptions vary widely, and can give widely divergent results," says a Kaiser Family Foundation review.

Science journalist David Wallace-Wells has pointed out the fallacy of models that predict COVID-19 will taper off now that it has stopped its early phase of exponential growth. The White House touted such a simulation, developed at the University of Washington. Another one, from Rutgers University, forecasted that deaths would end by late June and the cumulative toll would be 63,249a number the country has already exceeded.

"Seeing a flattening in the number of cases or deaths, the models project a decline, even if the flattening is not a function of the disease itself but of the extraordinary social conditions we have imposed on it," Wallace-Wells wrote in New York magazine.

Fallible as they are, mathematical models serve many purposes. They can estimate characteristics of an infection, such as its incubation periodthe time between getting infected and showing symptoms. Models can help predict hospital capacity needs. And they can guide reopening strategies. Pennsylvania, for example, is using Carnegie Mellon University's "risk-based decision support tool" to gradually lift restrictions, starting with the least densely populated counties.

The thing is, the new virus has turned out to be far more infectious and insidious than originally thought. The maximum incubation period was believed to be two weeks, so that's how long people exposed to a confirmed case are told to "self-quarantine" at home.

Now, however, it's clear that transmission can occur before any symptoms appear, that many infected people have no symptoms, and some people who have recovered can still spread the virus for weeks. This evolving understanding, experts say, helps explain why, despite lockdowns, daily COVID-19 counts have plateaued but not plummeted.

While some models have been overly rosy, a few have been overly bleak. The University of Pennsylvania Health System, for example, projected its three Philadelphia hospitals would have 3,131 to 12,650 patients with COVID-19 at the peaka terrifying possibility that prompted extraordinary surge preparations. In reality, health system data shows, the combined daily COVID census has been below 1,000 in those hospitals and is now declining slightly.

Other models show that tweaking a variable can dramatically improve the theoretical outlook.

Consider the model developed by PolicyLab at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. It uses real-time data on population density, shutdown policies, and weather temperatures from 260 counties across the U.S. to predict the impact of reopening in each community.

If Philadelphia reopened a quarter of nonessential businesses on May 15, the model originally predicted a disastrous spike to 2,000 new cases a day in July  three times more than the peak seen in Aprilfollowed by an equally dramatic decline to almost no transmission just a few weeks later.

Then the CHOP researchers, led by pediatrician David Rubin, updated the model to strengthen the effect of seasonal temperatures, based on what they've seen across the country. Most experts say hot weather will not offset our lack of immunity to the coronavirus, but the updated CHOP model differs. It foresees no spike of cases in Philadelphia, and predicts cases will peter out by mid-Augustunless the city reopens half of nonessential business instead of 25%.

The original and updated scenarios "both share the same message: Opening quickly and without caution is very risky," Rubin said. "However, like Southeast Asia, if we stay vigilant and protect each other, there is a new normal where we can get back a lot of functioning to our community by the summer."

Only time will tell. In recent weeks, as Wired magazine reported, South Korea, Singapore, China, and other Asian nations have seen their numbers of new cases creeping upward.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

2020 The Philadelphia Inquirer

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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 his own: US President Donald Trump walks across the South Lawn before boarding Marine One and departing the White House in Washington, DC. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Key Congressional Republican allies who fought tooth and nail when the Democratic-led US House of Representatives panel subpoenaed President Donald Trump's financial records last year seem to have gone 'awol' now the fight has reached the Supreme Court.

Representative Jim Jordan, the House Oversight and Reform Committee's senior Republican, described the move in a letter in April last year as "an unprecedented abuse of the committee's subpoena authority to target and expose the private financial information of the president of the United States".

But neither Mr Jordan nor other top Trump supporters in Congress or in state capitals have weighed in on the Republican president's legal effort to block enforcement of the subpoena, which was issued to his long-time accounting firm Mazars LLP.

The case has been consolidated with another one in which Mr Trump is seeking to prevent enforcement of separate subpoenas from the House Intelligence and Financial Services Committees targeting his financial records from Deutsche Bank and Capital One Financial Corp.

The justices will hear arguments on Tuesday, May 12, in those cases and a third one seeking similar records. Rulings are expected by the end of June, ahead of the November 3 election.

The third case involves Mr Trump's effort to block a subpoena issued to Mazars as part of the Manhattan district attorney's criminal investigation of the president and his family real estate business.

Unlike in other politically charged cases, his high-profile allies in Congress and in Republican-governed states like Texas have not filed amicus - so-called friend-of-the-court - briefs in support of Mr Trump with the Supreme Court. His only major supporter is his own US Justice Department.

Such briefs are an avenue to express formal legal support and furnish information to influence the court's decision-making.

Mr Jordan did not provide comment for this story. A House Republican aide said congressional Republicans see the dispute as between Democrats and Mr Trump.

"Republicans trust the court to get the balance right between the investigatory prerogatives of Congress and the privileges that the Constitution bestows on the president," the aide said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Unlike other recent presidents, Mr Trump has refused to make public his tax returns and financial records. His lawyers argue the constitution gives a president protection from scrutiny by Congress, prosecutors and the judiciary.

The rulings by the Supreme Court, whose 5-4 conservative majority includes two Trump-appointed justices, could help set the parameters for presidential authority.

Michael Stern, a House lawyer when it was under Republican control, said it is "striking that for whatever reason they declined to participate", referring to Republican politicians.

Jay Sekulow, one of Mr Trump's personal lawyers, said he was pleased to have the support of Justice Department briefs.

Tom Coleman, a Republican former congressman from Missouri who left office in 1993, said in an interview he was concerned about the broad assertions of presidential power by Mr Trump's lawyers.

"To say the president is unaccountable to anyone and can do whatever he wants and is above the law is pretty head-spinning," Mr Coleman said.

The House Oversight Committee said it needed the subpoenaed documents for its investigation into whether Mr Trump inflated or deflated financial statements for potentially improper purposes.

Veterans of similar constitutional showdowns note that the current arguments in support of Mr Trump could backfire when Republicans next control the House and want to investigate a Democratic president.
China Brand Day to go online

By:Wu Qiong | From:english.eastday.com | 2020-04-30 19:33

The annual China Brand Day is to go online due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The cloud exhibition of Shanghai will run from May 10 to 12, giving out coupons worth up to 20 million yuan in all.

May 10, 2020 marks the fourth China Brand Day. This year, Shanghai will showcase 40 local brands in the fields of AI, biomedicine, integrated circuits and the online new economy.

(Shanghai brands to take part in the event)

They will provide a range of online experiences through online consumption, online healthcare, online service, online discussion, and live streaming activities.

Many participating companies, like SAIC, Yuyuan Tourist Mart, United Imaging, SenseTime, Bilibili, and Yuewen Group, will share their business development during the epidemic through live broadcast.

Time-honored brands will also explore the new model of online consumption on e-commerce platforms such as live streaming on Taobao.

(A virtual exhibition of White Rabbit, a time-honored brand in Shanghai)

A virtual game will also be launched for visitors to better understand the participating brands. Players will be awarded with consumption coupons worth up to 20 million yuan.

Since 2017, China has been celebrating its domestic brands and encouraging enterprises to keep self-improving.




Who is Maria Antonieta Alva? Why are we talking about her? Shes a 35-year-old finance minister of Peru who is being widely appreciated for coming up with a fiscal package to support small businesses and vulnerable families in the nation during the Covid-19 global health crisis. Popularly known as Toni, her efforts have garnered her immense popularity, made her a household name, with mothers from across the places lining up to take selfies with her, posters featuring her and the words courage and dignity being hung from bridges and thousands of fans on social media. Interestingly, the prudent minister spent two months in India studying educational opportunities for girls before returning to Peru and joining the countrys education ministry. She then went on to become the head of its planning and budget department. She returned to the finance ministry later as its budget chief, where she led a team of more than 150 people.

 Maria Antonieta Alva reuters

Appointed only last October, Alva is increasingly seen as a central figure in President Martin Vizcarra's cabinet, part of a rising generation of new leaders, and spends a great deal of time explaining public policy to a nervous public. "She's very good at communicating and that's become much more important in the current context," said Carlos Oliva, Alva's predecessor in the post.



Today, she is part of a group of millennial finance ministers in the region, alongside Argentinas Martin Guzman who is 37 years old, Dominican Republics 35-year-old Juan Ariel Jimenez, and 39-year-old Richard Martinez in Ecuador. Due to the outbreak of deadly coronavirus, the country has been hit hard despite the fact that it had imposed a stringent lockdown early on. Alvas focus now is on containment and she has worked on providing aid for families and businesses. She also plans to reactivate businesses once the lockdown restrictions are eased this month.
LANGHORNE PA / ACCESSWIRE / May 6, 2020 / NEXGEL Inc. ("NEXGEL" or the "Company"), a manufacturing facility located in Langhorne, PA, is expanding its core 20 year business of custom hydrogel products. The Company is looking to develop and test the most innovative and relevant chemical technologies to partner with its proprietary hydrogel processes. NEXGEL has created a Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) which collectively has the ability to develop new applications for multiple product offerings. NEXGEL has added Sarah Dakar and Dr. Andrew Alexander to its Scientific Advisory Board, which is chaired by Dr. Jerome Zeldis.

Sarah Dakar has over a decade of experience creating and marketing some of the world's top luxury skincare products, used by many of the world's leading tastemakers. Ms. Dakar will bring her passion, vision and commitment to excellence to a completely new line of innovative skincare products with leading edge ingredients, formulations, and delivery systems. As a Certified CBD and Phytocannabinoid expert, she has utilized the power of CBD, CBG, CBD and CBN in proprietary, high performance formulations, from acne to anti-aging, as well as pain and palliative care.

Dr. Alexander has over 25 years of drug, biotech, and medical device development experience in industrial and academic institutions. Dr. Alexander's focus has been on the development, testing and commercialization of life science products. Dr. Alexander brings a wealth of business expertise in areas such as technical operations, identifying commercialization opportunities for new technologies, FDA and EPA regulatory compliance.

Adam Levy, NEXGEL's CEO, stated, "With the additions of Sarah and Andy we have now assembled an incredible group of entrepreneurial individuals with unique and complementary talents. This team has the imagination and technical skill to create exciting new products and take them from concept all the way through to commercialization. I look forward to working with them in building the future of NEXGEL."

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including those relating to the Company's product development, market opportunity, competitive position, possible or assumed future results of operations, business strategies, potential growth opportunities and other statements that are predictive in nature. Additional written and oral forward-looking statements may be made by the Company from time to time in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE: NEXGEL, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/588699/NEXGEL-Inc-Announces-Additions-to-its-Scientific-Advisory-Board-SAB
As the countries across the world have gone into lockdowns, the aviation sector has suffered a lot. In a webinar, SITA CEO Barbara Dalibard said that the COVID-19 has had a dramatic impact on the air transport industry. She said that the global flight activity has come down 80 per cent year-on-year at the end of April. In contrast, the global flight activities were up 9.8 per cent in April 2019. SITA is one of the leading companies in the global aviation sector, catering to over than 1,000 airports and over 400 airlines with its IT and telecom services.

In her presentation titled 'The New Normal: The Changing Face Of Aviation Post COVID-19', Dalibard said that there are four key areas for airports and airlines globally: economic pressures, safety and security, sustainability, and geopolitical repercussions.

On the economic front, there's an increased focus to bring down costs, and make the most of the existing assets. Geopolitical impact of the outbreak would include countries closing down their boundaries, and there will be re-localisation of industries which could potentially affect cargo business.

ALSO READ:Airlines turn to cargo supply for survival during coronavirus lockdown

After the halting of international travel, global aviation industry went into a tailspin. While the Indian government has been sitting on the relief proposals submitted by the domestic players, the US government had announced $25 billion bailout package for its crippled aviation sector (in mid-April) with a plenty of riders.

As the situation keeps evolving, airlines are changing their plans almost on a weekly basis. For instance, many airlines have shifted their flight resumption schedules from May to July-September.

Among the big trends that are going to emerge in the post-COVID world, Dalibard said that higher usage of mobiles, artificial intelligence (AI) and personal data protection are going to be the most crucial. How? From the time everything was people-driven, airports today have a fair amount of automated systems. That's because of the push from the passengers' side who feel more comfortable in an automated environment. Going forward, a lot airport processes - check-ins, boarding, etc - would be bypassed through handheld devices (particularly mobiles). "Airports of the future will have lesser kiosks, and higher mobile low-touch experiences," she said.

ALSO READ:Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway sells entire stakes in 4 largest US airlines

Then, AI can help in optimising processes and getting information quickly. For instance, AI can predict disruptions at the airports, and aid in managing crowds. But there's a caveat too. Airports cannot completely rely on AI to make choices, and the technology should be used statistically. While using AI, the airports also need to preserve individual rights. Ethics need to be followed around taking data from passengers, and sharing with authorities should be done on a need-to-know basis.

As the new safety and security protocols are being developed by different countries, there's a likelihood of airports getting more congested. For instance, Emirates has initiated a new programme requiring international passengers to take a rapid COVID-19 blood test which takes about 10 minutes per passenger. While the programme is aimed at bringing the confidence of travellers back, it would lead to logjams at the airports. "In order to reduce congestion, there's a need to take some of the processes (check-in, baggage) outside the airports," said Dalibard.

In addition, better coordination between airports and airlines is crucial to implement new measures. While there's a definite move towards protectionism across the world (due to economic tensions), collaboration is important to simplify the processes at the airports.

ALSO READ:Lockdown 3.0: Delhi airport to resume flights from Terminal 3
A woman has been granted a quarantine exemption to say goodbye to her dying mother after travelling to be at her bedside from Australia.

Renee West and her two sons flew from Melbourne to Auckland on April 25 after her 59-year-old mother Lesley Haughey was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

But when they arrived in Auckland they were taken straight to M Social Hotel where they are being kept in qfuarantine for 14 days under strict rules to battle COVID-19.

Ms West had her application for an isolation exemption on compassionate grounds denied twice and worried her mother wouldn't last until the end of her quarantine period.

Renee West was granted an exemption to leave hotel quarantine in Auckland to be at her dying mother Lesley Haughey's bedside (pictured together)

'She said she'd try her hardest, and I think she will, but it also feels cruel as I can see she's had enough and it feels like I'm making her wait,' she told Newstalk ZB.

Ms West's third isolation exemption application was granted by the New Zealand Ministry of Health on Wednesday, with the family hoping to visit Ms Haughey on Thursday.

'We've got to get a test done, but they pretty much think it will be first thing tomorrow morning,' Ms West said.

She was widely supported on social media after her story was made public, and gave thanks to the community for their support.

'Everyone in New Zealand as backed me 100 per cent and it's been amazing, we're so grateful,' Ms West said.

Both Ms West and her husband are from New Zealand but moved to Melbourne nine years ago, and have not seen her mother in three years.

Ms West had her application denied twice before it was granted on Wednesday. She plans to take her two sons aged 5 and 9 to see Ms Haughey (pictured together) on Thursday

Ms West and her family were meant to visit New Zealand for two weeks in April but the coronavirus pandemic and the closure of the country's borders forced them to cancel their plans.

Ms Haughey was diagnosed with breast cancer 11 years ago and had a mastectomy to remove the breasts.

But in the past couple of weeks Ms West's sister and father noticed Ms Haughey was struggling to use the left side of her body.

She was rushed to hospital for tests over concerns of a mild stroke and brain bleed.

The family were devastated to find out Ms Haughey had lung and brain cancer which had spread to all her vital organs, with treatment not an option.

Ms West immediately grabbed her sons, aged 5 and 9, and flew back to New Zealand after her mother said her last wish was to have them there to say goodbye.
The US Air Force said Wednesday it would be sending its high-tech X-37B space drone back into orbit this monththe sixth trip for the reusable vehicle that maneuvers around the Earth on secretive missions.

The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, which looks like a small version of the manned space shuttles retired in 2011, will be launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida on May 16, the Air Force said.

Once in orbit, it will deploy a small FalconSat-8 research satellite and, for the first time, also carry a service module that will expand its capacity for experiments.

Experiments carried by the spacecraft include tests for NASA of the impact of radiation on seeds and other materials.

Another test for US Navy researchers involves transforming solar power into radio frequency microwave energy, which could then be transmitted to the ground, according to a statement.

The "space plane" as it is called, has spent a cumulative 2,865 days in space, including 780 days in orbit on its last mission, which ended in October 2019.

"This X-37B mission will host more experiments than any prior missions. This launch also demonstrates the department's collaboration that pushes the boundaries for reusable space systems," said Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett.

 2020 AFP
Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday questioned the government over the criteria it adopted to judge how long the COVID-19-induced lockdown will continue.

Addressing a meeting of chief ministers of states where the Congress is in power, Sonia Gandhi asked "what after May 17?"

Chief ministers of Congress-ruled states also highlighted that their states were reeling under financial stress and asserted that they would urge the prime minister once again to provide an assistance package to cope with the pandemic as well as the economic situation.

India has been under lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. The first and second phase of the lockdown was from March 25 to April 14 and April 15 to May 3, respectively. The third phase began from May 4 and would end on May 17.

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh and former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi were also part of the meeting held through video-conferencing.

"After May 17th, What? and After May 17th, How? What criteria is GoI (government of India) using to judge how long the lockdown is to continue...," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala quoted Sonia Gandhi as saying in the meeting to discuss the COVID-19 situation and the post-lockdown work.

She thanked farmers, particularly of Punjab and Haryana, for ensuring food security by giving bumper wheat produce despite all odds.

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh said, "We need to know, as Soniaji said, what will happen after lockdown 3.0?".

"Soniaji has already pointed out. CMs need to deliberate and ask as to what is the strategy of the government of India to get the country out of the lockdown," Singh asked.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the central piece of the strategy to fight COVID-19 is to protect the elderly as well as those who are diabetic and with heart conditions.

"All chief ministers were unanimous in stating that the Government of India is pushing states towards fiscal stress and were not providing with financial assistance to fight COVID19 as well as economy," Surjewala said at a press conference.

He said this is true for not only the Congress-ruled states but was also true for rest of the states.

"The chief ministers were of the opinion that they will once again write to Prime Minister to assist states in their fight with COVID19," he said when asked what strategy would Congress chief ministers adopt when faced with financial stress.

"What after lockdown 3. What are the objectives and achievements after May 17...There seems to be neither a roadmap nor an exit strategy. Will there now be a lockdown 4 and lockdown 5 and when will it finally end and when will life begin," he also asked.

He said the chief ministers as well as the Congress president and former PM and ex-Congress chief also expressed deep concern over the "unsurmountable and cruel" increase in prices of petrol and diesel by the central government.

Speaking at the meeting, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said he has set up two committees, one to strategise on how to come out of the lockdown and the other on economic revival.

"Concern is people sitting in Delhi are deciding on classification of (COVID-19) zones without knowing what's happening on the ground," he said at the meeting.

Pegging the April revenue shortfall for Punjab at 88 per cent, Singh said with all tax revenues dried up and only 1.5 per cent of the industry currently operational, the state was facing a difficult financial situation.

Rajasthan Chief minister Ashok Gehlot said, "Until extensive stimulus package is given, how will states and the country run? We have lost Rs 10,000 crore revenue."

He said states have repeatedly requested the prime minister for a package, "but we are yet to hear from the government of India".

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said, "States are facing dire economic crisis. They need to be provided immediate assistance."

He said Chhattisgarh is one state where 80 per cent of small industries have restarted and nearly 85,000 workers have returned to work.

The Centre is deciding on COVID-19 zones without consulting states, Puducherry chief minister V Narayanasamy alleged.

"This is creating an anomalous situation. People sitting in Delhi can't tell the states, No State or CM is consulted. Why?" he asked.

"PM isn't saying a word on economic package for states," he said.

Former Union finance minister P Chidambaram also alleged that states are "bleeding" in terms of finances but no money is being allocated by the government.

He said a number of newspapers have brought out the unavailability of finances with states.

Former Union minister M Veerappa Moily said the strategy to declare lockout or come out of it hasn't been stated at all by the prime minister or changed at all.

During the meeting, the Congress president also discussed the issue of migrant labourers and workers returned home through special trains.

Sonia Gandhi had announced on Monday that the state units of Congress party would pay for the train fare of migrants as they prepare to go back to their homes. She also criticised the central government for charging them train fare.

Surjewala later said the chief ministers told the Congress president, that "they will pay for the travel of migrant labourers and have asked the Railways for special trains."

"Punjab CM informs that Rs 35 crore has been set aside and Railways is charging Rs 870 per ticket, which state is paying," he said.
On Sunday, a group of ten armed individuals reportedly used speed boats to land on a beach in the Caribbean port city of La Guaira, which were allegedly on a mission to assassinate Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

According to Daily Mail, during a televised speech on state television on Monday, Maduro said the main objective was to kill him and that it was orchestrated by both Colombia and the United States. He also added that a terrorist attack in the middle of a pandemic while the people rest at night was inhumane.

According to Diosdado Cabello, a socialist party chief, two of the assaulters were captured and interrogated by authorities.

Maduro accused that the failed scheme, Operation Gedeon, was the latest attack by the United States and Colombia to overthrow the government, which has been denied by both officials of Washington and Colombia.

Moreover, Maduro said they have proof that the group was trained in Colombia territory and they have the places where the group was trained.

Speedboat incursion

Maduro claimed that ex-Green Beret Jordan Goudreau led the incursion with terrorist mercenaries who were trained in Colombia to attack Valenzuela and try to kill him.

On Monday, authorities captured eight men, who were allegedly part of the unsuccessful attack, after they were forewarned by fishermen in Chuao, a village on the northern coast of the state of Aragua.

On Monday, Juan Guaido, Venezuelan opposition leader, denied having anything to do with Goudreau, who was accused responsible for the deadly beach invasion aimed at arresting Maduro.

Meanwhile, the government said it has ordered more than 25,000 troops to search for other rebel cells.

Guaido uttered he has no responsibility for the actions made by Goudreau, who repeatedly claimed that Guaido had a contract with Silvercorp USA, Florida-based war veteran's security company, though he articulated he has compensated a tiny share of the amount agreed upon.

The claim could pose danger for Fuaido, who has been harassed but not captured in the year he claimed himself the legitimate leader of Venezuela, a position recognized by the US and 60 other countries.

Read also: United States Accuses China of Using the COVID-19 Outbreak for Illegal Expansionism

On Sunday, the three-time Bronze Star US combat veteran claimed to have opted to organize a seaborne raid from Colombia on the Venezuelan coast, which the government stated it baffled, killing eight insurgents and capturing two others. He articulated the operation did not receive aid from Guaido nor the US nor the Colombian government.

Goudreau said on Monday that 52 other fighters, which include two US veterans, had sneaked the Venezuelan territory and were in the initial stage of a mission to recruit security forces members to join their cause.

In an interview, Goudreau stated that the ultimate goal is to liberate Venezuela and that has never changed.

Cabello said one of the men detained was claimed to be a US Drug Enforcement Administration agent. He added those who think they can attack the institutional framework in Venezuela will have to accept the consequences of their actions.

According to the authorities, they found high-caliber weapons, Peruvian documents, satellite phones, helmets, and uniforms with the US flag.

Interior Minister Nestor Reverol addressed a group of terrorist mercenaries from Colombia who tried to execute an invasion by sea murdering leaders of the revolutionary government.

The United States and Colombia have denied the allegations of Venezuela of backing military schemes against the socialist government.

Related article: Israeli Aircraft Allegedly Pounded Military Installations in Syria

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" " Audie Murphy is still one of the U.S. Army's most decorated soldiers. He earned the Medal of Honor (far right), two Silver Star Medals (far left and second to right), the Distinguished Service Cross (second from left), the Legion of Merit (third from left) and three Purple Hearts (among many others). Public Domain/HowStuffWorks

Audie Murphy was a bona fide World War II hero, a term which, in these days of endless American conflicts, seems both antiquated and slightly offensive even. But in his time, Murphy  maybe the greatest war hero the country ever has seen  was an out-and-out superstar. He fashioned a grateful country's unbridled adulation into a career as one of Hollywood's biggest draws, most famously playing the lead role in his own film autobiography, "To Hell and Back."

Yet the war that made him famous, as is the case with many who fight, never left him.

"A hero is somebody who takes an abstract virtue and embodies it for a short time," says David A. Smith, the author of "The Price of Valor: The Life of Audie Murphy, America's Most Decorated Hero of World War II." Smith teaches history at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. "As human beings, we're not comfortable with abstractions. But if you show me what honor looks like, even a glimpse, I'll know. If you show me what valor looks like, then I'll know what it means.

"Audie Murphy fit the role of a hero. Being a hero is great for the society. But it's really hard on the person who, for a moment, becomes a hero."

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The Roots of a Legend

Born in Hunt County, Texas, in 1925, the son of Irish sharecroppers, Audie Leon Murphy grew up in extreme poverty  the Great Depression began in 1929  inside a family in turmoil. Murphy's father deserted the family when he was just a kid. When Murphy was 16, as World War II broke out in Europe, his mother died. Some of his younger siblings were placed in an orphanage.

"[T]o say that the family was poor would be an understatement. Poverty dogged our every step," Murphy wrote in "To Hell and Back," his 1949 memoir. "Year after year the babies had come until there were nine of us children living, and two dead. Getting food for our stomachs and clothes for our back was an ever-present problem. As soon as we were old enough to handle a plow, an ax, or a hoe, we were thrown into the struggle for existence," he wrote.

Just 5-foot-5 (1.6 meters) and barely 100 pounds (45 kilograms), Murphy dreamed of the service as a way out. After his mother died, he tried to join the Marines but was turned down for being too small and too young. He was finally accepted into the U.S. Army, with some tweaked documentation, in June 1942. He was just 17.

After his training in the States, Murphy was shipped to North Africa with the 3rd Infantry Division, the beginning of a short but unparalleled career in which he was awarded every medal for valor that the Army could confer. (Some of the original commendations are here.) One of his battlefield exploits, in particular, became legendary.

During a firefight in France on Jan. 26, 1945, an American tank destroyer was hit by German fire, setting it ablaze and forcing the crew to abandon. Murphy ordered artillery fire on the German positions and called for his men to retreat to nearby woods. But Murphy did not fall back. Instead, he mounted the burning tank, grabbed control of its .50-caliber machine gun, and faced with hostile fire from three sides for more than an hour, kept the Germans at bay, killing scores of them. Murphy was wounded in both legs in the fight.

He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions. From the his citation (via the Smithsonian Institution):

2d Lt. Murphy's indomitable courage and his refusal to give an inch of ground saved his company from possible encirclement and destruction, and enabled it to hold the woods which had been the enemy's objective.

Murphy returned home to parades  some 300,000 people in San Antonio  more awards (from France and Belgium, too), and rewards that enabled him to buy a house for his older sister, where his younger siblings came to live for some time. On July 16, 1945, a smiling Murphy was featured on the cover of Life Magazine with the words "Most Decorated Soldier."

He had just turned 20 years old.

" " Two of Audie Murphy's most famous Hollywood movies are "The Red Badge of Courage," and "To Hell and Back," which is a film of his autobiography of the same name. Public Domain

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Audie Murphy's Hollywood Career

In 1945, movie star James Cagney and his brother were looking for a new type of star for their fledgling film production company when they saw the Life article. Cagney called up Murphy, signed him, put him through acting lessons and helped him get his first roles in the industry, though Cagney's production company soon would falter.

Murphy, too, found the early going rough. "I had eight words to say," Murphy reportedly said of his first role, in 1948's "Beyond Glory." "Seven more than I could handle."

Murphy was far from a natural at his newfound career.

"It was a huge leap," Smith says. "And he didn't make it very well at all. Audie Murphy didn't know what he was going to do. You get the feeling he did it just because he needed a gig. And Cagney needed a break."

Still, Murphy kept at it. By the time Universal picked up the rights to his memoir, "To Hell and Back," he had a few moderately successful films to his credit, starring with such Hollywood luminaries as Tony Curtis, Jane Wyatt, Hugh O'Brian and Lee Marvin. Murphy found his first starring role as a troubled teenager in 1949's "Bad Boy".

When it came time for the film "To Hell and Back," Murphy suggested Curtis for the lead. But the producers had Murphy in mind to play himself, and he finally relented. It was a surreal kind of role for Murphy, but one that made the film enormously popular. "To Hell and Back," released in 1955, would be Universal's highest-grossing picture until "Jaws" unseated it 20 years later.

" " Audie Murphy is seen here in a studio publicity photo for the film "The Red Badge of Courage." Wikimedia/ Lightshow

"Gallantry has been glorified more dramatically on film previously," The New York Times said of the film in a 1955 writeup, "but Mr. Murphy, who still seems to be the shy, serious tenderfoot rather than a titan among G.I. heroes, lends stature, credibility, and dignity to an autobiography that would be routine and hackneyed without him."

Murphy addressed the nature of playing himself in the movie's more grueling scenes.

"This strange jerking back and forth between make-believe and reality," he said, according to an article published years later in The Times. "Between fighting for your life and the discovery that it's only a game and you have to do a retake because a tourist's dog ran across the field in the middle of battle."

Murphy would go on to make more than 40 films in his career  mostly war stories and Westerns, though he did dip into other genres  and starred in a short-lived TV Western in 1960, "Whispering Smith." (An early episode featured a young Robert Redford.) But it was "To Hell and Back" for which he reportedly earned more than $1 million that made his mark in Hollywood.

"Unless you could get a part that was tailored to him and his personality, he looked out of place," Smith says. "But if you could find a role that he could somehow naturally inhabit, the way that it doesn't feel phony to him, then he could do well in it.

"He had moments where he could sort of lose himself. But the whole acting business to him seemed kind of phony. And when you watch his movies, you get the sense that this is a guy that never did get past that."

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The Other Audie Murphy

During his time in the Army, Murphy engaged in some of the fiercest battles of the war. He was wounded several times, battled cases of gangrene and malaria, was directly responsible for the deaths of many dozens of the enemy and saw many of his fellow soldiers die by his side.

In the '40s and '50s, experiences like that often led to psychological problems, then known as "shell shock" or "battle fatigue." Now it goes by a different name: post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). And it is something that Murphy clearly struggled with for years, throughout his life in Hollywood and beyond.

"The way that we understand PTSD today ... that's basically since the '60s and '70s. People who knew him thought he was just nuts," Smith says of Murphy. "He slept with a loaded gun under his pillow. He took these incredible risks with money, and he was a compulsive gambler. Nobody stitched this stuff together in a way that let him understand that what he's dealing with here is trauma from the war. And he never got help. And that's sort of the tragedy.

"He knew that he was carrying something with him. But it was the generation that suffered in silence."

Murphy moved from the surrealism of war to the unreal world of Hollywood, so it's probably not surprising that a kid from utter poverty who never got past the eighth grade struggled. "He had this very strong sense of reality and genuineness," Smith says, "and I think it sort of bothered him a lot that he was an actor."

During his postwar lifetime, Murphy made and lost fortunes. As his acting career slowed  his last film was 1969's "A Time for Dying"  he dabbled in raising racehorses and in other ventures. He declared bankruptcy in 1968, and was on his way to look into another investing venture in late May 1971 when the plane in which he was traveling crashed into a Virginia hillside. He and five others died. He was just 45.

On June 1, 1971, 25 years after returning home from the war, The New York Times carried his obituary on the front page. The headline read, "Audie Murphy, War Hero, Killed in Plane Crash."

According to the obit, someone once asked Murphy how soldiers get past the horrors of war.

"I don't think they ever do," he said.

" " Murphy is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, the U.S. military cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia. U.S. Defense Department

NOW THAT'S INTERESTING The Audie L. Murphy Memorial website features several poems that Murphy wrote, in addition to the lyrics of many songs he penned after his return from the war. The Audie Murphy/American Cotton Museum in Greenville, Texas, honors both the memory of Murphy and cotton's place in the history of Hunt County, Texas.
Speculation that politicians are preparing to start easing coronavirus lockdown restrictions has resulted in a spike in stress levels throughout Britain, a study claims.

The suggestion that social distancing measures could be relaxed has caused people to become concerned they will be more likely to catch COVID-19 and become seriously ill, with one in four people (25 per cent) admitting it weighs on their mind.

This figure is up from around 18 per cent of people before rumours began circulating that the government may lift some lockdown restrictions.

Researchers at UCL surveyed more than 80,000 adults and found worries about catching the virus are higher in women, people with children, key workers, people with a mental health diagnosis, and people with a lower household income.

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Ongoing speculation surrounding easing lockdown over the last week has caused a spike in stress levels with people worrying the eased restrictions may increase the likelihood they catch COVID-19 and become seriously ill

Since speculation began over easing lockdown, collective Covid-related stress levels in the UK spikes from around 18 per cent up to about 25 per cent, UCL figures reveal (pictured)

Ministers say healthy over 70s WILL be released from lockdown with the rest of UK Ministers will let healthy over-70s be released from lockdown with the rest of the UK, it has been reported. It comes as concern over potential 'social unrest' grows if the elderly are foxed to endure longer coronavirus restrictions than the rest of the UK. Health Secretary Matt Hancock denied that over-70s were being asked to stay in their homes and had a 'blanket ban'. But there is growing confusion over where the government stands on this matter. As a result, the government is keen to clarify rules for the elderly after confusion at the weekend over the official guidance. Baroness Ros Altmann, 64, said many healthy over-70s would risk going to prison rather than continue isolating if younger generations did not have to. The campaigner said using age-based criteria to lift restrictions would send a message that older people's lives 'don't count in the same way as others'. The government is currently reviewing its lockdown policy with Boris Johnson expected to unveil changes to current strategy on Sunday. Other European countries have already begun relaxing some restrictions, with millions returning to work in Italy yesterday. A cabinet member told The Telegraph they would be 'very surprised' if there was any tightening of the lockdown for the over-70s. The minister added: 'The all over-70s grouping is going to morph. There is a big difference between the 1.5million 'shielded' people, known as extremely critically vulnerable, who have been sent a letter advising them to shield for 12 weeks, vulnerable people with pre-existing conditions of any age, and healthy over-70s. 'This needs to be made clearer - you can't just have a blanket over-70s group, that's unsustainable.' Advertisement

The results come from an ongoing study which monitors wellbeing and mental health in the UK throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Scientists at University College London (UCL) found stress levels to be 'notably lower' among people living in urban areas.

The findings come after the Government revealed it is drawing up a 'roadmap' of how it plans to gradually lift restrictions.

The team found life satisfaction had been slowly returning to pre-Covid-19 levels but discussions around easing lockdown restrictions had 'halted' this improvement.

Dr Daisy Fancourt, of UCL Epidemiology & Health Care and study leader, said: 'Over the past week we have seen stress levels rise and the slight improvement in wellbeing we had seen since lockdown started has plateaued as discussions around an exit have begun.

'Stress about unemployment remains relatively stable, with around one in 12 people worried about their future.

'These levels are similar across most demographics, although higher in those under 60 and those with a mental health diagnosis.

'Around one in six people are worried about finances, with these levels higher in people under the age of 60, with lower household incomes, living with children, and with a mental health diagnosis.

'Stress relating to accessing food has stayed low over the past week, with only around one in 12 people now worried about it, although this rises to around one in eight amongst people with a mental health condition and one in 10 for people with an annual household income lower than 30,000.

'It is also slightly higher in people living with children.'

A study published yesterday stated over-70s and vulnerable people should remain in lockdown when the draconian social restrictions are lifted.

The Edinburgh and London researchers have called for a 'two tier' action plan which would see the elderly and those with chronic conditions kept apart from society.

They say the approach, dubbed 'segmentation and shielding', is the only way to get the UK back to normal without overwhelming the NHS and causing a second wave.

Healthy Britons would be allowed back out, but stringent contact tracing, social distancing and strict handwashing rules would need to be in place.

Anyone with symptoms would need to quarantine along with their entire household for two weeks.

The study, which used modelling to predict the virus' spread after lockdown, did not say how much longer elderly people would need to stay cooped up at home.

However, it was reported last night that the Government is planning to dismiss the report and allow over-70s the same freedoms as the rest of the UK.

Researchers at UCL surveyed more than 80,000 adults and found people living with children were among those to have the highest levels of concern. The findings come after the Government revealed it is drawing up a 'roadmap' of how it plans to gradually lift restrictions

Some experts have voiced concerns that lifting the lockdown prematurely could lead to a resurgence in case numbers as people resume normal life.

The government is eager to avoid this as the UK already has the highest death toll in Europe, with 29,427 people now confirmed to have died after testing positive for COVID-19.

At the daily Downing Street press briefing yesterday, Dominic Raab spoke of the desire to ensure there was no 'second wave' of coronavirus infections.

When quizzed on the potential of children returning to school after half-term, he warned it was too soon to even consider the move.

Speaking at the daily No 10 press briefing, Mr Raab said evidence from scientists indicated that opening all schools would lead to a very real risk of a steep rise in transmission rates.

The warning came just hours after Nicola Sturgeon said schools north of the border were unlikely to reopen in the foreseeable future.
The total number of coronavirus cases across the world are still on the rise despite stringent lockdown and containment measures put in place by most countries . The latest data suggests the total COVID-19 cases have crossed the 3.5 million-mark, including over 2.4 lakh deaths. The United States has been the worst affected nation with 72,275 deaths, followed by the UK, Italy and Spain. As spread of coronavirus shows no sign of slowing down, researchers and various governments are doubling their efforts to develop a vaccine.

Here's an update on COVID-19 researches across major countries

The United States: The US leads the chart with 209 active case studies going on to develop a vaccine. Pharma giant PFizer has already injected the first experimental vaccine on patients in the US. Gilead has ramped-up activities to make virus treatment drug Remdesivir, which has been showing 'very promising' results in a crucial study in the US, Dr Anthony Fauci, the US government's top expert said. Regeneron has also said its 'anti-body' treatment drug could also be available by this fall. Besides, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and several other bio-pharmaceutical companies have ramped-up efforts to develop the COVID-19 vaccine.

Also read: World's first coronavirus vaccine? Italian scientists claim they have developed it

The UK: Scientists at Jenner Institute of Oxford University claim to have made a potential vaccine for coronavirus. Also, UK biotech company Synairgen's drug called Interferon Beta has been injected in patients as part of initial trials, which will show results by June. It's otherwise used for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. UK has pledged 388 million euro to fund vaccine research, tests and treatments. About 31 active case studies for vaccine development are going on in the UK.

Israel: Israeli Defence Minister Naftali Bennett claimed the Israel government's Institute for Biological Research (IIBR) has developed an antibody to the novel coronavirus and is going to patent and mass-produce the potential treatment.

Also read: Coronavirus: 8 vaccines in human trials, 100 in preclinical stage

China: WHO data says four vaccines under human trials are from China. Except for the DNA-based vaccine attempted by US-based Inovio Pharmaceuticals, all the other vaccines are now undergoing Phase 1 and Phase 2 human trials together in a bid to fast track the development process. Chinese vaccines under development are from CanSino Biological Inc-Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Wuhan Institute of Biological Product-Sinopharm, Beijing Institute of Biological Products with Sinopharm, and an independent SARS platform-based inactivated vaccine from Sinovac.

Italy: There are around 59 active case studies going on in the country. A team of Italian scientists claimed to have discovered the world's first vaccine that can neutralise the deadly virus. Italian scientists at Rome's Spallanzani Hospital have claimed that they are the first to neutralise the virus via a vaccine and that the initial results were "encouraging and beyond expectations".

India: More than 30 vaccines are in various stages of development in India, scientists informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. University of Oxford's vaccine is also being developed with multiple partners including India's Serum Institute of India. The WHO document says out of the 100 projects under pre-clinical stages, Indian companies like Zydus Cadila, Codagenix-Serum Institute of India, Indian Immunologicals with Griffith University, Bharat Biotech with the Thomas Jefferson University, Biological E Ltd, and the UW Madison-FluGen-Bharat Biotech combine are also working on vaccine candidates.

Edited by Manoj Sharma

Also read: Israel makes progress in coronavirus vaccine search; defence minister claims 'significant breakthrough'
Spin, the electric scooter startup acquired by Ford in 2019 for nearly $100 million, has restarted operations in four U.S. markets as COVID-19-related closures begin to ease.

The company has resumed operations in Orlando, Nashville, Columbus, Ohio and St. Louis. The ramp up of operations will depend on the city, the company said. For instance, in Columbus, Spin has deployed its 250 scooters  half of the fleet cap allowed in the city. The company said it will scale up its scooter numbers based on demand.

Spin was operating in about 70 markets, a figure that includes college campuses and cities, until the COVID-19 pandemic caused governments to issue stay-at-home orders. The company has maintained operations in some areas that have allowed it.

Spin said it has "enhanced" its safety protocols, which includes disinfecting scooters more often and requiring employees to wear gloves and face shields during their shifts.

The scooters are now disinfected every time they're picked up for charging or enter a warehouse, the company said. Scooters with higher usage will be cleaned more frequently  as much as twice a day or more, a spokesperson said when asked for more details.

At warehouses, where Spin scooters are maintained, charged and cleaned, workers are supplied with disinfectant materials to properly clean high-traffic surfaces between every shift. Employees also carry disinfectant materials with them out in the field to clean scooters on the spot.

Spin said it has been working directly with cities to fill transportation gaps and deploy scooters where they are most needed.

Separately, the company said it has extended through May 31 a program that gives essential healthcare workers free 30-minute rides and helmets.




Here is Americas coronavirus curve: the number of newly reported cases each day. The curve has started declining moderately from the peak in early April. But thats not the whole story. Separate the region around New York City and the picture becomes far less rosy. Also remove the regions around Detroit and New Orleans  other cities with large outbreaks in early April  and the national trend is clearer: After a brief plateau, cases in America continue to climb.

During the early days of the pandemic, the publics attention was fixed on various models, each showing a steep upswing, with cases steadily increasing each day, followed by the tail-end of the curve as cases fade away.

Americans saw, with increasing dread, the predicted upswing in the national numbers. Then, over the last couple of weeks, it stopped.

And yet, forecasters are projecting even more deaths on the horizon. A leaked document obtained by The New York Times projected more than 3,000 people could die each day by the end of May. Another historically conservative model, favored by the Trump administration, just doubled its projected death toll, too.

The tail-end of the national epidemic is not materializing.

If you just look at the total number of cases, youre going to miss whats underneath it, said Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. Its not a leveling-off. Its a painful handoff.

Americas current plateau isnt good news, he said. Infections from the earliest-hit metropolitan areas are now spawning outbreaks of their own across the country.

Whats happening is a series of mini-epidemics, each following the predictable curve that rises and falls as the virus runs out of susceptible people to infect, he said. Meanwhile, the national numbers offer a deceptive picture: All the mini-epidemics are laid on top of one another, coming at different moments and infecting different populations.

The pattern is repeating in states all across the country, with new outbreaks emerging after the initial, localized epidemic waned. These mini-epidemics take off regionally and put hundreds of lives at risk while the statewide numbers appear to be flat or dropping.

Consider Oklahoma and Texas, two states that loosened their restrictions on businesses statewide. Each state made it through an early spike and watched the number of cases fall for weeks.

Hiding behind the statewide numbers was a different story. Oklahomas early spike was due to a surge of cases in its largest cities. Statewide numbers fell during the recovery  but this was due only to the tail-end of outbreaks around Tulsa and Oklahoma City. When those areas are excluded from the statewide figures, the number of new cases holds steady before rising once again.

The same is true in Texas: Cases spiked early on because of a surge in Houston, and after the city's peak, the state seemed to be improving. But removing Houston from the statewide figures shows the number of new cases was rising all along.

Texas Oklahoma Texas 1,000 new cases per day Oklahoma saw cases decline ... Oklahoma Texas appeared to be improving ... 100 Without Houston 800 ... but the drop wasnt statewide 600 Tulsa and O.K.C. 50 Oklahoma without Tulsa and O.K.C. 400 Houston 200 ... but the decline was restricted to Houston 0 0 April May April May Texas Texas 1,000 new cases per day Texas appeared to be improving ... 800 Without Houston 600 400 Houston 200 ... But the decline was restricted to Houston 0 April May Oklahoma Oklahoma saw cases decline ... Oklahoma 100 new cases per day ... but the drop wasnt statewide Tulsa and O.K.C. 50 Okla. without Tulsa and O.K.C. 0 April May Texas Texas 1,000 Texas appeared to be improving ... 800 600 Without Houston 400 Houston 200 ... but the decline was restricted to Houston 0 April May Oklahoma Oklahoma saw cases decline ... Oklahoma 100 ... but the drop wasnt statewide Tulsa and O.K.C. 50 Okla. without Tulsa and O.K.C. 0 April May

Some states are taking the local nature of their outbreaks into consideration and have adjusted their plans to reopen accordingly.

Indiana is also reopening, but not in Cass, Lake and Marion Counties. Even still, cases are still trending up in the rest of the state.

Florida had a huge spike in cases around Miami after spring break revelry in March. Florida is beginning to relax the shutdown across most of the state, but not in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Unlike Indiana, cases are falling in most parts of the state.

Indiana Florida Indiana 1,000 600 new cases per day 800 Florida 400 Shutdown counties 600 Rest of Indiana Shutdown counties 400 200 Rest of Florida 200 0 0 April May April May Indiana Indiana 600 new cases per day 400 Shutdown counties Rest of Indiana 200 0 April May Florida 1,000 new cases per day 800 Florida 600 Shutdown counties 400 Rest of Florida 200 0 April May Indiana Indiana 600 400 Rest of Indiana 200 Shutdown counties 0 April May Florida Florida 1,000 800 Shutdown counties 600 400 200 Rest of Florida 0 April May Note: Shutdown counties for Indiana include Cass, Lake and Marion Counties. For Florida, they include Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties.

State and local leaders shouldnt expect that their epidemics are over just because the state passed an initial peak several weeks ago. Neither should the White House, which is planning to wind down its coronavirus task force.

The nature of disease transmission demands that public officials be mindful of how outbreaks are progressing in certain areas, not just how the state looks over all. Plans to reopen premised on a steady number of cases statewide ignore the mini-epidemics keeping the numbers from dropping sharply. Monitoring epidemics on a local level are key to tailoring reopening plans that wont result in the virus spreading just as fast as in early April.

And America has a long way to go, Dr. Osterholm said, as the virus spreads to infectable hosts.

One day this peak will look relatively small compared to the activity we will see coming down the pike, he said. Thats inevitable.
China successfully launched a prototype of its next-generation manned spacecraft  without astronauts  along with a new version of its heavy-lift Long March 5 rocket on Tuesday, its space agency said.







The capsule detached from the Long March 5B rocket eight minutes after being launched from Hainan Island and it was sent into its designated orbit, state broadcaster CCTV quoted the Manned Space Engineering Office as saying.







"The trial flight was a complete success," the space agency said. "It is a prelude to the third step of China's manned space programme."







The launch marks a significant step forward for China's two big space exploration ambitions  building a space station and a mission to Mars.







A modified version of China's most powerful rocket, the Long March 5B is 53.7 metres (176 feet) tall. It carried the next-generation crew capsule prototype designed to replace the Shenzhou spacecraft, to transport astronauts to its planned space station in low-Earth orbit.







China aims to launch the core module of that space station designed for three crew members, the Tianhe, in 2021. Beijing has been planning to build its own space station for decades as an alternative to the International Space Station, from which China has been excluded by the United States over security concerns.







The prototype capsule has a different configuration to Shenzhou's and it will be able to launch and land with three astronauts on board as well as up to 500kg of cargo, according to state news agency Xinhua. That will mean it can be used to transport research specimens and hardware from the space station back to Earth.







While the Shenzhou can ferry three astronauts, the new capsule design will be able to accommodate up to six crew members and, unlike the Shenzhou, it will be capable of taking them to the moon, according to Chinese media reports.







Its systems, performance in orbit and parachute deployment are among the areas being put to the test.







The long-anticipated space station project has been delayed by problems in the development of heavy-lift rockets to carry the modules. In 2017, an oxygen supply problem caused the failure of the second Long March 5 launch, and it plunged into the Pacific Ocean shortly after take-off. But in December it successfully carried a Shijian-20 satellite into orbit, while the liquid oxygen-liquid hydrogen engines used in both the Long March 5 and 5B rockets passed testing in January.







China's other space ambitions include a Mars probe, and landing astronauts on the moon within the next decade. For the Mars mission, the unmanned orbiter and rover Tianwen-1 will be launched by the Long March 5 and it is expected to take up to seven months for the probe to reach the red planet. China would be the third country to do so  after the United States and the Soviet Union.







Zhang Kejian, head of the China National Space Administration, said China was on track to launch the mission this year, with July the likely launch date.


[May 06, 2020] Micron Waste Announces Record Date for Share Consolidation

VANCOUVER, May 6, 2020 /CNW/ - Micron Waste Technologies Inc. ("Micron" or the "Company") (CSE: MWM, OTC: MICWF, Frankfurt: 7FM2, OTCQB "MICWF"), announces that, further to its news release of April 20, 2020, the company will complete a consolidation of the authorized and issued common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares") on the basis of a one (1) post-consolidated Common Share for each two (2) pre-consolidation Common Shares (the "Consolidation"). No fractional Common Shares will be issued upon the Consolidation. In the event a holder of Common Shares would otherwise be entitled to receive a fractional Common Share in connection withthe Consolidation, the number of Common Shares to be received by such shareholder will be rounded down to the next whole number if that fractional Common Share is less than one half (1/2) of a Common Share, and will be rounded up to the next whole number of Common Shares if that fractional Common Share is equal to or greater than one half (1/2) of a Common Share.



The effective date for the Consolidation is May 12, 2020 and the record date for the Consolidation is May 13, 2020. The Company advises that the post-consolidation common shares of the Company will trade under the new CUSIP number 59511R207. The Company's name and stock symbol will remain unchanged. Registered shareholders that hold physical share certificates will receive a letter of transmittal requesting that they forward pre-consolidation common share certificates to the Company's transfer agent, Computershare Investor Services Inc., for exchange for new share certificates representing common shares on a post-consolidation basis. Shareholders who hold their shares through a broker or other intermediary and do not have shares registered in their own name will not be required to complete a letter of transmittal.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Kal Malhi" Kal Malhi,

Chairman FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS:

The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date of this press release and, except as required by applicable law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. By its very nature, such forward-looking information requires the Company to make assumptions that may not materialize or that may not be accurate. This forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, levels of activity and achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such information. SOURCE Micron Waste Technologies Inc.

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By West Kentucky Star Staff

May. 05, 2020 | FORT CAMPBELL

By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 05, 2020 | 03:51 PM | FORT CAMPBELL

Several Fort Campbell soldiers deployed to Afghanistan last week to provide medical support.



The base said in a press release that the 10 soldiers, assigned to the 212th Medical Detachment, are trained and equipped to provide behavioral health support.



In preparation for their deployment, the team conducted hours of clinical work and numerous training exercises during the preceding six months.



This team has been excited about this mission since they were notified that they were selected, said Maj. Adam Keller, commander, 212th Medical Detachment. They have trained together and developed a cohesive team eager and willing to preserve the fighting strength of our warfighters. They bring a mix of clinical and deployment experience that sets them up for success. I am fortunate to have this team in my formation and certain that they will make significant impact in a dynamic battle space like Afghanistan.



The 212th Medical Detachment is a part of the 531st Hospital Center, which has previously deployed Soldiers to aid in the effort against COVID-19.
Acting Police Commissioner McDonald Jacob has been given notice by leader of The First Wave Movement, Umar Abdullah, that there will be two more peaceful marches this month.

It comes on the heels of Abdullah being charged on Monday for leading a march around the Queens Park Savannah without permission from the acting police commissioner.
A panel of San Antonio business and community leaders shared best practices for businesses as they reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The economic transition team  named by Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff  presented their findings to a joint meeting of the San Antonio City Council and the Bexar County Commissioners Court on Tuesday.

The report expands on Gov. Greg Abbott's Open Texas plan and makes specific recommendations for various business owners, as well as organizers of events such as concerts.

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio businesses should check employee and customer temperatures, take other precautions when they reopen

"We have to get people back to working. You cant go on like were going on," Wolff said.

Here's what San Antonio residents need to know about the guidelines:

- Business owners should require the use of face coverings, enforce social-distancing, and conduct temperature checks for workers and customers.

- If workers show COVID-19 symptoms like fever, chills or severe cough, they should be sent home.

An employee diagnosed with COVID-19 may return to work only after at least three days have passed without a fever, respiratory symptoms have improved, and at least seven days have passed since symptoms first appeared.

An employee who has symptoms but does not get evaluated by a medical professional is assumed to have COVID-19. The individual must meet the above criteria before returning to work.

- Businesses should allow customers to pay with contactless options like Apple Pay whenever possible.

- Restaurants and bars should ensure parties maintain at least 6 feet distance from other parties at all times, including while waiting to be seated. A hand sanitizing station should be available upon entry to the restaurant.

Tables should not have more than six people. Each patron should receive a new, disposable menu. For buffets, employees should serve the food to customers. Contactless payment is encouraged.

- Restaurant owners should not leave condiments, plates or silverware on tables where customers arent sitting and only give customers condiments if they ask for them, per the panels report.

- Retailers are encouraged to dedicate a certain period of time each day for only at-risk customers, or deliver purchased goods to vehicles to reduce the need for at-risk customers to enter the store.

If practical, employees should monitor what items customers touch to clean or disinfect when the customer leaves the establishment.

- Movie theaters should keep at least two empty seats or 6 feet separation  between parties in any row. Every other row should be left empty.

Seats and frequently-touched areas should be disinfected between screenings.

- Organizers of events such as concerts and sporting events should provide supplies such as hand sanitizer, tissues and face coverings for workers and attendees.

- Salon workers should remove magazines and guides from their waiting areas, limit the number of chairs in waiting areas and regularly wipe down their stations with anti-bacterial wipes.

- Churches should strongly encourage at-risk populations to watch or participate in the service remotely. An area within the facility should be reserved for at-risk populations, or a service should be offered for such populations only.

Keep at least two empty seats between parties in any row. Leave every other row empty.

- Gyms should reduce class sizes and limit group exercise time to allow for sanitizing between classes. Instructors and members should wear face coverings.

Gym owners should not allow shower or locker services. Pools, saunas, and whirlpools should remain closed.

Mark Dunphy is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | mark.dunphy@express-news.net | @m_b_dunphy

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:
A police officer was rushed to hospital after he was assaulted during a traffic stop in north west London.

The driver of a car ran from police in Dartmouth Road, West Hendon around 7.12pm.

One officer approached a man in an alleyway near Park Road.

The man attacked the officer who was subjected to a 'serious assault'.

Police arrested a man on suspicion of attempted murder after an officer was attacked in West Hendon, north west London earlier this evening

The suspect has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder while the officer has been taken to hospital for treatment

Officers have secured the scene of tonight's attack on the officer in West Hendon

Scotland Yard confirmed a man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following the attack on the officer.

The officer's injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

The injured police officer is part of the Violent Crime Task Force.

A witness to the attack told MyLondonNews: 'We saw an handful of police cars/vans heading from the West Hendon Broadway towards the Welsh Harp reservoir.

'The helicopter was circling fair low for about 10-15 minutes and there were approximately 6-8 officers visible, including a dog unit.

'They were clearly looking for a suspect in the wooded area around the reservoir.'

Forensic officers have secured the scene of the attack and enquiries are continuing.
The United States is addicted to punishment, and it just might kill us. Coronavirus outbreaks in jails and prisons not only threaten one of the most vulnerable populations in the country, but also their lawyers, prison personnel, their families, and everyone else. While several countries have taken progressive, nationally coordinated action to reduce prison populations and prevent widespread infection, institutions across the U.S. continue to prioritize punishment over public health. As a result, some of the most severe COVID-19 outbreaks are occurring in U.S. jails and prisons as well as the communities that house them.

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Other countries have recognized the danger and taken far more sweeping action. I work with public defenders around the world. My colleagues constantly challenge my U.S.-based perspective and force me to broaden my understanding of justice.

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In Palestine, where the government brought the country to a screeching halt to contain COVID-19, the courts remain open for emergency hearings. Emergency in this context means that courts are occupied almost exclusively with hearings devoted to getting people released from jail and prison. Detention centers are on lockdown so lawyers cannot visit their clients, but authorities have made sure that people in detention are able to talk to their lawyers by phone. On March 23, Palestines president also took swift action to order the release of everyone who has served at least half of their prison sentence (with the exception of some convicted of major offenses).

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In Tunisia, courts also remain open for emergency matters. The courts have had difficulty reliably transporting detainees to court due to COVID-19, so defense lawyers and prosecutors worked together and successfully lobbied judges to grant release motions in absentia. Some prosecutors are even appearing in court to argue for release on behalf of unrepresented defendants because they understand that releasing people from custody is in the public interest. In March, the president pardoned more than 1,400 people.

Unfortunately, the national response that most resembles our own is that of Iran. Iran had a pre-pandemic prison population of about 189,500 in a system of facilities designed to hold fewer than 150,000, and the government failed to take meaningful action to decarcerate upon the arrival of COVID-19. Only after thousands of infections and hundreds of deaths were reported in prisons did officials take the situation seriously and release nearly 100,000 peoplefar more than have been released in the U.S.but the damage was already done.

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U.S. leaders could follow these countries lead and take any number of steps right now to reduce jail and prison populations. They could halt the arrest and prosecution of low-level offenses, expedite and expand pretrial release, and aggressively reconsider the cases of people already sentenced. Governments could also be considering whole categories of detainees for release, such as those who were arrested for not checking in with a probation officer or failing to pay a fine. Instead, cities and states around the country continue to take actions that range from haphazard to directly harmful.

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In Douglas County, Nebraska, jury trials have been suspended and lawyer visits have been banned so the only way for a person in pretrial detention to see a judge is to plead guilty without legal advice. Before being ordered to stop by a judge, prosecutors in Adams County, Colorado, attempted to proceed with a lengthy death penalty trial. Despite concerns that jurors would be at risk of infection, prosecutors pushed for a trial in an attempt to secure the ultimate punishment before Colorados new death penalty repeal bill takes effect.

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There are leaders in the U.S. who have taken positive steps. Authorities have reduced the jail population in Hennepin County, Minnesota, by 44 percent. New Jerseys chief justice ordered the release of nearly 1,000 people from county jails, and California is granting early release to 3,500 people. These disparate responses, however, are not enough. We need to make a decision as a country that we care more about the health of our communities than about the false sense of safety we derive from mass incarceration.

This crisis exposes a fundamental problem with our national mindset: We are incapable of visualizing public safety without incarceration. The proposition that the carceral system makes us safer was dubious at the best of times. Now, the calculus has changed. Overcrowded prisons and jails present imminent danger to the people inside them and the communities in which they are situated. Still, we are struggling to imagine a world where we might reduce the severity of criminal punishment, even to save thousands of lives.
Sumi Sukanya Dutta By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: As the rapid rise in COVID-19 deaths continues unabated, the Centre has again urged states to ensure early recognition and triaging of infected patients who are at high risk and need close monitoring for any worsening of their condition.

In the last 24 hours, 126 patients have died in India due to the infection and the highest fatalities were reported from Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Following a meeting with the health ministers of these two states, Union health minister Harsh Vardhan said that the rising number of COVID-19 deaths was worrisome and asked states to focus on more effective surveillance, contact tracing and early diagnosis to reduce the high fatality rate.

Proper interventions, screening and testing of Severe Acute Respiratory Infections and Influenza Like Illness cases need adequate attention as this may prevent spread of infection in other areas, said Vardhan.

Implementation of an effective containment strategy needs to be the top priority of the states to reduce the mortality rate, he added.

As per the government statistics, of the new deaths, 49 fatalities were reported from Gujarat, 34 from Maharashtra, 12 from Rajasthan, seven from West Bengal, three from Uttar Pradesh, two each from Punjab and Tamil Nadu and one each from Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh.

Overall Maharashtra tops the tally with 617 fatalities while Gujarat comes second with 368 deaths, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 176, West Bengal at 140, Rajasthan at 89, Delhi at 64, Uttar Pradesh at 56 and Andhra Pradesh at 36.

The death toll reached 33 in Tamil Nadu and 29 in Telangana, while Karnataka also has reported 29 fatalities.

Overall number of confirmed cases in the country has now reached 49,391--with 2,958 new cases detected in a day. The death toll due to the disease now stands at 1,694.

Government officials conceded that many fatalities are a result of people reporting to hospitals only after developing serious complications.

Thats why we are emphasizing on granular level epidemiological surveillance and better management of the cases in districts, another official said.

Infectious disease experts meanwhile expressed worry that the Centres strategy for the outbreak may have been problematic from the beginning -- leading to a high case load and fatalities now.

I had feared that the number of daily deaths could a massive spike at some point and thats coming true now, said Dr T Jacob John, senior virologist and professor emeritus with Christian Medical College, Vellore.

Things like not ramping up testing early enough, not making it mandatory for everyone to wear masks in public and officially not accepting that there is community transmission of the disease -- despite its evidence since mid March, which meant individuals did not have proper awareness -- were not right," said Dr John. "That could be the reason we are seeing the avalanche of new infections and deaths now, he said.
On Saturday, over 35,000 protesters gathered at the White House to call for an end to family separation and detention. The march, which had sister marches across the country, featured headliners including Lin-Manuel Miranda and America Ferrera. But I spent most of the day speaking to protesters in Lafayette Square, where the atmosphere was balanced along the seam of compassion and rage.



Ai-jen Poo, director of the National Alliance of Domestic Workers and one of the architects of the Families Belong Together campaign, told me she was moved by the day's "powerful" energy. "It's so full of love and righteous outrage at what's happening in our country," said Poo. "We are here fighting for the soul of the country, and this crowd could not be more soulful."

I grew up in Tucson, Arizona, about seventy miles from the border. It's a fragment of land that belonged to Mexico until the Gadsden Purchase in 1854, when it became the last piece of the American mainland to join the whole. I'm white, the daughter of relatively recent westward migrations. I grew up in Tucson's unique cultural mix, often a grateful witness to traditions that were not my ownwashing sticky masa from my hands in the days leading up to Christmas in a friend's kitchen, attending gatherings where mariachi music reached for the rafters.

But I also saw the racism and xenophobia that could arise even in this proximity: murmured invective, declarations that English should be the only language spoken. Tucson and the towns to the South are Arizona's liberal bubble, an island that turns blue in election years, but many of its residents live with an awareness that some in their midst would very much like them to leave.

Most weeks, local Laura Fondi visits the White House to serve the president her own kind of eviction notice. I watched on Saturday as she shouted "Get out!" before the gates, her face inches from wrought iron. Her rage is cumulative; Trump's election forced her to confront again the history of a country she thought she knew. "What's sad is the more this kind of stuff comes out, the more I learn about the history of the United States. This might be who we were," Fondi said. "Who we were might be what [Trump] wants. But I think we can be better." Related | Adult Male Immigrants Deserve Empathy, Too



Trump has characterized unauthorized immigrants from Latin American countries as belonging mainly to crime syndicates. At a recent event, he brought out photos of families "permanently separated" from loved ones by death at the hands of "criminal illegal aliens." The president autographed the photos with his spiky scrawl, remarking on one late individual's appearance: "This is Tom Selleck, except better looking." If anyone's looking to penalize irreverence for the highest office, I know where they can start. Still, Saturday wasn't about him. Not really.

Toyoko Vassil was young ("but a wee babe") when her family was incarcerated in a Japanese American internment camp in Manzanar, California. The effect on her family was profound, and she later became involved in the movement for redress in the 1980s. "This issue is real for me," Vassil said. While she was quick to add that she was never separated from her family, the brazen cruelty of the current policy resonated deeply with Vassil.

"You have to think that they really don't care," she said. "It's really a punishment. Which, you know, coming over at an illegal port is really just a misdemeanor. It doesn't warrant this." Vassil is right. Illegal entry is a misdemeanor under federal law. (Other federal misdemeanors include fraudulent use of the 4-H Club emblem, "drunkenness or neglect of duty by seamen," and the "unlawful importation of honeybees.") According to Title 8, Section 1325 of the U.S. Code, an individual's first instance of illegal entry is punishable by a fine of $50 to $250 and/or up to six months in prison. The penalties for subsequent illegal entries are double the first. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has instituted a "zero tolerance policy" in the case of illegal entry, meaning that anyone crossing the border illegally is treated, and detained, as a criminal. Many have been calling this a "zero humanity policy."

The reports from these detention centers are harrowingmany of those within sleep on the floor under foil blankets, in cages bound by chain-linked fences. For months, families were wrenched apart. In some cases, mothers were detained separately from their nursing children.

Related | How to Help Families Separated at the Border

Sabrina Stevens, my colleague at the National Women's Law Center (NWLC), knows that everything is a women's issue; these connections form the throughline of her advocacy and her writing, in and out of the office. I found her at the march with the NWLC contingent, having wisely sought a sliver of shade. Stevens described the Trump administration's approach to immigrant women as a contradictory "Byzantine nightmare."

"You have on the one hand the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), which is trying to force immigrant women to carry babies to term even if they don't want to, and then you have ICE tearing these families apart," said Stevens. "Which is it? Do you want these women to have children and to be with their children, or do you want to take children away?" It's hard to find a theme to unify the ORR's policies and ICE's other than contempt for the autonomy of immigrant women. And Poo told me that "everything that's happening at the border disproportionately affects women." For example, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has ruled that fears of gang violence and domestic violence will not count as grounds for asylum. Those who cross the border seeking refuge from abusers will still be treated as criminals.

Children play under a firehose at a "cooling station" near Farragut Square

"This kind of traumawomen are on the front lines of it," said Poo. "And women are on the front lines of trying to stop it. This entire march was pulled together by women in less than ten days, and women are out front in every small town and big city in this country today, refusing to concede that this is who we are as a country." On Friday night, as protesters put the finishing touches on their signs, the Department of Justice announced that its policy would be to detain families indefinitely while moving them through a threadbare version of the legal processalbeit together. This could result in families spending months in grimly-appointed detention centers like the one in McAllen, Texas. Poo said that such an approach is still far from humane. Related | More Than a Dozen Ice Agents Call for Its Dissolution



"We believe that it is morally atrocious and absolutely unacceptable to put families in internment camps," said Poo. "We're still talking about camps with children and families who will be traumatized for lifetimes from this kind of treatment. How did we get here, where we're putting babies in cages and families in internment camps? It's absolutely unacceptable. We know there are two main alternatives to family internment, and we're going to fight for them." Related | Separating Children from Parents Leads to a Lifetime of Toxic Stress

Gonzalo Cuervo is Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary of State of Rhode Island. He drove down to D.C. with his teenage daughter, Stephanie, whose hand-drawn sign featured her own spin on the iconic image that bobbed above countless members of the crowd: the face of a child, gazing imploringly between the bar-like stripes of the American flag. In Stephanie Cuervo's interpretation, the child holds a bouquet of roses and wears a hat with lettering that reads, "We are human." The bars have become a sunburst that radiates out to the poster's edges.

"My parents are immigrants," said Gonzalo. "And I know a lot of people who are in various stages of migration. It's really disconcerting to see how this administration is handling this for what seems to be purely political purposes." Jose and Sofia Flores carried a large sign bearing a photograph of their father, who brought his young family with him when he immigrated to the United States from Guatemala. "Through a whole lot of willpower and luck, he was able to get papers for himself and for us," said Jose. But he and his sister know that not everyone has the opportunity to find safety within such channels.

"We know the dream our father wanted for us, and he accomplished it for us," said Sofia. "I know those parents want the same. If my father hadn't been able to get papers for us, he would have done the same to get us a better life than what we had in our country."

Related | Immigrant Children Will Reportedly Appear in Court Alone

It's not enough, according to Jose, to begin recognizing the humanity of Latinx immigrants once they enter the United States. Americans must recognize that the policies that make conditions in many countries inhospitable to their citizens originated in colonialism and, later, American foreign policy. "This is a five-hundred-year problem that is not going to be fixed overnight." Jose Flores is right to highlight the historical context for family separation, and he was far from the only person I spoke to on Saturday who did so. At the center of this debate is the heightening of a fundamental American identity crisis. If we separate children from their families, if we lock them in detention centers, who are we? Is this willful tendency towards injustice a process of becoming, or a new configuration of the same cruelty at our national roots?

Dora Hughes hears the echoes of history in both family separation and the action against it. "I think back in history, how babies and children were separated from their moms in slavery, children torn away in the Holocaust, children torn away from Native Americans," said Hughes, sitting on the grass with her family. "I don't want to see a return to those devastating practices." Her young daughter, Bella, leaned towards the phone: "And ICE should be ashamed of what they're doing to families and how they're breaking each other apart." If children are the future, it's looking like the future will bring a formidable wave of activism. I'm all for it. Related | Here's Why Some People Want to Abolish Ice



With the public's attention currently trained on immigration policy, the movement to abolish the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has gained momentum. Sumouni Basu arrived at the protest wearing a white shirt inked with sharpie; on the back, "ICE" sits in a circle, struck through. Basu pointed out that ICE is fifteen years old. Like an unruly teenager, it needs to be held accountable for its actions. "[Abolishing ICE] shouldn't be a fringe position," said Soumoni. "I think when any agency isn't working, or they're out of control, there need to be some limits. There's been recent reports of people within ICE wanting to break away. I think that's a huge sign that there needs to be a shutdown and a reevaluation of what their work, if at all, needs to be."

The day grew hot, the air thick with the breath of the Potomac. The thousands gathered in Lafayette Square and elsewhere sang along to Hamilton's "Dear Theodosia," led by Lin-Manuel Miranda himself. People jostled each other, the gentle push-pull of a peaceful crowd, as speakers' voices rose to join the odd balloon severed from its ties. In the street outside Farragut Square, children played in the friendly spray of a fire truck's hose. Elsewhere in America, in cages, families waited together, criminalized. The futures they fought so hard to secure are brutally uncertain. And all for wanting to be part of us. Despite it all, so many still do.

Photography: Natalee Dawson






KENOSHA Five Carthage College undergraduates won the prestigious $10,000 Lemelson-MIT Student Prize for their work on modal propellant gauging, a real-time technology that measures fuel in space.

The Lemelson-MIT Student Prize is a nationwide search for the most inventive college students. This year, physics majors Celestine Ananda 20, Nicholas Bartel 20, Bennett Bartel 21, Taylor Peterson 21, and Cassandra Bossong 21 won the Move It undergraduate category that recognizes technology-based inventions that involve transportation or mobility.

Winning this award is really something special, especially being from a small liberal arts school from Kenosha, said Bossong. We competed nationally with schools like Harvard, MIT, Yale and so on, but we beat the odds and I am excited to see what the future holds for both the modal propellant gauging (MPG) technology and the team.

Carthages MPG invention provides accurate, real-time fuel gauging for aircraft, spacecraft, tankers and other vessels carrying sloshing liquid fuel, expanding on the original method used for spacecraft developed by their faculty advisor Kevin Crosby and colleagues at NASA. MPG uses the well-established technique of modal analysis, which uses acoustic vibration and sensors as a form of measurement.

This team took a technology that we had envisioned for spacecraft and showed that it can help solve a long-standing problem in general aviation. Fuel gauging errors plague small aircraft and are responsible for dozens of crashes each year, Crosby said. The team developed a version of MPG that can work in aircraft, which really exemplifies the spirit of innovation  the ability to see around corners and beyond the horizon. Im so inspired by their hard work and creative approach to problem-solving.

On track to be included in NASAs Artemis program, which promises to put the first woman and the next man on the moon within the next 10 years, MPG has been tested on manned parabolic flights and flown on Blue Origins New Shepard vehicle, an unmanned suborbital rocket that allows for approximately three minutes in zero gravity.

The team is in the process of negotiating patent licensing, and has plans to modify the MPG to make the technology more robust, require less power, have lower equipment costs and be easier for factories to recreate for commercial use.

The Move It Student Prize is one of eight awarded by the Lemelson-MIT program this year. Each winning team of undergraduates received $10,000, and each graduate student winner received $15,000.

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Members of the clinical staff wearing Personal Protective Equipment PPE care for a patient with coronavirus in the intensive care unit at the Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, England. Read more

ROME (AP)  From the marbled halls of Italy to the wheat fields of Kansas, health authorities are increasingly warning that the question isnt whether a second wave of coronavirus infections and deaths will hit, but when  and how badly.

In India, which relaxed its lockdown this week, health authorities scrambled Wednesday to contain an outbreak at a huge market. Hard-hit New York City shut down its subway system overnight for disinfection. Experts in Italy, which just began easing some restrictions, warned lawmakers that a new surge of infections and deaths is coming, and they urged intensified efforts to identify victims, monitor their symptoms and trace their contacts.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after meeting with the countrys 16 governors that restaurants and remaining shops will be allowed to reopen in the coming weeks but that restrictions will be reimposed if new infections hit a certain level.

There will be a second wave, but the problem is to which extent. Is it a small wave or a big wave? Its too early to say, said Olivier Schwartz, head of the virus and immunity unit at Frances Pasteur Institute. France, which hasn't yet eased its lockdown, has worked up a re-confinement plan to ready for that second wave.

Many areas are still struggling with the first wave. Brazil for the first time locked down a large city, the capital of Maranhao state. Across the ocean, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Africa has shot up 42% in the past week. Infections were expected to surpass 50,000 there on Wednesday.

An Associated Press analysis, meanwhile, found that U.S. infection rates outside the New York City area are in fact rising, notably in rural areas. It found New York's progress against the virus was overshadowing increasing infections elsewhere.

Make no mistakes: This virus is still circulating in our community, perhaps even more now than in previous weeks, said Linda Ochs, director of the Health Department in Shawnee County, Kansas.

The virus is known to have infected more than 3.6 million and killed more than 251,000 people, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins that all experts agree is an undercount because of limited testing, differences in counting the dead and concealment by some governments.

The U.S. has seen over 71,000 deaths amid its 1.2 million confirmed infections, and Europe has endured over 144,000 reported deaths.

Burying both parents at the same time? Its hard, said Desmond Tolbert, who lost his mother and father in rural Georgia. Because they had the virus, he couldnt be with them when they died.

The researchers behind a widely cited model from the University of Washington nearly doubled their projection of deaths in the U.S. to around 134,000 through early August, in large part because of the easing of state stay-at-home restrictions.

President Donald Trump, with his eye on being reelected in November, is pushing hard to ease the social-distancing orders and resuscitate the U.S. economy, which has seen over 30 million workers lose their jobs in less than two months. Though the White House had signaled Tuesday that it would begin winding down the country's coronavirus task force, Trump tweeted Wednesday that it would continue indefinitely with its focus on SAFETY & OPENING UP OUR COUNTRY AGAIN.

Underscoring those economic concerns, the European Union predicted the worst recession in its quarter-century history, and the U.S. unemployment rate for April, which comes out Friday, is expected to hit a startling 16 percent, a level last seen during the Great Depression of the 1930s.

A century ago, the Spanish flu epidemics second wave was far deadlier than its first, in part because authorities allowed mass gatherings from Philadelphia to San Francisco.

As Italys lockdown eased this week, Dr. Silvio Brusaferro, president of the Superior Institute of Health, urged a huge investment of resources to train medical personnel to monitor possible new cases. He said tracing apps  which are being built by dozens of countries and companies  arent enough to manage future waves of infection.

We are not out of the epidemic. We are still in it. I dont want people to think theres no more risk and we go back to normal, said Dr. Giovanni Rezza, head of the institutes infectious-disease department.

Lothar Wieler, head of Germany's national disease control center, said scientists know with great certainty that there will be a second wave" of infections but said Germany is well-prepared to deal with it. The country has been hailed for testing widely and has had one-fourth the number of deaths in Italy or Britain, which have smaller populations.

Britain has begun recruiting 18,000 people to trace contacts of those infected. British officials acknowledge that they should have done more testing and tracing earlier and could learn from South Korea, which brought its outbreak under control by rigorously testing, tracing and isolating infected people.

South Africa, which has years of experience tracking HIV and other infections, has more than 30,000 experienced community tracers at work. Turkey has 5,800 teams of contact tracers who have tracked down and tested nearly half a million people.

 FAQ: Your coronavirus questions, answered.

India was concentrated on the immediate drama around the market in the southern city of Chennai, which is now tied to at least 1,000 virus cases. An additional 7,000 people connected to the now-shuttered Koyambedu market are being traced and quarantined. Experts are worried about a health catastrophe in a country of 1.3 billion people with an already stressed medical system.

New confirmed daily infections in the U.S. exceed 20,000, and deaths per day are well over 1,000, according to the Johns Hopkins tally. And public health officials warn that the failure to lower the infection rate could lead to many more deaths  perhaps tens of thousands  as people venture out and businesses reopen.

The faster we reopen, the lower the economic cost  but the higher the human cost, because the more lives lost, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo sai d. That, my friends, is the decision we are really making.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned on CNN that some states may be reopening too quickly.

My message to the rest of the country is learn from how much effort, how much discipline it took to finally bring these numbers down and follow the same path until youre sure that its being beaten back," he said, or else if this thing boomerangs, youre putting off any kind of restart or recovery a hell of a lot longer.

Trump acknowledged the toll but argued that keeping the U.S. economy closed carries deadly costs of its own, such as drug abuse and suicides.

Im not saying anything is perfect, and yes, will some people be affected? Yes. Will some people be affected badly? Yes. But we have to get our country open and we have to get it open soon, he said during a visit to Arizona in which he did not wear a face mask.

___

Charlton reported from Paris and Blake from Bangkok. Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report.
NHLANGANO  Hordes still do not know where their next meal will be coming from, despite assurance by the NDMA that free food will be distributed.



This is particularly because of allegations that some residents of certain communities have been made to pay with their toil and sweat for inclusion on the list of beneficiaries for the free food to be distributed among communities hard hit by hunger.



Following the disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak, government, with the aid of donors, has come up with a plan to meet halfway thousands of citizens who have been left frustrated without employment, money and food to eat.

Over 300 000 people have been earmarked by government to benefit from the food relief aid.



However, cracks have begun to emerge in the envisaged distribution, after some politicians threatened to hijack the whole process while others started to fight among themselves on who should be identifying the needy and vulnerable beneficiaries.



Astonished



This somehow left government astonished and fumbling how it intended to run the identification of people to benefit from the food aid. The intention was to run the process in a smooth way, which could not disadvantage the same targeted citizens. Most communities reportedly left the identification process to constituency councillors (bucopho), with the assistance of either local rural health motivators or volunteers from humanitarian organisations who have already been in the business of distributing food.



Even then, the system has been susceptible to exploitation by those trusted community members. It has transpired that some unscrupulous individuals have seen a business opportunity in the identification process, turning the whole thing into some kind of a franchise for selling what is meant to be free food.



Residents in one area around the Shiselweni Region for instance, have accused some people of forcing them to fork out an upfront payment of E50, in order to secure space on the list earmarked for the free food to be distributed by the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) to keep hunger at bay during the coronavirus lockdown period.



Unfortunately, it was reported that in most cases they do so without caring where the targeted individuals would be getting that kind of money from, and as a result people are complaining that a lot of deserving folks have been left out of the list simply because they did not have the money to pay. A concerned resident said the community was getting worried because it was the hungriest of residents who were being left out of the beneficiaries list.



I know of some families who have no cash and nothing to eat. They were left out after they could not pay the required money, disclosed a resident.



Allegations



The areas constituency councillor did not want to commit on the allegations about people being made to pay in order to be included on the list of beneficiaries, when approached by this publication yesterday.



Let me choose to be neutral because I was not directly involved in that exercise, but I havent heard anything about it, he said.

However, he confirmed that the identification exercise left out dozens of hungry residents.



He conceded though that the people involved faced challenges getting some of the needy community members on board because they were only limited to a certain figure.



So far, I have only received information that some people had to be deleted from the list because there were more deserving individuals. We noted that there are those people who are hungry because of the disruption caused by the coronavirus outbreak, who otherwise under normal circumstances afford to get themselves some food. Then there are those who just do not have any means of survival, because they are either disabled or unemployed.



Priority



I gathered that priority was given to the latter group but some of them were still left out, explained the constituency councillor.

The concerned bucopho lamented the fact that some households were left with virtually nothing to eat. He said even the few who had money could not buy the food because it was difficult to get to town to make the necessary purchases.



The local shops have only empty shelves to offer. People who manage to get to town also pay high fares, and end up getting little food supplies, he said.



This publication also gathered that the issue of the food aid has become a divisive one in the community, with people suspecting there could be misappropriation of the food when it was eventually delivered.



It is difficult to talk about the food issue because we are not certain who will eventually get the assistance. I am sad to say government is being prevented from feeding the hungriest in the community because some people are manipulating the system, complained another resident.



When approached for comment, NDMA Communications Manager Wandile Mavuso said his office was yet to receive the complaints relating to the beneficiaries identification process.



We havent received any of such reports yet. What we know is that there was an ongoing identification process but no one, so far, has come up to complain, he said.
Nelly Amenyogbe and Tobias Kollmann, Telethon Kids lnstitute Credit: Telethon Kids Institute

An international research team has identified the mechanism behind one of science's most enduring mysteries: what makes the 100-year-old tuberculosis (TB) vaccine so effective at preventing newborn deaths from diseases other than TB?

The ability of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)one of the oldest, safest and cheapest vaccines availableto provide protection to newborns beyond its intended purpose of fighting off TB has been known since at least the 1940s, but until now no one has been able to explain why or show how it works.

In a new study, published today in Science Translational Medicine, researchers reveal how they identified a dramatic and rapid increase in neutrophilswhite blood cells that patrol the body and destroy invading bacterial pathogensin mice and babies within three days of BCG vaccination.

The five-year study is the first to demonstrate the beneficial mechanism triggered by administration of BCG in newborns. It involved researchers from around the world, including senior co-authors Dr. Tobias Kollmann, an affiliate professor in the UBC department of paediatrics, and Dr. Nelly Amenyogbe, a graduate of UBC's experimental medicine program. The study's lead author Byron Brook, a UBC Ph.D. candidate in experimental medicine based at the Kollmann Lab at BC Children's Hospital Research Institute in Vancouver.

"It's been known for a very long time that neutrophils play a very important role in managing sepsis, but until now nobody understood the role of BCG in initiating this critical process," said Amenyogbe. "It was actually thought to be biologically implausible, however we've not only shown how BCG is involved, but that it kicks off this process almost instantly following vaccinationfar more quickly than anticipated."

The researchers first witnessed the phenomenonknown as emergency granulopoiesis (EG)in mice, with the team later validating it in blood samples from newborn babies in West Africa and Papua New Guinea.

Credit: University of British Columbia

Kollmann, who also heads up the Systems Vaccinology team at Telethon Kids Institute (TKI) in Australia in partnership with the Perth Children's Hospital Foundation, said the findings reinforce how critical it is for newborns in low-resource settings to receive BCG immediately after birth. Kollmann was previously the head of the paediatric division of infectious diseases at UBC before relocating to Australia.

"Less than half the babies who should get this vaccine right after birth actually get it then, partly because of logistics and partly because TB is not seen as a huge risk in those first few weeks. Administration is often delayed to four to six weeks, but by then it's too late for many newborns," said Kollmann, also an affiliate investigator at BC Children's Hospital in Vancouver. "Around half of all newborn deaths from infection happen in the first week of life, with about 75 per cent of those deaths caused by sepsis. Given BCG's clear role in helping newborns to fight off sepsis, we could save the lives of close to a million newborns every year if they were given this vaccine within days of birth instead of weeks later."

Brook, the study's lead author, added: "If every newborn was vaccinated with BCG, the greatest impact would be in regions of highest newborn mortality, specifically low- and middle-income countries. It could also help save newborns here in Canada, and represents a new strategy of how to get more benefit from existing vaccines."

The researchers cautioned that while the effect was rapid and offered robust protection against newborn sepsis, it was relatively short-lived and did not occur in adult mice.

Kollmann and Amenyogbe are also involved in Australia's BRACE trial, which is testing BCG's potential to fight off COVID-19. Kollmann said whether BCG may or may not be protective against COVID-19 remains to be seen, but in the meantime, its real and proven potential to save the lives of vulnerable newborns had to be maximized.

"BCG is very, very safe, costs only a few cents per dose, and reduces infectious causes of mortalitynot just tuberculosisin newborns by almost 50 per cent," Kollmann said. "There's nothing that we have in our entire current medical arsenal that is as effective, cheap, safe, feasible and affordable as this vaccine. All we have to do is ensure all newborns at risk get it right away at birth."

Explore further Newborns infected with COVID-19 in China experienced mild symptoms

More information: BCG vaccinationinduced emergency granulopoiesis provides rapid protection from neonatal sepsis," Science Translational Medicine (2020). Journal information: Science Translational Medicine BCG vaccinationinduced emergency granulopoiesis provides rapid protection from neonatal sepsis,"(2020). stm.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/  scitranslmed.aax4517
A man killed during at incident at a village supermarket in Wales has been named as an 88-year-old church warden who was the "definition of a good man".

John Rees was waiting outside the Co-op in Tylacelyn Road, Pen Y Graig, where he had been shopping with his wife, when he was attacked.

Another man is said to be in a stable condition at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, while two other people have non-life threatening injuries.

Officers arrested a 29-year-old woman on suspicion of murder and took her to Merthyr Tydifil police station. They said they are not looking for any other suspects.

A forensic officer at the scene in Rhondda (PA ) / PA

Police have not confirmed details of the attack but it has been reported that Mr Rees was stabbed.

Mr Rees family today paid tribute to him, saying: John was the very definition of a good man, extremely respected and liked in the community.

He was proud of his family, proud to be a Welshman and devoted to All Saints Church. We will all miss him terribly.

A family friend told the Daily Mail that Mr Rees was a "pillar of the community".

"He was known to everyone around here as Uncle John, he was that sort of man," he said.

"He was a church warden and never had a bad word to say about anyone. He was the perfect gentleman."

Mr Rees from Trealaw, in Tonypandy, worked for the South Wales Electricity Board before he retired.

Police were called shortly after 1.45pm on Tuesday to the incident at a shop on Tylacelyn Road, Pen Y Graig.

The South Wales police force has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, but did not say why.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark OShea of South Wales Polices Major Crime Investigations Team said: This is a very tragic incident and we are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the matter.

Our sympathies are with Mr Rees family at this very distressing time for them and they are being supported by specially trained officers.

This incident has understandably caused a lot of shock in the local community and I want to reassure residents that a full investigation is underway.

Speaking on Tuesday, Leanne Wood, Plaid Cymru Assembly Member for Rhondda, said: This is the shop that is my local grocery shop, its the shop that my family use to do most of our shopping in.

I know the staff there, I know most of the regular shoppers there and its a high street that is different to no other in Wales.

Its really shocking news. My heartfelt sympathy goes to all of those who are affected, all of those who have been harmed by the incident and their extended families.

My thoughts are with the staff in the Co-op as well who must have been traumatised by events there this afternoon.

South Wales Police is appealing to any witnesses who have not yet come forward to contact them on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 quoting reference 2000153856.
After gaining sweet fruits for years, giant beer and beverage companies in Vietnam are facing losses due to not only the ongoing health crisis, but also tightened drink-driving penalties.

The question remains unknown as to how they get back on a level pegging.

New drink-driving regulations were already beginning to change customer habits before the pandemic

The dual pressures of COVID-19 and Decree No.100/2019/ND-CP enacted last December on administrative penalties for road traffic offences and rail transport offences have forced beer manufacturers to cut 30-70 per cent of their target profits this year. The situation has prompted the Vietnam Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Association to send a document to the prime minister and related ministries in opposition to the new decree in particular.

Well-known drinks companies in Vietnam are experiencing stormy waters. In December 2017, ThaiBev used $4.78 billion to acquired 343.62 million shares, equivalent to 53.59 per cent of Vietnams leading brewer Saigon Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Corporation (Sabeco) at the unit price of VND320,000 (nearly $14). However, only two years afterwards the Thai company has seen nearly half of its investment in Sabeco eroded amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and stricter regulations outlining sanctions for drink-driving. Last week, Sabecos share was showing a slight recovery at VND180,000 ($7.80) per unit in the stock market.

Some Sabeco members have published their financial statements for the first quarter. Among them, Saigon-Central Beer JSC decreased by 33 per cent to VND237 billion ($10.3 million), while gross profits fell by nearly half to VND41 billion ($1.8 million). Profit after tax in the period was only VND19 billion ($826,000), down 54 per cent on-year.

Another of its members, Saigon-Phu Tho Beer JSC, saw revenues drop from VND154 billion ($6.7 million) to VND27 billion ($1.2 million), down 82 per cent on-year, even with a combined loss of over VND3 billion (over $130,400) for the first quarter. The after-tax loss of Saigon-Phu Tho is nearly VND7 billion ($300,000), while it posted a profit of VND14 billion ($600,000) in the same time last year.

The dual pressures are likely to crash Sabecos profits this year. In 2019, it recorded a total net revenue of VND37.89 trillion ($1.65 billion) and after-tax profit and minority interests of VND5.1 trillion ($221.74 million).

But 2020 promises to be a different kettle of fish. Sabecos net sales reduced by 47 per cent on-year in the first quarter, explained by the unexpected coronavirus crisis.

Katsuhiko Usui, general director of Sapporo Vietnam, told VIR, We believe that after loosening social distancing solutions, the market will quickly restart, especially in the fields of retail, manufacturing, and trading of food and beverages, as well as the restaurant business. However, a full recovery of the domestic market will take some more time.

Regarding business targets this year, it will be difficult for Sapporo to achieve any sales targets. However, we will make efforts in improving work efficiency and cutting costs in order to maintain profit targets.

Usui added the domestic segment is embarking on revival activities after COVID-19 by engaging and accompanying with each customer, giving them the best value even in difficult circumstances.

Usui said the restaurant business could be quite quick to recover. However, there is also an economic refinement, whereby inefficient business units will find it hard to maintain business operations in the coming period, leading to bankruptcy or having to adjust their business models, he added.

Hanoi Alcohol Beer and Beverage Company (Habeco) is in the same boat as other beer groups, although its financial report for first quarter has not been released so far.

Meanwhile Bloomberg quoted that HEINEKEN, a major foreign beer brand in Vietnam, has fallen as much as 4.6 per cent in sales since July last year.

An industry insider said that while COVID-19 and Decree 100 are affecting the sales volume of the whole industry, small brands will actually be affected more.

Bao Viet Securities (BVSC) reported that 2020 will be a challenging year for Sabeco, with the two main sources of headwinds set to remain Decree 100 and the pandemic outbreak that have slowed down beer and alcohol consumption in Vietnam. BVSC has drawn up five scenarios for business results in 2020, it said, but revenues will likely decrease.

The situation of the beer industry and Sabeco in particular could be negative for the next couple of years. Specifically, beer sales volume in 2020 may dip by 20-25 per cent on-year, and the beer selling price will decrease by 5-10 per cent on-year due to the supply-demand regulation of the market.

Sabeco delayed its shareholders annual general stakeholder meeting and no new date is yet forthcoming. But even after COVID-19 subsides, the group will continue to face difficulties.

To cope with challenges, Sapporo Vietnam plans to invest in additional machinery and equipment to improve production capacity to meet the demand, especially for Sapporos popular premium draft beer. Meanwhile, Sabeco could ease the burden on its cash flow by not having to fully pay tax penalties and late interest payments of up to VND 3.14 trillion ($136 million) that was imposed on the group in 2019, after long discussions have been held between Sabeco and tax agencies.

According to Decree No.100/2019/ND-CP, drunk car drivers shall be fined between VND6-40 million ($260-1,750) instead of the previous fine of about VND19 million ($825) if tests show that alcohol content exceeds 80mg per 100ml of blood or 0.4mg per litre of breath. Additionally, their licences shall be revoked for 22-24 months compared to just four or six months previously. Meanwhile, drunk motorcyclists shall be imposed fines of VND2-8 million ($85-350), and their licences shall be suspended for 22-24 months if tests confirm alcohol content in blood or breath. Drunk cyclists shall be fined up to VND600,000 ($26). VIR

Phuong Thu

The competition in the drinks and snacks market Reports all show the great potential of the Vietnamese drinks and snacks market.
Lehigh County officials announced Tuesday night a new one-stop information center offering updates on the fight against COVID-19.

Its online at lehigh-county-covid-19-response-lehighgis.hub.arcgis.com and includes locations within the county where people can get tested for the coronavirus illness, once they have clearance from a physician. The Lehigh Valley and St. Lukes University health network testing locations are as follows, according to a news release from Lehigh County:

501 Cetronia Road, South Whitehall Township.

6451 Village Lane, Lower Macungie Township.

1730 Chew St., Allentown.

301 N. Fourth St., Allentown.

2741 MacArthur Road, Whitehall Township.

2604 Schoenersville Road, Bethlehem.

Thats in addition to the two health networks six emergency departments in the county that provide COVID-19 testing, according to the release: Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Salisbury Township; Lehigh Valley Hospital-17th and Chew in Allentown; Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg in Bethlehem; St. Lukes University Hospital in Fountain Hill; St. Lukes Sacred Heart Hospital in Allentown and St. Lukes Hospital-Allentown.

Lehigh County says it is currently working on applying for more testing locations. Northampton County on Wednesday is launching drive-up coronavirus testing that will not require a prescription from a doctor, outside Easton Hospital in Wilson Borough.

Lehigh Countys new COVID-19 information hub is similar to location-specific data centers offered by Allentown at coronavirus-response-allentownpa.hub.arcgis.com; Bethlehem at bethlehem-pa.maps.arcgis.com and Northampton County at northampton.maps.arcgis.com.

Warren County releases updated COVID-19 data reports Tuesdays and Fridays at co.warren.nj.us.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.
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Linkedin Robert Blake (The Jakarta Post) Washington, DC  Wed, May 6, 2020 16:10 622 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd65d49a 3 Opinion ease-of-doing-business,bureaucracy-reform,digital-tax,tax-reform,foreign-investment,business Free

The coronavirus crisis already has had far-reaching and devastating impacts on the global economy and international business. Corporate profits have nosedived, and most experts predict it will be at least a year before the situation stabilizes sufficiently to resume normal business activity. Even then, company investments will take longer to recover, and CEOs will be looking to capitalize on only the very best opportunities.

Indonesias digital economy, which was already on an upward trajectory before the crisis, is likely to play a pivotal role in Indonesias own recovery from the virus. As Southeast Asias fastest growing and largest digital economy with the potential to reach US$133 billion in value by 2025, the Indonesian digital economy will be a key driver of jobs and economic growth. In charting a path toward economic recovery, Indonesia has sought to improve its investment climate by benchmarking its tax and other policies with those of its competitors.

Like many countries in the Asia Pacific, Indonesia is involved in negotiations at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to achieve international consensus on tax challenges arising from the digitalization of the economy, so that corporate income taxes are rebalanced toward countries where products and services are consumed. The OECD hopes to reach a consensus by the end of 2020.

By harmonizing its national approach with the global consensus, Indonesia can ensure that its tax regime follows international best practices, while collecting additional tax revenues. This will strengthen Indonesias attractiveness as a destination for foreign investment across industries, given that almost all multinational companies use data, computers and internet connectivity to power their products and services.

Together with improvements on ease of doing business and cutting bureaucratic red tape, a harmonized tax regime will amply serve President Jokowi in achieving his vision to boost job creation and attract new foreign investment. Such reform efforts are even more urgent in the post-coronavirus climate, where countries will be locked in fierce competition for a more limited pool of foreign direct investments. Ensuring that its tax regime is aligned with international best practices will be critical to helping Indonesia attract these investment dollars.

Since many of the multinational companies in this space are based in the US, an international tax regime that adheres to international standards will also boost US-Indonesian ties. Before the COVID-19 crisis, we saw welcome momentum in our relations. President Donald Trump had been ready to welcome President Joko Jokowi Widodo for a bilateral visit to Washington, and the CEO of the new US Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Adam Boehler, had signaled the DFCs commitment to invest up to $5 billion to support new US projects in Indonesia. Indonesias energy and infrastructure sectors appear poised to be early beneficiaries of this cooperation.

Americas technology companies likewise are optimistic about long-term prospects in Indonesia. Google, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft are expanding their investment in Indonesia, both through infrastructure and digital skilling initiatives, a strong signal of their confidence in future market opportunities in Indonesia.

A new tax targeted only toward the digital sector could undermine such investment plans and potentially risk US retaliation. Many would recall the US move to impose tariffs on French products in response to Frances discriminatory digital services tax which was targeted at US tech firms. Moving ahead of the OECD international consensus by imposing unilateral tax rules which would disproportionately impact US tech firms would likely invite similar retaliatory action. This would be counterproductive to Indonesias

economic recovery efforts and would hurt Indonesian businesses and SMEs seeking to access the US market.

The way forward, then, is to keep Indonesias tax reforms in line with the emerging OECD consensus so Indonesia will be able to sustain its position as the fastest growing digital economy in Asia, maintain good momentum in its relations with the US, compete successfully with its ASEAN and other competitors to attract new investment once the COVID-19 crisis subsides, and leverage that investment to create new digital economy and other jobs to sustain Indonesias recovery.

***

United States ambassador to Indonesia from 2013 to 2016, now senior director at McLarty Associates, a global consultancy

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
Alternative assessments to this year's Leaving Cert exams are still being considered by the Department of Education.

While a decision has yet to be reached, here are some methods that could be in the running should the exams not go-ahead as planned.

Predicted grades: A predicted grade is the grade or qualification a school believes a student is likely to achieve. Thats how it's defined by UCAS, the UK entry system to thirdlevel education.

Teachers here would be somewhat familiar with it as these grades are given to any student who wishes to apply to the UCAS system.

This year in lieu of exams, UK students will receive a final grade predicted by their school in each of their subjects.

Results will then be compared centrally to take account the fact that some schools may be too generous or too severe with their markings.

Hypothetically speaking in a Leaving Cert context, this could take into account a students mock exam results, as well as their performance throughout the Senior Cycle. However, in the UK predicted grades form just one portion of a student's entry to third level.

Students are also asked to write personal statements and supply a written reference. Most courses also require an interview.

Questions have also been raised over the fairness of predicted grades, and how they would be corrected.

Expected grades: This is an alternative that has been discussed amongst principals.

Thats according to Sharon McGrath, a principal who floated the idea on Today with Sean O'Rourke.

An expected grade would be based on the data that all schools hold on each students grades, and how each individual school has performed.

It could also involve widening out the grades to bands, for example between 85% and 100%, or between 60% and 80%. It would also involve co-operation with the Central Applications Office (CAO).

A matriculation-style exam: This is currently proposed by the National Parents' Council Post Primary (NCP-PP).

It would brings the third-level colleges into the process and could involve interviews for specific courses.

The option of sitting an exam at a later date if all else fails: This proposes that whatever alternative assessment method is brought in, students could opt to sit an exam if they are not happy with their final results.
China called on the US not to use the threat of tariffs as a weapon after President Donald Trump threatened to introduce additional tariffs on Chinese imports because of the coronavirus pandemic, Reuters reported.

Tariffs, in general, hurt all parties involved, Chinese MFA spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters.

So the United States should stop thinking it can use tariffs as a weapon and a big stick to coerce other countries, she said.

Trump said earlier that he considers it possible to increase tariffs on Chinese imports amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chunying urged the US not to try to divert attention from their mismanagement of COVID-19 pandemic by shifting blame onto China.

What has the U.S. done in the past few months? How did it allow the outbreak to develop to the stage today? Is this how a government should be responsible to its people? she asked. The most urgent task is to control the outbreak in the U.S. and to save as many lives as possible ... Saving lives should take precedence over political self-interest, she said.

According to her, China has taken swift action such as notifying the WHO and countries including the US about the coronavirus on January 3.

Hua said accusations that China deliberately spread the virus were baseless.
Without wearing a face-covering himself, President Donald Trump toured a new medical mask factory in Arizona on Tuesday, taking a rare trip out of Washington to visit a state he hopes to win in the November election even as Americans avoid travel to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

As Trump toured the plant in Phoenix, his visit through was accompanied by a head-scratching musical soundtrack: the Paul McCartney-penned Live and Let Die, as performed by Guns 'N Roses.

In a tweet, Jimmy Kimmel noted: "I can think of no better metaphor for this presidency than Donald Trump not wearing a face mask to a face mask factory while the song 'Live and Let Die' blares in the background."

Coronavirus in the United States110

I can think of no better metaphor for this presidency than Donald Trump not wearing a face mask to a face mask factory while the song "Live and Let Die" blares in the background. pic.twitter.com/mJzU1HW7HA - Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) May 5, 2020

Needless to say, it wasn't just Kimmel confounded by the scene.

"Live and Let Die." That's the song that Trump had pumped into the mask factory during his visit. Seriously. Like, seriously.pic.twitter.com/zidsZhfxmu - Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) May 6, 2020

Whoever played Live And Let Die whilst Trump was visiting a mask factory today is a twisted genius pic.twitter.com/NZqggBXeMp - Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) May 5, 2020

Whoever had the balls to play Live and Let Die while Trump toured the mask factory can deejay any party I ever have for the rest of my life. https://t.co/PQv6gT5p5F - Bryan Behar (@bryanbehar) May 6, 2020

Trump was in Phoenix to visit a Honeywell International Inc factory, which is making N95 face masks for healthcare workers. The facility was rushed into service in less than five weeks because of a shortage of the protective equipment and is producing face masks for the US Department of Health and Human Services.

The president wore safety goggles during the factory tour but did not wear a mask, even though production workers at the facility did and a sign was visible that read: "Attention: Face Mask Required in this Area. Thank You!"
Hurling legend Tommy Walsh is encouraging people to come together, but remain apart by getting up at 5.30am on Saturday morning to see the sunrise and show their support for the Darkness Into Light campaign which funds Pieta.

Im honoured to be an ambassador for the Darkness Into Light Sunrise Appeal. I encourage everyone to get out of bed at 5:30am and wear yellow to show support to those struggling with their mental health. As the restrictions in Ireland continue, the role that Pieta plays in the lives of its service users is becoming increasingly more important as many people continue to feel alone and isolated in quarantine. It is vital that we support them so that they can keep their centres open and continue to provide their essential services, said Tommy.

It was expected that over 250,000 people would come together on every continent to walk together, highlighting the fight against suicide and self-harm. Darkness Into Light, proudly supported by Electric Ireland is the main annual source of funding for Pieta. However, due to the ongoing global pandemic, COVID-19, Pieta together with Electric Ireland have had to revise how the public can support it.

Recent research revealed that 1 in 5 Irish people are suffering from depression*. And the need for Pieta's lifesaving services has never been greater as COVID-19 impacts not only on the nation's physical health but its mental health too.

Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 the public need for Pietas services was on the increase, with calls to Pietas helpline up 49% year on year while text messages to Pieta had increased by 46%. The funds raised from Darkness into Light help to keep Pieta centres open, offering free therapy, the 24/7 Helpline line, and education and bereavement counselling for people in need of support. In 2018, over 8,000 clients were supported with face to face therapy by Pieta experts. Since 2006, over 40,000 people received support from intervention and bereavement counselling services.

Elaine Austin, CEO of Pieta said: As a result of Covid-19, our helpline has seen an increase in calls from people all over the country who are in crisis right now with many others presenting with high anxiety. Funding from the public has never been more vital to keep Pietas door open. This will help fund our services, ensuring we can continue to support those in their darkest hours and to keep delivering our one-to-one counselling. While we are devastated that we wont come together physically on May 9th, we will share a special moment of togetherness by getting up at 5:30am and watching the sunrise. We would also appreciate if people can wear yellow or a previous years t-shirt that day to show support for those impacted by suicide.

Marguerite Sayers, Executive Director, Electric Ireland, said: At Electric Ireland we believe that when people rally together, we can achieve anything. We have been committed to supporting Pieta through the Darkness Into Light event for the last seven years. Given the unprecedented challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, now more than ever, we are conscious of the importance of caring for peoples mental health and the urgent need to support Pietas vital work. We are appealing to people all over Ireland to come together, while remaining apart, and support this urgent appeal to ensure that Pieta, who are on the frontline of suicide prevention, can continue saving lives.

80% of Pieta funds come from the general public and these funds have been greatly impacted due to social distancing restrictions. Just 20 can fund two life-saving calls to those who are in crisis. Join the conversation online using the hashtags #DIL2020 #DILSunriseAppeal and make a life-saving donation at www.darknessintolight.ie
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Migrant labourers from Madhya Pradesh are being lugged and herded in trucks from Gujarats economic capital Surat and being sent home on fake passes without any health screening.

Several trucks lugging and herding migrants returning from Gujarat have been coming to Satna district of Madhya Pradesh since last three four days.

But the passes on the basis of which these trucks are being sent to MPs Satna district from Surat seem to be fake, as all these passes bear the seal of the same office, but with different signatures.

The development has made the Satna district administration to strongly believe that some organized syndicate in Gujarat could be behind lugging these migrant labourers.

According to Satna district collector Ajay Katesaria, Migrant labourers hailing from our district have returned in two phases, around 16,000 to 17,000 returned before the lockdown started and the second lot is returning now from Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat. But the migrants returning in trucks and mini-trucks are posing problem for us, particularly as each truck is containing 60-70 migrants and their kin, in flagrant violation of social distancing norms.

Another problem with the migrants returning on trucks from Surat is that the passes issued appeared to be fake. The passes have been issued from SDM Office, but each pass bears different signatures.

Also, there is no distinctive serial number on any of these passes and neither there is E-record of these passes, making us strongly believe that these passes havent been issued by any government office in Surat, but instead are the handiwork of some organised racket indulgent in making fake passes, the Satna district collector maintained.

Weve impounded some trucks coming from Surat and have directed the police to register cases against the drivers and truckers, he added.According to the migrant labourers who returned to Satna recently by these trucks from Surat, each passenger on the truck had to pay Rs 3000 to Rs 4000 for boarding these trucks.
One person was arrested in Manipur



on Wednesday allegedly for spreading fake about COVID-19 on social media, police said.

The accused, in a Facebook post, claimed that a COVID-19 case was reported in Khwairamband Keithel area in the heart of the city, leading to panic among the people, a police officer said.

Many people closed their shops in the area and customers rushed to their homes after the spread, he said.

"One person was arrested for spreading fake that created panic among the people," Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) L Kailun told PTI.

A case has been registered against the accused with Imphal police station, the ADGP added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Haryana reported one more coronavirus death on Wednesday as the number of people testing positive for the infection rose to 594 with 46 fresh cases.

So far, the virus has claimed seven lives in the state.

The latest victim of the infection is a 25-year-old Panipat man who died on Monday. His test report came on Wednesday, confirming him to be coronavirus case, officials said.

Of the fresh 46 cases, 20 were reported from Gurgaon, a district adjoining Delhi and part of the National Capital Region (NCR).

The state government had recently closed its border with Delhi, maintaining that a spurt in cases has been witnessed in the districts bordering the national capital.

In the past four days, Haryana has reported more than 200 cases, including 75 on Monday.

Gurgaon is the first district in the state which has crossed the 100-mark. The district has so far reported 104 cases, 53 of which are active.

Other districts falling in the NCR also reported fresh cases.

While three cases were reported from Sonipat; two from Faridabad; six from Jhajjar; and five from Panipat, a Health Department bulletin said.

Karnal also reported five cases while one patient was detected in Jind.

Ambala reported four cases, all of whom were pilgrims who recently returned from Maharashtra's Nanded, officials said.

The bulletin said the total number of active cases in the state is 327 while 260 people have been discharged from hospital after treatment.

Haryana's recovery rate, which had been one of the best in the country, has now dropped from 72 per cent to 43.77 cent.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hamilton public health reported just two new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday and a hospice resident has recovered from the virus.

Hamiltons total number of confirmed cases hit 453 Tuesday, up from 451 on Monday.

Several outbreaks in the city have ended in recent days, including at Wesley Supportive Housing, where four residents and four staff had tested positive; Cardinal Retirement Residence, where 47 residents and 18 staff tested positive; and Good Shepherds Emmanuel House hospice, where three residents and six staff tested positive and two residents died.

Outbreaks are ongoing at 12 locations, including four long-term care homes.

Here's how Hamilton's COVID-19 cases break down The first case was announced March 11. 460 Total confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases 129 Linked to community spread 21 COVID-19 deaths 297 Resolved cases 59 Hospitalizations Source: Source: Hamilton Public Health. Numbers as of May 6.

At Emmanuel House, operated by Good Shepherd, there was more good news this week: one resident who tested positive in April has recovered and the hospice no longer plans to temporarily shut down.

Weve come through the other side, said a relieved Alan Whittle, spokesperson for Good Shepherd.

When public health first declared the outbreak on April 16, Good Shepherd said that when the two remaining residents die, the hospice would shut down to allow infected staff time to recover and to do a thorough clean.

Now, nearly three weeks later, the 10-bed hospice is no longer shutting down. In fact, theyll be admitting new residents in the coming weeks. Two residents are still living at the hospice.

Whittle expressed sadness over the two deaths of COVID-positive residents. A 67-year-old man died April 15 and an 86-year-old woman died April 17.

Its not known if COVID caused their deaths, though they are included in the citys COVID death total, standing at 21.

Public health is quick to point out to us that that doesnt meant they died from COVID, especially in their circumstances, Whittle said. They were in the hospice for a reason.

Hamilton public health, meanwhile, says theyve tested 2,585 residents and staff at long-term care homes as of May 3. As per a provincial directive, everyone in long-term care homes must be tested. Hamilton has 27 long-term care homes with a total of nearly 8,000 residents and staff.

Of the 32 COVID-positive cases in six Hamilton long-term care homes, 13 cases have recovered. Six residents have died.

Also Tuesday, Premier Doug Ford scolded 17 of the provinces 34 medical officers of health for not conducting enough COVID-19 testing

I dont know what the big problem is, Ford said at his daily Queens Park briefing. They have to pick their socks up.

On Sunday, the province hit a record 17,000-plus tests but that number dropped to 10,650 on Tuesday. Ford has routinely criticized the provinces testing rates, which were the lowest in the country in early April. He set a goal for the province to test 16,000 people a day by early May.

He did not name the health units of which he was being critical. They know who they are, Ford said.

In a subsequent briefing, Dr. David Williams, Ontarios chief medical officer of health, said some local health units have told him there are issues with data entry, access to swabs and issues with sending in samples.

Ford also addressed the increasingly divisive issue of municipalities telling cottagers to stay away. Most recently, the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit forbade cottagers from visiting vacation homes.

How do you tell people that are paying taxes  to stay home? Ford said.

He noted that the provinces daily COVID numbers are going down  a trend he hopes continues through to the Victoria Day long weekend when people are likely to head to the cottage. Ford said he will be meeting with regional mayors in cottage country on Thursday to discuss the issue.
Press Release

May 6, 2020 GRACE POE ON NTC CEASE AND DESIST ORDER: I trust that our colleagues in the House and Senate will do the right thing and act on it. More than ever, it is now that we must uphold our duty under the Constitution, protect the freedoms of the press and expression, and ensure fairness in all our proceedings. The whole of government is expected to do the same. In this time of pandemic, ABS-CBN continues to provide invaluable service to the Filipino people by giving information to the public while providing livelihood to its thousands of employees. This latest development brings to light a lot of questions which must be answered by all concerned: Is it an equitable move that respects the spirit of the law, the same way that it adheres to its letter? Is this not an attack to the very existence of the press and its people? Is it proper when media personnel are risking their lives in the frontlines to deliver the information we need during this crisis? More importantly, is this government ready to be accountable for the loss of thousands of jobs in the middle of a crisis? At the end of the day, these questions must be answered for the people. Let us continue to unite in public service and work together to get through this crisis.
Days after Indian authorities banned the import of rapid antibody testing kits from Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech and Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics, the two Chinese firms on Wednesday questioned the ICMRs findings about the quality of their products.

In separate statements that were forwarded by the Chinese embassy in New Delhi, Wondfo and Livzon also questioned the position taken by several state governments about the efficacy of their kits.

Last month, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), which plays a key role in advising authorities engaged in the fight against Covid-19, said state governments should stop using rapid antibody testing kits from Wondfo and Livzon after several states questioned their efficacy.

Coronavirus outbreak: Full coverage

Earlier this month, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) banned the import of kits from Wondfo and Livzon and cancelled the licences of the two firms and their Indian importers. This was done after authorities said the kits were producing inaccurate results in the field.

Livzon said in its statement said it was shocked by media reports that its kits were showing only 5.4% accuracy as millions of the kits had been supplied around the world after they were validated by Chinese and other authorities.

Referring to ICMRs finding that the kits had shown wide variation in their sensitivity in field conditions, Livzon said: We feel very disappointed [by] the result from ICMR. Our product gained positive report from NIV under ICMR in April before we delivered formal shipment to India and now is still listed as their recommendation

Livzon also questioned the conditions in which the kits were used by state governments and the tests conducted by ICMR in field conditions. There was no convincing source pointing out the [inaccurate] results only came from products made in China, it said, questioning whether ICMR had evaluated similar products from other countries.

Wondfos statement said its kit was one of the first such products to get an import licence from India and contended several reports in the media in the US and UK had stated that its kits were among the products from a few companies that delivered reliable results.

There was no reaction from Indian officials to the statements from the Chinese firms.

The Chinese government too has expressed concern about Indias decision to stop using the kits of the two Chinese firms, saying it was unfair and irresponsible to label the Chinese products as faulty.
Mumbai, May 6 : EDM artiste Ritviz has released a crowdsourced video for his latest track "Thandi hawa".

To bring musiclovers the video while maintaining social distancing, Ritviz decided to take help from his biggest supporters -- his fans.

Videos poured in from across the world, with over 500 entries of fans, doctors, nurses and even pups, expressing their own unique talents, creativity and passion, all to the tune of the song.

The music video features many of his fans and artistes like Kaneez Surka, Aisha Ahmed, Sejal Kumar and Shayan Roy, moving and grooving to the track.

"I've always been so grateful for the love I've received from fans over the past few years, but the 'Thandi hawa' experience has been especially surreal. The fact that so many people actually took the time to showcase their optimism and energy while doing what moves them, is phenomenal. Here's hoping that this video helps spread some positive vibes, hope and love, at a time when we need it the most," Ritviz said.

The video is in collaboration with BACARDI Sessions.
The expression of free speech has been largely confined to social media posts, press releases and video conferences ever since the coronavirus pandemic hit New York two months ago, but that is beginning to change as public attention shifts to how the NYPD is handling protests.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea have asserted that public protests should not be allowed, but civil rights activists are pushing back. Although you, as government officials, have a strong interest in protecting the health and safety of New Yorkers, Norman Siegel, a former head of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said in a Tuesday letter to de Blasio and Shea. You cannot constitutionally nor legally ban/suspend protected fundamental First Amendment rights of all New Yorkers.

There are limited options for asserting such rights through the legal system, given how many courtrooms have closed due to the pandemic. However, the court of public opinion remains open, and political leaders appear to have a weakening hand in limiting public protests.

With the pandemic subsiding in New York City, people across the state are also making it increasingly clear (if not in word, then in deed) that 6 feet of space and a face mask is all you need to hang out in public. This has extended to protests in recent weeks as people on both the political left and right are trying to get access to key political leaders like the mayor and Gov. Andrew Cuomo any way they can.

Nurses have protested poor working conditions throughout the pandemic. Activists have donned masks and other personal protective equipment to push for the release of inmates from state prisons. Upstaters have protested social distancing by honking their car horns during the governors daily press conference.

Viral online videos meanwhile are stoking longtime resentments over how the NYPD treats people of color. The difference between enforcement of social distancing in New Yorks black and white communities is night and day, Hawk Newsome, the president of Black Lives Matter of Greater New York, told Gothamist.

Like with other alleged violations of social distancing, police have issued summons in some situations, including on May 5 when the Reclaim Pride Coalition rallied outside a Manhattan hospital against a controversial religious organization. Data on exactly who police are targeting for social distancing violations has yet to be released by the NYPD.

Social media has become even more powerful during the pandemic, as many people spend much of their days in front of their computers and smartphones. This in turn could push political leaders to rein in the police to some extent, especially if more and more people begin to feel that it is simply no big deal to be outside, whatever the reason.

That does not mean that the mayor will stop backing a department that has bent him to its will over the years, but high-profile incidents have already hurt the mayor politically in recent weeks. Chances are that they will not become more appealing to the public moving forward. I want to caution that anytime an officer asks someone to observe social distancing or put on a mask, the response should be to follow the instruction of the officer, de Blasio told reporters on Tuesday. Respect goes both ways.

Those comments have sparked further outrage, which has in turn has solidified the cause shared among a broad range of people across the political spectrum  from Black Lives Matters activists to Trump supporters looking to get back to work. While the dangers of a second wave of infections remains very real, New Yorkers are heading outside as the spring weather improves. Some of them will inevitably want to voice their public opinions and that could shift political power in the activists favor.
The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown the American economy into a tailspin. Since the virus spread coast-to-coast, over 26 million Americans have filed for unemployment and all non-essential businesses closed their doors. As we adjust to our new normal, however, it is important that we reopen the economy as quickly as possible while following sensible public health guidelines.

For the most part, large infrastructure projects have fallen under the essential designation, includingat least in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticutthose projects involving power generation, fuel supply, and transmission.

Energy infrastructure is responsible for safely transporting resources to homes and businesses throughout the country. And with tens of millions of Americans sheltering at home, we need to ensure a safe infrastructure system is in place. Families need to power and heat their homes and cook their meals, while grocery stores, hospitals, and pharmacies require reliable energy resources to continue providing critical services.

In addition, construction on energy pipeline projects is essential because other modes of transportation available are simply not as safe. Transportation of energy resources via pipeline is more than four times safer than rail. The other option, truck, adds unnecessary traffic to our highways and increases the risks for other drivers. Pipeline infrastructure, on the other hand, allows for the safe, efficient transportation of much larger volumes of energy supply across the country.

Continuing work on critical pipeline infrastructure projects will also help thousands of Americans keep their jobs during a time of economic uncertainty. Projects in energy infrastructure require highly skilled laborers whose work is vital to construction. According to the 2020 U.S. Energy & Employment Report, the energy sector employs nearly 7 million Americans. If governments were to cancel or limit construction on energy infrastructure, these hard working individuals would be adding to the mounting numbers filing for unemployment. Unlike those in other industries, they are unable to do their jobs working remotely from their living rooms. As long as companies are following public health protocols such as social distancing, it seems prudent to keep more Americans earning a paycheck.

Energy projects also contribute millions of dollars to local and state governments, so allowing construction to continue will serve as a much-needed economic stimulus. For example, Pennsylvanias Mariner East pipeline, in conjunction with the Marcus Hook Industrial Complex, is estimated to contribute between $1.4 and $2.1 million in state taxes each year. Halting construction on a project of this size when work can continue safely while following guidelines only postpones its completion and delays when the state and its residents can reap the full benefits.

It is crucial not to underestimate the importance of essential businesses and the role that they play in supporting our nation. And while energy infrastructure projects may not immediately come to mind as falling into that category, they in fact meet our most essential needs in times of calm and crisis. The bottom line is that Americans will continue to have a need for energy, both during this pandemic and life beyond. A strong energy infrastructure building system must remain in place to meet those requirements. And decisions being made today will have long-term impacts on our ability to safely meet rising demand as normalcy returns.

We can move forward with these energy projects while taking every proper COVID-19 precaution available to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our workers.

Craig Stevens, a former senior adviser to U.S. Energy Secretary Sam Bodman, is the spokesman for Grow America's Infrastructure Now (GAIN).
GREENVILLE, S.C., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Vessel Medical, a provider of medical workflow solutions, supplies, and equipment, is donating thousands of N95 masks to police departments, fire departments and hospital systems across South Carolina amid the current global shortage of personal protective equipment. As these frontline workers continue to keep South Carolina safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, Vessel Medical wants to do their part ensuring these workers receive the potentially lifesaving protection that these masks provide.

Vessel Medical

The thousands of N95 masks being donated at no cost account for roughly 25 percent of Vessel Medical's total mask supply on hand in which could be sold for profit. Now, thousands of policemen, firemen, EMT's, and hospital healthcare workers of South Carolina will have this personal protective equipment to more safely continue their daily work.

"The hospital systems, fire departments, and police departments that we're donating these masks to are vital in keeping South Carolinians safe, now more than ever," said Kevin Murdock, founder of Vessel Medical. "We value all that these frontline workers do to serve our state, and know the difficulty that they are facing in attaining enough of these masks for their work force. These donations are a top priority for us as we feel the need to help where we can."

N95 masks are designed to provide the best barrier of protection from small airborne droplets containing COVID-19 - the 95 designation indicating that the mask blocks at least 95 percent of very small (0.3 micron) particles. Consequently, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the extreme surge in demand of N95 masks that the world is facing today - a recent government survey of hospitals across the US concluded that these masks are still at the top of the list for personal protective equipment items in shortage during the pandemic.

Vessel Medical, so far, has donated to four hospital systems and eleven first responder units across the state of South Carolina.

For more information about Vessel Medical, please call 866.451.MEDS (6337) or visit www.vesselmedical.com.

About Vessel Medical:

Vessel Medical, since its inception in 1991, has been committed to providing physician's offices, hospitals, laboratories and their employees with the right workflow solutions, medical supplies, and medical equipment for their needs. Headquartered in Greenville, SC, Vessel offers a complete line of laboratory equipment, medical supplies, flu vaccines, paper/disposables, injectables, and patient care supplies from the top brands such as Pro Advantage, Kimberly-Clark, Quidel, Procare, 3M, Hemosense, BinaxNow, Bayer/Seimens, and Hypoguard at discount and bulk rates. For more information about Vessel Medical, please call 866.451.MEDS (6337) or visit www.vesselmedical.com.

Media Contact:

Kristina Loughrey

[email protected]

864.360.5848

SOURCE Vessel Medical

Related Links

http://www.vesselmedical.com


New Delhi: The death toll due to the novel coronavirus rose to 1,583 with 194 fatalities reported since Monday evening, while the number of cases saw a big jump of 3,875 to go up to 46,711 cases on Tuesday, according to the Union health ministry.

The ministry also released a data for cases and deaths from Monday 8 am to Tuesday 8 am. It said in this 24 hours period, India registered a record single-day increase of 195 deaths and 3,900 cases, taking the total number of COVID-19 fatalities to 1,568 and cases to 46,433.

The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 31,967 while 13,160 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, according to the ministry's updated data on Tuesday evening. "Thus, around 28.17 per cent patients have recovered so far," joint secretary at the health ministry Lav Agarwal said during a press briefing on the COVID-19 situation in the country.

The total number of cases include 111 foreign nationals. A total 194 deaths were reported since Monday evening, of which 98 fatalities were reported from West Bengal, 35 from Maharashtra, 29 from Gujarat, 11 from Madhya Pradesh, eight from Uttar Pradesh, six from Rajasthan, two each from Punjab and Karnataka and one each from Chandigarh, Haryana and Tamil Nadu.

Of the 1,583 fatalities, Maharashtra tops the tally with 583 fatalities, Gujarat comes second with 319 deaths, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 176, West Bengal at 133, Rajasthan at 77, Delhi at 64, Uttar Pradesh at 53 and Andhra Pradesh at 36.

The death toll reached 31 in Tamil Nadu, 29 in Telangana, while Karnataka has reported 28 fatalities due to the respiratory disease.

Punjab has registered 23 COVID-19 deaths, Jammu and Kashmir eight, Haryana six and Kerala and Bihar have reported four deaths each. Jharkhand has recorded three COVID-19 fatalities.

Meghalaya, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Assam and Uttarakhand have reported one fatality each, the data stated. According to the health ministry data updated in the evening, the highest number of confirmed cases in the country are from Maharashtra at 14, 541 followed by Gujarat at 5,804, Delhi at 4,898, Tamil Nadu at 3,550, Rajasthan at 3,061, Madhya Pradesh at 3,049 and Uttar Pradesh at 2,859.

The number of COVID-19 cases has gone up to 1,717 in Andhra Pradesh and 1,259 in West Bengal. It has risen to 1,233 in Punjab, 1,085 in Telangana, 726 in Jammu and Kashmir, 659 in Karnataka, 529 in Bihar and 517 in Haryana. Kerala has reported 500 coronavirus cases so far, while Odisha has 170 cases. A total of 115 people have been infected with the virus in Jharkhand and 102 in Chandigarh.

Uttarakhand has reported 60 cases, Chhattisgarh has 58 cases, Assam has 43, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh have registered 41 cases each so far. Thirty-three COVID-19 cases have been reported from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Tripura has registered 29 cases, Meghalaya has reported 12, Puducherry nine, while Goa has seven COVID-19 cases. Manipur has two cases. Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh have reported a case each. "Our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR," the ministry said on its website. State-wise distribution is subject to further verification and reconciliation, it said.
Expert Advice with Tyron Hyde

As I write this, most states and territories are heading for lockdown for an unknown period.

My family and I are already in self-isolation, having returned from Bali four days ago.

Its certainly not a good time to own a business that involves residential inspections (opening doors, measuring fittings, walking around strangers homes, etc).

Like many businesses, we will have to learn to adapt. Sadly, some will be unable to.

We are STILL preparing reports for clients.

The good news is, after decades of collecting data from properties around the country, Washington Brown has su cient information to be able to prepare most depreciation schedules.

For a limited time, this is an acceptable practice according to the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS), due to the unprecedented circumstances we all find ourselves in.

We are also planning to offer buy now pay later options.
The Transportation Security Administration allegedly hoarded more than 1.3 million N95 respirator masks that sat unused while hospitals around the country desperately searched for them, a new report claims.

Two TSA officials raised concerns about the agency's stockpile of masks in early April, according to a review of internal records and interviews by ProPublica, as the number of coronavirus cases in the US was growing by the thousands each day.

Meanwhile, the TSA instructed many of its employees to stay home to avoid infection while traffic through airports dropped by 95 percent amid widespread stay-at-home orders.

The Department of Homeland Security issued a memo to the TSA on April 7 noting that N95 masks should be 'reserved' for healthcare workers given the short supply.

The two TSA officials suggested donating the masks to hospitals. But instead, the agency stored many in its warehouse near the Dallas-Fort Worth airport and doled out the rest to desolate airports nationwide where they weren't needed.

The Transportation Security Administration allegedly hoarded more than 1.3 million N95 respirator masks that sat unused at deserted airports while hospitals around the country desperately searched for them, according to a new report from ProPublica (file photo)

The TSA reportedly received more than a million N95s, which block 95 percent of particles that can transmit the virus, from Customs and Border Protection, which found them in an old Indiana warehouse.

The agency also had around 116,000 masks left over from the swine flu pandemic in 2009, a memo shows.

Both of the stockpiles were older than the manufacturer's recommended shelf life, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said that expired masks remain effective against spreading COVID-19.

Charles Kielkopf, a TSA attorney based in Columbus, Ohio, was one of the officials who raised concerns about the agency's plan to store the masks last month.

'We need to reserve medical masks for health care workers, not TSA workers who are behind an X-ray machine,' Kielkopf told ProPublica.

'We don't need them. People who are in an infectious environment need them. Nobody is flying.

'You don't take things for yourself. It's the wrong thing to do.'

Hospitals around the country were struggling to secure enough N95 masks for their workers as state and local officials begged anyone with extra to donate them

As the number of passengers passing through US airports plummeted, so did the number of screeners needed at security checkpoints.

A report released this week by the trade journal Government Executive showed that most employees schedules have been 'sharply abbreviated'. Another 8,000 screeners are currently on paid leave due to virus concerns.

The TSA has not required screeners who are still reporting to work to wear N95s, which require fitting and training to use properly.

ProPublica cited internal memos which showed most screeners were using surgical masks, which are much more widely available and less effective at filtering.

One memo last month said the surplus of N95s was expected to last the agency about 30 days - noting that the estimate did not account for the substantial decline in screeners still going to work.

When asked by ProPublica how long the masks would actually last given decreased staffing levels, the TSA said in a statement: 'While we cannot provide details on staffing, passenger throughput and corresponding operations have certainly decreased.'

TSA security officers are seen wearing surgical masks at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport last month. Internal TSA memos showed most screeners were using surgical masks, which are much more widely available and less effective at filtering, rather than N95s

On April 7, DHS Deputy Under Secretary for Management Randolph D Alles sent an email to TSA officials urging them to maintain social distancing and to wear homemade cloth face coverings because N95s should be 'reserved' for health care workers.

'The CDC has given us very good information about how to make masks that are suitable, so that we can continue to reserve medical masks and PPE for healthcare workers battling the COVID-19 pandemic,' Alles wrote in the email reviewed by ProPublica.

Two days later on April 9, Cliff Van Leuven, TSA's federal security director in Minnesota, sent a follow-up email asking why he had been sent thousands of N95 masks despite Alles' guidance.

N95s respirator masks are one of the most important pieces of personal protective equipment for front-line healthcare workers because they block 95 percent of particles that can transmit the virus

'I just received 9,000 N-95 masks that I have very little to no need for,' Van Leuven wrote to senior TSA staff.

'We've made N95s available to our staff and, of the officers who wear masks, they overwhelmingly prefer the surgical masks we just received after a couple months on back order.'

He went on to note that Minnesota Gov Tim Walz had publicly asked people to donate surplus PPE supplies to the state's Department of Health.

'I'd like to donate the bulk of our current stock of N-95s in support of that need and keep a small supply on hand,' he wrote.

Van Leuven declined to comment when approached by ProPublica, instead referring questions to a TSA spokesperson.

Kielkopf said he forwarded his concerns to TSA attorneys in other field offices in hopes of bringing more attention to the stockpile issue.

'I am sharing with you some issues we are having with n95 masks in Minnesota,' he wrote. 'And the tension between our increasing supply of n95 masks at our TSA airport locations and the dire need for them in the medical community.'

He followed up weeks later on May 1, writing: 'I have been very disappointed in our position to keep tens of thousands of n95 masks while healthcare workers who have a medical requirement for the masks  because of their contact with infected people  still go without.'

Kielkopf filed an official whistleblower complaint over the issue on Monday, accusing the TSA engaging in gross mismanagement that represented a 'substantial and specific danger to public health'.

A report released this week by the trade journal Government Executive showed that most TSA employees' schedules have been 'sharply abbreviated' and 8,000 screeners are currently on paid leave. An empty security checkpoint is seen at JFK airport in New York City on April 16

ProPublica sent a list of detailed questions to the TSA when compiling its report, most of which went unanswered.

TSA spokesman Mark Howell said in a statement that the agency's 'highest priority is to ensure the health, safety and security of our workforce and the American people'.

'With the support of CBP and DHS, in April, TSA was able to ensure a sufficient supply of N95 masks would be available for any officer who chose to wear one and completed the requisite training,' the statement read.

'We are continuing to acquire additional personal protective equipment for our employees to ensure both their and the traveling public's health and safety based on our current staffing needs, and as supplies become available.'

DHS - which oversees both the TSA and CPB - did not respond to ProPublica's questions about why it transferred the N95s to TSA despite a top official saying they should be reserved for healthcare workers.

More than 500 TSA employees have tested positive for COVID-19 and five have died, according to the agency.

An April CDC report found that more than 9,000 healthcare workers have tested positive for the virus and at least 27 have died.

But the true toll among healthcare workers is feared to be much higher, and many anecdotal cases indicate that those affected did not have proper PPE.

Across the general US population, there are more than 1,261,800 confirmed coronavirus cases and at least 74,687 deaths as of Wednesday.
A business rates revaluation was on Wednesday postponed, in a move to help reduce uncertainty for firms that have seen income hurt by Covid-19 disruption.

Trade association UKHospitality was among the chorus of voices to today welcome the governments decision.

Legislation had been introduced to bring the next revaluation forward by one year from 2022 to 2021, but communities secretary Robert Jenrick said this will no longer take place next year.

Ministers want to ensure companies have more certainty during the virus crisis, which has seen income disappear for a number of retailers and pub owners due to sites having to close during the lockdown.

Jenrick said: Now is the time for us to continue to focus on supporting businesses affected by the pandemic.

He added that the government is continuing work on a review of business rates, with the key aims of reducing the overall burden on businesses, improving the current business rates system, and considering more fundamental changes in the medium-to-long term.

Companies have long complained that business rates, a tax on commercial properties, are outdated and a huge burden for retailers and restaurant owners already grappling with rising wage bills and weaker consumer confidence. Now they also face disruption from the coronavirus outbreak.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, today said: Delaying is a pragmatic move at such a demanding time for businesses. It is vital that the revaluation occurs afresh after the crisis to reflect the impact of Covid-19 on commercial property costs. Given the length of uncertainty for hospitality, the Government should extend its business rates holiday for the sector through 2021.

Gerry Biddle, business rates lead at Deloitte, said the postponement is welcome news for approximately 600,000 business properties in Greater London. Property values as at 1st April 2019 will no longer be used and businesses will likely benefit from a recalculation at a later date.

Alex Probyn at rates expert Altus Group, said: It is far more beneficial economically to tie new rateable values under the next revaluation cycle to post Covid-19 levels, where the impact of the economic circumstances are more clear."
Thousands of Marines will head to Australia's Northern Territory about two months later than planned, but they'll shelter in place once there to help prevent any spread of the novel coronavirus.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Tuesday that the Aussies approved Marine Rotational Force-Darwin to proceed. Australia in March barred most foreign nationals from entering the country due to the coronavirus pandemic. Now, the Marines' rotational force that deploys there in the spring has been granted an exemption to the policy.

The Marines will spend 14 days quarantined once they arrive to help prevent any spread of the coronavirus.

Related: Marines May Have to Tough Out Australia's Wet Season Thanks to Deployment Delay

A spokesman with Marine Corps Forces Pacific declined to say what units will be included or whether any planned exercises will be canceled due to the pandemic. Thousands of California- and Hawaii-based Marines -- along with MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom helicopters and RQ-21 Blackjack drones -- were scheduled to deploy to Darwin this spring.

"We continue to work closely with the Australian Defence Force ... on the force composition, timing and planned training," a statement from the command said.

The Marine Corps announced in March that the annual six-month rotation would be delayed over the coronavirus crisis. More than 5,000 U.S. troops have tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, including 434 Marines.

The decision to proceed with the rotation was based on Australia's record in managing impacts of the virus, as well as the service's strict adherence to a two-week quarantine when units arrive somewhere new, according to Marine Corps Forces Pacific.

"The Marine Corps is committed to ensuring the health and safety of its forces and the Australian people, including local indigenous communities," the service said in a statement.

Australia was able to flatten its coronavirus curve quickly, and is now in the process of easing restrictions. The country, which has a population of about 25 million, has had fewer than 6,800 confirmed coronavirus cases and 97 deaths.

The country's Northern Territory, where Marines deploy, has seen some of Australia's lowest COVID-19 rates, according to government data.

Marines typically deploy to Darwin during the dry season. It's not immediately clear whether the delayed deployment could now extend into the region's wet season, which typically runs from November to April.

That can bring cyclones, heavy rainfall, high humidity and temperatures in the 90s.

This was supposed to mark the second year Marine Rotational Force-Darwin hit its full 2,500-person rotation. Leathernecks have been deploying there for almost a decade, building up from a company to a full Marine air-ground task force.

The rotation is a big piece of the service's shift to the Asia-Pacific region and has given the service new training opportunities with partners there.

This year's delay won't affect any future rotations down under, according to Marine Corps Forces Pacific.

-- Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @ginaaharkins.

Read more: China's Antics Are a 'Game-Changer' for the Navy and Marine Corps, 4-Star Says
When China Energy Engineering Corporation Limited (SEHK:3996) released its most recent earnings update (31 December 2019), I compared it against two factor: its historical earnings track record, and the performance of its industry peers on average. Being able to interpret how well China Energy Engineering has done so far requires weighing its performance against a benchmark, rather than looking at a standalone number at a point in time. In this article, I've summarized the key takeaways on how I see 3996 has performed.

Check out our latest analysis for China Energy Engineering

How 3996 fared against its long-term earnings performance and its industry

3996's trailing twelve-month earnings (from 31 December 2019) of CN5.1b has jumped 11% compared to the previous year.

Furthermore, this one-year growth rate has exceeded its 5-year annual growth average of 7.4%, indicating the rate at which 3996 is growing has accelerated. How has it been able to do this? Let's see if it is solely owing to an industry uplift, or if China Energy Engineering has seen some company-specific growth.

SEHK:3996 Income Statement May 6th 2020

In terms of returns from investment, China Energy Engineering has fallen short of achieving a 20% return on equity (ROE), recording 8.5% instead. Furthermore, its return on assets (ROA) of 1.9% is below the HK Construction industry of 5.2%, indicating China Energy Engineering's are utilized less efficiently. And finally, its return on capital (ROC), which also accounts for China Energy Engineerings debt level, has declined over the past 3 years from 7.7% to 5.8%.

What does this mean?

China Energy Engineering's track record can be a valuable insight into its earnings performance, but it certainly doesn't tell the whole story. While China Energy Engineering has a good historical track record with positive growth and profitability, there's no certainty that this will extrapolate into the future. I suggest you continue to research China Energy Engineering to get a more holistic view of the stock by looking at:

Story continues

Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for 3996s future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for 3996s outlook. Financial Health: Are 3996s operations financially sustainable? Balance sheets can be hard to analyze, which is why weve done it for you. Check out our financial health checks here. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the trailing twelve months from 31 December 2019. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
Defeat the street bond

Did the mayor and her staff consider the number of vehicles owned by non-real estate owners  renters  and driven on the streets of Omaha? Why would it not be fair to raise the wheel tax on all vehicles and circumvent increased real estate taxes on property owners? Could this not be done without having to get voter approval for a bond issue? Do not real estate owners already have the burden of paying for school and other infrastructure bonds?

A guest on the Grow Omaha Saturday radio show in February said the largest residential real estate growth last year were apartment buildings. Why should all the vehicles of non-real estate owners, driven on Omaha streets, not be included in paying their fair share of street repairs?

Would it not be more equitable to vote NO on the bond issue and have local government raise the wheel tax on all vehicles driven on Omaha streets? Would not this strategy be easier to manage and adjust in the future once the street repair fund is funded and Omaha streets are repaired?

Don Campbell, Omaha

Vote yes for street bond
Today, the American Thoracic Society announced that GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has awarded the Society two grants totaling $380,000 to support the ATS COVID-19 Crisis Fund, a newly launched initiative to develop and disseminate research, education and scientific recommendations to providers in the pulmonary and critical care communities, as well as other clinicians in need of expanding their skill set during this emergency.

The first grant will fund two new $50,000 grants in the ATS Research Program in COVID-19. The second grant for $280,000 will support the Society's patient education and outreach efforts related to COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges for pulmonary and critical care specialists worldwide.

As a membership society of health care professionals committed to improving lung health, ATS is a leading voice in the discourse on initiatives to counter the spread of the coronavirus and provide support to those on the frontlines, who are treating patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

In order to fulfill its mission to the greatest extent possible as COVID-19 ravages individuals and medical infrastructures worldwide, ATS is seeking industry support.

GSK's generous support comes at a critical time in the COVID-19 pandemic. On behalf of the entire ATS community, I want to thank GSK for their very generous support. These funds will help support time-sensitive research and educational outreach to patients at a time when resources are so stretched. ATS values our partnership with GSK." James Beck, MD, President, ATS

"We have a long history of working alongside the pulmonology and critical care community and, especially during this crisis, are proud to support ATS to advance critical research efforts and help educate patients who include some of the highest risk, most under-served members of our communities," said, Karin E. Rosen, MD, PhD, senior vice president, U.S. Medical Affairs, GSK.

"We are committed to contributing to the fight against COVID-19 and this is one of many actions we are taking to help find solutions and provide support to ensure patients can receive the care they need. These efforts also include programs available to help patients access medicines and vaccines, including those impacted by COVID-19."

It is the ATS's hope that donations to the fund will motivate other industry groups to share their resources in helping to address the significant needs arising from the COVID-19 crisis.
Gold prices rose Rs 307 to Rs 45,864 per 10 gram in the Mumbai bullion market on May 6 on a weak rupee.

The rate of 10 gram 22-carat gold in Mumbai was Rs 42,011 plus 3 percent GST, while 24-carat 10 gram was Rs 45,864 plus GST. The 18-carat gold quoted at Rs 34,398 plus GST in the retail market.

Major gold-trading centres have remained shut in the country due to the lockdown announced to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Comex gold was trading marginally lower near $1,706 per oz after a 0.2 percent decline a day earlier.

In the last few sessions, gold has been trading in the $1,700- $1,738 range, as mixed triggers kept traders on sidelines.

At the lower levels, gold is getting support from US-China tensions, global growth worries and ETF inflows, whereas a stronger US dollar and easing of virus restrictions is capping the gains, said Ravindra Rao, VP-Head Commodity Research at Kotak Securities.

A clear short term direction might be seen only on a break of either $1,696 or $1,738, he said.

According to Navneet Damani, Vice President, Motilal Oswal, Gold prices inched lower as equities rose on upbeat risk sentiment stemming from gradual reopening of many economies. A firmer dollar also weighed on prices.

Germany's highest court gave the ECB three months to justify bond purchases under its flagship stimulus programme or lose the Bundesbank as a participant, raising questions about the scheme and the euro's future.

Market participants will keep an eye on service PMI number expected from major economies and US private jobs figure will also be on the watch. Better-than-expected number may put pressure on metal prices.

The broader trend on Comex could be $1,680-1,725 and on the domestic front, prices could hover in the Rs 45,490-46,100 range.

The gold/silver ratio currently stands at 109.85 to 1, which means the amount of silver required to buy one ounce of gold.

Silver prices jumped Rs 1,150 to Rs 41,750 per kg from its closing on May 5.

In the futures market, gold touched an intraday high of Rs 45,848 and an intraday low of Rs 45,641 on MCX. For the June series, the yellow metal touched a low of Rs 36,572 and a high of Rs 47,327.

Gold for June delivery was up Rs 6, or 0.01 percent, on the MCX, trading at Rs 45,757 per 10 gram in the evening in a business turnover of 13,882 lots.

Gold contracts for August delivery gained Rs 13, or 0.03 percent, at Rs 45,999 per 10 gram in a business turnover of 6,680 lots.

The value of the June contract traded, so far, is Rs 1,700.02 crore and August contract saw the value of Rs 86.40 crore.

Similarly, Gold Mini contract for June slipped Rs 5, or 0.01 percent at Rs 45,750 in a business turnover of 9,906 lots.

MCX gold is expected to trade positive with support at Rs 45,500 and intermediate support at Rs 45,650, according to Motilal Oswal. The brokerage firm advised its clients to buy on dip targeting higher resistance at Rs 45,900-46,050 levels.

The broking said spot gold will trade in the $1,685-1,720 range.

At 1210 GMT, spot gold was down $3.26 at $1,702.61 an ounce in London trading.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor turns one this Wednesday 6th May.

And while he might not be celebrating with his royal cousins, or with the kids of his parents' Los Angeles pals, he's still sure to have an exciting day at home with his family.

Meghan and Harry seem keen to adopt a more informal approach as they start a new chapter in California ("Call me Harry" was the Duke of Sussex's line when he visited the UK pre-lockdown), but what title could Archie inherit and use if he wanted to in the future?

Getty Images

A spokesperson at Debrett's told Insider, "Archie could technically use his father's lesser titles now, although as Prince Harry is officially known as the Earl of Dumbarton in Scotland he would more likely be known as Lord Kilkeel."

"There is no reason why Archie would not inherit all his father's titles after Harry's death, but as the Sussexes have shown a degree of informality when it comes to titles, whether or not he decides to use them is to be seen. However, this does not stop Charles or William (once either man is king) giving Archie a title of his own when he is older, should he decide to 'work for the family firm.'"

Getty Images

The spokesperson told us when Prince Charles becomes king, Archie will technically be HRH Prince Archie of Sussex, but he can choose whether or not he wants to embrace this title.

And when he's much older and getting ready to start his own family, it's also possible his children will have their own titles - but it's dependent on whether Harry is still living.

The spokesperson explained that if Harry is still living and Archie isn't using his title, his children are likely to follow in his footsteps.

The family have started a new life in Canada / Getty Images

However, if he becomes a working member of the Royal Family, marries and has a son, Archie will be Duke of Sussex if Harry is gone. But if Harry is still living when Archie has a legitimate son, his child won't have a title.

Though with everything changing so quickly, the expert said all this is "speculation."

"If we have learnt anything about royal titles in the last few years it is that there are no longer any real certainties other than the line of succession and the traditional titles for the immediate heirs."
Multinational companies looking



to move out of China should consider Assam, with its abundant natural resources, strategic location and robust industrial infrastructure, as their destination for setting up production facilities in India, state Industries Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said on Wednesday.

"Many American, Japanese and Korean companies are contemplating to shift their production facilities from China to India and we hope to woo these firms to set up production facilities in Assam," Patowary told reporters here.

The state government has urged the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Invest India, the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), the US- India Business Council and the US Chamber of Commerce to advise the firms in this regard, he said.

The Industries and Commerce Department has engaged a renowned firm to assess the impact of the lockdown on the industrial sector in Assam and suggest a policy framework to attract industries that are planning to move out of China, Patowary said.

The department is also in touch with the DPIIT and the JETRO for setting up a Japanese industrial township in Assam to attract investment of industries based in the East Asian country, he said.

A special cell has been set up at the state government's 'Assam Startup -- The Nest' incubator to guide and mentor enterprising youths returning to Assam from different states, the minister said.

"Interested youths registering with the digital platform will be mentored at IIM, Calcutta. Financial grant of up to Rs 50 lakh will be given to selected startups," he said.

The Industries and Commerce Department will also sign an MoU with the Indian chapter of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), Silicon Valley (USA) to leverage the startups in Assam so that they can have global access to the startup ecosystem, the minister said.

He said the department will also organise a conclave on startups in partnership with Microsoft after the lockdown is lifted.

"The potential of pharmaceutical companies has been realised during the COVID-19 outbreak. The Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has been requested to support the Assam government in setting up a pharma park in the state," he said.

The state government had on Tuesday issued revised guidelines allowing all industries with supply chain to restart operation without the need for special permission.

It also allowed warehouses and godowns to operate, vehicles to ferry goods and construction activities to recommence.

However, safety norms such as wearing masks, maintaining social distancing and sanitising vehicles and factory premises have to be ensured.

A total of 820 industrial units with 28,027 workers operated in the state on Wednesday, the minister said.

Patowary also asked the environment and forest, labour and urban development departments to extend the validity of trade licences, permissions and clearances issued to industries and business establishments from March 31 to June 30.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nelson Scott Gillis bailed out of Aequitas Management in July 2016, barely a year after he joined the scandal-plagued Lake Oswego investment firm.

But what he did in those 12 months may be enough to land him in federal prison.

Gillis, 66, was indicted Tuesday on charges of conspiring to submit false statements to a federally insured financial institution. He is the third Aequitas executive to face criminal charges in what was perhaps the largest white-collar fraud case to ever hit Oregon.

About 1,500 investors, many of them Mom-and-Pop amateurs, invested some $600 million into Aequitas notes. The company defaulted on those payments in late 2015 and early 2016. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sued Gillis, and his two bosses at Aequitas, Robert Jesenik and Brian Oliver, in March 2016 alleging they had defrauded investors.

The SEC convinced a federal judge to shut the company down. The FBI, IRS and other federal agencies launched a criminal investigation that continues more than four years later.

As Aequitas chief financial officer, Gillis helped the company procure a $100 million loan from Wells Fargo in 2015. Aequitas was always on the prowl for additional sources of capital because it had so little of its own. Prosecutors allege the company in the slick Kruse Way offices qualified for the Wells Fargo loan only because it submitted the phony documents.

By early 2016, Aequitas was in crisis. Several of its business lines, including its college loan operation, had failed. It desperately needed cash. The company went to Wells Fargo to get a $4.2 million advance on its $100 million line of credit.

Wells Fargo agreed but wanted Aequitas executives to first sign some documents, one of them stating Aequitas was not in default on any loan of more than $2.5 million and there was no potential of such a default. Prosecutors allege Gillis signed the document even though he knew that a growing number of angry and frightened Aequitas investors were clamoring for their overdue payments.

Gillis faces a maximum sentence of 90 years in prison, fines of $3 million or twice the gross monetary gains or losses resulting from his crimes, and five years supervised release.

Oliver, an Aequitas co-founder, and Olaf Janke, Gillis predecessor as company chief financial officer, have already pleaded guilty to various charges for their actions at Aequitas.

The investigation is being led by Scott Bradford and Ryan Bounds, of the U.S. Attorneys office in Portland,.
SAO PAULO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Telefonica Brasil - (B3: VIVT3 [Common Shares] / VIVT4 [Preferred Shares];NYSE: VIV), announces its results for 1Q20.

Improved customer base mix leading to higher profitability and strong cash generation in this quarter.

Consolidated in R$ million 1Q20 % y-o-y





Net Operating Revenues 10,825 (1.4) Net Mobile Revenues 7,070 (0.1) Net Handset Revenues 581 (2.9) Net Fixed Revenues 3,754 (3.6) Recurring Operating Costs (6,394) (3.3) Recurring EBITDA 4,431 1.6 Recurring EBITDA Margin % 40.9% 1.2 p.p. Net Income 1,153 (14.1) Free Cash Flow after Lease Payments 2,120 81.9





Total Accesses (thousand) 93,082 (2.0) Mobile accesses 74,749 1.7 Fixed accesses 18,333 (14.6)

Mobile market share of 33.0% in March 2020, the highest since 2006. Postpaid accesses grew 6.6%, accounting for 58.5% of total mobile accesses, with a market share of 39.0% in March 2020.

Broadband accesses reached 6,741 thousand customers in 1Q20 and FTTH had record-breaking 175 thousand net additions, making the fiber subscriber base grow 30.4% y-o-y. Broadband ARPU increased 16.0% versus 1Q19, reaching R$ 72.2.

Net revenues fell 1.4% y-o-y due to lower Mobile Service Revenue, offset by FTTH and IPTV revenue performance. Mobile service revenue grew 0.1% y-o-y reflecting more difficult comparison basis due to early price increase of hybrid plans in 2019.

Recurring operating costs decreased 3.3% y-o-y mainly due to lower commercial expenses due to digitalization and automation initiatives and lower handset sales costs.

Recurring EBITDA totaled R$ 4,431 million in 1Q20, up 1.6% y-o-y, with an EBITDA margin of 40.9% (+1.2 p.p. y-o-y).

Capex ex-IFRS 16 totaled R$ 1,648 million in 1Q20, focused on the expansion of the FTTH network and increased quality and capacity of our 4G/4.5G networks.

Reported net income stood at R$ 1,153 million in the quarter with profit distribution based on the 1Q20 reaching R$420 million.

Free cash flow after lease payments grew 81.9% y-o-y, to R$ 2,120 million in 1Q20, driven by EBITDA expansion, postponement in regulatory tax payments and lower OpEx and CapEx disbursements.

TELEFONICA BRASIL  Investor Relations

Christian Gebara

David Melcon

Luis Plaster

Joao Pedro Carneiro

+55 11 3430-3687 / [email protected]

To download the complete version of the Company's earnings release, please visit our website: http://www.telefonica.com.br/ir

SOURCE Telefonica Brasil S.A.

Related Links

http://www.telefonica.com.br


Following the public outrage, the Delhi Police Cyber Cell swung into action on Tuesday.

Hyderabad: Screenshots of Delhi schoolboys sharing images of underage girls, with conversations ranging from jokes about their private parts to planning a gang rape, went viral after some girls outed them on social media platforms on Sunday.

Following the expose and the public outrage over the objectionable content, the Delhi Police Cyber Cell swung into action on Tuesday.

One minor out of the 21 participants of the group chat has been apprehended, while 10 other adult members have been identified. The Cyber Cell had filed an FIR in the case under sections 67, 67(A) of the Information Technology Act, and other IPC Sections on May 4.

The police has also asked Instagram to provide details of the accounts of the group, officials said.

On its part, the Instagram said it takes the issue "very seriously" and does not allow such behaviour. It said the objectionable content featuring minor girls was removed from the platform as soon as it was made aware of it.

In a statement, Instagram asserted that it accords top priority to ensure that its users can express themselves in a "safe and respectful way".

"We absolutely do not allow behaviour that promotes sexual violence or exploits anyone, especially women and young people, and have actioned content violating our Community Standards as we were made aware of it," a Facebook spokesperson said. Instagram is owned by Facebook.

Delhi Women and Child Development Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam said it was a shocking incident and cannot be tolerated. According to an official, the WCD department will work with Directorate of Education to chalk out a strategy to curb such incidents.

Delhi Commission for Women's chief Swati Maliwal took suo-motu cognizance of the case and issued notices to Delhi Police as well as Instagram to submit details of action taken in the case by May 8, after which the Delhi Police also took cognizance and initiated investigation into the case.

Later, a top private school in Delhi filed an official complaint in the case and police sources have told DC that one of the girls who had outed the activities in the group chat has also anonymously filed a complaint with the police.

As soon as the posts went viral, a Mumbai-based cyber expert, Shubham Sharma also started an investigation into the case, gathering information on the details of the admin and members of the group. He has earlier helped the Mumbai and Maharashtra police in several financial frauds and cyberbullying cases.

Meanwhile, Deccan Chronicle also tried to reach out to Niska Nagpal, one of the girls who exposed the Boys Locker Room. However, there has been no response yet.
CCP Launches A War to the US? Trump Says Conclusive Evidence The Virus Originated in China

Scientific data from Chinas labs, published in western journals, shows evidence of a cover-up. We speak with Dr. Sean Lin, former lab director of the viral disease branch of Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, about his analysis of the scientific reports.

Dr. Lin shows through analysis that the timing on research claimed by Chinese scientists is impossible, and notes several anomalies in the research that could be followed by broader investigations. He cites a Nature report submitted on Jan. 20 and published on Feb. 3, and notes several other documents.

And an alleged Chinese report warning of a possible war has all the telltale signs of a disinformation campaign. We analyze this report and its information.

These stories and more in this episode of Crossroads.

Crossroads is an Epoch Times show available on Facebook and YouTube.
YEREVAN.  Hraparak daily of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: [Second President] Robert Kocharyan's lawyer Hayk Alumyan declined from giving information about Kocharyan's health condition. "We do not comment."

There are rumors that on May 8 [Judge] Anna Danibekyan will commute Kocharyan's precautionary measure [of custody], responding to the mediation of the prime ministers. "We will do our best on our part. But let's not forget that there was, is no legal basis for keeping Mr. Kocharyan in custody since July 2018. On Friday, we will submit all our motions, we will see what will happen."

Are you waiting for the response of the Venice Commission in May? "The session is in June, but before that, the Grand Chamber of the ECHR [European Court of Human Rights] has accepted for consideration the questions of the RA CC [Constitutional Court]. In connection with the coronavirus, it is difficult to say which body will present its opinion first; the [respective] deadlines are approximate, we have to wait."
Indian missions in Saudi gearing for repatriation of NRIs

Jeddah, May 6 (UNI) The Indian missions in Gulf region are gearing up to repatriate the NRI workers, who are desperate to return home as the first flight from the region is scheduled to reach India on Friday.

The national carrier Air India is pressed into transportation of NRIs, yet it's Indian diplomatic missions are deciding that who would be boarding into flight.

The distressed workers and Indians requiring dire medical attention, apart from pregnant women, will be ferried back home in priority, said Indian Ambassador in Saudi Arabia, Dr Ausaf Sayeed.
Washington has accelerated its push for Taiwan to be represented at the World Health Organisation in a move that is expected to further deepen the rift with Beijing.

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to rage around the world, the US has promoted the islands incredible expertise in battling the disease and rallied its allies  including Japan, Canada, Australia and the European Union  to support Taiwans participation in the global health body.

Washingtons moves were strongly opposed by Beijing which has warned that any official role for Taiwan at the WHO would violate Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of WHO, will hold a two-day meeting on the pandemic through teleconferencing later this month.

Taipei has expressed its strong desire to attend the meeting but said it has yet to receive an invitation.

In a news briefing in Geneva on Monday, Steven Solomon, the WHOs principal legal officer, said the WHO recognised Beijing as the one legitimate representative of China, in keeping with UN policy since 1971.

The involvement  of Taiwanese observers in that assembly, is a question for the 194 governments of the WHO. This is not something that WHO secretariat has the authority to decide, he noted.

Solomon said the WHO understands that a number of countries have voiced their concerns on the issue, but it is not the role of WHOs staff to be involved in geopolitical issues. In fact, our principles of neutrality and impartiality exist to keep us out of those issues.

He added that last year Taiwanese representatives had attended eight WHO meetings for experts and six informal events, adding that two medical experts had taken part in a video conference this year to discuss the pandemic.

On Saturday, Liu Yuyin, a spokesman for Chinas permanent mission in Geneva, warned that calls for Taiwan to play a role in the assembly sent the wrong message to pro-independence forces on the island and criticised Washington for politicising global efforts to combat the pandemic.

Story continues

Liu was referring to a conference call by US Health Secretary Alex Azar with Taiwans health officials last week where he expressed Americas full support for Taiwan joining WHO events as an observer.

By doing so, the US politicises the epidemic prevention and sends a very wrong signal to secessionist forces in Taiwan, China. China firmly opposes it, Liu said in a public statement.

Besides Azar, US officials and members of Congress have also posted widely on social media in support of the campaign, including acting head of the US Agency for International Development John Barsa, senator Marco Rubio and congressman Michael McCaul.

In addition to trumpeting Taiwans achievement through the WHO platform, the US is trying to push for Taiwan to participate in the global health body in order to break the long-time unspoken rules in the WHO that Taiwans participation needs approval from China, said Lai I-chung, president of Prospect Foundation, a government think-tank in Taipei.

Such a move would only escalate the tension between Washington and Beijing whose relations have already been greatly strained by criticism of how Beijing and the WHO have handled the outbreak, Lai said.

Zhu Songling, a professor specialising in cross-strait affairs at Beijing Union University, also warned that the cracks between China and the US would further widen as the two countries diverged over Taiwan.

The US has been using rough words in dealing with China, unlike what a super power and world leader should do. This is regrettable.

Chinese people are not afraid to deal with trouble and if diplomatic conflict becomes inevitable, [China] will deal with it, Zhu said.

Zheng Zhenqing, a Taiwan affairs specialist at Tsinghua University in Beijing, pointed out that Beijing would not give in on sovereignty issues in spite of pressure from the US.

The reason that the US has stepped up pressure on China on Taiwan issues is because Washington has now taken a totally hostile position against Beijing, Zheng said.

The Taiwan card is only one of the many cards that Washington can play. If the US wants to take a confrontational stance against China, then China will have no choice but to stand firm and defend its own interest.

In his public statement, Liu also disputed claims that Taiwan had not been properly informed when Covid-19 first appeared on the mainland, saying both Beijing and the WHO have been in contact with the island since the outbreak and Beijing has provided tremendous assistance.

Taiwan foreign ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou cried foul on Tuesday, saying Beijing has not ruled the island since 1949, adding that the 1971 decision to replace Beijing with Taipei as Chinas UN representative had not resolved the Taiwan question and did not give Beijing the power to represent the island internationally.

Only the democratically elected Taiwanese government can represent Taiwans 23 million people in the international community, Ou said on Tuesday.

Additional reporting by Kristin Huang

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Russia's oil output in the first five days of May fell to 8.75 million barrels per day (bpd), close to its production target of 8.5 million bpd for May and June under a global deal to cut crude supplies, two sources familiar with the data told Reuters.

Together with gas condensate, or light oil, which is not part of Russia's target, the country's output was 9.5 million bpd for May 1-5, the first time it has fallen below 10 million bpd since August 2009.

While the latest data, which showed production of 1.296 million tonnes per day including gas condensate, was only for the first few days since the deal kicked in on May 1, it shows Russia is following through on its pledges so far.

Russia's Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin said in an online interview that domestic oil producers are striving to reach the target as soon as possible.

He also said that the global oil demand declined by around 30% last month and the fall has eased since then. However recovery to pre-crisis levels would not be achieved quickly.

Sorokin added that some countries, where international majors work, may have difficulties with sticking to targets under a global oil output cuts deal.

He didn't named those countries. Traders and industry sources said that Iraq has yet to inform its regular oil buyers of cuts to its exports, suggesting it is struggling to fully implement the cuts deal.

Reuters uses a ratio of 7.33 barrels per tonne to calculate the daily output in barrels. Russia's gas condensate output is typically about 700,000-800,000 barrels a day.

A group of leading oil producers known as OPEC+ including Russia and Saudi Arabia agreed last month to cut crude supplies to combat the fallout from the coronavirus, which has hit economic activity and demand for fuel around the world.

Under the global pact, Russia has pledged to reduce its crude oil output in May and June by 2.5 million bpd from a baseline of 11 million bpd. In April, the month before the deal came into force, Russia produced an average 11.35 million bpd.

Last month, oil prices fell to their lowest in more than two decades due to the slide in demand during the pandemic combined with overproduction and a lack of crude storage capacity.

Prices have since recovered slightly as some countries end coronavirus lockdowns and producers curb their supply.

Russia's average monthly oil and gas condensate output fell to 9.97 million bpd in August 2009 but then remained above 10 million bpd until this month, thanks to new fields coming online such as Vankor, operated by energy giant Rosneft.
Telepresence

ASUs Thunderbird Grads to Cross Stage as Robot Avatars

Thunderbird Dean and Director General Sanjeev Khagram will congratulate graduates in telepresence robot form.

Thunderbird School of Global Management, a school within Arizona State University, is planning for a robot-filled graduation. The institution will be using telepresence robots equipped with a tablet computer to provide video and audio of the graduating seniors. Each graduate will use arrow keys on their computers at home to roll up virtually to Thunderbird's dean and director general, Sanjeev Khagram, and accept his congratulations.

The school has 143 students receiving master's degrees during the virtual event. And about 140 have chosen to participate by providing their photos or live videos on the robots' screens. They'll also have the opportunity to participate in any live commencement ceremony of their choosing in the future.

The virtual event will take place on May 11, enabling families and friends to watch live or in recorded form. The event will be streamed on Thunderbird's YouTube channel.

"We are awed by the flexibility and resilience this year's graduates have shown as our university community adapted to the realities of COVID-19," school officials said in a statement. "The virtual commencement is our way of honoring them and their accomplishments, which are all the more impressive in this challenging time."
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

By Elnur Baghishov - Trend

There are 39 solar panel stations producing 880 megawatt-hours of electricity per year in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province in southwestern Iran, said Davud Rahzadi, executive director of the Electricity Distribution Company of the province, Trend reports citing the Iranian Ministry of Energy.

According to Rahzadi, these stations have the potential to produce 5-25 kilowatt hours of electricity per day.

Rahzadi added that 28 stations operate in Boyer-Ahmad county, four stations in Bahmai county, two stations in Charam county, two stations in Gachsaran county, two stations in Dena county and one station in Kohgiluyeh county.

The official said that 24 investors have applied for the construction of 24 solar panel stations in different regions of the province. These stations will be able to produce29 megawatts of electricity.



"It is planned to build 13 stations in Bahmai county, four stations in Basht county, four stations in Gachsaran county, two stations in Dena county and one station in Boyer-Ahmad county," he said.

Rahzadi said that Electricity Distribution Company of the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province has announced its readiness to assist investors in their activities in this field.
Purple Reigns: My Son Is In For A Rude Awakening If He Thinks He Is Going To Live Off Of The Fat Of The Land While He Is Out Of School
The pandemic is not treating everyone in Wyoming equally.

People of color and Native Americans in the state are being disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus, data collected by the Wyoming Department of Health shows.

Out of the 452 confirmed cases in the state as of Tuesday, 54 percent of patients identified as white. But white people comprise over 83.8 percent of Wyomings population. Meanwhile, American Indian and Latino patients are overly represented in the data, with the rate of confirmed COVID-19 cases outstripping their percentage of the state population.

Wyoming isnt an outlier: The virus is infecting communities of color at higher rates in almost every state across the country. Advocates point to entrenched inequities that have long plagued communities of color. A lack of health care access and economic opportunity, fueled by decades of discriminatory policies, are just some of the myriad factors fueling the racial disparities Wyoming is seeing.

In Wyoming, American Indian patients so far make up a staggering 22.3 percent of confirmed COVID-19 cases but represent 2.7 percent of the states total population.

Sen. Affie Ellis, R-Cheyenne, who is a member of the Navajo Nation and the first Native American to serve in Wyomings Senate, doesnt necessarily need statistics to know the pandemic has been devastating to American Indian families, especially those living on the Wind River Reservation.

I think whenever were talking about statistics and data, or the number of cases, there is something really impersonal about that, she said. When you think about losing a family member and an important person in your community, theres no question in my mind that we cant forget that these are human beings.

The factors exacerbating the coronavirus in Indian Country are hundreds of years in the making, according to Ellis. For instance, inconsistent access to medical care and barriers to economic mobility have deep roots in legacies of forced assimilation and colonization, not to mention ongoing discrimination and chronic poverty facing Native families across Wyoming.

Its just this generation-by-generation decline, Ellis said. ... All (these structural issues) lend themselves to making COVID-19 more spreadable and more deadly, especially when you think about underlying health conditions that were preexisting.

The disproportionate number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on the Wind River Reservation is likely in part due to the higher rate of coronavirus testing available for tribal citizens, compared to other parts of the state. About 45 percent of non-Wyoming Public Health Laboratory tests conducted in Wyoming took place in Fremont County.

However, factors like housing shortages and the prevalence of multi-generational family homes, also likely place tribal citizens at a higher risk during the pandemic. The sharp uptick in confirmed COVID-19 cases the past two months on the reservation comes in spite of a concerted effort by the tribal nation to stop the spread; the reservation is the only place in Wyoming with a stay-at-home order.

A lot of our families live in multi-generational homes, where theyll have 10, 15, 20 people in a house, and that may be from babies to grandma and grandpa, who are very much at risk, said Dr. Paul Ebbert, chief medical officer of the Northern Arapaho Tribes Wind River Family & Community Health Care. If youre 25, and you get the disease,your risk is still relatively low. But if youre 75 with diabetes or heart disease, then your risk is very, very high.

Latino communities in Wyoming have also been hit hard by the pandemic. Latino patients testing positive for COVID-19 make up nearly 14 percent of all confirmed cases, but 10 percent of the total population.

Antonio Serrano, an advocacy manager with Wyomings ACLU, said its important to consider the additional risks facing people of color, and the ways current health care systems fail to serve Wyomingites living on the margins.

Black people, Latinx and Indigenous people are among the most vulnerable communities and at risk for COVID-19, Serrano said. Were generally the workers who are on the front lines fighting against COVID-19, and Latinx and immigrants are part of that community.

Exposing inequities

A study by the Center for American Progress found the economic fallout from the coronavirus has been particularly severe for communities of color, due to occupational segregation, economic exploitation, and employment discrimination. For example, workers of color are overly represented in the nations low-wage job sector and therefore less likely to have the luxury of working from home.

And analysis by the Pew Research Center study found 29 percent of Latino households nationwide have suffered loss of work and 40 percent have experienced reductions in income during the pandemic. Black, Latino and Native American households have less wealth and liquidity than white households on average, due to racial discrimination too.

The coronavirus has absolutely exposed all underlying structural inequalities, said Jen Simon, founder of the Wyoming Womens Community Action Network. Anything that was broken before wasnt magically going to be fixed in a crisis, it was actually going to be illuminated, exacerbated and maybe even expanded in certain ways.

Immigrant families are scared to access medical resources when they need them too, according to Serrano. That leaves open the possibility that the number of infections in communities of color are actually greater than what the state has so far been able to track, he said.

Federal coronavirus relief aid did not contain provisions explicitly exempting hospitals or clinics from the reach of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The agency has issued a statement saying, in light of coronavirus, it will revise its protocols and not carry out enforcement operations at or near health care facilities, such as hospitals, doctors offices, accredited health clinics, and emergent or urgent care facilities, except in the most extraordinary of circumstances.

But Serrano, of the ACLU, believes these enforcement changes fail to go far enough; fear continues to discourage immigrants from seeking help at medical facilities, or applying for federal support, he said. I know that a lot of people are just staying home and fighting it, he said. Its just scary. Its scary that they dont feel like they have the same rights as everyone else.

The ACLU has called on ICE to cease all operations during the pandemic. The advocacy group has also called on the state, businesses and hospitals to provide support to essential workers, including free testing, paid family medical leave and higher safety standards to protect them.

Latino families may also be unable to access proper medical care during the pandemic due to a lack of health insurance. A lot of labor workers, especially immigrant workers, dont have insurance, Serrano explained. And thats not just Latinx communities, thats generally for people of color and lower-income people who are working labor jobs. They dont have insurance, and if they do, its not very good.

Non-citizens living in the U.S. are more likely than U.S. citizens to not have health insurance, according to a report published by the Kaiser Family Foundation in March, making accessing care for immigrant families even more difficult during a pandemic.

Tracking deaths

State Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist urged caution before coming to any conclusions about the data tracking lab confirmed COVID-19 cases by race.

Our (population) numbers are relatively small, Harrist said. I dont think ... I want to make a judgment now about whether certain races or ethnicities are more susceptible to this illness.

I think its too early to know, but its an important factor to measure and keep track of, Harrist added.

Seven patients with coronavirus have died in Wyoming. Four of the deaths were Native American patients, one was Hispanic and two were white, Wyomings Health Department told the Star-Tribune.

There are limits to the data. For one, 8.6 percent of patients with confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Wyoming did not identify their race. The state isnt publicizing the death rates by race or ethnicity, unlike the majority of states around the U.S.

Furthermore, the state tracks the race of patients using the ethnic category Hispanic, which some experts said can distort data analysis, because several racial groups falling into this one category.

The COVID Tracking Project, an organization collecting and monitoring data during the pandemic, calls on states to collect more detailed information on patients race and ethnicity to ensure racial and ethnic inequities during the virus can be meaningfully addressed.

Star-Tribune reporters Seth Klamann and Chris Aadland contributed reporting. Morgan Hughes created data visualizations.

Follow the latest on Wyomings energy industry at @camillereports

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Friends play spikeball, a game perfect for social distancing, on an open but restricted San Buenaventura State Beach on Saturday in Ventura, Calif. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)

California is seeing signs that the increase in coronavirus deaths and hospitalizations is slowing, but there remains wide debate about whether the progress is enough to dramatically ease Gov. Gavin Newsom's stay-at-home order.

The state has recorded its first week-over-week decline in reported COVID-19 deaths, according to a Times data analysis. Two weeks ago, California reported its highest one-week toll  542 fatalities among people infected with the coronavirus. Last week, the weekly death toll dropped 9% to 495.

Although it was an improvement, last weeks number was still the third-highest over the course of the pandemic.

Even hard-hit parts of the state have seen some relief.

Los Angeles County , home to 55% of Californias COVID-19 deaths despite having only one-quarter of the state's population, saw its reported weekly death toll flatten for the first time: 315 deaths in each of the past two weeks.

Hospitalizations have been flat on a weekly basis in the five Southern California counties, as well as the San Joaquin Valley and San Diego County, while dropping noticeably in Northern California. L.A. County saw a 2% decline in confirmed and suspected COVID-19 hospitalizations last week compared to the previous week.

Still, California has not seen the sustained 14-day decline in coronavirus cases that the White House has suggested as a key criteria before easing stay-at-home orders. The state reported its highest weekly coronavirus case total April 20-26, with 12,122 cases. Last week, 9,967 cases were reported, an 18% decline but still the second-highest weekly total reported during the pandemic.

Newsom announced Monday that some lower-risk retailers would be allowed to reopen with modifications by Friday  such as sporting good stores and florists for curbside pickup  marking the state's first major easing of the social distancing rules that have been credited with slowing the spread of the coronavirus and leaving California with far fewer fatalities than hot spots like New York and New Jersey.

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But many health officials are urging caution, saying reopening the economy rapidly would cause cases and deaths to increase again.

Santa Clara County executive officer Dr. Jeffrey Smith noted Tuesday that the state death toll is still going up in significant numbers. Last week's death toll made up nearly one-quarter of California's cumulative tally of fatalities.

Theres a lot of talk in California about relaxing shelter-in-place [orders]. I just want to point out that were still, in California, going up dramatically," Smith said. "So theres no clinical evidence that shelter-in-place should be relaxed at this point.

Echoing statements by other medical experts, Smith said loosening up the stay-at-home orders will result in more infections and deaths.

With many states significantly relaxing stay-at-home orders, Smith said, the University of Washingtons Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is now forecasting a national death toll of more than 134,000 by early August, close to double the current total of more than 71,000. The institute forecasts a California death toll of 4,700 by early August, also roughly double the current number of more than 2,300.

California faces a particular challenge because some parts of the state have been hit much harder than others. Nineteen rural counties have no confirmed deaths, and in some suburban regions the number of deaths has been limited. But Los Angeles County has recorded more than 1,300 deaths and on Tuesday added more than 1,500 new cases  the highest single-day total  to a cumulative total of more than 27,000 cases.

That helped fuel a single-day record of coronavirus cases reported in California, with 2,557 new diagnoses reported, for a cumulative total of 58,724.

"We do know as we reopen, more people will be out and about and we'll see more cases," said Los Angeles County public health director Barbara Ferrer. "Nothing has really changed about the virus since March. The virus didn't get less deadly. The virus didn't get less infectious. The virus is still out there."

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, echoed similar concerns on the national level.

There are regions, areas, counties, cities in which you can [begin to reopen] safely now. But there are others that if you do that, its really dangerous, Fauci said on CNN Monday. How many deaths  and how much suffering  are you willing to accept to get back to  some form of normality sooner rather than later?

Newsom on Tuesday tried to set expectations, stressing social-distancing practices would remain in place as more people would be put at risk when restrictions were lifted.

We have to maintain the core construct of our stay-at-home orders, he said at a news conference.

The economy will start to reopen, but that doesnt mean people can go back to normal, Newsom said. Since COVID-19 is still present, the reopening relies on Californians remaining cautious and following safety protocols.

The governor criticized two Northern California counties that are allowing higher-risk businesses, like malls, gyms and restaurant dining rooms, to reopen, saying their decision to defy his statewide stay-at-home order has put their communities at increased risk for a new outbreak.

Sutter and Yuba counties, with a combined population of 171,000 people and both north of Sacramento, allowed many businesses to reopen on Monday after a similar decision was made in Modoc County, which has fewer than 9,000 residents in Californias northeastern corner. Officials in the three counties argued that they were less affected by the pandemic than spots such as Los Angeles and the Bay Area, and said the shutdown was hurting their local economies.

Theyre making a big mistake. Theyre putting their public at risk. Theyre putting our progress at risk, Newsom said during a COVID-19 briefing in Sacramento on Tuesday. These are real exceptions. The overwhelming majority of Californians are playing by the rules, doing the right thing.

Newsom also faced defiance in Southern California after he ordered the closure of all Orange County beaches last week. The governor took that action after thousands of beachgoers flocked to the coast during the recent heatwave, ignoring Newsoms pleas to stay at home and maintain a safe distance from others.

On Tuesday, the state announced that three Orange County beach cities  Huntington Beach, Seal Beach and Dana Point  will be permitted to reopen their stretches of coastline this week with certain limitations, including taking steps to avoid overcrowding and allow safe physical distancing.

The move came a day after similar plans for Laguna Beach and San Clemente were approved by the state, and several days after the Huntington Beach City Council voted to take legal action to block Newsoms beach closure.

Newsom is allowing regions to retain local stay-at-home orders that are stricter than the state's.

California has recorded more than 2,300 fatalities, far fewer than New York's more than 24,000 and New Jersey's more than 7,000  a fact experts partially attribute to early social distancing rules.

Lin reported from San Francisco, Lee and Fry from Southern California, and Luna from Sacramento. Times staff writers Colleen Shalby, Soumya Karlamangla and Sean Greene contributed to this report.




Virus toll on economy could last nine months, says PM

THAILAND: The country will likely continue feeling the economic blow of COVID-19 for another nine months, according to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

CoronavirusCOVID-19economicshealthSafetyalcohol

By Bangkok Post

Wednesday 6 May 2020, 08:49AM

People wait to submit their complaints about the B5,000 cash handouts at the Public Relations Department on Soi Ari Samphan where social distancing was arranged due to the coronavirus outbreak. The previous venue was located underneath an expressway near the Finance Ministry. Photo: Arnun Chonmahatrakool

We expect the impact on the economy to drag on for quite a while, not only three months, but possibly six or nine months, Gen Prayut said during a media briefing after the cabinet meeting yesterday (May 5).

We need to prepare measures to cope with that, he added.

Gen Prayut said he is considering asking more wealthy businesspeople to cooperate in addressing the economic fallout from the pandemic, as he did with the countrys top 20 moguls last month.

The government has launched a B1.97-trillion package, the biggest relief program for the kingdom ever, to ease the virus economic toll.

Of the total, B1trillion is for cash handouts to people hit by the virus, public healthcare expenditure and economic and social rehabilitation.

B500billion is for the central banks soft loan scheme for small and medium enterprises with a credit line of up to B500million, while B400billion is for the Corporate Bond Stabilisation Fund.

In March, the Bank of Thailand forecast a 5.3% GDP contraction this year, compared with 2.8% growth previously predicted.

Gen Prayut also warned that stores that fail to enforce disease-control measures will be closed.

The government has begun to relax state of emergency measures with hopes of rehabilitating the economy.

His warning came after people were seen on Sunday flocking to shops to buy alcoholic beverages after the ban on the sale of alcohol was lifted in most provinces and Bangkok.

Gen Prayut said the government was preparing for the second stage of reopening if the initial stage proves successful.

He said that in the second stage, people would be permitted to visiting shopping malls for two hours at a time to help contain the virus.

The number of people allowed in at one time will also be restricted, Gen Prayut said.

The government plans to take two months to gauge the ramifications of its planned four stages to ease restrictions before deciding whether a full reopening of the kingdom can be considered.

Each stage will be assessed after 14 days.

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said yesterday if shops selling alcohol are unable to manage customers, they will be shuttered.

A warning will be issued first, Mr Wissanu said. Everyone has been told to take care of themselves.

Department stores must be careful too because [mismanagement] is dangerous for customers and staff, he added.

Provincial governors, as heads of sub-national disease control committees, have the power to immediately close shops, Mr Wissanu said, adding shuttered stores will need to ask the government if they can reopen.

Mr Wissanu said some reopened restaurants in Bangkok that failed to comply with disease-control measures have been shut down.

The ban on takeaway sales of alcoholic drinks was lifted in most provinces on Sunday. All stores were required to strictly observe disease-control measures, including social distancing and limiting the number of customers allowed inside at one time.

In addition, the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration yesterday reported one new coronavirus case with no additional deaths, bringing the national tally to 2,988 infections with 54 deaths.

Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin, the spokesman for the CCSA, said the new case was a Thai man, 45, in the southern province of Narathiwat. He also suffered from diabetes.

In April, the man fell sick with coughing, a fever, runny nose, a sore throat, phlegm and shortness of breath. He was diagnosed with pneumonia at a local hospital and tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday.

Dr Taweesilp said the man attended religious ceremonies overseas.
London: The scientist whose advice prompted British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to lock down the country resigned from his government advisory position, after he broke social distancing rules to meet his married lover.

Professor Neil Ferguson allowed the woman to visit him at home during lockdown while he lectured the public on the need for strict social distancing to reduce the spread of coronavirus. The woman lives with her husband and their two children in another house.

Professor Neil Ferguson and Antonia Staats.

The epidemiologist leads a team at Imperial College London that produced the computer-modelled research which claimed more than 500,000 people in Britain would die without the national lockdown. He has frequently taken to the media to support lockdown and praised the "very intensive social distancing" measures.

The disclosure of the "illegal" meetings will infuriate couples living apart whom the government has banned from getting together during the lockdown, now in its seventh week.
States facing sudden drops in tax revenue amid the pandemic are announcing deep cuts to their Medicaid programs just as millions of newly jobless Americans are surging onto the rolls.

And state officials are worried that theyll have to slash benefits for patients and payments to health providers in the safety net insurance program for the poor unless they get more federal aid.

State Medicaid programs in the previous economic crisis cut everything from dental services to podiatry care  and reduced payments to hospitals and doctors in order to balance out spending on other needs like roads, schools and prisons. Medicaid officials warn the gutting could be far worse this time, because program enrollment has swelled in recent years largely because of Obamacares expansion.

The looming crisis facing Medicaid programs is going to be the 09 recession on steroids, said Matt Salo, head of the National Association of Medicaid Directors. Its going to hit hard, and its going to hit fast.

Medicaid programs, among the largest budget items in most states, provide health insurance to roughly 70 million poor adults, children, the disabled and pregnant women. The federal government on average pays roughly 60 percent of program costs, with poorer states receiving a higher share. States have the latitude to adjust benefits, payments to health care providers and eligibility requirements with oversight by the federal government.

Now, governors are turning to Congress for help as it weighs a new package to rescue state budgets battered by the pandemic. Theyre asking lawmakers to provide a bigger boost to Medicaid payments and provide hundreds of billions of dollars in aid to shore up state budgets.

Medicaid naturally faces heightened demand as economic conditions worsen. But that leaves states facing more need at the same time that they have less money.

The cruel nature of the economic downturn is that at a time when you need a social safety net is also the time when government revenues shrink, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, said Tuesday as he announced $210 million in cuts to his states Medicaid program in the next two months.

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The vast majority of a $229 million spending cut made by Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis last week came from Medicaid, though new federal funds will forestall an immediate reduction in benefits or payments to health providers. State legislative committee staff have warned Medicaid enrollment there could spike by 500,000 by the end of the year.

In Georgia, where Medicaid enrollment is projected to rise by as much as 567,000, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp and legislative leaders have instructed every state agency to prepare for 14 percent reductions across the board.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp listens to a question from the press during a tour of a massive temporary hospital at the Georgia World Congress Center on Thursday, April 16, 2020, in Atlanta. Kemp took part in a tour of the 200-bed facility, constructed quickly in the lower levels of the Georgia World Congress Center which normally plays host to large conventions and sporting events. (AP Photo/Ron Harris, Pool)

House Democrats are pushing to deliver a $1 trillion-plus package in aid to state and local governments and to support safety net programs, which could alleviate pressure on states to make deep cuts to health care during a pandemic. Some Republican lawmakers have questioned the need for more aid, after Congress has shoveled out trillions of dollars in rescue funding.

Congress already gave states a temporary 6 percent increase in the federal portion of Medicaid spending in an earlier coronavirus package. That prompted Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a Republican, to cut state Medicaid spending $31 million last month, saying the temporary federal boost would make up the difference.

State officials largely agreed the increase was helpful but said it likely will be washed out by an expected enrollment surge. The nations governors say Congress  in addition to providing at least $500 billion in direct support to states  must double the Medicaid funding boost to 12 percent as it did in the previous recession. At least one Republican senator facing a tough reelection fight, Cory Gardner of Colorado, said his state sorely needs extra Medicaid funding to avoid harmful budget cuts.

Anywhere from 11 million to 23 million more people could sign up for Medicaid over the next several months. The demand will be even greater in roughly three-quarters of states that expanded Medicaid enrollment to poor adults under the Affordable Care Act.

The portion of state budgets devoted to Medicaid spending has grown quickly since the previous recession, making it a riper target for cuts. Medicaid spending on average accounted for 15.7 percent of state budgets in fiscal 2009, a number that jumped to 19.7 percent in fiscal 2019.

Medicaid enrollment data in some states often lags, making it difficult to determine how much national sign-ups have climbed since jobless claims began surging two months ago. Some states have begun to report notable surges, however, and larger increases are expected in the coming months.

Arizona in the past two months saw 78,000 people enroll in Medicaid and the Childrens Health Insurance Program, which receives more generous funding from the federal government. Virginia has seen a 20 percent increase in enrollment applications since mid-March.

In New Mexico, where 42 percent of the population was already enrolled in Medicaid, sign-ups in the first two weeks of April surged by about 10,000 more people than were expected before the pandemic.

New Mexicos top Medicaid official said the budget is a significant concern for a state heavily reliant on oil and natural gas. She worries a prolonged economic downturn could force the state to roll back pay increases to Medicaid providers enacted last year, and another planned pay raise for next year is almost certainly off the table.

States that accepted the temporary Medicaid payment increase from Congress are barred from cutting back enrollment while theyre receiving the enhanced funds. That leaves states with the option of cutting benefits or provider payments to find Medicaid savings, which could ignite fierce brawls in state capitals.

Michigan state Rep. Mary Whiteford, the Republican chairwoman of a health care appropriations panel, said the states Medicaid enrollment could increase from 2.4 million to 2.8 million by the end of the year.

We are just planning for major cuts moving forward, Whiteford said.

Before the pandemic, states had socked away $72 billion in rainy day funds  an all-time high, said Brian Sigritz of the National Association of State Budget Officers. But that figure was easily dwarfed by the $150 billion Congress provided to state and local governments in an earlier package, and its far short of what states are demanding.

Now, were looking at greater declines than what we saw during the Great Recession and increased spending, Sigritz said. If there arent more federal funds, states will have to look at cutting funding for key services: public safety, education, health care. Thats where the money is.
It won't be the first time KSB has paid tribute to Mr. Taussig . He was their esteemed guest in Philadelphia last June, when the boys honored him at the National Museum of American Jewish History. They presented excerpts from Vedem , the clandestine magazine that Mr. Taussig and his dorm mates wrote while in Terezin. Of the 92 boys who contributed to the publication, only 15 survived. Of those who did, only Mr. Taussig is still with us.

In memory of those 92 boys, 92 boys from KSB will gather to remember them. These boys are all around the same age that Mr. Taussig was when the Russians arrived on May 8th, 1945, ending his two-and-a-half year imprisonment. The 30-minute event will include a short video tribute, as well as a poem from Vedem, some remarks from Mr. Taussig, lighting the shabbat candles and the reading of the 92 names of the boys who passed through Dorm Number One, most of whom perished in Auschwitz. Interviews with Mr. Taussig and members of KSB will be granted upon request. Video highlights of the livestreamed Zoom event will also be made available.

Keystone State Boychoir is made up of almost 200 boys between the ages of 7 and 18. For more information, visit keystonestateboychoir.org .

Michelle Boyles

Communications Director

215-384-6538

[email protected]

SOURCE Commonwealth Youthchoirs, Inc.
Only the River

By Anne Raeff

Counterpoint. 304 pp. $26

---

In the wake of her beautiful 2018 novel, "Winter Kept Us Warm," Anne Raeff has created another richly memorable world in a complex mode - crisscrossing time and swaths of history, exploring one family's intertwined impulses to find love, political drama and meaning. Like its predecessor, "Only the River" draws us in at once with the quiet authority of its voice, promising to guide us with clarity and care.

In fact, multiple voices speak here, expertly mobilized. Central among them is that of Pepa, a New York widow of almost 85 as the novel opens. Pepa, who now runs a Spanish language bookstore, guards the secret (no spoiler) of her own likely terminal illness as she awaits a visit from grown daughter Liliana, whose longtime female lover has abruptly, inexplicably left her. Pepa's tasks - to comfort her grieving daughter, hide her own discomfort with "something growing inside her" and find ways to carry forward despite present ordeals and the past losses of her husband and son - strike us as overwhelming, yet real. Pepa has determined that, rather than endure "the long decline," she'll let the apparent tumor "grow until there was no going back."

By increments, we absorb the principals' accrued stories. First (perhaps most urgently) comes that of Pepa's youth, as her Viennese parents, who are doctors, flee the ravages of World War II with their daughter to Nicaragua, resolved to combat its rampant yellow fever. There, teenage Pepa falls in love with neighboring Guillermo (whose earnest spirit, like that of every player in this saga, is tenderly conveyed). Together the two find solace in the magical, anarchic jungle.

One of Raeff's signal strengths is to ground and immerse readers in the sensuous present of any era, in each setting's vibrant textures and temperatures, however extreme. When Guillermo, who works as a youth on a rubber plantation, "his hands sticky from the sap. . . his boots thick with mud," catches a baby caiman for young Pepa in the San Juan River, where the lovers spend much of their time, we smell the river, the humid air, the warm rain and constant decay.

But a terrible ordeal awaits Pepa when her parents decide to move to New York, and she is forced to leave her first, great love.

Difficult gay love is a sub-theme considered in two quiet narratives: that of Liliana, whose longtime lover, Irene, has left her for a man, and that of two kind, educated German emigrants, Friedrich and Georg, photographers, who've built a secret retreat in the Nicaraguan jungle where they teach a young Guillermo to read. (This novel is suffused with passionate belief in arts and letters. "Though Guillermo didn't fully understand the poems that Friedrich read, they made him feel. . . the kind of sadness that made him want to stay up all night listening to Friedrich read poems that he did not understand.") A reader prays that, safe in their art-filled hideaway, all may go well for the Germans. But slowly, subtly, the two become poisoned by their outcast status, paralleling the fate of Anna Karenina and Vronsky.

Deceased Oskar, Pepa's eventual husband, whose first family was destroyed in German concentration camps, carries his own astonishing story (including his poignant courtship of Pepa), told by stately turns. That story infuses Pepa's and those of their grown children, Liliana and William, who will - uncannily yet believably - encounter individuals in Nicaragua intimately connected with their mother's past.

One of many reasons Raeff's work is so deeply pleasurable is the gripping concreteness of her characters' bodies and natures. William, presumed dead in Nicaragua as a volunteer soldier during its heinous, Sandinista-Contra warfare, is a brooding idealist who's also desperate to define himself away from the emotional tyranny, even suffocation, of his father's tragic past. When news of William's presumed death reaches the horrified family, Oskar says, "The body is not important. The only thing that matters is that he is dead." Liliana did not argue, "because when it came to death, her father always had the last word."

Through intricate interweavings of plot delivered in lean yet powerful, often poetic prose, "Only the River" ponders what the Germans call "the unanswerable questions . . . about the difference between courage and cowardice, weakness and strength" - the moving riddles of human confrontation with atrocity and possible redemption. It offers, with open hands, a complicated feast: irreconcilable impasses of character and event; what we can and cannot control. Epic and cinematic, wrought and soulful, it is a deeply serious novel, yet full of tenderness. In one lovely sequence, Pepa and Oskar dance on the Brooklyn Bridge, as Pepa sings. In fact, the novel makes its own soft, steady music, and its traces will haunt a reader's heart and mind.

---

Frank's most recent books are "Where You're All Going: Four Novellas" and "Try to Get Lost: Essays on Travel and Place."
The family of a 74-year-old Whitehall Township man who died of COVID-19 after a cruise vacation has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Carnival Corp. and its subsidiary Princess Cruise Lines Ltd. in California federal court, alleging the cruise lines failed to properly address the onboard outbreak.

Carl E. Weidner, a father, kidney cancer survivor and retired Bethlehem Steel worker, died on March 26. His son, Christopher Weidner of Allentown, the plaintiff, claims in the suit filed Monday that Carl was forced to die alone in a hospital room.

He was so weakened by the disease that a nurse had to hold a phone to his ear in order to talk to his loved ones, said Mary Alexander, the attorney representing the family. Ultimately, rather than passing away surrounded by his family, Carl was cared for by medical staff in hazmat suits and prayed for by a minister standing outside his room.

Representatives of Princess Cruises said in a statement Tuesday the cruise line has been sensitive to the difficulties the coronavirus pandemic has caused to its guests and crew.

Our response throughout this process has focused on the well-being of our guests and crew within the parameters dictated to us by the government agencies involved and the evolving medical understanding of this new illness, the statement reads. We do not comment on any pending litigation.

Carl brought his longtime girlfriend, Annette Gibbons of Palmer Township, on the trip in late February. The pair arrived in San Francisco before boarding the Hawaii-bound Grand Princess cruise on Feb. 21. The cruise continued on to various Hawaiian islands. On Feb, 25, passengers on the vessels previous San Francisco-Mexico trip received emails of a potential COVID-19 exposure from the cruise line, but passengers on the San Francisco-Hawaii vessel received no notice, the suit alleges. The ship left Hawaii by Feb. 29 but safety precautions, such as hand washing, sanitizing and avoiding contact with those who might be ill, didnt begin on the ship until around March 4, according to the suit.

By March 4, the suit alleges, passengers aboard the Hawaii trip on the Grand Princess began suffering from COVID-19 symptoms and an advisory instructed anyone with symptoms to contact the ships medical center. The next day -- two weeks after the ship set sail -- there were operational changes, such as cabin/stateroom quarantine, meal service within the rooms, and cessation of daily turndown services and communal activities, the suit states.

Other events in the Princess Patter, the ships daily onboard newsletter continued, including a formal night and its associated dinner as planned, the suit claims. Alexander, the attorney, said Gibbons recalled the buffet line did not offer ample sanitizer for patrons and the salt and pepper shakers were handled by numerous people.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom went on to declare a state of emergency on March 4. With concern about a potential outbreak aboard the Grand Princess, the ship was not allowed to re-enter the San Francisco port and had to be anchored for five days off the coast before being escorted into an Oakland, California port by the Coast Guard, Alexander told lehighvalleylive.com.

Carl was diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, shortly after he disembarked March 9. A bus ride to the Travis Air Force Base took more than three hours, where Carl was in close proximity to other disembarked passengers, according to the suit.

Carl came down with a fever that started at 101 F. at the base and was taken to a California Pacific Medical Center, according to the suit and Alexander. He spent about two weeks at the hospital, being placed on a ventilator, and eventually placed into a medically-induced coma before succumbing to the illness, the suit states.

Carl E. Weidner, a father, kidney cancer survivor and retired Bethlehem Steel worker, died on March 26, 2020. His family alleges Carnival Corp. and its subsidiary Princess Cruise Lines Ltd. failed to properly address an onboard COVID-19 outbreak.

The suit alleges the cruise line was more interested in making profits when it failed to alert the San Francisco-Hawaii passengers that passengers from the prior Mexico trip had COVID-19 symptoms and crew remaining on board were exposed to the virus. The companies learned of a potential outbreak on the round-trip San Francisco-Mexico cruise in mid-February but completed that voyage uninterrupted and reloaded passengers on the Grand Princess for the San Francisco-Hawaii trip, according to the suit.

Defendants knew or should have known that by failing to proactively warn passengers  including decedent  and by failing to take actions to limit opportunities for viral spread, they risked serious personal injury and/or death to their passengers, the suit states. Nevertheless, defendants consciously disregarded the known high probability of injury and/or death and chose to instead pursue profits rather than protect the public and their customers.

There were 1,000 crew members and 62 passengers from the Mexican voyage that continued on the ship for the Hawaii cruise, Alexander told lehighvalleylive.com. At least two people had symptoms of COVID-19, she said.

The suit claims Carls ultimate death was the direct and proximate result of his exposure to the virus on the ship due to Defendants failure to take any effective measures to prevent or mitigate the spread of COVID-19 onboard the Grand Princess."

The suit goes after Carnival Corp. and its subsidiary Princess Cruise Lines Ltd. with common law negligence and gross negligence claims as well as a negligence claim under the Death on the High Seas Act. The family is seeking unspecified damages.

We will be asking for a substantial amount in compensation for this death, the specific amount to be determined by a jury, Alexander told lehighvalleylive.com.

"What makes Carls death even more tragic is that this was entirely preventable because Princess failed at every turn to inform passengers, properly clean its boat or take proper safety precautions, Alexander said. Carl was able to win his fight against cancer, but he was taken down by Princess Cruise Lines extreme negligence and dishonesty.

According to Carls obituary, he worked for the former Bethlehem Steel for more than 30 years as a millwright. He was an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan and enjoyed vacationing in Ocean City, Maryland; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and cruising various parts of the world. He was born in Catasauqua.

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.

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Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com.
Its a sunny day in May but water is still seeping into John Elliotts beach strip basement and pooling on the street just steps from his home.

The water is coming up through the floor, but were pumping it out OK so far, said Elliott, who like most residents on low-lying Bayside Avenue has a sump pump spitting water onto the road every few minutes.

Ive lived here (on the strip) all of my life, so Im used to this. But it would be nice if we could stay dry this year, you know?

Lake Ontario is on the rise and again invading homes in what has become an annual rite of spring for the sandbar community squeezed in between the lake and Burlington bay.

But this years COVID-19 pandemic lockdown has prompted the city to get an early start installing pumps on flood-prone streets, contracting sucker trucks and writing warning letters to residents. After all, self-isolation stinks even more with a smelly basement.

So far, the news is mixed for anxious beach strip residents watching water levels tracked by the International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board.

Lake Ontario started off the year nearly 20 centimetres higher than normal, but the international body that regulates flows out of the lake via the Moses-Saunders dam opened up the taps for several months to help keep levels from rising too quickly.

Right now, forecasts call for peak water levels in late May or early June that would be well above average  but still below last years trail-swamping record of 75.92 metres above sea level.

Regardless, we are already nearing the lake level at which basement flooding and road ponding becomes common on the strip, even in good weather, said city water director Andrew Grice. That magic number locally is around 75.5 metres above sea level.

Storm-fueled winds can magnify the impact of high water levels, creating monster waves that chomp bites out of trails, throw rocks around and claw sandy beaches out of existence for months at a time.

We still have to prepare for the possibility that it could be just as ugly as last year, said Grice, noting the city spent close to $4 million on flood mitigation in 2019, including using vacuum trucks to clear flooded streets. I fully expect that well be out in mid-May doing what we can to dry things out.

To start, the city is installing temporary pumps at the end of streets like Bayside that force pooled water through drowned pipes under the QEW and into Burlington bay.

(This year, the city is trying to find quieter pumps  a move cheered by Elliott, who said his daughter could barely sleep at night last spring with the machinery churning.)

The city is also sending letters to all beach residents pleading with them not to pump Lake Ontario from their basement into the laundry tubs that drain into sanitary sewers.

Last year, so much water entered the sanitary sewer  the pipes that send flushed sewage to the treatment plant  that the system was nearly overwhelmed, said ward Coun. Chad Collins.

Weve learned that diverting lake water to the wrong place could have disastrous consequences, he said. Were talking about the potential to flood dozens of homes with raw sewage.

Long-term, the city is studying a potential permanent, multimillion-dollar pumping station that would protect particularly vulnerable streets from default flooding. Dont expect to see the results until next year, however.
Approved by veterinary nutritionists for high digestibility and palatability, Bond's Protein-Packed Dog Treat Bar is made with a novel dried yeast protein as the foundation of its recipe. While standard baked treats typically range from 12-20% protein, Bond's recipe boasts a 29% minimum protein content, which can help supplement a dog's primary diet to support sustained energy and overall health. A more sustainable alternative to other conventional animal and plant-based proteins, Bond's selected yeast protein requires less land, water and energy to produce. The bar is also peanut-free, for pet owners and pups with allergies.

Additionally, Bond's Dog Treat Bar is designed with portability and the joy of treating in mind. It's crafted in the shape and likeness of a candy bar with the ability to break off chunks and reclose for later, while utilizing a 100% recyclable outer box.

Responsibility and sustainability are central to Bond's work, and removing meat protein from the supply chain is a big part of that. It's estimated that if America's dogs and cats were their own country, their meat protein consumption would rank fifth in the world ( PLOS One , 2017). By reassessing how pet food is sourced and made, manufacturers could be saving the slaughter of up to 18 billion animals per year, and mitigate the negative impacts of conventional farming.

"Bond is part of a progressive movement aimed at reducing the social and environmental impacts of what our pets eat through new protein and ingredient solutions," said Rich Kelleman, Co-Founder and CEO of Bond Pet Foods. "With so much of our time currently spent at home with our four-legged friends due to social distancing, and this reality likely being a part of our lives for the foreseeable future, we're excited to be able to ship our products directly to the public so they can continue to prioritize balanced, healthy and sustainable nutrition for their pets."

This is a first step in the company's product and nutrition roadmap. The science team at Bond is also working on production of chicken and other conventional meat proteins made through a similar fermentation process used to make dried yeast.

"With our proprietary approach, we're producing proteins that are nutritionally identical to their meat counterparts without the environmental, animal welfare and safety downsides," said Pernilla Audibert, Co-Founder and CTO of Bond Pet Foods. "Utilizing microbial fermentation and the biochemistry of yeast, we're harvesting cultured animal proteins like chicken, turkey and fish, without the animal, and then using the ingredients as the foundation of our complete recipes. Products made with these meat proteins will be commercially available within the next three years."

For updates on its science, product launches and for exclusive deals, follow Bond Pet Foods on Instagram , Facebook and Twitter , or visit www.bondpets.com .

About Bond Pet Foods

Bond Pet Foods, Inc. is a Boulder, Colorado-based pet food company using biotechnology to create food that's nutritionally comparable to conventional meat but without all the bad stuff - so people, pets, farm animals and the planet all win. Using some of the same processes that are employed in craft brewing, Bond produces high-quality animal proteins through fermentation, harvests them to better meet the nutritional requirements of companion animals, and uses the ingredients as the foundation of its complete recipes.

Bond's investors include some of the most prominent funds in the alternative protein space including Lever VC, KBW Ventures and Agronomics, and the company was named a 2019 Purina Petcare Innovation Prize finalist as one of the most innovative pet care start-ups in the world, and a 2020 finalist of Nutreco's Food&Feed Tech Challenge . For more information on Bond's technology and team - visit bondpets.com or follow on Instagram , Facebook , and Twitter .

SOURCE Bond Pet Foods

Related Links

http://www.bondpets.com


According to a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier, homelessness among US military veterans rarely occurs immediately after military discharge, but instead takes years to manifest with risk increasing over subsquent years.

The study shows that this sleeper effect delay is evident among veterans who served before the Persian Gulf War era, as well as more recent groups from the post-9/11 conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The study points to the long-life cycle leading to homelessness among veterans. It often takes years for problems stemming from military service to build up before a veteran becomes homeless. The team and I found that the risk increases exponentially over time in the period 5-15 years post-military discharge." Jack Tsai, Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and Health Services Researcher

Dr. Tsai is research director for the US Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans, Tampa, Florida, USA. He is also affiliated with the School of Public Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, San Antonio, TX, and the Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.

Data from two nationally representative samples were analyzed, including the records of 275,775 homeless veterans who used Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) services from 2000-2019, as well as a 2018 population-based community survey of 115 veterans with a history of homelessness. The average time between discharge and homelessness was found to be 5.5 years in the VA sample and 9.9 years in the survey sample.

Significant factors associated with longer discharge-to-homelessness periods include service in the Vietnam War, younger age at military discharge, income, and chronic medical and psychiatric conditions (e.g., depression and alcohol abuse).

The findings suggest that some medical and psychiatric conditions take time to develop and do not quickly lead to homelessness but follow a more chronic course that, if untreated, can eventually lead to homelessness.

Deployments to the post-9/11 conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan were significantly associated with shorter duration between discharge and homelessness, a phenomenon that is accelerating. Among homeless VA service users discharged from 2000 to 2008, it took 10 years or more for 10 percent of them to become homeless; among those discharged from 2009 to 2014, more than 10 percent were homeless seven years after discharge.

This finding confirms previous research that veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan experience considerable difficulties with social adjustment.

"Understanding what happens to people after they leave the military and at what point they become homeless is important for policymakers, service providers, veterans, and their family members in order to prevent new generations of veterans from becoming homelessness. Those who end up homeless have very low quality of life, and developing strategic early interventions at various stages after military discharge can mitigate that risk," noted Dr. Tsai.

Primary and secondary prevention focused on chronic health conditions and social adjustment are crucial to prevent homelessness among these veterans. Further research is needed on how best to deploy resources to develop innovative interventions to prevent homelessness among veterans.

The study also points to the effect of intersectional macro socioeconomic issues, such as the lack of affordable housing, unemployment, and barriers against subgroups (women veterans with children and veterans with cognitive impairments).
Brazzaville, Congo (PANA) - The Congolese government plans to mobilise 15 billion CFA francs to fund the construction of a data centre and interconnection lines with Cameroon and Central African Republic (CAR) by the end of 2020, public radio announced on Wednesday
Supplier News

6 May 2020

DALLAS - RateGain, a leading SaaS company for travel and hospitality, today announced the release of the second edition of the report on assessing the global impact of COVID-19 on the hospitality industry in collaboration with IDeaS and HSMAI Europe. The report tracks week-wise room reservations & cancellation trends from over 20+ countries across the globe, giving a comprehensive view of the current state of the industry and strategies that hospitality professionals can leverage to cope with the crisis.

The second edition of the report compares data from February 1st to April 19th 2020, with the previous year to determine if the overall health of the industry was improving compared to the first edition that was released in March, which confirmed a 16% decline in reservations.

In the latest edition, 18 destination countries out of 20 show considerable improvement with Argentina (60%), Brazil (45%), Czech Republic (65%), Japan (28%), Mexico (33%), Oman (67%) leading those trends in 'week over week' reservations observed till week ending April 19th.

Commenting on the report, Harmeet Singh, CEO-RateGain, said, "While the outbreak of COVID-19 is affecting hotels' forward reservations, there are recovery efforts being made by industry associations, governments, hotel chains, technology organizations and tourism boards. With all of us working together, we believe that the markets will recover faster," said Harmeet Singh, CEO, RateGain. "However, what's most important between now and the post-corona era is the continuous preparation for the recovery. The second edition of the study COVID-19 & The Hospitality Industry Worldwide is, therefore, an effort to help the industry learn from the country-wise hotel reservation and cancellation trends, to understand the market pulse, respond to critical developments, revisit the short-term revenue management strategies, and prepare for the recovery."

The report findings also suggest that as a region, except the Asia Pacific, Europe, Americas, and the Middle East are not only seeing a recovery in reservations but also seeing a higher number of reservations as compared to 2019 levels, however, this growth is offset by an increase in cancellations as well, with lockdown measures being extended in some markets.

"During this difficult time, we understand and sympathize with the challenges our clients face today and in the coming months. Our strategic collaboration with RateGain is focused on bringing added value to our common clients to ensure they can integrate rate shopping data seamlessly with our revenue science. We continue to work with our partners and our customers to provide the industry with tangible advice to help all involved come out of these challenging times together while helping revenue managers make informed decisions based on these combined insights. Stay strong, and we will weather this storm together," said Ravi Mehrotra, President, Founder & Chief Scientist, IDeaS Revenue Solutions.

In addition to providing free analysis and coping strategies, RateGain is also committed to 1000+ hours of free consulting sessions to help travel and hospitality professionals with coping strategies and steps towards a better tomorrow.

About IDeaS

IDeaS, a SAS company, is the world's leading provider of revenue management software and services. With over 30 years of expertise, IDeaS delivers revenue science to more than 13,000 clients in 129 countries.

Discover greater profitability at ideas.com
Who would have thought that New Yorkers, a normally reticent bunch, would complain about subway service being stopped overnight for the first time in 115 years?

Critics howled when Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced last week that New York Citys subway system would shut down for overnight cleanings until the end of the coronavirus crisis. As the plan went into effect early Wednesday morning, their feedback was not much different.

For the first time since the system opened over a century ago, the subway shut down as planned from 1 a.m. until 5 a.m. on Wednesday. Transit officials pronounced the first night of the shutdown a success. I think for a debut closing of the subways, I think it can only be characterized as successful, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman and CEO Patrick Foye said during a radio appearance on WCBS 880. It will be better this morning, Thursday morning, itll be better on Friday. Were going to continue to tweak it, but I think it was a successful closing.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, too, praised the efforts by outreach teams  social workers as well as police officers and nurses  to direct homeless people who had been sheltering in subway stations and on subway cars to other locations. Freddi Goldstein, de Blasios press secretary, tweeted that outreach teams contacted 252 homeless people on the subways this morning and were able to help move 139 of them into shelters and safe havens with services. More than half of the unsheltered residents engaged by our teams agreed to accept support and services, from a warm bed to medical treatment, de Blasio tweeted Wednesday. This is extraordinary work.

Despite what officials say was a successful launch, transit advocacy groups and advocates for the homeless say the shutdown put essential workers, homeless people and the future of 24/7 subway service at risk. Last night the NYPD and the MTA began implementing a policy that is pushing hundreds of vulnerable homeless people into the streets in the middle of a pandemic, Giselle Routhier, policy director of Coalition for the Homeless, said in a statement, suggesting that empty hotel rooms should be used to house displaced homeless people. The city and state are failing our homeless neighbors at a time when their very lives are at risk and when the solution is so easy and so obvious.

De Blasio has moved toward housing homeless people in the citys vacant hotels, but the administration has been criticizedover delays. Homelessness has become something of a lightning rod for both Cuomo and de Blasio in recent weeks, as both leaders have been criticized for offering few alternatives when saying that homeless people have to be removed from the subways.

The first night of the subway shutdown showed that the question of relocating the homeless isnt the only challenge. Reporters from outlets like the Daily News, Gothamist and The New York Times were on the ground as the subways shut down, and hundreds of police officers, social workers, nurses and cleaners were deployed to shepherd straggling riders and homeless people out of subway cars and stations before 1 a.m. As some of these outlets reported, it didnt always go smoothly. Some homeless people left subway stations only to move to the street or to bus shelters.

Meanwhile, there are roughly 11,000 people who the MTA said had continued to rely on overnight subway service even after the coronavirus pandemic shuttered most activity in New York City. Foye and Sarah Feinberg, the interim president of New York City Transit, explained that the MTA is bolstering bus service to continue to transport essential workers overnight and is supplementing additional bus service by allowing essential workers to book transportation to or from work via subsidized for-hire vehicles rides. Foye said that only a small number of these rides were provided this morning.

Despite adding over 300 additional buses to the roads, the end of overnight subway service hit some bumps. One worker watched a bus fly right by his stop and luckily caught a ride in a police cruiser, as the Times reported. Meanwhile, bus operators fear an increase in attacks from riders.

Danny Pearlstein, policy and communications director of the transit advocacy group Riders Alliance, said that the MTA needs to further expand bus service. The MTA should scale up a true citywide enhanced bus network but riders havent seen that yet, Pearlstein wrote via email. We need more interborough connectivity and more direct connections to hard to reach neighborhoods. The existing bus network cant cut it alone; it piggybacks off the subway spine in too many respects.

Lastly, some fear that the nightly subway shutdown wont be temporary or last just for months as de Blasio predicted it would. It could be longer. Nicole Gelinas, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, wrote in an op-ed for the New York Post that shutting down the subways overnight isnt necessary to disinfect cars or enforce rules against sleeping on trains. That can happen while continuing service, she said. But with the MTA facing a severe budget deficit and plummeting ridership, cutting service only further limits demand. Riders wont come back unless they know theres a train, she wrote.

Pearlstein also emphasized that 24/7 subway service has to return. This particular new normal actually must be very temporary, Pearlstein said. New York cant come back without 24-hour subway service. Too many people have organized their lives around it. Housing and job patterns depend on it.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Coronavirus-related deaths in the United States surpassed 70,000 with 1.2 million confirmed cases of infection. As daily death toll moving around 1000 in recent days, President Donald Trump said it's time to reopen businesses, and Vice-President Mike Pence suggested the White House coronavirus task force could be disbanded within weeks. A total of 1,204,475 cases and 71,078 Covid-19 related deaths were recorded in the U.S., as per latest data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. This makes up nearly one third of the global cases, and more than one-fourth of people died of the pandemic worldwide. Authorities in 213 countries and territories have reported more than 3,680,376 novel coronavirus cases worldwide since China reported its first cases to the World Health Organization in December. The worldwide Covid-19 death toll is now above 257,000. Of all the infections reported in the U.S., 321,192 are in New York, the epicenter of the deadly virus in the country. The number of casualties reached 25124 in the state, as of John Hopkins' 7:00 a.m. ET update on Wednesday. New Jersey (8244 deaths and 130593 infections), Michigan (4183 deaths, 44451 infections), Massachusetts (4212 deaths and 70271 infections), Louisiana (2115 deaths, 29996 infections), Illinois (2834 death, 65889 infections), Pennsylvania (3179 deaths, 53864 infections), California (2388 deaths, 58685 infections) Connecticut (2633 deaths, 30621 infections), Florida (1471 deaths, 37439). Meanwhile, President Trump announced a $600 million aid to the Navajo Nation during a roundtable meeting with Native American leaders. 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.
Italian leaders have developed a dangerous preoccupation with being seen to oppose the rest of Europe  particularly Germany  and wild ideas about a future close relationship with China, European Council of Foreign Relations reports in its article Italy's industrial geopolitics: Torn between Europe and China. Germanys relative success at containing the coronavirus has meant that companies there have not had to stop trading completely  and they are now asking their Italian suppliers to restart operations.

This has put the onus on Italian firms, and on the Italian government, to navigate between the competing demands of healthcare and the need to reboot the economy. But, in Rome, political leaders are putting the recovery in danger by lacking a strategic vision and by focusing more on collaboration with China than with the rest of Europe.

The powerful Federation of German Industries and the three main associations of the German mechanical industry have called for Italian firms to resume activity in a coordinated manner, effectively lifting the production blockade. Italian companies  especially those in northern Italy, the countrys manufacturing heartland  are indeed asking for decisive and immediate support to return to business as soon as possible. Carlo Bonomi, the new president of Confindustria, Italys most powerful industrial organisation, has emphasised the need for this by accusing the government of slowness, poor preparation, and failure to understand industrial policies and the importance of international value chains.

These actors have good reason to be worried. A new strain of rhetoric has become increasingly prominent in Italian politics in recent months: many public debates and analyses depict China as counterbalancing a malevolent Europe. Politicians from the Five Star Movement and the opposition League promote a narrative in which China is a growing economic partner for Italy. And China itself has been busy exploiting the current crisis to project a friendly image beyond its own borders and to maximise opportunities for its own economy. Recent polls show this has been a successful campaign, as Italians consider China to be their top friend in the world. Germany and France top the polls for enemy countries.

The populists anti-European rhetoric has already had an impact: the Italian government refused to accept 39 billion of EU aid from the European Stability Mechanism that could have quickly helped Italy, after Five Star Movement politicians expressed fear about a Troika-like control mechanism. Now, negotiations have started that will delay the arrival of the funds and delay the recovery of Italys economy. The picture is complex, however. The negative rhetoric reached such a height that even the Five Star Movements Luigi Di Maio  who serves as foreign minister and who has previously advocated a gradual shift towards China  has recently felt compelled to issue a reassuring statement about Italys positioning: we have strengthened our relationships with a strategic commercial partner such as China, but this will not change our geostrategic alliances.

The massive Chinese market is unlikely to make up for Europes high-value, integrated market. And big-ticket projects such as those China has deployed around the world in the past decade  buying up infrastructure and bringing direct investment to countries  will hardly match the weight of the single market. If China can be no substitute for Germany and the rest of Europe, Italys economic interests remain with the continent  especially in the short term, while no quick fix with Beijing is available. Due to Italian leaders preoccupation with being seen to oppose the rest of Europe  particularly Germany  and their wild ideas about a future close relationship with China, reopening supply chains between Italy and Germany has not seemed to be a political priority during the lockdown.

This comes at a potentially dangerous time for Italy  fractures in the international system created by the US-China decoupling could cause Italy and its export-dependent economy to fall between the cracks. Economic interdependence has been under pressure for several years, not least since US President Donald Trump launched his trade war, with the stated aim of  among other things  bringing factory jobs back to American soil. In addition, growing competition for geo-economic and technological primacy between Washington and Beijing has led political leaders across the globe to regard industrial production capacity as a strategic asset. The current crisis has broadened the industrial categories that states define as strategic, to include critical raw materials and key technological inputs, such as semiconductors. In the short term, this new reality might lead the United States to seek greater control over these sectors, limiting Chinas influence over  and, potentially, access to  them.

In a world in which trade depends on geopolitical shifts, the capacity to produce strategic goods has proved to be essential. Unfortunately, in recent weeks, it has become clear how important it is to be able to produce medical equipment such as masks, ventilators, and reagents needed for testing. In the near future, the same could happen to the supply chain of raw materials or semi-finished products of high technological value. The European Union noticed these global changes even before the crisis, highlighting how it was necessary to bring more manufacturing back to Europe in some sectors. It is no coincidence that industrial policy was already central to the thinking of the new European Commission, which published on 10 March an industrial strategy that focused on innovation, unfair competition, and the need to restore production capacity in Europe.

The lockdown has interrupted industrial production in Italy and led to only a cautious reopening of the economy. At a moment when countries relative industrial strengths look to set to undergo great shifts, the coronavirus crisis threatens to cut Italy out of the European supply chains in which its industry plays a vital part. Italian leaders may be content to play politics with citizens jobs for the moment. But those at risk of unemployment may take a dim view of this at the next election. Loose but persistent talk blaming Europe and Germany for all ills could, however, mean that voters still blame Brussels for their problems. As such, the need to reopen Italys economy should be a question that draws the attention of leaders across Europe. The post-coronavirus reality shows that, at a time when globalisation is increasingly vulnerable, European countries are bound together not only by common political values but also by the strength of their industrial interdependence.
The Dave Matthews Band has scrapped its entire 2020 summer tour and moved the dates to 2021.

The move, motivated by continuing concerns over Covid-19, impacts several dates in the region.

The June 16 and June 17 dates at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT will now take place on June 8 and June 9 of 2021.

Tickets will be honored for the new dates or fans can request a refund. Ticket holders will be emailed directly with details and can visit ticketmaster.com for more information.

The Saratoga Performing Arts Center shows in Saratoga Springs, NY are now scheduled for July 9-10, the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion concerts are moved to July 13-14 of next year, and the Xfinity Center in Mansfield, MA will host the band on July 16, 2021.

The announcement was made on May 4 through the bands website.

We are disappointed to announce, that in light of the global COVID-19 pandemic, we will be moving all of our 2020 summer dates to the summer of 2021, the statement read. We make this decision with the health, safety, and well-being of our fans, touring crew, and venue staff as our priority.

Shop for concert tickets here: StubHub, SeatGeek, Ticketmaster.
Sonora, CA  A man was arrested early this morning in Sonora in connection to alleged arson incident on April 25.

The Sonora Police Department reports that back on April 25 an officer noticed a flame coming from fencing on the south side of the property that houses Wrights Tire on South Washington Street. After closer examination, the officer determined that someone had purposefully set fire to a no trespassing sign connected to the fence.

39-year-old Tyler B. Schuster was located nearby walking along South Washington Street, but he denied any involvement in setting the fire. However, surveillance video later obtained from a nearby business was able to identify Schuster as the arson suspect, according the SPD.

Schuster came to the police department early this morning for an unrelated matter, and he was ultimately arrested for arson.

Regarding the arrest and earlier crime, the SPD reports, Fortunately, the incident was caught in time and there was no significant damage to the fence or the connecting business. Schuster was booked at the Tuolumne County Jail for felony arson, which does not qualify him for Californias COVID-19 Zero-Bail process.
Mumbai: Concerned over the huge crowds at the liquor shops, which might lead to law and order problems, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to close down the wine shops in Mumbai again. In addition to this, the civic body has also withdrawn other relaxations given to people during the lockdown period.

After the end of the second lockdown, the BMC had allowed the wholesale and retail liquor shops to open from May 4. Permission was also given to open all standalone shops and five shops selling non-essential goods in a lane/road.

However, civic chief Praveen Pardeshi on Tuesday issued a circular directing to withdraw all the relaxations offered to people with immediate effect. Only shops selling essential goods will be permitted to operate from Wednesday, Mr Pardeshi said.

Commenting on the decision to shut down wine shops, Mr Pardeshi said in his statement, Multiple reports and inputs were received from the police and civic officials that due to the relaxation, people had gathered near wine shops and it has been impossible to maintain social distancing. There were few instances of law and order situation too.

Mumbai city has been categorised in the red zone with the number of coronavirus positive cases rising and the downward trend is yet to set in. The gathering of crowds in large numbers without following social distancing will be detrimental to the control of the spread of virus and the advantages of lockdown will be lost, he stated.

According to civic officials, only the groceries and medical shops will be allowed to operate in Mumbai.

On Monday and Tuesday, huge crowds were witnessed at the liquor shops in the city with some witnessing long queues. This has raised concerns over the rapid spread of coronavirus in Mumbai, which has recorded nearly 10,000 Covid-19 patients with 387 deaths so far.
Director Producer Joe Russo is looking forward to the sequel to the Chris Hemsworth-starrer and one thing that he wants to carry over is the less USA feel of the story.

Extraction was set in Dhaka, Bangladesh and predominantly shot in India and Thailand with a host of Indian talent in Rudhraksh Jaiswal, Randeep Hooda and Priyanshu Painyuli.

Russo, who wrote the script and co-produced with Hemsworth, said he has been in touch with Netflix for the sequel for a little over a month.

"Everyone was very happy with the movie and very excited about it. There was good energy going into the release. And certainly the release cemented it. But yeah, it had been a conversation that's been going on for a little over a month, he told Collider in an interview.

"Extraction", which started streaming from April 24, is expected to draw 90 million viewers in four weeks of its release, according to Netflix.

Russo said they knew they had a good film going into the release. The film's numbers on the streamer confirmed their faith in exploring a potential second part.

"And now we're just going to go explore what potential story there could be moving forward with this character. With Anthony (Russo) and I, everything we do is story based, we got to find the right story to tell to know that, Yeah, we're going to go make the film.'



The director did not say anything definite on stuntman-turned-director Sam Hargrave's return on the sequel but said Netflix was "blown away" by his work on the film that has earned special praise for a 12-minute-long seemingly one-take shot.

"I don't think the sequel's going to be filmed without Sam, he added.

But one thing that Russo is sure about is telling stories that explore international markets and locations.

Well I think what was compelling about our approach to this one and has been informed by our time spent working on Marvel films and traveling the world is hopefully gaining a deeper understanding of international markets and telling stories that explore in the films [and] that are less U.S.A.' in the story. I think that that was very successful in this film and something that we would continue to do on a future movie in this franchise, he said.

Given the open ended nature of the final scene, there is speculation that the new story will be set before the happenings of "Extraction" but Russo declined to speak on that aspect.

"We're not going to confirm or deny one way or the other, it's early days. But we need to go on a deep dive and find out where the best next story lives.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Chinese medical researcher on the "verge of making very significant" coronavirus findings has been found shot dead in the US state of Pennsylvania, media reports said on Wednesday.

University of Pittsburgh professor Bing Liu, 37, was found dead inside his home in Ross Township, north of Pittsburgh, on Saturday with gunshot wounds to the head, neck, torso and extremities, according to the Ross Police Department.

Investigators believe an unidentified second man, Hao Gu, 46 who was found dead in his car, shot and killed Liu in his home before returning to his car and taking his own life, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

Police believe the men knew each other, but say there is "zero indication that there was targeting due to his (Liu) being Chinese," according to Detective Sgt. Brian Kohlhepp, the CNN reported.

The university issued a statement saying it is "deeply saddened by the tragic death of Bing Liu, a prolific researcher and admired colleague at Pitt. The University extends our deepest sympathies to Liu's family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time."



"Bing was on the verge of making very significant findings toward understanding the cellular mechanisms that underlie SARS-CoV-2 infection and the cellular basis of the following complications," his colleagues at the university's Department of Computational and Systems Biology said in a statement.

"He was a very talented individual, extremely intelligent and hard-working," said Ivet Bahar, the head of the computational and system biology department in Pitt's School of Medicine.

Members of the university's School of Medicine describe their former colleague as an outstanding researcher and mentor, and have pledged to complete Liu's research "in an effort to pay homage to his scientific excellence."



Liu, who earned a Ph.D in computational science from the National University of Singapore, worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon University before becoming a research associate at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

The deadly coronavirus which originated from the Chinese city of Wuhan has infected over 3.67 million people and killed 258,051 people globally, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Sea Hawks were playing their first game in three weeks, but were able to hold off the Panthers for the win.
Representative Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) took to Twitter on Monday afternoon to talk about his experience while shopping on Sunday

A black Illinois state representative was stopped by police at a store and had his ID and shopping receipt checked because he was wearing a mask and gloves.

Representative Kam Buckner (D-Chicago) took to Twitter on Monday afternoon to share that his Sunday shopping experience reminded him of the 'gratuitous & unwanted attention given to those of us of a certain demographic while engaging in normal social acts and how quickly the objective can turn into the subjective based on implicit bias and prejudice.'

Black people across the country have expressed worry about wearing masks in public, fearing prejudicial response from both law enforcement and those in their communities.

Buckner said he wore a hoodie, sweatpants and sneakers as he went to the store because church was cancelled. To follow Governor J. B. Pritzker's order, he sported a pair of gloves and a masks as well. He noted that many others were dressed similarly.

As he walked out of the store with items in his cart, a uniformed officer then came to ask him questions.

Representative Kam Buckner said the experience reminded him of the 'gratuitous & unwanted attention given to those of us of a certain demographic while engaging in normal social acts and how quickly the objective can turn into the subjective based on implicit bias and prejudice'

Buckner said he wore a hoodie, sweatpants and sneakers as he went to the store because church was cancelled. To follow Governor J. B. Pritzker's order, he sported a pair of gloves and a masks as well. He noted that many others were dressed similarly

The representative is pictured wearing a mask on a different day

'I explained to him I had just purchased them from the store he saw me walk out of,' he said in the Twitter thread. 'He asked to see my receipt, which was deep in my pocket.'

He continued: 'After 30 seconds or so, I found it and gave it to him. He barely glanced at it and then asked for my ID. I complied. He walked to his car and was in it for a couple of minutes and returned both the ID and my receipt.'

Buckner asked the officer why he specifically was stopped.

'"People are using the coronavirus to do bad things. I couldn't see your face, man. You looked like you were up to something,"' the representative said the officer told him.

A uniformed officer came to ask him questions after he walked out of the store

The representative wondered what does someone who is 'up to something look like?'

He shared that prior to the death of Trayvon Martin, he had already been exposed to the harsh reality of having to consider how he dressed in various spaces.

'I am a 6'4'' black male from the Southside of Chicago & when not in a suit, I'm likely in a hoodie, jeans & Jordans. & depending on the time of year, a myriad of tattoos may be visible,' he added. 'I am keenly aware of not looking like I am "up to something," but should I have to be?'

Buckner said that similar situations of profiling had happened to him before and shared that he wasn't 'indignant' that his status as a politician could not offer him any protections.

'It bothers me most because I can't help but think of the dangers that are inherent for a number of black men who are just adhering to the mask rule and by doing so, look like they are "up to something,'" he added. 'This is not in the least bit an absolute indictment on any group.'

The representative did not allude to what store he was shopping at nor did he share details about the officer's race. Several people took to the comments to offer their words of support for the representative.

'Im sorry this happened to you. And yes, youre so right - things need fixing. We need to do better...and be better...moving forward,' shared Illinois state representative Ann Williams.

'Thank you for sharing your experience, Rep. Im sorry this happened to you. And youre right, much work remains to be done on issues that pre-dated this pandemic and those that seem to be deepening each day,' said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton.

Governor Pritzker announced on Tuesday he was investigating the case.

'Im sorry this happened to you. And yes, youre so right - things need fixing. We need to do better...and be better...moving forward,' shared Illinois state representative Ann Williams

'Thank you for sharing your experience, Rep. Im sorry this happened to you. And youre right, much work remains to be done on issues that pre-dated this pandemic and those that seem to be deepening each day,' said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton

'It's something that we're looking into. We obviously believe that there is discriminatory behavior taking place here so we are going to try to make sure that we try to address it.'

The Chicago Police Department distanced itself from the incident.

'Based on the limited information supplied to the Chicago Police Department, we are currently unable to authenticate that this incident involved a CPD member,' the Chicago Police Department said in a statement, according to ABC 7.

'All investigatory stops must be predicated on reasonable suspicion that a crime has occurred, is occurring or is about to occur. Anyone who believes that they may have been treated unfairly can submit a complaint to a CPD supervisor, CPD's Office of Internal Affairs and/or the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.'
WASHINGTON - Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was hospitalized Tuesday with an infection caused by a gallstone, but plans to take part in the court's arguments by telephone Wednesday, the Supreme Court said.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 5/5/2020 (623 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg speaks during a discussion on the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, Monday, Feb. 10, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

WASHINGTON - Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was hospitalized Tuesday with an infection caused by a gallstone, but plans to take part in the court's arguments by telephone Wednesday, the Supreme Court said.

The 87-year-old justice underwent non-surgical treatment for what the court described as acute cholecystitis, a benign gallbladder condition, at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

She is resting comfortably and expects to be in the hospital for a day or two, the court said.

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Ginsburg took part in the courts telephone arguments Monday and Tuesday. She initially sought medical care Monday, when the gallstone was first diagnosed.

She has been treated four times for cancer, most recently in August, when she underwent radiation for a tumour on her pancreas.

U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg acknowledges the crowd as she arrives to speak at a discussion on the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, Monday, Feb. 10, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Her most recent hospital stay was in November, when she spent two nights at Johns Hopkins Hospital with a likely infection after suffering from chills and fever.

The frail-looking liberal icon also bounced back from lung surgery to remove cancerous growths in December 2018. Her recovery from that surgery forced her to miss court arguments for the first time since she became a justice in 1993, appointed by President Bill Clinton.

She has been doing her usual workout with a personal trainer at the court, even as the justices have cancelled courtroom arguments in favour of telephone sessions because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Ginsburg has said she would like to serve until she's 90, if her health allows.
The Walk to End Epilepsy event, which had been planned for six different locations this month, is now going virtual.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the events six walks have been transformed into a monthlong virtual walking campaign.

Even in times like this, seizures havent stopped and neither has the fight to end epilepsy, Linda Wallace, executive director of the Epilepsy Foundation of Connecticut, said in a statement. Going virtual is a way that everyone who planned to attend our walk in person, can join us in full force for our virtual Walk To End Epilepsy and continue to build awareness and take action together for our cause.

One of the events for The Walk to End Epilepsy had been scheduled to take place in Stamford, where a walk was also held last year.

Those interested in participating in the virtual walk event to benefit the Epilepsy Foundation of Connecticut can join by registering at epilepsyct.com/walk. A virtual kickoff celebration will take place at 10 a.m. Sunday at facebook.com/epilepsyfoundationct.

To take part in the Walk for Epilepsy, participants can walk anytime and anywhere between May 10 and June 15. Participants can walk in their neighborhood, on a treadmill, in their yard or anywhere they choose.

Participants are encouraged to register and create a team page with a team story, photo and a donation goal. They can share the page with friends, family and co-workers and ask for their support of people with epilepsy in Connecticut.

The top five fundraising teams as of June 15 will be awarded a $250 gift card to a restaurant of their choice. The winning teams will be announced during the Walk to End Epilepsys closing ceremony on June 15, which will also be hosted on Facebook.

Those participating in a walk/walks are asked to display how they are walking to end epilepsy by tagging photos and videos on social media with the hashtag #WalkToEndEpilepsyCT.

T-shirts will be available to all registered participants at safe pick-up locations.

Organizers are reminding participants to follow the latest guidelines on practicing social distancing and wearing masks to keep their communities safe.

Individual registration for Walk To End Epilepsy is $35. Participants are encouraged to start a team, collect donations and walk anywhere. Family, friends and fellow epilepsy warriors are encouraged to do the same to aid the cause.

All proceeds benefit The Epilepsy Foundation of Connecticuts programs and services. For more information visit the walk page at www.epilepsyct.com/walk/ .

According to the Epilepsy Foundation of Connecticut, nearly 900 participants raised more than $100,000 for the foundation in 2019.

Donations can also be made leading up to or following the the virtual walk events. Cash and check donations can be mailed to Epilepsy Foundation Connecticut, 386 Main St., Middletown, CT 06457.

According to the Epilepsy Foundation of Connecticut, 60,000 people in the state have epilepsy, while one out of 26 people will develop epilepsy at some point in their lifetime. Epilepsy affects more Americans than autism, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and Parkinsons disease combined.

dfierro@greenwichtime.com
The Delhi government on Wednesday ordered release of 4,000 Tablighi members who have completed their required quarantine period in centres in the national capital, sources said.

Delhi Home Minister Satyendar Jain issued an order which also states that Tablighi members who are named and needed in investigation in Markaz incident will be sent to Delhi Police custody.

"All others need to be sent back to their home states. For this, Delhi government's home department has been asked to get in touch with resident commissioners of the states," they said.

According to the government, Delhi has currently around 4,000 Tablighi members in quarantine centres in the national capital.

"Around 900 belong to Delhi while rest are from other states. A majority of them hail from Tamil Nadu and Telangana.

"Delhi government is already in touch with other state governments to make transport arrangement for their return," they said.

Thousands of Tablighi Jamaat members had been taken out of its Markaz (centre) in Nizamuddin where they had gathered for a religious congregation. The area became a major hotspot after a number of members tested positive for coronavirus.

The members also received flak after there were complaints of misbehaviour by some of them with health workers.

There were allegations that Muslims were targeted and blamed for the spread of the pandemic by some after a number of coronavirus cases were found linked to the Tablighi event.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Wampsville, N.Y.  Some 12 interpreters were among those needed at Green Empire Farms to help with coronavirus testing and tracing the recent movements of workers at the huge greenhouse operation in Madison County.

We have interpreters for Spanish, and we have interpreters for French, because we have Haitian workers as well, said Madison County health director Eric Faisst. "There are other construction workers there are from the Netherlands, all over the place.

Some 139 mostly seasonal workers at the greenhouse have tested positive for coronavirus as of Tuesday. County and company officials declined to say how many workers were from other countries or which countries they came from.

So far, 75 of the workers were living in Madison County and 64 others are living in Oneida County. Some 189 workers were tested Saturday, and state health department workers were to test more workers this week. The facility, which grows produce such as tomatoes and strawberries in greenhouses, employs about 300 people.

The Madison County workers have been living at the Days Inn in Canastota and at the Super 8 in Oneida, county officials said. Oneida County executive Anthony Picente said greenhouse workers in his county were staying at the La Quinta Inn in Verona.

The Days Inn on Peterboro Street in Canastota is one of three area motels that are housing seasonal workers at Green Empire Farms in Oneida.

During a Tuesday briefing at the Madison County office building, Faisst cautioned against labeling or stereotyping the workers.

First of all, theyre not all migrants, he said. "Theyre contracted workers that are brought in. Please understand that, and kind of refrain from stigmatizing this particular group.

Theyre humans, he added. During our testing they were cooperative and extremely gracious, and theyre scared. So lets not make it difficult for them by pigeonholing them.

Faisst said that while there were language barriers making it more difficult to determine where the workers had been since contracting the virus, there was a benefit to having the workers being housed in three area motels.

Containment and isolation is much easier to do, he said.

The health director also said he thought the transmission of the coronavirus occurred outside of the greenhouse.

An aerial view from a drone of Green Empire Farms in Madison County on Tuesday, May 5, 2020.N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com

Faisst said the greenhouses are very large, and working conditions allow for social distancing, according to members of his staff whove toured the facility.

I believe they are providing masks and (the workers) are wearing masks, he said.

While the state is handling testing of the workers, Faisst and his 35-member staff are attempting to trace the recent movements of those who tested positive. He said the health departments regular employees also have received a great deal of help from the Medical Reserve Corps., which is comprised of retired nurses and others.

Do you work at Green Empire Farm? Reporter Marnie Eisenstadt would like to speak with you. Reach her at 315-470-2246 or meisenstadt@syracuse.com.

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Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com

Nolan Weidner is a reporter for the Syracuse Post-Standard and Syracuse.com. Got a comment or idea for a story? He can be reached by call or text at 315.247.7419 or via email at nweidner@syracuse.com.
The author of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's much-anticipated biography Omid Scobie has admitted it feels nice to 'finally be able to talk about' the project he's been 'beavering away at quietly for two years'.

British journalist Omid Scobie, who has accompanied Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle, 38, on a variety of royal tours, took to the podcast The Heir Pod to discuss the release of the book.

Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of A Modern Royal Family is set to be released worldwide online on August 11, with the hard copy on sale from August 20 and was released to pre-order over the weekend.

And Omid admitted that their tale has included twists and turns that 'even the Sussexes didn't expect'.

The author of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's (seen in London in January) much-anticipated biography Omid Scobie has admitted it feels nice to 'finally be able to talk about' the project he's been 'beavering away at quietly for two years'

Speaking about finishing the biography, he said: 'It's been a long time in the making. The last few weeks have been quite a challenge getting it all ready in time for the deadline.

'It feels nice to finally be able to talk about it after quietly beavering away on it for a long time.'

He added: 'This project started about two years ago, and there have been twists and turns that no one expected. This is something no one expected.

'I don't even think Harry and Meghan, who by their own account struggled with the realities of the situation, expected things to turn out the way they did.'

Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of A Modern Royal Family is set to be released worldwide online on August 11, with the hard copy on sale from August 20 and was released to pre-order over the weekend

Explaining that the biography gives a real inside account of their story, he said: 'I've been on so many engagements and around them as much as possible, and spoken to so many people in their lives, so no stone has been left unturned.

'I've seen the couple remain faithful in their own beliefs and stand strong in the face of adversities which have been publicly played out in the press, and I would like to think this tells the definitive version of their lives together.'

British journalist Omid Scobie, who has accompanied Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle, 38, on a variety of royal tours, took to the podcast The Heir Pod to discuss the release of the book

Publishing house Harper Collins, which owns Dey Street Books, the publisher of the biography released a brief description of Meghan and Prince Harry's collaboration with the two journalists.

The book's description says that 'few know the true story of Harry and Meghan'.

It promises to go 'beyond the headlines to reveal unknown details of Harry and Meghan's life together, dispelling the many rumours and misconceptions that plague the couple on both sides of the pond'.

It continues: 'With unique access and written with the participation of those closest to the couple, Finding Freedom is an honest, up-close, and disarming portrait of a confident, influential, and forward-thinking couple who are unafraid to break with tradition, determined to create a new path away from the spotlight, and dedicated to building a humanitarian legacy that will make a profound difference in the world.'

A description of the biography on Amazon promises to offer an 'honest, up-close, and disarming portrait' of the 'confident, influential, forward' Prince Harry , 35, and Meghan Markle, 38 (seen on their wedding day in May 2018)

The cover features a beaming Prince Harry and Meghan as they visited their namesake county in October 2018 for the first time.

The Mail on Sunday were told that before moving to North America, the Sussexes gave an interview to the book's authors, both journalists.

One of them, Omid Scobie, is thought to be close to Meghan and was one of the favoured journalists given details of the couple's video call to the Queen last week in which they wished her a happy 94th birthday.

Echoing Princess Diana's secret involvement in the blockbuster biography, Diana: Her True Story, when she encouraged her friends to speak to author Andrew Morton, questions are being asked whether members of Meghan's inner circle were being urged to help Scobie and his American co-author, Carolyn Durand.

The 320-page biography, due to be released in August, is expected to be a global bestseller.
The Blue Angels plan to fly over New Orleans on Wednesday to salute the city's essential frontline workers of the coronavirus pandemic.

The 20-minute flyover program starts at 1:45 p.m. as F-18 fighter pilots make their way around Jefferson, Orleans, St. Tammany, St. John the Baptist and St. Bernard parishes less than a week after B-52 Stratofortresses took flight in a similar effort to thank essential workers.

The route is as follows:

The event begins in LaPlace along LA Highway 61.

The pilots will make their way to Avondale and Westwego.

From there, they will cross into Orleans Parish through Uptown to New Orleans East.

The squad will loop fly over Lake Pontchartrain to Slidell, Lacombe and Mandeville.

They will then fly across the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway on their way back to New Orleans.

Crossing over New Orleans once more, the pilots will make their way to Harvey and Marrero.

The program ends when the Blue Angels reach St. Bernard Parish.

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Before the Blue Angels make the trek to New Orleans, a city hit hard during the coronavirus pandemic, they plan to do a flyover salute in Dallas and Houston. The program comes less than a week after two B-52 Stratofortresses took flight to also honor those that have worked tirelessly amid COVID-19.

You can follow the flight via our live updates module below. The module will automatically update as we publish photos and videos from the event.

Can't see live updates? Click here.

Editor's note: The Blue Angels have added the north shore to the flyover route. The story has been updated.
Spring Oak Ct., 10:20 a.m. April 26. Multiple 911 calls reported a man armed with a military-style long gun approached several homes in the neighborhood and broke out a window to one house. He walked to the front yard of another residence and fired multiple rounds at the home. Officers observed the man firing at the house occupied by several people including children. An officer discharged his firearm and disabled the man. The officers secured the weapon and initiated CPR until paramedics arrived. The 59-year-old La Plata man was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. An investigation is ongoing. The officer has been placed on administrative leave, as is departmental policy.
Majority of bondholders voted for extension of the current term of the bond loan with one year

The 2019 Annual Report will be published on the 4 th June 2020

The 2020 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) will be held on the 23rd July 2020

Deventer, 6th May 2020 - RoodMicrotec N.V., a leading independent company for semiconductors supply and quality services, today announces the outcome of the Extraordinary Meeting of Bondholders, held today at 13.00 CET via online communication platform. An overwhelming majority of the bondholders voted for extension of the current term of the bond loan with one year and thus until 30th June 2021. This will provide RoodMicrotec sufficient time to complete the refinancing of the bond loan and redeem the original amount in full to the bondholders.

This outcome enables RoodMicrotec to finalize the preparation of the 2019 Annual Report and the new date for publication is the 4th June 2020. The 2020 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders will be held on the 23rd July 2020.

The existing bond loan in the amount of  2.5 million (2,500 with a par value of 1,000 each), issued in June 2014, can be traded on the platform provided by NPEX in The Hague (ISIN-code NL0010811030).

About RoodMicrotec

RoodMicrotec is a leading independent company for semiconductor supply and quality services. With 50 years of experience in the semiconductor and electronics industry, RoodMicrotec is well-established as a highly valued partner for many companies worldwide. The company provides full-turnkey ASIC services for complex microchips that are customized to handle specific applications for individual customers. In cooperation with strong partners, RoodMicrotec manages the entire development and production flow of ASICs in the target volume, ranging from low quantities up to multiple millions per year. The turnkey solution includes project management, wafer test, assembly, final test, qualification, failure analysis and logistics. All services comply with the industrial and quality requirements of the high reliability, aerospace, automotive, healthcare and industrial sectors. RoodMicrotec's headquarters are located in Deventer, Netherlands, with operational units in Nordlingen and Stuttgart, Germany.

Further information

Martin Sallenhag - CEO, Arvid Ladega - CFO

Telephone: +31 570 745623 Email: investor-relations@roodmicrotec.com Web: www.roodmicrotec.com

This press release is published in English and German. In case of conflict between these versions the English version shall prevail.

Attachment
Asserting that the United States has flattened the curve on coronavirus, President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the country is now in the next stage of the battle, which is a 'very safe phased and gradual reopening'.

"Thanks to the profound commitment of our citizens, we have flattened the curve and countless American lives have been saved. Our country is now in the next stage of the battle. A very safe, phased and gradual reopening of our country," Trump said in his remarks at Honeywell International in Phoenix.

According to the John Hopkins University, which tracks coronavirus patients, by Tuesday, more than 71,000 Americans had died due to the deadly virus and over 12 lakh had tested positive.

However, there has been a sharp decline in the number of new cases and deaths in the country in the last one week, prompting Trump to say that the country has been able to flatten the curve.

This pandemic, he said, has underscored the vital importance of reassuring US supply chains and constructing a powerful domestic manufacturing base.

"I have been talking about that for a long time. Oftentimes, you would see a plant like this at a different country doing the work you can be doing, and you will do it better," the President said.

"The United States declared its independence nearly 250 years ago, but in recent decades, Washington politicians allowed our independence to be offshored, outsourced and ceded to foreign countries. But we are taking it back and we have been taking it back. And you look at our job numbers, you knew that we were taking it back," Trump said.

As such his administration believes in two simple rules -- buy American and hire Americans, he added.

"The people of our country are warriors. With your help, we will vanquish the virus and build a future of greatness and glory with American heart, American hands, American pride and American soul," he said.

Referring to his visit to the Honeywell factory that is producing masks, Trump said they are producing high-quality N95 respirators.

"There is no bad mask like various countries have been sent some very bad masks from other places. There is nothing like that at Honeywell. Respirators are there to protect our heroic doctors and nurses as they fight the unseen enemy," he said.

"More than 150 Honeywell employees are working around the clock, three shifts a day, six days a week. Think of this what you have done. You are part of this incredible industrial mobilisation, the biggest since World War II. Hard to believe for an invisible enemy, but it is a vicious enemy, smart enemy," he said.

"Like generations of patriots before you, the workers of this factory are pouring their heart and soul and blood into defending our nation and keeping our people healthy and safe," the President said.

Earlier, participating in a roundtable discussion with Native Americans, Trump described the coronavirus as a tough opponent.

"But we are winning and starting to see our country come back," he added.

"It has been a very exciting few days. We are starting to see it all come back. We are improving the lives of Native American families and tribes more than any administration has ever done," Trump said.

But the mission is not accomplished yet, he added.

"Mission accomplished is when it is over. When it is over, mission accomplished," the President said.

The United States, he said, is now helping various countries, including providing them with essential medical supplies like ventilators.

"We have more ventilators now than anybody in the world and we are helping France, as you know. We are helping France, Italy, Spain, Nigeria. We are giving I think 250 to Nigeria. We have many countries that we are helping," he said.

Trump, White House dismiss data predicting surge in deaths

President Trump and the White House on Tuesday rejected a report suggesting the daily US death toll due to the coronavirus could reach 3,000 in June.

In its report, Johns Hopkins University projected new coronavirus cases in the US reaching 200,000 daily by June 1 and fatalities around 3,000.

"Those projections are with no mitigation. We are doing mitigation," Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews on his way to Arizona.

In a statement, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said that the Johns Hopkins' study being pushed around by the media as factual is based on faulty assumptions and is in no way representative of any federal government projections.

John Hopkins University in a separate statement said that the research conducted by it for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was to assist in planning for various scenarios and was not to be used for the official forecast.

The New York Times was the first newspaper to report about it on Monday.

"As Johns Hopkins stated, should not be taken as a forecast," McEnany said.

"This study considered zero mitigation, meaning it was conducted as though no federal guidelines were in place, no contract tracing, no expansion of testing, while removing all shelter in place protocols laid out in the phased approach of the Opening Up America Again guidelines for individuals with co-morbidities," she said.

"The media should be more responsible in its reporting and give the full set of information to the American public," McEnany said.
Donald Trump's desire for a payroll tax cut in the next coronavirus stimulus bill is being rebuked by his own Party this week, indicating the measure won't make it into the next relief package.

Republican Chuck Grassley, the Senate Finance Committee chairman, dismissed the payroll tax cut, telling Politico in an interview published Tuesday night that he doesn't think much of the proposal.

'I'm going to give it due consideration, if I can see a strong group of people who think it's the right thing to do,' Grassley, who represents Iowa in the Senate, said.

But that is unlikely, according to other Republican senators' reactions to the proposal.

John Thune, a senator from South Dakota, said he's 'not a particular fan' of the payroll tax cut as a legislative response to the coronavirus crisis.

'I guess I'm open to being persuaded that it's something that could be effective,' Thune appeared to mirror Grassley's sentiments. 'But I think some of the things we're currently doing are having a bigger impact.

Republican Chuck Grassley, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said he isn't so keen on Donald Trump's proposed payroll tax cuts going into the next coronavirus relief bill

While Trump says, 'We're not doing anything without a payroll tax cut,' Grassley claims the president's ultimatum is not the last word on the matter. 'The president proposes, we dispose,' Grassley said

John Thune (left), who is Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (right) top deputy, said he's 'not a particular fan' of payroll tax cuts, claiming the payment protection plan for small businesses and direct checks provide better relief for Americans

The divisiveness within the Republican Party over the tax cuts comes as more than 30 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits in the last five weekly filing periods

'The president proposes, we dispose,' Grassley told Politico, suggesting the president's ultimatums and preferences aren't the end all be all of coronavirus legislation.

Grassley's committee handles federal tax policy.

Thune, who is Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's top deputy, said he believes the payment protection program for small businesses and direct checks for Americans are more effective.

'The payroll tax cut only helps if you're on the payroll,' he asserted.

In the last five weekly filing periods, more than 30 million people have applied for unemployment benefits  meaning that a payroll taxcut would not be beneficial to any of the millions of Americans who have either lost their job or been furloughed.

Payroll tax cuts would give those who are still employed bigger paychecks with less taxes being taken, which in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic would only benefit those who have maintained their position but experienced pay cuts from their employers.

With the Republican Party split, McConnell has chosen to focus on liability rather than the tax cut.

'If there's any red line, it's on litigation,' The Kentucky Republican said.

Democrats are preparing to propose another massive coronavirus package, this time including at least $3 trillion in economic stimulus and relief for American individuals, families and businesses.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, however, is harshly opposed to the legislation including the payroll tax cut.

The legislation is likely to include more direct checks for Americans, like in the CARES Act passed at the end March that sent out $1,200 checks to most Americans making $99,000 or less and an additional $500 per child.

Initial proposals also indicate it will include rent and mortgage relief or suspension as Americans struggle to make monthly payments on their homes.

Most Americans making less than $99,000 were sent, or will receive, $1,200 checks with an additional $500 for each child to help provide relief and stimulate the economy during the coronavirus pandemic  and Democrats want more direct checks

Unemployment application numbers in America have seen the most massive spike in its history, with the number fo applications standing at 30.3 million people filing for the benefits as of Friday

When CNN asked Pelosi about the possibility of including the payroll tax cut in the bill, she asserted, 'no way,' claiming it was counterproductive.

Republicans are almost certain to reject the impending Democrat bill, even without the added divisiveness over the payroll tax cut.

Trump is dead set on the next set of relief including his desired cuts, telling Fox News over the weekend: 'We're not doing anything without a payroll tax cut.'

The president is 'passionate' about the tax cut, according to a White House official, claiming he feels it will give workers more buying power to help businesses rehire staff and recover financially.

'It should be on the table,' Montana Senator Steve Daines said. 'The president supports it. You shore up the trust fund with a transfer. This is a way to get more dollars into the hands of employees as well as employers.'

Grassley is worried that the tax cuts could drain retirement funds and discourage elderly Americans concerned with the plight of the Social Security Trust Fund.
Lucknow, May 6 : The Yogi Adityanath government has decided to increase the prices of liquor, petrol and diesel in the state in order to generate additional revenue.

Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Khanna told reporters that the government will generate an additional Rs 2,350 crore through liquor and Rs 2,070 crore through the increase in the value added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel.

The revised rates will come into effect from midnight on Wednesday.

The minister said that petrol prices will increase by Rs two per litre while diesel prices will go up by Rs one per litre.

Petrol in the state will now cost Rs 73.91 per litre while diesel prices will be Rs 63.86 per litre.

The minister said that in the liquor category, the prices of 180 ml bottles are being increased by Rs 10 in the economy and medium category while the 500 ml pack will cost Rs 20 more in both the segments.

Those buying larger packs will pay Rs 30 per bottle.

In the regular and premium category of liquor, prices are being increased by Rs 20 for 180 ml pack, Rs 30 for 500 ml pack and Rs 50 for larger packs.

The prices of imported liquor, however, will be much higher with 180 ml pack costing an additional Rs 100, the 500 ml pack priced at an additional Rs 200 and the larger packs will be priced at an additional Rs 400 per bottle.

Suresh Khanna said that the liquor shops had been opened because the illicit liquor business had started in the state and it was important to prevent deaths due to spurious liquor.

He said that 80,020 litres of illicit liquor had been seized during the lockdown period and 499 outlets had been sealed. The number of those arrested was 3627, he added.

The liquor sale that opened on Monday saw huge crowds and the sales clocked a record Rs 100 crore on day one.
In the largest study of its kind in any non-European population, an international team of researchers identified 301 distinct genetic signals at 183 loci, or specific positions on a chromosome, associated with type 2 diabetes in people from East Asia. Sixty-one of the loci were newly implicated in the predisposition for type 2 diabetes. They had not been implicated in previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) conducted in people of European descent.

This research, published in Nature, shows how different populations of people share most of the genetic susceptibilities to developing type 2 diabetes but do have some different genetic variations that can make them more or less susceptible to developing the condition. This genome-wide meta-analysis of 433,540 East Asians, including 77,418 with type 2 diabetes, is the result of two research consortia -- AGEN (Asian Genetic Epidemiology Network) and DIAMANTE (DIabetes Meta-ANalysis of Trans-Ethnic association studies).

Ultimately, the goal of such studies is to identify potential genetic targets to treat or even cure the chronic metabolic disorder that affects more than 400 million adults worldwide, according to the International Diabetes Federation.

The international team of more than 100 researchers was led by scientists at five institutions, all co-senior authors of the Nature paper:

Xueling Sim, PhD, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore;

Karen Mohlke, PhD, Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine;

Bong-Jo Kim, MD, PhD, Center for Genome Science, National Institute of Health, Cheongjusi, South Korea;

Robin Walters, PhD, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, United Kingdom;

Takashi Kadowaki, MD, PhD, Department of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, University of Tokyo, Japan.

"Such a large-scale study would never have been possible without the commitment and dedication to collaboration among so many scientists around the world, especially in Asia," said Karen Mohlke of UNC-Chapel Hill. "The data this team collected and analyzed has provided the research community with much-needed new information about the biological underpinnings of diabetes."

In the new analysis of East Asian individuals, researchers used genome-wide association data from 23 cohort studies in China, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the United States to examine type 2 diabetes risk. For example, they found new associations near genes GDAP1, PTF1A, SIX3, ALDH2, and genes that affect muscle and adipose differentiation. At another locus, researchers found two overlapping type 2 diabetes genetic signals that appear to act through two genes, NKX6-3 and ANK1, in different tissues.

"We know diabetes is caused by a complex set of risk factors, such as BMI, that have varying effects on the disease across ancestries." said Xueling Sim, of the National University of Singapore. "These findings expand the number of genetic variants associated with diabetes and highlight the importance of studying different ancestries."

Co-first author Cassandra Spracklen, PhD, assistant professor of biostatistics and epidemiology at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences, conducted many of the analyses for the Nature paper while a postdoctoral fellow in Mohlke's lab.

"Learning about the additional variants can help identify additional genes that influence a person's risk for developing type 2 diabetes" Spracklen said. "These genes teach us more about the pathophysiology of diabetes and could ultimately become therapeutic targets."

This research could help explain why -- among people of similar body mass index (BMI) or waist circumference -- the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is greater in East Asian populations than in European populations.

The next steps are to combine discovery across populations and to experimentally determine which genes are altered by the genetic variants and how those alterations lead to disease.
Former NDC Central Regional Chairman, Allotey Jacobs, has issued a caustic warning to his party members to stop denigrating his reputation.



Allotey Jacobs had addressed issues regarding President Akufo-Addo's promise to construct 88 district and six Regional hospitals in the country within a year, last week on Peace FM.



He admonished the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to cease its verbal attacks against President Nana Akufo-Addo over the latter's pledge to construct the hospitals, and further advised the party to adopt a wait-and-see approach to know whether the project could even be rolled out before attempting to shoot it down entirely.



"If he says he will construct them, we have to exercise patience and watch him. Where is he going to get the funds? How is he going to start? Should he claim to have started one or two, bear in mind that the residents in whose districts the hospitals are being constructed can bear witness or otherwise. So, for me, it is premature for him to be criticized because you're even urging him on to even find resources to start the projects . . . If he can do it or not, what is important is that 88 districts in this country needs hospitals.



''When it's getting close to elections and he hasn't begun, then you can call out his bluff, but it's too early to even say that it will be difficult or impossible to find the resources to complete it," he said on 'Kokrokoo' on Wednesday, April 29, 2020.



On the same platform, the party's National Communications Officer Sammy Gyamfi challenged the composition of the panel stating strongly Allotey Jacobs doesn't represent the NDC any longer and his submissions do not reflect the position of the party either.



Sammy Gyamfi's comments seem to have courted hatred for Allotey Jacobs as he narrated to host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Wednesday, May 6th edition of the show that some members and supporters of the opposition party have begun pitching him against the grass roots.



Contributing to a panel discussion on 'Kokrokoo' on Peace FM, the former NDC guru noted that his saboteurs even went as far as miscontruing his words claiming he has accused former President John Dramani Mahama of being corrupt, and also associated him with other false reports.



Allotey Jacobs warned those people to immediately stop badmouthing him stressing he is not deterred by their ''inferior communist tactics''.



''President Mahama knows I will not in anyway denigrate his name. A person like me who has been propounding that President Mahama is not corrupt, then I turn round but it is coming from my own people . . . My people won't go to Peacefmonline to watch and listen to the entire programme. That is what I am going through and then they're pitching me against the grass roots, organizers and so forth but I'm not deterred.''



Listen to him in the video below





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Telangana government, here on Tuesday, promoted students of classes I to IX in all schools, including aided and private unaided, to the higher classes for academic year 2020-21.

The School Education Department issued the order, as the state cabinet had decided to do so last month.

No examinations could be conducted for these classes due to the lockdown that began on March 22.

Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao had earlier announced since there was no detention system for classes I-IX in the state, there was no need to conduct examinations and all the students be promoted to the next classes.

As the Summative Assessment (SA-2) examinations during the academic year 2019-20 could not be conducted due to the lockdown, the Commissioner of School Education had requested the government to issue necessary orders.

The government is yet to take a decision on the annual examination of 10th standard, known as the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination. The SSC examinations began on March 19. After two papers, the Telangana High Court asked the government to defer examinations till March 30 due to Covid-19 concerns.
OLMSTED TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- An investigation was started earlier this week into allegations against Olmsted Township Trustee Larry Abbott.

The township has hired Krugliak, Wilkins, Griffiths & Dougherty Attorney Leslie Iams Kuntz -- who is being paid $225 per hour -- to investigate allegations of workplace harassment or discrimination.

Olmsted Township is a viable, on-task and service-driven organization, Trustee Jeanene Kress said. This is a matter that were just going to handle as we would handle any other problem."

cleveland.com reached out to Abbott via emails, but received no response.

Earlier this year, Kress and Trustee Lisa Zver approved the following investigation-related resolution:

Despite the efforts undertaken by the Board of Trustees to effectively address the matter through the means of the confidential, informal investigation and responsive action, subsequent allegations of workplace discrimination and retaliation have been voiced by the employee on account of alleged behavior of a public official, in concert with another, alleged to have occurred following the prior investigation.

An Olmsted Township press release said that Kress and Zver were notified in late 2019 of an alleged affair between Abbott and a township employee that ended exactly a year ago.

At that point, the press release said the township worked with its attorney and a human resources consultant, who recommended steps to ensure that the employees working environment would not be affected.

Kress and Zver asked for Abbotts voluntary resignation, which he declined.

The trustees have since learned of alleged incidents that required further attention and corrective actions.

The township is a very important entity that serves our people," Kress said. Any kind of indication of workplace problems, harassment, retaliation and bullying deserves, needs and requires for us to be proactive.

This has come to our attention, were investigating fully and once the investigation is complete we will absolutely be transparent about the findings," she said.

"Were looking for a speedy, complete investigation. Were hoping to hear back in the spring, but right now we just dont know.

Read more news from the Sun Post Herald.
BATTLE CREEK, MI  Rescue crews continued their search Wednesday for the body of a 19-year old Olivet man who fell into the Kalamazoo River Monday evening while attempting to retrieve his friends purse.

The man was reported missing just before 7 p.m. Monday, May 4, after he went into the Kalamazoo River near where it converges with the Battle Creek River in downtown Battle Creek, according to city officials.

The man, according to officials, was hanging out with friends in a parking lot north of Hamblin Avenue and west of the convergence when one of the friends dropped her purse into the river. The man, who police believe cannot swim, fell into the river while trying to retrieve it.

From what we understand now, it was pretty obvious at the time he was struggling and another member of his party who could swim went in after him and was unable to connect with him but was able to extricate himself from the water, Battle Creek Fire Chief Brian Sturdivant told MLive Wednesday.

Sturdivant said it is believed the victim got caught up in an undertow where the two rivers merge. He said the water reaches depths of 20 feet in that area.

Crews consisting of the Battle Creek police and fire departments and Calhoun County dive team, searched late into the evening Monday. They resumed the search Tuesday morning with the additional assistance of the Kalamazoo County dive team, and searched until they lost light Tuesday night, Sturdivant said.

As of 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 6, crews had spent more than 20 hours searching, Sturdivant said.

The last update I received, Michigan State Patrol was about to deploy some of their sonar equipment and the water recovery efforts will continue with the grid search downstream but we have not located the victim as of yet," he said.

Dive teams will continue to rotate until darkness falls or they locate him, whichever comes first. If need be we will pick the search back up about 9 a.m. tomorrow.

Sturdivant said initial rescue efforts rapidly deteriorated into recovery efforts Monday night not long after the search began, based on the conditions, swift water movement, water and air temperature.

Crews continue to search near where the two rivers converge as well as downstream, he said.

The victims name is being withheld at this time, Sturdivant said.

Also on MLive:

Teen missing in Kalamazoo River after falling in while trying to retrieve friends purse

Coronavirus cases surpass 500 as Kalamazoo County charts highest daily increase

Man, 32, and woman, 25, identified as kayakers who drowned near Battle Creek
Among the casualties of the battle against COVID-19 is the understandable loss of focus on another huge threat to our long-term well-being  climate change.

As someone drily commented during the online Earth Day program, there will likely be a vaccine to guard against the coronavirus in time, but there will be no vaccine to protect against the ravages of climate change.

In a way, the American experience with the virus should enhance our understanding of consequences for not acting when a threat to public welfare is apparent.

That was the case with the slow response to the virus and it certainly has been how we have fallen so far behind in a response to dangers inherent in the warming of the planet.

The imminent threat of widespread fatalities posed by COVID-19 demanded urgent action disruptive to daily life everywhere.

Climate change is also disrupting lives with floods, violent weather and wildfires, all associated with climate change, but the death threat is not seen in the same way that gave incentive and courage to act against COVID-19.

It takes political courage to support disruption when a threat to life does not seem immediate but disruptive change is needed.

So heres a way to measure where political courage has been demonstrated using a key indicator of how states have responded to the need to reduce carbon dioxide, the major driver of the dangerous warming of the world.

Compare Minnesota and Wisconsin, for example.

Minnesota recently cited its progress in reducing electricity-sector carbon emissions 14 percent last year with coals contribution down to 32 percent in 2019 from 38 percent in 2018.

And zero-carbon energy sources accounted for nearly half of Minnesotas power and renewables for 84 percent of new electricity generation capacity. Wisconsin still gets 49 percent of its electrical power from coal-fired plants. Minnesota is ranked eighth among the 50 states for overall energy-efficiency programs by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. Wisconsin is 25th.

The Environmental Law and Policy Center, a public interest group that works on environmental progress and economic development in the Midwest, cited a lull in legislative updates on energy policy during the years of the Walker administration in explaining how Wisconsin has fallen behind: In 1999, the Wisconsin Legislature set minimum standards for the generation of renewable electricity by utilities at about 10% statewide by 2015. Wisconsin met the requirement two years early and some utilities have even built more renewable energy capacity as costs have fallen, but the Legislature has not updated the renewable energy standard to keep up with this progress and Wisconsins renewable power generation has fallen behind neighboring states.

Minnesotas standard is to reach 27 percent renewable energy by 2030. Meanwhile, California aims for 60 percent, New York, 70 percent, Vermont, 71 percent and Nevada and New Mexico 50 percent.

The Environmental Law and Policy Center notes that Governor Tony Evers has announced an ambitious new goal to reach all carbon-free electricity by 2050, but the state needs strong policies to get there. Reaching this goal requires allowing and supporting numerous approaches to clean energy such as community (shared) renewable energy, programs for low-income access, innovative financing like third-party ownership and more.

But he needs legislative action to get there and how likely is that given the continuing Republican control of the Legislature in Wisconsin?

How can that be? Its just common sense, a conservative view in my thinking, that Wisconsin is shipping money out of state to buy coal when it could generate its electricity with native sources: sunshine and wind.

The American Wind Energy Association says that Wisconsin wind power grew at one-third the national rate from 2009 to 2018 amid a policy environment less favorable to renewable energy.

Thats even though Wisconsin is a national leader in wind-related manufacturing with some 208 companies engaged in wind energy industry supply chain. And the ELPC reports that wind- and solar-related companies have created some 5,500 Wisconsin jobs  without Foxconn-scale subsidy.

The ELPC 2020 report acknowledges the large-scale solar projects approved in the past year by the Public Service Commission, but Wisconsinites should be able to get into the solar market at any scale. The state still lacks policies to support the growth of small-scale solar owned by small businesses or residents. Again, updated policies could truly launch Wisconsin into a leadership position for the Midwest clean energy market.

Thats the challenge ahead that needs urgent attention by the Legislature.

Major advances in policy have been achieved in the wake of previous national emergencies  the Great Depression, World War II and the environmental crises of the 1960s.

COVID-19 aftermath may be such a time. The state Supreme Court election suggests the winds of change are blowing in Wisconsin. It would be foolish not to exploit their power.

Dave Skoloda of La Crosse is a longtime award-winning journalist.

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The world needs to rein in its use of fossil fuels, the researchers say (Getty)

Around a third of the human race will live in near unliveable conditions within half a century unless greenhouse gas emissions are reduced.

Researchers from the US, China and Europe have said that 3.5 billion people will soon live outside the normal climate humans have lived in for 6,000 years.

The researchers predicted that the changes could result in migration on a huge scale.

Read more: Melting snow in Himalayas drives growth of green sea slime visible from space

Human populations are largely concentrated in narrow climate bands, with most people living in places where the average annual temperature is about 11-15 Celsius and a smaller number of people living where the average temperature is about 20-25 Celsius.

Under a scenario in which emissions continue to increase unabated, the temperature experienced by the average person will have risen 7.5 Celsius by 2070.

This rapid temperature rise, combined with projected global population changes, mean about 30 percent of the worlds projected population will live in places with an average temperature above 29 Celsius within 50 years, if greenhouse gas emissions continue to increase.

These climate conditions are currently experienced by just 0.8 percent of the global land surface, mostly in the hottest parts of the Sahara desert.

By 2070, the conditions could spread to 19 percent of the planets land area.

Read more: A 1988 warning about climate change was mostly right

This would bring 3.5 billion people into near-unliveable conditions, said study co-author Jens-Christian Svenning, of Aarhus University in Denmark.

The researchers found that people, despite all innovations and migrations, have mostly lived in the same climate conditions for several thousand years.

This strikingly constant climate niche likely represents fundamental constraints on what humans need to survive and thrive, said Professor Marten Scheffer, of Wageningen University in the Netherlands.

He said: The coronavirus has changed the world in ways that were hard to imagine a few months ago and our results show how climate change could do something similar.

Story continues

Change would unfold less rapidly, but unlike with the pandemic, there would be no relief to look forward to: large areas of the planet would heat to barely survivable levels and they wouldnt cool down again.

Not only would this have devastating direct effects, it leaves societies less able to cope with future crises like new pandemics. The only thing that can stop this happening is a rapid cut in carbon emissions.

Read more: Why economists worry that reversing climate change is hopeless

The researchers said that reductions in greenhouse gas emissions could greatly reduce the scale of the crisis.

Rapid reductions could halve the number of people affected, said study co-author Tim Lenton, climate specialist at the University of Exeter.

Our computations show that each degree warming above present levels corresponds to roughly one billion people falling outside of the climate niche, he said.

It is important that we can now express the benefits of curbing greenhouse gas emissions in something more human than just monetary terms.

The authors noted that a percentage of the 3.5 billion people exposed to extreme heat if climate change goes unabated may seek to migrate.

Foreseeing the actual magnitude of climate driven migration remains challenging, Scheffer said.

People prefer not to migrate. Also there is scope for local adaptation in part of the world within limits, but in the Global South this will require boosting human development rapidly.
Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia appears to ruffle the feathers of members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) anytime he seeks to 'counter' their propaganda with hard facts.

A response he gave to ex-President John Dramani Mahama, who is the NDC's flag bearer after accusing the New Patriotic Party (NPP) among other things of not managing the economy better, has sent them into a frenzy.

Mr. Mahama claimed last week that the economy under President Akufo-Addo was weak and had been exposed in just a month following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and gleefully mocked that the economy was on 'ventilators'.

Bawumia Jabs

The Vice-President, after meeting the Covid-19 Emergency Response Committee at the Jubilee House in Accra on Monday, had an interview with journalists where he challenged ex-President Mahama, who is staging a comeback after being defeated heavily as incumbent in 2016, to always speak with facts.

Rather than keep quiet, it is the responsibility of all Ghanaians as we deal with these problems not to remain silent when untruth is being peddled, especially by such a high-ranking officers of state, he said.

Dr. Bawumia wondered how a former President whose administration could not even handle dumsor for four years could be making comparisons with a global pandemic like Covid-19.

If you want to test the robustness of an economy, you test it in a time of crisis. Thankfully, we have had two crises. Under the NDC, it was an internally generated crisis, which was dumsor. Under the Presidency of Nana Akufo-Addo, there has been an externally generated crisis, which has been the global coronavirus pandemic.

I just want you to ask yourself, how have these two crises been managed? The dumsor crisis crippled this economy for four years. What were the mitigating measures offered to businesses and individuals during the dumsor, an internally generated crisis? the Vice-President fired.

We saw that even during dumsor, electricity prices were being increased, fuel prices were being increased, teacher trainee allowances were being cancelled, and nursing trainee allowances were being cancelled. All of that was happening during that particular crisis, he added.

NDC Tantrums

The Vice-President's statement has since riled the NDC members whose leading figures and other sympathizers have taken to media platforms to launch a seeming 'war' with a hashtag #BawumiaMustFocus against the Veep.

Their members and surrogates, who always pretend to be 'neutrals' on social media, have been sharing the hashtag.

NDC Member of Parliament (MP) Cassiel Ato Forson, who was deputy Minister of Finance under Mr. Mahama, fired immediately Dr. Bawumia exposed their flag bearer's 'lies' saying, Comparing a pandemic to an energy situation that occurred because the NPP government failed to invest in power generation over an eight-year period only reflects the confusion that has characterized your recent pronouncements.

In any case, it is inhumane to compare a pandemic killing human beings to an electricity generation problem that was resolved by the same government. It is time to caution Dr. Bawumia not to be proud of cosmetic macro-economic data that fails to translate into economic well-being. Today, Ghana's public debt has increased from GH120.3 billion as of 31st December 2016 to GH235 billion as of 31st March 2020.

NDC's darling 'economist' Isaac Adongo, who is MP for Bolgatanga Central, entered the fray and said Ghanaians should stop listening to Dr. Bawumia.

Throughout his (Dr. Bawumia) statement, he kept saying the data shows, the data shows, and he is unable to point out one single data that shows (something). But the reality is that; is the economy really in intensive care? The answer is yes!

I want to ask Dr. Bawumia one thing; in saying that John Mahama should look at the data, do you have Covid-19 data? Because John Mahama is saying the economy as a result of Covid-19 is in ICU, he added.

Former NDC MP for Madina, Aljahi Amadu Sorogho also joined his colleagues, saying Bawumia should tell us what they have done in the past years that they have been in office. All that I can remember them doing is just changing the names of projects undertaken by Mahama.

It is very obvious that Mahama's infrastructural projects are what the Akufo-Addo government is relying on. This government has not built a single hospital of infrastructure, he said.

However, Spokesperson to the Vice-President Dr. Gideon Boako fired back at the NDC, saying former President Mahama has made comments which suggest that if he were at the helm of affairs his attitude and approach towards the management of Covid-19 and its associated economic issues, would have been different. And so even though we wish that within this period politics is subdued so we all rally behind the government to finding a lasting solution to this, once you have an opposition leader who has also been there before, raising pertinent issues and sometimes saying things which are a bit untrue then, there is the need to straighten the path and make sure they are put in the right perspective (sic).

---Daily Guide
A chastened Neil Ferguson this week admitted his error of judgement in allowing his married lover to visit him at home, in a flagrant breach of the lockdown rules that stem, in large part, from his own research.

Flesh is frail, and if the 51-year-old professors trysts with blonde Antonia Staats, 38, were his only error of judgement, many would forgive him. But the career of this all-too-influential scientist has been marred by frequent questions about his modelling.

From foot and mouth to swine flu and BSE, Ferguson has reliably popped up to brandish complex forecasts featuring terrifying death tolls  models that hold ministers in thrall.

Now his critics argue that his predictions around coronavirus  which were crucial in persuading the Government to impose the lockdown that is crippling our economy and causing untold social damage  could prove to be his most controversial yet.

Neil Ferguson this week admitted his error of judgement in allowing his married lover to visit him at home despite his own warnings regarding strict lockdown rules

On March 16, Ferguson and his team at Imperial College London published a now-famous paper claiming that coronavirus was so deadly, more than 500,000 Britons would die if nothing was done to tackle it.

About 250,000 would perish, they added, if the Government maintained its then-policy of social distancing without a lockdown. Other researchers made the same prediction.

That very day, Boris Johnson told the nation to keep out of pubs, restaurants and other crowded places  and a week later ordered us all to remain at home except in specific circumstances.

So how have Fergusons predictions fared? In early April Swedish scientists ran Fergusons model to try to predict the death toll in the Scandinavian country if the government there chose to avoid lockdown.

By the beginning of May, the model predicted, 40,000 Swedes would be dead, rising to 96,000 by the end of June. The Swedish Government pressed ahead without a lockdown but maintaining social distancing  the same approach our own government had been taking until Ferguson published his paper.

His married German lover Antonia Staats, 38, (pictured here at 10 Downing Street) visited Ferguson at home in a clear flouting of the rules

Have 40,000 Swedes died? No. Yesterday, the countrys death toll stood at 2,941.

Ferguson, it has emerged, made several highly questionable assumptions. He assumed that 0.9 per cent of all those who were infected with the disease would be killed by it.

That figure was revised down at the end of March by Fergusons Imperial colleague Robert Verity to 0.66 per cent. Many scientists believe it is a lot lower still: Oxford Universitys Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine puts the mortality rate at between 0.1 and 0.26 per cent.

Ferguson also assumed that two-thirds of infected people would experience symptoms and therefore realise they should self-isolate.

Yet a Chinese study published in the British Medical Journal on April 2 suggested that 78 per cent of people infected with the virus show no symptoms whatsoever.

Ferguson also assumed that, if left unchecked, an extraordinary 81 per cent of the UK population would catch Covid-19. Is that likely? Not based on what happened aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship, where the virus was allowed to run rampant for a fortnight among more than 3,700 passengers and crew.

In spite of living in a near-perfect breeding ground for an infectious virus, only 712 people on board  17 per cent of the total  tested positive.

The coronavirus is just the latest in a string of illnesses where questions have been asked about Fergusons modelling. In 2001, his calculations persuaded Tony Blairs government to order a pre-emptive cull of farm animals to stop the spread of foot and mouth disease. Some 6.5million animals were killed.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock was among those to implement rules on Ferguson's advice

Yet scientists at the University of Edinburgh were later scathing about Fergusons models, calling them not fit for purpose.

The next year, Ferguson was back to claim that vCJD, the human form of mad cow disease, could kill between 50 and 50,000 Britons  a range so broad as to be almost useless for policy-makers. He also said the human death toll could rise to 150,000 if the disease passed to sheep.

That apocalypse never came: today the death toll from vCJD stands at just 178.

Undaunted, the prophet of doom returned in 2005, this time warning of bird flu. Around 40million people died in 1918 Spanish flu outbreak, he declared. There are six times more people on the planet now so you could scale it up to around 200million people probably.

No you couldnt. To date, according to the World Health Organisation, H5N1 avian flu has killed just 455 people globally.

In 2009 Ferguson claimed that the mortality rate from swine flu was in the range of 0.3 per cent to 1.5 per cent, but was most likely to be 0.4 per cent. Based on this figure, the Governments reasonable worst-case scenario suggested that Britain would suffer 65,000 deaths.

By the end of the year it was reported the actual mortality rate had been just 0.026 per cent. The UK death toll at the time was 283.

With a CV like that, many might be reluctant to ask Ferguson to predict what day Christmas Day will fall on this year, let alone advise a government on how to deal with a serious epidemic.

For now, it seems his time as a top adviser is up. His shaky numbers will no longer guide the Government as it steers us out of the lockdown that he failed to obey himself.
As both active virus and antibody testing ramps up across the country, it will soon be relatively easy for individuals to get tested, regardless of if one is displaying COVID-19 symptoms.

If you plan to get a test  either antibody or active virus  here is what you should know about the accuracy of the results.

Active virus testing (Diagnostic or PCR test)

The most widely available form of testing is PCR (polymearse chain reaction) testing, which detects if an individual is currently infected with the coronavirus.

Cleveland Clinic researchers tested 239 specimens known to contain the virus using some of the most commonly used coronavirus PCR tests. Here are the findings for each:

The CDC-developed test, which returns results in a few days, detected 100% of positive samples. A similar test from Roche detected 96.5% of samples, and a test from Cepheid that produces results in less than hour detected 98.2% of positive samples. However, Abbott's ID NOW test  one that returns results in less than 15 minutes  detected virus in only 85.2% of positive samples, meaning it had a false negative rate of 14.8%.

Dr. Gary Procop, the head of the study, told NPR a test should be at least 95% reliable.

"So that means if you had 100 patients that were positive, 15% of those patients would be falsely called negative," he said. "They'd be told that they're negative for COVID when they're really positive. That's not too good."

Abbott defended the test, and said potential problems could stem from storing samples in a solution called "viral transport media" before insertion into the testing machine. The company advocates for placing samples directly into the testing machine to ensure the most accurate results.

Generally speaking however, most PCR tests are considered to be very reliable.

Antibody testing

Considerably less reliable are antibody tests, which detect past infections by seeing if an individual's immune system has developed protective antibodies.

The FDA has issued emergency approval for the production of several antibody tests, but the agency is now tightening regulations on approval given the unreliability of existing tests. Unlike PCR testing, where false negatives are what give scientists the most worry, antibody tests should strive to avoid false positives as it is more dangerous to tell an individual he or she has COVID-19 antibodies  and may have immunity  when that is not the case.

In a study of 14 of the approved tests, one of the tests gave false positives more than 15% of the time, and three others gave false positives more than 10% of the time.

"That's terrible, said Dr. Caryn Bern, one of the study's authors. "That's really terrible."

Three different tests had false positive rates of 1% or less, but all had false negative rates of over 10%, meaning they failed to detect antibodies in at least one of 10 actual infections. Observers concluded that none of the currently widely available antibody tests can be considered completely reliable as a result.

Those numbers are just unacceptable, Scott Hensley, a microbiologist at the University of Pennsylvania, told the New York Times. The tone of the paper is, Look how good the tests are. But I look at these data, and I dont really see that.

Earlier this week, a new antibody developed by Roche was approved by the FDA, and is considered to be the most accurate antibody test developed to date. Roche states the test detects antibodies with 100% accuracy, and has a false positive rate of just 0.2%.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

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Eric Ting is an SFGATE digital reporter. Email: eric.ting@sfgate.com | Twitter:@_ericting
DETROIT  As photographs of gun-carrying protesters in Michigan's Capitol building made the rounds nationally, one has emerged as a defining image of last week's demonstration over the governor's orders amid the coronavirus pandemic.

An unmasked man, mid-scream, yelling within inches of two police officers.

There have been memes and chatter on social media about the screaming protester, even misidentifications of him as a Los Angeles activist.

But he isn't from California. He is from New Hudson, Michigan. And his name is Brian Cash.

"Yes, that's me," the 52-year-old flooring installer told the Free Press on Monday when asked to confirm whether he is the man in the photo, taken by Jeff Kowalsky, a photographer working for Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Cash, who said he has now been to four protests in Lansing in the past month, said he was demonstrating against the inequities of the governor's executive orders, which he called "just ridiculous."

Protestors try to enter the Michigan House of Representative chamber and are being kept out by the Michigan State Police after the American Patriot Rally organized by Michigan United for Liberty protest for the reopening of businesses on the steps of the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan on April 30, 2020. - The group is upset with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's mandatory closure to curtail Covid-19.

Fact check: Michigan protester is not a known white supremacist from LA

'Very good people': Trump urges Michigan Gov. Whitmer to talk to protesters

Cash said he wasn't yelling at the state troopers seen in the photo  "I didn't scream in anybody's face"  but at an officer positioned behind them who he said he saw assault a woman the day before. Three women were removed from the public gallery for the state House of Representatives on April 29. The incident was caught on video, showing a woman being forcibly removed. The incident prompted an announcement by the Michigan State Police that it was investigating the confrontation between individuals and House police.

The next day, when the now-infamous photo of him was taken, Cash said he was in the Capitol when he saw the officer.

"I was there chanting, 'Let us in,' and I saw that guy and I just, I just kind of lost it a little bit," Cash said. He said that he was asking the man, whom he called a "red coat," a reference to the red coats they wear, "if he wanted to try to throw me around like he did that girl yesterday."

Story continues

Brian Cash poses for a photo at a pavilion behind The South Lyon Fire Department on May 5, 2020. Cash is the man from the Michigan Capitol protest photos who appears to be yelling at two MSP troopers and is being mistaken for a white supremacist from LA on Twitter.

The protests have been criticized. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday called the protests, which featured some people holding rifles, "disturbing," and now the state is considering a ban on guns inside of the Capitol. Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator for White House coronavirus response, called the protests "devastatingly worrisome" in a Fox News Sunday interview.

Cash, who said he was not armed at the protest, said he was yelling between the two Michigan State Police troopers in the photo, not at them. But the photo was criticized online. "These are the same people who tell you to 'respect the police,' " one Twitter user posted. Another wrote: "Would officers show this much restraint if black men were yelling in their faces?"

Cash, who described himself as a longtime marijuana activist having worked on efforts to legalize it in Michigan, was upset with accusations that protesters were racist and blamed the media, which he said "twists everything."

He said his experience that day was "awesome" and said "anybody of any color should have the right to do what I did."

But Whitmer on Friday said: "Yesterdays scene at the Capitol was disturbing, to be quite honest. Swastikas and confederate flags, nooses and automatic rifles do not represent who we are as Michiganders. This state has a rich history of people coming together in times of crisis.

Cash, said he has received hundreds of Facebook Messenger messages since the photo was published. He said he has received support and also negative attention for the photograph, but he doesn't care.

"I love it. It's great," he said. Cash added that people have "their right to disagree and call me names."

Cash said he plans to attend more protests in Lansing and he likes the national attention they have garnered.

"I love it," he said. "We got the ball rolling."

Contributing: First Draft. Follow Gina Kaufman @ReporterGinaon Twitter:

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan man in infamous Capitol rally photo calls protest 'awesome'
MIDDLETOWN  City leaders unanimously approved a measure to reallocate $439,895 in Community Block Development Grants for proposed stimulus projects that would help small businesses experiencing financial stress due to the coronavirus pandemic get back on their feet.

The plan is to reallocate $156,000 from a yet-to-be-determined city funding source for bridge loans, and another $283,000 in federal Housing and Urban Development money. The latter could be used toward a planned program which would include training and marketing, as well as some grants to get the local economy up and running again, according to Common Councilman Ed McKeon.

He praised Councilwoman Linda Salafia for suggesting the project be done as quickly as possible.

It was my understanding that part of the motivation for doing this loan program was to do it as quickly as we possibly could to help. If you wait until we do it through the budget, it is not going to go into effect until middle of July, she said.

Common Council Majority Leader Gene Nocera marveled at the ability to hold a municipal gathering in an online setting while still adhering to Roberts Rules of Order.

All that goes into setting up a live council meeting thats now broadcast on Facebook is an incredible feat, Nocera said. It was pretty impressive we have gotten that far so quickly running a meeting this way.

The proposal to appropriate $156,000 to funding bridge loans for business owners would allow the dispensation of small, $10,000 loans for them to use in any way they see fit, provided their applications are accepted, Mayor Ben Florsheim said, according to video of the meeting.

For example, nearly $42,000 in CDBG funding was set aside to potentially move the St. Vincent de Paul Middletown administrative offices into the former Green Street Teaching and Learning Center. The city was able to secure those surplus monies since the project was never realized, the mayor said.

Its a little incentive for businesses not to lay off staff. Its not enough to pay somebodys salary, unfortunately, but it will narrow the gap if you keep employees on, Florsheim added. The funds also could be used for rent or purchasing equipment to help businesses reopen.

The measure will be taken up by members of the Economic Development Commission this week to determine the source of funding, wording of the resolution, how many workers would need to stay employed and for how long, as well as other details.

These $10,000 loans are modest, he said, but they can make a difference during financial and other difficulties facing these entrepreneurs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Supporting small business owners, who are our taxpayers, who do make up the grand list, is the right thing to do at this point, McKeon said.

At the meeting, Planning, Conservation and Development Director Joseph Samolis explained CDBG funds recipients are obligated to complete projects within a certain period of time. Funds are being sourced from surplus money from completed projects or from those that never materialized.

The idea to reallocate $50,000 for a quarantine center for people with low to moderate incomes came from MaryEllen Shukerow, executive director of St. Vincent de Paul Middletown.

She has been a really integral partner to everything were doing during this crisis. If we could reprogram CBDG to buy equipment to help defray the cost of opening a facility like this, it might help get the state and other agencies on board to move the project along, Samolis added.

Partners in the proposed facility include Wesleyan University, which potentially could be the centers designated site, Gilead Community Services and Middlesex Health. The idea is to create a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week, fully staffed site for those experiencing homelessness or who living in congregate care other than a nursing home.

Only one other city in Connecticut is doing something similar, Pessina said. It could have been a public safety issue. Now, we have a route to help the most vulnerable people in our community.

A number of challenges are inherent in such a proposal, such as finding an appropriate site, finding a lead agency to take the insurance risk, coordination and  the biggest issue  finding adequate and qualified staff, Florsheim said.

The city has a medical reserve corps who volunteer their time and expertise to work on projects such as the quarantine center.

Its a very different requirement to do 24/7 staffing of a facility of people with highly specialized needs. Thats very different from asking a retired nurse to take temperatures in a public building or something of that nature, Florsheim said.

Nocera was pleased the city could provide vital funding in the form of small business loans. Some have called the move unprecedented.

Government leaders expect to take up the matter at the next council meeting May 18.

In other business, the council approved the purchase of two pallets of N95 masks at a cost of $11,996. Fire Chief Robert Kronenberger, also the head of emergency management for the city, said the dispensation would come from his departments budget. His hope is costs will be reimbursed at 75 percent as part of FEMAs emergency assistance act.

As budget season gets underway, city leaders are intent on holding the line on spending. Florsheims proposed $211.5 million 2020-21 spending package represents a 7.1 percent increase over last years $197.5 million budget.

Essentially, we are going with last years budget  with contractual increases, Nocera said. We have to find it within our existing budget and general fund so theres no tax increase next year being projected on any front.

For information, visit cityofmiddletown.com.
Image: Reuters

Weeks before Chinese authorities acknowledged that the coronavirus could be transmitted by humans, and nearly a month before the first officially recorded cases in Europe, a 42-year-old fishmonger showed up at a hospital in suburban Paris coughing, feverish and having trouble breathing. It was December 27.

Now doctors in France are suggesting that the December patient may have been the earliest known coronavirus case in Europe.

If confirmed  the doctors are certain, and the French government says it is looking at the report  the case of the fishmonger, Amirouche Hammar, would mean the deadly virus made an appearance on the continent long before officials there began tackling it. The discovery would bring a strange new wrinkle to the story of the virus in Europe, one that has the potential of blowing up the previously established chronology.

The doctors who made the finding said they tested the samples twice to avoid false positives. But they acknowledged that they could not completely rule out that possibility.

They also cautioned that without further analysis of the sample, it was unclear whether the man had passed the virus on to anyone else, or whether his case was tied in any way to the epidemic that arrived later.

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

But if the timeline of when the virus appeared in Europe does change, the official efforts to combat the contagion would turn out not to have been just too late, but hopelessly too late.

By the time the first serious measures were put in place  the French government didnt order a lockdown until March 16  the virus may have already appeared three months earlier, according to a study of the new case that has been peer-reviewed and accepted for formal publication in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents.

That in turn would help explain the rapidly developing catastrophe that has since unfurled in France and Europe. There have been thousands of cases, hospitalizations and deaths, in numbers that only in recent weeks have begun to abate somewhat, as a result of the governments rigid confinement measures.

France alone has recorded more than 25,000 coronavirus deaths.

If confirmed, what this case does highlight is the speed at which an infection starting in a seemingly remote part of the world, can quickly seed infections elsewhere, said Professor Rowland Kao, the Sir Timothy OShea Professor of Veterinary Epidemiology and Data Science at the University of Edinburgh, in an interview for Britains Science Media Centre.

Why is this important? he added. It means that the lead time we have for assessment and decision-making can be very short.

The journal publishing the report about the case has had a brush with controversy over the coronavirus, walking back a study it published about treatments for the virus. And much about this apparent first case remains a mystery.

But the authors of the paper, doctors at the Avicenne Hospital in the Paris suburb of Bobigny, among others, declare flatly: Their study is of a patient infected with COVID-19 one month before the first reported cases in our country whose lack of recent travel suggests that the disease was already spreading among the French population at the end of December 2019.

French authorities declared the first official cases of coronavirus in the country  three people who had all recently been in China  on Jan. 24. That was four days after China for the first time confirmed human-to-human transmission.

The doctors retested samples from a man who had suffered from pneumonia. They found the coronavirus.

Theres no doubt for us, said Dr. Yves Cohen, head of intensive care at the Avicenne and Jean Verdier hospitals, in the northern suburbs of Paris, and one of the authors of the study, in a telephone interview Tuesday. It was already there in December.

What is not clear is how the patient, Hammar, got it. Apart from a trip to Algeria last summer, he had not traveled. His wife, however, briefly exhibited some of the symptoms  coughing, principally  of the coronavirus, Cohen said.

Weve got some theories, he said. His wife had a little cough.

Hammars wife, Fatiha, who works in a supermarket near Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, told French television this week that she serves customers who come directly from the airport, with their suitcases, she said.

There were direct flights between that airport and the one in Wuhan, China, before borders were closed.

Experts warned that the case could not be directly tied to Frances current outbreak without a genomic analysis.

One really has to make a distinction between the epidemic wave and isolated cases, Samuel Alizon, an infectious diseases and epidemics specialist at the CNRS, Frances national public research organization, said in a telephone interview.

It is quite possible, he explained, that there were isolated cases that led to transmission chains that died down.

Alizon said it was common for epidemics imported from abroad into a given country to undergo several false starts, with transmission chains that died down on their own before one of the imported cases led to an actual epidemic.

So the question is more: How many importation events did it take to launch the epidemic wave? he said.

The first case outside of China was reported in Thailand on Jan. 13. But experts have long suspected that the coronavirus may have spread internationally before the first officially reported cases.

The detection of the potential new case in France follows similar instances in the United States, where deaths from the virus were identified weeks earlier than first reported, and a model suggested that silent outbreaks had spread for weeks before detection.

The French government has said very little about the case so far.

Frances health ministry said Tuesday that authorities were in contact with scientists and experts from other countries on the timeline of the spread of the virus, and that they would carry out further investigations if they appear necessary.

We are in permanent contact with our European and Chinese counterparts on the issue, in order to better understand the spread of the virus at the global level, the ministry said.

Dr. Olivier Bouchaud, an infectious disease specialist at the same hospital as Cohen, told the LCI news channel Tuesday that it was common to keep frozen samples from patients with lung infections for later testing.

It isnt very surprising, Bouchaud said of the Dec. 27 positive case, noting that in China the virus also circulated under the radar for weeks before the first official cases were detected.

Frederic Keck, a biosecurity expert at CNRS, said, If COVID existed in November  which some reports suggest was the case  it is certainly possible that it was here in December.

We never really know when an epidemic starts, Keck said.

Amirouche Hammar, who lives in Bobigny, a northern suburb of Paris, said in an interview with BFM TV that he drove himself to the emergency ward at 5 a.m. on Dec. 27 after several days of coughing, difficulty breathing and chest pains.

Hammar, who has a history of asthma and diabetes, was diagnosed with a pulmonary infection but quickly recovered and was discharged two days later.

I was surprised, given the devastation that the illness is causing, Hammar said of learning, months later, that he had tested positive for COVID-19.

c.2020 The New York Times Company
Supreme Court Justice Stephen Hall.

Justice Hall has asked Mr Edwards directly if he would like to give evidence in his own trial.

"The choice to give evidence yourself is entirely yours," he said, adding he was not obliged to.

Mr Edwards has indicated he will not take the witness stand, but evidence will be adduced on his behalf.

Mr Yovich has asked to tender a document showing the weather on the day Sarah disappeared on January 27, 1996.

The likely reason for this is following evidence from a former friend of Mr Edwards that she saw him around 7am when he came to help fix the air conditioning on a very hot day.

The timing was around five hours after Sarah was last seen.

Mr Yovich claimed January 27, 1996 was not a hot day, and the witness was getting her days mixed up.

Mr Yovich has not called any witnesses to the stand.

The trial has adjourned until June 8 for closing submissions to be heard.
Oil could hit $100 per barrel within the next 18 months, Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris told CNBC on Wednesdaya hard pill to swallow with Brent currently trading below $30 per barrel.

Sawiris, chairman of one of Egypts largest companies, Orascom Telecom Media and Technology Holding S.A.E., is Egypts second-richest man and has a net worth somewhere between $3 billion and $7.5 billion. Its hard to pin down because net worth is a (downward) moving target these days.

Sawiris told CNBC that he would buy airline stocks. At the same time, Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway dumped all of its airline holdings after losing nearly $50 billion in Q1. The selloff hit the airlines hard.

Sawiris not only talked up investing in oil, which he said could reach $100 per barrel but spoke out to CNBC against Saudi Arabia and Russia, who Sawiris alleges were trying to kill off the U.S. shale industry. Sawiris also told the network that he supported U.S. President Donald Trumps plan to reopen the American economy.

They might not find the cure, they might not find the vaccine, so how long are we going to be in prison in our homes? Sawiris asked.

It is precisely this reopening that is the oil industrys most promisingor rather, the onlypath forward, as current demand destruction is too much for the heavily indebted US shale industry to bear foreverparticularly when combined with overproduction from OPEC and its allies up until now.

Sawiris has been a champion of the reopen movement, stating as far back as a month ago that he would commit suicide if the lockdown measures were not rescinded within two weeks.

Air traffic is down 90%, with airlines currently losing $10 billion monthly, according to Barrons, who reported on Wednesday that Citi analyst Stephen Trent shares also thinks that this might be a good time to buy into at least one airline: United.

Air traffic is a significant component of the transportation industrys demand for crude oil and crude oil products.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
A flight attendant has blasted a lingerie label for the 'sexualisation' of air hosts in its raunchy new advertising campaign.

Honey Birdette's 'Turbulence' promotion comes despite the label closing its stores across Australia amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The advertising campaign features models dressed as cabin crew fawning over a woman dressed in lingerie.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic closing Honey Birdette stores across Australia, a brand new ad campaign called Turbulence depicts a fake airline

The images show models dressed as cabin crew fawning over a woman dressed in lingerie

A flight attendant, named only as Amanda, penned a blog post for feminist website Collective Shout, saying the images objectify female flight attendants.

Amanda claims there has been a 'long history of sexualising flight attendants' with the Honey Birdette ad campaign perpetuating this.

'Airlines have been known to have height, weight and age restrictions for flight crew and have required strict uniform standards for female flight attendants, including the requirement to wear high heels,' she wrote.

Amanda said the campaign makes her feel 'objectified'.

'It's not empowering or uplifting, but rather just reinforcing negative stereotypes and negative attitudes towards women in the airline industry. It makes my job harder,' she said.

'I'm surprised that a brand like Honey Birdette - whose target market is women - would promote their lingerie in such a way that demeans women.

'Honestly the commercial just looks like they've shot an expensive Pornhub video. It's disappointing.'

Collective Shout also posted to Facebook saying the brand continues to 'objectify, demean and disempower women'.

A flight attendant named Amanda penned a blog post for feminist website Collective Shout, saying the images objectify female flight attendants

Amanda claims there has been a 'long history of sexualising flight attendants' with the Honey Birdette ad campaign perpetuating this

'Did Honey Birdette at any point consider how their sexist portrayals of female cabin crew as a porn-themed fantasy might put these women at risk? Do they care?' it wrote.

Honey Birdette founder Eloise Monaghan told the Courier Mail Collective Shout would stoop to any level to slam the lingerie company.

'(They will) twist anything to progress their "handmaid's tale" agenda for the progressive women of Australia,' she said.

Ms Monaghan said the group had a 'prehistoric views' of female freedom and accused the group of hating women for loving their own, beautiful bodies.

'They hide it under a veil of concern for kids. It's actually quite disgusting and repressive,' she said.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

By Sadraddin Agjayev  Trend:

AzInTelecom LLC, operating under the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Azerbaijan, launched the Video Conferencing as a Service (VCaaS) based on its cloud infrastructure of the Azcloud Data Center for the first time in the country, Trend reports citing the ministry.

According to the source, the Summit of Non-aligned Movement in the format of Contact Group on the United against COVID-19 topic, which was held on the initiative of Azerbaijans president, became a major state-level international event recently organized on the basis of a video conference service. It is for this significant online meeting, which was attended by more than 40 countries and various international organizations, that the basic processes and procedures for this cloud solution were carefully prepared, reliable and secure communications, as well as simultaneous translation.

In addition, AzInTelecom provided special technical support to the participating countries of the event to ensure the correct connection of their representatives to video conferencing and establish stable communication.

The international video conference of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States, held at the initiative of Azerbaijans president at the beginning of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), with the participation of the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, the prime minister of Hungary, the secretary general of the Turkic Council, and representatives of the WHO leadership, was also conducted online via a secure and encrypted connection, the ministry said.

Another important international event, held thanks to technical and technological support from AzInTelecom, a clear system setup and high-quality communication based on cloud technologies, became a video conference dedicated to combating the COVID-19 pandemic, with the participation of ministers of health and transport of the Turkic Council member countries.

Due to the quality, reliability and resilience of the Azcloud infrastructure and cloud solutions, as well as highly qualified personnel, AzInTelecom LLC, is ready to conduct any online events and is able to provide impeccable solutions to various technological and digital problems in the shortest possible time, said the ministry.

During international video conferences, AzInTelecom LLC provides high-quality live broadcast and signal encryption in accordance with the most stringent security standards, the ministry added.

Thus, the company is able to provide a high level of organization of large-scale video conferences based on cloud technologies not only locally, but also internationally, with the provision of technical support 24/7.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: agdzhaev
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 22:36:12|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- China has released its top 10 archaeological discoveries for 2019, according to the National Cultural Heritage Administration (NCHA).

The findings, selected from a shortlist of 20 archaeological discoveries in 14 provincial-level regions, were announced after a final round of presentations, appraisal and voting held live online for the first time amid regular epidemic control efforts.

The following is the list made public Tuesday by the NCHA:

1. Archaeologists unearthed a large number of relics including stone products, animal fossils and bone fossils from a cave site dating back to the Paleolithic Age in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Experts say the Jiege Cave which preserves human fossils and rich cultural remains from 100,000 to 15,000 years ago provides important archaeological evidence for the hypothesis that early modern humans in China and even in East Asia evolved from the local ancient population.

2. In northeastern province of Heilongjiang, archeologists have excavated a number of tombs and unearthed a trove of cultural relics including jade, stoneware and pottery, dating back around 9,000 years, at a Neolithic stone burial site by the side of a river on the border between China and Russia.

3. Excavation work has been carried out at an imperial town that is the core part of a 4,300-year-old city ruin in Shenmu City, northern Shaanxi. Pieces of pottery typical of the late Longshan Culture, a late Neolithic civilization in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, were unearthed. With an area of 4 million square meters, the site is the largest Neolithic city ever discovered in China and a valuable asset for research on the early civilization of northern China.

4. The Pingliangtai ruins are the regional center of the Longshan Culture and also believed to have the earliest and most complete drainage system and the earliest wheel ruts in China. Multiple cultural relics including jade wares and pottery were unearthed at the site in Henan Province.

5. A copper smelting site in Xiwubi Village in north China's Shanxi Province is one of the earliest of its kind in the Central Plains. The finding has provided direct evidence for research on early copper smelting technology and production methods and helped to further complete the picture of copper manufacturing in China.

6. An ancient jade mining site located about 68 km to the southeast of Dunhuang in northwestern province of Gansu is the earliest tremolite jade mine ever discovered in China. The site, covering an area of 3 million square meters, shows the history of mining and utilization of tremolite jade in that region dating back to 3,700 years ago.

7. Dating back to the Spring and Autumn Period (770 B.C.-476 B.C.), a group of graves that belonged to the nobility of the Zeng State were found in central China's Hubei Province. More than 50 graves and three horse pits have been excavated at the site, offering more clues to the history of the Zeng State.

8. The discovery of an ancient site in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region provided sound evidence of the governance of the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-220 A.D.) and showcased the interwoven connection between the ethnic culture in Xinjiang and the culture of the Central Plains.

9. Archaeologists found a mural-decorated tomb dating back to the Tibetan Tubo Kingdom that existed more than 1,000 years ago in northwest China's Qinghai Province. The tomb is the first of its kind found on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with mural painting containing features of both Tang Dynasty (618 A.D.-907 A.D.) painting and the nomadic culture. The discovery is of great value for research on cultural communication along the ancient Silk Road.

10. Symbolized as the epitome of the development of China's underwater archaeology, the discovery and excavation of the Nanhai No. 1, a shipwreck dating back to the Song Dynasty (960 A.D.-1279 A.D.), sheds light on the prosperous maritime trade during that period and provides abundant evidence for research into the history of shipbuilding, ceramics, shipping and other aspects of ancient China and the whole of East and Southeast Asia.

The selection of China's top 10 archaeological findings has been held every year since 1990. Enditem
The supply of coal to the power sector by state-owned CIL registered a decline of eight per cent to 42.30 million tonne in March in the wake of slump in the fuel demand due to lockdown.

CIL dispatched 45.84 million tonne (MT) of coal in the corresponding month of 2018-19, the coal ministry said in its latest report to the Cabinet.

In 2019-20, the supply of fuel by Coal India Ltd (CIL) to the power sector dropped by six per cent to 463 MT as compared to 491.5 MT in 2018-19.

CIL, the world's largest coal producing company, is a major supplier of the dry fuel to the power sector in India.

The coal supply by state-owned Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) to the power sector also dropped by 19 per cent to 4.35 MT in March, over 5.35 MT in the year-ago period.

In 2019-20, SCCL dispatched 52.95 MT of coal as compared to



55.38 MT in the previous fiscal, registering a decline of 4.4 per cent.

With the power sector, a major consumer of the dry fuel, witnessing almost 30 per cent drop in fuel consumption amid the lockdown, CIL has shifted its focus to overburden removal -- the process of removing the top soil and rock to expose coal seams in its open cast mines.

The enhancement in overburden removal will enable CIL to accelerate production whenever the demand picks up and coal can be supplied to its customers at short notice.

Over 95 per cent of CIL's production comes from its 171 open cast mines.

The PSU removed 114.43 million cubic metres of overburden in its open cast mines in April 2020, as compared to 104.22 million cubic metres during the same period last year, registering an increase of 9.7 per cent.

A Central Electricity Authority (CEA) report said that as on April 30, 2020, there were 50.89 MT of coal stocked up at the power houses in India, enough to last for 31 days.

CIL itself has a pit-head stock of about 76 MT as on April 30.

The PSU is in regular touch with its customers, especially in the southern states, and is pursuing them to increase the intake of domestic coal as a substitute for imported coal.

CIL, which accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal output, is eyeing one billion tonne of production by 2023-24.

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

THEFTS, BURGLARIES

 Someone removed a toolbox and various tools from a vehicle parked in the 600 block of North Brooklyn Street between 4 p.m. Monday and 7 a.m. Tuesday.

VANDALISM

 A cement block was thrown onto the windshield of a car parked in the 1200 block of South Main Street at 12:20 a.m. Tuesday. Police are investigating.



Pike County

Sheriff

ARRESTS, CITATIONS

 David B. Foster, 47, of Pittsfield was arrested at 3:24 a.m. Friday on charges of having no valid registration, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, driving while license is revoked, improper lane use, failing to stop at a stop sign, speeding, having no rear registration light and fleeing to elude.

 Trafton C. Clark, 42, of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, was arrested at 11:35 p.m. Thursday on charges of driving under the influence and possession of methamphetamine.

 Monica G. Wileman, 37, of Meta, Missouri, was arrested at 11:35 p.m. Thursday on charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

 Jonathan S. Cline, 27, of Heyworth was arrested at 2:16 p.m. Thursday on charges of speeding and possession of a controlled substance.

 Clayton G. Watts, 21, of Pittsfield was arrested at 5:53 p.m. April 27 on charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and illegal transportation of alcohol by a driver.

 Michael G. Capps, 54, of Pittsfield was arrested at 10:55 p.m. April 26 on a charge of driving under the influence.

 Devon T. Johnson, 28, of Pittsfield was arrested at 7:12 p.m. April 24 on a violation of an order of protection and a petition to revoke probation.

 Justin M. Swisher, 38, of OFallon, Missouri, was arrested at 12:21 a.m. April 21 on a charge of possession of methamphetamine and an unspecified out-of-state warrant.

 Jason T. Russell, 29, of Warrenton, Missouri, was arrested at 12:21 a.m. April 21 on a charge of possession of methamphetamine.

 Christopher D. Wood, 35, of Barry was arrested at 5:02 p.m. April 21 on a charge of aggravated battery.

 Spencer A. Miller, 21, of Pittsfield was arrested at 10:47 a.m. April 17 on a charge of failing to register as a sex offender.

 Gary H. Smith, 47, of Rockport was arrested at 11:57 a.m. April 11 on four counts of predatory criminal sexual assault.

 Jacob A. Angelo, 29, of Griggsville was arrested at 8:23 p.m. April 9 on a domestic battery charge.

Compiled by David C.L. Bauer
O nline supermarket Ocado has revealed retail revenues surged by 40.4 per cent for the past two months as demand soared due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, it said more normal shopping patterns have returned in recent weeks.

Ocado said it had ramped up its capacity significantly in order to support the rise in demand, running its warehouses close to their peak capacity and highest efficiency.

Tim Steiner, chief executive officer of Ocado Group, said: We are facing quite a different challenge to many, as we scale up Ocado.com to play its part in feeding the nation, and as we help our clients launch and roll out their online businesses more rapidly against a backdrop of a likely long-term increase in demand for online.

Europe takes it's first steps out of Coronavirus lockdown 1 /25 Europe takes it's first steps out of Coronavirus lockdown People queue at a hardware store during a partial reopening after the Austrian government eased lockdown restrictions Reuters A worker checks the temperature of a customer at the entrance of a supermarket in Itay Reuters Customers hold flowers in front of a DIY store in Graz, Austria, after it re-opened on April 14, 2020, following a "shutdown" in a measure to limit the spread of the new coronavirus APA/AFP via Getty Images People wearing protective face masks and gloves walk in the streets as the Italian government allows the reopening of some shops while a nationwide lockdown continues following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Venice, Italy, Reuters People queue to enter a hardware store during a partial reopening after the Austrian government eased restrictions following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Eisenstadt, Austria Reuters Camilla Cocchi wears a face mask and gloves as she sorts out clothing in her children's clothes shop after it was allowed to reopen following lockdown measures to contain the spread of Covid-19, in Rome AP A man wearing a face mask shops in a hardware store during a partial reopening after the Austrian government eased restrictions following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Eisenstadt, Austria Reuters "Respect the 2 meters distance" banner is seen at a fish stand as the Italian government allows the reopening of some shops while a nationwide lockdown continues following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Venice, Italy, Reuters Customers wearing face masks push shopping carts in front of a DIY store in Vienna, Austria, after it re-opened on April 14, 2020, following a "shutdown" in a measure to limit the spread of the new coronavirus APA/AFP via Getty Images A worker checks the temperature of a customer at the entrance of a supermarket, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in Turin, Italy Reuters Customers line up in front of a DIY store in Graz, Austria APA/AFP via Getty Images Gianfranco Mandas wears a face mask as he sorts out clothing in his children's clothes shop after it was allowed to opens following restriction measures to contain the spread of Covid-19, in Rome AP Customers wearing face masks push shopping carts in front of a DIY store in Vienna, Austria, after it re-opened on April 14, 2020, following a "shutdown" in a measure to limit the spread of the new coronavirus APA/AFP via Getty Images Customers queue at the Trastevere market, as new restrictions for open-air markets are implemented to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Rome, Italy, Reuters Customers wearing face masks push shopping carts in front of a DIY store in Vienna, Austria, after it re-opened on April 14, 2020, following a "shutdown" in a measure to limit the spread of the new coronavirus APA/AFP via Getty Images A man wears a protective face mask and gloves at the newsstand as the Italian government allows the reopening of some shops while a nationwide lockdown continues following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Venice, Italy Reuters People wearing face masks work in a hardware store during a partial reopening after the Austrian government eased restrictions following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Eisenstadt, Austria Reuters Customers queue at the Trastevere market, as new restrictions for open-air markets are implemented to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Rome, Italy Reuters A general view of the parking area of a hardware store during the partial reopening of shops after the Austrian government loosens its lockdown restrictions during the global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Vienna Reuters

Ocado remains in a strong position and while we should be grateful that our current challenges are around growth, expansion and increased demand, we have great empathy for all who are facing different challenges at this time.

In retail, we are working with our small suppliers to make sure we pay them earlier than normal and we will work closely with any who are struggling."

While most supermarkets have experienced high demand during the lockdown, some high street retailers have struggled.

Bosses at John Lewis have started talks on which department stores should keep their doors permanently closed once the lockdown ends, according to sources.

But the company said Waitrose, part of John Lewis Partnership, had fared better after remaining open.

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Oasis and Warehouse announced last month it would be permanently closing all stores, including online services, after administrators were unable to find a buyer for the business.

The total collapse of Oasis Warehouse Limited  the company behind the two brands, along with The Idle Man and Bastyan Fashions  will result in the loss of 1,803 jobs.

Administrator Rob Harding said at the time: "Covid-19 has presented extraordinary challenges which have devastated the retail industry. It is with great sadness that we have to announce a sale of the business has not been possible and that we are announcing so many redundancies today."

Debenhams also went into administration last month.

All you need to know from the May 5 UK coronavirus briefing

The department store chain said it intended to go into a light touch administration, which would see the existing management team remain in place.

Stefaan Vansteenkiste, chief executive officer, said: In these unprecedented circumstances the appointment of the administrators will protect our business, our employees, and other important stakeholders, so that we are in a position to resume trading from our stores when Government restrictions are lifted.

We anticipate that our highly supportive owners and lenders will make additional funding available to fund the administration period."
The Member of Parliament for the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency on Monday, May 4, 2020, cut sod for two major projects in her Constituency.



The projects were the construction of an ultramodern District Office for the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and a Fire Service Station both within the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency in the Greater Accra Region.



Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony for both the NHIA office and the Fire Service Station, which was held at the project site near the Atomic Roundabout, Hon Sarah Adwoa Safo noted that, owing to the lack of a District Office for the NHIA, her constituents are compelled to make do with a small office store at Dome, which she said, is very inconveniencing to healthcare delivery, thus justifying the decision to construct a new District Office befitting the fast-growing metropolitan nature of the constituency.



The new edifice, according to her, has a reception area, general offices, documents control room, MIS office, accounts office, managers office, conference room and other amenities including vehicle parking area for patrons. She also gave further details of the project, which she said, is expected to be completed within six (6) calendar months, at an estimated cost of GHC 1,500,000.00, which is fully funded by the Government of Ghana. She also gave the contractors name as Messrs Elpizo Enterprise Limited.



The MP, who doubles as the Minister of State in-charge of Public Procurement and also the Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament, observed that, the spirit of this gesture is to reinforce the broader objective of government's effort to provide infrastructure for the delivery of effective healthcare nationwide pursuant to Goal 3 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.



She also, in line with her social contract with the people, spoke about her health-related achievements in the constituency including the construction of the Haatso Maternity Clinic; the commissioning of the Ga East Municipal Hospital which she spearheaded; the ongoing construction of Clinical Service and Out Patients Department (OPD) Block at the Abokobi Health Centre; provision of Free Health Screening as well as enrolling thousands of her constituents onto the NHIS and renewing their registration status as required among several health undertakings.



On the Fire Service Station, she justified the decision to construct same on the ground that the Constituency/District has no Fire Service Station, which she said, was unacceptable by every stretch of imagination.



On her part, the Municipal Chief Executive for the Ga East Municipal Assembly, Janet Tulasi Mensah, who spoke on behalf of the Local Authority, thanked the Dome-Kwabenya legislator, for this huge initiative.



Equally, the Director of Logistics for the Ghana Fire Service, Samuel Brenya, expressed the Services appreciation to the MP and her team.



Finally, Hon Adwoa Safo used the occasion to thank the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) for providing land for both projects. She also appealed to her constituents and the Ghanaian people at large to continue to repose their confidence in the NPP and the Akufo-Addo government as well as in her good self, as the MP for the area, to continue the good works in delivering prosperity to the good people of Dome-Kwabenya and to the rest of the country.

Source: peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Former leader of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev denies any conflict with his successor in his first appearance since unrest in the Central Asian country sparked rumours of a power struggle. Much of the anger amid protests earlier this month that erupted into violence appeared directed at Nazarbayev, who had ruled Kazakhstan since 1989 before handing over power, but who was widely believed to remain in control behind the scenes.
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Travel company Airbnb is laying off 1,900 employees, roughly 25% of its workforce, the company announced to employees Tuesday.

According to a memo sent by CEO Brian Chesky, the booking company expects its 2020 revenue will be less than half of what it made in 2019; the company reportedly made almost $5 billion last year. As the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe, travel, both domestic and international, has all but ground to a halt  with no clear picture of when leisure and business trips will resume.
Minde Lux is figuring that if the August primary is carried out entirely by mail, shell need four envelopes for every voter.

One envelope to send out the application to request a ballot, one envelope to have the voter send back the request application, one envelope to mail the ballot to the voter and one envelope for the voter to mail back the ballot, she said. The postage on this will also be very expensive but we will get it done.

In the event that the polls are physically open, she is planning to hold a training session at the end of June for new poll workers. Some of the current pool of election workers are elderly or have underlying health problems that might make them more vulnerable to serious cases of COVID-19.

That includes bringing in younger workers. Lux noted that the minimum age for poll workers in Mt. Pleasant is 18 but 16 in the townships. While people younger than 20 have died from the disease, globally and in Michigan it is a very small number.

Meanwhile, Lux said that her office continues to operate as normal, even if it isnt business-as-usual.

County facilities  including the administration building were closed to the public because of COVID-19.

Luxs staff is working from home via email and faxes, with one person going to the office every day to check mail correspondence and phone messages, she said. Shes using the flower room at Charles R. Lux Family Funeral Home, secured and open 24 hours, as a dropoff point for critical documents, and has dropped off some records that might otherwise be held up by interruptions to postal service.

So far, theyve been able to keep up on their volume of work. That includes processing CPL licenses, election preparation, birth certificates, death certificates, business filings, jury notifications and marriage licenses.

Well, most marriage licenses.

Amish marriage licenses have proven a difficult task, she said. To file a marriage license, you need to either show your faces or a state identification with a photo. Because the Amish dont use photo IDs, they need an in-person meeting, which is difficult because of COVID-19 social distancing requirements.

READ MORE:
The Trump administration will use "every tool" it has to free two Americans jailed in Venezuela for what its president, Nicolas Maduro, is calling a failed coup attempt.

Mr Maduro says the two Americans are "mercenaries" who were detained with ID cards for a US security firm. Donald Trump told reporters as he left the White House for Arizona on Tuesday that the US government had nothing to do with the men being in Venezuela.

The State Department said on Tuesday that US officials were working to learn more about why the two Americans were there.

Venezuela's opposition leader, Juan Guaido, and the government in neighbouring Colombia both denied having anything to do with the situation.

The United States and other countries recognise Mr Guaido as the country's rightful leader.

Along with saying the US government would use everything in its possession to free the two men, the top American diplomat had another muscular message on Wednesday.

"If we had been involved," Mr Pompeo said of any mission in the troubled South American country, "it would have gone much differently."
FP Trending

Microsoft will introduce Windows 10X on single-screen devices such as laptops first. The OS maker is reprioritising Windows 10X for single-screen devices because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Customers are using Windows PCs to stay productive, connect and learn in this time. In fact, over 4 trillion minutes are being spent on Windows 10 a month, a 75 percent increase year on year, said Panos Panay, Chief Product Officer, Windows and Devices.

The company originally planned Windows 10X for dual-screen devices like the Surface Neo.

Windows 10X offers a more simplified, stripped-back and modern Windows interface. Microsoft has also been working to improve basics like multitasking, using the Start menu and quick access to settings.

With Windows 10X, we designed for flexibility, and that flexibility has enabled us to pivot our focus toward single-screen Windows 10X devices that leverage the power of the cloud to help our customers work, learn and play in new ways, said Panay.

Microsoft has not revealed when single-screen devices will support Windows 10X or when it will be introduced on dual screen devices.

Microsoft will also soon introduce the Windows 10 May 2020 Update. It will be free to every Windows 10 PC. This update will introduce a more streamlined way to pair Bluetooth devices in Windows, among other changes.

The company has also unveiled the Surface Pro X, Surface Pro 7, and Surface Laptop 3 in India. The Surface Pro X (8 GB RAM variant) costs Rs 98,999.

The Surface Pro 7 will be available in four variants  4 GB RAM + 128 GB, 8 GB RAM + 128 GB, 8 GB RAM + 256 GB and 16 GB RAM + 256 GB. They cost Rs 72,999, Rs Rs 88,999, Rs 1,16,999 and Rs 1,41,999 respectively.

The Surface Laptop 3 starts at Rs 98,999.
Over the last 14 years, Gagasi FM has constantly recruited, nurtured and groomed young talent. This year, the number one regional commercial station's new lineup continues to build on this legacy, which seeks to make the industry accessible to young talent.

Gagasi FM has, once again, identified two talented young people to take over the trainee slots. Harrison Mkhize and Luyanda Khambule have both joined Gagasi FM, as of 1 May 2020 and they are extremely excited to add their flavour into the thriving radio station.Harrison Mkhize is a 24-year-old, who describes himself as being a principle-centred and purpose-driven individual. He is a creative, a vocalist, an aspiring actor and radio presenter. He is also a masters student at the University of KwaZulu-Natal as well as an educator at Malvern Primary School. His radio career began at the Durban University of Technology on Radio DUT during 2015 and 2016. Mkhize has tried his hand in a few other aspects of the media industry includingand various other presenter searches. I have auditioned for television shows over the last six years and I am looking forward to being on-air again with Gagasi FM, said Mkhize. Mkhizes new show is on Saturdays and Sundays between 1am and 4am.Luyanda Khambule is a 29-year-old, who studied analytical chemistry at the Durban University of Technology. I fell in love with the radio while I was in primary school but I didn't quite have the confidence to pursue it. Campus radio was when I took a chance on myself. That was the best decision I have ever made and I haven't looked back since, said Khambule. Her radio career started at Kasie FM based in Johannesburg. Khambule is going to be hosting her show on Saturday between 4am and 7am and on Sundays between 4am and 6am. When asked about what listeners can expect, Khambule said: I'm bringing my love for good music and great conversation. I want to be relatable and talk about everyday issues in a light and fun manner. Allowing everyone to come as they are, to share views no matter how different. Listeners can look forward to the girl next door whos going to get their weekend started and leave them in a better mood.Catering to the upwardly mobile consumer indeed requires being on the pulse of what is current and relevant, this is why recruiting fresh talent is important. The station has been successful in identifying the combos that communicate and Harrison Mkhize and Luyanda Khambule are a demonstration of such.Stay tuned to Gagasi FM via the Gagasi FM App available on Google Play and iOS for download for a uniquely KZN experience.For further information, please contact:Senior Executive: Marketing, PR and Stakeholder ManagementTel: 031 584 5300Cell: 083 792 5737Email: az.oc.599isagag@sinakeluhk PR and Trade Marketing OfficerTel: 031 584 5300Cell: 081 411 0832Email: az.oc.599isagag@ikistn
MONTREAL, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - After having aired on PBS affiliates in the United States and Canada, the sixth season of the Free Markets Series is now available online for the entire internet community to enjoy. Six new 30-minute episodes can be found in the dedicated series web library, and on social media networks.

The Free Markets Series introduces viewers to the principles of the free market through interviews with some of the most dynamic and influential thinkers and activists in the United States and Canada. Season 6 features:

Calixto Chikiamco , President of the Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF), a public advocacy organization in Quezon City, Philippines whose mission is to advance the cause of economic and political liberty, good governance, secure and well-defined property rights, market-oriented reforms, and consumer protection;

, President of the Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF), a public advocacy organization in Quezon City, whose mission is to advance the cause of economic and political liberty, good governance, secure and well-defined property rights, market-oriented reforms, and consumer protection; John Tillman , CEO of the Illinois Policy Institute, an independent organization generating public policy solutions aimed at promoting personal freedom and prosperity in Illinois ;

, CEO of the Illinois Policy Institute, an independent organization generating public policy solutions aimed at promoting personal freedom and prosperity in ; Bill Wirtz , senior policy analyst for the Consumer Choice Center, a consumer advocacy group based in Brussels, Belgium that supports lifestyle freedom, innovation, privacy, science, and consumer choice;

, senior policy analyst for the Consumer Choice Center, a consumer advocacy group based in that supports lifestyle freedom, innovation, privacy, science, and consumer choice; Daniel Di Martino , Venezuelan freedom activist and economist, he is a Research Associate at the Institute for the Study of Free Enterprise at the University of Kentucky ;

, Venezuelan freedom activist and economist, he is a Research Associate at the Institute for the Study of Free Enterprise at the ; Peter St. Onge , Senior Fellow at the Montreal Economic Institute, he was assistant professor at Taiwan's Feng Chia University, has served as a fellow at the Mises Institute, and was general partner of a private equity fund in Washington, D.C. ; and

, Senior Fellow at the Montreal Economic Institute, he was assistant professor at Feng Chia University, has served as a fellow at the Mises Institute, and was general partner of a private equity fund in ; and Hon. Douglas Gingsburg, Senior Circuit Judge, was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in 1986; he served as Chief Judge from 2001 to 2008. He is a Professor of Law at the Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University , and visiting professor at the University College London, Faculty of Laws.

These unique interviews are conducted by none other than Bob Scully, host of The World Show, who was named the 2012 Person of the Year by American Public Television.

Some of the topics discussed in these fascinating interviews include the benefits of cryptocurrency, shifting power back to workers, defending the rule of law, pushing back against the nanny state, transforming agriculture and defending freedom.

The Free Markets Series is produced by The World Show in partnership with the Montreal Economic Institute. The World Show is a syndicated television program broadcast across North America, on 304 stations affiliated with American PBS. It is seen in 141 markets across 44 U.S. states, including in nine of the top ten Nielsen DMA markets.

"The Montreal Economic Institute and The World Show are proud to be able once again to offer television and internet viewers the opportunity to delve into some of the principles of the free market, and how they relate to the issues of the day, as expressed by these respected thinkers discussing their life's work," says Michel Kelly-Gagnon, President and CEO of the MEI.

Season 6 of the series is available on our website. The episodes can be viewed, commented on, and shared through social media networks.

This project was made possible in part through the support of a grant from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed by the interviewees in each of the episodes do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation.

* * *

The Montreal Economic Institute is an independent public policy think tank. Through its publications and media appearances, the MEI stimulates debate on public policies in Quebec and across Canada by proposing reforms based on market principles and entrepreneurship.

SOURCE Montreal Economic Institute

Related Links

http://www.iedm.org


Tamale, May 06  Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader in Parliament has called on President Nana Akufo-Addo to withdraw the Pre-Tertiary Education Bill from the legislature to allow for a more thorough and broader national consultation on it.

He said there were legitimate and major concerns raised by stakeholders concerning the bill hence the need to withdraw it from Parliament and subject it to consultations and discussions by educationists, chiefs, opinion leaders, amongst other interest groups to address the concerns.

Mr Iddrisu, who is also Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale South Constituency in the Northern Region, made the call in Tamale on Tuesday when he presented 1000 dual desks to five basic schools in the Tamale Metropolis to support quality basic education in the area for improved literacy and numeracy skills.

The desks, procured at the cost of GHc300,000.00, formed part of the MP's portion of the Social Investment Fund, and the beneficiary schools included Badariya E/A Primary at Nyohini, Nuriya Central Islamic Primary at Bulpela, Lahagu Islamic Primary, Dohini Islamic Primary and Tugu Yapala Islamic Primary.

Parliament is currently considering three Bills on Pre-Tertiary Education (2019).

Under section 32(3) of the Bill, the Head of the Local Government Service will be appointing heads and staff of the District Education Unit as well as be responsible for promotion, transfer, discipline and dismissal of staff of the District Education Unit.

Under section 32(4) of the Bill, inter-district transfer of a head teacher or staff of a basic school can only be undertaken by the Head of the Local Government Service whilst section 25(2) and 26(2) of the Bill stipulated that the President of the Republic shall be appointing Regional Directors and their Deputies and determining their terms and conditions of service.

Also, according to section 30(1c) of the Bill, the preparation, administration and control of budgetary allocations of the basic schools shall be determined by the District Assembly.

However, teacher unions in the country have kicked against some of the provisions of the Bill and have demanded further discussions on it.

Mr Iddrisu said I am not primarily against decentralisation or decentralised roles in basic education but there are legitimate and major concerns raised by the stakeholders adding Are our Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies ready to do the responsibilities and obligations we are creating for them?

Mr Iddrisu spoke about the Pre-Tertiary Bill saying one of the Bills sought to make secondary education a part of basic education, which was unconstitutional.

He reminded the President that he swore an oath and he swore to uphold the Constitution of Ghana. One of the Pre-Tertiary Education Bills seeks to make secondary education a part of basic education. That is unconstitutional because the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education is a constitutional provision and in that provision, it did not anticipate the addition of secondary education to basic education.

He emphasised that The President can go forward with his free secondary education but to make secondary education a necessary part of basic education is wrong in theory, practice and constitutionally.

He cited Articles 25 through to 38 of the Constitution saying The President is doing a constitutional wrong to say that secondary education should be part of basic education. He should also not forget that Ghana is part of the West African sub-region. Has he asked our neighbours whether they are doing same?

He said because there must be congruity, what the President is doing is incongruous with acceptable practice and norms in West Africa as far as basic education is concerned. Even by UNESCO definition, basic education is normally from Creche up to JHS.

Mr Tug-uu Ametus, Tamale Metropolitan Director of Education, who received the desks and handed them over to the headteachers of the beneficiary schools, said the education sector required the support of all lauding the MP's intervention.

Mr Ametus said there was inadequate furniture at the schools in the area commending the MP for the gesture, which would help to ameliorate the situation and ensure the enabling environment for quality teaching and learning at the schools.
(Newser)  The Trump administration is reportedly working on an international agreement that would lay out ground rules for moon bases and lunar mining. The Artemis Accords, named for NASA's new Artemis moon program, proposes having "safety zones" around a country's moon base. "The idea is if you are going to be coming near someone's operations ... then you need to reach out to them in advance," a source tells Reuters. The outlet notes a base can't be claimed as sovereign territory, as the 1967 Outer Space Treaty states celestial bodies are "not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means." But the goal here is coordination so as to prevent interference between rival operations, a source says. These bases will be hugely important when it comes to mined resources.

story continues below

While Trump has signed an executive order allowing the US to claim resources it mines in space, per Fox News, this agreement lays out international rules for doing so, according to sources. Rather than enter the lengthy United Nations treaty process, which would involve working with countries with no interest in space, the US is seeking an agreement with "like-minded nations," a senior administration official tells Reuters. Negotiations with Canada, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, and European countries are expected in the coming weeks. It looks like Russia is to be excluded after launching a missile system believed to be able to destroy satellites in low Earth orbit, reports Newsweek. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said Tuesday that participation hinged on adhering to "norms of behavior that we expect" in space. (Companies are already designing moon landers.)
Former USS Theodore Roosevelt Captain Brett Crozier has now left Guam after being stripped of command of the carrier for raising the alarm over coronavirus, and has been re-assigned to a new position in California, Navy officials have revealed.

Capt. Crozier was relieved of his duties on April 2 after a letter he wrote to superiors urging them to respond more quickly to a coronavirus outbreak on board the aircraft carrier leaked to the press at the end of March.

While questions still loom over whether he will be reinstated as Roosevelt's captain, Crozier has taken up a temporary staff job with Naval Air Forces in San Diego, spokesperson Cmdr. Ron Flanders confirmed Tuesday.

According to Flanders, Crozier will serve as special assistant to the Naval Air Forces Chief of Staff, Capt. Max McCoy.

Fired USS Theodore Roosevelt Captain Brett Crozier has now left Guam where he was recovering from the coronavirus and has been re-assigned to a new position in California, Navy officials have revealed

Capt. Crozier was relieved of his duties on April 2 after a letter he wrote to superiors urging them to respond more quickly to a coronavirus outbreak on board the aircraft carrier leaked to the press at the end of March

Crozier arrived in San Diego on Monday night having departed Guam where he had been quarantining alongside thousands of his former sailors after the COVID-19 outbreak on board the ship.

Despite several top Navy officers recommending late last month that Crozier should be reinstated as USS Roosevelts captain, last week Acting Navy Secretary James McPherson ordered a secondary and more detailed probe into the circumstances leading up to his firing, delaying any such decision.

Crozier will serve as special assistant to the Naval Air Forces Chief of Staff, Capt. Max McCoy (above)

Flanders declined to comment on whether this temporary duty reflects any decisions made regarding Croziers reinstatement, telling the Navy Times Thats above us.

Cozier is said to have watched on helplessly as COVID-19 ravaged through the narrow corridors of Naval aircraft carrier in late March, which was housing nearly 5,000 sailors in shared bunks off the coast of Guam.

Having been warned by doctors that more than 50 sailors aboard the vessel would die without drastic intervention, Crozier pleaded with his superiors to evacuate the boat but they eschewed his appeals, believing the measure to be too drastic.

After four consecutive days of rebuttals from his superiors, on March 30, Crozier took matters into his own hands and composed an unclassified email to 20 Navy personnel in the Pacific, disclosing the desperate situation on board and asking for their help.

Insisting in his message that 'Sailors don't need to die', friends of Crozier said the 30-year veteran would have known sending the email would likely end his career, but he persevered regardless.

Surely enough, Crozier was controversially sacked as the carrier's commander by then acting Navy secretary Thomas B. Modly after the email leaked.

Crozier was controversially fired by then acting Navy secretary Thomas B. Modly after the email leaked (pictured left with USS Theodore Roosevelt's current Capt. Carlos Sardiello)

On Tuesday, USS Roosevelt was seen conducting joint operations alongside USS Porter, USS Donald Cook and HMS Kent, in the Arctic Ocean

The Navy then initiated an investigation into the outbreak and Croziers letter following his dismissal. Top Navy leaders briefed Defense Secretary Mark Esper on the investigation on April 24, recommending Crozier be reinstated.

However, no such decision has been made after Esper requested more time to review the Navys written report.

In the weeks since, all 4,800 sailors on board the USS Roosevelt have been tested for the coronavirus. As of last Thursday, 1,102 of USS Roosevelt's sailors had tested positive for Covid-19, and three were were being treated at U.S. Naval Hospital Guam.

The Navy has since stopped providing the number of active cases. One sailor died from the virus on April 13.

Croziers replacement, Captain Carlos Sardiello, meanwhile, has been readying the ship to return to the sea.

USS Theodore Roosevelt is preparing to return to sea after a on-board coronavirus outbreak sickened nearly a quarter of its crew members, in what the ship's captain is calling an 'unprecedented mission'

As of last Thursday, 1,102 of USS Roosevelt's sailors had tested positive for Covid-19, and three were in the hospital, with one recorded death. The Navy has since stopped providing the number of active cases

Sardiello has said the road to recovery has been an unyielding challenge. Speaking from the ship late Monday night, the Captain had a simple message for his crew: 'We have an unprecedented mission that we have never faced before. We're gonna face it together'

More than 4,000 crew members went ashore last month to quarantine in hotels and converted gyms in Guam. While more than 2,000 are now back on board, at least 1,000 are still testing positive for the virus and remain on land.

The 700-or-so crew members who had remained on the ship throughout the ordeal, guarding and running the Roosevelt while maintaining its nuclear engine, have now moved ashore to the island for their quarantine.

Sardiello said Monday that the ship will not wait for all its sailors to leave quarantine before it returns to sea.

Weve taken 45 days from that business (of patrolling) and its a dangerous business, so we have a lot of training to complete, he told CBS.

On Tuesday, USS Roosevelt was seen conducting joint operations alongside USS Porter, USS Donald Cook and HMS Kent, in the Arctic Ocean.

Last week, Acting Navy Secretary James McPherson ordered a deeper review into Croziers firing and the coronavirus outbreak on board the ship, after the Navys initial investigation reportedly left him with unanswered questions.

The investigation is expected to be submitted to Adm. Mike Gilday, the chief of naval operations, by May 27 unless an extension is granted, Cmdr. Nate Christensen, a spokesman for Gilday told Stars and Stripes.
K raftwerk co-founder Florian Schneider has died at the age of 73.

His fellow band member Ralf Huetter confirmed that Schneider "has passed away from a short cancer disease just a few days after his 73rd birthday."

In his statement, Huetter hailed his bandmate as "his friend and companion over many decades."

Schneider and Huetter founded Kraftwerk in Dusseldorf in 1970 and the band, known for tracks like Autobahn and The Model, was instrumental in the 'krautrock' movement.

Schneider, second left, and his bandmates / Getty Images

The group, which used electronic instruments and synthesisers including custom-made devices, has been credited with pioneering electronic music.

Kraftwerk's influence, however, extended across musical genres, with artists like David Bowie, who named a track on his iconic album Heroes after Schneider, Daft Punk, New Order, Depeche Mode and Coldplay - who sampled the group's song Computer Love on their track Talk - all inspired by the German musicians.

Schneider played instruments including the vocoder, synthesiser, saxophone and flute as well as providing vocals for the band.

He eventually left Kraftwerk in 2008, having released 10 studio albums with the band.

Kraftwerk received a lifetime achievement award at the Grammys in 2014 and the group had recently announced a US tour to mark their 50th anniversary, which was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Famous fans shared tributes to Schneider on social media, with Spandau Ballet's Gary Kemp hailing him as "such an important influence upon so much of the music we know, from Bowie, to electronica, much of the 80s and beyond into modern techno and rap."

He added: "Florian Schneider was forging a new Metropolis of music for us all to live in. RIP."

Midge Ure praised him as "way ahead of his time" while film director Edgar Wright wrote: "To say he was massively influential and changed the very sound of music is somehow still an understatement."
Amid reports about companies being reportedly interested in moving their manufacturing bases out of China, industry leaders on Tuesday asked the Karnataka government to identify a target list of 100 firms to reach out to for attracting them to the state.

Given the interest shown by some companies in moving their manufacturing bases out of China, the industry leaders recommended that the state government identify a target list of 100 firms to reach out to for attracting to the State, and work out a strategy to bring them to Karnataka, a release by the state industries department said.

The industry leaders assured cooperation from the private sector in reaching out to and facilitating interactions with CEOs of these companies, it said.

With an objective of attracting industrial investments in Karnataka, given the changes in global economy due to Covid-19 pandemic, a high-level meeting with leading industry leaders of the state was held under the Chairmanship of Minister of Large and Medium Scale Industries, Jagadish Shettar.

Nandan Nilekani, Non-Executive Chairman, Infosys, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairperson of Biocon, and Kris Gopalakrishnan, co-Founder and former CEO of Infosys participated in the video conference.

During the meeting, Shettar recounted the steps taken by the government for reopening the industries at short notice post Covid-induced lockdown and spelt out the intent of further improving the investment climate to attract industries to Karnataka, the release said.

It said the industry leaders appreciated the governments initiatives in controlling the spread of the pandemic in the state and recommended that it showcase its efficient handling of the situation to attract investors to Karnataka.

To boost the industry sentiment in the state, industry leaders suggested improving the Single Window Clearance System for approvals, easing land acquisition regulations and leveraging the knowledge base of Bengaluru to promote technology-based manufacturing.

Shettar informed the industry leaders that government was in the process of notifying a new Industrial policy for the state and also that a special relief package for MSMEs is under discussion.
Doha-based airline tells staff grim aviation outlook forced its move, hoping to rehire employees as soon as possible.

Long-haul carrier Qatar Airways has said it will lay off staff as widespread travel bans caused by the coronavirus pandemic have largely grounded the global aviation industry.

The Doha-based carrier offered no specific figures, but an emailed memo from its CEO that was leaked online on Wednesday said the number of employees laid off would be substantial and include members of its cabin crew.

The global outlook for our industry looks grim and many airlines are closing or significantly reducing operations, Akbar Al Baker wrote in the memo, dated Sunday.





Now, we have to face a new reality, where many borders are closed, rendering many of our destinations closed and aircraft grounded as a result, with no foreseeable outlook for immediate, positive change.

He said the airline hoped to rehire staff quickly once global aviation emerges from the pandemic.

Qatar Airways confirmed the layoffs on Wednesday in a press release.

The unparalleled impact on our industry has caused significant challenges for all airlines and we must act decisively to protect the future of our business, its statement said.

Affected employees would be paid their contractual dues as well as any owed overtime, Al Bakers memo said, and those who are not able to immediately return to their home countries would be provided with housing and a living allowance until such a return was possible.

The airline said last month some staff would have their wages halved for at least three months, with the balance to be paid back at a later date.

Airlines hit hard

Qatar Airways Group, which counts the airline among its assets, had 46,684 employees at the end of its last reported financial year in March 2019.

The carrier, which began flying in 1994, has a fleet of more than 200 aircraft flying out of Dohas recently built Hamad International Airport.

It competes with Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways and Dubai-based Emirates, two other state-owned airlines now facing the dire economic situation brought on by coronavirus lockdowns.





Since the pandemic began, Qatar Airways, like other Gulf airlines, has flown repatriation flights and stepped up its cargo operations.

But the public health crisis has chewed away the aviation industry to the point that Emirates President Tim Clark warned in a recent conference call that 85 percent of all airlines will be insolvent within two or three months without government assistance.

Qatar Airways already faced challenges before the pandemic. In 2017, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt, closed their borders and airspace to Qatar over a political dispute that continues, affecting the airlines ability to reach vital markets and fly over those nations.
MADISON  The state Supreme Courts conservative justices, during arguments Tuesday that were at times testy and complicated by video technology, expressed deep skepticism about the authority of a cabinet secretary to extend Gov. Tony Evers safer at home strategy for controlling the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

The 90-minute arguments, heard remotely by video conference, came after Evers and leaders from both parties in the Legislature met for the first time to discuss a bipartisan response to the pandemic, which through Tuesday afternoon had killed 353 Wisconsin residents and sickened 8,566.

Chief Justice Patience Roggensack thanked participants and noted theres an awful lot of emotion tied to the case because we are in the middle of a pandemic that all sides agree on. She gave no indication when the court would rule but said it was meeting in closed session Tuesday afternoon.

At one point, justices shouted over one another about who had the floor to ask the next question, and liberal Justice Rebecca Dallet complained that conservative Justice Daniel Kelly was not giving state Assistant Attorney General Colin Roth the chance to answer questions.

I would ask that he be able to answer the question because Justice Kelly keeps cutting him off, Dallet said before Roggensack restored order.

GOP legislators filed the lawsuit on April 21, seeking to suspend an extension until May 26 of Evers order, issued days earlier. Among other actions, the original order, issued March 24, closed businesses designated as nonessential to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Opponents of the measure say it has wrecked the states economy. Unemployment claims have soared as many businesses, those open and closed, have laid off or furloughed workers. But proponents of the order counter that Wisconsins coronavirus infection rate would be much higher if nothing had been done.

Roth, arguing for Evers side, was interrupted almost immediately by Justice Rebecca Bradley as he began his remarks.

My question for you is, where in the constitution did the people of Wisconsin confer authority on a single, unelected cabinet secretary to compel almost 6 million people to stay at home and close their businesses and face imprisonment if they dont comply, with no input from the Legislature, without the consent of the people? Bradley asked.

Definition of tyranny

Isnt it the very definition of tyranny for one person to order people to be imprisoned for going to work, among other ordinarily lawful activities?

Roth responded that the state constitution allows the Legislature to enact statutes to protect the public health, and that is exactly what the legislature has done. State law created by the Legislature, he said, gives the state Department of Health Services the authority to do whatever is necessary to combat a novel, deadly, communicable disease like the one were facing today.

Bradley is also part of the courts conservative 5-2 majority, which agreed Friday to hear the case directly, rather than require the Legislature to proceed through the lower courts. Dallet dissented in that ruling.

Bradley, along with Kelly, who was defeated in last months election, continued to hammer at Roth about the authority for creating the order, where the limits of authority exist for the DHS and its secretary-designee, Andrea Palm, and how the agency derives the power to punish those who violate the order. Roth appeared flustered at moments but said the power is in statutes created by the Legislature, which the Legislature could amend if it felt the need to do so.

If you look at the statute, its in there, Roth told Bradley.

The court will decide two issues: Whether Palm violated state law governing the issuance of emergency rules by ordering the extension of safer at home and whether the order exceeded the authority DHS has under state law by closing nonessential businesses, ordering state residents to stay at home and forbidding nonessential travel.

Six-day extension

The Legislature is asking the court to suspend enforcement of the order past its original April 24 expiration, but suggesting that the court stay the enforcement of the suspension for six days to allow DHS enough time to create a new emergency rule with the participation of the Legislature.

But justices wondered why the court should suspend its ruling instead of simply invalidating the order, if it is an improperly created rule.

Ryan Walsh, arguing for the Legislature, said the thought behind the six-day wait was to give DHS an opportunity to create a rule following the procedure the Legislature believes would be proper, but said DHS has squandered the time it has had to begin the process.

Unfortunately, DHS has done nothing, he said. It hasnt issued a scope statement, despite our asking them to do so.

The court, in its order Friday, declined to take up a third issue sought by the Legislature: Whether DHS acted arbitrarily and capriciously in issuing the April 16 extension. The Legislature had asserted that DHS was arbitrary and capricious in its freewheeling categorization of businesses as either essential or nonessential.

The court allowed arguments only by Roth and Walsh. A number of other groups filed friend-of-the-court briefs favoring or opposing a ruling stopping enforcement of safer at home. The Legislatures position is supported by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the Wisconsin Dairy Alliance, hunting and fishing groups, and the Wisconsin Tavern League, among others.

Opposing the Legislatures request are the Wisconsin Association of Local Health Departments and Boards; the Wisconsin Public Health Association; the Wisconsin Nurses Association; a coalition of state community, advocacy, labor and membership organizations; Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice; and several other groups.

New lawsuit

On Monday, a new lawsuit was filed with the state Supreme Court by Waukesha County resident Jere Fabick, GOP contributor and board member of the conservative Heartland Institute, and Larry Chapman, a resident of Walworth County and member of Pewaukees Lakewood Baptist Church. The lawsuit seeks to block items in the order pertaining to constitutional rights to freedom of speech and religious activities.

On Tuesday, the court gave Palm and others until May 8 to respond to the petition and gave Fabick and Chapman until May 11 to reply.
The sound of prayer crackling through small computer speakers broke through the silence in the empty hall of Sweden's largest Shia mosque as Akil Zahiri sat alone coordinating an online video call with the congregation in memory of a well-liked member who died recently of COVID-19.

Across Scandinavia and Finland, there is growing evidence and concern that under-privileged immigrant communities are hit worse by the illness than the general population.

"Many of our members have contracted the coronavirus," laments Zahiri, "but you do the best you can."

Zahiri helps administer the mosque on the outskirts of Stockholm that recently canceled all physical events planned for Ramadan and has urged its congregation to stay home for Iftar, the daily breaking of the fast after sunset, and avoid sharing food and snacks with friends.

Sweden has taken a relatively soft approach to fighting the coronavirus that has attracted international fascination. Large gatherings have been banned but restaurants and schools for younger children have remained open. The government has urged physical distancing, trusting the population to do their part. And Swedes, who have high trust in their government, have largely complied.

But trusting people to regulate themselves has left some to pay a heavy price, particularly in migrant communities where some don't speak Swedish fluently and where people are more likely to live in crowded multi-generation households and have jobs that do not permit remote work.

Voices emerged early in the outbreak that anecdotal evidence suggested some groups, in particular immigrants from Somalia or Iraq, were affected by COVID-19 more than others.

Later, nationwide data published in the middle of April by Sweden's Public Health Agency showed, for example, that Somali Swedes made up almost 5 percent of all COVID-19 cases, yet represent less than 1 percent of the population.

In Finland, Helsinki warned of a similar over-representation among Somali-speakers living in the capital - some 200 cases, or about 14%, of total confirmed infections in Helsinki at that time, while in Norway, immigrants make up nearly 15% of the general population, they represent about 25% of COVID19 confirmed case.

Sweden has taken a relatively low-key approach to fighting the virus that relies mainly on voluntary physical distancing by the population. There are concerns the message has not reached everyone in migrant neighbourhoods.

All three countries recognize early failings in community outreach in minority languages and have sought to remedy this.

In the town of Jarfalla outside Stockholm, the municipality has tasked high school students with handing out leaflets in Somali, Persian, French, and other languages, urging people to wash their hands and stay home if unwell.

"It's important that everyone living here who has a different mother-tongue gets the right information," said Warda Abdallah, a 17-year-old Somali-Swede during a stop in a residential neighborhood that the municipality says faces social segregation.

"We have worked harder on communicating with these groups," said Anders Wallensten, Sweden's Deputy Epidemiologist "to make sure they have the knowledge to protect themselves and avoid the spreading disease to others."

But local teacher and community activist Rashid Musa says Sweden's problems run deeper.

"I wish it were that easy, that you needed to just translate a few papers," he said. "We need to look at the more fundamental issue, which is class, which is racism, which is social status, which is income."

"The rich have the opportunity to put themselves into quarantine, they can go to their summer houses," said Musa, pointing to the contrast of over-crowded housing, including multi-generational households in poorer neighbourhoods.

Furthermore, a key government recommendation in Sweden is for individuals to work from home if possible but that is harder in marginalized areas where many work in the service sector.

Evidence of this disparity can be found in anonymous mobile phone data collected by phone operator Telia, which has been providing the Swedish Health Authority with information about population mobility.

By comparing the number of people in an area early in the morning with the number of people from the same area who traveled to another area for at least one hour during the day, Telia estimates how many go to work and how many stay home.

Data shows a 12 percentage point difference between one of Stockholm's most affluent suburbs, Danderyd, and Botkryka, one of capital's suburbs with the highest percentage of first and second-generation immigrants.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

Trend:

Azerbaijans Azerpambiq ASK LLC cotton company has continued its activities during the coronavirus-related quarantine introduced in the country, Trend reports referring to the company.

Work on sowing cotton seeds in compliance with agricultural rules is successfully underway. This year it is planned to saw cotton on an area of 29,000 hectares in 15 districts of the country, the company said. So far, the areas of 23,000 hectares have been sown. On 8,500 hectares, cotton has already ripened. Sowing of the seeds that began on April 10 is expected to be completed by approximately May 10.

The forecasted yield for this year grew to 30 centners per hectare from 28 centners per hectare in 2019.

During the sowing season this year Azerpambiq ASK applied several new methods, including the seeding method in double rows, which allows farmers to sow more seeds, thus ensuring high yield, the company noted. To increase the yield, the timely use of fertilizers is of utmost importance. To this end, nitrogen and urea fertilizers are introduced into the soil in the required volume.

The company was established in 2018. Its engaged in the production, supply, processing and sale of cotton products (unseeded raw cotton, technical cotton seed, cotton oil, auxiliary products, squeezed cotton, etc.).
The levy of additional tax on liquor by several state governments, in some cases as high as 75 per cent, will be counterproductive in the long-run as it will hit sales and reduce total collections, industry bodies said.

According to the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) and All India Brewers' Association (AIBA), presently liquor distribution is around 25 per cent only as most shops, bars and restaurants are closed.

States like Andhra Pradesh, Delhi and West Bengal have imposed 75 per cent, 70 per cent and 40 per cent additional levy on liquor, respectively. Window sales resumed from Monday after a gap of almost 40 days during the ongoing coronavirus lockdown.

Several other states such as Karnataka and Haryana have also imposed additional taxes, although these range between 10 per cent and 20 per cent.

"The tax collection would have some positive impact initially but may not be sufficient to overcome what has been lost. But if there is any significant increase in taxes as some states such as AP and Delhi have done, that would have an impact on the sales (in the long run).

"If the sales come down, then the total collection of revenue would come down, as less bottles would be sold," CIABC Director General Vinod Giri told PTI.

He said a tax increase in the range of 10 per cent can help in increasing total collection. But if the tax hike goes beyond that, "then sales would start coming down and impact the total collection", Giri asserted.

The industry has said the additional high levy would not help the state governments recoup their lost revenue of the past 40 days and in fact impact the overall sales and tax collection in the long run.

AIBA said this additional levy is not going to help state governments maximise revenue as very few shops are open. In Delhi, only around 50 shops out of 800 are open, it claimed.

"There would be no additional tax collection overall as sales volume is just 30 per cent," AIBA Director General Shobhan Roy said.

At the moment, it is important to start and stabilise the business, he said.

"Presently width and depth of distribution is around 25 per cent. The bars and restaurants are all closed. Therefore, to get revenue states are trying to maximise earnings on lower volumes. As time passes and normalcy sets in, I am sure levies will be rationalised," he added.

Commenting on overcrowding at liquor shops, he said that "it's only three days and naturally after 40 days there is crowding. Moreover, lesser number of outlets opened."



Roy also said the state governments should allow home delivery of liquor through e-commerce platforms.

The Chhattisgarh government has already moved ahead on this and some other states like Punjab and West Bengal have passed orders in this regard.

Giri said the liquor industry has already lost more than five weeks this quarter, which would have an impact on its financial performance.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
T esco has been slammed after putting clothing on a half price sale in stores despite lockdown rules banning non-essential shopping.

The supermarket has rolled out adverts for the 50 per cent slash on F&F clothing, footwear, nightwear and lingerie from Wednesday until May 19.

But furious customers have branded the retailer irresponsible and reckless, claiming the promotion could prompt people to flock to stores for non-vital items.

James Donavan, who said his mother is putting herself at risk working at Tesco during the pandemic, asked the stores official account on Twitter: Is now the time to be driving footfall?

Tesco has come under fire for slashing clothing prices during the pandemic / PA

Another raged: Aren't we in the middle of a global pandemic? On lockdown? And told by our government only to go out for essential shopping? How reckless can a company be?

One shopper added: "Is this true? If so how irresponsible, encouraging people to go out during lockdown, and you dont sell online.

The Governments lockdown rules only allow outings for shopping, medical or job essentials or exercise once a day, and says trips should be as infrequent as possible.

Tesco responded on Twitter, saying: There will be two metre stickers on the floor and ample signage to remind customers of the social distancing measures and stores will limit the number of customers accessing the F&F department, should it be necessary.

A spokesperson added: Regardless of any sale in store we will still be adhering to Government guidelines which are in place in stores at the moment.

It comes after pictures of long queues outside some of the 155 reopened B&Q stores prompted anger at the lack of social distancing, with some branding it "absolute carnage".

The UK became the worst-hit nation in Europe on Tuesday as the death toll passed 32,000.
France and Tunisia push for UN ceasefire resolution Draft blocked in Security Council due to US-China stall

(ANSAmed) - NEW YORK, MAY 6 - France and Tunisia asked the UN Security Council to adopt the resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the world's main conflicts to face the coronavirus pandemic, after weeks of negotiations that have paralysed the UN body.



The stall is due to a standoff between the US and China on the inclusion of a reference to the World Health Organization (WHO), a UN agency, in the French-Tunisian document.



According to sources at the UN, China strongly supports WHO and insists that its role should be included in any resolution, while the US continues to call for a reference to "transparency" on Covid-19 and no mention of the UN agency.



The 15 members of the UN Security Council met privately on Tuesday, and UN Ambassador to France Nicolas de Riviere said there had been a "good discussion".



"France and Tunisia are working hard, and things are moving forward," he said.



"The Security Council needs to act now," he said.



The latest version of the draft calls on all warring parties to "immediately commit to a humanitarian pause that lasts at least 30 consecutive days" in order to provide aid.(ANSAmed).




A first responder wears a full covering during the CCP virus outbreak as he prepares to assist a patient in Washington, on April 8, 2020. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

Bipartisan Senators Introduce Legislation to Enhance Benefits for First Responders

A bipartisan group of senators has created legislation to ensure families of front-line officers lost to COVID-19 can quickly get survivor benefits.

The Safeguarding Americas First Responders Act (SAFR) was introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), which clarifies the requirements for receiving survivor benefits under the Public Safety Officers Benefits Program (PSOB).

Our first responders are on the frontlines of this pandemic, putting their own lives at risk every day to protect others. Many of them have made the ultimate sacrifice as a result of this crisis  and so have their families, Sen. Cruz said. This bipartisan legislation allows affected families to get the benefits they deserve as we work to ultimately defeat this deadly virus.

To date, there are incomplete statistics about the number of first responders who have died from the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Only partial records exist on police officer and EMS personnel deaths, based on published local news reports.

Their loss is not only emotionally devastating, but it also means lost wages in an economically challenging time. The government already provides payments to families of officers or first responders who die from a work-related event, but this bipartisan bill recognizes the unique challenges posed by this pandemic and better ensures that public safety officers families can quickly access the financial help theyve been promised, Grassley said.

One of the reasons the senators drafted the new legislation is because PSOB requires evidence linking deaths caused by an infectious disease to work-related activity. But this pandemic is different because determining where and when someone contracts COVID-19 presents a unique challenge.

While the PSOB Program does cover line of duty deaths and disabilities due to infectious diseases, we feel strongly that COVID-19 is unique and presents its own challenges in proving line of duty exposure. While with most other infectious diseases, it is easy to pinpoint the source and details surrounding the exposure, but this situation is more difficult with the new coronavirus and its asymptomatic spread, William J. Johnson, executive director of the National Association of Police Organizations told The Epoch Times in a statement.

There must be no question that our country will support their families when the unthinkable happens. Our bipartisan legislation will make certain that the families of these heroes get the benefits they are rightfully owed. Sen. Booker said.

SAFR aims to make it easier for families to get benefits by making a temporary presumption that COVID-19 infections were contracted while on duty if diagnosed within 45 days of an officers last shift.

Our officers have found themselves in an extraordinary and dangerous situation over which they have very little control. For these reasons our association, the National Association of Police Organizations, supports this important legislation, said Johnson.

Besides the National Association of Police Officers, this legislation is supported by the Fraternal Order of Police, Federal Law Enforcement Officer Association, the International Association of Fire Fighters, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the Sergeants Benevolent Association of New York, and the National Association of School Resource Officers.

Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), and Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) co-sponsored this legislation.
Two aircraft from the national carrier Egypt Air were dispatched Tuesday to Kuwait to fly out Egyptian citizens stranded in the Gulf country, which is facing an increase in the number of covid-19 infections, Egyptian Streets reports.

An unidentified number of Egyptians have found themselves blocked in the oil-rich Gulf country after authorities in March suspended all in-coming and outgoing commercial flights in a move to curb the spread of the disease.

Last Sunday, the stranded Egyptians, sheltered in centers outside capital Kuwait City, staged a protest movement demanding the intervention of the Egyptian embassy to take them out of the country. Kuwait security forces used tear gas to quell the protest.

The Kuwaiti government rebuffed the riots that were not caused by mistreatment inside the centers nor a shortage in supplies, said government spokesman Tareq Al-Mezrem.

Expatriates staged riots to press their demands for their countrys authorities to be repatriated, Al-Mezrem said.

The Egyptian Embassy in Kuwait utterly rejected as deplorable the protests, underlining that such behaviors are totally unacceptable.

Expats, making around 3.2 million of Kuwaits nearly 5 million population, have become increasingly subject to xenophobia. Several leading figures asked authorities to flash out expats amid the covid-19 pandemic.

Over 6,280 people have been infected in Kuwait while at least 42 of them have died.
The compounding effects of coronavirus and oil industry disruptions pose unique and significant challenges, particularly on the African continent where the economies of producing countries are largely dependent on oil revenues.

Oneyka Ojogbo

Contracts

Both parties capacity to fulfil capex commitments in joint venture or production sharing contracts;

Crude prices and global demand for crude which will affect future receivables;

Ability to obtain other financing post-Covid-19;

Political and economic stability in host country;

Any changes in law that affect the stability of the current contract;

Any changes in law that affect the stability of the current contract; Local content obligations; and

The opportunity cost of the deal.

Tax implications and reliefs

Force majeure provisions

Employment and employee safety

The budgets of countries like Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and Angola have been made mostly impractical and with annual budgetary goals now unachievable due to these unprecedented events. Nigeria, the continents most populous country and its largest oil producer, is expected to cut its 2020 national budget by $4.9bn. That budget was prepared based on the estimation of crude prices at $57/barrel. With the Brent price at slightly over $20 today, the country is most probably headed towards a recession, absent quick and miraculous interventions like the discovery of a Covid-19 vaccine.As more countries remain locked down and businesses remain shut because of the pandemic, the demand for oil will remain low, leaving prices equally low. The continuing disruption in the industry distribution chain and the businesses of international oil and gas companies which the African oil market relies heavily on has caused a direct and immediate impact on the local market. Oil and gas producers and service companies from Port Harcourt, Luanda to Juba and emerging producers like Senegal and Mozambique are now faced with a myriad of financial and legal issues. Oil projects have either been suspended, like in the case of BP which issued a force majeure notice to delay taking delivery of the LNG facility for the African Tortue Ahmeyim project in Senegal; or simply terminated like the Tullow Deepwater drillship contract in Ghana.It is now critical for companies operating in the African oil and gas sector to assess the impact of the pandemic and industry disruptions on their local operations and contractual obligations. With no end in sight, companies need to consider and take all necessary actions to mitigate all associated risks.I have identified below some crucial issues relating to contracts and local operations.The pandemic and oil price crash likely to cause some countries and businesses to suffer great financial challenges, there may be a need for oil producing governments to reconsider their position under oil contracts. International oil companies (IOCs) and foreign service companies may also be unable to meet their capital spending commitments. Potential production cuts and reduced demand could affect their ability to meet up with repayment obligations under financing instruments. Consequently, it is possible that parties will seek to terminate or renegotiate existing contracts. Companies should consider their position and begin to prepare for this possibility.Key considerations when renegotiating the contracts during this period:Another set of contracts that may be affected are those with Independent contractors and service providers. With the mandatory shutdown of business across sectors, subcontractors may be unable to deliver on their contracts commitments and obligations. It is important to review all contracts and confirm the conditions of these contractors. This will prepare the company to implement necessary measures to cushion any defaults until such a time that specific contractual remedies can be sought.Despite the negative impact of the pandemic and falling crude prices on company operations and finances, companies in the sector still have huge tax obligations to the government which must be fulfilled. Some countries are currently offering tax reliefs and fiscal packages to companies to mitigate any adverse economic impacts.It is important that companies determine their eligibility for these reliefs. For example, the government of Equatorial Guinea has granted some tax reliefs which include a reduction in the minimum income tax from 3% to 1.5%. However, this relief does not currently apply to companies in the oil and gas sector. Other governments have provided some extension for tax payments. It is likely that governments may offer specific reliefs and tax exemptions to oil and gas companies going forward if the industry woes continue.An issue may arise where a party is unable to fulfil its contractual obligations. In such an instance, the company may find some reprieve in the force majeure provision. Force majeure relieves a party from liability for non-performance under a contract and it generally refers to the occurrence of an event which is outside the control of the party affected by such event and which prevents that party from performing its obligations under the contract. It is usually provided in and interpreted according to the agreement. Force majeure will never be implied into an agreement. So, the definition of force majeure, the events that constitute the force majeure, the effects of the force majeure on the contract (including suspension of any obligations or eventual right to terminate) and the procedure to report a force majeure event to the other party are very important to consider when trying to determine whether a party may be able to take advantage of this provision and to what extent it can be used.With the impact of the pandemic on operations, it comes as no surprise that several companies in the industry have already declared force majeure. Tower Resources declared force majeure on its Thali offshore Cameroon license for instance, and BP sent a notice of force majeure to Golar LNG seeking to delay the receipt of the Gimi FLNG facility. Shell which was lauded for ground-breaking success at Forcados, Nigeria, had also declared force majeure after the closure of its pipelines. However, the force majeure has since been lifted and the Forcados Oil Pipeline system, the second largest in the Niger Delta, has been reopened. Should the current situation persist, it is likely that more companies will look to suspend their obligations using force majeure clauses.Oil and gas companies must review their contracts, including PSCs and services contracts, to determine whether they can suspend their obligations under the force majeure clause and which obligations can be suspended during the pendency of the force majeure event. It is important to note that while some force majeure clauses permit the suspension of all obligations, others only cover the suspension of non-monetary obligations.At this crucial period, companies may face challenges with maintaining their staff on ground and ensuring that adequate levels of health and safety measures are always provided. Companies must consider the current employment regulations and measures applicable in their countries of operation and ensure strict compliance. It may be illegal to terminate employment contracts at this point as is the case in Senegal. The company could consider the option of furlough but in countries such as Gabon, the approval of the work inspection will be required for this.It becomes prudent to discuss with labour experts in the country and closely monitor the proclamations of the authorities for any changes in laws or regulations affecting labour.In countries where there is no lockdown and businesses are still in operation, the company must ensure that adequate Covid-19 policies and health measures are put in place to protect the employees. The protection of workers in the workplace during this period cannot be overemphasized. Some countries have swiftly adopted health and safety laws/regulations to deal with the spread of the pandemic. These laws may be applicable in workplaces. The company needs to consider these provisions and effectively implement them. Countries such as Equatorial Guinea have issued specific Covid-19 work policies to ensure the safety of workers. Companies are therefore advised to adopt protocols that, at the minimum, comply with the government prescribed policy.The world will continue to deal with the adverse economic impact of this pandemic and the declining crude price for years to come. Certainly, many aspects of our lives and how we do business will never remain the same. Africa will be heavily impacted by this incident and will require radical government responses to push through. African oil and gas players ought to carefully assess the situation and take the necessary steps to alleviate the short- and long-term effects on their operations.
M any of us have tried our hand at baking these past few weeks, creating more homemade sourdough loaves and banana bread than you can shake a stick at.

But, with the 75th anniversary of VE Day approaching, now could also be the ideal time to perfect some of those classic British party food recipes - because who doesn't love a flaky sausage roll and a boozy trifle?

Luckily for you, we've put together some fun food ideas to help you mark the occasion.

The perfect sausage roll

Shutterstock

The key to a good sausage roll is the flaky, buttery pastry. If you don't nail that, then you may as well not put them out at all.

Yes, you could cheat and get pre-rolled pastry from the supermarket, but if you want to add that homemade touch, you can follow this easy puff pastry recipe.

Ingredients:

550g of flour

a touch of salt

200ml of cold water

550g of unsalted butter

1 pack of sausages or sausage meat

French mustard

1 egg

Method:

Start by adding the flour, salt and water to a bowl and mixing gently. When it combines, empty the mixture onto a work surface lightly dusted with flour, then kneed it, before leaving it to rest in the fridge for an hour or so.

Then take your pastry and roll it out onto a floured surface, before cutting up the butter into thin slices and placing across two thirds of the dough.

Fold the third that doesn't have any butter on over the top, then roll out. You'll need to then fold the bottom and top thirds in and flatten with a rolling pin. This creates the layers needed for a successful puff pastry.

You'll need to repeat this process about three times in total, before cutting the pastry into even rectangles, around 24cm long and 10cm wide.

Supermarkets sell sausage meat, but if you can't find any, simply buy a pack of sausages and pierce the skin open with a knife. You can then mix in herbs, should you wish.

Place a thin amount of meat onto the pastry and use some egg wash to help you close the seam. If you want some extra flavour, we recommend putting a little bit of French mustard along the top of the meat before closing the parcel.

To finish, use a knife to create slits along the top of the pastry, before glazing them with egg wash and placing them in the oven for 20 minutes at around 200C.

Victory in Europe: VE Day - In pictures 1 /66 Victory in Europe: VE Day - In pictures VE Day, 1945 Crowds celebrate in Trafalgar Square Getty Images VE Day, 1945 Joyce Digney (nee Brookes) and Cynthia Covello (nee Lowe) who were famously photographed celebrating VE Day with two sailors in a fountains at Trafalgar Square, PA Evening Standard VE Day front page Evening Standard VE Day, 1945 Winston Churchill joins the Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace Rex Features VE Day, 1945 An RAF officer, two members of the Women's Royal Airforce and a civilian celebrate the news of victory in London's Whitehall Getty Images VE Day, 1945 Members of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) driving through Trafalgar Square in a service vehicle during the VE Day celebrations Getty Images VE Day, 1945 Canadian troops entertain the crowds in Leicester Square Getty Images VE Day, 1945 A victory street party near Clapham Common Getty Images VE Day, 1945 Children sit down to a victory party at a V-shaped table in Brockely Getty Images VE Day, 1945 An American soldier in London reads the news of the German surrender at the end of World War II Getty Images VE Day, 1945 A van load of beer passes through Piccadilly Circus on VE Day Getty Images VE Day, 1945 Crowds swarm in Trafalgar Square to rejoice Rex Features A group of London girls wave flags in front of the statue of Queen Victoria outside Buckingham Palace on VE Day Getty Images VE Day, 1945 British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965) giving the 'V for Victory' salute as his car passes through crowds during a VE Day parade in London Getty Images VE Day, 1945 VE (Victory in Europe) Day celebrations in the East End of London PA VE Day, 1945 Men fixing the loudspeakers in Trafalgar Square before the King's VE Day speech Getty Images VE Day, 1945 Crowds gather outside Buckingham Palace on VE Day Getty Images VE Day, 1945 Passing the crowds outside Buckingham Palace on VE Day. A father takes his child on a tour of London's West End in unorthodox style Getty Images VE Day, 1945 Mrs Pat Burgess of Palmer's Green, north London is thrilled to get the news that her husband will soon be home for good from Germany Getty Images VE Day, 1945 Jubilant crowds at Piccadilly Circus celebrating victory in Europe Getty Images VE Day, 1945 A group of ATS and American soldiers celebrate VE Day in Trafalgar Square Getty Images VE Day, 1945 VE Day revellers hitching a ride on a lorry in London Getty Images VE Day, 1945 Three girls join in the VE Day celebrations at Downing Street, London Getty Images VE Day, 1945 Winston Churchill leaves 10 Downing Street by the back entrance to avoid the large crowds awaiting his appearance Getty Images VE Day, 1945 Huge crowds gather at Trafalgar Square celebrate VE (Victory in Europe) Day in London, marking the end of the Second World War in Europe PA VE Day, 1945 VE Day revellers blowing party trumpets in Piccadilly Getty Images VE Day, 1945 Crowds bring traffic to a standstill in Piccadilly Circus Associated Newspapers VE Day, 1945 Crowds in Piccadilly Circus climb lampposts and Eros Getty Images VE Day, 1945 Huge crowds at Trafalgar Square PA VE Day, 1945 Sir Winston Churchill leaves the Houses of Parliament in London on victory day celebrations marking the end of the Second World War in Europe PA VE Day, 1945 Crowds cheering Churchill as he appeared on the balcony of the Ministry of Health in Whitehall, and made an official announcement that the war in Europe was over Getty Images VE Day, 1945 Huge crowds at Whitehall, London, celebrating VE (Victory in Europe) Day in London PA VE Day, 1945 Canadian sailors resting in the park during celebrations in London on VE Day Getty Images VE Day, 1945 British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965) crosses Parliament Square in London on VE Day Getty Images VE Day, 1945 Huge crowds at Trafalgar Square PA VE Day, 1945 A victory tea party at Amber Road, Finsbury Park in London Getty Images VE Day, 1945 Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck, standing in a tank, leaving Regent's Park with other service chiefs at the head of a mechanised column on its triumphal drive around London celebrating VE (Victory in Europe) Day in London PA VE Day, 1945 Huge crowds at Mansion House PA Prime Minister Winston Churchill watching a march celebrating VE (Victory in Europe) Day PA Sir Winston Churchill (centre in centre blacony) addresses a huge crowd gathered outside the Ministry of Health, Whitehall, London on VE Day Getty Images VE Day, 1945 British men, women and children in the street celebrating VE (Victory in Europe) Day in London, marking the end of the Second World War in Europe PA VE Day, 1945 Mrs Pat Burgess of Palmers Green, North London waves a newspaper containing the news of Germany's surrender in World War II Getty Images VE Day, 1945 Some of the huge crowds who were in Whitehall, London, to hear Churchill's speech on VE Day. Getty Images VE Day, 1945 Evening News vans in Carmelite Street decorated to celebrate VE Day Associated Newspapers Crowds bring traffic to a standstill in Piccadilly Circus Associated Newspapers VE Day, 1945 Cromwell tanks of the British Army, in a victory procession pass through Admiralty Arch Getty Images Princess Elizabeth at the wheel of an army vehicle while serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service during the Second World War PA Bank of England staff on fire-watch looking out over Threadneedle Street. For the Bank of England VE-Day brought to an end an extraordinary effort to protect its crucial work. Adhering to the wartime spirit of 'business as usual', as many as 1,000 staff at a time in Threadneedle Street had been working two or three days in a row, sleeping overnight in the vast vaults. Those still in London would do a full day's work and then go up on the roof of the building to watch for fires started by falling bombs PA The Flying Scotsman locomotive leaves Paddington Station in 1965 at the head of a special train to commemorate the 20th anniversary of VE Day (Victory in Europe) Day, marking the end of the Second World War in Europe PA St Paul's Cathedral floodlit during victory celebrations in London at the end of the war in Europe Getty Images

Keep it simple with a cheese and pickle stick

Okay, so this isn't so much a recipe as a plating two ingredients up, but it's delicious and should not be knocked!

You will need some cocktail sticks, some good quality cheddar (though make sure it's not too crumbly, otherwise it'll break when you jab it with the stick), and some silverskin pickled onions.

Then simply cut the cheese into cubes, but make sure you pierce the pickle with the cocktail skewer before the cheese, otherwise the juices from the pickles will spread on the plate.

Or cheese and pineapple if you're feeling fruity

If you're not a fan of pickled onions (outrageous!) you can also have it with pineapple.

Whether you get tinned fruit or buy it fresh from your local shop, the sweetness of the pineapple paired with the sharpness of the cheddar makes for the ideal combo.

Layer it up with a boozy trifle

(Shutterstock ) / Shutterstock

If you're looking to inject some colour (and alcohol) to your spread of beige party foods, why not add a trifle to the mix?

The deliciously creamy, fruity, custardy treat is the ultimate dessert for an occasion like this.

Ingredients:

Finger-shaped boudoir biscuits

3 tbsp Sherry

Jelly cubes

Plenty of strawberries or raspberries

Double cream

Custard

Method:

Line a large glass bowl with the boudoir biscuits.

Then, glug a generous amount of sweet sherry (around 3 tablespoons, but we're not counting) over them. Booze is optional.

Next, get the jelly underway, by breaking up some cubes into a separate bowl and pouring half a pint (285ml) of boiling hot water over it, and an equal measure of cold water. You'll then need to pour the liquefied jelly over the sponge fingers, before placing the bowl in the fridge to allow the mixture to cool until it's set.

While you're waiting for that to happen, start slicing up your fruit. If you're using strawberries, simply trim off the green parts and slice into halves.

Although you can be fancy and make your own custard, you could equally heat up a pre-made tub on the stove - we're not judging.

When the jelly is set, take it out of the fridge and you can start layering. The best way is to pour the custard on first, before putting it back in the fridge to set.

Then, remove and add a layer of fresh double cream. Should you wish, you can scatter some almond flakes or more fresh fruit on top, et voila!

And if all else fails, pick up a Birds trifle kit just in case.

Opt for an elegant cream tea

iStock

Ingredients:

For a basic scone recipe, you'll need:

350g of self-raising flour

a pinch of salt

85g of butter

3 tbsp of caster sugar

175ml of milk

1 beaten egg to glaze

Method:

Start by pre-heating the oven at around 200C (fan) and rubbing the flour and butter together in a large mixing bowl with your hands.

When the mixture becomes crumbly, add the caster sugar and gradually add the milk to the mixture.

Then, once it's a good consistency, roll the dough out and cut out even circles, before placing them onto a baking tray.

Bake for around 10 minutes and then your scones will need to be placed on a cooling rack (otherwise the cream and jam will melt and ooze out).

To serve, either do it the Cornish or the Devon way - but make sure you dollop plenty of clotted cream and strawberry jam on top.

Try making a meaty pork pie

Shutterstock

It's not exactly a healthy option, but a pork pie - if done right - is a buffet staple.

To make the short crust pastry, you'll need just three ingredients: 575g of plain flour, 200g of lard and 220ml of water.

For the filling, you can use a range of pork cuts, depending on your preference.

We'd recommend this recipe from BBC Good Food, which is simple-to-follow and super tasty.

A Victoria sponge always goes down well

() / Konditor and Cook

The piece de resistance on any table, the classic Victoria sponge is bound to go down well.

Ingredients:

4 eggs

200g of caster sugar

200g of butter

200g of self-raising flour

Strawberry or raspberry jam

Double cream

Icing sugar

Method:

If you have a mixer, you can bung all the ingredients in and mix in one go, but if you're doing it by hand you'll need to mix the butter and sugar together first, then gradually add the flour and beaten eggs - you don't want to the batter to go too hard or too runny.

Make sure you fold the batter, to get as much air into the mixture as possible - this will help you create a light, fluffy sponge.

Then simply pour the mixture into a cake tin (you can split it into two, should you wish) and place in the oven for around 20 minutes. You'll be able to tell when it's ready, as the sponge will be golden brown in colour and will bounce back if you press it with your finger.

Another trick to test whether or not it's cooked is to dip a clean knife into the centre - if it comes out clean, the cake is ready.

Then, once the cake is cool, you'll need to spread either raspberry or strawberry jam over one side of the sandwich (if you baked the mixture in one tin, you'll have to carefully slice the sponge in half, horizontally). Then, on the other half, spread butter cream - or fresh cream, if you'd prefer.

Sandwich the two sides together, making sure the filling doesn't ooze out, then dust with a bit of icing sugar to complete the look.

Missing your local chippie? Why not make your own!

If you've reached this stage in life not knowing how to make chips, we're afraid there's not much we can do for you.

But if you're after a mean battered fish recipe, we'd recommend Laura Jackson's beer battered mix, which you can follow here:

So there you have it. Get the apron on and get baking these tasty treats!
What happened

Cruise ship stocks sank on Tuesday after Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NYSE:NCLH) said it had "substantial doubt about [its] ability to continue as a going concern."

As of 3:35 p.m. EDT, shares of Norwegian, Royal Caribbean (NYSE:RCL), and Carnival (NYSE:CCL) were down 22%, 10%, and 9%, respectively.

So what

It's not easy being a cruise ship operator during a global pandemic. With their ships docked due to sailing restrictions imposed by health officials, Norwegian, Carnival, and Royal Caribbean are burning through cash. These beleaguered cruise ship companies have been forced to turn to the debt markets to raise cash in hopes of staying afloat until their ships can resume sailing once again.

Norwegian said on Tuesday that it's attempting to raise another $1.6 billion by issuing a combination of stock and debt. However, the company warned that it "does not have sufficient liquidity to meet its obligations over the next twelve months." Norwegian said that if it's unable to obtain the capital it's seeking, it could be forced to begin bankruptcy proceedings.

Now what

Even if Norwegian is able to obtain the cash it needs, the coast is still far from clear. The surging number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and other parts of the world are making it increasingly likely that health organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) might extend sailing restrictions for cruise ships. Worse still, even when these restrictions are lifted, many people may choose to forego cruise ship travel due to fears of getting sick.

Thus, despite their recent -- and potentially future -- capital raises, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival are likely to remain in a battle for survival. Unless a vaccine or effective treatment for COVID-19 is developed soon, bankruptcy could be an unfortunate possibility for one or more of the major cruise ship operators.
Dublin, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture Market by Technology (Machine Learning, Computer Vision, and Predictive Analytics), Offering (Software, Hardware, AI-as-a-Service, and Services), Application, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.





The AI in the agriculture market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 25.5% from 2020 to 2026.

The AI in agriculture market growth is propelled by the increasing implementation of data generation through sensors and aerial images for crops, increasing crop productivity through deep-learning technology, and government support for the adoption of modern agricultural techniques. However, the high cost of gathering precise field data restrains the market growth. Developing countries, such as China, Brazil, and India, are likely to provide an opportunity for the players in the AI in agriculture market due to the increasing use of unmanned aerial vehicles/drones by these countries in their agricultural farms.

By technology, the machine learning segment is estimated to account for the largest share of the AI in the agriculture market during the forecast period.

Machine learning-enabled solutions are being significantly adopted by agricultural organizations and farmers worldwide to enhance farm productivity and to gain a competitive edge in business operations. In the coming years, the application of machine learning in various agricultural practices is expected to rise exponentially.

By offering, the AI-as-a-Service segment is projected to register the highest CAGR from 2020 to 2026.

Increasing demand for machine learning tool kits and applications that are available in AI-based services, along with benefits, such as advanced infrastructure at minimal cost, transparency in business operations, and better scalability, is leading to the growth of the AI-as-a-Service segment.



By application, the precision farming segment held the largest market size in 2019.

Story continues

Precision farming involves the usage of innovative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, such as machine learning, computer vision, and predictive analytics tools, for increasing agriculture productivity. It comprises a technology-driven analysis of data acquired from the fields for increasing crop productivity. Precision farming helps in managing variations in the field accurately, thus enabling the growth of more crops using fewer resources and at reduced production costs. Precision devices integrated with AI technologies help in collecting farm-related data, thereby helping the farmers make better decisions and increase the productivity of their lands

Key Topics Covered:



1 Introduction

2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary

4 Premium Insights

4.1 Attractive Opportunities for the AI in the Agriculture Market

4.2 AI in Agriculture Market, by Offering

4.3 AI in Agriculture Market, by Technology

4.4 AI in Agriculture Market for Apac, by Application & Country

4.5 AI in Agriculture Market, by Geography

5 Market Overview

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Market Dynamics

5.2.1 Drivers

5.2.1.1 Increasing Strain on Global Food Supply Owing to Rising Population

5.2.1.2 Increasing Implementation of Data Generation Through Sensors and Aerial Images for Crops

5.2.1.3 Increasing Crop Productivity Through Deep Learning Technology

5.2.1.4 Government Support to Adopt Modern Agricultural Techniques

5.2.2 Restraints

5.2.2.1 High Cost of Gathering Precise Field Data

5.2.3 Opportunities

5.2.3.1 Developing Countries to Offer Significant Growth Opportunities

5.2.3.2 Use of AI Solutions to Manage Small Farms (Less than 5 Hectares)

5.2.4 Challenges

5.2.4.1 Lack of Standardization

5.2.4.2 Lack of Awareness About AI Among Farmers

5.2.4.3 Limited Availability of Historical Data

5.3 Value Chain Analysis

5.4 Impact of Covid-19 on AI in Agriculture Market

6 Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture Market, by Technology

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Machine Learning

6.2.1 Machine Learning Technology to Hold the Largest Share of AI in Agriculture Market

6.3 Computer Vision

6.3.1 Computer Vision Technology is Expected to Grow at the Highest CAGR during the Forecast Period

6.4 Predictive Analytics

6.4.1 Increasing Predictive Analytics Applications is Expected to Drive the Growth of AI in Agriculture Market

7 Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture Market, by Offering

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Hardware

7.2.1 Technological Advancements in the Hardware Segment is Leading to the Widespread Adoption of AI in Agriculture

7.2.2 Processor

7.2.3 Storage Device

7.2.4 Network

7.3 Software

7.3.1 AI in Agriculture Market for Software Segment is Projected to Hold the Largest Market Share during the Forecast Period

7.3.2 AI Platform

7.3.3 AI Solution

7.4 Ai-As-A-Service

7.4.1 Ai-As-A-Service Segment is Expected to Grow at the Highest CAGR during the Forecast Period

7.5 Services

7.5.1 Increasing Requirement of Online and Offline Support Services is Leading to the Growth of This Segment

7.5.2 Deployment & Integration

7.5.3 Support & Maintenance

8 Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture Market, by Application

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Precision Farming

8.2.1 Precision Farming is Expected to Hold the Largest Market Share during the Forecast Period

8.2.2 Yield Monitoring

8.2.3 Field Mapping

8.2.4 Crop Scouting

8.2.5 Weather Tracking & Forecasting

8.2.6 Irrigation Management

8.3 Livestock Monitoring

8.3.1 Increasing Livestock Monitoring Applications is Driving the Growth of This Segment

8.4 Drone Analytics

8.4.1 Drone Analytics Application Expected to Grow at the Highest CAGR during the Forecast Period

8.5 Agriculture Robots

8.5.1 Increased Deep Learning Capabilities of Agriculture Robots is Driving the Growth of This Segment

8.6 Labor Management

8.6.1 Major Benefits Such As Reduced Production Costs Due to Labor Management Application is Leading to the Growth of This Segment

8.7 Others

8.7.1 Smart Greenhouse Management

8.7.2 Soil Management

8.7.2.1 Moisture Monitoring

8.7.2.2 Nutrient Monitoring

8.7.3 Fish Farming Management

9 Geographic Analysis

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Americas

9.2.1 North America

9.2.1.1 Us

9.2.1.1.1 Us Projected to Account for the Largest Size of the AI in Agriculture Market in North America

9.2.1.2 Canada

9.2.1.2.1 Increasing AI Technology Adoption is Leading to the Growth of Canadian AI in Agriculture Market

9.2.1.3 Mexico

9.2.1.3.1 AI in Agriculture Market in Mexico is Projected to Grow at the Highest CAGR during the Forecast Period

9.2.2 South America

9.2.2.1 Brazil

9.2.2.1.1 Brazil Expected to Hold the Largest Share in the South American AI in Agriculture Market

9.2.2.2 Argentina

9.2.2.2.1 Expanding Industrial Production in Argentina is Driving the Market

9.2.2.3 Rest of South America

9.3 Europe

9.3.1 Uk

9.3.1.1 Increasing Adoption of Ai-Based Solutions for Agriculture is Driving the Uk Market

9.3.2 Germany

9.3.2.1 Germany Held the Largest Share of European AI in Agriculture Market in 2019

9.3.3 France

9.3.3.1 Increasing Number of Start-Ups Developing AI Solutions for Agriculture is Driving the Market in Europe

9.3.4 Italy

9.3.4.1 AI in Agriculture Market in Italy is Growing Steadily to Overcome Drastic Climate Conditions

9.3.5 Spain

9.3.5.1 Favorable Government Policies are Driving the AI in Agriculture Market in Spain

9.3.6 Rest of Europe

9.4 Asia Pacific

9.4.1 Australia

9.4.1.1 Australia Expected to Hold the Largest Share of the AI in Agriculture Market in Apac

9.4.2 China

9.4.2.1 Increasing Precision Farming Applications in China is Expected to Drive the AI in Agriculture Market for Apac

9.4.3 Japan

9.4.3.1 in 2019, Japan Held the Second-Largest Share of AI in Agriculture Market in Apac

9.4.4 South Korea

9.4.4.1 Government Funding and Initiatives are Driving the Growth of AI in Agriculture Market in South Korea

9.4.5 India

9.4.5.1 India is Expected to be the Fastest-Growing AI in Agriculture Market in Apac

9.4.6 Rest of Apac

9.5 Rest of the World

9.5.1 Increasing Awareness Among Farmers Regarding the Benefits of AI-Assisted Agricultural Operations is Driving the Market in Row

10 Competitive Landscape

10.1 Overview

10.2 Ranking Analysis

10.3 Competitive Scenario

10.3.1 Product Launches and Developments

10.3.2 Partnerships, Agreements, and Collaborations

10.3.3 Mergers and Acquisitions

10.4 Competitive Leadership Mapping

10.4.1 Visionary Leaders

10.4.2 Dynamic Differentiators

10.4.3 Innovators

10.4.4 Emerging Companies

11 Company Profiles

11.1 Key Players

11.1.1 IBM

11.1.2 Deere & Company

11.1.3 Microsoft

11.1.4 the Climate Corporation

11.1.5 Farmers Edge

11.1.6 Granular

11.1.7 Ageagle

11.1.8 Descartes Labs

11.1.9 Prospera

11.1.10 Taranis

11.1.11 Awhere

11.2 Right-To-Win

11.3 Other Key Companies

11.3.1 Gamaya

11.3.2 Ec2Ce

11.3.3 Precision Hawk

11.3.4 Vineview

11.3.5 Cainthus

11.3.6 Tule Technologies

11.3.7 Resson

11.3.8 Connecterra

11.3.9 Vision Robotics

11.3.10 Farmbot

11.3.11 Harvest Croo

11.3.12 Peat

11.3.13 Autonomous Tractor Corporation

11.3.14 Trace Genomics

11.3.15 Cropx Technologies

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/sqhb4s

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.



CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.com

Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager

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The Human Rights Commission has received 311 enquiries and complaints related to the COVID-19 pandemic between January and May.

COVID-19 is the most serious human rights emergency Aotearoa New Zealand has experienced since 1945. The social and economic crisis it has precipitated has touched the most basic human rights, says Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner, Saunoamaalii Karanina Sumeo.

Human rights demand that measures taken during a national emergency are lawful, proportionate, fair, just, non-discriminatory, and subject to independent scrutiny. As a nation, we have human rights duties to our whanau, neighbours, workers and wider communities. We must continue to act with fairness, respect, dignity and within the law, as we navigate these difficult times together.

COVID-19 is not a reason to discriminate against people because of their race, colour, ethnic or national origins, disability, gender, age, or other grounds of discrimination, or because of the status of their health, says Saunoamaalii.

Enquiries and complaints to the commission so far range from allegations of racism and harassment towards Chinese and Asian people, housing discrimination based on the status of health, funding provided to Maori and Pacific communities and not all ethnic communities, and the closure of public toilets for disabled people during the lockdown.

To help New Zealanders understand their human rights and stay informed during this difficult time, the commission has launched a specialised COVID-19 website - covid19.hrc.co.nz

The new website provides information on human rights implications of COVID-19 and frequently asked questions on the human rights dimensions of issues including people in detention, police authority, job loss, pay cuts, older people, disability and family violence.

We hope this website will help New Zealanders understand why a human-rights approach is absolutely crucial in responding to this crisis, says Saunoamaalii.

The website also has form for people to report human rights and COVID-19 related concerns, experiences, stories, or issues.

We encourage people to contact the commission by using the confidential free service on 0800 496 877, or by emailing covid19@hrc.co.nz.

Information gathered from the new website will help inform the commissions advocacy on human rights on behalf of Kiwis during and beyond the crisis.

We are committed to ensuring that violation of rights of New Zealanders is heard and addressed by duty bearers and decision-makers. We will continue to monitor and review potential human rights breaches, and provide constructive balanced advice to government, business, advocates and communities on human rights and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
By Trend

Azerbaijan has set a deadline for filing tax returns and paying taxes in connection with a special quarantine regime (from March 31 through May 31, 2020), Trend reports referring to the State Tax Service under the Azerbaijani Ministry of Economy.

So, taking into account the fact that, depending on the district, restrictions on certain spheres of activity in the country have been either removed or maintained, the deadline for submitting annual reports on income tax and tax on property for 2019, monthly reports for February and March 2020, quarterly reports for the first quarter of the year, as well as the corresponding reference on current tax payments and payment of taxes, including current tax payments, for taxpayers working in the authorized spheres expired on May 5, 2020.

The deadline for submitting these documents for taxpayers operating in the spheres of limited activity will expire on May 31, 2020.

A special quarantine regime was imposed in Azerbaijan to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection (COVID-19). The term of the special quarantine regime in the country was extended till May 31, 2020, upon the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers resolution dated May 1, 2020 # 163 on the extension of the special quarantine regime in Azerbaijan and the removal of some restrictions which are applied in connection with this regime.

At the same time, depending on the districts, the restrictions on some spheres of activity were lifted while on others were retained.
Culture has always remained a vital part of humans' existence and music as an element of culture speaks to the inner-soul of an individual.

Evangelist Solomon Yidana, a preacher of the gospel through his artistic and rhythmic skills is championing the move of making old northern regional songs a well patronised music in Ghana and beyond.

His quest to make this objective a breakthrough is to transcend the old northern songs to the current generation because the lyrics in the songs easily connects an individual to God.

In an interview with Evangelist Solomon Yidana on Tuesday, revealed that the local worship songs simply speaks to a worshipper in his own dialect as compared to the foreign songs where one may even find it difficult to understand the exact lyrics.

Background

Evangelist Solomon Yidana, a Crusader of the word of God in the Northern Region, Tamale was given birth to a formidable Christian home by Mr. David Adjei Yidana and Martha Sulemana both biological parents.

The Nalerigu indigene speaks Mampruli, his mother tongue with other two (Dagomba and Kusasi) northern languages.

He had his primary school education at Naa Bongu Primary in Nalerigu and went Nalerigu L/A Junior High School where he wrote his Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and proceeded to Nalerigu Senior High School.

Born and nurtured into the Assemblies of God Christian doctrines, Evangelist Solomon Yidana is a staunch Christian who fellowships with the Walewale Assemblies of God where he served in various roles.

According to the Evangelist, while growing up, his faith tilted and conformed to the pleasures of the world, but with prayers and counselling from sympathisers, he bounced back to Christianity.

Realising that, things of the world was vanity upon vanity, he clinged unto his Christian faith and availed himself for Gods divine agenda.

I am back on my feet and have an unquenchable conviction by making my creator use me a vessel to make impacts, he said.

Evangelism

After completing his evangelism course at Global Theological Seminary which was located at Adenta in 2012, he obtained a Certificate in Evangelism and was ordained as an Evangelist in the same year.

According to Evangelist Yidana, he preached and evangelised the sermon in most Assemblies of God churches.

His evangelism endeavour took him to several places including Sunyani, Techiman, Goaso, Mim among others.

Advocacy for the Local Gospel Music

Evangelist Solomon Yidanas advocacy for the promoting the northern regional local music is without boundaries and his optimism to gain a very large audience for patronage is unrelenting.

He indicated that when the Assemblies of God Missionaries came to Ghana, they helped in converting the local gospels into hymnals which made it easy for public to understand.

The first black principal of the Assemblies of God Bible School, Rev. P.D Yamusah ensured that these converted hymnals were sung by the training pastors.

Our local songs carry a strong weight in meaning and one could derive a verse in the bible out of a short song, the Evangelist said.

Despite the existence of northern gospel music, the Evangelist lamented that, it was important to revisit the lyrics in the music which is discerning to the inner-spirit.

Challenges

Regardless of the herculean challenges in getting the local gospel songs to large audience, Evangelist Yidana has pledged to surmount any hurdle which would cross his path.

He recounted a major challenge that, knowing the actual musician who composed the song and give credit to is a big problem because of copyright issues.

Evangelist Yidana said in desperate attempts to know the composer of any old song he is working on, the answer he receives from people he consulted was that the song existed already before they were even given birth to.

Another challenge he mentioned was the cost of getting quality studio equipment for making the songs suit the modern trend of worship.

Joy

According to Evangelist Yidana, he is filled with unflinching joy as a promoter of old northern gospel music.

A peculiar joy he shared was the reconnection he has encountered with his family members who rejected him.

He stated that, he was filled with great excitement when he heard his songs transformed a smoker who surrendered to worship God after listening to his song.

Evangelist Yidana said he would be very happy and more fulfilled when his music gets to all radio stations and played on the airwaves.

I love what I do and I can record at least two songs in a day, which makes me a happy person, he revealed.

Impact

His songs have repaired marriages which was at the verge of collapsing but when the couple who live in Europe listened to the song, they traced Evangelist Yidana to show appreciation.

I receive a lot of messages on my facebook like page Yidana Solomon to tell me how my songs have been a blessing to them, he said.

Ambition/Aspirations

He addressed that he is much determined to make his songs reach people in the village through simple software in audio forms, which would make them feel proud when they hear songs in their local language.

A Call on Ghanaians

The Tuo-Zaafi and Bra soup lover called on Ghanaians never to forget their local songs because this is what makes them worship with their entire, mind, body and spirit.

Evangelist Yidana, who loves reading asked all to accept and embrace their culture and local music because it is a food to the soul.
I enjoy the work, says Myrtle Ross, a retiree in Arlington, Texas who recently took one of the temporary positions. I find it rewarding to have something to do. Youre able to work from home and give back to the community at the same time. The technology is easy to learn and keeps you connected with your team.

Contreras says some older workers who have experience working in banking or credit may be particularly suited for these jobs. Some of the positions for which the agency is hiring include credit analysts, loan officers, mortgage underwriters, attorneys, customer service representatives and human resources workers.

"The kinds of files and things that they're going to look through on these jobs could range anywhere from a really simple business application from a mom-or-pop-type business to something that's more complex, like a corporation with an affiliate, he says. What we need is a broad spectrum of experience from people who have been in the workforce longer and maybe have even retired already. Having their experience is extremely valuable to the kind of work that we do for disaster loans."

You may apply for a position through the AARP Job Board. The openings the agency is hiring for include:



All of the positions are temporary based on the demand the SBA receives for assistance. Weekend work may be required for all positions and mandatory overtime could be substantial. The jobs pay hourly rates ranging from $25.35 - $30.67

The agency also is seeking applicants who are bilingual in Spanish and English.

The SBA will supply a computer and training. To be eligible, applicants should be a U.S, citizen, have experience with Microsoft Office software, have access to high-speed internet, and pass a credit and background check.

Editors note: This article originally was published on May 5, 2020. It has been updated with information about additional job openings with the SBA.
Working from home with her children in another room and a cat lounging next to her laptop, Christina Zilke is a public-health nurse on the front lines of trying to contain COVID-19.

She is one of about 20 employees of the Washtenaw County Public Health Department currently involved in contact-tracing, which is the process of reaching out to individual coronavirus patients to stymie the chain of infection.

Its part investigator and part teacher, said Zilke, who normally serves as the departments immunization nurse coordinator.

The job of contact tracer includes helping coronavirus patients figure out specific strategies to keep from infecting others; keeping tabs on household members and other close contacts to see if they get sick, and following the trail of more potential victims if and when those contacts test positive.

It can be like a target with circles around it that get bigger and bigger as the virus works its way through a community, Zilke said.

Contact tracing is nothing new to county health departments, which have long performed case investigations of infectious-disease outbreaks from mumps to HIV to E. coli.

But the coronavirus crisis has taken a little-known function of public health and turned it into one of the most important tasks of Michigan local governments for the foreseeable future.

No question, its huge, Mark Hackel, chief executive of Macomb County, said about the importance of contact tracing. "Were definitely going to have to have people dedicated to this for quite some time.

A core part of the plan to reopen Michigans economy involves widespread testing for COVID-19, isolation of those who test positive, contact tracing to see who else they might have infected and quarantine of those contacts.

5 things that need to happen for Michigan reopen its economy

Most leading public-health authorities agree contact tracing is critical to keeping things at a low level until a vaccine is available, said Emily Martin, a University of Michigan epidemiologist who has been working with Gov. Gretchen Whitmers office.

But, Martin added, this is not something that routinely was being done on a very large scale. So we need to get all these new systems up to the level where they need to be."

And thats putting stress on county officials, who having been frantically scaling up their contact-tracing personnel and now need to sustain that for the long term.

In Washtenaw County, for instance, the health department has had about five nurses who have worked on contact tracing in recent years.

When the COVID-19 crisis hit, nurses such as Zilke who were working in other areas were called in, as well as other staffers such as sanitation inspectors, health educators and nurse supervisors, said Susan Ringler Cerniglia, who heads the Washtenaw County Health Department.

We have a small pool of people for whom this is the normal job, Ringler Cerniglia said. But we have a much bigger pool of folks doing it now. And there are serious questions about how we sustain that.

The same is true in other counties.

Before the coronavirus crisis hit, the Kent County Health Departments infectious-disease unit had fewer than 10 people and contact tracing was only part of their responsibilities, said Adam London, head of the Kent County Health Department. In recent weeks, hes brought in staffers from other units as well as medical students and graduate students in health science programs to help with contact tracing.

Were getting between 250 and 150 new cases each week, which is a lot," he said. Were just absolutely at capacity and overwhelmed with doing case investigations."

Right now, the priority is determining who a coronavirus patient may have infected, so those persons can be quarantined and monitored for symptoms, London said. We dont have the capacity to do a deep dive into finding out how the patient him- or herself was exposed.

Likewise, Macomb County had a handful of people who worked on contact tracing before March. Now its almost 60 people trained for the task, including county employees from other departments.

Thats a remarkable number for a county our size, Hackel said. But we could really use 75, maybe 100 people to really get a full handle on the contact tracing here.

Why contact tracing is important

The standard playbook of infectious-disease control is figuring out who is sick, isolating those patients and keeping a close eye on others who might have been infected.

If you have a specific hot spot, you have to act very quickly, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters said. You have to contain that spread to that one area and make sure its not spreading from that hot spot to other areas, because then you just create a whole bunch of hot spots that keep spreading and pretty soon the hot spots take over a big swath.

That didnt happen at the beginning of the coronavirus crisis in the United States: A nationwide shortage of coronavirus tests meant there was no way to thoroughly investigate the initial hot spots and figure out who had the virus and who didnt. That allowed the virus to spread uncontrolled through southeast Michigan.

At this point, there are still hundreds of new cases being diagnosed each day in Michigan. But a stay-at-home order implemented March 24 has slowed the rate of new cases and has made the transmission routes much more apparent.

In the past few weeks, most new cases have involved people who live in congregate living settings such as long-term care or correctional facilities, or essential workers, especially health-care employees working with COVID-19 patients.

Six weeks into extreme social distancing, how are Michiganders still catching coronavirus?

Its also made the work of contact tracing much easier.

In creating a list of people who were potentially infected, Zilke asks her coronavirus patients to list face-to-face interactions within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms, and specifically interactions that lasted at least 10 minutes and where the encounter was within six feet and without masks.

Lately, the number of people that theyve been in contact with is very low, and its usually their household, Zilke said.

In the beginning, it was everybody under the sun, she added. "We still had the universities in session, so we had students at Eastern and Michigan where we would interview them, and they had gone to classes and then they went to the bar and the list of contacts was never-ending.

We anticipate thats going to happen again as the economy reopens, she said. Once things start to open up, people are going to have more contacts so thats actually going to be more work for us. So we think this is going to get worse before it gets better.

Scaling up

County officials say theyve been able to piece together a temporary workforce of contact tracers for now, but it consists of people who already have other responsibilities.

A big concern is that were going to be doing this kind of work for probably the better part of the next year or so, London said. Maintaining a sustainable team of people who can do case investigations and contact tracing is going to be an enormous challenge.

All the people that weve trained to do this work, they have regular jobs that need to be done as well, he said. Everything has stopped for the time being. But pretty soon were going to get back to inspecting restaurants, and testing drinking-water supplies, and doing sexually transmitted disease testing and counseling, and health education, and everything else.

Theres also the likelihood that the demand for contact-tracing will increase as the economy reopens. Most experts predict that could result in a new surge of cases -- and those cases will become more complicated for contact-tracers as people increase their social interactions.

Ringler Cernaglia agreed the intensity of contact tracing and the volume of it is likely to pick up as the economy reopens, and Washtenaw Countys coronavirus response team is trying figure out how to staff a team of contact tracers for the next year or two.

Decisions need to be made about what services to reopen and which can be put off for now, she said. Were also looking at where we can bring in other staff: Are there some volunteers who can come in? Were looking to recruit some grad students and bringing in more interns than we normally would.

Macomb County also is hoping to recruit some graduate students to help with contact tracing, but otherwise will use existing staff, Hackel said.

The good news is that weve got a lot of people now trained in how to do contact tracing, so even when those employees move back to their regular tasks, they can be pulled back into contact-tracing if and when a surge occurs, he said. If theres a need for more personnel, we will figure that out the best that we can.

One potential source of help could come from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, which has recruited 3,500 volunteers who have taken online training to be contact tracers.

The state hopes to end up with between 2,000 and 3,000 volunteers available to help with contact tracing, said Lynn Sutfin, MDHHS spokesowoman.

However, the project has been temporarily stalled by controversy over a no-bid contract to manage the volunteers.

Great Lakes Community Engagement and Every Action VAN were hired by MDHHS to oversee the contact tracers, but the firms ties to Democratic campaigns prompted criticism and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer canceled the contracts to take out any speculation" of political favoritism.

As a result, the project hasnt begun yet as we are awaiting a new contract, Sutfin said. The volunteers will be assigned people to call and this will all be done remotely, so from their homes. They will not be going out door-to-door or need to report to a specific health department.

County officials say they dont know much about the state initiative. But something like that would be helpful to us, London said.

Meanwhile, Peters and U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow are among those pushing for federal funding for contact tracers, saying that the next coronavirus recovery package should include $7.6 billion to expand the number of disease investigation specialists and contact tracers.

More than just a phone call

Zilke has about 40 open cases right now, which she says is typical among her Washtenaw County colleagues who are doing contact tracing.

Most days, its a mix of calling newly diagnosed patients, tracking down people who were potentially infected and follow-up calls with people recovering from coronavirus.

When someone is in isolation, we check in regularly until theyre asymptomatic for least three days, Zilke said. And some of these people are sick for a really long time."

That initial call with someone who tested positive for coronavirus, its really a conversation -- when did you get sick? What were your symptoms? she said. Who were you with in the 48 hours before you got sick? Who have you been with since youve gotten sick?"

Most people want to be very helpful, and give us all the information we need" about close contacts, Zilke said.

Still, the conversations can be difficult, she said. In some cases, were talking to people who are really sick or talking to people whove had a family member that passed away."

Several aspects of the coronavirus crisis make it unique when it comes to contact tracing.

One, of course, is the sheer numbers combined with the length of the outbreak. Its what we normally do to prevent disease in the community, but on a much larger scale, Zilke said. Its huge.

Another is that coronavirus is so contagious and potentially virulent that its imperative to isolate patients so they dont infect others. And ensuring that physical isolation isnt always easy.

For instance, an outbreak of coronavirus in Grand Rapids homeless population raised the issue of how to isolate people who dont have a home, said London, the Kent County public health chief.

They have to go somewhere, he said. So we worked in partnership with Guiding Light Mission to acquire their mission as our isolation center. That allowed us to provide a safe place where they can recover with dignity, and once theyve recovered, they can return to the (regular) shelter.

Another challenge is when a coronavirus patients lives in close quarters with somebody who is "very vulnerable, Ringler Cerniglia said.

Coronavirus patients recovering at home are encouraged to isolate in a bedroom and, when possible, use a separate bathroom from other household members; the goal is not to have any face-to-face interactions with other household members or share any living space. But in many households, thats just not possible, and if theres another family member at high risk, we might actually be providing the housing for the isolation period, Ringler Cerniglia said.

More common is a scenario in which a coronavirus patient is a primary caretaker for children or an elderly relative.

It can quickly get complicated if were telling someone that they need to isolate and stay home, Ringer Cerniglia said. So were going to do the best we can to make sure their needs are met. Were not just going to provide instructions and let it go. So in many cases, our nurses and contact tracers end up filling almost a case-management role to get folks to whats needed, if its food delivery or whatever.

Yet another tricky aspect of coronavirus is that patients can be contagious for several days before they are symptomic, Martin said.

That lag time has proven to be really difficult," Martin said. By the time test results show a problem, you may have infected others and then secondary infections already can be happening during this window."

The fact has some people questioning how much contact tracing can stem the spread of coronavirus.

We now believe there were many cases already in Michigan before the first one was reported, said Mark Cheatham, who heads the Mid-Michigan District Health Department, which serves Clinton, Gratiot and Montcalm counties. "We missed them. They were not identified and reported to public health. Im afraid that will keep happening.

I think the root cause of this is the asymptomatic spreaders -- 25% or more of cases happen because of asymptomatic people, Cheatham said. That means that no matter how careful you are, if you are around people, youll eventually have contact with someone who is contagious.

Zilke acknowledges that fighting the spread of coronavirus is complicated. There are so many pieces to it.

But if nobody was doing what were doing, then people might not know when they were exposed and possibly contagious, she said about contact tracing. They wouldnt know to quarantine themselves so they dont spread it.

Theres no way of getting around the importance of contact tracing, Martin said.

Safely going back to work requires that we can respond to outbreaks quickly, and this is going to require fully staffed contract tracing efforts, she said. We need a major investment in public health infrastructure to get there quickly.

For more statewide data, visit MLives coronavirus data page, here.

COVID-19 PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

Read more Michigan coronavirus coverage here

Whitmer vetoes bill that would have limited governors emergency powers

Woman arraigned in fatal shooting of Flint security guard over face mask

From closing restaurants to requiring masks, Gov. Whitmer has issued 69 executive orders in 56 days
SAO PAULO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --

1Q20 Highlights

The Ebitda of North America Business Division reached R$ 425 million on the first quarter 2020, with a margin of 10.7%.

Strong liquidity position at the end of the quarter, with R$ 6 billion in cash and R$ 2.3 billion in credit lines.

Covid-19 began impacting the performance of the Business Divisions in the latter half of March, mainly in terms of steel consumption.

Gerdau already has invested nearly R$ 20 million in the fight against Covid-19.

Additional Information

Gerdau S.A. (NYSE: GGB; B3: GGBR3, GGBR4) informs that it is filling today its 1Q20 results at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and at the Comissao de Valores Mobiliarios (CVM), which are available at Gerdau's website. To access this document, please click on https://ri.gerdau.com/en/notices-and-results/results-center/.

The 1Q20 Valuation Guide is also available at Gerdau's website https://ri.gerdau.com/en/financial-information/valuation-guide/.

Investor Relations

[email protected]

55 11 3094 6300

SOURCE Gerdau S.A.

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An asteroid bigger than a Ford Transit van yesterday became the sixth closest space rock to fly past our planet since records began.

The object skimmed past Earth at a distance of just 8,310 miles - approximately three per cent of the distance to the moon.

The space rock, called 2020 JJ, is relatively small in astronomical terms and therefore went undetected by telescopes until it was directly above Earth.

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An asteroid bigger than a Ford Transit van became the sixth closest asteroid to ever fly past earth yesterday. The object skimmed past Earth and was just 8,310 miles away from our planet - approximately three per cent of the distance to the moon (pictured, a not to scale visualisation of how close 2020 JJ came to Earth)

The space rock, called 2020 JJ, is relatively small in astronomical terms and therefore went undetected by telescopes until it was directly above Earth (stock photo)

It was discovered using the Mt Lemmon Survey in Arizona at almost the exact time it made its fly-by.

Dr Natalie Starkey, a space science writer, told MailOnline that the object was not spotted beforehand because of its size.

'We are good at finding and tracking large asteroids, definitely those 1km and larger, but there are lots of smaller space rocks orbiting around the Solar System that are harder to spot until they get closer to us,' she says.

'Asteroids also tend to be quite dark and the less light an object reflects in space, the harder it is to see from Earth.'

The asteroid 2020 JJ is the sixth closest approach observed since records began in 1900. The top ten closest approaches by an asteroid have all occurred since 2004.

This is due to significant advances in astronomers' ability to identify to spot smaller objects, helped by higher-resolution telescope imagery.

Despite cracking the top-10 of objects that came closest to Earth, there was still a considerable amount of distance between our planet and the space rock which was hurtling through the Solar System at around 32,000mph.

Dr Starkey explains: 'Whilst being one of the closest asteroid flybys to Earth in recent years, it was still 20 times farther away than the International Space Station.'

Another asteroid, called (52768) 1998 OR2 (pictured), was classed as 'potentially hazardous' by NASA due to its size but it safely sailed past Earth, only coming within 3.9 million miles - 16 times further than the Moon, last week

NASA estimates the asteroid measures between nine and 20 feet (2.7 to 6 meters) across.

This pales in comparison to last week's high-profile asteroid event, which involved a rock between 1.1 and 2.5 miles wide.

Asteroid (52768) 1998 OR2 was classed as 'potentially hazardous' by NASA due to its size but it safely sailed past Earth, only coming within 3.9 million miles - 16 times further than the Moon.

Had this asteroid hit Earth, it could have caused significant damage to the planet.

However, 2020 JJ posed no such risk.

'The asteroid is very small in terms of space rocks and if it had been on an orbit that meant it collided with Earth there is a high chance it would have broken up into smaller pieces during atmospheric entry, posing very little risk to the planet and its inhabitants,' says Dr Starkey.

'However, there is always a small risk that one of these smaller broken pieces of space rock could land in an area of high population, which could cause some building damage.'
More than 100,000 people were wrongly told that they were 'extremely vulnerable' to coronavirus and needed to self-isolate until 30 June, it has been revealed.

The NHS and GPs were told by the Government in March to quickly highlight those deemed most at risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19.

Letters were sent to 2.16million people advising them to 'shield' themselves by not leaving their homes and minimising all face-to-face contact - even more stringently than the measures applied to everyone else.

But it has since emerged that around five per cent of the recipients were incorrectly included.

Officials said 100,000 had been cut off the list after they had more time to 'refine' the database - but did not confirm if all the patients had the same health condition.

GPs had also been asked to validate hand-made lists because guidance had changed over the weeks based on new evidence.

Doctors trade union the British Medical Association said validating lists of vulnerable patients had been fraught with difficulties as a result of constantly changing advice from the Government.

It follows the revelation that 10,000 letters had been sent to the homes of people who had died, causing distress to families.

More than 100,000 people have been wrongly told that they were 'extremely vulnerable' to coronavirus and needed to self-isolate until 30 June (stock)

The shielded patients list initially totalled around 900,000, after being compiled by NHS Digital using hospital data and a set of clinical conditions.

It included people who had specific cancers or were organ transplant recipients, as well as patients with other conditions that compromise the immune system.

Englands chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said the first wave of letters were sent out in the first week of April.

Some 2.16million people were identified as being clinically extremely vulnerable in total, after GPs were told to help flag any further patients using their own clinical judgement and medical records.

Letters included information and advice, including how those who have no-one else to support them can get medication and other essential items like food.

WHO IS AT HIGH RISK OF COVID-19 AND NEEDS TO 'SHIELD'? Some groups of people are considered to be at extremely high risk of severe illness with coronavirus and should strictly follow shielding measures. According to NHS Inform, this includes people who: have had solid organ transplants

have cancer and are receiving active chemotherapy

have lung cancer and are either receiving or previously received radical radiotherapy

have cancers of the blood or bone marrow

are receiving immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer

are receiving other targeted cancer treatments, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors

have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last 6 months, or who are still taking immunosuppression drugs

have severe chest conditions such as cystic fibrosis or severe asthma and severe COPD

have rare diseases that significantly increase the risk of infections

are receiving immunosuppression therapies Advertisement

The initial list of qualifying patients was put together in haste in mid-March, around the same time Prime Minister Boris Johnson began addressing the nation about the impending crisis.

But the speed and complexity of the process meant errors were included, the Health Service Journal reports.

After GPs were asked to validate the initial shielded patient list, around 107,000 patients were removed, the Department of Health and Social Care said.

GPs have now been told to send more letters to those who were falsely contacted in the first place.

The DHSC said this was based on 'the latest available clinical evidence' and did not reveal the conditions of the people who had received a letter in error.

NHS Digital said patients had been removed after 'refining' of the database of health conditions

It said if it had done this in the first place, it would have slowed down the process and 1.3million people identified by the algorithm would not have been advised to shield themselves for up to three weeks during the peak of the pandemic.

But its website states: 'Our priority was to ensure that we got vital information to patients as quickly as possible... with the risk that we would also include a small number of individuals who do not need to use social shielding.'

NHS Digital had previously noted some issues with their algorithms, meaning conditions that were not high risk had been picked up, such as peripheral vascular disease (PVD), a blood circulation disorder.

People with stable HIV but no health concerns have been flagged because at some point in their past, they had been noted as have a suppressed immune system.

According to the BMA, various changes in advice from the Government and the NHS, together with the very short timescale for practices to validate the list, 'caused a number of problems'.

GPs were given several tight deadlines including over the Easter weekend for fact checking and amending lists, which left room for errors.

The association, which represents doctors, also said there may still be some people who have not yet been identified and notified that they should be taking steps to shield.

NHS England's director of primary care, Dr Nikita Kanani, admitted the process has been 'really frustrating' for GPs and said she was 'very happy to apologise'.

She apologised to GPs for the organisation's handling of the issue of patients on GP lists on April 17, Pulse Magazine reported.

NHS Digital has already apologised after sending letters to more than 10,000 dead Brits, warning them they were at extra risk of COVID-19.

The letters were mistakenly issued to 10,924 people who were given radiotherapy for lung cancer but died between 2006 and 2017.

It has been feared those in the most vulnerable groups will need to shield for more than 12 weeks - potentially until a vaccine is found.

But today Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that some of the restrictions could be lifted, even without a protective jab.

He told Sky News: 'We may well be able to release some of those measures before a vaccine is available if we can get the number of new cases right down.

'If we succeed in doing that we will be able to take clinical advice on whether it is safe for those who are shielded to, for instance, to hug their grandchildren. That is right at the front of my mind.'

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'People are added and removed from the shielding list regularly based on their GPs clinical judgement, with 2.16million patients identified as being clinically extremely vulnerable so far.

'GPs are be best placed to advise on the needs of their individual patients during this time and if anybody is concerned they should be included on the list, they should discuss with their GP.'
How well is your civics knowledge? Take our quiz below or at myjournalcourier.com and see how you do.



Wherever you look  church, state, news media, social media, high schools, universities, dinner tables, conference rooms  its impossible to miss the anger and hyper-partisanship gripping America. Even the crisis over the coronavirus has not brought Americans together in such a way as to bridge these divides permanently.

While there are a number of reasons for this, one of the root causes is civic illiteracy: The fact that the vast majority of Americans dont understand and appreciate the principles and history that bind us together as citizens.

The situation isnt likely to improve any time soon. For decades, U.S. schools have downplayed the importance of civic education. Our children are not forgetting how Americas unique form of constitutional government works of the people, by the people, and for the people, the first of its kind in world history. Theyre not being properly taught.

The just-released results from the 2018 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) on U.S. history and civics tests, given to eighth graders nationwide, confirm this. Only 24 percent of students performed at or above the proficient level in civics and an anemic 15 percent exhibited a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of American history. Some 16,400 students took the history test; 13,400 were tested in civics.

Such scores are not new. They were similarly bad in 2014, 2010, and in previous years.

In addition to ignorance, the NAEP test scores illustrate something thats perhaps even more destructive: ambivalence.

We need the American people  especially young people  to love their country and to realize that America is not like other places. Its not a blood and soil nation where people love it instinctively. Its a place  a people  united by shared principles that go back to our Founding.

For America to hold together and flourish, for the anger and divisions to soften, the American people have to understand why their nation deserves their affection. As President Ronald Reagan warned the country in his Farewell Address 30 years ago, patriotism wont count for much, and it wont last unless its grounded in thoughtfulness and knowledge.

As we see from the declining level of discourse in our society, this lack of thoughtfulness, knowledge and affection is having serious long-term consequences.

While there has been some renewed interest in civic education, public-school officials dont appear to be taking the matter seriously enough. Just eight states, for example  Colorado, Idaho, Maryland, Nevada, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming  require high school students to take a full year of civics, according to a 2018 study by Education Week. And only 28 states, the study showed, require a full year of U.S. history. So, absent significant changes, theres little reason to believe things will get better any time soon.

The history of America is not a collection of names, dates, places and events  the typical way it is taught today. Its about ideas  ideas that can only be found in the writings and documents of the women and men who created our country and those who have guided it since.

We dont have a crisis of facts and information  we have a crisis of understanding and devotion. People are divided because too many Americans, especially younger Americans, dont understand the principles of our Founding or see Americas history as a struggle to live up to those principles of freedom.

Americans knowledge of and respect for our most essential institutions and our special form of government has rarely felt so fragile. Now is the time to decide: Will we, as Abraham Lincoln asked: nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best hope of earth?

If we hope to nobly save our country, we need to cure civic illiteracy and restore faith in our unique form of government. That can only be accomplished by teaching young Americans why their country is worthy of their love and respect.

Jeffrey Sikkenga is executive director of the Ashbrook Center at Ashland University in Ohio. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Civil liberties are among the oldest, most recognized human rights. Their contemporary expression as legal claims based on civil and political rights is more recent, dating from the tumultuous period after the Second World War.

Today, we face a very different kind of emergency. And it's been astonishing how quickly the values we once fought for have been set aside.

In pandemics, rights violations look different. There have been no mass detentions or arrests. No internments of enemy aliens.

But vulnerable seniors have been isolated and subjected to conditions that have sickened or killed them.

Collective agreements have been partially suspended for Quebec teachers and for some Ontario health-care workers.

A mandatory Sunday closing order for Quebec businesses ignores established case law that permits religious minorities to choose their day of rest based on freedom of religion.

Rights slipping away

Civil liberties are not designed only for times of peace and stability. They assume special, even critical, importance during public emergencies. That is precisely because many of the checks and balances that we take for granted have been pushed aside. New orders emerge daily and the rule of law is taking time to catch up.

Legislative oversight is often the first casualty. In countries like Canada, democratically enacted laws confer the power to issue emergency orders without legislative scrutiny. Sure, citizens can vote out governments that overstep, but democracy should not evaporate between elections. At the time of writing, the legislature of every province in Canada was adjourned, although a few are tentatively aiming to re-opening soon.

There is a risk of overreach when we collectively agree to allow governments to do what is necessary to keep us safe. According to a recent Ipsos poll, Canadians overwhelmingly support stronger government measures to fight COVID-19. But that in turn creates a real risk that courts will show more deference to governments during times of crisis.

The province of Quebec in particular offers a striking example of how quickly it can all unravel.

Since the March 13 declaration of a public health emergency, the province's minister of health and social services has ruled by decree under Quebec's Public Health Act. My analysis of the eight orders-in-council and 28 ministerial orders shows that two-thirds of these orders limit civil liberties.

Yet, the public supports such measures: politicians are enjoying heightened popularity across the country. This support may be explained by the fact that we are only gradually waking up to the impact of COVID-19, especially on people who are vulnerable or unable to speak out.

On April 20, lawyer Jean-Felix Racicot launched a challenge to Quebec's emergency measures before the province's Superior Court. Four days later, Justice Louis-Paul Cullen ruled from the bench that social distancing orders are not a form of illegal detention. An appeal of his decision, and a related claim seeking to strike down all the emergency measures, are pending.

Signposts for public emergencies

Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the courts provide indications of what measures will be upheld and which ones may fall.

The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that democratic societies founded on the rule of law require a legal basis for restrictions on rights.

Social distancing is essential, as a recent study in The Lancet has demonstrated. But the validity of bans on assemblies must be "prescribed by law." Reports from Quebec and Ontario indicate that police may be overstepping their bounds.

Quebec's March 20 order-in-council, for example, mandates that people must stay two metres apart. Police have nonetheless fined people who have maintained those social distances, sometimes without prior warning. Neither scenario is prescribed by law. And yet, a Montreal police spokesperson is on record as suggesting that people are not allowed to "congregate" even if they keep their distance.

It's no wonder the Canadian Civil Liberties Association has launched a national campaign to monitor who has been detained and fined, and why.

"Reasonable limits'

The courts have also said that "reasonable limits" on rights must be proportionate responses, with rational connections between measures taken and the problem they aim to solve.

In Quebec, the life, liberty and security of seniors have actually worsened. Shuttering seniors in residences, prohibiting them from leaving and then barring entry to family caregivers and loved ones has had devastating albeit unintended consequences.

The son of a woman who died of COVID-19 in Quebec's government-run seniors' residence in Ste-Dorothee has filed a class-action lawsuit, alleging residents were improperly isolated and infected employees were required to work. A similar lawsuit has been launched in Ontario.

Public service collective agreements have been suspended. Employees claim they are forced to work in dangerous circumstances, with no training or adequate personal protective equipment. These are major limits on freedom of association.

We need to care more, not less, about civil liberties and all human rights during emergencies. Canadian governments are working to keep us safe, but history has shown that in a clash with a public emergency, rights rarely emerge intact unless we double down on remembering why we needed them in the first place.

Explore further Trudeau warns coronavirus restrictions could last weeks, months

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
UCLA chemists have reported the key chemical discovery necessary for the creation of a small, electronic marijuana breathalyzer. The research is published in Organic Letters, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Chemical Society.

The legalization and decriminalization of marijuana in California and elsewhere have made marijuana detection especially important, said senior author Neil Garg, UCLA's Kenneth N. Trueblood Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and chair of UCLA's department of chemistry and biochemistry.

"When I grew up, people were taught not to drive drunk," Garg said. "I haven't seen the same type of messages for marijuana yet, and statistics indicate more than 14 million people in the U.S. smoke marijuana and drive. Our goal was to devise a very simple solution that could be adopted by society. We have shown in this study we can change the chemical structure and properties of THC -- the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana -- using perhaps the simplest chemical means possible: electricity, to determine whether a person is impaired."

"We want a simple breathalyzer that doesn't require specialized training because a police officer is not a trained synthetic organic chemist," said lead author Evan Darzi, a former postdoctoral scholar in Garg's laboratory.

While Darzi and Garg have developed the chemistry that would be at the heart of a marijuana breathalyzer, they have not created an actual device. "We have established the fundamental proof of concept," said Garg, who received the 2018 Robert Foster Cherry Award -- which is the largest university teaching prize in the U.S., awarded by Baylor University -- and was named the 2015 California Professor of the Year.

Darzi and Garg developed a simple oxidation process similar to that used in an alcohol breathalyzer. Oxidation is the loss of an electron from a molecule. The researchers removed a hydrogen molecule from THC (whose full name is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). Alcohol breathalyzers convert ethanol to an organic chemical compound, and hydrogen is lost through the oxidation process.

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"The chemistry we are doing with THC is the same thing," Garg said. "We remove a molecule of hydrogen from THC. That is oxidation. This leads to changes in the color of the molecule that can be detected."

Darzi and Garg report two ways to do the oxidation of THC. Their preferred, inexpensive approach is to use electricity.

"Some of our initial ideas involved trying to get complicated molecules to bind to THC in order to detect a signal," Garg said. "After a while, we realized the simplest solution is to pump electricity into THC and have a chemical reaction occur that produces a change we can detect. It doesn't matter what the change is, as long as it is easy to detect. Oxidation is one of the simplest reactions one can do to a molecule."

The structure of THC includes a unit called a phenol. When chemists oxidize a phenol, the oxidation produces a member of a class of organic compounds called quinones. "We know how to oxidize a phenol into a quinone," Garg said.

THC and the quinone absorb light differently. "Once we knew that," Garg said, "we decided to use electricity to perform the oxidation." Darzi used a new device in Garg's laboratory (called an ElectraSyn 2.0 by IKA Works) that allows him to perform electrochemical reactions.

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The chemists saw a change in where the molecules absorb light. THC absorbs light at a certain wavelength, and Darzi and Garg found that when it is oxidized, it absorbs light at a different wavelength.

"Doing organic chemistry using electrochemistry is not something that people in my field historically have done regularly," Garg said. "Evan studied different variations of how to set up the chemical reactions until he found the best way to oxidize THC."

In order to conduct the research, the chemists first obtained a license from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to study THC in their laboratory.

The chemists said they have had positive responses from other chemists with whom they have shared their research.

The next big step, Garg said, is to achieve the same result with a breath sample from a person who has very recently consumed marijuana, and to avoid false positives. Studies suggest marijuana on the breath can reliably reveal whether marijuana was smoked or otherwise consumed in the last four or five hours, Darzi said. Garg hopes his laboratory will continue this research in collaboration with a company interested in developing the technology. However, he noted there are significant challenges to develop this technology at a university due to federal regulations. UCLA has filed a provisional patent application on the THC oxidation.

Garg's hope is that a marijuana breathalyzer would be inexpensive enough for consumers to buy so they can test themselves before deciding whether to drive. Garg and Darzi expect that a marijuana breathalyzer would produce a numerical result, perhaps similar to the blood alcohol level measurements of an alcohol breathalyzer -- but the details go beyond the scope of this research.

"Professor Garg and I both have young children," Darzi said, "and our children will grow up in a world where marijuana is legal. We're glad we can play a role in helping society address this issue."
Australians are stocking up on tie dye loungewear while working from home in isolation, with many creatives even finding new ways to DIY the hippie colours onto pieces they already own.

Tie dye prints first became popular in the 1960s and 70s in the United States as a form of non-verbal protest against the status quo, particularly during the Vietnam war.

While the pastel swirling of colours is no longer being used to make a political statement it sure packs a punch when it comes to the style stakes, and is the perfect way to stand out on your daily outdoor exercise adventure.

Scroll down for video

Australians are stocking up on tie dye loungewear while working from home in isolation

Plenty of Australian labels have picked up on the fast-moving trend, with Cotton On selling both men's and women's tie dye t-shirts for as little as $9.99 (right)

Plenty of Australian labels have picked up on the fast-moving trend, with Cotton On selling both men's and women's tie dye t-shirts for as little as $9.99.

Its sister company Supre is even getting in on the action to attract the teenage girl market, selling the Harley Super Crop Hooded Sweat for $21.

White Fox Boutique has turned up the heat with a matching shirt ($59.95) and bike short ($44.95) combination in both lilac and light blue, which could be used for an at-home workout, or equally, for a backyard BBQ.

If you already own a colourful pair of trousers or a sweatshirt and you want to tie dye it yourself there have been a number of fashionistas using supermarket bleach to get the job done

White Fox Boutique has turned up the heat with a matching shirt ($59.95) and bike short ($44.95) combination in both lilac and light blue (right)

The tie dye outfits work best with a pair of white trousers or denim shorts, cinched in with a belt (pictured)

Those who are happy to spend more on their winter wardrobe can do so with brands like Livin Cool and Lacausa Clothing, which are dolling out hoodies, slip dresses and cami tops for between $75 and $304.

If you already own a colourful pair of trousers or a sweatshirt and you want to tie dye it yourself there have been a number of fashionistas using supermarket bleach to get the job done.

Stylist Michelle Banares posted a DIY video to her Instagram account on Tuesday detailing how she turned a pastel pink Cotton On tracksuit into a tie dye dream.

Hawaiian mummy blogger Earthy Andy (pictured right) trialled a similar hack with her children's clothes, and saw similar tie dye results

She used elastic bands to scrunch up the fabric and sprayed it with bleach, leaving the clothing to sit in the sun for 10 minutes

Stylist Michelle Banares (pictured)

She used elastic bands to scrunch up the fabric and sprayed it with bleach, leaving the clothing to sit in the sun for 10 minutes.

Then she washed the outfit and hung it out to dry, showing off the 'marbling' effect created by the pastel colours and colour leaching ingredient.

Hawaiian mummy blogger Earthy Andy trialled a similar hack with her children's clothes, and saw similar tie dye results.

While it's certainly a bold finish, the outfits can be made work appropriate by pairing them down with white trousers and accessories.
The couple in a photo posted by authorities: (Wilmington, NC Police Department, Facebook)

Two decomposed bodies have been found by police in a car registered to one half of a newly engaged couple, who disappeared without their phones last month.

The Wilmington, North Carolina, police department said in a post on Facebook that two bodies had been found, but said they were too decomposed to be identified.

Twenty-seven-year old Stephanie Mayorga and Paige Escalera, 25, were reported missing on 19 April by a roommate.

The police confirmed that the couple had blocked their friends on social media and had not used any bank cards since they were last seen on 15 April, in Wilmington,

Authorities initially said that the car was the same brand as Ms Escaleras 2013 Dodge Dart, but later confirmed in a statement that it was her vehicle.

Earlier this week, Allison Rice, Ms Escaleras mother, and Rigo Villafuerte, Ms Mayorgas father, issued an appeal for their daughters.

Ms Rice said: Our families are heartbroken. Were each others rock right now were together in this right now. Were family.

Mr Villafuerte added: This is our worst nightmare. Were just so desperate to see them to come home We have a lot of dreams for both of them.

The police department are now investigating the possibility that the car was involved in a crash, after it was found in the woods.

The grey 2013 Dodge Dart was deep in the woods and covered in vegetation. While the investigation continues, police believe the car may have been involved in an extremely high velocity crash, their statement read.

The department added that on the same day the couple went missing, a crash was reported in the same area, but no car was found.

On April 15, police, fire, and EMS were dispatched to this area just before midnight. A caller advised that they saw a car in their rear view mirror heading west on Independence Boulevard, going at a high rate of speed, possibly hitting a wall and then going into the wooded area, the post read.

Both of the bodies will undergo an autopsy, and the police said: We will release information as it becomes available. This case remains under investigation.

Read more

Arrest finally made in 20-year-old case of murdered baby in N Carolina
It is sometimes better to be safer than sorry and I think the tourist industry around the world needs to bear that it mind.

I fully appreciate that tourism hinged and ring fenced economies want their hotels open, flights back in the air, airports open and beaches adorned with sun worshippers and bathers but there could be a high price to be paid for jumping the gun.

Yesterday, as the Balearic continued to devise cunning plans as to how to get to the front of the queue, central government in Madrid made it blatantly clear that it is they who will call the shots.

What is more, when it comes to lifting border restrictions and allowing foreign travel, there is a small matter of Brussels having the final say. Germany, while extending its lockdown a little longer, is dangling a carrot re summer holidays.

What the government is advising is that people drive to safe neighbouring countries such as Austria or the Netherlands, with regards to jumping on planes, they are holding their cards close to the chests.

And, while all this is going on, rival destinations to the Balearics are already planning massive cuts to hotel rates and offering airlines a goodie box of incentives to fly in their directions, once permitted. But, is Europe ready to start moving about - the costs could be a lot higher than a cheap deal?

I would err on the side of caution for the time being otherwise it could all end in tears.
YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. Since the initiation of the coronavirus-related state of emergency Armenian banks and credit organizations have provided loan repayment holidays to 472,000 individuals and 15,000 businesses, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told lawmakers in parliament during the presentation of the government action plans performance.

Pashinyan emphasized that the banks have done so independently.

He reminded that when the crisis began there was much talk about the potential possibility of the government obliging the banking system to grant the loan holidays. But I have expressed my principled stance, that we cant resort to such solutions through administrative decisions, because this would lead to a significant disruption of our financial system. And we, without any administrative lever, have always maintained contact with the central bank, which also ensured communication with commercial banks. And I am happy to note that as of May 5 the crediting organizations and banks have granted loan holidays to more than 472 thousand natural persons and 15 thousand legal persons, Pashinyan said.

768,150 loans of individuals and 16,875 loans of businesses have been restructured, he added.

Reporting by Anna Grigoryan; Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
New Delhi, May 6 : National carrier Air India is all set to operate the first 'special ferry' flight from New Delhi to Singapore on Thursday, under India's massive 'Vande Bharat Mission to bring back stranded Indians from abroad.

Accordingly, the airline following the laid down Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) which were released on Tuesday has tested its pilots and crews for Covid-19 and is expecting their reports by Thursday afternoon.

The airline has readied the aircraft and taken care of all other logistical aspects to embark on this mission.

According to highly placed sources, the Delhi-Singapore flight will be the first in the 64 ferry services which will be operated by the airline and its subsidiary Air India Express from May 7-13. It will also be the only one to be operated on Thursday.

"There is no delay in our flight operations, we are following all the set guidelines, which were released only yesterday. In such a short while we have achieved readiness and are only awaiting the final test report," sources told IANS.

India will commence one of the world's largest air rescue operations from May 7, when the two airlines will start the first phase of the mission. As per plans, these two airlines will operate 64 flights in 7 days to bring back 14,800 stranded Indians from 12 countries. Overall, more than 190,000 Indian nationals, who would have to pay a one-way ferry service charge, are expected to be brought back in an airlift operation that might last couple of weeks or even more.

In comparison, three decades ago, Air India led a group of airlines which included Indian Airlines and Aeroflot as well as IAF to rescue an estimated 111,711 Indians from the Gulf, after Iraq invaded Kuwait in the year 1990. The 59-day operation involved 488 flights and was conducted before the first Gulf war. This time, the exercise will encompass flights to the US in the West to Philippines in the East. As per the plan, 10 flights will be operated to the UAE to bring Indians from May 7-13, while 7 will be sent to the US, 7 to Malaysia and 5 to Saudi Arabia, amongst others.

Subsequently, the passengers availing these flights will be charged for the one-way ferry service, as the national carrier is already in a financial turmoil. Lately, despite its precarious financial position, the flag carrier has emerged as one of the few airlines in the world that have evacuated more than 9,000 passengers during the Covid-19 crisis.

The airline to date has carried out massive flight operations to China, Japan and Europe to bring back stranded Indians, mostly students and pilgrims. Additionally, the airline has been instrumental in repatriating foreigners to Israel, UK and Germany. Moreover, Air India and its subsidiary Alliance Air has reached every corner of the country to supply essential medical equipment.

(Rohit Vaid can be contacted at rohit.v@ians.in)


Siena Italian Trattoria & Deli is offering a special Mothers Day menu to celebrate moms across the Las Vegas valley. Guests can celebrate the most important women in their lives with family-sized platters of the most authentic Italian dishes.

Choose from options including a Petit Tray of cold cuts, featuring an assortment of gourmet meats and cheeses, an 8-inch Meat Pie, a quiche-style puff pastry made with ricotta cheese, assorted cured meat and bechamel sauce, or Pork Belly, a braised to perfection pork belly served with roasted potatoes and vegetables.

Guests can also choose from Italian classics like the Melanzane Parmigiana, Italian eggplant, topped with fresh tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheese or Lasagna, prepared with meat sauce and a delicious blend of ricotta, parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Siena will be closed on Sunday, May 10 so guests are encouraged to pick up orders on Saturday, May 9 to be prepared the next day.

The last day to pre-order is Friday, May 8.

Hours of Operation:

Monday  Saturday: 10am  8:30pm

Sunday: Closed

Siena Italian Contact #: 702-736-8424

Available for takeout and curbside pickup!
A renowned researcher who was on the brink of very significant findings in his coronavirus studies at the University of Pittsburgh was found dead from gunshot wounds in his home on Saturday, according to officials.

Bing Liu, a 37-year-old research assistant professor studying Covid-19 at the university, was killed in the apparent murder-suicide that took place during the weekend, police said.

He was reportedly shot in the head, neck, torso and extremities by a suspect who was later found dead in a vehicle parked a mile away from the house. That suspect, 46-year-old Has Gu, reportedly killed himself.

The university described Mr Liu as a prolific researcher in a statement expressing condolences to his loved ones.

The University of Pittsburgh is deeply saddened by the tragic death of Bing Liu, a prolific researcher and admired colleague at Pitt, the statement read.

In a separate statement, the universitys Department of Computational and Systems Biology said Mr Liu was on the verge of making very significant findings toward understanding the cellular mechanisms that underlie SARS-CoV-2 infection and the cellular basis of the following complications.

Mr Lius colleagues also vowed to complete his research on the global pandemic as part of an effort to pay homage to his scientific excellence.

The two men were believed to have known each other, according to police.

Detective Sergeant Brian Kohlhepp said there was zero indication that there was targeting due to his being Chinese in a statement. Hate crimes against Asian-Americans have spiked in recent months amid the global pandemic.

Police have launched an investigation to determine the relationship between the two men and whether there was a possible motive for the killing.
Police are concerned that a post-coronavirus recession may worsen domestic abuse amid a suspected spike during the UKs lockdown.

Officers are appealing for victims to seek help after calls to charity helplines rocketed but reported crimes only saw a modest rise.

The National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) said forces were bracing for a potential influx of reports when restrictions lift, and victims are no longer confined with perpetrators inside their homes.

But amid a looming economic recession and concerns over job losses, senior officers voiced concern for the situation after the lockdown.

David Tucke, head of crime at the College of Policing, told a virtual press briefing: We know that financial pressure creates stress within families and its a concern.

We will do the very best we can to deal with the circumstances as they develop.

Deputy Chief Constable Louisa Rolfe, the national lead for domestic abuse, said financial pressures, drug and alcohol abuse, poverty and mental illness were all potential factors.

But she added: Its important we dont suggest domestic abuse only happens in our most deprived communities, it occurs in all walks of life.

She said that an international meeting involving police leaders from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US heard that violence within families also increases in the aftermath of any major incident.

The head of the Police Superintendents Association previously told The Independent that the government must prepare for a more volatile and agitated society after the end of the lockdown.

Domestic abuse charities have reported a surge in demand for their services, with a 25 per cent increase in calls to the national helpline since restrictions came into force on 23 March.

But Ms Rolfe said police have not seen a major increase in domestic abuse incidents across the country, with the figures of some forces up and others down.

We are aware that police have seen an increase in calls about the impact of lockdown upon families, she added.

These often refer to matters such as child access arrangements, relationship tensions and financial pressures.

These are issues which will need support and advice, not always criminal matters, and if they come into us we ensure that we signpost individuals to the right support services to help them.

Coronavirus: London on lockdown Show all 29 1 /29 Coronavirus: London on lockdown Coronavirus: London on lockdown A man walks down a deserted Camden High Street Photos Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Goodge Street Station is one of the many stations closed to help reduce the spread Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown An empty street in the heart of Chinatown Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown People in masks in Chinatown a day after the lockdown Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown A near-empty Piccadilly Circus during the first week of lockdown Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Sonja, my neighbour, who I photographed while taking a short walk. It was nice to briefly chat even from a distance Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown A couple sit on the empty steps of the statue Eros in Piccadilly Circus Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Making sure I stay two-meters apart  DArblay Street, Soho Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown A mannequin behind a shop window. UK stores have closed until further notice Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown A notice displayed on a shop window in Camden Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown As part of the lockdown, all non-essential shops have been ordered to close.Image from Camden High Street Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown A skateboarder wearing a mask utilises his exercise allowance in the Camden area Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Communities have been coming together in a time of need Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown A woman stands alone in a deserted Oxford Street. Up until a few weeks ago, on average, half a million people visited the street per day Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown A couple walk hand in hand down a street in Soho, a day before the stricter lockdown was announced Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown During the first week of March, shoppers focused on stockpiling necessities ahead of a countrywide lockdown Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Many supermarkers are operating a queuing system to make sure only a limited amount of customers are allowed in at anyone time Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Stay Safe  Curzon cinemas are temporarily closed under the new measures Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Pubs, restaurants and bars were ordered to shut as part of the lockdown Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Camden High Street There are fears that coronavirus could lead to permanent closure of struggling shops Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Camden Town is eerily silent on a normal working day Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Shops and supermarkets ran out of hand sanitisers in the first week of the lockdown. As we approach the end of the second week most shops now have started to stock up Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Empty streets around Soho Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown A noticeboard on Camden High Street urges the public to stay at home Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Camden High Street, one of Londons busiest tourist streets turns quiet Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Thriller Live confirmed its West End run ended in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown Empty and eerie Soho streets after stricter rules on social distancing announced Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown A woman pauses for a cigarette on Hanway Street, behind Tottenham Court Road Angela Christofilou Coronavirus: London on lockdown A man steps outside onto Hanway Street, that sits behind what is usually a bustling retail hub Angela Christofilou

Police expect an influx of reports after the lockdown ends, and victims can meet friends and leave the home.

Reports are also made to police by GPs, midwives and other health and social workers, who are currently having less contact with potential victims.

Ms Rolfe raised hope that the coronavirus outbreak may have aided some victims, by allowing them to bar perpetrators from their homes and causing the closure of pubs.

She said officers were running proactive operations checking on homes where domestic abuse had been reported in the past, adding: Forces are still responding to incidents and that has not changed.

Across England and Wales as a whole, the NPCC reported a 3 per cent rise in domestic abuse incidents recorded by police in the four weeks to 12 April, compared to the same period last year.

Ms Rolfe said she could not confirm whether there had been a significant rise in domestic murders, and that figures appeared close to the average of 1.5 a week.

The Counting Dead Women organisation previously calculated there were at least 16 domestic abuse related killings of women and children between 23 March and 12 April.

The victims commissioner for England and Wales has raised concern over reports of a rise in children attacking their parents in a newer kind of domestic abuse.

Police leaders have asked charities for more information on the phenomenon, and instructed regional forces to monitor reports.

They are urging victims to continue seeking help from officers and reporting offences, which can be done using online chats.

Anyone who needs urgent assistance but cannot speak can hit 55 after dialling 999.
Navy ships set out to Maldives, UAE for evacuation

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, May 06: India has dispatched two navy ships to Maldives and two to UAE for evacuation of Indian citizens.

The Navy ships have been deployed as part of Operation Samudra Setu (Sea Bridge) to repatriate Indian citizens stranded abroad. Meanwhile, the first phase of the multi-agency operation called Vande Bharat Mission will see Air India operate 64 non-scheduled commercial flights from May 7 to 14 to bring back around 15,000 Indian nationals from 12 countries.

Three ships sent to evacuate Indians from Maldives and UAE

INS Jalashwa and INS Nagar are en route to the Maldives to commence the first phase of the operations, the Indian Navy has said. A total of 1,000 people will be evacuated in the first trip in naval ships. The evacuated people will disembark in Kochi, the Navy also said.

The Ministry of Home Affairs said that priority will be given to compelling cases in distress, which would include migrant workers, labourers who have been laid off and those faced with expiry of short term visas.

"As per information available, many Indian Nationals who had travelled to different countries before the lockdown, on various purposes such as employment, studies/ internships, tourism, business, etc, are stranded abroad. Due to their prolonged stay abroad, they are facing distress and are desirous of returning to India urgently. Apart from the above cases, there are other Indian Nationals who need to visit India in medical emergencies or death of a family member," the MHA said.

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Story first published: Wednesday, May 6, 2020, 8:22 [IST]
A cancer patient in Rajasthan's Jalore was left frustrated after being issued a permit that allowed him to travel to Ahmedabad for treatment while stating that he cannot come back.

The matter was sorted out after the patient's family approached the Chief Minister's Office.

The patient needed to travel amid the coronavirus lockdown from Jalore's Bhinmal to Ahmedabad, a distance of about 250 km, for chemotherapy.

Bhinmal SDM Avdhesh Meena later said the patient was initially given a one-way pass since the local administration was following a standard format.

The one-way permit issued by the SDM was valid for nine hours, from 5 am to 2 pm, on May 5.

The patient's family had applied for the permission with treatment documents.

The SDM issued the pass on a format having an instruction at the bottom of the letter that the permission is to go only and the traveller cannot come back. A case shall be registered under Section 188 of the IPC if the order is violated".

The reason of travel was mentioned by hand as for regular treatment and check-up of cancer.

After the matter reached Chief Minister's Office in Jaipur, the district collector was directed to get the pass revised immediately, after which the required rectifications were made and a note was added that the travellers will have to go under 28-day home quarantine after they come back.

The earlier condition was waived and the patient was allowed to return with a revised pass validity of two days.

The SDM said, The pass was revised on the same day. Since it was on a standard format, the instruction was there.

Meanwhile, Jalore's Pravasi Rajasthani Friends Foundation president Shrawan Singh Rathore, who raised the issue with the CMO on behalf of the patient's family, demanded action against the officer on humanitarian grounds.

The family was already suffering and the officer showed insensitivity in dealing with the matter. They were very much anguished over the matter. I apprised the Chief Minister's Office and after the intervention of senior officers, the pass was revised, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In the largest study of its kind in any non-European population, an international team of researchers, including a University of Massachusetts Amherst genetic epidemiologist, has identified new genetic links with type 2 diabetes among 433,540 East Asian individuals.

The findings, published in Nature, "provide additional insight into the biological basis of type 2 diabetes," says co-lead author and statistician Cassandra Spracklen, assistant professor of biostatistics and epidemiology in the UMass Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences.

Spracklen served as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill during the research. "How diabetes comes about in different populations can occasionally vary in subtle but significant ways," she says. "With studies like these, we are able to come at that question a little better."

Ultimately, the goal is to identify potential genetic targets to treat or even cure the chronic metabolic disorder that affects and sometimes debilitates more than 400 million adults worldwide, according to the International Diabetes Federation.

The international team of more than 100 researchers was led by scientists at five institutions in Singapore, the U.S., South Korea, United Kingdom and Japan. The research was funded by more than 30 governmental sources and foundations.

"Such a large-scale study would never have been possible without the commitment and dedication to collaboration among so many scientists around the world, especially in Asia," says Karen Mohlke, professor of genetics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and one of the study's senior authors. "The data this team collected and analyzed has provided the research community with much-needed new information about the biological underpinnings of diabetes."

The other senior authors are Xueling Sim of the National University of Singapore; Dr. Bong-Jo Kim of the National Institute of Health in Cheongjusi, South Korea; Robin Walters of the University of Oxford, United Kingdom; and Dr. Takashi Kadowaki of the University of Tokyo, Japan.

The new research - which analyzed data from 433,540 East Asians, including 77,418 with type 2 diabetes - emerges from the consortia known as AGEN (Asian Genetic Epidemiology Network) and DIAMANTE (DIabetes Meta-ANalysis of Trans-Ethnic association studies). Such large-scale genome-wide association studies in diverse populations have the potential to uncover the genes, biology and pathways related to diseases.

DIAMANTE includes five ancestry arms - African, East Asian, European, Hispanic/Latino and South Asian. The analysis of genetic variants in some 900,000 individuals of European ancestry was published in 2018 in Nature Genetics.

In the new analysis of East Asian individuals, researchers used genome-wide association data from 23 cohort studies to examine type 2 diabetes risk in East Asian individuals, identifying 301 distinct association signals at 183 loci, or specific positions on a chromosome. Sixty-one of the loci were newly implicated in the predisposition for type 2 diabetes.

These findings expand the number of genetic variances associated with diabetes and highlight the importance of studying different ancestries. "For many years, these studies have been done primarily in white European populations," Spracklen explains. "There are DNA variants that are seen in some populations and not in others. Learning about the additional variants can help identify additional genes that influence a person's risk for developing type 2 diabetes."

That could help explain, for example, why among people of similar body mass index (BMI) or waist circumference, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is greater in East Asian populations than in European populations.

The next steps are to combine discovery across populations and to experimentally determine which genes are altered by the genetic variants and how those alterations lead to disease.

###
Two ships with 39 Indians on board not yet allowed to unload cargo by China: India

Vande Bharat: Over 3 lakh register in Gulf to return home

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, May 06: Over 3 lakh Indians have registered in Gulf countries for being evacuated by the Indian government. India is launching its biggest evacuation mission called the Vande Bharat Mission to bring back Indians stranded in the Gulf and other countries.

The exercise would involve civilian aircraft and naval ships. However, those holding Overseas Indian Cards will not be brought back home. This operation is only for Indians, the government official confirmed to OneIndia.

How much money Indians will need to pay to fly back home

"Commenced preparations for Vande Bharat Mission. Planning underway for stranded Indian nationals to return home starting May 7. Urge them to keep in regular touch with their embassies," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said. He also said that the government was coordinating arrival arrangements with state governments. We are confident that our collective effort would make this a success, he also said.

There are around 1.4 crore Indians staying in different countries and most of them want to return home. The government is however yet to give an estimate on how Indians it is planning on evacuating.

Meanwhile, India has dispatched two navy ships to Maldives and two to UAE for evacuation of Indian citizens.

The Navy ships have been deployed as part of Operation Samudra Setu (Sea Bridge) to repatriate Indian citizens stranded abroad. Meanwhile, the first phase of the multi-agency operation called Vande Bharat Mission will see Air India operate 64 non-scheduled commercial flights from May 7 to 14 to bring back around 15,000 Indian nationals from 12 countries.

INS Jalashwa and INS Nagar are en route to the Maldives to commence the first phase of the operations, the Indian Navy has said. A total of 1,000 people will be evacuated in the first trip in naval ships. The evacuated people will disembark in Kochi, the Navy also said.

The Ministry of Home Affairs said that priority will be given to compelling cases in distress, which would include migrant workers, labourers who have been laid off and those faced with expiry of short term visas.

Beware of these fake rescue forms for Indians stranded abroad

"As per information available, many Indian Nationals who had travelled to different countries before the lockdown, on various purposes such as employment, studies/ internships, tourism, business, etc, are stranded abroad. Due to their prolonged stay abroad, they are facing distress and are desirous of returning to India urgently. Apart from the above cases, there are other Indian Nationals who need to visit India in medical emergencies or death of a family member," the MHA said.
Chance the Rapper is adjusting to life quite well in his new quarantine-induced role as part musician, part teacher and full-time stay-at-home dad.

"Let me just say, I find my kids doing crazy stuff and that makes me really appreciate their teachers like, man," he laughs.

Between whipping up new music and helping his kids tend to their beloved new pet Sea Monkeys ("They're a slow burn," he tells us), Chance is still managing to give back to those who need it most.

The rapper and humanitarian is teaming up with Box Tops for Education to bring The Twilight Awards, a live broadcast award show honoring 10 teachers from 10 different schools across America.

The awards show, which Chance named after Alexander Twilight (the first black man in America to graduate with a bachelor's degree and be elected to state legislature) are less about allocating funds and supplies for educators in need, but more about cultivating the feelings of respect and admiration for the teachers and showcasing that.

"I just came to the understanding that these superstars just deserved a night of their own with all of the grandeur of the Grammys or the Oscars with celebrity faces and musical numbers and also more tangible awards but all in all, just a night for them to really relish in the work that theyve done and feel the celebrity status that they deserve."

The show, which will take place during Teacher Appreciation Week, will feature Chance going live with 3-4 different teachers per broadcast and donate a total of $300,000 to each educator directly.

But for Chance, giving back has never equated to solely donating funds -- he's never been the type to sign his name to a check and hope that the money is enough to create lasting change in the systems that he wants to see flourish.

One of the biggest challenges that underserved communities or organizations that receive massive grants or funding have is the ability to properly allocate those funds towards systemic change -- and when it comes to educational institutes and public schools, this is crucial in determining long-term success.

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"In 2017, I was working with my nonprofit Social Works in Chicago on creating some sort of equity for the students from the south and west side  the black and brown side of Chicago -- in terms of school funding and just bringing overall awareness to the education budget in Illinois," Chance tells AOL. "And basically while I was doing that, we created this program called New Chance [Arts and Literatrure] Fund  a grant program where we gave $100,000 to 20 different schools. We would create these cohorts where we would come to meet with each principle and a team based on the faculty of the school and really work together in creating these new programmatic lesson plans and basically just plan for how to utilize the money best."

It was through this hands-on work that Chance was able to see for himself how much teachers really do for their students and communities.

"When I did that I really got a chance to understand just how much money these [teachers] put into their kids, how much of their own money on their own time that they spend just hoping for the best for their students," He says. "It really just made me think differently about teaching."

Chance notes that he was "misunderstood" by most teachers in his past -- a rebellious streak that perhaps many of us are all too familiar with in our own pasts.

"I got in a lot of trouble," he says. "I got written off by a lot of my teachers and I had really bad relationships with a lot of teachers. What that did for me was allow me to really respect them. It gave me just a special love for any of the teachers that advocated for me or stuck by me or helped me from getting held back a grade or getting kicked out of school in grade school and in high school.

I still have close relationships with all those teachers and I think in working with the schools and finding out that a large majority of the teachers are like the ones that I actually liked in my schools really touched my heart and just made me realize that these people are really superstars, really like celebrities."

Hindsight is 2020 for the rapper.

"When you grow up, the memories that you remember from your childhood are the ones that taught you something, usually the ones from like 'Sesame Street', you know?'" Chance laughs.

And though looking to the lessons from past is a necessary tool in order to make sense of the present, the current COVID-19 pandemic has many anxiously looking to the future and how things may change.

It is undoubtedly changing the landscape of the music industry, forcing many artists to find creative ways to release, promote and perform music in a digital-only manner.

For Chance, who made himself known through the release of independent mixtapes and notoriously stands as one of the industry's most sought-after artists to score that long-awaited record deal with (update: it's still not happening), putting music distribution in the power of streamers and listeners has always been something at the forefront of his mind.

"I do like the idea of more live music and it being more accessible to more people," Chance tells AOL. "It reminds me of Travis [Scott's] performance with Fortnite, I think they reached like 100 million people or something crazy  being able to do stuff like that is just unheard of and an awesome new way of experiencing music."

Since the pandemic began, Chance has experimented with releasing song snippets via Instagram in collaboration with major artists like Lil Wayne and Yung Thug, titling each one 'Instagram Song' denoted by a number in order of which they were released.

"I still am a huge proponent of live, in-person concerts so its hard for me to let go of that," Chance admits.

But for the musician, adjusting to the new normal is more of a logistical shift than it is a complete mental overhaul something that sets him up to maintain his success in territory where other artists will just be learning to get their footing.

Instagram releases may be new for Chance, sure, but fulfilling the supply-demand need of fans around the world without major marketing pushes from a record label is something he's already mastered.

"For the Instagram song releases that I was doing  I've just always been of the belief (and I think its just a fact) that music predates the music industry," Chance explains.

"The mediums of access to music -- whether it be on disk, on record or back in the day when they used to just publish music as sheet music -- whatever mode that's come out, are temporary. Theres always a new way to make your music accessible by more people.

I dont know why I hadnt thought about releasing songs on Instagram before  I knew that there would be people that would be expecting or hoping that I would release [the music] on other platforms eventually but I kind of like the idea of it just being accessible for anyone that can get on the internet."

And while music remains a focus, it's Chance's dedication to his family that continues to take priority during this time.

Before the coronavirus pandemic began, Chance canceled his 2020 'The Big Tour' following the birth of his second daughter.

"Im gonna take this time to be with family, make some new music and develop my best show to date," he told fans in a December 15 Instagram post.

"One of the main things I've been thinking about is that I got married last year," Chance tells AOL. "And I spent a long time going back and forth between being with my wife and not being with my wife before we were married. I did the whole single-dad thing and had a bachelor apartment and struggled just trying to be a single dad  that sh*t is terrible and terribly hard. And I think I just feel super blessed that I was able to be joined in marriage with my wife and have a second child and to be in this home as it is and not be dealing with this in the state that I was in two years ago."

A huge part of this realization and practice of gratitude is rooted in Chance's faith.

"It's all I have," he says in earnest. "I'm very blessed that I have my faith in this time. I think in this age of social media, everybody has a page, everybody feels like theyre very important and that they should be working on their social currency or social value. And I think that because of my faith and because of what the Word tells me, I know that I'm not the most important thing going on. And so I dont have to accept every live opportunity that comes to me, I dont have to be the most seen person.

All I need to work on are the things that God provided me. That's my family, making sure my house is clean, making sure I'm in good relations to the people that I'm not able to see every day while being very much focused on the people that are in my house."

He pauses. "Faith is the most valuable thing that I have in my house right now."

The Twilight Awards will be streamed on Chance the Rappers Instagram at 8 p.m. EST on May 6, 7 and 8, 2020.
The officiating registrar of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, has for the first time issued a gag order on all faculty, staff members, officers, banning them from speaking to the media.

The orders were issued after a news report titled Mohalis NIPER focusing on cutting-edge Covid-19 research was published that talked about NIPERs maiden research into identifying drugs to treat coronavirus.

The faculty members are now alleging that such bans do not work and instead lead to staff speaking off the record.

In the order, registrar Jitender Kumar Chandel stated, It is reiterated that the administrative and research documents/correspondence, proposals, etc, are held by the respective employees/departments in fiduciary capacity and strictly need to know basis and are not required to be divulged/shared/disclosed to any unauthorised person/publication orally, visually or by written communication. The employees are strictly advised not to interact with media persons unless authorised by the competent authority. Any laxity with regards to the directions will be seriously viewed and will invite action as per rules.

Even after repeated calls and messages, registrar Chandel did not respond to questions.

A senior faculty member on the condition of anonymity said the gag orders clearly reflected insecurity among the management of NIPER. These undemocratic means were being used to curb criticism against the Institute, he said.

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ICGP leader Dr Mary Favier said she does not expect a backlog to build up in the coronavirus testing system as the criteria is broadened (Niall Carson/PA)

A leading GP has said she does not expect a backlog to build up in the coronavirus testing system as the criteria is broadened.

From Wednesday, people will no longer need to be in an at-risk group to be eligible for a Covid-19 test.

Dr Cillian De Gascun, head of the Covid-19 Expert Advisory Group, said on Tuesday night that they are keeping a close eye on the demand for testing in the community.

Obviously the number of positive confirmed cases is going down  our positivity rate is going down. That gives us an indication that theres perhaps not as much disease out there as we might expect, which is a positive finding.

Dr Mary Favier, president of the Irish College of General Practioners (ICGP), welcomed the expansion of the criteria.

She told RTE radio: The way to manage this epidemic is to find each episode of this virus, is to track it down and isolate it so that it does not spread  the wider we can can cast the net, the better.

From today, anyone who has a respiratory illness or feels like they are getting the flu and they have symptoms such as temperature, shortness of breath and temperature  we are advising them to ring their GP and get a test.

Dr Favier said capacity in the system has been increased and results should be back within three to five days instead of seven to 10.

She added that she does not anticipate that the expansion will lead to a backlog.

It is not expected that will be the case. The amount of flu and influenza has dropped in the community so we expect less people with those symptoms to be looking for a test, she said.

There is not an expectation this will overwhelm the testing system. There have been some challenges with the system but it is important we know how much Covid-19 is is the community so we can manage it.

I'm always genuinely moved by all of the lovely messages of support that we receive. This one I received in the office this morning was so very special too. Thank you and these mean so much to our staff. @HSELive #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/2NMnchNOcM  Paul Reid (@paulreiddublin) May 6, 2020

Meanwhile, Education Minister Joe McHugh is meeting education officials and parent and teachers groups on Wednesday to discuss contingency planning for the Leaving Certificate.

The exams are due to begin on July 29 following a planned two weeks of student class time.

However, there have been recent calls from Fianna Fail and other political parties for them to be cancelled.
A Nigerian woman on board the first flight returning stranded Nigerians in Dubai has reportedly fallen into labour barely 30 minutes into the flight.

According to a statement via the official Twitter handle of Abike Dabiri, the Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, the flight had to return back to Dubai as a result.

Read Also: FRSC Officials Allegedly Puncture Tyre Of Car Driven By Lady Rushing Pregnant Woman In Labour To Hospital (Video)

However, the lady is said to have given birth to a baby boy and the flight is already on its way to Nigeria.

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She wrote, Wow! A Nigerian lady onboard the very first flight to return stranded Nigerians from Dubai, fell into labour,30 mins after take off. Flight had to return to Dubai . She is now in hospital. Mother, son, doing great. The flight on its way to Lagos with 265 returnees
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 19:23:04|Editor: huaxia

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DAKAR, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Senegalese Ministry of Health and Social Action announced Wednesday 104 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, marking the first time the daily increase exceeded 100 in the West African nation.

During the daily briefing of the pandemic, Senegalese Director General of Public Health Doctor Marie Khemesse Ngom Ndiaye said Senegal had carried out 1,182 tests in the past 24 hours, among which the health authorities detected 104 positive cases, including 100 follow-up contact cases and four community transmission cases.

According to her, 23 patients have been declared negative and cured, while six patients are in intensive care units of two hospitals in Dakar.

Around Tuesday midnight, another death related to COVID-19 was confirmed by local health authorities, bringing the total death toll to 12 in the country.

Senegal has since March 20 suspended all its international flights until at least May 31. President Macky Sall also extended last Saturday night Senegal's state of emergency and curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., until June 2, as part of the measures taken against COVID-19.

In order to contain the spread of the pandemic, Senegalese health authorities have decided to strengthen the active search for asymptomatic cases of COVID-19 for isolation.

Among the 1,433 confirmed cases in the country, 1,215 are follow-up contact cases, 86 are imported cases and 132 are community transmission cases. Enditem
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Linkedin (Reuters) Amman  Wed, May 6, 2020 09:09 623 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd63991e 2 Entertainment LGBT,Egypt,actor,Hesham-Selim Free

A well-known Egyptian actor has spoken on television about having a 26-year-old transgender son, in a rare public show of support for LGBT+ rights in the conservative Muslim country.

Hesham Selim, 62, made the revelation on a Sunday night television talk show in which he spoke of the difficulty his son had faced.

"One day ... she came and told me, 'I'm living in a body that's not mine'," Selim said on the show, using the feminine pronoun before switching to "he".

"As his father, I have to help him to be able to live the life that he wants."

Selim said Egyptian society made it difficult for those who struggled with their gender identity.

"The problem in Egypt is we have either female or male, we don't have anything in between," he said.

Egyptian trans activist Malak Elkashif described Selim's announcement as a "wonderful step" for transgender rights in a post on Facebook.

"It's a step forward toward societal acceptance and establishing a supportive foundation," she said.

Read also: Indonesian LGBT community pins hopes on youth for better, more tolerant future

Reactions on social media were mixed. Some Egyptians praised Selim for supporting his son, but others said the actions of both went against their religion.

Human rights groups said there was a lack of awareness of the issue in Egypt, where many people conflated gender identity and homosexuality.

Although homosexuality is not specifically outlawed in Egypt, it is a conservative society and discrimination is rife. Gay men are frequently arrested and typically charged with debauchery, immorality or blasphemy.

Rasha Younes, a researcher on LGBT+ rights at Human Rights Watch, said gay and transgender people had faced instances of assault, torture and arbitrary detention in Egypt in recent years.

Egypt stated this year in a United Nations review of its human rights record that it does not discriminate against any citizen, and that it guarantees freedom of expression.
The Tap Chicks enjoyed practicing their moves at the Pasadena Senior Center in January, before the coronavirus hit. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Ive got a Medicare card in my wallet and a target on my back.

Sacrifice the weak, reopen, said a protest sign in Tennessee.

In Antioch, next door to the Bay Area town I grew up in, a planning commissioner said that the sick, the old, the injured, along with the homeless, should be left to die from COVID-19 and ease the burden on society.

Even the 70-year-old lieutenant governor of Texas offered himself up as a sacrificial lamb, saying if more people have to die to save the economy for future generations, Im all in.

And California Gov. Gavin Newsom initially advised hospitals to prioritize younger people for care during the pandemic, although those guidelines were later retracted.

Thousands rally on May 1 in Huntington Beach to protest stay-at-home orders and beach closures. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Am I going to have to dig through all the junk in my garage and pull out my musket to defend myself?

Its no accident that nursing homes  with too few supplies and resources for patients and employees  have become killing fields in a nation that has underfunded public health and failed to provide proper state and federal oversight of profiteering eldercare companies. We geezers are seen as expendable.

I'd like to think those who are saying we have to choose between returning to work and saving lives  as if we can't do both  are in a minority. But as my colleague Laura Newberry reported, ageism is running amok as we square off against each other during an epidemic that is claiming thousands of lives daily, with a majority of the victims up there in years.

What we are seeing in public discourse is an increasing portrayal of those over the age of 70 as being all alike with regard to being helpless, frail and unable to contribute to society, eight alarmed psychologists from around the world wrote in a paper for the Gerontological Society of America.

I didnt think much of it at the time, but when I went to pick up some takeout the other evening, two young folks blew past me perilously close, one on a bike and one on a scooter. Now I'm wondering if maybe they were members of a posse looking to herd gray-haired weaklings off to the nursing homes.

Story continues

I exaggerate a bit, sure. But the pandemic is bringing out our best instincts and our worst, as well.

As I've said in the past, I think we need to prioritize health spending, and I question the wisdom of using every medical procedure available to keep terminally ill people alive only so they can suffer a little longer.

But this isn't about whether it's wise to prolong death. What Im seeing now is an ugly strain of divisiveness and a coldhearted, me-first, survival-of-the-fittest mentality.

A motorist makes a statement via a car window in Newport Beach. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Tim)

I feel that we live in a society where youth and beauty are always idealized, said Akila Gibbs, executive director of the Pasadena Senior Center, which is checking up regularly on 3,000 of its most isolated members and delivering 160 to 170 meals daily to those in need.

Some of these people havent eaten in four days, said Gibbs.

Because government calls Social Security an entitlement, Gibbs said, I think it sends the message that older adults are weighing down the economy. If youre lucky, everyone is going to grow older, so all these things you dont care about now, youre going to want someone to care about when youre older.

All the talk of pulling together back when the pandemic was just beginning to rage seems quaint and naive now, with daily images of protesters demanding a return to normal, even though more lives would surely be lost.

In Huntington Beach, without masks or distancing, they want it now.

The hell with Grandpa.

In Michigan, where armed protesters marched on the statehouse like an invading army, they want it now.

The hell with Grandma.

In Virginia, Florida, North Carolina and so many other places, they want it now.

Who cares if, by marching en masse, someone gets infected, another nurse or doctor is exposed and a few more geezers drop dead?

They want it now even though theres still not enough testing or tracing, theres still no cure or vaccine, and we havent met the sensible conditions for reopening laid out in a rare moment of sanity by President Trump himself.

Brajandra Singh, 71, Altadena, works out at the Pasadena Senior Center in January, before the coronavirus lockdown. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

They want it even though a consensus of experts  including Trumps own advisers  insist that if we move too quickly we will pay in funerals we cant even attend.

But how can we be surprised by the protests or the boorish, me-first attitudes?

If President Trump spent a tenth as much time expressing and appealing to unity and empathy as he has lashing out at his perceived enemies and filling out his own report card with A's, wed be in a better place.

If he wore a mask, we wouldnt have so many jackbooted rebels refusing to do so, as if thats somehow brave rather than idiotic and disrespectful.

If the 73-year-old president demanded caution and respect for elders and everyone else, rather than treating pitchfork anarchists like patriots, lives could be saved.

But if our president doesn't make the best case for why seniors shouldn't be sacrificed, consider that the presidents of South Korea and Germany, both of whom pulled their countries together to mount effective responses to the virus, are also in the senior citizen category.

I want, you want, we all want a return to something resembling normal, because people are hurting, they're broke and they're restless. And we do have to begin very gradually reopening parks, beaches, businesses, schools and everything else within reason, but with new standards of distancing and protection.

We know were dealing with a highly contagious and lethal virus, we know the hard work of distancing and patience have saved lives, and we know about the great generations of those before us who made heroic sacrifices for the good of one and all.

Sure, if youve got only one ventilator and two very sick COVID-19 patients in the emergency room, an 85-year-old with underlying medical issues and an otherwise healthy 40-year-old, by all means try to save the 40-year-old first.

But it's a tougher call for me if the 40-year-old got infected at a mosh pit back to normal rally while waving a give me liberty sign.

Steve.lopez@latimes.com
The Ritz hotel was sold for 'half the market price' by Sir Frederick Barclay's nephews after they secretly recorded conversations between him and a Saudi investor offering 1.3 billion, the High Court has heard.

The 85-year-old billionaire businessman and his daughter Amanda are suing three of his twin brother Sir David's sons - Alistair, Aidan and Howard - and Aidan's son Andrew over 94 hours of recordings made over several months.

The 'elaborate system of covert recording' came to light in January when Alistair was filmed on CCTV 'handling the bug placed in the conservatory at the Ritz', London's High Court has previously heard.

At a further preliminary hearing conducted remotely today, Mr Justice Warby heard that the recording of Sir Frederick and Amanda Barclay's conversations was 'commercial espionage on a vast scale'.

Hefin Rees QC, representing Sir Frederick and Ms Barclay, said in written submissions that the recordings 'captured over 1,000 separate conversations over a period of months', including conversations with the claimants' lawyers as well as 'bankers and business people'.

Sir David Barclay (left) and his twin brother Sir Frederick posing after receiving their knighthoods from the Queen at Buckingham Palace

Sir Frederick and his daughter Amanda are suing three of his twin brother Sir David's sons - Alistair, Aidan and Howard - and Aidan's son Andrew over 94 hours of recordings made over several months. (pictured: Howard and Aidan Barclay)

He added that 'a separate Wi-Fi bug was also used', which was supplied by private investigations firm Quest, which 'invoiced for 405 hours of their time to listen and transcribe the recordings', with transcripts later 'shared amongst the defendants and others'.

The court was told that Sir Frederick, who had 'placed great trust' in Aidan and Howard Barclay to run his and his brother's business empire, is 'now left to contemplate his nephews' betrayal'.

Sir Frederick and Ms Barclay are bringing a legal action alleging misuse of private information, breach of confidence and breach of data protection laws, against their four relatives and Philip Peters, who 'holds a board position' in the Barclay group of businesses.

Mr Rees submitted that material previously disclosed to his clients 'reveals beyond doubt that the defendants derived significant financial and commercial advantage from the unlawful use of the recordings'.

He added that they were made at a time 'when there were significant ongoing commercial disputes between the parties concerning, among other things, the sale of the Ritz hotel, the financial performance and management of the group, (Amanda Barclay's) continuing financial interests in the group, and Sir Frederick's divorce proceedings'.

Sir Frederick Barclay's nephews sold the Ritz hotel for 'half the market price' after secretly recording conversations between him and a Saudi investor offering 1.3 billion, the High Court has heard

In March, Sir Frederick said he had received competing bids to buy the Ritz for more than 1 billion, adding that any move to sell the establishment for 'below the proper value would give rise to further litigation'.

The Ritz has since been sold to an unnamed Qatari investor for an unknown price, reported to be around 750 million.

Mr Rees told the court the defendants heard 'Sir Frederick's conversations with Sidra Capital, which at the time had made an initial offer of some 1.3 billion for the acquisition of the Ritz hotel'.

He added: 'Despite this, the defendants sold the Ritz hotel to another buyer from Qatar at a price that appears to be for half the market price. One is left to speculate why.'

Mr Rees argued that the recordings allowed the defendants 'to anticipate the claimants' every move in advance, plan their business strategy around that, including knowing what legal advice the claimants were seeking and getting at this crucial time when their business and personal relationships had broken down, and the respective interests of the claimants and the defendants were in conflict'.

At the hearing in February, Heather Rogers QC, representing all five defendants, argued there was 'a lot of information that would have been in the possession of my clients... which they have got completely free of the recordings'.

She added that her clients had 'ample opportunity' to 'spread it about before an injunction' was granted, but there was 'no evidence of dissemination'.

Mr Justice Warby will continue to hear submissions on Wednesday afternoon.
Swedens approach to managing the coronavirus outbreak has received considerable attention. In contrast to other countries, Sweden has relied on recommendations about social distancing rather than restricting peoples movements, trusting citizens to follow the official advice.

While other countries have closed businesses, much remains up and running in Sweden, including cafes and bars. People are advised to limit their movements but not required to stay at home.

Within Sweden, the strategy has spurred a heated debate in the scientific community and drawn scepticism for being high risk.

Critics say making social distancing optional preserves the freedom of the young at the expense of the old, who are more seriously affected by Covid-19. But our new study shows that older people are more supportive of the approach taken by the government than their younger counterparts.

In a survey of more than 1,600 Swedes, opinions were certainly divided, with 31 per cent of respondents rating the nations response to the outbreak as not forceful enough. Another 18 per cent were neutral and the remaining 51 per cent considered the response forceful enough. But, despite the argument that the strategy comes at the expense of the old, approval actually increased with age. Those aged 50 and above  those with elevated risk for severe complications from an infection  are most supportive of the Swedish response. While 40 per cent of 15-29 year olds state that the Swedish response has been sufficient, the corresponding figure is 61 per cent for those above 70.

Approval of the governments actions actually increases with age (Erik Wengstrom, author provided) (Erik Wengstrom, Author provided)

The age gap in the approval rate of the Swedish strategy persists even after accounting for a range of other background variables  including income and education  that could potentially explain the observed pattern. Importantly, the higher approval rating among the elderly is not a mere reflection of higher trust in the government among this group. So, the striking generational divide does indeed seem to be real and reflect age differences in the perception of the governments coronavirus strategy.

Another concern raised about the relaxed approach in Sweden is that it puts the economy ahead of the health of citizens.

A crucial part of Swedens policy is to get people to voluntarily follow recommendations from authorities. And if people do not trust others to comply, they are less likely to comply themselves

Its perhaps therefore not surprising that people who worry about the virus outbreaks effects on the economy are more satisfied with the Swedish response than those who worry about the impact on the public health system.

This also suggests that even though many experts now reject the idea that a forceful response must be seen as a trade-off between economic and health concerns, the pattern clearly lives on in the minds of the public.

Another critical driver of the perception is a persons own taste for taking health risks. Respondents with high health-risk tolerance are more likely to approve of Swedens response to the pandemic. This indicates that those who can tolerate the risks are more likely to be satisfied with the current  comparatively soft  policy adopted in Sweden.

As countries scale down or consider scaling down restrictions, a natural question to ask is how governments should proceed and whether Swedens strategy provides a way forward. But there is an important matter to consider here. Trust stands out as a fundamental driver when it comes to whether people approve of the Swedish response. And since Sweden has among the highest levels of trust in the world, the strong relationship between trust and approval of the strategy might suggest its approach would be less successful elsewhere.

High levels of trust mean high levels of support (Erik Wengstrom, author provided) (Erik Wengstrom, Author provided)

To measure trust, respondents had to state to what degree they agreed to the statement: I assume that people have only the best intentions. Among those with the lowest level of trust, only around 30 per cent feel that the Swedish reaction has been sufficient. But for those with the highest level of trust, the corresponding figure is above 70 per cent.

There is a clear risk that in countries characterised by lower levels of trust, the perception of a more voluntary-based approach will be less favourable. In addition, a crucial part of Swedens policy is to get people to voluntarily follow recommendations from authorities. And if people do not trust others to comply, they are less likely to comply themselves.

Erik Wengstrom is a professor in the Department of Economics at Lund University, Sweden. This article first appeared on The Conversation
From Italy to Kansas, health authorities are increasingly warning that the question isn't whether a second wave of coronavirus infections and deaths will hit, but when and how badly.

As more countries and US states chaotically re-open for business, even as their own infection rates are at different stages, managing those future infections is as important as preventing them.

In India, which partly eased its virus lockdown this week, health authorities scrambled Wednesday to contain an outbreak at a massive market. Experts in hard-hit Italy, which just began easing some restrictions, warned lawmakers in the Senate that a new wave of virus infections and deaths is coming. They urged intensified efforts to identify possible new victims, monitor their symptoms and trace their contacts.

Germany warned of a second and even third wave, and threatened to re-impose virus restrictions if new cases can't be contained. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was meeting Wednesday with the country's 16 governors to discuss further loosening restrictions that have crippled Europe's largest economy.

"There will be a second wave, but the problem is to which extent. Is it a small wave or a big wave? It's too early to say, said Olivier Schwartz, head of the virus and immunity unit at France's Pasteur Institute.

Discussions about what a second coronavirus wave would look like are coming even as many areas are still struggling with the first wave of this pandemic.

Brazil for the first time locked down a large city, and an Associated Press analysis found that U.S. infection rates outside the New York City area are in fact rising, notably in rural areas. It found the progress the New York City area was making against the virus was overshadowing increasing infections elsewhere.

"Make no mistakes: This virus is still circulating in our community, perhaps even more now than in previous weeks, said Linda Ochs, director of the Health Department in Shawnee County, Kansas.

The virus is known to have infected more than 3.6 million and killed more than 251,000 people, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins that all experts agree is an undercount due to limited testing, uneven victim criteria and deliberate concealment by some governments.

The U.S. has seen over 71,000 deaths amid its 1.2 million infections, and Europe has endured over 144,000 reported coronavirus deaths. Behind each of those vast numbers is a family in pain.

Burying both parents at the same time? It's hard, said Desmond Tolbert, who lost his mother and father in rural southwest Georgia. Because they had the virus, he couldn't be with them when they died.

U.S. President Donald Trump, with his eye on being reelected in November, is pushing hard to ease state stay-at-home orders and resuscitate the U.S. economy, which has seen over 30 million workers lose their jobs in less than two months.

Trump is expected to wind down the country's coronavirus task force, possibly within weeks, despite concerns that states aren't being careful enough as they reopen.

A century ago, the Spanish flu epidemic's second wave was far deadlier than its first, in part because authorities allowed mass gatherings from Philadelphia to San Francisco.

As Italy's lockdown eased this week, Dr. Silvio Brusaferro, president of the Superior Institute of Health, urged a huge investment of resources to train medical personnel to monitor possible new cases. He said tracing apps which are being built by dozens of countries and companies and touted as a possible technological solution aren't enough to manage future waves of infection.

We are not out of the epidemic. We are still in it. I don't want people to think there's no more risk and we go back to normal, said Dr. Giovanni Rezza, the head of the institute's infectious disease department.

In Germany, Lothar Wieler, the head of the national disease control center, said scientists know with great certainty that there will be a second wave" of infections and added many believe there will be further surges. But Wieler said Germany is well-prepared to deal with it. The country has been hailed for testing widely and has suffered four times fewer deaths than Italy or Britain, which both have smaller populations.

Britain has begun recruiting 18,000 people to trace contacts of people infected, and aims to have them ready to work later in May. British officials now acknowledge that they should have done more testing and tracing early in the outbreak, and could learn from South Korea, which brought its outbreak under control by rigorously testing, tracing and isolating infected people.

Israel's Health Ministry, seeking to avoid a second wave of infections, plans to conduct 100,000 antibody tests to determine how widespread the coronavirus outbreak has been.

India was concentrated on the immediate drama around the market in the southern city of Chennai, which is now tied to at least 1,000 virus cases. Another 7,000 people connected to now-shuttered Koyambedu market are being traced and quarantined. Experts are worried about a potential health catastrophe in a country of 1.3 billion people and a medical system strained even in the best of times.

The capital of Brazil's tropical Maranho state ground largely to a halt Tuesday due to the pandemic.

We are doing our best, but I tell you, it's still very little in face of the oncoming barbarism. We can't be silent. We need all possible help, the mayor of Manaus pleaded in an online appeal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The moon sets over a house in Bamburgh, Northumberland, on Wednesday morning, ahead of the final supermoon of the year. (PA)

Britain is set to be greeted by the May full moon this week  the final supermoon of 2020.

The full moon in May is also known as the "flower moon", signifying the flowers that bloom during the month.

Other names for it include the hare moon, the corn-planting moon, and the milk moon, according to Royal Observatory Greenwich.

A blue super moon rises over the City of London on 31 January 31, 2018. (PA)

What is a supermoon?

A supermoon is a full moon or new moon that coincides with the point closest to Earth in its elliptic orbit. The term was coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979. A supermoon is about 6% larger than a typical full moon and around 14% bigger than a micromoon, which is when the moon is at its furthest point from Earth.

Greg Brown, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory, said: "The moon's orbit around the Earth is not entirely circular, instead a slightly flattened circle or ellipse. As such, it is sometimes closer to and sometimes further away from the Earth.

Read more: Photographer takes 'clearest-ever' photo of moon by combining phases in one image

"While definitions vary, a supermoon typically occurs when a full moon coincides with the moon being within the closest 10% of its orbit.

When exactly is this weeks supermoon?

The peak of the supermoon will take place on the morning of Thursday, 7 May, but Britons will have to wait until the evening to see it. Greg Brown said: "Technically the exact moment of full moon is 11.45am, however the moon will not be visible in the sky in the UK at that time.

Nasa said on its website: "The next full moon will be on Thursday morning, May 7, 2020, appearing opposite the Sun (in Earth-based longitude) at 6:45am EDT. This means Britons watching for the supermoon will have the best visibility at around 10:45pm UK time.

Read more: Scientists believe there may be life on the moon  that travelled there from Earth

The moon sets in Bamburgh, Northumberland, on Wednesday morning, ahead of the final supermoon of the year. (PA)

How can we see the supermoon?

The moon will appear quite low in the sky and will travel in a west-southwest direction, before setting at around 6:09am on Friday morning. However, the spectacle can also be witnessed online. A free YouTube stream from the Virtual Telescope Project will allow those stuck indoors because of lockdown to see it in the skies above Rome, Italy.

Story continues

Read more: In pictures: Stunning entries from the Astronomy Photographer of the Year awards

A pink supermoon is seen over Belvoir castle in Leicestershire on 7 April, 2020. (AP)

When is the next supermoon due to take place?

This event marks the third and final supermoon of the year. Greg Brown said: "Because of how the dynamics of orbits work, these usually occur in runs of two or three with longer gaps of several months between each set of supermoons. The next supermoon will be visible in April 2021.

Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK
Charles Scott Crowley, age 28, from Katy was arrested and charged with a litany of sex crimes against children, including the possession of child pornography and aggravated sexual assault of a child. He was also charged with super aggravated sexual assault of a child, meaning at least one of his alleged victims is under the age of 6.

The arrest was a collaborative sting operation between multiple law enforcement agencies, said Bruce Moats, a cybercrime investigator with the Fort Bend County District Attorneys Office.

MORE FROM CLAIRE GOODMAN: Online predators 'more active than ever' during COVID-19 crisis, experts say

The task force was comprised of investigators from the Fort Bend County District Attorneys Office, Houston Cyber Investigations Group, Houston Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, Texas Department of Public Safety, Katy ISD Police Department, Texas Department of Criminal Justice-Office of Inspector General, Cy-Creek Tactical EMS and Child Safe Harbour of Montgomery County.

According to Moats, the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force began investigating Crowley in early April. Investigators in the task force allege that they discovered Crowley searching for children online.

Upon Crowleys arrest, authorities said, three victims, all young children, were rescued. The three children were victims of sexual assault, and at least one was under the age of 6, resulting in a charge of super aggravated sexual assault. The charge of super aggravated sexual assault carries a sentence of up to life in prison.

BREAKING NEWS UPDATES: Get your Houston breaking news alerts delivered to your Inbox

Two of the identified victims lived in Fort Bend County. The third was a resident of Montgomery County. According to Moats, authorities believe there are more victims that have yet to be identified.

A press release from the District Attorneys Office said, During this investigation, we have discovered that there may be other children who were victimized While Crowley resided in the Katy area, his exposure and access to children could have occurred anywhere in Fort Bend County or elsewhere.

Our biggest priority right now is identifying other potential victims so they can get the help they need, Moats said. If anybodys child has had contact with Crowley, please come forward. We absolutely believe there are more victims.

SMARTPHONE TIPS: Police say these apps could be dangerous for children

Fort Bend County District Attorney Brian Middleton commended the work of the task force and added, If you are seeking to harm our children, know that the Task Force is looking for you. If you seek to harm children in our county, know that the ICAC Task Force will find you and stop you, and we will be relentless in our prosecution of these crimes.

Anyone with information about Charles Scott Crowley is encouraged to contact the Fort Bend County District Attorneys Office, the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office or their local law enforcement agency, the press release said.

claire.goodman@chron.com
On May 4, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed charges against small business lender CAN Capital, Inc. for misleading investors in an offering that raised $191 million.

According to the SEC's complaint, CAN Capital's offering involved the securitization of a revolving pool of merchant cash advances and small business loans. The complaint alleges that CAN Capital disclosed to investors that it was required to maintain a minimum amount of receivables in the revolving pool, which included writing off delinquent accounts and replacing them with performing assets. According to the complaint, however, CAN Capital failed to disclose its practice of granting forbearance, known as grace days, to certain accounts unable to make loan payments. The complaint alleges that these accounts often remained as collateral for the securitization, even as they became non-performing. By November 2016, CAN Capital's collateral for the securitization allegedly contained millions of dollars of non-performing assets that should have been removed from the securitization, which resulted in losses to investors.

The SEC's complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, charges CAN Capital with violating the antifraud provisions of Sections 17(a)(2) and (3) of the Securities Act of 1933. Without admitting or denying the SEC's allegations, CAN Capital has consented to permanent injunctive relief. The settlement is subject to approval by the court.

The SEC's investigation was conducted by William Finkel, Joshua Brodsky, and Daniel Nigro, and supervised by Osman Nawaz and Daniel Michael, all of the Complex Financial Instruments Unit, with assistance from Alistaire Bambach.
[May 06, 2020] GSX Announces Financial Results for the First Quarter of 2020 and a Share Repurchase Program

- Quarterly Results:

Net Revenues up by 382.0% Year-Over-Year

Gross Billings up by 358.0% Year-Over-Year

Net Income up by 336.6% Year-Over-Year

Non-GAAP Net Income up by 405.8% Year-Over-Year BEIJING, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- GSX Techedu Inc. (NYSE: GSX) ("GSX" or the "Company"), a leading online K-12 large-class after-school tutoring service provider in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2020. First Quarter 2020 Highlights [1] Net revenues increased 382.0% year-over-year to RMB1,297.6 million .

. Gross billings [2] increased 358.0% year-over-year to RMB1,374.4 million .

increased 358.0% year-over-year to . Income from operations increased 115.2% year-over-year to RMB91.9 million , from RMB42.7 million in the same period of 2019.

, from in the same period of 2019. Non-GAAP income from operations increased 189.7% year-over-year to RMB134.7 million , from RMB46.5 million in the same period of 2019.

, from in the same period of 2019. Net income increased 336.6% year-over-year to RMB148.0 million , from RMB33.9 million in the same period of 2019.

, from in the same period of 2019. Non-GAAP net income increased 405.8% year-over-year to RMB190.7 million , from RMB37.7 million in the same period of 2019.

, from in the same period of 2019. Paid course enrollments[3] increased 307.4% year-over-year to 774,000.







Financial and Operating DataFirst Quarter of 2020 (In thousands of RMB, except for paid course enrollments and percentages)



Three Months Ended March 31,

2019

2020

Pct. Change Net revenues 269,155

1,297,580

382.0% Gross billings 300,095

1,374,399

358.0% Income from operations 42,727

91,930

115.2% Non-GAAP income from operations 46,549

134,683

189.7% Net income 33,891

147,988

336.6% Non-GAAP net income 37,713

190,741

405.8% Paid course enrollments 190,000

774,000

307.4%

[1] For a reconciliation of non-GAAP numbers, please see the table captioned "Reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP measures" at the end of this press release. Non-GAAP income from operations, non-GAAP net income exclude share-based compensation expenses. [2] Gross billings is a non-GAAP financial measure, which is defined as the total amount of cash received for the sale of course offerings in such period, net of the total amount of refunds in such period. See "About Non-GAAP Financial Measures" and "Reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP measures" elsewhere in this press release. [3] Paid course enrollments for a certain period refer to the cumulative number of paid courses enrolled in and paid for by our students, including multiple paid courses enrolled in and paid for by the same student. Paid courses are to our courses that are charged not less than RMB99.0 per course in fees. Larry Xiangdong Chen, GSX's founder, Chairman and CEO, commented, "Since the outbreak of COVID-19, we have donated RMB20 million worth of regular winter semester courses to Wuhan residents, delivered free courses of all subjects and all grades to tens of millions of students nationwide, and through our Weishi platform, assisted over 134,000 educational institutions and professionals to transfer offline courses to online. We are proud to have done our part in the fight against the epidemic, even though the aforementioned initiatives weighted down our gross billings and revenues, and added extra costs and expenses in the first quarter. However, we were still able to achieve over 350% year-over-year growth in both net revenues and gross billings. Paid enrollments grew by 307% year-over-year to 774,000, of which a majority were first-time paid enrollments. Moreover, given our high ROI, we expanded investments in customer acquisition and technology development, to lay a solid foundation for our healthy and sustainable growth over the long-term." Mr. Chen continued, "We were able to achieve this remarkable performance largely thanks to our focus, dedication, and devotion to our strategy, thanks to our continued refining of organizational capabilities, and thanks to our persistent faith in our future. Moving forward, we will remain focused on online live large-class education. We will spare no effort to build a great organization that the best talents yearn for. We will further strengthen our operating efficiency and organizational capability. We will remain committed to hiring and retaining the top-notch teachers and technology professionals. We will strategically expand our investments in high ROI channels to set the stage for long-term growth. We will stick to our profitable growth strategy, as we have always committed to." Shannon Shen, CFO of GSX, noted, "We delivered impressive results during the quarter despite the challenging environment. Net revenues from our core K-12 business line grew 448% year over year, maintaining the above 400% growth rate we have always had, which demonstrates the enormous value that our highly-focused strategy and persistent execution can generate. Net income for the quarter was RMB148.0 million on a GAAP-basis and RMB190.7 million on a non-GAAP basis, close to the record high we set in the last quarter of 2019. " Shannon added, "We are proud that we did our best to contribute to the society during the pandemic period. These initiatives shortened the regular enrollment recruitment window, reduced our net revenues and gross billings, and resulted in extra costs and expenses associated with staff compensation, technology support and traffic acquisition. The negative impact on operating profit margin was partially offset by the value-added tax exemption issued by the government, recorded in other income. We were still able to realize net profit margin of 11.4%, and non-GAAP net profit margin of 14.7%, which reflects our proven organizational capabilities and superior operating efficiency. Today, we also announced a share repurchase program, which manifests the management's confidence in our future business prospects. Going forward, we will continually strive to identify, train and cultivate high-quality instructors, enhance the career prospects for tutors, and attract highly-skilled research and technology talents, to generate an efficient and sustainable long-term development." Financial Results for the First Quarter of 2020 Net Revenues Net revenues reached RMB1,297.6 million, a 382.0% increase from RMB269.2 million in the first quarter of 2019. The increase was mainly driven by the growth in paid course enrollments for K-12 courses. Cost of revenues Cost of revenues rose 245.5% to RMB283.3 million from RMB82.0 million in the first quarter of 2019. The increase was mainly due to the increase in compensation for instructors and tutors, learning materials, as well as the extra costs paid for supporting our services offered for free during the COVID-19 outbreak. Gross Profit Gross profit increased 442.1% to RMB1,014.3 million from RMB187.1 million in the first quarter of 2019. Gross profit margin increased to 78.2% from 69.5% in the same period of 2019, primarily as a result of economies of scale. Non-GAAP gross profit increased 448.4% to RMB1,028.2 million from RMB187.5 million in the same period of 2019. Non-GAAP gross profit margin increased to 79.2% from 69.7% in the same period of 2019. Operating Expenses Operating expenses were RMB922.4 million, increasing from RMB144.4 million in the first quarter of 2019. Selling expenses increased to RMB757.2 million from RMB99.5 million in the first quarter of 2019. The increase was primarily a result of higher marketing expenses to expand the user base and enhance our brands, an increase in compensation to sales and marketing staff, as well as free course promotional expenses to acquire traffic during the COVID-19 outbreak. Research and development expenses increased 227.0% to RMB99.4 million, from RMB30.4 million in the first quarter of 2019. The increase was primarily due to an increase in the number of course professionals and technology development personnel, as well as an increase in compensation for such staff. General and administrative expenses increased to RMB65.8 million from RMB14.4 million in the first quarter of 2019. The increase in general and administrative expenses was mainly due to an increase in the number of general and administrative personnel and an increase in compensation paid to general and administrative staff. Income from Operations Income from operations was RMB91.9 million, compared with RMB42.7 million in the first quarter of 2019. Non-GAAP income from operations increased to RMB134.7 million, from RMB46.5 million in the first quarter of 2019. Interest income and Realized gains from investment Aggregation of interest income and realized gains from investments this quarter, representing the income received from cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments, increased 1,045.5% to RMB12.6 million, from RMB1.1 million in the first quarter of 2019. This resulted from an increase of cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments. Other income Other income increased to RMB61.9 million, from RMB533 thousand in the first quarter of 2019. The increase was primarily due to the value-added tax exemption offered by the government, partially offset by the related cost, during the COVID-19 outbreak, which amounted to RMB53.2 million, as well as government subsidies of RMB8.2 million received in the first quarter of 2020. Net Income Net income increased to RMB148.0 million, from RMB33.9 million in the first quarter of 2019. Non-GAAP net income increased to RMB190.7 million, from RMB37.7 million in the first quarter of 2019. Cash Flow Net operating cash inflow for the first quarter of 2020 was RMB117.7 million, an 82.2% increase from RMB64.6 million in the first quarter of 2019. Basic and Diluted Net Income per ADS Basic and diluted net income per ADS were RMB0.62 and RMB0.59, respectively, in the first quarter of 2020. Non-GAAP basic and diluted net income per ADS, were RMB0.80 and RMB0.76, respectively, in the first quarter of 2020. Share count As of March 31, 2020, the Company had 159,165,833 ordinary shares outstanding. Cash and Cash Equivalents, Short-term Investments and Long-term Investments As of March 31, 2020, the Company had RMB565.2 million of cash and cash equivalents, RMB1,003.1 million of short-term investments and RMB1,169.0 million of long-term investments, compared with RMB74.0 million of cash and cash equivalents, RMB1,473.5 million of short-term investments and RMB1,188.3 million of long-term investments as of December 31, 2019. The increasing of cash and cash equivalents is mainly due to the maturity of short-term wealth management investments in the first quarter of 2020. Deferred Revenue As of March 31, 2020, the Company's deferred revenue balance was RMB1,338.8 million, largely flat from RMB1,337.6 million as of December 31, 2019. Deferred revenue primarily consisted of tuition collected in advance. Other Payables As of March 31, 2020, other payables in non-current liabilities totaled RMB220.6 million, all of which are payables to purchase the Zhengzhou properties. Share Repurchase Program The Company's board of directors authorized a share repurchase program under which the Company may repurchase up to US$150 million of its shares, effective until May 6, 2022. The Company's proposed repurchases may be made from time to time on the open market at prevailing market prices, in privately negotiated transactions, in block trades and/or through other legally permissible means, depending on market conditions and in accordance with applicable rules and regulations. The Company's board of directors will review the share repurchase program periodically, and may authorize adjustment of its terms and size. The Company plans to fund repurchases from its existing cash balance and resumption of wealth management products. Business Outlook Based on the Company's current estimates, total net revenues for the second quarter of 2020 are expected to be between RMB1,526 million and RMB1,556 million, representing an increase of 331.4% to 339.9% on a year-over-year basis. These estimates reflect the Company's current expectations, which are subject to change. Conference Call The Company will hold an earnings conference call on Wednesday, May 6, 2020, at 8:00 AM U.S. Eastern Time (8:00 PM on the same day, Beijing/Hong Kong Time). Dial-in details for the earnings conference call are as follows: International: 1-412-317-6061 US: 1-888-317-6003 Hong Kong: 800-963976 Mainland China: 4001-206115 Passcode: 3561526 A telephone replay will be available two hours after the conclusion of the conference call through May 13, 2020. The dial-in details are: International: 1-412-317-0088 US: 1-877-344-7529 Passcode: 10143350 Additionally, a live and archived webcast of this conference call will be available at http://gsx.investorroom.com/.

Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, the outlook for the second quarter of 2020 and GSX's strategic and operational plans, contain forward-looking statements. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual reports 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 the Company's 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, including but not limited to the following: the Company's ability to continue to attract students to enroll in its courses; the Company's ability to continue to recruit, train and retain qualified teachers; the Company's ability to improve the content of its existing course offerings and to develop new courses; the Company's ability to maintain and enhance its brand; the Company's ability to maintain and continue to improve its teaching results; and the Company's ability to compete effectively against its competitors. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in the Company's reports filed with, or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and GSX undertakes no duty to update such information or any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. About GSX Techedu Inc. GSX Techedu Inc. is a technology-driven education company and leading online K-12 large-class after-school tutoring service provider in China. GSX offers K-12 courses covering all primary and secondary grades as well as foreign language, professional and interest courses. GSX adopts an online live large-class format to deliver its courses, which the Company believes is the most effective and scalable model to disseminate scarce high-quality teaching resources to aspiring students in China. Big data analytics permeates each aspect of the Company's business and facilitates the application of the latest technology to improve teaching delivery, student learning experience, and operational efficiency. About Non-GAAP Financial Measures The Company uses gross billings, non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP income from operations and non-GAAP net income, each a non-GAAP financial measure, in evaluating its operating results and for financial and operational decision-making purposes. The Company defines gross billings for a specific period as the total amount of cash received for the sale of course offerings in such period, net of the total amount of refunds in such period. The Company's management uses gross billings as a performance measurement because the Company generally bills its students for the entire course fee at the time of sale of its course offerings and recognizes revenue proportionally as the classes are delivered over a period usually no more than 60 classes for K-12 courses. For some courses, the Company continues to provide students with 12 months to 36 months access to the pre-recorded audio-video courses after the online live courses are delivered. The Company believes that gross billings provides valuable insight into the sales of its course packages and the performance of its business. As gross billings has material limitations as an analytical metrics and may not be calculated in the same manner by all companies, it may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures used by other companies. Non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP income from operations and non-GAAP net income exclude share-based compensation expenses, and such adjustment has no impacts on income tax. GSX believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide meaningful supplemental information regarding its performance and liquidity by excluding share-based expenses that may not be indicative of its operating performance from a cash perspective. GSX believes that both management and investors benefit from these non-GAAP financial measures in assessing its performance and when planning and forecasting future periods. These non-GAAP financial measures also facilitate management's internal comparisons to GSX's historical performance. A limitation of using non-GAAP measures is that these non-GAAP measures exclude share-based compensation charges that have been and will continue to be for the foreseeable future a significant recurring expense in the Company's business. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation from or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. For more information on these non-GAAP financial measures, please see the table captioned "Reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP measures" set forth at the end of this release. The accompanying tables have more details on the reconciliations between GAAP financial measures that are most directly comparable to non-GAAP financial measures. Exchange Rate The Company's business is primarily conducted in China and the significant majority of revenues generated are denominated in Renminbi ("RMB"). This announcement contains currency conversions of RMB amounts into U.S. dollars ("USD") solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise noted, all translations from RMB to USD are made at a rate of RMB 7.0808 to USD1.00, the effective noon buying rate for March 31, 2020 as set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board. No representation is made that the RMB amounts could have been, or could be, converted, realized or settled into USD at that rate on March 31, 2020, or at any other rate. For further information, please contact: GSX Techedu Inc.

Ms. Sandy Qin, CFA

E-mail: [email protected] Christensen

In China

Mr. Christian Arnell

Phone: +86-10-5900-1548

E-mail: [email protected]

In US

Ms. Linda Bergkamp

Phone: +1-480-614-3004

Email: [email protected]

GSX Techedu Inc. Unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets (In thousands of RMB and USD, except for share, per share and per ADS data)



As of

December 31,

As of

March 31,

2019

2020

2020

RMB

RMB

USD ASSETS









Current assets









Cash and cash equivalents 73,967

565,168

79,817 Short-term investments 1,473,452

1,003,133

141,669 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 261,482

391,877

55,344 Total current assets 1,808,901

1,960,178

276,830











Non-current assets









Operating lease right-of-use assets 264,909

413,354

58,377 Property, equipment and software, net 81,860

489,362

69,111 Land use rights, net -

29,587

4,178 Long-term investments 1,188,286

1,168,978

165,091 Deferred tax assets 30,716

98,738

13,944 Rental deposit 18,719

26,270

3,710 Other non-current assets 1,141

1,073

152 Total ASSETS 3,394,532

4,187,540

591,393











LIABILITIES





















Current liabilities









Accrued expenses and other current liabilities

(including accrued expenses and other

current liabilities of the consolidated VIE

without recourse to the Group of

RMB188,975 and RMB159,775 as of

December 31, 2019 and March 31, 2020,

respectively) 228,753

327,711

46,281 Deferred revenue, current portion of the

consolidated VIE without recourse to the

Group 1,331,962

1,335,294

188,580 Current portion of operating lease liabilities of

the consolidated VIE without recourse to the

Group 59,982

81,427

11,500 Income tax payable of the consolidated VIE

without recourse to the Group 16,093

90,998

12,851 Amounts due to related parties (including

amounts due to related parties of the

consolidated VIE without recourse to the

Group of RMB460 and RMB460 as of

December 31, 2019 and March 31, 2020,

respectively) 460

460

65 Total Current liabilities 1,637,250

1,835,890

259,277



GSX Techedu Inc Unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets (In thousands of RMB and USD, except for share, per share and per ADS data)



As of

December 31,

As of March 31,

2019

2020

2020

RMB

RMB

USD Non-current liabilities











Deferred revenue, non-current portion of the

consolidated VIE without recourse to the

Group 5,674

3,497

494

Non-current portion of operating lease liabilities

of the consolidated VIE without recourse to the

Group 194,228

327,893

46,307

Deferred tax liabilities of the consolidated VIE

without recourse to the Group 25

73,125

10,327

Other payables -

220,615

31,157

TOTAL LIABILITIES 1,837,177

2,461,020

347,562















SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY











Ordinary shares 106

106

15

Treasury stock, at cost (86,739)

(72,491)

(10,238)

Additional paid-in capital 1,899,059

1,927,564

272,224

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) 17,829

(3,747)

(529)

Statutory reserve 6,921

6,921

977

Accumulated deficit (279,821)

(131,833)

(18,618)

TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY 1,557,355

1,726,520

243,831















TOTAL LIABILITIES AND TOTAL

SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY 3,394,532

4,187,540

591,393

GSX Techedu Inc. Unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations (In thousands of RMB and USD, except for share, per share and per ADS data)



For the three months ended March 31,

2019

2020

2020

RMB

RMB

USD Net Revenues 269,155

1,297,580

183,253 Cost of revenues (82,045)

(283,250)

(40,003) Gross profit 187,110

1,014,330

143,250 Operating expenses









Selling expenses (99,519)

(757,234)

(106,942) Research and development expenses (30,442)

(99,410)

(14,039) General and administrative expenses (14,422)

(65,756)

(9,287) Total operating expenses (144,383)

(922,400)

(130,268) Income from operations 42,727

91,930

12,982 Interest income 1,061

245

35 Realized gains from investments 55

12,353

1,745 Other income 533

61,931

8,746 Income before provision for income tax and loss from

equity method investments 44,376

166,459

23,508 Income tax expenses (10,018)

(17,992)

(2,541) Loss from equity method investments (467)

(479)

(68) Net income 33,891

147,988

20,899 Less: Series A convertible redeemable preferred

shares redemption value accretion 9,733

-

- Less: Undistributed earnings allocated to the

participating preferred shares 6,444

-

- Net income attributable to GSX Techedu Inc.'s

ordinary shareholders 17,714

147,988

20,899 Net income per ordinary share









Basic 0.18

0.93

0.13 Diluted 0.17

0.88

0.12 Net income per ADS









Basic 0.12

0.62

0.09 Diluted 0.11

0.59

0.08 Weighted average shares used in net income per

share









Basic 97,944,998

159,113,826

159,113,826 Diluted 106,013,755

167,849,627

167,849,627











Note: Three ADS represents two ordinary shares. GSX Techedu Inc. Reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP measures (In thousands of RMB and USD, except for share, per share and per ADS data)





For the three months ended March 31,



2019

2020

2020



RMB

RMB

USD Net revenue

269,155

1,297,580

183,253 Add: VAT and surcharges 12,930

77,572

10,955 Add: ending deferred revenue 291,355

1,338,791

189,074 Add: ending refund liability 9,863

52,659

7,437 Less: beginning deferred revenue 272,041

1,337,636

188,910 Less: beginning refund liability 11,167

54,567

7,706 Gross billings (non-GAAP) 300,095

1,374,399

194,103







For the three months ended March 31,



2019

2020

2020



RMB

RMB

USD Gross profit

187,110

1,014,330

143,250 Share-based compensation expense in cost of revenues

423

13,844

1,955 Non-GAAP gross profit

187,533

1,028,174

145,205













Income from operations

42,727

91,930

12,982 Share-based compensation expenses

3,822

42,753

6,038 Non-GAAP income from operations

46,549

134,683

19,020













Net income

33,891

147,988

20,899 Share-based compensation expenses

3,822

42,753

6,038 Non-GAAP net income

37,713

190,741

26,937 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gsx-announces-financial-results-for-the-first-quarter-of-2020-and-a-share-repurchase-program-301053598.html SOURCE GSX Techedu Inc.

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New Delhi, May 6 : Supreme Court judge, Justice Deepak Gupta on Wednesday said that judges cannot live in ivory towers but must be aware of what is happening in the world around them.

Citing the crisis unleashed due to the coronavirus pandemic, he added the courts must protect the poor and the underprivileged, because they are hit the hardest in trying times.

Justice Gupta, who retired on Wednesday, was speaking at his farewell organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) through video conferencing. In the Supreme Court's 70-year-old history, Justice Gupta became the first judge to get a virtual farewell.

"In the present day and age judges cannot live in ivory towers but must be aware of what is happening in the world around them. The scales of justice to be really equal, must, in fact, be balanced in such a way that the poor and the underprivileged are not denied justice," he said in the farewell address.

In the past, Justice Gupta had made bold statements on the misuse of sedition law and also against the attempts to muzzle dissent.

At the farewell, Justice Gupta said in a country which professes to follow the rule of law and the principle of separation of powers, there is no alternative to a totally independent judiciary. "In times of a crisis such as the ones we are living in, the Courts must protect the poor and the underprivileged, because they are hit the hardest in trying times. When the court does its duty and acts in favour of the citizens, sometimes there will be friction, but a little friction in my view is a healthy sign that the courts are functioning properly," he added.

On the criticism of the judiciary by lawyers, Justice Gupta said that it is not the time to blame each other but sought to remind the members of the Bar that the judiciary is drawn up primarily from the Bar. "Therefore, my request to the members of the Bar is that when they talk about independence or lack of independence of the judiciary, they must also introspect as to whether they have been totally independent or humane," he added.

Justice Gupta insisted that if real justice has to be done, then the scales of justice have to be weighted in favour of the underprivileged. "Our laws and our legal system are totally geared in favour of the rich and the powerful. If somebody who is rich and powerful is behind bars then time and again, he will approach the higher courts during the pendency of the trial till some day he obtains an order that his trial should be expedited. This is done at the cost of the poor litigant whose trial gets further delayed because he cannot approach the higher court," he added.

Justice Gupta stressed that both the bench and the bar owe a duty to that section of the litigants which does not really have a voice, to ensure that their cases are not put on the backburner.
4 takeaways from Trump virtual town hall: more economic aid, defending govt response

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On Sunday, President Donald Trump spoke with Fox News correspondents Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum as part of a virtual town hall held at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The main focus of the event was the administrations response to the coronavirus outbreak in the United States, as well as how the president plans to revive the economy amid the shutdowns.

Baier and MacCallum fielded questions written from people and in videos, with Trump later being joined by Vice President Mike Pence and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

Here are four important takeaways from the Trump town hall, including the possibility of more economic aid and how the president feels about when churches can reopen.

1

2

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Lithium-ion battery production line at the Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) automobile manufacturing plant in Dingolfing, Germany, on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2014. (Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Blocked Chinese Mining Firm Manoeuvres for Second Chance at Australian Rare Earth

Following a failed bid to buy a stake in a Perth-based lithium miner on April 24, Chinese miner Yibin has restructured the agreement to avoid scrutiny from the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB).

A fortnight ago, Yibin Tianyi Lithium Industry withdrew a bid to buy an 11.77 percent stake in AVZ Minerals after it received advice from FIRB the bid would be blocked.

Yibin was told the bid was contrary to the national interest and contrary to the growth of Australias critical minerals sector.

The initial withdrawal from Yibin drew criticism from foreign investment lawyers at King & Wood Mallesons for sowing uncertainty in the rare earth industry, claiming the sector was already struggling to find investors amid the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic (commonly known as novel coronavirus).

Read More Two Chinese Firms Blocked From Australias Rare Earth Sector

In the official announcement, AVZ Minerals and Yibin said they would investigate alternative methods of working together.

On May 4, AVZ Minerals revealed a revamped agreement where Yibin would buy 9 percent of the company and would have no seat on the board. This arrangement falls outside the gambit of the FIRB and would not be subject to approval.

The FIRB is only notified when a foreign entity acquires at least 10 percent of a mining company. The transaction is due for completion on June 30.

Managing Director of AVZ Minerals, Nigel Ferguson said Yibin was committed to becoming an investor in AVZ.

Its intention of becoming one of the largest hydroxide suppliers in China is complementary to our vision of bringing our world-class Manono Project into production, said Ferguson.

Lithium-hydroxide is a component used in electric vehicle batteries.

The saga with Yibin follows a decision on April 20 where another Chinese firm was blocked from taking a stake in a rare earths miner. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg blocked Baogang Group Investment (a subsidiary of a major Chinese state-owned mining group) from investing in Northern Minerals, which operates a large dysprosium project in Western Australia.

Australia has been working actively with the United States to develop supplies of rare earth minerals independent of Chinese ownership.

It comes as the communist regime dominates the sector, accounting for 70 percent of the global production of precious metals. Rare earth are 17 elements critical to the manufacture of high-tech products including smartphones, lithium batteries, and magnets.

Yibin is backed by Chinas largest lithium-ion battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), which produces batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage. CATL signed an agreement with Tesla Motors in February to begin supplying batteries.

Guests look at a Tesla Model 3 during a ground-breaking ceremony for a Tesla factory in Shanghai, China on Jan. 7, 2019. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

AVZ is working with Yibin in the hopes of developing a key lithium producing mine located in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Manono Project.

China is currently a major player in the region with significant interests in another rare earth mineral, cobalt.

Cobalt is also an essential ingredient for lithium batteries.
The NPP, led by its National Chairman, Freddy Blay, on Wednesday, May 6, 2020, paid a courtesy call on His Eminence the National Chief Imam of the Republic, Sheik Nuhu Sharubutu, at which event, the party made a donation of some food items and an undisclosed amount of money.



The items donated by the NPP leadership as part of the partys support for the Muslim Community in this period of Ramadan included several bags of rice, sugar, cottons of milk, among others.



The National Chairman of the party used the occasion, to thank Almighty Allah for bestowing on the Leader of the Muslim Community in Ghana, who recently turned 101, His enormous blessings, long life and grace, thereby making him an embodiment of wisdom and source of hope in the national life of our country and beyond.



Chairman Freddy Blay then requested from the Chief Imam, to say special prayers for the NPP as well as the Akufo-Addo Government and indeed for the rest of the nation and the world at large to, inter alia, overcome the existential threats posed by the deadly Covid-19 pandemic.



On his part, the revered National Chief Imam gracefully obliged to the request and said the special prayers.



He also, through his official spokesperson, Sheik Arimiyawo, expressed gratitude to the NPP leadership for the donations which he said had come at the right time due to the pressure on the Office of the Chief Imam to fend for the have-nots in this period of Ramadan Fast.



He also intimated that the NPP has been very consistent in supporting the Muslim Community during Ramadan and other religious occasions whereupon he thanked the party executives and wished them well.



Other members of the NPP delegation were the General Secretary of the party, John Boadu; the partys First Vice Chairperson, Madam Rita Asobayire; the National 3rd Vice Chairman, Omari Wadie; the National Organizer, Sammi Awuku; the National Youth Organizer, Henry Nana Boakye; the National Women Organizer, Madam Kate Gyamfua; the National Nasara Organizer, Abdul Aziz Futah and his two deputies; a Nasara Founding Father, Alhaji Maiga, the Greater Accra Regional Nasara Coordinator and a host of others.

Source: peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
She opened up about putting on a little weight during a revealing Instagram Q & A session as she continues to quarantine at home in Los Angeles.

Sara Sampaio was even more revealing in a close-up selfie she posted Tuesday that showed off her makeup-free face.

The 28-year-old Victoria's Secret model appeared to be nude in the photo, which emphasized a hint of freckles showed off her her cleavage.

Fresh faced: Sara Sampaio, 28, posted a stunning makeup-free selfie on Tuesday that showcased her flawless skin and a hint of cleavage

Sara's stunning green eyes and tanned skin were on full display as she gazed deeply into the camera, and she wore her brunette locks tied back in a bun.

She eschewed any makeup, but she added a some flash with a speckled Instagram filter that gave the picture an old-timey vibe.

The Portuguese model has been using her quarantine at her Los Angeles home as an excuse to decrease or totally forgo her makeup, as in photos she shared of herself in a tie-dye shirt and jeans from Sunday.

She bared her infectious smile and had her dark locks partially braided in a crown while sipping on some wine.

Night and day: Sara rocking a more traditionally glamorous made-up look at the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in February

Low key: The Portuguese model has been using her quarantine at her Los Angeles home as an excuse to decrease or totally forgo her makeup, as in photos she shared of herself in a tie-dye shirt and jeans from Sunday

Ouch! 'Its a rose kind of day! Also dont cut limes and then go in the sun,' she wisely implored. Sara sported the tell-tale rashes on her hands and wrists from a painful burn that occurs when a chemical in limes reacts with sunlight

'Its a rose kind of day! Also dont cut limes and then go in the sun,' she wisely implored.

Sara bore the painful evidence of a lime-based injury in the form of dark rashes and her hands and wrists.

According to Healthline, a chemical in limes (that's also found in lemons, celery and parsley) can react with sunlight and create intensely painful marks, even producing second-degree burns and large blisters.

The rashes can last for months, and anyone dealing with those fruits or vegetables in the sun is advised to wear gloves or wash their hands thoroughly, as well as wearing plenty of sunscreen.

Musings: 'Do you know one thing they don't tell you about gaining weight? It's that your boobs get bigger,' Sara said while opening up about her quarantine weight gain las week

While she's been quarantining with her boyfriend Oliver Ripley, Sara has been answering questions from her fans on her Insta Stories.

Last week, she revealed she had put on a little weight, while reveling in one of its upsides.

'Do you know one thing they don't tell you about gaining weight? It's that your boobs get bigger,' she said.

'So I'm just trying to understand  what do I want more abs or boobs?' she wondered.

Mental health care: 'I actually deal with anxiety and depression on a regular basis, so I got to be honest, the first few weeks I was the least anxious I've ever been,' the 28-year-old Portuguese model told fans

Full house: She is currently hunkering down at her $4M five-bedroom Los Angeles home with her pups Kyta and South and boyfriend Oliver Ripley

The cover star also opened up about her trichotillomania, a condition in which people have a strong urge to pull their own hair out.

Though she hadn't found a solution, she said that keeping her nails short tends to help prevent her from pulling.

In addition to her boyfriend Oliver, Sara has been quarantining at home with her two adorable Shiba Inu dogs, Kyta and South.
Uber Technologies Inc. will eliminate 3,700 jobs and permanently close 180 driver service centers, the first in a series of cost-cutting measures to be announced in the next two weeks as a response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The reductions will affect 14% of staff around the world, mainly those in support and recruiting, Dara Khosrowshahi, the chief executive officer, wrote in an email to employees Wednesday. Ridership is down significantly, and the company is maintaining a freeze on hiring, Khosrowshahi wrote in the email, which was reviewed by Bloomberg.

Of the more than 450 driver centers Uber operates worldwide, 40% will shut down. The locations, called Greenlight Hubs, are used to sign people up to drive for Uber, teach them how to use the app and address issues that arise on the job. In March, as the virus was spreading in North America, Uber said it was temporarily closing all hubs in the U.S. and Canada.

PANDEMIC WOES: Airbnb lays off a quarter of its staff

Khosrowshahi signaled that more difficult adjustments would be put forth in the next two weeks. Days like this are brutal, he wrote.

This sort of painful day is becoming commonplace. Tech companies have eliminated more than 38,000 jobs in the past two months, according to Layoffs.fyi, which tracks the job market. Lyft Inc., the main alternative to Uber in North America, said last week it was dismissing 17% of staff, furloughing more and reducing salaries. Their longtime peer in the sharing economy, Airbnb Inc., said Tuesday the company was cutting a quarter of its workforce.

The job losses are sudden for many, but at Uber, they may seem drawn out. After a disappointing initial public offering a year ago, Uber dismissed more than 1,000 employees over multiple rounds of cuts that extended from July to what Khosrowshahi described as a last wave in October. They were part of a drive toward profitability, which was expected to arrive by the end of this year.

Uber has seen its landscape shift considerably since then. It instituted a hiring freeze in March, withdrew its financial forecast and wrote down some $2 billion worth of investments in April and said Monday it would shutter food delivery operations in seven countries.

As of May 2, Khosrowshahi waived his salary for the remainder of the year, the company said. In 2019, he was eligible for a salary of $1 million and a bonus of $2 million, according to a securities filing. Uber is scheduled to report first-quarter financial results Thursday.

The challenges posed by the virus could be matched by a new one this week from Ubers home state. California sued Uber and Lyft Tuesday for allegedly flouting a state law designed to give gig-economy workers the benefits of employees. If the case is successful, the companies could be on the hook for substantial new costs that further jeopardize their business models.
Dr. Bronners, known for its all-in-one soap, has made a second large donation to Oregons effort to legalize psilocybin.

Psilocybin Service Initiative, or Initiative Petition #34, would legalize psychedelic mushrooms in a controlled setting.

The soap company donated $150,000 to the campaign in September.

The petition is spearheaded by Sheri and Thomas Eckert, who have worked to legalize psilocybin for years. In 2017, the couple, counselors from Beaverton, told The Oregonian/OregonLive that they believe psychedelic mushrooms can help people struggling with issues from depression to anxiety to addiction.

Dr. Bronners is headquartered in San Diego, but the company frequently makes donations to ballot measures around the country, CEO David Bronner said Tuesday.

Bronner said the company supported the therapeutic use of psilocybin to treat depression, anxiety and addiction.

We want to make sure its done in the right way, Bronner said, and we feel that Tom and Sheri are putting forward models based on the best practices based off of the clinical trials coming out of Johns Hopkins and NYU but making it accessible for everyone.

In many ways, the therapeutic container is like the analog to the indigenous ceremonial container.

The Yes On IP 34 campaign announced at the end of April that they still needed to gather 15,000 signatures in order to appear on the ballot in November.

We just want to send a signal to the donor community that this is a really important ballot measure to support," Bronner said.

Dr. Bronners is touting its support of psilocybin on a new label on some products.

-- Lizzy Acker

503-221-8052, lacker@oregonian.com, @lizzzyacker

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
LONDON, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The organisation behind The World's 50 Best Bars today launches a three-pronged campaign, entitled 50 Best for Recovery  standing with the global bar community in partnership with Perrier. The aim is to provide tangible financial relief where possible, as well as create and collate helpful resources for bar businesses as they emerge from the pandemic and seek actionable advice and support.

The first part of the project is the 50 Best Recovery Fund, with the generous backing of founding donor Perrier. The fund will be utilised to support a range of non-profit organisations working in different parts of the globe to aid the survival and eventual revival of the bars sector. Funds will be raised through donations from 50 Best's partners as well as a range of accessible initiatives through which guests will be able to give back to their beloved bar community.

50 Best also launches The World's 50 Best Bars Recovery Hub, which is gathering and generating content that will offer advice, information and inspiration for the sector, as well as for cocktail lovers looking to play their part in sustaining and rebuilding our industry. At the same time, 50 Best will continue to recognise the passion, skill and determination of bars, bartenders and their teams as they push towards reopening and revitalisation.

50 Best will host a virtual Recovery Summit in October, with a clear focus on exploring how the bar world can thrive once again. Comprising a range of events including masterclasses, case studies and discussion forums, the Summit will gather the global drinks community together online to share learnings, promote best practices and explore visions of a post-pandemic world for cocktail bars and their guests.

After consulting with the hospitality community and analysing feedback, 50 Best has concluded that these three pillars support the areas where bars require assistance most. 50 Best for Recovery will provide essential fiscal stimulus, a source of reliable and regularly updated information and create a focal point where the community can share its experiences and look to the future.

Mark Sansom, Content Editor for The World's 50 Best Bars, says: "With 50 Best Recovery, we took a step back to examine our strengths and work out how we can best apply these to provide concrete help to the bar community. We will utilise our network, our relationships and our global reach to raise money, collate valuable information and provide a platform to share experiences. We stand alongside our partners in supporting the bar world and believe that we have a key role to assist in accelerating the rebirth of bars across the globe after this truly harrowing period. We must all work in unison to give back to the community, so that the bars themselves can get back into the business of creating memories for guests that last a lifetime."

Over the coming weeks, 50 Best will launch a series of fund-raising initiatives to encourage further contributions to the Recovery Fund, from corporate donors and consumers alike. This will include the 50 Best 'Bid for Recovery' Auction in June, offering food and drink lovers the opportunity to bid for out-of-this-world hospitality experience from bars and restaurants in the 50 Best family.

It will also publish Home Comforts: simple lockdown recipes from the world's best chefs and bartenders, an e-book featuring simple home-made recipes from the world's leading chefs, with complementary cocktail pairings from 50 Best bartenders, which will be downloadable in return for a small donation. A social media contest, #50BestRateMyPlate, will open to foodies and cocktail lovers across the globe, who will be challenged to create dishes and cocktails inspired by the book. Further details of how to participate in all these fund-raising programmes will be released prior to each individual initiative.

The 50 Best team continues to offer its heartfelt support to all those businesses and individuals suffering from the effects of the global pandemic. The organisation is hugely grateful to all those in the hospitality world who are dedicating their time and skill to help others, as well as to its partners.

50 Best would like to thank founding donor Perrier for its support. Philippe Gallard, International Business Unit Director for Perrier, says: "The whole industry is being hit unbelievably hard by this crisis. Most outlets are closed, others can't pay rent, thousands of employees face uncertainty. At Perrier, we've been working alongside bars and bartenders for decades and we feel strongly that we need to do our part to help keep our beloved bar industry afloat during these unforeseen times. We really want to be there with them today, tomorrow and in the future and this initiative can certainly be a first step in the right direction."

50 Best is focussed on how it can best support the rebirth of the bar community and will be continually revaluating how best to do this. The precise format of The World's 50 Best Bars 2020 programme is under ongoing review and will be announced in the coming months.

All details of the campaign will be available on the 50 Best for Recovery webpage and Recovery Hub as they are announced, as well as via Instagram @50BestBars and Facebook @50BestBars

Press Contacts

Kirstyn MacRandal at Mongoose Agency:

+44-(0)-7736067190

[email protected]

For media centre registration and access, please visit

https://www.theworlds50best.com/mediacentre/media-contacts

50 Best Social Media

About The World's 50 Best Bars

The World's 50 Best Bars provides a definitive list of the world's best drinking venues, voted for by an Academy of over 530 experts worldwide. The World's 50 Best Bars list has been published annually since 2009 and has become the most anticipated ranking for drinks professionals and cocktail aficionados across the world, with the awards the highlight of the bar industry calendar. The list of Asia's 50 Best Bars has been published since 2016. The World's 50 Best Restaurants list, also organised by William Reed Business Media, has been published since 2002.

About the main sponsor and founding donor: Perrier

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Indian money managers are dumping corporate bonds as they struggle to meet redemptions after the biggest-ever forced closure of funds in the country last month.

Even higher-rated debt is under pressure. Notes issued by government-backed lenders Punjab National Bank, Andhra Bank and Canara Bank were traded in the past few days at the highest yields in over a year of at least 12.5%, data published on National Stock Exchange website show. Mutual funds struggling with redemptions were among the sellers, people familiar with the matter said.

The Reserve Bank of India took steps to inject more liquidity into the fund industry through bank loans after Franklin Templeton shocked markets by shutting six debt funds last month. But lenders have held back as they grapple with rising bad debt amid the coronavirus pandemic and worlds biggest lockdown. Theyve borrowed only about 5% of an RBI emergency funding line meant to encourage lending to mutual funds. Thats left asset managers with little recourse but to liquidate holdings.

Click here for the complete coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic

It is better to cut less liquid securities first when expecting further redemptions, said Mahendra Jajoo, chief investment officer for fixed income at Mirae Asset Investment Managers India Pvt. That is why we see that mutual funds are selling illiquid assets even at sharply higher yields.

Such fire sales of corporate debt by mutual funds are a troubling sign in India, where money managers have played an increasingly important role for riskier borrowers in recent years.

So-called credit risk funds hold at least 65% of their total assets in company debt graded below the highest rating. The funds had helped keep cash flowing to such borrowers even as banks suffering from soured loans and shadow lenders reeling from an industry crisis retreated. But now that lifeline is in jeopardy.

Click here for the latest updates from the coronavirus outbreak

Investor redemptions from the credit risk funds have slowed in the past few days, but still total about 141 billion rupees since April 27, according to Association of Mutual Funds in India.

Thats the day when the RBI offered as much as 500 billion rupees ($6.6 billion) to banks for them to lend to mutual funds. The step was meant to get more liquidity to money managers after Franklin Templetons fund closures, but lenders have so far borrowed only 24 billion rupees from the special window.

Corporates in India will be starved of finance, Shilan Shah, India economist at Capital Economics wrote in a note. These financing constraints will compound the economys weakness and hamper the recovery once the lockdown is ended.
Greg Pollak and his wife are expecting their first child, the WOAI-TV and KABB meteorologist announced last month on social media.



Pollak said they found out the news in early February. "We were in shock and got really emotional," he told mySA. "I started crying."

The meteorologist and his wife are navigating a pregnancy during a global pandemic, which provides challenges to what can be a difficult time.
LATEST, May 6, 5:30 p.m. Bay Area counties announced increased COVID-19 case numbers Wednesday:

 Alameda County announced new cases for a total of 1,863. The county death toll remains at 66.

 Contra Costa announced 16 new cases, for a total of 985. The death toll remains at 29.

 Marin County announced four more cases for a total of 247. The death toll remains at 14.

 Napa County announced three new cases for a total of 78. The death toll remains at two.

 Santa Clara announced new cases for a total of 2,268. The county also announced five additional deaths, bringing the death toll to 126.

 Solano County announced 12 new cases for a total of 337. The county also announced one additional death, bringing the toll to seven.

 Sonoma County announced 11 new cases for a total of 272. The death toll remains at three.

May 6, 5:15 p.m. San Francisco officials addressed widespread concerns about cleanliness and increased crowding on Tenderloin neighborhood sidewalks amid the coronavirus pandemic Wednesday, releasing a plan intended to clean streets and ease walkway congestion.

We know the condition remains particularly challenging, Breed said in a Wednesday press conference. Weve seen a significant increase in the number of homeless people on the streets, which is concerning from both a health [standpoint] of those who are unsheltered and for the health of the residents who live in those communities.

See a breakdown of the plan here from SFGATE editor Alyssa Pereira.

May 6, 4:15 p.m. Human Services Agency Executive Director Trent Rhorer stated Wednesday that his agency is in negotiations with nine more hotels for a total of 1,381 rooms for those who are unsheltered and for health care workers in the city who may need them. Rhorer noted San Francisco hopes to secure an estimated 7,000 in total.

Rhorer also responded to a question about why the city isnt filling all of its available hotel rooms at this time.

We have 530 rooms under contract for isolation and quarantine, he said. Only 248 are occupied; that means we have almost 300 empty rooms should we need to isolate or quarantine additional individuals. This is an intentional design. We want to have flexibility to be able to respond when theres an outbreak at a shelter we have, like at MSC South. We have built this system to allow us to respond to those pressing public health needs that are frankly very difficult to predict.

May 6, 4 p.m. Director of Public Health Grant Colfax gave updates about the citys acquisition of hotel rooms for unsheltered individuals Wednesday.

Colfax was responding to a controversial policy involving the city facilitating access to alcohol, marijuana and methadone to unsheltered addicted individuals in city-offered hotel rooms. (Earlier Wednesday, the DPH clarified that such inebriants are not paid for with taxpayer money.) Colfax noted that the department is following medical literature on the topic, and is attempting to offer counseling every day.

In a way, thats good for them and for our community, so whether that includes ensuring they have access to counseling, our behavioral health experts are offering services every day, medication-assisted treatment, nicotine and opiate replacements, behavioral health counseling, and in cases where people decide they are going to continue to use, our focus is using the best evidence to help manage those addictions, he said. In some cases, this will include helping them manage their alcohol use and nicotine use, so that they can stay safe and in place as much as possible to help their communities and themselves.

May 6, 3:15 p.m. SF Police Chief Bill Scott reported a continuing decrease in most crime categories across the city, including in property crime (-12%), auto burglaries (-22%) and violent crime (-6%). He also reported an uptick in burglaries (+11%) and in year-to-date homicides. The city recorded 16 homicides so far this year, three more than at this point in 2019.

Scott also spoke to a report of ongoing drug deals taking place in the Tenderloin in encampments during the coronavirus pandemic, saying "crime is a policing issue."

"When you talk about drug dealing, we know that people have come into Tenderloin particularly during this pandemic and have taken advantage of vulnerable people," he continued. "Weve made arrests in encampments. Weve seen people with bags of drugs distributing them to others to sell in these encampments. We've arrested those people, confiscated their money, confiscated their drugs and we will continue to do that with a lot of energy and a lot of enthusiasm to keep people safe."

May 6, 3 p.m. In a press conference Wednesday, San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Director of Public Health Dr. Grant Colfax announced five metrics which city officials will use to guide San Franciscos reopening strategy as it applies to businesses.

"We are working very hard to come up with the kinds of guidelines that will continue to protect public health," Breed said. "The fact is without a vaccine, we are going to be living with concerns around COVID-19 for months to come. It's time we started getting creative and providing solutions and making sure we're working around that while still allowing people to open their businesses and make sure our economy is not more damaged than we know it will be as a result of this."

Read the full story from SFGATE Editor Alyssa Pereira here.

May 6, 1 p.m. In a Wednesday press briefing, California Gov. Gavin Newsom was asked about the future of the state economy as retail prepares to reopen with curbside pickup in counties ready to move into the second phase of the state's four-stage reopening plan.

Newsom said all you have to do is look at the numbers to see the path that lies ahead.

"Its going to take a lot longer than people think," he said. "We've never experienced anything like this in our lifetime. These are Depression-era numbers in terms of the unemployment you'll see across the country, not just in California."

"You're going to see a budget come out that's tens of millions of dollars below where it needs to be," he added.

This week, the number of claims for unemployment insurance in the past seven weeks passed 4 million, leaving the fund that pays for jobless benefits close to empty. The state has so far paid out close to $8 billion in benefits to former full-time and part-time workers and contractors.

Despite the "jaw-dropping numbers," Newsom is confident the economy will recover and the state will be stronger for it. But he said the recovery "is not a quick 'V' and were going to come back in a few months in the next couple years, well have to work through these challenges."

Newsom confirmed the state is on track to reopen retail and associated manufacturing as early as Friday. He will provide more details on new social-distancing guidelines for these sectors at his regular press briefing Thursday.

Facial coverings will play a crucial role in reopening retail safely and protecting workers, and Newsom said the state has 19.9 million surgical masks in its possession.

Watch the full Wednesday press briefing.

May 6, 12:45 p.m. The number of Bay Area residents hospitalized due to the coronavirus has hit a plateau over the past few days, with no single-day percent increase or decrease larger than 5.1 percent.

Here are the previous ten days' worth of data reflecting the total number of confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients in intensive care units across the nine counties that comprise the San Francisco Bay Area:

- Sunday, April 26: 584 (3.6 percent decrease from previous day)

- Monday, April 27: 587 (0.5 percent increase from previous day)

- Tuesday, April 28: 578 (1.5 percent decrease from previous day)

- Wednesday, April 29: 585 (1.2 percent increase from previous day)

- Thursday, April 30: 532 (9.1 percent decrease from previous day)

- Friday, May 1: 540 (1.5 percent increase from previous day)

- Saturday, May 2: 555 (2.8 percent increase from previous day)

-Sunday, May 3: 540 (2.7 percent decrease from previous day)

- Monday, May 4: 523 (3.1 percent decrease from previous day)

-Tuesday, May 5: 551 (5.1 percent increase from previous day)

For reference, April 7 marked the day of the most reported total hospitalizations with 831, and data was first made available on April 1. The 9.1 percent decrease on April 30 marked the largest single-day percent decrease since April 16, a day that also saw hospitalizations plunge by 9.1 percent.

May 6, 12:30 p.m. California Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a new tool on the state's COVID-19 site that allows you to type in your ZIP code and find the testing site nearest you.

It shows state-managed sites where you can book an appointment and doesn't include testing provided by hospitals.

Newsom acknowledged that some areas of the state lack testing sites, and he's focusing on bringing testing to these regions.

The governor said he signed an executive order extending workers' compensation to essential workers who test positive for COVID-19. The new offering is meant to discourage workers who may be sick but who still go to their jobs because they fearing the financial repercussions.

"The worst thing we can do is have a worker who has tested positive but doesnt want to tell anybody because he or she cant afford to work," he said.

May 6, 11 a.m. A number of Bay Area counties announced additional COVID-19 cases Wednesday. As more cases are reported, the list below will be updated.

San Francisco reported 26 new coronavirus cases to increase its total to 1,754. The death toll remains 31.

San Mateo announced 26 new cases to increase its total to 1,341. The death toll remains 56.

Solano County reported six new cases, bringing its total to 325. The death toll remains six.

May 6, 9:10 a.m. Using data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The New York Times analyzed all deaths in each state to identify significant deviations in deaths compared to previous years.

"Measuring excess deaths is crude because it does not capture all the details of how people died," according to the Times. "But many epidemiologists believe it is the best way to measure the impact of the virus in real time. It shows how the virus is altering normal patterns of mortality where it strikes and undermines arguments that it is merely killing vulnerable people who would have died anyway."

In California, they found 1,100 more deaths in California between March 15 and April 11 that could be due to the coronavirus. Read the full story at NYTimes.com.

May 6, 8:45 a.m. Santa Clara County announced this week the opening of two new testing sites: one is at James Lick High School in East San Jose and the other at Christopher High School in Gilroy.

The sites are part of 80 locations across the state that are managed by the State of California. Find more information on testing availability in Santa Clara County at sccgov.org.

May 6, 7:45 a.m. San Francisco Mayor London Breed said on ABC 7 on Tuesday that she's looking at data and working with public health officers to determine when the city will be ready to add new modifications to its stay-at-home order.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom gave retail across the state the green light to reopen with curbside pickup as early as Friday, as the state begins a move into the second phase of the governor's four-stage plan for modifying the shelter-in-place order. He specifically noted that stores selling books, toys, clothing, sporting goods and flowers will be allowed to open if they meet social-distancing guidelines and officials in their counties offer approval.

Breed said as she considers a move into this second phase, she's focused on "getting our economy going in a responsible way."

"The last thing we want to do is roll back some of the gains that we've made by continuing to flatten the curve, even though we've not lowered the curve, it remains relatively flat," Breed said. "I think that provides an opportunity to look at opening small businesses where they can do pickup and delivery, like candle shops and flower shops and some of our smaller retail locations within neighborhoods. It's important that we look at those opportunities, but we not believe it's OK that we just all of a sudden open our doors and get back to normal because the virus is still a threat and we can see it surge at any time."

Watch the full interview on ABC 7.

Cumulative cases in the greater Bay Area (due to limited testing these numbers reflect only a small portion of likely cases):

ALAMEDA COUNTY: 1,809 confirmed cases, 66 deaths

For more information on Alameda County cases, visit the public health department website.

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY: 969 confirmed cases, 29 deaths

For more information on Contra Costa County cases, visit the public health department website.

LAKE COUNTY: 8 confirmed cases

For information on Lake County and coronavirus, visit the public health department website.

MARIN COUNTY: 243 confirmed cases, 14 deaths

Fore more information on Marin County cases, visit the public health department website.

MONTEREY COUNTY: 241 confirmed cases, 6 deaths

For more information on Monterey County cases, visit the public health department website.

NAPA COUNTY: 75 cases, 2 deaths

For more information on Napa County cases, visit the public health department website.

SAN BENITO COUNTY: 53 confirmed cases, 2 deaths

For more information on San Benito County cases, visit the public health department website.

SAN FRANCISCO COUNTY: 1,754 confirmed cases, 31 deaths

For more information on San Francisco County cases, visit the public health department website.

SAN MATEO COUNTY: 1,341 confirmed cases, 56 deaths

For more information on San Mateo County cases, visit the public health department website.

SANTA CLARA COUNTY: 2,255 confirmed cases, 121 deaths

Fore more information on Santa Clara County cases, visit the public health department website.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY: 138 confirmed cases, 2 deaths

For more information on Santa Cruz County cases, visit the public health department website.

SOLANO COUNTY: 325 confirmed cases, 6 deaths

For more information on Solano County cases, visit the public health department website.

SONOMA COUNTY: 261 confirmed cases, 3 deaths

For more information on Sonoma County cases, visit the public health department website.

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The family of an Essex County mother who sued Verizon after a weathered pole fell on the woman and left her paralyzed settled its lawsuit against the utility company on Monday for $125 million, according to court documents.

Maria Moser Meister, 50, a lawyer from West Orange, was injured on Jan. 23, 2017 in Union City when she was struck by the pole as she waited for a bus for her commute to work in New York, according to the complaint.

Court documents state the 43-year-old wooden pole was partially rotted and snapped at its base, crushing the womans head and body.

Meister suffered multiple fractures of her spine, ribs, was paralyzed from her mid-chest down and now has limited use of her left arm, brain injuries and vision problems, the familys attorney, David Mazie of Roseland, told Law.com.

Meister at the time of the accident was general counsel for finance firm Milberg Factors in New York, and previously had been an associate at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.

The pole was co-owned by Verizon under an agreement with PSE&G and held equipment and wires from Verizon and PSE&G, according to court documents.

Her husband, Peter Meister, sued the utility companies along with Altice USA, although PSE&G and Altice had not used the pole for decades. Verizon took full responsibility for the condition of pole, according to court records.

Essex County Superior Court Judge Stephen L. Petrillo issued an order Monday approving the settlement in which Verizon pays $125 million, PSE&G pays $250,000 and Altice pays $25,000.

Maria Meister will receive $118 million and her husband will receive $7 million, according to the order.

This is a very tragic circumstance, and nobody gets paid these kinds of numbers without having a catastrophic, life-changing injury, Mazie said, according to Law.com. This has devastated her life and her husband and children, and she will never be put back together.

Mazie called the settlement the largest in New Jersey history, adding that the previous record was $47 million for a suit against St. Barnabas Hospital.

According to Law.com, Verizon issued the following statement:

Words cannot adequately express the remorse, sympathy and compassion that we have for Maria Meister and her family. Maria, her husband and children have been constantly on our minds since this happened and will continue to be in the years to come. While no amount of compensation can make up for what was lost, we hope the resolution of this case helps bring some measure of comfort, and provides care for Maria and her family, now and in the future.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com.
An ex-business partner of the former Green Beret behind the failed Venezuelan coup has revealed he boasted of having U.S. government support for his botched plan.

Special forces veteran Jordan Goudreau, 43, told his close friend that he had a contract with the US State Department to 'protect oil interests in Venezuela', and claimed 'we're going to topple' Venezuelan leader Nicholas Maduro, the friend told DailyMail.com.

Donald Trump has said the attempted coup, which led to the arrest of two other American special forces veterans by Maduro's troops on Monday, had 'nothing to do with our government'.

On Wednesday Secretary of State Mike Pompeo ridiculed the idea of official government involvement, saying: 'There was no U.S. government direct involvement in this operation.

'(If) we'd have been involved, it would have gone differently.'

Asked who may have bankrolled the operation, Pompeo said: 'We're not prepared to share any more information about what we know took place.'

But Goudreau's former business partner, Drew White, told DailyMail.com the would-be insurgent leader visited him in Colorado recently and made his claims of U.S. government support before traveling to Colombia to launch the short-lived coup.

Former Green Beret Jordan Goudreau claimed responsibility for masterminding the failed Venezuelan coup to overthrow its leader Nicholas Maduro

On Monday two U.S. former special forces soldiers Luke Denman (top) and Airan Berry (bottom) were arrested in Venezuela after their 'plot to assassinate Maduro' was foiled

Goudreau said he last communicated with Denman (right) and Berry (left) when they were adrift in a boat 'hugging' the Caribbean coast of Venezuela. They were still in their boat following an initial confrontation with the Venezuelan Navy on Monday, he said

Goudreau's ex-business partner Drew White (pictured) told DailyMail.com that Goudreau had boasted of having U.S. government support for his botched plan. Goudreau, 43, claimed he had a contract with the US State Department to 'protect oil interests in Venezuela' and claimed 'we're going to topple' Maduro

White said he fought alongside Goudreau in Iraq, made him best man at his wedding and founded Florida security firm Silvercorps USA with the Green Beret veteran.

The two men started the firm in March 2018 with the aim of posting special operations soldiers in schools across the US to prevent school shooters in the wake of the Parkland massacre, but split months later when Goudreau began pursuing other projects.

White, who lives in Colorado Springs, described the last time he saw Goudreau before he embarked on his unlikely scheme to defeat the Venezuelan army with a rag-tag group of 300 poorly-fed and barely-trained rebels.

'He came out to Colorado,' said White. 'He said he had a deal from the State Department to protect oil interests in Venezuela.

'He was saying it was handed to him directly. He was saying it was directed and passed down by the State Department, that it was a legitimate operation and they also had some private funding backing, which isn't unusual with these kinds of things.

'Essentially he was like ''we're going to topple Maduro.'' At that point I was like ''this doesn't seem legitimate'' and we broke ways.'

White, 35, a former special forces senior weapons sergeant, said although he trusted his friend, he found it hard to believe the government had backed Goudreau's ill-conceived plans.

'He's a good man. He was the best man at my wedding. We have a lot of history together and it never seemed like he was lying like that,' he said.

'But once you started looking at it, none of it really added up. He kept asking to meet with people for funding. But typically with a State Department contract the funding is shored up.

'You might have some private entities helping here and there. But it was pretty obvious that it was not a state-sanctioned activity.'

White, who lives in Colorado Springs, described the last time he saw Goudreau before he embarked on his unlikely scheme to defeat the Venezuelan army with a rag-tag group of 300 poorly-fed and barely-trained rebels. He is pictured posing with a World War II veteran in an image from Instagram

Luke Denman (left) and Airan Berry (right): Two arrested US 'mercenaries playing Rambo' are paraded after failed attempt 'to kill' Venezuela's Maduro in a failed raid, the president claimed

On Monday, Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro used a press conference to display the equipment that had allegedly been seized by Venezuelan armed forces after capturing the 'mercenaries'

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says if he'd been 'directly' involved it would have 'gone differently'

Goudreau reportedly received support from billionaire Thomas Roen Kraft, a member of the famous cheese-making family.

The eccentric billionaire allegedly lured prospective donors to fund Goudreau's rebel force with the promise of preferential access to negotiate deals in the energy and mining sectors if the coup was a success.

Kraft denies giving Goudreau any money.

Goudreau appears to have provided security for Trump at least at three of his campaign rallies. Pictures and videos of the rallies recorded on CSPAN and posted on the Silvercorp's Instagram account show the ex-Green Beret apparently working at rallies in Pennsylvania in March 2018, and Houston, Texas and Charlotte, North Carolina in October that year.

It has also emerged that Goudreau struck on the idea of a coup after meeting with Trump's longtime bodyguard Keith Schiller.

Goudreau accompanied Schiller to a meeting in Miami with activist Lester Toledo, who was working as coordinator for the delivery of humanitarian aid for then Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido.

Goudreau appears to have provided security for Trump at least at three of his campaign rallies. Pictures and videos of the rallies posted on the Silvercorp's Instagram account show the ex-Green Beret apparently working at a rally in North Carolina in October 2018

Goudreau accompanied Schiller to a meeting in Miami with activist Lester Toledo, who was working as coordinator for the delivery of humanitarian aid for then Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido. Pictured: Trump and Guaido, who swore himself in as the leader of Venezuela posing outside the White House in Washington on February 5

The White House says Schiller cut off all contact with Goudreau after the meeting. Schiller then went to the White House as an assistant to the president.

A former NYPD cop, he was used by Trump to take the letter firing James Comey to FBI headquarters in 2017, but left the Trump administration himself in September that year amid reports of clashes with then-chief of staff John Kelly.

Schiller quickly set up a security firm which has been paid more than $225,000 by the Republican National Committee for work on plans for the RNC convention due to happen in Charlotte, North Carolina, in August.

Goudreau identified himself on Sunday as the leader of the purported plot to overthrow Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro named 'Operation Gedeon'.

On Monday, Maduro announced that two US citizens were among eight arrested after authorities were alerted by fishermen in Chuao, a village on the northern coast of the state of Aragua.

It came after eight potential raiders were killed and two more were arrested in the Caribbean port city of La Guaira as part of Goudreau's amateur plot.

Maduro's forces also arrested rebels in the Venezuelan city of Puerto La Cruz last week. Photographs posted on social media of supplies seized by the pro-Maduro soldiers show camouflage backpacks, masks, and  bizarrely  an Airsoft rifle.

Maduro ally and Attorney General Tarek William Saab said in total the government has arrested 114 people suspected in the attempted attack and they are on the hunt for 92 others.

It has also emerged that Goudreau struck on the idea of a coup after meeting with Trump's longtime bodyguard Keith Schiller (pictured)

On Monday two U.S. former special forces soldiers Luke Denman and Airan Berry (circled) were arrested in Venezuela after their 'plot to assassinate Maduro' was foiled

President Maduro called the arrested men 'terrorist mercenaries' and blamed the attacks on the Trump administration, opposition leader Guaido and neighboring Colombia, all of which have denied involvement.

A State Department spokesperson called the attempted coup a 'melodrama' in which the U.S. government had no role, and warned the Maduro regime is running 'a major disinformation campaign'.

'As President Trump and [defense] Secretary [Mark] Esper said, the United States Government was not involved in recent events in Venezuela,' the spokesperson said.

'There is a major disinformation campaign underway by the Maduro regime, making it difficult to separate facts from propaganda.

'We are making efforts to learn more, including about the activities of two U.S. citizens who are reportedly in the custody of the former regime, as well as Mr. Goudreau.

'We will also be looking closely into the role of the Maduro regime in this melodrama and especially of the very large Cuban intelligence apparatus in Venezuela. The record of falsehoods and manipulation by Maduro and his accomplices, as well as their highly questionable representation of the details, argues that nothing should be taken at face value when we see the distorting of facts.

'What is clear is that the former regime is using the event to justify an increased level of repression,' the spokesperson added.

'We would note the timing of these events. A massacre of prisoners took place last weekend at Los Llanos prison and the former regime is attempting to avoid responsibility. 46 prisoners were killed and 74 injured.

'While a thorough investigation has been demanded, we must all recognize that a real investigation will have to await the end of the Maduro regime and the return of democracy to Venezuela.'
The Kurukshetra police have arrested a person for allegedly raping a seven-year- old girl in his locality under Sadar police station of Kurukshetra city.

The accused have been identified Raj Kumar of Kurukshetra.

According to Kurukshetra superintendent of police Astha Modi, the mother of the victim had filed a police complaint on Monday, accusing the man of raping her daughter four days ago.

The victim told her mother that the accused, who is the father of her friend, had raped her at his house. The SP said that on the mothers complaint, police booked the accused under Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act and on Tuesday and arrested him.
Actor Kriti Kharbanda seems to be missing her shooting days amid the quarantine days. Sharing a snippet from a fight scene that the actor did for comedy-drama Housefull 4, Kriti posted a little treat on social media.

She shared how the day at the shoot was tough but also very special. Taking to her Instagram handle, the Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana actor wrote, Throwback to one of my toughest days at work, and also one of the most cherished.

Clapping back at critics, the actor said, A lot of People said, Im too thin and tiny to even carry a sword, let alone fight. Ahem, ahem (sic)."

Referring to the character that she played in the movie and the mastery with which she fought, Kriti added, Heres a little treat for ya, dont mess with #rajkumarimeena #housefull4 #throwback #bestdayever (sic)."

The post received much love from her admirers.

Actor Pulkit Samrat, Kritis boyfriend, commented I surrender! with a red heart emoticon on the post.

Writer and director Farhad Samji, who also helmed Housefull 4, praised her skills. He wrote, Never ever underestimate the power of KK."

She has been spending the quarantine with beau Pulkit Samrat and occasionally shares moments from their fun time together. They have been giving each other hair massages, cooking delicacies, playing the piano and posing fabulously.

Follow @News18Movies for more
Addressing a medical worker shortage, new bill would provide visas for 40,000 foreign doctors and nurses to come to US.

A bipartisan group of Senators in the United States has introduced legislation in Congress that would allow 40,000 immigrant doctors and nurses to gain visas and work permits and join the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Immigrant nurses and doctors play a vital role in our healthcare system, especially in medically underserved areas of our country, Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat, said when announcing the bill.

One-sixth of the US medical workforce is foreign-born, and there are currently thousands of nurses stuck overseas due to green card backlogs and bureaucratic delays, the senators said. Many of these healthcare workers have already been approved to come to the US as lawful permanent residents.

This proposal would simply reallocate a limited number of unused visas from prior years for doctors and nurses who are qualified to help in our fight against COVID-19, said Senator David Purdue, a Republican.

This shortage is critical and needs immediate attention so that our healthcare facilities are not overwhelmed in this crisis, Purdue said.

By mid-April, more than 9,000 US healthcare workers had contracted COVID-19 and more than 27 had died, according to preliminary data released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Authorities in hard-hit states like New York have called for volunteers from the ranks of retired nurses and doctors in other states to help fill the need. Nationwide, estimates of the shortage of doctors in the US now range from 29,000 to 43,000, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Meanwhile, thousands of doctors who are currently working in the US on temporary visas with approved immigrant petitions are waiting for their permanent work permits, the senators said in a statement.

The proposed Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act would allow nurses with approved immigrant visas and physicians with approved immigrant petitions to come to the US and take unfilled jobs in hospitals and medical facilities.

The bill could be attached to any new round of COVID-19 rescue legislation Congress will consider.





Medical professionals receiving consideration under the bill would be required to meet licensing requirements, pay filing fees, and clear national security and criminal background checks, according to the senators.

It is unclear whether thousands of foreign nationals trained as doctors who are presently in the US but who are not working now because they have not yet completed their residency requirements would be able to qualify under the bills terms.

Employers would be required to attest that the immigrant medical professionals being hired do not displace US workers.

The legislation is supported by US medical professional associations including the American Hospital Association, the American Organization for Nursing Leadership and Physicians for American Healthcare Access  as well as immigration groups, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, FWD.us and the National Immigration Forum.
A group from north Denver in Colorado organized a donation drive for Navajo tribes in Cuba, New Mexico, and made a trip with two truckloads on May 2.

This video was taken on May 1 by Felicia Atencio, one of those involved in the effort, and shows the vast amount of supplies the group gathered.

Theres a 12-year-old girl down in Cuba, New Mexico, named JoJo who has been helping the Navajo Nation get food and supplies. My friend Lucas [Garcia] decided he wanted to help. He decided he was going to take donations and drive them down there," Atencio told Storyful.

Started off with just a truck and a trailer and ended up being two moving trucks, a pick-up truck, a trailer and a small SUV filled with tons of food and supplies. We took them down to JoJo in Cuba, New Mexico, to distribute to the Navajo Nation. There were six of us total that made the trip down there, she said.

According to local reports, the group gathered the supplies on May 1, and headed to New Mexico on May 2. Credit: Felicia Atencio via Storyful
As part of Blue Diamond's long-range strategic vision, two major expansions at the co-op's facilities in the heart of California's Central Valley almond growing region, have been completed or are nearing completion this month. Groundbreaking ceremonies for both projects were held last year. The first expansion is a 52,000 square foot addition to the existing 200,000 square foot Turlock manufacturing plant that first opened in 2013 and sits on 88 acres. In 2014, Food Engineering Magazine recognized the Turlock facility as Plant of the Year for innovation, manufacturing excellence and sustainable operations. Construction completed on the new building last week expands Blue Diamond's value-added almond processing capabilities with an automated factory that features state-of-the art handling, processing and packaging equipment. This expansion also provides space for a future manufacturing line to support current business or new innovations.

The second expansion is the new Bulk 8 Warehouse at the Salida facility that originally opened as an almond receiving station in 1969. Today the 675,000 square foot facility sits on 44 acres and includes a retail Nut & Gift Shop. The new 58,000 square foot bulk storage facility is on schedule to be completed by the end of May providing an additional 50 million pounds of in-house bulk almond storage capacity in time to receive the 2020 almond harvest. The 65-foot-tall building includes advanced design with an automated gravity fed spiral conveyance system that improves grower delivery efficiency and reduces damage to the almonds.

"It is particularly meaningful for Blue Diamond to be able to commemorate our Founders Day today by not only recognizing our humble beginnings 110 years ago, but also celebrating two key growth milestones that help secure our future," said Mark Jansen, President and CEO for Blue Diamond Growers. "I couldn't be more proud that, despite the unprecedented challenges businesses around the world have faced over the past two months, our incredible team has been able to sustain operations as an essential food supplier, while completing these critical expansion projects ahead of schedule to meet customer needs."

"When we opened each of Blue Diamond's three main facilities, we made a commitment to invest in our infrastructure, in our workforce, and in the individual communities where our employees and almond growers live and work. Throughout the year, we support local nonprofits through our community grants, sponsorships, employee volunteerism and product donations. During yesterday's global Giving Tuesday Now effort, I'm thrilled to report that Blue Diamond, along with partners Union Pacific and Sun-Maid Growers of California, committed to a donation match of $50,000 to help support three food banks in northern and central California that are struggling to meet significant demand from local families in need."

Blue Diamond Growers was founded by a handful of California almond growers on May 6, 1910. Originally known as the California Almond Growers Exchange, the grower-owned cooperative quickly grew into the world leader in growing, processing and marketing almonds and almond ingredients. In 1914, the Exchange opened a new receiving and packaging plant in Sacramento, California, that eventually became the largest almond processing plant in the world. Today, the Sacramento plant sits on 90 acres, covering 33 city blocks and serves at the cooperative's headquarters. In 1915, the co-op adopted the symbol of a blue diamond  the finest grade of diamond in the world  to signify its commitment to quality and in 1980, the cooperative's name was officially changed to Blue Diamond Growers.

California produces 80% of the world's almond supply and almonds are the state's largest food export item. Blue Diamond Growers' 3,000 members account for roughly half of the state's almond producers.

About Blue Diamond

Blue Diamond Growers is the world's leading almond marketer and processor. It led the development of California's almond industry since it was formed as a nonprofit, grower-owned cooperative over 100 years ago. Today Blue Diamond has over 3,000 growers across California. Blue Diamond markets and sells a wide range of almond-based snacks, beverages, and ingredients, including Blue Diamond Snack Almonds, Nut-Thins crackers, almond flour, and the number one almondmilk in the U.S., Almond Breeze. For more information, visit www.bluediamond.com.

SOURCE Blue Diamond Growers

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Economy, vaccine should be first on radar



Warning lights are flashing on the international front over a looming confrontation between the United States and China over the COVID-19 pandemic. The worrisome element for South Korea is that the two countries are its top trading partners.



In recent days, U.S. President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have speculated that the coronavirus behind the pandemic came from a lab in Wuhan, China. In an interview Pompeo said that there was "enormous evidence" that the coronavirus may have emerged from the Chinese lab.



Chinese state media have blasted the remarks, and the state-laboratory in Wuhan has dismissed the allegations. The top U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci in an interview with National Geographic published Monday also said that the best evidence showed the virus was not made in a lab in China. He added that leading scientists believe the virus "evolved in nature and jumped species." As the tit-for-tat continued, the World Health Organization has called for a science-based inquiry.



The COVID-19 pandemic is still with us, causing more than 250,000 deaths worldwide. It is still a long way off before the nature and behavior of COVID-19 is identified, and a treatment and vaccine found. Surely, the timing of the top world powers' blame game cannot help in achieving these goals. Without any clear answers yet, the world leaders may be tempted to look to external factors for accountability. The hegemonic rivalry among the world's superpowers is itself a compelling force that may drive their political logic.



But the state of the world economy and pursuit for certainty in controlling the pandemic should lead our steps. The International Monetary Fund has forecast world economy will contract 3 percent this year, as a direct result of the pandemic's impact. For Korea, the IMF predicted a 1.2 percent contraction for the year. The export-dependent South Korea saw April shipments drop 24.3 percent year-on-year, and saw its 98 months of a continued trade surplus end.



As trade partners, China and the United States are the country's two top destinations. When the trade war escalated between Washington and Beijing in 2019, Seoul suffered an $11 billion loss on outbound shipments, government statistics showed.



South Korea has fared relatively well in the COVID-19 battle, because of its previous run-in with infectious diseases including MERS. Placed in a geopolitically sensitive area, Korea has felt and dealt with rumbling fault lines over trade and security between the two nations before. The government is on the hook here to have an equi-distancing plan to flexibly respond to the burgeoning tensions, and play a leading intermediary role if possible.


Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd has transferred money directly to the accounts of 93,000 PMUY beneficiaries in Uttarakhand to help them get three free refills of LPG under the Pradhan Mantri Gharib Kalyan package.

PMUY beneficiaries are to be given three free LPG refills between April-June under the package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Money was transferred directly to the accounts of 93,000 out of a total of 98,759 active PMUY customers in Uttarakhand during the month of April, BPCL state head Vineet Singh said on Wednesday.

Free LPG refills have also been provided to 79.5 per cent of these customers already and the process to reach out to the rest is on, he said.

The corporation had to battle a number of odds to achieve the target including doing night delivery of LPG in high altitude rural areas as the beneficiaries happened to be in their fields during day-time, Singh said.

He gave the credit for it to the BPCL's contractual workers like delivery boys and drivers of utility vehicles engaged in distribution of LPG cylinders, who took their job in such critical times in mission mode.

Despite the threat of the pandemic, they never shied away from going to the remotest corners of the state to reach PMUY customers, he said.

On the precautions being taken in view of the pandemic, Singh said the LPG cylinders at BPCL's bottling plant in Roorkee, the trucks used to distribute them and the delivery men are sanitised regularly. The SOP in view of COVID-19 is fully complied with, the official said



The delivery men who are always wearing masks have strict instructions to deliver the LPGs at a distance of 1.5 metres from the doorstep of a customer, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
CHICAGO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Polyurea Coatings Market by Type (Pure And Hybrid), Technology (Spraying, Pouring and Hand Mixing), End-Use Industry (Building & Construction, Transportation, Industrial, and Landscape), by Raw Material, and Region - Global Forecast to 2025", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Polyurea Coatings Market size is projected to grow from USD 885 million in 2020 to USD 1,481 million by 2025, at a CAGR of 10.8% during the forecast period.









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The primary factor driving the polyurea coatings market includes the increase in demand from end-use industries such as building & construction, transportation, industrial, and landscape. Polyurea coatings have wide acceptability as they are environment-friendly and compliant with norms related to VOCs. Polyurea coatings are durable and formulated to offer resistance to humidity, fast curing time, smooth surface finish, chemical and abrasion resistance, excellent adhesion, and other mechanical & physical properties required in various applications across industries.



Hybrid polyurea is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period



Hybrid polyurea coatings are produced through two different chemical processes. They are produced through the chemical reaction of isocyanates, amine-terminated resins, and a hydroxyl functionality cross-linker or chain extender. Additionally, they are also produced through the chemical reaction of isocyanates, hydroxyl functional resins, and an amine-functional cross-linker or chain extender.



Hybrid polyurea coatings are moisture and temperature-sensitive due to the catalyst used in their formation. They have excellent abrasion resistance and adhesion to metal and concrete body or structure. Polyurea hybrid coatings are cheaper than pure polyurea coatings and are typically used in the building & construction, industrial, and other applications.



Pouring technology is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period



Pouring (used for many floors and roof coatings) is an emerging technology for polyurea coatings. Two components: isocyanates and resin blend are poured with the help of a pouring gun. The pouring gun helps in the accurate mixing of ingredients that are mixed with a static mixer. The increasing residential and home remodeling/reconstruction/ renovation activities in the building & construction end-use industry are expected to drive the polyurea coatings market in this segment.



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The landscape segment is estimated to be the emerging end-use industry in the polyurea coatings market during the forecast period



The demand for polyurea coatings across the landscape industry has increased significantly in the recent past. The applications include aquariums, pools, water parks, theme parks, reservoirs, facades, and bathtub & cabins, among others. Polyurea coatings protect against moisture damage and resistance to chemicals, abrasion, and corrosion to landscape structures. These coatings are expected to replace paint and fiberglass due to their beneficial properties, such as fast cure and the ability to reduce maintenance cycles.



APAC is estimated to be the largest as well as the fastest-growing polyurea coatings market



APAC is expected to account for the largest share of the polyurea coatings industry during the forecast period. The building & construction, transportation, industrial, and landscape are the key industries for polyurea coatings manufacturers as these industries are expected to witness significant growth. Also, demand from various sectors in developing countries such as Japan, India, China, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Singapore is contributing to the growth of the APAC polyurea coatings market. China is the largest consumer of polyurea coatings in the region and continues to drive global demand.



Major vendors in the polyurea coatings industry include PPG Industries, Inc. (US), The Sherwin-Williams Company (US), Nukote Coating Systems (US), VersaFlex Incorporated (US), Armorthane Inc. (US), Wasser Corporation (US), Rhino Linings Corporation (US), Kukdo Chemical Co., Ltd. (South Korea), Voelkel Industrial Products GmBH (Germany) and Teknos (Finland).



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Waterborne Coatings Market by Resin Type (Acrylic, Polyester, Alkyd, Epoxy, Polyurethane, PTFE, PVDF, PVDC), Application (Architectural and Industrial), Region (APAC, North America, Europe, Middle East & Africa, South America) - Global Forecast to 2024

Paints & Coatings Market by Resin (Acrylic, Alkyd, Epoxy, Polyurethane, Polyester), Technology (Waterborne, Solventborne, Powder), Application (Architectural [Residential, Non-residential], Industrial), and Region - Global Forecasts to 2024

Industrial Coatings Market by Resin (Polyurethane, Epoxy, Acrylic, Polyester, Alkyd), Technology (Solvent, Water, Powder, High Solids), End-Use Industry (Industrial, Industrial, Protective, Automotive, Aerospace, Marine, Wood, Packaging), and Region - Global Forecast to 2024

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Donald Trump took a shot at his former health adviser Rick Bright, who filed a whistleblower complaint earlier this week after the White House booted him from his position leading the search for a Covid-19 vaccine last month.

"I never met Dr. Bright. I don't know who he is. I didn't hear good things about him. I did not hear good things about him at all. To me, he seems like a disgruntled employee that's trying to help the Democrats win an election," Mr Trump said on Wednesday.

Since 2016, Mr Bright had led the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). He was demoted in April to a position at the National Institutes of Health.

Mr Bright's whistleblower complaint outlines how his early warnings about coronavirus largely fell on deaf ears at Mr Trump's White House and alleges that he was demoted after cautioning against the Health and Human Services Department's intention to recommend doctors prescribe patients the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine to fight Covid-19 symptoms.

"His efforts to prioritize science and safety over political expediency and to expose practices that posed a substantial risk to public health and safety, especially as it applied to chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, rankled those in the Administration who wished to continue to push this false narrative," Mr Bright's complaint reads.

Last week, the Food and Drug Administration cautioned against using hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine for Covid-19 outside of a hospital setting or a clinical trial "due to risk of heart rhythm problems."

Mr Trump did not pull punches in his criticism of Mr Bright on Wednesday, though he did not offer specifics on what Mr Bright did to earn his ire other than showing disloyalty.

"They didn't think he did a very particularly good job, as I understand," Mr Trump said of Mr Bright on Wednesday.

"He's a disgruntled guy. And I don't think disgruntled people should be working for a certain administration," he said.

Mr Trump took a dig at Mr Bright's legal team.

"If you look at his lawyers, his lawyers are the same as other people have used," Mr Trump said.

One of Mr Bright's lawyers, Debra Katz, previously represented Christine Blasey Ford, a California psychiatrist who accused Supreme Court Justice of sexual misconduct at a party when they were teenagers.

Mr Bright's lawyers argued in the complaint that his ouster from HHS is in violation of the Whistleblower Protection Act, since he was allegedly booted after "numerous instances of protected activity."

Wednesday was not the first time Mr Trump has denigrated a whistleblower. The president has repeatedly criticised the intelligence community whistleblower whose complaint about the administration's policy for Ukraine eventually led to his impeachment.

Earlier this year, Mr Trump removed intelligence community Inspector General Michael Atkinson, who handed over the Ukraine whistleblower's complaint to Congress, which kicked off the impeachment probe.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  This years on-demand commencement from Purdue University will include Pomp and Circumstance, an address from President Mitch Daniels and remarks from five student responders, which involved some ingenuity from everyone involved.

As many students left campus for the semester and faculty began remote instruction, the student responders and commencement planners started working to find ways for those speeches to still be delivered.

Purdue officials shipped a green screen to one student who filmed a response from their home, while another student used a friends recording studio.The three other students, each of whom either live in the area or were still on campus, made arrangements to come to Elliott Hall of Music to record their messages in front of a handful of socially distant Hall of Music staff and others helping out with commencement.

The tradition of a student responder dates to the 1970s when it shifted from the student body president to students from the various colleges and schools assigned to certain times for their ceremonies. Student responders are nominated and reviewed by a committee. The president or a designee then approves the responders. Five undergraduate students are selected for the five undergraduate divisions; the Graduate School division  traditionally the first of the six ceremonies on commencement weekend  does not have a student responder.

This years student responders:

Evan Wang of Zionsville, Indiana, who is to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in computer science and a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from the College of Science, will be the student responder in the Division II ceremony.

Wang has served as a resident assistant for University Residences, chairman of the board of directors of the Purdue Student Publishing Foundation, a representative to the Steps to Leaps Action Committee, and experimental design lead and advisor liaison for the Student Soy Innovation Competition. Wang was a recipient of the National Merit Scholarship and received several scholarships from the College of Science and the Department of Mathematics. After graduation, he will work as a data engineer at Discover Financial Services in Riverwoods, Illinois. He intends to pursue a masters degree in computer science and an MBA.

Jordyn Whaley of West Lafayette, Indiana, who is to receive a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the College of Health and Human Sciences, will be the student responder in the Division III ceremony.

Whaley has served on the Central Committee and as evening events co-chair for Old Masters, on the leadership team for Greek InterVarsity, and is a former vice president of the foundation for Delta Gamma Fraternity. She is a student leader in Sigma Theta Tau International (nursing honor society). Whaley was the recipient of the Lilly Endowment Scholarship and the Purdue Presidential Scholarship. After graduation, she plans to become a registered nurse in a hospital setting.

Eesha Patel of San Jose, California, who is to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial management with concentrations in engineering and analytical consulting, will be the student responder in the Division IV ceremony.

Patel is an Honors College graduate and a member of the Larsen Leaders Academy. She has served as director of engagement for the Management Ambassadors, manager of a Krannert School of Management Instagram page, and a blogger for the school. She also served as a Forte campus representative.

Patel was the winner of the Kelley-Krannert Case Competition and a recipient of the Presidential Scholarship. After graduation, she will begin working as a financial analyst at Microsoft in Seattle.

Mason Gordon of Rushville, Indiana, who is to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural economics, will be the student responder in the Division V ceremony.

Gordon has served as a senator in Purdue Student Government, is a College of Agriculture ambassador, a Class Fellow, and has participated in the Indiana FFA Association and Purdues Academic Quiz Bowl team for the American Association of Agricultural and Applied Economics.

Gordon was recently named a member of the 21st class of George J. Mitchell Scholars. He also was a college leader with Farm Credit Mid-America, a Pearson Scholar through Pearson Education and received many other awards and honors. After graduation, Mason will pursue a masters degree in Rural Futures Planning and Innovation at the National University of Ireland Galway as a Mitchell Scholar. He plans one day to pursue a doctorate in regional economics to influence rural economic development policy.

Mark DAloia, a native of Centerville, Ohio, who is to receive a Bachelor of Science in nuclear engineering, will be the student responder in the Division VI ceremony. He is one of five graduating seniors to earn the inaugural 2020 Purdue Engineering Fellowship.

DAloia is an Honors College graduate and co-chair of selection for the Barbara Cook Chapter of Mortar Board. He was a recipient of the Homecoming 2019 Pillars of Excellency Service and Leadership award. In addition, he has served as president and director of member development for the Purdue Student Engineering Foundation, president of the Purdue Engineering Presidents Council, and evening and publicity co-chair for Old Masters. He has served as a College of Engineering ambassador, Boiler Gold Rush team leader, and researcher with the Ware Research Group. After graduation, he will begin his career as a sales engineer for H3D Gamma, an Ann Arbor, Michigan, startup that makes state-of-the-art radiation detectors for nuclear security applications.

The spring 2020 graduating class includes 5,394 undergraduates, 1,780 graduate students, 235 students from the professional programs, and 141 from Purdue Polytechnics statewide programs.

All students will have their names called during their respective ceremony. Graduates are encouraged to take photos of themselves and their families watching the ceremony or afterward and post to social media using the #PurdueWeDidIt hashtag.

Purdues College of Pharmacy celebrated graduation earlier by receiving permission to graduate 142 pharmacy students on April 17 as a way to provide additional support to pharmacies during the COVID-19 pandemic. The students became eligible to work as graduate pharmacists until they are fully licensed.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to todays toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 6 Most Innovative University in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at purdue.edu.

Related links:

Purdues Class of 2020 to receive special delivery commencement (April 29, 2020)

Top students to be recognized during 2020 commencement (April 28, 2020)

Pharmacy students to graduate early in preparation for future COVID-19 impact (April 9, 2020)

Purdue to pioneer on-demand commencement for Class of 2020 (March 26, 2020)

Purdue announces virtual commencement with future in-person option (March 17, 2020)

Purdue University Global commencement to include first-of-its kind virtual reality component (February 24, 2020)

Writer: Matthew Oates, 765-586-7496 (cell), oatesw@purdue.edu, @mo_oates

Sources: Johnna Dexter-Wiens, jwiens@purdue.edu

Chris Pass, senior assistant registrar, dehahn@purdue.edu
Washington: The deadly coronavirus attack on the US is worse than that of Pearl Harbour and 9/11, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday.

"We went through the worst attack we have ever had in our country. This is really the worst attack we have ever had. This is worse than Pearl Harbour. This is worse than the World Trade Center. There has never been an attack like this," he told reporters in the Oval Office of the White House during a meeting with nurses.

At another White House event, when reporters asked him about his comments earlier that likened COVID-19 to the Pearl Harbour and September 11, 2001 attacks, Trump said, "I view the invisible enemy as a war. I do not like how it got here, because it could have been stopped, but no, I view the invisible enemy like a war."

"Hey, it has killed more people than Pearl Harbour. And it has killed more people than the World Trade Center. The World Trade Center was close to 3,000. Well, we are gonna beat that by many times, unfortunately. So, yeah. We view it as a war," he added.

"This is a mobilisation against a war. In many ways, it is a tougher enemy. We do very well against the visible enemies. It is the invisible enemy. This is an invisible enemy. But we're doing a good job," the president said.

By Wednesday, more than 72,000 Americans had died due to COVID-19 and over 12 lakh tested positive for the disease. Because of preventive social-mitigation measures and complete shutting down of states and businesses, more than three crore people have applied for unemployment benefits.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank project the American economy into recession and according to the White House, the country is likely to experience a minus 15-20 per cent growth in the second quarter of the current financial year.

The number of daily deaths and fresh cases of infections have shown signs of decline and as a result, a large number of states have started opening up their economy.

Trump said the White House Task Force on Coronavirus has done a great job.

"We will be leaving the task force indefinitely. We will see. You know at a certain point it will end. Things end, but we will be adding some people to the task force," he said.

"I thought we could wind it down sooner. But I had no idea how popular the task force is until actually yesterday, when I started talking about winding it down. I get calls from very respected people, saying, 'I think it would be better to keep it going, it's done such a good job.' It is a respected task force. I know it myself. I did not know whether or not it was appreciated by the public, but it is appreciated by the public," the president added.

Trump said he would like to see schools open, wherever possible. "I would say that until everything is perfect, I think that the teachers that are a certain age -- perhaps you say over 60, especially if they have a problem with heart or diabetes or any one of a number of things  I think that they should not be teaching in schools for a while. And everybody would understand that probably. That we understand," he said.

"But other than that, we see how well children seem to do. Incredible. You realise how strong children are, right? Their immune system is maybe a little bit different, maybe just a little bit stronger. Or maybe it is a lot stronger, right? Could be a lot stronger. We have learned a lot by watching this monster," the president said. He also lauded nurses for their "valiant sacrifices".

Sophia Thomas, president of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, who works in New Orleans, was somewhat off message when Trump got most of his guests to nod in agreement that hospitals now have plenty of masks, gowns etc.

"Certainly there are pockets of areas where PPE is not ideal, but this is an unprecedented time and the infection control measures that we learned back when we went to school  one gown, one mask for one patient a day or for a time  this is a different time. I have been reusing my N95 mask for a few weeks now. I just broke out a new one to come here, in case I needed to wear it," Thomas said.

The president put a particular spotlight on Luke Adams, a nurse who has volunteered to work in New York City. "The men and women in this room today are true American heroes. Luke Adams is a nurse of 11 years. He lives in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania  good place. When he heard the call of volunteers in New York, Luke drove to the epicentre of the outbreak and slept in his car for nine days, so he could help care for the sick," Trump said.

"A lot of us have been forced away from our partners, turned away from our children. We have slept on concrete floors or in cars. And we did these things not for our own benefit or safety," Adams said.
06.05.2020 LISTEN

The UEW management has arguable executed leadership by seeing to it that whichever way students complete their semester despite the deadly novel Corona Virus. I would by this commend management for taken swift measures to see to it that we achieve our academic excellence whereas some tertiary institutions couldn't take such bold initiative. However, there is much more to be desired if you ask me.Also, if it must be done, it must be done well.

Notwithstanding the above,I'm very much disappointed in the UEW SRC.Their core mandate is to serve as a link between the students body and management. But their actions and inactions since the inception of the LMS is very worrisome.It tends to look as if the SRC has been contracted by a sect of people not to act in the interest of students.

We have instances where other SRC in other institutions are working tediously and assiduously to meet the demands of their students. Notable among these Is the UCC whom their SRC has fought to the bone to make sure students are not accessed with the E-learning. However teaching and learning will take place online but they will return to school to take their exams.

Such is a mark of good leadership. One would have thought since our disappointed and incompetent SRC president Emmanuel Oduro (SIR CASTRO) comes from the HPERS department which is mostly associated with practical works and assessment, he would have fought to the bone to make sure students in his department and at large are not assessed by the LMS (E-learning) since it doesn't make provisions for practical work.

The over 85,000 students on the LMS has made accessing it very difficult. You will enroll on a course to partake in a quiz, only for the poor network and how hot the system is, making it difficult for you to access your next question. Only for you to realise time Is up and you have been scored 2 or 1 though is was not your fault you couldn't attempt the next questions. How do a whole University who believes in Education use such worrisome system to access students. Where is the effectiveness,productiveness and efficiency we want students to produce if assessed this way.With all these, the SRC is quiet serving their paymasters."Hhmm s3 yangyae ab3twa aaa y3 b3 hunu akokono nkasae"

This informed the Pro VC's "infamous" statement calling on students with poor network to come to their rented hostels and access good network in Winneba. But the truth is, is not about poor network in our homes alone,but the LMS isn't effective for our engagement.So even in Winneba,clicking to access the next question is very difficult like pulling hair from your nostril.

Another fundamental question is, the academic year as we paid rent for ends in May,now the academic calendar has been extended to July.What if I come back to campus and my Land lord asks me to add up to my rents since I would want to stay till July and access "good network". Where do I get money to even add up in this trying moments.

With all these, our SRC is quiet serving their paymasters.Hhmmm .How about the campus residents (those in the halls) with bad network in their respective homes.For them, should they stay home and suffer?Well the SRC executives should keep receipts of every penny spent because the day of reckoning is very imminent. They should not say because of corona " soso and so" we are very much aware of the sanitizers they poured in rubber for us

Anokwa I don't blame Sir Castro and his cohorts, such is what happens if you vote for someone on the basis that he constructed a 2 by 4 bridge.When SRC presidents meet to discuss issues at E-learning on set,only Sir Castro can't be found, why?. Asem paa nie

To my good friend Adu Kesse Michael the SRC secretary " koraa de3" it tends to look as if he is "ignorant" and not incompetent.

UEW SRC executives, a walking disappointment.

#UEW StudentsDeservesBetter from our SRC

Shadrach Appiah
The College of Health and Human Services at George Mason University received a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study the emergence and spread of coronaviruses such as COVID-19, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV2), and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Dr. Amira Roess, who joined Mason's faculty in the fall of 2019 as a professor in the Department of Global and Community Health, is the principal investigator on the grant. Roess studies the spread of MERS-CoV2, a novel coronavirus, between wildlife, camels and humans in East Africa.

The original $2.45million grant for this research was awarded to Roess when she was at George Washington University (GWU) in 2018 (Grant number 1816064). Roess will continue to oversee this multidisciplinary collaboration between colleagues at American University, Charite - Universitatsmedizin Berlin, GWU, University of Georgia, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, and Dilla University on this multi-year research project.

Funding from this grant allows for continued development of models that predict coronavirus emergence and transmission by incorporating environmental, social, behavioral, and cultural factors.

"Bringing this NSF grant to Mason will allow us to continue doing the analysis and monitoring required to understand coronavirus epidemiology, including why some strains are more contagious than others and why some have higher fatality rates," says Roess, "our research seeks to better understand the role of antibodies and that will allow us to develop public health responses to lower infection risk." Her ongoing coronavirus research continues to help inform public health practices related to COVID-19 at the federal, state, and local level.

"It has never been more critical to advance this research as we experience the global implications of the COVID-19 pandemic. NSF support will allow the College to understand and disseminate life-saving knowledge of coronaviruses and develop public health protocols to fight COVID-19," says Dr. Germaine Louis, professor and dean of the College of Health and Human Services.

Coronaviruses are a family of related viruses that mostly infect birds and mammals and are known to infect humans. When present in humans, the viruses can cause mild infections in the upper respiratory tract as well as more serious lower respiratory tract infections. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, the number of coronaviruses cases reported globally was low (SARS-CoV 8,400; MERS-CoV 2,500, COVID-19 1.4 million*), with a high case fatality rate (SARS-CoV 9.6%; MERS-CoV 34%, COVID-19 1.38%-3.4%*).

###

* As of April 9, 2020

About George Mason University

George Mason University is Virginia's largest and most diverse public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls 38,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility. For more information, visit https://www2.gmu.edu/.

About the College of Health and Human Services

George Mason University's College of Health and Human Services prepares students to become leaders and shape the public's health through academic excellence, research of consequence and interprofessional practice. The College enrolls 1,917 undergraduate students and 950 graduate students in its nationally recognized offerings, including: 5 undergraduate degrees, 12 graduate degrees, and 11 certificate programs. The College is transitioning to a college public health in the near future. For more information, visit https://chhs.gmu.edu/.
Jimmy Fallon has been one of the rare rays of light during a dark time of COVID-19 that has brought school closures, mass unemployment and over 70K deaths to the US.

But the 45-year-old comedian does not want to take all the credit.

The former actor told People it was his 52-year-old wife Nancy Juvonen who was the 'brains' behind his at-home The Tonight Show, figuring out the tone, the setting and the props.

Thanks wifey: Jimmy Fallon has been one of the rare rays of light during a dark time of COVID-19. But the comedian does not want to take all the credit. The former actor told People it was his wife Nancy Juvonen who was the 'brains' behind his at-home The Tonight Show

The rep carpet life: The pair side by side at the Met Gala in May 2013 in NYC

The normally shy, behind-the-scenes Nancy has even appeared herself on the show and has come off as delightful with her infectious smile and natural ease with a joke.

The chemistry between her and the late night king is palpable and appealing.

Their two kids, Winnie, six, and Franny, five, and the family dog have also become stand out stars, even though Lady Gaga, Ashton Kutcher, Gigi Hadid and Jennifer Garner have already Zoomed in.

The show began just one day after Tonight Show closed the New York office on March 13.

At home with one of his kids: Fallon took the cover of People as he posed at home

He and his family moved to their Suffolk County, New York, home and set up shop.

Juvonen, 52, has been the heart of the show.

'My wife is the brains behind this whole thing,' Fallon told the magazine that hits newsstands on Friday.

'She's the production scout, the producer, the lighting person, the editor, the director. I could not do any of this without my wife. She is everything.'

The duo met on the set of Saturday Night Live when her producing partner Drew Barrymore was there to host.

His heart: Juvonen, 52, has been the heart of the show. 'My wife is the brains behind this whole thing,' Fallon told the magazine that hits newsstands on Friday

His everything: 'She's the production scout, the producer, the lighting person, the editor, the director. I could not do any of this without my wife. She is everything'

Jimmy was on the sketch show from 1998 until 2004.

'I kind of crept in quietly, and all of a sudden Jimmy goes, "Hey, Nancy! You're Nancy? Hi, its so nice to meet you, welcome!"' said the producer, who is from Marin County, California, in the past.

'And I felt just so embraced and cool, like, "Thank you! Thank you for welcoming me in. This is so nice, its so intimidating (here)."'

They fell for each other when Drew worked with Jimmy on the 2005 comedy Fever Pitch.

'He was just so friendly and fun and welcoming and he loved music,' shared Juvonen.

How they met: The duo met on the set of Saturday Night Live when her producing partner Drew Barrymore was there to host. But they fell for each other when he made Fever Pitch with Drew in 2005

'When I really developed a crush was when (co-producer) Bradley Thomas' kids came to set,' she said. He was great with the kids. 'I played with Lucy and Jimmy played with Charlie  really played, really into it, as if theyd come to visit us,' she shared. 'So, I think thats when my heart just sort of melted even more.'

And they wed in 2007.

He told People that his at home show was hatched with Nancy. 'She goes, "You have to do something, right?" And I go, "I do. Right?" There was no plan but I was like, "Well, I have to do something,"' said Fallon.

The little ones: They have two kids, Winnie, six, and Franny, five, who are stars on his show

Family fun: Nancy has said that she fell for Jimmy because he was 'fun'; seen in 2019

He was working in NYC during another odd time in American history, he told the publication.

'When 9/11 happened, it was such an odd and scary time, and I turned to the late-night guys, Conan O'Brien and Jay Leno and David Letterman,' noted Jimmy.

'Letterman had a really great line that the best thing we could do is be courageous, but sometimes even pretending to be courageous was just as good. I always liked that.'

He called the writers and they created a YouTube show. 'Sometimes you've just got to go with your instincts,' he shared. 'We all need some funny right now.'

He added, 'There was no real structure. And now all of a sudden here we are, and we're raising all this money to help people out. It's been really rewarding.'

He landed this: Jimmy was the first to get Gigi Hadid to admit she is pregnant with Zayn Malik's baby

NBC started to broadcast Fallon's show and corporate donors matched money to give to charities.

They have so far donated millions.

As far as his two scene-stealing kids, he said they have no clue how big his audience is: 'They know about coronavirus and that it's a serious thing and so we have to stay inside. But they're not aware that I'm broadcasting this to millions of people. So if I have them help me out with a bit, they're very themselves, which is cool.'
WASHINGTON  A company created just six weeks ago by a pair of Republican operatives received hundreds of millions of dollars in payments from desperate state and local governments for coronavirus supplies, but is now facing a federal criminal investigation and a rising chorus of complaints from customers who say their orders never arrived.

The company, Blue Flame Medical, had boasted that it could quickly obtain coveted test kits, N95 masks and other personal protective equipment through a Chinese government-owned company with which it had partnered, according to documents obtained by The New York Times.

Blue Flame was started by a pair of Republican political consultants, Mike Gula and John Thomas, who did not have much experience in the medical supply field. Mr. Gulas fund-raising firm has been paid more than $36 million since 2008 by a range of top Republican politicians and political committees, while Mr. Thomas has served as a general consultant to a number of campaigns.

Mr. Thomas had said in an interview in late March that the pair had developed very, very large networks through their work in politics that would enable them to secure supplies from manufacturers, and connect to customers, such as government offices, large medical systems and law enforcement agencies around the world, including in the Middle East.
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 Servizi Italia S.p.A. (BIT:SRI) is about to go ex-dividend in just 4 days. If you purchase the stock on or after the 11th of May, you won't be eligible to receive this dividend, when it is paid on the 13th of May.

Servizi Italia's upcoming dividend is 0.14 a share, following on from the last 12 months, when the company distributed a total of 0.14 per share to shareholders. Last year's total dividend payments show that Servizi Italia has a trailing yield of 5.0% on the current share price of 2.8. We love seeing companies pay a dividend, but it's also important to be sure that laying the golden eggs isn't going to kill our golden goose! So we need to investigate whether Servizi Italia can afford its dividend, and if the dividend could grow.

Check out our latest analysis for Servizi Italia

Dividends are usually paid out of company profits, so if a company pays out more than it earned then its dividend is usually at greater risk of being cut. Servizi Italia paid out a comfortable 49% of its profit last year. 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. Over the last year it paid out 74% of its free cash flow as dividends, within the usual range for most companies.

It's positive to see that Servizi Italia's dividend is covered by both profits and cash flow, since this is generally a sign that the dividend is sustainable, and a lower payout ratio usually suggests a greater margin of safety before the dividend gets cut.

Click here to see how much of its profit Servizi Italia paid out over the last 12 months.

BIT:SRI Historical Dividend Yield May 6th 2020

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

When earnings decline, dividend companies become much harder to analyse and own safely. Investors love dividends, so if earnings fall and the dividend is reduced, expect a stock to be sold off heavily at the same time. Readers will understand then, why we're concerned to see Servizi Italia's earnings per share have dropped 9.8% 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.

Story continues

The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. Servizi Italia's dividend payments per share have declined at 2.5% per year on average over the past ten years, which is uninspiring. While it's not great that earnings and dividends per share have fallen in recent years, we're encouraged by the fact that management has trimmed the dividend rather than risk over-committing the company in a risky attempt to maintain yields to shareholders.

The Bottom Line

Is Servizi Italia worth buying for its dividend? Its earnings per share have been declining meaningfully, although it is paying out less than half its income and more than half its cash flow as dividends. Neither payout ratio appears an immediate concern, but we're concerned about the earnings. Overall, it's hard to get excited about Servizi Italia from a dividend perspective.

With that being said, if dividends aren't your biggest concern with Servizi Italia, you should know about the other risks facing this business. For example, Servizi Italia has 6 warning signs (and 1 which is potentially serious) we think you should know about.

We wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see, though. Here's a list of interesting dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
First group of 265 Nigerians to fly back to Lagos from the United Arab Emirates followed by 300 others from London.

Nigeria is scheduled to start repatriating nationals stranded overseas by coronavirus travel restrictions on Wednesday.

The first batch of 265 Nigerians will fly back to Lagos from Dubai by an Emirates flight, followed on Friday by 300 others from London, the foreign ministry said.

An unspecified number of Nigerians is also expected to return from New York on Sunday, the AFP news agency reported.

The federal government has commenced the process of evacuating willing Nigerian nationals outside the country, a statement said late on Tuesday. The evacuees on arrival in Nigeria will undergo a mandatory 14-day supervised quarantine in a monitored environment.

Nigeria, Africas most populous nation, closed its international airports in March and has only been allowing special flights to repatriate foreign citizens to their home countries.

The index case of the virus in Nigeria was an Italian businessman who came to Lagos in February.

Since then the virus has infected 2,950 and killed 98 people, according to official figures.

The bulk of the infections and deaths occurred in Lagos and the nations capital, Abuja, prompting President Muhammadu Buhari to impose a five-week lockdown on both cities.

The restrictions were relaxed on Monday to enable residents to return to work, but with strict instructions to comply with all restrictions and safety rules, including the mandatory wearing of face masks and social distancing.

The country recorded its highest single-day infection cases of COVID-19 on Monday. A total of 245 new cases were confirmed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), including 73 in Lagos.
DETROIT, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) today reported solid first-quarter earnings. The company's underlying business performance was strong, but results were heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

First-quarter 2020 results:

EPS-diluted of $0.17 and EPS-diluted-adjusted of $0.62

and EPS-diluted-adjusted of EPS diluted-adjusted includes a $(0.28) impact from Lyft and PSA revaluations

impact from Lyft and PSA revaluations Income of $0.3 billion , and EBIT-adj. of $1.2 billion , which includes a $(1.4) billion COVID-19 impact

, and EBIT-adj. of , which includes a COVID-19 impact Revenue of $32.7 billion

GM North America EBIT-adjusted of $2.2 billion

GM Financial EBT-adjusted of $0.2 billion

For complete details and to see reconciliations of non-GAAP measures to their most directly comparable GAAP measures, click here to download the full press release, or visit the GM Investor Relations website.

Investor analyst conference call

GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra and Chief Financial Officer Dhivya Suryadevara will host a conference call for investor analysts at 10 a.m. EDT today to discuss first-quarter results. Introductory remarks will be followed by a question-and-answer session for analysts.

Journalists who wish to listen to the call may dial in using the following numbers:

United States: 1-888-808-8618 International: +1-949-484-0645 Name of Call: GM Earnings Call

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is 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, can be found at http://www.gm.com.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements that represent our current judgment about possible future events. In making these statements we rely on assumptions and analysis based on our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments as well as other factors we consider appropriate under the circumstances. We believe these judgments are reasonable, but these statements are not guarantees of any events or financial results, and our actual results may differ materially due to a variety of important factors, both positive and negative. A list and description of these factors can be found in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and our subsequent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or other factors that affect the subject of these statements, except where we are expressly required to do so by law.

SOURCE General Motors Co.

Related Links

http://www.gm.com


Some may have thought Texans would pour out of their homes when Gov. Greg Abbott announced that his stay-at-home order would expire on schedule, allowing restaurants, movie theaters and malls to begin reopening at reduced capacity. But our polling suggests that most Texans are not ready, however economically eager, to return to normal. The governor may have the ability to let businesses open, but he cant force Texans to eat out, shop at the mall or go to the movies.

This is a tough spot for policymakers and for public health: On the one hand, Texans perceive the threats to the economy as severe, but they also appear unready to change their pandemic-induced behavior because the personal health risk to them remains more threatening than the economic ones.

Anecdotally, reactions to Abbotts announcement were mixed, with many business owners concerned about their ability to open safely or the financial viability of doing so with a fraction of the customers.

Many Texans share those concerns. The University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll found that Texans  more likely to be unemployed than sick with COVID-19  are currently expressing more concern about the economy than about the spread of the coronavirus. The relative weight of these macro-level concerns is at least partially fueling the governors impatience to reopen, especially given higher levels of concern among Republicans about the economy than about the virus.

The survey of 1,200 registered voters was conducted April 10-19. It has an overall margin of error of +/- 2.83 percentage points.

In the poll, 92 percent of Texans acknowledge that the coronavirus is either a significant crisis or a serious problem, and they express broad support for the social distancing mandates originally spearheaded by Texas major metropolitan areas and now voided by the governor. In the same poll, 77 percent of voters support requiring Texans to stay at home except for essential activities; 80 percent support prohibiting the size of gatherings to 10 people or fewer; and 83 percent support the closure of Texas public schools.

Texans also say they are adjusting their personal behavior. Fewer than 1 in 10 say they continue to live their lives as they did before the pandemic. These changes in behavior are probably rooted in the relative concerns that they feel: While they give more weight to macro-level economic concerns than the pandemic, at the personal level, Texans are currently more worried about contracting the coronavirus than the potential economic consequences of the looming recession. Texans also expressed these concerns in a recent UT-Tyler/Dallas Morning News Poll, in which at least 90 percent reported avoiding crowded places and keeping their distance from others.

A persistent minority of Texans weigh the economic threats more heavily than the pandemic. Thirty-five percent think that keeping people at home for too long poses a bigger threat to the country than not keeping people at home for long enough. But a majority of Texans, 55 percent, are more concerned about not keeping people home long enough.

Like other governors, Abbott must balance efforts to reduce the inevitably negative impacts from the spread of the virus and from the economic crash caused largely by efforts to contain the spread. He has received relatively high marks for his handling of the coronavirus, and he has the trust of 58 percent of voters when it comes to communicating accurate information about the virus  better than President Donald Trump at 44 percent. But only 1 in 4 Texans thinks that the efforts to deal with the coronavirus in Texas are going very well.

The governors phased approach and timeline coincides with most Texans expectations that it will be weeks or months before the virus is sufficiently contained to resume public life. The phased openings allow for a gradual, reactive response as attitudes shift with increased testing and tracing capacity.

But, the combination of testing and tracing will be effective only for detecting an outbreak and limiting its severity  not stopping one from occurring or providing effective treatment. Its not clear whether that will be enough to change how Texans calculate their own risks, and especially how they view risk in the context of nonessential activities, like eating in a restaurant or going to a movie theater. Given what we know about Texans opinions on the twin public health and economic crises facing the country, its unlikely that many are as ready as their governor to return to normal just yet.

Henson is the director of the Texas Politics Project at The University of Texas at Austin. Blank is research director of the project.
SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Gluware, Inc. today announced the availability of its Gluware Intelligent Network Automation software platform in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace, an online store providing applications and services for use on Azure. With the global pandemic and other mission-critical issues facing today's network leaders, new and existing Gluware Enterprise 2000 customers can now quickly onboard network automation software to free up valuable IT resources to focus on critical business continuity issues.

Many companies now need to automate their enterprise networks faster than ever to ensure network agility and security in these challenging times. Enterprises are searching for proven solutions that can help them easily maintain business operations without any required coding, especially if technical team members are out for periods of time. By rapidly implementing Gluware Intelligent Network Automation on their network, enterprises can leverage a trusted automation solution that accelerates their ability to achieve 90% self-operating capabilities with fewer resources.

The Gluware platform's Intent-Based Networking (IBN) automation engine empowers its customers to transform their network management at scale and with increased agility, preventing outages and enhancing security. Gluware works across networks comprised of both existing (brownfield) and new (greenfield) devices, dramatically reducing time to value and network risk from human-induced errors and omissions. For large organizations with complex networks, Gluware solves one of the most important aspects of moving from on-premises data centers to the cloud: performance tuning and enhancing security on the corporate network. Gluware provides Microsoft Azure customers with the ability to effectively manage new traffic patterns created by the cloud both during network migration and during on-going network operations in order to preserve a quality user-experience and enhance security and compliance.

Support for Network Automation and Pandemic Planning

To help organizations foster business continuity during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Gluware is offering a 30-day pilot-to-production free trial and waiving its network automation software, services and support fees for qualified customers, a $25,000 USD value. This effort reflects the strong commitment Gluware has to help customers kickstart their automation efforts to prevent any adverse impact on their mission-critical network operations.

Jeff Gray, CEO and co-founder, Gluware, said: "This achievement demonstrates our commitment to the Microsoft Azure ecosystem and to delivering Gluware's unique ability to quickly bring network automation to large organizations, code-free and at scale. Forward-looking enterprise customers seeking effective business continuity strategies will now be able to easily purchase Gluware's solution through the Azure Marketplace and start their network automation journey."

Sajan Parihar, Senior Director, Microsoft Azure Platform at Microsoft Corp said: "We are pleased to welcome Gluware Intelligent Network Automation to the Microsoft Azure Marketplace, which gives our partners great exposure to cloud customers around the globe. Azure Marketplace offers world-class quality experiences from global trusted partners with solutions tested to work seamlessly with Azure."

The Azure Marketplace is an online market for buying and selling cloud solutions certified to run on Azure. The Azure Marketplace helps connect companies seeking innovative, cloud-based solutions with partners who have developed solutions that are ready to use.

About Gluware

In today's world, it is a strategic imperative for global enterprise IT to prevent critical outages, enhance network security, and keep up with ever-changing business requirements through increased network agility. As the leader in Intelligent Network Automation, Gluware adds a powerful layer of intelligence to any existing or new enterprise network, with code-free apps that automate and orchestrate mission-critical network tasks at scale. Gluware's patented Intent-Based Networking (IBN) technology is automating the networks of the world's largest and most complex enterprises across a complex tapestry of vendors, technologies, infrastructure and standards, helping to keep them "always on" while reducing the risk of human-induced errors or planning omissions. The Gluware Application Suite dramatically reduces an organization's time to value and is deployed in the networks of Global 2000 enterprises including leaders across industries from Pharma to Finance. Learn more at www.gluware.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

For Gluware:

Katrina Porter Nadel Phelan, Inc. +1 831-440-2406 [email protected]

SOURCE Gluware, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.gluware.com


Son Jong-woo ran the world's largest child sex abuse website with more than 220,000 videos of child pornography and sexually exploitive contents. Korea Times file



By Kim Se-jeong



The father of the 24-year-old man, who ran the world's largest child sex abuse website, has been drawing a public outcry for making an "emotional" appeal to the judiciary not to extradite his son to the United States.



Son Jong-woo finished his 18-month-long jail term for making and trafficking in sexually exploitative content using children on his website. However, he's still in custody because of the extradition request from the U.S., which has indicted him on nine charges.



In a letter to an appeals court that will hear the case, the father wrote: "I send my deepest apology to the victims. I am not asking the court to condone what he did, but as a father, sending him to the U.S. where he doesn't speak the language and isn't familiar with food, would be too much for him."



He continued: "If you have a child, you'd understand my desperateness. In the U.S., my son could be sentenced up to 100 years in prison. If my son is sent to the U.S., I won't be able to see him again in this life If he can serve his jail term in Korea, at least I can visit him sometimes in jail."



The father also told his family story as an excuse: "My wife and I divorced when he was four years old. My mom took care of him and I worked. I had to work a lot so didn't have time to look after him properly. I bought him a computer so that he could have something to do. He skipped school a lot but I couldn't really do anything because I had work. He is not bad. We were always poor and he just tried to earn money for the family and that's how he got into criminal acts."



He posted the same message on the Cheong Wa Dae online petition website.



However, the appeal drew criticism on the internet.



"Just as your son is still young with many years to live, the victims have many more years to live and he ruined them all," one person said on the web portal Naver. Another reply said: "Don't say your son was ruined because you're poor and divorced. I was also raised by my grandmother and we were poor, but I would never even think about doing what your son did."



From 2015, Son ran the website, named Welcome to Video, which had eight terabytes of child pornography footage and sexual exploitation content involving children, infants and toddlers. The website had more than 220,000 child sexual abuse videos.



The website was accessible through a special browser and had at least 3,344 paid members from around the world. Among the 3,344, law enforcement bodies identified 310, among whom more than 200 were Koreans.



In 2018, he was caught and sentenced to 18 months in prison. But, instead of being released after his jail term was finished, he remains in custody because of the U.S. government's extradition request.



The appeals court is expected to question Son May 19 as part of its extradition hearings.


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Emotional young couples passionately reunited in Italy yesterday, after the country eased its strict nearly two-month lockdown.

Couples in Naples kissed and embraced each other, with millions of Italians finally allowed to meet friends and family for the first time since March 9.

Italy is entering phase two of its lockdown this week, after two months of restrictions which saw the government shut parks and only allow people to venture within a few hundred metres of their door for essential exercise or food shopping.

Italians faced questioning, fines and even prison sentences if they were found outdoors without a valid reason.

However, restrictions have started to ease, with the country reporting less than 100 deaths a day and millions flocked to meet up with their loved ones - though many still wore face masks.

The country has suffered just under 30,000 deaths, the second most in Europe after the UK overtook it on Tuesday.

Despite the joyful scenes this week, a sobering report from Imperial College London has warned that Italy will be hit by an even deadlier second coronavirus wave as it eases lockdown.

A delighted couple wearing facemasks embrace in the street in Naples, Italy yesterday after lockdown was eased in the country

Despite instructions to keep wearing masks, this couple couldn't help but share a kiss as they met up in Naples yesterday

Spirits were high and love was in the air as several couples were pictured passionately reuniting following seven weeks of lockdown

Researchers modelled how the virus would spread in three scenarios  if the nation stayed in quarantine or if Italians increased their movements by 20 per cent and 40 per cent.

Even if Italians went back to just 20 per cent of their normal routine, it would spark a surge in deaths bigger than the first wave, which has so far killed 30,000 people.

If mobility returned to pre-lockdown levels by 40 per cent, there could be an additional 23,000 deaths, the report found.

The researchers admit their bleak predictions are pessimistic as they do not factor in preventative measures.

But they say their findings highlight the need for contact tracing apps, social distancing and mandatory mask-wearing when the country eases its restrictions.

Italy surpassed China to become the epicentre of the pandemic in early March after an explosion of cases in its northern Lombardy region.

But the country managed to slow the spread after imposing one of the strictest draconian lockdowns seen on the continent on March 9.

The country has suffered just under 30,000 deaths and is now reporting less than 100 fatalities a day as the outbreak fizzles out.

Britain, where restrictions have been more lenient, has overtaken Italy as the worst-hit country in Europe.

The Imperial researchers used mathematical modelling to simulate COVID-19's spread eight weeks into the future in all regions of Italy.

They found that if the country stayed in lockdown there would be a continued reduction in deaths.

If 40 per cent of the population in Lombardy, the worst-hit region in Italy, were allowed to return to normal, deaths (in red) would initially continue to drop before rising sharply within eight weeks

Liguria, in northwest Italy, has managed to get through the current crisis without reporting more than 100 deaths a day. But it would be bombarded with fatalities if its population increased their movements by 40 per cent

Piedmont, located next to Milan, and the central region of Tuscany would also face steep increases in COVID-19 deaths if their people went back to just 40 per cent of their normal routine

Marche's outbreak in the even of a 40 per cent increase in mobility (shown left) would not be as steep because lots of people have built up antibodies from the first wave. But in Veneto, where not many people have built up immunity, there could be thousands of cases within two months

It comes millions of Italians return to work at factories and construction sites, and public parks open up after almost two months for people to exercise. Pictured: People gather in front of St Mark's Basilica in the centre of Venice on Monday

Venice's St Mark's Square was full of people again, including a rally staged by local traders, weeks after empty Venice became one of the early symbols of the coronavirus crisis in Europe

How outbreaks would look if Italians increased movements by 20 per cent in the seven worst-hit regions in Italy. Deaths are shown in red, for 20 per cent mobility, and blue, if the current lockdown stayed in place

Family reunion: Melia Famoso (right) and her husband Giovanni (left) hug their grandchildren for the first time in two months in San Donato Milanese near Milan yesterday, with Italians allowed to visit their relatives again

People wearing masks sit on an underground train in Milan, with a 3ft safety distance marked out on the carriage floor

Italy's new rules for 'phase two' of the lockdown Italy has now started to lift its near-two-month lockdown. Previously, Italians were only allowed to venture within a few hundred metres of their door for essential exercise or food shopping. People faced questioning, fines and even prison sentences if they were found outdoors without valid reason. Restrictions are now starting to be eased and Italians are allowed to leave for: WORK: Manufacturing and construction resumed on May 4, allowing an estimated 4.4million people to return to work, but many businesses are still closed. SHOPS: Most non-essential shops are still shut. However, a small selection including bookstores and children's clothes stores opened on a trial basis during the lockdown, and bicycle dealers are expected to be added to that list 'very soon'. BARS AND RESTAURANTS: Can now open for takeaway services only. MEETING FAMILY MEMBERS: People are now allowed to leave their homes to 'visit relatives and other loved ones', but not friends. They will have to wear masks and 'big family gatherings' are not permitted. TRAVEL: People are still banned from travelling outside the region where they live. There is an exception for students and workers who were marooned in a different region when the lockdown began, if they now want to return home. Regional authorities are responsible for ensuring social distancing on public transport. PARKS AND EXERCISE: Parks have re-opened for jogging and exercise, although children's playgrounds are still closed. People are allowed to drive somewhere to take exercise there. UNIVERSITIES: Can hold exams and degree ceremonies if social distancing is respected. Laboratories can also re-open. FUNERALS: Up to 15 mourners are now allowed to gather for a funeral, but must wear masks. Advertisement

But if Italians were to resume their normal pre-lockdown routines by 20 per cent, then a second outbreak would kill an extra 3,700 and 5,000 people, the report found.

If mobility went up by 40 per cent, the total number of excess deaths would be between 10,000 and 23,000.

It is not clear in the report how the second wave would eclipse the current death toll of 30,000.

MailOnline has approached the researchers for clarity.

The scientists say the reason deaths would rebound to such a large extent is driven by a large number of ongoing infections in the worst-hit parts of the country.

If more time is spent under current lockdown before easing restrictions, then infections will continue to fall and deaths 'is likely to be considerably lower in both scenarios'.

Writing in the paper, which has not yet been published or scrutinised by other scientists, the researchers said: 'When simulating future scenarios we have not accounted for the impact of social distancing measures in public transport and public space, alongside the mandatory use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

'The cost benefit trade off between the implementation of new interventions and the relaxation of current NPIs [restrictions] is unknown, and will depend on the effectiveness of this new set of interventions, behaviour, adherence to the recommendations and the correct use of the personal protective equipment.

'Given that interventions, such as extensive testing, contact tracing and social distancing are going to be implemented, our estimates can be viewed as being pessimistic.

'On the other hand, simulating 20 per cent and 40 per cent increase in mobility over the next eight weeks is likely a conservative scenario. Our model uses the official deaths counts to estimate changes in transmission intensity.

'As more information on new interventions are introduced we will include them in our modelling framework. '

Commenting on the findings, Dr Thomas House, a reader in mathematical statistics at the University of Manchester, said: 'Italy is the European country that experienced the earliest surge in COVID-19 cases and as such it is important to follow the situation there closely.

'This paper quantifies the extent to which non-pharmaceutical interventions have worked, and reflecting the uncertainty in what will happen considers multiple scenarios that might hold as they are relaxed.

'This study is applicable to the UK, since the authors correctly recommend that the situation is closely monitored as aspects of lockdown are relaxed, and do not try to predict the future exactly but rather present scenarios that may plausibly be realised depending on how this process actually develops.'

It comes as Italians were back on the streets this week as the country eased the longest lockdown in Europe and entered 'phase two' of the coronavirus crisis.

In Venice, where the empty streets and alleyways were an early symbol of the crisis in Europe, St Mark's Square was full of people again yesterday as local traders gathered in the piazza.

Trains and platforms were busy again in Milan with more than four million people expected to return to work at factories and construction sites, while others can exercise in parks and visit relatives for the first time in weeks.

Italy's Government says the regions are responsible for ensuring social distancing on public transport, but some pictures suggested it was not being strictly enforced.

Italy's move into 'phase two' yesterday follows only 174 deaths on Sunday, the lowest figure since the lockdown went into effect on March 10, although that came after a spike of 474 deaths on Saturday.

The number of cases was 1,389, also the lowest since March 10, taking the total from 209,328 to 210,717.

Italy's R rate - the number of people that each person infects - has fallen below 1, a threshold which is widely seen as crucial to bringing the epidemic under control.

Health officials say the figure was as high as 3 at the height of the crisis in Lombardy, which became one of the early virus hotspots in February and March.

Prime minister Giuseppe Conte has announced a staggered re-opening from yesterday, although some regions are moving at different speeds.

The nationwide rules for 'phase two' say that bars and restaurants can resume takeaway services while building sites and factories are allowed to resume production from yesterday.

People are allowed to visit their relatives, although not their friends, and only within the region where they live.

Masks are compulsory on public transport, with regional governments put in charge of ensuring social distancing - and some of them are requiring gloves.

Parks have re-opened for jogging and exercise, although not playgrounds, and people are required to observe the 3ft 'spacing' guidelines. Meanwhile, gatherings of 15 people are now permitted for funerals.
MONROE  First Selectman Ken Kellogg has moved to ease the towns outdoor dining regulations as state officials work to ease restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic.

Kellogg on Wednesday issued an emergency directive that suspends certain regulations and allows for administrative approval for restaurants to provide outdoor seating and service, so long as they comply with state rules and requirements.

The towns health director will be creating a process for restaurant owners to submit an "emergency outdoor seating plan," which will be reviewed by a small team to make sure the business is protecting public health and safety. Plans will be reviewed expeditiously, and no fees will be charged.

Monroe must stand ready to help our businesses operate to the greatest extent possible, while protecting public health and safety, said Kellogg.

The move comes days after Gov. Ned Lamont stated his intention to allow restaurants to resume limited, onsite operations after May 20, provided they can accommodate outdoor seating.

The relaxing of some restrictions has been discussed as the state went 12 consecutive days of decreased hospitalizations for COVID-19-related complications. The plan was to begin to reopen the state if there were 14 consecutive days of decreased hospitalizations.

That streak was broken Tuesday, when the state endured 50 additional hospitalizations, but plans to reopen continued to be made.

To date, Monroe has 82 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 positive tests, with the towns death toll at six.

We must recognize that many establishments may, with the permission of the property owner, desire to pursue this option and may wish to explore the use of non-traditional areas, such as a portion of their parking lot, said Kellogg. While I anticipate that the state will provide further rules and guidance in this regard, I want to ensure that restaurants may start planning now.

Kellogg said the towns health department will soon be contacting our restaurant owners so they can be ready for May 20.

brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com
As countries around the world explore the potential ofhydroxychloroquinetotreatCOVID-19patients, several experts have sounded a note of warning to say it is not a wonder drug and may even be fatal in some cases.

While frantic efforts are underway to develop a vaccine and doctors all over try and control the spread of the disease for which there is yet no cure, hydroxychloroquine, or HCQ, has emerged as a prime focus area of treatment.

This reliance on HCQ must immediately stop, the experts say, adding their voices to the growing debate to stress that there is no scientific evidence to prove that it is beneficial in treating COVID-19.

It is only on anecdotal evidence that doctors are using HCQ along with other antiviral medication (used in HIV and other viral infections) as empiric therapy to treat COVID-19 patients as there is no definite treatment available yet, said M C Misra, former director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi and one of India's top surgeons.

However, there have been reports of some patients developing cardiac arrhythmias due to hydroxychloroquine which can cause sudden cardiac death,Misra told PTI.

Yudhyavir Singh, a core member of AIIMS' COVID-19 team deployed at the hospital's trauma centre, agreed.

Globally, some deaths have been reported due to the administration of HCQ alone and along with azithromycin as well. HCQ blocks the potassium channel and potentially prolongs the QTc (heartbeat) with consequences of sudden cardiac arrest death and various arrhythmias. This has also been documented in prominent studies, he explained.

The assistant professor of anaesthesia at AIIMS said there are contradictory reports on HCQ usage for treating COVID-19.

As the pandemic spreads and the urgency for effective treatment of COVID-19 mounts, several countries, including the US, have started relying heavily on HCQ, majorly used in the treatment of malaria and rheumatoid-arthritis.

India has become the biggest supplier of the drug and has fulfilled large orders from countries such as the US, UAE and UK.

With US President Donald Trump touting the anti-malaria drugas a definite cure for COVID-19, his administration has stockpiled millions of doses of HCQ despite the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issuing a safety communication regarding the known side effects of the drug.

The FDA said HCQ has been given Emergency Use Authorisation' for the treatment of patients who have tested positive for coronavirus but its side effects include serious and potentially life-threatening heart rhythm problems.

In India too, HCQ is being used by many hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients though there is no scientific proof of its benefit for the disease.

We are using HCQ among other drugs but ignoring its extreme hazardous side effects, Misra said.

In the first week of April, when coronavirus cases in India started to surge, a doctor in Assam who was put on a high dose of HCQ after he showed COVID-19 symptoms died of a cardiac arrest, he said.

Citing a research from France in which one half of COVID-19 patients was administered hydroxychloroquine while the other half was not, Misra said the recovery and outcomes of the two groups were same.

Another study submitted in The New England Journal of Medicine on April 4, 2020 concluded that HCQ administration to the hospitalised SARS-CoV- 2 positive population was associated with an increased need for escalation of respiratory support, he said, adding that hydroxychloroquine was not a wonder drug.

COVID-19, which broke out first in China's Hubei province, has caused havoc across the world, claiming the lives of more than 2.5 lakh people and infected over 36 lakh.

Ashraf Ganie, professor of endocrinology at Srinagar'sSher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, described as brazen the manner in which HCQ was being projected as a cure for treating coronavirus.

HCQ can have serious cardiac side effects and cannot be used without prior evaluation, Ganie told PTI. "There is no quality scientific evidence available, which can prove the efficacy of the drug in prevention or cure of COVID 19, added D K Mangal, director of the Centre for Health Systems and Policy Research in Jaipur's IIHMR University.

It should be used with precautions for patients with severe heart disease and require continuous monitoring of QT interval. HCQ is known for its cadio-toxicity. Hence it should be used in health care settings only, he told PTI. Rajesh Kumar, a doctor of Internal Medicine at Gurgaon's Paras Hospital, said HCQ can also cause hypoglycemia in diabetes patients.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Residents in the Northview Public Schools district Tuesday approved a 30-year, $36.6 million bond request for safety and basic infrastructure needs.

The bond measure passed by a vote of 2,798 to 1,179, or about 70 to 30 percent, according to unofficial results from the Kent County Clerks Office. Turnout was just under 29 percent.

The May 5 election was primarily mail-in, conducted using absentee ballots for safety due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bond measure will not result in a tax increase, instead it would extend the current debt levy of 2.608 mills. The current debt levy is set to expire June 30.

When you walk into every classroom (three elementary schools and two middle schools), it is going to be apparent that the learning environment is much improved," Superintendent Scott Korpak previously told The Grand Rapids Press/MLive.

Related: Northview seeks $36.6M school bond for safety, basic infrastructure needs in May election

With the bond funds, the district will be able to update older buildings built in the 1950s and 60s with improvements needed for the health and safety of their students and staff, Korpak said.

Some of these improvements and repairs include district boilers, roofs, ventilation units, plumbing, electrical and other systems.

Upgraded security measures, such as secure vestibules to prevent visitor access beyond the office area, security cameras and parking lot improvements, will also be funded with the bond.

Eight other school districts in Kent and Ottawa counties have tax proposals on the May 5 ballot.

More on MLive:

Godwin Heights voters approve $13.9M school bond

Kelloggsville Public Schools voters approve tax for building, technology upgrades

Byron Center Public Schools voters approve $80.1M bond to accommodate growth

Michigan polls quiet as absentee voting booms to record levels amid coronavirus outbreak
Doctors in Tamil Nadu said people they interact with are generally cooperative. However, there have been instances of doctors being denied rental accommodation and being forced out of hostels.

Editor's note: This series will focus on the difficulties faced by the medical fraternity at COVID-19 hospitals, their duty hours, access to protective gear, facilities they get during quarantine, how are their families coping with this new reality across different states in the country. This is the ninth part of the series.

***

When Ratnavalli S, a 32 year-old nurse from Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu, returned home after completing her mandatory quarantine period in a hospital, she was in for a pleasant surprise. She said, "Before the lockdown, my children, husband and in-laws had shifted to their ancestral village. So, when I returned from the quarantine, some of my neighbours came to my house to give me a plate of fish curry. They thanked me for being the only person in the locality at work. I was overwhelmed."

Doctors and medical staff members from Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital who spoke with Firstpost said the initial period of the virus outbreak was a nervous time for them but nearly two months later, they have accepted their changed routine and manner of work. We are afraid of getting the virus but thats a risk we have to accept, said Dr Shiva Subramanian, Assistant Professor and surgeon.

The Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital has 45 patients in its special COVID-19 ward. Of these, 30 patients are from Puliyangudi village in Thenkasi district. This was after a 75-year-old senior citizen, who is diabetic was feeling unwell, visited the hospital. He was kept under observation but since he had interacted with the entire village, 30 others from the village too have been admitted to the isolation ward.

All the 45 patients are asymptomatic, said Dr Mohamed Rafi, Professor of Medicine and member of the COVID-19 core group. The first patient who was admitted to the hospital was a resident from Dubai who was quarantined in the hospital as a matter of government protocol. His test results were negative and he was discharged, said Rafi.

The COVID-19 ward is staffed 24x7 by a 25-member team comprising doctors, nurses and paramedics in four shifts of six hours each. After working for 7 days, they are quarantined in the hospital for 7 days and then are able to go home to be in self-isolation for 7 days, after which they return to work in the hospital.

In May, the weather is extremely hot in Tamil Nadu, and working for six hours in PPE kits in the heat is extremely uncomfortable, said Dr Dhanya, a third-year postgraduate student of medicine.

Further, she said that the spectacles that she wears as part of her PPE kit often get foggy. There is nothing one can do about it, she said, adding that one learns to work under these conditions over a period of time.

The doctors and nurses at the hospital said when they step out of the hospital, people in the community are generally cooperative. However, there are exceptions. For instance, a doctor couple  the Srinivasans wanted to rent a house close to the hospital. They had a verbal agreement with a house owner and were to shift in mid-March. However, when we called him to fix an appointment and give the token payment for the house, we realised he had changed his mind. He said he did not want to give his house on rent to doctors during the pandemic which, he said, would be uncomfortable to others living in the locality, the Srinivasans said.

The Srinivasans are now temporarily living in a friends house. We understand the house owners concerns but it was not right to promise us the house on rent and turn us down at the last minute, the doctors said.

A group of medical students in Perambur, north Chennai, have a similar story. They spoke about how they were asked to leave the hostel by its owner when he got to know that they were helping out in the care of suspected coronavirus cases. They said it took a lot of 'talks' over a few days before the house owner reluctantly agreed to let them stay.

Click here to read the complete series

A group of paramedics who were staying in a womens hostel in Anna Nagar, Chennai were not so lucky, though. According to them, just before the lockdown, the hostels owner announced that the water tanker in the building (a common sight in Chennai, which faces chronic water shortages) would not be available from the next day. That announcement led to around 24 of the 30 inmates leaving the hostel immediately. But those who chose to stay back found that the water supply had not stopped. Later, the house owner stopped the cook and the domestic help from working there. However, he promised to drop fresh vegetables to the door. However, later, the electricity supply also was snapped unexpectedly, after which the paramedics were forced to leave. The paramedics believe that the hostel owner may have cut off the essential services for the hostel inmates.

What upsets medical personnel is being away from their loved ones, especially children. The concerns for Subramanian centre around his daughter and his wife, who are presently living with a relative. He said, My daughter misses me and my wife is bored of staying away as it is over a month now, said Dr Subramanian.

Velavan, an ENT surgeon at the same hospital, said his daughter is too caught up in play to even talk to him for more than a few minutes. I dont know when I will be able to see them, he said.

In the meantime, they are both bored stiff by the long hours of doing nothing in quarantine and in self-isolation at home. From the time we were in medical college, our days were packed with studies and later internships. The hospital work gives us a purpose. They walk in the long corridors outside their rooms during quarantine. Subramanian has caught up with his favourite actor Vikrams films. But thats only so much one can do. We read a lot on our iPads. But it is getting quite boring doing nothing, the doctors said, looking forward to normal routine of work and family.

Experts call for ensuring enough diagnostic services, incident response systems



Dr Hari Balaji VR, a public health emergency specialist and a disaster management expert praised the co-ordinated efforts of the government, hospitals and medical colleges to reach out to every suspected case of coronavirus. However, he says, With just 85,000-1,00,000 emergency department beds (for the whole of India), it will be a difficult situation to manage if 20 percent to 30 percent of the population gets affected by the virus.

He suggested a few measures the government could take to make the treatment and control of the virus easier. These include:

-An Incident Response System to be set up by the Central and state governments to handle the situation till it eases up.

-Temporary medical structures to accommodate the sudden rush of patients

-Nurses who recently retired should be recalled for duties and final year nursing students should be enlisted to handle the surge of patients.

-Setting up temporary labs and ensuring diagnostic services are set up to handle increased flow

-Deploying clinical psychologists for counselling family members of patients and medical professionals
Two police officers talk front of the Greek Parliament during the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic in Athens, Greece on April 24, 2020.

Greece might be spared from having to hit strict fiscal targets related to previous bailouts in 2021, a government official told CNBC, given the ongoing health and economic crises.

The country, which has been bailed out three times, agreed in 2018 to reach a primary budget surplus  when a government's revenues are higher than its spending  of 3.5% until 2022. This required level of surplus limits the government's ability to spend, but was agreed with international creditors in return for softer debt repayment conditions.

However, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has completely changed the economic landscape for Greece, as well as for the wider European Union (EU). As a result, EU policymakers agreed in late March to lift fiscal targets for each member country for as long as necessary, giving them more leeway to tackle the unprecedented economic shock.

Akis Skertsos, deputy minister to the prime minister of Greece, told CNBC Friday that "most likely this will carry on to 2021 as well."

"It has not been decided yet, but as we progress into the crisis these are the signs, because everybody admits that 2021 will also be a difficult year," he added.

The European Union has already been hit hard by the economic impacts of Covid-19 and contracted 3.5% in the first quarter of the year. However, the latest EU forecasts suggest that the 27-member economy could fall as much as 7.4% this year.
WATERLOO REGION  Waterloo Regions top health official is confident as much COVID-19 testing as possible is being done locally, while saying its a high priority to improve testing.

We are maximizing the testing within the capacity of the system right now, said acting medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang.

Its definitely very important to me that our testing rates continue to go up.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford harshly criticized some regional medical officers of health on Tuesday for the provinces inconsistent rates of COVID-19 testing, saying they werent ordering enough testing.

Wang was asked at Wednesdays regional briefing if it was fair for Ford to point the blame at medical officers.

I think the premier is trying his best, like we all are. He obviously wants to see testing results go up. I think what is important to understand is that we are trying very hard to work with our partners who actually do the testing to make sure that those rates continue to climb, Wang said.

I think were on right path in Waterloo Region  We have continued to increase the numbers that are tested here.

Snapshot of COVID-19 in Waterloo Region Updated May 6 871 People who tested positive 395 People who recovered 94 People who died 7,563 Total tests administered Source: Region of Waterloo public health

Wang said its her assumption that the premier understands that local medical officers play a key role among other partners in the regional responses to COVID-19.

He wants us to get the message yes we want testing rates in our communities to be high. We totally agree with that message in our community, and we are working with our testing partners to try to increase that capacity as quickly as we can, she said.

Before early April, there were significant shortages of swabs when at the same time the province expanded testing guidelines, and groups prioritized for testing continued to grow.

When we had the capacity, we kept scaling up and improving our testing rates, Wang said. Were just going to keep working on that.

Between April 21 and 30, the region tested an average of 206 people daily  up from 138 between April 11 to 20, and 113 from April 1 to 10.

Wang cautioned that while lab capacity is increasing in Ontario, a whole new system is being built in the midst of a pandemic. She said its important as much as possible to be thoughtful about how many tests are submitted every day to not overwhelm the new system and potentially waste swabs, which would necessitate testing people again.

What we understand is that with all the swabs that were submitting now, because were submitting a lot, this is filling up the lab capacity that has been created and possibly at times testing it, she said.

Daily fluctuations in testing numbers can be affected by a number of issues, such as there not being a good system over the weekend for delivering tests to the labs.

Wang was not sure why recent growth in daily testing locally lagged behind the province, but she said she wants to take a look at that later in more detail.

I do know that what were doing now is filling up the lab capacity that we have and that were going to continue with our efforts to increase our testing rates, Wang said.

She stressed that public health units do not do the testing, but rather thats overseen by community partners including medical directors in nursing homes, and hospital and community assessment centres.

This region is going beyond provincial requirements to test not just all long-term care homes, but also retirement residences because theyre vulnerable and experiencing outbreaks as well. Wang said the plan is to complete testing in all 56 of those homes in the region in the next couple of weeks.

We are very conscious of the importance of testing and were going to do our very best, along with our great partners that are also ramping up their capacity, to continue to increase rates of testing, Wang said.

Chief administrative officer Mike Murray said four new charges were laid over the last week for failing to comply with emergency orders for a total of 10 in the region. The new charges related to a personal service setting  a Kitchener nail salon  and three gatherings over five people  at a private Waterloo residence and two separate incidences in Cambridge public spaces.

From April 28 to May 4, there were 1,094 contacts in the region related to compliance and monitoring. Of those, there were 670 site visits with education, interactions and sometimes warnings issued, and 360 site visits with no action required.

The Wednesday morning update by public health included 871 confirmed COVID-19 cases, and four more deaths to reach a total of 94. Of all the current local cases, 395 are resolved and 40 are hospitalized.

Outbreaks are declared at 14 long-term care and retirement homes  down one from the previous days update. The outbreak at Stirling Heights long-term care home in Cambridge ended on Tuesday. One employee had tested positive at the residence owned by nursing-home company Revera.

The outbreak at Forest Heights Revera in Kitchener, which was declared on April 1, continues. A total of 165 residents and 59 staff have tested positive, and 44 people have died.
Baranick entered the senior living industry in 2010 as care manager on the nursing floor of a large senior living provider. His experience working long nights on third shift instilled his commitment to developing the front-line staff, as he recognized their critical impact to the success of the community. Thereafter, Baranick transitioned to a Wellness Director role where he improved community culture, staff training, and quality assurance, while delivering exceptional customer service to residents and families.

"Collin is a valuable asset to our team, not only as an intelligent and tenacious self-starter, but also in the kind and genuine way in which he cares for seniors," says Whitney Lane, Watercrest's Senior Vice President of Operations.

Baranick most recently served as an Executive Director, opening two senior living communities from ground up, in South Carolina and Florida. From this experience, Baranick brings his industry knowledge and first-hand expertise of the construction phasing, associate staffing, and coordination necessary to ensure smooth and successful grand openings for new residents and staff.

"It's invigorating to build a team and instill a positive, team-centered culture here at Watercrest, where all associates are challenged to bring value and collaboration to fulfill the company's vision and goals," says Baranick, Executive Director of Watercrest Sarasota. "We look forward to welcoming residents to our brand-new community as they build relationships and take ownership of their new home while experiencing the best of the best here at Watercrest Sarasota.

Ideally located at 4100 University Parkway, Watercrest Sarasota will be a signature Watercrest product, offering 72 independent living, 94 assisted living and 32 memory care apartments with resort-style service and world-class care. The architecture and design will boast a stunning promenade, fireplace, signature water wall, multiple dining options, pool, salon and spa, grand balconies, and Florida-style outdoor living spaces. Watercrest's uniquely designed Market Street Plaza will showcase an 'outdoor' streetscape with numerous LifeBUILT programming touches; a highlight and crucial element of their multi-sensory memory care programming.

Watercrest Senior Living Group was founded in 2012 by Marc Vorkapich, CEO, and Joan Williams, CFO, to honor our mothers and fathers, aspiring to become a beacon for quality in senior living by surpassing standards of care, service and associate training. Watercrest senior living communities are recognized for their luxury aesthetic, exceptional amenities and world-class care, and their innovative memory care programming offers unparalleled service to seniors living with Alzheimer's and dementia.

Watercrest Sarasota is the second senior living development project partnered between Watercrest and United Properties. Their first project, Watercrest Naples Assisted Living and Memory Care welcomed its founding residents earlier this year in Naples, FL.

Founded in 1916 and based in Minneapolis, United Properties has developed nearly 200 projects totaling more than 20 million square feet and nearly $1 billion over the last 30 years, including 17 senior housing communities in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Denver and Naples markets, with five more under development.

United Properties provides market expertise for ground-up development, redevelopment and acquisitions of value-add and stable investments. The company invests in and develops office, industrial, retail, mixed-use and senior housing properties. For information, visit www.uproperties.com.

For community information, virtual tours or to place your reservation at Watercrest Sarasota, please contact Collin Baranick, Executive Director at 941-979-1396 or 941-259-8971, or email [email protected].

A certified Great Place to Work, Watercrest Senior Living Group specializes in the development and operations of assisted living and memory care communities and the growth of servant leaders. Visit www.watercrestseniorliving.com.

SOURCE Watercrest Senior Living Group

Related Links

http://www.watercrestseniorliving.com


- Boris Johnson got married to Marina Wheeler in 1993 and together they sired four children

- They, however, separated in 2018, prompting Wheeler to initiate divorce proceedings in 2019

- The divorce was granted in late April and Boris was effectively served

- The prime minister was initially married to a socialite, Allegra Mostyn-Owen, from 1987 to 1993 before they broke up, paving way for his marriage with Wheeler

- The 55-year-old Boris has six children in total, including the newborn, four of whom he sired with Wheeler and one with an art consultant, Helen McIntyre

United Kingdom (UK) prime minister Boris Johnson's marriage with his second wife, Marina Wheeler, has officially been terminated.

Wheeler who got married to Boris in 1993 initiated divorce proceedings in 2019 after the two separated in 2018.

READ ALSO: Govt restricts movement in and out Eastleigh, Old Town Mombasa as COVID-19 cases spike

Boris Johnson and his fiance Carrie Symonds. Photo: Mirror.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: COVID -19: 47 new positive cases push national tally to 582

The PM is now free to marry his fiancee, Carrie Symonds, who recently gave birth to a baby boy named Wilfred Nicholas Johnson.

Boris and Symonds made public their engagement on February 29 where they disclosed they were expecting a baby in summer.

According to reports by the Mirror, the two are expected to wed as soon as the ongoing lockdown is eased.

Boris Johnson has been granted a divorce from the second, Marina Wheeler. Photo: Mirror.

Source: UGC

In total, Boris, 55, has six children including the newborn, four of whom he sired with Wheeler and one with an art consultant, Helen McIntyre.

He was initially married to a socialite, Allegra Mostyn-Owen, from 1987 to 1993 before they broke up, paving way for his marriage with Wheeler.

After 27 years of marriage, Wheeler, a professional and renowned lawyer initiated a divorce process which was reportedly granted in late April.

Boris Johnson's second wife Marina Wheeler. Photo: Daily Mail.

Source: UGC

Despite the wrangles that culminated into separation, the two are said to have had a good relationship with Wheeler receiving credit for having contributed immensely to the political growth of her husband.

Though she is a resilient woman, Wheeler is believed to have gone through turbulent times ever since she parted ways with Boris two years ago.

She had surgery for cervical cancer in 2019 and lost her mother, Dip Singh, in February 2020.

It is estimated she would receive about KSh 458,297 from the divorce, based on Boris' estimated wealth.

Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly.

Kenyans come through for elderly couple kicked out by landlady over rent arrears | Tuko TV.

Source: TUKO.co.ke
TROY  The city is cutting department spending by 10 percent, letting 15 to 20 jobs go unfilled and is preparing for declining revenues resulting from the coronavirus pandemic as it tries to keep city services running, Mayor Patrick Madden said Tuesday.

There are no plans at this time for furloughs or layoffs, but that may change as the citys financial situation becomes clearer, Madden said. We dont know whats going to happen to AIM (state aid) and sales tax, Madden said.

The $12.2 million in state aid and $16.5 million in sales tax revenue account for 38.4 percent of the citys $74.7 million general fund 2020 budget.

The city projects a $1.3 million decline in department expenses outside of personnel costs. The city is calculating losses in water department revenues as water use has dropped with businesses closing and a big customer like Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute sending its entire student body home in response to the pandemic.

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While the citys sales tax revenues were up at least 5 percent for the first quarter the impact of businesses shutting down wont be seen until later this month. Madden said that will give the city real data to apply to calculating how bad revenues will be hit.

Maddens counterparts in Albany and Schenectady have warned layoffs may be coming in their municipal workforces. Madden said he is not yet considering at furloughs or staff reductions.

The next step is to look at staffing, said the mayor, who is to meet with the leaders of the citys six unions Wednesday.

Police, fire and garbage pickup are the key services Madden wants to maintain. The fire and police departments account for about 54 percent of the city budget.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Madden, a Democrat, briefed Republican City Council President Carmella Mantello and Councilman Ken Zalewski, D-5th District, who leads the councils Democratic majority, Tuesday on the developing budget situation.

A special Finance Committee meeting has been called for Thursday for the mayor to update the council members on the fiscal situation. Mantello and Zalewski said the entire council has to work together to deal with the emerging budget crisis.

The city faces a very serious situation right now. It all depend on whether were going to get any federal aid, Zalewski said.

The economic pain caused by this pandemic is going to be massive. In Troy, we are facing budget shortfalls in state aid, sales tax revenues, and everyday department revenues and we must prepare for the worst and hope for the best, Mantello said.

Unlike other Capital Region cities, Troys finances are subject to state oversight due to the 1990s bailout when the Troy Municipal Assistance Corp. was created to borrow to close the citys budget deficit. The city must submit its proposed budget for state review every year. If the citys general, water and sewer funds go in the red, the state will step in to assume control of city spending.

The city is scheduled to pay its MAC debt off in 2022. Its annual payment is about $6.5 million. The state draws from the citys sales tax revenues to make the annual debt payments.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 00:08:41|Editor: huaxia

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Carlos Miro Mancebo (R) and his wife Charo Conde Baruque take photos in front of a mirror in their mobile home parked in an industrial estate in the town of Talavera de la Reina in central Spain, April 29, 2020. Spanish travelers, Carlos Miro Mancebo and his wife Charo Conde Baruque, have spent almost two months since Spain was placed under lockdown to stop the spread of the coronavirus in their mobile home parked in an industrial estate in the town of Talavera de la Reina in central Spain. (Photo by La Gaviota Viajera/Xinhua)

MADRID, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Spanish travelers, Carlos Miro Mancebo and his wife Charo Conde Baruque, have spent almost two months since Spain was placed under lockdown to stop the spread of the coronavirus in their mobile home parked in an industrial estate in the town of Talavera de la Reina in central Spain.

The couple, who gave up their jobs to travel and publish a blog called "La Gaviota Viajera" (The travelling seagull), were in Talavera de la Reina when the lockdown was declared in mid-March and, unable to continue their journey, they parked opposite the local fire station and have spent seven and a half weeks in the same spot.

"It's not been a problem for us as we travel a lot and we are used to the three square meters we live in, but we are used to having the street at the door and spending a lot of time in the street, so having it there and not being able to go outside was difficult," Charo told Xinhua.

However, they explained that the police and emergency services had been kind to them after seeing their predicament.

"One day I was filming the firemen arriving back at the fire station, as every day they go into town to sound their sirens and try to cheer people up and I saw they did something unexpected. They came towards us with their sirens on, then they got out of their wagons and started to applaud us," said Carlos, recalling that with one fire engine on either side of their mobile home, it felt as if they were "being hugged."

Spain on Monday began to lift its stringent coronavirus lockdown as the first step in its four-stage plan to return to a "new normal".

Despite their experience, they insist that "as nomads" they won't stop travelling, but will be altering their plans for this summer.

"We know we are not going to travel in Europe this year because the borders are closed and likely to stay closed until September or October. We will have to adapt and travel in Spain, because there is a lot to see here," said Charo.
Die Hard actor Bruce Willis had been quarantining with his ex-wife Demi Moore and their daughters Scout, Rumer and Tallulah Willis. Tallulahs boyfriend Dillon Buss was also quarantining with the family. After the COVID-19 lockdown was announced, Demi Moore, as well as her daughters, have been posting pictures of the family spending their time together in quarantine.

Bruce Willis family

While many claimed that there was trouble in paradise for Bruce Willis and Emma Heming Willis, it was later revealed that the rumours were untrue. Demi Moore has been sharing pictures of herself and her daughters having some great bonding time with their father Bruce Willis. However, recently it has been reported that Bruce Willis has gone back to his wife Emma and daughters Mabel and Evelyn.

ALSO READ: Bruce Willis And Demi Moore Self-isolate Together With Family Amid Pandemic

ALSO READ: Demi Moore & Bruce Willis Raise The Bar For Friendly Exes, Dance As Duo Amid Quarantine

Emma Heming Willis reunited with her husband Bruce Willis, 65 just a day prior to their daughter Evelyns sixth birthday. She shared pictures of the family having some outdoor fun with Bruce Willis. Bruce Willis was seen having a gala time with both his daughters as he is seen pushing one of his daughters as she sits on a swing. Emma Heming Willis shared pictures of the family outing on her social media account. It has been reported that the family of four were celebrating in a ranch in Sun Valley, Idaho while being in the COVID-19 lockdown.

Recent pictures and videos shared by Emma Heming Willis show that not only Bruce Willis but Demi Moore and their daughters too have joined the family to celebrate Evelyns birthday. Evelyn is the youngest amongst all the children and hence her sixth birthday was a special one. Pictures and videos of the entire family having fun while being in quarantine have been shared online.

ALSO READ: Demi Moore, Bruce Willis' Family Book Club Amid Coronavirus Quarantine

In a recently shared video, it can be seen that Evelyn returns to her family after a short bike ride and is met with cheers and claps from her mother, father and her sisters. Emma Heming Willis, while posting the video wrote, A big day over here! Not only did the baby of family turn 6, she decided to take those training wheels off. #thisis6 #proudfamily [sic] In another video, the six-year-old prepares herself for following the tradition of putting her face in a cake. Demi Moore and her three daughters are seen cheering as she follows the tradition.

ALSO READ: Bruce Willis' Daughter Scout Reveals Why He Moved In With Ex Demi Moore
Police have identified a plague doctor prankster who terrified children by walking the streets of Norwich dressed as a 17th century medic as a teenager boy.

The teenager had been spotted strolling past homes in Hellesdon dressed in a long, black overcoat with a wide-brimmed hat and a pointed mask with eye openings and a beak-shaped nose.

This macabre ensemble would have been worn by physicians during the Great Plague of London between 1665 and 1666, which was the last major epidemic of bubonic plague to hit the UK.

The characteristic beak would have been stuffed with sweet smelling herbs like lavender, which were at the time believed to ward off diseases.

But spooked residents in Norfolk complained the mysterious figure was 'disturbing' and 'terrifying' for children, reminiscent of 'bring out your dead' criers who would have transported victims of the bubonic plague away from homes 300 years ago.

Police have unmasked a plague doctor prankster as a teenager boy (pictured) after he terrified children by walking the streets of Norwich dressed as a 17th century medic

Norfolk Police have now unmasked the ghoulish figure as a local teenager who had dressed up as a 17th century plague doctor as a joke.

Officers said they have spoken to the boy about the 'consequences of his actions', but he will escape prosecution unless he defies police to continue his display.

A police spokesman said: 'Officers from the local neighbourhood team have identified the individual as a boy in his late teens.

'The individual has been spoken to about the consequences his actions may have on some people in the local community and was given words of advice as a result.'

Sightings of the teen, dressed in the black coat and beak-like mask, had prompted both alarm and amusement last month.

One person wrote on social media that the 'plague doctor' had 'scared the life out of my missus', adding that the costume must be 'terrifying for kids.'

The teenager had been spotted strolling past homes in Hellesdon dressed in a long, black overcoat with a wide-brimmed hat and a pointed mask with eye openings and a beak-shaped nose

Officers said they have spoken to the boy (pictured) about the 'consequences of his actions', but he will escape prosecution unless he defies police to continue his display

Danny Buck, a historian at the University of East Anglia, said: 'The police believe local residents are finding it disturbing.'

Jade Gosbell, 21, who took a photograph of the person walking across a recreation ground in Hellesdon, said: 'It was like 20 degrees, he was wearing a full black suit, it just looked ridiculous.

'It's clearly for attention or something like that, because normal people just wouldn't do that.'

The furloughed gym worker continued: 'I was sitting there and I was getting angry myself as my mum has a phobia of masks.

'I know that even in daylight if she was to go round the corner and bump into him she would be so scared.

This macabre ensemble, thought to be designed by Charles de Lorme, would have been worn by physicians during the Great Plague of London between 1665 and 1666 (left: the teenager and right: an illustration of a 17th century plague physician)

'Kids would be frightened, my mum would be frightened, however some people really don't think it's that deep, they just think that he's having a laugh, he's just trying to find something to do with himself during isolation and lockdown.'

After posting the photo on Facebook she added: 'I was told that if I see him again to call the police.'

Another resident, Jenny Rogerson, 33, a mother-of-two, said: 'We're in lockdown and my husband was watching telly in the front room while I was in the kitchen.

'He saw it first, and I didn't believe him when he called out to come and have a look.

'The kids rushed to the front window too and screamed when they saw this guy creeping down the street.

'It frightened the life out of us. What sort of sick person does something like that?'

Norfolk Police said last week: 'Officers have been made aware of an individual who was seen walking around the Hellesdon area wearing a plague outfit.

Plague doctors thought beaked masks containing lavender would protect them Plague doctors wore long, ankle-length overcoats and beak-like masks filled with herbs they believed would protect them from airborne diseases. They also wore gloves, boots and a wide-brimmed hats as they treated bubonic plague patients in the 17th century. Historians believe the ensemble was designed in 1619 by Charles de Lorme, who was the personal physician to several members of the French royal family between 1610 and 1650. It is thought he came up with the idea for head-to-toe clothing for doctors caring for plague patients from a soldier's armour. Advertisement

'Although no offences have been committed at this time, officers are keen to trace the individual in order to provide words of advice about the implications of his actions on the local community.

'Should any further information come forward about any offences being committed, we will act accordingly.'

But some townsfolk can see no harm in it.

One tweeted: 'Are they doing anything wrong, or just going about their business in a plague costume? Surely they are being extra-responsible by wearing a full face mask?'

Another tweeted: 'Snitches get the plague', and a third said: 'Since when is the costume illegal?'

One expert says the Black Death, a bubonic plague which killed six in ten people in Europe in the 14th century, long before this costume was adopted, proved that even after a 'Grim Reaper' pandemic, life goes on as before.

Mr Gummer, a historian who was Tory MP for Ipswich before losing his seat in 2017, said history shows that taxpayers will pay the bill 'for years' for government measures to save the economy - but society will go back to how it was before.

Before he lost his seat, he chaired a COBRA meeting which looked at the government's response to a flu pandemic.

He had also researched for a book called 'The Scourging Angel', about the Black Death and its effect on medieval society, before he became an MP.

There were major changes to society after the Black Death devastated Europe, he said, but during his research he came to realise that most of the changes had already started long before it hit the continent.

He added he does not believe the current pandemic will change society.

'I think a pandemic like this might speed up some changes that would have happened anyway, but it won't fundamentally change society of its own account,' he said.

'We are in strange times at the moment, but when this passes I think people will go back to life as it was before.

'I don't think this will fundamentally change society although it will take time to get back to normal.'

He warned there would be a price to pay for the strong action by the government to support the economy and workers.

'I'm afraid we will be paying for this for many years. The national debt will be going up and that will have to be serviced,' he added.

'That means we will be having to pay more taxes and will not actually see any benefit from that.'
On 30 April, 570,850 grade 11 students started their final-year exams by logging onto mobile phones, laptops and desktops, forced to do so after the outbreak of the coronavirus.

Students who took the exams, which will last until 17 May, were divided into two groups. One group included students from Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, Assiut, Kafr Al-Sheikh, Qena, Fayoum, Damietta, Ismailia, Aswan, Port Said, North Sinai, New Valley and South Sinai governorates. They took their exam from 9 to 12 in the morning.

Students in the remaining governorates of Sharqiya, Daqahliya, Qalioubiya, Gharbiya, Menoufiya, Beheira, Minya, Sohag, Beni Sweif, Luxor, Suez, Red Sea and Marsa Matrouh took their exams from 12 to 3pm.

The Ministry of Education and Technical Education allocated the link https://thaneduone.emis.gov.eg/attend-complain/ to sign in and out before and after exams.

According to Reda Hegazi, deputy to the Ministry of Education, the link also receives daily complaints from students who face technical problems while taking their exams. Grade 11 students are taking their exams three days a week, and all the problems they had have been solved, Hegazi, who strongly denied rumors that exam answers had been leaked, said.

Hegazi said the ministry had also allocated several hotlines for students to report any technical problem immediately. Technicians are available at all times during the exams to receive complaints and help solve them immediately. Until now none of the students faced any unsolvable problem, confirmed Hegazi.

Students, according to Hegazi, are being tested in the curriculum they studied until 15 March, and that the exams will be corrected electronically, and the results published on school websites and sent to students.

Mervat Fathi, a teacher and mother of a grade 11 student, said her daughter did not face any difficulty in the exams. Fathi did say that thousands of students had formed a group on the Telegram application to help each other answer exam questions. None of the exams were leaked but students cheated, Fathi said.

Israa Ahmed, a grade 11 student, said she was logged out of the exam platform while taking the Arabic exam whose duration was three hours. I immediately dialed one of the hotline numbers sent to us and the technician helped me to re-log onto the platform but by then I only had one hour left. If it were not for the Telegram group, I would not have managed to finish the exam, Ahmed said.

Another mother who spoke to Al-Ahram Weekly on condition of anonymity, said the number of students on Telegram was over 220,000. She said the ministry was aware of the group since many of the students received automated message addressed to them from Minister of Education Tarek Shawki stating, she added, that although he loves them, he is upset they are cheating.

Hegazi told the Weekly that the ministry was aware of the group. The ministry is examining the situation, will take it into consideration and will take all necessary measures against it.

Thank God I am not a member of the Telegram group, Ali, a grade 11 student, said. Three of my friends who are members received an automated message from the minister saying he was disappointed because they are cheating. I believe they will be punished but I do not know how, Ali said.

Badreddin Amin, also a grade 11 student and a member of Telegram, believes they will not be penalized because the ministry will not be able to fail over 200,000 students. The ministry cannot fail all these students, Amin said.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 7 May, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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In this world were so many people are staying at home and so many things have been canceled we need help with front page photos.

We want your help in creating some fun photos for your newspaper.So heres a challenge for you take picture of yourself, your family, your pets, or any combination or something completely different, such as a landscape. Submit your photo here and you might see it in the paper, possibly front page.

Some ideas could come from recreating a classic art piece with your family in masks, playing a family game, helping a friend, life at home in lockdown, etc.

The pictures can be serious or fun. Include the full names of everyone in the photos and a sentence or two about the picture.

Lets have some fun at home, get some pictures and help us fill the pages of your newspaper with your photo.

Thank you.

Brad Staman

Editor

Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 10:47:31|Editor: huaxia

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LONDON, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese ambassador to Britain on Tuesday pledged that his country will continue deepening reform and opening its market wider to the world, which will not be held back by COVID-19.

Liu Xiaoming said at the China-Britain Business Council Webinar that China's success in the past 40 plus years is attributed to reform and opening up.

"Going forward, deeper reform and further opening up will continue to enable China to achieve even greater success," the ambassador said.

Liu said the Chinese government is implementing fully the policy of pre-establishment national treatment plus a negative list and it is also working on shortening the negative list, and promoting the building of pilot free trade zones and free trade ports.

The 127th China Import and Export Fair will take place online in June, and the third China International Import Expo will be held in November. Both events will create valuable opportunities for the mutually-beneficial cooperation between China and the rest of the world, he said.

Liu also said that China and the UK are engaging in discussions on the arrangements for a free trade agreement.

"I believe that in building an open world economy, China and the UK will find new impetus for their trade and economic cooperation in the future," he said. "Our two countries could also identify important opportunities for revitalizing the world economy." Enditem
A top U.S. health official who said he was ousted over his concerns regarding a drug pushed by the Trump administration for the coronavirus also clashed repeatedly with his superiors over other issues related to the pandemic, according to a complaint the official filed Tuesday.

Rick Bright, who had served as the director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority until the end of last month, disagreed with his supervisors at the Department of Health and Human Services over the seriousness of the threat of the novel coronavirus, shortages of protective gear and contracts that went to companies with political connections.

Attorneys for Bright filed the complaint with the Office of Special Counsel. The document says Bright's former boss, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Robert Kadlec, created a culture of cronyism that didn't emphasize scientific data. Bright wants to remain as BARDA director.

A spokesperson for HHS didn't respond to a request for comment.

The 89-page document outlines Bright's concerns over contracts he says HHS officials pushed based on political considerations rather than scientific data. Bright raised red flags regarding hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, two drugs Trump and his administration had touted as Covid-19 treatments despite a lack of clinical evidence.

"Dr. Bright opposed the broad use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as lacking scientific merit," the complaint said, "even though the Administration promoted it as a panacea and demanded that New York and New Jersey be 'flooded' with these drugs, which were imported from factories in Pakistan and India that had not been inspected" by U.S. drug regulators.

Bright was specifically concerned that Bayer's donation of one million chloroquine doses to the strategic national stockpile consisted of drugs made in uninspected overseas factories. He said in the complaint he was told March 23 to "drop everything" and make the donation available to the American public. The Food and Drug Administration has said it tested the pills' quality.

Bright pushed to make the drugs available only in a limited pilot and then worked with the FDA's Janet Woodcock, who leads the agency's drug center, to craft an emergency authorization for the drug that limited it to hospitalized patients. The emergency authorization "would better protect patients by enabling physicians to closely monitor their progress in a hospital setting and treat any side effects of the drug," according to the complaint.

Bright also says he tried to warn HHS Secretary Alex Azar and other officials about the seriousness of the virus and the nation's lack of preparedness on January 23. He was later told that raising his concerns and pushing for federal funds for BARDA created a controversy and offended HHS leadership.
Nu Skin Enterprises (NYSE:NUS) shareholders are no doubt pleased to see that the share price has bounced 32% in the last month alone, although it is still down 24% over the last quarter. But that will do little to salve the savage burn caused by the 50% share price decline, over the last year.

All else being equal, a sharp share price increase should make a stock less 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 deep value investors might steer clear when expectations of a company are too high. 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 Nu Skin Enterprises

Does Nu Skin Enterprises Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry?

We can tell from its P/E ratio of 8.75 that sentiment around Nu Skin Enterprises isn't particularly high. We can see in the image below that the average P/E (12.4) for companies in the personal products industry is higher than Nu Skin Enterprises's P/E.

NYSE:NUS Price Estimation Relative to Market May 6th 2020

Nu Skin Enterprises's P/E tells us that market participants think it will not fare as well as its peers in the same industry. Since the market seems unimpressed with Nu Skin Enterprises, it's quite possible it could surprise on the upside. If you consider the stock interesting, further research is recommended. For example, I often monitor director buying and selling.

How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios

Probably the most important factor in determining what P/E a company trades on is the earnings growth. If earnings are growing quickly, then the 'E' in the equation will increase faster than it would otherwise. That means even if the current P/E is high, it will reduce over time if the share price stays flat. And as that P/E ratio drops, the company will look cheap, unless its share price increases.

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Notably, Nu Skin Enterprises grew EPS by a whopping 41% in the last year. And it has improved its earnings per share by 6.6% per year over the last three years. I'd therefore be a little surprised if its P/E ratio was not relatively high.

A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank

It's important to note that the P/E ratio considers the market capitalization, not the enterprise value. In other words, it does not consider any debt or cash that the company may have on the balance sheet. The exact same company would hypothetically deserve a higher P/E ratio if it had a strong balance sheet, than if it had a weak one with lots of debt, because a cashed up company can spend on growth.

Such expenditure might be good or bad, in the long term, but the point here is that the balance sheet is not reflected by this ratio.

How Does Nu Skin Enterprises's Debt Impact Its P/E Ratio?

Net debt totals just 1.2% of Nu Skin Enterprises's market cap. So it doesn't have as many options as it would with net cash, but its debt would not have much of an impact on its P/E ratio.

The Bottom Line On Nu Skin Enterprises's P/E Ratio

Nu Skin Enterprises trades on a P/E ratio of 8.7, which is below the US market average of 14.4. 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. What is very clear is that the market has become less pessimistic about Nu Skin Enterprises over the last month, with the P/E ratio rising from 6.7 back then to 8.7 today. If you like to buy stocks that could be turnaround opportunities, then this one might be a candidate; but if you're more sensitive to price, then you may feel the opportunity has passed.

Investors should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. If it is underestimating a company, investors can make money by buying and holding the shares until the market corrects itself. 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 Nu Skin Enterprises. 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.
(Bloomberg) -- Lyft Inc. overcame investors worst expectations Wednesday when it pushed closer to profitability and reported moderate growth of the ride-hailing business in a quarter partly marred by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

The San Francisco-based company reported a loss excluding interest, taxes and other costs of $85.2 million for the first quarter. That was a 61% reduction from a year ago. After the report, the stock rose about 17% in extended trading.

The company trumpeted its cash assets of $2.7 billion and a reduced cost structure, saying it wont need to raise additional funds. We are confident that we are sufficiently capitalized, Logan Green, the chief executive officer, said on a conference call to discuss the report.

However, the virus significantly slowed Lyfts growth machine. The company, accustomed to growth rates of more than 50% a quarter, said adjusted sales climbed 23% from last year, to $956 million.

Lyft, which only operates in the U.S. and Canada, began seeing signs of slowdown in mid-March as governments issued guidance saying people should significantly curb travel. The situation in those countries worsened rapidly, upending the transportation industry. Last month, Lyft pulled its 2020 forecast and said it would reduce its workforce by 17%, furlough another 5% and slice salaries for everyone left.

Brian Roberts, the chief financial officer, said in a statement Wednesday that the company would cut spending for the year beyond its previous expectations by about $300 million. He said Lyft would seek to lower insurance costs when it renegotiates contracts in September but that the company doesnt expect to lay off more staff. In these uncertain times, we are building on that progress by taking decisive action to reduce costs and further improve our operating efficiency, he said.

On top of the pandemic, Lyft was dealt another major setback this week. California sued the company and its larger rival, Uber Technologies Inc., claiming theyre in violation of a law that went into effect this year that makes many contract workers eligible for employee benefits. Although the companies are seeking to overturn the law through a ballot measure in November, investors were unsettled by the suit. Lyfts stock was down 2.1% at the close of trading Wednesday.

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Unlike Uber, which reports results Thursday, Lyft cannot fall back on an array of other businesses to help offset declines in transportation. Lyfts network is built around moving people in cars and on bicycles and scooters, all of which were underutilized late in the first quarter and could face even greater challenges in the second.

In recent months, Lyft has discontinued scooter service in several cities but said Wednesday that its confident the business can become profitable in dense, urban environments. The company said ridership in some cities hit hard by the virus, including New York, Seattle and New Orleans, have been picking up in the past three weeks, although usage is well below this time last year.

(Updates with additional reporting in the sixth paragraph.)

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

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The pandemic has seen plenty of homeowners trying to perfect the feng shui of their houses by re-arranging furniture - but there's often a pesky eyesore left behind when carpets are involved.

The pressure of furniture such as cabinets or sofas leaves dents in fluffy piles - but a former Bake Off star has offered the perfect hack for removing them.

Series five winner Nancy Birtwhistle, who regularly uploads household hacks on social media, shared a video offering a genius tip for removing impressions made by furniture.

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Move around: Series five Bake Off winner Nancy Birthwhistle, who offers household tips online, shared the handy hack on how to fluff carpet back up after moving furniture

Nancy advises using a hot steam iron over a tea towel to lift the pile of the carpet back up

Posting on Twitter, the baker told her 99,000 Instagram followers that such marks can easily be removed using just a kitchen teatowel, a hot steam iron and a fork.

Explaining in the short video, Nancy, from Lincolnshire said that after being driven 'nuts' by spending so much time in the house she decided to move the furniture around.

To combat the marks left by her sofa on her carpet, Nancy turned to a trick that involves using a steam iron, a clean tea towel and a fork.

She explained to viewers: 'The iron needs to be on full steam, with a steam boost if you've got one of those buttons.'

The moisture and the heat is enough to take away the impression and then all that's left to do, Nancy says, is to fluff up the carpet once more. The baker used a wooden fork for the job.

Since winning the show in 2014, Nancy has shown her domesticated skills aren't just confined to the kitchen - by offering household hacks.

The final touch: Nancy told her 99,000 followers on Instagram that she runs a wooden fork through the pile to make it blend in with the rest of the carpet

Nancy pictured during her time on the Great British Bake Off, which she won in 2014; the Lincolnshire-based baker now offers household tips to her fans on social media alongside her baking tips

Earlier this year, the cook also posted a video on her Twitter account showing how to get a gleaming finish on the glass of a wood-burner', using a trick her grandfather taught her.

The one-minute video, which has David Bowie's Starman playing in the background, sees the grandmother-of-eight first using a chemical cleaning product, which doesn't make much of an impact on the clouded-up glass.

Nancy then disregards the product and reaches for a piece of damp newspaper instead. In the tweet accompanying the video, she wrote: 'Delving into the far corners of my memory.

'My grandad used to do this to clean his boilers tiny glass door. #naturalcleaning #noharmfulchemicals'

She proceeds to dip the paper into the ash remaining from the previous fire and then rubs it on to the glass.

Series five Bake Off winner Nancy Birtwhistle revealed her grandfather's tip for cleaning glass during the minute-long video posted on Twitter

Instead, she reaches for a piece of damp newspaper dipped in wood ash from the stove - and begins to show impressive results

Quickly it begins to clear. After a few seconds of cleaning, she turns the newspaper around to get a clean bit and offers it a final shine before closing the door on her good-as-new surface.

Nancy, a former GP practice manager from Barton-upon-Humber, North Lincolnshire, is heard explaining: 'All that smokey debris just wipes off. It's cleaned up a treat.'

Fellow wood-burning stove owners thanked the famous backer for the hack, which has now been viewed more than 10,000 times across Nancy's social media platforms.

Et voila, after a final rub down with a clean piece of paper, the stove is restored to its former glory

The video ends with a pristine looking view of the wood burning behind it

@stepintimesweep added: 'Good old fashioned methods work a treat!'

@aurora7675 wrote: 'Top tip. Thank you. Weve moved into a new house and inherited a wood burner. Only the other day I was wondering how to clean the glass.'

Sue_is_me wrote, on Instagram: 'I love your tips Nancy... so much nostalgia fills my mind.'

After winning the hugely popular show, Nancy revealed how the stardom had helped pep up her NHS pension, with appearances, cooking demonstrations and speaking engagements helping keep her bank balance healthy.

Nancy has 91,000 on her Instagram account and keeps fans updated with tips on both baking and domestic life.
PROVO, Utah, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: NUS) today announced first-quarter 2020 results above guidance.

Executive Summary

Q1 2020 vs. Prior-Year Quarter

Revenue: $ 518.0 million; (17%)  (2%) fx impact or ($14.3) million Earnings Per Share (EPS): $0.36; (53%) Sales Leaders: 49,551; (22%) Customers: 1,130,947; (5%)

"The efforts and resiliency of our sales leaders and global teams helped us achieve revenue and earnings above guidance in the first quarter," said Ritch Wood, chief executive officer. "While COVID-19 continues to present significant challenges globally, we are grateful for the heroic efforts of healthcare workers, first responders and other essential workers around the world. From a Nu Skin perspective, our entire organization has mobilized to protect the health and safety of our teams and ensure business continuity for our customers. As a result, we have been able to maintain support for our sales leaders, leverage our supply chain to meet consumer demand for our products and utilize technology to facilitate remote work for both our sales leaders and employees."

"Our first quarter results demonstrated continued stability in the Nu Skin business with strong customer activity. More than 80 percent of our revenue comes through our digital properties which have been enhanced by our strategic investments in technology infrastructure and digital tools. Additionally, our manufacturing and supply chain investments have enabled us to effectively manage inventory and fulfill customer orders worldwide through very challenging circumstances. Our manufacturing segment performed well considering the supply chain disruptions related to certain ingredients and packaging materials due to the pandemic. We generated solid cash flow during the quarter, increased our dividend for the 19th consecutive year and utilized our cash to repurchase shares in a way that we believe will benefit shareholders going forward," continued Wood.

Q1 2020 Year-Over-Year Operating Results

Revenue: $518.0 million compared to $623.6 million  (2%) fx impact or ($14.3) million Gross Margin: 75.7% compared to 76.5%  Nu Skin business was 78.1% compared to 78.7% Selling Expenses: 39.8% of revenue compared to 40.0%  Nu Skin business was 42.0% compared to 42.0% G&A Expenses: 28.9% of revenue compared to 25.4% Operating Margin: 7.1% compared to 11.0% Other Income / (Expense): ($6.2) million compared to ($2.8) million  ($3.1) million due to fx Income Tax Rate: 35.1% compared to 34.7% EPS: $0.36 compared to $0.77

Stockholder Value

Dividend Payments: $20.7 million Stock Repurchases: $60.9 million  409.3 million remaining in authorization

Q2 and Full-Year 2020 Outlook

Q2 2020 Revenue: $520 to $550 million; (12 to 17%)  Approximately (3 to 4%) fx impact Q2 2020 EPS: $0.42 to $0.52 2020 Revenue: $2.17 billion to $2.26 billion; (7 to 10%)  Approximately (2 to 3%) fx impact 2020 EPS $2.05 to $2.35

"While there is a great deal of uncertainty in the broader economy, we are optimistic our business will perform well as sales leaders leverage our technology investments to drive product demand and interest in the business opportunity," said Wood. "The situation in Mainland China is stabilizing with the country returning to work, a key development we believe will translate into improvement throughout the year. We anticipate similar trends in most of our other markets as pandemic restrictions begin to ease elsewhere across the globe. We continue to believe this trend, paired with the global preview of our newest beauty device late in 2020, sets our business up for a return to growth toward the end of the year," Wood concluded.

Mark Lawrence, chief financial officer, added, "We are encouraged with our first-quarter results, despite the economic challenges. During the quarter, we generated strong cash from operations and leveraged the strength of our balance sheet to pay an increased dividend and repurchase $61 million of our stock. As we look ahead to the second quarter, our revenue guidance is $520 to $550 million, which includes an approximate 3 to 4 percent unfavorable foreign currency impact, and an earnings per share outlook of $0.42 to $0.52. Our 2020 revenue guidance of $2.17 to $2.26 billion reflects a negative foreign currency impact of 2 to 3 percent, an increased fx headwind of more than 1 percent from our previous guidance, and we anticipate annual earnings per share of $2.05 to $2.35."

Conference Call

The Nu Skin management team will host a conference call with the investment community today at 5 p.m. (ET). Those wishing to access the webcast, as well as the financial information presented during the call, can visit the Investor Relations page on the company's website at ir.nuskin.com. A replay of the webcast will be available at the same URL through May 20, 2020.

About Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc.

Founded 35 years ago, Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NSE) empowers innovative companies to change the world with sustainable solutions, opportunities, technologies and life-improving values. The company currently focuses its efforts around innovative consumer products, product manufacturing and controlled environment agriculture technology. The NSE family of companies includes Nu Skin, which develops and distributes a comprehensive line of premium-quality beauty and wellness solutions through a global network of sales leaders in Asia, the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Pacific; and Rhyz, our strategic investment arm that includes a collection of sustainable manufacturing and technology innovation companies. Nu Skin Enterprises is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "NUS." More information is available at nuskinenterprises.com.

Important Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that represent the company's current expectations and beliefs. All statements other than statements of historical fact are "forward-looking statements" for purposes of federal and state securities laws and include, but are not limited to, statements of management's expectations regarding the company's performance, growth, product launches, benefits to shareholders, strategies and initiatives; statements of management's expectations regarding the future status of the COVID-19 pandemic globally and across the company's markets, and government and public behavior in response to such status; projections regarding revenue, earnings per share, foreign currency fluctuations and other financial items; statements of belief; and statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as "believe," "expect," "continue," "anticipate," "optimistic," "benefit," "project," "outlook," "guidance," "plan," "continue," "will," "would," "could," "may," "might," the negative of these words and other similar words.

The forward-looking statements and related assumptions involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and outcomes to differ materially from any forward-looking statements or views expressed herein. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following:

risk that epidemics, including the recent outbreak of coronavirus, and other crises could negatively impact our business;

adverse publicity related to the company's business, products, industry or any legal actions or complaints by the company's sales force or others;

risk that direct selling laws and regulations in any of the company's markets, including the United States and Mainland China, may be modified, interpreted or enforced in a manner that results in negative changes to the company's business model or negatively impacts its revenue, sales force or business, including through the interruption of sales activities, loss of licenses, imposition of fines, or any other adverse actions or events;

any failure of current or planned initiatives or products to generate interest among the company's sales force and customers and generate sponsoring and selling activities on a sustained basis;

uncertainty regarding the continued impact of the 100-day review and negative media and consumer sentiment in Mainland China on our business operations and results;

risk of foreign-currency fluctuations and the currency translation impact on the company's business associated with these fluctuations;

uncertainties regarding the future financial performance of the businesses the company has acquired;

risks related to accurately predicting, delivering or maintaining sufficient quantities of products to support planned initiatives or launch strategies, and increased risk of inventory write-offs if the company over-forecasts demand for a product or changes its planned initiatives or launch strategies;

regulatory risks associated with the company's products, which could require the company to modify its claims or inhibit its ability to import or continue selling a product in a market if the product is determined to be a medical device or if the company is unable to register the product in a timely manner under applicable regulatory requirements;

unpredictable economic conditions and events globally, including trade policies and tariffs;

uncertainties related to interpretation of, and forthcoming regulations under, the recently enacted U.S. tax reform legislation; the company's future tax-planning initiatives; any prospective or retrospective increases in duties on the company's products imported into the company's markets outside of the United States ; and any adverse results of tax audits or unfavorable changes to tax laws in the company's various markets; and

continued competitive pressures in the company's markets.

The company's financial performance and the forward-looking statements contained herein are further qualified by a detailed discussion of associated risks set forth in the documents filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019, the Forms 8-K filed on March 18, 2020 and April 21, 2020, and the Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2020. The forward-looking statements set forth the company's beliefs as of the date that such information was first provided, and the company assumes no duty to update the forward-looking statements contained in this release to reflect any change except as required by law.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures: Constant-currency revenue change is a non-GAAP financial measure that removes the impact of fluctuations in foreign-currency exchange rates, thereby facilitating period-to-period comparisons of the company's performance. It is calculated by translating the current period's revenue at the same average exchange rates in effect during the applicable prior-year period and then comparing that amount to the prior-year period's revenue. The company believes that constant-currency revenue change is useful to investors, lenders and analysts because such information enables them to gauge the impact of foreign-currency fluctuations on the company's revenue from period to period.

The Company's revenue results by segment for the three-month periods ended March 31 are presented in the following table (in thousands).



Three Months Ended March 31,





Constant-

Currency

2020

2019

Change

Change















Nu Skin





















Mainland China $ 137,696

$ 208,488



(34)%



(31)% South Korea

75,719



83,853



(10)%



(4)% Americas/Pacific

74,573



86,456



(14)%



(9)% Southeast Asia

69,586



72,495



(4)%



(3)% Japan

61,300



62,109



(1)%



(2)% Hong Kong/Taiwan

35,827



40,558



(12)%



(13)% EMEA

35,403



41,818



(15)%



(13)% Other

773



(1,426)



154%



154% Total Nu Skin

490,877



594,351



(17)%



(15)% Manufacturing

27,147



29,272



(7)%



(7)% Grow Tech

4











 Total $ 518,028

$ 623,623



(17)%



(15)%

The company's Customers and Sales Leaders statistics by segment for the three-month periods ended March 31 are presented in the following table.



As of March 31, 2020

As of March 31, 2019

% Increase (Decrease)

Customers

Sales Leaders

Customers

Sales Leaders

Customers

Sales Leaders























Mainland China

271,536



16,159



272,053



26,986







(40)% South Korea

174,004



6,608



181,150



6,671



(4)%



(1)% Americas/Pacific

214,139



6,930



242,925



7,862



(12)%



(12)% Southeast Asia

145,116



6,634



138,112



7,071



5%



(6)% Japan

119,784



5,635



126,526



5,840



(5)%



(4)% Hong Kong/Taiwan

66,024



3,348



70,354



3,959



(6)%



(15)% EMEA

140,344



4,237



162,086



4,859



(13)%



(13)%



































Total

1,130,947



49,551



1,193,206



63,248



(5)%



(22)%

NU SKIN ENTERPRISES, INC. Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited) (U.S. dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)





Three Months Ended March 31,

2020

2019











Revenue $ 518,028

$ 623,623 Cost of sales

125,793



146,664 Gross profit

392,235



476,959











Operating expenses:









Selling expenses

206,042



249,708 General and administrative expenses

149,628



158,598 Total operating expenses

355,670



408,306











Operating income

36,565



68,653 Other income (expense), net

(6,174)



(2,848)











Income before provision for income taxes

30,391



65,805 Provision for income taxes

10,661



22,803











Net income $ 19,730

$ 43,002











Net income per share:









Basic $ 0.36

$ 0.78 Diluted $ 0.36

$ 0.77











Weighted-average common shares outstanding (000s):









Basic

55,059



55,436 Diluted

55,101



56,128

NU SKIN ENTERPRISES, INC. Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (U.S. dollars in thousands)









March 31,

2020

December 31,

2019 ASSETS





Current assets:





Cash and cash equivalents $ 352,578

$ 335,630 Current investments

9,087



8,413 Accounts receivable

43,973



50,378 Inventories, net

257,474



275,891 Prepaid expenses and other

66,457



69,854 Total current assets

729,569



740,166











Property and equipment, net

449,486



453,604 Right-of-use assets

147,678



144,326 Goodwill

196,573



196,573 Other intangible assets, net

77,796



80,321 Other assets

145,217



154,016 Total assets $ 1,746,319

$ 1,769,006











LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY









Current liabilities:









Accounts payable $ 39,891

$ 38,979 Accrued expenses

285,213



290,281 Current portion of long-term debt

95,000



27,500 Total current liabilities

420,104



356,760











Operating lease liabilities

108,145



105,701 Long-term debt

327,197



334,461 Other liabilities

90,375



96,795 Total liabilities

945,821



893,717











Stockholders' equity:









Class A common stock

91



91 Additional paid-in capital

557,916



557,544 Treasury stock, at cost

(1,384,036)



(1,324,826) Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(100,289)



(85,292) Retained earnings

1,726,816



1,727,772 Total stockholders' equity

800,498



875,289 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 1,746,319

$ 1,769,006

SOURCE Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.nuskin.com


Mackenzie Alleman is at high risk of developing ovarian cancer and relies on annual screens to give her peace of mind that she remains cancer-free. Because of the coronavirus her screenings have been pushed back. Read more

Mackenzie Alleman doesnt like to take chances.

At age 28, Alleman had a preventive double mastectomy. Shed recently learned she is a carrier of the BRCA1 gene mutation and had an 87% chance of developing the disease that had taken her mothers life years earlier.

I didnt want to go through that, Alleman, now 31, said of her mothers cancer experience. More than that, I didnt want any of my family to go through that.

Although the surgery dramatically reduced Allemans risk of developing breast cancer, the Old City resident wasnt entirely at ease. Shed also found out she had a 53% chance of developing ovarian cancer  which is much more difficult to detect in its early stages and for which preventive surgery is not recommended until a woman is at least 35.

So instead, every spring, Alleman gets an ultrasound and blood test that, although less-than-ideal screening tools, help her believe that she is doing something to monitor her risk of ovarian cancer.

Its not an appointment youre looking forward to, by any means; its just a little peace of mind, she said. These surveillance tests are something you rely on to keep going.

Except this year, when she called to schedule her appointment for April or May, she was told shed have to wait.

Mammograms, colonoscopies and other routine cancer screenings are among the dozens of procedures put on hold as health systems look to preserve resources for critical coronavirus patients.

In Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf recently authorized hospitals to resume elective and non-urgent procedures, assuming they have sufficient protective equipment, staff and capacity to treat patients who are positive for COVID-19 as well as those who arent. Still, even as many health systems begin to reopen shuttered services, delays could linger for several more months as they see new cases and address a backlog of patients whose procedures were delayed.

Preventive screenings for cervical, colon and breast cancer plummeted 86% to 96% in March, compared with previous years, according to a new report by Epic, an electronic medical records company that analyzed 2.7 million patient records across 23 states.

On a global scale, its a lot of screening procedures being deferred  and maybe some cancers that could develop in this time, as well, said Austin Chiang, a gastroenterologist in Philadelphia.

 ASK US: Do you have a question about the coronavirus and how it affects your health, work and life? Ask our reporters.

Hospitals have remained open for people with urgent health needs, including cancer treatment, and have encouraged patients whose procedures have been delayed to seek help if their medical condition worsens.

In most cases, especially for those of average risk, delaying a mammogram or colonoscopy by a month or so is safe. But, Epic cautioned in its white paper, If the trend continues and centers are not able to resume testing, cancer cases could go undiagnosed for prolonged periods of time, which may lead to tumor detection at a later stage.

Overall, visits to outpatient offices declined 60% between mid-March and mid-April, according to a report from Harvard Medical School researchers, who analyzed provider data from Phreesia, a health-care technology firm used by ambulatory-care centers.

That kind of cut to services  and revenue  has put enormous financial strain on many practices, said Michael Chernew, a professor of health-care policy at Harvard and one of the reports authors. Some practices may not be able to rebound quickly, which could exacerbate delays, he said. The hardest-hit practices may not be able to reopen at all.

Its not a medical problem to delay a month or two on your colonoscopy  but the concern is as the capacity to deliver those services gets strained, people will say, You know what? Skip it, Chernew said.

Its unclear how eager patients will be to reschedule postponed screening tests if they do not have a history of cancer or an elevated risk.

Some people may be reluctant to return to the doctors office for fear of contracting the virus, and others may have been laid off and lost their insurance coverage. Between 25 million and 43 million people could lose their employer-sponsored health insurance as unemployment soars, according to a report by the Urban Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

 READ MORE: Unemployed and uninsured because of coronavirus? You may be eligible for Medicaid.

Anjali Malik, a breast radiologist in Washington, D.C., is worried that people who were told it was OK to delay a mammogram or colonoscopy during the pandemic may question whether they need to do the procedure at all.

Just from the messaging alone that these can be delayed, it gives people one more reason to put these things off, she said.

But, she emphasized, it is important to stay current with routine mammograms and colonoscopies because the cancers they detect are treatable and have a high survival rate if detected early.

Alleman is eager to get back to her doctors office, but will have to wait a while longer  her ultrasound and blood test are currently scheduled for the fall.

As an organizer with the local chapter of The Breasties, a breast cancer patient group, Alleman understands the reason for the delays and doesnt mind waiting if it means others who are at higher risk for cancer than she is can be seen sooner.

Still, shell be counting down the days until she can get the all-clear from her screenings and breathe easier again.
The owners of small and 3-4-star hotels, valued at tens or hundreds of billion of dong, have suffered the most from COVID-19.

We want to transfer a 3-star hotel, nine stories, with gym, massage and sauna rooms, mini bar and conference room. The monthly revenue was VND2.5-3 billion before the epidemic, an ad said.





We are seeking buyers for a hotel in Cat Ba, located on Nui Ngoc Road in an advantageous position. It takes five minutes to walk to the sea and two minutes to the seafood market, another ad said.



Some owners said they cannot arrange a workforce to prepare for the summer sale season, and others said they wanted to sell hotels immediately because they need money for other investment affairs.



However, analysts said the major reason is that the hotels are not earning money for their owners these days because of the epidemic.

According to Can, many investors have contacted Sohovietnam and said they want the hotels with 100-500 rooms which have been built, are operational, or still under construction in HCM City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Hoi An, Ha Long, Hue, Quy Nhon and Vung Tau.

Phan Xuan Can, chair of Sohovietnam, a consultancy firm in real estate M&A, said many people have had to sell their assets. Small hotel owners bear the worst pressure and they can be divided into three groups.



First, the investors who lease hotels in large cities or coastal areas. Some investors lease 10-15 hotels. As the tourism industry has entered the hibernation period, the investors have to assign the right to do business with hotels to others.



Second, investors who build hotels with borrowed money and run the hotels themselves. Because of Covid-19, they have had to close the hotels.



According to Can, these investors have no other choice than to sell the properties, because they dont have revenue coming in, and they still have to pay interest on loans.



Third, investors who build hotels with their own money. These investors have to halt operation because there are no guests m, but they wont have to sell their hotels.



Who are the buyers then? According to Can, many investors have contacted Sohovietnam and said they want the hotels with 100-500 rooms which have been built, are operational, or still under construction in HCM City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Hoi An, Ha Long, Hue, Quy Nhon and Vung Tau.

Vietnams GDP growth rate of 3.82 percent in the first quarter of 2020, a record low since 2011. This rate is much lower than the 6.52  6.77 percent originally forecast.

Thanh Lich

VN businesses resume operation cautiously, step by step Businesses in the aviation and tourism sectors believe that stimulating domestic demand is the first thing that needs to be done in the immediate time.
MEXICO CITY, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE: ASR; BMV: ASUR) ASUR a leading international airport group with operations in Mexico, the U.S. and Colombia, today announced that total passenger traffic for April 2020 decreased 96.3% when compared to April 2019. Passenger traffic decreased 95.7% in Mexico, 94.5% in Puerto Rico and 99.9% in Colombia % impacted by the Covid-19 outbreak.

As announced on March 23, 2020, neither Mexico nor Puerto Rico have issued flight restrictions to-date. In Puerto Rico, the FAA has accepted a request from the Governor of Puerto Rico that all flights bound to Puerto Rico land at LMM Airport, which is operated by ASUR's subsidiary Aerostar, and that all passengers be screened by representatives of the Puerto Rico Health Department. As a result, the LMM airport remains open and operating, albeit with substantially reduced flight and passenger volumes. Mexico and/or the United States may issue flight restrictions similar to those issued in other parts of the world, which would cause a significant further reduction in our operations.

In addition, in Colombia, Decree 439, issued by the Government on March 20, 2020, suspended all incoming international flights, including connecting flights, for 30 days, starting at 12:01 a.m. Monday, March 23, 2020. Moreover, Decree 457, issued on March 22, 2020, mandated preventive isolation as well as the suspension of domestic air travel between March 25 and April 13, 2020. On April 8, Decree 531 suspended domestic air travel from zero hours (00:00 am) on April 13, 2020, until zero hours (00:00 am) on April 27, 2020.Likewise, on April 24, the government issued Decree 593 suspending domestic air travel from zero hours (00:00 am) on April 27, 2020, until zero hours (00:00 am) on May 11, 2020, with the exception of humanitarian emergencies, transportation of cargo and goods, and fortuitous events or force majeure.

This announcement reflects comparisons between April 1 through April 30, 2020, and from April 1 through April 30, 2019. Transit and general aviation passengers are excluded for Mexico and Colombia.



Passenger Traffic Summary













April % Chg

Year to date % Chg 2019 2020

2019 2020 Mexico 2,991,010 129,758 (95.7)

11,714,239 8,149,660 (30.4) Domestic Traffic 1,400,277 119,750 (91.4)

5,011,038 3,657,109 (27.0) International Traffic 1,590,733 10,008 (99.4)

6,703,201 4,492,551 (33.0) San Juan, Puerto Rico 752,910 41,692 (94.5)

3,053,418 2,248,202 (26.4) Domestic Traffic 670,608 40,362 (94.0)

2,743,433 2,043,048 (25.5) International Traffic 82,302 1,330 (98.4)

309,985 205,154 (33.8) Colombia 890,196 1,094 (99.9)

3,636,233 2,670,727 (26.6) Domestic Traffic 755,273 632 (99.9)

3,100,045 2,272,305 (26.7) International Traffic 134,923 462 (99.7)

536,188 398,422 (25.7) Total Traffic 4,634,116 172,544 (96.3)

18,403,890 13,068,589 (29.0) Domestic Traffic 2,826,158 160,744 (94.3)

10,854,516 7,972,462 (26.6) International Traffic 1,807,958 11,800 (99.3)

7,549,374 5,096,127 (32.5)

Mexico Passenger Traffic













April % Chg

Year to date % Chg 2019 2020

2019 2020 Domestic Traffic 1,400,277 119,750 (91.4)

5,011,038 3,657,109 (27.0) CUN Cancun 745,015 57,968 (92.2)

2,644,198 1,860,828 (29.6) CZM Cozumel 18,619 288 (98.5)

58,607 37,749 (35.6) HUX Huatulco 66,842 1,554 (97.7)

234,406 148,642 (36.6) MID Merida 220,063 15,363 (93.0)

790,747 602,529 (23.8) MTT Minatitlan 12,209 1,367 (88.8)

46,044 30,589 (33.6) OAX Oaxaca 82,680 6,424 (92.2)

302,273 269,756 (10.8) TAP Tapachula 33,333 7,641 (77.1)

119,014 104,820 (11.9) VER Veracruz 117,719 14,375 (87.8)

433,081 317,387 (26.7) VSA Villahermosa 103,797 14,770 (85.8)

382,668 284,809 (25.6) International Traffic 1,590,733 10,008 (99.4)

6,703,201 4,492,551 (33.0) CUN Cancun 1,507,701 7,349 (99.5)

6,267,922 4,158,127 (33.7) CZM Cozumel 34,133 194 (99.4)

182,792 128,622 (29.6) HUX Huatulco 12,191 35 (99.7)

94,803 77,302 (18.5) MID Merida 17,059 418 (97.5)

76,633 61,170 (20.2) MTT Minatitlan 602 297 (50.7)

2,376 1,940 (18.4) OAX Oaxaca 10,995 289 (97.4)

46,850 40,176 (14.2) TAP Tapachula 1,104 392 (64.5)

4,242 3,473 (18.1) VER Veracruz 5,192 206 (96.0)

21,157 15,663 (26.0) VSA Villahermosa 1,756 828 (52.8)

6,426 6,078 (5.4) Traffic Total Mexico 2,991,010 129,758 (95.7)

11,714,239 8,149,660 (30.4) CUN Cancun 2,252,716 65,317 (97.1)

8,912,120 6,018,955 (32.5) CZM Cozumel 52,752 482 (99.1)

241,399 166,371 (31.1) HUX Huatulco 79,033 1,589 (98.0)

329,209 225,944 (31.4) MID Merida 237,122 15,781 (93.3)

867,380 663,699 (23.5) MTT Minatitlan 12,811 1,664 (87.0)

48,420 32,529 (32.8) OAX Oaxaca 93,675 6,713 (92.8)

349,123 309,932 (11.2) TAP Tapachula 34,437 8,033 (76.7)

123,256 108,293 (12.1) VER Veracruz 122,911 14,581 (88.1)

454,238 333,050 (26.7) VSA Villahermosa 105,553 15,598 (85.2)

389,094 290,887 (25.2)

















Us Passenger Traffic, San Juan Airport (LMM)









April % Chg

Year to date % Chg 2019 2020

2019 2020 SJU Total 752,910 41,692 (94.5)

3,053,418 2,248,202 (26.4) Domestic Traffic 670,608 40,362 (94.0)

2,743,433 2,043,048 (25.5) International Traffic 82,302 1,330 (98.4)

309,985 205,154 (33.8)

















Colombia Passenger Traffic Airplan











April % Chg

Year to date % Chg 2019 2020

2019 2020 Domestic Traffic 755,273 632 (99.9)

3,100,045 2,272,305 (26.7) MDE Rionegro 545,993 9 (100.0)

2,238,580 1,623,161 (27.5) EOH Medellin 77,238 455 (99.4)

334,797 242,603 (27.5) MTR Monteria 78,140 117 (99.9)

312,251 259,378 (16.9) APO Carepa 16,649 17 (99.9)

66,088 50,416 (23.7) UIB Quibdo 30,149 30 (99.9)

117,214 83,487 (28.8) CZU Corozal 7,104 4 (99.9)

31,115 13,260 (57.4) International Traffic 134,923 462 (99.7)

536,188 398,422 (25.7) MDE Rionegro 134,923 462 (99.7)

536,188 398,422 (25.7) EOH Medellin - -



- -

MTR Monteria - -



- -

APO Carepa - -



- -

UIB Quibdo - -



- -

CZU Corozal - -



- -

Traffic Total Colombia 890,196 1,094 (99.9)

3,636,233 2,670,727 (26.6) MDE Rionegro 680,916 471 (99.9)

2,774,768 2,021,583 (27.1) EOH Medellin 77,238 455 (99.4)

334,797 242,603 (27.5) MTR Monteria 78,140 117 (99.9)

312,251 259,378 (16.9) APO Carepa 16,649 17 (99.9)

66,088 50,416 (23.7) UIB Quibdo 30,149 30 (99.9)

117,214 83,487 (28.8) CZU Corozal 7,104 4 (99.9)

31,115 13,260 (57.4)

About ASUR

Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S.A.B. de C.V. (ASUR) is a leading international airport operator with a portfolio of concessions to operate, maintain and develop 16 airports in the Americas. This comprises nine airports in southeast Mexico, including Cancun Airport, the most important tourist destination in Mexico, the Caribbean and Latin America, and six airports in northern Colombia, including Medellin international airport (Rio Negro), the second busiest in Colombia. ASUR is also a 60% JV partner in Aerostar Airport Holdings, LLC, operator of the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport serving the capital of Puerto Rico, San Juan. San Juan's Airport is the island's primary gateway for international and mainland-US destinations and was the first, and currently the only major airport in the US to have successfully completed a publicprivate partnership under the FAA Pilot Program. Headquartered in Mexico, ASUR is listed both on the Mexican Bolsa, where it trades under the symbol ASUR, and on the NYSE in the U.S., where it trades under the symbol ASR. One ADS represents ten (10) series B shares. For more information, visit www.asur.com.mx

Forward Looking Statement

Some of the statements contained in this press release discuss future expectations or state other forward-looking information. Those statements are subject to risks identified in this press release and in ASUR's filings with the SEC. Actual developments could differ significantly from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. In particular, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global economic conditions and the travel industry, as well as on the business and results of operations of the Company in particular, is expected to be material, and, as conditions are changing rapidly, is difficult to predict. The forward-looking information is based on various factors and was derived using numerous assumptions. Our forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and, except as may be required by applicable law, we do not have an obligation to update or revise them, whether as a result of new information, future or otherwise.

SOURCE Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, S.A.B. de C.V.
A Brisbane woman who killed her husband by throwing a 20cm knife at him because he got home late from work could be out of jail by Christmas after serving just a third of her sentence.

Katie Anne Castel was granted parole eligibility by the Queensland Court of Appeal on Wednesday after arguing her sentence was 'manifestly excessive'.

The 38-year-old was sentenced to nine years in jail last year for killing husband Jarred Castel, 35, by throwing a kitchen knife that hit him in the chest.

The successful appeal means she will be eligible for parole on December 20, after serving a third - rather than half - of her manslaughter sentence.

Katie Anne Castel was granted parole eligibility by the Queensland Court of Appeal on Wednesday after arguing her sentence was 'manifestly excessive'

The 38-year-old pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of her husband Jarred Castel, 35, who died at their home in Chapel Hill, in Brisbane, in 2017

Mrs Castel was initially charged with murder in 2017 but ultimately ended up pleading guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

The court heard the couple got into a heated argument at their Chapel Hill home days before Christmas, when Mr Castel arrived home two hours later than expected.

Mr Castel, who worked in the property industry, was caught up at his office while trying to close a business deal.

Mrs Castel slit her wrists with a 20cm knife before throwing it at her husband while their four-year-old son Levi watched on.

The knife lodged 4cm into Mr Castel's chest and hit his heart.

Mrs Castel, who owned fashion business Adverbium Design, was sentenced to nine years behind bars in 2019.

In February this year, she lodged an appeal to the Queensland Court of Appeal, claiming her sentence is manifestly excessive.

The couple got into a heated argument after Mr Castel arrived home from work two hours later than expected

Castel slit her wrists with a 20cm knife before throwing it at her husband Jarred (pictured), while their four-year-old son Levi watched on

The fatal stabbing left the couple's son without parents to look after him.

Mr Castel's father Tony Castel said his daughter-in-law's last ditch appeal is stopping the family from moving on with their lives.

'We are totally excluded from the process. Legally, it's got nothing to do with us. It's between the State and her but everything that happens, we're affected. I'm the administrator for the estate,' he told the Courier Mail.

'Our lives are on hold but the bank still wants money and we can't do anything until this is all over.'

In March last year, Mrs Castel sent her former parents-in-law bizarre religious letters from her jail cell.

The letters lasted 12 pages and Mrs Castel touched on religious teachings and her experience of being imprisoned.

'The night I lost Jarred they put me in the Brisbane Watchhouse - it was truly the bowels of hell, a concrete cell with a tiny window I couldn't see out of, graffiti on every inch, no underwear and a couple of plastic-covered cushions,' she wrote.
Jeffrey Agyemang Duah

06.05.2020 LISTEN

Observing President Akufo-Addos approach to fighting the Coronavirus in Ghana, one key reflection made is his consolidated tactics and coordination with key stakeholders in his decisions making. This process has increased problem-solving options and legitimized public verdicts.

It is evident that in his governments strategies in dealing with the pandemic, he has consistently engaged the leadership of relevant authorities in various endeavors in Ghana. So far, the Christian and Muslim communities, National house of Chiefs, the medical associations, political parties, media association, students union, Trade Union among others together with the COVID-19 response team have played an important role in addressing the Coronavirus outbreak in the country.

The outcome of the governments joint actions has been a bit slow in getting the results especially when the cases keep ballooning to an unexpected number. However, you may appreciate the synchronized efforts by Ghana when you juxtapose with the United States where there has been weak coordination between State and Federal organizations. The U.S. response to the pandemic has been disappointing, even drawing sharp criticism from the Noble-Prize winning economist, Joseph Stiglitz, who compared their response to that of a third world country.

I believe the engagements and consultations with these authorities indicate how necessary it is to have an all-inclusive method of building consensus in tackling national problems. Irrespective of this, there is a hue and cry about how some of the key government institutions mostly formulate policies on the blind side of their major stakeholders who in the end become the main implementers of the programs and projects developed out those policies.

Unfortunately, some of our great interventions become a fiasco is a result of the lack of recognition of authorities from the onset of the development of those ideas around the table. Additionally, individuals and organizations always want to be known and be regarded as part of a solution especially when an issue that matters to them emerges. This is because they either become beneficiaries or victims of that intervention. Excluding them from the process creates room for sabotage of the governments efforts, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Nevertheless, the President has reinforced the need to build networks and coalitions in implementing policies by seeking allies, raising funds, allocating resources, and developing complementary strategies with organizations and bodies that hold similar policy core beliefs.

Many will agree that Public Policymaking and implementations have moved from exclusion to participation where the victims help shape the solution. The government has demonstrated an all-embracing approach to keeping the virus at bay and the expectation is that the curve will flatten to bring relief to the people of Ghana.

Across-the-board practice to policy response is crucial in strengthening the optimism among the actors making it easier in tackling more difficult problems. I must be quick to say that, all hands can be put on deck in the rolling out of a plan but the implementation does not automatically translate to performance.

Looking ahead, a redefined window of policy formulation and implementation has been opened by the President, which has intensified the essence of collaboration in crisis management. It appears a number of our public policies are normally formulated using the force field style where policies are thrown at people without proper engagement with key stakeholders. The back and forth between the policy actors mostly affect results.

A more actor-centered approach must be adopted that reflect stakeholders demand and concerns in the policy to allow its implementation to be effective. The herculean efforts of introducing policies must be a thing of the past!

Additionally, decision-makers need to know how to negotiate the dilemma faced with different policy interactions or as new policies conflicts with their professional, organizational, religious, cultural, or community-based values.

Moreover, policymakers must manage the interface between different conceptions of what works- to derive policies based on different evidential bases.

The fight against the virus has also highlighted the urgent need to strengthen data and statistical capacity in all sectors upon which political decisions must be premised on rather than feelings as normally witnessed in the political environment in Ghana.

Besides, policymakers must understand that, as they are always quick to announce the success of a policy, it is equally important to admit and discuss policy failures when they occur, detailing what contributed to it and the role stakeholders could play to make the policy succeed.

Considering the harmonized efforts by the government in containing the virus, citizens have also been constantly updated about the happenings of the pandemic in the country. This strategy, I believe will mobilize citizens support in identifying their roles in the effective implementation of policy decisions and this is worth learning by the leadership of various sectors of the economy.

Citizens must not relent but actively probe and demand accountability from public officials as far as policy delivery is concerned as done through the media in the fight of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is safe to conclude that coordinated governance is imperative in public service delivery. Those entrusted with decision-making must do so with the involvement of the people to have a holistic trajectory that solidifies the relationship with citizens in achieving policy objectives.

Email: [email protected]
WATERLOO  Waterloo native Nikole Hannah-Jones of The New York Times won a Pulitzer Prize in commentary writing Monday.

Hannah-Jones won the prestigious award for a personal essay that opened the 1619 Project, which viewed Americas origins through the lens of enslaved Africans.

Hannah-Jones grew up in Waterloo and graduated from Waterloo West High, and talks about her early days here in a podcast for the 1619 Project. She is now an investigative journalist with the New York Times and the creator of the papers deep dive into the implications of the history of slavery  The 1619 Project.

Hannah-Jones was back in the Cedar Valley last fall to discuss the intertwining of slavery with modern-day life as a part of the University of Northern Iowas 2019 Constitution Day Address.

She created the 1619 Project for the Times to connect the dots between the first slave ship landing in Virginia 400 years ago with everything that has happened to African-Americans since.

If we dont excavate the past, we cant find out how we got here, Hannah-Jones said during her Cedar Falls speech.

The entire 1619 Project, which was controversial for some, did not win the Pulitzer, but Hannah-Jones introductory essay for it did.

In her essay, Hannah-Jones wrote, But it would be historically inaccurate to reduce the contributions of black people to the vast material wealth created by our bondage. Black Americans have also been, and continue to be, foundational to the idea of American freedom. More than any other group in this countrys history, we have served, generation after generation, in an overlooked but vital role: It is we who have been the perfecters of this democracy.

Nancy Newhoff

Nancy Newhoff

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WATERTOWN, Conn., May 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Siemon, a leading global network infrastructure specialist, today announced that it has expanded its mobile-friendly website with a new global eCatalog that provides live access to updated product information through an advanced consumer-style interface with feature selection filters, document downloads, and easy project bill of material (BOM) generation and sharing.

From the new best-in-class eCatalog, customers can drill down into Siemon's main product categories, including copper and fiber cable and connectivity, work area solutions, racks and cable management, MapIT automated infrastructure management (AIM), ruggedized connectivity, high-speed cable assemblies, tools and testers, and connecting blocks. Within each product family, users can choose from a variety of attributes to further narrow down their product selection through a hierarchical user-friendly graphical interface.

Within each product window, users can access product images and related documentation like detailed spec sheets and installation instructions, as well as links to additional product information and marketing resources. Detailed attributes specific to each product can be selected to further filter results and view and select from available part numbers. Because the new eCatalog is linked with Siemon's internal databases, filtered results are updated with the very latest product information. Selected part numbers and quantities can be added to a cart to create a specific project BOM that may be emailed or exported into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheetwithout the need to create an account or login.

"To remain competitive in today's marketplace, our customers need to easily obtain specific product information and quickly generate bills of material for distributor pricing and project bids," says Tony Veatch, Director of Product Management for Siemon. "With tens of thousands of available product numbers in our arsenal based on specific attributes like performance, construction, color, size, length and a variety of other features, linking the new Siemon eCatalog to our existing internal system ensures real-time product information for our customersas new products are launched and added to our system, they will be immediately accessible to our customers through the eCatalog."

To further ease the ability to locate specific Siemon product information, the search function on the www.siemon.com website has also been expanded to search the new eCatalog by keyword and specific part number.

To access the new Siemon eCatalog, visit: ecatalog.siemon.com from any device.

About Siemon

Established in 1903, Siemon is an industry leader specializing in the design and manufacture of high quality, high performance IT infrastructure solutions and services for Data Centers, LANs and Intelligent Buildings. Headquartered in Connecticut, USA, with global sales, technical and logistics expertise spanning 100 countries, Siemon offers the most comprehensive suites of copper and optical fiber cabling systems, cabinets, racks, cable management, data center power and cooling systems and Intelligent Infrastructure Management solutions. With more than 400 patents specific to structured cabling, Siemon Labs invests heavily in R&D and the development of Industry Standards, underlining the company's long-standing commitment to its customers and the industry. Through an ongoing commitment to waste and energy reduction, Siemon's environmental sustainability benchmarks are unparalleled in the industry, including 179% global carbon negativity and zero-landfill status.

Siemon Interconnect Solutions (SIS) is a Siemon business unit comprised of a team of dedicated technical sales professionals supported by Siemon Labs, mechanical, electrical and signal integrity engineers committed to solving industry and customer driven interconnect challenges. We provide custom network infrastructure solutions to: OEM's, Leading Manufacturers, Value-Added Resellers and System Integrators.

Related Links

http://www.siemon.com



SOURCE Siemon
The countrys infection numbers, Ms. Merkel announced, were not just stable but lower than two weeks ago. Germany, the chancellor said, was now in a position to reopen most aspects of its economy and society.

We can afford a little audacity, Ms. Merkel said.

Germanys successful strategy was good news for countries eager for a sign that life can continue with the virus. But it was also a stark reminder of the differences in other Western countries, including the United States, where some states have taken steps toward reopening even as infections rise, and where President Trump is clearly eager to move past the pandemic and on to the recovery  whatever the cost.

Hopefully that wont be the case, Mr. Trump said on Wednesday when asked if deaths would rise as a result of the reopening of the American economy he covets, before adding, It could very well be the case.

To many of Mr. Trumps critics, the strategy that has won Ms. Merkel praise and Germany a reprieve  a combination of cautious, science-led political leadership and a regimen of widespread testing, tracing and social distancing  is precisely the one the United States should have followed.

Germany shut down early and has been systematically testing its way back to some semblance of normality. Face masks, already mandatory in shops and public transport, are fast becoming the new normal, and socializing in restaurants and bars  even those now allowed to reopen  will still take place under strict restrictions.
[May 06, 2020] University of Phoenix and Blackboard Announce Free Virtual Teaching Academy to Address Massive Change in K-12 Education Delivery Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

PHOENIX and RESTON, Va., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to the massive disruption in K-12 learning and unprecedented challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, University of Phoenix and Blackboard have combined their expertise in virtual learning with leading K-12 experts to form the Alliance for Virtual Learning, a comprehensive effort to help teachers and administrators develop a blueprint for the upcoming school year. While many organizations have come forward to help teachers quickly pivot online to maintain learning continuity in the immediate term, the Alliance is offering a free Virtual Teaching Academy, the first to provide a comprehensive, longer term approach to creating a virtual teaching and learning environment  from infrastructure to curriculum planning and training. The Alliance, which includes leaders such as the recipient of USDLA's 2015 "Outstanding Leadership by an Individual in the Field of Distance Learning" Pat Hoge, Getting Smart CEO and author Tom Vander Ark, and 2012 National Superintendent of the Year Heath Morrison, will provide free and comprehensive instruction to help teachers and administrators meet the new requirements of teaching and learning outside of the traditional classroom experience. The program will be delivered through a series of online, interactive events leading up to the Alliance's inaugural Virtual Teaching Academy, June 26  July 1, 2020. The goal is that school districts, and their administrators and teachers, will walk away with a blueprint on how to pivot to an extended virtual learning experience for the remainder of 2020 and likely beyond. "Teaching outside of the classroom requires different skills, capabilities and mindset than a traditional learning environment," said University of Phoenix Provost John Woods. "With more than 30 years of experience delivering successful online education, we feel a deep responsibility and sense of urgency to share our knowledge in virtual teaching to help the K-12 education community succeed in today's new normal of remote learning." With social distancing mandates and other measures, districts need a longer-term solution and the ability to seamlessly transition to virtual schooling when required, while maintaining continuity of learning. The Alliance for Virtual Learning aims to address that need, leveraging the collective's expertise and extensive experience to bridge the gap in the virtual education space. With a specific emphasis on planning and execution, the Alliance aims to offer districts, administrators and teachers the tools they need to best position themselves and their students for success as they begin preparing for fall 2020 and beyond. Best practices on how to better engage students, both academically and emotionally, in a virtual environment will also be shared. Experts will present via webinars in May and June moderated by Tom Vander Ark, CEO of Getting Smart and author of books including "Getting Smart," "Navigating the Digital Shift," "Smart Cities," "Smart Parents," "Better Together" and "The Power of Plce." The inaugural Virtual Teaching Academy will be hosted in late June 2020.



Webinar: What We've Learned: The Shift to Virtual Teaching and Learning  May 20, 2020

A moderated panel discussion during which education thought and district leaders will share experiences and learnings from helping their schools adapt to new ways of teaching and learning amidst COVID-19.

Webinar: Where We're Going: How to Succeed in "The New Normal"  June 17, 2020

A moderated panel discussion designed to help school and district leaders in their thinking, analysis and planning as they look to the fall. This webinar will provide guidance on being able to shift seamlessly to virtual teaching and learning, why both are needed, and how to successfully create an intersection of the two.

Inaugural Virtual Teaching Academy  June 26 - July 1, 2020

A six-day long workshop designed to provide teachers and administrators with insights to develop a blueprint for the future of K-12 as they prepare for fall.



Topics covered will include student and parent engagement, assessment of student learning, equity and disparity when school moves home, addressing the social and emotional needs of students virtually, and more.



Attendees can earn free continuing education-professional development hours for the time they attend the Virtual Teaching Academy, which will be granted by the University of Phoenix College of Education. "COVID-19 has prompted the entire education community to implement and adapt to digital learning environments at an unprecedented pace," said Kathy Vieira, Chief Strategy, Portfolio & Marketing Officer at Blackboard. "As we begin to prepare for the upcoming school year and beyond, it is increasingly important for the entire education community  educators, parents, students, and EdTech providers  to continue to work together. This represents an incredibly unique opportunity to reimagine the tools, training and environment needed to support online learning, and evolve how we personalize education for every student to help ensure they are successful." The COVID-19 pandemic is the single most disruptive event in the history of K-12 education, with widespread closures of 120,000 schools affecting 55 million students in the U.S. According to a recent survey of 1,001 K-12 teachers conducted by Edelman Intelligence on behalf of University of Phoenix, there is deep concern about the impact virtual teaching may have on students' development (90%). The survey also found that teachers do not feel properly prepared to teach virtually. As schools and teachers have mobilized quickly during this challenging time, less than half of teachers (47%) feel that the training that is available to them is good or excellent. Yet nearly all want to learn how to better engage and support their students through virtual learning, with teachers expressing interest in courses that discuss how to create compelling instructional content (84%) and how to best leverage online technology for teaching (84%).*

For more information about the Alliance for Virtual Learning, to access resources or register for upcoming workshops, visit https://go.blackboard.com/virtual-teaching-academy. *Assessed across their school, online platforms, educator resources, district and state offerings About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix is continually innovating to help working adults enhance their careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses and interactive learning help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. We serve a diverse student population, offering degree programs at select locations across the U.S. as well as online. For more information, visit phoenix.edu. About Blackboard

Our mission is to partner with the global education community to enable learner and institutional success, leveraging innovative technologies and services. With an unmatched understanding of the world of the learner, the most comprehensive student-success solutions, and the greatest capacity for innovation, Blackboard is education's partner in change. Learn more at www.blackboard.com and follow @Blackboard on Twitter. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/university-of-phoenix-and-blackboard-announce-free-virtual-teaching-academy-to-address-massive-change-in-k-12-education-delivery-due-to-the-covid-19-pandemic-301053584.html SOURCE University of Phoenix

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Reinforces Ongoing Commitment to Delivering Value to Stockholders

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill., May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CDW Corporation (CDW), a leading multi-brand technology solutions provider to business, government, education and healthcare customers in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.38 per common share to be paid on June 10, 2020 to all stockholders of record as of the close of business on May 25, 2020. This represents a 28.8 percent increase over last years dividend. Future dividends will be subject to Board of Director approval.



We remain confident in our liquidity position and the cash flow generation capability of CDWs business. Our quarterly dividend to shareholders continues to be an important part of our capital priorities, along with managing leverage and being thoughtful about other areas of capital deployment. As a result of COVID-19, we have taken actions to enhance our liquidity, including recently issuing $600 million of senior unsecured notes and suspending share repurchases, said Collin B. Kebo, chief financial officer, CDW.

About CDW

CDW Corporation (CDW) is a leading multi-brand technology solutions provider to business, government, education and healthcare customers in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. A Fortune 500 company and member of the S&P 500 Index, CDW was founded in 1984 and employs over 10,000 coworkers. For the trailing twelve months ended March 31, 2020, CDW generated Net sales over $18 billion. For more information about CDW, please visit www.CDW.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this release that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements regarding (i) the impact of COVID-19 on CDW's business, operations and liquidity, and (ii) capital priorities and other strategic plans of CDW. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in such statements. Although CDW believes that its plans, intentions and other expectations reflected in or suggested by such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that it will achieve those plans, intentions or expectations. Reference is made to a more complete discussion of forward-looking statements and applicable risks contained under the captions "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in CDW's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and subsequent filings with the SEC, including in its Prospectus Supplement filed with the SEC on April 17, 2020. CDW undertakes no obligation to update or revise any of its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.

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Investor Inquiries

Brittany A. Smith

Vice President, Investor Relations

and Financial Planning and Analysis

847-968-0238

investorrelations@cdw.com

Media Inquires

Sara Granack

Vice President, Corporate Communications

847-419-7411

mediarelations@cdw.com

CDWPR-FI
All India Trade Union Congress

AITUC Bhawan: 35-36, DDU Marg, Rouse Avenue, New Delhi a 110002

E Mail: aituchq[at]gmail.com Tel: +91 1123217320

Press Release a 04.05.2020

AITUC demands withdrawal of latest order of Home Ministry terming it as discriminatory, anti-worker and anti-human

AITUC deplores the latest order from the Ministry of Home Affairs dated 3rd May stating that the government will facilitate the movement only of those stranded workers who had gone to work or from workplace to hometown just before lockdown but could not return to their native places/workplaces on account of restrictions placed on movement of persons and vehicles as part of lockdown measures.

This MHA order once again reflects that the Government is totally out of tune from the ground realities, a confused lot, never doing its homework before shooting any orders but is also embedded with insensitive, inhumane approach towards workersa families who represent majority population of the country. The workers plan for visiting families not frequently but after several months of work at a particular place. They come for seasonal work also and also when they do not get any work in villages in between the timings of sowing and harvesting. They come to towns and cities not only to work in the factories but also to work in shops, for rickshaw pulling, E- rickshaw/ auto rickshaw/tax driving, hawking, vending, work on construction projects, security services, domestic work, loading-unloading or any other odd jobs including everyday casual work for their living whatever comes their way to sustain themselves and their families behind. Even those workers who come with their spouse leave half the family behind in the villages. In this time of trauma when all work was closed for them and they want to be with their families in the native places, how can the government stop them for their right to be with their family members. This step of government reflects of some camouflaging of forcing the workers to stay back on the behest of employersa demands. It is in a way to keep them in bondage like situations.

Moreover no one would be interested in un-necessary travel as there are fears of getting infected from Covid-19 virus.

AITUC demands for immediate withdrawal of this order. AITUC also demands that travel charges for trains and buses should not be demanded from the workers as they have already exhausted their cash in hand. There are reports, how they have taken loans to pay heavily to the bus transport operators in various states. In this deep crises situation Government should at least do this much to help them in their distress of eager to be with the families.

Amarjeet Kaur

General Secretary, AITUC
Investors rewarded Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE: ALK) for reporting first-quarter losses and cash burn projections that beat expectations, with the stock up 1.15% to $29.10 per share at Tuesday's market close.

The parent company of Alaska Airlines and Horizon Airlines said its first-quarter adjusted net loss was $0.82 per share, or $102 million, ahead of Wall Street's consensus of a $1.14 loss per share. Total revenue fell 13% to $1.6 billion compared to analyst estimates for $1.7 billion compared to the same period last year.

Cargo revenue fell 8% to $46 million.

View more earnings on ALK

The implosion of travel demand due to the coronavirus forced airlines to implement severe austerity programs. Alaska's measures include reducing passenger schedules by at least 80% through May and offering voluntary, unpaid leave, which more than 5,000 employees accepted. The deferral of predelivery aircraft payments and nonaircraft capital projects has saved more than $500 million in capital expenditures this year, and Alaska is lowering discretionary costs by negotiating payment extensions or reductions with lessors, vendors and airports.

Alaska said it reduced its cash burn from $400 million per month in March to $260 million in April, and hopes to t it to $200 million per month in June. The monthly negative cash flow translates to about $8.6 million per day in April compared to major domestic carriers like American Airlines ($70 million per day) and United Airlines ($50 million per day).

The Seattle-based carrier has $2.9 billion of cash and cash-equivalents after accepting a $992 million payroll protection grant from the U.S. government and borrowing $875 million from private sources. It has also applied to the government for the option of taking a $1.1 billion loan.

CEO Brad Tilden thanked front-line workers for maintaining ongoing services at high levels and the leadership team for giving "us the best chance possible to navigate through this storm and capitalize on opportunities we may see on the other side."

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 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Medical workers outside NYU Langone Health on May 1 as people applaud at 7 p.m.

Noam Galai/Getty Images

Healthcare workers who are responding to the coronavirus pandemic could have their public and private student loans forgiven under a new bill from Rep. Carolyn Maloney.

Maloney's bill would forgive loans for medical school or other professional education.

Nurses, doctors, and other healthcare workers would be eligible for the loan relief, though a special commission would ultimately determine eligibility.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney introduced a bill on Tuesday to forgive public and private student loans for healthcare workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.

The bill would forgive loans incurred from medical school or other professional education, and the amount of loans relieved would have "absolutely no cap," Maloney said on a press call.

Nurses, doctors, and other healthcare workers who are responding to the COVID-19 crisis would be eligible for the relief. A special commission would be formed "to determine whether an individual has made significant contributions to the medical response."

The bill defines a frontline healthcare worker as a "doctor, medical resident, medical intern, medical fellow, nurse, home health care worker, mental health professional, or other health care professional," as well as medical students providing COVID-related health services.

Laboratory staff and researchers working on testing, treatments, and vaccines are also included, as are emergency medical services (EMS) workers. The bill leaves room for the commission to further include other healthcare workers that weren't specifically mentioned.

Families and estates of healthcare workers who died due to the coronavirus would be relieved of those workers' student loans.

"We should do more than thanking them," and forgiving loans is a "concrete" way to do that, Maloney said.

Story continues

Maloney, a Democrat representing parts of New York City, likened the response from healthcare workers during the coronavirus pandemic to the response from emergency first responders during the 9/11 attacks.

Other Democrats in the House have proposed more widespread student-loan forgiveness, but it would cover only public loans and have a $30,000 cap.

Maloney said she was supportive of "debt relief for all" but that a more targeted approach, like relief for healthcare workers, could have a better chance of passing Congress more quickly. "We have to get through this crisis now," she said.

Maloney is planning to introduce the relief bill for healthcare workers as a standalone bill, rather than as a provision in a larger coronavirus relief package, which could go through long and strenuous negotiations between Democrats and Republicans in Congress.

Read the original article on Business Insider
As India begins its biggest evacuation excercise to bring back its citizens stranded in the Gulf and various countries due to the COVID-19 lockdown, the three airports in Kerala are all set to receive around 2,700 expatriates in the first five days, beginning Thursday.

Three naval ships, which have also joined in the evacuation process, left for Maldives and UAE on Tuesday to bring back Indian citizens.

The first of the three flights from the Gulf will take off from Abu Dhabi on Thursday with 200 passengers and touch down at the Kochi International airport at 9.45 pm.

Jishnu, a passeger from Abu Dhabi, who got his ticket, was elated that he would be able to return to his home state.

I am very happy to have got the ticket. I was informed yesterday that I could travel, he told a television channel.

The Kochi-Doha flight of Thursday has been re-scheduled to Saturday, CIAL sources said.

Two flights with 200 passengers each are scheduled to land at Kozhikode airport from Dubai and Riyadh on Thursday.

Another two flights are expected at Thiruvananthapuram on May 9 and 10 from Doha in Qatar with 200 passengers each, Thiruvananthaouram Airport DirectorC V Raveedranath told PTI.

Arrangements are in place at Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram airports in Kerala to receive the NRKs.

For those arriving at Thiruvananthapuram, quarantine facilities have been arranged in six taluks to accommodate over 11,200 people and the government will bear the expenses.

Hotel rooms have been arranged for another 6400 people for which they will have to pay, a government press release said.

These people will have to complete their observation as per the governments COVID-19 protocol.

Various hostels, hotels, auditoriums have been taken for quarantine facilities of the NRKs.

The Cochin International Airport and Cochin Port have also made all arrangements to receive expatriates returning from the countries, Ernakulam District administration said.

Thermal scanners have been set up at the airport for the screening of the passengers and for quarantine facilities, while 4,000 houses with water, electricity and bath attached facilities have been arranged in Ernakulam district. From May 7 to May 13, 64 flights are expected to be operated from various countries to India to bring back expats from the Gulf countries, Singapore, US and UK, among others.

While all arrangements have been made by the state government to receive the NRKs, there is some confusion about the number of days passengers will have to undergo quarantine on arrival,.

The state government has said passengers from abroad will have to go on seven days quarantine on arrival at government arranged institutions and undergo tests after a week.

If found symptomatic, they will have to go to hospitals and those whose samples are found negative will be allowed to leave for home where they have to strictly follow home quarantine.

But as per the Centres guidelines, they will have to undergo 14 days institutional quarantine.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said it was dangerous to bring back stranded NRKs to the state without any COVID-19 tests as it would lead to spreading of infection.

He wanted the centre to ensure that the NRKs undergo the tests before emplaning for their respective states.

Vijayan has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the states concern on the matter.

There should not be any lapse in following globally accepted health protocols lest there be a setback in the states efforts to prevent community spread of COVID-19, Vijayan had said.

At least 4. 27 lakh NRKs have registered in the NORKA portal, of which about 1.69 lakh people constitute the most vulnerable sections-- those who have lost their jobs, those released from prisons and awaiting deportation, pregnant women,students who have completed courses and whose visas have expired.

Over 9,900 pregnant women and 61,000 people who have lost their jobs are among those who have registered.

However, as per the centres list, only 80,000 NRKs are in the priority list for being brought back to the state.

(This story has been published from a wire agency without modifications to the text)

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DALLAS, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE: J) today announced its financial results for the fiscal second quarter ended March 27, 2020.

Q2 2020 Highlights:

Gross revenue of $3.4 billion 1 grew 10.9% year-over-year; net revenue grew 7.5% pro forma

grew 10.9% year-over-year; net revenue grew 7.5% pro forma EPS from continuing operations of $(0.92) ; results include $1.94 charge from mark to market impact of Worley stock

; results include charge from mark to market impact of Worley stock Adjusted EPS from continuing operations of $1.39 , including $0.07 in discrete tax benefits

, including in discrete tax benefits Backlog increased $2.6 billion to $23.3 billion , up 12.5% year-over-year and up 5% on a pro forma basis

to , up 12.5% year-over-year and up 5% on a pro forma basis Cash flow from operations of $152 million , expect strong free cash flow for the balance of FY20

, expect strong free cash flow for the balance of FY20 Fiscal 2020 outlook to reflect COVID-19 impact, continues to represent year-over-year adjusted EBITDA growth

Jacobs' Chair and CEO Steve Demetriou commented, "During this time our focus has remained on keeping our people safe, ensuring business continuity and shifting our focus to aid in COVID-19 relief efforts by delivering solutions for our customers. Our cultural and portfolio transformation over the past several years provided the foundation for rapid, thoughtful decision-making at the beginning of the crisis  and allowed us to accelerate existing digital transformation plans to quickly shift our 55,000-person global workforce to remote working, demonstrating our resiliency and ability to navigate and weather this pandemic." Demetriou continued, "This has also enabled us to demonstrate new approaches to working on a global scale, maximizing our digital strategy and tools, to shape our 'new normal'  and reinforcing our global resilience and operational readiness. And perhaps most importantly, our behaviors during this crisis have strengthened our brand with our people and allowed us to retain top talent, setting us up for long-term success."

Jacobs' President and CFO Kevin Berryman added, "Our transformed portfolio has demonstrated strong financial flexibility in the face of one of the most abrupt shocks ever to the safety, health and economic well-being of the global community. Our long-term outlook for the business, despite the short term challenges associated with COVID-19, remains intact and we expect to generate strong free cash flow for the remainder of 2020. Furthermore, our financial flexibility affords us the opportunity to invest further in our people and our business as we look to improve our capabilities, productivity and efficiencies gained as a result of the crisis. We expect to emerge from the pandemic a more agile company that is positioned for growth in fiscal 2021 and beyond."

Financial Outlook

The company now expects fiscal 2020 adjusted EBITDA of $950 million to $1,0502 million and adjusted EPS of $4.80 to $5.302.

Second Quarter Review



Fiscal Q2 2020 Fiscal Q2 2019 Change Revenue $3.4 billion $3.1 billion $0.3 billion Net Revenue $2.8 billion $2.5 billion $0.3 billion GAAP Net (Loss) Earnings from Continuing Operations ($122 million) $115 million ($237 million) GAAP (Loss) Earnings Per Diluted Share (EPS) from Continuing Operations ($0.92) $0.82 ($1.74) Adjusted Net Earnings from Continuing Operations $186 million $166 million $20 million Adjusted EPS from Continuing Operations $1.39 $1.19 $0.20

The company's adjusted net earnings from continuing operations and adjusted EPS from continuing operations for the second quarter of fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2019 exclude the adjustments set forth in the table below. For additional information regarding these adjustments and a reconciliation of adjusted net earnings and adjusted EPS to net (loss) earnings and EPS, respectively, as well as a reconciliation of net revenue to revenue, refer to the section entitled "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" at the end of this release.



Fiscal Q2 2020 Fiscal Q2 2019 GAAP Net (Loss) Earnings from Continuing Operations and Diluted Earnings Per Share (EPS) $(122) million ($(0.92) per share) $115 million ($0.82 per share) After-tax restructuring, transaction costs, and other charges ($44.2 million and $67.3 million for the fiscal 2020 and 2019 periods, respectively before income taxes) $33 million ($0.25 per share) $55 million ($0.39 per share) Other adjustments include: (a) add-back of amortization of intangible assets of $22.1 million and $18.7 million in the 2020 and 2019 periods, respectively, (b) the allocation to discontinued operations of estimated stranded corporate costs of $6.4 million in the 2019 period that will be reimbursed or otherwise eliminated in connection with the sale of the ECR business, (c) the reclassification of revenues under the Company's Transition Services Agreement (TSA) with Worley of $2.2 million, included in other income for U.S. GAAP reporting purposes to SG&A during the fiscal 2020 period, (d) the removal of $341.0 million in fair value adjustments related to our investment in Worley stock (net of Worley stock dividend) and certain foreign currency revaluations relating to the ECR sale in the 2020 period, (e) the allocation to discontinued operations of estimated interest expense amounts in 2019 related to long-term debt that was paid down in connection with the closing of the sale of the ECR business of $18.4 million, (f) the add-back of charges resulting from the revaluation of certain deferred tax assets/liabilities in connection with U.S. tax reform of $37 million in the 2019 period and (g) associated income tax expense adjustments for the above pre-tax adjustment items. $275 million ($2.06 per share) $(5) million ($(0.03) per share) Adjusted Net Earnings from Continuing Operations and EPS $186 million ($1.39 per share) $166 million ($1.19 per share)



(note: earnings per share amounts may not add due to rounding)

Fiscal second quarter 2020 adjusted earnings per share from continuing operations reflect an adjusted effective tax rate of 20.7%, excluding discrete tax benefit items of $9.5 million, or $0.07 per share.

Jacobs is hosting a conference call at 4:45 P.M. ET on Wednesday May 6, 2020, which it is webcasting live at www.jacobs.com .

The conference call can also be accessed by dialing (833) 520-0069 and providing passcode 9842818.

John Wood Group's Nuclear Business Acquisition

On March 6, 2020, Jacobs completed the acquisition of John Wood Group's Nuclear consulting, remediation and program management business.

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 annual revenue and a talent force of approximately 55,000, Jacobs provides a full spectrum of professional services including consulting, technical, scientific and project delivery for the government and private sectors. Visit jacobs.com and connect with Jacobs on LinkedIn , Twitter , Facebook and Instagram .

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 press release that are not based on historical fact are forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements we make concerning the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, financial condition and results of operations and our expectations as to our future growth, prospects, financial outlook and business strategy for fiscal 2020 or future fiscal years. Although such statements are based on management's current estimates and expectations, and currently available competitive, financial, and economic data, forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and you should not place undue reliance on such statements as actual results may differ materially. We caution the reader that there are a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from what is contained, projected or implied by our forward-looking statements. Such factors include the magnitude, timing, duration and ultimate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and any resulting economic downturn on our results, prospects and opportunities. Such impact includes, but is not limited to, the possible reduction in demand for certain of our services and the delay or abandonment of ongoing or anticipated projects due to the financial condition of our clients and suppliers or to governmental budget constraints; the inability of our clients to meet their payment obligations in a timely manner or at all; potential issues and risks related to a significant portion of our employees working remotely; illness, travel restrictions and other workforce disruptions that could negatively affect our supply chain and our ability to timely and satisfactorily complete our clients' projects; difficulties associated with hiring additional employees or replacing any furloughed employees; increased volatility in the capital markets that may affect our ability to access sources of liquidity on acceptable pricing or borrowing terms or at all; and the inability of governments in certain of the countries in which we operate to effectively mitigate the financial or other impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on their economies and workforces and our operations therein. The foregoing factors and potential future developments are inherently uncertain, unpredictable and, in many cases, beyond our control. For a description of these and 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, and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 27, 2020, and in particular the discussions contained under Part I, Item 2 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations; Part II, Item 1 - Legal Proceedings; and Part II, Item 1A - Risk Factors, 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.

1Reflects continuing operations as reported in accordance with GAAP.

2Reconciliation of the adjusted EPS outlook and adjusted EBITDA outlook for the full fiscal year to the most directly comparable GAAP measure is not available without unreasonable efforts because the Company cannot predict with sufficient certainty all the components required to provide such reconciliation, including with respect to the costs and charges relating to transaction expenses, restructuring and integration to be incurred in fiscal 2020.

Financial Highlights:

Results of Operations (in thousands, except per-share data):



For the Three Months Ended

For the Six Months Ended Unaudited March 27, 2020

March 29, 2019

March 27, 2020

March 29, 2019 Revenues $ 3,427,180



$ 3,091,596



$ 6,787,229



$ 6,175,384

Direct cost of contracts (2,779,045)



(2,474,755)



(5,494,522)



(4,990,023)

Gross profit 648,135



616,841



1,292,707



1,185,361

Selling, general and administrative expenses (480,357)



(514,160)



(973,582)



(969,551)

Operating Profit 167,778



102,681



319,125



215,810

Other (Expense) Income:













Interest income 985



1,670



1,931



3,774

Interest expense (15,154)



(29,423)



(29,971)



(54,749)

Miscellaneous (expense) income, net (330,414)



36,904



(213,719)



39,186

Total other (expense) income, net (344,583)



9,151



(241,759)



(11,789)

(Loss) Earnings from Continuing Operations Before Taxes (176,805)



111,832



77,366



204,021

Income Tax Benefit (Expense) for Continuing Operations 61,122



7,947



(7,368)



(14,811)

Net (Loss) Earnings of the Group from Continuing Operations (115,683)



119,779



69,998



189,210

Net Earnings (Loss) of the Group from Discontinued Operations 29,880



(57,006)



107,468



3,153

Net (Loss) Earnings of the Group (85,803)



62,773



177,466



192,363

Net Earnings Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests from Continuing Operations (6,284)



(5,024)



(12,540)



(9,562)

Net (Loss) Earnings Attributable to Jacobs from Continuing Operations (121,967)



114,755



57,458



179,648

Net Earnings Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests from Discontinued Operations 



(832)







(1,588)

Net Earnings (Loss) Attributable to Jacobs from Discontinued Operations 29,880



(57,838)



107,468



1,565

Net (Loss) Earnings Attributable to Jacobs $ (92,087)



$ 56,917



$ 164,926



$ 181,213

Net (Loss) Earnings Per Share:













Basic Net (Loss) Earnings from Continuing Operations Per Share $ (0.92)



$ 0.83



$ 0.43



$ 1.28

Basic Net Earnings (Loss) from Discontinued Operations Per Share $ 0.23



$ (0.42)



$ 0.81



$ 0.01

Basic (Loss) Earnings Per Share $ (0.69)



$ 0.41



$ 1.24



$ 1.29

















Diluted Net (Loss) Earnings from Continuing Operations Per Share $ (0.92)



$ 0.82



$ 0.43



$ 1.27

Diluted Net Earnings (Loss) from Discontinued Operations Per Share $ 0.23



$ (0.41)



$ 0.80



$ 0.01

Diluted (Loss) Earnings Per Share $ (0.69)



$ 0.41



$ 1.23



$ 1.28



















Segment Information (in thousands):









Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended Unaudited March 27, 2020

March 29, 2019

March 27, 2020

March 29, 2019 Revenues from External Customers:













Critical Mission Solutions $ 1,243,378



$ 1,059,508



$ 2,425,835



$ 2,094,537

People & Places Solutions 2,183,802



2,032,088



4,361,394



4,080,847

Pass Through Revenue (641,393)



(632,359)



(1,343,147)



(1,306,637)

People & Places Solutions Net Revenue $ 1,542,409



$ 1,399,729



$ 3,018,247



$ 2,774,210

Total Revenue $ 3,427,180



$ 3,091,596



$ 6,787,229



$ 6,175,384

Net Revenue $ 2,785,787



$ 2,459,237



$ 5,444,082



$ 4,868,747



















Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended

March 27, 2020

March 29, 2019

March 27, 2020

March 29, 2019 Segment Operating Profit:













Critical Mission Solutions $ 84,293



$ 73,831



$ 174,715



$ 145,982

People & Places Solutions 189,082



172,689



367,411



332,148

Total Segment Operating Profit 273,375



246,520



542,126



478,130

Other Corporate Expenses (1) (61,216)



(49,901)



(127,934)



(121,149)

Restructuring, Transaction and Other Charges (44,381)



(93,938)



(95,067)



(141,171)

Total U.S. GAAP Operating Profit 167,778



102,681



319,125



215,810

Total Other (Expense) Income, net (2) (344,583)



9,151



(241,759)



(11,789)

(Loss) Earnings from Continuing Operations Before Taxes $ (176,805)



$ 111,832



$ 77,366



$ 204,021





(1) Other corporate expenses include costs that were previously allocated to the ECR segment prior to discontinued operations presentation in connection with the ECR sale in the approximate amount of $6.4 million and $12.8 million for the three and six month periods ended March 29, 2019. Other corporate expenses also include intangibles amortization of $22.1 million and $18.7 million for the three-month periods ended March 27, 2020 and March 29, 2019, respectively, and $43.9 million and $37.3 million for the six months ended March 27, 2020 and March 29, 2019, respectively. (2) For the three and six month periods ended March 27, 2020, includes revenues under the Company's TSA with Worley of $2.2 million and $14.2 million, respectively, $(341.0) million and $(241.9) million in fair value adjustments related to our investment in Worley stock (net of Worley stock dividend) and certain foreign currency revaluations relating to the ECR sale, respectively, the amortization of deferred financing fees related to the CH2M acquisition of $0.1 million and $0.7 million, respectively, and the loss on settlement of the U.S. pension plan of $0 and $2.7 million respectively. For the three and six month periods ended March 29, 2019, includes the amortization of deferred financing fees related to the CH2M acquisition of $0.5 million and $1.0 million, respectively and the gain on settlement of the CH2M portion of the U.S. pension plan of $32.4 million and $34.6 million, respectively.

Other Operational Information (in thousands):





Unaudited

For the Six Months Ended Continuing Operations

March 27, 2020

March 29, 2019 Depreciation (pre-tax)

$ 44,718



$ 41,702

Amortization of Intangibles (pre-tax)

$ 43,939



$ 37,349

Capital Expenditures

$ 61,337



$ 58,909



Balance Sheet (in thousands):







Unaudited March 27, 2020

September 27, 2019 ASSETS





Current Assets:





Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,655,879



$ 631,068

Receivables and contract assets 3,178,580



2,840,209

Prepaid expenses and other 332,395



639,539

Current assets held for sale 



952

Total current assets 5,166,854



4,111,768

Property, Equipment and Improvements, net 330,505



308,143

Other Noncurrent Assets:





Goodwill 5,596,156



5,432,544

Intangibles, net 689,795



665,076

Miscellaneous 1,351,303



918,202

Noncurrent assets held for sale 



26,978

Total other noncurrent assets 7,637,254



7,042,800



$ 13,134,613



$ 11,462,711

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY





Current Liabilities:





Short-term debt $ 



$ 199,901

Accounts payable 1,030,263



1,072,645

Accrued liabilities 1,178,612



1,384,379

Contract liabilities 416,009



414,208

Current liabilities held for sale 



2,573

Total current liabilities 2,624,884



3,073,706

Long-term Debt 3,099,456



1,201,245

Other Deferred Liabilities 1,797,290



1,419,005

Noncurrent Liabilities Held for Sale 



97

Commitments and Contingencies





Stockholders' Equity:





Capital stock:





Preferred stock, $1 par value, authorized - 1,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding - none 





Common stock, $1 par value, authorized - 240,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding - 129,984,887 shares and 132,879,395 shares as of March 27, 2020 and September 27, 2019, respectively 129,985



132,879

Additional paid-in capital 2,569,417



2,559,450

Retained earnings 3,808,698



3,939,174

Accumulated other comprehensive loss (946,317)



(916,812)

Total Jacobs stockholders' equity 5,561,783



5,714,691

Noncontrolling interests 51,200



53,967

Total Group stockholders' equity 5,612,983



5,768,658



$ 13,134,613



$ 11,462,711



Statement of Cash Flow (in thousands):









For the Three Months Ended

For the Six Months Ended Unaudited March 27, 2020

March 29, 2019

March 27, 2020

March 29, 2019 Cash Flows from Operating Activities:













Net (loss) earnings attributable to the Group $ (85,803)



$ 62,773



$ 177,466



$ 192,363

Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash flows (used for) provided by operations:













Depreciation and amortization:













Property, equipment and improvements 22,566



23,491



44,718



43,812

Intangible assets 22,094



18,678



43,939



37,963

Gain on sale of ECR business (19,967)







(81,910)





Loss on investment in equity securities 375,544







270,225





Stock based compensation 9,557



13,322



23,835



28,916

Equity in (loss) earnings of operating ventures, net 950



(2,184)



235



(5,325)

(Gain) Loss on disposals of assets, net (283)



3,219



(247)



3,730

(Gain) Loss on pension and retiree medical plan changes 



(32,449)



2,651



(34,621)

Deferred income taxes (29,047)



(4,928)



73,440



(31,008)

Changes in assets and liabilities, excluding the effects of businesses acquired:













Receivables and contract assets, net of contract liabilities (117,610)



(15,430)



(213,685)



(194,850)

Prepaid expenses and other current assets (4,625)



8,535



(8,777)



47,733

Accounts payable (117,285)



(25,645)



(152,665)



(6,754)

Accrued liabilities 182,523



112,185



(53,567)



(57,763)

Other deferred liabilities (92,946)



31,678



(153,508)



(48,761)

Other, net 6,486



(23,776)



42,818



(30,667)

Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities 152,154



169,469



14,968



(55,232)

Cash Flows from Investing Activities:













Additions to property and equipment (39,077)



(40,759)



(61,337)



(61,480)

Disposals of property and equipment and other assets 38



7,035



38



7,240

Distributions of capital from (contributions to) equity investees (358)



(2,938)



(12,358)



(3,904)

Acquisitions of businesses, net of cash acquired (286,534)







(286,534)





Proceeds (payments) related to sales of businesses (5,061)







(5,061)





Purchases of noncontrolling interests 











(1,113)

Net cash (used for) provided by investing activities (330,992)



(36,662)



(365,252)



(59,257)

Cash Flows from Financing Activities:













Net proceeds from borrowings 1,500,755



168,514



1,711,371



695,571

Debt issuance costs (1,807)



(3,741)



(1,807)



(3,741)

Proceeds from issuances of common stock 12,719



18,363



18,920



25,945

Common stock repurchases (285,822)



(346,636)



(285,822)



(488,435)

Taxes paid on vested restricted stock (407)



(1,805)



(24,742)



(20,317)

Cash dividends, including to noncontrolling interests (37,913)



(27,787)



(63,530)



(56,390)

Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities 1,187,525



(193,092)



1,354,390



152,633

Effect of Exchange Rate Changes 27,980



(2,979)



20,705



19,136

Net Increase (decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents 1,036,667



(63,264)



1,024,811



57,280

Cash and Cash Equivalents at the Beginning of the Period 619,212



913,902



631,068



793,358

Cash and Cash Equivalents at the End of the Period 1,655,879



850,638



1,655,879



850,638

Less Cash and Cash Equivalents included in Assets held for Sale 



(176,090)







(176,090)

Cash and Cash Equivalents of Continuing Operations at the End of the Period $ 1,655,879



$ 674,548



$ 1,655,879



$ 674,548



Backlog (in millions):









March 27, 2020

March 29, 2019 Critical Mission Solutions $ 9,135



$ 7,285

People & Places Solutions 14,156



13,428

Total $ 23,291



$ 20,713



Non-GAAP Financial Measures:

In this press release, the Company has included certain non-GAAP financial measures as defined in Regulation G promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The non-GAAP financial measures included in this press release are net revenue, adjusted net earnings from continuing operations, adjusted EPS from continuing operations and adjusted EBITDA.

Net revenue is calculated excluding pass-through revenue of the Company's People & Places Solutions segment from the Company's revenue from continuing operations. Adjusted net earnings from continuing operations and adjusted EPS from continuing operations are non-GAAP financial measures that are calculated by (i) excluding the costs related to the 2015 restructuring activities, which included involuntary terminations, the abandonment of certain leased offices, combining operational organizations and the co-location of employees into other existing offices; and charges associated with our Europe, U.K. and Middle East region, which included write-offs on contract accounts receivable and charges for statutory redundancy and severance costs (collectively, the "2015 Restructuring and other items"); (ii) excluding costs and other charges associated with restructuring activities implemented in connection with the KeyW, CH2M and John Wood Group nuclear business acquisitions, the sale of the ECR business and other related cost reduction initiatives, which included involuntary terminations, costs associated with co-locating Jacobs, KeyW and CH2M offices, separating physical locations of ECR and continuing operations, costs and expenses of the Integration Management Office and Separation Management Office, including professional services and personnel costs, costs and charges associated with the divestiture of joint venture interests to resolve potential conflicts arising from the CH2M acquisition, expenses relating to certain commitments and contingencies relating to discontinued operations of the CH2M business, charges associated with certain operations in India, which included write-offs on contract accounts receivable and other accruals, and similar costs and expenses (collectively referred to as the "Restructuring and other charges"); (iii) excluding transaction costs and other charges incurred in connection with closing of the KeyW, CH2M and John Wood Group nuclear business acquisitions, and sale of the ECR business (to the extent incurred prior to the closing), including advisor fees, change in control payments, costs and expenses relating to the registration and listing of Jacobs stock issued in connection with the CH2M acquisition, and similar transaction costs and expenses (collectively referred to as "transaction costs"); (iv) adding back amortization of intangible assets; (v) allocating to discontinued operations estimated stranded corporate costs that will be reimbursed or otherwise eliminated in connection with the sale of the ECR business; (vi) the reclassification of revenue under the Company's transition services agreement (TSA) included in other income for U.S. GAAP reporting purposes to SG&A and the exclusion of remaining unreimbursed costs associated with the TSA; (vii) allocating to discontinued operations estimated interest expense relating to long-term debt that was paid down with the proceeds of the ECR sale; (viii) the removal of fair value adjustments and dividend income related to the Company's investment in Worley stock and certain foreign currency revaluations relating to ECR sale proceeds; (ix) the exclusion of a one-time favorable adjustment in the fiscal 2019 period associated with a reduction of deferred income taxes for permanently reinvested earnings from non-U.S. subsidiaries in connection with the sale of the ECR business; (x) excluding charges resulting from the revaluation of certain deferred tax assets/liabilities in connection with U.S. tax reform; (xi) adding back depreciation and amortization relating to the ECR business of the Company that was ceased as a result of the application of held-for-sale accounting; and (xii) other income tax adjustments. Adjustments to derive adjusted net earnings from continuing operations and adjusted EPS from continuing operations are calculated on an after-tax basis. We believe that net revenue, adjusted net earnings from continuing operations, adjusted EPS from continuing operations and adjusted EBITDA are useful to management, investors and other users of our financial information in evaluating the Company's operating results and understanding the Company's operating trends by excluding or adding back the effects of the items described above, the inclusion or exclusion of which can obscure underlying trends. Additionally, management uses such measures in its own evaluation of the Company's performance, particularly when comparing performance to past periods, and believes these measures are useful for investors because they facilitate a comparison of our financial results from period to period.

Adjusted EBITDA for prior periods is calculated by adding depreciation expense to adjusted operating profit from continuing operations. For fiscal 2020 outlook, the Company calculated adjusted EBITDA by adding income tax expense, depreciation expense and interest expense, and deducting interest income from adjusted net earnings from continuing operations.

The Company provides non-GAAP measures to supplement U.S. GAAP measures, as they provide additional insight into the Company's financial results. However, non-GAAP measures have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation and are not in accordance with, or a substitute for, U.S. GAAP measures. In addition, other companies may define non-GAAP measures differently, which limits the ability of investors to compare non-GAAP measures of the Company to those used by our peer companies.

The following tables reconcile the components and values of U.S. GAAP revenue, net earnings from continuing operations, EPS from continuing operations and revenue to the corresponding "adjusted" amounts. For the comparable periods presented below, such adjustments consist of amounts incurred in connection with the items described above. Amounts are shown in thousands, except for per-share data (note: earnings per share amounts may not add across due to rounding). Reconciliation of the adjusted EPS and adjusted EBITDA outlook for the full fiscal year to the most directly comparable GAAP measure is not available without unreasonable efforts because the Company cannot predict with sufficient certainty all the components required to provide such reconciliation (note: earnings per share amounts may not add across due to rounding).

U.S. GAAP Reconciliation for the second quarter of fiscal 2020 and 2019





Three Months Ended

March 27, 2020 Unaudited U.S. GAAP

Effects of

Restructuring, Transaction and

Other Charges

Other

Adjustments

(1)

Adjusted Revenues $ 3,427,180



$ 



$ 



$ 3,427,180

Pass through revenue 







(641,393)



(641,393)

Net revenue 3,427,180







(641,393)



2,785,787

Direct cost of contracts (2,779,045)







641,393



(2,137,652)

Gross profit 648,135











648,135

Selling, general and administrative expenses (480,357)



44,381



24,359



(411,617)

Operating Profit 167,778



44,381



24,359



236,518

Total other (expense) income, net (344,583)



(200)



338,797



(5,986)

(Loss) Earnings from Continuing Operations Before Taxes (176,805)



44,181



363,156



230,532

Income Tax Benefit (Expense) for Continuing Operations 61,122



(11,349)



(87,833)



(38,060)

Net (Loss) Earnings of the Group from Continuing Operations (115,683)



32,832



275,323



192,472

Net Earnings Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests from Continuing Operations (6,284)











(6,284)

Net (Loss) Earnings from Continuing Operations attributable to Jacobs (121,967)



32,832



275,323



186,188

Net Earnings Attributable to Discontinued Operations 29,880











29,880

Net (Loss) Earnings attributable to Jacobs $ (92,087)



$ 32,832



$ 275,323



$ 216,068

Diluted Net (Loss) Earnings from Continuing Operations Per Share $ (0.92)



$ 0.25



$ 2.06



$ 1.39

Diluted Net Earnings (Loss) from Discontinued Operations Per Share $ 0.23



$ 



$ 



$ 0.22

Diluted (Loss) Earnings Per Share $ (0.69)



$ 0.25



$ 2.06



$ 1.62

Operating profit margin 4.9 %









8.5 %



(1) Includes (a) the removal of pass through revenues and costs for the People & Places Solutions line of business for the calculation of operating profit margin as a percentage of net revenue of $641.4 million, (b) the removal of amortization of intangible assets of $22.1 million, (c) the reclassification of revenues under the Company's TSA of $2.2 million included in other income for U.S. GAAP reporting purposes to SG&A, (d) the removal of $341.0 million in fair value adjustments related to our investment in Worley stock (net of Worley stock dividend) and certain foreign currency revaluations relating to the ECR sale and (e) associated income tax expense adjustments for the above pre-tax adjustment items. (2) Because GAAP net (loss) earnings from continuing operations was a loss, the effect of antidilutive securities of 1,032 was excluded from the denominator in calculating diluted EPS. Because adjusted net (loss) earnings from continuing operations was income, the effective of the securities was dilutive and was included in the denominator in calculating adjusted diluted EPS.



Three Months Ended

March 29, 2019 Unaudited U.S. GAAP

Effects of

Restructuring,

Transaction and

Other Charges

Other

Adjustments

(1)

Adjusted Revenues $ 3,091,596



$ 



$ 



$ 3,091,596

Pass through revenue 







(632,359)



(632,359)

Net revenue 3,091,596







(632,359)



2,459,237

Direct cost of contracts (2,474,755)



(3,383)



632,359



(1,845,779)

Gross profit 616,841



(3,383)







613,458

Selling, general and administrative expenses (514,160)



97,321



25,078



(391,761)

Operating Profit 102,681



93,938



25,078



221,697

Total other income (expense), net 9,151



(26,602)



18,403



952

Earnings from Continuing Operations Before Taxes 111,832



67,336



43,481



222,649

Income Tax Benefit (Expense) for Continuing Operations 7,947



(11,949)



(48,097)



(52,099)

Net Earnings (Loss) of the Group from Continuing Operations 119,779



55,387



(4,616)



170,550

Net Earnings Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests from Continuing Operations (5,024)











(5,024)

Net Earnings from Continuing Operations attributable to Jacobs 114,755



55,387



(4,616)



165,526

Net (Loss) Earnings Attributable to Discontinued Operations (57,838)



3,783



(24,489)



(78,544)

Net earnings attributable to Jacobs $ 56,917



$ 59,170



$ (29,105)



$ 86,982

Diluted Net Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations Per Share $ 0.82



$ 0.39



$ (0.03)



$ 1.19

Diluted Net Earnings (Loss) from Discontinued Operations Per Share $ (0.41)



$ 0.02



$ (0.18)



$ (0.56)

Diluted Earnings Per Share $ 0.41



$ 0.43



$ (0.21)



$ 0.62

Operating profit margin 3.32 %









9.01 %



(1) Includes (a) the removal of pass through revenues and costs for the People & Places Solutions line of business for the calculation of operating profit margin as a percentage of net revenue of $632.4 million, (b) the removal of amortization of intangible assets of $18.7 million, (c) the allocation to discontinued operations of estimated stranded corporate costs of $6.4 million that would have been reimbursed under the ECR transition services agreement (TSA) with Worley Parsons or otherwise eliminated from the ongoing operations in connection with the sale of the ECR business, (d) the allocation to discontinued operations of estimated interest expense for the full period related to long-term debt that was paid down as a result of the closing of the sale of the ECR business of $18.4 million, (e) the exclusion of approximately $37.0 million in one-time favorable income tax adjustment associated with reduction of deferred income taxes for permanently reinvested earnings from non-U.S. subsidiaries in connection with the sale of the ECR business, (f) the add-back of depreciation relating to the ECR business that was ceased as a result of the application of held-for-sale accounting of $(5.8) million and (g) associated income tax expense adjustments for all the above pre-tax adjustment items.



Six Months Ended

March 27, 2020 Unaudited U.S. GAAP

Effects of

Restructuring,

Transaction and

Other Charges

Other

Adjustments

(1)

Adjusted Revenues $ 6,787,229



$ 



$ 



$ 6,787,229

Pass through revenue 







(1,343,147)



(1,343,147)

Net revenue 6,787,229







(1,343,147)



5,444,082

Direct cost of contracts (5,494,522)







1,343,147



(4,151,375)

Gross profit 1,292,707











1,292,707

Selling, general and administrative expenses (973,582)



95,067



58,879



(819,636)

Operating Profit 319,125



95,067



58,879



473,071

Total other (expense) income, net (241,759)



2,799



227,691



(11,269)

Earnings from Continuing Operations Before Taxes 77,366



97,866



286,570



461,802

Income Tax Expense for Continuing Operations (7,368)



(24,782)



(69,193)



(101,343)

Net Earnings of the Group from Continuing Operations 69,998



73,084



217,377



360,459

Net (Earnings) Loss Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests from Continuing Operations (12,540)











(12,540)

Net Earnings from Continuing Operations attributable to Jacobs 57,458



73,084



217,377



347,919

Net Earnings Attributable to Discontinued Operations 107,468











107,468

Net earnings attributable to Jacobs $ 164,926



$ 73,084



$ 217,377



$ 455,387

Diluted Net Earnings from Continuing Operations Per Share $ 0.43



$ 0.54



$ 1.62



$ 2.59

Diluted Net Earnings from Discontinued Operations Per Share $ 0.80



$ 



$ 



$ 0.80

Diluted Earnings Per Share $ 1.23



$ 0.54



$ 1.62



$ 3.39

Operating profit margin 4.70 %









8.69 %



(1) Includes (a) the removal of pass through revenues and costs for the People & Places Solutions line of business for the calculation of operating profit margin as a percentage of net revenue of $1.3 billion, (b) the removal of amortization of intangible assets of $43.9 million, (c) the reclassification of revenues under the Company's TSA of $14.2 million included in other income for U.S. GAAP reporting purposes to SG&A, (d) the removal of $241.9 million in fair value adjustments related to our investment in Worley stock (net of Worley stock dividend) and certain foreign currency revaluations relating to the ECR sale and (e) associated income tax expense adjustments for the above pre-tax adjustment items.



Six Months Ended

March 29, 2019 Unaudited U.S. GAAP

Effects of

Restructuring,

Transaction and

Other Charges

Other

Adjustments

(1)

Adjusted Revenues $ 6,175,384



$ 



$ 



$ 6,175,384

Pass through revenue 







(1,306,637)



(1,306,637)

Net revenue 6,175,384







(1,306,637)



4,868,747

Direct cost of contracts (4,990,023)



(512)



1,306,637



(3,683,898)

Gross profit 1,185,361



(512)







1,184,849

Selling, general and administrative expenses (969,551)



141,683



50,149



(777,719)

Operating Profit 215,810



141,171



50,149



407,130

Total other (expense) income, net (11,789)



(28,262)



36,470



(3,581)

Earnings from Continuing Operations Before Taxes 204,021



112,909



86,619



403,549

Income Tax Expense for Continuing Operations (14,811)



(21,769)



(47,959)



(84,539)

Net Earnings of the Group from Continuing Operations 189,210



91,140



38,660



319,010

Net (Earnings) Loss Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests from Continuing Operations (9,562)











(9,562)

Net Earnings from Continuing Operations attributable to Jacobs 179,648



91,140



38,660



309,448

Net Earnings Attributable to Discontinued Operations 1,565



3,855



(47,799)



(42,379)

Net earnings attributable to Jacobs $ 181,213



$ 94,995



$ (9,139)



$ 267,069

Diluted Net Earnings from Continuing Operations Per Share $ 1.27



$ 0.65



$ 0.27



$ 2.18

Diluted Net Earnings from Discontinued Operations Per Share $ 0.01



$ 0.03



$ (0.34)



$ (0.30)

Diluted Earnings Per Share $ 1.28



$ 0.67



$ (0.06)



$ 1.88

Operating profit margin 3.49 %









8.36 %



(1) Includes (a) the removal of pass through revenues and costs for the People & Places Solutions line of business for the calculation of operating profit margin as a percentage of net revenue of $1.31 billion, (b) the removal of amortization of intangible assets of $37.3 million, (c) the allocation to discontinued operations of estimated stranded corporate costs of $12.8 million that will be reimbursed under the ECR transition services agreement (TSA) with Worley Parsons or otherwise eliminated from the ongoing operations in connection with the sale of the ECR business, (d) the allocation to discontinued operations of estimated interest expense for the full period related to long-term debt that has been paid down as a result of the ECR sale of$36.5 million, (e) the exclusion of approximately $37.0 million in one-time favorable income tax adjustment associated with reduction of deferred income taxes for permanently reinvested earnings from non-U.S. subsidiaries in connection with the sale of the ECR business, (f) the add-back of charges resulting from the revaluation of certain deferred tax assets/liabilities in connection with U.S. tax reform from the first quarter of $11.0 million and (g) the add-back of depreciation relating to the ECR business that was ceased as a result of the application of held-for-sale accounting of $(11.0) million and (h) associated income tax expense adjustments for all the above pre-tax adjustment items.

Earnings Per Share:









Three Months Ended

Six Months Ended Unaudited March 27, 2020

March 29, 2019

March 27, 2020

March 29, 2019 Numerator for Basic and Diluted EPS:













Net (loss) earnings attributable to Jacobs from continuing operations $ (121,967)



$ 114,755



$ 57,458



$ 179,648

Net earnings from continuing operations allocated to participating securities 



(191)



(20)



(338)

Net (loss) earnings from continuing operations allocated to common stock for EPS calculation $ (121,967)



$ 114,564



$ 57,438



$ 179,310

















Net earnings (loss) attributable to Jacobs from discontinued operations $ 29,880



$ (57,838)



$ 107,468



$ 1,565

Net (earnings) loss from discontinued operations allocated to participating securities 



96



(38)



(3)

Net earnings (loss) from discontinued operations allocated to common stock for EPS calculation $ 29,880



$ (57,742)



$ 107,430



$ 1,562

















Net (loss) earnings allocated to common stock for EPS calculation $ (92,087)



$ 56,822



$ 164,868



$ 180,872

















Denominator for Basic and Diluted EPS:













Weighted average basic shares 132,556



138,566



132,879



140,509

Shares allocated to participating securities (25)



(231)



(47)



(264)

Shares used for calculating basic EPS attributable to common stock 132,531



138,335



132,832



140,245

















Effect of dilutive securities:













Stock compensation plans (1) 



981



1,258



1,202

Shares used for calculating diluted EPS attributable to common stock 132,531



139,316



134,090



141,447

















Net Earnings Per Share:













Basic Net (Loss) Earnings from Continuing Operations Per Share $ (0.92)



$ 0.83



$ 0.43



$ 1.28

Basic Net Earnings from Discontinued Operations Per Share $ 0.23



$ (0.42)



$ 0.81



$ 0.01

Basic (Loss) Earnings Per Share $ (0.69)



$ 0.41



$ 1.24



$ 1.29

Diluted Net (Loss) Earnings from Continuing Operations Per Share $ (0.92)



$ 0.82



$ 0.43



$ 1.27

Diluted Net Earnings from Discontinued Operations Per Share $ 0.23



$ (0.41)



$ 0.80



$ 0.01

Diluted (Loss) Earnings Per Share $ (0.69)



$ 0.41



$ 1.23



$ 1.28





(1) For the three months ended March 27, 2020, because net (loss) earnings from continuing operations was a loss, the effect of antidilutive securities of 1,032 was excluded from the denominator in calculating diluted EPS.

For additional information contact:

Investors:

Jonathan Doros, 214-583-8596

[email protected]

Media:

Marietta Hannigan, 214-920-8035

[email protected]



SOURCE Jacobs

Related Links

http://www.jacobs.com


Paulo Coelho's Tweet Of Appreciation For Kaamyaab

The Alchemist writer thanked Shah Rukh Khan for bringing a film like Kaamyaab on the big screen, and wrote on his Twitter page, "The producers thank you in the very 1st frame, @iamsrk. I am doing the same. 2 days ago a great Brazilian actor , Flavio Migliaccio, committed suicide, leaving a note on how the industry treats their artists. This movie, labeled as "comedy", is in fact the tragedy of Art."

King Khan Thanked The Novelist For His Feedback

Reacting to Paulo Coelho's tweet, the Bollywood superstar wrote back, "Saw the film when it was doing Festival rounds and it touched a chord with the whole team at @RedChilliesEnt Am so moved you appreciate. It's a sad truth that character actors get forgotten. Look after yourself my friend and be safe & healthy."

Sanjay Mishra Had Said This About King Khan Co-Producing His Film

Speaking about the film getting support from Shah Rukh, Sanjay Mishra had earlier said in an interview, "The budget of Kaamyaab is lower than the cost of vanity vans parked on the sets of big budget films. Shah Rukh lives in people's hearts and the level of energy he brings to the table is unrivaled."

Sanjay Mishra Was Elated With People's Response To The Film

The actor had further added in the same interview, "I'm getting appreciation from every corner. It is like climbing the steps of a ladder. Now, I feel I have reached a prominent position in my career. Earlier, people could have pushed me off the ladder but abhi maine khamba pakad liya hai (now I am firmly holding on to a poll), boss! People have liked the trailer of the film and the media has given a standing ovation to the film. That's not regular scene for me so, it feels really nice."
Royal Dutch Shell announced this week that it was selling its Appalachia shale gas assets for $541 million in a transaction that wouldnt have caught much attention if it werent for the fact that the oil and gas supermajor had paid nearly nine times that price when it bought the assets a decade ago. Shells decision to divest its Appalachia shale gas assets is a move indicative of two major trends among international majors. One is the focus on core operations and ditching underperforming assets in recent years. The other is a more recent rush of oil majors trying to dump their assets in the Marcellus and Utica shale plays amid persistently low natural gas prices which have forced supermajorsincluding Shell and U.S. Chevronto write down billions of US dollars of valuations on their assets in Appalachia.

In this weeks announcement, Shell said it was selling its assets in the region to U.S. energy company National Fuel Gas Company (NFG), in a deal expected to close by the end of July 2020.

The transaction is part of divesting non-core assets and in line with Shells Shales strategy which focusses on development of higher margin, light tight oil assets, Shell said, noting that it is bailing only on the upstream assets in the region and remains committed to Pennsylvania with its Pennsylvania Petrochemicals Complex.

With the sale, Shell will be transferring ownership of around 350 producing Marcellus and Utica wells in Tioga County and associated facilities, with current net production at around 250 million standard cubic feet per day.

Related: Is It The Right Time To Buy Into The Oil Price Rally?

This deal would have been a transaction like many others, were it not for the fact that Shell paid $4.7 billion to enter the Appalachian basin in 2010, at the start of the shale gas boom in the United States.

The sale, at a price nearly nine times lower than what Shell forked out a decade ago, shows that the supermajor doesnt consider its Appalachian assets worth holding onto at times when every project and asset in an oil companys portfolio is competing for top performance that would not relegate it to the non-core assets list earmarked for divestment.

The low natural gas prices over the past few years have played a major role in oil majors seeing the Appalachian basin as no longer worth their attention and investments.

Low natural gas prices already forced billion-dollar impairments related to U.S. shale gas assets in the supermajors balance sheets at the end of last year.

Shell, for example, reported $1.93 billion related to impairments in 2019, primarily in unconventional gas assets in the US and a drilling rig joint venture.

Another supermajor, U.S. Chevron, reported for Q4 2019 impairments and write-offs totaling $10.4 billion. More than half of this was related to the Appalachia shale, Chevron said a few months earlier, when it warned the market of the huge impairment charges.

Related: The Worst May Be Over For Oil



Chevron said in December that it would reduce funding to various gas-related opportunities including Appalachia shale, and that it was evaluating its strategic alternatives for these assets, including divestment.

Chevrons assets in the U.S. Northeast simply dont compete as well for our investment dollar as others do, CEO Michael Wirth told CNBC in December, commenting on the write-downs. Chevron is high-grading its portfolio and some of its assets may work better for others, Wirth said.

As Chevron is still working on the sale process for its Appalachian assets, it is laying off employees at its Chevron Appalachia unit, Pittsburgh Business Times reported on Tuesday.

In light of current market uncertainties, we will continue to monitor conditions in the upcoming months to determine an appropriate time to move forward with solicitation and evaluation of bids, Veronica Flores-Paniagua, spokeswoman for Chevron, told the Business Times, noting that such a process could take months and might not necessarily result in a deal.

Chevrons intention to sell its Appalachia assets and Shells sale at a $4-billion loss compared to the purchase price show that supermajors are dumping underperforming assets in a market and commodity environment that has forced them to tighten their belts yet again.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Afghan security forces arrested eight members of a network grouping Islamic State and Haqqani militants responsible for bloody attacks in the capital including on Sikh worshippers, the countrys security agency said on Wednesday.

The arrests were made as special forces carried out a raid on a property in Kabul on Tuesday evening, seizing weapons and explosives and killing five members of the joint network.

The group was responsible for shootings of worshippers at a Sikh complex and at a large ceremony attended by many in the Hazara community, as well as rocket attacks on President Ashraf Ghanis swearing-in ceremony and on Bagram airbase, the National Directorate of Security said in a statement.

Gunmen and suicide bombers raided a Sikh religious complex in Kabul in March, killing 25 people. That was the second attack on a minority group claimed by Islamic State in a month after more than 30 people were shot dead in a gathering attended by many members of the ethnic Hazara community marking the anniversary of the death of a Hazara leader.

Also in March, attackers fired rockets at Ghanis inauguration ceremony and in April sent rockets into the Bagram airbase, though no one was killed in either attack.

The violence underscored the challenges to securing lasting peace in Afghanistan even after the United States signed a troop withdrawal agreement with the militant Taliban in February. The Islamist group has since held off on large-scale attacks on foreign forces or in major centres, though it has continued attacking Afghan security forces throughout the provinces.

Islamic State, which is not a party to the agreement and has fought the Taliban in the past, has a small presence in Afghanistan, largely in the north, though it has waged high profile attacks further south in the capital.

The militant Haqqani network, founded in the 1970s, is one of the most powerful and feared groups in the Afghan insurgency and has in the past had links to the Taliban. (Reporting by Abdul Qadir Sediqi Writing by Charlotte Greenfield Editing by Mark Heinrich)
Borders come in many shapes and sizes. They are defined as physical or political demarcations that seperate two geographic areas, and they can be real, such as a wall, or they can simply be a line on a map. Borders outline countries, provinces, cities, states, villages and other political divisions. Maritime bordes are borders that pass between two countries, but they are in the water, and not on land. The US shares maritime borders with several countries, including Russia and Cuba. Here is a detailed look at these borders and where they lie in the US.

Russia

With the Seward Peninsula of Alaska to the east, and Chukotskiy Poluostrovof Siberia to the west, the Bering Strait separates the United States and the Russian Federation by only 90 kilometers. Image credit: NASA/GSFC/JPL/MISR-Team/Public domain

Russia may seem to be worlds away from the US, but the two countries actually share a water boundary off the coast of Alaska. The arch rivals sit rather close together in the Bering Sea, with fingers of land seemingly reaching across the ocean to touch each other.

The Russia/US maritime boundary is a relatively straight line across the sea, but it causes some confusion. Alaska was purchased by the US from Russia in 1867. Maritime rules were different back then, and in 1990 right before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, a new line was drawn between the two countries across the Bering Strait.

Something called the Law of the Sea caused some 15,000 square nautical miles to end up in disputed territories when this was done. An agreement over the area was ratified by the US at the time, but the Soviet Union failed to ratify their part of the agreement before collapsing.

The result? Some people in Russia now wish the agreement that exists between the US and Russia as to who has fishing rights in these watery areas, would be renegotiated.

This maritime boundary has yet to be approved by the Russian parliament, to this day.

Cuba

Florida, US and Cuba separated by the Strait of Florida.

Cuba shares a maritime boundary with the US off the coast of Florida that is halfway between Florida and Cuba. It was determined by a treaty in 1977.

The Bahamas

The Bahamas also shares a maritime border with the US. It became a hot issue in the media following Hurricane Dorian, which left many Bahamians without a home. The border is somewhat disputed, with the US wanting to expand the border into Bahamian territory.

Other Insular Areas

The US owns other territories around the globe that are not part of the fifty states, nor a federal district. These areas are run differently than mainland US, and the people living there have different voting rights, as well as taxation laws. For example, the US shares maritime borders with Samoa in American Samo and in the Virgin Islands with the United Kingdom.
Australias most decorated Afghan veteran, Ben Roberts-Smith, has been referred by the federal police to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions to face possible charges for alleged war crimes.

Three official sources have confirmed that a brief of evidence has been submitted by federal agents to prosecutors outlining allegations that Mr Roberts-Smith kicked a defenceless prisoner off a cliff and covered up his subsequent murder during a special forces mission in Afghanistan in September 2012.

Afghan war veteran Ben Roberts-Smith. Credit:Cole Bennetts

Multiple special forces sources have also confirmed that more of Mr Roberts-Smiths fellow SAS soldiers have come forward to allege he was involved in other serious war crimes during his various tours of Afghanistan.

The sources have confirmed that Mr Roberts-Smith is now facing allegations from special forces soldiers or support staff he served with and who say they witnessed him murder defenceless Afghans or directed others to do so.
New Delhi:

The two-day SAARC meeting began today with the Inaugural session of SAARC Home Ministers Conference in Islamabad. Just hours before the meeting, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi clearly stated that There will be no bilateral meeting between Home Minister Rajnath Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.

Here are the important updates from the meeting going on:

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Wednesday came down heavily on the West Bengal government for not allowing movement of essential goods through the Indo-Bangladesh border, saying such acts will have international implications.

The Union Home Ministry also told the state government that it has not implemented repeated directions of the Centre for free movement of cargo and this amounts to violation of the Disaster Management Act.

In his letter to West Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said directions were given on April 24 to allow cross land border transportation of essential goods through all Indo-Nepal, Indo-Bhutan and Indo-Bangladesh borders and send a compliance report to Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

"In this regard, I am constrained to say that we have not received the compliance report from the state government of West Bengal," he said.

The Union home secretary said it has been reported that goods traffic through border crossings between India and Bangladesh, falling in West Bengal, has still not resumed.

He said as a result, a large number of trucks carrying essential supplies, to Bangladesh, are stranded at different border crossing points.

A number of drivers of such vehicles, while returning from Bangladesh, have also not been allowed to cross the border into India, and are stranded in the neighbhouring country, the ministry said.

The home secretary pointed out that in the new guidelines on lockdown measures, it has been clearly spelt out that no state or Union Territory shall stop movement of cargo for cross-border land trade under treaties with neighbouring countries.

"The unilateral action on the part of government of West Bengal to stop the cross land border movement of essential goods would have larger implications for the Indian government with regard to its legally binding international commitments, the letter said.

"This act of the state Government of West Bengal, amounts to violation of the orders issued by the MHA under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 as well as articles 253, 256 and 257 of the Constitution of India," it said.

Bhalla again directed the West Bengal government to allow cross land border transportation through all Indo-Bangladesh borders without any further delay and send the compliance report on opening of cross land borders, by Wednesday itself.

The 21 days lockdown was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 in a bid to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was extended first till May 3 and again till May 17.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 04:53:26|Editor: huaxia

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A man wearing a protective face mask walks past a closed restaurant in Istanbul, Turkey, May 5, 2020. Emin Tekin's seafood restaurant at the Karakoy neighborhood, the ancient financial center of Istanbul on the shores of the Golden Horn, has been closed since early March in line with the government's measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. (Photo by Osman Orsal/Xinhua)

by Zeynep Cermen

ISTANBUL, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Emin Tekin met two of his employees at his seafood restaurant in central Istanbul on Tuesday to give some pocket money.

His small restaurant at the Karakoy neighborhood, the ancient financial center of Istanbul on the shores of the Golden Horn, has been closed since early March in line with the government's measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.

"I visit my restaurant twice a week. Each time I come here, I see a couple of my employees, waiting for me at the doorstep to get some cash," Tekin said, admitting that he could no longer pay their salaries without earning any revenue.

Tekin gave 150 Turkish liras (21 U.S. dollars) to one of his employees, whose wife is going to give birth, and kept 200 liras for himself and his family of four.

Tekin has been working since he was 17 years old after he first came to Istanbul from his hometown in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir.

He had recently spent a significant amount of money to expand his small seafood restaurant and increased the capacity to 70 tables.

However, the future of restaurants and bars worries some economists and business owners at a time when Turkey has started to ease the limitation measures taken against the COVID-19 outbreak.

There is no explicit information about their re-opening schedule yet, but sector representatives admitted the fact that things will not be the same for them anymore.

Mustafa Sonmez, an economy writer, told Xinhua that it would not be possible for several components of tourism such as restaurants to sustain their businesses in the post-pandemic era.

"The new era would bring distinct rules against the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing restaurant owners to reduce their capacities and lessen the number of waiters in a bid to limit the contact," Sonmez explained.

"But, most of these businesses were established based on a certain capacity. You cannot keep them alive by forcing them to narrow down their sizes," said Sonmez, the writer of over two dozen books about Turkey's economy and social events.

Tekin also said that it would be almost impossible for him to run his restaurant with half capacity.

"The rent of this location is 9,000 liras, and it is using over 1,000 liras of electricity each month. Our natural gas consumption hits thousands of liras in winter months," he said. "And, when you add other expenses, what good would come if I host only 20 tables?"

Sonmez estimated that restaurants would take a huge blow, as most people would shun from going out due to the pandemic.

"A significant breakdown would be inevitable," Sonmez noted. "This particular leg of the capitalist market is collapsing in the entire world."

Tekin needs at least 20,000 liras to be able to reopen his restaurant and pay the invoices, some of his debts, and do some shopping.

"That means another loan for me," he said, adding that he is now seriously considering leaving Istanbul and returning to his hometown.

"I came to a point in my life that I am seriously considering tearing down my business, which I created from nothing in 15 years," he added.

However, for Metin Turkyilmaz, a freelance economy writer for the Dunya daily, Turkey is a dynamic country and has a flexible economy.

"If the bans would be lifted in June, there could be a rapid recovery, depending on the course of the pandemic," Turkyilmaz said. Enditem
There is no good time for a global pandemic to strike, but Covid-19 hit at an especially vulnerable moment for the world's most important relationship, that between the United States and China.

The global powerhouses were locked in a bitter trade dispute, although there were signs of possible rapprochement.

Since then, questions about China's role in the coronavirus outbreak and the US response has ratcheted up tensions between Xi Jinping's China and Donald Trump's America.

The world's two biggest economies are fighting a de facto Cold War with the pandemic at its heart.

China is emboldened by its success in restricting the outbreak's impact at home mostly to the city where it first emerged, Wuhan.

Mr Trump's response to the pandemic has flipped from hailing China's efforts, to dismissing the virus as a flu, to blaming Beijing for the growing political crisis.

The key questions for the rest of us are whether Beijing's campaign of disinformation poses a threat to efforts to deal with the pandemic.

Did China cover up crucial information that could have prevented Covid-19 spreading globally? And did China do enough to stop the problem at its origins and prevent it from becoming a global problem?

Political point-scoring

Mr Trump needs political points at home and right now China is an easy target.

He is raising questions over whether the virus originated at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, about 13km from the wet market generally considered the source.

While scientists are lining up to say they don't think it was a man-made virus, Mr Trump's aim is to settle the blame on China.

As long as China refuses an independent inquiry, and it is unlikely to ever allow such a probe, the doubt will linger.

For its part, China has trumpeted its anti-Covid-19 measures: hospitals built in a week, millions of tests, face masks, rigidly imposed isolation.

There has been widespread praise for China's export of medical equipment around the world. But there is growing anger at the way the country is perceived to have managed the virus initially.

Propaganda machine

Since the start, China has used propaganda to shape the narrative.

This initially made it the envy of the world, although the success of South Korea and Taiwan, where the outbreak has been kept in check without resorting to draconian measures, has qualified the overall achievement.

Beijing took the fight to Mr Trump's backyard when a foreign ministry in Beijing suggested American soldiers taking part in the 2019 Military World Games in Wuhan deliberately spread the virus.

In China, the campaign to muzzle off-message reporting has been swift and brutal.

Li Wenliang, a doctor who tried to issue the first warning about coronavirus and who later died of the disease, was told to stop "making false comments".

Ai Fen, another whistle-blower doctor, was censored early on for articles about the virus.

Last week, three Chinese volunteers who published censored Covid-19 articles on the open-source website Github were detained.

China has relentlessly pressured international agencies, to the point where the World Health Organisation (WHO) is perceived as being in China's pocket. On January 22, China and the WHO had what the UN health body called "divergent views".

Because of China's resistance, the WHO backed down on labelling the crisis a pandemic. The next day, China announced the lockdown in Wuhan and other tough measures.

Two days later, Wuhan mayor Zhou Xianwang revealed five million residents had left the city before the lockdown.

The virus was set to go global. But China felt it was in control.

Pressure on international bodies

The pressure spread to the European Union and individual countries - even powerful nations such as France and Germany. China's embassy in Paris criticised France's response to the pandemic.

Diplomats put pressure on German government officials to moderate criticisms of China.

China's status as the leading EU trade partner means Europe is extremely cautious in criticising China.

In recent days, EU officials apparently bowed to pressure from China and softened their criticism of the rising superpower in a report documenting how governments push disinformation about the coronavirus pandemic.

An initial draft of an EU report accused China of running "a global disinformation campaign to deflect blame for the outbreak of the pandemic and improve its international image both overt and covert tactics have been observed".

The final version took out the critical passages and any questions as to how this could happen have been fudged.

Australian lessons

Maybe we in Europe should take a leaf out of the Australians' book. China buys up one third of Australia's exports, especially resources, but it has taken a measured approach in dealing with the pressure from Beijing.

Its prime minister, Scott Morrison, said no one can rule out theories that the virus originated in a Wuhan lab, but reckons a wet market was "most likely" the origin of the pandemic.

Morrison has written to the G20 group of government leaders calling for a "proper assessment" of the origins of and government responses to the pandemic.

Beijing's reaction to calls for an independent inquiry has been vitriolic.

China's ambassador Cheng Jingye warned in an interview with the 'Australian Financial Review': "Maybe the ordinary people will say, 'Why should we drink Australian wine? Eat Australian beef?"

Chinese state media described Australia as "chewing gum stuck to the bottom of China's shoe".

Australia seems not to care and is sticking to its guns. There are some hard choices ahead in this new Cold War.

Countries such as Ireland and the rest of the EU have decisions to make.
US President Donald Trump has confirmed the White House coronavirus task force will be winding down, with Vice-President Mike Pence suggesting it could be disbanded within weeks.

Trump: 'Mike Pence and the taskforce have done a great job'

"We are bringing our country back," Mr Trump said during a visit to a mask-manufacturing factory in Arizona.

New confirmed infections per day in the US currently top 20,000, and daily deaths exceed 1,000.

US health officials warn the virus may spread as businesses begin to reopen.

The US currently has 1.2 million confirmed coronavirus infections and more than 70,000 related deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, which is tracking the pandemic.

What did President Trump say?

During a visit to the plant in Phoenix after weeks holed up at the White House, Mr Trump told journalists: "Mike Pence and the task force have done a great job, but we're now looking at a little bit of a different form, and that form is safety and opening. And we'll have a different group probably set up for that."

The president - who wore safety goggles but no face mask during his tour of the facility - was asked if it was "mission accomplished", and he said: "No, not at all. The mission accomplished is when it's over."

Critics have accused the president of sacrificing Americans' public health in his eagerness to reopen the US economy ahead of his re-election battle in November.

Acknowledging a human cost to the plans, Mr Trump told reporters: "I'm not saying anything is perfect, and yes, will some people be affected? Yes.

"Will some people be affected badly? Yes. But we have to get our country open and we have to get it open soon."

The president was also asked if White House task force experts Dr Deborah Birx and Dr Anthony Fauci would still be involved in efforts to address the coronavirus.

"They will be and so will other doctors and so will other experts in the field," the president answered.

The once daily task force briefings have become increasingly scarce since Mr Trump was widely condemned by the medical community last month after he pondered at the podium whether injecting bleach into people might kill the virus.

What did the vice-president say?

Mr Pence earlier on Tuesday told reporters in a briefing that the task force could soon be disbanded.

He said the Trump administration was "starting to look at the Memorial Day [late May] window, early June window as a time when we could begin to transition back to having our agencies begin to manage, begin to manage our national response in a more traditional manner".

He said it was "a reflection of the tremendous progress we've made as a country".

Mr Pence has led the task force, which reports to the president and co-ordinates with medical institutes, political staff and state governors. The group also consulted medical experts to formulate national guidelines on social distancing.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany later tweeted that the president "will continue his data-driven approach towards safely re-opening".

Lives and livelihoods

The White House's shift in focus from the public health aspect of the coronavirus pandemic to its economic impact continues.

For more than a month, the task force had been the public face of the administration's response to the crisis, even though President Trump sometimes veered far from the topic at hand during its press briefings.

When the president wasn't talking, however, government public health officials led the conversation.

Now, it appears, the officials setting the agenda will be ones more concerned with jobs, businesses and the fiscal health of the nation - even though the number of cases of the virus throughout the US continues to increase.

There is growing frustration among the president's core supporters, however, with government shelter-in-place orders. Several states, encouraged by the president, have already begun to ease restrictions, even though they have not met White House guidelines for when to do so.

Those recommendations were set by the current coronavirus task force, of course. And the "different group" in a "different form" that replaces it, as the president describes, may have other ideas.

Does the US have the pandemic under control?

Not yet. Besides New York, which is still the US epicentre despite an ongoing drop in new cases, the level of infection continues to climb across much of the country.

Many states that have allowed some business to resume - including Texas, Iowa, Minnesota, Tennessee, Kansas, Nebraska and Indiana - are seeing more new cases reported daily.

While some cities such as New York, New Orleans and Detroit have shown improvement, others like Los Angeles, Washington DC and Chicago are seeing the caseload rise every day.

According to a report from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), more than 3,000 people may be killed by the virus each day by next month.

The White House has dismissed the report as inaccurate, with Mr Trump saying it describes a scenario in which Americans make no effort to mitigate the spread of the infection.

On Sunday, the president increased his forecast for the number of US pandemic deaths to 100,000, after saying two weeks earlier that it would be fewer than 60,000.

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, a public forecast model that has been frequently cited by the White House, now estimates that Covid-19 will account for 135,000 American deaths by 4 August. This more than doubles its 17 April forecast. BBC
Facing severe financial losses as a result of the pandemic, the American Museum of Natural History announced on Wednesday that it would cut its full-time staff by about 200 people, amounting to dozens of layoffs, and put about 250 other full-time employees on indefinite furlough.

The staff of roughly 1,100 employees will be reduced by about 20 percent, according to a statement from the museum. That figure includes 68 layoffs, 70 voluntary retirements and other workers whose contracts are expiring. The museum projects a budget deficit of between $80 million and $120 million for the remainder of this fiscal year, which ends on June 30, and the next fiscal year.

These actions are gut-wrenching, Ellen V. Futter, the museums president, said in a statement, but we are compelled to make them to protect the museum and its mission of research, science education, caring for our collections, and providing access for visitors.

Among those furloughed and laid off will be administrative staff members in almost all areas of the museum, including events, exhibitions, all operational areas, education and scientific departments, said Anne Canty, a spokeswoman for the museum. Most employees who work directly with visitors, school groups and evening programs will be furloughed beginning on May 16. Several museum curators were among those who took the retirement option.
Hizbul Mujahideen commander Reyaz Naikoo's death must not be used as an excuse by some to put more people in "harm's way by provoking violence and protests", former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said on Wednesday.

In a tweet, Omar said Naikoo's destiny was decided the moment he picked up the gun and adopted the path of violence and terror.

"His death must not be used as an excuse by some to put more people in harms way by provoking violence & protests," he said.

#RiyazNaikoos destiny was decided the moment he picked up the gun & adopted the path of violence & terror. His death must not be used as an excuse by some to put more people in harms way by provoking violence & protests.  Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 6, 2020

Naikoo, on the run for eight years, was killed on Wednesday by security forces in his village in Kashmir's Pulwama district.

The gunning down of the top terrorist commander comes three days after eight security personnel, including two Army officers Colonel Ashutosh Sharma and Major Anuj Sood, were killed in Handwara.

News of the killing of 35-year-old Naikoo, who carried a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head and had escaped the police thrice, led to some incidents of people pelting stones at security forces. However, this was handled with care to ensure there was was no collateral damage, an official said.
The Spanish parliament backed Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's request to extend a state of emergency through May 23 as he tries to guide the country out of lockdown.

The motion passed with 178 votes in favor and 75 against. The conservative People's Party, the main opposition group, refused to endorse Sanchez's extraordinary powers for the first time in a sign of how the political consensus is crumbling after almost two months of harsh restrictions on daily life. The PP accounted for most of the 97 abstentions.

The prime minister says he needs to keep the special regime in place to ensure that the ongoing restrictions are enforced and to control the health system, which is normally run by the country's 17 regional administrations.

"Lifting the state of emergency at this time would be an absolute mistake," Sanchez told lawmakers at a sparsely attended plenary in Madrid Wednesday, with most deputies following the debate and voting remotely. While the limits on activity will gradually be eased, "there will continue to be restrictions and those restrictions require the state of alarm," he said.

The PP had voted in favor of extending the state of emergency on three occasions but as the pandemic abates, political hostilities are flaring up. Its abstention left the prime minister to stitch together support from a group of smaller parties since his minority government doesn't have the lawmakers to form a majority on its own.

PP Leader Pablo Casado said Sanchez has failed to mobilize the testing operations required to keep track of infections properly and that leaves the country vulnerable as it tries to get the economy going again.

"Infected people without symptoms can infect the rest of the population without knowing it," he said. "You still haven't recognized a single error and demand that everyone supports you without a murmur."

Earlier in the day, the European Commission forecast that Spain will suffer a fierce contraction in economic output this year of 9.4%, exceeded only by Italy and Greece. Government debt will jump to 116% of GDP from 96% at the end of last year.

While some 26,000 people have died from the pandemic and around 220,000 have been infected, the rate of infection has declined steadily over the past month. The government reported stable numbers of new coronavirus cases and deaths on Wednesday and started easing restrictions this week, allowing restaurants and bars to serve takeaway and certain stores, such as hairdressers, to start operating by appointment.

In four of the Spanish islands, bars and restaurants were allowed to open under with restrictions on the number of clients and special safety requirements, in a prelude to how the reopening will be managed in the rest of the country over the coming weeks. Sanchez has said he aims to return the whole country to a "new normal" by the end of June, though he's warned that a resurgence in infections could see restrictions tightened again.
The Centre on Wednesday came down heavily on the West Bengal government for not allowing movement of essential goods through the Indo-Bangladesh border, saying such acts will have international implications.

The Union Home Ministry also told the state government that it has not implemented repeated directions of the Centre for free movement of cargo and this amounts to violation of the Disaster Management Act. In his letter to West Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said.

directions were given on April 24 to allow cross land border transportation of essential goods through all Indo-Nepal, Indo-Bhutan and Indo-Bangladesh borders and send a compliance report to Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). "In this regard, I am constrained to say that we have not received the compliance report from the state government of West Bengal," he said.

The Union home secretary said it has been reported that goods traffic through border crossings between India and Bangladesh, falling in West Bengal, has still not resumed.

He said as a result, a large number of trucks carrying essential supplies, to Bangladesh, are stranded at different border crossing points. A number of drivers of such vehicles, while returning from Bangladesh, have also not been allowed to cross the border into India, and are stranded in the neighbhouring country, the ministry said. The home secretary pointed out that in the new guidelines on lockdown measures, it has been clearly spelt out that no state or Union Territory shall stop movement of cargo for cross-border land trade under treaties with neighbouring countries. "The unilateral action on the part of government of West Bengal to stop the cross land border movement of essential goods would have larger implications for the Indian government with regard to its legally binding international commitments, the letter said.

"This act of the state Government of West Bengal, amounts to violation of the orders issued by the MHA under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 as well as articles 253, 256 and 257 of the Constitution of India," it said. Bhalla again directed the West Bengal government to allow cross land border transportation through all Indo-Bangladesh borders without any further delay and send the compliance report on opening of cross land borders, by Wednesday itself. The 21 days lockdown was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 in a bid to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. It was extended first till May 3 and again till May 17.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Professor Neil Ferguson's married lover declared she was enjoying home-schooling her children and spending more time with her husband while secretly leaving their 1.9million home for liaisons with the eminent scientist, MailOnline can reveal today.

Antonia Staats, 38, also joked to neighbours in her affluent area of south-west London about her wealthy family's 'middle class problems' like 'sharing chores' and losing their au pair and cleaner - but also admitted it had been 'challenging' and put a 'strain' on her marriage.

Only Antonia's husband Chris and a few close friends appear to have known that while the academic known as 'Professor Lockdown' espoused the virtues of staying apart from family and loved ones to save lives and protect the NHS, he himself was flagrantly flouting the rules he had helped create by spending nights with her.

Such was the brazenness of their affair, Professor Ferguson, 51, even happily spoke to Radio 4 about the importance of adhering to the lockdown while he had his secret lover stashed in his flat for the first of their now public trysts.

And his German-born mother-of-two lover had also left her happy family - Arabic professor husband Chris Lucas and their two children - to spend time with the Government scientist because she enjoyed an 'open marriage'.

It can now be revealed that Mr Lucas is the grandson of Battle of Britain RAF pilot and former Conservative MP Percy 'Laddie' Lucas, MailOnline can reveal. He is also related to the family of flying ace Douglas Bader.

Laddie Lucas, who flew Spitfires as one of The Few, and who died in 1998, was married to Jill Addison, the sister of Bader's wife. He was a highly decorated wing commander, was awarded a CBE and the Flying Cross medal. Laddie died at his Chelsea home at the age of 82 after a glittering services, golfing and journalism career.

Their grandson Christopher was born in Camden, London in December 1981 to their son Jeremy and his wife Monica. A second grandson for the RAF legend called Timothy was born in the summer of 1984.

Professor Ferguson, 51, who is estranged from his wife Kim Polgreen, was said to have been matched a year ago with Antonia on the OkCupid app used by 3.5million around the world to find love. Ms Staats' husband and his wife's lookalike lover have even met, a friend claimed last night, and as well as sharing a passion for Antonia they also bonded over a love for data science.

The couple's neighbours described them as a very happy family and a 'lovely couple' who have been enjoying the lockdown - but these friends had no idea about the affair that made headlines around the world and left Professor Ferguson's reputation in tatters.

One friend of the couple told MailOnline: 'I last spoke to Chris and Antonia about a week ago. They were going out for a walk with their kids, which is what they've been doing every day. We just chatted about life in lockdown and how we're all coping. They're home schooling their kids and Antonia was saying how weird it all is because they had never spent so much time together. But she did say they've got a nice house with lots of space and are luckier than many other people. She did say that the cleaner isn't coming at the moment and that they're dividing the household chores between them, which made me laugh because that's a very middle class problem'.

Antonia Staats and her husband Chris Lucas have been described as a 'lovely couple' who have been enjoying the lockdown and jointly home schooling their two young children in the absence of their au pair

Professor Ferguson (left) has a child with his wife Kim Polgreen (pictured). It is understood that they are estranged

How architect of the lockdown lectured the country while flouting the rules Professor Neil Ferguson, 51, pictured on March 25 before the Commons Science and Technology Committee - five days before allowed his married lover, Antonia Staats, to visit him at his home MARCH 16: A week before the lockdown began Professor Neil Ferguson was arguing that a full lockdown was required to slow the number of deaths and said: 'We are left with no option but to adopt this more draconian strategy'. A report he authored for his employer Imperial College London warned that 500,000 people could die without mass self-isolation of households. MARCH 17: He visited Downing Street to advise the Prime Minister on his findings including recommendations for a lockdown. MARCH 18: Professor Ferguson tests positive for coronavirus MARCH 23: Boris Johnson announces there will be a lockdown in a national TV address MARCH 25: Prof Ferguson appears before the Commons Science and Technology Committee and warns that the NHS will be overwhelmed without a lockdown, MARCH 30: His married lover Antonia Staats visited Prof Ferguson just after he had finished two weeks of self-isolation after testing positive for the virus. He also did a Radio 4 interview on the importance of the lockdown. APRIL 4: Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today, he said: 'We want to move to a situation where at least by the end of May we can substitute less intensive measures for the current lockdown we have now... I don't think anyone wants to lift measures at the current time and risk the epidemic getting worse' APRIL 8: Antonia made a second visit to Professor Ferguson 8 despite telling friends that her husband, an academic in his 30s, was showing symptoms of coronavirus. APRIL 16: Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Professor Neil Ferguson had stressed the importance of keeping to social distancing guidelines. He said at the time: 'If we want to reopen schools, let people get back to work, then we need to keep transmission down in another manner. It is not going to go back to normal, we will have to maintain some level of social distancing - significant levels of social distancing - probably indefinitely until we have a vaccine available.' APRIL 25: The number of deaths from coronavirus could reach 100,000 in the UK by the end of this year if a gradual lockdown is implemented just to shield the elderly, Professor Neil Ferguson warned. He told UnHerd: 'You would require a very high level of effective shielding for that to be a viable strategy. If you just achieve 80 per cent shielding - and 80 per cent reduction in infection risk in those groups - we still project that you would get more than 100,000 deaths this year from that kind of strategy. The most vulnerable people are also the people who most need care and most need interaction with the health system and are least able to be truly isolated.' Advertisement

As Professor Ferguson's affair with a married mother-of-two emerged, it was also revealed:

The academic has resigned all his Government roles but his employer Imperial College is standing by him;

Professor Neil Ferguson will not face further action by police after accepting he made an 'error of judgment' by breaching social distancing rules despite being a key figure in influencing the lockdown;

The father of his lover's husband is Jeremy Lucas, Vice Chairman of the London and Westminster Conservative Association;

Boris Johnson today announced he is hoping to begin easing the UK's coronavirus lockdown on Monday as Matt Hancock suggested cafes could reopen if they have outdoor drinking areas.

Antonia's neighbours described Chris Lucas as a bright, articulate man who enjoys taking part in community activities. They said that both he and Antonia are popular residents of the affluent, middle class area where houses cost in excess of 1.5 million.

One said: 'Chris is incredibly intelligent. He speaks about six or seven languages and is an academic at SOAS. Both he and Antonia are very popular around here and are a big part of our community. I always enjoy talking to them, especially Chris who is very knowledgeable about Middle Eastern affairs.

'Whenever we have any kind of community celebration they always take part along with their kids. They are a great family.'

Another neighbour said: 'I've known Chris and his family for five years they are really nice, helpful people. Chris is really intelligent and successful but he's really down to earth, as is Antonia, who is also incredibly bright. She's a lovely person, really kind hearted and cares about making the world a better place. They're a wonderful family.'

But neighbours at Prof Ferguson's former marital home in Oxford have been less charitable about his behaviour, in fact they said they were furious today.

He and his wife Kim have a child together and said to be estranged, but not divorced.

Their home, set on a private cul-de-sac next to a pond, was part of a luxury horseshoe-style development completed in 2001.

One elderly resident who did not want to be named said: 'I feel incredibly sorry for his wife and child. They are totally blameless and humiliated I would think. I find it very sad that he has done this.'

Another resident sitting in the sunshine near to Professor Ferguson's home, said: 'My sympathies are with his wife. She has put a message on our lockdown WhatsApp group saying she does not want to talk about it'.

Another man, out for a stroll with his wife, said: 'He's not been around for weeks. I don't think he actually lives here anymore. I think he should have taken a leaf out of his neighbours' books. We have been observing the lockdown like everyone else. I just think he must have thought it was no risk because he'd already had it.'

The extraordinary affair became public knowledge last night after a whistleblower went to the press to reveal that the man nicknamed 'Professor Lockdown' for convincing Boris Johnson to bring in the ban on movement with warnings of 500,000 deaths was himself flouting it due to an affair.

Professor Ferguson has also been accused of rank hypocrisy because he used a Radio 4 interview on March 30 to lecture the country on the importance of staying at home to save lives - when Ms Staats had just stayed the night in his central London bachelor pad and was reportedly still with him.

Chris Lucas' father is Jeremy Lucas (pictured), Vice Chairman of the London and Westminster Conservative Association

Such was their desperation to see each other during the lockdown Professor Ferguson had invited her over just hours after his two-week quarantine ended after testing positive for coronavirus.

And on the second known night together, on April 8, Ms Staat left the 1.9million south-west London home she shared with her husband and two children having admitted that her Arabic lecturer husband was showing symptoms of coronavirus and believed he 'had it'.

Antonia and her husband Chris, the son of Jeremy Lucas, Vice Chairman of the London and Westminster Conservative Association, met while studying at SOAS between 2003 and 2005. Ms Staats grew up in Isny, south Germany, went to university in Berlin and came to London 17 years ago, earning a masters in Asian Politics from the School of Oriental and African Studies, where her husband works.

She has worked for Avaaz, a US-based online network which promotes global activism on issues such as climate change.In 2017, Ms Staats was pictured protesting outside Parliament next to puppets of Theresa May and Rupert Murdoch while holding a banner that read: 'Stop Murdoch pulling the strings.'

She admitted on a podcast recorded with a journalist friend days earlier that the lockdown had placed a 'strain' on her relationship with her husband Chris, who is yet to comment on his wife's affair or their alleged open marriage.

Neighbours of Antonia and Chris, who live in this 1.9million South London home, said the couple have been enjoying the lockdown together and home-schooling the children

Neighbours who live in the street where Professor Ferguson lived with his estranged wife Kim and their child until recently

Ms Staats has reportedly insisted her actions to visit the scientist are not hypocritical, as she considers the households to be one because she is understood to be in an 'open relationship'.

Antonia Staats has refused to comment on the affair - but in the gap between her two nights with her lover she recorded a podcast describing her life in lockdown, and the impact it was having on her, her husband and their children.

'Laddie' Lucas: A Battle of Britain pilot, Tory MP, and professional golfer Chris Lucas' grandfather is Percy 'Laddie' Lucas (pictured) Laddie Lucas, who flew Spitfires as one of The Few, and who died in 1998, was married to Jill Addison, the sister of Bader's wife. Laddie Lucas was elected as a Tory MP in 1950 for the Brentford and Chiswick constituency and served in the Commons until 1959 when he retired. While serving as an MP, he was managing director of the Greyhound Racing Association. He also played golf in the 1947 and 1949 Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team, and captained the team in 1949, before later covering sport for the Sunday Express newspaper. Laddie died at his Chelsea home at the age of 82 after a glittering services, golfing and journalism career. Advertisement

Antonia Staats also spoke out in support of Ferguson who had told the Government to impose restrictions on the public to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Friend and former journalist Jeremy Wagstaff interviewed Staats at her home to discuss how she was coping with losing her au pair caring for her two young children, the shortage of toilet paper and surviving the lockdown.

Staats, who is said to be in an open relationship with her husband Chris and aware of her relationship with Ferguson was asked how she was coping being stuck at home with her family - and admitted it presented an 'interesting relationship challenge'

'You mentioned how it impacts us all personally. I think it's also a strain on, maybe strained sounds too negative, but its an interesting relationship challenge.' she said.

'Chris and my relationship, but also for the relationship with the children.'

She added: 'We spend a lot more time and quite different time with each other all of a sudden.'

Staats also confessed that a week into the lockdown time was dragging and being at home for weeks would be a 'serious challenge.'

'There are small advantages of the situation, but it does feel long, basically, she said, adding: 'This is only week two of school being closed. And I think our first week we had some really good days, some days where everyone was shouting at each other and the prospect of doing this for several months, it doesn't seem awful but it seems quite a serious challenge.'

The revealing comments came after she had travelled across London from her 1.9m home to visit Ferguson who had recently come out of self-isolation after contracting the virus.

The leading scientist has been called a 'hyprocite' for lecturing the public on the importance of staying at home while flouting the lockdown advice and allowing his lover to visit his home.

Married, but separated from his wife, Ferguson is director of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College, London, and authored the report containing the apocalyptic prediction that coronavirus could kill 500,000 Britons.

In 2017, Ms Staats was pictured protesting outside Parliament next to puppets of Theresa May and Rupert Murdoch while holding a banner that read: 'Stop Murdoch pulling the strings.'

Neil Ferguson joins long list of famous names who flouted the lockdown Professor Neil Ferguson, the scientist whose research helped usher in the lockdown, is not the first prominent figure to be caught breaching social-distancing restrictions amid the global coronavirus pandemic. - Dr Catherine Calderwood Scotland's chief medical officer resigned in April after twice breaking lockdown restrictions in order to visit her second home, which was located more than an hour away from her main residence in Edinburgh. Despite Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon backing Dr Calderwood to remain in her position, she ultimately decided to relinquish her role so as not to be a 'distraction' from the Government's social-distancing message. - Robert Jenrick The housing, communities and local government secretary was forced to explain himself after travelling more than an hour to visit his parents despite warning people to remain at home. Mr Jenrick was also criticised for travelling 150 miles from his London property to his Herefordshire home from where he travelled to his parents in Shropshire. However, he defended his actions, saying he went to deliver food and medicine to his isolating parents. - Stephen Kinnock The MP for Aberavon in South Wales was publicly shamed by police after travelling to London to celebrate his father's birthday. After Mr Kinnock posted a photo on Twitter of himself practicing social distancing with his parents outside their home, South Wales Police replied: 'We know celebrating your Dad's birthday is a lovely thing to do, however this is not essential travel. We all have our part to play in this, we urge you to comply with (lockdown) restrictions, they are in place to keep us all safe.' Advertisement

It was this number of predicted deaths that convinced the Prime Minister he had to lockdown the country from March 23.

Staats, who is from Isny, Germany, makes reference in the podcast about her fears that her husband, an academic, might have already been infected.

She said: Chris has been not feeling great and thinks he got it. But we can't know for sure. So what now? Do we assume he's had it?'

Staats, makes no direct mention of her lover, but does give a nod to Ferguson's advice on slowing the spread of the virus.

'I'm not a scientist, so I feel reluctant to be like, 'I think in three weeks we will be through the worst of it',' she said.

'I feel inclined to believe the science and I certainly think its not like 'oh Easter we'll go back normal and after the Easter holidays the schools are going to open again.'

Staats said she had been determined to make the best of her permitted one outing a day.

'Part of me even thinks about little things like needing to be making the best of your one outing a day and getting exercise', she revealed.

The podcast was recorded by former technology journalist Jeremy Wagstaff for his Singapore based company. He conducted a series of interviews with people around on how they are coping with the crisis. The interview with Staats has since been removed from his company's website.

Staats described the panic buying that saw toilet rolls stripped from supermarket shelves as 'weird'.

'Like the loo paper thing, I really did not understand. Really? If the apocalypse comes, what you're going to wipe your bum with is your first concern, really? I mean, there's other options. The food, I understand. But this paper stockpiling, I really find my mystifying. '

Staats said she is able to work from home and is being paid her usual salary working for the US based activist group Avaaz.

She told the interviewer she was fortunate and considered herself in a 'very privileged and comfortable position. I'm not someone in an abusive relationship who is now trapped in a flat with an abuser,' she said.
" " Paul Brennan /Needpix Nearly 14 percent of homes in the U.S. were built before 1940, which means they are closing in on the century mark. Knowing what to watch for can be key to owning an old house.

From a 1920s bungalow or stately three-story Victorian to a rustic stone farmhouse, a lot of us love old houses for their sturdiness, quirky charm and connection to history. And fortunately, there are a lot of venerable old homes still standing all over the world. Nearly 14 percent of the roughly 137 million homes in the U.S. were built before 1940, according to the U.S. Census American Housing Survey. In places such as Somerville, Massachusetts, and Buffalo, New York, more than 60 percent of the housing stock dates back to Franklin D. Roosevelt's second term or earlier.

But old houses also have a potentially significant downside, especially for unwary first-time homeowners, in that expensive problems are often tucked away inside the walls or under the floors. We don't mean just the predictable maintenance issues, such as replacing the roof shingles every 20 years or the electric or gas water heater once a decade. (Here's a still-useful 2007 report on the average life expectancy of various home components, from the National Association of Home Builders.)

What we're talking about are those time bombs  such as an ancient drainage pipe, crumbling chimney, or obsolete wiring that isn't up to the demands of today's uses  that can catch old house owners off guard and sometimes severely stress their household finances with four or even five-figure repair bills. While you can't always avoid these problems, it's wise to learn as much as you can about the risks  and possibly even budget for renovations and upgrades to head off trouble before it turns into an emergency.

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How Old Is Old?

When it comes to houses, "old" can mean something different in various parts of the country, explains Reuben Saltzman, the owner and president of Structure Tech, a home inspection company in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, area that specializes in older homes. He's also a past regional chapter president of the American Society of Home Inspectors, and a blogger on home maintenance problems for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

In his part of Minnesota, "we have old houses built back in the late 1800s," he explains. "But in Virginia, my friends say, 'You call that an old house?'" Generally, though, the dividing line between old and not-so-old seems to be the mid-20th century.

If you're worried about a house falling down simply because it's old, though, such fears probably are unwarranted. To the contrary, houses built 80 or 100 years ago or longer actually tend to be more sturdily constructed than ones built more recently, according to Saltzman. "Really old houses were generally overbuilt," Saltzman explains. "They used a lot more wood in old houses that are still standing today. They were typically overengineered and a lot stronger than they needed to be."

Older houses' relative draftiness  which can lead to hefty utility bills  also helps explain their longevity. "New homes are tight, and don't cost as much in terms of energy efficiency, but they're far less durable," Saltzman explains. "There's a higher cost of extra energy expense in an old home. But when we have to replace rotted walls [eventually], that is going to be more expensive. In new homes walls don't let moisture leave, so they don't have the same drying potential. Old houses would leak a lot of air through the walls to dry them out."

But other components of old houses often simply wear out after many years of use or are no longer acceptable by today's safety standards.

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Chimneys Are Vulnerable

"Just about every older house is going to have a masonry chimney, and there are two things that happen," Saltzman says. "One is the structure itself. When water gets in, the mortar and bricks deteriorate." That problem is visible from the outside during a routine house inspection before a sale closing, but what's going on inside the chimney may be just as problematic.

The interior lining may have deteriorated as well, and the vast majority of old chimney interiors don't meet modern safety requirements, if you're going to use a home's fireplace or fireplaces. Detecting problems inside a chimney requires what's known as a level 2 inspection, in which a fiber-optic camera is run down through the structure.

"If you're buying a home, it's a good idea to have that done," Saltzman says.

Fixing a chimney can cost you as little as $1,000, if all you need are some external repairs, Saltzman says. But if the chimney is really crumbling, you may have to rebuild it  a project that can cost $20,000 for an outside chimney on a three-story home. (A caveat: Actual prices across the nation, of course, will vary.)

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Plumbing Catastrophes

One common problem is that galvanized steel drains inside the house eventually corrode and can no longer be cleaned but replacing them often means breaking into finished spaces in the house, such as under basement floors, according to Saltzman. "If you've got a house built in the 1920s and the pipes date back to then, I would consider [the pipe] at the end of its life by today," he says. Digging out a decrepit pipe that dates back to Prohibition and replacing it with a modern pipe can cost several thousand dollars.

"The other thing, which can happen to a home of any age, but is more likely in older ones, is having an issue with the drain line going out to the city sewer," Saltzman says. "That drain line going out to the street is owned by the homeowner. A lot of people aren't aware of that. Fixing one can involve a yard dig or tearing up a street. It's definitely a four-figure expense."

A home inspector will look for evidence of problematic galvanized steel drains, but he isn't going to probe the line that goes out to the sewer. As with chimney interiors, you have to hire a specialist to do that with a fiber-optic camera.

In addition to drain pipes, you can run into problems with the supply line coming into the home and the distribution system, since those pipes also corrode and deteriorate over time. "Where the diameter gets smaller and smaller over time, you end up with smaller water flow," Saltzman says. Supply line repairs usually are a four-figure job, but can sometimes get into five figures, especially if there's a problem getting to the pipes.

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Electrical Nightmares

If you've got old-fashioned knob and tube wiring  the sort that is seldom, if ever, seen in homes built after 1940, according to Salzman  you could have big problems. As this article from Realtor.com describes, the technology dates back to the 1880s, and consists of ceramic knobs and tubes that encase copper wiring. Unlike today's electrical wiring, knob and tube systems lack a ground wire, so that an overloaded circuit can heat up and cause a fire. Some vintage wire in knob and tube systems also utilizes asphalt-saturated cotton cloth or rubber, both of which deteriorate over the years.

" " Knob and tube wiring in a 1930s home, looking upwards at upper wall stud bays and nearby ceiling joists. Wikimedia Commons (CC By-SA 3.0)

To make things worse, there's a possibility that one of an old house's previous owners played amateur electrician and modified the wiring to make it more dangerous. Knob and tube wiring "worked very well as long as nobody messed with it, and the original installation was intact," Saltzman says. "However, in every old home, somebody has probably messed with it and tried to use today's wiring methods with the knob and tube wiring."

"The big one is just covering it with insulation," Saltzman explains. "This [wiring] was meant to be installed in open air, to be able to dissipate heat. When you bury it in walls, it can't dissipate heat the way it should."

Inept amateurs also can push the wiring beyond its limit. "You cannot bring that type of wire directly into a modern light fixture," Saltzman says. "Those fixtures are rated for 194 degrees F (90 degrees C), but the knob and tube wiring was rated for only 140 degrees F (60 degrees C)." A professional electrician, in contrast, would splice the old wiring into a junction box, and then bring new wiring to the fixture so it wouldn't exceed the old wiring's capacity.

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Environmental Hazards

Old houses may also have lead water supply lines, which present a health hazard and replacing them can get expensive. And insulation containing asbestos, which releases fibers that can cause lung disease, is common as well. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends having your home inspected for asbestos by a specially trained asbestos professional, and then independently hiring a second contractor to actually remove the stuff. Asbestos removal can be expensive and the price can vary according to region.

Another risk is the possibility of having an old, forgotten fuel tank buried in your yard, which eventually may contaminate your soil or even get into groundwater. Saltzman says he's found dozens of such tanks over the years, and that it typically costs a couple of thousand dollars to remove them.

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Budgeting and the Bottom Line

Though the cost of fixing some of these problems can seem daunting, it can be more manageable if you budget for home maintenance and repairs. One approach is to put aside about 1 percent of a house's cost each year for such costs. For a $500,000 home, for example, you would budget $5,000 each year for maintenance. Another approach is to budget $1 per square foot (0.092 square meters) every year. For really big repairs, you also may be able to obtain a home equity loan to finance costs.

You also can get leads on future problems by carefully studying the home inspector's report that you get before you close on a house. "Some flaws are more important to fix than others," Saltzman says. "The report should show the critical stuff."

Now That's Interesting To make replacing ancient drainage lines to sewers even worse, those lines may not be made of a material called Orangeburg, "which basically is a really nice cardboard, I kid you not," Saltzman says. If you find Orangeburg, you're definitely going to have to dig up the yard and replacing those lines can easily get into the five figures. Knowing how much does it cost to build a house and also what existing issues old homes tend to have can save you a bundle in the long run.
Orca Security, a Tel Aviv, Israel-based cloud security startup, raised $20m in Series A funding.

The round, which brought total funding raised to date to $26.5m, was led by GGV Capital with participation from YL Ventures and Silicon Valley CISO Investments.

The company intends to use the funds to expand operations in Israel and US.

Co-founded in 2019 by Avia Shua and Gil Geron, Orca Security provides a cloud security software platform that enables companies to get visibility into Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform. Delivered as SaaS, its patent-pending, SideScanning technology reads a given cloud configuration and workloads runtime block storage out-of-band, detecting vulnerabilities, malware, misconfigurations, lateral movement risk, weak and leaked passwords, and high-risk data such as PII, without agents.

The company currently has 37 employees.

FinSMEs

06/05/2020
FILE PHOTO: Attendees hold flags from Iran and the United States as Iranian Americans from across California converge in Los Angeles to participate in the California Convention for a Free Iran and to express support for nationwide protests in Iran

By Humeyra Pamuk, Michelle Nichols and Arshad Mohammed

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The United States faces a tough, messy battle if it uses a threat to trigger a return of all United Nations sanctions on Iran as leverage to get the 15-member Security Council to extend and strengthen an arms embargo on Tehran, diplomats said.

Washington has shared its strategy, confirmed by a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity, with Britain, France and Germany, who are council members and parties to the 2015 deal between Iran and world powers that prevents Tehran from developing nuclear weapons in exchange for sanctions relief.

Under that deal, a U.N. arms embargo on Iran is due to expire in October. A U.S.-drafted resolution to extend the embargo has been given to Britain, France and Germany, the U.S. official confirmed, but U.N. diplomats said it has not been shared with the remaining 11 council members, including Russia and China.

"It will be dead on arrival," predicted a Security Council diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.

A resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes by Russia, China, the United States, Britain or France to be adopted. Diplomats said the United States would likely struggle to get Russia and China to allow an arms embargo extension.

The Russian and Chinese missions to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Russia and China are also parties to the Iran nuclear deal.

If the council does not extend the arms embargo, the next step in the U.S. plan would be to try and trigger a so-called snapback of all U.N. sanctions on Iran, including the arms embargo, using a process outlined in the nuclear deal.

U.S. President Donald Trump quit the agreement in 2018 and described the accord from Barack Obama's presidency as "the worst deal ever."

"It's very difficult to present yourself as a compliance watcher of a resolution you decided to pull out of," said a European diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Either you're in or either you're out."

However, a State Department legal argument, seen by Reuters late last year, made the case that Washington could still spark a sanctions snapback because it is named as a deal participant in a 2015 U.N. resolution that enshrines the nuclear agreement.

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Some U.N. diplomats said that while legal opinions on whether the United States could do this were split, ultimately it would be up to council members to decide whether to accept a U.S. complaint of "significant non-performance" by Iran.

It is a move likely to be challenged, diplomats said.

"It's going to be messy from a Security Council standpoint because, regardless of what (Britain, Germany and France) think, Russia and China are not going to sign up to that legal interpretation," said a European official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif dismissed the U.S. plan in a tweet on Monday, telling Washington to "stop dreaming."

Iran has breached several central limits of the nuclear deal, including on its stock of enriched uranium, in response to the U.S. withdrawal and Washington's reimposition of unilateral sanctions that have slashed Iran's oil exports. The Europeans are trying to save the deal, but have made little progress.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has long been pushing for the Security Council to extend the arms embargo, establish "inspection and interdiction measures, in ports and on the high seas, to thwart Iran's continuing efforts to circumvent arms restrictions" and prevent Iran from working on and testing ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons.

(Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk, Michelle Nichols and Arshad Mohammed; Additional reporting by Jonathan Landay; Editing by Mary Milliken and Leslie Adler)
By David Lague

HONG KONG (Reuters) - As Washington and Beijing trade barbs over the coronavirus pandemic, a longer-term struggle between the two Pacific powers is at a turning point, as the United States rolls out new weapons and strategy in a bid to close a wide missile gap with China.

The United States has largely stood by in recent decades as China dramatically expanded its military firepower. Now, having shed the constraints of a Cold War-era arms control treaty, the Trump administration is planning to deploy long-range, ground-launched cruise missiles in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Pentagon intends to arm its Marines with versions of the Tomahawk cruise missile now carried on U.S. warships, according to the White House budget requests for 2021 and Congressional testimony in March of senior U.S. military commanders. It is also accelerating deliveries of its first new long-range anti-ship missiles in decades.

In a statement to Reuters about the latest U.S. moves, Beijing urged Washington to "be cautious in word and deed," to "stop moving chess pieces around" the region, and to "stop flexing its military muscles around China."

The U.S. moves are aimed at countering China's overwhelming advantage in land-based cruise and ballistic missiles. The Pentagon also intends to dial back China's lead in what strategists refer to as the "range war." The People's Liberation Army (PLA), China's military, has built up a huge force of missiles that mostly outrange those of the U.S. and its regional allies, according to senior U.S. commanders and strategic advisers to the Pentagon, who have been warning that China holds a clear advantage in these weapons.

And, in a radical shift in tactics, the Marines will join forces with the U.S. Navy in attacking an enemy's warships. Small and mobile units of U.S. Marines armed with anti-ship missiles will become ship killers.

In a conflict, these units will be dispersed at key points in the Western Pacific and along the so-called first island chain, commanders said. The first island chain is the string of islands that run from the Japanese archipelago, through Taiwan, the Philippines and on to Borneo, enclosing China's coastal seas.

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Top U.S. military commanders explained the new tactics to Congress in March in a series of budget hearings. The commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, General David Berger, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 5 that small units of Marines armed with precision missiles could assist the U.S. Navy to gain control of the seas, particularly in the Western Pacific. "The Tomahawk missile is one of the tools that is going to allow us to do that," he said.

The Tomahawk - which first gained fame when launched in massed strikes during the 1991 Gulf War - has been carried on U.S. warships and used to attack land targets in recent decades. The Marines would test fire the cruise missile through 2022 with the aim of making it operational the following year, top Pentagon commanders testified.

At first, a relatively small number of land-based cruise missiles will not change the balance of power. But such a shift would send a strong political signal that Washington is preparing to compete with China's massive arsenal, according to senior U.S. and other Western strategists. Longer term, bigger numbers of these weapons combined with similar Japanese and Taiwanese missiles would pose a serious threat to Chinese forces, they say. The biggest immediate threat to the PLA comes from new, long-range anti-ship missiles now entering service with U.S. Navy and Air Force strike aircraft.

"The Americans are coming back strongly," said Ross Babbage, a former senior Australian government defense official and now a non-resident fellow at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, a security research group. "By 2024 or 2025 there is a serious risk for the PLA that their military developments will be obsolete."

A Chinese military spokesman, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, warned last October that Beijing would "not stand by" if Washington deployed land-based, long-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific region.

China's foreign ministry accused the United States of sticking "to its cold war mentality" and "constantly increasing military deployment" in the region.

"Recently, the United States has gotten worse, stepping up its pursuit of a so-called 'Indo-Pacific strategy' that seeks to deploy new weapons, including ground-launched intermediate-range missiles, in the Asia-Pacific region," the ministry said in a statement to Reuters. "China firmly opposes that."

Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Dave Eastburn said he would not comment on statements by the Chinese government or the PLA.

U.S. MILITARY UNSHACKLED

While the coronavirus pandemic rages, Beijing has increased its military pressure on Taiwan and exercises in the South China Sea. In a show of strength, on April 11 the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning led a flotilla of five other warships into the Western Pacific through the Miyako Strait to the northeast of Taiwan, according to Taiwan's Defense Ministry. On April 12, the Chinese warships exercised in waters east and south of Taiwan, the ministry said.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy was forced to tie up the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt at Guam while it battles to contain a coronavirus outbreak among the crew of the giant warship. However, the U.S. Navy managed to maintain a powerful presence off the Chinese coast. The guided-missile destroyer USS Barry passed through the Taiwan Strait twice in April. And the amphibious assault ship USS America last month exercised in the East China Sea and South China Sea, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said.

In a series last year, Reuters reported that while the U.S. was distracted by almost two decades of war in the Middle East and Afghanistan, the PLA had built a missile force designed to attack the aircraft carriers, other surface warships and network of bases that form the backbone of American power in Asia. Over that period, Chinese shipyards built the world's biggest navy, which is now capable of dominating the country's coastal waters and keeping U.S. forces at bay.

The series also revealed that in most categories, China's missiles now rival or outperform counterparts in the armories of the U.S. alliance.

To read the series, click https://www.reuters.com/investigates/section/china-army

China derived an advantage because it was not party to a Cold War-era treaty - the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) - that banned the United States and Russia from possessing ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges from 500 kilometers to 5,500 kilometers. Unrestrained by the INF pact, China has deployed about 2,000 of these weapons, according to U.S. and other Western estimates.

While building up its missile forces on land, the PLA also fitted powerful, long-range anti-ship missiles to its warships and strike aircraft.

This accumulated firepower has shifted the regional balance of power in China's favor. The United States, long the dominant military power in Asia, can no longer be confident of victory in a military clash in waters off the Chinese coast, according to senior retired U.S. military officers.

But the decision by President Donald Trump last year to exit the INF treaty has given American military planners new leeway. Almost immediately after withdrawing from the pact on August 2, the administration signaled it would respond to China's missile force. The next day, U.S. Secretary for Defense Mark Esper said he would like to see ground-based missiles deployed in Asia within months, but he acknowledged it would take longer.

Later that month, the Pentagon tested a ground-launched Tomahawk cruise missile. In December, it tested a ground-launched ballistic missile. The INF treaty banned such ground-launched weapons, and thus both tests would have been forbidden.

A senior Marines commander, Lieutenant General Eric Smith, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 11 that the Pentagon leadership had instructed the Marines to field a ground-launched cruise missile "very quickly."

The budget documents show that the Marines have requested $125 million to buy 48 Tomahawk missiles from next year. The Tomahawk has a range of 1,600km, according to its manufacturer, Raytheon Company.

Smith said the cruise missile may not ultimately prove to be the most suitable weapon for the Marines. "It may be a little too heavy for us," he told the Senate Armed Services Committee, but experience gained from the tests could be transferred to the army.

Smith also said the Marines had successfully tested a new shorter-range anti-ship weapon, the Naval Strike Missile, from a ground launcher and would conduct another test in June. He said if that test was successful, the Marines intended to order 36 of these missiles in 2022. The U.S. Army is also testing a new long-range, land-based missile that can target warships. This missile would have been prohibited under the INF treaty.

The Marine Corps said in a statement it was evaluating the Naval Strike Missile to target ships and the Tomahawk for attacking targets on land. Eventually, the Marines aimed to field a system "that could engage long-range moving targets either on land or sea," the statement said.

The Defense Department also has research underway on new, long-range strike weapons, with a budget request of $3.2 billion for hypersonic technology, mostly for missiles.

China's foreign ministry drew a distinction between the PLA's arsenal of missiles and the planned U.S. deployment. It said China's missiles were "located in its territory, especially short and medium-range missiles, which cannot reach the mainland of the United States. This is fundamentally different from the U.S., which is vigorously pushing forward deployment."

BOTTLING UP CHINA'S NAVY

Military strategists James Holmes and Toshi Yoshihara suggested almost a decade ago that the first island chain was a natural barrier that could be exploited by the American military to counter the Chinese naval build-up. Ground-based anti-ship missiles could command key passages through the island chain into the Western Pacific as part of a strategy to keep the rapidly expanding Chinese navy bottled up, they suggested.

In embracing this strategy, Washington is attempting to turn Chinese tactics back on the PLA. Senior U.S. commanders have warned that China's land-based cruise and ballistic missiles would make it difficult for U.S. and allied navies to operate near China's coastal waters.

But deploying ground-based U.S. and allied missiles in the island chain would pose a similar threat to Chinese warships - to vessels operating in the South China Sea, East China Sea and Yellow Sea, or ships attempting to break out into the Western Pacific. Japan and Taiwan have already deployed ground-based anti-ship missiles for this purpose.

"We need to be able to plug up the straits," said Holmes, a professor at the U.S. Naval War College. "We can, in effect, ask them if they want Taiwan or the Senkakus badly enough to see their economy and armed forces cut off from the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean. In all likelihood the answer will be no."

Holmes was referring to the uninhabited group of isles in the East China Sea - known as the Senkaku islands in Japan and the Diaoyu islands in China - that are claimed by both Tokyo and Beijing.

The United States faces challenges in plugging the first island chain. Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte's decision to distance himself from the United States and forge closer ties with China is a potential obstacle to American plans. U.S. forces could face barriers to operating from strategically important islands in the Philippines archipelago after Duterte in February scrapped a key security agreement with Washington.

And if U.S. forces do deploy in the first island chain with anti-ship missiles, some U.S. strategists believe this won't be decisive, as the Marines would be vulnerable to strikes from the Chinese military.

The United States has other counterweights. The firepower of long-range U.S. Air Force bombers could pose a bigger threat to Chinese forces than the Marines, the strategists said. Particularly effective, they said, could be the stealthy B-21 bomber, which is due to enter service in the middle of this decade, armed with long-range missiles.

The Pentagon is already moving to boost the firepower of its existing strike aircraft in Asia. U.S. Navy Super Hornet jets and Air Force B-1 bombers are now being armed with early deliveries of Lockheed Martin's new Long Range Anti-Ship Missile, according to the budget request documents. The new missile is being deployed in response to an "urgent operational need" for the U.S. Pacific Command, the documents explain.

The new missile carries a 450 kilogram warhead and is capable of "semi-autonomous" targeting, giving it some ability to steer itself, according to the budget request. Details of the stealthy cruise missile's range are classified. But U.S. and other Western military officials estimate it can strike targets at distances greater than 800 kilometers.

The budget documents show the Pentagon is seeking $224 million to order another 53 of these missiles in 2021. The U.S. Navy and Air Force expect to have more than 400 of them in service by 2025, according to orders projected in the documents.

This new anti-ship missile is derived from an existing Lockheed long-range, land attack weapon, the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile. The Pentagon is asking for $577 million next year to order another 400 of these land-attack missiles.

"The U.S. and allied focus on long-range land-attack and anti-ship cruise missiles was the quickest way to rebuild long-range conventional firepower in the Western Pacific region," said Robert Haddick, a former U.S. Marine Corps officer and now a visiting senior fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies based in Arlington, Virginia.

For the U.S. Navy in Asia, Super Hornet jets operating from aircraft carriers and armed with the new anti-ship missile would deliver a major boost in firepower while allowing the expensive warships to operate further away from potential threats, U.S. and other Western military officials say.

Current and retired U.S. Navy officers have been urging the Pentagon to equip American warships with longer-range anti-ship missiles that would allow them to compete with the latest, heavily armed Chinese cruisers, destroyers and frigates. Lockheed has said it successfully test-fired one of the new Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles from the type of launcher used on U.S. and allied warships.

Haddick, one of the first to draw attention to China's firepower advantage in his 2014 book, "Fire on the Water," said the threat from Chinese missiles had galvanized the Pentagon with new strategic thinking and budgets now directed at preparing for high-technology conflict with powerful nations like China.

Haddick said the new missiles were critical to the defensive plans of America and its allies in the Western Pacific. The gap won't close immediately, but firepower would gradually improve, Haddick said. "This is especially true during the next half-decade and more, as successor hypersonic and other classified munition designs complete their long periods of development, testing, production, and deployment," he said.

(Reported by David Lague in Hong Kong. Additional reporting by the Beijing newsroom. Edited by Peter Hirschberg.)
A 77-year-old COVID-19 patient here has died while nine more people have tested positive for the disease in Odisha, taking the number of cases to 185 in the state, officials said on Wednesday.

The septuagenarian was on ventilator since April 30 at the KIMS COVID-19 Hospital here and breathed his last on Tuesday night, said Dr Jayant Panda, the spokesperson of the Health and Family Department.

The patient, a resident of Madhusudan Nagar here, had comorbidities like hypertension, diabetes and kidney ailments. His blood pressure was maintained and he had undergone one sitting of dialysis, the spokesperson said.

"Unfortunately, he died at about 10.30 pm on Tuesday night despite all out efforts of the doctors," he said, appealing to people of the state to take special care of elderly persons who are suffering from other diseases as well.

The fresh cases have been reported from Jagatsinghpur (4), Jajpur (2) and one each from Gajam, Kendrapara and Balasore, the Information and Public Relations department said.

Of the nine patients, five have returned from Surat in Gujarat while four others from West Bengal, a senior official said, adding that all of them were quarantined.

With the detection of the new cases, Jagatsinghpur became the latest inclusion in the list of coronavirus-hit districts in the state. Seventeen of the 30 districts of Odisha have reported coronavirus cases.

In Jagatsinghpur, three patients belonged to one family in Naugaon area, the official said.

The Surat returnees who have tested positive for the disease are from Ganjam and Jagatsinghpur districts, while the patients in Jajpur, Balasore and Kendrapara have a travel history to West Bengal.

All the nine people detected on Wednesday were males in the age group of 18 to 65 years, the official said.

The state now has 122 active cases, while 61 people have recovered from the disease and two died, he said.

Jajpur district has reported the maximum number of cases at 55, followed by Bhubaneswar 47, Balasore 25, Bhadrak 21 and Sundergarh 12.

Four positive cases have been reported from Ganjam district, three cases from Kendrapara while two cases each have been detected in Cuttack, Jharsuguda, Bolangir, Keonjhar and Kalahandi, and one each in Puri, Dhenkanal, Deogarh and Koraput districts.

The state government rushed a team consisting of Director of Family Welfare Bijay Kumar Panigrahi and RMRC-Bhubaneswar scientist Jaysingh Khatri to Ganjam to supervise surveillance and containment measures in the district, the official said.

The Health and Family Welfare Department in a notification said the dean and principal of MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur will be part of the team, besides some senior professors of medicine.

AIIMS, Bhubaneswar has also sent two Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) comprising epidemiologist, microbiologist and pulmologist/medical specialist to red zones in Balasore and Bhadrak districts.

Another team has been sent to Bolangir district as per the requirement of the state government, a spokesperson of the AIIMS, Bhubaneswar said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dubai's economy remains resilient to global economic headwinds caused by the negative impact of the Covid-19 outbreak with its external trade in the first quarter of 2020 reaching Dh323 billion (88 billion), said Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, citing official data.

Exports grew 2 percent to Dh43 billion compared to the corresponding quarter last year, while the imports accounted for Dh189 billion and re-exports hit Dh92 billion.

The volume of Dubais external non-oil trade reached 24 million tons - imports accounted for 16 million tons, exports 4.2 million tons, and re-exports 3.6 million tons, he stated.

On the steady growth, Sheikh Hamdan said: "Dubai has demonstrated its economic resilience amidst the global Covid-19 crisis. Though the pandemic has impacted markets around the world, Dubais external trade has been able to maintain its momentum thanks to the diversity of its markets and its ability to adapt to global changes, trends and needs."

"We are reaping the benefits of what our leadership has sown. From an early stage, our leadership invested in developing infrastructure and advanced technology that have enabled us to be resilient amidst crises and turn challenges into opportunities," he stated.

"To support businesses during this difficult time, we announced a stimulus package plan which included a refund of 20 percent of the customs fees imposed on imported products sold locally in Dubai markets from March 15 to June 30," he stated.

"The package also includes the cancellation of the Dh50,000 bank guarantee or cash required to undertake customs clearance activity. Bank guarantee or cash paid by existing customs clearance companies will be refunded," he added.

Direct trade in Q1 2020 reached Dh188 billion while trade out of free zones reached Dh133 billion, and customs warehouse trade accounted for Dh2 billion. Land trade contributed Dh4 billion, sea trade Dh116 billion, and air trade Dh163 billion.

Against all odds and despite the many challenges and hurdles facing the world market due to the outbreak of Covid-19, customs transactions in Dubai skyrocketed 60 percent to reach 4 million in Q1 2020, from 2.5 million in the corresponding quarter last year. This reflects the resilience of the Dubai economy and its ability to cope with changes and challenges.

"We look to the future with optimism and we are confident we will overcome this current challenge, and at the same time use the opportunities that this challenge creates in the best possible way to realise our strategic plans to consolidate Dubais position as a leading global example of excellence and success," remarked Sheikh Hamdan.

DP World Group Chairman & CEO and Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation Chairman Sultan bin Sulayem said the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, have strengthened Dubais resilience despite the challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Dubais strong customs structure helped achieve a 60 percent increase in customs transactions despite the challenging global environment, growing from 2.5 million transactions in Q1 2019 to 4 million transactions this year," remarked Bin Sulayem.

China remained Dubais largest trading partner, contributing Dh35.8 billion, followed by India contributing Dh30.4 billion, and the US with Dh19.5 billion. The highest traded commodity by value in 2019 was precious metals and stones. Gold, jewelry and diamonds trade grew 2 percent to Dh92 billion, followed by phones with Dh38 billion, and petroleum oils which contributed Dh16 billion.

"This makes Dubai one of the best customs and logistics hubs in the world, and a very attractive environment for foreign investments and businesses. Thanks to a number of government strategies and stimulus plans, Dubai remains credible and trustful in the eyes of investors and businesses worldwide, he added.

According to him, Dubai Customs has implemented the government stimulus package plan to help businesses maintain their operations during this difficult time.

"At the same time, it continues its efforts to further develop customs operations. The World Customs Organisation recently endorsed the Dubai Customs initiative of establishing a global platform for the best customs practices and AEO mutual recognition agreements. With this, Dubai Customs will lead efforts to facilitate data transfer between the World Customs Organisation and member customs organisations," he stated.

"Dubai Customs has been working diligently to combat the challenges arising from the pandemic. Its inspection officers are equipped with protective gear to ensure their safety. They are also working meticulously to facilitate the uninterrupted flow of goods," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
The fountain at the Music Center Plaza in downtown L.A. is unusually empty on a very hot Wednesday. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

A heat wave will bake Southern California on Wednesday and Thursday, boosting temperatures to record-threatening levels in some areas.

The unseasonably warm temperatures  some 10 to 20 degrees above normal for this time of year  are the result of a "dome of warm air" that's settled over the region and blocked cooler onshore flows from the ocean, according to David Sweet, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

"Those sea breezes are like our natural air conditioning," he said, and once Mother Nature cranks that proverbial dial back down, "well be right back to normal."

The next two days will be a challenge, though. A heat advisory is in effect for Los Angeles and neighboring counties through Thursday night.

Wednesday is expected to be the height of the heat wave, with temperatures in the 70s along the coast and the mid-80s to 90s inland.

Huge spread in the overnight lows this morning. As much as 30 just in the Santa Monica Mtns. Some places in the 70s, some in the 40s. Winds playing a huge role. It will be HOT today. Heat advisories in effect. Stay hydrated! #LAHeat #CAwx pic.twitter.com/6Ag1TtEUa4  NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) May 6, 2020

Downtown L.A. is forecast to hit 95 degrees Wednesday, just below its daily record of 97, according to Sweet. Some inland areas could see triple-digit temperatures.

While significant, this week's heat isn't expected to be one for the history books in the Los Angeles area.

"There could be one or two locations that will approach or break or tie a record, but it looks like its just going to be close," Sweet said.

Story continues

Other areas have already reached historic marks this week. The city of Indio climbed to 105 degrees Tuesday, tying a daily record high, and Anaheim, Newport Beach and Escondido all matched or surpassed their highest minimum temperature records for that day, according to the National Weather Service.

Thursday's temperatures will be much the same as Wednesday, but maybe a few degrees cooler, Sweet said. The heat will begin to break starting Friday.

"Then our warm spell will be over as we go through the weekend and into early next week," Sweet said. "Temperatures will continue to cool so that, by Monday and Tuesday, downtown Los Angeles goes to the mid-70s."

In anticipation of the sweltering conditions, Los Angeles County has opened emergency cooling centers that will provide relief from the heat while also complying with physical-distancing guidelines implemented in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Centers will be open from noon to 6 p.m, Wednesday and Thursday at the following locations:

El Cariso Community Regional Park, 13100 Hubbard St. in Sylmar

Buena Vista Library, 300 N. Buena Vista St. in Burbank

Loma Alta Park, 3330 Lincoln Ave. in Altadena

Mary M. Bethune Park, 1244 E. 61st St. in Los Angeles

Ruben F. Salazar Park, 3864 Whittier Blvd. in Los Angeles

South Whittier Library, 11543 Colima Road in Whittier

Valleydale Park, 5525 Lark Ellen Ave. in Azusa

Jackie Robinson Park, 8773 E. Avenue R in Littlerock

For more information, visit ready.lacounty.gov/heat or dial 211.

During the heat wave, officials advise residents to stay indoors and avoid the sun as much as possible, as well as drink plenty of fluids. People and pets should not be left in cars.

Despite the dry and, in some places, gusty conditions, the National Weather Service hadn't issued any local fire weather watches or warnings as of Wednesday morning.

While the conditions could be cause for concern, Sweet said potential fire fuel should still be in good shape following a significant springtime soaking.

"As we continue to have hot, dry weather like this, you certainly do tend to dry out the fuels, but we just got finished with a pretty good amount of rain in March and early April, so the fuel conditions are not quite there yet," he said.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 56F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 56F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Egypt reported 387 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the total infection tally up to 7,588, the health ministry announced.

The ministry also reported 17 new deaths, bringing the total deaths from the virus to 469.

The statement said that 85 Egyptian COVID-19 patients have been discharged from hospital, bringing the total number of recoveries to 1,815.

Health ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed said in a statement that the number of people whose test results have turned from positive to negative, including the 1,815 recoveries, has now reached 2,314

Egypt has relaxed some restrictions in recent days. Car licensing units at traffic departments, real estate registry offices, and some court services have reopened.

Measures applied by the government since mid-March to contain the pandemic include closing schools and universities, mosques and churches and suspending international flights. The cabinet also imposed a curfew, in place since 25 March, which was initially from 7pm to 6am but was shortened at the beginning of Ramadan to begin at 9pm.

On 5 May, the health ministry announced that Egypt surpassed the 7,000 infections milestone only three days after breaking the 6,000 mark, and almost a month after exceeding 1,000 cases on 4 April.

In a scheduled press conference on 7 May, PM Mostafa Madbouly is expected to either extend the nighttime curfew with same timing or to make it stricter.

"All expectations suggest that the government will renew all measures taken to combat the epidemic, including maintaining the same timing of the curfew that has been applied from the beginning of Ramadan," cabinet spokesperson Nader Saad said in a TV statement on Monday.

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Nissan has launched a free anti-microbial sanitisation campaign that will begin on 15 May and continue till 30 June. This camp is aimed at the safety and well-being of its customers by sanitising all Nissan/Datsun vehicles amidst this COVID-19 outbreak.

All Nissan and Datsun car owners can avail services under this We Sanitize to Protect U' Camp. It will be held at all dealerships across India. All authorised dealers will offer a full sanitisation of a Nissan/Datsun car free of cost as a part this initiative. This anti-microbial sanitisation includes all interior and exterior areas of the vehicle like steering wheel, door handles, gear knobs etc. that are most commonly and frequently accessed or touched.

What's more, all Nissan/Datsun car owners will also be offered an interior fogging treatment at an affordable cost. This full interior sanitisation method includes disinfection of the AC duct system, carpets etc. Then, even the exterior is sanitised by spraying special chemicals.

All carmakers are taking measures to curb the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic, which has brought in some unprecedented times. Many manufacturers have stepped up all types of sanitisation methods now to fight the battle against this pandemic. It is a very crucial and helpful step from Nissan India to come up with this precautionary measure. All customers will be informed through e-mail, phone calls, text messages and the digital medium including its website.

Nissan Kicks  9.50 Lakh Onwards

Nissan | Kicks | Nissan Kicks
Cornelio Pepino, 48, was shot dead by two unidentified men after hosting his regular radio program on dyMD Energy 93.7 FM. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) condemn the murder and urge authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the killing.

Radio host Cornelio Pepino, also popularly known as Rex Cornelio, was gunned down by two men on motorcycles in Dumaguete City at 8:45pm on May 5. Cornelio was riding his motorcycle with his wife when two men on a separate motorcycle opened fire. Cornelio was dead on arrival at Siliman University Medical Centre. His wife survived, unharmed.

NUJP note Cornelio is the third journalist to be murdered in Dumaguete since 2018. Former chairman of NUJP chapter in Dumaguete City and anchor of Tug-anan on dyGB Power 91 radio station was shot in Dumaguete on April 30, 2018, and died the following day. Only six months ago, Dindo Generoso from dyEM Bai Radio saw a similar tragic end in a shooting on November 7, 2019, on his way home from work. Authorities arrested two men in Dindo's murder, one identified as an inactive police corporal. .

According to the NUJP, Cornelio's killing marks the 16th journalist killing since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office in 2016, and the 186th since 1986.

NUJP said: NUJP demands that authorities get to the bottom of the murder of Cornelio. It is alarming that Cornelio was the third journalist - all broadcasters - murdered in as many years in what has long been famed as the 'City of Gentle People'. The NUJP will continue to hold this government accountable for every death that remains unsolved.

IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said: Only a few days after the World Press Freedom Day, a journalist, Cornelio Pepino is murdered. The IFJ condemns this heinous crime and urges the authorities to end the impunity of crimes against journalists and bring the murderers to justice.
Nearly half (47%) of U.S. respondents report that their mental health has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic

 61% of laid off/furloughed workers note a negative impact to their mental health

 61% of laid off/furloughed workers note a negative impact to their mental health 27% indicate their employers are proactively responding with mental health resources and support

Nearly 80% who have access to employee benefits welcome virtual care to support mental health needs

PURCHASE, NY, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new study by Teladoc Health highlights the widespread negative mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the corresponding growing proactive support by employers to help meet the need, and the increased interest and comfort in virtual care options as part of Americans mental health and wellness. The study of 1558 employees (or those recently employed) in the U.S. and Canada, was conducted in mid-April by marketing research and analytics firm, Leger which was commissioned by global virtual care leaders, Teladoc Health (NYSE: TDOC), as a follow up to the companys 2019 international mental health study conducted last fall by Ipsos MORI .

COVID-19 Negative Impact More Prevalent in Women and Young Americans

As a result of COVID-19, a significant number of respondents said their mental health has been negatively impacted (47%), with the negative impact on women (52%) far greater than men (42%). Nearly half (49%) between the ages of 18-34 reported being negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, a trend that was similar to Canadian respondents (52%) of the same age, and consistent with findings from the fall study that revealed a greater need among this demographic. Those over the age of 65  an age group that has been deemed most at risk for the virus  experienced the lowest reported negative impact in the United State (38%) and Canada (37%). Since March 1, Teladocs mental health visits for ages 18-30 more than doubled over the prior two months, and members diagnosed with adjustment anxiety disorder has increased by 60%.

More Employers Proactively Providing Mental Health Support to Employees

Results showed that to support the growing impact on employees well-being, there is progress in opening the dialogue and closing the gap for mental health support in the workplace. The data shows that 27% of U.S. employers (compared to 39% of Canadian employers) are proactively responding to their employees with some or all of the following initiatives:

Offering additional mental health support

Raising the discussion of employee mental health needs

Waiving fees for mental health support

For example, Teladoc Health has expanded its benefits offering  assuring that all of the companys 2,400 employees around the globe have access to and are aware of their free mental health benefits.

The COVID-19 pandemic has given the mental health dialogue even greater importance and further advanced awareness and support for mental health on a broad scale, and specifically among employers who are making it a priority for their employees, said Lew Levy, MD, chief medical officer, Teladoc Health. Our research from 2019 to today shows that were closing the gap in support for mental health, as well as individuals growing comfort in the use of virtual care. Teladoc Health will continue to play a leading role in normalizing the mental health conversation and providing mental health care to those who need it.

Shifting the Mental Health Conversation Forward, as Americans Demonstrate Increased Comfort in Using Virtual Care

This recent study shows a positive trend in the awareness of and dialogue around mental health. Currently the majority of U.S. respondents (55%) with an employee benefits plan are aware of the mental health resources available to them, although the total is less than their Canadian counterparts (66%). Furthermore, there is growing acceptance for virtual care with both Americans (79%) and Canadians (82%) indicating strongly that employee benefits plans should include virtual care for mental health needs just as they do physical health needs. This new data represents a significant increase in support for virtual care over the past six months; during the fall study just 40% responded that they would welcome remote forms of care.

This pandemic has further highlighted the access gaps and need for widespread mental health care. Our providers are hearing a louder voice for mental health support than ever before, particularly in young people, said Dr. Gustavo Kinrys, medical director and vice president of Mental Health Services, Teladoc Health. Seeking support to address mental health concerns is the new normal as more people choose not to bottle up their issues and keep them to themselves. The call for support is trending upward, and employers are working to help improve mental health education and awareness.

About the Study

Leger conducted the survey among 1504 Canadians and 1001 Americans between Friday, April 17 and Sunday, April 20, 2020, using Legers online panel. The margin of error for this study was +/-2.5% for Canada and +/-3.1% for the United States, 19 times out of 20.

About Teladoc Health

A mission-driven organization, Teladoc Health, Inc. is successfully transforming how people access and experience healthcare, with a focus on high quality, lower costs, and improved outcomes around the world. Ranked #1 among direct-to-consumer telehealth providers in the J.D. Power 2019 U.S. Telehealth Satisfaction Study, the integrated services from Teladoc Health include telehealth, expert medical services, AI and analytics, and licensable platform services. With more than 2,400 employees, the organization delivers care in 175 countries and in more than 40 languages, partnering with employers, hospitals and health systems, and insurers to transform care delivery. For more information, please visit www.teladochealth.com or follow @TeladocHealth on Twitter.

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French athletes believe they caught coronavirus at the World Military Games in Wuhan in October, 20 days before the first recorded case in China.

It comes after it was revealed that Frenchman Amirouche Hammar, 43, had been infected with COVID-19 outside Paris as early as December.

The hospital where Hammar was treated for chest pains has since re-tested samples and found the fishmonger was positive for the virus on December 27. It is not known where he caught the virus, although his wife works close to Charles de Gaulle airport.

A number of French athletes who were at the World Military Games from October 18 to 27 have since described coming down with severe flu-like symptoms while at the event.

Elodie Clouvel, a world champion modern pentathlete, was asked on March 25 whether she was anxious about spending the summer in Japan for the Olympics. She told Loire 7: 'No because I think that with Velentin (Belaud, her partner, also a pentathlete) we have already had the coronavirus, well the COVID-19.'

Elodie Clouvel, 31, won gold at the World Military Games which took place in Wuhan between October 18 and 27 - she believes she and her partner, along with other athletes, caught the virus

Amirouche Hammar (pictured) has revealed himself as the French patient who had coronavirus as early as December 27

Elodie Clouvel told French media she wasn't concerned about competing at the Olympics in Japan because she'd already had the virus

The 31-year-old went on: 'We were in Wuhan for the World Military Games at the end of October. And afterwards, we all fell ill. Valentin missed three days of training. Me, I was sick too. [...] I had things I had never had before. We weren't particularly worried because no one was talking about it yet.'

French 'patient zero' had COVID-19 in December Amirouche Hammar came forward after a hospital near Paris revealed it had re-tested old flu samples and found a positive test for coronavirus on December 27. The Algerian-born fish market worker had not travelled to China, and the result suggests the virus was spreading in France well before January 24 when the country confirmed its first case. Speaking to BFMTV, Hammar said he had suffered 'very serious' chest pains but said doctors had been mystified by his illness before eventually diagnosing a lung infection. Although experts have urged caution about the findings, the WHO said today it was 'not surprising' that a case had occurred in December and said that more such discoveries were possible. 'It's also possible there are more early cases to be found,' WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told a UN briefing in Geneva. Hammar's wife works at a supermarket near Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris where passengers are known to go shopping after they land. The doctor who revealed the case said the patient's wife had worked at a fish market with Chinese colleagues. Advertisement

She added: 'A lot of athletes at the World Military Games were very ill. We were recently in touch with a military doctor who told us: "I think you had it because a lot of people from this delegation were ill."'

The French delegation were competing in the 7th World Military Games in Wuhan - just 20 days before the first Chinese person officially became ill with coronavirus - with 402 athletes present, along with 10,000 other athletes from all over the world.

According to French news channel BFMTV, a number of athletes returned to France with unusual symptoms, including fevers and body aches.

According to the news channel, none of the returning athletes was tested and the French Army who were responsible for organising their athletes at the military games reportedly confirmed that they had not wanted to test any athletes either.

Doctors have speculated that the virus might have been making its way around before even December, in November or even in October, and the latest revelations seem to underscore that.

BFMTV quotes one athlete, who preferred to remain anonymous, as saying that he originally thought he had simply caught a cold.

However, when news began to emerge of an epidemic in Wuhan, many athletes on a WhatsApp group reportedly began to openly wonder if it was possible that they had contracted the disease too.

Now that it has been revealed that Amirouche Hammar in France had the coronavirus back in December, closer attention is being paid to what these athletes have said.

The French delegation were competing in the 7th World Military Games in Wuhan - just 20 days before the first Chinese person officially became ill with coronavirus - with 402 athletes present, along with 10,000 other athletes from all over the world

Clouvel said: 'We were in Wuhan for the World Military Games at the end of October. And afterwards, we all fell ill. Valentin missed three days of training. Me, I was sick too. [...] I had things I had never had before. We weren't particularly worried because no one was talking about it yet.' (pictured: Clouvel with her partner)

Clouvel told French media in March: 'A lot of athletes at the World Military Games were very ill. We were recently in touch with a military doctor who told us: "I think you had it because a lot of people from this delegation were ill."'

Local media report that since she spoke up on March 25, many athletes have been asked not to answer questions from journalists and to refer media enquiries to the head of communication of the French armies.

According to French media, athletes who were in Wuhan reportedly received telephone calls from the army a few weeks ago to reassure them.

One of these athletes, who also preferred to remain anonymous, is quoted as saying: 'We were told: there is no risk, you left on 28th October and the virus arrived on 1st November.'

French media report that sick athletes were also noted in some other delegations, including the Swedish delegation, with people returning to Sweden with strong fevers.

Around 100 people from the Swedish Armed Forces attended the World Military Games in Wuhan and stayed in the city for two weeks.

Several competitors fell ill and were screened for the virus, although none were reported to have tested positive.

It comes after Sweden's government epidemiologist Anders Tegnell said it was 'very natural' to assume that coronvirus was spreading in Scandinavia from November.

Tegnell told Sweden's TT news agency: 'There wasn't any spread [of infection] outside Wuhan until we saw it in Europe later.

State epidemiologist Anders Tegnell (pictured above) claimed individual cases would have been detected among travellers from Wuhan

'But I think that you could find individual cases among Wuhan travellers who were there in November to December last year. That doesn't sound at all strange, but rather very natural.'

Sweden - one of just a handful of countries to resist a lockdown - has no plans to implement large-scale sample testing of patients who received care for respiratory symptoms or flu last year to see if they had coronavirus.

The country's first official coronavirus case was a woman in Jonkoping who tested positive on January 31st after a trip to China. The woman has since recovered from the illness.
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19), formerly known as the novel coronavirus infection, was first reported in late December 2019 in Wuhan City in China. Many health experts believe that the virus had spread way before it was identified as the culprit for many pneumonia-like diseases. Now, a French doctor says that the coronavirus reached France back in December when it admitted a pneumonia patient into hospital.

The hospital in France identified the countrys earliest-known COVID-19 case on Dec. 27, 2019, as a man who was suspected of having pneumonia but actually had the novel coronavirus. The report means that the virus had reached Europe way before it was first reported on the continent in January.

Retesting old samples

Retesting old samples has pushed the timeline for the global pandemic in Europe back by about a month, which makes a big difference in its outcome. Knowing who was the first case is essential in understanding how the virus spreads. However, it is too early to know if the patient is Frances patient zero.

Dr. Yves Cohen, the head of resuscitation at the Avicenne and Jean Verdier hospitals, retested samples from 24 patients who were treated in December and January. These patients had tested negative for flu before the coronavirus disease even evolved into a pandemic.

Of the 24 patients, one tested positive for COVID-19, and the findings of the study were published in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents. The hospital immediately contacted the man to inform him of the diagnosis.

The doctors from the Groupe Hospitalier Paris Seine in Sain-Denis said that a sample taken from the 42-year-old fishmonger Amirouche Hammar, who was admitted to the emergency room, tested positive for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

 "On m'a dit: ce que vous avez, c'est tres serieux" Le patient infecte en decembre par le coronavirus temoigne sur BFMTV pic.twitter.com/vlvnFhKqBv  BFMTV (@BFMTV) May 5, 2020

Mr. Hammar manifested a cough with a tinge of blood, fever, and headache. He was admitted to the intensive care unit. He recovered after being sick for 15 days. When contact tracing was performed, the man had infected his two children, but not his wife, who works at a sushi stand at a supermarket with co-employees who are of Chinese origin.

The patient had not traveled abroad, and it is still unclear if the virus came from his wifes coworkers, who traveled from China.

Were wondering whether she was asymptomatic. He may be the patient zero, but perhaps there are others in other regions. All the negative PCRs for pneumonia must be tested again. The virus was probably circulating, Dr. Cohen said.

Already spreading

France is one of the hardest-hit countries of the coronavirus pandemic, with more than 170,000 confirmed cases and at least 25,000 deaths. The report shows that the coronavirus has been spreading in France in late December, while the first case was reported in Jan. 24. The first reported cases of COVID-19 in France were people who returned from Wuhan, China.

The finding raises questions about how the patient contracted the virus and what strain was in France since virologists who studied the main strains of the pathogen said that it did not come directly from China or Italy, and has been spreading undocumented.

The first European country that reported an outbreak of the coronavirus disease was Italy, which was locked down in March in an attempt to contain the spread of the virus, but it was too late. The virus has already spread and caused many infections and deaths. It is also believed that from Italy, the virus has spread to neighboring countries, who also reported a high infection rate, such as Germany, Spain, France, and the United Kingdom.

Currently, the government announced that emergency measures are to be extended. Government officials said that the coronavirus state of emergency would be extended to July 24. French Health Minister Olivier Veran said that lifting the health care measures early may waste the efforts made by the residents.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, France recorded 330 new coronavirus deaths over the last 24 hours, a rise in the daily case toll as the country prepares to begin easing lockdown measures.

COVID-19 global toll

The coronavirus disease has so far taken more than 256,000 lives, while more than 3.66 million have been infected with SARS-CoV-2. The coronavirus has now spread across 187 countries and territories, with the United States as the hardest-hit country. The U.S. has a total of 1.2 million confirmed cases and at least 71,000 deaths.

Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom have reported a high number of confirmed cases, with 219,329, 213,013, and 196,240 confirmed cases, respectively.
The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) is appealing to the government to formulate safety guidelines for churches to allow them resume activities.

The call comes as the ban on all public gatherings including church services remains in force, as part of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The GPCC said churches have proper structures and the capacity to roll out effective social-distancing and safety measures unlike the market places and other business centres which have a challenge adhering to safety etiquettes.

An executive member of the Council and President of the Full Gospel Church International, Bishop S.N. Mensah, told class news: You see, the ban was on social gathering but we have parliament meeting In the markets, they say social-distancing [must be observed] but markets, sometimes, are crowded, so, if we can have people meeting at the market and parliament is meeting, recently chiefs were installing their traditional leaders, which was not the best, so, I think preventing churches [from meeting] and asking church members not to meet is not the best.

At this time, he noted, Were all helping to put in some mechanisms, so, we are expecting that in the shortest possible time, churches should be able to meet but with certain conditions in place.

For instance, the church should not be full to 50 per cent capacity or 50 per cent capacity, in addition to having sanitisers and putting in place all the necessary protocols and some guidelines to govern the running of the church.

---classfmonline
In the first three months of the year, The New York Times Company added more digital subscribers than it had gained during any quarter since it started charging readers for online content in 2011. But that increase was driven by widespread interest in news of the coronavirus pandemic, which has ravaged the U.S. economy and cut deeply into The Timess advertising revenue.

By the end of a dramatic quarter, Times employees had grown accustomed to working remotely, and readers were flocking to the newspapers website, drawn by articles on the coronavirus and its effects that were offered at no charge.

Many of those readers bought subscriptions. The company reported on Wednesday that it had netted 587,000 new digital subscriptions during the quarter. The majority  468,000  were for the core news product, and the remaining 119,000 were for other digital products, including apps like Cooking and Crossword.

At the end of March, The Times had more than five million digital subscribers, a high. Of those, there were 3.9 million subscriptions for news and 1.1 million for apps. The total number of subscriptions, including those to the print newspaper, stood at 5,841,000. Overall subscription revenue rose 5.4 percent during the three-month period, to $285.4 million. Total revenue rose 1 percent, to $443.6 million.
Manitoba's last two drive-in movie theatres have been given the green light for spring and summer screenings.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 6/5/2020 (622 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba's last two drive-in movie theatres have been given the green light for spring and summer screenings.

Initially, the province had barred drive-in theatres from joining the throng of non-essential businesses that reopened their doors Monday, as the province eased back COVID-19 restrictions.

Drive-ins were instead included with traditional movie theatres, to be reopened in a later phase of the plan.

A push from industry ownership, however, got provincial officials to see the (projector) light.

Dawn Hlady, owner of Big Island Drive-In in Flin Flon, said she had been in regular contact with officials for several weeks before the province alerted her to the rule change Tuesday afternoon.

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.

"I did get to a sense of hopelessness, but I'm a very persistent person and a very positive person," she said Wednesday about prior correspondence with the government.

"(The news) was shocking, I literally didnt even have words to say when I opened up my email."

Hlady drove to her business site Tuesday night to set up screens, and is hoping to open next weekend  with updated safety measures, including contactless debit and credit payments and a mobile platform for ordering concession.

"It was a whirlwind of a day," she said.

According to its website, Stardust Drive-In Theatre in Morden plans to reopen by June 6, with social-distancing guidelines in place.

julia-simone.rutgers@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 5/5/2020 (623 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It's a level of dishonesty rarely seen in Manitoba politics.

On Tuesday, Premier Brian Pallister unveiled a $45-million plan to provide every Manitoba senior with a $200 "economic recovery credit," regardless of income level. When asked what specific economic hardship is being experienced by seniors, he could not identify one, describing it instead as "a deserved benefit."

Province giving seniors $200 for pandemic expenses; others need help too, critics say Click to Expand Premier Brian Pallister said an estimated 225,000 Manitobans will receive the Seniors Economic Recovery Credit this month. Posted: 11:54 AM May. 5, 2020 A $200 cheque will soon be in the mail to all Manitoba seniors  whether they need it or not  to deal with additional costs associated with the pandemic. "Seniors built this province," Premier Brian Pallister said Tuesday at a teleconference announcing the $45-million Seniors Economic Recovery Credit going to an estimated 225,000 Manitobans age 65 and older, regardless of income. Read Full Story

What Pallister knows, and what he wouldn't tell, is while seniors are the most vulnerable to the novel coronavirus, they are among the least affected by the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

As many do not rely on a job for income, seniors are much less affected by layoffs. There has been no interruption in CPP, OAS or other government benefits. For those at the lower levels of the income ladder, supports such as pharmacare and rent assist are still very much in effect.

That is not to say all seniors are economically sound; like any strata of society, there are haves and have-nots. But, statistically speaking, older Manitobans are among the wealthiest people in the province.

Pallister denied politics was behind the new benefit  but providing a cheque to every senior without any sort of income test is the worst kind of political pandering at the worst possible time.

The premier knows full well he's indulging in a shameless political gesture, because he has condemned similar schemes introduced by other governments.

Shortly after winning the 2016 election, Pallister slashed the controversial NDP seniors property tax credit because it was paid out to all seniors regardless of income. In announcing his decision, he called it "an irresponsible promise by a previous government that was totally desperate to buy votes."

Ironically, you can use the exact same language to describe the new benefit: it's an irresponsible and desperate bid to win over seniors during the pandemic.

What makes Pallister's handout even more maddening: it was unveiled just one day after his Tory government announced a $860-million emergency cut to spending, $193 million in savings through layoffs and furloughs of civil servants. It could end up being the largest single workforce reduction in Manitoba public-sector history.

JOHN WOODS / CANADIAN PRESS FILES At a news conference Monday, Finance Minister Scott Fielding said the spending and job cuts were necessary because the province was facing $2 billion more in health-care expenses and $3 billion less in revenue, creating the potential for a historic $5-billion budget deficit.

At a news conference Monday, Finance Minister Scott Fielding said the spending and job cuts were necessary because the province was facing $2 billion more in health-care expenses and $3 billion less in revenue, creating the potential for a historic $5-billion budget deficit.

It was a big shift from the picture painted just a week earlier, when Pallister warned public-sector unions and arm's-length entities to prepare for cuts of up to 30 per cent. When he unveiled his plan for spending and staff cuts, Fielding had the gall to call it "a good news story" because it was less than the initial target.

Clearly, the 30 per cent figure was a bluff designed to spook unions, school divisions, Crown corporations and post-secondary schools into accepting smaller cuts with no protest.

The 48 hours of deceit authored by Pallister and Fielding would be an outrage if it were not part of a longerterm and welldocumented problem this government has with the truth.

For non-poker players, a bluff is a calculated lie. While that may play well at the card table, it's a pretty dishonourable way to treat civil servants.

There is also mounting evidence the government's claims about the deficit and health-care costs are also a bluff  this time to justify a campaign of intensified austerity.

Pallister and Fielding have repeatedly claimed the bill for personal protective equipment (masks, gowns, gloves, sanitizer) could well be in excess of $1 billion. However, the Pallister government has refused to say how much has actually been spent, what the province got, and how much it is still obligated to purchase.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS "This payment will provide seniors with some of the additional support they need during this very, very challenging time," Premier Brian Pallister said.

The Tories have also refused to provide data on nursing vacancies and overtime, and doctors billings. Doctors Manitoba estimates the province could be saving $30 million to $50 million a month in physician fees from cancelled medical procedures and a precipitous drop in visits to private clinics.

On top of circumstantial evidence, an April 27 analysis by RBC suggests Manitoba is drastically overstating its fiscal predicament.

Based on budgets, fiscal statements and announced pandemic responses, the bank has forecasted deficits for each province: Ontario, Quebec and Alberta will suffer the largest deficits, but Manitoba is expected to come out with one of the smallest fiscal setbacks.

To put Fielding's claims about $5 billion into perspective, RBC is forecasting a deficit of that size in British Columbia, which has a much larger population and significantly more cases of COVID-19.

RBC forecasts Manitoba will have a $1.5-billion deficit due to the pandemic.

The 48 hours of deceit authored by Pallister and Fielding would be an outrage if it were not part of a longer-term and well-documented problem this government has with the truth.

There's always a chance the virus will make a comeback and ravage Manitoba. But fear of the unknown is not justification for exaggerating the situation and manipulating numbers to make it look worse off than it really is.

Manitobans not only want the truth, they can handle it.

The only question is whether the premier has any interest in offering it.

dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca

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Kate Middleton donned a pair of 800 diamond and yellow gold earrings from a luxury African brand during a virtual visit to a maternity ward.

The Duchess of Cambridge, 38, made the virtual visit to the maternity unit in Kingston last week, with a clip of her video call released on the Kensington Royal Instagram over the weekend.

The mother-of-three, who is currently isolating with her husband Prince William, 37, and their children, George, six, Charlotte, five, and Louis, two, in Anmer Hall in Norfolk, selected a pair of drop earrings by designer Patrick Mavros for the video call.

While the set of Ocean Tide Milky Quartz earrings appear to be a new addition to the royal's jewellery box, the earrings could have been a gift from the Duke for their ninth wedding anniversary which they celebrated last week.

Kate Middleton, 38, donned the 800 Ocean Tide Milky Quartz earrings by designer label Patrick Mavros for a virtual visit to a maternity unit in Kingston

The mother-of-three kept her make up natural for the occasion and wore her hair in a bouncy half up-do, revealing the stunning set.

The earrings, which are for sale online for 800, are bejewelled with brilliant diamonds and 18ct yellow gold.

The set, which were handmade in Mauritius, are described as 'expertly set and polished stones' which 'dangle elegantly from carefully crafted sea urchins'.

The pieces are described as inspired by 'the alluring and tranquil colours of the Indian Ocean'.

The stunning drop earrings, which were handmade in Mauritius, feature glittering diamonds and yellow gold detailing

The stunning drop earrings aren't the only set that the Duchess owns from the designer label, which Kate has been a fan of since before she married into the royal family.

In fact, the mother-of-three already owns several pairs by the Zimbabwean designer, including a pair Ndoro earrings which she wore while attending a polo match in 2009.

Kate later selected a pair of glittering drop earrings while attending an evening reception for the Tusk Trust and United for Wildlife in 2014.

The brand, which was launched by Patrick Mavros and his wife Catja in 1980, has it's flagship store just a stone's throw from Kate's London home of Kensington Palace.

The Duchess paired the earrings with a pretty floral wrap dress from Boden, which is described online as 'boho luxe' in style

Kate paired the stunning earrings with a 120 blue midi dress from Boden for a virtual visit to a maternity ward.

Perfect for the spring to summer transition, Kate's wrap midi dress features a daisy and polka dot pattern in a soft baby blue shade.

Online, the dress is described as 'boho luxe' with a 'handy tie-waist' that makes it adjustable to your shape.

While known as a quintessentially British brand, it may also have been chosen by the Duchess for it's credentials in sustainability.

The royal previously wore the trendy wrap dress for the Cambridge's 2019 family Christmas card

Footage of the call to Kingston Hospital, South-West London, where the Duchess worked last November, has been released to highlight mental health issues that can affect new mothers.

Kate gushed her congratulations to Rebecca Attwood and took great interest in how the birth had gone during the morale-boosting 'virtual' return visit to the NHS maternity unit where she previously spent two days on a work placement.

Rebecca, from Raynes Park in South-West London, said: 'Having a surprise conversation with the Duchess of Cambridge after two hours' sleep was particularly surreal.

'The Duchess asked us about having a baby at such an unusual time, and our experience on the maternity ward was that all the midwives made it as normal as possible  apart from the masks!'
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 19:18:48|Editor: huaxia

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ISLAMABAD, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's exports have seen a 54 percent reduction in the month of April as compared to last year, due to a fall in demand from international buyers in the wake of the global outbreak of COVID-19, local media reported on Wednesday.

The overall exports have dropped to 957 million U.S. dollars in April from 2.08 billion U.S. dollars mainly due to the order deferrals and cancellations related to the pandemic, Dawn News reported, quoting the data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

The major blow on the exports came from the importers of Pakistani goods in the North American and European countries that contracted the demand of Pakistani goods during the period, according to the report.

Closure of shipping lines, restriction on the arrival of exports containers at ports by authorities, and closures of land routes and borders with neighboring countries including Iran and Afghanistan were other reasons of drop in the country's exports, the report added.

On year-on-year basis, Pakistan saw a decline of 3.92 percent of exports to 18.408 billion U.S. dollars during July-April of FY20 from previous fiscal year's 19.16 billion U.S. dollars, mainly due to the disease outbreak and drop in export figures during March and April.

Despite the fall in demand of Pakistani goods mainly in textile sector, the government is hopeful that things will get better. In a recent conversation with media, Abdul Razak Dawood, advisor to Pakistani prime minister on commerce, textile, industry and production, and investment, said that his country has started getting export orders again after a brief halt by international buyers.

The local paper's report said that the new orders of the exporters include anti-bacterial and anti-fungal cloth, pillows cover, medical gowns, towels, bed sheets, and masks.

In order to revive the export sector, the government has also allowed the industries under the sector to resume their work despite lockdown, by following certain standard operating procedures formed by the government.

The government also gave cash subsidies to export-oriented sectors to help them overcome liquidity crunch during the pandemic crisis. Enditem
06.05.2020 LISTEN

The Flagbearer of the Progressive People's Party Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom has condemned politicians in the country for doing politics in the midst of the global pandemic.

According to the flagbearer who is stacked in the United States following the closure of Ghana's borders everyone should put politics aside to embrace the overall good of the nation.

"For our survival as a nation, it is imperative to put aside the political considerations of just three months ago so that we fashion a new economic and social order. We have no choice." He said.

He further cautioned Ghanaians about the necessity of togetherness in the country as it battles against the Coronavirus saying:

"The downfall of anyone should become a cause for worry for all. That is the essence of inclusiveness."

He also lamented about his inability to join his alma matter to commensurate their 90 years Anniversary but expressed hope to be back as soon as the doors are opened.

"COVID-19 prevented me from traveling to Ghana to observe the 90th Anniversary of St. Augustine's College, Cape Coast. I take from our motto "Omnia Vincit Labor" the need to persevere in order to triumph over this pandemic.

"So I remain in the USA perhaps until July or whenever it will be safe to travel more than ten hours with hundreds of other people I don't know to see the shores of Ghana again. "

The former Energy Minister during the erstwhile J. A Kuffour administration commended businesses in the country for their innovations during these hard times.

"Ghanaians have a new reality, something not really new, self reliance. I am tempted to write that the indigenous people, companies, entrepreneurs are ready to move. What we have within our boundaries is all we have.

"We should encourage the best in everyone and the necessity of our present reality will bring about many inventions." He noted.

The comments of the flagbearer of PPP come off following Dr. Mahamud Bawumia's reply to Ex-President John Dramani Mahama about the management of the global pandemic.

However, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom has advised the two major political parties to stay away from such political discourse as that would undermine the efforts of the nation to build a resilient antidote against a virus that has killed 18 people in the country.

"A Better Ghana", "Ghana Beyond Aid", "Prosperity in Peace". Does it matter which political party mouthed them first? NDC, NPP, PPP? Not when our very existence as a nation is at stake.

In reality, asking who is better (worse) than someone else should be condemned. We must use the best of everyone because every citizen has some problem of some sort somewhere. "
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CSX Corp. (CSX) chief financial officer Kevin Boone will address the Bank of America Securities 2020 Transportation and Industrials Conference virtually Tuesday, May 12, at 8 a.m. Eastern time.



This address will be broadcast live via webcast at http://investors.csx.com . A replay will be available following the conclusion of this event. This announcement, as well as additional financial information, is available on the companys website at http://investors.csx.com .

About CSX

CSX, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a premier transportation company. It provides rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to customers across a broad array of markets, including energy, industrial, construction, agricultural and consumer products. For nearly 200 years, CSX has played a critical role in the nations economic expansion and industrial development. Its network connects every major metropolitan area in the eastern United States, where nearly two-thirds of the nations population resides. It also links more than 230 short-line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports with major population centers and farming towns alike. More information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at www.csx.com . Like us on Facebook ( http://facebook.com/OfficialCSX ) and follow us on Twitter ( http://twitter.com/CSX ).

Contact:

Bill Slater, Investor Relations

904-359-1334

Bryan Tucker, Corporate Communications

855-955-6397
According to intelligence data, at least two members of Russia-led forces were wounded on May 5.

Russia's hybrid military forces on May 5 mounted 15 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, with two Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action.

"The Russian Federation's armed formations violated the ceasefire 15 times in the past day," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation Headquarters said on Facebook in an update as of 07:00 Kyiv time on May 6. "As a result, one serviceman of the Joint Forces was wounded and another one sustained combat-related injuries in enemy shelling."

Read alsoSBU names number of Ukrainians held captive in occupied Donbas

Russian-led forces opened fire from proscribed 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, sniper rifles, and small arms.

Under attack were Ukrainian positions near the towns of Maryinka and Avdiyivka, and the villages of Bohdanivka, Pavlopil, Slavne, Starohnativka, Orikhove, Krymske, and Pivdenne.

The Joint Forces returned fire in response to each enemy attack. According to intelligence data, at least two members of Russia-led forces were wounded on May 5.

In addition, the enemy shelled disengagement site No. 3 Bohdanivka-Petrivske, using 82mm mortars. The Ukrainian military did not fire back.

"Since Wednesday midnight, Russia-led forces have attacked Ukrainian positions near Avdiyivka, using hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers and rifles," the update said.

There have been no Ukrainian army casualties since Wednesday midnight.
WASHINGTON -- Capt. Brett Crozier, the former commander of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, has left Guam where he had been fighting the coronavirus and has been reassigned to a position in California, according to a Navy official.

Crozier now reports to the commander of Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet, based in San Diego, Cmdr. Ron Flanders, a spokesman for Naval Air Forces, wrote Tuesday in an email.

The captain was relieved of command of the aircraft carrier on April 2, several days after a letter that he wrote requesting the crew be evacuated from the ship due to an outbreak of the virus was leaked to the media.

Crozier warned in his letter that the outbreak could kill some sailors, and "if we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset -- our sailors."

Crozier is now special assistant to Capt. Max McCoy, the chief of staff for the commander of Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet, according to Flanders.

Related: Carrier Theodore Roosevelt Prepares to Go Back to Sea After Virus Outbreak

The Navy initiated an investigation into the outbreak and Crozier's letter following his dismissal. On April 24, the Navy's top leaders briefed Defense Secretary Mark Esper on the investigation and news reports said they recommended Crozier be reinstated as commander of the Roosevelt. However, no action was taken after Esper requested more time to review the Navy's written report.

Since that briefing, the entire 4,800-member crew of the Roosevelt has been tested for the coronavirus, the Navy has reported. The Navy's last update Thursday stated there were 1,102 active cases of the virus among the ship's crew, 53 sailors had recovered, and three were being treated at U.S. Naval Hospital Guam for symptoms. One Roosevelt sailor died April 13 from the virus.

Sailors have been returning to the Roosevelt after weeks of quarantine in Guam. Sailors who have tested negative repeatedly for the virus are allowed back on the ship, which has been cleaned, according to the Navy.

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier arrived in Guam on March 27 as the virus spread among the ship's crew. The new commander, Capt. Carlos Sardiello, said during a CBS News interview Monday that the ship will not wait for all its sailors to leave quarantine before it returns to sea. More than half of the crew has returned to the ship, according to the CBS report.

"We've taken 45 days from that business (of patrolling) and it's a dangerous business, so we have a lot of training to complete," he said.

Acting Navy Secretary James McPherson on Wednesday ordered a deeper review into the virus outbreak aboard the Roosevelt and the Navy's response, following an initial investigation that left him with "unanswered questions."

The investigation is expected to be submitted to Adm. Mike Gilday, the chief of naval operations, by May 27 unless an extension is granted, Cmdr. Nate Christensen, a spokesman for Gilday, said Thursday in a statement.

Read more: 3 Marines Tackle, Subdue Threatening Passenger on Long-Haul Flight
Theres a Mr. Rogers quote that often gets thrown around in times of crisis.

Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.

There are a lot of helpers these days, including farmers who are coming together to give back to their communities.

Guernsey County Farm Bureau coordinated the donation of a steer and a hog to a local food pantry through the Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry program.

Kathi Albertson, the local coordinator for Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry, brought up the idea to the farm bureau board at its monthly meeting.

I asked the farm bureau how I could get farmers to donate animals, she said.

The farm bureau board jumped into action. Randy Raber, of Red Hill Farm, to donate a steer, and Tiffany Smith donated a hog.

Its just a whole bunch of people helping our neighbors who need the food, she said. Im inspired by all these people.

More than 1,000 pounds of beef and a 170 pounds of pork is going to the Grace Food Pantry, in Cambridge, Ohio. Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry pays for donated deer and livestock to be processed and distributed to local assistance programs. The local program is funded through donations from Walmart, Cambridge Kiwanis Foundation and Gulfport Energy Fund at the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio.

Silver lining

Events and conferences canceled because of COVID-19 brought about a silver lining of sorts. It left some groups with extra time and money.

We were supposed to sponsor a couple events in the spring. They were canceled, said Charlie Finton, of the Tuscarawas County Dairy Farmers Committee. We thought, what if we do something to help somehow.

The dairy farmers committee teamed up with the Tuscarawas County Farm Bureau to purchase more than 2,000 gallons of milk from the New Philadelphia Walmart to distribute to school families.

I dont care who you are or what you are, everybody is struggling right now in one shape or another, Finton said. So I thought what if we just hand a gallon of milk out to everybody as they come through the school meal line.

The groups donated about 2,100 gallons of milk the weeks of April 21 and 28. People saw what was happening and donated money, allowing the groups to donate milk for a third week.

The third week will happen all because of donations, Finton said.

He said the milk donation project grew much larger than he ever anticipated when he first pitched the idea to the dairy committee. Hes thankful for all the support theyve gotten.

Its about doing what we can to help other people, he said. Were dairy farmers. If were going to hand something out, its going to be milk. And people love it.

It was a similar story with Pennsylvanias Butler County Farm Bureau and the county dairy promotion group.

Marburger Farm Dairy, a Butler County dairy processor, was sending milk to be given out at a drive-through food distribution the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank was holding at the Big Butler Fairgrounds April 28. The local ag groups pledged money to buy some of the milk and sent volunteers to help hand out food and milk.

We thought we might as well help local farms and farmers with this money that we didnt spend, said William Thiele, a board member with the Butler County Farm Bureau and a dairy farmer. We brainstormed some ideas. Then it snowballed.

More than 1,000 gallons of milk were distributed at the fairgrounds distribution.

More helping hands:

 Marion County Farm Bureaus annual Farmers Care Breakfast, scheduled for March 21, was canceled because of COVID-19. Hord Family Farms had already processed, packaged and donated several hundred pounds of sausage for the event.

That meat still went to feed the community. The Hord family and Marion County Farm Bureau decided to donate 500 pounds of pork to the St. Vincent de Paul Society food pantry in Marion.

 Knox County worked with Case Farms to purchase chicken for the county Hot Meals programs. More than 600 pounds of chicken was donated to feed families in Knox County.

By purchasing chicken from Case Farms, the company that several Knox County farm families grow poultry for, farm bureau was able to help get food from farm to table in homes of many senior citizens in our county, said Kim Hawk, Knox County Farm Bureau Board of Trustees member and local Case Farms grower.

 Erie County Farm Bureau is donating milk and dairy products to Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio.

 Brown County Farm Bureau members are volunteering at the Helping Hands food pantry to keep it running and donate milk to the pantry.

 Highland County Farm Bureau donated 300 gallons of milk to its local food pantry.

(Reporter Rachel Wagoner can be contacted at 800-837-3419 or rachel@farmanddairy.com.)
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Investors are particularly wary of European banks. Since February, shares in the regions lenders have lost more than 40% of their value to hit lows not seen even in the depths of the global financial crisis. The concern is that a fragmented industry still grappling with meager profitability will be crippled by the pandemic-inflicted economic slump, notwithstanding all the government assistance.

How banks are preparing for the inevitable buildup of bad loans isnt helping confidence, either. Some took their bitter medicine in the first quarter, making large provisions that ate into profit. Others, perhaps encouraged by regulators, took a more benign view of the impact of the worst economic contraction in living memory.

The result? While banks loan books differ from each other  with varying exposures to different geographies and industries, and to secured and unsecured borrowers  it will take time to convince investors that things are OK. The mountain of bad loans that plagued lenders after the previous crises took years to reduce. Whether lenders have become truly more prudent remains to be seen.

Take Frances BNP Paribas SA. Its outlook is much brighter than that of the markets. The last of Europes big banks to report first-quarter earnings said on Tuesday that it only expects a drop of net income for the year of between 15% and 20%. Analysts have been forecasting a 30% drop or more for 2020.

Profit fell by a third to 1.3 billion euros ($1.4 billion) in the first three months of 2020, after the bank set aside an additional 502 million euros for the hit from the pandemic, chiefly for its corporate bank and consumer finance businesses. For the rest of 2020, the lender sees net-interest income offsetting a decline in fees. At the same time, BNP said more cost savings would help soften the blow of what it has to set aside for deteriorating credit.

The bank expects to lend more, filling a vacuum left by some banks that are less keen to extend credit into Europe. And it plans to capitalize on its shift into automation by not replacing employees who leave.

Story continues

Still, when asked what bad loans will look like over the coming quarters, Chief Financial Officer Lars Machenil told Bloomberg Television its a tad too early to say. On a call with analysts, executives also declined to share details on the assumptions for gross domestic product that the bank has used. For shareholders, this lack of clarity will remain a cause for concern. Government backing of companies with loan guarantees and grants will help, but the speed with which economic activity will resume is still largely unknown.

And there are always the one-offs. BNP missed out on the Wall Street trading bonanza where its peers posted their best quarter in eight years. Instead, its equities revenue was wiped out. The firm lost $200 million on equity derivatives, and unspecified amounts on misfiring hedges and building reserves. Blaming European authorities for restricting dividends, which caused BNPs bets on payouts to backfire, was a feeble attempt to deflect attention from the real issue. The bank was caught on the wrong side of the market.

BNP said there were nine instances in which its trading profits or losses exceeded what its internal value-at-risk models had predicted, a sign of the strain the trading business came under in the quarter. Luckily, regulators have lent a hand, easing the capital requirements for banks that get caught out like this.

Investors will also take comfort that the bank has a more diverse business than its domestic rival Societe Generale SA, which lost money on similar derivatives bets and plunged into the red for the quarter. BNP trades at 40% of its tangible book value, or twice SocGens multiple. The gap has widened, but its a stretch to say BNP is a safe bet.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Elisa Martinuzzi is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering finance. She is a former managing editor for European finance at Bloomberg News.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

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Migrants: Alarm Phone says 46 in danger on rubber boat In Maltese SAR zone, taking on water. Children, pregnant women

(ANSAmed) - ROME, MAY 6 - Sea-rescue support hotline Alarm Phone said it received a distress call overnight from a rubber boat in Maltese waters with 46 people aboard, including three children and pregnant women.



"They say they are taking on water," Alarm Phone said, adding that it had lost contact with the boat.



"Maltese authorities are informed and have the duty of rescuing these 46 people and taking them to Europe without delay," it said.(ANSAmed).




Former Jubbal-Kotkhai legislator and chief parliamentary secretary (agriculture) on Wednesday met chief minister Jai Ram Thakur to discuss various problems being faced by farmers in the state.

He also submitted a letter demanding solutions for ground-level problems of farmers and horticulturists.

Stating that agricultural and horticultural activities had taken a hit due to the coronavirus outbreak, he demanded the supply of packaging materials for fruits and apples through HP Horticulture Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC), HP State Co-operative Marketing and Consumers Federation (HIMFED) and private vendors. He said that production of packaging materials, which has been been stalled since March, should be started in industrial areas like Baddi, Kala Amb and Nalagarh by taking precautionary measures to ensure safety of the workers.

He also urged the state government to make arrangements for labourers, 90% of whom have come to the states apple growing belt from Nepal, besides demanding to set up a high-level monitoring committee under the CMs chairmanship to redress farmers issues.

The state government should fix minimum support price in order to provide relief to the farmers, while support prices should also be increased as cost of production of apples have gone up, he said.

Jai Ram Thakur

The former Congress MLA asked the CM to waive off loans of small and marginal farmers and revise budget 2020-21 to prioritise health and agricultural sector as the situation has changed since the budget was approved.

In addition to it, Thakur suggested opening of controlled atmosphere stores and fruit processing units so that farmers could store their produce safely and sell it at reasonable rates. He also demanded compensation for the loss suffered by farmers and horticulturists due to hailstorm.

Thakur has also called for strengthening of public distribution system in the state, besides provision of free ration for poor and needy persons.
Venezuela arrests 2 US citizens linked to incursion attempt

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 05 May 2020 7:12 AM

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says two US citizens working with an American military veteran who has claimed responsibility for a recent marine incursion attempt into Venezuela have been arrested.

Before dawn on Sunday, a group of US-backed mercenaries tried to intrude into the northern state of La Guaira on boats, but Venezuelan authorities foiled the attack, which was launched from Colombia, killing eight of the armed men and arresting two others.

In a state television address on Monday, Maduro said authorities had detained 13 "terrorists" involved in the Sunday attack, including two Americans.

The two US citizens were identified as Airan Berry and Luke Denman.

Maduro showed the US passports and other identification cards belonging to Berry and Denman, noting that they had been working with Jordan Goudreau, an American military veteran who leads the Florida-based security firm Silvercorp USA.

"They were playing Rambo. They were playing hero," Maduro said.

Goudreau later admitted that Berry and Denman were working with him in the operation.

"They're working with me. Those are my guys," he told Reuters by telephone on Monday.

Maduro said the Venezuelan authorities had been aware of the plot  which was coordinated with Washington and aimed to oust him  before its execution.

Washington has been openly calling for the ouster of Maduro, increasing pressure on Caracas in recent months by indicting the leftist leader as a "narco-trafficker" and offering a 15-million-dollar "reward" for his arrest.

Washington has also slapped harsh sanctions on Venezuela.

Opposition figure Juan Guaido, propped up by the US, declared himself "interim president" of Venezuela amid anti-government protests last year in what was deemed as an abortive coup.

There was also an attempt at assassinating Maduro with a drone in 2018.

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It appears that government is facing shortage of capacity to scale up testing across the country, and shortage of hospital beds to provide medical care to some of those who test positive and may need it. In India, there is a law (t

What should be a better way to scale up testing and hospitalization capacity in the country: to bring all private health sector under government control, or try to negotiate a price with private sector?

COVID-19 is a public health emergency and is cascading into several humanitarian crises of different intensities and levels across the nation. Given the immediacy and urgency of response we need to build to have the best chance to contain COVID-19 at the earliest, some of the state governments did bring the private sector under government control.

But if all private health industry was brought under government control nationwide, then government could have leveraged it to strengthen COVID-19 response on a range of levels, such as, companies competent enough to procure or manufacture antibody rapid and/or Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests, fully equipped laboratories to do these testing, hospitals and its staff to take care of those who need medical attention due to COVID-19 (and other non-COVID-19 health needs which are no less life-threatening).

But instead the national government chose the way to negotiate with private sector maximum price cap for testing. Last month, government announced that maximum price cap for COVID-19 test in private sector will be Rs 4,500. Then in early April 2020, Supreme Court thankfully ordered that COVID-19 tests will be free in private and public sector both, and private sector should be extending philanthropic services in the hour of national crisis.

However this order was modified by the Supreme Court a week later that free test in private sector be made available only for the poorest and government should decide which other categories of people should get this benefit, as well as private sector can charge the earlier agreed price from others.

COVID-19 testing and all medical care remains free of cost for everyone in government health sector. But in private, there is a maximum cap on cost for a test, as well as, it is reported that cost of intensive care unit and medical care for COVID-19 could be several lakhs of rupees for estimated 15 days of hospitalization.

In COVID-19 like-crisis situation, should not the government have brought all the private health industry under its control so that all diagnostics to medical care is free of cost for a country where a lot of its citizens are already reeling under intensifying economic hardships?

Prohibitive cost of medical care is the biggest barrier that blocks those who need lifesaving care. Medical costs are also a reason to push people deeper into poverty. We in India were dealing with pandemics before COVID-19 too.

Pneumonia is biggest killer of children under five years, malnutrition affects our children most in the world, tuberculosis (TB), worlds biggest killer infectious disease, has maximum disease burden in India, non-communicable diseases (such as, heart disease and stroke, diabetes, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, among others) have one of the biggest burdens in our population. More humbling is the reality that most of these diseases are preventable, and premature deaths could have been averted  if preventive healthcare and all necessary public health promotion activities were in place.

In COVID-19 pandemic, if intention was to encourage those with symptoms to get diagnosed and benefit from best possible care (even if no cure exists for COVID-19), then government should have first removed the exorbitant cost barrier by bringing all private health sector under government control, with all infrastructure, supplies and skilled human resource, and collectively contribute to the crisis which has challenged our nation. Along with measures to cut the chain of transmission of corona virus (such as lockdown, social distancing, masks), it is indeed important to find those who are positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19), isolate them and provide them with best possible medical care as needed. It appears that government is facing shortage of capacity to scale up testing across the country, and shortage of hospital beds to provide medical care to some of those who test positive and may need it. In India, there is a law (t he Epidemics Act 1897 ) which gives government (even state governments) constitutional authority to bring all private health sector under government control.What should be a better way to scale up testing and hospitalization capacity in the country: to bring all private health sector under government control, or try to negotiate a price with private sector?COVID-19 is a public health emergency and is cascading into several humanitarian crises of different intensities and levels across the nation. Given the immediacy and urgency of response we need to build to have the best chance to contain COVID-19 at the earliest, some of the state governments did bring the private sector under government control.But if all private health industry was brought under government control nationwide, then government could have leveraged it to strengthen COVID-19 response on a range of levels, such as, companies competent enough to procure or manufacture antibody rapid and/or Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests, fully equipped laboratories to do these testing, hospitals and its staff to take care of those who need medical attention due to COVID-19 (and other non-COVID-19 health needs which are no less life-threatening).But instead the national government chose the way to negotiate with private sector maximum price cap for testing. Last month, government announced that maximum price cap for COVID-19 test in private sector will be Rs 4,500. Then in early April 2020, Supreme Court thankfully ordered that COVID-19 tests will be free in private and public sector both, and private sector should be extending philanthropic services in the hour of national crisis.However this order was modified by the Supreme Court a week later that free test in private sector be made available only for the poorest and government should decide which other categories of people should get this benefit, as well as private sector can charge the earlier agreed price from others.COVID-19 testing and all medical care remains free of cost for everyone in government health sector. But in private, there is a maximum cap on cost for a test, as well as, it is reported that cost of intensive care unit and medical care for COVID-19 could be several lakhs of rupees for estimated 15 days of hospitalization.In COVID-19 like-crisis situation, should not the government have brought all the private health industry under its control so that all diagnostics to medical care is free of cost for a country where a lot of its citizens are already reeling under intensifying economic hardships?Prohibitive cost of medical care is the biggest barrier that blocks those who need lifesaving care. Medical costs are also a reason to push people deeper into poverty. We in India were dealing with pandemics before COVID-19 too.Pneumonia is biggest killer of children under five years, malnutrition affects our children most in the world, tuberculosis (TB), worlds biggest killer infectious disease, has maximum disease burden in India, non-communicable diseases (such as, heart disease and stroke, diabetes, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, among others) have one of the biggest burdens in our population. More humbling is the reality that most of these diseases are preventable, and premature deaths could have been averted  if preventive healthcare and all necessary public health promotion activities were in place.In COVID-19 pandemic, if intention was to encourage those with symptoms to get diagnosed and benefit from best possible care (even if no cure exists for COVID-19), then government should have first removed the exorbitant cost barrier by bringing all private health sector under government control, with all infrastructure, supplies and skilled human resource, and collectively contribute to the crisis which has challenged our nation.

Cuban doctors

Countries like Spain have nationalized health services during COVID-19 crisis whereas about 30 countries including Canada, United Kingdom, Brazil, South Africa, Cuba and Sri Lanka have had a government funded healthcare system.

While most countries of the world are overwhelmed with the current COVID-19 crisis a small country like Cuba has sent its doctors to 19 countries including one of the worst affected Italy to handle the emergency and allowed a British ship with five people affected by coronavirus to dock near its shore when other countries had refused such a permission. One can imagine the strength of public healthcare system there.

Why is there no government-to-government arrangement to procure COVID-19 testing kits like in the case of Rafale deal? A recent controversy that came afore was around Governments attempt to procure over five lakh rapid test kits. A company called Matrix, imported the rapid test kits at Rs 245 per kit price (total cost of 5 lakh kits is Rs 12.25 crore), another company called Rare Metabolics bought these kits from Matrix after paying Rs 7.75 crore more (so total cost went up to Rs 21 crore). And Rare Metabolics gave these kits to Indian government at a price of Rs 600 per kit (Rs 30 crore in total).

However,

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) was directly involved in above procurement of rapid test kits. ICMR

Should not citizens question the government then on what basis has it allowed private sector to charge maximum price of Rs 4,500 per test (when entire test kit costs much less as told by ICMR in its tweet)? When everybody is being expected to make a sacrifice, government employees have had to involuntarily give up one day salary, Member of Parliaments have agreed to a 30% cut in salaries, MP Local Area Development fund has been suspended for 2 years, medical staff are exposing themselves to risk in national service, why is the private sector being given a free hand to milk more profits even when nation reels under such a severe crisis?

Why is a government-to-government arrangement not being made to procure COVID-19 testing kits like in the case of Rafale deal? Is the coronavirus threat any less serious than matter of national security?

Dr Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief of "The Lancet" wrote in March 2018 that politics is the ultimate determinant of health. On April 24, 2020, Dr Horton

Nationalizing health services is among the most important corrective political actions which governments can take in wake of this pandemic. But health security for everyone can only come when we address inequalities and injustices in every other sector. A recent controversy that came afore was around Governments attempt to procure over five lakh rapid test kits. A company called Matrix, imported the rapid test kits at Rs 245 per kit price (total cost of 5 lakh kits is Rs 12.25 crore), another company called Rare Metabolics bought these kits from Matrix after paying Rs 7.75 crore more (so total cost went up to Rs 21 crore). And Rare Metabolics gave these kits to Indian government at a price of Rs 600 per kit (Rs 30 crore in total).However, Government of Indias press release issued on April 27, 2020, said that not a rupee has been paid to any company as entire order stands cancelled.The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) was directly involved in above procurement of rapid test kits. ICMR tweeted on April 27, 2020 that price range approved by ICMR is Rs 740-1150 for RT-PCR and Rs 528-795 for Rapid Test. It is inexplicable why, when the ICMR has rejected the abovementioned rapid test kit on the basis of unsatisfactory performance, the Delhi High Court has put a price cap of Rs 400 on these kits?Should not citizens question the government then on what basis has it allowed private sector to charge maximum price of Rs 4,500 per test (when entire test kit costs much less as told by ICMR in its tweet)? When everybody is being expected to make a sacrifice, government employees have had to involuntarily give up one day salary, Member of Parliaments have agreed to a 30% cut in salaries, MP Local Area Development fund has been suspended for 2 years, medical staff are exposing themselves to risk in national service, why is the private sector being given a free hand to milk more profits even when nation reels under such a severe crisis?Why is a government-to-government arrangement not being made to procure COVID-19 testing kits like in the case of Rafale deal? Is the coronavirus threat any less serious than matter of national security?Dr Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief of "The Lancet" wrote in March 2018 that politics is the ultimate determinant of health. On April 24, 2020, Dr Horton wrote : The idea you can strip out politics from medicine or health is historically ignorant.Nationalizing health services is among the most important corrective political actions which governments can take in wake of this pandemic. But health security for everyone can only come when we address inequalities and injustices in every other sector.

That is why ending privatization and protecting public health, public water, public education, public transport, and other public services along with social security for everyone, are among the acute needs today.

---

*Bobby Ramakant and Shobha Shukla are with Citizen News Service,.and Sandeep Pandey is social activist and vice president of Socialist Party (India)
A mother has broken down in tears saying she felt like an 'animal' having to be alone after giving birth.

Rebekah Burgess, 39, had originally planned to have a water birth at her home in Wellington, New Zealand, when her daughter Trinity was born in March.

However a series of events - including the level four coronavirus restrictions the country entered to stop the spread of the pandemic - made this impossible.

Rebekah Burgess, 39, had originally planned to have a water birth at her home in Wellington, New Zealand, when her daughter Trinity was born in March

Ms Burgess told the Government Epidemic Response Committee on Wednesday she felt like 'an animal' after she gave birth and her partner was forced to leave.

She planned to give birth at home but her first midwife dropped out after saying she would only support her if she gave birth at a hospital.

However this would mean Ms Burgess' partner Cameron wouldn't be allowed to stay with her following the birth.

A second midwife also fell through - so Ms Burgess was taken to Wellington Hospital to give birth.

'I felt disempowered like my body was not my own and I felt like I had no choice in the way I birthed. I felt like an animal,' she said.

Ms Burgess said shortly after Trinity was 'ripped out of her' her partner was made to leave the hospital three hours later - unable to return until she was discharged.

She said Cameron was denied the chance to bond with their child as a father which was 'inhumane' and he worst fear was being realised.

'I told my [first] midwife under no circumstances was I to be left alone. Even before the virus hit my biggest fear was being left alone after birth with a newborn I couldn't take care of,' she said.

She said she doesn't understand the 'draconian' reasons her partner wasn't allowed to stay with her.

Ms Burgess said shortly after Trinity was 'ripped out of her' her partner was made to leave the hospital three hours later - unable to return until she was discharged

She said 'at the most vulnerable time of her life' she was 'bleeding and sobbing' to be given 'substandard care'.

Ms Burgess said she was criticised for not having enough essentials and wasn't given any help learning how to breastfeed.

Ms Burgess claimed the hospital's policy contravened WHO guidelines stating women have the right to quality care before, during and after birth.

She claimed no one in the birthing suit or the post-natal ward wore personal protective equipment.

Ms Burgess said while she loves her daughter she initially resented her for what had happened.

She questioned why a birthing hut 20 minutes away had different rules and the Ministry of Health set consistent rules across the board.

Health Director-General Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the government wanted to reduce the risk for everybody and the Ministry of Health did not want to discriminate.

'At the time when we were in alert level 4, we were in this position where we had seen the impact this virus had on health services overseas and we were keen to avoid that impact,' Dr Bloomfield told the committee, according to Newshub.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said during Wednesday's press conference no one should have to birth alone.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said during Wednesday's press conference no one should have to birth alone

'All the way through this - every time there has been a death or a traumatic experience because we have had to make decisions that has impacted on people's health - we have never underestimated the impact that is having on people's lives,' she said.

'Some of the stories I've heard though don't fit with our expectations. No one should birth alone or be without a support person through that experience.'

She said there would be some cases the Director-General would be looked at because it appeared some expectations weren't being met.

Capital and Coast District Health Board's Director of Provider Services Joy Farley said privacy obligation prevents them from commenting on individual cases.

'In general terms, Capital & Coast DHB has rigorous infection prevention and control measures throughout our hospitals including in our birthing facilities. This includes ensuring that staff in direct contact with COVID-19 patients wear full PPE. As per Ministry of Health guidelines, full PPE is not required for staff who are not in contact with COVID-19 patients,' she said.

'Under alert level four, we adopted a no-visitors policy with only a few notable exceptions. One of these exceptions enabled a woman to have one well person in the delivery suite to support her during birth.'

She said the support person is able to stay for two hours following the birth.

'We were concerned to hear of this woman's experience. Having a baby is supposed to be a joyful event and it appears that this may not have been the case on this occasion. We invite her to contact us, and would be more than happy to meet with her to discuss her concerns and what  if anything  could have been done differently,' Ms Farley said.
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PNB Housing Finance on Wednesday said it has signed a pact with IIT-Delhi for developing sustainable and reusable personal protective equipment (PPE) kits for healthcare workers.

Under the agreement, the PNB Housing Finance Ltd (PNBHFL) will support research and development of a unique prototype material to be used in manufacturing sustainable (washable and reusable) PPE surgical gowns and masks.

Coronavirus India News LIVE

The PPE kits developed will then be supplied to government hospitals, PNBHFL said in a release.

In managing patients afflicted with the highly-contagious COVID-19, healthcare workers rely heavily on PPE kits in protecting themselves from being infected or infecting others.

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

But a shortage of PPE kits is exposing doctors, nurses and other frontline workers to the risk of infection while caring for COVID-19 patients.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here
The Ghaziabad police Wednesday produced 17 foreign nationals and five others before the Ghaziabad court, which remanded them in judicial custody. The police said all 22 persons, including five accused of molesting nurses of MMG Hospital, are now lodged at a temporary jail at Adyatmik Inter College in Dasna.

The temporary jails had come up on the directions of the state government and were meant for people who are foreign nationals, linked to Islamic missionary group Tablighi Jamaat , and for those suspected to be involved in attacking police or health care workers, officials of the UP prisons department has said.

The Ghaziabad police has lodged 24 cases under the Epidemic Act and arrested 94 persons and seven cases were lodged under the provisions of the Disaster Management Act and 54 were arrested. Of them, 17 were in quarantine and seven were from Nepal while 10 others were from Indonesia. They have been booked under relevant sections, said Kalanidhi Naithani, senior superintendent of police (SSP).

Another set of five persons are those who were in quarantine and were caught misbehaving with women health workers. All 22 persons were produced before a court and are now being transferred to the temporary jail, the SSP said.

We have deployed personnel from the provincial armed constabulary as well as the civil police. The temporary jail premises has been fully cordoned off, Neeraj Kumar Jadaun, superintendent of police (rural), said.

According to police, the seven Nepal nationals were booked from Tila Morh and Muradnagar police station areas while the 10 Indonesian nationals were booked from Sahibabad police station. The police said they had attended religious congregations and were living in hiding in Ghaziabad.

The five other persons, who are residents of Ghaziabad, were booked for molestation and other charges at the Kotwali police station.

The UP cabinet Wednesday also brought in the Uttar Pradesh Epidemic Disease Control Ordinance, 2020, which spells stricter punishment for persons involved in intentionally spreading the disease, hiding infected or suspected persons and attacking those in the front-line of the Covid-19 fight.

The provisions in the Ordinance are cognisable and non-bailable. If there is violation of treatment by anyone like in quarantine centre etc, there is provision of punishment rangign from imprisonment of one year to three years. If anyone attacks health care workers, staff members, police and others involved in Covid-19 duties, there is provision of imprisonment of up to five years. In case of a grievous attack, the punishment is up to seven years, Amit Mohan Prasad, principal secretary (health), Uttar Pradesh, said.

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Hundreds of fans were seen flocking to the zoo once owned by Joe Exotic over the weekend, which has aptly been renamed Tiger King Park, as the zoo can finally cash in on its Netflix fame, exclusive photos by DailyMail.com show.

Dozens stood in line as they waited their turn to enter inside the infamous zoo located in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, and formerly named G.W. Exotic Animal Park.

The zoo has been closed since Oklahoma issued restrictions due to the coronavirus, but over the weekend it was allowed to reopen using CDC recommended social distancing and sanitation protocols.

However, once inside, throngs of people ignored social distancing rules as they went without face masks and clamored to get an up close look at the park's tigers and lions.

Adults and children alike were seen sitting shoulder-to-shoulder as they waited their turn to pet tiger cubs.

The zoo rose to fame due to the hit Netflix docuseries that focused on its eccentric owner Joe Exotic, who was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for hiring a hit-man to kill his arch nemesis Carole Baskin and for more than a dozen wildlife violations, including killing five tigers.

Now it's under ownership by Joe's former business partner Jeff Lowe and his wife Lauren, who were seen greeting guests over the weekend, as fans also got to meet head zookeeper Erik Cowie and Allen Glover, who was 'hired' by Joe to kill Baskin.

Hundreds of fans were seen flocking to the zoo once owned by Joe Exotic over the weekend, which has aptly been renamed Tiger King Park, as the zoo can finally cash in on its Netflix fame, exclusive photos by DailyMail.com show

Dozens waited in line as they waited their turn to enter inside the infamous zoo located in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, and formerly named G.W. Exotic Animal Park

The zoo has been closed since Oklahoma issued restrictions due to the coronavirus, but over the weekend it was allowed to reopen using CDC recommended social distancing and sanitation protocols

Adults and children alike were seen sitting shoulder-to-shoulder as they waited their turn to pet tiger cubs

However, once inside, throngs of people ignored social distancing rules as they went without face masks and clamored to get an up close look at the park's tigers and lions

The zoo rose to fame due to the hit Netflix docuseries focused on its eccentric owner Joe Exotic

Joe Exotic was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison for hiring a hit-man to kill his arch nemesis Carole Baskin and for more than a dozen wildlife violations, including killing five tigers

In a previous interview with DailyMail.com, Glover said he only took the $3,000 that Joe paid him to kill Baskin to escape Oklahoma and get away from Joe, who he 'hated'.

He said: 'I never had any intention of harming Carole, let alone kill her.

'I was working for Joe at the time and I just couldn't stand being around Joe anymore and I wanted to get out of there and go back to South Carolina. But I didn't have any money to leave, I was only making $150/week.'

'My only plan the entire time was to drain every dime I could get from Joe, I hated that guy,' Glover laughed.

Glover later testified against Joe at trial, where Joe was found sentenced to 22 years in prison for the plot to kill Baskin, as well as numerous animal violations, including five tigers.

Glover said he doesn't believe Joe will last long in prison saying: 'He's not going to ever set foot alive outside of prison again, he won't do his full sentence, I give him five years at most before he's dead.'

Glover added: 'He knows he's never getting out and that sets the course for depression, I wouldn't be surprised if he even makes it out of medical where he is currently being housed.

He continued: 'I should know the mindset it takes to survive, I've spent a long time in prison, and Joe doesn't have what it takes.'

Now it's under ownership by Joe's former business partner Jeff Lowe and his wife Lauren (pictured together), who was seen greeting guests over the weekend

Fans also got to meet head zookeeper Erik Cowie (pictured), who was showing guests around the zoo

Pictured: Fans of the Netflix's Tiger King pose with Erik Cowie (fourth from left), Jeff Lowe and his wife Lauren (together second and third from right)

Allen Glover, 51, (right) is still working at the zoo. He was hired by the flamboyant former owner of GW Exotic Animal Park in Wynnewood, Oklahoma to murder Big Cat Animal Rescue owner Carole Baskin (left) in exchange for $3,000 in 2017. Glover previously told DailyMail.com: 'I never had any intention of harming Carole, let alone kill her'

People ignore social distancing and sit shoulder-to-shoulder to pet tiger cubs at the zoo

Although social distancing is still in place and the CDC recommends people to stay six feet apart and wear face masks, few were following the rules at the infamous zoo over the weekend

Head zookeeper Erik Cowie, 51, who was also featured in the docuseries, was seen showing off tiger cubs to zoo-goers over the weekend. He previously told DailyMail.com that his former boss Joe Exotic would hit tiger cubs if they misbehaved and claimed Joe was afraid of most of his big cats

Head zookeeper Erik Cowie, 51, who was also featured in the docuseries, was seen showing off tiger cubs to zoo-goers over the weekend. He previously told DailyMail.com that his former boss Joe Exotic would hit tiger cubs if they misbehaved and claimed Joe was afraid of most of his big cats.

Cowie said most of the animals hated Joe so much that 'several of the big cats would have eaten him alive if given the chance.'

He said: 'Joe would often brag about being in a cage with 16 tigers, but in reality it was more like two or three of them. I would take the mean ones out of the cage, the cats who didn't like him.

'There was a liger and we used to use Joe as bait in order to get her out of its cage, this big cat would try to attack Joe every time she saw him.' A liger is a cross breed of a female tiger and a male lion.

Cowie also claimed that Joe had killed more than 100 tigers, once killing five tigers in a day to board other animals at the zoo.

New zoo owner Jeff Lowe previously told DailyMail.com that Netflix only showed one percent of Joe's crimes and shady business deals in the popular docuseries.

'In just the few years that we knew him, we witnessed so many horrendous things that he did to people and businesses, nobody around here would take his checks because he bounced them on everybody,' Lowe said.

Lowe claims Joe was only convicted of a fraction of the crimes he committed while operating the zoo, going further to allege he got entangled in the whole scandal when Joe conned him into investing in his zoo by claiming he was HIV positive and only had a few years left to live.

Lowe said he met Joe for the first time in 2015 when he flew him and his then husband Travis Maldonado to Colorado because Lowe was interested in buying a zoo in Callahan, Colorado.

Cowie said most of t he animals hated Joe so much that 'several of the big cats would have eaten him alive if given the chance'

Cowie also claimed that Joe had killed more than 100 tigers, once killing five tigers in a day to board other animals at the zoo

New zoo owner Jeff Lowe previously told DailyMail.com that Netflix only showed one percent of Joe's crimes and shady business deals in the popular docuseries

'In just the few years that we knew him, we witnessed so many horrendous things that he did to people and businesses, nobody around here would take his checks because he bounced them on everybody,' Lowe said

People pet tiger cubs at the newly renamed Tiger King Park, with guests sitting shoulder to shoulder

Lowe claims he got entangled in the whole scandal when Joe conned him into investing in his zoo by claiming he was HIV positive and only had a few years left to live

Lowe said he met Joe for the first time in 2015 when he flew him and his then husband Travis Maldonado to Colorado because Lowe was interested in buying a zoo in Callahan, Colorado

'Joe wanted to come out to Colorado to give me his professional opinion because he thought he was the gift of all the zoos, he was going to tell us what had to be changed in order to bring the zoo back to USDA compliance,' Lowe said.

While out in Colorado Joe made his pitch for the Lowes to buy his zoo. That's when Joe told the couple he was dying.

Joe allegedly told Lowe because of his HIV diagnosis, he had only two years to live and he needed someone who loved animals and had the financial wherewithal to continue to run the park after he died.

'He presented me these pictures of himself on his phone with his face all swelled up and his lips all purple. Joe told me at that time the was HIV positive,' Lowe said.

'Joe told us he had a $5 million life insurance policy and he was going to put us down as a 50 percent beneficiary so we would have money to take care of the animals, with his husband Travis getting the other 50 percent.'

Just days after Joe flew back to Oklahoma, he was blowing up Lowe's phone with pictures of his life insurance policies as proof he wasn't lying.

Lowe said: 'He basically begged us to come out there to help him save it.'

Later Lowe found out most of the policies had been cancelled for non-payment or Joe had already cashed them out.

Lowe added: 'Joe not only told us he was HIV positive on several occasions, but told several other people. He used it to his advantage so he could scam something out of them, if it wasn't HIV, it was cancer.'

Lowe scoffed at the recent $94 million civil lawsuit Joe Exotic against him and several others, saying: 'This is typical Joe always blaming someone else for his own actions, nothing was ever his fault. Joe ended up where he deserves to be, in prison'

Meanwhile, Lowe claims Joe was embezzling from the both the zoo and his parents, and using the money to pay male prostitutes he would meet on Craigslist

Lowe believes Joe was guilty of all of the charges, especially killing the five tigers he was convicted on

He added: 'Netflix wanted you to believe that I stole the zoo from Joe and Joe wants you to believe it as well, [but] he begged me to buy it. He wanted me to bail his a** out of trouble'

Jeff Lowe's wife Lauren talks to zoo guests over the weekend in Wynnewood, Oklahoma

One of the more shocking details Lowe claims that he learned there could be dead bodies buried on the property (pictured)

In reality, Lowe said he found out Joe did have an auto immune disease called CVID, it's not transmitted sexually like HIV, but mimics the genetic code of HIV.

Whenever Joe had to go to the hospital or to the doctors for treatment for his CVID, he said it was either cancer, HIV or something else, Lowe said.

He added: 'I mean he used that as a crutch whenever times were tough and he'd get out of line, he'd say, ''I've got this cancer, I have this auto immune deficiency you know, and I can't pay the bills''.'

Meanwhile, Lowe claims Joe was embezzling from the both the zoo and his parents, and using the money to pay male prostitutes he would meet on Craigslist.

On one occasion Lowe said he saw one guy wandering around who told Lowe: 'I'm not leaving until I get my money, Joe promised me $400.'

Lowe said he also found several thumb drives containing pictures and videos of Joe and his then-husband John Finlay dressed up in trashy lingerie, hanging from sex swings.

Lowe believes Joe was guilty of all of the charges, especially killing the five tigers he was convicted on.

He added: 'Netflix wanted you to believe that I stole the zoo from Joe and Joe wants you to believe it as well, [but] he begged me to buy it. He wanted me to bail his a** out of trouble.'

Lowe scoffs at the recent $94 million civil lawsuit Joe Exotic against him and several others, saying: 'This is typical Joe always blaming someone else for his own actions, nothing was ever his fault. Joe ended up where he deserves to be, in prison.'
"You must reside in Ward 3, and have been a resident in Ward 3 for at least a year," said borough Manager Christine Hart.
By Akbar Mammadov

Kazakhstan has repatriated the corpse of Azerbaijan citizen Gahraman Ibrahimov who died as a result of the use of weapons by the Kazakh Coastal Guard on April 30, the Azerbaijain Foreign Ministry reported in its official website on May 5.

Two other Azerbaijanis were injured by Kazakh coastal guards.

The ministry noted that with the participation of Azerbaijans diplomatic mission, the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan, the corpse will be returned by a military ship of the Border Service of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan in Mangistau region.

"The corpse of our citizen will be transferred to the military ship of the Border Service of Azerbaijan today in the common water area of the Caspian Sea. After being brought to the territory of Azerbaijan, the citizen's corpse will be given to his family", the ministry added.

The Kazakh Foreign Ministry had expressed its condolences over Gahraman Ibrahimovs death and said that Kazakhstan has thoroughly and objectively investigated this incident and will inform the Azerbaijani side about its results.

It should be noted that on May 2, Azerbaijan summoned Kazakh Ambassador Serzhan Abdykarimov and requested investigtiaon into the incident that killed an Azerbaijani citizen and injured two others.

---

Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
This week, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos formally announced new Title IX rules governing sexual-misconduct cases in schools.

Its difficult to understand why instances of alleged criminal sexual misconduct shouldnt be forwarded and adjudicated by the proper authorities, where both victim and accused are subjected, like all of us, a system that determines truth, guilt, and punishment.

Its also difficult to understand why schools, which arent properly equipped to conduct criminal investigations, much less fair trials, should be held responsible for the actions of all their students, even when they are off campus.

This, however, is the reality of Title IX. At the very least, then, the state should ensure that students are afforded the same impartiality, norms, and protections that every one of us expects in the real world. Yet, with a 2011 Dear Colleague letter, the Obama administration compelled schools to conduct sexual-misconduct inquiries as if they were show trials  stripping students of the ability to face their accuser, or to call witnesses, or to see the evidence against them.

DeVos is now returning some sanity to the handling such cases. For this, Catherine E. Lhamon, chairwoman of the United States Commission on Civil Rights, accused her of taking us back to the bad old days, when it was permissible to rape and sexually harass students with impunity.

This is appalling hyperbole. And its all the more reprehensible because it comes from the chairwoman of an agency created and charged with ensuring that the constitutional rights of all Americans be protected equally.

As my colleague Charles Cooke points out, its unclear why Lhamon believes this specific crime, and not others, should be exempted from age-old expectations of due process. After all, we cant have people murdering or carjacking or stealing with impunity, so why not abolish the Fifth Amendment? If the only thing achieved by protections for the accused is incentivizing more criminality, why have any protections at all?

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It would certainly be helpful if Democrats who are denouncing DeVoss campus-sexual-assault policies would explain which rules they object to, and why.

Are they opposed to schools allowing hearings in which lawyers and advocates from both sides can ask questions? Are they opposed to the accused having access to evidence related to the charges filed against them (sans medical records)?

The Obama guidelines allowed accusers to appeal not guilty verdicts but did not guarantee the same right for the accused. Rather, it permitted penalties to be handed out before investigations were even conducted. And those who conducted the investigation, often a single untrained employee, were empowered to be both judge and jury. Adjudicators will now be trained, and the training material they use will be published on the schools website to offer transparency.

The new rules, and there are 2,033 pages of them, also expand the protections for victims by asking schools to investigate allegations of stalking, domestic violence, and dating violence.

The rules also roll back broadsides against free speech instituted by the Obama administration, which forced schools to investigate sexual-themed speech that offended students. As with most things on campus these days, the process was hijacked by brittle and perpetually offended progressive students.

DeVos does not institute a clear and convincing evidentiary standard over the less rigorous preponderance of evidence standard; instead, she lets schools choose to live by either standard, so long as they apply it equally.

Now, we shouldnt be under the impression that Americans will be given a fair reading of the new rules, either. The Washington Post, for example, claims that DeVos guidelines, will give universities and colleges a clear but controversial road map for handling emotionally charged conflicts that often pit one student against another.

Have you noticed that conservative positions  and not very long ago due process was the bailiwick of liberal groups such as the ACLU, as well  are almost always controversial? Guess what? Everything in politics is controversial, or we wouldnt be talking about it. And yes, sexual-assault accusations tend to be emotional events that pit one student against another. The insinuation of this kind of editorializing (shoved into a story thats presented as news) is that emotional conflicts deserve a special set of rules. Some of us would argue that emotional conflicts especially benefit from a dispassionate process.

Here is the framing offered by NBC News:

Now, under reworked federal rules, alleged student perpetrators will have added protections, including the presumption that they are innocent throughout the disciplinary process and the right to be provided all evidence collected against them.

There is no legitimate concept of justice in which the presumption of innocence is an added protection. It is the foundational protection. The Obama administration deprived students of it, and the Trump administration reinstated it. Thats the story.

More from National Review
According to a report, two sons of Mexican drug lord, El Chapo has imposed a curfew on the residents of a town under their cartels control due to the coronavirus.

El Chapos Sons Impose Coronavirus Curfew On Town Under Their Cartels Control

Two of El Chapos sons have imposed a coronavirus curfew on a town under their cartels control, according to local media.

Ivan Archivaldo Guzman and Jesus Alfredo Guzman have threatened those who disobey the restrictions with beatings with boards, arrest or fines, the Yucatan Times reported.

Joaquin El Chapo Guzman is currently serving a life sentence at ADX Florence, a prison in Colorado dubbed the Alcatraz of the Rockies..



This is no game, were not playing, a member of the Sinaloa Cartel reportedly said in one of several videos circulating on social media.

After ten oclock at night, all the people must be inside their homes due to the coronavirus, otherwise they will be punished, these are orders from above (from Los Chapitos), the video said, referring to the brothers.

The two brothers are known as Los Chapitos or the little Chapos and are said to be running their fathers cartel.

The Yucatan Times says that cartel members have been patrolling Culiacan, the state capital of Sinaloa, Mexico, in heavily-armoured vehicles to enforce the curfew.

El Chapo was extradited to the US in 2017 having initially been arrested in 2014 before escaping through a tunnel under his jail cell. He was recaptured in 2016.

Mexico has 26,025 confirmed coronavirus cases and has had 2,507 deaths, far less than the United States.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) hopes a detailed inquiry will be carried out to investigate the origin of global pandemic while pitching for an alternative economic model of self-reliance or swadeshi in the post Covid-19 era.

Some of these broader policy issues were delineated in a background note circulated by the Sangh ahead of an interaction between RSS joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale and foreign media personal on Wednesday.

Hopefully, a detailed inquiry will be carried out to investigate the origin, reason and impact of the pandemic. The entire world should come together to avoid such an emergency in future and create new regimes to deal with, involving responsible individuals, organisations and countries, the note read without naming China.

The RSS is the ideological fount of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) heading the coalition government at the Centre under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The note underlines the broader policy adjustments -- both domestic and international  the RSS may want to be incorporate in the working and objectives of the government in the aftermath of the pandemic.

US President Donald Trump and his administration has been critical of Chinas handling of the coronavirus outbreak, accusing the Asian giant of not being transparent in communicating the severity and scale of the disease which reportedly had its first zoonotic transmission on the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

The note circulated by the RSS also sought to underscore the limitations of capitalism and communism in dealing with economic wreck inflicted by the virus which has forced a third of the planet to lockdown all economic activities and claimed more than 2,00,000 lives.

The materialist world view imposed on the entire world can push us to newer cycles of economic depression and environmental degradation. In such a scenario, it is prudent that we develop a new model based on self-reliance and Swadeshi.

In this indigenous model, local resources, workforce and needs would be integrated into the economic activity, taking into account the ecological considerations, the note said.

The RSS views assume importance in the wake of a frenzied discussion on how the world and its economy would re-calibrate once the pandemic is brought under control.

India, Indonesia and Thailand are being touted as beneficiaries if some of the international players were to reduce their dependence on China for manufacturing.

After the COVID-19 crisis, the Government of India and other state administrations will have to think how to attract investment from other countries without harming local self-reliance, without harming our natural resources to the extent we face another problem, HosabLe said in answer to a question on how India may attract investments post-pandemic.
With Congress back in session, one big question is what, if anything, legislators will do to help ensure the safety and integrity of Novembers elections.

Congressional Democrats are proposing to give states roughly $4 billion to enact a slew of policies that range from requiring states to enable online and same-day voter registration, to mandating prepaid postage on mail-in ballots, to a nationwide minimum of 15 consecutive days of early voting, the Wall Street Journal reported last week.

Meanwhile, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell adamantly opposes the federal governments usurping the states power to run their own elections. The federal government is not going to take over the way we do elections, McConnell told the Journal. Theyre done at the state and local level and every state is different. Theyre fully capable of doing that, as they have for many years.

This disagreement is real, but if you look a little closer, the divide between Democrats and Republicans may not be as stark as it seems.

McConnell opposes the federal governments forcing states to run elections in a particular way, but he hasnt objected to providing more funding to the states to assist with the November elections, and Pelosi hasnt yet insisted upon attaching strings to such funds.

Many conservatives and Republicans are wary of making the kind of all-mail elections run in a handful of states, such as California, the nationwide norm, seeing that as a recipe for disaster. I dont think that we should be seeing an election in which ballots are sent directly to all people registered because of, among other things, the inaccuracies of voter-registration records nationwide and the logistical burdens that would impose, says Jason Snead, the executive director of the Honest Elections Project, which he founded in February after working for a decade at the conservative Heritage Foundation.

But here again, theres reason to believe a partisan fight will be avoided, because it seems unlikely states are going to completely switch to California-style all-mail elections. It would be impossible for a state to have an all-mail election on such short notice, says Wendy Weiser of the liberal-leaning Brennan Center. I think what everybody is really going towards is moving as many voters as possible to mail ballots while maintaining polling-place options.

Story continues

It makes sense to see expanded absentee voting amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Snead says, because it would make sure that people who are among the most vulnerable elements of society have the opportunity to get a ballot and vote safely.

Twenty-nine states already have no-excuse absentee voting, including the most hotly contested 2020 presidential and Senate battlegrounds: Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Florida, Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia, Iowa, Montana, and Maine.

In other words, even if states pass no new legislation regarding how to conduct the November elections, the states that are going to decide control of the White House and the Senate are going to hold elections where the overwhelming majority of voters vote absentee or early.

The April 7 election in Wisconsin proved as much: With only a few weeks notice following the outbreak of the coronavirus, more than 70 percent of Wisconsin voters opted to cast absentee votes by mail or voted early in person, sometimes at drive-in, curbside polling places. (Wisconsins election also proved that in-person voting, with proper precautions, does not have to cause a spike in coronavirus infections.)

Even without changing any rules about the election, states are going to incur significant costs just to be able to respond to the changing ways in which Americans are going to be voting, says Weiser. She points to the additional need for personal protective equipment, poll workers, improved computer systems for voter registration and requesting ballots, and paper and postage for mail-in ballots. In Wisconsins April elections, she notes, not all absentee ballots were processed in time, and in November twice as many such votes will be cast in the state.

While Weiser would prefer to see Congress set some minimum standards for what kinds of procedures need to be in place in Novembers elections, she says the most important thing Congress can do is get money to the states and localities. That needs to happen, and it needs to happen quickly.

It remains unclear whether Democrats in Congress will dig in on forcing states to adopt particular election procedures, but theres good reason to think Republicans would be open to sending money to the states for elections without strings attached. Congress already agreed in the CARES Act to appropriate $400 million for elections. The pandemic has blown a hole in state budgets, which, unlike the federal budget, are in most cases required by law to be balanced. And the demographic that is most threatened by the virus  the elderly  skews Republican.

There will, of course, be significant fights in the states and the courts over expanded absentee voting. Snead urges states to ban ballot-harvesting  the practice of third-party collection of ballots  in order to combat potential intimidation and voter fraud as well as the spread of the virus. Yet, in January, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down Arizonas laws banning ballot harvesting and out-of-precinct voting as violations of the Voting Rights Act. And last week, Arizonas attorney general asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review that decision.

But such thorny issues are, if anything, one more reason to think Congress is going to send states money for elections without strings attached, rather than attempting to impose a universal set of election procedures on them: The low-hanging fruit is the likeliest to get picked.

More from National Review
We have run out of food. Can you please ask someone to come and help us? This was the SOS call that Suraj Pal, a factory worker from Faridabad, placed to the labour helpline on Tuesday. Pal and six of his associates have been stuck in an aluminium factory in the industrial hub ever since the lockdown started in late March.

This is the second time they are running out of food. It happened last month, prompting a similar SOS call -- and they managed to get some relief.

My employer isnt taking calls any more, Suraj Pal told HT. We tried to leave but the police says that we cannot go without proper registration. Please, can you ask them to send us some food as we have run out?. Or maybe they can take us home to Bareilly?

Pals call is just one of around 10,500 calls that the labour ministrys 20 helplines have received since April 17. The helplines are located across 31 states and manned by 75 senior officers. None of the officers is trained to deal with distress calls, but as a majority of the calls is about hunger and helplessness, theyve all had to learn to tackle these emergencies. These helplines were actually started to help with wage issues and provident funds but 60% of the calls are in the states jurisdictions. So we get in touch with local authorities and get them to organise help for the callers, said the official coordinating the helplines requesting anonymity. Suraj Pals call threw the officials because even though food was an issue being handled by state and local officials, they knew it was too urgent to wait. We are trying to get someone to get food to them urgently.

While most of the distress calls are about being removed from their jobs or not getting wages, there are also many who call for help with recharging (topping up) their phones, said the official, adding that stranded workers needed it to communicate with their family.

Ever since the ministry of home affairs announced trains to ferry stranded persons, thats become the main theme of calls.

My phone hasnt stopped ringing, said regional labour commissioner in Telengana, VT Thomas, who is managing a helpline. Labourers from Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand all want to go home, we tell them to either contact the deputy labour commissioner or the local police official.

Interestingly, some have also tried to use the helpline as an employment exchange.

Our Port Blair office received a call from a contractor,he asked if we could put him in touch with stranded labourers because one particular factory wanted to reopen, said an official who asked not to be named. We put him in touch with the district administration and that factory also opened.

Regarding calls about wages, the official cited above said we reach out to the employers and tell them they cant stop wages because it is illegal.
Besieged by Covid-19 infections, financially struck low by the lockdown and turned a containment zone, the people of Asias largest slum are now struggling to keep hunger at bay.

Home to at least quarter of a million residents across communities, Dharavi -- spread across around 240 hectares of south-central Mumbai -- houses thousands of small-scale businesses and entrepreneurs from pottery to tailoring units, bakeries and leather goods makers. Within a month of recording its first case on April 1, the number of positive cases had increased to 407; by May 6 the total number of cases in Dharavi was 733, with 21 deaths reported.

In the face of such adversity, a group of 10 young men -- all residents of Dharavis Rajiv Gandhi Nagar -- are trying to make sure that people do not go hungry. The group, which calls itself Dharavi Boys over social media platforms, consists of college students who pooled money to support a handful of families in dire need of food. Soon, donations began to pour in through their extended networks of friends, and two days ago, they set up a Feed Dharavi campaign on crowdfunding site, Ketto. Till date, they have been able to support at least 100 families. They have their own Twitter handle: @DharaviBoys, with 13 followers at present. Their feed, however, is replete with messages of thanks to those who have donated money for their initiative.

On May 1, the day they set up the account, they tweeted:

The lockdown has been extended. For us, the news is clear: more days without work and food. We want YOU to reach out to the people of Dharavi. Please help our families with at least basic food supplies. #dharavi #mumbai #india #COVID19 #corona #coronavirusindia

Stanley Anto, a social worker based in Kalamboli, Navi Mumbai, offered support to the group; within a day of setting up the account on Twitter, they also released a poster: For as little as Rs. 1720, you can help us provide at least a months supply of food rations to a needy family. Please reach out to us if you can help!

Less than a week old, the feed regularly posts the contributions it has received, as well as the food rations it has distributed till now. A family living in the United States contributed Rs 40,000; another young boy in Pune broke his piggy bank to donate a sum.

We began this #feedDharavi campaign because when we saw families around us struggling, we just couldnt sit back and watch. With the little we had, we only managed to feed a few.And we thought that it would be the end of our efforts. Then, Stanley sir came to our aid and helped us feed more families. And just like us, he wasnt satisfied. So, he roped in his friends and family and together, we fed a few more, their twitter feed read on May 4.

Almost all people in these slums are daily wage earners and not going to work for so long means they have absolutely no money and hence cannot buy food. As young students, we thought of doing something for people from our own locality and hence decided to pool some resources, said Vikas Jaiswar, a 24-year-old who graduated with an engineering degree from a Navi Mumbai college last year.

The group, which claims to not belong to any political or religious organisation but a informal group of youngsters called the Friendly Life Youth Group, has tied up with local traders who arrange for the supplies which includes rice, flour, oil, salt and sugar.

However, as the cases rise, the young men are also facing several difficulties in their work. A couple from our locality who was providing similar help caught the virus and they are in the hospital. We are all very scared when we go out but we take adequate precautions and use masks, sanitisers and gloves in the whole process, Jaiswar added.
LAS VEGAS, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Joe Johnson, a known leader with more than 40 years of management experience in the Construction Services, is the newest board member of Ei Companies ("Ei"). As the former owner of ABCO Engineering Corporation, a leading Construction Quality Assurance company recently acquired by Ei, with offices in Centennial, CO, and operations throughout the United States.

Joe brings a wealth of knowledge to us with significant expertise in construction quality oversight. Joe has decades of experience focused on delivery of quality assurance observations for multifamily and commercial construction, including inspections, consulting, problem resolution, personnel and leadership development. Throughout his career Joe has worked on all types of projects, most notably complex projects such as multi-story multifamily residential structures. The intricacy on these projects give them a higher risk profile which requires significant attention by all involved: Owners, builders, and especially insurance carriers. Joe's reputation and ability to help make higher risk projects successful for all involved are impressive, making Joe a great addition to the Ei Board of Directors.

Before leading ABCO Engineering Corporation to its financial and industry success Joe was a homebuilder, General Contractor, Property Manager, and a Veteran of the United States Air Force. Joe holds a bachelor's degree in Management and Business Administration from Wichita State University. He is an expert in international building codes, quality construction control, and risk management. Joe is a licensed ICC building and residential inspector, in addition to a licensed FHA/HUD and Colorado Public Schools inspector.



We at Ei Companies welcome Joe Johnson and are excited regarding such a valuable addition to our Team.

About Ei Companies

Ei Companies is a group of companies providing end to end solutions for the construction industry including Quality Assurance, Energy Modeling, Consulting & Construction Oversight, MEP Engineering services amongst others. The companies consist of Ei Corporation, Energy Inspectors Corporation, Ei Risk Management Corporation, and Ei Design, Inc. The companies are headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, with additional offices in Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Southern California, Northern California, Utah, Oregon, and Washington

www.eicompanies.com

About ABCO:

ABCO is a Colorado-based quality assurance consulting firm with more than 30 years of experience in Quality Assurance implementation. ABCO provides quality assurance and forensic observations and has developed unique skillsets and innovative tools, such ultrasonic window leak detection, to increase the quality of building installations. ABCO works with the nation's largest developers, contractors, and insurance companies to deliver A Better Construction Outcome, applying the highest standards of quality assurance in construction. ABCO is based in Denver, Colorado and services clients in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.

www.abco-corp.com

Contact: D. Armentrout

Director of Marketing

Ei Companies

702/960-2206

[email protected]

SOURCE Ei Companies

Related Links

http://eicompanies.com


For the third time in six years, a divided U.S. Supreme Court took up the question Wednesday of whether employers with religious or moral objections to contraception can be compelled under the 2010 Affordable Care Act to provide no-cost access to birth control for their workers.

Also for the third time, the case at issue arose in Pennsylvania.

But the proceedings that played out Wednesday only underscored how much has changed since the justices delivered their first ruling on the issue in 2014.

The White House, under a different administration, has switched sides in the fight. The courts conservative majority has become more firmly entrenched. And the global coronavirus pandemic has disrupted centuries of high court tradition, forcing a first: oral arguments by phone that were livestreamed over the internet.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, recovering from a gallstone infection, participated from a hospital bed in Maryland. Yet she still opened with a spirited attack on the Trump administrations position.

You have just tossed entirely to the wind what Congress thought was essential: that women be provided these services with no hassle, no cost to them, she said. Instead, youre shifting the [cost of] the employers religious beliefs  onto employees who may not share [them]. ... The women end up getting nothing.

LISTEN: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg responds skeptically to the Trump administrations argument:

The case before the court this time stems from a lawsuit brought by the attorneys general of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, who objected to President Donald Trumps effort in 2017 to expand existing exemptions that allow churches and some closely held private businesses whose owners have religious objections to opt out of paying for birth control for their workers.

 READ MORE: Philly judge blocks Trump efforts to roll back birth control mandate

Under the new proposals, virtually all employers ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies could cut off coverage as well, citing what Pennsylvania Deputy Attorney General Michael Fischer described as amorphous, vaguely defined moral beliefs.

A federal judge in Philadelphia blocked the new rules the day they were set to go into effect, finding that as many as 127,000 women could lose contraception coverage, pushing the financial burden for paying for it onto the states.

LISTEN: Pennsylvania Deputy Attorney General Mike Fischer lays out the states view of the case:

Nearly 63 million women receive free birth control through employer plans, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. On average, women with private insurance save $255 annually on birth control costs.

The Supreme Courts five-member conservative majority  buoyed by the addition of Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch since the last time the contraception issue came before the court  appeared divided Wednesday.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. joined more liberal colleagues in questioning whether the Trump administrations action had been too broad. Meanwhile, conservative stalwart Clarence Thomas seemed to express doubt over the appropriateness of nationwide court injunctions, like the one issued by U.S. District Judge Wendy Beetlestone in Philadelphia to block the Trump administrations regulations last year.

Acknowledging there were strong interests on both sides, Kavanaugh questioned whether the court should even get involved. It seems to me that the judicial role is not to put limits on the agencys discretion that Congress had not put there, he said.

LISTEN: Justice Sonia Sotomayor asks whether vaccine skeptics could claim similar moral objections:

But justices on both sides of their ideological split appeared frustrated that they were being asked yet again to rule on this narrow but hotly contested provision of President Barack Obamas signature health-care law. Surely, said Justice Stephen G. Breyer, the two sides should be able to monkey with the [regulations] in some way until everyone agrees.

The courts 2014 ruling  in a case brought by a Lancaster County cabinetmaker alongside crafting chain Hobby Lobby  expanded exemptions to the ACAs contraception mandate to include businesses owned by a small group of owners who object to contraception use on religious grounds.

The Obama administration countered with compromise regulations that required those companies to still provide health-care plans offering contraception but shifted the burden of paying for it from the employers to their insurers.

That prompted another challenge out of Pennsylvania in 2015 led by religious nonprofits associated with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh. They argued the new rules might let them off the hook financially but still required them to tacitly support the use of medicines that violated their beliefs. The Supreme Court deadlocked in a 4-4 split on that case and punted it back to the lower courts without a definitive ruling.

This time, though, White House lawyers hoped for a decision with more resounding impact. They argued that the new rules amount to a reasonable exercise of their authority to protect religious freedom.

This was the very same discretion that was to adopt the church objections, Solicitor General Noel Francisco said.

He was joined in his fight Wednesday by the Little Sisters of the Poor, an order of Roman Catholic nuns who have intervened in the case and argue that the current status quo makes them complicit in medical treatments that violate their beliefs.

When people are faced with a government obligation that their religion absolutely forbids them to comply with, thats something that the government should try to avoid at all costs, said their attorney, Paul Clement.

LISTEN: Paul Clement lays out the religious objections of the Little Sisters of the Poor:

But Pennsylvania and New Jersey say the rule changes could saddle those states with picking up the birth control tab, not to mention the cost of thousands of unplanned pregnancies that could result.

Whats more, Fischer, the Pennsylvania deputy attorney general, argued Wednesday the Trump administration did not follow a legally required process giving interested parties a chance to comment before implementing the rule change.

Fischer made his case over the phone from the attorney generals satellite office in Philadelphia, and it largely went off without any of the technical hitches he and other staff had practiced to avoid. (The same couldnt be said for the second case of the day, when what sounded like a toilet flush interrupted a lawyer in mid-argument.)

But despite the unusual circumstances, Attorney General Josh Shapiro said he hoped the argument came across.

We obviously find ourselves in unprecedented times facing unprecedented challenges, he said. But if anything, this pandemic has made one thing clear: People need more access to health care. Not less.

The court is expected to issue its ruling later this year.
Knoxville, Tennessee, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Healthcare Integrated Technologies, Inc. (HITC) is pleased to announce the addition of Jurgen Vollrath as its outside counsel for Intellectual Property (IP) to its growing team of professionals. Mr. Vollrath, who has spent the past 30 years working with technology firms ranging from startups to Fortune 100 companies, is recognized as a leading IP strategist. His previous experience includes leading National Semiconductors licensing, IP due diligence, and Trademarks teams, serving as managing partner of Arter & Haddens patent group, and holding the position of Chief IP Officer of SAP, where he secured its global cross license with Microsoft and positioned them to become the world leader in enterprise software. More recently, he co-founded and served as CEO of Coninthian Ophthalmic (EYEN). Mr. Vollrath currently supports tech startups as general partner and advisor at Avenurine, a technology incubator and fund management company located in Portland, Oregon. Before embarking on his career as a patent attorney, Jurgen served in the Air Force as JAG officer, rising to the rank of First Lieutenant.



Healthcare Integrated Technologies realizes the importance of a centralized and proactive management of all IP activities including, portfolio administration, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, licensing, and monetization, and is excited to add Mr. Vollrath to its team.

IP is a key strategic driver and an important source of value creation for HITC. Jurgen Vollrath has a proven track record as one of the worlds best IP experts, said Scott M. Boruff, CEO.

About Healthcare Integrated Technologies, Inc.

Healthcare Integrated Technologies, Inc. is focused on developing effective, non-intrusive, resident monitoring technologies for senior living communities. Healthcare Integrated Technologies is headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. More information on HITC can be found at www.getinde.com .

Story continues

Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements contained herein are forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, statements that are predications of or indicate future events, trends, plans or objectives. Undue reliance should not be placed on such statements because, by their nature, they are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future activities and are subject to many risks and uncertainties. Due to such risks and uncertainties, actual events may differ materially from those reflected or contemplated in such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of the future tense or other forward-looking words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "should," "may," "will," "continue," "strategy," "position," "opportunity," statements regarding the "flexibility" of the Company or the negative of any of those terms or other variations of them or by comparable terminology. A discussion of these risk factors is included in the Companys periodic reports filed with the SEC.

Contact:

Mr. Scott M. Boruff, CEO

(865) 237-4448
Over the past month, according to bank statements and receipts shared with The Washington Post, Shearer has gone from zero debt to borrowing more than $600,000 on a home equity line of credit to buy wholesale masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and face shields. She leveraged about $1 million in this way after 9/11. After the crisis was over, she went to foundations and people out there who have big salaries, which I dont have, and sold some of her art collection to pay down the debt. This time she would do the same. I have faith, she said. As I said on 9/11, I dont think America is going to let me be stuck with the bill because the only way to do this was to buy the stuff and deliver it and fundraise later.
Check Out Covid Resources

Kansas City Public Library opens Trails West parking lot on Wednesday for COVID-19 testing AThe Kansas City Public Library announced Tuesday it is partnering with Swope Health to expand COVID-19 testing in the metropolitan area.

Kansas City Biz Burns

3-alarm fire contained at Kansas City industrial building KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- The Kansas City Fire Department were busy Tuesday extinguishing a three-alarm fire on the city's northeast side. It started inside a two-story warehouse at a salvage yard about 10:15 a.m. in the 5400 block of East 10th Street near Winner Road.

Winning Pandemic Big Bucks

Kansas City's MRIGlobal Wins $2 Million Defense Contract For Mobile Lab COVID-19 Testing MRIGlobal, a Kansas City research institute, will ship three mobile medical labs to the U.S. Army to conduct rapid coronavirus testing and processing. The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded the company a $2 million contract for labs, according to a government news release.

Pricey Roeland Park Pool Closed For Summer

Roeland Park Aquatic Center closed this summer due social distancing, safety recommendations ROELAND PARK, KS (KCTV) -- City officials say the Roeland Park Aquatic Center will not open this summer. "The governing body unanimously approved this decision recognizing that the safety and health of our aquatics staff and patrons are our priority during this pandemic," the city said on Facebook Tuesday.

VIVA LA VIDA!!!

Vixen Legend Vida Guerra Keeps Thirst Trap Thriving During Self Quarantine Goals: "This Is 46" As seen on SOHH.com - follow @sohh @sohhdotcom Vixen Vida Guerra knows she might be the goat of hip-hop modeling. The veteran eye candy has come through this week with some fresh modeling poses to help keep the thirst trap flourishing. Big Facts Over the past few days, Guerra has blessed social media with ample content.

Prez Trump Unmasked

Trump does not wear coronavirus mask at Honeywell factory President Donald Trump did not wear a mask as a coronavirus precaution during a visit Tuesday to a Honeywell factory in Phoenix that is producing millions of N95 masks for the federal government. Other official visitors with Trump, who did put on safety glasses for his tour, also were not wearing masks.

Dollar Tree Rude Dude Earns Nationwide Rebuke

Video shows man who was told to wear mask wiping nose on Dollar Tree employee's shirt Police in Michigan have arrested a man they said used a Dollar Tree employee's shirt to wipe his nose after being advised that he had to wear a mask in the store. The man entered a Dollar Tree store in Holly, about 55 miles northwest of Detroit, at approximately 1:30 p.m.

Brit Doc Who Started Lockdown Exposed In Cheater Scandal

British Scientist Who Spearheaded National Lockdown Quits After Meeting With Married Lover The British scientist known colloquially as "Professor Lockdown," who pushed Prime Minister Boris Johnson to impose a nationwide lockdown, resigned on Tuesday after he defied social distancing guidelines to have a rendezvous with his married lover in his London home.

Rocketman Double Take

Kim Jong Un photos spark wild theories about a body double Photos of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un at a public event have sparked wild theories that it could have been a body double. State-run media on Saturday released images and video of the 36-year-old Hermit Kingdom leader at a ribbon-cutting function - dispelling escalating rumors that he was either dying or even already dead.

EPIC Kansas City Save!!!

KC crews rescue four kids floating on raft on Longview Lake Tuesday afternoon KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) - High winds swept up four children on a raft at Longview Lake Tuesday afternoon. The kids are now home safe with their mother. A 911 call came in just before 1:30 p.m. reporting that the kids were on a raft floating on Longview Lake.

Middle-Class Finally Discovers Essential Kansas City Workers

KC grocery store workers become 'essential' during pandemic [PHOTOS] - Kansas City Business Journal In an effort to quell the coronavirus pandemic in the Kansas City area, many people are staying at home, but countless others are deemed essential workers and continue to go about their duties. Three months ago making a quick trip to the grocery store was simply a mundane task one had to accomplish.

Soggy Spring Awaits

Few rain showers possible early Wednesday, then sunny and 63 degrees Temperatures will fall back into the mid-40s. Some rain showers could develop before dawn. Temperatures will climb into the low 60s Wednesday.

Apropos for Cinco de Mayo,is a legend in the glam modeling world and right now she inspired the collection of headlines concerning pop culture, community news and info from across the nation and around the world.And this is thefor right now . . .
ARLINGTON, Va., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, American Trucking Associations unveiled the 2020 National Truck Driver Appreciation Week logo as well as opened the official online store. While this year the official NTDAW will be held September 13-20, ATA wants to give our industry, and the general public, an opportunity to thank our professional truck drivers during these challenging times.

"National Truck Driver Appreciation Week has a new meaning this year," said ATA Chairman Randy Guillot, and president of Triple G Express. "Truck drivers have shown unparalleled bravery, perseverance, and dedication to our country, and not only has our industry remained grateful for their hard work, but the American people have taken notice and are thanking these heroes."

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week is an annual event when the trucking industry joins the public to thank the 3.5 million professional truck drivers dedicated to driving this economy forward. Each day, these professional men and women move Americans goods throughout this country while continuing to keep our highways safe.

During this pandemic, we have seen the growing recognition of the importance of our heroes behind the wheel. From elementary school students in Mississippi, to global fast food chains, to the President of the United States; millions have made it clear how much they appreciate and respect the tremendous work and impact of professional truck drivers.

Designed with professional trucker drivers in mind, the official NTDAW store features fan favorites, like the 2020 NTDAW Banner, 100% cotton t-shirts, and a blue and gray NTDAW branded cooler bag. Specialty products also include large insulated coolers, twisted tumblers, a TMAF 10-watt flashlight, and the famous I Heart Trucks trailer hitch cover.

The 2020 NTDAW official logo is available for industry affiliates and members of the public that would like to promote the National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.

ATA thanks ACT I, FedEx Freight, Old Dominion Freight Lines and PITT OHIO, all sponsors of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.

American Trucking Associations is the largest national trade association for the trucking industry. Through a federation of 50 affiliated state trucking associations and industry-related conferences and councils, ATA is the voice of the industry America depends on most to move our nation's freight. Follow ATA on Twitter , Facebook , or at Trucking Moves America Forward .

SOURCE American Trucking Associations

Related Links

www.trucking.org


06.05.2020 LISTEN

The Ghana Agricultural and Rural Development Journalists Association (GARDJA), the umbrella body of agricultural journalists has launched an advocacy initiative to help create a sustainable cashew sector in Ghana.

Cashew is increasingly becoming a key agricultural export commodity, raking in millions of dollars for the countrys economy.

According to the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), the country earned $981 million from the export of cashew in 2016, making it one of the leading agricultural export commodities after cocoa.

The crop is currently grown on more than 89,000 hectres of farmlands across the country, creating an estimated 40,000 jobs in production and even more in processing and logistics.

Ghana has the capacity to grow more cashew because of its potential to adapt to climate change effects, and its profitability.

But this possible expansion is being hindered by a number of challenges including difficulty in accessing finance, weak organisation of stakeholders, the underexploited potential of local processing, low yields, and insufficient access to improved planting material, as well the overall absence of an enabling policy environment.

Below is full statement

GARDJA launches advocacy initiative on Cashew Sector

The Ghana Agricultural and Rural Development Journalists Association (GARDJA) has launched an advocacy initiative to help create a sustainable cashew sector in Ghana.

Cashew is increasingly becoming a key agricultural export commodity, raking in millions of dollars for the countrys economy. According to the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), the country earned $981 million from the export of cashew in 2016, making it one of the leading agricultural export commodities after cocoa.

The crop is currently grown on more than 89,000 hectares of farmlands across the country, creating an estimated 40,000 jobs in production and even more in processing and logistics.

Ghana has the capacity to grow more cashew because of its potential to adapt to climate change

effects, and its profitability. But this possible expansion is being hindered by a number of challenges including difficulty in accessing finance, weak organisation of stakeholders, underexploited potential of local processing, low yields and insufficient access to improved planting material, as well overall absence of an enabling policy environment. Over the years, sufficient media attention has not been paid to these challenges so they catch the attention of decision makers to address them.

As part of this initiative, GARDJA will work with various partners to increase cashew related visibility in the Ghanaian media, as well as strengthen capacities of media stakeholders so they can put cashew issues at the fore front of media and political discussions. Information on agronomic practices of cashew, farmer-related activities, organisation of stakeholders, prices, climate change adaptation and mitigation, among others, will be disseminated to journalists. The initiative will also seek to bring to the fore issues around the current state of local processing of cashew and provide answers to questions on how an enabling environment for the sector can be created.

Overall, the objective of this collaboration is to strengthen and build the technical capacities of

journalists and editors, as well as other relevant media stakeholders on the cashew value chain

through training, field visits, and support for the publication of cashew related stories.

As an association of more than 200 journalists and communication experts within the agricultural

value chain, it is our hope at GARDJA that this initiative will go a long way to help create a sustainable cashew sector that both supports good quality livelihoods for cashew farmers, and improve upon the Ghanaian economy.

We look forward to working with various stakeholders including the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, cashew farmers, cashew processers, among others to make this initiative as success for the benefit of mother Ghana.

Signed

Richmond Frimpong

President, Ghana Agricultural and Rural Development Journalists Association

Story by: Quainoo Reuben
Dr Debanjan Banerjee By

While we have witnessed a global health threat named Covid-19 in the last few months, the spread of information about the pandemic has been much faster than the virus itself. There has not been one day since the World Health Organization declared it a public health emergency that I have not come across messages, memes or videos related to Covid going viral on social media. Added to it is the plethora of information about the outbreak statistics (number of cases, casualties in every single geographical distribution, etc.) being fed to the people 24/7 daily.

As billions are isolated or quarantined in their homes in an attempt to contain the infection, digital screen time has increased. Information pollution about Covid every single day adds to the already existing uncertainty and panic about the virus and lockdown. People have often been seen with their eyes glued to their televisions, laptops or mobile screens, busy consuming news feeds related to the coronavirus. This often assumes a compulsive nature, with a need to stay updated about every single facet of the illness, which further increases the psychological discomfort and physical unrest.

Role of Social Media: Contrary to popular belief, Covid-19 is not the first digital infodemic. In the recent past, outbreaks of Zika in Brazil, Ebola in Africa, Influenza in Europe and Nipah in India had similar bidirectional relationships with media. However, the degree of media panic, the amount of media consumption and the consequent change in public reaction have been much higher during Covid-19. An article by Phil Harding titled Pandemics, Plagues and Panic (2009) in British Journalism Review highlights how the spread of an illness and the resultant human behaviour can be influenced significantly by the flow and vectors of information.

Health communication and understanding of public health depends a lot on how the data about an illness is interpreted by the masses. Within every bit of news, there can be a potential admixture of fake information, with the major challenge being teasing out the truth. This health-related misinformation becomes all the more crucial during a pandemic like this when the fear of an unknown infection without a definitive cure mixes with an anxious mind that tends to easily accept fast solutions and theories, irrespective of visible loopholes in their logic and reasoning.

One senseless forward of a wrong message, in the wrong hands, can snowball the spread, increasing the acceptability as it moves along the chain. Often, names of credible public health agencies like the WHO, Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), etc., are tagged along wrongly to make the piece of false news more acceptable. Similar things were being circulated during the first wave of infection in China, implicating biological weaponry in the origin of the coronavirus.

The impact that information or misinformation can have on human behaviour is remarkable. It can range from faulty treatments and non-compliance to panic, mass hysteria and competition for healthcare resources. On the other hand, relevant and timely information has shown to improve preparedness for infectious diseases and strengthen public health infrastructure. So social media can be a double-edged sword. A review by Abhay Kadam and Sachin Atre (2020) in Journal of Travel Medicine points out that social media reach has risen three times during the lockdown period in India, with Covid-19-related search spiking significantly. The inherent insecurity and lack of daily structure during the lockdown makes us feel inadequate without the constant feed of health-related information. It is indeed challenging to find a fine balance between the toxic overuse of technology and healthy and systematic harnessing of healthcare data.

Many distress calls that we cater to nowadays are related to compulsive use of the internet and social media leading to health anxiety, somatic complaints, anxiety, depressive disorders, agitation and insomnia. On a different note, children and adolescents exposed to more online time tend to develop technology and gaming addiction. It is vital to remember that certain unhealthy habits will long outlast the pandemic to cause continued problems in life. Further, social media-related blame and othering can also lead to stigma, marginalisation, communalism and violence, especially at such times of crisis. People from the Northeast, certain religious communities and lower socio-economic classes like the migrants and homeless have already been victims of such stigmatisation.

Digital balance and the way forward: Is information dissemination all that bad? Not at all! History has proven that continued and timely liaison between media personnel and the scientific community can help immensely for Information-Education-Communication (IEC) outreach in the community. The increased use of social media can be a powerful tool for debunking misinformation itself.

The linkage of various media platforms with scientific databases like Pubmed, Google Scholar, etc., can provide appropriate search guidance. Content analysis of the search data gives useful information about the search trends, the sought-after information and unmet needs for data. Those can then be harnessed for authentic updates and fighting false news. Awareness of healthy use of technology can be spread by social media itself with administrative reforms regulating unnecessary forwards and rumour mongering.

Importantly, we need to understand that we do need information, but loads of statistics about every single aspect of the virus makes no sense to the masses. This will do more harm than good.

Maintaining a conscious and informed distance from social media can help increase the Covid-free time, which is so necessary for mental well-being. Technology can be used for social connectedness rather than isolating us in our own digital spaces. What all of us would want most is to prevent Covid from invading our mental peace. So, let us try and practise digital distancing. As the saying goes, Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.

Dr DEBANJAN BANERJEE

Geriatric Psychiatrist, NIMHANS, Bengaluru. Email: dr.djan88@gmail.com
Senate officials say they cannot legally release any potential records relating to a complaint purportedly made by a former aide to Joe Biden who has since accused him of sexual misconduct.

Their rebuffal followed a request to see them by the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

Tara Reade has accused Mr Biden of sexually assaulting her in 1993 when he was a senator for Delaware, although she has said a formal complaint she filed that year describes only harassment, not assault.

Mr Biden, who denies all the allegations, has responded in part by calling on the Senate to release all the documentation pertaining to the complaint Ms Reade says she filed.

Responding to a letter from Mr Biden, the secretary of the Senate's office, on the advice of legal counsel, concluded the "Secretary has no discretion to disclose any such information as requested".

The office, which did not confirm or deny the complaint's existence, based its decision in part on a review of confidentiality requirements.

The letter from Mr Biden was related to Ms Reade's allegation that he reached up her skirt and penetrated her with his fingers in 1993.

Mr Biden has unequivocally denied the allegations and added he did not recall any complaint being filed.

Ms Reade told the 'Washington Post' her complaint dealt with harassment, not assault. She has said she cannot recall the office to which she made her complaint and that she does not have a copy.

She was employed in Mr Biden's Senate office for nine months, ending in 1993.

She said she filed a complaint that year with a congressional human resources or personnel office.
She is currently self-isolating amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

And Helena Bonham Carter stepped out in Hampstead, London, on Wednesday for a shopping trip as she stocked up on supplies during lockdown.

The actress, 53, displayed her unique sense of style as she donned a blue cardigan underneath a pink and red floral print shawl.

Out and about: Helena Bonham Carter, 53, stepped out in Hampstead, London on Wednesday for a shopping trip as she stocked up on supplies amid lockdown

The Crown star also wore a black floral top with a lace detail while she cinched her waist with a black belt.

Helena added further colour to her look with a bright pink skirt which she wore with black trainers and white and black striped socks.

Styling her brunette locks into an updo, the film star completed her ensemble for the day with a pair of sunglasses.

In recent weeks Helena has been spotted out with her toyboy beau Rye Dag Holmboe, 32, who she is currently isolating with.

Outfit: The actress displayed her unique sense of style as she donned a blue cardigan underneath a pink and red floral print shawl

Fashion: The Crown star also wore a black floral top with a lace detail while she cinched her waist with a black belt

Outing: Helena appeared in good spirits as she chatted to a female pal while adhering to social distancing guidelines

After meeting the writer, Helena gushed in late 2019 that their romance has been 'a bit of unexpected magic in my life'.

Helena shares son Billy, 16, and 12-year-old daughter Nell with her ex Tim Burton, 61. The Cinderella star had a famously unconventional 13-year relationship with director Tim which ended in 2014.

On finally moving on from Tim, the Enid star - who previously dated Irish actor Kenneth Branagh between 1994 and 1999 - admitted she grew tired of 'grieving' their relationship, and now leads a 'happy' life with her new boyfriend.

Looking good: Helena added further colour to her look with a bright pink skirt which she wore with black trainers and white and black striped socks

Lockdown: Helena is currently self-isolating amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic

Ensemble: Helena added to her look by wearing two white flowers in her hair

Look: Styling her brunette locks into an updo, the film star completed her ensemble for the day with a pair of sunglasses

Speaking to Harper's Bazaar UK, the thespian shared: 'You break up, you grieve, you get bored of grieving. And then you finally move on...

'I'm very happy with someone else. It's been a bit of unexpected magic in my life.'

Helena is currently starring as Princess Margaret on the critically acclaimed Netflix series The Crown.

Romance: In recent weeks Helena has been spotted out with her toyboy beau Rye Dag Holmboe, 32, who she is currently isolating with

Relationship: After meeting the writer, Helena gushed in late 2019 that their romance has been 'a bit of unexpected magic in my life'

The show finished filming in March, a few days ahead of schedule as the cast and crew raced to finish principal photography as TV and film sets were shut down around the world amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Helena is also slated to appear in the upcoming film Enola Holmes, a film that chronicles the adventures of Sherlock Holmes' younger sister Enola.

Millie Bobby Brown will play the title character while Helena stars as her mother Eudoria Holmes.
A lone clerk working the graveyard shift at a northeast Houston gas station killed a man who had broken into his locked store early Wednesday morning.

The clerk was behind the counter and watched as two men pried open the deadbolted front doors to the store and walked toward the counter around 2 a.m. A third suspect was spotted standing outside the business with the two men, and investigators said a fourth was waiting in a nearby car.
Under the Centres prodding, governments of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh are considering offering incentives including exemptions from labour laws to investors ready to start new projects in their states to rebuild local economies. According to a senior government functionary aware of the details, the Union government has asked states to revisit existing policies for industry.

There is a proposal to give a labour law holiday for the first 1,000 days to investors who start new ventures in Madhya Pradesh. A lot of relaxation has been given in the agricultural sector; where there is complete liberalization of farm produce sale, said the functionary, who didnt want to be named. A labour law holiday refers to relaxation from specific labour laws.

Relaxation of labour laws and easier land acquisition were proposed in a paper presented by the BJP to the Centre following a meeting with industry leaders.

HT earlier reported that the party suggested a new manufacturing policy to help the country revive the Covid-19-battered economy as well as cut its dependence on imports, particularly from China. The cost of acquiring land and the legal and procedural delays and the need for reforms in the labour sector were flagged in the report presented to the government on April 10.

In Bihar, an official aware of the details said the process of identifying incentives that could be offered to industry and manufacturers has been set in motion. We were the first ones to refuse (to adopt) the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) model, that farmers complained did not ensure a fair system of buying and selling commodities. Now the centre is seeking suggestions for allowing changes in labour laws, this person added.

Similarly, Uttar Pradesh has set up a committee to come up with a plan for suggesting incentives that can be offered to investors. After the last investor summit we had already come up with plans to offer capital subsidy, land subsidy and a host of other incentives. Once the committee gives its report we will be able to take a call on what more needs to be done, a senior UP official said, asking not to be identified.

In Gujarat, the government has decided to restart industrial units and businesses falling outside the limits of municipalities and municipal corporations and containment zones. We also provided the freedom to labourers to work for a 12-hour shift with additional pay for extra hours, said Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani.

An official in the labour ministry said the ministry is considering suggestions such as the proposal for a labour law holiday.

CK Saji Narayanan, president of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, the labour wing of the BJP, said no labour law reforms should be allowed. Labour reforms at this point will divide the society and provisions for protection of labour will get diluted, he said.

Biswajit Dhar, a professor at Delhis Jawaharlal Nehru University, said changing labour Laws at this point will not solve the governments problems. Steps like increasing the duration of the workday is a recipe for disaster; what we need is to focus on giving more money in the hands of the labourers, he said.

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Dang robots are crummy at so many jobs, and they tell lousy jokes to boot. In two new studies, these were common biases human participants held toward robots.

The studies were originally intended to test for gender bias, that is, if people thought a robot believed to be female may be less competent at some jobs than a robot believed to be male and vice versa. The studies' titles even included the words "gender," "stereotypes," and "preference," but researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology discovered no significant sexism against the machines.

"This did surprise us. There was only a very slight difference in a couple of jobs but not significant. There was, for example, a small preference for a male robot over a female robot as a package deliverer," said Ayanna Howard, the principal investigator in both studies. Howard is a professor in and the chair of Georgia Tech's School of Interactive Computing.

Although robots are not sentient, as people increasingly interface with them, we begin to humanize the machines. Howard studies what goes right as we integrate robots into society and what goes wrong, and much of both has to do with how the humans feel around robots.

I hate robots

"Surveillance robots are not socially engaging, but when we see them, we still may act like we would when we see a police officer, maybe not jaywalking and being very conscientious of our behavior," said Howard, who is also Linda J. and Mark C. Smith Chair and Professor in Bioengineering in Georgia Tech's School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

"Then there are emotionally engaging robots designed to tap into our feelings and work with our behavior. If you look at these examples, they lead us to treat these robots as if they were fellow intelligent beings."

It's a good thing robots don't have feelings because what study participants lacked in gender bias they more than made up for in judgments against robot competence. That predisposition was so strong that Howard wondered if it may have overridden any potential gender biases against robots - after all, social science studies have shown that gender biases are still prevalent with respect to human jobs, even if implicit.

In questionnaires, humanoid robots introduced themselves via video to randomly recruited online survey respondents, who ranged in age from their twenties to their seventies and were mostly college-educated. The humans ranked robots' career competencies compared to human abilities, only trusting the machines to competently perform a handful of simple jobs.

Pass the scalpel

"The results baffled us because the things that people thought robots were less able to do were things that they do well. One was the profession of surgeon. There are Da Vinci robots that are pervasive in surgical suites, but respondents didn't think robots were competent enough," Howard said. "Security guard - people didn't think robots were competent at that, and there are companies that specialize in great robot security."

Cumulatively, the 200 participants across the two studies thought robots would also fail as nannies, therapists, nurses, firefighters, and totally bomb as comedians. But they felt confident bots would make fantastic package deliverers and receptionists, pretty good servers, and solid tour guides.

The researchers could not say where the competence biases originate. Howard could only speculate that some of the bad rap may have come from media stories of robots doing things like falling into swimming pools or injuring people.

It's a boy

Despite the lack of gender bias, participants readily assigned genders to the humanoid robots. For example, people accepted gender prompts by robots introducing themselves in videos.

If a robot said, "Hi, my name is James," in a male-sounding voice, people mostly identified the robot as male. If it said, "Hi, my name is Mary," in a female voice, people mostly said it was female.

Some robots greeted people by saying "Hi" in a neutral sounding voice, and still, most participants assigned the robot a gender. The most common choice was male followed by neutral then by female. For Howard, this was an important takeaway from the study for robot developers.

"Developers should not force gender on robots. People are going to gender according to their own experiences. Give the user that right. Don't reinforce gender stereotypes," Howard said.

Social is good

Some in Howard's field advocate for not building robots in humanoid form at all in order to discourage gendering and other humanization, but Howard does not take it that far.

"Robots can be good for social interaction. They could be very helpful in elder care facilities to keep people company. They might also make better nannies than letting the TV babysit the kids," said Howard, who also defended robots' comedic talent, provided they are programmed for that.

"If you ever go to an amusement park, there are animatronics that tell really good jokes."

###

Read the studies

The two studies were submitted to conferences that were canceled due to COVID-19.

Why Should We Gender? The Effect of Robot Gendering and Occupational Stereotypes on Human Trust and Perceived Competency was published in Proceedings of 2020 ACM Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI'20), which appeared in March 2020. Robot Gendering: Influences on Trust, Occupational Competency, and Preference of Robot Over Human appeared in CHI 2020 Extended Abstracts (computer-human interaction, DOI: 10.1145/3334480.3382930).

The research was funded by the National Science Foundation and by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

The papers' coauthors were De'Aira Bryant, Kantwon Rogers, and Jason Borenstein from Georgia Tech. The National Science foundation funded via grant 1849101. The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation funded via grant G-2019-11435. Any findings, conclusions, or recommendations are those of the authors and not necessarily of the sponsors.
As millions of Americans face the new reality of telework, furloughs or layoffs, and federal benefits start being released, state governments face a test of adaptability. More than 30 million people have filed for unemployment in the past six weeks, according to the U.S. Department of Labor , and states are on the hook to coordinate help. But if some officials are sweating bullets or feeling overwhelmed, one of them is not Oklahoma Secretary of Digital Transformation and Administration David Ostrowe.In the midst of unprecedented demand for government services, Ostrowe is not only confident about meeting the moment, but also optimistic about organizational improvements as a result of the states work with government software provider Granicus and cloud-hosted services. Ostrowe toldtoday that in partnership with Granicus, the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission (OESC) set up an online portal for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) to help citizens navigate the application process, essentially in a weekend, and the results have been encouraging.Its a great logic tool, he said. We got the guidance [on PUA applications] from the Department of Labor on a Friday, and by Sunday we had already started processing that information.Ostrowe said Oklahoma started using Granicus govService platform in April 2019 for licensing, banking, health-care and department of labor issues; so when the federal government announced additional unemployment benefits for those affected by the pandemic, the company was a natural partner to help the state manage claims. The federal government is offering $600 a week through July to those who qualify, on top of $288 in traditional unemployment benefits offered by the state. Ostrowe said Oklahoma expects to disburse about $2.2 billion  state and federal dollars combined  through this process. Hence, he needed to quickly set up a user-friendly system that could handle so many claims and refer people to the right program, depending on what they qualify for.With support from Granicus, Ostrowes in-house team accomplished this by building the PUA system at the same time they were replacing the states old public interface for unemployment benefits in mid-April. He said the adaptability of the platform allowed them to make tweaks on it every day since. Feedback reinforced for them why user-centered design is as important for digital government services as for any other technology.We brought in a PUA claimant, a hairdresser, and we had her sit down and fill out the application in front of us online, he said. Wherever she stumbled was our a-ha  it made sense to us, it made sense to the programmers, it didnt make sense to the person filling it out  so we were able to make changes on the fly, which is why we really like the platform  Granicus will probably solve 95 percent of all of our state issues involving transactions instantly, with very little money and technical lift on our side. Although were always going to have that extra 5 percent thats going to involve manual or human interaction.Another benefit of making government services easily accessible online like this, and having them linked through an interoperable platform, is data-driven insights. Ostrowe said Oklahoma has seen a tremendous spike in Web traffic: Where the OESC used to handle between 1,500 and 2,500 claims a week for traditional unemployment, it has been processing close to 60,000 a week recently, totaling more than 400,000 claims since the pandemic started, some of which came through the old system and some through the new one. In addition to that, he said the state was expecting about 100,000 claims through the PUA portal, although it has only racked up about 18,000 so far.Ostrowe said that many user IDs, applications and other data, filtered through Granicus platform, yielded new information about fraud, redundancies and other issues.We stood a team up last April, mostly focused on online licensing, so we were able to shift that same group to the OESC issues that we discovered. I can tell you, the amount of data that we would get out of the Granicus platform has opened our eyes to all kinds of other problems, he said. Were seeing suspicious transactions, were seeing multiple addresses  the Granicus platform, well expand upon that to other agencies and other services as we move forward.What moving forward entails remains to be seen, but for Ostrowe, there are hints in what his team just accomplished: standing up a digital portal to handle millions of unemployment claims. The fact that thats not only possible, but expected of state government in 2020, leads him to believe that digital services and inter-agency communication arent going out of style anytime soon.Were going to come out of this stronger than we went into this thing. Well be prepared, not only on the unemployment side, but on the health department side, PPE supplies, he said. I communicate with my fellow cabinet secretaries multiple times per day.  We are all interacting non-stop, all day long, and moving resources of the state to assist each other. We want to be a top-10 state.The lesson for Granicus? Perhaps that some of its acquisitions have been money well spent. Originally a citizen-engagement platform, Granicus has branched into new markets in recent years by buying smaller companies and using their technology to build new solutions that are interoperable with its other ones. For instance, Granicus acquired the government website builder Vision Internet in February 2018 , and the London-based Firmstep in April 2019 for digital services software that informed govService, which it launched last October
Airports were geared up to receive Indian nationals stranded abroad due to the coronavirus lockdown with Air Indias repatriation flight from Abu Dhabi to Kochi on Thursday set to kickstart the countrys biggest evacuation exercise by air and sea.

The AI's non-scheduled commercial flight with around 200 passengers on board is expected to land at the Kochi International airport in Kerala at 9.45 pm, as logistical arrangements and strict health protocols were put in place at several airports including in Thiruvananthapuram, Delhi and Mumbai.

Jishnu, a passenger from Abu Dhabi who was among those in the first lot to fly out of the United Arab Emirates(UAE), was elated that he would be able to return to his home state.

"I am very happy to have got the ticket. I was informed yesterday that I could travel", he told a television channel on Wednesday.

From the Gulf countries to Malaysia and the UK to the US, the multi-agency operation christened 'Vande Bharat Mission' will see the state-owned AI operate 64 flights till May 13 in the first phase to ferry around 15,000 Indian nationals from 12 countries.

Private Indian airlines may join the repatriation effort after May 13.

As many as 10 flights are planned to be operated on the first day from various destinations abroad. Besides Kochi, the other cities where the flights are scheduled to land on Thursday are Kozhikode(Kerala), Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Srinagar. Only asymptomatic passengers will be allowed to board the flights.

The Cochin International Airport and Cochin Port have made all arrangements to receive the returning expatriates, Ernakulam District administration said.

Thermal scanners have been erected at the airport for the screening of the passengers and for quarantine facilities, while 4,000 houses with water, electricity and bath attached facilities have been arranged in Ernakulam district.

Entire synthetic/textile wrapped furniture were replaced with temporary plastic chairs," an airport spokesman said.

The pilots and the cabin crew of the first batch of Air India Express evacuation flight were imparted training on handling of in-flight operations at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Doctors and nurses of a government medical college (GMC) hospital in Kochi along with experts in handling COVID-19 patients briefed the 12 airline staff including four pilots.

The pilots and cabin crew were provided training on donning and doffing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) suits, infection control practices to be followed in-flight and also the management of anticipated health emergencies during the flight, hospital authorities said here.

A practical demonstration of both donning and doffing of PPE suits according to the protocol was also given to the crew.

The training given by GMC Ernakulam has helped to build up the confidence level of the entire crew considerably and we are now fully confident to undertake the rescue mission," said Captain Paartha Sarkar.

For those arriving at Thiruvananthapuram, quarantine facilities have been arranged in six taluks to accommodate over 11,200 people and the government will bear the expenses.

Hotel rooms have been arranged for another 6,400 people for which they will have to pay, an official release said.

Various hostels, hotels, auditoriums have been taken for quarantine facilities of the Non-resident Keralites(NRKs).

While all arrangements have been made by the state government to receive the NRKs, there is some confusion about the number of days passengers will have to undergo quarantine on arrival.

The state government has said passengers from abroad will have to undergo seven days quarantine on arrival at government arranged institutions and undergo tests after a week.

If found symptomatic, they will have to go to hospitals and those whose samples are found negative will be allowed to leave for home where they have to strictly follow home quarantine.

But as per the Centre's guidelines, they will have to undergo 14 days institutional quarantine.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said it was "dangerous" to bring back stranded NRKs to the state without any COVID-19 tests as it would lead to spreading of infection.

He wanted the Centre to ensure that the NRKs undergo the tests before emplaning for their respective states.

Vijayan has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the state's concern on the matter.

There should not be any lapse in following globally accepted health protocols lestthere be a setback in the state's efforts to prevent community spread of COVID-19, Vijayan had said.

The Delhi government issued guidelines for screening and handling of repatriated passengers at the airport to reduce the possibility of spread of COVID-19.

Passengers returning to Delhi airport will be quarantined in a paid facility for 14 days from their date of arrival, it said.

Telangana chief secretary Somesh Kumar held a review meeting on arrangements for the arrival of the states natives.

"The chief secretary informed that seven flights from six countries with about 2,350 passengers are likely to arrive in Hyderabad," according to an official release issued in Hyderabad.

Launching Operation Samudra Setu( Sea Bridge), the Indian Navy despatched two ships to Maldives capital Male to commence the first phase of the evacuation operations from May 8.

A total of 1,000 people are planned to be evacuated in the first trip in naval ships INS Jalaswha and INS Magar, a Navy release said. The evacuated people will disembark in Kochi, it added.

The largest-ever civilian evacuation was carried out by India in 1990 during the first Gulf war-- between Iraq and Kuwait--when almost 1.7 lakh Indian nationals were brought by air from Kuwait.

The 64 AI flights will be landing in 10 Indian states15 in Kerala, 11 each in Tamil Nadu and Delhi, seven each in Maharashtra and Telangana, five in Gujarat, three each in Karnataka and Jammu and Kashmir and one flight each in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

The flights would be operated by Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express to repatriate Indians from 12 countries-the UAE, the UK, the US, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.

Out of this, 10 flights will be to the UAE, seven flights each to the US and the UK, five flights to Saudi Arabia, five flights to Singapore and two flights to Qatar to repatriate Indian nationals between May 7 and May 13

During this period, seven flights each will be operated to Malaysia and Bangladesh, five flights each to Kuwait and Philippines, two flights each to Oman and Bahrain.

The government has already evacuated about 2,500 stranded Indians from China, Japan, Iran and Italy in the last couple of months after the outbreak of coronavirus in those countries.
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Miami, May 6, 2020  The Committee to Protect Journalists today commended the swift actions by Paraguayan authorities to investigate the hacking of journalists Juan Clari Arias and Jorge Torres phones, and urged them to see the investigation to its conclusion and hold those responsible to account.

Last month, hackers accessed the phone data of Arias and Torres, reporters for the journalism conglomerate Grupo Nacion, according to Arias, who spoke to CPJ in a phone interview, and several tweets by Torres.

On April 28, police officers acting alongside agents from the prosecutors office detained two suspects accused of executing the hacking, and charged them with criminal association and undue access to data and information systems, according to press reports and a tweet by the prosecutors office. The pair are also accused of hacking the phone of independent congressman Carlos Antonio Rejala, according to press reports.

On April 30, Gerardo Fabian Marti, a lawyer affiliated with the opposition Authentic Radical Liberal Party who authorities allege hired the perpetrators, turned himself in after an arrest warrant was issued for him and his home was raided by police, according to press reports. The three suspects remain in detention, Arias told CPJ.

Arias said that all of the data from his cell phone was accessed, including the identities of sources developed over his 29 years as a journalist. Thats the biggest damage theyve caused me, Arias told CPJ. The damage from a professional point of view is devastating. I am now trying to rebuild my network of sources.

Paraguayan authorities should continue their investigation to get to the bottom of the hacking of the phone data of journalists Juan Clari Arias and Jorge Torres, said CPJ South and Central America Program Coordinator Natalie Southwick, in New York. Paraguay must send an unequivocal message that it will respond forcefully against actions that affect the confidentiality of journalistic sources, a cornerstone of press freedom.

Arias told CPJ that he noticed on April 17 that all of the content from his phone was missing, and that he could not place any calls. He filed a complaint with the Personal telecom company, and a company representative told him that his phone had been cloned, meaning someone had duplicated all of its data, he said.

The representative told him that Personal was investigating the incident and would file a complaint to the prosecutors office, Arias said. Arias also filed a complaint to that office on April 18, a copy of which CPJ reviewed.

On April 24, Torres posted on Twitter that his cell phone had also been cloned, and that someone had attempted to access his Facebook account.

Both journalists had recently reported on alleged corruption relating to contracting by the Ministry of Health, alleging that contracts went to shell companies run by a single family, known as the Clan Ferreira.

Marti called Arias multiple times to dispute those allegations on behalf of the Clan Ferreira after the journalist reported on the alleged corruption on his daily television program Two in the City on April 13, Arias told CPJ.

Arias told CPJ that the cybercrime unit of the prosecutors office had swiftly investigated his case. He said that the prosecutors office has also arranged police protection of his home

CPJ emailed the prosecutors office for comment, but did not immediately receive any reply.

Marti denied all allegations against him, and his lawyer claimed there might be political reasons behind the accusations, according to press reports.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Health announced that it was rescinding the contracts with the companies affiliated with the Clan Ferreira, according to press reports.

[Editors Note: This article has been changed to correct the spelling of Clan Ferreira.]
The Centre increased the taxes on petrol by Rs 10/litre and on diesel by Rs 13/litre on Tuesday. Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala has urged PM Modi and his government to explain the reason behind this steep rise in oil prices.

Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Wednesday slammed the central government for raising insurmountable taxes on petrol and diesel, and termed it economically anti-national. The entire nation and its 130 crore people are fighting the COVID-19 pandemic today. The poor migrant workers and labourers, shopkeepers, farmers, MSMEs are virtually penniless, they are struggling for every single rupee. Yet, this draconian government is fleecing 130 crore Indians by raising insurmountable taxes on petrol and diesel, Surjewala said.

In times of this COVID-19 pandemic as also the economic crisis that prevails across India, to fleece people of India in this fashion is economically anti-national. The manner and fashion in which the illegal and forcible recovery is being made from people of India is an example in itself which has shocked the conscience of each one of us, he added.

Surjewala said that on March 14, Centre increased tax on petrol and diesel by Rs 3 per litre. Yesterday again, taxes on petrol was raised by Rs 10/litre and on diesel by Rs 13/litre, he said and added that in 48 days, the central government has increased tax on diesel by Rs 16 per litre and on petrol by Rs 13 per litre. The Congress leader stated that this increase by itself will lead to a recovery of Rs 1 lakh 40 thousand crore annually from people of India.

Also Read: Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo killed in encounter at Jammu & Kashmirs Beighpora

Will anybody explain the logic and rationale behind this? On May 26, 2014, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed power, the PIB press release of that day reflects that the oil basket price of Indian oil companies was USD 108 or Rs 6,330 which means the oil per litre was costing Rs 39.81, Surjewala. On May 4, 2020 oil basket for Indian oil companies is USD 23.38 per barrel or Rs 1,772. Cost today is Rs 11.14 per litre. Will Prime Minister Modi and his government explain why oil, that is costing Rs 11.14 per litre in India, is being sold at Rs 71.26 for petrol and Rs 69.39 for diesel, he added.

Also Read: Health ministry asks Indian pharma trade channels to ensure availability of critical drugs for management of COVID-19

Special Congress Party Briefing via video conferencing:https://t.co/otbFHV4KBI  Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) May 6, 2020

Surjewala said that in five and a half years of being in power, Prime Minister Modi has increased tax on diesel by Rs 28.17 per litre and increased taxes on petrol by Rs 23.50 per litre. Who is profiteering from this insurmountable and inhumane taxation? Between 2014-15 and up till the year 2019-20, in a period of 6 years, Union BJP government has increased taxes on petrol and diesel 12 times and collected Rs 17 lakh crores. Where has this money gone? We ask Prime Minister Modi to come forward and answer these questions, he stated.

Also Read: Aarogya Setu app team dismisses reports of data breach, say no personal information is at risk

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The Ministry of Home Affairs has flagged yet another concern for the state of West Bengal as Secretary Ajay Bhalla wrote to the state's Chief Secretary Rajiv Sinha on Wednesday. In his letter, Bhalla cited that the state's response to COVID-19 is characterized by a very low rate of testing in proportion to the population. The Home Secretary highlighted that the rate of mortality due to COVID-19 in the state is 13.2% which is by far the highest in any state of the country.

Bhalla also stated that the high mortality rate in the state, reflects poor surveillance, detection and testing. The Home Secretary stressed that there is a need to increase random testing in crowded clusters. So far, the state has reported 1,344 positive cases of the Coronavirus and 140 deaths. The state has also witnessed 364 recoveries from the infection.

Ministry of Home Affairs Secy Ajay Bhalla has written to West Bengal Chief Secy Rajiv Sinha saying,"Response to COVID19 in West Bengal is characterized by very low rate of testing in proportion to population&very high rate of mortality of 13.2% by far highest of any state". (1/2)  ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2020

READ | West Bengal Government Converts Kolkata Medical College Into COVID Hospital

Furthermore, Ajay Bhalla highlighted lockdown violations in Kolkata and Howrah by specific groups in specific localities with media reports of 'Corona warriors', including police being attacked and called for stricter enforcement of lockdown. The Home Secretary was referring to the April 30 incident in Howrah's Tikiapara, where locals chased and attacked police personnel on duty, injuring two of the officials. However, on Tuesday, the West Bengal police had informed that it had made 14 arrests in the case, including the main 'instigator'.

READ | Centre Blames Bengal For Not Allowing Cargo Movement Through Indo-Bangla Border

MHA directs Bengal to unblock Bangladesh border

Earlier in the day, the Home Secretary had written to the Mamata Banerjee-led administration on the closure of the border with Bangladesh. The MHA had said that the Mamata government has taken unilateral action to stop cross-border movement of essential goods along the border with Bangladesh, adding that the decision will have larger international implications. Directing the state government to open the border, MHA has said that a large number of trucks carrying essential supplies to Bangladesh are stranded at different border crossing points, and such action by the state is a violation of the Disaster Management Act.

READ | Lockdown Relaxations Evoke Tepid Response In Bengal; Liquor Shops See Huge Crowd

READ | COVID-19: Central Team Likely To Meet Bengal Govt Representatives Tomorrow
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Bay Leaf are referred to the leaf of a variety of plants belonging to various regions specifically used most popularly for their olfactory properties in order to add taste to the food. The source of the bay leaf may be any of the trees such as Bay laurel, California bay, Indian bay, Indonesian bay, West Indian bay, and Mexican bay, all differing slightly in the taste and odor. The baf leaf contains about 1.3% essential oils (ol. lauri folii), consisting of 45% eucalyptol, 12% other terpenes, 8-12% terpinyl acetate, 34% sesquiterpenes, 3% methyleugenol, and other - and -pinenes, phellandrene, linalool, geraniol, and terpineol

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Segmentation:-

The Bay Leaf has gained widespread popularity as a product itself amongst consumers as well as an ingredient among the manufacturers thereby making it a successful B2B and B2C product. The Bay Leaf market can be segmented on the basis of application, form, and distribution channels.

On the basis of form, the bay leaf market is structured as whole leaf, as grounded powder form as well as oils. The whole leaf are used mostly for culinary use in many classic sauces such as bread sauce, tomato sauce, and bechamel. Bay leaf can also be added to flavor cuisines such as seafood, poultry, meat, and vegetable dishes. Bay leaf are also used to flavor sweet dishes like sweetbreads, custards, and cream.

On the basis of application, the bay leaf market can be segmented into food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmetics & personal care and others. The uses of bay leaf include grinding the leaf into a spice to flavor soups and stews, but the leaf are most commonly added in the whole form as a flavoring for certain Italian dishes and are then removed or used as a garnish. Whole bay leaf are not commonly consumed. There is no extensive range of culinary application for bay leaf, although extracts of bay leaf have numerous medical uses. It is also a popular element in aromatherapy and herbal treatments for various skin and respiratory conditions which is leading growth of bay leaf market.

On the basis of distribution channel, the global bay leaf market can be segmented into direct and indirect. The direct distribution channel operates directly between the manufacturers, super stockiest and the distributors. The indirect distribution channel where the consumers receive products directly from the retailers and it can be further sub-segmented into online retailing, convenience stores as well as hypermarkets/supermarkets.

Global market drivers and trends:-

The bay leaf market is anticipated to grow at a significant CAGR owing to its widespread uses. The use of bay leaf for its culinary application is more popular in the countries falling in the Mediterranean and Asia Pacific regions. Apart from the use in food & beverage, the other emerging applications of the baby leaf are its utilizations in cosmetics owing to its characteristics such as improvement in hair health.

Furthermore, it can be employed in pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals as it aids in managing diabetes, helps to alleviate respiratory conditions, facilitates efficient digestion and nutrient intake, aids in lowering the amounts of stress hormone, aids in reducing inflammation caused by sore joints and arthritis and the like. The strong aroma of bay leaf makes it suitable for the use as an ingredient in essential oils for aromatherapy. The restraints of bay leaf market are few although evident such as the confusion amongst the people associated to the different plants of Lauraceae family which might be toxic.

Regional outlook: 

The consumption of bay leaf is expected to increase in Eastern and Western Europe and North America due to the increasing demands of avocado extract product in these regions. Asia-pacific region is the leading producer and is likely to keep the same production in the forecast period followed by other region like Japan and South Africa. South Africa has potential to become one of the leading bay leaf manufacturer as production in this region is appreciable. Middle-East is expected to show low to moderate growth in the bay leaf market.

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Market Key players:-
New Mexicos leaders have been reading books to children throughout the quarantine.

Since March, Mayor Gregg Hull has done many Facebook livestreams for the story time.

The mayor got this idea from Roswell Mayor Dennis Kintigh. He did a one-time reading, and Hull was then inspired to create Facebook livestreams with community members.

Well, I heard Mayor Kintigh down in Roswell had done one, and my daughter actually found out about it and said, Hey, Dad, you ought to do this for kids in Rio Rancho. I actually called Mayor Kintigh and said thanks for the great idea, Hull said.

Since then, he has done more than 16 videos, with Captain America scheduled to make an appearance Thursday.

Hulls favorite reading was Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss.

The reaction has been absolutely astoundingly positive, and so its been fantastic, and its been my way to communicate with the children of Rio Rancho and let them know they arent forgotten, he said.

Hull wants Story Time with Mayor Gregg Hull to be accessible to as many Rio Rancho children as possible.

After the Facebook live, we are adding the closed captions so that every child possible can enjoy the story time, he said.

Hull livestreams from Loma Colorado Main Library.

Lynette Schurdevin is the citys Library and Information Services Department director.

I am a great fan of Dr. Seuss! she said. I love the rhyming and fun they bring to reading. And the artwork is unique and fun. Whats not to love about a green Grinch?

She said the mayor, special guests, childrens librarians and she allow children to see and hear a story. Story times often have a theme, such as police and fire safety, cleaning and springtime. Schurdevin said Story Time with Mayor Gregg Hull maintains a connection to the library.

Since we have been closed, I miss the vibrancy that the library patrons bring when they are here in the library. It feels lonely and, yes, I truly believe the books are lonely and missing their readers, she said. So in offering the virtual story time, it allows our library staff a great sense of meeting the needs of our readers and a connection to them.

This trend of reading to children has caused a domino effect in community leaders, from Kintigh inspiring Hull to Hull inspiring Albuquerques District 5 City Councilor Cynthia Borrego.

Borrego began Lavender Libros, a YouTube channel that features New Mexicos leadership reading childrens books. She has invited Hull to read on the channel.

The idea for Lavender Libros was inspired by watching Mayor Greg Hulls weekly reading program online. I thought it would be nice to develop a learning program that would serve children in Albuquerque, and possibly statewide, during this COVID-19 environment, Borrego said.

Borrego invites community role models to read on a volunteer basis.

I hope Lavender Libros helps parents keep our children engaged during this difficult time out of school. Im also very excited so far with the reception, and community interest it has received. And, Im delighted to say that the program has just taken off, she said.

To view Story Time with Mayor Gregg Hull, search for his Facebook page, Gregg Hull Mayor of Rio Rancho.

Search Lavender Libros on YouTube to hear those readings.
Due to the stay-at-home and quarantine orders necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic, many of us are finding ourselves cooking more than ever before. In Pandemic Kitchen, well hear from home cooksexperts and newbies, those with plenty of access to food and those with less, the avid and the reluctantabout the culinary struggles, and unexpected joys, of this time of social distancing. If you would like to be interviewed for this column, please email humaninterest@slate.com with Pandemic Kitchen in the subject line and a brief description of your cooking background and current situation.

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This interview, conducted by Rebecca Onion, has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Family size and situation: Married couple, college professors, living in London, Ontario, with two boys, ages 9 (almost 10) and 4. Their two older children live independently, in different cities; we havent seen them since this started. Moms the one talking and also the one who made the comics about their daily cooking.

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Pandemic impact: Theyre teaching online, and the kids schools are closed. Both of the older kids still have to go out to work, for a butcher and a call center, but so far, everyone is healthy and has retained their employment. The government suspended and deferred student loan payments, which is an enormous boon for us, she said. Were a country where we expect some level of support; we expect we will not be asked to do unreasonable things.

What It Was Like

Im really reevaluating how much I cooked before this began. I suspect theres a lot of foggy memory. I thought we ate at home a lot more than we maybe did! Now that we really are eating at home all the time, I see how often we would get takeout pizza, go out to the Persian restaurant or something kid-friendly, or my husband or I would pick up something at the farmers market for lunch, if we didnt feel like making it.

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Id do things like, Id make sweet potato tempura, and little dumplings, and then to round that out Id want cold rolls [in the U.S., wed call these fresh spring rolls], and I didnt want to make them so Id just get them at this little Vietnamese place. And Id think of that as I made dinner, but I didnt do the whole thing! Now I see just how much I was supplementing.

Switching to Local

This is a pretty agriculturally rich area. I grew up on a farm not super far away from herevery much a cash crop place, though, not a hippie organic place! It was like spray it all.

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We have almost exclusively been getting our groceries from a place called On the Move Organics; they also operate an organic restaurant in our neighborhood, called the Root Cellar. They have a micro beer brewery, its cooperatively owned. When we moved into this neighborhood, very little of this stuff was established.

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On the Move sells local produce, and theyve really expanded their grocery delivery service during the pandemic. They have all these employees that are a lot of people who live in this neighborhoodpeople involved in the arts, who worked as bartenders and waiters at the brewpub. And they moved everyone over to delivery. I feel confident that theyre being paid well and treated well; its the place where I feel most confident that the people who are packing this stuff up and delivering it are protected in their workplace.

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It definitely costs more than if we ordered from a big supermarket. Just for example, the milk selection there is likeits bottled in glass, its an organic dairy, on and on. I think its like three times as much than if you were to buy it at the grocery store. Everything is local, or else they get it through a free trade network. But on the other hand, this is kind of what we are spending money on, now. The only thing.

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This place only delivers to our neighborhood about once a week. Thats about right for produce, and so we order ingredients for a few meals and then hope we can improvise a couple of backup meals. I had the realization after the first week, when I had ordered stewing beef to make a stew and it just didnt come, that I needed to start ordering three or four different options. Sometimes I get my first choice, sometimes my second, sometimes all of them!

Home All Day

Ive always been able to cook, and I used to fantasize that Id be a good log camp cook [someone who cooked for loggers, a very Canadian historical figure]. A weird fantasy! I really felt like, I could churn butter! Ive never done it, but if you give me the equipment, I bet I could! Now Im like, hm, wait a second. This is so much cooking.

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We do a serve-yourself breakfast. Some people eat toast; we got granola this week, so weve been eating granola. My kids can cook an egg, they can make toast. For lunch, we sit down together at the table; its usually just leftovers, or if we dont have that, then well make burritos or something like that.

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The kids have a snack around 3 p.m., which is usually a piece of bread, or a piece of fruit. I grew up in a rural place where you couldnt really go to the store all the time, and kids couldnt go to the store all the time, and we came up with all these weird snacks. So now my kids are learning about this way of snacking. Im like, Do you know about butter and sugar bread? Where you put butter and sugar on bread? I found some sugar cubes in the cupboard and was like, Look! Its like candy!

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My oldest kid is 23, and so for 23 years, my concern has been, I need to make sure my kids like eating healthy foods, organic foods that are good for them, to balance out the huge abundance of treats that comes to them in the world. Now, I am the only source of treats. This is where theyre getting all their sweetness.

Generally speaking, we eat dinner as a family at the table, but occasionallybasically when I cant take it anymorewe feed the kids something they want to eat. And then make something for us, like we had those boil-in-a-bag Indian food meals, those are so goodand then wed put them to bed and have time with a movie and a beer after the kids go to sleep, which is wonderful.

I Dont Want to Hurt Your Feelings

Theyre the most genteel little boys. Theyre not going to kick up a fuss, or reject the things I cook. But for sure, my 4-year-old will say things like, Mommy, I dont want to hurt your feelings, but this is disgusting.

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What they will and wont eat probably hasnt changed, its probably just that it was easier for me, before, not to notice that they only ate a little bit of whatever I put together. Now, I feel like, Oh, if you dont eat this, youre probably going to be hungry later. I just dont have a lot of snacks around, to fill in the cracks with stuff they like.

They also just dont realistically have a bunch of self-serve options. Im realizing we probably went through a bunch of bananas every two days! I had no idea. I used to buy a lot of little snacky things that I would put in their lunchboxes to round out their lunches. At the beginning of this we had a bag of Goldfish, and then it was gone, and we didnt get commercial groceries for like four weeks. One day I even made crackers! I used the only small cookie cutter I had to make thema little star cutterso they were star crackers.

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I worry more about their nutrition, where I was relaxed about it before. I guess I could say what they eat hasnt changed that much, but my anxiety about it has. But hopefully I keep that stuff on the inside!

Why Ive Been Drawing Our Daily Food

When faced with unstructured time in the past, Ive definitely struggled with the ennui and a sense of foggy timelessness. Creative projects have always helped. As soon as my husband and I knew we would be working at home with our kids, I suggested we all spend part of each day doing art, or playing music, or just generally making stuff. The first day I tried writing and drawing about a bunch of different things that were happening, including a little comic of what we ate that day. The next day, out of all of the things Id been writing about, that was the idea I was most interested in taking up, especially as I was reading news about food shortages and the safety and ethics of grocery shopping.

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After a few days, I started posting the comics on Instagram, and my friends and grown kids encouraged me to continue. This helped to get me over the stage where, in any long-term project, its easy to waffle as to whether its worthwhile, however thats defined. I really love drawing all of the little mundane thingsfrom onions to cans of soup to small appliancesthat are so beautiful and familiar.

I Give Up

The only time weve gotten takeout? We ordered pizza on April 14. I made a comic about it. I felt really weird about it. In Canada, if these places close down, their employees go from making minimum wage to the CERB [Canadian Emergency Response Benefit], which is like 2,000 bucks, more than a lot of them are making in a month. I dont really want to pay businesses when theyre continuing to squeeze their employees.

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So I feel very conflicted, but this was also my idea. I hit a wall that day, about cooking. I couldnt get past it. Id run out of dried pasta, which I used to feed my kids all the time, and we have a pasta machine, but its like  its so much work. And the pasta machine is the most attractive appliance we have, for young kids. If you get out that crank pasta machine, my younger son is THERE with you. And I didnt buy a pasta tree to dry the pasta, so it always clumps up when Im drying it.

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I looked at my deskthe only place the pasta machine clamp fitsand it was covered in fabric for a project, and I was like, am I just going to sweep all this into a bag and stuff it somewhere and look at the bag for another month and a half and get flour all over my desk?

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I couldnt. We got pizza. I tipped the delivery guy 20 bucks.

This is something I feel consistently bad about. I can, and have, buy an exit from this whole thing. I can buy a different reality, where people would just come to your house and bring pizza, and your kids would like it. Im seeing what a privilege that is. Im trying not to do it.

Moving Forward

One thing were definitely going to take out of this is that my husband is going to do more cooking. Even before this started, he had begun making bread, but hes going to do more of it in general. And were going to make bread from scratch all the time, because thats worked for us. Im going to make cheese and yogurt, which is something I didnt do before this.

And Im going to never not order from the organic place again. I will order from them every week. I will often identify the right thing to do, and want to do it consistently, but not really do it. But now, after this, I feel like I really want to live as consistently as I can, in terms of ethics around food. This has really driven home to me how fragile the whole food system is.
Luke Muszkiewicz and Jennifer McKee won the two seats up for election on the Helena Public Schools Board of Education Tuesday night.

Muszkiewicz is the current school board chair, the vice president of the Montana School Boards Association and the senior manager of data analytics at Anderson ZurMuehlen.

Muszkiewicz was re-elected with 8,117 votes. This represents 34% of all votes counted and was nearly 3,000 votes ahead of the competition. He said he is incredibly proud of Helena's public school system and is honored to continue his service with the board of trustees.

McKee, a communications specialist with the Montana Lottery, also secured a seat on the board with 5,192 votes, or 22%. McKee was the only other candidate to break 5,000 votes.

Her next-closest opponent, former trustee Paul Stahl, received 4,267 votes. Lois A. Fitzpatrick received 2,845 votes, and Christina Noel received 2,632.

"I'm grateful for the support of this community and excited to take on the many challenges that confront our schools, teachers, students and families," McKee said.

Trustee Jennifer Walsh, who represents Wolf Creek on the board, was re-elected with 594 votes. She was running for her position unopposed.

Muszkiewicz said he wanted to congratulate incoming trustee McKee and thanked everyone who ran for their willingness to serve.

In total, approximately 23,500 votes were counted in the school board race.

Levies to increase the general fund in the elementary and high school districts also passed Tuesday. Approximately 54% of voters said yes to each with approximately 45% saying no.

"First and foremost, I am incredibly thankful to the voters of Helena for approving the elementary and high school levies," Muszkiewicz said Tuesday. "Continuing to invest in our extraordinary educators is the single most important thing we can do for our kids."

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

Trend:

Azerbaijan took prompt and necessary measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev while making an opening speech at the online Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement Contact Group in response to Covid-19, Trend reports.

Azerbaijan as the country chairing the Non-Aligned Movement, based on the Cartagena document on methodologies adopted by the Movement in 1996, has put forward the initiative to set up a Contact Group to Combat Coronavirus and hold a Summit in this format. It is gratifying that all the member states of the Non-Aligned Movement have unanimously supported this initiative. The Contact Group represents countries from all regional groups based on geographical representation and the principle of voluntary participation. I would like to express my gratitude to the states included in the Contact Group for participating in the Summit. I would also like to thank the President of the UN General Assembly, the Director General of the World Health Organization and Chairman of the African Union Commission, who are participating in this Summit, said President Ilham Aliyev.

The head of state expressed gratitude to the UN Secretary General, Mr. Antonio Guterres, and the High Representative of the European Union and Vice-President of the European Commission Mr. Josep Borrell for the video message.

Your Excellencies, on 25-26 October 2019, the 18th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement was held in Baku. The principles of international law were reflected in the Baku Declaration and the Baku final document adopted at the Summit. At the same time, these documents once again expressed support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of the borders of states enshrined in the Bandung Principles the 65th anniversary of which is celebrated these days. With the unanimous support of 120 member states, Azerbaijan will chair the Non-Aligned Movement for three years. I would like to once again express my gratitude for the great confidence placed in us. When taking over chairmanship, I stated that Azerbaijan would take tangible steps to protect the interests of the participating countries in the international arena and would be guided by the strengthening of solidarity and mutual support, said President Ilham Aliyev.

The head of state pointed out that Azerbaijan has prepared a comprehensive Action Plan regarding its chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement and has begun practical activities.

The coronavirus pandemic has completely changed the situation in the world, bringing about new realities as a result. Azerbaijan reacted to the new situation quickly and adequately. This is evidenced by the Summit of the Contact Group of the Non-Aligned Movement against Coronavirus initiated by Azerbaijan. The global COVID-19 pandemic adversely affects all countries of the world, said President Ilham Aliyev.

He noted that no country is insured against it.

We can defeat COVID-19 with mutual support, without locking ourselves up and by joint efforts only. We appreciate the announcement by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of a global humanitarian response plan to combat coronavirus, the adoption of relevant resolutions in the UN General Assembly and the important role that the World Health Organization plays in the global fight against the pandemic. From the first days of the pandemic, we have been in close contact with the World Health Organization. Based on our appeal, a delegation comprised of leading specialists of the organization visited our country in March and got acquainted with the situation. I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus for the support provided to Azerbaijan and for his participation in our Summit. This is the second Summit held on the initiative of Azerbaijan. On 10 April, on my initiative, a Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States, an organization Azerbaijan chairs in, was held against COVID-19. The Director-General of the World Health Organization also participated in that Summit and provided valuable recommendations. I would like to note with satisfaction the statement of the Non-Aligned Movement of 9 April entitled Support for the World Health Organization and its Director General. On 23 March, the Director-General of the World Health Organization sent me a letter expressing high appreciation of the work done in Azerbaijan, said the head of state.

President Ilham Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan was recognized as an exemplary country in terms of the measures being taken against the pandemic.

As a responsible and reliable member of the world community, Azerbaijan has provided voluntary financial assistance in the amount of $5 million to the World Health Organization in support of the global fight against coronavirus. Azerbaijan took prompt and necessary measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Following my executive order at the beginning of the year, a Task Force was set up under the Cabinet of Ministers. During the pandemic, the priority for us is the protection of peoples health and their social protection.All public events that were supposed to be held on the territory of the country have been postponed or canceled. From 3 March, teaching at all educational institutions across the country was gradually suspended. A special regime was introduced on 14 March, including a series of measures of social distancing, and on 24 March, a special quarantine regime was introduced, said the head of state.

He noted that in Azerbaijan, more than 20 hospitals have been allocated for the treatment of patients with coronavirus.

Laboratory tests, some medical equipment and supplies necessary for the diagnosis and treatment of the virus were delivered to Azerbaijan. There are 23 testing laboratories in Azerbaijan. To date, over 160,000 tests have been administered in the country. To meet domestic needs, the production of protective and other medical supplies was arranged in a short time. Thus, as a result of all these measures, mass infection was prevented. In the last three weeks, there has been a positive trend between the number of infected and those recovering in our country. During the pandemic, we once again witnessed the professionalism of our doctors. Azerbaijan is ready to share its experience in the field of treatment of coronavirus patients with other member states of the Non-Aligned Movement and to carry out cooperation in this area, said the head of state.

President Ilham Aliyev noted that given the decrease in the rate of the infection and the recovery trend, a plan on a phased exit from the special quarantine regime is being implemented.

Although the special quarantine regime has been extended until 31 May, a number of restrictions were relaxed on 27 April and 4 May. To ensure economic stability in Azerbaijan, solve the problems associated with employment, ensure macroeconomic and financial stability, a socioeconomic support package in the amount of more than 3.5 billion manats or $ 2 billion was adopted. In general, the state has fully retained the salaries of more than 900,000 people working in the public sector and pays a significant part of the salaries of 690,000 workers in the non-state sector. Along with this, funds in the amount of the subsistence minimum are paid out to 600,000 low-income, unemployed and informally working people for two months, said the head of state.

He noted that for the social protection of the unemployed, there are plans to create 90,000 public jobs by the end of the year.

The state will provide a guarantee for 60 percent of new loans issued by banks to entrepreneurs. Until 1 January 2021, taxpayers will be granted tax benefits and tax breaks for areas of activity worst affected by the pandemic. All this is only a part of the steps being taken. In general, our people highly appreciate the measures being taken by the state. Dear colleagues, in the conditions of the pandemic, it is important to maintain open trade between our countries and uninterruptedly carry out international cargo transportation. Azerbaijan has already become one of the important transport and logistical centers of Eurasia, has played a major role in the creation of East-West, North-South and North-West transport corridors connecting dozens of countries. Azerbaijan, as a reliable transit and logistical center responsibly treating its role in the pandemic, provides unhindered transit traffic through its territory. At the same time, it is important to exchange experience among medical specialists, share the experience, information and scientific knowledge gained in the fight against the virus and provide assistance to countries in need. As noted in the proposed Declaration of the Summit, the Working Group of the Non-Aligned Movement will add the humanitarian and medical needs of the participating countries related to the pandemic to the unified database. These data will then be presented to donor countries and international humanitarian organizations for the provision of feasible assistance, said the head of state.

President Ilham Aliyev noted that to provide support to member countries of the Non-Aligned Movement that are most in need of assistance, Azerbaijan will allocate an additional donation of $5 million to the World Health Organization.

These funds are intended for those most in need of assistance from the regional groups of Africa, Asia and Latin America. The Non-Aligned Movement, which unites 120 countries, is the largest international organization after the UN General Assembly. During the presidency of Azerbaijan, we intend to jointly enhance the international authority and role of the Non-Aligned Movement in the international arena. Friendship, solidarity and mutual support among countries play a special role. With your consent, we, as member countries of the Non-Aligned Movement and as an example of global solidarity, can propose holding a special session of the General Assembly at the level of heads of state and government, as provided for in the UN Charter, dedicated to the COVID-19 pandemic in the format of a video conference. In this difficult time for all of us, I once again urge all states to maintain friendship, mutual support and solidarity. Thank you for your attention! said the head of state.
(GETTY)

In the booze business, summer is showtime. Warm weather packs patios. Backyards fill up for barbeques. Absent a global pandemic, the trend is about as reliable as sand at the beach.

For Canopy Growth (WEED.TO)(CGC), the worlds largest cannabis company backed by the American purveyor of summertime staple Corona beer, the next few months are going to be an important test for its pot drinks. Investors will get to decide if the companys beverage bet is paying off as cannabis fights an uphill battle for a home inside Canadian coolers.

Buzz about an alcohol-disrupting cannabis drink from Canopy gained traction as booze behemoth Constellation Brands (STZ) pumped billions into the Canadian pot producer in the summer of 2018.

Initially set for release in early January, the company launched Tweed Houndstooth & Soda, a sativa-dominant fizzy drink with notes of its Houndstooth cannabis strain, in mid-March. A second drink under the company's Tweed banner hit retailers on Monday, an indica-dominant ginger ale.

Bakerstreet & Ginger, a cannabis-infused drink, is now available at the Ontario Cannabis Store: https://t.co/aNDNvPkGJy



Each can contains 2 mg of THC. Grab yours while you can. pic.twitter.com/RCko5UFaux  Tweed (@TweedInc) May 4, 2020

Bill Newlands, Constellations chief executive officer, has taken a shining to the word game-changer to describe the new offerings that Canopy has long-claimed sets it apart from rivals in the sector that have been slower to pursue drinks. Newlands repeated the term in an interview with Yahoo Finance on Tuesday. Its meaningful praise, given his demonstrated willingness to publicly shame Canopys lacklustre performance.

Both of Canopys drinks on the market today have two mg of psychoactive THC, enough for most people to catch a moderate high within a few minutes before deciding if they want to pull the tab on another slender black can.

Story continues

Data from U.S. legal states recently cited by CIBC shows drinks command only one to two per cent of cannabis sales. However, the category is growing fast, showing an uptick during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For Canopy, sales have been brisk so far, according to Paul Weaver, the companys director of innovation. He said Houndstooth & Soda sold out quickly in most markets, although he wouldnt say how much inventory was ordered by provincial distributors.

Last fall, Canopy revealed its initial lineup of 13 infused drinks, ranging from cans of sparkling soda to multiple serving bottles of distilled cannabis for mixing into a drink of choice.

Canopy told Yahoo Finance Canada this week that Houseplant Grapefruit, a sparkling water with 2.5 mg of THC per can developed under Seth Rogen and Evan Goldbergs pot brand, will be next to launch in coming weeks.

(CNW Group/Canopy Growth Corporation)

Canopy said the next release soon after that will Deep Space, its strongest drink at 10 mg of THC per can. The company said dates will likely vary by province.

(Canopy Growth)

The mass closure of bars, restaurants and other venues where alcohol is sold in order to enforce social distancing has eliminated a major spending magnet for booze in the near-term. Ontarios government launched a public consultation on cannabis lounges and special occasion permits for outdoor events in February. But given the impacts of COVID-19, the timeline for new rules is far from clear.

When it comes to online sales, buying a six-pack of beer and six cannabis drinks for home consumption are two very different transactions.

Cannabis purchases are legally limited to the equivalent of 30 g or less. Under the current regulations, each Tweed can is equal to about 5 g of dried flower. An order for six cans of Houndstooth & Soda works out to 30.6 g, meaning multiple orders would be required for anyone looking to stock their fridge for a long weekend.

(Societe quebecoise du cannabis)

There is a gram equivalency thats associated with cannabis beverages thats a bit inconsistent with the experience, Weaver said. When you buy one of our cannabis drinks, in the eyes of the regulations, thats deemed as buying five grams of dried flower. It doesnt quite add up. Its definitely less active ingredient than five grams of flower.

Adding to the confusion, a more potent 10 mg of THC per serving drink product from rival producer The Green Organic Dutchman (TGOD.TO) equates to just 0.03 g of the 30 g limit, allowing consumers to purchase in greater volume. Its a tube of dissolvable THC powder meant to be added to beverages and food.

(Ontario Cannabis Store)

There is some room to reinterpret and rewrite the equivalency laws for these types of advanced products to be a bit more grounded in the consumer experience, Weaver said. Were not the only ones experiencing that issue. Lets assume thats a gap that will be fixed over time.

Weavers job at Canopy boils down to commercializing the pot giants research and development, essentially taking ideas from laboratory whiteboards and putting finished products in the hands of consumers. Prior to joining the legal pot industry, he spent nearly seven years in an innovation role at Molson Coors Canada (TPX-B.TO). Perhaps unsurprisingly, he sees bars and restaurants as key to building the popularity of pot drinks.

Brands are built in the alcohol space in the bar and restaurant environment. We would not expect anything different for cannabis beverages, he said. We all learned how to put a lime wedge in our Corona. You probably learned that in a bar or on a patio.

Plugs for Constellations beer aside, Weaver is thinking about branding tricks from glassware to taps to lure bar patrons towards cannabis. But without regulations in place, its unclear what kind of neon signs or novelty packaging will be allowed, if any. Hes optimistic that the regulatory sandbox he has to play within today will evolve, perhaps to allow drink and edible products stronger than 10 mg per serving.

Our ability to deliver a wide variety of consumer experiences under 10 mg really does result in minor nuances of brand and flavour and packaging, Weaver said.

Cannabis 2.0 products have been slow to trickle onto the market in Canada since new formats like vapes, candies, mints, drinks and topicals were legalized last year. So far, it hasnt been the revolution investors hoped for. Weaver hopes the weather will be on Canopys side.

Its going to be a bright summer, he said. Showtime, as they call it in the beverage alcohol industry.

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.
One of the worlds biggest movie stars is officially expanding his reach in the galaxy.

NASA confirmed Tuesday that Tom Cruise is planning to shoot a movie, at least in part, on the International Space Station. It will be the first narrative feature film to be shot in outer space.

NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station, NASA administrator Jim Bridentsine wrote on Twitter. We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASAs ambitious plans a reality.

Deadline reported earlier Tuesday that Cruise was teaming up with Elon Musks Space X and NASA for the untitled action-adventure movie, which appears to be in the early stages of development. No studio, director, writer or plot details have been announced for the project.

According to SlashFilm, Cruise actually discussed doing a film in space with director James Cameron around the time of 2000s Mission: Impossible II.

I actually talked to [Cruise] about doing a space film in space, about 15 years ago, Cameron said in 2018. I had a contract with the Russians in 2000 to go to the International Space Station and shoot a high-end 3D documentary there. And I thought, S---, man, we should just make a feature. I said, Tom, you and I, well get two seats on the Soyuz, but somebodys gotta train us as engineers. Tom said, No problem, Ill train as an engineer. We had some ideas for the story, but it was still conceptual.

Deadline reports the new project is not part of the Mission: Impossible franchise, which helped Cruise earn a reputation for death-defying stunts. He hung from the side of a plane 5,000 feet in the air for Mission: Impossible  Rogue Nation," scaled a 123-story tall Dubai skyscraper in Mission: Impossible  Ghost Protocol," and even broke his ankle while filming Mission: Impossible  Fallout.

Cruise, 57, was filming Mission: Impossible 7 earlier this year, but production was put on hold in February due to the coronavirus pandemic. Scenes were scheduled to be shot in Italy, which has now seen more than 210,000 cases of COVID-19 and over 29,000 deaths.

Another Cruise sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, pushed back its release date from this summer to December 2020 as movie theaters remain closed due to coronavirus.
The Trump administration was sued over a provision in the coronavirus relief package that bars US-citizen children of undocumented immigrants from getting stimulus payments.

A group of seven children and their parents claim the law violates the childrens constitutional rights. The Trump administration also is being sued by citizens denied virus aid because they are married to undocumented immigrants.

The $2 trillion Cares Act, approved by Congress in March, provides $1,200 payments to US taxpayers who earn as much as $75,000 -- plus $500 for each child. But to be eligible, both spouses in families that file joint tax returns must have Social Security numbers, which are unavailable to the childrens parents, according to the complaint filed Tuesday in federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland, against the US government and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

The refusal to distribute this benefit to US citizen children undermines the Cares Acts goal of providing assistance to Americans in need, frustrates the acts efforts to jumpstart the economy, and punishes citizen children for their parents status -- punishment that is particularly nonsensical given that undocumented immigrants, collectively, pay billions of dollars each year in taxes, according to the complaint.

The children, who are identified only by their initials, are seeking to represent a class of millions of other kids who are US citizens and have parents who are unable to get the $500 payments because one or both of them is undocumented.

The White House and Treasury didnt immediately respond to requests for comment.

The case is R.V. v. Mnuchin, 20-cv-01148, US District Court, District of Maryland (Greenbelt).

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Arion Bank's results in Q1 affected by Covid-19 pandemic

Covid-19 had a substantial effect on the Icelandic economy and Arion Bank during the last month of the first quarter of 2020. Arion Bank reported a net loss of ISK 1,282 million from continuing operations and a net loss of ISK 2,171 million in the quarter. Return on equity was negative by 4.6% and 2.7% from continuing operations. The Bank reported net earnings of ISK 1,018 million for the same period in 2019, with return on equity of 2.1%. There were three main factors that contributed towards these negative earnings for the first quarter of 2020: Net financial income was negative by ISK 2,000 million, highly affected by fair value changes of equity holdings due to unfavorable market conditions; Net impairment was negative by ISK 2,860 million, mostly due to more pessimistic assumptions in the Bank's IFRS 9 models, especially as regards unemployment and the transfer of tourism related customers to Stage 2; and discontinued operations were negative by ISK 889 million, due to an operating loss at Valitor and value changes of Solbjarg ehf. and Stakksberg ehf., all of which are classified as held for sale assets.

Total assets amounted to ISK 1,188 billion at the end of March 2020, compared with ISK 1,082 billion at the end of 2019. Liquid assets increased as the proposed ISK 10 billion dividend payment did not materialize, the Bank issued AT1 in February and deposits increased. Loans to customers increased slightly from year-end 2019, mainly due to mortgage lending. Deposits increased by 9.4% from year-end 2019 as a result of the continued focus on deposits. Total equity amounted to ISK 184 billion, compared with ISK 190 billion at the end of 2019, a decrease mainly related to the buy-back program in Q1.

The Bank's capital ratio at the end of March 2020 was 27.5%, compared with 24.0% at the end of 2019. The CET 1 ratio was 22.5% at the end of March 2020, compared with 21.2% at the end of 2019. The Group's own funds increased by ISK 23.3 billion from year-end 2019, primarily due to the successful issuance of a USD 100 million Additional Tier 1 capital instrument in February 2020, and as a result of the Board of Directors' decision to propose that no dividends are paid in connection with operations in 2019 in light of the Covid-19 pandemic and the recommendation of the Central Bank of Iceland to that effect. This effectively reintroduces the foreseeable ISK 10 billion dividend at year-end 2019 as loss absorbing capital.

The Bank is committed to its medium term targets, assuming the economy recovers in the medium term.

Benedikt Gislason, CEO of Arion Bank

"Arion Bank's financial results for the first quarter of 2020 were significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Bank reported an operating loss of approximately ISK 2 billion for the first quarter, which can largely be attributed to the effect of Covid-19 and the performance of the securities markets and the economy in general. The market value of the Bank's equity holdings decreased by ISK 2 billion, net impairment amounted to approximately ISK 3 billion, or 0.38% of the Bank's loan portfolio, and the negative impact of held for sale assets was approximately ISK 1 billion. Net impairment is mostly due to the more negative economic outlook and the increased probability of default as a result. The Bank's loan portfolio remains well distributed between retail and corporate customers and approximately 91% of loans are secured with collateral, of which 70% are secured with collateral in real estate. Core operations developed positively in the quarter compared with Q1 2019, despite the challenging conditions. The Bank's net interest margin increased, core revenues were up 9% and operating expenses decreased by 10%. The Bank continues to focus on its core revenues, and the financial targets have not changed even though it may now take longer to achieve them.

In recent weeks and months we have done whatever we can to help our customers adapt to the unique circumstances created by the Covid-19 pandemic. Almost two thousand of our retail customers have taken advantage of the mortgage payment holiday offered by the Bank. There is currently a payment freeze on more than 11% of the Bank's loans to individuals. We have also been working closely with our corporate customers to analyze the current situation and outlook and many companies have requested a payment freeze on their loans. We have done our utmost to accommodate their requests and there is currently a payment freeze on approximately 9% of corporate loans. The Bank has therefore frozen approximately 10% of its loan portfolio.

Excellent results have been achieved in the battle against Covid-19 in Iceland and cases are on the decline. The economic consequences have yet to fully materialize but they will undoubtedly be some of the most severe witnessed in recent times. It seems likely that it will be some time before the tourist industry regains its former shape, with the positive impact it had on the Icelandic business sector and economy. Arion Bank will continue to strive to supports its customers. The Bank's issue of Additional Tier 1 capital and the Board's decision to cancel the share buy-back program and dividend mean that the Bank's capital and liquidity positions are unusually robust and the Bank's capital adequacy ratio is higher than ever at 27.5%. One third of the Bank's capital, or ISK 63 billion, is in excess of the regulatory minimum and the Bank is therefore well placed to tackle the conditions we currently face."

Investor webcast in English on 7 May at 10:30 CET (8:30 GMT)

Arion Bank will be hosting a webcast on Thursday 7 May at 10:30 CET (8:30 GMT) where CEO Benedikt Gislason, CFO Stefan Petursson, Deputy CFO Eggert Teitsson and Head of Investor Relations Theodor Fridbertsson will present the results and answer questions from participants. The webcast will take place in English.

The webcast will be accessible live on financialhearings.com and a link will also be made available on the Bank's website under Investor Relations .

To participate in the webcast via telephone and to submit questions please call in using the relevant number indicated below before the start of the webcast:

SE: +46 850 558 351

UK: +44 333 300 9030

Iceland: +354 800 7520

United States: +1 833 526 8396

For further information please contact Theodor Fridbertsson, Head of Arion Bank's Investor Relations, at ir@arionbanki.is or tel.+354 856 6760.

For media enquiries please contact Haraldur Gudni Eidsson, Head of Corporate Communications, at haraldur.eidsson@arionbanki.is or tel. +354 856 7108.

The financial calendar of Arion Bank is available on the Bank's website .

This is information that Arion Bank hf. is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication through the agency of the contact persons set out above.

Attachments
The Foxboro High School marching band performs during the annual Foxboro Founders Day parade last year. The band is one of may facets of the schools' music education program which has earned high grades recently from a national organization.
"What we propose to do in the meantime, as the infection rate reaches less than 1, is to restart some activities with the necessary and verified care to generate sources of work required by the entire population, but that implies a gradual process," he stated

The Peruvian leader remarked that the gradual restart of economic activities in May was misunderstood by the population, who assumed it was going to begin during the first week of this month, which explains the large number of people on the street.

Stages

The top official indicated that, in this first stage of the coronavirus pandemic, the efforts of the population and institutions are aimed at containing its spread.

This is not a one-month or three-month disease. This is the stage when the epidemic spreads, while institutions and the population work to contain it.

In this sense, he noted that the worst thing that Peruvians can do is to be overconfident. Therefore, everyone must act responsibly in order to avoid a new outbreak of the epidemic.

El presidente @MartinVizcarraC informa sobre la situacion del Estado de Emergencia en el #Dia51 y las acciones que realiza el Gobierno para contener la propagacion del COVID-19. En vivo: https://t.co/e695JTqi5b https://t.co/94uMo538CX
Two persons, including a local Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader, suffered bullet injuries on their legs following a brawl at the cremation ground in Qadian village, Salem Tabri , on Wednesday evening.

The injured were rushed to hospitals, where their condition is stated to be stable.

The incident occurred when a woman claiming to be the wife of former market committee chairman Hardeep Singh, who died on Wednesday, turned up at the cremation site, along with her son and relative.

When the family members of the deceased asked them to leave, they insisted to stay, claiming to be his family members and sharing their desire to pay respect to the deceased.

However, the son and grandson of the deceased opened fire at the trio. According to eyewitnesses, as many as 15 bullets were fired.

Son of the woman, who claimed herself to be wife of the deceased, and Kiranjeet Kaur, a local SAD leader, who had come to attend the cremation, suffered bullet injuries.

Salem Tabri station house officer (SHO) inspector Kanwaljit Singh said the police were investigating the case and appropriate action will be taken after recording statements of the victims.
BAGHDAD  Iraqs Parliament chose an American-backed former intelligence chief as the new prime minister early Thursday morning, giving the country its first real government in more than five months as it confronts an array of potentially crippling crises.

The prime minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, 53, who has a reputation for pragmatism, was also seen as an acceptable choice to Iran, the other major foreign power competing for influence in Iraq.

Mr. al-Kadhimi is Iraqs first real prime minister since the last one resigned in November in the face of persistent antigovernment protests.

He has already promised to take a new approach to the social unrest, meeting protesters and consulting with them rather than backing the previous governments sporadic efforts to crush or ignore the turmoil.
Court allows Ky. church's drive-in services, says ban has 'potential hallmarks of discrimination'

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A federal court on Saturday allowed Maryville Baptist Church and its pastor, Dr. Jack Roberts, in Kentucky to hold drive-in services, prohibiting the enforcement of the states COVID-19 orders.

While the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit declined to extend the injunction to in-person services, it noted that Gov. Andy Beshear's ban on faith-based mass gatherings has "several potential hallmarks of discrimination" as it provides exceptions to certain secular activities such as laundromats and liquor stores but not faith groups.

"Assuming all of the same precautions are taken, why is it safe to wait in a car for a liquor store to open but dangerous to wait in a car to hear morning prayers?" the court posed. "The Governor has offered no good reason so far for refusing to trust the congregants who promise to use care in worship in just the same way it trusts accountants, lawyers, and laundromat workers to do the same."

The conservative Christian legal nonprofit Liberty Counsel celebrated the partial emergency injunction from a unanimous three-judge panel.

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron had filed an amicus brief in support of the church, stating that the Court should enter an injunction pending appeal to prevent irreparable harm.

The court also stated in its ruling that the church is likely to succeed on the merits of the First Amendment Free Exercise Clause and the Kentucky Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Through an executive order in March, Beshear banned faith-based mass gatherings while providing exemptions for secular organizations and activities, including typical office environments, factories, and retail or grocery stores, Camerons office noted.

The order said even though permitted secular activities involved the presence of groups of people, they could continue as long as individuals maintain appropriate social distancing. Faith-based gatherings were allowed no such exemption.

Sure, the Church might use Zoom services or the like ... But who is to say that every member of the congregation has access to the necessary technology to make that work? the court asked. Or to say that every member of the congregation must see it as an adequate substitute for what it means when two or three gather in my Name. Matthew 18:20.

It added, "The breadth of the ban on religious services, together with a haven for numerous secular exceptions, should give pause to anyone who prizes religious freedom. But its not always easy to decide what is Caesars and what is Godsand thats assuredly true in the context of a pandemic."

At a press conference on Wednesday, Beshear said retail stores and houses of worship can resume operations on May 20, according to WPSD Local.

Where they will be able to do in-person services again at a reduced capacity. Were working on that. Its likely to be a percentage of the occupancy that is allowed, Beshear said. All of this is contingent on being able to keep social distancing, on the type of cleaning that needs to occur.

And what our hope is, is that on the 20th, what it will allow is just the worship service itself. And then, were going to be working with faith leaders. Weve already been talking with them and encouraging. But working with them to see a gradual schedule where we can go from the one experience to some of the other pieces that typically happen, like Sunday school for instance. But that right now would create very different context. And so lets start here, and then, lets have a good dialogue where we can work with those that were on our houses of worship to get a plan to be able to do more as we go.

On Easter Sunday, Kentucky State Police descended on the service of Maryville Baptist Church and posted notices of criminal violation on all cars in the parking lot, even while the church attendees were listening in their cars to the churchs drive-in service, according to Liberty Counsel.

The notices advised congregants they were subject to mandatory, household-wide quarantine because they attended a church service. Gov. Beshear also sent letters to the owners and occupants of the vehicles, demanding quarantine with more threats of sanctions for not complying with government supervision.

Last month, Beshear also issued executive orders restricting travel into and out of the state, except under certain limited circumstances, to help manage the spread of the coronavirus. Anyone entering or returning from out of state was told to self-quarantine for 14 days.

AG Cameron filed a motion in federal court last week, challenging the travel ban as unconstitutional. He also urged the governor to stop targeting faith-based gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic and allow congregants to start gathering in person at church again.
Australia Post customers are being targeted with an email scam by crafty criminals trying to swindle them out of hundreds of dollars.

A number of residents have been sent emails claiming their parcel was overweight and unable to be delivered. The email told customers they must pay a fee to retrieve the package.

When customers click on the link mentioned in the email, they are taken to a fake Australia Post website, which asks for personal and financial information.

Australia Post has issued a warning over the phishing emails, urging customers not to click any links or make any payments.

Australia Post customers are being targeted by crafty criminals who have been trying to swindle them out of hundreds of dollars with an email scam (pictured)

The con comes as demand for online delivery reaches record-breaking numbers due to the coronavirus pandemic

'We've been made aware of an email scam claiming to have come from Australia Post,' the company said in a post.

'The email claims that your parcel was unable to be delivered and overweight, and asks for a payment to retrieve your package. This email has not come from us and is a phishing scam.

'Please do not click any links or make any payments.

'If you are in doubt about the authenticity of an email, text message or phone call, please delete immediately or hang up.'

Australia Post has advised customers who have been sent a scam email or text to contact ID Care- Australia and New Zealand's national identity and cyber support service.

People are seen collecting parcels, dropping off mail and posties are seen delivering mail as the coronavirus lockdown continues

Australians have turned to online shopping, causing an 'unprecedented' demand on Australia Post during the coronavirus pandemic

'If you believe you have sent any personal or financial information to a scam email address or entered it into a scam website and are worried that your identity may have been stolen, please call ID CARE on 1300 432 273 OR view the ID CARE factsheet,' Australia Post said.

The scam comes as demand for online delivery reaches record-breaking numbers due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Australians turned to online shopping after a number of shops closed due social distancing rules.

The postal service's parcel volumes have doubled in the past four weeks, up 80 per cent from last year.
The ranking examines the vulnerability of selected economies across four potential sources of peril  public debt, foreign debt and cost of borrowing and reserve cover.

Vietnam ranks 12th among the 66 emerging economies regarding financial strength. (Photo: zingnews.vn)



The Economist calculated their likely foreign payments this year (their current-account deficit plus their foreign-debt payments) and compare this with their stock of foreign-exchange reserves. A countrys rank on each of these indicators is then averaged to determine its overall standing.

Vietnam is in the safe group thanks to stable and strong financial indicators.

Accordingly, more than 30 emerging economies are facing great pressure, the worst being Lebanon and Venezuela.

Botswana tops the list of the safe economies, followed by Taiwan (China) and the Republic of Korea.

The Economist said that most of the economies were strong enough to overcome the pandemic. The 30 weakest economies was relatively small, accounting for only 11 percent of the total GDP of the 66 economies.

It said the COVID-19 hurts emerging economies by locking down their populations, damaging their export earnings and deterring foreign capital.

Even if the pandemic fades in the second half of this year, GDP in developing countries, measured at purchasing-power parity, will be 6.6 percent smaller than the IMFs forecast in October, states the report./.
The U.S. Air Force's experimental unmanned space plane is about to take off again, this time with a new attachment near its tail to hold more payloads.

Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett announced Wednesday that the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) will take off May 16 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, for its sixth mission, which will incorporate tasks for U.S. Space Force and NASA, among other agencies.

"This important mission will host more experiments than any prior X-37B flight, including two NASA experiments," she told viewers during a conference hosted by the Space Foundation.

Related: Meet the New Lieutenants Joining US Space Force

One NASA experiment will "study the results of radiation and other space effects on [specific] materials," while the other will research "ambient space radiation" effects on seeds used to grow food, Barrett said.

"Each launch represents a significant milestone and advancement in terms of how we build, test and deploy space capabilities in a rapid and responsive manner," Gen. John "Jay" Raymond, chief of space operations and head of U.S. Space Command, said in a statement.

While the unmanned X-37B belongs to the Air Force, the Space Force will command its upcoming launch, on-orbit operations and eventual return. Under the purview of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, the test vehicle can autonomously re-enter the atmosphere and land on a flight line.

"This sixth mission is a big step for the X-37B program," said Randy Walden, director and program executive officer for the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, in a news release. "This will be the first X-37B mission to use a service module to host experiments.

"The incorporation of a service module [attachment to the aft of the vehicle] on this mission enables us to continue to expand the capabilities of the spacecraft and host more experiments than any of the previous missions," he said.

The mission will deploy the FalconSat-8, a small satellite developed by the U.S. Air Force Academy and sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory, to conduct several experiments in orbit, the release states. FalconSat is an academy project in which cadets manage and maintain an actual satellite.

FalconSat-8 will carry "five experimental payloads," officials said, but did not elaborate.

Lastly, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory will use the X-37 to conduct experiments to turn solar power into radio frequency microwave energy, which could then be transmitted to the ground, the release adds.

The power-beaming initiative, which has been in the works for decades, aims to convert particular wavelengths into energy that could be harnessed for day-to-day use, with the potential for military applications.

"We are excited to return the X-37B to space and conduct numerous on-orbit experiments for both the Air Force and its mission partners," said Lt. Col. Jonathan Keen, the X-37B program manager.

The X-37B took off for its fifth, record-breaking unmanned mission on Sept. 7, 2017. While its payloads and most of its activities are classified, the Air Force said at the time that the mission would carry "the Air Force Research Laboratory Advanced Structurally Embedded Thermal Spreader (ASETS-II) payload to test experimental electronics and oscillating heat pipe technologies in the long-duration space environment."

The reusable space plane "conducted on-orbit experiments for 780 days during its mission, recently breaking its own record by being in orbit for more than two years," officials said upon its return in October. That brings its total number of days spent in orbit to 2,865.

In July, the service's former top civilian gave a glimpse into the space plane's mission.

Speaking about space awareness and deterrence at the Aspen Security Forum, Heather Wilson described the vehicle as a "small version of the [NASA space] shuttle."

It "can do an orbit that looks like an egg and, when it's close to the Earth, it's close enough to the atmosphere to turn where it is," she said at the time.

"Which means our adversaries don't know -- and that happens on the far side of the Earth from our adversaries -- where it's going to come up next. And we know that that drives them nuts. And I'm really glad about that," she added.

Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer and astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, told Military.com that Wilson's comments on the craft's movement may shed light on "a previously secret orbit-related capability," and explained that its movement likely throws an adversary off, even if just for a short time.

"The dip into the atmosphere causes a change in the timing of when it next comes overhead. So [trackers'] predictions are off, and [they] have to search for it all over again," McDowell said at the time.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.

Read More: Former USS Theodore Roosevelt Commander Leaves Guam for New Assignment
Ector County Sheriff Mike Griffis said Tuesday during a press conference that the arrests made at Big Daddy Zanes in West Odessa on Monday night were not related to Second Amendment rights. Members of the group Open Texas were arrested along with the bar owner, Gabrielle Ellison, after the Ector County Sheriffs Office arrived on the scene. The members were arrested being in possession of weapons where there are prohibited.

This entire thing from yesterday has zero to do with the Second Amendment rights of our citizens of this country..., Griffis said. What it has to do with is calling a group of people from all over the state out here to try to ensure this individual defies the government order.

Giffis said he didnt know about the rally until a member of the media called Monday in reference to a Facebook post about armed individuals in body armor and M.A.S.H. and possible automatic weapons. He said that it was alarming they were coming to West Texas.

We did go to Big Daddy Zanes yesterday, we did arrest the owner for violating the governors executive order, he said. We did take into custody seven other individuals.

He said the gathering was not a protest but was a show of force to ensure that this lady could violate the government order. Griffis said the individuals carrying guns werent holding signs and that the gathering at Big Daddys Zanes wasnt a Second Amendment protest. Earlier in the afternoon, members from the group Open Texas had participated in a rally of support at Anytime Fitness for owner Clint Gillipsie.

RELATED: Some Odessa businesses reopen against Abbotts orders

We didnt go over to the gym yesterday and arrest those individuals for carrying guns on that property, he said.

Those who were arrested were on alcohol-licensed premises, he said.

Griffis said they are working on this with Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and local county attorneys during this time.

Were not here to violate anybodys Second Amendment rights, Griffis said. I've been saying it for years, and people will tell you, all the good citizens need to arm themselves because all the bad citizens already have. I believe that.

Why do you want to use intimidation as a way to keep law enforcement from doing what were supposed to do, Griffis said.

Open Texas member and personal trainer Philip Archibald, from Plano, was not arrested on Monday and attended the press conference Tuesday. He talked to the media afterward.

We wanted to stay safe so the owner pointed out where we could stand to not be in violation of TABC laws, he said.

Archibald has started a GoFundMe to help with bond expenses for those who were arrested on Monday. Of the $100,000 goal, $1,250 had been raised as of Tuesday afternoon.

Officers pulled up on us very aggressively, he said. Honestly, I am super proud of the guys that I had with me for standing down and remaining calm and like true gentlemen.

Griffis said he didnt think deputies used an excessive show of force Monday. He said they asked people to drop their weapons and they complied.

Archibald said they didnt come to seek conflict with the police. He said they were there to empower fellow Americans to be able to get back to work.

He said members of Open Texas came to support Ellison and get her some marketing.

The thing is, when your business has been down for so long, it can be hard to get clients to come back, he said. Honestly, we are a big hit with people, especially the more conservative groups who are all about free speech. Thats why she was telling people we were coming People love us, like the American people who want to open, come take pictures with us.

Ellison showed up outside the sheriffs office Tuesday with supporters. She said the gathering took place on an entirely different property from the bars property.

Griffis read the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code  11.49 on his phone. He said Premises means the grounds and all buildings, vehicles, and appurtenances pertaining to the grounds, including any adjacent premises if they are directly or indirectly under the control of the same person.

The TABC could take away Ellisons liquor license, Griffis said.

When you cause this kind of commotion, we are going to take action, he said.

Gov. Greg Abbott said that the task force is still working on how bars will reopen. He said they would like to hear from bar owners about strategies they can use.

***
Wellington: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has admitted failings in her government's health response to COVID-19 after a string of heartbreaking stories were aired in a parliamentary committee.

On Wednesday, officials revealed the country's 21st death and two more cases - bringing to an end a two-day streak without new cases.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at a media briefing on Monday. Credit:Getty Images

The latest death, of a woman in her 60s, was yet another case linked to the deadly cluster at Christchurch rest home Rosewood, responsible for more than half of New Zealand's deaths.

Further suffering was revealed in a harrowing session of the Parliament's epidemic response committee, the primary forum to review government actions during the lockdown.
Australian and US researchers have made a breakthrough in understanding the structure of a key genetic molecule, called RNA, and revealing for the first time how these changes impact RNA's function.

Publishing in the journal Nature, the research team developed a bioinformatics technique to resolve separate structures of RNA rather than viewing them as a 'blur' that averaged multiple structures. This underpinned their discovery that the structure of RNA can influence how cells function.

RNA is a DNA-like molecule that encodes genetic information. Certain viruses - including HIV and SARS-CoV2 - use RNA as their genetic material. The team were able to apply the techniques they developed to reveal how the structure of HIV's RNA genome influences which proteins the virus produces.

The international collaborative team was led by Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researcher Dr Vincent Corbin together with Mr Phil Tomezsko and Professor Silvi Rouskin at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Boston (US). The research team also included the Institute's Computational Biology Theme Leader Professor Tony Papenfuss and mathematician and PhD student Mr Lachlan McIntosh.

At a glance

- RNA is a molecule that carries genetic information, controlling how cells function. - A collaborative research team has used advanced computational methods to detect different structures of RNA, which until now could not be distinguished. - Using HIV as a model system, the team discovered that different structures of RNA influenced how the virus behaved. This is the first time changes in RNA structure have been shown to influence how this molecule controls cells' function.

RNA's shifting shapes

RNA is a molecule found in all living things that carries genetic information. RNA is an important regulator of how cells function, directly controlling which proteins are produced in cells, and can also switch genes on and off.

RNA molecules have a two-dimensional structure which influences how the genetic information contained within them can be accessed, said Dr Corbin, who led the project's bioinformatics research.

"The big question in RNA biology has been whether RNA molecules have a single, constant structure, or whether they can shift between different structures - and what this means for the function of a particular RNA molecule," he said.

"Our collaborators, led by Professor Silvi Rouskin, developed a technique for deciphering the structure of RNA molecules. We wanted to understand whether what we were detecting was a single structure of RNA, or an 'average' structure that blurs multiple different structures together.

"It's a bit like seeing red and yellow stripes, or blurring them together and thinking you can see orange," he said.

By developing a computational algorithm, the team were able to detect and measure the amount of different RNA structures. "We could detect these both in a test tube and in living cells, so we next looked at whether these structures influenced how RNA functioned," Dr Corbin said.

Changing RNA function

When RNA is produced in cells, it starts in a longer form that is 'spliced' or trimmed to remove unwanted parts.

"RNA splicing can influence how it encodes proteins," Dr Corbin said. "There are many examples of how altered RNA splicing influences how a cell functions - and in some cases, changes in RNA splicing have been associated with cancer or neurodegenerative diseases."

Certain viruses use RNA for their genome, including HIV and SARS-CoV2 (the coronavirus that causes COVID-19). In the case of HIV, RNA splicing influences which protein the virus produces - which changes at different stages of the virus's lifecycle.

"Using the HIV genome as a model system, we looked at whether RNA structure influences how HIV's RNA is spliced. We discovered that RNA structure was a critical determinant of RNA splicing in HIV, and influenced which viral proteins were produced," Dr Corbin said.

"This is the first clear evidence of how RNA structure can control RNA function. The techniques we have developed have opened up a new field of research into the role of RNA structure in regulating the function of cells."

Professor Papenfuss said the research showed how finely tuned biological systems are. "This study how very subtle changes in one tiny molecule can have big implications for the function of a virus. By using computational biology to unravel these changes, we've made a significant discovery about how viruses - and potentially human cells - function, which may underpin future discoveries about health and disease."

###

The research was supported by the US National Institutes of Health, the Smith Family Foundation, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council and the Victorian Government.
The European Union has called for a worldwide investigation into the origins and spread of Covid-19 in a move its foreign policy chief described as standing aside from the battlefield between China and the US.

The EU said the bloc and its 27 member states would co-sponsor a draft resolution calling for an independent review into the novel coronavirus that causes the disease when the World Health Assembly convenes for a virtual meeting on May 18.

The meeting of the World Health Organisations decision-making body is shaping up as a test of Chinas diplomatic standing in the wake of the pandemic.

In addition to calls for an independent investigation, nations such as the US are also pushing to reinstate Taiwan  which Beijing views as a renegade province  as an observer to the assembly.

China has so far not committed to an international probe, saying it would be a blame game that targets Beijing, even though China has repeatedly pledged support for the WHO.

The US has said it is going to halt funding to the United Nations body, with President Donald Trump accusing it of having China-centric leanings.

The Trump administration has also stepped up calls for an investigation into whether the coronavirus that causes Covid-19  which has killed more than 250,000 people around the world  originated from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Scientists have said there is so far no evidence linking the biosecurity lab in Wuhan as the cause of the outbreak.

Consultations with WHO members and regional groups on the EU draft resolution are continuing this week in Geneva, the EU says, adding that initial comments on the draft are very positive.

The draft resolution envisages calling for an independent review on lessons learned from the international health response to the coronavirus, to strengthen future global health security preparedness, said Virginie Battu-Henriksson, the EUs spokesperson for foreign affairs.

A thorough understanding of the epidemiology of the coronavirus pandemic is essential for public authorities to make informed decisions, she added.

Story continues

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who has also called for an investigation into Chinas role in the pandemic, praised the EUs actions.

Whats really important is that we have a proper review, an independent review which looks into the sources of these things in a transparent way, Morrison said on Tuesday.

The inquiry would help the world deal with the emergence of the next virus that has pandemic potential, he said, adding that his nations health experts believed it originated in a wildlife wet market in the Wuhan.

On Sunday, the EUs foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, told French media that the resolution calling for a review would define what the coordinated international response to the outbreak should be, and noted the importance of gaining a better understanding of the circumstances that allowed this pandemic to develop.

In my opinion, we need to look independently at what happened, standing aside from the battlefield between China and the United States, who blame each other for the events in a bidding war that has only exacerbated their rivalry, Borrell said.

In the same interview, with Le Journal du Dimanche, Borrell also lamented that the EU had been naive with China.

With China, we have been a bit naive, he said. China has a selective multilateralism based on a different understanding of the international order. Its also selective in matters of international law.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told a French newspaper that Europe had been naive about China. Photo: EPA-EFE

A day after the interview was published, China sent a low-level representative to attend an EU-led global pledging event for Covid-19 vaccines  without making any donations.

Out of the 43 participating countries, China was the only one not sending at least a ministerial level official, and was instead represented by the ambassador to the EU, Zhang Ming.

In the event Zhang, who was the last national representative to speak, called for a halt to the blame games  ostensibly referring to the US and EU attempts to investigate the origin of the virus.

The EU  which traditionally stayed out of geopolitics  has grown increasingly active on the global stage since Ursula von der Leyen became president of the European Commission in December.

There is also a growing focus on achieving strategic autonomy  being reliant on neither the US nor China  according to EU sources.

The call for WHO action to deliver an independent review would be one such example, even though some EU member states rely heavily on China for supplies of medical equipment and masks.

Meanwhile, the WHO said on Tuesday that it was not not surprising that a report of Covid-19 had emerged in December in France, earlier than it was thought to have spread there.

Its also possible there are more early cases to be found, WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told a UN briefing in Geneva.

Additional reporting by Bloomberg and Reuters

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In one study, published last week in the journal Science, a team analyzed data from two cities in China  Wuhan, where the virus first emerged, and Shanghai  and found children were about a third as susceptible to coronavirus infection as adults were. But when schools were open, they found, children had about three times as many contacts as adults and three times as many opportunities to become infected, essentially evening out their risk.
Mrs. America Jill Season 1 Episode 6 Editors Rating 3 stars * * *  Previous Next  Photo: Courtesy of FX Networks

While its a perfectly good episode of Mrs. America, Jill isnt as enjoyable to watch as some of the others have been. Im trying to figure out why.

The installment tries to wedge a lot of historical references into its 48-minute running time, including the run-up to the 1976 presidential election, the rise of the Christian right, the growing Republican energy around Ronald Reagan, and the sex scandals surrounding Rep. Wayne Hays and other Congressmen on Capitol Hill. Its a lot, but then Mrs. America tends to do a lot each week.

Perhaps the issue is that this weeks episode focuses on Jill Ruckelshaus, the Republican feminist played by Elizabeth Banks, who co-founded the National Womens Political Caucus and, as this episode notes, was appointed by President Gerald Ford to serve as presiding officer of the National Commission on the Observance of International Womens Year. Shes an important figure in the movement, particularly from the standpoint of this episode, which examines the shift in the Republican party during this period. But shes not as much of a character, with a capital C, as Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem, Bella Abzug, or Shirley Chisholm.

The fact that shes level-headed and sturdy are Jills superpowers and Banks, who finally gets to stand front and center in a Mrs. America episode, captures that perfectly. She inherently understands that what Phyllis Schlafly wants is power, so, in the episodes best scene, Jill appeals to that side of Phylliss personality by dangling the possibility of securing a meeting between her and Donald Rumsfeld, then serving as Secretary of Defense under Ford. Its a keep your enemies closer sort of approach, but it doesnt work. Phyllis is smart enough to see through it, but shes also so protected within her bubble of privilege that she genuinely doesnt grasp how the problems of many working women could ever apply to her.

Regarding the Capitol Hill secretaries expected to do sexual favors for their bosses, Phyllis asks, Dont you think those kind of women are just inviting it? then adds, Virtuous women are rarely accosted by unwanted sexual propositions. That line is a sly reworking of the famous quote from Pulitzer Prize winner Laurel Thatcher Ulrich that will later be published in 1976: Well-behaved women seldom make history.

Jill, who, perhaps like Phil Donahue, assumed a lot of Phylliss bluster was just shtick, is appalled by her attitude. After finishing her drink, she leaves Phyllis with this verbal hand grenade: You want to get ahead by climbing on the shoulders of men, Phyllis? Fine. Just know: theyre looking right up your skirt. That caps the one scene that puts Jill nose-to-nose with Phyllis. Maybe thats what makes this episode slightly less entertaining: Theres not as much of that sort of stark, libbers vs. STOP ERA conflict as there was in the previous debate episodes.

Actually, the real issue might be that the things that make this episode really on-point are also what make it a bit of a downer to watch. Were past the halfway mark in the series  only three episodes remain  which means Mrs. America is starting to more blatantly demonstrate how Phyllis Schlafly, among others, helped pave the way for the extremist, ultra-conservative politics that now defines the Republican party and stands in the way of real progress for all Americans. In other words, were closer to the inevitable non-happy ending of this drama, in which the ERA fails. And you and me are free to be/You and 

This episode shows us how Schlafly and her cohorts cannily formed an alliance with Lottie Beth Hobbs, an evangelical Christian, author, key pusher of a return to family values, and leader of a group called Women Who Want to Be Women. (Seriously, is anyone on the conservative side of the spectrum capable of coming up with a decent name for an organization?) Hobbs  played by character actress Cindy Drummond who you may recognize, among many other things, from the Geico spy commercial with the swimming pool squirrels  eventually died in 2016, almost three months to the day before Phyllis Schlafly died and five months before Trump was elected. But Mrs. America wants us to make no mistake about it: her work is part of what allowed that election to happen.

Its fitting that this anti-pro-choice firecracker is not persuaded to join forces with Phyllis, at least in the Mrs. America version of events, until Phyllis proves that she (a) knows her way around a gun and (b) can drop a classic, racist Martin Luther quote at the right moment: Would you rather be ruled by a wise Turk or a foolish Christian? The problem with that quote is that Martin Luther didnt actually say or write that, even though hes often credited with having done so. Which is perfect for Phyllis, whose confidence is built on a foundation of ignorance.

This episode also shows us how men in Congress, including Democrats, have no qualms about harassing their secretaries and continuing to get away with their misogyny in private, while passing public legislation that suggests they will engage in more gender-equitable hiring practices. Its no surprise that Hays (Curtis Shumaker)  who divorced his first wife, married his secretary and employed another staffer, Elizabeth Ray, who doubled as his mistress  acts impatient with Bella, Shirley, and other feminists. Its much more disappointing to see how cavalierly other members of Congress, even on the left, treat women as they gather for the Congressional Prayer Breakfast, yet another example of the way conservative Christianity creeps into supposedly secular politics.

(By the way, if you have time to read this Washington Post article about Congressman Hays, published in 1976, do it. Its amazing for so many reasons, including this paragraph: He also denied ever taking Ray to dinner and claimed he hadnt seen her, all this week, or last week. However, two Post reporters were present when Hays dined with Ray both at the Hot Shoppes and the Chapparal restaurants in the Key Bridge Marritt Motor Hotel on different occasions, one last Monday night. Ladies, you know a man means business when he woos you at a Hot Shoppes near the Key Bridge. This detail about Rays private office is also quite something: It is next to Rep. Bella S. Abzugs (D-N.Y.) office, in which  in only a slightly larger space  a dozen or more Abzug staffers are shoehorned into as many desks piled with office work.)

Perhaps most importantly and distressingly, this episode shows us how hard it is to find males allies, even among men we love and trust. When Jills husband William (Josh Hamilton), the former EPA head and deputy attorney general who resigned during Nixons Saturday Night Massacre, is vetted as a potential running mate for Ford, hes ultimately dismissed because of his outspoken wife. Hearing this news is a gut punch on two levels for Jill, first because her supposedly enlightened husband doesnt speak up more forcefully for her and two, because the same guy who appointed Jill to that commission for International Womens Year apparently believes he cant risk having any feminist stank on his vice president.

For all the victories the ERA supporters have experienced, it still feels like theres no place for them in Congress, on a presidential ticket, or anywhere else in the leadership of this country. Jill may be right when she tells Phyllis Schlafly that there are more of us than there are of you. But shes dead wrong when she says that the Reagan revolution will fail. Thanks to Phyllis and Lottie Beth and other women who, as Alice puts it, want roses not rights, that revolution, over the long term, will experience more success than Jill, the socially progressive Republican, can imagine.

Favorite Fuck Yeah, Feminism Moment in This Episode: I enjoyed the response Hays got from Jill, Bella, and Shirley when he said, with a clear note of condescension: So you wont be happy until you make 100 percent of what the men make? The immediate, in-unison reply from all three: Yes.

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(Alliance News) - Co-Operative Bank PLC said Wednesday despite a GBP12 million hit from the Covid-19 pandemic, its results were in line with internal expectations.

In the three months to March 31, the lender recorded a pretax loss of GBP27.0 million, narrowed from the GBP28.6 million loss seen in the same period the year before.

Co-Op Bank's credit impairment losses tripled to GBP2.9 million, but this was offset by lender incurring a GBP9.4 million strategic change cost compared to a GBP29.4 million charge the year before

Net interest income was down 26% year-on-year in the first quarter at GBP64.8 million from GBP87.7 million. Operating income slipped 20% to GBP75.8 million.

The lender's Retail unit saw net interest income slip 17% to GBP57.4 million. Co-Op Bank blamed this on continuing pressure on mortgage margins.

Co-Op Bank's net interest margin worsened to 1.44% from 1.99% the year before.

The lender's CET1 ratio ended the quarter at 18.3%, down from 19.6% at the same point the year before.

Chief Executive Andrew Bester said: "As the UK navigates this extraordinary and unprecedented crisis, banks have a critical role to play in keeping the economy moving and I am proud and grateful for the work of all colleagues in providing the financial support our personal and small business customers need."

Bester noted the lender has provided payment holidays for about 17,000 mortgage - about 10% of its book - loans and credit card customers to date, and additional overdraft facilities for over 350,000 current account customers.

He continued: "Becoming a true SME challenger at a time when businesses need it remains a priority for us, and we are building momentum. Customers are trusting us with more of their deposits, which are up 11% year on year, and since the start of the crisis that growth has nearly doubled. Our SME banking transformation is on track, fuelled by our BCR funding alongside investment of our own, and we are attracting 16% of Incentivised Switching Scheme customers against our target of 6%. Retail deposits from our core savings customer base have also increased, and our current account customer satisfaction levels are the highest they have been since 2013".

Looking ahead, Bester said 2020 will be "challenging", and the lender will reprioritise investment spend, given the expected pressure on income in a low base rate environment.

"We have examined the potential impact of the crisis on the bank and are satisfied we are in a position of resilience," Bester said.

He added: "The progress made in our transformation programme, including de-risking the bank and the significant investment in IT systems, means we face into this new economic environment with a strong CET1 ratio, a low-risk mortgage book, improved digital propositions and our distinctive ethical brand".

By Paul McGowan; paulmcgowan@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
These kinds of calculations are injecting unusual turmoil into an admissions season shadowed by huge question marks about when and how colleges will reopen their campuses. The May 1 decision deadline that many schools use to fill classes has come and gone. In an overtime season without precedent, recruiters everywhere are scrambling to find students willing to travel out of state to enroll.
Poland is scheduled to hold a presidential election in four days but nobody can say whether it will happen or not.

The date for Sunday's election was set months ago, but the coronavirus pandemic and a government-ordered lockdown threw preparations into disarray. Bitter fighting between the conservative ruling party and its political opponents has kept them from agreeing on an alternative.

Legislation to authorise a proposed postal vote is still in parliament, with no guarantee it will pass. The government official in charge of the vote acknowledges the election cannot be pulled off Sunday, but the balloting has not been officially postponed, either.

The governing Law and Justice party was setting the stage Wednesday for a two-week postponement and seeking a top court's permission for the delay.

Until now, Law and Justice party pushed to stick to the schedule set before the pandemic a May 10 election day and a runoff two weeks later on May 24, if necessary - by arranging for voters to cast ballots exclusively by mail.

Party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski insists the Polish Constitution requires the presidential election to take place in May. He also acknowledged the party fears its candidate, President Andrzej Duda, could lose the strong lead opinion polls give him now if the vote is delayed and fallout from the pandemic hits the now-robust Polish economy.

Rival parties oppose holding the vote now and want the government to declare a state of emergency that would make a three-month postponement legal. The parties argue that during the lockdown, their candidates have not been able to campaign properly while incumbent Duda frequently appears on state television broadcasts about the government's virus-fighting efforts.

All of Poland's living ex-presidents and several former prime ministers plan to boycott what they called a pseudo-election. Amid the uncertainly, Donald Tusk, an ex-prime minister and former top European Union leader, cited on Twitter an old joke about the shape of democracy in autocratic Belarus: You never knew if or when elections will take place, but you always knew who will win.

International democracy watchdogs, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, have also voiced concerns about the government's rushed plans for the postal vote.

For democratic elections, it's crucial that there is an open debate and genuine campaigning, said Katya Andrusz, spokeswoman for the OSCE's Warsaw-based Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.

Many Poles say they also intend to boycott a vote they don't trust will be anonymous or fair. Under the current plan, 30 million registered voters would receive ballots in their home mailboxes and then on Sunday drop them in voting boxes set up in their neighbourhoods.

Law and Justice proposed holding an all-postal vote weeks ago, saying that was a safe option during the pandemic. But the change in balloting methods requires parliamentary approval.

The legislation passed the lower house of parliament in early April, but the opposition-controlled Senate rejected it on Tuesday. Now, the bill returns to the lower house for a final vote, possibly on Wednesday. The outcome of the vote is uncertain. The ruling party was holding a strategy meeting Wednesday afternoon.

A government official in charge of organizing the postal vote, Jacek Sasin, said Monday that the schedule leaves too little time for 30 million ballots to be delivered by Sunday.

Illustrating the chaos, Parliament Speaker Elzbieta Witek, the official with authority to set election dates, is seeking the Constitutional Court's consent to postpone the vote until May 23. She also asked the State Electoral Commission if it could successfully supervise a presidential vote on Sunday.

The head of the commission, Sylwester Marciniak, replied Tuesday night that it was impossible for legal and organizational reasons, the PAP agency said. Complicating matters further, some members of a small party that is part of Poland's coalition government support a postponement.

The rift could lead to a larger political crisis if Wednesday's vote does not secure the narrow majority Law and Justice holds in the lower house.

May 23 is the latest legal date for the election under a constitutionally dictated schedule based on Duda's 5-year term expiring on August 6.

Law and Justice lawmaker and spokesman, Radoslaw Fogiel insists that under the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic, the party is trying to solve the problems, rather than look for them.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
California sued two multinational gasoline trading companies Monday, alleging they ran a scheme that jacked up prices at the pump from 2015 to late 2016.

Democratic Attorney General Xavier Becerra said the companies took advantage of market volatility following a 2015 explosion at a gasoline refinery complex in Torrance to make about $150 million a year in illegal profits. Consumers paid roughly 1 cent per gallon more under the scheme, Becerra said.

The suit accuses gasoline trading firms Vitol Inc. and SK Energy Americas, including its parent South Korean company SK Trading International, of raising gas prices statewide in a highly technical scheme. The lawsuit alleges the companies engaged in market trades to artificiality inflate the cost of regular and premium gas following the disruption to the state gasoline supply after the 2015 explosion.

Vitol, headquartered in Houston, did not immediately return an email seeking comment. SK Energy Americas could not immediately be reached.

The allegations involve officials from both companies who knew each other and secretly worked on the arrangement, Becerra said.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers asked Becerra last fall to investigate high gas prices after a report from the California Energy Commission found drivers overpaid an average of 30 cents a gallon. Even accounting for Californias strict standards and taxes on gasoline, drivers paid an additional $11.6 billion at the pump over the past five years, the California Energy Commission said in its report.

The investigation that sparked Mondays lawsuit was underway before that report, Becerra said. But this case is probably not the only reason for gas prices being higher than they should, he said, adding that his office is still investigating other reasons for the high prices.

People know in their gut when something isnt right, Becerra told reporters. Were here now to prove to court that in this case we nabbed a couple of the bad actors who have caused the exploitation of gas prices in the state of California.

Gas prices in California and elsewhere are down amid the coronavirus pandemic, averaging less than $3 per gallon in California, according to GasBuddy. Still, the states prices are among the highest in the country.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits California
John Waters and Gemma ODoherty are seeking to have pieces of recently enacted legislation, introduced due to the Covid-19 pandemic, quashed by a judge (Julien Behal/PA)

The High Court has reserved judgment on a challenge brought against laws introduced due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

An application by John Waters and Gemma ODoherty to seek permission to challenge the laws was brought before Mr Justice Charles Meenan.

Justice Meenan said he would deliver the judgment by email to the parties.

Expand Close Gemma ODoherty and John Waters arrive at the High Court in Dublin (Julien Behal/PA) PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Gemma ODoherty and John Waters arrive at the High Court in Dublin (Julien Behal/PA)

In judicial review proceedings against the State and Health Minister Simon Harris, Mr Waters and Ms ODoherty are seeking to have various pieces of recently enacted legislation quashed by a judge of the High Court.

The legislation they are challenging includes the 2020 Health Preservation and Protection and Other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, the 2020 Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act Covid-19 Act and the 1947 Health Act (Affected Areas) Order.

There has been significant garda presence around the Four Courts throughout proceedings as supporters of the pair gather outside the High Court.

This is a full-frontal attack on our most basic, most fundamental freedoms ... Gemma O'Doherty

A number held placards and the tricolour, while many called for the end to the lockdown laws.

Road barriers were erected around the area to prevent supporters from accessing the court following fears over social distancing.

Following the judges decision, Ms ODoherty told the small crowd that the laws were an enslavement of the Irish people.

She added: This is a full-frontal attack on our most basic, most fundamental freedoms and theres been a lot of game playing and a lot of making an issue of the fact that we are not lawyers and we do not speak in case law.

We want to make it clear to the judge that we really believe that the people of Ireland are under house arrest, the children of Ireland cannot go to school, that the elderly cannot get the healthcare they need or see their families.

Expand Close Gemma ODoherty told supporters the laws were an enslavement of the Irish people (Julien Behal/PA) PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Gemma ODoherty told supporters the laws were an enslavement of the Irish people (Julien Behal/PA)

Many are dying alone, so many citizens who pay taxes and people are stopped from earning their livelihoods.

They are broken and while all of this is happening the amount of debt this country is getting into is unspeakable.

Ms ODoherty and Mr Waters were challenged by members of the public over their decision to bring the case and for their supporters failure to adhere to social distancing rules while in public.

The judge is expected to make his decision in coming weeks.
Go jump in the lake.

That was the message from Premier Doug Ford to a public health official in Haldimand-Norfolk who has banned cottagers from visiting their seasonal homes due to COVID-19 and threatened them with $5,000 daily fines.

Dr. Shanker Nesathurai, the medical health officer for the Haldimand and Norfolk health unit, sent a letter last Thursday to Lake Erie cottage owners warning them to refrain from occupying a secondary residence in the region, which has seen 30 coronavirus deaths.

In the three-page missive, Nesathurai said officials are concerned about an additional wave of cases in the next few months.

Many factors may be associated with this secondary wave of cases. This includes the non-essential movement and migration of people, he wrote.

Ford has expressed hope that cottage season can begin on the Victoria Day long weekend. He said he had not heard of the rare order filed under the Health Protection and Promotion Act until he was asked about it by the Star.

The premier told reporters Tuesday at his daily Queens Park teleconference that he doesnt blame Lake Erie cottagers for being upset with the edict.

How do you tell people that are paying taxes  and paying the bills for the vast majority of the people there  to stay home? People are co-operating, people have been very, very understanding, he said.

Theyve been excellent, cottage owners. Just on the word of mouth they havent gone up there, the premier said, stressing he is taking the advice of Dr. David Williams, Ontarios chief medical officer for health, on opening up things.

And secondly, do you have enough police, enough bylaw officers to enforce this? The answer is no, you dont. So I have an idea. Why dont we work together, the same way weve been working together from day one  all of us in Ontario  and well have to make a call to him  and find out what the issue is.

Officials at the Haldimand and Norfolk health unit did not return a message seeking comment about the premiers concerns.

A Hamilton retiree who has a cottage near Dunnville said she was really hurt and really offended when she received the letter from the medical officer for health.

Ive had a cottage there for more than 50 years and Ive contributed to the community. We pay full residential taxes all year, she said, asking that her name not be used because she did not want to offend the local councillor.

I am checking with a lawyer to see if I can do day visits because Im concerned about maintenance. Weve got to do the upkeep and so on.

Another Waterloo cottager, Alison McCracken, said her family has been told their cottage on leased land in Sauble Beach is off limits.

It is illegal to visit our cottage, and people have been fined for doing so. At Point Clark, the local mayor has said tradespeople will be fined for turning on water to seasonal cottages, she said in an email.

I suspect that the ultra-wealthy will end up being able to visit their seasonal getaways, while some of us in different situations will be pining from our homes for the same opportunity.

Robert Benzie is the Star's Queen's Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

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The ANA Email Experience Council (EEC) announced that Simms Jenkins is its 2020 Email Marketer Thought Leader of the Year. This highly-coveted award is given to an individual who exemplifies the best and brightest in the email marketing industry. Jenkins is a leader in the email marketing community that has made significant contributions to the industry. In 2003, he founded what is regarded as the leading email agency BrightWave  where he currently serves as the CEO. The company was acquired by Ansira in April 2019.

Jenkins is also the creator of EmailStatCenter and EiQ, the leading email conference focused on performance and innovation. He has authored two highly regarded books, The Truth About Email Marketing and The New Inbox, and is a proud member of the EEC, AIMA, Only Influencers, Leadership Atlanta and several non-profit boards and organizations. He currently writes about email, innovation and leadership for Forbes and has been featured in The New York Times, Fortune Magazine and scores of other publications.

The EEC evaluates candidates for the Email Marketer Thought Leader of the Year award in four areas: thought leadership, service, innovation, and vision and influence. Past winners of the award hail from standout companies like 250ok, Litmus, The Relevancy Group and Cordial.

The ANA Email Experience Council Awards Subcommittee diligently reviewed a cross-section of worthy thought leaders in the industry. "Simms was the clear winner chosen for his long-term dedication, leadership, service, innovation and countless contributions to the email marketing space," commented Lisa Brown Shosteck, Director of EEC. She added, "we're proud to honor Simms's achievements and award him as the 2020 EEC Thought Leader of the Year."

I am truly honored to receive one of the most prestigious awards in the marketing industry, commented Jenkins. He added, when I created BrightWave in 2003, I didnt know much about the industry, but I quickly learned from smart people, partners and even competitors. I made new friends along the way made and realized how lucky we all are to be in this thriving community together.

The EEC and email industry will celebrate Jenkins with fellow thought leaders Jose Cebrian and Ryan Phelan in a webinar on Thursday, May 7 at 3pm EST featuring strategies and insights from Jenkins. For more information, visit https://emailexperience.org/events/#!event/2020/5/7/strategies-insight-from-eec-award-winner.

About Email Experience Council

The EEC is the premier organization for email marketing professionals. Their mission is to be the voice of the email marketing community, and the source of knowledge and expertise for new entrants and seasoned practitioners. Learn more at https://emailexperience.org.

About BrightWave

BrightWave, an Ansira company, is the leading email marketing agency. With over 15 years of experience managing the best email programs in the country, BrightWave elevates eCRM and cross-channel programs through industry-leading innovation, relationship orchestration and pioneering inbox experiences. Learn more at https://www.BrightWave.com.

BrightWave also is the creator of EiQ: The intelligent email gathering. This event is where the industry community convenes and focuses on innovation and business impact. For more information on the event, visit https://www.EiQgathering.com.
Many investors are still learning about the various metrics that can be useful when analysing a stock. This article is for those who would like to learn about Return On Equity (ROE). To keep the lesson grounded in practicality, we'll use ROE to better understand Qingdao Holdings International Limited (HKG:499).

Return on equity or ROE is an important factor to be considered by a shareholder because it tells them how effectively their capital is being reinvested. Put another way, it reveals the company's success at turning shareholder investments into profits.

Check out our latest analysis for Qingdao Holdings International

How To Calculate Return On Equity?

ROE can be calculated by using the formula:

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

So, based on the above formula, the ROE for Qingdao Holdings International is:

5.8% = HK$17m  HK$292m (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2019).

The 'return' is the profit over the last twelve months. One way to conceptualize this is that for each HK$1 of shareholders' capital it has, the company made HK$0.06 in profit.

Does Qingdao Holdings International 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. If you look at the image below, you can see Qingdao Holdings International has a lower ROE than the average (7.8%) in the Real Estate industry classification.

SEHK:499 Past Revenue and Net Income May 6th 2020

That's not what we like to see. Although, we think that a lower ROE could still mean that a company has the opportunity to better its returns with the use of leverage, provided its existing debt levels are low. When a company has low ROE but high debt levels, we would be cautious as the risk involved is too high. You can see the 3 risks we have identified for Qingdao Holdings International by visiting our risks dashboard for free on our platform here.

Story continues

How Does Debt Impact Return On Equity?

Companies usually need to invest money to grow their 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 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.

Combining Qingdao Holdings International's Debt And Its 5.8% Return On Equity

Qingdao Holdings International clearly uses a high amount of debt to boost returns, as it has a debt to equity ratio of 1.48. The combination of a rather low ROE and significant use of debt is not particularly appealing. Debt does bring extra risk, so it's only really worthwhile when a company generates some decent returns from it.

Conclusion

Return on equity is useful for comparing the quality of different businesses. In our books, the highest quality companies have high return on equity, despite low debt. 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. 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.

If you would prefer 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.

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.
Thailand has so far had about 3,000 confirmed cases of covid19 (coronavirus) and 55 deaths. That comes out to 43 cases per million population and 0.8 deaths per million. Neighbor Malaysia had 197 cases per million confirmed cases and three deaths per million. This was largely because some Moslem clerics defying quarantine rules and still holding prayer services in crowded mosques. Because more people in Malaysia were infected, as Thai Moslems working in Malaysia came home for Ramadan, or because they had lost their jobs in Malaysia, many of the returnees already had covid19. It could have been a lot worse for Thailand because of the large number of Chinese tourists and commercial visitors that are normally in the country. In late 2019 covid19 showed up in Wuhan and spread via Chinese workers traveling to areas outside China. Some of those infected Chinese ended up in Thailand but not so many that the virus spread all over the country. Thailand put most urban populations in quarantine for a few weeks to isolate those infected and prevent them from traveling until after they recovered or died.

Elsewhere in the region, Bangladesh has 66 covid19 cases per million and one death per million. In Burma, its three cases per million people and 0.1 deaths. India has 36 cases per million and one death while Pakistan had 102 cases per million and two deaths per million people. China, where the virus began, stopped releasing covid19 cases and deaths data as part of a government program to try and blame the U.S. for the virus. Few (Chinese or foreigners) believe that and it is taken for granted by neighbors of China that the Wuhan Virus, as it was first known, indeed came from China. By now it has also become known that covid19 is not much more dangerous than one of the deadlier annual influenza epidemics. The flu is taken for granted and it is unclear if covid19, which is genetically almost identical to the 2013 SARS virus, another Chinese corona (trans-species) virus, will be an annual event or disappear like SARS and similar diseases. Covid19 is unique in that it attacks the lungs and is often mistaken for pneumonia. As such it is particularly dangerous to the elderly or anyone with a weakened immune system or other illnesses. Most healthy adults and children do not notice covid19 at all even if exposed to it.

Thailand has suffered about $40 billion in economic losses so far, including the loss of ten million jobs. Much of the damage was in the tourism sector. Chinese tourists stopped coming and soon after that most other tourists did likewise. Tourism is about 20 percent of the Thai economy and for 2020 tourism activity is expected to be down by at least a quarter and possibly a third or more. That added to other economic woes has most Thais anxious about their financial futures. The government sees the unemployment rate peaking at over 20 percent. In late 2019 it was estimated that the economy (GDP) would grow nearly three percent in 2020. Now the prediction of for the GDP to lose nearly six percent in 2020. This is catastrophic for a country that has long had an unemployment rate of one percent or less. Particularly hard hit is the south, which depends a lot on tourism and where the less educated majority Moslem population always had a higher unemployment rate.

The security forces (military and police) have spent most of their time this year enforcing the quarantine. That included highway checkpoints which force a lot of criminal activity to go cross-country instead. The rural population still has their cell phone service and fear of covid19 infection. This combination led to more tips about where criminals were and that soon led to the bad guys spending most of their time seeking to remain undetected and uninfected. There has been less terrorist violence in the south while drug smugglers, who are often armed, became more of a problem.

The military has had to cut its budget by half a billion dollars for 2020 and this included delaying some arms purchases. First among these are the fifty American Stryker wheeled armored vehicles that were to arrive this year. That will be delayed a year or more. The navy has cut its 2020 spending by a third. That has led to eliminating a lot of its 2020 ship modernization work and delaying the arrival of two Chinese built submarines. Other major procurement projects are expected to be delayed as well.

May 3, 2020: In the south (Pattani province) two paramilitary rangers were ambushed, leaving one ranger dead and the other wounded.

April 30, 2020: In the south (Pattani province) police cornered three wanted terrorists in a rural village. The three refused to surrender and opened fire. All three died in the gun battle while one policeman was wounded. The three were all wanted for numerous terror attacks and other crimes. The three had, between them, ten arrest warrants and their weapons were traced to 22 other violent incidents.

April 24, 2020: Ramadan begins. This is the Moslem holy month and it usually leads to some security problems in the south. Moslems shopping for a Ramadan meal (eaten after sundown when the day-long fast ends) are a problem because of the covid19 quarantine as are the more frequent mosque attendance during Ramadan. This causes problems in some Moslem communities where clerics insist that quarantine during Ramadan is un-Islamic and not allowed. Even without the Ramadan risk, the south has seen more violations of quarantine rules and thus more cases of covid19. Ramadan brings other covid19 problems. Observant Moslems do not eat or drink during daylight hours and that means most Moslems will not submit to covid19 swab tests during daylight. In the south, testing was expanded to non-daylight hours to accommodate Moslems but many still refused to cooperate. These problems can often be overcome by getting local religious and political officials to help. During Ramadan that is difficult because the troublesome Moslems can accuse local officials of being enemies of Islam for urging cooperation with the infidels (non-Moslems). So local officials will often refuse to get involved. Ramadan ends on May 23rd.

The security forces increased their efforts during Ramadan because Islamic terrorists believe attacks against enemies of Islam during that month are particularly righteous, especially if you do not harm Moslems. Despite all the additional security there are usually more terrorist attacks in the three southern Moslem majority provinces although most of these attacks caused few casualties. This year there have been fewer attacks than in most Ramadans. This reflected the downward trend in southern violence that began a decade ago.

April 22, 2020: The 2020 World Press Freedom ratings were released showing Thailand in 140th place (out of 180 nations). This is largely because of a military effort to silence all criticism of corruption and political interference they are notorious for. While that was bad, some of the neighbors were worse. Pakistan at 145, India 142, Bangladesh 151, China 177 and Iran 173. Some were better as in Afghanistan at 122 and Burma 139. In contrast Britain was 35, France 34, United States 45, Canada 16 and Germany 11. Top five were Norway in first place followed by Finland, Denmark, Sweden and Netherlands. Bottom five were Djbouti, China, Eritrea, Turkmenistan and North Korea in last place. These rankings are mainly about professional journalists and play down the impact of the Internet and many non-professional, but often well qualified, individuals who are now supplying a lot of the news, especially accurate reports of what is actually happening. The conventional media, which employs most professional journalists, has lost more than half its staff in the last twenty years as more people prefer non-professional or semi-pro reporters on the Internet. Governments find it easier to restrict the professional journalists, leaving the Internet based reporters as the main source of accurate reporting in many countries, like Thailand.
The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) Steering Committee is strategising to find a suitable date for the party's upcoming parliamentary elections in constituencies.

The Majority Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) for Suame, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has said the Covid-19 pandemic truncated the plans of the party to go ahead with the process, but gave an assurance that things would be put in the right way very soon.

According to him, the NPP leadership is still determined to fix a suitable date for the much-talked-about parliamentary primaries to take place very soon, but indicated that any decision for the polls would be taken based on the containment of the pandemic.

Speaking on a wide range of party issues, the Suame MP said he had suggested August to the first week of October 2020 for the parliamentary polls.

According to him, his opinion was 'out-voted' by the party for some 'reasonable considerations' and said he was confident that the party leadership would be able to find a way for the polls to take place for the NPP to elect its MP candidates for the December polls.

The NPP has already elected its parliamentary candidates for constituencies which are not being held by the party, popularly known as 'orphan constituencies'.

The party had planned to organize parliamentary primaries in constituencies that are in their hands on April 25, 2020, but the date was cancelled at the last minute due to the Covid-19 outbreak in the country.

---Daily Guide
This disease is so vicious and unpredictable, we have to do whatever we can to eradicate it, Pilar said. If it means to stay home, then just do it, please. Thats what she would say if she were here: Just stay home.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 10:19:54|Editor: huaxia

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GENEVA, May 5 (Xinhua) -- A UN official on Tuesday said that conditions in many prisons in the region of Americas are deeply worrying with thousands of inmates and prison officials being infected by the novel coronavirus.

"Pre-existing structural problems, such as chronic overcrowding and unhygienic conditions, coupled with the lack of proper access to healthcare, have enabled the rapid spread of COVID-19 in many facilities," Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told a press briefing here.

He welcomed measures taken by some countries to release from prisons those most vulnerable to COVID-19, but said that broader measures are needed to reduce the extreme levels of overcrowding by releasing other categories of prisoners serving short sentences for non-violent crimes, as well as children held in detention and people detained for immigration offences.

In response to a question from the press, Colville said that the United States has a large prison population, and a significant number of COVID-19 cases has been recorded in prisons across the country.

Another problem in the United States is immigration detention, where testing is not enough, he added. Enditem
Nasser Sultan appeared to finally meet his match during his debut on First Dates, this week.

The former Married At First Sight participant, 52, shared a kiss with truck driver Taryn Chick, 54, and the pair both agreed to go on a second date.

However, Daily Mail Australia can reveal the couple never met up again, and the serial reality star was dating someone else at the time of filming.

Former MAFS star Nasser Sultan hit it off with truck driver Taryn Chick (pictured) on First Dates on Tuesday, but Daily Mail Australia can reveal they never went for their planned second date

Although Nasser was technically single when he filmed the episode in June 2019, he had already started loosely seeing and growing close to his now-girlfriend, Tina.

Shortly after filming, Nasser and Tina officially became a couple after he realised it was her that he wanted to be with, and not Taryn.

The reality star has been in a relationship with Tina ever since, but keeps their romance quiet because he believes it's 'good for his career' to be desired by fans.

He was seeing somebody else! Although Nasser was technically single when he filmed the episode last June, he had already started dating his now girlfriend, Tina (pictured)

Brutal! Shortly after filming, Nasser and Tina officially got together after he realised it was her that he wanted to be with, and he had no intention of seeing Taryn again

When asked why he never saw Taryn again on Wednesday, Nasser told Daily Mail Australia it's simply because she 'lives too far away' in Queensland.

He also confirmed he was dating Tina when he filmed First Dates.

Tuesday's episode of First Dates ended with the Nasser and Taryn leaving the show's Sydney restaurant holding hands, giggling as they 'headed out for champagne'.

Happy ending! Tuesday's episode of First Dates ended with the Nasser and Taryn leaving the show's Sydney restaurant holding hands, giggling as they 'headed out for champagne'

Behind the scenes! In reality, the pair went their separate ways the second the cameras stopped rolling after production went into the early hours. Pictured: Filming in June 2019

In reality, the pair went their separate ways the second the cameras stopped rolling after production for the Channel Seven show went into the early hours.

A show source said: 'After they filmed their exit, Nasser walked one way heading home, and Taryn went straight back to her hotel alone. That was it for them.'

He won Taryn over during the episode by saying his fame gets 'lonely' and he's looking for a partner, rather than another 15 minutes of reality TV fame.
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - Beginning its life as the star-crossed Revel, the Atlantic City casino now known as the Ocean Casino Resort had known little other than debt, bankruptcy and failure, which ultimately led to its closure.

But since a New York hedge fund took over last year, Ocean Resort has turned itself around, improving its finances, lowering its debt and finally generating a profit.

Those achievements were noted Wednesday by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, which granted Luxor Capital Group final authorization to own a casino.

Theres no doubt this property has turned around in so many areas, Commissioner Alisa Cooper said.

When it was known as Revel, the casino never came close to turning a profit, went bankrupt twice, and closed in 2014, one of four Atlantic City casinos to do so that year.

Colorado developer Bruce Deifik bought it in January 2018, and reopened it that summer. But he quickly ran out of money. Luxor, which was one of his lenders, assumed ownership of the casino in return for cancelling Deifiks debt. Deifik was killed in a car accident in April 2019.

In Feb. 2019, Luxor pumped $70 million into the casino, including $50 million to pay down debt. It also assembled a new management team with experience in the Atlantic City market, and set out to correct many of the perceived flaws of the property, including a confusing layout of the casino floor, and adding safety panels to the vertigo-inspiring escalators that lifted patrons to the casino floor.

Most of all, the casino came to terms with the fact that it is, in fact, a casino, pivoting from the initial strategy Revels owners employed in stressing the property as a resort destination that just happened to offer gambling as one of many amenities.

The results have been promising. Michael Conboy, a partner in the publicity-averse hedge fund, told regulators the company plans to own and operate the casino for at least the next 25 years.

Before the coronavirus, Ocean was self-sufficient, he said. Our budget for 2020 showed the company covering its expenses and generating free cash flow beyond that. We can debate what will happen when the city opens up. Long-term, the trajectory is still as positive as it was in February, when it was incredibly positive.

In a presentation to the commission, the casino said it increased revenue while decreasing expenses. That is the hardest combination to achieve in business, said Terry Glebocki, Oceans CEO.

For the period July 2019 through February 2020 compared with the same period a year earlier, Ocean increased its slot revenue by $41.1 million, up 54%; table games revenue increased $6.4 million, up 17%; non-gambling revenue increased by $14.6 million, up 19%, and expenses declined by $5.6 million, down 3%.

The casino has also reduced the amount of outstanding bills owed to it from $22 million to less than $5 million.

Due in part to those improvements, the commission lowered the amount of cash Ocean will be required to keep on hand, from $32 million to $25 million.

Once the Atlantic City casinos are given permission to reopen, Glebocki said Ocean plans to move forward with opening 12 floors of its hotel tower that were not occupied last year. It decided to temporarily shelve plans for new high-limit slot and table games lounges until the post-pandemic economic picture becomes clearer.

For all of 2019, Ocean finished seventh out of Atlantic Citys nine casinos in terms of total gambling revenue with $238.2 million, ahead of only Ballys and Resorts.

___

This story has been corrected to show the proper title of Terry Glebocki, who is the CEO of Ocean Casino, not COO.

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Follow Wayne Parry at http://twitter.com/WayneParryAC
C oronavirus will feature in future episodes of Coronation Street but will not dominate the soaps storylines, its producer has confirmed.

The programme will reflect the real world by showing its characters following hand-washing protocol, while Weatherfields restaurants will shift to offering food deliveries.

ITV has halted production on Coronation Street and Emmerdale and reduced its transmission of both soaps to make the episodes which have already been recorded last longer.

Iain MacLeod said the show appealed to viewers because it reflects modern Britain and that, when filming restarted, ignoring the pandemic on-screen would turn Coronation Street into a parallel fantasy land.

We took the view that it has to exist in our world, he said.

ITV bosses previously suggested that older characters, such as Ken Barlow, may be temporarily written out / ITV

However, I am also aware that people tune into Coronation Street for escapism, to some degree, and to see drama and stories that they would never normally experience in their own lives, and stuff they would normally never see in their own living rooms played out on screen.

While the virus will exist in Coronation Street, we were also keen that it wouldnt dominate every single story and every single scene.

If your lives are anything like mine, certainly coronavirus is pretty much the only topic of conversation in my house, but people wouldnt want to tune into Coronation Street and see every scene was people talking about coronavirus.

It will be there. You will be able to see evidence of it in the way people behave  hand-washing protocols and things like that.

The way our businesses are run will be tweaked to do more takeaways and the like, as food outlets are doing in the real world.

Most memorable Coronation Street characters 1 /20 Most memorable Coronation Street characters Fred Elliot The Manchester butcher was famed for his repetitive speech and being father to Ashley Peacock. He was famously scammed by Stacy Hilton who pretended to be an immigrant called Orchid, looking for a "mail order" husband. A serial proposer he had relationships with Rita Sullivan, Audrey Roberts, Doreen Heavey and Bev Unwin. Rex Hilda Ogden Hilda was the devoted life of Stan who was famed for having her hair in curlers. The pair lived on the breadline and occupied number 13 Coronation Street. She desperately wanted to earn the respect of her neighbours. She took in Kevin Webster as a lodger and sold him her house on leaving the street. Rex The Duckworth's Jack and Vera Duckworth were one of the streets strongest couples - despite blazing rows and bouts of cheating. Jack was famed for his love of pigeons while Vera was known for her fiery temper. The pair famously took in Tyronne Dobbs and raised him as their own. Rex Hayley Cropper Hayley Cropper was the show's first transgender character and married Roy Cropper. Together they became one of the most loved soap pairings and fans were left devastated when Hayley took her own life following a battle with pancreatic cancer. Rex The Battersby's The Battersby's were dubbed the 'Family From Hell' when they rocked up on the street in 1997. They wreaked havoc on the street from Janice berating her Underworld co-workers to husband Les running over a turkey. Rex Tracy Barlow Not quite as villainous as Richard Hillman, Tracy Barlow was the daughter of long-suffering Deirdre Barlow. She was jailed for murdering Charlie, tried to convince Roy Cropper that she was the father of her child and killed Maddie and Kal after trying and failing to murder Carla Connor. Rex Gail Platt Unlucky in love Gail was nearly murdered by Richard Hillman and has been the long suffering mother of David Platt. She later married debt-ridden Joe McIntyre, who after a month of marriage tried to fake his death, and was nearly found guilty. She later married Michael Rodwell - after he burgled her house. Rex Deirdre Barlow Deirdre Barlow was famous for her wide belts and big glasses. She was the mother of Tracy and married to Ken Barlow. She had several affairs and was jailed after becoming involved with con man John Lindsay. Rex Blanche Hunt Blanche was Corrie's queen of comedy with her cutting one liners and deadpan execution. She played Deirdre's mother and Tracy Barlow's grandmother. She died of a heart attack while on an extended holiday in Portugal in May 2010. Rex Richard Hillman Possibly the most villainous character the street has ever welcomed. Richard married an unsuspecting Gail Platt, but not before murdering his ex-wife Patricia with a shovel and burying her body in the foundations of his new flats. He convinced the street that Audrey Roberts was losing her mind, attempted to kill Emily Bishop, but instead murdered Maxine Peacock before trying to kill the Platts by tying them up in a car and gassing them. He then drove the car into Weatherfield Canal. The Platts survived but Hillman drowned. Rex Bet Lynch Brassy Bet brought big hair and flamboyant style to backstreet boozer, The Rovers Return when she joined in 1970. Married to Alec Gilroy, she later took over as landlady. After failing years later to raise the money to buy the pub she fled to Tenerife before making a brief comeback in 2002. Rex Betty Williams Betty was as synonymous with hotpots as Deirdre Barlow was with giant glasses. The Rovers Return barmaid introduced the world to her famous dish and left the secret recipe in the hands of Sean Tully before she died. Rex Norris Cole The street's resident busybody, Norris has found himself on the receiving end of almost every cast member. His most memorable scrape was with serial killer Richard Hillman who intended to murder his landlord Emily Bishop. Rex Todd Grimshaw Todd Grimshaw - played by Bruno Langley - joined the street as the show's first gay character in 2001. The youngest son of Eileen Grimshaw and half-brother of Jason, Todd was dating Sarah Platt before he announced he was gay and went off to university. Rex Ena Sharples Before Norris Cole was Ena Sharples - the ringleader of a trio of gossiping pensioners. She frequently came to blows with Elsie Tanner and was famed for wearing a hairnet. Rex

But we will still continue telling the same brilliant, dramatic stories with the healthy dollop of comedy that we always do, because to do otherwise would be, again, to turn the show into something the viewers dont recognise.

It will be there. It will be handled with a light touch. Other than that, our storytelling will be business as usual.

MacLeod said the long-running show would continue to air hard-hitting storylines, and not move towards showing only light-hearted content.

People want to watch drama and they want to watch the same hard-hitting stories that Corrie does so well. They dont want suddenly to be watching a different programme, he said.

A recent episode of Coronation Street saw Yasmeen Nazir (Shelley King) stab her husband Geoff Metcalfe (Ian Bartholomew) following months of coercive control and abuse.

MacLeod said fans should expect Geoff to receive comeuppance for his coercive behaviour before the end of the year, despite the changed schedules due to the lockdown.

He said: The timelines have obviously been shunted around slightly as a result of the lockdown and things like that but I think it is fair to imagine it will certainly be this year, we think.

What form that comeuppance takes is still in discussion. What we wanted to make sure, in the way we told the story, was that it was a redemptive ending for Yasmeen.

Coronation Street continues on ITV.

With reporting by Press Association
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

By Elnur Baghishov - Trend

As many as 1,680 people have been infected with the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the past 24 hours in Iran, said Kiyanush Jahanpur, spokesman for Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Trend reports citing the ministry.

According to Jahanpur, 78 people have been died from the coronavirus over the past day.

Jahanpur added that the condition of 2,735 people is serious and critical.

So far, more than 531,000 tests have been conducted in Iran for the diagnosis of coronavirus.

Iran is one of the countries heavily affected by the rapidly-spreading coronavirus. According to recent reports from the Iranian officials, over 101,600 people have been infected, and 6,418 people have already died. Meanwhile, over 81,500 have reportedly recovered from the disease.

The country continues to apply strict measures to contain the further spread. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease.
Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, has made an audacious salient call for debt cancellation for low income countries. It was published in the Opinion section of the April 30, New York Times, Why the Global Debt of Poor Nations Must Be Canceled, (printed in full below). PM Abiy is correct, debt cancellation is absolutely necessary to save lives and for developing nations to survive the COVID-19 pandemic.

To compel a nation like Ethiopia to spend almost half of its revenue on debt service, while its people are suffering from a perfect storm of Desert Locust swarms, food insufficiency, and a weak healthcare infrastructure, is immoral if not criminal. PM Abiy wrote:

At the very least, the suspension of debt payments should last not just until the end of 2020 but rather until well after the pandemic is truly over. It should involve not just debt suspension but debt cancellation

These steps need to be taken with a sense of urgency. The resources freed up will save lives and livelihoods in the short term, bring back hope and dynamism to low-income economies in the medium term and enable them to continue as the engines of sustainable global prosperity in the long term.

In 2019, 64 countries, nearly half of them in sub-Saharan Africa, spent more on servicing external debt than on health. Ethiopia spends twice as much on paying off external debt as on health. We spend 47 percent of our merchandise export revenue on debt servicing

The dilemma Ethiopia faces is stark: Do we continue to pay toward debt or redirect resources to save lives and livelihoods?

PM Abiys analysis of the urgent need for the cancellation of debt service is relevant to the exacerbating effect of COVID-19 in Africas rising food insecurity.

Smoked fish produced in Ghana is sold all over the country and in neighboring Togo  as long as transport routes and borders can remain open for the movement of food to markets. Credit Jane Hahn/Oxfam America

COVID-19 Worsens Food Crisis

In the month from March 30 to April 30, COVID-19 cases in Africa rose from 4,760 to 37,296-800% increase, and the total of deaths from 146 to 1,619-1,100% increase. Experts are legitimately concerned, that millions more may die from hunger and poverty as a result of the needed efforts to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Closing borders, stay at home orders, loss of income, interruption of supply chains, and disruption of traditional animal migration cycles inauspiciously contribute to amplifying food insecurity.

If the pandemic worsens, as many as 50 million more people could face a food crisis in the [Sahel} region, according to Coumba Sow, Food and Agricultural Organization Resilience Coordinator for West Africa in her interview: FAO: COVID19: 50 Million in Sahel Could Face Food Crisis . Coumba Sow reports that across West Africa, 11 million people need immediate food assistance and that this number could rise to 17 million in the period from June to August. She says that it is crucial to anticipate COVID-19s impacts on agriculture, food security and the lives of vulnerable women and children. Ensuring that food systems and food supply chains are maintained is one of the most important action to take at national and regional levels.

The World Food Programme (WFP) projects that the number of people facing acute food insecurity could rise from 135 million to 265 million in 2020 as a result of COVID-19. According to the WFP, five of the countries that had the worst food crisis in 2019 were located in Africa; Nigeria, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Arif Husain, economist for the WFP said: COVID-19 is potentially catastrophic for millions who are hanging by a thread. It is a hammer blow for millions more who can only eat it they earn a wage. Lockdowns and global economic recession have already decimated their nest eggs. It only takes one more shocklike COVID-19 to push them over the edge.

Mauritanian herders (Courtesy of UN-FAO)

A New Financial Architecture Required

While debt cancellation is essential, international and federal mechanisms are required to issue i.e. create new lines of credit to build up nation-wide advanced healthcare infrastructure, which all African nations lack. This endeavor should be part of a much larger undertaking to place African nations on a path to become developed industrialized economies. I discuss the importance of emerging nations to generate physical economic wealth in my earlier article: World Needs New Economic Platform to Fight COVID-19 . Trillions of dollars of new credit must become accessible for African nations to address the dearth of infrastructure in energy, roads, railroads, and healthcare, that is literally killing Africans, every day. Successful transformation of African nations requires an urgent focus on nurturing combined manufacturing-agricultural processing industries. Speaking at a Johns Hopkins webinar on April 22, Gyude Moore, former Liberian Minster of Public Works (2014-2018) emphasized that creating manufacturing jobs is essential to transitioning to a more developed economy.

What has been glaringly brought to the surface by the combined COVID-19 pandemic and the malnourishment of Africas population is; that the global economic-political system of the last five decades has failed. A new financial architecture is compulsory to save lives and put civilization on the trajectory of progress. This new financial architecture should encompass the following essential missions in Africa:

Cancellation of debt

New credit generation for physical economic growth

Massive investment in hard infrastructure

Urgent mobilization to establish modern health infrastructure

Significant upgrading of manufacturing and agricultural sectors

It is unacceptable in the twenty-first century for every nation not to be equipped with advanced modern healthcare infrastructure. One of the most egregious defects of globalization is that nations have become dependent on imported food from thousands of miles away because it is somehow construed to be cheaper than producing food at home.

Nations exist to foster the continuation of a human culture moored to the conception that human life is sacred. There is no equivalency between servicing debt and safeguarding human life. Money really has no intrinsic value. Banks are mere servicing bureaus of an economy. Governments legitimately create credit to generate future physical wealth to benefit their citizens. When borrowing or lending arrangements fail to benefit society then they should be restructured or cancelled. Such financial reorganizations have been achieved many times throughout history.

PM Abiy has brought to the attention of the world, a profound underlying principle that should govern all national and international policy: the promotion of human life is supreme, monetary instruments are not.

Why the Global Debt of Poor Nations Must Be Canceled

Delaying the repayments to the Group of 20 is not enough.

By Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia. Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, 2019

April 30, 2020, New York Times

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia  On April 15, Group of 20 countries offered temporary relief to some of the worlds lowest-income countries by suspending debt repayments until the end of the year. It is a step in the right direction and provides an opportunity to redirect financial resources toward dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.

But if the world is to survive the punishing fallout of the pandemic and ensure that the economies of countries like mine bounce back, this initiative needs to be even more ambitious.

At the very least, the suspension of debt payments should last not just until the end of 2020 but rather until well after the pandemic is truly over. It should involve not just debt suspension but debt cancellation. Global creditors need to waive both official bilateral and commercial debt for low-income countries.

These steps need to be taken with a sense of urgency. The resources freed up will save lives and livelihoods in the short term, bring back hope and dynamism to low-income economies in the medium term and enable them to continue as the engines of sustainable global prosperity in the long term.

In 2019, 64 countries, nearly half of them in sub-Saharan Africa, spent more on servicing external debt than on health. Ethiopia spends twice as much on paying off external debt as on health. We spend 47 percent of our merchandise export revenue on debt servicing. The International Monetary Fund described Ethiopia as being at high risk of external debt distress.

The dilemma Ethiopia faces is stark: Do we continue to pay toward debt or redirect resources to save lives and livelihoods? Lives lost during the pandemic cannot be recovered; imperiled livelihoods cost more and take longer to recover.

Immediate and forceful action on debt will prevent a humanitarian disaster today and shore up our economy for tomorrow. We need to immediately divert resources from servicing debt toward responding adequately to the pandemic. We need to impede a temporary health crisis from turning into a chronic financial meltdown that could last for years, even decades.

Ethiopia must spend an extra $3 billion by the end of 2020 to address the consequences of the pandemic, while our balance of payments is set to deteriorate. Increasing health care spending is essential, irrespective of debt levels, but we have less money on hand, and much of it is due to creditors.

A moratorium on bilateral and commercial debt payments for the rest of this year will save Ethiopia $1.7 billion. Extending the moratorium till the end of 2022 would save an additional $3.5 billion.

Low income countries can use the financial resources freed up by cancellation or further deferment of debt repayments to invest in our battle against the pandemic, from providing necessary medical care to our citizens to ameliorating our financial difficulties.

In October, the I.M.F. reported that the five fastest-growing economies in the world were in sub-Saharan Africa, which includes Ethiopia. In early April, the World Bank reported that sub-Saharan Africa would face its first region wide recession in over 25 years and the regions economy could shrink by as much as 5.1 percent.

This is not a result of bad policies, mismanagement or any other ill typically associated with developing economies. The recession will be the product of the coronavirus outbreak.

Preventing or at least minimizing the recession is critical to maintaining years of hard-won economic gains across the continent. The current moratorium in bilateral debt collection until the end of the year will help, but it wont be enough, given the gravity of the challenge we face.

The moratorium must be extended until the coronavirus health emergency is over or canceled altogether. The creditors need to do this unconditionally.

Official bilateral creditors are no longer the principal source of external debt financing for many developing countries. Private-sector creditors, including investment banks and sovereign funds, are. They should play their part in the effort to rescue African economies from permanent paralysis with a sense of solidarity and shared responsibility. It would help avoid widespread sovereign defaults and chaos in the market.

And it would be morally indefensible if resources freed up from a moratorium in bilateral debt collections were to be used to pay private creditors instead of saving lives.

Most of our countries managed to borrow funds on the back of solid economic performance and highly promising and evidence-based development programs and trajectories. Nobody foresaw this promise being derailed by a once-in-a-century event such as the coronavirus pandemic.

Under these circumstances, there is no room for traditional arguments such as moral hazard. Low-income countries are seeking relief not because we squandered the money but because we need the resources to save lives and livelihoods.

It is in everybodys enlightened self-interest that the borrowers be allowed breathing space to get back to relative health. The benefits of rehabilitation of the economies of the hardest-hit countries will be shared by all of us, just as the consequences of neglect will harm all of us.
By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: The Nilgiris district, which was the first in the State to have successfully controlled the spread of COVID-19, reported four new positive cases on Tuesday.

All of them are truck drivers who visited the Koyambedu market in Chennai recently, said The Nilgiris Deputy Director of Health Services P Balusamy.

It must be noted that the district was classified as a green zone on April 27, when the last COVID-19 positive case discharged from ESI Hospital in Coimbatore.

Nearly 43 drivers who visited the market have been tracked down and they shall be tested soon, said sources.

Meanwhile, the district health department has identified nearly 32 truck drivers who recently visited Koyambedu Market in Chennai.

"Among them, nine are from Mettupalayam and the remaining from Pollachi area. All of them have been quarantined for 14 days," said Deputy Director of Health Services G Ramesh Kumar.

On the other hand, staff of Amma Unavagam's present in Coimbatore Central Zone were screened for COVID-19 on Tuesday as a precautionary measure as they attend a number of customers daily. In the coming days, Amma Unavagam staff in other locations shall be screened, sources added.

During the same screening camp at Raja Street, a group of sanitary workers were also screened. The nasal swabs collected from them would be tested using the RT-PCR method.

On the same day, seven patients including six police personnel who were undergoing treatment for COVID-19 were discharged on Tuesday. Collector K Rajamani and City Commissioner of Police Sumit Saran distributed fruits to the police personnel after being discharged from PSG Hospitals. Presently, the Coimbatore district has four active cases.

In a press release, Corporation Commissioner J Sravan Kumar said a fine of `100 shall be slapped on persons not wearing a mask while coming out of their houses. He advised residents not to remove the face masks when they are in public places.
WESTPORT  The Westport firefighters union has gone public with criticism of Westport Fire Chief Robert Yost after a March 13 vote of no confidence.

Unfortunately, we cannot wait any longer, the Westport Uniformed Fire Fighters Local 1081 said in a Facebook post. Seven weeks into the crisis relating to COVID-19, the resounding feeling of no confidence in our leadership has only grown stronger.

According to the post, 56 members were in favor of a proclamation of no confidence, five members were against it and three members abstained.

Nick Marsan, president of the union, said when the vote was held the First Selectman was notified because the union was trying to avoid controversy.

We notified him that at that point, we werent interested in taking away from the seriousness of our focus on the pandemic, Marsan said. Weve reached a point now where nothing has changed during the seven weeks of this crisis.

Marsan said Yosts lack of command presence led to the vote and the fostering of a divisive and hostile work environment ultimately led to the decision to publicize it.

We shouldnt be having to deal with that kind of stress from an internal source, he said. So enough was enough.

But Yost, who has been with the department since 1988 and chief since 2017, said the dispute began months before the coronavirus pandemic.

Prior to this vote, I was holding workers accountable for what I figured was abuse of sick time, he said.

Yost said he issued verbal and written warnings regarding the abuse of sick days and at one point nearly two workers were calling in sick a day.

We have 15 on shift and thats like 10 percent of the work force calling in sick every day, he said. When they call in sick, you actually replace them with somebody...it was getting expensive.

Yost said the vote has no legal significance and represents the union announcing to the public their displeasure with a situation.

Its a result of me holding the union and certain individuals accountable, he said. I appreciate the dedication and hard work theyre all doing. Its unfortunate we have to do this in a public forum when we disagree.

He said the publicized vote was something typically seen during contract negotiations, but the current contract with the union will not expire until July 2021. Negotiations are expected to begin this winter.

In its statement, the union further alleged Yost was not following proper town policies, such as wearing a mask, or other establishing proper protocols during the crisis.

However, Yost said he was being unfairly scrutinized. He added the allegation of breaking town policy came after someone walked past his office door and saw him without a mask.

When out in the public and I have to interact with people, Im wearing a mask, Yost said. When Im sitting at my desk and theres no one else in my office, Im not wearing a mask.

Town officials said they stand behind the fire chief despite the no confidence vote.

Chief Rob Yost has the full support and confidence of First Selectman Jim Marpe, Ralph M. Chetcuti, the towns human resources director, said in a statement. As a result of the Chiefs leadership, the town of Westport is proud of the response to the current COVID19 pandemic. He is also the Emergency Management Director and his expertise has been integral to the success.

Marsan said the vote had nothing to with sick time usage. He added the union was not targeting Yost.

If our leadership is not going to provide whats needed than a labor union is going to step up and demand it, he said. This isnt about Rob Yost. This is about what the firefighters of local 1081 deserve, and thats solid leadership.

Despite the vote of no confidence, Yost said he hopes to return to an amicable relationship with the firefighters union. He said other fire chiefs told him it was not uncommon to receive a vote of no-confidence from a union.

In fact, my father was the fire chief in Norwalk in 79 and right after he made chief, they had a vote of no confidence for him, Yost said. He went on to serve the city of Norwalk as chief for almost 20 years.

dj.simmons@hearstmediact.com
Austrian Raiffeisen Bank is planning to further tighten bilateral relationship with Azerbaijan, the bank told local media.

"In general, it is our aim to further assist emerging markets based in the CIS region to grow fast and sustainably. Certainly, we are looking forward to further increase both the quality and quantity of the services we provide for our Azerbaijani partners. Apart from delivering traditional and cutting-edge financial solutions, we are planning to further tighten bilateral relationship by boosting the quantity of bilateral meetings between us and our customers. Currently, we pay a visit to Baku every year to have on-sight meetings with Azerbaijani banks, and we are looking forward to further enhance such exchanges in future. We also welcome our valuable business partners in Vienna every year in January upon their visit to the annual Euromoney conference," said the bank.

Raiffeisen Bank said it sees growing importance of banking regulation and especially compliance topics.

"Regulatory measures need to be further improved also in Azerbaijan to stay on the world level. The implementation of international requirements considering local specifics makes this task for Azerbaijani government and Central Bank so challenging. The regulations should be designed in a way that the market players should feel secure and at the same time comfortable to make use of a diverse set of financial products and services both locally and globally," said the bank.

Raiffeisen Bank International AG (RBI) regards Austria, where it is a leading corporate and investment bank, as well as Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) as its home market. 13 markets of the region are covered by subsidiary banks. Additionally, the group comprises numerous other financial service providers, for instance in the fields of leasing, asset management, as well as M&A. To support its business activities, RBI operates representative offices and service branches at selected Asian and Western European locations.

Around 47,000 employees service 16.4 million customers through more than 2,100 business outlets, the by far largest part thereof in CEE. RBI's shares have been listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since 2005.

RBI is Austria's second-largest bank with a balance sheet total of  148.6 billion (as per 30 June 2019). The Austrian Regional Raiffeisen Banks hold approximately 58.8 per cent of the shares, the remainder of around 41.2 per cent is free-float.
An internal document from the Madrid health department has revealed that 100,000 fast coronavirus tests destined for health workers are not as reliable as the regional government claimed them to be.

The premier of Madrid, Isabel Diaz Ayuso from the conservative Popular Party (PP), said in April that the tests had a sensitivity rate of 92%, and presented the purchase as an example of how well the regional government was managing the coronavirus crisis in comparison to the central government, which has encountered several problems with defective tests. We have tested them [the fast diagnostic tests] with a microbiology study in La Paz hospital, and they give us more sensitivity and confidence than [the tests] the government has given us, Diaz Ayuso said.

It does not make sense to extend the use of tests with questionable reliability Rosa Vicente, health secretary of the CSIT union

But a document from the Pharmacy Services of Direccion Asistencial Sureste, an agency that oversees health management issues in southeast Madrid, to which EL PAIS has had access, indicates the tests only have a sensitivity rate of 79.4%. According to the document, 36% of cases confirmed by the tests are false positives. In another indicator, known as specificity  the percentage of people without antibodies who therefore test negative  the figure is 74%, meaning that one in four cases receive a false positive.

These percentages are far below the figures promised by the Dutch manufacturer Biozek Medical, which claims the tests are between 85% and 100% reliable, depending on the type of antibody and indicator. The Pharmacy Services document is dated in May (but does not specify the date) and states that the study on the reliability of the tests was carried out in a microbiology laboratory in the region.

The Madrid regional government, which declined on Tuesday to comment on the issue, aims to use these fast tests on the regions 86,000 health workers. This decision has been met with resistance from health professionals as well as several hospitals, which doubt the reliability of the tests and argue that more accurate diagnostic methods are needed given the spike of coronavirus infections in the health sector. According to figures from the Spanish Health Ministry, the number of health workers who have contracted Covid-19 has risen nearly 40% in the past two weeks; while almost 44,000 professionals have been affected by the disease in total.

It does not make sense to extend the use of tests with questionable reliability, nor can they be used to find out epidemiological data, or to modify your behavior in the workplace, said Rosa Vicente, the health secretary of the CSIT union, which represents public workers in Madrid.

A recent report from the Spanish Association of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC) recommended against using these type of fast tests on health workers, given that they are not completely reliable, as has been shown when these methods have been evaluated by the Carlos III Health Institute and collaborating centers.

The tests dont have the reliability to diagnose an asymptomatic professional Jose Miguel Cisneros, head of infectious diseases at Virgen del Rocio hospita

Jose Miguel Cisneros, the head of infectious diseases at Virgen del Rocio hospital in Seville and the former president of SEIMC, explained that the fast tests "can be used for a specific patient in a set situation, but they dont have the reliability to diagnose an asymptomatic professional.

Large hospitals in Madrid have decided to carry out their own diagnostic studies with serological tests called Elisa, which are more complex and reliable. This situation has upset the primary healthcare workers, who have demanded the same treatment.

In the end, the fast tests, which do not give us an understanding of our real state, are only going to be used on us. While well-made serological tests like Elisa, which are more reliable, are the ones being used on the staff of many hospitals, said a primary care doctor from a health center in the Madrid neighborhood of Vallecas. We dont understand why, or what makes us different from the rest of our colleagues.

The staff at the Ibiza health clinic in Madrid also issued a statement to express their concern over the fast tests. The evidence is clear: for a study of health professionals, the appropriate test is Elisa.

English version by Melissa Kitson.
MIAMI  President Donald Trump denied Tuesday any U.S. government involvement in what Venezuela called a failed armed incursion into their country that led to the arrest of two Americans.

Well find out. We just heard about it, Trump said to reporters outside the White House. But it has nothing to do with our government.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said, during a televised address Monday, that authorities arrested 13 terrorists after a failed beach raid. He accused the Trump administration of helping coordinate the plot with the aim to capture the socialist leader.

Image: Venezuelan soldiers in balaclavas move a suspect from a helicopter after what Venezuelan authorities described was a

During the broadcast, Maduro held up what he said were two Americans U.S. passports, drivers licenses, and ID cards for Silvercorp, a Florida-based security services company. He showed images of the fishing boats the alleged attackers rode in as well as equipment like walkie-talkies.

He blamed the attacks on the Trump administration and neighboring Colombia, which also denied involvement.

In a statement to NBC News, a State Department spokesperson said they are making efforts to learn more about the U.S. citizens and accused Maduro of a "major disinformation campaign" that makes it difficult to "separate facts from propaganda."

"We will also be looking closely into the role of the Maduro regime in this melodrama and especially of the very large Cuban intelligence apparatus in Venezuela," the spokesperson wrote, adding that Maduro is using the event to justify an increased level of repression.

The CEO of Silvercorp, Jordan Goudreau, an ex-Green Beret, told the Associated Press that he was working with the two Americans in a mission intended to detain Maduro and liberate Venezuela. He claimed responsibility for the operation.

Goudreau said the two men served with him in Iraq and Afghanistan in the U.S. military and were part of his Operation Gideon.

The two U.S. citizens arrested Monday were identified by Venezuelan officials as Luke Denman and Airan Berry.

Story continues

Image: Luke Denman (LinkedIn)

Denman, 34, is a former Green Beret who was recently working as a commercial diver in Louisiana, according to his family.

"An incredibly scary situation"

In an interview with NBC News, Denmans mother said she last heard from him a few weeks ago when he called to check in with her as the coronavirus was spreading across the country.

I dont know where he was calling me from, Kay Denman said. Hes been a Green Beret, and I learned a long time ago that he will tell me what I can know.

I have been learning everything I know from you guys, she added, referring to members of the media.

Denmans younger brother, Julian, said the family was reeling from the news. This is completely out of left field, he said. Its just an incredibly scary situation, and I have no clue whats going to happen to him. Is he already a dead man? Is he not going to be let go at all?

Denman served in the Army as a U.S. Special Forces communications sergeant from 2006 to 2011, according to an Army spokesperson.

Berry, 41, served as a U.S. Special Forces engineer sergeant from 1996 to 2013, the spokesperson said. Attempts to reach his family were not successful.

Goudreau served as a medical sergeant and indirect fire infantryman in the U.S. Special forces from 2001 to 2016, the Army spokesperson said.

In his interview with the AP, Goudreau said he reached an agreement with Venezuelan leader, Juan Guaido, to oust Maduro but the U.S.-backed leader has denied the claim. Goudreau said Guaido never fulfilled the agreement but he decided to go through with the operation with 60 fighters.

Guaido said Maduro is seeking to distract from other problems in recent days including a deadly prison riot and a violent gang battle in Caracas.

The Trump administration has imposed tough economic sanctions against Venezuela in an effort to pressure Maduro out of office. Maduro's reelection in 2018 was widely criticized as rigged. The country has been under economic and political crisis under Maduro's rule. The Venezuelan leader says the U.S. wants to control Venezuelas massive oil reserves.

Maduros Attorney General, Tarek William Saab, said they have arrested a total of 114 people in connection to the failed invasion and are searching for 92 others.

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The organisation protects the legal rights of medical practitioners and students

A suspicious fire has torn through the Australian Medical Association headquarters causing $2million worth of damage.

The fire was lit in a bin in the underground carpark of the medical headquarters in North Adelaide, South Australia, on Wednesday morning.

It spread through the air conditioning units causing extensive damage.

The blaze was discovered after crews were called at 2.15am to extinguish a burning brush fence on the other side of the same street.

Senior Constable Dave Muir said it's likely the fires are linked.

A suspicious fire has torn through the Australian Medical Association headquarters causing $2million worth of damage (stock image of AMA)

'Both fires have been deemed as suspicious and Eastern District detectives along with fire cause investigators are at the scene,' he told the ABC.

He urged anyone who saw any suspicious behaviour in the area at the time to contact police.

The AMA is a membership organisation that protects the legal rights of medical practitioners and students in Australia.

It also provided information about the health impacts of smoke inhalation on people in danger zones during the the bushfire crisis in January.

The building also housed specialist clinics and the South Australian Medical Officers Association - the state doctors union.
Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries is reportedly in talks to acquire majority stake in Chennai-based online pharmacy Netmeds. As per the agreement, Reliance, through one of its subsidiaries, may pay $130-150 million for the asset, along with a fresh capital infusion in Netmeds to expand the operations, The Economic Times reported quoting sources aware of the development.

Also Read: Coronavirus India Live Updates: Tamil Nadu liquor shops open from Thursday; country's total cases past 52,000

"The deal is happening at a slight premium to their last funding round valuation," said the source.

Started in 2015, Netmeds sells prescription drugs, personal care products, medical devices surgical and baby accessories, and groceries. The online store was started by Dadha & Company, a pharmaceutical firm. Netmeds has so far raised about $100 million in three rounds of funding. Besides Dadha, Netmeds is backed by healthcare investor OrbiMed, investment bank MAPE Advisory, Sistema Asia Fund and Singapore-based Daun Penh Cambodia Group.

Also Read: Facebook-Jio deal: JioMart, WhatsApp to empower 3 crore kirana shops, says Mukesh Ambani

Meanwhile, RIL and Dadha have refused to comment on media speculation. The ET quoted a Reliance spokesperson as saying that the company evaluates various opportunities on an ongoing basis. The company will inform exchanges according to Sebi on any developments, he added.

Recently, Netmeds tied up with RIL-owned Reliance Retail for supplying essentials like groceries to its customers.

Also Read: BT BUZZ: Don't be naive! Reliance Jio-Facebook deal is a partnership of unequals

The oil-to-telecom conglomerate is planning to enter into ecommerce space with the launch of grocery delivery platform - JioMart. Last month, Facebook announced a $5.7 billion (Rs 43,574 crore) investment to acquire 9.99 per cent stake in Jio Platforms. RIL Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani said the deal with Facebook would empower Jio's new commerce platform, JioMart, to connect with over 3 crore kirana stores via FB's messaging platform WhatsApp.

By Chitranjan Kumar
The first publicly announced coronavirus antibody testing that's open to the general public is coming to the Capital Region.

WellNow Urgent Care, in partnership with St. Peter's Health Partners, announced Wednesday that it will begin offering two types of COVID-19 testing in the region: diagnostic testing to determine if somebody has the virus-induced illness, and antibody testing to determine if someone had it and has since recovered.

The testing will be available seven days a week at four WellNow locations in Albany, Niskayuna, Clifton Park and Hudson to individuals who are or were symptomatic. No appointment is required, but registering online is recommended and individuals must remain in their car to be screened. Once staff are ready, the patient will be given a mask and brought directly into a private room for further evaluation and testing. Those who don't have a car should call the location ahead of time to be screened over the phone.

Bringing both types of COVID-19 testing to our communities in the Capital Region is a top priority right now, said WellNow Urgent Care President John Radford. As New York prepares to reopen, providing all our communities with answers to their COVID-19 questions is as much our responsibility as is making sure all our centers remain a safe and welcoming place for all urgent care needs.

The diagnostic test for COVID-19, also known as a molecular PCR test, uses an invasive nasopharyngeal swab to collect nasal secretions from the back of the nose and throat. Antibody testing, on the other hand, uses a blood sample to determine whether a person's body developed specific antibodies to fight off a coronavirus infection. The presence of a specific antibody will indicate whether someone had an infection and has since recovered.

Samples will be sent to a lab overnight, with results returned within three to five days through an online portal at www.mybostonheart.com.

Testing costs will be covered in full for individuals with insurance, as required by the recently passed Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. For individuals without insurance, a diagnostic test will cost $150 and an antibody test will cost $100, with a $130 charge on top of that to cover the clinic visit itself, said WellNow Urgent Care Regional Lead Provider Jenilee Foster.

The urgent care chain said both its tests are highly accurate and validated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Foster declined to reveal, however, the manufacturer of its tests or the laboratory analyzing the samples.

Testing for antibodies has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks after hundreds of developers flooded the market with tests that have since been found to be inaccurate. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration bore the brunt of that scrutiny for having allowed the tests on the market under minimal standards, and just this week increased its standards to require manufacturers to submit proof their tests are accurate or risk having them pulled off the market.

While antibody testing can help paint a more complete picture of how widespread the virus was within certain communities, it remains unclear whether the presence of COVID-19 antibodies actually makes someone immune to the virus.

Infectious disease experts believe that, as with other viruses, they probably lower a persons risk of reinfection. But whether they grant complete immunity, and for how long, remains one of many unknowns about the novel coronavirus. Those eager to reopen the economy have argued antibody testing will play a major role, and have even discussed offering "immunity certificates" to those looking to return to work  an idea public health experts say could create a false sense of security.

WellNow also warns on its website that a positive antibody test should not change the way a person guards themselves against the COVID-19 disease.

"A positive or negative result from antibody testing alone is not enough to confirm presence or absence of infection, ongoing infection and/or long-term immunity. There is still much to be learned from this virus, and accordingly, patients should still practice social distancing, frequent hand washing, avoiding touching their face, and following all other local health department guidelines to help reduce the spread of the virus," WellNow states.

In New York, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo had early on suggested that antibody testing might be key to reopening, but has backed off that idea in recent days, instead establishing a list of other criteria that will determine when to reopen different regions of the state. In April, the state announced it would begin random COVID-19 antibody sampling at grocery stores across the state to determine how widespread the virus was. The test sites and hours were not announced ahead of time in order to obtain a random sampling of the population.

The WellNow testing is the first publicly advertised antibody testing in the region.

Antibody testing can help identify individuals who may be eligible to donate plasma, which is being used to treat virus-infected patients at hospitals across the Capital Region.

Here are the four WellNow locations conducting the tests, and the number to call for those who are unable to register online at www.wellnow.com:

Albany 1438 Western Ave., Albany 518-649-9986

Niskayuna 445 Balltown Road, Schenectady 518-387-3566

Clifton Park 1694 U.S. 9, Clifton Park 518-387-3566

Hudson 446 N Farview Ave., Suite 200, Hudson 518-267-3496



Facilities are open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
As part of grand efforts to combat the rapid spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has supplied quantities of kits to be distributed in Central Region.



In addition to that, the Party had pledged to scale up intensive public education to reach out to all regardless of ones geographical location with the support of all relevant stakeholders.



The Kits which contained quantities of hand sanitizers, Veronica buckets, tissues, boxes of antiseptics, and liquid soap will be distributed to all 23 Constituencies in the Region.



Also, high-risk areas including Markets, lorry stations, , hairdressing salons, tailoring shops, and corporate entities will benefit.



Presenting the items to the various Constituency Chairmen at the Regional Party Headquarters in Cape Coast, Mr Richard Takyi Mensah, Regional Secretary of the Party urged them to distribute the items as envisioned.



He encouraged Ghanaians to keep to social distances and wash their hands under running water to support the governments effort in curbing the spread of the deadly disease.



He reminded all Parliamentary aspirants to prioritize the national fight against the Coronavirus pandemic and suspend all large social gathering activities.



Alhaji Gibrine Adams, the Mfantseman Constituency on behalf of all the Constituency Chairmen thanked the Party for the gesture.



He called on philanthropists to donate more of the kits to help prevent any possible community-to-community transmission 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.

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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a ban on all assault-style firearms Friday.

The ban includes "1,500 models and variants," including the popular AR-15 rifle. It will prohibit those firearms, as well as some components, from being used, sold or imported.

According to a release from the Canadian government, the ban will not take full effect for another two years in order "to protect owners of newly prohibited firearms from criminal liability while they take steps to comply with these new rules." There are also exceptions until April 30, 2022, for people in indigenous communities and for those who hunt to sustain themselves or their families. But ultimately all items on the list will be banned.

Trudeau's order comes just two weeks after the mass shooting in which a gunman killed 22 people in Nova Scotia.

"Because of gun violence, people are dying, families are grieving, and communities are suffering," Trudeau said. "It must end. Assault-style firearms designed for military use have no place in Canada. By removing them from our streets, we will limit the devastating effects of gun-related violence and help make our country safer."
Gonzales Photo/Jan-Erik Eriksen/PYMCA/Avalon/Universal Images Group via Getty ImagesMegadeth bassist David Ellefson is putting his spin on a Post Malone song.

Alongside with namesake solo band Ellefson, featuring Thom Hazaert on vocals and former Guns N' Roses guitarist Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, the thrash mainstay has recorded a cover of Malone's track "Over Now."

"We're all fans of Posty, and he's also been a huge fan of Megadeth and all things metal," Ellefson says. "Aside from being a great song for any genre, our cover of 'Over Now' is our way of showing our mutual admiration, and paying homage to our friend."

The cover will be released this Friday on Bandcamp, and will be available on all digital outlets on May 15. You can listen to a teaser now streaming on YouTube.

In April, Ellefson released a new song called "Simple Truth" to raise money for COVID-19 relief in Italy.

Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(Video contains uncensored profanity.)
EAGLEVILLE  Montgomery County officials on Wednesday reported 26 more deaths from the coronavirus, bringing the countys death toll to 379 since March 7 when the county identified the first two cases of the virus.

County Commissioners Chairwoman Dr. Valerie Arkoosh pointed out that 16 of the new reported deaths actually occurred in April and were just confirmed to county officials.

Its another example of how long it takes sometimes for all of the information to come together in a way that we can confirm it and report it, Arkoosh explained.

The 26 deaths included individuals who ranged in age from 62 to 102.

To date, 204 females and 175 males have died from the virus in the county. Officials said the racial breakdown for those that have died included: 12 Asian; three Asian Indian; three Asian Korean; 33 African American; and 103 white. Information about the ethnicity of the remaining 225 individuals was unavailable.

Arkoosh pointed out that 310 of the total 379 deaths were individuals who lived in long-term care facilities, representing about 82 percent of the total deaths.

The 379 total deaths were confirmed positive COVID-19 cases through the use of lab tests, Arkoosh explained during a Wednesday news briefing at the county Emergency Operation Center.

Officials reported that as of Wednesday, 162 other deaths in the county have been listed as probable COVID-19 deaths. Those are deaths that list COVID-19 as a cause of death on a death certificate but in which there was no laboratory confirmation of the virus.

Meanwhile, officials reported a total of 123 new positive cases of the virus on Wednesday, bringing the countys total number of cases to 4,734 since March 7. Seventy-seven of the latest individuals to test positive resided in a long-term care facility.

And the majority of these 77 results are from two facilities that have conducted testing of most or all of their residents, Arkoosh explained.

The new positive individuals are residents of 25 municipalities. To date, 61 of the countys 62 municipalities are home to individuals with COVID-19. Bryn Athyn is the only municipality that has not reported a case of the virus.

The new positive cases included 48 males and 75 females whose ages ranged from 1 to 103. At least five of the individuals are hospitalized, officials said.

Our hospital beds continue to hold stable, said Arkoosh, explaining currently, about 400 COVID-19 patients remain hospitalized in the county and about 25 percent of the patients are on ventilators in the intensive care units.

Thanks to all of your good work and sacrifices we continue to have hospital beds available in all of our county hospitals, both regular beds and intensive care unit beds, and we do have enough ventilators available. So this continues to be a bright spot in this fight, added Arkoosh, emphasizing the importance of social distancing mitigation measures that health officials say can prevent the spread of the virus and prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed.

County officials continue to monitor coronavirus data from the 75 long-term care facilities in the county that are licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health as well as from other congregate care settings in the county, for a total of about 620 facilities.

As of Wednesday, 91 of the facilities reported positive COVID-19 cases among residents and staff. Specifically, officials reported there are 1,274 cases among residents of the facilities and 511 cases among staff at the facilities, for a total of 1,785 positive individuals.

County health officials have field assessment and support teams (FAST) that have visited 48 of the facilities as of Tuesday, providing guidance about Pennsylvania Department of Health and federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocols regarding infection control and proper use of personal protective equipment. Arkoosh said the commissioners received a debriefing from team members on Wednesday.

The team wanted me to convey how sad so many of the workers are at these long-term care facilities as they have lost individuals that they have cared for, in many cases for years, and how frustrated and disappointed so many of them have been as they have tried very, very hard to keep this virus out of their facilities, but, as we know this virus is very treacherous and very contagious and obviously they have not all been successful in doing that, said Arkoosh, who was joined at the news briefing by fellow commissioner Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr. and Dr. Alvin Wang, regional EMS medical director, and Dr. Brenda Weis, administrator of the Office of Public Health.

Officials reported that the community-based testing sites in Whitpain and Norristown, between April 16 and May 4, had tested 3,655 individuals for the virus. Officials received results for 3,457 of the individuals and determined that 520 of the individuals, or about 15-percent, were positive for the virus.

The 15-percent positive rate is a decrease from a peak positive rate of 24-percent that officials reported around April 5.

The drive-thru testing site at the central campus of the Montgomery County Community College in Whitpain will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily as testing supplies allow. The site will be closed on Sunday. Registration for each days appointments will open at 8 a.m. daily and will remain open until all available spots are filled. Individuals can register online at www.montcopa.org/COVID-19

Individuals who do not have access to the internet or do not have an email address can call 610-631-3000 to register for a testing appointment.

A walk-up community-based testing site for Norristown residents is located on the parking lot of the Delaware Valley Community Health Norristown Regional Health Center, 1401 DeKalb St. The free testing is provided by appointment only from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Norristown residents can register for testing by calling 610-592-0680 starting at 8:30 a.m. daily.
Ibom Air, a commercial airline owned by the Akwa Ibom State government, has added another aircraft to its fleet.

The new aircraft, a bombardier CRJ 900, arrived at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, from Calgary, Canada, at 10:48 p.m. on Tuesday, the airline management said in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement is posted on Ibom Air Facebook page.

The latest addition brings the number of aircraft in Ibom Air fleet to four.

This particular aircraft, with registration number 5N-BXP, made its maiden commercial flight in May 2014 (just 6 years ago), the statement said. Thus, Ibom Air continues to operate the lowest average fleet age amongst Nigerias airlines. This fleet strategy is in line with our vision to be a world-class African regional airline.

The statement added, A key benefit of Ibom Airs very modern fleet of Bombardier CRJ 900 aircraft is that they all come fitted with High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters.

HEPA filters are high-intensity filters that do not just filter dust, but effectively capture greater than 99% of the airborne microbes in the filtered air, including microscopic particles such as bacteria and viruses. Cabin air in HEPA equipped aircraft generally pass through the filters 20-30 times per hour, removing contaminants and greatly enhancing the quality of air in the cabin.

This is cheering news for the people of Akwa Ibom, especially with the circumstances of the moment  the COVID-19 fear and its associated impact. Most people in Akwa Ibom see Ibom Air as the pride of their state.

Ibom Air, which launched its maiden flight in June 2019, has been flying Uyo-Abuja and Uyo-Lagos routes. It later expanded into the Abuja-Lagos route before airports and airlines in Nigeria temporarily shut down because of the novel coronavirus.

Todays occasion is a watershed moment for us as a people, the Akwa Ibom governor, Udom Emmanuel, said at an airport ceremony before the inaugural flight.

Never in the history of this nation or indeed anywhere else in Africa that I can recall, has a state government gone into airline operations.

Akwa Ibom state is, therefore, the first to achieve this, and we should all collectively give ourselves a pat on the back.
Circa 2013, my ex-husband acquired a shopping tote, made of recycled materials, that he would not give me no matter how much I begged. It featured an image of Michelle Obama, in a floaty red dress and high heels, smiling at the world while riding high on a swing. A bevy of cartoon butterflies and rabbits looked on admiringly. The words Mighty Michelle were spelled out on celebratory ribbon at the top; the slogan at the bottom, unnecessary yet awesome, read First Lady of Fabulous.

The First Lady of Fabulous tote bag was not an official product, but it was definitely an astute one. Seemingly everyone who saw it wanted it. Though not everyone loves Michelle Obama, sometimes it seems that way. Thats also the sense you get from Becoming, Nadia Hallgrens documentary about Obamas arena-filling 34-city book tour, produced for Netflix by Michelle and Barack Obamas Higher Ground Productions. There are many, many shots of audiences gazing adoringly at the former first lady, clearly unfazed by the size of the auditorium theyre packed into; theyre captivated by her as she sits there on a far-away stage, answering with dazzling grace the questions posed by any one of the tours revolving moderators. (They included Gayle King, Valerie Jarret, Stephen Colbert and Oprah.) Her manner is both polished and candid, a mode she perfected, out of necessity, during two terms of White House life. Its all perfectly grand and inspiring. But its also everything you expect from an authorized documentary about Michelle Obama.

The big problem with Becoming is that of all the people who dont need a hagiography, Obama is pretty much tops on the list. Thats not to say she hasnt had, and doesnt have, her enemies: In one sequence, she details how much it hurt when the press picked apart her every move, in the early days and beyond; the accompanying Fox News clips, some of them stretching to characterize her as an angry black woman, are enraging, even when you consider the source. But Obama deserves so much more than the worshipful glassy gaze of this documentary; shes so far beyond it that it can barely contain her. In Becoming, watching her in action as she promotes her memoir, you see a master showperson at workuntil you realize that at some indistinguishable point, shes stopped playing to the crowd and started speaking to it. The glissando segue between the two would be a miracle to behold, if only you knew exactly when and how it had happened.

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Thats the reason to watch Becoming: For the everything in between, for all the things the camera captures when the filmmaking is looking the other way. In addition to the huge stadium Q&As mounted to promote the memoir, the Becoming tour also gave Obama the chance to speak to groups of young women at community events. In these settings, she shines. At one point a young woman who is, as she explains, the first person in her family to go to college, states her frustration that African Americans are often made to feel invisible. How did you, as a black woman, persevere through invisibility? Obama had a ready answer, and perhaps not exactly the one the young woman expected to hear. For me, I never felt invisible, Obama says, explaining that part of that may have been due to her upbringing, at the hands of parents who would let her ask anything at the family dinner table. Then she broadened her response into something profoundly useful. That invisibility? It starts here, she says, pointing to the area around the heart. We cant afford to wait for the world to be equal to start feeling seen. Youve got to find the tools within yourself to feel visible, and to be heard, and to use your voice.

Courtesy of Netflix

Obama wont countenance the too-convenient language of victimhood, though when she hears it, shes careful to respond with kindness. It appears that she sees her job as being the assistant, not the mechanic: She can help you with the tools, but she cant do the job for you. At the same time, shes acutely aware of the ground she and her husband broke. At one point she says flatly, I am the former first lady of the United States and also a descendant of slaves. During a public appearance, she acknowledges how hard it is to be the first black anything.

The best parts of Becoming are the moments when Obama is caught relaxed and off-guard. Shes funny, and not without vanity. She likes nice clothes, and seems relieved that shes now free to enjoy them a little more, without having to worry constantly upon her image. Upon moving the family into the White House, she insisted that Malia and Sasha make their own beds, even though there were servants ready and willing to do so. When they protested that she, too, ought to make her own bed, she put a fresh spin on the classic because-Im-the-mommy answer: Im like, Im the first lady, and I have the degree! On the book tour, one young woman is so excited to meet her that she starts hyperventilating, and Obama puts her at ease: Dont make me cry! I just got this face done! Her stylist, Meredith Koop, describes the outfits Obama is drawn to. She is not a minimalist, she says definitively, holding aloft a sharply tailored blush-pink jacket with a spray of rhinestones across one shoulder. When I look at this suit, I do see Elvis, Koop says, and I dont have a problem with that.

Courtesy of Netflix

Yet Obamas seriousness about the state of our country, and how we got here, is never in doubt. Discreetly, and probably wisely, she says nothing about the ascendance of Trump, except for this: A lot of our folks didnt vote. It was almost like a slap in the face. No one gets a pass from Obama. I understand the people who voted for Trump, she says at one point. The people who didnt vote at allthe young people, the women, thats when you think, man, people think this is a game. She goes even further: Not just in this election, but every midterm. Every time Barack didnt get the Congress he needed, that was because our folks didnt show up. After all that work, they couldnt be bothered to vote at all. Thats my trauma.

And then, just moments later in the film, she goes back to being sparkling Michelle, visiting with a group of church ladies. One of the more elderly members of the group speaks of her amazement at seeing the first black family in the White House, something her own parents and grandparents could hardly have imagined. You saw it for them, Obama says, coming up yet again with exactly the right thing at the right time, with lustrous warmth. Its moments like these, and even smaller onesthe way, during a visit to the house Obama grew up in, we get a glimpse of an old Raggedy Ann doll whose face is made of brown cloth, not whitethat make Becoming feel like a vigorous film trapped inside a workaday one. The Obamas, both Michelle and Barack, were and continue to be pragmatists who nevertheless acknowledge the scope of dreamsand if its hard to be the first black anything, its also hard to be that. Now, at nearly the midpoint of 2020, the Obama White House feels so far away that it barely seems like a historical reality; its more like something that took place on another planet. Becoming reminds us that the Obama White House happened on this planet, in this century, and that one of the people who helped shape the life of that era, both inside and outside of that house, was a woman who insisted that her kids make their own beds, even as she allowed herself the luxury of letting someone else make hers. As the First Lady of Fabulous, she had earned that right. Even if Michelle Obama no longer lives in the White House, its walls know her story. Elvis has not left the building.
Twitter is testing a new feature to limit "harmful" language on the platform, asking users to reword tweets that include harmful language.

In a tweet, the site said: "When things get heated, you may say things you don't mean. To let you rethink a reply, were running a limited experiment on iOS with a prompt that gives you the option to revise your reply before its published if it uses language that could be harmful."

Twitter gave no indication of what language it considers harmful, so users are left to speculate over what words will or will not be acceptable  whether thats simply foul language such as swearing or hateful speech such as sexist or racial slurs.

A Reuters report suggests that such language will be compared with other posts that have been reported.

Twitter has a hate speech policy which reprimands users who promote violence against or directly attack or threaten other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, caste, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or serious disease.

However, the company has repeatedly been criticised for not taking enough action to protect its users, having been described as a toxic place especially for women and people of colour.

Recommended Twitter deletes millions of accounts

For the moment, Twitters experiment will only happen on the iOS version of its app. It is unclear how many users Twitter is testing the functionality on, or whether we can expect to see this change expanded to all 330 million of the social media sites monthly active users. Twitter declined to comment.

We're trying to encourage people to rethink their behaviour and rethink their language before posting because they often are in the heat of the moment and they might say something they regret, Sunita Saligram, Twitter's global head of site policy for trust and safety, told Reuters.

While there might be the potential for users to experiment with what words were or were not flagged  and thereby give malicious users an insight into what language Twitter finds offensive  Saligram said that the rollout was targeted at rule breakers who were not repeat offenders.

The test reportedly started on Tuesday and will continue for a few weeks globally, but only targetted on tweets in English.

This is not the only change that Twitter has been testing recently. The company has demonstrated a new war of showing quote-tweets under likes and retweets and a new way to read threads on iOS and in its web app.
Hong Kong customs officials have made their largest shark fin seizure ever, uncovering 26 tonnes taken from 38,500 endangered sharks inside a pair of shipping containers from South America, it was revealed on Wednesday.

The two consignments, worth HK$8.6 million (US$1.1 million), more than doubled the 12 tonnes of shark fin seized in all of 2019, according to assistant superintendent Danny Cheung Kwok-yin of the Customs and Excise Departments marine enforcement group.

Each consignment consisting of 13 tonnes broke the previous record seizure of 3.8 tonnes of controlled shark fins made in 2019, he said.

The 13 tonnes of dried shark fins seized on April 28 and May 4 had a value of about HK$8.6 million. Photo: Nora Tam

Cheung said both consignments were sent from the same shipper to the same Hong Kong logistics company. Customs officers have arrested the owner of the logistics firm, but the 57-year-old man has been granted bail pending further investigation.

A law enforcement source said the value of the seizure would have been much higher if it had been the highest-grade shark fin, which can cost thousands of dollars per kilogram.

The two containers arrived from Ecuador within 10 days of each other in January, but the huge haul was only discovered when customs officers opened the containers at their Kwai Chung cargo examination compound on April 28 and May 4.

Officers said their suspicion had been aroused because the containers had Spanish-language markings identifying them as dried fish.

Its unusual for some imported goods to be described in foreign languages other than English, Cheung explained, adding that customs officers had seized shark fins shipped from Ecuador before.

Each container contained more than 300 nylon bags of dried shark fins, with about 90 per cent of the goods from controlled species.

Seized fins largely came from thresher and silky sharks  both protected species, according to the customs department.

Endangered species protection officer Ken Chan Hon-ki of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department estimated the fins had been removed from about 31,000 thresher sharks and 7,500 silky sharks.

Story continues

Cheung believed at least some of the seizure was for local consumption and destined for Hong Kong eateries and shops, noting the investigation was continuing and further arrests were possible.

Apart from the two Ecuador consignments, customs officers this year had already confiscated 15 tonnes of shark fins worth HK$5.4 million and made two arrests.

For the whole of 2019, 12 tonnes of banned shark fins worth HK$8.9 million were seized, with 13 people arrested. That marked a substantial jump from 2018, when customs officers seized 641kg of shark fins worth HK$510,000 and made five arrests.

The assistant superintendent said the rise in seizures this year was the result of enhanced inspections and intelligence exchanges with the mainland and other countries.

He said the customs department would continue to liaison closely and cooperate with outside law enforcement agencies to combat smuggling activities.

Under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance, importing, exporting or possessing endangered species without a licence carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail and a HK$10 million fine.

Gloria Lai Pui-yin, senior conservation officer for sustainability with environmental group WWF-Hong Kong, said the scale of the seizure definitely came as a surprise to us, noting that, between 2014 and 2018, 30 seizures were made but the total only amounted to about six tonnes.

But this does not mean demand is rising again. It could be that traders are seeing a chance to ship the shark fins while government officials in other countries are preoccupied with efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, she said.

Lai said that, with people generally dining out less because of the pandemic, a local increase in demand for shark fin was unlikely. However, a WWF survey of 859 people still found seven out of 10 Hongkongers had eaten shark fin in 2018, mainly at three kinds of occasion: weddings, office functions and family gatherings.

WWF-Hong Kong therefore urges hotels and restaurants to stop selling shark fins and for companies to make a no shark fin pledge, Lai said.

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Manila: Philippine church and business leaders have expressed alarm over a government agency's shutdown of the country's largest TV and radio network, which has been a major provider of news on the coronavirus pandemic.

International watchdogs condemned the closure of ABS-CBN, which President Rodrigo Duterte has targeted in the past for its critical coverage, as a major blow to press freedom.

Supporters and media workers protest outside the main office of ABS-CBN on Tuesday evening. Credit:Getty Images

The National Telecommunications Commission ordered the media giant to stop operating after its 25-year congressional franchise ended on Monday. It reversed a statement to Congress that it would issue a temporary permit while legislators assessed a franchise renewal. Only the House of Representatives can grant or revoke such franchise and its hearings have been delayed, in part by a coronavirus lockdown.

In a reflection of the extent of unease over the shutdown of the network, which went off air Tuesday night, both the opposition and key Duterte allies questioned the commission's action.
The Atlanta-based company has partnered with Atlanta's Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on "Giving Tuesday" to support her recently announced initiative the "Strength in Beauty" fund , which will provide grants for eligible cosmetologists, barbers, manicurists, skincare specialists and makeup artists whose businesses have been negatively impacted by the necessary measures taken to control the novel COVID-19 virus.

"When Mayor Bottoms announced the Strength in Beauty Fund, I knew, right away, that Walker & Company would contribute," shared Walker & Company Brands Founder and CEO Tristan Walker. "We salute Mayor Bottoms' leadership, standing firm to help bridge the gap for those in need throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Walker & Company is proud not only to call Atlanta home, but also to remain dedicated to the economic empowerment of the independent cosmetology workforce. We will always advocate for the health of our community, especially those most impacted by this pandemic. We stand with our hometown mayor."

The second initiative is a continuation of the partnership that Bevel, a Walker & Company Brand, launched in February 2020 with Chicago's Urban Prep Academies, known nationwide for their student's 100% college acceptance rate. Walker & Company has donated laptops to support distance learning and ensure Urban Prep Academies students can effectively continue their education during the pandemic.

"Bevel is committed to the success and empowerment of Black men. A big part of that is education. We want to ensure that there are no barriers to education. We are beyond happy to continue our support of the young Black men of Urban Prep Academies." - Tia Cummings, Vice President of Marketing, Walker & Company Brands.

Founded in 2013, Walker & Company Brands, the makers of Bevel, have since expanded into hair, skin and body, providing head to toe grooming solutions for black men. For more information or to get Bevel today, please visit: www.getbevel.com.

About Walker & Company Brands

Walker & Company Brands, recently acquired by Procter & Gamble, is a family of brands designing health and beauty solutions for people of color. Our vision is to build the world's most consumer-centric health and beauty products company, inspiring unprecedented customer loyalty. Walker & Company launched with the introduction of its first brand, Bevel, in 2013. Bevel provides grooming products for black men, including a full Skin Care regimen, a Shave System, and the Bevel Trimmer, designed to help reduce skin irritation and razor bumps. FORM, the first women's prestige hair care collection to celebrate beauty in all its forms, is now available for order at formbeauty.com. To learn more about Walker & Company Brands, visit www.walkerandcompany.com.

About the City of Atlanta

For more information about the City of Atlanta, please visit www.atlantaga.gov or watch City Channel 26. Follow the City of Atlanta on Facebook and Twitter @CityofAtlanta .

About Urban Prep Academies

Urban Prep Academies, founded by Tim King and a group of African-American education, business and civic leaders, operates the country's first network of charter public high schools for boys. Since its first graduating class in 2010, 100% of Urban Prep's graduatesall African American males, mostly from low-income familieshave been admitted to college. Urban Prep's three schools in Chicago's Englewood, Near West and Bronzeville communities, as well as Urban Prep's unique Alumni and Fellows Programs, have provided more than 2,500 students with the tools they need to succeed in college and life. To learn more about Urban Prep, visit www.urbanprep.org.

SOURCE Walker & Company Brands

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Bengaluru: After continuous pressure on Union government from Karnataka NRI Forum- UAE, the first special flight carrying 180 Kannadigas who stranded at UAE due to Covid-19 pandemic will fly to Mangaluru on May 10.

The special flight will land in Mangaluru airport on May 10, and the state government has directed Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts authority to quarantine all passengers once they reach.

All Kannadigas will be given permission to travel back home only after they test negative in Covid test at Dubai airport.

In fact, Karnataka was missing in the list of states to receive special flights when Ministry of External Affairs arranged them to bring stranded Indians at UAE. Special flights were arranged only to Kerala and Tamil Nadu people stranded at UAE in the first stage.

Thanks to Karnataka NRI Forum of UAE which opened helpline (https://uaekannadahelpline.club) to seek assistance to Kannadigas, nearly 2000 Kannadigas have registered for assistance in which 127 pregnant women, 27 senior citizens, 700 people who have lost jobs aftermath of coronavirus sought assistance from NRI forum.

After providing food and shelter to Kannadigas who lost jobs at UAE since March 2020, NRI forum put pressure on both state and Centre to arrange special flights to send them to home. The NRI Forum has approached Indian Consulate at UAE and chief minister BS Yediyurappa to evacuate Kannadigas, but got no response. Following this, Karnataka NRI Forum President Praveen Shetty approached Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers DV Sadananda Gowda for help. Gowda immediately responded the call and he spoke to MEE to arrange special flight for Kannadigas as well.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, UAE Karnataka NRI Forum President Praveen Shetty said, We have received confirmation message from Indian Consulate UAE stating that Indian government has arranged special flight to Karnataka. After conducting Covid test, Kannadigas will be send to Mangaluru in first special flight. All Kannadigas who registered in helpline will be brought to their homeland. Indian government has fixed reasonable air fair of Rs. 13,000 to per person.

Indian government has promised to arrange special flight to Mangaluru or Bengaluru by next week to bring Kannadigas.

Comparing to other Indian States, Karnataka has the highest number of its people working in UAE. Around 1.25 lakhs Kannadigas are working in UAE in which majority are working classes. Due to Covid-19 pandemic thousands of workers have lost jobs, Mr. Shetty explained.

"Indian government had arranged special flights from US, UK, Singapur and other countries to bring back Indians, but excluded UAE in the list. Actually, lakhs of Indians are working in UAE as labourers and in odd jobs, the government should have given first priority to bring labourers rather rich one", he opinioned.

"BJP has 27 MPs from Karnataka. We continuously requested all BJP MPs and state government but none of them came to our help. Thanks to Mr Gowda for his timely intervention to bring stranded Kannadigas", Mr Shetty said. However Mr Gowda was not available for reaction.
A man in his thirties is in Mateu Orfila Hospital after having been shot in the leg by the National Police on the Son Oleo estate in Ciutadella.

At around 1.30 pm on Tuesday, the man, who suffers from a mental disorder, attempted to attack a local police officer with a knife. Police had been called by the man's family, who were concerned by his altered state.

Outside a chalet on the Calle Verdi, there were two shots, the National Police having had to shoot to prevent a serious incident. The gunshot wound is not life threatening.

The man lives with his parents and an older person on the top floor of the chalet.
(Natural News) In an effort to keep even closer tabs on its citizens, Chinas Communist leaders introduced a social credit system last year that they use to punish people based on their personal behavior and loyalty to the party.

Now, three top-flight U.S. colleges are creating a similar surveillance system to monitor America citizens and assign them scores based on their exposure to the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), Breitbart News reports this week.

Tech news outlet dot.LA adds that researchers at the University of California, Emory University, and the University of Texas Health Science Center have been given a federal grant to create a mobile app that would be utilized for contact tracing of the virus.

The app will be designed to track people in real-time, providing location and symptoms to calculate a COVID-19 risk score.

Its yet another digital twist on contact tracing, a pillar of public health and infectious disease control that can be onerous detective work. It involves identifying those who have been in contact with infected persons to help isolate and limit spread of a virus, especially during epidemic  or, in this case, pandemic conditions, dot.LA reports.

No, what such an app really does is blatantly violate citizens Fourth Amendment privacy protections because, ostensibly, the app would continue to monitor people even when theyre at home and not out in public.

Breitbart notes:

USCs Cyrus Shahabi, chair of the computer science department, told dot.LA that the universities hope to have a working mobile app by August, in time for the start of the fall semester. He said policymakers could use the system to warn the public to avoid hotspots of infection.

As mentioned  and lets just dispense with the good intentions of public health here  civil rights groups are already throwing up huge red flags, as well they should.

There will never be a good reason to monitor Americans like China does its citizens

There must be a careful balance or privacy protection with public health benefits, Bennett Cyphers, a staff technologist with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit digital rights advocacy group, told the tech site.

When you introduce scoring that takes other factors into account, it complicates everything, and increases the risk that users will be misinformed or discriminated against due to factors beyond their control, he added.

And what happens if the score is wrong? Worse, what happens if its right? Does that mean some authority will then be able to mandate persons with high scores be quarantined?

Where in the law or in the Constitution would that power come from?

Heres how such a system would look, Breitbart notes further:

Chinas social credit system has blacklisted more than 13 million citizens as untrustworthy, according to a recent report from the state-run Global Times. The report did not say what these individuals did to land on the list, but the regime has revealed the system assigns a numerical score to every Chinese citizen based on how much the Communist Party approves of his or her behavior.

In addition, another 23 million Chinese citizens have been blocked from traveling by train or plane, so their ability to go anywhere quickly has been taken away.

Anyone who knows what Left-wing tyranny in America looks like, compliments of Democrats, can just take a look at what blue state governors and blue-city mayors are doing to control their citizens activities (and ability to earn a living), using coronavirus as their excuse.

Coronavirus is a deadly disease, for certain, but its not killing everyone. Its killing older Americans and people with preexisting co-morbidities, mostly. We know that. Weve known it for weeks now.

Whats more, we already know where the virus hotspots are, and gee, we figured it out without a privacy-stealing tracking app or coronavirus score.

There is no good reason to be monitoring Americans with an app, now or ever.

Sources include:

Breitbart.com

Dot.LA

NaturalNews.com
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Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday assured the bus and car operators that the government is fully aware of their problems amid the coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown, and will fully support them to mitigate their issues. He said that he is in regular touch with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman who are working overtime to uplift the economy during these difficult days of COVID-19 pandemic.

Addressing the members of the Bus and Car Operators Confederation of India through video conferencing mode, Gadkari said, the opening of transport and highways will go a long way in instilling confidence among the public. He said public transport may open soon with some guidelines. He, however, cautioned towards maintaining social distance and adopting all safety measures like hand wash, sanitizing, face masks, etc while operating buses and cars.

Responding to concerns raised by the audience, the Minister informed that his ministry is looking at adopting the London model of public transport, where government funding is minimal and private investment is promoted. He also pointed out towards the poor standards of Indian bus and truck bodies which he said, work for only 5-7 years, whereas the European models last for up to 15 years. Gadkari emphasized upon adopting their good practices, which will also be economically viable for the indigenous industry in the longer run.

The Minister said he is aware of the tight financial condition of the Indian market during the ongoing pandemic. But, he said, all stakeholders will have to work together to combat it. He pointed towards a very good business opportunity being offered by the world industry, which is trying to wriggle out of the Chinese market. He said the Indian industry should grasp this opportunity to invite those foreign companies to invest with them in India. He expressed confidence that the country and its industry will together win both the battles  the one with Corona, and the one with the economic slowdown.

Members of the confederation made suggestions for improving the condition of public transport which include extending interest payment exemptions, restarting public transport, extending age, life limit, deferring state taxes, extending MSME benefits, extending insurance policy validity, etc.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 19:49:58|Editor: huaxia

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BERLIN, May 6 (Xinhua) -- New orders in Germany's manufacturing industry dropped by 15.6 percent in March compared to the previous month "because of the coronavirus pandemic," the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) announced on Wednesday.

Destatis noted that this was the largest decline since the beginning of the time series in January 1991.

"Shutdown measures worldwide had a massive impact on economic activity from mid-March onwards," Simon Junker, deputy head of the economic policy department of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), told Xinhua on Wednesday.

The drop of incoming orders and sales in Germany's manufacturing industry had been expected, added Junker, "even roughly on this scale."

According to the provisional data by Destatis, domestic orders decreased by 14.8 percent, while international orders fell by 16.1 percent month-on-month. New orders from the euro area even decreased by 17.9 percent.

Manufacturers of intermediate goods in Germany only saw new orders decrease by 7.5 percent compared to the previous month, according to Destatis. But manufacturers of capital goods in Germany recorded a strong decrease of 22.6 percent.

Germany's Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) also noted that the "global economic shock" caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the measures taken to contain it had caused industrial order intake in Germany to fall "drastically." Enditem
Punjab health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu on Wednesday said the central government has provided a meagre support of Rs 71 crore to the state to fight against Covid-19.

Despite the little support from New Delhi, Punjab is fighting the pandemic with full might and is able to contain it, said Sidhu, who reviewed the facilities at various hospitals and Covid-19 isolation facilities here.

Talking to the media, he said despite requests by him and finance minister Manpreet Badal, the Centre has not released adequate funds to Punjab.

Over the sudden surge in the cases of Covid -19 in Punjab in the recent past, Sidhu, Initially, the cases were under control, but with the return of Punjab natives from other parts of

the country, the cases saw a sudden spike. But our people have the right to return back and we cannot turn our face away from them.

Later in Gurdaspur, Sidhu claimed that best arrangements have been made for the Hazoor Sahib returnees in the state and effective treatment is being provided to those pilgrims who have been found coronavirus positive.

Sidhu said that sampling of the all Nanded returnees will be completed by Wednesday evening.
A D-Day hero's incredible collection of WW2 secret escape items including dominoes which hide a map and a piece of explosive coal is set for auction.

The set includes fountain pens with hidden daggers, a box of matches with a secret compass in the base and a string vest abseil kit.

It was collected by Arthur Muggeridge who served with the Royal Artillery and landed on the beach in Normandy on June 6, 1944.

The late ex-soldier amassed the haul over 50 years after he left the military following injury in D-Day.

A D-Day veteran's collection of British spy gear from WWII expected to fetch thousands of pounds will be auctioned in in Hanham, Bristol on May 22

The collection includes dominoes which hide a map, fountain pens with hidden daggers, a box of matches with a secret compass in the base and a piece of explosive coal

Many of the items are the product of a secret organisation set up by the British authorities to conduct espionage behind enemy lines.

The 'Special Operations Executive' (SOE) ran under the leadership of Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton - and was largely unheard of during the conflict.

Its activities only came to light many years after WW2 had ended - a big part of which was sending items to troops in occupied territories.

The collection is being sold by East Bristol Auctions on May 22 as part of its 'Military, History & Transportation' event - and is expected to fetch thousands of pounds.

Arthur Muggeridge served with the Royal Artillery and landed on the beach in Normandy on June 6, 1944, and has sadly passed away

Auctioneer Andrew Stowe said: 'This was real espionage work - secret meetings, coded messages, real cloak-and-dagger stuff.

'A big part of the SOE was sending secret items to troops in occupied territories.

'Useful items like maps, compasses and even secret orders - anything to help them escape or evade capture.

'Very often these items were 'everyday' items that were sent in aid packages to camps, and the way items were secreted was very often ingenious!

'German prison camp officials wouldn't think twice that an innocent set of dominos could do harm, but how wrong they were.

String vests were used by captured soldiers to form ropes they could use to abseil down walls. Several vests used together would be unpicked to form the strong rope

'You can almost picture some RAF officers in their hut pulling apart these dominos and planning their escape.

'It's incredible stuff, both frightening and exhilarating at the same time.'

The 'incredible' string vests could be used to form a rope and abseil to freedom once unpicked and knotted together.

Mr Stowe said: 'These string vests were made from a single piece of string, all knitted together to form a vest.

'Not only could it keep you warm, but if you unpicked it, it formed a very useful and very long rope.

Two taxidermied 'war pigeons' are also included in the collection. The British Army used around 250,000 carrier pigeons for carrying important and secret messages and other purposes during WW2

'Apparently if several vests were unpicked together one could form a strong rope - perfect for scaling walls.

'It's just the most incredible invention.'

Also featuring in the sale are two taxidermy studies of 'war pigeons', both complete with secret message capsules.

The British Army used around 250,000 carrier pigeons for carrying important and secret messages and other purposes during WW2.

An official Air Ministry 'Pigeon Section' was maintained throughout the period and there was talk of them being used to carry explosives or bio-weapons.

Although this was never put into practice, the carry of messages was.

Pigeons were fitted with small capsules containing vital messages and then set free to fly back to the UK

A small capsule was fixed to the foot of a willing pigeon and then set free to fly back to England.

In a world of listening devices and decoding machines, strapping your message to a pigeon's foot was very often the most successful way of communicating.

Mr Stowe said: 'All of these items are very special. They highlight not only the ingenuity of the time, but also the desperation.

'Can you imagine being trapped in the middle of France during the war, and the only tools you have to aid you getting home safely are a map on the back of a domino, and a compass from your razor blade?

'Terrifying. But it worked. People successfully made it back to Britain because of these items. These objects saved lives.

'It's really humbling - and a perfect example of finding little ways to help those in need. They are quintessentially British.

Mr Muggeridge was injured during the D-Day invasion, which is widely regarded as one of the key turning points in WW2, and he was forced to leave the army early.

Mr Stowe said: 'Mr Muggeridge apparently scoured antique fairs, military fairs, and travelled the world collecting these items over a period of some forty or fifty years.

'His service in the Royal Artillery during the war led to a lifelong love of all things military.

'I suspect his love for these items gave him the connection to the army he so desired after being injured and forced to retire early.'

The auction in Hanham, Bristol, will be broadcasted online due to current coronavirus restrictions situation.
Shah Rukh Khan has been actively producing films and web series. His last release was Kaamyaab that starred Sanjay Mishra in the lead. Based on the life of a character actor, the film revolves around the man trying to make a comeback for his 500th film, hunting for a memorable role.

The film received good critical appreciation on its theatrical release and its digital release on OTT platforms too got lauded. Best selling author Paulo Coelho recently saw the film and the writer took to social media to praise the film. He said, "The producers thank you in the very 1st frame, @iamsrk. I am doing the same. 2 days ago a great Brazilian actor, Flavio Migliaccio, committed suicide, leaving a note on how the industry treats their artists. This movie, labelled as comedy, is, in fact, the tragedy of Art.

Responding to this tweet, Shah Rukh Khan said, Saw the film when it was doing Festival rounds and it touched a chord with the whole team at @RedChilliesEnt Am so moved you appreciate. Its a sad truth that character actors get forgotten. Look after yourself my friend and be safe & healthy.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED)



on Wednesday filed a charge sheet against Yes Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor, arrested on money laundering charges, in a special court here.

Kapoor, former MD and CEO of Yes Bank, was arrested by the ED on March 8 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

He is accused of sanctioning loans to certain firms against kickbacks.

Among other things, the central probe agency is investigating Rs 600 crore received by a company allegedly controlled by Kapoor, his wife and three daughters from an entity linked to the scam-hit Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL).

Kapoor and his family members allegedly got benefits worth Rs 4,300 crore through the companies controlled by them as kickbacks for sanctioning huge loans, the ED has alleged.

He is also accused of receiving bribes for going easy on recovery of loans given to some big corporate groups which had turned into non-performing assets (NPAs).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The governments population strategy is aimed at reaching a replacement rate of two children per couple. The targets are part of a birth rate adjustment programme towards 2030.

Hanoi (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Vietnams Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has proposed a birth rate adjustment programme towards 2030 to encourage compatriots to marry before they are 30 and for women to have a second child before they are 35. The goal is a population strategy to achieve a replacement rate of 2 children per couple.

The programme is meant to increase the birth rate by 10 per cent in places with a low rate (less than two children per couple) and reduce the rate in places with a high rate of more than 2.2 children per couple.

Provinces and cities where women in reproductive age have 2 to 2.2 children should maintain the so-called desired fertility at the replacement level.

To achieve this goal, public servants and Party members are invited to set an example by not having more than two children, whilst local authorities are urged to promote policies to support couples in having and raising children.

Local authorities have also been asked to promote marriage and family counselling services such as dating clubs and pre-marriage health consultations.

Couples who have two children will see their income tax reduced and will be helped with childrens school tuition fees, rental housing or buying social housing.

The children of these families will have priority in admission to public schools.

Getting married or giving birth in old age is not encouraged.
With the importance of world Asthma Day on May 5th and the current Covid-19 pandemic, I strongly encourage those suffering from asthma and their caregivers to participate in AsthmaCon. It is a very information-rich online conference.

Talos Health Solutions announces information to help asthma sufferers manage their disease during Covid-19. This information is now available at AsthmaCon, a free confidential virtual online health conference. Conference attendees can access this information online at http://www.asthmacon.com when visiting the booths for the Asthma & Allergy Network (AAN) and the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). Asthma patients and care givers are invited to participate in AsthmaCon that runs through June 30, 2020.

AsthmaCon attendees will also find several video presentations from respiratory experts and asthma patients as they speak on various topics. Video presentations include how to create and follow an asthma action plan, how to recognize severe asthma, how to use technology to manage your asthma and many others.

Those participating in AsthmaCon and watching the conference videos will hear from global respiratory experts including Dr. Tim Harrison with the Division of Respiratory Medicine at the University of Nottingham UK, Dr. Andrew Menzies-Gow, the Director of Lung Division and consultant respiratory physician at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London, Dr. Stephanie Christenson, MD with the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine from the University of California San Francisco and several other experts. Topics presented in conference videos include how to use technology to manage your asthma, recognizing asthma symptoms, identifying exacerbations, recognizing severe asthma, understanding your numbers for lung function, lung nitric oxide, blood cell counts and blood oxygen. There are over 20 video presentations conference attendees can watch throughout the duration of AsthmaCon which ends on June 30, 2020.

Patient expert Mitchell Silva stated, The integration of video within AsthmaCon makes the entire conference exceptionally interactive. Attendees have the flexibility to watch the video presentations at their own pace throughout the duration of the conference. A good variety of topics are featured from different experts including medical professionals, patient advocate groups and asthmatic patients themselves. With the importance of world Asthma Day on May 5th and the current Covid-19 pandemic, I strongly encourage those suffering from asthma and their caregivers to participate in AsthmaCon. It is a very information-rich online conference.

Talos Health Solutions launched AsthmaCon on March 27, 2020. This three-month online educational health conference is geared to helping people with asthma, their families and caregivers living in the US. AsthmaCon is a free online conference available 24-hours a day through June 30, 2020.

AsthmaCon 2020 is an AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals initiative in partnership with The American Allergy and Asthma Network (AAN), the Global Allergy and Asthma Patient Platform (GAAP), the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and Talos Health Systems.

For more information on conference videos or participating in AsthmaCon, visit online at: http://www.asthmacon.com.
This publication is not only intended to query the NPP government of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, for the non-completion of the Kumawu Government District Hospital that has been left to rot away since the John Mahama NDC-led government lost election 2016 but also, to attempt to unravel why the hospital may have been left to dilapidate by neglect.

To start with, the hospital was started by former President John Dramani Mahama with the funds for it sourced by former President John Agyekum Kufuor and captured in the budget of Dr Kwabena Duffour, former Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, under the NDC-led government by the late President Professor Evans Atta Mills.

It goes to tell that the intention to build the hospital was initiated by the NPP under President Kufour. The first step to seriously build the hospital, as President Kufour had barely left the presidency but the money readily made available, was taken by President Atta Mills as captured in the budget of his Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffour. Unfortunately, President Mills passed away with Dr Kwabena Duffour no longer the Minister when President John Dramani Mahama became the next President of Ghana.

Let us bear in mind, for argument sake, that he who sourced the fund for the construction of the hospital, he who fulfilled all the necessary arrangements to have it built and he who started building it, is all irrelevant. For the loan taken to build it will be paid by Ghanaians hence the money belongs to Ghanaians and that the hospital must be completed with the credit going to all the three presidents and he who completes it. The lion share of the credit must go to all Ghanaians who are themselves by their national natural resources stand as the collateral for the securing of the loan so sourced.

The view just expressed above is supported with a bible quotation from Apostle Paul. He said in 1 Corinthians 3:6-8 that- 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

It is on record that a full payment of twenty million US dollars (US$20,000,000) was made by the late President Professor Atta Mills government for the construction of the Kumawu Government District Hospital, full supply of all needed and agreed hospital equipment and drugs before handing it over to government as completed.

If the full payment was made, as might have been deposited into a special account to be released to the contractor approved to build it, in stages and according as reflected in the terms of government contracts and many a big project, where is the money and why has the contractor abandoned the project?

Let me share the following knowledge with the public readers who may not have any shred of idea about how government or big corporate contracts are signed with private contractors to execute the projects. There is what is called pre-financing. It means the contractor must themselves use their own money to start the project on agreement of being paid by whoever contracts them, in stages. Thus, it could be agreed that if you complete the foundation works of say a ten-storey building to the third floor, you will be paid the agreed sum when the work is inspected, satisfied and approved. Then you continue to the tenth floor with your own money, the project owner will pay you as agreed. Then you put in the roof, windows, doors and the electrical fittings etc., as may have been captured in the terms of the contract for the outstanding payment to be made to the contractor.

This was similarly the case with the Kumawu Government District Hospital. Therefore, to find out why the project has been left uncompleted to ruin, I will ask certain pertinent questions.

1. Was the contractor not paid according as arranged hence abandoning the project?

2. Did the NPP government of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo order the contractor to stop the project and if yes, for what reason?

3. It was alleged that the NPP government felt some government contracts signed by former President John Dramani Mahamas NDC government were bloated in cost, therefore, put them on hold to cause investigations into them. Was the Kumawu Government District Hospital one of such government-contracted projects suspected to have had its cost inflated hence put on hold for investigations and if yes, what is the outcome of the investigations?

4. If the money was fully paid into some specific account before former President John Dramani Mahama assumed the reins of government, is some of the money still in the account for the continuation to completion of the Kumawu Government District Hospital, or there is nothing left in the account? If there is, why has the hospital been abandoned? If there is nothing left, where is the money gone without the hospital completed let alone, being furnished with the contracted medical equipment and drugs?

5. Did the NDC retrieve the money from the account, squandered it before leaving office or the NPP came to meet the money, have left it in the account or have retrieved it for a different purpose?

6. If the NPP are investigating the cost of the contract, how long does it take them to finish their investigations? It has taken them unnecessarily far too long and that does not show any seriousness. If the money was removed by the NDC as the full payment was made into a special account but only to be released to the contractor in tranches or stages as was agreed, the NPP should inform the nation. However, if the money is still there, then they should continue with the project after renegotiating the cost with the contractor if found to have been inflated.

7. Do the NPP know and understand the effect of communication in the success of marriage, business and politics? Effective communication is a vital tool in the success of any undertaking by a group of people. They had better note this down.

The Kumawu Government District Hospital is becoming a topic for hot political discussion which shouldnt be so. The hospital must be completed if indeed the full payment was paid. In case the money for the hospital had been squandered by the NDC before leaving office when they lost the election or used it for their political campaign, the NPP government must not dither any further but to come out to inform the Ghanaian public. It could be that the money had been used by the NDC and the current NPP government has not been able to source any fund yet for its continuation hence leaving it at the stage it reached only for it to rot. If that is also the case, we need to be informed to avoid the many lies and counter arguments going on.

I support the view of the self-styling Kumawuhene Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua as found in the video below, regarding the urgent need to complete the hospital but not his issued threats of casting his electoral vote, obviously for the NDC. His genuine views were expressed last year, in 2019 but some media house has been airing it this year, 2020. Could it be how urgent they want the NPP to complete the hospital or it is for cheap political gains by some people?

The NDC have also been hitting on the same topic for their cheap political gains. Therefore, the issue must be addressed through an official statement issued by the NPP government but not through the rogue DCE for Kumawu Sekyere District who lies same as he breathes but through the Member of Parliament for Kumawu Constituency or the Minister of Health, if not by the president himself.

Going back, was the full payment for the construction of the hospital made and if yes, by who and into what special government or bank account? I passionately have aversion to the sluggish manner in which the NPP have been going about conducting investigations into suspected official malfeasances and embezzlements of funds. Their lack of speedily conducting, concluding and informing the nation of the results of their investigations into official corruption and malpractices by government and public officials has given encouragement to the obviously corrupt NDC guys and their leader to come out publicly to shameless point an accusing finger at the NPP while three fingers point backwards toward them.

Being colour blind, I detest any corrupt practices by politicians, pastors, mallams and all public servants regardless of which party, church, mosque you attend or position you hold. It is Ghana first before any self-interest.

Rockson Adofo

Wednesday, 6 May 2020
El presidente @MartinVizcarraC informa sobre la situacion del Estado de Emergencia en el #Dia51 y las acciones que realiza el Gobierno para contener la propagacion del COVID-19. En vivo: https://t.co/e695JTqi5b https://t.co/94uMo538CX
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - At 5.00 am ET Wednesday, Eurostat releases euro area retail sales data. Sales are forecast to decline 10.5 percent on month in March, reversing a 0.9 percent rise in February. The euro traded mixed against its major rivals before the data. While the euro rose against the pound, it slipped against the rest of major rivals. The euro was worth 1.0799 against the greenback, 114.90 against the yen, 1.0527 against the franc and 0.8728 against the pound as of 4:55 am ET. 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.
(CNN) - US President Trump has again leveled accusations that China could have stopped the global coronavirus pandemic, calling the spread "the worst attack we've ever had on our country."

Speaking from the Oval Office today, the President went on to say, "This is worse than Pearl Harbor. This is worse than the World Trade Center."

What we know: So far, more than 71,000 people in America have died from coronavirus. In comparison, more than 2,000 Americans were killed in the Pearl Harbor bombings during World War II. On September 11, 2001, a total of 2,977 people were killed in New York City, Washington, DC and outside of Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

But while Pearl Harbor and 9/11 were direct and targeted attacks on the United States, the coronavirus pandemic is impacting countries all over the world, including in China. As of today, Johns Hopkins University puts China's death toll from the virus at 4,637.

"There's never been an attack like this," Trump said today in the Oval.

The President added: "And it should have never happened. Could have been stopped at the source. Could have been stopped in China. It should have been stopped right at the source. And it wasn't."

In recent days, Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have doubled down on the assertion that the virus originated from a laboratory in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where the outbreak was first detected last December.

The claim has unsurprisingly drawn fierce rebuttal from the Chinese government, which described the accusation as "smear" intended to bolster Trump's reelection chances.

Intelligence shared among the Five Eyes network  an alliance between United States and the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada  also reportedly appears to contradict the Trump administration's assertion.

Trump's recent displeasure with China are a far cry from his past statements on the nation and its leader, Xi Jinping, whom he earlier praised for his transparency and management of the outbreak.

Last month, CNN identified at least 37 separate instances where Trump praised China since January, including one as recent as April 1. (Here is a timeline of those remarks.)

As recently has last month, Trump was touting his administration's trade deal with China during a White House coronavirus task force briefing. The president said the relationship with China is "very good" and the "biggest communication" is between himself and President Xi.

"So, look, the relationship with China is a good one, and my relationship with him is, you know, really good," Trump said on April 1.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Trump says China could have stopped pandemic after initially praising their efforts"
Cars will be able to move in both directions at night on a number of streets in Ho Chi Minh City that currently allow only one-way car traffic, according to the municipal Department of Transport.

The department on Tuesday announced the new rule will be applied on nine streets in District 1 and District 10 from 10:00 pm until 6:00 am the next morning every day, starting from May 10.

The nine streets include:

 Bui Thi Xuan Street in District 1, between intersections with Cach Mang Thang Tam Street and Alley 150 of Nguyen Trai Street.

 Nguyen Huu Cau Street in District 1, between intersections with Tran Quang Khai Street and Hai Ba Trung Street.

 Nguyen Huy Tu Street in District 1, between intersections with Dinh Tien Hoang Street and Nguyen Van Giai Street.

 Nguyen Van Giai Street in District 1, between intersections with Dinh Tien Hoang Street and Bui Huu Nghia Bridge.

 Pham Viet Chanh Street in District 1, between intersections with Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street and Cong Quynh Street.

 Suong Nguyet Anh Street in District 1, between intersections with Ton That Tung Street and Cach Mang Thang Tam Street.

 Thu Khoa Huan Street in District 1, between intersections with Ly Tu Trong Street and Le Thanh Ton Street.

 Ton That Hiep Street in District 1, between intersections with Ho Tung Mau Street and Pasteur Street.

 Su Van Hanh Street in District 10, between intersections with Ba Thang Hai Street and To Hien Thanh Street.

Currently, two-way traffic is only allowed for motorbikes and bicycles while cars can only travel in one direction on these streets.

The new traffic rule is expected to help promote the citys nighttime economy in accordance with the policies of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and the Peoples Committee of Ho Chi Minh City.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Patna:

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said the state government is in support of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill and if needed, a special sitting of the Assembly will be convened to ratify the legislation.



Talking to reporters at the Assembly premises, Kumar said there were lots of benefits of the GST, which was passed by the Rajya Sabha.



"If need arises, we will call a special sitting of the Bihar Assembly to approve the GST legislation from the state," Kumar said and expressed hope the GST would come into effect from April 1, 2017.



Kumar, who is also national president of JD(U), has expressed support for the GST Bill from the beginning and had conveyed this to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley during a meeting with him recently.



Getting support from the main opposition Congress, the Rajya Sabha had last night passed a Constitution Amendment Bill on GST.



The Constitution (122nd Amendment) Bill, 2014 on GST has already been passed by the Lok Sabha.



The GST Bill needs to be approved by Assemblies of at least half of the total 29 states.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Rosderra Meats has issued another statement defending its response to the current coronavirus pandemic. The statement comes after Laois-Offaly TD claimed as many as ten members of staff at the company's Edenderry plant tested positive of the deadly virus.

Deputy Stanley also said: "I have spoken to Edenderry workers over the past few days again and they have outlined to me their concerns about delays in putting basic prevention measures in place in the factory. The first complaint I had from staff was over three weeks ago, approximately the same time the first case of Covid-19 emerged there.

"They have outlined their serious concerns regarding, inadequate social distancing on the factory floor and personal protection equipment (PPEs) only been made available across the workforce last week. Some workers also say they are worried about inadequate washroom facilities.

Responding today, Rosderra Irish Meats said: "Further to the statement on May 1, Rosderra Irish Meats Group continues to work closely with the HSE, DAFM and the Irish Government in continuing to implement our significant COVID-19 control measures and protocols to ensure that all health, safety and sanitation requirements are being strictly adhered to.

"The welfare of our employees is of the utmost importance to Rosderra Irish Meats and we continue to be extremely vigilant with our protective measures - including social distancing, mandatory face coverings for all employees on all sites, temperature checks and a staggered approach to breaks and start times to reduce the possibility of overcrowding.

"There is continued open communication with all employees  highlighting each step of our precautionary measures. All employees have been informed NOT to come to work when feeling ill or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. We are extremely thankful to report that the employees that tested positive are recovering well or have recovered.

"From week commencing March 16, we instituted temperature testing and symptom interview-questionnaire for all staff and essential visitors entering our sites and have followed all Government advice.

"In addition, we have introduced additional PPE  visors, masks and goggles; set up marquees to facilitate adequate social distancing in changing rooms and at break times and are in the process of extending washing facilities; increased our hand sanitising procedure  which was already at a high level as befitting a food production plant; reconfigured our operations to facilitate social distancing or partitioned workspaces where appropriate; staff working from home where possible; engaged with the HSE to co-ordinate testing of all of our staff at one location.

"In common with many other sizeable essential businesses, including media companies, regrettably we have staff across the business who are self-isolating and are awaiting tests or test results, staff who have tested positive, some of whom have returned to work following the HSE agreed self-isolation protocol and some who continue to self-isolate under the same protocol and staff who have tested negative and continue to work.

"As Covid-19 is continuing to evolve, we have proactively adapted to that changing environment in putting in place additional prevention steps in our plants. We continue to work with DAFM, Unions, HSE, occupational health practitioners, farm suppliers, other suppliers and customers to keep our employees safe and healthy in this unprecedented time, while delivering much-needed food to supermarket shelves and avoiding significant animal welfare issues on farms," the company concluded.

Rosderra has not confirmed the number of positive cases at either their Edenderry or Roscrea factories. They have not yet disputed claims last week that over 120 staff members in Roscrea have now contracted the virus. It's understood at least ten have tested positive in Edenderry since the outbreak began.
The heartbroken family of missing backpacker Theo Hayez say they are 'deeply disturbed' after sensitive information about their son's disappearance was leaked to the media.

Belgian news agency Belga published a report earlier this week claiming a cap that was found in bushland in Byron Bay last year was linked to the missing 18-year-old.

The report had cited 'a good source' close to the investigation, after detectives had asked the family to keep quiet about the latest development.

The Hayez family released a statement on Facebook on Wednesday calling the report disrespectful.

Theo Hayez was last seen leaving the Cheeky Monkey's Bar at Byron Bay on the New South Wales mid-north coast on May 31 last year

The Hayez family (pictured speaking to the media last June) released a statement on Facebook on Wednesday saying they were disturbed sensitive information on the

Belgian news agency Belga published a report claiming a cap (pictured) that was found in bushland in Byron Bay last year was linked to the missing 18-year-old

'The fact that this information published by Belga came from a "good source close to the file" is extremely shameful and demonstrates a complete disrespect for the family and the work of the Australian police,' the family said.

'It is deeply disturbing.'

Earlier, volunteers who had helped in the search for the missing teen said they were 'disgusted' by the leak.

'It is with deep disgust that we find out that the Belgian news agency BELGA sought and published details of the investigation around the disappearance of Theo when the family had just expressed the reasons for which we did not communicate such details,' a statement released on Facebook read.

Detectives have been combing an area near the Byron Bay lighthouse they believe could help them solve the disappearance and asked his family to keep quiet about DNA tests on a hat discovered similar to one he had been wearing.

The post to the group of supporters looking for Mr Hayez saying they were frustrated details of the case had been leaked

Detectives have been secretly conducting new searches around the Cape Byron Lighthouse (pictured) in a final attempt to track down the belongings of missing Belgian Backpacker Theo Hayez

A search party trawls through the Tyagarah Nature Reserve looking for Theo in June 2019

Mr Hayez was last seen leaving the Cheeky Monkey's Bar at Byron Bay on the New South Wales mid-north coast on May 31, 2019.

Detectives have conducted searches around the Cape Byron Lighthouse in a final attempt to track down the backpacker's belongings, according to The Australian.

The efforts were centred around trying to find Mr Hayez's mobile phone where its signal was last traced on June 1.

Detectives had meanwhile asked the family of Mr Hayez to keep quiet about the results of DNA testing on a hat found in bushland off Tallows Beach.

The cap - discovered by a member of the public - matched the one Mr Hayez was wearing on the night he disappeared.

Police suspect Mr Hayez might have fallen while trying to climb the cliffs near Tallows Beach.

His family say they have not given up hope of finding the missing backpacker a year after his disappearance.

Data from Theo's phone has traced this route as his last known movements before he vanished on the night of May 31 2019

They posted a heartfelt message in the Looking For Theo Facebook group, thanking those who had helped to search for the backpacker - as well as giving an insight into the latest police efforts in 2020

'Since the beginning of the year, we have spoken less publicly about developments,' the post reads.

'Far from us giving up hope or dedication, the main reason is because the ongoing police process means we need to be careful about what we say.

'We think about Theo every minute and would like to share any information that may help find out what happened to him - but we have to be careful that we also give the police the best chance of finding this out.

'It breaks our hearts every day and we hope that they will soon have some clarity for us. The police investigation is ongoing and we are grateful for this but we have been asked not to provide details.

Parents Laurent Hayez and Vinciane Delforge believe he was not alone on the night of his disappearance

'New searches have taken place and police have provided us with the results from the DNA testing conducted on the two hairs found in the cap.'

The hat was found by a member of the public in the same area where the last 'ping' from Theo's phone was recorded on June 1 around the Cape Byron Lighthouse.

Theo's family is certain the hat is his.

The family has urged anyone with information on the backpacker's disappearance to contact them and police.

They have maintained Theo was not alone on the night he disappeared and believe anyone with new information should come forward.

A new website has been launched to help the family extend their voice and reach a more broad international audience to find any leads to track down Theo.

'It will soon be one year (since his disappearance) and it is still important that you keep talking about Theo,' the post continues.

'We still believe that someone out there could help us to find out what really happened by providing us with some information about that night.'

Theo was travelling in Australia on a gap year after finishing school in Belgium.

Police began a land, sea and air search when they were alerted to his disappearance by staff at the Wake Up! Hostel in Byron Bay on June 6.

The hostel staff raised the alarm after finding his belongings, including his passport, left there untouched.

Theo's father, Laurent Hayez, flew into Australia that month and made an emotional public appeal to help find his son.

'I promised Theo's little brother that I would bring his brother home. Please, help me keep my promise to him,' he told reporters through tears at Tweed Heads Police Station.

Theo's disappearance made headlines around the world and several volunteer groups formed to search for him.

The case has been referred to the New South Wales Coroner.
Sonar is commonly used to map the ocean floor, and seabed composition (e.g. mud, clay or rock) affects the way the sound is reflected back. Salinity, depth and water temperature also affect how sound waves are propagated through water.

This means that sonar measurements at different depths and distances can give accurate soundings of the ocean's properties, for example how underwater currents propagate, how the deeper ocean changes with the climate or where best to listen to whales.

Working with Systems Engineering & Assessment Ltd (SEA), scientists at the University's Institute for Mathematical Innovation (IMI) have developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithm which could improve underwater mapping by making sense of incomplete data and working out how many measurements are needed to give an accurate survey.

The research was part of a project contracted by The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), a part of the Ministry of Defence, to improve monitoring of the UK's vast marine territories using high tech sonar. SEA led the project and provided simulated sonar data to train and test the AI algorithms developed by the IMI.

The technology could also be potentially used for ocean tomography across entire ocean basins, like the Arctic, to study the effects of climate change on the oceans and better enable the sustainability of human activities in fragile environments and ecosystems.

Senior Lecturer Dr Philippe Blondel, from the University's Centre for Space, Atmospheric and Oceanic Science, worked on the project alongside Machine Learning expert Professor Mike Tipping from the IMI.

Dr Blondel said: "There are lots of different variables that affect how sound waves are propagated in water, as some frequencies of sound can travel further than others.

"If you think about the sound of an orchestra, as you move further away, you might lose the high frequency sound of the violins but still be able to hear the lower frequency notes of the cellos. The beating of drums would be felt even further.

"This is the same with ocean sounds, which come from the weather, like rain and storms, the animals, like whales and fish, but also humans, with ships and offshore activities.

"For this project we wanted to model how sonar echoes were changed by depth, salinity and temperature so we could use sound to measure these variables in the ocean."

The researchers first analysed the many characteristics of underwater environments and classified them into different types.

They used Probabilistic Generative Modelling to develop several AI algorithms for identifying underwater environments.

After developing the AI algorithm, the researchers tested its performance on a wide range of simulated acoustic data representing a broad spectrum of underwater environments.

The tests demonstrated that their Probabilistic Principal Component Analysis (PPCA) algorithm could classify underwater environments from simulated sonar measurements with an average accuracy of 93%.

An alternative Latent Variable Gaussian Process (LVGP) model also showed strong performance and enabled them to achieve an even higher classification accuracy of 96%.

The simulations showed that accurate classification can take place even with sonar measurements over short spatial intervals, making it suitable for practical use e.g. with slow moving autonomous vehicles.

Marcus Donnelly, Technical Lead in Environmental Data Science at SEA Ltd, said: "This project exceeded all our expectations for AI algorithms applied to the complexity of sonar in the underwater environment.

"We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the IMI following positive feedback from the MoD."

The researchers anticipate the technique could be used in the future to monitor the effects of climate change.

Dr Blondel said: "Climate scientists monitor sound propagation in the ocean around the poles to observe temperature changes over time. Our techniques could help determine where best to locate monitoring stations to give the most comprehensive data using the optimum number of measurements."

###
The first attack he is accused of occurred around 10 a.m. April 17 in the 400 block of North Titsworth Avenue, police said. A woman in her late 40s said she was walking home when she noticed a man was following her. After a short time, the man approached her and grabbed her buttocks with both hands, then fled when she struck him with an umbrella, police said.
The Supreme Court's third day of hearing arguments by telephone is its first chance at a high-profile case, this one involving the Affordable Care Act.

The justices are hearing a dispute Wednesday about Trump administration rules that would allow more employers who cite a religious or moral objection to opt out of providing no-cost birth control to women.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic the high court has been hearing arguments by phone, with audio of arguments available live to the public for the first time.

The stakes are higher Wednesday when the court will also for the first time hear two arguments. The session is expected to last approximately two hours.

Also noteworthy on Wednesday: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg plans to participate in arguments from a Maryland hospital. The court said Tuesday evening that Ginsburg was

The dispute before the court Wednesday stems from former President Barack Obamas health care law, under which most employers must cover birth control as a preventive service, at no charge to women in their health insurance plans.

The Obama administration exempted churches and houses of worship, such as churches, synagogues and mosques, from the requirement. And it created a method by which religiously affiliated organizations including hospitals, universities and charities could opt out of paying for contraception but women on their health plans would still get no-cost birth control. Some groups complained, however, that the opt-out process continued to violate their religious beliefs.

Trump administration officials in 2017

New Jersey and Pennsylvania challenged the rules in court and

Even though the Trump rules remain blocked, a ruling by a federal judge in Texas in June already allows most people who object to covering contraception to avoid doing so.

Wednesday's second argument is a free speech case involving a 1991 law aimed at protecting consumers from unwanted telemarketing calls. Political organizations that want to use automated calling to do things like make calls to encourage people to vote challenged the law as a violation of the First Amendment.
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday



granted bail to a city resident arrested for obstructing a team collecting data on COVID-19 from his residential society.

The court also directed him to deposit Rs 10,000 in the chief ministers relief fund for coronavirus.

Justice Bharati Dangre was hearing a bail plea filed by one Zafar Jamal Khan, who was arrested by the Mira Road police in March for allegedly assaulting and obstructing a team that visited his society to collect data in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As per the police case, the accused person, who was present in the society premises at that time, created obstruction and persuaded other members of the society to not share any information with the team.

The police later arrested the accused and booked him under Indian Penal Code Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public officer), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of a disease dangerous to life) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty).

He was also charged under the Disaster Management Act Section 51(B) (refusal to comply with directions given by centre or state government).

After perusing the FIR, Justice Dangre noted that a case under section 353 is not made out against the accused.

The court also observed that the other sections under which the accused is booked and arrested are bailable.

The high court directed Khan to be released immediately, and asked him to deposit Rs 10,000 in the chief minister's relief fund.

The applicant had behaved in an irresponsible manner and particularly at a time when every citizen of this country is expected to co-operate with those rendering useful services to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. He is directed to deposit an amount of Rs 10,000 in the CM Relief Fund after his release, the court directed.

In another case, Justice Dangre granted anticipatory bail to a man, Shekhar Sanadi, who was accused of having a verbal altercation with a police official who scolded him for not wearing a mask.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Assam forest department has slapped a penalty of Rs 43.25 crore on PSU major Coal India Ltd for carrying out 'illegal mining' inside a reserve forest for 16 years from 2003, officials said on Wednesday

Dibrugarh/Guwahati: The Assam forest department has slapped a penalty of Rs 43.25 crore on PSU major Coal India Ltd for carrying out "illegal mining" inside a reserve forest for 16 years from 2003, officials said on Wednesday.

The forest department has also filed an FIR at the Sub-Divisional Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court in Margherita in Tinsukia district against officials responsible for the alleged illegal activity in around 73 hectares of land inside the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve forest between 2003 and 2019.

Accepting that the mining was going on since 2003 without a renewed lease, the North Eastern Coalfields, a unit of the Maharatna PSU, claimed that it had applied for renewal of the lease when the agreement had expired, but the Assam government did not act upon it for a "long time".

Taking up the issue at its latest meeting last month, the Standing Committee of the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL), under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, refused to accord permission to the miner to commence operations unless it fulfils a set of 28 conditions, including payment of the penalty amount.

A campaign with the hashtag "#SaveAmazonOfEast from Coal Mafias" has also gathered steam on social media, with leading environmentalists, activists, teachers and students demanding a complete ban on mining inside the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve, which straddles Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts.

"From 2003 to the first half of 2019, mining activity was going on without any clearance certificate. A mining lease was given to CIL in 1973 for 30 years. After its expiry, CIL was supposed to apply for forest clearance but they applied only in 2012," a senior forest department official told PTI.

The mining was going on using all equipment with forest areas being opened up by cutting some trees, he said.

After the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, came into force in 2003, any activity for non-forest purposes in a protected area requires prior approval from the central government.

"No clearance was given by the central government under the FC Act. Any mining activity inside a forest can take place only after the final nod, which is Stage-II, not the Stage-I, that is in-principle approval. CIL did not get even the Stage-I clearance at that time," the official said.

The department had sought clarification from the company about this issue in July 2019, and its officials had also seized 5,297 cubic metres of coal lying at the Ledo railway yard in October last year, he said.

"CIL had applied for clearance of 98.59 hectares. Out of which, 73 hectares they had already broken. Initially, it was 57.2 hectares, but finally, we found that the figure was 73 hectares. It was a clear violation of forest laws," the official said.

The DFO was asked to file an FIR against CIL general manager concerned and others, and it was done in a Margherita court in December 2019, he said.

Meanwhile, the Stage-I clearance was given to CIL for 57.20 hectares in December 2019 with 28 conditions, including payment of fine and action against officers responsible for violating the FC Act, he said.

"The Centre clearly said that the Stage-II clearance, which allows starting of mining work, will be given only after fulfilment of these conditions. Accordingly, the DFO has placed a demand note of Rs 43.25 crore to CIL in April 2020," the official said.

He, however, claimed that the company is yet to initiate any action regarding payment of the penalty amount.

The government has asked the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest to draft charges against DFOs and Range Officers concerned since 2003 onwards for initiating departmental disciplinary action against them, he said.

The state government has also been requested by the Centre to approach the Coal Ministry for asking it to take disciplinary action against the errant CIL officials.

The NBWL, at the 57th Meeting of the Standing Committee, recommended that cautious approach should be adopted in the light of the rich biodiversity of the area in Saleki, a proposed reserve forest, which is a part of the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve.

Citing a report of the committee comprising NBWL member Prof R Sukumar, a representative from the Wildlife Division and the State Chief Wildlife Warden, the minutes of the meeting stated that it would be prudent to preserve the basic integrity of the forested hill slope.

"The proposed area is on a steep hill slope that is part of the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve, adjoining good forest area in the neighbouring state of Arunachal Pradesh, which includes Deomali Elephant Reserve with a sizeable population of elephants," it added.

Declining to give permission to begin coal mining immediately, the Standing Committee asked the CIL to submit two sets of documents of "the broken up and unbroken areas" of the forest for further consideration.

When contacted, North Eastern Coalfields General Manager J K Borah said the company had an old lease till 2003 and it was not covered under the FC Act.

"After 2003, the NEC and CIL management had applied for approval from the Assam government. But the state government did not act upon that till 2013, and probably there was no follow-up from the NEC also," he said.

Borah said that coal mining in the Tikok area was going on for over 130 years since 1884 and that the 98.59 hectares within the minefield did not require any forest clearance till 2003.

Asked why the company started mining inside the forest in 2003 without the necessary approvals, he said, "The work was going on because it was a continuous mine and it was anticipated that permission would be given. Till 2012, only 57 hectares were broken.

"We had applied in 2003 for forest clearance for 98.59 hectares as a project. It was not done till 2012. Then, we have further applied. In 2013, the Forest Advisory Committee recommended work with certain conditions, including some to be fulfilled by the Assam government."

The NEC official alleged that the Assam government had "delayed the process" and the company had to follow it up again in 2019 to expedite the grant of permission.

"The state gave clearance with certain conditions and forwarded it to the NBWL which has given us the permission in the broken area only. In the rest of the area, a feasibility report has been sought on the possibility of underground mining," he said.

Borah also claimed that the elephant corridor is almost 20-25 km away from the project site.

"We are regularising the area, which has already been broken. The land was part of our lease land. Except this area, the rest of our mining area falls outside the forest area. At present, no mining is going on in the entire area," he added.
The Health Minister has urged the adoption of a single Covid-19 contact tracing app to cover the UK and Ireland.

Robin Swann said if it was not possible to have the same app, then it was important to ensure the two systems were compatible to avoid issues around cross-border movement.

The UK and Republic are already set to differ in regard to how their apps will analyse contact data.

The UK app, which is currently being trialled on the Isle of Wight, uses a centralised system, with all data sent to a central server for analysis.

Privacy experts have raised concerns about this method.

The Irish Republic's app will see data matching take place on an individual's device, without the need to send it to an external server.

Mr Swann said he discussed the issue with fellow UK health ministers yesterday.

"Ideally, I would like to see one app used across these islands because it means no matter where an individual is travelling once we come out of lockdown, whether east-west or north-south, that that same platform, that same app can be utilised," the Health Minister added.

"That's the challenge and the piece of work that has to be done over the next couple of weeks.

"There's conversations that we are having across these islands to maybe see if they may not be the same app but to make sure that they are compatible."

Yesterday a former RUC Special Branch officer warned that local security workers may be reluctant to download a contact tracing app over fears their personal details could be compromised. Dr William Matchett, now an author, said retired officers may be cautious about downloading the app.

Yesterday experts warned the contact tracing app could face a legal challenge if it cannot justify its use of a centralised database.

As part of the tracing and tracking app, users will be able to share data with the NHS in a central system to confirm symptoms and book a Covid-19 test.

However, in a published legal opinion from barristers and data rights experts, lawyers warned that the centralised system would result in "significantly greater interference with users' privacy and would require greater justification" to be considered lawful.

In contrast, a decentralised system, where contact tracing data collected stays on a user's phone, is considered "likely to be in accordance with the law, proportionate and necessary", the report said.

The opinion was drafted by Ravi Naik, legal director of data rights agency AWO, Matthew Ryder QC and Edward Craven of Matrix Chambers, and Gayatri Sarathy of Blackstone Chambers.

Mr Ryder told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that if the government ignores the advice of the Information Commissioner's Office, which has previously also suggested that a decentralised approach would best protect user privacy, it is "almost inevitable" that there will be legal implications, including the possibility of a legal challenge.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast in response to similar privacy concerns raised by Amnesty International UK that a centralised model is "opening the door to pervasive state surveillance and privacy infringement", Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that is "completely wrong".

"Firstly, because the data is stored on your phone until you need to get in contact with the NHS in order to get a test, and secondly because the purposes of this are purely and simply to control the spread of the virus, which is really important," he said.

"Thirdly, because we've all had to give up significant infringements on our liberty, for instance with the social distancing measures and the lockdown.

"We want to release those and this approach will help us to release them.

"I can reassure you (fears over privacy) are completely untrue."

A trial of the app on the Isle of Wight begins this week.
Pastors Henry, Alex Seeley say quarantining at home is revealing foundation marriage was built on

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Henry and Alex Seeley, who founded The Belonging Co church in Nashville, say the lockdown has affected each of them differently, and offered advice on how to work through challenges and any unresolved tensions that have been brought to the fore during the quarantine.

The couple moved to Tennessee from Australia in 2012 and began leading their congregation six years ago after starting off as worship leaders. Now their worship team consists of some of the biggest names in worship music today. During the state lockdown in response to the coronavirus, the couple have had to navigate leading services online and hosting small groups with their church members.

Henry and Alex Seeley shared with The Christian Post how they've been keeping their marriage strong during the quarantine and offered practical advice for couples whose marriages are struggling in this season.

The interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

Christian Post: Stay-at-home orders can be challenging for couples who are trying not to take their frustrations out on each other. How have you been able to navigate married life in this season?

Henry: We just celebrated 22 years married. I think the further into marriage you get, the more you just realize the sacrificial element to marriage. I think that really is the essence of it. The further you get into marriage, the only way your marriage can not just survive but actually thrive and flourish, is when you are constantly from that heart posture of serving each other and not looking at what are my needs right now, but how can I serve? Obviously with that, when there's an equal balance of that, everybody's needs get met along the way; you do it with a different expectation.

For Alex and I coming into this season, we've kind of worked from home. The last five or six years, we haven't even had an office where our church offices are right now because our team has outgrown the space and so we work from home quite a bit, anyway. Before that, I've always had a studio from home, so I'm kind of used to being at home a lot. So I think we've really worked out and just got used to that kind of flow anyway in life.

I think during this season, thankfully it hasn't really affected us in a negative sense too much. I'm a bit of an introvert, so being at home for a month straight, that's no big deal. Alex has had some hard days where it's like, "I just need people, I need more people than just my immediate family."

Alex: I haven't been frustrated at my husband or the kids. I've been frustrated, but I've had a husband who's been sensitive to understand "My wife needs people; my wife, she's highs and lows." So because we've had a strong foundation in building who we are as a couple, this actually hasn't disrupted our normal. When there has been a moment, I've been pre-warning people so that people don't take it personal.

I think what it's (quarantine) been doing, it's been revealing the foundation of what marriage was built on. It's a real great indicator to see whether it was built on true relationship and conflict resolution and honoring, serving one another or whether the business of life masked a lot of our issues. I think it's a really important time for family and marriages to get it right. I thank God that honestly, I think we've had one fight, it was more of a meltdown, in the 42 days that we've been locked down.

CP: What advice do you have for couples in crisis on what to do to reestablish that foundation the proper way?

Henry: Don't ignore it. As crazy as this season is right now, I think it's the kindness of God on a lot of levels. Obviously, the illness has not come from God, this is not God's doing. Even the shutdown is not God's doing, but God will use any situation He can to get our attention.

I think it's so important, and we've encouraged people to do this, in every space in their life, use this time to assess  while you've got some time right now  where are the weaknesses? What are the weak areas? Where have I just ignored things because I've been so busy just working or pretending that everything's OK, both as an individual and if they're married, relationship. So I think don't ignore what's going on.

Also, don't allow the heightened sense of this close proximity to negatively affect the future but use it to say, "Alright, where are we? Where do we have tension points right now? Let's not argue about them. Let's sit down and work through them. Let's invite the Holy Spirit to help us in the center of our marriage to deal with this stuff."

Because God knew if you're a couple that's married before the Lord, God's in covenant with you. So there's no reason for it to not work. It just means that you've got to get in and do a bit of work, especially in a moment like this. I think as Alex said, so often we're so busy with other things with life, with work, with all these other distractions that you can go 10 or even 20 years without ever really dealing with some of these things that need to be dealt with. Use this time to just kind of get in that place with the Holy Spirit and ask Him to help in those areas.

Alex: I would just say, look inward rather than outward. Don't look at your spouse's issues. Look at your issues and ask, "What am I reacting to? Why am I getting offended? Why am I getting frustrated?" Write it down and then in a calm, cool, collected way, not in the heat of the moment, sit down and say, "I think these are areas that we need to work on and first admit fault. Be the first to say sorry, and be the first to go, "Hey, this is my issue but I think together we need to deal with it."

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you with displaying the fruits of the Spirit. I think the nine fruits of the Spirit are really important in this season of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control is really important. I think honestly, we can come out of this a lot stronger and a lot more like Christ.

Henry: I think oftentimes, it's easy to forget that you're on the same team. I think a lot of couples kind of fight from their own side of the playing field in marriage. One of the things I'm thankful that we were taught, even before we got married, is you're on the same team. You're not on opposing sides.

From day one of our marriage, we haven't always lived that out perfectly by any means but we've always come back to that place of, "Hang on, we're on the same team, why are we fighting against each other? We should be fighting for each other and for this marriage, so let's get on the same page here."

Honestly, it's been one of the keys to our marriage. I think it's been one of the keys to us raising our kids. Again, we haven't done a perfect job of raising our kids, but we've raised our kids really well, in general, and our family's peaceful for the most part because there's never been two sides. And the kids haven't had the option to go to dad if they don't get the response from mom that they want. We're always on the same side. So I think that's just a really huge part of marriage, just realizing that.


Felicia Lynch started her job as an assistant designer for a fashion company last November in New York City. But, like many others, her job disappeared because of the coronavirus crisis.

Now, the 23-year-old designer is not sure whether she will get her job back. We are all worried, Lynch said.

She is one of thousands of people who have lost jobs in the New York City fashion world. Stores have closed. Major events have been cancelled. People are staying home and not buying clothes.

Jobless designers are hoping to restart their careers when life returns to normal. They believe people will want to buy American brands made in the United States. And they think people will want to stay closer to home when they shop.

More fashion designers work in New York City than anywhere else in the country. It is home to about 30 percent of nearly 19,000 fashion designers working across the U.S., a 2019 congressional report said. The citys fashion industry makes up about 4.4 percent of non-government jobs and creates about $11.4 billion in employee pay, a recent U.S. government labor report found.

The coronavirus struck just as designers were sending their new spring fashions. Now, stores are returning those items and future orders have been cancelled.

Steven Kolb is president and CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). The group has about 500 designers as members. Kolb told The Associated Press that many designers are facing serious financial difficulties because they have large inventories they cannot sell.

Kolb added that stores are also feeling the effects of the fashion downturn, with some struggling to pay rent and other operating costs.

The CFDA has joined with the Vogue Fashion Fund to raise money to help designers, from large companies to one-man businesses. Called A Common Thread, the effort so far raised $4.1 million, Kolb said. It has received more than 800 requests for financial assistance.

New Yorks fashion industry was experiencing problems even before the coronavirus hit. Once-famous stores that helped young designers - like Barneys and Henri Bendel - went out of business. Now, with the virus crisis causing widespread economic problems, other major clothing stores are also facing the same danger.

Students at New Yorks fashion colleges believe future employment in the industry looks very difficult.

Michael Londrigan is an assistant professor at LIM college in Manhattan. He said all the internships for the schools fashion students were canceled through the summer.

Those internships often lead to industry jobs, Londrigan added. They were counting on jobs after graduation so we are counseling as best we can.

Felicia Lynch is not worried about the financial problems the large stores are facing. She believes the future of fashion is online. She continues to design and hopes for a better job when things return to normal.

Laura Ciccarello was in charge of sales for a Chinese company that made fashion items for the New York market. But she lost her job when the factory closed and future orders were cancelled.

Now, she is working on a few fashion designs of her own and has already found a supplier. She is also working with another supplier to make medical items, such as masks.

This will be survival of the fittest for fashion brands,  she added.

Im Susan Shand.

The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Bryan Lynn was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

fashion - n. clothing that is designed and costly

brand - n. the name and reputation of a company

shop - v. going out to buy things

inventory - n. a list of items to be sold

rent - n. the monthly amount paid for an apartment or store

internship - n. an unpaid work experience

counsel - v. to give advice or assistance
ROME (AP)  From the marbled halls of Italy to the wheat fields of Kansas, health authorities are increasingly warning that the question isnt whether a second wave of coronavirus infections and deaths will hit, but when  and how badly.

As more countries and U.S. states chaotically re-open for business  including some where infection rates are still rising  managing future cases is as important as preventing them.

In India, which partly eased its virus lockdown this week, health authorities scrambled Wednesday to contain an outbreak at a massive market. Experts in hard-hit Italy, which just began easing some restrictions, warned lawmakers that a new wave of virus infections and deaths is coming. They urged intensified efforts to identify possible new victims, monitor their symptoms and trace their contacts.

There will be a second wave, but the problem is to which extent. Is it a small wave or a big wave? Its too early to say, said Olivier Schwartz, head of the virus and immunity unit at Frances Pasteur Institute. -AP

Live coronavirus tracker

Coronavirus news in the U.S.

Trump administration faces backlash over talk of winding down coronavirus task force (Fox News)

Trump softens promise of vaccine by end of the year (Politico)

DOJ announces first charges of alleged COVID-19 stimulus relief fraud (ABC News)

Could your smartwatch detect coronavirus? (ESPN)

Pfizer, NYU working on innovative coronavirus vaccine that could be ready by end of summer (NBC News)

Coronavirus news around the globe

Migrant laborers and their family members, who arrived from Gujarat state on a train, wave from inside a bus as they prepare to leave for their native villages in their home state of Uttar Pradesh in Prayagraj, India, Wednesday, May 6, 2020. India is running train service for thousands of migrant workers desperate to return home since it imposed a nationwide lockdown to control the spread of the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)AP

EU facing deep and uneven recession (BBC)

India jobless numbers cross 120 million (BBC)

China tourism revenue drops nearly 60% in first major holiday since coronavirus outbreak (CNBC)

Coronavirus quickly spread around the world starting late last year, new genetic analysis shows (CNN)

Latest local coronavirus news

Read complete prior coronavirus coverage.
Visitors watch fireworks explode over the Shanghai Disneyland castle at an event to mark the first anniversary of the opening of the park.

In less than a week, Disney will reopen its Shanghai theme park, offering up a glimpse to the rest of the theme park industry of what operations will look like in the time of the coronavirus.

On Tuesday, Disney said it will reopen its Shanghai Disneyland on May 11. The park, which has been closed since Jan. 25, will be the first major theme park to reopen amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

"We know how much our guests have been looking forward to returning to Shanghai Disneyland, and our cast is excited to begin welcoming them back," CEO Bob Chapek said in a statement Tuesday. "As the park reopens with significantly enhanced health and safety measures, our guests will find Shanghai Disneyland as magical and memorable as ever."

While there are no plans for Disney to reopen any of its other international theme parks, the rules and guidelines the company revealed Tuesday offer some insight into what can be expected when they do open their doors.

"They're very creative," Lee Cockerell, Disney's executive vice president of operations from 1990 to 2006, said of the company on CNBC's "Squawk Alley" on Wednesday. "They go beyond expectations. If you've been there, you know that and it will be safe. When Disney says it's safe, people will come back."

To start, Disney is taking a phased approach to reopening in Shanghai. Typically, that park has around 80,000 visitors per day, but the government has mandated Disney operate at 30% capacity, or about 24,000 visitors.

Chapek said the park would initially operate well below that capacity and then ramp up to reach that 30% cap over the course of several weeks.

Occupancy caps at other parks will be dependent on government guidelines in each country or state. For example, a Florida task force has suggested that theme parks reopen in the state with a 50% cap to start.

Guests will be required to purchase their admission tickets prior to arriving at the park and will need to select a specific date for their ticket. Annual Pass holders will also need to make reservations before arriving at the park.

Disney doesn't want more people showing up at the park than it will be able to admit inside.
European Union flags are seen in front of the European Commission building in Brussels. (AFP)

Brussels: The European Commission aims to intensify its scrutiny of states posing money-laundering risks, and is looking into creating a new body to help police financial crime and monitor banks more strictly, draft documents seen by Reuters show.

One document, expected to be published on Thursday, adds Panama and other countries to an existing blacklist but spares Saudi Arabia and U.S. territories that had been put on an earlier list before being shelved in the face of objections.

A second document, also due on Thursday, suggests giving the European Union more powers to tackle financial malfeasance within the bloc after a spate of scandals at large banks dented the EUs reputation.

The proposal, still subject to changes, says the EU could set up by 2023 a common supervisory body in charge of carrying out inspections at banks and possibly empowered to impose sanctions and identify suspicious payments.

The revised money-laundering list, expanded to include 22 from 16 states, is set to take effect from October.

Under the draft proposal, the Commission added Panama, the Bahamas, Mauritius, Barbados, Botswana, Cambodia, Ghana, Jamaica, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nicaragua and Zimbabwe to its list of countries that pose significant threats to the financial system of the Union because of failings in tackling money laundering and terrorism financing.

Banks and other financial and tax firms will be obliged to scrutinise more closely their clients who have dealings with these countries. Companies in listed states are also banned from receiving new EU funding.

But the higher scrutiny will only apply from October, the document says, due to disruptions caused by the current coronavirus pandemic.

Countries who were already on the list are Afghanistan, Iraq, Vanuatu, Pakistan, Syria, Yemen, Uganda, Trinidad and Tobago, Iran and North Korea.

All countries but North Korea have committed to changing their rules in order to better tackle money laundering and terrorism financing.

Saudis Spared

The EU listing left out Saudi Arabia, the current holder of the G20 presidency. The Saudis were included in an EU draft list last year until that document was struck down by EU governments after pressure from the oil-rich kingdom.

That was an exceptional case as EU member states only rarely interfere with listings which are largely a competence of the Commission, the blocs executive arm.

Among other countries who were included in last years draft list but have now been spared are Libya and the four United States territories of American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Guam. The listing of the U.S. territories had drawn criticism from Washington.

The new EU draft list largely reflects a listing compiled by the global Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which is the global standard-setter for efforts to curb money laundering.

The EU list however does not include Albania, a candidate country to join the bloc, and Iceland, a close trading partner of the 27-nation Union. Both countries are on the FATF list.

The Commission also intends to propose legislative changes next year to improve policing of financial crime with the aim of having them adopted by 2023. The plan follows financial scandals in Estonia, Latvia, Malta, Cyprus and the Netherlands that exposed how banks abetted or did not prevent money laundering.

The second document proposes a body tasked with carrying out supervision of clearly defined obliged entities or types of activities for a given period of time.

The supervisory body could include a financial intelligence unit to identify suspicious international transactions and analysis of cross-border cases of financial crime.
White Lies, the NPR Podcast about the murder of Rev. James Reeb, the Unitarian minister and civil rights activist who traveled to Selma, Ala. to support the fight for black voting rights in the South, was named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Audio Reporting.

Produced and hosted by Andrew Beck Grace, Chip Brantley, Graham Smith, Nicole Beemsterboer and Robert Little, the 7-part podcast identified a fourth assailant in Reebs murder who was never arrested. Reeb was in Selma for less than 24 hours before he and two other ministers were attacked by a group of white men. Reeb died two days later. The three men tried for Reebs murder were acquitted and the case went cold.

Alabama-based hosts Brantley and Grace traveled to Selma to speak to the people of Selma about the events that occurred in the aftermath of Reebs murder. They searched the town for living witnesses and talking to the towns citizens about what they remembered from the night of violence more than 50 years ago.

Brantley and Grace said the series is also about accountability, particularly the way white Southerners talk about, and sometimes gloss over, the history of the region. Ultimately, the hosts told AL.com last year, the podcast is about race.

I think its time for white folks to be aware that when we talk about the civil rights movement, when we talk about slavery, when we talk about Jim Crow, when we talk about lynching, were not talking about (just) black history -- were talking about the history of the South: White people and black people," said Grace.

Listen to the first episode of White Lies below. For more episodes, go to NPR.
A leading UK-based scientific journals editor-in-chief has urged front line health workers to see a sudden loss of smell and taste as early symptoms of mild coronavirus disease (Covid-19) to get quarantined and tested.

A proposal, actually a plea, from several doctors on the frontline of Covid-19. Those with a loss of smell should be advised to self-isolate and be tested. This simple manoeuvre could save lives, tweeted Dr Richard Horton, editor-in-chief of The Lancet.

Amnosia, or the loss of smell, and, with it, the altering of the sense of taste, is a well-established symptom of Covid-19, just like dry cough, fever, and difficulty in breathing. There are very few conditions that lead to a sudden loss of smell, so it should be treated as an early sign, especially by people who risk exposure at the front lines and those who develop it with other Covid-19 symptoms, said Dr Ajay Swaroop, chairman of the department of Ear, Nose, Throat, Sir Gangaram Hospital, New Delhi.

Health workers are at high risk of infection both from undiagnosed cases and from patients in isolation wards.

Last month, researchers from the University of California (UC) San Diego found Covid-19 patients who, with a loss of smell and taste, had a 10-fold higher risk of being hospitalised compared to those without any symptom.

Based on our study, if you have smell and taste loss, you are more than 10 times more likely to have Covid-19 infection than other causes of infection. The most common first sign of a Covid-19 infection remains fever, but fatigue and loss of smell and taste follow as other very common initial symptoms, said Dr Carol Yan, an otolaryngologist, and head and neck surgeon at UC San Diego Health. The findings were published in the journal International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology on April 12.

The San Diago study found that among those who reported loss of smell and taste, the loss was typically profound, not mild. The effect was, however, temporary, and both smell and taste were restored within two to four weeks of infection.

Among the Covid-19 patients with smell loss, more than 70 per cent had reported improvement of smell at the time of the survey and of those who hadnt reported improvement, many had only been diagnosed recently, said Yan.

Covid-19 symptoms include fever, dry cough, tiredness, shortness of breath, or difficulty in breathing. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a sudden loss of taste or smell, along with either cough or shortness of breath, should be taken as a sign of Covid-19.

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Engineering professionals' body CEAI on Wednesday sought government intervention to declare COVID-19 as force majeure event for all infrastructure consultancy contracts as consulting firms are not able to meet contractual performance in ongoing projects.

'Force Majeure' clause is a contractual provision that addresses circumstances in which contractual performance becomes impossible or impractical due to events that could not be foreseen, and are not within party's control.

"The Consulting Engineers Association of India (CEAI), in a letter to the Union Minister of Finance Ms Nirmala Sithraman has urged the government to declare COVID -19 as a Force Majeure event for all infrastructure consultancy contracts under implementation as both Parties, neither the Client nor the consulting companies are able to meet contractual performance in ongoing projects," CEAI said in a statement.

The total lockdown, though was inevitable, has major implications on companies, particularly the consulting companies, which have a small capital base, said KK Kapila, former president CEAI and Chairman of Infrastructure Committee.

"In present lockdown conditions, it will be difficult for these consulting companies to meet contractual performance for Consultancy Contracts under implementation or under service including preparation of Feasibility Report and Detailed Project Report (DPR), Detailed Engineering, Project Management by an Authority Engineer," Kapila said.

The running contracts expiring during the lockdown period should be given an automatic extension of time and there should be a waiver for submission or extension of bank guarantees as provided for in the contracts, during this lock down period, he said.

CEAI lso demanded that the government release 90 per cent payments of the already submitted invoice amount by the consulting firms, as per valid payment clause in the contract, prior to scrutiny of invoice by the department staff.

The balance payment may be released after the due process. This will enable consultants to pay to their staff and to the support organizations that work for them as well as to large number of informal persons whose services are availed from time to time, it said.

Consulting Engineers Association of India (CEAI) also urged the government to provide clear directives to the insurance companies to cover "home office inputs" under the definition of workplace to ensure availability of professional indemnity insurance coverage to the staff of consulting organisation's who operate from home.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 21:45:19|Editor: huaxia

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Cargo containers unloaded from the China-Europe freight train are seen at the BILK logistics center in Budapest, Hungary, on April 27, 2020. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto dismissed media reports that Chinese supplies fell short of European standards, insisting all protective equipment from China did meet the criteria.



It "remains our task and duty to prepare the Hungarian health care system in such a way that the tools that are essential for the success of defense are constantly available. Therefore, shipments from China continue to arrive this week."

BUDAPEST, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Hungary received over 4 million face masks from China in the last two days, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto informed on Wednesday.



"During Tuesday and Wednesday, a total of 595 ventilators, 4.2 million face masks and 2.9 million gloves arrived in Hungary," Szijjarto said on his Facebook page.

The minister noted that some governments in western Europe are loosening the restrictive measures -- a move raising concerns that a surge in human contacts might speed up the spread of the virus again.

Tamas Menczer (R), state secretary from the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Chinese Ambassador to Hungary Duan Jielong show a list of medical supplies donated by the Chinese government at the Budapest Liszt Ferenc International Airport in Budapest, Hungary, on April 29, 2020. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua)

"As a result, it remains our task and duty to prepare the Hungarian health care system in such a way that the tools that are essential for the success of defense are constantly available. Therefore, shipments from China continue to arrive this week," he added.

On Monday, the minister dismissed media reports that Chinese supplies fell short of European standards, insisting all protective equipment from China did meet the criteria.

According to official figures, the number of coronavirus cases in Hungary stood at 3,111 on Wednesday, with 759 recoveries and 373 fatalities.

A staff member checks the medical supplies loaded on a China-Europe freight train heading for Budapest, capital of Hungary, at Jinan South Railway Station in Jinan, east China's Shandong Province, April 26, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Kai)
Victorian live music venues need an immediate injection of cash  on top of a "business support fund" announced on Sunday  or some could be insolvent within weeks, industry leaders say.

Music industry heavyweights have called for $50 million in support from the Victorian government targeting live music venues to stave off mass closures.

Bendigo Hotel owner Guy Palermo says live music venues such as his slip through the cracks in terms of government help. Credit:Simon O'Dwyer

Many are drowning in bills as they remain shut due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

"This is D-Day for us  we're screaming for help," said Bendigo Hotel owner Guy Palermo. "It's costing me $15,000 per month to stay closed."
Europe is preparing to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the defeat of the Nazis and the end of World War II on Friday despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

In France, Allied troops freed the French capital from Nazi occupation in 1944.

The German Wehrmacht first marched into Paris on 14 June, 1940, and then began four long years of Nazi occupation.

On 25 August, 1944, Paris was liberated by Allied forces and the Champs-Elysees burst into joyful celebrations.

General Charles de Gaulle, the head of the Free French forces and a symbol of hope to his countrymen, led a triumphant parade down the Champs Elysees.

On 8 May 1945, war in Europe came to an end.
A local Angus cattle breeder that supplies many of the finest steakhouses in Chicago and Indianapolis is contributing to an industry initiative to boost cow productivity.

Linz Heritage Angus in Crown Point re-enrolled in the American Angus Association whole-herd reporting system MaternalPlus, which gathers reproduction trait data that the nation's largest beef breed organization uses to help guide the selection decisions of Angus breeders and consumers.

More than 110 cattle breeders around the country participate in the program, which gathers cow herd and reproductive performance statistics, tracks heifer and cow reproductive records and helps develop traits like longevity.

"In addition, MaternalPlus lays the groundwork for selection tools related to cow longevity in the herd. Gathering these records will allow the association to cultivate research related to cow herd productivity and make improvements similar to what the Angus breed has witnessed in other economically relevant traits," the American Angus Association said in a news release.
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 6, 2020 / Doubleview Capital Corp. ("Doubleview") (TSXV:DBV)(OTC PINK:DBLVF) would like to amend its news release from May 05, 2020 to announce that its name change to "Doubleview Gold Corp." will be in effect on May 8, 2020 at market opening. It will trade under the new symbol " TSX.V: DBG". There will be no changes to the capital structure of the company as a result of the change. In accordance with the Company's Articles, the name change does not require approval of the shareholders. The name change is subject to acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange.The change of name better reflects the nature of the Company's portfolio of properties that comprises various commodities, and primarily focused on Gold. Since 2011, Doubleview has aggressively explored by drilling and technical surveys its "Hat" gold-copper porphyry property, located in northern British Columbia, Canada. The Hat property includes several highly prospective exploration targets, of which the Lisle deposit has been developed by more than thirty drill holes. Strong gold-copper mineralization is present over hundreds of metres and the deposit is open to extension in all directions.Property photographs and details of drill holes and analyses are presented in the Doubleview website at www.doubleview.ca Several areas close to the Lisle deposit that have geological, geochemical and geophysical characteristics closely similar to those of the Lisle are scheduled for drill testing when work resumes. Doubleview also is reviewing several property submissions, including gold and copper deposits that may be followed up further when conditions permit.About Doubleview Capital Corp.Doubleview Capital Corp., a mineral resource exploration and development company, is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and is publicly traded on the TSX-Venture Exchange [TSX-V: DBG], [OTCBB: DBLVF], [GER: A1W038], [Frankfurt: 1D4]. Doubleview identifies, acquires and finances precious and base metal exploration projects in North America, particularly in British Columbia. Doubleview increases shareholder value through acquisition and exploration of quality gold, copper and silver properties and the application of advanced state-of-the-art exploration methods. The Company's portfolio of strategic properties provides diversification and mitigates investment risk.On behalf of the Board of Directors,Farshad Shirvani, President & Chief Executive OfficerFor further information please contact:Doubleview Capital Corp.470 Granville St., Suite #822Vancouver, BC V6C 1V5Farshad Shirvani, President & CEOT: (604) 678-9587E: corporate@ doubleview.ca NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.SOURCE: Doubleview Capital Corp.
Environmental biologists at the University of Stirling have warned that the potential spread of COVID-19 via sewage "must not be neglected" in the battle to protect human health.

The response to the global pandemic has focused upon preventing person-to-person transmission, however, experts now believe the virus could also be spread in wastewater.

Earlier this week, it emerged that analysis of sewage in the UK could provide important data on the spread of COVID-19. However, Professor Richard Quilliam's new paper - published today [Wednesday 6 May] - now warns that the sewerage system itself could pose a transmission risk.

Writing in the prestigious journal Environment International, Professor Quilliam and colleagues from Stirling's Faculty of Natural Sciences are calling for "an investment of resources" to investigate their concerns.

Professor Quilliam - who is currently leading a 1.85 million study into the transport of bacteria and viruses in marine environments - said: "We know that COVID-19 is spread through droplets from coughs and sneezes, or via objects or materials that carry infection. However, it has recently been confirmed that the virus can also be found in human faeces - up to 33 days after the patient has tested negative for the respiratory symptoms of COVID-19.

"It is not yet known whether the virus can be transmitted via the faecal-oral route, however, we know that viral shedding from the digestive system can last longer than shedding from the respiratory tract. Therefore, this could be an important - but as yet unquantified - pathway for increased exposure."

The authors of the peer-reviewed paper presented the example of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2002-2003, when SARS-CoV-1 - closely linked to the COVID-19 virus strain (SARS-CoV-2) - was detected in sewage discharged by two hospitals in China.

Professor Quilliam highlights that, as most COVID-19 patients are asymptomatic or experience just mild symptoms and remain at home - not in hospitals, there is significant risk of "widespread" distribution through sewers.

Professor Quilliam authored the paper alongside Professor Manfred Weidmann, Dr Vanessa Moresco, Heather Purshouse, Dr Zoe O'Hara, and Dr David Oliver.

The biologists said a lack of testing "makes it difficult" to predict the scale of the potential spread and the public health implications of the virus arriving at wastewater treatment works, whilst the implications of consequent discharge into the wider environment are only just beginning to be investigated.

They added that the structural makeup of COVID-19 - specifically its lipid envelope covering - suggests that it will behave differently in aqueous environments, compared to other viruses typically found in the intestine. There is currently limited information on the environmental persistence of COVID-19, but other coronaviruses can remain viable in sewage for up to 14 days, depending on the environmental conditions.

On the risk of human exposure, the authors said: "The transport of coronaviruses in water could increase the potential for the virus to become aerosolised, particularly during the pumping of wastewater through sewerage systems, at the wastewater treatment works, and during its discharge and the subsequent transport through the catchment drainage network.

"Atmospheric loading of coronaviruses in water droplets from wastewater is poorly understood but could provide a more direct respiratory route for human exposure, particularly at sewage pumping stations, wastewater treatment works and near waterways that are receiving wastewater."

Risk could be further increased in parts of the world with high levels of open defecation, or where safely managed sanitation systems are limited and waterways are used as both open sewers and sources of water for domestic purposes.

"Such settings are commonly accompanied by poorly resourced and fragile healthcare systems, thus amplifying both exposure risk and potential mortality," the authors said.

Currently, all published data on faecal shedding of SARS-CoV-2 derive from hospitalised patients - with limited information available on mild and asymptomatic cases. The paper concludes: "In the immediate future, there needs to be an investment of resources to improve our understanding of the risks associated with faecal transmission of SARS-CoV-2, and whether this respiratory virus can be disseminated by enteric transmission.

"Understanding the risk of spread via the faecal-oral route, while still at a fairly early stage of the pandemic, will allow more evidence-based information about viral transmission to be shared with the public. Furthermore, the risks associated with sewage loading during the remainder of the COVID-19 outbreak need to be rapidly quantified to allow wastewater managers to act quickly and put in place control measures to decrease human exposure to this potentially infectious material.

"At a time when the world is so focused on the respiratory pathways of a respiratory virus, understanding the opportunities for SARS-CoV-2 to be spread by the faecal-oral route must not be neglected."

###

The paper, COVID-19: The environmental implications of shedding SARS-CoV-2 in human faeces, is published in Environment International.

It is one of several COVID-19 studies led by University of Stirling experts - with the Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport and Faculty of Social Sciences receiving almost 500,000 in Scottish Government funding for 10 major projects on the virus impact.
A Mercedes was snatched from a garage in Cork city by a man who was after drinking eight pints of beer and yesterday he was jailed for 10 months.

Abukar Farah, aged 30, who was living in an apartment at Charlemont Terrace, Wellington Road, Cork, was sentenced by Judge Olann Kelleher at Cork District Court after he pleaded guilty to charges of drink driving, dangerous driving and related counts of having no insurance.

When it was reported to gardai that the Mercedes was stolen Detective Inspector Daniel Coholan spotted the car being driven in the Riverstick area and he alerted colleagues who arrived at a filling station in the area to arrest the defendant.

Sergeant John Kelleher said the accused stole the Mercedes from John Dunne Motors in Turners Cross, Cork, at 5.20pm on September 27, 2019.

When Farah was arrested at Riverstick, his eyes were bloodshot and there was a smell of alcohol from his breath. He admitted to gardai that he had eight pints of beer in the course of that day.

The three counts of dangerous driving, to which he pleaded guilty, occurred at the John Dunne Motors when he drove off in the car, at Glinny, Riverstick, when he struck a ditch and drove on, and finally when he went through a pedestrian crossing at Main St, Riverstick, Co Cork, when a pedestrian was walking across the road.

Sgt. Kelleher said the accused had 91 previous conjviction including four for driving without insurance.

Frank Buttimer, solicitor, said the Somalian had been living in Ireland for the past 13 years but had alcohol problems. Mr Buttimer said the 30-year-old cooperated with the garda investigation and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity in the context of not being charged until March.
[May 06, 2020] ClarityPark Releases Organizer App For Post-Covid Times

PALO ALTO, Calif., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- With its ominous music, the themed advertisement is reminiscent of a post apocalyptic drama. There are two actors that appear to be in lockdown mode discussing how to stop technology from controlling their lives. "This is not something that was planned intentionally," says founding partner D.W. Small. "We understood that most social media technology benefits by making people less productive. We wanted to help them take control of their lives by using that same technology in a different manner" With more and more people attempting to work from home or re-emerge back into the workplace following the recent Covid-19 lockdowns, the need to be organized and keep track of what is taking place in our lives is essential. The usage of apps and online platforms like ClarityPark have seen a surge simply due to the work from home crowd as a result of the Covid-19 virus.



"For the ClarityPark app we wanted it to really be about helping individuals control their lives by giving them a clean and simple user interface to help them plan and keep track of what they were doing. But we also understood that simply having an app was not enough. We needed to create a whole manifesto around digital wellness and what staying productive really meant in our modern era." Having spent many years as a consultant for various technology firms, the ClarityPark founder is no stranger to the pros and cons of technology. "Most people assume because they have more technology in their lives it will make their lives easier, but this often leads to us being more distracted and less productive. This is especially true of first year college students who often have difficulties because they are unorganized."

ClarityPark provides a supplemental blog which contains a "30 Day Journey" that it recommends for anyone wanting to be more organized. For More Info Contact:

ClarityPark.com, California, USA

Public Relations Editor - Marilyn Paige

Phone 833 745 5541 extension 402

[email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/claritypark-releases-organizer-app-for-post-covid-times-301053972.html SOURCE ClarityPark

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SELBYVILLE, Del., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the latest report "Intent-based Networking Market by Component (Software, Networking Hardware [Routers, Switches, Firewall], Service), Deployment Model (On-Premise, Cloud), Application (BFSI, Healthcare, Government & Defense, Manufacturing, IT & Telecom), Regional Outlook, Competitive Market Share & Forecast 2026", by Global Market Insights, Inc., the market valuation of intent-based networking (IBN) will cross $4 billion by 2026. The increasing demand for network infrastructure management in accordance with business processes and goals is expected to contribute significantly to the market growth.

The adoption of IBN solutions by healthcare institutions is increasing significantly and is expected to grow at a CAGR of nearly 30% through 2026.

The growing demand for process automation and network infrastructure management across industries will support the intent-based networking market demand. The use of advanced technologies, such as Machine Learning, AI, and Network Orchestration, to manage overall network processes is driving the demand for IBN solutions and services. IBN solutions provide secure optimization and automation of network processes. In addition, it minimizes human interventions, network downtimes, and delivery time by automated configuration capabilities.

Request a sample of this research report @

https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/2758

The IBN software segment is expected to grow at a CAGR of above 25% from 2020 to 2026. The demand for IBN software solutions across small and medium-sized enterprises has increased exponentially. The growth is attributed to cost benefits, deployment flexibility, and control over network infrastructures. IBN enables efficient network automation by eliminating the need for deploying networking components. In addition, it also provides unified control of components connected separately, helping enterprises to manage network resources effectively.

The cloud-based intent-based networking (IBN) market is expected to grow significantly with a CAGR of over 30% during the forecast timeline. Corporates are adopting cloud-based IBN solutions and services to integrate with cloud infrastructure components. Multi-cloud and hybrid platforms are integrated with APIs and virtualized overlays, leveraging intent-based networking to reduce complexity. However, cloud-based solutions do not work with all public cloud infrastructures, hampering the demand for cloud-based deployment models.

The adoption of IBN solutions by healthcare institutions is increasing significantly and is expected to grow at a CAGR of nearly 30% through 2026. Hospitals are adopting IBN solutions for network monitoring and automation to simplify complex tasks. The IBN solution provides asset tracking, hospital network monitoring, and patient collaboration system capabilities. This also helps the hospitals to eliminate the need for network expansion and reduce capital expenditure.

North America held above 55% share of the global intent-based networking market in 2019. The presence of leading IBN solution providers in the region will contribute to market growth. Companies are upgrading their offerings and expanding their customer base. For instance, in May 2019, Apstra launched Data Center Automation 3.0 solution for intent-based data center operations. The solution featured intent-based analytics and VMWare vSphere connectivity capabilities. The product upgrade helped the company to serve multi-domain customers and helped them in reducing CAPEX and OPEX.

Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @

https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2758

Table of Contents (ToC) of the report:

Chapter 3 Intent-based Networking Market Insights

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Industry segmentation

3.3 Industry landscape, 2016 - 2026

3.4 Impact of COVID-19 outbreak

3.4.1 Impact by region

3.4.2 Impact on industry value chain

3.4.3 Impact on competitive landscape

3.5 Traditional Vs intent-based networks

3.6 Need/benefits of IBN

3.7 Evolution of IBN

3.8 IBN architecture

3.9 Building blocks of IBN architecture

3.10 IBN ecosystem analysis

3.11 Technology & innovation landscape

3.11.1 Machine learning, cognitive computing, and deep analytics

3.11.2 Artificial Intelligence (AI)

3.12 Regulatory landscape

3.12.1 North America

3.12.1.1 The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), U.S.

3.12.1.2 The Open Networking Foundations' (ONF) Security Fundamental Requirements for SDN Controllers

3.12.1.3 The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) SDN Standards Group

3.12.2 Europe

3.12.2.1 European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) GS NFV -IFA 008

3.12.2.3 ETSI OSM Release ONE

3.12.2.4 ITU-T Recommendation ITU-T Y.3512, Switzerland

3.12.2.5 General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

3.12.3 Asia Pacific

3.12.3.1 APAC Telecom Innovation Initiative

3.12.3.2 WLAN Authentication and Privacy Infrastructure (WAPI, China

3.12.4 Latin America

3.12.4.1 The Brazilian General Data Protection Law (LGPD)

3.13 Industry impact forces

3.13.1 Growth drivers

3.13.2 Industry pitfalls and challenges

3.14 Porter's analysis

3.15 PESTEL Analysis

3.16 Growth potential analysis

Browse Complete Table of Contents (ToC) @

https://www.gminsights.com/toc/detail/intent-based-networking-ibn-market

About Global Market Insights, Inc.

Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider, offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.

Contact Us:

Arun Hegde

Corporate Sales, USA

Global Market Insights, Inc.

Phone: 1-302-846-7766

Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688

Email: [email protected]

Related Images

global-intent-based-networking-ibn.png

Global Intent-based Networking (IBN) Market growth predicted at 30% till 2026: GMI

The adoption of IBN solutions by healthcare institutions is increasing significantly and is expected to grow at a CAGR of nearly 30% through 2026.

Related Links

Time-Sensitive Networking Market Size

Data Center Networking Market Size

SOURCE Global Market Insights, Inc.

Related Links

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Singapore has been praised for limiting the spread of the coronavirus. But infections have risen recently among migrant workers.

The city-state now has the most infections in Southeast Asia. As a result, Singapore is bringing back some restrictions.

Singapores Ministry of Health said that, as of Monday, about 87 percent of reported cases are workers living in dorms. These kinds of housing can have up to 20 people living in one room.

Singapore is known for having a high number of foreign workers who come from Britain and other places to work in business or banking. But many foreign laborers come as well. They include Philippine cleaners and Bangladeshi building laborers.

Migrant workers are part of Singapores two-track economy of both high-paying technology jobs and low-paying labor jobs.

The activist group Transient Workers Count Too said it has been warning that crowding among migrants presented a risk of viral spread. Alex Au is the groups vice president. He said, Theres no denying now that density and poor ventilation in our dorms helps spread disease.

But he said that is only part of the problem.

Au said Singapore is too dependent on low-cost labor. Migrant workers there are getting attention now because they make up a large majority of Singapores COVID-19 cases.

Before the large increase in infections, experts had praised Singapore for its strong actions to limit the spread of the disease. Experts said measures such as fast treatment for patients, following contacts of people who could carry the disease and travel restrictions were successful.

Travel restrictions, however, could not prevent the spread of COVID-19 within Singapore. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the disease was hidden as it spread largely among laborers. New cases have increased in the past three weeks after being comparatively low before then.

HOME is a non-profit organization in Singapore aimed at helping workers. The group said in a statement: The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that migrant workers are indispensable to the operation of the country.

Singapores Manpower Minister Josephine Teo said there is no question that Singapore should improve conditions in the dorms.

Teos ministry is helping with providing food and supervising workers at the dorms. But she said Singapore must deal with the virus emergency before it can deal with workers living conditions over the long term.

The Health Ministry said it is increasing testing for the virus in the dorms. It is also following possible carriers, a method known as contact tracing.

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong spoke Monday about the new measures. He said Singapore had increased health care workers and expanded medical centers in preparation for more cases.

Officials are especially concerned about what are called unlinked cases. For these cases, it is unclear how the virus spread from one person to the next.

Labor activist Au said he hopes the health crisis will bring attention to important labor issues like high payments to recruiters and unpaid work for migrants.

Au said labor unfairness is a structural problem that opens the country to many other problems. He added, Its hard to predict where the next crisis might come from.

Im Mario Ritter, Jr.

VOANEWS reported this story. Mario Ritter Jr. adapted it for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

_________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

dorm(itories) n. a building on the grounds of a school or similar organization with rooms where people can live

density n. have a lot of people living in a small place

ventilation n. the quality of how much air can pass through a room, building, vehicle or structure

reservoir n. an extra supply of something

recruitersn. someone who gets others to join a company or organization
Organizers of 3music Awards have revealed that they didn't make any profit after organizing this years event which took place at the Fantasy Dome at Trade Fair, La, Accra on Saturday, May 3, 2020.

With the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana and respect to the Presidents ban on all social gatherings, the 3rd edition of the 3Music Awards was held virtually and streamed to audiences via social media, web platforms and some selected television stations.

The much-publicised event which was emceed by ace broadcasters, Jay Foley and Nana Ashorkor, witnessed ameliorating performances from top-notch artistes such as Kweku Smoke, Bosom P-Yung, Kidi, Cena Soul, Jupitar and Fameye.

Kofi Kinaata won arguably the biggest award of the night, the Song of the Year with his hit song Things Fall Apart. He also won the Highlife Song of the Year with the same song.

Speaking in an interview with Nana Adwoa Annan of Atinka TV/FM, the Public relation officer for 3Music Awards, Obed Boafo who was answering a question in line with whether they were able to recoup the money they spent in organizing this years event, indicated strenuously that,Oh, no. absolutely no. We didnt make any money.

According to Obed,We were not thinking about making money because we are not in normal timesthis is not the time to talk about making profit..Businesses all over the world people are rather looking at new stuff.

Upon persuasion by Nana Adwoa Annan to reveal how they paid the artistes who were billed to perform and the production crew, Obed Boafo with a smile answered, Hahahaha,as to how we paid them these are contractural ways between us; there was some sort of agreement before they accepted to work with us.
LOS ANGELES, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Beyond Limits, a pioneering Artificial Intelligence software engineering company based in Southern California, today announced the Beyond Limits Coronavirus Dynamic Predictive Model. The new forecasting model has been built to help healthcare and governmental leaders predict the impact of COVID-19 on people, medical facilities, and regional recovery plans. The model enables planners to determine logistical responses at national, state, and county levels, as well as estimate the effects of mobility on infectivity.

The Beyond Limits Coronavirus Dynamic Predictive Model forecasts infection rates, hospitalization rates, and the percentage of patients that will require ICU, ventilators, ECMO, or dialysis care. The Beyond Limits Coronavirus Dynamic Predictive Model forecasts overall infectivity, as well as estimates the effects of mobility on infectivity.

In the effort to create the new predictive model, Beyond Limits collaborated with renowned medical experts from around the world combining their knowledge and expertise with advanced AI technology and modeling/programming capabilities from the company's origins at the Caltech Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

"It's our hope that by working together, we can offer useful advancements to the science of COVID-19 predictive modeling," said AJ Abdallat, CEO, Beyond Limits. "Our goal was to apply innovative AI technology and deep medical experience with real-time data analysis to help society manage a very difficult situation."

The dynamic Beyond Limits model leverages COVID-19 case data obtained from a database compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore, MD, USA. This database is used to predict resource supply and demand; enabling planners to determine logistical responses at national, state, and county levels. The model predicts infection rates, hospitalization rates, and the percentage of patients that will require ICU, ventilators, ECMO, or dialysis care.

The model also obtains mobility data from Descartes Labs, Inc., Santa Fe, NM, USA; enabling planners to estimate the effects of mobility on infectivity, alongside the ability to factor in potential impacts from changes in stay-at-home policies.

About Beyond Limits

Beyond Limits is a pioneering Artificial Intelligence engineering company creating advanced software systems that go beyond conventional AI. Founded in 2014, Beyond Limits is helping companies solve tough, complex, mission-critical problems and transform their business. The company applies a unique hybrid approach to AI, combining numeric AI techniques like machine learning with knowledge-based reasoning to produce actionable intelligence. Beyond Limits primarily serves industrial customers with advanced AI systems designed to apply human-like reasoning to solve complex problems, reduce risk, increase efficiency, decrease waste, and provide analytical horsepower to accelerate executive and operator decision-making. The company was recently honored by CB Insights on their 2020 List of Top AI 100 most innovative artificial intelligence startups.

For more information, please visit www.beyond.ai; https://web.covid.beyond.ai/

Disclaimers

The information in this document is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It is intended for research purposes only and has not been peer reviewed. All content, including text, graphics, images and information, contained on or available through this document is for general information purposes only. Beyond Limits, Inc. makes no representation and assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of information contained on or available through this document, and such information is subject to change without notice. You are encouraged to confirm any information obtained from or through this document with other sources. NEVER DISREGARD PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY SEEKING MEDICAL TREATMENT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ ON OR ACCESSED THROUGH THIS DOCUMENT.

Beyond Limits, Inc. does not recommend, endorse or make any representation about the efficacy, appropriateness or suitability of any of the information from this document. Beyond Limits, Inc. IS NOT RESPONSIBLE NOR LIABLE FOR ANY ADVICE, COURSE OF TREATMENT, DIAGNOSIS OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION, SERVICES OR PRODUCTS THAT YOU OBTAIN THROUGH THIS DOCUMENT.

The models presented, including any predictions, underlying assumptions, or estimates, are intended only for informational purposes, and no data or study related thereto has been tested for efficacy or peer-reviewed. Under no circumstances should any predictions, estimates, or assumptions be regarded as a representation, undertaking, warranty or prediction by Beyond Limits or its employees or agents, with respect to the accuracy thereof. Beyond Limits disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly or revise any prediction or estimate, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Neither Beyond Limits, its agents or employees or any data provider shall in any way be liable to you or any third party for any inaccuracies, errors or omissions (regardless of cause) in the content of the models, or for any damages (whether direct or indirect) resulting therefrom.

Media Contact:

Len Fernandes

Firecracker PR

[email protected]

1-888-317-4687 ext. 702

SOURCE Beyond Limits
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is now available for purchase in the US. B&H Photo Video is selling the Wi-Fi-only variants of the new affordable Samsung tablet in the country.

Samsung last month confirmed that the Tab S6 Lite will arrive in stores in the US in Q2 2020. And while the company is yet to list the tablet on its online shop, B&H has started accepting orders for it. The retailer is also promising quick nationwide delivery.

Best Buy, meanwhile, has the tablet listed as coming soon. The retailer has not specified a release date as of this writing.

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Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite goes on sale in the US

After an endless stream of leaks, Samsung launched the Galaxy Tab S6 last month, with pre-orders opening in several European countries. A few weeks later, the tablet has now arrived in the US as well.

B&H Photo Video is selling the Wi-Fi-only variants of the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite in both 64GB and 128GB storage configurations. The 64GB variant is priced at $349.99 while the 128GB variant costs $429.99 stateside.

The retailer is offering the tablet in three color flavors, unlike in European countries where it comes in only two colors. You can choose between Angora Blue, Oxford Gray, and Chiffon Rose colors for the 64GB variant.

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The 128GB Galaxy Tab S6 Lite Wi-Fi is currently only available in Oxford Gray, although B&H is taking pre-orders for the other two color variants as well. The retailer says the blue and rose flavors are coming soon.

A stripped-down version of the flagship Galaxy Tab S6, which starts at a whopping $650, this Lite Android tablet offers pretty decent specs at almost half its price. It features a 10.4-inch TFT LCD display and comes with the S Pen in the box.

It packs the same 7,040mAh battery as the original Tab S6 and has a very similar aluminum-and-glass construction.

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The tablet comes with an 8-megapixel rear and a 5-megapixel front camera. This tablet also gets two AKG-tuned speakers with Dolby Atmos and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

An Exynos 9611 processor powers this tablet. The processor is paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB or 128GB of storage. The Tab S6 Lite also comes with Android 10 out of the box with One UI 2.0.

Now that B&H has started selling the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite online in the US, it should soon be available from Samsungs e-store as well.
Scott Morrison has jumped to the defence of a NSW Health worker after she broke down while being questioned about the Ruby Princess fiasco.

Senior epidemiologist Kelly-Anne Ressler was questioned for several hours on Tuesday during a special commission of inquiry hearing into the cruise ship - which is linked to more than 20 coronavirus deaths.

Answering a question about 'reprehensible shortcomings' by NSW Health, she burst into tears and said she was 'very sorry' for her role in the tragedy.

Scott Morrison (pictured) jumped to the defence of NSW Health worker and Senior epidemiologist Kelly-Anne Ressler saying she was subjected to 'out of line' questioning after she broke down during an inquiry into the Ruby Princess fiasco

The prime minister spoke out in defence of Ms Ressler, saying the line of questioning was 'aggressive'.

Speaking with Ray Hadley on his 2GB radio show on Wednesday, Mr Morrison said the line of questioning was 'out of line'.

'To see her reduced to that under that sort of aggressive line of questioning, you've got to get the balance right on this one,' the Prime Minister said.

'I'm very proud of our public servants, including [this] young woman.

'I thank her for the great job she's been seeking to do.'

Border and health officials have been at loggerheads over who was to blame for the debacle, which saw 2,700 cruise passengers disembark in Sydney.

Thousands of passengers, around 600 of whom later tested positive for COVID-19, were allowed to spill out into Sydney Harbour and travel across the country.

The incident on March 19 has since been linked to 21 of Australia's coronavirus deaths.

Kelly-Anne Ressler from NSW Health (pictured) broke down into tears during the Ruby Princess inquiry on Tuesday

Ms Ressler - coordinator of the department's cruise ship health program - told the commission an expert health panel had been created to specifically look into the risks of COVID-19 earlier in 2020.

Commissioner Bret Walker SC on Tuesday asked Ms Ressler why he 'should not draw the conclusion that there has been a reprehensible shortcoming from NSW Health'.

'All I can say is that I'm very sorry it turned out the way it did, it was not our intention,' she replied as she fought back tears.

'Myself and my colleagues at the public health unit were working very hard on this.

'We did what we could and if we could do it again it would be very different.'

Although not part of the panel, she was involved in providing 'assistance and suggestions' towards a draft protocol document, which was released on February 19.

The doomed Ruby Princess cruise ship (pictured) is seen leaving Port Kembla in Wollongong on April 23, with a banner draped over the back saying 'Thank You Illawarra'

Kelly-Anne Ressler from NSW Health (pictured) admitted things would be done 'very differently' now

Some local residents came to wave off the Ruby Princess on April 23 (pictured) in Woolongong, as it finally set sail for the Philippines

The protocol suggested all passengers visit a ship's medical centre if they had respiratory symptoms or a fever, with isolation to follow.

But, Ms Ressler said, while a ship was at sea she had 'no jurisdiction' to control what actions were taken.

The federal department overseeing biosecurity arrangement has said NSW Health 'advised there were no issues preventing disembarkation'.

Counsel assisting Richard Beasley SC said there were only 25 COVID-19 test kits available on board the cruise ship, with only 13 people swabbed by the time the ship docked.

Mr Walker asked if Ms Ressler thought it was strange more people were tested for influenza than for coronavirus.

'I wasn't part of the decision-making for developing the testing criteria and until you raise it with me now I wasn't aware it was so unsatisfactory,' Ms Ressler said.

Kelly-Anne Ressler (pictured) is a senior epidemiologist for NSW Health and gave evidence at the inquiry on Tuesday

Crew members are seen waving as the Ruby Princess left Australian waters on April 23 (pictured), with one displaying a banner reading 'Thank you Australia'

The special commission is required to deliver its final report by mid-August.

A separate Senate inquiry into the Ruby Princess began on Tuesday in Canberra, while a NSW Police criminal probe is also underway.

On Tuesday, the Ruby Princess was off the east coast of the southern Philippine island of Mindanao en route to Manila.

The ship departed Port Kembla in Wollongong almost a fortnight ago.

On Tuesday afternoon, the head of the powerful Home Affairs department will also be quizzed over the Ruby Princess debacle.

Kelly-Anne Ressler (pictured) is a senior epidemiologist for NSW Health and gave evidence at the inquiry on Tuesday

A crew member on board the Ruby Princess waved a flag from his room as the ship set sail for Manila on April 23 (pictured), draping a banner over his balcony reading 'Thank You Australia'

Hundreds of crew members from the Ruby Princess were taken by bus to be put on planes back to their home countries on April 23 (pictured) before the ship set sail

Michael Pezzullo will front a Senate committee examining the government's response to the coronavirus crisis, along with officials from Border Force and the agriculture and environment departments.

Labor's home affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally said the whole affair was an extraordinary lapse of border security.

'We cannot forget that allowing the Ruby Princess to dock in Sydney - and the way it was handled - is a human tragedy and over 30 Australians have lost their lives as a result of it,' she told AAP.

'There are no less than four handbrakes the Morrison government could have applied to stop the Ruby Princess debacle and today we will ask why these weren't applied.'

The day before the ship arrived, Mr Morrison banned cruise ships from docking in Australia due to the fears of coronavirus, which has been shown to spread quickly on cruises.

The Ruby Princess cruise ship (pictured) as she began her departure from Port Kembla on April 23
Photo: The Canadian Press U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg acknowledges the crowd as she arrives to speak at a discussion on the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, Monday, Feb. 10, 2020. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was hospitalized Tuesday with an infection caused by a gallstone, but plans to take part in the court's arguments by telephone Wednesday, the Supreme Court said.

The 87-year-old justice underwent non-surgical treatment for what the court described as acute cholecystitis, a benign gall bladder condition, at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

She is resting comfortably and expects to be in the hospital for a day or two, the court said.

Ginsburg took part in the courts telephone arguments Monday and Tuesday. She initially sought medical care Monday, when the gallstone was first diagnosed.

She has been treated four times for cancer, most recently in August, when she underwent radiation for a tumour on her pancreas.

Her most recent hospital stay was in November, when she spent two nights at Johns Hopkins Hospital with a likely infection after suffering from chills and fever.

The frail-looking liberal icon also bounced back from lung surgery to remove cancerous growths in December 2018. Her recovery from that surgery forced her to miss court arguments for the first time since she became a justice in 1993, appointed by President Bill Clinton.

She has been doing her usual workout with a personal trainer at the court, even as the justices have cancelled courtroom arguments in favour of telephone sessions because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Ginsburg has said she would like to serve until she's 90, if her health allows.
Sinduja Jane By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: As the State is witnessing a spike in COVID-19 cases and isolation facilities in hospitals running out, the government has changed strategy and begun to send mild and asymptomatic cases to home isolation.

Kilpauk Government Medical College Hospital sent 24 patients to home quarantine on Tuesday. We sent 24 people for home quarantine and we will be sending a few people tomorrow to COVID care centres, said Dr P Vasanthamani, Dean. Now, the hospital beds will be used for only those who need ICU or hospital care.

Who are eligible for home isolation?

People clinically determined as very mild or asymptomatic case by their treating doctors. Such cases should have requisite facility at their residence for self-isolation and also for quarantining their family contacts. Availability of a well-ventilated single room preferably with an attached separate toilet is needed, said the guidelines issued by the government.

However, Dr R Narayana Babu, Director of Medical Education (in-charge) said, Other medical college hospitals in Chennai still have a few beds to accommodate patients. There are also over 4,000 beds available at COVID care centres. We will send patients to home isolation only after the beds in care centres are filled.

The government issued guidelines for home isolation after the Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine sent a proposal to that effect. According to the guidelines, a patient is free of home isolation only after a medical officer certifies him free of infection following a lab testing. A caregiver must be available all the time and monitor the patients health. Immediate medical attention must be sought in case of serious symptoms such as fever, cough, breathing difficulty or others.

A senior doctor at a Government Medical College Hospital said, Home isolation will help save resources. Our doctors are exhausted and also more doctors and other frontline workers are getting infected. If we exhaust all our resources by attending patients with mild symptoms, then those who need ICU care might not be able to get it. So, its a good decision by the government. It will ease the burden on doctors and hospitals.
The New York State attorney general's office has contacted multiple women who have raised concerns about sexual harassment at NBC News, according to two people familiar with the matter, as part of an initial inquiry into those concerns.

The inquiry, which is being conducted by the office's Civil Division, is in a fact-finding stage after the women voiced their concerns publicly, one of the people said. It is not a formal investigation, and there is no indication it will become one.

At least two of the women were interviewed in January during meetings that were hours long, although the inquiry began earlier than that, a second person said, adding that the inquiry was looking at sexual harassment, gender discrimination and retaliation.

More from NBC News:

A spokesperson for the attorney general's office declined to comment. The inquiry was first reported by DailyMail.com.

On Monday, NBCUniversal announced that NBC News chairman Andy Lack will step down at the end of this month as part of a larger corporate reorganization.

During Lack's tenure, former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly made inappropriate remarks about blackface on the air in October 2018; NBC News then took her off the air and she left the company in early 2019. In late 2017, Lack personally went to the apartment of "TODAY" anchor Matt Lauer to fire him, following accusations of inappropriate sexual behavior. Lauer has denied all allegations of nonconsensual sex.

An investigation conducted by NBC News and two law firms found that NBC News executives, including Lack, did not know about any Lauer allegations until the complaint that led to his firing.

Several of the women interviewed by the attorney general's office are represented by attorney Doug Wigdor, including Kelly and Linda Vester, a former correspondent who has accused retired "NBC Nightly News" anchor Tom Brokaw of trying to kiss and grope her in the 1990s, a source told NBC News. Brokaw has denied the allegation.

A spokeswoman for NBCUniversal said Tuesday afternoon that the company was "unaware" of any investigation by the attorney general's office.

Disclosure: NBCUniversal is CNBC's parent company
Allie Howell, RN, BSN

Clinical research specialist, oncology, based in Birmingham, Alabama

Some people choose a profession; others, like Allie, are called to it. Allie comes from a long line of health care providers, including her mother who was a nurse, and her sister who is a nurse anesthetist. I think it was just part of who I am, Allie says. Even when I was six or seven years old, my mom would bring us to help at a nursing home. It was really my destiny to become a nurse.

After 26 years serving as a NICU nurse at University of Alabama, Allie shifted her focus to oncology to care for breast cancer patients and then segued to adolescent HIV patients, which led to her current role in clinical research. Throughout these experiences, she has focused on empathy as part of the patient experience. We often forget the human side of what we have to do. We are there to support the patient and the family, Allie says. Things will get done that have to be done, but its taking those moments with your patient and making them the most important.
A gym goer has pushed working out to a whole new level by bouncing on his elbows.

Footage shows the fitness-mad man racing through five different extreme press ups involving cross his hands and bouncing after a two-hour work out.

It was filmed in Herblay, on the outskirts of Paris, France, and has recently been shared on social media.

It comes as thousands of Britons turn to the internet as they hunt for new ways to stay in shape.

Footage showed the fitness fanatic trying out five different exercises at a gym in Herblay, France. It was filmed on December 24 but has recently been shared on social media

For one exercise, the man pushed himself completely off the floor in the gym

The epic 21-second clip, which appears to have been sped up, shows the man shifting his elbows backwards and forwards on the floor before lifting his whole body off the ground in a flying superman push up.

Seemingly not exhausted, he then flips to doing back-hand push ups and crosses his hands backwards and forwards before getting down on his forearms.

As if that wasn't enough, he then balances on his elbows and walks up the matt on them - a movement that could be a variation of the bear walk.

As he exercises, a man sitting next to him appears to barely move. The clip was filmed on December 24, before French gyms were locked-down.

He had worked out for two hours before trying the epic workout regime

The man also tried to do press ups on the back of his hands before switching exercises

France has closed cafes, restaurants and public venues in response to the coronavirus crisis.

However, the country will start lifting restrictions from May 11 as prime minister Edouard Philippe warns citizens will have to 'learn to live with Covid-19.'

France has reported 25,531 deaths due to the disease, and 170,551 cases so far.

Britain has also closed most public places, forcing gym and fitness classes online.
Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) on Wednesday said lack of required workforce is making it difficult for the company to resume operations at its two manufacturing plants, but added that its dealerships have started to open across the country.

The automaker, which sells models like City and Amaze, said that with new relaxations rolled out by the government, it is planning to restart operations at Tapukara plant in Rajasthan sometime next week.

"However, in order to resume production even at lower level and in single shift, we require manpower which is living in the neighbourhood and also from nearby areas of Dharuhera, Rewari etc.," HCIL Senior Vice President and Director, (Marketing and Sales) Rajesh Goel told PTI.

"Currently, it appears difficult to get the required manpower due to the travel restrictions and start production as per our plan," he added.

The company will keep assessing manpower availability and also supply chain position closely to take a decision on when to start production, he added.

Regarding Greater Noida facility, Goel said the company will restart operations once it receives necessary permissions from the authorities and overcomes the challenge of manpower availability.

On opening dealerships, Goel said the company has rolled out comprehensive guidelines in line with government norms on safety and distancing along with its own measures which dealerships must follow before restarting operations.

"Each of the dealership is in the process of getting necessary approvals from the local authorities to resume operations and opening accordingly. As of today, quite a few of the dealerships have opened across north, east, west and south," he added.

The dealerships will open phase-wise during the month and can focus on servicing vehicles being used by essential services staff like doctors and also breakdown vehicles, Goel noted.

HCIL currently has 375 dealerships across the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The race to develop a vaccine against the novel coronavirus is setting up impractical expectations that simply cannot be met, health experts say.

Dr Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, has said a jab will not be available for at least 12 to 18 months.

But a few institutions, such as Oxford University in the UK, have said that if trials go well, its jab could be available as early as September.

Even if the vaccine timeline can be sped up, with some steps being combined, it will be at least a year before Americans can sign up to get the inoculations.

What's more, if a shot is developed by another country, it could push back when it will be available in the US even more.

Some institutions have said that if their coronavirus vaccine trials go well, its jab could be available as early as Fall 2020 (file image)

Experts say this is unrealistic because the first people to be immunized would be healthcare workers and other essential employees. Pictured: Cmdr You Wei Lin, from Lexington, Massachusetts, transports a patient following a procedure aboard the hospital ship USNS Mercy in Los Angeles, California, April 18

This means that most Americans would likely not be able to get the shot until at least Fall 2021. Pictured: A COVID-19 patient is attached to a ventilator in the emergency room at St Joseph's Hospital in Yonkers, New York, April 20

'The White House talks like it's a manufacturing problem but it's not,' Dr Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, told DailyMail.com.

'Manufacturing and doing scale-up has problems, but the problem is adequate time to collect information on the safety and efficacy [of the vaccines] and that you cannot accelerate too much.'

It's very hard to speed up the vaccine timeline, however, because most vaccines, from academic research to being available on the market, take 10 or more years.

After academic research, scientists perform pre-clinical trials during which data on feasibility, testing and safety are collected.

Then there are three phases of clinical trials, with usually several months in between, to prove the vaccine is safe, effective and better than what's already available.

From there, companies begin building factories and manufacturing, dependent on FDA- approval, until finally a vaccine is ready to be distributed

Experts say that, even in a best-case scenario, only frontline healthcare workers and other essential employees would be vaccinated in the autumn.

At the earliest however, if a vaccine is proved effective by the fall, the general population wouldn't start to be immunized until the winter.

'I can't say when in 2021 or if it's even going to be in 2021. I think its hard to prescribe it ahead of time,' Hotez said.

'But it doesnt matter, even with all the doses ready to go, you can't roll it out until you have enough information about safety and efficacy,;

BioWorld reports that at least 254 therapeutics and 95 vaccines for the virus are in development.

There are a few ways to speed up the timeline, such as beginning some steps now before steps that usually come before are completed.

One example includes starting to build factories now so that, once a vaccine does receive FDA-approval, it can start to be mass produced.

Another way is combine phases such as performing Phase I and Phase II of clinical trials at the same time.

A third method is to ensure that frontline and essential workers are vaccinated ahead of everyone else.

According to Marie-Paul Kieney, research director at Inserm - France's National Institute of Health and Medical Research - that's about two percent of the global population.

'I think it's reasonable to say that this should be the first target, because as we've seen everywhere, including in the U.S., when you have a health system which cannot accommodate sick people, then everybody suffers,' she told STAT News.

Following healthcare workers would be high-risk citizens - such as older people and those with underlying conditions, and then the general public.

Dr Robin Robinson, former director of the US government's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, say we're looking at a long time before people can make appointments with their doctor to get the jab.

''I don't think that the general population will have vaccine probably until the second half of 2021. And that's if everything works OK,' he told STAT News.
Repatriation flights began last month after tens of thousands of Pakistanis in UAE asked their govt to fly them home.

Pakistan has raised concerns with the United Arab Emirates that many citizens have been returning home from the Gulf Arab state infected with COVID-19 and that crowded living conditions for workers in the UAE may be helping to spread the virus, officials said on Tuesday.

Both (governments) are working together to find (an) optimal solution to this shared concern, foreign ministry spokeswoman Aisha Farooqi told Reuters in a WhatsApp message.

A UAE foreign ministry official later said the government completely rejects this version of events.

Everyone on UAE repatriation flights has been tested before departure and those found to be infected were not allowed to travel, Assistant Undersecretary for Consular Affairs Khalid al-Mazrouei told Reuters.

The official did not address Islamabads concerns about living conditions.

Moeed Yusuf, Special Assistant to Pakistans Prime Minister on National Security, said the number of people returning from the UAE and testing positive was higher than we were hoping.

On most flights, about 12 percent were testing positive but on a couple of flights that number rose to between 40 and 50 percent.

The hypothesis is that a lot of the labourers live in crowded dormitories and in those, essentially, its easier to infect each other, he told Reuters.

The UAE is home to approximately 1.5 million Pakistanis, many of whom are low-wage workers living in crowded housing and are now out of work and stranded due to the coronavirus crisis.

Repatriation flights began last month after tens of thousands of Pakistanis in the UAE asked their government to fly them home. The UAE had also warned it could review labour ties with countries refusing to take back its nationals.

About 60,000 Pakistanis have so far registered to return from the UAE, according to Pakistans consulate in Dubai.

Yusuf said that balancing the needs of the 100,000 citizens globally who had registered as wanting to return home with preventing the spread of the virus was a challenge.

The government was testing every passenger on arrival and quarantining them if necessary, meaning it could currently only bring home around 8,000 citizens per week.

Were not going to compromise on safety but were facilitating people as much as we can, he said.

Pakistan is dealing with a fast-growing number of cases, as infections reached more than 21,000 with over 500 deaths.

The UAE has reported 15,192 infections and 146 deaths.

Gulf Arab states have ramped up testing after recording a growing number of cases among migrant workers in overcrowded housing.

Low-wage overseas workers are normally a vital source of labour in areas such as construction and transport for many Gulf nations and contribute billions of dollars in remittances to their home countries such as Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.

But many labour rights activists say they are vulnerable to exploitative labour practices and poor working and living conditions.

An overseas worker in Dubai said that he lived with three others in a small room with bunk beds and some workers lived six to a room.

Its risky when you live together, he said, asking not to be named. Its not good for us right now, the situation with COVID-19.
As Nigeria faces a fiscal crisis caused by COVID-19 pandemic and the measures to contain it, the Buhari administration has conducted a review of the 2020 budget, which, if carried out, may be the first step required along governance reforms to cut waste and direct revenues for development.

According to a memo PREMIUM TIMES exclusively obtained, the planned review affects federal lawmakers constituency projects, and may require political will to deliver.

The COVID-19 containment measures have affected mobility and business operations globally, thereby causing a record fall in oil demand and consequently oil price. As an oil-dependent economy, this adverse public health-economic situation is aggravating Nigerias fiscal crisis, having already planned to approach the debt market to finance some 26 per cent of the 2020 budget.

The government has already indicated plans to slash the budget but the actual expenditures the government intends to cut have just been revealed in a finance ministry memo exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES. The budget, as already passed by the National Assembly, is N10.59 trillion. There have been reports that the proposed cuts could be between N350 billion and N1.5 trillion but the actual sum is not yet officially disclosed.

Spokesperson for the finance ministry, Hassan Dodo, did not comment on this detail Tuesday night. Also, total sum of the cuts is redacted in the memo we obtained but sources said it could amount to hundreds of billions of naira.

The drastic fall in the price of crude oil below the 2020 budget benchmark, which was triggered by the global Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has negatively impacted the FGNs revenue projections, stated the memo, dated March 17 and signed by minister Zainab Ahmed, to government bureaucracies and enterprises.

According to the memo, President Muhammadu Buhari had directed the finance ministry to revise the 2020 budget, which was passed by the National Assembly in December. In doing so, we are to prioritise growth-enhancing, pro-poor expenditures and social sector investments generally, the memo added.

The memo indicated that expenditures that are non-critical would be eliminated from the budget.

In this regard, the memo continued, we will be eliminating as much as possible non-critical capital expenditure, especially those classified as Administrative Capital Expenditure

The cuts include provisions for computer software acquisition, and purchases of computers and printers, buses, trucks and vans, motor vehicles and motor cycles, office and residential furniture and fittings, photocopying machines, scanners, and shredding machines, residential and office buildings, and land.

Minister of Finance Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed [PHOTO CREDIT: @FinMinNigeria]

The budgeting for these so-called administrative capital expenditure are recurrent in nature as they are included for appropriations annually in a manner that raises question about the use and availability of the ones acquired in any previous year. But public service watchers and critics believe such curious budgeting for computers or utility vehicles or office furniture every year is an avenue for corruption.

However, according to the memo, ambulances, fire-fighting trucks, and construction as well as rehabilitation of buildings for schools and hospitals will be exempted from the cuts.

Although the adjustments would not affect the personnel cost budgets, as currently provided, the memo indicated that new recruitments are generally suspended. This may affect calls for job applications made before the COVID-19 pandemic by the Civil Defence, Immigration Service and INEC . Also, except for the security, armed forces, and health institutions, overhead costs will be reduced by 16.7% across-board, the memo added.

All Government Owned Enterprises (GOEs) will be required to cut their capital expenditure and overhead budgets by 25%, even where their budgets have already been approved by the National Assembly, the memo further stated.

National Assembly

Empowerment programmes  Lawmakers projects affected

In every appropriations round, Nigerian lawmakers nominate constituency projects for inclusion in the budget. These are formally called Zonal Intervention Projects, which are domiciled in various MDAs. A review of the activities of Nigerian civic initiatives such as Udeme and Tracka shows many of the projects are perfunctorily delivered or not done at all.

Although the lawmakers do not directly receive contract awards for the projects, they nominate to the MDAs cronies as contractors, with some believed to return proceeds to the patron lawmakers. The system underscores patronage and cronyism.

Many of the these projects are passed off as empowerment and capacity building programmes for constituents. For an example, Degi Wangagra, the Bayelsa East senator  whose inconsistent records cost APC last years Bayelsa governorship victory  nominated three strategic empowerment for youth (men and women programmes totaling N54.2 million under the 2020 budget of the agriculture ministry.

The programmes are vague, just as Ebonyi Norths Sam Egwus training and empowerment of youth and women in Ohaukwu LGA is listed without any specific objective or what the purported participants are to be empowered with.

If the adjustments sought by Mr Buhari succeeds, these projects will be cut from the budget. In the memo obtained by PREMIUM TIMES they are listed among non-essential expenditures to be eliminated from the budget.

Yearly, a sum of N100 billion is appropriated for the Zonal Intervention Projects of the lawmakers but not all the projects fall under empowerment and capacity building programmes the finance ministrys memo categorised as non-essential expenditures for elimination.

Former finance minister Kemi Adeosun had wanted to stop funding for the projects entirely but there was no will for action because of her forged NYSC certificate which the Bukola Saraki-led Eight National Assembly knew of and blackmailed her with. A PREMIUM TIMES investigation exposed Ms Adeosuns forgery, which caused her forced resignation in 2018.

The budget cuts, including the affected constituency projects, requires legislative passage, which sources within the executive fear may prove daunting since the lawmakers are affected.

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It is a blackmail and gratuitous to say we wont approve (the budget cuts) because certain projects are removed or we want some rewards, Ajibola Basiru, spokesperson for the Senate, told PREMIUM TIMES. In considering the adjusted budget, we will act in accordance with the oath of office we took and based on realities.

Spokesperson for the finance ministry, Mr Dodo, did not confirm the transmission of the proposed adjustments Tuesday night.

The Buhari administration has also indicated a plan to implement the nearly eight year-old Steve Oronsaye report on the restructuring and rationalisation of government establishments.

There is a time in the affairs of men that things become imperative, said economist Bismark Rewane, who told PREMIUM TIMES that the current circumstances compelled reforms.
One of the teams that developed the revolutionary (but controversial) gene-editing tool, CRISPR, has retooled it to make a new coronavirus test, scientists at MIT and the Broad Institute announced Tuesday.

The newly-designed test can detect even trace amounts of the virus via either nasal swab or spit sample.

Dr Feng Zhang and his team told Stat News that their new test can return results within an hour.

And because all of the chemicals needed to run the diagnostic are contained in a single test tube, the researchers say it's more fail-proof and will be easier to launch than have been many of the fumbled tests that hit the US market earlier.

Already, Dr Zhang's collaborators have published the protocol required for the test, and the researchers are in talks with the Food and Drug Administration to get emergency use authorization for it.

A new test that uses CRISPR technology to detect coronavirus genetic material in a patient sample could be run entirely at a point-of-care or even at home as all of the chemicals involved react within an hour in a single test tube, displaying negative (left) or positive (right) results on paper strips similar to a pregnancy test

Dr Zhang told Stat News that the diagnostic is currently only available for research purposes, but that it is highly accurate.

CRISPR has drawn excitement for its potential to correct genetic diseases, as well as alarm, after a Chinese scientists revealed last year that he had gene-edited a pair of twins in the womb.

The technology is comprised of remarkable capabilities: it can find particular genes along a strand of DNA, then snip out the faulty piece and finally replace it with a corrected version of the gene.

That first element - correctly identifying a bit of genetic material - is essentially what coronavirus tests do. They detect the genetic material, or RNA, of the virus.

In lab experiments, the CRISPR test proved 97 percent sensitive - meaning it only failed to identify coronavirus in samples where the virus was present - and 100 percent specific, meaning it never mistakes something else for coronavirus.

That puts it on par with the other available diagnostics for coronavirus.

But the CRISPR test's most important distinction is that it is a 'one pot' test, meaning the sample goes into a test tube where all the necessary reactions to identify the virus happen in one place.

It doesn't have to be run in an analysis machine like others do.

To make the test, researchers had to find an enzyme that would hunt down and identify viral genetic material at the appropriate temperature and detect even trace amounts of it

Currently, one 'at-home' coronavirus test kit - Abbott's Pixel - has gotten explicit emergency use authorization from the FDA.

But that simply means that the sample - a lower nasal swab - can be collected by a patient at home.

Then, it's sent back out to a lab, where it has to be run on a PCR (polymerases chain reaction) machine.

So while some of these tests can be run in a matter of minutes, it's often days before results are returned to the patient.

The entire CRISPR test could eventually be an at-home diagnostic, the Broad team says.

All of the agents that react to the sample can do so in one test tube, then a paper dipstick shows the results, similar to how a pregnancy test displays results.

Detection in CRISPR is accomplished by enzymes. For editing human genes, scientists use an enzyme called Cas9.

But to make the editor recognize coronavirus at correct temperature, the researchers had to pick out a different enzyme.

They landed on one that comes from a bacterium that gives orange juice its nasty taste when it's gone bad.

Instead of requiring a clinician to pipet reagent into a tray with the sample and other chemicals, it's all self contained.

So, in theory, a person could put their own sample in a tube, where it would mix with the CRISPR enzyme and reagent, react, and turn either the positive or negative stripe on the paper strip darker.

In early tests, it reacts with saliva also, which would make the test even easier to perform in the comfort of home without risking exposure.

'The ability to test for COVID-19 at home, or even in pharmacies or places of employment, could be a game-changer for getting people safely back to work and into their communities,' said Dr Zhang.

'Creating a point-of-care tool is a critically important goal to allow timely decisions for protecting patients and those around them.'
Senior White House Advisor Jared Kushner speaks in the press briefing room with members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force April 2, 2020 in Washington, DC.

Win McNamee/Getty Images

A complaint was filed to the House Oversight Committee by a volunteer on Jared Kushner's coronavirus response team expressing concerns about the group's lack of success in obtaining medical supplies, the Washington Post reported.

Kushner has tapped volunteers from consulting and private equity firms to help his response team, but inexperience has reportedly hampered their efforts.

"Americans are facing a crisis of tragic proportions and there is an urgent need for an effective, efficient and bold response," the complaint states. "From my few weeks as a volunteer, I believe we are falling short."

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A volunteer on Jared Kushner's coronavirus response team filed a complaint to the House Oversight Committee in April expressing concerns that the group's efforts to obtain vital medical supplies were "falling short," which was linked to inexperience, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday.

"Americans are facing a crisis of tragic proportions and there is an urgent need for an effective, efficient and bold response," the complaint states. "From my few weeks as a volunteer, I believe we are falling short. I am writing to alert my representatives of these challenges and to ask that they do everything possible to help front-line health-care workers and other Americans in need."

"I believe the volunteers are competent, hard working and intelligent, but we represent a smaller procurement team than at most midsized companies despite the magnitude of the crisis," the complaint added. "I believe America deserves a larger, better-funded response. The team generally works 12+ hour days, seven days per week, but frankly has little to show for it."

The complaint was sent to the committee on April 8. The volunteer, whose identity remains anonymous, has left the group. The Post said that half a dozen administration officials, and one outside adviser, confirmed key elements of the complaint.

Story continues

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider.

Kushner, the president's son-in-law, has tapped volunteers from consulting and private equity firms to help his response team. The team also works with private industry executives and government officials, the Post reported, including Brad Smith, director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, and Adam Boehler, a former Health and Human Services official who was asked to help the coronavirus response.

But lack of experience among volunteers has reportedly hampered the group's efforts, as it takes a certain level of expertise to navigate the complex Food and Drug Administration rules surrounding medical equipment, and to understand the different types of supplies hospitals might need.

The volunteers also did not have any existing relationships with manufacturers, according to the complaint and two senior administration officials, per the Post. As a result, they've struggled to obtain personal protective equipment (PPE) that frontline health care workers nationwide desperately need, such as masks, in combatting the coronavirus pandemic.

The complaint reportedly stated that part of the problem was the volunteers used personal email accounts, and not official government email addresses, in their communications with manufacturers. This also raises concerns about record keeping, though officials told the Post that the volunteers were told to save and share copies of all of their official emails, in accordance with the Federal Records Act.

According to the Post, the team was also been ordered to give preference to tips on equipment from "VIPs," which included figures from Fox News like Jeanine Pirro and "Fox & Friends" host Brian Kilmeade.

Some government officials and a top ethics group in Washington expressed concerns to the Post about the nature of the group and the reliance on volunteers.

Kushner defended the team's efforts in a statement to the paper, referring to the volunteers as "true patriots."

"The bottom line is that this program sourced tens of millions of masks and essential PPE in record time and Americans who needed ventilators received ventilators," the president's son-in-law and senior adviser said.

The Post also reported that as the group struggled to obtain protective equipment, roughly 30% of "key supplies" from the national stockpile of emergency equipment were dedicated to another effort spearheaded by Kushner for drive-through testing sites for coronavirus. This effort largely failed. Kushner originally promised thousands of sites, with only dozens (78) ultimately set up.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The U.S. is wrong to accuse China of being responsible for the coronavirus outbreak without providing proof, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said, in the latest sign of a pivot away from Washington and towards Beijing.

As the debate over the origins of Covid-19 continues, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told CNBC that Russia couldn't "show any solidarity" with China-bashing statements from the U.S., and stressed the importance of Moscow's relationship with Beijing.

"We consider it not a proper time, being somewhere in the middle of a severe crisis, an unprecedented crisis, to try to blame everything on the international health organization (the World Health Organization) or, the next day, on China," Peskov said Tuesday.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Sunday there was "a significant amount of evidence" suggesting that the virus emerged from a state laboratory in Wuhan which had conducted research into bat coronaviruses.

Later on Sunday, President Donald Trump said he believed that a "horrible mistake" in China was the cause of the pandemic, though neither he nor Pompeo presented any evidence for their claims.

The comments come after the U.S.' top spy agency said last Thursday that it had determined the virus was not man-made, but was still investigating whether it was caused by "an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan."

China has vehemently rejected claims that the virus escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology and has even accused the U.S. of being the origin of the virus. Most experts believe that the virus likely originated in a wet market in Wuhan and was transmitted to humans via bats, or pangolins.

On Tuesday, President Trump told White House reporters that he was planning to release details to support the theory that the coronavirus came from a laboratory in Wuhan.

Dmitry Peskov, a top Russian official and President Putin's spokesman, told CNBC that such accusations from the U.S. were "very, very serious" and if someone is going to make such accusations, "you have to deliver proof."

"Without proof, we consider it wrong to attack third countries in this, let's say, humbly speaking, non-diplomatic way," he said.

It's not the first time that Trump has pointed the finger of blame at China, having called the coronavirus the "Chinese virus" and accused the country of not telling the world about the virus quickly enough. He has said there would be "consequences" for China over the virus, and last week told Reuters that China's handling of the coronavirus is proof that Beijing "will do anything they can" to make him lose his re-election bid in November.

Trump has also blamed the World Health Organization for its response to the outbreak, saying it mismanaged the pandemic before suspending U.S. funding for the United Nations' health agency.
CALGARY, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Top Strike Resources Corp. d.b.a. "Vencanna Ventures" (the "Corporation" or "Vencanna") (CSE: VENI;OTCQB: TPPRF) provides the below corporate activity and market update.

Corporate Update

Vencanna's balance sheet currently consists of cash ($4.15 million as of January 31, 2020), a majority ownership in New Jersey cultivation and dispensary applications (60% ownership in the cultivation application and 54% ownership in the dispensary application, the "New Jersey Applications") and a US$3.3 million convertible note (approximately US$3.8 million outstanding including accrued interest, the "Galenas Note") in Galenas LLC ("Galenas"). The Galenas Note is convertible at the Corporation's option at any time, subject to regulatory approvals, into a 35% equity interest in Galenas, one of only 32 licensed Ohio medical cultivation companies (and one of only 20 currently operating). The senior position of the Galenas Note greatly positions Vencanna through improved security while maintaining the equity upside. The Galenas Note matures July 1, 2021.

Management estimates that the current net asset value per common share ("Common Share") of the Corporation is over $0.06 assuming the face value of its assets and a reasonable value for a clean fully compliant publicly traded company. Further, the Galenas Note is denominated in USD, therefore providing the Corporation a natural hedge against USD and CDN currency fluctuations. Management and insiders continue to support the Corporation; since the beginning of March to the end of April they have purchased 10,661,180 Common Shares, and the Corporation has purchased another 3,258,000 Common Shares under its NCIB. Since commencing the NCIB, the Corporation has purchased a total of 6,197,000 Common Shares at an average price of just under $0.02 per Common Share.

Ohio Market Update

The full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the jurisdictional policies put into effect to counter the virus (including social distancing and the closure of non-essential services) are unknown at this time. While most US states have deemed access to medical cannabis an "essential" service, as has Ohio, it is unknown if this will be continued or how future policies may impact US cannabis businesses. However, many state jurisdictions have been working with their local cannabis associations in designing safe strategies to maintain the delivery of cannabis to their respective patients and customers.

Ohio has granted 32 provisional cultivation licenses (currently only 20 have received their Certificates of Operation), 44 provisional processor licenses (17 have received Certificates of Operation) and 57 provisional dispensary licenses (of which 51 have received Certificates of Operation). With close to 12 million people, Ohio is the seventh most populous state in the United States. Recently, a group of petitioners were soliciting signatures to put recreational cannabis legalization on the November 2020 ballot, though in part due to its late start and in part due to the challenge of obtaining signatures during the social distancing measures from COVID-19, the ballot initiative has been put off for at least another year. However, in light of COVID-19, Ohio's Medical Marijuana Control Program recently changed a number of rules for buying cannabis; patients can make orders over the phone, curbside delivery is allowed, and most importantly Ohio's 90-day limit has been split into two 45-day purchasing windows (patients no longer have to buy their 90-day supply all at once). Further, like most states, Ohio has seen a steady growth this year. March state sales were approximately $13 million, the highest sales month in its history and as of March 31, 2020, there were 94,356 registered patients, according to the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control. Further positive trends include that 74% of the registered patients purchase cannabis; this is up from 50% midway through 2019 and only 25% when the program began a little over a year ago. Given these positive trends, New Cannabis Ventures recently stated that cannabis sales in Ohio could approach $200 million in 2020 (which is a significant jump from $56 million in 2019).

New Jersey Market Update

The New Jersey Applications were submitted on August 22, 2019. It was expected that New Jersey was going to announce the successful applicants sometime in Q2 2020. However, given the regulatory delays being experienced in a number of jurisdictions due to COVID-19, it is unknown at this time as to when the successful applicants will be announced. The licenses to be awarded include 15 dispensary, 5 cultivation, and 4 full vertical licenses. If an applicant applied for a full vertical license, that applicant was excluded from applying for the dispensary or cultivation licenses. There are currently 12 license holders in New Jersey (each consisting of cultivation, processing and 3 dispensaries). These license holders were excluded from applying in the aforementioned application process. Our New Jersey Application consisted of a dispensary license application and a cultivation license application. In December 2019, the New Jersey lawmakers approved an adult use referendum on their 2020 ballot. A recent poll conducted between April 16 to April 19, 2020 by Monmouth University found that over 61% of New Jersey residents are in favor of ending cannabis prohibition. New Jersey has just under 9 million residents, making it the 11th largest state in the U.S. and if the ballot is successful, they would be the 4th largest adult use state.

About Galenas

Galenas is a vertical three-tier-grow, patient-focused, craft medical cannabis cultivator located in Akron, Ohio. It is also the only organic licensed cultivator in the state. Galenas' 10,000 square foot facility won Architect Newspaper's 2019 Best Green Building Award, describing the facility as a "pharmaceutical-grade environment that meets highly technical specifications  providing a better-quality product with greater yields while using 90 percent less water and 35 percent less energy than other cannabis facilities." The facility currently has over 4,000 square feet of cultivation and Galenas is in the midst of adding another 1,500 square feet, with potential expansion on the site beyond the current facility. Galenas received its Certificate of Operation in April 2019 and its product is in 44 of Ohio's 51 operating dispensaries. The Galenas leadership team is comprised of professionals from several fields including horticulture, manufacturing, law, sales and marketing, supply chain management, quality control, and product development.

About Vencanna

On September 24, 2018, the Corporation announced the completion of a recapitalization financing, the appointment of a new management team and board of directors and commencement of trading on the CSE. The transactions have transitioned the Corporation from an oil and gas issuer to a merchant capital firm, rebranded as "Vencanna Ventures". The recapitalized Corporation aims to be a go-to capital provider for early-stage global cannabis initiatives with an emphasis on strong management operating in state compliant jurisdictions with barriers to entry. While the cannabis markets have been challenging, valuations are becoming more attractive and there's been a number of US operators showing quarter over quarter growth in both revenues and cash flows. Further positive developments in the US include the passing in Congress last year of the SAFE Banking Act, with nearly half the GOP caucus voting in support of the bill. In light of this, the Corporation continues to review opportunities in state compliant jurisdictions and is confident that it will successfully build shareholder value.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may include forward-looking statements including opinions, assumptions, estimates, the Corporation's assessment of future plans and investment strategy, and, more particularly, statements concerning the business plan of the Corporation including future global cannabis investments, the New Jersey Applications, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and current market fundamentals in Ohio and New Jersey. When used in this press release, the words "will," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intent," "may," "project," "should," and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are founded on the basis of expectations and assumptions made by the Corporation, including the impact of increasing competition; timing and amount of capital expenditures; the legislative and regulatory environments of the jurisdictions where the Corporation will carry on business, has operations or plans to have operations; the ability of the Corporation to enter into contracts with companies to provide financing on acceptable terms; conditions in general economic and financial markets; and the Corporation's ability to obtain additional financing on satisfactory terms or at all. Forward-looking statements are subject to a wide range of risks and uncertainties, and although the Corporation believes that the expectations represented by such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will be realized.

Any number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, changes to global cannabis laws, how the developing U.S. legal regime will impact the cannabis industry, potential negative impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, the ability of the Corporation to implement its corporate strategies, the state of domestic and international capital markets, the ability to obtain financing, changes in general market conditions and other factors more fully described from time to time in the reports and filings made by the Corporation with securities regulatory authorities. Except as required by applicable laws, the Corporation does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements."

Non-IFRS Measures

Net asset value ("NAV") is not a recognized measure under IFRS. Management uses NAV in managing the Corporation, including performance measurement, and believes that providing such performance measures on a supplemental basis is helpful to investors in assessing the overall performance of the Corporation's assets. The Corporation calculates NAV by dividing shareholders' equity by the total number of Common Shares outstanding at a point in time. Vencanna's method of calculating NAV may differ from other companies and accordingly, NAV may not be comparable to similar measures used by other companies.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

SOURCE Top Strike Resources Corp.
Orklas operating profit (EBIT adj.) rose by 12% to NOK 1,143 million in the first quarter of 2020. Operating revenues increased by 13% to NOK 11,507 million.



Branded Consumer Goods including Headquarters improved operating profit by 18%. Reported turnover growth for Branded Consumer Goods was 14.7%, of which 5.4% was organic growth.



Towards the end of this years first quarter, Orkla and the society entered highly unusual times which seem set to continue. The authorities have imposed stringent restrictions in all our markets with a view to curbing the spread of the coronavirus. As a supplier of food, cleaning and hygiene products, Orkla has a responsibility to society for ensuring that our products are available during this period. It is therefore gratifying to see that we have succeeded in maintaining close to normal supply chain operations, while safeguarding the health and safety of our employees as our main priority, says Orkla President and CEO Jaan Ivar Semlitsch.



The coronavirus crisis has consequences for Orklas entire supply chain and all its business areas. In the last three weeks of March, Orkla Foods and Orkla Care saw a substantial increase in demand for food, cleaning and personal care products. Much of the increase is due to consumer stockpiling and changes in consumption patterns. The Orkla Food Ingredients and Orkla Consumer Investments business areas experienced reduced demand.



The turnover of companies that have been negatively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic accounts for around one quarter of Branded Consumer Goods turnover. The coronavirus crisis now unfolding is creating extraordinary uncertainty in extraordinary times, says Jaan Ivar Semlitsch.



Hydro Power had operating profit of NOK 39 million in the first quarter, compared with NOK 73 million year over year. The reduction was due to a substantial power surplus in the Norwegian market and significantly lower power prices.



Profit from associates increased by 29% to NOK 213 million in the first quarter. Jotuns operating profit rose by 36%. There was good growth in sales of Marine Coatings, driven by high activity in the ship maintenance market. Growth in sales of Decorative Paints, Protective Coatings and Powder Coatings was moderate.



The Groups other income and expenses totalled NOK -165 million in the first quarter. The largest items were costs related to the reorganisation of HQ, restructuring costs at Orkla Foods and Orkla Consumer Investments, and the write-down of IT systems.



Orkla carried out a number of acquisitions and disposals in the first quarter. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary Idun Industri AS, Orkla Food Ingredients signed and completed an agreement to purchase 70% of the shares in Win Equipment, a leading supplier of soft serve ice cream machines in the Netherlands. Orkla Foods Norge sold the SaritaS brand to the newly established company Indian Gourmet AS.



In April, Orkla Wound Care signed and completed an agreement to purchase 100% of the shares in Norgesplaster. The company holds good positions in the wound care and first aid equipment markets, and with the acquisition of Norgesplaster, Orkla Wound Care has strengthened its presence in the pharmacy channel and the market for first aid products.



Orklas profit before tax increased by 16% to NOK 1,152 million in the first quarter. Adjusted earnings per share rose by 24%, coming in at NOK 1.05 in the quarter.



Orkla ASA



Oslo, 5 May 2020



Ref.:

Group Director Corporate Communications and Corporate Affairs

Hakon Mageli

Mob.: +47 928 45 828



SVP Investor Relations

Thomas Ljungqvist

Mob.: +47 482 59 618



An Excel spreadsheet with key figures may be found at www.orkla.com .

Story continues

A pre-recorded presentation of the first quarter results is available from the following link : https://events.webcast.no/orkla-asa/presentations/hNtloygYxEKeC8Qd7t2C .

A live Q&A session with President & CEO Jaan Ivar Semlitsch and CFO Harald Ullevoldster will be held today at 8.00 a.m. CET. This session may be viewed in a live webcast at: https://events.webcast.no/orkla-asa/presentations/zgtnwohiNaT9HnQpjPHh ) or followed by telephone. Dial-in details: +44 (0) 20 3003 2666 (password: Orkla Q1). Questions can be asked in writing in the webcast or by phone.

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

Attachments
Youve figured out the basics of setting up your smart home, now its time to raise your game. Ive spent years installing, configuring, and tweaking dozens of smart home products in virtually every product category. Along the way Ive figured out a lot of the secrets they dont tell you in the manual or the FAQs, ranging from modest suggestions that can make your smart home configuration less complex, to essential decisions that can save you from having to start over from scratch a few years later.

Heres my best advice on how to optimize your smart home, digested into a dozen top tips and best practices.

1. Choose a master platform at the start

IDG These days, an Amazon or Google/Nest smart speaker or smart display can fill the role of a smart home hub (and some Amazon Echo devices are equipped with Zigbee radios)..

There are three major smart home platforms on the market, and your smart home will probably have at least one of them installed: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple HomeKit. The industry now revolves around these three systems, and virtually every significant smart home device that hits the market will support at least one of them, if not all three.

These platforms are different, of course. Alexa and Google Assistant are voice assistants/smart speakers first, but the addition of features that can control your smart devices has become a key selling point for each. HomeKit is a different animal, designed as more of a hub that streamlines setup and management. But since HomeKit interacts with Siri, it too offers voice assistant featuresprovided you have your iPhone in hand or have an Apple HomePod.

All three of these platforms will peacefully coexist, but you definitely dont need both Alexa and Google Assistant in the same home, and managing both will become an ordeal as your smart home grows larger. Its also completely fine to use HomeKit for setting up products and then using Alexa or Google Assistant for control. If you have a HomeKit hub device (either an AppleTV or a HomePod), youll want to use it, as it really does simplify setup.

2. You dont necessarily need a smart home hub

Christopher Null / IDG These days, youll only need a DIY smart home hub like Samsung SmartThings if want to undertake a more ambitious home control effort.

In the early days of the smart home, two wireless standards, Zigbee and Z-Wave, were going to be the future. These low-power radios offer mesh networking features that are designed to make it easy to cover your whole home with smart devices without needing to worry about coverage gaps or congestion issues.

The main problem with Zigbee and Z-Wave devices is that they require a special hub that acts as a bridge to your Wi-Fi network, so you can interact with them using a smartphone, tablet, or your computer (while youre home and when youre away, via the internet). Samsung SmartThings is the only worthwhile DIY product in this category at present; its only credible competitor used to be Wink, a company that is now on its third owner and which has a questionable future at best. The Ring Alarm system has both Z-Wave and Zigbee radios onboard, but its much more focused on home security than home control.

As simple as SmartThings and Ring Alarm are, youll still face a learning curve to master them, and if your home-control aspirations are basic, you might find it easier to use devices (and the apps that control them) that connect directly to your Wi-Fi network and rely on one of the three platforms mentioned above for integration. Its worth noting here than the 800-pound gorilla in the smart lighting worldSignify, with its Philips Hue product linenow offers families of smart bulbs that rely on Bluetooth instead of Zigbee, so they dont require the $50 Hue Bridge.

That said, however, youre limited to controlling 10 Hue bulbs over Bluetooth. The Hue Bridge is required beyond that, and its also required if you set up Hue lighting fixtures, including its outdoor lighting line.

The bottom line on this point: Unless you want to build out a highly sophisticated smart home system, I recommend sticking with products that connect directly to your network via Wi-Fi, rendering a central hub unnecessary.

3. Range issues can create big problems

The downside of installing Wi-Fi only gear is that everything in the house will need to connect directly to your router. If your router isnt centrally located and your house is spread out, this can create range issues, particularly in areas where interference is heavy: the kitchen, bathrooms, and anything outside.

Your best bet is to check your Wi-Fi coverage both inside and outside the house before you start installing gear. Make a map of dead zones and decide whether you can live with them. If not, youll want to consider relocating your router or moving up to a mesh Wi-Fi network with two or more nodes. You can read more about mesh Wi-Fi networks here.

Netgear Mesh network routers, such as Netgears Orbi product line, connect multiple wireless nodes to blanket your home with Wi-Fi

Interference can also be a troubling problem that changes over time. If your next-door neighbor upgrades or moves his router, you may find that an area of the house with a once-solid signal has suddenly become erratic. You can tinker with the Wi-Fi channel settings in your routers administration tool, but deploying a mesh network is a more sure-fire solution. Netgear even has an Orbi mesh node that can be installed outdoors to cover your backyard.

4. You dont need smart gear everywhere

Many a smart home enthusiast has dreamed of wiring his entire home from top to bottom with smart products. A smart switch in every room and a smart outlet on every wall sounds like a high-tech dream; in reality, it can spiral into a nightmare.

The biggest problem is that while smart gear can be amazingly convenient, it also adds complexity to your environment because all of it must be carefully managed. Does installing 50 firmware updates sound like a great way to spend the weekend? Or troubleshooting that one switch that just wont suddenly connect properly? Deploying smart speakers all over house, so you dont need to yell for one to hear you, sounds like a great idea, toothat is, until the speakers have difficulty deciding exactly which one youre talking to.

Michael Brown / IDG Devices such as Levitons Decora Smart Voice Dimmer with Amazon Alexa make it easy to put Amazons digital assistant in every room, which sounds like a great idea until they start fighting each other to answer your commands.

In choosing where to install smart gear, think first about necessity. The hard-to-reach socket where you always plug in your Christmas tree is a perfect place for a smart outlet that can be set on a recurring schedule. The kitchen is a great option for voice control, so you dont need to touch anything with dirty hands. My living room feature is lighted by three lamps which would normally have to be turned off and on individually; with smart bulbs and Alexa, its easy to power them on with a couple of spoken words. But does the overhead light in the master closet really need to have any of these features?

And finally, theres the obvious issue: Smart gear isnt cheap, and outfitting a large home with smart gear can quickly become exorbitantly expensive. Think about what happens when your gear becomes outdated (and out of warranty)?

The bottom line: While its a great idea to install everything you think youre going to use at the start of your project, dont overdo it. You can always add on to your system down the road. Install smart gear only where you legitimately know you will use it.

5. Consolidate vendors

Michael Brown / IDG This Leviton Leviton Wi-Fi fan speed controller is installed next to the companys Z-Wave dimmer, but only the former can use the My Leviton app; the Z-Wave device anticipates being connected to a smart home hub.

It might sound like common knowledge to suggest you try to stick with a single vendor when it comes to all your switches or light bulbs, but its easy to be wooed by a product that promises new features or better performance. Avoid taking the bait: Over time, bouncing from one vendor to the next will leave you managing multiple apps, and youll likely get confused about which one goes with which device.

Many smart outlets and switches dont carry a visible brand logo, so it isnt always as easy as just checking the hardware itself to see where you should go. (Making matters worse, many smart products use a management app with a name that that has no relation to the hardwares name.) And while most HomeKit-capable apps can control other vendors HomeKit devices, youll still usually need the official app to get things set up initially and to perform regular maintenance.

The good news is that TechHive has plenty of buying guides in almost every smart home category to help take the guesswork out of figuring out which brands to build your home around, so you neednt experiment to find the best products on the market.

6. Give your gear short, logical names

Michael Brown / IDG Give your smart home devices unique names, but remember also that you might be speaking their names to a digital assistant.

By default, many smart products will give themselves a name during setup that consists of generic terms and random digits, none of which will be helpful to you in identifying them later. Its best to give your gear a short but logical and easy-to-remember name when you first set it up.

Start by giving all the rooms in your house a name in the management app, even if they dont have any gear in them. (You might install equipment there later.) Bedroom is not a good name unless you only have only one. Youll want to use the most logical but unique names possible here: Master bedroom, Zoes bedroom, Guest bedroom, and so on.

Now, when you install a product, standardize names using both the room name and a description of the itemor what the item controls. For example: Master bedroom overhead lights for a wall switch or Office desk lamp for a smart plug connected to said lamp. In rooms where you have multiple products, you can use a longer descriptor, numerical ID (1, 2, 3), or something similar. In my living room, the three lamp smart bulbs are named Living room lamp left, center, and right, so if one isnt working in the app, its easy for me to figure out which is which.

Doing this work up front will save you time if and when you connect your gear to a voice assistant. Not only does having a standardized, logical naming system make it easy for you to remember what to say, changing the name of a product in its app generally means having to re-discover the product within your voice assistant app, which is a hassle.

7. Wiring never looks like it does in the pictures

Manuals and online guides always make in-wall wiring look like a standard, well-organized affair, but I can assure you that many an electrician has taken some significant liberties with the way that switches and outlets are wired in the average home. Dont be surprised to find multiple black line/load wires when you expected to find just two, strange in-wall hardware that doesnt look like the picture, and wiring that simply doesnt make sense.

For help in situations where the answer isnt obvious, take pictures andas a first stepask the vendor for guidance. If tech support isnt forthcoming, consider an online forum like Doityourself.com or DIY Chatroom, where loads of DIYers are ready to lend a hand. Your pictures will be invaluable in situations like thisdoubly so if you decide to give up and just put your existing switch back in place.

Michael Brown / IDG The neutral wire required by the vast majority of smart switches and outlets is typically white. So which of these two white wires is the neutral?

Of course, you can always experiment as long as youre patient. Theres little risk of damaging the product if you miswire it the first time. Just make sure youre turning the power off at the circuit breaker before you touch anything.

As a last tip on wiring, note that neutral (typically white) wiring is essential for most of the smart switches on the market. If there is no neutral wire in the electrical box where you want to install a smart switch, youll need to seek out the handful smart switches and dimmers that dont require a neutral wire, like these C by GE models or certain Lutron switches.

8. Expect problems to emerge without warning

You know how your computer suddenly starts crashing every day, or your printer abruptly vanishes from the network? The same kind of things happen to smart home gear, which, after all, are miniature computers of their own, all prone to the same types of issues. Expect the occasional product to abruptly disconnect from your network, vanish from the management app, or stop working altogethereven after months or years of otherwise trouble-free operation, without any discernable reason. In many cases, youll need to manually reset the product to get it to reconnect to the app. Sometimes the app will guide you through this process, otherwise a quick Google search can get you squared away.

9. Pay attention to battery life

Devices not attached directly to the grid rely on battery power to operate. Door/window and motion sensors, smart locks, smart doorbells, many cameras, smoke alarms, and more are all likely to require regular battery replacements or recharging, and while many devices claim to last for multiple months or even years, the reality is often shorter than that.

Michael Brown / IDG The apps that come with most devices will monitor battery life, but dont count on them issuing a warning before the battery dies.

Take stock of the batteries each of these devices usesome are truly oddball cells that you wont have in the junk drawerand keep spares on hand for when they die. Devices that use a rechargeable battery like the Ring Doorbell are supposed to alert you via the app when the battery is running low, so you can recharge it before it goes totally dead, but my experience is that these alerts are rarely actually delivered (or end up being ignored).

If your Ring Video Doorbells battery is dead, youll never know if someones ringing the bell (which, in my case, usually means a missed delivery slip from FedEx). I check my Rings battery life in the app once a week (its under Device Health), and when it hits about 35 percent, I remove the cell and charge it back up (you can also buy spare Ring batteries and just swap a dying battery for a freshly charged one).

10. Dimmers can be particularly problematic

Electrical dimmers like the old-school wall-mounted dial type work by lowering the amount of electrical current being sent to the load device, which will, say, lower the brightness of an incandescent bulb or slow down a fan. Unfortunately, dimmers pose particular problems for many devices. Smart home devices are especially problematic when dimmers are attached, because they contain electronics and radios that simply wont work if the power isnt coming through at full strength. As such, its a bad idea to connect devices like smart light bulbs to circuits that are connected to a dimmer.

On a similar front, youll need to be especially observant if you replace an old toggle switch with a smart dimmer. As a shortcut, sometimes switches are wired with pass-through circuitry that is meant to pass along current to other devices (such as a nearby power outlet). If you swap out this switch with a dimmer, you might inadvertently connect the dimmer to those outlets, causing them to lose all or partial power, making for a complex troubleshooting session.

11. IFTTT almost always has a workaround

Getting various pieces of smart home gear to work together is one of the most rewarding facets of having a smart home. If youve consolidated vendors and are selecting products based on compatibility with your master platform (tips number 1 and 5 above), youll have an easy time getting things working together, whether thats turning on music when you open the garage, or syncing lighting to turn off when someone locks the front door.

But those are fairly simple examples of smart home automations, and if you want to get really creative, youll probably need to delve into IFTTT, the preeminent if this, then that platform. IFTTT applets can get pretty wild because they can incorporate products well beyond what you might think of as part of the smart home. You can even connect devices to trigger based on Twitter messages, RSS feeds, Instagram posts and more. Want to blink a light red when someone tags a picture of you on Facebook? IFTTT is the bestand maybe the onlyway to make it happen.

12. You get what you pay for

Wyze Labs Wyze Labs manufactures some of the best inexpensive smart home products weve tested.

It was inevitable that many smart home categories would enter generic territory as off-brand manufacturers came onboard, racing to the bottom when it comes to price. A quick search on Amazon will reveal all manner of ostensibly smart products from companies youve never heard of.

TechHive has tested a lot of this junk looking for diamonds in the rough, but most of it is just that: Low-cost garbage with bare minimum functionality that will create nothing but headaches for you in the long runassuming there is a long run; the build quality on these devices is rarely comforting. If you are seduced by those impossibly cheap bulbs, plugs, and switches, you can expect to get an app with bad (or no) translation from Chinese, minimal to no instructions on setup, and long waits for supportif you get any support at all.

One of the few exceptions to this rule so far has been Wyze, which offers a wide range of very affordable gear that, while low on features, does generally seem high in quality, at least compared to the vast sea of generic knockoffs on the market.

Updated May 20, 2020 to more accurately describe how the typical smart switch/smart outlet depends on the presence of a neutral wire in the box where it's being installed.
Shops that have partnered with banks can now provide cash withdrawal facilities to customers through the Unified Payments Interface or UPI.

The move will reduce the need for people to queue up at ATMs or bank branches, amid the nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Follow our LIVE blog for the latest updates of the novel coronavirus pandemic

No prior approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is needed for this facility.

The withdrawal limit is capped at Rs 2,000 per day per card in Tier III-VI areas, while in Tier I regions the cap is Rs 1,000, the central bank said on May 5.

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

Any charges levied cannot exceed 1 percent of the transaction amount.

Banks can permit merchants to offer the service after conducting the required due diligence, the RBI said in a statement.

The RBI had already permitted cash withdrawal at Point of Sale (PoS) terminals using debit cards and open system prepaid cards.

"Cash can also be withdrawn at PoS terminals through Unified Payments Interface (UPI) as well as through the use of electronic cards that are linked with overdraft facility provided along with Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) accounts," the RBI said.

The banking regulator mentioned that credit cards are not permitted for cash withdrawal at PoS terminals.

Customers can withdraw cash at the PoS terminal even if they are not purchasing goods/services from the merchant's establishment.

Follow our full coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic here
Nigerias decision to unwind the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown in the capital, Abuja, Lagos and Ogun States refers.

As we strive to balance the need to protect health while also preserving livelihoods, can we safely say that the worst of the pandemic that has unleashed more than 2,170 cases and over-68 deaths on the country is over? If we take a chance when the pandemic is still ravaging our land, how safe are we? If we are not safe, where then lies the sunshine in dark times?With porous borders and a compromised security system littering Nigerias geopolitical landscape, how far can the closure of inter-state borders go in repurposing our lives towards the sought-after reprieve? What type of sustainable national strategy and national framework are being put in place for the economy to bounce back, especially, after lots of pains for the people? What type of conversations are our leaders having  even, with those working at their pleasure  on decisions with life and death consequences? Are there modalities in place to cushion the effects of job losses and unpaid salaries as a result of COVID-19?

The world is ghastly, dangerously sick. Nobody can deny that! Coronavirus is threatening her very foundation even as Nigerians are confused as to who among our fathers have sinned that we are now bearing the consequences of their iniquities. But, instead of just following the rabble, we must admit that the lockdown has offered us an opportunity to interrogate the fundamental platform of our predicament. Basically, instituted social lockdown is a time of slowing down, which in turn provides a unique opportunity for the critical assessment of social systems and a dispassionate self-appraisal of extant public institutions. By common consent, individual families should be able to look at the family and debate what they can do better immediately this lockdown is done with. It should give us an opportunity to sit down and critically reason with people who can think to fashion a way forward for dear country. In other words, every sector of Nigerias socioeconomic-cum-political sphere should not go back to the old normal. Instead, it should saddle us with a new normal; a new world that is durable, more enduring and able to withstand whatever adversity that may befall the country in the next foreseeable future. We cannot afford to miss out on this golden opportunity of an induced leap from the known to the unknown within the spectrum of available alternative models of development!

That we are where we are finds space in lack of preparedness on the part of the government, as well as lack of vision for leadership. Instead of facing the reality, we are just perambulating! The same problem that was identified before the civil war in Nigeria is still here with us today, decades after the war. Nothing has changed! Year in, year out, the same set of people are contesting and winning elections. Eventually, our elected representatives are cocooned in monstrous buildings as official or personal quarters, with state-of-the-art cars, each costing Nigerian taxpayers tens of millions of naira, to boot. Before long, they will start displaying wealth in manners not too far from showing to the world how foolish the people have been for electing them. Then, what hope is left for the common man? Nothing! They flaunt the wealth. They flaunt the power. They flaunt the affluence, while the common man just keeps looking, mesmerized and blaming the gods for his predicament!

Nigeria can be likened to a poor man who sees himself as a proud owner of a horse in a dream. Unarguably, he is bound to realize the folly of dreams immediately he wakes up. There and then, he will close his eyes without wanting to wake up again! Take for instance a governor, who, instead of making robust preparations for a looming disaster, was busy running after Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as if deposing the 14th Emir of Kano was the tonic Ibrahim Ganduje needed to earn respect. Elsewhere in Oyo, Governor Seyi Makinde is so content with tales-by-moonlight politics that he has forgotten that one infected person is what a slipshod Pacesetter state needs to spoil the show for an infection-free, Land of Virtue Osun; even trouble the Israel of the country!

Truth be told: Nigeria is in trouble, whether the government admits it or not! Federal Governments efforts at raising palpable denial, or, deliberately feigning ignorance of the subject matter notwithstanding, trouble is trouble; and it is financial! Close to 100 years after Nigeria has been mouthing development plans, nothing really has developed. What type of country is it that continues to run, de columnis autem post, unsure of where to source succour? With no foreign currency coming from anywhere, how do we now survive? In saner climes, somebody ought to have come up with a proposal to solve the puzzle long before now! His grave shortcomings apart, Adolf Hitler did it for Germany and the country is better for it today. Incidentally, COVID-19 is here with us and an essential part of its assignment is to teach us to think.

For now, the most critical issue that can make the entire world economy to start crumbling is the oil price index. Right now, the worlds global economy is hemorrhaging! If gold could rust, then, the likely fate of iron becomes predictable. In Nigeria, for example, the Year 2020 budget was predicated on $57/bl of crude oil. Now, it is more like $0/bl. For Nigeria therefore, disaster looms, more so as nothing will be doable, unless a miracle happens. So, what are we going to do? Well, this boils down to what we have been saying: planning and diversification of the economy. That oil becomes $100/bl and we go to bed is like building a castle in the air. Unfortunately, Nigeria is yet to be weaned from the sucking breast of cultural imperialism. Meanwhile, nobody is talking about changing the mindset of Nigerians with the aim of altering the perverse orientation and fraudulent disposition of the individual in the larger society. Everyone just wants to get rich quickly, and secure his or her future! In the end, everybody becomes poorer for it! The leadership is bereft of ideas and the led just follow to the gallery. Is it any wonder that the country is poor?

May the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, heal our land!

*KOMOLAFE writes in from Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State (ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk).

abiodun KOMOLAFE,

O20, Okenissa Street,

Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State.
Premier Mark McGowan has ruled out reform of stamp duty as WA prepares to attempt a recovery from the disastrous economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic in the lead-up to the 2021 state election.

Instead, he said Labor would reform planning and building regulations and look at reducing red tape to "get things moving more quickly".

"We need to cut through the red tape to allow people to invest and get projects happening. That's exactly what the state needs and that's exactly what we'll do," the Prermier said.

"This gives us an historic opportunity to cut through some of these bureaucratic layers that have built up over decades and that's what we're going to do."
In a major relief to the Yogi Adityanath government, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Wednesday said that UP governments decision to raise cut-off marks in the exam for selection of 69000 assistant teachers in the state was correct. It also directed the state government to complete the selection process within three months.

Earlier, the state government had raised the cut-off for selection of assistant teachers to 65 percent (from 45%) for general candidates and 60 percent (from 40%) for reserved category candidates. A single Judge order had quashed the state governments order through which the qualifying marks for the examination was raised.

State and other aggrieved candidates had challenged the single judge order. A division bench of justices Pankaj Kumar Jaiswal and Karunesh Singh Pawar pronounced the judgement in favour of state governments decision on raising cut-offs in the chamber on the special appeals on Wednesday. Advocate general Raghvendra Singh had appeared for the state, supporting the rasing of cutoff by the state government, state counsel Ranvijay Singh said.

The government order, dated January 7, 2019, had fixed 65% qualifying marks for general category candidates (from 45%) and 60% for the reserved category candidates (from 40%). The fact that it was issued a day after the recruitment exam on January 6 had prompted the job seekers to move the court.

The single judge order dated March 29, 2019, which had come as a relief for thousands of shiksha mitras, directed the secretary of examination regulatory authority to declare the result as per the old criteria of 45% and 40% qualifying marks within three months. During the hearing, the petitioners counsel had submitted that the governments decision was arbitrary and discretionary.

The state government had maintained that the qualifying percentage was raised to ensure that better teachers get selected.

The UP government had issued the notification for recruitment of 69,000 assistant teachers in the state on December 5, 2018.

The court had reserved the verdict on March 3 on the bunch of appeals after detailed final hearing on the same, which was going on for more than six months.
Qantas has suspended plans to press ahead with launching 19-and-a-half-hour direct flights from London and New York to Sydney.

The non-stop flights would have been the longest commercial services in the world and the airline had already selected the Airbus A350-1000 as the most suitable aircraft for the routes.

But speaking to reporters yesterday, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce confirmed that the carrier had shelved plans to order up to 12 Airbus A350s for the ultra-long-haul programme called Project Sunrise.

Qantas has suspended plans to press ahead with direct flights connecting London and New York with Sydney

He said that although Project Sunrise had 'huge potential' it would not be the right time to pursue it 'given the impact Covid-19 has had on world travel'.

Mr Joyce added: 'We have to plan for a range of scenarios.'

Last year, Qantas carried out three research flights using 'human guinea pigs' to test the impact of the ultra-long-haul routes on passengers and crew.

The first non-stop test flight operated between New York and Sydney in October carrying 49 passengers and crew.

The second flight ran from London Heathrow to Sydney in November carrying a similar number of people.

In December, a third test flight was conducted between New York and Sydney.

Last year, Qantas carried out three research flights to test the impact of the ultra-long-haul routes on passengers and crew. Pictured are passengers on the test flight from London to Sydney

On the test flight from London to Sydney, passengers took part in exercises such as stretches, squats and walks around the cabin

Researchers from the University of Sydney's Charles Perkins Centre and the Cooperative Research Centre for Alertness, Safety and Productivity (Alertness CRC) were onboard all three flights, collecting data concerning the health and well being of passengers.

Those on board the test flight from London to Sydney were treated to wine for breakfast, enjoyed two sunrises on the journey and even took part in aerobic exercises such as stretches, squats and walks around the cabin.

It had been hoped that a final decision on ordering new aircraft for the routes would have taken place in March, with the launch of Project Sunrise flights in 2023.

The news comes as Qantas also revealed that it had secured enough funding to last it through to the end of next year.

The test flight from London arrives in Sydney. Qantas had planned to start the direct flights by 2023

The airline is also reviewing its fleet with the expectation that most international travel could take years to rebound.

The carrier secured A$550million ($352.99million/285.98million) against three of its Boeing Co 787-9 aircraft and said it could raise another A$2.7 billion ($1.7billion/1.4billion) from other aircraft assets if needed. It also said it would reduce its cash burn rate to A$40million ($25million/20million) a week by the end of June.

Mr Joyce said: 'This means we are very well placed to ride this out and to take part in the recovery when it arrives.

'Because Australia has flattened the curve there is some hope travel demand will come back faster than expected,' he said, referring to a plateau in the Covid-19 infection rate in Australia.

Qantas had already selected the Airbus A350-1000, pictured, as the most suitable aircraft for the routes

Qantas has cancelled most domestic flights until the end of June and international flights until the end of July.

More than 25,000 of the airline's staff have been stood down until at least the end of June at a time when the carrier is flying five per cent of its pre-crisis domestic passenger network and one per cent of its pre-crisis international network.

Mr Joyce said there was the ability to scale up quickly if demand returned and the airline was well-placed to pick up domestic and international market share during a recovery due to its strong financial position.
The Wuhan laboratory which has been accused by top US officials of being the source of coronavirus pandemic has been conducting research on the virus. However, US President Donald Trump and US secretary of state Mike Pompeo have repeatedly claimed that there is evidence that the pathogen came from the lab itself.

While world leaders are grappling to contain the CIVID-19 outbreak, several leaders have also speculated that the deadly coronavirus was human-made and started from contact with infected animals or from an accident; at the Wuhan lab in China. However, China has strongly denied the allegations. Even the World Health Organisation reportedly said that Washington had offered no evidence to support the speculative claims.

READ: Australians, New Zealanders Repatriated From Nepal

Several scientists believe that coronavirus jumped from animals to humans, possible at a Wuhan market selling wild animals. The top US epidemiologist, Anthony Fauci, also echoed that evidence so far strongly indicates a natural origin. According to a previous study, it was also concluded that the new virus shared a 79.6 per cent sequence identity to the SARS coronavirus, and it was 96 per cent identical at the whole-genome level to a coronavirus found in bats.

While the scientists think COVDI-19 originated in bats and could have been transmitted to people via another animal like a pangolin, the US still continues to investigate further as there is no evidence or a definitive answer so far. The US diplomatic cables reportedly also said that the officials were concerned about the inadequate safety standards related to researchers handling of the virus in the high-security lab in Wuhan.

READ: Wreckage Of Plane Crash In Somalia That Killed 6

Need to look into the origin of COVID-19

However, the institute reportedly said that it received a sample of the then-unknown virus on December 30, determined the viral genome sequence on January 2 and submitted the information on the pathogen to the WHO on January 11. One of Chinas leading experts on bat coronavirus also said that she would bet her life that the virus had nothing to do with the lab. The expert also reportedly said that the SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence did not match any of the bat coronaviruses her laboratory had previously collected and studied.

While there is still no proof for the lab accident theory, there is also no clear evidence that the virus came from Wuhan market. Several scientists believe that the researchers need to look into the origin of the deadly COVID-19 as it has already affected nearly 212 countries and territories around the globe. While scientists have the hypothesis that the virus came from a live animal market, there is still no definitive evidence that shows to the contrary.

(Image: PTI)

READ: Israeli Billionaire Hopes To Bring Water To Parched Gaza

READ: German Factory Orders Plunge In March As Shutdowns Hit
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend:

Turkmenistan held a meeting related to preventing COVID-19 from entering the country, Trend reports with reference to "Zolotoy Vek" (Golden Age) newspaper.

The meeting of the country's Cabinet of Ministers was chaired by the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

All members of countrys State Security Council, as well as regional administrative entities, heads of individual ministries and departments, as well as representatives of the mass media were invited to participate in this session.



According to the Minister of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan Nurmuhammet Amannepesov, the country continues to improves its work on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

In this regard, the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan and The United Nations Children's Fund signed a memorandum on the purchase of vaccines from 2016 through 2020. According to this document, vaccines against 11 types of infections were purchased. The country has also bought over 200,000 doses of flu vaccines.

The president of Turkmenistan highlighted the necessity to monitor maintenance of all measures in the agro-industrial sector of the country to prevent the penetration of viral infections into the territory of Turkmenistan.

The head of state stressed the need to conduct all activities at checkpoints in strict accordance with medical requirements.

Summing up the meeting, Turkmenistans president highlighted that from the first days, the country has taken all necessary steps to prevent the COVID-19 from entering the country.

Turkmenistan has also established an emergency commission to combat the spread of diseases. This includes check-up of every arriving person, as well as strict control over safety of food products.
The bacteria Thermus thermophilus likes it hot. It was first discovered in the hot springs at Izu in Japan, where it thrives at an optimal temperature of about 65 degrees Celsius. Like all bacteria, Thermus thermophilus has developed mechanisms to adjust to changing environmental conditions. The bacteria changes its genetic material by exchanging DNA with other bacteria, or absorbing DNA fragments from its environment. These might come from dead bacteria cells, plants or animals. The bacteria incorporate the DNA fragments into their genetic material and keep it if the DNA proves useful.

Microbiologists at Goethe University led by Professor Beate Averhoff from the Molecular Microbiology & Bioenergetics of the Department of Molecular Biosciences together with a team of scientists led by Dr Vicky Gold from the "Living Systems" Institute of the University of Exeter in Great Britain have now studied the tiny hairs (called pili) on the surface of the Thermus bacteria. The scientists discovered that there are two types of pili with different functions. High-resolution electron microscope images from Great Britain allow thick and thin pili to be distinguished, and the Frankfurt scientists used biochemical and molecular biological methods to demonstrate that the thick pili are for DNA capture, and the thin pili for moving on surfaces.

"We want to find out exactly how Thermus thermophilus absorbs DNA from its environment using its pili, as the precise mechanism is unknown," explains Professor Beate Averhoff from the Institute for Molecular Biosciences at Goethe University. "Through our most recent investigations we have learned that Thermus bacteria have distinct pili for motion. Therefore, the thick pili possibly serve the purpose of DNA absorption, which demonstrates how important this process is for the bacteria. In our structure analyses we also found an area on the thick pili where DNA could bind."

The interplay of electron microscopy and molecular biology also allowed the scientists to better understand the mechanics of the pili. For both motion and DNA absorption, pili have to be dynamic, i.e., able to be extended and retracted. "For the first time, the high resolution structure of both pili gave us insights not only into the structure of the pili, but also into the dynamics," Averhoff explains.

Since pili are widespread and in pathogenic bacteria are also responsible for attaching to the host, this may lead to new points of attack for preventing infectious processes.

###

Publication: Alexander Neuhaus, Muniyandi Selvaraj, Ralf Salzer, Julian D. Langer, Kerstin Kruse, Lennart Kirchner, Kelly Sanders, Bertram Daum, Beate Averhoff, Vicki A. M. Gold (2020). Cryo-electron microscopy reveals two distinct type-IV pili assembled by the same bacterium. Nature Communications, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-15650-w )

An image may be downloaded here: http://www.uni-frankfurt.de/88063448

Caption: Bacteria of the species Thermus thermophilus possess different tiny hairs (pili) which are used either to capture DNA or for motion. This has been discovered by scientists at Goethe University Frankfurt and the University of Exeter. Graphic: aduka, Agency Frankfurt am Main(http://www.aduka.de) for Goethe University Frankfurt.

Further information:

Prof. Beate Averhoff

Molecular Microbiology and Bioenergetics

Tel.: +49 69 798-29509

averhoff@bio.uni-frankfurt.de

https://www.mikrobiologie-frankfurt.de

Current news about science, teaching, and society can be found on GOETHE-UNI online.

Goethe University is a research-oriented university in the European financial centre Frankfurt am Main. The university was founded in 1914 through private funding, primarily from Jewish sponsors, and has since produced pioneering achievements in the areas of social sciences, sociology and economics, medicine, quantum physics, brain research, and labour law. It gained a unique level of autonomy on 1 January 2008 by returning to its historic roots as a "foundation university". Today, it is one of the three largest universities in Germany. Together with the Technical University of Darmstadt and the University of Mainz, it is a partner in the inter-state strategic Rhine-Main University Alliance. Internet: http://www.uni-frankfurt.de

Publisher: The President of Goethe University Editor: Dr. Markus Bernards, Science Editor, PR & Communication Department, Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 1, 60323 Frankfurt am Main, Tel: -49 (0) 69 798-12498, Fax: +49 (0) 69 798-763 12531, bernards@em.uni-frankfurt.de.
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Chhattisgarh's chief minister has accused state-run NMDC of diverting corporate social responsibility (CSR) money owed to the state to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's coronavirus fund, according to a letter seen by Reuters.

The state also said the iron ore miner had not paid Rs 1,023 crore in remaining penalties over alleged violations, adding that the miner was not keeping up its commitments that included a housing scheme.

PM Modi is facing criticism for creating a new coronavirus relief fund PM CARES when about $500 million was lying unspent in an older fund, even as top businesses and celebrities pledge millions of dollars in new donations.

"NMDC has diverted the rightful CSR funds of people of Chhattisgarh to the newly created PM CARES Fund," Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said in a May 4 letter to Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

NMDC, which is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Steel, said in March it contributed Rs 150 crore to the PM CARES Fund.

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

Some of India's state governments, who manage public health and public order, have been demanding more funds from the federal government to attend to the rapidly spreading virus.

The Chhattisgarh government is run by the Congress party, the main opposition to Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Congress has said the new fund lacks transparency, and some aid groups are concerned that it might divert resources away from grassroots humanitarian efforts.

Baghel asked the miner to 'act responsibly' and urged the federal government to push NMDC to pay remaining dues at the earliest to help the state fight the spread of the coronavirus, and not be a 'mute spectator'.

"In this crisis situation, the state government needs financial resources and people of Chhattisgarh are looking for their legitimate resources to come in handy during this hour of crisis," Baghel said in the letter.

NMDC chairman N. Baijendra Kumar said the company will continue to work with the Chhattisgarh government, but did not comment on the penalties or the alleged diversion of the fund.

The Ministry of Steel did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.

"We have an excellent relationship with the government of Chhattisgarh and if there are any issues which have been raised by the state government, we will try to sort it out," Kumar told Reuters on Wednesday.

($1 = Rs 76.0510)
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Trump administration failed to prepare for the onslaught of the coronavirus, then sought a quick fix by trying to rush an unproven drug to patients, a senior government scientist alleged in a whistleblower complaint.

Dr. Rick Bright, former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, alleges he was reassigned to a lesser role because he resisted political pressure to allow widespread use of hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug pushed by President Donald Trump. He said the Trump administration wanted to "flood" hot spots in New York and New Jersey with the drug.

"I witnessed government leadership rushing blindly into a potentially dangerous situation by bringing in a non-FDA approved chloroquine from Pakistan and India, from facilities that had never been approved by the FDA," Bright said Tuesday on a call with reporters. "Their eagerness to push blindly forward without sufficient data to put this drug into the hands of Americans was alarming to me and my fellow scientists."

Bright filed the complaint with the Office of Special Counsel, a government agency that investigates retaliation against federal employees who uncover problems. He wants his job back and a full investigation.

The Department of Health and Human Services issued a terse statement saying that Bright was transferred to the National Institutes of Health to work on coronavirus testing, a crucial assignment. "We are deeply disappointed that he has not shown up to work on behalf of the American people and lead on this critical endeavor," HHS spokeswoman Caitlin Oakley said.

According HHS, Bright has not reported to his new post. But his spokeswoman said that Bright is on sick leave, following his doctor's orders, and that HHS has provided him no details on his new role.

In this image provided by Public Health Emergency, a department of Health and Human Services, Rick Bright is shown in his official photo from April 27, 2017, in Washington. Bright filed a complaint May 5, 2020, with the Office of Special Counsel, a government agency responsible for whistleblower complaints. He's the former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority. Bright alleges he was removed from his job and reassigned to a lesser role because he resisted political pressure to allow widespread use of hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug favored by President Donald Trump. (Health and Human Services via AP)

Bright's complaint comes as the Trump administration faces criticism over its response to the pandemic, including testing and supplies of ventilators, masks and other equipment to stem the spread. There have been nearly 1.2 million confirmed cases in the United States and more than 70,000 deaths.

Bright said his superiors repeatedly rejected his warnings that the virus would spread in the U.S., missing an early opportunity to stock up on protective masks for first responders. He said he "acted with urgency" to address the growing spread of COVID-19 - the disease the virus causes - after the World Health Organization issued a warning in January.

Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., chair of the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on health, said she plans to hold a hearing into his complaint next week, and Brights lawyers said he would testify. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, appearing on MSNBC, called the complaint "very damaging."

In his complaint, Bright said he "encountered resistance from HHS leadership, including Secretary (Alex) Azar, who appeared intent on downplaying this catastrophic event."

During a Feb. 23 meeting, Azar, as well as Bright's boss, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Robert Kadlec, "responded with surprise at (Brights) dire predictions and urgency, and asserted that the United States would be able to contain the virus and keep it out," the whistleblower complaint said.

Bright said White House trade adviser Peter Navarro was a rare exception among administration officials, extremely concerned about the potential consequences of an outbreak. He described working with Navarro to break a bureaucratic logjam and set up military transport from Italy for swabs needed in the U.S.

Navarro was the author of several urgent memos within the White House. Bright said Navarro asked for his help, saying the trade adviser told him the memos were needed to "save lives."

Navarros memos to top officials raised alarms even as Trump was publicly assuring Americans that the outbreak was under control.

Brights allegation that he was removed over his resistance to widespread use of the malaria drug was already public, but his whistleblower complaint added details from emails and internal communications while bringing to light his early attempts to acquire N95 respirator masks, which he said were ignored by superiors.

In late January, Bright said he was contacted by an official of a leading mask manufacturer about ramping up production. It was estimated that as many as 3.5 billion would be needed, while the national stockpile had about 300 million.

The complaint said that when Bright tried to press the issue about masks with superiors at HHS, he was ignored or rebuffed. "HHS publicly represented not only that COVID-19 was not an imminent threat, but also that HHS already had all the masks it would need," the complaint said.

As the epidemic spread in the U.S. and engulfed the New York metropolitan area, Bright alleges that political appointees at HHS tried to promote hydroxychloroquine "as a panacea." The officials also "demanded that New York and New Jersey be `flooded with these drugs, which were imported from factories in Pakistan and India that had not been inspected by the FDA," the complaint says.

Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned doctors against prescribing the drug except in hospitals and research studies. In an alert, regulators flagged reports of sometimes fatal heart side effects among coronavirus patients taking hydroxychloroquine or the related drug chloroquine.

Bright felt officials had "refused to listen or take appropriate action to accurately inform the public" and spoke to a reporter about the drug. He said he had to tell the public about the lack of science backing up its use, despite the drug being pushed by the president at press briefings.

"As the death toll mounted exponentially each day, Dr. Bright concluded that he had a moral obligation to the American public, including those vulnerable as a result of illness from COVID-19, to protect it from drugs which he believed constituted a substantial and specific danger to public health and safety," the complaint says.

On Jan. 20, according to the complaint, the WHO held an emergency call that was attended by many HHS officials, and WHO officials advised that "the outbreak is a big problem."

Trump has accused the U.N. agency of mismanaging and covering up the spread of the virus after it emerged in China. He has also said he wants to cut the WHO's funding.

Brights agency works to guard against pandemics and emergent infectious diseases and is working to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus.

Top officials also pressured him to steer contracts to a client of a lobbyist, he reported.

"Time after time I was pressured to ignore or dismiss expert scientific recommendations and instead to award lucrative contracts based on political connections," Bright said in the call with reporters. "In other words, I was pressured to let politics and cronyism drive decisions over the opinions of the best scientists we have in government."

Zachary Kurz, a spokesman for the agency where Bright filed his complaint, said the office couldnt comment or confirm the status of open investigations.

FILE - This Tuesday, April 7, 2020 file photo shows a bottle of hydroxychloroquine tablets in Texas City, Texas. On Friday, April 24, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned doctors against prescribing the malaria drug to treat COVID-19 outside of hospitals or research settings. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Police have said they will not take action against Professor Neil Ferguson for allegedly violating the UKs coronavirus lockdown.

The health secretary, Matt Hancock, suggested that officers should investigate the epidemiologist whose modelling convinced Boris Johnson to adopt nationwide restrictions.

You can imagine what my views are, Mr Hancock told Sky News on Wednesday. Its a matter for the police.

Prof Ferguson stood down from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) after it emerged that he had allowed a woman  described as his lover  to visit his London home on at least two occasions despite strict rules against moving between households.

The 52-year-old scientist said he had made an error of judgement.

Mr Hancock described the transgression as extraordinary and said that Prof Ferguson was right to resign from his position as a government adviser.

Professor Ferguson is a very eminent and impressive scientist and the science that he has done has been an important part of what we have listened to, he said. I think that he took the right decision to resign.

Scotland Yard said they would not take any further action against Prof Ferguson or the woman involved.

We remain committed to our role in supporting adherence to government guidance and have made it clear that our starting position is explaining the need to follow the regulations with anyone who is in breach, in order to keep people safe and protect the NHS, a statement from the force said.

It is clear in this case that whilst this behaviour is plainly disappointing, Professor Ferguson has accepted that he made an error of judgement and has taken responsibility for that.

We therefore do not intend to take any further action.

Professor Neil Ferguson (Marsha J)

The health secretary said he absolutely backed a separate police decision to issue a warning to Scotlands former chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood for travelling to her second home during the lockdown, and said he would back them in whatever action they decided to take against Prof Ferguson.

Absolutely I back the Scottish police and I would back the police here. Theyll take their decisions independently from ministers  thats quite right, its always been like that, he said.

And thats why  even though Ive got a clear answer to what I think  as a minister, the way we run the police is that they make decisions like this.

He said: As a government minister, I am not allowed to get involved in the operational decisions on police matters, but I think the social distancing rules are very important and people should follow them.

They are the means by which we have managed to get control of this virus.

Asked if he had fought to keep Prof Ferguson on Sage, the health secretary replied: Thats just not possible in these circumstances.

Prof Fergusons research with Imperial College London colleagues was influential in the prime ministers decision to impose a nationwide lockdown, after it forecast that 250,000 people could die in the UK without the implementation of strict containment measures.

In a statement, the professor of mathematical biology said on Tuesday night: I accept I made an error of judgement and took the wrong course of action.

I deeply regret any undermining of the clear messages around the continued need for social distancing to control this devastating epidemic. The government guidance is unequivocal, and is there to protect all of us.

Prof Ferguson explained that he had acted in the belief that he was immune from Covid-19, having previously tested positive in early March and self-isolated for almost two weeks after developing symptoms.

The woman who visited Prof Ferguson is said to have entered his home on 30 March and 8 April.

However, Mr Hancock made clear he did not accept the scientists excuse that he believed he was immune because he had previously been infected.

The health secretary, who himself suffered a mild bout of Covid-19, said: We dont know that for sure and theres so many new things about this coronavirus that we dont know thats the case.

I asked exactly that question of the chief medical officer: Can I behave differently because Ive now had it or do I still have to do the social distancing?

The answer was very clear  yes, we all have to abide by social distancing.

Under the Health Protection Regulations, which were brought in to enforce the lockdown announced on 23 March, it is illegal to leave home without reasonable excuse.

Violating the law can be punished with a 60 fine, or arrest in more severe cases, although police have been instructed to use enforcement as a last resort.

Officials have made clear that travelling to visit a partner at their home would not count as an exemption.

The day after the lockdown was announced, Dr Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer, said that couples who do not cohabit must either move in together or not meet at all for the duration of the restrictive measures.

The security minister, James Brokenshire, described the professors resignation as a matter of regret but appropriate.

Im obviously saddened to hear this development and the actions Professor Ferguson has taken but, ultimately, I think it is the right course of action, he told the BBC.

I think Professor Ferguson has taken an appropriate course given the issues of ensuring there is clarity of message on upholding the rules and requirements on social distancing and just why that matters so much in terms of protecting our NHS and saving lives.

A government spokesman confirmed that Prof Ferguson has stood down from Sage.
A man sits outside a closed Gap store in London, UK, on May 1, 2020. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Gap Planning to Reopen Hundreds of Stores in Coming Weeks

Up to 800 Gap stores will reopen in the coming weeks, the company announced Wednesday.

The first stores will open in Texas this weekend. Hundreds of others will welcome customers before the end of the month.

Gap stores include Old Navy, Gap, and Banana Republic.

A slew of changes are being implemented by the company in response to the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, a novel coronavirus from China.

Workers will receive high-quality face masks and be required to wear them while at work. Customers will be encouraged to wear masks or face coverings.

Plexiglass partitions are being installed in front of registers as a barrier between employees and customers.

Restrooms and fitting rooms will not reopen for the time being and any items returned will be isolated for 24 hours before being placed back out for purchase by others.

A closed Gap store in Farmington Hills, Mich., on March 26, 2020. (Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images)

Other measures include ramping up cleaning routines, providing hand sanitizer stations at front doors, and posting signs encouraging customers to maintain at least six feet from people they dont live with.

In working with industry partners and public officials to define Safe Shopping practices, were eager to begin welcoming our teams and customers back to our stores, and confident in our ability to safely scale North America openings over the coming months in line with local guidelines, said Sonia Syngal, Gap CEO, in a statement.

Some stores will offer curbside pickup and 1,000 have already been offering shipping straight from stores.

A number of other companies have started reopening or are planning to soon.

Macys opened dozens of stores this week in Georgia, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

The retailer plans to open all of its 775 stores within six weeks.

Kohls said it was reopening stores in Arkansas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Utah starting Monday.

A significant number of Starbucks started reopening this week. Many wont welcome customers inside but will conduct pickup in various ways.
MILWAUKEE, May 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- National Stroke Awareness Month gives new author, Vivian L. King, a chance to warn women of a risk factor that can strike when you least expect it. She recently launched her book, "When the Words Suddenly Stopped: Finding My Voice Again After a Massive Stroke," which details the day she collapsed at a local event. She suffered a seizure, later learning that it was a stroke, caused by a blood clot over the part of the brain that manages speech. The clot began bleeding, killing her brain cells, which left her mute for three-and-a half weeks.
Rights activists are concerned about the health of Rohingya refugees who have fled Myanmar.

More boats carrying Rohingya refugees have arrived in waters off Bangladesh.

Some of the refugees have been transferred to a small island, Bhasan Char, described by rights activists as a dangerously flood-prone island without adequate healthcare.

Al Jazeeras Mohammed Jamjoom reports.
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What will child care look like in the age of social distancing? Recently reopened child care centers in Long Beach might have the answer.

Staff in masks, face shields and coveralls greeted essential worker parents and 55 kids at two of the five Young Horizons Child Development Centers locations starting at 7 a.m. Monday.

"I was very relieved to see happy children, happy faces," said the center's executive director, Sarah Soriano.

Inside, kids wearing cloth and fabric masks sat at opposite ends of rectangular tables and played in taped-off squares on the floor.

Staff checked kids' temperatures before they could enter the Young Horizons center in Long Beach. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

The day started with a lesson on social distancing.

"No more hugs, no more high fives," teacher Nancy Ramirez told her young students as they sat, at least six feet apart. "Now we can wave, or bow. We have to do this to keep the germs away."

The center had to make drastic changes to reopen. Here are some of the new rules:

Staff ask questions about each child's health and check their temperature before they enter

Classrooms are limited to 10 children and three staff members

Meals are distributed in single-use, single-serve containers.

Bathrooms are sanitized after use by each child

Staff wear masks and children are encouraged to do so as well

RELIEF FOR PARENTS

Mayra Chavez, an essential worker, walks her son through the gates of Young Horizons' child care facility in Long Beach on their first day of reopening. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

When Diane Aguilera answered the phone Wednesday and a Young Horizons staffer told her the center would be reopening for essential workers, she felt one thing -- relief.

"I was just smiling," Aguilera said. "I got to breathe."

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She lives in Long Beach and works as a social worker and nursing assistant at a skilled nursing facility in Huntington Beach. After the day care center closed in March, friends and family took turns watching Aguilera's 2-year-old daughter, Leilani.

"It was hard because every day she would see a new face," she said. "She didn't want to stay. She cried."

It also meant Aguilera was driving as far as Compton for child care.

Aguilera works with patients who have COVID-19, so she'd also stop at home to shower before picking up her daughter.

She says she appreciates the new safety measures at the center, like having the children wear masks and checking for fevers.

And Leilani was so excited to come back to Young Horizons that she started wearing her backpack on Sunday.

"She was like 'Teacher?' and I was like, 'Yes, tomorrow.'"

Assistant teacher Jessica helps students wash their hands at Young Horizons. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

NEW SAFETY RULES

The majority of L.A. County's child care centers, 66%, had closed as of April 23, according to the California Department of Social Services. Young Horizons shut its doors on March 18.

"One of the biggest deciding factors is that we could not find the basics," said executive director Soriano. Bread, paper towels and toilet paper weren't available from her usual suppliers or nearby stores.

It's still difficult to find supplies, but Soriano was only able to buy one 100-count box of disposable masks and 10 sets of white coveralls for staff greeting parents and students at the door.

The professional cleaning company she hired to sanitize the centers donated a handful of plastic face shields.

Local child care referral agencies are in charge of distributing $50 million from the state for providers to purchase supplies.

Breakfast time in the toddler class at Young Horizons. A limited number of children of essential workers returned to the Long Beach child care facility on May 4. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

Soriano says the center's new policies are based on guidance issued by the Department of Social Services, which licenses child care centers. The L.A. County Department of Public Health also has guidelines.

To encourage children to stay at least 6 feet apart, tables that once held up to eight kids now have two seats and each child has a resealable plastic bag of toys for their individual use.

There are no more family-style meals where a bowl of fruit might be passed from person to person. Instead there are 2- and 4-ounce plastic cups for each child.

Parents are asked to outfit children ages 3 and up with masks, but as anyone who's spent time around little kids knows, potentially itchy and uncomfortable masks can be a tough sell.

"We are not going to force a child who is absolutely adamant, who does not want to wear their mask, to wear their mask," Soriano said. Teachers are already thinking about how to make it a game like, "try to guess if I'm smiling? Or "can you see if I'm sad?"

Each classroom is limited to 10 children (the ratio for infants is lower -- four per room). At Young Horizons, there will be three adults with each group of kids and no mixing between the different groups.

Toys and art supplies are separated in resealable plastic bags for each child. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

Gov. Gavin Newsom has said that expanding availability to child care will be a key part of reopening California. Some retail shops could open for curbside pick-up as early as Friday.

L.A. County essential worker parents can go online or call a hotline, 888-922-4453 (888-92CHILD), to connect to an agency that will help them find child care.

Young Horizons typically enrolls about 400 children, but Soriano said with the existing guidance it would be impossible to welcome everyone back. The center offered the first round of child care slots to families who work in essential services like health care, grocery stores and at banks.

"We have the social distancing and the six feet apart and the masks and everything because of the guidance that's been given," Soriano said. "So unless they change that, we can't receive more children."

LAist's Chava Sanchez contributed to this story.

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Japan's health ministry is set to change the criteria for allowing people to be tested for the coronavirus.

In Japan, people who think they may be infected by the virus must first contact a consultation center at local health offices. They can take Polymerase Chain Reaction tests, or PCR tests, if a doctor deems it necessary.

According to the guidelines set by the health ministry, people running a fever of 37.5 degrees Celsius or higher for four straight days should call.

But experts say this criterion could be discouraging people from seeking medical consultation.

So officials decided to set new guidelines without any concrete numbers.

Instead, they will call on people to contact authorities immediately if they have symptoms like difficulty in breathing, strong fatigue, or high fever.

Vulnerable people, such as elderly people or those with underlying conditions, will be advised to do the same if they have relatively light cold symptoms, such as fever or cough.

Health ministry officials plan to inform local authorities of the new guidelines within several days.
[May 06, 2020] Markman Biologics Will Revolutionize the Wound Care Domain

LAS VEGAS, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Markman Biologics Corporation is a first mover in the wound care domain. Markman Biologics, a Nevada Corporation Corporation, is a biotechnology patent-holding entity to create a value add in the healing of acute and chronic wounds. Markman Biologics' innovative and novel intellectual property pertains to resurfacing current smooth surface reconstructive grafts including, but not limited to, acellular dermal, split thickness skin, and decellularize amnion/chorion tissue. Microsurfacing can be performed on tissue grafts regardless of their foundational content. By microsurfacing tissue grafts, the hypothesis is to increase surface area, graft-host cellular interaction, and adhesion of the graft. Recently performed studies (unpublished) using a porcine model demonstrated that microsurfacing grafts resulted in an increased cellular response, improved blood flow, growth factor recruitment, and fibroblast proliferation to the microsurfaced graft. This data would suggest that microsurfacing may demonstrate better healing outcomes, as compared to control grafts. These preclinical studies have suggested improved cellular response with microsurfacing. Moreover, the potential benefits may extend beyond the immediate healing of dental or burn wounds. The effects of microsurfacing may strengthen or expedite healing, and longer-term outcomes may be improved.



Augusta, Georgia ) and The McGuire Institute for Periohealth ( Houston, Texas ), as principal investigators for the human clinical trials, are in the final stages. Integrated as a part of the collaboration is Investigational Review Board submission for approval.

Alan Shinderman, CEO of Markman Biologics Corporation, stated, "The mission of Markman Biologics' proprietary, patented, and next-generation biologics technology will target improving the lives of patients undergoing reconstructive surgery."

FINANCIAL The worldwide market of tissue grafts for split thickness grafts, acellular dermis, and amnion/chorion is approximately US $3 billion. After the clinical studies, the goal of Markman Biologics will be the commercialization of microresurfaced tissue grafts to the medical community. The primary revenue generation will be through a royalty or OEM distribution by Markman Biologics of microsurfaced tissue grafts. In order to meet future demand, negotiations with multiple American-accredited processing tissue banks are currently ongoing. CONTACT INFORMATION:

Markman Biologics Corporation

Alan Shinderman, CEO

469-277-0007

[email protected]

www.MarkmanBiologics.com Related Images image1.jpg View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/markman-biologics-will-revolutionize-the-wound-care-domain-301054225.html SOURCE Markman Biologics Corporation

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Tata Coffee rose 1.61% to Rs 78.80 after the company's consolidated net profit jumped 34.7% to Rs 24.05 crore on 12.2% rise in net sales to Rs 516.74 crore in Q4 March 2020 (Q4 FY20) from Rs 460.52 crore in Q4 March 2019 ( Q4 FY19).

The firm's plantation revenue has fallen 18.58% on a year-on-year (YoY) basis to Rs 66.94 crore in Q4 FY20. Its revenue from value added products, however, has has risen significantly by 19.37% on a YoY basis to Rs 456.26 crore during the same period.

The company said that Eight O' Clock Coffee (EOC) reported higher profits due to improved volumes. Its Vietnam operations continue to improve with healthy sales to key customers and added that the order pipeline remains healthy.

While the company's total expenditure increased by 11% to Rs 441.11 crore, interest payments stood at Rs 15.38 crore (up 26.5%) and depreciation costs were at Rs 20.73 crore (up 41.5%) in Q4 FY20 over Q4 FY19.

Accordingly, profit before tax or PBT stood at Rs 46.24 crore in Q4 March 2020, up by 15.2% from Rs 40.14 crore in Q4 March 2019. Total tax expense has fallen marginally by 0.4% to Rs 22.19 crore in Q4 FY20 from Rs 22.28 crore in Q4 FY19.

Tata Coffee's consolidated net profit rose 31.9% to Rs 141.01 crore on a 9% increase in net sales to Rs 1966.06 crore in the full year ended on 31 March 2020 (FY20) as compared to the full year ended on 31 March 2019 (FY19).

PBT jumped 17.6% to Rs 200.07 crore in FY20 from Rs 170.09 crore in FY19.

Commenting on the performance of the company and the Group, Chacko P. Thomas, managing director, Tata Coffee, said, Our Instant Coffee exports from India continue to be healthy, running to full capacities. We have seen good performances across key geographies. On Plantations, we have been impacted by lower crop due to adverse weather conditions and infestation of pests. Our Vietnam operations continue to grow stronger quarteron-quarter. The company had to briefly suspend its operations in India due to COVID-19 as per Government directives. The operations have since resumed and the units are functioning though with reduced capacities, with adequate safeguards keeping in mind the safety and health of our employees as well as our customers, which are of paramount importance. The company continues to monitor the evolving situation.

Tata Coffee, a subsidiary of Tata Consumer Products, formerly known as, Tata Global Beverages. It is Asia's largest integrated coffee company, the second largest exporter of instant coffee and foremost producer of specialty coffee in India. It is also the largest corporate producer of pepper in India.

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A 19-year-old employee at a Star Wars-themed restaurant in Canada was tackled to the ground and handcuffed after she wore a stormtrooper costume outside the business to celebrate May the Fourth, but cops mistook her plastic blaster for a real weapon.

On May 4, also known as Star Wars Day, employees at Coco Vanilla Galatic Cantina in Lethbridge, Canada celebrated the special occasion by having the female staffer dress up in a costume from the film and greet customers outside.

But police were called after a passerby reported a person in a stormtrooper costume carrying a firearm.

Police flocked to the scene with their guns drawn and demanded the employee drop the weapon before forcing her on the ground, leaving her in tears.

Shocking video from the incident show at least three officers pointing their guns and screaming 'Get down on the ground' as she raises her hands in confusion because she couldn't hear them through the helmet.

A 19-year-old employee at a Star Wars-themed restaurant in Lethbridge, Canada was tackled to the ground and handcuffed after she wore a stormtrooper costume outside the business to celebrate May the Fourth, but cops mistook her blaster for a real weapon

Shocking video from the incident show at least three officers pointing their guns screaming 'Get down on the ground' before forcing her on the ground. The employee was wearing a stormtrooper costume that made it difficult for her to hear the officers

The employee pictured being placed in handcuffs by the Lethbridge Police Service

The employee suffered a nosebleed in the confrontation but was not charged. She was heard wailing when confronted by the cops and is traumatized by the incident, according to her boss

When she allegedly refused to comply with orders to get on the ground, cops tackled her and forced her onto the sidewalk.

In the distressing video footage the woman is heard sobbing as police place her arms behind her back to handcuff her.

She suffered a nosebleed in the scuffle and was not charged in the incident. The officers eventually realized that her blaster was fake.

Bradley Whalen, the owner of Coco Vanilla Galactic Cantina said his employee was promoting his Star Wars-themed business for Star Wars Day and not doing anything harmful.

'We wanted to do something different just something to let people know that we are here,' he said on his business to Global News.

'She was kind of walking out back-and-forth in front of the property by the sidewalk, just waving at people, and a couple people stopped by and got a picture with her.'

Bradley Whalen, the owner of Coco Vanilla Galactic Cantina, said his employee was promoting his Star Wars-themed business for Star Wars Day and not doing anything harmful. The employee pictured in costume

LPS Chief Scott Woods has launched an investigation into the incident to determine whether the officers acted appropriately within the scope of their training and LPS policies

He says that the female employee had been outside promoting the restaurant for about an hour before cops arrived with their guns drawn.

'She had, at that point, been down on her knees, her blaster  the plastic blaster she was using  had been over by the corner of the parking lot, the police had already looked at it. They picked it up and had seen that it was just a plastic prop,' Whalen said.

The responding officers are now facing backlash for their handling of the backlash.

Coco Vanilla Galactic Cantina advertised special deals on May 4, Star Wars Day, sharing the iconic phrase 'May the Fourth Be With You' to their Facebook followers

Two fans of the restaurant shared this picture posing in stormtrooper helmets outside the restaurant on Monday

An exterior shot of the Coco Vanilla Galactic Cantina pictured above

An interior view of the restaurant and its Star Wars memorabilia pictured above

A stock image of stormtroopers from the Star Wars film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story above

'My concern isnt that police responded to someone who called and reported. My problem is that after they determined that it was a fake prop, police still continued to yell at her with the guns pointed, telling her to, "get down on her face, get down on her face" and then proceeded to handcuff her after they knew that it was a plastic prop toy,' Whalen said.

LPS Chief Scott Woods has launched an investigation into the incident to determine whether the officers acted appropriately within the scope of their training and LPS policies.

According to Whalen, the teenage employee is shaken following the arrest.

Social media users have shared their outrage with the Lethbridge police for their use of excessive force

Social media users have shared their outrage with the Lethbridge police for their use of excessive force.

'And now I understand why people hate cops... This was an unnecessary reaction and abuse of power. Why did they do this?' one Twitter user said Monday.

'Even if it was a real gun I think dropping it immediately and complying is a pretty obvious tell that a 5 year old could see and just look at the thing and be like "oh it's fake, let me grab some orange tape from my car and we'll be on our way" and give them a warning but sure,' another added.

'This is pure stupidity. People could think for 5 seconds, see where she works, maybe call the store, but no...let's just jump to conclusions and then have three cops with the common sense of porridge come make her life a living hell,' one angry Twitter user said.
GRANTS PASS, Ore., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Grants Pass Downs, Oregon's premier horse racing track, has been awarded a $165,200 safety grant from the Oregon Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to enhance its already high standard of racing. The funds will be used for a series of specific projects that extend the track's commitment to creating a secure environment for all horses, riders, trainers, staff and spectators.

"On behalf of Grants Pass Downs, I'd like to express our deep appreciation to the OTOBA for its vote of confidence and its support in ensuring our enterprise can continue providing the safest racing environment for competitors and spectators," said Randy Evers, president of Grants Pass Downs. "This grant will be instrumental in completing several projects integral to maintaining our excellent racing venue."

OTOBA's grant will enable Grants Pass Downs to integrate new chain-link fencing, styrofoam break away distance markers, sand for racing surfaces and a 10-foot safety buffer at its facilities, as well as acquire a telescopic boom for safety mitigation along the chute. Given the immediate availability of funds, Grants Pass Downs is commencing with all planned projects and anticipates completion by the middle of May.

The new initiatives underway complement steps the track has already taken to ensure the welfare of riders and horses, such as the installation of a state-of-the-art safety rail, upgraded track surfaces for improved racing conditions and new equipment to maintain it. Grants Pass Downs celebrated its inaugural commercial meet in fall 2019, carding 123 races with nearly 900 horses competing and concluding with an excellent safety record.

ABOUT GRANTS PASS DOWNS

Located at the Josephine County Fairgrounds, Grants Pass Downs has hosted live pari-mutuel horse racing since 1968 and is now home to the largest race meet in the state of Oregon. More information about Grants Pass Downs can be found at www.gpdowns.com.

Media Contact:

Ryan Asbury, FINN Partners

[email protected]

(626) 487-2561

SOURCE Grants Pass Downs

Related Links

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Coronavirus has infected around 548 doctors, nurses and paramedics across the country so far, according to data maintained by the Centre, official sources said on Wednesday. The figure does not include field workers, ward boys, sanitation workers, security guards, lab attendants, peons, laundry and kitchen staff among others. According to an official source, it has not been ascertained from where these doctors, nurses and paramedic staff have acquired the infection.

The figure includes doctors, nurses and paramedics from Centre-run and state government-run facilities across states and union territories. "No epidemiological investigation of the cases were done. So there is no clear segregation on how many contracted the disease at workplace and how many got it from the community," the official source said.

Several doctors, who tested positive for COVID-19, are also reported to have died in the country. Though their exact numbers were not immediately known. The official said that 69 doctors in the national capital have so far contracted the disease. COVID-19 has claimed 1,694 lives and infected 49,391 people nationwide till Wednesday morning. Besides, 274 nurses and paramedics have so far been infected by the virus.

As many as 13 healthcare personnel, including seven resident doctors and a professor, have tested positive for coronavirus over the past two months at the Centre-run Safdarjung Hospital, the sources said. Around 10 healthcare workers, including a resident doctor and five nurses, have contracted the disease so far at the AIIMS. Besides, some security guards have also been infected in the premier hospital.

Besides, several healthcare workers working in various central and Delhi government hospitals have also been infected by the disease, according to the data.

Also read: Coronavirus Lockdown India Live Updates: Liquor sales soar as states open alcohol shops; COVID-19 cases-49,391

Also read: Coronavirus: BMC asks Mumbai doctors to serve COVID patients for 15 days or lose licence
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Infosys will start operations in the Pune campus on May 6. Other campuses will resume operations in a staggered fashion over this week, according to a source.

This is in line with the Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines that allowed IT/ITeS firms to resume operations at 50 percent of their strength. However, individual states have taken calls on resuming operations.

According to orders from the Maharashtra government and local authorities, IT parks in Hinjewadi can operate, Infosys said in an email to employees. In Tamil Nadu, IT firms can function with 10 percent staff with company-organised transport in Chennai. For offices outside Chennai, they can operate with 50 percent strength. Karnataka has imposed 7 am-7 pm curfew.

In an email to employees in Pune, the company said, Pune DC will commence operations with a small percentage of employees with effect from Wednesday May 6, 2020.

"Only select few building in the Pune campus and satellite offices will be operational in this phase, the mail 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

In addition, only employees who have been identified for Phase 1 by delivery managers will attend office, and others will continue to work from home.

Pravin Rao, COO - Infosys, said during the Q4 FY2020 results, We are not in a hurry to come back to work aggressively. In phase one we expect maybe less than 5 percent to come back to work in offices. This will probably last three to four weeks.

In the next four to six or eight weeks, the company will step this up to 10 percent and then to 15-20 percent. So we want to do it in a very gradual manner and even for people coming to work in offices, we will have very high standards of safety, we will practice social distancing, we will do temperature check, we will have high standards of hygiene and sanitation, he said.

Social distancing will be enforced not only in the workplace but also during commute and common areas such as foot courts too, he said.
A young police cadet has starred in a TikTok video - appearing upset and with fake bruises - to help young people feeling vulnerable to domestic abuse during lockdown get help.

Kaitlyn McGoldrick, 14, from Cleveland, in north east England, stars in two short videos illustrating how domestic abuse victims can make a 'silent' 999 call - to get help without speaking on the phone.

McGoldrick appears wearing bruises on her skin in the video and says she wasn't deterred by the difficult subject matter because she wanted to help people know they could still access help in abusive situations while the pandemic sees people forced to stay at home.

Scroll down for video

Cleveland police cadet Kaitlyn McGoldrick, 14, from north-east England is the star of two new TikTok videos which aim to help young people feeling vulnerable to domestic abuse during lockdown access help

The videos see McGoldrick appearing upset and wearing fake bruises as she shows how it's possible to make a 'silent' 999 call without speaking by coughing and then pressing 55, which lets operators know that it's not safe to talk

Speaking to Sky News this morning, McGoldrick said that she hoped her video - using a social media platform popular with fellow teenagers - would help get the information on silent calls to people at risk from domestic abuse

The clip has already been viewed more than 100,000 times on social media.

Speaking to Kay Burley on Sky News, McGoldrick said she was unfazed by the harrowing topic of domestic violence because she knew the videos could help others escape perpetrators of violence in their own homes.

HOW TO MAKE A 'SILENT' 999 CALL Victims of domestic abuse who don't want to speak out loud to emergency services can dial 999 and cough after being connected. Known as 'silent solutions', the system allows an operator to ask whether a caller is in danger. They can respond by dialling 55 on the telephone keypad. The call will be terminated if 55 isn't pressed. Advertisement

She said: 'I feel proper proud, all the comments that we're getting shows that it does help people.'

McGoldrick added: 'Many people have said that when it was happening to them they wish there was something like this.'

The video details the Home Office's 'silent solutions' feature which enables people to call the emergency services without speaking.

Victims of domestic abuse who don't want to speak out loud to emergency services can dial 999 and cough after being connected.

The system allows an operator to ask whether a caller is in danger. They can respond by dialling 55 on the telephone keypad. The call will be terminated if 55 isn't pressed.

Positive response: The teenager said she's had lots of messages thanking her for appearing in the video

The police cadet used make-up to create fake bruises on her skin ahead of filming the video

Last week, ministers unveiled a 76million package for domestic violence victims as they admitted the coronavirus lockdown is making it harder for people to seek help.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick announced the funding as he took the daily Downing Street press briefing, saying the government would not ignore the 'reality' of what many vulnerable individuals face during the crisis.

He said victims of domestic abuse will get priority access to local housing, and money will be channelled to charities.

Declaring there would be 76million of 'new funding' for victims of domestic violence, Mr Jenrick said: 'For some in our society these measures involve sacrifices that none of us would wish anyone to bear.

'For victims of domestic abuse it means being trapped in a nightmare.

'The true evil of domestic abuse is that it leaves vulnerable people including children living in fear in the very place where they should feel most safe and secure: inside their own home.'

Mr Jenrick said the Government's Domestic Abuse Bill, which had its second reading in Parliament last week, would create 'the first ever legal definition of domestic abuse'.

He said that through the Bill, the Government would 'be ensuring that the victims of domestic violence get the priority need status that they need to access to local housing services much more easily'.

He added: 'This is a fully-funded commitment which will mean that no victim of domestic violence has to make the unbearable choice between staying somewhere that they know is unsafe or becoming homeless.'

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick announced the funding as he took the daily Downing Street press briefing, saying the government would not ignore the 'reality' of what many vulnerable individuals face during the crisis

He said the Government had already announced an extra 15million to strengthen its support, with an extra 16million going directly to refuge services.

'This additional support will ensure more safe spaces and accommodation for survivors of domestic abuse and their children, and the recruitment of additional councillors for victims of sexual violence.'

He added that the funding will also help frontline charities to offer virtual ways to assist those in need, including phone-based services.

Mr Jenrick said: 'We know that some refuges have had to reduce, or even to cancel the services that they would want to provide during the pandemic.

'This funding will help them to meet the challenges posed in this national emergency, and to continue to help those that desperately need support.'

Call the 24-hour National Domestic Violence Helpline on 0808 2000 247
In her online article Nations Report Card: Only 15% of Eighth Graders Know Much About U.S. History, Susan Berry analyzes the recently released National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) on the subjects of history, geography, and civics. Known as the Nations Report Card, these NAEP assessments reveal that between 2014 and 2018 the test scores of eighth graders in history and geography once again declined, and in the case of civics remained stagnant. The vast majority of students failed to reach even proficiency levels in these three subjects.

As Berry reports, U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos pronounced these results inexcusable, stating that Americas antiquated approach to education is creating a generation of future leaders who will not have a foundational understanding of what makes this country exceptional.

Depressing, yes? But like so many dark clouds, this one has a silver lining.

Cyber History

With our schools shut down until at least the fall, we parents and grandparents have the opportunity this spring and summer to introduce our young people to times gone by. Our libraries may be closed, but we have at our fingertips the means to time travel into the American past.

If we go to YouTube on our computers and Google American History, scores of sites pop up awaiting exploration. The one that caught my eye was The Story of America, a Readers Digest production suitable for students from late elementary school through high school and beyond. This narrative includes hundreds of film clips, photographs, and paintings, takes a balanced approach, and frequently brings original sources into the story. It was particularly moving to read the Comments on this post from todays immigrants expressing their love for America.

For the younger crew, Google American History For Kids, and once again youll find dozens of engaging sites. My grandkids really enjoy Libertys Kids, a series of animated films centered on the American Revolution. U.S. History For Homeschoolers features a variety of learning tools about everything from the Pilgrims to the presidents.

For older students, Google Hillsdale College Lectures, and youll find scores of talks on subjects ranging from the Constitution to the Victor Davis Hanson series on World War II.

Kitchen Table Classroom

Compose a list of topics for the kids. What was the Battle of Okinawa and why was it important? Why did the North have more factories than the South in 1860? Who was Sequoia? What was the significance of the Lewis and Clark expedition? The younger ones can tackle simpler subjects: What happened at the Alamo? Who was Thomas Edison? Clara Barton? Why is Patrick Henry still remembered today?

Lewis and Clark on the Lower Columbia, 1905, by Charles Marion Russell. Opaque and transparent watercolor over graphite underdrawing on paper. (PD-US)

Have your students make some notes from this research and deliver mini-lectures once or twice a week after supper. By researching, writing, and reporting aloud what they have discovered, that information will stick with them much better than having merely watched a video. Siblings can learn as well from these brief presentations.

You can also use this kitchen table classroom to teach critical thinking. Read aloud, for example, Lincolns Gettysburg Address and then dissect his words. What does Four score and seven years ago mean? To what event is Lincoln referring? What is the great civil war? For what purpose are he and his audience gathered in this little Pennsylvania town? What does he mean by government of the people, by the people, for the people?

The Lincoln Address Memorial, designed by Louis Henrick, with bust of Lincoln by Henry Kirke Bush-Brown, erected at the Gettysburg National Cemetery in 1912. (Public Domain)

Popcorn and the Past

Hollywood has made hundreds of movies centered on historical events, many of which can be watched by the whole family.

Here are just a few films for your consideration: the excellent television series John Adams; Gettysburg, a solid movie based on Michael Shaaras novel The Killer Angels; The Longest Day, which gives us the invasion of Normandy without the gore and obscenities of another fine movie, Saving Private Ryan; the old Disney classic Johnny Tremain, about Boston and the beginnings of the American Revolution; Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, with Jimmy Stewart imparting a lesson in civics; the hardships of the immigrant life in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn; the Civil War movie Shenandoah, with another fine performance by Stewart; the classic Drums Along the Mohawk, which tells of frontier life during the Revolution; Apollo 13, which might kick off a discussion of the U.S. space program; and Gone With the Wind, another classic offering viewers any number of subjects for discussion.

James Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. (Columbia Pictures/MPTVImages.com)

And these discussions are vital if we are to impart the history behind the movie. If, for example, you and the gang watch Gettysburg, read a review or two of the film before turning on the television. Usually these reviews offer insight and background into the historical events depicted in the movie, and this preview will enhance your understanding of what is taking place on the screen. Afterward, again go online, read together some history of this battle, and discuss its significance.

Vacations on the Sofa

The internet offers a glittering array of virtual tours of museums, famous homes, and battlefields. Start with Missy Sullivans 10 Virtual History Museums and Experiences to Explore From Home, which includes visits to such places as the Smithsonian Museum of American History, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Aerial view of the National Museum of American History, located on the National Mall in Washington. (Public Domain)

From there, you can move on to tours of Mount Vernon, Colonial Williamsburg, and a host of other historical sites.

Our Future Depends on Our Past

When we explore the past, we enter into a grand and exciting laboratory of the human heart and mind. After all, what is history if not the story of people and events, courage and ingenuity, wisdom and folly, triumph and disaster? By such expeditions, our children will not only broaden their knowledge of Americas past, but they will also become citizens able to use that past as a ruler to measure the present and as a compass to guide them into the future.

Science fiction writer Robert Heinlein once said, A generation which ignores history has no pastand no future.

By giving our young people the past, we are giving them a future.

Jeff Minick has four children and a growing platoon of grandchildren. For 20 years, he taught history, literature, and Latin to seminars of homeschooling students in Asheville, N.C., Today, he lives and writes in Front Royal, Va. See JeffMinick.com to follow his blog.
[May 06, 2020] Operators in the United Arab Emirates focusing heavily on 5G

Sydney, May 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just released, this edition of Paul Budde Communications focus report on United Arab Emirates outlines the major developments and key aspects in the telecoms markets.

Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/United-Arab-Emirates-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses Operators in the United Arab Emirates focusing heavily on 5G The UAE has a very strong mobile market and it is closely guarded by the two major operators of Etisalat and du. Both operators are majority owned by the government. In 2019 both Etisalat and du are demonstrating keen interest in developing 5G technology and are strongly supported by the TRA which has allocated spectrum bands. The first two MVNOs began offering services in the UAE in 2017  however this has not impacted upon competition in any significant way as both are wholly owned either by du and Etisalat. The operators however are facing challenges with the saturated mobile market stifling voice growth. Etisalat and du have deployed sophisticated HSPA+ and LTE networks that cover most of the population, underpinning growth opportunities centred on mobile broadband, content and applications. Smart phones are becoming increasingly popular, accounting for the majority of the mobile handsets. The growing availability of low cost smart phones has driven mobile broadband penetration up sharply in the last couple of years. Both Etisalat and Du launched 5G capable handsets in 2019. The well-established fibre-broadband network in the UAE is providing the operators with opportunities to grow new services and offerings such as triple-play. BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus in 2020 is having a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries. On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth. Although it is challenging to predict and interpret the long-term impacts of the crisis as it develops, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report. The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions. Key developments: The UAE boasts mobile penetration levels that are among the worlds highest;

Recently the TRA was encouraging affordable roaming rates within GCC countries;

In 2018 Etisalat sold its 28% share of Thuraya;

The UAE has attracted international interest from data centre operators.

Assessment of the global impact of COVID-19 on the telecoms sector. Companies mentioned in this report include: Etisalat; du; Thuraya; Yahsat; Virgin Mobile; Swyp. Key statistics

Country overview

Economic considerations and responses

Mobile devices

Subscribers

Infrastructure Telecommunications market Historical overview

Market analysis

Key recent developments Regulatory environment Historic overview

Regulatory authority

Draft bill for new authority

Telecom sector liberalisation Second operator Third operator Satellite licence

Interconnect and access

Fibre access

Number Portability (NP)

Royalty payments

Censorship

Roaming tariff reduction

VoIP Fixed network operators Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat)

Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company/du

Yahsat Telecommunications infrastructure Overview of the national telecom network Fixed-line statistics

International infrastructure Submarine cable networks Terrestrial cable networks Satellites

Data centres, cloud computing

Smart infrastructure Smart grids Smart cities Connected homes

Fixed broadband market Introduction and statistical overview Market analysis Broadband statistics

Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) and Fibre-To-The-Home (FttH)

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks

Other fixed broadband services Fixed wireless (WiFi, WiMAX)

Mobile market Market analysis

Mobile statistics

Mobile broadband statistics

Mobile infrastructure Brief intro analogue networks 5G LTE GSM, 3G

Major mobile operators Etisalat du (Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company) MVNOs

Mobile content and applications M-commerce M-payments

Mobile handsets Appendix  Historic Data Glossary of abbreviations Related reports



Table 1  Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities  United Arab Emirates  2019

Table 2  UAE  GDP and inflation  2014  2019

Table 3  UAE  telecommunications revenue  2007  2017

Table 4  Etisalat group revenue and net profit  2008  2018

Table 5  Etisalat  UAE fixed broadband subscribers  2010  2018

Table 6  du revenue  2008  2018

Table 7  UAE  fixed lines in service and teledensity  2009  2024

Table 8  UAE  internet penetration  2008  2018

Table 9  UAE  fixed broadband subscribers and penetration  2009 - 2024

Table 10  UAE  international internet bandwidth  2008 - 2018

Table 11  UAE  subscribers to FttH/FttB  2012  2017

Table 12  UAE  Operators fibre broadband market share  2015 - 2017

Table 13  UAE  DSL subscriptions in decline  2008 -2017

Table 14  UAE - mobile subscribers and penetration  2009  2024

Table 15  UAE  prepaid subscribers  2009  Q1 2019

Table 16 - UAE  mobile broadband subscribers and penetration  2010 - 2024

Table 17  UAE  mobile operators market share by subscribers  2010  1H 2018

Table 18  Etisalat (UAE) mobile subscribers and blended ARPU  2011  2018

Table 19  du mobile revenue  2017; 2018

Table 20  du mobile subscribers and ARPU  2010  2018

Table 21  Historic - UAE  fixed lines in service and teledensity  1995  2008

Table 22  Historic - UAE  internet users and penetration  1998  2008

Table 23  Historic - UAE  fixed broadband subscribers and penetration  2001 - 2008

Table 24  Historic - UAE  domestic and international voice revenue  2008  2015

Table 25  Historic - UAE  international telephone revenues  2008  2015

Table 26  Historic - UAE  monthly fixed-line ARPU and MOU  2008  2015

Table 27  Historic - UAE  mobile revenue and ARPU  2008 - 2015

Table 28  Historic - UAE - mobile subscribers and penetration rate - 1995 - 2008

Table 29  Historic - UAE  prepaid vs postpaid revenue  2008 - 2015

Table 30  Historic - UAE  prepaid subscribers  2005  2008

Table 31  Historic - UAE  SMS and MMS sent  2007 - 2015

Table 32  Historic - Etisalat group revenue and net profit  2005  2007

Table 33  Historical - du mobile minutes of use (MOU)  2010  2014 List of Charts

Chart 1  Growth of fixed-lines in the UAE  2009  2024

Chart 2  Growth of mobile subscriptions in the UAE  2009  2024

Chart 3  Mobile broadband growth in the UAE  2009  2024 List of Exhibits Exhibit 1  UAE  submarine cable networks Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/United-Arab-Emirates-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses Nicolas Bombourg [email protected] Within Australia (02) 8076 7665 Outside Australia +44 207 097 1241

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Indias services sector, accounting for more than half of the nations gross domestic product, collapsed to the lowest level in the world, stoking fears that the economy is headed for a recession as a crushing lockdown shut businesses and kept consumers indoors.

The services Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for India sank to an unprecedented 5.4 in April from 49.3 in March, the sharpest deterioration in services activity since IHS Markit started collecting the data in December 2005. A reading below 50 indicates activity is shrinking.

Wednesdays data indicates services have been hit worse than the manufacturing sector. Data released last week showed manufacturing PMI dropped to a record low of 27.4 in April from 51.8 in March.

The data paints a grim picture of the economy, which by many economists estimates is set to contract for the first time in more than four decades.

Historical comparisons with GDP (gross domestic product) data suggest Indias economy contracted at an annual rate of 15% in April. It is clear that the economic damage of the Covid-19 pandemic has so far been deep and far-reaching in India, but the hope is the economy has endured the worst and things will begin to improve as lockdown measures are lifted, said Joe Hayes, an economist at IHS Markit.

Indias nationwide lockdown, considered the severest in the world, has led to massive retrenchment and loss of output. Rating agency Crisil Ltd last week said the lockdown could lead to permanent loss of real GDP of around 4% in FY21. Indias unemployment rate climbed to a staggering 27.1% in the week to May 3 and some 121.5 million Indians lost jobs in April, data released by the Centre for Monitoring of Indian Economy showed.

In the latest extension of lockdown by two weeks till May 17, government has relaxed rules for restarting economic activities, especially for green and orange zones, which either dont have any or have low incidences of coronavirus cases. However, businesses are treading cautiously given existing supply bottlenecks and migrant workers leaving for home states.

With continued disruptions, economists expect Indias GDP to contract in FY21. Swiss Bank UBS has projected the economy to shrink by 0.4% assuming current mobility restrictions are lifted by mid-May, and economic activity is largely back to normal by end-June. However, if lockdown is extended till June and economic activity returns to normal by end-August, UBS fears the economy could contract 3.1% in FY21. Standard Chartered Bank on Monday slashed its growth forecast for India to a contraction of 2% in FY21 from a growth of 0.7% projected earlier.

The government is considering a stimulus package for small enterprises and other vulnerable sectors. Last month, it announced a relief package of Rs 1.7 lakh crore for disadvantaged sections, women, farmers and senior citizens.
WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that "there was no United States government direct involvement" in an apparent attempt to invade Venezuela early this week.

"If we had been involved, it would have gone differently," Pompeo said.

Two Americans, both former U.S. Special Operations soldiers, were arrested by Venezuelan forces in the alleged operation, and a number of Venezuelan military defectors were reported killed.

But details remained scarce as the two countries traded accusations but offered little new information about the mysterious mission.

The incident added to more than a year of growing tensions as the administration, accusing President Nicolas Maduro of human rights abuses, corruption and narcotics trafficking, has tried to force him from office with economic sanctions and criminal indictments.

Asked what the Trump administration was doing to free the two men, Pompeo said that "if in fact, these are Americans that are there . . . we'll use every tool that we have available to try to get them back."

Earlier, President Donald Trump said the incident "has nothing to do with our government," and the State Department cited privacy considerations in declining to comment on the reported arrests.

Venezuela's foreign minister said Tuesday that the two men were "confessing without any reservations." He did not describe what the men had told authorities about the operation, which Maduro described as an assassination plot.

"There is a major disinformation campaign underway by the Maduro regime, making it difficult to separate facts from propaganda," the State Department responded in a statement.

A U.S. Army spokesman, Lt. Col. Emmanuel Ortiz, said service records confirm that the two captured Americans, Airan Berry and Luke Denman, are Special Forces veterans, as is Jordan Goudreau, the head of a Florida security services company, who first announced the operation in a video Sunday morning.

Goudreau, in an interview with The Washington Post, said Berry and Denman were "supervisors" of a force he said numbered about 60 Venezuelans. Most, if not all of them, were believed to be military and police defectors living in camps in Colombia, near the Venezuelan border.

Juan Guaido, the Venezuelan legislator and opposition leader recognized as interim president by the United States and more than 50 other countries, lashed out Tuesday at Maduro for staging what he called a "massacre."

"They knew about this and were waiting to massacre them," Guaido said in a virtual session of the opposition-controlled National Assembly. "Nicolas Maduro, you are responsible. The regime knew about that operation, you infiltrated it and waited to massacre them."

The CIA declined to comment.

The State Department statement, which described the unfolding situation as a "melodrama," said officials would be "looking closely into the role of the Maduro regime . . . and especially of the very large Cuban intelligence apparatus in Venezuela."

"The record of falsehoods and manipulation by Maduro and his accomplices, as well as their highly questionable representation of the details, argues that nothing should be taken at face value when we see the distorting of facts," the statement said.

"What is clear is that the former regime is using the event to justify an increased level of repression," the statement said. Noting "the timing of these events," the statement said 46 prisoners were killed, and 74 injured, in a "massacre" by government forces at Los Llanos prison in Venezuela over the weekend.

Maduro's foreign minister, Jorge Arreaza, told The Washington Post that the U.S. government had yet to make contact with the Venezuelan government after Maduro's Monday evening announcement of the arrest of the two Americans.

"They have already had many hours to develop their 'it wasn't me' strategy," Arreaza said in a text-message exchange. He said the two were being questioned by Venezuelan authorities and were "confessing without any reservations."

Jorge Rodriguez, Maduro's communications chief, alleged at a news conference in Caracas that Goudreau and Trump are connected.

"How is it that the Secret Service of the United States hired Silvercorp to handle Trump's security and that Silvercorp publishes that on its website?" he asked.

The alleged connection appeared to refer to a relationship between Goudreau - who operates a Florida company, Silvercorp, that says it offers paid strategic security services - and former Trump security chief Keith Schiller.

In his Sunday video, Goudreau and former Venezuelan National Guard officer Javier Nieto Quintero said what they called "Operation Gideon" was designed to capture senior members of Maduro's government. They called on Venezuelan military forces to join the invaders.

Goudreau later told The Post that he had known Berry and Denman for years. Goudreau and Denman deployed together in Iraq in 2010, said a former Special Forces soldier who served with all three of them. He spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Berry was a capable leader but dealt with personal family issues, said two men who served with him. Denman is an "artistic hipster" type, a former soldier said, with a lighter, carefree personality that was respected and rare in the community.

Goudreau, Denman and Berry deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan eight times combined, said Ortiz, the Army spokesman.

Goudreau, he said, left the service in February 2016 as a sergeant first class after serving first as an indirect fire infantryman and then a medical sergeant. Berry was a Special Forces engineer sergeant who served in the Army from 1996 until October 2013. Denman served on active duty as a Special Forces communications sergeant from October 2006 to December 2011 and in the Army Reserve through September 2014.

David Maxwell, a retired Army officer with 22 years of experience in the Special Forces, said the Venezuela operation appeared to be poorly planned and executed.

Operators would typically favor sterile uniforms and forgo anything connected to their identities, Maxwell said. But Maduro waved Berry and Denman's expired military IDs, Veterans Affairs cards and passports in a televised address Monday after their capture.

"I don't know what their thinking was. It's embarrassing for the regiment and the U.S.," said Maxwell, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank in Washington. "Did they think it was going to be a 'get out of jail free' card?"

A signature of Special Operations is working with local forces to incite rebellion or overthrow a regime, Maxwell said, tasks that require a measured approach and long-standing ties.

"It doesn't seem like this contractor did any of that," he said of Goudreau.

A family member of Berry in Texas declined to comment Tuesday. Efforts to reach Denman's family were unsuccessful.

- - -

Faiola reported from Miami. The Washington Post's Dan Lamothe, Shawn Boburg and Dalton Bennett in Washington and Ana Vanessa Herrero in Caracas contributed to this report.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 6)  Forty more healthcare workers have been sickened by the coronavirus, bringing the total number of infected to 1,859, the Department of Health said.

The DOH on Wednesday said there are 1,445 active cases among health personnel. It said 436 of the patients have no symptoms and 1,000 show mild symptoms, while nine are severe cases. The agency did not provide the latest breakdown on the number of doctors, nurses and members of other professions included in the figures.

Health officials said the data indicates that 20 percent of the country's total number of infections  or one out of five cases  is a health worker. The Philippines' tally of COVID-19 cases has breached the 10,000 mark as of Wednesday.

Meanwhile, recoveries among medical personnel have reached 380 after 30 more frontliners survived the illness. With no new recorded fatalities, the death toll remains at 34.

The DOH pointed out that the number of infected health workers has been dropping since April 11. The agency attributed the slowing numbers to its issuance of guidelines on the use of personal protective equipment.

"Nitong mga nakaraang araw ay paunti na po nang paunti ang nakikita nating healthcare workers na nagpopositibo," noted Health Spokesperson Ma. Rosario Vergeire in the agency's daily virtual briefing.

[Translation: These past few days we are seeing fewer and fewer healthcare workers testing positive.]

The agency attributed the slowing numbers to its issuance of guidelines on the use of personal protective equipment.
FILE PHOTO: A United Airlines passenger jet takes off with New York City as a backdrop

Reuters

A labor union representing 27,000 United employees is suing the airline, alleging that the airline is violating the terms of the billions in aid it accepted through the federal coronavirus bailout package.

The basis of the suit is a decision by United to cut workers' schedules, essentially reducing its labor costs.

Under the $2 trillion bailout package passed by the federal government in late March  the CARES Act  US passenger airlines were eligible for a total of up to $50 billion in aid. CARES Act funding is split into two separate programs: operational loans, and payroll support, which is made up of grants and loans.

By accepting payroll support, airlines were required to agree not to furlough or lay off workers before September 30, nor cut pay rates. Executives at major US airlines have said they expect layoffs after that date.

In April, US airlines  including United  began receiving the first funds under the payroll support program. United said it would receive a total of $5 billion under an agreement with the US Treasury Department. $1.5 billion of that will be a loan.

The airline has said that funds do not fully cover its payroll or other operating expenses, and that it continues to lose tens of millions of dollars each day as travel demand remains near zero due to the pandemic.

Airlines including Delta and United have responded by reducing employees work schedules, arguing that a reduction in hours does not equal a prohibited cut in pay rate.

Story continues

Workers, however, disagree.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, or IAM, which represents fleet service and passenger service workers at United, filed an injunction in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York on Tuesday.

United planned to reduce workers to a 30-hour workweek, down from 40 hours.

"For United to obtain federal funds under the false pretense that it would protect its workers through September and then turn around and do this to their most loyal workforce struggling to survive during this pandemic is unconscionable," Mike Klemm, president of IAM district lodge 141 said in a statement.

In a memo to affected workers, United chief operations officer Greg Hart said that although the airline believes the cuts were compliant with CARES Act requirements, it would offer alternatives.

Hart said that United will offer voluntary leaves to workers, which will bring participating employees down to 30 hours. However, the move would be voluntary, and employees will retain their full-time status, including benefits and seniority.

"We will monitor the participation rates and report back to you on the program's performance at the end of June," Hard said. "Without a high level of participation, we will have no choice but to reconsider a mandatory reduction to 30 hours for our full-time employees."

A representative for IAM did not immediately reply to a request for comment on the proposal.

On Monday, United told management and administrative employees that they would be required to take 20 unpaid days off between May 15 and September 30, and that the airline expects to reduce that workforce by at least 30% on October 1.

"Given the upcoming reductions, I have to ask each of you to seriously consider if choosing a voluntary separation with a robust benefits package might be right for you," human resources head Kate Gebo wrote in a leaked memo.

"We have to acknowledge that there will be serious consequences to our company if we don't continue to take strong and decisive action, which includes making decisions that none of us ever wanted or expected to make," she said.

Are you an employee at United or another airline? Contact this reporter with your thoughts or tips at dslotnick@businessinsider.com.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Child's candle in Italy during pandemic Their reports are providing us with a picture of how the pandemic is affecting their lives during their retirement and living adventures overseas. They are stories of hope, cooperation, and grace under pressure.

Being part of a foreign community means dealing with everything your local friends and neighbors are dealing with, says Dan Prescher, a senior editor with International Living.

Weve been following the experiences of our editors and correspondents as they deal with the pandemic as part of their adopted communities. Their reports are providing us with a picture of how the pandemic is affecting their lives during their retirement and living adventures overseas. They are stories of hope, cooperation, and grace under pressure.

The new report explores community responses in seven countries around the world where expats are living, working, and retiring.

Spain

"At 8 pm every night, people step out on their balconies or hang out their windows, and we applaud for the valiant healthcare workers who are working grueling hours and risking their own health for our benefit, says Marsha Scarbrough, IL Spain Correspondent. We are sincerely grateful for them and deeply saddened by the lives that have been lost."

On the night before lockdown began, I went to the market to stock up on groceries (where there is plenty of food and toilet paper). I noticed freshly-posted, hand-written signs beside the door of every apartment building saying, 'We are three young women who live on this block. If you need any help with anything like grocery shopping, going to the pharmacy, or walking your dog, we will help you. Here are our phone numbers.'

In the past few days, a printed poster has appeared on the streets that says, 'Take care of your neighbor. If you know someone who needs it, help them.'" "It lists the social services of the municipality including for seniors without a social network, people in vulnerable situations, those in economic need, those in need of basic necessities along with the phone numbers to call."

Belize

One of the most meaningful parts of watching Belize and its response to the crisis, has been the way in which it has attacked this huge problem in a small town way, says Laura Diffendal, IL Belize Correspondent. There have been nonstop community groups started through WhatsApp, Facebook messaging, and others. There is a quick identification of anyone who is struggling, and a plan put out to help. Small groups are constantly sharing resources, such as the business owners raising money for medical equipment, the community was quick to put up a pop-up hospital, and there are numerous privately run food bank groups.

Colombia

Every night at 8pm the people in cities all over Colombia go out on their balconies or front steps and clap, whistle, cheer and flash their lights to show support for the healthcare workers and solidarity against the spread of the virus, says Nancy Kiernan, IL Colombia Correspondent.

In Medellin, once a week a woman who lives in the building behind me, serenades the neighborhood with 2-3 songs via a karaoke machine. She has a lovely voice. I wish I knew who it is. The other night she asked everyone to join her and sing Happy Birthday for all those who are celebrating birthdays but cannot be with family and friends."

Panama

There have been so many instances of kindness and solidarity here, its been impossible to keep track of them all, says Jessica Ramesch, IL Panama Editor.

Ive seen gyms offering free online classes, Panamanian films offered for free online viewings, police entertaining neighborhoods on lockdown, independent legislators offering to donate a portion of their salaries to the 'solidarity fund' (Panama Solidario) for those wholl need extra support"

My local insurance company announced very early on that it would cover 'epidemic' expenses even though the fine print in my policy says otherwise. (Given what insurance companies do in the StatesI worked in the industry there and can attest personallyI was incredibly surprised and impressed by this.)

France

The Coronavirus has ignited a shared sense of responsibility in the French people and brought out a passionate need to help their fellow citizens, says Tuula Rampont, IL France Correspondent.

Long characterized as a reserved, careful population, the French have responded to the pandemic with emotion, candor, and a steadfast resolve to overcome what French President Macron described as the greatest health crisis of the last 100 years."

Community initiatives have included: solidarity campaigns to ensure that the elderly and vulnerable populations are looked after, free food delivery and pick-up services, volunteer mask-making and distributing, and greetings (cards, drawings, messages of inspiration) sent to retirement homes.

Vietnam

I feel fortunate to have been living in Vietnam during this pandemic; it's been one of the few safe havens in the world, says Wendy justice, IL Vietnam Correspondent.

Vietnam has done a brilliant job of containing the virus. Though a combination of testing, quarantining, public health education, and treatment, they've managed to eliminate all community transmission. We haven't had a new case in the community for more than two weeks. As a result, the mandatory social distancing 'lockdown' was suspended on April 23rd."

We are now free to eat at restaurants, drink beers at a bia hoi, visit friends, go shopping, take domestic flights, go to the beach, and visit tourist attractions. Only a few businesses have not yet received the go-ahead to reopen, including most bars, cinemas, karaoke parlors, and spas. Social distancing is still strongly encouraged, and I'll commonly have my temperature taken when entering an office building, bank, and some restaurants. Hand sanitizer is provided by businesses and placed next to most elevators, too. Wearing face masks when out in public is mandatory."

Whenever a Covid-19 patient has recovered, the entire country knows about it. Discharged patients are given bouquets of flowers and much fanfare, though they still must remain under a 14-day quarantine and undergo follow-up testing before their lives return to normal.

Italy

Italians have a strong sense of community in general, and more so during this crisis, says Valerie Schneider, IL Italy Correspondent. There has always been what they call campanilismo, or loyalty towards one's town, and we've seen it manifest in many ways, both within the community and turning outward to other areas."

Example in our village? On Palm Sunday, some folks collected olive branches and wrapped them in pretty packages, which the mayor and councilors delivered door-to-door; just one small way of making people feel less isolated. They also distributed face masks to every household. Our town priest sends out Whatsapp messages of encouragement. People check in on the elderly and deliver groceries and medicine to them as needed. Something that has become common in the south is the spesa sospesa, a pay-it-forward shopping where folks purchase staple items then place them in a basket at the front of the store for those in need to take freely."

Our town is very small, and those in difficulty aren't left without help. The grocer will run a tab for them to pay later; I know of people who are paying down grocery tabs for others. Children made rainbow signs to hang on their balconies, then also made candles to light each evening, a flame in the darkness to give hope, silent prayers from the little ones. Everyone checks on each other through texts or calls, or yelling across from balconies. Many women have been sewing masks to send to other parts of Italy; thousands of nurses and doctors volunteered to go to the hardest-hit regions to help out (without pay). There are thousands of ways that Italians have fostered the notion of 'distanti ma uniti'.

The full report on 7 Countries Around the World Creating Community During the Pandemic can be found, here: Countries Around the World Creating Community During the Pandemic

Editor's Note: Members of the media have permission to republish the article linked above once credit is given to Internationalliving.com

Further information, as well as interviews with expert authors for radio, TV or print, is available on request. Photos are also available.

For information about InternationalLiving.com content republishing, source material or to book an interview with one of our experts, contact PR Managing Editor, Marita Kelly, +001 667 312 3532, mkelly@internationalliving.com

Twitter: @inliving

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About International Living

Since 1979, InternationalLiving.com has been the leading authority for anyone looking for global retirement or relocation opportunities. Through its monthly magazine and related e-letters, extensive website, podcasts, online bookstore, and events held around the world, InternationalLiving.com provides information and services to help its readers live better, travel farther, have more fun, save more money, and find better business opportunities when they expand their world beyond their own shores. InternationalLiving.com has contributors traveling the globe, investigating the best opportunities for travel, retirement, real estate, and investment.
Published on 2020/05/05 | Source

Lee Min-ho from "The King: Eternal Monarch" is showing his true colors as 'the perfect emperor' and coming up with an 'emperor quotation' that lingers in the heart.

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On the SBS Friday-Saturday drama "The King: Eternal Monarch", Lee Min-ho's role of Lee Gon is a perfect monarch combined with literary and martial arts skills as the third emperor of the Korean Empire, a sad character who sleeps with death every night after witnessing a conspiracy when he was just eight years old.

Above all, on the sixth episode, Lee Gon was in shock to find out that the traitor Lee Rim (Lee Jung-jin) who caused the night of the conspiracy was still alive. He forewarned the critical fate about to spread and said, "Court lady Noh's concerns were wrong. Jeong Tae-eul is not a danger to me, but I am a danger to her". Regarding, emperor Lee Gon who is leading the parallel fantasy romance, he pops a classic line every once in a while and makes them linger in the viewers' hearts.

 "From now on, only I worry about me. It's not me you have to protect, but the ocean".

Lee Gon released charisma even in times of danger and led the field, being 'the perfect emperor'. Emperor Lee Gon, the commander-in-chief of the Korean Empire's armed forces, cast an unwavering firm force against Japan, which has continued to provoke the Korean Empire's territorial waters. First of all, Lee Gon said, "If the countries are honest, there will be war. If Japan is this honest, we should be honest. I'm not going to be easy on them. You know I finished my military service as a captain of the Navy. Japan can't enter our territorial waters, not the slightest bit", he said in a declaration of war. Moreover, when people around him were worried about his safety in a situation where war was imminent with Japan, Lee Gon said, " From now on, only I worry about me. It's not me you have to protect, but the ocean. Do you understand?" he ordered an operation to further pressure Japan's warships and presented catharsis in the form of a broad-minded monarch.

 "The Imperial Family only wears the uniform at the most honorable moment. It means we're going to win".

Lee Gon took the initiative as the emperor of the Korean Empire, imprinting his dignified appearance as a 'role model monarch'. In the third episode, Goo Seo-ryeong (Jung Eun-chae), the youngest female prime minister of the Korean Empire, disclosed that Lee Gon had been voluntarily paying taxes since last year and she used it as a shield to withdraw the bill to raise the salaries of all members of the Cabinet and the House of Representatives. In addition, when Japan launched a provocation into the territorial waters of the Korean Empire, Lee Gon said without hesitation that he would take the lead in the front wearing a naval uniform. And to Jeong Tae-eul (Kim Go-eun), who looked worried, he said, "The Imperial Family only wears uniform at the most honorable moment. It means we're going to win", showing the passionate emperor's leadership.

 "I thought it was a name not meant to be called, but now I know it's a name only for you to call".

Lee Gon, who proved his solid monarchy as the emperor and leader of the Korean Empire, showed off his image as a sweet romanticist to Jeong Tae-eul, a woman of fate who he had wandered around to find for 25 years. Lee Gon, who brought Jeong Tae-eul to his own world, to the Korean Empire, showed his special affection by preparing a warm meal that he cooked himself to Jeong Tae-eul, who must have been lonely and struggling alone and expressed gratitude with a 'forehead thump'. In particular, Lee Gon, who had to send Jeong Tae-eul to South Korea ahead of the naval battle with Japan, bravely relieved her worries, saying, "I'll return with honor and find you soon". Jeong Tae-eul, who seemed overwhelmed by the responsibilities of Emperor Lee Gon, said, "See you again. Lee Gon". He comforted her with a sentimental and sweet saying, "I thought it was a name not meant to be called, but now I know it's a name only for you to call". Expectations are rising over how Lee Gon, who has the charm of a perfect monarch from charisma to initiative and affectionate aspect, will perform more in the future and what kind of famous lines he will create.

"With Lee Min-ho's passionate performance and Kim Eun-sook's lines, the king of the Korean Empire and the perfect monarch in a fantasy romance are being created", the production company Hwa & Dam Pictures said. "In the upcoming episode on the 8th, another unexpected thing will happen as Lee Gon, who learned the truth about Lee Rim's body, goes to Korea".

___________

"The King: Eternal Monarch" is directed by Baek Sang-hoon, Jung Ji-hyun, written by Kim Eun-sook, and features Lee Min-ho, Kim Go-eun, Woo Do-hwan, Kim Kyung-nam, Jung Eun-chae, Lee Jung-jin. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2020/04/17~Now airing, Fri, Sat 22:00 on SBS.
San Franciscos oldest ice cream parlor opened during a pandemic and will likely close during one, too. But the co-owner of 102-year-old St. Francis Fountain says thats not the reason hes potentially shuttering for good.

Instead, he blames the city.

We were already undergoing an extinction level event for small businesses, first in metropolitan areas, and spreading out across California, Peter Hood told SFGATE in an e-mail. We could survive a pandemic. The deeper question is why? Why even try in a city that has been actively driving small businesses out of business for over a decade?

St. Francis Fountains neon-laden storefront has been a fixture of 24th St. in the Mission District since 1918, dishing out diner fare, frozen treats and retro candies. In another time, it was a place where kids could get a house-made ice cream cone for a dime and regulars returned for the pork roast special on Mondays, sipping beverages served from the stainless steel soda fountain. The opening of the ice cream parlor withstood the rise of the Spanish flu and the end of World War I.

Its the eighth-oldest restaurant in San Francisco, one that Hood says was already on life support before COVID-19. In a public comment shared with the Small Business Commission at last weeks meeting, he said small businesses like his own were leaving the city in droves, unable to survive. Just like that, the storefronts he knew and loved were replaced by large businesses.

Who cares for the man or woman who has put everything on the line, sacrificed 12 hours a day 7 days a week to support their family? wrote Hood, who previously managed Mission diner Boogaloos and said he has worked in the restaurant industry for nearly four decades.

In recent years, threats of ceasing operation loomed over St. Francis Fountain, but the nostalgic eatery managed to survive past the centennial mark and achieved legacy business status from the city. Hood hoped the restaurant would stick around for another decade, maybe even longer.

Yet, he ended his letter on a somber note.

It may say Died in Pandemic on our tombstone, but the truth is, being a small business in San Francisco, we were already dead. Cue the band on the Titanic.

Editor's note: This article previously stated Hood was currently managing Boogaloos. He no longer works there and this information has been corrected.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:

Sign up for 'The Daily' newsletter for the latest on coronavirus here.

Amanda Bartlett is an SFGATE associate digital reporter. Email: amanda.bartlett@sfgate.com | Twitter: @byabartlett
Certainly, many young Republicans said, they would consider crossing the aisle in this election if not for abortion.

If it werent for that one issue, then Id have no problem voting for a Democrat over Trump, said Mr. Lucky, a college student in Newport News, Va., who rejects the presidents America first philosophy and believes the long-term health of the environment is more important than short-term economic growth. He plans to vote third-party.

Harvard Universitys annual survey of 18- to 29-year-olds found in March that, while 82 percent of Republicans in that age group said they would vote for Mr. Trump over Joseph R. Biden Jr., only 30 percent were closely aligned with Mr. Trump based on an ideology and values questionnaire.

What that is essentially telling me is there is a fissure within the Republican Party, said John Della Volpe, polling director at Harvards Institute of Politics, who oversees the survey. In contrast to Republicans at large, who polls show overwhelmingly support Mr. Trump, a significant share of young Republicans arent aligning, Mr. Della Volpe said. They dont have the same values as the Trump base.

In interviews, young Republicans criticized Mr. Trumps leadership, his personal conduct and his response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Ms. Crawford said she was repulsed by his comments about women, including the Access Hollywood recording, and by the sense that his goal was to belittle or berate his opponents. Ilana Miller, 20, a student at Washington University in St. Louis, expressed frustration that Mr. Trump, instead of uniting the country against the coronavirus, was talking about himself and his own reputation.

He is not really the guy you want to be leading the ship through the storm, said Rory Bosanko, 19, who said gun rights, border security and abortion were among his top issues. Mr. Bosanko, who lives in Salida, Colo., added that he was happier with how Gov. Jared Polis had handled the crisis even though he generally disagrees with Mr. Polis, a Democrat, on policy.
New Delhi, May 6 : Motorcycle brand Royal Enfield has resumed operations at its manufacturing facilities from Wednesday.

According to the company, manufacturing activity was commenced first at the Oragadam unit, near Chennai, in a staggered manner, with minimal staff over a single shift.

"Employees and shop floor staff residing in and around plant locations will be aligned to work in these units so as to avoid long-distance travel and minimise contact during transportation," the company said in a statement.

"There will be complete compliance to norms of social distancing and workplace sanitisation." As per the statement, operations at the other two manufacturing facilities - Tiruvottiyur and Vallam Vadagal - will be started in a phased manner.

"All other office locations including corporate offices in Chennai, Gurgaon and the UK Technical Centre will continue to remain closed, and employees will work from home as of now," the statement said.

In addition, the company said that while the majority of the Royal Enfield dealer network will continue to remain closed, around 120 dealerships have begun partial operations.

"We expect around 300 dealerships, in all, to be operational by mid May with strict safety measures and social distancing norms will be followed at dealerships as well," the statement added.
By Chace Beech, a graduate student at USC Annenberg School of Journalism, for AL.com

Before birth doula Nadia Gramby meets a client who is in labor, she practices the same ritual: I get in my car, put on my worship music and I pray. God has to go into the room before me. I have no idea whats going to happen over the next few hours, she said about her work. But now, because of the coronavirus, Gramby might not enter the delivery room at all.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey released a statewide public health order on March 19th that addresses maternal care. Hospitals are not allowed to admit more than one person into a delivery room. That tends to be the persons partner, leaving the pregnant women in a quandary -- whether to have a partner or doula with them during delivery.

While birth doulas have become more common, there is still confusion about what it is they do. The National Black Doula Association describes birth doulas as, a person experienced in childbirth who provides advice, information, emotional support, and physical comfort to a mother, before, during, and immediately after childbirth.

Studies have shown that women who give birth with doulas are four times less likely to have low birth weight babies, and two times less likely to experience a birth complication involving themselves or the baby.

But, doulas are still not typically considered essential health care personnel or medical workers. In many hospitals they are seen as visitors. Gramby believes Alabamas mandate is the result of more than the coronavirus. If a hospital has decided doulas are not allowed at births, then they dont see us as an asset and dont understand the role of a doula -- they dont see us as part of the care team, she said.

In February the CDC released a new report on maternal mortality. The study found that the mortality rate for black women in America is 37.1 deaths per 100,000 births -- more than double the rate for white women. Alabama has the third highest maternal mortality rate in the country for all women, with 36.4 deaths per 100,000 births.

There is no single reason why these numbers are so high. Studies have found that racism leads to chronic high stress, which is bad for overall health and affects pregnant women. Pre-eclampsia and eclampsia seizures are 60% higher in women of color than white women. Black women often deliver via C-section and then hemorrhage at a higher rate. The Listening To Mothers national childbearing survey found that, black women are more likely to have fibroids, which can cause hemorrhaging, than white women. And, the heightened risk of pregnancy related death for black women spans ages and income levels.

Many black women, like Gramby, are choosing to become birth doulas. In 2018 she founded her doula practice, Crown of Glory Birth. She and other doulas serve as advocates in the delivery room, with an understanding of the specific challenges black women face while giving birth.

In an email, a representative for the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital said that while the pandemic is ongoing, the hospital is following the state of Alabama executive orders, only allowing one visitor into the birthing room.

Dr. Jesanna Cooper at Princeton Baptist Medical Center in Birmingham, views doulas as integral to her clients care.

We see the doula as part of the birthing team, rather than as a visitor, said Cooper who is chair of the Womens and Infants Division at Princeton. There is good evidence that continuous doula support in labor reduces c-section rates, and rising c-section rates are related to the rise in maternal mortality we see in the US and Alabama.

There is a long history of distrust that is not unfounded when it comes to relationships between women of color and the medical community, continued Cooper. Having doulas of color, supporting women of color, can strengthen the bridge that we need between healthcare workers and birthing people.

Often, doctors dont like to feel that someone else is in there helping the mom advocate for herself, going against a protocol thats more convenient for the provider or nurse on shift, said Holly Horan, a doula and maternal health anthropologist at The University of Alabama.This is a for profit corporate model of healthcare.

Some in the birth community believe the corporate model of healthcare is not working well for black women in America or in Alabama.

Black women are becoming aware of the problem, said Dalia Abrams, a Birmingham based birth doula and the founder of Birthwise, a doula training program. As awareness about Alabamas maternal mortality problem has increased, Abrams has seen the demographics of her trainings change.

When I started, I was lucky if one third of those in a training were people of color. In the last training I did, 12 of the 18 participants were people of color, she said, adding that because Birmingham is majority African American, the numbers should reflect that reality.

Abrams is concerned the coronavirus will negatively impact black women who had planned to give birth with their doulas present.

Its scary, we already have discrimination and institutional racism, and now the mother is alone and doesnt have someone to stand up for her. It is bad, she said. If a woman feels like she isnt being supported during birth, its really, really hard.

The Giving Voice To Mothers study found that black women are twice as likely to report mistreatment by a healthcare worker while in hospital. A study from 2018 found that black women run a much higher risk of dying from postpartum hemorrhaging and often their complaints of pain after birth go untreated or ignored, until its too late.

When our black moms have maternal issues, they are not taken as seriously as our white counterparts, said Dr. Tiffany Taft, a doula and founder of Sacred Soul Wellness, an integrative wellness practice based in Montgomery.

DONA International, a worldwide training program has released a Doulas and COVID-19 toolkit which lays out possible new hurdles doulas and their clients will face. The organization suggests supporting clients at home for as long as possible and considering alternative birth places or home births. But home births are generally not covered by insurance, and the cost can be prohibitive for many mothers.

A mom called me this morning in tears, said Gramby. She said, Ive been able to be happy and comfortable in my pregnancy because of you, and now I feel like the hospital is taking away my support. But Gramby said she reminded her, that we are in Gods hands and he would not forsake us.

Despite her reassurance and faith, Gramby knows a level of spiritual intimacy will be lost if she is unable to be in the room. I really believe in touching and agreeing and the physical aspect of bringing God into the delivery, she said.

But shes preparing for socially distanced care -- I will still pray and worship, whether thats virtually from my office or in the actual room of the birth.

Anyone committed to doing birth work is called to do it, in whatever spiritual realm that might look like, said Horan. The doulas presence can even be a spiritual touchstone, she said: having the doula physically in the room can be a source of spiritual support.

And, doulas also act as strategic support. They often describe themselves as megaphones, advocating mothers when they are in the midst of delivery and cant always advocate for themselves.

I asked to keep my placenta, said Ursula Smith, a client of Grambys. Smith wanted to keep her placenta for encapsulation, the practice of consuming ones placenta in pill form.

Immediately after the birth of her daughter, Smith was enjoying what healthcare providers call the golden hour  with her newborn. But her postpartum joy was briefly interrupted by a moment of tension between Gramby, who was in the room throughout the delivery, and her doctors.

Smith remembered hearing Gramby stop them from throwing her placenta away: had Nadia not been in the room, they would have done away with it.

She fought for what I wanted when I couldnt do it myself and made sure my delivery wishes were granted, Smith said.

Flexibility, compassion and the belief that a mothers desire and pain is worthy of being listened to is intrinsic to a doulas work, but it can be taxing. I couldnt do any of this without having a relationship with God, and knowing how to go to him, Gramby said. When the unexpected happens, you dont have anything else to lean on other than God, especially when things are changing so much, like they are right now, with COVID-19.

Edited at 3:40 p.m. on May 6 to clarify hospital restrictions on maternity care.
AMSTERDAM, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Qatar National Library Consortium and Elsevier, a global leader in information analytics, specializing in science and health, agreed a new pilot agreement for fully open access publishing in Qatar, which represents the company's first combined reading and publishing agreement in the Gulf region.

The three-year agreement gives Qatar National Library patrons, Qatar Foundation, and Qatar University access to 2,300 journals published on ScienceDirect, Elsevier's premier platform of peer-reviewed scholarly literature.

The agreement facilitates a cost-neutral transition to open access, enabling Qatari researchers to publish their work Open Access. More information on the scope of the pilot agreement can be found here.

In addition, Qatar National Library Consortium and Elsevier have concluded a three-year agreement to enable Qatar National Library patrons, Qatar Foundation, and Qatar University access to Scopus, the world's largest abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature.

Milan Vasiljevic, Manager of Electronic Resources and Licensing at Qatar National Library, and chief negotiator for the Consortium, said: "Qatar National Library Consortium is spearheading open access in the region, and this agreement echoes initiatives by other library consortia in Europe and North America in their transition to open access. Given the significant number of articles that our researchers publish with Elsevier, we are pleased that Elsevier's journals are joining our portfolio of open access publishing options. The agreement is in alignment with our licensing principles that support the shift towards making all articles published by corresponding authors from Qatar open access."

"The pilot agreement is a significant step forward," said Asma Saleh Al-Buainain, Acting Director of Qatar University Library and Section Head of Acquisition and Collection Development. She added, "Besides being cost effective, the agreement will benefit everyone especially the researchers and students in the university. They will not only be able to access Elsevier subscription journal content, but will also be able to publish with Elsevier, maximizing the visibility of their research and accelerating discovery of knowledge that Open Access publishing has to offer."

Gino Ussi, Elsevier's Executive Vice President, said: "We are delighted to have concluded this new license in Qatar and we look forward to continuing to support the Qatari research community. Like Qatar, Elsevier is committed to Open Access and remains one of the fastest growing publishers in this area, with 40 percent more open Access articles published in 2019 than the previous year. We have created this innovative pilot agreement together, by working closely with both the Qatar National Library and Qatar University to understand their specific objectives and help deliver their ambitious research goals."

Qatar National Library offers ongoing support to Qatari research institutions, which includes hosting Open Access Week, featuring related lectures and discussions. The Library's Open Access Fund is a national service that provides researchers the opportunity to publish with open access journals from 14 different publishers, greatly increasing the visibility of Qatar-based researchers and their work. In 2019, the fund supported 455 articles from 22 institutions in Qatar.

About Qatar National Library

Qatar National Library acts as a steward of Qatar's national heritage by collecting, preserving and making available the country's recorded history. The Library provides equal access to all types of information and services and aims to enable the people of Qatar to positively influence society by creating an exceptional learning and discovery environment.

His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, officially inaugurated Qatar National Library on 16 April 2018. The Library was granted the status of national library under the Emiri Decree No. 11 of 20 March 2018. www.qnl.qa

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a global information analytics business that helps scientists and clinicians to find new answers, reshape human knowledge, and tackle the most urgent human crises. For 140 years, we have partnered with the research world to curate and verify scientific knowledge. Today, we're committed to bringing that rigor to a new generation of platforms. Elsevier provides digital solutions and tools in the areas of strategic research management, R&D performance, clinical decision support, and professional education; including ScienceDirect, Scopus, SciVal, ClinicalKey and Sherpath. Elsevier publishes over 2,500 digitized journals, including The Lancet and Cell, 39,000 e-book titles and many iconic reference works, including Gray's Anatomy. Elsevier is part of RELX, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. www.elsevier.com

Media contacts

Sara Nouman, Media Relations Manager

Qatar National Library

+974-702-182-62

qnlpressoffice@qnl.qa

Andrew Davis

Elsevier Communications, UK

+44-73-93-242-266

andrew.davis@elsevier.com

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Ruby Princess cruise staff partied on board the coronavirus-ridden ship just a day after sick passengers entered Australia.

The cruise ship has been linked to almost two dozen COVID-19 deaths, and 200 of the 1,000-strong crew have tested positive for the virus.

On March 19, passengers were allowed to disembark the ship at Darling Harbour in Sydney after it was deemed 'low-risk' despite many showing flu-like symptoms.

After the passengers disembarked, a sail away party was held for crew on the ship, with dancers and musicians putting on a show.

Video (pictured) has emerged from on-board the Ruby Princess cruise ship on the day more than 2000 passengers were allowed to disembark in Sydney during the COVID-19 pandemic

Normally a 'sail away party' is held for the next lot of passengers to board - however with no one coming onto the ship because of the pandemic, the celebration went ahead just for staff.

Trumpet player Chris Harris told the ABC everyone seemed care-free and was having a good time.

'When we left on March 19, as far as we were aware, we were a healthy ship,' Mr Harris said.

Fitness instructor Byron Sodani was also working on the Ruby Princess and said it wasn't common for the sail away party to be held just for crew.

'We thought we had a clean ship and the idea of COVID-19 was just outside. Because why would you let us do a party together?' Mr Sodani said.

'When it comes to health, I feel like we have all been put in danger here.'

Some staff on-board the ship at the time said they were treated to a 'sail away' party after the ship was deemed 'low risk' when passengers were allowed to disembark on March 19

Footage from the party shows staff being congratulated on their 'amazing' work as music plays and dancers are seen by the pool.

The same day huge throngs of passengers from the virus riddled ship were released into the city.

On the night before the passengers disembarked footage captured a massive party on-board which included staff.

Kitchen staff were filmed dancing the conga in a dining room on the vessel on March 18 despite doctors having already reported sickness to authorities.

The footage was given to homicide detectives, who are conducting a criminal investigation into why the Ruby Princess was allowed to let passengers off.

'The footage will be reviewed for Strike Force Bast investigators,' New South Wales Police said in a statement.

The video posted to Instagram shows passengers in close quarters with kitchen staff.

More than 2000 passengers from the Ruby Princess (pictured) were allowed to disembark on March 19 with the ship since being linked to 20 COVID-19 deaths and 600 confirmed cases

The federal department overseeing biosecurity arrangements has said NSW Health 'advised there were no issues preventing disembarkation' of the Ruby Princess (pictured)

Senior epidemiologist Kelly-Anne Ressler was on Tuesday questioned during a special commission of inquiry hearing into the Ruby Princess cruise ship.

Miss Ressler was reduced to tears after it was suggested there'd been a 'reprehensible shortcoming' by the department when passengers were allowed to disembark in Sydney.

Some 2700 passengers disembarked on March 19 and the ship has since been linked to more than 20 coronavirus deaths and 600 infections across Australia.

The federal department overseeing biosecurity arrangements has said NSW Health 'advised there were no issues preventing disembarkation'.

Commissioner Bret Walker SC asked Ms Ressler why he 'should not draw the conclusion that there has been a reprehensible shortcoming from NSW Health'.

'All I can say is that I'm very sorry it turned out the way it did, it was not our intention,' she replied as she fought back tears.

'Myself and my colleagues at the public health unit were working very hard on this. We did what we could and if we could do it again it would be very different.'

A separate Senate inquiry into the Ruby Princess began on Tuesday in Canberra while a NSW Police criminal probe is also underway.

The Ruby Princess on Tuesday was off the east coast of the southern Philippine island of Mindanao en-route to Manila.
The Kenyan government, through the Department of Housing and Urban Development, is set to provide a daily income for more than 10,000 jobless youths living in informal settlements in Nairobi.

The initiative dubbed Kazi Mtaani National Hygiene Programme (NHP) will be rolled out across 23 informal settlements countrywide in phases to provide more than 26,000 youths with immediate job opportunities.

Already, 10,600 youths living in Nairobis Kibera, Mathare, Mukuru and Korogocho slums have been enlisted for the first phase of the initiative.

The youths will be undertaking daily sanitation and environment preservation duties in their respective settlements.

Principal Secretary Charles Hinga said some of these duties will include street cleaning, fumigation and disinfection, garbage collection, bush clearance and drainage unclogging services.

The payment structure is aimed at providing a daily income and this is why workers will be paid at least twice a week through mobile money transfers, said Mr Hinga.

He added that phase one of the programme will deliver wages for the next one month.

Hinga noted that the initiative has been conceptualized to provide social relief by providing jobs and facilitating hygiene interventions to help contain the Covid-19 pandemic in informal urban settlements.

The first phase of the NHP programme will also focus on informal settlements in the counties of Mombasa, Kiambu, Nakuru, Kisumu, Kilifi, Kwale and Mandera which will see the enlisting of 26, 148 Kenyans.

These counties have seen the first instances of COVID-19 and have been affected by the cessation of movement policy initiated to contain the spread of the virus. The containment strategies have affected economic activity, making it difficult for those reliant on daily work to meet their basic needs, said the PS.
National restaurant chains  Shake Shack, Ruths Chris Steakhouse and Potbelly Sandwich Shop  are among those that have committed to returning their loans. In securing the money, the chains had used an exception in the law allowing hotel and restaurant companies with more than 500 employees to receive help if they have fewer workers than that in any one location. All three said they could get money elsewhere.
Survey Uncovers Alarming Aversion to Starting Businesses and Commercial Rent Relief

TORONTO, May 6, 2020 /CNW/ - The Entrepreneur's Organization (EO) Toronto, a group of 111 business leaders, who are the owner, founder or controlling shareholder of companies with revenues of at least $1 million + a year, recently commissioned a survey to take a pulse check of Canadians and their attitudes on starting up businesses. Concerned with how businesses will bloom post-COVID-19, they found many Canadians hesitant to become entrepreneurs.

Key findings of the survey:

Canadians in many major markets aren't planning to start businesses post COVID



Asked if they be more or less likely to start a business after COVID-19, nationally  a combined 57.9% of Canadians said 'no/less likely' (39.9%) and 'no way it's too risky' (18.0%). 20.8% said 'maybe under the right conditions.' Only 14.3% said 'yes' and 7.1% said 'yes they are planning to.'

a) Atlantic Canada

At a combined 72.7%, Atlantic Canada had the highest number of respondents say that they would not consider starting a business (49.8%) or 'no way it's too risky' (22.9%)

b) Ontario

At a combined 60.7%, Ontario had the second-highest number of respondents say that they would not consider starting a business (42.4%) or 'no way it's too risky' (18.3%)



"As Ontario businesses, our membership finds this particularly concerning," said Peter Demangos, EO President (Toronto Chapter) and President at PDF Financial Group. "We know that Ontario is an economic engine for the entire country, and we need to maintain the innovations that entrepreneurs and new business startups bring to the Province. While we are dealing with the current small business and Global pandemic crisis, we need also need to be ensuring the future of small business in this country."

c) The Prairies

At 57.5%, the Prairies had a significant number of respondents who said they would not consider starting a new business.

d) British Columbia

At 56.8%, BC respondents were not far behind in saying they would not start up a new business post COVID.

2. Canadians are surprisingly NOT on board with the Canada Emergency Rent Assistance plan.

Asked if the government should give commercial rent subsidies to business owners or landlords, Canadians responded surprisingly, by adding 'neither' as an option and seemingly not supporting the Canada Emergency Rent Assistance program.



Nationally, 47.4% of respondents said 'neither,' 41.0% said the relief should go directly to business owners, and only 18.9% said that the money should go to landlords. Ontario had the highest number of respondents answering 'neither' at 48.3%.



"This is surprising to us as many Canadian small businesses may have to close their doors permanently without rent relief," added Demangos. "We would have expected more support from Canadians for small business during the pandemic."



Interestingly, 34.2% of Canadians were in favour of the government ordering commercial landlords to pause rent (without a subsidy.)

3. Canadians are okay with more loans and tax credits for small businesses



Asked what more the government could do to help small business during COVID-19, Canadians appear to be in favour of loans and tax deferments. 33.6% of respondents were in favour of 'more low-interest loans to keep them afloat,' 32.6% said 'ongoing tax deferments,' and 25.2% supported 'more tax credits to companies who keep their doors open during the pandemic.'

4. The majority of Canadians think Trudeau is doing enough to help Canadian small business



Asked if they think Trudeau is doing enough to help small business, a combined 75.3% of Canadians said 'yes' (38.3%) or 'sort of' (37.0%.) Only 24.7% said 'no.'

5. Canadians think that business owners are slightly better off than employees during COVID-19



Asked who they think is better off, Canadians said employees are worse off (57.2%) vs 42.8% who said that employees are better off.



"As we slowly re-open Canada's businesses and economy, there's never been a more important time to support small business from the federal, provincial, municipal and customer level," added Demangos. "We need to show existing small businesses that they can re-open with major support from all levels and signal to the next generation of entrepreneurs that they will be similarly supported if they open new businesses."

About the Entrepreneurs' Organization

The Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) is a global, peer-to-peer network of more than 14,000+ influential business owners with 193 chapters in 60 countries. Founded in 1987, EO is the catalyst that enables leading entrepreneurs to learn and grow, leading to greater success in business and beyond.

SOURCE The Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) Toronto

For further information: Patrick McCaully, Pointman News Creation, [email protected], www.pointmannc.com
United Auto Workers President Rory Gamble issued a statement Tuesday giving the UAWs blessing to the plans by US automakers to reopen their factories on May 18, despite the ongoing spread of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. Less than two weeks ago, Gamble said there had not been enough testing done to conclude that it is safe to have our members back in the workplace.

Underscoring the utter inability of the UAW to defend the health and safety of workers, Gamble said it was the companies, not the workers, which would determine when and how the factories would be reopened. As for the start date, the companies contractually make that decision and we all knew this day would come, he declared.

Plexiglass dividers a break tables in Jefferson North Plant

In March, autoworkers rebelled against managements unilateral decision, supported by the UAW, to keep the factories open even as the pandemic spread, leading to the deaths of at least 23 Fiat Chrysler and Ford workers. FCA workers in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, along with Windsor, Canada, launched a wave of wildcat strikes and job actions in opposition to the unions, which forced the closure of the North American auto industry. Since then, auto parts workers across the border in Mexico have struck suppliers like Lear Corp., which has delayed the restart of the industry, originally planned for late April.

The UAW has been working behind the scenes with the auto executives and state governors, including Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer, to reopen the plants without a repeat of the rebellion. With Michigan being one of the epicenters of the pandemic in the US, with 44,000 cases and 4,100 deaths, Whitmer was forced to extend her stay-at-home order until May 15. The auto plants are set to open three days later.

In an earnings call Tuesday, FCA CEO Mike Manley said the company has been in continuous discussions with the UAW, Governor Whitmer and other governors of states where FCA operates. With the outbreak leading to a loss of nearly $2 billion in the first quarter of 2020, Manley told Wall Street investors that FCA planned to open all North American production, with the exception of its Belvidere, Illinois plant, by May 18.

Questionaire to shift onus about status of health onto workers

In order to ensure the supply chain to assembly plants in Michigan, other states and Canada is ready, the Michigan Manufactures Association (MMA) has urged Whitmer to allow suppliers to reopen a week before the automakers resume production, MMA CEO John Walsh said Tuesday, according to a report in Automotive News.

The UAW has dropped any pretension that widespread testing should be done before the plants are reopened. We continue to advocate for as much testing as possible at the current time and eventually full-testing when available, Gamble wrote pathetically.

The UAW is peddling the lie that the automakers have taken sufficient measures to protect safety. Fiat Chrysler workers have scoffed at the packages mailed to them, which include disposable thermometers. Workers are supposed to use the thermometers to take their temperatures before reporting to work. However, it is widely known that someone can carry and spread the coronavirus infection without showing any symptoms, including higher temperatures.

We got a robocall from the plant manager saying we will be re-starting soon and that everything is safe, Tonya, a worker at FCAs Jefferson North Assembly Plant (JNAP) in Detroit, told the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter. What Gamble is saying is BS. Just a week-and-a-half ago, he was saying it was too soon to reopen. He says it is up to the company to decide, that they have the contractual rightbut not to kill us.

Back-to-work kit sent out to FCA workers

There are workers in the plant that lost family members, their parents. They havent done anything to make it safe for thousands of workers to come back. Theyre telling us to wear masks, but a lot of workers have asthma and other conditions, you know theyre not going to wear them for 10 hours. Its not worth going back and losing your life or bringing the disease back home.

All the company is, is money-hungry. We cant accept a choice of not having an income or worrying about dying from the virus. FCA is testing the waters to see if workers will take it or will walk out again. If we hadnt gone out on strike, wed still be in the plants now and people would still be dying.

Weve had 3-4 workers die at JNAP, but the company refuses to tell us. We need transparency because they are not giving us information about how many workers got infected and how many died. The medical department is a joke. One worker had a fever and they sent her back to the line. She later got COVID. The UAW health and safety committees are not for us either. If you tell them the roof is leaking, theyll tell you to move a few steps away.

We need rank-and-file safety committees to defend our own lives.

Thermometer patch that changes color with higher temperature

Projections by the University of Washingtons Institute for Health Modeling and Evaluation say the current number of US COVID-19 deathsover 72,000will more than double by August and reach as high as 243,000 because of the easing of social distancing restrictions.

The reckless and homicidal rush back to work must be opposed by workers. There is no time to lose. Autoworkers should begin discussions now on setting up rank-and-file safety committees to link up with the broadest sections of the working class across the US, Canada, Mexico and other countries to oppose the reopening of non-essential industries, including the auto industry.

It is impossible to contain the pandemic or even judge its scope without a massive program of testing, contact tracing and quarantining to isolate those who are infected and provide them with immediate medical treatment. There should be no return to work without verifiable proof that the pandemic has been contained. At the same time, all workers affected by shutdowns must be guaranteed full income and medical coverage and a moratorium on mortgage, rent, student and car loans, and credit card payments.

Rank-and-file safety committees will not bow to the profit interests and management rights that are enshrined in every UAW contract but will fight for the rights of workers, including for a healthy and safe working environment.
Nearly 3.75 lakh migrant



workers have so far left from Gujarat for their native places in trains, buses and other vehicles since the lockdown restrictions were eased last week, a senior official said on Wednesday.

Besides, 36,000 more migrant workers will leave for Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand in 30 trains from Surat, Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Vadodara, among other stations, in Gujarat by Wednesday night, the official said.

Till Tuesday, nearly 47,000 migrant workers left for their home states in 39 special trains, chief minister's secretary Ashwani Kumar said in a video message.

"So far, as many as 3.75 lakh migrant workers have left for their home states from Gujarat in trains, buses and other vehicles," he said.

Thirty more trains -- 18 for Uttar Pradesh, seven for Bihar, three for Odisha, and two for Jharkhand -- each carrying nearly 1,200 workers will leave from Gujarat by Wednesday night, he said.

Kumar claimed that among other states, Gujarat made arrangements for maximum number of trains for migrant workers.

"More trains will run in the coming days. The operation is likely to be completed in 10 to 15 days and will be extended further, if required, until the last labourer willing to return to his home state is sent," he said.

The official appealed to migrants on behalf of Chief Minister Vijay Rupani to be patient and support the district administrations.

He also said that the state Cabinet in its meeting on Wednesday decided to make face masks compulsory even in areas falling under green and orange zones for COVID-19.

Gujarat tourism secretary Mamta Verma has been appointed to oversee return of people to the state from abroad through special flights starting May 7, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tom Cruise Working With NASA to Shoot Action Film in Space

NASA announced Tuesday that the space agency is working with actor Tom Cruise to make the first feature film to be shot in outer space.

Cruise, 57, will launch into space where he will film and stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS) during production, a NASA spokesperson told CNN Business.

NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station! NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine wrote on Twitter. We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASAs ambitious plans a reality.

Bridenstine gave no details but the tweet followed a report in Hollywood trade outlet Deadline that Cruise was working with Tesla and SpaceX entrepreneur Elon Musk to make the film. The proposed action adventure is in its early stages, Deadline reported on Monday.

Should be a lot of fun! Musk said in a tweet addressed to Bridenstine hours later.

Since 2000, rotating crews of astronauts have been living aboard the ISS, and it has also been visited by some high-paying tourists. Cruise, however, is set to become the first actor to fly into outer space.

NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station! We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASAs ambitious plans a reality. pic.twitter.com/CaPwfXtfUv  Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) May 5, 2020

Russia is currently the only country able to send people to the ISS, however SpaceX and Boeing have been working for years to make the United States capable of the feat. On May 27, SpaceXs spacecraft, Crew Dragon, is expected to complete its first astronaut mission to the station in almost a decade.

Astronauts have not launched into orbit from the United States since NASAs space shuttle program was retired in 2011. Since then, the United States has been paying Russia to carry astronauts to the space station, while private companies such as SpaceX have been developing space travel and related technologies.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the Crew Dragon astronaut capsule, lifts off on an in-flight abort test, a key milestone before flying humans in 2020 under NASAs commercial crew program, from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Jan. 19, 2020. (Joe Skipper/Reuters)

Musks SpaceX in 2012 became the first private company to transport cargo to the space station. At the time, SpaceX said it could transport an astronaut to the Space Station for $20 million compared to $70 million for a trip on Russias Soyuz spacecraft, The Guardian reported.

Only Russia, followed by the United States, then China, have launched humans into orbit since 1961. The latest mission, should it all go to plan, would make SpaceX, which was founded 18 years ago, the first private company to do so.

The mission will be the final test flight for the Crew Dragon before NASA certifies the craft for the agencys Commercial Crew Program, a public-private initiative for regular manned flights to the space station.

Cruise is renowned for his daredevil films and for doing his own stunts. He flew fighter jets for the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick, hung off the side of a plane as it took off in Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation in 2015, and climbed the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubaithe tallest building in the worldfor Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol.

Filming on Mission: Impossible 7 was put on hold in February as the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus epidemic took off in Italy. The disease later led to a worldwide shutdown of Hollywood movie and TV production and the closure of movie theaters.

Mimi Nguyen Ly and Reuters contributed to this report.
New Delhi: Two days after an FIR was registered against an Instagram group for sharing obscene messages and morphed pictures of underage girls, the Delhi Police on Wednesday arrested its group admin. The Instagram group, Bois Locker Room, was highlighted by a twitter handle, which shared screenshots of the group chat, where members went to the extent of making plans to 'gang rape' the said minors.

The arrested group admin is a student of a school in Noida and had appeared for his class 12 examination this year. According to the police, he started the group in April. He initially added a few friends who later added others.

According to police, they have identified ten members of the group, of which six have completed 18 years of age. On Wednesday, probe began against four more adult members of the group.

Out of the ten members, those who are major are being examined by the police. "The minor members of the group are being dealt with as per the provisions of Juvenile Justice Act," said DCP Aynesh Roy.

The police apprehended a juvenile group member on Tuesday. In the presence of an NGO, family members and police, the juvenile revealed the group admins details. He also helped the police identify other members. He couldnt be produced before the juvenile justice board due to lockdown but the parents have assured the he will remain in the city as long as the investigation goes on. Five more juveniles were questioned on Tuesday.

According to police sources, the adult group members are being called to the police station to join the probe while the juvenile members are being questioned at their home in the presence of the NGO and their family members.

"The Delhi Police Cyber Crime Cell have also written to Instagram asking for the information related the group and its members," Roy said. The social media organisation has not yet replied to the police and the report is still awaited. The police have also written to 21 members of the group to join the probe.

The police said that they got to know about the said Instagram group during social media monitoring. The Cyber Crime Cell noticed that the group was being used by its members to "share obscene messages and morphed pictures," Roy said.

The group had a total of 51 members, both majors and minors. They started sharing the photos that the girls would post on their feed and began exchanging morphed photos. In the group, one of the members was also found suggesting other members to call one of the girls, whose photo was shared, and "gang rape her".

After the screenshots of the group went viral, many members deleted their accounts, police said. Some of these people were also part of other groups on Instagram. These students are majorly from schools in South Delhi and Noida.

The devices used to engage in the offensive communication have been seized and sent for forensic analysis.

A senior officer of the Cyber Crime Cell said the investigation is underway and further action will be taken on the basis of material evidence that is gathered in course of investigation.

Meanwhile, Minister of State of Women and Child Development Debasree Chaudhuri on Wednesday said it is important to treat instances like 'Bois Locker Room' as direct case of online abuse.
California is not likely to suffer a beef shortage as a result of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic but the industry's processing plants and distribution chain are already heavily strained, a group of cattle ranchers and grocers said Wednesday.

California has nearly 14,000 ranches and is the country's fifth-largest beef producer. However, with restaurants, stadiums and other food-serving venues shuttered or operating on a limited scale for the foreseeable future due to the pandemic, ranchers say there could be a bottleneck to process and distribute beef.

"There's no shortage. There's lots of meat," said Oroville cattle rancher and California Cattle Council Chair Dave Daley. "The challenge is we have very limited processing facilities to get that to the consumer."

Cattle ranchers warn that limited processing capacity will likely limit beef supplies as grilling season hits its peak during summer. As a result, beef prices could tick up for a sustained period of time, particularly for hamburger meat and popular cuts of beef.

Chelsea Minor, the corporate director of public affairs for the Sacramento-based supermarket chain Raley's, said customers should avoid impulse purchases of beef to avoid a supply and demand issue similar to products like toilet paper and paper towels.

"We're trying to communicate with our customers that the meat will continue to be in stores," she said. "You're going to see a different variety, you should be open to trying a new variety. You should understand and respect that these processors aree moving as fast as they can.

Some small family farmers and ranchers said it could take months for them to fill orders due to processing constraints. Julie Morris, co-owner of two cattle ranches in San Juan Bautista, said her farms' waiting list for delivery currently stretches to October.

"Most of those people understand that when you are purchasing directly from a rancher, sometimes you have to be in the queue because of the processing bottleneck," Morris said.

Despite the supply chain constraints, Daley said he hasn't heard of any plans in California to euthanize cattle, pigs or chickens due to a lack of processing and distribution capacity. Cattle, in particular, don't have distribution timelines that are as constrained as pork and chicken, he said.

Cody Nicholson-Stratton, who runs a dairy farm in Ferndale, said consumers should look to recipes on cooking and social media websites like Facebook and Instagram if they're apprehensive about cooking a new cut of beef.

"If you've never cooked a brisket, get a brisket and find a video," he said. "It's an opportunity right now to recognize that we can make lemonade out of the lemons that we're given."

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.
State-owned Punjab National Bank has sought extension of moratorium on loans for small businesses from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), managing director and chief executive officer of the lender Mallikarjuna Rao said on Wednesday.

Have requested RBI to rethink on moratorium and extend it if required, so that MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) have more scope to revive," Rao said in a video conference organized by PHD Chambers of Commerce. He also said that covid-19 related challenges are not temporary and will continue for the next few months, and urged the industry to also request the central bank and the government for measures to support businesses worst hit by the pandemic..

In March, the RBI had allowed banks, non-banking financial companies (including housing finance companies) and other financial institutions to allow a three-month moratorium on payment of installments on term loans that are due for payment between March 1 and May 31.

Rao however, cautioned the industry participants that even though borrowers may get relief on paying installments, the interest burden will remain. He further pointed out that the issue of interest burden can be sorted, by restructuring loans.

Have also requested RBI to permit one-time restructuring (of loans) till March 31, 2021 (on a case to case basis)," Rao said, urging the industry to also request the central bank to do the same.

Earlier this year, the central bank had already extended one-time restructuring for MSME loans till December 31, 2020.

Micro small and medium entertainment (MSME) sector, which employs millions of people, have been worst hit by the nationwide lockdown that led to closure of businesses. The union government is likely to soon announce relief measures for the beleaguered sector.

Last week, the RBI Governor and top bankers reviewed the current economic situation and post-lockdown credit flows, including provision of working capital, with special focus on credit flows to MSMEs. The union finance ministry is soon expected to announce a stimulus package to support these small businesses.

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Ukraine invites U.S. companies planning to transfer production from other regions

23:20, 06.05.20 14324

The U.S. secretary of state assured the Ukrainian foreign minister of unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
After a roller coaster FY20, where the Indian market witnessed a general election, a pandemic, an economic downturn and crude crisis, analysts at William O' Neil India felt FY21 presents a host of opportunities. In a report, the brokerage has analysed stocks that are showing 'traits of a leader'. (Image: Moneycontrol)

Navin Fluorine International: After hitting a 52-week low of Rs 570, the stock advanced more than 130% since August 2019 with strong support at its 21-DMA and made an all-time high of Rs 1,630. In the third week of March, the stock breached 21- and 50-DMA, giving a sell signal before the stock corrected more than 20% during the recent market correction. (Image: William O' Neil)

Alkyl Amines Chemicals: The stock has gained 81% till February 28. It broke out of a 25-week flat base in October 2019 and rallied over 97 percent from its pivot. However, due to the global pandemic, it pared some of its gains. It lost around 43% from its peak and found support at its 200-DMA, during the ongoing crisis. (Image: William O' Neil)

Mas Financial Services: After breaking out in December, it gave a superior return of 66% in the next three months. Later global sell-off crumbled the stock price. It lost over 65% during the sell-off. Key moving average to watch out for the stock is 50-DMA. (Image: William O' Neil)

Berger Paints India: The stock broke out of a cup-with-handle base in July 2019 and rallied over 58% before forming a cup-with-handle base pattern. The base formation was ideal as volumes dropped during the base formation. The second breakout gave a 16% return as well; however, coronavirus pandemic in February triggered a sell-off in the stock price. It fell around 35%. The number of funds invested in the stock surged 83% to 428 funds, indicating a strong demand for the stock. (Image: William O' Neil)

Deepak Nitrite: During the recent global pandemic, it corrected around 42% and gave up its 200-DMA. 50-DMA acted as good support during the uptrend and 200-DMA gave support during consolidation from June to September 2019. The number of institutional funds invested in the stock increased by around 20%, indicating a strong demand for the stock. (Image: William O' Neil)

SRF: The stock went up 65% in FY20 till February 28. It formed a stage-two consolidation in July-October, and after the breakout, it progressed more than 30% in less than three months. After a breakout, the RS line was trending upward, the stock continuously traded above its 21- and 50-DMA and A/D Rating remained high, showing good accumulation. (Image: William O' Neil)

Bharat Rasayan: The stock declined more than 40% in the recent market correction. Though its technical ratings have deteriorated, the fundamental profile with an EPS Rank of 97 remains strong. (Image: William O' Neil)

Fine Organic Industries: Strong quarterly performance triggered a rally in the stock. In Q3 FY20, a 25% y/y increase in the number of funds holding the stock indicated a large investment from institutional investors. However, in February, it made higher highs on low volume. It has been backtested that most of the times, a new high on low volume indicates the end of a rally. After downside reversal, it breached 21- and 50-DMA and declined more than 40% during the recent market correction. The good part is that the stock retook 50- and 200-DMA. (Image: William O' Neil)

JK Cement: In March, it had an intraday downside reversal. The stock breached its 21- and 50-DMA and gave a strong sell signal before correcting more than 40% in the recent market correction. The fundamental profile remains strong with EPS Rank of 97. Also, the stock had an upside reversal and technical profile is improving. (Image: William O' Neil)

GMM Pfaudler: The Companys glass lining business is the biggest chunk of its business and is the most profitable one. The company continued to maintain a market share of about 60%. Further, the glass line was continuously growing during FY20 as there was a surge in demand from industries, basically chemical, pharmaceutical, etc. The demand is still very strong. (Image: William O' Neil)

Timken India: The stock formed a stage-two consolidation from May to August, and after the breakout, it progressed more than 35%. Generally, volume on the gain days was higher and managed to close in the top half of the days range. Its RS line was trending upward and A/D Rating remained high, showing good accumulation. Notably, the number of funds holding the stock is down 25% q/q in Q3 FY20, but the number of shares held by the funds has increased 5% in the same period. After the breakout, it continuously traded above its 50-DMA. (Image: William O' Neil)

Adani Enterprises: Post breakout in mid-September, the stock advanced more than 330% with strong support at its 21-DMA. Then, in January-February, it corrected toward its 21-DMA and hovered around its 21-DMA. In the last week of February, the stock decisively breached its 50-DMA, giving a sell signal before correcting more than 30% during the recent market correction. (Image: William O' Neil)

Abbott India: In the first week of March, the stock decisively breached its 21-DMA, which is a strong support, giving a sell signal before the stock corrected more than 18% during the recent market correction. (Image: William O' Neil)

Trent: In November-December, the stock formed a stage-two cup-with-handle base. The depth of the base was about 15%. The stock gained 45% after the breakout before correcting toward its 21-DMA. In the first two weeks of March, the stock decisively breached its 21- and 50-DMA, giving a sell signal. It declined more than 30% in the recent market correction. (Image: William O' Neil)

Vaibhav Global: Strong support is seen at 200-DMA. During the March selloff, it breached its 200-DMA and declined further to make a low of Rs 551. (Image: William O' Neil)

Tata Consumer Products: It had lost heavily in 2018 and retook its 200-DMA in May 2019. Since then, there has been an upward trend in the stock price movement. It formed an eight-week cup-with-handle base pattern in July-August. During the base formation, volumes dried up. After breaking out of the base pattern, it rallied nearly 50% before succumbing to a global sell-off. During the sell-off, it corrected ~48%. 50-DMA is a crucial level for the stock. It advanced with the uptrending 50-DMA. The stock had a 63% increase in the number of funds holding the stock. (Image: William O' Neil)

Relaxo Footwear: After its breakout in September, it rallied 26% and formed an uptrend cup-with-handle base pattern. The base formation was ideal, as volume dried up during the formation. Before breakout, there was accumulation as well, again a strong indicator of bullishness. It advanced 33% from the breakout before succumbing to global sell-off caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It had corrected about 40% during the selloff period. (Image: William O' Neil)

Orient Electric: 200-DMA is a critical level to watch out for the stock. It has given good support for the stock throughout the year. However, due to a global selloff, the stock breached its support levels. (Image: William O' Neil)

Amber Enterprises India: The stock moved sideways for most of H1 FY20 and made a flat base. The stock advanced 70% after the breakout. The flat base formation was very constructive. The depth was less than 15%, with tighter areas and declining volume. After progressing well, the stock was not able to hold gains on an intraday basis in the first half of February and started closing in the lower half of the days range. Later, the stock breached its 21- and 50-DMA, giving a sell signal before the stock corrected more than 35% during the recent market correction. (Image: William O' Neil)

Dixon Technologies: In Q3 FY20, a 40% y/y increase in the number of funds holding the stock indicated a large investment from institutional investors. It continuously traded above its 21- and 50-DMA. However, in the second half of February, it breached 21- and 50-DMA within a week on high volume. It was a strong sell signal before the stock corrected more than 40% during the recent market correction. The good part is that the stock is holding its 200-DMA and the pivot of its previous base. EPS Rank of 97 is strong, and with the upside reversal, technical ratings have also improved. (Image: William O' Neil)

HDFC Asset Management: In the first week of March, the stock decisively breached its strong supports of 21- and 50-DMA on above-average volume. In the recent market correction, the stock has declined more than 35%. (Image: William O' Neil)

ICICI Securities: Strong support at its 21-DMA. In the first week of March, the stock decisively breached its 21- and 50-DMA, giving a sell signal before correcting more than 50% during the recent market correction. (Image: William o' Neil)

AU Small Finance Bank: The stock has decline more than 50% in March and is trading below crucial supports of 21- and 50-DMA. (Image: William O' Neil)

Nippon Life India Asset Management: In the first week of March, the stock decisively breached its 21- and 50-DMA, giving a sell signal before the stock corrected more than 40% during the recent market correction. (Image: William O' Neil)

Mishra Dhatu Nigam: Due to the global selloff, the stock succumbed to selling pressure and lost ~52%. Owing to its price-volume action, it has a strong RS Rating of 97. Number of funds invested in the stock increased 20%, which is a good indicator of strong demand. (Image: William O' Neil)

CreditAccess Grameen: In March, it breached 21- and 50-DMA on high volume. It was a strong sell signal before the stock corrected more than 60% during the recent market correction. Though EPS Rank of 91 is strong, technical damage is severe and can take time to repair. (Image: William O' Neil)

Aavas Financiers: The stock was added to the MSI portfolio in Q3 FY20 and we booked a profit of 25% in less than two months. In February, the stock breached its 50-DMA, followed by an upside reversal on low volume. This was a strong sell signal before the stock corrected more than 50% during the recent market correction. Though its technical ratings have deteriorated, the stock still has the best EPS Rank of 99. (Image: William O' Neil)

Multi Commodity Exchange of India: After making an all-time high in January, the stock moved sideways and breached its 50-DMA, giving a sell signal before correcting more than 40% during the recent market correction. The stock still has good EPS Rank of 84 and its RS Rating has improved to 85 after an upside reversal in the last couple of weeks. (Image: William O' Neil)

Bharti Airtel: It corrected about 36% in the selloff period. 200-DMA is a crucial level for the stock. It never closed below its 200-DMA in FY20 before the global selloff. Even during the selloff, it quickly retook that level. Institutional sponsorship for the stock improved 17% in terms of the number of funds invested in the stock. (Image: William O' Neil)
A Georgia man serving a life sentence after being convicted of murder for leaving his toddler son to die inside a hot SUV will get a new hearing to appeal his verdict.

Cobb County Superior Court Judge Mary Staley Clark will hear Justin Ross Harris appeal in December, nearly four years after he was found guilty of murder in the death of his 22-month-old son, Cooper Harris.

The toddler died after sitting for about seven hours in the back seat of his father's car outside the office where Harris worked in suburban Atlanta.

Prosecutors in the case argued Harris wanted the child dead so that he would be free to pursue sexual relationships outside his marriage.

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A new appeal hearing has been set for Justin Ross Harris who was convicted of murder after his toddler son, Cooper (right), died inside a hot SUV in 2014

Harris is seen in a screenshot from his videotaped police interview after his son's death

During his high-profile trial in the fall of 2016, jurors heard from multiple women who were exchanging sexually explicit messages and nude photos with Harris on the day of Coopers death, including a minor.

Harris' attorneys and his ex-wife, Leanna Taylor, said during the trial that Cooper's death was an accident.

Harris said he forgot to drop his son off at day care that morning and drove straight to his job as a web developer for Home Depot, not realizing Cooper was still in his car seat.

He told police he didn't notice Cooper until he left work for the day to go to a movie.

If Judge Clark rules against a new trial following the three-day hearing set for December 14-16, Harris is able to appeal to the state's Supreme Court, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

In 2017, Harris' defense team filed a 30-page motion, arguing that their client was essentially denied a fair trial because of errors made by the court, reported Marietta Daily Journal.

The lawyers claimed that it was improper for Harris to have been tried simultaneously for murder and for unrelated charges of sexual exploitation of children and disseminating harmful material to minors stemming from his sexting activities.

Some of the sexual exploitation charges were later set aside by the prosecution.

Family members told the court during Harris' trial that he was a loving father to his son

Harris' ex-wife, Leanna Taylor (pictured in court), testified in his defense, saying that he would not have intentionally harmed their son

Harris' motion seeking a new trial also raised issue with the fact that during his first trial, defense lawyers were barred from questioning the credibility of Cobb police detectives.

Harris is serving a life sentence plus 32 years in the high-security Macon State Prison. It is unknown if he will appear in court during the upcoming hearing.

On June 18, 2014, Harris drove less than two minutes to work after strapping Cooper into his car seat when they finished breakfast at a Chick-fil-A restaurant just over a half-mile from Harris' office.

Parking lot surveillance video showed Harris also went to his car after lunch and tossed in some light bulbs he had purchased, though he never got inside.

Police were suspicious from the start and took Harris into custody in the strip mall parking lot where he had pulled over and removed his son's lifeless body from the SUV.

Soon afterward, investigators found evidence that Harris was having sexual relationships - both online chats and in-person affairs - with numerous women, including a prostitute and a teenager.

During his trial, evidence showed that minutes before Harris locked the car door on his boy, he sent an online message: 'I love my son and all, but we both need escapes'.

Harris was sentenced to a life in prison, plus 32 years. He is appealing the verdict

Five days earlier, Harris watched an online video in which a veterinarian sits inside a hot car to show it reaches 116 degrees in a half-hour.

Defense attorneys had argued that Harris was a loving father and that while he was responsible for the boy's death, it was a tragic accident.

Harris' ex-wife, who divorced him in March of 2016 and told the jury that Harris 'destroyed my life,' testified in his defense, saying that he would not have harmed their son on purpose.

Following five weeks of testimony, Harris was convicted on November 14, 2016, on eight counts of malice murder, felony murder, cruelty to children and several related 'sexual exploitation of minors' charges.
Dr. Rick Bright plans to testify before the House Energy Subcommittee on Health on May 14, his lawyers told reporters on Tuesday.

Bright is the coronavirus whistleblower who says the Trump White House ignored early warnings on the deadly pandemic that is now, in May 2020, killing more than a thousand Americans each day.

In his whistleblower complaint, Dr. Bright says the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) knew early, was slow to react, ignored red flags on lack of testing materials and PPE, and pushed contracts "based on political connections."

"Trump administration was warned repeatedly in mid January that it would have a critical shortage of surgical masks needed to combat coronavirus. But it failed to take action"

Bright also says in the complaint that the Trump administration wanted to "flood" hot spots in New York and New Jersey with hydroxychloroquine, the malaria drug pushed by Trump which was later found to have serious problems.

NEW: Dr. Rick Bright, the ousted BARDA chief who had led vaccine development for Covid-19, revealed his whistleblower complaint today. He says Trump admin demanded NY and NJ be "flooded" with hydroxychloroquine as an unproven "panacea." Doc: https://t.co/B9GmNH1kkr pic.twitter.com/ktovlnMoE3  Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) May 5, 2020

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In his complaint, Bright claims he was excluded from an HHS meeting on the coronavirus in late January after he "pressed for urgent access to funding, personnel, and clinical specimens, including viruses" to develop treatments for the coronavirus should it spread outside of Asia. Bright alleges it "became increasingly clear" in late January that "HHS leadership was doing nothing to prepare for the imminent mask shortage." Bright claims he "resisted efforts to fall into line with the Administration's directive to promote the broad use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine and to award lucrative contracts for these and other drugs even though they lacked scientific merit and had not received prior scientific vetting." He adds that "even as HHS leadership began to acknowledge the imminent shortages in critical medical supplies, they failed to recognize the magnitude of the problem, and they failed to take the necessary urgent action."

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Whistleblower alleges Trump administration ignored coronavirus warnings[Orion Rummler, Axios]

Vaccine expert Rick Bright says he was punished for raising concerns about Trump's coronavirus response, nepotism https://t.co/ohEF72kvqD via @NicholasFlorko  Adam Feuerstein (@adamfeuerstein) May 5, 2020

BREAKING: Dr. Rick Bright, who says he was shoved out of his coronavirus response job for pushing back on efforts to fund "drugs promoted by those with political connections," files whistleblower complaint charging "gross mismanagement" at agency. https://t.co/PNvIDKfusv  NBC News (@NBCNews) May 5, 2020

Whistleblower complaint explicitly calls out Trump on falsely promoting #hydroxychroloquine. "President Trump falsely stated" results of clinical trials. "HHS, at President Trump's insistence, was touting as a safe treatment" Full complaint: https://t.co/0iaKoQwDl8 #RickBright pic.twitter.com/J6Sp79b9EB  Ryan Goodman (@rgoodlaw) May 5, 2020

The 58-page whistleblower complaint says he was transferred from Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) "without warning or explanation" over his refusal to embrace hydroxychloroquine  the drug embraced by Pres. Trump as a potential coronavirus remedy.  NBC News (@NBCNews) May 5, 2020

"I insisted on scientifically-vetted proposals, and I pushed for a more aggressive agency response to COVID-19. My supervisor became furious when Congress appropriated billions of dollars directly to my office, and when I spoke directly to members of Congress," the complaint says  NBC News (@NBCNews) May 5, 2020

.@clairecmc on HHS whistleblower Dr. Rick Bright: "What Dr. Bright is describing is the swampiest of swamp behavior. He's talking about cronyism. He's talking about being pushed into decisions based on who people knew and people making money, as opposed to science." pic.twitter.com/fq8IjFUQTJ  MSNBC (@MSNBC) May 5, 2020

Dr. Rick Bright alleges it "became increasingly clear" in late January that "HHS leadership was doing nothing to prepare for the imminent mask shortage." Pair that with Jared Kushner's efforts that led to no N95 mask shipments to the U.S. in March:https://t.co/uKSvQkTEQf  Adam Rifkin  (@ifindkarma) May 5, 2020

Rick Bright will testify on Capitol Hill next Thursday, his lawyers just said.  Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) May 5, 2020

Rick Bright said in his whistleblower complaint that the Trump administration wanted to "flood" hot spots in New York and New Jersey with hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug favored by President Trump. https://t.co/RcxosNmWk8  The Associated Press (@AP) May 5, 2020

Dr. Rick Bright alleges it "became increasingly clear" in late January that "HHS leadership was doing nothing to prepare for the imminent mask shortage." https://t.co/YWDobyk6M0  Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 5, 2020
A chartered Nepal Airlines flight flew Australians, permanent residents and New Zealand nationals who were stranded in Nepal to Sydney on Wednesday.

The 281 passengers had been stranded in Nepal for weeks.

It was the second flight and most likely the last one for Australia since Nepal went on complete lockdown on March 24.

The lockdown expires on Thursday but will most likely to be extended by the government.
Georgia Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler got a $9 million golden parachute when she left her job to join the U.S. Senate  at a company where her husband is the CEO.

Loeffler, who was appointed to her seat last year and is one of the richest people ever to serve in the Senate, has been under fire for stock trades in the weeks after she attended a closed briefing on the coronavirus.

She made the market moves even after securing the generous parting package from her employer, Intercontinental Exchange, the company that owns the New York Stock Exchange.

Sen. Kelly Loeffler got a $9 million golden parachute when she left International Exchange, according to an investigation of securities filings and financial disclosures. Her husband is CEO of the company

Her husband, Jeffrey Sprecher, is the CEO. The New York Times calculated the size of the package by researching Securities and Exchange Commission filings and examining Loeffler's public financial disclosure forms.

$7.8 million of the award was a stake in a subsidiary firm that she ran, according to the paper.

Loeffler, who faces a primary election against Republican Rep. Doug Collins, has attacked critics since news broke of her stock trades after attending a Senate coronavirus briefing.

This is a socialist attack, she told Fox News channel last month. This is a political attack that is designed to distract from the issue at.

Loeffler and her husband traded millions in stocks in the days after a closed Senate briefing on the coronavirus  and dumped holdings in retail stores that have been battered by the pandemic.

She sold off 27 stocks - valued at between $1.275 million and $3.1 million - starting in late January until mid-February.

Senator Kelly Loeffler was appointed to her seat with the retirement of Sen. Johnny Isakson, who left for health reasons

Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., left, gets a kiss from her husband Jeffrey Sprecher, after Vice President Mike Pence presided in a re-enactment of Loeffler's swearing-in Monday Jan. 6, 2020, in the Old Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington

Primary challenger Rep. Doug Collins, a conservative firebrand, has blasted Loeffler for the stock sales

Loeffler is pictured here with President Trump

They then sold stocks totaling $1.4 million in March,

Kelly spokesman Stephen Lawson pushed back at the Times report.

'Kelly left millions in equity compensation behind to serve in public office to protect freedom, conservative values and economic opportunity for all Georgians, he said, calling a raft of public reports on her trade an 'obsession of the liberal media and career politicians.'

Intercontinental Exchange spokesman Josh King said Loeffler was being rewarded for her contribution to the company.

'During her long tenure at Intercontinental Exchange, Kelly Loeffler played an essential role at every stage of the companys growth and in building it into a global leader in trading, markets and data,' he said in a statement. 'As CEO of Bakkt since 2018, she was also instrumental in the launch and growth of that company.'

He continued: 'We admire Kellys decision to serve her country in the U.S. Senate and did not want to discourage that willingness to serve.'

Loeffler served as an executive at International Exchange and married Sprecher two years after joining the company in 2002. She became the head of Bakkt, a company that allows for payments with digital currencies.

Late last month, Trump responded to a question by DailyMail.com about why he included her on a coronavirus task force of advisors despite reports of her stock sales.

'That I don't know. I really don't know about that," Trump responded. "She's a senator from Georgia and she was included in the list, absolutely."

The SEC and the Justice Department are investigating stock trades by Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, the Intelligence Committee chair who also attended the briefing. He says he got his information from public sources, including financial media in Asia.

She joined the Senate late last year after being appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp.

When she was appointed to the Senate, her firm issued a glowing statement about her. 'Intercontinental Exchange has a proud tradition of service to the community, and we applaud Kellys sense of duty to step forward to serve her country and represent the people of Georgia in the U.S. Senate,' spokesman Josh King said at the time.

Generous paydays are not illegal for execs who leave their firms to join the government. Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson got compensation worth $180 million when he left to become Trump's first secretary of state. The amount he accepted was $7 million less than he would have gotten under his retirement plan, the AP reported at the time.
U.S. universities are reeling from the chaos resulting from the coronavirus pandemic, and one deans far-sighted business move might help save his school a lot of money.

In 2017, the Gies College of Business and the Grainger College of Engineering jointly took out a three-year contract with Lloyds of London to insure against a large drop in revenue from Chinese students resulting from specific events such as a trade war, a global pandemic, and visa restrictions.

The business schools dean, Jeff Brown, created the policy with two other university professors, Tim Johnson and Morton Lane. Brown declined to discuss details of the policy when reached by

Yahoo Finance.

The coverage placed was innovative and required us to design the product as nothing like it had been done before, Andrew Martin, a broker at Besso, who syndicated the deal through Lloyds, told Yahoo Finance. The foresight of Dean Jeff Brown and the structuring skills of Dr. Morton Lane was a fortuitous combination that resulted in what may prove to be a valuable hedge for the University of Illinois.

The policy provides for up to $61 million in coverage to match revenue from Chinese students in the business school and the engineering school. The two colleges together have been paying $424,000 a year in premiums. The terms would be triggered if the two schools saw a combined revenue decline of at least 18.5% from a loss in Chinese students, according to Lane. (If there is a 50% decline in tuition revenue from Chinese students, the insurance payout would be about $30 million.)

Muslim students wearing hijab scarf on campus of the University of Illinois. (Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

The status of future international students is unclear

The stipulated events have largely occurred: The Trump administration continues to tighten U.S. immigration policy, a global pandemic is underway, and a trade war has been going on since 2018.

Visa restrictions, in particular, will have an unprecedented impact on both current international college students in the US and also incoming college students this fall, Command Education CEO Christopher Rim told Yahoo Finance.

Story continues

The status of future international students is unclear, as non-critical visa appointments have been suspended since late March, Rim added. This will completely change the landscape of the student body on college campus over the next one to two years.

International students make up 5.5% of the total student population in the U.S., according to a report by the Institute of International Education. Chinese students form the majority of students, followed by Indian, South Korean, and Saudi Arabian students.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. (Photo: E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Business schools losing money

The higher education industry has been in flux even before the coronavirus pandemic, due factors such as reduction in state funding and enrollment declines. And according to one analysis by the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, Illinois public universities have taken a 48% cut in funding since 2000.

And in 2019, the Gies business school shut down its residential MBA programs and pivoted online, responding to weaker demand.

If you were able to get every dean in the U.S. under a lie detector, outside of maybe the top 20 M.B.A. programs, every one of them would admit they were struggling to maintain enrollment and losing money on the program, Brown told the Wall Street Journal in 2019.

Chinese students account for a little more than 11% of the total student population at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Brown said in 2018 that the revenue from these students makes up a fifth of the business colleges revenue.

Having worked with Dr. Lane over many years it was not the first time that we had created insurance financial products, said Martin, the insurance broker. Lloyd's underwriters worked with us and we developed a programme that met the client's requirements.



Aarthi is a reporter for Yahoo Finance covering consumer finance. Follow her on Twitter @aarthiswami.

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Finance Minister Conor Murphy during the daily media broadcast in the Long Gallery at Parliament Buildings, Stormont on Wednesday. Pacemaker

Finance Minister Conor Murphy has said he is hopeful a road map plan to end lockdown in Northern Ireland will be announced today.

He appeared at the daily Executive briefing with the Education Minister Peter Weir who said there was still no planned date for schools to reopen.

It comes as a further 14 deaths have been reported by the Department of Health, bringing the total to 418.

This figure is expected to be higher when the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency release statistics showing deaths in the community.

By April 24, NISRA reported a total of 393 deaths from coronavirus.

Covid-19 deaths in the UK are now the highest in Europe at 30,076 and the second highest in the world behind the United States at 70,847.

In the Republic of Ireland the latest figures report a total of 1,339 deaths.

Mr Murphy said the Executive had been working this week with the intention of making an announcement on easing lock down today.

"It is important to give, at the earliest possible time, a signal to people that there is light at the end of this tunnel and we will begin to move towards slightly more normal society again," he said.

He warned that getting the decision wrong would have "severe implications for peoples' lives".

Mr Murphy also set out how the Executive planned to spend over 1.1bn of Westminster funding to deal with Covid-19.

This includes over 19,400 payments through the small business grant scheme worth 194m.

A further 95m has been set aside for transport, with some funding already announced to support airports and ferry services.

22m has been set aside to alleviate the extreme financial pressure felt by charities and social enterprises.

He announced that 6.75m of this would be used to support local hospices.

Expand Close Education Minister Peter Weir during the daily media broadcast in the Long Gallery at Parliament Buildings, Stormont on Wednesday. Pacemaker / Facebook

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Whatsapp Education Minister Peter Weir during the daily media broadcast in the Long Gallery at Parliament Buildings, Stormont on Wednesday. Pacemaker

On reopening schools, Mr Weir commented: For many parents and carers, the timing of the reopening of schools is of crucial importance and there has been much speculation on this.

Let me state clearly that there is no planned date for the reopening of schools for normal business.

He said any decision would be guided by science and not date driven.

Whenever schools do return, its unlikely this will be on a business as usual basis, he said.

Theres likely to be a phasing of the return of pupils alongside some form of remote learning. At all times the safety and well being of our staff and pupils will be our priority.
Greene will lead a portfolio of companies providing a broad range of mission support, IT services, and analytic solutions to the DoD, IC, and federal civilian government. Duncan brings an excellent record of growth and experience managing diverse businesses that serve the whole of the federal government market, said Bill Monet, Akima President and CEO.

Akima today announced that Duncan Greene has been named President of Akimas Mission Systems, Engineering & Technology Group. Greene will lead a portfolio of companies providing a broad range of mission support, IT services, and analytic solutions to the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, and the federal civilian government.

Duncan brings an excellent record of growth and experience managing diverse businesses that serve the whole of the federal government market, said Bill Monet, Akima President and CEO. His addition to the Akima management team further enhances our ability to bring the full strength of Akima to our customers.

Prior to joining Akima, Greene served in a number of leadership roles at BAE Systems, most recently as vice president and general manager of the Space Intelligence business as well as Global Analysis & Operations. Prior to BAE Systems, he served as an intelligence officer for the Central Intelligence Agency.

Akima is a growing company with a strong culture, a sense of purpose, and a demonstrated agility to support customer missions, said Greene. I am proud to be joining a company that is committed to driving superior outcomes during a time of significant challenge in our world.

Greene began his career in the U.S. Marine Corps where he was a Reconnaissance Marine specializing in strategies and tactics for combating terrorism. He earned a bachelors degree in geography and environmental planning from Towson University as well as executive education from Oxford University and the INSEAD International Business School.

About Akima

Akima is a global enterprise with more than 7,500 employees, delivering agile solutions to the federal government in the core areas of aviation, construction, facilities and logistics, IT and mission support, protective services and detention management, and systems engineering. As a subsidiary of NANA, an Alaska Native Corporation owned by more than 14,300 Inupiat shareholders, Akimas core mission is to enable superior outcomes for our customers missions while simultaneously creating a long-lived asset for NANA consistent with our Inupiat values. In 2019, Washington Technology ranked Akima #38 amongst the top 100 government contractors. To learn more about Akima, visit http://www.akima.com.
The sleep timer feature found in Googles Assistant is reportedly broken for some users. Thats the timer utility that plays music or a playlist for a set period of time. Specifically, when users ask Google to set a sleep timer for any length of time. Google built the feature to play a selection of music or audio files until the user falls asleep. Then it turns the audio off automatically.

Instead of playing the selection though, users on Reddit are reporting a wide array of error messages.

Error messages have varied depending on the user but commonly indicate that the Assistant doesnt know how to accomplish the task. For instance, it may respond with Sorry, I cant help with that message. Or it might respond Sorry, Im not sure how to help with that.

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The sleep timer is not the Assistants first broken feature

Now, Google has gone out of its way to continually improve Google Assistant, and errors are not necessarily common. But those updates have come at a rapid clip, increasing the likelihood that errors will occur. Most recently, the company set out to improve individual identification for its AI-driven helper and stacked in a sensitivity adjustment slider to boot.

Its not immediately clear whether or not the broken Google Assistant sleep timer is the result of code changes in a recent app or server-side update. But while errors in Assistant have been relatively rare, this isnt the first time something has broken. And that seems to be the most likely scenario, with consideration for previous issues.

Google doesnt seem to have acknowledged the error yet either. But its likely that the error is in one of the above-mentioned new features.

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One of the most prominent of those prior problems was connectivity issues caused by Google Assistant on Android Auto. That fix was first reported earlier this year and resulted in error messages. Summarily, users couldnt connect to the internet with Google Assistant in Android Auto.

Some workarounds are reported but they dont work for everybody

Since Google may or may not be working on a fix, it could be some time before any users experiencing the issue can use the broken sleep timer in Assistant. There are, however, one or two workarounds in the meantime.

Among possible fixes, users can reportedly simply include the sleep timer in a routine. By setting up a bedtime routine to play a list of songs and then a sleep timer, some users have been able to bypass the more on-demand sleep timer problem.

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In some cases, users are also able to change the way they ask for a sleep timer, and then the feature works. For instance, asking Google to set a sleep timer until a specific time instead of for a set length of time seems to work. Conversely, asking Assistant to play music until a set time also works.

None of those workarounds is guaranteed to work though. So this is a problem that Google will likely want to fix quickly. Otherwise, it may start losing users to alternative AI assistants from Amazon or Samsung.
economic crisis diagram Open source

The economic crisis, caused by the coronavirus pandemic, has become the largest economic disaster since the Great Depression of 1929-1930s. According to the head of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, the IMF predicts a drop in per capita GDP for 170 countries. Analysts and investors from all over the world are trying to at least roughly predict the main macroeconomic indicators in the near future and help market participants in making decisions. The Covid-19 outbreak created three macroeconomic impulses: a global strike on demand, a global strike on supply, and the oil war, which drove market prices to many-month lows. These events will entail a massive depreciation of capital and subsequently structural unemployment. Bank of America analysts expect a drop in global GDP by 2.7%. Previously, they predicted global economic growth of 0.3%. They note that a decline in global GDP of almost 3% is significantly worse than the 2008-2009 recession. Analysts believe that the main reason for the worsening outlook is the lack of effective policy measures to combat coronavirus in developed markets and in some developing countries.

Most of all, the new crisis hit developing countries. Ukraine, unfortunately, is included in the list of these countries. According to IMF estimates, about $ 100 billion of foreign investments were withdrawn from these countries - this is three times more than during the same period during the economic crisis of 2008-2009. There is considerable uncertainty regarding the depth and duration of the crisis. Much depends on the epidemiology and effectiveness of containment measures, and also on the development of vaccines, the rate of which is difficult to predict. In the baseline scenario, the IMF stipulates that not only all measures taken to contain coronavirus taken by states will be successful, but, including efforts to prevent large-scale bankruptcy of companies, there will be no loss of jobs and large-scale problems of the financial sector, including a large number of bad loans. A less optimistic scenario - if the pandemic cannot be restrained in the second half of 2020 - the global economy might decline by 6%. And in the event of a shock transition from a pandemic to 2021, the economic decline in 2021 could amount to 8%. Dragon Capital's updated basic forecast for 2020 provides for a 4% drop in Ukraines GDP and hryvnia devaluation to UAH 30 per dollar at the end of the year, provided that quarantine measures last until May (the average rate is expected to be at UAH 29 per dollar, then there is a devaluation of about 11% to last year's rate). According to a less optimistic forecast, if quarantine is extended for a longer period, GDP may fall by 9%, and the hryvnia will fall in price to 35 UAH per dollar. However, Dragon Capital's forecast is more like someones fantasy than real data.

Almost 156,000 Ukrainians received an unemployed status. The number of official unemployed is approaching 500,000. As of May, the number of registered unemployed in Ukraine increased by 48%, the press service of the State Employment Center reports. According to estimates of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the unemployment rate today is 13.7-15.4%. This is the highest rate in the last 15 years. In total, about four million people are employed in the stopped industries. Also, in most cases, the job was lost by those employees who were unable to regularly get to work due to the stop of passenger traffic. The leaders in unemployment among the regions are Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, and Lviv regions.

Prime Minister Denys Shmygal, in turn, said that the Cabinet of Ministers would soon introduce a phased business support plan. He noted that first of all, help is needed for micro and small businesses, which they will help in the first place. According to him, both at the government level and at the presidents daily meetings, work is continuing on an action plan for all sectors of the economy, including for the development of the industry. He emphasized that a program for refinancing loans for businesses at 0% with a deferred repayment of the loan body is already in place, work is underway to introduce the New Money program for small and medium-sized businesses.

If the crisis lasts only one quarter and we can return back to normal, then this short-term period will be financed by the governments of the countries by increasing the debt, which is scheduled for many years.

In many ways, governments and central banks will take on the role of saviors, while the other part will be taken over by international financial organizations. Many world central banks work like that, representing the liquidity of the banking system, and the banking system, in turn, helps people. The state partially guarantees these loans. So, on the one hand, if a certain number of people do not repay loans, the state will have to cover, but it will not be 100%. As a result, the possibility of using the banking system to overcome the crisis will increase the ability of the state.
Indian health officials are rushing to contain a large outbreak of Covid-19 that emerged in a fruit and vegetable market in the southern city of Chennai.

The Koyambedu market, one of the biggest of its kind in Asia, has been linked to more than 500 cases in a number of districts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala states.

J. Radhakrishnan, who is leading Chennais response to the virus, said more than 7,000 people who were connected to the market are being traced and quarantined. The first case in the cluster linked to the market was identified on 27 April.

Most of India is under a six-week lockdown to mitigate the spread of the virus, but the market remained open as an essential part of the regions food supply chain. The city is reportedly facing a shortage of vegetables after the market was shut down on Monday.

District authorities have issued advisories urging people to come forward to be tested, but public health experts are worried many who visited the market will not do so out of fear of stigma or being quarantined.

Mr Radhakrishnan said the state government has conducted more than 170,000 tests so far.

The number of infections in Chennai now stands at 2,008, including 545 reported in the past two days. The city now accounts for half of Tamil Nadus total of 4,058 cases.

Tamil Nadu states number shot up by over a thousand in the past 24 hours, with many cases linked to the market, said the state government.

Chief minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said in a broadcast: It is due to high population density in Chennai that the disease is spreading easily.

He urged residents to follow hygiene and social distancing guidelines vigilantly, and added that Tamil Nadu had the highest number of testing facilities, with more than 12,000 people being tested each day.

Fourteen districts in the state which had been reclassified from red infection zones to orange just a few days ago are likely to move back into red, reported the Times of India.

A spike in cases in the state was first detected on 24 April. The Indian government announced a four-day intensified lockdown that sought to impose stricter social distancing rules, but it backfired as thousands flooded the market to stock up on supplies.

Dr T. Jacob John, a virologist, told PA news agency the new cluster showed the lockdown was leaky and said the government should have anticipated the peoples need. He pointed towards Keralas initiative of delivering groceries straight to peoples homes.

He also took aim at the Indian governments continued denial that the coronavirus is spreading nearly unchecked through communities.

If you admitted that community transmission was happening, then this would not have happened. Everybody would have taken precautions, he said.

As of Wednesday, India recorded a total of nearly 5,000 coronavirus cases, with almost 3,000 cases reported in the past day alone.

Additional reporting by PA




Haiti - Humanitarian : The US grants $8.8M to WFP to fight the food crisis





The United States Government, through USAIDs Office of Food for Peace, has committed $8.8M to the UN World Food Program (WFP), to support Haitis critical food security requirements. Haitis farmers are the foundation of the nations economy and have suffered under difficult circumstances for the last few years. This assistance will address the emergency needs of the most food-insecure, rural Haitians and also those living in difficult urban circumstances through cash transfers and community.



U.S. Ambassador to Haiti, Michele Sison, stressed that, "The global spread of COVID-19 has unfortunately exacerbated a previously existing food insecurity situation in Haiti. As a result of the U.S. governments commitment to humanitarian assistance in the region, we have identified food insecurity in Haiti as an area for immediate support. The $8.8 million commitment on behalf of the American people, represents the next level of support for the Haitian people during this pandemic."



USAID Mission Director Christopher Cushing noted, "This assistance will address urgent needs among Haitis most vulnerable communities. As USAID provides this emergency assistance we will also continue to work with the people of Haiti, by helping families and individuals meet reliable sources of quality food and sufficient resources to produce or purchase it. This in return addresses the root causes of hunger, and supports building more equitable and sustainable economic opportunities in the country."



USAIDs assessment of the situation in Haiti has revealed that up to one million Haitians will be facing crisis level food insecurity between April and May 2020. The Government of Haitis National Food Security Coordination analysis indicates that the cost of items purchased regularly by Haitian families have increased 25 percent over the last year. Given these conditions, Haitians are struggling more than ever to meet their basic food essentials.



Since April, USAIDs Office of Food for Peace has also released, and WFP has distributed, 2,600 metric tons of emergency food stocks to approximately 100,000 vulnerable Haitians in response to the food security crisis.



HL/ Haitlibre


















Its like Christmas on steroids.

Thats how the doorman of one Upper East Side co-op recently described the tidal wave of cartons and boxes spilling out of UPS and FedEx trucks and into his building since New Yorkers began sheltering in place in mid-March and began ordering lifes necessities (and, perhaps, a few nonessential items) online.

A rental high-rise at 525 West 52nd Street, which has almost 400 units, is receiving more than 350 packages daily, a third more than in pre-Covid-19 days, said Andrew Schwartz, the vice president of asset management at Taconic Partners, the developer of the building. Meanwhile, Nada Rizk, an associate broker at Brown Harris Stevens, said that her 200-unit co-op on the Upper East Side is getting more than 100 parcels a day, a jump of 30 percent.

The number of packages is manageable, if barely so, at most luxury addresses in the city because many residents have decamped for second homes. Our building is half full, and its still like holiday season in terms of deliveries, said Michael J. Franco, an associate broker at Compass whos on the board of his Upper West Side co-op. If people werent gone wed be snowed under.

The brown box pileup from Amazon and elsewhere is hardly a new thing for the staffs of residential buildings in New York City. But because of the coronavirus, its no longer a simple matter of logging in parcels, then checking with the recipients to see if theyd rather come pick up the package in the lobby or have it delivered to their front or back door.
Sophie Wessex is 'exactly what the royal family needs' because she 'just gets on with it' and doesn't take on projects that are 'very glamorous', according to a royal expert.

Ingrid Seward has revealed how the Countess, 55, approaches her role in The Firm in an 'unfussy way' and said she 'gets on with things regardless of the attention.'

The Countess, who is currently isolating at her home in Bagshot Park, Surrey, with husband Prince Edward, 56, and their children Lady Louise Windsor, 16, and James, Viscount Severn, 12, has been seen volunteering at foodbanks and making lunches for NHS staff in recent weeks.

Seward told CBC News: 'Sophie does everything very quietly, partly because the media don't follow her obsessively as they do with William and Catherine and partly because the things she does aren't necessarily very glamorous.'

Sophie Wessex, 55, has been praised as 'unfussy' and 'exactly what the royal family needs' because she 'just gets on' with her royal duty, according to Ingrid Seward

Seward's comments come days after it emerged the Countess has been volunteering in her community amid the coronavirus pandemic (pictured, working at a foodbank last week)

Seward went on to say it was exactly what the Royal Family needs and likened her to Princess Anne, who is often considered the hardest-working royal.

The royal expert said Sophie would likely follow in her footsteps, thanks to her 'unfussy' attitude.

She went on to explain how Sophie was 'someone who just gets on with things regardless of the attention they receive', which was exactly what was needed in The Firm.

Meanwhile fellow expert Katie Nicholl went on to reveal how Sophie 'goes about her duty diligently and quietly', explaining that it was part of the reason the Countess is so close to the Queen.

The Countess has spent time secretly working as a volunteer making lunches for NHS workers amid the coronavirus pandemic

Katie said that their companionship came 'gradually' and without pushiness on Sophie's part, with the two women both enjoying riding, military history and 'a wicked sense of humour.'

Yesterday, the royal followed in the footsteps of her husband Prince Edward, Prince Charles, Prince William and the Duchess of Cornwall, to open a Nightingale field hospital.

In her recorded message, Sophie paid tribute to the North East city and said it was 'close to her heart', saying: 'This hospital demonstrates that when we come together we can achieve great things.'

Sophie, who is currently isolating with her husband Prince Edward, 56, at their home in Surrey, was praised by Seward as 'getting on with things regardless of attention'

The Countess has also been snapping volunteering on a number of occasions over the past month.

Last week, Sophie spent time volunteering at a foodbank to prepare boxes of food for vulnerable people affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

The mother-of-two appeared in high spirits as she chatted with staff and other volunteers and donned protective gloves to sort food products into boxes at The Lighthouse Foodbank in Woking, Surrey.

The Countess is particularly close to her mother-in-law the Queen, 93, with royal expert Katie Nicholls crediting her down-to-earth attitude

Days earlier, the Mail revealed how the countess has been working secretly as a volunteer making lunches for NHS staff once a week alongside professional chefs organised by the millionaire British financier Ian Wace.

His team have been producing a staggering 59,000 free meals a week, working 24-hours a day, for frontline staff in hospitals across Greater London including Barts, King's, Epsom and St Helier.

According to organisers, the countess, has been coming in one day a week, quietly and without fanfare, preparing, cooking and cleaning up.
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh on Wednesday announced plans to ramp up coronavirus testing as cases across the city continue to climb.

Our goal in the coming weeks is reach to reach at least 1,500 tests per day in the city of Boston, Walsh said during a press conference. Before last week, we were testing less than half that rate.

Walsh says the city is still hundreds of daily tests short of the new benchmark, despite increasing testing efforts last week. The expanded testing initiative will increase capacity at community health centers and strengthen collaboration with local hospitals.

Mobile testing capacity specific to hardest-hit neighborhoods will also increase, including surveillance testing of key areas where the infection rate is known to be higher. That work is set to begin this month, Walsh said.

The planned testing expansion comes as Boston surpassed 10,000 cases of COVID-19 this week. As of Tuesday, Walsh said there are 10,241 residents whove tested positive for the virus, up 164, from Monday, and 449 deaths.

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Presidents of Russia and Belarus, Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko, have discussed the situation around the coronavirus pandemic in a telephone conversation, the Kremlin press service said in a statement.



"The leaders informed each other about the measures assumed to tackle the infection and its consequences in detail. Alexander Lukashenko wished a speedy recovery to Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin," TASS cited the statement as saying.



The conversation also "focused on certain issues of interaction within the Union State," the Kremlin added. The sides agreed to keep in contact.
New Delhi: Swede Felix Kjellberg, more commonly referred to as PewDiePie, has signed an exclusive live-streaming deal with YouTube.

This comes little over a year after the Swedish YouTube star announced livestreaming exclusively on DLive, a small blockchain-based live-streaming site.

Kjellberg said that he is excited to head back to his home pastures. He added that he will be focusing a lot on Live streaming in 2020 and beyond.

Swede Felix Kjellberg, who is the man behind one of the most subscribed YouTube channels, PewDiePie, has collected more than a whopping 100 million subscribers over the past decade thanks to his gaming and opinion videos.

Earlier this year, he posted his last YouTube video before taking break. Pouring himself a drink, he ended the clip by saying: "I just wanted to take this moment to give a toastthank you for watching across the yearsit is a big thing, even though it isn't a big thing.
Online Learning

Universities Adopt Remote Lab Tools to Let Engineering Students Continue Work Remotely

Three universities have gone public with their use of remote laboratory equipment from National Instruments (NI) to give students hands-on practice with live data and instrumentation, even as they made the switch from in-person to remote classes. The company specializes in automated test and measurement systems.

At the University of Virginia, NI-enabled studio classes in electrical and computer engineering switched to the online format within a week, according to Professor Harry Powell. Powell said students were working on experiments in class using the VirtualBench All-in-One Instrument, which combines an oscilloscope with other common instruments. With some "straightforward" modifications to the experiments, he noted, they switched to doing the same activities from home on the Analog Discovery 2, a small USB-powered device that lets students build and test circuits.

"The students really like the AD2, and some have even asked if they can keep them even when they come back!" Powell said. "For us, the help of NI was a game changer in keeping our studio instruction going, and the AD2 was the perfect solution."

Students at Oklahoma State University were using the NI ELVIS III Protoboard, a virtual instrumentation suite, when the campus closed. When they moved home, they began running the same lab using the oscilloscope and function generator remotely, with the same experience they would have received if they had been sitting in the lab.

"The Elvis III allowed students direct access to real data and group work all while maintaining remote distancing from each other," said Joseph Connor, an adjunct assistant professor at the university. The workstation, which integrates several box instruments with a measurements environment, "allowed us to rapidly develop a remote lab that still provided students with the exposure and experience that only real-world equipment can provide."

At the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, faculty were encouraged to log in and reserve an ELVIS III, to learn how to help students do remote learning with the system. More than 50 instructors took advantage, and more than 500 students have logged into the remote learning system to complete their coursework. The company allowed software access free of charge to teachers and students, "which shows NI's commitment to social responsibility," noted Liu Chuang, a professor at SUST.

NI runs an academic program, with curriculum, academic site licensing for school and student computers and industry certification.
Shares of agriculture solutions firm Rallis India on Wednesday plunged over 8 percent after the company reported a decline of 49.62 percent in its consolidated net profit for the quarter ended March, 2020

New Delhi: Shares of agriculture solutions firm Rallis India on Wednesday plunged over 8 percent after the company reported a decline of 49.62 percent in its consolidated net profit for the quarter ended March, 2020.

On BSE, the stock plummeted 7.91 percent to Rs 205.95. It sunk 8.37 percent to Rs 205 on NSE.

Rallis India on Tuesday reported a decline of 49.62 percent in its consolidated net profit at Rs 0.68 crore for the quarter ended March 2020.

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The firm had posted a net profit of Rs 1.35 crore in the same period a year ago, the company said in a BSE filing.

The total income marginally increased to Rs 346.29 crore during the period as against Rs 339.69 crore during the quarter ended 31 March, 2019.

Due to the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, Rallis India said its operations were disrupted at certain manufacturing facilities and depots of the company, as a result of which goods worth Rs 16.04 crore could not be dispatched to the domestic market.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 16:53:08|Editor: huaxia

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SHANGHAI, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Hidden on the eighth floor of an office building at Wujiaochang Community in Shanghai, a cafe became a favorite spot for youngsters in the city to spend the five-day International Labor Day holiday.

Sitting in the cafe decorated in the Japanese style, customers enjoyed their coffee. On the table in front of them, two snow-white call ducks idly waddled around.

The Cute Duck Club, the first duck cafe in Shanghai where customers can spend two hours playing with call ducks, a bantam breed of domesticated duck small in size and with silky feathers now raised as pets.

The club has attracted many youngsters as the ducks have become increasingly popular in recent years. "These ducks are so vivacious and interactive, and it is so much fun to play with them," said a customer surnamed Zhu at the cafe.

Fendi and Pucci, the two call ducks in front of her, craned their necks and gently pecked her palm from time to time. Her phone was in overdrive as she took selfie after selfie with the photogenic birds. "This new kind of pet business is such a novelty," she said.

Liu Jiawen, the twentysomething founder of the cafe, said there are now six call ducks at the cafe, along with nine cats, two pet pigs and other pets.

Liu decided to resign from her former job and set up her own business three years ago because of her passion for animals. Back then the pet cafe industry in Shanghai was still in its infancy.

She took a chance and opened a cat cafe, which soon became popular in Shanghai. "In fact, it's hard to remain in a leading position, since the new pet business develops so fast," she said. Data shows there are now nearly 300 pet cafes operating in the city.

"Some customers even drew inspiration from me and opened their own cat cafes," she said.

Sensing people's interest in call ducks, she decided to choose them as the signature pets of her cafe about six months ago, which proved to be a huge success. "There are 30 to 40 customers on weekdays and more than 200 on weekends," she said. "Visiting my cafe has become a way for many customers to seek comfort when faced with pressure."

Liu plans to bring more pets to her cafe in the future. "I believe African pygmy hedgehogs will be as popular as the call ducks," she said.

In China, owning pets is a growing trend. The pet dog population in China reached 27.4 million in 2018, ranking third in the world after the United States and Brazil, according to official statistics. Enditem.
NEW YORK, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Solomon Page, celebrating its 30th year in business, has been named to Inc. magazine's annual list of the Best Workplaces for 2020. Collecting data from more than 3,000 submissions, the list is the result of a wide-ranging and comprehensive measurement of private American companies that have created exceptional workplaces through vibrant cultures, deep employee engagement, and stellar benefits.

"At our core, Solomon Page is a family. We support each other through hardships and celebrate our victories," said Founding Partner Lloyd Solomon. "This honor is a reflection of our collective efforts and spirit of collaboration, and belongs to each person within the organization. We are truly proud of this acknowledgment of our firm and culture."

The company, with 300 employees and 16 offices throughout the United States and Europe, operates from a foundation of entrepreneurship, trust, and respect. Through an innate drive toward innovation and creativity through customized solutions, Solomon Page encourages transparent communication and welcomes individuality from all employees.

"Building a great corporate culture comes only from strong leadership," says Inc. magazine Editor-in-Chief Scott Omelianuk. "The companies on Inc.'s Best Workplaces list are setting an example that the whole country can learn from, especially now, when company culture is more important to the workforce than ever."

"We believe in surrounding ourselves with those who complement our culture and apply this approach when building our teams," said Founding Partner Scott Page. "This has been proven a success through the longevity of our employees; 50 percent of which have been with the company for over five years and 30 percent for over ten years."

About Solomon Page

Founded in 1990, Solomon Page is a specialty niche provider of recruitment and executive search solutions across a wide array of functions and industries. The success of Solomon Page reflects an organic growth strategy supported by a highly entrepreneurial culture. Acting as a strategic partner to clients and candidates, Solomon Page focuses on providing customized solutions and building long-term relationships based on trust, respect, and the consistent delivery of excellent results. For additional information, visit solomonpage.com.

SOURCE Solomon Page

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DANBURY  Plea hearings are scheduled next month for two men arrested in connection with the death of 21-year-old Willy Placencia earlier this year.

Kenaas Council, 19, and Nykeem Hawkins, 18, both of Danbury, were arrested two months ago following a fatal stabbing at the Danbury City Center Skate Park on March 18.

Police responded to a reported fight at the Patriot Drive skate park that evening and found Placencia with multiple stab wounds. He was later pronounced dead at Danbury Hospital.

Placencias girlfriend, Silainy Rodriguez, said she believes the fight stemmed from a bullying problem between two groups that started a few years ago.

Rodriguez said she believes her boyfriend was targeted because one group associated him with the other.

Council is facing second-degree conspiracy to commit assault and breach of peace charges.

Hawkins is charged with first-degree conspiracy to commit manslaughter, second-degree assault, first- and second-degree conspiracy to commit assault and second-degree breach of peace.

Their plea hearings are scheduled for June 17, at state Superior Court in Waterbury.

Council is out of custody after posting 10-percent bond, but Hawkins remains held on $100,000 bond, according to court records.

Other arrests

Four other Danbury residents have been arrested in connection with the case, including two male juveniles, ages 15 and 16.

A 15-year-old is facing first- and second-degree conspiracy to commit assault and breach of peace charges.

The 16-year-old has been charged with 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, was charged with first-degree criminal liability to commit assault.

Shalina Tallman, 36, is facing a second-degree hindering prosecution charge after police say she knowingly rendered criminal assistance to someone involved in the stabbing.

No other arrests have been made, but police said there is a possibility of more.
Chambers of Commerce from around Northern Ireland will today urge the Executive to make clear its plans to reopen the economy.

The chief executives of chambers in Belfast, the north coast, Londonderry and Newry will also tell Stormont's Economy Committee that the Executive will need to make long-term investment to rebuild the economy.

They said that 43% of their membership had shut up shop, the majority in retail, hospitality and leisure. And they said they expected many businesses to struggle for some time ahead.

In a statement ahead of the joint evidence session this morning, the business bosses - including former Finance Minister Simon Hamilton, who leads Belfast Chamber - said: "Covid-19 has taken a huge toll on the health of thousands of local people and has, sadly, accounted for the lives of too many family members and loved loves all across Northern Ireland.

"Whilst the health effects of this pandemic will be with us for some time, we can, because of the heroics of our health service staff and the fortitude of so many who have stayed at home to protect the NHS and save lives, now say that we are passed the peak. That is good news."

But they explained it was right to turn thoughts towards getting the economy going, as collective efforts were helping Northern Ireland get to grips with coronavirus.

"That isn't to say we demand a date when all businesses open. That can, and must, depend on when it is safe to do so. Rather, we are saying it is appropriate to commence planning how many businesses can safely open up and trade once more," the said.

But the leaders - Mr Hamilton, along with Causeway chief Karen Yates, Derry boss Paul Clany and Newry's chief executive Colm Shannon - said businesses needed a timescale for planning their reopening.

That would take more than just reopening their doors, they said, adding: "With social distancing measures likely to have to remain in place for the foreseeable future, that will have an impact on those businesses as they have to adjust the layout of their premises, introduce queuing systems and put screens and other safety measures in place.

"As well as providing businesses with the clear advice and guidance that they will require to open safely and give confidence to their staff and their customers, it is also the case that even as businesses might begin to open again, footfall is not going to return to pre-coronavirus levels overnight. For the majority, it will be a long time before we are anywhere near business as usual."

It comes as Economy Minister Diane Dodds announced a 40m hardship fund to help small businesses who have not been able to secure other grant support.

The business chiefs added: "This week's announcement by the Executive of 700m for the City and Growth Deals, will be an important first step in stimulating economic growth and job creation right across Northern Ireland.

"A great many businesses are going to struggle for some time to come. The support that the Government and the Executive have provided so far has been gratefully received by those who have been eligible."

But ongoing support would be needed for the hardest-hit sectors, they said, with an extension of rates relief support one possibility.
The Akropong Circuit Court has fined four Kingmakers a total of Ghc48,576 for flouting the ban on public gathering and social distancing protocols.

The accused persons are Odehye Kofi Asiedu Adu-Mfum, 57, Nana Semenhyia Ohene Asa Krofa, 43, Benet Osei Opoku alias Ohenenana BS Opoku, 55, and Nana Odiasempa Krobea Asante,70, were Charged for failing to comply with the restriction imposed on gathering contrary to paragraph 1(A)VII of EI 64 and section 6 of the Imposition of Restriction Act 1012 /2020.

The accused persons pleaded guilty.

Lawyer Joseph Adakpaksa for the accused Persons pleaded for mitigation of sentence considering that only Eleven kingmakers were performing customary rites to install a chief but overwhelmed by presents of Onlookers, and the fact that the accused are old men.

The Court Presided over by Her Honour Harriet Nsembo, therefore, applied the minimum sentence fining each of the accused persons 1,012 penalty units which translates to Ghc12,144 in default serves a 4-year jail sentence.

The accused Kingmakers were arrested Friday, May 2, 2020, for enstooling a Paramount Chief-Oseedeayo Kwasi Akuffo II.

Meanwhile, Akuapem North Municipal Security Council (MUSEC) has prescribed to Chiefs and Kingmakers in Akropong -Akuapem in the Eastern Region to hold on with all public traditional events that are likely to pull a crowd .

The Council has also directed that Nananom strictly adhere to social distancing and gathering protocols if the event is being done in private.

Akuapem North Municipality has recorded three (3) confirmed cases of coronavirus out of the total 87 recorded in the region as of May 2, 2020.

According to the Municipal Chief Executive for Akuapem North, Dennis Aboagye, with this experience, any other activities that Nananom wants to perform, of course, the traditional chiefdom they are our partners and key stakeholders. So if there are additional activities they are going to perform, we need to have a conversation with them

He continued that If it is one that will be done in Privacy then, of course, there is no problem but the one that is likely to pull the sort of crowd we saw, then we will have a conversation with Nananom as much as possible if they could or they should actually hold on with such public event that could draw so much crowd and put all of us our lives at risk.

---starrfmonline
If you are trying to cut down on alcohol consumption, the outcome of a recent study may help you. The recent study suggests that people are better informed about alcohols harms and may cut down their drinking if they buy alcohol bottles that come with conspicuous labels providing information on the risks of alcohol consumption or drinking guidelines.

The results provide the first real-world evidence that relatively large, bright yellow alcohol labels with rotating health messages get noticed by consumers and can increase awareness of national drinking guidelines, improve knowledge of alcohol-related health risks, such as cancer, and reduce alcohol sales compared to control sites without the labels, says Erin Hobin, PhD, affiliated scientist at the University of Torontos Dalla Lana School of Public Health.

Erin Hobin is the principal investigator on the studies in this series. The series of studies was published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

One of the studies, led by Jinhui Zhao, PhD, and Tim Stockwell, PhD, both of the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria, found that adding such labels to alcohol bottles (300,000 labels in all) decreased total sales of alcohol by 6.9 per cent compared with sales in regions without the new labels.

ALSO READ: From showering flower petals to dancing in the street: What a 40-day liquor fast did to Indians

In another article, researchers led by Nour Schoueri-Mychasiw, PhD, of Public Health Ontario, found that, among 2,049 participants, awareness of Canadas low-risk drinking guidelines increased nearly three times in the site in which the labels were placed compared with a control location. (Canada recommends no more than two drinks a day for women, no more than three for men and at least two alcohol-free days per week.)

A third study generated controversy. Here, Hobin and her colleagues queried the same 2,049 participants about their knowledge of the link between alcohol consumption and cancer. (The cancer label reads: Chief Medical Officer of Health advises alcohol can cause cancer, including breast and colon cancer.)

Before the label intervention, only about 25 per cent of participants knew alcohol consumption can cause cancer. After the labelling, awareness in Yukon rose to 42 per cent, a 10 per cent greater increase in awareness of the alcohol-cancer link relative to the control site in neighbouring Northwest Territories.

However, the cancer label part of these studies was cut short because the alcohol industry protested about the placement of labels on their products. The industry complained that the Yukon Government, who helped coordinate the study and is responsible for alcohol distribution and sales in the territory, did not have the legal authority to place such labels, that the labels violated industrys freedom of expression and that the government was defaming alcohol manufacturers.

Under pressure, the Yukon Government shut down the cancer label research in December 2017, only one month after the studys launch.

Id describe this study as a David versus Goliath scenario, says Hobin. Our Yukon partners and research team members worked tirelessly to execute this study and persevered, despite tremendous adversity.

After consultation with legal experts, Stockwell and colleagues concluded, none of the industrys claims had any merit.

In fact, they note that provincial and territorial governments in Canada could be held liable if they do not warn consumers about the link between alcohol and cancer. (The World Health Organisation declared alcohol as a human carcinogen more than 30 years ago.)

Warning labels help drinkers to be better informed about alcohols health risks and prompted many to cut down their drinking, says Stockwell, co-lead on the studies.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)

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An eight-year-old cancer patient from Una in Himachal Pradesh had almost run out of medicine stock last month, but a postman managed to deliver the critical drugs just in time.

This is one of many such important interventions that India Post has taken up to help people during the ongoing coronavirus-induced lockdown.

India Post's Punjab Circle made special arrangements to get the essential cancer drugs as they were from outside the state. With the ongoing coronavirus-induced lockdown restrictions, a postal motor van was hired to deliver the medicines that reached her home in Una where her mother received the consignment, said a senior official.

The girl's family had sought help from Union Minister for Communications Ravi Shankar Prasad, who ordered India Post to provide all possible logistical assistance to ensure that the medicines get delivered at the girl's house.

On these lines, the Department of Posts has arranged emergency delivery of medicines, medical aids, medical equipment, testing kits, etc, for doctors, patients and senior citizens, Punjab Circle Chief Postmaster General V K Tiwari said.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and medicines manufactured in Himachal Pradesh's Baddi, located near Chandigarh, is a pharmaceutical hub in the region while ayurvedic medicines from HP's Dharamshala along with homeopathic medicines in Ludhiana. All these different kinds of medications and kits are being sent to other parts of the country through the medium of the Postal department.

To serve the people, especially in the present situation, all intra-circle and inter-circle mail routes to Delhi, Haryana, HP and J&K Union Territory, have been made fully functional through the department mail vans and contractual mail vans.

In the Punjab Circle, beneficiaries of social security pensions are receiving pension at their doorstep during the lockdown thanks to efforts of India Post.

Employees of the Postal department also disburse Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) payments to beneficiaries of various government schemes.

DBTs, social security pensions...every day we carry out more than 10,000 transactions in Punjab to the tune of Rs 1.6 crore to Rs 2 crore, Tiwari said.

There are some beneficiaries who do not have accounts in post offices but postmen are handing over the cash to them with the help of technology available with the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB). The payments are made by Aadhaar Enabled Payment Systems through branch postmasters and any bank account of the beneficiary must be linked to Aadhaar.

With many elderly citizens living alone, the department has also directed its postmen on the field to lend a helping hand in delivery of grocery and other essential everyday items without charging them anything for the service.

We have alerted our postmen that if they come across any elderly person or elderly couple living alone and need help in procuring grocery items, then as a goodwill gesture they must lend a helping hand, said Tiwari.

Many in the department have volunteered and are also providing food to hawkers, rickshaw pullers, attendants of patients, besides migrant labourers stuck in various parts of Punjab and Chandigarh. For this, they also raise their contributions and get help from the Food and Civil Supplies department.

The chief postmaster general said, "We are running our network in Punjab to full capacity barring one or two per cent in sub post offices and branch post offices or areas falling in containment zones. The rest of the postal network is fully functional in the state.

Before opening the offices for public use, we sanitise our offices and mail vans everyday daily while also providing masks, gloves and hand sanitisers to our employees, Tiwari said referring to safety precautions taken by the Postal department in the wake of COVID-19.

The department has also provided an insurance cover worth Rs 10 lakh for its employees in view of the COVID-19 situation, which is over and above to other insurances they may be covered under, he said.

When asked what challenges they face during such crisis times, Tiwari replied, This is a tough time, COVID-19 itself is a challenge, but we are getting full support from the authorities, including government and the police.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Northern Irelands health minister has urged the adoption of a single Covid-19 contact-tracing app across the UK and Ireland.

Robin Swann said if it was not possible to have the same app, then it was important to ensure the two systems were compatible, to avoid issues around cross-border movement.

The UK and Ireland are already set to differ in the way their apps will analyse contact data.

The UK app, which is currently being trialled on the Isle of Wight, uses a centralised system, with all data sent to a central server for analysis.

Privacy experts have raised concerns about this method.

The Irish Republics app will see data matching take place on an individuals device, without the need to send it to an external server.

Expand Close The UKs contact-tracing app (Department of Health and Social Care/PA) PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp The UKs contact-tracing app (Department of Health and Social Care/PA)

Mr Swann said he discussed the issue with fellow UK health ministers on Tuesday.

Ideally I would like to see one app used across these islands, because it means no matter where an individual is travelling, once we come out of lockdown, whether east-west or north-south, that that same platform, that same app, can be utilised, he said.

And thats the challenge and piece of work that has to be done over the next couple of weeks.

Theres conversations that we are having across these islands to maybe see if they may not be the same app, but to make sure that they are compatible.

At the daily Covid-19 briefing at Stormont, Mr Swann was also asked about the Irish Governments failure to brief the Northern Ireland Executive on details of its phased recovery plan, before it was published on Friday evening.

Mr Swann said it was good manners to share information with neighbours but he acknowledged that time constraints may have prevented that last week.

Would I have liked to see more of a conversation? Yes, he said.

Was it politically possible for them to do that? Thats a call for the Irish Government to make.

Mr Swann added: Good manners is to talk to your neighbours and to make sure you know what youre going to do.

Whether its always possible in these certain situations isnt always practical at this minute in time.

Expand Close Michelle ONeill at the Bloc Blinds factory in Magherafelt, where staff are making face shields (Peter Morrison/PA) PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp Michelle ONeill at the Bloc Blinds factory in Magherafelt, where staff are making face shields (Peter Morrison/PA)

Earlier, Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill described the Irish Governments decision not to share the plan as unfortunate and unhelpful.

Ms ONeill was speaking as she visited a temporary factory in Magherafelt, Co Londonderry, making thousands of pieces of PPE for frontline workers.

I think it was very unhelpful that the Taoiseach (Leo Varadkar) chose not to share that detailed information with both myself and Arlene as leaders of the executive, she told RTE.

I think that would have been the natural and helpful thing to do to work our way through this.

Ms ONeill said there was a need to tackle the virus on an all-island basis.
Russian billionaire Dmitry Bosov has been found dead at his home in a Moscow suburb, in what officials say was a suicide.

The Investigative Committee announced on May 7 that Bosov, 52, had died the previous evening of a gunshot wound to the head.

A pistol was reportedly found near the body.

Bosov was a major shareholder and board of directors chairman of the Alltek group, which controls the coal producers Siberian Anthracite, VostokUgol, and other firms.

According to the Forbes billionaires' list, Bosov was the 86th-richest Russian, with a fortune estimated at $1.1 billion.

The RBK news agency quoted acquaintances of Bosov's as saying his affairs had been in turmoil since the beginning of the year, when he began moving assets around and dismissing employees.

Early last month, Bosov dismissed his partner in the VostokUgol coal company, Aleksandr Isayev, for purported abuse of his position and embezzlement. Isayev has filed a defamation suit.

On May 1, it was reported that a former employee of the Genius Fund Group, an investment firm controlled by Bosov that is active in the legal marijuana business in the United States, had filed a civil suit against Bosov in Los Angeles seeking more than $1 million for alleged breach of contract. The complainant, Francis Racioppi, is a U.S. Army Special Forces veteran.

With reporting by Forbes and RBK
Lesotho's first lady had apparently agreed to divorce the nation's prime minister at a mediation just hours before she was shot dead, it emerged yesterday, in the latest twist to a murder mystery that has brought international attention to the tiny southern African country.

Gunmen ambushed Lipolelo Thabane (58) in her car as she made her way home after a mediation meeting on the outskirts of the capital Maseru in June 2017. She was shot several times.

Her husband, Thomas Thabane, was sworn in for a second term as premier just two days later. He remarried Maesaiah Liabiloe Ramoholi two months afterwards.

Police charged Maesaiah Thabane with murder in February and named Mr Thabane, now 80, as a suspect, although he has not been charged. They both deny any involvement.

Mr Thabane's government is trying to force him from office before the end of July, when he said he was willing to step down.

Lipolelo Thabane was the prime minister's second wife.

In 2012, after 25 years of marriage, she refused to agree to a divorce and won a court battle to retain her first lady privileges until a separation.

According to a close friend and a well-connected businessman, Lipolelo Thabane had been in fear of her life but had agreed to a mediation meeting on the day she died.

"She said: 'I am ready to free him'," the mediator told Reuters. "I just want to be looked after'."
PM blew chance to fulfil gender equality pledge, Scoffield, May 2

How disappointing to read the headline on Heather Scoffields piece, based entirely on the single appointment of a male as the next governor of the Bank of Canada, instead of a female.

No prime minister in the history of Canada has appointed nearly as many women to senior positions in government than Justin Trudeau. Its not even close.

This includes the Cabinet, new senators, judges, deputy ministers and hundreds of other senior public service and federal agency appointments, where, in most cases, more women have been appointed than men for the first time in history.
With few foreigners yet to register for ownership of properties in Vietnam, there have been calls to significantly raise the ownership cap to entice more overseas buyers.

Despite the country now being home to more than 80,000 foreigners, fewer than 1,000 have processed ownership with local authorities, with some hurdles remaining in the way of foreigners owning their dream home in Vietnam.

According to Tran Minh Hoang, deputy general secretary of the Vietnam Association of Realtors, foreign demand for property in Vietnam is high, especially in the high-end and luxury segments of residential and vacation property.

The association is suggesting the government extends the foreign ownership cap from the current 30 per cent of apartments in any given project to 50 per cent, Hoang said.

Non-nationals with high capital are not really interested in mid-end and affordable like Vietnamese people. They are on the market for luxury and high-end properties so they would not pose competition to local buyers  and developers could increase their sales, he added.

The cap change would become a stimulus for the local market at a time when the current pandemic is keeping Vietnamese people from getting involved. Demand for home ownership by overseas buyers is enormous as prices in Vietnam are lower than in regional countries.

For example, the average price of a unit in Ho Chi Minh Citys central business districts is quoted at $5,500-6,500 per square metre, much lower than prices in Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok.

International demand has been on the rise in the Vietnamese property market in the last five years. However, due to regulatory limitations, fewer foreign buyers are granted ownership certificates. This pushes many to buy units via Vietnamese relatives or spouses who have Vietnamese citizenship.

The biggest issue hindering them in buying and gaining ownership over property in Vietnam right now is the slow issuance of the list of projects where they can make a purchase.

The 2014 Law on Housing, which allows foreigners to own property in Vietnam, took effect in July 2015, and Decree No.99/2015/ND-CP, which specifies the mechanisms for implementing these rights, came into force that December.

However, more than three years since non-nationals were given the right to purchase property, only a few cities have issued lists of projects where there is room for them.

Foreign buyers mostly hail from South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and China, and mainly live in high-end projects from developers such as Indochina Capital, CapitaLand, Keppel Land, Vinhomes and more.

Among those Indochina Capital boasts major projects such as Hyatt Regency Danang, Indochina Riverside Towers Danang, and Indochina Plaza Hanoi. They were developed before 2015 when the amendments to the Law on Housing allowing foreigners to buy property were implemented. Previously, more efforts were made to sell properties to locals.

Amendments have created new demand. Indochina Capitals brokerage arm, Indochina Properties, has contributed in success of ventures like Vinhomes Golden River in Ho Chi Minh City. and the Zei in Hanoi.

Legal status of foreign ownership in Vietnam The Law on Housing and Law on Real Estate Business were adopted by the National Assembly in November 2014 and both took effect in July 2015. The Law on Housing allows all foreigners holding a visa to enter Vietnam, as well as foreign-invested enterprises to buy units in housing projects in the country. The ownership rights include the right to use, sell, mortgage, or contribute houses as capital to an entity. Five significant restrictions for foreigners should be noted: - Foreigners' housing ownership beyond projects (e.g., a townhouse or villa built by individuals but not in a real estate project) is not allowed. Foreign buyers must purchase units from developers only; - The total foreigners house ownership may not exceed 250 separate houses in a ward or 30 per cent condominium in an apartment building; - The time of ownership is 50 years from date of obtaining the land use right and property ownership certificate, and may be extended; - Foreigners who buy houses or condominiums from leased land may only lease houses; and - Payment must be made by bank transfer. Source: LNT Partners

Andy Han Suk Jung - CEO, SonKim Land

I am fully supportive of proposals to increase the room for overseas investors. Over the past five years since country passed a new residential law to allow foreigners to buy apartments, we have seen a remarkable growth in the real estate market partly driven by international buyers.

Interest had led to many potential buyers coming to visit Vietnam which also helped the tourism and retail sectors. We also learned that to get out of recession in the real estate market, opening the room to foreign investors indeed has boosted the economy.

At the moment, we are seeing a global crisis and this may be a lot more serious than what we are seeing now as more people will lose jobs and more companies go out of business. To revive the economy, I think this is the perfect time to increase the foreign quota from 30 per cent to a higher rate which will help to quickly recover from this pandemic situation, and also to maintain the strong growth of the economy.

As many countries are now trying to diversify their product-sourcing countries away from China, I personally believe that this would give Vietnam another huge opportunity to export products out to other parts of the world which will also help bring more foreign direct investment into the country to build more manufacturing facilities.

As SonKim Land is a developer that focuses on luxury products, we have more than 30 per cent foreign customers who have bought our products.

The demand from these customers is very big but under the current law, there is a limit to how much we can capture these demands.

It is understandable to control foreign ownership, but the law can be eased up to 49 per cent. I believe this can help to attract lots of demands from abroad and help the country to recover from this pandemic crisis sooner than any other Asian countries. It was a pity to see many disappointed buyers who had to walk away as no foreign quota was available during the sales event.

We are certainly looking forward to seeing a revised law allowing more non-nationals to invest in Vietnam and the fastest recovery of this difficult crisis.

With the law allowing foreigners to buy properties in Vietnam, not only has the quantity increased, but quality has also improved to meet with the demands of investors as many foreign developers have entered the market and introduced high-quality products.

With many apartments of international quality, many expatriates have found perfect homes for their families which gives them peace of mind to settle themselves in Vietnam and make key cities here some of the hottest destinations in Asia to work and live.

Le Hoang Chau - Chairman, Ho Chi Minh City Real Estate Association

The percentage of units foreign buyers are permitted to own in Vietnam should be considered very carefully to both ensure the benefits of the whole economy and the governments obligation to manage the property market. I personally think that this percentage could be increased to 50 per cent from the current 30 per cent. These numbers are only estimations of the market demand, but any expansion should make Vietnam more attractive to the foreign community.

I would raise this percentage to 50 per cent due to the fact that people of any nation usually have a habit of living in centred communities. For example, we already have Japanese, South Korean, Taiwanese, and European communities in the major cities of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, and Nha Trang. The 50 per cent limit would create an opportunity for foreigners to live together and support each other  it would allow creating homogenous living areas where residents share the same habits, living styles, and require similar services. The creation of communities would also make it easier for local management authorities to supervise these communities.

Su Ngoc Khuong - Senior director of Investment Savills Vietnam

Easing the property ownership limit for foreigners is necessary to help them have a stable life while they are working in Vietnam. Our country is integrating into the global economy and we are also encouraging inbound investment, which makes it all more reasonable to extend property ownership for non-Vietnamese people.

There are two main types of foreigners buying houses in Vietnam  those from countries of high foreign direct investment here such as Japan, Singapore, and South Korea. as well as overseas Vietnamese who are showing increasing interest in buying property in their home country.

Property is a high-value asset and should be transacted as any normal goods as long as it complies with regulations and does not impact national security.

Foreigners should be permitted to trade property in Vietnam if they fully comply with all related tax and financial obligations and prove that they have the necessary capital sources.

I do not think the percentage of foreign ownership in itself is important  the question is how the houses and projects will be controlled and managed after selling them.

Doan Van Binh - President CEO Group

The regulations permitting foreign property ownership in Vietnam should be more open. Foreign buyers are now permitted to own residential property (apartments in projects) only, but cannot buy other property types such as second homes or vacation properties, despite the high demand they show for it.

Permitting people from other countries to buy non-residential properties would attract huge investment capital flows into the real estate market.

They should be able to buy properties in Vietnam except for projects located in areas crucial from the perspective of national defence and security as prescribed by the government.

This would be both an open and attractive policy for non-nationals and make matters more transparent and information more accessible whenever they look into projects of interest.

In the long term, we can consider to ease more conditions and authorise foreigners to use land and other assets in land transactions in the same way Vietnamese nationals are allowed. VIR

Bich Ngoc

Measures fit for real estate recovery The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has upended economies worldwide, and Vietnam must take urgent measures to handle this period of instability.
India Sends Naval Ships, Aircraft to Conduct Massive COVID-19 Evacuation From Persian Gulf, Maldives

Sputnik News

04:30 GMT 05.05.2020(updated 07:38 GMT 05.05.2020)

New Delhi (Sputnik): India has been working closely with the Gulf states to repatriate its thousands of migrant labourers stranded abroad amid the coronavirus pandemic.

India has sent three naval warships on Monday night to evacuate migrant labourers stranded in the Maldives and UAE due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The INS Jalashwa, INS Magar, and INS Shardul departed for the Maldives and the Persian Gulf states on Monday night. The three ships will return to the city of Kochi in the southern Indian state of Kerala.

The first wave of repatriation will bring back around 1,900,000 people from the UAE, which is home to 3.4 million Indians. The numbers may increase by half a million by the end of the second phase.

A total of 14 warships have been readied for evacuating Indian citizens from the Gulf states and other countries, stated Indian Navy officials.

"Indian Embassies and High Commissions are preparing a list of distressed Indian citizens. This facility would be made available on a payment basis. Non-scheduled commercial flights would be arranged for air travel. The travel would begin in a phased manner from May 7," stated the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The Indian government has also prepared to evacuate its citizens from Iran, the USA, the UK and Malaysia in the second phase, as Indian missions across the world are already preparing a list of distressed citizens.

All the evacuees would be quarantined for 14 days on a payment-basis by the concerned national government.

Sources told Sputnik that people who were laid off or fired from their jobs will get priority in the evacuation process. Indians living on short-term visas will also be considered for the evacuation.

The Indian government brought back over 2,400 citizens from China, Japan, Iran and Italy in the first two weeks of March.

During the 1990 Gulf War, India conducted the world's largest evacuation process to repatriate its 170,000 civilians from Kuwait. Over the course of two months, India has sent 500 flights to conduct the operations.

As per the latest data available from Johns Hopkins University, the global death toll from the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has surpassed 251,000 with 68,634 deaths in the US alone.

A Sputnik

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President Donald Trump on Wednesday appeared to backtrack on plans announced the previous day to shut down the task force advising him on the coronavirus pandemic.

The White House's earlier suggestion that the high-level team could close around the start of June was Trump's latest signal that he thinks it's time to move on from the health crisis and reopen the economy.

But in a series of tweets Wednesday, he said the task force had been so successful that it "will continue on indefinitely with its focus on SAFETY & OPENING UP OUR COUNTRY AGAIN."

The White House CoronaVirus Task Force, headed by Vice President Mike Pence, has done a fantastic job of bringing together vast highly complex resources that have set a high standard for others to follow in the future. Ventilators, which were few & in bad shape, are now being....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 6, 2020

....gloves, gowns etc. are now plentiful. The last four Governors teleconference calls have been conclusively strong. Because of this success, the Task Force will continue on indefinitely with its focus on SAFETY & OPENING UP OUR COUNTRY AGAIN. We may add or subtract people ....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 6, 2020

....to it, as appropriate. The Task Force will also be very focused on Vaccines & Therapeutics. Thank you!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 6, 2020

The president, however, said that he could "add or subtract people" to the group, which suggested the situation remained fluid.

Vice President Mike Pence, who heads the task force, said Tuesday he was "starting to look at the Memorial Day window, early June window" for shutting it down. That holiday falls on May 25.

The coronavirus task force has spearheaded the complex response to the fast-spreading virus, which has already killed more than 70,000 Americans.

The group coordinates between medical institutes, political staff and state governors, some of whom have spent weeks frantically trying to help overwhelmed hospitals.

The task force also drew on medical experts to formulate national recommendations on social distancing that led to the economic shutdown.

Members of the task force gave daily press conferences meant to inform the nation on the latest status of the pandemic. But they were often overtaken by Trump's own freewheeling question-and-answer sessions and ended more than a week ago.

Trump says that while he wants a "safe" reopening, the hardship caused by the economic shutdown is the main threat to the United States.

"We can't keep our country closed for the next five years," he said Tuesday while on a trip to a mask-making factory in Arizona.

He conceded that some people would be "badly affected" by loosening the practice of social distancing.

Critics say that the health situation remains far from secure and that Trump is rushing to try and boost the devastated economy in time for his difficult reelection battle in November.
EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan has said it will take at least the next four years for European economies and trade, including Irelands, to recover in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis.

Mr Hogan said it will take a number of years for trade to recover in the aftermath of the pandemic. He said it will be a constant battle for the rest of his mandate, which runs to 2024, to put the jigsaw back together.

This is going to be a slow situation where you have to build up all of the various chains that have been disrupted by restrictive practices and some of those chains unfortunately will be broken, Mr Hogan said on Wednesday.

Speaking at an online event hosted by the Institute for International and European Affairs (IIEA), Mr Hogan said unemployment will rise across the EU and that every member state will be in recession this year.

He said there will be a nearly 10pc fall in global trade in 2020 and that the value of EU exports will decline by 285 billion and imports by 240 billion. While the EU is predicting growth of 6pc next year this is provided the bloc can reopen much of the economy in the second half of this year, he said.

Its going to cost a huge amount of money at the end of the day in order to reboot our economies, Mr Hogan said, citing a possible 1.5tn EU recovery fund. Its not going to be small money but its needed in order to ensure that we get people back to work, we get our economies up and running again.

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Mr Hogan also criticised the pace of negotiations on a post-Brexit EU-UK trade deal, saying the UK needs to get on with the job and not negotiate through the airwaves.

A "high level meeting" between negotiators in June will be "critical, he said, and that difficult decisions will have to be made at the end of next month, the deadline for the UK to apply for an extension to the trade talks. "We need to see a lot more intensive engagement than we have seen in the last few weeks and months, he said.

Mr Hogan said the EU needed to ensure it more adequately stockpiled medical supplies for future pandemics in the same way that oil reserves were built-up in the 1970s. He said there were 10 companies in Europe producing face masks at the start of the pandemic but this had now increased to 550.

Mr Hogan, who is serving his second term in the European Commission, said the Covid-19 crisis and the breakdown in global supply chains has underlined the importance of global cooperation like never before.

Mr Hogan said that diversifying and solidifying supply chains is the safer and the most efficient solution allowing us to respond to all sorts of crisis situations, not just repeats of the current pandemic.

Expand Close Taoiseach Leo Varadkar adressing media at a Government Covid-19 Press Briefing at Government Buildings. Pic Steve Humphreys 24th March 2020 / Facebook

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Whatsapp Taoiseach Leo Varadkar adressing media at a Government Covid-19 Press Briefing at Government Buildings. Pic Steve Humphreys 24th March 2020

He cautioned against countries adopting protectionist approaches in the aftermath of the crisis and said that self-sufficiency was not an option for the EU because the continent is poor in raw materials.

If more countries pursue the track of self-sufficiency, it will increase competition for scarce resources, drive up prices and deepen international hostilities. It would be a lose-lose situation for our citizens and our economies, he said.

He said the EU was advocating for open strategic autonomy which he defined as achieving the right balance between Europe being open for business and a bloc that protects people and businesses.

He also said that he was in regular contact with his counterpart in the US to make the case for greater transatlantic cooperation. I believe this is the right time to make the case for global cooperation in a stronger and more forthright way, he said.

Meanwhile, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has hailed the 500bn financial package agreed by the EU to help Member States respond to the coronavirus crisis but warned in it's in the form of loans and guarantees that have to be paid back.

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said he rejects the idea "that anywhere near enough has been agreed".

The Dail is today debating the EU response to the emergency which Mr Varadkar said was initially poorly coordinated.

He said the crisis has had "deep, sharp economic and social impacts".

Mr Varadkar said the government had supported the idea of 'coronabonds' - an approach that would have led to the shared managing of debt among countries who borrow to fund health services and their welfare states.

But he said this would have required a new EU Treaty and would have taken a long time to agree.

Mr Varadkar said that in the absence of unanimous support for that approach it was agreed alternative solutions for a recovery fund should be developed.

This includes a temporary relaxation of state aid rules which has allowed governments to assist companies.

He said it must be ensured that member states don't use State Aid to give an unfair advantage to their companies and he added: "this is something we're going to watch very closely".

Mr Varadkar said the Eurogroup of countries agreed a 500bn economic package which is to be operational from the first week in June.

He warned: "It should be noted that these are all loans and guarantees and are not grants and borrowed money must be repaid."

He said that together the EU's response is more than half a trillion Euro - "a historic level deployment of resources to respond to an emergency of unprecedented levels."

He said it's a much greater response from the EU than was seen in the financial crisis of a decade ago which was "too little and too late".

Mr Varadkar said the EU had agreed that climate action and the digital economy should be "critical components" of the recovery

Mr Martin said he welcomed the measures agreed at the EU Summit but added: "We reject the idea that anywhere near enough has been agreed, or that what has been agreed has been delivered."

He said: "Other than the outbreak of a war there has never before been such a dramatic and rapid public health and economic shock.

"Just like every other country in Europe, Ireland does not yet really know the scale of the recovery challenge we face.

"If the member states of the Union continue to block measures to develop new direct funding mechanisms then the union's contribution will continue to be economically marginal," he said.
Mukesh Ranjan By

Express News Service

RANCHI: Amid hate messages on social media, a Muslim youth set an example for humanity by breaking his Roza (fasting) to donate blood for an 8-year-old Hindu child who is suffering from Pneumonia in Hazaribagh on Tuesday.

Salim Ansari travelled over 50 km to donate blood after he got to know that the boy of his village needed blood to save his life.

The child Nikhil Kumar, suffering from pneumonia, is undergoing treatment at a nursing home in Hazaribagh and needed blood for his treatment.

When Ansari reached the hospital, doctors advised him to break his fast and eat something to be able to donate blood. Ansari immediately agreed to the doctors suggestion and donated blood.

It does not mean that I have done any favour to anybody, Being a human being, it was my duty to save the life of the child, said Ansari. No religion is

above humanity, he added.

Ansari said that the moment he got to know that the child needed blood, he decided to save his life and left for Hazaribagh along with two others.

According to Nikhils brother Faljeet Kumar, his brother is currently admitted to a private nursing home in Hazaribagh and urgently required A (+Ve) blood but he was not able to arrange it. The local blood bank also expressed its inability for the same due to the lockdown asking him to arrange on his own.

Even Faljeet could donate as he had already donated the blood to his brother last week. Losing all hopes, he called his father Bhikhari Mahto at his village Kusumraza under the Bagodar Block of Giridih and explained the entire situation. Bhikhari Mahto, a farmer by profession, further discussed the matter with other villagers and left the matter on the mercy of God.

Later, when Ansari got to know about it, he decided to save the life of the child by donating his blood and left for Hazaribagh. He was even intercepted by police at different places, but somehow he managed to convince them citing the urgency of the situation and reached there to save the life of the child.
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Linkedin Rizki Fachriansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 6, 2020 16:26 622 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd65d928 1 National COVID-19,coronavirus,virus-korona-indonesia,vaccine,Eijkman-Institute Free

The coronavirus strain that has swept across Indonesia is different from at least three other known SARS-CoV-2 strains affecting the rest of the world, the government has said.

The conclusion was based on an analysis of data on three complete genome sequences of the coronavirus in the archipelago submitted by the Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology to GISAID, Research and Technology Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said.

GISAID, an initiative that promotes the sharing of genetic data on influenza viruses and the coronavirus, has been collecting data on the various strains of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 from a number of countries, he said.

The research has so far found at least three different strains of the coronavirus, identified as types S, G and V.

Strains other than those three types are yet to be identified. The samples sent from Indonesia are among the unidentified ones, Bambang said during a meeting with the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

The new information contained in the complete genome sequences is expected to help scientists understand the mutations of the virus strains and aid the development of a vaccine, Bambang said.

Eijkman on Monday submitted its first three complete genome sequences of the Indonesian strain to GISAID. This was the first submission from Indonesia, although the Health Ministry's lab announced that it was also sequencing the virus early in the outbreak.

The government has appointed the Eijkman Institute to spearhead the vaccine development program through a consortium that includes the Health Ministry's Research and Development Agency (Balitbangkes), state-owned pharmaceutical company PT Bio Farma and several universities.

Bambang, who also serves as the head of the National Research Agency (BRIN), said he couldnt be certain as to when a vaccine would be available, but that he expected it to be produced early next year.

We will continue working with other stakeholders to expedite the development of a vaccine, he said.
TRAVERSE CITY -- Munson Healthcare (MHC) is thanking a local CEO as well as General Motors for their help in acquiring a substantial supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including masks, gloves and face shields, which are critical to the safety of frontline healthcare workers.

Dodd Russell, CEO of Skilled Manufacturing Incorporated (SMI) of Traverse City, began working with his team in China on March 23 and helped secure 200,000 surgical masks along with a large quantity of surgical gloves that have already arrived at MHC's Northern Michigan Supply Alliance (NMSA) warehouse in Traverse City. An equal quantity of masks is still on the way.

"I spend about 120 days a year in China and everything there is about relationships," said Russell. "I grew up in Traverse City, I've raised my kids here, and one of my team members is married to a nurse who works in the COVID-19 unit at Munson Medical Center. I told my team in Shanghai that we've got to have this stuff, it's for my town."

Skilled Manufacturing, Inc. is a Tier-1 automotive, aerospace and specialty manufacturer serving customers like General Motors and Honeywell. Russell has been doing business in China for 12 years and his relationships were essential in both securing and verifying the supply that continues to arrive in Traverse City. Demand for PPE is currently up to five times that of available supply as a result of the disruption to the global supply chain created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"These supplies are essential to the safety of our employees and community and finding them has been a huge challenge," said Ed Ness, CEO of Munson Healthcare. "We are grateful to Dodd for the long hours he spent securing these supplies and to all of those in the community who have stepped up to support our healthcare team."

A convoy of four General Motors vehicles driven by members of the automaker's Warren Tech Center brought 14,000 face shields and 67,000 surgical-style face masks to Munson Healthcare's Northern Michigan Supply Alliance. The personal protective equipment was made at GM's retooled Warren plant. Senior Vice President of System Services Mark Deponio said the donation covers the entire Munson Healthcare need for a couple of weeks.

"We are so thankful to General Motors for their generosity as well as the dozens of local colleges, retailers, and manufacturers who have made significant PPE donations," said Des Worthington, president of Munson Healthcare Foundations.

The vehicles were driven by Bruce Smith, engineering director at the Warren Tech Center, Mike Palecek and engineering manager at the center, David Schankin an engineering manager, and Brenten Corliss an engineering specialist.

The Warren plant, which formerly made transmissions, was selected by GM for retooling to assist with personal protective equipment needs in the state and nation. After acquiring equipment, and putting a production process in place, the plant produced its first prototype mask on March 27. GM is coordinating with the State of Michigan's personal protective prioritization team to identify which hospitals in the state need face shields and masks. To date, GM has donated more than 750,000 masks and 37,000 shields to 14 hospital networks across Michigan.

Smith, who wore a shirt with "Team GM Cares" message across the front characterized the opportunity to help Munson Healthcare as "exciting."

"This is a great and awesome," he said. "We are happy to do this."
Health officials recommend a safe distance of six feet (two metres) from one another to minimise the spread of the coronavirus.

But terrifying footage using a simulation has shown microscopic particles from a cough can spread double that length.

Experts at Florida Atlantic University conducted an experiment using a mannequin to show how air travels after a 'light' and 'heavy cough'.

Laser lights illuminated how far the gas and the droplets it contained could travel. It also showed these droplets could linger in the air for more than one minute.

It emphasises the importance of social distancing as much as possible, and may explain why the virus spread so rapidly in busy cities.

The engineers at Florida Atlantic University conducted an experiment using a mannequin to show how air travels after a 'light' and 'heavy cough'

Laser lights illuminated how far the gas and the droplets it contained could travel. After 12 seconds it had reached six feet, and after 41 seconds, the particles had moved nine feet. 'For a heavy cough, the researchers found that particles can even travel up to 12 feet'

Light coughing can lead to formation of vortex rings which appear to travel one to nine feet or more before getting diffused and breaking up (pictured)

Dr Manhar Dhanak, who conducted the study with Dr Siddhartha Verma, found that 'wearing a face mask doesn't stop the particles 100 per cent' - but it does slow down the cough jets

The air exhaled from a cough is not visible to the naked eye, nor are the tiny particles contained in it.

Particles and droplets that result from a human cough or sneeze typically range in size from five to 500 microns. A fine grain of sand is about 100 microns.

Larger particles, which are thought to be the main transmission route of SARS-CoV-2, fall to the ground within a short distance due to gravity.

But smaller particles, less than five microns, can be carried longer distances by air. They include smoke particles.

The team at Florida Atlantic University's College of Engineering and Computer Science emulated coughs that had particles ranging from 10 to 20 microns, which are considered to be larger in size.

They emulated a cough jet from an orifice representing the mouth using a mannequin and other props.

Flow visualization is a method that enables flow patterns, such as a stream of particles from a cough, to become visible in fluids like air and water.

CAN SARS-COV-2 DROPLETS LINGER IN THE AIR? Airborne diseases are those where germs from a person's breathe, sneeze or cough can linger in the air and travel because the droplets are very small in size. According to the World Health Organization, COVID-19 virus is primarily transmitted between people through respiratory droplets, which are much larger in size. Larger droplets only travel short distances before falling to the floor, which is why it the 'safe social distance' recommended between people is two metres. Aerosols, on the other hand, are small and can linger in the air for longer and travel further. Aerosols include tiny particles like smoke, which can stay airborne for up to eight hours. But there is some compelling evidence to say that SARS-CoV-2 is airborne, despite most of it not being subject to peer review. Or at least, air conditioning systems are to blame for fuelling the virus round a room. For example, scientists in the US have shown in the laboratory that the virus can survive in an aerosol and remain infectious for at least three hours. However, the conditions were argued by the WHO to be highly artificial and did not represent what happens if someone coughs in real life. Evidence is emerging that air conditioning may propel infected droplets round confined spaces - such as an airplane. One report in a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) journal on April 2 explained how a cluster of cases in Guangzhou, China, may have been fuelled by air-conditioning. Ten people in three families were diagnosed with the virus after eating at the same restaurant. But the researchers said droplets from coughing and sneezing alone could not explain the spread of the virus. Jianyun Lu and colleagues concluded that 'droplet transmission was prompted by air-conditioned ventilation. The key factor for infection was the direction of the airflow.' Advertisement

'Our goal was to demonstrate the fate of smaller size particles that are present in the exhaled jet of a cough,' said Dr Manhar Dhanak, who conducted the study with Dr Siddhartha Verma.

'The fog is initially warmer than the ambient air, just as in the case of an exhaled cough-jet, however, it cools as it travels through the air.'

The scientists mixed water and glycerin to mimic what comes out the mouth and nose when a human coughs.

Particles from a 'heavy' cough or sneeze in the experiment travelled three feet in a matter of seconds.

After 12 seconds it had reached six feet, and after 41 seconds, the particles had moved nine feet.

'For a heavy cough, the researchers found that particles can even travel up to 12 feet,' a statement from Florida Atlantic University said.

A lighter cough was found to travel up to nine feet.

Dr Dhanak said: 'In the case of light coughing, it can lead to formation of vortex rings.

'The rings appear to travel one to nine feet or more before getting diffused and breaking up.'

Most health officials have agreed that six feet (two metres) is a reasonably safe distance to maintain because the virus is thought to spread in larger droplets, which don't linger in the air.

However, the FAU research points out that the length a cough can travel also depends on factors like how heavy the cough is and the kind of airflow happening in a given area. They also suggested the droplets become less dense the further they travel, but they still lingered in the air.

As well as this, Dr Dhanak said: 'We found that wearing a face mask doesn't stop the particles 100 per cent' - but it does slow down the cough jets.

The use of face masks has left scientists divided.

The CDC recommend wearing a face mask made of home materials. But the UK Government has not made such suggestions based on the fact there is not enough evidence to support that it limits transmission.

Dr Stella Batalama, dean of FAU's engineering college said: 'Initial results from the experiment that professors Dhanak and Verma conducted have important implications for how we protect the public from this highly infectious disease.

'There is currently a gap in knowledge over how COVID-19 spreads as well as a scientific debate about how the disease moves in the air.

'This experiment will help to shed more light on the spread of the disease through aerosols.

'Moreover, it underscores why it is so essential to cover your cough and sneezes and to wear a face mask when you are out in public settings.'

The research is preliminary at this stage and has not been published in a journal where it would be reviewed by other scientists.
The novel coronavirus in the Ashanti region now stands at 163.

This number is out of the 41,986 people tested so far in the region.

Thirty-seven (37) of them have been recovered while five (5) have died of the disease.

Dr. Emmanuel Tinkorang, Regional Director of Health Services, who made this known at the weekly media briefing in Kumasi, said three were currently on admission with 118 receiving home-based care.

He said a total of 815 had so for been contacted through contact-tracing out of which 763 had completed their 14-day follow up with the remaining 54 being in isolation.

According to the Regional Director, 17 out of the 43 districts in the region had reported cases, adding that, 56 percent of the confirmed cases were males and 44 percent being females.

He said stigmatisation and discrimination against discharged COVID-19 patients was a major challenge militating against the fight against the disease.

Due to the stigma, there is always a fight when picking up a case at the community level but it is important for the communities to assist us to win the battle together, Dr. Tinkorang pleaded.

He expressed grave concern about how health workers who risked their lives to pick up cases in the communities were sometimes attacked and called for the cooperation of all stakeholders.

He made a passionate appeal to the media to step up public education on the stigmatisation of COVID-19 patients and how it was affecting efforts to contain the deadly disease.

Dr. Tinkorang said his outfit was going to increase tracing, testing, and isolation with focus on mass screening of high-risk groups including market women, drivers, barbers, hairdressers, and all identifiable groups who come into contact with a lot of people daily.

He disclosed that efforts were being made to add four more testing centres to augment the work of the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR) to deal with the perennial backlog of samples.

With the establishment of a testing centre in Tamale, the expectation is that pressure on KCCR would reduce to ensure real-time delivery of test results.

He said the availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in health facilities had significantly improved and urged the public to observe all the preventive protocols to help curb the spread of the disease.

---GNA
State and federal agents investigating a Pointe Coupee Parish nursing home where at least 11 people died after contracting the coronavirus revisited the facility this week and plan to test each resident for the infection, officials said.

The Louisiana Department of Healths investigation of Pointe Coupee Healthcare in New Roads involves the care and services it provides at the 120-bed facility, but state officials have offered few details of the probe.

Over the weekend, two more residents at the nursing home died, bringing the human toll at the facility to 11, according to the parish coroners office. The nursing home deaths account for nearly two-thirds of the parishs 17 reported fatalities tied to COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus.

Following federal and state investigators inspection of Pointe Coupee Healthcare on Monday, health officials plan to test every resident at the facility by weeks end to understand the scope of the nursing homes outbreak, Pointe Coupee Parish President Major Thibaut said.

Hopefully they found some things that can be worked on, he said.

After 9 coronavirus deaths, New Roads nursing home faces state investigation State health officials are investigating a New Roads nursing home where nine current or former residents have died from the illness tied to th

Several family members have contacted Thibauts office in recent weeks with concerns about their loved ones living there, the nursing home's operations and the lack of communication about the viruss spread within a wing of the facility. They say the nursing home has misled them about the extent of the outbreak and delayed informing family members about cases spreading.

The management company operating Pointe Coupee Health said previously that the facility, like many others in the state, has been battling back the virus. A regional manager on Tuesday declined to comment on the new cases or added testing measures.

Pointe Coupee Healthcare is part of a chain of 16 skilled nursing and assisted living facilities in Louisiana run by Plantation Management Co. in Denham Springs.

Two of the companys top officials  Buster Quirk and his son Scott Quirk  are also board members of the Louisiana Nursing Home Association, a trade organization advocating for nursing homes, an industry with a powerful political lobby.

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

The Health Department has facilitated past on-site testing at other nursing homes in the state, including one of the pandemics earliest outbreaks, at Lambeth House, an upscale retirement community in New Orleans where dozens were sickened and several residents died.

Louisiana recently received the first batch of what is expected to be 200,000 coronavirus testing kits from the the federal government, many of which will be bound for prisons and nursing homes where close living quarters make them especially prone to outbreaks.

Dr. Alex Billioux, a top Louisiana Department of Health official, said Monday the department will send "strike teams" to help with testing for nursing homes unable to do so themselves.

As 200,000 coronavirus tests head to Louisiana, officials develop plan for nursing homes, prisons With Louisiana receiving the first batch of what is expected to be 200,000 coronavirus testing kits a month from the federal government, the s

Federal health officials have increased their focus on elder care homes in recent weeks following a growing number of cases in places housing older adults who are especially vulnerable to the coronavirus.

In Louisiana, more than 685 nursing home residents have died after contracting the virus, and infections have been reported at nearly two-thirds of the states 176 nursing homes, according to the latest Health Department figures.

Nearly all nursing care facilities in the state enacted measures aimed to keep the virus out, such as restricting visitors and screening employees and contractors who come to work, among other steps.

In Pointe Coupee Parish, all of the coronavirus deaths have involved people with underlying health conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes, said Ty Chaney, chief investigator for the Coroner's Office.

Two of the parishs coronavirus deaths were residents of Lakeview Manor, a few miles away from Pointe Coupee Healthcare in New Roads, but no others were reported there since April 21, he said.
Facebook has a new connectivity app called Discover to help those who cant afford to get online access information on the web.

The service, available through mobile web and Android app, allows users to visit any website in text format (no video, images, audio and other elements that eat up large amounts of data) and consume a few megabytes of internet data.

For Discover, which is part of the companys Free Basics initiative, Facebook is working with mobile operators in Bitel, Claro, Entel, and Movistar. Discover is currently available in Peru, where it is in the initial testing phase.

In Peru, Discover is offering 10MB of free data to users each day. A Facebook spokesperson told TechCrunch that the partner mobile operator determines the daily data allowance, and it anticipates operators in other countries where Discover would be tested to offer up to 20MB each day.

But nothing is set in stone. We'll be assessing how people are using Discover and the amount of daily data more during the trials and may work with our operator partners on adjustments going forward, the spokesperson said, adding that mobile operators will also determine whether support for photos could be added to Discover.

Eliminating support for videos and images means that Discover users would be able to load dozens of websites in a day without running out of their data allowance.

Discover is the latest of a handful of internet connectivity efforts that Facebook has rolled out in recent years. The company maintains Internet.org, which offers unfettered access to dozens of websites in dozens of markets; and Express WiFi, which allows neighbourhood stores to sell small sachet of internet plans to users, in India. Facebook has partnered with more than 10,000 merchants and stores in the country to sell these data plans.

On the Internet .org website, the company also lists Connectivity Lab, another effort that is part of Free Basics initiative through which it is exploring a variety of technologies, including high-altitude long-endurance planes, satellites and lasers to bring more people online. At least one of those tests has been discontinued.

Story continues

During the coronavirus public health crisis, we believe it is particularly important to explore ways to help people stay connected and to increase access to health information and other resources on the internet. As part of our ongoing work to connect people to accurate health information, coronavirus health resources will be highlighted on the Discover homepage, said Yoav Zeevi, a product manager at Facebook.

Facebooks Free Basics initiative, which has helped tens of millions of people access internet, has also received scrutiny for its approach and some unintended consequences. Internet.org was banned in India after the local authority in the worlds second largest internet market found that the program violated net neutrality principles.

Zeevi said the company has heard the feedback and responded by allowing people to browse all websites. Our work on Discover has been informed by our broader efforts  including our participation in the Contract for the Web  to expand connectivity and access to the open web while continuing to protect privacy, he said. Tim Berners-Lee's Contract for the Web has welcomed the launch of Discover.

Critics have argued that programs such as Internet.org, which has been discontinued in some additional markets, have also fuelled violence in real life.

As Facebook expands its connectivity efforts, some other companies have scaled down their initiatives. Earlier this year, Google discontinued its free Wi-Fi program called Station that offered internet access in more than 400 railway stations in India, and was available at public places in handful of other markets.

In 2018, Wikimedia shut down Wikipedia Zero, a program that allowed more than 800 million people to access the online encyclopaedia in 72 countries for free.
Former head of CDC, Dr Tom Frieden, says struggle against COVID-19 is just beginning and will be long and difficult.

United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday reversed course on plans to wind down his coronavirus task force, telling reporters at the White House that  contrary to earlier statements by Vice President Mike Pence  the task force is not being dismantled, but instead refocused.

One day after the administration suggested that its work would be done around Memorial Day (May 25), Trump said the White House task force of public health professionals and senior government officials would continue after all, indefinitely, with its focus shifting towards rebooting the economy and the development of a vaccine.

I thought we could wind it down sooner, Trump said, adding, I had no idea how popular the task force is.

A White House official acknowledged to the Associated Press news agency that Tuesdays statements about the task force shutting down had sent the wrong message.

While the task force has already been meeting less frequently, its medical experts, particularly Drs Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx, have emerged as among the most trusted voices on the virus response. The Tuesday announcement of ending the task force sparked concerns that they would be sidelined as the outbreak continues amid fears of a fresh wave of illness in the fall.

Trump said Tuesday he would still seek their counsel, regardless of the fate of the task force.

It is appreciated by the public, he said of the task force.

Trump said membership in the group would change as the nature of the crisis evolves.

In the Wednesday tweets, Trump said, the Task Force will continue on indefinitely. He added that the White House may add or subtract people to it, as appropriate. The Task Force will also be very focused on Vaccines & Therapeutics.

The White House CoronaVirus Task Force, headed by Vice President Mike Pence, has done a fantastic job of bringing together vast highly complex resources that have set a high standard for others to follow in the future. Ventilators, which were few & in bad shape, are now being.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 6, 2020

A day earlier, Trump visited an Arizona face mask factory in an effort to demonstrate his determination to see an easing of stay-at-home orders even as the coronavirus remains a threat. Trump did not wear a mask despite guidelines saying they should be worn inside the factory at all times.

As Trump pressed the nation to reopen, Dr Tom Frieden, the former director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), testified Wednesday on Capitol Hill that the war against COVID will be long and difficult.

Were just at the beginning of this pandemic and must focus on the future, he testified, predicting there will be 100,000 deaths by the end of the month. As bad as the crisis has been, he said, its just the beginning.

Democrats criticised Trumps reopening strategy Wednesday, saying more federal support for testing and contact tracing is needed. While the daily number of new deaths in the New York area has declined markedly in recent weeks, deaths have essentially plateaued in the rest of the US.

Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi criticised Trumps approach on Wednesday. Death is not an economic motivator, stimulus, she said. So why are we going down that path?

Everyones eager to get out, she added. To unlock the lockdown is to test, trace, treat as well as isolate [and practise] social distancing.





Trump on Wednesday defended his decision not to wear a face covering when he visited the Honeywell plant in Phoenix, saying he briefly donned one backstage, out of view of the press, for not too long a time. He said the head of Honeywell had told him that he didnt need to wear one during the public portions of his visit.

The CDC has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks when they cannot socially distance. In the area where Trump spoke, a large video monitor listed safety guidelines, one of which said, Please wear your mask at all times.
Former high-ranking investigator Lamonov released on parole

 TASS, Stanislav Krasilnikov

12:58 06/05/2020

MOSCOW, May 6 (RAPSI) - Russias former high-ranking investigator Alexander Lamonov convicted in a 32 million-ruble ($430,000 at the current exchange rate) bribery case has been released on parole, RAPSI has learnt from the press service of the Belev court in the Tula Region.

In July 2018, the Moscow City Court found the former investigative official guilty of taking bribes and sentenced him to 5 years behind bars. Additionally, he was fined 32 million rubles and lost his rank of colonel of justice.

Lamonov, ex-First Deputy Head of the Investigative Committees Moscow Directorate, General Denis Nikandrov and ex-chief of the Investigative Committees Internal Security Directorate Mikhail Maksimenko have been arrested and detained as part of a case over extortion of 8 million rubles (about $122,000 at the current exchange rate) that involved an alleged gang leader Zakhariy Kalashov. In addition, investigators believe that they extorted 10 million rubles (about $153,000) from a head of a large joint-stock company. The defendants denied their communications with Kalashov.

On April 20, Maksimenko was found guilty of taking two bribes and received 13 years in prison. The defendant was also fined 165 million rubles ($2.5 million).

According to prosecutors, in 2016, Maksimenko and his accomplice received $500,000 bribe for help with one of criminal cases. He was also charged with taking $50,000 bribe in 2015 for organizing unlawful criminal prosecution of law enforcement officers in the interests of a bribe-giver.

In August, the Moscow City Court sentenced Nikandrov to 5.5 years in prison. The defendant was also prohibited from holding law enforcement posts for 3 years and deprived him of his General rank. He appealed the sentence in the Supreme Court.
After proclaiming for months that it was one of the few countries on Earth without a single case of the coronavirus, Tajikistan is now reeling from the deadly virus as infected patients fill hospitals and medics complain of chronic equipment shortages.

In the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, people complain that some hospitals no longer accept patients infected with the coronavirus because they have run out of beds.

In a video obtained by RFE/RL's Tajik Service, four ambulances are shown parked outside the Varzob Tourism Complex -- which has been turned into a makeshift hospital as the deadly virus rages across the country.

"There are sick people inside the vehicles," says a woman, a relative of one of the patients. She and other relatives say they were turned away from city hospitals and sent to the Varzob facility in suburban Dushanbe.

"This 'facility' also isn't admitting [patients]. You could die here and nobody would care," the unidentified woman says.

"State TV boasts that we have all the necessary capacity [to handle the coronavirus]," she adds. "But in reality they don't know where to put sick people."

Another video shared by a prominent local activist shows a woman begging doctors at the massive Shifobakh National Medical Complex in Dushanbe to find a bed for her mother. "Please, find my mom a bed, even if it's in the corridor," the woman pleads with doctors in hazmat suits at the facility's Building No. 6.

Similar complaints are being shared by others in Dushanbe and elsewhere, with many sharing videos and posting comments on social media.

Weeks Of Denial

The chaotic situation comes as Tajikistan finally admitted having recorded 15 coronavirus infections on April 30, after it claimed for weeks the country was virus-free.

That announcement was made ahead of a visit by experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) to assess the coronavirus situation in the impoverished Central Asian country of about 9 million.

Throughout the month of April, independent media and social-media users reported numerous fatal cases of "pneumonia" in Tajikistan, asking authorities for an explanation.

Among the dead were several doctors and other hospital workers.

Officials continued to deny registering any coronavirus infections and instead attacked journalists, accusing them of unnecessarily sowing panic among the people.

The comments were not unusual from the regime of longtime autocratic ruler Emomali Rahmon, which has for many years been criticized by international rights groups for its suppression of dissent and the stifling of free speech.

As of May 6, Tajikistan reported 379 coronavirus infections, including eight deaths from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

Many Tajiks believe the real figures to be far higher than those claimed by the government.

Doctors' Dilemma

The situation became so bad that Rahmon said on May 5 that Health Minister Nasim Olimzoda had been reassigned to another job and replaced by Jamoliddin Abdullozoda.

Meanwhile, independent media outlets and social-media users reported that some hospitals were being ordered by the authorities to send home some of their COVID-19 patients even if they had a high fever.

A source close to the Sughd Regional Hospital in the northern city of Khujand said the recent resignation of hospital chief Sobirjon Sobirov was connected to the alleged order to discharge sick patients.

The source told RFE/RL on May 4 that the authorities ordered Sobirov to reduce the number of COVID-19 patients in his hospital before the visit by the WHO delegation.

"But Sobirov said that as a doctor he couldn't send home sick patients and offered his resignation instead," the source said on condition of anonymity.

Medical officials haven't publicly commented on Sobirov's May 2 resignation.

One Khujand resident told RFE/RL that several people from his neighborhood were discharged from the hospital in recent days despite still being ill. "They still have fevers. Ambulances frequently come to check on them [at home]," the resident said on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, hospital workers from several different regions spoke about the severe shortage of personal-protection equipment (PPE) for medics and other supplies.

In the southern district of Muminobod, there is only one ventilator at the main hospital for a region of more than 72,000 inhabitants, doctors say.

"We've got gloves and face masks, but we have only eight special gowns that are very old and completely useless," says Rajabali Haidarov, the head of the Muminobod Infectious Diseases Hospital.

A similar situation was reported from the southwestern district of Vakhsh, home to some 180,000 people.

"We have only two ventilators. We don't have PPE for medics and have asked the Health Ministry to provide them for us," said a Vakhsh doctor who didn't want to give his name for fear of official reprisals.

In the remote district of Ishkhoshim, in southeast Tajikistan, one local resident said that "our hospitals don't even have rubbing alcohol."

Disappointed With The State

The Health Ministry recently said there were more than 500 ventilators in the country's medical facilities and that it was planning to purchase 100 more, as well as other medical supplies to help fight the coronavirus.

Tajikistan has received cash and medical supplies from several international organizations and foreign countries in recent weeks that was meant to combat the spread of the virus.

The foreign aid includes $189.5 million allocated by the International Monetary Fund, 48 million euros ($53 million) from the European Union, and $11.3 million from the World Bank.

The Tajik government's initial denial of having any coronavirus infections amid the growing number of suspicious pneumonia deaths has further eroded people's trust in the authorities, many Tajiks say.

"All the signs were out there: people were dying, doctors were dying, but I still believed that maybe, just maybe, the government was telling the truth and that Tajikistan really didn't have coronavirus," says Shohin, who lives in the southern Kulob district.

"The government told us not to believe media rumors [that the disease was in Tajikistan]," he said. "So we didn't take any precautions and the virus spread. I'm beyond disappointed. We were let down badly."

"Many people, including me, believed that we just had so many cases of pneumonia, Dushanbe resident Anahita tweeted on April 30, just minutes after the government acknowledged the existence of the coronavirus infections.

Written by Farangis Najibullah with reporting by RFE/RLs Tajik Service.
Morocco has rapidly expanded its fleet of drones as it battles the coronavirus pandemic, deploying them for aerial surveillance, public service announcements and sanitisation. "This is a real craze. In just weeks, demand has tripled in Morocco and other countries in the region," said Yassine Qamous, chief of Droneway Maroc, African distributor for leading Chinese drone company DJI. Moroccan firms have been using drones for years and Qamous says it "is among the most advanced countries in Africa" for unmanned flight, with a dedicated industrial base, researchers and qualified pilots. But restrictive regulations have long limited civilian drones to specific applications such as filming, agriculture, monitoring solar panels and mapping. That changed rapidly as the novel coronavirus swept across the world. In recent weeks, authorities have employed drones to issue warnings, identify suspicious movement in the streets and disperse illegal rooftop and balcony gatherings. A strict lockdown imposed in March has not been uniformly respected, with local media reporting on nighttime gatherings of neighbours and collective prayers on roofs, beyond the view of street patrols. - 'Vital technology' - Last week local authorities in Temara, a town near the capital Rabat, launched a high-precision aerial surveillance system developed by local company Beti3D, which previously specialised in aerial mapping. Other countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East have also adopted technology deployed in China since the start of the pandemic, whether for tracking the movements of citizens, disinfecting public spaces or facilitating deliveries. "Drones have quickly emerged as a vital technology for public safety agencies during this crisis as they can safely monitor public spaces," according to the website of DJI, by far the world's top drone maker. Like most countries, Morocco primarily uses imported Chinese drones. But the emergence of new applications linked to the pandemic is also driving local production of specialised aerial vehicles. "There is real demand," said Abderrahmane Krioual, the head of Farasha, a startup that has raised funds to produce drones for thermal surveillance and aerial disinfectant spraying. The aeronautics department of the International University of Rabat (UIR) offered its facilities, expertise and prototypes to authorities in March, deploying drones with loudspeakers or infrared cameras able to detect movement at night or spot individuals with high temperatures. Several projects are underway across the country ahead of the widespread deployment of various models of drones, said Mohsine Bouya, the university's director of technology development and transfer. Teams are also developing tracking applications, but "we'll have to wait for a change to the law" before launching them, he said. Moroccan authorities declined to comment on the use of drones or the numbers deployed since the start of the public health emergency in mid-March. - 'Toxic lockdown culture' - Unlike in some countries, the use of surveillance drones has not sparked public debate in Morocco, where the kingdom's authoritarian response to the pandemic is widely supported. Morocco closed its borders early and tasked law enforcement with imposing strict confinement measures on the population. They include movement restrictions and the compulsory wearing of masks, with a nighttime curfew since the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan -- enforced by a heavy police presence. Those found guilty of violating lockdown measures face one to three months in prison, a fine equivalent to $125, or both. Officials say 59,000 people have been prosecuted for breaching lockdown measures. Authorities say the measures have limited transmission of the virus, with 5,382 COVID-19 cases reported including 182 deaths since the state of emergency was announced. But the kingdom's high number of arrests -- some 85,000 people by April 30 -- has drawn criticism from Georgette Gagnon, director of field operations at the United Nations' Human Rights Office. Last week she listed Morocco among countries where repressive coronavirus measures have created a "toxic lockdown culture". Morocco disputed this, saying its measures were "in line with legal frameworks respecting human rights". Morocco is trialling high tech solutions like disinfectant-spraying drones to help fight the new coronavirus One Moroccan startup company is developing drones equipped with thermal cameras to detect people with fevers Morocco has relied on heavy surveillance to enforce a strict lockdown, attracting criticism from the United Nations Human Rights Office
Researchers from UMass Memorial have noticed an increase in deaths in Worcester for the month of March compared to last year, coinciding with a decreased amount of emergency room visits amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mark Johnson, the chair of the department of Neurological Surgery at UMass Memorial, and Catarina Kiefe, the founding chair emerita of the department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences at UMass Medical School, are among those who have been working on this research as an increased amount of deaths, at hospitals and at homes, have occurred during the pandemic.

Research found that in Worcester, the month of March saw an 8.5% increase in excess deaths compared to the same period a year before, Johnson said in an interview.

Worcester was not alone in that trend. Johnson said Middlesex County saw a 20% increase in excess deaths above the baseline number of deaths averaged for the last three years. Numerous reports show that New York has also seen excess deaths through the pandemic, and New York City officials were not initially including people who had died at home and were suspected to have COVID-19 among the states death toll.

The researchers started looking at this issue a few weeks ago after seeing reports about an increased number of deaths at home amid the pandemic. At the same time, they were noticing fewer people coming into the hospital for emergency issues.

Johnson said they used data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, public health officials in Worcester, data from the New York City Department of Public Health, and from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health website.

Meanwhile, Massachusetts officials are reexamining recent deaths that were not linked to the coronavirus, working to determine whether some should have been added to the states COVID-19 death toll. Data from the CDC indicates overall death rates have been higher in Massachusetts and six other states.

This phenomenon of excess deaths was there in a way thats not surprising because, after all, we are in a pandemic so you might expect there would be more deaths this year than the same time last year or the year before that, Johnson said.

But, Johnson said the researchers found it interesting that the excess deaths occurred in a month when the number of confirmed coronavirus-related deaths in the hospital remained low.

We only had eight COVID-19 deaths in Central Massachusetts through the month of March but there were 23 excess deaths in that same area for the month of March, so it suggested that the excess deaths were sort of just before the wave of confirmed COVID-19 deaths and that made us think that maybe this was not all COVID-19," Johnson said.

That March timeframe was when hospitals started limiting visitors, moving toward telehealth methods and canceling elective surgeries. Those initiatives were put in place to increase hospital capacity for coronavirus patients but could have limited access to health care for some.

Those things together suggested to us that maybe the limits in access to health care and fear of going to hospital may have contributed to keeping people at home longer than they should have stayed at home, Johnson said, adding that he believes that some of the emergencies and deaths that would usually happen in hospitals were instead happening at home.

In addition to a fear of going to the hospital, at-home deaths could have been of people who did not realize they had coronavirus, Johnson said.

Its very likely that the same number of people who would have had a heart attack before the pandemic are still at risk for having those heart attacks today, and so, if theyre not coming into the hospital, where are they? The answer would be I guess theyre probably at home," Johnson said.

In Worcester, there has been a roughly 40% decline in emergency treatment for stroke at the hospital, about a 25% decline in appendectomies, a 25-40% percent decline in cardiac catheterizations and emergency cardiac procedures, Johnson said.

Hospitals across Massachusetts have reported seeing fewer patients through the pandemic. Medical professionals have urged residents to go to the hospital if they need immediate help.

With research efforts still ongoing, Johnson said he believes the information gathered thus far points to a need for more testing.

The answer to this is going to be testing, including patients who have died suddenly at home to see whether they are COVID positive or not. Right now the current practice is to, based on clinical grounds, make an assumption about whether this is COVID-19 related or not and I think our own experience is that were only modestly accurate with those assumptions," Johnson said.

Johnson noted that a number of patients inside hospitals who have a symptom or two consistent with coronavirus do not end up testing positive. And on the contrary, many people who do have the disease display no symptoms.

I think trying to use symptoms to determine whether a death at home is due to coronavirus or not is probably not the best way to go about it, Johnson said.

A data analysis by the New York Times suggested that Massachusetts had 1,200 more deaths than average between March 8 and April 11. Massachusetts recorded 686 deaths related to the coronavirus during that time.

As of Friday, 3,716 Massachusetts residents have died from illness related to coronavirus, according to state health officials.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has announced it is now reviewing the death certificates of people who were not tested for COVID-19 but who may have met the symptom criteria to determine whether they should be included in the states death toll due to the virus.

Related Content:
The Instagram group Bois Locker Room was outed on May 3 and has since, caused immense outrage on the internet. The private messaging group comprised a number of young boys from South Delhi who would share pictures of girls  many underage  on the group, and speak in a derogatory manner about the girls sharing explicit details and even private pictures of the girls. The worst came when a few of the boys issued rape threats to a couple of girls who exposed them and their chat group.

Legally, a suo moto cognizance has been taken by Delhi Commission for Women against these boys, however keeping legalities aside, experts believe that the problem is much deeper and needs more than just stricter laws or implementation of existing ones to do away with such cases. A lot of factors go into developing such behavioural traits in young men. The portrayal of women in media, the social environment that these boys grow up in, and of course, the fact that when you are a teenager, your body develops faster than your brain. Hence, teenagers dont think their actions through. So, these acts are a result of a mix of hormones, neurodevelopmental changes and your environment where you are living, says Advaita Nigudkar, consultant psychologist.

18-yr-old admin of lewd chat room held; 5 more members identifiedhttps://t.co/U9FTIABFvu pic.twitter.com/gKsGrt9ldy  Hindustan Times (@htTweets) May 6, 2020

Law and order

Sunaina Kanojia, Officer on special duty, Institute of Cyber Security and Law, Delhi University, says that one should be careful of the video calls one engages in since virtual contact has increased due to the lockdown. Many cases that have been reported to us at DU involve a cyber-breach of a students personal photo or information by known sources like partners, friends etc. Dont share personal or intimate photos or videos with anyone at all, even if you know them well. Live chats and videos can also be taped and one must always be mindful of this, she says.

Anyesh Roy, DCP CyPAD (Cyber Prevention, Awareness and Detection Centre), adds that it is pertinent for youngsters to seek help from parents if they get into something because of peer pressure and realise it is wrong. Lack of communication between children, and parents or teachers, can prevent children from opening up. Do not for a moment think you can get away after indulging in unlawful cyber activity as digital prints are always left behind on the devices used and many other platforms, warns Roy.

Shubham Singh, Cyber Expert, who helped unearth all the bois locker room group participants information and contact details, says, If anyone has been a victim of cyber crime, they should immediately share that with their parents or friends without hesitating. In case of cyber breaches, also contact your local police station or cyber cell. Update privacy settings on your social media accounts. Remember that you can also report anonymously about any kind of crime on the official government cyber crime website.

#boyslockerroom a telling tale of how toxic masculinity starts young! Underage boys gleefully planning how to rape & gangrape minor girls. Parents & teachers must address this with those Kids.. Not enough to hang rapists .. we must attack the mentality that creates rapists! https://t.co/Jw4cFQ9gXM  Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) May 5, 2020

Kavita Mungi, mental health counselor, believes that women need to be made aware of their rights, and everyone should be educated about cyber exploitation, sexting, defamation etc. We definitely need stricter laws as it will have a strong impact as a deterrent to such deviant behaviour. Women should be aware of the existence of cyber crime cells that they can report to, she says. Alternatively, Sadaf Vidha, therapist and researcher, says that the problem does not solely lie with the laws. We cannot just depend on punishment and the legal system as a resolution for sexual crimes. We have to start early with new parents and young boys to break down concepts of gender and sexuality. We need multiple-level interventions, gender sexuality education at each and every level  for adults, kids, and very young kids. The automatic process that we have been following of getting married and having children needs to stop. It has to be a mindful decision to become a parent and then one needs to explain the concepts of body sexuality and gender to kids. There are countries that have extensive programmes like that such as Malaysia and Finland. So, our government needs to look into that, says Vidha.

How can parents help?

Vidha says that even though, we may have convinced ourselves that we live in a modern society, this incident has shown that we have in fact, just become very good at covering up our sexism instead of getting rid of it altogether. We need to talk about everyday sexism and patriarchy with our kids which is not happening. We may be equipping our girls more to achieve more in their career, but we have still not broken down emotions, femininity and body to boys. We are also not talking to our kids about how our bodies can be misused by people. The problem is the monster myth which says that there is one bad man or few bad men out there and the rest of us are okay. According to the monster myth, we do not take accountability as a society that at some level we are all contributing to rape culture. Parents also believe that benign sexism and patriarchy that we follow at home is okay as long as somebody doesnt become a monster but this is how monsters are made, adds Vidha.

Dos and Donts

If a minor is making a profile on social media it is advised that the profile be monitored actively by the parent or guardian

Be mindful of the consequences of sharing any personal information or photograph on an online space as it can be downloaded and replicated in minutes

Be aware that people who are part of various groups that are indulging in unlawful activities, even if they are inactive member will be liable to legal action

School and parents must also talk to children about the risks of being cyber bullied or peer pressured in to unlawful cyber activities. They need to be sensitized by schools about what is legally right and wrong. For example, making fake profiles and posting obscene things is an unlawful act  they need to be told about the legal consequences of such acts.
UPDATE: Syracuse lawyer back in judicial primary after appeals court tosses self-contradictory fraud claim

Syracuse, N.Y.  A Syracuse lawyer, who has twice lost bids for City Court Judge as a Republican, got booted from the Democratic primary for the same job Tuesday after allegations of fraud in collecting petition signatures.

Jason Zeigler, of Eastwood, had hoped to appear on the primary ballot for the job in a city that leans heavily Democratic. All nine current City Court judges are Democrats.

But a woman who signed Zeiglers petition cast light on a discrepancy in the document: A black man, working alone, collected her signature, she testified. But Zeigler, who is white, notarized her signature.

That was enough evidence of fraud to invalidate Zeiglers entire petition, state Supreme Court Justice Joseph Lamendola ruled. Under law, one instance of fraud can lead to the entire petition being tossed, the judge noted. Further, the candidate doesnt even need to have bad motives for the fraud.

Zeigler, who did not mount a defense during court arguments via videoconferencing, has since appealed Lamendolas decision. He declined comment, saying that he didnt believe he could comment on pending litigation as a candidate for judicial office.

There are two spots open for Syracuse City Court Judge in November: incumbent Ted Limpert is seeking reelection, while three other candidates are vying to fill an open seat left by the retirement of Kate Rosenthal.

The others in the running are Jeff Leibo, Shadia Tadros and Felicia Pitts-Davis. Leibo secured the partys nomination (alongside Limpert), while Tadros and Pitts-Davis gathered enough signatures to force a primary.

The job pays roughly $190,000 a year.

Zeigler had collected enough signatures to be certified by the countys Board of Elections. But Lamendolas ruling removed the candidate from primary ballots, which are being mailed starting this week, county Democratic election commissioner Dustin Czarny said.

If an appellate court in Rochester reinstates Zeigler on the primary ballot, the board of elections will likely have to mail out new ones, Czarny said.

Zeiglers case is similar to one involving Syracuse Common Council candidate Jay Subedi a year ago. In that case, Subedi was kicked off the primary ballot after falsely witnessing 30 signatures actually signed by someone else in the same household.
Viewers have accused government minister Robert Jenrick of being smug and arrogant after a self-congratulatory appearance at today's Downing Street coronavirus briefing.

Mr Jenrick, 38, is the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and gave today's government update on the battle against the pandemic.

However, viewers took to social media to accuse him of bigging up the role of his own department during the outbreak, complimenting his own work and his department's 16 times in five minutes.

Near the start of the conference, the minister hailed his department and said it had played a 'vital role in bringing people together to tackle the virus'.

He said: 'At the start of March I established a taskforce to support local resilience forums, standing them up at a local level across the country to prepare each and every community for a range of different scenarios

Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick speaking during Wednesday's Downing Street press conference

'Recognising the unprecedented challenge we face, I took the decision to embed some of the finest military planners in the world from our armed forces.

'This combined expertise and leadership is ensuring a consistent co-ordinated response across the country.'

He added: 'The Prime Minister will set out on Sunday our approach to the second phase of this pandemic and as we look ahead to supporting businesses as they are able to reopen, my department will lead our work on how our local economies can adapt, evolve, recover and grow.

'I will continue to support mayors and local government leaders who will play a critical role in this work.'

Addressing VE day celebrations, he said: 'My department, like others, had been helping to plan some of the public celebrations but we know that sadly we will now need to mark this important occasion from home instead.'

Reacting to his comments, one Twitter user said: 'One word describes Robert Jenrick and his delivery of the coronavirus briefing today. Smug.'

While another added: 'Jenrick in smug and triumphant tones telling us how well he thinks he's done and how important he is. Appalling delivery and content.

'Hancock needs to have a word with him about tone.'

A third commented: 'Self-satisfied, or what? Get on with it, Mr Jenrick  this is NOT a time for self-congratulation. And please don't come back.'

Minister Robert Jenrick under fire again after previously breaching lockdown to visit his parents Robert Jenrick has been criticised for a self-congratulatory performance at Wednesday's Downing Street coronavirus briefing. However, it is not the first time he has come under fire during the lockdown. In early April, he drove around 40 miles from his own home to visit his parents in Shropshire and drop off supplies. This came despite him urging the nations to stay at home for 'all bar the most essential activities'. He later insisted that he was dropping off essentials, including medicines, though neighbours said they were already doing this. Mr Jenrick later faced questions over his decision to see out the lockdown at a house in Herefordshire, despite being the MP for Newark in Nottinghamshire. After it emerged he traveled 150 miles from London to the country pad near Leominster - despite having a 2.5million flat in the capital - he said it was his family's main home. But his wesbite says that he, his wife Michal and their three daughters 'live in Southwell near Newark, and in London'. Advertisement

Mr Jenrick told the evening Number 10 press conference that the number of coronavirus deaths had increased by 649 on yesterday with the total now at 30,076.

This is not the first time Mr Jenrick has come under fire during the coronavirus outbreak.

In April he was criticised after he drove to visit his parents in Shropshire with supplies, despite urging others to stay at home for 'all bar the most essential activities'.

The minister tweeted: 'For clarity - my parents asked me to deliver some essentials - including medicines. They are both self-isolating due to age and my father's medical condition and I respected social distancing rules'.

But the couple's neighbours told the Guardian that they had already been dropping off supplies at Mr Jenrick's parents' house during the lockdown. This was not denied, though a source close to Mr Jenrick said he had been asked to collect and deliver medication to them too.

Commenting on the minister's visit to his parents, the Prime Minister's official spokesman on Friday said: 'The Secretary of State has set out in two different statements the reasons for the journeys which he made. We're confident that he complied with the social distancing rules.'

He later faced questions over his decision to see out the lockdown at a house in Herefordshire, despite being the MP for Newark in Nottinghamshire.

After it emerged he traveled 150 miles from London to the country pad near Leominster - despite having a 2.5million flat in the capital - he said it was his family's main home.

But his wesbite says that he, his wife Michal and their three daughters 'live in Southwell near Newark, and in London'.

Parliamentary expenses records show that he has claimed 100,000 in rent, council tax and travel expenses since elected in a 2014 by-election.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick allegedly defied a ban on travelling to second homes by going 150 miles from London to his mansion in Herefordshire

One of Mr Jenrick's neighbours in Herefordshire said the idea that the country manor was his main home was 'codswallop'.

The minister, a successful commercial lawyer with a string of multi-million pounbd properties, is also under fire for claiming he understands what it is like to be 'cooped up'.

Mr Jenrick stayed in his 2.5million London home for the first six days of the lockdown until March 29 when he travelled 150 miles to his country house in Herefordshire to be with his family.

He later claimed that he considers the Herefordshire property to be the family home - but his official Conservative website says different. It fails to mention his 17th-century Grade I listed country house.

He and his wife are understood to spend most of the week in the capital because of Mr Jenrick's ministerial work and his wife's job as a partner for a major US law firm in the City.
A pharmaceutical manufacturer will start making the experimental coronavirus drug hydroxychloroquine in the UK amid fears supplies will run out during the pandemic.

Accord Healthcare announced today it was importing 50 tonnes of raw chemical materials to its factory in Durham.

The London-based firm said the first order of ingredients will be able to produce 60million tablets, which it claims is enough for 2million patients.

But bosses plan to ramp up production to an average of 50million pills per month by October 2020.

The move comes as India, the world's biggest manufacturer of hydroxychloroquine, struggles to cope with the surge in demand for the drug heralded as a potential virus cure.

Doctors are still trialling which dose of the medication is best for COVID-19 sufferers  or if it is even beneficial at all.

The drug, touted as a 'game-changer' by US President Donald Trump, is being studied in three major UK trials on patients with mild, severe and life-threatening illness.

Laboratory studies indicated the antiviral could clear coronavirus and prevent it from multiplying in human cells.

But preliminary results from clinical trials in the US found the drug has thus far failed to improve survival odds.

A Harvard review of studies of hydroxychloroquine that generated excitement over the drug's potential for treating coronavirus found issues with each of the 10 trials - and its authors warn malaria treatment could suppress the immune system's ability to fight infection (file)

The decision to produce the drug in the UK comes as factories in India and China  which supply more than 70 per cent of the world's generic medications  struggle to cope with demand.

Supply chains have also been destabilised after economies around the world shut down to deal with the pandemic.

British pharmacists and hospitals have complained of being short of other drugs, including sedatives used for patients on ventilators.

WHAT IS HYDROXY-CHLOROQUINE? AND CAN IT TREAT CORONAVIRUS? What are the brand versions of the drug? Plaquenil. What does it treat? Malaria, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. It is a less powerful and, by some experts' accounts, less toxic, version of chloroquine phosphate. How does it work? It interferes with viral molecules replicating in red blood cells. Early studies in laboratories suggested it could do this to coronavirus. Is it being tested in the UK? Hydroxychloroquine is being tested on thousands of NHS patients in three of the UK's major coronavirus drug trials -the RECOVERY, Principle and REM-CAP trial. Patients with mild to critical illness will be given the medication. The studies will run until March next year, so it will be a while before results are clear. What do expects think? The drug was touted by President Donald Trump as a 'game changer' early in the crisis. Anecdotal reports coming out of several countries said it improved COVID-19 patients, particularly those with severe illness. But on May 1, Harvard scientists published a review of scientific literature, clinical trials and anecdotal reports from doctors about the medicine. The Harvard review found that many of the clinical trials were poorly conducted and anecdotal reports carried little weight. The team reviewed 10 studies of hydroxychloroquine and its relative chloroquine in humans that have been done so far. Each of these has been referenced by other literature at least 34 times, although most have been small (the largest trial listed involved 181 patients). Of these, four reported positive outcomes. But the Harvard scientists found issues with each. Advertisement

James Burt, executive vice president of Accord Healthcare, said that if trials around the use of hydroxychloroquine prove successful, 'there is likely to be a significant worldwide shortfall in the API'.

Warwick Smith, director general of the British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA), told The Pharmaceutical Journal that the Association 'welcome the increased capacity and certainty this specific deal will deliver'.

'Currently, around a quarter of all generic prescription medicines dispensed in the UK are manufactured here.

'While most manufacturers will have significant supplies of API in stock  often six months or more  much of this is sourced from Europe, or further afield in China or India.

'The current crisis has underlined the benefits, from a medicines resilience perspective, of more robust supply chains and more ingredients readily available.'

Hydroxychloroquine was earmarked as one of the most promising existing therapies that could be re-purposed to treat coronavirus.

Studies in labs suggested it could clear the virus and prevent it from multiplying and spread.

It is being trialled on thousands of NHS patients as part of three major UK studies - the RECOVERY, Principle and REM-CAP trial.

Preliminary results are expected in the next two months - but data from studies in the US have cast doubt over its potential for treating the disease.

On May 1, Harvard scientists published a review of 10 clinical trials and anecdotal reports from doctors.

The Harvard review found that many of the clinical trials were poorly conducted and anecdotal reports carried little weight.

The team reviewed 10 studies of hydroxychloroquine and its relative chloroquine in humans that have been done so far.

Each of these has been referenced by other literature at least 34 times, although most have been small (the largest trial listed involved 181 patients).

Of these, four reported positive outcomes. But the Harvard scientists found issues with each.

The first study involved more than 100 patients and deemed treatment with chloroquine 'superior' to the alternative (presumably, supportive care).

However, the study did not include information on the patients, such as their age, or details about their conditions.

One of these studies that first drew international attention and excitement was done in France, and found that people who were treated with hydroxychloroquine were able to clear the virus more quickly than those who didn't get the drug.

But the study's publisher, the International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, later claimed it was not conducted well enough to meet the journal's standards.

The story was much the same for the other positive studies: One had as its metrics improving cough and fever - which don't necessarily mean that the infection has been cleared - the other did not meet its 'primary outcome,' and patients taking the drug showed signs of liver problems.

Other studies included had negative or neutral results, ranging from one simply showing that patients treated with the drug fared no better than those who didn't get hydroxychloroquine to another that was halted after patients developed dangerous side effects.

The study's lead author, Dr Mark Poznansky, a Harvard professor and Massachusetts General Hospital physician who treats coronavirus told DailyMail.com bluntly: 'There is no clear evidence that hydroxychloroquine helps in moderate to severe [coronavirus] disease.'

He explained that the 10 studies in his review were not conducted by the gold standard, making their results unreliable at best.

'The way forward is paved by carefully constructed trials with a clear rationale for doing them, as opposed to a widespread at-the-door use of hydroxychloroquine,' Dr Poznansky said, referring to the sense of urgency for all patients to be treated with the drug in case it might work following some of the more publicised trials.

'There just haven't been any trials for hydoxychloroquine that follow this model, involving a control group and careful data collection from a sizeable patient group. At least, not yet.'
PITTSBURGH, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- FHLBank Pittsburgh and the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) announced today they will begin quickly disbursing 2020 Home4Good funding in order to provide the fastest support possible for individuals facing homelessness who are struggling during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As they have for the past two years, FHLBank Pittsburgh is providing $3 million toward the effort and PHFA is providing $1.5 million, for a total contribution of $4.5 million.

"FHLBank Pittsburgh is pleased to partner with PHFA to offer this immediate support to communities across Pennsylvania," said John Bendel, FHLBank's Senior Director of Community Investment. "Home4Good was created to be flexible and respond to the unique needs of each community. Now, more than ever, these dollars are needed to help those on the front lines providing services for the most vulnerable in our communities."

Home4Good was created in 2018 by FHLBank Pittsburgh and is being administered by PHFA. The funding announced today will be distributed as grants to organizations that help individuals retain or find housing, provide supportive services to those facing homelessness or address other unmet needs within the existing homeless provider network.

Distribution of the funding is being overseen by local Continuum of Care (CoC) organizations. In prior years, PHFA worked with CoCs through an application-based process. To release the funding quickly this year, in light of the health risks presented by COVID-19, the funding will be distributed immediately as a block grant to each CoC, based on the identification of the area's most critical needs.

As homeless prevention projects/programs are implemented, the organizations will report on progress and a database of all activities will be maintained. The primary goal of this accelerated round is to quickly provide much-needed funds to support organizations assisting those who are most vulnerable, allowing flexibility and for critical needs to be determined at the local level.

"The current health crisis demands that we rely on Continuum of Care organizations to use their expertise and experience in making the most expedient funding decisions," said PHFA Executive Director and CEO Robin Wiessmann. "Those facing homelessness are especially vulnerable now because, without housing, social distancing is harder for them to achieve. By acting quickly, our goal is to save more lives."

Information about Home4Good is available at www.fhlb-pgh.com, and at www.phfa.org at the bottom of the homepage, under "Resources." Organizations interested in future participation in the program can contact Kate Swanson at [email protected] or Bryce Maretzki at [email protected] for details.

About FHLBank Pittsburgh

As an intermediary between global capital markets and local lenders, FHLBank Pittsburgh provides readily available liquidity, as well as affordable housing and community development opportunities, to member financial institutions of all sizes in Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The Bank is part of the Federal Home Loan Bank System, which was established by Congress in 1932 and serves as a reliable source of funds for housing, jobs and growth in all economic cycles. To learn more, visit www.fhlb-pgh.com.

About PHFA

The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency works to provide affordable homeownership and rental housing options for older adults, low- and moderate-income families, and people with special housing needs. Through its carefully managed mortgage programs and investments in multifamily housing developments, PHFA also promotes economic development across the state. Since its creation by the legislature in 1972, it has generated nearly $14.6 billion of funding for more than 178,325 single-family home mortgage loans, helped fund the construction of 136,215 rental units, distributed more than $109.2 million to support local housing initiatives, and saved the homes of more than 50,300 families from foreclosure. PHFA programs and operations are funded primarily by the sale of securities and from fees paid by program users, not by public tax dollars. The agency is governed by a 14-member board.

Media Contacts:

Eric M. Slomer, FHLBank Pittsburgh

412-288-7694

[email protected]



Scott Elliott, PHFA

717-649-6522 (cell)

[email protected]

SOURCE Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency

Related Links

http://www.PHFA.org


BELLE PLAINE, Kan. | The attorneys general for 11 Midwestern states, including South Dakota, urged the Justice Department on Tuesday to pursue a federal investigation into market concentration and potential price fixing by meatpackers in the cattle industry during the coronavirus pandemic.

In a letter to U.S. Attorney General William Barr, the state attorneys general noted that the domestic beef processing market is highly concentrated, with the four largest beef processors controlling 80 percent of the industry.

Given the concentrated market structure of the beef industry, it may be particularly susceptible to market manipulation, particularly during times of food insecurity, such as the current COVID-19 crisis, they wrote.

Although their letter does not name them, the nation's largest processors are Tyson Foods, JBS, Cargill, and National Beef. The companies did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment.

Mark Watne, the president of the North Dakota Farmers Union, said in a statement that in all the years they have called for stronger antitrust enforcement, they have rarely seen such obvious market abuses by the meatpacking industry.

Theyre posting record profits, while ranchers are suffering significant market price losses, Watne said. The situation definitely smells rotten, and it not only hurts ranchers, but consumers, too.

The state officials criticized the disparity in the price of live cattle and the retail cost of boxed beef that is sold to consumers, arguing that it shows the market lacks fair competition. Live cattle futures recently hit 18-year lows, while both the price of boxed beef and consumer demand remain healthy as consumers stockpile meat in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The letter was signed by attorneys general in North Dakota, Missouri, Colorado, South Dakota, Montana, Arizona, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and Wyoming.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

The state attorneys general said they are eager to work with Barr on an examination of the competitive dynamics of the industry.

Antitrust concerns about the cattle market are nothing new. Competition issues arising from agricultural markets existed long before the COVID-19 pandemic and will persist long after we defeat our current crisis, they wrote.

Although most enforcement actions are civil, federal antitrust law is also criminal law and individuals and businesses that violate it may be prosecuted by the Justice Department, according the Federal Trade Commission.

Criminal penalties can reach up to $100 million for a corporation, along with up to 10 years in prison. The maximum fine may be increased to twice the amount the conspirators gained from the illegal acts or twice the money lost by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is over $100 million.

The state attorneys general wrote that if, after an investigation, there is no appropriate enforcement action that can be pursued, regulatory strategies should be explored to promote competition and protect consumers.

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COVID-19 has exposed many weaknesses in the Canadian economy  particularly with mounting debt loads across the country. With the latest net debt percentage of 53.4 per cent, the federal government still holds the bulk of the debt load compared to the provinces.

However, a report by the Fraser Institute tracking debt data since the last recession in 2008 shows that provincial debt is beginning to catch up. Considering the impacts of COVID-19, revenues are expected to dry up and debt burdens may grow.

Not all jurisdictions are made the same: each has a distinct economy with factors determining its debt and GDP levels. Douglas Offerman, senior director at Fitch Ratings, explained: The question really across all provinces is the experience they have in managing cycles Provinces have the ability to run deficits fundamentally, they have the ability to cover debt and to maintain services so that they can actually work against the impact of a recession.

Federal debt has always held the bulk of the total net debt, though in recent years, provincial debt has started to catch up. Federal debt still takes up 53.4 per cent of the total debt load while provincial debt takes up 46.6 per cent.

Offerman walked Yahoo Finance Canada through each of the regions across the country.

Ontario

2019/2020 Net Debt: $353.7 billion

Out of all of the provinces, Ontario has the largest economy in the country - but it also has the largest debt-to-GDP ratio at 75.4 per cent, according to the Fraser Institute. Offerman explained that debt loads are related to the size of a provinces economy, but in Ontarios case, it was still finding its footing since the last recession.

They were a few years away from getting back to balance, he said. They were making slow, gradual progress, but the goal was to ensure that economic growth and revenue growth were supporting progress towards budget balance.

The effort to recover from the recession brought their $160.0 billion net debt in 2007/08 to $353.7 billion in 2019/20 - a 121.0 per cent jump. Even with the debt, the last Fitch report, which put Ontario at a AA- rating, explained that the province would be able to manage its own internal liquid resources or mobilize external resources as needed.

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Offerman and the Fitch report described the province as the anchor of the Canadian economy. It has substantial population growth in Toronto and an economy defined by diverse revenue streams. That said, analysts at Fitch warned that the provinces rating could be at risk if it takes on more expenditures or sees underperforming revenues. The $17 billion in financial supports it provided as COVID-19-related aid may see more expenditures, pulling the province further into the red.

British Columbia

2019/2020 Net Debt: $44.5 Billion

If Ontarios economy was the countrys anchor, then the British Columbian economy looks more like its mirror, according to Offerman.

The Vancouver metro region is so dynamic, he said. They were also in fairly good shape going into this.

Theyve obviously run a deficit, its not unexpected. But theyve been generating balanced budgets for years.

These balanced budgets were largely fuelled by B.C.s diverse revenues and strong goods and services sector (particularly bolstered by a robust real estate market in Vancouver).

B.C.s initially projected surplus of $227 million through 2020/21 by RBC Economics will likely be erased by the 6 per cent revenue drop. B.C.s $23.9 billion in net debt over 2007/08 steadily grew by 86.3 per cent to the 2019/20 debt load of $44.5 billion.

One significant risk to B.C.s revenues is the COVID-19 impact on the tourism industry, which contributed more to the provincial GDP than any other primary resource industry in 2017, with $9 billion. This includes mining ($4.9 billion), oil and gas ($3.7 billion), forestry and logging ($1.8 billion) and agriculture and fishing ($1.5 billion).

Quebec

2019/20 Net Debt: $172.5 Billion

During the COVID-19 crisis, Quebec has become Canadas hotzone with just over 33,400 in confirmed cases as of Tuesday. This could deepen economic impacts, though Premier Francois Legault announced plans for the province to come out from under lockdown. Montreals economy, according to Offerman, has been a story of growth for a long time with plans to maintain this narrative: Theres an effort in Montreal to improve transit which is of course going to build the stage for future economic growth because people will be able to move around more easily.

Quebecs $124.7 billion net debt in 2007/08 turned into a $172.5 billion figure in 2019/20, marking a 38.4 per cent jump. Comparing the size of the debt to the size of its economy, Quebec was one of the only provinces to reduce its net debt as a percentage of the GDP since the last recession from 40.6 per cent to 38.7 per cent.

Not only were they successful in reducing debt, they ran surpluses and had built-up fiscal momentum leading into the crisis. [Quebec] were running large surpluses, they were setting aside resources in this generations fund, and they were pulling down their debt burden, really quite fast in a relatively short span of time, Offerman explained, So arguably, they were a little better-placed to confront a crisis.

Prairie Provinces

Alberta

2019/2020 Net Debt: $36.6 Billion

Saskatchewan

2019/20 Net Debt: $12.0 Billion

Manitoba

2019/20 Net Debt: $25.8 Billion

The prairie provinces may be the hardest hit, struggling with an economy that is at a standstill because of COVID-19 and the fallout from the severe oil price collapse last month.

The resource economy - particularly oil and energy - has not yet recovered from the downturn that started a couple of years ago, Offerman said.

He added that Saskatchewan may have an easier time in finding its footing since raising the sales tax helped bring the province back to budget. Alberta, on the other hand, hasnt quite recovered from the last oil downturn in 2014.

Thus far, we havent seen the federal government looking at targeted support for individual provinces or key sectors, Offerman said. This is still an unfolding crisis, so well see it unfold over time.

Alberta suffered the deepest debt plunge, moving from being the only province in a net financial asset position in 2007/08 with -$35.0 billion to $36.6 billion in net debt by 2019/20, a 204.5 per cent change. The Fraser Institute indicated that Alberta consistently overspent in provincial programs.

Saskatchewan also piled on debt to the balance sheet, going from $5.9 billion in net debt to $12.0 billion since the last recession to 2019/20. Fitch described the provinces industrial revenues as being diverse and robust.

Manitoba was also unable to balance its books prior to the coronavirus outbreak, leaving it vulnerable to taking on more debt. The growth in net debt jumped by 144.3 per cent from $10.6 billion in 2007/08 to $25.8 billion in 2019/20.

Atlantic Provinces

New Brunswick

2019/20 Net Debt: $13.8 billion

Nova Scotia

2019/20 Net Debt: $15.3 billion

Prince Edward Island

2019/20 Net Debt: $2.2 Billion

Newfoundland & Labrador

2019/20 Net Debt: $14.0 Billion

The Atlantic provinces have had their revenues challenged by COVID-19, particularly as far as the tourism and export sectors go. In Nova Scotia, lobster exports to China have halted as the overseas market grappled with the coronavirus. In Prince Edward Island, tourism accounted for three per cent of the GDP in 2014. Nova Scotias debt grew to $15.3 billion in 2019/20 since the last recessions debt load of $12.1 billion - a growth of 26.1 per cent.

Prince Edward Islands net debt load went from $1.3 billion in 2007/08 to $2.2 billion in 2019/20, a 66.6 per cent change.

Newfoundland and Labrador saw its debt grow 36.9 per cent from $10.2 billion to $14.0 billion from 2007/08 to 2019/20. It also held the highest debt-to-GDP ratio across all the provinces at 40.6 per cent, according to Fraser Institute.

New Brunswick saw the largest net debt increase in the region, with a 95.6 per cent change from $7.1 billion in 2007/08 to $13.8 billion 2019/20.

The Fraser Institute initially held New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador as the only provinces along with Quebec to have a projected fall in net debt over the course of 2020. This was expected in the Atlantic region because of the expected revenues from the Atlantic Accord. The economic onslaught of COVID-19 will likely challenge this projection.
Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, Nigerias Chief of Army Staff, on Tuesday, lost his mother, Kakah Hajja, in Borno State.

The late Hajja reportedly died after a brief illness at her home in Maiduguri, Borno State, and will be buried today.

Buratai recently relocated fully to the North East to oversee the overall final battle against Boko Haram terrorists.

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READ ALSO  I Will Remain In North East Until Boko Haram Is Defeated  Buratai

He also vowed not to leave the theatre of Operation until he gives the insurgents a final blow.

Buratai lost his father, Alhaji Yusuf Buratai, on 9 February 2018.

The senior Buratai was an ex-serviceman.

He took part in the World War II, by joining the West African Army in 1942
Last week, Kansas City mayor Quinton Lucas announced plans for the citys reopening. Churches are among the institutions that will be allowed to open this month: with one caveat. Any business or establishment that allows people to stay for more than 10 minutes must allow attendees or customers to sign a sheet with all their contact information, to allow for contact tracers to contact them if there was later a COVID-19 outbreak at the establishment.

The conservative Christian law firm Liberty Counsel compared Kansas Citys actions those of Nazi Germany.

The Germans did this very thing to Jews  collecting the names and locations of all known synagogue attendees - in the early days of the Nazi regime, Founder and Chairman Mat Staver wrote in a fundraising appeal. Never in our wildest dreams could we have imagined Nazi-like measures designed to surveil, track and spy upon what was once a FREE American people. Yet that is exactly what Kansas Citys misguided government officials are now demanding.

Kansas City mishandled this situation, says Russell Moore, the president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, the Southern Baptist Conventions policy arm.

I have almost no doubt that this was taking place due to very well-intentioned people, but there's a reason why that raises a sense of alarm in all kinds of peopleand not just the conspiracy theory, propagating people who are complaining about having to wear masks in the grocery store, he said. ...I think governments, even when they're well-intentioned, have to think through what are the implications going to be, how can somebody use this policy I'm putting into place in another ...

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Two law firms said on Tuesday they were gathering companies in Britain for a potential group lawsuit against German insurer Allianz for rejecting business interruption claims during the coronavirus pandemic.

Edwin Coe and Harris Balcombe said they wanted to challenge the British subsidiary of Allianz on behalf of businesses, such as restaurants and leisure groups, whose policies had been arranged by brokers JELF and Marsh.

Officials at Allianz were not immediately available for comment.

A government-ordered national lockdown to slow the spread of coronavirus has forced many companies in Britain to temporarily suspend operations and furlough staff in an effort to survive as the economy faces a deep recession.

But many who had hoped that business interruption insurance policies would help cushion their losses have been disappointed.

Top insurers such as AXA, Hiscox, RSA, QBE and Zurich already face potential multi-million-pound lawsuits from British pubs, hotels, restaurants and leisure groups that allege legitimate business interruption claims have been rejected.

Insurers have said that very few such businesses insurance policies extend to the pandemic, but that they were paying valid claims.

Britains Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulator said last week it would urgently ask the courts to clarify uncertainty over whether businesses can claim compensation for disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

(Reporting by Carolyn Cohn and Kirstin Ridley; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

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Topics Lawsuits Numbers Allianz
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 18:09:47|Editor: huaxia

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by Marwa Yahya, Emad al-Azrak

CAIRO, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Battered tourism industry in Egypt faces uncertainty in the wake of the COVID-19, which leads the authorities to seek reopening plans.

The Egyptian Cabinet on Thursday said it reviews the possibility to allow domestic tourism, amid the COVID-19 crisis, based on precautionary measures and studies.

Egyptian hotels will be able to reopen to local tourists and offer restaurant and day-use services once more, provided that they operate at a 25 percent capacity until the end of May, Antiquities and Tourism Minister Khaled al-Anany said on Sunday.

"The move aims to boost domestic tourism amid worldwide lockdowns that have drastically affected the industry of hospitality, one of Egypt's main sources of hard currency," said Hossam al-Shaer, chairman of Red Sea's Tourism Companies Chamber.

"The tourism sector in Egypt bets heavily on the domestic tourism that could contribute somehow to reviving the tourism movement and protect it from collapse until world flows get restored," al-Shaer, also owner of Sunrise hotels told Xinhua.

Hotels are expected to accommodate guests at a 50 percent capacity starting from June, he added.

Hotel services, including restaurants, night clubs, and pools, have been closed to the public since March to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

Egypt's airspace has also been closed to international commercial flights since March 19.

Tharwat Agamy, chairman of Luxor's Tourism Companies Chamber hailed the government's decision to reopen hotels deeming "it will rescue the tourism sector, that has generated record-high revenues of 13 billion U.S. dollars in 2019, from deterioration."

He added the decision was based on expectations for not resuming international flights or world tourism shortly because no medicine has been approved for treating the coronavirus yet.

"It takes time to shake the fear from the hearts of travel lovers," said Agamy who expected foreign tourists to start trickling back into Egypt until September.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Anwar, a 49-year-old owner of Karnak bazaar in Luxor called on the tourism ministry to offer encouraging low-price programs for Egyptians who have been suffering the repercussions of the virus on their income.

He added "the government move will prevent the layoff of the workers in the tourism sector and will promote the knowledge about our rich historical heritage as well as training the employees in the field on dealing with tourists at distance."
Ohanaeze Ndigbo has denied claims that Nigerias former head of state, General Yakubu Gowon (retd), was appointed to negotiate Igbo presidency on its behalf.

In a statement on Wednesday, the spokesman of the group, Chuks Ibegbu expressed shock over comments that Gowon was appointed by Ohanaeze to lead the negotiation for Nigeria presidency of Igbo extraction in 2023.

Ohanaeze went on to warn people who make statements using the name of the organization to stop doing such or they will be prosecuted for impersonation.

The group noted that it had not made any move yet to see eminent personalities mentioned by the media, adding that if such is to be done, appropriate organs of Ohanaeze will notify Nigerians.

Besides, the youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is led by Arthur Obiora from Anambra State and not anyone else, it said.

KanyiDaily recalls that the Leader of Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo had called for Igbo presidency in 2023, saying Nigeria can never be united if this is not achieved.
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Editors note: TFW No GF is one of more than 100 movies originally scheduled to screen at the SXSW Film Festival in March. After the coronavirus outbreak forced the festival to cancel, event organizers partnered with Amazon Prime to make seven of those features available to stream for free through Wed., May 6.

The coronavirus lockdown has accomplished something surreal: It has put almost the entire country in the same position as a small segment of people known as NEETs, an acronym that signifies those Not in Education, Employment or Training. But who are these folks who dont work, dont study, dont contribute to society even under normal circumstances?

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Director Alex Lee Moyer asks the same question, but without the sensationalistic dimension the news media typically uses when covering the phenomenon, wherein young white men  a group for whom opportunity has traditionally been most accessible  have been checking out and moving back into the spare bedrooms or basements of their parents homes. A dizzying deep dive into that strand of the subculture whove managed to find one another on Twitter and anonymous message boards like 4chan, Moyers TFW No GF challenges what we think we know about the people behind the bigotry and misogyny being served up online, calling for empathy and understanding of trolls whose shtick amounts to denying that courtesy to others, often under the guise of irony.

Its a disarming movie, consistently difficult to watch, both in style and content, stuffed full of words and acronyms you might not know  words like incel, a neologism short for involuntary celibates that describes dudes who want sex but cant seem to get it for reasons beyond their control, causing them to lash out at others instead. The films tongue-twisting title connects this newly identified (but by no means new) sense of pent-up sexual frustration to an obscure meme, one sure to mean something to the demographic in question, but not much to the rest of us.

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For example, the title, TFW No GF, is chatroom-speak for That feeling when [youve got] no girlfriend, a hashtag some sad-posters cite in their mock-suicidal rants. Others use it as a caption, paired with a character called Wojak (a rudimentary face manipulated into countless emotional configurations for online cartoons) who has become a kind of avatar for the incel community  a counterpoint to the relatively cheery, blithely oblivious Pepe the Frog featured in recent Sundance doc Feels Good Man. Even to media-savvy millennials, these cartoons can be hard to interpret; to previous generations, theyll stump worse than The New York Times Saturday crossword puzzle.

At times, the film feels like a sloppy PowerPoint presentation, intercutting juddery-looking drone shots and Dramamine-demanding verite footage with a barrage of screenshots and humor videos so quickly, it would make Max Headrooms head spin. Remember the days when critics complained about MTVs editing? Thats nothing compared with the way that Moyer  an editor of others indie docs over the few years she was assembling this debut  adopts the brain-straining lo-fi style of her subjects. With TFW No GF, she has built an elaborate, mile-a-minute super-pastiche that assumes a high level of media literacy from its audience, incorporating the work of such web celebs as Prince of Zimbabwe (creator of familiar Wojak animations), musician Negative XP (formerly known as School Shooter) and Egg White (whose angry parodies, such as Alek Minassian, can be harder to swallow than the nihilistic blackpill hes always ranting about).

Those artists  for that is what they are, even if their work is off-putting and/or loathsome  flesh out the environment as Moyer focuses on five outspoken members of the incel community, whom she approached under the pretext of tracing the TFW No GF meme to its source. What shes really doing is profiling them, however, tapping into their need for attention while withholding the judgment to which theyre so often exposed.

The first of the guys is a shy 20-year-old named Sean, aka naughtsosweet, aka kierkebard, who lives with his mom in Colorado. In Moyers early interviews, Sean comes off like one of those manifesto-writing Columbine kids, but she follows him long enough to see him hit the gym and get the girls. Small-town Washington-based brothers Charels and Viddy spend several hours a day posting incendiary comments and messages, trying to provoke a reaction (a Tweet depicting Charels brandishing two guns with the caption one ticket for joker please prompted law enforcement to seize his weapons). In El Paso, Kyle is so insulated from the liberals he trolls that he (claims that he) doesnt believe such a thing as social justice warriors actually exist. And a super-brain New Yorker who hides behind the handle Kantbot shows an inexhaustible appetite for reading, but an almost absurdist way of parsing that knowledge online.

Quoted in such a way that its often hard to distinguish whos talking, Moyers five interviewees represent a wide range of aptitude and education, but have in common a sense of wasted potential. Just think of all that might be achieved  the problems that could be solved and the vaccines invented  if they directed their energy toward the common good, rather than wallowing in their own misery. And yet, thats not how society works. Ours is built on free expression, and their controversial output serves as a reflection of something very real and still largely undiagnosed in American society. Moyer addresses it as loneliness, but its more complicated than that, and one of the films strengths is the way it leaves that mystery for audiences to consider.

TFW No GF was originally selected to premiere in SXSWs semi-experimental Visions category, where it surely would have inspired heated yet helpful post-screening Q&As. Instead, after COVID-19 forced the festival to cancel, it became one of seven films hosted by Amazon Prime in a 10-day virtual version of SXSW, launching virtually devoid of context into the very medium it was designed to investigate. While troubling for some (one columnist tweeted his revulsion while watching and was dogpiled by haters and homophobes on Twitter), piping the film directly into cyberspace seems fitting.

These provocateurs, who see themselves as pioneers of an fast-evolving form of satire, are often lumped in with the alt-right, when in fact their work is frequently designed to ape their opponents and obscure their true feelings  which is why they are so often misinterpreted, since outsiders are constantly taking them at their word. While I would argue that demonstrates the fundamental flaw of this emerging form of expression (what David Foster Wallace identified as the problem of irony), Moyers meets her subjects on their own turf, constructing such a complex portrait, it can be tricky to distinguish where she stands, thereby giving audiences room to make up their own minds.

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Martin Kaplan, center, sits with his grandsons in a photo provided by his daughter, Caroline Morris. Kaplan left the assisted living facility where he lived while residents' movements were restricted to mitigate the spread of the virus. Read more

Martin Kaplan doesnt remember walking out of the elder-care home where he lived, one of hundreds in Pennsylvania locked down to try to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

He doesnt remember leaving, shoeless and in shorts in 40-degree weather, or walking past thick brush and rows of condos, past stop signs and across Paolis busy Central Avenue, where there are bumps to slow the cars that fly over the hill at speeds well exceeding the 25 mph limit.

And Kaplan, who is 74, and whose family said shows early signs of dementia and Parkinsons disease, doesnt remember wandering down the road that April night toward Route 252, the busy highway that connects Paoli to the Route 202 expressway. But thats where he was picked up by police and taken to a hospital for evaluation and treatment of cuts on his hands.

Now, Kaplan and his family are wondering: If the facility, Highgate at Paoli Pointe, was locked down, how was he able to just leave?

Im like, How could he get out? said his daughter, Caroline Morris of Downingtown. Were on COVID lockdown. Doesnt an alarm go off?

Its not uncommon for the elderly to walk out of or attempt to leave nursing homes or assisted-living facilities, whether because theyre confused, frustrated, or feeling isolated. But such places  including Highgate, a facility with 80 apartments, where the coronavirus has killed six people and infected at least 11 other residents and staff  arent typically in a state of lockdown.

Lori Mayer, a spokesperson for Genesis HealthCare  a for-profit company based in Kennett Square that operates 400 long-term-care facilities nationwide, including Highgate  said she couldnt speak about individual residents, citing federal privacy laws.

Highgate is an assisted-living facility, not a nursing home, Mayer said, meaning its more of a personal-care setting than a clinical one. Morris said her father was designated to receive the lowest level of assistance. His drug regimen was managed and he was looked after by staff, she said, but he wasnt in a ward specifically for memory care.

Residents, under normal circumstances, can walk freely around the facility and sit outside for fresh air, but Mayer said that amid the pandemic, residents are to remain in their rooms and to refrain from activities that take them into the community to public places. She said the facility had restricted visitation and requested that families not take residents out. Pre-pandemic, when Morris wanted to take her father off the grounds, she would sign him out.

Genesis chief medical officer wrote in a Fox News op-ed that the group has been stringent and aggressive with infection prevention measures, including no-visitation rules and residents remaining in their rooms.

 READ MORE: At a Cape May nursing home with 9 coronavirus deaths, workers say warning signs were ignored

Kaplan, a Philadelphia native who spent his career working in food distribution, said he doesnt remember leaving the facility on April 21, but recalls walking around and seeing houses he didnt recognize. There is a housing development across Central Avenue from Paoli Pointe, which includes both the Highgate assisted-living facility and adult condominiums.

He walked toward the busy intersection with Bear Hill Road (Route 252), still less than a mile from the facility where he lived, and tried to flag down a ride, he recalled. Someone called 911 and reported seeing a man who looked confused walking along the shoulder of the road. Tredyffrin police arrived.

Sgt. James Slavin said officers found a visibly shaken Kaplan about 10:15 p.m. in shorts and with no shoes. After transporting him to Paoli Hospital, officers contacted Highgate, and leaders at the facility told police that Kaplan must have slipped out prior to 7 p.m., when the doors are typically locked, Slavin said.

He added that there are other local elder-care facilities where residents wear bracelets that trigger an alarm when they walk out the door. My understanding is thats not the case at this facility, he said.

The incident is a window into the difficulty managing a lockdown and keeping residents inside their rooms or apartments to contain the spread of COVID-19, which has ravaged nursing homes and assisted living facilities across the country. More than half of the people who have died of the virus in Pennsylvania were associated with a long-term care facility.

The elderly and people with underlying conditions are especially susceptible, making nursing homes and congregate care facilities for the elderly a breeding ground for the disease. Genesis officials have been vocal about their struggles to contain the spread of the virus, and the need for faster testing and more personal protective equipment.

Ive never been more stressed out in my whole life than being stuck with them with this stuff, Kaplan said.

 READ MORE: Pa. nursing homes left to largely police themselves as coronavirus deaths mount

In Chester County, where Highgate is located, nearly 500 residents of 29 different long-term-care facilities or personal care homes have been infected and 118 have died, representing 80% of COVID-19 related deaths in the county. In Tredyffrin Township, eight people have died of the virus.

Chester County Coroner Christina VandePol said several long-term-care facilities in the county have had deaths in the double digits. That includes the state-run Southeastern Veterans Center, where at least 26 people have died from COVID-19.

Morris spent more than a week trying to find a facility accepting new residents. Some nursing homes and elder-care facilities have been wary to accept new residents, especially those discharged from the hospital. She got her father into Devon Senior Living, where hes staying now and which uses a bracelet-alarm system.

 HELP US REPORT: Are you a health care worker, medical provider, government worker, patient, frontline worker or other expert? We want to hear from you.

But shes troubled by what happened at Highgate.

He could have been hit by a car, robbed. He could have died, she said. Are they really set up in the right way to handle their residents during COVID?"
China on Wednesday dared US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to show "enormous evidence" he claimed to have to prove that the novel coronavirus originated from a lab in Wuhan and said he has no evidence to back up his claims.

On May 3, Pompeo said that the US has "enormous evidence" to show that the coronavirus began in the Wuhan Institute of Virology and Beijing has refused to give international scientists access to learn what happened.

"He (Pompeo) said 'enormous evidence'. Then show us," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing here.

"Pompeo cannot present any evidence because he does not have any," Hua said. "This matter should be handled by scientists and professionals instead of politicians out of their domestic political need.

She said the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that the US has not presented any evidence to it so far to back up its claims.

"On the issue of the origin of coronavirus, people have different opinions. I think tracing the origin is a very serious matter. That should be researched by scientists and professionals," she said.

"Almost all top scientists, including those in the US, believe that this virus came from nature, not man-made and there is no possibility that it was leaked from a lab," said.

"The WHO officials also said all the evidence showed that the virus is not man-made, she said.

Hua also said all countries must examine the reports that the cases of COVID-19 were reported in some countries in September and December last year.

She said recent reports said coronavirus cases were reported in the US in October last year. Reports from France spoke of a coronavirus case detected from a patient in December last year, Hua said.

In the light of this "all countries must re-examine the cases emerged in 2019, she said.

She also challenged Pompeo to show evidence to prove his charge that the viruses in the past originated from labs in China.

"Exactly when, where and which lab in China got such failures," she asked and called for an investigation into US' use of bacterial weapons in the past.

"The US used bacterial weapons in the Korean war and Agent Orange in the Vietnam war. In the recent decade, the US is blocking the protocol regime to the biological weapons convention, she said.

Noting that the US CDC last year suspended research on pathogens at army lab, she said, "They have been silent on their purposes and safety. So, we hope the US can act in a responsible manner and respond to international calls to accept investigations and respond to concerns."



The novel coronavirus has so far killed over 2.5 lakh people and infected more than 3.6 million globally.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A mutated strain of the novel coronavirus, which began spreading in Europe in February and then in the United States and Canada, had by March become the dominant form of the virus worldwide, a new study has found.

The new, dominant strain mutated from the original in Wuhan, China and seems to be more contagious, CNBC reported. It is this new strain that is spreading across the US.

A paper by researchers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) warns that if the pandemic does not abate in summer, the virus could mutate further  potentially limiting the success of vaccines being developed based on the current strain.

The Los Alamos researchers, along with scientist at Duke University and the University of Sheffield in England, analysed thousands of coronavirus sequences collected by global collective Sharing All Influenza. They have identified 14 mutations, the report added.

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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

Lead author of the study and computational biologist at Los Alamos Bette Korber called the development hard news but asked people not to be disheartened.

Please don't only be disheartened. Our team at LANL was able to document this mutation and its impact on transmission only because of a massive global effort of clinical people and experimental groups, who make new sequences of the virus (SARS-CoV-2) in their local communities available as quickly as they possibly can."

Published on BioRxiv, the paper is yet to be peer reviewed but other researchers acknowledged that mutation is of urgent concern.

This is not the first time such concerns have been raised.

In March, researchers at Peking University's School of Life Sciences and the Institut Pasteur of Shanghai in China also said they found that two types of coronavirus could be causing infections worldwide.

This study found that nearly 70 percent of all analysed strains were of a new aggressive COVID-19 strain, while 30 percent were linked to the less aggressive strain. The latter was detected in Wuhan.
The office of former president Barack Obama strongly condemned a Senate committee's request for records related to Ukraine, dismissing the probe as "without precedent" and a way to "give credence to a Russian disinformation campaign."

The letter, sent March 13 on official Barack and Michelle Obama letterhead to the National Archives and Records Administration, agreed to release the records "in the interest of countering the misinformation campaign underlying this request," according to a copy obtained first by BuzzFeed News.

Republican Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Charles Grassley of Iowa are leading an investigation into Joe Biden and his son, Hunter, and their engagements with Ukraine. They are also seeking information about interactions between other Democrats and Ukraine related to an unsubstantiated claim that it was Ukraine that meddled in the 2016 election.

The Obama letter, signed by the former president's records representative, said the probe "arises out of efforts by some, actively supported by Russia, to shift the blame for Russian interference in the 2016 election to Ukraine," which it noted "has already been thoroughly investigated by a bipartisan congressional committee."

The letter does not explicitly mention Biden, Obama's vice president, who Republicans are investigating for conflicts of interest during his time at the White House. Biden's son, Hunter, had a lucrative spot on the board of a Ukrainian natural gas company, Burisma, while his father was the Obama administration's point person on Ukraine policy.

Trump's impeachment centered on his desire for such an investigation into Hunter Biden and, by extension, Joe Biden, now the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. The president was charged by the House in December with abuse of power for allegedly withholding military aid to pressure Ukraine to publicly announce an investigation into the Bidens. The Senate voted in February to acquit him.

Johnson, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee and Grassley, chairman of the finance committee, began working on their investigation into Biden and alleged Ukrainian election interference while the House was deep into its impeachment inquiry.

Democrats have slammed the GOP probe as politically motived to hurt Biden before the general election.

Johnson and Grassley sent a joint letter in November to the National Archives requesting all records pertaining to White House meetings "between and among Obama administration officials, Ukrainian government representatives, and Democratic National Committee (DNC) officials."

In agreeing to allow the senators access to the records, Obama's office scolded them for "abuse" of the process that gives Congress permission to request access to presidential records before they are publicly available.
Mr Morrison has said since April that Australias position was consistent. "We know it started in Wuhan," he said last week. "The most likely scenario that has been canvassed relates to wildlife wet markets." The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age had earlier revealed that Mr Morrison had privately questioned the Wuhan lab claim and that Australian intelligence had found no evidence to back up the theory. While it was too difficult to rule it out, the notion that there was an official Five Eyes investigation into the theory has been disputed by senior government sources. When the Telegraph splashed with the story based on the 15-page "dossier" on Saturday, the newspaper said it was a Western government report, suggesting it was from the Five Eyes network. Five Eyes is an intelligence-sharing alliance involving security agencies in Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Canada and the US.

In response to questions from The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, the Telegraph journalist who wrote the story, Sharri Markson, said the document laid the foundation for the case against Chinas cover up of COVID-19. "Two Western governments contributed to it, but I will not reveal my sources," she said. Loading Senior members of the Morrison government and Australian intelligence agencies at first had trouble finding the document. Eventually they found a research report, based on publicly available information including news reports, which appeared to fit the description. The research paper contained no information that was generated from intelligence gathering, according to people who have read it. Labor MP Anthony Byrne, the deputy chair of the influential intelligence and security committee, was "incensed" by the report of the dossier. Mr Byrne, one of Parliaments biggest supporters of the US alliance, directly raised his concerns with senior members of the Morrison government and intelligence agencies, saying Australia shouldnt accept intelligence that doesnt exist and fall for a "tricked-up document".

There are now widespread suspicions within senior ranks of the Australian government and the intelligence community that the document was leaked to The Daily Telegraph by a staff member in the US embassy in Canberra. This suspicion, whether true or not, underlines how the positions between sections of Canberra and Washington national security circles have diverged over the claim. Some senior officials clearly believe the US embassy is pushing a narrative in the Australian media that could be counter to the beliefs and interests of its hosts. Loading Given the close relationship between the two countries, there are deep sensitivities about the suspicions. The Australian government is not expected to pursue the matter further. But the involvement of Australia in the US campaign highlights the politicisation of the intelligence community under Mr Trump as well as the increasingly fractious global diplomatic environment driven by the coronavirus and Chinese expansionism. Firm intelligence on the coronavirus lab theory would help bolster US claims of a cover-up by the Chinese Communist Party, shift diplomatic sentiment and put global relations with China on an increasingly hostile trajectory. The New York Times revealed last month that senior Trump administration officials, including Deputy National Security Adviser and former Wall Street Journal Beijing correspondent Matthew Pottinger, have been pushing American spy agencies since January to hunt for evidence to support the theory. The agenda was given new momentum in April by Steve Bannon, the ex-chairman of far-right website Breitbart and a former adviser to Mr Trump, who promoted the theory throughout the month as part of a campaign demanding compensation from China for the outbreak.

On April 30, the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence said it concurred with the wide scientific consensus that the COVID-19 virus was not man made or genetically modified but could not rule out any connection with a Wuhan lab. Loading "The [intelligence community] will continue to rigorously examine emerging information and intelligence to determine whether the outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan," the office said in a statement. Two days later, the Telegraph story suddenly vaulted the theory back into prime time. After it broke on Saturday, Fox News, the highest-rating cable broadcaster in the US, said this was "the most substantial confirmation of what we have suspected so far". "Because it is a multinational document I think it would be hard to dismiss it as a political document," Fox News host Tucker Carlson told millions of viewers of the News Corp-owned network on Tuesday. As he prepared to interview Markson, Carlson suggested China had plans to rule the world.

"For the West the coronavirus has been a bewildering disaster that we will be recovering from for a long time, but for the Chinese government, the whole thing has been a blessing," he said. "In fact they think it is going to be the beginning of the Chinese century." The allegations were backed up by a rolodex of US national security hawks on the same network. Mr Trumps trade adviser, Peter Navarro, said China "spawned" the virus. Former US ambassador to China Jon Huntsman said "we should not be surprised" if China lied to the world. Loading US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday claimed there was "enormous evidence" linking the Wuhan lab to the virus. Chinas Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying challenged Mr Pompeo to "show us" the evidence in Beijings first official response to the escalation on Wednesday. The episode highlights the danger of mischaracterising the work of intelligence agencies. Some of the footnotes in the document contained references to US media reports that were based on unsubstantiated assertions from the US government  the same kind of circular intelligence which resulted in the "children overboard" affair in 2001.

One source said they believed the research document was produced by a US author and was not an official Five Eyes collaboration. Intelligence figures in the UK, the second largest of the Five Eyes partners, have also become increasingly frustrated. This week they briefed reporters that there was nothing to indicate that a lab leak had triggered the pandemic. Despite the prevalence of that view, the challenge for the intelligence community has been proving the virus did not come from a Wuhan lab, amid wider obfuscation from the Chinese government. Loading While Australian intelligence agencies have not ruled out the Wuhan lab theory, they have no evidence which suggests it is the likely source. On the best available intelligence, the Australian government believes the virus most likely started in the citys Huanan seafood market. The US governments top infectious disease expert, Anthony Fauci, said on Tuesday that there was no scientific evidence the virus came from a laboratory.

"[The evidence] is very, very strongly leaning toward this could not have been artificially or deliberately manipulated," he said. China, for its part, has been engaging in its own increasingly aggressive form of diplomacy in a bid to limit transparency and downplay its role in the crisis. At the same time as Chinas embassy in Canberra accused Australia of being a US puppet, its foreign missions have been shoring up support across the developing world. China has repeatedly dismissed Australias push for a global independent inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus as a witch hunt. The US ramped up pressure on the European Union to back Australias probe call on Wednesday. The EU had prepared a draft motion for an inquiry that would begin only after the pandemic had passed and focus broadly on the "lessons learnt from the international health response to COVID-19".
Telecom giant China Mobile, along with the tech company Huawei, has recently completed 5G construction on Mount Qomolangma, the highest peak in the world, marking a milestone in the building of the technologys infrastructure.

Technicians build a 5G station at Mount Qomolangma. (Photo via Huawei)

"Although faced with many difficulties such as a tight schedule, high altitudes and a tough environment, we managed to complete the task in about one month," said Su Xiaodi, the manager in charge of 5G promotion at Huawei.

The company not only formulated the blueprint for 5G construction on the mountain in just three days, but also sent a technical team to the mountains to ensure the proper functioning of the 5G network, according to Su.

The 5G signal on the mountain makes it possible for people to appreciate the peak through high-definition VR or AR broadcasts, Su noted. By April 23, over 13 million netizens were able to enjoy an online view of Mount Qomolangma broadcast live via the 5G signal.

In addition to Mount Qomolangma, 5G base stations have been built in a series of landmarks around China, including the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. Many cities subway networks are also covered by 5G signal.

In fact, China had established 198,000 5G base stations by the end of March, with the number of 5G package users exceeding 50 million, according to data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

"China is able to achieve its goal of building 500,000 new 5G base stations this year," said Wen Ku, head of the department of information and communications development of the MIIT, adding that the ministry will continue to promote 5G construction and inject new impetus into economic growth.
With the news that Oscar-winning actor Nicolas Cage is set to portray Netflix sensation Joe Exotic from the hit docuseries Tiger King, interest in the eccentric personality has been renewed yet again.

And getting in on the fun on Tuesday was Jimmy Fallon, who posted a zany and hilarious video snippet of himself as Cage as Exotic, in a wild clip that was part performance piece, part extended monologue and part music video.

It must be said that Fallon, 45, does a surprisingly good job mimicking Cage's vocal ticks and trademark kooky behavior, even if his rendition of the currently incarcerated zookeeper is somewhat less successful.

Getting in on the Tiger King fun: On Tuesday, Jimmy Fallon posted a zany and hilarious video snippet of himself as Nicolas Cage as Joe Exotic, after it was announced that Cage was cast to play the zookeeper in an upcoming series

In the clip, which Jimmy promoted on Twitter as well, the late night host is dressed in the requisite animal print shirt, along with the unmistakably 'Exotic' blond mullet and handlebar mustache.

He starts off by saying, 'My pets are the same as your pets, except mine have 3 INCH TEETH AND WEIGH 400 POUNDS!' in typical Cage-like fashion.

Jimmy goes on to sit at a desktop computer and yell at arch nemesis Carole Baskin, just as Exotic did in the documentary.

In the clip: The late night host is dressed in the requisite animal print shirt, along with the unmistakably 'Exotic' blond mullet and handlebar mustache

Fallon starts off by saying: 'My pets are the same as your pets, except mine have 3 INCH TEETH AND WEIGH 400 POUNDS!' in typical Cage-like fashion

Down to the details: Jimmy goes on to sit at a desktop computer and yell at arch nemesis Carole Baskin, just as Exotic did in the documentary

Fallon hits many of Exotic's most trademark quirks in the clip, always dressing it up with Nic Cage-isms, like when he yells at a police officer over the phone for reminding him that he's 'not supposed to murder a woman murdered in Florida,' or when he ruminates on the spirit of tigers.

A particularly amusing passage comes when Jimmy says to himself, 'What am I doing?! I'm marrying two men at once!

'Not only am I the Tiger King, I'm also the king of husbands.'

A particularly amusing passage comes when Jimmy says to himself: 'What am I doing?! I'm marrying two men at once! Not only am I the Tiger King, I'm also the king of husbands'

At one point: He yells at a police officer over the phone for reminding him that he's 'not supposed to murder a woman murdered in Florida'

Soon, the hilarious clip devolves into a brief music video, in which Fallon-as-Cage-as-Exotic sings, 'I looked at a tiger, the tiger looked right back, made me cry tears that were white, orange and black'.

As previously reported, Cage, 56, has been cast in a new eight-part scripted series based on the life of Joe Exotic, born Joseph Allen Schreibvogel.

The project is separate from the previously announced series also inspired by Netflix's Tiger King, in which SNL star Kate McKinnon has been cast in the role of Big Cat Rescue owner Carole Baskin.

As previously reported: Cage, 56, has been cast in a new eight-part scripted series based on the life of Exotic, born Joseph Allen Schreibvogel
China's Food and Drug Administration has launched a drive to prepare a list of pharmaceutical exporters for frequent inspection of supplies and to ensure severe punishment for substandard medical equipment and drugs

New Delhi: After rejecting global concerns over faulty coronavirus test kits and poor quality of medical devices for weeks, China, it would seem, is now trying to cover up the fiasco in order to contain further backlash.

China has quietly launched a clean-up drive against medical device manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies in Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, etc, after admitting that its reputation depends on quality of medical supplies required for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the deadly outbreak that has infected over 36 lakh people people and killed over 2.5 lakh globally.

Since late March when the first report of substandard medical supplies being exported by China surfaced in Spain, authorities in Beijing have been on an offensive and have even blamed other countries for inadequate training and poor handling of coronavirus outbreak.

China also made efforts to counter reports emanating from Spain, Turkey, the Netherlands, Britain, Czech Republic, Slovakia, US and Georgia about the poor quality of medical supplies. It even slammed India's decision to stop using faulty rapid test kits saying it was unfair and irresponsible. But, the bullying didnt work for long. The Chinese Food and Drug Administration has now launched a drive to prepare a list of pharmaceutical exporters for frequent inspection of supplies and to ensure severe punishment for substandard medical equipment and drugs.

The details of a meeting of Chinese Food and Drug Administration establishes its admission of poor quality of supplies and existence of firms involved in manufacturing counterfeit products. The Chinese department has approved severe penalty for exporters supplying inferior quality products and has asked the local drug regulatory department to shut down the manufacturing units producing substandard medical supplies.

Anyone who has evidence that there is a problem with the quality of the exported medicines should immediately stop production and sales, investigate the problem, and thoroughly correct it. Severely punish the violations. Start crack down on illegal production and sale of counterfeit and inferior drugs, punish people and form a high-pressure situation for a deterrent effect. At the same time, under the premise of legal compliance, the drug regulatory department should provide policy guidance and assistance to drug export enterprises that are honest and law-abiding as much as possible to ensure the quality of exported drugs, the Chinese Food and Drug Administration said.

Jayadeva Ranade, former Additional Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat and the president of the Centre for China Analysis and Strategy told Firstpost that the Chinese have realised that threats and bullying will backfire and now they are trying to show the world that action is being taken against companies involved in producing substandard material.

The move is basically to counter what the Chinese perceive as foreign propaganda against their companies. Initially, they sidestepped the issue of poor quality by claiming that China was helping the world in the hour of need. But, in fact, it was a huge business opportunity for them. Chinese customs had recently put out a figure regarding export of anti-epidemic materials between March-April 2020 which is worth more than 71 billion Yuan (approx $10 billion), Ranade said.

The epidemic business has definitely soared for China. According to Chinese customs statistics, from 1 March to 30 April, the country exported a total of 71.2 billion Yuan of major anti-epidemic medical supplies including 27.8 billion masks, 130 million protective clothing, 73.41 million new coronavirus detection kits, 12.57 million infrared thermometers, 49,100 ventilators, 1,24,000 patient monitors, 43.63 million pairs of goggles and 854 million pairs of surgical gloves.

China's General Administration of Customs on 1 May said the agency will increase the investigation into export of substandard medical supplies.

The Customs will stop and confiscate the export of goods that are adulterated, fake, substandard and unqualified goods posing as qualified goods, it said.

The statements from different Chinese agencies have a single message  Chinas reputation is at stake at a time when the countries around the world are battling coronavirus.

Chinas Food and Drug Administration said the quality of exported medicines is directly related to the China's national reputation and the drug control department should strictly and meticulously implement the requirements of quality control of exported pharmaceuticals.

However, Indian scientists and experts are raising the questions over giving preference to Chinese imports rather than encouraging Indian companies to produce medical supplies needed to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr Jacob John, former chief of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Centre for Advanced Research in Virology said, India should have gone for sample test before placing bulk orders with Chinese companies.

You can test the quality of a sample kit within a day or two and once satisfied, order should have been placed. Moreover, we should have avoided buying from China. The bulk import was at the cost of fully capable indigenous companies. I think we knew fully well that there would be quality risk. There has to be a probe whether such decision was taken judiciously after talking to Indian companies and scientists. We should have given our own scientists and pharmaceuticals companies a chance to produce the required materials, Dr John said.

Earlier, China had defended reports of poor quality of medical devices arguing that it was exported by companies with qualifications and credibility. However, it has now launched a clean-up drive both online and offline with a fresh verification of registration of medical device manufacturers, quality and safety monitoring, and product quality. Seeking severe crackdown on illegal device manufacturers, the Chinese quality control agency has pledged punishment for Chinese firms filing false device product information, falsifying the statutory requirements and refusing to cooperate with drug regulatory authorities. The stringent rules would be applicable to Chinese device manufacturers involved in online sale.

Medical device network enterprises must ensure that the information is true, accurate, complete, and traceable, and meets the requirements of laws and regulations. The plan is clear, the local drug regulatory authorities at all levels should increase the monitoring and disposal of medical device network sales, and promptly investigate and deal with the illegal (device manufacturers) through network monitoring, public opinion monitoring, complaint reporting, etc, Food and Drug Administration of China meeting details revealed.

The local authorities in China have also been asked to keep a track of all the exporting pharmaceutical companies in their jurisdiction and comprehensively strengthen the supervision. They will also follow the strict export certification to ensure that the quality of exported supplies meets the requirement of importing countries.

Chinese authorities are also re-calibrating their response to criticism from European countries on substandard supplies, and setting up new rules and facilitating the Chinese exporters to meet the requirements of European Commission on medical devices.

In a bid to control the damage, the Chinese State Administration for Market Regulation has issued a guideline for export of medical devices marketed in the European countries. The guideline has asked the Chinese manufacturers to conform the European Union's medical device directive and medical device regulation and work closely with EU-authorised representatives for better compliance with requirements.
Dance With Shriya Saran

Shriya Saran recently shared a video of herself encouraging fans to participate in a fundraiser for Coronavirus. The Paisa Vasool actress asked her fans to donate Rs 200 for the cause. She said, "You can dance with me and do a yoga session. All you have to do is donate 200 rupees."

Process To Dance With Shriya Saran

Shriya Saran said that after two weeks, 2 winners will be chosen who can participate in activities with her. The actress revealed that she has joined hands with The Kindness Foundation and Chennai Task Force to help with their Coronavirus relief efforts. Two lucky winners will get a chance to dance with Shriya. They have to do some yoga at home or whatever brightens their quarantine. They then have to donate Rs 200 and email it.

Difficulties For Shriya Saran During Lockdown

A few days ago, Shriya Saran had claimed that she and her husband Andrei lived in different rooms despite staying in the same house. She had told the Times Of India, "Gradually, the gravity of the situation hit home as we started reading up more about the pandemic. To make matters worse, Andrei began to develop a dry cough and fever. We rushed to a hospital but the doctors were overwhelmed and urged us to leave. 'Chances are that even if he doesn't have COVID-19, he will get it if he stays here,' the doctors told us. So we decided to go home and self-isolate ourselves and get treatment at home. We slept in different rooms and maintained a safe distance from each other. Thankfully, he's feeling better now, so I hope the worst is behind us."

Future Projects

Shriya Saran will next be seen in Tamil film, Naragasooran, which is written and directed by Karthick Naren. She will be seen opposite Arvind Swami and it also stars Sundeep Kishen, Aathmika and Indrajith Sukumaran in key roles.
[May 06, 2020] Parade Supports Deployment of First PCI Express Gen 4 Enterprise Network Server Systems with 16 Gbps Retimer

Parade Technologies, Ltd. (Taiwan OTC: 4966.TWO), a leading high-speed interface, video display, and touch controller IC supplier, announces the mass production of the PS8925 PCI (News - Alert) Express Gen 4 retimer for enterprise system deployment. The device has completed rigorous testing and validation in enterprise-level network and storage systems now entering production. The PS8925 is a 4-lane device within Parade's family of PCI Express Gen 4 retimer IC products that support up to 16 bi-directional lanes using 32 high-speed data channels operating at 16 Gbps. The PS8925 is the industry's first PCI Express Gen 4 retimer released to system production. The PS8925 is also the only bidirectional, 4-lane PCI Express Gen 4 retimer that supports both single port (up to 1x4) and dual port (up to 2x2) operation. This provides support for variety of server grade, PCI Express Gen 4 SSD cards entering the market that include both single or dual port system implementations. "The doubling of the data rate from 8 Gbps to 16 Gbps innext generation enterprise systems, moving from PCI Express Gen 3 to the new Gen 4, puts a heavy demand on signal integrity" says Jimmy Chiu, Executive VP of Marketing at Parade Technologies. "Many interconnected server functions cannot reliably transport data at this speed over a typical point-to-point interface consisting of copper board traces, cables, and connectors. Our family of PCI Express Gen 4 retimers are the first to market to address this problem. PCI Express Gen 5, doubling the data rate at again to 32 Gbps, is our next focus."



The PS8925 supports four bidirectional PCI Express lanes using eight high-speed differential channels. In addition to supporting the 16 Gbps data rate offered by the newest PCI Express 4.0 specification, Parade's family of PCI Express Gen 4 retimers support 2.5 Gbps, 5 Gbps, and 8 Gbps for backward compatibility with earlier PCI Express revisions. Parade's PCI Express retimers are designed for the longer reach data paths within server and storage systems, such as from the root complex to memory subsystem. They are typically applied midway along the data path to receive and retransmit data, in both directions, to accommodate both the increase in data rates and system design complexity. Availability

The PS8925 is available for production now. It is available in a 5.5mm x 10mm 146-ball BGA package. About Parade Technologies Parade Technologies, Ltd. is a leading supplier of mixed-signal ICs for a variety of increasingly used high-speed and display interface standards used in network and storage systems, computers, automotive, consumer electronics, and display panels. Parade is a fabless semiconductor company founded in 2005 and publicly listed on Taipei Exchange (TPEx) in 2011 (stock code: 4966). Parade's portfolio of signal conditioning IC products serves the growing demand for high speed data integrity solutions for HDMI, DisplayPort, USB, and PCI Express interface applications. Parade leverages its close relationships with market leading Tier-1 OEMs to develop ICs that enable competitive system capabilities. Parade is also a key contributor to industry standards development organizations. The company's devices integrate proprietary technologies that offer superior signal integrity as well as improved system integration and power efficiency. As a result of the company's "standards-plus" design philosophy, Parade ICs have been designed into products offered by nearly every leading computer and display vendor worldwide. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005093/en/

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With 15 patients testing positive for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in Assam and Meghalaya on Tuesday, the number of cases in northeast India has now crossed the 100-mark.

Assam with 45 cases has the highest number of patients, followed closely by Tripura with 42 and Meghalaya with 12 cases. Manipur had two cases, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram one case each and Nagaland without anytaking the regions total to 103 cases.

The first case in the region was detected on March 24 when a 23-year-old woman who returned from the UK to Manipur was found positive. The same day, a 50-year-old pastor from Mizoram who had returned from the Netherlands also tested positive.

The region reached the 50 cases mark on April 1724 days after the first patient was tested positive. The figure doubled in the next 18 days.

There have been recoveries too. With all their patients testing negative in consecutive tests, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram have no active Covid-19 cases at present.

In Assam, 33 patients, including the patient from Nagaland who was tested and treated in Guwahati, have recovered. Ten patients in Meghalaya have recovered and Tripura has recorded two recoveries.

Fortunately, the number of Covid-19 fatalities in the region has also been low to date. Only Assam and Meghalaya have recorded one death each.

At present, Tripura with 40 has the highest number of active cases, followed by 11 in Assam and only one in Meghalaya.

While Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Mizoram have not reported any new case in more than a month, the number of cases has risen slowly in Assam with two people testing positive on Tuesday.

Meghalaya has not recorded any new case since April 20.

There has been a sudden spike in cases in Tripura, which had claimed Covid-19 free status on April 24 after the two patients had tested negative.

But on May 2, two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel from the 138th battalion in Ambassa were found positive. A day later, 12 more people from the same battalion tested positive.

The trend continued on May 4, with 13 new cases including two children from the same BSF battalion testing positive and on May 5 (Tuesday) another 13 tested positivetaking Tripuras tally to 42two recoveries and 40 active cases.

The Tripura government has asked BSF to inquire the source of the infection in the battalion and reasons for its sudden spike.

Due to the sudden rise in cases, Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) has declared Dhalai district, where the BSF battalion is stationed, as a red zonethe only one in the North-East.

Four of Assams 33 districts and one of Meghalayas 11 districts are in the orange zone. All other districts in the seven states in the region are in the green zone.

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PANAMA CITY, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Copa Holdings, S.A. (NYSE: CPA), today announced financial results for the first quarter of 2020 (1Q20). The terms "Copa Holdings" and "the Company" refer to the consolidated entity. The following financial information, unless otherwise indicated, is presented in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). See the accompanying reconciliation of non-IFRS financial information to IFRS financial information included in the financial tables section of this earnings release. Unless otherwise stated, all comparisons with prior periods refer to the first quarter of 2019 (1Q19).

OPERATING AND FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Due to air travel restrictions implemented in response to the Covid-19 outbreak, the Company was forced to temporarily suspend all commercial flights on March 22 nd , 2020. The Company currently expects to re-start a scaled-down operation on June 1 st , 2020, although this date could be delayed as a result of further travel restrictions.

, 2020. The Company currently expects to re-start a scaled-down operation on , 2020, although this date could be delayed as a result of further travel restrictions. For 1Q20, Copa Holdings reported net profit of US$74.3 million or earnings per share (EPS) of US$1.75 , as compared to net profit of US$89.4 million or earnings per share of US$2.11 in 1Q19.

or earnings per share (EPS) of , as compared to net profit of or earnings per share of in 1Q19. Operating profit for 1Q20 came in at US$98.7 million , representing a 12.6% decrease from operating profit of US$112.9 million in 1Q19. Operating margin for 1Q20 came in at 16.6%, compared to an operating margin of 16.8% in 1Q19.

, representing a 12.6% decrease from operating profit of in 1Q19. Operating margin for 1Q20 came in at 16.6%, compared to an operating margin of 16.8% in 1Q19. For 1Q20, consolidated passenger traffic decreased 16.3% on a 14.4% capacity reduction. As a result, consolidated load factor for the quarter decreased 1.9 percentage points to 81.5%.

Total revenues for 1Q20 decreased 11.4% to US$595.5 million . Yield per passenger mile increased 5.8% to 12.8 cents and RASM came in at 10.8 cents , or 5.8% higher than 1Q19.

. Yield per passenger mile increased 5.8% to and RASM came in at , or 5.8% higher than 1Q19. Operating cost per available seat mile (CASM) increased 3.8%, from 8.7 cents in 1Q19 to 9.0 cents in 1Q20. CASM excluding fuel costs increased 8.0% from 6.1 cents in 1Q19 to 6.6 cents in 1Q20, mainly as a result of flight cancellations in March due to the Covid-19 outbreak and, later in the month, the unexpected grounding of the Companys fleet, resulting in a significant year over year capacity reduction.

in 1Q19 to in 1Q20. CASM excluding fuel costs increased 8.0% from in 1Q19 to in 1Q20, mainly as a result of flight cancellations in March due to the Covid-19 outbreak and, later in the month, the unexpected grounding of the Companys fleet, resulting in a significant year over year capacity reduction. During 1Q20 the Company drew US$145 million from its available short-term lines of credit.

from its available short-term lines of credit. Cash, short-term and long-term investments ended the quarter at US$ 1.13 billion , representing approximately 43% of the last twelve months' revenues.

, representing approximately 43% of the last twelve months' revenues. Copa Holdings ended the quarter with a consolidated fleet of 102 aircraft  6 Boeing 737MAX9s, 68 Boeing 737-800s, 14 Boeing 737-700s, and 14 Embraer-190s.

Subsequent Events

Given the uncertainty related to the Covid-19 crisis, including the effect on future air travel demand, on April 26, 2020 our Board of Directors postponed dividend payments for the remaining quarters of 2020.

our Board of Directors postponed dividend payments for the remaining quarters of 2020. Throughout the month of April, the Company obtained unsecured, committed credit facilities with three local banks, for an aggregate amount of US$150 million dollars . These facilities remain unutilized.

. These facilities remain unutilized. On April 30, 2020 , the Company further bolstered its cash position by successfully closing a US$350 million convertible senior notes offering, maturing in 2025.

Consolidated Financial

& Operating Highlights 1Q20 1Q19 Variance

vs. 1Q19 4Q19 Variance

vs. 4Q19 Revenue Passengers Carried ('000) 2,118 2,588 -18.2% 2,633 -19.5% RPMs (mm) 4,473 5,345 -16.3% 5,244 -14.7% ASMs (mm) 5,491 6,415 -14.4% 6,149 -10.7% Load Factor 81.5% 83.3% -1.9 p.p. 85.3% -3.8 p.p. Yield 12.8 12.1 5.8% 12.5 2.4% PRASM (US$ Cents) 10.5 10.1 3.5% 10.7 -2.2% RASM (US$ Cents) 10.8 10.5 3.5% 11.1 -2.2% CASM (US$ Cents) 9.0 8.7 3.8% 10.8 -16.2% Adjusted CASM (US$ Cents) (1) 9.0 8.7 3.8% 9.3 -3.2% CASM Excl. Fuel (US$ Cents) 6.6 6.1 8.0% 8.0 -18.2% Adjusted CASM Excl. Fuel (US$ cents) (1) 6.6 6.1 8.0% 6.6 -0.1% Fuel Gallons Consumed (Millions) 70.0 81.2 -13.8% 78.9 -11.3% Avg. Price Per Fuel Gallon (US$ Dollars) 1.95 2.09 -6.7% 2.16 -9.9% Average Length of Haul (Miles) 2,112 2,065 2.3% 1,992 6.0% Average Stage Length (Miles) 1,308 1,299 0.7% 1,279 2.2% Departures 28,286 33,329 -15.1% 32,441 -12.8% Block Hours 93,568 110,089 -15.0% 105,620 -11.4% Average Aircraft Utilization (Hours) 10.1 11.6 -13.5% 11.3 -10.4% Operating Revenues (US$ mm) 595.5 672.2 -11.4% 681.9 -12.7% Operating Profit (US$ mm) 98.7 112.9 -12.6% 17.8 n/m Adjusted Operating Profit (US$ mm) (1) 98.7 112.9 -12.6% 107.1 -7.9% Operating Margin 16.6% 16.8% -0.2 p.p. 2.6% 14.0 p.p. Adjusted Operating Margin (1) 16.6% 16.8% -0.2 p.p. 15.7% 0.9 p.p. Net Profit (US$ mm) 74.3 89.4 -16.9% 2.7 n/m Adjusted Net Profit (US$ mm) (1) 74.3 89.4 -16.9% 92.1 -19.3% EPS - Basic and Diluted (US$) 1.75 2.11 -17.0% 0.06 n/m Adjusted EPS - Basic and Diluted (US$) (1) 1.75 2.11 -17.0% 2.17 -19.4% # of Shares - Basic and Diluted ('000) 42,501 42,478 0.1% 42,487 0.0%

(1)Adjusted CASM, Adjusted CASM Excl. Fuel, Adjusted Operating Profit, Adjusted Net Profit, Adjusted Operating Margin and Adjusted EPS for 4Q19, exclude non-cash charges associated with the Embraer 190 Fleet impairment.

Note: Attached to this press release is a reconciliation of non-IFRS financial measures to the comparable IFRS measures.

FULL 1Q20 EARNINGS RELEASE AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD AT:

https://copa.gcs-web.com/financial-information/quarterly-results

1Q20 EARNINGS RESULTS CONFERENCE CALL AND WEBCAST

Date: May 7, 2020



Time: 11:00 AM US ET (10:00 AM Local Time)



Conference telephone number: 877-293-5456 (US Domestic Callers)





707-287-9357 (International Callers)



Webcast: https://copa.gcs-web.com/events-and-presentations



Speakers: Pedro Heilbron, Chief Executive Officer





Jose Montero, Chief Financial Officer





About Copa Holdings

Copa Holdings is a leading Latin American provider of passenger and cargo services. The Company, through its operating subsidiaries, provides service to 80 destinations in 33 countries in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean with a modern fleet consisting of 102 aircraft: 6 Boeing 737MAX9s, 82 Boeing 737NG aircraft and 14 EMBRAER-190s. For more information visit: www.copa.com.

CONTACT: Copa Holdings S.A.

Investor Relations:

Ph: 011 507 304-2774

www.copa.com (IR section)

This release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are based on current plans, estimates and expectations, and are not guarantees of future performance. They are based on management's expectations that involve a number of business risks and uncertainties, any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement. The risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking statements in this release are among those disclosed in Copa Holdings' filed disclosure documents and are, therefore, subject to change without prior notice.

CPA-G

Copa Holdings, S.A.



















Income Statement - IFRS



















(US$ Thousands)













































Unaudited

Unaudited

%

Unaudited

%



1Q20

1Q19

Change

4Q19

Change Operating Revenues



















Passenger revenue

574,650

648,790

-11.4%

657,940

-12.7% Cargo and mail revenue

13,017

15,316

-15.0%

16,033

-18.8% Other operating revenue

7,785

8,063

-3.4%

7,955

-2.1% Total Operating Revenue

595,453

672,169

-11.4%

681,927

-12.7%





















Operating Expenses



















Fuel

136,954

170,163

-19.5%

171,314

-20.1% Wages, salaries, benefits and other employees' expenses

110,289

113,662

-3.0%

115,036

-4.1% Passenger servicing

21,890

25,571

-14.4%

24,798

-11.7% Airport facilities and handling charges

40,365

45,362

-11.0%

44,877

-10.1% Sales and distribution

42,011

53,133

-20.9%

53,222

-21.1% Maintenance, materials and repairs

27,144

28,047

-3.2%

37,648

-27.9% Depreciation and amortization

66,375

68,187

-2.7%

70,469

-5.8% Flight operations

23,731

25,875

-8.3%

24,908

-4.7% Other operating and administrative expenses

28,008

29,297

-4.4%

32,506

-13.8% Fleet Impairment













89,344

n/m Total Operating Expense

496,766

559,296

-11.2%

664,123

-25.2%





















Operating Profit

98,687

112,873

-12.6%

17,804

n/m





















Non-operating Income (Expense):



















Finance cost

(11,085)

(14,010)

-20.9%

(17,154)

-35.4% Finance income

6,320

5,954

6.2%

6,289

0.5% Gain (loss) on foreign currency fluctuations

(10,950)

(5,960)

83.7%

2,406

n/m Other non-operating income (expense)

(11)

(825)

-98.6%

(989)

-98.9% Total Non-Operating Income/(Expense)

(15,726)

(14,841)

n/m

(9,448)

66.5%





















Profit before taxes

82,961

98,032

-15.4%

8,356

n/m





















Income tax expense

8,687

8,600

1.0%

5,629

54.3%





















Net Profit

74,273

89,431

-16.9%

2,728

n/m











































EPS - Basic and Diluted

1.75

2.11

-17.0%

0.06

n/m Shares - Basic and Diluted

42,501,338

42,477,761

0.1%

42,486,717

0.0%

Copa Holdings, S. A. and subsidiaries



Consolidated statement of financial position



(US$ Thousands) March December

2020 2019

(Unaudited)

ASSETS









Current Assets



Cash and cash equivalents 339,926 158,733 Short-term investments 672,721 692,403 Total cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments 1,012,646 851,136





Accounts receivable, net 49,708 129,634 Accounts receivable from related parties 1,488 147 Expendable parts and supplies, net 74,454 69,100 Prepaid expenses 41,382 49,034 Prepaid income tax 1,286 1,181 Other current assets 14,056 14,206

182,374 263,301 Assets held for sale 119,299 120,006





TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 1,314,320 1,234,442





Long-term investments 114,277 134,347 Long-term accounts receivable 2,364 2,139 Long-term prepaid expenses 15,018 17,743 Property and equipment, net 2,522,205 2,532,402 Right of use assets 284,552 290,843 Intangible, net 107,047 108,116 Net pension asset 665 249 Deferred tax assets 17,050 19,216 Other Non-Current Assets 16,027 17,881 TOTAL NON-CURRENT ASSETS 3,079,207 3,122,935





TOTAL ASSETS 4,393,526 4,357,377





Current maturities of long-term debt 261,219 117,238 Current portion of lease liability 97,908 97,732 Accounts payable 126,941 119,332 Accounts payable to related parties 2,574 14,086 Air traffic liability 411,912 497,374 Frequent flyer deferred revenue 84,165 80,325 Taxes and interest payable 33,061 51,611 Employee benefits obligations 36,121 55,373 Income tax payable 13,530 9,683 Other Current Liabilities 95 83 TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES 1,067,526 1,042,836





Long-term debt 907,960 938,182 Lease Liability 199,534 206,832 Other long - term liabilities 197,469 191,221 Deferred tax Liabilities 44,379 43,397 TOTAL NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES 1,349,343 1,379,633





TOTAL LIABILITIES 2,416,869 2,422,469





EQUITY



Issued Capital



Class A -33,860,663 issued and 31,399,270 outstanding 21,184 21,142 Class B common stock - 10,938,125 7,466 7,466 Additional Paid-In Capital 87,540 86,135 Treasury Stock (136,388) (136,388) Retained Earnings 1,931,214 1,718,179 Net profit 74,273 247,002 Other comprehensive loss (8,632) (8,628)





TOTAL EQUITY 1,976,658 1,934,908





TOTAL EQUITY LIABILITIES 4,393,526 4,357,377







Copa Holdings, S. A. and subsidiaries











Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows











For the three months ended March 31,











(In US$ thousands)





































2020

2019

2018



















(Unaudited)

(Unaudited)

(Unaudited) Cash flow from operating activities

106,340

144,061

171,810 Cash flow from investing activities

19,795

(3,591)

(74,198) Cash flow from financing activities

55,058

(84,361)

(139,820) Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

181,193

56,109

(42,208) Cash and cash equivalents at January 1

158,732

156,158

238,792 Cash and cash equivalents at March 31

$ 339,925

$ 212,267

$ 196,584





























Short-term investments



672,721

556,127

650,110 Long-term investments



114,277

128,992

155,313 Total cash and cash equivalents and investments at March 31

$ 1,126,923

$ 897,386

$ 1,002,007

Copa Holdings, S.A.

NON-IFRS FINANCIAL MEASURE RECONCILIATION

This press release includes the following non IFRS financial measures: Adjusted Operating CASM Excluding Fuel, Adjusted Operating Profit, Adjusted Net Profit, and Adjusted EPS. This supplemental information is presented because we believe it is a useful indicator of our operating performance and is useful in comparing our performance with other companies in the airline industry. These measures should not be considered in isolation, and should be considered together with comparable IFRS measures, in particular operating profit and net profit. The following is a reconciliation of these non-IFRS financial measures to the comparable IFRS measures:

Reconciliation of Adjusted Operating Profit











Adjusted Net Profit and Adjusted EPS

1Q20

1Q19

4Q19













Operating Profit as Reported

$ 98,687

$ 112,873

$ 17,804 Special Items (adjustments):











Fleet Impairment









$ 89,344 Adjusted Operating Profit

$ 98,687

$ 112,873

$ 107,148













Net profit as Reported

$ 74,273

$ 89,431

$ 2,728 Special Items (adjustments):











Fleet Impairment









$ 89,344 Adjusted Net Profit

$ 74,273

$ 89,431

$ 92,071













Shares used for Computation (in thousands)











Basic and Diluted

42,501

42,478

42,487













Adjusted earnings per share - Basic and Diluted

$ 1.75

$ 2.11

$ 2.17









































Reconciliation of Adjusted Operating Costs per ASM











Excluding Fuel (Adjusted CASM Excl. Fuel)

1Q20

1Q19

4Q19













Operating Costs per ASM as Reported (in US$ Cents)

9.0

8.7

10.8 Fleet Impairment per ASM (in US$ Cents)









(1.5) Aircraft fuel per ASM (in US$ Cents)

(2.5)

(2.7)

(2.8) Adjusted Operating Costs per ASM excluding fuel (in US$ Cents)

6.6

6.1

6.6















SOURCE Copa Holdings, S.A.

Related Links

http://www.copa.com


By Joseph P. Batory

Times Guest Columnist

Too many Americans are relying for news these days from outrageous social media posts and biased television talking heads who basically convey information desired by the politically powerful. And, the onslaught of this planted information is full of inaccuracies, fabrications and often, outright lies.

Television and the Internet were supposed to become the great teachers for America to become a truly intellectual nation. But much the opposite has happened.

Truth is now defined by anyone who can shout the loudest on television and radio or anyone who posts the most outlandish things on social media or propagandists revising reality to create new truth. The public is now treated as little more than easy-to-influence cattle to be herded down orchestrated pathways. As so. with many Americans glued to their electronic devices to understand their world, the result is an intellectual disaster.

Before and during World War II, the Nazis understood too well that controlled communication through electronic media would be the best way to destroy analytical thinking and to create their Third Reich truth. At that time, that meant radio. So, the Nazis subsidized the distribution of Volksempfanger, (the peoples radio receiver) which regularly broadcasted only the Nazi partys singular messages to millions of German homes. The populace was soon brought under the spell of this Nazi radio communication. In Mein Kamp, Hitler cynically summarized this strategy: The majority of people are little more than a vacillating crowd of human children who are constantly wavering between one idea and another. Their conduct is ruled by sentiment and feelings rather than by sober reasoning. In Hitlers view, people were gullible targets; just tell them what to think and believe and you will own them.

Today, our communication vehicles are of course much more sophisticated beyond radio. But there are indeed parallels to the Nazi methods. The use of electronic and social media propaganda, much of it created by self-serving powerful interests, creates a stream of misinformation aimed at controlling the minds of millions of Americans.

Certain electronic media telecasts and broadcasts now feature non-stop dissemination of questionable and often false information to support those in power. Disciples (spin doctors) of the powerful ones across the USA then repeat the same messages over and over in a variety of ways to create truth. Joseph Goebbels, Hitlers propaganda minister, once explained how easy it was to con the general public: If you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe itthe public is much more stupid (primitive) than we imagine. Just keep the propaganda simple and then repeat it over and over.

This illusory truth effect, is a glitch in the human psyche that equates repetition with truth. Marketers and certain politicians, especially in recent years here in the USA, have become masters of this method of public mind control.

The Nazis greatly feared in-depth and factual coverage by newspapers. So Hitler targeted all newspapers which attempted to investigate and expose him. The term, Lugenpresse (the lying press), as used to convince the German public that newspaper questioning of Hitlers regime should be ignored. The most unfriendly paper to Hitler was ransacked by Nazis and eventually closed. As the Nazis eventually took over the German free press, journalists were arrested and imprisoned and many were killed.

Not unlike Nazi Germany, questioning those in power these days is now demonized as being unpatriotic and disloyal to America. Acolytes of the powerful ones use the electronic/social media to attack and discredit anyone looking too closely at the motives/direction of those in power by classifying all questioners as hoax makers and perpetrators of fake news.

Nazi demagogue, Hermann Goring, bragged in prison after the WW II about how easy it was to control the naive public: To get the people in line, just tell them they are being subjected to dangerous enemies who will challenge their personal freedom and threaten their country. The Nazi idea was that naive and fearful people would always jump on the bandwagon of whoever is leading this fight against enemies, even when these enemies are all too often invented and therefore non-existent. Here in the USA, fear has become one of the most effective ways to create loyal followers.

Today, those in the seats of government and corporate power more than ever demand blind loyalty. The new despotic rules for their subservient ones are simple: Check your brain at the door. Honesty is prohibited; lying is preferred. Never admit a mistake! If you see something wrong, just keep your mouth shut. Make waves and you will be destroyed personally and professionally! There are examples almost every day of individuals who have dared to stand up for what they believe is right being politically ruined and publicly demeaned.

Money drives everything in America. Elections are bought. The once independent Supreme Court has sadly become little more than a political rubber stamper. Legislation is for sale to the highest bidders, and too many elected officials are now controlled by well-financed lobbyists. Political appointees to high-level government positions no longer serve the people but rather, carry out the wishes of the powerful. Corporate greed is running wild effectively using political allies with profit and self-interests as the driving motive. Environmental health and safety regulations on business and industry to protect the public are currently being pulled back by the government. And the goal of the common good for all people has disappeared!

The point of all of this is that too many Americans are in a deep slumber intellectually. They have been kept in line too easily via repetitive and controlled propaganda via the electronic/social media.

The American people need to begin doing more in-depth reading and to research and to start questioning much of the electronic soundbite information which is presented as factual and often is not. But this not likely. The electronic/social media charlatans have become experts at using Simple-Simon repetitive propaganda to tell the American people what to think and believe. Their track record of disseminating flawed information has been working and continues to work quite well.

The issue for the future is: Has the American populace become too lazy to read and research and, if necessary, question what they are being told via electronic repetition and superficial social media bursts by demagogues and puppets of the powerful? Will this questionable spoon-feeding manipulatios of the public continue to succeed? And will the USAs democratic republic survive?
Massachusetts residents, look towards the sky on Wednesday.

F-15 Eagles from the 104th Fighter Wing in Westfield will fly over Massachusetts hospital Wednesday in a show of support for health care workers amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Air Force Salutes flyovers are a way for the U.S. Air force to show appreciation to the thousands of heroes on the frontlines and all our brave Massachusetts neighbors battling and supporting the COVID-19 response.

The flyover is part of Operation American Resolve, a nationwide salute to communities working to quell the spread of coronavirus.

The four-ship F-15 flyover can be viewed from over a dozen locations Wednesday.

Initially scheduled to start in Foxborough, the planned flight path was reorganized this week.

The flyover will start on Cape Cod, viewable above Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis between 12 and 12:15 p.m.

From there, the planes will fly to Brockton where the planes will be viewable near Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital between 12 and 12:15 p.m.

Between 12:15 and 12:25 p.m., planes will flyover multiple Boston locations, including: Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, Brigham and Womens Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital and the VA Medical Centers in Jamaica Plain and West Roxbury.

The planes will then fly to Framingham Union Hospital in Framingham before arriving overhead of the DCU Center, St. Vincents Hospital and UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester between 12:25 and 12:30 p.m.

The planes will arrive in Western Massachusetts around 12:35 p.m. first flying over Mercy Medical Center and Baystate Medical Center in Springfield before flying north to Holyoke Medical Center and Holyoke Soldiers Home in Holyoke and Cooley Dickinson Hospital and the VA Medical Center in Northampton.

Planes are expected to flyover Baystate Noble Hospital and the Western Massachusetts Hospital in Westfield between 12:40 and 12:45 p.m. Wednesday.

Our F-15s are scheduled to perform a flyover this afternoon!



We invite everyone to take pictures and post them with the hashtags below. #MassSalutes #AirForceSalutes #AFFlyover



Please remember to follow all current guidelines about gathering sizes and social distancing. pic.twitter.com/sGTGZ7vf7w  104th Fighter Wing (@104fighterwing) May 6, 2020

President Donald Trump announced last month the Air Forces Thunderbirds and the Navys Blue Angels will conduct flyovers of American cities.

What we are doing is paying tribute to our front-line health care workers confronting COVID, and its really a signal to all Americans to remain vigilant during the outbreak, Trump said.
Delhi Minorities Commission ChairmanZafarul-Islam Khan,against whom an FIR has been lodged for his alleged seditious and hateful acts, WednesdaytoldtheDelhi police as per the lawthe police cannot compelhim to go to the police station for interrogation as he was above 65 years of age, said his lawyer.

The law as per section 160Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC)mandates that the police cannot compel attendance of a person above 65 years age at any place other than their residence for the purpose of investigation and interrogation. You are required as per law to question / interrogate Dr. Zafarul-Islam Khan only in his residence and you cannot compel him to go to any police station.

"As Dr. Zafarul-Islam Khan''s lawyer I am hereby placing on record that as per law you cannot compel him to go to the police station. That would violate theCrPCand amount to illegal police action against the rights of my Client, said his counsel Vrinda Grover.

Khan stated in the letter written to Cyber Cell of the Delhi police (Dwarka), that he was a senior citizen of 72 years of age and it is risky for his health to report to the police station during these times of lockdown due to COVID-19.

He further said that he wasavailable to answer any question athishome during daytime.

I am a public servant and head of a statutory body, Delhi Minorities Commission.I am a senior citizen of 72 years of age and a heart-patient, suffering from old age-related physical illness that make me extremely vulnerable to the COVID-19 coronavirus. I suffer from hyper-tension among other ailments.

You are required as per law to question/interrogate me only at my residence and you cannot compel me to go to any police station.Duringthese timesoflockdowndue to COVID-19, it is risky for my health to report to your office. I am available to answer any question at my home during daytime, the letter stated.

Grover told PTI that the police have refused to give Khan any legal notice despiterepeatedly asking for it.

The police came and asked him to come to theCyberCell. They have refused to give him any legal noticedespite my client repeatedly asking for a legal notice. They have not given anything in writingto him.We have asked for a legal notice. Till not the police have not got back, she said.

Khan said that his tweet on April 28 wherein he thanked Kuwait for taking note of the "persecution" of Indian Muslims in the context of the northeast Delhi violence has "pained" some people and it was never his intention.

He also accused a section of media of "distorting and fabricating" the content of his tweet. A legal notice has been sent to a channel in this regard, he said.

Citing the tweet and a Facebook post by Khan, the BJP has demanded his removal from the post of Delhi Minorities Commission chairman. A delegation of Delhi BJP MLAs met Lt Governor Anil Baijalandalso demanded registration of a case against him.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In 2004, Offaly rose from relative television obscurity into sharp and flat-accented focus in the award-winning RTE drama, Pure Mule.

Shamie, Scobie, Jen and Co arrived on our screens as young adults in Celtic Tiger rural Ireland. The building trade was booming, the craic was 90, but the real-life drama was high and gripping.

Written by Edenderry's Eugene O'Brien and directed by Declan Recks, the show certainly captured a particular time in Irish social history, and yet absorbed viewers in the specific inter-personal intricacies of a small rural town.

It is in focus again as RTE re-screen in during the current lockdown. It will air on Thursday nights, starting on May 7.

We chose five of the main characters from the hit show and followed up on their career to see where they are and what they are up to in 2020.

Tom Murphy - Shamie

Tom Murphy was perhaps one of the finest actors of his generation but sadly passed away just two years after Pure Mule had wrapped. He died in 2007 following treatment for lymphatic cancer. During his illustrious career, he was a well renowned Irish theatre and film actor. The highlight of his career came in 1998 when he won a Tony Award for his performance in the play, The Beauty Queen of Leenane. He played Scobie's brother in Pure Mule and won an IFTA for his portrayal of the character. He is also well known for his role in Adam and Paul, as well as a string of successful parts in Intermission, Michael Collins, The General and Man About Dog. He was just 39 years old when he died.

Garrett Lombard - Scobie

The loudmouth, man about town, brother of Shamie was a hugely popular character in Pure Mule. Lombard's recent screen work includes Quirke, the acclaimed 1950s themed Dublin drama starring Gabriel Byrne. He has acted in countless theatre productions, including the Walworth Farce. Garrett is also one of the most in-demand voice-over artists in Dublin having done TV and radio for 15 years. His CV includes work for companies like McDonalds, Jameson, O2, Lucozade, Fuji and many more. He was cast in the part of Boris in the 2020 staging of The Cherry Orchard.

Charlene McKenna - Jen

The troubled young Jen returned to her hometown in Pure Mule and proceeded into a series of questionable life choices, but McKenna's portrayal of her internal struggles won her many fans. She has had numerous other roles in television dramas in Ireland, including Raw, Single-Handed and Whistleblower. She won the Best Actress (Television) award at the Irish Film and Television Awards in 2009 for Raw and won the Outstanding Actress in a Mini-Series award for her role in Whistleblower. She also starred in BBC's Ripper Street, and has received widespread acclaim in many roles. In 2019, she appeared in the role of Leah Liebermann in BBC crime drama Vienna Blood.

Gary Lydon - Bomber

Gary Lydon has been a successful theatre and television actor for many years. After Pure Mule, Lydon made appearances in Love/Hate, The Guarantee, where he played the role of former Taoiseach Brian Cowen, and recently in Striking Out, RTE's hugely popular legal-themed drama series. He also acted in films like The Guard, Brooklyn and Calvary. He was known to many for his role on RTE's 'The Clinic' which ran from 2003 to 2009.

Eileen Walsh - Therese

Therese was the love interest of Bomber in Pure Mule, played by Cork native Eileen Walsh. Walsh went on to appear on television again in a project by the same writer, Eden, the screen adaptation of Eugene O'Brien's acclaimed play of the same name, where she played Breda Farrell. In 2008, Walsh won an award for Best Actress at the Tribeca Film Festival for her portrayal of Breda, the lonely housewife in Eden. She had previously played a starring role in The Magdalene Sisters film. Recently, she has appeared in the popular series Catastrophe starring Sharon Horgan.
BRUSSELS - The European Union warned Tuesday of a massive hit to Europe's economy from the coronavirus lockdowns, saying the contraction this year could be the worst in the continent's post-World War II history.

EU policymakers offered a grim forecast, predicting that even if the handling of the crisis goes smoothly and societies do not need to shutter again now that many have started easing restrictions, the economy of the European Union is expected to shrink by 7.4% in 2020. By comparison, in 2009, which was the worst year of the global financial crisis, Europe's economy declined by just 4.4%.

The forecast made clear that the pandemic has obliterated Europe's slow recovery from that crisis. After a partial bounceback next year, the bloc's economy will still be 3 percent below the previously forecast level by the end of 2021.

"It is now quite clear that the EU has entered the deepest economic recession in its history," said Paolo Gentiloni, the top EU economic official, outlining a grim picture of rising unemployment and dashed opportunities.

Despite the expectation that the economy will grow by 6.1 percent next year, the forecast said that if infections rise again, another three percentage points could be shaved off the economy this year, worsening the crisis even more. If EU countries fail to coordinate their economic response, Gentiloni said, the crisis could also be worsened.

So far, there have been deep divides among EU members about how to fight the crisis. Southern European countries that have been hit the worst by the virus have pushed for transfers of money from the stronger nations in the bloc, and a collective effort to fend off the recession. Northern countries including the Netherlands and Germany are more skeptical.

The projections also made clear that the economic consequences of the pandemic will be unequally spread across Europe. Spain, Greece and Italy will be walloped by the crisis, with their tourism-dependent economies shrinking by more than 9% this year and recovering more slowly, since elements of the tourism sector may take a permanent hit. France would also take a blow, with a decline of 8.2%, while Germany would be relatively better off, shrinking 6.5%. Poland would be the least affected in Europe, with a drop of 4.3%.

The unequal blow may make a coordinated response more difficult among EU nations, with some countries feeling the crisis more keenly than others. The bloc was also somewhat hamstrung in 2008 and especially during the euro crisis that started two years later, when Greece needed multiple bailouts to keep afloat amid dissension about how generous other countries should be with Athens.

Unlike the United States, which can print and borrow an almost unlimited amount of money to finance its goals, countries that use the euro currency are more limited in their responses because they share control over the European Central Bank instead of directing monetary policy on a national level.

The EU figures included a projection for the U.S. economy that forecasts a 6.5 percent contraction this year, suggesting that they expect Europe's downturn to be worse. But despite taking a harder hit than the one expected in the United States, Europe's unemployment figures are expected to look far more protected, Gentiloni said. EU unemployment is expected to rise from 6.7% in 2019 to 9% this year. Although that is a major blow, it is far less so than in the United States, where analysts estimate the unemployment rate has already more than doubled to more than 10%.

The difference in Europe is that most governments have chosen to subsidize private salaries to avoid layoffs, a decision that, though costly, could help freeze the economy in place if the crisis eases relatively quickly.

- - -

The Washington Post's Quentin Aries contributed to this report.
The upcoming biennial election to



Maharashtra Legislative Council will provide an opportunity to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to mark his debut as a legislator, and it will also be interesting to see if there there will be a contest for nine seats which are up for grabs.

Efforts are on to ensure nominees for the nine vacancies are elected unopposed, a Congress leader said.

But, if the situation of a contest arises, all the 288 MLAs, who form the electoral college for the Council polls, will have to come to Mumbai to cast their vote.

If the lockdown is extended beyond May 17, it could be difficult for MLAs to travel to Mumbai.

"All the parties will have to take a decision on avoiding a contest and efforts are on in that direction," a Congress leader said, adding that state party unit president Balasaheb Thorat met NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday.

Later, leaders of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA- comprising Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress), including Chief Minister Thackeray, held a meeting to discuss the strategy for the Council polls.

Thorat told PTI late Tuesday night that the MVA allies have decided to contest the polls together and field six candidates, two from each alliance party.

The opposition BJP is also firm on contesting four seats, and it is upto the government to ensure nominees get elected unopposed, a source in the saffron party said.

"If the MVA contests six seats, there will be an election. The BJP will field four candidates. There is no doubt about it," the source said.

Elections to the nine Council seats which fell vacant on April 24 were postponed in view of the coronavirus outbreak, but last week the Election Commission (EC) set May 21 as the poll date.

This was after Governor B S Koshyari acted on a letter of the chief minister and urged the EC to hold the elections to allow Thackeray, who is at present not a member of either of the House of the Legislature, to fulfil the constitutional obligation of getting elected as a legislator.

Thackeray took oath as chief minister on November 28 last year and per constitutional norms, he has to become member of the legislature within six months to continue in the post.

The Shiv Sena has decided to field Thackeray and Council Deputy Chairperson Neelam Gorhe in the polls.

The NCP is likely to retain Hemant Takle for another term, but has not declared its candidates so far.

The Congress has also not announced its nominees, but senior party leader Naseem Khan, who lost the last year's Assembly polls, is among the front-runners.

Senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse said he has conveyed to his party that he is interested in being a member of the Legislative Council.

"I am interested in state and I want to be a member of the Legislative Council," he told PTI.

Khadse said the BJP can win four seats as it has 105 members in the Assembly, and 11 members of smaller parties and Independents are also supporting the BJP.

"These members have given in writing that they will be with the BJP on the floor of the House," he said.

The quota for a winning candidate is 29 votes.

If the MVA contests six seats, it will need 174 votes while the BJP will need 116 votes.

During the MVA government's trust vote in the state Assembly last year, the ruling alliance had got 169 votes.

The MLCs whose terms ended on April 24 are - Neelam Gorhe (Shiv Sena), Chandrakant Raghuvanshi and Haribhau Rathod (Congress), Kiran Pawaskar, Hemant Takle, Anand Thakur (NCP), Smita Wagh, Prithviraj Deshmukh and Arun Adsad (BJP).

In the 288-member state Assembly, party-wise position is as follows: BJP-105, Shiv Sena-56, NCP-54, Congress-44, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi-three, Samajwadi Party, Prahar Janshakti Party and AIMIM-two each, Peasants and Workers Party, Swabhimani Paksh, Krantikari Shetkari Paksh, Rashtriya Samaj Paksh, Jansurajya Shakti Party, CPM, MNS-one each and Independents-13.

The notification for the Council polls on issued on May 4. The last day of filing nominations is May 11. The scrutiny of papers will be done on May 12 and nominations can be withdrawn till May 14.

The polls are scheduled for May 21 and results will be announced the same day.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
His booming voice has filled living rooms across Australia for years.

But many fans may not know the face behind MasterChef's iconic voiceovers, Ian 'Lofty' Fulton.

Born with achondroplasia - a form of dwarfism - Lofy has overcome adversity to become one of the country's most in-demand voiceover artists.

Meet the mystery man behind MasterChef Australia's voiceovers: Ian 'Lofty' Fulton (pictured) is the narrator behind the Channel 10 cooking show

He scored the coveted gig of narrating MasterChef Australia in 2013, and has gone on to voice the Channel 10 show ever since.

'When I first heard it, I went, 'I'm on the television! That is so exciting!' Lofty recently told SBS of the moment he heard himself narrate MasterChef Australia for the first time.

Meanwhile, Peter Newman, managing director of unscripted content for MasterChef Australia's production company Endemol Shine, has praised Lofty for his stellar performances.

Biggest voice in the biz! Born with achondroplasia - a form of dwarfism - Lofy has overcome adversity to become one of the country's most in-demand voiceover artists

Role of a lifetime: He scored the coveted gig of narrating MasterChef Australia in 2013, and has gone on to voice the Channel 10 show ever since. Pictured: MaterChef judges Andy Allen, Melissa Leong and Jock Zonfrillo

'Loftys voice has been an intrinsic part of MasterChef Australia. He does an incredible job and is undoubtedly part of the MasterChef family,' Mr Newman said in a public statement.

Having worked as a freelance voiceover artist for over 30 years, Lofty has also voiced ads for some of the country's biggest brands, including McDonald's, Coca-Cola and Toyota.

Big gig: 'When I first heard it, I went, 'I'm on the television! That is so exciting!' Lofty recently told SBS of the moment he heard himself narrate MasterChef Australia for the first time

He is also the voice of 2GB radio and Sky News Australia.

In 2018, Lofty penned his memoir, Lofty Fulton: My Life In Short, which shared his experiences growing up with dwarfism, his successful career and his battle with anxiety and depression.

MasterChef: Back to Win continues Tuesday at 7.30pm on Channel Ten

Varied career: Having worked as a freelance voiceover artist for over 30 years, Lofty has also voiced ads for some of the country's biggest brands, including McDonald's, Coca-Cola and Toyota
Spanish health authorities announced on Wednesday that overnight coronavirus-related fatalities had come in at 244, a rise from the 185 recorded on Tuesday.

This new figure breaks a three-day run of fewer than 200 daily deaths, and brings total fatalities since the beginning of the pandemic to 25,857, according to the official count. The number of infections since the epidemic began, as measured by the more reliable PCR testing, stands at 220,325, a rise of 0.31% of the total. For the past week, the daily percentage rise of new cases has remained below 1% of the total.

Madrid and Catalonia continue to be the Spanish regions worst affected by the pandemic. The two areas reported half of daily coronavirus deaths (121 of 244) and half of all cases (114,340 of 220,325), although the latter figure could change, given that Madrid is continuing to make adjustments to its data. The regions also represent half or more of the total number of hospital and intensive care admissions. Meanwhile, the Canary Islands reported no new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, and 11 regions recorded fewer than two intensive care admissions.

In the past 24 hours, 2,516 coronavirus patients have recovered from the disease, bringing the total number of discharged patients to 126,002. The daily rise in hospitalizations and intensive care admissions is 0.7% and 0.46% of the total, respectively.

Speaking at the governments daily press conference, Fernando Simon, the director of the Health Ministrys Coordination Center for Health Alerts and Emergencies, said the trend is falling, and attributed the rise in daily deaths to the oscillations typical in the evolution of outbreak curves.

With respect to infections among children, the rise in daily cases remains around 1%, meaning this rate has not significantly risen since April 26, when minors under the age of 14 were allowed to go outside for a daily walk. The average rise in daily cases from the past four days is 1.16%, compared to 1.8% from the same four-day period last week.

The latest figures come as Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez appeared in Congress on Wednesday to request an extension of the state of alarm, which has been in place since March 14 when confinement measures were first implemented. This measure gives the government emergency powers that underpin its plan to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

Situation in Madrid

Madrids regional premier, Isabel Diaz Ayuso of the Popular Party (PP), said that the region is not ready to enter Phase 1 of the gradual deescalation plan recently announced by the government.

In an interview on the state radio station RNE, Diaz Ayuso said that the number of critical care patients in the region, 640, suggests Madrid should remain for now in Phase 0, which places greater restrictions on citizen mobility.

Her views are not shared by her own deputy, Ignacio Aguado, who said the region is ready to move on and should reopen so the economy is not further damaged.

Meanwhile, an internal document from the Madrid health department has revealed that the 100,000 rapid coronavirus tests that regional authorities purchased to test its healthcare workers are not nearly as reliable as the Madrid government had claimed.

The number of health workers who have contracted the coronavirus has risen 39% in the past two weeks, according to figures released on Monday by the Spanish Health Ministry. A total of 43,325 health workers have now been infected since the beginning of the outbreak. Whats more, the figures show that these professionals make up more than half of new coronavirus cases in Spain.

Impact on tourism

Spain welcomed a little over two million foreign tourists in March, a 64.3% drop from the same period last year, according to new figures released by the National Statistics Institute (INE). And the tourists who did come spent 63% less, for a collective 2.2 billion. The coronavirus pandemic, which led to a lockdown in the middle of March, effectively shut down national borders and delivered the biggest blow on record to the tourism industry.

New rules for symptoms

From now on, health professionals will not only consider coughing, fever and breathing difficulty as signs of coronavirus. Other atypical symptoms such as painful swallowing, loss of smell, diarrhea and taste alterations will also be considered symptoms of Covid-19 infection, according to a document drafted by the Health Ministry in partnership with regional authorities on Monday. According to this text, a doctor who sees a patient with these symptoms may request a PCR test.

English version by Susana Urra.
A masked anti-government protester, wielding a hammer, attacks a man who bystanders suspected of being a pro-Beijing activist from mainland China, during a protest in the Mong Kok area in Hong Kong, China November 11, 2019.

Thomas Peter/REUTERS

On Monday, Reuters was announced the Pulitzer Prize winner of the "Breaking News Photography" category for its coverage of last years violent protests in Hong Kong.

"Our photographers brilliantly captured the magnitude of the protests in Hong Kong," Reuters editor-in-chief, Stephen J. Adler said in a statement. "Their images were beautiful, haunting, illuminating, and deeply memorable."

Taken as the protests raged on from June to November, these photos revisit the turbulent nature of the demonstrations, with coverage provided by Insider.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Millions of protesters took to the streets of Hong Kong last year in a battle for democracy that at times turned violent, destructive, and deadly.

From June to November, protests largely defined the political landscape of the semi-autonomous country, and journalists were at the forefront to document the fight.

On Monday, a Pulitzer Prize  the most prestigious award in journalism  was granted to the Reuters photography team for documenting months of breaking news in Hong Kong.

These incredible photographs give insight into how Hongkonger's and the police clashed during months of turbulent demonstrations.

In June, hundreds of thousands of people marched against a bill that would allow Hong Kong residents to be extradited to China for trial. Critics feared it would subject residents in the semi-autonomous region to unfair trials and fewer legal protections.

Protesters march through the streets of Hong Kong, China, demanding for its leaders to step down and withdraw the proposed extradition bill on June 16, 2019.

Athit Perawongmetha/REUTERS

Source: Business Insider

On the 22nd anniversary of the transition from British to Chinese rule and Hong Kong's establishment as a semi-autonomous territory until 2047, protesters stormed the Legislative Council Complex in opposition to the extradition bill.

A man sprays paint over the Regional Emblem of Hong Kong after anti-extradition bill protesters stormed the Legislative Council Complex on July 1, 2019.

Tyrone Siu/REUTERS

Sources: Business Insider, CNN, Reuters

Many viewed the bill as a threat to Hong Kong's sovereignty and the protests raged on. In some cases, the demonstrations grew violent and police began firing tear gas and rubber bullets in the streets.

Story continues

Police fire tear gas and rubber bullets at anti-extradition bill protesters during clashes in the Sham Shui Po district of Hong Kong, China, August 14, 2019.

Thomas Peter/REUTERS

Source: Business Insider

The demonstrations became largely popular amongst the youth. One study conducted from June to August found that 60% of protesters were younger than 29 years old. "We believe this is the last stand for our future and freedom," Chan, 22, a recent college graduate and protester told Business Insider in early August.

Demonstrators aim their flashlights towards riot police as they are chased through the streets of Hong Kong, China, August 25, 2019.

Willy Kurniawan/REUTERS

Source: Business Insider

Organizers of the protests put forth five key demands: to completely withdrawal the extradition bill; to refrain from classifying the protests as riots; to release protestors who were unlawfully arrested; to investigate police brutality; to establish fair and free elections in the city.

Anti-extradition bill protesters use slingshots to hurl bricks as they clash with riot police in the market town of Tsuen Wan, located in Hong Kong, China on August 25, 2019.

Tyrone Siu/REUTERS

Source: Business Insider

What began as a fight against the extradition bill quickly transitioned into a symbolic pro-democracy battle for protections against Chinese authority.

An anti-extradition bill protester is detained by riot police during skirmishes between the police and protesters outside Mong Kok police station, in Hong Kong, China September 2, 2019.

Tyrone Siu/REUTERS

Source: Business Insider

The presence of the protests could be felt widely throughout Hong Kong. In this photo, travelers at the Hong Kong International Airport are seen pushing their luggage past bricks and barriers set up by demonstrators.

Passengers push their luggage past bricks after anti-government protesters blocked the roads leading to Hong Kong International Airport, in Hong Kong, China, September 1, 2019.

Anushree Fadnavis/REUTERS

To some degree, the protests worked: On September 4, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam dismantled the extradition bill, and promised to formally withdrawal the legislation in October.

Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam pauses while holding a news conference, August 27, 2019.

Kai Pfaffenbach/REUTERS

Source: Business Insider

But many saw this decision as "too little and too late," and the protests  particularly among the youth  continued to brew.

A pro-China demonstrator films herself as an anti-government protester holds up a sign on her phone during skirmishes between the two opposing groups at Yuen Long station in Hong Kong, China, September 12, 2019.

Jorge Silva/REUTERS

Source: Business Insider

In mid-September, hundreds of protestors formed a human chain and climbed to the peak of Lion Rock, a hill located above the city. They held up signs that read "Free HK" and chanted "Stand with Hong Kong, fight for freedom."

Hundreds of anti-government protesters gather after climbing to the peak of Lion Rock as a lighted sign is held high in the air, in Hong Kong, China, September 13, 2019.

Leah Millis/ REUTERS

Source: NBC News

In the following weeks, large-scale demonstrations continued amid two major celebrations: the five-year anniversary of the Umbrella Movement on September 28 and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the People's Republic of China on October 1.

Anti-government protesters are detained during skirmishes between the police and protesters in Admiralty district, Hong Kong, China, September 29, 2019.

Susana Vera/REUTERS

Source: Business Insider

Tens of thousands of demonstrators continued to take to the streets, and clashes between the police and protestors began to increase.

A woman looks out from the window of a residence as demonstrators march through Hong Kong, China on October 20, 2019.

Ammar Awad/REUTERS

Source: Business Insider

Officers fired tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets, and were armed with live ammunition. In some cases, protestors used bricks, barricades, and firebombs. "I believe almost all frontline protesters, including myself, are ready to be arrested or die in protests," Chan told Business Insider.

Customers cautiously exit an eyeglass store past a burning Molotov cocktail as demonstrators clash with riot policemen in Hong Kong, China November 2, 2019.

Tyrone Siu/REUTERS

Source: Business Insider

In November, the clashes grew even worse. Following the death of a 22-year old related to tear gas firings by police, protestors began implementing a new strategy called "blossom everywhere," which included building roadblocks, disrupting transportation, and vandalizing public areas.

A masked anti-government protester, wielding a hammer, attacks a man who bystanders suspected of being a pro-Beijing activist from mainland China, during a protest in the Mong Kok area in Hong Kong, China November 11, 2019.

Thomas Peter/REUTERS

Source: Business Insider

The violence from these protests quickly spread to university campuses, and became the most intense of the demonstrations to date. Police began firing hundreds of rounds of tear gas and water cannons at protestors who gathered throughout the city.

A restaurant worker receives help from volunteers as patrons cover their faces after riot police fired tear gas nearby in Hong Kong, China November 2, 2019.

Tyrone Siu/REUTERS

Source: Business Insider

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) became battlegrounds, and students as young as 15 years old took over campuses to barricade themselves from the police and create weapons to use against them.

An anti-government protester, who later identified himself as a university student, is chased by riot policemen after skirmishes at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, in Hong Kong, China November 12, 2019.

Tyrone Siu/REUTERS

Source: Business Insider

Police charged both universities, fired tear gas at students, and arrested protestors for rioting. "There seems to be no end to protests," Harvey, a 22-year-old student at the University of Hong Kong who participated in protests at PolyU, told Insider. "But I'll do whatever I can to support the cause."

Anti-government protesters stand in a cloud of tear gas unleashed during a stand off with riot police at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, in Hong Kong, China November 12, 2019.

Tyrone Siu/REUTERS

Source: Business Insider

Protestors used weapons including bows and arrows, catapults, and Molotov cocktails. Riots took place in numerous locations throughout the city, and destruction occurred in public spaces including malls and major roads.

Mall security personnel urges caution as he tries to extinguish a burning Christmas tree at the Festival Walk mall in Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China November 12, 2019.

Thomas Peter/REUTERS

Source: Business Insider

The protests lasted weeks and resulted in mass destruction of the campuses, huge amounts of weaponry debris, and the arrests of citizens and students.

A man clears debris following the clashes between police and anti-government protester after a two-week campus siege of the Polytechnic University in Hong Kong, China, November 16, 2019.

REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

Source: Business Insider

By the end of November, the university protests had subsided but demonstrators still gathered to stand in solidarity with one another in the pro-democracy battle for Hong Kong. "We can't back down," one protestor told Business Insider. "We have reached the point of no return."

A child sits in carrier wearing a mask as anti-government protesters hold hands to form a human chain in a sign of solidarity in Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong, China, November 30, 2019.

Leah Millis/REUTERS

Source: Business Insider

Read the original article on Insider
Moved onto his land where he was living in a ditch and stayed for three months

Luana had dreamed of opening animal sanctuary so they merged plans together

She met family friend Al Meyer, 35, in Portugal, who had been building eco-home

A woman who left the UK for Portugal has told of the 'life-changing' moment she found love in a 'muddy' ditch with a family friend.

Luana Ribeira, 38, who is now living in Anglesey, found herself in the midst of personal and romantic turmoil, and decided to leave her three-bedroom detached home in Leeds for Portugal to try to combat the new circumstances she was suddenly faced with.

When she arrived, she fashioned an eco-home out of a poly-tunnel and lived for a few months without electricity or running water, and during this time she was able to find the clarity and motivation she needed to really kickstart her life again.

In that ditch is where she found love with a family friend, Al Meyer, 35, from Leeds, and she says she hasn't looked back since.

'It made me so much more appreciative of the small things,' said Luana. 'Running water, power, internet, being able to keep the mosquitoes out and to straighten my hair. It transformed who I was as a person. I even changed my full name to reflect that.'

Luana Ribeira (pictured), 38, from Anglesey, left her three-bedroom detached home in Leeds to move over 1,400 miles away with very few belongings to live in a muddy ditch in Portugal

In 2018, Luana got on a plane to Portugal with her children Electra, now eight, and Seren, nine, before meeting old family friend, Al Meyer, 35, from Leeds (pictured together)

Al was building his own eco home, and Luana had hoped to open an animal sanctuary, so the duo teamed up and she moved onto his land where he was living in a muddy ditch (pictured)

The businesswoman said that while she was living in a nice suburb of Leeds, running the business of her dreams with a great income, she felt lost and empty. Pictured, in Portugal

Luana says her life had erupted into chaos before she decided to make the unusual decision to move - and live in a ditch full of mud.

'After being happily married for eight years, I was going through a marriage break up,' she explained. 'I was confused, my self-worth and confidence had plummeted and I felt like I didn't even know who I was any more.'

'I was living in a nice suburb of Leeds, running the business of my dreams and had a great income, but I felt lost and empty.'

Then one day, Luana says her head was spinning and it all got too much for her.

'I felt like I needed to escape,' said Luana. 'A family friend, Al Meyer, had moved out to Portugal where he had bought some land and it made sense to me that Portugal would be the place that I could go for some space.'

'As soon as I arrived, I knew I didn't want to leave. I had booked myself into a nice holiday apartment and Al came to visit and ended up staying there with me.

Luana revealed the couple left a warm, cosy house to live in a muddy ditch which had a bed and a camping stove (pictured)

The couple lived together in an eco-home (pictured) they fashioned out of a poly-tunnel without electricity or running water

When Luana went to Portugal, Al (pictured) had been living in a rural part, hours away from civilisation for a year

'I'll never forget sitting downstairs and Al coming downstairs after having his first hot shower for a year! He was in absolute ecstasy and full of gratitude.

'You see, he had been living in rural Portugal, hours away from civilisation for the past year.'

Luana was in awe as he told her about his experience and says the thought of living wild was so appealing to her.

'Al's drive, spark and enthusiasm instantly lit a fire in me,' she said. 'I'd known him a long time, but had never known this side of him.'

'He told me about his plans to create a fully sustainable environment for people to live and I told him about my long-term goal of building an animal sanctuary.'

'It became apparent that Al was doing amazing work on the land but didn't have the funding for what he had in mind. It meant that progress was slow, as he was doing everything by hand and working alone.'

As the pair were chatting over a glass of wine one night, it dawned on them both that they could collaborate and bring both of their dreams into reality.

'It was perfect,' explained Luana. 'Al had the knowledge and the sustainable community he had planned would only be improved by introducing the animals I wanted to rescue.'

Luana was in awe as he told her about his experience and says the thought of living wild was so appealing to her. Pictured, by the river in Portugal

Luana said that if she wasn't working during the three months, she could be found amongst the trees (pictured)

Al (pictured in Portugal) impressed Luana will his plans to create a fully sustainable environment for people to live

'My business was more than capable of funding the project and I was confident that it was established enough, had a strong enough team and systems that were efficient enough for it to be able to run without me.'

Without much thought or planning, Luana rented a house as close to Al's land as she could and left everything she knew behind in the UK.

'We lived in the house for a while,' she said. 'By now, our relationship had deepened and we didn't want to be apart. We had a nice, easy life but were getting frustrated as we were making no progress with our plan.

'The relaxed vibe and sunshine were lovely, but we were here on a mission. I visited Fiji on a business retreat and it was there, as I looked around me, seeing the happiest people I had ever met, who lived in wooden huts and had no possessions, that it hit me.

'We needed to go all in with the project. We needed to move onto the land. "But there's only a tiny tent!" Al said. 'The tent isn't big enough for two. What if we put the poly tunnel over the ditch for shelter?'

'That was it. Decision made! We left our warm, cosy house and went to live in the ditch. It was very muddy, but it had a bed and a camping stove.'

Luana (pictured) said that sometimes, living in a ditch was 'complete peace and tranquility' and that they rarely looked at the time

Luana found running a business online with no power, internet or transport increasingly challenging

Luana says that living in a ditch filled with mud had both its good and bad points.

'Sometimes, it was complete peace and tranquility,' she said. 'We rarely looked at the time  we'd get up when the sun got up and go to sleep as it got dark as we had no light.'

'There was one night when I had taken myself to bed and Al asked me why I was going to bed so early. I said 'It's dark!' and he replied 'No, you're wearing sunglasses.' I must have forgotten I had them on!'

She continued: 'This might sound silly but it gave me huge appreciation for the small things. Waking up every morning in the fresh air was incredible.'

'The place we now call the Freedom sanctuary, was surrounded by woods and a river. Very healing! Every morning, I'd go to the river to meditate. There was a waterfall where we took a "shower" and it's also where we drank from as we had no running water. If I wasn't working, you'd find me among the trees.'

However, Luana found running a business online with no power, internet or transport increasingly challenging.

'The nearest cafe where I could charge up my devices would take three hours to get there and back, so that's what I did,' she said. 'I loved those walks. I rarely saw anyone until I got into the village and the scenery was stunning. But it was challenging to run a business this way.'

Luana would go to the river (pictured) to meditate, and there was also a waterfall where the couple would 'shower'

'I had very limited time in which I could access the internet. I started writing my first book, Passion to Freedom, and was being offered radio and Podcast interviews that I didn't feel like I could accept because I had nowhere to go that I could rely on being quiet.'

She continued: 'I went through a phase of feeling like I was living a double life of one minute being in the mud and the next, jetting off to 5* hotels for TV interviews and to speak on stages around the world.'

'It was this that finally led me to move out of the ditch and into an apartment nearby. I left Al behind, who was still working hard on the build  he had made a little house out of mud by this point, and I moved into an apartment in the city.

'It was hard being away with no contact! In time, we arranged wifi, a great solar system for power and water so it got easier as time went on.'

Now, the couple are living together in Anglesey, Wales, and are going stronger than ever.

'I'd love to be able to say that the sanctuary opened and we rescued lots of animals and everything turned out nicely, but unfortunately it wasn't to be,' said Luana. 'We faced too much opposition and, devastated, we moved away from the area while we figured out our next move.'

She added: 'We don't know what will happen for the sanctuary... time will tell. Al and I are still going strong. No longer living wild and are in a house on Anglesey.'
Challenges associated with food availability are causing Pennsylvania adults over the age of 60 to leave their homes more often than anticipated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Such was the leading takeaway last week from a 32-page report on a survey of older Pennsylvanians released from the Pennsylvania Council on Aging, according to Robert Torres, secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Aging.

For that, Torres stressed during a video press conference, the state will do what it can to help reverse that trend, including encouraging grocery stores to better assist older adults in curbside orders and home-delivery effectiveness.

With some of the concerns that were raised about food access, I was surprised that older adults are going out more than I expected, said Torres, when asked about the most unexpected result of the study. However with the shift to seniors not being able to go to senior centers or adult day centers, theres a lot of pressure being put on to make sure food is being made available to the seniors.

I think the pressure being put on the supply chain as far as delivery and not having enough inventory is obviously pushing the seniors to go out.

The statewide online review was completed in one week by the Council on Aging and received 3,776 responses from older adults. The findings broken into three categories, reflecting the replies of citizens aged 60 to 70, 71 to 90 and 91 and older. With the U.S. Centers for Disease Control reporting that 80 percent of coronavirus-connected deaths in the United States have been of adults 65 or older, the study sought findings specific to Pennsylvania.

The survey was distributed through an internet link to contacts of the Council on Aging, in both English and Spanish. Among those included in the study, the council said, were community-based organizations serving older Latino, African-American and LGBTQ adults. Of the responses, 3,692 were deemed suitable. The surveys were meant to identify how older adults are interacting in their communities during the pandemic, included 14 questions and took approximately five minutes to complete.

While a statewide stay-at-home order was issued on April 1, the study found, among other things, that Pennsylvanias older adults are visiting grocery stores nearly twice a week and that they are going to pharmacies in high numbers. Family and religious interests have also driven older adults to leave their homes during the emergency.

Older Pennsylvanians, the study showed, were also the most likely to visit post offices and banks and less likely to have their groceries delivered. They are also more inclined to feel the effects of social isolation.

One of the comments that we saw frequently in the survey was that theyre not getting their orders completely filled and delivery times were long, Torres said. Its an opportunity to see who we can work with to see if there are opportunities to change some of the current procedures. In terms of social isolation, theres a lot of interest on that topic. We are working with universities that have expressed interest in working with the department to work with older adults on the issue.

To reduce that isolation, particularly among nursing-home residents, Torres said his department has a partnership with the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) to provide more devices to patients to maintain better contact with family members. According to Torres, the AARP has hundreds of volunteers prepared to assist in that effort.

From the study, the Department of Aging recommended that grocery stores prioritize delivery or curbside pickup for older adults. Also, it encouraged stores to offer specific hours for seniors to shop on Sundays, the day they are most likely to leave their homes.

We really hope these findings will lead to good decision-making and policies and procedures moving forward, said Faith Haussler, the executive director of the Council on Aging, during the cyber-briefing. We wanted to be sure we were capturing real-time information from older adults.

The full State of Older Adults COVID-19 Report, can be accessed at the Department of Agings website, www.aging.pa.gov. Choose the Organizations option, then select the Council on Aging category.

The (Tom) Wolf administration and the Department of Aging are keenly aware that food access, community connections and social isolation have and will continue to be issues affecting older adults well-being and quality of life, said Torres, in a statement announcing the study results. The responses drawn by this survey, in real time during this pandemic, present an opportunity for us to deepen our collective understanding of these major issues and engage with partners to develop thoughtful, creative and effective solutions.
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: After two back-to-back gunfights in Handwara in which eight securitymen including two army officers were killed, security experts are apprehensive that militants might attempt to open a second front in north Kashmir and the summer may be hot on militancy front.

Former Jammu and Kashmir DGP S P Vaid said the militants might be planning to disturb north Kashmir like south Kashmir. Vaid said there was a possibility that militants might attempt to revive militancy in north Kashmir and open another front for security forces. After the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July 2016, south Kashmir had emerged as a stronghold of militants.

However, Vaid said two years back, when he was the DGP, police used to get reports that militants were trying to become active north Kashmir also.

According to security experts, the Rajwar forest area in Handwara falls along the infiltration route and serves as a hideout for infiltrators.

In absence of free movement owing to lockdown, militants are operating in north Kashmir, said another former DGP Kuldip Khoda.
The first batch of 79 stranded



Sikkim residents have returned to the state, Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang said on Wednesday.

Most of the returnees were stranded in West Bengal and Rajasthan's Kota due to the lockdown. They were ferried from Siliguri in 10 state transport buses since Tuesday night, he told reporters here.

Special trains carrying stranded persons from Kota had recently reached neighbouring West Bengal.

"The returnees, mostly students, professionals, patients and their attendants, went through screening and health check-up at border check-posts. They will undergo institutional quarantine for 14 days, before being sent to their homes," Tamang said.

A total of 5,715 stranded persons from Sikkim have registered themselves with the state government's portal for returning to their homes, he said.

"We will facilitate the return of all the stranded persons in a phased manner and none will be left behind," Tamang said.

However, those attempting to enter the state without undergoing mandatory screening at border check posts will face strict action including registering of cases by the police, he said.

On the Sikkim government's preparedness to deal with the novel coronavirus outbreak, Tamang said two floors of a state-run hospital at Sokeythang near Gangtok have been designated as a COVID-19 facility.

"The facility has a total capacity of 250 beds, including a 40-bed isolation ward and a 20-bed ICU.

"Fifty seven ventilators have been installed and the facility will be equipped with 500 TrueNot testing kits and 2,800 mobile testing kits, of which 1,440 have been dispatched to the medical establishment," he said.

The state's first coronavirus testing laboratory will be functional from May 15, Tamang said.

On the lockdown's impact on the economy of Sikkim, the chief minister said the state government will soon set up an Economic Revival Committee to deal with the situation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Tijuana Johnson, a licensed practical nurse at Cooper University Health Care, gets ready to do walk-up tests for people who have potential symptoms of the coronavirus at a testing site in Dudley Grange Park in Camden on Tuesday. Read more

Gov. Tom Wolf said Tuesday he would stick to his reopening metric statewide, with no exceptions for the Philadelphia region. Amid indications of a slowing infection rate in the region and state, the number of Pennsylvanians who have died from the coronavirus passed 3,000.

Delaware announced its first steps toward recovery with some small businesses allowed to reopen as early as Friday, while New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said data about the virus effects indicated it was still too early to set a date for steps toward lifting shutdown restrictions.

Pennsylvania reported 554 deaths, a number representing a backlog of lab data, and 865 new cases of the virus on Tuesday.

A number of days with less than 1,000 new cases is positive news, Health Secretary Rachel Levine said. That is promising. Were going to need to see if that trend continues.

The pace of infections was slowing in New Jersey, Murphy said, though hundreds of people are still dying daily: 334 reported Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 8,244. An additional 2,494 had tested positive. Still, the governor said the state was continuing to flatten the curve.

We have avoided the worst of it by a lot," Murphy said. "Lets keep at it, because our vigilance is working, its paying off, and it needs to keep paying off.

After requests Tuesday from some officials in the Pennsylvania suburbs to assess county case numbers separately from cases in care homes, Wolf said he would take into account how much community spread is occurring outside such homes and other congregate-care facilities when deciding which areas can start to reopen.

We are trying to make this reopening process as measured, reasonable, and logical as we can, but there will always be a measure of subjectivity in it, he said.

The governor added that you still have a troubling situation in the southeast beyond cases in long-term-care facilities  but he said progress had been made in the region around Pittsburgh and indicated officials would soon make an announcement about that area.

None of the eight southeastern counties  Bucks, Berks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Montgomery, Philadelphia, and Schuylkill  has reached the states target goal of fewer than 50 new cases per 100,000 people in the last 14 days. Philadelphia is the farthest from the goal and Schuylkill is closest, according to state data analyzed by The Inquirer.

But in Montgomery County, where the states early cases of the virus were concentrated, Commissioner Val Arkoosh said Tuesday the county had turned the corner.

The county is still a little ways away from meeting the infection-rate goal and still lacks enough rapid testing to safely reopen many businesses or schools, she said. Still, this is a good time to really start thinking about: what are you going to do differently when we go from red to yellow? she said to residents, referencing the governors color-coded phases of reopening.

More than 80% of the countys coronavirus-related deaths have been associated with long-term-care facilities, Arkoosh said, noting that sick residents are sometimes transferred to local hospitals while facility employees circulate in the community.

Its not correct to think that these individuals are on an island and have no impact on our entire community, said Arkoosh, a physician with a background in public health.

Philadelphia Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said Tuesday that care-home cases are among the statistics the city is closely tracking and that the city would continue to follow Wolfs guidance for reopening.

I would strongly disagree with anyone who says we should discount them, Farley said. But if people want to count them separately in any decision-making, I think thats fine, as its clear that theyre important.

As of Tuesday, 9,625 residents had been sickened at 495 long-term-care facilities in Pennsylvania, Levine said. State officials are having robust discussions about whether they can identify facilities with outbreaks, she said, as other states, including New Jersey, have done.

As the number of new cases of the coronavirus reported daily in Philadelphia continued to decrease, cases among inmates in the citys Department of Prisons dropped to the lowest point weve been at in a while, with 29 people testing positive Tuesday, the health commissioner said. The daily count of inmates with the virus peaked at about 75 in late April. In total, 194 have tested positive since mid-March.

As officials monitor outbreaks in group-living facilities and prisons, Pennsylvania began to also publicly track coronavirus cases among workers in the food industry on Tuesday.

Of the commonwealths confirmed 50,957 cases, 2,032 are among food industry employees at 120 facilities, Levine said. Officials did not say which plants have seen outbreaks. One plant worker at Lebanon County poultry processor Bell & Evans died of the virus, as did a union steward at JBS Beef in Souderton, which temporarily shut down its 1,400-employee facility after workers tested positive.

The additional data come days after a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report showed Pennsylvania has more confirmed cases of the coronavirus among meat production workers  858 as of Friday  than any other state.

 FAQ: Your coronavirus questions, answered.

In New Jersey, residents can now report any possible evidence of care-home misconduct related to coronavirus outbreaks to an online state portal while remaining anonymous, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said Tuesday.

"We are not alleging misconduct, but we will evaluate whether some facilities put profits over patients, said Grewal, who began investigating the states long-term-care facilities after reports of 18 bodies piling up in a morgue meant for four at a North Jersey nursing home. We are looking back and we will hold people accountable if anything criminal happened.

Murphy also said New Jersey will grant temporary emergency licenses to recent graduates of nursing, physician assistant, pharmacy, and respiratory therapy programs so they can join the effort to curb the coronavirus pandemic.

This means that thousands of recent graduates can quickly join the teams of health-care professionals currently fighting COVID-19, Murphy said.

Farley said the city has been trying to collect information from people who have recently confirmed cases of COVID-19 to determine how they got exposed to the virus. They are hoping for more survey responses, but Farley said he believed cases were more people in situations where they really cant social distance  [than] people who are deliberately ignoring our recommendations.

Murphy also said Treasury Department officials loosened restrictions on how New Jersey can spend $1.8 billion in federal bailout money, which will allow the state to fund critical services impacted by the pandemic and to make a $467 million payment in school aid due Friday.

We will put this money to good use for our first responders, our small businesses, Murphy said, and because of this guidance, will be able to fill an immediate need to provide the funding we had budgeted for our schools and educators.

Staff writers Laura McCrystal, Anna Orso, Rob Tornoe, and Jeremy Roebuck contributed to this article.
A federal judge on Tuesday ruled against the New York Board of Elections decision to cancel the states Democratic primary election and ordered the state to hold the election next month as planned.

The preliminary injunction from Manhattan Federal Court Judge Analisa Torres requires New York to reinstate Democratic candidates on the ballot who were duly qualified as of April 26 and hold the election on June 23.

Democratic commissioners of the state Board of Elections canceled the primary election last week, arguing that all candidates had dropped out except former vice president Joe Biden.

Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang quickly sued over the decision, saying the move denies voters the right to vote and prevents former 2020 candidates like Senator Bernie Sanders from picking up delegates.

They will be deprived of the right to cast a vote for an otherwise qualified candidate and the political views expressed by that candidate, the judge wrote.

Torress decision puts Yang and Sanders back on the ballot along with eight other former contenders for the Democratic nomination.

Im glad that a federal judge agreed that depriving millions of New Yorkers of the right to vote was wrong, Yang said of the decision. I hope that the New York Board of Elections takes from this ruling a newfound appreciation of their role in safeguarding our democracy.

Governor Andrew Cuomo had postponed the primary, which was originally scheduled for April 28, over concerns about spreading the coronavirus. The board took that decision further in canceling the election altogether.

Sanderss campaign manager Faiz Shakir on Tuesday also praised the judges ruling, saying it has restored basic democracy in the state.

People in every state should have the right to express their preference in the 2020 Democratic primary, Shakir said. We have confidence that New York can hold elections in June in a safe manner that preserves New Yorkers right to vote.

More from National Review
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the meeting (Source: VNA)

Concluding the April Government meeting in Hanoi on May 5, PM Phuc said the Government would not accept a growth rate of 2.7 per cent as forecast by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The Government leader asked ministries, agencies and localities to offer support to firms, continue improving business environment, especially stepping up major projects, including VND37 trillion ($1.6 billion) worth of public investment by the Transport Ministry, thus creating a driving force for the economy.

He said the Government has agreed to issue a thematic Resolution on tackling difficulties faced by businesses, accelerate public investment disbursement, and restoring socio-economic development.

PM Phuc highlighted the need to continue working for the double goals, while easing social distancing measures to stimulate production and trade, especially in urban and tourist areas, adding that it is now a golden time to develop services economy.

He instructed promoting the attraction of foreign and private investment, boosting exports and public capital disbursement, and stimulating domestic consumption.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) was assigned to work with the Finance Ministry, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and agencies concerned to promptly update growth scenarios and adjust targets related to State budget collection, overspending and public debt.

The MPI must submit reports to Prime Minister before May 10 so that the PM could report to the Politburo and the legislature at the upcoming session of the legislature this month.

The Government basically agreed with the Ministry of Education and Trainings report on plans for high school graduation and university entrance exams this year.

Chairpersons of the peoples committees of cities and provinces must be responsible for the safety of exams in their localities.
National and local Latino organizations are concerned about low participation of Hispanics in the 2020 census, citing their worries over privacy, novel coronavirus implications and confusion over a identity question in the survey.

Based on our research and surveys, we know that most Latinos are concerned about the privacy and security of the data that they provide to the Census Bureau, said Lizette Escobedo, director of the National Census Program with the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund, known as NALEO.

Such concerns are still lingering, particularly among families with mixed immigration status amid a failed attempt from the current administration to introduce a question related to citizenship.

People need to understand that there is not a question regarding citizenship in the census form, said Escobedo, who moderated an online townhall this week where several Latino leaders addressed concerns among Hispanics.

We know that many people do not trust the federal government and are afraid to give out their personal information, said Andrea Senteno, a counsel with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. She said MALDEF is partnering with 250 organizations and leaders nationwide that have pledged to monitor, prevent and block any potential breach of census data confidentiality.

In Harris County and Texas, where the participation rate of 52 percent is below the national average, local leaders are struggling to motivate Hispanics to participate. The national average is 57 percent.

The census ranks Texas as No. 40 among all states in the level of participation. Houston is last among the top five cities in the state by population with a 48 percent rate, with areas heavily populated by Latinos showing lower percentages.

Genesis Sanchez, NALEOs census campaign manager for Texas, said many immigrants are also aggravated and distrustful because they did not receive stimulus checks or any other relief during the pandemic.

We find its harder now to convince people that its really important for them to be counted in the census, said Sanchez, adding that social distancing imposed by the pandemic has already hampered efforts to mobilize Hispanics. There is a tension there, where people say, why should I participate if the government is not looking out for me.

We are sharing the message that by participating in the census they are helping the government to assist their communities, she added. But the pandemic response is a clear example in which the government didnt.

The group continues to emphasize the need to be counted, because the census determines how much money communities will receive for services, including education.

Latino leaders also point to issues with a question in the the census about identity.

It is now more complicated than before, said Arturo Vargas, director of NALEO. People have to answer in three steps about ethnicity, race, and country of origin. Answering the question about identity has always been complex for Hispanics, who can be of any race, and the new format didnt make it easier.

As the Census Bureau resumes some counting this week, a coalition of civil rights organizations sent a joint letter to Congress demanding oversight of changes to guarantee the participation of hard-to-count communities. The organizations are NALEO, Asian Americans Advancing Justice and The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.

Vargas recognized that COVID 19 has forced the bureau to adjust their schedules, such as delaying the deadline for the count until Oct. 31, as they announced this week. But the letter expressed concerns that changes could jeopardize proper counts.

olivia.tallet@chron.com

Twitter.com/oliviaptallet
Ben Bramhall is the CEO of XPS Pensions Group plc (LON:XPS). First, this article will compare CEO compensation with compensation at similar sized companies. After that, we will consider the growth in the business. Third, we'll reflect on the total return to shareholders over three years, as a second measure of business performance. The aim of all this is to consider the appropriateness of CEO pay levels.

See our latest analysis for XPS Pensions Group

How Does Ben Bramhall's Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies?

According to our data, XPS Pensions Group plc has a market capitalization of UK234m, and paid its CEO total annual compensation worth UK363k over the year to March 2019. While this analysis focuses on total compensation, it's worth noting the salary is lower, valued at UK288k. We examined companies with market caps from UK80m to UK321m, and discovered that the median CEO total compensation of that group was UK605k.

Next, let's break down remuneration compositions to understand how the industry and company compare with each other. On an industry level, roughly 67% of total compensation represents salary and 33% is other remuneration. XPS Pensions Group does not set aside a larger portion of remuneration in the form of salary, maintaining the same rate as the wider market.

This would give shareholders a good impression of the company, since most similar size companies have to pay more, leaving less for shareholders. While this is a good thing, you'll need to understand the business better before you can form an opinion. The graphic below shows how CEO compensation at XPS Pensions Group has changed from year to year.

LSE:XPS CEO Compensation May 6th 2020

Is XPS Pensions Group plc Growing?

XPS Pensions Group plc has seen earnings per share (EPS) move positively by an average of 86% a year, over the last three years (using a line of best fit). It achieved revenue growth of 26% over the last year.

Overall this is a positive result for shareholders, showing that the company has improved in recent years. The combination of strong revenue growth with medium-term earnings per share improvement certainly points to the kind of growth I like to see. Shareholders might be interested in this free visualization of analyst forecasts.

Story continues

Has XPS Pensions Group plc Been A Good Investment?

Given the total loss of 25% over three years, many shareholders in XPS Pensions Group plc are probably rather dissatisfied, to say the least. So shareholders would probably think the company shouldn't be too generous with CEO compensation.

In Summary...

It looks like XPS Pensions Group plc pays its CEO less than similar sized companies.

Considering the underlying business is growing earnings, this would suggest the pay is modest. Few would deny that the total shareholder return over the last three years could have been a lot better. So while we don't think, Ben Bramhall is paid too much, shareholders may hope that business performance translates to investment returns before pay rises are given out. In this case we may want to look deeper into the company. There are some real positives and we could see improved returns in the longer term. On another note, XPS Pensions Group has 4 warning signs (and 1 which is a bit concerning) we think you should know about.

Arguably, business quality is much more important than CEO compensation levels. So check out this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
Deputy of the My Step faction of the National Assembly of Armenia Nazeli Baghdasaryan told Armenian News-NEWS.am that she was tested for COVID-19 today and might get the results tomorrow.

I feel great. I dont think Im infected, but when I was being tested, my fever was 37.7 Celsius. I really dont have any problems. Im currently isolated at home. The doctors might transfer me to a different place since my minor child is with me in Yerevan, my other family members are in Gyumri, and I couldnt leave him and go to the place for quarantine, Baghdasaryan said.

Baghdasaryan has been self-isolated since yesterday after having contact with a citizen infected with the coronavirus for nearly six days, and the citizen tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday.

This evening, Baghdasaryans assistant Knarik Harutyunyan posted on her Facebook page that she has tested positive for COVID-19.
NAIROBI, Kenya  Somali and Kenyan officials have agreed to jointly investigate the crash of a private cargo plane in Somalia on Monday, an incident many thought could further escalate political tensions between the two countries.

The Kenyan-registered aircraft was undertaking a humanitarian mission when it crashed in the town of Bardale, in the southwestern Bay region of Somalia. The plane, which belonged to the African Express Airways, plunged around 3:30 p.m. local time, killing all six people on board. The plane was delivering supplies related to the coronavirus pandemic and had initially left the Somali capital Mogadishu for Bardale.

Officials have said the cause of the crash remains unclear, but there is speculation that it was shot down.

While members of the Somali militant group Al Shabab remain active in southern Somalia, Bardale and its airstrip are secured by Somali forces, as well as Ethiopian troops who are part of the African Union peacekeeping mission in the country.
The management of Ibom Air, an Akwa Ibom State wholly owned and operated airline says it has taken delivery of one more aircraft, making it four aircraft on her fleet.

Ibom Air which is the brainchild of Governor Udom Emmanuels administration in Akwa Ibom has recorded tremendous successes, surpassing records in the number of passengers airlifted as well as on-time departure and arrival of flights, less than a year since it began operations.

Ibom Air which commenced commercial flight operations on June 7, 2019, with three aircraft, airlifted 50,000 passengers within 100 days of operations and recorded 98 percent on-time flight departure, according to report from the company.

Ibom Air which is currently the only state-owned airline in Nigeria was set up by Governor Udom Emmanuel as part of his plans to open the State up for industrialization through land,sea and air.

Akwa Ibom state under Governor Udom Emmanuel, through Ibom Air, has made bold contributions to expand the Nigerian Aviation industry, recreating a totally new experience for air passengers with her fresh aircraft, adjudged to be the newest in the Nigerian airspace.

Ibom Air announced the arrival of her new aircraft in a release on its official Facebook page on Wednesday, saying that the aircraft, a Bombardier CRJ 900 aircraft arrived Lagos from Calgary, Canada at 10:48 pm local time, on Tuesday evening, May 5, 2020.

We are very pleased to receive the first of our two recently purchased Bombardier CRJ 900 aircraft, in line with our fleet expansion strategy. With this addition, our fleet grows to four aircraft.

This particular aircraft, with registration number 5N-BXP, made its maiden commercial flight in May 2014 (just 6 years ago). Thus, Ibom Air continues to operate the lowest average fleet age amongst Nigerias airlines. This fleet strategy is in line with our vision to be a world-class African regional airline, Ibom Air announced in a release.

The company said her modern fleet of Bombardier CRJ 900 aircraft comes fitted with High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters which helps to remove contaminated air from the cabin.

HEPA filters are high  intensity filters that do not just filter dust, but effectively capture greater than 99% of the airborne microbes in the filtered air, including microscopic particles such as bacteria and viruses. Cabin air in HEPA equipped aircraft generally pass through the filters 20-30 times per hour, removing contaminants and greatly enhancing the quality of air in the cabin.

Earlier this year, Chairman of Ibom Airline Company Limited and former military Governor of the State, Retired Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga, said the company was expecting two more aircraft to add to three it already have.

The Ibom Airline company has thanked the Minister of Aviation, regulators in the Aviation sector and the Akwa Ibom state government for giving support to the company to be able to bring in the new aircraft despite the nationwide lockdown. The expansion of the fleet of Ibom Air attests to Governor Udom Emmanuels vision in aviation industry and and his avowed determination to make the State the industrial hub in the Gulf of Guinea.
Atlantas new archbishop was installed Wednesday in a Mass that tweaked Catholic traditions with social distancing among priests and video messages from church leaders who could not attend during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Mass began with Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer knocking three times on the large wooden doors of Christ the King Cathedral in Atlanta. He was welcomed inside by priests who kept their distance as they walked toward the altar to begin the service.

Only a handful of people attended in person, with some of them seated strategically across the main nave while others watched from the choir loft. They applauded rather than hugged as Hartmayer became the new leader of the diocese.

Typically, the cathedral would be packed for such an occasion, but the ceremony was livestreamed for the faithful to follow.

One of the challenges was just keeping the tradition but figuring out how to do that without having all the people there who are typically there, said Maureen Smith, a spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

Guests would typically include Pope Francis representative, the papal nuncio who presents the new archbishop with the papal bull, a document inscribed in Latin appointing him to his post.

Rather than travelling to Atlanta, the nuncio appeared by video toward the beginning of Wednesdays service.

I regret that during these extraordinary times, I cannot join you in person, the Most Rev. Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, said in a video message played during the Mass.

You are being installed with few people physically present but with many, many joining from afar not only here in Atlanta but also from your beloved Savannah and from all over the country, Pierre said.

In an interview before the Mass, Deacon Dennis Dorner noted that in normal times, the cathedral would be filled with 200 priests or more, all of whom would go to the altar to greet the new archbishop.

But in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, thats just not going to happen, he said.

Hartmeyer had served as bishop of the diocese in Savannah, Georgia, since 2011. Pope Francis appointed him in March to head the Atlanta diocese.

As a Conventual Franciscan, Hartmayer, 68, pledged to serve his vows of chastity, poverty and obedience in service to society. The Buffalo, New York, native worked as a guidance counsellor, school director and teacher in Catholic schools in Baltimore, New York and Florida.

He replaces Archbishop Wilton Gregory, who took over in Washington, D.C., amid leadership changes in response to the global churchs sex abuse and coverup scandals.

My heart is in Atlanta today while I rejoice with you as you welcome Archbishop Gregory Hartmeyer as your new shepherd, Gregory said from Washington, in another video played during the Mass. I know that he will be for you a gentle and dedicated minister of the gospel.

Hartmayer has held video calls with some of the priests and others he will be working with, and hes been able to have some one-on-one, personal meetings.

Fortunately he has a large conference room with a very long table, and they can separate from one another, Dorner said.
Pakistan army again resorted to unprovoked firing and shelling on Tuesday on the Line of Control (LoC) in J&K's Rajouri district, an army official said.

"At about 8.30 p.m. today, Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and intense shelling with mortars along the LoC in Manjakote sector of Rajouri district," Defence Ministry spokesman, Col. Devender Anand told IANS.



"Indian army is retaliating befittingly," he added.





Pakistan has been breaching the bilateral ceasefire on the LoC with impunity this year.



Since January, Pakistan has violated ceasefire 1,550 times so far.
BRECKSVILLE, Ohio

Aggravated burglary: Chippewa Road

On April 10, police were dispatched to a Chippewa Road restaurant regarding a former employee who had assaulted a current employee.

The caller said the aggressor, a Richfield man, had a gun.

An arriving officer located the victim near the rear entrance of the restaurant. He had a bloody nose and mouth. He was standing with an ice pack on his face.

The Tennessee man said he had been busy washing dishes when two men -- the former employee and another man later identified as a younger brother -- assaulted him with their fists and struck him with the gun.

The employee also cocked the gun when it was pointed toward the floor. When the dishwasher pushed the gun away, the magazine fell out. Thats when he took off running.

Surveillance footage shows the suspects coming into the rear entrance and leaving less than a minute later. At that point, one of the suspects was seen holding a gun.

The Richfield Police Department went to the former employees home. The suspects, who were still wearing the same clothes, were arrested.

Next, the Brecksville officer discovered that the injured employee had given a fake name. It turned out that he was really from Ohio and had a warrant from the Solon Police Department. He was arrested and held for transport.

Read more from the Sun Star Courier.
A shocking video showing a 'packed' American Airlines flight departing from New York City has emerged online, as stunned customers claim no safety precautions were carried out by the airline to prevent the spread of coronavirus on board.

Grandmother-to-be Krissy Maloney said she was left aghast yesterday when she arrived at LaGuardia airport in Queens to find the gate of her departing American Airlines flight packed, with fellow passengers bundled together as they waited to board the plane.

Though she says everyone was wearing a face mask, Maloney alleges many passengers had the coverings resting under their chin or just covering their mouths, leaving their noses exposed.

Adding to her woes, she said the situation on board wasnt much better either. Maloney claims before boarding she was assured that all center seats on the plane would be blocked off for social distancing purposes.

Absolutely not the case, she later wrote on Facebook. This plane was an Air Bus 321, holds 220 passengers, every single seat on this plane was filled.

We flew from NYC, the US epicenter of Corona, no one said anything to anyone about distancing or even to pull your mask from under your chin.

Maloney claims before boarding the flight she was assured all center seats on the plane would be blocked off for social distancing purposes

Maloney had been flying from New York to South Carolina to be with her pregnant daughter Meg, who is due to give birth.

Just beware if you have to fly, the airlines are doing nothing to make anyone feel like air travel could be safe, she wrote on Facebook. If my grandson wasnt coming any time now I would not have flown and if I knew the airline was going to completely lie about taking precautions than I would have driven.

In a statement to DailyMail.com, American Airlines refuted Maloneys claims, saying the flight was not full, and not every seat was occupied, adding that their COVID-19-induced safety protocol was fully complied with on Maloneys flight.

The airline said that on all flights through May 31 the number of passengers on board are limited, with 50 percent of the main cabins middle seats restricted from use unless necessary.

Gate agents will also continue to reassign seats to create more space between customers or to accommodate families who need to be seated together, a statement from the company read.

In reference to Maloneys claims that 220 passengers were on board, American Airlines said the aircraft in question can actually only hold 187.

The spokesperson declined to provide the specific number of passengers on board the flight when pressed by DailyMail.com.

Maloney had been flying from New York to South Carolina to be with her daughter pregnant daughter Meg, who is due to give birth

In a statement to DailyMail.com, American Airlines refuted Maloneys claims, saying the flight was not full, and not every seat was occupied, adding that their COVID-19-induced safety protocol was fully complied with on Maloneys flight

Last week, American Airlines released a series of new safety guidelines in response to the on-going coronavirus pandemic. From May 1 all flight attendants were required to wear face coverings on board. That order will be extended to all passengers from May 11

Last week, American Airlines released a series of new safety guidelines in response to the on-going coronavirus pandemic.

From May 1 all flight attendants were required to wear face coverings on board. That order will be extended to all passengers from May 11.

The American Airlines team continues to prioritize the safety of our customers and team members, and requiring a face covering is one more way we can protect those on our aircraft, said Kurt Stache, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience. We ask customers to bring their own masks or face coverings theyre comfortable with when they travel. American is working to procure face masks and hand sanitizer as a supplement.

US Airlines are Burning $10 BILLION in Cash Every Month as Demand Plummets US airlines are collectively burning more than $10 billion in cash a month and averaging fewer than two dozen passengers per domestic flight because of the coronavirus pandemic. Even after grounding more than 3,000 aircraft, industry trade group Airlines for America said its member carriers, which include the four largest US airlines, were averaging just 17 passengers per domestic flight and 29 passengers per international flight. The U.S. airline industry will emerge from this crisis a mere shadow of what it was just three short months ago, the group's chief executive, Nicholas Calio, said during a prepared testimony at the US Senate on Wednesday. Net booked passengers have fallen by nearly 100 percent year-on-year, according to the testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee. The group warned that if air carriers were to refund all tickets, including those purchased as non-refundable or those canceled by a passenger instead of the carrier, this will result in negative cash balances that will lead to bankruptcy. US airlines have canceled hundreds of thousands of flights, including 80 percent or more of scheduled flights into June as U.S. passenger traffic has fallen by 95 percent since March. Advertisement

American also introduced enhanced cleaning procedures on and off board, extending the efforts to ticket counters and waiting areas.

American Airlines announcement preceded similar announcements made by Delta Airlines and Frontier earlier this week.

Delta announced their temporary safety changes Tuesday, with the airline taking social distancing measures beyond keeping the middle seats off limits by capping first class sales at 50 percent of capacity and economy class at 60 percent.

The Atlanta-based carrier will be blocking off select window and aisle seats across the next few weeks for aircraft with 1-by-2, 2-by-2 and 2-by-3 seating configurations. The airline has been blocking the sale of the middle seat on all flights since mid-April, except for in first class.

Delta also revealed a number of other measures to expand distancing measures on its full fleet of mainline and regional aircraft, including a new policy requiring all customers to wear face masks and boarding flights from the back to the front.

In accordance with the new measures, from May 4, all Delta Customers and employees will be required to wear masks or face coverings in the check-in lobby, Delta Sky Club, gate areas, jet bridges and on board.

Anyone without a mask will be provided one by Delta staff, the airline said.

Delta also recently began boarding flights from the back of the aircraft to the front to limit the number of passengers passing one another in the aisles.

That measure was first actioned on April 10, however following Tuesdays announcement, it will stay in place through at least June 30.

A number of other US airlines are revamping their seating arrangements, boarding protocol and aircraft sanitation in an effort to stem the spread of COVID-19 and reassure customers that its safe to fly amid the pandemic. Passenger traffic has dropped 95 percent from this time last year, leaving many planes with empty seats.

Delta announced their temporary changes Tuesday, with the airline taking social distancing measures beyond keeping the middle seats off limits by capping first class sales at 50 percent of capacity and economy class at 60 percent

Hoping to tempt customers back to their ultralow-cost service is Frontier, who added a new product to its extensive menu of in-flight purchase extras: a More Room seating option

Hoping to tempt customers back to their ultralow-cost service is Frontier, who added a new product to its extensive menu of in-flight purchase extras: a More Room seating option.

The new policy allows customers to buy 'peace of mind' and enjoy their flight at a social distance without having the middle seat next to them occupied.

US Airline Coronavirus Safety Measures Alaska Airlines: Blocking off middle seats on all its large aircraft and the policy is effective through May 31. American Airlines: Blocking off 50 percent of its main cabin middle seats and any seats situated near the flight attendants jump seats. The policy is effective through May 31. Hawaiian Airlines: Crew will manually assign seats to 'increase personal space onboard' and prevent the booking of middle and adjoining seats. JetBlue: Not barring middle seats outright, however, flight staff are limiting the number of seats for sale on most aircrafts 'to provide additional space between individuals who are not traveling together.' Spirit Airlines: Middle seats on most of Spirit Airlines aircraft will be blocked, according to the companys website. There is no end date specified. Southwest Airlines: Instead of blocking off middles seats, the number of passengers allowed on board has been capped. Passengers are responsible for picking their own seats and managing their own space needs. The policy began May 2. United Airlines: Passengers are limited from booking middle seats 'where available.' Aircraft that have two-seat rows will only allow one passenger to book a seat while the other remains empty. Additional spacing procedures include blocking off seats directly next to the booked seat, whether it be directly in front of a window seat or beside an aisle seat. The policy is in place through May 31. Advertisement

Famed for their cheap flights and extra costs  ranging from carry-on bags to soft drinks  the More Room option is set to cost prospective flyers around $39 and up, depending on the flight.

While we believe the best measure to keep everyone healthy is to require face coverings, for those who want an empty seat next to them for extra peace of mind or simply additional comfort, we are now offering More Room, said Frontier CEO Barry Biffle.

Flights departing from May 8 through August 31 will have 18 More Room seats available for purchase, including Stretch seats in the front three rows of the aircraft which provide extra legroom and recline.

When asked by CNBC why the airline didn't opt to block all middle rows, Frontier CEO Barry Biffle explained that the practice would result in rising airfare.

As a low-cost carrier, Frontlines aircraft are configured in a high-density format where seats are placed closer together to properly utilize all cabin space. For example, a Frontier Airlines Airbus A321 narrow-body aircraft has only four fewer seats than an American Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner wide-body jet, SeatGuru reported.

Frontier has taken a number of other measures to ensure the safety of crew and passengers, expanding on its April 13 policy that all crew must wear facemasks and extending the order to passengers as well.

From May 8, all passengers must also complete a form acknowledging that they dont have any COVID-19 symptoms. Their temperatures will be checked and sanitation efforts will be carried out throughout the flight.

We bottomed out a few weeks ago, Biffle told the CNBC. To put things in perspective, prior to this, we carried around 80,000 passengers a day and we got down to about 3,000 passengers per day just a few weeks ago. But, I'm really pleased, yesterday and now again today, we're going to carry over 10,000 passengers.

Biffle also pushed back against claims the airline is putting a price on safety, saying that Frontiers cleaning practises and other policies are already sufficient enough. He said the More Room option is just an added extra for their most worried customers.

We don't believe this is what you need to be safe but it's one more thing that we can do to put people's minds at ease, the CEO said.

The new policy allows customers to buy a peace of mind and enjoy their flight at a social distance without having the middle seat next to them occupied

US airlines are collectively burning more than $10 billion in cash a month and averaging fewer than two dozen passengers per domestic flight because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Even after grounding more than 3,000 aircraft, or nearly 50 percent of the active US fleet, industry trade group Airlines for America said its member carriers, which include the four largest U.S. airlines, were averaging just 17 passengers per domestic flight and 29 passengers per international flight.

The U.S. airline industry will emerge from this crisis a mere shadow of what it was just three short months ago, the group's chief executive, Nicholas Calio, said during a prepared testimony at the US Senate on Wednesday.

Net booked passengers have fallen by nearly 100 percent year-on-year, according to the testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee.

The group warned that if air carriers were to refund all tickets, including those purchased as non-refundable or those canceled by a passenger instead of the carrier, this will result in negative cash balances that will lead to bankruptcy.

US airlines have canceled hundreds of thousands of flights, including 80 percent or more of scheduled flights into June as U.S. passenger traffic has fallen by 95 percent since March.

Calio said airlines 'anticipate a long and difficult road ahead. ... History has shown that air transport demand has never experienced a V-shaped recovery from a downturn.'

The US Treasury has awarded nearly $25 billion in cash grants to airlines to help them meet payroll costs in exchange for them agreeing not to lay off workers through September 30. Major airlines have warned they will likely need to make additional cuts later this year to respond to a long-term decline in travel demand.
On Monday, New Zealand registered zero new cases of COVID-19. It was the first day the country had reported no new confirmed cases since it went into lockdown in March. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declared that there was no undetected community transmission in the country and that health officials knew where all new cases (including one reported on Tuesday) were coming frommeaning the virus has, for now, been contained.

The small country has been praised by the international community for its response to the pandemic. New Zealand started a strict lockdown early, ramped up production of coronavirus tests, and closed its borders to anyone except for out-of-country citizens returning home.

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Its also been praised for the efficacy and clarity of its communication with the public. The country has divided its measures into four alert levels, each defining a certain phase of the pandemic. The system allows the country to be nimble: Different areas can have different alert levels, and leaders can adjust to stricter or looser levels as outbreaks occur. But the countrys communication also depended on a concept its termed the bubble.

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The basic idea behind the bubble is to conceive of your socializing not as a matter of the individual but as that of a self-contained household: If you visit the home of a friend, for example, you arent the only one put at risk. Your roommates or family members youre living with, by extension, have been exposed to the risk. Your bubble is this group of people: those you live with and those you closely or regularly interact with.

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During the strictest phase of lockdown, most New Zealanders bubbles were synonymous with their households. But those living alone could also visit and socialize with another person or couple isolating in the same neighborhood or retirement community as long as neither party interacted with anyone else. This was considered a particularly valuable measure for older people, who are at risk of loneliness that affects mental and physical health. What makes the bubble idea an effective communication tool is not just its simplicity but also its ability to morph along with changing regulations. As New Zealand now moves into a lighter stage of restrictions, the concept of the bubble is adjusting with it.

Under the more relaxed alert Level 3, New Zealand authorities are allowing bubbles to slowly open. In April, Ardern warned that citizens needed to keep it exclusive, though, and keep it small. Under the current restrictions, people can add one or two more people to their bubble. Those additions must be local, but for many who havent seen their parents, grandparents, siblings, or romantic partners in more than four weeks, the new standards allowed for a long-awaited reunion. Others can use the new rules to look after isolated neighbors, get fuller assistance from a caretaker, arrange to have a relative take care of their child as they return to work, or just reach out to a lonely friend.

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This isnt the only version of the bubble concept being floated. According to a study from sociologists at the University of Oxford and University of Zurich, the bubble (or as the paper described it, a  repeated contact strategy), in theory, is a great option for countries moving forward as we come out of this pandemic. Tested against other methods of pruning social networks (such as only staying within your neighborhood or only interacting with family and close friends), the intentional, closed-circuit grouping of people seemed to be the most effective at limiting the viruss spread.

Per Block, one of the studys authors, said its important to take a common-sense approach that factors in the reality of human behavior. A 10-person bubble could work just as well as New Zealands conservative version, he said, but only if those people live otherwise fully isolated lives. Adding nine people to your network, rather than one or two, increases the chances of someone being contaminated at the store or of someone breaking the agreement and damaging the bubbles integrity. The success and failure of all this bubble concept depends not only on my actions but also everybody else, he said. Its really a question of solidarity.

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Then there are structural issues, beyond individual choice. Is it realistic that we can create these small, very cohesive groups that really have no contact to the outside world? Block said. Thats a question that, I think, depends on local policy implementations. A full reopening of the economy and a complete return to worksomething that some Americans are agitating forwould make the bubble a fairly pointless measure.

In the U.S., roughly half of all states are starting to reopen in some meaningful way, according to the New York Times, even as public health experts warn these reopenings could cause more spikes in cases, and even as some areas continue to see a growth in cases. There is little in the way of coherent national guidelines: We have mostly missed our opportunity to roll out a secure, methodical bubble approach. But that doesnt mean some version of it, and the underlying principles, wont still be useful. People can stay in their neighborhoods to try to slow the viruss geographic spread; schools can keep the same students together in classes, whenever possible; individuals can try to socialize among a circle of friends and family, without branching out too much. As for the bubble approach as a larger strategy, Block said places still in the throes of the pandemic are likely not ready for it: I think we can say New Zealand is probably safe to do it. New York is probably not safe to do it. The right moment would need to be decided by authorities and epidemiologists.

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New Zealand appears to have prepared its citizens for the best possible version of the bubble system, but its not fully clear how the rules around the bubble concept will change as the country continues to reopen. According to the New Zealand health ministry, people should still try to maintain a small, exclusive bubble under Level 2 and keep a record of their interactions with other people in order to do contact tracing. This may allow the country to ease the public out of quarantine. By laying the groundwork now, New Zealand may have found a way to test the advisability of reopening society with a mechanism for monitoring and adjusting the process as it goes.

In the meantime, New Zealand is considering extending the bubble concept to the international level by creating something called a travel bubble with Australia. The idea is that, to boost the sputtering but economically crucial tourism industry, Australia and New Zealand will allow free travel between their two countries, which have a close relationship and which have both done a decent job of limiting the pandemics spread. Australia has been less strict in its measures than its neighbor, but its number of new cases has continued to drop over the past monthwith 26 new cases on Monday and only 15 the day before. As of now, both countries borders are closed to noncitizens. But if both countries see continued success with the pandemic and believe in their ability to contact-trace, they might, essentially, combine their bubbles.

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But New Zealand citizens arent perfect examples of compliance, either. In a recent press conference, Ardern warned that the public was jeopardizing its success by growing complacent under the new rules. New Zealand police said that they had reprimanded more than 500 people for breaching the rules in the first week of the Level 3. Any gains youve seen at the moment are actually from the lockdown period, she said. She warned that she would not make a decision about a further easing of restrictions until she saw the effects of the more relaxed rules. We need to not get ahead of ourselves, she said. Stick to our bubble and finish what we started.
Trump has not let go of the idea, insisting that the dark color will enhance its forbidding appearance and leave the steel too hot to touch during summer months. During a border wall meeting at the White House last month amid the coronavirus pandemic, the president told senior adviser Jared Kushner and aides to move forward with the paint job and to seek out cost estimates, according to four administration officials with knowledge of the meeting.
Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in Karnataka of indulging in "medieval barbarism" and treating migrants like "bonded labourers", the opposition hit out at the state's decision to stop workers from returning to their homes in different parts of the country citing requirements of the construction sector.

Earlier in the day, the Karnataka government withdrew its request to the Railways to run special trains to ferry migrant labourers to their home states, hours after builders met Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa to apprise him of the problems the construction sector will face in case they left.

"I appeal to labourers with folded hands.. don't pay heed to any rumours. It is the responsibility of the government to see to it that you get work at the place you were working... Don't take the hasty decision of going to your native places. Stay here and work, as in the past," he had said on Tuesday in his second such appeal made within a week.

However, most labourers are not in a mood to stay back as the lockdown has left them virtually high and dry besides posing other issues, and they want to leave for their home states.

Condemning the government's move, the Congress said the decision to go back or stay in the state should be with the labourers and not the government and the former are free to choose health or work.

Senior party leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah said had the interests of labourers been taken care of by stakeholders, they may have stayed back, but the government did little to address their concerns.

Using the hashtag that migrant lives matter, the former CM put out a series of tweets wondering if the government is still practising bonded labour.

He said, The argument of the CM that construction will not happen if migrants go back just exposes the BJPs mindset. He is willing to sacrifice the lives of helpless labourers for the sake of invisible hands.

The decision to cancel trains for migrants is not just inhuman but also violation of fundamental rights, he added.

The decision of @CMofKarnataka to cancel trains for migrants is not just inhuman but also violation of fundamental rights.#MigrantLivesMatter1/4 Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 6, 2020

The argument of @CMofKarnataka that construction will not happen if migrants go back just exposes @BSYBJP's mindset. He is willing to sacrifice the lives of helpless labourers for the sake of invisible hands.#MigrantLivesMatter2/4 Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 6, 2020

Senior Congress leader DK Shivakumar said that the migrant labourers cannot be held captive. We have to take them into confidence. The government and builders must give them incentives," he was quoted as saying by NDTV.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said this is worse than treating them as bonded labour.

Does the Indian constitution exist? Are there any laws in the country? This BJP state government is throwing us back to medieval barbarism. This will be stoutly resisted, Yechury said in a tweet.

The Railways is running Shramik Special trains to ferry to their hometowns migrants who were stranded at their places of work during the lockdown. So far, it has run more than 115 such trains.

The Principal Secretary in the Revenue Department N Manjunatha Prasad, who is the nodal officer for migrants in the state, had requested the South Western Railways on Tuesday to run two train services a day for five days except Wednesday, while the state government wanted services thrice a day to Danapur in Bihar.

However, later, Prasad wrote another letter within a few hours that the special trains were not required. Several migrants in the city were desperate to return home as they were out of jobs and money.

However, the Karnataka BJP unit said the workers could go home if they wished to. "Whoever is interested is staying here. If they are not interested, they will be sent back. If there is a demand, definitely we will request the chief minister," party leader Jagadish Shettar said.

Hailing the partys move, Bengaluru MP Tejasvi Surya said it would help the state emerge stronger.

"Stoppage of inter-state trains by Sri @BSYBJP is a bold and necessary move. It will help migrant labourers who came here with hopes of a better life to restart their dreams. Also, it will kickstart economic activities full throttle. Karnataka will emerge out of this stronger!" his wrote on Twitter.

On Tuesday, Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashoka met the migrant labourers at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre where they have been accommodated.

Most of the labourers were afraid of staying here for fear of contracting COVID-19. They are also expressed concern about the well-being of their families back home and are apprehensive that they may not be able to return quickly if their kin faced some problems.

Shailesh, a painter from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, said he had exhausted all the money that he had.

"My elder brother is stuck in Hyderabad whereas I am held up in Bengaluru. Both of us are jobless for the past one-and-half months," he said.

He also said the money lender who had lent Rs 40,000 to his parents has been pestering them for the past one week to return it. He apparently wants to be with them during such a situation.

A few migrant labourers stuck in the slums near Subramanyapura in the state capital said they are out of cash to purchase grocery items.

Crammed in four small rooms, the 14 labourers said arranging food was a big challenge. "We are getting Khichri, but how long can one eat this alone," they said and made it clear they wanted to go back to their native state.

The chief minister had on Friday urged the workers to stay back in the state and co-operate with the government in resuming economic activities.

On Tuesday construction industry representatives had informed him they have started providing employment to migrant workers in the past few days after relaxation in some of the lockdown norms, Yeddiyurappa said.

Besides, the builders also said they paid salary and provided food to the workers during the past one-and-half months despite no work, he had said.

(With inputs from PTI)
Teenagers who age out of foster care run the risk of falling through the cracks of society; many end up homeless. Wishing to offer vulnerable teens soon to become adults an alternative, a non-profit is building tiny homes to keep young men and women safe, off the streets, and headed toward a brighter future.

Pivot, an advocacy and education group for youths and families, based out of Oklahoma, has been building a village of tiny homes for teens on their premises since April 2018. Owing to the proximity of the homes to the Pivot offices, residents get a two-for-one: a safe place to live and a plethora of support on their doorstep.

Whether they are aging out of the foster care system or are youth living on their own, we recognize that youth need assistance securing a safe and stable place to live, Pivot CEO Jennifer Goodrich told KOCO News 5.

The first three tiny homes were constructed after the organization received a $100,000 grant from Impact Oklahoma. The tiny community, according to the Pivot website, will address the lack of safe, transitional living space for teens and young adults living on their own without parental support.

Each 280-square-foot tiny home comprises a bed, a small kitchen, and a bathroom. A communal space will eventually provide laundry services and a storm shelter. The homes are being built for teens aged between 16 and 24, and project leaders envision a community of 84 tiny homes on the Oklahoma site once building is complete.

Providing more than simply a roof over their heads, Pivots tiny homes village also nurtures life skills and a sense of community for its vulnerable teens.

What an amazing day! The walls are up on Pivots first three tiny homes. Students from OSU-OKC and Metro Technology    Pivot  A Turning Point for Youth     

The houses will be next to each other, Pivots vice president of development, Melanie Anthony, told Oklahomas News 9. You walk out front and your neighbor is right there. You have that interaction, that relationship.

Teen tenants stay for free for their first month. After that, the rent gradually increases from $100 to $150 per month if the tenant surpasses the six-month mark. While there is currently no limit to how long a tenant may stay, the ultimate aim of the project is to help teens work toward independent living.

Pivots celebratory ribbon cutting took place in October 2019, and the first tenants moved in. Goodrich explained that the non-profits staff want kids to understand how to be a good neighbor, how to take care of their spaces.

Carter, 19, lost his mother when he was 10 years old; his father is incarcerated. At the age of 18, he packed his bags and moved out of foster care into a homeless shelter.

Totally different than I had imagined. I thought, this is going to be totally small, Carter told News 9 upon moving into his very own tiny home. Its going to help put me on track and eventually get my own apartment, help learn to provide for myself, and be on my own.

Paula Anderson, 22, voiced gratitude to Pivot for enabling her to graduate high school. I was given my keys and at that moment I thought, I have somewhere to go? I have somewhere to lay down tonight? I finally get to lay down tonight in a bed, Anderson told Fox 25.

I dont have to ask a stranger to stay with them, she continued. I dont have to do that no more. It was so amazing. After graduating, Anderson enrolled in college to become a registered nurse.

In late February 2020, Goodrich told The Epoch Times that Pivot had just received a National Housing Trust Fund grant to build 20 additional tiny homes with a target date for by the end of June 2021. The project is expanding.

We are very excited, she said.
Twin sisters Brie and Nikki Bella returned to the promotional trail on Tuesday following the release of their hard-hitting memoir, Incomparable.

The 36-year old siblings, who are both pregnant, are currently celebrating the launch of their tell-all book, a candid account of their difficult upbringing and subsequent rise through the ranks of professional wrestling.

It also documents, in harrowing detail, Bella's multiple rape ordeals, including being raped and losing her virginity at 15 on the floor of a Hyatt Hotel room.

Out now: Twin sisters Brie and Nikki Bella returned to the promotional trail on Tuesday following the release of their hard-hitting memoir, Incomparable.

Appearing on Wednesday's edition of Good Morning America, the identical sisters admitted they were doing their best to 'stay calm through the chaos' surrounding their bombshell revelations while preparing for the birth of their babies.

Reflecting on her pregnancy, Nikki said: 'Its so weird because Brie and I, this my first time, but we have the same pregnancies, the same symptoms, were kind of having our own set of twins, I know it sounds weird but being a week and a half apart...'

This is my second pregnancy,' added Brie, who raises daughter Birdie with husband Daniel Bryan.

Read all about it: The siblings, who are both pregnant, are currently celebrating the launch of their tell-all book, a candid account of their difficult upbringing with an abusive father

Opening up: Appearing on Wednesday's edition of Good Morning America, the identical sisters admitted they were doing their best to 'stay calm through the chaos' while preparing for the birth of their babies

'I have a three year old daughter, but its so different from my first so its so weird for me to be exactly like her because its so different.'

The twins also revealed they were stunned after discovering they were both pregnant within two days of each other.

Nikki, who is expecting her first child with fiance Artem Chigvintsev, recalled: 'I was just feeling symptoms and stuff because Brie had just told me she was pregnant, and I was like "I'm just gonna take a pregnancy test and just get it out of my head."

'When I saw positive I was shocked, and then we both we like really embarrassed because it's weird, we're identical twins, we're literally a week and a half apart, it's just kinda weird.'

Surprise: The twins also revealed they were stunned after discovering they were both pregnant within two days of each other

The new book charts the twins' rise to fame, first as wrestlers before moving into the competitive world of reality television, following a difficult upbringing with their parents in Phoenix, Arizona.

One passage recalls the moment Bella passed out after drinking too much alcohol as a 15-year old and woke up with a man she thought was a friend on top of her and inside of her.

Recalling the experience, she wrote: 'There is the horrible offence in the moment, and then the shame and blame that follow and feel almost worse than the original pain.

'When something like this happens to you, you understand the blame-the-victim mentality, how easy it is to feel shame rather than anger, how easy it is to feel like you could have stopped it yourself.'

Incomparable is out now.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 6)  Lawmakers should deliberate on the renewal of franchise of ABS-CBN without fear of President Rodrigo Dutertes wrath, his spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque directly referred to Dutertes allies in the Congress who failed to grant a fresh 25-year franchise to operate before ABS-CBNs license expired on May 4, leading to the closure of one of the countrys biggest broadcast network.

Ang paninindigan ng Presidente, neutral siya diyan. Huwag po kayong mag-alala, mga congressmen. Hindi po magagagalit, hindi matutuwa ang Presidente kung inyong ipasa ang prangkisa ng ABS-CBN. Completely neutral ang Presidente, he said in an interview with state-owned television network PTV.

[Translation: The President is neutral on this issue. The congressmen shouldnt worry because he will not be happy nor sad if they decide to grant ABS-CBN a franchise. President Duterte is completely neutral on this.]

Dutertes spokesman said the Senate and House of Representatives should maximize the return of the Congress sessions amid the COVID-19 pandemic to finally grant the franchise so ABS-CBN can return on air after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered it to immediately stop broadcast operations on Tuesday.

A joint resolution granting a temporary franchise to ABS-CBN Corporation to operate until June 2022 was filed at the House on Wednesday. Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said the process of passing this resolution will be faster as compared to hearing legislative franchise bills.

Mas mabilis yung joint House resolution because this one, alam mo kasi for the franchise bill of 25 years, we have to hear from all stakeholders. It's quite difficult now because of COVID-19. We are going to have a virtual session and committee hearing so we can now pass this within the month, he told CNN Philippines.

[Translation: The joint House resolution will be completed faster. To pass a franchise bill that will last for 25 years, we have to listen to all the stakeholders. That will be a challenge with the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.]

He urged the Senate to come up with a similar resolution and to act on the issue after NTC failed to keep its word and so-called double crossed the Congress that it will issue a provisional permit to ABS-CBN.

Huwag na nating ibigay sa NTC, niloloko lang tayo ng NTC. What we are going to do is to have Congress itself act on this House joint resolution with the Senate, the lawmaker added.

[Translation: Let us not depend on NTC, we are being duped. Now the Congress has to act on it.]

Numerous bills have been filed before the House since November 2016 to extend ABS-CBNs franchise for another 25 years to continue airing on radio and free TV. These have been set aside by the "too busy" 18th Congress  which is dominated by Dutertes allies  as the country faced the Taal volcano eruption and the COVID-19 pandemic in the months running up to the expiry of the franchise.

TIMELINE: ABS-CBN franchise

With several bills languishing in the House as time was running out, House panel on Legislative Franchises Chairman Rep. Franz Alvarez and House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano wrote a letter to the National Telecommunications Commission urging commissioners to grant the network a provisional permit. But instead of holding its promise to issue a provisional authority, NTC issued a cease and desist order.

Rodriguez said that with the expiration of ABS-CBNs franchise, all bills seeking to renew the license is no longer valid. So he filed a new bill that will grant the network a new franchise. This is the 12th ABS-CBN franchise bill filed in the 18th Congress.

The House Committee on Legislative Franchises is now waiting for Cayetanos go signal to hold hearings on ABS-CBNs franchise application. Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin said Alvarez told him that hes ready to start the hearings once he gets the green light from Cayetano.

Roque reminded lawmakers that Duterte is no longer holding a grudge against the media giant after ABS-CBN President Carlo Katigbak apologized and explained the networks failure to air his campaign ads. The President has been publicly ranting against ABS-CBN since assuming office in 2016, saying the network refused to carry his campaign commercials even if they have been already paid for.

You can vote as you please. Simula pa po hindi naman siya nanghihimasok at nagdidikta. Sana po makarating ang mensahe sa mga kaalyado ni President sa Kongreso, he said.

[Translation: You can vote as you please. The President does not meddle nor dictate. I hope this reaches his allies in the Congress.]

Rep. Edcel Lagman said the House might have been reluctant to pass the bill due to Duterte's ire against the network. He reminded all lawmakers to act independently, without fear or fervor to the President. He added House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano  Dutertes close ally  is ultimately to blame for dragging its feet on the ABS-CBN.

This is a lesson for the HRep that it should exercise its constitutional powers independently without succumbing to the President, he told CNN Philippines The Source.
Special childcare provisions will be put in place for 5,000 healthcare workers (Anthony Devlin/PA)

Special childcare provisions will be put in place for 5,000 healthcare workers later this month, it has been confirmed.

Minister for Children Katherine Zappone said that from May 18, her department will oversee the provision of childcare in the homes of essential healthcare workers.

It is estimated the cost of the scheme will be in the region of 4.7 million euros a week, the majority of which will be paid for by the state.

I am pleased to be in the Dail this afternoon to outline the measures that my Department has taken to ensure the care and protection of our children and young people during this pandemic @DCYAPress @merrionstreet @EarlyChildhdIRL #Childcare  Katherine Zappone (@k_zappone) May 6, 2020

Ms Zappone told the Dail this is part of the first phase of easing Covid-19 restrictions.

The minister, who lost her seat in the general election and made the statement in the Dail as an unelected TD, said families will pay 90 euros a week.

Tomorrow we will be inviting registered childcare services to participate in this much-needed measure, she said.

Participation will be voluntary, many services have expressed an interest in supporting this initiative as being part of Irelands call during these challenging times.

We have been planning this for a number of months and have listened to suggestions from the childcare sector.

#OireachtasTV - continued coverage of today's #Dail proceedings with Statements and Questions and Answers on Childcare - watch LIVE here #seeforyourself https://t.co/kfA2PCnf6P  Houses of the Oireachtas - Tithe an Oireachtais (@OireachtasNews) May 6, 2020

She added: This will provide essential healthcare workers with 45 hours of childcare a week.

We are recommending the childcare workers volunteering for the scheme are paid, on average, 15 euros per hour.

As part of the scheme, we will also cover employer PRSI (Pay Related Social Insurance), leave accrual and any management and administrative overhead providers.

Ms Zappone said the scheme will run for four weeks and be reviewed after a fortnight.

She added: Weve also commenced planning for phase three, which will see the phased reopening of creches and preschools for the children of essential workers.

This is the first step in the phased reopening of centre-based childcare.

It is inevitable that childcare services will not open at full capacity  fewer children attending a childcare service will increase the costs of the provision of childcare for these children.

As outlined previously, 70% of the costs of provision of childcare are related to pay costs.

I dont anticipate the services will be in a position to absorb them all of these costs.

We need to learn to live with this virus Jim O'Callaghan, Fianna Fail

Some 3,733 providers have signed up to the Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme, representing 83% of childcare providers.

Meanwhile, Fianna Fails Jim OCallaghan said the Government and the minister need to place greater emphasis on trying to reinstate some normality into the lives of children and young people.

We need to get a plan in place so that they know when theyre going to go back to school, when they can go back to playing with their friends, when they can go back and start exercising with their friends, he said.

The reality is that we have done well in reducing the virus in this country, we have flattened the curve but were not going to be eliminating this virus until such time as we have a vaccine.

That is going to take a number of years. However, what we cant do is indefinitely put our children and young peoples lives at a standstill while we await the development of a vaccine.

We need to learn to live with this virus and what that means is that we need to have an efficient and speedy testing system in place thats the only way by which we can live with this virus.
Aussie larrikin Harry Jowsey is the breakout star on Netflix's hit series Too Hot to Handle.

And the 23-year-old certainly had a reason to celebrate on Tuesday, when he reached three million followers on Instagram.

Taking to the social media platform, Harry did a little dance as he marked the milestone in his career.

'I've got goosebumps': Too Hot To Handle star Harry Jowsey, 23, (pictured) did a celebratory dance after reaching three million followers on Instagram on Tuesday

'Oh my god. What. I got goosebumps. We just hit three million,' he in a video clip.

Harry looked wide-eyed with joy as he continued his dance.

'WTF, it doesn't feel real,' he added.

'Oh my god. What. I got goosebumps. We just hit three million,' he said. He then took a swig from a bottle of alcohol to celebrate

Harry then took a swig from a bottle of alcohol, before saying: 'Love you guys. Not a massive drinker. Here's to you.'

Australian reality star Harry has become one of the most recognisable faces on the reality show, in which he stars opposite his Canadian model girlfriend, Francesca Farago.

Harry even recently hinted that the pair get engaged in an upcoming episode.

Announcement? Australian reality star Harry has become one of the most recognisable faces on the reality show, in which he stars opposite his Canadian model girlfriend, Francesca Farago. Harry even recently hinted that the pair get engaged in an upcoming episode

'Get ready for the shock,' he teased in a social photo, where he's seen holding up a large ring to the camera.

The official Netflix Instagram account also shared a sneak peek of the special on Monday.

'We will all be [host] @destheray's face when Extra Hot: The Reunion arrives on Friday 8th May,' the post was captioned.

'Get ready for the shock,' he teased in a social photo, where he's seen holding up a large ring to the camera

Harry was seen holding up a blue candy ring pop on a Zoom call interview.

'I was so nervous for this,' Harry wrote cryptically under the gallery, forcing fans to jump to conclusions.

'Are you going to propose? Now I need to know,' one fan asked, as another asked: 'Are you asking Francesca to marry you with the ring pop being the ring?'

Many fans took the post as confirmation, expressing their excitement and well-wishes for the TV couple.

Other users also though the 'shock' announcement may be that a baby was also on the way.

While Harry and Francesca conversed with each other on the thread, they didn't interact with fans or confirm or deny the rumours.

They were on a break! Harry and Francesca became partners after filming the show a year ago. They separated for eight months before reuniting shortly before the show aired

Too Hot To Handle's power couple Harry and Francesca quickly became fan favourites when they debuted on the Netflix dating show in April.

The pair became partners after filming the show a year ago.

They separated for eight months before reuniting shortly before the show aired.

Too Hot To Handle is available to stream on Netflix
After a delay of more than three hours Louisiana officials reported 403 new cases of coronavirus across the state, bringing the total infected past 30,000.

Shortly after the initial release 52 new coronavirus deaths were reported, bringing the statewide total to 2,094.

The Louisiana Department of Heath announced just before noon that Wednesday's update would be delayed.

There are now 30,399 cases across Louisiana.

Can't see the graphic below? Click here.

Seven more coronavirus deaths in East Baton Rouge bring parish total to 189 residents An additional seven East Baton Rouge residents died from coronavirus on Tuesday and Wednesday, pushing to parish total to 189 deaths.

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An additional seven East Baton Rouge residents died from COVID-19 on Tuesday and Wednesday according to local officials, pushing the parish total to 189 deaths.

The victims range in age from 60 to 89, two women and five men.

All had underlying medical conditions which made them especially vulnerable to the effects of coronavirus, the coroner said.

Total cases in East Baton Rouge rose to 2,224, an increase of 49 since Tuesday. That figure leaves the parish on par with the new cases seen in the long-standing coronavirus hotspots of Jefferson Parish (63 new cases, 6,554 total) and Orleans Parish (33 new cases, 6,608 total).
They blasted "Live and Let Die" while Trump walked around a Honeywell plant today in Arizona without a mask. It's hard to believe this clip is real. pic.twitter.com/M1dMe8KaMK  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 5, 2020

Republicans broadly agree that mass deaths are an acceptable sacrifice in the effort to "reopen" an economy savaged by the coronavirus pandemic. This approach got its media moment yesterday as Trump toured a mask factory to Paul McCartney's classic hit Live and Let Die.

"They blasted "Live and Let Die" while Trump walked around a Honeywell plant today in Arizona without a mask," writes Aaron Rupar on Twitter. "It's hard to believe this clip is real."

71,000 dead as of today.

I keep seeing liberal folks accusing the right of hypocrisy, especially with respect to abortion. This is pointless, because they don't care. We're at the threshold of a sea change, where many right-wingers ditch pro-life rhetoric in favor of blunter, more sectarian weapons. "All life is sacred" was a lie its own proponts hardly pretended to believe in the first place, so why honor it after they abandon it? The post-Roe political reality of "it's not her body anyway" is coming.
A public works employee is suing the city of Englewood and his superiors for allegedly retaliating against him when he complained the Department of Public Works was not sufficiently protecting workers, exposing them to the coronavirus.

In a lawsuit filed Monday, William Fulmore, of Hackensack, claims that his superiors at the Englewood DPW were not protecting employees from the virus or abiding by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Fulmore alleged that the department did not provide personal protective equipment, disinfect common areas or even enforce social distancing, according to the lawsuit.

When he complained, Fulmore was allegedly told to stay home, despite other coworkers being allowed to work, even after they tested positive for the coronavirus and he tested negative, according to the complaint.

Out of all the departments in the city of Englewood were more exposed to bacteria Fulmore allegedly wrote in a letter sent to the city March 19. I dont understand how the city of Englewood has done nothing to protect the employees at DPWIt seems like the city isnt going to be satisfied until someone here becomes infected and spreads it to someone else.

After Fulmore, who has worked at the DPW for nearly 16 years, complained in the letter and directly to his superiors, he was met by consistent pushback, the lawsuit says. Fulmores supervisor Raymond Romney allegedly told him that he should not have complained in the March 19 letter.

Fulmore, who became the DPWs chief shop steward in 2013, allegedly complained to both Edroy Jenkins, a DPW supervisor, and Daria Trumpet, director of human resources at the DPW, about the lack of protective equipment and paltry quarantining and social distancing at the department, the suit said.

Both Jenkins and Trumpet are named defendants in the lawsuit, along with James Fedorko, the citys health officer.

On March 29, Trumpet allegedly told Fulmore the name of a coworker who tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Trumpet then told Fulmore he had to stay home for two weeks, from March 29 to April 13, because he was exposed to the individual who tested positive, the complaint said.

But Fulmore sees this as nothing more than retaliation, since he was not experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 at the time, the suit said. Additionally, other coworkers who had had direct contact with the person who tested positive were not made to quarantine, the suit alleges.

No other employee at the defendant DPW were placed out on quarantine for 14 days and could not return to work despite having direct contact and/or indirect contact with the individual who tested positive at the DPW, the suit alleges.

Fulmore has since tested negative for the virus, according to the complaint. Upon Fulmores return to work, he asked Fedorko why he was the only one made to quarantine, the suit said. Fedorko responded by citing a previous lawsuit filed by Fulmore, the suit said.

Just in case something was to happen, the city didnt want a problem," Fedorko allegedly told Fulmore.

But the retaliation didnt end at the forced quarantine, says Robert Tandy, Fulmores attorney. While the alleged retaliation started with Fulmores reporting of lackluster protection against the coronavirus, it worked its way into the Community Baptist Church, where Fulmore was an associate minister, his first love, said Tandy.

After Fedorko told Fulmore he could come back to work, he allegedly warned Fulmore that he could not practice at the church, the suit said.

No preaching," Fedorko allegedly told Fulmore.

On April 5, Fulmore participated in the recording of a service that was to be broadcast days later on April 10, the suit said. On April 10, the last day of Fulmores quarantine and the day the service was scheduled to be broadcast, Fulmore received a text message from his pastor complaining that he had recorded the service while he was supposed to be on quarantine, the suit says.

Trumpet, who is a parishioner at the church, allegedly told Fedorko, who then warned the pastor, the suit alleges.

According to him, mr fedorko [sic] or something similar, your quarantine ended today," the pastor wrote in the text, according to the suit. If this is so, I wonder why you would jeopardize others by ignoring this order. I cant imagine what the other ministers will say when they realize that perhaps they were potentially exposed. As leaders of the gospel we must be examples to all.

Tandy sees Trumpet and Fedorkos notification to the pastor of Fulmores quarantine as a two-pronged attack on Fulmores constitutional rights: an invasion of a privacy and a denial of a freedom of religion.

The fact that the city of Englewood has engaged in the most sacred infringement of ones rights and its the freedom to exercise your religion, Tandy told NJ Advance Media. And they had no basis to infringe upon his First Amendment rights.

While Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes did not comment on specific allegations, he roundly denied that DPW workers were not given the same protection as other city employees.

We treated every department as we do our police and fire, with utmost concern to protect them, Mayor Michael Wildes told NJ Advance Media. So its absurd and will be answered properly. We cannot comment further when it comes to litigation but the residents of our city should be assured of the safety measures that we have for our valued employees.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Rodrigo Torrejon may be reached at rtorrejon@njadvancemedia.com.
Stressful, scary, clunky, complicated, constantly changing and impenetrable.

Thats how six local small business owners described applying to the Paycheck Protection Program  a source of funding that, despite its problems, they all credit with potentially saving their businesses as they struggle during the coronavirus pandemic.

The six small business owners featured in this article applied to the PPP through Solvay Bank. Their experiences ran the gamut, from the furniture store approved in the first round of funding to the self-employed skydiving instructor who decided to take his application to another bank.

At Solvay Bank, the oldest local financial institution in Central New York, officials said they were proud of their role in helping connect businesses to the PPP loans, even if there were some kinks to work out along the way. Solvay devoted one-third of the banks staff to the program, increasing hours to meet demand.

The bank processed more applications in five days than it would normally in a year, and continues to accept new clients.

Some customers were pleased, feeling comforted by the banks attentiveness and attention to detail. Others were so upset with the process, lack of communication and burdensome requirements that they wrote to syracuse.com with their concerns. The rest fell somewhere in between, remaining as customers of the bank but with some frustrations.

In the end, the business owners and the bank are all part of a historic, herculean effort to save small businesses across the U.S. In spite of technological issues, inconsistencies, frayed relationships and threatened reputations, all the business owners were approved for the low-interest, forgivable PPP loans.

Their stories provide a snapshot of what happened with the program nationally, and how it played out at one Central New York bank.

Clunky, to say the least

Rachel Henderson Kelly started researching the PPP as soon as there was talk on the news of relief for small businesses.

The PPP, enacted about a month ago as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, quickly pumped $350 billion into small businesses bank accounts, to help cover things like payroll and utilities. The program has been hugely popular. Initial funding for the loans was depleted in less than two weeks. Businesses competed with each other for their banks and credit unions attention.

Henderson Kelly got an application into Solvay Bank on behalf of her familys business, Henderson Wholesale Lamps, during the first round of PPP funding. The loan was to cover payroll expenses for the businesses two lone employees, as well as to help with things like rent and utilities. She said it was a given to apply through Solvay Bank, with its main branch just down the street and a great, longtime relationship between the businesses. Henderson Kelly said the bank and lighting distributor are mutual customers.

But as reports circulated that the PPP funding was running out, and it became difficult to get answers from the bank, working with Solvay became frustrating, Henderson Kelly said.

Clunky to say the least, but it all worked out for us," she said.

Henderson Wholesale Lamps was not approved in the first round. Henderson Kelly said in hindsight, its hard to tell whether Solvay Bank could have processed the loan any quicker. She said she waited about a week before submitting the application.

The Henderson Family runs Henderson Wholesale Lamps, a lighting and electricity store based in Solvay. Father David (right) started the business with his wife Pamela and daughter Rachel. They are pictured with graduation Evelyn and son-in-law Brian Kelly. (Provided Photos)

The second time around, things went much smoother.

They were much more communicative, she said. "It seemed like they had their ducks in a row. Im thinking in the first round, they were just so taken off-guard by the amount of applications ... I do feel empathy for them there, but still we were frustrated. We dont bank anywhere else and feel we got swept to the side a little bit.

When the U.S. Small Business Administration portals reopened at 10:30 a.m. April 17, Henderson Wholesale Lamps application was ready to go. Around 6 p.m. Tuesday, the branch manager at Solvay Bank called to tell the Henderson family their application was approved,

Kudos to them for doing that," she said. I know they were working really hard the second time around. They had a lot of people on it. It definitely made us feel better.

Not far down the road in Solvay, Peter Frey had a similar experience, but wondered: What if there had been no round two?

Frey employs 17 people altogether at Bridge Street Tavern in Solvay and Syracuse Casing Co. He said he submitted applications for the PPP on behalf of both the bar and the sausage casing producer on the programs first day. He too went with Solvay Bank, where hes done business for 30 years.

We did wind up getting it from them in the second round, Frey said. But I have nothing good to say about them. They absolutely ignored us in the first round. They came through for us, but not before making us absolutely panic.

An impenetrable door

During the anxiety-filled waiting period, Frey looked to his network of other local business owners to see how things were going for them with the PPP.

He connected with Michael Burgess, the owner of Skydive Central New York in Weedsport. Burgess was at the end of his rope with the application process and Solvay Bank. Hed been in touch with other business owners, including Kevin Valente, of Achilles Heel Training Gym in Camillus. Valente said he was told by Solvay Bank that his business was not eligible for a PPP loan.

Burgess crafted a letter to the newspaper describing their shared concerns. Valente and Frey signed on.

Burgess said he contacted Solvay Bank multiple times with his complaints. He thought the bank was prioritizing certain applications over others, he said, instead of following the first-come, first-served rules of the PPP. He called the bank a dozen times and wrote eight or nine emails, he said.

Solvay Bank President and CEO Paul Mello said the bank took some time before it began processing PPP loans  but that was to ensure the applications were accurate and complete. Mello said in his experience with the Small Business Administration, the federal agency that oversees the PPP typically has strict requirements for paperwork.

During the hasty rollout, guidance was sometimes missing and frequently changed.

Mello said his bank tried to adapt and understand the regulations quickly. Thats a sentiment shared by other bankers locally and across the country. Some waited several days to start accepting applications, or stopped after an initial flood of them.

Whatever the cause for delays, the wait was painful, business owners said.

Were watching our businesses crumble, Burgess said. We put our blood, sweat and tears into these businesses."

In the second round of funding, Solvay got back in touch with Burgess but asked him for specific documents that would have taken him at least a few days to produce. He was frustrated that Solvay wasnt more flexible, and couldnt have given him a heads-up about the documents.

So he withdrew his application.

He applied with a different financial institution, one that did not require those same documents, and his loan was approved within days. After 10 years of banking with Solvay, Burgess said he plans to move his accounts.

Kevin Valente, the Camillus gym owner, also decided to take his business to another financial institution, ACMG Federal Credit Union. His application was approved in the second round.

Valente said he too had tried to apply for the PPP on the first day it was available. He said someone from the bank informed him his business did not qualify. The bank encouraged him to apply for a different federal relief option.

While Valente was disappointed in the bank, he said he saw what happened to his application as similar to what he was reading about banks around the country.

Solvay was an impenetrable door, so I went with someone else," he said.

We worked our hearts out

Two other longtime Solvay customers were satisfied with their experiences and complimentary of the banks efforts.

Jay Yennock, of China Towne Furniture and Mattress, was among those who got through in first round. He said his application was approved the day before the funding ran out.

While he lamented the complicated, constantly-changing process, he said Solvay Bank was an aid through it.

China Towne typically employs about 40 people, Yennock said. For him, the toughest part of the PPP was understanding the timing, the paperwork, and how he could ensure the business would be able to meet the requirements for loan forgiveness. Thats where he thought Solvay was especially helpful, he said.

He said his business has worked with Solvay for 50 years, considers the bank to be responsive and the people there friendly.

I give the banks a lot of credit," Yennock said, "with the number of days, hours they put in trying to get all these applications done.

John Boronczyk, owner of Johns Auto Care located on Milton Avenue, was approved in the second round. His PPP loan will help his business and his 17 employees.

Boronczyk, who has applied for loans through the SBA prior to the coronavirus pandemic, described himself as someone who can get excitable. He said the PPP application process was frustrating and the rules changed too much.

He and a friend almost simultaneously submitted applications for the PPP with two separate local banks. Although they applied on the same day, Boronczyks friend was approved in round one, and he was not.

That led to at least one excited call to Solvay Bank, during which Boronczyk said he spoke with two employees who were patient and helpful.

Im worried about my guys, my family, my 90-year-old father whos living with me," he said. "Anytime Im asked to do something a second time, its like, youve got to be kidding me!

But Solvay Bank employees explained the status of his application and walked him through what theyd do next.

That made me feel pretty comfortable," he said. "Thats where the small bank really shines.

Mello, the CEO who has worked at Solvay Bank for 27 years, said the bank was still continuing to take applications from customers, and from businesses that have not banked with Solvay before.

He said he was proud of the banks role in the Paycheck Protection Program.

I think weve worked our hearts out," Mello said. "We built the reputation of being a bank for the small business for 100 years. Then in four weeks, we had people just wanting money and not understanding what the SBA was requiring, and our job was to make sure that the borrower doesnt get into trouble and we dont get into trouble.

Ultimately, Solvay Bank processed hundreds of applications and millions of dollars on behalf of local small businesses. Mello estimates the loans processed by Solvay helped to save 7,000 jobs. Of the loans Solvay handled, 80% were for businesses with 20 employees or less, a bank spokeswoman said. Just 4% were for businesses with more than 50 employees. Bank officials declined to discuss specific customers applications or provide further details or numbers for the loans the bank processed.

We did everything humanly possible to get as many people through," Mello said. We went as hard and as fast as we could working into the night, until the money ran out. We got everybody through, and we keep at it.

To the customers with complaints and those the bank lost, Mello said he wasnt quite sure how to respond.

All I know is we tried very hard," he said.

Small business owners: Have a question or a story to share about how youre coping through the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent shutdown? We want to hear from you. Contact Back in Business reporter Julie McMahon: Email | Twitter | 315-412-1992

CNY BACK IN BUSINESS

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More from CNY Back in Business
A Labour MP has claimed she was sacked from her job as a temporary carer amid the coronavirus pandemic after speaking out about personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages.

Nadia Whittome, the UK's youngest MP, returned to her former role at Lark Hill retirement village, which is run by ExtraCare, to help relieve the strain on the care service.

The 24-year-old worked at the home for 18 months before becoming an MP and had been donating her wages to the local Covid-19 relief fund, she said.

On Wednesday evening, Ms Whittome claimed she has been "asked not to return" by ExtraCare. She said she had been accused of "spreading misinformation" about the lack of PPE in the media.

ExtraCare, which is a charitable trust, said Ms Whittome returned to work on a casual basis and had worked eight shifts between March and April.

"Our in-house care team are now fulfilling our needs at this time and Nadia's help is no longer needed," it said in a statement.

But Ms Whittome said the reason behind ExtraCare's decision to terminate her role was based on an interview she gave to Newsnight on April 24 about inadequate supply of PPE.

Ms Whittome, in a video she shared on social media, called for other carers who had experienced similar treatment to get in touch with her.

Labour leader Keir Starmer tweeted: "Carers, right across our country, are putting their lives on the line for others but they aren't being provided the Personal Protective Equipment they need.

"No-one should be sacked for speaking out."

The MP for Nottingham East had previously complained staff were given only one face mask each per day, meaning the same mask was used for multiple residents.

Members of the public donated homemade visors, she said, and the store cupboard containing PPE was locked due to fears staff would steal it to sell on.

Ms Whittome further claimed an onsite "well-being nurse" had told staff masks do not make a difference but they could buy one from Screwfix if it made them feel more comfortable.

The MP said: "I am appalled that ExtraCare have chosen this course of action, without following any due process and without me ever having portrayed them negatively in the media.

"I will continue to speak the truth about my front-line experiences and I condemn care companies who try to gag staff for speaking out and raising concerns."

She added: "I can survive being effectively sacked for speaking out because I have another income.

"But for so many people in social care - who work a skilled, exhausting and now dangerous job for poverty pay - speaking out is not an option.

"This is wrong and dangerous for care home residents and patients."

Ms Whittome is now calling all care staff anywhere in the UK who feel they have faced intimidation or disciplinary action at work for speaking out about PPE shortages to contact her office.

She said that ExtraCare made it explicit she was being asked not to return because of her comments about PPE.

ExtraCare said: "At Lark Hill, we have over three months' supply of PPE, including over 25,000 pairs of gloves, 7,700 aprons and nearly 6,000 masks - we have access to further equipment should we need it.

"Reports that we have a PPE shortage are inaccurate and have caused concern amongst our residents - we have had to invest a significant amount of staff time reassuring our residents as a result.

"This has occurred during a critical period when all of our resources have to be focused on protecting our residents' safety and welfare."

Lark Hill, which is in Clifton, Nottingham, is the largest retirement village in the UK and has 419 residents, ExtraCare said.

In statement, it added: "As a result of rigorous infection control measures which include a full supply of PPE, we are relieved to report that no deaths have occurred within the Lark Hill community as a result of Covid-19.

"Our vigilance, care and concern continue."

One of Ms Whittome's colleagues at the retirement village who wished to remain anonymous said: "Nadia didn't come back as an MP, she came back as the same person she was when she left to become an MP - which is a caring, kind, grounded woman who never forgot where she came from, who cares for residents like a member of her family.

"We are dumbfounded as to why an excellent caring worker has been dismissed.

"We have been following Nadia's interviews and she hasn't stated anything other than facts."

A spokeswoman for Extra Care told the Standard: We value our relationship with Nadia as we do with all MPs associated with our retirement communities.

She added that staff are "working day and night to ensure the safety and welfare of our residents" and that they have a "full supply" of PPE.

"We are relieved to report that no deaths have occurred within the Lark Hill community as a result of Covid-19."
Kenya has urged Somali aviation authorities to carry out a speedy investigation into the fatal crash of a humanitarian aircraft in the Bay region, southern Somalia, amid unconfirmed reports it may have been shot down.

The Kenyan-registered plane belonged to African Express Airways crashed in the town of Bardale on Monday, killing all six crew on board.

It was carrying medical supplies for use in the fight against the coronavirus, according to the Somali transport minister, who did not give a reason for the accident.

The Government of the Republic of Kenya urges the Federal Government of Somalia and International Agencies to thoroughly and swiftly investigate the matter because it impacts humanitarian operations at a time of highest need, Kenya's foreign affairs ministry said in a statement Tuesday.

A second statement said Somalia's president Mohamed Abdullahi - also known as Farmajo - had ordered Somalia's civil aviation authorities to work jointly with Kenya on their probe.

Plane 'shot down'

Former Somali Defense Minister Abdirashid Abdullahi Mohamed told Reuters newswire that he had spoken to an eyewitness who was at the airfield.

Mohamed said the eyewitness watched the plane attempt to land, but went around again and appeared to be shot on one wing as it was trying to land again.

Mohamed also provided Reuters with a photo of the plane in flames with its tail still intact, along with the passenger list with six names. These could not be immediately verified.

The Kenya papers reported that two of the dead were Kenyan nationals.

The pilot, copilot, flight engineer, trainee pilot and two people working for the Kenya based airline, African Express, were onboard, Somalia's Transport Minister Mohamed Salad told Reuters. He said five bodies had been recovered so far.

An African (Express) Airways plane from Mogadishu flew to Baidoa and then continued its flight to Bardale town where it crashed, according to State-run Somalia News Agency on its website.

Bardale, in the southern Bay region, is secure, with Somali and Ethiopian troop reinforcements but the al-Shabaab Islamist insurgent group is active in the area.
Coronavirus cases in Asia rose to a quarter of a million, according to a Reuters tally, driven by outbreaks in Singapore, Pakistan and India, even as China, South Korea and Japan significantly slowed the spread of the disease

Sydney: Coronavirus cases in Asia rose to a quarter of a million on Tuesday, according to a Reuters tally, driven by outbreaks in Singapore, Pakistan and India, even as China, South Korea and Japan significantly slowed the spread of the disease.

The region where the COVID-19 pandemic started has fared better overall than North America and Europe since the first case was reported in Wuhan, China on 10 January. It has taken Asia almost four months to reach the 250,000 infection milestone, a level that Spain alone is approaching just a little over two months since reporting its first case.

At 250,650, Asia now accounts for just 7 percent of global cases, compared with 40 percent for Europe and 34 percent for North America, although experts worry that unreported infections are masking the true extent of the pandemic.

Infection may cause only mild symptoms and not everyone with symptoms is tested, while most countries only record hospital deaths, meaning deaths in private homes and nursing homes have not yet been included.

The death toll in Asia has also slowed significantly in most countries and is now nearing 10,000 for the region as a whole, representing just 4 percent of global deaths. Europe accounts for 57 percent and North America for 29 percent.

By comparison, Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom and France have all recorded more than 25,000 deaths each. The United States leads the grim tally with 70,000 fatalities.

South Korean success

Stringent lockdown measures in China and South Korea that lasted for weeks have been credited by officials with sharp decreases in the rate of new cases and deaths. South Korea reported just three new cases over the past 24 hours, a turnaround from the peak of the national epidemic in late February when it reported 1,165 cases in a single day.

Peter Collignon, an infectious diseases physician and microbiologist at Canberra Hospital, said South Korea was currently the country with reliable data that has been most successful at stemming the spread of the virus. South Korea has kept new cases to low numbers without paralysing the economy, Collignon said.

China has reported single digit or low double digit new cases for the past week, keeping cases at just under 83,000.

Japan, where the lockdown has been less severe than many other countries, has reported an average of around 200 cases per day over the past week for a current total of around 16,000.

At the other end of the spectrum, India has recorded over 46,000 cases and 1,500 confirmed deaths from the virus, with more than 2,000 new cases over recent days. Indias biggest cities have maintained tight restrictions despite the end of a nationwide lockdown on Sunday, amid concerns infections may be underreported in the country of 1.3 billion people.

In neighbouring Pakistan, daily detection of the virus has hit record highs over the past week as the country ramps up its testing efforts. Still, the government said 21,000 infections and nearly 500 deaths are well below projections and it plans to ease lockdown measures further.

Singapore has a total of 19,410 infections and continues to log 500-800 new cases a day, largely due to mass outbreaks in migrant worker dormitories, but has reported just 18 deaths. It began reopening its economy this week.

The nearby Oceana region, made up of Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Island nations, accounted for less than 1% of global cases.

Australia has recorded around 6,800 infections and 96 deaths, and New Zealand 1,137 cases and 20 fatalities. The pair began talks on Tuesday about creating a trans-Tasman travel bubble that would allow people to move between the two countries, while broader international travel remained banned.
06.05.2020 LISTEN

As codified by Cameron Dokey, "For surely a king is first a man. And so it must follow that a king does as all men do: the best he can", the Patrons, Executives, and entire members of Kumasi Youth Association (KuYA) today agree with this wise saying and enthusiastically celebrate the personality of His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei-Tutu II as the King marks his 70th birthday today.

A life well lived is worth celebrating and today we celebrate you as a legend in Asanteman, Ghana, and the entire world. Happy blessed birthday King. The realization of how far you have led Asanteman, and contributed towards its stability, peace and development, we find it a deeper joy to boast in ourselves as youth of Asante to the entire world with no repose. Ayekoo Ohene.

Today, Asanteman,Ghana then the entire world would celebrate you as a hero because of your achievements on earth spans from peace mediation, education, technology, humanitarian services, and a lot that cannot be mentioned.

Through your leadership today Dagbon has a new Ya Na, your education fund caters for the needy in the society, Ghana has benefited a lot of grants from world associations like the IMF, UN and others.

As said by Percy Bysshe Shelley, "Kings are like stars -- they rise and set, they have the worship of the world, but no repose". Ohene you are a star that brightens the most darkest place with your presence.

The Patrons, Executives, and entire members of Kumasi Youth Association (KuYA) on this day would like to celebrate your true and genuine leadership which have been peace, love and mercy. We once again would like to wish you a blessed happy birthday. May you live longer than your predecessors for Asanteman to continually benefit from your brave leadership.

As we celebrate you today, the Patrons, Executives, and entire members of Kumasi Youth Association (KuYA) pray that Twedweampon Kwame, Nananom to bless you with long life full of good health and fortunes. Ohene, your life is worth emulating and we the Youth of Asanteman have taking it upon ourselves to let the world know this.

#HAPPY 70TH BIRTHDAY OHENE

#OHENE NYA NKWA DAAAAAA

#MAY THE KING LIVE LONG

#OPEMSO WO TIRI NKWA!!

Thank You

Signed....

All Patrons, Executives and entire members of KuYA
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WASHINGTON - States across the country are moving swiftly to reopen their economies despite failing to achieve benchmarks laid out by the White House for when social distancing restrictions could be eased to ensure the public's safety during the coronavirus pandemic.

These governors' biggest cheerleader is President Donald Trump.

A slew of states - such as Texas, Indiana, Colorado and Florida - have pushed forward with relaxing social distancing guidelines as the number of people testing positive in many states has increased in recent weeks and testing continues to lag. White House recommendations released last month encouraged states to wait to see a decline in cases over a two-week period as well as having robust testing in place for front-line workers before entering "Phase One" of a gradual comeback.

But Trump and some of his aides have backed away from their own guidelines, opting instead to hail the broad economic reopening that health experts say has started too quickly. The dichotomy comes as the White House also tried to distance itself from a draft federal government report predicting an explosion of new coronavirus cases and 3,000 daily deaths by June 1.

It underscores how an eagerness by Trump and several state governors to begin restarting normal activities after a weeks-long economic slowdown has clashed with a stubbornly high national caseload that has defied the president's predictions of a swift and safe reopening. It also marks another round of confusing guidance during the outbreak from Trump who released the guidelines with fanfare during a briefing and now shows no problem with states that ignore them.

"There's not too many states that I know of that are going up. Almost everybody is headed in the right direction," Trump said during a Fox News town hall on Sunday in which he presented a misleading and rosy assessment of the crisis. "We're on the right side of it, but we want to keep it that way, but we also want to get back to work."

About a third of states continue to see their number of new coronavirus cases increasing, compared to a few who have seen a sustained decline. A plurality of states are hovering around the same level, with neither a significant uptick nor decrease in daily cases. That mirrors the national trend, where the rate of new cases has leveled off in recent weeks but not declined.

Ashish Jha, director of the Harvard University Global Health Institute, said most governors who have decided to open up are clearly not following the letter of the White House guidelines.

"The first part of the criteria is sustained decline. And we don't see that," Jha said.

To date, 1.2 million people have been confirmed as infected by the coronavirus and more than 68,000 have died in the United States. Both figures are widely believed to undercount the actual totals.

The White House continues to support its guidelines but wants local officials to take the lead in deciding how quickly to ease restrictions, according to a senior administration official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. While individual states' decisions to move more quickly than recommended under the White House guidelines are regularly discussed during coronavirus task force meetings, those decisions are not seen as defiant toward the Trump administration, the official said.

One reason could be that Trump rarely discusses his own guidelines, instead encouraging states to move quickly to reverse the economic calamity that took hold as governors imposed stay-home orders to slow the spread of the virus. Trump has expressed support for protesters pushing their states to end the orders, and tweeted about a need to "LIBERATE" several states - including places that White House guidelines indicate should remain in a state of lockdown.

Politically, governors have come to learn they are more likely to be criticized by Trump for maintaining stay-home orders that comply with White House guidelines than they are for opening up their economies before meeting the Trump administration's own criteria for doing so.

Trump has singled out Virginia for its reluctance to quickly ease social distancing measures, telling Fox News that it was one of the states that "aren't going fast enough."

Even though Virginia continues to see its number of coronavirus cases rising, Northam announced Monday that he would begin easing the state's restrictions on May 15 - including by allowing some gatherings of more than 10 people if social distancing protocols are met.

"As you can see, our cases continue to rise," he said, before adding that the state's percentage of positive tests - another key measure in the White House guidelines - had begun to decline.

Trump's light criticism of Georgia's decision to begin opening up businesses including barbershops and bowling alleys before meeting White House benchmarks was short-lived.

While the president said on April 23 that he was "not happy" with Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp for the defying the guidelines, it took him a week to deny his own remarks.

"I didn't say that," Trump said Friday when his quote about Kemp, a Republican, was read back to him. "I said I didn't like the particular place - a spa, a tattoo parlor. No, no, I think it's wonderful."

As Trump leads the nation's push for a quick economic reopening, some administration officials have continued to call on states to follow the White House's detailed guidelines.

Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious-disease expert, has repeatedly warned governors against moving too quickly to lift restrictions, saying he was concerned that states that flout the White House guidelines could spark a resurgence of the virus.

"The guidelines are very, very explicit, and very clear," he said last week on NBC's "Today" show. "There's a lot of leeway because we give the governors the opportunity to be very flexible, but you have to have the core principles of the guidelines. You can't just leap over things and get into a situation where you're really tempting a rebound."

Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus task force coordinator, has also called on states and localities to follow the administration's guidelines, but she has stopped short of contradicting Trump's push for governors to move as quickly as possible to return to normal.

"We made it very clear that the guidelines are based on very strong evidence and data," she said Sunday on Fox News. "We've made it clear what the gating criteria is."

Several governors have ignored the criteria.

In Texas, for instance, new cases dipped in mid-April, but have lately been on the rise, with a spike late last week to more than 1,000 daily that has brought the total to more than 32,000. Nonetheless, Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, went ahead with a plan to reopen the state's stores, restaurants, movie theaters and malls, limiting them to less than 25% capacity.

Lauren Ancel Meyers, a University of Texas at Austin biologist who has modeled possible trend lines in the state's capital as social distancing requirements are eased, said much will depend on how vigilant people remain with social distancing.

Models of potential transmission in Austin that she has run range from "hardly any additional hospitalizations" to "a catastrophic second wave."

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, let his stay-home order expire last week and replaced it with a less restrictive set of rules that allow restaurants, shops and fitness centers to open in nearly all parts of the state. Hair and nail salons, which were not part of the original reopening, will be allowed to begin service again this week. That's despite the fact that new cases have jumped in recent days, and now total more than 13,000.

Some public officials have been unnerved at the speed with which the reopening has happened, and the apparent disregard for guidelines set by medical experts.

"The state policymakers believe that the economic climate is more important than those guidelines," said Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke. "I don't see any other explanation."

But as states have defied that criteria to begin restarting business activity - from retail stores in Colorado to restaurants in Florida to elective surgeries in Ohio - they have been cheered on by Trump and his allies.

Vice President Mike Pence has hailed the 41 states that have announced or began plans for reopening.

But some of those states have pushed ahead with reopening plans that skip ahead of the White House's recommended phased approach. The recommendations call for certain testing and contract tracing capabilities to be in place before states push forward with returning to normalcy.

A lack of planning on those fronts could leave states vulnerable if there is another outbreak, said Jeffrey Shaman, one of the country's leading epidemiologists at Columbia University.

"We don't have the testing. We don't have the contract tracing. We can't detect a rebound," he said. " It's really problematic place to be. This is not where we want to be."

Ali Khan, dean of the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska, said the governors are clearly reacting to "shelter-in-place fatigue" as they skirt the guidelines. But he said that's a risky bet, given the danger that the virus comes roaring back.

There is widespread uncertainty about what will happen as states race to ease their restrictions on residents and businesses.

A draft government report projects that coronavirus cases will surge to about 200,000 per day by June 1, a jump that would be accompanied by more than 3,000 deaths each day.

The document predicts a sharp increase in cases and deaths beginning about May 14, according to a copy shared with The Washington Post. The forecast stops at June 1, but shows both daily cases and deaths on an upward trajectory at that point.

The White House and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention disavowed the report, though the slides carry the CDC's logo. The creator of the model said the numbers are unfinished projections shown to the CDC as a work in progress.

He said 100,000 cases per day by the end of the month is within the realm of possibility, an indication that cases could spiral out of control at the same time that the White House has shifted focus toward reopening the economy. Much depends on political decisions being made today.

"There are reopening scenarios where it could get out of control very quickly," said Justin Lessler, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who created the model.

The Bloomberg school in a statement called the report a "preliminary" analysis that should not be used as a forecast.

The White House downplayed the figures on Monday, saying they had not yet been vetted.

"This data is not reflective of any of the modeling done by the task force, or data that the task force has analyzed," White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement.

White House officials have been relying on other models to make decisions on reopening, including one from the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation and a "cubic model" prepared by Trump adviser and economist Kevin Hassett and the Council of Economic Advisers.

People with knowledge of the "cubic model" say it shows deaths dropping precipitously in May - and plummeting to zero by May 15, where they stay throughout the summer.

Two people with knowledge of the White House task-force discussions said that they had not seen the draft government report, but that they were both fearful cases could rise with many of the states reopening.

The IHME model is now estimating that the United States will see nearly 135,000 deaths by August 1. That number is significantly higher than its estimate on April 17 - 60,308.

IHME's new higher projections "reflect the effect of premature relaxation of restrictions," said its creator, Christopher Murray. "In this era where those mandates being relaxed, people should be aware of the risk of infection is still there."

- - -

William Wan, Laurie McGinley and Josh Dawsey contributed to this report.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (Associated Press)

California Gov. Gavin Newsom had the right to ban church assemblies in the interest of public health during the coronavirus outbreak, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

Newsom's stay-at-home order did not violate the constitutional rights to free assembly and religion when the Cross Culture Christian Center in Lodi was ordered to cease holding services, Judge John Mendez ruled in Sacramento.

Pastor Jonathan Duncan had continued to assemble his congregation after the governor banned public gatherings in March despite warnings it was in violation of state and local orders. The church of fewer than 50 members said it was obeying federal guidelines to prevent spread of the virus.

Lodi police entered the church during a service attended by about 30 worshipers in late March and said they were defying the governor's order. The church responded with a cease and desist letter sent to the city and argued they had a 1st Amendment right to gather and practice their religion.

Constitutional rights cannot be suspended by a virus, the church's attorney, Dean Broyles, said at the time.

Police posted a notice on the building that its nonessential use created a public nuisance. San Joaquin County health officials then warned the church's landlord, Bethel Open Bible Church, it could face a misdemeanor charge if it allowed assemblies to continue.

Duncan planned to hold Palm Sunday services on April 5, but couldn't get in the church because his landlord had changed the locks. Police threatened to cite anyone who entered the property.

Duncan said in a statement that he was disappointed with the ruling but would continue to fight for the right to worship.

It is time for pastors and religious leaders across the state to rise up and start pushing back against these draconian stay-at-home orders that completely fail to take into account the true essentiality of religion in our society, he said.

The church was one of several that initially defied the governor's order. Most houses of worship have moved to online services, though Broyles said more churches than you would think are not complying with the order.

Story continues

The church argued in its suit against Newsom, Lodi police and county health officials that the order was an abuse of power that criminalized communal worship while allowing people to frequent department stores, liquor stores, marijuana dispensaries and other businesses deemed essential.

The judge said that argument missed the point because shoppers were going to those businesses to purchase specific items, not to commune with one another. A more relevant comparison would be restaurants, concerts, movies and sporting events  secular places people gather that were also ordered closed.

Mendez said state and local stay-at-home orders were a valid exercise of emergency police powers and didn't violate the church's constitutional rights. Mendez noted that the Supreme Court more than 100 years ago upheld the government's right to exercise police powers to promote public safety during a public health crisis.

During public health crises, new considerations come to bear, and government officials must ask whether even fundamental rights must give way to a deeper need to control the spread of infectious disease and protect the lives of society's most vulnerable, Mendez wrote.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which filed a brief supporting the public officials, applauded the ruling because it upheld an order that applies to secular and religious gatherings.

Gov. Newsom's public health order does not violate religious freedom; it ensures that the government is not favoring some people's religious practices in a way that endangers other people's lives," Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United said in a statement. We sympathize with Californians who find solace in communal religious services and applaud the faith communities who are finding creative new ways to worship together remotely.

Broyles said the judge's rejection of a temporary restraining order request will not stop them from pressing on with their case.

It's the first skirmish in many battles that lie ahead, he said.
Technavio has been monitoring the automotive led lighting market and it is poised to grow by USD 4.73 billion during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of about 10% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005062/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Automotive LED Lighting Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Latest Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact

The market is highly fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. Hella GmbH Co. KGaA, Hyundai Mobis Co. Ltd., KOITO Manufacturing Co. Ltd., LG Electronics Inc., Magna International Inc., Magneti Marelli SpA, OSRAM GmbH, Stanley Electric Co. Ltd., Valeo SA, and Varroc Group are some of the major market participants. The increasing use of LEDs 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.

Increasing use of LEDs has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Automotive LED Lighting Market 2019-2023: Segmentation

Automotive LED Lighting Market is segmented as below:

Application Exterior Lighting Interior Lighting

Type Passenger Cars Commercial Vehicles

Geographic Landscape APAC Europe MEA North America South America



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=IRTNTR32155

Automotive LED Lighting 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 led lighting market report covers the following areas:

Automotive LED Lighting Market Size

Automotive LED Lighting Market Trends

Automotive LED Lighting Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies the growing popularity of adaptive lighting systems as one of the prime reasons driving the automotive led lighting market growth during the next few years.

Automotive LED Lighting Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the automotive LED lighting market, including some of the vendors such as Hella GmbH Co. KGaA, Hyundai Mobis Co. Ltd., KOITO Manufacturing Co. Ltd., LG Electronics Inc., Magna International Inc., Magneti Marelli SpA, OSRAM GmbH, Stanley Electric Co. Ltd., Valeo SA, and Varroc Group. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the automotive LED lighting market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

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Automotive LED Lighting Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023

Detailed information on factors that will assist automotive led lighting market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the automotive led lighting market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the automotive led lighting market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of automotive led lighting 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 APPLICATION

Market segmentation by application

Comparison by application

Exterior lighting Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Interior lighting Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Market opportunity by application

PART 07: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY VEHICLE TYPE

Market segmentation by vehicle type

Comparison by vehicle type

Passenger cars Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Commercial vehicles Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Market opportunity by vehicle type

PART 08: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 09: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Europe Market size and forecast 2018-2023

North America Market size and forecast 2018-2023

South America Market size and forecast 2018-2023

MEA Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 10: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 11: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 12: MARKET TRENDS

Development of hybrid LED headlights

Growing popularity of adaptive lighting systems

Growing popularity of OLED lighting technology

PART 13: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

Competitive scenario

PART 14: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Hella GmbH Co. KGaA

Hyundai Mobis Co. Ltd.

KOITO Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

LG Electronics Inc.

Magna International Inc.

Magneti Marelli SpA

OSRAM GmbH

Stanley Electric Co. Ltd.

Valeo SA

Varroc Group

PART 15: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

Definition of market positioning of vendors

PART 16: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005062/en/

Contacts:

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: media@technavio.com

Website: www.technavio.com/
A man is in the hospital after being shot at a Dennys in Northwest Albuquerque, according to police.

Daren DeAguero, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said the shooting occurred at the Dennys near Coors and Iliff NW.

One subject has been taken to the hospital where he is listed in critical condition, he said. The scene is currently active so information is limited.

DeAguero gave no other details.

Several police vehicles closed off the Dennys parking lot as officers investigated the scene. People gathered along the balcony of the nearby Motel 6 to see what was going on.
As the Prime Minister sends a letter of protest to 53 European Peoples Party (EPP) leaders rejecting what he sees as baseless attacks on his government, while a conservative analyst welcomes government efforts to openly confront international critics.

In a letter to the leaders of the member parties of the EPP, Viktor Orban writes that Hungary is the target of what he calls a baseless, unprecedented attack and disinformation campaign. He dismisses as falsehoods and lies claims that the government has grabbed unlimited power.



Parliament is in session, he continues, and can revoke any of the governments decrees or the state of health emergency as a whole at any moment. He laments that even some EPP leaders have spread such falsehoods, while EPP leader Donald Tusk even went so far as to draw a parallel between the measures introduced in Hungary and Nazi legal scholar Carl Schmitt.



In an opinion piece in Magyar Nemzet, political scientist Tamas Fricz commends those cabinet ministers who have started to confront international accusations levelled against Hungary that accuse the government of rule of law infringements.



He quotes European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova, who is in charge of values and transparency, who repeatedly said that Hungarys laws to tackle the virus emergency do not violate European values.



Fricz wonders why the mainstream press and liberal politicians nevertheless continue to assert the opposite. Hungary has tried to confute such accusations in bilateral and multilateral meetings, but as of late, two Cabinet Ministers, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto and Justice Minister Judit Varga, both of whom speak fluent English, have confronted critics in the media.



Fricz describes their style as resolute and calm and concludes that, all in all, the Szijjarto-Varga model works.



This opinion does not necessarily represent the views of XpatLoop.com or the publisher. Your opinions are welcome too - for editorial review before possible publication online.

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The Indian embassy here on Wednesday asked all Indian nationals stranded in China due to the coronavirus travel restrictions to get in touch with it if they wish to return home, but made it clear that priority will be given to people in distress, including migrant workers, elderly, pregnant women and students.

On Monday, the Indian government announced plans to begin phased repatriation of its citizens stranded abroad from May 7.

Air India will operate 64 flights from May 7 to May 13 to bring back around 15,000 Indian nationals stranded abroad amid the COVID-19-induced lockdown, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said in New Delhi on Tuesday.

"It has been decided by the Government of India to facilitate the return of Indian nationals stranded outside the country to India in a phased manner," a notice on the embassy's website said.

The cost of this travel will be borne by respective travellers and priority will be given to compelling cases in distress including migrant workers/labourers who have been laid off, short term visa holders whose visa has expired, persons with medical emergency/pregnant women/elderly, students and those required to return to India due to death of a family member, it said.

All Indian citizens desirous of returning to India under the above arrangement shall give an undertaking that they would undergo mandatory institutional quarantine for 14 days on arrival in India at their own cost and they would be making the journey at their own risk, it said.

"Although Indians stranded in China have not been considered for repatriation in first phase, requisite details are required in respect of all such intending Indian citizens in order to register them for this purpose by the Embassy of India, Beijing," it said.

"It is therefore requested that all Indian citizens currently in mainland China and keen to return to India, may convey their intent to Embassy's email id, and share the following details as soon as possible: Name, Age, Gender, Passport No., Mobile phone No. (China and India both), Place of residence (China and India both), Place of final destination in India, Information on RT-PCR test taken and its result, Details of Chinese visa including validity, Profession and Compelling reasons for repatriation to India," it said.

India earlier airlifted over 700 stranded Indians and foreign nationals including from neighbouring countries during the height of coronavirus pandemic in Wuhan.

The deadly coronavirus which originated from the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year has infected over 3.67 million people and killed 258,051 people globally, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, on Wednesday, said he has no regrets in telling his health officials to treat COVID-19 patients with Chloroquine.

Mr Mohammed was responding to the backlash from a section of Nigerians who felt such authorisations are exclusively reserved for professional medical personnel.

Mr Mohammed, who was the index case of COVID-19 in Bauchi, told journalists last week that chief amongst the medications that got him well were Chloroquine, Zithromax, and Vitamin C.

The governor said he would rather ask medics managing the states COVID-19 patients to treat them with chloroquine and Zithromax than watch them die of the disease.

The National Agency for Food Administration and Control (NAFDAC) had last week, in a tacit reaction to the governors directive, warned Nigerians not to use any drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 other than what the NCDC approves.

The agency is concerned about reports on social and other media of drugs or vaccines to cure COVID 19, NAFDACs Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye said in a statement issued to the media.

The NAFDAC DG added that the agency has not granted any approval to any products for use as a cure or vaccine against COVID 19.

Asked if he was worried by the backlash trailing his pronouncement on the treatment of COVID-19, Mr Mohammed said he owed no apology on what he said.

Pertaining to what I said last week that I was misquoted, I was a COVID-19 patient. And I have been asked, how did I get cured? And I said how I got cured and I recommended what should be done. It was my own recommendation and not that of the state committee.

I have no apology for saying that I used Chloroquine, Zithromax, and Vitamin-C to get treatment and Allah cured me.

To me, it is better to take something rather than to sit down and die. And I still maintain that up till now we have not recorded any death case in Bauchi. As you can see, we have 80 patients and by the grace of God, they will all be cured.

Other countries are using other forms of medication. It is not an issue of Chloroquine alone. It is a common knowledge that COVID-19 has no vaccine or drugs; we are just groping in the dark.

But still, if you have symptoms of fever you can take chloroquine. If you have the symptom of infection you can still take Zithromax and get well; if you have symptoms of pains you can still take panadol and get well; you dont even need a doctor for that.

But the doctors are the ones prescribing this. I didnt take the Chloroquine on my own, and I am not recommending that people should go and use this without the recommendations of their case managers.

All I was relieving was my experience.

The state deputy governor, Baba Tela, who chairs the COVID-19 Committee, said Bauchi currently has 82 active cases being managed in three isolation centres.

Since the index case, he said only six patients got treated and discharged from the centres.
A resident wearing a mask naps on a bench near the government propaganda slogan "Chinese dream" in Wuhan, China, on April 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Whole-of-Democracy Response Needed to Fight Beijings COVID-19 Propaganda

Communist regime unleashes waves of disinformation both to attack and defend

News Analysis

As accusations mount against Beijing for its wrongdoing leading to COVID-19 becoming a pandemic, the Chinese regime has ramped up propaganda both to defend itself and to attack others. Canada is vulnerable on the home front and cant simply rely on a national security agency to thwart the threat, experts say.

Disinformation is part of a broader hostile communications strategy of totalitarian states. It attempts to manipulate public opinion by creating or sharing false information, and is used together with coercion or soft power to sway people to take more favourable stances toward the offender.

And then there is wolf warrior diplomacy. An example is Chinas recent threat to boycott Australian goods when that country pushed for an investigation into the outbreak of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as novel coronavirus.

They need to do this to deflect attention obviously away from their own failures, which are primarily the suppression of data and information regarding the coronavirus, Macdonald-Laurier Institute senior fellow Marcus Kolga told The Epoch Times.

Kolga, a digital communications strategist and expert on disinformation campaigns, says propaganda from malign state actors is a serious problem and Canada is not doing enough about it.

He adds that dealing with it goes beyond the responsibility of a national security agency.

This is a whole-of-government, whole-of-society problem, and the approach that we need to take is whole-of-government, whole-of-society, but frankly whole-of-democracy, he said. The ultimate aim of all of these governments is to undermine and subvert our democracies.

Destabilize, thats what theyre trying to do.

This is accomplished by turning us against each other, Kolga added.

Protecting Ourselves

We need to be ensuring that Canadians are aware of what these disinformation narratives are. So that means monitoring them and exposing them when they come up, Kolga said.

A 2018 CSIS disinformation study stated that both Moscow and Beijing have developed sophisticated information doctrines to protect themselves domestically and advance foreign-policy interests. This involves coordinating messaging across multiple platforms like television and social media.

Disinformation serves immediate and long-term strategic objectives, the report states.

Increased public awareness is needed so that people can tell whats propaganda and what isnt. There are many ways to counter the threat, but the report concludes that there is no guarantee that even effective counter-campaigns can defeat the high volume flow of malicious communications.

Canadians need to understand which foreign media pump out propagandalike Russias RT or Sputnik and Chinas Xinhuaand they should have warning labels like the ones put on television programs for violence or foul language, Kolga said.

From a national security and defence perspective, disinformation is an attack by the Chinese and Russians on the Canadian home front, which has never been so vulnerable when also combined with cyber threats. Global Affairs Canada issued a statement on April 30 condemning cyberattacks against hospitals and treatment research centres during the pandemic.

Theres been no shortage of disinformation campaigns, not all of it is Russia, not all of it is China, but you can bet that they are happy to take advantage and amplify messages that may not be conducive to solving this pandemic, said Stephanie Carvin, Carleton University professor and former national security analyst, during a May 1 webinar hosted by the Conference of Defence Associations Institute (CDA Institute).

Just because the military has cyber experts, that doesnt mean they should necessarily be the primary defenders against disinformation, said Stephen Saideman, director of the Canadian Defense and Security Network, at the CDA Institute webinar.

He said Canadians need to make sure they dont spread whatever disinformation Russia or China may throw into our space on Facebook or Twitter.

Treat this stuff responsibly, Saideman said.

In one blatant example of Chinese propaganda via Twitter, China Xinhua News (CXN)which has 12.6 million followersprovides a heavily pro-Beijing view of its response to the CCP virus while lying about U.S. efforts.

An example of Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece Xinhua mischaracterizing the U.S. response to COVID-19. Disinformation expert Marcus Kolga calls it a classic tactic. (China Xinhua News)

The CXN Twitter feed normally tweets regular news, but it also insidiously mixes in overt disinformation. Therefore, this account appears more legitimate, but its propaganda tweets are reposted and amplified by accounts that are clearly fakethousands of them. The disinformation tweet has been shared over 25,000 times.

Thats like a classic tactic, Kolga said.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Fox on April 29 that Beijings disinformation campaign to shift the blame for the CCP virus outbreak is classic communist disinformation.

We know the kinds of things that communist parties do to try and manage information inside of their own country and around the world, he said.

On May 4, he became the target of Beijings propaganda machine. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said, Evil Pompeo is wantonly spewing venom and fabricating lies.

Another example has a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson saying that it might be the U.S. Army that brought the epidemic to Wuhan.

National Problem

Canada does not have to brave uncharted waters in implementing countermeasures against the propaganda merchants.

Canada could follow the example of Australia, who enacted a foreign agents registry just about a year ago, Kolga said. The U.S. has this, and its not really anything new.

The United States has been the main target of Beijings CCP virus disinformation campaign, but Canada has been compromised as well. The democracies are just the latest in a long line of victims that includes Tibetans, intellectuals, and Falun Gong adherents.

The CCP is desperate to control the narrative on the virus and is ultra-sensitive to any criticism. It under-reported the actual number of COVID-19 cases and deaths and lied about things such as human-to-human transmission.

As the pandemic began making worldwide headlines, Western media took Chinas reporting of cases and deaths as sacrosanct and said the United States had the highest number of cases.

Pressure and intimidation from the CCP has made the Canadian government reluctant to criticize Beijing, and Canada was slower than over 50 other countries in shutting down air traffic from China. Beijing actually praised Canada for doing so.
Presidential candidate Joe Biden is seen on March 10, 2020.

Matt Rourke/AP

Democratic Presidential Candidate Joe Biden called for an investigation into the killing of Ahmaud Arbery.

Arbery, a black man, was shot and killed in a wealthy coastal Georgia town in February by two white neighbors.

Relatives and friends have said the incident was racially motivated and are concerned with their inability to protest and organize due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A video of the alleged incident has gone viral on Twitter.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Former Vice President and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden called for an investigation into the killing of Ahmaud Arbery after a video of the incident emerged.

Abery, a 25-year-old from Brunswick, Georgia, was killed in February while jogging in a coastal town. He ran past Gregory McMichael who called to his son Travis McMichael before grabbing their guns and following Arbery in a truck.

The elder McMichael is a former police officer and told police, he said the duo was acting in self-defense and believed Arbery was tied to several break-ins in the area.

Video of the alleged incident shows a truck driving behind Arbery jogging, before stopping. One man gets out to confront Arbery, there's an altercation, and two shots ring out.

In a tweet on Tuesday night, Biden wrote: "The video is clear: Ahmaud Arbery was killed in cold blood. My heart goes out to his family, who deserve justice and deserve it now. It is time for a swift, full, and transparent investigation into his murder."

According to CNN, A Georgia district attorney is recommending that the case goes to a grand jury. The coronavirus pandemic has prevented courts from using a grand jury but Tom Durden, the district attorney for the Atlantic Judicial Circuit said: "he expects to present the case to the next available grand jury in Glynn County to consider whether charges are merited for those involved in Arbery's death."

Story continues

The family of Arbery says he was unarmed and most likely jogging for exercise. The police report also did not indicate whether Arbery was armed or not.

No charges have been brought against either of the McMichaels.

McMichael said Arbery was in the property of a house that was partially opened but under construction. Georgia's state's citizen's arrest law could justify the duo chasing Arbery because they suspected he was a criminal, George E. Barnhill, a prosecutor who previously worked the case before recusing himself over conflict of interest, said according to The New York Times.

Barnhill said: "that he did not believe there was evidence of a crime, noting that Gregory McMichael and his son had been legally carrying their weapons under Georgia law."

Additionally, he wrote that the McMichaels had "solid firsthand probable cause," and were justified in chasing him because they thought he was a burglary suspect, under the state's citizen's arrest law, according to The Times.

S. Lee Merritt, an attorney for the Arbery family said: "at best" the men "had the authority to follow Arbery and send law enforcement to that location," according to CNN.

He added that the McMichaels were unable to answer the 911 dispatcher's questions on what criminal activity Arbery was doing.

Family and friends previously said they were concerned that social distancing, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, was limiting their ability to protest and gather attention to the case. Their concerns is that the killing was racially motivated.

"We can't do anything because of this corona stuff," Wanda Cooper, Arbery's mother told The Times. "We thought about walking out where the shooting occurred, just doing a little march, but we can't be out right now."

Read the original article on Business Insider
The Ukrainian side offered to reload the work of the Trilateral Contact Group

Head of Ukraines Presidents Office Andriy Yermak held a phone talk with the political advisers of the leaders of the Normandy Formant countries. The Ukrainian side offered to reload the work of the Trilateral Contact Group as the website of the office reported.

To accelerate Minsk process, the president signed the order, which increases the representation of Ukraine at the Trilateral Contact Group.

We raised it up to very high official level, Yermak said.

Particularly, Vice PM, Minister of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Oleksiy Reznikov was appointed as deputy head of the Ukrainian delegation at the group. At the level of the subgroups, Ukraine will be represented by the deputies ministers or MPs-chairmen of profile committees of the parliament.

The Ukrainian side offered to involve IDPs in the work of the subgroups as people, who will represent the occupied territories.

Andriy Yermak noted that the partakers of the Trilateral Contact Group will involve these people in the discussions, consultations and agreement of the issues provided by Minsk Agreements.

Meanwhile, Head of the Presidents Office underlined the inadmissibility any talks with the representatives of unrecognized quazi-state formations.

Andriy Yermak offered to agree on the extended composition of the delegations of Ukraine, Russia and OSCE in accordance with the offers of the Ukrainian side during the next session in Minsk.

The high official status of the members of the delegations will allow to adopt and fulfill the decisions faster and more effective and see who does not fulfill them, Yermak said.

He underlined the necessity of complete and comprehensive ceasefire and immediate and complete access for the representatives of the OSCE SMM and ICRC to temporarily uncontrolled territories.

It concerns the lives and health of people directly and it is the highest priority for Ukraine, Yermak said.

As we reported earlier, the Foreign Minister of Germany Heiko Maas and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian stood against the restrictions of the work of the OSCE SMM in Donbas.
TEHRAN,Iran, May 6

Trend:

Iran continues to bring back its citizens from abroad, secretary of Association of Iranian Airlines Maghsoud Assadi Samani told Trend.

"Flights will be based on demands and the cooperation of the embassies is in place as well, however usual flights are still not permitted," he said.

"It is expected that Iranian citizens would return back to the country by flights from Spain, Austria, Slovakia," Samani added.

"So far more than 14,000 people have returned to the country, but the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development has the precise statistics," he said.

"These airlines are facing losses since they fly half-empty to bring back the citizens of Iran, but considering the necessity, they're are obligated to do so," Samani added.

"The cost of flight for an empty plane will not be charged for passengers, and they would pay for one way ticket," he said.

The official said that the amount of flights has been reduced by some 80 percent, and the domestic flights depend on the market demands.

Iran is bringing back its citizens from other countries amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan - which is an international transport hub - began at a fish market in late December 2019.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 declared COVID-19 a pandemic. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019.

Iran continues to monitor the coronavirus situation in the country.

The country continues to apply strict measures to contain the further spread. Reportedly, the disease was brought to Iran by a businessman from Iran's Qom city, who went on a business trip to China, despite official warnings. The man died later from the disease.

The Islamic Republic only announced its first infections and deaths from the coronavirus on Feb. 19.
JACKSON COUNTY, MI  Two more Jackson County residents have died in connection with the novel coronavirus, officials said.

There have now been 24 Jackson County residents who have died of the illness caused by the virus as of noon, Tuesday, May 5, per the county health department. There were also two more confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the county total to 368, per the health department.

There were 170 men with the virus and 198 women, per the health department.

Almost 21 percent of the cases involve patients between the ages of 40 and 49, and nearly 18 percent of COVID-19 patients in the county are 50 to 59, the health department said. Just over 17 percent of cases are in people between 60 and 69.

Positive COVID-19 results from the prisons in Jackson County are not included in the county numbers.

The total number of COVID-19 cases at Parnall Correctional Facility was 177, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections.

Of the inmates who tested positive, 69 were in recovery and were moved to a step-down unit where theyre kept from contact with others prisoners, according to MDOC. There were 25 fully recovered prisoners who were back with the general population, prison officials said.

There were 74 Parnall employees who have tested positive for COVID-19, according to MDOC.

The G. Robert Cotton Facility had 669 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 1,130 negative test results, with three results pending. One person has moved to the step-down unit and one has died due to COVID-19, per MDOC. There were 21 employees with the virus.

There were 55 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus at the Charles E. Egeler Reception and Guidance Center. Six inmates have been moved to the step-down unit, two are considered recovered by MDOC and four inmates have died of COVID-19, per MDOC. Twenty-six employees have confirmed cases of COVID-19.

There were 33 confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the Duane Waters Health Center with 34 negative test results and two pending. Two inmate deaths have occurred No employees have tested positive for coronavirus, according to MDOC. One inmate has moved to the step-down unit.

Statewide, officials reported 447 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 44 new deaths Tuesday.

Weekly averages show an overall downward trend in cases and deaths.

Michigan averaged 734 new cases per day and 87.4 deaths per day over the last week. In the week prior, the state averaged 899 new cases per day and 123.9 deaths per day  thats an 18.3% decrease in cases and a 29.4% decline in deaths.

Michigan coronavirus deaths down 29%, new cases down 18% compared to last week

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

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Moodys Analytics, a global provider of financial intelligence, has earned the Category Leader distinction in a new Chartis Research report. Technology Solutions for Credit Risk 2.0: Credit Risk Analytics, 2020; Market Update and CVA/CLO Solutions Vendor Landscape evaluates 13 leading vendors of CLO solutions.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005295/en/

https://www.moodysanalytics.com/about-us/awards

This recognition reflects the long-term commitment and significant investment that Moodys Analytics has made in the CLO market. From the formation of Moodys Analytics in 2008, it has had coverage of every structured asset class and has worked with many of the largest market participants. As a result the CLO product suite reflects a deep understanding of the structured finance communitys needs. For example, different market participants need to access data and analytics in unique ways, and Moodys Analytics makes them available through several flexible solutions including a web portal, local or hosted APIs, data feeds, microservices, Excel Add-In, and more.

We are delighted to be recognized by Chartis for our CLO solutions, said Bhargav Jani, Senior Director at Moodys Analytics. Our rich content, developed over the past decade, sets us apart from other vendors in the CLO space. Our ability to deliver that content flexibly, suiting our clients unique needs, is an even greater differentiator.

The reports RiskTech Quadrant for CLO solutions, pictured above, highlights each vendors "Completeness of Offering" and "Market Potential." The reports separate Vendor Capabilities table evaluates the vendors on six specific capabilities. Moodys Analytics earned Best-in-class for three capabilities (collateral data analytics, pricing engine, and CPM support)more than any other vendor.

Our CLO Market Solutions are a part of the Moodys Analytics suite of solutions for the structured finance market, which includes analytical platforms such as the Structured Finance Portal for investors and the Ki solution for issuers of securitizations.

This suite of solutions also earned Category Leader status for Moodys Analytics in last years Chartis Research report Fixed-Income Technology Solutions, 2019 Market and Vendor Landscape.

Learn more about this new recognition, which adds to the companys growing list of awards and accolades.

Moodys Analytics, Moodys, and all other names, logos, and icons identifying Moodys Analytics and/or its products and services are trademarks of Moodys Analytics, Inc. or its affiliates. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners.

About Moodys Analytics

Moodys Analytics provides financial intelligence and analytical tools to help business leaders make better, faster decisions. Our deep risk expertise, expansive information resources, and innovative application of technology help our clients confidently navigate an evolving marketplace. We are known for our industry-leading and award-winning solutions, made up of research, data, software, and professional services, assembled to deliver a seamless customer experience. We create confidence in thousands of organizations worldwide, with our commitment to excellence, open mindset approach, and focus on meeting customer needs. For more information about Moodys Analytics, visit our website or connect with us on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Moody's Analytics, Inc. is a subsidiary of Moody's Corporation (NYSE: MCO). Moodys Corporation reported revenue of $4.8 billion in 2019, employs approximately 11,300 people worldwide and maintains a presence in 40 countries.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005295/en/
Britons are more concerned about the coronavirus than people in any other country, including Spain and Italy, according to a new study.

UK researchers conducted surveys on nearly 7,000 peoples thoughts and fears about the virus between mid-March and mid-April, across 10 different countries.

While the UK came at the top of the pile, Spain followed for residents with the greatest concerns and anxieties about coronavirus, with the US in third place.

Germany came fourth above Sweden  which has not imposed an official lockdown  followed by Australia and Japan in sixth and seventh, respectively.

Italy, the pandemic's first European epicentre, ranked a fairly low eight out of the 10 nations, followed by Mexico and South Korea in joint last place.

South Korea was at the bottom of the pile as the least concerned, possibly partly due to the nations successful testing and tracing policy.

UK have the highest overall levels of concern about coronavirus - more than Italy or Spain, the survey found

However, there was little difference between many of the countries, with risk perception generally high in all nations.

The University of Cambridge research team set out to uncover some of the key psychological factors behind people's concern and whether this influenced steps to prevent infection.

Greater concern about the virus correlated with taking a number of preventative public health measures such as increased hand washing or wearing facemasks.

CORONAVIRUS RISK PERCEPTION BY COUNTRY Risk perception table (points given out of seven) 1. UK 5.45 2. Spain 5.19 3. US 4.95 4. Germany 4.93 5. Sweden 4.91 6. Australia 4.85 7. Japan 4.83 8. Italy 4.81 9. South Korea 4.78 9. Mexico 4.78 Advertisement

Without pharmaceutical treatment, we are relying on people changing their behaviour to put the brakes on this pandemic, said Dr Sander van der Linden, study lead and Director of the Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab at the University of Cambridge.

The willingness to adopt protective behaviours such as frequent hand-washing or physical distancing is likely to be influenced, in part, by how risky people perceive the virus to be.

We think this is the first comparative evidence of how people perceive the risk of COVID-19 around the world.

The study, based on data from 6,991 participants, measured risk perception by combining people's ratings of how prevalent, how life-threatening and how worrying they thought the virus was.

Men typically had lower levels of concern about the virus than women, despite the fact that COVID-19 appears to be more fatal for adult males than females.

In several of the countries, people who got information on the virus from friends or family also perceived higher risk.

Meanwhile, pro-sociality, or a belief in the importance of doing things for the benefit of others, was linked with heightened concern about the virus in all 10 countries except South Korea.

Pro-sociality  an example of which is the UK's weekly clapping for NHS staff  was also one of the most important psychological factors of risk perception internationally.

In the UK, 'clap for our carers' help Brits publicly signal pro-social intentions through a shared sentiment and 'the spread of positive emotions', researchers said

Appealing to pro-social motives can be an important part of solving social dilemmas during pandemics, said co-author Dr Claudia Schneider at the Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication at the University of Cambridge.

For example, clap for our carers campaigns help us to publicly signal pro-social intentions through shared sentiment and the spread of positive emotions.

'The more people believe that it is important to do things for the benefit of others and society, even if they have some costs to them personally, the more concerned they are.'

Although pro-sociality did not correlate with higher levels of risk perception in South Korea, pro-sociality in all 10 countries  including the East Asian nation  was high.

Meanwhile, what the researchers term an individualistic worldview'  originating from a belief that governments meddle too much in our lives  related to lower levels of concern about the risks of coronavirus.

While this worldview is associated with certain US states, it was also related to risk perception in Germany, Sweden, Spain, Japan and the UK.

The perception that the government is restricting people's freedom might cause psychological pushback among some people with strong individualistic worldviews, said co-author Dr Sarah Dryhurst, also from the Winton Centre.

We see this expressed in anti-lockdown protests in the US and Germany, for example.

A view of square Piazza della Signoria and Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy last month. Surprisingly, Italy - the pandemic's first European epicentre - ranked low out of the 10 nations

Political ideology was less significant for risk perception overall, although a more conservative outlook was associated with lower levels of concern in the UK and the US.

Researchers hope the study, which has been published in the Journal of Risk Research, can help the global effort react to COVID-19, which has killed more than 253,000 people as of Tuesday.

Governments are asking people to stay inside and give up their livelihoods in order to protect their societies, said Dr Alexandra Freeman, director of the Winton Centre.

It's important we understand how people react to the information and instructions they receive about the virus.

Earlier this week a report by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) found half of British adults felt anxious about COVID-19 lockdown.

More than 25 million people were affected by high levels of anxiety, while the number of people over 16 reporting deep levels of concern and stress had more than doubled since late 2019.

Concerns included household finances, personal, well-being, work, disruption to studies and access to groceries and medication.




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The Rolls-Royce Cullinan glides evenly over the rutted single-lane dirt road, barely unsettling its passengers. Nobody is speaking in the lush cabin, not even my normally chatty 7-year-old. All eyes are turned to the Delaware River gliding by, a dozen feet away, through a skim of skeletal hardwood trees. Theres no sign of humanity or habitation. Its almost a scene in a movie. The Last of the Mohicans, perhaps.

Today we are exploring the Old Mine Road, and it is making us think of ghosts. Its 104 miles of asphalt and dirt make up one of the oldest continuously-used roads in America, stretching from New Yorks Catskills to the Pennsylvania Delaware Water Gap. The Lenape are thought to have first threaded a path here in the 1300s.

It is also a pathway wending its way through the Northeasts violent history, from bloody skirmishes between the original Native American inhabitants and European settlers to the Americans and Brits in the Revolutionary War. Little wonder that out here in the quiet, that history  and those ghosts  feel close.

Amazingly, the 40-mile section in New Jersey that follows the eastern banks of the Delaware looks much like it did a hundred years ago. There are million-dollar views, but as part of the Delaware recreation area, no development is allowed.

Instead of the gated McMansions youd expect less than 1.5 hours from New York City, we are greeted by silent forest and twin lanes of bumpy or shattered asphalt. Theres a section of dirt and gravel, narrowing to a single lane. Easy to imagine hundreds of years of horses and mules stamping down the thin path.

It is early spring and like everyone else, we have cabin fever. My wife, son and mother-in-law are sheltering-in-place at our country house in the Poconos. America is locked into a struggle with an invisible enemy. It seems a good time to get some historical perspective. If our ancestors lived and endured under harsh conditions, so can we.

Story continues

There is nothing inherently unsafe or socially unacceptable about taking a short road trip on a virtually unused road, so we pack a lunch of cold pizza and snacks, and pile into the leather-bound, environmentally-controlled cocoon of the Rolls.

We make our way to Kingston, N.Y., where the road begins. Im finally going to drive the entirety of the Old Mine Road.

Our Barney-purple Cullinan is a rolling sanctuary, a movable fortress of social isolation. It rides atop the Ghosts architecture, and is powered by the same 6.75-liter twin-turbo V12, with 571 horsepower and an eerily smooth 627 pound-feet of torque. The difference is the oversized tires and tall ride height, supplemented by an independent air suspension.

The Royce is not made for serious off-road applications: With a starting price of $330,000 and an as-tested sticker of $426,700 youd have to be insane to run it in Baja. But the Old Mine is a perfect test.

The stretch from Kingston to Port Jervis, N.Y., is officially US 209. Its two lanes are uninterrupted by traffic lights, passing through rolling hills and hamlets like Hurley, Accord and Godeffroy. Its very rural, with scant traffic. Our purple SUV captures its share of attention, as a Roller surely isnt a common sight. The Cullinan fills the entire lane, but the rear-axle steering helps guide us along even the curviest bits. Theres no sense in pushing hard  were looking for serenity and escape.

Notice all of the old blue-and-yellow signs along 209: historical plaques. Which brings us back to historys ghosts. The Old Mine Road served as a conduit for early Dutch settlers in the 1600s, and earned its name for the Pahaquarry copper mine in the 1700s. Forts were created along its back during the French and Indian wars. And it was a vital circuit during the Revolutionary War, as it linked the Delaware River to the Hudson River, a route that the Brits badly wanted to control.

In Hurley, a sign commemorates the spot where a British spy, Lt. David Taylor, was hung from an apple tree behind a familys residence in 1777. (A 1904 issue of the local Kingston newspaper noted that in the 1800s, The mound over the grave was distinctly visible, and it was a proper thing for patriotic lads to dance upon it.)

The Old Mine Road leads through the bustling community of Port Jervis, which anchors the borders of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Main Street was once part of the Old Mine` Road, and youll see signs for Fort Decker, burned down in the summer of 1779 by a famous Mohawk military leader. Joseph Brant (nee Thayendanegea) was sympathetic to the British and during his life met historic luminaries like George Washington and King George III.

Past Port Jervis, and into New Jersey, the road pretty much ceases to be much of a road at all. It hasnt seen any new asphalt in a very long time, and the Cullinans suspension takes the constant hits stoically. It is never uncomfortable for its passengers, front or back.

We reach the dirt section, which hews closely to the river in sections. My son is hungry, as usual, so I take a very muddy side road down a steep hill toward the river. Im thankful for the clearance.

The wind is coming off the water, and its cold, but the views are gorgeous, and we pull out the picnic lunch we had packed.

Which is where the Rolls-Royce panache kicks in. Pop the rear tailgate down, activate an electronic switch, and two leather-bound chairs electronically swivel out, complete with a center cocktail table. Royce brands the swish feature its viewing suite, a $19,900 option.

Max hops up and promptly gets pizza grease all over the leather. The adults open both the front doors and the rear suicide doors and crouch in the lee, hiding from the wind.

Back on the dirt road, we pass a stone building called the Van Campen Inn, where some 150 settlers crammed inside its flagstone walls to hide from a Native American attack (or so the park literature goes).

There are only a few old stone cottages to be found on the route, including one house where nine generations of a family resided from the 1730s until the 1970s  and were evicted by the federal government.

After a series of floods on the Delaware that killed 99 people in 1955, a dam was planned. Most homes and structures were torn down and 15,000 families kicked out. The dam project was canceled in the 1970s, and the properties became part of the recreation area. One cant help feel both bad for the old families, but also thankful for the unusual circumstances that left this region so pristine.

Eventually we reach the roads final few miles, once again paved but narrow. It leads along the high banks of the Gap itself  the spot where the river has carved out a massive fissure through the ridges of the Appalachian Mountains.

And we hit a closed and padlocked gate. No sign, no warning. And no passing beyond it. Perhaps it has something to do with the New Jersey closings of public parks due to the virus. Unclear.

Oh, snap! says my kid from the back, with a mixture of surprise and annoying delight. The rest of my passengers  my wife and her mom  are less delighted. Despite the comfort of the car, theyre restless and it means many miles of backtracking.

So I summon the power of the Cullinan and its accommodating suspension and we fly back the way weve come; eventually getting off the Old Mine Road (farewell, for now!), and onto back country lanes of New Jersey.

We reach I-80 and turn west, letting the Cullinan fly. As we pass over the Delaware Water Gap Toll Bridge, I look down and can see the single lane of the Old Mine Road, cutting through the trees and hugging the side of the ridge precariously.

Ill be back another time, I promise, to finish those last few miles.

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A man was arrested after stabbing a stranger numerous times Tuesday night in southern Oregon, authorities say.

The stabbing victim indicated to police that he was taking a smoke break behind Medfords Minute Market when a man approached and started stabbing him for no apparent reason.

The 57-year-old victim, who hasnt been publicly identified, was left with numerous stab wounds to his torso, police said. He was taken to a hospital and treated for injuries that werent believed to be life-threatening.

Officers surrounded the area and started a search. The suspect, identified by police as 20-year-old Eli Keylor, was spotted in a field behind a nearby school.

He fled when an officer tried to contact him, police said, but the officer eventually chased him down.

Police said no connection is known between Keylor and the man hes accused of stabbing. No motive has been established, according to police.

Keylor was jailed on suspicion of first- and second-degree assault. He remained in custody Wednesday morning.

-- Jim Ryan; jryan@oregonian.com; 503-221-8005; @Jimryan015

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Spotify has removed a controversial podcast featuring an interview with conspiracy theorist David Icke.

The streaming service pulled the episode, published by London Real on April 7, hours after CNBC brought it to the company's attention on Wednesday.

"That episode has been removed from the Spotify platform as it is a violation of our content policies," a spokesperson told CNBC.

Apple is yet to remove the same podcast from its podcast platform. Apple did not respond to CNBC's request for comment.

The podcast is titled "David Icke - The coronavirus conspiracy: How Covid-19 will seize your rights & destroy our economy."

London Real host Brian Rose starts the episode by explaining how his last interview with Icke went viral, receiving more than 7 million listens and more comments than any other London Real episode. "That tells me one thing, people want to hear your opinion," he said.

In the episode, which is 2 hour 33 minute long, Icke doubts the existence of coronavirus and links it to 5G.
By PTI

ALIGARH: The cybercrime wing of the Uttar Pradesh Police has registered a case against an unidentified person who in a video message on WhatsApp had threatened former state chief minister Kalyan Singh.

BJP legislator from Chharra Ravendra Pal Singh had filed a complaint with SSP Muniraj G and demanded that an FIR be lodged and an inquiry be instituted into a video clip being shared on WhatsApp, where an unidentified youth is seen threatening Kalyan Singh, who is also former governor of Rajasthan, Station House Officer, Civil Lines police station, Amit Kumar said.

The FIR in the case was registered on Tuesday, he said.

President of All India Lodhi Mahasabha had also in a letter to the SSP demanded action against the youth, Kumar said.

The BJP MLA has also urged the Uttar Pradesh government and the Union home minister to probe the video where "highly derogatory remarks" have been made against Kalyan Singh.
US researchers said Tuesday the coronavirus that started the epidemic in Wuhan has mutated, and it is more contagious now. This new strain, which is sweeping through the United States, can have implications for the hunt for a vaccine.

It spread first in Europe and then to the United States and Canada and has been dominant strain globally since March, researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory in a 33-page paper in BioRxiv, a scientific journal that publishes pre-peer reviewed papers.

If it does not subside in summer, it could further mutate and could potentially be less effective to vaccines that are being developed, the researchers said.

Coronavirus outbreak: Full coverage

This is hard news, Bette Korber, a computational biologist at Los Alamos and lead author of the study wrote on her Facebook page, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.

But please dont only be disheartened by it, she went on. Our team at LANL was able to document this mutation and its impact on transmission only because of a massive global effort of clinical people and experimental groups, who make new sequences of the virus (SARS-CoV-2) in their local communities available as quickly as they possibly can.

Upwards of 90 separate efforts are underway in the United States to find a vaccine as the epidemic continues to rage across the country.

It has killed 71,152 people in the United States so far, up by 1,240 in the last 24 hours and infected 1.2 million with 22,335 infections.
Federal authorities will investigate a COVID-19 cluster at a Melbourne abattoir as the number of positive cases from the Cedar Meats outbreak reached 49 and the spread was linked to a second different location.

Health Minister Jenny Mikakos has vigorously defended the government's response to the outbreak at the Brooklyn business, saying it had been handled "perfectly", as the opposition dubbed the cluster "Victoria's Ruby Princess" and demanded an inquiry into the outbreak's origins.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton at a media briefing on Wednesday afternoon. Credit:Joe Armao

As the Victorian government on Wednesday confirmed four new cases related to the cluster at Cedar Meats, the federal government launched an investigation to determine if Commonwealth meat inspectors may have spread the virus to other facilities after checking the abattoir in April.

The state opposition is demanding a separate inquiry into the origins of the outbreak, which saw 350 workers sent into quarantine, saying the Andrews Labor government dropped the ball on tracing the contacts of a worker from Cedar Meats who tested positive on April 2.
(Natural News) Many of us are willing to overlook our concerns about harsh cleaning chemicals these days if it means protection from coronavirus, but one Spanish town has gone way too far and sprayed an entire beach with a bleach solution.

Thats right: Authorities in Zahara de los Atunes, which is situated near Cadiz, sprayed more than 1.2 miles of beach with a bleach solution using tractors and small trucks with fumigation misters the day before the country allowed children to venture outside for the first time in more than a month.

Spain has been hit hard by coronavirus, registering more than 25,000 deaths so far. The country has been under a strict lockdown since mid-March, and its been a particularly trying experience for the many people who live in apartments and have no yard to speak of. Until recently, children werent even allowed to go for a walk around their block, so Spaniards eagerly awaited the recent progression into a new phase that allows kids outside for short walks with their parents.

In preparation for this new freedom, the town somehow got the bright idea of dousing the beach with bleach. They say they were hoping to protect children who might talk walks near the sea, but the move was met with immediate outrage on many fronts.

Bleach killed everything on the ground at the beach

Authorities there have now apologized for the risky move, which environmentalists say has caused the local ecosystem brutal damage. One environmentalist in the area who visited the beach in person to assess the damage, Maria Dolores Iglesias, said the bleach had killed everything on the ground. Nothing is seen, not even insects.

She added that she had seen at least one birds nest with eggs destroyed by the tractors that sprayed the chemical. The beach and dunes are protected places for migratory birds to breed and nest, such as the Kentish plover and swift, and it was hoped that the area would see its nest numbers double this year after the beaches sat for six weeks undisturbed. Instead, theres an environmental disaster there now that has left everything on the ground dead.

Iglesias said the dune spaces have been devastated, adding that The virus lives in people, not on the beach. It is crazy. The sand is cleaned by the rain and tides, and no one had even been on the beach for several weeks because of the strict lockdown.

The Spanish chapter of Greenpeace has said that in addition to disrupting the bird mating season, it will also hurt the ecosystem for the invertebrates in the area that support the local fishing ecosystem when the bleach leeches into the sea.

The Andalusian regional government has said the initiative did not receive the necessary sanitary and environmental authorizations. They have already spoken out against the act and said they will investigate.

Local official Agustin Conejo acknowledged it was a mistake, but said it was done with the hopes of protecting children. However, some local ecologists question the true reason behind the spraying given the great distance between the areas that were sprayed and the parts people can access. They theorize that a local hotelier was behind the spraying in an attempt to guarantee the area is free of the virus ahead of the summer tourist season.

Spain was the second-biggest international tourist destination in the world in 2018, racking up 83 million visitors. The hit to the countrys tourism industry from the virus is having a big effect on the overall economy.

While the idea of making areas safe for children during a pandemic is certainly a good one, its hard to believe that anyone thought spraying a beach that no one had been on for several weeks with a bleach solution was somehow a good idea.

Sources for this article include:

EcoWatch.com

BBC.com
DETROIT  JetBlue will not fly in or out of Detroit Metro Airport until October.

The U.S. Department of Transportation on Tuesday granted the airlines request to suspend service to Detroit and 15 other major U.S. cities through Sept. 30.

In its request, JetBlue cited extremely low demand at the airports due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic that has resulted in stay home orders in Michigan and other states.

RELATED: JetBlue is first airline to require passengers to wear protective face masks

Here are the airports affected:

Atlanta (ATL)

Charlotte, N.C. (CLT)

Chicago (ORD)

Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW)

Denver (DEN)

Detroit (DTW)

Houston (IAH)

Las Vegas (LAS)

Minneapolis (MSP)

Nashville, Tenn. (BNA)

Philadelphia (PHL)

Phoenix (PHX)

Portland, Ore. (PDX)

San Diego (SAN)

Seattle (SEA)

Tampa, Fla. (TPA)

Spirit Airlines and Delta Air Lines have also requested temporary halts in services to some U.S. destinations, Reuters reports.

READ MORE:

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Wednesday, May 6: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Eight weeks after Michigans first coronavirus cases, an animated map tracks its spread through the state

Michigans approach to reopening the economy: slow, steady and safe

Michigan AG says Whitmers orders are valid, instructs law officers to continue enforcement
When Tristel Plc (AIM:TSTL) announced its most recent earnings (31 December 2019), I did two things: looked at its past earnings track record, then look at what is happening in the industry. Understanding how Tristel performed requires a benchmark rather than trying to assess a standalone number at one point in time. Below is a quick commentary on how I see TSTL has performed.

Check out our latest analysis for Tristel

Commentary On TSTL's Past Performance

TSTL's trailing twelve-month earnings (from 31 December 2019) of UK4.7m has jumped 33% compared to the previous year.

Furthermore, this one-year growth rate has exceeded its 5-year annual growth average of 18%, indicating the rate at which TSTL is growing has accelerated. What's the driver of this growth? Let's take a look at if it is solely due to industry tailwinds, or if Tristel has seen some company-specific growth.

AIM:TSTL Income Statement May 6th 2020

In terms of returns from investment, Tristel has fallen short of achieving a 20% return on equity (ROE), recording 19% instead. However, its return on assets (ROA) of 14% exceeds the GB Medical Equipment industry of 7.0%, indicating Tristel has used its assets more efficiently. Though, its return on capital (ROC), which also accounts for Tristels debt level, has declined over the past 3 years from 27% to 20%.

What does this mean?

Though Tristel's past data is helpful, it is only one aspect of my investment thesis. Companies that have performed well in the past, such as Tristel gives investors conviction. However, the next step would be to assess whether the future looks as optimistic. I recommend you continue to research Tristel to get a more holistic view of the stock by looking at:

Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for TSTLs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for TSTLs outlook. Financial Health: Are TSTLs operations financially sustainable? Balance sheets can be hard to analyze, which is why weve done it for you. Check out our financial health checks here. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the trailing twelve months from 31 December 2019. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

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



We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.
He might be Captain America, but some tasks are beyond even his capacities.

Instagram newbie Chris Evans shared his second post ever to the social media platform on Monday, with a shot of his dog's grooming session gone horribly awry.

In the snap, the flank of the 38-year-old Avengers star's pooch is visible, with at least two or three glaring bald spots visible in the golden fur.

Oops: Instagram newbie Chris Evans shared his second post ever to the social media platform on Monday, with a zany shot of his dog's grooming session gone horribly awry

'I assured him I knew what I was doing,' Chris began the caption. 'He seemed skeptical at first, but with the help of a few treats, I talked him into it.'

Then, apparently, things turned on a dime.

'It went so wrong, so fast,' Evans continued. 'I guess some things are better left to the professionals. (He hasnt seen a mirror yet. I told him it looks great)'

As a final touch, the hunky actor signed off with the hashtag #Quarantinelife.

'It went so wrong, so fast,' Evans wrote in the Instagram post. 'I guess some things are better left to the professionals'; seen here with his pooch on Twitter last year

Understandably, the post racked up almost one million likes within a day of being posted.

And while the Knives Out actor has been an active Twitter user for a while, his belated joining of Instagram last Friday was done in grand fashion, and met with appropriate fanfare.

Evans' impetus for joining was for a good cause, too  in the video confessional, he joined the All In Challenge by pledging to reunite six top stars of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, giving fans the chance of having a virtual hang-out with them while raising money to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Insta debut: While the Knives Out actor has been an active Twitter user for a while, his belated joining of Instagram last Friday was done in grand fashion, and met with appropriate fanfare

The Captain America star joined in on the challenge after getting nominated by his fellow MCU compatriot, Chris Pratt of Guardians Of The Galaxy fame.

And while Pratt is offering fans the chance to get 'eaten' by a dinosaur as part of the next Jurassic World film, Evans is raffling off the chance to meet all six of the stars who originated the Avengers franchise in 2012: himself along with Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo.

100 percent of the money raised will go directly to Feeding America, Meals On Wheels, World Central Kitchen and No Kid Hungry.

Giving back: Evans' impetus for joining was for a good cause, too  in the video confessional, he joined the All In Challenge to help raise money to fight the coronavirus pandemic
A Chief Superintendent of Police serving with the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, Mr Celestine Umeh, allegedly arrested, detained and framed-up a businessman, Mr Clement Asuquo Etim, and two others on trumped-up charges after he was caught in bed with the wife of Mr Etim in Uyo.

Sahara Reporters reports that CSP Umeh (pictured above) had been having an affair with Mrs Lawrentia Asuquo, Etims wife for a long time before he was finally caught at about 7:00pm on April 27, 2020 at their home at Aba Ukpo Estate, which is not too far from where the Akwa Ibom State Police Command in Uyo is located.

Etim told Sahara Reporters that the senior police officer had been having a se.xual affair with his wife for a long time and that he has been hoping for a day that he will catch them red handed.

Etim told the publication, Whenever I travel to Calabar where I do my business, I usually receive reports that my wife invites her lover, CSP Umeh, to our matrimonial home to spend the night.

They were having se.xual affair in my house not minding the presence of my home help, a boy of 15 years old.

According to Etim, luck however, ran out on the police officer and his wife when he got a tip off that CSP Umeh was in his house again to spend the night on April 27.

Following that information, Etim decided to return to Uyo immediately.

He said, On getting home in the evening last Monday, I caught the CSP with my wife enjoying themselves on the matrimonial bed.

Etim said he was provoked on seeing CSP Umeh in bed with his wife and decided to confront him along with his cousin that came with him from Calabar as a witness.

Following the confrontation, the policeman ran out of Etims house with his wife and abandoned his SUV.

About two hours later, heavily armed officers from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad stormed Etims house with his unfaithful wife and arrested him, his cousin, Mr Patrick Okon Edet, and his young home help, Christopher Bassey.

They were taken to the Akwa Ibom State Police Command.

On getting to the police command, Etim said that the police tortured him and falsely accused him, his cousin and house help of assaulting CSP Umeh and stealing his mobile phones.

Etim was detained illegally from April 27 to 30th when he was temporarily released to go and search for the keys of the SUV belonging to CSP Umeh which was abandoned at his house.

However, the cousin and house help were detained in police custody from April 27 April to May 4 when they were arraigned before a Chief Magistrate Court in Uyo on trumped-up charges of assault and stealing.

Etim told the publication that when he was released, he decided to go to the hospital for medical checks as blood kept coming out from one side of his ear as a result of torture by the Officer-in-Charge of General Investigation, a Superintendent of Police named Ekene Nwosu, and other policemen at the Akwa Ibom State Police Command.

He said that SP Ekene used a plank to hit his ear and also assaulted his house help and kept shouting at them for fighting with Umeh.

Surprisingly, on getting to his house after he was released, Etim met his three bedroom flat apartment empty.

He said his neighbours and estate management told him that his wife came with strangers and moved out all his properties and household items and relocated to an unknown location.

When she was confronted by people in the estate, a certain SP Ekene instructed the estate management to allow my wife leave the estate with all my properties or face the consequences, he said.

According to the charge sheet obtained by Sahara Reporters, the three men were accused of hitting the police officer with a bottle.

Count two, three and four of the charges reads, That you Clement Asuquo Etim, Patrick Okon Edet, and Christopher Bassey Effiong on the 27th day of April, 2020 at Aba-ukpo Estate, in the Uyo Magisterial District, unlawfully assaulted one Celestine Umeh, a Chief Superintendent of Police, by giving him fist blows all over his body and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 360 Of the Criminal Code, Cap.38, Vol, 2, Laws of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria 2000.

That you Clement Asuquo Etim, Patrick Okon Edet, and Christopher Bassey Effiong, on the 27th day of April, 2020 at Aba-ukpo Estate, in the Uyo Magisterial District, unlawfully assaulted one Celestine Umeh, a Chief Superintendent of Police, by smashing a bottle on his head which caused him harm. Thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 364 of the Criminal Code, Cap.38. Vol.2, of Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria, 2000.

That you Clement Asuquo Etim, Patrick Okon Edet, and Christopher Bassey Effiong on the 27th day of April, 2020 at Aba-ukpo Estate, in the Uyo Magisterial District, did steal Samsung phones valued at N135,000 and infinity car key being property of one Celestine Umeh, a Chief Superintendent of Police, and thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 408 of the Criminal Code.

Human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, whose law firm is representing Etim, his cousin and home help, told the publication that the conduct of CSP Umeh, SP Ekene and other police officers at the Akwa Ibom State Command involved in the case was reprehensible and deserves immediate disciplinary action from the Inspector-General of Police and Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State.

He said, I am alarmed by what these police officers have done to this man, his cousin and home help. It is reprehensible, unprofessional and damaging to the image of the Nigeria Police Force. This is one of the most repulsive cases of abuse of the police institution. Where lies the hope for Nigeria if this kind of atrocious and scandalous action is allowed to go unpunished?

It is more troubling that the police resorted to filing a criminal charge against them in their desperation to cover-up their illegal and abominable conduct. We cannot allow this to go unpunished.

The Akwa Ibom Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Nnudam Fredrick, when contacted, claimed not to be aware of the matter but promised to confirm if the state had such matter.

Source  Sahara reporters
Most folks probably know about the Murder Hornets by now, and for those who dont, yes, you should be alarmed.

Because they really can murder you.

The Asian giant hornet  also called Murder Hornets by researchers  reportedly kill up to 50 people per year in Japan.

They grow to be big, pack a punch in their sting, which can puncture a beekeepers suit, and can decimate an entire hive of bees in hours  ripping their heads off and carrying their thorax back to their young.

And they are starting to show up in the United States.

But theres some good news. Maybe we can turn the table on these Murder Hornets, because, according to a story by The New York Times, while theyre lethal, theyre also pretty tasty.

Thats right.

You can eat those suckers.

According to the story, the hornets are enjoyed as tasty treats and even used as ingredients for invigorating drinks. They are, reportedly, preserved in jars, pan-fried, or steamed with rice. The large adults can be fried on skewers, according to The Times, and can leave a warming, tingling sensation when eaten.

And, move aside worm in a tequila bottle, the hornets are apparently drowned live in liquor over in Japan which, according to the story, prompts them to release their venom into the beverage.

You know, for that extra kick.

So, if you see a Murder Hornet, try not to get stung. Maybe, call someone. Maybe, get out the frying pan.
Award-winning Brampton community activist Idris Orughu is fed up. The Peel District School Board banned him from its properties in March, accusing him, among other things, of threatening its members. But it wont tell him  or us  what Orguhu is supposed to have said and when.

Now, it may be that Orughu is a rank villain, a polished activist to those who have known him for years, but a closet ventriloquist who growls out threats with his mouth closed. Maybe he deserves to be turfed.

But the board will not demystify what should be a straightforward matter.

Peels director of education Peter Joshua responded Monday to say, The board is bound by privacy obligations to all involved so I am unable to comment.

At meeting after public meeting of the Peel District School Board, I was struck by how grassroots the community resistance against anti-Black racism was. Students speaking, stumbling, not polished  until they were telling their experiences from the heart, parents in tears over what their children experienced, afraid of the consequences of going public, and even the boards own educators quaking in fear as they challenged their top bosses. One teacher had her say, went to the washroom and vomited.

Even leaderless movements need a shepherd, someone who will be there come blizzard or high water, who can be relied upon to agitate, to represent, to hold feet to fire.

Orughu is one such leader. His 6-foot-8-inch frame puts him literally head and shoulders above any crowd and he emerged tall at the board meetings as the person community members coalesced around. He organized community meetings. He helped organize community space for reviewers sent by the education ministry to investigate allegations of anti-Black racism (They found it was rampant). He met with education minister Stephen Lecce.

In other words, hes a troublemaker, a sorry sight for the Peel board.

This is why when the board sent him a trespass letter on March 9, it came across as a tactic to discredit and silence a vocal critic. Cut the legs off a movement and watch it crumble. But Orughu is duelling with both hands; fighting the board alongside the community against systemic anti-Black racism in its schools and fighting the board to clear his own name.

In its letter, the board accused him of engaging in improper conduct in two instances. One for complaining in public about staff members and engaging in disrespectful communication with board members at a Feb. 11 meeting. The other for making harassing and threatening comments to members of the board on Feb. 25 that resulted in the board shutting down the public meeting and calling the police.

But what did I say? Whom did I threaten? Orughu asked.

That is the crux of the problem. Nobody seems to know what happened that necessitated the board calling the police. Or why, if Orughu was the problem, the police walked right past him and others sitting in a group that night and didnt question him at all. Or why it took the board 15 days after that incident to send Orughu a trespass letter.

Orughu said he publicly told trustee vice-chair David Green on Feb. 11 something like, Well see you on election day. On Feb. 26, the Star reported Green as saying during the Feb. 25 meeting, I am in fear of my life, my whole body is shaking. I am scared.

Its only when he received the trespass letter in March that Orughu realized he was the person who was supposed to have threatened Green.

Two days after receiving the letter, Orughu said he got a call from Peel police telling him Green had filed a complaint against him alleging he had said, Come and see what we will do to you. We will see you at the next board meeting and next election.

It is very important to know that I do not speak this way, hence these words are not mine, Orughu said. I was at the least 40 metres away from vice-chair Green. For him to have heard me, the audio recorder present at the board would have captured the words.

He said the constable told him even if he had said the alleged words, they didnt rise to the level of threat and the case was closed, Orughu said. He has not received anything in writing. As he spoke to the police, his wife hastily scribbled notes on a Toronto Star newspaper from March 11. Orughu shared an image of those notes.

Peel police were unable to confirm the information before deadline.

Akin Odutin, a Peel community member who was at the meeting said he did not hear anything threatening directed towards anyone. For the kind of gentleman I know him to be, he said of Orughu, it would be a surprise if he threatened anyone.

Everton Dwight Campbell, president of Brampton non-profit BCEEN (Brampton Community & Economic Empowerment Network) said he knows the work Orughu has done for years. Without a question ... I know Idris would never want to jeopardize that and set himself and the community back by being so irresponsible, he told the Star.

He said Green told him at a Black History Month event in Brampton that Orughu heckled him but that he specifically said, Idris did not threaten me.

Green declined to comment Monday citing advice from his lawyer.

Orughu said nobody heard the threats because he never uttered them. If you can make up lies on a community member because you dont like their position, what hope do Black and brown children have? Think about the numerous suspensions (of students) and their reasons.

Defining me in this light as a Black man  this is serious. You may not agree with me. But do not slander me. Its unconscionable.

Orughu plans to file a human rights case against the board.

The rift between the prominent activist and the school board comes even as a ministry-mandated mediation, a recommendation from its devastating review, disintegrated. Two trustees who have the backing of Black communities pulled out of the mediation and the boards anti-racism chief who launched a human rights case against the board went on a leave of absence.

Shree Paradkar is a Toronto-based columnist covering issues around race and gender for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @ShreeParadkar

Read more about:
In an escalating war of words, both countries accused the other of trying to divert attention from their own response.

China pushed back against claims from the administration of President Donald Trump that coronavirus initially emerged from a virology lab in Wuhan, saying the United States has no evidence to back up the claim.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, meanwhile, continued Washingtons criticism of Beijings handling of the coronavirus outbreak, saying China could have prevented hundreds of thousands of deaths around the world with increased transparency.

I think this matter should be handed to scientists and medical professionals, and not politicians who lie for their own domestic political ends, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters on Wednesday.

Mr Pompeo repeatedly spoke up but he cannot present any evidence. How can he? Because he doesnt have any, Hua added.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said the coronavirus is natural in origin and it has not received any evidence that supports accusations the virus traces back to the lab, calling the US officials claims speculative.

The US and other world powers have condemned Chinas initially opaque handling the virus that first appeared in the city of Wuhan in December of last year. To date, nearly 3.7 million people have been infected globally in the pandemic, with more than 258,000 deaths.

Pompeo told reporters on Wednesday: China could have spared the world a descent into global economic malaise. They had a choice but instead  instead  China covered up the outbreak in Wuhan. China is still refusing to share the information we need to keep people safe.

Allegations of diversion





Pompeo has said while he agreed with an intelligence agency report saying there is no indication coronavirus was man-made or genetically modified, there was enormous evidence to show the virus emerged from the Wuhan lab.

Last week, Trump told reporters he had seen evidence that gave him confidence this was true.

In an escalating war of words, which has included a spokesman for Chinas foreign ministry suggesting the US military brought the virus to China, both countries have accused the other of trying to divert attention from their own response.

We urge the US to stop  shifting the focus to China, Hua said during the briefing.

It should handle its domestic affairs properly first. The most important thing now is to control the US domestic pandemic spread and think of ways to save lives, she said.

Growing investigation calls

The back-and-forth has played out amid growing calls, particularly from the US and Australia, for investigations into how the outbreak in China transformed into a global pandemic.

The WHO has also said it was waiting for an invitation from Beijing to participate in its investigation into the animal origins of the virus.

But Beijings UN ambassador in Geneva said Wednesday that China will not invite international experts to investigate the source of the pandemic until after securing the final victory over the virus.

The envoy, Chen Xu, also said China has to counter the absurd and ridiculous US politicisation of the coronavirus, adding the right atmosphere was needed for an invitation to take place
Plymouth, Massachusetts--(Newsfile Corp. - May 6, 2020) - Plymouth Rock Technologies Inc. (CSE: PRT) (OTCQB: PLRTF) (FSE: 4XA) (WKN# A2N8RH) ("Plymouth Rock", "PRT", or the "Company") a leader in the development of cutting edge threat detection technologies, announced today that it has received Permission for Commercial Operations (PfCO) from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to operate Small Unmanned Aircraft (SUA) / Small Unmanned Surveillance Aircraft (SUSA).

Having successfully passed the CAA PfCO certification process, PRT can now utilize its X1 Drone Platform for commercial operations, allowing our operators to demonstrate threat detection and surveillance in civilian airspace to both clients and potential partners. This also enables the company to offer technical reconnaissance and non-destructive testing services for both civil and military applications.

Link to Video: PRT-X1 Threat Detection Drone

"This is a significant step for the company in our mission to become one of the world's leading artificial intelligence (AI) empowered tactical security and safety sensor manufacturers," stated Dana Wheeler, CEO and President of Plymouth Rock Technologies. "While this certification and authorization gives us permission to commercially operate our drones, we are now in the process of applying for non-standard permissions via preparing an Operating Safety Case (OSC). This (OSC) will allow us to showcase the deeper capabilities of our SUA's, including but not limited to operating in congested areas and flying Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS)."

"Our multiple sensor technologies will be perfectly suited to a variety of scenarios," stated Carl Cagliarini, Chief Strategy Officer of Plymouth Rock Technologies. "The recent directive of the US Government prohibiting the purchase and use of all Chinese produced UAV and associated technologies in USA airspace for Government use, presents a tremendous opportunity for both our sensors and the search, rescue and reconnaissance capabilities of our UAVs."

About Plymouth Rock Technologies Inc.

We are on a mission to bring engineering-driven answers to the most critical problems that threaten our safety. We work with government, law enforcement and military to innovate solutions for national security, defense and space systems. The Company is developing the next generation of threat detection solutions, The PRT X1 is a purpose built multirotor Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). The unit contains an integrated sensor package that combines Thermal detection with 4K HD real-time air-to-ground streaming. Our advanced threat detection methods fuse artificial intelligence with augmented reality interfaces to eliminate human operating error. Plymouth Rock products, both airborne and land-based, will scan for threat items at greater "stand-off" distances than current existing technologies. Our unique radar imaging and signal processing technology creates new opportunities for remotely operated, none intrusive screening of crowds in real time.

Plymouth Rock's other core technologies include: (1) A Millimeter Remote Imaging from Airborne Drone ("MIRIAD"); (2) A compact microwave radar system for scanning shoe's ("Shoe-Scanner").

www.plyrotech.com

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS



Dana Wheeler

President and CEO

+1-603-300-7933

info@plyrotech.com

Investor Information:

Tasso Baras

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Forward Looking Statements

Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding future financial position, business strategy, use of proceeds, corporate vision, proposed acquisitions, partnerships, joint-ventures and strategic alliances and co-operations, budgets, cost and plans and objectives of or involving the Company. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These forward looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions and dependence upon regulatory approvals. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by securities laws.

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The volume of oil products held in storage at Fujairah jumped to the highest level on record earlier this week as tumbling regional demand from the coronavirus pandemic drives more supplies into the eastern UAE port.

Stocks rose 6.3 per cent last week to 26.192 million barrels as of Monday, with the greatest build seen in middle distillates, including jet fuel, according to data released Wednesday by the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone (FOIZ).

The data has been provided exclusively to S&P Global Platts since January 2017. The previous all-time high was on 24th February, 2020 at 25.98 million barrels, it stated.

Middle distillate inventories rose 18 percent in the week to 4.855 million barrels, the highest since 23rd December, 2019, the data showed.

The aviation sector has been severely hurt by the coronavirus pandemic due to air travel restrictions, impacting both domestic and export demand for jet fuel. In India, the lockdown has been extended again until 17th May since it began 25th March.

The rise in stocks came amid a steep contango in the derivatives market, enticing traders to seek storage options with the intention of reselling the cargoes at a higher price later. There is at least one cargo of jet fuel in floating storage off the coast of Fujairah, according to cargo tracking data from Kpler.

In heavy distillates and residues, stocks climbed 12 percent to 14.621 million barrels, a three-week high, the data showed. Buyers of shipping fuel have been looking to stock up following the easing of movement restrictions in Dubai, sources previously told Platts. Some traders of bunker fuel said they were receiving inquiries for end-May deliveries. As of Tuesday, Fujairah-delivered 380 CST bunker fuel was assessed at $143/mt, cheaper than Singapore at $145.75/mt.

Moving against the trend, light distillate stockpiles dropped 10 percent per cent to 6.716 million barrels. Light distillates include gasoline, gasoline blending components such as reformate and alkylate, naphtha and other light petrochemical feedstocks and condensates.

Fujairah has the Middle East's largest commercial storage capacity for refined products.
Patients will figure prominently in healthcare's transformation planning and recovery post-COVID-19. More than ever before, providers recovery plans must call for patient-focused operating and financial models in order to win in the new, post-COVID-19 healthcare economy. - Kevin Fleming, CEO, Loyale Healthcare

Just about any way you slice it, the COVID-19 crisis has dealt healthcare a huge financial blow. Hospitals have been overwhelmed in New York and New Jersey, while in other parts of the country, beds have remained empty as elective surgeries and patient care deferrals have converged to create a perfect financial storm.

High costs for COVID-related treatments, insufficient revenue to offset those costs (even with the federal governments two separate relief payments) and the suspension of all nonessential services has led to reduced liquidity and growing balances from patients - many who are experiencing their own financial crises.

Healthcare providers, like most businesses in other sectors in a post-COVID environment, are likely to see a slow, halting return to normal. Some are already applying lessons learned from this harrowing experience to set the stage for a recovery characterized by resilience, innovation, new forms of collaboration and a focus on patients.

Patients will figure prominently in healthcares transformation planning and financial recovery. More than any other entity in the U.S.s complex matrix of healthcare stakeholders, patients will determine which healthcare providers and operating models will prevail in the months following COVID-19. Heres whydirect patient payments for deductibles, co-pays and other out-of-pocket expenses now represent more than a third of provider revenue. The rest of provider revenue is effectively determined by patient choice. More than ever before, providers recovery plans must call for patient-focused operating and financial models in order to win in the new, post-COVID-19 healthcare economy.

These operating models will embrace and improve upon new systems and procedures that were employed or developed to improve patient care during the crisis. These include expanded remote care delivery using telehealth platforms and other contactless patient service channels. They will delve more deeply into leveraging analytics to drive more effective clinical, management and financial practices. Critically, a patient-first operating model will break free from outdated revenue cycle practices that were alienating patients even before the crisis began.

Just as the rapid adoption of telehealth platforms has proved to be a cost-effective way to deliver personalized healthcare at scale, the adoption of a digital patient financial engagement platform will offer a multitude of patient and provider benefits. These include:



Higher productivity from admissions, administrative, billing and collections staff - Enabled by automated, contactless, patient preclearance; intelligent workflows; digital patient outreach; patient self-service. Importantly, higher productivity will support improved employee morale and the ability to focus on higher value patient-facing services.

Patient financial transparency - Consumer and regulatory pressure to improve price transparency has taken a back seat since the crisis began, but this issue will be more important than ever as patients, payers and regulators work to overcome their own crisis-related financial difficulties.

Advanced Interoperability - A platform that seamlessly unites the patients financial and clinical experiences from beginning to end, unifying transactions across the entire ecosystem, providing patients and providers with clear visibility into patient financial obligations and performance.

Patient affordability - Before the crisis even began, as many as half of Americans were avoiding care because they were unable to afford their out-of-pocket. Now, millions of those Americans are out of a job. And even when they do return to work, it will likely be months before they recover financially. For healthcare to thrive in the new healthcare economy, it must embrace a pricing and payment model that works with patients to deliver payment options like discounts, payment plans and financing that interact with patients to fit healthcare into household budgets.

Revenue improvement and opportunities for growth - By relying on technology to improve productivity, support patient personalization and self-service, and interact with patients to drive more affordable care, providers will reduce operating costs and drive better revenues. Further, a patient-friendly financial model will serve as a compelling competitive differentiator. This will be especially important as the appetite for alternative delivery settings grows.

As part of a providers broader post-COVID recovery strategy, patient financial engagement will be an essential element of healthcares transformation. This prediction is borne out by other crises, including the financial crisis of 2008-2009. The COVID-19 crisis is of course unprecedented in modern history. But, looking back at the financial crisis of 2008-2009, some clues about the market for healthcare services and the ways the industry will adapt to meet the markets expectations can be drawn.

In the first of a series of Forbes.com articles titled, Before and After: FinTech Vs. Healthcare COVID-19 Crisis, author Stephanie MacConnell finds some parallels between the two events. Noting that the FinTech crisis led to widespread economic suffering and consumer dissatisfaction, she observes that innovation came to the FinTech industry during a time of trial and strife. Innovation will come to Healthcare for the same reason.

The article points out that during the FinTech crisis, most consumers didnt exactly understand what went wrong or how, (but their) distrust and resentment led to a market where consumersflocked to new competitors with attractive front-end experiences that promised they were different. The transition was lubricated by increasing access to wi-fi and smart phones, digital market channels that have since matured beyond imagining back in 08-09. As we look beyond the current crisis, healthcare providers may find themselves more vulnerable to competing models than ever.

As providers and consumers of healthcare in the United States, our collective COVID-19 experience has set the stage for healthcares transformation. That transformation will place demands on every stakeholder in the system - providers, the government, payers and patients. An article published recently by McKinsey & Company titled, From wartime to peacetime: Five stages for healthcare institutions in the battle against COVID-19, predicts that, the next normal for healthcare will look nothing like the normal we leave behind.

The article defines these five discontinuous stages as follows:

1. Resolve - Moving beyond provider response to the immediate crisis, many leaders are beginning to recognize the importance of planning for the complicated return stageparticularly as we remain vigilant against virus resurgence in the absence of a vaccine or treatment. Changes that will fundamentally change healthcare include, 1) the expectations and needs of individuals, 2) the combination of resilience and productivity demanded by funders of healthcare expenditure (patients and payers), 3) the ability to flex up and down capacity and shift care across modalities - including virtual health and 4) the promise of exponential improvement through technology and medical science.

2. Resilience - For healthcare providers with the foresight and financial circumstances to maintain liquidity and address solvency issues, the opportunity will exist to grow for sustainability. Emerging themes include: strategic acquisitions, capitalizing on moves toward digital therapies and care delivery and embedding advanced analytics in operations.

3. Return - Providers and payers (Medicare/Medicaid, insurance companies) will both play key roles. For providers, tending to a beleaguered workforce and an operation that assures non-COVID patients of safety are top priorities, then working with regulators to maintain crisis-driven changes where patient care was improved and appropriately generating financial reserves.

4. Reimagination - This phase begins by distilling and securing beneficial behaviors from the crisis such as remote and at-home care delivery. Then extending these learned themes into reimagination at a grand scale, e.g. a community, patient-centered model of healthcare and digitally integrated patient journeys. Critically, this phase addresses the core issues laid bare by the crisis, reforming the supply chain and focusing on social and behavioral drivers of health.

5. Reform - This phase contemplates how the relationship between government, businesses and individuals will change to ensure a more successful response to future public health events and long-term industry sustainability. These may include: the acceptance of new monitoring techniques; data interoperability (already a defined regulatory objective) as a renewed priority; strategic reserves of supplies and an improved supply chain; an emergency medical force; improved, multilayer response efforts; standardization of fragmented medical systems and heightened expectations of financial protection.

Here at Loyale, were dedicated to helping health systems and hospitals optimize their financial condition by transforming their patients financial experiences. We are convinced that the path forward will be defined by richer, more rewarding patient - provider relationships that consider every dimension of the care experience. That is a future we believe we can all get excited about.

Kevin Fleming is the CEO of Loyale Healthcare

About Loyale

Loyale Patient Financial Manager is a comprehensive patient financial engagement technology platform leveraging a suite of configurable solution components including predictive analytics, intelligent workflows, multiple patient financing vehicles, communications, payments, digital front doors and other key capabilities.

Loyale Healthcare is committed to a mission of turning patient responsibility into lasting loyalty for its healthcare provider customers. Based in Lafayette, California, Loyale and its leadership team bring 27 years of expertise delivering leading financial engagement solutions for complex business environments. Loyale currently serves approximately 12,000 healthcare providers across 48 states. Loyale is proud to have an enterprise-level strategic partnership with Parallon which includes the deployment of Loyales industry leading technology at all HCA hospitals and Physician Groups.
The allegations come as coronavirus lockdowns in Afghanistan have caused unemployment to spike and food prices to soar. As coronavirus spread in Iran earlier this year, more than 200,000 Afghans returned to Afghanistan. And now as the Afghan economy has been crippled by the pandemic, some are trying to return to Iran in search of work.
- More than 100 youths who defied the stay at home order in Niger state took to the streets to protest the killing of their people

- The youths expressed concern over the killing of 15 people by armed bandits including seven local vigilantes and their commander within a week

- Under the aegis Amalgamation of Youths Development Association, the youths were from 14 communities in Rafi LGA of the state

Youths under the auspices of Amalgamation of Youths Development Association on Tuesday, May 5, took to the streets to protest what they described as government inaction and insensitivity following the killing of people by armed bandits.

According to The Sun, youths in their hundreds drawn from 14 communities in Rafi local government area of Niger state defied the states stay-at-home order and marched through Kagara highway.

Chanting Enough Is Enough', the youths were aggrieved that the government has paid little attention to control the situation following the relentless massacre by bandits.

Particularly angered over the removal of a mobile police base from Uregi community, the young people described the action as a complete betrayal of the people by the government.

Over 100 youths in Niger protest over continued killing by armed bandits.

Source: Twitter

According to the protesters, the removal of the police mobile base has further worsened an already deteriorating security situation in the communities.

The protest coming almost a week after 15 people were killed, including seven local vigilantes and their commander, ambushed and slaughtered by bandits.

They claimed those vigilantes have been the only active security presence in the affected areas.

Mallam Akayago Adams Mohammed, the national president of the Kamuku Progressive Union, speaking to reporters shortly after the protest march said: The youths were compelled to stage the protest to let the world and the government know about the happenings in communities in Rafi local government with a view to putting a stop to the killings and cattle rustling.

The youths who staged the demonstration expressed dismay over the killing of 15 people within a week, including seven local vigilantes and their commander whom they claimed have been the only active security presence in the affected areas.

The youths issuing a warning said: "If no action is taken to stop the bandit attacks, then there will be no farming in entire communities in Rafi local government this farming season. Over 60 percent of our towns and villages have become ghost homes.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Earlier, Legit.ng previously reported that three people were killed while many others sustained injuries after bandits attacked two communities in Kankara local government area of Katsina state on Friday, May 1.

Local residents speaking to an online news publication added that the bandits carted away with a large number of their animals and foodstuff after they invaded Madobai and Dannakwabo villages past midnight.

A source said: We buried the corpses this morning after funeral prayers. This attack is one too many in our area. This renewed attack by the gunmen is coming a day after Mabai village which is in the same council was attacked.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: Same great journalism, upgraded for better service!

Nigerian Air Force Operations Against Boko Haram | Legit TV

Source: Legit.ng
Detainees at the Adelanto ICE Processing Facility northeast of Los Angeles. (Cheryl A. Guerrero / Los Angeles Times)

A panel of three 9th Circuit Court of Appeals judges on Tuesday overruled a lower court's order to significantly reduce the number of detainees held at the Adelanto ICE Processing Facility northeast of Los Angeles.

The decision by judges Barry Silverman, Jacqueline Nguyen and Daniel Collins came in response to an emergency request by the Trump administration to halt the April 23 preliminary injunction ruling by U.S. District Judge Terry Hatter while it appeals his order. A preliminary injunction is temporarily issued early in a lawsuit to stop defendants from continuing harmful actions as the case moves forward.

In order to protect detainees from a potential coronavirus outbreak, Hatter had declared that the population at Adelanto  one of the largest immigrant detention facilities in the country  must decrease to such a level that would allow the remaining detainees to maintain a social distance of six feet from each other at all times. He had directed ICE not to allow any new detainees at the facility and to reduce the population by at least 250 people by April 30.

Adelanto has space for nearly 2,000 detainees but currently holds about 1,200. Nationwide, 29,700 people are in ICE custody.

Lawyers for the federal government appealed Hatter's decision the day after it was issued, preventing any detainees from being immediately released.

The 9th Circuit judges left one aspect of Hatter's decision intact: his requirement that the Adelanto facility administrators comply with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for detention facilities concerning COVID-19. The guidance includes ensuring that detainees receive medical evaluations and treatment at the first signs of having coronavirus; that those with symptoms wear a face mask and be placed in medical isolation; and that new intakes be quarantined for two weeks before entering the facility's general population.

In his approval of the emergency request and in a partial dissent from the other two judges, Collins said he would have overruled Hatter's requirement on the CDC guidance as well. Collins said that an injunction must "state its terms specifically." But the CDC notes that guidance might have to be adapted based on issues like space, staffing and population.

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"One of the many problems with the district courts injunction is that it disregards the very sort of considerations that the CDC says may require adaption of the guidelines in the context of a particular facility," he wrote.

The ruling comes in response to a lawsuit filed April 14 by the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Southern California and the law firm Latham & Watkins. Lawyers argue that conditions at Adelanto make the facility vulnerable to an outbreak.

Four to eight detainees live in cells as small as eight by 10 feet and share bathrooms, showers and dining tables. Detainees say they aren't provided with enough cleaning supplies and masks, which ICE disputes. The agency says facilities have increased social distancing by introducing staggered meal and recreation times and suspending community service projects and social visits.

Late last week, advocates announced that several detainees at the Adelanto facility had begun a hunger strike  the second in recent weeks over coronavirus concerns. ICE spokeswoman Alexx Pons said just one detainee was on hunger strike. According to ICE policy, facility staff must record detainees not eating for 72 hours before designating a hunger strike.

BREAKING: Women in the Adelanto Detention Center have begun a hunger strike to oppose the conditions within the detention center pic.twitter.com/kiNA6e9d1d  ICIJ (@IC4IJ) April 30, 2020

"They make us clean only with shampoo and toothpaste, without any kind of liquid to sanitize the bathroom or the common areas," said one detainee on strike whose name was withheld due to fear of retaliation, according to an audio file shared by the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice.

Though there have been no confirmed cases at the facility, only six detainees had been tested as of April 23, according to a declaration by Gabriel Valdez, assistant field director of enforcement and removal operations for ICE in Los Angeles. Two of those detainees were tested at a nearby hospital "as a local protocol," where they were receiving medical care unrelated to the coronavirus. Valdez said that facility staff identified 323 detainees as high risk due to age or medical conditions, and that 66 of them were released.

As of Thursday, 674 detainees and 39 ICE employees at detention centers nationwide have tested positive for COVID-19 .

ACLU attorney Minju Cho said it's significant that the appellate court ordered ICE to come into compliance with CDC guidance at the facility.

"But we remain very concerned about people who remain detained at Adelanto and will do everything we can to protect them," she said.
by Emanuele Scimia

A Chinese intelligence paper disclosed by Reuters makes this claim. For the US, China is exploiting the pandemic to advance its military and strategic interests in Asia. The two are facing off in the China seas. An invasion of Taiwan is unlikely at this time. For Shen Dingli, mutual distrust is hard to reduce anytime soon.

Rome (AsiaNews)  The propaganda war between China and the United States over the origin and spread of the coronavirus, with Washington blaming Beijing for the pandemic, is acquiring more and more a geopolitical dimension.

According to a Chinese intelligence paper, disclosed by Reuters, the pandemic crisis has undermined relations between the two powers to such an extent that China and the United States are at risk of armed conflict.

For Chinas intelligence community, the anti-Chinese sentiment in the world  fuelled by the Americans  has been at its highest level since the 1989 Tiananmen massacre, and this puts the country's strategic and trade interests at risk.

US authorities have not confirmed the existence of the confidential report. The Trump administration continues to repeat, however, that China is exploiting the pandemic to pursue its military and strategic interests in East and Southeast Asia.

Beijing claims much of the South China Sea, where it occupied islands and coral reefs, building a large number of military installations. Several countries in Southeast Asia, backed by Washington, are opposed to Chinas actions in the area.

China has also challenged Japan's claims over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea  Tokyo is a key US ally  and has not ruled out using force to recover Taiwan, which it considers a "rebel" province.

Chinas Navy, together with its Coast Guard and maritime militia, operates regularly in contested waters, forcing the naval forces of Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines to response.

Recently, the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning, escorted by other military vessels, sailed between Japan and Taiwan into the South China Sea.

Some observers inside and outside China are persuaded that the United States, hardest hit by the coronavirus, would be unable to oppose Chinas armed forces in the China seas and the Taiwan Strait.

Meanwhile, nationalist circles in China are pushing for an invasion of Taiwan. The scenario is unlikely to unfold for now. As some Chinese military leaders note, an attack against the island would be very expensive, in both political and economic terms.

At present, China is struggling to recover after the lockdown. Any action against Taiwan would only worsen anti-Beijing feelings around the world. It would also likely provoke a military response by the United States.

In the past month, US planes and warships have stepped up their presence in the Asia-Pacific region, conducting joint operations with their Australian and Japanese counterparts.

If our adversaries think this is our moment of weakness, they are dangerously wrong, said David L. Norquist, US Deputy Secretary of Defence, on 9 April.

The Pentagon has asked for US$ 20 billion to boost its military standing in the western Pacific, to meet Chinas gradual rearmament. Between now and 2026, the US military wants to increase land-based firepower and distribution of forces in the region. It aims to block Chinese naval and air activities within the first island chain between Japan and the island of Papua.

The pandemic has exacerbated US-Sino tensions, already frayed by two years of confrontation over trade and technology. And the situation can only get worse.

For Shen Dingli, professor of international studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, the opportunities to open areas for cooperation between the two powers are minimal, both now and in the future.

Mutual mistrust will not disappear anytime soon, given Beijing's rapid growth and its desire to obtain an international position in keeping with its strength," Shen told AsiaNews.

In his view, the picture would not change much with the election of a democratic president in the US, given that the latter could also put pressure on the Chinese government over the issue of human rights.
Today his legacy continues with the third and fourth generation Frank family members at the helm. They continue to experiment with new varieties and push the envelope of what is possible in a cold-climate region. From their traditional method sparkling to their eastern European varieties, you will not be disappointed or bored with the spectrum of choices in their portfolio.

One of their interesting varieties, Rkatsiteli, seems obscure but has been indigenous to the country of Georgia for millennia and remains the most planted white grape in both Bulgaria and the Ukraine. Introduced to New York by Konstantin Frank, this cold-tolerant, high-acid grape has the ability to build high sugar levels while maintaining its natural acidity. It was rumored, but unsubstantiated, that this was the variety planted by Noah when the flood waters subsided. A really interesting wine with an interesting story gets me every time.

Oak Farm Vineyards, on the other hand, could be called a new kid on the block by comparison. The vineyard property was purchased in 2004 and the now head winemaker Sierra Zeiter and the director of wine making, Dan Panella, will have much to do with the success of this winery.
China has always taken peoples lives as the top priority in the sudden outbreak of the novel coronavirus pneumonia, trying its best to improve the cure rate and lower mortality to save the life of every patient. Many Chinese lost their lives due to the major pandemic, which placed the nation into deep lament.

The numbers of infections and deaths are always transparent and open in China, and every case can be traced. However, some U.S. politicians, in an attempt to hide their own inability to control the pandemic, have repeatedly pointed fingers at China with political delusion, saying the country covered up infection and death numbers, and the most in the world has to be China. What it shows is not unwisdom, but vicious calculations to frame up China.

Saving lives is of paramount importance, and thats a conviction always held by the Chinese government and people in pandemic response. Giving play to its institutional advantages, China pulled concerted strength from across the country, with many places hitting the brake pedal for social and economic development.

To save lives, the populous Hubei province with nearly 60 million people locked its transportation channels, and its capital Wuhan, where over 10 million people live, reacted with a city-wide lockdown.

To save lives, over 42,000 medical staff went to Hubei for assistance in hundreds of teams, while the best medical resources and top respiratory and infectious disease experts gathered in Wuhan. Besides, millions of Chinese also stood out to protect Wuhan and Hubei in various ways.

To save lives, Wuhan launched a blanket search for more than 4.2 million households, vowing to leave no one behind and admit and treat all confirmed and suspected patients.

To save lives, China adopted individualized treatment plans for all COVID-19 patients in severe and critical conditions, and the treatment expenses, which averaged 150,000 yuan ($21,239) per patient and even reached over a million yuan for some critical patients, are all shouldered by insurance companies and the government.

I have never seen in my life this kind of mobilization, said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Even Western media refuted the U.S. politicians who accused China of hiding infection and death numbers. The whole process of Chinas pandemic response is open. Since January, the country has published the numbers of confirmed cases, deaths, suspected cases, close contacts and people under medical observation on a daily basis. A total of over 3,000 press conferences have been held at national and provincial levels where government officials, medical staff, experts and recovered patients directly answered questions.

After strenuous efforts of the nation, decisive results have been achieved in protecting the province of Hubei and the city of Wuhan, and the whole nation has also made huge progress in preventing and controlling the disease.

Senior advisor to WHO Director-General Bruce Aylward said China didnt hide its data, which can be proved by multiple investigations conducted by WHO missions to China.

During the initial phase of the COVID-19 epidemic, some statistics released by China were delayed, missed, misinformed, or overlapped because of the insufficient hospital capacity and the belated docking between a few medical institutions and the disease control and prevention information system, as well as the overload of hospitals and medical workers. However, the statistical work has always been advanced, and Wuhan had timely revised its data and published the results. Such practices are responsible for the history, the people and the deceased.

However, after China revised Wuhans statistics on April 17, some U.S. politicians became hysterical, ridiculously saying Chinas statistics are not believable and more revise would be made to other Chinese cities. It seems like they just hope more Chinese people to die, which revealed their ill and crude political mentality.

Even U.S. internet users cant tolerate their practices. They questioned whether the pandemic was a race between death numbers, saying only crazy and anti-humanity people would do this.

The WHO has always requested countries to timely revise their statistics in order to have a better grasp of the situation and make predictions more precise. The statistical revise is a professional and universal act responsible for the international society, which also proves Chinas openness, transparency and sense of responsibility.

China is not the only country revising statistics, and the U.S. is also doing so. What made the U.S. politicians focus on China? The answer is clear  their typical American arrogance and conceited ideology. They say that countries are lying if the latter have done anything better than the U.S., and they still declare so even if they know the facts, because they must cook up stories to achieve political goals.

American media outlets have seen through such plot. New York Times found that total deaths in seven states that have been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic were nearly 50 percent higher than normal for the five weeks from March 8 through April 11, and its difficult to know whether the differences between excess deaths and the official counts of coronavirus deaths reflect an undercounting of coronavirus deaths or a surge in deaths from other causes.

An investigation done by American Broadcasting Company pointed out that the real H1N1 statistics of the U.S. in 2009 and 2010 were fifteenfold larger than the official numbers based on the analysis by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Chinas sacrifices and efforts, as well as achievements and contribution are seen by all. U.S. politicians shall understand that assumptions are not facts, and smears can never wipe out truth. Troublemaking on Chinas statistics will not work or help relieve the pandemic. On the contrary, it is self-deception and a butt of a joke.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by Peoples Daily to express its views on foreign policy.)
A comprehensive study in the Czech Republic to determine the undetected infections with the coronavirus in the population has revealed a low number of COVID-19 cases.

Health Minister Adam Vojtech said a total of 26,549 people were tested across the country, including the capital, with 107 previously undetected positive tests.

The study was conducted in different parts of the Czech Republic where the epidemic was at different stages on people aged 18-89. In the capital of Prague and the second largest city of Brno, children also were included.

The samples of the population included volunteers as well selected groups, such as those suffering from chronic diseases.

A significant number of people infected with the coronavirus suffer no or only mild symptoms, but there is concern that they might unwittingly spread the virus to others.

Some 7,900 people have been tested positive in the Czech Republic, according to Health Ministry figures released on Wednesday, 258 have died.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
My husband and I decided I would move out for the safety of the family. So my daughter moved out of her college apartment, and currently Im living there while shes at home. Its very lonely. Being home alone is not something that Im used to, but I have to make an effort to try to live in this situation. Its rough. Its lonely; its depressing. Work alone is depressing enough when youre there. And not to be able to connect with your family like you would on a normal basis? Its even harder. Prayers, I would have to say, are the only thing keeping me strong enough to do what I need to do as a mom, a wife and also a nurse. Its just a very overwhelming, emotionally draining, physically draining situation. And we truly dont know if the end is anywhere near. Theres a lot of sacrifices all of us are making, and I dont think a lot of people are seeing that.  Falguni Dave, 45, charge nurse, Stroger Hospital, Chicago
UPDATE: Ryan Walsh, spokesman for Springfield police, said police in New York City have made contact with Smith.

SPRINGFIELD  Police are seeking the publics help as they work to reconnect a 25-year-old city woman with her family.

Ashlan Smith was last seen in the New York City area in 2019 and may still be there or in New Jersey, according to a post on the departments Facebook page. Additional information was not available.

Those with information about Smith are asked to call the department at 413-787-6300 or 413-750-2253.
New Zealand has already allowed people to expand their social bubbles to contact with close family outside their own households.

As more countries look to lift their coronavirus lockdowns, "social bubbles" have been floated as an idea of how to ease restrictions, but experts say they could be difficult to put into practice.

A social bubble entails allowing people to form a group with a select number of people they are allowed to see socially outside their own household.

They have been put forward as a way to continue containing the spread of Covid-19, which has infected more than 3.6 million people worldwide and killed over 257,000, according to the latest figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

New Zealand  which has been heralded as an example for bringing its coronavirus cases down to zero  has already implemented social bubbles. It lifted certain lockdown restrictions last week and allowed people to expand their bubbles to contact with close family outside their own households.

Meanwhile, Belgium is reportedly considering allowing people to socialize with a group of up to 10 people. It currently allows people to meet up with two others outside their household, so long they are outside and keep a distance from each other.

William Hanage, associate professor of epidemiology at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said social bubbles were "certainly a component of how, once the initial outbreak is under control, measures could be refined."

However, he added that "as the size of the cluster grows, the probability that one of its members could become infected obviously increases."

Mike Tildesley, an associate professor who specializes in infectious disease control at the University of Warwick, said that while "in principle, it's a really sensible strategy," practically it would be difficult to implement.

He also said that narrowing down a list of friends  and ensuring that those friends also have the same list  sounded like a "social nightmare."

"You could envisage this situation where you name a group of friends, they name a group of friends that includes you, but it has some people that aren't included on your list and all you've got is some sort of porous process that (the coronavirus) filters through the population more slowly that it did before," Tildesley added.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Cinematography Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav met members of the Telugu Film Producers Council (TFPC) on Tuesday to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the film industry during the lockdown.

The Minister stated that the Telangana government will soon come up with a policy to support the growth of the Telugu film industry. "The television and film industries are facing huge losses due to the lockdown. At the Cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister was apprised of issues related to the industry. I promise you that the government will certainly come up with a policy to boost the growth of the industry and its workers, who are directly or indirectly affected by the outbreak. We will also convene a meeting with the AP government before coming out with a policy," said Talasani.

The Minister was optimistic about an early end to the Covid crisis and stated that the film and television shootings are likely to resume soon. "However, we will take a final decision after solemnly assessing the situation along with the AP government," he added.
HARRISBURG, Pa., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- This week AARP Pennsylvania is meeting virtually with federal lawmakers to urge more help for older Americans and their families as they face growing health and economic challenges due to the coronavirus crisis. Residents in nursing homes, those who are food-insecure, and people who have lost their jobs are particularly in need.

"AARP Pennsylvania appreciates the significant bipartisan work Pennsylvania's members of Congress have already accomplished on behalf of older Americans during this unprecedented crisis, and more actions are now urgently needed," said AARP Pennsylvania State Director Bill Johnston-Walsh. "Older adults are at much greater risk from the coronavirus. It is critical that Congress continues to help older Americans confront health care and financial needs that are only growing."

Leaders from AARP Pennsylvania are holding virtual meetings with members of Pennsylvania's Congressional delegation, including Sen. Bob Casey, Rep. Lloyd Smucker, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, Rep. Matt Cartwright, Rep. Mary Scanlon, Rep. Susan Wild and Rep. Brendan Boyle. The visits are part of AARP's nationwide virtual lobby outreach, in which AARP called for federal legislation to:

Protect Residents in Nursing Homes and Other Care Facilities Residents of care facilities have been hard hit by this pandemic, including the 126,000 residents in Pennsylvania's nursing homes and personal care facilities. To date there have been 9,625 cases of COVID-19 reported in long-term care facilities statewide, resulting in 2,029 deaths. AARP urges that facilities be required to provide and support virtual visitation for their residents, so they can remain connected to loved ones and their families can stay apprised of their health and wellbeing. AARP is also asking Congress to support increased testing, adequate personal protective equipment for staff, and sufficient staffing in all long-term care facilities. Finally, AARP is also urging the daily public release of the names of nursing homes and other care facilities with confirmed COVID-19 cases among residents and staff and ensuring transfer and discharge rights for residents and their families.

Residents of care facilities have been hard hit by this pandemic, including the 126,000 residents in nursing homes and personal care facilities. To date there have been 9,625 cases of COVID-19 reported in long-term care facilities statewide, resulting in 2,029 deaths. AARP urges that facilities be required to provide and support virtual visitation for their residents, so they can remain connected to loved ones and their families can stay apprised of their health and wellbeing. AARP is also asking Congress to support increased testing, adequate personal protective equipment for staff, and sufficient staffing in all long-term care facilities. Finally, AARP is also urging the daily public release of the names of nursing homes and other care facilities with confirmed COVID-19 cases among residents and staff and ensuring transfer and discharge rights for residents and their families. Invest More in Federal Nutrition Programs and Offer Greater Flexibility To ensure older adults can continue to access food through the pandemic and economic crisis, AARP urges Congress to temporarily increase both the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) maximum benefit and the minimum monthly benefit. AARP also asks to suspend all rulemaking that would restrict SNAP eligibility or reduce benefits, as well as explore ways to expand access to online grocery shopping and delivery using SNAP benefits, which also helps protect public health.

To ensure older adults can continue to access food through the pandemic and economic crisis, AARP urges Congress to temporarily increase both the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) maximum benefit and the minimum monthly benefit. AARP also asks to suspend all rulemaking that would restrict SNAP eligibility or reduce benefits, as well as explore ways to expand access to online grocery shopping and delivery using SNAP benefits, which also helps protect public health. Provide Additional Support for State and Local Governments More financial support will help state and local governments meet emerging needs. States are likely to exhaust their unemployment insurance (UI) trust funds, and Congress should provide grants to ensure benefits continue to be paid. Further, states that adopt mail-in balloting to protect public health during upcoming elections are likely to require more funding.

As part of AARP's virtual lobby outreach, leaders from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico are meeting virtually with Capitol Hill offices to ensure their representatives prioritize the needs of older Americans and their families in this difficult time.

To learn more about AARP's efforts amid the coronavirus pandemic, visit www.aarp.org/coronavirus.

About AARP

AARP has 1.8 million members in Pennsylvania. Follow AARP Pennsylvania on Facebook at AARPPA and on Twitter @AARPPA.

AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media.

CONTACT: Steve Gardner, AARP PA

(717) 319-5484 or [email protected]

Or

Jacklyn Isasi, AARP PA

(609) 902-6242 or [email protected]

SOURCE AARP Pennsylvania

Related Links

http://www.aarp.org


A protest was held April 10 outside the Cook County Jail in Chicago. More than 900 COVID-19 cases can be traced to the facility. (Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press)

I am the district attorney in San Francisco, and my job is to keep the public safe. In mid-March, I started emptying out our city and county jail because those living and working there face a grave risk of falling ill, dying and spreading COVID-19. My sense of urgency about this issue is professional, and its also personal: My 75-year-old father lives in a prison cell.

When I was a little over a year old, my parents, both political activists, made the terrible decision to act as getaway drivers in a botched robbery meant to raise money for their cause. Though my mother and father were unarmed, other participants shot and killed two police officers and a security guard. My mother pleaded guilty to felony murder, served 22 years and was released. My father, without a lawyer, was sentenced to 75 years to life.

My parents decisions caused irreparable, cascading harm, but 38 years later, they shouldnt mean that my father, a model prisoner with numerous underlying medical conditions, is sentenced again, this time to die prematurely from a viral outbreak.

According to the Prison Policy Initiative, almost 2.3 million people are incarcerated in this country. In jails, prisons, juvenile halls and immigration detention centers, they are trapped in close quarters in no way designed to shield them from a deadly virus. Social distancing in densely populated cell blocks is impossible. Jail and prison inmates lack basic hygiene items, like sanitizer and masks. The daily churn of detainees and staff creates tremendous risk of an epidemic within the pandemic.

Chicagos Cook County Jail is one of the biggest single COVID-19 hot spots in the nation. More than 900 cases are traceable to the jail; many involve staff, not inmates. In my fathers New York prison, the person in the cell next to him was just evacuated with COVID-19. Across the New York prison system, 1,026 prison staff and 3,30 incarcerated people have been COVID-19-confirmed; given limited testing, the true number is surely much higher.

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In San Francisco, I make decisions with my colleagues about who to incarcerate for how long and who to release on what conditions. These decisions are often agonizing, nearly impossible balancing acts of competing risks. For decades, criminal justice policy has been driven by the sometimes realistic fear that any person released could commit a heinous crime. But data show that allowing such fears to override all other concerns is shortsighted. Locking up millions of people destroys families and communities; bankrupts local governments; tends to increase, not decrease, crime rates; and too often provides only cold comfort to victims. The pandemic is further evidence that mass incarceration can be a threat, not a boon, to public safety.

My office is determined to allow public health officials to guide public policy through the coronavirus crisis. Using the discretion granted to prosecutors by law, we've reduced San Franciscos jail population by 40% since March 16, the date of the citys shelter-in-place order. Our year-to-year data show that through April, the city and county crime rate has fallen.

When public safety allows, we delay filing new charges. We have released, pending trial, those in jail facing low-level offenses, along with the elderly and medically vulnerable. We work with the courts to expedite scheduled releases for inmates with solid reentry plans. We avoid detaining people for technical violations such as missed appointments.

Through this work, weve identified some people who should never have been in jail in the first place, and weve found more humane, cost-effective, safer alternatives instead. For example, one woman with a high-risk pregnancy and no criminal history was in jail on misdemeanor charges. With our reentry partners, we deemed her jail time served adequate for the offense and released her into a prenatal care facility. With other city agencies, we are helping to provide furnished apartments for domestic violence victims. We are calling for more resources for those being released to ensure they can succeed and arent rearrested.

Although many prosecutors and local law enforcement officials across the country are also using their discretion to decrease their jail populations, more need to embrace reforms in the face of this pandemic. Data show the way. State prisons, for example, where there are far more people incarcerated than at the local level, could release most inmates over the age of 65 who have already served 10 or more years, a significant sentence. Continuing their incarceration is expensive, they are at high risk for serious infection, and their recidivism rate is just 4%.

Balancing the risks and costs of incarceration versus release isn't just about keeping incarcerated people safe; it is about our mutual survival. Half a million guards, plus nurses, lawyers, vendors, deputies and chaplains move in and out of jails and prisons every day; they go home to their families and communities at night. If we ignore the spread of COVID-19 behind bars, we endanger those on the outside as well.

I will continue to protect the safety of all San Franciscans  residents, crime victims, public servants and those who live and work in our jails. Though I know my efforts cant protect my own father, I hope they will save someone elses.

Chesa Boudin is the district attorney of San Francisco.





For the record:

4:19 PM, May. 06, 2020: An earlier version of this piece said the year to year crime rate in San Francisco had fallen through May. It has fallen through April.


The Karnataka government on Wednesday announced a Rs 1,610 crore relief package for the benefit of those in distress due to the COVID-19-induced lockdown.

The measures announced by the Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa would bring relief to farmers, flower-growers, washermen, auto rickshaw and taxi drivers, MSMEs, large industries, weavers, building workers and barbers.

The government also announced a 11 per cent excise duty hike, which is in addition to the six per cent announced in the budget. People from all sections of society are facing financial difficulties due to lockdown of more than one and a half months, the Chief Minister noted.

Flower growers have destroyed their flowers following lack of demand for their produce due to the lockdown. It is estimated that farmers cultivated flowers in about 11,687 hectares. Realising the problems facing flower growers, the government announced a compensation of Rs 25,000 per hectare limited to a maximum extent of one hectare for the crop loss.

Farmers who have grown vegetables and fruits were not able to market their produce, and the government has decided to announce a relief package for them. Covid-19 has also affected service professionals such as barbers and washermen (dhobis) both in urban and rural areas, and it has been decided to provide a one time compensation of Rs 5,000 each to benefit about 60,000 washermen and about 2,30,000 barbers.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

A decision has also been taken to help about 7,75,000 Auto & Taxi drivers by providing one time compensation of Rs 5,000 each. MSMEs have also suffered huge production losses due to the lockdown.

It takes some time for them to revive, Yediyurappa said. The monthly fixed charges of electricity bills of MSMEs will be waived for two months. Payment of fixed charges in the electricity bills of the large industries would be deferred without penalty and interest for a period of two months.

The Chief Minister also announced certain benefits for electricity consumers of all categories. The state government has already announced Rs 109 crore weavers loan Waiver scheme, of which Rs 29 crore has been released during 2019-20.

Balance amount of Rs 80.00 crore would be released immediately. This would help weavers get fresh loans to continue their occupation. The Chief Minister also announced a new scheme, Weaver Samman Yojana (Nekarara Sammana yojane) for the benefit of the suffering weavers. Under this scheme, the government would deposit Rs 2,000 directly into the bank account of the handloom weaver through DBT.

This will benefit about 54,000 handloom weavers in the state. There are 15.80 lakh registered building workers in the state. The government has already transferred Rs 2,000 to the bank account of 11.80 lakh building workers through DBT.

Action has already been initiated to transfer Rs 2,000 to the accounts of the remaining four lakh construction workers soon after verifying beneficiaries bank account details. In addition to this, the government has decided to transfer additional amount of Rs 3,000 to building workers through DBT.

The above compensation would be provided with an estimated cost of Rs 1,610.00 crore, which would help those who are in distress due to lockdown , the Chief Minister added.








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In the above video, a nurse at a New York City hospital says that every time she sought to do whatever necessary to advocate for the recovery of her black patients she was removed from them. Such video helps to support mountain evidence that the "COVID-19 pandemic" is a highly staged simulation that has been orchestrated by elites who have an eugenics-inspired ideological agenda against various population groups that they have sought to target with the support of 5G microwaves.





The video below the nurse confirms that the pandemic was planned by elites from at least 2010 in order to expedite a "New World Order".


Dancing diva Madhuri Dixit is all set to return to television with the dance reality show, Dance Deewane 3. As everyone is aware, due to the lockdown, production work in TV and films has been shut down, and many are resorting to digital platform to create new content. Colors' Dance Deewane is also going the digital way. The makers will now be selecting the contestants through virtual auditions.

Recently, Madhuri recorded a special promo asking for the contestants to upload videos on Viacom 18 digital platform, the network that airs the show on Colors channel.

The Bollywood diva believes that dance is a stress buster, which is keeping many motivated during these difficult times. She revealed to Mumbai Mirror, "One way to keep up the spirit is to let dance be a form of expression. I am thrilled that we managed to bring back another season of the show."

Apart from Madhuri, Shashank Khaitan and Tushar Kalia are returning as judges for the new edition. Apparently, the show will begin when the film and television bodies decide to resume shoots.

Earlier, there were reports that Bigg Boss 13's popular jodi, Sidharth Shukla and Shehnaaz Gill will host the show. But when Arjun Bijlani, who had hosted the show for two seasons, was asked about the same, he revealed that he is not aware of any such change. As per the latest report, not Sid-Sana, but Arjun will return as the show's host!

Are you excited about the upcoming season? Hit the comment box to share your views.

Also Read: Arjun Bijlani Reacts To Rumours Of Sidharth Shukla & Shehnaaz Gill Hosting Dance Deewane
A Chinese Official Challenged by a Citizen for Misuse of Government Vehicle

It is hard for Chinese, brainwashed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and lacking a sense of citizenship to question the privileges of communist officialdom. Private use of government vehicles, therefore, is a common thing.

But whats in this video is different. A government vehicle of Guangzhou municipal Party committee stopped at the gate of a big hotel during non-working hours. A leader-like man was talking on the phone outside the car.

A citizen stepped forward and asked why he drove the government vehicle to the hotel during non-work hours. Under his repeated questioning, the man said he came out to exercise. The citizen then asked him, you drive a government vehicle paid by citizens out just for exercise?

A netizen commented on Twitter: This is an uncle surnamed Ou in Guangzhou District. He has been targeted by Chinese authorities many times.

Citizen: Excuse me, its off work time. What are you driving the government vehicle for? Excuse me, why did you drive the car to the hotel? Excuse me, wow, Guangzhou Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection. Why did you drive the government vehicle here? Please answer, why did you drive the government vehicle here? Its off work time. People of Commission for Discipline Inspection, driving a government car. Could you answer? Are you a leader? Is this ok? Why did you drive the car to a grand hotel? Please answer, leader of the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Man: I came to exercise.

Citizen: Oh, exercise. Driving a government vehicle here just for exercise. Please answer, leader, please answer ok? Wow, you came here on a government vehicle paid for by the people.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 15:33:16|Editor: huaxia

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BAGHDAD, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Three Katyusha rockets on Wednesday landed on the perimeter of Baghdad international airport without causing casualties, the Iraqi military said.

Iraqi security forces carried out a search campaign in the vicinity of the airport after the attack which took place at dawn and found a rocket launcher with a timer device in al-Bakriyah neighborhood in western Baghdad, the media office affiliated with the Iraqi Joint Operations Command said in a brief statement.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack on the airport.

Insurgent groups frequently attacked Iraqi military bases housing U.S. troops across Iraq as well as the heavily fortified Green Zone in central Baghdad.

Around 5,000 U.S. troops have been deployed in Iraq to support Iraqi forces in battles against the Islamic State, mainly for training and advisory purposes. Enditem
Alberta's use of a smartphone app to help slow the spread of the coronavirus may provide other provinces with insight on what to do  and what to avoid  as Canada begins easing restrictions, heightening the need for effective contact tracing.

ABTraceTogether, launched late last week, is the first such app released by a provincial public health authority. An accompanying instructional video explains: "The more people who use the app, the safer everyone will be."

Early uptake figures and a key design quirk, however, illustrate how challenging it will be to ensure widespread adoption and efficacy in Alberta and elsewhere.

Contact tracing is the practice of identifying and notifying people at risk of contracting the virus from someone known to have been infected. Anyone who came in close contact with that person is instructed to self-isolate to avoid spreading the virus further.

So far, tracing in Canada has been done manually, with public health staff or volunteers getting in touch with each patient's recent contacts one by one. An app can speed up that process, and doesn't require users to remember where they've been or, just as importantly, with whom.

"If there's some way technology can help we all want to get out of our houses," said Richard Lachman, a digital technology and culture researcher at Ryerson University in Toronto. But he warned against treating the software as a "panacea."

Alberta's app employs Bluetooth technology to determine with whom a user has spent time (at least 15 minutes in a 24-hour period). But it only works if everyone involved has the app running on their phone and Bluetooth enabled.

Early hurdles

As of Tuesday, ABTraceTogether had been downloaded just over 120,000 times, Alberta Health spokesperson Tom McMillan told CBC News. If each download accounts for a new user, that makes up less than three per cent of the province's population of around 4.4 million.

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A group of British researchers suggested a similar app would only be effective if it were adopted by 56 per cent of the U.K.'s population.

McMillan declined to provide a target figure for Alberta, but said in an email, "Our goal is for as many Albertans to use it as possible."

Even users who've installed the app may have trouble using it effectively. Those running Apple's mobile operating system, iOS, are advised upon installation to "place your phone upside down or screen side down in your pocket" to keep their screen unlocked while out running essential errands.

An FAQ explains ABTraceTogether doesn't work properly when running in the background. In other words, it can't guarantee contact tracing continues while a user opens an email or replies to a text message. "If you need to use other apps, just remember to switch back" afterward, the FAQ states.

Mike Segar/Reuters

Alberta's health minister, Tyler Shandro, said Apple has been made aware of the issue.

"We're looking forward to the fix being able to make its way to the App Store as soon as possible," he said.

App developers are hopeful a rare joint project by Apple and Google will eventually allow them to streamline apps across iOS and Android devices, letting contact tracing run in the background and making the services more widely available.

How it works

While some previous contact tracing apps relied on GPS data, tracking a user's every movement, the Bluetooth method is emerging as a more accessible and less intrusive alternative.

James Petrie, a member of an international team developing a similar app called Covid Watch, said earlier iterations of the software focused on GPS tracking, but, "We hit a number of challenges  like how do you share this data between people without identifying them?"

A PhD candidate in applied mathematics at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Petrie said Bluetooth provides more promise because of its ubiquity among smartphones and its ability for direct communication from one device to another.

That's how ABTraceTogether works. It was developed using the same code that formed the basis of Singapore's groundbreaking TraceTogether app. Deloitte and IBM were hired to tweak and rebrand the app for Alberta.

The software exchanges anonymous data with another user's device when it's located less than two metres away for several minutes. If someone with the app is diagnosed with COVID-19, they will be asked to consent for other users to be alerted and the information given to manual contact tracers, but the patient would remain anonymous.

CBC

"Users will merely be informed that they have come into close contact with someone who has tested positive," said Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health.

Unveiling the app last Friday, she took great pains to underscore its privacy features, such as how data remains encrypted on a user's phone and is only saved for 21 days.

"The use of technology for this purpose may seem intrusive, but downloading the app is completely voluntary and data will not be accessed unless a user provides consent to share their data with [Alberta Health Services]," she said.

Other provinces

Some other provinces have acknowledged they're considering how to implement digital contact tracing.

A New Brunswick government spokesperson said on Tuesday the province plans to implement an "anonymous privacy-by-design solution" using Bluetooth. Last week, New Brunswick's privacy commissioner said he expected Premier Blaine Higgs and others to be shown a demonstration of the app within 10 days.

Art Raham/CBC

Newfoundland and Labrador Health Minister John Haggie said earlier this week his province would ensure privacy is respected by seeking advice from experts on the topic.

British Columbia, however, is "not focusing on tracing apps such as these at this time," according to the Health Ministry.

The patchwork of plans leaves open the possibility that contact tracing apps will be incompatible from one jurisdiction to another, as interprovincial travel slowly resumes.

"It works really well if a lot of people can communicate with the same system," said Petrie, "so I'm hoping for Canada to see a national app, or at least to have provincial apps that can communicate, but I think that's still a few weeks or months out."

Edgar Su/Reuters

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has called for a national contact tracing strategy. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, however, said on Radio-Canada talk show Tout le monde en parle he hasn't seen the right technology "so far."

Richard Lachman, an associate professor at Ryerson's RTA School of Media, pointed out, smartphone apps should only be seen as part of the solution to the ongoing crisis, along with other measures such adequate testing, physical distancing and widespread hand-washing.

"There are much bigger questions that will be required," he said, "and I don't want us to get distracted."
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the Far Eastern Federal University campus on Russky island in the Russian port of Vladivostok on April 25, 2019. (Alexey Nikolsky/ AFP via Getty Images)

Putin Awards Kim Jong Un With Commemorative World War II Medal

Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un a commemorative war medal as a token of gratitude for his role in preserving the memory of Soviet soldiers who died on North Korean territory.

Kim was given the medal, titled 75 years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, marking the 75th anniversary of the Red Armys victory over Nazi Germany, a statement from the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang said May 5.

The award was presented by Russias ambassador to North Korea, Alexander Matsegora, to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Korea, Ri Son-gwon, and photos of the occasion show both Russian and North Korean officials wearing masks, despite the fact that North Korea so far has not reported a single case of the CCP virus, also referred to as novel coronavirus.

Kim, who was given the award for his great personal contribution to the commemoration of dead and buried Soviet citizens on the territory of the DPRK and showing concern about the safety of the Soviet soldiers graves and memorial sites, was notably not in attendance at the ceremony.

Russias state-run TASS news agency reported that there are 11 mass graves and 345 individual graves in North Korea which contain the remains of 1,375 Soviet troops. More than 4,700 Soviet troops died in battles to liberate Korea from the Japanese in 1945, the outlet said. One of the key landmarks in Pyongyang is the Liberation Monument, which commemorates Soviet soldiers who died in the battles to liberate Korea from the Japanese occupation in 1945.

The award comes shortly after much international speculation about Kims reportedly failing health and swirling rumors that the North Korean dictator may be dead after a conspicuous public absence since April 11.

However, images released on May 1 by North Korean state media purportedly show Kim and his sister Kim Yo Jong, and various officials, at a ceremony at a fertilizer plant in Sunchon, near the capital, Pyongyang, on Friday. The images and associated reports however, have not been independently verified by Western media.

A senior South Korean presidential official also told reporters Sunday that Jong Un had not undergone surgery or any other medical procedures, after reports suggested he had, although they did not provide the basis for the intelligence assessment.

Last year Russia invited Kim to visit Moscow on May 9 and attend the military parade marking the 75th anniversary of the victory, however Putin announced the decision to postpone the parade indefinitely last month because of the CCP virus pandemic.

As of May 6, Russia has 155,370 confirmed cases of CCP virus, while 1,451 deaths have been attributed to the virus, which originated in Wuhan, China, in December last year and causes the disease COVID-19.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


Scott Morrison has called on G20 leaders to support him in Australia's push for an independent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19 following threats from China to destroy our economy.

The prime minister said a 'proper assessment' into the deadly virus is necessary, dismissing US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's claims of 'enormous evidence' that coronavirus started in a Chinese laboratory.

Mr Morrison said that while it's possible the virus came from a lab in Wuhan - the epicentre of COVID-19 - the 'most likely [origin] has been in a wildlife wet market'.

He said an independent inquiry could help prevent another pandemic 'which could originate anywhere in the world'.

'I don't want to express an opinion about [where it started]. I want to know. The best way to arrive at that is what I have proposed,' Mr Morrison said.

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison said a 'proper assessment' into the deadly virus is necessary, dismissing US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's claims of 'enormous evidence' that coronavirus started in a Chinese laboratory

Mr Morrison said that while it's possible the virus came from a lab in Wuhan - the epicentre of COVID-19 - the 'most likely (origin) has been in a wildlife wet market'

'I have written to all G20 leaders this week proposing exactly that process.'

The Five Eyes intelligence agency doesn't have anything to back up the claims made by Mr Pompeo and President Donald Trump, The Australian reported.

Mr Morrison's efforts to get global leaders on board for an independent review have reportedly been hindered by Trump's push to link the virus to a Chinese lab.

The prime minister sent a written appeal to Chinese President Xi Jinping and other G20 leaders.

He's also had phone calls with Trump, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron among others.

Australia has called for the World Health Organization (WHO) to support an independent review into how the coronavirus started and spread, and has been lobbying world leaders.

This has angered China which says is conducting its own investigation through the Chinese Communist Party, which should be enough.

The Australian Government will lobby for more international support into the inquiry during an upcoming meeting of WHO's governing body later this month.

It comes after an influential academic who writes for a Chinese Communist Party newspaper accused Australia of 'stabbing China in the back' over its calls for an international inquiry.

Shanghai academic Professor Chen Hong, who writes prolifically for the Global Times, said Australia's calls for an independent inquiry were 'a repeated display of hostility'.

'This kind of investigation actually proposed by the Australia side is not an investigation. It's called an independent inquiry talking about the lack of transparency. That is actually what is about,' he told 60 Minutes reporter Tara Brown.

Mr Morrison's efforts to get global leaders on board for an independent review have reportedly been hindered by Trump's (left) push to link the virus to a Chinese lab. Pictured with Chinese President Xi Jinping

'That is actually the problem as there's no such thing as lack of transparency in the Chinese side.

'Australia is being and acting as a kind of divisive role, trying to point fingers, even stab at the back of China. This is actually not fair.'

China made its displeasure known last Monday when Chinese ambassador to Australia, Cheng Jingye, warned the Chinese public might avoid Australian products and universities if Australia continued to call for international involvement in the investigation.

'Maybe the ordinary people will say 'Why should we drink Australian wine? Eat Australian beef?' Mr Cheng said in the interview on the front page of The Australian Financial Review.

'The parents of the students would also think whether this place which they found is not so friendly, even hostile, whether this is the best place to send our kids.'
The U.S. Treasury is borrowing $3 trillion in three months to pay for the pandemic response, a record sum that dwarfs the $1.8 trillion borrowed in 2009 during the financial crisis. The debt will be sold in bonds to a variety of foreign and domestic investors.

At the 2020 Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting on Saturday, which was closed to the public due to Covid-19 but livestreamed on Yahoo Finance, billionaire investor Warren Buffett carefully explained in simple terms why the U.S. will never default on its debt.

When a concerned shareholder asked him whether there was a risk, he didnt prevaricate, but started with a no.

If you print bonds in your own currency, what happens to the currency will be the question, said Buffett. But you dont default. The U.S. has been smart to issue its debt in its own currency.

Other countries dont do this, Buffett pointed out.

Argentina is now having a problem because the debt isnt in their own currency, and lots of countries have had that problem, he said. And lots of competent countries will have that problem in the future.

A Berkshire Hathaway shareholder hold a fake dollar bill with the face of billionaire financier and Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett during the kick-off celebration at the annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting in Omaha, Nebraska May 2, 2008. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Over the years, many have worried about the growing national debt as tax cuts and spending have created an ever-widening gap between revenue and outflows. But in his explanation, Buffett highlighted the distinctions that make the U.S. Treasury much different than your personal checkbook.

Mainly, the government owns the printing press to pay the money to the holders of its debt.

It is very painful to owe money in somebody elses currency, said Buffett. If I could issue a currency Buffett bucks, and I had a printing press and I could borrow money, I would never default.

This is a common refrain of Modern Monetary Theory as well as longtime Fed Chair Alan Greenspan, who once said something similar: "The United States can pay any debt it has because we can always print money to do that. So there is zero probability of default."

The chief worry about just printing money to pay obligations is inflation.

Story continues

What you end up getting in terms of purchasing power can be in doubt, Buffett said.

But whether the U.S. can pay the dollars that it owes is not in doubt. The Oracle of Omaha noted back to when Standard & Poors downgraded the U.S.s credit rating in 2011.

To me that did not make sense, he said. How you can regard any corporation as stronger than a person who can print the money to pay you, I just dont understand. So dont worry about the government defaulting.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, right, shows his wife Louise Linton a sheet of new $1 bills, the first currency notes bearing his and U.S. Treasurer Jovita Carranza's signatures, Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017, at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) in Washington. The Mnuchin-Carranza notes, which are a new series of 2017, 50-subject $1 notes, will be sent to the Federal Reserve to issue into circulation. At left is BEP Director Leonard Olijar. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Buffett then addressed the frequent government shut-downs that happen over partisan arguments about raising the debt ceiling.

I think its kind of crazy incidentally...to have these limits on the debt, he said. And then [the] stopped government, arguing about whether its going to increase the limits. Were going to increase the limits on the debt.

Buffett pointed out that the debt isnt going to be paid, its going to be refunded, and referenced the period in the 1990s when the debt came down and the country simply created more.

When the debts come down a little bit, the countrys going to print more debt. The country is going to grow in terms of its debt-paying capacity, he said. But the trick is to keep borrowing in your own currency.

-

Ethan Wolff-Mann is a writer at Yahoo Finance focusing on consumer issues, personal finance, retail, airlines, and more. Follow him on Twitter @ewolffmann.

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Fitness centers across the country are buckling under the burden of stay-home orders as many members stop their monthly fees. But Unleash'd Strength, a small, family-owned strength-training gym in northern Virginia, is still standing thanks to a group of power lifters who've stepped in to help shoulder the load.

In fact, 176 of its 198 members are voluntarily paying their monthly bills to keep the Manassas Park gym solvent - an unusual bright spot in the world of independent businesses suffering as the economy struggles during the pandemic.

The gym is owned by power lifter Joseph Strada, 28, and his wife, Margo, 26.

Member Angela Roark, 34, who lives in Gainesville, said she "never thought twice" about her decision to continue paying. It's more than a place to lift heavy weights and build muscle, she said. There is a close community feeling amid the benches, racks and weight plates.

"We all kind of feel like we found a gold mine at that place," said Roark, who is a nurse practitioner. "So we want to make sure that they're there in the long run."

Another member, Jimmy Kolb - who broke the world record bench press in the 275-pound weight class by benching 1,035 pounds this year - said he is grateful to the Stradas. He said they help him train every weekend and have used their photography and videography skills to help him build a following on social media.

"They give, give, give, so we don't want to just take, take, take," Kolb, 29, said. "We want to give back to them as much as we can and in any way we can."

Joseph Strada has been a lifter for years. He founded Unleash'd Strength in 2016 as a side interest while working a day job as an engineering project manager. Initially his project, which focused on "discipline and virtue," existed only online, with several followers. Strada shared motivational videos, workouts, interviews with athletes and blog posts - but his goal was to open a gym.

When Strada's business partner pulled out, his wife stepped in. Her presence added another dimension to the gym. As a woman, mother and novice lifter (at the time), she set the business apart from male-dominated lifting communities. Already a business owner, she was running her own wedding photography company.

As they worked toward opening a physical space, they estimated that the equipment could cost more than $100,000, money they didn't have. Instead, they spent a small fraction of that by scouring for discounted and secondhand equipment, which they stored in their parents' garages.

They finally found a space for their gym and opened last summer, after taking three weeks to renovate the space with the help of a few dozen family members and friends. Their goal was to have 200 members within six months.

The Stradas sold their house in Dale City and moved in with Margo's parents in Manassas to save money and be closer to the gym. By January, they had 150 members. When Joseph Strada was let go from his job in February, he decided to go full-time at the gym.

The Stradas say the gym's balance between discipline and fun attracts veteran lifters, such as Kolb, as well as rookies, such as Elaine Atkinson. In her 50s, Atkinson estimates that she and her husband are among the gym's oldest members but says they feel welcome in the younger crowd. "Everybody's equal there," she said.

Power lifter Angela Roark said the gym is "really welcoming to all skill levels." Joining the world of lifting can be intimidating, particularly for women, she said.

"It doesn't matter if you've never touched a weight before or you've been lifting for many years. There's equipment there for you. There's support there for you," Roark said.

As the Stradas approached 200 members in early March, Virginia reported its first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus.

They took their already careful cleaning regimen and kicked it up a notch. In mid-March they started requiring members to reserve workout slots to ensure that fewer than 10 people were in the gym at any given time.

When all gyms in Virginia were ordered to do the same, the Stradas found themselves in a privileged position. Bigger gyms, some with more than 1,000 members, had no choice but to close, and lifters eager to continue working out started making their way to Unleash'd. One man drove from nearly three hours away for a workout, they said.

Peaking at 210 members in the middle of March, the Stradas suspended new sign-ups. "This is absolutely killing me to write," Joseph Strada posted on Instagram, "but after a night of terrible sleep we realized this is the right thing to do."

Days later, Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, ordered nonessential businesses to shut their doors, leaving the Stradas with another tough call. "We knew we couldn't ask our members to continue paying, but if they didn't, we'd be done," Margo Strada recalled.

They offered their members three options: freeze their contracts free of charge, freeze them for a reduced rate of $10 per month or continue to pay the full rate of $39.

Several canceled, and 176 of the remaining 198 volunteered to pay full-price.

Elaine Atkinson is continuing to pay five memberships among her husband, her children and herself because she doesn't want the Stradas' years of hard work to go to waste.

"I really want to see them succeed. . . . This is something Joseph's wanted to do for all of his life."

Unleash'd Strength could reopen as early as next week, but even if it doesn't, the Stradas say they've collected enough revenue to make it through at least the rest of the month.

In the meantime, they are improving the place, adding several new pieces of equipment and upgrading old ones.

"We aren't taking any kind of salary from this yet," said Joseph Strada. "Any extra revenue is going right back into the gym."
Medical staff check the body temperature of migrant labourers as they line up at a temporary shelter in Hyderabad. (AFP)

Hyderabad: Postgraduate doctors were worried on the first day of counselling as most of them would find it difficult to raise the enhanced fee of Rs 21 lakh for the courses.

The government at the last minute doubled the fees to Rs 7 lakh per year, catching the doctors off-guard. Meritorious students are not sure if it will be worth doing the course at such a high fee.

There are 1,400 seats in 14 specialties and the fixed deposit certificate of Rs 21 lakh has to be submitted after counselling.

Dr K.N. Vishnu, president of the Telangana Junior Doctors Association, said, The government order has been released at the last minute and we have no time to approach the courts for relief. Many students will not be able to afford the high fee.

Junior doctors stated that in these times of pandemic they cannot avail of loans either from banks or even from relatives.

Dr K. Vijender, a senior resident, said, We were able to get cancellations in 2017. After that, the government has declared the fee hike at the last minute as a tactic. This gives students no time to go to court. Ultimately, meritorious students will not be able to pay and only those who can pay who will opt for the courses. How can they expect the healthcare systems to improve in these conditions?
While the pubs are still closed and with two bank holidays in May coming up, it might be wise to order some of your favourite tipples to your door.

Ahead, we have put together a round-up of some of the best online gin delivery services still offering a great selection of spirits so you can enjoy a cold gin and tonic at home.

Whether you want to order in a bottle of your favourite gin, are looking for some new craft offerings or want to treat a loved one to a subscription box, there is something for everyone.

1. For fine gins from all over the world

Chase Rhubarb & Bramley Apple Gin, 70 cl, 35.99

With cases of wine, bottles of beer and even pre-mixed cocktails, The Bottle Club offers little luxuries to help you cheers to the week.

If gin is your thing then The Bottle Club's collection of gins from around the world is sure to impress.

The site is easy to navigate, helping you sort through your preferences to find the perfect bottle. Browse through over 200 bottles of gin at your leisure or sort via country.

At The Bottle Club there is plenty of classic English gins like Gordons, Henrick's and Beefeater to more unusual offerings like Chase Seville Marmalade Gin and That Boutique-y Gin Company Chocolate Orange Gin. For a tangy and tart burst of flavour we recommend the Chase Rhubarb & Bramley Apple Gin.

The Bottle Club is offering free UK delivery on orders over 100 while those eager to get their gins before the weekend can choose a Priority Delivery at 7.99. If placed before 2pm, orders will arrive within three working days. Job done.

Buy now on The Bottle Club

2. To add extra intrigue to your bar cart

Aviation Gin, 70cl, 32.95

31 Dover pride themselves in offering a highly curated selection of booze. While they offer plenty of different types of alcohol, gin lovers are sure to get excited about their organic, botanical and exotic varieties.

There are some seriously unusual and beautiful bottles on 31 Dover Street so if you think of yourself as a bit of a gin connoisseur you can easily get carried away with all the unusual flavours.

31 Dover is also a great source for keeping up-to-date with new launches as they have the latest gin bottles on the market. The new Hendricks Lunar Gin caught our eye; made with floral notes with a delicate spicy finish this one is 'best suited to night-sipping and moon-gazing'.

Or why not see what the fuss is about with the Aviation Gin? Ryan Reynolds is a huge fan, describing it as 'the best-tasting gin in the world'.

A great way of discovering new gins from your sofa, you can rest assured you won't go thirsty during lockdown thanks to their next day delivery service.

Buy now on 31 Dover

3. For discovering small-batch gins

Craft Gin Club Monthly Subscription Box, 40

The Craft Gin Club is a great way to discover the world's finest small-batch gins.

Every month, the Craft Gin Club selects one small-batch gin, including limited and exclusive editions not available anywhere else. You can choose how often you get your gin box delivered with options including one, two or three months.

The contents are left as a surprise, but you will receive a full-size box of craft gin, tonics to create your own gin cocktails, sweet and savoury snacks and a glossy magazine. The box costs 40 a month, but the contents worth much more.

You can also buy a one-off box, which is ideal if you want to test the subscription out and makes a great present for a gin enthusiast.

Buy now on The Craft Gin Club

4. If you can't decide between wine or gin

Silent Pool Gin, 70cl, 39.50

Don't be fooled by the name, Majestic Wines also offers plenty of other tipples including beer and spirits. If it's gin you're after, you won't be let down by the selection.

Shop across dozens of juniper driven blends, including classic, dry and flavoured gin. You'll find well known labels and small batch local distillers.

Big hitters include the Silent Pool Gin and the award-winning Bathtub Gin from the UK. More adventurous gin fans might be driven towards exotic blends like the Keepr's Honey Dry Gin or the Sipsmith Lemon Drizzle Dry Gin.

Buy now on Majestic

5. For hard to find gins

Gin Lane 1751 Victoria Pink Gin, 70cl, 22.75

If you are on the hunt for old or rare gins then it's worth checking out The Whisky Exchange. It prides itself on sourcing products with genuine heritage and quality in all categories of spirits and liqueurs, so if you're after something with a bit more flair then this is a great place to start.

While the online shop offers plenty of sloe, English, Scottish and world gins, the special section on the site dedicated to old and rare gins is a real gem.

In this section you can shop for incredible vintage bottles of gin including an old bottle of the world's best selling Gordon's Gin with a label carrying a warrant to King George VI, dating this bottle to the early 1940s. This would be a seriously impressive bottle to add to your collection or a wonderful present for a gin lover.

Buy now on The Whisky Exchange

MailOnline may earn commission on sales from the links on this page.
Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - May 6, 2020) - Maple Gold Mines Ltd. (TSXV: MGM) (OTCQB: MGMLF) (FSE: M3G) ("Maple Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to report new assay results from its 2020 winter drilling campaign at the Douay Project. The Company planned a single drill-hole (DO-20-272) near the limit of the NW Zone this winter, a zone which has only seen two drill holes since 1997. Maple Gold's geologists identified a significant drilling gap of approximately 300 metres to the west of a historical drill-hole that cut significant gold mineralization starting from only 41m downhole (3.15 g/t Au over 8.9m). This year's drill-hole was collared 100m to the west and cut 4.16 g/t Au over 3.4m starting from 39.6m downhole (including 7.68 g/t Au over 1.7m), and 1.15 g/t Au over 20m starting from 50m downhole, including 8m of 1.34 g/t Au. This near-surface zone remains open for about 200m to the west and the eastern extension of the historical intercept also remains open to the east for about 150m (see Fig. 2).





Fig. 1: Drill plan on aeromagnetic base showing main DO-20-272 intercept and interpreted near-surface gold zone closely associated with Cartwright/Taibi contact. Note additional drilling gaps (white ellipses) along or near the same contact.

To view an enhanced version of Fig. 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3077/55444_4e2260b9049bc905_001full.jpg





Maple Gold's VP, Exploration, Fred Speidel, commented: "Results from our 2020 drill-hole at the NW Zone provides support for the presence of a near-surface higher-grade zone in this relatively sparsely drilled area. Last winter we drilled a single drill hole in an area (531 Zone) that hadn't been drilled much since the early 1990's and we intersected multiple high-grade zones. This year we similarly planned a single hole to test a concept at the NW Zone, which also hadn't seen much work since the 90's. The new NW Zone intercepts and lack of drilling in the immediate area is another example of the type of exploration upside that still exists within the known deposit area at Douay, not to mention the greater property package."

The geological characteristics of the NW Zone in this area are similar to those in the Main Zone at the opposite (ESE) end of the deposit, with host rocks consisting of highly foliated quartz sericite-pyrite-altered volcanic, pyroclastic and lesser sedimentary rocks. Although the NW Zone is relatively distal, the influence of the Douay alkaline intrusive-hydrothermal system is still noted by frequent carbonatite injections, relative abundance of fluorite (see fig. 3 below) and commonly elevated Rare Earth Element (REE) values. This lends further support to the Company's existing hypothesis of geological (and geophysical) continuity between these two zones, where there are several drilling gaps of about 500-1000m in length that remain to be tested, only a few of which are shown in Fig. 1 above.



Fig. 2: Long section @095, looking NNE, along axis of hatched gold zone shown in Fig. 1. Note distribution of gold mineralization, with shallow apparent dips to the ESE, a common theme at Douay. Significant drilling gaps still exist in this area and additional infill drilling is warranted, with the aim of defining additional near-surface gold mineralization.

To view an enhanced version of Fig. 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3077/55444_4e2260b9049bc905_002full.jpg









Fig. 3: NQ core (47.6mm diameter) from 41.3-41.9m in DO-20-272A, which assayed 13.25 g/t Au. Note yellow sericite defining foliation, stronger Fe-carbonate (pale orange color) and relatively abundant fine disseminated and stringer pyrite, as well as purplish grey fluorite-carbonate injection in upper right part of photograph.

To view an enhanced version of Fig. 3, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3077/55444_4e2260b9049bc905_003full.jpg

Table 1: Summary of Assay Results for Drilling at the NW Zone





To view an enhanced version of Table 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3077/55444_4e2260b9049bc905_004full.jpg

Notes: All lengths are downhole, true widths not known due to limited drilling in this area. DO-20-272 was abandoned due to drilling problems; DO-20-272A was collared about 3m from the original hole and drilled steeper. Upper and lower zones were cut in both holes; by about 70m downhole, the two holes would have been approximately 10m apart.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical data contained in this press release was reviewed and prepared under the supervision of Fred Speidel, M. Sc., P. Geo., Vice-President Exploration, of Maple Gold. Mr. Speidel is a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Speidel has verified the data related to the exploration information disclosed in this news release through his direct participation in the work.

Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC)

Maple Gold implements strict Quality Assurance ("QA") and Quality Control ("QC") protocols at Douay covering the planning and placing of drill holes in the field; drilling and retrieving the NQ-sized drill core; drill-hole surveying; core transport to the Douay Camp; core logging by qualified personnel; sampling and bagging of core for analysis; transport of core from site to ALS laboratory; sample preparation for assaying; and analysis, recording and final statistical vetting of results. For a complete description of protocols, please visit the Company's QA/QC page on the website at: http://maplegoldmines.com/index.php/en/projects/qa-qc-qp-statement

About Maple Gold

Maple Gold is an advanced gold exploration and development company focused on defining a district-scale gold project in one of the world's premier mining jurisdictions. The Company's ~355 km Douay Gold Project is located along the Casa Berardi Deformation Zone (55 km of strike) within the prolific Abitibi Greenstone Belt in northern Quebec, Canada. The Project benefits from excellent infrastructure and has an established gold resource that remains open in multiple directions. For more information please visit: www.maplegoldmines.com.

ON BEHALF OF MAPLE GOLD MINES LTD.

"Matthew Hornor"

B. Matthew Hornor, President & CEO

For Further Information Please Contact:



Mr. Joness Lang

Executive Vice-President

Cell: 778.686.6836

Email: jlang@maplegoldmines.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 PRESS RELEASE.

Forward Looking Statements:

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively referred to as "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation in Canada, including statements about the prospective mineral potential of the Porphyry Zone, the potential for significant mineralization from other drilling in the referenced drill program and the completion of the drill program. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions, uncertainties and management's best estimate of future events. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations and projections. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding timing and completion of the private placement. When used herein, words such as "anticipate", "will", "intend" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements are based on certain estimates, expectations, analysis and opinions that management believed reasonable at the time they were made or in certain cases, on third party expert opinions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, and uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual events, results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future events, results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to Maple Gold Mines Ltd.'s filings with Canadian securities regulators available on www.sedar.com or the Company's website at www.maplegoldmines.com. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/55444
She is known for showing off her incredible figure.

And Paul Hollywood's ex Summer Monteys-Fullam was up to her old tricks once more on Wednesday as she took to social media to post racy snaps.

The stunning redhead, 24, looked nothing short of sensational in the sizzling snaps which made the most of her eye-popping cleavage and taut stomach.

Oh my! Paul Hollywood's ex Summer Monteys-Fullam was up to her old tricks once more on Wednesday as she took to social media to post racy snaps

Summer looked incredible in the bikini which comprised of a sculpted orange bikini top with low-slung black bottoms with a tie-side.

She paid little attention to her face in the posts, instead focusing all attention on her incredibly toned and perfectly tanned figure.

Last month, Summer made a thinly-veiled dig at her Bake Off judge ex after it was reported that he has already moved his new lover into the house they shared in Kent.

She took time out of her busy routine caring for her horses on Easter Sunday to kick back and sunbathe in one her her fields - alongside the dig.

Oh my: The stunning redhead, 24, looked nothing short of sensational in the sizzling snaps which made the most of her eye-popping cleavage and taut stomach

Check me out! Summer looked incredible in the bikini which comprised of a sculpted orange bikini top with low-slung black bottoms with a tie-side

Wearing a crop-top and denim shorts in the balmy spring weather, Summer took to Instagram stories to share a snap of the view, which she accompanied with the track Savage by Megan Thee Stallion.

The lyrics appeared to be quite pointed: 'B***h, that's my trash, you the maid, so you bagged him, ah I'm a savage (yeah), Classy, bougie, ratchet (yeah); Sassy, moody, nasty (hey, hey, yeah)!

'Acting stupid, what's happening? B***h (whoa, whoa) What's happening? B***h (whoa, whoa). I'm a savage, yeah! Classy, bougie, ratchet, yeah!'

The post comes after friends of Paul's revealed his new girlfriend - pub landlady Melissa Spalding, 36 - is self-isolating with him in his 1 million farmhouse, just eight months after splitting from Summer.

Woah! Last month, Summer made a thinly-veiled dig at her Bake Off judge ex after it was reported that he has already moved his new lover into the house they shared in Kent

Having her say: She took time out of her busy routine caring for her horses on Easter Sunday to kick back and sunbathe in one her her fields - alongside the dig

Friends say she immediately accepted his invitation to relocate from the nearby Chequers pub in the village of Smarden where she lived, amid the COVID-19 lockdown.

Paul bought the Grade II-listed house last year for him and Summer to live in.

A friend told The Mail on Sunday: Paul and Melissa got together soon after his split from Summer and they are really happy together. Actually its looking like this one could very well last for Paul.

Dig: It was reported that he has already moved his new lover into the house they shared in Kent

Moving in: Great British Bake Off star Paul has moved in with pub landlady Melissa Spalding

Paul became close to twice-engaged Melissa after spending time in her pub when he split from Summer in August.

The two women are understood to have previously been friends, but they no longer speak.

Summer moved out of the 18th Century farmhouse amid claims that Paul asked her to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Over it! The lyrics posted by the stunning red-head appeared to be quite pointed

She later threatened to sue for defamation after he suggested that she had courted media attention.

The property, which Paul acquired in February 2019, is about 40 miles from his former marital home.

His ex-wife Alex still lives there with their son Josh, 17. Paul is awaiting a court hearing to settle how his 10 million fortune is divided.
EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier (right), with Boris Johnson's Europe adviser David Frost - EPA

European Union leaders will not intervene to save the deadlocked Brexit trade talks, diplomats in Brussels warned as the bloc toughened its stance over British time-wasting in negotiations.

At a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday, Michel Barnier told EU ambassadors the UK was trying to renege on its legally binding Withdrawal Agreement commitments and non-binding undertaking in the Political Declaration on the trade talks.

Speaking at an event in Dublin on Wednesday, Phil Hogan, the EU's trade commissioner, warned: "We're 450 million people in the EU, there's about 60 to 70 million in the UK. Size matters in trade.

"[We] need a lot more intensive engagement than we've seen in the last few weeks and months to have a deal by the end of the year  we need to get on with the job."

The warnings come ahead of next week's round of trade negotiations and after Michael Gove suggested on Tuesday that Britain could accept tariffs as part of a trade agreement to "show some leg" to Brussels. Mr Gove has previously said coronavirus should concentrate EU minds on getting a deal.

Mr Barnier accused Britain of trying to press ahead with talks in areas such as transport and services while refusing to negotiate on fisheries and the "level playing field" guarantees in tax, state aid, labour rights and the environment that the EU wants in return for a zero-tariff deal.

The UK argues that the "level playing field" guarantees would limit its ability to diverge from EU rules and are more stringent than is usual in trade deals. The EU is demanding continued access to UK waters on "existing conditions" as the price for a trade agreement, something Britain has ruled out.

Mr Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator, criticised Britain for failing to present key texts for key areas, such as fisheries, in the last round of negotiations.

He later demanded "parallel" progress across all areas of talks, which will begin again on Monday with a round of online negotiations because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Story continues

During a devastating presentation to senior diplomats from the remaining 27 EU member states, Mr Barnier cast doubt on whether the UK had the bandwidth to deal with trade talks with the EU as well as trade negotiations with the US, which began this week, and the coronavirus crisis.

EU ambassadors agreed with him that Britain was guilty of heaping unnecessary time pressure on the free trade agreement negotiations by refusing to consider extending the Brexit transition period beyond the end of the year.

Sources told The Telegraph that senior diplomats, including from countries traditionally friendly to Britain, had castigated the UK Government for doubling down on its threat to walk away from the negotiations if it judged insufficient progress towards the deal had been made at a "high-level meeting" in June.

Downing Street has called on EU leaders such as Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron to intervene over Mr Barnier's head and find a political way out of the impasse with Boris Johnson at the meeting in June.

All EU trade negotiations are handled by the European Commission.

"Focus is being given in London to the high level meeting in June in London," one EU diplomat said. "Member states are not sure both parties have similar expectations.

"For us, this is a time to take stock and review the negotiations and decide whether or not to extend the transition period, which seems unlikely."

EU diplomats warned that the high-level meeting would have to be held before the June EU summit in Brussels, which will make it difficult for all 27 leaders to agree to a compromise brokered by Mr Johnson.

"There was shared concern that Britain wants to walk back on commitments arising from the Withdrawal Agreement and the Political Declaration," one EU diplomat said.

Brussels insists the treaty provides for the establishment of an EU office in Belfast to ensure the post-Brexit customs regime is implemented, which the UK contests. The Political Declaration is a non-binding document setting the terms of the possible trade deal.

"Our aim is zero tariffs and zero quotas  that is at least as much in the EU's interest as ours and the EU has come close to reaching this aim in their other Free Trade Agreements," a UK spokesman said.

"The EU continues to say that's only possible if we accept onerous controls over our right to set our own laws. We aren't going to trade our sovereignty for tariffs, so if the EU insist on this position then we will in the end lose the chance of a mutually beneficial zero-zero outcome."
The Mexican Ministry of Health announced the death of another alcohol poisoning victim in the western part of the nation on Tuesday.

Authorities reported a batch of tainted alcohol killed 25 unsuspecting victims. Nineteen victims are still receiving medical treatment in the hospital.

Jalisco's state government released a statement where they revealed a high-proof liquor involved in the alcohol poisoning outbreak was contaminated with a toxic substance known as methanol.



Origin

There are varying accounts as to where the bad liquor originated. According to the state government, they have been investigating a distiller based in the capital city. The distiller is said to be the maker of a cheap brand of cane alcohol "El Chorrito."

The federal health safety commission blamed local "punches," eggnogs, and liqueurs. These are often produced by adding fruit, and other flavoring products to commercial alcohol.

Both versions, however, hold some level of truth. The locals based their liquor concoctions on the suspect cane alcohol.



Poison Outbreak

Authorities said the first reported victims lived in Mazamitla and Tamazula. They were alerted to the outbreak on Saturday.

A 66-year-old woman died from poisoning while another was confined at the local hospital. Thirty other victims are men ages 20 to 80.

Methanol-laced cane alcohol sickened over 77 people. More than 30 have made a full recovery. Almost all victims live in impoverished, rural townships.

Investigators seized over 3,000 liters of alcohol. Authorities are still combing the Mazamitla and Tamazula area in an effort to take away any remaining lots of the liquor which is being sold in plastic bottles.



Methanol

Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, is a chemical commonly used for industrial purposes, including fuel for factories and electricity generators.

The highly versatile chemical is the base material in acrylic plastics, synthetic fabrics, and fibers used to make clothes. It is also used to create adhesives, paint, and construction materials. As a chemical agent, it is used by pharmaceutical and agrichemical companies.

Methanol is a known fuel resource found in rechargeable batteries, solar cells, and engine generators.



Undrinkable Alcohol

Methanol is a type of alcohol that causes poisoning when ingested. It is found in antifreeze, de-icing fluid, varnish, paint remover, and canned heating sources.

When taken, victims may experience difficulty in breathing or loss of the ability to breathe. It can also cause blurred vision, dilation of the pupils, and partial or complete blindness.

Methanol is known to lower blood pressure and trigger agitated behavior, confusion, headaches, nausea, and difficulty walking. In worse cases, victims may fall into a comatose state.

Severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, liver problems, pancreatitis, and throwing up blood are also common symptoms of methanol poisoning.

Health care providers often give poisoned patients activated charcoal as well as antidotes like fomepizole and ethanol to reverse the effects. It is not advised to force a victim to throw up unless a medical professional or a Poison Control expert says so.

It is also important to call for help and receive proper medical attention as soon as possible. The rapid removal of methanol is the key to a successful treatment. However, people who survive will most likely need dialysis.



Want to read more? Check out the latest news from Mexico:
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany denied on Wednesday that the Trump administration had blocked Dr. Anthony Fauci from testifying before a House committee, calling the charge farcical. But the bottom line is that he is not scheduled to testify.

McEnanys assertion appears to contradict President Trump, who said a day earlier that Fauci was, in fact, being blocked from appearing before the House Appropriations Committee because the House is a bunch of Trump haters.

McEnany, in her second briefing in her new role, blamed House Democrats, saying that Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., did not act in good faith when discussing Faucis possible appearance before her committee with White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.

Mark Meadows had three calls with Chairwoman Nita Lowey three nights ago when she called to ask if Dr. Fauci could testify before a subcommittee hearing and chief of staff Mark Meadows has made clear he wants to make the best use he can of the task force members time, McEnany said, adding that Lowey was unable to tell the chief of staff what the subject matter was.

Noting that Fauci is scheduled to testify next week before the Republican-controlled Senate, McEnany charged that a press release by Democrats saying Fauci was being silenced amounted to a publicity stunt.

The notion that hes being blocked is farcical, McEnany said.

Newly appointed White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany. (Alex Brandon/AP)

Pressed on whether the Democratic-controlled House had the same oversight function as the Republican-controlled Senate, McEnany, a former Fox News commentator who moved to the White House from the Trump reelection campaign, dodged the question.

The House needs to act in good faith. We dont have time, in the middle of a pandemic, for publicity stunts. Its not the time for that. Its not the place for that, McEnany said.

Last Friday, White House spokesman Judd Deere said that it would be counterproductive to have Fauci, who is the leading expert on infectious diseases on the coronavirus task force, testify while continuing to work on the pandemic.

Story continues

On Tuesday, however, Trump told reporters he was blocking Fauci from testifying because the House is a bunch of Trump haters.

Hours later, at a campaign-style event in Arizona, Trump indicated that he was ready to shut down the coronavirus task force. On Wednesday, the president backtracked, saying he would keep the task force in place.

I thought we could wind it down sooner. But I had no idea how popular the task force is until, actually, yesterday when I started talking about winding it down, Trump told reporters from the White House.

Fauci, Trump said, would continue his role with the task force.

_____

Click here for the latest coronavirus news and updates. According to experts, people over 60 and those who are immunocompromised continue to be the most at risk. If you have questions, please refer to the CDCs and WHOs resource guides.

Read more:
Cleveland St. N., 2000 block, 11:15 p.m. April 23. Police responding to a report of a dispute escorted a man out. The man kicked an officer several times. A 33-year-old Arlington man was arrested and charged.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 09:18:07|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland reported two new imported cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Tuesday, bringing the total number of imported cases to 1,678, the National Health Commission said Wednesday.

The new cases were reported in Shaanxi Province, the commission said.

Of the total imported cases, 1,400 had been discharged from hospitals after recovery, and 278 remained hospitalized with five in severe conditions, the commission said.

No deaths had been reported from the imported cases. Enditem
The Federal Government has extended the suspension of both local and international flight operations by another 4 weeks.

This was disclosed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation who also doubles as the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19, Boss Mustapha, during the daily briefing on Wednesday, May 6, 2020, in Abuja.

Boss Mustapha said that the ban was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari, as still part of the measure to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. He also said that the decision was based on the assessment and advice from experts in the aviation industry to contain the spread of the virus.

In his statement, Mustapha said, Tomorrow marks the last day for the enforcement of the closure of Nigerias airspace to flights. We have assessed the situation in the aviation industry and have come to the conclusion that given the facts available to us and based on the advice of experts, the ban on all flights will be extended for an additional four weeks.

The presidential task force Chairman also appealed to Nigerians to comply with the guidelines of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease.

It can be recalled that the Federal Government on April 21, extended the closure of the airport by another 2 weeks. The government, however, disclosed that emergency and essential flights could be operated from any of the airports within the period.

Prior to this latest extension of the ban, flight operations were supposed to resume on Thursday.
Reuters

Government-backed hackers are attacking healthcare and research institutions in an effort to steal valuable information about efforts to contain the new coronavirus outbreak, Britain and the United States said on Tuesday in a joint warning.

In a statement, Britain's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said the hackers had targeted pharmaceutical companies, research organisations, and local governments.

The NCSC and CISA did not say which countries were responsible for the attacks. But one US official and one UK official said the warning was in response to intrusion attempts by suspected Chinese and Iranian hackers, as well as some Russian-linked activity.

The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss non-public details of the alert. Tehran, Beijing and Moscow have all repeatedly denied conducting offensive cyber operations and say they are the victims of such attacks themselves.

State hacking groups "frequently target organisations in order to collect bulk personal information, intellectual property and intelligence that aligns with national priorities," the NCSC and CISA said.

"For example, actors may seek to obtain intelligence on national and international healthcare policy or acquire sensitive data on COVID-19 related research."

The warning follows efforts by a host of state-backed hackers to compromise governments, businesses and health agencies in search of information about the new disease and attempts to combat it.

Reuters has reported in recent weeks that Vietnam-linked hackers targeted the Chinese government over its handling of the coronavirus outbreak and that multiple groups, some with ties to Iran, tried to break into the World Health Organization.

The officials said the alert was not triggered by any specific incident or compromise, but rather intended as a warning - both to the attackers and the targeted organisations that need to better defend themselves.

"These are organisation that wouldn't normally see themselves as nation-state targets, and they need to understand that now they are," said one of the officials.

The agencies said hackers had been seen trying to identify and exploit security weaknesses caused by staff working from home as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

In other incidents, the attackers repeatedly tried to compromise accounts with a series of common and frequently-used passwords - a technique known as "password spraying".

"It's no surprise that bad actors are doing bad things right now, in particular targeting organizations supporting COVID-19 response efforts," a CISA spokesman said.

"We're seeing them use a variety of tried and true techniques to gain access to accounts and compromise credentials."
Express News Service

BENGALURU: As the exodus of migrant labourers continued on Tuesday, threatening to upturn plans to kickstart the economy, the state government moved to apply the brakes on their movement. Besides halting trains carrying distressed migrants back to their homes in Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand and other states, the government also suspended the Seva Sindhu app, in a bid to retain its workforce.

The app was launched just prior to Karnataka entering Lockdown 3.0. According to highly-placed sources, this was done to sustain the citys economy. We did what we thought is win-win for both the citys economy and migrant workers, a source said. On Tuesday, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa held a meeting with Real Estate Developers Associations, construction firms and industrial sector representatives to address the concerns of possible labour shortage in the coming days.

At a time when the state is hoping to revive economic activities, the mass exodus of labourers has come as a cause of concern. Associations agreed to pay wages to workers for the entire period of lockdown, and ensure all essential facilities, including safety gear, at workplaces. The government will also appoint ministers to hold talks with migrants and convince them to stay back.

The Covid-19 situation in Karnataka is better compared to other states. We have to begin manufacturing, industries, construction etc in all regions except Red Zones. We will take all measures to curb unnecessary travel of labourers, ensure employment and wages for all workers. Builders have also assured that all facilities, including lodging, food and wages will be given to them, Yediyurappa said. He appealed to migrant workers not to pay heed to rumours or return to their villages and towns. Labourers will continue to get work in the same places where they were working.

Instead of rushing back, they should resume work, he added. Sources stated that the majority of stranded migrants are construction workers. As per state government data, around 5,000 workers registered through the Seva Sindhu portal, while 9,000 passengers have already been transported via special trains as of Tuesday. The passengers who were sent on trains were not registered. Several left earlier too, a senior officer working with the state Covid-19 team told TNIE.

Earlier, the city police had stated that the department is not carrying out the registration of migrant workers. We are collecting their details for our own data purposes. It has nothing to do registration, a senior police officer said. However, another senior official explained that the police are involved in the selection process, and the information was being collected to select and understand the urgency o f the cases.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 23:19:31|Editor: huaxia

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BANGKOK, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The Thai Ministry of Public Health on Wednesday told the media that medical authorities had made progress in developing a vaccine for the COVID-19 after laboratory trials of a prototype proved successful.

The Thai research team injected laboratory mice with a prototype DNA vaccine and then tested their blood to check whether the mice had developed antibodies, said Dr. Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Department of Medical Sciences at the Ministry of Public Health.

Opas said test results from the department found that the mice developed a satisfactory level of antibodies.

He said the next step would be to test the prototype vaccine on humans to check whether the immune response is on a similar level to mice.

Opas also said that even though the vaccine development in Thailand is not as advanced as in countries like China, the United States or in European countries, hopefully Thai scientists will develop a COVID-19 vaccine that will stand the test of time. Enditem
L ondon children who have been cooped up at home will be able to discover the historic buildings on their doorstep when lockdown is over.

A new 300,000 heritage programme aims to inspire schoolchildren to re-engage with their local community when the pandemic restrictions are lifted.

The Proud Places project is being set up by the Heritage of London Trust, which restores Londons buildings and monuments, and will be launched in the autumn.

It will allow children to visit buildings that are being restored and take part in workshops designed to give them a sense of pride about where they live.

State school pupils aged seven to 16 will have the chance to meet conservation experts and stonemasons and discover the historic buildings and monuments near to them.

It is hoped the project will boost the independence and freedom of children who will have been stuck at home during the lockdown restrictions.

But if restrictions are still in place, the project will launch virtually in September. There are more than 700 completed restoration projects with interesting stories and photographs from beginning to end available for children to research online.

A spokeswoman for the Heritage of London Trust said: Proud Places will encourage young Londoners to build strong positive connections with the area around them. By sharing the stories behind historic buildings and monuments and explaining the process of restoration, the programme aims to open new horizons as well as encourage younger pupils to engage with their own families about local history.

Heritage of London Trust was awarded a grant of 300,000 in February from the Jones Day Foundation to create Proud Places.

Pupils have already been involved in pilot projects looking at the restoration of the Sir Christopher Wren Spire in Round Hill and the restoration of a statue of the 18th century actress Sarah Siddons.
West Palm Beach, May 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Olympusat, Inc., one of the largest independent media corporations specializing in the ownership, distribution, production and technical services of Spanish- and English-language networks, announced that Free TV Application, the top Ad-Supported, On-Demand Video Service, is now available in the Latin-American market including Mexico, through Google Play Store, Apple Store, via Web Browser (at freetv.com), and mobile apps for Apples iOS as well as Googles Android.

The on-demand content available on Free TV, comprises an array of top-rated multicultural productions from around the world, including between 800 and 1000 hours per month dubbed into Spanish combined with 200 hours of content from Mexico, Spain, and the rest of Latin America. The initial offering included action, drama, thriller, and crime genres, which are split into 30% movies and 70% series with an average duration of 90 minutes for movies and 45 minutes per series episode.

Were excited to offer Free TV in South America and Mexico, as the first of many launch initiatives to advance our global footprint, says Tom Mohler, CEO of Olympusat. We look forward to entertaining viewers who will discover the growing value of free video on demand with a large number of titles which will continue to expand in the coming months.

Some of the international super productions available now on Free TV are the following films and series:

Battle for Sevastopol: The action story of the most successful female sniper in history.

The Stronghold: The fantasy tale about schoolboy, who goes a thousand years into the past through a mysterious portal.

The Red Queen: The mystery and drama chronicles of the famous USSR model known as the most beautiful Kremlin weapon.

All in one AVOD service, Free TV uniquely caters to the undeserved Hispanic community offering a way to stream free, ad-supported, Spanish-language programming. Another demonstration of how Olympusat continues to work with creative teams to drive innovation and quality in the media landscape, where enhancing the customers experience is paramount.

To learn more about Olympusat and Free TV, please visit olympusat.com and freetv.com

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HOLYOKE  Mayor Alex Morse and city officials updated the City Council on the coronavirus pandemic before Tuesdays regular session.

Morse thanked city departments, businesses, nonprofits, and residents for their cooperation throughout the health crisis. 

This is an important time for the city, and its been a critical time over the past several weeks, Morse said. All of us are experiencing some unique times in our respective communities. Im proud of the work our team did and were very proactive in this effort.

The mayor formed the Emergency Management Advisory Council in February. The council included city department heads, public safety officials, Holyoke Public Schools, Action Ambulance, Holyoke Medical and Holyoke Health Centers.

Morse added the city began preparing for the outbreak earlier than most communities. Thats certainly making the difference here, he said.

The city focused on three key areas: prevention, mitigation, or reducing the pandemics economic impact on residents and small businesses and the eventual recovery.

Morse noted that school nurses were redeployed to the Department of Health to support contact tracing efforts. The city implemented quarantine and work-at-home policies early on, shuttering City Hall and nonessential municipal buildings.

Maintaining communication among city, state, and federal emergency stakeholders proved critical in reducing the viruss impact.

The Holyoke Public Schools handed out over 1,500 Chromebooks and other devices for students to access online lessons and resources. Over 16,000 meals weekly are severed at schools around the city.

The city also enacted moratoriums on evictions and utility shut-offs.

This isnt a traditional recovery like were recovering from a fire, hurricane or a tornado. This is something thats going to continue and linger at least until theres a vaccine, Morse said. As long as we listen to the data and the science, well continue to save lives. Thats got to be our guiding light.

Morse added the City of Springfield has already spent upward to $4 million in deficit spending on the pandemic.

I want to make clear, we havent spent a single dollar in deficit spending for this purpose, he said. That is partly due to the work of our department heads, police and fire chiefs. He expects some changes to the budget forecast.

How municipalities fare financially in the coming months will depend on the next federal stimulus package. Morse promised to submit his annual budget to the City Council by May 15, 45 days before the start of Fiscal Year 2021.

The budget formation process is largely fluid between now and when we set the tax rate in December, Morse said. I plan to use the governors proposed budget as a baseline. Its the only budget available at this moment.

Local revenue collections remain on par with past milestones, according to Morse.

Sean Gonsalves, the citys health director, said Holyoke continues to partner with the Massachusetts Department of Health and local health and long-term health facilities. We found its important to establish a good communication base, he said.

Gonsalves added that the Board of Health also fulfills and recognizes needs in the community, such as ensuring medical personnel has access to Personal Protection Equipment. The city recorded over 660 Coronavirus cases or less than 1% of state totals.

Most of Holyokes cases are associated with long-term care facilities, according to Gonsalves. Only a small portion of confirmed cases originated outside a medical environment.

Testing for people who dont have symptoms is limited, he said. It does not seem that its going to change in the immediate future, Gonsalves said. The priority has been for symptomatic people.

Gonsalves said medical personnel, first responders and essential workers receive priority testing. A local testing site was set up at the Eastern States Exposition Grounds in West Springfield.

The Board of Health uses MAVEN (Massachusetts Virtual Epidemiologic Network), a state online contact tracing portal.

The staff enters all positive cases into the MAVEN system. Gonsalves office then contacts and interviews the infected person.

The team collects demographic information such as age, race, gender and activities before exposure. At the start of the pandemic, two weeks was considered contact point when symptoms first appeared.

The exposure period was recently reduced to 48 hours. Anyone the infected person came into contact with is called or notified. In such circumstances, The Center for Disease Control recommends immediate quarantine.

We provide a lot of individual consultation and try to address personal challenges people may have, especially when you have to advise spouses to sleep in separate rooms, isolate from each other for two weeks to make sure the spread doesnt happen, Gonsalves said.
A JetBlue Airways Airbus A321.

Seth Wenig/AP

JetBlue said it will give a pair of free tickets to 100,000 healthcare workers as thanks for their work during the coronavirus pandemic.

Active healthcare workers, public health officials, and first responders are eligible, must be nominated at jetblue.com/healthcarehero by May 15.

The airline is also planning a low-altitude flyover of New York City on Thursday evening.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

JetBlue said on Wednesday that it plans to give 100,000 free pairs of flights to healthcare workers under a new "JetBlue Healthcare Hero" program.

The airline said it will issue two round trip flight certificates to 100,000 healthcare workers around the US, as frontline medical workers continue to be overwhelmed treating patients with COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus.

The first 10,000 recipients will be in New York, the airline said in a press release, where the outbreak has raged since mid-March. Providers at the Mount Sinai Health System and New York City's public hospital system, NYC Health + Hospitals, will be eligible for those 10,000 tickets, although providers at other health systems in the region are eligible for the remaining tickets.

Any healthcare worker is eligible, the airline said in the release, "from doctors and nurses, to pharmacists, therapists, social workers, public health administrators and more."

To apply, active healthcare workers, public health officials, or first responders must be nominated at jetblue.com/healthcarehero. Nominations are open through May 15. The certificates will be valid from July 1, 2020 through July 1, 2021.

The airline will give its 23,000 employees additional certificates "to gift to the healthcare heroes in their life." The airline said it would plan a low-altitude flight over New York on Thursday at 7 p.m. to honor healthcare workers. The planned flight path can be seen below.

JetBlue Flyover NYC

JetBlue

Airlines including JetBlue have seen customer traffic and revenue plummet throughout the coronavirus pandemic, as stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines make travel impractical or impossible. Airlines have been continuing to fly mostly empty planes in order to maintain supply chains and connectivity.

According to Airlines for America, a trade and lobbying organization representing the major US airlines, domestic flights are carrying an average of 23 passengers each, down from 85-100 in the first two months of the year.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Three teenagers were killed in a shooting late Tuesday night in a high school parking lot in Central California, the police said.

Officers responded to reports of gunfire at 11:15 p.m. at Golden West High School in Visalia, Calif., the authorities said. When they arrived, they found three men dead from gunshot wounds, Sgt. Celestina Sanchez of the Visalia Police Department said on Wednesday.

The police said the victims had been identified as Isaiah Rule, 18, and Jose Carlos Hernandez Pena and Blake Medeiros, both 19. They were not students at the school, according to the police and the Visalia Unified School District.

A red Chevrolet Cruze was also found at the scene and associated with one of the victims, she said. Local news outlets showed a section of fence around the parking lot had been broken.
US President Donald Trump did not wear a COVID-19 mask during his visit to the Honeywell factory that produces personal protective equipment for doctors, CNBC reported.

However, according to CNBC, Honeywell employees were wearing masks and a sign in the factory said that everyone there is required to wear a mask.

In late April, the American press criticized US Vice President Mike Pence, who decided not to wear a mask while visiting a clinic in Minnesota.

According to Johns Hopkins University, over 1.2 million COVID-19 cases have been recorded in the United States, and the death toll has reached 71 thousand.
In the early 1900s, Spanish-American scholar, philosopher and humanist George Santayana wrote, Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. His five volumes of The Life of Reason: Introduction and Reason in Common Sense rank as one of the greatest works in modern philosophical history.

That well-known phrase also applies today as the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed how federal, state and local governments, as well as our citizenry fail the basic emergency preparedness test.

Consider 1918, for example, as some 50 million people died worldwide from the Spanish flu. More than 100 years later, the United States still lacks preparedness. From a public perspective, hospitals never close and will always be open when they are needed. Yet, we consume news from our favorite sources and learn that health care organizations and providers are overwhelmed. Supplies and beds are scarce, and household items we are accustomed to finding and purchasing with ease are nowhere to be found.

Indeed, these are scary and uncertain times.

For nearly 40 years, I have worked in emergency medical services (EMS) as both an emergency medical technician (EMT) and a paramedic. During my career, I served on a disaster medical assistance team as part of the United States National Disaster Medical System. In 1988, I was deployed to Armenia for a devastating earthquake that killed 25,000 people. As recently as 2005, I spent 10 days at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas providing medical care to Hurricane Katrina evacuees.

While I still work part-time as a paramedic and volunteer in my community as a firefighter, I draw from these experiences and countless others, and ask one simple question: How can we help ourselves when help does not arrive?

In February 2003, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) partnered with the Advertising Council to develop the national public service campaign, Ready. It was created to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to a variety of potential emergencies, including a pandemic and nearly 30 other types of natural and human-made situations. I encourage you to visit the website ready.gov and learn how you can prepare. The responsibility for preparedness must be shared with the public because there comes a time when you may call 911 and no one answers the call.

Americans have short memories and are mainly dependent upon government agencies and local first responders to come to their aid in an emergency. With national shortages of health care workers and first responders, individuals must do their part and be prepared to go it alone.

In Pennsylvania alone, 90 percent of our fire departments are volunteer, and the number of volunteer firefighters has declined by nearly 90 percent since the 1970s. Similarly, EMS professionals  EMTs and paramedics  also are dwindling because the work is dangerous and the pay is not far from federal poverty levels.

What does this mean? You must take responsible action to protect you and your family should emergencies arise because your survival may depend upon it. Am I lecturing? Perhaps, but you must realize every individual can make a difference. For example, you can learn CPR, how to control life-threatening bleeding, and many other emergency techniques. Furthermore, you can take an active role in the survival of you and the ones you love.

FEMAs mission is simple, as it helps people before, during and after disasters. Your mission should be to prepare to help yourself. You can begin by visiting the website ready.gov and reviewing empowering educational resources to help you, your family and neighbors prepare for virtually any emergency. Take an active role in being a responsible citizen. Planning, preparation and awareness will reap dividends when tragedy strikes.

If theres one thing that SARS, avian influenza, H1N1 and now COVID-19 has shown us, is it is not a matter of if, but when a national emergency can occur. I have seen someone die from a heart attack because no one knew CPR. People can bleed to death before you even finish talking to the 911 dispatcher. I hear what took you so long when someone provides an inadequate address. These are senseless tragedies that you can help to prevent.

Together, we can make a difference. Dont solely rely on assistance that may not come for days following a local, state or federal emergency. Start today by building a home emergency kit that contains at least 72 hours of emergency supplies for your household and make sure everyone in your family knows how and when to use it. The ready.gov website contains a downloadable list of what should go in your kit.

Make sure you customize the kit for the needs of your household and take into consideration some of the recent lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. Stock up on toilet tissue, hand sanitizer, and other items you just could not find. The lives of you and your loved ones may depend on it.

John R. Ash, Ph.D., F.A.C.H.E., is an associate professor of business and director of the health care management program at Misericordia University. He is also certified by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a paramedic.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 16:37:22|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

- - - -

MOSCOW -- Russia has confirmed 10,559 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, raising its total number of infections to 165,929, its coronavirus response center said in a statement Wednesday.

- - - -

WASHINGTON -- Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai on Tuesday called on U.S. politicians to end the blame-China game and focus on tackling the COVID-19 pandemic which has killed over 70,000 Americans.

"Blaming China will not end this pandemic. On the contrary, the mind-set risks decoupling China and the United States and hurting our efforts to fight the disease, our coordination to reignite the global economy, our ability to conquer other challenges and our prospects of a better future. The United States would not emerge as a winner from this scenario," Cui said in an opinion piece published Tuesday night by The Washington Post.

- - - -

MEXICO CITY -- Mexico registered 1,120 new novel coronavirus cases on Tuesday, bringing the total number to 26,025, the health ministry said at an evening press conference.

The country also reported 236 new deaths, raising the death toll to 2,507.

There are also 16,099 suspected cases.

- - - -

WELLINGTON -- New Zealand reported one more COVID-19 death on Wednesday, bringing the death toll to 21 in the country.

Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield told a press conference that the death was a woman in her 60s who had underlying health conditions. The woman was from the Rosewood rest home cluster in Christchurch.

- - - -

GENEVA -- A UN official on Tuesday said that conditions in many prisons in the region of Americas are deeply worrying with thousands of inmates and prison officials being infected by the novel coronavirus.

"Pre-existing structural problems, such as chronic overcrowding and unhygienic conditions, coupled with the lack of proper access to healthcare, have enabled the rapid spread of COVID-19 in many facilities," Rupert Colville, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told a press briefing here.

- - - -

LOS ANGELES -- Attorney generals from 16 states signed a letter to Centers for U.S. Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma, urging the authority to provide greater transparency and communication about the COVID 19 spreading in nursing Homes nationwide.

This move, pushed by a multistate coalition, highlighted increasing concerns in the United States that vulnerable residents in nursing homes were not protected properly during the coronavirus pandemic. Enditem
A draft memorandum of understanding [MOU] between Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs, British Columbia and the federal government establishes a roadmap for transferring jurisdiction over their territory to their traditional governance  giving hereditary chiefs significant sway over any future resource development  according to a copy of the document obtained by CBC News.

The agreement comes following a dispute between hereditary and elected leaders over the Coastal GasLink pipeline, which prompted weeks of solidarity protests and rail stoppages that paralyzed parts of Canada's railway system and undermined the economy.

The draft MOU doesn't resolve the ongoing opposition to the construction of the natural gas pipeline through unceded Wet'suwet'en land. Most hereditary chiefs still reject the project, but the agreement aims to clarify one of the main issues raised by the conflict: who speaks for the Wet'suwet'en people going forward.

Jesse Winter/VICE

The document is to be released publicly after it's virtually signed by all three parties on May 14, according to the B.C. government.

The MOU sets out a three-month timeframe to negotiate legal recognition of the Wet'suwet'en Houses as a governing body and a six-month timeframe to negotiate the transfer of jurisdiction over their 22,000 square kilometre territory in northern B.C.

There will be no impact on existing rights and land interests until jurisdiction is transferred to the Wet'suwet'en, the document said.

The areas under discussion in the jurisdictional talks include revenue-sharing, "fair and just compensation," water, fish, lands and resources, child and family wellness, Wet'suwet'en Nation reunification and "such other areas the Wet'suwet'en propose," the document said.

'What is the rush?'

The MOU said jurisdiction will be transferred once details are ironed out over Aboriginal and Crown title, which include "transparency, accountability and  mechanisms to remedy and address grievances pertaining to shared and exclusive jurisdiction."

Story continues

The document also said that the Wet'suwet'en need to clarify their governance structure, systems and laws through ratification by the Wet'suwet'en.

Elected Wet'suwet'en band council leaders, supported by Conservative MPs, said they want to sort out governance issues before the MOU is signed and are calling for a delay.

"That's like signing an agreement to buy a car and negotiating the price later," said Chief Dan George of Ts'il Kaz Koh First Nation, also known as the Burns Lake Band, which is one of five Wet'suwet'en First Nations that have signed deals with Coastal GasLink.

"That's kind of backwards."

Toni Choueiri/CBC

George accuses the hereditary leadership of trying to rush Wet'suwet'en members into approving a draft accord that was reached with Ottawa and the B.C. government on Feb. 29, and then approved by the Wet'suwet'en clans last month.

George also claims the hereditary chiefs tried to push for a vote during a clan meeting on the MOU in early March, adding he stopped it from happening since the meeting was taking place in his reserve's gym.

"We don't know where we stand," George said.

"If they [hereditary leaders] get this title and rights over our lands, which is part of my territory  not all of it  it has huge implications for my band members."

Another elected leader, Maureen Luggi of Wet'suwet'en Nation, said she was "bewildered" to hear the MOU was approved by the clans.

"We're not understanding what is the rush here," Luggi said. "What is the reason that we're not doing things properly?"

On March 11, Luggi said she invited traditional leaders to a full house community meeting to discuss the draft MOU. Luggi claims it was presented in PowerPoint and attendees were not allowed to receive copies.

Luggi said she wanted to invite the hereditary chiefs back, but by then the COVID-19 pandemic had struck and their offices were closed, and there was little to no communication about the draft MOU afterwards.

"We are interested in reconciliation agreements," Luggi said. "We are interested in negotiations for Aboriginal rights and title, and the manner in which it's being performed right now is unacceptable and government needs to understand that they have a lot of explaining to do with the Wet'suwet'en people."

Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press

Three Conservative MPs issued a statement on May 4 accusing the federal government of "sidelining" the Wet'suwet'en people and their elected chiefs.

"This secret deal negotiated by the Trudeau government is going to divide the Wet'suwet'en community further and goes against true reconciliation," said the statement signed by Jamie Schmale, critic for Crown-Indigenous Relations, Gary Vidal, critic for Indigenous Services, and Bob Zimmer, critic for Northern Affairs and Northern Economic Development Agency.

Feds say there's 'more work to do'

An official in the Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations told CBC News the government needs to know all Wet'suwet'en members had the opportunity to participate in the consultation before approving the final stage, but that's not necessary for ratification of the MOU.

"This MOU is an important step in our work to rebuild our relationship with the Wet'suwet'en and towards implementing rights and title, but we know there is more work to do," said a department spokesperson in an emailed statement.

"The MOU moved through Wet'suwet'en governance protocols, and we respect the community's process. They are best placed to speak to the process."

Chad Hipolito/The Canadian Press

CBC has reached out to the Office of the Wet'suwet'en for comment, but has not heard back.

Scott Fraser, B.C.'s minister of Indigenous relations and reconciliation, said the MOU is the start of a negotiation process to begin resolving matters around rights and title to avoid future conflicts.

"Questions around jurisdiction and funding and many other matters will be important conversations that need to be had at the negotiating table," Fraser wrote in an emailed statement.

"It is for the Wet'suwet'en people to resolve their own governance."

Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett and Fraser spoke to the concerned elected chiefs on Tuesday and did not commit to pushing back the date of the MOU signing.

A meeting is scheduled for Thursday between the elected and hereditary chiefs.

"I don't see why the government gave them this because this has got nothing to do with what the protests across Canada started from," George said.

"Those issues are not resolved. They can set up roadblocks again and do it again, and that's what I'm worried about."
School summer holiday dates may not be sacrosanct when it comes to pupils returning to classes in Northern Ireland, the Education Minister has said.

Peter Weir said no decision had been made on when schools in the region will reopen. He said when they do it will unlikely be on a business-as-usual basis, with a phased return of pupils anticipated alongside the continuation of some remote learning.

When asked could schools potentially reopen in July or August, during what would traditionally be school summer holidays, he said there may be a need for flexibility around the school year timeframe.

Let me say it clearly that there is no planned date for the reopening of schools for normal business, he said.

Whenever schools do return, it's unlikely that this will be on a business-as-usual basis, there's likely to be a phasing of the return of pupils Education Minister Peter Weir

Any decision on this will be driven by the circumstances, guided by science, scientific and health advice and will not be date driven.

Many issues need to be addressed before schools could reopen. We are quite sensibly embarking on planning work to consider on scope these issues and Im committed to full engagement with all relevant stakeholders, including schools and school leavers, before any decisions are taken.

Whenever schools do return, its unlikely that this will be on a business-as-usual basis, theres likely to be a phasing of the return of pupils alongside a continuation of some form of remote learning and, at all times, the well-being and safety of our pupils and staff would be our key priority.

Schools in the Irish Republic are due to reopen in September at the start of the new academic year.

On the prospect of schools reopening during the summer in Northern Ireland, Mr Weir told the daily Covid-19 briefing at Stormont: Were talking about things that are condition-led and circumstance-led rather than time-led, and to that extent I think we may need to look at whether theres any level of flexibility in terms of the school year, and from that point of view exact dates may not be sacrosanct on that basis.

Your school may be closed however EA's Education Welfare Service is still there for you. What help and support is available? Watch this short video to find out: https://t.co/SVmz1euTJc pic.twitter.com/3W7dCN7Tqs  Education Authority (@Ed_Authority) May 5, 2020

Around 470 schools are currently providing supervision for about 1,300 children whose parents are key workers involved in the Covid-19 response.

Mr Weir said the full reopening of the school estate could not happen overnight and schools and parents would need time to prepare for a return to classes.

Theres got to be a level of lead-in period, particularly for schools to prepare on issues around social distancing, he said.

So I believe its important that when we come to the point in which the realisation in which that level of reopening can happen on a phased basis, that theres plenty of notice given to schools and also to parents so theyre able to do that level of preparation for the level of resumption of direct school activities through any form of reopening.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has sentenced three people, held guilty of contempt of court for making "scurrilous and scandalous allegations" against two sitting judges of the apex court, to 3-month jail observing that it was a "concerted effort to virtually hold the judiciary to ransom".

The top court had on April 27 held advocate Vijay Kurle, state president of Maharashtra and Goa of the Indian Bar Association, advocate Nilesh Ojha, President of the Indian Bar Association and Rashid Khan Pathan, national secretary of NGO Human Rights Security Council, guilty of contempt of court for making scandalous allegations against the judges.

A bench of Justices Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose heard on May 4, through video-conferencing, the issue of quantum of sentence in the matter and said "there is not an iota of remorse or any semblance of apology on behalf of the contemnors".

"In view of the scurrilous and scandalous allegations levelled against the judges of this court and no remorse being shown by any of the contemnors we are of the considered view that they cannot be let off leniently," the bench said in its May 4 order, while noting that none of advocates for the three contemnors were willing to argue on the issue of sentence.

"We, therefore, sentence all the three contemnors namely Vijay Kurle, Nilesh Ojha and Rashid Khan Pathan, to undergo simple imprisonment for a period of 3 months each with a fine of Rs 2,000," the apex court said.

The bench directed however that keeping in view the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown conditions, the sentence shall come into force after 16 weeks when the three should surrender before the secretary general of the apex court to undergo the imprisonment.

"Otherwise, warrants for their arrest shall be issued," the bench said.

On March 27, last year, the apex court had sentenced advocate Mathews J Nedumpara to three months in jail for contempt of court and attempting to "browbeat" judges but suspended the sentence after taking note of the unconditional apology tendered by him.

On the same day, the top court had issued contempt notices to Kurle, Pathan and Ojha for "scandalous allegations" levelled against to two of its judges.

In its May 4 order, the top court said: "We have also held in our judgment that the complaints were sent by the contemnors with a view to intimidate the judges who were yet to hear Nedumpara on the question of punishment, so that no action against Nedumpara is taken. Therefore, it is obvious that this is a concerted effort to virtually hold the judiciary to ransom."

The top court rejected an application filed by Ojha, who had sought recusal of one of the judges on the ground that the bench is in "a hurry to decide the matter".

"One of us (Deepak Gupta, J) is to demit office on May 6, 2020 and, therefore, the matter had to be heard and we see no ground for one of us to recuse. The application is accordingly rejected," it said, while also dismissing another application seeking adjournment in the matter.

The bench also dealt with applications filed by the contemnors, who had sought recall of the April 27 judgment on the ground that it was not as per the law laid down by the top court.

"No recall application can lie on these grounds and the proper remedy for the contemnors is to file a review petition, if so advised," the bench said.

In its April 27 verdict, the top court had said that citizens can criticise the judgments but no one has the right to attribute motives or question the bona fide of judges.

It had said that any attempt to browbeat judges have to be dealt with sternly.

The apex court had also said that bona fide and constructive criticism of any institution including the judiciary and judgments pronounced by it is always welcome and cannot amount to contempt of court.
The restaurant industry that has been clashing with food delivery platforms over prices and commissions is planning its own digital offerings and delivery services to reduce dependence on aggregators such as Swiggy and Zomato.

Hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak and the lockdown, restaurants are also looking at a common loyalty programme that can help the business grow in the future, which will be very different from the pre-coronavirus world.

Aggregators have become virtual landlords, they came in trying to solve a genuine problem but eventually they are just decimating the small businesses with their business policies, Thomas Fenn, a National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) member, said addressing a virtual town hall on May 6.

The industry should work together to create an alternate technology solution to expand business in the post-Covid19 world, Fenn, who owns the popular Mahabelly restaurant in New Delhi, said.

Close to 500 people had logged into the Facebook live session.

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

While NRAI didnt share details of its plan, Fenn said the focus would be on easy reconciliation, transparent pricing, cheaper delivery and protection of customer data.

Citing NPCI offering UPI, TCS helping run passport services and Infosys the GST Network, Rahul Singh, cofounder of Beer Cafe, said the industry was looking for a similar solution to bring all restaurants onto a common platform.

The owners have complained against aggregators' predatory pricing, high commissions and even hiding customer data from restaurants.

They have been using our own data to develop private label solutions and their own brands, at the same time they hide details about customers who are ordering from us, said Fenn.

Even commissions had shot up to 24 percent from around 6 percent, making life difficult for restaurants, he added.

Swiggy has its private labels like The Bowl Company and Homely. It also runs Access Kitchens or virtual kitchens that process orders only from Swiggy. Even Zomato has a cloud kitchen called Zomato Kitchen.

This is the first time the food and beverage industry is trying to create an alternative digital platform, the success will depend on the coming together of a highly fragmented and dispersed sector.

The technology used by Swiggy and Zomato has made ordering and tracking deliveries simple, how much it can be replicated by an industry body run by restaurant owners and celebrity chefs is something that needs to be watched.

Three factors -- customer loyalty, online orders and payments and digitised delivery logisticswill drive the solution NRAI is looking for.

It can leverage social media platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook or Instagram to reach out to consumers.

Given that Facebook was working with Reliance's Jio Platforms to expand into a hyperlocal delivery with small stores as suppliers, Fenn said something similar could be done in the food delivery business as well.

Most restaurants didnt employ delivery staff to cut costs but outsourcing it to Swiggy and Zomato was working out to be more expensive, he said.

For instance, we can leverage Dunzo, Delhivery and so many other players for our delivery partnerships, there are ways to connect restaurants to delivery partners by leveraging technology, he said.

The restaurant industry had never worked on a common loyalty programme and that was something that could be looked at, NRAI president Anurag Katriar, also CEO deGustibus Hospitality, said.

We are in an advanced stage of discussion around creating a restaurant network-wide loyalty programme, a customer can eat in one restaurant and get points redeemable in another restaurant, that will be a force multiplier for business, he said.

This could be aimed at Zomatos loyalty programme Zomato Gold that covers restaurants across major cities. This programme had been a flashpoint between Zomato and restaurant partners.

On contactless dining, a term Zomato and few other restaurant aggregators have thrown about, Katriar said NRAI was looking at bringing in a digital dining experience to make consumers feel safer when eating out.

NRAI represents more than 5 lakh restaurants in a $4-billion industry.

With restaurants shut across the country, the food and beverage industry has been one of the worst-hit sectors, with more than 70 lakh people looking at a bleak future.

NRAI has on multiple occasions sought the government's intervention to bail out the industry but, so far, nothing has come of it.

Not just restaurants, food delivery platforms are facing similar problems. With the lockdown in its third phase and an uptick in coronavirus cases, orders have dwindled.

Will the coronavirus outbreak tear apart a partnership that has changed the way India eats or will the warring sides find a way to stick it out? Only time will tell.

Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd.
[May 06, 2020] South Africa to offer additional spectrum to address data traffic spike

Sydney, May 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just released, this edition of Paul Budde Communications focus report on South Africa outlines the major developments and key aspects in the telecoms markets.

Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/South-Africa-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses South Africas telecom sector boasts one of the most advanced infrastructures on the continent. There is has been considerable investment from Telkom, Liquid Telecom South Africa, Broadband InfraCo and municipal providers as well as from mobile network operators all aimed at improving network capabilities. The focus in recent years has been on backhaul capacity and on fibre and LTE networks to extend and improve internet service connectivity. With the ongoing migration to fibre, the incumbent telco Telkom expects to close down its copper network in 2024. The poor historic availability and level of service of fixed-line networks encouraged the growth of the mobile sector for both voice and data services and this segment continues to command most investment and effort among telcos. Under a converged regulatory regime many alternative service providers have been able to enter the market to offer a range of services. This regime also encouraged the major mobile network operators to move into the fixed-line and fibre sector. Other key regulatory matters aimed at shaping the market include the licensing of LTE spectrum in several bands. A multi-spectrum auction has been delayed since late 2016 and this has caused some difficulties for network operators gearing up to launch 5G services. In early 2020 the regulator prepared plans to release additional spectrum to operators to enable them to manage the spike in data traffic resulting from the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus. South Africa is expected to be one of the first countries in the region to launch commercial 5G services, following ongoing investment from Rain, Vodacom and MTN. Liquid Telecom in 2020 began offering a wholesale 5G service using its 3.5GHz concession, but a full commercial 5G services await the anticipated multi-spectrum auctions. BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus in 2020 is having a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries. On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth. Although it is challenging to predict and interpret the long-term impacts of the crisis as it develops, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report. The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions. Key developments MTN South Africa relaunches m-money service;

Regulator to provide operators with additional spectrum in wake of COVID-19 data traffic spike;

Telkoms fibre infrastructure passing close to three million premises;

Comsol starts 5G fixed-wireless trials using spectrum in the 28MHz band;

Regulator sets MTRs through to October 2020;

Report update includes the regulator's the regulator's March 2020 report on the ICT sector, operator data to December 2019, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of COVID-19 on the telecoms sector, recent market developments. Companies mentioned in this report Vodacom, MTN (MTN Network Solutions), Cell C, Telkom (Heita, 8ta), Virgin Mobile, Neotel, Atlantic Internet Services, Business Connexion, Internet Solutions, Verizon Business, MWEB, Vox Telecom (DataPro), Sentech, iBurst (WBS, Blue Label), Liquid Telecom South Africa (Neotel, Tata), Virgin Mobile, Broadband InfraCo, Transtel, Eskom, SEACOM, Transtel, Eskom, SITA, Sentech, Dark Fibre Africa (DFA), FibreCo, eFive, WASACE.

Key Statistics

Regional Market Comparison TMI vs GDP Mobile and mobile broadband Fixed and mobile broadband

Country overview

COVID-19 and its impact on the telecom sector Economic considerations and responses Mobile devices Subscribers Infrastructure

Telecommunications market Market analysis

Regulatory environment Historical overview Regulatory authority Fixed line developments Telecommunications Act Telecommunications Amendment Act Electronic Communications Acts (2005, 2014) Regulation of Interception of Communications Act 2002 Electronic Communications Act and ICASA Amendment Act Converged licensing regime New Companies Act Universal Service and Access Fund (USAF) Interconnection Mobile network developments Spectrum Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs) Mobile Number Portability (MNP) SIM card registration Infrastructure sharing Roaming

Mobile market Mobile statistics Mobile voice (VoLTE/Wi-Fi calling) Mobile data SMS MMS Mobile broadband Mobile infrastructure 5G 4G (LTE) LTE-U 3G GSM Other infrastructure developments Major mobile operators Vodacom South Africa MTN South Africa Cell C Telkom Mobile Mobile Virtual Network Enablers (MVNEs) Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) Mobile content and applicatins m-music CellBook m-banking m-gaming m-health Mobile advertising Location-based services (LBS) Manobi Mobile social media

Fixed-line broadband market Market analysis Community access projects Microsoft Digital Villages and telecentres The Smart Cape Access Project Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) Internet Exchange Points (IXP) Broadband statistics Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks Wholesale ADSL2+ VDSL Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks Other fixed broadband services Broadband over Powerlines (BPL) Fixed wireless Digital economy E-learning E-government E-health E-banking

Fixed network operators Telkom Neotel

Telecommunications infrastructure Overview of the national telecom network National fibre infrastructure Broadband InfraCo Dark Fibre Africa Vodacom MTN FibreCo International submarine cables SAT-3/WASC/SAFE SEACOM EASSy WACS African Coast to Europe (ACE) SAEx, WASACE Seaborn METISS PEACE Satellite Next Generation Networks (NGN) Municipal networks Knysna  Africas first municipal network

Data centres

Smart infrastructure Smart cities

Appendix  Historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports





List of Tables

Table 1  Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities  South Africa  2020 (e)

Table 2  Change in the proportion of households with telecom service by type  2014  2018

Table 3  Development of Telecom sector investment  2015  2019

Table 4  Development of telecom sector investment by sector  2015  2019

Table 5  Development of telecom sector revenue by service  2015  2019

Table 6  Development of total telecom and broadcasting revenue  2015  2019

Table 7  Change in fixed revenue by type  2015  2019

Table 8  Development of mobile sector revenue  2015  2019

Table 9  Change in mobile revenue by sector  2015  2019

Table 10  Development of mobile prepaid revenue by type  2015  2019

Table 11  Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration  2010  2025

Table 12  Change in the number of prepaid and contract mobile subscribers  2015  2019

Table 13  Change in mobile voice traffic by type  2015  2019

Table 14  Decline in SMS traffic  2013  2020

Table 15  Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers  2010  2025

Table 16  Increase in the number of Telkoms mobile broadband subscribers by type  2015  2019

Table 17  Growth in Telkoms mobile broadband revenue  2015  2020

Table 18  Growth in Telkoms mobile data traffic  2015  2020

Table 19  Growth in overall mobile data traffic  2015  2019

Table 20  Growth in the number of mobile data subscribers  2015  2019

Table 21  Telkom LTE subscribers  2016  2018

Table 22  Development of 4G (WiMAX/LTE) population coverage  2012  2019

Table 23  Development of 3G population coverage  2015  2019

Table 24  Growth in the number of M2M connections  2015  2019

Table 25  Development of Vodacom South Africas mobile revenue  2010  2020

Table 26  Growth in the number of Vodacom South Africas subscribers and market share  2010 - 2019

Table 27  Change in the number of Vodacom South Africas prepaid and contract subscribers  2017 - 2019

Table 28  Growth in the number of Vodacom South Africas mobile data subscribers  2013  2019

Table 29  Development of Vodacom South Africas mobile ARPU  2017  2019

Table 30  Change in the number of MTN South Africas mobile subscribers and market share  2010  2019

Table 31  Change in the number of MTN South Africas prepaid, contract subscribers  2013  2019

Table 32  Development of MTN South Africas financial data  2012  2019

Table 33  Development of MTN South Africas mobile ARPU  2013  2019

Table 34  Change in the number of Cell C mobile subscribers  2013  2019

Table 35  Growth in Cell Cs mobile service revenue  2013  2019

Table 36  Increase in Cell Cs mobile data revenue  2017  2018

Table 37  Development of Cell Cs financial data  2016  2019

Table 38  Growth in the number of Telkoms mobile subscribers  2009  2019

Table 39  Growth in the number of Telkoms prepaid and contract mobile subscribers  2015  2019

Table 40  Development of Telkoms mobile financial data  2014 - 2020

Table 41  Change in Telkoms mobile ARPU  2014  2020

Table 42  National Broadband Policy penetration targets to 2030

Table 43  Change in fixed internet revenue by type  2015  2019

Table 44  Development of the Schools Connected program  2016  2019

Table 45  Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration  2010  2025

Table 46  Change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers by type  2015 - 2019

Table 47  Growth in the number of Telkoms broadband subscribers  2010  2019

Table 48  Growth in Telkoms fixed data traffic  2014  2020

Table 49  Change in the number of Telkoms DSL subscribers by type  2016  2019

Table 50  Change in Telkoms fixed copper and fibre broadband subscribers  2017  2019

Table 51  Increase in the number of Telkom South Africas fibre ports  2017  2019

Table 52  Telkom South Africa fibre premises passed  2016  2019

Table 53  Growth in the number of fibre broadband subscribers  2013  2019

Table 54  Change in the number of fixed wireless broadband subscribers  2017  2019

Table 55  Development of Telkom Groups financial results  2010  2020

Table 56  Change in Telkom Groups capex by type  2017  2020

Table 57  Development of Telkoms data revenue  2010  2020s

Table 58  Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity  2010  2025

Table 59  Change in the number of fixed lines in service by type  2015  2019

Table 60  Decline in fixed-line voice traffic  2015  2019

Table 61  Growth in international internet bandwidth  2014  2019

Table 62  Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate in South Africa  1999  2009

Table 63  Historic - Vodacom South Africa subscribers and market share  2002 - 2009

Table 64  Historic - MTN South Africa subscribers and market share  2002  2009

Table 65  Historic - Average internet access speed  2010  2015

Table 66  Historic - Internet users and penetration rate in South Africa  1999  2015

Table 67  Historic - Fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration  2002  2009

Table 68  Historic -Telkom South Africa broadband subscribers  2003  2009

Table 69  Historic - Telkom fixed broadband subscribers by type 2016  2018

Table 70  Historic - Telkom South Africa WiMAX subscribers  2008  2014

Table 71  Historic - Telkom data revenue  2002  2009

Table 72  Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity in South Africa  2000  2009

Table 73  Historic - International internet bandwidth  2000  2013 List of Charts Chart 1  Overall Africa view - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita

Chart 2  Southern Africa - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita

Chart 3  Africa  Top-tier Telecoms Maturity Index (Market Leaders)

Chart 5  Southern Africa mobile subscriber penetration versus mobile broadband penetration

Chart 6  Southern Africa fixed broadband and mobile broadband penetration rates

Chart 7  Change in the proportion of households with telecom service by type  2014  2018

Chart 8  Development of telecom sector investment by sector  2015  2019

Chart 9  Development of telecom sector revenue by service  2015  2019

Chart 10  Change in fixed revenue by type  2015  2019

Chart 11  Change in mobile revenue by sector  2015  2019

Chart 12  Development of mobile prepaid revenue by type  2015  2019

Chart 13  Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration  2010  2025

Chart 14  Change in the number of prepaid and contract mobile subscribers  2015  2019

Chart 15  Change in mobile voice traffic by type  2015  2019

Chart 16  Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers  2010  2025

Chart 17  Increase in the number of Telkoms mobile broadband subscribers by type  2015  2019

Chart 18  Development of 4G (WiMAX/LTE) population coverage  2012  2019

Chart 19  Development of Vodacom South Africas mobile revenue  2010  2020

Chart 20  Change in the number of Vodacom South Africas prepaid and contract subscribers  2017 - 2019

Chart 21  Development of Vodacom South Africas mobile ARPU  2017  2019

Chart 22  Change in the number of MTN South Africas mobile subscribers and market share  2010  2019

Chart 23  Change in the number of MTN South Africas prepaid, contract subscribers  2013  2019

Chart 24  Development of MTN South Africas financial data  2012  2019

Chart 25  Development of MTN South Africas mobile ARPU  2013  2019

Chart 26  Development of MTN South Africas mobile ARPU  2013  2019

Chart 27  Development of Cell Cs financial data  2016  2019

Chart 28  Growth in the number of Telkoms prepaid and contract mobile subscribers  2015  2019

Chart 29  Development of Telkoms mobile financial data  2014 - 2020

Chart 30  Change in Telkoms mobile ARPU  2014  2020

Chart 31  Change in fixed internet revenue by type  2015  2019

Chart 32  Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration  2010  2025

Chart 33  Change in the number of fixed broadband subscribers by type  2015 - 2019

Chart 34  Growth in the number of Telkoms broadband subscribers  2010  2019

Chart 35  Growth in Telkoms fixed data traffic  2014  2020

Chart 36  Change in the number of Telkoms DSL subscribers by type  2016  2019

Chart 37  Change in Telkoms fixed copper and fibre broadband subscribers  2017  2019

Chart 38  Growth in the number of fibre broadband subscribers  2013  2019

Chart 39  Development of Telkom Groups financial results  2014  2020

Chart 40  Change in Telkom Groups capex by type  2017  2020

Chart 41  Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity  2010  2025

Chart 42  Change in the number of fixed lines in service by type  2015  2019

Chart 43  Decline in fixed-line voice traffic  2015  2019 List of Exhibits Exhibit 1  Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment

Exhibit 2  Southern Africa - Key Characteristics of Telecoms Markets by Country Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/South-Africa-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses Nicolas Bombourg [email protected] Within Australia (02) 8076 7665 Outside Australia +44 207 097 1241

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WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Automaker General Motors Co. (GM) on Wednesday reported first-quarter net income attributable to shareholders of $294 million or $0.17 per share, down sharply from $2.16 billion or $1.48 per share in the year-ago period, as results were impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Adjusted earnings for the quarter were $0.62 per share, compared to $1.41 per share in the year-ago period. On average, 11 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to report earnings of $0.33 per share for the quarter. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items. Revenue for the quarter was $32.7 billion, down 6.2 percent from $34.88 billion in the previous-year quarter. Analysts expected revenue of $31.12 billion for the quarter. GM noted that the COVID-19 impact on EBIT-adjusted was negative $1.4 billion. GM sales in the U.S. declined about 7 percent, driven by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. GM said that based on conversations and collaboration with unions and government officials, it plans to restart the majority of its manufacturing operations on May 18 in the U.S. and Canada under extensive safety measures. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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SAO PAULO, May 5 (Reuters) - Brazil's largest lender Itau Unibanco Holding SA will focus on further reducing operating expenses to help weather the impacts of the crisis stemming from the coronavirus pandemic, Chief Financial Officer told journalists on Tuesday.

CFO Milton Maluhy Filho said he said the bank may further increase loan-loss provisions in the coming quarter to adjust to the economic scenario, after already having set aside 4.5 billion reais for potential client defaults. Fee income is also likely to continue under pressure in 2020. (Reporting by Carolina Mandl Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)


President Donald Trump landed in the battleground state of Arizona on Tuesday as part of his most extensive trip since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak.

His first cross-country trip involved a visit to an Arizona plant that manufactures N95 masks essential to doctors, nurses, and other front-liners fighting against the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Kellyanne Conway-the counselor to the president-praised the Honeywell International facility located in Phoenix for being one of the many private-sector partners who stepped up in the country's rally to eradicate the virus. She said they committed to producing high-quality face masks and respirators-a promise they delivered.

Trump's visit may be the first in a long line of trips made to highlight the administration's efforts in curbing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Rick Gorka, the president's spokesperson for his reelection campaign, said the trip gave Trump the opportunity to personally thank those directly helping in the battle against the deadly virus.

Gorka said a presidential visit is the ultimate show of respect and gratitude to individuals who continue to perform their jobs in times of crisis.



Political Game

While Trump's trip to Arizona was part of an official White House visit, it also involved politics.

Arizona is considered as one of six crucial battleground states during general elections. The trip is Trump's second to the state in three months. In February, he headlined a large campaign rally where he touted the country's robust economy.

The state has long since been a safe bet for Republican presidential candidates. However, in 2016, it joined the ranks of states where the outcome is unpredictable.

Trump garnered a 3.5 percent win in Arizona in 2016-a stark difference to Mitt Romney's nine-point victory over former President Barack Obama in 2012.

Political analysts credit the shift with new people moving in and affecting the state's demographics. Arizona has a growing politically-engaged Latino community. Many Americans from different parts of the nation have also migrated to the state.



Winding Down

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany addressed concerns following Vice President Pence's announcement that the administration will no longer involve medical experts in the coronavirus task force.

In a tweet, she said the government would use a data-driven approach to reopen the country's economy safely.

Pence recently told reporters that the administration is making plans about restarting the economy and when the proper time is for the COVID-19 task force to complete its work.

A White House official said the administration is taking steps to ensure that medical guidelines are updated. White House spokesman Judd Deere said the government will prioritize the health of the American people and will continue to monitor the efforts by states to ease coronavirus restrictions.

Trump vowed to restore the U.S. economy, which he says was the world's most outstanding economy. He said they are prepared to stop the restart of U.S. commerce when "they see something wrong."

The coronavirus task force has provided COVID-19 guidelines and regulations to states hoping to reopen their economies.



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Saudi-based The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), the developer behind one of the worlds most ambitious tourism initiatives, has signed a deal with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.

The partnership is aimed at unifying efforts to target communities surrounding the project with corporate social responsibility initiatives, said the statement from TRSDC.

In an effort towards enhancing local communities through corporate social responsibility programmes the MoU extends over a full calendar year and is renewable for the same period, it added.

TRSDC is developing Saudi Arabias flagship international tourism destination and is setting new standards in sustainable development, aligned with all 17 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), said its CEO John Pagano, after inking the deal with Suliman Alzben, Undersecretary of Social Development.

This MoU represents a collaborative framework towards enhancing our CSR that is in line with the sustainable development goals of the kingdom. Giving back to the people of Saudi Arabia and our local communities in particular is an important part of our vision as a company," stated Pagano.

"We believe in working together with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development will benefit society at large," he observed.

Lauding the HR ministry on the strategic partnership, Pagano said: "This initiative is jointly aimed at strengthening and improving the quality of life for those living in close proximity to our project."

The MoU highlights the role of the ministry, outlining how it will assist in developing a framework to activate the role of corporate social responsibility and create a plan mapping the activities and programmes required based on national priorities.

It will also support further by providing the key information and data required to carry out TRSDC campaigns successfully, he added.

Alzben said the ministry in collaboration with TRSDC aims to support impactful social responsibility initiatives and programs for Saudi Arabia.

"This collaboration represents our commitment in creating a dynamic joint effort that promotes the private and government sector alike," he added

The MoU follows several initiatives already launched by TRSDC to support the local community, namely by increasing employment opportunities.

Most recently, the organisation launched a programme in collaboration with Umluj Municipality, the University of Tabuk, and Sakan, a local NGO, to provide members of the communities of Umluj and Al Wajh with training and jobs within the organisation.

This initiative has already resulted in the hiring of 45 new employees at the site landscaping nursery, said Alzben.

Similar initiatives also included providing 120 scholarships for Saudi students, to pursue a Bachelor of Science Degree in International Hospitality Management in cooperation with Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz University and accredited by Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL).

The company also hired 31 graduates from across the kingdom as part of the Elite Graduate Program at the start of the year, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Egyptians in Kuwait whose visas had expired return home on emergency flights. Al-Ahram Weekly finds out who remains abroad

The repatriation of 5,300 Egyptians in Kuwait whose visas had expired but who were unable to return to Egypt when airports closed following the outbreak of COVID-19, began this week. Priority is being given to women, children and humanitarian cases, Nabila Makram, minister of immigration and expatriate affairs, told the media on Tuesday.

There are large numbers of Egyptians in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Arranging for their return in a way that protects them, and that protects Egypt, is far from simple, she said.

Many of the expatriate workers found themselves stranded in camps prepared for employees whose visas had expired.

The mood in the camps is volatile. People are impatient to return to their country. That explains why they demonstrated this week, to make their voice heard. The news that they will soon be returned home calmed the mood, says Abu Mohamed, an Egyptian worker stranded in one of the camps in Kuwait.

Repatriation efforts have been underway since the closure of Egyptian airports on 19 March after thousands were left stranded. As time passed many Egyptians found themselves short of money and, in some cases, without shelter.

Hundreds of those stranded have returned in the past two weeks.

Im just grateful that I could afford the flight from Pennsylvania to Washington, and on to Marsa Allam, said Ziad who returned late last month from the US where he was studying.

Ziads friend Omar is stuck in Canada: He is short of money and the university accommodation where he was staying is now closed. Hes with a host family at the moment but they could soon ask him to leave given how long hes stayed.

Some 300 Egyptians returned from the US on board an EgyptAir emergency flight on Tuesday.

Though international flights to and from Egyptian airports were suspended on 19 March, repatriation flights are taking off and landing. EgyptAir operated flights on Friday to Washington and Moscow to bring back stranded citizens, while Air Cairo ran two flights to Kiev.

I am relieved that the majority of Egyptians stranded here are home, said Amal, an Egyptian who lives in the US. However, there are many residents who want to be reunited with their families back home but who cannot because of the virus.

Such people will have to wait. There are limited seats available on repatriation flights and priority is being given to those who were on medical visits, business trips or tourist breaks and students who have had to leave their university accommodation and have nowhere else to go.

Last Thursday, 75 Egyptians stranded in South Africa arrived in Marsa Alam from Johannesburg. Another 100 Egyptians remain stranded in South Africa. Two days earlier, 148 Egyptian passengers stranded in Indonesia arrived in the southern port city.

Repatriates on emergency flights undergo medical checks on arrival at the airport before being transported to a local hotel in Marsa Alam where they will spend their 14-day quarantine.

Last month EgyptAir and Air Cairo said they would operate 22 exceptional flights to bring back nationals. The flights, which concluded on Tuesday, returned workers from many countries, including China, the US, Russia, India, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, the Maldives, Morocco, Algeria, Bahrain and Lebanon.

Those whose contracts have now been terminated for economic reasons, as well as residents, will need to wait to travel, said Makram.

Egyptians within the priority groups were asked to register with the local embassy or consulates.

A minimum of 140 passengers is needed before an emergency plane is sent. The minimum figure means tens of Egyptians are stuck in countries like Brazil. They have little choice but to wait until normal flights resume.

My daughter could afford to make her way from Brazil to Frankfurt and then return from Frankfurt on an emergency flight to Marsa Alam. The trip, and the two-week quarantine, cost more than LE40,000. She left behind 19 Egyptians who could not afford to pay that amount. They will just wait, said the father of one returnee.

In March, EgyptAir ran daily charter flights from the UK, US, France, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The plight of Egyptian workers in the Gulf, however, is far from over.

Mustafa, a labourer, was among 150 co-workers who returned by ferry last week from Duba Port in Saudi Arabia to Safaga. On arrival at Safaga medical checks are made before the returnees begin 14-days quarantine in the student accommodation of Al-Wadi University in Hurghada.

I am lucky to be in Egypt. But I feel for the hundreds that are still stranded in Duba and other places, said Mustafa. And then there is the worry that many of these people will lose their jobs, given the economic turndown in the Gulf due to the coronavirus crisis.

The government is planning more ferries from Duba to Safaga, and the repatriation by air of workers in Kuwait. There are hopes similar arrangements will be made for Egyptians in Saudi Arabia.

Repatriations are coordinated by the Ministry of Immigration, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Health and the Foreign Ministry. A task force representing the four ministries has received thousands of requests for help from citizens stranded abroad.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 7 May, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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For Tim Jarman (pictured), president for Australia at Crawford & Company and a speaker at the upcoming Broker Connect virtual event, the industry has done well to respond to the pandemic on such short notice by feverishly changing their operations.

COVID-19 has certainly presented the largest scale test of the industrys business continuity plans and, from what I have seen, the industry has responded extremely well, Jarman said.

Initially companies were quite inward looking as they tried to work out the logistics of implementing large scale working from home (WFH). There was a real threat of the national government implementing a total lockdown with very little notice and therefore all companies working within the insurance industry were working feverishly to make sure they could function with all staff WFH.

Ultimately, as we know, a total lockdown did not happen, but all the same, from the companies I have spoken to it is apparent that most now have at least 90% of their staff WFH.

But remote working also proved to be an equity issue  with many employers having to ensure their staff had access to a VPN and telephone communications in order to complete their work.

Most organisations were faced with challenges in making sure their staff with desktop computers were able to work from home either using Citrix or through a VPN and many had to increase the capacity of their VPN to be able to cope with the significant increase in volume, Jarman explained.

Telephone communications to and from a home-based workforce also presented a major issue with many companies introducing new telephone management systems to resolve the issue.

Now, Jarman says most of the insurance and broking industry is working from home. However, it has taken C-Suite executives by great surprise. It is a testament to the industrys versatility, he says.

Ultimately there is now large scale WFH. I am sure that if any C-suite executives were asked 10 weeks ago whether we would have seen the changes that have occurred in the past four to six weeks they would say no and equally if they were told that they would have to implement those changes in the timeframes we have seen, I am sure they would not have thought it possible. The industry has responded incredibly well.

Despite how well positioned the industry has been throughout the pandemic, the changes have presented new challenges. Managing internal workflow through digitalised channels, monitoring performance and ensuring employees have a suitable working environment were all paramount issues for leaders to address.

Those companies that did not have a lot of staff working from home have had to work out how they communicate with them, how they manage performance and how they check that the home working environment is suitable and safe, Jarman added.

MS Teams, Skype, webinars and Zoom to a lesser extent are now widely used across the industry, but I believe that many organisations are still trying to fully understand the best way to communicate with their staff and business partners.

The ability for companies to expand business opportunities, through networking and meet ups, has also come to a complete stop  causing severe disruption for global companies that are founded on international relationships.

There is currently no travel, no face to face meetings, workshops, coffees or lunches; no opportunities to conduct business as we have for decades. This has impacted the ability for companies to market not only across Australia, but also internationally. The Lloyds market has been built on decades of face-to-face negotiations  these stopped overnight, he said.

We are now reconsidering how we manage these meetings and deal with the different time zones in which they take place. Industry functions, seminars and conferences have been cancelled and companies are trying to work out how they can use virtual meetings to replace these. The opportunity for traditional wider scale collaboration has been removed overnight.

Revenue streams are also being disrupted, with marketing strategies having to be repositioned and structured around the financial and economic disruptions caused by COVID-19. Online marketing, where revenue is sought from digital channels, has been prioritised.

Companies are trying to rethink their marketing strategies. We are asking ourselves, how do we work together without the opportunity for wider scale collaboration? Developing online marketing strategies to replace face-to-face meetings across the industry in Australia and internationally will be vital, Jarman continued.

Brokers are at the centre of this and they need to work quickly to understand how they collaborate across the industry. The broker market will become more competitive than ever and those that develop their digital collaboration abilities will more than likely stand in better stead than those that do not. I believe that the same applies across the industry in general.

Claims processing and assessing has, perhaps, been at the centre of disruption for the insurance industry  with on-site inspections and assessments halting due to consumer reluctance, insurers are now having to take up a number of self-service tools to get the job done.

From an insurance claim perspective one of the challenges has been customer reluctance to have an adjuster or assessor attend the site to inspect the damage. As a result, a number of self-service tools are now being more broadly used that are replacing the traditional site visit. These tools allow the customer to video or photograph the damage in a structured format and present this back to the insurance company, he said.

Live streaming of damage is also becoming commonplace; this allows the claim handler to inspect details of the site through the customers mobile. For example, at Crawford we are currently managing cyclone damage claims in the Pacific Isles entirely via live streaming. The introduction of this type of technology will change the way we do claim assessments, and ultimately many more claims will be managed by a desk-based adjuster. For the first time, we will soon be introducing the position of Virtual Adjuster to our organization.

According to Jarman, the same video collaboration tools are also being used to conduct risk surveys  making them an even more versatile response to the pandemic.

There are, however, niche opportunities that are beginning to arise from the chaos caused by the pandemic. The disruption has provided insight into where the industry has future markets and products. Pandemic-related cover for losses is just one example.

 I am sure that many underwriters will be considering extending cover to include pandemic cover at least in relation to business interruption, for the right premium. Due to the large-scale absence of cover, many businesses will be trying to understand how they are covered in the future and underwriters will be looking to fill the gap, Jarman explained.

With the widespread closing of businesses, insurers have received a raft of enquiries concerning business interruption claims, most of which are deemed not to be covered, according to Jarman.

However, some policies are not as clear as others and there appears to be a growing body of thought that the absence of business interruption cover will be challenged in certain circumstances, he said. This may leave some companies exposed. In the event that business interruption cover is provided, COVID-19 has added another complication to the calculation of the trend, a complication that we have not experienced previously.

Tim Jarman will be part of a panel discussing the impact of COVID-19 on the insurance industry at the upcoming Broker Connect event on May 15. The event is free to attend  register now.
A Status Red "extreme risk" forest fire warning has been issued for Ireland until Thursday.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has issued the Red Forest Fire warning for Ireland.

The warning was issued on the back of a "Type A" high pressure system associated with extreme fire risk potential which is currently located east of Scotland and is inducing easterly airflows over Ireland.

Fine Fuel Moisture Code levels are currently above 85 and wind speeds are likely to exceed the critical 30kmh threshold in most areas over the next 48 hours.

This type of pattern has previously been associated with extreme fire behaviour under Irish conditions.

Red Forest Fire Warning



Issued by @agriculture_ie



Warning in place until 12:00 Thursday May 7



For more info visit: https://t.co/4R4myC7PiJ



For information on fire management & wildfire protection visit:https://t.co/9ReHmgQppi#FireWarning pic.twitter.com/Nk4rbsHjV4  Garda Info (@gardainfo) May 5, 2020

Projected Initial Spread Index values are also in the very high range in Western areas.

This indicates a strong potential for rapid fire spread and difficulty of suppression in typical upland fuels.

Fire behaviour may be moderated by increased live growth in some areas.

Based on recent fire incidents, most ignitions risks appear to be associated with deliberate ignitions on areas where active turf cutting or illegal waste dumping is taking place.

Members of the public intending to visit forests and other recreational sites are reminded of the requirement to remain within 5km of their homes and to adhere to regulations introduced to limit the spread of Covid-19.

Vehicles should not be parked at site entrances or impede emergency service access to forest roads.

This risk condition is currently forecast to peak between Tuesday 05/05/2020 and Thursday 07/05/2020.
The Manipur government will pay



the railway fare of the stranded people, who wants to return to their home, Chief Minister N Biren Singh said on Wednesday.

He said the state Cabinet on Wednesday decided that the government will pay the railway fare of the people who are stranded across the country due to the nationwide lockdown.

The cabinet also decided that the main markets of Manipur like Khwairamban Keithel and women markets - Paona market and Thangal market - would be closed till May 17.

However, local shops and street vendors dealing with essential items in the locality would be allowed to open as decided by the cabinet meeting, CM said.

The chief minister praised the role played by the frontline warriors of COVID-19 like doctors, nurses and other medical staff who successfully cured two COVID-19 positive patients of the state.

He also thanked the people for their cooperation to make Manipur a COVID-19 free state.

Manipur at present has no COVID-19 case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China conducts naval drills in S.China Sea, prepares for post-pandemic US military provocations

Global Times

By Liu Xuanzun Source:Global Times Published: 2020/5/5 19:33:40

With an ace pilot of an aircraft carrier-based fighter jet flying above, warships sailing below and anti-submarine aircraft conducting surveillance in the South China Sea, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is ready to defend against any US military provocation, even if the US resumes use of its aircraft carriers that are affected by COVID-19, analysts said on Tuesday.

Yuan Wei, an ace PLA pilot of J-15 ship-borne fighter jet flew a type of fighter jet in exercises held from a South China Sea naval port in South China's Hainan Province, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Monday.

The Liaoning aircraft carrier task force wrapped up its South China Sea exercises on Thursday, so Yuan's training was probably meant for the Shandong, China's recently commissioned second aircraft carrier, which is believed to be homeported in the South China Sea's doorstep Hainan, military observers said.

Also conducting exercises in the South China Sea are the warships of the PLA Navy 35th Escort Task Group. The destroyer Taiyuan, frigate Jingzhou and replenishment ship Chaohu conducted anti-piracy and live-fire shooting training there on Saturday, CCTV reported on Tuesday.

Anti-submarine aircraft under the PLA Southern Theater Command Navy recently conducted patrol and anti-submarine missions, the PLA Daily reported on Monday.

On April 28, the PLA Southern Theater Command expelled a US destroyer, the USS Barry, when it trespassed into China's territorial waters off the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea. However, the US continued and sent the USS Bunker Hill cruiser to the Nansha Islands on April 29. The US also reportedly flew B-1B bombers over the South China Sea and East China Sea during the May Day holiday.

Beijing-based military expert Wei Dongxu told the Global Times on Tuesday that the US has been sending reconnaissance aircraft to the First Island Chain to gather intelligence on China.

Against these provocations, China needs to utilize its capability to grasp their activities and take appropriate countermeasures, Wei said.

China can send warplanes to drive them away or launch electronic countermeasures to disrupt them if they come too close, Wei said.

Once hit by COVID-19, aircraft carrier USS Nimitz has now left its port and is scheduled to be deployed to the Pacific this summer, US media outlet Navy Times reported on April 27. This means the US will finally have a carrier ready for operation near China since the disease broke out on four of its carriers.

Military experts expect the US military to escalate provocations against China when the epidemic eases.

The recent exercises show the PLA is ready at any time to safeguard national sovereignty, analysts said.

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New Delhi, May 6 : Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday held a meeting with the officials of the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra through video conferencing to take stock of the situation of COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking to the representatives, the minister said that the situation in the states was a matter of concern as at least 36 districts were affected by the COVID-19 disease.

"Maharashtra and Gujarat are states in the country which is a matter of worry for us also as 34 out of 36 districts are affected from coronavirus. There are at least 14,541 cases and 583 deaths that have been reported from here," said the Minister.

"I will hold a meeting with the Chief Ministers also to discuss further course of action to control spread of the virus in the state," said the Minister.

He also said that the situation in Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Nashik, Aurangabad, Nagpur and Solapur was more worrying and fortunately Gadchiroli and Wardha have remained unaffected.

"We have to move towards the direction of making all the districts as green zones where no case would be reported in 21 days. This will be possible for us through proactive approach and strong will power," the Minister told the representatives.

The meeting was also attended by the MoS Health, Ashwani Kumar Choubey.

According to the Health Ministry data, Maharashtra and Gujarat are the worst hit states in the country with a total 15,525 and 6,245 cases respectively.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's husband fears his wife may be returned to her Iranian prison cell after a UK-based Iranian national was ordered back to the country this weekend.

Richard Ratcliffe, whose wife, 42, was released from the Evin prison in Tehran with a prison tag on March 17 amid the coronavirus pandemic, expressed his fears over her return after Aras Amiri was ordered back to jail.

Ms Amiri, a British Council employee with permanent residency in the UK, was arrested in March 2018 as she visited her sick grandmother in the capital Tehran and was given a ten-year sentence for 'cultural infiltration'.

She was ordered back to jail this weekend after being furloughed on April 9 due to the coronavirus crisis.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe (pictured during temporary release) was let out from the Evin prison in Tehran on March 17 amid the coronavirus outbreak and is currently staying with her parents in Iran

This weekend the British Council employee Aras Amiri, who is an Iranian national, was ordered to return to her Iranian prison

Richard Ratcliffe (pictured) fears Ms Amiri's return may mean his wife will be ordered to return to prison

Following the decision to send Ms Amiri back to prison, Mr Ratcliffe, told The Guardian, the move meant many like his wife would continue to remain in Iran's 'chess game'.

He said: 'Our thoughts are with Aras and her family. Walking back into prison is no easy thing.

'For Nazanins case, I am interpreting Aras Amiris return as a bad sign, that the wind is threatening to change. Others are also being summoned.

'I take it as a signal to the UK that patience is not infinite, and that we all continue to be in their chess game.'

A message on the Amnesty International Twitter page read: 'Fears are rising that Nazanin will be sent back to jail after Aras Amiri, a UK-based Iranian national, was ordered back at the weekend. This would be beyond heartbreaking.'

Last year, Ms Amiri, a Kingston University student who lived in London for more than a decade, appealed her sentence in a letter to the head of Iran's justice department.

She claimed in her letter that she was arrested because she refused to cooperate with Iranian intelligence officials who wanted her to spy for them in Britain.

She said: 'I directly rejected their offer for cooperation and told them that I can only work in my own field and nothing else.'

In April, Mr Ratcliffe said he and daughter Gabriella had been spending several hours a day on video calls with his wife during her temporary release from prison in Iran.

A message on Amnesty International's Twitter page showed the growing fears Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe would be ordered back to jail

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe (with daughter Gabriella) is serving a five-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2016 of spying charges- which she denies

In January Richard Ratcliffe and his mother Barbara, addressed the media in Downing Street after a meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson

He told BBC Radio 5 Live's Emma Barnett: 'Nazanin was out for three days back in the summer of 2018 and we had a couple of calls then, but it was so tense and so uncertain and they were being harassed all the time.

'This is a lot more normal. We have been complaining about the prosaics of home schooling and normal parenting - it's been nice to muddle our way through that together.'

The Supreme Court upheld Miss Amiri's conviction and her ten year sentence

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe was arrested at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Airport while travelling with her daughter, Gabriella, to the home of her parents in April 2016.

The mother-of-one was sentenced to five years in prison and accused of plotting to overthrow the Iranian government- allegations which she denies.

She was later afforded diplomatic protection by the UK Government, which argues that she is innocent and that her treatment by Iran failed to meet obligations under international law.

Following the coronavirus outbreak, Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been living in relative isolation at her parents' house in Tehran while the country struggles to deal with the pandemic.

She has had to wear an ankle tag during the furlough, and can only go within a 300-metre range of her parents' home.

After her release, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab urged the Iranian regime to 'ensure she receives any necessary medical care'.

He said in a statement: 'I am relieved that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was today temporarily released into the care of her family in Iran.

Timeline of events in the Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe case April 2016: Arrested by the Revolutionary Guard in Tehran Airport after visiting her parents in Iran with her young daughter Gabriella. She was taken to prison and held in solitary confinement for 45 days before being moved to a women's wing. The mother-of-one was not given access to legal counsel or medical treatment, and the lights in her cell remained permanently switched on. As a result,Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe experienced problems walking, weight loss, and hair loss. September 2016: She was sentenced to five years in prison for spying following a trial campaigners have branded 'secret and unfair'. April 2017: Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe lost her appeal to overturn her sentence. November 2017: She is hit with fresh charges of spreading propaganda just days after Boris Johnson told British MPs she has been training journalists in Iran. August 2018: She is temporarily released so she can spend time with her young daughter Gabriella, but is quickly sent back to prison where she suffers a panic attack March 2020: Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe is released from her Tehran prison on furlough due to the coronavirus pandemic Advertisement

'We urge the regime to ensure she receives any necessary medical care.

'While this is a welcome step, we urge the government now to release all UK dual nationals arbitrarily detained in Iran, and enable them to return to their families in the UK.'

Ms Zaghari Ratcliffe's release in mid-March followed the release of 85,000 prisoners in Iran to stop the spread of coronavirus.

After Iran announced the release of some of its prisoners, Javaid Rehman, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, said only those serving sentences of less than five years had been freed.

He said: 'Political prisoners and others charged with heavier sentences linked to their participation in protest marches remained in jail.

'A number of dual and foreign nationals are at real risk if they have not... got it [coronavirus], they are really fearful of the conditions.

'This is also my worrying concern and therefore I have recommended to the state of the Islamic Republic of Iran to release all prisoners on temporary release.'

The arrest of Iranians accused of espionage has increased since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said last year there had been 'infiltration' of Western agents in the country.

This month, Kamal Foroughi, an 80-year-old grandfather whose family lives in London, was returned to the UK nine years after he was arrested by the regime in Tehran on spying charges.

He was arrested in 2011 and jailed for espionage in 2013 - a charge he strongly denies - and was released in late 2018 after serving five years of a seven-year sentence.
The rebuke delivered by Germany's Constitutional Court to the European Central Bank is in the ha'penny place compared to the slap-down dished out to the European Court of Justice.

The German legal ruling yesterday forces the ECB to make a better fist of standing over its most important policy, including showing how massive bond buying, which clearly props up state finances, is within the central bank's mandate.

The German court gave the ECB three months to respond. Presumably, when push comes to shove, Frankfurt's best legal and economic minds can deliver a convincing argument to justify the hundreds of billions of euro already spent. If they can't deliver a knockout argument by then, it is hardly the fault of Germany's red-robed judges.

More startling, ultimately, was the unanimous dismissal by the German court's eight judges of an earlier ruling on the same issues by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), in theory the superior court as far as EU law goes.

The CJEU had also been asked to assess the ECB actions, and duly ruled in December 2018 that the massive bond buying was allowed within the ECB mandate.

In theory, that should have been case closed.

The CJEU ruling was "objectively arbitrary" and is "methodologically no longer justifiable," the judges in Karlsruhe responded yesterday in a blistering dismissal, arguing that, as a result, Germany is not bound by the superior court's finding.

That appears to be a broader challenge to the legitimacy of the CJEU, with implications for the rule of law right across the European Union.

In Brussels, a spokesman for the European Commission weighed in on behalf of the CJEU.

"We reaffirm the primacy of EU law and the fact that rulings by the EU Court of Justice are binding on all national courts," Eric Mamer, spokesman of the European Commission, said at a regular press briefing.

Other European institutions seem certain to rally around the CJEU.

But in Germany, the euro area's most significant member state, that flat rejection by the country's own top court will be much harder for political leaders and the head of the country's own central bank.

It is a mess, and it could hardly come at a worse time.
From Staff Reports

FRANKFORT -- A Former Frankfort Centennial Queen has passed away.

Lois Minetta (LaBelle) Cochran passed away at the Frankfort Pines on Friday at the age of 87.

Her parent's family relocated to Frankfort in 1896. Her grandfather, Francis Thomas Jeffs, was a surfman for the United States Lifesaving Service at Point Betsie from about 1895 to 1909.

Jeffs and his wife Minnie acquired the Park Hotel in 1905 and relinquished it around 1916.

Cochran's uncle, Harry Thomas Jeffs was the chief engineer for the Ann Arbor No. 3 car ferry and worked on the car ferries for about 47 years. Cochran would get rides across the lake from time to time from her uncle.

Cochran was born July 5, 1933, in a house in Frankfort about two blocks east of M-22 on Leelanau Avenue. She was baptized at the Congregational church on Forest Avenue.

Cochran was raised by her single parent mother Hazel (Jeffs) LaBelle. They never had a car while she was growing up in Frankfort. She had acute appendicitis as a child of 10 years. Dr. Thacker was the doctor who carried her to the Anna Markham Hospital in the 600 block of Forest Avenue. She was unconscious for three days following the surgery and it looked as though she would not make it.

She began working and babysitting at the age of 12. She worked at Fairchild's grocery store.

Cochran was named Frankfort's Centennial Queen during the Centennial celebration of 1950. According to her own recollections, she had just turned 17. Frankfort needed a Centennial Queen, and a contest was held to determine who it would be.

Canisters were put in shops in Frankfort with pictures of the seven girls running, one to a canister. To vote, people had to put 10 cents in one of the canisters. The voting went on for four to six weeks. During the last week, Cochran was only about third place but last minute votes saw her rise to the top during the last week. Cochran attributed this to the "Coast Guard boys" finding some extra money.

The Centennial Celebration was June 23-25, 1950. During the ceremony, she came into the harbor on a Coast Guard cutter and then down a ramp to receive her crown and a key to the city from the mayor.

Her nephew Billy Frary was the prince of her court. There was also a dance that evening.

It was at that time that city officials decided she should enter the Cherry Festival Queen contest. One of the ensigns on the Coast Guard cutter escorted her to Traverse City. She had a beautiful dress for the contest, provided by the city of Frankfort. The Cherry Festival events were July 5-7, 1950. She was much younger than the other contestants and was not selected. She did end up spending five days in Traverse City for the events of the Queen's Court.

Cochran graduated from Frankfort High School in the class of 1951.

She married Wayne Keith Cochran at Frankfort's Congregational church on Forest Avenue on May 9, 1953. She and Wayne moved around for years living in Ohio, Illinois and Massachusetts before returning to Michigan around 1993.

She has been living at Frankfort Pines Assisted Living since about 2016.
Jill Biden, wife of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and former second lady, said the coronavirus pandemic has illustrated the need for effective leadership in the White House.

Biden held three online campaign events for Michigan voters Wednesday, first meeting with nurses from Detroit and Ann Arbor while joined by U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, and Attorney General Dana Nessel. The latter two events focus on building on the campaigns relationship with African American voters, including a meeting with U.S. Rep. Brenda Lawrence, D-Southfield, and the Michigan Democratic Party Black Caucus and an online organizing event targeting Detroit residents.

The Biden campaign hasnt dispatched surrogates to stump in Michigan since March 10, the date of the Democratic presidential primary and when Michigans first case of COVID-19 was discovered. Biden herself visited Michigan on the eve of the primary, meeting residents in Lansing and Flint.

Since then, like so many Americans, Ive been at home," Biden said. The world changed immeasurably since that trip and weve had to figure out what it means to run a presidential campaign.

Attendees were greeted with attendees are greeted with The Champion by Carrie Underwood, one of the campaigns rally anthems. One of the participants on a call with the MDP Black Caucus asked Biden how the campaign is faring under the pandemic restrictions.

I guess its going as well as can be from our home, Biden said.

Joe Biden and President Donald Trump place a high value on Michigans support in the upcoming November election. Neither presidential campaign hosted in-person visits or public events in the last few months, as the coronavirus pandemic shut down most activities involving close personal contact.

Trumps victories in Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania secured critical electoral votes that allowed him to take the White House despite losing the popular vote. Democrats had reliably won Michigan during the last 28 years, including 2008 and 2012 elections with President Barack Obama and Biden on the ticket, but Trump narrowly took the state for Republicans.

Joe Biden posted a commanding victory in the Democratic primary, squashing progressive rival U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., by a margin of nearly 17 percentage points. He outpaced Sanders in Democratic communities in Southeast Michigan, taking Wayne and Oakland counties by a wide margin.

Trumps Michigan campaign and the Republican National Committee boasted of its quick transition to online activities during the coronavirus pandemic. Since March 19, Republicans have made nearly 1.2 million voter contacts and recruited and trained 1,300 volunteers.

Republican campaign organizations have criticized Joe Bidens surrogates for not disavowing him over new allegations of sexual assault. Whitmer said allegations from Tara Reade, a former Senate staffer for Biden, are inconsistent with the Joe Biden I know, and what Ive seen, in terms of work that hes done to support women."

Joe Biden outspent Trump on digital ads in March, according to the campaign, and garnered nearly 100 million views on online videos. The former vice president joined WDIV Detroit for an interview on April 20 and local surrogates participated in online programming targeting Michigan voters during the last few weeks.

He also continued to grow his list of endorsements from Michigan Democrats, adding Attorney General Dana Nessel and U.S. Rep. Andy Levin, D-Bloomfield Township, among others.

Wednesdays events highlighted issues related to the countrys response to COVID-19. Jill Biden praised Gov. Gretchen Whitmers actions to address the global outbreak and discussed the disproportionate impact the infectious respiratory disease has had on black residents in Southeast Michigan.

Nessel and Stabenow criticized Trumps support of a lawsuit to overturn the Affordable Care Act, which reached a new milestone Wednesday. Stabenow portrayed Joe Biden as a longtime friend of Michigan, touting his efforts to support the states economic recovery after the Great Recession and secure meal assistance for mothers during the Flint water crisis.

We have more than 916,000 people in Michigan that have health care because of the Affordable Care Act, and I can tell you that Vice President Joe Biden was integral to that, Stabenow said.

The attorney general introduced Stabenow to the virtual hang out as another one of those women from Michigan, referencing a disparaging remark the president made about Whitmer. The Democratic governor, a national co-chair of his campaign and among Bidens shortlist of potential running mates, has embraced the phrase and since used it in online fundraising ads.

Biden later spent an hour with African American voters discussing her husbands policy agenda. The conversation often returned to the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus on black residents.

The coronavirus has killed 4,179 people as of Tuesday, with a higher rate of infection and death among African Americans. Black residents account for 14% of the states population but make up 32% of the confirmed COVID-19 cases and 41% of those killed by the virus.

Detroits population is nearly 80% black and is home to 27% of Michigan residents killed by the coronavirus. The city recorded more than 9,500 of the states 44,297 confirmed cases.

MDP Black Caucus Chair Keith Williams said Detroit is bearing the brunt of the virus.

When we look at the challenges that our country is facing in this epidemic, which has highlighted the challenges of black America, we look toward our leadership to say 'Do you hear us? Do you see us? Lawrence said.

The congresswoman previously endorsed U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., but voiced support for Biden after Harris exited the primary.

Biden said she is deeply saddened by what this virus is doing to the black community."

The coronavirus didnt institutionalize racism," she said. "It didnt make our healthcare and our housing in schools systematically unjust, but it laid these evils bare. We are seeing that these biases, these injustices, are not just unfair and undemocratic, they are deadly. It should make us all angry, but it should motivate us as well.

PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

Read more on MLive:

Michigans approach to reopening the economy: slow, steady and safe

Michigan coronavirus deaths down 29%, new cases down 18% compared to last week

GM, UAW confirm May 18 as target date for reopening plants

Coronavirus turns contact tracing into top priority for county governments

Coronavirus continues to disrupt mail service in parts of Michigan
An employee at Potomac Valley Rehabilitation and Healthcare in Rockville, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid retribution, said staffers pleaded with administrators for protective equipment throughout March, to no avail. Documents obtained by The Washington Post show a supervisor telling staffers that such equipment was in short supply at Potomac Valley and across the nation, and that they could bring in their own equipment if they wanted to do that.
Diamond Hill Capital (Trades, Portfolio) recently disclosed its portfolio updates for the first quarter of 2020, which ended on March 31.





Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Diamond Hill identifies itself as an independent investment management firm that seeks to align employee interests with investor interests by investing in the same portfolios. Its strategy is to maintain a long-term focus based on fundamental, ground-up analysis of a company's intrinsic value, as determined by factors such as market position, competition, management, valuation and growth prospects. The funds focus on buying undervalued companies that have a solid and proven foundation for revenue production.

Based on the above criteria, the firm's biggest new buys for the quarter were Mondelez International Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLZ), Visa Inc. (NYSE:V), Kellogg Co. (NYSE:K) and VF Corp. (NYSE:VFC).

Mondelez International

Diamond Hill Capital (Trades, Portfolio) bought 4,654,954 shares of Mondelez International, impacting the equity portfolio by 1.58%. Shares traded for an average price of $54.28 during the quarter.

Based in Chicago, Mondelez International is one of the world's largest snack producers, employing more than 80,000 people. Its brands are sold in more than 150 countries and include names such as Oreo, Ritz, Stride and Cadbury.

On May 6, shares of Mondelez International traded around $50.33 for a market cap of $71.9 billion and a price-earnings ratio of 19.67. The Peter Lynch chart suggests that the stock price is in line with its average historical valuation.

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GuruFocus gives the company a financial strength rating of 5 out of 10, a profitability rating of 7 out of 10 and a business predictability rating of one out of five stars.

The cash-debt ratio of 0.1 and current ratio of 0.53 indicate a weak cash position, but the interest coverage ratio of 8.16 and Altman Z-Score of 2.18 indicate that the company is likely safe from bankruptcy.

Story continues

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The operating margin of 14.76% is higher than 85.41% of competitors, and the return on invested capital of 8.72% is higher than the weighted average cost of capital of 3.98%. These margins have improved for the company in recent years.

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Visa

The firm established a new position of 1,135,127 shares in Visa after selling out of its (much smaller) previous holding in the first quarter of 2019. The trade had a 1.24% impact on the equity portfolio. During the quarter, shares traded for an average price of $188.96.

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Visa is a major financial services and electronic payments provider based in San Francisco. The company facilitates funds transfers primarily through credit, debit and prepaid cards.

On May 6, Visa's shares traded around $178.74 for a market cap of $394.05 billion and a price-earnings ratio of 32.18. According to the Peter Lynch chart, the stock may be overvalued.

a5630dd28e27c46c2dc875cdc162a2c6.png

GuruFocus gives the company a financial strength rating of 6 out of 10, a profitability rating of 10 out of 10 and a business predictability rating of five out of five stars.

Visa's cash-debt ratio of 0.68 is higher than 65.97% of competitors. While the interest coverage ratio of 33.46 is well below the industry median of 709.17, it is enough for the company to pay its short-term debt obligations.

a5e1b4391fd4622971dfb5326011d8ca.png

The operating margin of 66.83% is outperforming 91.08% of competitors, and the ROIC is nearly six times the WACC, indicating high profitability. Revenue and net income have shown steady growth in recent years.

9964e8111d7db25b40f0b7b5419d9fcb.png

Kellogg

The firm invested in 1,443,286 shares of Kellogg, which had a 0.59% impact on the equity portfolio. Shares traded for an average price of $65.48 during the quarter.

Kellogg, which operates under the brand name Kellogg's, is a food manufacturing company based in Battle Creek, Michigan. It mainly produces cereals, breakfast pastries and other grain-based products with a long shelf life.

On May 6, shares of Kellogg traded around $64.01 for a market cap of $21.91 billion and a price-earnings ratio of 21.43. The Peter Lynch chart suggests that the stock price overvalued compared to recent earnings.

41426f279a4b0b2ab727eee70aee2f85.png

GuruFocus gives the company a financial strength rating of 4 out of 10, a profitability rating of 7 out of 10 and a business predictability rating of one out of five stars.

The cash-debt ratio of 0.11 and equity-to-asset ratio of 0.15 are lower than 93.21% of competitors, and the current ratio of 0.77 also indicates a precarious cash position. However, the Altman Z-Score of 2.44 suggests that the company is not in immediate danger of bankruptcy.

f6532e7c25f4319766904bfe1f0ff279.png

Although the operating margin of 10.32% is higher than 72.78% of competitors, it has contracted over the past couple of decades. The gap between ROIC and WACC has also narrowed, suggesting lower profitability as revenue increased.

1ef4f46e9fd4732e0a5d02d94ab683db.png

VF Corp.

The firm also bought 1,166,650 shares of VF Corp. after selling out of its previous holding in the company in the third quarter of 2019. The trade had an impact of 0.43% on the equity portfolio. During the quarter, shares traded for an average price of $78.61.

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Based in Denver, VF is an apparel company with a history of more than 100 years. Its portfolio of more than 30 active-life brands focuses on producing products for outdoor, active and work use.

On May 6, VF's shares traded around $56.02 for a market cap of $22.11 billion and a price-earnings ratio of 17.53. According to the Peter Lynch chart, the share price has fallen in line with the company's historical median valuation.

b9a91322c99f3157de1d150e050f4e04.png

GuruFocus gives the company a financial strength rating of 6 out of 10, a profitability rating of 7 out of 10 and a business predictability rating of three out of five stars.

The interest coverage ratio of 16.64, current ratio of 2.12 and Altman Z-Score of 4.12 suggest financial stability, though the cash-debt ratio of 0.18 is lower than 64.87% of competitors.

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The company's profit margins are top tier; the operating margin of 12.11%, net margin of 10.54%, return on equity of 29.41% and return on assets of 12.16% are outperforming more than 83% of competitors.

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Portfolio overview

Including the stocks mentioned above, the firm established 11 new holdings, bringing the total number of stocks owned to 147 and the value of the equity portfolio to $14.72 billion.

As of the quarter's end, Diamond Hill Capital (Trades, Portfolio)'s top holdings were Abbott Laboratories (ABT) with 3.38% of the equity portfolio, Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) with 3.02% and Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.B) with 2.93%. In terms of sector weighting, the firm was most invested in financial services, health care and consumer cyclical.

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Disclosure: Author owns no shares in any of the stocks mentioned. The mention of stocks in this article does not at any point constitute an investment recommendation. Portfolio updates reflect only common stock positions as per the regulatory filings for the quarter in question and may not include changes made after the quarter ended.

Read more here:

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This article first appeared on GuruFocus.






Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, walks to a secure area at the Capitol to interview a witness in the House impeachment inquiry in Washington on Nov. 6, 2019. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)

DNI Tells Schiff Transcripts of Russia Investigation Can Be Released

Acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell has told House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) in a letter that transcripts from the committees Russia investigation can be released to the publiccoming a day after House Republicans demanded access.

All of the transcripts, with our required redactions, can be released to the public without any concerns of disclosing classified material, Grenell wrote to Schiff in a letter on Monday, Washington Examiner reported.

The transcripts of all 53 interviews related to an investigation into whether foreign interference tipped the 2016 election should be released, he said.

A review of 43 of the 53 transcripts was completed in June 2019, he wrote to Schiff, adding that as of Monday, the interagency review of the remaining ten transcripts has been completed, as well. This is pursuant to your guidance, these transcripts have not been shared with the White House, Grenell said, Fox News reported.

In the interests of transparency and accountability, I urge you to honor your previous public statements, and your Committees unanimous vote on this matter, to release all 53 cleared transcripts to all Members of Congress and the American public as soon as possible, Grenell wrote, adding that hes willing to release the transcripts directly from his office to ensure we comply with the unanimous and bipartisan vote to release the transcripts.

Schiff was one of the top Democrats who alleged that Trumps campaign conspired with the Kremlin during the 2016 election.

Acting DNI Richard Grenell in Berlin, Germany, on Nov. 8, 2019. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

But late last year, the Justice Departments inspector general, Michael Horowitz, released a report that the FBI made 17 significant errors and omissions related to the surveillance of former Trump campaign aide Carter Page. Before that, former Special Counsel Robert Mueller said he found no evidence Trumps campaign colluded with Russia.

Schiffs office has not responded to a request for comment, although a House Intelligence Committee spokesman told Fox News on Wednesday that the committee received Grenells letter.

After more than a year of unnecessary delay, the ODNI has finally concluded its protracted classification review of the Committees transcripts, and it also appears the White House has now abandoned its improper insistence on reviewing key transcripts, which the Committee appropriately rejected, the Intelligence Committee spokesman said.

The spokesperson further said that Grenell is acting in an overtly political manner by requesting the release of the transcripts this week. But, the committee is looking forward to releasing these transcripts, the official said.

Democratic Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Adam Schiff (L) and Ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Devin Nunes (R). (Shawn Thew/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

A day before, House Republicans, led by House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), called for access to the transcripts.

After interviewing 73 individuals and reviewing over 300,000 documents, the Intelligence Committee issued a 2018 report that the Trump campaign did not collude with Russia, according to the letter. In September of that year, the panel voted to release 53 transcripts, according to the lawmakers.

While alleging that Schiff is blocking the release of the documents, the Republicans asserted that claims of collusion during the 2016 election have been disproven by several investigations.

Initially, it was Schiff who had called on Republicans to release the interview transcripts.

Republican efforts to protect the president at the cost of a serious investigation would make that impossible, Schiff wrote in a March 2018 USA Today opinion article. The next best thing will be to release the entire body of witness transcripts, so the public can see the facts for themselves.
Minasyans attorney: Investigator refuses to interrogate a person whose testimony excludes the accuseds guilt for 48 days

The transfer of funds from one bank account of Mikael Minasyan to another bank account was qualified as 'money laundering...

The attorney of the former Armenian ambassador to the Vatican, Mikael Minasyan, Amram Makinyan took to his Facebook to refer to the biased actions of the investigating authority.

The attorney presented some part of the 'absurd and curious' violations in the case of Mikael Minasyan:

"1. the transfer of funds from one bank account of Mikael Minasyan to another bank account was qualified as 'money laundering'

2. the access of Minasyan's assistant to his bank account, which accounts for 80% of the funds provided for in the 2017 declaration, is qualified as 'illegal enrichment',

3. due to a technical error in the declaration, on March 18 this year, I requested to interrogate the employee of the company responsible for filling out the declaration. After 48 days, the investigator refuses to provide the court with the testimony of the indicated person, citing the fact that the interrogation is not completed.

Imagine, the investigator refuses to interrogate the person whose testimony excludes the guilt of the accused within 48 days.

Within 48 days !!!

I assure you that the above is only 20% of curious and gross violations in the case of Mikael Minasyan, the attorney said.
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Linkedin Sebastian Smith (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Wed, May 6, 2020 10:27 623 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd63e89b 2 World US,coronavirus,virus-corona,COVID-19,COVID-19-drugs,remdesivir,COVID-19-lockdown,COVID-19-quarantine,pandemic Free

American authorities have approved an experimental drug for emergency use on coronavirus patients, as more US states eased pandemic lockdowns despite another spike in deaths from the disease.

The approval is the latest step in a global push to find viable treatments and a vaccine for the coronavirus, which has left half of humanity under some form of lockdown, hammered the world economy and infected more than 3.3 million people.

Remdesivir, an antiviral drug initially developed to treat Ebola, was given the green light on Friday after a major trial found that it boosted recovery in serious COVID-19 patients.

"It's really a very promising situation," President Donald Trump said on Friday at the White House, where he was joined by Daniel O'Day, CEO of Gilead Sciences, which developed Remdesivir.

The drug incorporates itself into the virus's genome, short-circuiting its replication process.

Its approval came as the US leaders struggled with growing pressure from citizens wearying of stay-at-home orders.

With about 1.1 million confirmed coronavirus cases and nearly 65,000 deaths, the United States has the highest tolls of any country, and Trump is keen for a turnaround as the world's largest economy reels with tens of millions left jobless.

"Hopefully, we're going to come in below that 100,000 lives lost, which is a horrible number nevertheless," said Trump, after suggesting earlier in the week the country could expect 60,000 or 70,000 fatalities.

Texas became the largest US state yet to ease curbs, while anti-lockdown demonstrations were held in several states -- including California, where officials had re-closed beaches beginning Friday to avoid a repeat of last weekend when crowds flocked to the shoreline.

In Huntington Beach, about 55 kilometers south of Los Angeles, several thousand people rallied to denounce Governor Gavin Newsom's beach shutdown order.

"It was the straw that broke the camel's back," protester Monica Beilhard fumed.

"It was uncalled for, unnecessary and people out here are making that known," she said.

'Slow, phased' reopening

Governments around the world are struggling to balance the immense political and economic pressure to ease lockdowns with the need for public health measures against the spread of the virus, which has killed more than 236,000 people.

Several European countries have begun to lift restrictions, with authorities in some of the hardest-hit parts like Spain reporting signs that the pandemic there was slowing.

Britain announced that it had hit its target of conducting 100,000 coronavirus tests a day, a step toward eventually lifting lockdown rules in the UK -- which this week overtook Spain to record the world's third-highest death toll.

But Ireland extended its lockdown by two weeks to May 18, with Prime Minister Leo Varadkar saying the nation will reopen "in a slow, phased, staged way" after that.

In Asia, India announced that the lockdown on its 1.3 billion people -- the world's biggest -- would continue for two more weeks from May 4.

And in Singapore, the government said Saturday that pet food stores and hair salons will be allowed to reopen on May 12.

Most of the city-state's infections have been detected at dormitories housing migrant workers, and their confinement was extended to June 1.

The virus restrictions also put a damper on May Day celebrations worldwide on Friday as many labor unions delayed their rallies and some held online events, while a determined few hit the streets in facemasks in defiance of lockdown orders.

Sharp rhetoric

May Day carried extra significance this year because of the staggering number of people put out of work by the pandemic, with the global economy in a tailspin and facing its worst downturn since the Great Depression.

Stock markets tumbled again on Friday after President Trump's unproven allegation that the virus may have come from a lab in Wuhan -- the central Chinese city where the disease first emerged late last year.

Beijing has rejected the accusation, and scientists believe the virus jumped from animals to humans.

The White House has accused Chinese authorities of mishandling the outbreak and putting American lives at risk.

The disease overwhelmed healthcare infrastructure when it hit the United States, putting immense pressure on medical workers.

Some US medics relied on experience in other countries to fight the virus.

David Callaway, a doctor and academic who formerly worked on disease response in conflict-hit nations such as South Sudan and Iraq, said he found overseas epidemics easier to handle in some ways.

"Family and loved ones, you can put them in a box and you use them as a source of motivation and inspiration when things get rough, but you know they are safe," he told AFP.

"A pandemic at home, you know that your family and your loved ones are still at risk, their lives hang on the line."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked to his Ethiopian counterpart Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali over the phone on Wednesday to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic and cooperation on the same. PM Modi recalled the close ties between India and Ethiopia and the excellent development partnership between the two nations, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

"The two leaders discussed the domestic, regional and global challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and expressed solidarity with each other during the health crisis," the statement added. PM Modi also assured India's support to Ethiopia through the supply of essential medicines and ameliorating the economic impact of the pandemic and wished Ethiopians' success in the fight against COVID-19.

Spoke to PM Dr. Abiy Ahmed Ali. We discussed the COVID-19 situation. India stands in solidarity with our friends in Ethiopia as well as other countries in Africa, and will be a reliable partner to provide essential medical supplies and other assistance to handle the crisis.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 6, 2020

READ | PM Modi Dials Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi To Discuss COVID-19 Response

India has so far reported nearly 50,000 COVID-19 cases and has passed the 1,500-mark death toll. Ethiopia, on the other hand, reported 17 new cases on Wednesday, taking the number of confirmed cases in the country 162. The majority of COVID-19 cases in Ethiopia are in the capital Addis Ababa.

READ | PM Modi Dials Bangladesh's Sheikh Hasina To Discuss COVID Response; Greets On Ramzan

Diplomacy amid COVID

The conversation with Ethiopia's PM is the latest in a host of exchanges PM Modi had with foreign leaders over the last few weeks. He has interacted with most national leaders of neighbouring countries as well as multilateral blocs like G20, SAARC, Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), etc. India has assured its friendly neighbours and other allies of cooperation and has continued assisting foreign nations in a show of solidarity amid the pandemic that has infected over 3.6 million people worldwide.

Recently, India contributed towards medical and food supplies to several smaller nations and has exported vast sums of most-sought drugs like Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and paracetamol. PM Modi has consistently stayed in touch with many world leaders, especially of those countries which host a significant Indian diaspora.

READ | PM Modi Addresses NAM Virtual Summit; Reaffirms India's Support In Fight Against COVID-19

READ | MEA Commences Preparations To Rescue Indians Stranded Abroad Under 'Vande Bharat' Mission
Hyderabad, May 6 : Two more special trains carrying over 2,000 migrant workers left Telangana for Bihar and Jharkhand on Wednesday, officials said.

Both the trains departed from the Bibi Nagar railway station in Yadadri Bhuvangiri district near Hyderabad early on Wednesday morning.

Migrant workers from Yadadri Bhuvangiri and other districts were brought to the railway station by buses late on Tuesday night.

A team of 50 personnel from the health department led by the district medical and health officer screened the workers before allowing them into the station.

Officials said that all necessary arrangements were made for the smooth journey of the workers. Yadadri Bhuvangiri District Collector Anitha Ramchandran, along with senior officials, supervised the arrangements at the station.

The workers expressed their happiness on returning to their home states after a long wait. They said they had registered their names with the police stations concerned and were duly informed about the travel arrangements made.

With this, the number of special trains operated for migrant workers from Telangana rose to four. The first train had left for Jharkhand on May 1, while the second departed for Bihar on May 5.

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao had said on Tuesday said that 11 trains carrying migrant workers were leaving for various states. He said five of these trains were leaving for Bihar, two each for Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and one each for Jharkhand and Rajasthan.

However, the information about the operation of the trains is being kept confidential to avoid entry of unauthorised persons into the railway stations.

The Chief Minister had said after the state cabinet meeting that the migrant workers can't be sent in thousands and lakhs as this needed the consent from their home states.

He said he spoke to Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other states and they wanted Telangana to send the list of the workers who wanted to come so that they could make proper arrangements for their transportation to their respective districts and villages.

"I wanted to send 40 trains but we need the consent from the3 concerned states," he said.

The Chief Minister said the trains carrying migrant workers to Bihar will come back with 20,000 to 25,000 workers from Bihar who work in rice mills in Telangana. A train which left early on Tuesday for Bihar will bring back 1,200 workers from there.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
A senior Chinese official on Wednesday took exception to the US labelling a COVID-19 whistle-blower doctor in Wuhan as a "rebel", saying it amounted to "utter disrespect" for the deceased ophthalmologist and his family.

Dr Li Wenliang, 34, contracted the deadly virus while working at the Wuhan Central Hospital in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

Li had sent out a warning to fellow medics on December 30 but Chinese police told him to stop "making false comments".

Li, who became a national hero after the coronavirus engulfed Wuhan, sadly died of the COVID-19 after he was infected by it.

On Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying criticised US Deputy National Security Adviser Matt Pottinger for highlighting Li's actions to criticise China.

I want to take this opportunity to say there is a wrong inclination in the US that some people think Dr. Li as a figure confronting the (Chinese) system.

She said Dr Li posted messages on social media about the coronavirus three days after China's top virus expert Zhong Nanshan notified the cases.

Dr Li was a good person. Some people in the US hastily labelled him as a rebel. This is a disrespect to him, she said.

"Some reports unfairly reported..that he didn't enjoy freedom in China. But that is not true. We hope the US can stop such political manipulation because this is utter disrespect for Dr. Li and his family," Hua said.

Pottinger said Dr Li's small act of bravery, in late December, was to pass along a warning via WeChat to his former medical school classmates that patients afflicted by a dangerous new virus were turning up in Wuhan hospitals."



He said Dr Li later went public with his experience of being silenced by the police, causing the world to pay close attention to the coronavirus infection.

"When small acts of bravery are stamped out by governments, big acts of bravery follow," Pottinger said.

Li's death from the virus in February prompted a national outpouring of grief as well as anger at the government's handling of the crisis, and bold demands for freedom of speech, surprising authorities.

Embarrassed by the police action against Li which drew public criticism, a special investigation ordered by the Chinese government after his death revoked the letter of reprimand and apologised to his family.

He was also listed as one of the martyrs who died fighting the virus in Wuhan.

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

Shares of the ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP), the largest U.S. oil and gas exploration and production company (E&P), rose 36.7% in April, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence. The move partially reversed the losses the company experienced in March, when its shares fell by 36.4%.

However, even though April's percentage gain was nearly identical to March's percentage loss, the April percentage comes from a lower baseline, so Conoco's price declined by 13.1% over the combined two-month period. Since the beginning of the year, the company's shares have lost 37.1% of their value.

So what

ConocoPhillips' move was part of a larger recovery in the broader oil industry, which was hammered in March, first as a price war broke out between Saudi Arabia and Russia, and then as coronavirus-related travel restrictions caused demand for automobile and jet fuel to dry up. Crude oil prices lost about half their value in March.

The severity of March's price downturn combined with questions about the severity and duration of coronavirus-related shutdowns caused ConocoPhillips to take drastic action. It cut its 2020 capital spending budget by 10% and reduced its share repurchases by two-thirds. Those actions were mild compared to the deep cuts made by some of its E&P peers.

On April 12, Saudi Arabia and Russia called at least a temporary halt to their price war, and together with other OPEC and non-OPEC nations, including the U.S., agreed to a 9.7 million barrel/day reduction in global crude output. News of the deal, combined with moves by several U.S. governors to begin easing restrictions, cheered energy investors, who bid up ConocoPhillips' share price.

Now what

The oil market is still a volatile and uncertain place for investors. While ConocoPhillips is one of the largest E&Ps, with a stronger balance sheet than most, it's still beholden to oil prices, which are currently hovering at levels we haven't seen since the 1990s. Meanwhile, there's a global shortage in oil storage, and demand is still weak.

Investors will probably want to stay away from oil producers, including ConocoPhillips, until the situation improves in the oil patch.
A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a police officer was attacked in north west London.

The officer was attacked in West Hendon following a police chase which started in Dartmouth Road shortly after 7pm on Wednesday.

The suspect decamped from the vehicle that officers were in pursuit of and fled down an alleyway in the Park Road area.

A struggle ensued and the officer was seriously assaulted before the suspect fled the scene prior to police back up arriving, Scotland Yard said.

A man was later located and arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

The injuries to the officer are not thought to be life-threatening.

A crime scene was in place.
As in most of the Arab world, the Libyan government shut schools to combat the coronavirus COVID-19, and teachers, parents, and students are scrambling not to lose the rest of the school year.

Very few schools in the Arab world were focussed on online education pre-COVID-19, but in Libya, entrepreneurs Aziza Al-Hassi, Tufaha Suhaim and Amine Kashroud began taking the first steps in 2018.

That year, with the support of the European Union, UNDP and Tatweer Research launched the Tatweer Entrepreneurship Development Centre (TEC) to promote Libyan entrepreneurship. Programmes include business incubators, joint workspaces, business and technology training, and startup funding.

Improving children's education

Because of it Aziza Al-Hassi, Tufahah Suhaim and Amine Kashroud created, School Connect, which aimed at connecting teachers and parents to follow up on the childrens education.

With funds from the European Union, UNDP and Tatweer Research awarded the team a grant to empower women in conflict-affected regions to create sustainable businesses. With this support, School Connect became Panda and has registered nearly 10,000 students and parents of 30 schools.

We were attracted to the idea of building a small company that could create job opportunities in this harsh environment," said Aziza.

The team was aware of the challenges that students, parents and teachers were facing with educational in Libya, they realized that communication was key. In many cases, information regarding a students behavioural and academic performance was not reaching their parents, so Panda created a bridge. And theyve come up with other ways that schools can cut down on unnecessary costs and tasks.

The shared vision and goals of Pandas founders were the main impetus towards its establishment in the Libyan market. This was a very new business concept and we were not totally sure that the school administrations and parents would endorse this method, we were concerned that they might resist Pandas advanced technological solutions, Aziza said.

Practical solutions

Headmaster Mustafa Belhassan was one of the first supporters of Panda. After several meetings with the team he decided to start officially integrating the programme at his school. I was impressed by the idea from the beginning and was surprised to find young people possessing such capabilities with practical technical solutions to the problems of education, he says.

"Mr Mustafa is a passionate person who loves developing technologies, Aziza says. Despite the complicated circumstances, he runs an excellent and very well-organized institution, but he was suffering from the difficulty of transferring information effectively. Traditional methods simply could not keep up with the amount of information that had to be sent, which meant parents lacked the whole picture of their childrens progress.

Because Panda is a new concept in Libya, the founders launched an awareness campaigns on the importance of communication between parents of students and schools, and the tremendous role that technology can play. Their efforts however met great challenges because people in Libya are unaccustomed to online platforms other than the typical social media, such as Facebook and Instagram and they were afraid the new system would be too complicated. To meet their needs Panda team started holding seminars in schools to familiarize parents with their service.

Adapting to COVID-19

As the COVID-19 epidemic spread in Libya, several educational institutions switched to online teaching and the Panda team had to work intensively to adapt.

"We had to take a new step to automate our service so it can become suitable for transferring the academic content, Aziza said. We started organizing the process of sending educational content to the schools we work with, in order to reach students at home. We also opened the door for any student; they can download the content even when the school is not register with Panda."

The Panda team has expanded considerably since it began, creating job opportunities for young women and men. They have organized 40 workshops and provided 65 training sessions to schools.

They are committed to maintain their goal of reaching 60 schools this year.

A technology curriculum

"We do not stop here, says Amine. We've created a mini curriculum that focuses on technology and we are giving it to all schools involved with Panda. Each school puts forward a team to participate in our trainings and compete against each other.

The founders of the Panda continue to provide students with a greater number of lessons to avoid the interruption of their learning process. Our company hopes, in the long run, to become a standard for educational technology in the country and the region," said Tufaha.

TEC has inspired many young men and women to establish their own businesses, adopt technology and keep pace with global developments, with the overall objective of raising the private sector in Libya, especially in the light of the new challenges presented by a global pandemic.

The role of the TEC Incubator team in providing support and guidance was crucial for Panda to adjust to the challenges of COVID-19 in the field of education, and we continue counting on its support to achieve all our business goals, said Amine.
The corresponding decision was made at the session of the government

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Open source

Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine will allocate 285,424 dollars to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and 1,39 million dollars to the State Forest Resources Agency for the implementation of emergency response measures related to fires in the Zhytomyr region. It was reported by Interfax-Ukraine.

The corresponding decision was made at the session of the government that took place today, on April 6.

Another 1396 dollars have been provided to State Forest Resources Agency of Ukraine.

As we reported earlier, the units of the State Emergency Service still assist forestry workers in extinguishing individual nests of smoldering forest litter, hemp and wood.

Fires in forests in the territory of Luhinsky and Olevsky districts were localized. On May 4, rescuers liquidated the ignition of forest litter in three settlements of the Ovruch district.

In total, 114 people and 28 units of equipment have been involved in extinguishing fires in the Zhytomyr region: 56 people and 21 units of equipment were provided by the State Emergency Service.
COVID-19 is striking neighborhoods that were already suffering before the pandemic: one of the most likely indicators of severe respiratory illness is living in an area with high levels of air pollution. Many of these communities also endure high rates of poverty yet are home to the essential workers on the front lines of the crisis. This pandemic has put the inequity of our climate crisis into stark contrast and has made the dire need for reductions in toxic emissions even more clear.

Bridging the gap between rhetoric and the real-life solutions that our policymakers must implement proved difficult long before this current crisis. Transportation accounts for 38 percent of Connecticuts carbon emissions, making it the most polluting industry in the state. Long commutes, rural sprawl and sparse public transit are just some of the factors that keep Connecticuts residents in their cars.

As many of our routines have been put on hold, it has become clear how much we drive during daily life, and how much every aspect of our towns and cities are built around our cars. Many neighbors are realizing that their roads do not safely allow for walking and biking for leisure, let alone travel. Poorly maintained or nonexistent sidewalks and bicycle lanes make it difficult, and oftentimes dangerous, to get around in anything but a vehicle.

The states most recent transportation plan, Connecticut 2030, just makes that problem worse, calling for twice as much spending on roads, interstates and bridges than transit and rail investments. Meanwhile, the states bonding bill that was passed right before the state Legislature closed due to COVID-19 included several expensive interstate widening projects for I-84 and I-95.

COVID-19 has not only exposed the inequalities at the heart of our transportation policies, it has revealed the truth many of us suspected: a lot of those meetings could, in fact, be emails. In a time where telecommuting and working from home will likely long outlast formal quarantines, traffic is unlikely to bounce back to prepandemic levels, meaning there will be less need for massive road-widening projects.

But essential workers  many of whom do not own cars and rely on alternative transit  will still need to get around. Fortunately, many cities and towns already have plans for sidewalks and safe, connected bicycle routes. These are shovel-ready projects that will provide safe alternatives for many driving trips  they just need to be built, and state policy should do more to support them.

What are some of the bright spots in an otherwise grim forecast? The town of Fairfield adopted a Complete Streets policy in late 2018, and Stamford has requested bids to improve street safety conditions for pedestrians, bicyclists and vehicles. Greater Bridgeport is investing in a large alternatives analysis to broaden residential opportunities near train stations, changing the way we build new housing by prioritizing access to public transit.

Connecticut residents are ready to cut emissions, stop climate change and take a stand against companies that prefer to put profits over people. The Transportation and Climate Initiative, or TCI, is a proposed multistate policy that would give Connecticut a double shot in the arm to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions while investing in clean transportation opportunities. TCI would help ensure that fossil fuel polluters pay their fair share while helping to make Connecticuts transportation system work for everyone  whether you drive, walk, bike or ride a train or bus.

COVID-19 is demonstrating in real time that for thousands of Americans, dirty air is becoming a death sentence. Connecticut must work to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. That starts with investing in intuitive transportation solutions that work for our cities and towns  and planning in advance for walkable, transit-oriented development. Connecticuts participation in the Transportation and Climate Initiative is vital not only for our health, but so that we can invest in green transportation and infrastructure jobs to build a resilient and sustainable future.

Lauren Bailey is the climate policy director for the Tri-State Transportation Campaign.
As of May 4, the Department of Public Health of Illinois has reported at least 15,000 COVID-19 cases among Latinos. As of March, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had reported a difference among the infection rates of various ethnic and racial groups.

According to the reports of the CDC, the data of 580 hospitalized patients from March which were confirmed by laboratories to have been infected by the novel coronavirus revealed that 45 percent of the people whose ethnicity and the race was available were white, compared to 55 percent of people in the community. However, 33 percent of patients who were hospitalized were black compared to 18 percent in the community. Additionally, 8 percent were Hispanic compared to 14 percent in the community, says an article.

Among the deaths caused by SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, for which data about race and ethnicity were available, it was found out that the death toll among Black-Americans was 92.3 deaths every 100,000 people in the population. Hispanic people were higher, with 74.3 compared to white people with 45.2 or Asian with 34.5 individuals.



Testing Positive for the Novel Coronavirus

Based on the Department of Public Health in Illinois, Hispanics make up 15,026 people who are testing positive for COVID-19 compared to at least 12,400 people from the Black community who are testing positive for the novel coronavirus. Additionally, more than 13,800 in the White community and at least 2,000 from the Asian community have tested positive.

Some Latinos have been testing positive for the deadly SARS-CoV-2 despite making up less than a fifth of the total population of the state.



The Closeness of Families

According to Doctor Ngozi Ezike, the Illinois Public Health Director, one of the amazing things about Latino culture is the closeness of families where children, parents, and grandparents are living together. This allows the virus to spread easily among them.

Also, Doctor Marina del Rios, an emergency medicine practitioner at the University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago, stated that the other reason for the difficulty of Latinos to observe social distancing.

Additionally, del Rios said that the insufficiency of medical services and language barriers have contributed to the increasing number of COVID-19 positive Latinos.



Who Will Help Translate for Abuelita?

By limiting visitors, abuelitas will not have anyone to help her communicate and translate her sentences, says del Rios.

There are stories about individuals going to the hospital and were not able to express how sick they were due to language barriers. These people get sent home without receiving proper instructions, such as when they should come back. Sometimes it is too late when they come back, de Rios added.



Check these out:



Not Only in the State

This is not only exclusive to the state of Illinois as some other states' Latino population and other minority groups are experiencing these situations and are affecting the spread of COVID-19.

For example, the acts of showing affection among Latinos have been seen as a cause of the fast spread of the deadly novel coronavirus.
Staff photo by Eric Swist

The Texas Department of Public Safety is changing the way it gives driver's licenses to those with learner's permits now that offices have closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

If a person has a learner's license or a license restricted to driving with a licensed operator, they can submit specific documentation to DPS to have the restriction removed.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Calibre Mining Corp. (TSX: CXB; OTCQX: CXBMF) ("Calibre" or the "Company") is pleased to announce production and financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The interim consolidated financial statements and management discussion & analysis can be obtained from www.sedar.com and the Company's website, www.calibremining.com. All figures are in United States dollars.



FIRST QUARTER 2020 HIGHLIGHTS

Production of 42,085 ounces of gold, with 20,636 ounces at Limon and 21,449 ounces at Libertad;





All-In Sustaining Costs ("AISC") 1 at Limon, Libertad and Consolidated of $984, $951 and $1,030 per ounce, respectively;





at Limon, Libertad and Consolidated of $984, $951 and $1,030 per ounce, respectively; Cash generated from operating activities of $20.1 million;





Cash on hand increased 31% (or $10.2 million) to $43.1 million as at March 31, 2020;





Net income of $12.5 million ($0.04 per share);





Positive resource expansion drilling from Limon Norte (including 18.65 g/t Au over 5.1 metres) and Panteon (including 17.77 g/t Au over 10.8 metres); and





Executed the Borosi earn-in agreement and exploration alliance agreement with Rio Tinto Exploration.

Russell Ball, CEO of Calibre stated: "I am extremely pleased with our progress since we closed the transaction with B2Gold last October. We have integrated and optimized operations, reduced costs and implemented our new "hub-and-spoke" operating approach. We see further opportunities to more effectively utilize our 2.7 million tonnes of annual installed processing capacity."

"I am grateful to report that all Calibre employees and contractors are safe, healthy and continue to practice social distancing to help 'flatten the curve'. We are making significant progress as we work towards a solution to allow operations to resume and expect to begin ramping-up before the end of the second quarter."

SUMMARY OF RESULTS

Financial Results

$000 (except per share and per ounce amounts) Q1 2020 Q1 2019

Revenue $59,363 - Cost of sales (including depletion and depreciation) ($ 36,403 ) - Mine operating income $22,960 - Net income (loss) $12,517 ($356) Net income (loss) per share $0.04 ($0.01) Cash generated from operating activities $20,113 ($283) Capital investment in mine development and PPE $6,676 - Capital investment in exploration $2,783 $642 Average realized gold price ($/oz) $1,583 - Total Cash Cost ($/oz)1 $884 - AISC ($/oz)1 $1,030 -



Limon - Financial Information

Limon generated revenue of $29.3 million on sales of 18,525 ounces of gold at an average realized price of $1,581/oz.

Cost of sales (including depletion and depreciation) was $18.4 million. Total Cash Costs (1) and AISC (1) were $878 and $984 per ounce, respectively. Mine operating income was $10.9 million. Cash flows from operations were $10.3 million as a result of a strong gold price environment and an increased focus of managing costs through operational efficiencies.

Total capital expenditures were $6.6 million, including $4.8 million of capitalized stripping of Limon Central Phase 2 and $1.0 million of sustaining capital for the San Jose Tailings storage facility expansion. In addition, the Company incurred $0.7 million of exploration costs at Limon Norte and Panteon.

Libertad - Financial Information

Libertad generated revenue of $30.1 million from sales of 18,969 ounces of gold at an average realized gold price of $1,586/oz. Sales did not include 1,261 ounces that were mined from Veta Nueva as the mine is not in commercial production and the sale of these ounces (and related costs) were netted against capital expenditures incurred during the quarter.

Cost of sales (including depletion and depreciation) was $18.0 million. Total Cash Costs(1) and AISC(1) were $891 and $951, respectively. Mine operating income was $12.0 million. Cash flows from mining operations were $11.9 million as a result of the realized gold price and an increased focus on operational efficiencies.

Capital expenditures totaled $1.8 million for the first quarter after a credit from Veta Nueva development ore of $0.4 million. Exploration drilling of $1.6 million was spent at Jabali, Amalia, Tranca and San Antonio. Development capital included $0.2 million for Pavon.

Net Income

Net income for the quarter was $12.5 million (Q1 2019: net loss of $0.4 million) on $59.4 million of revenue (Q1 2019 revenue: $Nil).

Operational Results

Calibre's asset base includes multiple ore sources, 2.7 million tpa of installed mill capacity from two processing facilities, reliable in-country infrastructure and favourable transportation costs. The Company will continue to optimize its consolidated mine and process plans as we advance our "hub-and-spoke" approach to maximizing value from our integrated asset base.

This philosophy was demonstrated during the first quarter at Libertad which delivered 21,449 ounces of gold production, despite the ongoing suspension at the Jabali underground mine, with approximately 20% of Libertad's production sourced from Limon and Pavon.

The following operational results for the first quarter of 2020 were as follows:

Description Total/Average Limon Libertad Ore Milled (tonnes) 524,100 130,485 393,615 Ore Milled Grade (g/t Au) 2.54 5.11 1.69 Au Recovery 91.8% 89.5% 94.2% Gold Production (ounces) 42,085 20,636 21,449 Gold Sold (ounces) 37,494 18,525 18,969



Limon - Operating Information

Mine production consisted of 191,619 ore tonnes at an average grade of 4.39 g/t gold from the Limon Central Phase 1 open-pit, 25,093 tonnes at an average grade of 3.74 g/t gold from the Santa Pancha underground mine, and 4,827 tonnes of development ore from Veta Nueva at an average grade of 4.51 g/t gold.

While mining at Limon Central Phase 1 continued during Q1 2020, a large stripping campaign for Limon Central Phase 2 was being conducted simultaneously, with approximately 3.3 million tonnes of waste material mined during the quarter. Upon recommencement of operations, the Company expects to continue the stripping campaign at Limon Central Phase 2 in addition to advancing the development of the Veta Nueva underground mine.

Limon produced 20,636 ounces during Q1 2020, driven by an average mill grade of 5.11 g/t gold and a recovery rate of 89.5% from 130,485 tonnes of ore milled.

Libertad - Operating Information

The majority of Libertad's mine production consisted of 120,696 tonnes of ore from the Jabali open-pit grading 2.73 g/t and 236,815 tonnes grading 0.73 g/t from spent ore stockpiles. The Company will continue to optimize its consolidated mine and process plans as we progress our "hub-and-spoke" approach to maximizing value from our integrated asset base. This philosophy was demonstrated during the quarter at Libertad which delivered 21,449 ounces with approximately 20% of Libertad's production sourced from Limon and Pavon, namely, 20,944 tonnes of ore at a grade of 3.08 g/t from Limon and 6,246 tonnes of ore from Pavon at a grade of 13.12 g/t.

As previously disclosed, Calibre suspended blasting and mining activities at its Jabali underground mine as artisanal mining activities caused localized ground instability, impacting approximately 20 properties with 29 families located several hundred meters from the Jabali underground mine. Agreements have been signed to relocate nine of the 29 families. The government is well advanced with its negotiations with the remaining households. Calibre anticipates recommencing mining at Jabali underground during the third quarter of 2020. Despite the hiatus of activities at Jabali underground, La Libertad achieved gold production of 21,449 for Q1 2020 from an average mill grade of 1.69 g/t and recovery of 94.2% from 393,615 tonnes of ore milled.

COMPANY OUTLOOK

2020 Outlook and COVID-19 Update

As announced on March 25, 2020, the Company temporarily suspended operations and withdrew 2020 guidance as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Company will provide updated 2020 production and cost guidance when operations restart.

During the suspension, the Company continues to progress technical studies, social investment programs and permitting activities, including the Pavon Project. In addition to permitting activities, the Company initiated a Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") for Pavon during the quarter and anticipates (i) approval of an exploitation permit, and (ii) a positive PFS announcement before year-end.

The Company is closely reviewing all the steps required to consider restarting the operations in a manner that minimizes the health and safety risks to contractors, employees and their families. While there are a number of details to be worked through, we are hopeful to be in a position to begin a phased restart of operations during Q2. The Company has ample liquidity with cash on hand as at April 30, 2020 of $36.7 million.

Q1 EARNINGS RESULTS AND CONFERENCE CALL DETAILS

Management will be hosting a conference call to discuss the Q1 2020 results and outlook.

When: Thursday, May 7, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Dial-in: +1 (866) 221-1882 or +1 (470) 495-9179 (International) Conference ID: 6645598 Webcast: The live webcast can be accessed on Calibre's website (link here (https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/sck27ggx)). Replay: The conference call replay will be accessible for two weeks after the call Toll-Free +1 (855) 859-2056 or +1 (404) 537-3406 (International) Conference ID: 6645598

The live webcast can be accessed at www.calibremining.com in the Events and Webcast section under the Investor Relations tab. The live audio webcast will be archived and made available for replay at www.calibremining.com. Presentation slides that accompany the conference call can be accessed at www.calibremining.com (http://www.calibremining.com) under the "Investors and Presentations" section of the Calibre website (link here (https://calibremining.com/investors/presentations/)).

Qualified Person

Darren Hall, MAusIMM, SVP & Chief Operating Officer, Calibre Mining Corp. is a "qualified person" as set out under NI 43-101 has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Russell Ball"

Russell Ball

Chief Executive Officer

For further information, please contact:

Ryan King

Vice President, Corporate Development & IR

Calibre Mining Corp.

T: 604.628.1010

E: calibre@calibremining.com (mailto:calibre@calibremining.com)

W: www.calibremining.com (http://www.calibremining.com)



About Calibre Mining Corp.

Calibre Mining is a Canadian-listed gold mining and exploration company with two 100%-owned operating gold mines in Nicaragua. The Company is focused on sustainable operating performance and a disciplined approach to growth.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information

This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation, including: the Company's projected gold production from El Limon (the "El Limon Production"); the Company's projected gold production from La Libertad (the "La Libertad Production"); and outlook, guidance, forecasts, or estimates relating to the El Limon Production or the La Libertad Production. All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are identified by words such as "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "project", "target", "potential", "schedule", "forecast", "budget", "estimate", "intend" or "believe" and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could", "should" or "might" occur Forward-looking statements necessarily involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond Calibre's control, including risks associated with or related to: risks relating to widespread epidemics or a pandemic outbreak including the COVID-19 pandemic; the impact of COVID-19 on our workforce, suppliers and other essential resources and what effect those impacts, if they occur, would have on our business; the volatility of metal prices; changes in tax laws; the dangers inherent in exploration, development and mining activities; the uncertainty of reserve and resource estimates; cost or other estimates; actual production, development plans and costs differing materially from the Company's expectations; the ability to obtain and maintain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for mining activities; the current ongoing instability in Nicaragua and the ramifications thereof; environmental regulations or hazards and compliance with complex regulations associated with mining activities; the availability of financing and debt activities, including potential restrictions imposed on Calibre's operations as a result thereof and the ability to generate sufficient cash flows; remote operations and the availability of adequate infrastructure; fluctuations in price and availability of energy and other inputs necessary for mining operations; shortages or cost increases in necessary equipment, supplies and labour; the reliance upon contractors, third parties and joint venture partners; the dependence on key personnel and the ability to attract and retain skilled personnel; the risk of an uninsurable or uninsured loss; adverse climate and weather conditions; litigation risk; competition with other mining companies; community support for Calibre's operations, including risks related to strikes and the halting of such operations from time to time; conflicts with small scale miners; failures of information systems or information security threats; compliance with anti-corruption laws, and sanctions or other similar measures, as well as those risk factors discussed in Calibre's annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2019, available on www.sedar.com. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect Calibre's forward-looking statements.

Calibre's forward-looking statements are based on the applicable assumptions and factors management considers reasonable as of the date hereof, based on the information available to management at such time. Calibre does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change other than as required by applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements.

__________________________________

Note 1: Non-IFRS Disclosure

The Company believes that investors use certain non-IFRS measures as indicators to assess gold mining companies, specifically Total Cash Costs per Ounce and All-In Sustaining Cash Costs per Ounce. In the gold mining industry, these are common performance measures but do not have any standardized meaning. The Company believes that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, certain investors use this information to evaluate the Company's performance and ability to generate cash flow. Accordingly, it is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS.

Total Cash Costs per Ounce of Gold ("Total Cash Costs") : Total Cash Costs include mine site operating costs such as mining, processing and local administrative costs (including stock-based compensation related to mine operations), royalties, production taxes, mine standby costs and current inventory write-downs, if any. Production costs are exclusive of depreciation and depletion, reclamation, capital and exploration costs. Total Cash Costs are net of by-product silver sales and are divided by gold ounces sold to arrive at a per ounce figure.

All-In Sustaining Costs per Ounce of Gold ("AISC") : AISC is a performance measure that reflects the expenditures that are required to produce an ounce of gold from current operations. While there is no standardized meaning of the measure across the industry, the Company's definition is derived from the definition, as set out by the World Gold Council in its guidance dated June 27, 2013 and November 16, 2018, respectively. The World Gold Council is a non-regulatory, non-profit organization established in 1987 whose members include global senior mining companies. The Company believes that this measure is useful to external users in assessing operating performance and the ability to generate free cash flow from operations.

Calibre defines AISC as the sum of Total Cash Costs, sustaining capital (capital required to maintain current operations at existing production levels), corporate general and administrative expenses, in-mine exploration expenses, amortization of asset retirement costs and rehabilitation accretion related to current operations. AISC excludes capital expenditures for significant improvements at existing operations deemed to be expansionary in nature, exploration and evaluation related to growth projects, rehabilitation accretion not related to current operations, financing costs, debt repayments, and taxes. Total AISC is divided by gold ounces sold to arrive at a per ounce figure.
The SCAI has endorsed the ability of shopping centers to enforce protocols in a 'far more efficient manner' than many others who have benefited from the relaxation, the release said.

Chandigarh: The Shopping Centers Association of India (SCAI) has reached out to the governments of Punjab, Haryana and Union Territory of Chandigarh with a set of standard operating procedures and guidelines for reopening of malls in the twin states.

A representation has also been sent to Chandigarh administrator VP Singh Badnore besides Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar, a SCAI release said here on Wednesday.

The SCAI has endorsed the ability of shopping centers to enforce protocols in a "far more efficient manner" than many others who have benefited from the relaxation, the release said.

While preparing the standard operating procedures (SOPs), the shopping malls association held several consultations with captains of industry and adopted best global practices to ensure that the spread of COVID-19 is contained, it said.

Drawing on recent reports of long queues that were witnessed across the country to buy liquor where social distancing norms were "openly flouted", the SCAI reiterated the need for stringent SOPs and emphasised on the industry's ability to provide a safe and hygienic environment while ensuring social distancing norms are ensured.

The SCAI sought intervention of the government to support the shopping center industry and protect the livelihood of 12 million people as the fate of organised retail remains uncertain amid the COVID-19 lockdown.

The retail industry contributes over 10 percent to India's GDP, the second largest after agriculture, the SCAI release said, adding it employs over 8 percent of the overall workforce making it the third largest in the country.

Malls are equally safe, if not more, compared to any establishment allowed to open and all steps would be taken to ensure the safety of consumers, besides making wearing of masks compulsory, and allowing 50 percent occupancy at food courts and coffee shops, the release added.
Ukraine's visa-free regime with the EU Liga.net

The coronavirus pandemic will not affect Ukraine's visa-free regime with the European Union. This was announced by Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva, the press service of the President reports.

"I have not heard from any of our interlocutors (representative of a foreign state - ed.) that this may be a reason to close the border for Ukrainians or, moreover, to abolish the visa-free regime. As, by the way, with others - we have a visa-free regime not only with the European Union," Zhovkva said.

According to him, the states will gradually open their borders to foreigners.

As we reported earlier, the EU ministers of tourism decided to develop a certificate of security in the sphere of tourism under the provisional name - COVID-passport.

"We have finished the informal conference of the ministers with the participation of all countries-members and European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton. We reached several conclusions, particularly, in the organization of the joint European approach to emerging from the crisis. It will include the creation of joint protocols and measures in the spheres of health and security. The ministers agreed that the common document under provision name Covid-passport should be created and it will work all over the EU," Croatian Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli stated.
(Reuters) - Dominion Energy Inc confirmed on Tuesday its previous cost and schedule estimates for the roughly $8 billion Atlantic Coast natural gas pipeline from West Virginia to North Carolina that is expected to enter service in early 2022. That cost and schedule, however, depends on the company being allowed to cut trees along the pipeline's route during the upcoming November 2020-March 2021 season, Dominion Chief Executive Thomas Farrell told analysts after the company released its first quarter earnings.

(Reuters) - Dominion Energy Inc confirmed on Tuesday its previous cost and schedule estimates for the roughly $8 billion Atlantic Coast natural gas pipeline from West Virginia to North Carolina that is expected to enter service in early 2022.

That cost and schedule, however, depends on the company being allowed to cut trees along the pipeline's route during the upcoming November 2020-March 2021 season, Dominion Chief Executive Thomas Farrell told analysts after the company released its first quarter earnings.

"We can maintain the existing schedule and cost estimates, so long as we can take advantage of the November 2020 through March 2021 tree filling season," Farrell said, noting "We remain confident in the successful completion of the project."

Atlantic Coast, the nation's most expensive gas pipe, is one of several projects to have received federal permits in recent years but which have been delayed by state opposition and local and environmental legal and regulatory battles.

Farrell said the company expects to overcome those challenges this year.

In the Appalachian Trail case, Dominion said it expects the U.S. Supreme Court to rule in its favor in coming weeks, allowing the pipe to cross the trail along its existing route.

In the biological opinion case, Farrell said Dominion is working with the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and expects to receive needed authorizations by the end of this quarter.

Dominion suspended construction of the 600-mile (966-kilometer) project in December 2018 after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit stayed a FWS biological opinion.

On the Nationwide Permit issue, which the Army Corps of Engineers uses to authorize waterbody crossings, Farrell said he expects the U.S. Department of Justice and industry will resolve a legal opinion that questions the legitimacy of the Army Corps' use of the program "in a timely manner."

In a case involving TC Energy Corp's Keystone XL oil pipe, a federal judge in Montana said the Army Corps was inappropriately using the permit program.

The Justice Department asked the judge to limit his ruling so it does not affect the entire program, which could stall hundreds of projects.

Atlantic Coast is owned by units of Dominion and Duke Energy Corp.

When Dominion started work on the 1.5 billion cubic feet per day pipe in the spring of 2018, the company estimated it would cost $6.0-$6.5 billion and be completed in late 2019.

(Reporting by Scott DiSavino, Editing by Bernadette Baum)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
COLUMBIA  Recognizing that "people want their hair cut," Gov. Henry McMaster said Tuesday he could decide later this week when and how salons across South Carolina can reopen.

"I hope to be able to make an announcement on that as to guidelines and dates and removing restrictions next week and even possibly this week," he said following a meeting of his accelerateSC task force. "We need to be safe and sure, but people are ready."

In the meantime, residents can get a slew of information on the state's efforts to reboot the economy as the state's COVID-19 infections level off  including the reopening of state parks and patio dining, testing sites and business assistance  on accelerate.sc.gov.

The website, launched Tuesday, offers a "one-stop shop" for information, said Marcia Adams, director of the state Department of Administration, which McMaster tasked with creating the site.

Other information available includes guidance on face coverings, tips for managing stress, a list of the types of businesses still ordered to be closed and access to free online health care screenings.

The site will be continually updated, to include how the state is spending billions of dollars in federal relief, Adams said.

That includes $1.9 billion specifically to help state agencies and local governments. But that money, among more than two dozen pots of aid flowing to South Carolina, can't be used to simply plug budget holes caused by the loss of taxes, warned former Sen. Greg Ryberg, leading the panel advising McMaster on how to spend the aid.

The federal rules limit the reimbursement to COVID-19-related expenses between March and December, he explained. His panel plans to make recommendations in the coming weeks.

The task force is supposed to dissolve by the end of the month.

A day after patio dining became an option, as per Friday's order, McMaster said he will also decide soon when dine-in eating in restaurants can resume and other close-contact businesses can reopen.

"I get letters from ladies who are dying to go to the beauty parlor. Of course, we dont want them to die when they go to the beauty parlor, thats the thing," said the Republican governor, who's often noted he needs a haircut too. "The barbers, the hairdressers, the stylists, the restaurants are ready to open back up.

"The smaller the business, the more harm is being caused by this virus," he continued. "We need to move as quickly as we can and as safely as we can."

South Carolina's public health agency announced Tuesday that 93 people were newly diagnosed with COVID-19, bringing the total to 6,481 since early March. In all, 296 South Carolinians have died of the virus.

McMaster has already allowed the reopening of public beach accesses  though he let local officials make the final call on those  boat landings and smaller retail stores. Many stores never had to close.

Guidelines on reopening close-contact businesses are "coming right up," said Helen Hill, CEO of Explore Charleston, representing the accelerateSC panel focusing on workforce challenges.

The panel is coordinating with the state's commerce and public health agencies as well as the federal workplace safety agency, she said.

McMaster's announcement Friday on outdoor dining followed suggestions last week by the restaurant association. The panel also recommended allowing dine-in eating, with limitations such as table spacing, as early as May 11 and no later than May 18.

But the governor has not made a decision yet on larger-scale restaurant reopenings.

"Governor, you made some really happy people to be able to sit and enjoy a meal outside," said Hill. "Perhaps we can return to inside dining the week of May 11?"

Her panel is also working on recommendations for reopening attractions, such as museums and the South Carolina Aquarium, and fitness centers.
With the acquisition, Ross Anders, formerly a Managing Partner of ARPM, becomes an equity owner of the company and joins PMA's senior leadership team as the General Manager in Austin.

"We are very fortunate to have Ross lead our Austin team," said Roscoe. "He brings with him a strong pulse of the market which will help grow our business in the region. Ross is well respected as a trusted advisor to clients and known for his leadership in helping them navigate project complexities."

Ross brings more than 20 years of experience to this role, including construction management, general contracting, project management and design firm operations and has overseen development and construction projects for Fortune 500 companies and non-profit organizations. Project highlights include The Thinkery Children's Museum, The Texas State Capitol Dome Restoration, St. Andrew's Episcopal School, Google, VISA, and PIMCO. Anders also has a deep passion for community involvement with his role as founding board member and current President of the Central Texas Folds of Honor chapter and board member for the Hill Country Conservancy.

"We are excited about joining forces with PMA," commented Anders. "Bringing together our mutual strengths accelerates our vision to lead the Austin market with best-in-class owner representation and real estate investment management services."

Brent Jones, the founder of ARPM, recently sold his ownership to Anders. Jones will serve in an "of counsel" role to PMA going forward.

With the acquisition of ARPM, PMA's office employs 10 staff serving organizations across Central Texas and the Southwest region.

"I am enormously proud of our team's expertise and market savvy," said Anders. "And with the additional bandwidth offered by PMA's national network, we are poised to capture additional market share during the next development cycle."

ABOUT PROJECT MANAGEMENT ADVISORS, INC. (www.pmainc.com)

Project Management Advisors, Inc. (PMA) is a national real estate advisory firm that provides consulting services as the owner's representative, specializing in development management, project management, investor management and program management services. The Company today is comprised of 130 people, with more than 95 project professionals skilled in multiple disciplines to provide a 360degree perspective on every assignment. PMA is headquartered in Chicago with offices in Austin, Los Angeles, Orlando, San Diego, and San Francisco, and manages a diverse range of projects in a broad range of industries across the US and internationally. Clients include Fortune 500 companies and other leading organizations in the commercial, corporate interiors, healthcare, hospitality life sciences, residential, civic/municipal, technology, education and not-for-profit sector.

As real estate becomes ever more sophisticated in terms of planning, design, engineering and building, PMA's collective experience creates a unique knowledge base that positions our team to deliver leadership and strategic guidance to solve these complex challenges.

SOURCE Project Management Advisors, Inc.

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Germicidal wipes sit in the supply room at the South Shore Rehabilitation and Skilled Care Center, Friday, March 6, 2020, in Rockland, Mass. From Miami to Seattle, nursing homes and other facilities for the elderly are stockpiling masks and thermometers, preparing for staff shortages and screening visitors to protect a particularly vulnerable population from the deadly new coronavirus. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Police at the scene of a security alert in Stoneyford on May 6th 2020 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

A suspicious object which sparked a security alert in Stoneyford near Lisburn has ended with the item declared a hoax.

Police said they were at the scene around midday on Wednesday, May 6.

Bomb disposal experts were also sent to the scene with roads cordoned off and people forced from their home.

The object has been taken for further examination, police said.

All roads were re-opened and residents permitted to return to their homes police said just after 3pm.

Police appealed for anyone who has noticed any suspicious activity in the Stoneyford Road area recently or who has any information which could assist them with their enquiries to contact police in Lisburn on 101 quoting reference number 25 06/05/20.

Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani has condemned the order by the Nigerian Senate to the federal government to stop the deployment of 5G network in Nigeria.

Recall that on Tuesday, Senate asked the Federal Government to suspend the planned deployment of the fifth-generation (5G) network in Nigeria pending the resolution of all issues thrown up by the new technology.

Also Read: Support Private Sector To Prevent Mass Unemployment: Shehu Sani Tells FG

Reacting to the order, the former lawmaker from Kaduna described it as a needless one. He also expressed that linking 5G to any health concern lacks scientific basis.

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See his tweet below:
By Express News Service

KRISHNAGIRI: Two women from Shoolagiri in Krishnagiri district tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday. This comes days after a man who returned to the district from Puttaparthi tested positive for the virus.

The man was shifted to Salem for treatment and his case was listed against Salem district as 'imported', allowing Krishnagiri to retain its status as a green zone -- a district with no COVID-19 cases.

The cases reported on Tuesday are of a 52-year-old woman and 60-year-old woman. Health officials said both had developed fever and cough in last week. Following this, their blood samples and nasal swabs were sent to Institute of Vector Control and Zoonoses, Hosur. The government declared the results of the tests on Tuesday evening.

Officials suspect that the victims contracted the virus from someone at the Shoolagiri vegetable market. Hence, 70 samples were collected from the market area and the area has been designated a containment zone. The women were admitted to the Government Krishnagiri District Headquarters Hospital on Tuesday and they are asymptomatic.

15 cases in Namakkal



Namakkal district reported 15 new COVID-19 positive cases here on Tuesday. Of this, two are women, and with this the total positive cases have gone up to 76. A couple of days ago, the health officials at Thimmanayakkanpatti check-post had collected blood samples from four lorry drivers and two women. They were tested positive on Tuesday. Out of the 15, three drivers were from Namakkal and one is from Tiruchy. Out of the two women, one is the wife of the lorry driver.

The driver was already infected, said health officials. Moreover, a 46-year-old lorry driver from Karaikurichi Pudur village in Namakkal was also tested positive for the infection in Tenkasi. Later he was admitted to the Tirunelveli Medical College. The other persons from different regions of Namakkal district while one person is from Erode.

Health department sources said that the lorry driver had illegally transported beedi leaves to Alangulam from Mumbai. Four loadmen and an accountant have been quarantined in Alangulam
The Economic Advisor to the Vice President Dr. Gideon Boako said it was deeply upsetting that former President John Dramani Mahama, should capitalise on a global pandemic, which had hit hard, changed the pattern of life and sent everybody reeling, to engage in political mischief and propaganda, in a desperate bid for power.

This goes beyond the pale, he said, adding that, the attitude was wrong, repulsive and a terrible judgement call

Mr. Mahama recently took a dig at the government, saying, Ghana's economy was in the intensive care unit  badly exposed in just one month by the flu-like coronavirus pandemic.

But, speaking to journalists in Accra, Dr. Boako, who is the Economic Advisor to the Vice President, dismissed the claim as a fleeting distraction  to take the focus away from the fight to contain and stop the spread of the acute respiratory disease  COVID-19.

He reminded the former President that the scars of the country's four-year power crisis under his watch are still raw.

"The economy, he superintended, between 2012 and 2016, was so fragile that it could not provide any mitigation and give cushion to both the people and industry.

He served notice that the Government was not going to remain silent to allow the deception to continue.

Dr. Boako said if indeed the former President, and the party he was leading, genuinely wanted to support the Government's efforts at checking the spread of the pathogen, the way to do it was not to set up a parallel team.

They set up their team for political reasons - to give Mr. Mahama the opportunity to make noise about what he had also been doing and to attack the government, with the goal of scoring political points.

Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, had on Monday, May 04, deflated the assertion by the former President that the economy had performed badly under the current political leadership, saying, the facts and data showed the contrary.

He stated that the government remained focused on providing strong leadership to win the battle against the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The economy was withstanding the shocks from the pandemic and stimulus packages were being provided for households and businesses to lessen the suffering, he pointed out.

---GNA
Solidarity  People Before Profit TDs (from left) Paul Murphy, Brid Smith, Richard Boyd Barrett and Gino Kenny speaking to the media at Leinster House, Dublin, for the first sitting of the 33rd Dail (Brian Lawless/PA)

A left-leaning Government is still possible if Sinn Fein re-enters talks with smaller parties, a TD has said.

Solidarity People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd-Barrett has urged Sinn Fein to re-enter talks with other groups on the left to try and form a government.

It comes as the Green Party is to enter formal government talks with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael on Thursday.

Mr Boyd-Barrett has written to Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald regarding attempts to form a government.

Speaking at Leinster House on Wednesday, he said: Efforts to establish a left minority government went on pause during the Covid-19 crisis.

We think it is now urgent to challenge the inevitable return to power of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael.

We had an overwhelming historic demand for an alternative to Fianna Fail and Fine Gael on February 8 and I think, in the aftermath of the public health emergency, it is even more important to have an alternative to the failed policies that left us with a huge crisis in health, housing and deepening inequalities in Irish society.

Expand Close (Left to right) Sinn Fein TDs Eoin O Broin, Louise OReilly, Pearse Doherty and Matt Carthy, speaking to media at Leinster House in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA) / Facebook

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Whatsapp (Left to right) Sinn Fein TDs Eoin O Broin, Louise OReilly, Pearse Doherty and Matt Carthy, speaking to media at Leinster House in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)

I hope Sinn Fein and other parties on the left will renew their efforts to try and create a genuine left, alternative government that will give effect to the demand for change that we saw in the general election.

Fine Gael TD Alan Farrell said a left-leaning government is not possible.

Sinn Fein and the hard left made a half-hearted attempt at government talks after the general election.

In the immediate aftermath of what was a fragmented election result, Fine Gael stood back and gave space to those parties to engage with each other and deliver on the mandate they said they had received.

As we all know, those talks went absolutely nowhere and fell apart almost immediately.

Faced with no progress on government formation, we have proposed the commencement of talks with Fianna Fail and the Green Party.

In the midst of a global and national crisis, there is a need for serious talks, which we propose to undertake in good faith with those two parties.
The Rolling Stones You Cant Always Get What You Want is something of a campaign anthem for President Donald Trump, often played during his rallies and at the end of key speeches.

But the president may have had another Stones tune in mind when he recently renewed a push to paint his U.S.-Mexico border wall black, a proposal that could tack on between $500 million and $3 billion to a project for which the White House has already obtained $15 billion, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.

About a year ago, Trump  eager to erect a wall and deliver on his key 2016 campaign promise by Election Day 2020  ordered the Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Homeland Security to paint the entire barrier black, The Washington Post reported, citing internal communications.

Portions of the walls steel barriers in California have already been painted black at a cost of about $1 million per mile, using U.S. troops which minimized labor expenses.

Military commanders and border officials thought theyd convinced the president last fall that the black coating was pointless and too expensive, while saddling them with unnecessary maintenance for years. The paint was not included in the original U.S. Customs and Border Protection designs, The Post reported.

But four administration officials told The Post that Trump last month pressed senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner and other aides to move forward with the paint job and get cost estimates.

Trump reportedly believes heat-absorbent flat black or matte black paint will discourage climbers while preventing rusting. Administration officials say the president told aides to seek estimates from Fisher Sand and Gravel, a North Dakota-based company with a contract to build part of the border wall in Arizona, according to The Post.

For two coats of acrylic paint, the project could cost $500 million; a premium powder coating could cost up to $3 billion, based on estimates obtained by The Post. The White House has not yet chosen a type of paint or contractor for the job.

Mexico is sadly experiencing very big CoronaVirus problems, and now California, get this, doesnt want people coming over the Southern Border. A Classic! They are sooo lucky that I am their President. Border is very tight and the Wall is rapidly being built!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 4, 2020

The wall itself is on track to extend by 500 miles by November, The Post reported.

The Associated Press reported late last year that the federal government had ramped up efforts to seize private land in Texas to expand the border wall.

Trump said on Twitter Monday that the state of California is sooo lucky that he is president because it doesnt want people coming over the Southern Border amid Mexicos very big CoronaVirus problems.

Border is very tight and the Wall is rapidly being built! he added.
Representative image

Bengaluru-based artificial intelligence startup Vernacular.ai has raised $5.1 million (approximately Rs 38 crore) in its series A round of funding from Exfinity Ventures. Other investors Kalaari Capital, Angel List, IAN Fund and LetsVenture also participated in the round. The startup was part of KStart, Kalaari Capital's accelerator programme.

Vernacular.ai offers software systems which can recognise voice, thereby bringing in efficiency in the way businesses communicate with their customers. The company claims that their software solution can bring operational efficiency among these players and help them reduce cost. It can help enterprises automate 80 percent of their call centre operations thereby reducing cost.

Sourabh Gupta, co-founder of Vernacular.ai, said though companies are trying to offer a better and customised experience for customers, a simple service query might take up to 15 minutes to be solved because of inherent inefficiencies in the systems.

"Businesses are now waking up to the impact of these delays on their bottom lines, and are reviewing and future-proofing their contact centers, As we evolve our voice AI platform - VIVA and expand into newer markets, we will continue to disrupt the legacy contact centre model," he said.

The startup is planning to use the fresh capital to expand in United States of America and South East Asia. It will also use the funds for research and development to strengthen its AI based voice automation platform.

"VIVA completely eliminates the need for capex (capital expenditure) intensive legacy IVR solutions, thus offering a superior cost-efficiency to its customers, combined with an uninterrupted 24x7 support and reach," said Chinnu Senthilkumar, general partner at Exfinity Ventures.

It was founded in Bengaluru by two IIT Roorkee graduates, Sourabh Gupta and Akshay Deshraj along with Prateek Gupta, Pravendra Singh and Abhinav Tushar, Its product helps accelerate engagement strategy, and utilize cutting-edge speech recognition and Natural Language Understanding (NLU) technology for a better customer engagement system.




Action star Tom Cruise is working on a movie shot in outer space, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration said on Tuesday.







"NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station!," NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine wrote on Twitter.







"We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASA's ambitious plans a reality," Bridenstine added.







He gave no details but the tweet followed a report in Hollywood trade outlet Deadline that Cruise was working with Tesla and SpaceX entrepreneur Elon Musk to make what would be the first feature film to be shot in space.







The proposed action adventure is in its early stages, Deadline reported on Monday.







Representatives for Cruise did not immediately return a request for comment.







"Mission: Impossible" star Tom Cruise, 57, is renowned for his daredevil films and for doing his own stunts. He flew fighter jets for the upcoming "Top Gun: Maverick," hung off the side of a plane as it took off in "Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation" in 2015 and climbed the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai - the tallest building in the world - for "Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol."







Filming on "Mission: Impossible 7" was put on hold in February as the coronavirus epidemic took off in Italy. The disease later led to a worldwide shutdown of Hollywood movie and TV production and the closure of movie theaters. (Reuters)


New Delhi, May 7 : Gaurav Mercantile, a company where Raghav Bahl and Ritu Kapur are the promoters, has announced the acquisition of the digital content business, operated under brand name of 'The Quint', from Quintillion Media Private Limited, where also the two are ultimate beneficial shareholders as a related party.

The lumpsum purchase consideration is at an enterprise value of Rs 30.58 crore.

In a disclosure to BSE, Gaurav Mercantile said this is a related party and the acquisition will be as a going concern on a slump sale basis for a lump-sum consideration. The acquisition is subject to the approval of the shareholders.

As per the exchange filing, Raghav Bahl and Ritu Kapur are common directors in Gaurav Mercantile and Quintillion Media Private Limited.

In addition, Raghav Bahl and Ritu Kapur, the promoters of Gaurav Mercantiles Limited collectively owning 66.42 per cent of the share capital, are the ultimate beneficial shareholders of Quintillion Media Private Limited.

Also, as a matter of good corporate governance it is also disclosed that Mohan Lal Jain, promoter of Gaurav Mercantile Limited, is a director on the Board of the holding company of Quintillion Media Private Limited, the filing said.

The transaction is being entered at arm length based on a fair valuation report of an independent valuer, supported by a fairness opinion from a Category - 1 Merchant Banker registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India.

The lumpsum purchase consideration will be at an enterprise valuation of Rs 30.58 crore and an equity value of Rs 12.62 crore, adjusted in accordance with the terms of the draft Business Transfer Agreement (including closing adjustments), based on the fair valuation report of an independent valuer.

The Board of Directors approved the proposal to increase the borrowing powers of the Company and for creation of charge or mortgage or hypothecation against the assets or properties of the Company up-to Rs 100 crore in accordance with the provisions of Section 180 of the Companies Act, 2013, subject to the approval of the shareholders.

The Board of Directors approved the shifting of the Registered Office of the company from the State of Maharashtra to the National Capital Territory of Delhi and consequent amendment to Memorandum of Association of the Company, subject to the approval of the shareholders.

Quintillion Media Private Limited is a private limited company engaged in the business of owning and _ operating diversified digital content platforms. Quintillion Media Private Limited presently operates digital content platforms under the following names viz. "The Quint", "The Quint Hindi" and "FIT".

The digital business had revenues of Rs 11.1 crore as per latest audited financial statements as at March 31, 2019.

The key advantages and effects of acquisition of the Digital Business are to give the company a strong foothold in the digital media business of the economy, enable the Company and its shareholders to reap benefits from projected growth in the digital media business going forward, the filing by Gaurav Mercantile said.
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A close-up image showing the damaged head and body of the Dorsetichthys bechei with the arms of the Clarkeiteuthis montefiorei clamped around it Credit: Malcolm Hart, Proceedings of the Geologists' Association

Scientists have discovered the world's oldest known example of a squid-like creature attacking its prey, in a fossil dating back almost 200 million years.

The fossil was found on the Jurassic coast of southern England in the 19th century and is currently housed within the collections of the British Geological Survey in Nottingham.

In a new analysis, researchers say it appears to show a creaturewhich they have identified as Clarkeiteuthis montefioreiwith a herring-like fish (Dorsetichthys bechei) in its jaws.

They say the position of the arms, alongside the body of the fish, suggests this is not a fortuitous quirk of fossilization but that it is recording an actual palaeobiological event.

They also believe it dates from the Sinemurian period (between 190 and 199 million years ago), which would predate any previously recorded similar sample by more than 10 million years.

The research was led by the University of Plymouth, in conjunction with the University of Kansas and Dorset-based company, The Forge Fossils.

It has been accepted for publication in Proceedings of the Geologists' Association and will also be presented as part of Sharing Geoscience Online, a virtual alternative to the traditional General Assembly held annually by the European Geosciences Union (EGU).

An image showing the full fossil with the body of the squid on the left and its arms, with the trapped fish, to the right. Credit: Malcolm Hart, Proceedings of the Geologists' Association

Professor Malcolm Hart, Emeritus Professor in Plymouth and the study's lead author, said: "Since the 19th century, the Blue Lias and Charmouth Mudstone formations of the Dorset coast have provided large numbers of important body fossils that inform our knowledge of coleoid palaeontology. In many of these mudstones, specimens of palaeobiological significance have been found, especially those with the arms and hooks with which the living animals caught their prey.

"This, however, is a most unusual if not extraordinary fossil as predation events are only very occasionally found in the geological record. It points to a particularly violent attack which ultimately appears to have caused the death, and subsequent preservation, of both animals."

In their analysis, the researchers say the fossilised remains indicate a brutal incident in which the head bones of the fish were apparently crushed by its attacker.

They also suggest two potential hypotheses for how the two animals ultimately came to be preserved together for eternity.

The dramatic coastline near Charmouth in Dorset, UK, has yielded a large number of important fossils. Credit: Lloyd Russell, University of Plymouth

Firstly, they suggest that the fish was too large for its attacker or became stuck in its jaws so that the pairalready deadsettled to the seafloor where they were preserved.

Alternatively, the Clarkeiteuthis took its prey to the seafloor in a display of 'distraction sinking' to avoid the possibility of being attacked by another predator. However, in doing so it entered waters low in oxygen and suffocated.

Explore further The earliest well-preserved tetrapod may never have left the water
Four mine workers are fighting for life and a fifth is in a serious condition after an underground blast at a Queensland coal mine.

The workers, who all have extensive burns, were flown to Brisbane overnight in a complex medical evacuation involving five planes.

Four remain in a critical condition and had to be ventilated to help them deal with damage to their airways, the ambulance service said.

The blast rang out at the Grosvenor Coal Mine at Moranbah in central Queensland on Wednesday afternoon, with the mining union saying a gas ignition along the coalface appears to be to blame.

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Four mine workers are fighting for life and a fifth is in a serious condition after an underground blast at a Queensland coal mine

The workers, who all have extensive burns, were flown to Brisbane overnight in a complex medical evacuation involving five planes

Doug Buchanan from the Queensland Ambulance Service said teams of nurses and doctors worked on the men as they were flown from the Moranbah Hospital to Brisbane.

Four of the men 'required urgent specialist care for their repatriation', he said. Those men were critical, with the fifth victim in serious condition.

All five are now receiving specialist care in the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital.

Mine operator Anglo American has evacuated the worksite, and all other employees have been accounted for.

'Five people have been injured and transported to hospital. All of the injured people's families have been contacted,' a statement from the mining company read.

The mine will remain closed on Thursday, as inspectors work out what happened.

Queensland Mines Minister Anthony Lynham says two mine inspectors had already been on site, with two more to arrive on Thursday.

Mine operator Anglo American has evacuated the worksite (pictured), and all other employees have been accounted for
Infamous property developer Nati Stoliar has re-entered Sydney's real estate industry with his involvement in a boutique eastern suburbs apartment block after being jailed in the US for multimillion-dollar fraud.

The entrepreneur, 70, who was synonymous with some of the city's most palatial waterfront homes, including "Boomerang" at Elizabeth Bay, returned to Australia in 2017 after he was imprisoned in Nevada for two years for his part in a fake biofuel credits scheme that netted $US40 million.

Nati Stoliar at his former mansion in Point Piper. Credit:Simon Alekna

Stoliar, a former associate of Eddie Obeid who once also boasted ownership of Point Piper mansion Villa del Mare, last week finalised a court dispute with Randwick City Council over the development of an architecturally designed seven-unit apartment block on Brook St, Coogee.

He appealed to the Land and Environment Court after council refused the development on the basis it was incompatible with the character of the area, as well as other concerns relating to height and floorspace.
The country's largest retailers have pinned a retail recovery on getting Australians back into jobs and keeping unemployment low, with some warning the sector may otherwise face extended weak consumer spending and downbeat shopper confidence.

While chief executives are split on whether customers will be willing to spend in the coming months, all agreed getting people back to work was essential but said full "normality" would unlikely be achieved until a vaccine is discovered.

Retailers are keeping a close eye on unemployment figures as the initial spike in spending that occurred amid the coronavirus wanes. Credit:Paul Rovere

"We've come from an age of opulence to an age of frugality and austerity," Don Meij, chief executive of $5 billion fast-food giant Domino's, told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.

The self-described optimist said it is likely consumers will be cautious and less disposed to spending for another six to 12 months as a vaccine is developed, an outlook which may significantly stymie Australia's post-coronavirus economic recovery.
RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust is freezing new and early stage projects to cut costs during the coronavirus pandemic as rent collected in April slid.

The move will save one of Canadas largest retail landlords $100 million to $150 million in development spending in 2020, RioCan said in its first quarter report Tuesday.

The Toronto-based REIT said in a separate investor presentation that it collected 55 per cent of its rent in April. The company expects 28 per cent to still be received and has agreed to deferrals for 17 per cent of its tenants. It has $30 million in security deposits and $5 million of letters of credit available to help offset rents in the event of unresolved defaults.

We are confident that virtually all of the tenants we are busy serving default notices upon will indeed pay what they own under the contract, chief executive officer Ed Sonshine said on the investor call. Lets remember a lease is a contract.

He added the RioCan believes that most of the 15 per cent of its tenant base that are smaller independent retailers will survive, helped by RioCan and the governments rental assistance program.

RioCan reported that funds from operations dipped slightly in the quarter and net income fell 47 per cent. And it withdrew guidance for same-property net operating income growth for 2020 because of the COVID-19 crisis.

Although the ultimate impact of the health crisis is difficult to predict, RioCan is well positioned to withstand challenges and adversity with a solid foundation based on its major markets focused portfolio and defensive property and tenant makeup, RioCan said in the report.

Sonshine threw cold water on the theory that the pandemic will permanently change everything about how people interact, such as reducing restaurant outings or cementing the work-from-home experiment.

Im a great believer in human nature and our basic drives for social interaction, he said.
Tia McBean, 22, sent Oralton Robinson, 35, a severed pig's head to his work, a court heard

An alleged stalker sent a man a severed pig's head and bombarded him with takeaways, a court heard.

Tia Mariah McBean, 22 was asked to leave Oralton Robinson, 35 and his girlfriend alone but continued in her harassment campaign, Bromley Magistrates' Court heard.

PC Jane Cullen, on behalf of the Met Police, applied for a stalking protection order against McBean but a judge adjourned and put off making a decision until next month.

The application states McBean 'has carried out acts associated with stalking namely trying to make contact with Oralton Robinson via phone calls and sending takeaways to his place of work and home address.

'She has now sent a severed pig's head to him at this work place. She has been asked by Robinson to stop going to his address and stop calling him and his partner, and to stop sending takeaways to him, but she continues with her behaviour.'

McBean, appeared in the well of Bromley Magistrates' Court, wearing a black jumpsuit and heels with chandelier earrings, made her own application for a variation of an existing restraining order against Robinson.

She claimed Robinson had threatened to post an 'obscene video' of them together and been physically violent towards her.

McBean (pictured left and right) was told to leave Robinson alone but allegedly continued her harassment campaign by calling him and and sending takeaways to his place of work

But her application for a restraining order was rejected due to a lack of evidence and a non-molestation order which is already in force protecting her against unwanted contact from Robinson.

McBean was accused of sending an ex-boyfriend a cursed voodoo doll in 2017.

Then aged 19, she allegedly wrote intimidating letters to Adrian Ranglin before delivering the effigy to him in February 2017.

McBean was charged with sending an article with intent conveying a threatening message but the Crown Prosecution Service later dropped the case against her.

Emma Lewis, for McBean, said the latest stalking protection order - relating to eight alleged victims - would be 'onerous.'

Ms Lewis said: 'It is an application to adjourn we have received the bundle from police this is a very voluminous application its in fact protecting eight persons.

'The requirements are I would suggest on first sight very onerous.

'It will be a contested application especially in relation to the requirements which force her to do something. There is already a restraining order in place.

'There are restraining orders in place and any contact would mean a breach of those in any event.

'The police have got powers in relation to the restraining order.'

Addressing the judge directly, McBean, from New Cross, southeast London, said: 'I would like Oralton Robertson to be prohibited form contacting me directly or indirectly and from entering the street where I live.

'Also it might be a push but to prohibit him from entering New Cross as he has no reason to be there.

'He has subjected me to a lot of harassment and abuse, physical violence, he constantly harassed me, constantly called me up until last week threatening to post an obscene video of us and it is having a detrimental effect on my mental health now.

McBean asked for a restraining order against Robinson after claiming he had threatened to post an 'obscene video of us together' but that was thrown out by District Judge Sarah Turnock

McBean will appear at Bromley Magistrates' Court again on June 1 after hearing was adjourned

'I can't cope with it any more and I feel that if more conditions are not imposed on him he is going to continue doing what he's doing.'

Asked whether she had any evidence, McBean replied: 'It's on my phone but I actually left my phone at home today.'

District Judge Sarah Turnock rejected McBean's application and said: 'The test I need to apply for a restraining order is whether it's necessary to protect you from harm.

'Firstly there isn't actually any evidence here at the moment that shows him contacting you. That can be resolved by you bringing your phone in.

'At the moment because you have a non-molestation order in place against him which has exactly the same conditions in place you're seeking for the restraining order and a breach carries the exact same criminal offence, there isn't any necessity because you have the protection you need from the non-molestation order.

'You can make your application again and bring your phone, emails and hard copies and any reports you've made to the police and that's when to make your application because at the moment your application just isn't necessary.

'I'm rejecting the application for today and the non-molestation order is in place until April 2021.'

The hearing was adjourned until 1 June at Bromley Magistrates' Court.
A woman who was allegedly poisoned by her ICU nurse husband of 19 years inside their western Sydney home says she is 'disgusted' by his actions.

Joytika Lata, 38, was unconscious for eight hours after allegedly being administered the powerful anaesthetic Propofol through a drip by her husband Ugendra Singh, 45.

Ms Lata was only able to call Triple Zero for help when she finally woke up about 7pm on Tuesday.

While she has been discharged from hospital, her husband remains in jail after being charged by NSW Police with four offences - including using poison to endanger life.

Scroll down for video

Ugendra Singh, 45, (pictured, right) is alleged to have poisoned his wife Joytika Lata (left) in their Sydney home after stealing it from the hospital where he worked as a nurse

Ms Lata (left) was released from Blacktown Hospital on Wednesday and while spaking to media outside her home revealed they had been married for 19 years

'(When I woke) I was feeling very wobbly and disorientated and I was blacking out a little bit, but I was aware of what was happening around me,' Ms Lata said outside her home on Wednesday afternoon..

'I knew that something was wrong and that there was something not right with me, that was when I decided to call the cops.'

Ms Lata - herself a hospital nurse - said she had been feeling unwell on Tuesday and asked her husband to take her to hospital.

He refused and instead allegedly insisted on administering her with a saline drip to boost her hydration levels.

Police allege that instead Singh fed the potentially deadly drug into her blood.

She said she was aware of the dangers of Propofol, but had no idea her husband had it in their home after allegedly stealing it from work.

'I was dehydrated and I wanted to go to the hospital, so I said to him: "I want to go to the hospital",' Ms Lata claimed.

'But he said because of COVID-19 it was not safe.

'I know that it (Propofol) is used as a sedative, but I was a general nurse myself I really dont handle the drug or give it to patients.'

Police arrested Singh at their home in Dale Grove at Hebersham, in Sydney's west, late on Tuesday night.

The couple's neighbours Ahsan and Uzma Khan said they knew nothing about what had happened inside the home until they saw the crime scene being established.

Police were called to the marital home of Singh and Ms Lata about 7pm on Tuesday night. They allegedly found several vials of the drug Propofol inside the home

The couple's neighbours Ahsan and Uzma Khan said they knew nothing about what had happened inside until they saw the crime scene being established

Mr Khan said his wife was a good friend of Ms Lata... but were 'shocked' by the allegations against Singh.

'It is really shocking. We shifted here last January and they have been married for more than 10 years,' Mr Khan said.

'They didn't have any kids. She desperately wanted to have kids.

'She (Ms Lata) was a good friend of my wife... she tried to call last night but my wife's phone was on silent, so she called this morning and told her the details of last night's incident.'

Singh was taken to Mount Druitt Police Station and charged with using poison to endanger life, larceny, possessing a restricted prescribed substance and common assault.

Ugendra Singh (pictured) is accused of stealing Propofol from the hospital where he worked as a nurse and using it to poison his wife

The 45-year-old nurse allegedly stole the dangerous drug Propofol from the hospital where he worked before giving it to his wife. He faced Penrith Local Court on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to all charges. He was remanded in custody and will return to court in July

He faced Penrith Local Court on Wednesday morning where he pleaded not guilty to all four charges against him.

The court heard that police allegedly found vials of the drug Propofol in the home.

It is the same substance that was given to pop star Michael Jackson before he died.

Magistrate Janine Lacy ordered Singh to remain behind bars and refused bail. He will return to court on July 2.

NSW Police also took out an AVO against Singh on behalf of his wife.
The body of a young mother has been found dumped in a remote mining town in WA's Pilbara region, sparking a major police investigation.

Nine News Perth reporter Jerrie Demasi said the 18-year-old mother of two young children was found unresponsive by her family about 4am on Wednesday.

Police said they put her body in a wheelie bin and pushed it to Newman Hospital, which was located about 50 metres away.

Emergency staff immediately called the police and the woman was pronounced dead.
How a reclusive town of aging hippies worked to screen itself from coronavirus
Dozens of coronavirus patients held a protest outside a treatment centre in the north-eastern Nigerian state of Gombe, saying the authorities were not taking good care of them.



The patients complained of lack of drugs and proper feeding.



They mingled with members of the community during the Tuesday evening demonstration and blocked a nearby highway in the village of Kwadon - about 8km (five miles) from the state capital.



The state's health commissioner, Ahmed Gana, told the BBC that the patients were asymptomatic and did not require drugs. The authorities also deny the allegation about a lack of proper feeding.



Officials later persuaded the demonstrators back into the treatment centre, but are worried about a possible spread of the virus to villagers who came out to witness the protest.



They have urged those who might have contacted the protesting patients to self-isolate for at least 14 days.



Gombe state has so far confirmed about 100 coronavirus cases against a national tally of 2,950.

Source: BBC









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C asting directors have called on the TV and film industry in the UK to safeguard the future of UK theatre and theatre makers.

The Casting Directors Guild asked in a statement for the more financially robust sectors of the arts to lend a hand to the sectors that are struggling due to the pandemic, adding that the talent fostered in theatres throughout Great Britain and Ireland is envied around the world and is endlessly drawn on by screen media.

We believe that television and film production companies must confront a stark reality: that, without your help, the talent pool which we all rely on faces its greatest existential threat in a generation.

The CDG said that TV and film reap the benefits of theatre innovation in the UK, citing such artists as Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Sam Mendes, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Abi Morgan, who made their names as theatremakers before their work appeared on screen.

The success of recent television and film productions has further demonstrated this, with playwrights Alice Birch adapting Normal People for the BBC, and James Grahams play Quiz coming to ITV, both breaking records.

The statement also noted that without Edinburgh Fringe, which has been cancelled for this year, leading actors in studio films would never have been discovered without the bold experimentation of affiliate theatres, while local theatres are crucial for nurturing celebrated screenwriters with new writing schemes.

It is vital that we, as an industry, acknowledge the grim ramifications of abandoning our theatre colleagues as they face the fallout from COVID-19."

Theatres across the UK have been closed since March 16, with many expressing the financial difficulty that this has imposed. Smaller theatres have lost up to 95 per cent of their income, while larger venues are also at risk due to huge running costs.
- Most parts of the country would experience heavy and moderate rainfall until end of May

- Western and Rift Valley counties would be the most affected with most receiving heavy rainfall of up to 100mm

- Parts of Turkana, Machakos, and Garissa counties are expected to witness moderate rainfall of between 20-70 mm

- Parts of Nairobi, Kiambu and Meru would experience heavy rainfall of up 70mm

The ongoing rains seem to be far from over after Kenya Metrological Department forecasted more downpour in the coming days.

The weatherman said most parts of the country would experience moderate and heavy rainfall throughout the month of May.

READ ALSO: Anerlisa Muigai amkumbuka marehemu dadake kupitia picha hizi murwa

Heavy floods have paralysed transport and rendered many families homeless across the country. Photo: Citizen TV

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Customer leaves KSh 138,000 tip at restaurant for reopening after coronavirus shutdown

According to the forecasts, parts of Western Kenya and Rift Valley and Nyanza region would receive heavy rainfall of up to 100mm between May 5 to May 11.

"Very heavy cumulatively rainfall > 100 mm is expected over most parts of West Pokot, Trans Nzoia, Keiyo-Marakwet, Bungoma, Uasin Gishu, Nandi, Vihiga, Kisumu, Kericho, Nyamira, Kisii, Narok and some parts of Samburu," predicated the met dept.

Parts of Turkana, Machakos, and Garissa counties are expected to witness moderate rainfall of between 20-70 mm while parts of Taita Taveta, Makueni and Kitui counties would experience light rainfall below 20 mm.

Most parts of Marsabit, Wajir, Isiolo, Garissa, Kitui, Tana River and partially Taita Taveta would be expected to remain dry.

Parts of Nairobi, Kiambu and Meru would experience heavy rainfall of up 70mm.

"Heavy cumulatively rainfall > 70mm is expected over some parts of Nairobi, Kiambu, Meru, Machakos, Embu, Kajiado, Laikipia, Turkana, Kwale, Kilifi, Lamu and Garissa counties," said weatherman.

The government has advised those in areas prone to landslides and mudslides to migrate to safer grounds being the are faced with the looming tragedy.

Devolution CS Eugine Wamalwa said the government would be compelled to force such people out of their homes should they be reluctant to heed to the call.

At least 164 people have been killed by floods and hundreds of houses submerged, rendering more than 2,000 people homeless.

Western counties are the most affected by the devastating impact of heavy rainfall which continue to pose a threat to their livelihood.

Kisumu, Homa Bay, Siaya and Busia, Elegeyo Marakwet, West Pokot and Baringo counties have recently witnessed massive floods and landslides that have forced locals to seek refugee in nearby schools after their houses and valuables were swept away.

Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly

I lost my eye to the Kenya Police - Michael Maina I Tuko TV

Source: TUKO.co.ke
Today we made the difficult decision to cease operations for Dakine Equipment in Hood River.



This challenging decision was based on the significant pressure and the financial and operational impacts that the COVID pandemic have had on the business, and although this decision was difficult to make, it in no way reflects the commitment to the Brand and the outdoor community it serves.



Our focus at Dakine has and always will be serving our consumer by staying committed to developing trusted, innovative, sustainable, purpose driven product for the water, mountains and lifestyle in between.



Hood Rivers heritage built over the past 36 years will not be lost. As the Brand moved from its birthplace of Maui (where we still have a Dakine Brand shop) to Hood River to cement the business in the wind and kite space over 36 years ago, it is now moving to its new home in Southern California to further pursue the global opportunity in lifestyle, travel, and accessories  while still maintaining focus on the core sport equipment categories of surf, snow, and bike.



We will be transitioning operations and a number of employees to our global headquarters in Southern California. This transition will be phased and as appropriate, we will communicate timing, points of contact, and next steps.



We do not anticipate any further disruption to the business or its operations throughout the transition.



Again, this decision was not made lightly, and we understand the impact this move has on our associates; we remain committed to supporting all through this transition. However, our long-term commitment to Dakine remains and the moves we are making now will ensure that we are able to make the long-term investments needed for the Brand.
Indian government is pushing for the use of the Aarogya Setu app as one of its efforts to curb the spread of Coronavirus in the country.

Indias own COVID-19 contact tracing app has hence been mandated for use by many workers, both private and government alike. With this increased use though, come increasing concerns of data privacy.

Aarogya Setu App

The most recent of these privacy concerns were raised by an ethical French hacker by the name of Robert Baptiste aka Elliot Alderson. In a tweet, Alderson mentioned that he had found a security issue in the app and that the privacy of 90 million Indians is at stake.



It did not take long for the tweet to catch the eye of Aarogya Setu app developers. The team contacted Alderson shortly who disclosed the security loophole to the team. The team has now released a statement verifying the cause for concern.

Hi @SetuAarogya,



A security issue has been found in your app. The privacy of 90 million Indians is at stake. Can you contact me in private?



Regards,



PS: @RahulGandhi was right  Elliot Alderson (@fs0c131y) May 5, 2020

First and foremost, the team clarifies that no personal information of any Aarogya Setu app user has been proven to be at risk by Alderson. Building on this, a new statement by the team at Aarogya Setu mentions two concerns raised by Alderson and subsequently answers them.

One was that the app fetches the user location at various points of use and another was that the users are able to change the stats on home screen by changing the radius and latitude-longitude in the app through a script.

The team at Aarogya Setu clarified that the app is meant to track the location at various points, as mentioned in its privacy policy. As for the second concern, the team maintains that the radius parameters are fixed for one of 5 values and cannot be changed outside of that.

Statement from Team #AarogyaSetu on data security of the App. pic.twitter.com/JS9ow82Hom  Aarogya Setu (@SetuAarogya) May 5, 2020

But is that justification enough for all the privacy concerns around the app? Not really.

Post the response by the Aarogya Setu app team, Alderson took to twitter again to poke the developers, posting Do you know what triangulation is @SetuAarogya? It is highly likely that another security issue will soon be raised by the ethical hacker.

Alderson is not alone

A new report by Edelman sheds light on the level of trust people are placing on their national government during the COVID 19 pandemic. The public is relying on government to protect them in a manner not seen since World War II, says the report.

The study shows the notion to be prevalent across activities. People are trusting their governments to provide economic relief, restore normalcy, contain COVID-19, and inform the public while being guided by their best interest every step of the way.

Reuters

Since the Aarogya Setu app is a form of the gathering and imparting information to public, it can be understood that the people of India are placing all their trust on the app and privacy concerns around location tracking and data procurement are not being paid any heed.



Edward Snowden, founder of WikiLeaks, warned of this. As per Snowden, all such digital contact tracing measures being used by the governments across the world will go on to become surveillance systems and will have a huge impact on the privacy of the users. He warns that such apps/ measures will not just stop existing once the pandemic is under control.

Google and Apple, who are now working on a similar COVID-19 tracing app, had to recently reassure of the same. Engineers from both the teams confirmed that the upcoming app will be shut down after the pandemic is over. Maybe an assurity like this is what is needed to have greater privacy faith in the Aarogya Setu app, too.
Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik



on Wednesday accused the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka governments of adopting an uncooperative approach in taking back migrant workers hailing from these two states.

The Minority Affairs Minister also accused the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh of not wanting to take back the migrant workers from the northern state who are stranded in parts of Maharashtra due to the coronavirus- enforced lockdown.

Malik, however, said that such a problem has not arisen with other states like Bihar, Rajasthan and another BJP-ruled state, Madhya Pradesh.

Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka are two states whose approach has been such that they do not want to take back the migrant workers (stuck in Maharashtra).

"They are creating new hurdles. There are no such problems in case of other states like Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal though.

"The process (of sending back migrants) has been smooth in the case of these states, Malik said.

The NCP leader alleged that the Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka governments either dont want the people hailing from their states to return or are deliberately creating hurdles so that out of job workers do not go back in big numbers.

The Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka government should understand one thing. The migrant workers are not ready mentally to stay back in Maharashtra and want to return to their native states, Malik said.

The NCP minister said the Maharashtra government has been sending the applications received from migrant workers to the nodal officers of their respective native districts.

Once the nodal officers (of the native districts) concerned approve the applications, the workers are sent back either by trains or private vehicles following their medical tests, Malik added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Regional media owners on the verge of shutting down news bulletins and newspapers can't access $50 million worth of emergency funding because the federal government has waited three weeks to release eligibility guidelines.

Companies including Prime Media Group and Antony Catalano's Australian Community Media want to know whether they will get access to the emergency grant, which was designed to help regional proprietors through the COVID-19 pandemic, so they can decide if they need to close news bulletins and stand down staff.

COVID-19 has put already under pressure regional media companies in a state of emergency. Credit:Jessica Hromas

Mr Catalano, who shut multiple non-daily newspapers and stood down staff from newsrooms three weeks ago, said the wait was delaying decisions about the company's future.

"We would urge the government to set guidelines to establish our eligibility" Mr Catalano said. "We are in limbo...there's every likelihood of further stand-downs if we don't know what we are eligible to receive."
May 6, 2020

 A real astronaut leads the tour of a fictional moon base packed with references to real-life space history in a newly-released video by Apple.



Former NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman, who logged more than 90 of his 107 days in space on board the International Space Station, hosts the virtual tour of Jamestown moon base, or rather the set for such, that was featured in the first season of the alternate Apollo history drama "For All Mankind." Reisman, who also worked for and now serves as a senior advisor to SpaceX, was a technical consultant for the Apple TV+ series, which was created and written by Ronald D. Moore ("Star Trek," "Battlestar Galactica").



"Mankind has always been fascinated by the moon and traveling there was one of humanity's greatest achievements. But what if landing on the moon was just a beginning?" says Reisman as the four-and-a-half-minute video begins. "Welcome to Jamestown, 1974."



In reality, NASA's Apollo 17 mission returned to Earth with the last astronauts to fly to the moon in late December 1972. By early 1974, the space agency also had landed the third and final crew to live aboard the United States' first space station, the Skylab workshop. Only one Apollo flight remained  the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project flown jointly with the Russians in 1975  before the space shuttle program began in 1981.



In "For All Mankind," space history diverges from reality at the point when a Soviet cosmonaut (real-life first spacewalker Alexei Leonov) takes humanity's first steps onto the moon in 1969. Instead of the United States declaring victory, the space race continues, as both the U.S. and Russia pursue bolder missions on the moon.







"For All Mankind" Jamestown tour. Click to enlarge in new window. (Apple TV+)

Enter Jamestown, literally. In the new video, Reisman takes viewers on an in-depth tour of the moon base set, pointing out details that even the most fervent watchers of the series might have missed. (For a limited time, audiences in the U.S. and over 100 countries and regions can watch "For All Mankind" for free on the Apple TV app.)



With the rock group Bachman Turner Overdrive's 1973-hit "Takin' Care of Business" playing in the background, Reisman guides viewers through the solar-powered, single-module base as on-screen notations point out the features he is describing.



"Jamestown base is the first permanent outpost established on the moon built for exploration and research. It is designed to house three astronauts for three months at a time," Reisman says as the off-screen narrator. "It is not exactly a five-star hotel. Space is confined and privacy is almost non-existent, but compared to the LM [lunar module, or the Apollo moon lander], it is actually pretty roomy."



Inside, Reisman points out the advantages of living in an environment where there is just enough gravity (one-sixth that of Earth) to make a shower a possibility. The shower's design is reminiscent of the one used aboard the real Skylab, but in microgravity the astronauts had to squirt water from a hose and use washcloths to clean off their bodies.



Other Skylab-inspired systems shown on the Jamestown tour include resistance bands to aid in exercising, Apollo-style switches and status dials to control and monitor the on board equipment and even the color-coded Snoopy decals used in real life to distinguish between different crew members' personal items.



Speaking of the crew, mission patches attached to the moon base's walls reveal a few more nods to real-life astronauts, including the names "Crippen" and "Engle," as well as "Cobb," which in the context of the series was the first American woman on the moon, but in reality was the surname of one of the first 13 women pilots to pass the same medical tests as the Mercury 7 astronauts.



Reisman also highlights the use of Apollo hardware in the design of the base itself.



"Some of this external equipment might look a little familiar," he says, as a blueprint of the lunar outpost is displayed on the screen. "The fuel tanks, the RCS [reaction control system] thrusters and four descent engines were all repurposed from the LM (shown here as spelled "LEM," or Lunar Excursion Module, the original acronym for the real-life Apollo LM).



There is even a cameo by a real-life Apollo veteran. At one point, as Reisman is describing the communications systems with Earth, a TV screen shows archival footage of Instrumentation and Communications Officer, or INCO, Ed Fendell, whose job in Mission Control included controlling the TV cameras positioned on the moon during the Apollo 15, 16 and 17 missions.



The attention to detail makes the Jamestown moon base seem realistic, but of course, it is just a Hollywood set, made for the filming of "For All Mankind." Reisman, though, ends the video with a nod to NASA's and others' ambitions to return astronauts to the moon, this time sustainably and for extended stays.



"Jamestown shows what a moon base could have looked like in the Apollo era. It is realistic as possible, given the technology of the time," says Reisman. "Now, we've come a long way since the Apollo era  I mean, think about what a moon base could be with the technology of today. Maybe the idea of living on the moon is actually closer than we think."
Health insurers have advanced billions to doctors and hospitals. But more substantial help is needed. Health insurers should switch from paying doctors for services rendered (the fee-for-service model) to paying them a fixed fee per patient they care for (known as capitation), with adjustments for quality provided and how sick patients are.

The Hawaii Medical Services Association (the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Hawaii), did this a while ago, and guess what? Unlike doctors in other states, Hawaiis primary care physicians are not on the brink of bankruptcy. Previous physician resistance to capitation has changed under Covid-19. The Massachusetts Coalition of Primary Care called upon state health officials to do it, but private insurers should do it too.

Fourth, health insurers should work with public health officials to prepare primary care practices and others to do Covid-19 testing and contact tracing. Many health insurers now employ doctors and nurses to develop clinical protocols, identify gaps in the quality of care, share data with physician practices on how they are doing, and directly work with patients through call centers. This system could be used to increase the public health response that is critical to saving our economy.

For example, health insurer call centers could assist in contact tracing. Health insurers also should be working with hospitals and physician practices to set up sites for members with Covid-19 symptoms to be tested and cared for rather than languishing at home. We dont need more 20- and 30-somethings with strokes waiting it out at home because they are afraid of getting Covid-19 at a hospital.

Finally, health insurers should aggressively help doctors understand why fewer people are seeking care for conditions other than Covid-19, and help ensure that members get the care they need, because more of them may be dying for lack of treatment. During stressful times people are more prone, not less prone, to experience heart attacks and strokes. Yet those patients are missing from our hospitals.

Health insurers know which patients take drugs for chronic conditions. They should reach out to those who delay visits or miss prescriptions to get them what they need and let them know who to call for care.

Health insurers are profiting from the pandemic. While this may not last forever and some are already taking some of these recommended steps, all insurers need to step up and demonstrate their commitment to the nations health. They can help public health officials, health care providers and patients if they do. Then they could become heroes just like nurses and doctors.

Amol S. Navathe and Ezekiel J. Emanuel are physicians who direct the Healthcare Transformation Institute at the University of Pennsylvania.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com.

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Apple had skipped a version number to release iOS 13.5 Beta 3 and iPadOS 13.5 Beta 3 to developers last week with COVID-19 contact tracing APIs. Now, the company has released iOS 13.5 Beta 4 and iPadOS 13.5 Beta 4 to compatible iPhones and iPads that are registered to beta-test developer builds of the operating systems.

The Cupertino-based has released the fourth developer beta versions of iOS 13.5 and iPadOS 13.5 to all compatible iPhones and iPads. Developers who are registered with Apple can now download and install these beta versions of iOS and iPadOS on their devices via OTA (over the air) or by downloading them from Apple Developer Center.

Apple hasnt released the official changelog yet, but we expect the company to add various bug fixes to the software and improve the stability of the system with its new builds. Once we get hold of the changelog or spot new features or UI changes, we will update the article to reflect the changes. We expect the company to release the public beta version of iOS 13.5 and iPadOS 13.5 by the middle of this month.

With iOS 13.5 Beta 3 and iPadOS 13.5 Beta 3, Apple introduced the COVID-19 contact tracing technology that it has been working on in collaboration with Google. With XCode 11.5, which was released alongside iOS 13.5 Beta 3 and iPadOS 13.5 Beta 3, authorized developers could create apps using the COVID-19 contact tracing APIs and alert users of exposure notifications.

iOS 13.5 and iPadOS 13.5 also brought a small change to the unlocking process to detect if a user is wearing a mask and skips to the passcode screen, making it easier to unlock the device. The update also added the ability to disable larger tiles in Group FaceTime video calls.

Prior to iOS 13.5 Beta 3 and iPadOS 13.5 Beta 3, Apple had released iOS 13.4.5 Beta 2 and iPadOS 13.4.5 Beta 2 last month with the ability to share Apple Music songs to Instagram, complete with lyrics and link to the music track on Apple Music.

Update 1: The company has also released tvOS 13.4.5 Beta 4 to compatible Apple TV devices and watchOS 6.2.5 Beta 4 to compatible Apple Watches. The third developer beta versions of tvOS 13.4.5 and watchOS 6.2.5 were released last week.

Update 2: Apple has also released the macOS 10.15.5 Beta 4 to developers, and it can be installed on all iMacs, iMac Pros, Mac Minis, MacBooks, MacBook Airs, and MacBook Pros that are compatible with macOS Catalina 10.15. The second developer beta of macOS 10.15.5 brought battery health management improvements, but there has been no huge change apart from that.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-05 23:59:25|Editor: huaxia

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LAGOS, May 5 (Xinhua) -- The UNICEF has called for urgent actions to protect the internally displaced children as they are among the world's most vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While introducing a latest report by UNICEF, Peter Hawkins, UNICEF representative in Nigeria, told media in Abuja that hundreds of thousands of children in northeast Nigeria are living in the shadow of conflict and now in the increasingly challenging shadow of a global pandemic and its potential socio-economic aftermath.

"When a new crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic emerges, displaced children are especially vulnerable and the gaps in our ability to keep them safe are even more stark. We must urgently work together - all of us, government and humanitarian partners - to keep them safe, healthy, learning and protected," Hawkins said.

According to the UNICEF report titled "Lost at Home", at the end of 2019, an estimated 46 million people were internally displaced by conflict and violence across the world. About 19 million were children.

There are currently 1.9 million people displaced from their homes in restive northeast Nigeria, with 60 percent of them are children, said the report.

The report continued that with crowded living quarters, limited to clean water and sanitation and cutting off from public health messages, internally displaced people are facing high risk of rapid spread of COVID-19.

Hawkins said looking at the risks and challenges facing internally displaced children, urgent actions from government, civil society, private sector and humanitarian actors are needed to protect them. Enditem
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Uber Technologies Inc will cut about 3,700 full-time jobs and Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi will forgo his base salary for the remainder of the year, the company said on Wednesday, as the COVID-19 pandemic decimates ride-hailing businesses. Uber and rival Lyft Inc have been under investor pressure to show profits but the coronavirus-led lockdowns have forced them to cut costs and withdraw their full-year financial outlooks as demand for app-based rides have dropped sharply across the world. Uber said the layoffs, affecting 17% of its employee count, included its ...
Not all heroes wear capes! Two-time Golden Globe Award-winner and humanitarian Angelina Jolie appealed to the U.S. Congress to help families struggling with food due to the coronavirus crisis.

Jolie, who is also the Special Envoy to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, urged senior U.S. politicians to increase food assistance to households across the United States through the next coronavirus legislation.

As cited by USA Today, the "Tomb Raider" star wrote a letter addressed to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, telling them the effects of COVID-19 to millions of children in America.

"Many of the most vulnerable children in America have missed nearly 740 million meals at school, due to closure resulting from the rapid spread of coronavirus. With parents facing lost jobs and wages, many of these children are going hungry," Jolie said.

The 44-year-old actress added that with the increased stimulus relief package through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), kids will be safeguarded from hunger despite being out of schools -- where they usually receive free meals.

"While strengthening SNAP will not alleviate all of the challenges low-income families are facing during the public health emergency, it will help ensure that fewer children go to bed hungry in our country," Jolie furthered,

Last March 2020, schools were forced to temporarily shut down in hopes to curb the spread of COVID-19.

With the ongoing pandemic, school officials are looking into indefinite closures as a real possibility. This means more than 20 million students who only rely on free school meals would be affected by the health crisis.

Meanwhile, the Senate unanimously passed a $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package to serve as an emergency assistance fund for the pandemic.

Jolie "Disgusted" With COVID-19 Efforts

Furthermore, USA Today also reported that Jolie was counseled by various organizations such as No Kid Hungry -- a non-profit group that aims to end child hunger in America by ensuring that all children get the healthy food that they need.

The said organization has provided emergency grants to local community groups and schools as the pandemic continues.

The "Salt" actress reportedly told the non-profit group via phone call that she was "disgusted" how the administration reacted and reached this point.

"I knew that there were problems in America. I knew that there was poverty," Jolie said. "I could not believe when I realized how many schoolchildren in America were dependent on a meal to not go hungry. I was so disgusted that we have gotten to this point as a country."

Unemployment Rate Surpasses 22 Million

Recently, it has been reported that unemployment in the U.S.A. has soared to 22 million since the mid of April and another 3.8 million last week as the pandemic continues to cripple the economy.

The figures suggest that the pace of layoffs appears to be slowing. However, in just six weeks, an unprecedented 30 million Americans have now sought unemployment benefits and the numbers continue to increase.

READ MORE: Royal Headache: Queen Elizabeth II 'Annoyed' With Prince Charles' Un-Royal Trait!
An aerial view of oil tankers anchored near the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles amid the coronavirus pandemic on April 28, 2020 off the coast of Long Beach, California.

Oil prices dropped on Wednesday, snapping a five-session winning streak, as oversupply concerns outweighed optimism over economies reopening.

West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark, shed 2.3%, or 57 cents, to settle at $23.99 per barrel. In a volatile session, the contract swung between a gain of more than 6% at the high  climbing to $26.08  and a more than 8% loss, hitting a session low of $22.58 per barrel. On Tuesday the contract soared 20.45%.

Brent crude, the international benchmark, settled 4% lower at $29.72 as the coronavirus pandemic continues to hit demand.

"The rally in crude also feels lofty as discussions with refiners continue to suggest lower run cuts are in the cards given weak margins," analysts at Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co., a Houston-based energy investment bank, said in a note to clients Wednesday.

Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration released Wednesday showed that for the week ending May 1 inventories rose by 4.6 million barrels, which was smaller than the 8.67 million barrels build analysts had been expecting, according to FactSet.

Over the last week, WTI has soared more than 50% as easing shelter-in-place restrictions fueled optimism that demand for oil may have bottomed. Given the rapid run higher, Jeff Kilburg, CEO at KKM Financial, said the selling could be due to investors locking in gains.

"Crude oil volatility persists and after a nearly 100% sensational move higher (off of $14 on 4/29) WTI is incurring some profit taking," he told CNBC. "Additionally, the demand for crude remains quite opaque as re-openings of economies globally occur," he added.

NationsShares president and chief investment officer Scott Nations noted that the recent run took the WTI contract for June delivery to its highest level since it became the front-month contract, so "the getting probably seemed good."

An improving demand outlook spurred recent optimism, with prices also supported by producers announcing scale backs in operations. The historic cut from OPEC and its oil-producing allies, which takes 9.7 million barrels per day offline, went into effect on May 1. Norway and Canada have also curbed production.

In the U.S., data from the Energy Information Administration showed that last week production declined by 200,000 bpd to 11.9 million bpd. This is 1.2 million bpd below March's record high. Exxon, Chevron and ConocoPhillips are among the companies that have cut production in the face of depressed prices.

But some note that as storage continues to fill, the announced shut-ins are still not enough.

"Indications show that for yet another week, storage is continuing to fill up, despite the shut-ins and the output cuts," noted Bjornar Tonhaugen, head of oil markets at Rystad Energy. "Demand, which indeed now is on the recovery road, is not yet enough to balance the produced oil and that oil has to go somewhere," he added.
If theyre heroes, pay them like heroes  and protect them like the precious resources they are.

Americans nationwide have lavished praise upon essential workers. We cheer the front-liners tending to the sick, stocking groceries, delivering supplies, cleaning hospitals, processing meat and driving buses. So, too, does the president.

Through it all, we have seen the heroism of our doctors and nurses like never before. These are our warriors. The bravery of our truck drivers, such bravery, and food suppliers, President Trump said at a news conference last month. Such incredible bravery.

Such plaudits, though presumably welcome, havent shielded these pandemic warriors from growing ill and dying in staggering numbers.

The United States owes these workers more.

Those around the country taking on great risk so that the rest of us can stay home should be compensated for that risk. Yet home health aides can make as little as $9 an hour for the privilege of exposing themselves to a deadly disease.

Some companies have offered hazard or premium pay to essential workers. Big employers such as Target, Kroger and Campbell Soup Co. have given temporary raises, about $2 per hour. Others have offered one-time bonuses, generally $150 to $500.

Such top-ups seem meager relative to the risk.

To be fair, it may be difficult for firms to offer more generous raises under current conditions.

Even mega-retailers experiencing huge demand for groceries and other staples are hurting because purchases of higher-margin, discretionary items, such as clothes, have plunged.

Anti-price-gouging laws and customer price sensitivity also restrict their ability to charge more for those in-demand basics. And other non-labor expenses, for cleaning and logistics, are up. In other words, even companies best positioned to make money during this crisis may experience lower profits.

Still, the federal government could help make sure essential workers get paid what they deserve.

Last month, Senate Democrats proposed a Heroes Fund to raise the wages of certain categories of workers as much as $13 per hour through the end of the year.

Details for how that money would be delivered to employees are still being worked out. Experiences thus far with the Paycheck Protection Program, expanded unemployment benefits and direct payments to households reveal that virtually every method for getting money out quickly is rife with major challenges.

On Friday, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, offered a framework for Patriot Pay, a somewhat more limited plan. Romneys proposal would give workers a temporary bonus of up to $12 per hour  with phaseouts for higher-income workers  in May, June and July. Companies would be required to kick in a quarter of the value of the bonus, with the remaining three-quarters reimbursed via a refundable payroll tax credit.

Romneys office says employers could submit a streamlined claim to the IRS, piggybacking off the recently created system to advance paid-leave tax credits. Payroll companies might be able to advance the credit, too, so that cash-strapped firms spend less time floating the costs of these raises.

While we should have reservations about any plan that gives the Trump administration substantial discretion over which workers might be deemed essential, this is nonetheless a promising, thoughtful proposal. Romneys fellow Republicans should take it seriously.

After all, raising pay for frontline workers could allay conservatives concerns about more generous (but economically necessary) unemployment benefits disincentivizing work, especially for people in more dangerous jobs.

Moreover, raising living standards might also help reduce COVID-19 infections.

Some frontline workers are at greater risk of sickness, or infecting their loved ones, not only because of their jobs per se but also because of the limited transportation and living conditions they can afford.

Commuting in packed public transportation, and living in tight quarters among multiple generations (some of whom may include newly laid-off family members), also increase infection risks, as the Brookings Institutions Molly Kinder has noted.

That said, paying essential workers more would not absolve the federal government of responsibility to make their work safer.

It would be impossible to eliminate the risk of workplace infection, especially given how little is known about coronavirus transmission. But there are steps regulators could take to at least mitigate the danger.

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been largely M.I.A. during the crisis, leaving it up to employers and states to decide whether, say, grocery workers ought to wear masks.

OSHA has issued some vague guidelines and a poster, said Debbie Berkowitz, a former OSHA official now at the National Employment Law Project. For the first time in 50 years, its left workers on their own to protect themselves.

Essential workers deserve our gratitude, yes. But more importantly they deserve livelihoods, and to live.

Catherine Rampells email address is crampell@washpost.com. Follow her on Twitter, @crampell.

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Linkedin News Desk (Reuters) Zurich, Switzerland  Wed, May 6, 2020 16:02 622 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd65999a 2 World Roche,coronavirus,virus,COVID-19,COVID-19-drugs,pandemic,health Free

Roche could complete studies of its medicine Actemra in COVID-19 patients as early as this month, the head of the Swiss drugmaker's US-based Genentech unit told a Swiss newspaper, as it seeks to repurpose the rheumatoid arthritis drug.

"We're testing all over the world and we've reached half of the planned 330 patients, perhaps it will be more," said Alexander Hardy, Genentech's head, in the interview with the Neue Zuercher Zeitung published on Wednesday.

"We'll be finished in May or June. Parallel to that, we have 15 control studies worldwide. There are many questions: Does Actemra help reduce the need for ventilators? When should Actemra be administered? And which patient groups?"

Hardy acknowledged success would not solve the pandemic, but said it could help reduce mortality and health problems and take the heat off intensive care units where ventilators in some regions are in high demand and where many COVID-19 patients who eventually need breathing assistance die.

Should the anti-inflammation drug Actemra -- beyond arthritis, it is also used for cancer patients to counteract massive, life-threatening immune system reactions called cytokine storms -- turn out to help, Hardy said Roche has boosted its production from several hundred thousand doses to more than a million.

"We're taking a big risk and expect that the studies will be positive," Hardy told the newspaper. "If that's not the case, then we're going to have a surplus."

In the former case, he sees demand for Actemra for COVID-19 peaking over the next 12-18 months until a vaccine is available.
By Akbar Mammadov

Azerbaijan might tighten the quarantine regime over COVID-19 on a regional or larger scale if the situation worsens, head of the department of the Administration of the Regional Medical Divisions (TABIB) Yagut Garayeva said at a press conference of the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers on May 5.

"It is necessary to exit the quarantine regime by following the rules. But today no one wants to do that. The figures also show that the situation is deteriorating," Garayeva noted.

She stressed that the country has recently started to lose the positive dynamics as the number of new infections is growing.

In the meantime, Chief State Traffic Police Department that 486 people were brought to administrative responsibility due to violating the quarantine rules by moving on highways between April 4 and April 5.

Overall, as of April 1, 47,963 road users have been brought to administrative responsibility for violating the special quarantine regime on the country's roads, including the capital Baku.

Furthermore, Baku City Main Police Department (BCMPD) has reported that 275 people have been detained in Baku, for misusing permits by moving on the streets without necessity on non-working days.

Meanwhile, in order to support the measures taken in the country to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Department of Information Technology and Innovation of the State Agency on Mandatory Medical Insurance has automated 120 sample collection points and 19 laboratories across the country, local media reported on May 6.

Since these institutions are equipped with computer equipment, printers, bar code readers, software for operational sampling and results, it will ensure to that the results of tests performed are automatically processed into a single database, and to inform the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers and the relevant government agencies electronically.

Thus, people whose test results are negative will be informed via SMS message sent by the agency.

In the meantime, the Fund to Support Fight against Coronavirus has collected 113 million manats ($66.4m) as of May 5. The Fund to Support Fight Against Coronavirus was set up on March 19 upon presidential decree. Initially, the government allocated $11.7 million to the fund and the president and the first lady donated their annual salaries to the fund. As of April 8, the fund had collected about $65.1 million. Donations have been made by 2,692 legal entities and 8,223 individuals.

Earlier, on March 3, President Ilham Aliyev announced the allocation of $5.8m for fight against the spread of coronavirus in the country.

So far, 2,127 people have been diagnosed with coronavirus in Azerbaijan; 1,536 of them have recovered, and 28 people have died.

Azerbaijan introduced special quarantine regime on March 24 over COVID-19. As of April 5, residents are required to obtain SMS permit to leave their homes.

---

Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
They have all been taken to the treatment centre at the Regional Hospital. This was contained in a statement signed by Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, the Upper West Regional Minister, and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Wa.

It said as at May 3, 2020, the region had recorded 11 new cases of the virus bringing the total cases in the region to 19, one person fully recovered and reintegrated into the community and with no death recorded.

Seven of the confirmed cases were picked from the Sissala East Municipality following the mandatory screening of travelers arriving in the district from Kumasi and Accra during the partial lockdown period.

The statement said five of them were identified and transferred to the treatment centre at Tumu, the Municipal Capital, whilst efforts were underway to track the remaining two.

The remaining one person was a resident of Wa, who travelled into the region by a public transport after he returned from Kenya on February 16, 2020 and had his samples taken on April 16, 2020 upon self-request and was since in isolation in his house.

"All cases currently on treatment are mild to moderate. Investigation is underway to identify, isolate and treat all cases and trace all contacts. It is important to note that all the cases had a travel history or are contacts of known cases", the statement added.

It therefore urged the people to remain calm and to support the authorities in the fight the deadly disease.

As part of measures to control the disease in the region, the statement said the Rapid Response Teams (RRT) at both regional and district levels continue to monitor and investigate new cases and rumours as they are reported.

It also reiterated the need for the public to strictly observe the COVID-19 protocols including; physical distancing, regular hand washing with soap and alcohol-based hand sanitizer; avoid going to public places unless it was absolutely necessary and properly wearing nose masks when going to any public place among others.

On the Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM), the statement indicated that 30 cases with one death were recorded over the past two weeks, bringing the total number of cases in the region to 303 with 44 deaths.

It identified the Nandom and Jirapa Municipalities and the Nadowli District as the worse hit areas but said none of the districts were currently experiencing any epidemic.

"Laboratory investigation continues to show that the majority of the cases are caused by Neisseria Meningitides Sero Group X, which currently has no vaccine", it said.

The statement observed that the CSM case fatality rate in the region had significantly reduced as individuals with the disease now reported early to the health facilities for treatment.

It urged the people to "drink a lot of water during this season, sleep in well ventilated areas; cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing and report early to the nearest health facilities when you experience signs and symptoms of the disease".

---GNA
Inc. Best Workplaces Being named an Inc. Best Workplace validates the strides weve made at Lone Star to create an employee-centric culture.

Lone Star Analysis, a trusted provider of advisory services and internationally recognized for leading-edge predictive and prescriptive analytics, and guided artificial intelligence solutions, has been named to Inc. magazines annual list of the Best Workplaces for 2020.

Being named an Inc. Best Workplace validates the strides weve made at Lone Star to create an employee-centric culture, said Steve Roemerman, chairman and CEO, Lone Star Analysis. Our goal has always been to hire and retain the best people by providing an exceptional work environment.

Held annually, the Best Workplaces program honors companies skilled at cultivating good communication, culture and employee engagement. Of the more than 3,000 applications submitted and reviewed, Inc. singled out 395 companies for this years list. As part of the submission process, each company took part in an employee survey conducted by Quantum Workplace, which consisted of topics including trust, management effectiveness, perks and confidence in the future. This data was then analyzed and audited to rank each employer.

We are extremely proud to have been named an Inc. magazine Best Workplace, said Rita King, Director of Human Resources, Lone Star Analysis. Whether it is through our extraordinary benefit packages, our flexible work policies or employee events, we have made a considerable effort from day one to be the kind of company where employees are excited to come to work.

Lone Star Analysis takes pride not only in its professionalism, but also in its positive culture.

The environment the company has created fosters leading behaviors while also encouraging collaboration. Its success can be attributed in part to its hiring practices, which focus on diversity in experience, education and perspective. Employees of Lone Star understand the importance of a good work ethic, team building and being dedicated to making a difference.

To learn more about Lone Star Analysis, visit: http://www.Lone-Star.com.

About Lone Star Analysis

Lone Star Analysis is a Dallas-based solutions provider offering predictive and prescriptive analytics, and guided artificial intelligence to help customers make smarter decisions faster. Organizations want to make informed decisions as they face uncertainty about the future, and in their data. Lone Star's technology improves confidence and reduces uncertainty in critical business decisions, big and small. We enable companies to improve operational and financial performance. Since 2004, hundreds of leaders have trusted Lone Star Analysis to deliver actionable answers to complex problems in aerospace, defense, energy, logistics, manufacturing, transportation and more.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

About Quantum Workplace

Quantum Workplace, based in Omaha, Nebraska, is an HR technology company that serves organizations through employee-engagement surveys, action-planning tools, exit surveys, peer-to-peer recognition, performance evaluations, goal tracking, and leadership assessment. For more information, visit QuantumWorkplace.com.

Media Contact:

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Mod Op for Lone Star Analysis

972-480-8383, ext. 217

elle.glatz@modop.com
 Imo Governor Embarks on its ambitious Revival

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State Tuesday, May 5, 2020, embarked on an inspection visit to ADAPALM, the Palm Oil Producing Industry of the state, expressing confidence the place can employ 35,000 persons if fully revived.

The Governor on arrival at the place stated that his mission was to have on-the-spot assessment of the state of affairs in the industry and to see ways the government can contribute to facilitate industrial growth, harmony, expansion and increased productivity despite the resultant lockdown as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic.

He expressed joy that production had commenced once again at ADAPALM and that 120 tons of Grade A oil per day is being produced, adding that the government is committed to bringing back the company as one of the states hopes of economic survival after the global economic downturn due to the coronavirus scourge.

Uzodimma said: We are committed to bringing ADAPALM back to stream. Its one of our greatest hopes of surviving the post Covid-19 period immediately after the coronavirus pandemic era. Of course you know that the economy is almost becoming epileptic. We have to look inwards to see how best we can restructure our economy, boost Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) strength and then ensure that our citizenry are also busy.

Governor Uzodimma assured that placing ADAPALM in its rightful place would lift the Internally Generated Revenue of Imo State, noting that the company on its own is a value chain that can produce not only palm oil, but also other oil-related products like margarine, sheer butter, palm kennel oil, etc.

The Governor stated that the government is keen on expanding the company due to the potential 35,000 jobs that could be created to add to the economy of the state. He explained that Imo State stands to benefit from two to three billion naira (N2-3bn) turnover once the place is fully revived.

Governor Uzodimma however noted the deplorable state of the access road to the ADAPALM Plantation and other oil installations in the area and appealed for patience with the government to fix the road as soon as possible since past administrations demonstrated deliberate negligence to it.

Governor Uzodimma also used the opportunity to appeal to irate youths of the zone to eschew restiveness and vandalism of government property and other oil installations as his administration will not tolerate rascality and recalcitrance from any quarter. He urged them to use this period of stay-at-home order to take stock and rebrand themselves for use in government and other socio-economic spheres.

He frowned at the illegal activities perpetrated on ADAPALM and Imo State soil, especially the felling of 6,000 palm trees linked to Seplat Petroleum Development Company, and warned that government will not take it lightly with any person or group that tampers with the economic trees of the state. The governor, however, said that the state will accept a position where the arrangement can result in a win-win situation, where crude oil exploration would be done in a symbiotic manner to benefit both State and Company.

Conducting Governor Uzodimma round some oil facilities owned by Seplat and a few other oil conglomerates, the Interim Management Committee Chairman of ADAPALM, Brig. Gen. Austin Kalu Egwuagu (retd.) thanked the governor and his entourage for finding time to visit the facility despite the attendant Covid-19 pandemic. Egwuagu added that the Committee will not disappoint Governor Uzodimmas administration as they are having the 3R mantra of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Recovery as watchword.
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Victorias Secret may have ditched its opulent fashion show, but its parent L Brands Inc. cant get rid of the troubled lingerie retailer quite so easily.

The retailing group said late Monday that it had reached an agreement with Sycamore Partners to terminate a transaction that would have seen the private equity firm acquire 55% of Victorias Secret for $525 million, taking it largely off L Brands hands. Sycamore had struck the deal in February, heralding the end of an era for the once-revered retailer. But last month it sought to terminate the arrangement and filed a complaint in the Delaware Chancery Court alleging that actions taken, such as furloughing staff and failing to pay rent amid closures forced by the coronavirus pandemic, had reduced the value of its prospective purchase.

L Brands described the move at the time as invalid and said it would seek to enforce the agreement, so its standing down now is an about-turn. Renegotiating the transaction at a lower price would have been preferable to an outright end to deal hopes, but at least the sorry affair is now over. However opportunistic Sycamores suit, fighting it would have been expensive and time-consuming. L Brands can now move on, without significant outlay and too much dirty lingerie aired in public.

Even so, the outcome is far from ideal. Sycamore and L Brands  it would have retained a minority stake  would have had a tough enough time turning around Victorias Secret even before Covid-19 forced chains to close swaths of stores and decimated consumer confidence. Now L Brands must do it alone, in the full glare of investors and against a much worsened retail backdrop.

Victorias Secret was already suffering from sliding sales and an outdated image. Its sexy aesthetic is increasingly out of sync with consumer tastes, while it now must contend with a raft of competitors serving them better with a broader range of styles and suited to different body shapes.

Story continues

The chains sales were $6.8 billion in the year ended Feb. 1. This year, with the pandemic wreaking havoc on the industry, both sales and profits at Victorias Secret will no doubt take a hit. For L Brands as a whole, Poonam Goyal, analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, estimates that sales could be down between 32% and 69% in 2020.

L Brands still wants Victorias Secret to be a stand-alone company so it can concentrate on the more successful Bath & Body Works. With a separation, the group may be hoping to attract another buyer, but the fact that the Sycamore deal valued a division with close to $7 billion of sales at an enterprise value of just $1.1 billion, the acquirers subsequent attempts to extricate itself, and the dismal retail environment all make that unlikely for now.

With no buyer forthcoming, the top priority will be to reinvigorate Victorias Secrets image. A store footprint of about 1,100 locations in North America also needs to be tackled. The large-scale and permanent shutterings that L Brands has avoided up to now look unavoidable.

These undertakings will be expensive, and L Brands already has long-term borrowings of about $5.5 billion. The sale  even at a lower price  would have helped to reduce this. The group also retains Victorias Secrets store lease obligations, which analysts at Bernstein estimate at about $2.5 billion. There are no bond maturities this year, which is helpful, but some $450 million is due in about a years time.

And L Brands needs to improve Victorias Secret while keeping Bath & Body Works flourishing. That chain may have enjoyed a boost to sales of items such as hand sanitizer, but it wont have escaped the effects of store closures. And, as I have noted, it will take some time for consumers to return to malls.

All thats as tricky as strutting a catwalk in towering heels and adorned with giant feather wings.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Andrea Felsted is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering the consumer and retail industries. She previously worked at the Financial Times.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

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2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 6, 2020) -Palladium One Mining Inc. (TSXV: PDM) (FSE: 7N11) (OTC Pink: NKORF) (the "Company" or "Palladium One" today announced a non-brokered private placement financing (the "Offering") to raise aggregate gross proceeds of up to C$1,150,000 through the issuance of a combined flow-through unit and charitable-flow-through unit (each, a "Unit") offering.

Derrick Weyrauch, President and CEO commented "Exploration is a deemed Essential Service in Ontario, thereby providing the ability to conduct field activities. This financing preserves our existing 'hard dollar' cash resources for the restart of drilling at the palladium dominant LK project in Finland, where drilling was suspended due to Covid-19, while providing the Company with funding to drill test new high priority targets in Ontario."

The Offering consists of up to 3,076,923 charity-flow-through units (the "CFA Units") at a price of C$0.13 per CFT Unit, for gross proceeds of up to C$400,000 and 8,333,333 flow-through units (the "FT Units") at a price of C$0.09 per FT Unit, for gross proceeds of up to C$750,000.

Each Unit will be comprised of one common share (a "Common Share") and one-half of one non-transferable, common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"), with the additional terms described below.

The net proceeds from the Offering are intended to be used by the Company primarily for exploration activities on its Tyko and Disraeli projects in Ontario, Canada.

Closing of the Offering, or any tranche thereof, is subject to certain customary conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all required regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX-Venture Exchange. Closing of the Offering is expected to occur on or about May 20, 2019.

All securities issued and issuable in connection with this Offering will be subject to a four-month hold period in Canada from the closing date. Finder's fees in respect to the Offering may be paid in cash and/or shares, subject to, and in accordance with, the policies of the TSX-Venture Exchange

Warrant Terms

Each Warrant shall have a term of 24-months, subject to acceleration;

During the first 12-months after closing of the Offering, or any tranche thereof, the exercise price of one full Warrant shall be C$0.13 and thereafter C$0.22 per common share;

Pursuant to the terms of the Warrants, if over a period of 10 consecutive trading days (a "Trading Target") between the date that is four months and one day following the Closing Date and the expiry date of the Warrants, the volume weighted average price of the Common Shares on the TSX-Venture Exchange or such other stock exchange where the majority of the trading volume occurs, exceeds or is equal to $0.25 (the "Acceleration Trading Price"), the Company may, at its sole option, accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants, provided that: (i) the Company disseminates a press release providing notice of its intention to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants; and (ii) the accelerated expiry date of the Warrants falls on or after the 30th trading day after the date of dissemination of such press release, unless exercised by holders prior to such date.

About Palladium One

Palladium One Mining Inc. is a palladium dominant, PGE, nickel, copper exploration and development company. Its assets consist of the Lantinen Koillismaa ("LK") and Kostonjarvi ("KS") PGE-Cu-Ni projects, located in north-central Finland and the Tyko Ni-Cu-PGE and Disraeli PGE-Ni-Cu properties in Ontario, Canada. All projects are 100% owned and are of a district scale. LK is an advanced project targeting disseminated sulphide along 38 kilometers of favorable basal contact. The KS project is targeting massive sulphide within a 20,000-hectare land package covering a regional scale gravity and magnetic geophysical anomaly. Tyko is a 13,000-hectare project targeting disseminated and massive sulphide in a highly metamorphosed Archean terrain. Disraeli is a 2,500-hectare project targeting PGE-rich disseminated and massive sulphide in a highly productive Proterozoic mid-continent rift.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Derrick Weyrauch"

President & CEO, Director

For further information contact:

Derrick Weyrauch, President & CEO

Email: info@palladiumoneinc.com

Phone: 1-778-327-5799



Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This press release is not an offer or a solicitation of an offer of securities for sale in the United States of America. The common shares of Palladium One Mining Inc. have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration.

Information set forth in this press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address a company's expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", and "intend", statements that an action or event "may", "might", "could", "should", or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, risks associated with project development; the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mining and mineral processing; fluctuations in palladium and other commodity prices; title matters; environmental liability claims and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the absence of dividends; competition; dilution; the volatility of our common share price and volume; and tax consequences to Canadian and U.S. Shareholders. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/55426
Countering claims of defective rapid testing kits, two have come out in defence of their products. While Zhuhai Livzon Diagnostics blamed unfavourable storage and transport temperature conditions for the inaccurate results, Guangzhou Wondfo Biotech clarified that their test provides preliminary results and should not be used as the sole basis for treatment.

Negative results do not preclude SARS-CoV-2 infection, and it is recommended to use nucleic acid detection identification methods for review and confirmation. For positive test results, it does not rule out co-infections with other pathogens, said Guangzhou-based Wondfo Biotech in its response.

Livzon Diagnostics said it is very important to strictly follow the instructions for use in the package of our product and performed by trained professionals in qualified lab settings to ensure the test quality.

ALSO READ: Real estate firms bank on tech tools to generate sales amid lockdown

The storage and transport temperature conditions are the first we need to emphasize, where we noticed in India recently temperature started to rise up to 3 degrees celsius. It will significantly impact the product stability when stored at over 30 degrees celsius and it should not be stored under 2 degrees celsius, said the company.

Both the firms asserted that their kits were evaluated and approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research through Institute of Virology, Pune.

ALSO READ: Centre pulls up West Bengal for suspending trade on Indo-Bangla border

The ICMR had last month asked state governments not to use the rapid antibody test kits procured from Wondfo Biotech and Livzon Diagnostics after it emerged that they were showing inaccurate results. The nodal medical research body had said these should be returned to the suppliers. According to reports, both these companies had exported close to 700,000 kits to India.
Iran's state broadcaster has used hundreds of fake social media accounts to covertly spread pro-Iranian messaging online since at least 2011, targeting voters in countries including Britain and the United States, Facebook said on Tuesday.

In a monthly report of accounts suspended for so-called "coordinated inauthentic behaviour", Facebook said it had removed eight networks in recent weeks, including one with links to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting Corporation (IRIB).

The company also removed a U.S. network of fake accounts linked to QAnon, a fringe group that claims Democrats are behind international crime rings, and a separate U.S.-based campaign with ties to white supremacist websites VDARE and the Unz Review.

Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebook's head of cybersecurity policy, said both U.S. networks recently began pushing coronavirus-related disinformation, taking advantage of a surge in online interest in the pandemic to promote anti-Semitic and anti-Asian hate speech tied to it.

"We've seen people behind these campaigns opportunistically leverage coronavirus-related topics to build an audience and drive people to their pages or off-platform sites," he said.

The networks also pushed content focused on the upcoming U.S. presidential election, the report said.

Gleicher said the IRIB network had "substantial connections" to previously identified Iranian disinformation campaigns, but it was too early say whether it was directly responsible for those operations.

The state-owned IRIB, which has its head appointed by Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Iranian officials have previously dismissed allegations of running coordinated disinformation campaigns as "ridiculous".

The Islamic Republic has emerged as one of the most persistent players in online influence operations, as Facebook, Twitter and Alphabet's Google have had to grapple with state-backed groups using social media to further their geopolitical agendas and spread disinformation.

A Reuters investigation in 2018 found that one Tehran-based operation had used more than 70 websites masquerading as local news outlets to covertly disseminate Iranian state propaganda in more than 15 countries, at one point tricking the then Pakistani defence minister into issuing a nuclear threat against Israel.

Iranian officials in Tehran and London did not reply to questions about the operation at the time.

Gleicher said the newly identified network had used similar tactics, including posing as independent media websites and charitable organisations, to target countries from Algeria and Bangladesh to the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe.

The network used more than 500 accounts on Facebook and its photo-sharing site, Instagram, to spread messages that often focused on local conflicts or criticism of U.S. actions in the region, he said. "In general, these were narratives that are aligned with Iranian geopolitical interests."

Researchers at social media analytics firm Graphika, who reviewed the IRIB-linked accounts before they were suspended by Facebook, said some of the earliest-identified activity dated back to 2012 and targeted the U.S. Republican party primaries.

Two years later, other accounts in the network used a handful of fake personas, memes and cartoons to support Scotland's referendum bid to break away from the United Kingdom, they said.

Graphika's head of investigations, Ben Nimmo, said those attempts were short-lived but show that Iran was experimenting with online election meddling years before alleged Russian attempts to sway the 2016 U.S. presidential vote. Moscow has repeatedly denied the accusations.

"The Iranian experiment was relatively tiny and didn't last long or have any noticeable impact. What's interesting is how early they started," he said.

"This whole takedown underlines how persistent the Iranian state is when it comes to covert influence operations."
Hs1810.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 15 Oct 2014, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want.

This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared the hs1810 homepage on Twitter + the total number of hs1810 followers (if hs1810 has a Twitter account). The total number of people who shared the hs1810 homepage on StumbleUpon. This is the sum of two values: the total number of people who shared, liked or recommended the hs1810 homepage on Facebook + the total number of page likes (if hs1810 has a Facebook fan page). The total number of people who shared the hs1810 homepage on Google Plus by a google +1 button. The total number of people who shared the hs1810 homepage on Delicious.

Basic Information

PAGE TITLE -| DESCRIPTION  KEYWORDS |, , , , , , , , , ,  OTHER KEYWORDS vip, , ,  , yhy55050 , vip , vip40



The keywords meta-tag found in the head section of the homepage. The title 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 GBK DETECTED LANGUAGE SERVER ngx_openresty/1.2.8.3 (PHP/5.2.17p1) OPERATIVE SYSTEM

Operative System running on the server. Character set and language of the site. Represents HTML declared type (e.g.: XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.0, the new HTML 5.0) The language of hs1810.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 hs1810.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 type of Facebook page. The description of the Facebook page describes website and its services to the social media users. 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 URL of the found Facebook page. The total number of people who like website Facebook page. The total number of people who tagged or talked about website Facebook page in the last 7-10 days.

Twitter account link

TWITTER PAGE LINK NOT FOUND
One of the worlds biggest movie stars is officially expanding his reach in the galaxy.

NASA confirmed Tuesday that Syracuse-born actor Tom Cruise is planning to shoot a movie, at least in part, on the National Space Station. It will be the first narrative feature film to be shot in outer space.

NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station, NASA administrator Jim Bridentsine wrote on Twitter. We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASAs ambitious plans a reality.

Deadline reported earlier Tuesday that Cruise was teaming up with Elon Musks Space X and NASA for the untitled action-adventure movie, which appears to be in the early stages of development. No studio, director, writer or plot details have been announced for the project.

According to SlashFilm, Cruise actually discussed doing a film in space with director James Cameron around the time of 2000s Mission: Impossible II.

I actually talked to [Cruise] about doing a space film in space, about 15 years ago, Cameron said in 2018. I had a contract with the Russians in 2000 to go to the International Space Station and shoot a high-end 3D documentary there. And I thought, S---, man, we should just make a feature. I said, Tom, you and I, well get two seats on the Soyuz, but somebodys gotta train us as engineers. Tom said, No problem, Ill train as an engineer. We had some ideas for the story, but it was still conceptual.

Deadline reports the new project is not part of the Mission: Impossible franchise, which helped Cruise earn a reputation for death-defying stunts. He hung from the side of a plane 5,000 feet in the air for Mission: Impossible  Rogue Nation," scaled a 123-story tall Dubai skyscraper in Mission: Impossible  Ghost Protocol," and even broke his ankle while filming Mission: Impossible  Fallout.

Cruise, 57, was filming Mission: Impossible 7 earlier this year, but production was put on hold in February due to the coronavirus pandemic. Scenes were scheduled to be shot in Italy, which has now seen more than 210,000 cases of COVID-19 and over 29,000 deaths.

Another Cruise sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, pushed back its release date from this summer to December 2020 as movie theaters remain closed due to coronavirus.
South Australia's chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier says interstate tourism poses 'biggest risk' for second outbreak

South Australia's top doctor has raised concerns about the reopening of interstate tourism following the coronavirus lockdown.

Professor Nicola Spurrier, the state's chief public health officer, said now that the COVID-19 curve is flattening, essential workers and travellers from interstate pose the biggest risk for a second wave of outbreaks.

The warning comes as the national cabinet spoke with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to draw up plans for a Trans-Tasman 'travel bubble' which would allow residents of both countries to move back and forth without having to go into quarantine.

Although tough travel restrictions in Australia's western states have seen a substantial reduction in COVID-19 cases, many regional communities that rely on tourism have been decimated.

Premier Steven Marshall now plans to lift warnings and restrictions on travel within South Australia after three weeks of no new coronavirus cases.

There are also growing calls for Western Australia - which has had no new infections in the past week - to follow suit, along with the Northern Territory where there has been only two confirmed cases over the past three weeks.

'Our biggest risk now in South Australia is travellers coming into the state,' Prof Spurrier told The Advertiser on Wednesday.

'We don't want to have even one new case or see a new cluster in South Australia, so it is really important we don't become complacent. Let's not undo all the good.'

But for some areas, the pandemic has compounded issues brought on by years of drought and the summer's devastating bushfires.

Mr Marshall says the regions have been 'doing it really tough'.

'We've had dry conditions for much of South Australia for the last three, four or five years, we've had bushfires and now COVID-19, which is really drying up jobs,' he said.

'So we're really keen to see the restrictions regarding regional tourism released.'

South Australian Police are pictured stopping vehicles at the border on March 24, to slow the spread of coronavirus

While the rate of infection has decreased dramatically since the height of the outbreak in mid-March, Eastern States are still seeing some coronavirus clusters.

There have been 63 confirmed cases including 14 deaths at Anglicare's Newmarch House aged care facility in New South Wales over recent weeks.

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

In Victoria, health authorities have scrambled to contain an outbreak at Cedar Meats which has been linked to 45 cases, and a cluster in Tasmania has claimed the lives of 11 people and infected 127 others.

'Although we have very strong border controls, thousands of essential travellers are still coming into our state and I am concerned there's a risk someone may bring COVID-19 infection with them,' Prof Spurrier said.

'We absolutely understand the border controls and quarantine requirements can make it difficult to stay in touch with loved ones, but as long as there is COVID-19, there is always a local threat.'

Despite the concerns, Morrison and Ardern have agreed to open up travel between the two countries.

But in a joint statement from Tuesday's virtual meeting, the pair said they will only do so when it is 'safe'.

'A trans-Tasman COVID-safe travel zone would be mutually beneficial, assisting our trade and economic recovery, helping kick-start the tourism and transport sectors, enhancing sporting contacts, and reuniting families and friends,' the statement said.

'We need to be cautious as we progress this initiative.

'Neither country wants to see the virus rebound so it's essential any such travel zone is safe.'
Ahead of commencing their



operations to airlift stranded Indians in foreign countries, the pilots and cabin crew of the first batch of Air India Express evacuation flight on Wednesday got to know how to handle inflight operations at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Doctors and nurses of a government medical college (GMC)hospital here, experts in handling COVID-19 patients, imparted training to 12 airline staff including four pilots, ahead of their departure from Kochi to participate in the biggest evacuation operation of Indian history.

The pilots and cabin crew were provided training in all the steps on donning and doffing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) suits, infection control practices to be followed inflight and also the management of anticipated health emergencies during the flight, the medical college authorities said here.

A practical demonstration of both donning and doffing of PPE suites according to the protocol was also given to the crew.

They were also provided with practice kits.

"The training given by GMC Ernakulam has helped to build up the confidence level of the entire crew considerably and we are now fully confident to undertake the rescue mission," said Captain Paartha Sarkar.

The expert panel was headed by medical college RMO Dr Ganesh Mohan, doctors Manoj Antony, Gokul Sanjeevan and infection control staff nurse Vidhya.

Medical superintendent Dr Peter Vazhayil has offered further training sessions for air personnel, if requested by the Airline companies.

A Cochin International Airport spokesman said there will be only one Air India Express flight operating on May 7 to airlift passengers stranded Keralites.

The flight carrying evacuated citizens from Abu Dhabi will land at the Cochin International Airport Limited at 9.40 pm on Thursday, he said.

The other (Doha-Kochi) flight, scheduled for Thursday's operation, has been rescheduled to Saturday, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Professor Lucy Yardley, from the University of Bristol, sounded the alarm today, saying evidence shows 'viral load' plays a big role in how sick someone will become

People exposed to a higher dose of coronavirus are more likely to fall critically ill, a scientist part of Number 10's SAGE panel has warned.

Professor Lucy Yardley, from the University of Bristol, sounded the alarm today, saying evidence shows 'viral load' plays a big role in how sick someone will become.

She said it explains why so many healthcare workers - who come into face-to-face contact with gravely ill patients - have fallen victim and died from the disease and should be factored into ministers' lockdown exit strategy.

Having a high viral load - the number of particles of the virus they are first infected with - gives the bug a 'jump start'.

It also raises the risk of a patient's immune system becoming overloaded in its battle against COVID-19.

It means someone infected indirectly by touching a door handle could end up with milder symptoms than someone who inhales an infected person's cough.

Professor Yardley warned the virus could be deadlier if it spreads between families in the same house because of the prolonged close contact. She didn't mention whether co-workers would be at risk - but they would also come into contact with each other in the office without strict social distancing rules.

Having a high viral load - the number of particles of the virus they are first infected with - gives the bug a 'jump start'. It also raises the risk of a patient's immune system becoming overloaded in its battle against COVID-19. It means someone infected indirectly by touching a door handle could end up with milder symptoms than someone who inhales an infected person's cough

Repeated exposure to high viral load explains why so many healthcare workers have fallen victim to the disease. Pictured: Staff in PPE treat a COVID-19 patient at the Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge

She told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme this morning: 'There's a lot of suggestive evidence that the more virus that you're exposed to while you're becoming infected, both the higher risk you'll become infected but also you might be more severely ill.

And I think this is behind the recommendations for, of course, lots of protective equipment for people that are exposed to a lot of the virus in hospitals and now in care homes.

WHY DOES A HIGHER VIRAL LOAD INCREASE SYMPTOMS? Everybody who contracts COVID-19 will develop huge amounts of the virus inside their body, but people will become first infected with different quantities of it - known as a viral load. Someone who breathes in the cough of a seriously ill patient in the height of a fever, for example, will be exposed to more of a virus than someone who touches a door handle that was coughed on two days ago. Most of the coronavirus symptoms are caused by the immune reaction which is triggered when the virus is discovered in the body. In a bid to destroy the viruses the body ratchets up its internal temperature to kill them, causing a fever, and uses huge amounts of calories to send immune cells out into the blood to attack the viruses, causing tiredness and aching. Being exposed to a smaller number of viruses at the start may mean the body can start off with a smaller immune response. More viruses, however, would mean a need for a bigger reaction which could produce worse symptoms and then raise the risk of it tipping over into sepsis later on in the illness. Advertisement

But we're arguing that that probably needs to be applied more in the home as well, where people are caring for most of the people that are ill with coronavirus.

It's kind of been observed mainly in places like hospitals - but actually you do see whole families going down with it very badly as well.

People actually worry, possibly too much, about passing somebody on the street without a mask [but] unless they cough in your face, which would be dangerous, that's probably not very risky.

Whereas, having to spend a considerable amount of time close by to someone, that is a particularly risky situation.

The professor of health psychology said there were ways to effectively avoid catching the bug even if someone in the same home is infected.

She added: 'You really want to isolate from them as much as you possibly can, so if you have more than one room in the house then really you need them to be in a room completely on their own and not coming out into the kitchen.

If you can have different places to wash and so on, that would be good. If you can't, then you need to have very good cleaning of all the taps and shared surfaces immediately [after] they've used them, good ventilation in the home so that any germs that are circulating go to the open air.

There's a whole number of things that you can and need to do. People tend to think it's inevitable we'll get it... you really can reduce the number of infections in the household by doing all of this.

'If there is a safe place you can go to in another house, if you know somebody else that has a room you could safely use, that would be very helpful.

Fallen heroes: Pictured are the faces of some of the frontline health and social care workers who have died with coronavirus during the pandemic

How many medics have died from coronavirus? The Government says that 49 NHS staff have died from COVID-19, but it is clear that many others have died. Figures suggest that at least 171 frontline healthcare workers have fallen victim to the disease. They include at least 27 doctors and around 100 nurse and healthcare supporters, according to Nursing Notes, a website devoted to the welfare of medical staff. But the true figure is likely to be higher because not all deaths will be in the public domain and not all victims will have been tested for the illness. And official NHS data last month found one in three frontline workers had tested positive for the disease. Out of 17,000 swabs carried out on key workers on April 14, 5,733 people were positive - a rate of 33 per cent. It suggests that infection was rife in UK hospitals - where staff have consistently struggled to access protective equipment - at the peak of the crisis. In Italy, at least 101 medics have died from coronavirus, including 80 doctors and 21 nurses. An additional two nurses took their own lives since the outbreak. Advertisement

Professor Yardley has laid out these recommendations to ministers in a commentary which has been submitted to the prestigious British Medical Journal to be published tonight.

The report, also advises the Government to use positive messaging to encourage Britons to adhere to social distancing when restrictions are eased, as opposed to a fear-driven campaign.

The way viruses make people ill is by multiplying rapidly once inside the body and building up in such large numbers that the body takes weeks to destroy them all.

This process is inevitable once someone has caught an infection, but it is possible for people to first become ill with only a small dose of a virus.

This can, in theory, make it easier for their body's immune system 'army' to cope and to fend off the early infection.

In fact, for coronavirus, it seems likely that a large majority of patients become ill under this circumstance and take an unusually long time to notice they're sick.

Because of this, people appear to be spreading COVID-19 more widely than they would if they had a more serious disease.

Dr Michael Skinner, also from Imperial College, said that if someone starts off with a massive amount of the virus it could overload their immune system.

The virus would get a 'jump start' in such circumstances, he suggested, because it would be able to build up faster before the body had time to respond.

Dr Skinner said: 'We must be more concerned about situations where somebody receives a massive dose of the virus (we have no data on how large that might be but bodily fluids from those infected with other viruses can contain a million, and up to a hundred million viruses per ml), particularly through inhalation.'

He said that this would be a 'rare event' and it was unlikely that people outside of hospital staff would be exposed to massive amounts of the virus.

Scientists do not think that people's viral load will increase if they are exposed to more infected people after they first become ill themselves.

Nor do they think there is not likely to be a build-up of the virus from multiple sources before it reaches a threshold that makes them ill.

Dr Skinner added that if someone is infected with a large viral load: 'The virus receives a massive jump start, leading to a massive immune response, which will struggle to control the virus to allow time for acquired immunity to kick-in while at the same time leading to considerable inflammation and a cytokine storm.'

Uncontrollable inflammation (swelling) caused by the body's immune system can be devastating and cause deadly conditions such as kidney failure or sepsis.

It is known to be a contributing factor to severe illness and death among COVID-19 patients.

And a 'cytokine storm' happens when white blood cells go haywire and can cause kidney or lung failure and death.

Professor Jonathan Ball, a virology expert at the University of Nottingham said: 'It is possible that individuals with pneumonia who have a higher viral load might develop more serious disease, but disease development is complex and no doubt many factors will have an impact.'
The first German electric Highway for the top line truck in the South of Hesse is to start with five vehicles to be fully operational. In the course of the beginning of July to the beginning of the summer holidays, the load should not be all on the test track Frauke Werner of the project, conducting traffic authority Hessen Mobil, the German press Agency, said: "There was driver training." The man was in Corona-times online offer. Also, after an accident in January in a travel direction of the temporarily non-usable range on the A5 between Long and the city was repaired again.

On the busy line Hybrid can dock-truck for well over a year with a pantograph to the overhead contact line and power to refuel, to recharge the batteries. With the multi-year Test impact on traffic, environmental and economic aspects and the increase in expenses for the road maintenance depots should be investigated.

delays due to Corona

Actually, after the test launch in may last year, the special vices of the Volkswagen subsidiary Scania from Sweden should be supplied successively. This, however, was delayed recently by the Corona pandemic. So far, the catenary Hybrid truck drive two on the track.

The Federal Ministry for the environment has funded the five-Kilometer route with nearly 14.6 million euros. A further 15 million euros will flow in the data collections and evaluations. On the track with overhead lines by 2022, the five Hybrid is to collect truck data. This should be explored, such as in the future, the environment can be goods to be transported. Meanwhile, a second test track, in Schleswig-Holstein at the Start.

Updated Date: 16 June 2020, 16:19
Chron.com is following the latest headlines on the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the Houston area.

8:15 p.m.



Harris County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Raymond Scholwinksi died Wednesday after a weeks-long battle with COVID-19, officials say.

Scholwinski, 70, had been hospitalized since March 29. He began his service with the Harris County Sheriff's Office as a reserve deputy in 1979 and then went on to serve with distinction as a full-time officer for 26 years, according to a news release.

His most recent assignment was the day watch Contract Sergeant in District 2, where he served as district representative in most public speaking engagements.

"Sgt. Scholwinski represented the best of the Harris County Sheriff's Office family," said Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. "Whether he was on patrol, making a neighborhood association presentation, or in the field during hurricanes, tropical storms, and other disasters, Ray consistently delivered for the people of Harris County. We will miss our brother and we will honor his legacy of service."

3:30 p.m.

Fort Bend County Judge KP George and various elected officials are pleading with the state to stop sending COVID-19-positive inmates to the Beauford H. Jester prison facilities in Richmond.

"We are working around the clock to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, but with your unilateral decision to send your COVID-19 positive prisoners here, we are taking on additional risk," officials stated in a May 6 letter to members of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice.

Officials made a slew of other demands regarding the infected inmates in the letter, including more information on how they will be transferred and the source of the tests for those who show positive results.

1:30 p.m.

Ten new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported in Montgomery County Tuesday, bringing the county's total to 672 with 15 deaths.

According to the Montgomery County Public Health District, 224 people have made a full recovery.

12:00 p.m.

Clear Creek ISD has moved all graduations to July. The district's five largest high schools will hold their commencements on July 26 at NRG Stadium.

8:00 a.m.

Principal Phil Eaton, who heads Montgomery ISD's Lake Creek HS, was released from the hospital Tuesday after spending weeks battling COVID-19 -- including 21 days on a ventilator.

Eaton was greeted by a parade of cars filled with supporters and loved ones.

ANGELS EN ROUTE: Famous Blue Angels will fly over Houston today as part of national frontline worker salute

"I dont want to get into politics, but this thing is not over, Eaton said. He was released just a few hours before Montgomery Countys total COVID-19 case count climbed to 662 with 446 active cases, 201 full recoveries, 54 hospitalizations, and 15 deaths.

In other headlines, Spring Branch ISD is looking into hosting outdoor commencements for graduating seniors.

Check back for updates as they come in.
President Trump had a message for the families of the 70,000-plus Americans who are now dead from COVID-19.

'I want to say I love you,' he told ABC News' David Muir in an interview that was broadcast Tuesday night. 'And to the people that have lost somebody, there's nobody - I don't sleep at nights thinking about it - there's nobody that's taken it harder than me.'

Over the course of the interview, the president suggested that there would be 'more death' due to the coronavirus pandemic, as states begin the process of allowing businesses to reopen.

President Trump was asked what his message would be to families of the deceased. He told ABC News' David Muir, 'I want to say I love you,' later adding 'there's nobody that's taken it harder than me'

ABC News' David Muir asked if there would be more coronavirus deaths as the country moved to reopen. The president first said 'it's possible' and then revised that by saying 'there'll be more death'

David Muir (left) said his temperature was taken before his sit-down with President Trump (right) and the two sat at least 11 feet apart

'It's possible there will be some because you won't be locked into an apartment or a house or whatever it is,' the president said. 'But at the same time, we're going to practice social distancing, we're going to be washing hands, we're going to be doing a lot of the things that we've learned to do over the last period of time.'

The president said the reality is, 'We can't sit in the house for the next three years.'

'There'll be more death, than the virus will pass, with or without a vaccine,' he again suggested.

There's no evidence yet that the coronavirus will simply go away, or that it's seasonal.

'And I think we're doing very well on the vaccines but, with or without a vaccine, it's going to pass and we're going to be back to normal. But it's been a rough process. There is no question about it,' Trump said.

Several weeks ago, on April 17, Trump said he expected 'around 60,000, maybe 65,000' Americans dead of the coronavirus.

Ten days later he used 70,000 as the benchmark.

The death toll surpassed 70,000 earlier Tuesday.

On Friday, he said 'hopefully' the full tally would be below 100,000 lives lost.

During Sunday night's Fox News Channel town hall at the Lincoln Memorial, Trump acknowledged he kept giving himself a higher ceiling.

'I used to say 65,000. Now I'm saying 80 or 90 and it goes up and it goes up rapidly,' Trump told the anchors. 'But it's still going to be, no matter how you look at it, at the very lower end of the plane if we did the shutdown.'

The president had put the original '15 Days to Slow the Spread' in place when medical experts cited a death count in the millions if no social distancing was practiced.

To the family members of victims Trump said, 'I want to say that we're doing everything that we can.'

'We love you, we're with you, we're working with you, we're supplying vast amounts of money like never before, we want that money to get to the people and we want them to get better,' Trump said.

'No matter how well we do next year - I think our economy is going to be raging, it's going to be so good - no matter how well, those people can never ever replace somebody they love,' the president continued.

'But we're going to have something that they're going to be very proud of,' he added.

Muir and his ABC News team interviewed Trump during his first big trip out of the White House since the coronavirus pandemic struck.

Trump traveled to Phoenix, Arizona where he toured a Honeywell N95 mask plant - and didn't wear a mask.

Muir said during the 'World News Tonight' broadcast his temperature was taken before the sit-down and he sat at least 11 feet away from Trump.

'There were no handshakes with the president this time,' Muir said.
Lockdown-phobia is gradually witnessing protests against it in USA, but there, Islamophobia and corona-phobia bear no connection

Decades from now people are likely to have a good laugh over how billions of people lived through a lockdown all because of corona-phobia, a threat posed by a small virus. At present, however, this cannot be dismissed as a joke. Whoever even considers it as a joke would probably be viewed as a lunatic.

The corona phenomenon has given rise to several new terms as well as given new meanings to old ones. The word 'lockdown' was earlier commonly associated with arrests or emergency situations. A phobia normally stands for an irrational or extremist approach, including fear of something. At present, corona-panic leading to corona-phobia justifies lockdown, which is giving rise to phobias of several kinds. If some viewed their lockdown as house arrest, it may help them come out of depression they seem headed towards. They would feel a lot more important as primarily VIPs are placed under house arrest. Lockdown seems fairly similar to house arrest, with security forces all round, and peoples outdoor mobility strongly restricted. Call it an imaginary-phobia or whatever, there is no harm musing over lockdown being more like house arrest.

Depression of mobility being restricted has, apparently, led a few to reflect back and target some persons for irrelevant reasons. The word gang has been linked with targeted people who tend to gather at a few hi-fi select joints. They have also been labelled as gangsters. Practically all normal persons gather now and then at their favourite haunts. What is wrong with this? Besides, most dont attach a negative approach with the word gang for they dont link it with criminals. The word has long been in use for groups of friends in keeping with what they are associated with. For instance, a group of old school friends are referred to as school gang, of college as college-gang and so forth. Thanks to new means of communication, it has become easier to revive contacts and catch up with old gangs now and then. Adding gangster with gang, however, explains the negative approach held towards these groups by those who have started talking about these gangs.

The so-called gangs have been talked about when it is not possible for them to gather at any of their so-called select joints because of lockdown. Does this strike a bell? Lockdown-desperation or some phobia has probably compelled their critics to target them. When several persons work and remain together for long, it is natural for them to gang together for tea, etc at their select joints. Nothing phobic about ganging up, but being averse to it, over-critical about it certainly seems suggestive of a phobia.

The same may be said about greater attention being suddenly paid to Islamophobia. When nothing seems normal, some sections tend to manipulate reasons for targeting Islam. Corona-phobia has led to increase in usage of term Islamophobia, known to be linked with anti-Muslim hostility. Though there prevails controversy about actual meaning of this term, its communal usage by few extremist elements has suddenly surfaced in India. The majority in all probability have not even heard of this term, cannot read it (due to their literacy) or even pronounce it properly. So, the limited usage of this word is by itself an indicator of its spread in India being confined to a few right-winged elements. Lockdown-phobia has apparently prompted them to focus on Islamophobia, a subject that easily helps in gaining coverage and attention through various means of communication in India.

Lockdown-phobia is gradually witnessing protests against it in USA, but there, Islamophobia and corona-phobia bear no connection as visible in India. In other countries, Covid-19 has not been linked with religion. The possibility of bias against corona-victims has been taken note of in the West. But this has been linked with their economic stature and not religion. If religion was linked, Christians would stand out as being the most affected, followed by Muslims. Globally, Hindus would figure somewhere near the bottom, a little above non-Muslim and non-Christian minorities in India. This point has been deliberately mentioned in lieu of religion-phobias linkage with corona-phobia in India.

With Ramzan, the Muslim month of fasting having begun, it wouldnt surprising if soon the term phobia is attached to it also. Lockdown has led to 100% collapse of shopping-phobia for gifts, new clothes, sweets, etc, that is indulged in during this period. In addition, over the years, breaking of fast in evening, that is Iftar, has been marked by several politicians and others hosting parties for this. Due to corona-lockdown and social distancing, this Ramzan, it is virtually impossible for even immediate relatives to gather for Iftar. Since the coming of the present coalition to power, there has been a halt in Iftar parties hosted by top political leaders. All have, however, not ceased holding them. For some, these have marked display of their concern for Muslims, their socio-economic stature, political credibility and other symbols of their importance. This season, Iftar-phobia of majority has been pushed to the backburner.

Intriguingly, not much importance has been given to linking phobia with an issue that is being elaborated upon across the world, regarding of course Covid-19. Yes, this refers to hygienic practices being continuously promoted and advertised. If corona-phobia was not in the air, those elaborating on hygiene at this level and practising the same would probably have been considered, if not a little ill, even insane, but certainly hygiene-phobic. Considering that a certain percentage have been obsessed with their hygiene, washing hands frequently, using sanitizers and other practises of keeping clean, prior to corona-phase, at present they must be chuckling:-- practically the whole world is engaged in practices that they were once almost laughed at for. Lockdown apparently spells no phobia for these having the last laugh at promotion of hygiene, which they are already addicted to.

But, seriously, once lockdown ends, hopefully precautions, whether phobic or not, continue being exercised. Corona-phobia demands this!
WA property has sat at the bottom of its cycle for what feels like forever. Homeowners, trapped in negative equity, have listened with rising scepticism to real estate agents slightly desperate-sounding promises we had definitely hit rock bottom and the tide was about to turn.

In recent pre-pandemic months it actually seemed they were about to deliver on these predictions, with prices showing signs of life for the first time in years.

Developer Paul Blackburne says his projects, including as One Subiaco at the former pavilion markets site, are back to strong sales after a tough fortnight in April.

Then COVID-19 hit. National property news acquired horrorstruck tones and in late March, a prominent Perth developer struck a further note of foreboding.

Finbar announced the May launch and October construction start dates of its landmark Civic Heart towers in South Perth would be dumped, along with any other new launches.
By PTI

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court has said the gathering of hundreds of migrants near Bandra station here earlier this month was a one-off incident, and refused to pass urgent orders in a plea seeking deployment of adequate security personnel in the city.

Justice B P Colabawalla made the observation on April 27 while hearing a petition filed by one Shankar Pai and two others, who claimed to be residents of suburban Bandra, Khar and Mahim and said they were directly aggrieved by the April 14 incident.

The petitioners said such gatherings would increase the chance of the spread of COVID-19. The plea sought a direction to the Maharashtra government to make an assessment if military could be deployed in such vulnerable spots.

The petition sought for armed forces, or the Central Reserve Police Force and State Reserve Police Force personnel to be deployed in the city.

FOLLOW COVID-19 LIVE UPDATES HERE

Refusing to accept the petitioners argument that the Bandra incident demands urgent orders to be passed, Justice Colabawalla said, One incident does not make out an urgency.

These are extraordinary times and the government and civic authorities are doing their best to keep things under control.

" The court is sure the government and civic authorities will do whatever is necessary to ensure an incident like the one that took place in Bandra on April 14 will be avoided till the lockdown is effective, the HC said.

Nearly 1,000 migrant workers gathered near the Bandra railway station here on April 14, demanding transport arrangements for them to go back to their native places.

The migrants were later dispersed and assured that they will be provided accommodation and food till the lockdown lasts, a police official earlier said.
But he soon discovered the State Departments discriminatory policy. He passed the written exam three times and the oral assessments twice, but the State Department still barred him from the diplomatic corps.

State Department officials maintained that blind diplomats would be unable to handle all the paperwork and operate safely in a high-security environment. In addition, they argued, diplomats had to be able to pick up on subtle nonverbal cues like winks or nods.

Mr. Rabby methodically picked apart each claim before a congressional hearing in 1989 that his advocacy had helped bring about. On the last point, he noted that blind judges, blind lawyers and blind psychiatrists interpreted behavioral cues just fine by auditory and other means. To the best of my knowledge, he said, no international treaty or agreement has ever depended on being signed on the basis of a wink or a nod.

As a result of public pressure, the State Department reversed course and agreed to hire Mr. Rabby and consider other blind applicants. His first posting, in 1990, was to the American Embassy in London, where he worked as a junior officer. Over the next 17 years he was posted to Europe, Africa, South America and South Asia. His last posting was as chief of the political section at the U.S. Embassy in Trinidad and Tobago.

Mr. Rabby sent cables to Washington using a Braille note-taker, and used a computer speech program to listen to email messages. He also had a full-time assistant.

Otherwise, his diplomatic career was not extraordinary. And for Mr. Rabby, that was the point.

As he later wrote, The real problem facing blind people is not so much the physical loss of sight, but the low expectations the sighted society has of us and the discrimination we constantly encounter.
A nurse found out Wednesday what happens when you contradict President Donald Trump on how well coronavirus response efforts are going while standing near him in the Oval Office.

Trump clapped back at that nurse, Sophia Thomas, who said that access to sufficient supplies of personal protective equipment "has been sporadic." Her comments came during a National Nurses Day event at the White House meant to honor those first responders.

Trump upon hearing a less-than-glowing description of the front lines, quickly shot back, "Sporadic for you, but not sporadic for a lot of other people."

The exchange underscored how sensitive Trump has been to suggestions that the United States has lagged in preparedness for the coronavirus outbreak under his watch.

Thomas, who is president of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, had told reporters in the Oval Office that there are "certainly pockets of areas where PPE is not ideal but this is an unprecedented time."

"I've been reusing my N95 masks for a few weeks now," she said.

"PPE has been sporadic but it's been manageable, and we do what we have to do, we're nurses," said Thomas, who works at the Daughters of Charity Health System in New Orleans.

"And we learn to adapt and do whatever the best thing we can do for our patients to get the job done and get the care provided, and that's what we're going to continue to do as Covid-19 continues."

After Trump's testy response, Thomas said, "Oh, no, I agree Mr. President."

But Trump continued, folding his arms, "Because I've heard the opposite."

"I've heard that they are loaded up with gowns now."

"And initially we had nothing, we had empty cupboards, we had empty shelves, we had nothing, because it wasn't put there by the last administration," he said, referring to former President Barack Obama.

Trump then noted that he had traveled to a Honeywell factory in Phoenix a day earlier, to tour a production line that is making "millions of masks a month."

"We have other factories being built now for masks, and for the most part I mean, that was fine," Trump said, referring to the nurse.

'"But I've heard that we have tremendous supply to almost all places," he said.

"Tremendous supply."
The Centre on Wednesday came down heavily on the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal for not allowing movement of goods traffic through border crossings between India and Bangladesh that could jeopardize Indias international commitments to the neighbouring country.

In a scathing letter to West Bengal chief secretary Rajiva Sinha, union home secretary Ajay Bhalla stated that the unilateral action on the part of government of West Bengal to stop the cross land border movement of essential goods would have larger implications for the Indian government with regard to its legally binding international commitments.

Bhalla told that by doing so, West Bengal was not just violating the ministry of home affairs orders under Disaster Management Act including the guidelines but also Articles 253, 256 and 257 of the Constitution of India. Article 253 of the Constitution deals with the legislation for giving effect to international agreements while articles 256 and 257 give powers to the Centre for issuing directions to the state that are obligatory for latter.

It has been reported that goods traffic through border crossings between India and Bangladesh, falling in West Bengal, has still not resumed. As a result, a large number of trucks carrying essential supplies, bound for Bangladesh, are stranded at different border crossing points, the home secretary wrote in his letter.

A number of drivers of such vehicles, while returning from Bangladesh, have also not been allowed to cross the border, and are stranded in Bangladesh, Bhalla added.

He reminded the state government of lockdown measures issued on May 1 according to which no state/union territory shall stop movement of cargo for cross-border land trade under treaties with neighbouring countries.

He directed the Bengal chief secretary to allow access land border transportation through all Indo-Bangladesh borders without any further delay and send the compliance report by Wednesday.

During a meeting between cabinet secretary Rajeev Gauba and the states last month, West Bengal home secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay claimed that everything was under control in his state till Bhalla reminded him of hundreds of loaded trucks stuck at the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal that need to be unloaded for Bangladesh.

The state had argued that there is an issue about mingling of workers who handle goods from both sides. Bhalla reminded the state that the trucks contain essential supplies for Bangladesh and they cannot remain stranded in such a way.
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Workers handling the possessions of homeless shelter residents being moved around to combat the spread of COVID-19 have resorted to donning plastic garbage bags to protect themselves from the virus.

A half-dozen employees who tackled the job at a Brooklyn storage facility have contracted the disease  and one died, according to union leader Kyle Simmons, who charged the city hasnt provided the workers with protective gear.

If you are afraid and if they dont supply you with the stuff theyre supposed to supply you with, you do whatever is necessary to take care of yourself, said Simmons, president of AFSCME DC 37 Local 924.

Multiple Staff Deaths

Meanwhile, officials confirmed to THE CITY on Wednesday that 28 employees at the citys social welfare agencies  including the Department of Homeless Services, Department of Social Services and Human Resources Administration  have died due to COVID-19 complications.

The agencies are now tracking 343 cases of staff testing positive for the virus or presumed to be infected. Another 50 employees of non-profit shelter operators are also believed to be infected, though none have passed away, officials told THE CITY.

In the last two weeks, the Department of Homeless Services has moved more than 7,000 residents out of crowded single-adult shelters into hotel rooms that serve as isolation units. Many of these shelter residents are particularly vulnerable, among them the elderly and people with underlying medical conditions.

The exodus to isolation hotels and other housing comes as the virus has spread to nearly every shelter in a system that houses 56,000 people.

As of Tuesday, DHS reported more than 700 residents of New Yorks homeless shelters have tested positive for the virus, including 69 who have died.

DHS is also trying to move these residents into permanent housing to create more space within shelters and end a steady, constant spread of COVID-19.

Part of the undertaking involves transporting residents belongings from one place to another. At times, the inventory of an individuals possessions can be daunting, with some residents keeping multiple boxes in DHS storage facilities.

Boxes and Bins

At one such facility adjacent to the Barbara Kleiman Mens Shelter in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, homeless peoples belongings are kept in stacks of boxes and bins.

Simmons said six of 45 employees working at that site, which includes a transportation depot and the unions headquarters, have contracted the virus so far. One died, he said.

He noted that the workers recently watched as a resident was wheeled out of the Kleiman shelter next door on a stretcher wearing an oxygen mask. Shelter residents come and go from the storage facility, checking on their possessions or adding to them, he said.

Simmons noted that shelter residents often do not have access to adequate health care and sometimes struggle with medical issues. His members are fearful of being exposed to the virus, spurring him to repeatedly ask DHS to provide them protective outer clothing.

DHS refused his request, he said.

Im a Human Being

Last week, laborers assigned to transport yet another vanload of belongings from temporary housing at a Bronx apartment building to another site resorted to desperate measures: They bought a box of white plastic trash bags to wear as makeshift medical gowns as they trucked box after box to hotels and permanent housing where shelter residents are being transferred in droves.

I understand thats important with the first responders and all that, but Im a human being, Simmons said. My life is as important as a policeman or a fireman or anybody.

DHS, he said, insisted there was no need for protective clothing for workers moving belongings. He believes the city simply wasnt ready for this crisis and doesnt have any equipment to give out to his members.

They were supposed to prepare for this a long time ago, he said.

Isaac McGinn, a DHS spokesperson, said frontline city workers in shelters  including the workers hauling homeless peoples belongings  have been provided with face masks, gloves and hand sanitizer. He added, Guidance at this time does not recommend Tyvek suits or protective full-body coverings.

The shelter laborers struggle echoes the frustrating obstacle course multiple frontline workers have faced in the city. The shortage in masks, gowns and face shields in overwhelmed ERs prompted the nurses union to sue the state health department. The suit is pending.

Within the shelter system, DHS peace officers complained weeks ago that they werent given face masks to wear in crowded shelters where social distancing was nearly impossible. In response, de Blasio promised to provide peace officers and shelter staff with face coverings.

Teamsters Local 237 President Gregory Floyd said the mayor did provide some masks, but apparently not enough. On Wednesday, union officials said DHS peace officers were still seeking an adequate supply.

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Tipplers thronged liquor shops in large numbers as sale of alcoholic beverages resumed in Telangana after over a month long hiatus due to the COVID-19 lockdown while 11 fresh cases of the infection were reported on Wednesday.

More number of people were seen on the city roads and also at some ATMs compared to the previous days during the ongoing lockdown as most wine shops reported brisk sales amid vigil by the police and implementation of social distancing and other precautions.

Customers formed serpentine queues even before the shutters went up as the government allowed sale of liquor at more than 2,000 shops across the state with guidelines, including maintaining social distance and wearing of face masks while also increasing the prices by 16 per cent.

Shops in coronavirus containment zones will, however, remain closed.

Telangana is the latest to join the list of states, including neighbouring Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, which have allowed sale of liquor that remained out of bounds for the tipplers during the first two phases of lockdown.

The state clocks around Rs 20,000 crore revenue annually from liquor business, including licence fee.

"I was waiting for this day... I would not mind the price hike. This time I will get sufficient stocks," a buyer said at one of the shops here.

State Excise minister Srinivas Goud said he visited several outlets here and all of them were following the government guidelines such as wearing masks and maintaining physical distances.

On Wednesday, 11 fresh cases of COVID-19 were confirmed, taking the number of people infected by the virus in the state to 1,107.

No fresh death occurred and the toll due to the virus remained at 29, a COVID-19 bulletin said.

It said 20 people were cured/discharged on Wednesday, taking the total recoveries to 648.

The number of people undergoing treatment in hospitals (active cases) stood at 430.

All the 11 fresh cases were from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) area, according to the bulletin.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday asked officials to focus more on Hyderabad and its surrounding areas, where the new COVID-19 cases are being reported.

He directed that effective and strict measures be implemented to contain the spread of the virus.

Rao, who held a meeting with Health Minister E Rajender and officials on COVID-19 containment and implementation of lockdown, told the officials to be on alert in villages bordering Guntur and Kurnool districts of Andhra Pradesh in view of the rampant spread of the virus there.

Meanwhile, in continuing evacuation, around 14,000 migrant workers left Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for different states in 13 special trains.

While 11 trains left Telangana, two originated in Andhra Pradesh during the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday and were headed to Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Maharashtra, a South Central Railway official said.

The railways had been running ''Shramik Special'' trains since May 1 for ferrying the migrant workers at the request of states.

Earlier, over 2,000 migrant workers were sent to their home states from Telangana in two special trains, including the first special to be operated from Lingampalli here to Hatia in Jharkhand on May 1, after the Centre eased the lockdown norms and allowed their movement.

Speaking after a meeting of the state cabinet on Tuesday night, Rao had announced extension of lockdown in the state till May 29 beyond May 7, the earlier phase.

Six districts in the state are in red zone but three districts (except Hyderabad, Medchal and Ranga Reddy) may move out of the red zone in the next few days, he had said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NORTH SIOUX CITY -- Randy Fredericksen had had enough of the hostile work environment that he said was caused by micromanaging city council members.

After the North Sioux City Council on Monday voted to reopen casinos, bars and restaurants in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and a overturned a land development deal Fredericksen said he had reached in order to avoid a conflict of interest for the city, he resigned as mayor on Tuesday.

"It's just a complete fiasco," said Fredericksen, describing a city hall work environment he said has left some city employees in tears because a couple of council members are continually looking over their shoulders. "I know the hostile environment I've had to deal with for a long time."

Elected to a two-year term in 2015 and re-elected in 2017 and 2019, Fredericksen had one year left on his current term.

Fredericksen said he was upset with the council's 5-3 vote to reverse a decision made last week to extend the city's closure of public establishments through May in hopes of limiting the spread of the novel coronavirus. Instead, those establishments are now allowed to reopen at 50 percent capacity.

North Sioux City leaders in April shut down casinos, bars and restaurants because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Because similar establishments in neighboring Sioux City and Woodbury County in Iowa remain closed as the number of COVID-19 cases there continues to climb, Fredericksen said he was afraid of seeing Sioux Cityans crossing the Big Sioux River to frequent North Sioux City businesses. He preferred keeping them closed to slow the virus' spread.

"Now is not the proper time to open things up," Fredericksen said. "That was the first thing that upset me. I wasn't ready to open the town back up."

Also at Monday's meeting, Fredericksen said, the council approved a deal that circumvented an agreement he had made with the developer of a residential development. Fredericksen said his agreement would have saved the city money and eliminated a conflict of interest he said involved Councilwoman Lesa Cropley and her father, planning and zoning board chairman Don Streeter.

Fredericksen said he had asked Cropley and Streeter to resign because of the conflict of interest. After not receiving Streeter's resignation by Monday, Fredericksen said he removed him from his position.

A woman who answered the phone at Streeter's home Wednesday said he wouldn't comment about the situation. Cropley did not respond to an email request for comment.

Councilman Lonnie Green said on Tuesday that he and council members had been advised by the city's attorney not to comment on Fredericksen's resignation.

City Attorney Darrell Jesse did not immediately return a message seeking comment.

Fredericksen said he's worried his resignation will hamper the city's ability to pay its employees. Two signatures are required on each paycheck, and, before last Friday, Fredericksen, city finance officer Mike Hamm and council president Dan Parks were the only people authorized to sign paychecks, Fredericksen said.

Hamm left his position on Friday for a job with Thermo Bond Buildings in Elk Point, South Dakota. Fredericksen said his resignation leaves Parks as the only person to sign paychecks.

In addition to finding a replacement for Hamm, the city also is in search of a city manager to replace Ted Cherry, who left earlier this year to become town manager in Granby, Colorado.

Fredericksen said both men left because of council micromanagement.

Hamm would not comment on Fredericksen's claims.

"I just got a better opportunity," Hamm said Wednesday.

Cherry could not be reached for comment.

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Schools across the world have been forced to close their doors. Many find themselves struggling to transition from face-to-face teaching to a distance learning environment. Then there are those educators around the world who are innovating and managing to continue learning seamlessly.

Six top global educators join C.M. Rubin, Founder of CMRubinWorld, to share their distance learning models. From the United States, Deganit Ronen, the Principal of Westchester Torah Academy (WTA), explains that the Coronavirus breakout in her school community required an overnight curriculum rework. Vicki Davis, the Director of Instructional Technology at the Sherwood Christian Academy in Albany, Georgia, shares 10 tips for education's overcomers to move online. Educator Elisa Guerra from Aguascalientes, Mexico and Educator Maarit Rossi from Finland respectively share new ways to approach online learning in every community.

Jennifer D. Klein, Head of School at Gimnasio, Los Caobos in Colombia, offers important tips for helping students build community and creativity during this period of isolation. Based in the UK, Chris Williams, the Co-Founder, and CEO of Chatta, explains how Chatta Club (which is free) is supporting parents stuck at home with very young children.

The Top Global Teachers is a platform created by CMRubinWorld to enable teachers to share their best work with other teachers around the world. CMRubinWorld utilizes the platform to propagate the voices of the most indispensable people of our learning institutions, teachers.

CMRubinWorld's award-winning series, The Global Search for Education, brings together distinguished thought leaders in education and innovation from around the world to explore the key learning issues faced by most nations.

The series has become a highly visible platform for global discourse on 21st-century learning, offering a diverse range of innovative ideas that are presented by the series founder, C. M. Rubin, together with the world's leading thinkers.
Rishi Kapoor Choked When He Shared His Cancer News With A Friend

Raj revealed, "His cancer was detected in 2018. No one knew about it, except for the family. It was September 2018. He was to fly to the US for treatment that evening. He rang me up the same day. He used to fondly call me Thakur'. I took the call and greeted him. He said, "Thakur tere se baat karni hai (I need to talk to you)." And then, he choked up. I sensed something was not right. Then he told me, "Thakur paanch minute mein call karna (Call me in five minutes). I waited for exactly five minutes and called back. I asked him, "Chintu sab theek toh hai (Is everything alright)?" He was choking again. "Thakur, achchhi khabar nahin hai (I don't have good news for you). "I have been diagnosed with cancer. I'm flying to New York for treatment this evening," he told me. That's how I knew."

Raj Bansal Recalls His Last Meeting With Rishi Kapoor

"We met the last in December 2019. Chintu had returned to Mumbai after his year-long cancer treatment in New York. I was with Sanjay Dutt. We walked up to his house, not knowing how to approach him knowing he hadn't been keeping well. We were ushered inside and Chintu was all smiles and rushed to greet us and hug us. We had gone there thinking we won't trouble him. But, we winded up spending the entire night there over drinks and dinner. He even called Neetu (She was visiting a friend). It was a night to remember. We laughed so much that I had to sit on the floor because of the cramps. That was Chintu. That was Rishi Kapoor for you," he told the online portal.

Was Rishi Admitted To The Hospital A Day Before His Death?

To this, his friend clarified, "No. The reports circulating around are factually incorrect. He was admitted some days back. His hospitalization itself was a surprise to me. We had spoken only two days before that and he was taking a walk outside his flat. I remember telling him to go back inside. He told me, "Yaar Raju ab Bungalow pe renovation ka kaam chal raha hai. Flat mein shift kara diya hai. Thodi fresh hawa lene aya tha (Our bungalow in Mumbai is being renovated. We have shifted to a flat. I had come out for fresh air.)" We had spoken about our future, the lockdown and Corona. We spoke for more than half an hour and, normally, both of us don't speak over the phone for so long. That's why I refused to believe he is no more."

Raj And Rishi Were Buddies For Almost Three Decades

Recalling how they first met on the sets of Chandni, Rishi's friend said, "It was 1988. Yash ji (Yash Chopra) was shooting the film Chandni in Delhi. He called me and said, "Raju, come over for the shoot. Bring over your family as well." I met Rishi Kapoor, who was playing the lead with Sridevi on the sets. He was shooting for the song 'Mere haathon mein nau nau choodiyan hain'. Yashi ji introduced us and we got along very well. I was leaving the next day for Jaipur. So, I told Rishi Kapoor we would meet again. He asked me if I can postpone my plan for a day. I said yes, but asked him, why? He said he was to shoot for the film Ajooba there and that we could ride together. I said why not? That was how we met."

Rishi Kapoor's Transition From A Romantic Hero To Character Roles

Raj also remembered how the late actor would describe his initial career when he mostly played romantic heroes and said, "On more than one occasion he would tell me, Hum koi actor thode hi hain. Humein toh bas pedon ke ird-gird naachne ke liye lete hain' (I am hardly an actor. I am only cast to run around trees and dance)."

Speaking about Kapoor's second innings, he said, "Once he moved out of that stereotype and started doing his own kind of films, he surprised everyone with the kind of roles he took up. That transition to being a character actor was a conscious decision on his part, and he was quite pleased with himself after that. Chintu called me after reading the script of Do Dooni Char, which by the way is an excellent movie. Excitedly, he told me, I have read a new script and I'm planning to do the movie. I asked him if he had liked the script. He said he did and told me, After this movie, you will be proud of your friend'."
The McKittrick oil field in the town of McKittrick in Kern County on State Route 33, has over 1,100 producing wells. With the falling price of oil, some pump jacks that need repair are being left idle. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

The economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic is slamming cities and towns across the state.

But for Taft, a city of roughly 9,300 people in far western Kern County, there have been a few extra punches to the gut.

With prices and demand for oil down, the thousands of pump jacks that ordinarily bob up-and-down on the horizon are at a virtual standstill. That is adding to the misery on main street, where restaurants, gyms, stationery shops and other stores have been ordered closed.

And then theres the fact that another major employer, the privately owned Taft Correctional Institute, closed its doors on April 30 after sending hundreds of uninfected prisoners to coronavirus hot spots across the country. The decision to close the federal prison was made last fall, long before the pandemic struck, but now the economic pain is hitting.

Its been a rough couple of months, said Mayor Dave Noerr, who is pivoting as fast as he can to get his towns economy up and running again.

Taft sits at the base of the San Emigdio and Temblor mountain ranges, between the Midway-Sunset and Buena Vista oil fields, in the southwest corner of the San Joaquin Valley. The smell of oil in the air along Mocal Road, just to the northwest of town, is unmistakable.

Once known as Siding Number Two  a stop off the Southern Pacific railway  Taft was subsequently named Moro, then Moron, before town leaders settled on naming the area after then-President Taft in 1912.

Its been the geographical center of the California oil industry, where companies such as Chevron and Aera siphon up crude from the vast reserves pooled under this remote, dry region dotted with sage brush, clover and buckwheat.

On April 27, Tafts City Council voted unanimously to open up for business on May 3, in defiance of Gov. Gavin Newsoms orders.

But two days later, Kern County officials asked Noerr to stand down.

Unwilling to give up, the mayor penned a letter with four county supervisors and state Senate Minority Leader Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield), requesting the governor modify stay-at-home orders.

Story continues

Local government should have the flexibility and discretion to navigate reopening stages in a timeline that works best for their communities, wrote Noerr and those co-signing the letter. Noerr sits on a Kern County advisory board that is evaluating how best to respond to the governor's orders.

"I hate to say it, but the civil unrest we have been seeing seems to be having a positive effect," he said, referring to protests over the weekend and the governor's decision to reopen beaches around the state.

Several counties and cities have pushed back against Newsom's emergency orders. In the far northeastern part of the state, Modoc County opened up for business on Friday. Sheriffs in Del Norte and Humboldt counties announced they would not enforce the orders.

Kern County has also opted not to enforce the restrictions.

I see no reason why we should remain closed, Noerr said in an interview, last week, not wearing a mask. He said the overall economy of the town likely has shrunk by 40%. He doesn't yet have the numbers to show the true impact.

Sitting at the base of a bronze statue dedicated to the 20th century oil worker pioneers who built the city and the region's oil industry, Noerr pointed to Kern Countys COVID-19 numbers, which show that Taft now has 16 cases, and that hospitalization rates in the county have started to dip.

Dave Noerr, mayor of Taft, Calif., stands in front of the Taft Oilworker Monument. "It's been a rough couple of months," says Noerr, who is pivoting to get his town's economy running again after the coronavirus lockdown. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

If you were to compare those numbers to the levels of domestic abuse, child abuse, alcohol abuse and drug abuse situations over the past few weeks, youd see the virus pales in comparison to the damage being done by the shutdown, he said.

When asked for those numbers, he said he didnt have them and referred questions to the police department.

I think we should open up the hair salons, and nail salons, he said. We need to let people go to those places where they can start to feel better about themselves.

Noerr, who has the support of the oil industry  several oil company and trade group officials referred a reporter to the mayor for information about the oil industry in California  believes the business will rebound soon.

And he said it should be an American priority to support the nations oil industry.

Why are we buying oil from overseas when we can make it right here, in California, with some of the strictest environmental and workers rights regulations in the world? he said.

The closing of the privately owned federal prison was another setback for the town.

According to emails and news reports, the decision was made last fall by federal prison officials concerned about structural issues with some of the buildings.

On April 29, a burrowing owl sat on the coiled-razor wire fencing snaking the perimeter of the vacated facility. Correctional officers went in and out of the building, emptying the site of filing cabinets, chairs and microwave ovens.

According to news reports, more than 1,000 inmates were sent to a handful of prisons across the nation, including Lompoc and Mendota in California, as well as the North Lake Federal Correctional Institute in Michigan and another federal prison in Texas.

A Bureau of Prisons spokesman declined to name the Texas prison, saying instead that the bureau "determined suitable locations to best manage its population."

None of the Taft prisoners had coronavirus upon departure but were sent to facilities where the virus has spread. As of Sunday, the Santa Barbara County Health Department was reporting 107 cases at one of those facilities, the Federal Correctional Institute, Lompoc. Some 400 prisoners were also sent to the North Lake facility in Michigan, where state officials there were reporting that nine inmates and at least five staff were infected as of mid-April.

In April, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) wrote a letter to Michael Carvajal, director of the bureau of prisons, urging him to reconsider transporting the prisoners from



Taft Correctional Institution during the pandemic.

The BOPs decision to continue with the mass transfer of inmates around the country clearly and directly contradicts guidance from federal, state, and local authorities, as well as your own recent directive, they wrote. These actions are unnecessarily putting inmates and staff at the TCI, the broader community of Taft, and other inmates and staff in the federal prison system at risk of not only contracting COVID-19, but also further spreading this virus



A spokesman for the prisons, Scott Taylor, said it necessary to vacate for critical facility repairs.

Former correctional officers at the facility last week seemed overwhelmed, concerned and perplexed by the prison bureaus decision to close during this period and transport prisoners.

"I've been here for 18 years," she said, "I didn't see this coming," said Yeni Lopez, a quality control specialist at the prison. The recent closing of the privately owned federal prison in Taft has was another setback for the town. (Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)

Yeni Lopez, a Taft resident and quality control specialist at the prison, said she was blindsided by the decision.

Ive been here for 18 years, she said, I didnt see this coming.

Nor did Ray Smith, the owner of the Acme Almost Anything Jewelry and Gifts shop on Center Street.

He said that, among the knickknacks and jewelry he sells, hes also got a few essential items, such as flashlights and batteries.

The McKittrick oil field in Kern County. With the demand for oil down, thousands of pump jacks are at a virtual standstill. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

I was in the oil business for decades, he said, and was always known as a guy who wasnt afraid to say what he thought. People called me abrasive.

Nobodys stopping me from keeping my shop open, he said, leaning back on a chair on the sidewalk out front of his store.

But maybe thats because they know better.

Los Angeles Times reporter Susanne Rust and photographer Carolyn Cole are embarking on a road journey throughout California. They aim to give voice to those in remote parts of the state as they grapple with the worst health and economic calamity of our lifetimes.
RACINE  Johnson Financial Group announced it will donate $200,000 in its Wisconsin and Arizona markets to support the United Way and other nonprofit organizations responding to the challenges created by COVID-19.

Johnson Financial Group will give $150,000 directly to several nonprofit organizations, while matching its employees giving dollar-for-dollar up to another $50,000. Combined giving is expected to exceed $200,000.

Our communities need us now more than ever and were proud to do our part to help, said Jim Popp, president and CEO of Johnson Financial Group. We are honored to provide support to so many organizations that continue to improve the lives of our families, our neighbors and our friends. And, what better way to support the compassion and generosity of our JFG associates than to match their giving dollar-for-dollar.

We are extremely grateful for the generous support from Johnson Financial Group, said Amy Lindner, president and CEO of United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County. Gifts like this not only help with our current efforts of urgent needs and services, they are also essential for us to begin the important job of recovery and rebuilding our community.

Johnson Financial Group is contributing to organizations with a focus on basic needs such as food and housing, child care and youth activities, and supporting healthcare personnel, first responders and their families.

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European Court Condemns Romania For Dismissing Top Anti-Graft Prosecutor

By RFE/RL May 05, 2020

Romania's former top anti-corruption official has won a landmark victory at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which ruled that her dismissal in 2018 violated her human rights.

Laura Codruta Koevesi's removal from the DNA anti-corruption agency at the behest of the ruling leftist PSD party was widely seen as a blow to efforts to tackle corruption in Romania, and drew a warning from the European Commission.

The ECHR -- which is part of the Council of Europe, a human rights body -- said on May 5 that her sacking had violated her rights to a fair trial and to freedom of expression.

"Her premature removal defeated the very purpose of maintaining judicial independence and must have had a chilling effect on her and other prosecutors and judges in taking part in public debate on legislative reforms affecting the judiciary and judicial independence," the ECHR said in a statement.

The court found that Koevesi had been fired primarily because of her public comments, including criticism of proposed legislation that she feared would undermine the anti-graft fight in one of the European Union's most corrupt countries.

"This ruling defends magistrates from political interference," said Koevesi, adding, "I hope that this decision will give all Romanian magistrates courage."

President Klaus Iohannis, who was forced by Romania's Constitutional Court to fire Koevesi in July 2018, said the ECHR decision "shows us that this institution needs to be reformed at the constitutional level."

"The credibility of the Constitutional Court, already affected by some controversial decisions over the past few years, is now even more seriously shaken," Iohannis said.

Romania's Constitutional Court forced President Klaus Iohannis to fire Koevesi in July 2018, dealing a severe blow to the fight against corruption in the country.

The center-right Iohannis initially refused to dismiss Koevesi as urged by the leftist Social Democratic-led government, which had accused her of undermining the ruling coalition and exceeding her authority by making unfounded claims in interviews given to foreign news media.

But the court, which critics say is under the control of the notoriously corrupt social democrats (PSD), ruled in favor of Koevesi's dismissal.

Koevesi in December 2018 filed a complaint with the ECHR, arguing that the decision had denied her access to a court to challenge her dismissal.

Koevesi also argued that she had been fired for publicly expressing her views in her professional capacity on legislative changes pushed by the PSD to exonerate its leader, Liviu Dragnea, who was being tried for corruption and is currently in prison.

In September, Koevesi was appointed to the newly created position of top European Union anti-fraud prosecutor.

With reporting by Digi24HD, g4media.ro, RFE/RL's Romanian Service, dpa, emerging-europe.com, and AP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/european-court- condemns-romania-for-dismissing-top-anti -graft-prosecutor/30594058.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.

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Mizoram has announced that it is free of coronavirus disease (Covid-19), as the north-eastern states lone patient has recovered.

The patient, a 50-year-old pastor who had visited the Netherlands, tested Covid-19 positive on March 24. He was the second Covid-19 patient from the region after a 23-year-old girl from Manipur tested positive on her return from the United Kingdom.

Weve received a report that all the four samples of the patient, collected within 24 hours, have tested negative. He is likely to be discharged from the hospital by the end of this week, Mizoram health minister R Lalthangliana told HT over the phone from the state capital, Aizawl.

Mizoram can be declared free of Covid-19. We dont have a single patient. However, 1,366 people are lodged in various quarantine facilities in all the 11 districts of the state, Lalthangliana said.

Mizoram has become the fourth state in the north-east after Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Nagaland that dont have a single Covid-19 positive case.

Tripura, too, had recently announced that it was free of Covid-19 positive cases. However, the border state has since reported 42 Covid-19 positive cases, including 38 Border Security Force (BSF) personnel.

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SEATTLE, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Egencia , business travel by Expedia Group, announces the Helping Healthcare travel program to assist global healthcare providers with securing hotels for employees who are safely distancing from family or traveling to COVID-impacted areas. Egencia is offering healthcare and other service providers three months of free travel management services, including waived transaction and onboarding fees, access to special healthcare hotel rates with an average saving of up to 30% per night and 24-hour customer service in over 30 languages.

"We are deeply grateful to healthcare professionals all over the world who are working to keep our communities safe. Healthcare providers need their staff to be able to easily find affordable rooms near their workplace, and at Egencia we've purpose-built a program to do just that," said Ariane Gorin, president of Expedia Business Services. "It's fantastic to see so many hotel partners unite to support healthcare professionals all over the world through this and other programs designed with health and safety as touchstones. With our hotel partners, Expedia Group is proud to play a role in helping healthcare professionals."

The Egencia Helping Healthcare travel program is available to healthcare providers in over 25 countries with generous support from thousands of hotels. For Egencia customers like Apollo, a web-based platform that matches healthcare professionals with hospitals and other facilities in need of extra staffing due to COVID-19, it's critical that they make it as easy and seamless as possible for healthcare professionals to go where they are needed most.

"Our healthcare workers are integrating into a new hospital and understanding new patient demands, all while being away from home. It's comforting to know that the logistics of travel and lodging will all be handled by a dedicated team specifically for them," said Dr. Jon Lensing, CEO of Apollo. "In this current ever-changing landscape with so many medical professionals requiring travel, it's even more meaningful to be working with a team like Egencia that's equally as excited about our company's mission as we are."

The simple setup of this travel program allows healthcare providers to access Egencia's travel management services after a 45-minute onboarding phone call. Healthcare workers can quickly start to find and book hotels close to their place of work either online or via the Egencia mobile app, with the option to expense or cover the cost themselves.

This program makes it easier for healthcare providers to look after their staff as they can update their travel program whenever they need to, for instance to make an area unbookable should it become high risk. They can also ensure their staff have 24/7support when they need it, and access to regular travel updates through the app or by logging in online. With the Egencia Helping Healthcare travel program, healthcare providers will benefit from:

90-day Egencia booking fee waiver.

Accelerated onboarding experience with no onboarding fees.

Special healthcare hotel rates at properties able to accommodate frontline workers, thanks to Expedia Group hotel partners. Many hotels are implementing further health safety protocols such as increased sanitation.

Ongoing travel disruption notifications and updates.

Tools to know where travelers are in the world, plus full access to all Egencia reporting capabilities.

24/7/365 customer service in over 30 languages.

Access to best practices and advice via the Egencia Community.

For more information or to sign up for the Egencia Helping Healthcare travel program, please visit egencia.com/helpinghealthcare.

SOURCE Egencia

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The Security forces on Wednesday managed to eliminate Hizbul Mujahideen's top leader and commander Riyaz Naikoo in an encounter at Beighpora in Jammu & Kashmir. After his death, South Kashmir is said to be almost free from terrorism.

In a major success for India, security forces have eliminated Hizbul Mujahideens top leader and Jammu and Kashmir commander Riyaz Naikoo. He was active in the Valley for almost eight years. Top officials involved in the operation claim that after eliminating Naikoo, south Kashmir is almost free from terrorism. Naikoo was eliminated in the hours-long operation carried out by Indian Army, CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police in Beighpora area in Pulwama. At least two more terrorists were also killed by security forces in the encounter in Sharshali Khrew area of Awantipora.

The operation started late night on Tuesday after the forces got a tip-off about Naikoo hiding in the area. The security forces kept a larger base of target so that he couldnt escape. When the operation was about to end, Jammu and Kashmir Police asked all forces to stop convoy movements with immediate effect. The police said that all vehicles should be restricted across the Valley, adding that the movement of isolated vehicles should be avoided.

Cops also advised that the movement of Army and CRPF vehicles should not be allowed in the interiors, inter-district and intra-district. Naikoo had 12 lakh rupees bounty on his head and was in the hit list of security forces. He was the brain behind major terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir and was a high-value target for Indian forces after he took charge of Hizbul Mujahideen.

Also Read: Health ministry asks Indian pharma trade channels to ensure availability of critical drugs for management of COVID-19

Contact established in the third operation at Beighpor in Awantipur. Top terrorist commander is trapped. Exchange of fire on. Details shall follow, Jammu and Kashmir Police had tweeted when operations were going on.

According to sources, Riyaz Naikoo was also involved in killings of jawans and planned attack on security forces and was the successor of Zakir Musa, who was eliminated by security forces in May last year. He planned massive activities in Kashmir during Ramzan so that he can raise more terrorists from local villages. In a conversation, which was recorded by security forces, a terrorist had said that Naikoo will be doing some operations directly, which became first tip-off of his location, a senior intelligence officer told ANI.

Naikoo, a teacher by profession during his old days, was also famous for doing things on the ground as well as off ground.

Also Read: Health ministry asks Indian pharma trade channels to ensure availability of critical drugs for management of COVID-19

Jammu and Kashmir: Hizbul Commander Riyaz Naikoo has been eliminated by security forces in an encounter. pic.twitter.com/ewPE5ux7Ae  ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2020

According to a senior police officer of the Union Territory, Naikoo also planned anti-India campaigns after abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. He used youths in spreading lies on social media to disturb law and order situation in the valley, the source said. Naikoo also started a campaign to promote terrorists killed in operations. He tried to make commander Zakir Musa famous in South Kashmir and started gun salutes to terrorists killed by security forces.

Forces are claiming that after his death, Hizbul has no face or leader left in Jammu and Kashmir and it is unlikely to get a commander due to fraction after a new terror outfit, called The Resistance Front (TRF), was launched by Pakistan.

Also Read: Aarogya Setu app team dismisses reports of data breach, say no personal information is at risk

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MIDDLETOWN  The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce is encouraging people to buy and stay local for Mothers Day by compiling a list of area restaurants and retail outlets offering specials for the occasion.

Mothers Day is a chance for all of us to honor the moms who have sacrificed their own comforts and happiness to give us a better life. Honoring mom this year is a bit of a struggle in our new world, but the Middlesex Chamber has many options for you to celebrate and shower your mom with great gifts and delicious food options, according to a press release.
V. Sridhar has been appointed as Senior Director while Yadvinder Singh Guleria & Vinay Dhingra have been elevated to the Board of Directors

Honda Motor Co Ltd has announced the new top management in Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI). Atsushi Ogata will be taking on new responsibility as the President, CEO & Managing Director of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt Ltd. Ogata is also an Operating Executive at Honda Motor Co, Japan.

Ogata shall be the successor of Minoru Kato, who after spearheading Hondas Indian two-wheeler operations for 3 years, returns to Japan with effect from 1st May 2020; elevated as the Operating Executive & Chief Officer Life creation operation, Honda Motor Co., Japan.

Ogata started his career in Honda Japan from 1985. In the year 2000, Ogata moved to Europe as the General Manager of Motorcycle Sales Division in Honda Motor Europe Ltd. (HME) gaining experience in both HMEs northern and southern operation headquarters at Germany and France respectively over the next 6 years. The next 9 years (2006  2015) saw him drive Honda two-wheeler sales in China in 2 of Honda joint-venture companies in the country. After being the General Manager in Sales Division of Sundiro Honda Co Ltd (Shanghai, China) for first 4 years, he later became the President of Wuyang Honda Motor Co, (Guangzhou, China). Next up in 2015, he returned to Japan as General Manager of Motorcycle Operation Office. In 2018, Ogata moved to Asian Honda Motor Co Ltd. (Thailand) as the Director of Hondas Regional Operations (Asia & Oceania region) for both motorcycle and power products business and was further elevated to Executive Director in the same profile in 2019.

With his unparalleled 35 years of rich experience at Honda across Europe, Japan, China and Asia & Oceania, Ogata will be arriving in India and shall be taking over as the new President, CEO and MD of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt Ltd and Operating Executive, Honda Motor Co Ltd.

Changes in the Board of Directors:

Entering its 20th year of Indian operations, Honda 2Wheelers India has also further strengthened its Senior Leadership Team to strategically steward the brand towards market leadership in the disruptive future.

As part of this move, V Sridhar (earlier GVP & Director  Manufacturing, HMSI) is now further elevated as the Senior Director  Purchase, HMSI. Additionally, Yadvinder Singh Guleria and Vinay Dhingra are now elevated to the Board of Directors of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd.

Yadvinder Singh Guleria as the new Director, HMSI now has greater responsibilities with an additional charge of Customer Service, Logistics Planning & Control, Premium Motorcycle Business, Brand & Communication along with Sales & Marketing. Guleria was previously the Senior Vice  President Sales & Marketing, HMSI.

Similarly, Vinay Dhingra is also appointed as the new Director, HMSI with the added responsibility of Strategic Information System (SIS) along with General & Corporate Affairs. A veteran at Honda, Dhingra was previously the Senior Vice-President, General & Corporate Affairs in the company.

Parallelly, two Directors have retired after completing their respective tenures - Anupam Mohindroo (previously Director  Purchase, HMSI) and Harbhajan Singh (previously Director  General & Corporate Affairs, HMSI).

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Department store Myer will open the doors to five of its Queensland stores in a trial it hopes could lead to openings in other states.

The retail giant closed all of its stores and stood down about 10,000 staff without pay on March 29 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Its online services remained open.

Stores at Chermside, Carindale, North Lakes, Townsville and Toowoomba will open from Friday.

Myer will open the doors of five stores, including its Townsville centre (pictured), in a trial it hopes could lead to more stores being opened across Australia

Cleaning in store will be increased, while hand sanitiser, faces masks and gloves will be available to staff, sneeze guards installed at registers and social distancing signposted.

However, beauty appointments, intimate apparel, suit and shoe fittings will remain suspended.

'Our priority continues to be the health and wellbeing of our customers and team members and to assist and support governments in limiting the spread of COVID-19,' a Myer spokesperson said.

Myer joins a slew of other stores that are opening their doors as states slowly ease coronavirus restrictions.

The retail giant closed all of its stores and stood down about 10,000 staff without pay on March 29 because of the coronavirus pandemic (pictured is a Melbourne store at the time)

Apple announced on Tuesday that 21 of its 22 stores nationwide would be in operation on Thursday - while leading outdoor wear retailer Kathmandu is re-opening the majority of its stores by the end of the week.

Retail giant Accent Group - which owns footwear brands Athlete's Foot, Hype DC and Platypus - has announced more than 500 stores would re-open by the middle of May.

It comes as retail bosses anxiously await Friday's national cabinet meeting and the prospect Prime Minister Scott Morrison could roll back limits on public gatherings and bans on non-essential businesses.

As the country begins the slow road out of the coronavirus pandemic, Daily Mail Australia reveals which shops are open for business and which are still shuttered.
NEW YORK - There was nothing but navy, teal and baby blue all the way down the block, as hospital workers in layers of protective gear streamed into a line that captured the attention of three police cars.

They were headed to an open box truck with a big sign taped to the side: "Show your hospital ID: Get free PPEs."

Some wanted to know whom to thank, and they'd inevitably be waved over to a slight, blond woman named Rhonda Roland Shearer. Just as she had done after 9/11, distributing millions of dollars in supplies to workers at Ground Zero that she'd mobilized herself, Shearer was in the thick of things - having once again leveraged a substantial line of credit to do so.

"This is to save the skin behind your ears!" she said, handing out curious strips of plastic notches, similar to barrettes, that hold the loops of surgical masks.

The "ear savers" were, as Shearer does best, a solution to a problem nearly everyone in line said they had, but no one had quite realized they needed fixed.

Nationwide, the shortage of personal protective equipment has fueled a tense political standoff between federal, state and local government officials, one that has left many front-line medical workers to fend for themselves amid the ongoing crisis. In mid-March, to the frustration of state officials and hospital administrators, President Trump advised the country's governors "try to get it yourself," forcing states and hospitals into competition with one another for lifesaving PPE.

Shearer doesn't necessarily present as a skilled medical supplies haggler, but that's all she does now. A 65-year-old sculptor whose late husband was the evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould, she's a rarity in the tony Manhattan neighborhood of Soho where she's lived in an artists' loft for decades. Nearly everyone else, it seems, fled to their second homes in the Hamptons or even farther afield when the coronavirus pandemic hit. "I have no country house, no car," said Shearer, and besides, this is where she feels at home, running not away from, but toward the fire.

"This feels like having gold. Gold! Because we don't have sufficient supplies. It's very, very bad," said Karen Titus, a nurse clutching a Shearer-issued bag containing seven surgical masks, a KN95 filter and a face shield. Titus was wearing the PPE she'd improvised by taping "chucks," or disposable pee pads, around her calves and shoe coverings made from cut-up socks.

Everyone in line was either from the city-run Kings County Hospital, like Titus, or the state-run University Hospital of Brooklyn across the street. Both are overwhelmed with covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, and serve a low-income neighborhood. Some nurses showed up wearing rubber gas masks they'd bought in hardware stores.

Shearer wasn't alone. This project, called Cut Red Tape 4 Heroes, is a partnership with Housing Works, a New York-based nonprofit serving the homeless and people with HIV/AIDS. Shearer and her then-husband, investor Joseph Allen, were the group's first benefactors in 1990. Housing Works CEO Charles King also credits Shearer with the idea that Housing Works start a high-end thrift store to raise money and employ clients. They now have 12 throughout the city.

Shearer's goal with the PPE, as it was for months after the 2001 terrorist attack that leveled Lower Manhattan's twin towers, is to bypass an equipment distribution system that she believes is failing workers on the front lines, nonprofit workers and the homeless. "I'm running literally 18-hour, 20-hour days," she said, either hunting down good prices for the PPE or standing outside hospitals asking employees what they need.

Over the past month, according to bank statements and receipts shared with The Washington Post, Shearer has gone from zero debt to borrowing more than $600,000 on a home equity line of credit to buy wholesale masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and face shields. She leveraged about $1 million in this way after 9/11.

Shearer had tried to source deals and pass them along to city agencies, but "they didn't move fast enough," she said, and the PPE she'd secured for New York's front-line workers instead "went to somebody else."

The only way to get workers what they needed, she decided, was to buy and distribute it herself. And she knew she could because she'd done it before.

---

"I was delighted to have her there," said Harry Meyers, retired assistant chief of the FDNY who was the original Ground Zero incident commander managing 1,800 men digging victims' remains out of the debris.

As documented at the time, the city's emergency management agency called the police on Shearer multiple times to arrest her for handing out items like hard hats, T-shirts, underwear, Carhartt pants and jackets, rakes, trowels and power tools.

It was Shearer's daughter, London Shearer Allen, who first ran toward "the Pile" hours after the towers fell, with a hand truck loaded with leather gloves and face masks from her mother's sculpture studio. Shearer followed five days later, after getting stuck at the border in Canada with Gould.

"It just made life so much easier for my guys to do their job safely," Meyers said. "At the time, the bureaucracy was entirely incapable of supplying the things we needed because nothing like it had ever happened before. It's kind of like this virus."

At first, Shearer tried donating through official channels with the office of emergency management, but the supplies got loaded up on a barge and when she talked to workers, they said they never saw them. "I didn't have to do that more than a couple days to see, 'Boy, am I flushing money down the toilet,'" she said.

She vowed from then on that she would bypass bulk donations and only do direct issuance, like in the military - meaning she would hand over supplies herself and get sizes of the individual recipients, "so we were able to give, you know, Firefighter Callahan his size 22 boots that are hard to get." She also went around to Salvation Army and the Red Cross outposts, which gave her lists of things they needed.

Wanting to get the right goods into the right people's hands is also why she isn't buying N95 masks to give out for free now. Fit on those can be a matter of life or death, and she thinks it's irresponsible not to have fit testings. "It's particularly important now because women have small faces," she said.

Key to her Ground Zero operation was C.J. Vallone, owner of DiVal Safety, a construction-gear distributor in Buffalo, who drove down a truck full of donations, and soon gave her a $1 million line of credit.

"That was spooky," said Vallone about giving that much trust to a stranger. "But she was so sincere, and being able to help - that is one of the proudest moments of my professional life." Every month he'd drive down newly purchased supplies and donations.

When she heard about the very similar problems with the supply chain for the coronavirus pandemic in late February, Shearer said she thought, "This is a complete Groundhog Day."

It was a call from her daughter that activated Shearer again. "She said, 'Mom, I really think that this is something maybe we can help on,' " Shearer said. "And when your child points to something, a right to do to correct wrongs. Then that's it for me. I get on a mission."

She called people she knew at the FDNY and they told her they were worried because they had no masks for doing crowd control. Then she called Vallone, who donated pallets of gloves and Tyvek suits, those white disposable hazmat coveralls seen in photos nationwide.

"It was like Christmas. They just showed up," Shearer said. But she needed a medical supplier who could ship things fast. Soon she'd made contact with Mayank Parikh, owner of the independent Super Health Pharmacy, with nine stores in the city and New Jersey, who started helping her source big orders out of his State Island flagship. The first was 100,000 three-ply surgical masks, which he managed to ship to her in 24 hours.

Parikh only orders through his trusted supply chain - either name brands or manufacturers on the Food and Drug Administration's list of approved PPE vendors. He also donated the trucks she's using, and paid for the Cut Red Tape 4 Heros banners. Shearer sources everything herself, ordering from other vendors or directly from manufacturers, too, following the same standards.

"I feel like I've known her for decades, but it's been months," he said. "She's awesome. She really helps keep the energy and fire going. And it just really motivates me to help get her these items, you know?"

---

Covid-19 is bringing back many memories of 19 years ago.

Gould died after a recurrence of cancer in 2002, as Shearer was still distributing supplies at Ground Zero. Shearer cries often when she talks about being there. "I just need a second."

Recently, London, 41, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer related to the toxins at Ground Zero, and her surgery was paid for by the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund. "We're so happy," Shearer said. "We just got the news that the margins are clear, and they think she'll have a full recovery." A similar cancer killed Shearer's partner of 15 years after Gould, FDNY Chief Ronald R. Spadafora. They met after they'd finished up at the site. "He was someone I could relate to because it does affect you, the trauma," she said.

But also as happened 19 years ago, Shearer's efforts are running into bureaucratic walls. University Hospital was the only one of a dozen hospitals that Shearer and Housing Works have called that welcomed them onto their property. She just showed up outside public hospitals like Kings County, Bellevue, and North Central Bronx, and was inundated with not just hospital workers but public housing residents and the homeless. One hospital used security to get them to move their operation across the street, she said.

"The ironic twist is that the same admin people who called the police came out to get PPEs and said they were sorry," said Jaron Benjamin, Housing Works's vice president of community mobilization, who's been doing most of the outreach to hospitals to partner with them or let them park on their property.

Among the sticking points are that Shearer wants to know the names and sizes of employees she's outfitting, and she wants to hand out of her truck with photographers present. "They want to do it in secret and I don't do secret things, I'm sorry," she said. "Part of the healing of all of this is transparency. We don't just bring supplies. We bring respect and community."

Besides, she said, "I need to get the word out so hopefully more people help out."

One director of donations, who asked not to be identified for fear of losing his job, explained that his hospital had a policy of only accepting donations to a general stockpile that could be vetted for quality. "It's about protecting our staff," the director said.

Shearer said she's provided receipts for American-made, name-brand purchases - sealed boxes of DuPont and Medline, all FDA approved.

An emergency medical technician in Queens, who also asked not to be named, said he was shocked. "It doesn't make any sense to me why anyone would turn away free PPE."

Benjamin said he's heard from employees that "if there's any hesitation from the hospitals, it's because they don't want to publicly look like they can't provide for their staff."

---

Back outside the hospitals in Brooklyn, pathologists were streaming back to their work stations each carrying a box of 25 Tyvek suits, donated by Vallone, which in today's market can go for $20 each. That was $15,000 the hospital didn't have to spend, Shearer said.

Shearer chatted with emergency room nurse Jacqueline Reid, who said she was grateful to have masks to take home, since all hospital-issued masks had to be checked out and checked back in. "I have a daughter who had a bone-marrow transplant, and I just feel like this is so nice for her," Reid said.

"That's what it's for!" Shearer said. "This is for you, ladies. Because at the end of your shift, you throw away your mask and what do you wear home? How do you shop?"

She and Housing Works staffers passed out 2,200 kits of PPE and ran out of 50 gallons of hand sanitizer in an hour. Shearer has since acquired a van from Parikh to do smaller runs to veterans' hospitals. Her worry now is not just about hospital workers but the homeless; her research, she said, showed that many shelters on Staten Island had closed because of a lack of PPE - which might account for why the subways are so overrun. She's provided PPE for the two shelters King set up in hotels for homeless people with covid-19.

"If I'm insane," she said, she could borrow her full $2 million home equity line of credit, which if she fails to pay off, could result in the loss of the Soho loft she bought with Gould.

The Go Fund Me page that Housing Works had set up to help reimburse her costs was only $26,400 toward the well over a half-million she'd already spent, but Shearer said she had no intention of making herself whole any time soon. "I'd rather focus on people giving me money so I can keep doing this. I want to keep buying PPE," she said. "I'm just focused on helping the workers that are taking the real risk."
Donald Trump did not wear a mask during his visit to an Arizona mask manufacturing plant on Tuesday, which played the Guns N Roses cover of James Bond theme song Live and Let Die during the event.

Mr Trump arrived alongside other White House officials in Phoenix, Arizona, to watch the production of millions of N-95 medical masks worn by medical staff during the coronavirus pandemic.

The president, who has been unwilling to wear a mask during the coronavirus pandemic, said on Tuesday morning that he would if it was a mask environment.

Workers could be seen wearing masks, whilst a sign read that all persons should wear masks, as the White House entourage looked on with goggles.

With a soundtrack that included Trump rally classics such as Lee Greenwoods God Bless the U.S.A. and Survivors Eye of the Tiger, Mr Trump watched bins being filled with N-95 masks on order from the federal government.

The presidential tour on Tuesday climaxed when the chorus of Live and Let Die played over a Honeywell executives explanation of how the material protected wearers from the virus that has now claimed more than 70,000 American lives.

If this ever-changing world in which we live in / Makes you give in and cry / say live and let die blared on the PA system as the plant executive shouted over the Guns N Roses cover of the popular James Bond theme Live and Let Die, written by Paul McCartney.

Coming on the same day that the White House confirmed it would disband its coronavirus task force within weeks, commentators provided their own take on Tuesdays presidential spectacle.

I can think of no better metaphor for this presidency than Donald Trump not wearing a face mask to a face mask factory while the song Live and Let Die blares in the background, said television host Jimmy Kimmel on Twitter.

Others noted how neither Mr Trump, nor his entourage or Honeywell representatives, appeared to practice the presidents own social distancings guidelines at times during the tour.

Americans have also been encouraged by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to adorn masks since April to avoid spreading the virus.

Other songs played on the presidential visit on Tuesday included the Animals House of the Rising Sun.

A White House official said afterwards that Honeywell had told the White House that president Trump and other visitors did not need to wear masks.
The CBS logo is seen at the CBS Building in New York City on Aug. 6, 2018. (Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images)

CBS Denies Awareness of Staged COVID-19 Testing Line

CBS News said it was removing video footage showing a long line of cars waiting in a COVID-19 testing line after undercover video footage showed nurses saying the line was staged.

The line was at Cherry Health in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Nurses who spoke to Project Veritas said Cherry Health Director of Quality and Informatics Glenda Walker helped organize workers at the facility into the line after being given a heads up that a CBS News crew was on the way.

We had no clue that were going to have to, like, do fake patients, one nurse said.

Alison Mauro, another nurse, said the line was a mix of fake and real patients.

We pretended. There were a couple of real patients, which made it worse, she said.

A drive through customer picks up a swab kit at a Rite Aid drive through testing site in Macomb, Mich., on April 21, 2020. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Apparently the news crew wanted more people in the line because they knew it was scheduled, Nick Ross, a cleaning site supervisor at the facility, told Project Veritas, a media watchdog.

CBS said in a statement that it did not stage anything at the facility.

These allegations are deeply disturbing. We reached out to Cherry Health to address them immediately. They informed us for the first time that one of their chief officers told at least one staffer to get in the testing line along with real patients, the outlet told Project Veritas.

No one from CBS News had any knowledge of this prior to tonight.

CBS, which didnt respond to a request for comment, said it was removing the footage from its segment that dealt with Cherry Health.

In an editors note added to the story about the segment, CBS stated it could not verify the authenticity of a scene from one of the testing sites initially featured in this story.

At least one staff member of Cherry Health, which operated the testing site in Michigan, may have been in line along with real patients. The story aired last Friday, however, CBS News learned of that possibility Tuesday night, and references to that testing site have been deleted from the video and this accompanying article, the outlet added.

Tasha Blackmon, president and CEO of Cherry Health, said in a statement sent to The Epoch Times: Though the Project Veritas report claims the CBS video showing a line of cars was staged; to my knowledge CBS This Morning did not stage any part of their visit, and I did not instruct any of our staff to get in their cars as part of the line of vehicles.

She said that 34 people who were pre-screened received tests on the day of the CBS interview.

In a follow-up statement to local broadcasters, Cherry Health said an internal investigation uncovered the fact that several staff members were encouraged to pull their cars up in the testing line to provide a visual backdrop showing how busy the testing site can get.

This was done with the intention of protecting patient privacy since many of the patients scheduled for a COVID-19 test on that day declined to be filmed for HIPAA reasons. The individual responsible for this mistake has accepted responsibility and expressed deep remorse for this unfortunate situation, Blackmon said in the statement.

Cherry Health CEO Tasha Blackman stands to the left of presidential candidate Joe Biden as he speaks during a campaign stop at Cherry HealthHeart of the City Health Center, in Grand Rapids, Mich., on March 9, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

She claimed that no fake tests have ever been done at the testing site.

While good faith mistakes were made to protect patient privacy, the manner in which this situation is being portrayed is unfair and inaccurate. Maintaining our integrity as a trusted organization that provides quality care to the underserved people of our communities is our top priority. We are saddened that this has been called into question, but have every confidence that the truth will prevail, Blackmon said.

The footage was run as part of a segment titled: Michigan expands coronavirus testing but grapples with supply shortages. Cherry Health posted a link to the segment on its website. Blackmon told the outlet that her health center was struggling to find enough gowns and N95 masks. Employees had to reuse gowns multiple times, she claimed.

Our supply of personal protection equipment was at a two-week supply level, Cherry Health, an independent nonprofit, said in one of its new statement.

Presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden spoke at the center on March 9, appearing with Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Its the third time in recent weeks that CBS has had to adjust its reporting on the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, which causes the COVID-19 disease. After reports appearing to show footage from an Italian hospital being portrayed as one in New York, CBS This Morning said it was a mistake.

CBS also adjusted reporting on a woman who said she was a nurse and quit her job after not being protected from the new illness.

The woman said on Facebook before posting the video that she hadnt worked at a hospital for over a year.
A Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militant was arrested and arms and ammunition seized from his possession in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Wednesday.

A JeM militant was arrested in Satura village of Tral area of the south Kashmir district late Tuesday night, a police official said.

He said the militant was apprehended by the security forces at the Satura crossing when he was found moving under suspicious circumstances.

On his questioning, the security forces recovered an AK-56 rifle, five AK magazines, 150 AK rounds, three Chinese grenades and two cell phones, the official said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rumor mill: Next week will finally see Nvidia confirm its Ampere architecture, and it seems the company has put in a massive order with TSMC for its 7nm node technology. Looking beyond Ampere to the next-generation 5nm Hopper family, Nvidia is lightening the load on TSMC by handing some of the work over to Samsung.

According to reports in The China Times and DigiTimes, Nvidia has been one of TSMCs main customers of the 7nm process node, which seems to confirm that Ampere GPUs, including those used in consumer graphics cards such as the RTX 3080, will be based on this manufacturing process. Considering rival AMD has been on 7nm since the launch of EPYC Rome last August, this makes sense.

Following the release of Ampere, Nvidias next architecture will be Hopper. As one might expect, this will see a shrink from 7nm to 5nm. But reports claim the process will not entirely be handled by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company.

DigiTimes writes that in addition to reserving production slots for TSMCs 5nm production capacity in 2021, Nvidia will be handing some of the work over to Samsung. Specifically, the Korean giant will produce lower-end Ampere graphics cards, which could use its 7nm EUV or 8nm process nodes.

Last month, we heard that Nvidia was placing orders with TSMC for a mystery 5nm product, which is likely based on Hopper.

Samsung did complete its 5nm EUV development last year and said in its Q1 earnings report that production of the 5nm EUV process will begin in the second quarter of 2020. Nvidia is reportedly in negotiations with the company over whether it can take some 5nm orders, too.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang will lead the companys keynote at the Graphics Technology Conference on May 14, which comes with the byline get amped.

Its expected that Amperes consumer graphics cards will arrive in the third quarter, which lines up with rumors of Nvidia AIB partners clearing stock to prepare for the RTX 3000 launch in Q3.
Opponents and proponents of vaping will have a chance to lobby Melbourne City Council before it decides whether to ban e-cigarettes from smoke-free areas.

The public will have about a month to make submissions to the council on a local law to make vaping illegal in the 11 smoke-free zones in the CBD, including at Bourke Street Mall and along the Tan running track.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp. Credit:Jason South

The health effects of vaping as well as the public amenity issues caused by vaping smoke will be considered by councillors.

Vaping advocates, including the British Royal College of Physicians, say vaping causes no danger to bystanders and helps smokers quit cigarettes. Other groups, including Quit Victoria, say e-cigarettes produce an aerosol and their second-hand smoke is potentially harmful.
BRUSSELS  The good news for Europe is that the worst of the pandemic is beginning to ease. This week deaths in Italy hit a nearly two-month low. And the German leader Angela Merkel announced that schools, day care centers and restaurants would reopen in the next few days.

But the relief could be short-lived.

The European Commission released projections on Wednesday that Europes economy will shrink by 7.4 percent this year. A top official told residents of the European Union, first formed in the aftermath of the Second World War, to expect the deepest economic recession in its history.

To put this figure in perspective, the 27-nation blocs economy had been predicted to grow by 1.2 percent this year. In 2009, at the back of the global financial crisis, it shrank by 4.5 percent.

Its a grim reminder that even if the virus dissipates, the economic fallout could pressure the world economy for months, if not years.
Fisayo Soyombo a Journalist, has narrated shocking details of deaths in FMC, Lokoja, Kogi state, after patients exhibited COVID-19 symptoms, as he accused the state government of cover-up.

According to Soyombo, at least 4 patients died within one week at the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, and their samples werent taken while they were alive or after they died to check if they had Coronavirus.

He also added that there have been other patients who exhibited COVID-19 symptoms but were not tested and were later discharged.

He told of a pregnant woman who recently returned to Kogi from Lagos state. She went to FMC, Lokoja, on March 22, for a cesarean section operation and showed symptoms of COVID-19, yet she wasnt tested and was discharged after her surgery.

He tweeted: One more patient exhibited potential COVID-19 symptoms on Sunday but moves for sample collection were futile; by yesterday (May 4), the patient was dead.

Ive been told there are more suspected cases, but these were the ones I personally tracked.

Fisayo accused the Kogi state government of cover up and suggested that they might be covering up Coronavirus cases in the state for three reasons, one being that none of the isolation centres in the state are ready for use. He said the second reason is that the state government doesnt have money to give to the people as palliatives so they pretend the state is free of COVID-19 cases.

He wrote: Why would the state govt want to hide COVID-19 cases? There may be many reasons but Im sure of three, so far:

1. None of the 3 isolation centres  at SDG/FAREC Clinic, the Kogi State Diagnostics Centre & the Maimuna and Usman Yahaya Foundation Hospital  is ready for use.

Kogi state claims it has no case of Coronavirus but Fisayos thread is questioning this claim.

Read his full post below;
As the Covid -19 outbreak has taken a toll on education sector, the virtual internship has become a new reality.

Several students of Indian Institute of Technology, Patna (IIT-P), who had bagged summer internships in metro cities and foreign countries are now settling down with work-from-home kind of internship after the recruiters have modified their agreements due to the global lockdown.

Training and placement officer of IIT-P Kripa Shankar said, No doubt the lockdown has affected the summer internship this year adversely. But all has not been lost completely. Thanks to the virtual management, the hi-tech companies are keeping the doors of internship and job offers running.

Two IIT-P students have got internship offer in London and France-based organisations. Few others have got internships at Google office in Bengaluru and Hyderabad. However, several students were trying at Japan-based institutes but the process stopped midway.

Shweta Kumari, a first-year student of Patna Womens College, said, My summer internship is scheduled in June. I have applied for work-from-home internship as it carries weightage in the yearly assessment. I am waiting for the confirmation letter from recruiter.

Meanwhile, the Development Management Institute (DMI) is also in talks with several companies for online internship.

DMI dean Niraj Kumar said that the institute was planning to switch for a digital-mode internship.

Kumar said the virtual internship is not same as practical experience of office training but considering the exceptional situation, it is judicious to utilise time.

Two students of Central University of South Bihar (CUSB) have been selected by Indian National Science Academy (INSA) for summer research fellowship scheduled in June-July.

Aashish Prakash and Awanish Pathak, both pursuing masters in science, have bagged internships at the CSIR-Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, West Bengal and Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Science,Uttarakhand respectively.

CUSBs public relation officer Muddasir Alam said, Fate of their fellowship is tied with lockdown. In case the situation doesnt go back to normal, students will continue with remote internship.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said work needs to start now to prepare for the next global pandemic. (FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)

Work needs to start now to prepare for the next global pandemic, the World Heath Organization (WHO) has warned.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that as the world responds to the coronavirus pandemic, we must also work harder to prepare for the next one.

As of 5.30pm on Wednesday, there had been over 3.7 million confirmed COVID-19 cases across the world, according to Johns Hopkins University, with more than 259,000 deaths.

There is no vaccine currently available, meaning countries are having to adapt to operating alongside the disease.

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

6 charts and maps that explain how COVID-19 is spreading

Speaking at the WHO media briefing on Wednesday, Dr Tedros said: The COVID-19 pandemic will eventually recede, but there can be no going back to business as usual. We cannot continue to rush to fund panic but let preparedness go by the wayside.

As we work on responding to this pandemic, we must also work harder to prepare for the next one. Now is an opportunity to lay the foundations for resilient health systems around the world, which has been ignored for too long.

That includes systems to prepare, prevent and respond to emerging pathogens.

He went on: If we learn anything from COVID-19, it must be that investing in health now will save lives later.

History will judge all of us not only on whether we got through this pandemic, but also on the lessons we learned and the actions we took once it was over.

Dr Tedros has previously praised South Korea, which has been able to deal with COVID-19 with its testing and contact tracing systems.

On Wednesday, just two new cases were reported in the country of 51 million people. There have been just 255 deaths.

Dr Youngmi Kim, an expert in Korean public policy from the University of Edinburgh, told Yahoo News UK last month that South Korea was partly guided by its experience with Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) in 2015.

Story continues

A top doctor in Hong Kong has also told this website how it was in a strong position to react to COVID-19 because of the special administrative regions painful experience of the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak, in which 299 people died.

Dr Pierre Chan said it meant the territory remained very alert to new infectious diseases, meaning people quickly took preventative measures once the outbreak began in mainland China.

As of Wednesday, there had been just four COVID-19 deaths in Hong Kong, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Coronavirus: what happened today

Coronavirus: Is working from home affecting our mental health?
Hungarys finance ministry submitted an updated convergence programme to the European Commission that envisages a 3% GDP contraction in 2020 in light of the coronavirus crisis.

The programme projects the economy to bounce back and grow by 4.8% next year, the ministry said in a statement.



Economic growth is seen exceeding 4% between 2022 and 2024.



The document puts this years budget deficit at 3.8%.



The public debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to rise this year, before falling again from 2021, to below 60% by 2024.



Hungarys economic policy remains committed to the improvement of the countrys competitiveness, continued tax cuts and fiscal discipline, the ministry said.
Republican senators are trying to block 48 of the most advanced fighter jets ever created from being deployed to the UK, over Huawei's involvement in building Britain's 5G wireless network.

The move is being led by Republican senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton, who is attempting to block by law a fleet of F-35A Lightning II aircraft being stationed in the UK.

Mr Cotton, who also sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, is trying to make an amendment to the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, which determines defense spending levels.

If it passes it would effectively stop two US squadrons of F-35As being permanently stationed in the UK from next year as planned.

Pictured: An F-35A Lightning II Combat Power Exercise at Hill Air Force Base, in Utah, US

Republican senators are trying to block 48 of the most advanced fighter jets (pictured) ever created from being deployed to the UK

It would ban deployment to countries where perceived 'at-risk' firms like Huawei operate.

A summary at the top of Mr Cotton's proposal states: 'To prohibit the stationing of new aircraft at bases in host countries with at-risk vendors in their 5G or 6G networks.'

Chinese telecoms company Huawei was permitted to build Britain's 5G wireless network by Boris Johnson in January.

The $200 million aircraft project has been nearly a half-decade in preparation and a collapse at this stage would be embarrassing for the British government.

Long-standing preparations have been in the making at RAF Lakenheath, in Suffolk, including 1,200 US airmen.

Pictured: Republican senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton, who is attempting to block by law a fleet of F-35A Lightning II aircraft being stationed in the UK

Pictured: F-35A Lightning II pilots with the 421st Fighter Squadron, in Nevada

Mr Cotton currently sits on a committee which handles the legislation, and other Republican signatories are expected, according to a report in The Telegraph.

'While the United States will do all we can to maintain and strengthen the special relationship, protecting US airmen and our national security assets must come first,' Mr Cotton told the national newspaper.

The news is the latest between Washington and London over the Prime Minister's decision to allow Huawei access in the UK.

The White House has launched a major review into the decision's impact.

'This is serious. We need to rethink the Huawei decision,' tweeted Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee.

As the Government's Huawei decision is yet to become British law, reversal is still possible.

Preventing Huawei from building 'core' parts of the 5G network and capping its non-core market share to 35% means the UK Government is not compromised, it claims.

The Republican Party however does not share that view.

Mr Cotton has previously passed anti-Huawei proposals into law, meaning his amendment is possible.

But to pass it must appear in the version of the legislation passed by the US Senate and the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, before getting signed off by the US President.

Ultimately, Congress will decide.

F-35s are among the most advanced fighter planes ever made, hence US fears.

One UK defense source speaking to The Telegraph dismissed any fears, saying the F-35s would not use Huawei-built networks.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern touted the country as safe haven for investments after Microsoft Corp announced its plan to establish a datacentre in the region. Speaking at a news conference, Ardern said that the government is ready to welcome quality investments and offer a safe place for operations in both the health and business sense.

New Zealand has been able to successfully flatten the curve with minimum fatalities as compared to the rest of the world. The island nation has reported 1,488 confirmed cases of coronavirus so far with 21 deaths related to the infection. Ardern has been receiving praise from all over the world for her successful leadership in containing the spread of the virus.

The New Zealand PM said that the government has positioned the economy to be able to rebuild ahead of many others globally by tackling the menace of coronavirus upfront. She added that New Zealand's brand has always been that we are a sound, high-quality and reliable place to invest.

Read: COVID-19: New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern Says No Open Borders 'for A Long Time'

Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Minister, Kris Faafoi, also credited the governments quick and decisive action responding to COVID-19, and said that it is being recognised globally, with the likes of this decision by Microsoft. Faafoi said in a statement that Microsofts decision means job opportunities in the near term for the construction industry and, in the longer term, for the ICT industry and local innovators.

Todays decision by Microsoft means that the Government, and New Zealand businesses and people, will be able to access the scale and security of Cloud services offered by a major global provider in ways we havent been able to before, he said.

Read: New Zealand Records Zero New COVID-19 Cases For The First Time Since Mid-March

Trans-Tasman COVID-safe travel zone

Ardern and her Australian counterpart Scott Morrison has also agreed to start the work on trans-Tasman COVID-safe travel zone by easing travel restrictions between Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand PM said that they discussed the possibilities of bubble of sorts as visitors from anywhere else were improbable any time soon.

Read: New Zealand, Australia Considering Potential Creation Of 'travel Bubble'

Read: New Zealand Police Receive Over 1,200 Reports Of People Breaking Social Distancing Rules
[May 06, 2020] A third mobile operator entering Oman's telecoms market in 2020

Syndey, May 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just released, this edition of Paul Budde Communications focus report on Oman outlines the major developments and key aspects in the telecoms markets.

Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Oman-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses

The Sultanate of Oman has established a progressive mobile sector which comprises substantial coverage of both 3G and 4G LTE networks. There have also been trials conducted, networks upgraded, and spectrum allocated, in readiness for 5G. In particular, the Regulator has allowed the major mobile operators, Omantel and Ooredoo the right to use a 100MHz 5G spectrum. Both operators have a similar, and sizeable, market share. Oman already offers quite a competitive mobile landscape with MVNOs being introduced over the last decade, and they have captured a small market share. The launch of a third mobile network operator in Oman in 2020 will increase competition further. The regulator signed a strategic MoU with The Vodafone Group, along with a local consortium of investors, to form a third mobile network operator in Oman, which will be branded as Vodafone. In early 2020 the onsortium agreed to lease mobile towers from Oman Tower Company.



While Omans fixed broadband infrastructure penetration is considered low, it is being improved upon with the building of fibre-based networks as part of Omans National Broadband Strategy. By 2040 it is hoped that all homes and businesses will be connected to the national broadband infrastructure. BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus in 2020 is having a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries.

On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth. Although it is challenging to predict and interpret the long-term impacts of the crisis as it develops, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report. The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions. Key developments: Omantel launched an initial 5G network in late 2019.

The two mobile network operators (MNOs) were awarded 15 year licenses in 2019.

VoIP subscriptions are on the rise in Oman.

Oman is well positioned to be a technology hub in the Middle East as it is well located between Asia, Africa and Europe and has access to several submarine cable systems.

Assessment of the global impact of COVID-19 on the telecoms sector. Companies mentioned in this report include: Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel); Oman Mobile; Ooredoo Oman; Oman Broadband Company (OBC); FRiENDi, Majan Telecom (Renna); Integrated Telecommunications Oman (TeO); Awasr-Oman; Oman Future Telecommunications (OFT) consortium, Vodafone Group. Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Oman-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses Nicolas Bombourg [email protected] Within Australia (02) 8076 7665 Outside Australia +44 207 097 1241

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By PTI

NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday questioned the government over the criteria it adopted to judge how long the COVID-19-induced lockdown will continue.

Addressing a meeting of chief ministers of states where the Congress is in power, she asked "what after May 17?"

India has been under lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. The first and second phase of the lockdown was from March 25 to April 14 and April 15 to May 3, respectively. The third phase began from May 4 and would end on May 17.

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh and former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi were part of the meeting held through video-conferencing.

"After May 17th, What? and After May 17th, How? What criteria is GoI (government of India) using to judge how long the lockdown is to continue...," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala quoted Sonia Gandhi as saying in the meeting to discuss the COVID-19 situation and the post-lockdown work.

She thanked farmers, particularly of Punjab and Haryana, for ensuring food security by giving bumper wheat produce despite all odds.

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh said, "We need to know, as Soniaji said, what will happen after lockdown 3.0?".

"Soniaji has already pointed out. CMs need to deliberate and ask as to what is the strategy of the government of India to get the country out of the lockdown," Singh asked.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the central piece of the strategy to fight COVID-19 is to protect the elderly as well as those who are diabetic and with heart conditions.

Speaking at the meeting, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said he has set up two committees, one to strategise on how to come out of the lockdown and the other on economic revival.

"Concern is people sitting in Delhi are deciding on classification of (COVID-19) zones without knowing what's happening on the ground," he said at the meeting.

Rajasthan Chief minister Ashok Gehlot said, "until extensive stimulus package is given, how will states and the country run? We have lost Rs 10,000 crore revenue."

He said states have repeatedly requested the prime minister for a package, "but we are yet to hear from the government of India".

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said, "States are facing dire economic crisis. They need to be provided immediate assistance."

He said Chhattisgarh is one state where 80 per cent of small industries have restarted and nearly 85,000 workers have returned to work.

The Centre is deciding on COVID-19 zones without consulting states, Puducherry chief minister V Narayanasamy alleged.

"This is creating an anomalous situation. People sitting in Delhi can't tell the states, No State or CM is consulted. Why?" he asked.

"PM isn't saying a word on economic package for states," he said.

Former Union finance minister P Chidambaram also alleged that states are "bleeding" in terms of finances but no money is being allocated by the government.

He said a number of newspapers have brought out the unavailability of finances with states.

Former Union minister M Veerappa Moily said the strategy to declare lockout or come out of it hasn't been stated at all by the prime minister or changed at all.

The Congress president is also likely to discuss the issue of migrant labourers and workers stranded at various places and steps taken by the states in bringing them back to their home states.

Sonia Gandhi had announced on Monday that the state units if Congress party would pay for the train fare of migrants as they prepare to go back to their homes. She also criticised the central government for charging them train fare.

Surjewala later said during the chief ministers meeting with the Congress president, that "states should assure that they have decided to pay for the travel of migrant labourers and have asked the Railways for special trains."

"Punjab CM informs that Rs 35 crore has been set aside and Railways is charging Rs 870 per ticket, which state is paying," he said.


It has been almost three years since Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Bahrain, severed diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of funding terrorism and of seeking to destabilise the region.

On Monday, rumours about a failed coup detat in Qatar - spread via Twitter - were a reminder that the region may well be able to defeat the coronavirus outbreak, but it will not recover from the plague of disinformation and propaganda anytime soon.

The 2017 boycott on Qatar (or blockade as the Qataris like to call it) was a byproduct of the post-Arab Spring landscape. Its fault lines have been drawn on Qatars ideological, economic and political support for Islamist groups (Qatar is clear about backing the Muslim Brotherhood, but has denied aiding militant groups linked to al-Qaeda or Isis) versus authoritarian governments and secular militaries in other parts of the region.

However, the Covid-19 pandemic, President Trumps handling of it, and the rise of China will likely force the Gulf powers to adapt.

Sources in the Gulf told me that talks have intensified recently in back channels between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. They confirmed that a political solution is looming, and will likely incorporate a halt of the mutual media shelling.

The UAE is well aware of the recent deliberations, and Emirati officials are being kept informed by their Saudi counterparts on the latest developments in the negotiations.

Qatar and the UAE have been at ideological loggerheads for decades. Recently, medical diplomacy has become the central modus operandi in the two countries war of influence. In countries like Yemen, Syria and Libya, fear of the virus and the potential for it to spread quickly has forced the rival powers and their surrogates to go quiet. Now, shipments are more likely to carry face masks than guns and ammunition.

The pain of the coronavirus economic recession is already being felt in many Gulf states. The timing of the nosedive in oil prices, amid a price war between Riyadh and Moscow, has created a serious test for Gulf economies. But it will also create opportunities for change.

For Qatar, the Muslim Brotherhood, the group long carried the Qatari political objectives around the region, is in tatters. Its friendly armed militias and Sunni groups in every corner of the Middle East are on the backfoot. The historic rise of the Islamist ideology that was part of the Arab Spring in a number of nations is seemingly behind us for now.

No wonder Qatar has been seeking to back central governments. In January, Doha offered Lebanon financial aide to stop economic meltdown. Last month, Qatar sent PPE equipment and other medical supplies to the governments of Algeria, Tunisia, Lebanon and the Tripoli government in Libya.

Qatari officials have been promoting stability as they cultivate influence, especially in North Africa. Ironically, this is the same message the UAE has been pushing to justify supporting the authoritarian regimes of Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Egypt and Khalifa Haftar in Libya, as well as its recent praise for Bashar al-Assad in Syria. For the UAE, centralised power means stability.

Meanwhile, Gulf leaders, especially in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, are watching Trumps missteps in dealing with the coronavirus outbreak in awe. Ultimately, a Democrat in the White House would potentially press on with reconciliation in the Gulf, pour cold water on the Saudi hawkish approach towards Iran, and end Trumps free political ticket given to beleaguered Arab autocrats.

Even if Trump retains his place in the White House this November, those measures would be necessary to impose calm in the Middle East as the US is set to shift its focus back towards Beijing.

Recommended Saudi Arabia ends executions for crimes committed by minors

It is Saudi Arabia, in the short term, that will have to deal most with a scarcity of foreign investments, economic stagnation and plummeting oil prices. In the long run, the countrys stability will much rely on how smoothly the power transition within the kingdom will pass, the Middle East policies Trump and his successors will implement, and the future trajectory of the Beijing-Washington rivalry.

All said, Saudi Arabia is in a position to accept detente with Qatar. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has repeatedly asserted that the Qatar problem is very, very, very small. In September 2017, he received a call from Qatars Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, which riled up his tripartite allies.

Although major obstacles are still on the way of a real thaw, the boycotts failure to bring Qatar to its knees, and the urgent need for reshaping the Gulf monarchies future role to adopt the new economic and geopolitical trends, will most likely end the feud.

While Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran will come out of the Covid-19 outbreak badly bruised, the UAE and Qatar will likely continue punching above their weight.

The coronavirus crisis will draw a line with the post-Arab Spring era in the Middle East and start a new one. Rumours of the Qatars coup detat reveal that many in the Gulf are still hanging on to the past when they should be looking to the future.
Boeing Unveils First AI Drone Designed for Australian Air Force

Sputnik News

07:29 GMT 05.05.2020

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Boeing aircraft manufacturer has presented the first three prototypes of an unmanned attack drone that is powered by artificial intelligence for the Royal Australian Air Force, the company's Australian branch announced in a press release on Tuesday.

According to Boeing, the drone, dubbed Loyal Wingman, is the first aircraft to be designed, engineered, and produced in Australia for more than half a century with mass production starting by the middle of the decade.

"This is a truly historic moment for our country and for Australian defence innovation," Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in the press release.

According to Boeing, the Loyal Wingman drones will now be subject to rigorous ground and flight testing. Chief of the Royal Australian Air Force Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld praised the cooperation between the armed forces and the aircraft manufacturer.

"This demonstrates the importance of the relationship Air Force has with Boeing Australia and defence industry more broadly. I look forward to exploring the capabilities this aircraft may bring to our existing fleet in the future," Air Marshal Hupfeld said in the press release.

In February 2019, the Australian government announced an investment of $25.8 million in the project to produce the unmanned combat drone.

The Loyal Wingman unmanned aircraft can reportedly conduct intelligence missions on its own or provide support to manned aircraft.

 Sputnik

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L ondon's iconic Ritz hotel was sold for "half the market price" after conversations were secretly recorded by the nephews of the billionaire co-owner and a Saudi investor offering 1.3bn, the High Court has heard.

Businessman Sir Frederick Barclay, 85, and his daughter Amanda are suing three of his twin brother Sir Davids sons  Alistair, Aidan and Howard  and Aidans son Andrew over 94 hours of recordings made over several months.

The High Court has previously heard that the elaborate system of covert recording only came to light in January when Alistair was filmed on CCTV handling the bug" in the hotel's conservatory.

At a further preliminary hearing, conducted remotely on Wednesday, Mr Justice Warby heard that the recording of Sir Frederick and Amanda Barclays conversations was commercial espionage on a vast scale.

Sir David Barclay (left) has launched legal action against the children of his twin brother, Sir Frederick (right) / PA

Hefin Rees QC, representing Sir Frederick and Ms Barclay, said in written submissions that the recordings captured over 1,000 separate conversations over a period of months, including conversations with the claimants lawyers as well as bankers and business people.

He added that a separate Wi-Fi bug was also used, which was supplied by private investigations firm Quest, which invoiced for 405 hours of their time to listen and transcribe the recordings, with transcripts later shared amongst the defendants and others.

The court was told that Sir Frederick, who had placed great trust in Aidan and Howard Barclay to run his and his brothers business empire, is now left to contemplate his nephews betrayal.

Sir Frederick and Ms Barclay are bringing a legal action alleging misuse of private information, breach of confidence and breach of data protection laws, against their four relatives and Philip Peters, who holds a board position in the Barclay group of businesses.

The London Ritz, a famous luxury hotel, was sold to an investor in Qatar by the wealthy Barclay brothers / AFP via Getty Images

Mr Rees submitted that material previously disclosed to his clients reveals beyond doubt that the defendants derived significant financial and commercial advantage from the unlawful use of the recordings.

He added that they were made at a time when there were significant ongoing commercial disputes between the parties concerning, among other things, the sale of the Ritz hotel, the financial performance and management of the group, (Amanda Barclays) continuing financial interests in the group, and Sir Fredericks divorce proceedings.

In March, Sir Frederick said he had received competing bids to buy the Ritz for more than 1 billion, adding that any move to sell the establishment for below the proper value would give rise to further litigation.

Multi-millionaires Sir David Barclay (left) and his twin brother Sir Frederick after receiving their knighthoods / PA

The Ritz has since been sold to an unnamed Qatari investor for an unknown price, reported to be around 750 million.

Mr Rees told the court the defendants heard Sir Fredericks conversations with Sidra Capital, which at the time had made an initial offer of some 1.3 billion for the acquisition of the Ritz hotel.

He added: Despite this, the defendants sold the Ritz hotel to another buyer from Qatar at a price that appears to be for half the market price. One is left to speculate why.

Mr Rees argued that the recordings allowed the defendants to anticipate the claimants every move in advance, plan their business strategy around that, including knowing what legal advice the claimants were seeking and getting at this crucial time when their business and personal relationships had broken down, and the respective interests of the claimants and the defendants were in conflict.

At the hearing in February, Heather Rogers QC, representing all five defendants, argued there was a lot of information that would have been in the possession of my clients which they have got completely free of the recordings.

She added that her clients had ample opportunity to spread it about before an injunction was granted, but there was no evidence of dissemination.

Mr Justice Warby will continue to hear submissions on Wednesday afternoon.
Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has commended Vodafone Ghana Foundation for its immense support in the fight against COVID-19 in Ghana.



The Medical Association applauded Vodafone Ghana when the telco donated Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and medical supplies to the Association.



The Vodafone Ghana Foundation, in response to a request by the GMA, donated protective gowns with shoe cover, face shields, boxes of N95 facemasks, disposable tissues and surgical gloves, thermometer guns, hand sanitisers, gallons of rubbing alcohol and bleach as well as boxes of surface wipes and bin liners.

Speaking during the presentation, Dr. Frank Ankobea, President of the GMA said:



As frontline health workers, we know the importance of PPE, and we are very grateful to the Vodafone Foundation for supplying us with these essential items. This shows that you care about our safety. The Association will ensure that these PPE and medical supplies are disbursed to all frontline health, workers not just doctors, in both private and public facilities across the country. We are so grateful for all that you are doing for mother Ghana and your undying commitment in helping the country fight against COVID-19.



Presenting the items, Geta Striggner-Quartey, Director for Legal and External Affairs at Vodafone Ghana, said:

The GMA is playing an invaluable role in this COVID-19 fight and the Vodafone Foundation is committed to supporting the associations efforts at containing and preventing the spread of the coronavirus by mobilising resources which will be equitably deployed to health facilities across the country.



The Association has been advocating for the equal distribution of PPE and essential supplies since the outbreak and it was heart-breaking to hear that some of its members contracted the virus in the course of saving lives. The vital role of frontline health workers in the battle against the coronavirus cannot be overemphasized and they absolutely need to be protected even as they risk their lives to save many Ghanaians. This is why we swiftly moved in to provide support when the Association reached out to us.



The presentation followed similar donations to three hospitals treating COVID-19 positive patients in the Gt. Accra, Eastern and Ashanti Regions. The donation is one of the many unique initiatives from Vodafone, aimed at addressing the countrys specific needs and offering great relief for customers and businesses including educational and medical facilities during this uncertain period.



In addition, fifty members of the GMA operate Vodafones Healthline Medical Call Centre, which provides guidance and critical advice to dispel the misinformation out there about COVID-19. The Centre is open daily from 8am to 8pm and can be accessed by simply dialling 255. The doctors have been trained in partnership with the Ghana Health Service to offer expert advice on the pandemic in seven different languages.



Vodafones support for the Ghana Medical Association started at the beginning of this pandemic when Ghana recorded its initial cases. The Telco zero-rated a fund raising short code for the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) and Doctors in Residency to enable them appeal for financial support to purchase Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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NEW YORK (AP)  CBS News 60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl said Sunday that she's finally feeling well after a battle with COVID-19 that left her hospitalized for a week.

Stahl said she was really scared after fighting pneumonia caused by the coronavirus for two weeks at home before going to the hospital.

RETAIL LOSSES: J. Crew files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after steep losses

One of the rules of journalism is dont become part of the story,' Stahl said at the end of Sunday's broadcast. But instead of covering the pandemic, I was one of the more-than-one-million Americans who did become part of it.

Stahl, 78, is the dean of correspondents at television's best-known newsmagazine. She joined 60 Minutes in March 1991, and before that was moderator of the Sunday talk show Face the Nation and a Washington correspondent.

She landed the first television interview with Donald Trump after he was elected president, and the first with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi when she become speaker  both in 2007 and again in 2019.

Stahl said there was a cluster of 60 Minutes employees with the virus. One had almost no symptoms while others had almost every symptom you can imagine, she said. Each case is different.

Stahl said she found an overworked and nearly overwhelmed staff when she was hospitalized but paid tribute to their care, and said she was wheeled out through a gauntlet of cheering medical workers when discharged.

In the face of so much death, they celebrate their triumphs, she said.

REOPENING WEEKEND: Heres how Houstonians celebrated Phase One this weekend

60 Minutes declined to name the hospital involved.

Thanks to them, like so many other patients, I am well now, she said. Tonight, we all owe them our gratitude, our admiration and, in some cases, our lives.

Stahl is arguably the most prominent television journalist to disclose they had the disease. CNN hosts Chris Cuomo and Brooke Baldwin have tested positive, the former continuing his prime-time show while fighting symptoms. ABC Good Morning America host George Stephanopoulos had it, but like many infected, had only mild symptoms.

The virus has infected 3.5 million people and killed more than 246,000 worldwide, including more than 66,000 dead in the United States, according to a count by Johns Hopkins University. Experts say the numbers are likely larger.
Tracking bugs have been found in the COVIDSafe tracing app on Android phones - with experts warning it could lead to domestic violence victims being followed.

Jim Mussared, the software developer who discovered the bugs, said the trackers could pose a danger to those at risk of domestic violence.

'If you're in any way in a vulnerable situation for which long-term, multi-day device tracking could be a major threat, do not install the app,' he said.

For iPhones, he says while the problems that open up potential tracking aren't there, COVIDSafe doesn't reliably work unless the app is actively in use.

His advice is similar to that given by WESNET, an organisation that offers technology safety advice for domestic violence victims.

Jim Mussared, the software developer who discovered the bugs, said the bug could pose a danger to those at risk of domestic violence

People whose abusers have sophisticated technical abilities should think about their specific personal circumstances before downloading the app

It says people whose abusers have sophisticated technical abilities should think about their specific personal circumstances before downloading the app.

WESNET suggests if they do install it, they should consider leaving their phone behind during any meetings they might want to keep secret.

The first issue Mr Mussared found in the Android app relates to the way an anonymous ID is requested from the server every two hours and could result in a phone being allocated the same identifier for days on end.

A second, similar problem relates to unique information Android phones send out even if the temporary ID changes.

He's also found two other issues about information the phone sends that he believes should be disclosed in the privacy policy.

He discussed the bugs with the government agency in charge of the COVIDSafe app on Monday, more than a week after he first found and reported them.

'I just want this app fixed. I haven't slept for eight days, right, I've worked tirelessly to get attention to these issues,' he said.

'I'm not out there to try and facilitate people doing creepy things.'

The government says some five million Australians have downloaded the app, about a third of the adult population it is urging to do so.

More than 5.1 million people have downloaded and registered on the COVIDSafe mobile phone app since it was released on April 26.

Government officials have conceded the performance of their coronavirus contact tracing software is 'highly variable' but insist it will still help health authorities.

Over the past week, the tech community has examined the app's code and have identified a number of functional and privacy issues.

WESNET suggests if they do install it, they should consider leaving their phone behind during any meetings they might want to keep secret

Digital Transformation Agency head Randall Brugeaud told senators on Wednesday the app was being 'constantly improved'.

But he said suggestions the app did not work on locked iPhones was not his agency's experience.

Rather, performance 'progressively deteriorates' when the phone is locked and the app is running in the background.

'I cannot provide a view that the app will work 100 per cent of the time with all handsets where the devices are locked,' he told a Senate committee hearing.

'There will be circumstances where the app does not capture a Bluetooth handshake.'

These issues only related to iPhones.
NEW YORK, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- LetsGetChecked, a leading direct-to-consumer at-home health testing and insights company, today announced the closing of $71 million in its Series C round of financing.

Illumina Ventures and HLM Venture Partners co-led the round with new investors including Deerfield, CommonFund Capital, and Angeles Investments. Existing investors Transformation Capital, Optum Ventures, and Qiming Venture Partners USA also participated in this round. Nick Naclerio, Founding Partner at Illumina Ventures and Steven Tolle, Partner at HLM Venture Partners have joined as new Board members.

"As a fund dedicated to improving human health, we're thrilled to support LetsGetChecked's mission of empowering consumers to take more control of their personal health, said Nick Naclerio.

He continued: "The company's work has never been more important now that the world faces a global pandemic, forcing us all to re-evaluate how we obtain health and wellness services. LetsGetChecked is already having a profound impact on patient-led at-home healthcare, which is necessary now and will become increasingly common in the future."

LetsGetChecked will use this round of funding to increase manufacturing, supply and testing capacity for COVID-19, as well as scale-up activity at its CLIA certified high complexity laboratory in California. Furthermore, the investment will allow the company to expand supply and business operations and support personnel across the United States and Europe and to deepen its partnerships with leading insurers and employers.

"HLM invests in companies that inherently drive adoption due to the need they serve, and companies that leverage important market trends. In this case, LetsGetChecked is helping to improve consumer access to care, which is increasingly essential." said Steven Tolle.

The LetsGetChecked "twin-track" Coronavirus test includes a rapid (antibody) serology test for results within 15 minutes, followed by a PCR-based test which requires a swab sample to be collected from a patient and later processed within the LetsGetChecked high complexity CLIA lab. The tests help relieve pressure on over-stretched hospital screening services and speed up identification of potential cases by providing additional testing capabilities for frontline healthcare workers, at risk groups and critical workers.

"We have been developing our platform for more than five years and have helped hundreds of thousands of individuals by enabling access to high-quality testing and telehealth services in the home, across many health conditions. With the onset of COVID-19, we realigned resources with a view to helping with this global pandemic and are currently delivering tens of thousands of tests per day to critical and frontline healthcare workers", said LetsGetChecked founder and CEO Peter Foley.

He continued: "We are working hard to deliver COVID-19 testing into the home and hope to have an answer soon. At-home testing has never been more important as consumers around the world look for new and trusted methods for managing their health."

In addition to COVID-19 testing, consumers can order a variety of physician-approved at-home health tests via LetsGetChecked.com or through partner retailers online with other in-store retail options expanding through 2020. Available tests currently include wellness testing and chronic condition testing, e.g. diabetes, cholesterol, and thyroid testing; cancer screening, sexual health testing, fertility testing, and pharmacogenomic testing. Once a test is purchased, users collect samples at home and send it back to LetsGetChecked's accredited facility at no additional cost. Confidential, accurate results are available online within a matter of days.

Throughout the process, consumers are connected with in-state, board-certified physicians to discuss any abnormal results and determine the best course of action for treatment and care. Consumers will also receive a call from a medical professional to discuss their results live, which can be conveniently accompanied by an e-prescription from a pharmacy of their choice.

LetsGetChecked has also integrated with a number of CLIA-certified reference labs and health systems in both the US and Europe, and is building partnerships with a growing number of US healthcare insurers and employers for personalized screening, home and employer onsite testing. For shipping and handling, the company has logistics partnerships with UPS and USPS to provide a seamless and convenient consumer experience with rapid turnaround for testing results.

About LetsGetChecked

LetsGetChecked is a leading health insights company that allows consumers direct access to a wide range of testing options and clinical services from home. Founded in 2015, the company empowers people to take an active role in their health to live longer, happier lives. By combining health data and diagnostic results, LetsGetChecked provides rich health insights to enable better healthcare decision making. LetsGetChecked tests cover general health, men's health, women's health, and sexual health, and are available nationwide in the US, Canada, and Europe. LetsGetChecked has corporate offices located in New York City and Dublin. For more information, visit www.letsgetchecked.com.

About Illumina Ventures

Illumina Ventures is an independently-managed, healthcare-focused venture firm in a strategic partnership with Illumina, with the vision to unlock the power of the genome. As an early-stage, value-add investor, we help entrepreneurs develop breakthrough science and technologies into market-leading companies to transform healthcare. We focus on investment in life science tools, therapeutics, diagnostics, and personal wellness. For more information, visit www.illuminaventures.com

SOURCE LetsGetChecked

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Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) - Altogether, 6,693 cases of violence against women were reported via hotline calls on 1809 until 3 May 2020 during the general health confinement in Tunisia to contain the spread of the COVID-19, Tunisian minister of Women, Family, Children and the Elderly Asma Shiri said here Tuesday
WASHINGTON - Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg underwent a nonsurgical treatment for a benign gall bladder condition called acute cholecystitis, the Supreme Court announced Tuesday night, the latest health concern for the 87-year-old Supreme Court member.

The court's public information office said Ginsburg was resting comfortably at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and plans to participate in Wednesday's teleconference oral arguments.

Ginsburg has been treated four times for cancer, most recently in August. Dire diagnoses and remarkable recoveries have been a recurring theme of her more than quarter-century on the court, and which president will eventually name her replacement a national political question.

Ginsburg has glided through each crisis. Before a roaring crowd at the end of summer at the National Book Festival in Washington, she declared, "This audience can see that I am alive."

The latest setback began Monday afternoon after the court finished its first-ever remote oral argument, the court said in a statement.

"The justice underwent outpatient tests at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C., that confirmed she was suffering from a gallstone that had migrated to her cystic duct, blocking it and causing an infection," Public Information Officer Kathleen Arberg said.

At some point, she was transferred to Baltimore. "The justice is resting comfortably and plans to participate in the oral argument teleconference tomorrow morning remotely from the hospital. She expects to stay in the hospital for a day or two," Arberg said.

Ginsburg participated in Tuesday's oral argument, but the court did not say from where. The nine justices are scattered, and participating remotely in oral arguments this week and next.

The coronavirus pandemic has made it impossible for the court to gather in its grand courtroom, and the justices have not met as a group since March 9. The court canceled scheduled arguments for March and April, and rescheduled about half of those cases for the remote teleconference sessions.

There was no noticeable difference in Ginsburg's questioning of advocates in the oral arguments Monday and Tuesday.

The Mayo Clinic website says treatment for cholecystitis include fasting, fluids, antibiotics and pain medication.

Ginsburg is the oldest member of the court, and leader of its liberal minority. Her health is a matter of constant public speculation, and an issue in the presidential election.

Naming her replacement would mean three nominees for President Donald Trump, and a chance to solidify a conservative majority for years to come. Democrats hope a president of their party would name the successor for her, and perhaps her fellow liberal, Stephen Breyer, 81. Both were chosen by President Bill Clinton.

Last summer, Ginsburg announced that she had completed a three-week course of stereotactic ablative radiation therapy - a highly focused treatment that concentrates an intense dose of radiation on a tumor - after a malignancy was discovered on her pancreas.

That was the second treatment for cancer in nine months for Ginsburg. She had a portion of her left lung removed in December, and in past decades was treated for colon and pancreatic cancer.

Last November, Ginsburg was hospitalized at Johns Hopkins after experiencing chills and a fever. She was treated with intravenous antibiotics and fluids.
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(Kitco News) - Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. (TSX: KL; NYSE: KL; ASX: KLA) posted a sharp jump in earnings during the first quarter, with revenue boosted by the acquisition of Detour Gold Corp. and higher gold prices, the company announced Wednesday.

The quarter was one in which a number of key developments occurred, including challenges and temporary mine suspensions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the acquisition of Detour Gold on Jan. 31, with the Detour Lake Mine contributing to Kirkland Lakes results during the final two months of the quarter.

Adjusted net earnings totaled $179.2 million, or 70 cents per share, up 57% from $113.8 million, or 54 cents, in the first quarter of 2019. Credit Suisse reported that the consensus estimate was 76 cents. Net earnings were $202.9 million, or 79 cents, 84% higher than $110.1 million, or 52 cents, in the year-ago period.

First-quarter revenue of $554.7 million jumped 82% from $304.9 million in the year-ago period. Detour Lake contributed revenue of $179.4 million in the first quarter. Gold sales jumped 48% year-on-year to 344,586 ounces, compared to 232,929 a year ago. The average gold price rose to $1,586 per ounce from $1,307.

The company said cash as of quarter-end was $530.9 million, with no debt.

Our production increased from Q1 2019, even excluding Detour Lake, with Fosterville continuing to be a key driver of our performance, said Tony Makuch, president and chief executive officer. Looking at Detour Lake, the mine contributed $78 million of free cash flow in its first two months since the acquisition, and that included a period of running at reduced operations.

Consolidated production was 330,864 ounces, a 43% increase from 231,879 ounces in the first quarter of 2019. Excluding Detour Lake, production totaled 239,309 ounces.

Kirkland Lake reported all-in sustaining costs per ounce of gold sold was $776, compared to $560 a year ago. Excluding Detour Lake, AISC per ounce averaged $619.

As a result of uncertainty created by the pandemic, the company withdrew its 2020 production guidance early last month. The company said revised guidance will be issued whenever Detour Lake and Macassa make progress towards returning to more predictable levels of production. Kirkland Lake also withdrew its three-year guidance while it assesses long-term effects from COVID-19 and incorporates Detour Lake into the companys long-term business plan.

During the quarter, the Detour Lake and Macassa mines were transitioned to reduced operations, while work was temporarily suspended at the Holt Complex. Kirkland Lake also put in place a number of health and safety protocols. Operations continued at Fosterville.

Kirkland Lake said it is now beginning to recall employees who were off work due to the steps taken to combat COVID-19. The ramp-up will be gradual, and Kirkland Lake said it does not anticipate achieving full production during the second quarter and anticipates output and costs will be impacted for most of the year.

Kirkland Lake said it plans to donate $20 million over the next year to medical, social and community organizations in the areas of Canada and Australia where the company operates.
She thrilled fans over the weekend when she shared some sultry images of herself while in lockdown at her Sydney home.

And it seems that Australian actress Rebel Wilson just couldn't resist sharing some more steamy snaps from her raunchy photo shoot.

In the latest saucy image, the 40-year-old Pitch Perfect star unzips her hoodie to expose her bra, before teasing fans about getting dressed.

Rebel reveals her racy side! Rebel has shared another photo from her recent racy lockdown photo shoot, taken inside her Sydney home

'Should I even get dressed today? Serious question x,' Rebel captioned her Instagram photo.

In the image, Rebel flashed her ample cleavage in a black bra.

She wore an unzipped tracksuit jacket on top and matching high-waisted bottoms.

The blonde completed her look with her long hair out and over her shoulders, and makeup, including a nude lip and a lined eye.

Saucy! Over the weekend, Rebel turned up the heat and thrilled her fans when she shared images from a racy impromtu photo shoot

Over the weekend, Rebel turned up the heat and thrilled her fans when she shared images from a racy impromtu photo shoot.

Wearing the same outfit as her latest mirror selfie, she posed on her couch and flashed her lingerie.

'I call this series: At home with Rebel,' she captioned the post.

In one image, Rebel crawled on the floor towards the camera.

'At home with Rebel': In one image, Rebel crawled on the floor towards the camera

Loving it! In another, she posed seductively while holding her jacket. Fans praised her saucy collection of photos including one who called her a 'sultry siren'

In another, she posed seductively while holding her jacket.

Fans praised her collection of photos, including one who called the star a 'sultry siren.'

Rebel's personal trainer Jono Castano Acero applauded her at-home photo shoot and commented 'yes' along with several fire emojis.

Earlier this year, the Isn't It Romantic star announced that she was going to make her health a priority.

'The year of health': Earlier this year, the Isn't It Romantic star announced that she was going to make her health a priority

'Okay so, for me 2020 is going to be called "The Year of Health",' the actress wrote in the caption of a post.

She added: 'So I put on the athleisure and went out for a walk, deliberately hydrating on the couch right now.'

'And [I'm] trying to avoid the sugar and junk food, which is going to be hard after the holidays I've just had but I'm going to do it!'

'Who's with me in making some positive changes this year?' she concluded.

Putting herself first: Rebel said she was trying to avoid sugar and junk food

Go girl! After declaring her health and fitness goals, Rebel has been working hard at the gym this year. She recently showed off her weight loss in activewear as she completed a gruelling sweat session in Los Angeles with her trainer, Jono

After declaring her health and fitness goals, Rebel has been working hard at the gym this year.

She recently showed off her weight loss in activewear as she completed a gruelling sweat session in Los Angeles with her trainer, Jono.

Rebel was also spotted this week enjoying a gruelling workout with Hugh Sheridan and Jono at the Sydney Opera House.

Trainer to the stars! Speaking to E!, Jono (pictured) recently revealed that 'results come through consistency', before explaining how he created a personalised program for the comedic actress

Speaking to E!, Jono recently revealed that 'results come through consistency', before explaining how he created a personalised program for the comedic actress.

During a typical week, Rebel works on high-intensity interval training, mobility, weights, resistance, technique and tempo, getting only one day a week for resting.

Jono also revealed his top tips to help people lose weight to Daily Mail Australia last month.

'At a minimum, I preach to always get in 45 minutes daily. Whether that be a workout, a walk or something else that's physical that you enjoy doing,' Jono said.

He believes that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is the best form of exercise for weight loss.
In a domestic violence case in Utah, a man killed a woman last Friday, then proceeded to share the horrific crime on Snapchat. Shortly after sharing the video, the man committed suicide.

It was about 10.30 a.m. when the police were sent to an apartment in Midvale, that is located south of downtown Salt Lake City.

Upon arriving on the ongoing situation, the officers were faced with a suspect who has locked himself inside the apartment unit. The scene lasted almost three hours as the suspect killed himself by killing himself.

The identity of the suspect is 26-year-old Isaac Andre Renfro, who barricaded himself in the home to keep the officers out.

After the standoff, Unified Police Det. Ken Hansen said to FOX13 the following statements. Det. Hansen words were, "Our whole point of the negation was to get these persons out alive," he expressed regret for not preventing the deaths in the apartment.

It was Friday when Det. Hansen noted that users of Snapchat alerted the Unified Police to a video that was posted by Renfro. Later when they arrived on the scene, the other tenants were evacuated when the distraught Renfro was approached.

Gruesome video on Snapchat

One person who watched the gruesome video, went on to describe what happened in all graphic details. The video contents were graphic enough to shock the viewer, with a few gruesome surprises.

One of the viewers, 'Melissa' (from Salt Lake City) narrated what she observed while watching the Snapchat footage. She said that Renfro while capturing the video, walked over to a pile of blood all over the floor, and moved further to show were a dead Utah woman was. She was near a table while covered with blood all over.

This was the gory and gruesome sight that was described by Melissa. But this was not just a dead person in blood, she mentioned that the killer has a message to viewers of the video.

In the video, she related that he said, "He was saying, I'm sorry. I apologize to my family and my kids.' And then he just said it was his time to shine," Melissa told FOX13.

Also read: 'Cult Mom' Lori Vallow Asked If Her Children Had 'Light or Dark Spirits' Before They Went Missing

Victim was a 'good mother'

After the stand-off, the police found more surprises. Eventually, the SWAT entered the apartment that Renfro was holed up in, then gunshots ensued and then silence, inside the SWAT officers found 26-year-old Miranda Schachinger dead. Back then, they did not know her identity.

The dead woman, Miranda Schachinger who worked as a certified nursing assistant, and going to nursing school and taking care of her son. All here friends and family were shocked at what befell her.

Best friend of the victim, Miranda Wilson told FOX13 that she did not deserve what happened to her, and they did not deserve her taken from them. Her friend expressed grief at how she was taken by Renfro's violence.

Mother of the slain women made a statement that called the victim, good mother, hardworking, and a loving person too. It was a shock for her mother to know that the victim died in such a cruel manner.

As the Utah man kills the woman in the murder-suicide, only punctuates how vulnerable women are in domestic violence, it might be connected to stay-at-home.

Related article: Mom of 3 Last Seen 'Screaming for Help' Allegedly Murdered by 4 Women

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Italian researchers claim to have developed a vaccine that can neutralise the coronavirus in human cells.

Tests carried out at Romes Lazzaro Spallanzani Hospital, which specialises in infectious diseases, generated antibodies in mice that work in human cells.

This is the most advanced stage of testing of a candidate vaccine created in Italy, said Luigi Aurisicchio, chief executive of Takis, the company working on the treatment.

According to Spallanzani Hospital, as far as we know we are the first in the world so far to have demonstrated a neutralisation of the coronavirus by a vaccine, he told the Italian news agency Ansa.

We expect this to happen in humans too.

Human tests are expected after this summer, Mr Aurisicchio said.

He added: We are working hard for a vaccine coming from Italian research, with an all-Italian and innovative technology, tested in Italy and made available to everyone.

In order to reach this goal, we need the support of national and international institutions and partners who may help us speed up the process.

After a single vaccination, the mice developed antibodies capable of blocking the virus from infecting human cells, Mr Aurisicchio claimed.

He said researchers observed that five candidate vaccines generated a large number of antibodies and they then selected the two with the best results.

The candidate vaccines were based on the genetic material of the spike DNA protein that the coronavirus uses to enter human cells.

The next tests to be conducted will aim to determine how long the immune response lasts.

Last week, experts at the University of Oxford said the first results of their coronavirus vaccine trials could be ready by as early as mid-June.

The institution also announced a new partnership with British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca.

Human trials of the vaccine developed at the universitys Jenner Institute began last month, with hundreds volunteering to be part of the study.
Union minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said there is no premium on terrorism and the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Riyaz Naikoo is a signal, loud an clear, that those who stand by the gun will be consumed by the gun.

Singh said not only terrorists but also those who directly or indirectly support terrorism by way of their anti-India activism or give apologetic response to militant attacks on the Army are equally guilty of perpetrating terrorism and causing harm to the security forces and the nation.

There is no premium on terrorism, and the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Riyaz Naikoo is a signal, loud and clear that those who stand by the gun will be consumed by the gun, he said here.

The Union Minister of State for PMO said India stands by its security forces and the nation is indebted to the Army which has acted as a safeguard for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, not only against militancy but also against every other onslaught whether it was that of COVID-19 or the floods.

Singh, who hails from Jammu and Kashmir, said the human rights of a security person are much more precious than those of a terrorist who voluntarily takes to gun with the motive of causing harm to fellow human beings.

He said the sacrifice of a security personnel attaining martyrdom in the line of duty is much more sacred than the death of a terrorist who gets killed while attempting to kill others.

The minister said Pakistan-sponsored terrorists and their sympathisers within are under tremendous pressure from the security forces. He said it is out of desperation that when the entire world is engaged in the fight against Coronavirus, these terrorists and their sponsors thought they could take advantage of the situation and make a soft target of the Indian troops.

While lauding the security forces and Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) for successful joint operation in the valley, Singh said the entire country stands with them.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Israeli military said it struck three Hamas militant posts in Gaza early on Wednesday, in response to the first case of rocket fire from the territory in more than a month.

The military said a rocket was fired from Gaza into Israel and landed in an open field. In response, it said it targeted the Hamas positions. No injuries were reported on either side.

No Palestinian group took responsibility for the fire. Israel says it holds the territory's militant Hamas rulers responsible for any fire emanating from the coastal strip.

The typically volatile border has been quiet of late as Israel has been coping with a coronavirus outbreak and back-channel talks have been underway for a potential prisoner exchange.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA

Spotlight PA is a nonpartisan, reader-funded newsroom covering Pennsylvania state government and urgent statewide issues. Today through May 7, all donations to Spotlight PA will be DOUBLED. Give now at spotlightpa.org/donate.

HARRISBURG  In late March, Pennsylvania moved swiftly to help small businesses battered by the coronavirus outbreak, with a $61 million loan program.

Six frantic days after the program launched, the money ran out.

Businesses couldnt apply to the state directly. Instead, they had to rely on a patchwork of local economic development nonprofits. With the loans awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, these groups were racing against time  and each other.

All these organizations that are used to working together basically ended up competing against each other, trying to put as many applications in as possible, said Lyle Hosler, vice president at the Economic Development Company of Lancaster County.

But a Spotlight PA review of the early results from the program, as well as interviews with more than a dozen of the nonprofits responsible for submitting applications, suggests not everyone had a fair shot at this financial lifeline.

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Not all counties are equally served by these state-certified economic development groups. Some have just one, while others have several. Some are covered by larger, regional agencies. Montgomery County doesnt have one at all.

As a result, only three of the nearly 900 applications the state received came from that county, the third largest and one of the hardest hit.

The disparities highlight the difficulty in finding a way to quickly distribute scarce but urgently needed aid to small businesses in a way that is equitable. Like the federal aid programs, the state loan program did not distinguish between businesses in different parts of the state, or give priority to those hurt the most by the crisis.

The loan program doesnt compare in scale to federal relief efforts, which have awarded billions of dollars to Pennsylvania businesses. But it represents the states most significant attempt, so far, to help small businesses survive.

Further complicating the picture, some businesses that have received loans through the program are in areas now slated to begin reopening, potentially depriving businesses of relief in other parts of the state that might remain shut down for much longer.

A spokesperson for the state Department of Community and Economic Development, Casey Smith, declined to provide a breakdown of how many loan applications it received for each county. Instead, Spotlight PA surveyed 13 local economic development organizations for their totals, which the department later confirmed.

To get the loans to small businesses as quickly as possible, we decided to utilize an existing program and use the infrastructure in place in our regions, Smith said.

So far, more than 450 businesses have received loans. But more than a month after the program closed, hundreds of applicants are still waiting to find out if they have been approved. At least 60% of the money has been paid out, according to figures released by the state Monday.

Jordan Murray, who co-owns several Camp Bow Wow dog daycare locations in the Pittsburgh area, said the loans are the difference between being here next year and not. Despite being allowed to maintain some operations as an essential business, bookings have plummeted by roughly 90%, he said.

We applied for everything we could because it was an opportunity to try and survive the crisis, Murray said.

The loan program opened March 25, five days after Gov. Tom Wolf ordered a statewide shutdown of all but life-sustaining businesses. It offered low- and no-interest loans of up to $100,000 for businesses with fewer than 100 employees.

In the interest of speed, the Wolf administration repurposed an existing state loan program, streamlining the application process and cutting down on the amount of paperwork businesses would have to provide.

Another advantage for the state: The program was administered by an existing network of more than 50 local economic development groups, significantly expanding the number of people available to process applications.

These groups found themselves thrust onto the front lines of the economic devastation wrought by the pandemic. They were flooded with applications almost immediately. With only $61 million in funding available for the entire state, the money didnt last long.

We literally would be on calls at midnight on Saturday analyzing business tax returns to make sure we got them in, said Joseph Boylan, executive director of Wilkes-Barre Connect.

In Bucks County, the local economic development agency was still in the process of updating its website when the program launched unexpectedly, according to Executive Director Robert Cormack.

One business owner tried to mail their application, not realizing the groups office was closed. And, for several days, the email address for the agency listed on the states website was off by one letter, causing messages to bounce, Cormack said.

Local organizations were still racing to submit applications when the portal abruptly closed on the evening of March 31. Many said they received no warning from the state. Dozens of applications missed the cut-off by minutes.

By then, almost 900 applications had been submitted, seeking a total of $75 million  far more than the available funding.

A complete picture of the businesses that received loans isnt available, because the Department of Community and Economic hasnt finished reviewing all the applications. Nonetheless, its clear that some counties submitted many more than others.

Local organizations in Philadelphia and Luzerne Counties say they submitted roughly the same number of applications, 75  even though Philadelphias population is almost five times bigger. Cumberland County submitted roughly the same number of applications as nearby Lancaster County, which has twice the population.

At least 50 applications were submitted on behalf of businesses in Westmoreland County. For Lehigh County, which is roughly the same size, there were 11.

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Nowhere is this more starkly demonstrated than in Montgomery County, which will likely be one of the last areas to reopen. The county was at a particular disadvantage because businesses could only apply for the loans through a local economic development organization, certified by the state. But Montgomery County doesnt have one.

The countys former group dissolved last April, and the local redevelopment authority began taking the first steps toward becoming state certified over the summer, county officials said. That process was still underway when the state announced the loan program.

Theres no question that state officials knew about the problem: The department handling the redevelopment authoritys certification is also overseeing the loan program. But this appears to have done little to help.

There was no time to offer feedback or express concerns in a serious way, said David Zellers, director of the countys commerce department.

The Department of Community and Economic Development contacted county officials to offer assistance the day after the program opened, a spokesperson said, adding that Montgomery County officials told the state they would work with other local organizations to get their applications in.

They tried, turning to organizations in neighboring counties to ask if they would submit applications on behalf of their local businesses. But the state-certified group in Berks County was overwhelmed and said it wouldnt be able to help.

So, Montgomery County relied on the Bucks County Economic Development Corporation, sending them 59 applications. Only one was submitted before the funding ran out, said Cormack, of the Bucks organization. The group also submitted more than 20 applications for Bucks County businesses, he said.

Ultimately, only three Montgomery County businesses were able to submit loan applications. (The other two applications were from businesses that went directly to economic development organizations in other counties, local officials said.)

The county redevelopment authority didnt finish its application to become state certified until the end of April, Executive Director John Nugent said  almost a month after the loan program closed. Thirteen state House Democrats who represent the area have written to the county commissioners, asking for a formal review.

Given the size of Montgomery County and the economic impact of COVID-19 on local businesses, simply put, this is unacceptable, they wrote. It is critical that we learn what went wrong in order to ensure that our businesses are never again put at a similar disadvantage.

A similar group of lawmakers has also asked Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Davin to fund a second round of loans and allocate the money based on the actual impact of the pandemic, population, and tax revenues generated for the state.

House Democrats, including Rep. Matthew Bradford (D., Montgomery), the minority chair of the Appropriations Committee, pushed last month to replenish the program with $100 million from the states rainy day fund through several amendments.

The amendments failed because they were incorrectly filed and did not follow the chambers procedure for transfers from the rainy day fund, said Mike Straub, a spokesperson for the Republican majority.

Every local economic development organization contacted by Spotlight PA said that, even with the federal assistance programs, there is a desperate need for more funding to help small businesses survive.

At the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, in Pittsburgh, Business Finance Manager Steve Meredith began getting questions about the program even before it had been formally announced. He was still fielding inquiries about it a week after the funding ran out.

At the end of April, the state announced more businesses that had received loans through the program. But the title of the news release  Wolf Administration Announces Second Round of State Funding for Pennsylvania Businesses  fueled false hope that the funding had been replenished.

Meredith said he received more than 50 emails over the next few days, from business owners who had missed out on the first round and thought the program had reopened, asking if their applications could be submitted again.

So far, though, there is no sign that more help is coming any time soon.

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By Amber Milne

LONDON, May 5 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Britain must be vigilant against human traffickers when it eases the coronavirus lockdown, the country's anti-slavery chief said, warning of potential exploitation in industries such as hospitality that will be in a rush to recruit new workers.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to present this week a possible way out of the lockdown to revive the economy and allow people to return to work without triggering a second spike in COVID-19 cases.

Yet traffickers could capitalise as businesses race to recruit low-paid workers, said Sara Thornton, who took up the post of independent anti-slavery commissioner a year ago.

"A sudden rush to recruit into hospitality, into hotels ... any industry ... we have to really look out for that because it's where traffickers ... take their cut," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a phone interview. "That's a real risk."

Major hotels in Britain are failing to protect workers from debt bondage and sexual exploitation, according to a study last year by the human rights group Walk Free that found 75% of hospitality businesses were flouting anti-slavery legislation.

Thornton said she was also concerned about the whereabouts and wellbeing of people who had been trafficked to Britain to work in informal sectors such as car washes and beauty salons.

"No nail bars are open so what has happened to the young people working (there)?" said Thornton, formerly head of the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC).

"Their debts haven't gone away. The worry is ... people will end up being pushed into more perilous, insecure and risky work," she added. "There's a real concern for them."

Academics and activists have said trafficking victims who fall ill with COVID-19 are unlikely to seek help for fear of being exposed to authorities, while others may be driven further into debt as they can no longer work to pay off what they owe.

Story continues

"UNSETTLING AND FRIGHTENING"

A record 10,627 possible slavery victims were identified last year in Britain - up 52% from 2018. Labour exploitation was the most common form of abuse and victims came from countries such as Albania, Vietnam, China, Nigeria and India.

Despite being hailed as a global leader in the anti-slavery drive, Britain's landmark 2015 law has faced widespread criticism that it is not being used fully to jail traffickers, drive companies to tackle forced labour, or help enough victims.

Thornton said it was an "unsettling and frightening" time for victims and survivors, as stockpiling essentials was not an option for people entitled to 65 pounds ($81) a week in aid.

"The worry ... is that a lot of victims are supported by charities and charitable giving has really gone down," she said.

People who say they have been enslaved enter the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) and access care, from housing and healthcare to legal aid, while their claim is considered.

Britain last week pledged 1.7 million pounds in emergency support for modern slavery charities, and said the money would let victims stay in safe accommodation for the next three months and access financial assistance and support services remotely.

Despite the challenges posed by the new coronavirus, Thornton said she was determined to view it as a chance to "really push" for long-term victim support from education to job opportunities while also spotlighting labour rights in Britain.

"When we begin to recover the economy it's so important that the issues of decent work and fair pay and the human rights of employees ... are absolutely central to that," Thornton said.

($1 = 0.8041 pounds) (Reporting by Amber Milne; Editing by Kieran Guilbert and Helen Popper. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers the lives of people around the world who struggle to live freely or fairly. Visit http://news.trust.org)
A new study shows that a financial incentive can dramatically increase the number of emergency department physicians trained to prescribe a potentially life-saving medication that prevents patients from fatal opioid overdose.

Led by researchers in Emergency Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn Medicine), the study showed that, at its start, just 6 percent of eligible physicians across three different emergency departments (EDs) had the proper training to prescribe the medication buprenorphine.

But by offering reimbursement for training and a $750 incentive, 89 percent of physicians in those EDs were fully trained six weeks later. The study was published this month in Annals of Emergency Medicine.

This study shows how enthusiastically emergency physicians embraced the opportunity to obtain this certification, which speaks to the shifting national conversation surrounding opioid use disorder and the importance of meeting patients where they are. This also gives a 'playbook' of sorts to any leaders and administrators who may be looking for ways to get their group trained." Sean Foster, MD, Asistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Director of Quality Improvement in Emergency Medicine, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center

Buprenorphine is an "agonist" drug, meaning that it soothes the brain's cravings for opioids and has a ceiling effect on their toxic effects, preventing fatal overdose.

By prescribing buprenorphine, ED doctors provide a "bridge" from acute care to longer term care that can include everything from counseling to continuing medications that will better support recovery.

A post-intervention survey for the study and actual buprenorphine prescribing data showed that in addition to having such a high rate of those trained, which is called getting an "X waiver," the physicians used their certification fairly quickly.

Roughly 65 percent of respondents reported that they either administered or prescribed buprenorphine within the five months of their training.

"Buprenorphine is underutilized because of a lack of X waivered providers and the stigma associated with taking this medication, with some suggesting it's 'replacing one drug with another,'" said Jeanmarie Perrone, MD, a professor of Emergency Medicine and the director of the new Center for Addiction Medicine and Policy at Penn Medicine.

"'However, buprenorphine has been shown to unequivocally decrease opioid overdose deaths and decrease the transmission of infections such as hepatitis C or HIV."

To get their X waiver, physicians must devote an entire day to training, which can be difficult to schedule amid their many responsibilities. It also wasn't very common until recently for the emergency department to be the venue for buprenorphine prescription.

The incentive and reimbursement ($750 and $200, respectively, in this case) as well as changing attitudes toward the medication seem to make the decision to get an X waiver much easier for the 67 physicians it was offered to.

Of the three emergency department locations, two actually achieved a 100 percent X waiver rate. This included one site that went from zero X waivers to all of its ED doctors having one., and another site that went from just three of its physicians having X waivers to 26.

The variation in X waiver rates by site was not directly studied, but Foster thinks he knows why one site did particularly well.

"That particular site has the most readily available access to certified recovery specialists, who are absolutely essential in making the bridge from the emergency department to the doctor's office," Foster explained. "They are also incredible advocates for the patients while in the emergency department, and can help patients work through any hesitation they may have about participating in these treatments."

A related project at Penn Medicine called CORE that utilized both certified recovery specialists and the promotion of X waiver training resulted in 7 out of 10 patients being in active recovery a month after visiting the emergency department. Typical national numbers without buprenorphine prescriptions hover around 1 in 10.

While $750 could be seen as steep for some health systems, the post-intervention survey in this study revealed that two-thirds of respondents would have felt moved to get their X waiver even if the incentive was $500 or less.

Moving forward, to explore more ways to introduce buprenorphine use, the study team hopes to explore the effectiveness of "mini X waivers," a shorter training course.

"This study targets emergency physicians to ensure that they better understand the way buprenorphine works in order to administer it for opioid withdrawal symptoms in the emergency department," Perrone said. "In this setting, the X waiver certification is not required but it can still be a bridge to getting patients into treatment."
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Linkedin Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 6, 2020 12:45 622 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd64aa96 1 National COVID-19,coronavirus,virus-corona,virus-korona-indonesia,ventilator,health-ministry,house-of-representatives,Research-and-Technology-Ministry,bambang-brodjonegoro,medical-equipment Free

The House of Representatives has slammed the Health Ministry for slowing down the development of ventilators done by the Research and Technology Ministrys COVID-19 research consortium to help meet skyrocketing demand during the outbreak.

Maman Abdurrahman, a member of House Commission VII overseeing research and technology, took issue with the Health Ministrys slow process in approving the medical equipments development.

As of Tuesday, only two out of 27 ventilators developed and proposed by domestic manufacturers had passed the Health Ministrys health facility security centers (BPFK) performance test.

We already have the devices; the prototypes are ready. [...] However, we are hampering ourselves from saving our citizens from COVID-19 with administrative reasons, the Golkar Party politician said during a meeting with the Health Ministry, Industry Ministry as well as Research and Technology Ministry on Tuesday.

The BPFK had approved continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) ventilators developed by the University of Indonesia, as well as another one produced by West Java-based Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and Padjadjaran University.

The equipment would also need to pass the Health Ministrys clinical test and acquire marketing authorization before they can be used in hospitals and other health facilities.

Read also: PTDI, Indofarma, universities working on ventilator prototypes

Health Ministry pharmaceutical and medical devices director general Engko Sosialine Magdalene previously said only ventilators made by ITB and Padjadjaran University had entered early clinical trials.

The Health Ministry must speed up the verification process, Maman said. I see indications of [cartel] practice in manipulating the system to prioritize imported products over domestic ones.

Research and Technology Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro added the pressure on the Health Ministry, urging its minister to relax the long clinical trial period stipulated in a regulation on manufacturing medical equipment as the government scrambles to fulfill nationwide demand.

Bambang pointed as an example to the United States Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), which authorized the emergency use of unapproved medical equipment, including ventilators. Such a policy allowed ventilators made by non-pharmaceutical companies, such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), to be used in treating patients during the pandemic.

We expected special treatment like the one given by the FDA, Bambang said, adding that the Health Ministry should prioritize the authorization of the equipment.

The House Commission VI overseeing trade and industries as well as Commission IX overseeing health and manpower have also urged the Health Ministry to relax medical equipment testing regulations and protocols during the health crisis.

Read also: ICU ventilators: What they are, how they work and why its hard to make more

Engko responded by saying that the ministry had already relaxed some regulations. For example, it no longer requires developers to have the Good Manufacturing Practice for Medical Devices certification.

She went on to say that the clinical trial on patients would also be done on only 30 ventilators made by a manufacturer, allowing the test to be completed in two days.

The ministry has also increased the working hours of its officials to speed up the approval of such equipment.

According to data from the Health Ministry, 8,413 ventilators are ready to be used in 2,867 hospitals across the country. Some provinces such as Central Kalimantan, North Maluku and Gorontalo, however, still lacked equipment.

As of Tuesday, Indonesia has recorded 12,071 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 872 fatalities and 2,197 recoveries.
(Newser)  "I found out my family was gone over a Facebook headline." So says Blake Bivens, the Tampa Bay Rays pitching prospect whose wife, infant son, and mother-in-law were murdered in August. Eight months after the crimefor which Bivens' brother-in-law is chargedthe 24-year-old sat down with pastor Travis Gore to discuss the worst day of his life. It was a game day for the pitcher, who had traveled to Tennessee with the minor league Montgomery Biscuits, per CNN. But he was distracted as he woke up and checked his phone, finding no message from his wife. "As soon as I clicked on Facebook, I just saw a headline," describing a search for his brother-in-law, Bivens says. Unable to reach his wife, he headed to the airport so he could get home to Virginia. He then checked Facebook again.

story continues below

The first headline he read described the murders of two women and a child. "I immediately knew that was them," Bivens says. "And I just immediately began to scream in the middle of the airport." On the flight home, "I just stared at the back of the seat the whole time, trying to get my mind to wrap around what I'm hearing," he says. But "the hardest moment for me was when I got home and I walked in my son's bedroom  and realized I was never going to see him on this earth again,'' he says, per Today. Since then, the athlete has found comfort in his faith in God. "I know [my family is] in the arms of Jesus, and they're waiting for me to be there with them," he says. (The full interview is here.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday assured his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali of India's support in ensuring supplies of essential medicines and offsetting the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

During their telephonic conversation, the two leaders discussed the domestic, regional and global challenges posed by the pandemic, and expressed solidarity with each other at the time of the crisis.

Coronavirus India News LIVE

"The prime minister assured Dr Abiy Ahmed Ali of Indian support to Ethiopia, for ensuring supplies of essential medicines and ameliorating the economic impact of the pandemic," an official statement said.

In a tweet, Modi said "we discussed the COVID-19 situation."

He said India stands in solidarity "with our friends in Ethiopia as well as other countries in Africa, and will be a reliable partner to provide essential medical supplies and other assistance to handle the crisis".

According to the statement, Modi recalled the close ties between India and Ethiopia and the excellent development partnership between the two nations, it said.

Prime Minister Modi, on behalf of the people of India and himself, wished the people of Ethiopia success in the fight against COVID-19.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here
Dr. Tom Biernacki Foot & Ankle Surgeon For any patients who still have any foot ankle or leg wounds, ingrown toenails, or infections, you are still able to come in and see us. The goal is to keep as many people out of the hospital where the risk for infection can be much higher.

The podiatrists and foot doctors of Advanced Foot & Ankle Specialists of Pinckney Michigan are helping flatten the Covid-19 curve and Howell Michigan, Brighton Michigan, and Ann Arbor Michigan. Dr. Tomasz Biernacki states that Podiatrists can help support the hospital system by seeing all high-risk patients within the clinic and at the hospital. General non-emergency patients will gradually become rescheduled on a full-time basis increasing on May 15th 2020 and then again June 1st 2020.

Dr. Tomasz Biernacki states we are still seeing all wound and foot infection patients in the hospital, while at the same time trying to keep them from coming into the hospital in the first place. We are still continuing to see patients in the clinic.

Dr. Biernacki further says For any patients who still have any foot ankle or leg wounds, ingrown toenails or infections, you are still able to come in and see us. The goal is to keep as many people out of the hospital where the risk for infection can be much higher.

Dr. Tomasz Biernacki is a practicing podiatric foot and ankle surgeon at Advanced Foot and Ankle specialists of Howell Michigan and Brighton Michigan.

Advanced foot and ankle specialists of Howell Michigan and Brighton Michigan pride themselves on providing comprehensive the care and working as a multispecialty team. The four doctors at this practice are on staff at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Livingston, St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Brighton, and St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Ann Arbor. Working as part of this large multidisciplined team, they can work with internal medicine doctors, primary care doctors, endocrinologists and vascular surgery specialist to provide comprehensive care.

Advanced foot and ankle specialists have four different doctors within their practice: Dr. Tom Biernacki, Dr. John Stevelinck, Dr. Marc Bonanni and Dr. Danielle Meyka-Blanchard. All podiatrists foot doctors are on staff at St. Joseph Mercy hospitals in Ann Arbor, Howell and Brighton Michigan. They pride themselves on serving Livingston County and Washtenaw County.
More than 3.75 million people worldwide have tested positive for COVID-19 so far, of which 259,406 have died and 1.25 million have recovered.

More than 3.75 million people worldwide have tested positive for COVID-19 so far, of which 259,406 have died and 1.25 million have recovered.

Two French doctors said yesterday that SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, was present much earlier in Europe than was previously believed. The virus was reportedly found in the clinical samples of a 43-year-old man who was hospitalized (for pneumonia) in December. This was at least a month before the virus officially reached Europe.

Meanwhile, health officials in Illinois County, USA have also said that the novel coronavirus may have entered the USA weeks before the first case was officially confirmed; it may have been mistaken for the flu. The health officials are planning to look into pneumonia and heart attack cases in the area as far back as November 2019 to look for possible signs of COVID-19.

New Zealand reported new cases, cases surge again in Germany

After two days of zero cases, New Zealand saw two new cases and one death in the past 24 hours. Both cases have shown up in areas where the country had clusters of cases before. Out of the two cases, one is confirmed and other is still in the suspected category. The confirmed case showed up in a student and is a weak positive, reportedly showing that the person may be in a late stage of the disease already and is not likely to be highly infectious. Still, the student will be kept in isolation as a precautionary measure.

Death toll in Spain rose above 200 again after reducing for six days in a row. On Wednesday, the country reported 244 deaths bringing the death toll to 25,817.

Germany also noted a surge in new cases after showing a reduction in total cases for six consecutive days. On May 5, the country saw 855 new cases, bringing the total number of cases to 167,007. Germany is reportedly set to change its decision to further relax restrictions in May.

UK death toll surpassed Italy and Russia cases go up by 10,000 again

The death toll in the UK has surpassed that of Italy's now. About 29,315 people have died of COVID-19 in Italy while in the UK, 29,427 have succumbed to the disease. However, Spain is the worst-hit country in Europe right now.

For the fourth day in a row, Russia saw more than 10,000 new cases. COVID-19 cases in the country rose by 10,559 on Wednesday, bringing the total number of cases to 165,929.

USA shows no significant improvement, cases rise above 10,000 in the Philippines

The USA confirmed 24,798 new cases on Tuesday with 2,350 deaths. As of now, more than 1.2 million people are infected by the coronavirus in the country and 72,275 people have died of the disease. More than 200,000 have already recovered.

Mike Pence, Vice President, USA, reportedly said today that the coronavirus task force will be dismantled in June because of the tremendous progress the country has seen.

With 320 new cases on Wednesday, the total number of cases in the Philippines crossed 10,000. About 658 people have so far died of the disease in the country.

A new strain of coronavirus found

A recent study indicated that a new strain, G-strain, of SARS-CoV-2 was circulating in Europe in early February and was introduced into the USA and Canada in March.

Initially, the D-strain was prevalent in all these countries while the original Wuhan strain was dominant in Asian countries but now the G-strain is quickly dominating in Asian countries too. The new strain has a mutation in the spike protein, the protein that determines how SARS-CoV-2 will bind to healthy cells. Since most vaccine candidates target this protein, the study raised concerns on the efficacy of the current vaccine candidates.

As per the study, people infected with this strain have shown higher viral load  more virus in their body  proposing that this strain may be more contagious, though it has not been proved yet.

The study is still in the preprint phase and has not been peer-reviewed.

For more information, read our article on Viral mutation: FAQs

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.
A senior Chinese diplomat expressed backing for the World Health Organisation on Wednesday, but said an invitation for the agency's experts to visit Wuhan to look into the origins of the coronavirus must wait until after the pandemic is beaten.

First things first: The top priority for the time being is to focus on the fight against the pandemic, said Chen Xu, China's ambassador to UN institutions in Geneva, when asked about the timing of a possible invitation for a WHO team. We need the right focus and allocation of our resources.

"So it's not we are allergic to any kind of investigations, inquiries or evaluations, he said, as long as it will be beneficial to the international efforts.

The comments from Chen amount to the latest Chinese diplomatic push, just as the United States has criticized the WHO over its handling of the COVID-19 outbreak that has infected millions and killed at least 250,000 people and its alleged coziness with Beijing.

Chen said China is now on board for an initiative led by the WHO, many European countries and charity groups like the Gates Foundation to expedite vaccines and COVID-19 treatment tools to developing countries. He didn't offer details on how China would show its support.

The US meanwhile has not lined up for the Access to COVID-19 Tools, or ACT, Accelerator that aims to help the most vulnerable countries gain access to vaccines, diagnostics and treatment tools for the coronavirus as they emerge.

President Donald Trump's administration has criticized the WHO's handling of the early outbreak and announced a suspension of funding from the US - the UN agency's top donor. Administration officials have accused the WHO of covering up missteps as the outbreak emerged in Wuhan.

Chen said the US was duty-bound to keep up its funding.

"We do hope that the Americans could have second thoughts, to come back to the right track, he said, offering support and praise for the WHO and Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and expressing his total confidence in the integrity of the agency.

Trump last week criticized the WHO as an apparent pipe organ and public-relations agency for Beijing and pointed to unspecified evidence that the outbreak came from the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Many scientists and the WHO believe the outbreak has its origins in nature.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Oakville, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 6, 2020) - Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. (TSX: CRDL) (OTCQX: CRTPF) ("Cardiol" or the "Company"), a leader in the production of pharmaceutical cannabidiol (CBD) and the development of innovative cannabidiol products for heart diseases, is pleased to announce the filing of a new patent application covering the use of cannabidiol (CBD) to improve the outcome of patients with COVID-19. This new patent application includes the administration of CBD to reduce the severity of disease in COVID-19 patients with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions, and to prevent the progression of such conditions.

COVID-19, a disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is primarily a respiratory disease. However, an increasing number of reports indicate that COVID-19 patients are at higher risk of developing cardiovascular complications. Furthermore, patients with underlying cardiovascular disease are more likely to develop severe cases of COVID-19 and have a worse prognosis. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Cardiology showed that 35% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients had underlying cardiovascular disease (CVD). In this study, patients with underlying CVD and myocardial injury had a significantly higher rate of mortality than patients without these complications. Other studies have shown that COVID-19 patients are more likely to develop cardiovascular complications even if they do not have pre-existing CVD.

There is a growing body of experimental evidence that CBD reduces cardiac and vascular inflammation, oxidative stress, and cardiac dysfunction. Pre-clinical research in a model involving cardiac injury demonstrated that Cardiol's pharmaceutically produced (cGMP) cannabidiol has a cardioprotective effect, resulting in a reduction of fibrosis, cardiac hypertrophy (enlargement of the heart), and the cardiac remodelling marker BNP. These data were accepted for presentation at the American College of Cardiology's 69th Annual Scientific Session & Expo held virtually from March 28-30, 2020.

"COVID-19 patients with a prior history of cardiovascular disease and cardiac injury are at significantly higher risk for mortality," stated David Elsley, President and CEO of Cardiol Therapeutics. "Experimental evidence demonstrating the cardioprotective properties of cannabidiol suggest therapeutic potential in this vulnerable patient population. As part of our strategy to develop cannabidiol for patients with heart failure, we look forward to investigating the anti-inflammatory properties of our extra strength CBD formulation in COVID-19 patients with cardiac injury, with the hope of significantly improving patient outcomes."

About Cardiol Therapeutics

Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. (TSX: CRDL) (OTCQX: CRTPF) is focused on producing pharmaceutical cannabidiol (CBD) products and developing innovative therapies for heart diseases, including acute myocarditis and other causes of heart failure. The Company's lead product, CardiolRx, is formulated to be the most consistent cannabidiol formulation on the market. CardiolRx is pharmaceutically produced, manufactured under cGMP, and is THC free (<5 ppm). The Company also plans to commercialize CardiolRx in the billion-dollar market for medicinal cannabinoids in Canada and is pursuing distribution opportunities in Europe and Latin America.

In heart failure, Cardiol is planning an international clinical study of CardiolRx in acute myocarditis, a condition caused by inflammation in heart tissue, which remains the most common cause of sudden cardiac death in people less than 35 years of age. The Company is also developing proprietary nanotechnology to uniquely deliver pharmaceutical cannabidiol and other anti-inflammatory drugs directly to sites of inflammation in the heart associated with heart failure. Heart failure is the leading cause of death and hospitalization in North America with associated annual healthcare costs in the U.S. alone exceeding $30 billion. For further information about Cardiol Therapeutics, please visit cardiolrx.com.

For further information, please contact:

David Elsley, President & CEO +1-289-910-0850

david.elsley@cardiolrx.com

Trevor Burns, Investor Relations +1-289-910-0855

trevor.burns@cardiolrx.com

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking information:

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. ("Cardiol") believes, expects or anticipates will, may, could or might occur in the future are "forward- looking information". Forward-looking information is frequently identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "projects", "intends", "believes", "anticipates", "forecasts", and other similar words and phrases, including variations (and negative variations) of such words and phrases, or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions, events or conditions "may", "could", "should", "would", or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information contained herein may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to: future events; the future performance or the intended business strategy of Cardiol, including, but not limited to, the plan to commercialize CardiolRx and the planning of an international clinical study of CardiolRx in acute myocarditis; the potential for Cardiol's licensed drug encapsulation and delivery technologies to enhance the bioavailability of pharmaceuticals; management's expectations regarding estimated future pharmaceutical research and development opportunities, collaborations and prospects; the success and proposed timing of Cardiol's product development activities; the ability of Cardiol to develop its product candidates; Cardiol's plans to research, discover, evaluate and develop additional products; Cardiol's proposed future collaborations to advance Cardiol's lead nanoformulations into clinical development; and the potential for Cardiol's cannabinoid-based products to provide sources of future revenue. Forward-looking information contained herein reflects the current expectations or beliefs of Cardiol based on information currently available to it and is subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause the actual events or results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. These risks and uncertainties and other factors include that the success of Cardiol's product candidates will require significant capital resources and years of clinical development efforts; the results of clinical testing and trial activities of Cardiol's products; Cardiol's ability to obtain regulatory approval and market acceptance of its products; Cardiol's ability to raise capital and the availability of future financing; Cardiol's lack of operating history; unforeseeable deficiencies in the development of Cardiol's product candidates; uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future for Cardiol's research and development initiatives; Cardiol's ability to manage its research, development, growth and operating expenses; the potential failure of clinical trials to demonstrate acceptable levels of safety and efficacy of Cardiol's product candidates; Cardiol's ability to retain key management and other personnel; risks related to fluctuations in medicinal cannabinoid markets in Canada and worldwide; uncertainties regarding Cardiol's ongoing collaborative and manufacturing partnerships; uncertainties regarding results of researching and developing products for human use; Cardiol competes in a highly competitive and evolving industry; Cardiol's ability to obtain and maintain current and future intellectual property protection; and other risks and uncertainties and factors. These risks, uncertainties and other factors should be considered carefully, and investors should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information. Any forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Cardiol disclaims any intent or obligation to update or revise such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although Cardiol believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, they do involve certain assumptions, risks, and uncertainties and are not (and should not be considered to be) guarantees of future performance. It is important that each person reviewing this news release understands the significant risks attendant to the operations of Cardiol.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/55448
United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was hospitalised late on Tuesday with an infection caused by a gallstone, still took part in the courts arguments by telephone on Wednesday.

During arguments in a case involving a dispute over an Obamacare requirement regarding health insurance coverage for womens birth control, which was conducted by teleconference amid the coronavirus pandemic, Ginsburg posed a question to the Trump administrations lawyer, Noel Francisco, early in the hearing.

The 87-year-old justice underwent non-surgical treatment for what the court described as acute cholecystitis, a benign gallbladder condition, at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore on Tuesday. Court officials said the justice would remain hospitalised for a day or two

Tests following the courts oral arguments on Monday morning showed that Ginsburg was suffering from a gallstone that had migrated to her cystic duct, a tube that empties the gall bladder, blocking it and causing an infection, spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said.

She is resting comfortably and expects to be in the hospital for a day or two, the court said.

Ginsburg took part in the courts telephone arguments on Monday and Tuesday. She initially sought medical care on Monday, when the gallstone was first diagnosed.

She has been treated four times for cancer, most recently in August, when she underwent radiation for a tumour on her pancreas.

Her most recent hospital stay was in November, when she spent two nights at Johns Hopkins Hospital with a likely infection after suffering from chills and fever.

The frail-looking liberal icon also bounced back from lung surgery to remove cancerous growths in December 2018.

Her recovery from that surgery forced her to miss court arguments for the first time since she became a justice in 1993, when she was appointed by President Bill Clinton.

She has been doing her usual workout with a personal trainer at the court, even as the justices have cancelled court arguments in favour of telephone sessions because of the coronavirus pandemic.





Most recently, Ginsburg was admitted to a hospital in November for two nights suffering from a fever and chills, but returned to work at the court the day after being released.

The health of the liberal justice is closely watched because a Supreme Court vacancy would give Republican President Donald Trump the opportunity to appoint a third justice to the nine-member court and prod it further to the right. The court currently has a 5-4 conservative majority.

Ginsburg has said she would like to serve until she is 90 if her health allows.
Exuberant tipplers thronged liquor shops while owners performed special prayers at several places as sale of alcoholic beverages resumed in Telangana on Wednesday after over a month long hiatus due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

Customers formed serpentine queues even before the shutters went up as the government allowed sale of liquor at more than 2,000 shops across the state with guidelines, including maintaining social distance and wearing of face masks while also increasing the prices by 16 per cent.

Shops in coronavirus containment zones will, however, remain closed.

Telangana is the latest to join the list of states, including neighbouring Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, which have allowed sale of liquor that remained out of bounds for the tipplers during the first two phases of lockdown.

"I was waiting for this day... I would not mind the price hike. This time I will get sufficient stocks," a buyer said at one of the shops here.

Some people broke into dance and shouted slogans hailing Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who on Tuesday night announced the decision to allow liquor sales, keenly awaited by the tipplers after the shops were shut from March 22.

As the shops opened, owners performed special prayers with flowers, coconuts, incense sticks and offered ''Aarti'' (lighting traditional lamp and camphor) in front of the stores at several places, before commencing business.

At several place people were seen waiting from as early as 6 AM in front of the outlets with bags hoping to buy their stock.

Women and elderly people were also among the customers who were seen standing in queues near the liquor shops in the city and other parts of the state.

State Excise minister Srinivas Goud said he visited several outlets here and all of them were following the government guidelines such as wearing masks and maintaining physical distances, among others.

Almost 99 per cent of both buyers and sellers wore masks and people stood in queues maintaining physical distance. The outlets were selling whatever quantities they were holding at the beginningof thelockdown, Goud told reporters.

He said there were 17 liquor depots owned by Telangana Beverages Corporation and no retail outlet has yet placed order for fresh stocks.

Defending the reopening of wine shops, the Minister said Telangana shares over 2500 km long border with other states and since all of them have resumed liquor sales the Rao government also took the decision to allow sales to control the illegal and illicit liquor.

KCR, as Rao is popularly known, had on Tuesday announced that barring 15 liquor outlets located in various containment zones in the state, the remaining more than 2,200 would be open for business from 10 am to 6 pm beginning Wednesday.

However, bars, pubs and other outlets that serve booze will remain shut.

Police personnel were deployed at most of the outlets to avoid untoward incidents and ensure law and order.

Most of the liquor vends had drawn chalk circles outside the shops to make sure the customers observe social distancing rules while buying liquor.

At some stores customers even placed their footwear, bags and other articles inside the circles as a sort of 'proxy' for them while they stayed a little distance away waiting for their turn.

The state government has warned that licenses of shops would be cancelled if the physical distancing norms were violated by sellers and buyers.

Hyderabad Commissioner of Police Anjani Kumar told reporters that social distancing was being followed at the liquor shops in the city.

There are as many as 178 liquor shops in the city, he said adding "no complaints have been received so far. We have taken steps to maintain the physical distance at each wine shop. Public cooperation is very important.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A former costumer on the long-running CBS procedural Blue Bloods has filed a federal discrimination lawsuit, accusing her supervisor of making racist comments and humiliating her.

Trenena 'Trina' Patterson, 44, brought the complaint against CBS' parent company, ViacomCBS, and Blue Bloods' costume designer, Michael Woll, in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York in March.

According to the 15-page filing, Patterson, who is black, was initially hired as a part-time costumer on Blue Bloods in August 2014, and was promoted to a full-time position four years later.

Costumer Trenena 'Trina' Patterson, 44 (left), is suing ViacomCBS and Blue Bloods costume designer Michael Woll, 43 (right), claiming racial discrimination and retaliation

Woll has worked on CBS' Blue Bloods since 2010, and in 2018 he was promoted to costume designer on the long-running procedural

Around the same time, Woll, 43, was promoted from wardrobe supervisor to costume designer on the show, becoming Patterson's direct boss.

That is when, according to Patterson's complaint, Woll, who is white and openly gay, began directing offensive comments invoking racial stereotypes about African-Americans at Patterson.

The federal complaint, first reported by PageSix, cites multiple examples of Woll's alleged remarks targeting Patterson, including that she had 'wide hips' and a 'big butt.'

At one point, Woll allegedly asked Patterson if she had more than one 'baby daddy.'

The lawsuit claims that on 'countless occasions,' Woll referred to Patterson's headscarf as a 'du-rag,' and also talked in more general terms about how 'black people can't swim' and 'black people don't climb on ladders.'

Patterson later learned from a co-worker that around the time of her hiring, Woll was allegedly heard telling a co-worker, 'Why would you hire that little black girl? She looks like a hot ghetto mess,' according to the explosive complaint.

Patterson's federal complaint alleges that Woll, who is white and openly gay, commented on her 'wide hips' and 'big butt,' invoking racial stereotypes

The suit goes on to allege that Woll often yelled and berated Patterson in front of others, calling her an 'idiot,' 'lazy' and incompetent,' which on more than one occasion resulted in the woman leaving the set in tears.

When one time he saw Patterson crying, he allegedly told her, 'Theres not enough milk in my t***ies to feed you,' purportedly implying that she was acting like a baby.

'Woll treated [Patterson] less well than her Caucasian male counterparts, who were not subjected to discriminatory comments,' the lawsuit reads.

After Patterson complained last year about Woll's alleged conduct toward her, she was first demoted, then fired from the show

Last August, Patterson complained to another supervisor about Woll's conduct, and also reached out to her professional union seeking to file a discrimination complaint.

Just two days later, Woll 'summarily demoted [Patterson] and simultaneously cut her days from 5 days per week to 1 day per week,' according to the complaint, citing unspecified 'performance issues.'

The lawsuit stresses that prior to that, Patterson had never been disciplined for her job performance and regularly worked up to 60 hours a week.

Patterson was ultimately fired from Blue Bloods in September.

The lawsuit alleges that she had been discriminated against based on her race, and then retaliated against and unlawfully terminated after complaining about her treatment.

Patterson is requesting a jury trial and is seeking unspecified damages and attorney's fees.

DailyMail.com reached out to ViacomCBS seeking a comment about the litigation and was awaiting a reply.

Woll's IMBD page says that he has worked on Blue Bloods, starring Tom Selleck and Donny Wahlberg, since 2010. The show had just wrapped up its tenth season.

Prior to that, he served as a wardrobe supervisor on Sacha Baron Cohen's raunchy 2012 comedy The Dictator and on the soap opera All My Children.
COVID-19: What you need to know now
"This is Daniel Andrews' own Ruby Princess," he said. Asked whether the comparison to Ruby Princess  the cruise ship linked to 21 deaths in Australia  was excessive, Mr OBrien said both were due to "government incompetence". "Ruby Princess should never have happened. Frankly, coronavirus at Cedar Meats should never have happened," he said. The first case A cluster at the Cedar Meats abattoir was first suspected by the health department on April 24, but the government has since revealed an initial case was diagnosed more than a month ago, on April 2.

At the time, the health department did not consider the Brooklyn meatworks to be an exposure site because the infected person said he was not at work for "weeks" prior. The federal government is now investigating whether Commonwealth inspectors may have unknowingly spread the virus to other facilities after checking the abattoir in April. "We can only go on what we're told," Victorias Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton told radio station 3AW on Wednesday morning, adding he wasnt aware if the abattoir was asked about the worker's attendance. "If you or I get diagnosed with COVID and say we normally go to Flinders Street Station on Friday but havent been there for the last month, we wouldnt put that down as a site of exposure."

Professor Sutton said he did not believe the worker diagnosed in early April was the source of the second and third cases. He said Cedar Meats may never have been informed about the initial infection because the worker said he had not been to work. "I have been told that that early case wasn't part of the cluster  wasn't on site," he said. "We'll really struggle to understand who introduced it and when." Professor Sutton said the department would be reviewing its policy of not naming affected businesses in order to protect public confidence in the department, given they would likely be named anyway. He said the claim the worker infected in early April attended the abattoir was a "rumour" that required further investigation. How the cluster emerged

The Victorian government is facing criticism over a lack of transparency, after initially declining to name the abattoir and waiting until late on Tuesday evening, May 5, to release a timeline of the cluster. A second and third person linked to the cluster were diagnosed on April 24 and 25, but the health department did not advise the company to test all 350 workers until April 30  when even more cases were discovered. The 49 cases of coronavirus linked to the Brooklyn abattoir now include at least three close contacts of workers. Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas has defended the governments handling of the outbreak.

"There is an enormous amount of checking and tracking that needs to be done in this process," Mr Pallas said. "What is going on here is outstanding, world-leading tracking and checking strategies and I think the Chief Health Officer and his staff deserve commendation for it." Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said he wanted to find out when Victorian officials informed his department about the outbreak. None of the Commonwealth inspectors who visited the site have tested positive, but Mr Littleproud said the situation was fluid. "Potentially, the Commonwealth personnel who were in the abattoir and then moved to another one ... could have spread the virus," he said.

"Before we start pointing fingers I think we need to understand what's happened and learn from it." Loading Sally McManus, secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, said the western suburbs meatworks cluster "clearly" wasn't handled appropriately, and she also made comparisons to the Ruby Princess debacle. Ms McManus said the entire workforce should have been tested once the first worker was diagnosed in early April.
A COVID-19 patient now undergoing treatment at the Ekiti State Isolation Centre faces prosecution for breaching the order prohibiting interstate movement.

The state government said the woman, who came from Katsina State to visit her husband who is a military officer, committed an offence and would be prosecuted.

The woman was picked up for a test after her husband noticed some symptoms which turned out to be positive for the virus.

In the same vein, seven men who also sneaked through security barricades into the state from Kano and Oyo states have been quarantined.

Though, It was the husband who alerted us, it was an offence against the state and the Ministry of Justice will take appropriate actions against her at the right time, the Commissioner for Health, Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, said in Ado Ekiti, on Wednesday.

She said the womans husband, who was the only main contact, had also been quarantined in line with the World Health Organisations guidelines.

Let me also tell the public that all the patients in the isolation centre are stable and responding to treatment, she said.

And those who are persistently positive to testing are still being kept. With the level we have gone, we have nothing to worry about.

The only fear we have is the fact that the curfew has been relaxed and people are not observing social distancing.

People are still coming into the state through the borders via forceful and illegal means.

Mrs Yaya-Kolade further said the state governor, Kayode Fayemi, was liaising with the federal government for the building of a COVID-19 laboratory in the state.

Also giving updates on the COVID-19 battle, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Health, Jimlas Ogunsakin, said a tip-off reached the task force on the Kano returnees and they had to be rounded up and quarantined.

He also said there were three other females who also entered the state illegally, and had to also be quarantined.

We got several tip-offs from people and we acted on them, he said.

The Kano returnees came to Adeparusi Estate in Adebayo and some came to the Atinkankan area.

We got the information from the public and we got them arrested and they were quarantined immediately.

Also on the development, the Commissioner for Information, Muyiwa Olumilua, said the government had constituted an Environmental Task Force, to monitor compliance with protocols at market places, religious centres , banks and by okada riders.

Mr Olumilua said starting from Friday, the security agencies would arrest and prosecute those not using face masks.

Meanwhile, the state government has directed security agencies at the state boundaries and checkpoints to henceforth carry out rigorous checks on vehicles conveying essential commodities across the state.

The Deputy Governor, Bisi Egbeyemi, in a statement on Wednesday, said that most of the COVID-19 cases recorded in Ekiti State were caused by non-residents who illegally entered the state in violation of the orders of the government and appropriate authorities.

He said security agencies would henceforth search all vehicles conveying food, medical and pharmaceuticals, beverages, agricultural products and construction materials coming in and going out of Ekiti State.

He urged the people of the state to be more security conscious in their various localities and report strange faces and movements they notice to the government and security agencies.

Ekiti State has recorded 12 confirmed cases so far, two persons have been treated and discharged.

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The number of confirmed cases of the virus in the country has been on the rise, peaking at 2950 as of Tuesday, May 5, 2020. The number of deaths is 98, while 481 persons have been discharged.
06.05.2020 LISTEN

Comrade Abass Nurudeen, the Ashanti Regional Communication Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has emphasized that the party has a better record in provision of roads compared to the New Patriotic Party in the Region.

He made this known during a press conference in Kumasi to hit back at what he described as lies spewed by the Road Minister, Hon. Kwasi Amoako Atta during his recent tour of the Region.

According to the NDC Communicator, the Roads Ministers claim that apart from the construction of 100km-stretch of Kumasi roads between (1984-1989), nothing has since been done on roads in the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area by successive governments including the late Mills and Mahama administrations is false and very scandalous.

Comrade Abass Nurudeen defends that the Mills/Mahama administration alone constructed more than 400km stretch of roads within the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area as he gives details of 19 roads and where they were constructed.

While the NDC Communicator makes several responses to claims by Hon. Kwasi Amoako Atta, he has also stressed that the Akufo-Addo government has little to show in terms of development in the Ashanti Region even though they have been the most resourced government in the fourth republic.

The time has, therefore, come for the good people of the Ashanti Region to rise up and demand their fair share of the national cake from a party which lays claim to this region as their stronghold. Gone are the days when the Ashanti Region was only famed as being the electoral fortress of the New Patriotic Party, with very little in terms of development to show for that support. Enough of the tokenism, enough of the lip service, the Ashanti Region deserves better from the NPP, Comrade Abass Nurudeen noted.

Read the full statement below:
The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced how important connectivity is in the modern world.

As it has become more challenging to communicate directly, the use of ICT has become even more critical for the dissemination of information by government, experts, and the media.

Key to digital communication is the phone  especially the smartphone.

The smartphone allows people to stay in touch with their friends and families, receive important information, and educate themselves during these tough times.

Smartphones may become even more crucial when the outbreak is brought under control.

However, the cost of handsets is a significant barrier to mobile Internet adoption and use  and this is not the fault of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Low-cost devices are often out of the reach of those in poverty, which is a problem considering that these devices can be key enablers for escaping poverty.

Research in countries like Tanzania and India found that the extremely poor  those who earn less than $2 per day  would have to spend 16% of their annual income just to purchase an average-priced smartphone. For people who are struggling to eat on a daily basis, using this percentage of their income is not a rational option.

However, device manufacturers cannot offer phones at a significantly more affordable rate because they have costs of their own to manage.

For this reason, it is necessary to develop business models which ensure that those in poverty can own smartphones.

Given the nature of the COVID-19 crisis, there is no better time to develop such business models and get more South Africans connected.

Smartphones are not a luxury

One of the reasons smartphones are so expensive in South Africa, and Africa as a whole, is that they incur high taxes.

In fact, import taxes and duties can reach as high as 50% of the total device cost in some African countries.

This is partially due to high costs for device transportation  particularly to emerging markets.

Additionally, storage, warehousing, and inventory management all provide significant additional costs.

A simple way to reduce these tax costs could be by ceasing to class smartphones as luxury items.

Smartphones have become more than a luxury  they are now crucial sources of information and connectivity and not having one is a significant barrier to economic prosperity.

If luxury tariffs were no longer due on smartphones, it would make it possible to slash smartphone prices considerably  making them more accessible to more African citizens.

This would be particularly beneficial to the development and distribution of locally-manufactured smartphones  offering significant opportunities for economic growth.

Another strategy could be to abolish the taxation and duties placed upon smartphones below a certain value.

This would result in citizens being able to purchase these cheap smartphones, while still boosting government revenue through airtime and data bundles, as well as income from other mobile income streams.

Strategies for smartphone proliferation

While reducing the taxation on smartphones is an obvious way to make smartphones more affordable, other strategies can also reduce the cost of smartphones for low-income citizens.

One such strategy includes government getting involved in parts of the value chain  including marketing, distribution, and retail.

This would reduce the costs directly incurred by smartphone makers by reducing the number of players within the supply chain.

Another strategy would be government assisting through subsidies or donations to NGOs and other entities  meaning government would be subsidising the cost of devices for those who need them most.

These and other strategies should be discussed by government, and strategies should be undertaken to facilitate the increase in citizens who have smartphones, and by extension, access to the digital economy.

Some examples of how governments can assist through subsidies or other means include:

Argentina  Provided asset financing to 8 million citizens to switch from 2G feature phones to 4G smartphones.

Columbia  Allocated $90 million over three years to a policy which included subsidies for low-income citizens for data and smartphones.

Malaysia  Launched a national program to encourage youth to purchase 3G-enabled smartphones with a rebate on certain phones  reducing the cost by 40%.

Pakistan government  used funds to give smartphones to 30,000 low-income women.

Smartphone uptake is important

ICT expert Charley Lewis told MyBroadband that the drive for smartphone uptake in South Africa is important for consumers as those who do not have these devices are deprived of access to much of the Internet and its benefits  such as highly useful apps.

If pricing of entry-level smartphones can be kept low, and priced into pay-as-you-go plans, and with data prices poised to fall, I see no reason that there should not be an upsurge in smartphone demand, said Lewis.

The benefits to universal access and service, and to the increased data revenues, are surely to the benefit of users and operators alike.

The COVID-19 pandemic provides an opportunity to develop and implement long-term solutions to the digital divide in South Africa.

In this regard, the first priority of government should be to ensure that all South Africans are able to access digital platforms through devices like smartphones so that they can stay informed on that which is important.

Making smartphones more accessible to a larger number of South Africans is key to this, as it could help to alleviate poverty and improve the lives of these citizens.
India to bring millions of stranded citizens home amid coronavirus pandemic

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 05 May 2020 5:33 PM

India will deploy commercial jets, military transport planes and naval warships to bring back millions of citizens who were stranded when COVID-19-related travel restrictions were imposed by several countries worldwide.

According to the Indian Navy, the first phase of the drive was estimated to help about 1.8 million Indian citizens return home.

At least four Indian Navy Ships sailed on Tuesday, three to the Persian Gulf region and another one to the Maldives, which will bring back stranded Indians.

The Indian Air Force has prepared about 30 aircraft for the mission.

Hardeep Singh Puri , the civil aviation minister, told reporters in an online briefing that Air India will operate 64 flights in the first week, while it is "entirely possible" that private airlines may also operate some flights in the future.

Air India Ltd. will also operate special, non-scheduled commercial flights from London Heathrow starting May 7.

The Indian government said in a statement Monday that people wanting to come back must pay for their journey.

Those coming from the US will be charged more than $1,300 each while tickets from London will cost more than 500 pounds.

The New Delhi government sources say all passengers will be screened and quarantined for 14 days before having to go through a virus test. People landing in the country will also have to pay for their own quarantine.

In recent weeks, Indian diplomatic missions around the world have been registering citizens who want to return because they have lost their jobs due to the pandemic.

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE) alone, almost 200,000 Indians have applied to come back, according to a statement tweeted by the Consulate General of India in Dubai.

The plan to evacuate citizens follows India's move to partially ease movement restrictions in many parts of the world's second-most populous nation after 40 days of strict stay-at-home orders.

Millions of Indians were stuck around the world, from the Persian Gulf states to Europe and the US, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi imposed the lockdown on March 25 to check the spread of the virus. The outbreak has already infected over 46,000 across India, and killed almost 1,600.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 14:58:03|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai on Tuesday called on U.S. politicians to end the blame-China game and focus on tackling the COVID-19 pandemic which has killed over 70,000 Americans.

"Blaming China will not end this pandemic. On the contrary, the mind-set risks decoupling China and the United States and hurting our efforts to fight the disease, our coordination to reignite the global economy, our ability to conquer other challenges and our prospects of a better future. The United States would not emerge as a winner from this scenario," Cui said in an opinion piece published Tuesday night by The Washington Post.

"It is time to end the blame game. It is time to focus on the disease and rebuild trust between our two countries. As President Abraham Lincoln called for 'the better angels' in his inauguration speech, I hope that the wisdom of preceding generations will guide us to choose the right side of history and work for our shared future together," he said.

Behind the mindset of "always blame China" is "a kind of dirty politics, championed by a few people who shift the spotlight for political gain," Cui said.

"In their manipulation, China has to be wrong" regardless of the facts that China has since January fought a tough battle against the disease, spared no expense to save lives and made remarkable progress, Cui said.

"There is no denying that the first known case of covid-19 was reported in Wuhan. But this means only that Wuhan was the first victim of the virus. To ask a victim for compensation is simply ridiculous," Cui said, adding, "If that made sense, then who was to compensate for the fatalities of the H1N1 flu and HIV/AIDS? Who was to pay for the huge losses caused by the 2008 financial crisis?"

Refuting some U.S. politicians' unfounded accusations about China's response to the pandemic, the ambassador said China has taken strict measures and made huge sacrifices to keep the virus in check, which not only saved lives at home but also bought precious time for the world.

Besides, China has done its best to share information about the virus, Cui said.

On Dec. 27, a doctor in Hubei province reported three suspicious cases. In the following four days, local and central governments conducted investigations on the ground, he said.

Within a week, China began briefing the WHO, the United States and other countries about the outbreak, he said, adding on Jan. 12, China released the whole genome sequence of the coronavirus, which has proved critical for diagnosis and treatment of the disease globally.

Also, China shared information with the United States at the earliest possible time and have been supporting its fight against the disease, Cui said.

He said the two countries' centers for disease control and prevention and government agencies have been in close communication since Jan. 4, the day after China briefed the WHO. In their phone calls, Chinese President Xi Jinping gave detailed accounts of China's measures to U.S. President Donald Trump.

Cui added that by April 29, China had provided, according to China's customs figures, over 4 billion masks to the United States, or roughly 14 for every American on average. Enditem
MILWAUKEE, WIU.S. District Judge Lynn S. Adelman on Friday issued a preliminary injunction preventing the Small Business Administration (SBA), its Administrator Jovita Carranza, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and the United States of America from using the phrase "prurient sexual nature" to make five gentlemen's clubs in the state (and likely all others as well) ineligible for forgivable SBA loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) that is part of the CARES Act recently signed into law by President Trump. But that decision was put on hold late Monday by the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

"What happened was, the government was ordered by Judge Adelman that by noon Monday Central Time, they were supposed to give information to the lending banks not to enforce the regulation or the SOP, Standard Operating Procedure," First Amendment attorney Brad Shafer, who has a similar case under way in Michigan, told AVN. "But before the time had tolled for the SBA to comply, they filed an emergency motion for a stay with Judge Adelman and asked for two things: One was to stay his order entirely; the other was, if he wouldn't stay the order, they wanted an additional 36 hours to be able to comply. Before the judge could rule on that, the government also filed similar motions with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, also seeking a stay from them.

"First, Judge Adelman denied their motion to stay, but granted the 36-hour extension to comply," Shafer continued. "Then, last night, the Seventh Circuit entered an order temporarily staying the enforcement of the order to allow time to file briefing on whether or not the order should be stayed, and Jeff Olsen's brief is due tomorrow, and the government's reply brief, if they want, is due on Friday, so I would expect some order from the Seventh Circuit by mid- to late Friday, though they might wait over the weekendbut they acted very quickly in granting the temporary stay, so I would expect them to rule reasonably quickly. Then the case will go to expedited briefing before the Seventh Circuit."

So what does that mean? Well, the Wisconsin plaintiffs' relief is currently on hold, though technically their "place in line" for PPP loans before the SBA should remain, and based on Judge Adelman's ruling, the government has scant legal backing to deny the clubs' legal ability to file for and receive loans under the PPP.

"I feel Judge Adelman's decision is correct and it's a very good decision," Shafer agreed, but noted that there are several lawsuits already filed in other parts of the country challenging the SBA's regulations and SOP, and how other courts deal with those suits may affect the outcome of the Silk Exotic suits.

Bottom line: To take off on Benjamin Franklin's concerns about the newly formed U.S. Republic, "Great decision ... if you can keep it."

Judge Adelman's full decision can be found here.
Why do Indians do well abroad? VK Singh has an interesting reason

Indians stranded abroad set to return home after May 3: Centre tells states to keep facilities ready

Are you an Indian stranded abroad: Here are the websites to register on to come home

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, May 06: As Indians stranded abroad are set to return home, the various embassies have put out information on how the registrations should take place.

Those who are stuck abroad and want to return home should register on the websites provided by their respective embassies.

Over 3 lakh Indians have registered in Gulf countries for being evacuated by the Indian government. India is launching its biggest evacuation mission called the Vande Bharat Mission to bring back Indians stranded in the Gulf and other countries.

Vande Bharat: Over 3 lakh register in Gulf to return home

The exercise would involve civilian aircraft and naval ships. However, those holding Overseas Indian Cards will not be brought back home. This operation is only for Indians, the government official confirmed to OneIndia.

"Commenced preparations for Vande Bharat Mission. Planning underway for stranded Indian nationals to return home starting May 7. Urge them to keep in regular touch with their embassies," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said. He also said that the government was coordinating arrival arrangements with state governments. We are confident that our collective effort would make this a success, he also said.

UAE Registration website: https://www.cgidubai.gov.in/covid_register/

Saudi Registration website: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc_yyVAYPD-VYH98RNOWZkDkGKVsf34qnu0oGoLdtts3RG7_Q/viewform

Maldives Registration website: https://hci.gov.in/male/?10196?000

US Registration website: https://indianembassyusa.gov.in/reg_indian_nationals

UK Registration website: https://www.hcilondon.gov.in/news_detail/?newsid=227
A fundraiser started to raise money for Navajo and Hopi families affected by the coronavirus pandemic has had an influx of Irish donors, who say they are contributing as a way of saying thanks to the Choctaw Nation for helping during Ireland's Great Famine.

In 1847, the Choctaw Nation gave $170 in relief money to the Irish. The tribes were "said to have been inspired to help others who were suffering after experiencing massive losses during the Trail of Tears," CBS News reports.

Today, many Native American communities have been hit especially hard by the coronavirus, due to inadequate health care and housing. A GoFundMe has been set up to get groceries, water, and health supplies to Navajo and Hopi families in Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico, and organizers said the Choctaw's favor is being "returned through generous donations from the Irish people to the Navajo during our time of crisis."

Donors have written that this is their chance to honor the Choctaw's generosity, and they are glad to be part of the payback. As of late Tuesday night, the fundraiser has brought in more than $2.3 million.

More stories from theweek.com

American individualism is a suicide pact

White House press secretary says idea that all Americans need to be tested for COVID-19 is 'nonsensical'

Trump let stay-at-home guidelines expire the same day experts warned him of deadly consequences


Nine coronavirus patients in HCMC had tested positive for the virus again after being discharged from the hospital as of this afternoon, May 4.

Seven coronavirus cases linked to Buddha Bar in District 2, which is cordoned off in this file photo, have tested positive for the virus again According to director of the HCMC Department of Health Nguyen Tan Binh, seven of them are associated with the virus cluster at Buddha Bar & Grill in District 2. All of them have been taken to Cu Chi field hospital for treatment. To ensure safety for the community and timely identify reinfected cases, the department has asked medical agencies to closely follow up patients that have recovered and been discharged from the hospital by taking daily samples from them for coronavirus testing. The recovered patients are required to self-isolate at home in 14 days after leaving the hospital. They must also strictly comply with coronavirus infection prevention and control measures such as wearing face masks when going out and limiting close contact with other people until the end of the 30th day after discharge. HCMC vice chairman Le Thanh Liem said nine out of 53 recovered coronavirus cases in the city testing positive again for the virus represent a pretty high reinfection ratio. He asked local authorities and relevant agencies to keep a close eye on these cases and put their residing regions under lockdown to ensure safety. The city is also treating two coronavirus patients, including the 91st patient, a 43-year-old British man who works as a pilot for national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, and the 271st patient, a 37-year-old British oil expert who works for Vietnam Oil and Gas Group.

Lockdown in Ha Loi Village to be lifted at midnight, after 21 virus-free days

Police officers at a checkpoint in Ha Loi village, Me Linh District, Ha Noi.

Ha Loi Village in Me Linh District, one of the main hotspots for COVID-19 in Ha Noi, ended its 28-day lockdown at midnight on May 6.

Me Linh District authorities announced the decision late Tuesday night, saying the village had not seen any new cases of the disease for the past 21 days after all the villagers test negative for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

On April 8, Me Linh District Peoples Committee locked down the village. Under the decision, more than 2,900 households with more than 10,800 people in the village were quarantined at home.

Three out of the 13 COVID-19 patients from Ha Loi Village have recovered from the disease.

During the lockdown, all residents who wished to go out had to obtain written approval while others were only allowed to leave their houses for essential purposes and travel within the village. Village officials also took on the role of delivering food and groceries to residents.

ang Van Cuong, a resident, said the villagers had not lacked anything during the lockdown, with a stable supply from donors and Government provisions.

Ha Loi has about 100ha of flower fields that have been neglected during the lockdown so economic losses are unavoidable, but people here have accepted the losses in order to control the COVID-19 outbreak, said Ta Quang Thai, chairman of Me Linh Commune.

The district has completed detailed plans to get economic activities in Ha Loi back on track, while ensuring preventive measures are strictly followed after the lockdown ends, Chairman of the Me Linh District Peoples Committee oan Van Trong said in a Tuesday meeting.

In the past five days, the district found six suspected COVID-19 cases in Ha Loi, and all of them were promptly quarantined in Bac Thang Long Hospital before their test results returned negative, he added.

oan Van Trong said the district was listed as a high-risk area and would maintain strict social distancing.

After the lockdown ends, 74 monitoring groups will be checking on the health of people every day, while advising on preventive measures and quickly detecting any suspected cases.

Eldest patient and 10 other coronavirus cases make full recovery

Eleven more patients being treated at the National Hospital of Tropical Diseases in Hanoi City have been declared free of Covid-19, including the 161st case, an 88-year-old woman in Hung Yen Province who was one of the countrys five critically ill cases placed on a ventilator.

Meanwhile, two cases, tagged as the 74th and 137th cases, who had tested positive for the virus again after being discharged from hospital, tested negative four times, the hospital stated on May 5.

The 147th, 163rd, 201st, 225th, 233rd, 245th, 255th and 267th cases were among the recoveries as well, the local media reported.

As of this morning, May 5, the countrys total number of recovered coronavirus cases stood at 132, while Vietnam reported no new Covid-19 infections in the community for 19 consecutive days.

Over 10,000 jobs generated despite Covid-19

A representative talks to jobseekers at a job fair. Some 10,500 people have found a job through a campaign aimed at reducing unemployment during the coronavirus pandemic



Some 10,500 people have found a job through a campaign aimed at reducing unemployment during the coronavirus pandemic, according to the campaign organizer.

The campaign attracted over 960 firms, including SieuViet, Vietnamworks and FreelancerViet, between April 13 and 30. Some 17,290 other candidates are still waiting for job interviews.

The Hanoi chapter of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, the Hanoi Students Association, the Hanoi Youth Federation, Global Shapers Hanoi and Global Shapers HCMC in collaboration with Canavi, Accesstrade and G.A.P Institute, which ran the campaign, targeted students and young people affected by Covid-19.

Many of these people lost their jobs when thousands of firms were forced to suspend operations to prevent the spread of Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, noted the organizer, adding that the campaign would help connect the unemployed in Hanoi and HCMC with recruiters.

In the second phase of the campaign, set to take place from May 4 to 31, the Hanoi chapter of Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union will cooperate with Canavi to organize workshops at various major universities in Hanoi.

These workshops are aimed at providing job counseling and matching services to fresh graduates.
Right now, the families of first responders who die of the coronavirus must first prove that they were infected on the job before they can collect federal death benefits.

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators say thats unfair, and theyve introduced legislation to automatically declare that first responders who die of COVID-19 gave their lives in the line of duty.

The measure was introduced Tuesday by U.S. Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.

Its the least we can do for the people who put their lives on the line to protect us, Booker said on a conference call with U.S. Sens. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.

Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-9th Dist., has introduced similar legislation in the House.

The legislation guarantees federal benefits to families of first responders  police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians  who die due to the virus without first having to prove that the first responder was infected while on the job.

Under the legislation, death benefits would be paid if a first responder is diagnosed with the coronavirus within 45 days of his or her last shift. The benefits go to public employees and volunteers, though lawmakers said they hoped to expand the program to also include those working for private companies.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

About 20 first responders in New Jersey have died due to COVID-19, senators said.

Gillibrand acknowledged that the bipartisan support for the bill didnt mean the Senate would take it up.

She said it took a massive lobbying effort joined by comedian Jon Stewart to overcome Republican objections and win passage of the Zadroga Act, which guaranteed payments to first responders who died after working at Ground Zero after 9/11.

Their advocacy ultimately really carried the day, Gillibrand said. I believe given the momentum we had with Zadroga, and with bipartisan effort, theyre in in a perfect place to push this over the finish line.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com.
COLUMBIA, S.C., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to thank the state's healthcare workforce for their brave commitment to patients and communities in the face of COVID-19, the South Carolina Hospital Association (SCHA) is deploying a "Healthcare Heroes Truck" to visit hospitals across the state sharing messages of appreciation for healthcare workers.

The Healthcare Heroes Truck will travel across South Carolina on May 6  12 to coincide with National Hospital Week and National Nurses Week and provide an opportunity to say "thank you" to nurses, doctors, and other frontline workers who are supporting the state through an unprecedented pandemic.

"Frontline healthcare workers in South Carolina's hospitals are the true heroes of COVID-19," said SCHA President and CEO Thornton Kirby. "We want to make sure that doctors, nurses, and all the state's hospital employees know that their heroic efforts do not go unrecognized. The Healthcare Heroes Truck gives us a way to visit our hospitals in a time of social distancing."

The Healthcare Heroes Truck will begin in the Upstate at the Prisma Health Oconee Medical Campus on Wednesday, May 6 at 7:30 a.m. and travel to more than 80 of the state's hospitals with rotating billboard messages to boost morale and help recognize National Hospital Week and National Nurses Week. The trip will conclude on Tuesday, May 12 at The Regional Medical Center in Orangeburg. See a full map and agenda here.

The Healthcare Heroes Truck will visit a wide array of healthcare facilities in the SCHA membership, including acute care, behavioral health, and rehabilitation hospitals.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted providers across the continuum of care and the state's hospital and nursing community deserve recognition for their unwavering commitment to South Carolina patients and communities.

Anyone can submit a personal message to be featured on the truck by using the hashtag #SCHealthcareHeroes on Twitter. In addition, Individuals can visit ProtectTheHeroes.org to be connected to the website of a local hospital of their choosing and make a contribution. Hospitals are facing shortages of many critical supplies and have multiple resource needs related to COVID-19. Each hospital will determine where funds should be applied to have the greatest impact.

SCHA is a private, not-for-profit organization founded in 1921 to serve as the collective voice of South Carolina's hospital community. Today it represents approximately 100 member hospitals and health systems and 900 personal members. Together, we are building a better state of health.

Media Contact: Schipp Ames

803-744-3543

[email protected]

SOURCE South Carolina Hospital Association

Related Links

http://ProtectTheHeroes.org


The whistleblower scientist who claimed he was demoted after sounding the alarm on the Trump-touted COVID-19 drug hydroxychloroquine, also said he was pressured to extend a contract because the CEO was Jared Kushner's friend.

Dr. Rick Bright, the former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, wrote in his 89-page whistleblower report that he 'repeatedly clashed' with his boss, Dr. Robert Kadlec, about the 'outsized role' played by pharmaceutical lobbyist John Clerici.

Clerici dangled the Kushner connection in a sit-down they had on August 29, 2017, in the early months of the Trump administration, Bright wrote.

Dr. Rick Bright, the former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, wrote in a whistleblower complaint that his boss allowed pharmaceutical lobbyist John Clerici to play an 'outsized' role in awarding government contracts

Dr. Rick Bright recalled a meeting with pharmaceutical lobbyist John Clerici (pictured) in August 2017, when Clerici was trying to get a contract for his client Aeolus Pharmaceuticals extended

John Clerici told Dr. Rick Bright that the CEO of Aeolus Pharmaceuticals, John McManus, is 'friends with Jared [Kushner]' and 'has Hollywood connections,' Bright recalled in his whistleblower complaint saying the conversation left him 'uncomfortable'

Earlier in the month the Senate had confirmed Bright's new boss, Kadlec, for the position of assistant secretary of Health and Human Services for Preparedness and Response.

He would be running the office that goes by the acronym ASPR.

Dr. Rick Bright wrote that he was pressured to extend a government contract to Aeolus Pharmaceuticals because the then-CEO John McManus (pictured) was a friend of Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law

BARDA, which Bright was in charge of, falls under ASPR in the department of Health and Human Services' hierarchy.

That summer, the complaint reads, Bright 'objected to the efforts' of ASPR staff and Clerici, the lobbyist, to extend a contract with Clerici's client Aeolus Pharmaceuticals, after an in-person review by the government determined it should be allowed to expire without further funding.

Bright had coffee with Clerici on August 29 and recalled the lobbyist suggesting that BARDA's review process for contracts was not always 'fair.'

Clerici also mentioned that 'some of these CEOs are high maintenance,' before referring specifically to Aeolus' CEO John McManus.

Bright was set to meet with McManus the next day.

Bright wrote in the report that Clerici told him, 'McManus is a wildcard, and he is the kind of person who would write stories about you for the newspapers.'

Clerici also told the government scientist that McManus is 'friends with Jared [Kushner]' and 'has Hollywood connections.'

In the whistleblower complaint Bright wrote that Clerici 'who has no formal scientific or medical training' then promoted a particular chemical in pharmaceutical drugs.

Bright wrote that he suspected that chemical was likely related to the Aeolus contract and after the meeting confirmed that to be true.

Bright said he 'became uncomfortable' with the direction of the meeting and ended it.

'It became clear to Dr. Bright that Mr. Clerici had been laying the groundwork for Mr. McManus to advocate that BARDA either revisit its prior decision about ending the Aeolus contract, or find a way for Aeolus to access the millions of unused contract dollars for a different project,' Bright's complaint said.

Bright filed the whistleblower complaint Tuesday with the Office of Special Counsel, which investigates if federal employees were retaliated against for exposing problems.

He's due on Capitol Hill on May 13 to testify before the House's subcommittee on Health.

His broader complaint was that he was moved from leading BARDA to an unspecified role at the National Institutes of Health after he refused to rubber stamp the use of hydroxychloroquine and its sister drug chloroquine to treat COVID-19.

President Trump had been talking up hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine - on the market to fight Malaria, but with some severe side-effects - for weeks as the coronavirus killed tens of thousands of Americans and with no solid treatment nor vaccine developed yet.

Bright accused the Trump administration of wanting to 'flood' hot spots like New York and New Jersey with untested drugs.

'I witnessed government leadership rushing blindly into a potentially dangerous situation by bringing in a non-FDA approved chloroquine from Pakistan and India, from facilities that had never been approved by the FDA,' Bright told reporters Tuesday, according to the Associated Press. 'Their eagerness to push blindly forward without sufficient data to put this drug into the hands of Americans was alarming to me and my fellow scientists.'
3 1 of 3 Contributed Photo / Ansonia Police Department Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Contributed Photo / Ansonia Police Department Show More Show Less 3 of 3





ANSONIA  City police are looking to identify a suspect who allegedly broke into a local car wash back in February.

Police said the man broke into the office at the Optimo Car Wash at 696 Main St. in Ansonia around 11 p.m. on Feb. 16.
TAMPA, Fla., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- USF Federal Credit Union (USF FCU) is helping more than 2,400 employees of small businesses in the Tampa Bay area continue to get paid as the credit union processed more than $15 million in federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.

Among the recipients was the Florida Institute for Community Studies (FICS) that partners with communities across Florida to help them achieve goals through research, education, training, services and the arts. After learning that their loan was approved, staff at FICS posted the following message on social media:

"We just received news that FICS has been awarded Paycheck Protection Program funding through USF Federal Credit Union! Thank you so much! We can now keep going full-speed ahead with hiring for summer and beyond."

Kelly Stuart Williams, managing director of Pegasos Public Relations agreed. "USF FCU has been handling my personal deposit and loan needs since 1990. They were the first to reach out to me about the PPP program. My Pegasos payroll has now been protected, and I'm proud to make USF FCU my business home!"

"The credit union is gratified to be able to help small businesses and their employees in these challenging times," USF FCU CEO/president Richard J. Skaggs said. "This exemplifies exactly what the credit union is all about, giving back to our members and our communities."

USF FCU was among the first credit unions in the country to automate the PPP loan application process. Staff moved quickly when the PPP was first announced to reconfigure its systems to be able to process the applications.

To date, USF FCU has had more than 335 PPP loans approved through the Small Business Administration, with much of the funding going to small businesses that provide professional, scientific and technical services, along with businesses working in healthcare and social services.

About USF Federal Credit Union

USF Federal Credit Union offers a full range of financial services to the faculty, staff, students, alumni association members, and families of the University of South Florida. USF FCU includes Darden Credit Union as a division serving employees of Darden Restaurants, Inc. USF FCU serves more than 60,000 members with membership available through more than 35 Select Employee Groups. Please visit: www.usffcu.com for more information.

Media Contact

Bill Steiger / 813.569.2000 / [email protected]

SOURCE USF Federal Credit Union
President Assad has addressed the struggles being faced by Syrian citizens as the government continues to take measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus writes SANA.

On Monday, President Bashar al-Assad met with the government team tasked with confronting the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its repercussions. He discussed the latest developments in confronting the pandemic and its effects on the daily lives of citizens, particularly in terms of living conditions.

Assad said that this meeting comes after several weeks of applying the precautionary measures and several months of the pandemics spread and its deep and clear effects that accelerate rapidly, particularly since there is no tangible sign of anything that can confront this pandemic.

He said that Syria immediately carried out a calculated series of procedures to protect citizens, including imposing a partial curfew across the country. The response and awareness of citizens, in addition to the swift actions of the state, played a main role in slowing the spread of the coronavirus.

The president noted that these procedures had several negative effects, primarily on the economic side, as the burdens of life increased for citizens.

So, when the pandemic seemed that it is not a temporal issue, it was inevitable to start a gradual returning towards the normal life to ease the unrepresented pressure on citizens, and a big number of officials in the world announced that we have nothing now except the option of adapting with the existence of that pandemic, he said.

The president went on to say that, Concerning the procedures, we want openness, but a controlled openness, which means that the citizen should assume part of the responsibility. Previously, the state assumed those measures to protect the citizen, but now, when we start openness, the biggest responsibility will be put on citizen through daily individual behavior and we should implement regulations and then observe them, and we will go towards adopting flexible procedures.

Assad said that along with the health challenge, there is also the economic challenge that we face after a constant war for over nine years and an unjust embargo on the people, with the coronavirus pandemic coming to create a state of global economic self-isolation and recession.

He said that in addition to all that, there are some greedy individuals who exploited this pandemic and created a state of monopoly to make ludicrous earnings at the expense of citizens by raising prices.

He said, however, that opening marketplaces for farmers to sell their products directly to citizens in cities, which has happened in several areas recently, in addition to curbing transgressions and increasing penalties for those who manipulate prices and bills and trade in subsidized goods, will create a deterrent against the greed of some merchants and manipulators who exploit citizens needs, stressing the need for the local communities to participate with the relevant establishments to monitor the regulation of prices.

Assad said the government must be more dynamic in dealing with these issues and act in a quick yet calculated manner to bolster the role of the public sector establishments, whether by grating them the necessary authority or changing their bylaws, so that these establishments can be more flexible and capable of positive intervention, which would have quick positive results and impact on citizens as soon as possible.

He added that, If we were able to realize short outcomes, which means the price of the peasant with calculating the profits, I believe that we would end the basic problem of prices, the other factor remains which is the purchasing capacity.

So, there should be an immediate proposal for everything related to the prices the issue of putting bills, the subject of cheating, trafficking with the supported materials, there should be decisive and hard penalties for this matter, the president said.

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.
At first, it was just a handful of puzzling cases, Jane Newburger recalled. Other doctors had contacted her describing children with covid-19 coming to emergency rooms in bad shape with a kind of inflammatory shock syndrome affecting multiple organs.

Some were screaming from stomach pain. Others had bubbles, or swelling, in the arteries of their hearts.

By Saturday night - when Newburger and 1,800 other worried pediatric specialists, including representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, convened on a Zoom call to discuss the phenomenon - hospitals worldwide had identified about 100 similar cases. About half are in the United States.

"Not in my lifetime have I seen anything remotely similar to what's going on right now," said Newburger, director of the cardiac neurodevelopment program at Boston Children's Hospital.

The cases appeared to have some characteristics of a disease known as Kawasaki disease. The cardiologists, rheumatologists and critical-care doctors in the meeting were also struck by their unusual timing and location. They started three to four weeks after the big wave of adult sickness, mostly in Europe and up and down the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, where covid-19 had hit hard.

The number of affected children is still very small, relatively speaking, much lower than the number seriously ill from the flu during a similar time frame. And most have responded well to treatment.

"I'm thinking of it kind of like the tip of the iceberg," said Jane Burns, a professor of pediatrics at the University of California at San Diego School of Medicine. "There's this very small number of patients, thankfully, who are presenting with this shock syndrome, at the same time that there are a large number of [covid-19] patients in the same community,"

Burns, along with other doctors, emphasized that parents should not panic. The vast majority of those younger than 18 who are infected with the coronavirus have only mild symptoms or none at all. And researchers aren't certain whether the condition is caused by covid-19 or something else. Those with "pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome," as doctors call the new illness, are "a small genetic subset of children who appear to be susceptible to this crazy thing," she said.

But the strange nature of the cases in mostly previously healthy children, and its potential link to a virus that has delivered near-constant surprises, has put the medical community on high alert.

On Monday, New York City issued a bulletin warning doctors that they had found 15 children with the condition at their hospitals and the CDC began contacting local health departments about new surveillance measures. The American Heart Association is preparing to issue its own pediatric alert later this week.

The global effort around the inflammatory condition is part of a larger focus on children in recent weeks by researchers who think that understanding their resistance to the virus may provide clues that could lead to treatments or vaccines.

For more typical respiratory viruses such as influenza, children are often the first to become sick. Covid-19 is an anomaly, killing the elderly at high rates while leaving the very young mostly untouched. Only a handful of American children - including an infant and a 5-year-old who were children of first responders - have died of the disease.

Scientists have wondered whether children's seeming super powers against the virus are because they are more resistant to infection, or whether there is something protective in the biology of youth.

There is also raging debate in the medical community about the extent to which children are susceptible to infection and can transmit the virus to others, touched off by Switzerland's infectious-disease chief, who made the provocative claim on April 27 that children younger than 10 could hug their grandparents and return to school, as they "don't have the receptors to catch the disease."

Alkis Togias of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), who focuses on the biology of airways, said there's no scientific evidence to suggest that children can't get or transmit the virus. But there is reason to speculate that they may be less infectious, although that is just beginning to be studied and he cautioned that the understanding of the virus changes daily.

This week, the NIAID announced a $25 million six-month study on covid-19 in 2,000 U.S. families that it hopes will answer these questions and more. It will include questionnaires about social-distancing practices, interactions with people outside their households, symptoms and biweekly swabs for active infection, as well as blood tests to look at disease-fighting antibodies.

The CDC is separately financing the creation of a registry that will track covid-19 cases among children at more than 35 U.S. children's hospitals to understand why some children get very ill, while most do not.

"We know the rate of infection in children is way lower than in adults," Togias said. "What we don't know is whether, actually, they do carry the virus and transmit it without getting sick, or getting very mild symptoms. We have so little knowledge, I cannot give you an answer on almost anything related to children. So we need to figure this out."

In the four months the world has gotten to know the novel coronavirus, its impact on children has been one of its biggest mysteries - to what extent they get infected, how they react to the infection and their role in transmitting the virus to others.

A study published in the journal Science based on data from China estimated that children through age 14 seem to be infected at a rate that is one-third that of people ages 15 to 64 (and those older than 65 were most susceptible to infection).

The question of transmissibility is increasingly politically charged. Some researchers have pointed out that there doesn't seem to be a single, documented case of a child infecting an adult in the medical literature - a headline that has been embraced by some pushing for the reopening of the economy. The claim is based on a Royal College of Pediatricians review of 78 studies that found "the role of children in transmission is unclear, but it seems likely they do not play a significant role."

But other research has found that the amount of virus in children's blood can be similar to - or even higher than - that of adults, making them likely to be just as infectious. One German study looked at 3,712 people, including children, and found no significant difference in viral load based on age.

"Based on these results, we have to caution against an unlimited reopening of schools and kindergartens in the present situation," the researchers wrote. "Children may be as infectious as adults."

Larry Kociolek, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University and an infectious-disease specialist at the Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, and his colleagues are conducting similar research in the United States and have found that children younger than 5 who tested positive have much higher viral loads than adults. So the difference between the groups seems to be more about their bodies' reaction to the pathogen.

"We have observed that children generally have more mild presentations than adults, despite having viral loads that are equal to or even higher than adults," Kociolek said.

One early theory about why children may be less reactive to covid-19 centers on the idea that their immune systems are less mature and may not overreact as adults' do. They may also be less susceptible to an attack on the blood vessels or other documented cardiovascular effects because they do not have the co-morbidities accumulated from years of bad habits and aging that damage blood vessels and organs.

Another theory is that the difference between adults and children could be the result of how the virus binds to cells in our bodies. Studies have shown that the coronavirus attaches to something called ACE2 receptors, and that those receptors appear to be expressed differently in different parts of the body and in different people.

Some scientists hypothesize that the concentration of receptors may be different in children's nasal cavities and lungs - where the virus seems to invade first - in a way that makes them less likely to become infected and have severe illness. In late April, a study funded by the National Institutes of Health described in a Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology letter how ACE2 expression was reduced in swabs of the nasal passages and throats of 11-year-olds with asthma. The researchers wrote that this unexpected finding may result in "decreased susceptibility to infection."

"It's a great theory and a unifying theory," said Steven Kernie, chief of critical care medicine at New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital and professor of pediatrics at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Kernie said research has also shown that these receptors are highly expressed in adults' kidneys, which have been severely damaged in a significant percentage of older coronavirus patients, but are less concentrated in children's kidneys.

The presentation of covid-19 also differs between adults and children in severe cases, where people wind up in intensive care.

In adults, the disease has been a shape-shifter even in how it kills - from inducing cellular changes that lead to respiratory failure, to blood clots in the legs, to everything in between. But in children, there appears to be somewhat less variety in critical cases.

Many of those younger than 18 who were in intensive care during the first few weeks were either infants or teenagers who needed help breathing, as with traditional respiratory viruses, according to critical-care doctors.

The Kawasaki-like cases came later.

The syndrome, first described by a Japanese pediatrician in 1967, is characterized by persistent fever, red eyes, a rash, and swollen hands and feet that are signs of inflammation in the blood vessels. Its cause is unknown, but some researchers think it is a genetic susceptibility to a virus or other environmental stressor. There's no cure but there are effective treatments, including blood thinners and an immunoglobulin serum that can be used to stabilize most children. In some rare cases, however, children may develop lifelong cardiac issues.

Newburger, considered one of the world's leading experts on Kawasaki, said some of the children tested positive for an active infection with the novel coronavirus, while others did not. A third group did not have an active infection but had antibodies showing previous exposure.

One working theory is that the condition could be a sort of post-viral syndrome that occurs after infection.

This is similar to the patterns researchers are seeing in some children presenting with peculiar "frost-bite"-like rashes on their toes and sometimes fingers, despite having no other symptoms of covid-19. The hypothesis is that some children who are infected may never know they had the virus until they have an immune reaction several weeks later - a small one like a rash, or a big one that affects multiple internal organs.

"It is possible that the antibodies that children develop to fight off the disease lead to a lingering response that causes fever and inflammation," said Jeffrey Burns, head of critical care at Boston Children's.

Craig Sable, a pediatric cardiologist at Children's National Hospital, described the condition as a "hyper-exaggerated immune inflammatory response."

In some of these new patients, the coronary arteries, which can be about 3 millimeters in diameter in a 3-year-old, for example, have been enlarged by 50 percent or even twofold. Doctors are also seeing aneurysms - a weakening of an artery wall that leads to a bulge or bubble in the blood vessels - a condition that typically occurs in the elderly. When those arteries leading to the heart are dilated, children are more at risk of developing clots that can burst and potentially lead to a heart attack.

"There are almost no other conditions that cause the type of coronary findings. That's when the global community said there has to be an overlap between this condition and Kawasaki disease," Sable said.

The new Kawasaki-like cases, doctors said, differ in important respects from traditional presentations - a situation that may provide clues about the virus, its biology and movement around the world.

The first surprising thing from the data being collected on the children is that they are mostly ages 5 to 10. In the past, those struck with the condition were mostly younger than 5.

Nearly all the inflammatory syndrome cases have been in Europe and in the United States, about 50 total in cities including Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. A few were in Asia, and no one seemed to know of more than a single case on the West Coast.

Some speculate that different strains of the virus could be responsible for the differing incidence of such cases. Genome sequencing has shown that most of the strains circulating on the West Coast appear to have originated from Asia, while a different strain on the East Coast appears to have come from Europe.

In addition, some children with the covid-19-related inflammatory syndrome are presenting with low blood pressure and some gastrointestinal symptoms, including severe abdominal plan, vomiting and diarrhea, which are less commonly seen in Kawasaki. And while Kawasaki tends to affect Asian children disproportionately, some doctors say they are seeing the new syndrome in children of all races, while others have noticed a high number of children of African or Caribbean descent.

What's worrisome, Newburger said, "is that some of these children are sicker than in an average Kawasaki shock syndrome."

The good news, she said, is that many patients have been treated successfully and have fully recovered. Although it's still early, "so far, I think we can be optimistic for most patients."

Read more:

'Frostbite' toes and other peculiar rashes may be signs of hidden coronavirus infection, especially in the young

Young and middle-aged people, barely sick with covid-19, are dying of strokes

Coronavirus looks different in kids than in adults
Increase in incidences of influenza across the globe, increase in healthcare expenditure worldwide, and surge in R&D investments for discovery of new drugs have propelled the growth of the global influenza treatment market.

PORTLAND, Oregon, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research recently published a report, titled, "Influenza Treatment Market by Product Type (Peramivir, Zanamivir, Oseltamivir Phosphate, Baloxavir Marboxil, and Others) and Distribution Channel (Retail Pharmacy, Hospital Pharmacy, and Others), Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2019-2026". According to the report, the global influenza treatment industry was pegged at $861.5 million in 2018, and is projected to hit $1.22 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 4.5% from 2019 to 2026.

Major drivers for the market growth

Increase in incidences of influenza across the globe, rise in healthcare expenditure worldwide, and rise in R&D investments for discovery of new drugs have boosted the growth of the global influenza treatment market. However, presence of substitutes for the treatment of influenza hamper the market growth. On the contrary, high growth potential in developing countries is expected to create lucrative opportunities in the near future.

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Oseltamivir Phosphate segment dominated the market

Based on type, the oseltamivir phosphate segment held the largest share in 2018, accounting for more than two-fifths of the global influenza treatment market. Oseltamivir is recommended by CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for early treatment of flu in people of any age, which prpells the growth of the segment. However, the baloxavir marboxil segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 4.6% during the forecast period. Baloxavir marboxil drug is effective against strains of influenza A that are resistant to oseltamivir. Thus, this makes it a preferred choice in treatment if influenza, hence boosting the growth of the segment.

The retail pharmacy segment to manifest CAGR through 2026

Based on distribution channel, the retail pharmacy segment is projected to register the highest CAGR of 4.7% during the forecast period. In addition, the same segment held the largest share in 2018, accounting for nearly half of the global influenza treatment market. This is owing to the strong presence of retail pharmacies around the globe and convenience offered by them. The research also analyzes segments including hospital pharmacy and others.

North America held the lion's share

The market across North America held the largest share in 2018, contributing to around one-third of the market. This is owing to surge in prevalence of influenza infection in the region. However, the global influenza treatment market across Asia-Pacific is estimated to portray the fastest CAGR of 5.6% during the forecast period. This is due to surge in the awareness towards early diagnosis of the medical condition for better treatment surge in the awareness towards early diagnosis of the medical condition for better treatment.

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Major market players

AstraZeneca Plc

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Daiichi Sankyo Company Limited

F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG

GlaxoSmithKline Plc

Mylan N.V

Natco Pharma Limited

Novartis AG

Sanofi

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited

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Anti-Viral Therapies Market Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2019-2026

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

By Tamilla Mammadova  Trend:

Israeli embassy in Georgia has announced the imminent launching of the Israel-Georgia Chamber of Commerce (CoC) both in Tel Aviv and Tbilisi, Trend reports via the Facebook page of the embassy.

The CoC has received earlier this week the official endorsement of the Israeli Government Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Economy, and has completed the necessary accreditation process required by the FICC (Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce).

The establishment of the CoC has also been welcomed by the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The CoC board of directors, led by its president Meni Benish, includes 20 of the most prominent figures in Israeli business, investment, banking and political circles. The CoC will offer companies, investors and entrepreneurs in both countries all the professional services and expert advise necessary for the promotion their business, investment and trade.

"The Israeli embassy is proud to cooperate with the Israel-Georgia Chamber of Commerce in furthering our excellent bilateral relation," the report said.

Georgia and Israel established diplomatic relations on June 1, 1992. Countries are in constant political dialogue, cooperate in the fields of trade, economy, culture, education and tourism. The trade turnover between the countries in 2019 amounted to about $28 million.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Mila61979356
LANSING, MI  Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer offered her condolences to the family of a Flint security guard fatally shot during a dispute over a mask.

Calvin James Munerlyn, 43, was shot and killed Friday, May 1 at the Family Dollar store off East Fifth Avenue north of downtown Flint.

Latryna Sims-Munerlyn, Calvins wife, told MLive-The Flint Journal at a Sunday night vigil that her husband had worked as a security guard at the store for a little more than a year, but hed been in the profession for three decades around the city.

Slain Family Dollar security guard mourned at candlelight vigil

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said Munerlyns shooting came as the result of a dispute over a woman not wearing a mask in the store.

Masks are required in any enclosed public space -- for those who can medically tolerate them -- per an executive order issued by Whitmer on April 24 as part of ongoing efforts to fight the spread of coronavirus.

First and foremost, my condolences go out to the family of the security guard, said Whitmer when asked about the incident at a May 4 press conference at which she offered updates on the states COVID-19 efforts. It is incredible the people that continue to show up to work to protect everyone else and it is incredibly sad that in this crisis that this life was lost.

Masks now required, motorboating is back and AirBnb rentals are banned: Heres what changed in Michigans latest stay-at-home order

While two suspects in the shooting remain at large and are being pursued by the Michigan State Police fugitive team, 45-year-old Sharmel L. Teague was arraigned Tuesday, May 5 in Genesee District Court on first-degree murder and felony firearm charges.

Teague is being held in the Genesee County Jail without bond. She faces life in prison on the murder charge.

Whitmer said its important for people to keep a level head and do the right things to protect themselves and others as well as remembering the risk for those at work.

Woman arraigned in fatal shooting of Flint security guard over face mask

As of May 5, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reported a total of 44,397 COVID-19 cases statewide, with 4,179 deaths.

Among those figures, Genesee County has reported 1,668 cases -- 657, or roughly 39 percent, in Flint -- and 200 deaths.

Its really important that as people go into stores, they think about all the people that are in there that are putting their lives on the line to keep serving us, said Whitmer. I ask that all Michiganders do the right thing, keep their wits about them and take actions to protect themselves and others in this incredibly stressful time that were all navigating together.

3 charged in fatal shooting of guard enforcing mask use at Flint store
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 08:45:41|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

HARBIN, May 6 (Xinhua) -- No newly confirmed COVID-19 cases were reported in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province Tuesday, the provincial health commission said Wednesday.

By Tuesday, the province had reported a total of 558 locally-transmitted confirmed COVID-19 cases and 386 imported cases.

Also by Tuesday, 497 locally-transmitted COVID-19 patients and 261 imported cases had been discharged from hospital after recovery.

By Tuesday, the province had a total of 19 domestically-transmitted and three imported asymptomatic cases, according to the commission. Enditem
Weigh it: Dont a few extra cents for each worker matter more than the marginal dollar for the boss? Weigh it: Wont the good for all the Americans who will benefit from replacing Donald Trump with Joe Biden, including the masses of women who will get some crumbs, count for more than the harm done to the victims of abuse?

Utilitarian morality requires that I turn my face away from the people I propose to sell out: Monica Lewinsky, Tara Reade. This is agonizingly hard for me to do. Pretending not to believe the complainants  which is what is taking place with Ms. Reade  or that theyre loose nobodies, which is what much of the media did to Ms. Lewinsky, is just an escape from the hard work of moral analysis.

And it adds to the harm. How is feminism advanced by casting a reasonably credible complainant as a liar? Better to just own up to what you are doing: sacrificing Ms. Reade for the good of the many.

Contemplating the act makes me feel a little like Gloria Steinem, circa 1998. I was so sure Id never do what she did, and I still think saving Mr. Clinton for two years at the cost to Ms. Lewinsky was a terrible move. Denigrating Ms. Lewinsky denied all womens vulnerability to powerful men, and replacing Mr. Clinton with another Democratic centrist, Al Gore, would have been a perfectly acceptable outcome. But it also makes me remember why Ms. Steinem did it.

The other side at the time, embodied by the special counsel Kenneth Starr, was so awful. Mr. Starrs censorious Republican Party seemed to pose much more of a threat to womens interests than Mr. Clintons libertinism did.

Today, the Trump-Pence ticket looks even worse. Mr. Trump, credibly accused of rape and a confessed grabber of womens genitalia, and Mr. Pence, who will not dine alone with a woman other than his wife (whom he calls Mother), combine both Mr. Starrs and Mr. Clintons belief systems, offering voters in one ticket the full spectrum of misogyny. Mr. Biden, that relic of the good-old-boy Senate years, seems positively benign by comparison.

But even that probably would not be enough to make me abandon the claims of justice and vote for him in face of credible accusations of sexual assault. Fortunately for my sanity, theres more.
I recently learned that one of the citys most passionate champions of local history became part of that history last year.

Bill McCulloch was a Hamilton Ward 2 alderman and councillor for more than 30 years and was, among other heritage preservation pursuits, a major proponent of the effort to raise the Scourge and Hamilton warships from the bottom of Lake Ontario. His death last summer at the age of 91 largely fell under the radar.

Today there is only a short reference on a Marlatt Funeral Home website that says William Millman McCulloch was born on Aug. 15, 1927 and passed away on June 30, 2019. The funeral home says there was no obituary or service hosted by the home, as per the familys wishes.

I dont know what led to the muted farewell. I have not been able to contact a family member. But I do know that, more than nine months later, many people who knew him are still unaware of his death.

His long time ward mate, Vince Agro, told me he didnt know. He said McCulloch had become reclusive in recent years and had lost contact.

I had no idea he had died. Ive been asking about him but people werent sure. Its too bad. I had a very good rapport with him, said Agro. He was quite a man.

Bob Fyfe, of the citys veterans committee, and someone who advocated in 2014 that McCulloch be made honorary lifetime chair of the committee, said he didnt know either. McCulloch was a former officer in the Canadian navy and had a hand in forming the veterans committee while he was alderman.

Local heritage advocate, Diane Dent, said, I used to talk to Bill on the phone (while he lived at Amica Retirement Home in Dundas) but then he wasnt there anymore and they wouldnt tell me where he was. She heard through the grapevine that McCulloch had died but wasnt sure where to find out more.

But what is clear, is that McCulloch made an indelible mark on local heritage during his time as alderman from 1964-1966 and 1968-1997.

There was no one better before or since Bill when it came to history. He was proactive. He knew the importance of heritage. He acted on it. He encouraged citizens to become involved, said Dent.

As well as the Scourge and Hamilton  ships that have been owned by the city for 40 years and remain in limbo about what to do with them  he was also the main proponent of the citys 1994 purchase of St. Marks Church, at Bay and Hunter. It is currently going through the second phase of a $3.3 million restoration.

McCulloch was a founding member of both the Local Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee that became the Municipal Heritage Committee and the Hamilton Historical Board. As an alderman, he took a huge interest in Hamiltons civic museums. He pushed to save Hamilton landmarks Sandyford Place on Duke Street, Rock Castle on Arkledun Avenue and Central Public School on Hunter Street from the wreckers ball.

He was a co-founder of the Sir John A. Macdonald Society of Hamilton, and led a group of Abraham Lincoln history fans called the Lincoln Fellowship, started by his father Bill Sr. He had a major collection of vintage Civil War books that he passed on to the McMaster Universitys Archives some years ago.

But the Scourge and Hamilton will forever be associated with McCulloch who was a key person involved in the city acquiring ownership of the American schooners in 1980 and the failed effort to put them on public display.

Fifty-three sailors were lost when the two schooners sank during a squall on Aug. 8, 1813. The schooners are located in 90 metres of water, 10 kilometres from the shore of Port Dalhousie. They were discovered in 1973 and became an international archeological sensation.

Jacques Cousteau, the National Geographic Society and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute all completed major dives to the site. McCulloch, and others, wanted to raise the relics and place them into a water-filled display tank to prevent the wood from rotting in the air. They would be part of a marine museum in Confederation Park. But cost estimates were astronomical and many feared the ships would be severely damaged in the process.

McCulloch argued another factor was red tape by higher levels of government. Weve studied these ships to death, he used to say with exasperation. But in the end, the schooners lived up to their names in that they became a scourge on the City of Hamilton. They remain a legacy of big dreams and disappointing outcomes.

But even with that setback, McCulloch remains one of the citys most important political figures in preserving local heritage and his legacy lives on.

Did you know?

You might think Bill McCulloch Park at 200 Bonaventure Dr. on the Mountain is named after the former Ward 2 alderman. But it actually remembers his father William J. McCulloch, who died in 1968 at the age of 63. McCulloch Sr. was known as a gifted orator, historian, a Citizen of the Year, and a long time editor with The Hamilton Spectator. Among many civic positions, he headed the committee looked after Canadian Centennial events in the city in 1967.

This day in history

Hamilton physician dies on Titanic

One hundred and eight years ago, through the evening of April 14 and the early hours of April 15, more than 1,500 people perished when the supposedly unsinkable Titanic went down after striking an iceberg.

Among the victims in the 1912 disaster was a young Hamilton physician named Alfred Pain who was returning home from England. The 24-year-old was a second-class passenger who ended up buying a ticket on the Titanic after first trying to secure a free passage on a freighter in return for working as the ships doctor. A memorial stone for Pain, who was known as Alf, can be found in Hamilton Cemetery.
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
Youth mental health charity Jigsaw has seen a 400% increase in demand for its online services and supports since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis in March.

It has also had more than 4,000 teachers across the country sign up to its mental health eLearning programme during the outbreak.

With demand continuing to grow, the charity is asking people to support their emergency appeal by visiting www.jigsaw.ie/ now to donate 10 to help fund their vital supports.

"Isolation is leaving millions of us without the core things we value for our mental wellbeing. A hug, a conversation, a walk in the park," said Keith Judge, a Jigsaw Youth Advocate  a team of youth volunteers that support Jigsaw.

"Jigsaw makes a big difference every day by helping young people in dark times. And, now, more than ever, theyre doing this by adapting to make sure they are still there for people during the pandemic," he added.

In response to the crisis, Jigsaw has made significant changes to its supports and services. This includes a broadened offering of:

 telephone support for young people already engaged in its one-to-one service

 regular group chats for young people at jigsawonline.ie

 email support through help@jigsaw.ie

 a free support phone service where young people across the country can speak to a Jigsaw clinician  1800 JIGSAW (544 729)

 webinars for parents and teachers at jigsawonline.ie, hosted by a Jigsaw clinician

 regular support content on a range of Covid-19 related topics, from managing anxiety and uncertainty to conflict resolution and self-care strategies at jigsawonline.ie

 email updates for all subscribers at jigsaw.ie/updates

"We at Jigsaw are here to help and support young people and their families through these challenging times," said Matthew Oakes, spokesperson for Jigsaw.

"Since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, our team has been working tirelessly to re-imagine the support that we give to those who most need it.

"But demand for our services continues to grow  and we must be ready to meet it. Which is why today, we are asking people to visit jigsaw.ie/now and donate 10 so that we can be there for our young people, now more than ever."

To support Jigsaw by making a donation today visit www.jigsaw.ie/ now
ROME - It was the sort of development that might catch the eye of anyone weary of lockdowns: The Italian island of Sicily wants to lure back tourists by discounting plane tickets and covering every third night in hotels.

But even as European nations begin to emerge from stay-at-home restrictions, they are nowhere close to reopening as international vacation destinations.

The most optimistic countries - Greece and Portugal among them - hope there's a chance they might be able to pitch themselves as safe options by the second half of summer. Others, including Italy, are looking to regional travel to partially salvage their tourism industries and economies, while they sort out when to reopen borders and whom to let in.

"It is too soon to say whether we can take holidays," President Emmanuel Macron told French citizens on Tuesday. "What I can say is that we will limit major international travel, even during the summer. We will stay among Europeans and, depending on how the epidemic evolves, we might have to reduce that a little more."

Travel has been tightly restricted in Europe since March, when the continent's vaunted open borders closed in quick succession, and the European Union shut its external boundaries to nonessential travel. European leaders credit the combination of those closures and strict social distancing measures with helping them to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Now, as governments seek to get their societies moving again without triggering an unmanageable spike in transmissions, they are counting on continued or even reinforced restrictions at their borders to help maintain some level of control.

The European Union's ban on nonessential travel from countries outside the bloc is set to expire on May 15. But one E.U. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss deliberations, said the ban was highly likely to be extended for another month, at least.

On top of that, some countries are considering mandatory quarantines for international arrivals.

British Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told the BBC last weekend that he was "actively looking at" the possibility of a 14-day quarantine, "so that when we have infection rates within the country under control, we're not importing."

British airline lobbyists objected that a quarantine would be a "blunt tool" that "would effectively kill air travel."

A provision under consideration by the French parliament this week would require 14 days of isolation for new arrivals and up to 30 days for people with symptoms.

The government has clarified that people from the European Union would be exempt, as would, for instance, truck drivers transporting good. But it remains unclear whether the measure would apply to travelers from all other countries, or only those on a French government list of "zones where the virus is circulating." Macron earlier voiced particular concern about the United States being behind Europe on the outbreak curve.

Within Europe, too, the progression of the virus may influence when borders between countries come down.

Thierry Breton, a European commissioner who handles tourism policy for the E.U. bloc, told French radio that it is likely that certain areas of the E.U. would be open to tourists and others not. He said borders could turn on and off between E.U. countries depending on the outbreak.

"It is like this, and it has to be accepted," he said. "The borders of the pandemic do not match geographical borders."

Austria, which has been confident in its virus management and was among the first European countries to relax its lockdown, has broached the idea of a travel bubble with neighboring Germany, which has been similarly credited with its coronavirus response.

German tourism commissioner Thomas Bareiss confirmed to Der Tagesspiegel newspaper that Germany was in talks with its neighbors about permitting summer vacation travel.

"I hope that, given the good numbers, we will be able to relax the restrictions in the next four to eight weeks," he said, adding that destinations "that can be reached by car" would be the most likely possibilities.

Other countries, though, don't appear ready to reopen their borders any time soon.

France has extended its coronvirus-related border controls until the end of October. Denmark, Norway and Sweden have indicated that theirs will continue until at least Nov. 12.

Some officials have expressed hope that coronavirus tracking apps might enable countries to open their borders to fellow Europeans, while retaining the ability to alert people who may have been exposed to the virus. But such apps are in their early stages. There are concerns about whether the voluntary technology will be adopted widely. And the versions France and Britain are pursuing may not be compatible with the rest of Europe.

For the tourism dependent economies of southern Europe, there is widespread resignation that this will be a crushing summer. The European Union is trying to draw up a tourism "Marshall Plan," and countries including Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and Cyprus are asking for specific support for tourism businesses.

Christina Tetradis, the vice president of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels in Greece, said that 65 percent of member hotels feared they were at risk of bankruptcy.

"Greece has 1 million people working in tourism and tourism related services," she said. "This is a huge issue. It means many of these people may work less, or not at all this summer. They also have little chance of finding other work."

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in a Sunday interview with CNN, said tourism could resume "only if we agree to very specific protocols, hopefully at the European level." He said the "best-case scenario" is that Greece is "open for business" on July 1.

"Let's assume people get a test before they fly out and then we carefully monitor them, either an antibody test or a [diagnostic] test, and then of course the tourism experience this summer may be slightly different," he said.

Mitsotakis said it depended on whether the global pandemic was on a "downward path."

Italy - which is only just beginning to loosen Europe's longest coronavirus lockdown - will be far more reliant on domestic travel.

For now, Italians are only free to move within their own region for specific reasons, including to visit relatives. Any other travel must be for health or work-related purposes.

In southern Italy, which was spared the worst of the outbreak, there has been resistance to the notion of accepting visitors from the hard-hit north. The normally tourist-friendly region of Puglia in the south continues to impose quarantines on those arriving from northern regions.

But the tourism sector is getting desperate.

"A regional reopening would give us back some oxygen," said Caterina Valente, 55, the owner and manager of a hotel in Rome.

Still, she said, she isn't sure that would be enough. "For the next two to three months, hotels will only live thanks to the internal market. It won't be good. We live thanks to foreign tourists."

Many of the variables have yet to be sorted out, but one of the biggest factors facing travel has to do with the travelers themselves: whether they have the money for vacations, and whether they think boarding a plane or train for another country is too great a risk.

"Optimistically, I feel that by September or October [tourism] could all start anew, but I may be too optimistic," said Giorgia Tozzi, 48, the manager of Hotel Vilon in Rome, which depends mostly on foreign clients. "Until there's a cure or a vaccine or until people will be certain that by coming to Italy they won't fall sick, or risk it - or that they can then go back home - it'll be difficult for them to make the trip."

- - -

The Washington Post's Stefano Pitrelli in Rome, Elinda Labropoulou in Athens, Loveday Morris and Rick Noack in Berlin, Quentin Aries in Brussels, Pamela Rolfe in Spain and Christine Spolar in London contributed to this report.
Overland Park police officer John Lacy says the department is "numb" after losing an officer in the line of duty for the first time since 1985. Officer Mike Mosher, a 14-year veteran of the department, was killed in a shootout Sunday with a hit-and-run suspect.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 21:57:41|Editor: huaxia

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HARARE, May 6 (Xinhua) -- China's northwest Gansu Province on Wednesday donated a consignment of medical supplies to Zimbabwe's Mashonaland West Province to help fight the spread of COVID-19.

The medical supplies were handed over to the Minister of State for Mashonaland West Province Mary Mliswa by the Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Guo Shaochun at a ceremony in Harare.

Goods donated include 12,000 face masks, and 1,000 protective suits.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Guo said the donations are a symbol of the friendship and the fraternity between Zimbabwe and China.

"In the face of this pandemic, ordinary Chinese and Zimbabweans have supported each other from the bottom of their heart, as they have done in the numerous crises in the past," Guo said.

"Our aid to Zimbabwe and cooperation with Zimbabwe are always practical and visible, which means they must be result oriented, and truly serve the development of Zimbabwe and well-being of Zimbabwean people," he added.

A second batch of medical supplies is also expected from China, Guo said, adding that a team of Chinese health experts is expected in the country to work with their Zimbabwean counterparts in fighting the pandemic.

Speaking on the same occasion, Mliswa expressed gratitude to Gansu Province and thanked the Chinese government for the generous donation.

"This is testimony of the sound relationship between Mashonaland West province and Gansu province in China, and it was birthed through the twinning arrangement between our two provinces," said Mliswa.

The twinning arrangement between Mashonaland West and Gansu Provinces was signed in 2004. Over the years, the two sides have broadened cooperation and trade in many sectors.

Mliswa said the donation of the much needed medical equipment will go a long way in the province's fight against COVID-19.

Since the virus was first detected in Zimbabwe, the Chinese government and businesses have acted swiftly to help Zimbabwe fight the spread of COVID-19.

Zimbabwe's main coronavirus isolation and treatment center was upgraded by Chinese enterprises under the guidance of the Chinese Embassy at a cost of about 500,000 U.S. dollars.

The Southern African country has also received donations of medical supplies from Chinese foundations. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 11:25:43|Editor: huaxia

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DENVER, the United States, May 5 (Xinhua) -- With less than three weeks left in the school year, some tiny Montana schools will brashly reopen as soon as Thursday after two months of COVID-19 home stay, local media reported.

The Cohagen Elementary School, which has kindergarten through eighth grade, will open its doors on Thursday to its 14 students, Garfield County School Superintendent Heather Gibson told CNN Tuesday.

In Park County, Cooke City Elementary School is also scheduled to offer on-site instruction to its six students from Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Willow Creek School, located 100 miles (161 km) southeast of the state capital Helena, is set to open its doors to some 40 students in grades K-12 Thursday.

With only a handful of states and schools could reopen this month, it may be the first in the nation, according to the school's Facebook Page.

District Superintendent Bonnie Lower, who is in charge of the Willow Creek School, told CNN Tuesday that the reopening decision was made based on a survey showing that three-quarters of the parents wanted their kids to catch up on their studies and experience a little normalcy before the summer vacation.

Students entering and leaving the building will have their temperatures scanned, desks will be placed 16 feet (4.9 meters) apart, and students are required to comply with six-foot (1.8 meters) social distancing guidelines at all times, Lower said.

Moreover, if all 56 students planned to come back, the school might not reopen, she said, adding that about one-quarter of students, or about 20 students, plan to continue their studies from home.

"We don't want people to think we're being irresponsible by making this choice," Lower said. "We're trying to do what we feel is in the best interest of the students."

Lower's move goes against the advice of national healthcare and education officials, though it has seen 456 coronavirus cases and 16 deaths so far, among the lowest totals in the nation, and reported fewer than five cases a day since April 19.

Montana Governor Steve Bullock said last month that the state's schools may reopen as soon as May 7, although it is up to the local districts to do so. And most of the school districts refused to follow the governor's advice.

Reopening schools prematurely risks another surge of infections, and "runs the risk of undoing the work of the last two months," said the American Federation of Teachers.

Forty-five states and the District of Columbia have ordered or recommended closures for the rest of the school year, according to Education Week news organization.

On Monday, "restaurants, bars, breweries, distilleries, and casinos can become operational -- under strict physical distancing and reduced capacity protocols in accordance with State guidelines," Bullock said in April. Enditem
Gabrielle Kenan Aurora Holmes, 25, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Friday, May 1, 2020.

Gabrielle was raised in Flintstone, Georgia, and attended Chattanooga Valley Elementary and Chattanooga Valley Middle School. She graduated with the class of 2012 from Ridgeland High School, where she enjoyed singing in the chorus. Gabrielle had a childhood passion for doing hair and make-up and decided to continue her education at Regency School of Cosmetology in Chattanooga. She graduated in 2013 with her degree and was licensed in both Tennessee and Georgia.

It was on Aug. 10, of that same year, that Gabrielle married her sweetheart, Dray. The happy couple was wed at Flintstone Baptist Church in front of joyous family and friends, but days later, that Valley Girl began her new life as a wife of an active Marine in Twenty-Nine Palms, California. She and her husband returned to the area the following year after he completed his military service. Gabrielle resumed her career as a stylist, working since 2014 for Great-Clips at the North Shore, Lookout Valley, and Fort Oglethorpe locations. With her talents as a stylist, she quickly built a loyal client base that only wanted GiGi to cut their hair. She was of the Baptist faith.

Gabrielle was a precious little girl that developed into an extraordinary woman. She was a supportive wife to her husband, a wonderful daughter to her parents, caring sister to all her siblings, a joy to grandparents, and a loyal and dependable friend who always wanted to help others. Gabrielle had a lovely singing voice, a great sense of humor, and was never short on sass. She had a beautiful smile, and never took a bad picture in her life. A perfect day for her would include ocean breezes, laughter, and a pint of ice cream. She was a beloved, talented young lady who brought happiness to everyone who knew her.

She was preceded in death by her grandfather, R. L. Jack Lomenick and grandfather, Buddy Harris.

Her passing is mourned by her loving husband, Earl Drayton Holmes IV; father, Kenan Hill (Betsy); mother, Heidi Steele (Calvin); grandmother, Marion Lomenick; grandmother, Patricia Harris; father-in-law, Earl Holmes III (Christine); mother-in-law, Lisa Quinn (Eddie); brothers, Aaron Wilson and John Hill; sister Annabel Hill; brothers, Gage and Asa Steele; brother-in-law, Isaac Holmes (Mikayla); numerous uncles, aunts, cousins, friends, and clients.

You may visit www.heritagechattanooga.com to share condolences to the family and view the memorial tribute.

A private family burial will be held.

The family will receive friends on Friday, May 8, from 2-8 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 E. Brainerd Road. Social distancing and CDC restrictions will be required during visitation.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 19:31:46|Editor: huaxia

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TOKYO, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The confirmed COVID-19 cases in Japan increased by 102 to reach 15,474, according to the latest figures from the health ministry and local authorities on Wednesday.

The number excludes the 712 cases from the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined in Yokohama near Tokyo.

The nationwide death toll from the virus has now reached a total of 584, including 13 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship.

In Tokyo, the epicenter of Japan's outbreak, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has increased by 38 to reach 4,748, followed by Osaka Prefecture with 1,698 infections.

Kanagawa Prefecture, meanwhile, has recorded 1,128 infections, Saitama 918, Hokkaido 914 cases, Chiba 860, while Hyogo Prefecture has recorded 675 cases of COVID-19, according to the latest figures on Wednesday.

The health ministry said there are currently a total of 312 patients considered severely ill and are on ventilators or in intensive care units.

The ministry also said that in total, 5,569 people, including 651 from the cruise ship, have been discharged from hospitals after their symptoms improved. Enditem
Dhaka: India on Wednesday donated 30,000 COVID-19 test kits to Bangladesh as part of its emergency medical assistance to the neighbouring country which has reported 11,719 coronavirus cases and 186 fatalities.

"This assistance which is covered under the SAARC COVID-19 Emergency Fund is intended to support the efforts of Government of Bangladesh in tackling the spread of coronavirus," the Indian High Commission in Dhaka said in a statement.

Indian High Commissioner Riva Ganguly Das handed over the kits to Bangladesh's Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen at his office, saying these domestically produced kits were widely used in India for COVID-19 detection.

According to the statement, Das said Bangladesh was the first country to receive these test kits from India on priority, "which reflects the importance of Dhaka to New Delhi".

Momen appreciated India's help for the three tranches of assistance.

An Indigo cargo flight transported the supply to be dispatched to Bangladesh's Institute of Epidemiological Disease Control and Research (IEDCR). Dhaka received the first tranche of the Indian emergency medical assistance containing 30,000 surgical masks and 15,000 caps on March 25.

The second Indian consignment consisted of 50,000 sterile surgical latex gloves and 1,00,000 Hydroxychloroquine medicine tablets.

The Indian gesture came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensured his country's readiness to help Bangladesh in containing the spread of COVID-19 and in mitigating health and economic impact of the pandemic.

In a video conference on forming a joint strategy to fight COVID-19 in the SAARC region, Prime Minister Modi on March 15 proposed the emergency fund with an initial offer of USD 10 million from India and asserted that the best way to deal with the coronavirus pandemic was by coming together, and not growing apart.

Bangladesh's foreign ministry said in a statement that Momen thanked India for the medical supplies as well as assistance in returning Bangladeshi nationals stranded in India.

He also urged India to take steps to allow goods-laden Bangladesh-bound trucks stranded in Petrapole land border to cross the frontier, saying the delay would result in huge loss to Bangladeshi importers.

Meanwhile, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Additional Director General (administration) Nasima Sultana said that three people died with coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, taking the toll to 186.

The confirmed cases have jumped to 11,719, as the country recorded the highest single-day jump with 790 more people testing positive in the last 24 hours, she said.

On March 8, the health authorities in Bangladesh reported the first case of COVID-19, a severe acute respiratory illness caused by a new strain of coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2.
Lamu Principal Magistrate Allan Temba issued orders directing police to detain Omar Lali, the boyfriend of deceased Keroche Breweries director Tecra Muigai, for at least 21 days.

The 54-year-old suspect appeared in a live video court session on Tuesday.

While ruling on an application by the office of the DPP and the Investigating Officer to detain the suspect, Magistrate Temba granted the request saying it will enable detectives to conduct comprehensive investigations into the death of Tecra.

They are allowed to detain the suspect as long as they allow him access to legal advice from his advocates, he said.

During the 21-day period, the DCI will record witness statements, analyse the crime scene and phones, CCTV and/or computers if any, of the deceased and the suspect.

Investigators will also visit the deceaseds homes in Nairobi and Naivasha to collect more evidence. A postmortem will also be conducted to establish the cause of death.

The autopsy was postponed for the second time, with government pathologist Johansen Oduor explaining that detectives needed more time to conclude investigations before an autopsy is done.

The postmortem has been postponed to a later date. This is to enable detectives look at some facts. The date has however not been fixed, Johansen told journalists.

Tecra reportedly suffered cerebral-edema after allegedly falling down a staircase on April 27.

According to detectives, Lali, who had been living with Ms. Muigai since April, gave contradicting information of the circumstances leading to the death of the younger Keroche Breweries heiress.

He gave contradicting reports, initially saying the girlfriend fell off the stairs and later he said the incident happened in the bathroom. However, the deceased was found in the house unconscious with blood oozing from her mouth, a detective was quoted by Nation.

The case will be mentioned on May 26 for further directions.
Mumbai surged past 10,000 Covid-19 cases on Wednesday after recording 769 new infections, the highest single-day jump in the city worst hit by the pathogen as authorities scaled up testing to contain the outbreak that is expected to peak by the end of the month.

Twenty five people died in the coastal city on Tuesday, pushing the death toll up to 412. The city has a recovery rate of around 16% with 1,686 patients overcoming the disease as of Tuesday.

Maharashtra also saw its biggest daily spike in case numbers with 1,233 persons testing positive for the virus on Wednesday, taking the tally of cases to 16,758. The state also recorded 34 deaths, which takes its total fatalities to 651.

Maharashtras doubling rate currently stands at 10 days, slightly lower than the corresponding figure for the country that stood at 10.7. Roughly two-thirds of the cases in the state are from Mumbai, which now has 10,714 infections.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said it expects around 75,000 cases by the end of the month and plans to ramp up testing capacity to around 10,000 daily in the coming two weeks from its current capacity of 6,000 tests.

In Mumbai, nearly 100,000 tests have been conducted with a daily average of roughly 4,000. Across India, these figures stand at 1.27 million and 19,600.

The highest number of cases in the city are from Worli and Prabhadevi that fall under the G South Ward, where the tally is close to 1,000 followed by Dharavi (G North Ward) with 773 cases.

Suresh Kakani, additional municipal commissioner of the BMC, said, The doubling rate of Mumbai (rate at which the positive cases double) is still the same at 10 days, and basis on that we have projected 75,000 cases by end of this month. This does not necessarily mean that we will have that much cases, but we have to be ready for the same. We have readied beds for around 60,000 patients, and in the coming days we should be ready with beds for all the projected cases.

To tackle the surge in cases, the state government has asked private doctors below 55 and ones without co-morbidities to report with immediate effect to Covid-19 dedicated hospitals for treatment of patients

The decision on private doctors was taken considering the demand in the coming day. Currently, as per the Department of Medical Education and Research (DMER), there are about 15,000 doctors in Mumbai who are at home. I appeal to private doctors that the state needs you now and they should participate in this work. The services of the doctors would primarily be for Mumbai. If needed their services can be used elsewhere as well, health minister Rajesh Tope told reporters.

He held a meeting with Union health minister Harsh Vardhan on the preparation and planning related to the pandemic. Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray interacted with the army, navy, railways and Mumbai Port Trust officials to provide their hospitals in Mumbai, Pune and other major cities as part of preparedness.

Experts said increasing testing capacity must be augmented with community quarantining for potential patients. Mere increasing of tests will not help us detecting more cases, and there are not much resources for testing asymptomatic suspects nor it is medically advisable. Hence, community quarantine is something we have to focus at and also educate the citizens of getting quarantined institutionally, in case home quarantine is not possible, said Dr Sanjay Pattiwar, a public health consultant.
UMaine engineering alum Joshua Girgis, building a buoy prototype at the Darling Marine Center, Walpole. Credit: University of Maine

When University of Maine alum Joshua Girgis graduated from University of Maine's College of Engineering in 2018, he never imagined where he would end up next. This Madison, Maine native had enjoyed his four years in Orono and was looking to put his newly minted engineering skills to the test.

"I was ready for a challenge, and to connect what I'd learned in classes to real-world problems," Joshua recalls. Late spring 2018, he responded to an internship posting from Chris Davis, Director of the Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center. Dr. Davis was seeking an engineering student to join him at MAIC, which is co-located at UMaine's Darling Marine Center in Walpole.

Joshua arrived at the University's marine laboratory along with the other 30 interns in summer 2018, met Dr. Davis and got to work. The goal was clear but distant: build an affordable environmental monitoring buoy that oyster and seaweed farmers could use to track conditions on their farms. Such a buoy would enable these small business owners to have real-time water quality information about where to site their farms and when to put seed oysters and kelp in the water. This buoy, designed to gather information on ocean temperature, salinity, and productivity, also gives fishermen, resource managers and citizen scientists a new way of gathering fine-scale information about the coastal environment.

Joshua labored away in the Marine Culture Laboratory at the Darling Marine Center all summer, prodding at circuit boards and poring over technical specifications written in 6-point font. He also enjoyed life on the coast. "The Darling Center in the summer is really special. People come from all over to conduct research and learn," Girgis observed. When fall came, he wasn't ready to leave, he'd made great progress developing the buoy prototype, but it wasn't ready for the river yet.

During a meeting of aquaculture-related researchers and students at the DMC, Davis shared an update on Joshua's progress. "To get something in the water, that people will be able to purchase and use, we need more expertise and more time," he reported.

Testing of the buoys off the Darling Center dock at Lowes Cove in Walpole. Credit: University of Maine

After several more brainstorms, a bigger team developed, including UMaine Marine Sciences and Engineering faculty, as well as Girgis and Davis. With support from UMaine's commercialization program as well as a number of colleagues throughout the state, they were able to push ahead with the design and develop a watertight buoy, ready for field testing.

In the last 12 months, Girgis led the team's effort to reduce the cost of the buoy and make it easier to assemble it, using a mix of commercially available and custom-manufactured parts. He also developed the data interface between the buoy and a website that enables farmers to check to see conditions where the buoy is in the water. At this point, the price per buoy is just over $2000, with a monthly operating fee of $7.

With the arrival of COVID-19, Girgis' work has shifted again. He's working remotely from his family home in Madison and doing what he can to improve the design of the sensors and further lower the price per buoy.

"I'm looking forward to getting back to Walpole when we can safely work onsite again. I'm eager to field test these newest improvements," Girgis says.

"In the meantime, I'm also thinking about where to go next with my education. This project has given me a solid baseline to continue learning," Girgis reflects. "I learned many mechanical and electronics engineering skills and now have the ability to design devices that not only survive but work in the marine environment. That feels good!"

Explore further Buoy data to inform how aquaculture fits into working waterfront
The 75th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War is approaching. This year, the pandemic made adjustments to the celebration of May 9, in particular, the parade on the occasion of Victory Day was postponed. Nevertheless, the current situation does not prevent us from talking about the Victory, remembering the feat of grandfathers and great-grandfathers. Visiting the Bulletin of the Caucasus, a member of the board of the Russian Historical Society, president of the Russian State Humanitarian University, chairman of the board of the Russian Society of Historian Archivists, member of the board of the Russian Union of Rectors Efim Pivovar and lead researcher at the Institute of Russian History of the Russian Academy of Sciences, author of Fuel of Victory: Azerbaijan during the Great World War II "Mikhail Mukhin.

- Efim Iosifovich, being a guest of the Vestnik Kavkaza in early March, you announced the creation of a program dedicated to the history of post-Soviet countries. Today we will talk about the upcoming holiday, including with emphasis on Azerbaijan. In the modern bilateral agenda of relations between Russia and Azerbaijan, what role does the memory of a common Victory play?

Yefim Pivovar: The common history of Russia and Azerbaijan is one of the fundamental, fundamental foundations of our relations both today, and, I hope, in the future. The educational system of Azerbaijan continues to rely on our common achievements. It is, in particular, about teaching in Russian for Azerbaijanis and for all nations and nationalities. In this regard, we have a huge field of interaction.

A centuries-old common history remains the basis for us, and in this history one of the brightest pages was the factor of common struggle, common suffering and common victory in World War II in general and in the Great Patriotic War of our people in particular. All nations suffered huge losses. We cannot but remember the losses of the Azerbaijani people: about 800 thousand people were mobilized to the front, including units that were in Northern Azerbaijan and participated in the battles of World War II and World War II. About 800 thousand were mobilized, and about 400 thousand people died. This is a huge loss for the peoples of Azerbaijan.

Moreover, the Second World War was not only a war of armies, but also a war of economies. And the Soviet people won in this struggle. The economy of Azerbaijan, and above all, oil, played a huge role here. Many cities of the rear, in which military operations were not conducted, were the heroes of the rear. I think the capital of Azerbaijan deserves the title of a hero city. But since Baku is now the capital of an independent state, the Russian Federation cannot assign it this title. I hope that an initiative will be put forward to recognize the contribution to the common victory of the capitals of the CIS countries, which played a huge role in this: Baku, Tashkent and others.

- Mikhail Yuryevich, how do you feel about the initiative to assign Baku this highest degree of distinction?

Mikhail Mukhin: I once drew attention to the fact that the statute on hero cities indicates that such a degree of difference can be assigned to a city whose residents made an outstanding contribution to the Victory. It does not say that it should be a military or labor contribution. Therefore, from the point of view of jurisprudence, I do not see any problems here. But Yefim Iosifovich is absolutely right: Baku is the capital of an independent state, and if the Russian Federation begins to appropriate such degrees of difference to foreign cities, this will not be entirely correct. Now this question should be addressed directly to Baku.

Yefim Pivovar: There may be some kind of joint initiative within the CIS. It is possible.

Mikhail Mukhin: I would like to draw attention to one more point. Of course, oil is extremely important as fuel - tanks drive it, planes fly. However, during the war years in the USSR, oil was also the main source of raw materials for the production of explosives. TNT is produced using toluene, and in the USSR the lion's share of toluene was obtained by splitting by heating kerosene. And in 1941-1943, 90-95% of all Soviet oil was produced in Absheron. That is, without Baku oil there would be not only gasoline and kerosene, but also explosives for bombs. Therefore, it is impossible to underestimate the role of the economy of Azerbaijan in the Soviet economy during the war.

- Mikhail Yuryevich, in your book "Fuel of Victory" you focus on the first period of the war. Why did you focus on it?

Mikhail Mukhin: From the point of view of military science, the Nazis had only one chance to defeat the Soviet Union - to collapse and crush. The Soviet command understood this and from the very beginning relied on the strategy of starvation: we will withstand the first blows, and then in an economic competition we will crush the enemy with explosives, steel, and ammunition. To do this, it was necessary to withstand the first blow. Therefore, it is the first period of the war that is of key importance. If we could not withstand those first blows, then everything else would not matter. It was important for me to see how they stood, due to what, by what efforts.

I emphasize once again that in 1941-1943 almost all Soviet oil was from Azerbaijan. Only in 1944, significant oil production began in the "second Baku" - in the Volga region. Baku carried the entire first period of the war with its oil on its shoulders, moreover, oil was needed more and more, the economy was rebuilt on a war footing. Baku oil workers worked until you drop. There were no drill pipes, so old bypass pipes were cut from abandoned mines and used as drill pipes. There was no asbestos for heat-resistant gaskets, so they were made of fabric impregnated with a special varnish. There were no metal wheels that were supposed to drag the cables, so they were cut out of wood. Of course, such wheels fell apart in a week. And a week later they sharpened a new wheel, because it was necessary to extract oil. Due to hard work and willingness to solve problems, based on the resources that they had, Baku oil workers provided the Red Army with fuel.

In 1941, during the evacuation, a significant part of the qualified Baku oil workers were transferred to the Volga region to search for oil there. Historians still argue whether this was the best solution. Maybe it would be better to leave them on the Absheron Peninsula so that they work on already explored sites. But one way or another, a significant part of the qualified oil industry workers went to the Volga region. It was in 1943 that they reached this oil-bearing horizon. When the men left for the front and in the Volga region, women worked at the oil fields of Baku.

Yefim Pivovar: Our achievements in the field of the oil industry are almost always associated with the Baku oil industry. This is the "second Baku", and Western Siberia, where the great oil workers, geologists from Azerbaijan worked. Without them, they could not have opened a second Baku at all. In addition, other enterprises worked in Azerbaijan during the war years for the needs of the front. Baku is also a port, it is also a repair of ships, including Volga ships. All this deserves further study. This heroic page must be opened for the younger generation.
Vietnam ranks 12th among the 66 emerging economies regarding financial strength. (Photo: zingnews.vn)

The ranking examines the vulnerability of selected economies across four potential sources of peril  public debt, foreign debt and cost of borrowing and reserve cover.

The Economist calculated their likely foreign payments this year (their current-account deficit plus their foreign-debt payments) and compare this with their stock of foreign-exchange reserves. A countrys rank on each of these indicators is then averaged to determine its overall standing.

Vietnam is in the safe group thanks to stable and strong financial indicators.

Accordingly, more than 30 emerging economies are facing great pressure, the worst being Lebanon and Venezuela.

Botswana tops the list of the safe economies, followed by Taiwan (China) and the Republic of Korea.

The Economist said that most of the economies were strong enough to overcome the pandemic. The 30 weakest economies was relatively small, accounting for only 11 percent of the total GDP of the 66 economies.

It said the COVID-19 hurts emerging economies by locking down their populations, damaging their export earnings and deterring foreign capital.

Even if the pandemic fades in the second half of this year, GDP in developing countries, measured at purchasing-power parity, will be 6.6 percent smaller than the IMFs forecast in October, states the report.
Despite the danger posed by Covid-19, care homes have been asked to continue admitting new residents.

Seventeen residents at a Co Down care home have died since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, it can be revealed.

Ringdufferin Nursing Home, which provides care to the elderly, people living with dementia and people who are terminally ill, is one of an increasing number of care homes across Northern Ireland that have been hit by a Covid-19 outbreak.

The daughter of a former resident, who died from Covid-19 last week, has paid tribute to care provided to her father during his time at the home, but has demanded answers over how he became infected with the deadly virus.

"Visiting to the home was stopped on March 16, so I hadn't seen my daddy for about seven weeks when he died," she said.

"When the manager stopped visiting to the home, her words were that it was for the residents' safety, that they were effectively cocooning the residents, and the only people who would be allowed into the home would be the staff. About a week later, I was leaving toiletries for my daddy to the home and when I was sitting in the car park I saw a car pull up and an elderly lady got out with a suitcase.

"The manager and another nurse came out with masks and gloves on and helped the lady into the home. As far as I could see, it seems like they were admitting people to the home while all this was going on.

"It's incredible, it's unbelievable that this has been happening, why would they do that?"

A spokeswoman from Ringdufferin Nursing Home near Killyleagh did not respond to the claims made by the former resident's daughter.

However, she said: "In these very difficult and challenging times our priority is our residents, safety of our staff and well-being.

"All our staff are working extremely hard to look after our residents and we are keeping ongoing communication with the residents' families.

"At this time, we are being fully supported by the health trusts and the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA).

"On behalf of all the staff at Ringdufferin Nursing Home, we would like to offer our sincere condolences to all families who have lost loved ones at this sad time. We are unable to make any further comments at present."

Despite the danger posed to care home residents by Covid-19, care homes across Northern Ireland have been asked to continue admitting new residents.

It emerged last month that new residents were being admitted to care homes without being tested for Covid-19 first, with official guidance stating that care homes should assume that all new residents had the infection.

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Pauline Shepherd, chief executive of Independent Health & Care Providers, also said that some care homes were being threatened that business would be withdrawn if they did not accept new residents without testing.

The daughter of the former resident of Ringdufferin Nursing Home, who was not able to be with her dad when he passed away, continued: "It's absolutely disgusting.

"I really can't get my head around it at all. We're all absolutely devastated. It's been a nightmare and I can't even let myself think about what has happened. I'm definitely going to need some counselling."
As we gather with family and friends in video spaces, with our virtual backgrounds and touched-up faces, our actual bodies are safely secreted away in our modern bunkers, waiting for the day we might return to the living.

In this context, there is something uneasy in streaming the new Amazon Prime series Upload. Like other shows that have explored the intersections between technology and society, Upload questions what it means to be truly humanand, in particular, about the potential of some part of our selves living on in digital form. The plot follows some standard tropes, including a whodunit, a romance, and a character who does a lot of growing up after he has died. But beneath this, we are presented with set pieces that make strange the possibilities of our digital selves living rich lives after death, and that question what it means to live full lives in the meantime.

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In the first episode, 27-year-old software developer Nathan Brown is gravely injured when his self-driving car fails to avoid a parked dump truck. As his gurney is pushed down a hallway in the hospital, he encounters a fork in the road. He must decide whether he wants to be wheeled toward the operating room and risk that he may old-fashioned die, or toward a machine that will upload his consciousness to one of many private heavens that will preserve his consciousness indefinitely. (Lots of people apparently choose their afterlife provider before they are faced with death, but apparently a relatively young Nathan never bothered.) He chooses the latter, and is presented with a tablet so that he may accept the Terms of Service of his new home. He notes that he cannot just hit accept without reading the terms, to which the representative asks, Have you never gotten an app, ever? With that less-than-informed consent, Nathans consciousness is uploaded and the remainder of the series leaves him in a liminal space: an exclusive afterlife resort.

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Ghost storiesof the science fiction or more traditional varietiesoften depict a macabre and somewhat opaque membrane between the worlds of the living and dead, and this makes up a substantial part of the story here as well. Like Black Mirrors San Junipero, the living may visit these afterworlds as prospective residents, but there are also plenty of other opportunities for interaction.

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Nathan, for example, is the guest of honor at his own funeral, and spends significant time on the phone trying to sort out his affairs back in the less virtual world. Those still in their mortal coils can wear head-mounted devices to interact in virtual spaces with a mixture of the living, the dead, and the artificial. There is the opportunity to don haptic suits for more intimate interactions. And there is a tantalizing look at the possibility of downloading back into artificial bodies or controlling the Internet of Things from our personal heavens. In all, the afterlife of Upload is very connected.

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And here is where the uncanny intersection with those forced into social isolation by COVID-19 intrudes. Most of us are living fairly disembodied lives of late, engaging with friends, family, and co-workers online through video chat and video games. My elementary-aged kids have moved their recess into a private Minecraft server where they build and play with their friends. My own family does battle with time zones in Spain and California to meet up. We attend birthday parties, happy hours, commencement ceremonies, and, sadly, funerals through the same devices. And there is ever present the draw back to normal life. Are we all still alive?

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This use of an afterlife to critique our modern online interactions is a very thinly veiled theme of the show. And certainly, it follows on a number of other speculative views of how social media is changing our lived (and dying) social lives. Neal Stephensons 2019 novel Fall, for example, attempted something similar, detailing the ways in which our social lives are increasingly governed by the social media doomsday machine. He notes in an interview, Weve turned over our perception of whats real to algorithmically driven systems that are designed not to have humans in the loop, because if humans are in the loop theyre not scalable and if theyre not scalable they cant make tons and tons of money.

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One of the few seeming regulations on those who reside in Uploads afterlife is that they are not permitted to earn an income. Yet their lives are filled with opportunities to spend money, largely to provide distraction. One of the dead, for example, pays piecewise to experience a head cold, along with pay-as-you-go sneezes, merely because it is something to break up the monotony of eternity. This issue of class and consumption seems to permeate the show but never really goes anywhere. It is difficult to read it as much of a critique. Instead, it is simply a very slightly exaggerated version of our online worlds today.

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Perhaps luckily, at present we are unable to carry anything near our full consciousness into the digital realm. Nonetheless, our ghoststhe digital ephemera that make up our livesdo continue on. In Upload, dead Nathan is owned by his girlfriend. His existence is largely permitted through her continual payments for upkeep, andas she makes clear at one pointshe therefore has the capability of simply deleting him. Anyone who is spending their time in gaming worlds during their isolation knows the desire for virtual objects is far from a distant future concern. And the question of who owns you when you have passed on is already a bit of a mess. The question of virtual consumption runs through the show. What would a dead person want with a Taco Bell chalupa? It hardly seems like the kind of question we would expect to have to ask about our afterlives, but Upload introduces a world in which such questions kind of make sense. The bigger issues of spirituality, of truth, of respect are given short shrift and our afterlives are governed by hollow simulations of hollow pre-death existences.

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Nathan has very little when he leaves the living world, in part because it seems his intellectual property may have been absconded with. Indeed, his living consciousnessincomplete as it may beseems to be his main asset, and at one point becomes the object of a custody battle. We have already seen this in many real cases, with families battling over how an authors works may be used, or how a figure may be portrayed once they are deceased. Many of us may assume that we lack the kinds of intellectual or social contributions that would matter after we have passed, but Upload highlights the ways in which even trivial markers of ourselves remain important to those who care about us. We may never come to the point where we can export our consciousness to a hard drive, but we can be assured that an ever greater part of our recorded existence will outlive our physical bodies. The ways in which we shape and regulate the use of these digital remembrances now will have an effect on how our future selves can be used.

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As a sitcom with a tendency toward the most obvious sight gags, it is unlikely that Upload will be embraced as a kind of future probe in the way that Black Mirror, Altered Carbon, Westworld, or other series have been. It is hard, though, to leave the show without wondering what will happen in your own digital afterlife in a world where more and more of our selves are wrapped up in what we create technologicallyour social media pages, our Spotify playlists, our email correspondence, our Animal Crossing homes, our Pinterest boards, our financial transactions, video recordings of our work happy hours, biometrics from our workouts, our trips on Waze, or the traces of our daily routines in the records of the increasingly smart cities and organizations around us.

We may be relatively far off from the point where our digital ghosts think for themselves and act on their own behalf, but our legacies will live on, kept alive through the efforts of both the people who wish our memories to linger and the technologies that allow that to happen. At least for now, our digital afterlife is in the hands of the living: those who plan for their own afterlives ahead of time, and those who care for the afterlives of others once they have passed.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
Global deaths from the coronavirus pandemic topped a quarter-million on Monday, mostly in the US and Europe even as both regions slowly moved away from lockdown and world leaders raised billions towards a vaccine. An AFP tally of official figures showed that Europe is the hardest-hit continent with around 145,000 fatalities, and the United States recorded close to 68,700 -- together accounting for more than 85 percent of global fatalities. An internal government estimate in Washington forecast an even worsening number of fatalities for the country. It said the daily COVID-19 death toll could double by the end of May. In Europe, though, governments believe they have passed the peak of the disease with deaths in the continent's worst affected countries having dropped as a result of nearly two months of confinement. Restaurants in Italy partially reopened and Germans queued for haircuts in a Europe edging gingerly out of lockdown. Half of the planet has been under orders to shelter in place, and much of the world remained cautious even as countries from India to Nigeria sought to ease restrictions so that businesses can remain afloat and workers earn a wage after the pandemic-induced economic crash. "Today is wonderful," Lagos fruit and vegetable vendor Adewale Oluwa said, opening his stall in Africa's largest city after a five-week lockdown. - Russia infections surge - Still, confirmed cases since the disease surfaced in China late last year rose to almost 3.6 million across 195 countries and territories. Infections continued to surge in Russia, now adding more than 10,000 a day. "The threat is apparently on the rise," Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin told citizens. But the United States remains far more severely affected than any other nation, although deaths in the past 24 hours rose by the lowest figure in a month -- 1,015. An internal study by the US government's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicted that new coronavirus cases will surge more than eight-fold to 200,000 per day by June 1, and the toll could rise to 3,000 a day, up from the current 1,000-2,000. That could more than double the number of US coronavirus deaths, now at about 69,000, over the next few months, according to the study first reported by The New York Times and The Washington Post. It underscored the tough, politically-tinged debate over reopening that pits Trump and his allies against many governors and community leaders worried that social distancing and quarantines need to remain in place longer. The study suggested that the surge in infections could come from mid-May in states and localities that had not implemented tough distancing measures or were loosening up too early. On Sunday Trump acknowledged that deaths would go beyond his earlier prediction of 60,000, saying "we're going to lose anywhere from 75, 80 to 100,000 people." The White House downplayed the CDC forecast as an "internal" document which had not been vetted by the task force, which is led by Vice President Mike Pence. - 'Joy and fear' - In Europe there was still caution as countries allowed people to return to the streets and some businesses to open. "We are feeling a mix of joy and fear," 40-year-old Stefano Milano said in Rome as Italian restaurants reopened for takeaway orders -- though bars and ice cream parlours will remain shut. Spain and Portugal made face masks mandatory on public transport starting Monday as they further eased their lockdowns. Slovenia, Poland and Hungary also allowed public spaces and businesses to partially reopen. "I looked like Robinson Crusoe," joked 87-year-old Helmut Wichter, emerging clean shaven from a barber in Berlin. - Vaccine telethon - A special telethon backed by the World Health Organization but snubbed by Washington pulled in 7.4 billion euros ($8.1 billion) to support international efforts to develop and manufacture a vaccine to slow the coronavirus spread. Leaders of major European powers, Japan and Canada made the biggest pledges, along with philanthropists including Bill and Melinda Gates, at the videoconference hosted by European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen. "This was a powerful and inspiring demonstration of global solidarity," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said of the donations. Seeming to defend its non-participation, the US State Department issued a statement declaring that the United States is "leading" the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and said it has spent more than $1 billion together with US drug companies to work on a vaccine. Trump claimed Sunday that the United States will have a coronavirus vaccine ready by the end of the year. The war of words between the United States and China over responsibility for the pandemic continued, with China's state broadcaster attacking US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for "insane" remarks in which he said the virus originated at a laboratory in Wuhan, the city where the pandemic first emerged. The WHO said it had received no evidence on the "speculative" Wuhan lab claims. burs-pmh/it/bgs
Hawaii Governor David Ige says the state has successfully flattened the curve, so he's allowing more businesses to reopen.

Starting Thursday, businesses including shopping malls, car washes and pet groomers that closed during the coronavirus pandemic may reopen.

There were four new confirmed COVID-19 cases reported Tuesday, bringing Hawaiis total to 625.

There have been 17 Hawaii deaths.

Ige said on Tuesday that it was among the lowest numbers in the country.

Ige added that officials would look at opening higher-risk businesses such as hair salons, churches and restaurants in subsequent phases.

He warned restrictions may be reinstated if there was an increase in cases.
A 30-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after another man was found dead at a flat in west London.

Scotland Yard said the two men are believed to be known to each other and the victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene in Hammersmith, is believed to have been stabbed.

Police were called on Tuesday 5 May at around 7:50pm to reports of a seriously injured man, aged in his 30s, at a flat off Fulham Palace Road near the junction with Hammersmith Square.

Police were called to reports of a seriously injured man at a flat (pic) off Fulham Palace Road in Hammersmith, near the junction with Hammersmith Square

The victim, in his 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene with injuries police believed were sustained by a knife

The victim was found with what police officers believed were injuries sustained by a knife.

The suspect was arrested at the scene and is in custody at a west London police station.

The suspect, aged 30, was arrested at the scene and is in custody at a west London police station

Police officers are calling for any witnesses or anyone with any information about the incident to get in touch

Officers said they are in the process of tracing and informing next of kin - they are also asking for witnesses or anyone with information to call police on 101, ref 6697/05may.

A post-mortem examination is yet to be arranged.
WALWORTH  Walworth County has recorded its ninth death caused by the coronavirus today as confirmed cases surpass 200.

In just under three weeks, the number of people who tested positive for coronavirus in Walworth County doubled from 100 to 200, according to the state health department.

On April 23, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported 100 confirmed cases and on May 6, the number of positive cases has grown to 215.

The county announced its first confirmed case on March 18.

County health department deputy director Carlo Nevicosi said confirmed cases in the county have in part risen due to increased testing as a result of large scale spread of the virus at the Birds Eye Food plant in Darien.

He added that with the National Guard now assisting in mass testing, the number of confirmed cases is expected to increase again.

"I would expect that our numbers will jump again rather dramatically," Nevicosi said in an email statement.

The state currently estimates it is able to perform 14,797 tests a day at 51 labs.

Walworth is currently experiencing a higher than average rate of positive cases per 100,000 people, according to the state health department. The states average rate is currently 142 while the rate in Walworth is 204 people.

Counties with the highest rates of infection per 100,000 people include Brown at 557, Milwaukee at 345, Kenosha at 324 and Racine at 233.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Wisconsin had 8,901 confirmed cases and a recorded 362 deaths from the virus.

Despite the increases in confirmed cases and deaths from the virus, Wisconsin hospitals have maintained a surplus of available hospital beds and ventilators. The state health department currently estimates there 3,762 beds and 1,264 ventilators available for use throughout Wisconsin.

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BlackRock chief executive officer Larry Fink had a stark message for a private audience: As bad as things have been for corporate America in recent weeks, they're likely to get worse.

Mass bankruptcies, empty planes, cautious consumers and an increase in the corporate tax rate to as high as 29 per cent were part of a vision Fink sketched out on a call this week. The message from the leader of the world's biggest asset manager contrasts with the ebullient tones of a stock market that has snapped back from recent lows.

BlackRock chief Larry Fink has been advising President Donald Trump on how to navigate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Credit:Bloomberg

Even among Wall Street luminaries, Fink speaks with particular clout. He has been advising President Donald Trump on how to navigate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. And BlackRock is playing a key role in the Federal Reserve's efforts to stabilise markets, helping the central bank buy billions of dollars in assets.

Fink said on the call with clients of a wealth advisory firm that bankers have told him they expect a cascade of bankruptcies to hit the American economy, and he wondered if the Fed needed to do more to provide support, according to a person with knowledge of the remarks.
While Israel is completely absorbed by the coronavirus outbreak, the Druze and Circassian communities have reached a new pressure point. On May 3, the Druze community responded by launching what they call a month of rage to protest their dire circumstances. The protest includes a strike until further notice in all Druze villages, including in schools and other educational institutions. On May 5, dozens of activists blocked a highway in the north of the country, as a sign of protest. Leading this general strike is the Forum of Mayors of Druze and Circassian Local Authorities. On May 3, they gathered in Jerusalem, in front of the prime ministers office, carrying signs with slogans like, Did you betray me, brother? and We will not be the next Southern Lebanon Army.

This mention of the SLA is particularly painful to Israeli leaders. It refers to a militia sponsored by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which operated in southern Lebanon from the late 1970s until Israels withdrawal from Lebanon in May 2000 and the abandonment of the SLA by Israel and the IDF. With these signs, the Druze and Circassians are saying that they feel just as betrayed as those Israeli allies in Lebanon.

The outrage that the community feels is a direct consequence of the political chaos in Israel, which has already lasted for over a year. The coronavirus pandemic only intensified the growing sense of urgency. For several decades now, budgetary funding for the Druze community at large and their various towns and villages in particular has been included in a series of five-year plans for the community. The last of these, which was approved in June 2015, amounted to 2 billion shekels ($570 million). When the plan expired in December 2019, Israel was already in the midst of the current political chaos. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus transition government did want to pass a new five-year plan, his legal advisers cautioned him against it, arguing that it could be interpreted as an election bribe.

Nevertheless, the government did approve the transfer of 230 million shekels ($65.5 million) to the Druze community as a stopgap measure for the next three months, until a new government is formed. Then the coronavirus struck, and even that sum wasnt transferred to the Druze community. Hamoud Jabbar, head of the Forum of Mayors leading the protest, told Al-Monitor, We are in a state of total collapse. Municipal property taxes dropped sharply as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, leaving us without a cent. We have no money to collect garbage, pay for electricity or cover routine costs. We are talking about 16 local authorities that are on the verge of bankruptcy.

According to Jabbar, the average rate of unemployment in these local authorities is already above 30%, while property tax payments have dropped by about 70%. At the same time, the Ministry of Interior reduced supplementary funding for local authorities by 15%. Jabbar noted that so far, local authorities have continued covering the costs of programming funded by the five-year plan, but the sharp drop in income  coupled with an increase in costs of education, welfare and dealing with the coronavirus  have resulted in a 50% budgetary deficit in some local authorities. Unable to pay salaries and suppliers, these authorities have, in effect, ceased to function.

Actually, the state did provide some funding to local authorities, when it became clear that they would be unable to collect property taxes, especially from business owners. The government promised to give up on about 2.82 billion shekels ($802 million) in property taxes by businesses, with government funding compensating the local authorities for most of the losses. But the Mayors Forum claims that they received only a fraction of this financial assistance. A query to the prime minister and minister of interior, sent in the last few days by the forum, claims that of the budgeted assistance to all local authorities, the Arab local authorities will receive just 47 million shekels ($13 million). In other words, less than 2% of the general sum allocated.

They threw us under the bus, Jabbar said angrily. We are an integral part of this land. We gave our lives to this country. I myself spent 25 years serving in the IDF. But nobody cares about us. It is absurd to think that the Arabs and Bedouins have no problems, because their five-year plan only ends in December 2020. The government just takes us for granted. The bureaucrats at the Finance Ministry are even playing with the 230 million shekels [$65 million], which was already approved as an interim measure."

Jabbar claims that the Druze community is caught in a longstanding crisis. He noted that the situation got worse as a result of the Nationality Law, which emphasizes the Jewish character of the State of Israel, and again now as a result of these budget problems. The Israeli government turned its back on us with the Nationality Law. Then the Kaminitz Law discriminated against us by making it more difficult to develop our towns and find housing solutions. We feel like we are imprisoned in tiny villages without any solutions to our housing problems. Not a single new Druze town or village has been established since the founding of the state. We feel like we are a part of this country, but it looks like the government feels that we arent." (The Kaminitz Law imposes stricter sanctions on illegal construction, thus targeting especially construction violations in the Arab and Druze communities.)

He said the struggle will not end until there is a significant change in the governments attitude toward the Druze. 2020 is a year of change as far as we are concerned. The Jewish community is with us. We want to toss out all those five-year plans and makeshift budgets once and for all. We want them to include the budget for the Druze community in the state budget, so that we dont have to keep coming back to plead for money like a bunch of beggars. We are more Israeli than the Israelis. We are the flesh and blood of this land. We fight its wars. We are an integral part of it. That's why we decided that this time we will protest without any time limits. It will be the fight of our lives. Its now or never.
A Sinn Fein councillor participated in a three-hour county council meeting via video conferencing app Zoom, while driving a 325km round trip to Dublin.

Councillor Brendan Barry, from Drumshambo, Co Leitrim, could be seen driving on screen for up to two hours of the meeting.

When contacted by the Irish Independent, Mr Barry confirmed he had taken part in the online meeting and was driving but felt there was not an issue with it.

Mr Barry, a farmer, said he had a valid reason to drive to Dublin as he was bringing a relative for a hospital appointment.

"I suppose I was able to listen in on what was happening and still be at the meeting. It was very useful," he said. "I would have a very necessary reason why I had to be driving. There isn't an issue with it is there?"

When it was suggested video calling while driving is dangerous, Mr Barry conceded "all right", but insisted he didn't believe it to be a problem.

"Well, I didn't realise there was an issue with it whatsoever because I wasn't touching the phone. The phone was on a mount. And it wouldn't affect my driving because I was listening on an earpiece, which is normal on a call.

He insisted: "I didn't realise there would be an issue with it whatsoever."

Mr Barry said he was bringing a relative to a hospital appointment and his trip was necessary and unavoidable.

At the end of the meeting Mr Barry was due to table a motion in relation to planning permission for one-off housing in Leitrim but his connection failed.

Councillors repeatedly attempted to contact him to reconnect his video chat but the meeting heard he was having trouble with coverage.

The meeting was attended at different times by 27 people - up to 24 of whom were fellow councillors.

Despite seeing Mr Barry manoeuvring the steering wheel and driving while trees, buildings and even a Dublin Bus flew past in the background, no councillor addressed the situation.

Mr Barry rarely looked directly at the screen but engaged frequently with the progress of the meeting. At different times, he gave a thumbs up and raised his hand.

When it came for Mr Barry's turn to table a motion at the end of the video call, his audio connection also failed. By this time he seemed to have pulled in and had spent over a minute trying to adjust his screen.

A councillor who took part in the meeting burst out laughing when contacted by the Irish Independent afterwards.

"You're not serious. I didn't realise he was driving. I certainly knew he was in the car but I thought he was pulled in when he was talking.

"I work close enough with him and find him sound. He's not a bad lad. The people around Ballinamore seem to like him. He did well in the last election.

"We have attempted this (online meetings) a few times and he certainly was in the car the last time, but he was pulled in then I thought. He must like that car."

He added: "Please don't waste the opportunity to highlight the problems of planning permission in Leitrim though."
The coronavirus crisis is still far from its culmination, both in Europe and in the world, but many politicians and commentators - and, no doubt, citizens - have already realized that the European Union has failed in this matter and that its negligence can lead to the collapse of the EU

The coronavirus crisis is still far from its culmination, both in Europe and in the world, but many politicians and commentators - and, no doubt, citizens - have already realized that the European Union has failed in this matter and that its negligence can lead to the collapse of the EU. Although the first statement can still be accepted, the second is still erroneous. So, what will coronavirus mean in the short and medium-term for the European Union?

In connection with the coronavirus, the media and political funeral of the European Union might have occurred too early, even before all European governments realized that coronavirus is not a very strong flu. The Russian, American or British press did not hide the grief due to the slow and awkward reaction of the European Union - even last week it speculated that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson could become infected from the EU negotiator regarding Brexit, Michel Barnier, but the capitals also expressed criticism members. Of course, it was Rome, as well as Vienna and Prague. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, rhetorically trying to defend, for example, the free internal Schengen borders, was perhaps the most ridiculed politician in Europe on some days of March.

So the European Union project failed? The answer depends on what we consider the European Union. If, as politicians do in the domestic arena, we restrict it to supranational Brussels institutions, such as the European Commission or the European Parliament, then the union has by no means failed. Bodies in which representatives of Member States do not make decisions, do not have any executive authority to act in the event of such events, remained. The European Commission does not represent the Government of the European Union with the aim of declaring a state of emergency. The European Parliament is not a parliament that can authorize the government to proclaim or continue measures to overcome this crisis.

Nevertheless, the assertion that the European Union has failed has nevertheless been grounded. The European Union is not just the European Commission. The European Union is the Member States and their ability to host and coordinate their activities on accessible platforms. And states could work better in this. The coronavirus crisis could not be solved centrally in the European Union. The idea that the European Commission has several secret giant hangars with curtains, respirators, and fans, not only goes beyond the legal capabilities of the commission but also goes beyond the real possibilities of any considerations of any headquarters of a quasi-federal unit. But intergovernmental coordination and communication could be much better. The European Commission also did not sabotage the recent European Council video summit at which states could, if they wished so, agree to create European bonds in order to offset the effects of the crisis on the economies of member states.

Federation or disintegration?

The assertion that Brussels failed must be correct, the interstate parts of European integration have failed. Passionate Eurosceptics, apparently, would also not have a smile on their faces, because if interstate agreements do not work, what else can work in the European Union? However, after the initial shock, which, incidentally, was received and also suffered by various bodies of national states, the European Union platform proved to be a fairly effective international regime. The states conduct dialogue and debate together, despite disagreements on some issues, avoiding more serious conflicts, and trying to find joint solutions. Examples are collaboration on the repatriation of citizens or the offer of hospital beds for patients in more affected countries. This proves that European integration is built on a solid foundation.

European integration has overcome a number of crises - even in its ancient past, when, for example, France boycotted the actions of the institutions of the European Communities for six months in the 1960s. In the era of Charles de Gaulle. Moreover, the coronavirus crisis is not its problem, it wasnt caused by integration. If someone claims that this is a tax for the Schengen area and free borders, he turns a blind eye to the fact that the disease has spread dynamically and also spreads to countries outside of Schengen. The assertion that viruses know no boundaries is trivial, but the repeated tendency of some former or current politicians to free such genies from very unsightly bottles does not stop repeating this.

However, thinking about the impact of the crisis on European integration is logical. In academia, European integration is often explained by the theory of historical institutionalism.

It briefly argues that the behavior of institutions or political processes is firmly rooted in models that have been established in the past and that determine current and future decisions. Thanks to these formulas, it is difficult to radically change something, especially political institutions that create their own memory, generate their own interests, and are resistant to fundamental reforms. On the other hand, in historical events, there are so-called critical crossroads that open the way for new solutions and new opportunities. But the coronavirus crisis cannot be called a crossroad - because of it, the European Union will not turn into a more rigid and centralized bloc and will not break up. Changes will happen anyway. However, this might be a change that the virus would make to the integration. Coronavirus only accelerates and exacerbates it.

First, why the European Union will not become more centralized or break up due to the crisis. Member States do not want any of these scenarios. And it is precisely the states that continue to remain the main subjects of the European integration, the privileged position of which affirmed the name kings of treaties. They will remain after the crisis, they will become the mouths of the politicians who now stand behind them. Since no government of any member state faces a public challenge to its actions - on the contrary, the public massively approves and supports the progress of governments in the European Union, the coronavirus will not cause a political earthquake in domestic politics. And we should not expect cardinal changes from the national politicians in terms of focusing attention on political priorities and decisions. The European Commission, even if it were stronger and more confident than under the leadership of Ursula von der Leyen, does not have any options for centralizing the union after the crisis.

The future is diverse

So what will post-crisis European integration look like? Due to the fact that this is in the hands of Member States, it will be diverse and different. For centuries, European Union demonstrates different rates of integration. In the end, the mentioned Schengen has never touched all countries, which also applies to another key element of the European Union, namely the Eurozone. We might expect that further enhanced cooperation will revolve around it. This could be easily done without interfering with the Lisbon Treaty, the fundamental right of European integration. Member States have demonstrated the ability to conclude intergovernmental agreements using the institutions and framework of European integration several times. States that want to work more closely in one place or another will do so without the consent or participation of all. It can even be assumed that, due to the crisis, the especially wealthy Western European states will not want to constantly argue with everyone with politicians such as Viktor Orban, who, in addition, abuses the crisis to further strengthen the illiberalism in the Hungarian political system.

Decision-making practice regarding European integration is traditionally based on hyper-consensus. And this is likely to turn into a regime where collaboration and participation become more voluntary and flexible. Do you want to collaborate and adhere to certain standards? Okay. If not, then do not stay flexible without financial injections from the union. This is not about megalomaniac and bizarre projects, such as building a federal Europe or a European person, which is often intimidating by Eurosceptics, but about specific measures, such as strengthening the protection of the external borders of the European Union or, ultimately, creating other mechanisms for the European Union to respond to the crisis type Covid-19.

In light of the foregoing, a few words should be said about a possible Czech position. It wont be in flying colors. The current reaction of Czech politics and its understanding of European integration in the context of the coronavirus crisis does not cause much optimism. Prime Minister Andrei Babish sharply criticizes the union itself, appealing that there is no support. Thus, he himself casts a shadow over recent legal disputes regarding the corrupt distribution of EU subsidies in favor of his companies. The President of the Czech Republic continues to adhere to his pro-Russian and pro-Chinese positions. Thanks and praising them for their support, while criticizing the European Union for inaction. These events can throw the Czech Republic to the periphery of Europe, as a whole it will not affect especially for the EU, but for the Czech Republic, this is a loss of position in the European community and transformation into a kind of Hungary.

Petr Kaniok

Read the original text at Hospodarske noviny
A 49-year-old man has been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to a downtown Birmingham bank robbery.

U.S. District Judge Annemarie Axon sentenced James Earl Crenshaw to 100 months  more than eight years - in prison.

The holdup happened in September 2019 at Wells Fargo Bank in the 300 block of 18th Street South. Police said Crenshaw enter the bank and presented a note demanding money. After threatening the teller, he fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. No one was injured.

Investigators issued a look-out bulletin throughout the city and beyond. They learned the suspect was taken into custody by Bessemer police officers on Academy Drive.

Crenshaw in January pleaded guilty to one count of robbing a federally insured bank. The FBI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Britteny Bucak prosecuted.

Those who rob banks and threaten the lives of innocent employees are exactly the violent criminals we will remove from free society and relocate to prison, said U.S. Attorney Jay Town. Crenshaw will have plenty of time to reflect on his dangerous actions while sitting in a federal prison cell.

Thanks to the great cooperative work between the FBI and our local partners, said FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp Jr., Crenshaw is off the street and wont be able to threaten innocent lives for years to come.
Twenty-eight years ago, Angella Mudd started into nursing because she liked helping people and the excitement that each new patient brought. Now, the Air Force lieutenant colonel is in New York City battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

A reservist, Mudd lives in Fulshear and typically works as an emergency room nurse at Houston Methodist West Hospital. She said as she watched what was going on in New York City and the amount of people sickened, she was not surprised when she was called up. Around 9:30 p.m. April 4, the Air Force called to let her know that they needed her in New Jersey by 12 hours later. Once in New York City, she began operating in two roles.

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You have the hat of a leader, but you also have the hat of a nurse. So I work as a chief nurse for the nurses that are in this mobilization, and theres about maybe 175, Mudd said. And then I also function as a nurse in one of the local hospitals, and I work in their emergency room.

Having never been to New York City before, she has now visited Times Square midday and said it is kind of eerie to see the place that would usually have thousands of people roaming about but now only a couple hundred around.

The wife and mom of four said this has been a tough mission for her family because they barely had any notice or time to process it.

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Readjusted model forecasts thousands of additional COVID-19 deaths in Texas

It was definitely a shock for my family because every time Ive deployed, even when I deployed to the Middle East, I had six months to a year notice, so I was able to prepare, Mudd said. My family wasnt able to prepare for this, which is good and bad. You dont have time to grieve.

She had previously thought the media had been blowing up what was really going on, that the situation couldnt really be that bad. However, seeing what was actually going on in the nations largest city stunned her.

And when I came here and when I saw what the reality of it was, it was then that I realized the news isnt even telling remotely what the true story really was. They werent lying, but they didnt  they may have not even known how bad it really was, she said.

Mudd said seeing the excellent levels of care by her fellow workers has been powerful. She is inspired by watching doctors and nurses go the extra mile for their patients, who they may not be able to necessarily help otherwise, and ensure that their phones are charged so that they can at least hear from their families, who are not allowed to visit them in the hospital.

MORE FROM TRACY MANESS: Houston experts discuss staying mentally healthy during COVID-19 pandemic

Its important that somehow these people stay in touch, even if they have a tube into their lungs, where they cant breathe on their own, Mudd said. If theyre awake, if we can dial the number and have the family talk to them, it means so much.

Coming from Texas, she had the opportunity to help one particular man who wanted someone to call his wife, but nobody on staff spoke Spanish. Earlier in the day, the patient had left work and gone to the ER because he wasnt feeling well. Without that call, his wife may not have known that he was lying in a hospital bed intubated and on life support.

It was really a sad situation, and it ended up being okay, Mudd said.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

She said that the situation in New York City has been emotional. An angry, sloppy crier by her own admission, she sometimes weeps over what she sees and for the family she misses back home.

She appreciates interacting every day with different people in nursing and the opportunity to leave a positive impact and impression on patients lives. And I like for people to walk away and go, Wow. Shes affected me. Im glad that she was in my life, Mudd said.

Mudd joined the Air Force at nearly 40 years old and has been enlisted for 11 years. Inspired by her oldest daughter, now 27, who was moving out to follow her dreams, Mudd decided to apply for the Air Force. Her family sort of laughed at her, but her husband accompanied her to every recruitment interview. When she finally was accepted, the couple had a spat about it because he confessed that he had gone only because he figured she was too old and would never be chosen, she said.

But these days, it is a family effort with her away. Her 19-year-old daughter steps up as the mother figure, keeping things clean and in order and also helping with her 13-year-old brothers learning at home because of the pandemic. Their 23-year-old brother helps with math because he is studying engineering and construction.

Mudds orders are typically for six months. She considers serving the United States and the people of New York City a great honor.

This mission, while it hasnt been named yet and it hasnt been called humanitarian mission yet, theres no greater gift that were able to give than the care and the compassion that we provided, she said.

tracy.maness@hcnonline.com
Optimistically, I feel that by September or October, [tourism] could all start anew, but I may be too optimistic, said Giorgia Tozzi, 48, the manager of Hotel Vilon in Rome, which depends mostly on foreign clients. Until theres a cure or a vaccine, or until people will be certain that by coming to Italy they wont fall sick or risk it  or that they can then go back home  itll be difficult for them to make the trip.
Canadian Armed Forces members (clockwise from top left) Sub-Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough, Capt. Brenden MacDonald, Capt. Kevin Hagen, Capt. Maxime Miron-Morin, Master Cpl. Matthew Cousins and Sub-Lt. Matthew Pyke are shown in a Department of National Defence handout photos. All were aboard a Cyclone helicopter which crashed into the Ionian Sea off the coast of Greece on April 29. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Department of National Defence)

Forces Members Killed in Helicopter Crash Honoured in Ramp Ceremony

TRENTON, Ont.A nation already struggling with the emotions of a pandemic lockdown, a horrific plane crash in Iran and the worst mass shooting in its history grieved again on Wednesday as it honoured the victims of Canadas worst military tragedy in more than a decade.

Canadians from coast to coast to coast watched as the six Armed Forces members killed in last weeks helicopter crash off the coast of Greece were welcomed home in a special ramp ceremony at Canadian Forces Base Trenton in Ontario.

The crash, the cause of which remains under investigation, represents the largest loss of life in one day for the Canadian Armed Forces since six Canadian soldiers were killed in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan on Easter Sunday 2007.

Reminders of COVID-19 were everywhere as the ceremony began, from the sparse crowd outside CFB Trenton to the masks and physical distancing of the victims families, military personnel and government leaders on hand.

Among those there in person were Gov.-Gen. Julie Payette and Justin Trudeau, the first Canadian prime minister to attend a ramp ceremony since Paul Martin in January 2004, according to Queens University professor Kim Nossal.

The pandemic wasnt the only difference from previous ramp ceremonies, which started in their modern form during the decade-long war in Afghanistan. There were also the pillows and military headdresses, a reminder that the remains of most of those lost have not been recovered.

Under partially cloudy skies, six hearses were lined up on the tarmac awaiting the arrival of the C-17 Globemaster as the families of the dead and missing Forces members met privately with a mask-wearing Trudeau in a building on the edge of the tarmac.

A short time later, the heavy transport aircraft landed and taxied to the loading area, preparing to discharge its precious cargo to those families and a grieving nation.

The first to emerge was the casket of Sub-Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough, the 23-year-old sailor from Halifax whose remains were recovered shortly after the Cyclone helicopter crashed into the Ionian Sea on April 29 while returning from a NATO training mission.

The casket bearing her remains was slowly carried from the Globemasters hulking belly by eight military pallbearers wearing masks to a waiting hearse as a lone bagpiper played a lament. There Cowbroughs family was given a chance to pay respects and lay roses on her casket.

And then came the first of the pillows for those now missing and presumed dead. This one bore the headdress of Capt. Brendan Ian MacDonald of New Glasgow, N.S., one of the pilots on board the Cyclone helicopter known as Stalker 22.

A lone Air Force member carried the pillow and hat to a hearse as the bagpiper started to play again, the pillow-bearers lonely form a striking contrast to the eight pallbearers who moments before carried Cowbroughs casket across the same stretch of grey tarmac.

As the pillow was placed in the hearse, MacDonalds family came forward, roses in hand.

Then more pillows and headdresses. One for Capt. Kevin Hagen of Nanaimo, B.C., the other pilot on board. One for Capt. Maxime Miron-Morin, the Cyclones air combat systems officer from Trois-Rivieres, Que. One for Sub-Lt. Matthew Pyke, a naval warfare officer from Truro, N.S.

And then the last, for Master Cpl. Matthew Cousins, Stalker 22s airborne electronic sensor operator, originally from Guelph, Ont.

After a few minutes, the families climbed into waiting limousines that followed the hearses out of CFB Trenton, past a column of saluting troops before starting the traditional voyage west down the Highway of Heroes toward a forensics centre in Toronto.

The federal and Ontario governments had asked because of COVID-19 that people stay home during the traditional procession between CFB Trenton and the Ontario coroners office where all military remains repatriated during and since the Afghanistan war have been taken.

Yet many were expected to turn up on overpasses along the route to hang flags and offer a silent tribute as the six hearses and their police escort drove south past Cobourg and Port Hope, Newcastle and Bowmanville before entering Oshawa and the Greater Toronto Area.

In Halifax, Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil noted three of the victims were residents of his province and they made us all proud.

This has been a difficult time in our province and we offer our condolences to their families, he said. Let us remind ourselves today to take a moment to mourn their loss and honour their legacy. They served their country, they served this province and we will be forever grateful.

While the identification of one other set of remains and military services still await, attention is now expected to shift back to the cause of the Cyclone crash.

A flight-investigation team that includes a representative from Sikorsky Aircraft, which builds the Cyclone, is currently investigating the circumstances around the crash. That includes interviewing those aboard the Halifax-class frigate HMCS Fredericton who saw the crash.

The helicopters flight-data and cockpit-voice recorders were recovered and are back in Canada for analysis.

The Defence Department says a team that includes social workers and military chaplains has been deployed to Italy to provide mental health support to Frederictons crew, who have been allowed to communicate with loved ones back home.

The Cyclone was deployed with the Halifax-based HMCS Fredericton to Europe in January, where they had been attached to a NATO maritime force tasked with patrolling the Mediterranean and Black seas.

Cyclones are primarily based on naval vessels and used for hunting submarines, surveillance and search and rescue. They entered operational service _ replacing the militarys ancient Sea Kingsin 2018 after more than a decade of developmental challenges.
New York state will team up with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to "reimagine education" by using innovative technology in the wake of the disruption of in-person schooling by the coronavirus pandemic, Governor Andrew Cuomo has said.

New York, the worst-hit US state, has over 321,190 confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 25,000 deaths. The US has recorded more than 71,000 fatalities and over 12 lakh COVID-19 cases -- both highest in the world.

Schools and colleges across New York will remain closed for the remainder of the academic year. As New York begins to develop plans to reopen schools and colleges around September for the new academic session, the state and the Gates Foundation will consider what should look like in the future.

"It's not about just reopening schools. When we reopen schools, let's open a better school and let's open a smarter system," Cuomo said at his daily coronavirus briefing on Tuesday.

He said the state will be working with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on this project.

"The last few months have been an incredibly stressful time full of change, but we have to learn and grow from this situation and make sure we build our systems back better than they were before," Cuomo said.

"One of the areas we can really learn from is because the old model of our education system where everyone sits in a classroom is not going to work in the new normal. When we do reopen our schools let's reimagine them for the future," he said.

The Governor said through the collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the state will explore "smart, innovative education alternatives using all the new technology we have at our disposal".

"Bill Gates in a visionary in many ways and his ideas and thoughts on technology and education, he's spoken about it for years, but I think we now have a moment in history where we can actually incorporate and advance those ideas, Cuomo said.

The collaboration will look at how technology can be used to provide more opportunities to students no matter where they are, how shared education can be provided among schools and colleges using technology, how technology can reduce educational inequality, including English as a new language students.

The project will also look at using technology to meet educational needs of students with disabilities, providing educators more tools to use technology and given ongoing socially distancing rules, how can classroom technology can be deployed, like immersive cloud virtual classrooms learning, to recreate larger class or lecture hall environments in different locations.

The state will bring together a group of leaders to answer these questions in collaboration with the Gates Foundation, who will support New York State by helping bring together national and international experts, as well as provide expert advice as needed.

Earlier this month, Cuomo had announced that schools and colleges in the state will remain closed for the rest of the academic year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to provide distance learning to students during that time, a decision that will impact nearly 4.2 million students statewide.

New York state school system includes 700 public school districts, 4,800 schools, 1,800 private schools, 89 State University of New York and City University of New York campuses and 100 private campuses for a total of 4.2 million students.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Markets found firmer ground on Wednesday after two sessions of losses as investors made a cautious return to some recently-battered banking, finance and auto counters.

Dismal macroeconomic data and rising concerns over the country's economic outlook amid rising COVID-19 cases capped the gains, traders said.

After swinging over 800 points during the day, the 30-share BSE Sensex closed 232.24 points or 0.74 per cent higher at 31,685.75.

On similar lines, the NSE Nifty rose 65.30 points, or 0.71 per cent, to finish at 9,270.90.

M&M was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, spurting 5.27 per cent, followed by Bajaj Finance, HDFC Bank, Bharti Airtel, ICICI Bank, Hero MotoCorp and HDFC.

On the other hand, ITC cracked 5.81 per cent. HUL, TCS, Titan and Infosys too ended in the red.

According to traders, economic uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, muted corporate earnings and weak macroeconomic data kept investors wary.

India's service sector activity plummeted to a historic low in April amid the coronavirus lockdown.

The IHS Markit India Services Business Activity Index stood at just 5.4 in April, from 49.3 in March -- the most severe contraction in services output since records began in December 2005.

"Markets were volatile as 9,100 levels held out as a key support for the Nifty in a day of mixed gains for its constituents. Financials led the gains, in anticipation of stimulus measures while FMCG, bluechip IT stocks and OMCs disappointed.

"The volatility in the indices is expected to continue as investors look out for trading cues in the form of stimulus measures by the government and global market trends," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research at Geojit Financial Services.

BSE finance, telecom, bankex, auto, basic materials and realty indices climbed up to 2.46 per cent, while FMCG, consumer durables, IT and energy closed lower.

Broader BSE midcap and smallcap indices rose up to 0.78 per cent.

Global equities were mixed as investors tracked the rising coronavirus cases and escalating US-China tensions.

Bourses in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Seoul settled with significant gains, while Tokyo was closed for a holiday.

European markets were trading on a cautious note in early deals.

International oil benchmark Brent crude futures rose 1.65 per cent to USD 31.48 per barrel.

On the currency front, the rupee depreciated 9 paise to close at 75.72 against the US dollar.

In India, the death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 1,694 and the number of cases climbed to 49,391, according to the health ministry.

Globally, the number of coronavirus cases has crossed 36.63 lakh and the death toll has topped 2.57 lakh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Minister  Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung speaks at the Governments regular press briefing on May 5 (Photo: VNA)

At the Governments regular press briefing, the official said other countries have highly valued Vietnams achievements in the COVID-19 prevention and control, thereby helping to promote the people, businesses and international communitys trust in the nation.

Its the fact that Vietnam is one of the reliable destinations with a safe and efficient investment environment, Dung noted.

He also quoted Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc as saying that the Cabinets meeting earlier the same day that sectors and localities need to step up attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) as major partners are moving to change their investment and business strategies so as to disperse risks, especially amid negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Vietnam has emerged as a favourable destination.

The PM also requested ministries, sectors and localities to continue drastically implementing the Governments Resolution 35/NQ-CP and Resolution 02/NQ-CP to strongly improve the business climate and enterprises competitiveness, along with Directive 11/CT-TTg on urgent tasks and solutions to tackle production and business difficulties and ensure social security in response to COVID-19.

Dung said under the PMs directions, social restrictions will be eased gradually so as to bring socio-economic activities back to normal.

PM Phuc ordered achieving the dual target of pandemic control and socio-economic development, noting that as the epidemic has been initially put under control, the focal task now is fostering production and business activities, creating jobs, ensuring peoples lives and promoting growth.

He demanded that Vietnam must obtain a GDP growth rate higher than the IMFs forecast of 2.7 percent, the highest in Southeast Asia, in 2020.

At the Governments meeting, the PM also told sectors and localities to soon devise and carry out plans to recover socio-economic development that match developments of the pandemic in the country and the world, resolutely prevent another outbreak, ensure the supply of essential goods, protect farmers interests, and guarantee food security in any circumstances, Dung added.
City councillors in Mississauga did a good and generous thing last week when they gave permission for local mosques to broadcast the evening call to prayer during the month of Ramadan.

It was a simple yet meaningful gesture at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic makes it impossible for Muslims to gather together physically at their places of worship. People need comfort and familiarity during this difficult time, Mayor Bonnie Crombie said by way of explanation.

That should have been the end of it. But, as the saying goes, no good deed goes unpunished. For their trouble, councillors were subjected to a barrage of abuse on social media, so much so that they felt they had to revisit the issue on Wednesday.

To their credit, they reaffirmed their decision to allow an exemption to noise bylaws during Ramadan this year. Muslims who arent able to go to their mosque can hear the evening call to prayer, or Azan, broadcast through loudspeakers.

It would, of course, have been quite wrong to back down in the face of the complaints, even under the guise of consulting further with various parts of the community.

Allowing a temporary exemption from a noise bylaw for a few weeks, for a call to prayer that lasts less than five minutes, is just the decent thing to do at a time when everyone is trying to make the best of a tough time.

Many other cities have done the same thing  Toronto, Hamilton, Brampton, Ottawa and Windsor among them. Halifax and Edmonton, too.

In Europe, Germany and the Netherlands have also allowed amplified prayers during Ramadan to ease the pain of Muslims denied permission to get together in person at a time when family and community gatherings are most important.

The good news is that this has been, for the most part and in most places, quite uncontroversial. In Toronto, city staff simply decided on their own to make an exemption from noise bylaws until the end of Ramadan on May 24.

Nor should it be controversial. Church bells can be heard every Sunday, and anyone complaining about those would rightly be considered an intolerant crank. And everyone, of every religious persuasion or none at all, must put up with weeks of Christmas music everywhere they turn from Halloween to the end of year.

Yet somehow, for some people, the prospect of hearing the sunset call to prayer from a mosque is apparently intolerable. An open letter circulating online called hearing the Muslim call to prayer a violation of human rights and even suggested it might trigger PTSD in veterans who fought in Afghanistan or Iraq. It garnered thousands of signatures in support.

In Brampton, the chair of a school council, Ravi Hooda by name, used the occasion to tweet insulting comments about Muslims (for that Peel Region School Board booted him from his position). And a column in the Toronto Sun sounded an alarm about Sharia-Bolsheviks who want to change our society permanently.

Its worth noting, though, that this loud and intolerant minority is far from the complete picture. The Interfaith Council of Peel, a group of religious leaders ranging from Buddhists to Unitarians, supported Mississaugas decision with these words: Rather than thinking of this simple action as divisive or favouring one group over another, may it be a reminder that members of our community are deeply missing each other.

Thats about the size of it. Allowing a temporary exemption to a noise bylaw, at what all agree is a time of unprecedented challenges, threatens no one and takes away nothing from any community.

If we are truly, as the current slogan goes, all in this together, we can start by abandoning needless suspicion and doing what we can to make life a little better for our fellow citizens  of whatever background.

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Spitting saliva, gutka, or tobacco in public places across Noida and Greater Noida has been prohibited and violation of this ban can attract a penalty of Rs 500 for first-time offenders and Rs 1,000 for repeat offenders, according to orders issued to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Noida: Spitting saliva, gutka, or tobacco in public places across Noida and Greater Noida has been prohibited and violation of this ban can attract a penalty of Rs 500 for first-time offenders and Rs 1,000 for repeat offenders, according to orders issued to contain the spread of coronavirus.

The orders were issued by the Noida Authority and Greater Noida Authority, a day after the Uttar Pradesh government passed a similar order to prohibit spitting in public places amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

"With an objective to contain the spread of COVID-19, it is directed that spitting, or spitting gutka or tobacco in public places is prohibited. Any violation of the order will attract a penalty of Rs 500 for first-time offenders and Rs 1,000 for repeat offenders," Noida Authority Chief Executive Officer Ritu Maheshwari stated in the order.

The officer noted that some germs found in spit can survive up to 24 hours and the saliva of any ill person can, therefore, infect others with COVID-19. Besides the virus, such germs can also cause infections like influenza, tuberculosis, hepatitis, pneumonia, Maheshwari said.

Around three dozen officials of the Noida Authority, including those from the Health Department, have been authorised to issue challans to the offenders, the order said.

"The directive would continue to be in force until there are clear instructions for its withdrawal," the officer said.

A similar order was issued by the Greater Noida Authority.

"Spitting (saliva), or spitting gutka and tobacco in public places is prohibited. Offenders will have to pay a fine of Rs 500 for the first time, while repeat offenders will have to pay a fine of Rs 1,000, it said in a statement.

Meanwhile, three offenders were penalised by Health Department officials on Tuesday, a Noida Authority official said. A penalty of Rs 500 each were issued to the offenders who were found spitting in public places near the Noida stadium in Sector 21A, Kakrala, and Nangla villages, the official said.

Earlier on 3 May, the district police also announced that spitting in public places will attract a fine and punishment while noting that not wearing a mask outdoors will be considered a punishable offence.

Adjoining Delhi, Noida is part of Gautam Buddh Nagar district in western Uttar Pradesh, which has recorded 192 COVID-19 positive cases so far and falls in the red zone vis a vis the COVID-19 outbreak, according to official figures till Tuesday evening.
Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon (C) arrives at Beijing's airport ahead of the Belt and Road Forum, April 25, 2019.

Chinas foreign policy has increasingly weakened democratic institutions in at least 20 countries throughout Central Europe and Central Asia, weakening oversight and bolstering the power of authoritarian leaders, a new U.S. think tank report said Wednesday.

While Chinas international engagement is often less directly confrontational  it nevertheless has an insidious effect on the development and functioning of democratic institutions in the region, Washington-based Freedom House said in its Nations in Transit 2020, an annual report on democratic governance in 29 countries spanning Central Europe, the Balkans, and Eurasia.

According to Freedom House, the ruling Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) influence campaign is focused on the twin goals of expanding Chinas influence abroad and promoting a positive image of the country globally.

In doing so, Chinas diplomatic corps tailors its approach to each individual country, the report said, exploiting institutional weaknesses and surreptitiously embedding itself into corrupt political and economic structures.

The aggregate impact of these measures is the further degradation of good governance, transparency, and the rule of law, and the creation of additional avenues for predatory, local political elites to remain in power and further bend the system to their advantage, it said.

In particular, Freedom House highlighted Chinas focus on technology and surveillance, noting that Chinese tech giant Huawei has signed a Safe City Agreement with governments in 10 of Nations in Transits 29 countrieseach of which suffers from poor governance and serious corruption.

Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have rolled out around 1,000 cameras in public spaces to monitor events, while in Serbiawhich uses Huaweis facial and license-plate recognition systemspolice officers have taken part in joint exercises with Chinese counterparts to learn how to disable terrorists.

These partnerships raise concerns that Chinas increasing reach could strengthen authoritarian-minded leaders, contributing to repression and diminishing democratic governance and active civil society, the report said.

Even in democracies, experts point to vulnerabilities that can be exploited by the Chinese authorities, as Chinese technologies are integrated into the surveillance sector.

Media and debt diplomacy

Freedom House also noted that China is also expanding its influence in the region through the media, with Chinese authorities intervening to promote the CCPs preferred narratives, suppress critical viewpoints, and manage content delivery systems.

In Central and Eastern European countries, Chinese diplomats have been given free rein to publish misleading op-eds that push a pro-China narrative, the report said.

Lastly, China has worked to gain influence in the region through a strategy of what Freedom House called debt diplomacy, or providing funds to impoverished and infrastructurally weak countries through methods that create political dependency.

Chinas advantage in the region is its ability to grant loans with few strings attachedas compared to the EU, which has more stringent guidelines for loaning and paying back financial support, the report said.

As a result, foreign-held debt in the region is increasingly found in the hands of the Chinese government.

Freedom House noted that Tajikistan, Montenegro, and North Macedonia owe 41, 39, and 20 percent of their debt, respectively, to China. In April 2020, Kyrgyzstanwhich owes as much as two-fifths of its foreign debt to Chinas Eximbankwas forced to ask for debt relief amidst fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

All of these strategies weaken avenues for democratic oversight, and provide authoritarians and authoritarians-to-be with tools and incentives to overstay their time in power, the report said of Chinas tactics in the region.

[Chinas] corrosive influence can and should be countered, but financial investment and political deals only go so far. Ultimately, its sharp power will only have less potential to penetrate if democratic stakeholders focus on backstopping the regions democratic institutions.
Seventy-eight years ago this week, (May 48, 1942) the United States Navy, despite being outnumbered and outgunned, repelled a large Japanese invasion fleet in the Battle of the Coral Sea, just east and north of Australia. It was the first naval battle in history in which the opposing fleets never came within sight of each other. All of the fighting was done when aircraft from both opposing fleets attacked the other's ships and planes.

That distinction (of being first) is often credited to the later, and more famous, Battle of Midway, but it rightly belongs to the brave men who fought, many of whom died, in the Coral Sea.

Because of the courage and sacrifice of undaunted American warriors, two Japanese aircraft carriers were put out of action, with a third, smaller Japanese carrier sunk. However, there was a great cost. The United States lost the aircraft carrier USS Lexington and two other ships, with heavy loss of life. At the time, the Allies regarded the battle as a disappointing defeat, but history was to reveal a brighter outcome.

Had the U.S. lost the battle, it likely might have lost the subsequent Battle of Midway, opening the path to a Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbor and even the U.S. mainland. Instead, the USS Yorktown, significantly damaged in the Coral Sea, managed to return to Pearl Harbor in time to be repaired and fight, and to sink two of the four carriers that the Japanese lost at Midway.

Why should we commemorate this battle this month? Few, if any, of the men who fought there have survived the intervening years. Twenty-year-old sailors in 1942 are ninety-eight this year. With their passage, living memory of the event will have vanished, and the events of those few days of blood and fire will, as do all such events, vanish into the pages of history books. We will have lost the last personal connection with it, and with them.

There is the proverbial poem, For Want of a Nail (the kingdom was lost), which also brings to mind a saying I am sure someone must have authored: "All wars are won or lost by a single soldier." Many times, throughout history, one, or very few, warriors stood their ground, when others would have fled the battle; these few turned the tide from defeat to victory. History was altered. So it was at Coral Sea.

We may never know the full story. At Coral Sea, pilots took off from their carriers, some never to return, never to be seen or heard from again. It is known that they encountered the enemy, because enemy pilots also were lost at that time, in that area. One American pilot, his dive bomber severely damaged, radioed in to report that his bomb had hit an enemy ship. He wanted it to be known, before he died, not only to get personal credit, but more so that an enemy aircraft carrier had suffered significant damage and need not be feared.

Coral Sea represents the horseshoe nail that the Japanese Empire lost. It led to a sequence of events that, despite enormous losses of life for the Allies, prevented the Japanese assault on Australia, severed its threat to Hawaii and California, and finally resulted in the Japanese surrender.

By commemorating such acts of heroism, we turn to the imminent, next pages of history, yet blank, that will be written in the future about our present-day warriors.
A study of female astronauts has assessed the risk of blood clots associated with spaceflight.

The study, published in Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance, in collaboration with King's College London, the Centre for Space Medicine Baylor College of Medicine, NASA Johnson Space Centre and the International Space University, examines the potential risk factors for developing a blood clot (venous thromboembolism) in space.

The findings, which looked at 38 female astronaut flights between 2000 and 2014, found spaceflight and combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP) use does not appear to increase the risk of venous thromboemoblism (VTE).

Dr Varsha Jain, lead author of the study from King's College London and a Wellbeing of Women Clinical Research Fellow at the Medical Research Council Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh, said: "The first episode of an astronaut developing a blood clot in space was reported earlier this year. It is unknown how spaceflight impacts the risk of an astronaut developing a blood clot. This study aimed to look specifically at the potential blood clot developing risks for female astronauts during spaceflight. We wanted to understand if their use of the hormonal contraceptive pill for menstrual cycle control, increased that risk."

Developing a VTE in space is life threatening and potentially a mission critical risk. The risk may have been further increased by COCP use, however as female astronauts are more fit and healthy than general population, their risk remains low.

The study, which is the first of its kind, proposes more blood tests be carried out during astronaut selection and during medical reviews. There are points during pre-mission training and during spaceflight, such as particular training activities, which may briefly increase the risk of developing a blood clot, and the authors recommend a review of these.

Finally, the study advises a more holistic approach to be taken for contraceptive agent prescribing as women from all professions, including astronauts, may wish to control their menstrual cycles and occupation related risks should be considered during a risk review.

Dr Jain said: "There may be possible time points in an astronaut's pre-mission training or during the space mission itself where blood clot risk may potentially be transiently increased. Due to the potentially life-threatening nature of blood clots, we would advise further targeted research in this area to further understand how an astronaut's risk of developing a blood clot is altered by spaceflight."

Dr Virginia Wotring, associate Professor at the International Space University and senior author of the study, said: "We see a need for continuing studies with female astronauts. Much of the previous biomedical research in space was conducted on mostly male astronauts, because most of the astronauts were male. That has changed, and now we need to understand how the spaceflight environment impacts female physiology."
Nigerian investigative journalist, Kemi Olunloyo has pulled down the dignity of Linda Ikejis wealth after she made it known on Twitter that the popular blogger is not wealthy as she claims.

Kemi Olunloyo alleged that Linda Ikeji has been cunny all her life, she says the blogger does not have it it all and her car was a gift.

She also alleged that Dudafa gave her N242M Dasuki money she admitted to.

Kemi wrote, LINDA DOESNT HAVE IT ALL. Her son has an identity crisis. She stole Jeremis used condom according to SDK and did IVF. Lied about a surrogate pregnancy, her wealth doesnt exist. Her car a gift, Dudafa gave her N242M Dasuki money she admitted to, nobody knows her in N. America.

See tweet below;

LINDA DOESNT HAVE IT ALL.

Her son has an identity crisis. She stole Jeremis used condom according to SDK and did IVF. Lied about a surrogate pregnancy, her wealth doesnt exist. Her car a gift, Dudafa gave her N242M Dasuki money she admitted to, nobody knows her in N. America https://t.co/PeA9ANYztj  Medical Journalist Dr. Kemi Olunloyo (@KemiOlunloyo) May 5, 2020

The post Kemi Olunloyo says Linda Ikeji is not wealthy as she claims appeared first on .

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The official U.S. unemployment rate for April, due out this Friday, will likely vastly understate job destruction from the coronavirus pandemic, so a pair of economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago set out to create a measure that captures the true extent of labor market losses.

Their estimate: a coronavirus unemployment or 'U-Cov' rate in April of somewhere between 25.1 percent and 34.6 percent.

That's compared to the 16 percent rate forecast by economists polled by Reuters, who also estimate American employers shed more than 20 million jobs last month.

'The official unemployment rate may only capture a fraction of these losses,' Chicago Fed economists Jason Faberman and Aastha Rajan wrote in a blog released Tuesday, describing their proposed U-Cov measure of labor market underutilization.

The researchers showed the previous 'U-Cov' high had been just over 20 percent in the wake of the Great Recession, more than double the 10 percent high registered by the traditional unemployment rate

Many of those newly out of work will not be captured in the traditional U.S. unemployment measure, which counts only those who are out of a job and actively looking for work.

The Labor Department also publishes broader measures to include those working fewer hours than they want to, and people who have looked for work in the past but not recently.

But even such broader measures may miss those who are on unpaid leave and expect to return to their jobs once the crisis has passed, or people who are not searching for jobs because of stay-at-home orders, the Chicago Fed researchers wrote.

Estimates are the monthly percentages of total employed or unemployed (as listed), seasonally adjusted. 'PTER' refers to those who are part-time for economic reasons

'The unique nature of the COVID-19 crisis has led to the furlough of many workers and has also made it difficult for people to look for new work, even if jobs are available,' they said.

'The evidence suggests that employment losses are likely in the tens of millions, but many individuals are finding it hard to actively look or be available for work and therefore be classified as unemployed.'

In charts accompanying the blog, the researchers showed the previous 'U-Cov' high had been just over 20 percent in the wake of the Great Recession, more than double the 10 percent high registered by the traditional unemployment rate.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-07 07:14:11|Editor: huaxia

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ABUJA, May 6 (Xinhua) -- At least 343 Boko Haram militants were killed during various military operations held within six weeks in Nigeria's northeast region, said the defense headquarters on Wednesday.

The operations, which saw key leaders of the Boko Haram group killed by airstrikes, were held between March 18 and May 5.

In a statement made available to Xinhua in Abuja, the defense authorities said several other terrorists suffered various degrees of gunshot wounds.

Among other successes recorded during the military operations, most of the Boko Haram's logistics installations and networks were destroyed, while 16 of their informants and logistics suppliers were arrested within the period, the statement said.

Some Nigerian soldiers also died and others wounded in action, added the statement. Enditem
A Toronto restaurateur and chef is suing his insurance company after it denied his claim for loss of profit because of the COVID-19 pandemic, while a national class-action suit against 10 insurance providers is gaining momentum.

Both hope to inspire more action by small businesses, especially restaurants, to fight back against the insurance industry and get back some of their losses.

Hemant Bhagwani owns multiple restaurants in Toronto, including Fat Rabbit, Goa Indian Farm Kitchen, and Catering Wala, which are named in his lawsuit.

After the government of Ontario declared a state of emergency March 17, Bhagwani filed insurance claims for lost profit, expenses and more under the insurance policies for three of his restaurants.

The insurance company, Allianz Global Risks, denied the claims. Bhagwani filed a lawsuit for the three businesses, and is planning on filing more for his other restaurants.

In all this I realized the insurance companies were not budging, said Bhagwani, who has been in the restaurant business for almost two decades.

Allianz did not respond to a request for comment by press time.

The policies for these three businesses state that they cover losses sustained as a result of damages caused by order of civil authority to retard or prevent a conflagration or other catastrophe, said Bhagwani.

He said the insurance companies are claiming that the pandemic and the closure have not caused damage to the properties. He thinks the companies are taking advantage of small print to deny businesses their insurance, which he says is not right.

Bhagwani is suing for damages equal to loss of profit up to 12 months, 90 days of payroll expenses and $200,000 in punitive damages. He wants to regain enough money to keep him, his businesses, and his more than 600 employees afloat. His business rents alone total $700,000 per month. He said hes been offered a few deferrals, but no relief.

Bhagwani heard about others in the restaurant industry who were considering lawsuits for the same reasons but nobody was taking that step, so he decided to take the leap. He hopes others follow.

Restaurants are particularly vulnerable to the economic damages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic due to their high employee counts and slim profit margins, he said.

On April 23, a survey by Restaurants Canada found that one out of every two independent restaurants did not expect to survive the lockdown without an improvement in conditions.

As of early April, one in 10 restaurants in Canada had already permanently closed, according to Restaurants Canada survey data.

Bhagwani said his lawsuit is not entirely about the money.

I hope I can start something, he said. I win or lose, its not the point.

Meanwhile, Regina, Sask.-based Merchant Law Group is launching a national class-action suit against some of the largest insurance companies in Canada for not compensating business owners for lost profits and increased costs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The representative plaintiff of the suit is a restaurant. Principal lawyer Tony Merchant said hes received interest from several other establishments that are particularly vulnerable to the economic side effects of the pandemic, especially restaurants.

Merchant said business closures during the pandemic are cases of business interruption, and its incorrect of insurance companies to argue otherwise.

He said many insurance companies are claiming the pandemic was unprecedented. He disagrees.

This was very foreseeable, he said.
The Birla family, which has been in a 16-year-old legal battle with the Lodhas to wrest control of the Rs 5,000-crore Birla Estate, has decided to challenge the reinstatement of Harsh Vardhan Lodha as a director in MP Birla Group companies in the Supreme Court

Mumbai: The Birla family, which has been in a 16-year-old legal battle with the Lodhas to wrest control of the Rs 5,000-crore Birla Estate, has decided to challenge the reinstatement of Harsh Vardhan Lodha as a director in MP Birla Group companies in the Supreme Court.

The decision of the Birlas comes in spite of a favourable verdict from a two-judge division bench of the Calcutta High Court which on Monday had asked the probate court to hear the appellant MP Birla Group companies afresh, which was one of their key petitions.

A division bench of judges Sambuddha Chakrborty and Arindam Mukherjee had ordered the probate court to hear the appellant companies represented by Arvind Kumar Newar afresh even though they refused to go into the merits of the case as such and the jurisdiction issues, saying it is for the probate court to decide.

"We direct the probate court to consider and decide all the aspects of the matter after giving an opportunity to these appellant companies," the division bench said in a 38-page order on Monday.

When contacted, a Birla family spokesman refused to comment saying the Birlas are studying the verdict in details, but two sources in the know of the family told PTI that "they will move the Supreme Court against the reinstatement of Harsh V Lodha as a director on the board of these companies with remuneration."

Commenting on the division bench order, the spokesman, however, said the order has put an end to the hide and seek that the Lodhas have been playing all these 16 years.

"This is a landmark judgement as it puts the companies also before the probate court for the first time in this one-and-a-half-decade long litigation and accordingly draws the curtains on the hide and seek game being played by the Lodhas and the companies of the MP Birla Group at different fora," the Birla family spokesman told PTI from Kolkata on Wednesday.

However, in a setback for the Birlas, the HC allowed group companies Vindhya Telelinks and Birla Cable to reappoint Lodha as a director if the shareholders approve it, and also pay dividends to the shareholders of Birla Corporation and Vindhya Telelinks.

In another victory for the Lodhas, the court also set aside the 9 August, 2019 ruling of a single HC judge who prevented these companies from publishing the voting results of the last AGMs.

However, the HC also held that the probate court can pass injunction orders against third parties in certain circumstances to protect the estate of the deceased.

Flaying the probate court for not deciding on the jurisdiction issue of the case, the division bench said the court "should have first decided the issue of jurisdiction raised by the Lodhas before granting any interim relief and that the order should have also contained the reasons for granting such relief and thus remanded the matter to the single judge to decide the question of jurisdiction first and accordingly set aside the interim orders."

The genesis of the 16-year-old legal row between the MP Birla Group companies represented by Newar and the Lodhas over controlling the over Rs 5,000 crore-Birla Estate lies in the contested will of late Priyamvada Devi Birla, the widow of MP Birla, which was executed in July 1982 after the purported will allegedly transferred the shares of the MP Birla Group, collectively called as the Birla Estate, in favour of the Rajendra Singh Lodha.

The legal tussle began after the 13 July, 1982 mutual wills that gave away all the assets to charities but another will dated 18 April, 1999 gave them to Rajendra Lodha, now being pursued by his son Harsh Lodha, and other heirs of the senior Lodha.

The legal battle got a new twist in July 2019 when in a 2:1 order on 30 July, 2019 the Calcutta HC-appointed three-member administrator's committee (APL panel) headed by retired Bombay HC judge Mohit Shah opposed the board decision of the three listed MP Birla Group companies to re-appoint Harsh Lodha as non-executive chairman.

This forced the Lodhas to challenge the APL order in the High Court saying the board decision should have been above that of the panel which also should have decided unanimously and not by majority.

In its report submitted to the Calcutta HC, the administrator pendente lite (APL) panel, appointed in August 2012, also said it, "does not support payment of commission on net profit to the non-executive chairman of group companies.

Following this, the Lodhas moved the HC first on 2 August and then twice on 5 and 9 August to cancel the AGMs of these companies scheduled for 13 August in Kolkata but the HC gave the go-ahead for the AGMs but asked to withhold the results till the pendency of the case -- which was ordered in favour of the Lodhas on Monday.
C an I book a summer holiday?

A package holiday is the best option because if it doesnt go ahead you should get your money back. Tui is selling trips from June 12, Jet2 from June 17. Having said that, there are bound to be more cancellations as airlines and travel firms remove trips they know will lose money. Until there is some clarity about which flights will operate, I will not be booking.

When is international travel likely to resume?

Five tests need to be passed before you go away on holiday or business. Can you reach the UK airport? Has the Foreign Office removed its warning against all overseas travel? Is there an airline prepared to take you? Will the destination country let you in? Can you tolerate any quarantine rules that are brought in by the UK on your return? The consensus in the travel industry is that some international travel will begin in June.

Should I book a staycation?

If stringent quarantine requirements are introduced by the UK for returning holidaymakers, almost everyone will stay at home. The same applies if Britains high level of Covid-19 means travellers are non grata overseas. My expectation is that in July and August, no more than half the people who normally take a foreign trip will do so, increasing pressure  and prices  for UK holidays. Some holiday cottages and hotels in the UK are offering rooms for later this month.

How will travel be different?

Airlines will require crew and passengers to wear face coverings, although only the crew need anything like proper PPE. Even though the medical jury is out on masks, the aim is for travellers to reduce the chance they might pass on Covid  and to restore confidence. The bosses of Heathrow and Ryanair last week called for temperature checks on entering an airport, with those who fail sent to self-isolate. Airlines hope these measures will allow them to keep selling seats but at reduced capacity.

Hear more from Simon Calder on this episode of The Leader podcast

How much should I expect to get back from holiday insurance if my flight or holiday has not been cancelled yet but I wish to postpone?

Nothing, unless you are in a risk group  over 70 or with a pre-existing medical condition  and have commensurate travel insurance. Otherwise all you can do is ask the travel firm if you can postpone, or transfer the holiday to someone else.
SANTA FE  With New Mexico facing an increasingly gloomy budget situation, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Tuesday that she supports taking more money from the states largest permanent fund to give the state some short-term revenue relief.

The governor has said she expects to call lawmakers back to the Roundhouse for a special session in mid-June to address a drop in revenue that at least one prominent lawmaker has estimated could be as much $2 billion for the coming budget year.

That decline is due to a double whammy of plummeting oil prices and a larger economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Given that backdrop, Lujan Grisham said she would support tapping more heavily  for the next year or two  into the Land Grant Permanent Fund, which is already set to distribute roughly $836 million in the coming budget year for New Mexico public schools and other beneficiaries.

Although she said she hadnt made a specific request to lawmakers, she said some legislators are already discussing the possibility.

I think its an idea that has merit, the governor said, and I expect it to be on the table for the special session.

However, at least one high-ranking lawmaker quickly criticized the proposal.

House GOP floor leader James Townsend of Artesia accused the governor of preferring to steal from New Mexico children than reduce state spending levels.

People across the state are having to tighten their belts, Townsend said in a statement. The governors answer to this problem is to spend more. Her refusal to accept the magnitude of the states fiscal and economic crisis is disturbing.

The Land Grant Permanent Fund is the nations third-largest sovereign wealth fund  behind only the funds run by Texas and Alaska  and was valued at $17.9 billion, as of the end of March.

Past attempts to increase the funds annual 5% distribution rate  based on a rolling, five-year average of the funds total value  for early childhood programs have been stymied in the Senate, where critics say it would diminish the permanent fund for future generations.

Lawmakers did vote this year to establish a $320 million early childhood trust fund, though that money could be diverted to address the states burgeoning budget crunch.

Meanwhile, even if a short-term increase in the Land Grant Permanent Funds distribution rate is approved by a majority of lawmakers in both the House and Senate during a special session, it would still have to win the approval of voters statewide.

The earliest such a proposed constitutional amendment could go on the ballot would likely be in November, when New Mexico holds its general election.



Journal staff writer Dan McKay contributed to this report.
The One Club for Creativity, the worlds leading nonprofit organization supporting the global creative community, announced the appointment of creative legend Bob Isherwood as director of Professional Development.

In the new role, Isherwood will bolster existing club programs such as Creative Leaders Retreats and Executive Creative Summits, and develop a range of new global initiatives focused on professional development for creatives at all levels.

Isherwoods creative career spans more than three decades including 22 years at Saatchi & Saatchi, where he served 11 years as the agencys worldwide creative director and as chair of its worldwide creative board. Under his leadership, the network was consistently ranked one of the most creative in the world, winning more than 8,000 major awards for clients such as P&G and Toyota, for whom Isherwood served as creative director for the global launch of Toyota Prius.

He is an inductee in the Clio Hall of Fame, recipient of the Clio Lifetime Achievement Award and British Design and Art Directors Gold Award for Advertising, and for many years ran the New Directors Showcase at Cannes. Since leaving the agency world, he taught advertising at Vanderbilt University and cofounded Dialog Health, mobile messaging company created to improve patient satisfaction, compliance and adherence in healthcare.

Bobs vision, leadership and pursuit of creative excellence has been an inspiration to thousands of our people around the world, said Kevin Swanepoel, CEO, The One Club. Were thrilled and lucky to have him as a member of the team, where he will raise our Professional Development programming to the next level.

"Education has been my focus for quite a while now, said Isherwood, who served as an Adjunct Professor for six years at Vanderbilt University where developed his own course on Creative Advertising. For the past few years, I've had ongoing discussions with Kevin and Tony (Gulisano) about where the current education system falls short for our industry. That led me to joining the club because we are like minded on the gaps we can fill."

Working closely with Tony Gulisano, The One Club global chief growth officer, Isherwoods first initiative has been to develop a series of Creative Perspectives streaming sessions from top creative thinkers from around the world. The sessions make up nearly a third of the clubs Creative Month 2020 online programming, running free of charge May 4-29.

The One Club for Creativity, producer of The One Show, ADC Annual Awards and Creative Week, is the world's foremost non-profit organization whose mission is to support and celebrate the success of the global creative community. The One Show is a top global awards show for advertising, design and digital marketing, focusing on the creativity of ideas and quality of execution. The global ADC Annual Awards honors creative excellence in craft, design and innovation across all disciplines. Creative Week takes place in New York every May, and is the preeminent festival celebrating the intersection of art and commerce.
Bangladesh has reported 790 new COVID-19 cases, the



highest single-day increase, upping the country's infections to 11,719, while the death toll reached 186 after three more people succumbed to the coronavirus, a senior health official said on Wednesday.

Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Additional Director General (administration) Nasima Sultana said that two of the deceased were over 60 years while one was aged between 41 and 50 years.

Among the deceased, two were males and one was female, the Dhaka Tribune quoted her as saying.

The confirmed cases have jumped to 11,719, as the country recorded the highest single-day jump with 790 more people testing positive in the last 24 hours, the report said.

As many as 6,771 samples were collected in the last 24 hours and of those 6,241 were tested, taking the total number of tests conducted in the country to 99,646, the official said.

A total of 184 people were put under isolation and no new COVID-19 patients recovered in the country in the last 24 hours. The total recovery number stands at 1,403, she added.

On March 8, the health authorities in Bangladesh reported the first case of COVID-19, a severe acute respiratory illness caused by a new strain of coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2.

The deadly virus has infected over 3.67 million people and killed 257,793 people globally, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With the presidential election dominating conversations, Kendall Chan arrived at Emory College of Arts and Sciences in fall 2016 thinking she would major in political science.

Beyond that, she was unsure of what she wanted to become or what she might have to offer. Chan aimed wide to find the answers, attending every lecture or event that caught her eye and immediately volunteering with groups that sent her out into the community.

Those decisions encouraged frank and thoughtful conversations on campus and beyond. They also revealed Chans skill at collecting disparate information and parsing out common attributes  the sort of public policy analysis work she can see herself doing after she graduates on May 11.

If there is a theme to my time at Emory, its been how much Ive learned from the all people around me, says Chan, a double major in history and political science.

I admire people who have the courage to share their perspective because it definitely makes me confident to share where I am coming from, she adds. That space to see someone elses experience makes such a difference for forming ideas.

That productive curiosity  wanting to know and understand different perspectives  stood out to Astrid M. Eckert, an associate history professor who taught Chan in her History of Now seminar focused on connecting current events to postwar Europe. Eckert went on to successfully recommend Chan as a Deans Achievement Scholar and became her history department adviser.

Kendall is the ideal liberal arts student, Eckert says. She has well-considered positions, but that doesnt keep her from questioning them. I never had a meeting with Kendall that it wasnt the highlight of my day.

The pieces fall into place

Each of Chans questions opened doors to new opportunities in understanding social and political concerns. But they were borne out of the frustration when, in high school, she felt she wasnt learning enough about the funding cuts that directly hurt her public school in Raleigh, North Carolina, or hearing more than slogans on immigration policy changes that threatened the Latinas she tutored at a nearby cultural center.

It was that interest in immigrant rights that led her to a campus panel on the Syrian refugee crisis in Germany shortly after she arrived at Emory. Eckert was a featured speaker, having just returned from research in Berlin where she lived next to a refugee center.

Chan was so impressed with Eckerts passion that she made a point to sign up for her seminar, quickly realizing that history would help crack the questions she had.

The same thing happened in the fall of her second year, when Chan attended a lecture featuring Andra Gillespie laying out the link between white supremacy and Confederate monuments in the wake of the deadly Unite the Right rally in Virginia.

Gillespie, an associate professor of political science, already had taught Chan in an introductory course. She went on to become her political science adviser and admit her into a graduate-level research seminar. Chan also worked as Gillespies undergraduate research assistant, developing and piloting a survey measuring how the race of a mass shooter affected public perception of mental illness as a factor.

Kendall is astute. She knows how to ask the right questions to get an answer, says Gillespie, who also heads Emorys James Weldon Johnson Institute. She has an agile mind to see how things fit together.

Digging for additional answers

Chans pursuit of finding the pieces to fit extended beyond the classroom. On campus, she worked as a resident adviser and was active in the Emory Scholars program, the Emory Honor Council and Dooleys Players, where she wrote and acted in plays.

Her volunteer work with Project Shine first sent her out in the community, where she helped elderly immigrants practice for their citizenship exams and interviews. She also led after-school tutoring at a Clarkston elementary school.

Chan dove deeper into community issues as an intern with the Georgia Womens Policy Institute, researching proposals in the state legislature and working as a researcher for Stacey Abrams gubernatorial campaign.

Those experiences exposed her preference for in-depth policy work, not the rushed, political research required in campaigns. Chan cemented that interest with an internship last summer at the U.S. Government Accountability Office, where she examined how federal agencies planned for and adapted to the 2019 government shutdown and developed policy briefs for Georgia lawmakers as part of a political science course taught by professor Michael Rich last fall.

Ive been extremely lucky in the opportunities I have had, to try a little of everything, Chan says. I prefer to take my time, go in depth and collect viewpoints before I can analyze, because its only become more clear to me over time how intertwined so many of those things are.

She will continue her interdisciplinary queries next year in the prestigious Robert T. Jones Jr. Scholarship program at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Chan, an alternate in the exchange program who was elevated after original recipient Samah Meghjee declined, will pursue a masters degree in terrorism and political violence.

After that, Chan is weighing whether she wants to continue looking for answers through a doctoral degree or a thinktank role. Either way, she is grateful that Emory showed her the value in being as expansive as possible when asking questions.

You cant argue someones experience. Its just true, Chan says. Because of that, people have vastly different ideas about the role of government and solutions to or even the existence of a problem. I owe a great deal to the people around me who made sure I understood including that in asking where we go from here.
All 2020 Alaska, Europe and Canada/New England sailings and the fall Grand Africa Voyage are cancelled

SEATTLE, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- With travel restrictions continuing for the near future due to global health concerns, Holland America Line has decided to extend its pause of global cruise operations and cancel all Alaska, Europe and Canada/New England cruises for 2020.

In addition, Amsterdam will not operate the 79-day Grand Africa Voyage from Boston, Massachusetts, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, that was scheduled to depart on Oct. 3, 2020. Holland America Line had previously cancelled all 2020 Land+Sea Journeys, which combine an Alaska cruise with an overland tour to Denali and the Yukon.

"As we continue to navigate through these unprecedented and challenging times, the best decision right now is to extend our pause in cruise operations into the fall," said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. "While this is very disappointing and we never want to let our guests down, as soon as it makes sense we will be back cruising again, giving our guests the memorable travel experiences they continue to dream about."

All guests, or their travel advisors, will automatically be notified if their cruise departure has been cancelled.

Guests Automatically Receive Future Cruise Credit

Those with impacted cruises will automatically be cancelled, and all guests will receive a Future Cruise Credit per person as follows:

Paid in Full : Those who had paid in full will receive 125% Future Cruise Credit of the base cruise fare paid to Holland America Line.

: Those who had paid in full will receive 125% Future Cruise Credit of the base cruise fare paid to Holland America Line. Not Paid in Full: Those with bookings not paid in full will receive a Future Cruise Credit of double the amount of the deposit paid for the cruise. The minimum Future Cruise Credit is $100 and the maximum will be an amount up to the base cruise fare paid.

The Future Cruise Credit is valid for 12 months from the date of issue and may be used to book sailings departing through Dec. 31, 2022. All other funds paid to Holland America Line may be transferred to a new booking or will automatically be refunded via the method of payment used to purchase the services.

Full Refund Option Also Available

Guests who prefer a 100% refund of monies paid to Holland America Line can visit the Cancellation Preferences form to indicate this preference no later than June 15, 2020. This includes Holland America Line's Flight Ease air, Cancellation Protection Plan, Holland America Line pre- or post-cruise hotel packages or transfers, prepaid shore excursions and amenities purchased through Holland America Line, and taxes, fees and port expenses.

Due to the unprecedented volume of bookings impacted by cancellations, Holland America Line asks for guests' patience and understanding regarding the time needed to work through processing refunds and FCCs.

The above options are not applicable to guests booked on a charter sailing. Other booking and cancellation conditions and policies may apply if the cruise was not booked through Holland America Line. See the terms and conditions at the Cancellation Preferences form for all details.

Recognizing the vital role travel advisors play in the success of the cruise industry, Holland America Line will protect travel advisor commissions on bookings for cancelled cruises that were paid in full and for the total amount of the Future Cruise Credits when their clients rebook.

Holland America Line will continue to monitor the global health situation and evaluate the best time to begin sailing again. Additional details will be shared as they are available.

For more information about Holland America Line, consult a travel advisor, call 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or visit hollandamerica.com.

Find Holland America Line on Twitter, Facebook and the Holland America Blog. Access all social media outlets via the home page at hollandamerica.com.

SOURCE Holland America Line

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On 4 May 2020, it had been 5 years, 10 months and 26 days since Maria Nohemi Barbosa Gonzalez last saw her son, John Alexander.

He came with her to visit the island of San Andres, off the northwest coast of Colombia, to celebrate her birthday. They arrived on Friday, 6 June 2014. The next day, her son, who was 32 at the time, disappeared -- carrying no money, cell phone, suitcase or valuables, save the room key.

Maria Nohemi reported John Alexanders disappearance to local and national authorities in Colombia, but, she said, no one heard her; no one helped. Then, she approached the Committee on Enforced Disappearances.

On 27 March 2015, Maria Nohemi submitted a request for urgent action to the Committee on her sons disappearance. Within 48 hours, the Committee had analysed her petition, asked for additional information and registered the Urgent Action request. The Committee then sent a note to the State calling for immediate action to search and find John Alexander.

And since then, the Committee continues to support me, Maria Nohemi said. Whenever they receive information from the State, they share it with me. Whenever I send them a question, they respond very quickly. Whenever I ask for their support, they do it when they think it's okay to do it. And if not, they explain to me why they can't do it. They continue to send recommendations to the State to take action to find my son and to investigate his case.

Maria Nohemi told her story as part of the opening of the 18th Session of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances. This was a meeting with a difference: physical distancing requirements caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has made this the first time any of the treaty body mechanism has hosted a virtual session opening.

Yet, the significance of the virtual meeting is not the format, but the message that the Committee sent, said Ibrahim Salama, chief of the Human Rights Treaties Branch of UN Human Rights. The Convention on Enforced Disappearances is clear: no exceptional circumstances can be invoked to justify enforced disappearances, he said. This principle applies during the pandemic.

By taking this step, despite the huge efforts and concessions it has required, the Committee is demonstrating that the Convention remains a reality for all States and for all victims of this heinous crime, whatever the circumstances, Salama said.

Organising the virtual session presented various technical, logistical and other challenges, said Committee Chair Mohammed Ayat. The 10 members of the Committee had to be organised across multiple time zones from Peru to Japan. No simultaneous interpretation was available, so parts of the meeting had consecutive interpretation, while the majority was held in English.

Being online in such circumstances also required postponing the interactive dialogues with States that were scheduled for the session. Currently, there is no option available to the Committee to do this that meets technical, quality and security requirements.

In the meantime, our message is clear: victims of enforced disappearance must know that, while the pandemic can make some situations more difficult, the Committee is still available to assist, Ayat said.

The urgency caused by the health crisis in no way weakens this commitment and availability. On the contrary, it makes them stronger than ever. Victims should therefore not hesitate to request the intervention of the Committee, including through the urgent actions procedure.

For Maria Nohemi, this continued access to the Committee has helped her feel supported and befriended in her quest to find what happened to her son.

The assistance of the Committee doesnt solve all problems, she said. But it gives another dimension to my sons case. I am confident that the Committee will not leave me until we know where John Alexander is.



Watch the opening of the virtual 18th Session of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances here.



6 May 2020
The All Arunachal Pradesh



Students Union (AAPSU) on Wednesday criticised the director of New Delhi-based think-tank Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) Suhas Chakma for seeking the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that Chakmas and Hajongs in the state were facing starvation due to the nationwide lockdown.

Observing that Arunachal Pradesh government is making its best effort to reach out to all needy people without any discrimination, the AAPSU said, People like Suhas Chakma and his coterie working for the Chakmas and Hajongs should stop playing the victim card every time, especially at this time of medical emergency.

AAPSU general secretary Tobom Dai urged the central government to constitute an independent committee to check the "facilities enjoyed" by the Chakmas and Hajongs in the state such as schools, public health centers, road connectivity and occupancy of land.

In fact, they are enjoying and availing facilities more than some indigenous people of the state in many ways, Dai said in a statement.

The apex students body of Arunachal Pradesh also urged the government to provide financial assistance to all students from the state stranded in various parts of the country.

It has been brought to the knowledge of the union that many students who are stranded outside the state could not avail the opportunity provided by the state government last time owing to one or other reasons, Dai pointed out.

The AAPSU also condemned the alleged punitive action carried out by Assam forest and administrative officials from time to time on people of the state along the inter-state boundary areas.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kaplan-Meier curve for hospitalized COVID-19 patients (A) and those requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (B). Colors indicate treatment-dose anticoagulation. Patients were right-censored if they were hospitalized at the time of data-freeze or discharged within the study period. Credit: Mount Sinai Health System

Treating hospitalized COVID-19 patients with anticoagulantsblood thinners that slow down clottingmay improve their chances of survival, researchers from the Mount Sinai COVID Informatics Center report. The study, published in the May 6 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, could provide new insight on how to treat and manage coronavirus patients once they are admitted to the hospital.

The study found that hospitalized COVID-19 patients treated with anticoagulants had improved outcomes both in and out of the intensive care unit setting. The research also showed that the difference in bleeding events among patients treated with and without anticoagulants was not significant. The Mount Sinai researchers say their work outlines an important therapeutic pathway for COVID-19 patients.

"This research demonstrates anticoagulants taken orally, subcutaneously, or intravenously may play a major role in caring for COVID-19 patients, and these may prevent possible deadly events associated with coronavirus, including heart attack, stroke, and pulmonary embolism," says senior corresponding author Valentin Fuster, MD, Ph.D., Director of Mount Sinai Heart (the nation's number six ranked hospital in Cardiology/Heart Surgery) and Physician-in-Chief of The Mount Sinai Hospital. "Using anticoagulants should be considered when patients get admitted to the ER and have tested positive for COVID-19 to possibly improve outcomes. However, each case should be evaluated an individualized basis to account for potential bleeding risk."

The publication of this study follows recent research out of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai that shows a large number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 have developed high levels of life-threatening blood clots, leading to potentially deadly thromboembolic events.

A team of investigators evaluated records of 2,773 confirmed COVID-19-positive patients admitted to five hospitals in the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City (The Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai West, Mount Sinai Morningside, Mount Sinai Queens, and Mount Sinai Brooklyn) between March 14 and April 11, 2020. They specifically looked at survival rates for patients placed on blood thinners versus those not placed on blood thinners. The researchers took certain risk factors into account before evaluating the effectiveness of anticoagulation, including age, ethnicity, pre-existing conditions, and those already on blood thinners.

Of the COVID-19 patients analyzed, 786 (28 percent) received a full-treatment dose of anticoagulantsa higher dose than what is typically given for blood clot prevention, and one that is usually given to those who already have clots or are suspected to have clots. Treatment with anticoagulants was associated with improved hospital survival among COVID-19 patients both in and out of the intensive care unit setting. Of the patients who did not survive, those on anticoagulants died after spending an average of 21 days in the hospital, compared to the non- anticoagulant patients who died after an average of 14 days in the hospital. The effect of anticoagulation had a more pronounced effect on ventilated patients62.7 percent of intubated patients who were not treated with anticoagulants died, compared to 29.1 percent for intubated patients treated with anticoagulants. Of the intubated patients who did not survive, those with no anticoagulants died after 9 days, while those on anticoagulants died after 21 days.

All patients in the study had blood work done when they arrived at the hospital, which included measuring various inflammatory markers. The analysis of their records showed patients who received anticoagulants had higher inflammatory markers compared to patients not treated with anticoagulants. This may suggest patients with more severe illness may benefit from anticoagulants early on.

The observational study also explored the association of systemic anticoagulant treatment with bleeding events. Major bleeding was defined as 1) hemoglobin <7 g/dL and any red blood cell transfusion; 2) at least 2 units of red blood cell transfusion within 48 hours; or 3) a diagnosis code for major bleeding including intracranial hemorrhage; hematemesis; melena; peptic ulcer with hemorrhage; colon, rectal, or anal hemorrhage; hematuria; ocular hemorrhage; and acute hemorrhagic gastritis. Among those who did not receive anticoagulants, 38 (1.9 percent) patients had bleeding events, compared to 24 (3 percent) among those who received anticoagulants, p=0.2).

"We are hopeful that this report of the association of anticoagulation therapy with improved survival will be confirmed in future investigations. The astute scientists at Mount Sinai continue to analyze our data on COVID-19 patients in order to contribute to worldwide efforts to find effective treatments," says David Reich, MD, President and Chief Operating Officer of The Mount Sinai Hospital.

"As a cardiologist who has been on service caring for COVID-19 patients for the last three weeks, I have observed an increased amount of blood clot cases among hospitalized patients, so it is critical to look at whether anticoagulants provide benefits for them," says co-researcher Anu Lala, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "It's important to note that further analysis and prospective studies are required to determine the effectiveness for widespread use of anticoagulants in hospitalized COVID-19 patients."

"This study is opening the door for a more extensive study that will be carried out with 5,000 COVID-19-positive patients, where we will evaluate the effectiveness of three types of antithrombotic therapyoral antithrombotic, subcutaneous heparin, and intravenous heparinand then perhaps engage our data for prospective clinical trials," says senior author Girish Nadkarni, MD, Co-Director of the Mount Sinai COVID Informatics Center. "We are excited about these preliminary results that may have a positive impact on COVID-19 patients and potentially give them a greater chance of survival, although more studies are needed."

Explore further COVID-19 now linked with strokes in young patients
English Icelandic

Arion Banks results in Q1 affected by Covid-19 pandemic

Covid-19 had a substantial effect on the Icelandic economy and Arion Bank during the last month of the first quarter of 2020. Arion Bank reported a net loss of ISK 1,282 million from continuing operations and a net loss of ISK 2,171 million in the quarter. Return on equity was negative by 4.6% and 2.7% from continuing operations. The Bank reported net earnings of ISK 1,018 million for the same period in 2019, with return on equity of 2.1%. There were three main factors that contributed towards these negative earnings for the first quarter of 2020: Net financial income was negative by ISK 2,000 million, highly affected by fair value changes of equity holdings due to unfavorable market conditions; Net impairment was negative by ISK 2,860 million, mostly due to more pessimistic assumptions in the Bank's IFRS 9 models, especially as regards unemployment and the transfer of tourism related customers to Stage 2; and discontinued operations were negative by ISK 889 million, due to an operating loss at Valitor and value changes of Solbjarg ehf. and Stakksberg ehf., all of which are classified as held for sale assets.

Total assets amounted to ISK 1,188 billion at the end of March 2020, compared with ISK 1,082 billion at the end of 2019. Liquid assets increased as the proposed ISK 10 billion dividend payment did not materialize, the Bank issued AT1 in February and deposits increased. Loans to customers increased slightly from year-end 2019, mainly due to mortgage lending. Deposits increased by 9.4% from year-end 2019 as a result of the continued focus on deposits. Total equity amounted to ISK 184 billion, compared with ISK 190 billion at the end of 2019, a decrease mainly related to the buy-back program in Q1.

The Banks capital ratio at the end of March 2020 was 27.5%, compared with 24.0% at the end of 2019. The CET 1 ratio was 22.5% at the end of March 2020, compared with 21.2% at the end of 2019. The Group's own funds increased by ISK 23.3 billion from year-end 2019, primarily due to the successful issuance of a USD 100 million Additional Tier 1 capital instrument in February 2020, and as a result of the Board of Directors decision to propose that no dividends are paid in connection with operations in 2019 in light of the Covid-19 pandemic and the recommendation of the Central Bank of Iceland to that effect. This effectively reintroduces the foreseeable ISK 10 billion dividend at year-end 2019 as loss absorbing capital.

The Bank is committed to its medium term targets, assuming the economy recovers in the medium term.

Benedikt Gislason, CEO of Arion Bank

Arion Banks financial results for the first quarter of 2020 were significantly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Bank reported an operating loss of approximately ISK 2 billion for the first quarter, which can largely be attributed to the effect of Covid-19 and the performance of the securities markets and the economy in general. The market value of the Banks equity holdings decreased by ISK 2 billion, net impairment amounted to approximately ISK 3 billion, or 0.38% of the Banks loan portfolio, and the negative impact of held for sale assets was approximately ISK 1 billion. Net impairment is mostly due to the more negative economic outlook and the increased probability of default as a result. The Banks loan portfolio remains well distributed between retail and corporate customers and approximately 91% of loans are secured with collateral, of which 70% are secured with collateral in real estate. Core operations developed positively in the quarter compared with Q1 2019, despite the challenging conditions. The Banks net interest margin increased, core revenues were up 9% and operating expenses decreased by 10%. The Bank continues to focus on its core revenues, and the financial targets have not changed even though it may now take longer to achieve them.

In recent weeks and months we have done whatever we can to help our customers adapt to the unique circumstances created by the Covid-19 pandemic. Almost two thousand of our retail customers have taken advantage of the mortgage payment holiday offered by the Bank. There is currently a payment freeze on more than 11% of the Banks loans to individuals. We have also been working closely with our corporate customers to analyze the current situation and outlook and many companies have requested a payment freeze on their loans. We have done our utmost to accommodate their requests and there is currently a payment freeze on approximately 9% of corporate loans. The Bank has therefore frozen approximately 10% of its loan portfolio.

Excellent results have been achieved in the battle against Covid-19 in Iceland and cases are on the decline. The economic consequences have yet to fully materialize but they will undoubtedly be some of the most severe witnessed in recent times. It seems likely that it will be some time before the tourist industry regains its former shape, with the positive impact it had on the Icelandic business sector and economy. Arion Bank will continue to strive to supports its customers. The Banks issue of Additional Tier 1 capital and the Boards decision to cancel the share buy-back program and dividend mean that the Banks capital and liquidity positions are unusually robust and the Banks capital adequacy ratio is higher than ever at 27.5%. One third of the Banks capital, or ISK 63 billion, is in excess of the regulatory minimum and the Bank is therefore well placed to tackle the conditions we currently face.

Investor webcast in English on 7 May at 10:30 CET (8:30 GMT)

Arion Bank will be hosting a webcast on Thursday 7 May at 10:30 CET (8:30 GMT) where CEO Benedikt Gislason, CFO Stefan Petursson, Deputy CFO Eggert Teitsson and Head of Investor Relations Theodor Fridbertsson will present the results and answer questions from participants. The webcast will take place in English.

The webcast will be accessible live on financialhearings.com and a link will also be made available on the Banks website under Investor Relations .

To participate in the webcast via telephone and to submit questions please call in using the relevant number indicated below before the start of the webcast:

SE: +46 850 558 351

UK: +44 333 300 9030

Iceland: +354 800 7520

United States: +1 833 526 8396

For further information please contact Theodor Fridbertsson, Head of Arion Banks Investor Relations, at ir@arionbanki.is or tel.+354 856 6760.

For media enquiries please contact Haraldur Gudni Eidsson, Head of Corporate Communications, at haraldur.eidsson@arionbanki.is or tel. +354 856 7108.

The financial calendar of Arion Bank is available on the Banks website .

This is information that Arion Bank hf. is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication through the agency of the contact persons set out above.

Attachments
Maharashtra on Wednesday reported 1233 new covid-19 cases, taking the state's tally of coronavirus positive cases to 16758.

Of these Mumbai alone reported 10714 cases with 412 deaths.

With 34 covid-related deaths in the state today, the death toll in Covid-19 patients has now gone up to 651 the Public Health Department said in a press statement.

Of these 34 deaths, 25 were recorded in Mumbai, three in Pune, three in Akola and one each in Solapur and Jalgaon. A resident of Uttar Pradesh also died in Mumbai today.

"Twenty-seven out of 34 patients (79%) had high-risk co-morbidity such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma and heart disease," the press statement said.

Out of 1,90,879 laboratory samples, 1,73,838 were negative and 16758 have been tested positive for coronavirus until today.

As per the guidance from Government of India, cluster containment action plan is being implemented in places where clusters of patients have been found in the state. There are 1048 active containment zones in the state currently.

Till date 3094 patients have been discharged after full recovery. Currently, 2,11,122 people are in home quarantine and 13107 people are in institutional quarantine, the state said.

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Stark and inexcusable. That was Education Secretary Betsy DeVos reaction to the recently released National Assessments of Educational Progress, otherwise known as the nations report card.

Whenever the results are released, experts converge to suggest poor civics literacy is at the root of all of the countrys issues. Yet despite dips of a few points in scores on history, geography and civics, this years results were largely the same as results of tests past. (And, scores aside, researchers have taken aim at the NAEP methodology before.)

But DeVos tone makes more sense considering the rest of her press release.

Americas antiquated approach to education is creating a generation of future leaders who will not have a foundational understanding of what makes this country exceptional, she continued. She called the scores proof of the need to fundamentally rethink education in America.

For the billionaire DeVos, that can only mean one thing  funneling public wealth toward pet projects like charter schools.

To be considered proficient in civics by NAEP standards, students must grapple with some key ideas and concepts. As NAEP puts it, they should know how citizens can influence the government, understand the differences between government and civil society, and between American ideals and reality.

A look at the DeVos familys reach can, on its own, provide a lesson in how these civic principles operate today.

Just days before the NAEP results were released, a group of people in DeVos home state of Michigan blocked traffic  including a hospital entrance  to demand Gov. Gretchen Whitmer end stay-at-home orders in a state hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

Similar protests have since taken place across the country, even as far more Americans say they are more concerned about businesses opening up too quickly than too slowly.

So heres a civics question to consider.

More than three-fourths of polled Americans say they think the stay-at-home orders are working, and only a small percent say theyd feel comfortable getting on a plane or going to an event. So why was news of these protests papered all over news networks?

As several outlets reported, the protests are backed by political forces linked to the ultra-wealthy, including Trump allies like Stephen Moore, who admitted to helping organize the protests, and DeVos herself. The Michigan Freedom Fund, which helped publicize the first protest, is headed up Greg McNeilly  a longtime DeVos ally.

These are the people who want to sacrifice the lives of frontline workers in order to open the economy  to preserve their own wealth.

The funding from the Michigan Freedom Funds associated political action committee comes almost entirely from the DeVos family. The group was heavily involved with a 2012 right-to-work campaign in the state, yet another reminder that the DeVos business ethic requires sacrifices to worker health and dignity to further enrich the rich.

To top things off, the protests have attracted some of the most unsavory members of the far right. Several of these billionaire-backed campaigns have featured known white nationalists waving confederate flags.

And while DeVos allies help bring white supremacists into the streets, she manages to find other ways to funnel public goods into private hands through her charter school agenda. As journalist Jeff Bryant pointed out in Inequality.org (a publication I co-edit), DeVos has used the pandemic to send millions of dollars toward charter operators.

Its not like theyre helping students  a recent report found that $1.17 billion in federal funding has gone toward charter schools that either never opened or shut down. Where did the funds go? One operator, which received $72 million in federal funds, spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on luxury travel and tickets to sporting events.

The NAEP asks students to understand the difference between government and civil society. But how does that account for actors like DeVos, or any of the other hundreds of American billionaires who use their wealth to distort politics for their gain?

Civic literacy isnt the problem. The real issue is billionaires like DeVos who look at the state and see levers of power they can exercise to enrich themselves and their friends, regardless of the cost to the rest of the public.

Negin Owliaei is a researcher and co-editor of Inequality.org at the Institute for Policy Studies. She wrote this for InsideSources.com.
Poh Ling Yeow, 47, has spoken candidly about the devastating effect the coronavirus outbreak has had on her small business, JamFace.

The Masterchef favourite revealed on Wednesday while appearing on Nova's Fitzy and Wippa radio show that her Adelaide-based food market stall is operating at half the capacity it did before the pandemic.

'Weve been really lucky to be able to keep running and even though the business is probably only at half of its usual, it's still worth doing,' she told hosts Ryan Fitzgerald and Michael Wipfli.

'The business is probably only at half of its usual': MasterChef favourite Poh Ling Yeow (pictured) revealed on Nova's Fitzy and Wippa show on Wednesday her Adelaide-based farmers market stall JamFace is struggling during the coronavirus pandemic

Located in the Adelaide Hill Farmers' Market, JamFace sells a variety of delectable looking take-home products including pastries, cakes, pizzas, relishes and paella.

The cookbook author admitted she was lucky to have a loyal fan base, which meant she could keep the stall operating during the difficult time.

'The customers at the farmers' market are amazing, they're seriously the best customers in the world, they will come rain hail or shine,' she said.

'So it still makes it worth it to set up for them even though businesses isn't good but we will take what we can get,' she said.

'The customers at the farmers' market are amazing': Poh admitted she was lucky to have a loyal fan base which means she cab continue to run her business

Poh also confirmed that shopping at the market has completely changed due to COVID-19.

'Its all safe practice, look with your eyes, people eye, dont pick the fruit with your hands,' she said.

Poh opened JamFace in 2015 with her best friend, Sarah Rich.

Delish! Located in the Adelaide Hill farmers market, JamFace sells a variety of delectable looking take-home products including pastries, cakes (pictured), pizzas, relishes and paella

Interestingly, Sarah is now married to Poh's first husband Matt Phipps.

The celebrity cook wed Matt, in 1990 when they were both practising Mormons.

But when they chose to get divorced after nine years together, Matt went on to marry Poh's bestie of more than 20 years, Sarah.

Poh has also moved on and is now happily married to aspiring actor Jono Bennett.

That's different! Poh's first husband, Matt Phipps (left), married her best friend of 20 years, Sarah, Rich (right) after they divorced - but Poh remains on good terms with them both and Sarah and Poh opened JamFace together in 2015

The couple first met in 2009 on the set of the first season of MasterChef, where he was working as a show runner.

Poh has made no secret of the unusual arrangement in the past but insists she's learnt to make it work as mature adults.

'He's my ex-husband. She's my best friend. And when we broke up, they got together and it's all dandy. It's actually really good!' she told Mamamia in 2017.

'Everyone tries to complicate it. From the outside in, they're all like 'love triangle!' And I'm like, 'no!' He's like my brother now and I think  people are never interested in the back story. They want everything to be sordid,' Poh said at the time.
Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Cloudy skies. Morning high of 36F with temps falling to near 20. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low 13F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph.
As the Delhi government on Wednesday issued detailed guidelines on allowing industrial and in situ construction works during lockdown, including compulsory download of Aarogya Setu app, confusion persisted over the opening of units manufacturing non-essential goods.

The guidelines were issued by district magistrates that prescribed among other things, downloading of 'Arogya Setu' mobile application by all workers and employees for alerts on proximity of coronavirus positive people.

Delhi Industries Minister Satyendar Jain in a meeting with representatives of industries in the city, organised by AAP Trade Wing, said all industries having 'access control' can start work, Brijesh Goyal, convener of AAP Trade Wing, said.

The guidelines issued by the district magistrates (or chairmen of respective District Disaster Management Authority-DDMA) prescribed social distancing, use of hand wash, sanitisers and face masks, no handshakes and sharing of food and other personal items by workers and employees, thermal screening and facility of isolation in case any worker or employee developed symptoms of coronavirus infection.

Some industry representatives, however, expressed concern over "lack of clarity" in the guidelines, saying they would wait till the lockdown is lifted.

"It is not mentioned in the guidelines that all kinds of industries can open. It mentions only those units manufacturing essential activities. We will have to wait for clear orders before opening the units, Ashok Gupta, president of Udyog Nagar Industry Association, said.

Mayapuri Industrial Area general secretary R O Gupta said the guidelines permit opening of urban industrial establishments, including special economic zones (SEZs), export oriented units (EOUs) with access control, and those units manufacturing essential goods.

"Mayapuri and some other industrial areas are neither SEZs nor EOUs. They also do not have any access control. So, there is no option before us but to wait for the lockdown to be lifted," he said.

Dismissing any kind of confusion, Goyal said the "doubt" over opening of factories in Delhi is over.

"Most of the industries in Delhi barring those concerning essential goods were closed because the district magistrates refused permission to them. But the industries minister today said that all kinds of essential and non-essential industries with access control can be run in industrial areas in Delhi as per the MHA guidelines," he said.

Delhi has 28 notified industrial areas besides at least 23 such areas that are notified under redevelopment and do not have access control i.e. permitting regulated entry and exit.

Goyal said the industries minister has asked all district authorities to issue clear guidelines so that production units can start work.

The construction activities in the city resumed with the Public Works Department (PWD) of the Delhi government taking up work on major infrastructure projects, including a tunnel for diversion of traffic on Mathura Road, Barapullah elevated corridor and a couple of flyovers, officials said.

The work started after taking all the precautions like sanitisation of the sites and equipment, and ensuring personal safety measures for workers and engineers at work, they added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[May 06, 2020] Majority Of Consumers Feel That Brands' COVID-19 Communication Was Aligned With Their Preferences But Are Ready To Move On To New Topics

ZURICH, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Mitto, a leading provider of global omnichannel communications solutions, today announced the results of its survey around consumer attitudes and preferences towards brands' communications with them during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall the results indicate that consumers appreciated hearing more frequently from brands during the pandemic and believe brands have communicated with the right tone and content, but fatigue has set in and consumers are ready to move on and hear about something else now. Of the seven regions surveyed, on average 41 percent are ready right now to hear from brands about topics unrelated to COVID-19, rather than next week, next month or later this year. In April, Mitto surveyed 7,000 respondents across The United States, China, Spain, The United Arab Emirates, Australia, Brazil and Nigeria about their attitudes towards brands' communications with them around the COVID-19 crisis. 77 percent said that the messages they received from brands over the past few weeks have made them feel like brands care about their well being. 30 percent of respondents said that brands made them feel less anxious about the global coronavirus pandemic. The findings reveal that brands have successfully built strong relationships with consumers and as a result, consumers want and expect to hear from these brands during both "normal" and difficult times. "The crisis has been a challenging time for all businesses around the world, and marketers are required to be mindful of how, whereand how frequently they engage with their customers," said Andrea Giacomini, CEO of Mitto. "Fortunately, marketers have more technologies than ever before at their disposal to better understand the pulse of their customers and, as our survey showed, they have generally been quite successful with their communication approaches during such a complex period. As we move out of this crisis, brands and their marketers must not underestimate the value of building strong customer relationships during 'normal' times that get tested during tough times."



During the COVID-19 crisis, brands have been forced to make judgment calls when it comes to the messages they're sending consumers and how they choose to communicate with their customers. While most consumers (53 percent) surveyed said that they were hearing from brands more often in the last few weeks, most (73 percent) also agreed that this increase in contact was appropriate. Most (58 percent) people welcomed communication informing them about changes to the business that could affect them during the crisis. Very few (11 percent) consumers said they were not interested in hearing anything from brands regarding COVID-19. Additional key findings include:

When asked which industries they are most interested in hearing from right now, all countries ranked messages from essential services like doctors or banks higher than delivery services (DoorDash, Amazon), except Spain .

. 6 of the 7 regions surveyed said they were more tolerant of slow communication from small businesses than large companies, however respondents from China said they were equally as intolerant of slow communication from both small and large businesses.

said they were equally as intolerant of slow communication from both small and large businesses. When asked what types of messages consumers want to hear from brands during the crisis, all regions surveyed ranked special offers and coupons highest over availability of services, product updates and satisfaction surveys, indicating an appetite among many consumers to spend. Survey Methodology: These findings are based on a Pollfish survey of 7,000 adults distributed into 1,000 responses from each of the following countries: The United States, Brazil, Nigeria, Spain, The United Arab Emirates, China and Australia. The survey ran from April 15th through April 29th, 2020. About Mitto: Mitto is a leading provider of global, omnichannel communications solutions, supporting business growth with advanced customer engagement technology and messaging enablement. Offering easy-to-integrate SMS, Voice, and Chat App APIs, next-generation business messaging, and end-to-end phone number management, Mitto's platform ensures the world's largest brands and mobile networks are ready for what's next. Follow Mitto on Twitter: @mittoglobal Media Contact:

[email protected]

SHIFT Communications3 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/majority-of-consumers-feel-that-brands-covid-19-communication-was-aligned-with-their-preferences-but-are-ready-to-move-on-to-new-topics-301053792.html SOURCE Mitto

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Victor Argueta-Diaz is doing his part.

As a scientist hes using science to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Alma College assistant professor of physics has been making Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for mid-Michigan healthcare institutions in recent weeks to help the fight versus COVID-19.

As it stands Argueta-Diaz has been making face shields and mask extenders at Alma College via its 3D printing equipment. On average he makes about 35 mask extenders daily and about 15 face shields and would like to make more, yet 3D printers arent designed for that kind of thing. Both the mask extenders and face shields have been distributed locally in mid-Michigan.

It feels good to be able to help out and do something, said Argueta-Diaz, whos also the pre-engineering coordinator in Alma Colleges applied physics in engineering science and pre-engineering programs. I saw some people coming up with solutions and I felt like I could do that too.

So, he did.

His initial inspiration came from seeing a news story that spoke of how there was a national shortage of N95 face masks, masks that filter out 95-percent of airborne particles. While reproducing N95 masks wasnt possible via a 3D printer, it got the ball rolling.

In speaking with friends in the healthcare field Argueta-Diaz settled on making face shields and mask extenders.

The mask extenders are a game changer to save our ears from getting torn up by the loops on the masks, one person commented on the Alma College Facebook page. That you so much!

In the past 12 months Alma Colleges Dow Digital Science Center added new 3D printers and a 3D scanner. Now there being used on the frontlines.

This past semester, I was teaching a class in digital fabrication and fast prototyping. Originally the final project was to build an artifact that would help someone with some kind of physical disability. When classes went online, I gave the students the option to change the project to design a face shield. I hope students realized there are very real applications of the skills they learned during this semester, Argueta-Diaz said in a press release.
The advice comes from scientific research by Xovis , the world's leading provider of people flow management systems in airports and was published in a whitepaper. The company believes that physical distancing will be a key challenge for airports to deal with once passenger numbers increase again over the coming weeks.

The data builds upon Xovis' years of algorithms analyzing crowd movements and measuring queues and groups in a dynamic environment. It highlights how crowd density needs to be understood in context of a contagion map whereby both absolute contagion risk (where person-to-person infection is most likely to happen) and relative contagion risk (where the contagion risk is highest for an individual) need to be analyzed. In airports, places of particular attention will, of course, be security lines, but also areas that are frequently used and touched by passengers such as self-service facilities or bathrooms.

In addition, the detection of groups that violate physical distancing rules are another important factor for airports to consider.

Christian Studer, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Xovis explains: "Using a high-precision people flow monitoring system is the most effective way for airports to ensure physical distancing regulations are met. The whitepaper builds the foundation for implementing exactly this, while protecting airport workers from unnecessary risks and maintaining passenger experience levels."

"We've been helping airports for a decade to manage crowds with our 3D stereovision sensors. We're glad that our unparallel accuracy and privacy compliant solution can now be adapted to serve new use cases that have emerged recently," adds Florian Eggenschwiler, Xovis' Managing Director Airports.

The complete scientific whitepaper is available for free PDF download here.

About Xovis

Switzerland-based Xovis is the world's leading provider of people flow solutions. So far, the company has deployed over 100,000 high-accuracy 3D sensors across a wide-range of industries. Nearly 100 airports as well as retail system integrators, and numerous other industries around the globe rely on Xovis solutions. Clients measure KPIs such as footfall, queue length and waiting times to optimize customer experience and increase revenue.

Contact

Xovis

Industriestrasse 1

3052 Zollikofen

Switzerland

https://www.xovis.com | [email protected]

LinkedIn | Twitter

Media contact

Christian Studer, CPO

+41-32-508-35-41

[email protected]

SOURCE Xovis
(CNN) - Turkey has recorded its highest number of new Covid-19 positives since April 30 with 2,253 new cases in the last 24 hours, according to the latest figures by the Turkish health ministry.

Turkeys new cases have been on a downward trajectory since mid-April and have reached as low 1,614 per day.

The country is entering what the Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has called the second phase in its fight against the pandemic. In a news conference on Wednesday, he called this period a controlled social life, which will impose fewer restrictions.

Even though we have used the word normalization, it is not about going back to normal. It is about forging a new normal, Turkish Health Minister said.

Turkey is due to start lifting some restrictions on May 11, including reopening hairdressers and barber shops.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Turkey records highest number of new Covid-19 cases in a week"
Editors Note: The story has been updated to note that the state attorney generals office later lowered the estimated number of potentially eligible spring graduates from 4,000 to 3,000.

Recent nursing school graduates can now earn emergency licenses before they pass their exams to help New Jersey fight the coronavirus, state officials announced Tuesday.

Physician assistants, pharmacists and respiratory care therapists may also apply online for free for the temporary emergency licenses. Anyone who applies within six months of graduating is eligible.

Todays action allows thousands of recent graduates to quickly join teams on the ground currently fighting COVID-19, Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement.

We cannot afford to have otherwise qualified healthcare professionals sidelined," state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal added in a statement.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

Up to 1,000 recent graduates and about 3,000 people scheduled to graduate in the spring could be eligible, according to representatives for Murphy and Grewal.

Graduates of both registered professional nursing programs and practical nursing programs may apply, according to a press release. Workers will lose their emergency licenses if they fail their licensing exams.

Pharmacists must be trained in New Jersey to be eligible, but respiratory care therapists may graduate from out-of-state schools. Those therapists may also work under supervision in field hospitals, like the one recently opened in the Atlantic City Convention Center. Eligible nurses, physician assistants and pharmacists may only work in licensed acute care facilities, like traditional hospitals.

The licenses will automatically expire at the end of New Jerseys state of emergency. If the consumer affairs division decides to end the program earlier, those with temporarily licenses will have 90 days to pass their tests and 120 days to earn standard licenses.

New Jersey has also been bolstered by more than 10,600 out-of-state health care workers who applied for temporary licenses, and more than 400 recently retired doctors, nurses and other residents who reactivated their licenses last month.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Blake Nelson can be reached at bnelson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @BCunninghamN.
With a lot of air travel halted planes arent a common sight over Taurangas skies at the moment.

Today though, flight enthusiasts were treated to the Royal New Zealand Air Force Boeing 757 gracing our skies.

Tauranga Airport manager Ray Dumble says the air force had been doing a standard training flight that happens around three to four times a month.

They do whats called an interim approach, so they come over head at 3000 or 5000 feet do their interim approach procedure, which is simulating flying in clouds and come down to the missed approach point and off they go.

A New Zealand Defence Force spokesperson says the air force Boeing 757 has been carrying out training flights around the North Island this week.

On Wednesday morning, training was carried out around New Plymouth and Tauranga and on Thursday morning flights around New Plymouth and Napier are planned.

The aircrafts flight is part of essential pilot and crew training for RNZAF personnel and we will be continuing to do a variety of training over the coming weeks.

Flying skills are perishable and a failure to maintain core flying currencies increases the risk to flight operations.

The RNZAF, and New Zealand Defence Force as a whole, must maintain its operational readiness to carry out the tasks required of it by the government, including search and rescue and humanitarian and disaster relief, as well as contributing to the All of Government response to COVID-19.

A SunLive reader says it is a pretty cool sight, seeing the 757.

The RNZAF post on the NZDF Community Alerts Facebook page when they are flying in locations they wouldnt regularly.
Saudi authorities have ordered the arrest of a citizen for abusing a non-Muslim Asian expatriate and asking him to embrace Islam, according to a media report on Tuesday.

A video went viral on social media showing the expat being insulted by an Arabic-speaking man, who does not appear in the clip, for having not embraced Islam and for not fasting, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

A monitoring centre affiliated with the public prosecution examined the video which shows the citizens use of abusive words against the Asian resident on the pretext of inviting him to Islam, an official source at the Public Prosecution was quoted as saying.

The public prosecution ordered the arrest of the abusive citizen, the source added.

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A University of Pittsburgh researcher on the cusp of making what his supervisor called notable findings about the novel coronavirus was killed over the weekend in what authorities say was a murder-suicide.

Bing Liu, 37, was shot multiple times around noon May 2 in his townhouse in Ross Township, Pennsylvania, police told WTAE, an ABC affiliate in Pittsburgh.

As a research assistant professor, Liu focused on using computational models to study biological processes. He had been working from home during the pandemic and studying the virus, his supervisor said, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Officials told the newspaper that Liu was shot by another man and suffered gunshot wounds to the head, neck, torso and extremities. The man, later identified as Hao Gu, 46, then got into his car about 100 yards away and killed himself.

Neighbors told the paper that they didn't hear any gunshots the day Liu was killed.

The front and rear patio doors of Liu's home were open at the time of his death because of the springtime weather, the Post-Gazette reported. His wife wasn't home at the time of his death.

No items were stolen from the home, according to the paper.

Ross Township Det. Brian Kolhepp told WTAE that police don't believe the relationship between the two men had anything to do with Liu's research on the novel coronavirus.

It is unclear how the two men knew each other, and police are investigating whether there was any confrontation before the incident. A possible motive for the murder is also unclear, the Post-Gazette reported.

In a statement, Liu's department at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Medicine called him a prolific researcher and generous mentor. Shortly before his death, he had begun researching the cellular mechanisms that underlie coronavirus infections and the cellular basis of ensuing complications.

Ivet Bahar, his supervisor and the head of his department, told the Post-Gazette that Liu had just started to receive interesting results.

Bahar had sent several emails to Liu over the weekend about his work and was surprised that the normally prompt researcher wasn't responding, according to the Post-Gazette.

After a conversation with a colleague about the crime, she confirmed Liu was the victim, the paper reported. He had not expressed any fear for his life to her, she told the paper.

"We will make an effort to complete what he started in an effort to pay homage to his scientific excellence," the statement said.

Liu and his wife had no children and mostly kept to themselves, neighbors told the Post-Gazette.

Liu received his bachelor's and doctoral degrees from the National University of Singapore, according to his professional website. He had previously worked as a postdoctoral fellow in the department of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University and with Bahar as a research associate in the department of computational and systems biology at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

By Jeila Aliyeva - Trend:

The European Union is interested in expanding its dialogue with Turkmenistan, which is a strategic partner of EU, Trend reports with reference to Turkmenistans State News Agency.

This was stated during a meeting hosted by the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan with the participation of representatives of the European Union and held in the format of a videoconference on May 5, 2020.

The main directions of cooperation within the framework of the EU program on promoting transparency and combating economic crimes in Central Asia were discussed. The EU has identified areas such as rule of law and support for economic transparency as priority spheres of the bilateral cooperation.

It was noted that Turkmenistan has a potential in the development of regional and interregional cooperation.

Turkmenistan and EU have also discussed the regional program EU-Central Asia Rule of Law Platform, of which the EU program on promoting transparency and combating economic crimes in Central Asia is a main component.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @JeilaAliyeva
In a huge relief, the state government has allowed the movement of two private buses to bring back 34 students of Haryana who were stranded in Rashtriya Military School, Bengaluru.

A total of 72 students from Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan and Haryana were stranded in the military school since the lockdown was imposed to contain the novel coronavirus.

Vinod Sangwan, a parent from Kharman village of Jhajjar, said that the authorities were not allowing them to bring their children home.

We approached many officials and leaders, but to no avail. After that, we requested Rajya Sabha member Deepender Hooda to help us and he provided the movement pass to two buses. The entire transportation cost will be paid by the parents and the children will be back by May 10, he said.

In each bus, two parents will accompany two drivers and conductors, he added.

Hooda said, Both the buses were properly sanitised and all the persons who have gone to bring the students underwent a medical check-up.
The Afghans are unhappy that the Taliban has pledged not to attack the US and other foreign forces but is continuing to kill fellow Afghans.





by Ashok K Mehta





For the Americans especially, the most spectacular political event in the first quarter of 2020 was the signing of the Afghanistan peace deal between the US and the Taliban at Doha and simultaneously, a US-Afghanistan agreement at Kabul. The first agreement fructified after many nations, including Russia and China, failed to broker one. However imperfect, indeed flawed, for US President Donald Trump, the deal is meant to be a game-changer for his re-election later this year. He will bring back 4,000 US soldiers by August and the remaining 12,000 by July 2021.









The International Crisis Group, Brussels, described the agreement as ambiguous and at places contradictory, leading to confusion. The anomalies have already been discussed threadbare. The agreements have opened two new mechanisms: Direct military channel between the US military commander at Kabul with the Taliban at Doha; and a new Afghanistan-Pakistan dialogue facilitated by America, aimed at border security and ending terrorist safe-havens.





Trump was overwhelmed by the agreements but acknowledged in response to a question that the Taliban could seize power after the US and Nato forces leave Afghanistan. Yes, that is possibleUS commitment to Afghanistan comes with an expiry date, he said. The swearing-in of the two Afghan Presidents in the same building created its own confusion dynamics but this time around, US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, instead of mediating between them, threatened to cut $1 billion from security funding, not just for this year but also next year. The prisoner swap  of 5,000 Taliban for 1,000 Afghan soldiers  is also stuck on the modalities of release and the Taliban not reducing violence, leading to a comprehensive ceasefire. For the first time, the US mission in Afghanistan has refused to disclose the details of ground operations and casualties. But the office of Afghanistans National Security Advisor said that the Taliban has carried out 2,804 attacks since the peace agreement was signed on February 29.





The mother of all problems on both sides, the Taliban and its adversaries, is the COVID-19 pandemic, which has invaded the presidential palace, too. The first Corona case in Afghanistan was detected at Herat on February 24. On May 4, 3,894 positive cases were reported with 400 recoveries and 90 deaths. The highest incidence of cases is in Herat due to its proximity to Iran and several thousand Afghan refugees are returning home. A Coronavirus task force, led by Vice President Amrullah Saleh, former head of National Directorate of Security, along with a technical team from the National Security Council attached to it has been established. It is feared that if the pandemic is not contained, it could spread to central Asia.





India has been relatively active in Afghanistan following the signing of the peace agreements. Its consistency in refusing to open the channels with the Taliban is remarkably amazing. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar likened the US-Taliban deal with a long-awaited film, Pakeezah, and its 17 trailers, employing his emblematic phraseology: We will watch this space for outcomes.





Interestingly, India had stopped short of welcoming the agreements. Instead, the Ministry of External Affairs had noted that the entire political spectrum in Afghanistan welcomed the opportunity for peace and stability. Jaishankar has maintained Indias position that the gains of the last 18 years must be preserved. New Delhi was quick to acknowledge Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghanis victory in the presidential elections, overlooking loyal partner Abdullah Abdullah, whose family our country has hosted for several years. A deal between Ghani and Abdullah is in the making where the latter has proposed his name as Executive Prime Minister and leader of the talks team with the Taliban.





For the second time in three months, Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen said that his organisation would want good relations in the neighbourhood on the basis of mutual interest and respect. We will never want any foreign organisation to use the Afghan soil to target another country. On February 29, Taliban supremo Hibatullah Akhundzada said that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan believes in sound relations with the world and the region.





The recent attack on a Gurudwara in Kabul that killed 25 Sikhs whereby it is not clear if the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant  Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) or the Haqqani Network was in the works, has sent a chilling message for the future of Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) operations in Afghanistan targetting Indian assets. The arrest of ISIS-K leader, Abdullah Orakzai, a Pakistani national, by the National Directorate of Security (NDS) recently will open up new trails. The Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) has claimed that ISIS-K has been virtually eliminated, including its top leaders, an achievement hailed by Ghani as the defeat of the ISIS-K. The Taliban, assisted by US firepower, apparently played a lead role in this victory. Latest threat assessments prompted India to withdraw two of its four consulates in Afghanistan at Herat and Jalalabad with two others in Kandahar and Mazar-e-Sharif remaining in place. Both these consulates have been targetted in the past too  Jalalabad has been attacked four times since 2007, even forcing its relocation in 2016. Herat was attacked in 2014 and Mazar-e-Sharif in 2013. The Jaish-e-Mohmmad and the Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, in concert with the Haqqanis, were involved in these attacks.





The optimistic inference drawn from the US interlocutor Zalmay Khalilzads recent conversation with Jaishankar, enquiring on the COVID-19 pandemic and briefing him on the progress in the agreement with the Taliban, that India is now part of the peace process is highly misplaced. Expectations were raised by former President Hamid Karzai when he said at the Raisina Dialogue in January and more recently after the Khalilzad-Jaishankar conversation that India should be part of the peace process. Similarly, Mohammed Masoom Stanekzai, head of the Ghani-appointed 21-member talks team with the Taliban, said at a conference that India should be part of the regional conference on Afghanistan. Pakistan will never allow India to come inside the tent. Jaishankar knows it and will be watching that space keenly.





After all, the peace deal is a troop extrication agreement, not part of a peace process as the two agreements signed at Doha and Kabul are apparently not interlinked. Even so, last week, Khalilzad had urged the Taliban to observe peace and suspend offensive military operations during Ramadan as it was an opportunity for humanitarian ceasefire, at least till the Coronavirus crisis was over.





The Afghans are unhappy that the Taliban has pledged not to attack the US and other foreign forces but is continuing to kill fellow Afghans. With the implementation of the peace deal on hold due to its infirmities and COVID-19, India has its role cut out: To open back channel with the Taliban; hasten bridging the gap between Ghani and Abdullah, vital for the cohesion of national response to Taliban; re-deploy consulates at Herat and Jalalabad as soon as feasible; and carve out a place in intra-Afghan dialogue.





(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.)
Microsoft has announced that its Surface devices are coming to South Africa.

The announcement came as part of the unveiling of the new Surface Go 2, Surface Book 3, Surface Headphones 2, Surface Earbuds, and Surface Dock 2.

To help better address the global demand we are seeing for Surface, we are excited to share that we will bring Surface to Mexico and South Africa later this year, said Microsofts Panos Panay, Chief Product Officer for Windows and Devices, and Robin Seiler, Corporate Vice President for Devices.

Microsoft previously told MyBroadband that it was interested in bringing its Surface device lineup to South Africa at some point in the future.

In October 2019, Ami Silverman, Microsoft Corporate VP for Worldwide Sales and Marketing: Consumer and Devices, said the company was certainly considering launching the devices in South Africa.

We would absolutely consider expanding to South Africa in the future, but we dont have a date to share yet, Silverman said at the time.

Our intent and desire are to have Surface in South Africa.

New Surface devices

Microsoft said the features of its new Surface devices are as follows:

Surface Go 2  Delivers incredible value in a light, portable design, providing a great device for anyone in your company or family.

 Delivers incredible value in a light, portable design, providing a great device for anyone in your company or family. Surface Book 3  Microsofts most powerful laptop ever. Designed for professionals who need desktop-level performance from anywhere.

 Microsofts most powerful laptop ever. Designed for professionals who need desktop-level performance from anywhere. Surface Headphones 2 and Surface Earbuds  Help you find focus wherever you are and stay connected to the people and content that matters.

and  Help you find focus wherever you are and stay connected to the people and content that matters. Surface Dock 2 and Microsoft USB-C Travel Hub  Help you set up the ultimate workspace wherever that may be.

Now read: MTN reopens all stores in South Africa
The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday blamed the Centre's "lack of farsightedness" for the migrant labourer crisis in the country and asked why the PM CARES fund is not being used to finance their journey home.

The party also said it is condemnable that migrant labourers who have been "starving" for over 40 days are being made to pay for their tickets, as is being alleged.

"The PM Cares Fund has now turned into the PM Does Not Care fund. Where is the money of the fund going? Why isn't it is being used to finance the return of the labourers? The Centre is not bothered about migrant labourers who are in a mess due to the sudden announcement of the lockdown," senior TMC leader Derek O'Brien said during a virtual press conference.

It is the duty of the central government to ensure these labourers return safely to their home states, he said.

"There are allegations that the labourers, who have been literally starving for the last 42 days, had to shell out money to buy tickets for returning. This is condemnable," the party leader in the Rajya Sabha added.

Tens of thousands of migrant labourers have been stranded away from their homes in different parts of the country due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown, which came into force on March 25.

Following requests from various states to help ferry home these labourers, the Railways has run 115 special trains since May 1, taking more than 1 lakh workers to their native places.

Opposition parties have accused the government of charging money from the labourers for the train journey. However, the government has said 85 per cent of the fare is being borne by the Railways and the remaining 15 per cent is being borne by the state government on whose request a train is being run.

TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay alleged there is a dearth of managerial efficiency and planning on the part of the central government.

"It was due to the Centre's lack of farsightedness that labourers across the country are facing such a crisis," he said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been compassionate to the cause of the migrant labourers, he added.

TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar hit out at the ruling BJP over allegations that the West Bengal government is suppressing information about the coronavirus situation in the state.

She said the "BJP's fake factory is spreading misleading information to malign the people of Bengal".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Highlights The hacker claimed that the privacy of 90 million Indian users is at stake due to a security vulnerability found in the app.

The Aarogya Setu team shared an official statement on Twitter and said that they have discussed how the app collects location and information

They said in their statement that "no personal information of any user has been proven to be at risk by this ethical hacker.

A day after an ethical hacker claimed that the government-backed Aarogya Setu app has privacy issues, the developers of India's contact-tracing app have issued a statement clarifying its functionalities. The hacker claimed that the privacy of 90 million Indian users is at stake due to a security vulnerability found in the app.

The Aarogya Setu team shared an official statement on Twitter and said that they have discussed how the app collects location and information. They said in their statement that "no personal information of any user has been proven to be at risk by this ethical hacker" and there was "no data or security breach."

In their statement, the government said that they fetch a user's location and store on a server in a secure, encrypted and anonymized manner at the time of registration and self-assessment. They said that the user submits his contact tracing data voluntarily on the app.

In response to the hacker's claim that the" users an get the COVID-19 stats displayed on Home Screen by changing the radius and latitude and longitude", the government said that "the radius parameters are fixed and can only take one of the few values: 500 meters, 1km, 2km, 5km, and 10km. These values are standard parameters posted with HTTP headers."

However, the hacker didn't seem too pleased with the clarification issued by the government. He then tweeted saying, "Basically, you said "nothing to see here"We will see. I will come back to you tomorrow."

The ethical hacker who goes by the name Elliot Alderson had alerted the government on Tuesday about the flaws in the app. He even asked them to get in touch with him privately. However, hours after tweeting Alderson then warned the government that if they don't fix the flaw, he will disclose all the vulnerabilities to the public.

The Aarogya Setu app was designed to curb the spread of coronavirus in India. It was downloaded 80 million times within days and the numbers have only gone up. The app was heavily promoted by the government and Prime Minister himself. In some places, it is being made mandatory for people to download the app, for instance, the central government employees have been asked to download the app and even some companies like Zomato and Urban Company have made it mandatory for all their employees.

Just yesterday, it was announced that anyone roaming around in Noida without having the app on his phone will be penalized and can even face the jail for 6 months.
From Zille to Christ and Vostell

one hundred years Ago, the Berlin city Council voted by a narrow majority, for the greater Berlin act of the Imperial capital, were captured by the circle-free cities, Charlottenburg, Wilmersdorf, Schoneberg, Spandau, Lichtenberg and Neukolln as well as the municipality of Kopenick and several dozen villages and real estate. So Berlin it was. for a short time, to the second largest (behind Los Angeles) and to the number of inhabitants the largest city in the world, third (behind London and New York), before him American, and Asian cities were the rank The anniversary, a pivotal date in the history of the city, was celebrated this spring, but hardly celebrated; of the enthusiasm of the state administration for historical reflection was low, and the pandemic did the Rest. Nevertheless, there are places where the Legislation that created the contemporary city, aesthetically

Andreas Kilb

feuilleton correspondent in Berlin nachzittert.

F. A. Z.

The exhibition of "100  Berlin" in the Municipal gallery at the Fehrbelliner Platz is a Berlin-Look on the first glance, among many, with drawings, paintings, photographs of local and international artists. Only at second glance one recognizes that something Important is missing: a centre, and it was just a thought. The tour, which begins with Heinrich Zille, and with Christo and Wolf Vostell ends, actually shows exactly what he promises: a hundred times in Berlin and each Time something different.

images

You can see, no city, no world city, but a Memory game made up of individual images that are on the lookout for your twin. The girl with the shopping network, has photographed Helga Paris, looking for the melancholy movers of the painter Matthias Koeppel. Zilles circus "roses from the South" sells, over, peeping to the circus tent on Jeremie Aubouins recording from the eighties. The fire wall on the etching Michael Otto's would like to be next to the mirror image of the Matthai Kirche in the window of the national gallery on the photo by Efraim Habermann. The Theater hall door of Anna Lehmann-Brauns toying with the Museum portal of Friederike von Rauch.

But you don't come to each other, for the collection, which is here shown, is much too diffuse. Is your inner truth is: it reflects the consciousness of a diffuse, unconnected to the city. Nothing grows here, everything remains for the people, the walls, even the trees in the winter the Teltow canal.

Updated Date: 18 June 2020, 11:21
Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister speaks during a COVID-19 press conference at the legislature in Winnipeg on March 26, 2020. (The Canadian Press/John Woods)

Fears CERB Could Impede Recovery as Provinces Strive to Reopen Economies

As provinces begin opening their economies, the premier of Manitoba as well as the Official Opposition and think tanks are warning that federal programs introduced to cushion the impact of the lockdown may discourage people from returning to work.

A lot of provinces were in a tough fiscal situation before this started. Now theyre faced with huge health-care costs and big revenue drops, Philip Cross, a former chief economic analyst at Statistics Canada, said in an interview.

On May 4, many provinces took baby steps to re-start the economy. In Manitoba, as patios, dentists, and hair salons re-opened, Premier Brian Pallister warned that federal benefit programs could have perverse potential outcomes and unintended consequences by paying people to stay at home.

Im not discounting the need for people to get supports and I have thanked  the federal government for introducing these programs. But I am cognizant of the real, potentially dangerous consequences of rewarding people for not looking for work, Pallister told the CBC.

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer expressed similar concerns.

At a time when our economy needs stimulus, Justin Trudeau has given it a tranquilizer and risks creating labour shortages across the country. This failure must be reversed before it is too late. Canadas economic recovery depends on it, Scheer said.

More than 7.3 million Canadians have applied for the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit. Those who are eligible are getting $2,000 a month for up to four months. Current CERB guidelines dont allow recipients to earn more than $1,000 per month.

A gradual phase-out of the benefit as people earn more and more, we believe, would encourage and incentivize people to re-enter the workforce, Scheer said.

Scheers proposal is similar to one put forward by the C. D. Howe Institute, suggesting that Ottawa implement income-tested CERB clawbacks for those returning to work.

According to C.D. Howe president William Robson, employers were already complaining about employees who told them they preferred to stay home.

CERB helped cushion COVID-19s impact. But it now threatens to impede the recovery, Robson wrote in a National Post op-ed, noting that CERB recipients are not required to actively seek work or even be ready and willing to do so.

Cross, a senior fellow at the Macdonald Laurier Institute, says the provinces are eager to reopen the economy because they cant borrow and print money the way the federal government can.

Weve already seen Pallister, for example, ask the federal government to do all of the borrowing for the provinces because [Ottawa] can borrow more cheaply.

He says constant media updates on new cases and deaths put safety at the top of the publics mind, but notes that social isolation and economic pressures will undermine peoples health and lives in other ways.

We know from past severe recessions that when people lose jobs, the suicide rates goes up, substance abuse goes up, domestic strife, marriages come under pressure and so on. We know that youth who enter the labour market during a recession suffer long-term damageliterally lifetime earnings decline.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has continued to voice caution as some provinces open up for business. He told Canadians on May 4, Dont go out unless you absolutely have to. And if you do, keep two metres apart from each other.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault announced elementary schools would reopen May 11, but Trudeau wasnt sure he would return his children to class if he still lived in Quebec.

I dont know, he said on the TV program Tout le monde en parle. Its a very personal decision for many, many parents.

Trudeau said in that situation he would request details on how the school would enforce public health recommendations, then make that decision probably at the last minute.

University of Saskatchewan Professor Joseph Garcea told The Epoch Times its a tricky balance to implement the right policies in the evolving situation.

I think the adjustment will probably come in time. The question is how quickly can you expect to move in one direction and then all of a sudden start moving in another direction. That is the challenge. Because then you get criticized for going too fast forward, slowing down, going sideways, and then the real criticism starts.

Cross points out that if too many people think of the short-term situation instead of the long game, 2020 may provide a different kind of hindsight.

If your employer goes bankrupt and theres no job to go back to, youre not going to be unemployed without income for a couple of months, youre going to be unemployed for possibly a long time, he says. And as that reality starts to sink in, I think youll see people get more and more awake to economic factors.
Global technology firms including Google, Samsung, Cisco and Vodafone have joined forces to urge US lawmakers to fund next-generation tech development using open radio access.

Thirty-one companies announced on Tuesday that they had formed the group, called the Open RAN Policy Coalition, to change the way the cell tower radio access network (RAN) works in an effort to support virtual, software-based 5G networks.

RAN is part of a telecommunications system that connects devices to other parts of a network through cableless radio connections. Opening up RAN means the 5G infrastructure can be moved away from the need for expensive proprietary hardware.

The group, which also includes AT&T, IBM, Microsoft, Verizon, Rakuten Mobile and Telefonica, said the change would allow multiple vendors to operate on the system interchangeably and avoid infrastructure in which a single manufacturer must provide everything.

The coalition is urging the federal government to fund open RAN research and development, test open networks and to offer incentives to diversify the tech supply chain, a growing concern of policymakers as the 5G technology is dominated by China.

This is not the first group formed to push for open interface standards. In February 2018, a number of global tech companies formed the O-RAN Alliance based in Germany. One major Chinese telecoms giant, China Mobile, was a founding member. Last year, the company was denied a licence to sell its products and services in the US.

The Trump administration has been increasingly aggressive in excluding Chinese providers from US 5G networks because of national security concerns.

Last year, the US placed Huawei Technologies " the Chinese telecoms company at the forefront of next-generation 5G technology " on an "entity list" and barred it from buying critical components from American suppliers.

Last month, several US departments urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to revoke three Chinese telecoms services providers including China Telecom (Americas) from doing business in the US.

Story continues

Last Thursday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said all mobile data entering US embassies through 5G networks that use Huawei equipment would be blocked under new, tougher "clean path" rules.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks in front of a screen reading "5G Clean Path" in Washington on April 29. Photo: Reuters alt=US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks in front of a screen reading "5G Clean Path" in Washington on April 29. Photo: Reuters

"Just as the Trump administration has taken unprecedented action to defend our physical borders, so too are we defending America on cyber frontiers," Pompeo said.

"The objective is that untrusted IT vendors will have no access to US State Department systems. We'll follow the letter of the law," he said. "We will keep doing all we can to keep our critical data in our network safe from the Chinese Communist Party."

Meanwhile, the US has been struggling to come up with its own alternative to replace the products provided by companies such as Huawei.

Members of the coalition announced on Tuesday range from network hardware and component providers, cloud computing giants as well as software and radio companies, indicating a broad range of private-sector interest in the initiative. Geographically, multiple international carriers in Britain, Spain and Japan have also joined.

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.
The amount of cash withdrawn from ATMs has plunged by nearly a third since the coronavirus outbreak as the crisis changes the way consumers pay.

The switch away from cash is set to accelerate the trend towards alternative payment methods including online purchases, tap cards, smartphones and buy now pay later.

Consumers have been using less cash since the coronavirus outbreak. Credit:Glenn Hunt

A real-time spending tracker developed by analytics firm AlphaBeta, a part of Accenture, and credit bureau illion, shows the withdrawal of cash from ATMs was 32 per cent lower in the week of April 20-26 than a typical week in February, prior to the escalation of the pandemic.

One driver of this change is the way consumers and businesses have switched to payment methods that require no human contact, such as tap and go.
YEREVAN.  No solution to the Karabakh [(Artsakh)] issue can practically become a solution if it is not acceptable for the people of Armenia and Artsakh. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this in the National Assembly on Wednesday, responding to opposition Prosperous Armenia faction member Naira Zohrabyans question as to why the PMs has not voiced his position on the recent statements of Russian FM Sergey Lavrov and Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov.

Pashinyan said that no leader of Armenia has expressed such a detailed position as he has on the Karabakh issue. " No solution to the Karabakh issue can practically become a solution if it is not acceptable for the people of Armenia, Artsakh, including for the National Assembly," he added. "Even if there have been authorities in the past who thought they would sign and take away a solution, they have overestimated their strength."

The PM noted that the solution shall be put to discussion with the National Assemblies of Armenia and Artsakh, the security councils of the two countries, and then a decision shall be made. "The solution, which can be theoretically realized, is the solution that is acceptable for the peoples of Artsakh, Armenia, and Azerbaijan," Pashinyan said. "We will come to this solution only when the Foreign Minister and I see that there is some option that can be discussable in principle."

The Prime Minister said that Armenia's foreign policy is not changing, but is being created. "We expect that there be the same attitude towards our positions, and I assure that it is so," Nikol Pashinyan added, in particular. "Not to be conflict-mongering, to be constructive, respectful in relations."
May 1 marked the first day restaurants could resume dine-in service under Gov. Greg Abbott's new executive order. The order allows for restaurants to open their dining rooms at 25 percent occupancy levels and requires they follow several state guidelines, including enforcing social distancing among patrons.

HERE'S HOW IT WENT: Houston restaurants return to work

Houston foodies searching for a unique dine-in experience should look to the suburbs for some top-notch options. These A+ suburban restaurants offer some of the best food in their area, according to Yelp reviews, and are eager to welcome guests back to their dining rooms and patios.

With bars and most other businesses still closed, why not make a day of your dinner plans and head outside of the city?

Keep scrolling for 18 top-rated suburban restaurants to book your next dine-in restaurant outing...
One of the constitutional freedoms liberals are trying to use the Wuhan virus pandemic as an excuse to shred is the Second Amendments guarantee that our right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. There is no asterisk indicating an exception in case of pandemic, so when law-abiding gun owners show up to protest a governments attempt to infringe on their rights, why should they not show up with the weapons the government is trying to curtail their use of, even take them away if the liberals could. Which part of bear arms does Sean Hannity not understand?

Hannity, who likes to count on his fingers when talking over his guests, repeating endlessly the same shopworn phrases, took to task protestors who showed up at Michigans state capitol to protest against Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's draconian stay-at-home orders, including the deeming of gun and ammo shops as nonessential as liberal governors and mayors nationwide release felons to the streets. The ever-modest Hannity opined that their bad optics was in fact hurting their cause:

"I'm the number one supporter [on] radio and television, that I know of, [of the] First Amendment and the Second Amendment. Now, no one is a bigger defendant of the Second Amendment than yours truly," Hannity said Monday night on his television program. "Everyone has the right to protest, protect themselves and try to get the country open," the host said as video rolled of Thursday's protest in Lansing. "This, with the militia look here, and these long guns, uh... no. Show of force is dangerous. That puts our police at risk. And by the way, your message will never be heard, whoever you people are." "No one should be attempting to intimidate officials with a show of force, and God forbid, something happens," the host continued. "Then they're going to go after all of us law-abiding Second Amendment people."

They already are, Sean, in case you didnt notice. Thats why the protestors were there -- with their weapons. How do law-abiding citizens, many of them veterans and retired law enforcement themselves, who have legally purchased these weapons and know how to handle them endanger police exactly. Police and law-abiding citizens are more threatened by the criminals that governors like Whitmer seek to release even as they restrict our right to arm and defend ourselves and our families. Perhaps Sean forgets why there are no mass shootings at gun shows or why the Second Amendment was written in the first place.

O ur liberty was won in a fight waged against government tyranny not unlike what we are experiencing today when mothers are taken away in handcuffs and shoved in the back of a police car for taking her daughter to the park, where calling a neighbor about the possibility of a play date for her child brings the police to her door, and where Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot says shes watching social media so that police can find and arrest those planning to gather together in the privacy of their homes, presumably after kicking down the door at gunpoint.

The militias that won our liberty at gunpoint had guns in their homes and carried them with them when they farmed or went to church.

Critics of the Second Amendment say that they are not going after guns used for legitimate activities such as hunting. But when the Founders wrote the Second Amendment it was because the British were coming, not because it was the start of deer season. As Fox News contributor Judge Andrew Napolitano notes:

The historical reality of the Second Amendment's protection of the right to keep and bear arms is not that it protects the right to shoot deer," wrote Judge Andrew Napolitano recently in the Washington Times. "It protects the right to shoot tyrants, and it protects the right to shoot at them effectively, with the same instruments they would use upon us. If the Jews in the Warsaw ghetto had had the firepower and ammunition that the Nazis had, some of Poland might have stayed free and more persons would have survived the Holocaust."

Maybe government officials should feel a little bit intimidated. They daily try to intimidate us, sending police to church parking lots to break up drive-in services attended by people in cars with rolled up windows listening to sermons over the radio or a loudspeaker. Governors like Whitmer operate with the consent of the government and it is obvious the governed no longer consent. Like William Wallace in Braveheart they are shouting Freedom!

Among the many illogical things that liberals have tried to include in bills and policies dealing with the Chinese Wuhan Virus pandemic is to try to repeal our gun rights under the Second Amendment to the Constitution. Various jurisdictions have decided that places like gun shops and firing ranges are non-essential businesses even as they make our communities more dangerous by releasing criminals early and ordering police to ignore certain crimes in the name of fighting the pandemic. Self-defense in a time of social unrest and economic uncertainty is considered unnecessary as if criminals are going to social distance themselves from their victims.

President Trump has given us yet another reason to be grateful we elected him as his administration declares that that fighting a pandemic does not justify shredding the Constitution and that gun ownership and training are in fact essential businesses:

President Trumps Department of Homeland Security released updated guidelines naming gun manufacturers and retailers as essential on Saturday, which means they are to stay open and operational nationwide during a Chinese coronavirus shutdown The DHS declaration comes just days after Governor Phil Murphy (D) laughed in the face of a man who expressed concern that the statewide shutdown in New Jersey had put an end to gun sales, thereby eliminating the ability to get a firearm for self-defense. Breitbart News reported the concerned man asking Murphy, If less guns reduce crime, will you give up your personal bodyguards? Murphy responded by intimating that he and the citizen had a philosophical difference in the role guns play, with the governor believing a safer society has fewer guns, not more guns. And the guns that do exist are in the hands of the right people -- particularly trained members of law enforcement.

A pandemic does not change our constitutional rights or the need to defend ourselves, our property and our families against predators bigger than a virus. The Michigan protestors wanted to make that point, albeit with the most potent of visual aids. They do not appreciate politicians, or cable pundits for that matter, telling them that only police can carry firearms and that we the people arent the right people. Dare I say it again, to bear arms.

Governors like Whitmer have already put this nation at risk with so-called sensible restrictions on gun ownership and a plethora of gun-free zones such as schools that have proven to be inviting targets for mass shooters. Gang crime pandemics in our inner cities are quite fine with them as is inviting MS-13 predators to migrate to our sanctuary cities. Exploiting a virus crisis to gut the Second Amendment is not beyond them.

We will carry our guns, Sean, where we are entitled to carry them with the Second Amendment as our gun permit, until they pry them from our cold, dead hands.

Daniel John Sobieski is a former editorial writer for Investors Business Daily and free lance writer whose pieces have appeared in Human Events, Reason Magazine, and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications.
DESERT HAVEN, Texas  U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a male subject and seized methamphetamine at U.S. highway 62/180 checkpoint east of El Paso.

On April 30, agents working the checkpoint encountered a vehicle with one occupant. A routine immigration inspection confirmed the driver as a U.S. citizen. A subsequent canine search resulted in a positive narcotic alert.

Agents continued their exam and determined that the driver had a prior criminal history. The vehicle inspection revealed bundles of a clear crystal like substance in a tire. The substance tested positive for methamphetamine.

Agents seized 42.5 pounds of the drug with an estimated street value of $1,360,000 dollars. The driver and drugs were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for prosecution.

Specialty Units such as our canines are an integral part of our day to day operations said Chief Patrol Agent Gloria Chavez. Our canines are highly trained and paired with Border Patrol agents they become a valuable team enhancing our border security mission.

It is important to note that an arrest or criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered evidence of guilt. Subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection welcomes assistance from the community. Citizens are encouraged to report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol while remaining anonymous by calling 1-800-635-2509 toll-free.

Visit www.cbp.gov to view additional news releases and other information pertaining to Customs and Border Protection. Follow us on Twitter at @USBPChiefEPT and @CBPWestTexas.



2020 The Deming Headlight (Deming, N.M.)

Visit The Deming Headlight (Deming, N.M.) at www.demingheadlight.com

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The latest:

IRS says stimulus checks sent to people who died must be returned

Federal stimulus payments sent to people who have died must be returned, the Internal Revenue Service said in new guidance released Wednesday.

In a rush to get stimulus payments out as fast as possible, some of the money was sent to people who had died but had filed taxes within the past two years.

The IRS has to cross-check with another federal agency to get a list of the deceased.

It was previously unclear whether family members could keep the money, but the IRS now says the full payment must be returned, unless the deceased was married and filed tax returns jointly with a spouse who is still alive. In that case only the portion of the payment belonging to the deceased needs to be returned, the agency said. If the couple received $2,400, for example, $1,200 needs to be sent back.



If a check was received, it must be mailed back to the Treasury Department. If the check was cashed or the payment was directly deposited into the bank account, the IRS is asking people to send a personal check or money order. Further instructions were posted online by the IRS.

Pentagon considering banning recruits who have been hospitalized by coronavirus

The Pentagon is considering banning new recruits from joining the military if they have been hospitalized for the coronavirus unless they get a waiver from the service they want to sign up with, according to a defense official.

The official said the guidance is being put in place because there is little understanding of the "long-term" effects of the virus and there is a concern that potential recruits who have been hospitalized may need further medical assessments.

The new policy is being finalized to set medical restrictions on recruits who may have tested positive or have been treated for COVID-19. Department of Defense medical waivers are required for a wide variety of medical conditions ranging from heart disease to a loss of vision.

U.S. firms return virus loans as Treasury threatens penalties

More than 40 public companies are pledging to return money to the government's small business coronavirus fund now that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is threatening criminal prosecutions for violating the rules of the program.

The administration has given companies until May 14 to give back money without penalty. It's a key test for President Donald Trump's administration as it tries to ensure the $600 billion-plus emergency lending program helps small employers preserve jobs in an economy shedding them at a staggering rate.

The challenge is considerable. The Small Business Administration is pushing out unprecedented federal assistance at a rapid clip, but the pace of the program has raised questions about how thoroughly applications are vetted.

Youve got to do it both efficiently and responsibly, and its hard, said James Thurber, a professor of government at American University who founded its Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies. He said Mnuchin is using the bully pulpit to scare companies."



President Trump says White House coronavirus task force will remain

President Donald Trump on Wednesday reversed course on plans to wind down his COVID-19 task force, attempting to balance his enthusiasm for reopening the country with rising infection rates in parts of the nation.

One day after the administration suggested that its work would be done around Memorial Day, Trump said the White House task force of public health professionals and senior government officials would continue after all, indefinitely, with its focus shifting toward rebooting the economy and the development of a vaccine.



"I thought we could wind it down sooner, Trump said, adding, I had no idea how popular the task force is.

Democrats criticized Trump's reopening strategy Wednesday, saying more federal support for testing and contact tracing is needed. While the daily number of new deaths in the New York area has declined markedly in recent weeks, deaths have essentially plateaued in the rest of the U.S.

A White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal thinking, acknowledged that signaling on Tuesday that the task force was preparing to shut down had sent the wrong message and created a media maelstrom.

While the task force has already been meeting less frequently, its medical experts, particularly Drs. Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx, have emerged as among the most trusted voices on the virus response. The Tuesday announcement of ending the task force sparked concerns that they would be sidelined as the outbreak continues amid fears of a fresh wave of illness in the fall.

Trump said Tuesday he would still seek their counsel, regardless of the fate of the task force.

It is appreciated by the public, he said of the task force.

Trump said membership in the group would change as the nature of the crisis evolves.

In the Wednesday tweets Trump said the Task Force will continue on indefinitely. He added that the White House "may add or subtract people to it, as appropriate. The Task Force will also be very focused on Vaccines & Therapeutics.

Analysis shows infection rate rising outside New York metro area

Take the New York metropolitan areas progress against the coronavirus out of the equation and the numbers show the rest of the U.S. is moving in the wrong direction, with the known infection rate rising even as states move to lift their lockdowns, an Associated Press analysis found Tuesday.

New confirmed infections per day in the U.S. exceed 20,000, and deaths per day are well over 1,000, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University. And public health officials warn that the failure to flatten the curve and drive down the infection rate in places could lead to many more deaths  perhaps tens of thousands  as people are allowed to venture out and businesses reopen.

Make no mistakes: This virus is still circulating in our community, perhaps even more now than in previous weeks said Linda Ochs, director of the Health Department in Shawnee County, Kansas.

The densely packed New York metropolitan area, consisting of about 20 million people across a region that encompasses the city's northern suburbs, Long Island and northern New Jersey, has been the hardest-hit corner of the country, accounting for at least one-third of the nation's 70,000 deaths.



African Americans hit harder than any other US group

Although communities across the U.S. have been devastated, a new study suggests more African Americans are dying from the virus in the U.S. than whites or other ethic groups.

Black Americans represent 13.4% of the U.S. population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, but counties with higher black populations account for more than half of all coronavirus cases and almost 60% of deaths, the study found.

Epidemiologists and clinicians from four universities worked with amfAR, the AIDS research nonprofit, and Seattle's Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, PATH, and analyzed cases and deaths using county-level comparisons.

They compared counties with a disproportionate number of black residents  those with a population of 13% or more  with those with lower numbers of African American residents. Counties with higher populations of black residents accounted for 52% of coronavirus diagnoses and 58% of COVID-19 deaths nationally, they said.

Virus spread extremely quickly starting late last year

As they reopen, some states have pushed to build stronger contact tracing frameworks and conduct more antibody tests to get a better understanding of just how far and fast the virus has spread.

But officials are still learning about the virus.

For example, a new genetic analysis of the virus taken from more than 7,600 patients around the world shows it has been circulating in people since late last year, and must have spread extremely quickly after the first infection.

Researchers in Britain looked at mutations in the virus and found evidence of quick spread, but no evidence the virus is becoming more easily transmitted or more likely to cause serious disease.

"The virus is changing, but this in itself does not mean it's getting worse," genetics researcher Francois Balloux of the University College London Genetics Institute told CNN.

The analysis also ruled out scenarios that assumed coronavirus was circulating for months before it was identified and had by now infected "large proportions of the population," the researchers wrote.

At most, 10% of the global population has been exposed to the virus, Balloux estimated.

That's grim news. Michael Osterholm, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, said the novel coronavirus  which by his estimate has infected between 5% to 15% of the population  will continue to spread until about 60 to 70% are infected.

"Think how much pain, suffering, death and economic disruption we've had in getting from 5% to 15% of the population infected and hopefully protected," Osterholm said. "Wake up, world. Do not believe the rhetoric that says this is going to go away."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
As Sudan is returning to the concert of nations, Washington and Khartoum are drawing closer and closer. The United States has agreed to receive a Sudanese ambassador on US soil for the first time since the mid-1990s.

Noureldin Sati is the newly appointed ambassador to Washington. The experienced diplomat served as ambassador to France in the 1990s, before working with the UN peacekeeping missions in Congo and Rwanda.

The announcement of his designation was anticipated. In December, after a historic visit to Washington by Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the upcoming exchange of ambassadors.

Now Khartoum is calling on Americans to do the same, including supporting and building relations with the civilian power in Khartoum. 

This appointment comes after several decades of tumultuous relations. In 1993, the United States put Sudan on its list of countries sponsoring terrorism. Three years later, the United States closed its embassy in Khartoum for fear of an attack. Since then, the relationship had never progressed beyond the level of charge daffaires.

But the fall of the Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir changed all that. Prime Minister Hamdok has made rapprochement with Washington a priority. He is also pushing for his country to no longer be considered as a supporter of terrorism, which would allow it to access aid from international financial institutions and to relieve its economy in crisis.
17:20 | Austin (U.S.), May. 6.





The researchers linked two copies of a special kind of antibody produced by llamas to create a new antibody that binds tightly to a key protein on the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.



This protein called the spike protein allows the virus to break into host cells. Initial tests indicate that the antibody blocks viruses that display this spike protein from infecting cells in culture.

"This is one of the first antibodies known to neutralize SARS-CoV-2," said Jason McLellan, associate professor of molecular biosciences at UT Austin and co-senior author , referring to the virus that causes COVID-19.

The team is now preparing to conduct preclinical studies in animals such as hamsters or nonhuman primates, with the hopes of next testing in humans.

The goal is to develop a treatment that would help people soon after infection with the virus.

This would be especially helpful for vulnerable groups such as elderly people, who mount a modest response to vaccines, which means that their protection may be incomplete. Health care workers and other people at increased risk of exposure to the virus can also benefit from immediate protection.

When llamas' immune systems detect foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses, these animals (and other camelids such as alpacas) produce two types of antibodies: one that is similar to human antibodies and another that's only about a quarter of the size. These smaller ones, called single-domain antibodies or nanobodies, can be nebulized and used in an inhaler.

"That makes them potentially really interesting as a drug for a respiratory pathogen because you're delivering it right to the site of infection," said Daniel Wrapp, a graduate student in McLellan's lab and co-first author of the paper.

The paper's other authors are Gretel M. Torres, Wander Van Breedam, Kenny Roose, Loes van Schie, Markus Hoffmann, Stefan Pohlmann, Barney S. Graham and Nico Callewaert.

Meet Winter



Winter, the llama, is 4 years old and still living on a farm in the Belgian countryside along with approximately 130 other llamas and alpacas. Her part in the experiment happened in 2016 when she was about 9 months old and the researchers were studying two earlier coronaviruses: SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV.

In a process similar to humans getting shots to immunize them against a virus, she was injected with stabilized spike proteins from those viruses over the course of about six weeks.

Next, researchers collected a blood sample and isolated antibodies that bound to each version of the spike protein. One showed real promise in stopping a virus that displays spike proteins from SARS-CoV-1 from infecting cells in culture.

That was exciting to me because Id been working on this for years," Wrapp said. "But there wasn't a big need for a coronavirus treatment then. This was just basic research. Now, this can potentially have some translational implications, too."

The team engineered the new antibody that shows promise for treating the current SARS-CoV-2 by linking two copies of the llama antibody that worked against the earlier SARS virus. They demonstrated that the new antibody neutralizes viruses displaying spike proteins from SARS-CoV-2 in cell cultures. The scientists were able to complete this research and publish it in a top journal in a matter of weeks thanks to the years of work theyd already done on related coronaviruses.

McLellan also led the team that first mapped the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, a critical step toward a vaccine. (Wrapp also co-authored that paper along with other authors on the current Cell paper, including UT Austins Nianshuang Wang, and Kizzmekia S. Corbett and Barney Graham of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Vaccine Research Center.) Besides Wrapp, the papers other co-first author is Dorien De Vlieger, a postdoctoral scientist at Ghent Universitys Vlaams Institute for Biotechnology (VIB), and the other senior authors besides McLellan are Bert Schepens and Xavier Saelens, both at VIB.





Editor's note: Based on information provided by The University of Texas at Austin in the United States.





(END) NDP/MVB

The hunt for an effective treatment for COVID-19 has led one team of researchers to find an improbable ally for their work: a llama named Winter. The team from The University of Texas at Austin , the National Institutes of Health and Ghent University in Belgium  works to find a potential avenue for a coronavirus treatment involving llamas.Published: 5/6/2020
The Trump administration released a new rule Wednesday that outlines when and how schools must respond to reports of sexual assault and harassment under Title IX, the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination.

Among the biggest changes: Schools can now shift the threshold that officials use to decide if an assault claim requires a response, from the preponderance of evidence standard set under the Obama administration to a clear and convincing evidence standard, which is a higher bar to prove claims of misconduct.

The changes came after several years of meetings with assault survivors, falsely accused students, advocacy groups, and educators, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos told reporters as she announced the rule.

Ultimately, our action today brings us closer to fulfilling Title IXs promise: equal access to education for all students, she said.

The rule defines sexual harassment as unwelcome conduct on the basis of sex that is so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to the schools education program or activity, a stricter definition than is used in employment law. Schools will be found in violation of Title IX if they are deliberately indifferent to such conduct.

The rule replaces an Obama-era civil rights directive that DeVos revoked in September 2017, when she said that rule didnt do enough to protect the due-process rights of the accused. DeVos has also criticized the Obama administration for releasing guidance documents, outlining its interpretation of civil rights laws without seeking public commen through a formal rulemaking process. The new regulations carry more legal weight than the previous guidance.

While discussion about the Title IX rule has largely centered on colleges and universities, the changes will also affect K-12 schools, putting them on notice about how the Education Department intends to enforce the gender nondiscrimination law. In response to public comments on a draft rule released in November 2018, the agency made some changes to its final rule.

Weve made number of changes to make sure there is a recognition of the differences between public school kids and college students, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kenneth Marcus said.

Among the key provisions for K-12 schools:



Schools are required to respond when they have actual knowledge of a complaint of sexual harassment, which can include a report to any employee of an elementary or secondary school. Thats compared to the Obama administration guidance, which held schools responsible for incidents they reasonably should have been aware of. The recent draft rule had more narrowly limited that reporting responsibilty to Title IX coordinators. Survivors advocacy groups say students are often unaware of their rights, and many schools dont sufficiently publicize who coordinate their Title IX reponse.

Schools must respond when harassment occurs in the schools education program or activity. After the draft rule, survivors advocates raised alarms that off-campus conduct can disrupt education for students. The final rule expands the definition of program or activity to include locations, events, or circumstances over which the school exercised substantial control over both the respondent and the context in which the sexual harassment occurs. But advocates said that definition still left some gray areas: like online harassment.

advocates raised alarms that off-campus conduct can disrupt education for students. The final rule expands the definition of program or activity to include locations, events, or circumstances over which the school exercised substantial control over both the respondent and the context in which the sexual harassment occurs. But advocates said that definition still left some gray areas: like online harassment. The final rule allows parents or guardians of K-12 students to file complaints on their behalf, and requires parental notification of complaints against their children.

Unlike colleges and universities, elementary and secondary schools are not required to hold hearings on student complaints.

The rule requires schools to provide supportive measures to students, with or without a formal complaint. That might include providing counseling or changing class schedules to avoid sharing a classroom with the accused, DeVos said.

Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., the chairman of the Senate education committee, praised the changes.

This final rule respects and supports victims and preserves due process rights for both the victim and the accused, Alexander said in a statement. For example, the rule ensures victims get the support they need to change classes or dorms if they allege they have been sexually assaulted or sexually harassed and the rule ensures the victim and the accused get a fair hearing to resolve such allegations.

Advocacy groups, who say elementary and secondary schools already struggle to adequately and consistently respond to students reports of sexual assault and harassment, have long anticipated the changes.

Groups like the American Psychological Association said Wednesday they feared the new evidentiary standard in the final rule would make it more difficult for students to prove their claims. The National Womens Law Center threatened to sue to block the regulations.

Washington Sen. Patty Murray, the ranking Democrat on the Senate education committee, panned the changes.

Let me be clear: this rule is not about restoring balance, this is about silencing survivors, Murray said in a statement. This rule will make it that much harder for a student to report an incident of sexual assault or harassmentand that much easier for a school to sweep it under the rug.

Some have also questioned the timing of the new directive. An coalition of 209 education and advocacy groups wrote to DeVos in March, urging her to pause the rulemaking process as schools, colleges, and universities confront unprecedented challenges related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Moving forward now with a new Title IX rule would only exacerbate these challenges by diverting schools already sharply limited resources toward creating complex new policies and training employees on implementation, at a time when schools are already working to radically shift their programs and meet student needs, even while staff operate remotely, that letter said.

Marcus said Wednesday that administrators should have anticipated the new rule, which has been in the review process for months. He said the Education Department would begin enforcing the directive Aug. 14, giving schools an unusually long period of time to comply and train employees on the changes.

Some who had advocated for a delay said Wednesday that time frame is still too tight.

Title IX rules go into effect in August. What does that mean for districts? In theory, districts should begin to start to update handbooks, re-do PD, etc. and find time/resources to do this DURING A PANDEMIC. Not a great time for substantive and unnecessary policy changes.  Sasha Pudelski AASA (@SPudelski) May 6, 2020

Follow us on Twitter @PoliticsK12 . And follow the Politics K-12 reporters @EvieBlad @Daarel and @AndrewUjifusa .
Police booked at least 30 persons on Wednesday evening for allegedly gathering inside a neighbourhood park to hold a meeting in Chandigarhs Sector 30, a Covid-19 hotspot and a containment zone.

Police said that before the meeting was held, an announcement was made from the loudspeaker of a gurdwara nearby, asking people to move their vehicles parked inside the park, to create space for the gathering.

After a tip off, a police team wearing PPE kits entered the zone and arrested six personsSushil Kumar, Partap Singh, Surinder Singh, Hakam Singh, Harsh and Surjit Singh from the spot. When we entered the meeting was underway, according to a police statement.

Other at the meeting fled the spot. The arrested persons told police they had held a meeting because they were feeling trapped by barricades installed at the boundaries as well as within their sector. They said they wanted to go back to work and earn their livelihood.

On a complaint given by Sat Pal, the executive magistrate of the containment zone, the accused were booked under Sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Industrial Area police station.

The six persons arrested were later released on bail, while attempts are being made to ascertain the identities of the remaining accused, the police said.
LONDON, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In April 2020, Biotest AG published the "Invitation to the Virtual Annual General Meeting 2020" which is due to take place on 8 May 2020. Item 6 of the agenda submitted for the approval of shareholders includes the proposed nomination to the Supervisory Board of Mr. Xiaoying (David) Gao, the current Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice Chairman of Bio Products Laboratory Ltd. (BPL).

BPL is a UK limited company ultimately owned by the Creat Group, the majority but non-dominating shareholder of Biotest. BPL carries out the majority of its operations in the United States, a geographic market that Biotest has clearly and explicitly stated it has an intention to enter through its Biotest Next Level project. As such, Polygon believes that allowing the CEO and Board member of a competitor into the Supervisory Board of Biotest creates a clear conflict of interest. Surprisingly, Biotest's Board of Directors does not believe that such a conflict of interest exists.

On 20 April 2020, Polygon, in its capacity as a shareholder of Biotest, submitted a counter-motion to the Annual General Meeting asking for a special audit to determine the circumstances that have led the Board of Directors of Biotest to determine that Mr. Gao's appointment does not give rise to a conflict of interest. This counter-motion was formally rejected by Biotest on 24 April 2020.

For the sake of transparency to all Biotest stakeholders, Polygon attaches to this release its correspondence with Biotest related to this matter, including a letter sent today rebutting the arguments presented by Biotest on April 24.

Polygon believes that it is in the interest of all Biotest stakeholders to properly scrutinise and, where necessary, prevent, potential conflicts of interest that could detrimentally impact the company and its stated strategy.

Contact: Polygon Global Partners LLP ([email protected])

Biotest Aktiengesellschaft

Investor Relations

Landsteinerstrae 5

63303 Dreieich

London, 5 May 2020

Counter-motion to agenda item 3 / special audit

Dear Sirs,

we reply to your statement of April 24, 2020 as follows:

1. The motion is a counter-motion in accordance with sec. 126 AktG

The motion we sent on April 20, 2020 is in fact a counter-motion pursuant to sec. 126 German Stock Corporation Act (Aktiengesetz) (AktG). In the interest of a transparent opinion-forming among shareholders, case law and corporate law literature agree that no excessive demands exist with regard to the formal requirements for a counter-motion to an annual General Meeting held once a year.

Contrary to what you write in your statement, a counter-motion, particularly with regard to the agenda item "discharge", is not contained to the contradictory opposite being proposed for resolution. On this agenda item, the contradictory motion for "non-discharge" would merely be the announcement of a nay-vote on the resolution proposed by the boards.

Rather, the characteristic feature of a counter-motion is that, in addition to the mere negation of the resolution proposed by the boards, it is aimed at a resolution that differs in content. This is precisely the case with our counter-motion of April 20, 2020: It implies that the actions of the members of the Management Board should not be approved and that instead a special audit should be carried out with regard to events in connection with the management of the company.

Contrary to your highly formalistic and, incidentally, factually incorrect statement, the fact that the motion submitted is a counter-motion to the agenda item "discharge of the members of the Management Board" is evident not only from our e-mail accompanying the motion submitted, but also from the motion document itself. This states: "We propose the following counter-motions regarding item 3 of the agenda".

2. Motion also possible under the COVID-19 Act in the virtual annual General Meeting 2020

Contrary to what you said, motions on agenda items remain possible, also under the COVID-19 Act, in the virtual annual General Meeting on May 8, 2020.

In your invitation to the annual General Meeting, p. 4, you explicitly confirmed for counter-motions that they are to be treated as if they had been submitted at the annual General Meeting. Even if, for highly formal reasons, one did not want to regard the motion of April 20, 2020 for the special audit to be treated as a counter-motion, but as an ordinary motion not subject to publication pursuant to sec. 124 (4) sentence 2 AktG, you would still be required, pursuant to the commitment in your invitation to the Annual General Meeting, to treat the motion submitted as a counter-motion. Any other handling and non-admission would be contrary to shareholders' rights and the transparency requirement.

This applies all the more so because on page 4 of your invitation to the annual General Meeting you systematically distinguish between requests for additions to the agenda that require separate announcement on the one hand and motions on published agenda items that do not require separate announcement (sec. 124 (4) sentence 2 AktG) on the other. Since an ordinary motion that does not require publication falls into the latter category, as does a counter motion, both types of motion must be treated equally from the point of view of systematic and reasonable interpretation.

3. Reference of the special audit motion to the discharge period given

Contrary to what you represent, the proposed resolution on the discharge of the members of the Management Board announced under agenda item 3 does not relate solely to the past calendar year of 2019. It is trite law that the discharge also represents a resolution on a declaration of confidence for the present and the future. Since the events in connection with the submission of the declaration of conformity in March 2020 are inseparably connected with the annual financial statements for the financial year of 2019, which were also prepared and adopted in March 2020, they are covered by this year's resolution on the discharge. It would be highly artificial to postpone these matters to the following financial year.

4. Insufficient and factually incorrect answers

In your statement of April 24, 2020, you dealt with the points to be examined in the special audit inadequately. For example, you do not state when and how the meeting of the members of the Management Board was convened to adopt a resolution, nor who, for example, initiated the circulation procedure for resolutions in the Supervisory Board. It must be investigated whether the resolution was actually passed as you have stated. Your "voluntary" answers to the questions cannot replace an independent special audit.

This is already evident from the fact that you indicate in your statement that Bio Products Laboratory Ltd. (BPL) led by Mr Gao, is not a major competitor of the company. Your reasoning that this should result from the fact that the Company, unlike BPL, is not active in the USA, is misleading. It is rather true that the Company is making considerable efforts to expand its presence in the USA.

This is proved by statements made by the Company in the current annual report of 2019, where on page 9, the report states: "Biotest is also aiming to double its production capacity and obtain approval for the American market as part of the [Biotest Next Level] project".

Also in recent investor calls, the Company has confirmed that it is aiming to accelerate the development of igG Next Generation, which is a product to be sold in the USA, and that it is actively looking for partners to distribute its existing product range in the USA. Specifically, on the Q3 2019 results call held on November 14, 2019, Dr. Ramroth, Chairman of the Management Board, CEO & CFO, stated the following:

"You may recall that we always said that we are looking for partners, helping us on the one hand side, to the security products in the future in the United States and/or also helping us to develop such products like IgG Next Generation or IgM Concentrate. And discussions are ongoing."





and/or also helping us to develop such products like IgG Next Generation or IgM Concentrate. And discussions are ongoing." "You may have seen that the FDA had issued some kind of warning letter for the United States . And therefore, we have got even more incentivized to accelerate our development of IgG Next Generation, which is designed, also to be sold in the United States ."





. And therefore, we have got even more incentivized to accelerate our development of IgG Next Generation, which is designed, also to be sold in ." "Two Phase III studies are ongoing. One in Primary Immune Deficiency (PID) for Europe and the United States ."





and ." "Currently, we are coordinating with the FDA in United States as well as in the European Medicines Agency and the German Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, the design of the Phase III study. We have got green light from all 3 agencies to really come up with the same design as we had it with our Phase IIb study. In a few years, community-acquired pneumonia, that will be the indication where we have the Trimodulin studied in. And currently, we are preparing this Phase III study together with the pediatric development plan."





as well as in the European Medicines Agency and the German Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, the design of the Phase III study. We have got green light from all 3 agencies to really come up with the same design as we had it with our Phase IIb study. In a few years, community-acquired pneumonia, that will be the indication where we have the Trimodulin studied in. And currently, we are preparing this Phase III study together with the pediatric development plan." "To answer your question, yes, as I said, we are in discussions with partners about partnering our products, either with regard to distributing them in the United States or in some kind of co-development."

Against this background, it is obvious that BPL is a major competitor of the Company. It is therefore unclear how the Management Board and Supervisory Board of the Company were able to adopt their respective declarations of conformity regarding the German Corporate Governance Code (Deutscher Corporate Governance Kodex) pursuant to sec. 161 AktG. It is imperative that the Company's shareholders be afforded the opportunity to vote on a special audit to investigate the circumstances surrounding these declarations.

SOURCE Polygon Global Partners
The government has appointed Economic Affairs Secretary Tarun Bajaj as a director on the central board of Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

Mumbai: The government has appointed Economic Affairs Secretary Tarun Bajaj as a director on the central board of Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Bajaj replaces Atanu Chakraborty, who retired on 30 April.

"The Central Government has nominated Tarun Bajaj, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India as a Director on the Central Board of Reserve Bank of India vice Atanu Chakraborty," RBI said in a statement on Wednesday.

The nomination of Bajaj is effective from 5 May and until further orders, it said.

Click here to follow LIVE news and updates on stock markets

Prior to taking over as Economic Affairs Secretary, Bajaj, a 1988 batch IAS officer, was the Additional Secretary in Prime Minister's Office.

Before joining the Prime Minister's Office in 2015, Bajaj was Joint Secretary in Economic Affairs Department, looking after multilateral funding agencies division.

He worked as Joint Secretary and Director in the Department of Financial Services.

As a Joint Secretary in the Department of Financial Services for four years, he was looking after the insurance division.
A man vented his fury at staff workers in a Sainsbury's store after they told him he could not shop with his boyfriend due to social distancing rules.

Jake Holliday, 29, was told to physically separate from his partner Rhys Jones, 24, whilst shopping in a Sainsbury's superstore branch in Hayes, London.

Mr Holliday claimed that other couples were seen shopping together and not stopped, leaving him 'fuming'.

Sainsbury's today insisted it is an inclusive retailer and, like a number of other supermarkets, asks that one member per household comes into the store to do their shopping.

A couple were furious at Sainsbury's staff workers who separated them while they were shopping. Jake Holliday (pictured) and his partner, Rhys Jones, were in a Sainsbury's superstore in Hayes when they were told to shop separately due to social distancing rules

In a Facebook live video inside the store, Mr Holliday said: We queued up like everybody else with a two-metre gap, as you can see outside there are men and women in together as a couple, so weve just walked in as we would as a couple.

I understand some shops are trying to restrict it to no more than two people coming in at a time, but obviously there are men and women coming in together.

'There were three or four couples that were coming in  men and women  allowed to go in shopping, but me and Rhys got separated.

'So I questioned the guy and said "why are we not allowed? We are a couple - a gay couple!"'

When a manager came over, Mr Holliday, who works for the RSPCA, explained that while the pair are a couple, they were shopping separately as they were also collecting items for Mr Holliday's mother who is 'shielding' from coronavirus.

Mr Holliday, who works for the RSPCA, and his partner were shopping for his mother who is 'shielding' from coronavirus and they claim the other couples were allowed to shop together

Mr Holliday said that the security guard who separated them was 'irate and angry for no reason'

The couple approached the store manager, who said that they had to do their shopping one after the other

A Sainsbury's spokesperson said the company is an inclusive retailer and asked all customers to send one member of their household to do their shopping where possible

SUPERMARKET POLICIES ON COUPLES SHOPPING TOGETHER Waitrose was one of the first to bar couples shopping towards the end of March, only letting lone shoppers in stores. Tesco's website tells customers to shop on their own - and says traffic would be monitored to help reduce the number of people in-store at any one time. Sainsbury's said it tell couples to decide who will enter their shops at the door. Aldi launched a 'one person, one trolley' campaign - where customers are asked to shop alone 'if possible'. Asda said it would 'help us greatly' if customers could 'bring fewer family members' when visiting their stores to help maintain social distancing protocols. Co-op said that they would limit the number of customers in-store 'if necessary', but has not limited couples specifically. Lidl have not specifically limited children of family, but a crowd control system has been put in place with staff monitoring how many people are in the store at one time. Morrisons has not announced specific limits on couples, but monitors the number of people in-store at one time. Advertisement

He then described to the manager that the staff worker who separated him and Mr Jones was 'very angry and irate' for no reason.

As Mr Holliday continued the Facebook live recording, the manager replied: Its nothing against your sexuality.

If we ask them on the door if they are together and they lie to us, we then stop them while theyre walking around the shop and ask one of them to leave.

'We have no issue with you doing shopping for you mums, all that we ask is that once you've done yours, then you let the next gentleman [Mr Jones] to come in and do his shopping.'

Mr Holliday then stated the security guard that separated them was not doing his job properly and had an attitude problem.

After the incident, the RSPCA worker told the Metro.co.uk: The way we were treated was so humiliating and embarrassing  the whole store looked at us as if we were criminals.

I understand its maybe not the norm to everyone to see two men shopping together, and if I was questioned and my response was accepted it wouldnt have been an issue.

A Sainsbury's spokesman said: Were asking all our customers to send one adult per household to do their shopping where this is possible.

This is to help us keep everyone safe and serve more households in less time. We are sorry for any confusion this may have caused.
Farmers have called for the Agriculture Bill to be amended to better protect UK food security following the Covid-19 crisis and it's affect on food production.

The coronavirus pandemic has exposed 'stresses and strains' in British food and farming not seen 'since the second world war', a farming group has said.

Consumers have experienced empty shelves and panic buying as a result of the virus, and global trade flows will likely be affected for some time.

Demand for high-quality cuts of meat and milk collapsed as a third of sales normally go to the catering and restaurant trade, which largely remain shut as a result of the lockdown.

The ceasing of trade to hotels, restaurants and pubs produced a destabilising effect on the market prices for both lamb and beef as a result of the coronavirus crisis.

Now the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) has written to Defra calling for amendments to the Agriculture Bill in light of the impact on the food supply chain.

"It has exposed failings in the system which need to be considered carefully," TFA chief executive, George Dunn explained.

"We ought to be considering how we should be proceeding with future policy to ensure our long-term food and environmental security."

With the expectation that the government will soon schedule report stage for the Bill, officials have indicated that there will be a high bar on accepting amendments.

The stage will see MPs analyse how the Bill should be amended, seeking cross-party consensus, with a view to tabling government amendment.

The TFA said aspects of the Bill around food security and production, targeting active farmers and the operation of supply chains, should be strengthened and equal to environmental priorities.

This would give the UK a 'firm basis' for a resilient food, farming and farmed environment policy for the future, the group said.

MPs, including Sir Edward Leigh, Simon Hoare and Neil Parish, have tabled amendments in these areas.

Mr Dunn called on Defra farming minister Victoria Prentis to consider these amendments before deciding how to proceed.

In developing new food policy frameworks for the post Brexit transition era, it is vital that we do so well rather than just quickly," he said.

"Covid-19 has added to the reasons why it is important to ensure that the right frameworks are put in place."
KALAMAZOO, MI -- More layoffs are coming for employees at Western Michigan University as leaders look to cut expenses amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The university will implement staffing reductions in phases between now and September, said Jennifer Bott, provost and vice president for academic affairs, during a budget briefing published this week on Westerns YouTube channel.

WMU could lose another $85 million in the next fiscal year because of the coronavirus pandemic, Bott said.

Further staffing cuts will be part of overall cost-cutting efforts, she said, as nearly 70% of the universitys general fund expenses go to employee compensation.

We cannot avoid personnel reductions regardless of how personally difficult it may be," Bott said.

Like other institutions across the state, WMU has lost more than $45 million due to the crisis this year so far, President Edward Montgomery said during a WMU Board of Trustees meeting Thursday, April 23. The school could lose another $45 to $85 million next fiscal year, Montgomery said.

In addition to speaking to school leaders, Montgomery plans to address the larger university community directly. The community is invited to the virtual town hall with Montgomery beginning at 9:30 a.m. Monday, May 11. The event will be live streamed on the universitys website.

The pandemic has put thousands of Michiganders out of work and closed schools, universities and businesses across the state.

Related: Michigans universities and colleges bleeding revenue amid coronavirus closures

Last week, WMU announced it was laying off 240 employees from one of its unions, and implementing 2.5% wage reductions for all benefits-eligible, non-bargaining staff.

Prior to that, the university asked all non-essential employees to use leave balances rather than working during the closure. The decision was met with harsh criticism from WMUs faculty union and others in the community.

Also taking a pay cut are the universitys senior executives, including the university president and seven vice presidents, who each took a 10% salary cut. In addition, all associate and assistant vice presidents, associate provosts and vice provosts and deans will take a 5% pay reduction, the university said.

The university also implemented a hiring freeze, travel freeze, canceled construction and cut special projects, Bott said.

The schools financial crisis began when students moved to distance learning in March after the first cases of coronavirus were reported in Michigan. With them, students took revenue for the residence halls, dining halls and other on-campus operations. Since then, the university decided to extend distance learning through the first session of summer courses.

University operations such as the bus service, parking, Miller Auditorium and the recreation center are 95% funded through direct revenue, whereas dining services and housing are entirely funded by direct revenue from students, Bott said.

The university will lose a majority of this revenue if distance learning continues under the governors orders, she said.

Universities across the country are unsure of how the pandemic will impact students choices of where to go to college -- if they go at all, Bott said. The university depends on out-of-state and international students to bolster its enrollment, and WMU administrators foresee these student groups choosing not to travel for college amid the pandemic, Bott said.

Without student revenue, WMU has no cash, the provosts presentation states.

In national studies, high school students across the country expressed concern about the cost of higher education and say they would rather stay close to home in case they must return home during a similar crisis, Bott said.

About 72% of the universitys general fund revenue comes from students, she said.

Without our students, we are no longer able to function, Bott said.

In the best-case scenario, WMU students return to campus for the upcoming fall semester and the state doesnt cut funding to higher education too drastically. In this scenario, the university expects to lose $45 million, Bott said.

In the worst-case scenario, state funding is cut deeply and distance education continues into the fall semester. In this case, the university could lose up to $85 million, Bott said.

We must anticipate the worst scenario, she said.

Looking ahead, Bott said the university will strive to make the least worst decisions, and keep students as their focus.

We do know on the other side of this, we will be a stronger institution, Bott said.

Watch the full budget presentation below:

Also on MLive:

Michigan cities face big financial losses due to coronavirus

No increase to tuition, room and board at Western Michigan University

Michigan set to lose billions in tax revenue as coronavirus hits state budgets nationwide
Maharashtra government has requested the Indian Army, Navy, Union Ministry of Railways, Mumbai Port Trust and other central agencies to provide their hospitals and other establishments to arrange for more beds, as it makes preparations to deal with a likely spike in coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in the state.

The preparations are being put in place, a day before the country launches its biggest evacuation plan to bring back around 15,000 Indian nationals, who have been stranded abroad due to the Covid-19 outbreak, by 64 flights, including seven to Mumbai, and two naval ships. All international flights to the country have been suspended since March 22 due to the pandemic.

Maharashtra, which tops the list with the maximum number of Covid-19 positive cases at 15,525 as of Tuesday, is pulling out all stops to arrange more hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) beds if there is a spike in the number of Covid-19 positive cases.

Weve asked the central agencies, especially Railways, Army, Navy and Mumbai Port Trust, to provide their hospitals and other establishments in Mumbai, Pune and other major cities and towns in the state to arrange for more hospital and ICU beds, if there is a spike in the number of Covid-19 positive cases. Among the central agencies, Army and Railways have the highest landholding in the state, said a senior state government official, requesting anonymity.

The central government has decided to bring back stranded Indian nationals from foreign countries. The central government has also relaxed lockdown restrictions from Monday. This may lead to a further rise in Covid-19 positive cases. The Centre has also predicted that its expecting a spike in May. Were making these preparations in light of these developments, he added.

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray is holding talks with higher authorities, while state chief secretary Ajoy Mehta has been entrusted with the responsibility to implement the policy measures.

Covid-19 facilities are in place in Mumbais Mahalaxmi Race Course, Nehru Science Centre, Nehru Planetarium, Goregaon Exhibition Centre, Bandra Kurla Complex, etc; as the city has emerged as the epicentre of the viral outbreak across the country at 9,945 cases till Tuesday.

Municipal commissioners and district collectors across Maharashtra are also working on making additional medical facilities available in their respective areas.

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Iran's Rouhani pledges 'crushing response' if U.S. extends arms embargo FILE PHOTO: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaks at a news conference on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani threatened a "crushing response" on Wednesday if the United States goes ahead with plans to extend an embargo on Iranian trade of conventional arms, which the United Nations is set to lift later this year.

Under Iran's deal with world powers to accept limits to its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of sanctions, a U.N. weapons embargo is due to expire in October. The United States, which exited the deal in 2018, says it wants to extend the embargo.

In a speech on Wednesday, Rouhani repeated Iran's longstanding criticism of Washington's decision to exit the nuclear deal, which he called a "stupid mistake".

"If America wants to return to the deal, it should lift all the sanctions on Tehran and compensate for the reimposition of sanctions," said Rouhani, a pragmatist whose rhetoric towards the United States is frequently more measured than that of some officials. "Iran will give a crushing response if the arms embargo on Tehran is extended," Rouhani added.

Iran has gradually rolled back its commitments under the accord in response to the U.S. decision to quit, but says it wants the agreement to remain in place. It has criticised European parties to the deal for failing to salvage the pact by shielding its economy from U.S. sanctions.

"Iran's nuclear steps are reversible if other parties to the deal fulfil their obligations and preserve Tehran's interests under the pact," Rouhani said.

(Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Peter Graff)
Credit: Luke, Erkki Oksanen

Finnish, Swedish and Russian researchers highlight the ecological effects of forestry in Fennoscandia in five review articles published in the journal Ecological Processes. The summarized research suggests that the amount of dead trees in commercial forests is not sufficient for the species requiring decaying wood. To improve the situation, the researchers propose retaining considerably more dead trees and old trees in felling, increasing the number of retention trees and prescribed burning, and improving the forest certification system.

In their study, Research Professor Matti Koivula and Research Scientist Ilkka Vanha-Majamaa from the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) reviewed the results of 22 Fennoscandian experimental set-ups on the effects of felling. The average volume of dead trees in commercial forests is only a few cubic meters, and the results show that coarse, woody debris in advanced stages of decay is especially susceptible to destruction in connection with forest regeneration.

According to Koivula and Vanha-Majamaa, Finland could take inspiration from the many measures implemented in Swedish commercial forests and leave more wood in forests in connection with felling, as in Russia in the past, to ensure sufficient decaying wood in the future as well. They propose both short-term and long-term responses to halt the loss of biodiversity in forests.

"All dead trees excluding concentrations at high risk of European spruce bark beetle infestations (more than 10 cubic meters of damaged, weakened or fresh windfalls of spruce trees per hectare)should be retained in felling and more should be produced, for example, by creating artificial snags, as Sweden has done for a long time and now also Finland to some extent. Artificially created snags benefit endangered species, although their species composition differ slightly from the species in naturally died trees," Koivula says.

The summarized studies suggest that all deadwood concentrations, apart from those at high risk for bark beetle infestations, should be retained in connection with forest management activities. The destruction of individual dead trees in felling and harvesting of deadwood as energy wood should also be avoided. According to Professor Lena Gustafsson from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), in addition to retaining decaying wood, biodiversity can be supported cost-effectively by not harvesting defective or economically insignificant trees, saving valuable habitats from felling, and concentrating biodiversity efforts. This would mean, for example, larger but less densely concentrated retention patches.

PEFC forest certification standard needs to be developed to better reflect biodiversity

A large number of studies show that the retention tree requirements in Finland (currently ten trees per hectare, minimum DBH  10 cm), which are mainly based on the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) forest certification standard, are too low to maintain forest biodiversity. Thus, PEFC does not meet the ecological objectives set for it.

"Despite this, the ecological criteria of the certification system have been weakened in the updating rounds of the PEFC standard," says Timo Kuuluvainen, Lecturer in silviculture at the University of Helsinki.

On average, the total volume of living retention trees in harvested sites is less than three cubic meters per hectare. The reviewed research shows that such low levels of retention trees are not enough to increase, or even to maintain, the volume of dead trees in commercial forests. In Sweden, as much as 11% of the forest area is not treated in connection with regeneration felling. In Finland, the corresponding figure has generally been less than 3% per year.

According to the raw material statistics from Luke, up to half a million cubic meters of forest chips used by heat and power plants have been produced from large-sized timber, a large proportion of which is from dead trees.

"This amount is larger than the volume of live retention trees left in clear cutting in non-industrial private forests each year, 0.3 million cubic meters," says Petri Keto-Tokoi, Lecturer in forest ecology at Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK).

This is despite the fact that the PEFC criterion on energy wood clearly obliges forest owners not to damage large decayed trees. Furthermore, in harvesting operations carried out on unfrozen soil, more deadwood is destroyed than in winter felling. If mild winters become more common, as seems to be the case at least in southern parts of the Fennoscandian countries, the authors anticipate that felling activities will further drive the destruction of decayed trees and loss of biodiversity.

Based on the summarized results, the minimum amount of retention should be between 5% and 10% of the total volume of the growing stock, and the minimum diameter of living retention trees should be re-established at 20 cm.

Prescribed burning should be increased

Although increasing prescribed burning in order to maintain diversity has been recommended for a long time, the size of the area burnt has diminished. According to the authors, prescribed burning of stands with large number of retention trees should be re-introduced in state-owned commercial forests, and the support scheme for private forestry should be reformed to encourage forest owners to carry out prescribed burning in connection with their forest regeneration activities.

"The ongoing updates of certification systems could also help to promote prescribed burning," says Henrik Lindberg, Principal Research Scientist at Hame University of Applied Sciences (HAMK).

Pekka Punttila, Senior Researcher from the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), is concerned about the decline in habitats and species dependent on wildfires, and hopes that more conservation areas could be established in wildfire areas:

"It would also be important to increase restoration and nature and forest management-based burning, as has been proposed in recent assessments of threatened species and habitat types," Punttila says.

Partial felling in northwest Russia since 1910

In Russia, clear cutting started as early as the 1910s. Compared with the Finnish clear-cutting practice, the Russian method differed in that, on average, 10% to 40% of the growing stock was left unharvested, typically in the wettest and most inaccessible forests.

"In practice, Russia implemented exactly the kind of measures that scientists are now proposing to safeguard biodiversity in Finland and Sweden," says Ekaterina Shorohova, Senior Specialist from Luke.

These Russian forests are now more diversely structured than Finnish forests, contain more decaying wood, and are more diverse in their species, but they have been subject to less experimental research than elsewhere in the Fennoscandian region.

The 'incomplete' clear cuts continued in Russia until the 1960s, and the areas treated would now provide a good opportunity to study the long-term effects of retention felling.

"The last of these forests are becoming old enough for regeneration felling, and the big question in Russia is how they should be treated in the future. If they were to follow the Fennoscandian model, the results can be seen in the current state of declined biodiversity in the forests in Finland and Sweden," says Shorohova.

Recommendations for maintaining and restoring forest biodiversity in connection with felling

All dead trees should be retained, the destruction of individual decayed trees should be avoided, and concentrations of dead trees should be preserved, as long as these actions do not significantly increase the risk of European spruce bark beetle infestations.

Harvesting dead trees for energy wood should be avoided.

Trees that are technically defective or otherwise economically insignificant should not be harvested.

The number of large, old retention trees should be increased.

The size of the retention tree groups should be increased, and they should be placed in biodiversity-critical areas, such as concentrations of decaying wood and mire depressions.

Retention trees should be selected and retained in connection with early and later thinnings, as this would enable better selection of the tree species and individuals that are best suitable as retention trees. This can be done by leaving such trees in thickets, which stand out as untreated patches in later thinning, and/or by updating them as point objects in the forest stand data.

The number of artificially created snags should be increased to produce new decaying wood, including in the case of intermediate felling. The artificially created snags should include different sizes and types of trees.

The minimum number of retention trees should be between 5% and 10% of the total growing stock.

Valuable habitats, such as mire depressions, which may not be specified in the forest stand data, should be left uncut.

Prescribed burning should be re-introduced in state-owned commercial forests, and burning of stands with large number of retention trees should be increased, as should burning for restoration as well as nature and forest management-based burning.

More conservation areas should be established in wildfire areas.

The support scheme for private forestry should be reformed to encourage forest owners to carry out prescribed burning.

Forest certification schemes should be developed to take biodiversity better into account. For example, in the PEFC standard, the minimum diameter of retention trees should be re-established at 20cm.

Explore further Leaving more deadwood in forests enhances biodiversity, according to study

More information: Matti Koivula et al. Experimental evidence on biodiversity impacts of variable retention forestry, prescribed burning, and deadwood manipulation in Fennoscandia, Ecological Processes (2020). Matti Koivula et al. Experimental evidence on biodiversity impacts of variable retention forestry, prescribed burning, and deadwood manipulation in Fennoscandia,(2020). DOI: 10.1186/s13717-019-0209-1 Lena Gustafsson et al. Research on retention forestry in Northern Europe, Ecological Processes (2020). DOI: 10.1186/s13717-019-0208-2 Henrik Lindberg et al. The challenge of combining variable retention and prescribed burning in Finland, Ecological Processes (2020). DOI: 10.1186/s13717-019-0207-3 Timo Kuuluvainen et al. Low-level retention forestry, certification, and biodiversity: case Finland, Ecological Processes (2019). DOI: 10.1186/s13717-019-0198-0 Ekaterina Shorohova et al. Variable retention forestry in European boreal forests in Russia, Ecological Processes (2019). DOI: 10.1186/s13717-019-0183-7

Provided by Natural Resources Institute Finland
New Delhi, May 6 : Samsung India on Wednesday announced to reopen its nearly 1,500 exclusive brand stores in orange and green zones across the country, in conformity with government regulations and the zonal guidelines and safety norms.

Smart Cafes are Samsung's exclusive smartphone and accessories stores whereas Smart Plazas offer an exclusive and complete range of consumer electronics as well as smartphones.

There are 735 Smart Cafes and 724 Smart Plazas in the country, according to the company.

"All Samsung Smart Cafes and Smart Plazas will follow social distancing and sanitsation guidelines to safeguard the health and safety of our customers, employees, vendors and partners," informed the company.

All the exclusive Samsung brand stores will open in a phased manner in the orange and green zone districts classified by the government.

Both Smart Cafes and Smart Plazas have been demarcated to ensure a minimum distance of 1.5 metres.

Additionally, employees are encouraged to have staggered lunch timings.

"Samsung experience consultants are also being trained to follow hygiene and safety advisories. Samsung experience consultants and consumers at Smart Cafes will be provided with hand gloves," said the company.

To ensure the safety of the employee manning the cash counter, cashiers have been instructed to wear masks at all times.

Customers will be encouraged to use digital contactless payments and swiping machines will be sanitized before being given to the customers.

"Only a limited number of customers will be allowed within the store at any given point to avoid crowd formation," said the company.
Texas police have arrested a bar owner and six armed men who were protesting lockdown orders issued amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Cops were called to Big Daddy Zane's Bar in West Odessa Monday evening after owner Gabrielle Ellison, 47, re-opened the establishment, violating laws put into place by Gov. Greg Abbott.

Upon arrival, cops were met by a group of men who said they were there to support and defend Ellison as she opened the premises back up. Six of the men were wearing armor and were armed with guns.

According to OA Online, the men belong to a group named Open Texas. Members travels around the state 'with weapons' and try to help businesses reopen their doors'.

Outside Ellison's bar on Monday, police became involved in a standoff with the armed protesters.

Texas police have arrested a bar owner and six armed protesters, including Wyatt Winn (pictured), outside Big Daddy Zane's bar in West Odessa, Texas on Monday evening

Cops ordered the armed protesters to put their hands in the air after they arrived in the parking lot of Big Daddy Zane's. Under state orders, bars are still supposed to be closed

Ellison is seen with members of Open Texas. The group travels around the state 'with weapons' and try to help businesses reopen their doors'

Ellison (far right) was arrested with seven men from the Open Texas group. Six of those men were armed with weapons

Dramatic photos taken outside the venue show local sheriff's pointing their weapons at the armed protesters as they order them to put their hands into the air.

Ellison was arrested and charged with Violations of Emergency Management Plan Class B. She was released on a $500 bond.

The six armed men were all taken into custody and charged with Places Weapons Prohibited. It is unlawful to carry any firearm in a bar in Texas, either openly or concealed. They are each being held on a $5,000 bond.

An Open Texas member was also arrested and charged with Interference with Public Duty.

In a phone interview with OA Online, Ellison stated she wanted to reopen as her employees are struggling and she has been paying them with no help from the Paycheck Protection Program.

'I think some rights were taken away from us which one of them was like a right to survive. We have to survive and I think those rights were stripped from us,' she stated.

Some of the Open Texas protesters traveled to Odessa from Dallas - a five hour drive away.

#Odessa: local authories called in the #EctorCounty Sheriffs SWAT team to raid a peaceful protest at Big Daddy Zanes.



The bar opened this afternoon & this is how the government reacted. #Midland #Texas pic.twitter.com/Ae5wbi4iev  Walton And Johnson (@WaltonNJohnson) May 6, 2020

Members of Open Texas were arrested outside Big Daddy Zane's Bar and taken into custody

Ellison (center) met members of Open Texas in the days prior to her arrest on Monday. She is pictured with them earlier this month

Over the weekend, Gov. Greg Abbot allowed a partial reopening of business in Texas, with stores, restaurants, movie theaters and malls all allowed to open up at 25 percent capacity.

Gov Abbot was initially reluctant to allow any other businesses to recommence trade until May 18.

However, the governor has bowed to public pressure, and is allowing public pools, barbershops, hairdressers and nail salons to re-open this Friday,

It is unclear when bars will be able to re-commence trade.

There are more than 33,369 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Texas, with more than 900 reported deaths.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) speaks during a news briefing at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on April 21, 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Federal Judge Requests Probe Into Whether McConnell Pressured Judge to Retire

A federal judge is calling for a probe to look into whether Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) pressured Judge Thomas Griffith to leave the bench, so he could create a vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit for Judge Justin Walker, one of the youngest federal judges in the country.

In an order (pdf) dated May 1, Judge Sri Srinivasan urged Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to launch an investigation into the complaint (pdf) from progressive judicial watchdog group Demand Justice, which alleges that the Washington, D.C. judge, 65, was improperly pressured to retire from the bench and challenges whether his decision was made as a result of inappropriate incentives.

In a statement, Demand Justice requested that Walkers confirmation hearing, which is scheduled for Wednesday, not go forward until we know the truth about what ethical lines Mitch McConnell crossed to get Walker this seat.

McConnell should come clean about whether and when he contacted Judge Thomas Griffith prior to his sudden retirement, the group said.

Sri Srinivasan testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington on April 10, 2013. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Srinivasan on Friday called for Roberts to transfer the case to a different circuit to, stating that there could be a conflict of interest if the D.C. Circuit Court were to investigate the complaint.

The confirmation of President Donald Trumps nominee on the federal bench last October was met with criticism after Walker at the time drew a Not Qualified rating from the American Bar Association (ABA). Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) slammed Walkers qualifications last fall, as Walker faced Senate confirmation as a Kentucky-based federal judge.

The rumor is he wants to put a judge on the calendar whose claim to fame seems to be that he worked for [McConnell] as a staffer.  The ABA rated him unqualified, Schumer told Morning Joe in an interview Monday.

However, on Tuesday the ABA gave the 38-year-old a Well Qualified rating.

Based on interviews and a review of his scholarship and other writings, the Standing Committee believes that Judge Walker possesses a keen intellect, and his writing ability is exemplary, William C. Hubbard, who chairs the ABAs Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary, wrote in a letter. Additionally, since our last rating, Judge Walker has served as a federal trial judge.

The Standing Committee concluded that Judge Walkers varied accomplishments as a law clerk, law professor, and now as a district judge offset concerns about his years of practicing law, Hubbard added.

Walker, a graduate of Duke University and Harvard Law School, was confirmed as a judge last year. He previously was a lawyer in Louisville and Washington and served as a law clerk to then-Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. He earlier clerked for Brett Kavanaugh, then a judge of the same appeals court where Walker is being nominated to serve.

This well-qualified rating from the liberal ABA shows that those opposing Justin Walker are either a far-left ideologues or obstructionists looking to block qualified nominees who will fairly apply the law.  Carrie Severino (@JCNSeverino) May 5, 2020

This well-qualified rating from the liberal ABA shows that those opposing Justin Walker are either a far-left ideologues or obstructionists looking to block qualified nominees who will fairly apply the law, Judicial Crisis Network President Carrie Severino tweeted in response to the news.

Pushing back against the allegations that he was pressured to retire last year, Griffith told NPR in a statement Tuesday that he decided to leave the bench last June solely because of his wifes health, and that he informed family and law clerks privately at the time.

My decision was driven entirely by personal concerns and involved no discussions with the White House or the Senate, he said, adding that his wife was diagnosed with a debilitating chronic illness 11 years ago.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Millions of migrant workers who were stranded across the country due to the lockdown had began going back to their homes starting earlier this week after the railways rolled out the Shramik special trains on the request of various states. However migrant workers in Karnataka may have to wait more before they can go home.

BCCL

This comes after the Karnataka government cancelled all Shramik special trains from Bengaluru to their home states from Wednesday. Karnataka had requested the Railways for two trains daily for five days to Danapur in Bihar, which later the government said is cancelled.

"Now, they can go only after the lockdown is lifted. Let them stay put. We will take care of them," Captian Manivannan, secretary in the labour department said in a tweet.

Now, they can go only after the lockdown is lifted. Let them stay put. We will take care of them.  Captain Manivannan (@mani1972ias) May 5, 2020

Even though the government has not given the reason behind the move, there are speciations that it is economically motivated. On Tuesday Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had met prominent builders in the state, the Real Estate Developers Association as it eyes opening up the economy after the lockdown.

BCCL

Builders are said to have expressed concerns over the workforce shortage, due to the repatriation of the migrant workers. Migrant workers from Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh are the mainstay of the construction sector in Karnataka.

There is a growing fear that once the migrant workers leave for their homes, they won't come back any time soon, which will be a major blow to the economy.

BCCL

The builders have reportedly agreed to pay wages to workers for the entire period of lockdown and ensure all essential facilities, including safety gear, at workplaces.

Following the meeting, Yediyurappa tweeted: Directions were given to the ministers to convince the labourers to refrain from returning to their home states.

2/4

Barring the red zones, business, construction work and industrial activities have to be resumed. In this context, it was explained that unnecessary travel of the migrant workers has to be controlled.  CM of Karnataka (@CMofKarnataka) May 5, 2020

Yediyurappa also appealed to migrant workers stranded not to leave for their home towns and assured them work.

"I appeal to labourers with folded hands don't pay heed to any rumors, it is the responsibility of the government to see to that you get work at the place you were working... don't take hasty decision of going to your natives. Stay here and work, as in the past," Yediyurappa said on Tuesday.

We have sent around 1 lakh people in 3500 buses and trains, back to their home towns. I have also appealed to the migrant workers to stay as the construction work has resumed now: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa. #CoronavirusLockdown pic.twitter.com/t1TmMPTu3w  ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2020

But many criticized the move and called it inhuman



Indeed Sir, and therefore Karnataka Govt. has cancelled the trains for migrants at the behest of real estate builders. In such humanitarian crisis to restrain these migrants and treat them as chhatels of builders is indeed inhuman.  Ravi Sharma (@RaviSharmaTalks) May 6, 2020

How Modern Day Slavery looks like.



BJP is a just a tool of the Super Rich, religion is just a facade to fool the populace.



Always remember, we are living and working in Cities made by our brothers, who are being enslaved. Their sweat and blood lies in every Indian City. https://t.co/HR6VvMWlOR  Advaid () (@Advaidism) May 6, 2020

Karnataka, Goa- how much more will migrants be dehumanised by corporates and treated like slaves with no rights? Abandon them when your factories shut down which results in them walking hundreds of kms home and now demand they be stopped from going home because you need labour. https://t.co/eipAdBTy40  Rohini Singh (@rohini_sgh) May 6, 2020

Karnataka Government has also suspended the recently launched Seva Sindhu app to help inter-State travel during this lockdown. It used to provide help to migrant workers to find travel services to reach back to Karnataka or go back to their home state during the lockdown.








The Union governments Aarogya Setu application has vulnerabilities that could compromise the identity and movement of the millions of Indians who use it, according to a French computer researcher who posted a technical analysis of the flaws on Wednesday, and ostensibly illustrated how he could determine whether someone reported being infected at sensitive locations such as Parliament.

The developers of the application dismissed the findings as a risk and said it was part of the applications design that is meant to allow users to determine who in their vicinity is unwell, infected or healthy. But the defence that was dismissed by the Frenchman  who goes by the nom de guerre of Elliot Alderson --- and a second cyber expert HT spoke to.

The government also said the platform is absolutely robust, safe and secure. This is a technological invention of India -- ministry of electronics and information technology, our scientists, NIC, Niti Aayog and some private (entities) -- whereby it is a perfectly accountable platform to help in the fight against COVID-19, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told PTI.

The posts by Alderson add to the misgivings expressed by privacy experts around apps such as Aarogya Setu, which has been made mandatory for an increasing number of Indians in recent days as officials push it as a crucial tool to contain the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak.

According to Alderson, the applications location functionality can be paired with a technique called triangulation, which could allow anyone who can manipulate the programme at a technical level to determine who is infected in a specific, 1-metre area.

Triangulation refers to the technique of using multiple data points to zero in on a precise information or location that is otherwise available on a more vague scale. Triangulation is location tracking via multiple calls to the API (a component of the app) where at every iteration, a lower value is chosen. Say the first call could be 5 KM and then the next call would be 1 KM and so on, said cyber security researcher Anand V.

This was possible because apps can be reverse engineered and modified to extract data that otherwise should be inaccessible. He used a reverse engineering tool called Frida to modify the App and feed the locations via a script, said Anand, adding that in this manner, the entire app can be rewritten to create an imitation.

What Elliot has done is to create a modified Aarogya Setu app that simply did what it is not supposed to do. And the developers could not detect it unless he reported it, said Anand, adding: Imagine ISI and others doing exactly the same thing without reporting it.

The contention by the experts is that this presented a particular risk to Indians, who can potentially be targeted by domestic as well as foreign cyber criminals. The mandatory nature of the app has already created a thriving mod industry, Anand said.

On April 30, security agencies warned army paramilitary troops against an Aarogya Setu imitation that was being spread to steal sensitive data, news agency PTI reported quoting officials.

MyGov CEO Abhishek Singh told HT that the concerns raised by Alderson are incorrect and of 90 million users, only the data of 0.05% users are on the server. The app only takes basic data, and as specified in the privacy policy, all personal data is collected only once and is encrypted, after which a device ID is created. Subsequent to that, all interactions happen only with the device ID, Singh said.

According to Anand, the vulnerability disclosed on Wednesday was one of the core issues with the Aarogya Setu: Location collection is meaningless. It is a privacy nightmare and todays revelations showed precisely why, he said.

A second issue is that the Aarogya Setu uses static ID to store contact history. This refers to how the programme logs a close contact between two people. If person A and person B come close enough for the infection to spread between them, the app remembers the devices by using randomly generated identifiers. This identifier does not change, which means if someone can access these static IDs, they track the health status of the person.

Any static ID that you obtain can be used to figure out what happened to the person behind the static ID, said Anand. Alderson, in a post on Tuesday, described how he was able to break into the Aarogya Setu and access any file used by the app, which would include those that store such static IDs.

A third issue, Anand added, was that the code was not open source, which means its functionalities and vulnerabilities cannot be tested. Make it open source to create trust and dont bait and switch to something else that will last long after the pandemic is gone, he said.

An official from the information and technology ministry said none of the revelations indicated Aarogya Setu had been hacked. There has been no sort of hacking or breach of privacy in the Aarogya Setu. The allegations are based on amateur attempts by changing location and data correlation to portray it as hacking. The app would have shown similar data to anyone at a particular location. Do not indulge in petty attempts to attract attention while we are in the midst of a pandemic. Ethics are important, said this official, asking not to be named.

Congresss chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said Alderson pointed out that the flaws outlined by Rahul Gandhi were absolutely correct. The problems, Surjewala added, were spread over three areas: that the Aarogya Setus data collection violated the right to privacy, that it was not developed by the governments engineers and data was stored on foreign servers and that human control in the backend could manipulate the health status of an individual
Cricket Australia's proposal to make cuts to its domestic competitions this season is expected to meet resistance from players, in another potential source of tension between the two parties.

As reported in the Herald last week, the governing body is looking to scrap the Sheffield Shield final and shorten the season while also reducing the number of games in its women's competitions, including the WBBL, as part of austerity measures.

According to Joe Burns, the upcoming summer of cricket against India is motivating the entire Australian cricket team, with the number one Test ranking likely to be on the line.

The country's players union, which has not yet heard officially from CA on the mooted changes, has not formalised a position but has traditionally been a fierce defender of the domestic game.

The Australian Cricketers' Association must agree to any changes to domestic competitions and is not expected to view favourably cuts based on financial reasons.

Read the full story here
Srinagar: In a major breakthrough, the security forces on Wednesday killed the most wanted and Pakistan-supported Hizb-ul-Mujahideen's top terror commander Riyaz Naikoo along with his associate in an encounter in Beighpora village of Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir.

With this, the security forces also avenged the deaths of five security men recently killed in Kupwara district on May 3. Naikoo, Kashmir`s most wanted terrorist and Hizbul chief was trapped late on Tuesday in his native Beighpora village in Jammu and Kashmir`s Pulwama district.

The Hizbul Mujahideen commander and his associate were killed early on Wednesday while another terrorist was killed in a separate operation in Sharshali village of Khrew area in Pulwama district away from Naikoo`s encounter spot.

Two terrorists, a Pakistan national and a local terrorist were also killed in the encounter in Chanjimulla village of Handwara tehsil on May 3 along with martyrs.

Soon after his death was confirmed, #RiyazNaikoo became a top trend on Twitter.

According to officials, the operation to eliminate Naikoo was carried out with pinpoint precision without any collateral damage. Authorities had suspended mobile Internet across the Kashmir Valley and imposed curfew in most major towns of the valley to ensure that no ugly fallout of Naikoo`s death affects the law and order.

A video conferencing meeting was reportedly held earlier between senior officers of the Union Home Ministry and J&K top brass to address any law and order issues peacefully.

In Srinagar city, the District Magistrate announced that all curfew passes issued on or before May 5 have been canceled and fresh passes would be issued after two days. Authorities do not want to take any chance after killing the most wanted militant commander who happened to be a Kashmiri.

Riyaz Naikoo took over as the commander of Hizbul Mujahideen after the outfit`s poster boy and commander Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight with the security forces in the Kokarnag area in Anantnag district on July 8, 2016.

Naikoo carried a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head. Naikoo had been masterminding the killings of local policemen to put pressure on them not to engage in anti-militancy operations.

It was because of this threat perception that policemen were advised not to visit their homes especially in South Kashmir districts where Naikoo held sway among the militant ranks.

Before joining the terror ranks, Naikoo worked as a mathematics teacher at a local school. He was known to have a passion for painting roses before he picked up the gun at the age of 33.
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The state of California announced Tuesday that it's suing Uber and Lyft, alleging that by treating drivers as independent contractors, the companies are violating a state law that mandates those workers be treated as employees.

"The companies, we believe and we argue, are shirking their obligations to their workforce," said California Attorney General Xavier Becerra.

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Becerra is joined in the lawsuit by the city attorneys of San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles.

"Uber and Lyft as companies aren't paying for unemployment, aren't paying for health care," said L.A. city attorney Mike Feuer. "They're making those costs be borne by taxpayers."

OLD BEEF, NEW STRAIN ON UNEMPLOYMENT FUND

The attorneys said they've been working on this case for months. Legal action has been expected ever since California's new employee classification law, AB5, went into effect at the beginning of 2020.

But the attorneys said the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the lack of protections and benefits provided by these companies to their driver workforce.

Feuer estimated there could be as many as 250,000 rideshare drivers in Los Angeles alone. Many of them are now facing a more complicated path to collecting jobless benefits, in part because Uber and Lyft don't pay into the state's unemployment insurance system on behalf of their drivers.

In response to the lawsuit, an Uber spokesperson said, "At a time when California's economy is in crisis with 4 million people out of work, we need to make it easier, not harder, for people to quickly start earning."

A Lyft spokesperson wrote, "We are looking forward to working with the Attorney General and mayors across the state to bring all the benefits of California's innovation economy to as many workers as possible."

The case was filed in the San Francisco County Superior Court. The lawsuit seeks civil penalties that could amount to hundreds of millions of dollars, on top of compensation for drivers who have been working without overtime pay or minimum wage guarantees.
Kenya Film and Classification Board (KFCB) boss Ezekiel Mutua is out here dishing out cash rewards left, right and center.

Last week, the morality enforcer awarded Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja and musician Akothee with Ksh50,000 each.

This week, Dr Mutua is looking to reward another content creator who impressed him about six years ago. The said creator is a photographer who snapped a picture of Dr Mutua, Interior CS Fred Matiangi, and Dennis Chebitwey looking at their wristwatches.

The picture was shot in 2014 when Matiangi was Cabinet Secretary for ICT, Chebitwey was the head of public communications and Mutua Secretary of Information.

Taking to his socials, Ezekiel Mutua posted: The cameraman deserves a cup of something. This was 2014 with the then ICT CS Dr. Fred Matiangi and Dennis Chebitwey who was the Head of Public Communications. I was the Secretary of Information then. I am looking for the cameraman who shot this. Handsome reward!

Reminds me of these great gentlemen! pic.twitter.com/0ciNjwhPf7  KO3CH (@TheBryo) May 4, 2020

I think it was a guy if my memory serves me right. But if theres evidence that it was a woman the award applies  Dr. Ezekiel Mutua, MBS (@EzekielMutua) May 4, 2020

Last time I saw such pose watu waliitwa marehemu  Tilingi ??? (@ArapTilingi) May 4, 2020

The last time I checked, saitoti and Nkaisserry were looking at their watches like this and theyre no more . But I dont want to speak anything ?  Ombeva joseph(OJ) (@OmbevaJoseh) May 4, 2020

Mutua utamaliza our tax.  #CoViD-19 ? (@Turkana_Oil) May 4, 2020

Hey moral police, can you send me something please..lately you have been so kind.  Political Incorrect (@KimaniWaKimani4) May 4, 2020

Time has worked well for the guy on the left. Nowadays, the stomach follows him(directly translated from Swahili).  The Meat Guy (@therealmeatguyy) May 4, 2020
Two lawyers with differing professional backgrounds are running for a rare open seat representing Beaverton and nearby parts of Washington County in the Oregon Senate.

For 20 years, Dick Schouten has been the Washington County commissioner representing much of the same territory as the Senate district, having been elected to the commission seat five times. An avid cyclist and bike commuter, he advocated for environmental stewardship and affordable housing, among other issues.

Kate Lieber, a former Multnomah County prosecutor who specialized in child abuse and domestic violence cases and went on to chair the state Psychiatric Security Review Board, has long taught criminal justice at Portland Community College and chairs the board of homelessness prevention nonprofit Transition Services. She has never before run for elective office.

Democrats have held the District 14 seat since 2000 but it hasnt been seriously contested since then. It is being vacated by Mark Hass, the powerful Senate Revenue chair, who as a member of the House was appointed to the seat in 2007 when Ryan Deckert resigned to take a job leading the Oregon Business Association. Hass is stepping aside after three terms to run for Oregon Secretary of State.

Eight of Oregons 30 state Senate districts contain at least a small portion of Washington County. But only three, including this one, are centered exclusively or almost exclusively in its bounds. The district lies primarily south of U.S. 26 and covers the Beaverton, Aloha, Raleigh Hills and Sexton Mountain areas and takes in a tiny portion of the city of Portland south of the Oregon Zoo.

Schouten is married to an Oregon lawmaker, Rep. Sheri Schouten, whose district forms half of Senate District 14. Lieber is married to a high-ranking Nike executive.

Lieber has far out-fundraised Schouten, according to campaign disclosures filed with the state as of Tuesday: $159,000 to his $45,000. She loaned her campaign about $24,000 and her largest donations are from the Oregon Trial Lawyers, which gave her $10,000, the Oregon AFL-CIO ($3,500) and the Oregon Hospital Association ($3,000). Schoutens only donations of more than $1,000 are $12,000 from his wifes campaign fund and $6,000 that he loaned his campaign.

Here are their answers to six key questions posed by The Oregonian/OregonLive. Some responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

What specifically in your track record would you point to that makes you the best Democratic nominee for Oregon and for your district at this time?

Lieber: Throughout my career Ive always been someone with a strong drive to get things done. I am impatient with discussions that center on problems without a clear focus on the actions necessary to make things better. These qualities are why I was successful in prosecuting domestic violence and protecting children and why I have volunteered to lead Transition Projects to help lift people out of homelessness.

Schouten: I have a deep knowledge of this district, built on a successful 20-year history representing and working with residents, businesses and electeds as their Washington County Commissioner. Over 70% of Senate District 14 is in my county commission district, and nearly all of the district is in Washington County.

I worked closely with my board and local legislators to lead the county to pass the first drug take-back law in Oregon, a local ordinance that greatly eased the subsequent passage of Oregons new statewide drug take-back law that will take effect on January 1, 2021.

Washington County Commissioner Dick Schouten frequently uses his bike and light rail to get around for work. That influenced his stance on state policy: In the 2019 legislative session, he helped secure passage of a bill that allows Oregon bicyclists to use an "Idaho stop"-style yield at intersections without cross traffic.

Republicans succeeded in killing cap-and-trade legislation and Gov. Kate Browns executive order can only accomplish a fraction of the greenhouse gas emissions a new law would have achieved. What should the Legislature do next to reduce climate warming emissions?

Schouten: The Legislature should take a cap-and-trade bill back through the legislative process and pass it. I firmly believe in the deliberative work process of legislative committees, such as was performed by the 2019 Joint Carbon Reduction Committee. I believe legislation created this way will ultimately be better drafted and more widely accepted than a citizen initiative to reduce climate warming emissions.

The Legislature also needs to refer a constitutional amendment to lower the Legislatures quorum requirements to a more workable, pragmatic number.

Lieber: Oregonians are firmly in favor of addressing climate change, and the Legislature must be allowed to represent the will of the voters. I believe the larger issue here is not about specific legislation but the dysfunction that the Republican minority has normalized in the legislative process. Until the law is changed so that all legislators must either do their job and vote or be held accountable by being replaced, democracy itself and the future of our planet will continue to be held hostage. Clearly, the first climate change we need is in the Oregon Senate.

Kate Lieber, pictured with three of her family's dogs, chairs the board of homelessness reduction nonprofit Transition Services. She is making a first run for public office.

Oregon businesses have called for a suspension or temporary modification of the new gross receipts tax to fund education. Do you support this?

Lieber: No, the gross receipts tax was constructed as a less than 1% tax that excludes small businesses. In the difficult times ahead, we will need this revenue to protect small business and individual taxpayers from shouldering an unfair share of the tax burden. I firmly believe strong public schools are the key to our economy and democracy. The fact that the gross receipts tax was specifically earmarked for education is critically important as the state faces inevitable budget cuts in the wave of the coronavirus crisis.

Schouten: Because the gross receipts tax is a tax on gross receipts and not on profits, I would consider a suspension of this tax for one year, as we take time to better understand and fully assess what the fallout from COVID-19 will be on Oregons businesses and economy. In the meantime, I would prioritize all available eligible federal COVID-19 funding to back-fill the education funding lost during the one-year suspension of the gross receipts tax.

Oregon has hundreds of public records law exemptions on the books, making it one of the less transparent states in the country. Is there any public records exemption you believe should be removed? Or a new public records exemption you believe lawmakers should add?

Schouten: Transparency is a trademark of democratic government.

I believe the following Oregon public records exemptions (among others) ought to be re-examined: agricultural producer indebtedness mediation data; telecommunications utility audits; housing authority and urban renewal agency records; and land management plans. We also need to re-examine the Office of the Oregon Public Records Advocate and how to place it outside the influence of any one politician.

I dont believe the Legislature needs to add new public records exemptions.

Lieber: I believe Oregon should do a top to bottom review of all public records transparency exemptions. Our decisions must focus on protecting the individual privacy of Oregon citizens within public records, rather than protecting the secrecy of elected officials communications. Any exemptions should be narrowly tailored and interpreted with an eye for disclosure. I am also concerned that the burden of requesting and paying for public records is unfairly placed on the media and public. I am certain that technology can be better employed in the service of transparency and timely disclosure.

The market downturn has further undermined that funded status of Oregons public pension system, which will lead to further cost increases for public employers. Is there anything further you think should be done to address the problem?

Lieber: The issue with the Public Employee Retirement System is that we inherited a system built on previous politicians desires to pay lower short-term wages in exchange for long-term benefits. Thirty years later, courts rightfully wont alter contacts retroactively.

The state made a contract with its public employees, and that promise should be upheld as both a political and moral commitment. Without punishing current employees, I believe its possible to make positive changes in the PERS system. The intent should be to provide secure retirement for a lifetime dedicated to public service - not unlimited rewards to those at the top.

Schouten: What further should be done is for the state to raise additional revenues. The state needs additional revenues for any number of reasons, one of them is to meet its Public Employee Retirement System obligations. I do not think it's prudent to legislate short-term stock market movements, particularly in these volatile COVID-19 times.

Before the coronavirus crisis, the Portland metro area was enjoying a long-term economy recovery. But the benefits were not shared by some Oregonians in rural areas and even many in the metro area remained financially unstable as they depended on the gig economy. Whats one thing you could do as a state lawmaker to bring economic stability to more Oregonians?

Schouten: I could sponsor and get passed a universal basic income bill for all Oregon residents. These payments would be: unconditional, except for age and regionality; automatic, by being paid weekly into an easily accessible account; and a matter of right, subject only to de facto residency in Oregon for most of the year. The payment would be set at or just below the cost of meeting basic needs within discreet, well recognized economic regions of the state, such as east versus west of the Cascades and the Portland region versus the rest of the Willamette Valley.

Lieber: This crisis has highlighted problems long ignored. The choices we make now will determine how Oregon will emerge - which can be stronger and more just.

I'm glad there is an awakening of how critical frontline service-providers are -- healthcare, delivery services, agriculture, grocery stores -- as these are the people who truly make our society function.

We need to get Oregonians back to work. We must support small business loans and increase access to capital to ensure small businesses can open their doors. We must support workers who have lost jobs and are in danger of losing their housing.

-- Betsy Hammond; betsyhammond@oregonian.com; @OregonianPol

-- Hillary Borrud; hborrud@oregonian.com; @hborrud

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
The three State-owned airports have called on the Government to scale back funding for regional airports amid claims such financial supports are not delivering value for money.

DAA and Shannon Group, which operate Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports, claim the State subvention provided to four regional airports needs to be reduced under a new Regional Airports Programme (RAP) 2020-2024 in order to comply with the objective of the Government's National Aviation Policy to phase out funding operational expenditure at unviable airports by 2024.

A total of 23.9m was provided to Kerry, Donegal, Ireland West Airport Knock and Waterford between 2015 and 2018 under different funding schemes, while a further 30m was provided to airlines for operating essential services to Kerry and Donegal under a Public Service Obligation (PSO) scheme.

However, the four regional airports have all called for the retention of the current level of supports under a new RAP as vital for ensuring their sustainability.

In a submission on a new RAP, the Shannon Group said there has been no analysis carried out to date on displacement arising from the existing programme.

"Displacement of air services from non-subsidised State airports to subsidised private airports would suggest that the effectiveness of the RAP is questionable," it said.

"Clearly any displacement that takes place does not represent value for money for the Exchequer."

The three State-owned airports handled a combined 36.9 million passengers last year compared to 1.2 million at the four regional airports.

The DAA said it believed the PSO subvention of 212 per passenger on a return flight between Dublin and Donegal did not represent value for money, given the majority of passengers were visiting friends and families.

Separately, Cork Airport said it did not believe there was a viable case for a proposed increase in the subvention to Waterford Airport given it had not operated any commercial flight for several years.

The Department of Transport has acknowledged there has been a decline in the role of regional airports in terms of national connectivity as a result of road network improvements. A spokesperson for Transport Minister Shane Ross said the new RAP was "awaiting the approval of the new government".
The European Union is set to add Myanmar on Thursday to a blacklist of 22 countries failing to enforce curbs against money laundering and other financial crimes, a Reuters news report said on May 6, citing drafts of EU documents seen ahead of the lists expected release.



If enacted, the expected designation will follow a move by the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force in February to place Myanmar on its gray list of countries warned to make better efforts to strengthen their anti-money laundering regimes.



Countries on the list expected to be released on Thursday pose significant threats to the financial system of the [European Union] because of business ties to European banks and financial firms, which will now be required to look more closely at clients who have dealings with listed countries, Reuters said.



Requirements for greater scrutiny will go into force only in October, though, due to disruptions caused by the current coronavirus epidemic, Reuters said, citing EU documents seen by the news service ahead of the blacklists anticipated publication.



Although [Myanmars] government has been trying to fight against money laundering, this is still a problem in the country, and drug trafficking may be one of the main reasons, Tint Lwin, a Myanmar lawmaker and chair of the Yangon Public Accounts Committee, told RFAs Myanmar Service.



Throughout our history, a series of governments, including the present government led by the National League for Democracy, have tried to fight corruption but have failed, he said. I think that this is the reason that Myanmar has been put on the watch list.



Money laundering and other financial crime have historically also supported acts by terror groups, noted Myanmar economist Zaw Oo, adding, We cant carefully and systematically watch everywhere this money goes, and what it supports.



There is still no easy way to control the money-laundering business in Myanmar, said Aung Thu Nyein, a political analyst for the countrys nongovernmental Institute for Strategy and Policy. We have groups that watch this, like the Central Bank, but I think we will now have to respond [to this problem] with a careful plan.



But if Myanmar is put on a blacklist, our country will suffer losses in the international finance sector and in international money flows, he said.



Reached on Wednesday by RFA, Khin San Hlaingan NLD parliamentarian and chairwoman of the parliaments Financial Committeedeclined to comment. Requests for comment from Presidential Office spokesman Zaw Htay also received no response.



Reported by Thiha Tun and Thet Su Aung for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Maung Maung Nyo. Written in English by Richard Finney.
Suspects California suddenly stopped in the middle of a police hunt, dropping two boxes full of cash totaling nearly $1 million on the side of the road before a police officer, together with his K9 partner, Beny, apprehended them.

The incident happened on May 1 when, in the late afternoon, a police officer noticed some utility vehicles, three to be exact, appeared to be on a road trip together, on Interstate 5 located in Merced County, California.

The officer reportedly saw the suspects commit traffic violations before he attempted to stop one of them. However, when the vehicle he was trying to pull over was unsuccessful in yielding and fleeing the scene, the police officer started the chase.



Attempt to Block the Chase

When the police officer started to chase the suspect who was driving the vehicle, specifically, a 2020 Chevrolet Suburban, one of the other cars, a black Ford Expedition, in particular, tried to block the police hunt.

The driver straddled the lanes so he could help the accomplish escape. The police successfully manipulated around the Expedition, which, for its part, turned around and escaped the since in the opposite direction.

After this, the officer started to pursue the Chevrolet, only to find something unusual once they reached the vehicle.

In a statement it issued through social media, the Merced County's California Highway Patrol (CHP) said, at one point while they were hunting the suspects, the Chevrolet driver stopped "on the right shoulder," exiting the SUV and dropping the two boxes mentioned earlier.

Shortly after they dropped the boxes, the officers said, the Chevrolet suburban driver suddenly stopped the vehicle and eventually surrendered.



The Officers' Shocking Discovery

As the officer was arresting one of the suspects, the first, he said, they noticed a third vehicle, specifically a 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe, stopped in traffic near them.

The apprehending officer was able to stop this third vehicle and managed to arrest the driver of that particular SUV, as well as the Suburban driver, and the Chevrolet Tahoe under custody.

During that particular instance, the Merced Communications Centers received several calls from the 911 about the "cardboard boxes" being "dropped off on the shoulder," the CHP said.

To respond to the calls, the officers retrieved the cardboard boxes reported to them. Then, inside those boxes, they found US currency amounting to approximately $915,000.

Beny, the K9 partner of the officer, was able to alert authorities to the narcotics' odor on the currency. More so, it was discovered later on, that suspects were down the road driving towards northern California to buy marijuana.

Afterward, the police officers discovered walkie talkie units inside the vehicles of the suspect, and later on, they found that the three drivers used the devices as their means of communication while being hunted.

Even though the suspects were already arrested, charges to the offense remain pending. Meanwhile, according to Merced County's CHP after the occurrence, Beny, the partner K9 of the chasing officer, is getting all the glory in these types of occasions.

However, the CHP continued; it is its handler who certainly deserves all the credits at the moment. Great job and a fantastic team are two of the best descriptions the officers are being given now.



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Europe has seen an East-West divide in the coronavirus crisis with eastern countries suffering far less after shutting their borders earlier in the outbreak.

Political scientists in Poland and Greece say the vulnerability of health systems in Eastern Europe spurred leaders into decisive action, while governments in the west felt a 'greater sense of complacency'.

The Czech Republic closed its borders when it had only 120 cases and Poland took the same step after 68 infections, while Britain has still not done so.

Data shows that countries which closed their borders have often seen fewer deaths, and the UK's chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance admitted yesterday that 'the high level of travel into the UK' brought a wave of virus cases to Britain.

Measured by cases per million, the 20 worst-affected countries in Europe are all in the western half of the continent, including Spain, Italy and the UK.

Even relatively successful western countries such as Germany and Austria are in the top half of the list, ahead of small economies such as Albania and Montenegro.

This map shows Europe's East-West divide on coronavirus, with countries in Western Europe suffering far more cases per million people than those in the east which generally closed their borders at a much earlier stage of the outbreak

Baltic states form 'travel bubble' Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia will open their borders to each others' citizens from May 15, creating a Baltic 'travel bubble' within the EU, their prime ministers said on Wednesday. The Baltic travel area would be first of its kind in the bloc, where most countries restricted entry to non-nationals and imposed quarantine on incoming travellers as the novel coronavirus spread across the continent. 'We have agreed that all three Baltic states have properly contained the spread of the coronavirus, and we trust each others' health systems,' Lithuania's Prime Minister Saulius Skvernlis wrote on Facebook. 'So, starting from May 15, we are removing all restrictions for citizens of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia traveling between the Baltic states.' People entering the region from other countries will need to self-isolate for 14 days, he added. The European Commission has recommended that internal border controls between all member states should be lifted in a coordinated manner, once their virus situation converges sufficiently, the commission's office in Lithuania said. Reporting by Reuters Advertisement

When the epidemic started to reach Europe in January and February, western countries were generally affected earlier, meaning the crisis was already spiralling out of control when lockdowns began in mid-March.

Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Spain had all confirmed their first cases by the end of January, and France said this week it had discovered one from December.

The pandemic reached Russia on January 31, but was not detected in Greece or Romania until late February or in Poland, Ukraine or the Czech Republic until March.

Although Western Europe had an earlier outbreak, it continued to hold sporting events and go on ski holidays throughout February as the virus spread rapidly around Europe.

Italy became the first European country to go into lockdown on March 10, by which time it already had 9,172 cases and 463 deaths.

Similarly, the UK waited until it had 6,650 infections and 359 deaths before Boris Johnson announced a full-scale lockdown on March 23.

Britain has never closed its borders, and Heathrow Airport is not carrying out temperature checks on the few people still arriving in Britain.

The UK's security minister James Brokenshire yesterday defended Number 10's decision not to close the borders in a bid to stop the virus spreading.

Mr Brokenshire insisted the scientific advice was 'very clear' and that banning travellers would 'not have had any significant impact'.

Sir Patrick Vallance told MPs that the SAGE advisory group had advised ministers that they would have to be 'extremely draconian' in blocking travel from whole countries otherwise 'it really was not worth trying to do it'.

By contrast, the Czech Republic had already announced a ban on foreign visitors as early as March 13 when it had only 120 cases and no deaths. It now has only 7,899 cases and 295 deaths.

Poland announced a similar measure the same day, with only 68 cases and one death confirmed up to that point, while Lithuania closed its borders on March 14.

Croatia only confirmed its first case on February 25, but had shut its borders and closed schools by mid-March.

Spain and France closed their borders around the same time, but they had already piled up far more cases by then, leading to more deaths.

The Czech government was also a pioneer in ordering the use of masks, which became compulsory outside the home on March 18.

Western countries have been slower to adopt masks, although many nations are now demanding them on public transport as lockdowns are gradually eased.

Passengers arrive at London Heathrow Airport at the weekend, where airport staff are not taking temperature checks and there are no special restrictions on entering the UK

Speaking to the Guardian, political economist George Pagoulatos suggested western countries had been complacent about the strength of their health systems.

He contrasted that attitude with Greece, which shut down schools and universities as early as March 10 when it had only 89 cases and no fatalities.

'Like countries in central and eastern Europe, Greece had a very real sense of the fragility of its health system,' he said.

DEATHS IN THE UK COMPARED TO COUNTRIES WHICH IMPOSED TRAVEL BANS UK Population - 66million Deaths - 29,427 Deaths per million - 438 Australia Population - 25million Deaths - 96 Deaths per million - four New Zealand Population - 4.8million Deaths - 20 Deaths per million - four Austria Population - 8.8million Deaths - 606 Deaths per million -68 Denmark Population - 5.8million Deaths - 503 Deaths per million - 87 Norway Population - 5.4million Deaths - 215 Deaths per million -40 Advertisement

'That incited the government to take urgent measures earlier than other west European governments which felt a greater sense of complacency about their systems' ability to handle the crisis.'

Warsaw-based political scientist Ben Stanley said Sweden and the UK had not feared an 'absolute meltdown' of the health system in the same way as Eastern Europe.

As a result, governments in those countries spent time weighing up their options 'rather than being bounced' into early action, he suggested.

Britain's death toll (29,427) yesterday surpassed Italy's (29,315), making the UK the worst-hit nation in Europe. Only the US has recorded more Covid-19 fatalities.

Separate figures revealed that the UK quarantined just 273 out of 18.1million people who arrived in the UK in the three months before the lockdown.

Security minister Mr Brokenshire told the BBC: 'SAGE looked at this on March 23 - the numbers coming from other countries were estimated to be insignificant compared with domestic cases, comprising around 0.5 per cent of total cases at the time.

'Since then, obviously, you'll be more than aware, with all of the issues in the aviation sector, how we've seen a reduction in air passengers by around 99 per cent since the start of the outbreak.

'It is something we will continue to keep under review as we look to the next phase but, at that time, the advice was clear that placing restrictions would not have had any significant impact.'

Australia and New Zealand have both succeeded in limiting their outbreaks to fairly small numbers after imposing travel bans alongside other early measures.

Sir Patrick Vallance admitted that most of the cases in Britain were imported from Europe through 'the high level of travel into the UK'.

'Whether that was people returning from half-term, whether it is business travellers or not, we don't know,' he said.

'But a lot of the cases in the UK didn't come from China and didn't come from the places you might have expected.

'They actually came from European imports and the high level of travel into the UK around that time.'

Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage claimed that the scale of Britain's crisis was down to the Government failing to act on flights.

Polish and Ukrainian border guards carry out a joint patrol at the frontier in Kroscienko last week, after both countries shut their borders to new arrivals

At the weekend a senior minister finally confirmed visitors to the UK could face time in quarantine as the Government 'actively' considers stronger measures.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said that new arrivals could also be forced to download a new contract app onto their smartphone as a condition of entry.

Just 273 out of 18 MILLION arrivals to the UK before coronavirus lockdown were quarantined Britain quarantined just 273 out of 18.1million people who arrived in the UK in the three months before the coronavirus lockdown, it emerged yesterday. Passengers on three flights from Wuhan and another bringing people home from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan were the only ones taken to secure facilities in the UK. But millions more entering the UK between the start of 2020 and March 22 were able to enter freely and only advised to self-isolate, according to figures obtained by the Guardian. The UK is believed to have suffered a 'big influx' of coronavirus cases from arrivals from Italy and Spain who were not quarantined. Mapping of the Covid-19 genome shows that UK cases come from all over the world, chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance told MPs. But a large number of cases in early March were from Europe and 'seeded right the way across the country' because Brits arriving back in the UK were allowed to return home. Giving evidence to the Health and Social Care Committee, Sir Patrick said that experts on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) had advised ministers they would have to be 'extremely draconian' in blocking travel from whole countries otherwise 'it really was not worth trying to do it.' 'Whether that was people returning from half-term, whether it is business travellers or not, we don't know,' he told MPs. 'But a lot of the cases in the UK didn't come from China and didn't come from the places you might have expected. 'They actually came from European imports and the high level of travel into the UK around that time.' Advertisement

People arriving are currently advised to self-isolate but there is no enforced testing.

As of Tuesday, the top 22 countries in Europe by virus cases per million people include only one from the eastern half of the continent, which is Belarus.

Unsurprisingly, the worst-affected countries by that measure are small nations such as San Marino and Andorra where even a small number of cases can make up a significant share of the population.

Among larger countries, Spain has seen 4,663 cases per million people, while the figure is 3,505 in Italy and 2,807 in Britain.

Sweden's figure is 2,249, after authorities decided against a lockdown and asked people to take 'individual responsibility' for preventing the spread of the virus.

In Germany, where authorities have been widely praised for their response to the crisis, the figure is 1,955 cases per million people.

The figure is below 1,000 in most of Eastern Europe, although higher in certain countries including Belarus (1,851) and Serbia (1,404).

In Slovenia - which borders northern Italy where Europe saw its first major outbreak - the figure is only 692 cases per million people.

Poland has seen only 370 cases per million people while the figure in the Czech Republic is 730, when both countries border Germany.

Russia has recently seen a surge in cases, especially in Moscow, although its total 145million population means that the per-capita figure is only 995 per million.

In Germany, the five states which were fully in East Germany from 1949 to 1990 are all in the bottom six (out of 16) for virus cases per capita.

Although much of Germany's lockdown policy has been decided at state level, the eastern states have broadly adopted the same strategy as western ones.

However, the former state-controlled economy of the East still lags behind that of the west, with lower GDP and higher unemployment.

Polish military police and border guards patrol a protest at the Polish-German border in Lubieszyn last Friday

Even Berlin, which has reinvented itself as a tourist destination and creative hub since the Cold War ended, is not an economic powerhouse in the same way as London or Paris.

The former East receives fewer international visitors who might have brought the virus from overseas, and people in the east are less likely to move abroad.

Of Germany's ten busiest airports, eight are in the west and two are in Berlin, with only one in what used to be East Germany.

The eastern states also have a lower population density, a factor which has been blamed for high numbers of cases in cities such as London and New York.

In addition, Germany's two worst-hit states of Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg are disadvantaged by being closest to northern Italy. There may also be an element of luck.

The same social and economic factors apply across much of Europe, including the greater volume of air traffic - exposing countries to infected people from abroad.

Of the ten busiest airports in Europe, eight are in either Britain, Germany, Spain, France or the Netherlands, with one each in Russia and Turkey.

The top 40 include only a handful in Eastern Europe, such as Warsaw's Chopin Airport and the main terminal in Budapest.

Among countries with more than a million inhabitants, the Netherlands is the most densely populated in Europe, followed by Belgium, the UK and Germany.

Countries such as Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Bulgaria and Bosnia all have a lower population density than the European average, although the same is true of Ireland and Scandinavia.

Western Europe also receives more tourists, with France, Spain and Italy all in the top five most visited countries in the world.

As well as risking the spread of the virus, that has also made the economic damage particularly stark in countries such as Spain which rely heavily on tourism.
New Delhi:

Government on Wednesday approved the much-awaited Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2016 that proposes hefty penalties for violation of traffic norms including up to Rs 10,000 fine for drunken driving and Rs 2 lakh compensation for hit-and-run cases. The bill also has provision of up to Rs 10 lakh compensation in case of road fatality.

The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill 2016. It is a historical step towards making our roads safe and save lakhs of innocent lives, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari told PTI after the meeting.

He said the proposals are based on the recommendations of transport ministers from 18 states, and the bill includes penalties in the range of Rs 1000-Rs 4000 for over-speeding.

As per the bill, driving without insurance will be punishable with Rs 2,000 fine and/or three-month imprisonment, while driving without helmets will attract Rs 2,000 fine and 3-month suspension of licence.

The provisions also include that guardian/owner will be deemed to be guilty in case of road offence by juveniles while registration of the vehicle will be cancelled.

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Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday reiterated his appeal to migrant workers engaged in industries not to leave and to instead start working in manufacturing units that have been allowed to resume operations, saying the coronavirus situation in the state was much better.

He said migrants must compare the situation in their native places with that in Haryana before making a decision.

"I again want to appeal to the migrant workers who are engaged in industries that they should leave this worry. I want to tell them that things are better here, jobs are good, environment here is good and the COVID-19 situation is also better here," Khattar said in a televised address to the people.

Most of the migrant workers in Haryana are from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh.

"When you take a decision, reconsider and prefer to stay here. Do not hurry to go home. During time of COVID-19 spread, staying where you are is the best way to remain safe, he told migrants.

The chief minister, however, said if anyone still wanted to leave, the state government has already made arrangements for their return as per the Centre's guidelines.

On Wednesday, the first special train from Hisar carrying 1,200 migrant workers left for Katihar in Bihar, he said, adding that more trains will run from the state to ferry migrants in the coming days.

A few days ago, Khattar had told the migrant workers that "you may not have visited your homes in one or two years, you maybe homesick or under pressure from your families to go back. But during this time of crisis, we will not let you face any difficulty and ensure your jobs remain secure as you resume work in these units which are now restarting".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The projections also made clear that the economic consequences of the pandemic will be unequally spread across Europe. Spain, Greece and Italy will be walloped by the crisis, with their tourism-dependent economies shrinking by more than 9 percent this year and recovering more slowly, since elements of the tourism sector may take a permanent hit. France would also take a blow, with a decline of 8.2 percent, while Germany would be relatively better off, shrinking 6.5 percent. Poland would be the least-affected country in Europe, with a drop of 4.3 percent.
RICARDO B. BRAZZIELL, MBR / Associated Press

On the same day that our newspaper had the page 1 banner headline Worst week yet for Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott said he believes the states coronavirus infection rates are declining and that the reopening of the state economy can proceed slowly. The governor is looking at the same statistics on the pandemic as others, but he has a more optimistic take on them. We hope his instincts are correct, but he has to proceed slowly  and be ready to slow down if the virus flares up.

Abbott acknowledged that infections, hospitalizations and deaths in Texas have not dropped substantially  or at all. But he focused on the reduced percentage of people who have died or need to be hospitalized among those who are infected, and he interpreted that as overall progress. Thats one way of looking at it, but it doesnt come close to meeting the federal recommendation of two weeks of declining infections before reopening should be considered.
On Wednesday, BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav took a dig at Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan for his criticism of the Centre's evacuation plan for Indians stranded abroad. Maintaining that Indians boarding the flight would be tested beforehand, he highlighted that the state governments had to quarantine them. Thereafter, he questioned whether the Kerala CM really wanted the distressed expatriates to come back.

Those who come to India will be tested properly before boarding flights, responsibility to quarantine them will be of respective state govts. Many people from Kerala want to return, doesn't CM want them to return?: Ram Madhav, BJP on Kerala CM's comments on Vande Bharat Mission pic.twitter.com/bT8MzmIZ61  ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2020

Read: Rail Fare Row: Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala Not Paying For Migrant Labourers' Travel

'All health protocols as per international standards have to be followed'

Addressing a press briefing on Tuesday, Vijayan stated that the Centre had approved of bringing back 80,000 expatriates. He contended that this would increase the spread of COVID-19. The Kerala CM added that he would speak to PM Modi about ensuring COVID-19 testing of the India-bound passengers.

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan remarked, "The Centre is learnt to have approved bringing back 80,000 expatriates, but there are 1.69 lakh people in Kerala's priority list. This has been taken up with the Centre." He elaborated, "This will increase the threat of COVID-19 spread. All health protocols as per international standards have to be followed before bringing people from abroad. COVID-19 testing has to be conducted and I have taken this with Prime Minister Narendra Modi."

Read: Kerala: Migrant Workers Stage Protests In Kozhikode, Demand To Be Sent Back Home

Centre announces Vande Bharat Mission

Currently, there are 49,391 confirmed novel coronavirus cases in India out of which 502 cases are from Kerala. Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced the Vande Bharat Mission- a plan for evacuating Indians stranded abroad. A total of 64 flights- 10 from UAE, 2 from Qatar, 5 from Saudi Arabia, 7 from the UK, 5 from Singapore, 7 from the US, 5 from the Philippines, 7 from Bangladesh, 2 from Bahrain, 7 from Malaysia, 5 from Kuwait and 2 from Oman shall be operated from May 7 to May 13. These flights shall land at various destinations across the country such as Kerala, National Capital Region, Telangana, Maharashtra, Punjab, J&K, etc. Puri stressed that this was a special evacuation mission wherein passengers will be charged.

Read: 'Pinarayi Vijayan Most Arrogant CM Kerala Has Seen', Alleges Congress Amid Migrant Crisis

Read: Can Travel For Treatment But Can't Return, Cancer Patient Told; CMO Intervenes
The uneasy truce that settled over oil markets this month as some of the world's largest producers began cutting output belies the raging competition among exporters seeking to preserve their share of a diminished market.

Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest exporter, appears to be winning the fight for sales as it slashes prices for its crude. Producers globally are struggling to retain customers as the coronavirus destroys demand for fuel. After flooding the market in April, producers are now scaling back shipments as part of the deal by OPEC+ suppliers to soak up the glut in oil.

For evidence of where the Saudis have been winning, look no further than last month's crude exports. Saudi Arabia was the only one of OPEC's top four producers to boost sales to India in April, according to Bloomberg tanker tracking. The kingdom's shipments to China doubled, and its exports to the U.S. reached 1 million barrels a day, the most since August 2018.

"The Saudis are doing very well," said Ahmed Mehdi, a research associate at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, referring to the battle for buyers. "Aramco has been aggressive in protecting market share in Asia."

State oil producer Saudi Aramco slashed its official selling prices for April crude sales to some of the lowest levels in decades, undercutting rivals. For cargoes loading for Asia in May, Aramco cut pricing even further, and it's expected to widen discounts to that region for June.

That helped Aramco to place its crude even amid a surge in supply. Saudi exports to China more than doubled in April to 2.2 million barrels a day, the highest level since Bloomberg began tracking flows at the beginning of 2017. Shipments to India, at 1.1 million barrels a day, were also the highest in at least three years.

The case of India highlights Saudi gains. Iraq, the second-biggest member in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, edged the Saudis for the top spot in oil sales to the South Asian country for most of the last three years.

Last month, however, Iraq's exports to India plummeted to the lowest since June 2018 as the South Asian country shut down much of its economy to counter the coronavirus and refiners there reduced operating runs and rerouted cargoes. The increase in Saudi exports to India in April almost exactly offset the decline in Iraqi sales.

Like other producers, Saudi Arabia must contend with a plunge in demand due to coronavirus lockdowns. Brent crude has lost about half its value this year, and the benchmark closed above $30 a barrel on Tuesday for just the first time in three weeks.

Saudi Aramco made deeper pricing cuts than Iraq for its key grade for sale to Asia for both April and May. Barrels of Saudi Arab Light crude are even selling at a rare discount to Iraqi barrels for May.

Saudi exports to the U.S. surged to an average of 1 million barrels daily, the most since August 2018. Aramco generally exports to America from the Persian Gulf, but April's flows included the first observed cargo from one of the kingdom's Red Sea ports to the U.S. West Coast in at least three years. A second shipment embarked on the same route in early May.

Figures for the amount of oil loaded for a specific location may rise because some tankers have yet to indicate their final destinations.

The Saudis aim to defend sales from competing crude from the U.S., Russia and Africa, said Gavin Thompson, vice chairman for energy in the Asia Pacific region at consultant Wood Mackenzie Ltd. Aramco's pricing cuts for May "gave clear notice of its strategic goal to ensure that its crude remains highly competitive in Asia," he said in a note.
Every day, they show up Bay Area nurses are battling the coronavirus pandemic, often at great personal peril. Here are some of their stories.

Every day, they show up Bay Area nurses are battling the coronavirus pandemic, often at great personal peril. Here are some of their stories.

There are many heroes in the coronavirus pandemic. Grocery store workers restocking shelves. Muni drivers transporting essential workers to their jobs. Volunteers delivering meals to the elderly. Researchers working around the clock on treatments.

On National Nurses Day, The Chronicle is spotlighting a handful of the thousands of Bay Area health care workers who heroically battle the crisis every day, often at great personal peril. Our regions nurses provide comfort and treatment to COVID-19 patients in the ICU, swab anxious people for the virus, hold the phone for the elderly quarantined in nursing homes so they can speak to their loved ones outside.

While nurses are sometimes protected by professional-grade equipment, other times they have nothing more than rubber gloves and a basic surgical mask. More than 6,100 health care workers in California have contracted the highly contagious and deadly disease. More than 30 have died.

The risks on the job are high, especially for those with families and loved ones waiting at home. Many lie awake at night, tortured about the dangers of the job and fearful of what the next day might bring.

But still, every day they show up.

We talked to a small group of nurses grappling with the pandemic  not just those in the ICUs and emergency rooms, but also those who work on organ transplants, conduct virtual primary care visits in community clinics, care for those with severe mental illnesses, and bring new life into the world in labor and delivery units.

These nurses told us about how their jobs have changed amid the crisis , their fears and hopes for the future and what drives them to go to work every day. They were on the front lines long before the pandemic ravaged the Bay Area, and they will still be there, ready to serve, when this crisis fades.

Here are some of their stories, edited for brevity and clarity.

Joseph Hunter Rose, 34

Registered nurse, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, Psychiatric Emergency Services / San Francisco

During the COVID-19 pandemic, our population is one of the hardest hit. We work with patients who suffer from homelessness, are marginally housed, and also suffer from drug addiction and a current psychiatric crisis.

I often have patients in my unit where their biggest concern is where theyre going to get their next hot meal. So the thought of them wearing a mask in public every day to protect themselves or protect other people is often one of the last things on their minds.

A typical day in PES is organized chaos. When the pandemic hit San Francisco, we were underprepared, to say the least. Protocols changed daily. But to be a voice for a community that is constantly underserved and overlooked during a COVID-19 world is what truly drives me to go to work every single day.

Sasha Cuttler, 59

Registered nurse, San Francisco Department of Public Health and RN Chair for SEIU 1021 / San Francisco

We dont go to work to die. We are not disposable. And thats something thats so important to know. Right now in California, more than 6,000 health care workers have been diagnosed with the virus. And for every one of those health care workers, there are many more who were tested because they had symptoms and are frightened and staying at home. We need to have more testing, more isolation, more treatment and more support.

Mary Massella, 38

Family nurse practitioner, La Clinica / Oakland

I am an immigrant who came from Guatemala at 8 years old. My parents live with me, as do my husband and my 7-year-old daughter. And there are many times when I lie here at night thinking, Has COVID-19 made its way into our household? Have I compromised the health of my parents and my family, my child and husband? What would life be like for my daughter if her mom were not here? Or if her grandparents, her dada and abuela, were not here?

Deva Wolf, 49

Labor and delivery nurse, Highland Hospital / Oakland

We have very close contact when were supporting a patient through labor  we may hug them, whisper things into the ears as theyre pushing and hold up their legs. We are up close and personal with our patients. And thats something that most of us love about our jobs. But with all the PPE, we sometimes have to take a step back from our patients, which has been difficult.

It is our job to add that extra layer of comfort for them  soothing them with our voices, being extra kind, spending more time to explain things, calling interpreters and just doing the very best we can to give them a sense of security.

Karen Colin, 31

Registered nurse, HealthRIGHT 360 Integrated Care Center / San Francisco

Weve had the opportunity to go out into hotel rooms where people who have been homeless or were staying in shelters. Hopefully well be able to reach out to patients and provide some sort of care and hopefully link them to primary care and have them establish it as a great tool to have. Ultimately, we want them to be active participants in their health. Im privileged to be in a position where I can continue to come to work. Even though it can be hard, it's good to come to work and feel like youre being useful and youre helping out in some way.

Twyla Nusser, 50

Critical care nurse and organ donor coordinator, Donor Network West / San Ramon

I have been flying back and forth to the East Coast every other week to help out at University Hospital in Newark, N.J., where they are understaffed and have to work in makeshift ICUs. I have taken care of severely sick patients in my nursing career, but to have the acuity of every single patient in the critical care units be so high stretches everyone so thin.

When you see a patient in a crisis, you cant just run in like you would normally do to help save them. You have to take that three minutes to really don your personal protective equipment correctly to protect yourself before you can help assist your co-worker or your patient.

My fear is that once we lift this shelter order, we will see the devastation that is in the New York, Newark and Boston areas. I just hope that our government is able to lift the order in an organized fashion, so that we dont see the magnitude of deaths that I have seen in just my few weeks working on the East Coast.

Jason Negron-Gonzales, 43

Emergency room nurse, San Francisco General Hospital / San Francisco

I want to thank the people of San Francisco, for all of the sacrifices that youve been making to maintain social distancing and flatten the curve. I think round one in San Francisco has been a big success in the Bay Area. But my fear is at this point that this virus isnt done with us yet.

Sheila Dominic, 35

Family nurse practitioner, La Clinica de la Raza / Oakland

Most of our care is being done through tele-health visits, but that is really challenging. Its hard to manage things like hypertension over the phone when people dont have blood pressure machines, or manage diabetes when people dont have access to machines and equipment to track their blood sugar. And as we talk to people over the phone, theres a lot of fear and and anxiety around this illness. So a lot of our job now has become reassurance and education about the virus.

Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani
Craig brings more than two decades of experience to the role having held positions at Colt, BT, Sony and Lucent. With an extensive international experience in finance and technology, Craig joins Epsilon's executive leadership team to support its renewed focus on growing its software-defined networking service capabilities .

"Craig has the experience and expertise to help accelerate our new phase of growth. He has been successful in supporting the strategic vision of the companies he worked with, especially in Asia and Europe. Craig's industry experience and knowledge will be invaluable as we take the business forward," said Michel Robert, Chief Executive Officer at Epsilon. "We're glad to have him on the senior leadership team and have huge confidence in his ability in driving our long-term success."

"Epsilon holds a unique position in the market with its software-driven and customer-centric approach. I was drawn to the business because of its dedication to its innovation in delivering network services as well as the long-term investment in its SDN platform," said Craig Forrester, Chief Financial Officer at Epsilon. "It's interesting to join a company like Epsilon in a time where interconnection and the demand for bandwidth is growing exponentially. Building on its successes, I look forward to working with the senior management team to bring new growth to Epsilon's global business."

Forrester joined Epsilon from his most recent position at Colt Technology Services, where he spent over 4 years as Vice President, Finance  Sales & Marketing. During his tenure, he worked across the organisation with his team to provide business insight focused on supporting the company's strategic plan. Prior to this, he spent over six years at BT, holding a number of financial management roles across different business units.

About Epsilon

Epsilon is a cloud-centric global connectivity and communications service provider, connecting to 220 data centres in 39 cities. The company's SDN platform, Infiny by Epsilon, combines on-demand connectivity, a web-based portal and APIs to give partners simple and effective solutions. All Epsilon services are powered by a carrier-grade, hyper-scalable global backbone that connects the world's communications and technology hubs. Epsilon is headquartered in Singapore with offices in London, New York, Dubai and Sofia.

For more information, visit epsilontel.com.

Contact:

Sherman Peh

Senior Manager

Content and Public Relations

+65-6813-4905

[email protected]

SOURCE Epsilon

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http://www.epsilontel.com


Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 10:54:07|Editor: huaxia

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TAIYUAN, May 6 (Xinhua) -- On a slope on the Yuquan Mountain, Zhang Junping digs holes in the rocks with an electric hammer. Workers carry soil, fertilizer and tree seedlings to the site, and together they plant the trees up the slope.

Zhang is a former military man. In the past decade, he has been planting trees on the slopes of a deserted mining mountain in northern China's Shanxi Province, helping turn the once deserted area into a favorite city park among local residents.

His team have planted more than 4.8 million trees on the mountain, increasing the plantation rate from less than 30 percent to about 70 percent.

"It was a tough job," Zhang said. "But you learn from your experience to make it."

The Yuquan Mountain once exuded a sense of desolation. After about 100 years of mining and years of garbage dumping, more than 100 deserted mines and seven major garbage dumps left there made the air dusty in windy weather and polluted water on rainy days.

Located in the city of Taiyuan, the provincial capital, the mountain was a major source of pollution.

"In the past, after washing our clothes, we did not dare to dry them in the courtyard," said a local villager surnamed Li. "Because before the clothes were dry, they were dusty."

In 2009, the city government decided to restore the ecosystem of the mountain by attracting social capital. Zhang was in the first batch of volunteers to help with the greening efforts.

About one-third of the damaged areas in the mountain was almost vertical.

"Planting trees on the mountain was equal to planting trees on cliffs," Zhang said.

For starters, Zhang arranged excavators to cut the cliffs into slopes of less than 60 degrees and placed wood structures on them so that workers could stand and keep balance.

Then they used electric hammers to dig holes in the rocks.

"It was difficult. It would take at least three hours to dig just one hole," Zhang said.

A worker could even break five steel hammer cores in a day, he added. With the holes completed, workers carried soil, fertilizer and tree seedlings up the mountain to grow trees.

However, the efforts in the first few years proved to be a failure. The trees they grew died because of water shortage.

"I remember the bamboo trees we grew died in large batches, and our hearts broke," said worker Li Yanfeng. "We asked Zhang to quit, but he would not give up."

Zhang said that even if only one out of 100 bamboo trees survived, he wanted to find out how it made it and learn from the experience.

Zhang later decided to divert water to the mountain and build an irrigation system there.

"At the beginning, we buried regular steel pipelines underground, but when it came to springtime, some pipes were still frozen," he said. "So we switched them with plastic pipes."

But the plastic ones could not take much pressure, and they often broke.

"So we thought about seamless steel pipes, but they were way too small to bring big water flow," he said.

Then Zhang increased the water flow by altering the designing of the pipelines.

This time around, he succeeded.

With the project in place, more than 95 percent of the trees they grew survived and thrived.

Many of Zhang's colleagues were impressed by Zhang's strong sense of responsibility: He never complained even when he worked for 16 hours a day, was injured in the mountains and frequently suffered from loss of sleep.

"Zhang's team is one that faces up to challenges and has strong execution abilities," said Chen Keli, an official who was formerly in charge of the area administering the Yuquan Mountain. "Without their efforts, the Yuquan Mountain would not be what it is today."

These days, the Yuquan Mountain has become a beautiful forest park thanks to the greening efforts.

The once barren mountain is covered by plum trees, sakura and orchids. Tourism is in full bloom with flowers and grass attracting more than 3 million tourists annually.

"I enjoyed what I did," Zhang said. "It gave me a sense of achievement." Enditem
CuPCP glows an intense green not only when electricity is applied, but also under UV light.

At the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI researchers have found a promising material for organic light-emitting diodes, OLEDs. The copper-containing substance enables high light yields and can be produced cost-effectively - even on a large scale.

For a long time now, scientists have been searching for materials with which light sources can be produced more quickly and cheaply in the future, while at the same time conserving the environment and resources. PSI researchers may have found a promising approach here.

The compound under investigation is a yellowish solid. If you dissolve it in a liquid or apply a thin layer of it to an electrode and then apply an electric current, it glows an intense green. This is because the molecules absorb the energy supplied to them and gradually emit it again in the form of light. This process is called electroluminescence. Light emitting diodes are based on this principle.

The green luminescent substance is a hot candidate for producing OLEDs, organic light-emitting diodes. OLEDs have been used in the displays of smartphones, for example, for about three years. In the meantime, the first flexible television screens with these materials are also coming onto the market. OLEDs also make cost-effective large-area room lighting possible.

Previous approaches expensive and inefficient

However, you first have to find the right materials. This is because many of the substances suitable for OLEDs contain expensive metals such as iridium, which prevents their use on a large scale and over large areas. Without such additives, however, the materials can only actually emit a small portion of the energy supplied to them as light, while the rest is lost as oscillation energy, for example.

The aim of current research is to find more efficient materials for more cost-effective and environmentally friendly displays and large-area lighting. Inexpensive and readily available metals such as copper promise progress here.

The solution: CuPCP

Researchers have now examined the copper-bearing compound CuPCP in more detail. Four copper atoms are located in the middle of each molecule, surrounded by carbon and phosphorus atoms. Copper is a relatively inexpensive metal, and the compound itself can be easily produced in large quantities - ideal conditions for large-scale use.

"We wanted to understand what the excited state of the compound looks like," says Grigory Smolentsev, physicist in the Operando spectroscopy research group. In other words: How does the substance change when it absorbs energy? Does this change the structure of the molecule, for example? How is the charge distributed among the individual atoms after excitation? "This tells us what the probable energy losses are that are not released as light," adds Smolentsev, "and this shows us how we can perhaps minimize these losses.

Using two large-scale research facilities at PSI - the Synchrotron Light Source Switzerland SLS and the X-ray free-electron laser SwissFEL - and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble, France, Smolentsev's researchers investigated the short-lived excited states of the copper compound.

Measurements confirm efficiency

The measurements confirmed that the substance is a good candidate for OLEDs due to its chemical structure. The quantum chemical properties of the compound make a high light yield possible. One reason for this is that the molecule is relatively stiff and its 3D structure changes only slightly when excited. Researchers can now set about further optimizing the substance for use in OLEDs.

Moreover, the measurements at the three major research facilities - at PSI and in Grenoble - were not only aimed at studying this one copper-containing compound. There was more to it than that: the experimental data obtained in this way help to improve the theoretical calculations of molecules. "In the future, it will be easier to predict which compounds are suitable for OLEDs and which are less so," says Grigory Smolentsev. "The measurement data will help chemists to understand which part of the molecule stands in the way of high efficiency. And, of course, how the compound can be improved to increase its light output."
ALBANY  Ten-year-old Myroslava "Mira" Chumakova has lived in Ukrainian orphanages since she was a toddler, surrounded by dozens of other children, seeking new families and new homes.

That was all supposed to change for Mira, in the middle of March.

That's when Albany resident Theresa Grimes, 53, boarded a plane in Newark, New Jersey, on March 13 for the 10 hours of travel to Kiev, Ukraine. It was the fourth time that she flew to the eastern European country, but this time she planned to return home with Mira, her newly adopted daughter, to join her husband, Michael, and their eight biological sons.

But Theresa Grimes never made it to Mira on that trip. About a day after she arrived in Kiev, Grimes was contacted by a U.S. Embassy representative to tell her that the borders were closing because of the COVID-19 pandemic and that she could end up stuck in Ukraine indefinitely if she didn't leave the country immediately.

Grimes made the difficult decision to return home to Albany without Mira, who has epilepsy and cerebral palsy. Two other American families that work with the same adoption organization as Grimes and her family also had to turn around and head back to the states.

It was the hardest decision I have ever made in my life, Grimes said. It was devastating.  It was also hard that she knew she was supposed to be coming home.

In early February, a court in Ukraine approved Mira's adoption by Theresa Grimes, a customer services agent for Southwest Airlines, and Michael Grimes, 53, a branch manager at American Financial Network Inc., a mortgage firm.

After arriving on the March trip, Theresa Grimes planned on making the six-hour train ride through the rural countryside to Mira. The plan was that they would then finish the final steps of the adoption, which included a medical exam and Miras visa being issued at the U.S. Embassy in Kiev, Theresa Grimes recalled.

But more than a month later, Mira remains in Ukraine, with little contact with her new family.

The Grimes family is not alone. Families in New York and those across the country have seen their plans to adopt children overseas stalled because of the coronavirus.

Our international adoption program is very small, but everyone in the program is affected in some way, said Michele Fried, founder and CEO of Adoption STAR, Inc., an adoption agency in New York, Florida and Ohio, of which the Grimeses are clients.

Another example from New York, Fried said, is a family in the western part of the state who may not be able to bring home the boy they hope to adopt because he is very medically fragile and the risk of travel during the COVID-19 pandemic may be too great, even if it is permitted. He is a teenager in Bulgaria and his prospective parents fear he will not be approved for adoption even after the health crisis passes.

On March 19, days after Theresa Grimes returned home, the U.S. Department of State advised U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel. The risks associated with the health crisis, as well as the closure of many foreign government services to process adoptions and complex travel logistics, have caused many families to postpone their scheduled travel for intercountry adoption. The department continues to strongly encourage prospective parents to defer travel overseas, according to a State Department official.

Still, intercountry adoption cases remain a high priority for the Department of State.

As resources allow, embassies and consulates worldwide are continuing to provide emergency and mission critical services, including for families in the process of completing adoptions, the official said.

Since March 25, the department is aware of 39 American families who have returned to the U.S. with their internationally adopted children, the official said.

Adoptions in New York have also faced some challenges, including accessing necessary paperwork because agencies and institutions are closed. New policies at hospitals around childbirth and infant discharge, and closed courts, where adoptions are finalized, also have added to the delays.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Fried said the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting all kinds of adoption and adding to the trauma children already face.

Now these children will wait longer, adding to their trauma, some will age out, meaning they will be considered too old for adoptive placement, and never have a forever family," she said. The impact of COVID-19 is profound, affecting all areas of adoption and child welfare, but most immediately its effects on international adoption may prove to be devastating for a childs chances to be adopted.

Recently, the Grimes family was able to video chat with Mira for her birthday. She turned 10 on April 28.

She was so delighted, Theresa Grimes said. I was very happy to be able to talk to her, thrilled to get my eyes on her. She was in good spirits.

The Grimes family also works with the Massachusetts-based organization, Hand of Help in Adoption, which advocates for the adoption of orphans from Ukraine. The organization helps facilitate the adoption process both stateside and in Ukraine. Their work includes helping the families compile the many documents they need, as well as navigating through the Ukrainian court system.

Nancy Thornell, the organizations family liaison, said Ukraine will have its borders closed until at least May 22, but is optimistic that eventually the restrictions will be lifted.

The Grimeses dont know when they will be united with their new daughter. As of now, Theresa Grimes said she was being cautiously optimistic for June or July.

I hope once Im on the other side of this, itll just be part of her story, she said. I hope its not causing more trauma to her.

But she also said she understands that sacrifices must be made during this health pandemic.

Hopefully this is a life lesson for our children about sacrifice, pulling together and sometimes things do not go as planned but to push through until the end, she said. As hard as it was to leave without her, I am hopeful that her new life with our family will be amazing. We are looking forward to celebrating our new normal with Mira as soon as it is safe to go get her.

Mackenzie Rigg is a Columbia County-based freelance writer.
Maruti Suzuki, the country's largest carmaker, on Wednesday said that it would resume production of vehicles at Manesar facility from May 12.

"All activities would be carried out strictly in accordance with the Government regulations and guidelines and observing the Company's own concern for the highest standards of safety," Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) said in a release.

Maruti, which manufactures nearly 15.5 lakh cars of 16 different models every year, had suspended its operations at Udyog Vihar and Manesar facilities on March 22.

On April 22, the Gurugram district administration had granted permission to Maruti Suzuki to restart its Manesar-based manufacturing facility on a single shift basis, while fixing the total number of employees at the plant at 4,696. The district administration had also given permission to operate 50 vehicles.

The company, however, had said that it would resume operations only when it could maintain continuous production and sell vehicles, "which was not possible at this point of time".

Maruti's Manesar (Haryana) plant is outside the limits of Gurugram Municipal Corporation, while its Gurugram plant falls within the city limits. The two plants in Haryana have an installed capacity to roll out 15.5 lakh units per annum.

Also Read: Coronavirus outbreak: Maruti rolls out new hygiene, safety norms for showrooms

In a separate release, Maruti Suzuki on Wednesday said it had put in place a comprehensive standard operating procedure (SoP) for its dealerships across the country to offer safe and hygienic car buying experience to customers amid coronavirus pandemic.

The process involved implementation of strict safety, sanitation and social distancing norms across all its showrooms for the safety of its customers and employees.

Maruti Suzuki network comprises 3,086 showrooms across 1,964 towns and cities. All of them will abide by the new safety protocols.

Also Read: Coronavirus lockdown: TVS, Eicher Motors, MRF resume operations partially

The company said that the new COVID-19 SoP designed by the team of experts at Maruti Suzuki encapsulates all the facets of customer interactions. Adequate measures have been taken to offer a safe, hygienic and a virus-free environment to customers.

Maruti Suzuki now also offers the convenience of doorstep delivery of cars. For the safety of dealership employees, the company is monitoring the health of all staff members through a wellness app every day. This app works in conjunction with the government of India's Aarogya Setu app.

After shutting down operations for over 40 days during the lockdown, auto companies are cautiously resuming activities while ensuring social distancing norms at their facilities. Three auto majors - TVS Company, Eicher Motors and MRF Motors - on Tuesday said that they were restarting work at major units following the Centre's guidelines on partial opening up of the economy.

By Chitranjan Kumar
Libyan government forces launch offensive to liberate key airbase from Haftar rebels

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 05 May 2020 6:27 PM

Forces with Libya's internationally-recognized government have reportedly launched an offensive to liberate a key airbase southwest of the capital Tripoli from the clutches of rebel forces loyal to renegade General Khalifa Haftar.

Days after rejecting a Haftar-proposed ceasefire, forces of the UN-backed administration in Tripoli launched an offensive early on Tuesday, using heavy artillery, to retake the al-Watiya Airbase, which has served as a major launch pad for Haftar's airstrikes on the capital during the past several months.

"Clashes are raging on near the base," which is second only to Mitiga International Airport, Turkey's official Anadolu news agency quoted an unnamed Libyan military source as saying.

Since 2014, two rival seats of power have emerged in Libya, namely the internationally-recognized government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj  known as the Government of National Accord  and another group based in the eastern city of Tobruk, supported militarily by rebel forces, collectively known as the so-called Libyan National Army (LNA), under Haftar's command.

The military commander, who is primarily supported by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, and Jordan, launched a deadly offensive to capture Tripoli in April last year.

Despite fierce fighting, he has so far failed to achieve his objective of ousting the Tripoli government, and the offensive has stalled outside the city. Reports say that more than 1,000 have to date been killed in the violence.

Numerous international attempts to bring about peace between the two warring sides have failed.

During the past few weeks, however, government forces and their allied fighters have turned the tables, capturing a string of cities west of Tripoli.

According to Libya observers, the Libyan government's capture of al-Watiya Airbase, which has also been employed as a key supply route by Haftar's rebels, will be a significant strategic loss for Haftar and further derail his stalled offensive to oust the UN-backed government.

Separately, Libyan military spokesman Mohammed Kununu said in a statement on Tuesday aerial raids had been carried out on the Gariyat region, some 270 kilometers south of Tripoli, targeting a vehicle carrying militants and a supply truck. But he did not say whether the strikes resulted in casualties.

Last week, Haftar proposed a ceasefire during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, following requests by the international community and "friendly countries." However, the government rejected the truce, saying it did not trust the strongman based on his previous ceasefire breaches, and that it would keep fighting.

Haftar's critics also said that he was only calling for a ceasefire now that his rebel forces were on the back foot.

Last month, Haftar claimed to have a "mandate" from the Libyans to govern, prompting Tripoli to accuse him of staging a coup against the internationally-recognized government, branding his claim as "a farce and the latest in a long series of coups d'etat."

Libya plunged into chaos in 2011, when a popular uprising and a NATO intervention led to the ouster, and later killing, of long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

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After rising more than one per cent two days in row, the S&P/ASX 200 pulled back on Wednesday with a 0.4 per cent decline. The index fell by 22.5 points to 5384, but did get as much as 1.1 per cent lower at lunch time.

The financial sector weighed on the market all day with the big four banks sold off while fund managers and Medibank Private improved. Energy stocks tripped just before lunch time, dragging on the market, as US oil futures dropped $US2 per barrel after three days of gains. The sector recovered in the afternoon and finished higher.

The ASX had weak leads from Wall Street, where first quarter reporting season is leaving an unusually fuzzy picture of the future.

"It is a bit strange because so many companies have put up their hands and said they are not giving any guidance and there is too much uncertainty,'' says chief investment officer at Talaria Capital, Chad Padowitz.

Investors are instead studying balance sheet strength and watching for signs of businesses re-opening.

"The absence of information is allowing everyone to believe what they want to believe,'' Mr Padowitz said.

On the ASX, National Australia Bank ended the day 2.3 per cent lower at $16.59 after getting as low as $16.38 during trade. Westpac and ANZ both declined about 1.5 per cent while Commonwealth Bank dropped 0.8 per cent.

However fund managers did well with Magellan Financial rising 3.7 per cent to $52.38 after revealing $818 million of fund inflows in April. Pinnacle gained 2.6 per cent to $3.61. Medibank Private closed 3.6 per cent higher at $2.76 after telling shareholders it was largely unaffected by the COVID-19 lock down.
West Bengals ruling party Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Wednesday demanded the Rs 20,000 crore Central Vista project in New Delhi be scrapped, alleged that Arogya Setu app was being used for surveillance on people and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre of acting late on the Covid-19 crisis.

The party even alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah were supervising and controlling a concerted effort to malign and heckle the Bengal government.

Their allegations came amid an unrelenting attack by the BJP on the Mamata Banerjee government over allegations of Covid-19 data fudging, alleged scam in the public distribution system and mismanagement in dealing with the pandemic.

We demand the Rs 20,000 crore Parliament renovation project be scrapped and the money used for the poor, especially the migrant workers. Of what use would this project be, except for, perhaps, creating an underground way for the Prime Minister to travel from this residence to the Parliament? said TMC Rajya Sabha leader and national spokesperson Derek OBrien at an interaction with journalists through video conferencing. .

The partys Lok Sabha MPs Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Sudip Banerjee also took part in the interaction.

Taking a dig at the use of Arogya Setu app, Ghosh Dastidar said, Instead of the declared purpose of contact tracing, this app is being used for surveillance on people.

It is because the Centre was not prepared that the states initially received insufficient testing kits and PPEs. Thats how the containment was affected, she said.

Sudip Banerjee, the TMCs leader in the Lok Sabha alleged that central government officials, including those in the inter-ministerial central teams, were writing like politicians because they were merely signing documents drafted by their political masters.

There is a concerted effort on behalf of the Centre and BJP to malign and heckle the state and disturb the states operations against the pandemic, Banerjee alleged.

His remarks came in the backdrop of the Centre pulling up the state over the number of issues related to Covid-19 management in the state. These include at least three letters from the Union home ministry and three from the inter-ministerial central teams.

Separately, TMC secretary-general and state education minister Partha Chatterjee alleged that when the world was planning for Covid-19 in February and March, Centre was busy honouring US president Donald Trump in Gujarat and in horse-trading in Madhya Pradesh.

Our party has been raising the issue right from the beginning, sought closure of Parliament sessions at the beginning of March and our chief minister kept demanding that the railways and international flights be stopped. They did not heed and let the virus spread. And when they finally acted, they did not allow lakhs of migrant workers the slightest time to return home. This is nothing but miserable planning, Chatterjee alleged.

BJP rubbished all charges and said that the state was being led to peril by the Mamata Banerjee government.

Had Centre not intervened, we the people of the state would have been in a complete mess. If anything changed for the better, it was due to the pressure created by the Centre, BJP state unit president Dilip Ghosh said.

Responding to TMCs charge that BJP was indulging in politics in times of a pandemic, Ghosh said, We are the opposition party. Our role is to highlight where the government is going wrong. We will keep doing it.

On Tuesday, BJP carried out a silent protest at the compound of all block development offices (BDOs) protesting a scam in ration distribution. Protesters wore masks and stood maintaining distance from each other and carried posters.
A medical researcher believed to be on the verge of making very significant coronavirus findings was reportedly shot to death over the weekend, in Pennsylvania.



37-year-old, Bing Liu, was a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He was found dead on Saturday inside a home in Ross Township, north of Pittsburgh, the Allegheny County medical examiner said.

University Of Pittsburgh

He had been shot in the head and the neck.

An hour after Liu's body was discovered, a second person, 46-year-old Hao Gu, was found dead inside a car less than a mile away.

NBC News reports that Ross Township police, Detective Sgt. Brian Kohlhepp, said that the men knew each other. Investigators reportedly believe Gu killed Liu, returned to his car and then shot himself.

Representative Image/YouTube

Investigation into the relationship of the two and potential motive of killing is still on.

Liu had a Ph.D. in computational science from the National University of Singapore. He worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon University, then became a research associate at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Representative Image/Reuters

In a statement, the University of Pittsburgh said, Bing was on the verge of making very significant findings toward understanding the cellular mechanisms that underlie SARS-CoV-2 infection and the cellular basis of the following complications. We will make an effort to complete what he started in an effort to pay homage to his scientific excellence.

Hope the investigation provides insight into the unfortunate murder and its reasons, soon.
Mahesh Goudar By

Express News Service

BAGALKOT: In a big surge in COVID-19 cases in Bagalkot, 13 people including two minors tested positive for the virus in a village near Badami on Wednesday.

Three days ago, a 23-year-old pregnant woman from Danakasirur village, which is 12 km from Badami, was infected by the virus. After she tested positive, health authorities had collected 164 samples from her primary and secondary contacts in the village.

In the health bulletin released by the state government, 19 fresh cases were reported taking the total number of cases in the state to 692.

In the last 57 days, the majority of cases were reported in urban areas -- this is the first time over 10 cases were reported in a single village in the state. It is also the first village to be sealed due to COVID-19 in the state. Over 250 people have been put under quarantine in the village.

Speaking to The New Indian Express, District Health Officer Dr Ananth Desai said, All the 13 have been put under quarantine in the designated hospital in Bagalkot. We are waiting for the results of the remaining samples taken from the primary and secondary contacts of the 23-year-old woman. We are also on the job to trace the root cause of the infection in her, he said.

Before testing positive, the woman had travelled to Krishnapur village of Gadag and at least three hospitals in Hubballi. The district administration in Gadag has cordoned off Krishnapur village.
Amazon Engineer Has Had Enough, Saying the Company is Not Safeguarding Employees

After Amazon fired two workers who raised safety concerns about COVID-19 in the workplace, one of the companys senior engineer quit, saying he has had enough.

Tim Bray, a senior engineer at Amazon, resigned last week over concerns about the companys decision to fire workers who were outspoken critics of the companys labor policies. In a blog post, Bray said he snapped when he learned the workers were fired for raising concerns over Amazons climate stance and treatment of warehouse workers. These two workers were not the only ones fired after raising concerns about conditions.

Unfortunately, Amazon does not have the best reputation when it comes to warehouse conditions and its treatment of workers. Recently, during this pandemic, many workers have taken to protests about company policies regarding social distancing, long hours, lack of unemployment benefits and more. In March, an Amazon worker was fired after organizing a protest about the companys paid sick leave policies and pay. The worker, Chris Smalls, said he was fired for organizing the strike, but Amazon said it dismissed Smalls because he violated social distancing rules while he was supposed to be under quarantine after being exposed to a co-worker who tested positive for the coronavirus.

Last week, after workers Emily Cunningham and Maren Costa were fired for raising more concerns, Tim Bray resigned after five years at Amazon. In a blog post titled Bye, Amazon, Braya vice president at Amazon Web Services (AWS), said he just snapped.

I quit in dismay at Amazon firing whistleblowers who were making noise about employees frightened of Covid-19, Bray wrote in the blog post, adding that remaining an Amazon VP would have meant, in effect, signing off on actions I despised. So I resigned.
Migrants: Administrative stop for ship Alan Kurdi in Palermo Inspection after quarantine to transfer rescued people

(ANSAmed) - PALERMO, MAY 6 - The Italian Coast Guard said its inspectors conducted an inspection aboard the ship Alan Kurdi, which rescues migrants at sea and is currently docked in Palermo, and found "various irregularities of a technical and operational nature that compromise not only the safety of crews but also of people who were and could be taken aboard".



The Italian Coast Guard said the ship will be placed under an "administrative stop" until the irregularities are rectified.



The Alan Kurdi docked at the Sicilian port after a period of quarantine following the transfer of migrants it had rescued to the ship Rubattino.



The administrative stop will last until the irregularities revealed during the inspection are corrected, and, for some, the intervention of the ship's flag State will be necessary.



The general command of the port authorities and the coast guard have for some time been dialoguing with the NGOs' flag States calling on them to respect security and protection measures for the ships and the services they conduct. (ANSAmed).




OFFALY Fianna Fail TD Barry Cowen has called on Bord na Mona to retain the 200 staff it intends to lay off.

Deputy Cowen made the call after an An Bord Pleanala decision which opens the way for peat harvesting to resume at the company.

Bord na Mona announced previously its intention to lay off up to 230 permanent and seasonal workers because of a downturn in demand for peat at power stations and in horticulture due to the coronavirus crisis.

Deputy Cowen now wants Bord na Mona to review that decision.

It would and should show the common cause for all concerned to take advantage of this lifeline no matter how short lived, he said.

Deputy Cowen also repeated his appeal to the Government to publish the report and recommendations of the Just Transition Commissioner Kieran Mulvey.

He said the programme for government negotiations offer an opportunity to agree initiatives that target and benefit the Midlands region.

Bord na Mona has said the temporary lay-off of employees will likely remain in place.

The first of the lay-offs took effect last Thursday, April 30.
The details of Karnataka Police Recruitment 2020 are expected to be released on the official website on the day the online application process starts.

The Karnataka State Police has released a notification for recruitment of 2,672 special reserve police constables and bandsmen.

Of the total vacancies, 2,420 are for constable and the 252 for bandsmen. Willing candidates can apply for the posts by logging on to www.ksp.gov.in.

The online application process for the Karnataka Police Recruitment 2020 will commence from 18 May. Candidates can apply for the KSRP and bandsmen posts till 15 June 2020.

Golden opportunity to join Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) 2,672 posts for the brave, disciplined, service oriented youth looking to build life and career in Police, reads the notification.

The details of Karnataka Police Recruitment 2020 are expected to be released on the official website on the day the online application process starts.

According to the website drona.in, candidates applying for the posts will have to qualify the written test, physical endurance test and interview. They will be recruited after verification of all the necessary documents.

Karnataka State Police is also recruiting 162 sub-inspectors. The online application for the posts has started on 26 May and would continue for a month till 26 June.

The Karnataka State Reserve Police trains candidates with a number of skills in law and order, mob control, disaster management and emergency responses.
Pandemic exposes flaws in doctor billing contract, Apr. 29

Dr. Berger fails to acknowledge that most physicians are small businessmen and women with ongoing overhead costs during the pandemic.

About half of recent graduates are burdened with medical school debts of at least $100,000. Thanks to fee freezes and billing clawbacks for several years in Ontario and other provinces, many older MDs have been forced to postpone any thought of retirement well into their 70s.

Physicians of all ages, like most Canadians, can hardly endure a major, prolonged disruption of their cash-flow.

Since mid-March, some 52,000 elective operations have been cancelled. Emergency department visits are down by 30 per cent to 60 per cent, and a recent Ontario Medical Association survey found that half of physicians were considering closing their clinics.

Ontario, against the unanimous opposition of the OMA board, plans to bring in an interest-free loan which must be repaid in full by next March.

This is unsatisfactory.

Better would be the agreement of Newfoundland and Labrador, which will pay 80 per cent of the average of previous billings to MDs who commit to be available to provide additional services. Better still was the 2003 SARS Income Stabilization Program that eventually paid out $190 million to physicians, nurses and paramedics.

I do work in a walk-in clinic. Of the 12 clinics (that operate under the same brand name) in Ottawa, only five are open. I pay only a fixed percentage overhead which is ideal for a senior physician. When I underwent my five major orthopedic procedures in previous years, I paid no overhead when I was away.

I also do not cover 24/7 for patients. As a consulting general internist who does some follow-up care, instead, I give every patient a copy of my typed consultation letter and any lab, X-ray or ultrasound reports at no charge.

I do agree that down the road, many specialists might be interested in abandoning the fee-for-service system, but only if it included an indexed pension, vacation, study and sick leave, and other benefits. Dr. Berger never mentions this.
With $3 in his wallet, a 5-year-old boy drove his parents' car to California in an attempt to buy a Lamborghini. A CNN report said he was pulled over by Utah police.



5-Year Old Drove to California to Buy Himself a Lamborghini

According to Utah Highway Patrol, as posted on Twitter, the boy drove away in the SUV following an argument with his mom who told him they wouldn't be buying a luxury car for him.

Also according to the highway patrol, one of the troopers saw the SUV intertwining at 30 mph on Interstate 15. In addition, the troopers told KSL-TV, a CNN affiliate, they at first, thought the boy was a driver who had a disability.

Specifically, Trooper Rick Morgan said via the traffic stop's dashcam footage, he asked the boy, about his age saying, "You're five years old?"

Surprisingly too, he told the five-year-old, "Wow," and asked where he learned how to drive. Morgan explained to KSL-TV that he needed to help the boy get the vehicle into park.



With only $3 in His Wallet

Morgan said, the boy was seated on his car seat's front edge, so hid foot could reach the brake pedal and keep the car stopped as he was standing there.

And when pulled over, the child explained to the trooper his intention why he drove the vehicle to California was to buy for himself a Lamborghini.

Amusingly, the little boy said he had $3 to buy the luxury car. The lowest price to buy a brand-new Lamborghini is roughly $200,000.

No one was reported hurt, and Morgan said, it would be for the local prosecutor to decide if charges would be file against the parents as they reportedly left the boy in under the care of his sibling while they were away from home.



How the Little Boy Drove Away from Home

Troopers were able to get ahold of the family of the boy. They confirmed the boy was indeed, five years old. In addition, the authorities found that both parents were working and just the boy's sibling was the one to supposedly watching him.

Moreover, members of the family told troopers the little boy got so upset with his mother when he was told she wouldn't allow him to buy a Lamborghini.

Relatively, the parents also explained to the investigators their son had never driven before and that they had not had any problems like that prior to the incident that took place on Monday.

It was perceived thought, that the boy grabbed the keys off the hook at home, started the vehicle, and made it to the 1-15 South at 21st Street from his Lincoln Avenue home. The authorities said the boy was able to make a five-minute drive to the freeway from his home.

Recalling his conversation with the boy, Morgan said the latter was upset and was about to cry when he was pulled over. The young boy told the troopers, he was trying to get to his sister's California home and that he wanted to buy a Lamborghini, too.



Check these out!
Protestors demonstrate outside the Santa Barbara News Press in 2015 after it published the headline "Illegals line up for driver's license." (Los Angeles Times)

To the editor: As a second-generation Holocaust survivor whose grandmother's sisters were exterminated in concentration camps and whose grandfather's family was killed in pogroms, I must take issue with publisher Wendy McCaw's editorial in the Santa Barbara News-Press.

How can she possibly equate having to stay home and stand in line outside supermarkets, both meant to serve the common good by protecting us from a virus, as "tyranny" on par with Nazi Germany? Her take on the horrors perpetrated in Nazi Germany betrays a lack of historical knowledge of any kind.

I can direct her to many sources from which she can learn about the deaths, crematoriums, experiments on humans, starvation and rounding up of innocents to be sent to the concentration camps.

As for the COVID-19 pandemic and the 70,000-plus Americans already killed because of it, McCaw's empathy deficit and ignorance have been recorded for posterity.

Ellen Seiden, Manhattan Beach
Disney is planning to reopen its lucrative theme parks after the coronavirus crisis wiped 1billion off its quarterly profits.

The US giant said operating income in the first three months of the year fell 37 per cent to 2billion after it shut parks, cancelled cruises and delayed future productions.

Disney furloughed more than 120,000 employees in April.

Disney said operating income in the first three months of the year fell 37 per cent to 2bn after it shut parks, cancelled cruises and delayed future productions

But in China on Monday it reopens Shanghai Disneyland park, and will limit the number of guests and enforce strict social distancing on rides and in restaurants.

The plans provide a glimpse at how it will recover from the pandemic.

Disney chief executive Robert Chapek said measures include the use of masks, temperature screenings and other contact tracing and early detection systems.

Chapek said it would only reopen locations that would not lose money, and would slowly test new ideas.

The Chinese government is limiting capacity to 24,000 daily guests but Disney is planning to open the park far below that capacity.
A rallygoer holds up a cutout of the letter Q, in Lewis Center, Ohio, on Aug. 4, 2018. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Facebook Purges Accounts Linked to QAnon for Inauthentic Behavior

Facebook announced that it deleted a wave of accounts, pages, and groups linked to the QAnon conspiracy theory.

The social media giant said May 5 in its monthly report on coordinated inauthentic behavior that the purge was because of violations of rules put in place to curb the use of the platform for disruptive or deceptive purposes.

Were constantly working to find and stop coordinated campaigns that seek to manipulate public debate across our apps, Facebook stated, adding that when it finds domestic, nongovernment campaigns that it judges to be seeking to mislead people about who they are and what they are doing while relying on fake accounts, it purges both inauthentic and authentic accounts, as well as pages and groups that are involved.

The move, which is an outcome of April enforcement actions, focused on 20 Facebook accounts, six groups, and five pages related to QAnon.

While opinions vary as to its nature and intent, QAnon is a movement that started on 4chan and 8chan message boards with a trickle of clandestine-sounding posts, often centered on the theme of big government plots to curb individual liberties and advance so-called deep state and globalist agendas. It grew into a large underground movement with a number of splinter groups and often claims that members of the worlds social, economic, and political elites have engaged in child sex trafficking and cannibalism.

There are many theories on who is behind Q. Among the more common beliefs is that Q stands for Q security clearance, the highest level of clearance within the Department of Energy. Others believe it refers to Q from the James Bond films, a figure who supports Bond as he fights a global corrupt shadow group.

Fake Engagement

Facebook said the objectionable pages, groups, and accounts frequently posted about news and topics that included the upcoming presidential election and candidates as well as the current U.S. administration.

Facebook stated: Our investigation linked this activity to individuals associated with the QAnon network known to spread fringe conspiracy theories. We found this activity as part of our internal investigations into suspected coordinated inauthentic behavior ahead of the 2020 election in the US.

Coordinated inauthentic behavior, according to Nathaniel Gleicher, Facebooks head of cybersecurity policy, is defined as fake engagement, spam, and artificial amplification, rather than the content itself being false.

Coordinated inauthentic behavior is when groups of pages or people work together to mislead others about who they are or what theyre doing, Gleicher said.

When we take down one of these networks, its because of their deceptive behavior, its not because of the content theyre sharing, he said.

The posts themselves may not be false, and may not go against our community standards, Gleicher added.

The move is part of a broader purge that covers a total of 732 Facebook accounts, 162 Instagram accounts, 793 pages, and 200 groups, the company stated.

Targeting Misinformation

Facebook has been widely targeting articles, posts, and events during the pandemic, trying to position itself as a neutral arbiter of misinformation. In March, Facebook displayed warnings to users on 40 million posts, removing hundreds of thousands it deemed harmful.

The company said last week it would start notifying people who interacted with harmful claims about the pandemic from China, utilizing the World Health Organization, which has been linked to the Chinese Communist Party, as a source.

Twitter, Google, and other technology platforms have taken similar steps to Facebook, worrying some experts.

As a matter of public health, these moves are entirely prudent. But as a matter of free speech, the platforms unconstrained power to change the rules virtually overnight is deeply disconcerting, Evelyn Douek, an affiliate at Harvard Universitys Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, wrote in an article for The Atlantic.

Unlike most countries emergency constitutions, those of major platforms have no checks or constraints. Are these emergency powers temporary? Will there be any oversight to ensure these powers are being exercised proportionately and evenhandedly? Are data being collected to assess the effectiveness of these measures or their cost to society, and will those data be available to independent researchers?

Zachary Stieber and Joshua Philipp contributed to this report.
Lets face it, the internet is full of photos of beautiful girls, but its not every day that you stumble upon beauty that takes your breath away. 11-year-old Amina Ependieva is one such striking beauty.

Despite getting a lot of attention on Russian social media over the last five months, Amina Ependieva remains a very mysterious figure. Discovered by Chechen photographer Amina Arsakova, the 11-year-old made quite an impression when photos were posted on Arsakovas Instagram account. Her post usually received about 1,000 likes on average, but the photos of Ependieva received over 10,000 likes, and hundreds of comments either praising her unearthly beauty or asking if she was a real person.

Photo: Amina Arsakova/Instagram

My search for beauty was once again successful, Amina Arsakova captioned one of the photos of this unique-looking teen, and people unanimously agreed.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by @aminaarsakova on Jan 7, 2020 at 10:38am PST

According to Russian outlet Sm-News, Ependieva hails from Kurchaloy, a small town in Chechnya, and owes her stunning beauty to a combination of rare genetic conditions  albinism and heterochromia. While albinism is generally described as the congenital absence of any pigmentation or coloration in a person, resulting in white hair and skin, heterochromia is a difference in the coloration of the iris, determined by the production, delivery, and concentration of pigmentation (melanin).

View this post on Instagram A post shared by @aminaarsakova on Jan 6, 2020 at 9:31am PST

Both albinism and heterochromia are rarely diagnosed in humans by themselves, but even more so together.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by @aminaarsakova on Jan 8, 2020 at 10:38am PST

Amina Arsakova published the photos of Ependieva in January of 2020, and they quickly went viral on Russian social media. While most users praised the 11-year-olds unusual beauty, some accused the photographer of using Photoshop to artificially create the combination of albinism and heterochromia.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by @aminaarsakova on Jan 8, 2020 at 10:38am PST

Amina Ependieva doesnt yet have her own social media profiles, so its hard to verify if she actually looks as stunning as she does in Arsakovas photos, but its worth mentioning that Instagram users claiming to be from Kurchaloy and to know the young girl personally have commented that she is even more beautiful in real life.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by @aminaarsakova on Jan 8, 2020 at 10:39am PST

If she does really look this stunning, I think its safe to say that well be seeing a lot more of Amina Ependieva as she grows up.
OTTAWA - With 10 days to go to sign up voters for the federal Conservative leadership race, all four contenders are intensifying efforts to shore up support.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 5/5/2020 (623 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

With 10 days to go to sign up voters for the federal Conservative leadership race, all four contenders are intensifying efforts to shore up support. Supporters enter the auditorium for the opening ceremony at the Conservative national convention in Halifax on Thursday, August 23, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

OTTAWA - With 10 days to go to sign up voters for the federal Conservative leadership race, all four contenders are intensifying efforts to shore up support.

Erin O'Toole and Peter MacKay appear locked in a fight for frontrunner status, with Leslyn Lewis and Derek Sloan rounding out the slate.

Candidates have to do a delicate two-step dance to win the race: first, sign up new members whose votes they can count on. Then, convert others to rank them second on the preferential ballot the party uses.

For all four that means appealing to potential supporters beyond their bases, whether it is the social conservatives backing Lewis and Sloan or beyond the old "Red" Tories seen as aligned with MacKay and OToole.

The delicate dance to assemble a winning coalition has sometimes been a comedy of errors, exposing the tangled nature of conservative politics in Canada.

It's a web longtime Conservative Shelly Glover found herself caught up in this week.

The former Conservative cabinet minister, who left her Winnipeg seat in 2015, was among a handful of MPs who in 2012 supported efforts to widen legal protection for transgender rights.

Glover declared in March that she was backing MacKay.

But when MacKay's leadership campaign put out an email to supporters last week calling that 2012 effort a "bathroom bill"  a label seen as highly derogatory, implying that predatory men will use transgender rights to enter women's public washrooms  she was disappointed.

Glover made her concerns known over the weekend during a campaign call with O'Toole and conservatives in Manitoba, the province she calls home. An audio recording of her remarks was obtained by The Canadian Press.

"I was participating with Peter MacKay's leadership, and I have today withdrawn my support," she told participants in what sounded like a win for O'Toole.

But Glover said afterward she didn't actually break from MacKay.

She said she made O'Toole aware of that, and her decision to "withdraw support" for MacKay means she won't try to sign up new Conservatives to vote for him. But she still backs him for leader.

"It's sad when I'm trying to make sure the two men I respect know that I remain committed to always helping the LGBTQ community feel accepted and loved ... then some anonymous source interprets it differently to make trouble that doesn't exist," Glover said in an email to The Canadian Press.

"I strongly condemn the wording (of the message from MacKay's campaign) and will not defend it. Peter is a great leader and I don't believe he was involved in writing that release."

MacKay's "bathroom bill" email came after the release of fundraising data by Elections Canada late last week, saying that in the first three months of 2020, the MacKay campaign raised $1.045 million to O'Toole's $785,000.

But, O'Toole's campaign argued, what of MacKay's March 5 boast that he'd raised $1 million already? If that were true, then he only brought in $40,000 in most of March, and therefore must be losing, his team alleged.

Lewis seized on that, too, suggesting the fundraising data actually put her in the No. 2 position for the balance of March.

Fully parsed, the Elections Canada data suggested about 80 per cent of MacKay's $1 million was in the party's hands as of March 5, and the balance made its way to party coffers after.

Lewis tossed the ball back to MacKay, saying he had to justify his March 1 tweet.

Just as the fundraising numbers were released, the MacKay campaign invited supporters to join a conference call that evening for a "special announcement."

The telephone line wasn't working properly, however, so the announcement was delayed, a statement from the campaign said that night. But, staff and MacKay, were on the line at the appointed time and discussed the events of the day.

The Canadian Press had also dialled in to hear the scheduled announcement and was able to hear some, but not all, of the discussion.

MacKay grumbled about the O'Toole campaign's spinning of the fundraising numbers, arguing no one cared about that level of detail.

The discussion shifted to how to respond, with one participant suggesting the MacKay campaign send O'Toole's email back out marked up with a red slash across it, "like a schoolteacher."

Though this decision wasn't audible on the call, the route MacKay's campaign ended up choosing was to send out an email accusing O'Toole of being a liar.

It hit email inboxes just as MacKay himself was telling supporters on the rescheduled evening call that he intended to take the high road in the campaign.

The email also included that reference to the 2012 transgender-rights bill, apparently attacking O'Toole's support for it.

MacKay has promised repeatedly he'd be a staunch defender and promoter of LGBTQ rights. His campaign later walked back the statement, saying he would support the 2012 bill now and wouldn't use that language again. The reference had been included in the email "in haste," the campaign said.

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While all four candidates jockey for position, Ontario MP Scott Reid has pointed out that being someone's second choice matters as well, given the party's use of a preferential ballot.

After Sloan asked whether Canada's chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam actually works for China amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Conservative MPs from Ontario voted to threaten him with expulsion from their ranks  a move O'Toole opposed.

Reid used social media to lay out some of the politics at play. If Sloan were booted out of the caucus, he'd have to be out of the leadership race, Reid argued.

"But since he won't win anyway, why bother? Answer: A finalist who can't capture the second-ballot support of Sloan voters benefits if there are no first-ballot Sloan votes," Reid wrote in a lengthy Twitter post.

"Under the CPC's preferential ballot system, the second-ballot preferences of Sloan supporters could determine who becomes our next leader. Someone wants to get rid of him."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2020.
By CorpGov Editorial Staff

U.S. sanctions against Venezuela have impacted oil trade around the world, with companies from Sweden to Spain that partner with the country under pressure to depart and potentially lose billions of dollars of revenue. But ultimately, it may be the Venezuelan people who are hurt most.

Oil production in Venezuela

On Monday, April 20th, the world was shocked as oil futures dipped into negative territory  forcing sellers to pay buyers to take physical product off their hands. The global oil industry is facing the full power of an oil price crisis raging for the second month and in some oil rich regions the damage from market forces is painfully augmented by irresponsible choices and dangerous government policies. Venezuela is by far the worst example  once a leading oil producer, the South American nation is experiencing a complete destruction of its champion industry. Nationalizations, corruption, deteriorating security on the ground, and U.S. sanctions have driven all but the most resilient international players and suppliers out of the country. The national oil giant Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) has been sanctioned by the U.S. and turned into a pariah among oil companies. It faces severe financial trouble and a collapse in production.

Remaining International Players

After the U.S. Department of Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) introduced sanctions against PDVSA on January 28, 2019, international companies were able to export crude from Venezuela for some period of time under oil prepayment agreements concluded long before the restrictions and allowing them to recover pre-sanctions PDVSA debts. According to multiple previous reports, including Reuters, over 40 JVs operated in the country. Many of them have been completely taken over by PDVSA following the departure of foreign personnel. The last widely announced departure was the Russian giant Rosneft PJSC.

According to a source familiar with the matter, there have been massive cuts in production levels among international JVs. Petroboscan, S.A. (Chevron Corporation)  once a flagship oil producer in Venezuela pumping over 100 thousand barrels of oil per day (bopd), the venture has seen its production shrink to an average of 60 thousand bopd from a peak of almost 80 in February 2019. It is operating under a special license from OFAC, which came up for review on April 22, 2020.

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Petroregional del Lago, S.A. (previously Royal Dutch Shell PLC, later Etablissements Maurel & Prom S.A.) and Petroquiriquire, S.A. (Repsol, S.A.) have seen their production halved (from 18 thousand bopd to 9 thousand bopd).

Petrozamora S.A. (GPB Global Resources)  Since the beginning of the JV 8 years ago until February 2019, Petrozamoras production reached up to 111 thousand bopd, but has fallen 40% from those levels. Historically it was the largest oil supplier to Nynas AB  a Swedish refinery, which is highly dependent on supplies of Venezuelan special-grade crude and therefore more-severely affected. In December 2019, soon after Venezuelan oil supply was terminated, the Swedish refiner defaulted on obligations and entered court-administered restructuring. Most Petrozamora field operations have stopped as no oil export income has been received by the venture since last year, making maintenance and production impossible.

The current situation suggests a further decrease is probable with all JVs winding down their operations further and further, cutting headcount, and evacuating remaining expatriates from the country. The Maduro authorities have effectively nationalized the remaining oil volumes, depriving the international operators of any income. According to some new agencies, the confiscated oil is supposedly exchanged by Maduro authorities for food and medicine using intermediaries in Mexico. This situation has limited all international JV operations to social, humanitarian, security and safety, environmental and maintenance needs.

Oil Exports Have Stopped

The combination of COVID-19, an oil price war, sanctions, and hijacking by the Maduro regime led to a complete halt in oil exports in April 2020. An authoritarian government has put a tight lid on any official statements on the situation in the countrys oil industry. If the remaining international operators are forced to abandon Venezuela completely, there may be environmental emergencies on neglected oil wells along with thousands of families without income to survive.

If the current regime does not change, international operators will be forced to abandon their social role in Venezuela. The faster the remaining international operators leave  and take their engineering expertise with them  the harder the restoration of oil production will be for any new prospective government. Oil fields will be looted for material, environmental pollution will spiral out of control, and trained personnel will disappear. The financial circumstances of a new government may become so dire that every day without oil production will translate directly into human suffering among Venezuelans.

A source at one of the JVs, who asked to remain anonymous, said it is obvious that all remaining international partners are now in survival mode only. Having ceased all operational activity, they are trying to allow local people employed with the projects to have a source of income, food and medicine for as long as possible, and to provide security and environmental measures to avoid losses of life and injuries. The faster the regime in Caracas changes the better it will be for the industry.
WASHINGTON  Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was hospitalized for treatment of a gallbladder condition, the Supreme Court announced on Tuesday. She had participated in oral arguments held by conference call on Tuesday morning, and the court said she planned to take part in Wednesdays arguments by telephone from the hospital.

The court said Justice Ginsburg was treated for acute cholecystitis, a benign gallbladder condition, at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Following oral arguments on Monday, a statement from the court said, the justice underwent outpatient tests at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C., that confirmed she was suffering from a gallstone that had migrated to her cystic duct, blocking it and causing an infection.

The treatment did not involve surgery, the statement said without elaboration. Gallstones can sometimes be removed through a scope passed down the digestive tract. If the blockage has caused an infection, it may be treated with antibiotics.

Gallstones are more common in women than in men, and are more likely to form in people over 40. The most common type are made mostly of cholesterol.
A man withdraws cash from an ATM in Long Bien District, Hanoi. Photo by Shutterstock/Saigoneer.

Vietnams top 10 most profitable listed companies, half of them banks, posted VND37 trillion ($1.6 billion) in pretax profits in the first quarter.

Vinhomes became the most profitable listed company with VND10.1 trillion ($431 million) in pretax profit, up 200 percent year-on-year.

The surge came as the companys revenue from financing activities tripled to VND8.6 trillion ($367 million), thanks to a divestment of a subsidiary.

It was followed by Vietcombank with pretax profits of VND5.2 trillion ($222 million), down 11 percent.

The bank retained its most profitable lender title in previous quarters, but saw less profit as provision for doubtful debt went up 40 percent to VND2.1 trillion ($90 million). Its net interest income grew by 6 percent, down from 37 percent last year.

Four other banks made the top 10 list. Techcombank and VPBank posted growths of 19 and 63 percent respectively, while VietinBanks pretax profit dropped 6 percent and that of Military Bank (MB) fell 9 percent.

In third place was dairy giant Vinamilk, whose pretax profit stayed mostly unchanged at VND3.3 trillion ($141 million). It is the only food and beverage company that made the list.

The company saw declining revenues from fresh milk as a program to provide milk to schools was suspended owing to the latter being closed for a long time, but saw rising revenues from drinking yogurt.

Its revenue rose 7 percent year-on-year to VND14.1 trillion ($602 million), with 85 percent of them from the domestic market.

State-owned gas producer Petrovietnam Gas Corp (PV Gas) dropped four places in the ranking from last year as its pretax profits went down 22 percent to VND2.9 trillion ($124 million).

As oil prices plummeted amidst the coronavirus crisis, its revenue fell 9 percent year-on-year to VND17 trillion ($725 million).

Steel giant Hoa Phat was apparently not affected by the virus as its pretax profit rose 22 percent to VND2.6 trillion ($111 million).

Stock brokerage KB Vietnam said that the companys large size has helped it secure a larger market share while smaller steel firms struggled.

The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) claimed the last place with pretax profit down 22 percent to VND1.9 trillion ($81 million).

As travel restrictions to curb the spread of the virus has resulted in the stoppage of most flights, ACV estimates its revenue this year would fall 38 percent year-on-year to VND11.3 trillion ($482 million).
Many American mothers experienced a profound shift in their lives - well beyond the mere loss of their routines - when the country began to grapple with the novel coronavirus two months ago.

The working moms lucky enough to have avoided the virus or recovered from it are juggling jobs and child care with an intensity that has never before existed. They are home-schooling while working. They're preparing lunches while working. They're policing screen time while working - and dealing with the waves of guilt, stress or resignation that come with not doing any of those things particularly well.

Tasks that had been outsourced to schools, grandparents, nannies and sitters are now falling squarely on parents and disproportionately on mothers. It is surreal for some of the women, who often found themselves feeling that their busy jobs kept them away from their children. Now, they are spending more time than ever with their kids - but this isn't what they had in mind.

Even before school closures and stay-at-home orders were implemented, balance could feel tenuous for single moms and women married to men, who have traditionally spent less time caring for their children.

Although men have nearly tripled the amount of time they spend on child care since 1965 and the number of men who are stay-at-home fathers has doubled in the past 20 years, imbalances persist in what has been called the "invisible work" of parenting.

Women shoulder the planning, the organizing and the remembering of everything that needs to be remembered. The mental load that comes with that work has grown exponentially in recent weeks.

"We've been socialized for 200 years for women to take this load on without even talking about it," said Stephanie Coontz, a historian of family studies. The pandemic "is really going to bring this to the fore more starkly than in the past because now there is so much more planning that has to be done."

These are stressors for hourly wage employees and Silicon Valley suits, for entrepreneurs and health care workers and for moms on Capitol Hill. In interviews, eight working mothers said they are looking for silver linings - a quick hug from a child before a conference call or the pride that comes with keeping a business afloat against tough odds.

But, as Mother's Day approaches, most concede that thriving is out of reach. Surviving is enough.

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Nina Makel

Grocery shopper/gig worker and mother of four in Maryland

"You've got to be able to check in on them and still be able to do your job. It's a lot."

Over the holidays, months before the virus took hold across the United States, Nina Makel installed cameras around her apartment so that when she was out working she'd be able to look in on her four kids.

Lately, she's logging 60-hour weeks as a contract worker who shops for other people's groceries via Amazon Fresh and Instacart.

"I found myself at the job more than being at home," the 32-year-old says. "It went crazy."

She's earning more money than she has during her two previous years doing gig work, but she also has to be away from her children - ages 4 to 12 - as they've adjusted to life without school.

"You can't not worry as a mom. 'Are the kids OK? What's going on? Let me check in on them,'" says Makel, who lives in Silver Spring. "But you've got to be able to check in on them and still be able to do your job. It's a lot."

Her network of cameras is proving essential. She can use her phone to watch the kids do schoolwork at the table, play video games in the living room and eat dinner in the kitchen. She speaks to her crew through the cameras, reminding them to clean up after themselves.

Makel's husband, a Montgomery County bus driver, is home with pay, so he has taken the lead in helping the kids keep up with school and process all the changes in their lives. "He does one-on-one with them. With this going on, it's a mental thing, too," Makel says. "He's sitting down, talking to them, seeing where their head is."

These days, Makel is often gone by 7 a.m. and not home until after 7 or 8 at night. She has taught her kids how to vacuum, do dishes and take out the trash so she doesn't come home to a mess. ("I will not go to sleep with dishes in my sink," she says. "I can't.") But Makel still does the family's laundry and wakes as early as 5 to make the day's meals in advance. She's also the main contact for the kids' teachers, which means she gets the notification if someone doesn't hand in an assignment on time. And if one of her kids has an especially early online class, she leaves the house phone on their pillow before going to work so she can call to make sure they're up.

When she finally arrives home, she takes off and disinfects everything she has worn. Sometimes she's exasperated by rude customers she encounters on the job, but she tries to leave that at the door, too. This way, for the few hours she's home and awake, she can focus on being with her family.

"Because," she explains, "They see less of me now."

Makel knows there are a lot of ways to take care of your kids, even when you're not at home.

"I don't have to go stand in a line for help from the government," Makel says. "I'm able to provide for them."

- Ellen McCarthy

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Tammy Duckworth

U.S. senator from Illinois and mom of two

"It's so nice to see my kids all day long. It's lovely. But also frustrating."

It is 9 a.m. and time for Tammy Duckworth's 5-year-old daughter to wake up for the day. It's also time for Duckworth to call in to a briefing with the secretary of defense. So the senator takes the opportunity to multitask: She receives the secretary's briefing while sitting on the edge of her daughter's bed so she can rouse her little sleeping beauty.

It's multitasking all the time now. Most days, it's that way for working moms, quarantine or no quarantine. But for a lawmaker who's trying to help lead the government during a public health crisis while also suddenly teaching preschool lessons, the tasks can feel especially disparate.

"My schedule in many ways is more demanding and more full now than it was before," says the 52-year-old Democrat, who is quarantining in the Northern Virginia suburbs. "Because before, there was a real separation. I leave here, and then I go to work, and there's a work schedule."

Now it's just people asking her for things nonstop. Staffers sending texts asking her to squeeze in one more virtual meeting - "It's almost like people say, 'Oh, well, you're just home telecommuting, let's just add a conference call' " - and daughters Maile, 2, and Abigail, 5, asking for snuggles, snacks and screen time.

Duckworth the senator is also the parent taking the lead in keeping up Abigail's education. Her husband, Bryan Bowlsbey, works in cybersecurity and is in their basement wearing an earpiece, taking secure calls eight hours a day. But, Duckworth says, "I think most women end up doing the home-schooling. We're sort of like the ones who make sure the kids take their vitamins and get their meals."

Sitting at her kitchen table and surrounded by stacks of papers, old Easter baskets and nursery school workbooks, Duckworth recalls having grand plans at the start of the quarantine. "I thought, 'Okay, we're going to do worksheets, and then we're going to do science experiments or baking. She'll learn measures and all of that. And then we're going to do some art, and then we'll go out and do earth science.'"

Weeks later? "I've had to adjust my expectations," says Duckworth, who wore a Zoom-ready leather jacket and pearls over a kid-stained T-shirt. "I'm lucky if I get her to do the worksheets."

And she's grappling with the guilt of what's slipping. "I continue to feel very inadequate. Is she not going to be ready for kindergarten? Is that going to be my fault? All of those same self-doubts that we all have."

Duckworth, an Army veteran who lost her legs during combat in the Iraq War, has help and is grateful for it. In addition to her husband, Duckworth's 79-year-old mother and an au pair are isolating with the family and help share the load.

"The high point is when I get done with a conference call and I have 10 minutes before the next one and the 2-year-old comes up and she goes, 'Mommy!' And she gives me a hug and a kiss. I don't get that during the day normally," the senator says. "It's so nice to see my kids all day long. It's lovely. But also frustrating. 'I love you. Kiss, kiss, kiss. OK, the conference call is starting.'"

- Ellen McCarthy

---

Julie Farrell

Pulmonary nurse and mother of three in New Jersey

"When I get home, my kids have just woken up, and they're ready for the day, but I'm not exactly ready for their day."

When Julie Farrell graduated from nursing school in December, she clearly envisioned her family's future: She would work a few night shifts each week, sleep during the day while her husband was at work and their children were at school, then spend time with her family in the evenings. The 34-year-old, who left a career in marketing to study nursing, would finally be doing the work she'd dreamed of since she was awed by the nurses who cared for her twin daughters after their birth four years ago.

Farrell's first day as a pulmonary nurse at St. Barnabas Medical Center in New Jersey was March 2, when the confirmed number of coronavirus cases in the United States topped 100. During her second week on the job, covid-19 was declared a global pandemic, and the routine she had once imagined came undone: Farrell's husband, a scientist at a pharmaceutical company, began working from home. Schools closed, and suddenly the couple were juggling work with caring for their 5-year-old son and the twins.

"When I get home, my kids have just woken up, and they're ready for the day," Farrell says, "but I'm not exactly ready for their day." Before she greets her family, she heads to the basement, where she puts her scrubs, hair covering and shoes into the washing machine, then takes a shower. She stays awake long enough to help the kids with breakfast and set up her son with his online class materials before she goes to bed at 10 or 11 a.m.

From the beginning, Farrell wore protective gear at work, followed safety protocols, stayed home when she wasn't working - but in late March, she experienced a mild headache, which quickly grew severe, accompanied by a low-grade fever. Three days later, the symptoms vanished, Farrell says, and though she was tested for the coronavirus, she felt fully recovered by the time she learned that her results were positive.

She never isolated from her family at home: "I felt like if I was going to give it to them, I probably already did," she says. Her husband and children have not shown symptoms of the illness.

She was cleared to return to work in early April and now spends three nights a week at the hospital, from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m., tending to covid-19 patients.

Farrell feels lucky; her brush with the virus was minor, and her husband has been a dedicated partner and parent. ("He really hasn't had a break at all," she says.) But the luckiest feeling of all, she says, is that she is working as a nurse at this moment in history.

"So many nurses go almost their entire careers and never see anything like this, and I'm seeing it on Week 2," she says. "I feel like I'm definitely helping people, so every day has felt like, 'Wow, I'm actually doing what I set out to do.'"

Her work is demanding, and home life can be hectic, but Farrell wants to hold on to that sense of perspective. Going forward, she says, "I just want to always look for the good." She hopes her children will do the same.

"My son learned to ride a bike last weekend, and I hope, years from now, if he remembers this time - I hope he doesn't think, 'That's when we were in a pandemic and Mom was helping all those people who were really, really sick,'" Farrell says. "What I hope he remembers is that bike ride."

- Caitlin Gibson

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Ashley Chea

Social media influencer and mom of three, sheltering in the Midwest

"I can't tell you how many times I've given them their iPads because I don't care. For me, it's about their mental health."

Most days, Ashley Chea feels her husband's job is more important than hers, but this wasn't one of those days.

Chea, a 35-year-old "momfluencer" with 48,000 Instagram followers, earns her income via social media partnerships. Her husband has the regular corporate gig. She stays home with the couple's three daughters and fits her work in where she can. His job is stable, predictable. Hers is less so.

But on this day, her job took precedence. A popular car seat company had hired her to shoot what amounted to a mini-commercial starring her two toddlers. Pre-quarantine, it wouldn't have been a thing, but imagine being a 3-year-old trapped in the house for days getting all dressed up to go nowhere.

"I'm putting them in a car, and I'm taking them out, and they were getting pissed. How do you explain to a 3-year-old I'm doing this for content? 'You're going in and out until I get this shot,'" says Chea, who has been earning money as a social media influencer for six years. It took two naps and 14 tries. She had to edit the video and submit it for review. She almost felt bad about unloading the kids on her husband. Almost.

She remembered thinking about how they needed that paycheck before climbing the stairs to her makeshift home office and tossing these words at her husband: "I have a job toooooooo."

By the look of things on her Instagram feed, Chea is winning the quarantine game. Back in February, she and her entire brood decided to relocate temporarily from Los Angeles to their hometown of Columbus, Ohio, to ride out the pandemic with Chea's mom.

So there Chea is on Instagram painting the back steps of her mother's home a trendy black while her 11-year-old daughter helps (presumably without complaint). Scroll down, and there are Chea's two youngest (the 3-year-old and one almost 2) smiling in a Radio Flyer wagon on a near cloudless afternoon. Is she one of those moms pushing sponsored content, beautiful children in pristine clothes and rainbow-colored daily home-schooling schedules?

"There are no days of the week anymore. It's yesterday, today and tomorrow. I can't tell you how many times I've given them their iPads because I don't care. For me, it's about their mental health," explains Chea. She has watched "Frozen" four times in one day. "I'm not about to argue with a 3-year-old."

And about that perfect Radio Flyer day posted online? The next day, it snowed. The kids were stuck inside. Chea was on a tight deadline for a revision of a script she's writing, her husband had his own work stuff, her oldest needed help with math, her mother had a headache, and the baby had a poop-filled diaper. Chea ended up in a closet in tears.

"That's literally how it is every other day," she says.

- Helena Andrews-Dyer

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Wenlei Zhang

Business manager and mom of two in the San Francisco Bay area

"I gave up on being Superwoman a long time ago. I don't do everything."

It took a pandemic to show Wenlei Zhang how busy her family has been. Maybe too busy.

She's a business manager for a large Silicon Valley firm. Her husband also works in the tech industry. They're raising two high-achieving boys - Oliver in 11th grade and Aiden in eighth.

"We were usually out of the house at 8 sharp," she says. "And then I sit in traffic for 45 minutes to get to work."

Between the boys' schoolwork and volunteer programs and the parents' full-time jobs, it seemed like they didn't see each other all that much. So when everything came to a halt, Zhang says, it "felt like a relief. Everything was so relaxed. It's like we're in this moment where we're dancing and all of a sudden, the music stopped."

At first, Zhang and her husband left their children to figure it out. The boys slept in, fed themselves breakfast and then did whatever it is teens do, while the parents worked from home.

Distance learning hadn't started yet, and Zhang realized she had no idea what her boys were doing with their days, how long they were playing video games, how much time they were wasting.

"After the shelter-in-place started, we drifted into this no governance, no structure. It was nice for a while, but we had to pull back: What do we do? ... What is the purpose?" she says. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to teach our kids something, and this moment happened for a reason, and we have to get something out of it."

Her husband decided, she says, that he needed to build in more time with the boys "because we were all so busy and apart, and now all of a sudden, we're here." So every afternoon from 4 to 5, her husband and the boys go running.

And Zhang saw an opportunity to give the boys responsibility beyond their household chores.

"I gave up on being Superwoman a long time ago. I don't do everything. I make sure that in my household, everyone is equally busy," she says. "I have my kids define their own structure. If I don't see that in place, [I help them] find something meaningful to get going."

So when parents with younger children at home had asked her whether Oliver could help teach their little ones, she sat him down and asked him what he thought his "social responsibility in all of this" was. Both of her boys volunteer with Silicon Valley Youth, an organization in which teens tutor their peers. After she told Oliver he needed to "do something," he and other teens in the program created eight shelter-in-place classes. There, they've talked about the virus, the mask debate and even the issues related to President Trump saying "Chinese virus."

Wenlei says she told her sons about an Asian American woman in her neighborhood who was yelled at when she was in line at the grocery store, accused of bringing the virus to the United States and told by a cashier to leave. The boys didn't dwell on it, she says, but she knows it's on their minds.

"I'm really only worrying about two things: whether we get sick and if my husband and I still have our jobs," she says. "But at the same time, I'm much more grateful for everything around me. ... I'm not religious, but I have to think maybe there's a message God sends us that everyone should stop and slow down."

- Amy Joyce

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Ayala Donchin

Cafe and catering company owner and mother of one, decamped from New York to the Tampa Bay area

"I feel like my kid has really seen who I am now, and thank God she still loves me."

On March 1, Ayala Donchin, 50, celebrated her daughter Brooklyn's fifth birthday with a huge "superhero princess" bash that she cooked up for 100 guests. A few days later, the catering company she spent a decade building was "gone, it was just gone."

Here's how Donchin, a single mother in Manhattan, described the first few weeks of the outbreak when the news grew scarier: Parents at her daughter's private school started escaping to second homes; her independent 84-year-old mother was still going to Pilates; and every email Donchin opened was another client cancellation.

"It was like trying to put a Band-Aid on a geyser," she says. The questions, the logistics, the panic and the problems wouldn't let up.

"In this situation, literally nobody knows what ... they're doing. There's no one to tell you, 'Yes, this is the right way,'" says Donchin, who recently learned that her business, Evelyn's Kitchen, didn't make the cut for the first round of Cares Act funding.

So why is everyone looking to her like she's supposed be the all-knowing wizard? Her employees, her child and her daughter's father in New York have all been looking for direction.

For a while, the questions were endless. Should she head down to Florida temporarily to be with her mom? Stay in Manhattan and pivot Evelyn's Kitchen somehow? Leave and close for good?

"I made the best decision for my family to be here," Donchin says from a quiet room in her mother's home. A place where Brooklyn can swim in a pool or ride a bike while Donchin runs the business with the help of Brooklyn's father, who is handling day-to-day operations at the restaurant.

Still, the move - both literal and figurative - wasn't without its bumps. The day of the reopening of Evelyn's Kitchen - which amid the pandemic had shifted to a business model of providing large catered meals for first responders - was the day Donchin, who described herself as a "let's-get-through-it person," cried. All that pent-up pressure finally found a release.

Of course, she was happy to keep the lights on and her eight employees working, but that was also the first day Brooklyn, an only child whose world had just shrunk, was left to entertain herself for hours.

"I realized I was shortchanging her. She didn't complain, but I felt horrible," Donchin says. "I can't be another person that's not there for her. I'm all she has right now. ... We communicate really transparently. I tell her, 'Look, I'm going to be on the phone. Here's three things you can do, but please, I need time.' I feel like my kid has really seen who I am now, and thank God she still loves me."

- Helena Andrews-Dyer

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Elizabeth Snarey

Nonprofit program director and mother of one in Georgia

"I think that what this pandemic has done is just created every possible emotion all at once."

Elizabeth Snarey has often thought about the passage of time, ever since her son Michael was born 11 years ago with a rare genetic disorder called Hunter syndrome and doctors said he was not likely to survive beyond 10. But time has taken on new meaning as the pandemic has reshaped their lives.

The 32-year-old single mom in Atlanta now works from home while caring for Michael, who was abruptly separated from his special-education program and his speech and occupational therapists.

Snarey was already accustomed to being Michael's sole support, always on duty, a mother who has spent every cold and flu season worrying about what might happen if her medically fragile child got sick: "A common cold - that's very dangerous for him," she says. "His oxygen levels can drop, he can have difficulty breathing."

Now they're both adjusting to the absence of their previous routines. She's still working as director of programs and family support at the Arc Georgia, an organization that serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Michael has access to some online learning resources, but "it's really difficult to deliver that to a child who can't really navigate systems like that anyway," Snarey says.

These days, Snarey works at the dining room table with Michael playing nearby so she can keep an eye on him when she joins conference calls. She spends her waking hours immersed in thoughts of covid-19. As a professional, she is working with other advocates to help people with disabilities navigate the pandemic. As a mom, she is determined to protect her severely immunocompromised son, mostly keeping him inside, the two of them alone except for visits from a nurse who delivers a weekly infusion to help combat his disease.

"Michael doesn't really understand what's going on, but he is not enjoying the isolation," Snarey says. "He loves living life alongside others, and not being able to do that has definitely been tough."

The weeks of uninterrupted time together can be challenging for both of them, Snarey says, but she finds she is often reminded of the qualities she cherishes most in Michael: his sense of humor, his cleverness, his desire to simply be near her. She is gradually learning to surrender her need for control, she says, letting go of the hard moments and unaccomplished tasks at the end of each day. "I think showing myself more grace and kindness," she says, "has really been a result of this madness."

Their days pass in a constant ebb and flow of stress and sweetness: There are afternoons when they go for walks or blow bubbles together on the small lawn outside their condo. There are nights when sleep is banished by anxious thoughts. There are regular visits from the nurse, whose arrival signals both life-supporting care and the constant threat of infection.

"I think that what this pandemic has done is just created every possible emotion all at once. I can be scared about the unknowns, I can be irritated about the balance that we're all still expected to have between work and family, but also - when would I ever get this time back with Michael?" Snarey says. "I am extremely grateful for this time with him because I don't know how much time he has, and I also don't know if we will ever get to slow down like this again."

- Caitlin Gibson

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Maggie Smith

Poet and mother of two in Ohio

"We're all giving ourselves space to not be perfect and just do the best we can."

Being at home right now while working and trying to educate and care for our children is not "working from home," says poet Maggie Smith, 43. Trust her. She works from home. This is not that.

"This is sheltering during a global pandemic and trying to get work done," she says. "In many cases, I need to remind myself of that."

And so she tries to focus on the essentials and be more forgiving of herself than usual, as a single mother of Violet, 11, and Rhett, 7. When things aren't working? They take a break. Maybe they have an '80s dance party or a picnic on the carpet. The kids have taken to collaging, using her magazines. Go ahead, kids, if that means a few minutes for Mom to answer her emails - cut it all up.

This strange time has provided Smith, who lives in Bexley, Ohio, a potentially life-altering way of being.

"It's actually made me a little more forgiving for myself and ... forgiving of the time I need," she says. "We feel a lot of guilt as working mothers, especially if we're not attending to their needs every second of every day. That they're going to feel ignored or think we care about our work more than them. And I think them watching me navigate this with them, I hope and trust that they know they're the top priority. But I also can see that they get it. They're like, 'Go do your thing. We're fine.' Like, we're all giving ourselves space to not be perfect and just do the best we can."

Smith's lectures and readings and workshops are canceled. A book that was scheduled to come out this spring has been pushed to October. She tries to use the days when her children are with their father, five minutes away, to work on bigger projects or schedule meetings, but it's lonely and can be hard to focus. It used to be that those "stretches were glorious. I'd have coffee with a friend, go to happy hour. ... It felt like a respite," she says. "This doesn't feel like that, and it's because we're sad, scared and isolated."

When the kids are with her, instead of quiet time to edit and write, "we're in these close quarters sharing too few devices to get their work done and my work done and we're having to compromise."

Her son told her this time is making him more independent. He doesn't have Mom or teachers telling him what to do every second of the day, he told Smith, so he and Violet figure out things to do together. Both kids are doing more for themselves, Smith says.

Smith is finding bright spots like that everywhere, despite feeling isolated, and trying to hide her own sadness from her children. "What we thought of as ourselves, we can't do right now. And it makes you realize how much of that is status and not self. And when all of that is stripped away ... it helps you get to some essential stuff that maybe we don't think about that often."

- Amy Joyce

---

(BEG ITAL)First Fall

by Maggie Smith

I'm your guide here. In the evening-dark

morning streets, I point and name.

Look, the sycamores, their mottled,

paint-by-number bark. Look, the leaves

rusting and crisping at the edges.

I walk through Schiller Park with you

on my chest. Stars smolder well

into daylight. Look, the pond, the ducks,

the dogs paddling after their prized sticks.

Fall is when the only things you know

because I've named them

begin to end. Soon I'll have another

season to offer you: frost soft

on the window and a porthole

sighed there, ice sleeving the bare

gray branches. The first time you see

something die, you won't know it might

come back. I'm desperate for you

to love the world because I brought you here.(END ITAL)

- Reprinted with permission from Tupelo Press
Mothers Day is celebrated every year on the second Sunday of May. This year, it falls on May 10. The woman behind Mothers Day was Anna Jarvis, a school teacher. Although Anna is known as the reason why Mothers Day is celebrated, she died protesting it after the day started to become too commercialised.

Mothers Day 2020: The origin of Mothers Day

On her mothers second death anniversary (who had died in 1905), Anna Jarvis had bought 500 white carnations for a memorial service she was organising in her hometown in West Virginia. Her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis had been a peace activist, and she campaigned so that her mothers death anniversary could be recognised as a holiday all over America, known as Mothers Day.

Anna Jarvis had taken care of wounded soldiers in the American Civil War and had created Mothers Day Work Clubs to tackle peoples health issues.

ALSO READ: Here are some poems to share with your mom this Mothers Day

It was in 1914 that US President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation which said that the second Sunday of May shall be a national holiday to honour mothers.

Famous quotes

Here are some of the most famous quotes on Mothers, which you can also share with your friends and family:

I remember my mothers prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life- Abraham Lincoln

A mothers arms are made of tenderness and children sleep soundly in them- Victor Hugo

Mama was my greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love- Stevie Wonder

My mother is a walking miracle- Leonardo DiCaprio

Motherhood is... difficult and... rewarding- Gloria Estefan

I was always at peace because of the way my mom treated me- Martina Hingis

I got to grow up with a mother who taught me to believe in me- Antonio Villaraigosa

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With the U.S. House of Representatives out of session, Rep. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) is trying to set a good example for his constituents by sheltering at home, but his schedule is as busy as ever.

Im doing something called conference call webinar ad nauseam, he said in a phone interview last week.

Thompsons life has become a series of weekly virtual town hall meetings for constituents, twice-weekly conference calls with the House Democratic caucus, and webinars with state and local leaders, businesspeople navigating the Small Business Administration loan process, and presidents of hospitals on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19.

Its always better to be able to do things in person, so its a little bit of a change, Thompson said. Ive had town hall meetings on a very regular basis, and I can honestly tell you this is the first time Ive ever had one while wearing my house slippers.

Thompson tries to take a walk or ride his bike once a day. But while his wife, Jan, a nurse practitioner, continues to report to work at Adventist Health St. Helena, he mostly stays home in his slippers.

Hes still managed to stay busy on the legislative front, introducing a bill Tuesday that would pay for state and local governments to partner with restaurants and nonprofits to prepare healthy meals for vulnerable populations. The FEED Act is supported by Chef Jose Andres of the nonprofit World Central Kitchen.

Out of all the ways life has changed under COVID-19, its hard to predict which changes will become permanent, Thompson said. However, hes optimistic that the pandemic will spur positive, permanent change on issues like rural broadband Internet access. The pandemic has put a spotlight on the lack of web access in remote areas, which makes it difficult for those residents to engage in distance learning and telehealth.

As chair of the Select Revenue Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee, Thompson has been in touch with top economists who say the economy will not bounce back quickly.

I think its going to be a slog, he said.

Thompson said Congress will probably have to pass a new stimulus and infrastructure package.

It shouldnt be the typical infrastructure  heres some money, go build some roads and bridges and highways, Thompson said. All of those things are important and have to be part of it, but were going to need an infrastructure package for the times that reflects the challenges we face today and the future needs of the people and the country.

That means expanding rural broadband access, establishing more community health clinics, promoting renewable energy, and increasing the countrys resilience to climate change, from flooding to fires to rising sea levels, Thompson said.

Despite the economic pain, Thompson said most of his constituents arent in an undue rush to reopen the economy before its safe to do so.

This cant be seen as a political issue. This is a health care issue, he said. Weve got to deal with the health care part of it before we can move forward with anything else.

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 Jesse Duarte at 967-6803 or jduarte@sthelenastar.com.

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 Flash

The UNICEF has called for urgent actions to protect the internally displaced children as they are among the world's most vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While introducing a latest report by UNICEF, Peter Hawkins, UNICEF representative in Nigeria, told media in Abuja that hundreds of thousands of children in northeast Nigeria are living in the shadow of conflict and now in the increasingly challenging shadow of a global pandemic and its potential socio-economic aftermath.

"When a new crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic emerges, displaced children are especially vulnerable and the gaps in our ability to keep them safe are even more stark. We must urgently work together - all of us, government and humanitarian partners - to keep them safe, healthy, learning and protected," Hawkins said.

According to the UNICEF report titled "Lost at Home", at the end of 2019, an estimated 46 million people were internally displaced by conflict and violence across the world. About 19 million were children.

There are currently 1.9 million people displaced from their homes in restive northeast Nigeria, with 60 percent of them are children, said the report.

The report continued that with crowded living quarters, limited to clean water and sanitation and cutting off from public health messages, internally displaced people are facing high risk of rapid spread of COVID-19.

Hawkins said looking at the risks and challenges facing internally displaced children, urgent actions from government, civil society, private sector and humanitarian actors are needed to protect them.
Every time my father disciplined me when I was growing up under his roof, he would tell me, only babies and animals are not accountable for their actions. My fathers lesson was simple: all people must be held accountable for the things they say and do. Thats the way it should be. It is a sign of growth and maturity, and personal accountability is engrained in the American tradition.

For many years dating to the end of slavery, black Americans shared this perspective as a matter of individualism and familial pride. But beginning in the 1960s, a lot of black Americans were convinced to identify as victims. They accepted the branding of victimhood from the Left, which ate away their sense of self-worth and personal accountability. Were seeing this again today in the midst of the Wuhan virus pandemic.

Although we dont have comprehensive data on Wuhan virus deaths by race, statistics from a number of states and municipalities show blacks are dying from coronavirus in numbers that are disproportionate to their population. For example, blacks make up about 14% of the population in Illinois and Michigan, yet account for 42% and 41% of all coronavirus deaths, respectively. The trends are similar in other states and cities that have provided mortality data by race.

That black Americans are suffering disproportionately from this pandemic isnt up for debate. But what is debatable is why. The political Left and their media allies are quick to blame this on institutional racism in the United States. Blacks receive poor healthcare because America is racist. Blacks live in poverty because America is racist. Doctors dont care about the health of black people because America is racist. Its instructive to note that most of these accusations about racism are made in the present tense when in truth, 21st-century America has perhaps the best record of racial equality of any nation on earth.

This fact doesnt deter the Left and others seeking to ingratiate themselves to the media. Actor Will Smith recently interviewed Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. When asked why blacks are disproportionately being affected by the coronavirus; Dr. Fauci stated that it is directly related to health disparities in minorities (read blacks). Black Americans also face a disproportionate prevalence in incidents of the very co-morbid conditions, that place them at higher risk, like hypertension, asthma, obesity, and diabetes, and contracting COVID-19 with these pre-existing conditions most often results in a poor outcome.

But blacks are not overweight because of racism. They dont suffer from diabetes or hypertension because of Jim Crow. Most have these conditions because of their behavior and their personal lifestyle choices. But instead of suggesting that blacks bear at least some responsibility for their actions and the consequences of them, we are given a pass and our plight is blamed on racism. Blacks are told that they are victims, that their problems are the fault of society, not decades of poor health choices.

It is a fact that blacks have higher levels of hypertension, asthma, obesity, diabetes and heart disease than any other race of people in America. But this is not the fault of society, nor is it a disparity that society has created. That would be like saying those who choose to own waterfront property are disproportionately susceptible to flooding during hurricane season and society is to blame for this consequence of their choice. Its despicable that race hustlers would use the global Wuhan virus pandemic as a vehicle to promote a lie that demeans an entire race of humans.

We alone have put ourselves in this predicament, and blacks need to admit it and accept responsibility for their health choices. Blacks, like all other races in America, are free to choose how they live their lives and take care of themselves. To say otherwise does them a disservice and treats them like the babies and animals, my father referenced in my boyhood when enjoining me to take responsibility for my actions.

Blacks have the same capacity for making decisions about their life and health as whites, Asians, Hispanics and every other race in America, all of whom are held accountable for their own actions. I and other black Americans are not babies or animals. We are citizens and expect to be treated as such.
Everest Re Group promoted a veteran executive to a newly created position within its Reinsurance division. Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance added a risk control consultant to its property team in France. Zurich Canada has a new Human Resources head.

***

Everest Re Group Ltd. promoted Sharry Tibbitt to deputy chief underwriting officer for the Reinsurance division.

In this new role, Tibbit will report to Chris Downey, chief underwriting officer for the Reinsurance division. Together, they will work closely with leadership across the division to guide and manage the overall Reinsurance portfolio while developing profitable areas for growth and continued diversification.

Tibbit has more than 20 years of industry experience and has held numerous roles at Everest over the past nine years, including senior vice president of Property and Specialty and vice president of Treaty Underwriting. Tibbit is credited with helping to build out a profitable Treaty Property book since joining Everest in 2011, and the company says the executive was integral in the launch and implementation of the divisions new internal underwriting platform.

***

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance expanded its property team in France with the addition of Jean-Francois Leandri as risk control consultant.

Trained as both a boiler & machinery and fire prevention consultant, Leandri has nearly 25 years of engineering experience. He spent the last 17 years as district manager at Global Risk Consultants, where he led a Paris-based technical team responsible for risk consulting on a range of occupancies across portions of Europe and Africa. He began his carrier as field engineer at UAP Kemper HPR Company.

Leandri is based in BHSIs office in Paris.

***

Scott Thomas is the new head of Human Resources for Zurich Canada, a role he has held on an interim basis since November 2019.

Thomas was previously head of Risk Services for Zurich Canada, a position that has been filled by Chris Snider.

In his 30-year career at Zurich, Thomas has held more than a dozen roles of increasing responsibility within Risk Services, including a three-year international assignment in Zurich, Switzerland, as the global capability and technical manager for Zurich Risk Engineering.

Thomas will continue to serve on the Zurich Canada Executive Committee, reporting to CEO Saad Mered and functionally to Laura Rock, chief human resources officer for Zurich North America.

Sources: Everest Re Group, Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance, Zurich Canada
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday launched a new round of attacks on China, accusing Beijing of covering up the coronavirus outbreak and charging them with providing faulty medical equipment to other countries.

'China could have spared the world a descent into global economic malaise. They had a choice but instead - instead - China covered up the outbreak in Wuhan,' Pompeo told reporters during a press conference at the State Department.

'China is still refusing to share the information we need to keep people safe,' he added.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo launched a new round of attacks on China, accusing Beijing of covering up the coronavirus outbreak and charging them with providing faulty medical equipment to other countries

Chinese officials have denied the coronavirus was created in a lab and said Secretary of State Mike Pomepo has no proof of his charge

Scientists and administration officials said the coronavirus was result of an animal to human transfer - likely from the Wuhan wet market that sells exotic animals for meat

Pompeo has alleged the coronavirus began in a lab in Wuhan, saying Sunday there was 'enormous evidence' this was the case. Chinese officials have denied the charge. Scientists and other administration officials have said it is likely the disease came from an animal transfer - possibly from a market in Wuhan selling exotic animals for meat.

The secretary of state argued there was no disagreement on where the virus came from and dismissed the idea that administration officials were giving contradictory statements on the virus origins.

His defense comes after top administration officials like Dr. Anthony Fauci and Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have said it was unlikely the virus came from a lab.

'We don't have certainty about whether it began in the lab or whether it began someplace else,' Pompeo said.

'We're all trying to figure out the right answer. We're all trying to get to clarity. There are different levels of certainty assessed at different places. That's highly appropriate,' he noted. 'The reality is this came from Wuhan.'

'Every one of those leaders - whether it's Dr. Fauci or General Milley or myself or the president  we all know how to get to this answer. That's where the focus needs to be.'

Pompeo also charged China with providing 'shoddy' protective masks and other equipment to nations suffering from the pandemic.

'Spain has returned defective test kits made in China,' he noted.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also charged China with delivery 'shoddy' masks and other medical equipment

The Trump administration has targeted China, blaming it for not being transparent enough in the early days of the pandemic

China on Wednesday hit back at Pompeo over his claims, saying he 'doesn't have any' evidence.

'I think this matter should be handed to scientists and medical professionals, and not politicians, who lie for their own domestic political ends,' said foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying.

'Mr. Pompeo repeatedly spoke up but he cannot present any evidence. How can he? Because he doesn't have any,' she said.

Pompeo on Sunday said there was 'enormous evidence' the coronavirus began in a Wuhan lab but he hasn't provided any proof.

'There's enormous evidence that that's where this began. We've said from the beginning that this was a virus that originated in Wuhan, China,' Pompeo said on ABC's This Week.

'We took a lot of grief for that from the outset. But I think the whole world can see now. Remember, China has a history of infecting the world, and they have a history of running substandard laboratories,' he added.

Other administration officials have cast doubt on that claim.

Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, told National Geographic in an interview published on Monday the best evidence showed the virus was not made in a lab in China but appeared to have 'evolved in nature and then jumped species.'

Asked if scientists could have found the virus outside the lab and brought it there, from where it escaped, Fauci said: 'But that means it was in the wild to begin with. That's why I don't get what they're talking about why I don't spend a lot of time going in on this circular argument.'

And General Milley said Tuesday it was unclear if the virus emerged from a wet market in China, a laboratory or some other location, but said it was unlikely the disease man-made.

'Did it come out of the virology lab in Wuhan? Did it occur in a wet market there in Wuhan? Did it occur somewhere else? And the answer to that is: We don't know,' the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said said.

President Donald Trump is also pushing China to be more transparent about the origins of the coronavirus, which has infected more than 1.2 million people in the United States and killed more than 70,000.

Trump, who initially praised China over its response to the outbreak, said he had not spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

'We want them to be transparent. We want to find out what happened so it never happens again,' he said at the White House before he left for a trip to Arizona.

There has been a growing suggestion that the coronavirus first crossed to humans accidentally during experiments with bats at the Wuhan Institute of Virology Lab.

After word of the outbreak finally became public, Chinese leaders were quick to blame Wuhan's 'wet market' where wild animals -- though not bats -- are sold for consumption.

'Patient zero' worked at the Wuhan lab, and spread the virus into the local population after leaving work, sources who had been briefed on intelligence told the outlet.

China has refuted claims that the virus may have originated in a laboratory near the city of Wuhan where contagious samples were being stored.

Although the earliest confirmed case in Wuhan was a person who had no connection to the Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market, Chinese officials quickly pinned the blame on the market, a talking point that was eagerly repeated by the World Health Organization.

'A large proportion of the initial cases in late December 2019 and early January 2020 had a direct link to the Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market in Wuhan City, where seafood, wild, and farmed animal species were sold,' the WHO website says about the possible origins of the pandemic, while acknowledging the exact source of the outbreak has not been determined.

'Many of the initial patients were either stall owners, market employees, or regular visitors to this market. Environmental samples taken from this market in December 2019 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, further suggesting that the market in Wuhan City was the source of this outbreak or played a role in the initial amplification of the outbreak,' the WHO says.

Though scientists say that genetic evidence indicates the virus was not artificially engineered, likely originated in bats, and probably crossed over to a human in a single event, there is nothing in the genetic data to indicate exactly where and how the virus first crossed to humans.

On Sunday, Trump suggested that the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe is the result of a 'horrible mistake' made by China and that Chinese officials tried to cover it up.

He also fueled the suggestion that coronavirus came from a Wuhan lab and said there was evidence that Chinese President Xi Jinping's regime misled the global community.

'Well, I don't think there's any question about it. We wanted to go in, they didn't want us to go in. Things are coming out that are pretty compelling. I don't think there's any question,' the president said Sunday.

'Personally, I think they made a horrible mistake, and they didn't want to admit it,' he added.

His comments came as a Department of Homeland Security report shared on Sunday revealed US officials believe China 'intentionally concealed the severity' of the pandemic in early January and hoarded medical supplies.

The four-page report dated May 1 that was obtained by the Associated Press notes that China downplayed the virus publicly but increased imports and decreased exports of medical supplies.

The document accuses China of covering their tracks by 'denying there were export restrictions and obfuscating and delaying provision of its trade data.'

It lends weight to a leaked dossier drawn up by the Five Eyes intelligence alliance which describes how Beijing made whistleblowers 'disappear', destroyed early virus samples and scrubbed the internet of any mention of the disease in the early stages.

The president continued to point the finger at Beijing on Sunday during a Fox News virtual town hall meeting at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. where he said China sparked the outbreak before scrambling to cover it up

'Personally, I think they made a horrible mistake, and they didn't want to admit it...like a fireThey couldn't put out the fire,' the president said

In Sunday's virtual town hall, Trump said that China failed to admit their mistake in refusing to accept global aid.

'We wanted to go in, but they didn't want us there.

'Even World Health wanted to go in - they were admitted but much later, not immediately.

'They made a mistake, they tried to cover it, like a fireThey couldn't put out the fire,' Trump said.

He condemned the Communist nation for not alerting global leaders on the severity of the outbreak while continuing to allow flights to exit China.

'What they really treated the world badly on, they stopped people from going into China but they didn't stop people from going into the USA and all the rest of the world.'

'They knew they had a problem, I think they were embarrassed by the problem,' Trump added.

When asked about President Xi, Trump said 'I'm not going to say anything' but 'this should never have happened'.

Trump said that the federal government is putting together a 'strong' report on the origin of COVID-19 that has infected over a million in the US and killed over 68,000, adding it will be 'very conclusive'.

Last week Trump told reporters that he had seen proof that suggests the virus originated in the lab, but he did not go into detail.

Vice President Mike Pence and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin watch as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the 'America Together. Returning to Work' town hall

Last week Trump told reporters that he had seen proof that suggests the virus originated in the lab, but he did not go into detail. The Wuhan Institute of Virology located near the wet market pictured above

Diplomats had complained about the slack safety measures at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in the years prior to the coronavirus outbreak

Earlier on Sunday Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that 'a significant amount of evidence' suggested the virus came from the Wuhan lab.

'I can tell you that there is a significant amount of evidence that this came from that laboratory in Wuhan.

'These are not the first time that we've had a world exposed to viruses as a result of failures in a Chinese lab,' Pompeo said on ABC's This Week.

The US intelligence community said it believes that COVID-19 was not 'manmade or genetically modified' but was investigating whether it was caused by 'an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan'.

However, Chinese officials and scientists have denied that there is any connection between the outbreak and the Institute of Virology in Wuhan that studies infectious diseases including coronavirus.

Experts believe the virus started spreading as early as February in the United States before it forced states to issue lockdown directives for millions of Americans beginning in mid-March.

Last week, Trump claimed that he had seen evidence that coronavirus started in the Wuhan virology laboratory and warned he could impose tariffs of $1 trillion on China in retribution for the pandemic.

'Yes I have. Yes I have,' Trump said when asked if he had seen proof the virus originated in the Wuhan Institute of Technology.

The Wuhan lab is located near a wet market that has been identified as the likely epicenter of the outbreak that took place late last year.

However, the president would not divulge what the evidence was that confirmed his suspicions, when asked by a reporter.

'I can't tell you that. I am not allowed to tell you that,' he responded.

The Five Eyes spy document, which was leaked to the Australian Telegraph on Saturday, also details how 'risky' bat-related virus studies were carried out at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

The 15-page document brands Beijing's secrecy over the pandemic an 'assault on international transparency' and points to cover-up tactics deployed by the regime.

It cites several studies led by scientist Dr. Shi Zhengli at the Institute into deadly bat-derived coronaviruses, with at least one of the virus samples being a 96 per cent genetic match for Covid-19.

But as part of a mass 'suppression and destruction of evidence', the state ordered samples of the virus to be destroyed in laboratories while wet market was bleached to extinguish remnants of the disease.
The two fetish priests, who are in police custody for murder, had in their possession an idol-looking sculpture fitted with human skulls, which they allegedly used for their rituals.

A special police team raided the shrine last Thursday and retrieved an assortment of tell-tale exhibits.

Apart from the skull idol, the police discovered incriminating exhibits like human bones, human hairs, beads in shallow graves at the suspects' shrine called 'Power 1 Herbal & Spiritual Centre' located at Adu Kwadwo and Kofi Nyarko villages, near Maame Dede Junction on the Nsawam to Adeiso road in the Upper West Akyem District of the Eastern Region.

Weapons at Shrine

The police also retrieved two pump action guns, a single barrel gun together with 11 packets full of cartridges.

The weapons were found in the room of Christian Lawoe Gameli, aka Power-One, 36, who together with his accomplice, Famous Adukonu, aka Scorpion, 37, both from Afife in the Volta Region, are currently in the cooler.

Confession

According to COP Ken Yeboah, Director General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, both fetish priests confessed to killing two people and burying them at the shrine.

During a news conference on Monday, the CID boss said the police uncovered graves that contained the remains of Edward Quartey Papafio, a biochemical consultant and Kwashie Zormelo, a mason.

He said as they were excavating the shrine, they discovered several human bones and some skulls hidden under two of their idols.

He said that on April 30, the police, including a pathologist, personnel of the crime scene management unit, forensic science laboratory, drone and CID operation unit went to Maame Dede and executed the exhumation order granted by the court.

On arrival, both suspects led the police to the scene behind the house, which had been walled with a small entry but no exit, where the two identified the graves.

The pathologist retrieved a decomposed body from the grave and a second decomposed body, whose name Power gave as Kwashie Zormelo from Kasoa, was also retrieved from another grave, he added.

The Director General of CID also revealed that the team later exhumed human parts, hairs, attachments, beads suspected to be that of a woman and other bones from a third grave all within the same perimeter.

A decomposed human flesh with bones wrapped in a cloth buried among the bodies was also retrieved from the yard, he said, adding that my team also retrieved human skull together with bones suspected to be that of humans hidden under two idols in the house.

Blood Gallon

He mentioned that a gallon the suspects later confessed contained the blood of Edward Quartey Papafio and Kwashie Zormelo was also found hidden in the shrine.

Murdering Biochemist

According to the CID boss, investigations have established that on December 2019, the two suspects conspired to kill Mr. Papafio, adding, The suspects, therefore, lured the victim to the shrine and succeeded in collecting about GH10,000 from him under the pretext that they were going to fortify him spiritually to enable his company to flourish.

Phone Invitation

On January 15, 2020 the suspect invited the biochemist on phone to come for the last purification rites and in the process shot and killed him.

Suspect Power, after committing the crime took possession of the deceased's Itel and Nokia mobile phones which he kept with Charity Dakudzi, his third wife at Mensah Ba, Oyibi, he narrated.

He later led police to the said house where the deceased's two mobile phones were retrieved together with his bunch of keys, he said, adding, Suspect Scorpion, on the other hand, said that he shot and killed Papafio on that fateful day with a pump action gun belonging to his accomplice.

Victim's Cash

COP Yeboah said the suspects also admitted to collecting all monies on Papafio before killing him.

Further investigations established that suspect Christian Gameli murdered Kwashie Zormelo, a Togolese but resident at Kasoa and one of his masons sometime February 2020, when the victim demanded money the suspect owed him.

The decomposed bodies, human remains and bones have been deposited at the Police Hospital mortuary, awaiting post-mortem and anthropological and DNA examination.

---Daily Guide
A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., and F-16 Fighting Falcons from Misawa Air Base, Japan, conducted bilateral joint training with Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) F-2s off the coast of northern Japan, April 22, 2020. (Tech. Sgt. Timothy Moore/Air Force)

A B-1B Lancer strategic bomber of the US Air Force (USAF) took off from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota on April 22 and flew nearly 30 hours to arrive at the Misawa Air Base in Japan, where it teamed up with six USAF F-16 Fighting Falcons, seven Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) F-2 fighters and eight JASDF F-15 fighters for a joint drill, according to the US media.

This was the second bilateral exercise between USAF and JSDF this year with strategic bombers as the core, and also a combined operation of the bomber groups under US Indo-Pacific Command and US Strategic Command, demonstrating the new combat concept of "Dynamic Force Employment (DFE)" currently advocated by the US military.

The new concept requires the USAF to deliver troops and make substantial military deployments globally at short notice without any prior warning to the adversary, so as to realize the combination of strategic predictability and operational unpredictability and deter the potential rivals.

Under this new combat concept, the USAF has begun to transform its force deployment model, particularly enabling strategic bombers to make a global long-range delivery, to operate in the United States and broader areas overseas with greater operational resilience.

As one of the three nuclear deterrents at US airbases, the B-1B Lancer is the most powerful strategic bomber in the world and therefore an important instrument to exercise the "dynamic force employment".

The US military has taken a series of military moves while the widespread COVID-19 pandemic is posing a serious threat to its combat capabilities. It is also an important move to demonstrate its global strike capability and hegemonic position despite the impacts of the pandemic by assigning strategic bombers from the US continent for a prolonged flight to the Asia Pacific for strategic deterrence.

The COVID-19 outbreak has stranded several US aircraft carriers from combat missions, leaving no carriers on the Pacific Ocean for the first time after WWII. Meanwhile, the USAF, concerned about the pandemic situation in Guam, announced on April 17 to halt the continuous rotation of strategic bombers to the Andersen Air Force Base on the island, and has called back all five B-52H bombers stationed there with no aircraft arriving to replace them. This put an end to the USAF's Continuous Bomber Presence Mission to Guam since 2004 and left the US military with neither aircraft carrier nor strategic bomber in the Indo-Pacific region, which has not only seriously unsettled the top brass at Pentagon, but also made the American allies worried about Washington's ability to continue performing relevant defense duties.

Under such circumstances, the US, on the excuse of "safeguarding regional security and stability", assigned a B-1B bomber under USAF 28th Bomb Wing from the Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota to fly across the Pacific Ocean for a joint drill in Japan. This was not only to enhance its presence to ease the allies' anxiety, but also to flex muscles and showcase its ability to respond to operational unpredictability in the pandemic.

As Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., commander of US Pacific Air Forces, said, although the US has suspended all overseas military operations, it is still in possession of strong global long-range strike capability and able to deploy strategic strike forces worldwide in response to invisible global threats and any form of military aggression. The USAF remains a lethal, innovative, and interoperable combat force.

For future development, the US, to adapt to and implement the new combat mode, will continue to adjust its troops' deployments from fixed-location to random-location deployment, and step up global long-range troops delivery capability. It will also strengthen the combined operation with its allies and partners to improve the ability of group combat, so as to realize the strategic shifting from "continuous stationing" to "dynamic force employment".

(The author is Fang Xiaozhi, a researcher at the Institute of Strategic Studies and International Security, Fudan Institute of Belt and Road & Global Governance)
Wilkes is the highest ranked institution in Luzerne County and within the top 25 percent of independent institutions in the nation. Wilkes University is once again being recognized for its commitment to social mobility. In
The BBC has today agreed on a historic new trade deal which will see shows made by independent TV producers available on iPlayer for a least a year.

The new deal, which was struck between the BBC and the trade association Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (Pact), will allow the broadcasting company to transform the content it provides its viewers and expand on its service.

The announcement comes after the media watchdog Ofcom gave the BBC the green light to expand its iPlayer service, and host its content online for longer periods, after initial disputes over the value to the public and competitors.

Previously, independently produced shows would be available for up to 30 days on the streaming service.

The deal, which will come into effect for entirely new commissions from Monday, gives the BBC a guaranteed 12-month window on all content it commissions within its initial payment.

The BBC deal, which was struck with the the trade association Pact, will see shows made by independent TV producers available on iPlayer for a least a year. (Stock image)

It also sets out fixed rates for exclusive and non-exclusive extensions to the year-long window.

Under the new terms, the BBC will be given the option to pay a fixed amount to keep the shows on iPlayer for an extended period of time and will take less of a cut in sales in order to help independent TV producers.

Traditionally the broadcasting company took a 15 per cent cut from its global distribution revenue but this will now drop to 10 per cent.

It will also drop the amount it receives from the backend in UK sales from 25 per cent to just 20 per cent.

BBC director-general Tony Hall hailed the new deal as 'an important deal for the BBC, the industry, and the wider public'.

He said: 'This is an important deal for the BBC, the industry, and the wider public. Not only have we reaffirmed our commitment to supporting independent UK producers, we have also ensured licence fee payers have access to the best content for at least a year on BBC iPlayer. Everybody wins.'

Lord Hall, who in January announced plans to step down from the role, has previously said he believes iPlayer can challenge the existing dominance of services like Netflix and Amazon, and has focused on its expansion during his tenure.

The Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television represents the independent content producers in feature film, television, animation, children's and digital media.

It's chief executive John McVay said: 'Pact has worked hard over many months to ensure that the BBC understood that indies deserve to be paid fairly for their content to be used for additional periods on the iPlayer.

'The iPlayer has become even more important to viewers during this lockdown period, and it's great that more compelling programmes will be available for longer - and that all UK companies will benefit from success.'

In addition, the BBC will pay independent producers sooner to extend the licence period, if the additional iPlayer windows are taken beyond 12 months.

Producers will also see greater revenue as a result of the BBC share of net receipts from sales being reduced to 10 per cent in some cases.

The new deal, which will allow the broadcasting company to transform the content it provides, comes after the media watchdog Ofcom gave the BBC the green light to expand iPlayer. (Stock image)

Separate discussions will take place over children's content, while content commissioned by BBC Three for both linear and online publication will retain its current initial iPlayer window set out in the terms of trade.

Normal People recently drove the channel to its best week for programme requests on the iPlayer, doubling a record set following the release of Killing Eve series one.

The series, produced by Element Pictures, received 16.2 million requests in its first week, with nearly five million from 16 to 34-year-olds.

Sara Geater, all3media COO and Pact chairwoman, said: 'The terms of trade are the lifeblood of the UK indie sector and I'm delighted we have reached a mutually beneficial agreement with the BBC which gives them the flexibility to increase exploitation of the programmes across the iPlayer as well as their linear services.

'This is obviously crucial at a time of increased competition from the global SVOD players. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the BBC team for their positive engagement'.

Bal Samra, BBC Group commercial director, said: 'We are the largest supporter of the UK production sector, and so our priority was always to get a deal that worked for the broadest range of suppliers possible, regardless of size, location or type of content they make.

'This agreement does that, and means that at a time of rapid change a strong BBC can continue to invest in its home market and champion UK content.

'I'm delighted we will be able to deliver more value to licence fee payers whilst at the same time independent producers will be able to showcase their work to a bigger audience and increase their commercial returns.'
When the Deepwater Horizon oil rig suffered a blowout in 2010 and began spilling oil into the Gulf of Mexico, scientists got to work understanding the effects of that disaster.

But limited data on the typical conditions in the Gulf made understanding the potential changes from the spill more difficult. To make sure scientists weren't caught unaware in the future, Florida State University and partner universities investigated current baseline conditions in the southern Gulf to create a series of maps and guides that detail the distribution of carbon, nitrogen and the carbon-14 isotope.

These elements are all important ecological factors that contribute to the natural habitat supporting untold number of plants, fish and other marine life.

The study was published in the journal PLOS ONE.

"The Gulf of Mexico is a productive system that is important both in ecology -- by providing unique habitats for various species-- and economy, for industries such as tourism, fishing and the oil industry," said Samantha Bosman, a research assistant in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science and the paper's lead author. "The ecosystem may not go back to its pre-spill or pre-disturbance conditions, so having a baseline makes it easier to determine how much has changed after the disturbance. That helps you determine if conditions are returning to what was observed prior to a spill or if they are changing to a 'new normal.'"

Florida State researchers worked with colleagues from the University of South Florida, Eckerd College and the National Autonomous University of Mexico to complete fieldwork for the project in 2015 and 2016.

"This joint collaboration of Mexican and U.S. scientists brought together people with unique skill sets and significant local knowledge," said Jeff Chanton, a Robert O. Lawton professor of oceanography in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science and a co-author of the paper. "They were able to access the environmental health of the southern Gulf, which is subject to significant oil and gas recovery."

The researchers surveyed the southern Gulf of Mexico, an area that had been home to the Ixtoc 1 well, which suffered a blowout and massive oil spill in 1979. Along with measuring the typical distribution of elements, the study looked for evidence of oil within the sediment that could have come from that spill, but they didn't find any signs of that disturbance remaining.

The oil industry and fishing industry exist side-by-side in the Gulf of Mexico. Millions of people live around its coast. An understanding of the baseline conditions in the ecosystem will help scientists looking at the impacts and recovery of the environment in the event of any future oil spills.

One particular area of interest to scientists was the composition of sediment on the seafloor. To understand typical conditions in the region, the researchers measured how much carbon, nitrogen and carbon-14 were in the sediment.

Before this research, there was limited data on the sediment composition in the southern Gulf. Understanding the composition provides scientists greater insight into when fossil fuels might have entered the environment.

For example, scientists can measure the carbon-14 found in organic material. Younger material has higher levels of the isotope, and older materials have lower levels. Right after an oil spill, scientists should find very low levels of carbon-14. As the oil degrades and the ecosystem recovers, the level will increase.

"In the event of an oil spill, that's a big slug of carbon emitted to the surface of the Earth," Chanton said. "And everything in the surface of the Earth has carbon-14 in it because it's pretty modern. Sediments have a modern date. When you add petroleum or some petroleum product to the sediments, they look older, and that's because they're being diluted with fossil fuel."

But that analysis is most useful when scientists know what the typical measurement is for a particular location, allowing them to understand when conditions have returned to normal.

As their sampling sites moved from near the coastline to further out to sea, the researchers found that the amount of carbon increased but the amount of carbon-14 decreased. This information showed them the sediment they were pulling up was older.

"The better you know the pre-existing conditions, the better off you are when something happens," Chanton said.

###

This work was supported by the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative.
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Boris Johnson will not announce the 'exit strategy' - which is expected to include a five-point plan for easing lockdown - until Sunday

Boris Johnson is preparing to begin loosening draconian lockdown rules on Monday with a five-step plan to save the economy - as the government drops its 'Stay at Home' message.

The shape of the 'new reality' Britons face is starting to emerge, with curbs on outdoor activities set to be eased and businesses encouraged to find ways to get back up and running amid social distancing rules.

The lockdown measures are formally due to be extended this evening, after the Cabinet and Cobra meets to consider the desperate crisis gripping the nation.

But the 'exit strategy' will not be announced until Sunday, when Mr Johnson will address the public to lay out the 'easements' to the misery of combating the deadly disease.

The gravity of the situation the UK faces was underlined today as the Bank of England warned GDP will plunge nearly 30 per cent over the first half of this year, and unemployment could hit 9 per cent.

The overall 14 per cent slump estimated for 2020 would wipe around 300billion off output and represent the worst recession for more than 300 years. Extraordinarily, former chancellor Alistair Darling warned this morning that the Bank might have been too optimistic.

The stay at home message will be replaced with a 'be careful when you're out' mantra, according to one Cabinet minister, who added that the easing of lockdown will be based on how much each step of the plan affects the rate of infection - or R.



The government is thought to have drawn up a draft 50-page blueprint to gradually ease lockown in staggered steps between now and October.

This blueprint is expected to lead to a five step roadmap to see Britain leave lockdown completely by Autumn - but an 'emergency brake' could be applied if a second wave of the deadly virus arrives.

However, Mr Johnson faces a battle with Nicola Sturgeon and Labour mayors such as Andy Burnham, who have been warning it is too early for major loosening.

Ms Sturgeon said earlier this week that the outbreak in Scotland is worse than the rest of the county, and insisted yesterday that the UK should move 'at the same pace' as the place where infections are worst. The SNP has demanded she must sign off on an exit plan before Mr Johnson unveils it.

In a round of interview this morning, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis frantically tried to play down public expectations on the scale of the easing, saying 'although we believe we are through the peak of this virus we are very cautious to ensure that we don't get a second peak'.

A leaked version of the exit plan has revealed:

Step one: From Monday it is is expected garden centres will reopen, more key workers' children will go to school and more staff to return to businesses that stayed open during lockdown. The 'once a day' exercise rule will also be scrapped and police will be told to stop moving on people sunbathing or sitting on benches, provided they remain two metres from others. Officers will also be told not to stop families travelling to the countryside for walks and picnics;

Step two: From the end of May primary schools will gradually return with smaller classes. Outdoor sports where people enjoy space like golf, tennis and angling could resume.

Step three: From the end of June secondary schools will reopen as well as some outdoor sports and cafes returning. Gatherings of up to 30 people may be allowed;

Step four: From the end of August pubs and restaurants will finally be allowed to reopen - but with strict social distancing rules and reduced diner numbers;

Step five: From October , if the rate of coronavirus cases is low, all remaining areas of the economy will reopen including gyms. Sports fans returning to watch live matches will also be considered;

Boris Johnson made his return to PMQs in the House of Commons on Wednesday after a six week absence. He conceded that the UK's coronavirus death toll is 'appalling' but is set to push ahead with the easing of lockdown restrictions

Athlete Tori Beaumont of Brighton, no longer able to train in a gymnasium, uses the fine weather to train on the beach. The government will ease restrictions but urge people to 'be careful'

The latest Downing Street statistics published today show the UK now has the highest coronavirus death toll in Europe

The number of new cases of coronavirus spiked today, according to the latest Number 10 data, as testing capacity continued to increase

The UK's coronavirus outbreak remains on a slow downward trajectory after peaking in the middle of last month

Ban on exercising more than once a day likely to be lifted in first wave of lockdown easing A ban on exercising more than once a day outside could be one of the first lockdown measures lifted by Boris Johnson, with golf courses, tennis clubs and fishing lakes allowed to reopen next month. The Prime Minister is expected to renew social distancing rules on Thursday before using an address to the nation on Sunday to set out his lockdown exit strategy. Relaxing rules around outdoor activities is expected to be one of the PM's first moves because experts believe coronavirus is less likely to spread outside than it is inside. The Mail can reveal today that a selection of activities will be given the green light to reopen within weeks. Golf, tennis and angling are on a draft list of sports which will be allowed to resume from a date in June if they can be shown to be done safely. Advertisement

The Prime Minister will also host a Cobra emergency meeting with leaders in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in the hope of agreeing a UK-wide approach.

He is pushing ahead despite admitting the UK's official death toll, which surpassed 30,000 yesterday and is the worst in Europe, is 'appalling'.

Mr Johnson said in the Commons yesterday: 'We have to be sure the data is going to support our ability to do this.

'That data is coming in continuously over the next few days. We want, if we possibly can, to get going with some of these measures on Monday.

'It would be a good thing if the people had an idea of what's coming the following day, that's why Sunday, the weekend, is the best time to do it.'

Health Secretary Matt Hancock gave a hint as to what could be expected as he suggested cafes with outdoor seating could be allowed to reopen while Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said the exit plan will look at how a wide range of firms can be 'adapted' so they can resume business.

Mr Hancock told Sky News: 'There is strong evidence that outdoors the spread is much, much lower, so there may be workarounds that some businesses, for instance cafes, especially over the summer, may be able to put into place.'

His comments are likely to prompt questions as to whether pubs could also be allowed to reopen over the summer if they have a beer garden as some chains suggested customers could order rounds using their mobile phones.

Meanwhile, Public Health England is said to have told councils across the country to prepare this weekend to shift away from the government's current 'stay home' message to a new slogan.

Unions have also complained that teachers are being urged to come into schools more to get them ready for a return to work - demanding more clarity on what health and safety protections will be in place.

UK faces worst recession in 300 years, warns Bank of England UK GDP will slump by 14 per cent this year as coronavirus inflicts the worst recession for three centuries, the Bank of England warned today. In a grim assessment, the Bank said the economy could shrink by nearly 30 per cent in the first half of this year before recovering some ground. But the impact of the deadly disease will continue to be felt long afterwards. Unemployment could hit 9 per cent before falling back again. The overall 14 per cent fall in output estimated for 2020 would be the biggest recession for more than 300 years. The Bank says it believes there was a 3 per cent contraction in the first quarter, and sees GDP plummeting by an incredible 25 per cent in the current three month period, before finally clawing back some ground. Announcing that interest rates have been kept on hold at a record low of 0.1 per cent, Governor Andrew Bailey said it was acting to ease the effects as much as possible and tried to strike a more optimistic tone by saying there would be limited economic 'scarring'. But in another bleak sign this morning, former Chancellor Alistair Darling warned that the Bank might be too optimistic about the prospects for a quick recovery. Advertisement

There have been splits in Cabinet over how quickly to ease the lockdown, with some 'hawks' suggesting the economy should be prioritised once it is demonstrated that the NHS can cope with coronavirus cases.

But Mr Lewis said this morning that the mood in government was for 'caution'.

'I would say to people that the current Government position is very clear that where you can work from home you should, we should stay home wherever we can,' he said.

He added: 'I would just say to people to not get too carried away with what we may be reading and just wait until the Government guidelines and the Prime Minister's statement.'

Mr Lewis said: 'I would really urge caution. The safest thing to do at the moment with this virus and the way it spreads is wherever you can stay home.'

The Bank of England today warned that GDP will slump by 14 per cent this year as coronavirus inflicts the worst recession for three centuries.

In a grim assessment, the Bank said the economy could shrink by nearly 30 per cent in the first half of this year before recovering some ground.

But the impact of the deadly disease will continue to be felt long afterwards. Unemployment could hit 9 per cent before falling back again.

The overall 14 per cent fall in output estimated for 2020 would be the biggest recession for more than 300 years.

The Bank says it believes there was a 3 per cent contraction in the first quarter, and sees GDP plummeting by an incredible 25 per cent in the current three month period, before finally clawing back some ground.

Announcing that interest rates have been kept on hold at a record low of 0.1 per cent, Governor Andrew Bailey said it was acting to ease the effects as much as possible and tried to strike a more optimistic tone by saying there would be limited economic 'scarring'.

The Bank of England today estimated a 14 per cent fall in GDP for 2020 - which would be the biggest recession for 300 years

But in another bleak sign this morning, former Chancellor Alistair Darling warned that the Bank might be too optimistic about the prospects for a quick recovery.

Mr Johnson made his lockdown timing announcement as he returned to the House of Commons for the first time since his recovery from coronavirus.

Wednesday marked the debut clash between Mr Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer as the Labour leader accused the PM of botching the UK's response to the outbreak.

UK becomes first country in Europe to record more than 30,000 deaths The UK has today become the first country in Europe to record 30,000 deaths from the coronavirus after the Government announced 649 more victims. Now at a total of 30,076 dead because of the COVID-19 outbreak, the UK has hit the grim milestone before either Spain or Italy, which were widely considered to have the worst outbreaks in Europe. Only the US has recorded more fatalities, with 72,000. Prime Minister Boris Johnson today admitted the situation is 'appalling' after being grilled by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who said: 'How on Earth did it come to this?' The rising death toll has triggered calls for an inquiry into Downing Street's handling of the crisis, with doctors accusing the Government of being too slow to start lockdown and of running an 'inadequate' testing and tracing scheme. Officials announced today that 201,101 people have now tested positive for the disease - an increase of 6,111 people today. Advertisement

He said only last week the government had boasted other countries were looking at the 'apparent success' of Downing Street's approach to tackling the virus.

But with the official death toll now above 30,000, Sir Keir asked Mr Johnson: 'How on Earth did it come to this?'

Mr Johnson tried to deflect the criticism as he insisted now is not the time for international comparisons due to differences in the way countries compile their statistics.

When and how to ease the current draconian lockdown measures has dominated Westminster for weeks as ministers try to figure out how to get Britain back to work.

Referring to his planned address on Sunday, Mr Johnson told MPs at PMQs: 'I just want to explain to the House as a courtesy why it is happening on a Sunday.

'The reason for that is very simple, that we have to be sure that the data is going to support our ability to do this.

'But that data is coming in continuously over the next few days. We will want if we possibly can to get going with some of these measures on Monday.

'I think it would be a good thing if people had an idea of what is coming the following day, that is why I think Sunday, the weekend, is the best time to do it.'

Mr Jenrick told today's Downing Street press conference that the exit plan will look at how workplaces from factories to construction sites to offices can be 'adapted' to allow people back to work.

It will also look at how outdoor spaces, including high streets and markets, can be 'managed' to allow the return of shoppers.

'The Prime Minister will set out on Sunday our approach to the second phase of this pandemic and as we look ahead to supporting businesses as they are able to reopen, my department will lead our work on how our local economies can adapt, evolve, recover and grow,' he said.

Cafes with outdoor seating could reopen Matt Hancock suggested yesterday that cafes could reopen soon if they can provide outdoor seating. Asked by a cafe owner about how he could reopen because his business was too small to enforce two-metre social distancing, the Health Secretary said there would be an announcement shortly. He said that cafes could open if they can serve customers outside because, he told Sky News: 'There's very strong evidence that, outdoors, the spread [of the virus] is much, much lower.' He also indicated that playing Frisbee in a public park was acceptable daily exercise, saying he had done just that with his children during the weekend. Advertisement

The comments came after it was claimed that a ban on exercising more than once a day outside will be one of the first rules to be lifted.

Relaxing rules around outdoor activities is expected to be one of the PM's first moves because experts believe the risk of transmission of the disease is lower outside than it is inside.

The Mail today revealed that a selection of activities will be given the green light to reopen within weeks.

Golf, tennis and angling are on a draft list of sports which will be allowed to resume from a date in June if they can be shown to be done safely.

Experts believe allowing some sporting activities to resume will deliver a much needed boost to the nation's morale.

On the golf course, players will be told to maintain a distance of 6ft from others at all times and clubhouses will remain shut.

Guidelines will say golfers must use their own clubs and they may be limited to playing against one other person.

Buy a paper, says Jenrick Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick yesterday called on Britons to buy a newspaper to help publications make it through the Covid-19 shutdown. He said: 'A free country needs a free press and the national, the regional and the local newspapers of our country are under significant financial pressure. 'I would like to echo the words of the Culture Secretary [Oliver Dowden] recently in encouraging everyone who can to buy a newspaper.' Across the industry, many titles have been forced to furlough staff and reduce pay. Advertisement

Tennis players could be asked to wear gloves on court to stop the virus being spread as they pick up the ball. They might also be restricted to playing with members of their household.

Mr Johnson last appeared in front of MPs on March 25 when the UK's lockdown was just two days old.

He spent much of the six weeks since then recovering from his own battle with coronavirus before formally returning to work last week.

He had been due to attend PMQs last Wednesday but stand-in Dominic Raab continued to face Sir Keir because of the birth of Mr Johnson's son Wilfred.

Sir Keir welcomed Mr Johnson back to the chamber before tearing into his handling of the coronavirus crisis.

Workers could be asked to spend four days in the office and then 10 days working from home Britons could spend four days working in the office and the next ten working from home in radical new plans put to the government today. Businesses are being urged to follow the drastic model which would split the population into two groups and follow a 'four days on, ten days off' cyclical strategy. The strategy would kick-start the economy while avoiding a second peak of COVID-19 infections, according to the report conducted by Imperial College Professor Keith Willison and published by the Adam Smith Institute. The research paper suggests dividing the population into two groups of households, each working or attending school Monday to Thursday, then entering a 10 day period off. Each group works or attends school while the other group is off, and individuals in the two groups do not interact with each other. Saturday and Sunday weekends would no longer apply, with two-day weekends changing according to the rotation. Advertisement

'Can I welcome the Prime Minister back to his place and say that it is good to see him back in Parliament,' he said.

'Although I have done this privately, can I congratulate him publicly with Carrie on the birth of their son.

'When the Prime Minister returned to work a week ago Monday he said that many people were looking at the apparent success of the government's approach.

'But yesterday we learned tragically that at least 29,427 people in the UK have now lost their lives to this dreadful virus.

'That is now the highest number in Europe. It is the second highest in the world.

'That is not success, or apparent success, so can the Prime Minister tell us how on Earth did it come to this?'

Mr Johnson replied: 'First, of course, every death is a tragedy and he is right to draw attention to the appalling statistics not just in this country but of course around the world.

'I think I would echo really in answer to his question what we have heard from Professor David Spiegelhalter and others that at this stage I don't think that international comparisons and the data is yet there to draw the conclusions that we want.

'What I can tell him is that at every stage as we took the decisions that we did we were governed by one overriding principle and aim and that was to save lives and to protect our NHS.

Robert Jenrick, the Communities Secretary (right), told today's Downing Street coronavirus press conference that the lockdown exit plan will look at how businesses can 'adapt' so they can reopen. Matt Hancock had earlier hinted cafes could be allowed to resume business if they have outdoor seating

Police talk to people relaxing on Portobello Beach in Edinburgh - something that may be more allowable next week after lockdown is eased

People remain socially distanced but Glasgow's Botanic Gardens are still busy despite the ban on people congregating

The prospect of lockdown measures being lifted will be welcomed by many across the nation. People are pictured today sat next to the River Ness in Scotland

Pub chain Greene King says customers could order drinks using mobile phones after lockdown Greene King customers will be able to order drinks from pub gardens using a phone app under plans to get the chain's 2,700 taverns back open while sticking to social distancing rules Pub customers in Britain may only be allowed back in beer gardens at first when the country steps out of the coronavirus lockdown. The Greene King chain has said punters will have to order drinks outside via a phone app with social distancing measures in place. Bosses are also looking at introducing safety measures such as face masks for staff, plastic screens and tables being spread further apart. But chief executive Nick Mackenzie told the Sunday Times: 'The challenge we have is making sure those measures don't take away the point of a pub, which is socialising.' The Suffolk-based company has also started trials on home delivery of fresh real ale, and some of its pubs have become grocery pick-up spots during the lockdown. Mr Mackenzie added: 'It's actually harder to open than to close. We're asking for at least three weeks' notice before we open, to get stock in pubs and get our people off furlough.' The company has furloughed 98 per cent of its 38,000 staff and Mr Mackenzie has taken a 50 per cent pay cut. Pubs, restaurants, hotels and leisure centres are expected to be among the last businesses to open when the lockdown is lifted. Advertisement

Boris: This could be golden age of cycling The pandemic could usher in a 'golden age for cycling', the Prime Minister has said, amid warnings public transport will struggle to cope with social distancing rules. Boris Johnson told the Commons a 'huge amount of planning' is under way to encourage commuters to avoid crowded trains and buses once the lockdown is lifted. It came as London Mayor Sadiq Khan warned passenger numbers on the Tube will have to be reduced to 20 per cent of pre-crisis levels even when full services resume to maintain social distancing. Mr Johnson said yesterday: 'There'll be a huge amount of planning going into helping people to get to work other than by mass transit, and this should be a new golden age for cycling.' Advertisement

'I believe that of course there will be a time to look at what decisions we took and whether we could have taken different decisions.

'But I have absolutely no doubt that what the people of this country want us to do now is as I said just now, to suppress this disease, to keep suppressing this disease and to begin the work of getting our country's economy back on its feet.'

There are growing fears among some Tory MPs about how the next few months could play out given the current state of the coronavirus crisis and the scale of the death toll.

Some believe Sir Keir could be well suited to scrutinising Mr Johnson and the government's response to the outbreak given the former's previous roll as the director of public prosecutions.

One worried Tory MP told Politico: 'We are in a completely different world now, in terms of the opposition as well as the virus.

'Starmer is a prosecuting lawyer, and it is going to be the case for the prosecution every week, with Boris as the accused.'

The government is under growing pressure to agree to an inquiry into coronavirus in the UK.

Official Department of Health data published yesterday showed 29,427 people had died - but those numbers only include people who have tested positive for the virus.

Different detailed statistics also published yesterday suggested that more than 30,000 Britons had died of COVID-19 by April 24 - almost two weeks ago - and the number of victims continues to rise.

Trends suggest more than 40,000 people may actually have died with the illness, the same number of civilians who were killed over seven months during the Blitz in World War Two.

The president of the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association has now said there should be an investigation into the Government's performance.

Dr Claudia Paoloni said questions must be asked about how quickly Downing Street reacted to the threat, whether lockdown came early enough and why the testing and tracing attempt has been 'inadequate'.

She told The Guardian: 'There will have to be a full investigation of the handling of the COVID response in due course - a public inquiry - to understand why we are experiencing such large numbers in comparison to the rest of Europe. '

Addressing the country on Wednesday, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick yesterday called on Britons to buy a newspaper to help publications make it through the Covid-19 shutdown.

He said: 'A free country needs a free press and the national, the regional and the local newspapers of our country are under significant financial pressure.

'I would like to echo the words of the Culture Secretary [Oliver Dowden] recently in encouraging everyone who can to buy a newspaper.'

Across the industry, many titles have been forced to furlough staff and reduce pay.
The Philippines' top broadcaster ABS-CBN was forced off air Tuesday over a stalled operating licence renewal, drawing fresh charges that authorities were cracking down on press freedom. Since running afoul of President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016, ABS-CBN has seen bills to extend its franchise languish in Congress as the leader repeatedly attacked the conglomerate in speeches. Duterte is notorious for tangling with media outlets critical of his policies, sparking concern that press freedoms have been eroded in the Philippines. "It's painful for us that we are being shut down, but it's also painful for millions of our countrymen who believe that our service is important to them," chairman Mark Lopez told viewers just before the main channel went dark. Outside the company's broadcast compound, a handful of supporters waved placards supporting the network against a backdrop of burning candles. ABS-CBN's 25-year licence expired Monday, but officials had previously given assurances the radio, TV and internet goliath would be allowed to operate provisionally. However, the National Telecommunications Commission's cease-and-desist order on Tuesday cited the expiration and said the outfit's operators would have a have to appeal for a return to the airwaves. Early in his term, Duterte accused the network of failing to broadcast his 2016 campaign advertisements and not returning the payments. Bills to renew the conglomerate's franchise have sat for years in the legislature, which is controlled by Duterte's allies. - 'Blow to press freedom'- Press advocates said the shutdown order was an assault on the right to free speech, as the conglomerate broadcasts news coverage watched by millions daily. The shut down also comes as the nation battles to contain its the coronavirus pandemic on its territory, and an accompanying flood of online disinformation. "This is a very serious blow to press freedom in the Philippines," said Carlos Conde of Human Rights Watch. "It's hard to think that Duterte doesn't have anything to do with this." It appeared the broadcaster would get its renewal after publically apologising to Duterte earlier this year, and the justice minister said the licence was considered extended until Congress took action. But there has been a lingering threat against the outlet in the form of a case filed in the nation's top court by the government's lawyer Jose Calida, which sought ABS-CBN's immediate closure. The Supreme Court has yet to rule on the case, and Calida has warned it was unlawful for the broadcaster to operate after its licence expired. Duterte's spokesman, Harry Roque, was not critical of the shut down, saying: "in the absence of a franchise... ABS-CBN's continued operation is entirely with the NTC's decision." Several major media outlets in the Philippines have battled with Duterte and then suffered the consequences. Journalist Maria Ressa faces years behind bars in a case that she and press advocates say was retaliation for the journalism of her website Rappler. Rappler, which has published stories critical of Duterte's administration, is also battling a government closure effort. Both Rappler and ABS-CBN stand accused of violating a constitutional ban on foreign ownership of mass media outlets. They refute the allegations.
Hopefully, everything will be good this way, assistant director of development customer services Cam Davis said. Well have 23 Saturdays of the market, and were only missing one Saturday from what occurred last year. Were happy to report, if we use last year as an example, we had 25-26 vendors last year. This year, it looks like well have between 22 and 24 vendors. There hasnt been a big drop-off in terms of interest in our vendors.
Youghal and Enniscorthy greyhound tracks will be afforded further opportunity to secure their respective futures, the Irish Greyhound Board revealed on Wednesday.

In a strategic review of Irish greyhound racing made by economic consultants Indecon, in December of last year, the two stadia, along with the since-closed Lifford and Longford, were pinpointed as tracks which should have their funding by the Irish Greyhound Board ceased.

In light of those revelations, supporters of Youghal and Enniscorthy set about to fight for their survival. In response to the report, submissions were made by both sets of supporters and, having considered the content, Indecon agreed with some of the analysis and has deemed other points raised as being worthy of merit.

As revealed in a statement by the IGB, there were three options for the board to take with regard to the Indecon report on these submissions: They could implement the proposed restructuring as recommended in the original report; They could provide an opportunity for Youghal and Enniscorthy for a fixed period of time to address challenges/issues identified and for key performances to be set; They could decide not to implement the recommendations of the Indecon report.

Thankfully, for the sake of Youghal and Enniscorthy tracks, the IGB has opted for the second choice.

Amongst Youghals submissions to the original Indecon report were a voluntary reduction of 60 per race in prize money by owners, and an annual investment of 25,000 by the Youghal Track Supporters Club which would be in the shape of race sponsorship, the free gate, or to cover the cost of the yearly track lease.

Also included was the possibility of a merger of Youghal and Cork tracks - something which has been mooted for some time - involving running three SIS nights in Youghal and Cork on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and IGB racing on Friday and Saturday, and estimating YTSC Lotto into Cork.

Amongst the points raised by Enniscorthy, their submission questioned the need for the restructuring and rationalisation of the industry, suggested the reason for poor facilities in many private tracks was due to lack of funding by the IGB, and argued that financial problems arise from operating losses in IGB tracks.

While the lifeline has been given, and the Board will be further considering the matter at its July 2020 meeting, this is where the real work starts for Youghal and Enniscorthy. Implementing the changes which they have put forward and proving they have a viable future is the next step  something which should not be the sole preserve of those stadia highlighted in the report.

Paidi Breathnach, chairman of Youghal Track Supporters Club, commented: We got a bit of good news, that weve been given an opportunity to reassess our positions, to improve our finances, our attendances, our racing, and to literally put Youghal track back in a much better financially, going forward.

We dont know how much time were going to be given to do it, but the IGB could have taken the first option in the and implemented what Indecon had recommended and then where would we be?

We have to look at this as a golden opportunity, and everybody needs to be singing off the one hymn sheet. We are going to get one chance and we have to do it right.

There was a huge reaction from greyhound folk all around the country when news first came that the track could be closed. Everyone came together to show their support and we know we can look forward to that same support as we push to secure Youghals future.

We are still afloat, are still fighting, and thats the most important thing.
Mike Ragsdales schedule is wide open.

Ive been emailing back and forth with the entrepreneur and founder of the popular 30A lifestyle brand for the past month, coordinating an interview in his neck of the woods: Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. I give a six-week timeframe, hoping to squeeze into what Im sure is a busy schedule for him. Mike responds almost immediately with two dates he isnt available and an invitation to stay in his home when I visit.

Three weeks later, Im headed to the Gulf Coast, a million questions swirling in my mind about the viral blue-and-yellow 30A sticker and the man behind it. Im just past Andalusia when I receive a text from Mikehes wondering if I need any recommendations for lunch before our 2 p.m. meeting. Though Im interviewing a local celebrity (like a police chief or unofficial mayor, everyone in the 30A community knows Mike), it seems Im the one constantly on the receiving end of his unassuming hospitality.

--

Highway 98 is the major connector between all of the Gulf Coasts beaches, running east from Fort Walton through Destin and Santa Rosa, past 30As many beach towns, and eventually all the way to Panama City Beach. County Road 30A feeds off the major highway, running nearer to the shore and connecting idyllic beach towns like Seaside, Rosemary Beach, Alys Beach, WaterColor, and Grayton. Its the alternate route, the slow road.

Mike doesnt live on 30A, his home instead is located on the other side of Highway 98. Its bayfront instead of beachfront, further removed from the hustle and bustle of popular tourist spots. Mike moved to the area from Birmingham in 2006before he started blogging about his new life on the beach; before that blog became a nationally renowned lifestyle brand; before there even was a name for the collection of beach towns he dubbed 30A; and long before he realized how much hed come to cherish the privacy and respite that his secluded location would bring.

I pull into his long driveway and find myself staring at a home that for all intents and purposes looks like a gray, tiled rectangle on stilts. Its a chic, ultra-modern rectangle, but a rectangle, nonetheless. I can just make out the glisten of the Choctawhatchee Bay in the space between the homes supports and bottom of the house.

Im barely up the homes steps before Mike swings open his front door, a tiny white Maltese in his arms, another barkingmore like chirpingcheerfully from the ground. Im welcomed into a stunning open-concept living space thats stylishly but simply appointed. The real showstopper, though, is the striking view of the bay that runs uninterrupted across the entire length of the back wall and spans from floor to ceiling.

Mike introduces me to his wife Angela and his two pups, Ernie and Cosmo, before we sit down to talk. Barefooted in khaki shorts and a thin Beach Happy T-shirt from his own 30A apparel line, the 51-year-old is dressed exactly how youd expect someone who built a multimillion-dollar company around beach living to dress.

A true surfer dude with shoulder-length dirty blonde and gray-speckled hair, day-old stubble, and a hint of sunburn peeking out from his collar, Mike has an easy smile and that palpable-but-hard-to-describe look common among those who live by the water. Weathered and worn by the waves, but better for it. Marked and mellowed by the sun, but lighter for it. Hes the embodiment of the 30A brand that promotes laid-back beach living. Even his car, Truman, a sand-colored British military Defender fits the vibe. Only his rapt, piercing blue eyes betray that he has anything other than paddle boarding and dolphin watching on his mind.

Angela and Mike Ragsdale with Mikes beach cruiser named Truman. Photo by Sean Murphy.

Mike, like his schedule, is an open book. But that openness is no accident or matter of happenstance. It was hard-earned and intentionally chosen after years of experience and misguided dreams. Nearly 15 years ago, Mike and his family made the jump from a big, landlocked house in Birminghams Greystone community to a much smaller 70s-style ranch on a bay in Florida. The move was a conscious decision to finally pursue the lifestyle hed always envisioned for himself.

I was that guy in the corporate office who thought of himself as a beach guy, Mike says. On casual Friday I would wear Tommy Bahama shirts. On weekends I would drink Corona and Red Stripe. It just never occurred to me I could move there.

Now, instead of working a 9-to-5 from an office in a tall building overlooking a parking lot, he manages his business from the corner barstool in his kitchen, overlooking a sunrise on the bay. His schedule is flexible for meetings like ours, or for a nine-month trip around the world, like the one he took with his wife and four kids back in 2011.

Im spending every day out on our dock, Mike says. Im outside every dayno shirt, no shoes. Im loving life. Im going fishing, Im getting sun, Im out on the beach, and Im writing about it. This is my best life.

--

Its hard to imagine Mike anywhere except by the water, but it took him until he was almost 40 years old to get there. Born and raised in Cullman, Alabama, Mikes father worked for a power company, so family vacations were typically limited to cities within a 3-hour radius.

He didnt even see the ocean until the seventh or eighth grade. In 11th grade, he attended a Jimmy Buffet concert at Oak Mountain Amphitheater, counting it as a formative experience in what would become a lifelong passion for the beach. It really resonated with me, he says. I started fantasizing about the beach like so many people do. I started buying into the whole beach lifestyle.

After graduating from The University of Alabama in the School of Communications, Mike assumed that what followed was a high- power job at a big ad agency. But after sending a slew of resumes to no avail, he instead took a summer job in Yellowstone National Park.

At the suggestion of a trusted college professor, he returned to Tuscaloosa to pursue a masters degree in advertising and public relations. While earning his degree, Mike put his knowledge into practice by taking a plethora of freelance jobs in the communications realm, from writing and tabulating surveys to designing newsletters and business cards. Unknowingly, he had begun his own consulting business that offered flexible hours and the type of freedom he always longed for but never realized he could have in a career.

With a newfound passion for his work, Mike took out a $5,000 small business loan to invest in his company. Among his first purchases was a Mac computer. The free AOL disc that came with it ended up becoming arguably the biggest defining factor of Mikes life.

--

The year was 1994. The World Wide Web didnt exist, but its beginnings were looming in the near future. While using the free 10 hours of dial-up internet on the AOL disc, Mike saw an ad from AOL calling for entrepreneurs to help define the future of the online world. The original ideas of these infopreneurs were to become the golden era of online. The job was perfect for Mike, ever the big-picture guy, with a mean creative streak.

He submitted an idea for a site called Hecklers Online. The pitch: Comedy has always been a one-way monologue. The internet is the perfect platform to turn it into a two-way street. The site would consist of comedy submitted and voted on by usersinteractive top 10s, contests, and the like. The basic format then could be replicated for other topics. It was user-generated content before the term existed.

A few months later, he was called to AOLs corporate offices to pitch his idea. He, along with two friends and his brother, drove to Arlington, Virginia where they convinced executives of their wild ideaand their ability to make it a hit. They left with $150,000 in exchange for 20 percent of their company.

When Hecklers came out in 1995, it became the most successful launch in AOLs history. From there, Mikes life kicked into overdrive.

We became the Saturday Night Live of the internet. Most people were doing content every month; we did it hourly. We did things very colorfully, with lots of pictures, and it was a little edgy. We ended up being in the middle of this renaissance. What we didnt realize was we were laying the foundation for interactive content, audience-generated content, and social media.

Over the next eight years, Hecklers spawned Antagonist, a site for video game enthusiasts, and Zealot, for the sci-fi and fantasy community. The company went from a tiny start-up of three fresh-out-of-college kids to a leader in its industry with more than 70 employees. They moved their offices from downtown Tuscaloosa to an office park on Highway 280 in Birmingham. The had struck it big in the Internet Gold Rush and were reaping the rewards of helming a multimillion-dollar company.

When the stock market crashed in 2000, Hecklers initially wasnt affected, but by 2002, advertisers were scarce, and the company folded. We made enough money to feel good about where we ended up, but we were only in our late 20s at that point, and it was time to move onto something else.

For Mike, that meant becoming the Chief Marketing Officer at Source Medical, a healthcare IT company. He spent a couple years there, during which the company grew from 20 employees to 450. Eventually he decided it was time to be his own boss again. Up next? Forays into the restaurant and fitness industries.

I got into all kinds of things I didnt have any business getting into, and I lost a lot of money, he says. You move to the biggest house in the fanciest neighborhood you can afford, get a fancy car, travel. Its all great, until you have a few business failings and youre laying people off and negotiating out of leases. Suddenly, Im like I dont even know what Im doing anymore, and I dont know how to get out.

--

Mike and Angela are sitting at the dinner table with their four children in the mid-2000s, engaging in one of their favorite pastimesfantasizing about moving abroad. Theyre mid-dream when their second oldest daughter, Kelsey, has a revelation. With more wisdom than her 12 years, she tells her parents to get a grip. Were never going to move, so just embrace it. Its a splash of water in the face to Mike. Challenged by his daughters jab and free of any business roots in Birmingham, he and Angela begin to really think about where they want to live.

We wanted something beachy and we knew we didnt want to go any colder, so we drew a latitude line and said we are going to go south of this but not international, he says.

Theyre almost set on Savannah, Georgia, when a friend suggests a house for sale on the bay in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. The rest is history.

--

For Mike, the move was a clean slatea chance to decide what he really wanted to do, and to do it right. He started blogging about his new life at the beach as a way to get his creative juices flowing, in hopes of eventually writing a screenplay or book.

Though the area at the time wasnt known as 30A, he bought the URL 30A.com as a unifier for the collection of quaint beach communities that all are located along the county road. With every new post about the best place for a sunset cocktail or the best coves for dolphin spotting, the sites viewership grew a little more. Eventually, the owner of a local real estate company reached out to Mike about advertising on the site. Suddenly the $1,100 spent on a URL for a new hobby had turned into the first investment in a lucrative side hustle.

In 2008, Mike decided the next step was to come up with a logo. He had the idea for 30A to be spelled out with a sunshine as the 0. He envisioned a bohemian-style sunshine, reminiscent of Widespread Panic or Red Bar to evoke the free-spirted, hippie vibe of older beach towns like Grayton Beach. He hired a professional to bring it to life.

30A offers four exclusive wines, including Chardonnay and Red Blend.

Mike admits that when he first saw the logo design, a turquoise circle with a white 3 and A separated by a bright yellow sunshine illustration, he was disappointed. I thought, It looks like an 8-year-old did it, and before that thought crossed my lips, I realized that was the brilliance. Its simplistic, its family, its wholesome, its ocean. Its all of these things without being anything. It was so simple and so iconic that I knew it would work.

Mikes instincts were proven right. He started distributing stacks of stickers to the areas local businesses, and soon he began spotting the iconic blue-and-yellow logo everywhereon the backs of minivans, stuck to the sides of water bottles, on surf boards and strollers. Hes even got a slideshow of all the far-fetched places the logo has been, including all seven continents, the tops of Mount Everest and Kilimanjaro, on the inside of a brides wedding dress as her something blue, and tattooed on someones back. Today, more than 2.5 million stickers have been distributed across the globe.

Next for 30A was a line of apparel that fit with the brands mission to evoke the feeling of being at the beach. For this, Mike brought on JoAnn Ribaudo, a professional with 35 years in the apparel business who is now 30As COO. The line includes shirts, tank tops, shorts, sweatpants, sweatshirts, hats, and more for men, women, and children. All pieces are made from recycled water bottles and theyre all made specifically for wear at the beach. We wanted to create the ultimate beach shirt, Mike says. I dont like things around my neck, so the collars arent tight. Theyre light and airy, and the designs are cool, so even if you dont know where 30A is, its like Patagonia or North Face, you still want the shirt. Today, there are 350 30A products sold online, at three 30A branded retail stores, and carried at 380 more stores nationwide. The clothes have kept 3.4 million plastic bottles from entering the ocean.

In addition to a thriving apparel line, 30A also partners with YOLO Boards for an exclusive paddle board.

With so many avenues in which the brand could progress, Mike decided take on licensing as the brands major business model, similar to other aspirational lifestyle brands like Tommy Bahama, Life Is Good, or Salt Life.

I knew from my failed businesses that I need to stay in my lane and stick to what I know. I know how to build online community. I dont know anything about restaurants, retail, or brewing beer, so I knew I needed to build the online audience and share compelling content with that audience, and then figure out what theyd enjoy.

He partnered with Grayton Brewing Company to create the 30A Beach Blonde Ale, which became the brewerys number one seller and is now distributed in 6,000 locations across seven states. Next came a second and third beer, an electric bike, a signature coffee blend, sunscreen, skincare products, and more. Today, 30A also partners with real estate company Berkshire Hathaway, has a radio station, hosts five annual events including two races and two music-focused events, and has plenty more on the horizon.

I love what I do, so Im not in any rush to finish this chapter, Mike says.

--

A number of years ago, Mikes wearing a 30A hat at a local festival when a man stops him to ask if he works for 30A. Mike says yes, and the man proceeds to tell his life story. He was born and raised in Huntsville and had been working the same engineering job for 24 years. He planned to retire after 30 years, but in his 24th year, his company told him his position was being cut, and he would have to move to Minneapolis to keep a job. He moved and spent the next six years absolutely miserable. He tells Mike that every day hed come home from work and watch videos on 30A.com of life at the beach. He says it helped him to hold on. His wife, tears in her eyes, nods confirming the story. Finally, with a shy smile, he tells Mike that hes finished his 30 years and now lives at the beach full time.

It all crystalized to me in that moment that this is our audience, Mike says. That man was the personification of our target market. My job is to give that person who just needs a beach breakand that person was meto give them a break even if they cant physically be at the beach. Sometimes its through a beer, or a song on our radio station, or sometimes its the shirt they put on, or the dolphin video we post.

What 30A is to me, Mike says. isnt concerned with the five or seven days a year that you might be here. Were concerned with the 360 days you cant be here. People want that emotional transportation to that place they want to be but cant be. What we do is create the content, the products, the services that keep people in touch with that happy feeling they get when theyre at the beach.

--

Were nearing the end of our interview when my eye is drawn to a point 100 yards into the bay where a flock of 20 to 30 birds are flying wildly over the water. Catching my line of sight, Mike swivels in his chair to see what Im looking at and his eyes light up. Thats a feeding frenzy! he says, explaining that small fish are being pushed to the surface of the water by larger fish and then being picked off the top by birds. The minute you throw something in [the water], youll be pulling in big fish. Man, thats some real fishing!

By this point, Mikes jumped out of his seat for a better look. This is the kind of stuff you see all day, everyday here, he says.

We sit back down to wrap things up, but I can tell his attention has drifted. His mind is somewhere out there with the birds and the fish, and who could blame him? He uprooted his family for this, built a business around this, and lives life for exactly this.

Mike spends much of his free time in the crystal-clear Gulf waters he lives around. Photo by Sean Murphy.

Mikes often heard from peers that everything he touches turns to gold. His failed businesses say otherwise. And so does Mike. People can detect authenticity. When I started my first companies, the reason I think they were successful was that I was passionate about sarcastic humor, passionate about video games, passionate about sci-fi and fantasy. And Im passionate about the laid-back beach lifestyle.

Mike moved to the beach to simplify. And 30A was uniquely qualified for exactly that. Unlike other beach towns that are inundated with high-rise condos and cheesy tourist traps, the communities of 30A have a more tranquil appeal. Its Mayberry at the beach, Mike says, referring to the idyllic fictional town on The Andy Griffith Show. Its a nostalgic return to life the way it should be lived, which is you dont ride in your car, you play Frisbee, you walk everywhere, you play cornhole, you take your dog to the beach, you have a sunset cocktail, you paddle board. I think when people come here, they feel a sense of community theyve been lacking in their own lives.

30A gave Mike the fresh start, the community, and the lifestyle he was looking for; now hes giving it all back to the worldone sticker, one shirt, one cup of coffee, one video at a time.

Get Your Fix

Here are some of the ways you can experience 30A from the comfort of your own home.

Products

30A Tervis

30A Beach Blonde Ale

30A Rose Gose Beer

30A IPA

30A Coffee

30A YOLO Boards

30A Electric Bikes

30A Chardonnay

30A Red Blend

30A Malbec

30A Rose Wine

30A Books

More

30A Radio

30A Recycled Apparel

Official 30A Gear

30A Social Media

30A App

30A.com

30A Company Timeline

2006 - Mike, Angela, and their four children move to the beach

2007 - Mike purchases 30A.com for $1,100; creates a one-page beach blog

2008 - First 30A stickers printed

2009 - 30A shirts hit six local stores; 30A Facebook and mobile apps launch; 30A registered for Federal Trademark Protection

2011 - Mike meets JoAnn Ribaudo; they begin selling shirts from the 30A Gear truck

2014 - 30A Beach Blonde Ale launches; 30A trademark attains Irrefutable status

2015 - First employee hired; stores and warehouse open; 30A Radio launches

2016 - 30A launches recycled apparel line; Beach Happy brand is born

2020 - 30A video series, Beach Happy magazine, and 30A canned cocktails launch

Details Learn more at 30a.com.

This story appears in Birmingham magazines May 2020 issue. Subscribe today!
The number of coronavirus cases in the country breached the 49,000-mark on Wednesday with 49,391 cases. According to the latest figures updated by the Ministry of Health, there are 33,514 active coronavirus cases in the country, 14,182 patients have been cured or discharged while 1,694people have died from the deadly contagion.

Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra have breached the 15,000-mark while Gujarat, the second worst-affected state has over 6,000 Covid-19 cases.

Heres the statewise breakup of the number of coronavirus cases, deaths, and recoveries.

Maharashtra

With 15525 Covid-19 active cases, Maharashtra continues to lead the state tally. The state has recorded 617 deaths so far while 2819 patients have recovered.

Gujarat

The state is second in terms of number of Covid-19 cases. The tally in the state, as per the Ministry of Health, stands at 6245. While 368 people have died due to the coronavirus disease, Gujarat has seen 1381 recoveries so far.

Delhi

As many as 5104 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the national capital. Sixty four people have died from the infection while 1468 have made a recovery, as per the health ministrys data.

Also read: Post-Covid-19, the world will change. Here are 7 ways how this could happen

Tamil Nadu

The southern state has 4058 coronavirus cases. Tamil Nadu has seen 1485 recoveries and 33 Covid-19 deaths.

Rajasthan

Coronavirus cases in Rajasthan touched 3158 on Wednesday. The state has reported 89 fatalities, and 1525 patients have recovered from the infection.

Madhya Pradesh

The state has reported 3049 positive cases of coronavirus. 176 people have died from Covid-19 here while 1000 have recovered.

Uttar Pradesh

The number of Covid-19 positive cases reaches 2880 in Uttar Pradesh. While 987 people have recovered from coronavirus in Uttar Pradesh, 56 have died from the infection here.

Andhra Pradesh

The state has witnessed 1717 positive Covid-19 patients and 589 cases of recovery. 36 people have died.

West Bengal

The number of infected cases in West Bengal reached 1344 on Wednesday. There have been 140 deaths and 364 recoveries in the state.

Telangana

The number of Covid-19 positive cases reaches 1096 in state so far. 585 people have made a recovery from the virus while 29 people have died from Covid-19.

Jammu and Kashmir

The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir has seen the number of Covid-19 patients rising to 741. Eight people have died from the infection while 320 were cured.

Karnataka

The state has recorded 671 Covid-19 cases and 29 deaths. 331 people have been cured and discharged.

Haryana and Punjab

The neighbouring states have 548 and 1451 Covid-19 cases respectively. While 25 people have died in Punjab, Haryana has seen 6 deaths. 256 people have recovered from Covid-19 in Haryana, 133 in Punjab.

Kerala

As per the health ministry, Kerala reported 502 coronavirus cases on Wednesday. Kerala has witnessed four deaths due to Covid-19 while 462 people have successfully recovered.

In Bihar, 536 people have tested positive for coronavirus, four people have died while 142 patients have recovered. Odisha has 175 Covid-19 positive patients, 60 have recovered while one person has died. Jharkhand has 125 Covid-19 cases, three patients have died and 33 have recovered.

Uttarakhand has 61 coronavirus patients, 39 patients have recovered from the infection, one patient has died. Himachal Pradesh has 42 cases, 2 patients have died and 38 have recovered. Assam has reported 43 Covid-19 cases, one person has died while 32 people have recovered.

Chhattisgarh has recorded 59 cases of coronavirus and 36 people have recovered. In Chandigarh, 111 people have contracted the Covid-19 disease and 21 have recovered, one patient has died. Andaman has recorded 33 coronavirus cases, 32 have recovered.

Ladakh has 41 patients, 17 people have recovered. Goa reported seven cases of Covid-19 disease, all patients have recovered. Puducherry has reported 9 cases, 6 have recovered. Meghalaya has reported 12 cases and one death, 10 patients have recovered.

Manipur had two coronavirus cases, and those have recovered. Tripura, meanwhile, has 43 cases, two patients have recovered.

States and Union territories with just one positive Covid-19 case include Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram, the Arunachal patient has recovered. Sikkim has not reported any Covid-19 case yet.

Note: Figures are from official data released by the Ministry of Health, and may differ from realtime numbers released by various state governments subject to confirmation from the Centre.
From Canada and the U.S. to Europe and across Asia, the global coronavirus pandemic has brought with it an increase in racist attacks and microaggressions against people of Asian descent.

Cities across the world have seen an increase in hate crimes in recent weeks. Every day, more stories emerge about Asians targeted by racist slurs, harassment, and even violence in their own communities.

In normally tolerant Canada, a recent survey in the nations biggest cities, said they do not believe its safe to sit next to an Asian or Chinese person on a bus if theyre not wearing a mask.

Four percent of respondents said they think all Chinese or Asian people are carrying the COVID-19 virus, while 10 percent said they were uncertain about that., according to research from the Chinese Canadian National Council For Social Justice.

Susan Eng, the director of the CCNC-SJ, says with results like this, its not surprising we are seeing an increase in anti-Asian racism.

Canadas leaders must stand up and unequivocally denounce every such racist incident and ill-informed belief, lest this behaviour is deemed acceptable and others are invited to do the same, Eng said in a release.

Vancouver Police Department said it had seen an uptick in the number of racially-motivated crimes, with almost half of cases in March reported as anti-Asian as the province marks Asian Heritage Month in British Columbia.

Asian Heritage month is also a reminder that our multicultural society makes this province such an amazing place to live. I have seen the rise of anti-Asian racism and hate crimes in our province due to the COVID -19 pandemic. Any act of racism is unacceptable and everyone deserves to feel safe, said Anne Kang, BCs minister of Citizens Services and responsible for Multiculturalism.

South of the border, propelled by the anti-China rhetoric of President Donald Trump, the FBI reported that Chinese and Asian Americans are now experiencing increased hate crimes due to the coronavirus global outbreak.

Between mid-March and mid-April around 1,500 attacks or harassment cases were recorded across the United States with most instances occurring in California and New York, according to Stop AAPI Hate, an association of several NGOs in the United States that has launched a hotline to track verbal abuse, assault and hate crimes against Asian-Americans related to the outbreak of COVID-19.

In Australia, the Federal Government has urged people to report and call out racist attacks when they see them and to not retaliate against Chinese Australians for any feelings they may have towards Beijing.

The Australian Human Rights Commission said that about one in four people who lodged racial discrimination complaints in February and March said they were targeted due to coronavirus.

Why you can trust Sky News

Hate crimes against Chinese people in the UK have also soared during the coronavirus outbreak, new police figures have revealed.

At least 267 offences were recorded in the first three months of 2020 during the COVID-19 crisis - including assaults, robberies, harassment and criminal damage, police said this week.

Victims described being punched, spat at and coughed on in the street as well as being verbally abused about coronavirus after the first case was reported in China.

The European Unions Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) said in a report that people (perceived to be) of Chinese or Asian origin, are also facing discrimination in accessing health services.

It said certain government measures across the EU to combat the spread of COVID-19 could have profound implications for fundamental rights.

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered an increase in racist and xenophobic incidents against

people (perceived to be) of Chinese or Asian origin, including verbal insults, harassment, physical aggression and online hate speech, the report stated.

Moreover, the study noted that certain politicians and public figures across member states have been using derogatory and xenophobic language towards people of Chinese and Asian origin.

The coronavirus pandemic has also triggered a wave of anti-Chinese sentiment throughout Southeast Asia, with some businesses refusing to accept Chinese customers and authorities conducting surprise health checks on foreign workers.

Islamic State affiliates in Indonesia are using the coronavirus to stoke resentment towards Chinese Indonesians, while in the Philippines, the Adamson University in Manila has openly called for its Chinese students to stop attending classes.

The Philippines decision to allow gaming firms to resume their operations ahead of other local businesses has also been met with fierce criticism, but officials insist the move is necessary as the government needs the revenue to fund its response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

They employ tens of thousands of Chinese nationals, many of them illegal workers, and are largely located in the Metro Manila region where the strict quarantine is not due to be lifted until May 16.

In India, the outbreak has triggered deep-rooted racism against people from the north-east of the country who generally have lighter skin.

Renowned writer Arundhati Roy said was India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was exploiting the public health crisis unleashed by the COVID-19 pandemic to ramp up suppression of Muslims.

Political experts said that they wouldn't go as far to say that the Indian government is purposely stoking communal tensions to trigger something genocidal. Nonetheless, they agree that the current situation in the country is deepening the religious divide between Hindus and Muslims.

Many COVID-19 cases reported across India were linked to a Muslim congregation held in Delhi last month by an Islamic sect called Tablighi Jamaat. After Indian authorities identified the sect as the biggest cluster of coronavirus cases in the country, many people started blaming the Muslim community for the spread of the disease.  with Agencies
Lukashenka Wants World Leaders To Mark Victory Day In Minsk Amid Coronavirus

By RFE/RL's Belarus Service May 05, 2020

MINSK -- Despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has called on leaders of other countries to attend next week's military parade in Minsk marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany.

The Belarusian capital is preparing for its annual Victory Day parade on May 9, despite the World Health Organization's (WHO) call on the country's authorities to impose social-distancing measures and avoid large public gatherings to slow the spread of COVID-19.

"I am publicly calling on leaders of other countries, at least countries of the former [Soviet] Union, to gather in Minsk, which is the right thing to do," Lukashenka said on May 5, rejecting Russian media reports criticizing the Belarusian leader over his handling of the coronavirus outbreak as "lies."

Belarus currently has more than 18,350 registered coronavirus cases, including 107 deaths, but Lukashenka has publicly dismissed concerns about the dangers of the disease several times.

Victory Day commemorates the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany in 1945 and is the most important national holiday in Belarus and other former Soviet states.

Belarus and Turkmenistan are the only two former Soviet republics that have not canceled their traditional Victory Day parade this year.

Also on May 5, Belarusian lawmakers approved a bill on a mass amnesty marking the 75th anniversary.

Interior Minister Yury Karayeu told parliament that the bill envisioned the early release of 5,372 inmates.

Prison terms of almost 6,500 convicts will be cut by one year, he said.

The May 9 parade in Minsk is expected to include more than 3,000 military personnel and more than 180 pieces of military hardware.

Thousands of citizens are expected to line up to watch the hour-long parade, which is often followed by picnics and other activities at public locations such as parks.

Belarus lost about a quarter of its population during World War II.

With reporting by BelTA

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/lukashenka-wants-world- leaders-to-mark-victory-day-in-minsk-amid -coronavirus/30594533.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.

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A mobile gaming addict was found dead inside his apartment with signs he was electrocuted after charging his phone and playing with it at the same time.

Delivery company employee Tinnakorn Rattanauppaphan, 32, had the smartphone plugged in to an extension cable while using it at his rented room in Nan, northern Thailand.

He had been missing from work for two days which caused worried among his friends who went to check on him last Friday.

They found him lying still on the mattress below a window. When they tried to wake him he was unresponsive so they contacted the police. Officers believe Tinnakorn had been dead for two days.

Delivery company employee Tinnakorn Rattanauppaphan, 32, was found dead inside his apartment with signs he was electrocuted after charging his phone and playing with it at the same tim

Rattanauppaphan had the smartphone plugged in to an extension cable while using it at his rented room in Nan, northern Thailand

They suspect that he was electrocuted to death as they found burn wounds on both of his swollen hands that were touching the phone and charger cable.

The deceased's friends Kriatipong Riankham, 29, and Wutthipong Penharn, 26, said their friend had no enemy or problems but only that he spent most of his free time playing on his phone games.

They said: 'We started to worry after he had been absent from work for a couple days, which was unusual for him.'

His friends found him lying still on the mattress below a window. When they tried to wake him he was unresponsive so they contacted the police. Officers believe Tinnakorn had been dead for two days

He never mentioned having any stress or problems but he had always spent his free time playing online games on his phone.'

The police sent the body for a post-mortem examination and labelled the death as an accident in their initial report.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Samran Wongchaiya said: 'Our initial investigations show that there was no trace of fighting or anything that suggests suspicious activity.

'So we believe that he was electrocuted to death as he had signs of electrocution and the cause is also consistent with the testimonies of his friends and family that he spent a lot of time playing mobile games.'
Senior Congress leader Digambar



Kamat on Wednesday requested Goa Governor Satya Pal Malik to take up with the Centre the issue of Goan crew members of two ships remaining stranded at the Mumbai port for more than two weeks.

While about 62 members of the crew of 'Discovery Marella' had reached Goa, the crew members of 'Karnika' and 'Angriya' ships are still stuck at the Mumbai port.

"There is no clarity why these people who are working on both these ships are yet to arrive in Goa. By now, they should have been transported here as per the Standard Operating Procedure laid down by Union Ministry of Home Affairs," the Leader of Opposition told reporters after meeting the governor.

Kamat said he requested the governor to take up the matter with the Centre.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(Natural News) Over the last month or so, it has become increasingly obvious to pandemic observers that death science operators like Dr. Fauci have been deeply involved in funding the development of bioengineering research that led to the creation (and release) of the Wuhan coronavirus which has now killed at least a quarter of a million people worldwide.

Even Newsweek  a globalist publication that usually defends depopulation advocates  is now pointing out the ties between Dr. Fauci and the biological engineering industry that gives rise to bioweapons designed to exterminate humanity. [J]ust last year, the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the organization led by Dr. Fauci, funded scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology and other institutions for work on gain-of-function research on bat coronaviruses, reports Newsweek.com, adding: (emphasis added)

In 2019, with the backing of NIAID, the National Institutes of Health committed $3.7 million over six years for research that included some gain-of-function work. The program followed another $3.7 million, 5-year project for collecting and studying bat coronaviruses, which ended in 2019, bringing the total to $7.4 million.

Many scientists have criticized gain of function research, which involves manipulating viruses in the lab to explore their potential for infecting humans, because it creates a risk of starting a pandemic from accidental release.

Dr. Fauci, in other words, helped funnel money into a program that the scientists knew was working to develop gain-of-function properties that could result in a global pandemic. They even collaborated with communist China to conduct the research, even though China is an enemy of humanity and has a long history of accidental releases of level-4 biohazard specimens.

Engineering a weapon system to specifically attack human physiology

Part of the research Dr. Fauci funded was specifically looking for ways to make bat coronavirus strains attack humans. As Newsweek explains:

A second phase of the project, beginning that year, included additional surveillance work but also gain-of-function research for the purpose of understanding how bat coronaviruses could mutate to attack humans. The project was run by EcoHealth Alliance, a non-profit research group, under the direction of President Peter Daszak, an expert on disease ecology. NIH canceled the project just this past Friday, April 24th, Politico reported.

The proposal of that project specifically details how they planned to built a biological weapon that could devastate humankind:

The project proposal states: We will use S protein sequence data, infectious clone technology, in vitro and in vivo infection experiments and analysis of receptor binding to test the hypothesis that % divergence thresholds in S protein sequences predict spillover potential.

In laymans terms, spillover potential refers to the ability of a virus to jump from animals to humans, which requires that the virus be able to attach to receptors in the cells of humans.

In other words, this is the use of genetic engineering technology to build biological weapons that are designed and intended to exterminate human life.

Hundreds of scientists called for a halt to the dangerous research, but Dr. Fauci made sure the grant money kept flowing

As Newsweek further explains:

According to Richard Ebright, an infectious disease expert at Rutgers University, the project description refers to experiments that would enhance the ability of bat coronavirus to infect human cells and laboratory animals using techniques of genetic engineering. In the wake of the pandemic, that is a noteworthy detail.

Ebright, along with many other scientists, has been a vocal opponent of gain-of-function research because of the risk it presents of creating a pandemic through accidental release from a lab.

 The work entailed risks that worried even seasoned researchers. More than 200 scientists called for the work to be halted. The problem, they said, is that it increased the likelihood that a pandemic would occur through a laboratory accident Dr. Fauci defended the work.

Dr. Fauci, it turns out, has been a key cheerleader for this death science research for decades. He has also been credibly accused by Dr. Judy Mikovitz and other virologists of stealing intellectual property and stifling whistleblowers who sought to expose the truth about NIH-funded research and how it threatens humanity. Hundreds of other scientists have publicly and repeatedly blasted Dr. Fauci and the NIH for their work in building weapons against humanity. Again, from Newsweek:

In early 2019, after a reporter for Science magazine discovered that the NIH had approved two influenza research projects that used gain of function methods, scientists who oppose this kind of research excoriated the NIH in an editorial in the Washington Post.

We have serious doubts about whether these experiments should be conducted at all, wrote Tom Inglesby of Johns Hopkins University and Marc Lipsitch of Harvard.

At what point do we invoke the death sentence for those found guilty of building devastating weapons of mass destruction that kill the innocent?

Prof. Francis Boyle has long called for the death sentence for scientists who are found guilty of engaging in research intended to build biological weapons that target human beings. That appears to be precisely what Dr. Fauci has done over a career spanning decades. It begs the obvious question: Should Dr. Fauci be criminally investigated and prosecuted for carrying out crimes against humanity? And if found guilty, should he face the death penalty? Should other scientists who knowingly collaborated on this project share the same fate?

Right now, without exception, every scientist tied to the Wuhan Virology Institute and its gain-of-function research claims the Wuhan coronavirus couldnt possibly have come from a lab. They are lying to the world, falsely claiming the insertion of gene sequences into the virus are the result of natural, zoological mutations in the wild. The reason theyre lying, of course, is because they know they are guilty of building a weapon that has already killed a quarter of a million innocent people, and they correctly fear that if the truth gets out, they may face criminal prosecutions themselves.

Our society sentences murderers to death after theyve killed a single person. What should be the consequences dealt out to those who conspired to build deadly biological weapons that indiscriminately killed hundreds of thousands of people?

Is an NIH mass murderer running the White House response to the coronavirus?

Frustratingly, Mr. death science Dr. Fauci himself appears to be in charge of the White House response to the pandemic. Trump appears to have been mesmerized by Dr. Faucis vaccine promises, and Dr. Fauci is being celebrated by the liberal media as a hero for humanity rather than the death science doctor he more accurately represents. (The left-wing media also celebrates communism, Mao, Castro and Stalin, by the way, so Dr. Fauci seems to be in good company when it comes to genocide and mass murder.)

Is Trump throwing in with the death science industry and the NIH? So far, it appears Trump lacks the scientific knowledge to even recognize when hes being manipulated by death science operators like Fauci. And with Trump now pushing for 300 million doses of an obviously experimental, untested coronavirus vaccine before the end of this year, it almost seems as if Dr. Fauci is setting up Trump to take the fall for a vaccine public health catastrophe that ends in mass fatalities and the end of the Trump administration after millions of Americans die from either the coronavirus or the vaccine itself (or a combination where the vaccine causes an enhanced immune response to subsequent infections, killing millions).

It also raises the obvious question: If society feels justified in ending the life of a murderer who is found guilty of killing one person, what should be the punishment for those who use science to build murderous weapons that kill hundreds of thousands or millions of people?

Even more alarmingly, this death science research continues to be conducted right now, via the NIH and Dr. Fauci himself. What sort of dangerous weapon of mass suffering and death will they concoct after another year or two of taxpayer-funded research? When will any of the NIH funding activities of the bioweapons industry be independently audited? At what point are scientists who build deadly bioweapons to be held accountable when their nanotechnology escapes into the wild and devastates human civilization?

Watch this video from Peak Prosperity for a more detailed analysis of the Fauci death science industry and its war on humanity:

Weapons of mass destruction, built by the pharmaceutical cartels that profit from pandemics

If such research is ever to be conducted again, shouldnt it be limited to an orbiting space stations thats tied to a detonation switch so that the rest of us on Earth could blow up all the orbiting scientists if they screw up and suffer a lab accident? Id rather see a dozen bioweapons scientists burn up in the atmosphere than see another round of coronavirus devastate human society and crush our global economy.

By the way, what are Dr. Faucis ties to vaccine manufacturers and pharma drug cartels? Isnt he acting out of a conflicted desire to protect his own financial interests rather than prioritize whats best for public health? It seems to me that Dr. Fauci has all the characteristics of a super villain like The Penguin from the Batman series, or possibly Doctor Octopus from the Marvel universe. Hes desperately to achieve a celebrity-like public image while secretly plotting to build weapons to exterminate human beings, all while siphoning money from the public to fund his demonic, anti-human research.

It almost sounds like a comic book villain except its real, and this guy is practically running the White House.

I think its time that we all demanded a criminal investigation and possible prosecution of Dr. Fauci and all the other death science pushers who were complicit in the funding of the gain-of-function coronavirus research in the Wuhan lab.

These people belong behind bars. They are enemies of humanity and criminals whose heinous crimes span the entirety of human history. What Dr. Fauci has done to humanity ranks with the mass murders carried out by Stalin, Mao and even the Third Reich. And we will be lucky indeed if the number of coronavirus fatalities around the world somehow manages to stay under six million by the time this deadly bioengineered weapon has run its course.

Dr. Fauci, you have blood on your hands. The real question is: Will the American people demand he be held accountable? Or will they stupidly declare him a hero for pushing vaccines that he claims will treat the very same weapon system that he helped fund and build in the first place?

Its time for America to rise up against the death science industry and demand arrests and prosecutions of all those scientists who took part in building this weapon system against humanity. By building weapons that are deliberately designed to kill and maim innocent human beings, they have forfeited their right to exist in our society.

Read Pandemic.news to stay informed as we fight for human survival against a global cartel of death merchants and pharma villains who are following a demonic, anti-human agenda.
National Nurses Day 2020 (Wednesday, May 6) takes on new meaning during the coronavirus pandemic. This year, nurses, medical professionals, first responders and other frontline healthcare and essential workers are facing adversity in the face of the deadly COVID-19 crisis every day, and theres no end to the thanks, praise and recognition that can be heaped on them for how they are rising to the challenge.

Below, you can find more than 20 free food and drink offers as well as steep discounts and deals at restaurants, online retailers and more national chains as a way for these businesses to say thank you to those in the health care field who are working tirelessly to keep Americans safe and healthy every day. There are some bonuses below for military personnel and teachers as well. Dont forget to always have your employee ID ready whenever you try to claim an offer.

And dont forget to thank your nurse, doctor or first responder friends and family today too.

Adidas - Adidas is offering 40% off purchases on their website for verified medical professionals, first responders, nurses and military members during Nurses Week (May 6 - May 12). Verify your ID by visiting adidas.com/us/discount-programs.

Applebees - Medical professionals, first responders, active duty military and veterans simply need to call their local Applebees restaurant to place their order and mention their eligibility for Neighborhood Heroes Month. When picking up their order they show their valid ID badge or certification card that identifies their qualification to receive 50% off any food purchase up to $100 per day as many times as they wish during the month of May. Find a location 

Cinnabon - Cinnabon is partnering with The Daisy Foundation to give free Cinnabons to nurses during National Nurses Week. Find a location 

Circle K - Free coffee and tea is available to first responders, health care workers (and to their store employees). Just bring a valid ID. Find a location 

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf - The coffee chain is treating all healthcare workers to a free brewed coffee of any size or any tea or $1 off any specialty beverage. Teachers can also show a faculty ID for a $2 small beverage offer. Find a location 

Crocs - Free shoes are available for heath care workers every day on Crocs website at 12 p.m. ET. The freebie is available through the offer website where youll need to get in line.

Dunkin - On May 6, Dunkin is offering a free medium hot or iced coffee and a free donut  no purchase necessary  to all healthcare workers who visit participating Dunkin restaurants in Central New York. Find a location 

H&R Block - Medical professionals and first responders can file both federal and state tax returns for free using H&R Blocks Tax Pro Go throughout the month of May.

Hooters - Health care workers, first responders and military personnel can take 20% off food takeout orders every day until further notice. Find a location 

HSN - Get as much as $10 to $20 off of your first purchase from HSN as the companys way of saying thank you to teachers and nurses.

Krispy Kreme - On Monday, May 11, first responders can get a free dozen donuts at the Krispy Kreme drive-thru with their employer badge. Find a location 

Lovesac - This beanbag furniture company is running a Comfort for our Heroes deal to get 40% off sacs and sactionals for all nurses, healthcare workers, first responders, military personnel and teachers.

Mrs. Fields - Use the code NURSES to get 25% off the Heroes Collection of cookie cakes and tins through the end of May. Find a location 

Nike - Eligible medical professionals and first responders can get 20% off through Nikes online store. Visit nike.com/help/a/first-responder-discount to verify your status.

The North Face - This one goes all the way until December 31. Take 50% off online orders from The North Face. To verify eligibility, visit the offer page.

Outback Steakhouse - Nurses, doctors and medical staff, first responders and military get 10% off their purchase. Plus delivery is free for a limited time. Find a location 

Skechers - Essential workers can get 30% off and free shipping on more than 500 items through May 31.

Snickers (via Walmart) - Send a coupon for a free Snickers to an essential worker who can cash it in at Walmart stores. Find out how 

Stewarts Shops - To show their appreciation, Stewarts Shops is offering all medical professionals and first responders free hot coffee, hot tea and hot chocolate all day on Wednesday, May 6. Find a location 

Talkspace - Get a free month of Talkspace therapy for doctors, nurses, social workers and front line workers. Register after downloading the Talkspace app.

Uniform Advantage - This site, which sells nurse scrubs in a variety of styles, is offering up to 50% off in an online sale.

MORE CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE

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With 17 more confirmed positive for the Coronavirus disease (Covid-19)the highest single day spike yetGurugram districts tally touched 104 on Wednesday. Of these 10 are vegetable sellers of Khandsa Mandi, with links to Delhis Azadpur Mandi hot spot, four from Dundahera, a declared containment zone, and three health care workers from a city-based hospital, who were in contact with other Covid patients.

Khandsa Mandi, the wholesale fruit and vegetables market of Gurugram, will remain shut till May 8. Total cases from here on Wednesday touched 19highest from any area of the city.

Dr Jaswant Singh Punia, chief medical officer, said, We have reported the highest spike in Covid-19 cases today (Wednesday). While 10 are vegetable sellers, who had links with Azadpur Mandi, four cases from Dundahera are from the same building where six Covid-19 cases were reported last week. Also, three health care workers of a private hospital on Railway Road contracted the virus after coming in contact with a driver working with the referral ambulance service in Delhi; he had tested positive on Sunday.

Gurugram, despite being an orange zone, now has the highest number of cases in the entire state, much more than the other affected districtSonepat (81), Faridabad (78) and Jhajjar (70).

INTENSIFYING TARGETED SAMPLING

Health department officials said spike in Covid-19 cases is due to intensified targeted sampling which is being conducted to control the spillover of infection coming from Delhi, which has third highest number of Covid cases in the country.

We were cautious after positive cases surfaced in Delhis Azadpur Mandi as many traders visit it regularly. We must also remember that there are a lot of frontline workers, such as police personnel and health staff, who work in Delhi but live here. Contact tracing becomes crucial in areas where density of population is high, especially in districts like Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonepat, Panipat and parts of Panchkula, additional chief secretary (health) Rajeev Arora said, adding that these cases are mostly asymptomatic and pose a greater threat than symptomatic cases.

In case of Khandsa, the health department did surveillance of more than 1,600 people and collected samples of over 128 vegetable sellers. The health teams plan is to track hawkers who were in contact with the Covid-19 patients and to reach out in areas where they have sold vegetables. Ward-wise, these hawkers will be traced. To detect if the infection has spread random sampling will be done. If positive cases are found, then containment strategy will be prepared, said Dr Punia.

Arora, on the other hand, said the state government has decided to increase the base for targeted sampling. We will now cover ration depot holders, people who are involved in the task of procuring food grains as this activity has been going on continuously across the state, he said.

EXPECTING POTENTIAL CASES

Health experts called targeted sampling and testing an efficient approach in identifying emerging hot spots. Targeted sampling is an appropriate use of resources to target areas for testing where high risk cases are likely to be concentrated, said Dr Preeti Kumar, a public health systems expert and vice-president of Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI).

Targeted sampling and testing is done in areas where you expect a high yield of potential cases or to identify clustering of cases in or out of the containment zone or to study a silent area. It helps in understanding the distribution of disease in a community, said Kumar.

In Gurugram, Khandsa remained a silent area till targeted sampling was done after cases emerged in vegetable sellers in Delhi, Sonepat and Jhajjar.

It is the fourth wave of targeted sampling in the state, said Dr Dhruv Chaudhary, nodal officer Covid-19 in Haryana. First, it was for people with travel history to China, second for people coming from other western countries, third was people who attended the congregation in Delhi and fourth are people with essential services jobs in Delhi, a place which is experiencing community spread.

According to him, the purpose behind targeted sampling is to prevent or delay the community spread of Covid-19 by tracing asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic cases in affected district.

Chaudhary said, There are two strategies targeted and random collection of samples  to detect infection spread in a community. Random sampling cannot be 100% correct so targeted sampling is an effective measure.

According to health officials, targeted sampling was the only way to break the chain of spread. According to Arora, intensive targeted testing was a key factor in breaking the chain of transmission in Nuh and Palwal when patients were traced in large numbers. It helped us in containing the infection in the affected districts, said Arora.

In Nuh 59 cases have been reported till now, out of which only 6 are undergoing treatment, rest have recovered. Likewise, in Palwal 36 cases were reported, of which only four are hospitalised.

INCREASING CASES CAUSE FOR ALARM?

Arora said that the number of Covid patients might increase as they are proactively searching for potential cases in a community.

Affirming Aroras view, Kumar said, Number of cases might increase in this strategy, but it should not lead to panic reaction. Sudden spurt will help in identifying high risk groups and building up the containment strategy.

But Kumar also cautioned that targeted sampling didnt imply the district administration would be able to start doing mass testing in a population where population has remained asymptomatic for long. Testing them gives no additional advantage. It may give a false assurance and may lead to people avoiding social distancing and hand washingwhich are really the most key strategies for breaking the transmission, said Kumar.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:

The total number of coronavirus-infected people in Uzbekistan has reached 2,217, Trend reports on May 6 with reference to the Ministry of Health.

To date, 1,501 patients have fully recovered in the country, 10 have died.

Uzbekistan recently declared Jizzakh, Kashkadarya and Navoi regions to be free from COVID-19.

On April 30, Uzbekistan's Special Republican Commission for the preparation of a program of measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the country introduced new measures with the quarantine regime.

From 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM, and from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM (GMT+5) the citizens of the country are allowed to go out without special permission for the purposes of going to and from work and purchase of medicines and necessities.

Citizens are also allowed to walk near their homes, observing social distance and wearing face masks.

In addition, the heads of higher education and research institutions, as well as professors, are allowed to continue their scientific work and other activities.

Recently, quarantine in Uzbekistan was extended until May 10.

The first case of coronavirus infection in Uzbekistan was detected on March 15 in the laboratory of the Research Institute of Virology; it was an Uzbek woman who returned from France. The Ministry of Health later announced that her son, daughter, husband and grandson also tested coronavirus-positive.

The outbreak of the coronavirus began in the Chinese city of Wuhan (an international transport hub), at a fish market in late December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11. Some sources claim the coronavirus outbreak started as early as November 2019.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
Alaska, Hawaii, Montana and Wyoming are not epicenters of the coronavirus pandemic. Yet these four states scored big this spring when Congress pumped out direct federal aid, while the two hardest-hit states, New York and New Jersey, got comparatively little given the vast numbers of cases and deaths they have seen.

An Associated Press analysis shows that states with small populations like these took in an out-sized share of the $150 billion in federal money that was designed to address coronavirus-related expenses, when measured by the number of positive tests for the COVID-19 disease.

Their haul ranged from $2 million per positive test in Hawaii to nearly $3.4 million per test in Alaska. In Wyoming, with less than 600 positive cases, the $1.25 billion it received from the congressional package equates to 80 percent of its annual general state budget.

By comparison, New York and New Jersey received about $24,000 and $27,000, respectively, for each positive coronavirus test. Other states with high numbers of coronavirus cases, including Massachusetts, Michigan and Illinois, received less than $100,000 per positive case.

New York state has been the epicenter of the pandemic and unfortunately has been home to about one-third of all U.S. COVID-19 related deaths, and federal funding provided so fa has failed to recognize this reality, Freeman Klopott, spokesman for the state budget division, said in a statement to the AP.

The money for state governments is a slice of a $2.2 trillion federal stimulus passed in late March. Governments are supposed to use it for new coronavirus expenses incurred from March 1 through Dec. 30.

Under federal guidelines issued last month, the money has to be linked to coronavirus-related expenses but cannot be used, for example, to make up for lost tax revenue to keep general government services running.

I wish New Jersey ... was hit not the second-most in the country, but the second-least," said Steve Sweeney, the states Democratic state Senate president. "Wed give the money to somebody else.

To be sure, the lowest population states often receive higher dollar amounts per capita when Congress doles out federal aid. Thats due in part to political reality: Small states have the same number of U.S. senators as more populous ones, and those senators lobby hard for their states interests.

Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter

The awards in the relief act passed in late March were based on population, but with a catch: Every state was to receive at least $1.25 billion, regardless of its size. Lawmakers said setting such a minimum was needed to reach a deal in a divided government.

But in the coronavirus fight, the disproportionate share going to smaller states has consequences. States with high numbers of infections and deaths say they need that money for immediate expenses related to fighting an outbreak that threatened to overwhelm their hospital systems, from staff overtime to setting up makeshift hospitals.

Some states with relatively few cases have been able to reopen their economies faster and have more options on how to spend the federal largess. Many are now trying to determine how they can spend the windfall while keeping within the federal guidelines.

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon, a Republican, is proposing using a portion of the money to help businesses that have suffered because of government-imposed shutdowns and shrunken demand, even though other parts of the federal aid are already aimed at businesses.

Gordon said his plan should be fair game under the federal rules in part because neighboring Idaho  which received more than $600,000 per positive test  already has a similar system in place.

In a public meeting streamed on video, Gordon said he knew the state would be watched carefully. After all, the states allocation is five times per capita what New York received and nearly 90 times as much per positive coronavirus test.

There will be unduly high scrutiny on how Wyoming uses those funds, Gordon said.

Max DDonofrio, spokesman for Republican Sen. Mike Enzi, defended the states share, saying Wyoming is often the target of per capita biases due to its low population," and faces unique challenges because of its rural nature.

Hawaiis tourism industry was halted as the virus was spreading, and the financial consequences are dire. Gov. David Ige said the states share was sorely needed.

Vermonts Democratic U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has worked for decades to implement all-state minimums for federal funding. Regardless of total numbers of cases, states like Vermont have had to shut down, just as have other states, and the impact in states small and large has been devastating in many ways, Leahy said in a statement.

Other smaller states are considering dividing up chunks of the federal money among local governments and businesses, in addition to covering the states health expenses. Thats the plan in Alaska.

West Virginia has the seventh-lowest number of coronavirus cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but received just over $1 million per positive test. Gov. Jim Justice, a Republican, has said he hopes the federal government will allow the state to use the money to alleviate its growing budget shortfall, even though federal guidance on the bill uggests that would not be allowed.

New York doesn't have the luxury of trying to use the money to help cover a massive drop in tax revenue,

While it received billions of federal dollars for coronavirus-related expenses, it has received no money to help offset the loss of more than $13 billion in revenue, said Klopott, the state budget division spokesman. The state is now considering $10 billion in cuts.

New York and other states with high numbers of cases have been lobbying Congress to provide more direct aid to state and local governments in a future coronavirus relief package.

Sens. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, and Robert Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, are proposing $500 billion more for state and local governments. Under their plan, the first one-third of the money would be allocated based on population, the second on the number of coronavirus cases and the third on the toll its taken on government budgets.

Under their proposal, every state again would receive at least $1.25 billion  and this time with looser restrictions on how the money could be spent.

Menendez said the baseline amount was a nod to political reality: We need to get 60 votes in the Senate.

-- The Associated Press
European stocks slid on Wednesday as bleak business data was released. (PA)

European stock markets opened lower on Wednesday, as investors digested bleak European business data and warnings from Federal Reserve policymakers over a slow economic recovery from the coronavirus crisis.

The pan-European Stoxx 50 index (^STOXX50E) and Germanys DAX (^GDAXI) were both trading 0.2% lower, while Frances CAC 40 (^FCHI) was down 0.3% at around 8.30am in London. Britains FTSE 100 (^FTSE) was trading flat.

It came as purchasing managers index (PMI) data showed output in Spains services sector plunging to new record lows in April. The headline index figure for services, making up around half of Spains output, sank to 7.1, from 23 in March and 52.1 in February. Figures above 50 show a net balance of firms reporting growth, and figures below 50 show contraction.

Hard-hit Italy also saw activity slide at a record rate, down to 10.8 from 17.4 in March.

Even Sweden, which has curbed activity far less than most other countries, saw activity in its services sector slide to its worst level since the global financial crisis. The PMI figure hit 39, down from 46.1 the previous month.

READ MORE: UK economic shock to be deepest ever

It also came after a string of US central bank policymakers struck a downbeat tone over the US economys likely recovery from the downturn triggered by the coronavirus pandemic. It comes in spite of many US states easing restrictions on activity.

Chicago Federal Reserve Bank president Charles Evans told journalists the pick-up in activity as restrictions start to ease will likely be slow at first. He also described reopening amid a continued pandemic as a bold decision with pretty high risks, Reuters reports.

He said it was reasonable to expect growth in the second half of the year in the US, but warned it was only slightly more likely than worse alternatives.

Richard Clarida, vice chair of the Federal Reserve, also called the current crisis the most severe contraction in activity and surge in unemployment that weve seen in our lifetimes. In an interview with CNBC, he said the unemployment rate was likely to hit levels not seen since the 1940s.

Story continues

Despite his optimism that the Feds wide-ranging interventions could curb lasting damage, he only said a recovery in the second half of the year was in the range of possibility.

Meanwhile Atlantas Fed president Raphael Bostic said a V-shaped recovery is going to be very difficult to achieve, with varied infection rates and susceptibility across the country likely to mean a diversity of recoveries, according to Reuters.

READ MORE: Virgin Money sets aside 232m to cover pandemic hit

Some of the comments had pared gains on US stocks on Tuesday. But futures pointed to a lower open on Wednesday, amid hopes of an easing of US-China tensions and continued economic reopening in many US states.

S&P 500 futures (ES=F), Dow Jones Industrial Average futures (YM=F) and Nasdaq futures (NQ=F) were all trading just under 0.7% higher.

Markets also rose overnight in Asia as investors saw Chinas central banks latest fixing of the yuan as a neutral move vis-a-vis the US after the currency sank to a one-month low against the dollar on Wednesday.

The People's Bank of China went a long way to extinguishing one major trade war hotspot by setting the yuan reference rate on a more risk-friendly level, said Stephen Innes, chief markets strategist at AxiCorp.

The US government has repeatedly criticised China over competitive devaluations in the past, and the latest move appears to nod to Beijings pledge to abandon them in an initial trade agreement with the US in January.

Chinas Shanghai Composite index (000001.SS) was up 0.6%, and the Hong Kong Hang Seng (^HSI) was up 1.2%. Markets were closed in Japan for a national holiday.
Donald Trump is probably one of the dumbest people alive, if not the dumbest one himself, as per popular collective belief of people. This is not even up for discussion; it's a proper fact that he himself proves on a daily basis. I feel like if the most famous thing about you is the fact that you post weird and emotional Twitter rants you post in the middle of the night for no apparent reason, then you've probably failed as a leader. On top of that, his racism is on another lever and maybe that's why he has the support he does. From calling coronavirus a 'Chinese virus' and unleashing a huge amount of hate and hate crimes against Asian Americans, to suggesting that people inject disinfectant to fight the virus, let's just say that Trump has not really handled the pandemic well.

 Twitter

We know he's not the brightest bulb in the box but I never thought he would be out there roaming around without a mask. Wearing a mask is literally the least anyone can do right now for themselves and other people, it's not that hard of a concept. On top of not 'believing' in the virus and not wearing a mask in public, this moron president actually went to a mask factory without a mask. Yes, the irony is baffling to me as well.



President Trump is in a mask factory, not wearing a mask pic.twitter.com/jtBmyKJPCa  Zach Purser Brown (@zachjourno) May 5, 2020

I couldn't have thought of a more appropriate song, tbh.

They are also, somewhat inappropriately, blasting 'Live and let die' over the factory sound system pic.twitter.com/A11qkUla2F  Zach Purser Brown (@zachjourno) May 5, 2020

Well, he's clearly asking for it.

What's the point of this?

Can't believe it happened.

Trump couldnt find a mask in a mask factory. Its sounds like a sick burn but that actually happened.  Mueller, She Wrote Podcast (@MuellerSheWrote) May 6, 2020

Just think.

Youre not thinking clearly! He can hold his breath but he cant close his eyes and walk!!!! Cmon man!!! Think!!!  Tim Apple (@nkhlday) May 5, 2020

Doesn't look hygienic.

And breathing on the ones being made.  Blue Haboob **Home is where your ass belongs** (@BlueHaboob) May 5, 2020

An entire batch ruined.

Honestly I think he won't wear a mask for two reasons.



1. His "tan" would rub off leaving him looking like crusty the clown.



2. He knows his pudgy face would layer over the mask in a near bulldoggian fashion.



So in short it's vanity. Also they should probably burn that batch.  Ronnie *waiting for a REAL apocalypse* B (@alt_horizon) May 5, 2020

We're in a weird timeline.

Donald Trump didnt wear a mask to the mask factory.



And...scene!  Bryan Behar (@bryanbehar) May 6, 2020

It's giving me anxiety.

They are walking around like there isnt a pandemic... touching the mask with their bare hands.... and getting their nose brown as they dance around Trump... #BrownNosing #Pathetic https://t.co/XemmnscQi1  Wilfred Wong (@Wrong_Wilfred) May 6, 2020

He's far from it.

BREAKING: Trump didnt wear a mask and was shaking hands after he landed in Phoenix for his coronavirus propaganda events. Trump should lead by example, but hes not a leader.  Scott Dworkin (@funder) May 5, 2020

And, he didn't.

Trump is heading to Arizona for a damn campaign event while Americans are suffering and dying.



10 bucks says he doesnt wear a face mask because hes such a shitty role model.  Amy Siskind  (@Amy_Siskind) May 5, 2020

People like him will kill us all.

Trump & co touring a mask factory without masks to do nothing but place their bare hands and spittle on a freshly manufactured batch sums up the idiocy of this entire era. pic.twitter.com/PpLk4SooBH  Bree Newsome Bass (@BreeNewsome) May 6, 2020

Exactly.

Trump is traveling to Arizona today to tour a mask facility. Why? He refuses to wear masks, and doesnt believe in them.  Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) May 5, 2020

I have no words.

The very idea that Trump would show up anywhere right now, deliberately without a mask, and say yes to a soundtrack of Live And Let Die reinforces everything about him which is vile. Hes proud of being this colossal a prick and his worshipers love him more for it. https://t.co/lMHxJMuyyz  Richard Marx (@richardmarx) May 6, 2020

Well the irony in him going to a mask factory without wearing a mask himself is so sad, I dont even want to debate on it.
Director Josh Trank, whose new film Capone is gearing up for release, has spoken candidly about past career controversies -- his castration on Fantastic Four, and removal from Star Wars -- in a new profile on Polygon. Trank famously disowned the theatrical cut of his Fantastic Four movie after control was wrenched from his hands by the studio. The flare-up essentially caused him to lose out on a Star Wars job.

He said that after receiving death threats from Marvel fans over the casting of African American actor Michael B Jordan as the historically white Johnny Storm, he was forced to sleep with a gun. I was so f**king paranoid during that shoot, said Trank, If someone came into my house, I would have ended their f**king life. When youre in a head space where people want to get you, you think, Im going to defend myself.

Starring Miles Teller, Michael B Jordan, Kate Mara and Jamie Bell, 2015s Fantastic Four was a critical and commercial disaster.

Also read: When Robert Downey Jrs Iron Man co-star Terrence Howard blamed him for Marvel ouster: He took money that was supposed to go to me

Trank said that they began shooting the movie without a firm script in place, and no ending. His first cut of the film caught 20th Century Fox off guard, and prompted the studio to organise reshoots for which Trank was present on the set, but was only given a very superficial feeling of having control. It was like being castrated, he said. Youre standing there, and youre basically watching producers blocking out scenes, five minutes ahead of when you get there, having [editors hired] by the studio deciding the sequence of shots that are going to construct whatever is going on, and what it is that they need. And then, because they know youre being nice, theyll sort of be nice to you by saying, Well, does that sound good? You can say yes or no. Trank said yes, because he didnt want to be fired.

Also read: Capone trailer: Tom Hardys gangster drama is going straight to streaming amid coronavirus lockdown

The filmmaker did, however, realise that there was no way he was going to save his job directing a Star Wars movie for Disney. I quit because I knew I was going to be fired if I didnt quit, Trank said about dropping out of that film.

Tranks new film Capone, which tells the story of gangster Al Capones final days, will be released directly on streaming. The film stars Tom Hardy as Capone, and in his tweet releasing the trailer, Trank made it clear that it was my cut.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
This obituary is part of a series about people who have died in the coronavirus pandemic. Read about others here.

As someone with cerebral palsy, Jana Marie Prince had plenty of her own problems, but friends and family members say she was most interested in helping other people with theirs.

The illness affected the entire left side of her body, her brother Paul Anthony Prince Jr. said in a phone interview. I can remember when we were small she was teased about it. She never let that stop her from reaching her goals. She dedicated her life to social services. She wanted to give back and touch lives.

Ms. Prince, who was 43 and lived in Marrero, La., a New Orleans suburb, died of the new coronavirus at a hospital in Gretna, La., on April 6. But that was just the beginning of a terrible month of April for the Prince family.
To increase the appeal of gift cards, properties are sweetening the pot. The Cadillac Hotel and Beach Club in Miami Beach and Parrot Key Hotel & Villas in Key West, Fla., started a gift card program with 30 percent off future stays. Customers who buy a gift card by May 26 will earn a bonus based on the purchase amount. For example, a $100 card is worth $150 and a $500 card is valued at $750. The promotional value will expire at the end of 2021, but the original amount of the gift card is valid in perpetuity. Losinj Hotels & Villas, a collection of classic and luxury properties on the Croatian island of Losinj, recently began a similar program. Through May, the company will add 20 euros (about $22) to a 200 euro gift card (about $217). In addition, the more people spend, the more they receive. Travelers will have 18 months from the time of purchase to redeem the gift card.
The future is particularly murky these days. Its anybodys guess how the pandemic, the presidential election and the economy are going to play out. Just about the only thing thats assured is that U.S. relations with China will never be the same.

Businesses are radically rethinking their supply chains, and whether you call the rest of us voters or consumers, attitudes toward China are souring. A Harris poll last month found that two-thirds of Democrats and 9 out of 10 Republicans hold China responsible for the spread of the coronavirus. Already, a slew of lawsuits have been leveled against the Chinese government. The Wests political orientation toward China is shifting too, as countries around the world increasingly point fingers at Beijing.

The issue isnt whether a China-U.S. reckoning is coming, only whether were smart or dumb about it.

Early on, the knee-jerk response from Democrats, the World Health Organization, much of the media and the Chinese government itself was to claim that any criticism of the Chinese governments actions was bigoted or xenophobic.

On the merits, this is ridiculous. The Chinese government is a cruel, oppressive regime. Its refusal to be transparent and cooperative with the international community has been outrageous, and its not bigoted to say so. But the Communist Party of China is not the Chinese or even China, and blanket-blaming a whole nation and its people for a pandemic makes no sense. Its as dumb as stipulating that any negative word about Beijing is xenophobic.

The current debate over the origins of SARS-CoV-2 is another excellent example of how dumb we can be about criticizing China. The claim that the virus originated in a Chinese lab is not synonymous with the deranged conspiracy theory that China created the virus and purposefully unleashed it.

Theres no evidence that the virus is man-made; scientists would be able to tell with genetic sequencing. Nor is it plausible that Chinas interests would be served by the deliberate release on its own soil. A more credible (but unproven) theory is that the Chinese were studying the virus and it was accidentally released. Or it may have emerged naturally, as the Chinese government contends, from a Wuhan meat market.

As the question of where the virus came from has heated up, Republican China hawks, in and out of the Trump administration, rarely volunteer that they dont mean man-made when they say originated. And much of the media coverage similarly ignores or downplays this distinction. Some pro-Trump media personalities seem eager to fuel anti-Chinese sentiments, while the anti-Trump crowd seems to prefer to see a more mockable conspiracy theory.

This mutually beneficial ambiguity gets a boost from the administrations vacillation over how much blame it wants to assign to China and how it wants to direct it, all with an eye toward riling up Trumps base and distracting from early missteps in combating the pandemic.

On one hand, President Trump values his personal relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping and covets a major trade deal with him. Trump is on the record praising Xis coronavirus leadership and remains reluctant to criticize Xi directly. On the other hand, Trump and many of his advisers and surrogates relish having a new evil empire to galvanize support around.

(The schizophrenic nature of all this is ironically analogous to conservative criticism of the Trump administration. A herd of pro-Trump politicians and media figures are sharply critical of the administrations response to the pandemic while simultaneously refusing to criticize Trump. The result is heated talk of states needing to be liberated from governors following the presidents guidelines and presidential advisers being scapegoated for presidential decisions.)

Anger at Xis government is warranted, as is a recalibration of our relationship with China in the long aftermath of the pandemic. But treating a nuclear and economic superpower as an existential enemy primarily to satisfy domestic political needs  during an economic and public health crisis  strikes me as the dumbest way to go.

Education and related events during COVID-19 in Central Illinois

Jonah Goldberg is an editor-at-large of National Review Online. Email JonahsColumn@aol.com.

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Bharat Dynamics share price rose more than 7 percent intraday on May 6 after the company received a Rs 293-crore order from the Indian Air Force.

The order is towards the supply of MRSAM Missile Sections for Indian Air Force deliverables and has to be completed in the next 24 months.

At 1218 hours, Bharat Dynamics Ltd was quoting at Rs 226, up Rs 11.85, or 5.53 percent, on the BSE.

The share touched its 52-week high Rs 365 and 52-week low Rs 147 on November 13, 2019 and March 24, 2020, respectively.

It is trading 38.08 percent below its 52-week high and 53.74 percent above its 52-week low.
New Workplace Rules for Australias Post-Virus Economy

Workplaces will have new rules in place to make them virus-safe as millions of Australians prepare to return to work.

Businesses have been encouraged to implement a range of measures put together by Safe Work Australia.

On May 1, Attorney-General Christian Porter and Michaelia Cash, the minister for employment, skills, and small business, launched an online toolkit on the Safe Work website providing information on health and safety guidelines for 23 industries.

Porter said the guidelines provide information on physical distancing, personal protective equipment, worksite cleaning, how to conduct risk assessments, and design emergency plans.

Cash said, I would encourage every business to think about their unique circumstances, consult their peak body, check out SWAs new website, and start preparing now.

The Safe Work guidelines were created in consultation with Safe Work members, state and territory workplace safety bodies, employer groups, and unions.

The website will be regularly updated with new guidance as current restrictions are eased.

Unions are pushing for businesses to be mandated to provide virus-safe workplaces, but Porter has refuted this saying existing laws are sufficient.

The national cabinet is aiming to have businesses ready before July.

Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy said staggered hours were one way to reduce contact as people return to work.

He emphasised the importance of avoiding crowded places including public transport or lifts.

We dont want everyone crowding in the lifts at the beginning of the day and the end of the day, he said.

Murphy said cleaning products and hand sanitiser should be in workplaces, while hot-desk arrangements would need to change.

A person applies hand sanitizer gel to their hands in a file photo. (Elenathewise/iStock)

He also said using video conferencing where possible and maintaining the ban on handshakes was important.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison supported these new regulations saying to reporters on May 5, To get Australians back to work, what is essential is they could go back into a COVID-19 safe workplace.

Morrison has spent the past few weeks focussing on reviving the economy post-virus.

On May 5, Morrison spruiked the first military aircraft designed and built in Australia.

On May 6, he tweeted about $500 million worth of new infrastructure projects saying, Our $500m investment in this project will boost jobs, bust congestion and get workers and families home sooner and safer.

Our $500m investment in this project will boost jobs, bust congestion and get workers and families home sooner and safer. https://t.co/7xcNdgsfxj  Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) May 5, 2020

States and territories are now in the midst of easing restrictions from the virus.

Meanwhile, Australia and New Zealand are forging ahead with plans to create a special travel zone in the coming months.
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Wednesday that Dr. Anthony Fauci was being barred from testifying before the House because majority Democrats were engaging in a 'publicity stunt.'

McEnany did not repeat a charge leveled by President Trump Tuesday  that he was barring Fauci from appearing because House Democrats are 'Trump haters' and that Democrats don't want him to be successful against the disease.

Instead, she said it was because the head of the powerful House Appropriations Committee had not communicated what the hearing would be about.

It was titled: 'COVID-19 response.'

Having career and political officials testify before Congress has been considered a core legislative function. But where things stand now, Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, will be testifying before the Republican-run Senate but not the Demoratic-run House.

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said a House Democratic effort to get Dr. Anthony Fauci to testify about the coronavirus was a 'publicity stunt'

'It's important to know that Dr. Fauci will be testifying before the Senate, which means he will be fielding questions from both Democrats and Republicans,' McEnany observed.

'The House, however, and specifically chairwoman [New York Rep.] Nita Lowey's committee did not act in good faith. Mark Meadows had three calls with chairwoman Nita Lowey three nights ago when she called to ask if Dr. Fauci could testify before a subcommittee hearing and chief of staff Mark Meadows has made clear he wants to make best use of the task force members' time.'

'Of course they're working to save lives, and that's important,' she said  reviving a White House argument from last week, that coronavirus task force members were too busy.

On Tuesday, Trump said the task force was being disbanded, although on Wednesday he said it would continue with possible new members.

Kayleigh McEnany said a Democratic request for Fauci to appear before the committee that funds U.S. health programs was a 'publicity stunt'

She claimed Lowey refused to say what the hearing was for. 'So, to that end [Meadows] said in the three phone calls, what is the purpose of this hearing? Can you give me the subject matter. And Lowey was unable to tell the chief of staff what the subject matter was.'

'The last phone call they had was 10:46 p.m. on that evening and Lowey agreed to follow up in the morning with details. Those details were never received and instead we got a press release. Thats what we call a publicity stunt. We encourage the House to act in good faith like the Senate did,' she said.

The hearing, by the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies subcommittee  which funds those agencies  went ahead anyway Wednesday, with a former Obama administration official testifying.'

Trump said Tuesday he is refusing to let Dr. Anthony Fauci testify in the House because the Democratic-run chamber is comprised of 'Trump-haters.'

He claimed Democrats 'don't want us to succeed' in the fight against the coronavirus, and acknowledged the reason was not the one previously stated by the White House  that they were too busy battling the outbreak.

Asked by DailyMail.com why he wouldn't let Dr. Fauci testify, Trump responded: 'Because the House is a set up. The House is a bunch of Trump-haters. They put every Trump-hater on the committee. The same old stuff,' he vented.

'They frankly want our situation to be unsuccessful, which means death. Which means death. And our situation's going to be very successful,' Trump said as he departed the White House on a trip to Arizona to tour a face mask factory.

'The House has put on a committee, an oversight committee with Maxine Waters and Maloney, and the same people. And it's just a set-up. But Dr. Fauci will be testifying in front of the Senate and he looks forward to doing that,' the president said, confirming a May 12 appearance before a GOP-run committee there.

He was referencing Democratic Reps. Maxine Waters and Carolyn Maloney, although the hearing where Fauci was invited to appear is chaired by Rep. Rosa DeLauro. Neither Waters nor Maloney sit on the committee, though both chair other powerful oversight panels  the Banking Committee and the Oversight Committee.

Donald Trump reasserted Tuesday that he will block Dr. Anthony Fauci from testifying before the House about coronavirus

Facui (right) is the federal government's top infectious disease expert and serves on the White House coronavirus task force, often appearing beside the president for briefings

Trump called out Reps. Maxine Waters and Carolyn Maloney, who each chair powerful panels but would not be there for Fauci's appearance

Fauci is the nation's top infectious disease expert and has been a fixture on airwaves. But a House Appropriations subcommittee wants to hear from him as it conducts oversight, with more coronavirus legislation coming in addition to the $3 trillion Congress has already enacted.

Any future legislation would require support in both the House and the Senate.

The White House said last week Fauci was being blocked due to his busy schedule.

'While the Trump Administration continues its whole-of-government response to COVID-19, including safely opening up America again and expediting vaccine development, it is counter-productive to have the very individuals involved in those efforts appearing at Congressional hearings,' White House spokesman Judd Deere told DailyMail.com on Friday.

'The Appropriations Committee sought Dr. Anthony Fauci as a witness at next week's Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee hearing on COVID-19 response. We have been informed by an administration official that the White House has blocked Dr. Fauci from testifying,' House Appropriations panel spokesman Evan Hollander said in a statement Friday.

Trump repeatedly attacked House Democrats when asked about Fauci, claiming they did not want him to 'succeed.'

'The House, they should be ashamed of themselves. Frankly the Democrats should be ashamed. Because they don't want us to succeed. They want us to fail so they can win an election, which they're not going to win,' Trump said.

'Think of it. They do everything they can to make things as bad as possible. And right now the stock market's way up. Everybody's excited. They're going back to work safely .. We're opening up our country again. The whole world is excited watching us, because we're leading the world,' Trump said. Then he turned his fire on China. 'What happened should never ever have happened. China should have informed us that they had a problem,' Trump said.

Trump has repeatedly clashed with Democrats since they took the majority in 2018 over providing administration witnesses, including during impeachment and probes of his finances and other matters.
As China opens up its markets wider for foreign firms by removing foreign ownership restrictions on foreign-funded life insurance companies in the country, HSBC Holdings plc HSBC has entered a deal to buy the remaining 50% stake in its China life insurance joint venture (JV)  HSBC Life Insurance Company Limited  from The National Trust Limited.



HSBC Life Insurance Company Limited was formed in 2009 as a 50:50 JV between HSBC and National Trust Limited. The JV offers insurance solutions that cover annuity, whole life, critical illness and unit-linked insurance products.



The move aligns with HSBCs CEO Noel Quinns plan to boost the companys performance by shifting investments and capital to Asia, and restructuring the business.



Quinn stated, Despite the current difficult environment engendered by the Covid-19 pandemic, we continue to take steps to implement our growth strategy. This transaction supports our ambition to accelerate growth within our Asian franchise, particularly in the dynamic and fast-growing Greater Bay Area, where we fully intend to expand in all lines of businesses. It also allows us to further extend our capabilities in wealth, another area of strategic focus for the Group.



HSBCs Asia Pacific chief executive, Peter Wong, said, As the leading international bank in China, HSBC is privileged to participate in the opening up of the insurance sector, a positive development which underlines Chinas commitment to financial reform. This transaction allows us to increase our investment and deepen our presence in China, an important country within our well-regarded Asian franchise and a strategic market supporting our customers activity across our global footprint.



Notably, the deal will be structured as a transfer of equity interest and is subject to regulatory approvals, including from the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission.



China has been continuously making efforts to open its financial markets since 2018. In fact, despite the ongoing crisis disrupting investor sentiments largely, China opened its asset-management markets wider for foreign firms, starting Apr 1, 2020.



Among firms wanting to take advantage of the situation is JPMorgan JPM, which agreed to own 100% of its China mutual fund JV  China International Fund Management Co.



Recently, Credit Suisse CS received regulatory approval to take a majority stake in its China investment banking JV.



Goldman Sachs GS also received a nod from the China Securities Regulatory Commission to increase stake in its mainland securities JV to 51%.



With foreign firms being allowed to conduct business in China without any restrictions, it will help boost their revenues and market share. Also, as the current global operating backdrop looks challenging, global diversification is likely to support their financials.



HSBCs continued efforts to strengthen digital capabilities globally and improve operating efficiency through further restructuring efforts will go a long way in supporting profitability. However, while the companys initiatives to improve market share in China will likely support its financials over the long term, it might lead to an increase in expenses. Elevated expenses will, in turn, hurt the bottom line to an extent.



Shares of HSBC have lost 36.3% so far this year compared with the 40.5% decline recorded by the industry.

Story continues













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Emergency funding provided for charities during the coronavirus pandemic goes nowhere near addressing organisations plunging incomes, a group of MPs have warned.

While welcoming the governments recent 750 million support package, the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee reiterated that some charities in England are on the brink of insolvency  with the sector facing an estimated 4 billion blackhole.

In a new report, the MPs on the committee warn that smaller charities are fighting for survival after their means of generating income dried up overnight when the Covid-19 lockdown was implemented.

Social distancing is making delivering services harder and more costly, they warned. Reserves are running out. Smaller charities, in particular, are at risk of imminent closure if adequate support is not provided.

According to evidence submitted to the MPs, the UK has more than 160,000 registered charities with the majority being smaller organisations with an annual income of less than 100,000.

How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities Show all 6 1 /6 How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities Milan, Italy REUTERS How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities North Jakarta, Indonesia REUTERS How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities Jakarta, Indonesia REUTERS How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities Venice, Italy REUTERS How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities New Delhi, India REUTERS How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities Islamabad, Pakistan REUTERS

In a warning to ministers, the report went on: We are concerned that the support announced to date is not enough, and that a lack of transparency in how these funds are being allocated means deserving charities will lose out.

We therefore call on the government to increase the support available to charities through a comprehensive stabilisation fund, and to ensure that support is made available to charities that are not directly working on Covid-19 but facing financial hardship.

The government must also adapt existing support schemes for businesses to ensure they provide appropriate support for the charity sector. It must take these steps urgently, within a month to prevent charities from folding.

MPs on the committee also suggested introducing a separate coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for the charity sector, in order to allow furloughed employees to volunteer for their own organisations during the crisis.

Julian Knight, the Tory MP who chairs the committee, said: The strong message that charities gave us was not that they have some sort of right to survive but that people have a right to the services they provide.

We warned the chancellor that charities told us they faced a 4bn gap in money coming in, with some smaller charities facing insolvency within weeks without immediate emergency support.

He added: The sum of money thats been made available goes nowhere near replacing the income that many charities have lost.

Were urging the government to set up a stabilisation fund to assist organisations to stay afloat so that we avoid increasing hardship among those who depend on charities to help them during this crisis and beyond."
The Coronavirus Storm

KAMPALA  The Coronavirus like a storm, has wrecked economies worldwide its wake. The virus is disrupting the world. It has led to shut down of businesses and laying off people from jobs worldwide. In many countries most people are at home. They have been told to stay home in an attempt to stop the spread of the virus as it brings death with it. It is an unprecedented storm. It has been killing people and businesses worldwide, indeed a pandemic. It is said to be the single most important factor in the world since World War II. It required lockdown of countries to control the spread. Literally most economic activities stopped. What happens when the lockdown ends? Important to note, however, that the virus is not cured! Not until the cure or vaccine is found shall we be safe. The lockdown was just intended to slow it down not to kill it. As a virus it will finally affect most people in the world.

How do organizations resume or restart their activities? Life will never be the same again for many businesses anywhere in the world, Uganda inclusive. The Coronavirus was a coffin, for others and a nail in the coffin for many organizations. But of course, there are many that will live on. They will live on but with difficulty. Government must lead the country from the lockdown to near normal life in the short run and up and running again in the long run. We also have to learn to live with the virus and adjust our lives accordingly. But all economies are shattered. To revive the economy, government must give a stimulus to kick start business, but what stimulus? What do individual organization do to restart business?

In this treatise, I present my personal view on what the problem is, how it is being responded too globally briefly and more emphasis on Uganda. I defined the problem as I perceive it and I provide solutions based on what my own understanding of issues and observation from known theories or practice. It will be presented it in five (5) parts. In my view, the lockdown should be eased, not completely removed. There should be immediate measures. I see the coronavirus as an opportunity to rethink how the Ugandan economy works in the light of changing global power shifts and emerging technologies. Current thinking and policies are obsolete! If we continue with them we will end up with the same problem. A poor country. The lockdown must be eased to prevent social unrest but must be systematic, certain activities should be allowed in a sequence. Otherwise we will see numerous dead bodies around the country.

The Global Challenge and Response

Some countries have already started thinking of what they will do post-Covid-19 first lockdown. It is possible there may be another lockdown. Others have already initiated actions to revive their economies. The United States announced a stimulus package of US$2.2 trillion, Germany approved US$814 billion. In fact, the stimulus is already being implemented through giving people unemployment benefits and food. Others are on the fence waiting for it to end to do something. Many countries are wondering what to do since they are broke! These are mainly developing countries who have a unique problem. It is a unique problem because they are not only poor but cannot borrow easily or print money because of their agreements with the World Bank/IMF. Most times they wait for donors to give direction. In these circumstances the United Nations will seek funds from wealthy member countries to support the medical component of the Coronavirus pandemic for such countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) is already doing that. Some days ago, the US withdrew its funding citing mismanagement of the pandemic. This would deny assistance to poor countries. But how will developing countries manage the economic restoration.

Economic support for developing countries

For the economic support developing countries have to make agreements with the World Bank/IMF. African countries, like all other developing countries, may therefore not have a leeway in fixing their economic recovery programmes. They have to seek support from IMF and World Bank. But is that so? Yes, they have to abide by the guidance provided by those countries that control world affairs. These countries also automatically control the multi-lateral, institutions. How will Uganda fair? IMF has approved US $109 million for Rwanda. Kenya received US $50 million, Nigeria has received US $3.4 billion. IMF has secured US $1 trillion to lend to such countries. This is the difference maker. Other governments make available internally, poor countries borrow externally!

In recent years even before the virus, the world has changed much. Asia, especially China, became a key player in world affairs. This arose from the phenomenal economic growth China attained in the last 30 years. The world continues to change and the Coronavirus is adding to the change. Who is calling the shots at the global scene and who is driving the change? The United States has been the global leader calling the shots. This appears to be changing given Chinas rise. The US has had an alliance with Western countries that have believed in free market economics. The key players have been the US, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Italy and Japan from Asia. They control the World Bank and the United Nations. Between them they have about 40% of the worlds GDP! Multi-Lateral institutions and developed countries have been supporting developing countries in their development agenda through grants and loans. In the post Coronavirus effect changes, they are expected to play a key role. I am reluctant to use the word post became it is not over yet. Governments are coming out with different policies to manage the Coronavirus effect environment. Developing countries await donations and loans to support their economic revival needs. But who will support them? Lets watch this unfold. But what will Uganda do?

The Key Questions

Despite what is going on in terms of economic stimulus efforts, before the lockdown ends everywhere in the world, there are questions every country must ask, whether rich or poor, developed or underdeveloped. What do we do to stop people dying from the Coronavirus? This is a medical issue that requires doctors, researchers, facilities, medicine and money! The other question is how do we ensure that economic activities are restored? More importantly, how do we ensure that the country is able to adapt to these changing circumstances of the coronavirus effect, revive the economy and sustain its economic performance? May be also how to take advantage of the changes to improve a countrys economic performance. Other important questions are, how do we ensure this does not re-occur in future and how do we manage future occurrences when and if they do. It should also involve questions of whether our pre-coronavirus business/economic model was giving the result we wanted. If not, can we change it? Like other countries Uganda has to raise and answer the two questions, the medical one and the economic one.

In an article on the Coronavirus pandemic, I attempted to explore how to deal with the Coronavirus medical problem. Solutions continue to evolve as scientists around the world research into the problem. It is not yet settled. It is believed that a vaccine will be the solution. The Uganda government keeps on making recommendations to Uganda on what to do. Social distancing and washing hands appear key in preventing the spread. No known cure yet. But how do you ensure social distancing in schools, buses and markets? How do you wash hands when there is no water? A one trillion-shilling questions. No good answers. The quest for answers continues.

=========================================

The writer, Prof. Waswa Balunywa, is the Principal of Makerere University Business School

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3 1 of 3 Craig Moseley / Contributor Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Claire Goodman / Staff photo Show More Show Less 3 of 3





Katy-area residents headed outdoors just after noon Wednesday to catch a glimpse of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.

The elite team of pilots flew in formation over the greater Houston area, specifically places with hospitals, as a thank you to essential workers in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The flight path of the planes went from north of the Houston area through Conroe, over downtown Houston, west toward Katy, over downtown again and south toward Galveston.
Kyrgyz Border Guard Service Says Renewed Clashes Prevented Near Uzbek Exclave

By RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service May 05, 2020

BISHKEK -- Kyrgyz border authorities say they have prevented a renewed outbreak of clashes near an Uzbek exclave inside Kyrgyz territory.

Zamir Miizaev, the chief of the Border Guard Directorate in Kyrgyzstan's southern Batken region, told RFE/RL on May 5 that tensions near the border have been rising due to a dispute around irrigation water usage.

Kyrgyz border guards fired warning gunshots on May 1 to prevent possible violence, he said.

Many border areas in Central Asian former Soviet republics have been disputed since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

The situation is particularly complicated near the numerous exclaves in the volatile Ferghana Valley, where the borders of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan meet.

One such exclave is Sokh, an ethnic Tajik-populated Uzbek territory within Kyrgyzstan's Batken region, where shootings have been common for years.

In 2013, border crossings through Sokh were closed for several weeks after Sokh residents clashed with Kyrgyz border guards over the installation of electric power lines to a new Kyrgyz border post.

Five Sokh residents were reportedly wounded by Kyrgyz border guards and at least 30 Kyrgyz citizens were subsequently taken hostage then.

In July 2019, Tajik officials said one Tajik man was killed and seven more wounded after Kyrgyz villagers used hunting guns in violence that erupted over the move by Tajik residents to install Tajik national flags on the Isfara-Vorukh road near Tajikistan's Vorukh exclave inside Kyrgyzstan.

Officials in the Batken region temporarily moved more than 650 residents from the village of Ak-Sai from the area for safety and security reasons in the days following the clashes.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kyrgyz-border- guard-service-says-renewed-clashes- prevented-near-uzbek-exclave/30594413.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.

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Dairy farmers hit by the lockdown will be able to get Government support (Danny Lawson/PA)

Dairy farmers struggling in the face of the coronavirus lockdown will each be able to access up to 10,000 of support, the Government has announced.

The move comes after calls from farming leaders to help the sector, which has faced a slump demand for milk from restaurants, cafes and hotels.

It has forced some farmers to pour away milk and has put businesses at risk of folding.

Many farmers have already rerouted milk supplies to retailers and supermarkets to meet increased demand in recent weeks from households.

The Government said the fund will help those struggling most.

Farmers in England who have lost more than 25% of their income over April and May due to coronavirus disruptions will be eligible for the support, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said.

They will be able to claim up to 10,000 to cover 70% of lost income during April and May to ensure they can continue to operate and maintain production capacity without harming animal welfare.

A 1 million campaign to get UK households drinking more milk, funded jointly by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), Defra, the Scottish Government, Welsh Government, Northern Ireland Executive and Dairy UK has also been launched.

We will continue to stand alongside our dairy farmers through this difficult period George Eustice

Environment Secretary George Eustice said: Our dairy industry plays a crucial role in feeding our nation and we are doing all we can to ensure they are properly supported during this time.

Weve already relaxed competition laws so dairy farmers can work together through the toughest months but recognise there is more to be done.

That is why today we have kick-started a new campaign to boost milk consumption and have announced a further package of funding.

He added: We will continue to stand alongside our dairy farmers through this difficult period.
Passenger planes of German airliners Lufthansa and TUI pass one another at Tegel Airport in Berlin, Germany, on July 29, 2008. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Europes Leading Global Airline Is Losing $1 Million an Hour and Needs a Bailout

Lufthansa is locked in crunch talks with the German government on the terms of a rescue deal, as it fights to avoid bankruptcy while keeping state influence at bay.

Europes leading global airline group held its first virtual annual general meeting on Tuesday, unveiling a 1.2 billion ($1.3 billion) first-quarter loss and painting a bleak picture of the outlook for global aviation, which has been brought to a virtual standstill by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic.

Lufthansa declined to answer questions from shareholders regarding details of its bailout discussions, according to Bloomberg. It said last week that the Swiss government had agreed to guarantee 85 percent of a $1.5 billion loan package for its Swiss carriers. The group also owns airlines in Germany, Austria, and Belgium.

German weekly Der Spiegel and Bloomberg reported Friday that Lufthansa is negotiating a 10 billion ($10.8 billion) bailout with Germany that would give the government 25.1 percent of the company and a seat on its supervisory board.

Lufthansa declined to comment on the reports. But the company said in a letter sent to staff on May 3 and shared with CNN Business that it believes talks can be brought to a quick conclusion.

The support of the German government would be a decisive step for our future viability, the executive board wrote in the letter. Competitiveness and investment capability continue to be important prerequisites for this.

Lufthansa airplanes are seen parked on the tarmac during a strike of cabin crew union (UFO) at Frankfurt airport, Germany, on Nov. 7, 2019. (Ralph Orlowski/Reuters/File Photo)

Analysts are worried that government interference could hamper Lufthansas ability to quickly execute a planned restructuring program, which would trim its fleet by 13 percent and could result in as many as 10,000 job cuts. About two-thirds of its staff, or more than 80,000 people, are already on reduced working hours.

CEO Carsten Spohr stressed Tuesday that Lufthansa wants to preserve its entrepreneurial freedom of decision and action.

We therefore now need government support, but we do not need government management, he told shareholders via video conference.

Adding a political component to Lufthansas board will make things much more difficult because history has shown that decisive action is the best way for an airline to survive a crisis, said Daniel Roeska, a senior research analyst at Bernstein.

The bigger strategic worry is how long the government influence will be there, he added. We would hope that investors would also get a chance to participate in an equity raise to demonstrate their support for the company.

Strings Attached

Several major carriers in Europe and the United States have sought investor funds and government bailouts to survive a mounting financial crisis brought on by travel restrictions to curb the CCP virus pandemic.

These have come with conditions, including agreements by carriers to cut carbon emissions and a temporary prohibition on layoffs among U.S. airlines. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said last week at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue that governments responding to the pandemic with economic stimulus packages should not pull back from climate protection goals.

Budget carrier Norwegian Air said in a statement Monday that it qualified for state aid of 3 billion Norwegian Krone ($288.7 million) after lessors and bondholders agreed to convert nearly $1 billion of the companys debt to equity and shareholders gave it the go-ahead to issue more stock.

French state-backed loans amounting to 7 billion ($7.6 billion) given to Air France-KLM last month included new commitments to cut absolute carbon emissions in half by 2024 on its domestic network, compared with 2019. This will involve reducing capacity on that network and replacing half of its short and medium-haul fleet with less carbon intensive planes, according to a spokesperson.

KLM airplanes are seen parked, as Schiphol Airport reduces its flights due to the CCP virus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on April 2, 2020. (Piroschka van de Wouw/File Photo/Reuters)

A spokesperson for Lufthansa told CNN Business last week that capacity adjustments as a result of the CCP virus crisis are accelerating the phasing out of older aircraft with lower fuel efficiency. But crisis management means that future investments, such as into sustainable aviation fuels, will be more difficult.

If we are to continue our broad commitment to climate protection in the future, it is crucial that we regain our economic strength as quickly as possible, the spokesperson said.

Lufthansa is burning a hole in its cash reserves at a rate of 1 million ($1.1 million) per hour, Spohr said Tuesday. All of our efforts are being annihilated by a single global event. No one could have foreseen this outcome, he said.

Europes top airlines have announced that as many as 35,000 jobs could be lost between them, as they shrink their businesses for a world in which people fly less. The latestVirgin Atlanticsaid Tuesday that it would cut over 3,000 jobs from its workforce.

Peoples travel behavior will change, both in terms of leisure and business travel. As a result, global air transport will have to restructure itself, Spohr said.

CNN Wire and Epoch Times staff contributed to this report.
Dozens from the Siekopai nation along Ecuador-Peru border flee to the Amazon for shelter.

Members of one of Ecuadors Indigenous communities have fled into the Amazon rainforest, fearing the community could be wiped out as coronavirus infections rise in its territory.

With about 744 members, the Siekopai nation, along the border between Ecuador and Peru, has 15 confirmed cases of the virus. Two elderly leaders died in the last two weeks after showing symptoms of COVID-19, the group said.

Ecuador has reported more than 31,000 cases nationwide while nearly 1,600 have died.

A member of the Siekopai nation is tested for antibodies to the coronavirus disease at the nations territories in Sucumbios [Amazon Frontiles y Alianza Ceibo/Handout/Reuters]

A large number of Siekopai have exhibited symptoms related to the outbreak but, after they sought help from a government health centre in nearby Tarapoa city, doctors told them they just had a nasty flu, community President Justino Piaguaje said in a meeting held via social media on Monday.

When the first of the elders died last month, Siekopai leaders urged Ecuadors government to fence off the community and test the inhabitants but have received no response, he added.

There are barely 700 of us. In the past, we were victims of this type of disease and today, we dont want history to be repeated.

We dont want our people saying that there were 700 of us and now there are 100. What a scandal it would be for the Ecuadorian government to leave us with such a sad story in the 21st century.

Fearful of the coronavirus, dozens of Siekopai fled in canoes to Lagartococha in the heart of the Amazon [Amazon Frontiles y Alianza Ceibo/Handout via Reuters]

Fleeing to the jungle

Fearful of the coronavirus and to avoid infection, dozens of children and elderly Siekopai fled in canoes to Lagartococha, one of Ecuadors largest wetlands in the heart of the Amazon.





Siekopai who stayed behind in their territory in Ecuadors Sucumbios province are turning to homoeopathic medicines to cope with respiratory problems, said Piaguaje.

Other Indigenous groups in Ecuadors Amazon also have confirmed coronavirus cases, according to Indigenous organisation CONFENIAE.

Human rights organisations working in Ecuadors Amazonian regions say the health ministry is neglecting communities such as the Siekopai, who have yet to receive tests or medical supplies despite their vulnerability.

They are in serious risk of being physically and culturally wiped out by the spread of COVID-19 in their territory, said Maria Espinosa, a human rights defender with the group Amazon Frontlines.

In neighbouring Peru, Indigenous groups submitted a formal complaint to the United Nations in late April, saying the government had left them to fend for themselves against the coronavirus, risking ethnocide by inaction.
LANSING, MI -- Data gathered by state health officials show the average number of COVID-19 cases and deaths are down week over week as the state continues to battle the coronavirus outbreak. Still, the virus continues to spread across the state despite efforts to maintain social distance and stay home.

Meanwhile, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vetoed a bill Tuesday that would have reduced the length of some of her previously signed executive orders, and the attorney general has advised law enforcement officers to continue enforcing the governors unilateral state of emergency and stay-home orders.

Below is a look at the most recent developments related to the crisis.

Michigan coronavirus deaths down 29%, new cases down 18% compared to last week

The average number of daily coronavirus cases and deaths are down, compared to the same time last week. In the last week, Michigan is averaging 734 new cases per day and 87.4 deaths per day. In the week prior, the state averaged 899 new cases per day and 123.9 deaths per day  thats an 18.3% decrease in cases and 29.4% decrease in deaths.

On Tuesday, officials announced 447 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 44 new deaths. However, Tuesdays data includes some extra backlogged data caused by a bug in the system the day before. Additionally, officials said eight of the 44 deaths reported Tuesday come from prior days.

In total, Michigan has 44,397 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 4,179 deaths.

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6 weeks in, how are Michiganders still catching COVID-19?

Its been six weeks since Whitmer ordered residents to stay home, to practice social distancing if they have to go out and to avoid gatherings outside the home. So how are people still catching the virus?

This in-depth story looks at how the virus is still spreading, where its spreading, how testing plays into the spread and how reopening the state could impact the numbers of cases.

Whitmer vetoes bill that would have reopened some businesses sooner

As promised, the governor vetoed a bill Tuesday that called for some of her executive orders to be shortened and would have reopened some businesses ahead of schedule. The state legislature passed Senate Bill 858, which would have amended Michigans Emergency Management Act of 1976, laying out deadlines for when some of Whitmers executive orders would end.

A previous version of the bill called for shortening the amount of time a governor can issue a state of emergency without needing legislative approval, from 28 days to 14 days. That was not included in the final bill.

I will not sign any bills that constrain my ability to protect the people of Michigan from a deadly pandemic in a timely manner, Whitmer wrote in a letter explaining the veto.

Michigan-made coronavirus vaccine in clinical trial

Pfizer announced it is in the clinical trial stage of producing a possible COVID-19 vaccine that will be partially produced in Michigan. The Portage, Michigan facility will be one of three sites where the vaccine will be produced for trials that will take place in Germany.

As part of a partnership with German company BioNTech, known for its cancer treatments, the two companies are working toward creating and supplying millions of doses of a vaccine by the end of 2020. The companies hope to scale that production to hundreds of millions of doses in 2021.

Michigan AG says Whitmers orders are still valid, instructs law officers to continue enforcement

Despite efforts in the legislature to question the legality of Whitmers state of emergency and stay-home orders, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says the orders are legally valid and law enforcement officers should continue to enforce them. Nessels office said there was some confusion among law enforcement after lawmakers questioned the validity of the order.

However, Nessel issued a letter of guidance Tuesday to law enforcement across the state, affirming Whitmers position that she is within her powers to issue the orders.

Nessel finds the two orders to be valid under the Emergency Powers of the Governor Act and asks local law enforcement agencies to continue their enforcement efforts, the attorney generals office said in a news release.

Automakers plan to reopen plants in two weeks

Fiat Chrysler, Ford and General Motors are planning to send plant workers back to work in the next two weeks after shutting down most manufacturing operations since March due to the outbreak. Chrysler CEO Mike Manley has said the company plans to open factories on May 18, according to the Associated Press.

United Auto Workers members are ready to return to the job, according to the report, but also are entitled to seek closures if the virus begins to spread in plants.

GM workers will be paid for two weeks if they have to self-quarantine

As automakers gear up for a return to work, workers at General Motors plants have some assurances theyll be paid if they have to self-quarantine after returning to work. Employees who are asked to self-quarantine by the company will receive 14 days of paid time off, according to an update sent to employees Monday.

Employees may be asked to quarantine if contact tracing efforts indicate an employee may have interacted with someone whos tested positive.

Significant planning is underway to safely restart production, GM spokesman Jim Cain said in an email to MLive-The Flint Journal. We are in regular contact with federal, state, and local authorities, our suppliers, the UAW, and our manufacturing team. We have not yet announced a restart date. When people do return to work, whether for planning or for regular production, we will use screening, cleaning, and social distancing strategies designed using the best medical advice and scientific data available, including guidance from the CDC.

Muskegon health facilities eye reopening as COVID-19 cases remain low

Health officials in Muskegon County are preparing to open more health care services as an anticipated spike in COVID-19 cases has not happened. Muskegon County has reported 317 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 18 deaths as of Monday, May 4.

The Mercy Health system was prepared for hundreds of possible cases in the early days of the outbreak, but officials now feel they have the situation under control and can offer other services. Mercy plans on offering time sensitive procedures in the next two to four weeks.

PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
'While we are all trying to stay indoors and help flatten the curve, all recruitment processes have been put on hold and I am unable to find a job for myself.'

IMAGE: A man jogs past a social distancing sign in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, April 21, 2020. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters

People of Indian Origin and NRIs describe the impact coronavirus is having on their lives.

Murtaza Saifi, Dublin, Ireland

The very first time I heard of the coronavirus was in a WhatsApp message sent in a college group in mid-January.

Just like the pandemic, we all pretty much ignored the message back then, considering that it was just in China, and would surely not travel far.

In the initial weeks, the topic was being addressed as the Situation in Wuhan, China, amidst friends and the extreme measures being taken by the authorities in that country to keep everyone indoors.

As an individual living in Dublin, far away from Ground Zero, I personally had not considered the situation to be of any personal significance. Not until I realised how quickly the number of cases spread across the globe and the count in Italy had horrifically increased in a matter of weeks.

Ireland, like many other countries, had been functioning normally throughout the situation. And even I, who had recently completed my master's degree, decided to shift to a working visa two months early in order to look for a full-time role by the end of February.

Eventually, in the first week of March, there was joint news -- of the first case in Ireland, along with the lockdown in Italy.

That led to the shift into panic mode. People ended up stocking groceries and toilet paper in immense proportions which eventually led to shortages for those in genuine need.

IMAGE: A scene from Dublin, April 21, 2020. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters

Italy had become a lesson for all countries on the pandemic and Ireland did not hesitate in calling off the St Patrick's Day parade, for the first time ever, along with any social gatherings.

They promoted the concept of individuals staying indoors and maintaining social distancing.

Even all sporting events moved from being played behind closed doors to complete suspension.

While we are all trying to stay indoors and help flatten the curve, all recruitment processes have been put on hold and I am unable to find a job for myself.

My sole need to earn is for paying my rent, but I am aware of friends, who have taken education loans and need to cover their installments and are in a much more difficult situation than I am.

Moving back to India would only lead to putting my parents at a risk, if I were to catch the virus during travel.

While I am stuck in this limbo, I have been trying my best to make something productive out of the situation by taking online courses.

The lockdown allows us to step out of the house within a 2 km radius, but the streets are mostly empty. People prefer staying within the safety of their homes.

It has been five weeks now and groceries are easily available, as of now, for the public. I have had no trouble getting them for myself.

In the Dawoodi Bohra community, an initiative was also taken, by its Faizul Mawaid Burhaniya team, to provide a sufficient amount of food stock to all families and students of the community living in the city, to survive for a few weeks and not have to leave their homes. That has also replenished my resources.

I believe that only positivity can keep us going at a time like this.

The Harry Potter fan inside of me is reminded of a quote, that fits the occasion: 'Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light'.

Part 1 in the series: 'Our world is coming to a complete standstill'

Part 2 in the series: 'Indian Americans collected 6 months of groceries'

Part 3 in the series: 'Coronavirus: 'These are strange times'

Part 4 in the series: 'This virus has taken over the world'

Part 5 in the series: 'The virus has always felt at arm's length from me'

Part 6 in the series: 'We are now the eye of the storm'

Part 7 in the series: 'As a healthcare worker I feel the continuous gratitude of people'

Part 8 in the series:'Normal may never comeback'

Part 9 in the series:'A new reality is forcing its way into our lives'

Part 10: 'Life, as I have known it for 16 years here, has changed'

Part 11: 'We pray for the return to normalcy with high fives and hugs'

Part 12: 'We can't even take a U-turn'
The Ukrainian side has proposed inviting internally displaced persons from Donbas to work in the subgroups of the Trilateral Contact Group, but no talks will be held with representatives of unrecognized quasi-state entities.

This issue was discussed during a phone call between Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak and political advisers to the leaders of the member states of the Normandy Format, the press service of the President's Office reported.

"The Ukrainian side also proposed involving internally displaced persons who were forced to leave certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions after May 2014 to work in the TCG's subgroups as invited persons representing these areas," the report reads.

Yermak said that TCG participants will involve these people in the discussions, consultations and coordination of issues stipulated by the Minsk agreements.

He also emphasized the unacceptability of holding any negotiations with representatives of unrecognized quasi-state entities.

He said that in order to speed up the Minsk process, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had signed a decree significantly increasing Ukraine's representation in the TCG.

"We have raised it to a very high official level," Yermak said.

Yermak proposed that at the next meeting of the TCG, due to be held on May 14, the sides agree on the expanded membership of delegations of Ukraine, Russia and the OSCE in accordance with the proposals of the Ukrainian side.

"The high official status of members of the delegations will help make decisions faster and more efficiently, implement them and see who does not implement them," Yermak said.

On May 5, Zelensky signed a decree approving the composition of the Ukrainian delegation for participation in the Trilateral Contact Group for the Peaceful Settlement of the Situation in Donetsk and Luhansk Regions.

op
Information Technology (IT) firms in Hinjewadi and other parts of the city have commenced preparation to partially open their facilities in keeping with the permission granted by the Maharashtra government.

IT companies located in Pimpri-Chinchwad police jurisdiction, which includes the Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park at Hinjewadi has been allowed to call in 33 per cent of their staff as per orders issued by Sandeep Bishnoi, Pimpri-Chinchwad police commissioner on May 3, a day before lockdown 3.0 came into effect.

Pune is one of the major IT hubs in the country with the IT Park at Hinjewadi alone, employing nearly two lakh people who reside mostly in the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad civic areas. Annual software exports from the IT industry in Pune amounts to around $5 billion (Rs 10,000 crore), according to the Hinjewadi Industries Association.

Vinayak Dhakane, deputy commissioner of police, zone-2, under whose jurisdiction the Hinjewadi IT park functions, said, As employees are not allowed to commute to work by private vehicles, the bigger companies are now approaching us and making bus arrangements for the required number of employees who can come to work.

By now, also their system of work-from-home has also developed, he added.

One set of passes reached us in the morning and one at 6pm on Wednesday evening (total 263). The pass requires specific names of people travelling in a bus along with the route. The passes are being issued (by police) through HIA. If they had allowed for private vehicles for IT employees, that would been a more convenient option, said Colonel (retired) Charanjeet Bhogal of the Hinjewadi Industries Association (HIA).

Meanwhile, the Forum for IT Employees (FITE), a union for IT workers in Maharashtra, expressed the view that the employees should be called only after the lockdown is over or when Pune district, which is currently a red zone, comes to green or orange zone.
Police in the south-central province of Binh Dinh have pressed charges against and issued a wanted notice for Truong Hai An, a former deputy director of the provincial Department of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs, after he disappeared with mountains of unpaid debts.

An is charged with "abuse of trust to appropriate property" after accusations of debt evasion were leveled at the former government official.

An inspection has revealed An and his family have not been seen at their residence from June 2019, with no further details available about his current whereabouts.

The Criminal Investigation Division under Binh Dinhs Department of Police has issued a wanted notice for An, listing him as an "extraordinarily dangerous suspect.

The wanted notice for Truong Hai An, former deputy director of Binh Dinh Provinces Department of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs

Prior to the prosecution, An was reportedly absent from work on sick leave from December 2018 to January 2019, when he claimed to be receiving treatment at Thong Nhat Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City.

He then proceeded to take paid and unpaid leave from March to May 2019 for what he said was another round of treatment at the University Medical Center in Ho Chi Minh City.

When asked for his medical papers for administrative filing, An promised to turn them in later when his treatment was completed.

An investigation found that An only visited each of the hospitals once and was not an inpatient at either institution.

After reaching his annual leave limit, An handed in his resignation letter and promptly abandoned his office without waiting for approval from the Binh Dinh Peoples Committee.

The chairman of the Binh Dinh administration in September 2019 officially removed An from his position due to his misconduct when he was in office.

An was caught in claims by multiple residents in Binh Dinh and neighboring Khanh Hoa Province for his failure to repay debts, which have allegedly amounted to billions of Vietnamese dong (VND1 billion = US$42,500).

His creditors have reported to law enforcement.

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Kansas City mayor amends rule forcing churches to record names of churchgoers

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Mayor Quinton Lucas has amended an executive order that required churches, businesses and organizations deemed "nonessential" to record the names of anyone who entered their buildings and stayed for more than 10 minutes.

On Monday, the mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, amended his 10-10-10 coronavirus rule issued last week that allowed businesses, houses of worship and other institutions deemed nonessential by the government to reopen at 10% of their original capacity or 10 people, whichever is greater.

After receiving pushback against the name-reporting requirement, the mayor made it optional. Churches and businesses are no longer required to supply the government with the names and contact details of people who entered their buildings and stayed there for more than 10 minutes. The mayor said he instituted the policy so health department officials could track and "isolate" people in case a facility became the site of a COVID-19 outbreak.

In the interest of public health and in order to avoid a COVID-19 outbreak in the community, those business operations should consider maintaining a record of customers on the premises, the amended rule states. Any information collected under this subsection by the business operation or the Department of Public Health shall remain confidential to the extent allowed by law and be utilized only for public health purposes or to address public health concerns.

It was initially reported that the goal of the reporting requirement was so the government could quickly trace, test, and isolate individuals who the government has reason to believe might have been exposed to the virus at those facilities.

The new order states that religious gatherings such as weddings, funerals, memorial services and wakes can continue as long as there's no more than 10 people or 10% of the buildings indoor capacity or 50 people for outside gatherings.

In the interest of public health and to avoid COVID-19 outbreak connected to a religious gathering, event organizers should consider maintaining a record of attendees where appropriate, the amended order reads. Attendees are not required, however, to provide their names or contact information at any religious gathering.

The order was quickly opposed by the Florida-based Christian legal group Liberty Counsel, which argues that the order is a violation of the U.S. Constitution.

Although the mayor amended his order, Liberty Counsel asserts that the rule still discriminates against houses of worship in two ways.

First, they are excluded from the essential category and thus subjected to unequal treatment from the beginning, a press release from the organization reads.

Essential operations, including gatherings inside and outside, are exempt from the 10/10/10 rule as well as name and contact recording. Second, religious gatherings for churches and houses of worship conducted outside were limited to no more than 50 people. No other secular outside gathering has this limitation of the 10/10/10 rule, which also includes recording names and contact information of any person who attends.

Liberty Counsel founder Mat Staver declared in a statement that the requirement for churches to record the names of attendees was a gross violation of the First Amendment.

Due to the overwhelming public outcry, the Kansas City Mayor reversed course and removed this unconstitutional provision, Staver said. That is the good news. The bad news, which Kansas City must still remedy, is the continued unconstitutional treatment of churches and houses of worship compared to other secular gatherings.

In a statement Tuesday, Lucas reasoned that the city was only asking for businesses and organizations that typically record attendance or reservations to maintain their records in case of an outbreak.

The government will not create or keep any records, Lucas said. Like other outbreaks, from E-coli to measles in our schools, the Health Department is bound to confidentiality as it works with any organization to protect its attendees.

A spokesperson for Lucas told The Kansas City Star that the mayor felt over the weekend that there was a need for clearer guidance expressing the voluntary nature of the requirement instead of engaging in ad nauseam political debate.
The eradication of the COVID-19 outbreak faces two big hurdles in this country: one, the demanding process of developing, testing and manufacturing an effective vaccine; two, convincing people to get vaccinated.

That second hurdle shouldnt be a hurdle at all. After all, even if we cant agree on anything else in this world, we should be able to agree about the urgent need for a COVID-19 vaccine.

A vaccine represents a ticket back to normalcy, freedom from our season of quarantine, liberation from the dilemma of having to choose between saving peoples lives and trying to save peoples jobs.

To many vaccination skeptics out there, however, a COVID-19 vaccine represents a threat  a dangerous conspiracy cooked up by big government and Big Pharma.

In recent weeks, weve seen vaccine skeptics team up with tea party conservatives and gun-rights activists to rail against what they perceive as government overreach, in the form of state shelter-in-place orders designed to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

For anti-vaxxers, the protests are theatrical dress rehearsals, warning shots being fired to warn state leaders that they will resist any attempt to make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory.

That message was spelled out in a placard held by a protester at an April 19 demonstration in Olympia, Wash.: Vaccine Mandates Violate Bodily Autonomy.

On April 22, Texans for Vaccine Choice, a Keller-based political action committee that fights to block pro-vaccine legislation, sent a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott.

You have repeatedly made comments that life as we knew it will not return until there is a COVID-19 vaccine, wrote Jackie Schlegel, TFVCs executive director.

Schlegel asked for Abbotts assurance that the state will not mandate that any Texas residents receive a COVID-19 test as a condition to return to work, maintain/obtain employment, attend school or childcare, or access state services.

Its unlikely that COVID-19 vaccinations would be mandatory in this country, but whats undeniable is that any mass vaccination effort requires overwhelming public participation to achieve the necessary herd immunity.

A survey conducted last month by Matt Motta, assistant professor of political science at Oklahoma State University, and Kristin Lunz Trujillo, a political science graduate student at the University of Minnesota, found that 23 percent of respondents were unwilling to receive a COVID-19 vaccination when it becomes available. Among vaccination skeptics, that number was 62 percent.

This level of mass reluctance could jeopardize the success of a vaccination effort.

Theresa MacPhail, a medical anthropologist and assistant professor at Stevens Institute of Technology, could have been talking about a coronavirus vaccine when she said this in 2018 about flu vaccinations: Most people think theyre getting a flu vaccine for themselves. But really theyre getting it for others.

In other words, vaccinations are based on the idea of a collective commitment to protect each other. Just like sheltering in place and wearing protective masks in public.

This common-good mentality is anathema to the demonstrators who recently stormed the capitols in Arizona, California, Michigan, Texas and other states.

For these protesters, individual liberty is sacrosanct, even if it means using that liberty to congregate in big groups and risk accelerating the spread of a pandemic that has taken the lives of nearly 70,000 Americans in a span of two months.

For anti-vaxxers, who cling to long-debunked theories that vaccinations cause autism, mandatory inoculation efforts amount to mass insanity. Public health mandates are the products of tyranny.

TFVC likes to create the impression that its not anti-vaccination, per se, but merely, as its name suggests, in favor of individual choice.

Thats probably true, as long as the individual choice youre making is in opposition to vaccinations.

TFVC raised more than $87,000 last year. In the 2018 midterms, it donated money to Brandon Hall and Chris Evans, two Republicans launching intraparty challenges against Texas House incumbents in the GOP primary.

Both of the incumbents they challenged, Hugh Shine and Gatesville physician J.D. Sheffield, had come out strongly in favor of vaccinations, with Sheffield saying the vaccine/autism link has been disproven repeatedly.

Last week, TFVC approvingly shared a screenshot of this tweet from conservative flamethrower Candace Owens: This is your daily reminder that under no circumstances will I be getting any #coronavirus vaccine that becomes available. Ever. No matter what.

No wonder the World Health Organization (another entity viewed with distrust by the liberty legion) identified vaccine hesitancy last year as one of the 10 biggest global health threats.

In a few months, it could be this countrys No. 1 threat.

Gilbert Garcia is a columnist covering the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Gilbert, become a subscriber. ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470
SPRINGFIELD  Its not just the 177 Illinois state legislators who would need to come back to the Illinois State Capitol to vote on legislation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lawmakers would also need staff members, security and other personnel to return to conduct business.

Illinois state lawmakers havent been in session since the second week of March and no plans have been announced to convene session. Theyve got a budget to pass for the coming fiscal year and other issues some want dealt with.

Were going to have to face it, said state Rep. Dan Caulkins, R-Decatur. The governor cant declare a budget. He cant declare legislation. Its very important. It can be done.

Caulkins suggested having session take place in a Springfield convention center to allow for social distancing. Committee hearings could happen in the House or Senate Chambers to allow for more spacing.

University of Illinois politics professor Kent Redfield said coming back with social distancing guidelines in place may be a little tricky, even in opening session.

They have to open the session, Redfield said. You certainly could do that with groups of ten and coming in and getting on the roll call. There certainly are workarounds in terms of this.

One thing the legislature could come back to do is clear up the ambiguity of the governors power to keep the states economy locked down during a pandemic. Gov. J.B. Pritzker was asked why not call a special session, as he has the power to do, and have lawmakers wear masks so they can work and address such questions.

They have the ability to come back and they would, and I assume, in fact its required, that they wear face covering when they do so, Pritzker said, calling the legislature essential.

The governors modified stay-at-home order that now lasts through May 30 requires face coverings in public places where social distancing cant be followed.

State Rep. Darren Bailey, whos challenging the governors order in court, said since the legislature doesnt seem poised to want to come back hes working to have another co-equal branch of government chime in.

The legislative system is held hostage by [House] Speaker [Michael] Madigan, by [Senate] President [Don] Harmon, so if they dont want to do anything  weve got another avenue to bring justice and that will happen.

Bailey vacated a temporary restraining order he won last week against the governor and still intends to push his case to the state Supreme Court.

But its still unclear exactly how the legislature will come back to officially vote on anything, including a spending plan for the coming budget year that starts this summer.

Redfield said whatever happens could be challenged if someone wanted to make the case that this is not complying with what the constitution requires for conducting the legislative process.

State Sen. Robert Martwick, D-Chicago, said its a tough question to answer. But its not just how to legislate. He said when lawmakers show up, there could be demonstrators advocating for certain causes.

Well have to find another way to allow democracy to function and let people have their say without putting them in a situation where peoples lives are at risk, Martwick said.

No plans have been announced to convene session.

Some functions of the Illinois Legislature are gearing up to head back to Springfield.

A memo to legislators from the House Speakers chief of staff on Monday said a small number of employees will be returning to their offices to restart activities. Limits to the number of staff will be maintained, as will social distancing and face coverings.

The legislature has until May 31 to pass a budget with simple majorities. After that deadline, the vote threshold becomes more difficult to achieve for the spending plan that begins July 1.
MADRID (AP)  Spains left-wing coalition government has averted  for now  a political crisis on top of the enormous challenge the country already faces from its devastating coronavirus outbreak, which has claimed more than 25,000 lives and severely damaged the economy.

Despite losing the backing of the main opposition party, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday received the Spanish Parliaments necessary endorsement for a two-week extension to a state of emergency he declared on March 14, when Spains decentralized health care system had lost control of the COVID-19 outbreak.

We have won a partial victory against the virus thanks to the sacrifice of all, Sanchez said. No one gets everything right in such an unprecedented situation but lifting the state of emergency now would be a complete error.

Sanchez said the state of emergency must stay in place to ensure that the country makes a coordinated and cautious return to a new normalcy, but his government lost some support from opposition parties who complain he is abusing his extraordinary powers.

To compensate losing the backing of the conservative Popular Party and angering Catalonias separatists, Sanchezs Socialists struck last-minute deals with the center-right Citizens party and Basque regionalists to guarantee the parliamentary endorsement.

That gave the government 178 votes in favor to 75 votes against, with 97 abstentions.

The state of emergency was set to expire on Saturday. The extension will take it through May 24. The government argued the extension is critical to apply its complex rollback plan for the lockdown, which will vary by province as they prepare for a possible second wave.

Wednesday's debate on in the Madrid-based Congress that was limited in attendance to a few dozen members to limit risk of contagion was heated and may t bode well for the minority government, which will need to cobble together backing to handle the severe economic problems looming and a national budget.

Story continues

The leading opposition party, Spains conservative Popular Party, which had supported the government on three previous extension votes until now, abstained while accusing Sanchez of violating citizens constitutional rights by continuing to restrict free movement.

Our constitution establishes that the state of emergency cannot suspend any basic rights, but you have breached that limit repeatedly, Popular Party leader Pablo Casado said. The state of emergency made sense at the start of the pandemic, but it cannot go on indefinitely.

An important separatist party from northeast Catalonia went further, voting No and aligning itself with two other smaller Catalan separatist parties and their alter egos on the political spectrum: Spains ultra-nationalist, far-right Vox party, the third largest in the chamber.

The Catalan separatists demanded that the government give back control of the health care system to the regions.

Vox blamed the government for the deaths of the virus.

Maintaining the state of emergency wont save lives or jobs. What will save lives is a change of government, said Vox leader Santiago Abascal, adding that he will consider leading a no-confidence vote soon.

Sanchez was forced to call early elections last year when the Catalan separatists and parties of the right killed his attempt to pass a national budget. An inconclusive result to that April 2019 ballot led to another election in November and the eventual forging of a coalition of the Socialists and the anti-austerity United We Can party. It took power in January just as the virus appears to have begun its spread in southern Europe.

Spain hasnt seen any public protests against the lockdown like in the United States. Overall, Spaniards have obeyed the strict stay-at-home rules that have only recently been loosened.

But even Sanchezs allies warn him that as the strain on hospitals lifts and shops start to reopen, the governments support for the state of emergency is crumbling.

The deals with Citizens and Basque regionalists PNV came with promises by Sanchez to work more closely with the opposition parties and the regional administrations, and to separate ambitious economic and social welfare aid packages from the state of emergency so they can remain place when it falls.

Mr. President, use these next 15 days to get prepared, PNV spokesman Aitor Esteban said. Perhaps in all the phases of the rollback we wont need a state of emergency.

You need a plan B because if not, what message are you sending to citizens? If we have another outbreak in September, October, that the only answer is to declare another state of emergency? said Citizens leader Ines Arrimada, who came to the chamber for the first time since the start of the crisis because she is about to give birth.

___

Joseph Wilson reported from Barcelona.

___

Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
General view of members of the public enjoying their daily exercise in Botanic Gardens, Belfast on Wednesday afternoon. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.

No date has been set for the reopening of schools in Northern Ireland. (Tim Goode/PA)

There is no planned date in place for the return of schools, Education Minister Peter Weir has said.

Speaking at the Stormont press conference on Wednesday, Mr Weir said despite speculation about schools reopening, a number of issues still had to be addressed.

"When schools do reopen, there won't be a return to normality," he said. "There is likely to be a phasing of the return of pupils along with the continuation of some form of remote learning."

Finance Minister Conor Murphy said the Executive was working "intensely" on plans to ease restrictions post the coronavirus lockdown.

The Executive has agreed more than 1.1bn in funding to deal with Covid-19, along with 6.75million for local hospices.

The ministers both appealed for people to adhere to social distancing as the bank holiday weekend approaches and with the 75th anniversary of VE Day on Friday.

Mr Weir said: "People should not be holding street parties or other celebrations that would break social distancing restrictions."

On Wednesday, a further 14 coronavirus-linked deaths were reported by the Department of Health in Northern Ireland, bringing the total death toll to 418 people.

Three happened in the 24 hours up to 9.30am on Wednesday, while 11 had been previously unreported.

There were also 1,301 tests carried out in the past 24 hours on 1,021 individuals. A total of 53 tested positive.

There have been over 33,000 tests with almost 4,000 found to have the disease.

Read More

Here's how Wednesday unfolded:
New Delhi: The central government on Wednesday (May 6) accused the West Bengal government of not allowing movement of essential goods through the Indo-Bangladesh border and said that such acts violated the Constitution.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla wrote to West Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha, stating that the state government has not resumed essential goods vehicles to cross over to Bangladesh. The top MHA official told the West Bengal government that it has failed to implement repeated directions of the Centre for free movement of cargo and this amounts to a violation of the Disaster Management Act.

The letter further said that directions were given on April 24 to allow cross land border of essential goods through all Indo-Nepal, Indo-Bhutan and Indo-Bangladesh borders and send a compliance report to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Bhalla said, "In this regard, I am constrained to say that we have not received the compliance report from the state government of West Bengal," adding that it has been reported that goods traffic through border crossings between India and Bangladesh, falling in West Bengal, has still not resumed.

As a result, he said, a large number of trucks carrying essential supplies, to Bangladesh, are stranded at different border crossing points.

Bhalla said, "The unilateral action on the part of the West Bengal government to stop the cross land border movement of essential goods would have larger implications for the Indian government with regard to its legally binding international commitments."

"This act of the state government of West Bengal amounts to violation of the orders issued by the MHA under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 as well as articles 253, 256 and 257 of the Constitution of India," he added.

A number of drivers of such vehicles, while returning from Bangladesh, have also not been allowed to cross the border into India, and are stranded in the neighbouring country, said Bhalla, while pointing out that in the new guidelines on lockdown measures, it has been clearly spelt out that no state or union territory shall stop the movement of cargo for cross-border land trade under treaties with neighbouring countries.

The West Bengal government was directed to allow cross land border transportation through all Indo-Bangladesh borders without any further delay and send the compliance report on the opening of cross land borders by Wednesday itself.

The union home secretary's fresh letter was one of the series of communications and the verbal duel between the Centre, West Bengal government and its ruling Trinamool Congress over the implementation of various central directives related to the lockdown and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last month, when the central government dispatched two Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs) to West Bengal to assess the COVID-19 situation and the lockdown implementation, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had accused the Centre of sending faulty testing kits to the state.
[May 06, 2020] Conexiom Reports Record Performance, New Leadership to Drive Growth

Conexiom, the leading provider of sales order and invoice automation solutions, today announced a number of leadership additions in response to unprecedented year-over-year company growth of more than 70 percent. Conexiom is a cloud-based sales order automation solution that companies like Grainger, Genpak, Diversey, Prysmian, Compugen (News - Alert) and many others use to eliminate manual order processing. The Conexiom solution delivers 100% data extraction accuracy and over 80% touchless orders when transforming email and PDF purchase orders within current ERP systems. More than $7.5 trillion dollars of business-to-business sales orders are still manually processed In North America alone. On average, customer service representatives (CSRs) spend a third of their day keying in purchase orders. Conexiom provides automated, touchless orders to reduce costs and enable companies to sell more with the same headcount, and to eliminate mundane data entry tasks. More importantly, it allows CSRs to spend more time serving customers and meeting their needs. Manufacturers and distributors understand this problem better than most, as they're drowning in customer inquiries at a time when staff are working from home without their typical tools. They require an automated order management solution that drives down costs, creates resource efficiencies, scales to thousands of trading partners, and improves the customer experience. To manage the company's increased growth, Conexiom has brought the following executives on board: Ray Grady, Conexiom's new CEO, joined the company in February. Mr. Grady brings more than 20 years of experience in scaling high-growth B2B organizations and leads the company in designing and executing Conexiom's vision, strategic growth plans and company operations. Prior to taking the lead at Conexiom, Grady served in several positions at Salesforce. Prior to Salesforce, Grady was a Senior Vice President at Acquia, which helps oganizations using Drupal-an open source Web Engagement Management solution that powers more than two percent of the Internet.



Ricardo Craft joins Conexiom as EVP of Product Management and Product Marketing. Mr. Craft leads his team in developing the product strategy, product roadmap, positioning, and messaging for all Conexiom solutions as well as their packaging and delivery into the market. Prior to Conexiom, Craft was the SVP of Product Management and Product Marketing at ServiceSource as well as other roles during a 10+ year career. New EVP and Chief Marketing Officer Judd Marcello has more than 25 years of B2C and B2B marketing leadership experience across the United Kingdom, Americas, Australian and European markets. Mr. Marcello leads brand strategy and all facets of marketing for Conexiom. Prior to joining Conexiom, Marcello spent three years as EVP, Global Marketing for Cheetah Digital, the world's largest independent enterprise cross-channel marketing technology company.

Justin Finnegan has joined Conexiom as EVP of Services. Finnegan has more than 20 years of experience enabling digital commerce and automation for B2B organizations. Mr. Finnegan and his team are responsible for ensuring that Conexiom's customers achieve and exceed their ROI goals by taking advantage of the opportunities offered by automation. Darren Pratt joins as Conexiom's new Director, Solution Engineering, EMEA, and is based in the U.K. Mr. Pratt is responsible for establishing, growing and developing the Solution Engineering team to support the growth of our Customer base in the EMEA region. He has a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry. Strong sales professional skilled in SaaS (News - Alert) based software, B2B Commerce, Business Process, Analytical Skills, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Databases and Data Management. "There's no such thing as business as usual anymore. Manufacturers and distributors have been forced to reassess almost every facet of their business while still delivering value to their customers. Winners that emerge from this situation will be those who use technology to transform themselves into a modern business, one that can navigate the current economic climate, and become agile and resilient businesses long into the future," said Ray Grady, CEO, Conexiom. "We have many customers that are shifting their business to support the fight of Covid-19. We are proud to be doing our part in helping their businesses during these tough times, and even more proud of their effort to help others in need." About Conexiom Conexiom is a SaaS platform that delivers sales order automation to eliminate manual order processing. Manufacturers and distributors across the globe, such as Grainger, Genpak, Prysmian, Rexnord, USESI, and Compugen trust Conexiom to deliver touchless order processing with 100% data accuracy to eliminate unnecessary cost and resource burdens, and to redeploy human capital to provide the highest levels of customer service. Conexiom is based in Vancouver, BC, and has offices in Kitchener, ON (News - Alert), London, England and Chicago, IL. For more information, visit?www.conexiom.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005560/en/

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The coronavirus crisis has forced Allie Olson to take a detour around her final spring at Gresham High School.

She was looking forward to her senior season as the star pitcher on the softball team and to prom, both canceled by the pandemic.

Olson also is Greshams student body president, and quickly realized she wasnt alone. Her classmates all had been set adrift. She decided to do something about it.

She began mulling her options after spring break was extended until the end of March, forcing the dance team to lose its opportunity to go to the state competition.

That last day at school there were girls crying, and some of them went home early, Olson said. I felt really bad and thought, What can we do to appreciate them?

Gresham hasnt been able to hold a proper assembly indoors this year because of construction at the school. Olson asked Ty Gonrowski, Greshams activities director and leadership teacher, what he would think about students staging a creating an assembly on YouTube?

Gonrowski liked the idea, and Olson ran with it. She edited and produced the first video during the extended spring break hoping it would provide a rallying point for the school until classes resumed in April.

It was a way to appreciate the hard work the kids at our school put in, Olson said. I didnt want it to be the end. We thought we were still coming back.

Then schools across the state closed for the remainder of the school year, instruction went online, and Olson decided there was a need for more assemblies.

The dance team has had its moment. So has the drama department, the choir, the speech team, the band and orchestra.

All lost chances to compete at the state level. Olson gave them a way to perform for their classmates.

The first YouTube assembly led to a second. That led to a third. A fourth is in the works. And, there might be a fifth.

Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter

Olson gets some help from classmates, but she drives this project. Gonrowski couldnt be prouder.

Instead of saying, Well, there goes my senior year and all those things are gone, he said, she found a way to be creative and be a leader.

In the process, Olson has kept the student body and staff knit together during a time of extraordinary upheaval.

Its turned into keeping people cheered up and trying to feel connected when were so far apart, and even though were not coming back, she said.

At first, Olson wasnt sure what kind of reception the videos would get, or whether they would be noticed at all.

The first one has had more than 2,500 views. The second two have had about 1,000. There seems to be an audience.

I thought one or two of my friends would be like, Allie thats cute, to be nice, she said. But some of my teachers emailed me and said, This is really great.

Gonrowski circulated the idea to teachers at other school. Some have adopted it.

After talking about Greshams virtual assemblies in a group chat with other student presidents, Olson received a text from one praising the idea.

Its been fun to see that being positive and trying to help people feel appreciated has spread a little bit, Olson said. It feels important.

More in The Oregonian/OregonLive

-- Coronavirus restrictions dont keep a dying woman from having her wish honored.

-- Free book anyone? Book store learns how quickly the country responds.

-- Portland Timbers goalie donates 1,000 books to charity.

-- Teens can volunteer safely in the pandemic thanks to a student-designed website.

-- Students at Ridgeview High bring their teachers to tears with heartfelt video.

-- Portland artist and local business executive team up help Portland nurses.

-- Ken Goe

kgoe@oregonian.com | @KenGoe

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Captain Amarinder Singh

Chandigarh: Pegging the April revenue shortfall for the state at 88%, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said with all tax revenues dried up and only 1.5% of the industry currently operational, Punjab was facing a difficult financial situation, which was compounded by absence of aid from the central government.

PhotoParticipating in a Video Conference of chief ministers of Congress-ruled states with party president Sonia Gandhi, along with Dr Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi, Captain Amarinder shared his states Covid containment strategy and the roadmap for economic revival.

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During the meeting, Sonia asked the Chief Minister to convey her congratulations to the farmers of Punjab for a smooth procurement season, with the latter disclosing that more than 100 Lakh MT had arrived in the Mandis already, and the entire procurement process was expected to be completed by mid-May.

As against the estimated revenues of Rs 3360 crore for April, only Rs 396 crore had been received during the month, the Chief Minister disclosed, adding that the states Power Consumption had declined by 30% with a daily loss of Rs. 30 crore in collection of electricity tariff to the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd.

Captain Amarinder SinghIn addition, the States GST arrears of Rs 4365.37 crore are yet to be paid by the Government of India, he pointed out.

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The initial report of the Group of Experts headed by Montek Singh Ahluwalia, on the economic and industrial revival of the state, was likely to be received in three months, and it would take another month after that to refine and finalise the same, said Captain Amarinder.

However, he said that despite the financial crunch, his government was committed to preparing the society and the common man to manage and contain the coronavirus, and was also taking every possible step to upgrade and readjust the states healthcare system to meet the challenges of COVID-19.

The Chief Minister was of the opinion that the decision on classification of zones as red, orange or green should be left to the states, which, in turn, could authorise the DCs to demarcate as per the ground realities.

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He cited the example of Patiala being classified as a red zone, even though Nabha  a major milk-producing area  is located in the district. Punjab state currently has 4 containment zones and 4 red zone districts. Fifteen districts are in orange zone and the remaining three in green one.

Providing an update on the Covid status in the state, which has reported a total of 1451 positive cases with 25 deaths (mortality rate of 1.72%), the Chief Minister said there had been a spike in cases in Punjab after Punjabis residing outside Punjab started coming back from Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

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Of the 4200-odd persons who had returned from Nanded, 969 had tested positive, though only 23 of them were symptomatic. Some results were awaited, he said, adding that the spike was expected to end, with the situation stabilising in the next 3-4 days, once testing of all such people is completed. All returnees are now being checked and quarantined, he added.

The Chief Minister warned of high risk of spread of infection in the state from those returning to the state especially the workers coming back from the Gulf in crowded ships. Four ships of migrants, mostly labourers, were expected to arrive in the next few days, while the first plane with NRIs was expected to reach Punjab on Thursday, he disclosed.

Captain Amarinder Singh

Giving details, the Chief Minister said around 20,000 international travellers are expected to return to Punjab in the next 3-4 weeks, in addition to around 12,000 who had registered in other states for coming back.

As for the migrant workers wanting to go back from Punjab to their native states, he disclosed that 10 lakh had registered so far, of which 85% belonged to UP and Bihar.

The State Government has sanctioned Rs 35 crore to provide for train travel cost of these workers, he said, adding that three trains left on May 5 for UP and Jharkhand and 6 more were scheduled for May 6.

All persons coming back will be kept in quarantine for about one week until they have been tested for the virus, he said. Persons testing negative will be placed in home quarantine for another 2 weeks, while those testing positive will be placed in Containment Wards, he added.

With around 2500 regular tests being done daily, the total tests in the state had gone up to 30199, said the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister also shared details of issues raised by his government with the Centre. These include pending GST arrears, demand for revenue grant for the next 3 months, review of the current year report by the 15th Finance Commission, among others.

His government was also pursuing for relief to the poor and daily wage Agricultural and Industrial Labour including Migrant Workers who are badly affected due to loss of jobs/employment, he said, adding that the state had also sought urgent relief for MSMEs and the Power sector.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 19:48:57|Editor: huaxia

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KUWAIT CITY, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait on Wednesday reported 485 new cases of COVID-19 and two more deaths, bringing the total infections in the country to 6,289 and the death toll to 42, the health ministry said in a statement.

Currently, 4,028 patients are receiving treatment, including 88 in ICU, according to the statement.

Meanwhile, Minister of Health Bassel Al-Sabah announced the recovery of 187 patients from the coronavirus, raising the total number of recoveries in the country to 2,219.

The Kuwaiti government has imposed a nationwide curfew to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

On March 13, Kuwait suspended all commercial flights. The government also closed stores, malls and barbershops in an effort to curb the spread of the virus. Enditem
Some stocks are best avoided. It hits us in the gut when we see fellow investors suffer a loss. Anyone who held China Health Group Limited (HKG:673) for five years would be nursing their metaphorical wounds since the share price dropped 84% in that time. And some of the more recent buyers are probably worried, too, with the stock falling 31% in the last year. Shareholders have had an even rougher run lately, with the share price down 63% in the last 90 days.

We really feel for shareholders in this scenario. It's a good reminder of the importance of diversification, and it's worth keeping in mind there's more to life than money, anyway.

View our latest analysis for China Health Group

China Health Group wasn't profitable in the last twelve months, it is unlikely we'll see a strong correlation between its share price and its earnings per share (EPS). Arguably revenue is our next best option. Shareholders of unprofitable companies usually expect strong revenue growth. As you can imagine, fast revenue growth, when maintained, often leads to fast profit growth.

Over half a decade China Health Group reduced its trailing twelve month revenue by 1.8% for each year. That's not what investors generally want to see. If a business loses money, you want it to grow, so no surprises that the share price has dropped 31% each year in that time. It takes a certain kind of mental fortitude (or recklessness) to buy shares in a company that loses money and doesn't grow revenue. Fear of becoming a 'bagholder' may be keeping people away from this stock.

The graphic below depicts how earnings and revenue have changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image).

SEHK:673 Income Statement May 5th 2020

Take a more thorough look at China Health Group's financial health with this free report on its balance sheet.

A Different Perspective

We regret to report that China Health Group shareholders are down 31% for the year. Unfortunately, that's worse than the broader market decline of 13%. 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 31% 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. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 4 warning signs with China Health Group (at least 1 which doesn't sit too well with us) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

Story continues

Of course China Health Group may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of growth stocks.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on 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.
HARTFORD  Life could start to come back to Connecticuts colleges and universities as soon as May 20, Gov. Ned Lamont and higher education officials said on Wednesday.

Emphasizing the important role higher education institutions play in the states economy, Lamont said a gradual phased-in reopening would start with research operations and build their way slowly to repopulating residential colleges sometime this fall.

A lot will depend on a set of gating conditions that dictate safety and the reopening plans each private and public higher education facility in the state will be tasked with developing.

Look, education is so key to our state, Lamont said during his daily briefing. Its a $10 billion industry ... it is an important economic driver and a key to the future of our state and our country.

That said, Lamont said one size wont fit all. The governor will use an 18-page report created by Higher Education Subcommittee of the Reopen Connecticut group to guide the reopening effort.

The plan calls for each higher education institution to file reopening plans with the state that details how they will repopulate campuses, monitor health conditions, contain the spread of COVID-19 when detected and shut the campus down if it becomes necessary.

Connecticut has 33 public and private colleges in the state with about 190,000 students and 30 boarding schools  also covered by the report recommendations that have an enrollment of about 10,000 students.

Colleges employ about 45,000 residents.

This spring, when the COVID-19 pandemic overtook the state, colleges across Connecticut sent students home to finished the spring semester with online courses and left a number of campus employees temporarily unemployed.

Under the plan, college research programs could be back in session in two weeks.

In June, workforce development programs in community colleges could reopen, along with non-residential clinical and laboratory courses that are required for degree completion.

By mid-July, other nonresidential educational programs, including graduate programs and some undergraduate residential programs, could start.

In the fall, undergraduate residential institutions could start to reopen.

It all depends on public health conditions being met and adequate testing on campuses when students arrive. There will have to be adequate capacity for contact tracing. Until relaxed by the state, six feet social-distancing separation should continue to be observed. Faculty, students and staff should wear masks.

Roommates and suite-mates in dorms would be treated as a family unit, so would not have to social distance from each other.

The plan calls on the state to protect campuses from liability should a student come down with virus.

Its estimated residential colleges and boarding schools will need as many as 300,000 COVID tests available to use when students arrive on campus.

Mark Ojakian, president of Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, he would tell the parents of incoming freshmen, If we are going to be open, it will be the healthiest or safest place to go.

Rick Levin, a former president of Yale University who co-chaired the subcommittee, said the recommendations, though subject to change, represent a balance between safety and the desire to reopen.

He also said some colleges may experience enrollment declines as students take gap years or stick closer to home.

UConn President Thomas Katsouleas said students are thirsty to come back.

Braced for a reduction in deposits this year, UConn saw a 17 percent surge over last year, Katsouleas said. Among them were 400 international students.

We are not all sure they can make it here, Katsouleas said.

Joanne Berger-Sweeney, president of Trinity College in Hartford and board chair of the Connecticut Council of Independent Colleges, said her small liberal arts institution is also on track to get the enrollment it expects.

Students want to start college, she said. But she also said she sees an increased demand for higher financial aid.

Ojakian said community colleges are seeing an increase in inquiries and applications.

I think people are waiting to see what the reopening plan will look like before any decision, Ojakian said.

It is expected that the campuses students will return to will have more online learning options. Some classes could be offered partially in person and partially on line.

Still, Katsouleas said, in-person classes and a campus experience is what most students want.

Going to college is more than learning facts and knowledge, he said, adding it is about being empowered by a campus and a community.

As for campus parties  a big part of the college experience but also a virus cluster waiting to happen the UConn president said he is counting on students being responsible.

When UConn sent 11,000 students home in March, another 1,000 were left in the dorms because they had nowhere safe to go.

Those students were very serious about practicing good public health practices, Katsouleas said. We were able to complete the academic year without a single case in the dormitories which is a remarkable success.

Katsouleas said he doesnt expect zero cases when dorms are full, but said he has faith that students will adopt behavioral norms that will allow them to have an active social life in safe way.

lclambeck@ctpost.com; twitter/lclambeck
Mike Pompeo. AP-Yonhap




DUBLIN, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Masterbatch Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2020-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global masterbatch market is currently witnessing a healthy growth. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to exhibit a CAGR of around 5% during 2020-2025.



The global market is primarily being driven by rapid industrialization, along with the growing demand for environment-friendly and innovative coloring agents.



Furthermore, significant growth in the automotive industry is also providing a boost to the market growth. Automobile manufacturers are rapidly replacing heavy metal parts with lightweight plastic components that are fortified with masterbatches to get the desired colors and mechanical properties, thus creating a positive impact on the overall product demand.



Additionally, increasing awareness regarding the beneficial properties of masterbatches is acting as another growth-inducing factor. In comparison to the traditionally used coloring agents, masterbatches offer improved color consistency, opacity and dispersion rate.



Other factors, including the increasing utilization of black masterbatch for infrastructural applications, coupled with the growing demand for bio-based plastic products, such as agricultural films, are projected to drive the market further.



The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined with some of the key players being A. Schulman Inc., Americhem, Ampacet Corporation, Cabot Corporation, Clariant AG, Gabriel-Chemie, Hubron International, Penn Color Inc., Plastiblends India, Plastika Kritis S.A., Polyone Corporation, Polyplast Muller, RTP Company, Tosaf Group, etc.



Key Questions Answered

How has the global masterbatch market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?

What are the key regional markets?

What is the breakup of the market based on the type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the polymer type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the application?

What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry?

What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry?

What is the structure of the global masterbatch market and who are the key players?

What is the degree of competition in the industry?

Key Topics Covered



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global Masterbatch Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Type

6.1 Color

6.2 White

6.3 Black

6.4 Additive

6.5 Filler



7 Market Breakup by Polymer Type

7.1 PP

7.2 LDPE/LLDPE

7.3 HDPE

7.4 PVC

7.5 PUR

7.6 PET

7.7 PS

7.8 Others



8 Market Breakup by Application

8.1 Packaging

8.2 Building & Construction

8.3 Consumer Goods

8.4 Automotive

8.5 Textile

8.6 Agriculture

8.7 Others



9 Market Breakup by Region

9.1 North America

9.2 Asia-Pacific

9.3 Europe

9.4 Latin America

9.5 Middle East and Africa



10 SWOT Analysis

10.1 Overview

10.2 Strengths

10.3 Weaknesses

10.4 Opportunities

10.5 Threats



11 Value Chain Analysis



12 Porters Five Forces Analysis

12.1 Overview

12.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers

12.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

12.4 Degree of Competition

12.5 Threat of New Entrants

12.6 Threat of Substitutes



13 Price Indicators



14 Competitive Landscape

14.1 Market Structure

14.2 Key Players

14.3 Profiles of Key Players



A. Schulman Inc.

Americhem

Ampacet Corporation

Cabot Corporation

Clariant AG

Gabriel-Chemie

Hubron International

Penn Color Inc.

Plastiblends India

Plastika Kritis S.A.

Polyone Corporation

Polyplast Muller

RTP Company

Tosaf Group

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ietp3k

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

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SOURCE Research and Markets

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Port-Louis, Mauritius (PANA)  The Mauritian Finance, Economic Planning and Development Minister, Renganaden Padayachy, on Tuesday evening, told Parliament that the Government has initiated a series of measures since the beginning of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis so as to avoid waves of mass layoffs while supporting the production capacity
Lufthansa shareholders on Tuesday agreed to not distribute 298 million euros ($323 million) in retained profits as a dividend for 2019, as the airline enters the final stretch of negotiations for a 10 billion euro bailout.

Lufthansa needs to be rescued after coronavirus travel bans forced the German group to ground 700 of its aircraft, leading to a 99% drop in passenger numbers and causing the group to lose about 1 million euros ($1.1 million) in liquidity reserves per hour.

Some 10,000 shareholders followed the meeting online, representing 33.19% of the share capital, Lufthansa said.

The carrier, which is preparing to restart passenger flights slowly from June, is currently in talks with the German, Austrian, Swiss and Belgian authorities about a roughly 10 billion euro bailout. Chief Executive Carsten Spohr said that he expected to clinch a deal with Germany shortly.

Our focus is on stabilising Lufthansa in its current form and not on acquiring other airlines. We are not planning a takeover at this time, he said, adding that consolidation among European airlines will slow down due to government bailouts.

Lufthansas rescue deal is expected to give Germany a 25.1% stake in the airline as well as supervisory board representation, people close to the matter said.

Separately, Lufthansa is expected to receive about 5 billion euros in non-voting capital as well as roughly 3 billion in state-backed loans, they added.

The exact size of the rescue deal as well as the possible contribution from Switzerland, Austria and Belgium is still unclear, the sources said.

Spohr is expected to visit Brussels this week, according to Belgian daily LEcho. The airline is seeking 290 million euros in financial aid from the Belgian state. In exchange, Belgium wants guarantees on the future of Brussels Airlines and the development of the Brussels airport.

Spohr said that despite the bailout the German government was not interested in taking an active role in the company, after he had earlier warned about possible state interference.

Klaus Schmidt, head of the council of economic advisers to the federal economy ministry, said at a ministry briefing on Tuesday, that the government should not weigh into discussions, for example, on whether Lufthansas Germanwings division should be shuttered.

To reduce its cash outflows, Lufthansa -- which is taking a 2020 hit of about 1 billion euros from crude oil hedging -- said at the meeting that it had asked Airbus and Boeing to postpone aircraft deliveries.

Lufthansa is sticking to its plan to sell its catering activities, Spohr said, adding that further asset sales were not planned and a potential listing of its Lufthansa Technik business would currently only be possible at a massive discount.

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Kim Jong-un visiting the Suchon phosphate fertiliser factory in South Pyongan Province, North Korea - AFP

There are no signs North Korean leader Kim Jong-un received heart surgery when he disappeared from state media for three weeks, but he reduced public activity due to coronavirus concerns, Yonhap news agency reported on Wednesday.

Kim attended the completion of a fertiliser plant, North Korea's official media said on Saturday, the first report of his appearing in public since April 11. His absence fuelled a flurry of speculation about his health and whereabouts, with a South Korean news outlet reporting Kim had undergone heart surgery.

Seoul's National Intelligence Service (NIS) said at a meeting with members of the parliamentary intelligence committee that the reports were "groundless", Yonhap said.

"He was normally performing his duties when he was out of the public eye," committee member Kim Byung-kee was quoted as saying.

But the lawmaker said Kim Jong-un only made 17 public appearances so far this year, compared with an average of 50 from previous years, which the NIS ascribed to a possible coronavirus outbreak in North Korea.

North Korea has said it has no confirmed cases. South Korea's Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul, who oversees North Korea affairs, has said Kim's public disappearance was not particularly unusual because the country had been taking stringent steps to head off an outbreak.

"It cannot be ruled out that there is an outbreak in North Korea," the lawmaker Kim Byung-kee said, according to Yonhap. "Kim Jong-un had focused on consolidating internal affairs such as military forces and party-state meetings, and coronavirus concerns have further limited his public activity."
Obamas, Lady Gaga, LeBron James join forces for U.S. virtual graduations FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Trump at graduation ceremony at the Metropolitan Police Department in Las Vegas, Nevada

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Barack Obama, Lady Gaga, LeBron James and K-Pop band BTS are among dozens of celebrities and world leaders who will salute the class of 2020 in virtual U.S. graduation ceremonies replacing the traditional end of high school and college.

Obama, with his wife Michelle, will headline two separate graduation events announced on Tuesday.

In a one-hour multimedia event called "Graduate Together," to be broadcast on May 16 across multiple TV networks, Obama will deliver a message to high school seniors and reflect on the coronavirus pandemic.

In a separate YouTube event called "Dear Class of 2020," to be hosted by Michelle Obama's Reach Higher initiative and streamed on June 6, the former president will join with the likes of Pakistani Nobel Peace prize winner Malala Yousafzai, BTS and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in celebrating graduates across the United States.

Others taking part in the two events include U.S. women's soccer player Megan Rapinoe, the Jonas Brothers, musician Bad Bunny, Alicia Keys and Alphabet and Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai.

Schools and colleges shut down across the United States in mid-March because of the coronavirus epidemic, robbing students of milestone events and speeches in May and June marking the end of their formal education.

President Donald Trump said last month that he plans to deliver the commencement address in person for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, on May 23.

The White House on Tuesday did not immediately respond to a request for information on plans by other administration officials, but Vice President Mike Pence last month attended a U.S. Air Force Academy graduation ceremony in Colorado Springs where cadets sat eight feet (2.4 meters) apart.

Other virtual events on offer include a podcast called "Commencement: Speeches for the Class of 2020" on May 15 in which Hillary Clinton, Jimmy Fallon, John Legend and Eli Manning will be among some two dozen personalities offering words of wisdom to graduates.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Sandra Maler and Tom Brown)
Hungary's Orban Rejects Accusations Of Authoritarianism As 'Fake News'

By RFE/RL May 05, 2020

Prime Minister Viktor Orban has accused his political opponents and Hungary's allies alike of "spreading fake news" about the EU member's coronavirus law that allows his government to rule by decree for an unlimited period.

Hungary's parliament, where Orban's right-wing Fidesz party holds a comfortable majority, approved legislation on March 30 giving him sweeping new powers under -- and possibly beyond -- the country's state of emergency to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The move triggered a wave of criticism from both EU politicians and the United States.

"In recent weeks, we have witnessed an unprecedented attack and disinformation campaign against Hungary," Orban wrote in a letter sent on May 5 to the center-right European People's Party (EPP), the European Parliament's biggest grouping.

"It's the most cynical one I ever experienced because it deliberately disregarded that the government, which was targeted, was desperately fighting for saving human lives," Orban wrote.

The EPP suspended Fidesz from its ranks in March 2019 over concerns over the rule of law backsliding in Hungary as well as attacks against the European Commission. The suspension was extended indefinitely in February, before the Hungarian lawmakers' move to grant Orban sweeping powers.

Orban argued in his letter that the parliament has been in session ever since the law was passed, adding that "the competence to terminate the state of danger (emergency) or any decree taken by the government was handed over to the parliament."

However, rights groups say such an argument overlooks one critical point: While the parliament can annul the extra prerogatives handed over to the government, Hungary's constitution gives the government the power to lift the state of danger -- the Hungarian equivalent to a state of emergency, according to the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, a civil rights watchdog that analyzed the law.

Orban also lashed out at his critics, writing that "our formal political opponents, but more worryingly, some EPP politicians, too, have been actively involved in spreading fake news."

Last month, several of Europe's center-right political leaders sent a joint letter to Donald Tusk, the EPP president, calling for the Fidesz expulsion. The letter was signed by politicians from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, and Sweden.

Although it warned in a statement on March 31 against the use of the pandemic as an excuse to undercut democracy, the European Commission has so far refrained from directly criticizing Orban.

But members of the U.S. Congress were quick to blast Orban's move at the time.

Representative Eliot Engel (Democrat-New York), chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Senator Jim Risch (Republican-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on March 31 said it was particularly disturbing that a NATO ally and EU member would implement what Engel called a "blatant power grab" that allows Orban "to rule by decree like a dictator."

Engel also added that it is "particularly egregious that...Orban attempts to capitalize on the suffering of his own citizens for personal gain."

With reporting by euractiv.com

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/hungary-s-orban- rejects-accusations-of-authoritarianism -as-fake-news-/30593972.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.

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Disney is looking into phasing the reopening of its U.S. theme parks after Disneyland and Walt Disney World were closed indefinitely in March due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to a post on People.com. Disney has closed all of its attractions, hotels and stores in North America.

Which Disney park will be the first to open?

After an earnings call on Tuesday, Disney Parks chief medical officer Dr. Pamela Hymel wrote in a blog post that the company is considering how best to begin the reopening process, including a gradual reopening and/or partial reopening of certain locations following news that Shanghai Disneyland will reopen at a limited capacity on May 11 with added social distancing and other safety precautions. The limited capacity refers to the park not exceeding 30% capacity.

As you can imagine, managing guest density in queues, restaurants, hotels, ride vehicles and other facilities throughout the park and across the resort is a major focus, Hymel wrote.

In another story on clickorlando.com, Hymel called the opening of Shanghai Disneyland an encouraging sign for Disney parks and retail locations all over the world.

How will the phasing process proceed at Disney properties in the U.S.?

Measures Disney is exploring for its other park locations include a phased reopening of retail and dining locations before allowing visitors into its theme parks. This would likely include shopping and dining at Disney Springs, an eclectic mix of unique shops and one-of-a-kind restaurants located at Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando.

Hymel said she is working with the U.S. Travel Association on a set of new guidelines, based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, to help keep travelers safe during the pandemic.

Physical distancing and capacity will also be part of the plan. Hymel said Disney is exploring ways to use technology to aid these efforts, such as the Play Disney Parks App and through virtual queues at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

As you can imagine, managing guest density in queues, restaurants, hotels, ride vehicles and other facilities throughout the park and across the resort is a major focusHymel said. This will likely include implementation of guest capacity measures to comply with state and federal guidelines.

Park executives are looking to the medical community and federal government for guidance regarding enhanced screening procedures and prevention measures.

When will Disney parks open?

Disney officials have not announced a timeline for reopening its parks. But when they do open, Hymel said cast members will be provided with new health safety training closer to reopening and will be provided with access to personal protective equipment, including face coverings. There also will be increased cleaning and disinfection in work areas and high-traffic areas of the parks, Hymel said.

On the earnings call Tuesday, officials said they are considering admission based on dates in order to limit the number of people inside parks. Park goers would be assigned a date on their ticket.

Disney cruise lines will be the last travel-related business to reopen for the company, officials said.

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Read more:
Heathrow airpot is set to trial thermal imaging facial recognition cameras in a bid to spot passengers carrying coronavirus.

It is one of a raft of measures the airport is trialling to ensure passenger safety and will be trialled in the next two weeks in Terminal 2.

Not only will the technology be able to detect signs of Covid-19, it will detect the identity of the individual scanned.

The safety procedures under review include UV sanitation, which could be used to quickly and efficiently sanitise security trays and facial recognition thermal screening technology to accurately track body temperature.

Britain's largest airport will also trial contact-free security screening equipment to reduce person-to-person contact.

The aviation industry has been decimated by worldwide pandemic as countries' put in place travels bans to control the spread of the disease.

Heathrow released an image today showing how the thermal screening technology works. It involves using a camera detection system to monitor the temperatures of passengers

Pictured: An undated image of a thermal imaging camera at Bournemouth Airport, which was the first UK air travel hub to employ the technology to check passengers for signs of Covid-19

Pictured: The camera at Bournemouth Airport uses thermal imaging to detect signs of Covid-19

Passenger numbers have plummeted causing severe financial problems for airlines, therefore getting airports back open and functional is seen as a key part of getting the industry moving again.

Data from the trials, and whether the measures prove medical effective, will be shared with Government and industry and could lead to the creation of a Common International Standard for health screening.

The temperature screening technology involves using a camera detection system to monitor the temperatures of passengers.

At the outset it will be used in the airports immigration halls. If deemed successful the technology would then be used elsewhere in the airport.

UV sanitation would be used to sanitise security trays while contact-free security screening equipment would mean a reduction in person-to-person contact.

Heathrow CEO, John Holland-Kaye, said the government needing to help restart aviation which he described as 'the cornerstone of the UK economy.'

Mr Holland-Kaye informed the House of Commons Transport Committee today that the airport is to trial technologies which could form the basis of a Common International Standard for health screening at airports across the world.

This is in a bid to reduce the risk of contracting or transmitting the coronavirus while travelling.

Heathrow airport will also test UV light (pictured) to sanitise security trays

Japanese company NEC is working on an authentication gate to identify yourself so that your hand does not touch your face to remove the mask

Thermal cameras monitors are used to check the body temperature of passengers at Fiumicino airport, near Rome, Italy, 15 April 2020

His appearance before the committee follows his requests to the Government for Heathrow to lead the global implementation of a Common International Standard in a bid to restore confidence in travel and increase passenger safety as countries prepare to ease their respective lockdowns.

'The UK has the world's third largest aviation sector offering the platform for the Government to take a lead in agreeing a Common International Standard for aviation health with our main trading partners.

'This Standard is key to minimising transmission of Covid-19 across borders, and the technology we are trialling at Heathrow could be part of the solution,' he said.

The airport is already required to carry out temperature checks by some other countries.

Similar thermal imaging technology has been used at airports across the world, either with stationed cameras, or Artificially Intelligent helmets, like those seen on police officers at Chinese airports.

Heathrow CEO, John Holland-Kaye informed the House of Commons Transport Committee today that the airport is to trial technologies. Pictured:

A closed Terminal at Heathrow Airport. The screening tests will be introduced in the next two weeks at Terminal 2 and include facial recognition thermal screening technology which accurately tracks body temperature.

A flight passenger is screened with a thermal imaging camera at the Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport in Santiago, Chile, Monday, April 20, 2020

It comes after the CEO of Gatwick Airport previously suggested travellers should have compulsory virus tests 48 hours before departure after lockdown is lifted, the head of Britain's second busiest airport has said.

Stewart Wingate, also called for passengers to be required to carry 'health passports' to prove they are clear of the virus and wear face covers on flights.

Mr Wingate told The Times ministers are considering whether tests, if required, should be carried out at airports or in communities.

'For example, would it be better for a passenger to arrive at airport with some sort of certification that said "I have been checked over the last 48 hours and I am Covid-free"?', he said.

'Those are the sorts of things that I am sure will be considered by the restart and recovery group.'

He added: 'Passengers increasingly are travelling wearing facial coverings and I am sure that's something that the government team will be considering.'

Patrick Ikhena, head of travel at comparethemarket.com, said that international travel is likely to 'look quite different for passengers' for the forseeable future.

He added: 'There are likely to be more checks at airports and other major transportation hubs, which could include temperature checks and the requirement to provide evidence that you do not have COVID-19 before embarking on a flight.

'It is possible that passengers will need to allow considerably more time to arrive at the airport than is currently required.

'As a consequence, we could see a surge in the number of Brits holidaying in the UK.

'Our latest customer research finds that only 6% of Britons are considering a long-haul holiday this winter and only 9% are looking at booking a European beach holiday for this summer or autumn, most likely due to a combination of strained household budgets and a wariness over travelling overseas.
Three more persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday, taking the total number of cases to 46 in the state, officials said.

While two persons tested positive in Chamba district, one tested positive in Kangra district, they added.

Chamba Deputy Commissioner Vivek Bhatia told PTI that two persons were tested positive for novel coronavirus on Wednesday.

The patients are from Khad Jota panchayat in Salooni subdivision and they recently came from Baddi in Solan district, he added.

Their contacts are being traced and they will be quarantined as per protocol, the DC added.

Earlier, one person tested positive from Kangra district.

The patient is a resident of Jamanabad in Kangra district, Superintendent of Police Vimukt Ranjan said.

Kangra Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Prajapati said the man was quarantined at Panchayati Raj Training Institute (PRTI) in Baijnath after he had been tested positive at Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College (RPGMC) in Tanda.

The man returned from Dubai last month and subsequently came to his house in a taxi with three other persons on April 27. The taxi driver has also been identified.

The DC said the quarantined man's 24 contacts were identified. They have been quarantined and their samples have also been taken for testing, Prajapati added.

Meanwhile, one more person who had been staying at Gagret in Una district tested positive in neighbouring Jammu and Kashmir.

A resident of Jammu, the man had returned to the Union territory a few days ago and was tested positive at Lakhanpur, Una Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Kumar said.

The district administration received information from Lakhanpur that the man had been tested positive for coronavirus, the DC said. His contacts in Una district have been quarantined, he added.

"Of the 600 samples sent for testing on Wednesday, 212 tested negative whereas the three from Kangra tested positive for the infection while reports of the rest are awaited, a senior health official said.

Of the total 46 patients in the state, 34 have recovered while three persons have died.

The fatalities include a 70-year-old Delhi resident who had stayed at a guest house of a factory in Solan's Baddi and died at PGIMER, Chandigarh, on April 2.

Four people were shifted to other states for treatment.

HP now has five active cases with two in Chamba and one each in Sirmaur, Kangra and Mandi districts.

Una has the highest number of recovered patients at 16, followed by Chamba with six, Solan with five, Kangra with four, Hamirpur with two and Sirmaur with one, the officials said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(Natural News) Ivy League researchers are claiming that more people in America died from the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) during the first few weeks of the pandemic than the official numbers acknowledge.

Scientists from the Yale School of Public Health say that about 15,400 excess deaths occurred that were not publicly reported at that time, which means the overall death count could be higher in the United States than previously believed.

At the same time, these researchers admit that these deaths can not necessarily be attributed to the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), and may have resulted from unrelated illnesses that could not be treated because of restrictions imposed because of the epidemic.

They could include people who died because of the epidemic but not from the disease, such as those who were afraid to seek medical treatment for unrelated illnesses, as well as some number of deaths that are part of the ordinary variation in the death rate, explains the Stamford Advocate.

The count is also affected by increases or decreases in other categories of deaths, such as suicides, homicides and motor vehicle accidents.

Even so, this higher-than-normal mortality rate occurred during the early stages of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and are thus being attributed to it as scientists try to figure out the full impact of both the disease and the governments response to it.

Listen below to The Health Ranger Report as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, gives his take on the death count associated with the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19):

Were these excess deaths caused by coronavirus or the governments response to it?

The question that these Yale analysts seek to answer is this: Did a lot more people die at that time because they got sick from the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), or because of the repercussions of the governments response to it?

Data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) shows that there was, in fact, an unusually high mortality rate in many states across the country during the time period between March and April. What is not known is precisely what caused these people to die.

Once they figure out how many of these folks would have died regardless of the pandemic, the next step is to determine how many of them died from, say, losing their jobs due to lockdowns, prompting them to commit suicide. Others have been prohibited from getting certain elective surgeries due to hospitals only accepting Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) patients, which may have also contributed to these excess deaths.

The Yale researchers are scoping all avenues and wish to leave no stone unturned in getting to the bottom of what is really going on with this whole pandemic.

Its really important to get the right numbers to inform policymakers so they can understand how the epidemic is evolving and how severe it is in different places, stated Daniel Weinberge, a Yale professor of epidemiology and the leader of the research team.

Another factor to take into consideration with the count disparities is that some places are only logging deaths with official test results. In places like New York, however, officials are also logging probable, though unconfirmed, deaths, which could explain Yales higher estimated figures.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is among those who claims that the actual death counts are much higher than what is being reported. Even in New York, which is also counting these probable cases, the figures are too low, he says, and many more people are dying.

That number is going to go up, he is quoted as saying about the death count in his state. Those deaths are only hospitalization or nursing home deaths. That does not have what are called at-home deaths.

To keep up with the latest Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) news, be sure to check out Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

StamfordAdvocate.com

NaturalNews.com
Congress Gave $801 Million to 25 Colleges with $350 Billion in Endowments Via CARES Act

When Congress approved the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the measure included a Christmas-in-March gift of $801 million to the nations 25 most-richly endowed colleges and universities.

The largesse for the campus institutions was first exposed May 5 by Open The Books, a Chicago-based government spending watchdog, but President Donald Trump sparked a national outcry in April, when he demanded that Harvard return the $8.6 million it was slated to receive.

But the $801 million was only a small part of the total allocated by the CARES Act for colleges, universities, and trade schools across the nation, according to Open The Books President Adam Andrzejewski, who announced the findings of his groups analysis in a Forbes magazine article.

We scoured the backend of the U.S. Department of Education website and found the full database: 5,137 colleges and universities that were awarded $12.5 billion in coronavirus relief. None of it has to be paid back, he wrote.

Harvard, with its $40.9 billion endowment, opted not to accept the funds after Trump spoke out and Princeton, which was slated to get $2.4 million to supplement its $25.9 billion endowment, did so as well soon after.

The nations largest university systems are slated to receive huge checks and there are no signs as yet that officials with those schools intend to follow Harvards example.

The University of California System has a $21 billion endowment and stands to receive more than $260 million under the CARES Act, according to the Open the Books analysis.

The University of Texas System has an even larger endowment at $31 billion, but was included in the relief act for $173 million. The Lone Star States other large public university system, Texas A&M, has a $13.5 billion endowment and will get $82 million.

The Pennsylvania State System has the smallest endowment among the 25 at $4.5 billion and will receive nearly $55 million from the federal government under the measure.

Fifth on the list is the Ohio State University System that also has a smaller endowment than most of the top 25 institutions, at nearly $5.3 billion. A total of $42.8 million will go to the Ohio system.

It should be noted that the funds going to these schools were determined by the U.S. Department of Education, according to a formula Congress included in the measure.

Higher education institutions collectively spent nearly $75 million lobbying Congress in 2019.

Brian Darling, former senior counsel to Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), told The Epoch Times that it is a sad fact of government that when they offer up aid, the institutions and corporations who can afford to hire lobbyists are the ones who get help, while the truly distressed Americans are left behind.

Other critics of wasteful federal spending interviewed by The Epoch Times also jumped on the big allocations for schools with huge endowments.

Giving colleges and universities who have a combined endowment of $350 billion any taxpayer money shows that Congress isnt interested in oversight or smart and targeted spending, said Taxpayers Protection Alliance President David Williams.

Congress allocated $16 billion to colleges and universities in the CARES Act for higher education to help struggling institutions but never even considered that some of these institutions have healthy endowments, he said.

Citizens Against Government Waste President Tom Schatz said, Members of Congress are adept at spending money they have to borrow from taxpayers to pay for programs they dont evaluate, and then they fail to recover the money that is wasted.

Schatz and Darling both noted that Congress can go back and fix the relief measure.

The fact that Congress gave hundreds of millions of dollars to the top colleges and universities in this nation shows that there were structural problems with the CARES Act that need to be addressed on the back end, Darling said.

There is now time to review the effectiveness of how the funds have been spent to date and fix any problems before more spending bills are passed, according to Schatz.

Cato Institute Director of Tax Policy Chris Edwards said such spending isnt new in Congress:

In an 1835 speech, Tennessee Rep. Davy Crockett lambasted the log roll system in the House, and in 1836, Virginia Rep. John Patton criticized a pork-filled Army Corps bill as most disreputable and corrupting.

Logrolling is the informal congressional process of trading votes for each others spending projects.

Contact Mark Tapscott at Mark.Tapscott@epochtimes.nyc
Photo: (Photo : from Facebook account of Whitney Light Rutz)

Whitney Rutz, with help from her twin, Carrington Light and a friend, is now baking more than 20 giant rolls a week for her fundraising.

Staying at home, Whitney Rutz is going out of her mind.

Despite the pandemic, Rutz is still working full-time while her husband is trying to figure out how to be a first-grade teacher to their 7-year-old daughter.

In addition to these, two of Rutz's friends are COVID-19 positive.

Rutz's lack of control with regard to the situation is taking a toll on her. So, she gathered herself, picked up her iron skillet, and with the help of her daughter, went in on a 3-hour baking project.

The result was fantastic! A giant cinnamon roll that is a full foot in diameter not to mention the fundraising project that garnered more than $30, 000 for the Oregon Food Bank.

A time-lapse video is what it takes

Rutz uploaded a time-lapse video of her giant roll-making process with her friends on social media.

Her friends were all hyped up wanting a piece of her jumbo rolls. One of them even offered to drive from Seattle to pick up a roll.

Rutz being all hyped up as well, her husband about her now-famous giant cinnamon rolls. She said that she needed an idea to keep her rolls rolling, and asked him how much people would pay for a giant roll. She estimated $50 tops for one.

What she did is to auction her giant roll on social media, while indicating that all proceeds will go to the Oregon Food Bank. The highest bid came in at $350.

Rutz made the cinnamon roll and then delivered it on their porch.

However, the second roll that was auctioned came in at a whopping $750. The top bidder paid and suggested she donate the giant roll to someone in the healthcare field instead.

Rutz donated it to her friend in a nursing unit at Legacy Immanuel.

The rolls kept selling and Rutz kept sending the money to the food bank.

Comfort food takes on the light

Noticing how much money Rutz has been donating, the Oregon Food Bank called her and offered to set up a fundraiser on its website.

Currently, for every $500 donated to the food bank, Rutz, in turn, makes a giant cinnamon roll to donate to healthcare workers in Portland.

According to Susannah Morgan, Chief Executive Officer of the Oregon Food Bank, for every dollar donations, their organization can distribute three meals. Calculating how much donation Rutz has put up, she and the Oregon Food Bank Network has provided 90,000 meals to Portland.

During the pandemic, Morgan admitted that the food bank is experiencing an increase in requests for food assistance. She mentioned that in her 24 years of being a food banker, this time has the highest rates of hunger that she has ever witnessed.

Morgan added that their system during a pre-pandemic month serves 260,000 people a month. However, during this pandemic, they have seen a 70% increase only within the last seven weeks.

Rutz has hit a magical formula for serving the community with food, joy, and love.

And according to her, these would not have happened without the help of the community






Allstate, one of America's largest automobile insurers, is likely to grant additional rebates to its customers as the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have drastically reduced the number of miles most Americans have driven over the past few months. Company CEO Tom Wilson told Reuters in an interview that this time, the rebates would be tailored to reflect the reduced driving by geography, but he stopped short of offering any specific percentage figures.

Wilson noted that people are driving more than they were in mid-April, but still 30% to 40% less than before the pandemic. There has been an increase in driving in areas where people are no longer bound by stay-at-home orders, but also in places where such orders remain, the CEO said. Wilson added that driving patterns are different in urban areas, where driving might be down by 50% to 60% than before the pandemic, compared to rural areas, which might be down by 20%.

Allstate is in the process of distributing the initial $600 million payback to most customers of 15% of their monthly premiums in April and May, Wilson said. The Shelter-in-Place Payback program was announced on April 6. The insurer based the initial driving frequency analysis partly on data that Allstate collects from tracking products that some customers agree to use in exchange for discounts.

Wilson declined to provide specifics on the possible timing of a second rebate, noting that a tailored approach to the issue would require more analysis than issuing a flat 15% rebate to all customers, he said. Allstate developed the initial program in about 10 days, but more specificity will take longer, Wilson said.

Most major auto insurers have announced rebate programs, and you can find a recap of those here. Allstate was one of the first out of the gate with its initial rebate program, so we'll be keeping our eyes out for signs that other insurers will follow suit with a second round of coronavirus discounts. If you have questions about your own policy or rebate, be sure to contact your insurance agent.

Story continues

Material from Reuters was used in this report.

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President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador shows his gratitude for the fellow leader as the aid package arrived this week. On behalf of the country, Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard expressed his thanks to the nation for holding out a helping hand.



Response to a Request from the United States

On his Twitter account, Ebrard thought to thank more people who contributed to this achievement. In particular, he thanked U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Chris Landau, Bob Hamilton, and Jorge Torres of FedEx.

A report by El Pais showed that Mexico had access to only 147 ventilators in the previous month. At the time, President Lopez Obrador told the public that Trump would respond to his request for sending ventilators to assist with the shortages of medical supplies and equipment in Mexico. This week, the shipment of 211 ventilators finally arrived.

Apart from that, the Mexican government also received an aid package from Hamilton Medical equipment, the costs of which $16,000 at least, and $24,000 at most.

"We want to thank the government of the United States very fully," he said in an interview with the Associated Press earlier this week. Referring to Trump, he added, "During hard times, you know who your friends are."

And the times certainly proved to be difficult. As of Wednesday, there are a total of 26,025 confirmed cases of patients with COVID-19 in Mexico, and only 19,317 of these have an outcome. So far, there are 2,507 reported deaths and 16,810 who have recovered, according to data by Worldometers.

Federal authorities suspect that the lack of mass testing initiatives suggests that the true figure must likely be higher.



Check these out!



Mexico Asks for Supplies from the U.S. and China

Last month, Lopez Obrador announced in a news conference that he asked for a deal with Trump to secure Mexico's medical supplies and equipment for them. Specifically, he asked the U.S. for the distribution of 10,000 ventilators and monitors for COVID-19 patients.

He told the press that he expressed his concern to Trump about the current healthcare crisis the country was going through, especially insufficient supplies and equipment. Lopez Obrador also raised to Trump the United States' wealthier and more capable healthcare systems.

"They have more plants, more technological development, and they have more economic resources," Lopez Obrador said. At the time, he announced Trump promised consultation with his administration to respond to this request by the end of the week.

The United States owned large companies and factories that produced and manufactured medical supplies and equipment in Mexico, and so the costs were easily negotiated with.

Apart from the U.S., Lopez Obrador was also seeking the delivery of more supplies and equipment from China. He wanted to thank Chinese President Xi Jinping for the early arrival of the first batch of supplies in the country. As of yet, they are still issuing more orders for personal protective equipment and other medical necessities to avoid shortages.
President Donald Trump talks to journalists after signing a proclamation honoring National Nurses Day in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington on May 6, 2020. (Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images)

Trump Floats Reopening Schools Without Older Teachers

President Donald Trump said Wednesday hed like to see schools open in much of the country.

Until the COVID-19 pandemic eases, though, teachers above a certain age should stay home, he told reporters in the Oval Office of the White House.

I would say that until everything is perfect I think that the teachers that are a certain ageperhaps you say over 60, especially if they have a problem with heart or diabetes or any one of a number of thingsI think that they should not be teaching school for a while, he said.

Most CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus patients requiring hospital care are elderly or have underlying health conditions. The bulk of deaths are also among those groups.

The virus causes COVID-19, a disease that causes no symptoms in a significant percentage of patients and mild or moderate illness in others.

Trump made similar comments on Sunday during a virtual town hall.

So when you go backand you have one problem that is a bigger problem, and thats teachers over 60 or 65 years oldthe teachers, he said. We have to have our students go back to school. Because I really feel the students are in great shape.

The president said he will urge colleges and schools across the nation to open back up in September.

Trump said Wednesday that children seem to be doing well, telling those assembled that children are strong.

Willow Creek School in Willow Creek, Mont., on May 4, 2020. (Matt Volz/AP Photo)

Their immune system is maybe a little bit different, maybe just a little bit stronger, he said. Or maybe its a lot stronger, right? Could be a lot stronger. Weve learned a lot by watching this monster.

Researchers in China, where the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus started last year, found few children infected with the novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19. Children who do become infected usually suffer mild illness, according to several studies.

Researchers in the United States said this week theyre launching a study to help determine the rate of infection in children and their family members.

The study is called Human Epidemiology and Response to SARS-CoV-2 (HEROS).

One interesting feature of this novel coronavirus pandemic is that very few children have become sick with COVID-19 compared to adults, Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Health and Infectious Disease (NIAID), said in a statement.

Dr. Anthony Fauci answers a question during a press conference as members of the administration look on, at the White House in Washington, on March 2, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Is this because children are resistant to infection with SARS-CoV-2, or because they are infected but do not develop symptoms? The HEROS study will help us begin to answer these and other key questions, he added.

SARS-CoV-2 is another name for the CCP virus.

The team plans on enrolling 6,000 people from 2,000 families who are already participating in National Institutes of Health-funded pediatric research studies. The NIAID, which is part of the agency, is funding the study.

Most schools in America remain closed to in-person classes and some governors, including New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, have already said students wont return this school year.

But a few governors have said schools can reopen with some social distancing measures in place, including Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem.

Noems reopening plan told superintendents to continue remote learning but consider a limited return to in-person instruction to check-in before the end of the school year.

Public schools in Idaho were also allowed to welcome students back for in-person instruction while Alabama officials are mulling a return to such instruction next month.
The popular characters of the coronavirus pandemic "coffin dance" meme, used by the police and medics worldwide to encourage people to stay-at-home released a video that caught the internets attention. This time, the pallbearers were seen suited in white not carrying a casket but showing solidarity and gratitude to the medics worldwide for their service to the community amid the coronavirus crisis. In a clip the Ghana coffin dancers posted on Instagram that amassed over 5k likes, the band members covered their faces with masks and sent a powerful message to the frontline workers.

The video was captioned as, from the lead of the band, Nana Otafrija, to all doctors and medical workers in the world, thank you. Further, in the clip, the band members applaud the doctors and say, You are working hard to take care of everyone. Remember, stay our hope. The popular Ghana coffin dance that dates back to 2015 had lately turned to a meme video and went viral.

In Ghana, it is believed that dancing with the coffin at the funeral rests the soul of the deceased in peace and brings them joy. In 2017, a leading UK media outlets video report of a group of six dancing pallbearers in Ghana garnered millions of views worldwide thus making the coffin guys famous. Users on social media introduced the footage with a background score from Russian composer and artist Tony Igy called Astronomia and shared the memes widely across the internet amid the pandemic.

Read: China's Envoy To US Urges To End blame Game Over Coronavirus Outbreak

Read: Afghanistan Could Have One Of Highest Coronavirus Infection Rates In World: Global Body

Police worldwide imitated "coffin dance"

Also, police in India and across the globe was seen imitating the coffin dance to warn the lockdown violators and posted the videos on their official social media handles. In Tamil Nadu the police posted a video coffin dance that was shared excessively wherein they urged the public to stay-at-home or they could have repercussions. Likewise, police in Spain were spotted using the sirens to warn the violators and police in Peru performed coffin dance to encourage people to stay indoors.

Peru Police Dance

And Carry Coffin

To Raise Awareness.

.

Polisi Di Peru, Amerika Selatan

Berkeliling Dengan Menggotong Peti Mati

Agar Warga Sadar

Bahayanya Covid-19 pic.twitter.com/wUYMNs5hmp  Agus Susanto II (@Cobeh09) April 27, 2020

Colombian police are using the coffin dance to encourage people to stay at home. pic.twitter.com/w95l9Ikk1O  Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) April 26, 2020

Spain police using coffin dance music as siren  pic.twitter.com/Gvqh7Ewlv7  P a v a n (@PavannPSPK) April 27, 2020

Read: Coronavirus Pandemic: All You Need To Know About Wuhan Lab Speculations

Read: Coronavirus Lockdown: Family In Costa Rica Self-isolating With 31 Children
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Swapan



Dasgupta on Wednesday wrote to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to close down a global panel set up last month to advise her government in reviving the economy post- lockdown, claiming that it has not served any real purpose.

The state government ran advertisements on newspapers and digital media "trumpeting" the formation of the Global Advisory Board at the cost of the state exchequer in the "present trying times", he said in the letter.

Wondering whether the Global Advisory Board, comprising experts from different fields from the world over including Nobel Laureate economist Abhijit Banerjee, has met even once, even through video conference, Dasgupta asked the chief minister to wind up the panel.

The journalist-turned-politician said that people were anxious to know about the functioning of the Board as "public money has been spent on its constitution and propagation through expensive advertisements".

Alleging that it has so far served no real purpose, Dasgupta said, "It is perhaps time to unwind the Global Advisory Board and focus on real issues which can help the people of West Bengal feel assured that they will be protected against the pandemic."



"To chalk out a future roadmap on how to revive the economy and help the downtrodden and develop health infrastructure, we have set up a Global Advisory Board to form the COVID-19 response policy in the state," the chief minister had said on April 6.

Besides the Indian-origin economist, other experts in the fields of medicine, economy and public health would be part of the Board, she had said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Los Angeles: Last year at this time, Disney was celebrating the record-breaking arrival of Avengers: Endgame in theatres. On Tuesday, with movie theatres closed worldwide, along with theme parks, Disney said that its quarterly profit fell more than 90 per cent.

And that was for a period that was only partly affected by the coronavirus.

The next quarter is shaping up to be even worse for Disney. Credit:AP

"Our businesses have been hugely impacted," Bob Chapek, Disney's new chief executive, told analysts on a conference call, noting that theme park employees had been furloughed (an analyst-estimated 100,000 of them) and executives have taken steep pay cuts. "We're doing everything we can to mitigate the impact of the cash burn."

Disney said its board had voted to forgo payment of its summer dividend, preserving about $US1.6 billion ($2.5 billion) in cash.
So, lets get this straight. COVID-19 is ripping through the Bexar County Adult Detention Center, and the plan is to have every inmate tested over the course of weeks?

Thats the fastest Bexar County can do this? This is unacceptable. Every person who has contact with the jail  inmates, civilians and deputies  has the potential to spread the disease across the community.

The moment demands urgency, not weeks and weeks of testing.

At a time when the broader community is seeing a flattening of the curve (likely to increase as San Antonio reopens along with the rest of Texas), confirmed cases at the Bexar County jail are skyrocketing among inmates and detention officers. Because testing is moving so slow in the jail  150 tests a day by University Health System, which provides its medical care  we have no idea about the full extent of COVID-19s spread there.

This matters for the safety of deputies and inmates, but also the public.

The jail is not an island. Its a turnstile. Inmates are arrested and released. Detention officers head to work and return home. Under these conditions, its easy to see how COVID-19 could jump beyond the jails walls or how the disease could enter the jail from the broader community, spread like wildfire there and then across the community as inmates are released.

This is particularly dangerous to law enforcement as weve witnessed with the death last week of Timothy De La Fuente, a 27-year veteran of the Bexar County Sheriffs Office who had tested positive for COVID-19. Just days before he died, De La Fuente had been working at the jail.

There are about 3,000 inmates in the Bexar County jail and about 900 detention deputies. To date, hundreds of inmates have tested positive for COVID-19. While one inmate has died from the disease, the vast majority who have tested positive have been asymptomatic.

That makes the jail something of a canary in the coal mine. Outside the jail, we have no idea how many people in Bexar County are asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19. Just as we have no idea how many asymptomatic carriers of the disease have been released from the jail. This is why waiting weeks to have everyone tested is so inadequate.

At the start of this crisis we had concerns the jail would not be prepared for COVID-19. Even before the pandemic, the Bexar County jail was plagued by erroneous releases, deputy arrests and inmate deaths.

Despite a welcome reduction in the inmate population and screenings at intake, the jail has been sloppy in its COVID-19 response. There have been complaints from inmates about a lack of physical distancing, a scarcity of soap and a delay in providing masks  complaints Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar appears to have addressed.

And on the other side of the ledger, 14 cadets who recently graduated from the Bexar County Sheriffs Academy tested positive for COVID-19 after instructors didnt put enough safety measures in place, a striking display of carelessness.

An outbreak at the jail is unlikely to stay there. Waiting weeks to test everyone at the jail is unacceptable. The county needs to step up with additional private testing.
FLORENCE, S.C.  Southside Middle School faculty and staff reunited with students Tuesday afternoon for a Cinco de Mayo Drive-Thru Parade in front of the school.

The Tuesday afternoon parade was the first time students and teachers were together since the schools closed because of the novel coronavirus on March 16.

Shand Josey, principal of Southside Middle, said the parade was a way for the faculty and staff to let the students know that they are still there for them and love them during the time of eLearning.

Josey said she could not be more proud of the Southside Middle faculty, staff and students.

Everyone has risen to the challenge, Josey said. Our students are working hard. Our staff and our teachers are working hard. We are pushing behind the scenes for a strong finish.

During the parade, students received treat bags with candy, some inspirational quotes and encouraging teacher notes. At the end of the line, students who ordered yearbooks received them.

Madeline Patterson, eighth-grade resource and inclusion teacher, was one of many teachers holding signs and standing by on the front sidewalk for the parade.

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BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Some rumors on social media claim that one can self-diagnose COVID-19 by holding breath for more than 10 seconds.

The fact is, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), being able to hold one's breath for 10 seconds or more without coughing or feeling discomfort does not mean the person is free from COVID-19 or any other lung disease.

"You cannot confirm it with this breathing exercise, which can even be dangerous," the WHO warned.

"The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are dry cough, tiredness and fever. Some people may develop more severe forms of the disease, such as pneumonia," it said.

The world's leading health agency suggested that a laboratory test is the best way to confirm if one has contracted the virus.

"Most young patients with Coronavirus will be able to hold their breaths for much longer than 10 seconds. And many elderly without the virus won't be able to do it," tweeted Faheem Younus, chief of Infectious Diseases at the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health.

Robert Legare Atmar, an infectious disease specialist at Houston-based Baylor College of Medicine, told CNN that the test is simply "not correct."

As Thomas Nash, an internist, pulmonologist and infectious disease specialist at New York Presbyterian Hospital, told Reuters, the alleged breath test, which claims that holding breath successfully for over 10 seconds basically indicates no infection as there is no fibrosis in the lungs, is "just made up."

Diagnosing fibrosis requires a pulmonary function test where the patient "breathes into a tube which is connected to a computer that analyzes lung function," he said.
NEW YORK, May 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tiger Merger Sub Co. (the Offeror), an affiliate of certain investment funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, Inc. (together with its consolidated subsidiaries, Apollo), announced today that it has further extended the Expiration Date (as defined in the Offer to Purchase (as defined below)) for the previously announced Tender Offers and Consent Solicitations (each as defined below) relating to Tech Data Corporations (i) 3.700% Senior Notes due 2022 (the 2022 Notes) and (ii) 4.950% Senior Notes due 2027 (the 2027 Notes and, together with the 2022 Notes, the Notes). The Expiration Date was previously extended to May 5, 2020. As a result of this further extension, the Expiration Date will now be 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on May 19, 2020 (unless further extended or earlier terminated).



As previously announced, on March 10, 2020, the Offeror launched tender offers to purchase for cash (collectively, the Tender Offers) any and all of the outstanding Notes of each series. In connection with the Tender Offers, the Offeror also commenced a solicitation of consents from the holders of each series of Notes (collectively, the Consent Solicitations) to amend the Indenture, dated as of January 17, 2017, as supplemented in the case of the 2022 Notes by the Global Security for the 3.700% Senior Note due 2022 and as supplemented in the case of the 2027 Notes by the Global Security for the 4.950% Senior Note due 2027, as further amended or supplemented (the Indenture).

The Tender Offers and Consent Solicitations are subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase and Consent Solicitation Statement dated March 10, 2020, relating thereto (the Offer to Purchase). 2022 Notes validly tendered with consents after the Early Tender Date (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) and prior to the Expiration Date will only be eligible to receive the applicable Tender Consideration (as defined in the Offer to Purchase). 2027 Notes validly tendered after the Early Tender Date and prior to the Expiration Date will only be eligible to receive the applicable Tender Consideration (as defined in the Offer to Purchase). As contemplated by the Offer to Purchase, the Offeror is no longer accepting consents with tenders of 2027 Notes and therefore holders of 2027 Notes are no longer required to deliver consents with tenders of 2027 Notes. Any Notes previously tendered or tendered at a future time may no longer be validly withdrawn (except as required by law).

As of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on May 5, 2020, the previous Expiration Date, the Offeror has been advised by Global Bondholder Services Corporation, the tender agent and information agent for the Tender Offers and Consent Solicitations, that Notes were validly tendered and not withdrawn with respect to (i) $433,346,000 aggregate principal amount of the 2022 Notes, representing approximately 86.67% of the outstanding 2022 Notes, and (ii) $368,823,000 aggregate principal amount of the 2027 Notes, representing approximately 73.76% of the outstanding 2027 Notes.

The Tender Offers and Consent Solicitations are being conducted in connection with the previously announced merger agreement pursuant to which, among other things, Tiger Midco, LLC, the parent of the Offeror, has agreed to acquire Tech Data Corporation (the Merger). The Offerors obligation to accept and pay for the Notes tendered in each Tender Offer is conditioned upon the substantially concurrent closing of the Merger and the satisfaction or waiver of certain other conditions precedent.

This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell any securities or the solicitation of an offer to purchase any securities. The Tender Offers and Consent Solicitations are being made only pursuant to the Offer to Purchase. The Tender Offers and Consent Solicitations are not being made to holders of Notes in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities, blue sky or other laws of such jurisdiction. In any jurisdiction in which the securities laws or blue sky laws require the Tender Offers and Consent Solicitations to be made by a licensed broker or dealer, the Tender Offers and Consent Solicitations will be deemed to be made on behalf of the Offeror by one or more registered brokers or dealers that are licensed under the laws of such jurisdiction.

Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Mizuho Securities USA LLC and RBC Capital Markets, LLC are acting as dealer managers and solicitation agents for the Tender Offers and Consent Solicitations. Global Bondholder Services Corporation is acting as the tender agent and information agent for the Tender Offers and Consent Solicitations.

Requests for documentation may be directed to Global Bondholder Services Corporation at (212) 430-3774 (for brokers and banks) or (866) 807-2200 (for all others).

Questions or requests for assistance may be directed to Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC at (212) 538-1862, Mizuho Securities USA LLC at (212) 205-7736 or RBC Capital Markets, LLC at (212) 618-7843.

About Apollo

Apollo is a leading global alternative investment manager with offices in New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, Houston, Bethesda, London, Frankfurt, Madrid, Luxembourg, Mumbai, Delhi, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Tokyo. Apollo had assets under management of approximately $316 billion as of March 31, 2020 in credit, private equity and real assets funds invested across a core group of nine industries where Apollo has considerable knowledge and resources. For more information about Apollo, please visit www.apollo.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable federal securities laws. The forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements concerning the Tender Offers and Consent Solicitations. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to economic, competitive, and technological factors outside the Offerors or Tech Data Corporations control that may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. The Offeror expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in expectations or events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.

Apollo Contacts:

For investor inquiries regarding Apollo, please contact:

Gary M. Stein

Head of Investor Relations

Apollo Global Management, Inc.

212-822-0467

gstein@apollo.com

For media inquiries please contact:

Joanna Rose

Global Head of Corporate Communications

Apollo Global Management, Inc.

(212) 822-0491

jrose@apollo.com

Charles Zehren

Rubenstein Associates, Inc. for Apollo Global Management, Inc.

(212) 843-8590

czehren@rubenstein.com
The Amber Alert issued late Tuesday for 16-year-old Kaleb Smith has been cancelled.

Kaleb has been located in Arizona and is safe New Mexico State Police said Wednesday morning.

Arizona authorities initially said that Smith may have been abducted near his home in Holbrook, Arizona, on Tuesday.

In the Amber Alert, authorities said they had reason to believe that Smith and the older man he was believed to have been with were traveling through New Mexico.
A child has been taken into custody after an 18-year-old woman was found dead in a wheelie bin in Western Australia.

Police were called to Newman Hospital in the state's Pilbara region at about 4am on Wednesday following the grisly discovery.

The woman, who had given birth to her second child in the last month, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators are yet to determine her cause of death.

A child has been arrested after an 18-year-old woman was found dead in a wheelie bin in Newman in Western Australia. Pictured: police at one of three crime scenes established for the investigation

The woman's body was found outside the Newman Hospital, which is 1,178 kilometres from Perth at 4am on Wednesday

Broken glass and blood were seen on the ground outside a nearby home, with neighbours hearing shouting from the property late on Tuesday night, The West Australian reported.

The boy was arrested on Wednesday evening.

Police refused to reveal his age, but confirmed he is a juvenile.

It is understood police will allege the child wheeled the bin to the hospital with the woman inside.

Homicide detectives from South Hedland Police, located 452km north of the town, have launched a joint investigation into the death with local police.

It is believed the woman's death could be related to a family violence incident, according to The Northwest Telegraph.

Alcohol sales were banned in Newman for the remainder of Wednesday.

Police officers patrolling the scene at one of the crime scenes for the investigation

Bottleshop owner Anita Grace said the closure was the right move after the incident.

'I think at this stage with everyone being so raw and upset and trying to work out what is going on the best thing was to stay closed,' she said.

'Everyone was very supportive. It is not that there are any tensions at the moment but there could be tensions. It is just precautionary at the moment.'

Newman, a mining town located 1,186km north of Perth, has a population of just 7,200.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers by calling 1800 333 000 or by making a report online at crimestopperswa.com.au.
The oil marketing companies HPCL, BPCL and IOC remained under pressure in early trade after the government hiked the excise duty on petrol and diesel.

The government on May 5 hiked excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 10 and Rs 13 respectively. However, the MRP of petrol and diesel will continue to remain the same, said the official.

These duty rate changes will come into effect from May 6 and will take away the gains from falling global crude oil prices.

However, the move will not impact consumers and price hike will be absorbed by OMCs, a government official said.

Also Read - Petrol sales down 61%, diesel 56.5% in April; slight pick-up in 2nd half, more expected in May

According to Ashika Institutional Equity the hike in excise duty would be absorbed by OMCs which will take another big hit on marketing margins with demand slowdown.

The recent marketing margins were never sustainable for a long time and we thus expect marketing margins to drop substantially from recent levels, recovering a bit over mid-term, provided oil prices remain at current levels, it added.

Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) touched 52-week low of Rs 72.85, and was quoting at Rs 73.85, down Rs 4.90, or 6.22 percent.

Bharat Petroleum Corporation was quoting at Rs 324.20, down Rs 22.60, or 6.52 percent and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation was quoting at Rs 193.30, down Rs 21.35, or 9.95 percent on the BSE.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 16:54:19|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- A spokesperson for the State Council Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office on Wednesday denounced violence and the "burn with us" mentality in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), calling them the political viruses of Hong Kong society and the enemy of the "one country, two systems" policy.

"Hong Kong will not enjoy a day of peace until violence is eradicated," the spokesperson said in a statement, noting that the central government will never sit idly or allow the destructive forces to act wantonly.

During the May Day holiday, radicals renewed violence in Hong Kong by holding illegal assemblies, disrupting shops and throwing petrol bombs, which have laid bare the ill intentions of the violent forces and the behind-the-scene plotters, organizers and instigators to drag Hong Kong into an abyss, the spokesperson said.

The central government bears the greatest responsibility for maintaining the constitutional order in the HKSAR and for safeguarding national security, the spokesperson said, noting that it also bears the greatest concern for safeguarding the fundamental interests of Hong Kong and the fundamental wellbeing of Hong Kong compatriots.

For the sake of the future of Hong Kong and the vital interests of Hong Kong people, the only correct way is to take a clear and firm stand by saying no to violence and the "burn with us" mentality, the spokesperson said.

In particular, all institutions and individuals holding public power must take concrete actions to perform their duties in accordance with the law so as to overcome the evil forces, the spokesperson noted.

The spokesperson called on the whole society to act in concert to stop violence and chaos, restore order, unite to fight the COVID-19 epidemic, save the economy, improve people's livelihood and jointly build the homeland.

In face of the current predicament, more than 1,500 representatives of various sectors of Hong Kong society on Tuesday launched the Hong Kong Coalition with an aim of building consensus and bringing Hong Kong back on track.

"We'd like to join the coalition in appealing to people to choose development over the 'burn with us' mentality, the rule of law over chaos, unity over division and promote Hong Kong's efforts to start afresh," the spokesperson said.

Hong Kong's bright future lies only in the adherence to and the full and accurate implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle, the spokesperson said.

"The central government has sufficient sincerity and confidence to ensure that the 'one country, two systems' policy remains unchanged and is unwaveringly upheld, as well as sufficient determination and capabilities to ensure that in practice it is not bent or distorted," the spokesperson said.

Hong Kong is suffering a deep economic recession, according to the HKSAR government, as its GDP contracted 8.9 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2020, the biggest quarterly decline since the first quarter of 1974.

"Indeed, Hong Kong is in a predicament," the spokesperson said, citing many contributing factors including the rippling effects of a struggling global economy adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The biggest culprit, however, comes from inside, as radicals who are blatantly engaging in violence are the most malicious, destructive and toxic forces, the spokesperson said.

Since June 2019, the forces have been blatantly challenging the "one country, two systems" principle, trampling on the rule of law, putting people's lives in danger with acts of violence, arson and vandalism.

Their villainy has kept tourists away, dealing a heavy blow to investors' confidence, damaging the business climate and international image of Hong Kong and bringing huge economic losses, said the spokesperson.

"The violent forces are destroying the foundation of prosperity and stability in Hong Kong," said the spokesperson. Enditem
Saint-Herblain (France), Sao Paulo, (Brazil), May 5, 2020  Valneva SE (Valneva or the Company), a specialty vaccine company, and Instituto Butantan, producer of immunobiologic products, today announced the signing of a binding term sheet for the development, manufacturing and marketing of Valnevas single-shot chikungunya vaccine, VLA1553, in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs). The collaboration falls within the framework of the $23.4 million in funding Valneva received from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) in July 20191. The definitive agreements are expected to be finalized in the next six months.

After the signing of the definitive agreements, Valneva will transfer its chikungunya vaccine technology to Instituto Butantan, who will develop, manufacture and commercialize the vaccine in LMICs. In addition, Instituto Butantan will provide certain clinical and Phase 4 observational studies that Valneva will use to meet regulatory requirements. The agreement will include small upfront and technology transfer milestones.

Valneva held its End of Phase 2 meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February 2020 and is now preparing to initiate Phase 3 clinical studies in the U.S. later this year.

Thomas Lingelbach, Chief Executive Officer of Valneva, commented, Although millions of people have been affected by chikungunya, there is currently no vaccine and no effective treatment available against this debilitating disease. We look forward to working with Instituto Butantan to help address this current public health crisis and speed up the development of a chikungunya vaccine in LMICs, which are high outbreak areas."

Dr. Dimas Covas, Director of Instituto Butantan added, The burden of chikungunya virus disease resides not only in the two million deaths worldwide since 2005, but also in the chronification of its symptoms, which constitutes a long term public health problem. By tackling the challenge of developing, manufacturing and marketing Valneva's chikungunya vaccine, Instituto Butantan will further strengthen its commitment to improving public health in low and middle income countries.

Story continues

About Chikungunya

Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne viral disease caused by the chikungunya virus (CHIKV), a Togaviridae virus, transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. Clinical symptoms include acute onset of fever, debilitating joint and muscle pain, headache, nausea and rash, potentially developing into long-term, serious health impairments. Chikungunya virus causes clinical illness in 72-92% of infected humans around 4 to 7 days after an infected mosquito bite. Complications resulting from the disease include visual, neurological, heart and gastrointestinal manifestations; fatalities have been reported (case fatality rates of 0.1% to 4.9% from epidemics)2 in elderly patients at higher risk. Chikungunya outbreaks have been reported in Asia, Africa, the Americas and recently (2017) in Europe. As of 2017, there have been more than one million reported cases in the Americas3 and the economic impact is considered to be significant (e.g., 2014 Colombia outbreak: $73.6 million4). The medical and economic burden is expected to grow as the CHIKV primary mosquito vectors continue to further spread geographically. There are no preventive vaccines or effective treatments available and, as such, chikungunya is considered to be a major public health threat.

About Valnevas vaccine candidate VLA1553

VLA1553 is a monovalent, single dose, live-attenuated vaccine candidate for protection against chikungunya. It was granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 20185.

The vaccine candidate is designed for prophylactic, active, single-dose immunization against chikungunya in humans over one year old. The vaccine targets long-lasting protection and an anticipated safety profile similar to licensed vaccines for active immunization in adults and children. The target population segments are travelers, military personnel and individuals at risk living in endemic regions. The global market for vaccines against chikungunya is estimated to exceed $500 million annually6, including a traveler vaccine market potential of ~$250 million. VLA1553 is based on an infectious clone (CHIKV LR2006-OPY1) attenuated by deleting a major part of the gene encoding the non-structural replicase complex protein nsP3, aiming for protection against various chikungunya virus outbreak phylogroups and strains7.

About Valneva SE

Valneva is a specialty vaccine company focused on prevention against diseases with major unmet needs. Valnevas portfolio includes two commercial vaccines for travelers: IXIARO/JESPECT indicated for the prevention of Japanese encephalitis and DUKORAL indicated for the prevention of cholera and, in some countries, prevention of diarrhea caused by ETEC. The Company has various vaccines in development including unique vaccines against Lyme disease and chikungunya. Valneva has operations in Austria, Sweden, the United Kingdom, France, Canada and the U.S. with over 500 employees. For more information, visit www.valneva.com and follow the company on LinkedIn .

About Instituto Butantan

Instituto Butantan is the main producer of immunobiological products and vaccines in Brazil. Instituto Butantan carries out scientific missions domestically and abroad through the Pan American Health Organization, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the United Nations. The Institute collaborates with other agencies of the Sao Paulo State Secretariat of Health and the Brazilian Ministry of Health for the improvement of overall health in Brazil. It acts in partnership with various universities and entities such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for the achievement of its institutional objectives. For more information please visit the Institute website at www.butantan.gov.br or contact the press office at (+55 11) 2627-9606 / 9428 or email to imprensa@butantan.gov.br

About CEPI

CEPI is an innovative partnership between public, private, philanthropic, and civil organisations, launched at the World Economic Forum at Davos in 2017, to develop vaccines to stop future epidemics. CEPIs priority diseases include Ebola virus, Lassa virus, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus, Nipah virus, Rift Valley Fever and Chikungunya virus. CEPI also invests in platform technologies that can be used for rapid vaccine and immunoprophylactic development against unknown pathogens (i.e., Disease X).

CEPI has moved with great urgency and in coordination with WHO in response to the emergence of COVID-19. CEPI has initiated 9 partnerships to develop vaccines against the novel coronavirus. The programmes leverage rapid response platforms already supported by CEPI as well as new partnerships. The aim is to advance COVID-19 vaccine candidates into clinical testing as quickly as possible.

CEPIs commitment to access

As COVID-19 demonstrates, infectious diseases utterly ignore political borders. We cannot prevent or stop a global infectious disease threat without equitable access to globally fair allocation of vaccines. CEPI is wholly committed to equitable access. This commitment drives every aspect of our work. CEPIs support for equitable access is key to our success as a global health organisation. Equitable access to epidemic vaccinesin the context of an outbreakmeans that appropriate vaccines are first available to populations when and where they are needed to end an outbreak or curtail an epidemic, regardless of ability to pay.

Learn more at http://www.cepi.net . Follow us at @CEPIvaccines .

Valneva Investor and Media Contacts

Laetitia Bachelot-Fontaine

Global Head of Investor Relations &

Corporate Communications

M +33 (0)6 4516 7099

investors@valneva.com



Teresa Pinzolits

Corporate Communications Specialist

T +43 (0)1 20620 1116

communications@valneva.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements relating to the business of Valneva, including with respect to the progress, timing and completion of research, development and clinical trials for product candidates, the ability to manufacture, market, commercialize and achieve market acceptance for product candidates, the ability to protect intellectual property and operate the business without infringing on the intellectual property rights of others, estimates for future performance and estimates regarding anticipated operating losses, future revenues, capital requirements and needs for additional financing. In addition, even if the actual results or development of Valneva are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, those results or developments of Valneva may not be indicative of their in the future. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by words such as "could," "should," "may," "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "aims," "targets," or similar words. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the current expectations of Valneva as of the date of this press release and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievement expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In particular, the expectations of Valneva could be affected by, among other things, uncertainties involved in the development and manufacture of vaccines, unexpected clinical trial results, unexpected regulatory actions or delays, competition in general, currency fluctuations, the impact of the global and European credit crisis, and the ability to obtain or maintain patent or other proprietary intellectual property protection. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements made during this presentation will in fact be realized. Valneva is providing the information in these materials as of this press release, and disclaim any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

1 CEPI awards up to US$23.4 million to Valneva for late-stage development of a single-dose chikungunya vaccine



2 WHO, PAHO



3 PAHO/WHO data: Number of reported cases of Chikungunya Fever in the Americas  EW 51 (December 22, 2017)



4 Cardona-Ospina et al. 2015, Trans R Soc Trip Med Hyg 109:793-802.



5 Valneva Awarded FDA Fast Track Designation for Chikungunya vaccine candidate



6 Company estimate supported by an independent market study



7 Hallengard et al. 2013, J. Virology 88:2858-2866.







Attachment
If youre a fan of oil, and I expect you are seeing as how youre reading articles on OilPrice, get ready for a positive forecast about oil prices moving higher. Youre going to like the direction this article takes. Oil prices are getting ready to risedramatically. We are going to move from a perception of severe surplus due to the global economic slowdown, to a reality of intermittent and localized shortages. This will be strongly evident by the 4th quarter of this year. Let me set the stage for this prediction.

In a recent OilPrice article I put forth a fairly bold theory about where the Super Majors might turn to replace lost shale production, given the oilfield, tent-folding, thats underway now. To substantiate this theory I relied upon some logic based on my 40-years of experience in this business, and some general trends published by Rystad regarding the effects of underinvestment in a certain segment of the market. I now have some hard data which I will share in this article.

The market segment to which I refer is, of course, deepwater. Unloved and cast aside the last 6-8 years for hyper-investment in U.S. shale. The shale merry-go-round funded by cheap money and easy credit, fueled our production growth to new heights over the last decade.

EIA, Chart by author

When you add up the EOY production from shale, the Gulf of Mexico, and Alaska we were producing nearly 13 million bpd at the start of 2020.

My use of the term, merry-go-round is purposeful above, as it required constant infill drilling to maintain and grow production. As the oil price crashed after the Wuhan Covid-19 advent, and the OPEC+ failure of early March, it became increasingly obvious the shale miracle had come to an end. Heres a quick activity snapshot for shale and then well move on as the theme of this article is whats coming, not whats happened.

Primary Vision

Frac spreads comprise the pumping equipment that injects the water and sand into fractures in the earth created by hydraulic pressure. You can see from this data, they are in an absolute swoon from which they will never recover.

Big Oil and deepwater

A 25-year love affair between big oil companies and deepwater was derailed in the oil crash of 2014-15. Cost overruns had ballooned out of sight with some final project cost doubling or tripling by the time they were commissioned. No one really cared, because the embedded expectation was that oil would continue rising until they didnt. The shift by Saudi Arabia from production restraint to buoy prices to recapturing market share that was being lost to new producers, like the U.S., decimated the oil price. In a year and a half it fell from ~$110 a barrel, to a low of $26 a barrel in February of 2016.

In spite of a retooling of many deepwater projects that reduced their break even costs to the high $20s in some cases, most of the project sanctions weve seen have been advantaged oil. This term refers to oil finds that made economic for development by the availability of existing production infrastructure. These typically are smaller, satellite fields with reserves of a couple of hundred million barrels.

Related: Supply Destruction Could Send Oil To $70

What we havent seen are the big deepwater exploration programs to find new reserves. The dilapidated state of the deepwater explorers, like Transocean, (NYSE: RIG), and Noble Corporation, NYSE:NE) are mute testimony to the lack of this activity.

This may change.

Where have the big guys been adding new production?

Oil companies have basically one mission-find and develop new reserves of oil and gas to maintain, and hopefully increase oil production. In a review of Chevrons (NYSE:CVX) track record here over the last couple of years reveals a couple of striking data points.

Source

One of these data points can be gleaned from the capture from CVXs annual report. Their production growth year-over-year is pretty anemic. About 10% from 2017. That may sound reasonable to you, after all when youre producing ~3 mm BOEPD as does CVX, the Law of Large Numbers kicks in fairly quickly.

So, if we limit ourselves to total production, we find that we arent asking the right question. A better question is, where is that growth coming from? The next graphic tells the tale.

Source

In the graphic above you can see that in the Permian, production grew by roughly 100K bpd from 2019 to 2020.

It is then fair to say that CVX relied on the shale treadmill for most of its global production growth. I'll bet that other companies did so too. It is also fair to say that as drilling falls below the replacement rate for shale (a concept I've written on exhaustively in recent times.), and wells are shut-in to wait for better pricing, shale production is going to drop like a stone.

Lets continue on, one example does not a thesis make. Lets look at the same data for BP.

Source

BP performed worse than CVX on this metric as shown above, and actually experienced a global decline in liquids production over the last three years. A look at the next graphic reveals that like CVX, BPs growth came primarily from the Lower 48 onshore, which I will assure you is shale production.

Source

We were to look at some of the other big oil companies, like ExxonMobil, (NYSE:XOM), ConocoPhillips, (NYSE:COP) (which we ultimately will), I expect we would see more of the same.

This brings us to the central theme of this article.

The need for deepwater exploration

One thing you need to understand is U.S. shale has begun a rapid decline from which, unlike in 2017, it will never recover. The market has changed. The service industry which did the heavy lifting, of actually performing the fracks, is decimated. The few that will survive, Halliburton, (NYSE:HAL), Schlumberger, (NYSE:SLB), Baker Hughes, (NYSE:BKR) and a few others are exiting the fracking business largely in North America or dramatically reducing their footprint through billions of dollars of charge offs and write-downs of the business of the last year. The capacity to resume the upward trend in shale simply no longer exists. Related: Is It The Right Time To Buy Into The Oil Price Rally?



With U.S. shale irreversibly imploding, oil companies will have to dust off their deepwater portfolios to begin looking for the deepwater reservoirs that will be needed to replace fields that now have been online for over a decade.

One of the companies weve discussed in this article, CVX has a large inventory of drillable prospects in the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, and other areas of the globe. In an article published in S&P Global-Platts last year, Jay Johnson, CVXs VP for Upstream commented about their view toward deepwater-

Now ready to take on a selected few projects requiring higher capital expenditures and potentially years to bring on stream. In the past few years, industry has learned how to lower the costs of those projects through phased designs, improved construction and better supply chain logistics.

S&P Global-Platts

If you read between the lines in the quote above, Mr. Johnson saying they are going to have to fund multi-billion dollar capex programs going forward to find new reserves in deepwater.

The reality there is simply no other compartment to which they can turn to find reserves to replace those fields that will be starting rapid declines or tertiary recovery efforts.

Other operators like BP, and Shell will be in the same boat.

Your takeaway

This is good news for the oil price. I told you at the beginning you would be happy with the conclusions of this article. Perception that the global economic recovery has begun, and excess shale production will be reduced is actually changing the markets perception even now. Crude prices have rallied dramatically in the last few days.

Source

The rate of new drilling is now far below the decline rate for shale, ~ about 30K bpd, or 900K a month. When you combine that with crude inventories, which are now about 25-million bbls above the typical peak range, and will be worked down rapidly over a few months as shale production is shut-in and summer driving picks up.

Accordingly we are estimating a year-end price of $45-50 dollars for WTI and a year-end U.S. shale production exit of 4-5 million bpd. When combined with the curtailments coming from Saudi Arabia, Russia and other countries we estimate that as much as 20 million Bpd will have been removed from the world market.

These curtailments put us in rough balance with global demand at 75-80 mm BOPD, and any short-fall from there will quickly put us into deficit.

Better days are ahead for the oil bulls!

By David Messler for Oilprice.com

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May 5, 2020 Bong Go pushes for better benefits for solo parents; co-sponsors bill amending Solo Parents' Welfare Act Understanding the hardships faced by solo parents in raising their families, Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go expressed his support in amending Republic Act No. 8972 or the current Solo Parents' Welfare Act of 2000. On the second day of the resumption of Senate regular session, Go conveyed his co-sponsorship to fellow senators for Senate Bill No. 1411 under Committee Report No. 69 which seeks to amend RA 8972 by granting better benefits and privileges for solo parents and their children. "Alam nating lahat na ang pagiging solo parent ay hindi madali. Solo parents are both the breadwinners and caregivers of their families," Go said during his co-sponsorship speech on Tuesday, May 5. "As such, they should be acknowledged appropriately. As the law now stands, the privileges and benefits awarded to them are insufficient and show a lack of understanding for the complexity of their needs," he added. According to the bill, the government should develop a comprehensive program called Package of Social Protection Services for solo parents and their children. "The enhancements introduced to the law aim to provide redress for some 14 million solo parents in the country who are saddled with the hardship of raising their children single-handedly. As sought by this measure, more benefits and privileges will be given to them to ease their burden," Go said. Various government agencies are required to be involved in this program to carry out services and advocate for solo parents, including the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, and Philippine Commission on Women, to name a few. Some of the benefits that solo parents will enjoy once this bill is passed into law include additional financial assistance, especially for the poor and indigent solo parents, and discounts on basic necessities and commodities as classified by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Health. "These additional benefits include providing solo parents with special discounts on basic purchases, such as clothes, baby's milk and food, and medicine. Children of solo parents will also be entitled to tuition fee discount from public and private schools," the Senator explained. To further help solo parents in their working environment, the bill also aims to provide a seven-day parental leave with pay for all solo parents working in the government or private sector, a comprehensive package of social protection services, such as livelihood development services and counseling services. "Employment benefits are also included in the proposal. Under the existing law, solo parent employees who have rendered service of at least one year shall be granted parental leave of not more than seven working days. The proposed measure lowers the required length of service to six months instead and specifies that the leave should be granted 'with pay'," Go emphasized adding that more penal provisions are also included in the amendment to ensure compliance with the law. The Senator also believes that pushing for such measures to support solo parents in the Philippines strengthens the country's aspirations for a stronger and more inclusive nation. "I am pushing for these amendments to the existing law to cater to as many solo parents as possible, to help them build a stronger family, and to support them as productive members of society," Go said. Go also reminded that this measure has always been a priority of President Rodrigo Duterte and was even mentioned in his State of the Nation Address last year. "Hinihikayat ko ang aking mga kasamahan dito sa Senado na ipasa ito sa lalong madaling panahon. Pakitaan natin ng tunay na malasakit ang ating mga kababayan na patuloy nilang itinataguyod mag-isa ang kanilang mga pamilya," Go ended.
When Kelly Loeffler accepted an appointment to be a United States senator from Georgia, she left behind a high-paying job as a senior executive at the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange. But on her way to Washington, her old employer gave her a lucrative parting gift.

Ms. Loeffler, who was appointed to the Senate in December and is now in a competitive race to hold her seat, appears to have received stock and other awards worth more than $9 million from the company, Intercontinental Exchange, according to a review of securities filings by The New York Times, Ms. Loefflers financial disclosure form and interviews with compensation and accounting experts. That was on top of her 2019 salary and bonus of about $3.5 million.

The additional compensation came in the form of shares, stock options and other instruments that Ms. Loeffler had previously been granted but was poised to forfeit by leaving the company. Intercontinental Exchange altered the terms of the awards, allowing her to keep them. The largest component  which the company had previously valued at about $7.8 million  was a stake in an Intercontinental Exchange subsidiary that Ms. Loeffler had been running.

It looks, feels and has the sweet aroma of a pure windfall, said Brian T. Foley, the managing director of Brian Foley & Company, an executive compensation consulting firm in White Plains, N.Y.
An Ohio state representative says he won't wear a mask because it dishonors God.

"This is the greatest nation on earth founded on Judeo-Christian Principles. One of those principles is that we are all created in the image and likeness of God. That image is seen the most by our face. I will not wear a mask," Rep. Nino Vitale, a Republican, wrote on Facebook. "That's the image of God right there, and I want to see it in my brothers and sisters."

Some of the thoughts Vitale shared in his most recent post on the topic on his campaign Facebook page Tuesday were from a previous video he had posted and a subsequent interview with Newsweek.

Image: Nino Vitale (Ann Sanner / AP file)

"People want to wear masks, they can. But mandating it, that's a whole different story for me," Tuesday's post said. "No one is stopping anybody from wearing a face mask. But quite frankly everyone else's freedom ends at the tip of my nose. You're not going to tell me what to do and there's a lot of people that feel that way."

"If someone is that scared, that they do not want to go out into the public because 100 percent of the people are not wearing masks, then that person should stay home, not tell everyone else what they should be doing," said Vitale, who represents Champaign County and parts of Logan and Shelby counties.

Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends face coverings to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, also a Republican, said April 27 that wearing masks was one of the "essential tools" to fight the spread of the coronavirus and ordered that shoppers wear them in stores at all times. "To not wear masks would be negligent and a mistake. We have to protect these employees," he wrote on Twitter.

But the next day, after receiving criticism, DeWine reversed the order.

"Though it is not a mandate, it is clearly in the best interest for Ohioans to wear a mask in retail settings. This gives added protection to others," DeWine said. "When I go out in public and go into a business, I will wear a mask. And, I have recommended to my family members that they wear masks."

Story continues

Related: "In general, people do not like to be told what to do, one psychologist said.

Vitale has also been vocal in criticizing the DeWine's stay-at-home orders and attended a protest against the measures in April.

"Is the role of government to protect us from death, which is inevitable? Or is the role of government to radically protect our freedom and our liberty?" Vitale said during the protest in a video posted by the group Ohio Gun Owners, Cleveland.com reported. "For me, I stand for your freedom and your liberty."

He also posted a conspiracy theory on his campaign Facebook page earlier in April, saying billionaire Bill Gates "wants to lock us down and profit by charging us for mandatory vaccinations." The post also falsely claimed that Gates "chose not to vaccinate his own kids."

On April 16, Vitale penned a letter urging DeWine to reopen Ohio.

"We are living under house arrest," Vitale wrote. "What is not overstated is the untold economic and now mental health misery Ohio is experiencing, which could lead to civil unrest."

"Ohio must now open and get back to normal," he wrote. "No government can stop death, no matter how hard we try. Life comes with some level of risk and it should be our choice to determine how we assess that risk as free citizens."

Download the NBC News app for full coverage and alerts about the coronavirus outbreak

In late April, DeWine ordered a partial reopening of Ohio, which went into effect Friday. On Monday, restrictions were lifted on construction, distribution, manufacturing and offices. And by May 12, consumer, retail and service businesses will be allowed to reopen.

Vitale said Saturday that he was still displeased.

"If you listened yesterday to the press conference, you heard the Ohio government say, this was not a Stay at Home order but a 'Stay Safe Ohio Order.' Sugar coat or call this what you want, read those words again and tell me, is this a stay safe order or does it look more like a house arrest order? Does this look like freedom or oppression?" Vitale wrote on Facebook.

Vitale did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

CORRECTION (May 6, 2020, 8 p.m. ET): An earlier version of this article misstated who wrote a letter saying, "We are living under house arrest" in Ohio. The letter was written by Rep. Nino Vitale, not Gov. Mike DeWine, to whom the letter was addressed.
President Donald Trump sat down with Syracuse native David Muir for a nationally televised interview Tuesday night amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Muir met with Trump in Phoenix, Arizona, sitting far apart to maintain social distancing during the presidents first major trip outside the White House in weeks. The ABC World News Tonight anchor asked Trump if he believes lives will be lost to reopen the country."

Its possible there will be some because you wont be locked into an apartment or a house or whatever it is, Trump said. But at the same time, were going to practice social distancing, were going to be washing hands, were going to be doing a lot of the things that weve learned to do over the last period of time.

More than 1.2 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the U.S. and 70,000 deaths have occurred  more than twice as many as any other country. And the infection rate continues to rise outside of New York as other states lift stay-at-home orders and reopen non-essential businesses.

Trump has repeatedly encouraged the economy to reopen after more than 30 million Americans lost their jobs, telling Muir that its not realistic for the shutdown to continue long term.

We cant sit in the house for the next three years, Trump said.

Therell be more death, that the virus will pass, with or without a vaccine. And I think were doing very well on the vaccines but, with or without a vaccine, its going to pass, and were going to be back to normal. But its been a rough process. There is no question about it."

Trump promised everyone returning to work will have access to diagnostic and antibody testing, and downplayed models from Johns Hopkins University and the University of Washington warning the U.S. death toll could nearly double by August.

These models have been so wrong from day one. Both on the low side and the upside. Theyve been so wrong, theyve been so out of whack. And they keep making new models, new models and theyre wrong, the president said.

Trump also criticized former President Barack Obama, claiming the medical equipment cupboard was bare and the previous administration left him with broken tests."

Youre three years into your first term, Muir responded. Youre now applying for the job again. What did you do when you became president to restock those cupboards that you say were bare?

Well, Ill be honest, I have a lot of things going on, Trump answered. We had a lot of people that refused to allow the country to be successful. They wasted a lot of time on Russia, Russia, Russia. That turned out to be a total hoax. Then they did Ukraine, Ukraine, and that was a total hoax. Then they impeached the president of the United States for absolutely no reason."

Muir is a former reporter at Syracuses WTVH (now part of CNY Central) and a graduate of Onondaga Central High School and Ithaca College. Hes anchored World News Tonight since 2014, winning the evening news ratings season for the past three years in a row over NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt and CBS Evening News with Norah ODonnell, and has become one of the most-watched programs on television during the coronavirus crisis.

Trump was in Phoenix to tour the Honeywell aerospace facility, which expanded its production to meet demand for N-95 respirator masks needed by healthcare workers. Trump wore safety glasses but did not wear a face mask; a White House official told NBC that Honeywell said that Trump and other visitors did not need to wear masks.

Pres Trump seen wearing protective glasses while on tour of N95 face mask production line at Honeywell plant, but not a face mask. pic.twitter.com/AiLNPLwSia  Mark Knoller (@markknoller) May 5, 2020

Trump not wearing mask but goggles at Honeywell facility. Other aides not wearing masks at all. Sign in facility says face mask required in this area. pic.twitter.com/Uq7Fr2ioeS  Jim Acosta (@Acosta) May 5, 2020

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

Onondaga County just became the only place in NY where dealers can sell cars in-person

The cost of reopening too fast after coronavirus closings? More people die, Cuomo says

CNY cop who owns gym defends decision to reopen illegally amid coronavirus

Is going to school in person obsolete? Cuomo wonders why old model persists
Seeking to provide much needed succour to people, including barbers and cab drivers, hit by the COVID-19, the Karnataka government on Wednesday announced a Rs 1,610 crore relief package and hiked excise duty on liquor by 11 per cent to mop up revenues as the state reported 20 new cases, taking the total to 693.

The measures announced by the Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa included a one-time compensation of Rs 5,000 each to thousands of washermen, barbers, auto rickshaw and taxi drivers, whose daily life has been affected.

It also decided to provide relief to farmers, Rs 25,000/ha compensation for affected flower-growers, certain relaxation in electricity bills for MSMEs and large industries, deposit of Rs 2,000 directly to the bank account of the handloom weavers and Rs 3,000 to building workers through direct benefit transfer.

The 11 per cent hike in excise duty announced is in addition to the 6 per cent that was announced in the budget.

"People from all sections of society are facing financial difficulties due to lockdown of more than one-and-a half months...the easing of lockdown does not mean it has ended. No one one should misuse relaxation, and cooperate in improving financial condition of the state," the Chief Minister said.

"Within a week, we will transfer the amount to accounts (of beneficiaries). We have stopped all development activities and doing this on priority for the welfare of those in distress, despite financial limitations," he told reporters.

According to health department's bulletin, as of 5 PM on May 6, cumulatively 693 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, it includes 29 deaths and 354 discharges.

It said, out of 309 active cases, 303 are in isolation at designated hospitals and are stable, while six are in intensive care unit.

Twentythree patients, who have recovered, have been discharged on Wednesday.

Thirteen out of 20 new cases are from Badami in Bagalakote district. Among them except one with Influenza Like Illness (ILI), rest are all contacts of a patient earlier tested positive.

From across the state, most number of infections have been reported in Bengaluru Urban with 155 cases, followed by Mysuru 88 and Belagavi 71.

A total of 88,777 samples had been tested so far, out of which 4,971 were tested on Wednesday alone with 83,056 of them returning negative.

Yediyurappa ruled out the demand of opposition Congress for a special assembly session on COVID-19 situation, but said he would soon meet the party leaders to discuss the relief measures taken by his government for various sections of people.

"Siddaramaiah (Leader of the opposition in the assembly), Shivakumar (State Congress president) want to meet me. I will give them time tomorrow or day after and will discuss with them. I think the things and amenities regarding which they wanted to discuss during the session, I have announced it today. There is no need for another session," Yediyurappa said.

In another related development, the state government has withdrawn its request to the railways to run special trains for ferrying the stranded migrant workers, a day after Yediyurappa appealed to them not to return to their native places and assured to provide them employment in the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-04-27 19:54:41|Editor: huaxia

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KUWAIT CITY, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Kuwait on Monday reported 213 new cases of COVID-19 and two more deaths, bringing the total infections to 3,288 and death toll to 22, the health ministry said in a statement.

Among the new cases were 31 Kuwaiti citizens who returned from Britain, Germany, Qatar, the United States and Saudi Arabia, the statement said, adding 177 new cases were contacts with infected patients.

The cause of the infection for the other five is still under investigation, it noted.

The new death cases was a 53-year-old Kuwaiti citizen and a 54-year-old Indian resident.

Currently, 2,254 patients are receiving treatment, including 64 in ICU, according to the statement.

Meanwhile, Kuwaiti Minister of Health Bassel Al-Sabah announced the recovery of 206 from the coronavirus, raising the total number of recoveries in the country to 1,012.

On April 4, Kuwait reported the first death case of COVID-19.

The Kuwaiti government has imposed a nationwide curfew to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

On March 13, Kuwait suspended all commercial flights. The government also closed stores, malls and barbershops in an effort to curb the virus' spread. Enditem
(Bloomberg) -- Layla Keith had just gotten off a flight from Singapore when she and her fellow passengers were met at the gate by Hong Kong government officials and ushered onto buses that shuttled them to a nearby convention center.

There, they were handed forms to fill out and given small containers to spit into.

They just put all the samples in a tray and told us to go, said Keith, a junior at an international high school in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory. I mean, we just didnt really have a choice.

Those who tested positive for the coronavirus were sent to a hospital for treatment; others were allowed to go. But the data from their saliva stayed behind in a government database.

In the global battle to curb Covid-19, governments have collected troves of data from testing and contact-tracing apps to try to find the disease and stop its spread. Even as many are willing to surrender personal information amid the crisis, privacy experts worry about who controls the data and what will happen to it after the crisis ends.

Hong Kong began imposing stricter measures on travelers after a rebound in coronavirus cases was brought on by residents returning from more severely stricken areas. Non-residents were banned from entry, and a mandatory quarantine was required for those returning home.

In addition, on April 8, incoming travelers were required to submit deep throat saliva tests, after being shuttled to a nearby center. Starting April 22, asymptomatic passengers had to wait for their test results before being allowed to leave.

Even as contact tracing apps have raised concerns about state surveillance, the involuntary surrender of DNA or other biodata takes it a step further, providing governments with sensitive and unchangeable fragments of personal identity. Saliva samples are used by DNA testing companies, for instance, to glean insights on ancestry, certain traits and predisposition to certain health ailments.

In Hong Kong, where pro-Democracy protests continue, some worry that the pandemic may give government officials the opportunity to make restrictions on privacy permanent. How Hong Kong uses the biodata it collects from travelers could provide some detail on whether or how that might happen.

Story continues

The problem of collection of biodata in the age of artificial intelligence and big data is a concern globally, especially in the administration of cross-border travel, where governments around the world are increasingly collecting and storing travelers data, from fingerprints to facial recognition to saliva, said Maya Wang, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch.

Travelers, and in particular foreigners, dont have rights to challenge this collection or this use or storage, and have very little ability to seek redress, she said.

Biodata can be particularly revealing and therefore valuable to hackers or repressive governments. It could expose medical histories or contribute to selective surveillance of political activists. It could also compromise a persons ability to get insurance or open a bank account, experts warn. In China, authorities are already using DNA data to keep track of the Uighur population.

Hong Kongs health ministry told Bloomberg News it would dispose of the saliva samples according to laboratory protocols, but it didnt say what those were. In forms travelers fill out on arrival at the airport, they are told the government will take all practicable steps to ensure that personal data is not kept longer than necessary.

The ministry also said the data would be accessible to government departments where deemed necessary. However it wasnt clear whether this referred to the passengers travel and personal history, or the data yielded from the saliva samples. The ministry didnt respond to repeated requests for clarification.

Authorities should be using saliva to determine if someone is infected with Covid-19 and then disposing of the sample, said David Murdoch, dean of the University of Otago in Christchurch, New Zealand, and a specialist in infectious diseases. Governments shouldnt try to pull additional information from such a sample without a persons consent, he said.

Some governments, like Singapores, have vowed to delete any private data or anonymize as much as they can.

In Hong Kong, authorities have recently stepped up efforts to rein in the pro-democracy camp with arrests of prominent activists and lawmakers, while Beijing has asserted the right to comment on the citys politics. That has spurred worries among some lawmakers that departments outside of health authorities wouldnt use that data, and further, that Beijings representatives in the territory might also lay claim to that information.

I have to say that not a lot of people have really thought about it yet, the potential implications for collecting this data, said Charles Mok, a member of Hong Kongs Legislative Council who represents the information technology constituency.

We should get clarification from the government, at the very least it should tell us how theyre going to dispose of the data and tell us this is the only test theyre carrying out with the samples, he said.

One major problem with Hong Kongs data privacy law is that a section that bans the cross-border transfer of private data has never come into effect. The law, enacted in 1996, hasnt been updated and the section regarding cross-border data transfer hasnt been enforced, mainly, experts say, because so many foreign companies have back offices overseas and those regulations would hinder their ability to operate.

Additionally, the personal data and privacy law that currently exists makes no accommodation for facial images or biodata, said Wang, of Human Rights Watch.

Thats why the privacy data ordinance needs to be updated, Wang said. On the cross-border transfer of private data, she said, The government hasnt given us any satisfactory information on why it hasnt been enacted all these years.

James Hazel, a research fellow at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, who studies privacy policies concerning the collection, use and sharing of genetic data, said the European Union tends to have stronger regulations on how biodata such as DNA can be used. In the U.S., he said, the secondary use of such data depends on the context -- rules governing physicians or researchers are generally more strict than those for a DNA company receiving voluntarily samples from customers.

Hong Kong isnt the only place where personal data and politics are interwoven. At least one other country, Vietnam, currently greets travelers with swab tests on arrival. Vietnamese officials said that the records of every test result are retained but that it is against the law to reveal anyones name.

But as other countries move to loosen restriction on travelers, Hong Kong -- where cases have nearly trickled to a halt -- offers one model for how to track the infection in people entering the country.

Some travelers into Hong Kong didnt seem too concerned, based on recent comments on Facebook support groups discussing Hong Kongs arrival process. People swapped tips on keeping children entertained and suggested bringing food and additional water for obligatory hotel stays managed by the government for afternoon arrivals.

But what happened to their saliva, or the forms theyve signed agreeing to submit the samples, werent a topic of conversation.

And while arriving at a European airport that is protected by stringent privacy laws might be less intrusive on travelers, anyone wanting to do business in Hong Kong -- 71 million people traveled through the international airport last year -- will have to spit in a cup, at least for now.

If nothing else, it is important for Hong Kong to be transparent about the details of the program so travelers can use that information in determining whether they want to travel to Hong Kong or not, said I. Glenn Cohen, a Harvard University law professor and expert on the intersection of bioethics and the law.

(Updates with additional context on Hong Kongs privacy, data transfer law starting in 20th paragraph.)

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Linkedin Dzulfiqar Fathur Rahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Fri, May 8, 2020 09:11 621 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd669971 1 Business food,commodity,staple-food,shortage,stock,COVID-19,coronavirus,climate-change Free

Shortages in key commodities have been reported in most of Indonesias 34 provinces as the nation copes with the double whammy of the coronavirus outbreak causing supply chain disruption and a dry spell hurting harvests.

Garlic, sugar, chili and chicken eggs are in short supply in more than 20 provinces, while rice, a staple food for Indonesians, is in deficit in seven provinces across the archipelago, according to government data presented by President Joko Jokowi Widodo.

The data clash with the Agriculture Ministrys claims that stockpiles, especially of Indonesias 11 key commodities, are safe and sufficient to meet nationwide demand during the annual peak consumption season of Ramadan, which began on April 24.

The Food Security Agencys head of food availability and security, Andriko Noto Susanto, said Indonesia had recorded surpluses in the 11 key food commodities at the national level, and any shortages at the regional level were a normal situation.

That is because there are provinces that serve as production centers, and there are those that do not, Andriko told The Jakarta Post in a phone interview on Wednesday. Provinces not producing rice may record a short supply of rice.

The Home Ministry went as far as encouraging district heads to empower local communities across Indonesias regions to plant their own staple foods, especially those in territories facing shortage. The COVID-19 pandemic will disrupt food supply within the country and around the world, exacerbating the situation.

Making matters worse, a dry season is looming on the horizon and may impact the overall output of the agriculture sector, which employs more than a quarter of the national workforce.

Read also: Govt to secure staple food stocks as dry season approaches

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has projected that more than 30 percent of the countrys regions, including parts of Bali, Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi, might face an unusually harsh dry season this month.

So there are two challenges right now: climate change and supply chain disruption due to the outbreak, Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) researcher Dhenny Yuartha told The Jakarta Post.

Of the 11 commodities, sugar, garlic and beef are the most at risk of short supply. The Food Security Agency has suggested speeding up the import of 207,743 tons of garlic, 85,474 tons of beef and 622,123 tons of sugar to ensure enough supplies for the AprilJune period.

For sugar, for instance, shortages have been recorded in 30 provinces, causing prices to soar to Rp 18,250 (US$1.21) per kilogram, 46 percent higher than the governments price ceiling of Rp 12,500 per kg.

Dhenny said the shortages and soaring prices were mainly caused by late imports and disrupted supply chains. East Java, the countrys largest sugar cane producer, is a COVID-19 red zone.

Center for Indonesian Policy Studies (CIPS) researcher Galuh Octania said the government should pay utmost attention to food stocks beyond November, because some of the regions hit by the worse-than-normal dry season were staple food production centers.

President Jokowi has ordered his administration to store rainwater and start filling reservoirs, retention ponds and other artificial water storages to mitigate the impact. The government is also easing import processes to ensure sufficient food stocks, although the logistics of this are challenging as some producing countries have imposed lockdowns.

Read also: Staple food imports arriving in May to safeguard stocks, prices: Airlangga

Coordinating Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto reported Tuesday that 94,000 tons of garlic had arrived from China in April and estimated that 78,000 tons more would be shipped this month. As a result, the average price of garlic declined by 5 percent to Rp 42,650 per kg between March and April. However, it is still far higher than the governments target of below Rp 30,000 per kg.

Soaring food prices also hurt farmers, since two out of three farmers in the country are classified as net consumers and some of them are poor, according to Galuh. Food accounts for more than 60 percent of the monthly expenses among poor citizens, those who spend around Rp 500,000 a month, according to a 2019 survey by Statistics Indonesia (BPS).

The government plans to provide Rp 300,000 in cash and production inputs like seeds and fertilizer valued at another Rp 300,000 per month to 2.7 million poor farmers. Eligible households can also get the Rp 200,000 monthly assistance to purchase food with the Staple Food Card program.

Rising prices may lower farmers purchasing power, Galuh told the Post via text message. Amid the coronavirus outbreak, farmers must fear that either they cannot sell their produce due to logistical disruption or their products may spoil.

Read also: Bulog struggles to import staple food as producing countries cap exports

The Agriculture Ministry is considering making available 600,000 hectares of peatland in Central Kalimantan to produce buffer stocks. The government has yet to work out the details, but a similar measure under former president Soeharto on 1 million ha of peatland in the province resulted in crop failure.

If done in a hurry, the costly project to open a new field will lead to crop failure that hurt farmers and a greater risk of environmental damage, CIPS researcher Felipa Ann Amanta was quoted as saying in a statement released on Tuesday.
Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., are pushing the Federal Trade Commission to take more steps to shield small businesses from scams as they try to access aid during the coronavirus pandemic.

In a Wednesday letter to agency Chairman Joseph Simons, 11 Democrats led by Klobuchar and Warren raised concerns about scammers "exploiting" the popularity of the Paycheck Protection Program, Small Business Administration assistance designed to keep employees on payroll at distressed small businesses. They pointed to reports of people sending fake offers of SBA loans to companies in order to steal personal information.

"Given the seriousness of this issue, we urge the FTC to take action to better inform small businesses about fraud and assist victims in understanding how they can get help and avoid falling victim to exploitation," the senators wrote to Simons, who leads the agency charged with protecting consumers and rooting out deceptive business practices.

The lawmakers asked what additional steps the FTC would take to inform small business owners about deceptive practices, prevent scams and assist victims. They also questioned what the agency is doing specifically to protect small businesses owned by women, minorities and veterans, as well as small companies in rural areas, which they said are more vulnerable to scams because they are more likely to lack access to capital.

Late last month, the FTC published a list of tips on how business owners seeking SBA assistance can identify scams.

Klobuchar and Warren, among apparent Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's 2020 running mate choices, have repeatedly pushed for tougher oversight of the U.S. economic and health-care response to the pandemic.

The FTC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the senators' letter.

As efforts to slow the pandemic's spread ravage the economy, the federal government took steps to swiftly dole out an unprecedented $2 trillion aid package passed in March. The effort led to a range of issues, as the first round of $350 billion in small business aid funding evaporated in days. Several large public companies got assistance and some companies without an existing banking relationship found themselves shut out of loan access.

The spending bonanza has also opened opportunities for fraud. The first two people were charged Tuesday with fraudulently applying for assistance by making false statements to influence the SBA.

The Senate returned to Washington this week as Congress considers its next moves to blunt the damage from the outbreak. The House will head back to the Capitol as soon as next week.

Looming fights in Congress include whether to send federal aid to state and local governments and pass liability protections for businesses as they reopen during the pandemic.

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BOSTON, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Although the exact origin story of the COVID-19 outbreak is still uncertain, it is highly likely that the virus began as a zoonotic disease, i.e. an infectious disease caused by a pathogen that jumped from animals to humans. A dominant theory is that the new coronavirus was initially a disease affecting bats, before transiting to humans, possibly via an intermediary species such as the pangolin. Given the location of the initial outbreak, it is likely that the virus made the jump to humans at a wet market in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where wild animals including bats and pangolins are traded illegally. The biology of COVID-19 and the technologies used for diagnosis are explored in the recent IDTechEx report, "COVID-19 Diagnostics".

This is not the first time that live animal wet markets have been linked with zoonotic diseases. A 2004 Lancet paper linked wet markets with several disease outbreaks, including the SARS outbreak in China and the H5N1 bird flu virus that transmitted to and killed 6 of 18 people in Hong Kong in 1997.

The problem of wet markets and zoonoses is just part of the wider issue of zoonotic disease outbreaks linked with the global meat industry. Any system involving an extremely high density of animals in contact with human will lead to risks of disease transmission. This is particularly problematic in intensive animal farming systems, where there is often very little genetic diversity between animals, meaning a disease can rapidly spread without meeting any resistance from genetic variants.

A prominent example of this is influenza, a disease with a high potential to cause pandemics. There is a clear link between the emergence of avian influenza viruses and intensified poultry production systems. A 2018 research article reviewed 39 historical "conversion events", the conversion of a low pathogenic into a highly pathogenic avian flu virus, finding that all but two of them were reported in commercial poultry systems, with most taking place in high-income countries.

Unfortunately, in the coming years, zoonotic disease outbreaks are likely to become increasingly common. This will stem from animal agriculture intensifying as the world struggles to feed its burgeoning population and growing wealth in low income countries leads to increasing demand for meat.

So, what is the solution? Although a significant reduction in global meat demand would probably be extremely helpful in stemming the tide of zoonotic disease outbreaks, it may be difficult to achieve. Meat is involved in many cultural and religious practices and eating meat is an important part of many peoples' identities, acting as a symbol of food security and societal value around the world. As such, there is a large opportunity for any company that can create a completely realistic substitute for meat products.

Any substitute would need to be almost indistinguishable from conventional meat, have at least price parity with corresponding meat products, and be widely available. Two particularly promising industries have grown at a rapid pace over the past few years: plant-based and cultured meat. The recent IDTechEx report, "Plant-based and Cultured Meat 2020-2030", explores the technology and markets behind these rapidly emerging industries, forecasting whether either area could help reduce the world's reliance on the problematic animal agriculture industry.

In addition to often being more sustainable than meat, plant-based foods are much less likely to lead to disease outbreaks. Due to the much larger genetic differences between plants and humans than animals and humans, transmission of infectious diseases from plants to humans is much less likely. Plant-based meat substitutes have been around for a while, but have taken off in recent years, with companies such as Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat raising hundreds of million dollars in funding and experiencing a surge in sales.

The explosion in plant-based meat products is considered in more detail in "Plant-based and Cultured Meat 2020-2030", but can be broadly attributed to three factors.

The first, and arguably most important factor is quality. Rather than just targeting vegetarians, plant-based analogue producer like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods are targeting the 95% of consumers who eat meat. These consumers are less likely to compromise on quality for ethical reasons than vegetarians. As such, there is a serious R&D focus on product quality and exact replication of meat, something not present in previous generations of meat substitutes. The second factor is in the increasing availability of plant-based meat products, with plant-based products becoming an increasingly common sight in fast food chains. Finally, consumer perceptions of plant-based meat are an important factor. Plant-based meats are viewed as healthy alternatives to meat products, letting consumers continue to enjoy their favourite foods guilt-free. There is a megatrend towards conscious consumption - consumers are increasingly demanding products be sustainable and ethical.

A step beyond plant-based meat is the idea that animal cells can be cultured in a lab, allowing scientists to produce products completely indistinguishable from conventional meat, without requiring animal slaughter. Cultured meat, or "cultivated meat", has captured the world's imagination in recent years, with start-ups across the world racing to be the first to bring a cultured meat product to market.

In theory, cultured meat could solve many of the problems associated with the global meat industry. Growing cells in controlled facilities could significantly reduce the chances of disease transmission from meat production compared with the traditional animal agriculture industry, alongside various environmental and ethical benefits.

However, the industry is still in its infancy and there are many unanswered questions around cultured meat. Consumers are notoriously sceptical of biotechnology in food and the concept of lab-grown meat could be unnatural and unappealing. Additionally, although the technology for large scale is already established, it is currently extremely expensive, meaning a cultured burger could be hundreds of times more expensive than one obtained from a real cow. Finally, there is the issue of regulations. No regulatory regime in the world has yet approved a cultured meat product, and the approval process is likely to be arduous. Nevertheless, the industry is extremely optimistic that cell culture could soon replace animal slaughter as the world's main source of meat products.

Preventing further zoonotic outbreaks will be difficult and there is no single solution. However, both plant-based and cultured meat could be part of this overall solution, helping to reduce global demand for conventional meat products. Will either meat replacement capture significant market share from the meat industry in the next decade? Find out in the recent IDTechEx report, "Plant-based and Cultured Meat 2020-2030" at www.IDTechEx.com/altmeat.

To find out more about food and agricultural technology research available from IDTechEx visit www.IDTechEx.com/research/agtech or for more information on the report "COVID-19 Diagnostics" and other healthcare research visit www.IDTechEx.com/research/healthcare.

IDTechEx guides your strategic business decisions through its Research, Consultancy and Event products, helping you profit from emerging technologies. For more information on IDTechEx Research and Consultancy, contact research@IDTechEx.com or visit www.IDTechEx.com.

Media Contact:

Jessica Abineri

Marketing Coordinator

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+44-(0)-1223-812300

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Hygienists published detailed instructions only hours before the new rules came into force.

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Our paywall policy: The Slovak Spectator has decided to make all the articles on the special measures, statistics and basic information about the coronavirus available to everyone. If you appreciate our work and would like to support good journalism, please buy our subscription. We believe this is an issue where accurate and fact-based information is important for people to cope.

Entrepreneurs had only a few hours to prepare for the biggest relaxation of measures adopted to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Hygienists published the detailed instructions for hoteliers, taxi services providers, hairdressers and shops only on May 5, shortly after 22:00.

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Epidemiologists from the consultation group of PM Igor Matovic (OLaNO) recommended on May 4 to speed up the reopening of economy and merged the second and third phase into one, starting on Wednesday.

The Sme daily has put up a list of measures approved by hygienists that came into force on May 6 at 6:00.

Shopping centres

Big shopping centres remain closed, but the exception was given to those with no more than 35 retail operations.

Customers are still required to wear a mask, maintain two-metre distance between one another and limit the number of customers to one person per 25 square metres.

Restaurants and other facilities serving food

Restaurants, pubs, cafes and other similar operations can be open at 6:00-20:00. Staff can let customers in only to use the bathroom, which has to be disinfected every hour.

It is allowed to open summer terraces, with a two-metre distance between table corners. The number of people sitting behind one table is limited to two people or a family with children.

Hotels and accommodation facilities

Short-term accommodation for guests has been permitted, but the room needs to disinfected and remain empty for at least 24 hours after people leave.

Food can be delivered directly to the room, but eating in restaurants or lunchrooms is still banned.

The facility cannot open other services like wellness rooms, swimming pool or gym.

Taxi services

Taxi services can transport people if their vehicles have appropriately divided space between the front and back seats so that the circulation of air between them is limited to a minimum.

The driver must disinfect the space after every customer, and have at least a 15-minute break between rides. Air conditioning in the space for customers is banned.

Body care

Hairdressers, barbers, and employees of manicure and pedicure salons are required to wear protective face shields. The duty does not apply to the employees of solariums.

All spaces and tools need to be disinfected between the visits of customers. When taking care of the face or cutting hair, customers are allowed to not wear a mask.

Driving schools

Drivers and instructors have to protect their respiratory organs, and nobody else is allowed to be in the car.

After the end of the lesson, the car interior needs to be disinfected, and there should be at least a 15-minute break between the drives. Theoretical lessons have to be taken remotely.

Libraries

The employees of libraries have to wear gloves at work. After taking a book from readers, they should put it aside and handle it only after 24 hours.

Masses and weddings

All participants need to wear masks. Before entering the church or the register office, people have to disinfect their hands, while there should be a two-metre distance between guests.

During mass, it is recommended to recite instead of sing, while people should use a handkerchief or hand when sneezing or coughing. Hygienists recommend holding separate Sunday masses for people older than 65 years.

During communion, it is ordered to serve the host in the hand and not to drink from one vessel. Churchgoers cannot shake hands and there should not be any containers with water in the spaces where ceremonies are held.

Spaces need to be regularly disinfected and where possible, it is recommended to hold masses and other ceremonies outdoors, while keeping a two-metre distance. When leaving the church or the register office, it is required to keep a two-metre distance between people and prevent their gatherings.

Sme
The Bombay High Court has sought



response of the Maharashtra government and the Nagpur civic body on a petition filed by an association of newspaper hawkers seeking a blanket restriction on door-to-door delivery of newspapers and their printing amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The petition, filed by Nagpur Daily Newspaper Hawkers and Sub-Agents Welfare Association on Tuesday, said their members are required to go door-to-door to deliver newspapers and would come in contact with several persons. Thus, they would be at the risk of getting infected by coronavirus.

"Further, chances of the virus spreading from the newspaper surface can also be not ruled out. The newspaper moves from hand to hand before being finally delivered to the customer, the plea said.

It said while initially the government had restricted door-to-door delivery of newspapers across the state, the order was later amended and delivery was prohibited only in Mumbai, Pune and in containment zones of other districts.

The petition, filed through advocate R B Khan, termed the April 21, 2020 amended order of the government as unconstitutional and illegal and sought for it to be quashed and set aside.

The plea further claimed that newspaper managements and the Press Council of India are only worried about the business of publication and gaining profit, but not concerned about the hawkers and customers.

"The government had initially taken effective steps to ensure that the public at large and hawkers delivering newspapers are not put at the risk of getting infected by COVID-19, and correctly banned printing of newspapers across the state, the petition said.????



The amended order of the government permitting door- to-door delivery of newspapers, except in Mumbai, Pune and containment zones of other districts, is discriminatory, the petition added.

Nagpur is also in red zone and has now been put under a lockdown on par with that of Mumbai Metropolitan Region and Pune Metropolitan Region, the petition said.

Justice A S Kilor on Tuesday directed the government and the Nagpur Municipal Corporation to file their affidavits on the petition by May 12.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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New Delhi: Amit, a constable of Bharat Nagar police station in the capital, suddenly fell ill on Tuesday. After which he was rushed to RML Hospital. Earlier on Monday, he had a fever and was having difficulty in breathing. His condition later worsened, and he died.

CoronavirusIt is speculated that he was infected with the corona virus. Police said that samples were taken from Amit and his report is awaited. It will be clear whether he had corona virus or not after the report comes. It is worth mentioning that if Amit's report comes back positive, it will be the first death with corona in the Delhi Police.

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The number of cases of corona virus in the country is increasing day by day. 126 people have died in the last 24 hours. So far, the number of cases of corona virus in the country has reached 50,000 and 1,649 people have died from the virus. In addition, 14,187 patients have returned home after recovery.

CoronavirusAccording to the Ministry of Health, Maharashtra has the highest death toll at 617, followed by Gujarat at 368, Madhya Pradesh at 176, Rajasthan at 89, Delhi at 64, Uttar Pradesh at 56, Andhra Pradesh at 36, West Bengal at 140, Tamil Nadu at 33, Telangana at 29 and Karnataka at 29.

There were 25 deaths in Punjab, eight in Jammu and Kashmir, six in Haryana, four in Kerala, three in Jharkhand, four in Bihar, two in Himachal Pradesh, one each in Chandigarh, Assam, Meghalaya and Orissa.
Asian giant hornets will swarm a honeybee hive with the purpose of decapitating thousands of bees and taking away their thoraxes to feed to the hornets young. On rare occasions, they will attack humans, sometimes fatally.

Stories this week in various media outlets, including the New York Times, about the Asian giant hornet, Vespa mandarinia, making its way to Washington state have many Americans wondering whether the insect could soon be spreading across the country.

Are these murder hornets coming to the Philadelphia region to kill local bees and, possibly, humans?

Not any time soon, if at all, experts say, and add that fears of the hornets are overblown.

The insect is also sometimes referred to as the Japanese giant hornet. Queens can grow to about two inches long. Workers are typically slightly smaller, but their size can increase into the fall to about the same size as queens. The hornets attack honeybees, and can wipe out a hive in hours by using their mandibles to rip off the heads.

They are also known to kill humans, with up to 50 victims a year in Japan dying after suffering painful stings.

The sightings in Washington mark the first time the bugs have been documented in the United States. Other than British Columbia, they have not been found anywhere else in North America, Michelle Infante-Casella, agricultural agent for Gloucester County with the Rutgers Cooperative Extension, wrote in an article published Wednesday by Rutgers University and also written by William Bamka, Extension agricultural agent for Burlington County.

Reached by email, she said the Asian giant hornets in Washington wont suddenly fly thousands of miles east, across the Rocky Mountains, on their own. The threat is that they will be transported by vehicles. Infante-Casella said Washington state will need to inspect hives to make sure the pest is not present.

So the concern is not the migration of the Asian giant hornet, but the inadvertent transport, she said in the email.

In the article, Dina M. Fonseca, director of the Center for Vector Biology at Rutgers in New Brunswick, N.J., said, It is important not to overreact. ... We do not expect them on the East Coast.

Reached by email, Fonseca said she takes exception to the term murder hornet, as they kill bees only to feed their colonies. She noted there has long been an invasive wasp on the East Coast, the European hornet, which arrived in the 1800s. But she said it never made it to the West Coast. The European hornet, however, is smaller than the Asian giant hornet, reaching up to one inch in length.

Big invasive jumps are relatively rare, and almost without exception associated with human movement, Fonseca said in the email.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said the Asian giant hornet was first documented in the U.S. last Dec. 8 in Blaine, Wash., when a resident reported finding a large, dead hornet on his property. It was later identified as an Asian giant hornet by the Washington Department of Agriculture. A hornet had also been found on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, in September.

Three more potential sightings have been reported in Washington, with two reporting that honeybee colonies were attacked. Beekeepers said they started seeing a potential invasion in October.

The hornets have a black and dull-yellow/orange striped abdomen. They create nests in the ground, using hollow trees or rodent tunnels. They are a serious problem for honeybees, which are needed to pollinate flora. Their venom is highly toxic and they will attack humans if threatened.

The Asian giant hornet should not be confused with another large insect native to the East, the Cicada killer wasp (Sphecius speciosus). Cicada killers are found throughout the U.S. and burrow holes in the soil, but do not sting people. The males do not have stingers. The females have small ones that generally do not create a painful sting in humans.

Female wasps strike and stun cicadas, which react with a loud shrieking buzz until paralysis sets in due to the stinger. Cicada killer wasps can be seen dragging their prey up trees and plants.

Sarah Plonski, president of the Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild and a Germantown resident, called fears of the hornet overblown.

Plonski said only two specimens were found in Washington, not full colonies. In addition, she said, Asian giant hornets dont exclusively attack honeybees, feeding on other insects too.

She believes it unlikely they will end up in the Philadelphia region. Rather, her concern is that people will use more insecticides, and worsen a years-long decrease in the honeybee population. While there are numerous causes of that decline, such as parasites and loss of habitat, insecticides are thought to be a significant factor, especially in agricultural applications.

The human reaction, Plonski said, could be more dangerous than the hornet itself.

This article has been updated to say worker Asian giant hornets can grow into the fall to about the same size as queens.
50 Best pivots to focus on a fund-raising drive in partnership with founding donor Perrier, delivering recovery-focused digital content and a major virtual summit in October

LONDON, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The organisation behind The World's 50 Best Bars today launches a three-pronged campaign, entitled 50 Best for Recovery - standing with the global bar community in partnership with Perrier. The aim is to provide tangible financial relief where possible, as well as create and collate helpful resources for bar businesses as they emerge from the pandemic and seek actionable advice and support.

The first part of the project is the 50 Best Recovery Fund, with the generous backing of founding donor Perrier. The fund will be utilised to support a range of non-profit organisations working in different parts of the globe to aid the survival and eventual revival of the bars sector. Funds will be raised through donations from 50 Best's partners as well as a range of accessible initiatives through which guests will be able to give back to their beloved bar community.

50 Best also launches The World's 50 Best Bars Recovery Hub, which is gathering and generating content that will offer advice, information and inspiration for the sector, as well as for cocktail lovers looking to play their part in sustaining and rebuilding our industry. At the same time, 50 Best will continue to recognise the passion, skill and determination of bars, bartenders and their teams as they push towards reopening and revitalisation.

50 Best will host a virtual Recovery Summit in October, with a clear focus on exploring how the bar world can thrive once again. Comprising a range of events including masterclasses, case studies and discussion forums, the Summit will gather the global drinks community together online to share learnings, promote best practices and explore visions of a post-pandemic world for cocktail bars and their guests.

After consulting with the hospitality community and analysing feedback, 50 Best has concluded that these three pillars support the areas where bars require assistance most. 50 Best for Recovery will provide essential fiscal stimulus, a source of reliable and regularly updated information and create a focal point where the community can share its experiences and look to the future.

Mark Sansom, Content Editor for The World's 50 Best Bars, says: "With 50 Best Recovery, we took a step back to examine our strengths and work out how we can best apply these to provide concrete help to the bar community. We will utilise our network, our relationships and our global reach to raise money, collate valuable information and provide a platform to share experiences. We stand alongside our partners in supporting the bar world and believe that we have a key role to assist in accelerating the rebirth of bars across the globe after this truly harrowing period. We must all work in unison to give back to the community, so that the bars themselves can get back into the business of creating memories for guests that last a lifetime."

Over the coming weeks, 50 Best will launch a series of fund-raising initiatives to encourage further contributions to the Recovery Fund, from corporate donors and consumers alike. This will include the 50 Best 'Bid for Recovery' Auction in June, offering food and drink lovers the opportunity to bid for out-of-this-world hospitality experience from bars and restaurants in the 50 Best family.

It will also publish Home Comforts: simple lockdown recipes from the world's best chefs and bartenders, an e-book featuring simple home-made recipes from the world's leading chefs, with complementary cocktail pairings from 50 Best bartenders, which will be downloadable in return for a small donation. A social media contest, #50BestRateMyPlate, will open to foodies and cocktail lovers across the globe, who will be challenged to create dishes and cocktails inspired by the book. Further details of how to participate in all these fund-raising programmes will be released prior to each individual initiative.

The 50 Best team continues to offer its heartfelt support to all those businesses and individuals suffering from the effects of the global pandemic. The organisation is hugely grateful to all those in the hospitality world who are dedicating their time and skill to help others, as well as to its partners.

50 Best would like to thank founding donor Perrier for its support. Philippe Gallard, International Business Unit Director for Perrier, says: "The whole industry is being hit unbelievably hard by this crisis. Most outlets are closed, others can't pay rent, thousands of employees face uncertainty. At Perrier, we've been working alongside bars and bartenders for decades and we feel strongly that we need to do our part to help keep our beloved bar industry afloat during these unforeseen times. We really want to be there with them today, tomorrow and in the future and this initiative can certainly be a first step in the right direction."

50 Best is focussed on how it can best support the rebirth of the bar community and will be continually revaluating how best to do this. The precise format of The World's 50 Best Bars 2020 programme is under ongoing review and will be announced in the coming months.

All details of the campaign will be available on the 50 Best for Recovery webpage and Recovery Hub as they are announced, as well as via Instagram @50BestBars and Facebook @50BestBars

Press Contacts

Kirstyn MacRandal at Mongoose Agency:

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50 Best Social Media

Follow on Instagram: @50BestBars

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http://www.facebook.com/50BestBars/ Subscribe to the YouTube channel: 50 Best Bars TV

About The World's 50 Best Bars

The World's 50 Best Bars provides a definitive list of the world's best drinking venues, voted for by an Academy of over 530 experts worldwide. The World's 50 Best Bars list has been published annually since 2009 and has become the most anticipated ranking for drinks professionals and cocktail aficionados across the world, with the awards the highlight of the bar industry calendar. The list of Asia's 50 Best Bars has been published since 2016. The World's 50 Best Restaurants list, also organised by William Reed Business Media, has been published since 2002.

About the main sponsor and founding donor: Perrier

Perrier is one of the world's most iconic natural sparkling mineral water brands. Enjoyed in more than 140 countries, in five continents. A unique natural result of a series of several eruptions, mixing together rainwater and volcanic gas, Perrier is the Earth's first soft drink. Perrier was first bottled in the south of France in 1863. With its refreshingly unique bubbles and low mineral content, Perrier is perfect on its own, with a slice of lemon, or mixed with juices or spirits. The iconic green bottle and slim cans are recognised around the world as the number one sparkling mineral water.

Other partners

Nikka Whisky - Official Whisky of the World Partner

Michter's - Official American Whiskey Partner

Ketel One Vodka - Official Vodka Partner

Campari - Official Bitters Partner

Altos Tequila - Official Tequila Partner

Asahi Beer - Official Beer Partner

The London Essence Company - Official Mixers Partner

Disaronno - Official Italian Liqueur Partner

Matusalem Rum - Official Rum Partner

Seedlip - Official Non-Alcoholic Spirit Partner

Tanqueray Gin - Official Gin Partner

Torres Brandy - Official Brandy Partner

illycaffe - Official Coffee Partner

Mancino Vermouth - Official Vermouth Partner

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Two aged care facilities are testing residents for COVID-19 after staff members at both homes were separately diagnosed with the virus despite displaying no symptoms.

Families of residents at Grant Lodge in Bacchus Marsh and the Doutta Galla aged care home in Footscray were notified this week of the separate, unrelated, diagnoses. The incidents became public on Wednesday.

Footscray Aged Care. Credit:Eddie Jim

Staff and all 24 residents of Grant Lodge who had contact with the infected person are being tested.

Five staff members who had close contact with their colleague for more than 15 minutes are isolating at home. None of the residents were deemed to be close contacts, the home's management said.
A young couple left their one-year-old daughter in a car while they went out for dinner in a restaurant - 'because she was sleeping'.

A 27-year-old man and 21-year-old woman were charged with leaving a child in a motor vehicle causing emotional distress after the incident in Sydney CBD on February 11.

Police were called after bystanders spotted the baby girl inside the luxury Mercedes wagon at 11pm.

They found the child hot, flustered and crying in the unlocked vehicle, while the parents, who cannot be named, were nowhere to be seen.

A 27-year-old man and 21-year-old woman (pictured) appeared in Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday after leaving their one-year-old baby in a Mercedes while they ate in a restaurant

The child was in the car for 37 minutes while the couple ate, with CCTV footage showing the father checked on the baby once during their meal.

The couple's lawyer John Overall told Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday the parents were 'inexperienced' and didn't intend to put their daughter in danger.

'Theyre not Australian citizens and might not understand the requirements,' he said, as reported by The Daily Telegraph.

'All I can say is they just didnt want to wake their baby. They made the wrong decision.'

Deputy Chief Magistrate Michael Allen was confused as to why someone would leave their baby unattended in an unlocked car in the city.

'Care is care,' he said. 'Such was the level of distress that a passer-by alerted police.'

Magistrate Allen required the couple to do an eight-week parenting course before their sentencing on July 1.

Their charge can incur a maximum fine of $22,000.
Bismah Malik By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: Thousands of orders were placed with e-commerce firms such as Amazon, Flipkart and Snapdeal after the government lifted the ban on sale of non-essential goods by online marketplaces in orange and green zones across the country.

Baby care, electronics, apparels, personal hygiene and work-from-home products were the most-searched items on these e-commerce platforms on Day 1, with a definite shift in shopping trends amongst the homebound consumers. Non-essential commodities constitute 70 per cent of total e-commerce sales in India, which stood at nearly $30 billion in 2019, says a note by Forrester Research.

An Amazon spokesperson told TNIE that its sellers have received orders for smart devices, electronics, kitchen appliances, clothes and other work-and-study-from-home enablers from customers in orange and green zones. As we support the economic revival of small and medium businesses, we urge the government to allow an expanded list of priority products in the red zone, which will not only serve urgent needs and spruce up economic activity, but will also ensure citizen safety in a high-risk area, Amazon India said.

Flipkart said it has seen an increase in searches for consumer electronics products, particularly trimmers. With salons shut, search for trimmers increased 4.5 times, it said.

We are seeing an increase in searches for laptops, consumer electronics (such as headphones), mobile phones, air conditioners, coolers, t-shirts and other essentials, said Anil Goteti, senior vice-president at Flipkart.

For Snapdeal, 75 per cent of the orders on Day-1 of Lockdown 3.0 came from orange and green zones. With more MSMEs to restart operations in these zones, the e-tailer said its sellers have received thousands of orders.

Most wanted

Baby care, electronics, apparels, personal hygiene and work-from-home products were the most-searched items on these e-commerce platforms on Day 1 after the lifting of ban on sale of non-essential goods, with a definite shift in shopping trends amongst homebound consumers.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) may file its first chargesheet on May 6 against Rana Kapoor, Bindu Kapoor, Rakhee Kapoor, Roshni, Radha Kapoor, Morgan Credits, RAB Enterprises (India) private limited and Yes Capital India Private Limited.

ED has provisionally attached 168 bank accounts of Rana Kapoor, family members and associates companies worth Rs 52 crores.

Also, It has provisionally attached mutual funds worth of Rs 3 crores and 59 paintings worth of Rs 4 crores that includes an MF Hussain painting of Rajiv Gandhi. The painting was sold by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to Kapoor in 2010 for Rs 2 crore.

A source told Moneycontrol, In the first chargesheet, proceeds of crime could be around Rs 5,050 crores which may increase in further chargesheets

As per a document reviewed by Moneycontrol, out of Rs 5,050 crore, an amount of Rs 600 crore has been received by Kapoor and his family members or family-owned entities directly. The same appears to have been further utilised either in the business or in procuring more properties.

ED recorded the statement of Ravneet Gill, the former managing director of Yes Bank, who mentioned the wrongdoings in the company. Gill mentioned in his statement, I analysed the asset portfolio of the bank and found that the bank had assumed very large exposures (relative to its net worth) to many entities which were facing significant stress and illiquidity.

Over a period of time, many such accounts emerged where NPAs had been averted through accounting practices or due to inability to repay loans; that the notable cases where large NPAs arose included (ADAG Group, (b) DHFL, (c ) Essel Group, (d) Cox & Kings, (e) Radius Developer, (f) Sahana Developers, (g) Omkar Group, (h) Avantha Group, (i) Sumer Group and (k) SKIL.

He also stated that Yes Bank had sanctioned a loan of Rs. 750 crore to Belief Realtor Pvt. Ltd. He also stated that the loan to Belief Realtor - a company of the DHFL Group controlled by Dheeraj Wadhawan and Kapil Wadhawan; had been sanctioned on date June 18, 2018 by the Management Credit Committee (MCC) headed by Rana Kapoor, MD & CEO of Yes bank.

Gill also mentioned the following:

The loan was disbursed on September 27, 2018. Prior to that, in August, 2018, the MCC approved an additional loan of Rs 950 crore to Belief Realtors. Since the loan amount of Rs 1,700 crore required a Board Credit Committee (BCC) approval, this item was required to be placed in the BCC, scheduled for August 28, 2018. But, this item was not discussed in the meeting. On August 29, 2018, a separate loan of Rs 950 crore was sanctioned by the MCC to RKW Developers Pvt Limited. The loan was shifted to RKW Developers instead of increasing the loan amount to Belief Realtor as Rs 950 crore fell within the powers of the MCC. While the documentation for the loan to RKW Developers was underway, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) started a special audit and, on the basis of that, the sanction to RKW was cancelled.

As per Rana Kapoors statement given to ED, DHFL - in 2018 -

issued retail senior public debentures worth Rs 8,000-10,000 crore, and approximately Rs 3,000 crore was allocated for purchase by Yes bank Ltd. as per the BCC approval. He also stated that a loan of Rs 1,200 crore had been given by Yes Bank to Aadhar Housing Finance, a DHFL group company.

A loan of Rs. 600 crore against property was sanctioned by DHFL to Doit Urban Ventures India LId. (DOIT) - wholly owned by a company namely M/s Morgan Credits Pvt. Ltd. (MCPL). Morgan Credits,in turn, is equally held by Kapoor's three daughters (33% each) namely Radha K. Khanna, Rakhee K. Kapoor and Roshni Kapoor.

Kapoor further stated that two earlier loans of Rs 300 crore each had been given to DOIT by DHFL, which were duly closed in August 2018. A renewed loan of Rs 600 crore was granted. Against the loan, DOIT mortgaged five properties though Kapoor was not sure if the valuation of these properties was carried out at the time of its mortgage.

Kapil Wadhawan and Dheeraj Wadhawan put up a proposal for the sanction of a loan of about Rs 1,700 crore from Yes Bank in the name of Belief Realtors PVT Limited (BRPL) for Bandra Reclamation Project situated near Lilavati Hospital.

Dheeraj wanted to pay DHFL standing in the name of RIP Developer. By that time, the company for which the loan had to be applied was not decided. At that time, for the Bandra Reclamation project, there was a deed of assignment between RIP Developer and Wizard Constructions (India) Pvt Limited. RIP Developer was owned by Gopal Dalvi, a very close friend of Dheeraj Wadhawan.

On this Bandra Reclamation Project, they took a loan of Rs 725 crore from DHFL which was invested by Wadhawans for purchasing the preference shares of Kyta Advisors Pvt Limited. It was never used for the declared end use. Yes bank never intended to give the loan to RIP Developers as it was not declared as their group company.

Therefore, Kapil Wadhawan and Dheeraj Wadhawan decided to obtain the loan in the name of BRPL as it was beneficially owned by the Kapil

Wadhawan & Dheeraj Wadhawan group.

Yes Bank bifurcated the loan into two parts as they were getting some problem in sanctioning the loan in one entity. Accordingly, Rs 750 crore was sanctioned in the name of BRPL and Rs 950 crore in the name of RKW project.

However, the loan to RKW project Management private limited could not be disbursed as it was cancelled by Yes Bank. The loan of Rs 750 crore, after disbursement, was ultimately transferred to DHFL after several layering.

As per Moneycontrols source, The loan risk team of Yes Bank pointed out multiple and serious issues in the proposal, such as the majority of the project approvals not being in place, slum evacuation not having started and the conduct of the account not being satisfactory with other lenders etc.

The Letter of Intent (Lol) issued by SRA was for carpet area of 1.3 Lac sq ft whereas the proposal from BRPL had considered an area of 6.3 Lac sq. ft. Standard Process stipulated by the bank for valuation was waived and no end use certificate was called for from the borrower. No end-use monitoring was done by the bank required by the RBI guidelines. However, the loan was sanctioned, the source said.

This indicates that this was done deliberately to siphon off the money from Yes Bank. The criminal conspiracy between Rana Kapoor and the Wadhawans became apparently clear with the fact that Rs.750 crore was sanctioned to M/s Belief Realtors Groups company of RKW Developers group - beneficially owned by Wadhawans. The same amount was rotated through various entities of RKW group transferred to DHFL without a penny being spent, the source added.
Fly ash generated by coal-fired power stations is an environmental headache, creating groundwater and air pollution from vast landfills and ash dams. Some of the waste product can be repurposed into geopolymer concrete, such as pre-cast heat-cured elements for structures.

However, a critical durability problem has been low resistance to extreme alkali attack. Researchers at the University of Johannesburg have found that high temperature heat-treatment (HTHT) can reduce this harmful mechanism in fly ash geopolymer concrete by half.

"In a previous study, we found that fly ash geopolymer concrete can be vulnerable under extreme alkaline conditions. The recommendation from the study, was that this material should not be employed in structures that are exposed to highly alkaline mediums, such as some chemical storage facilities.

"The findings of our new study show that the alkali resistance of geopolymer concrete can be significantly improved by exposing it to an evaluated temperature, optimally 200 degrees Celsius," says Dr Abdolhossein Naghizadeh.

The study forms part of Naghizadeh's doctoral research at the Department of Civil Engineering Science at the University of Johannesburg.

Extreme alkali medium

In the research published in Case Studies in Construction Materials, blocks of fly ash geopolymer mortars were variously heat-cured at 100, 200, 400 or 600 degrees Celsius for 6 hours. These were then immersed in water, a medium alkali medium or an extreme alkali medium; and stored at 80 degrees Celsius for 14 days or 28 days, depending on the performance measurement.

(The prolonged heat-curing for 28 days was conducted to compare the results with those obtained by the other studies, which employed the same curing regime. This long-term curing is suitable for research purposes, but not recommended for actual construction. The medium alkali medium was a 1M NaOH solution. The extreme alkali medium was a 3M NaOH solution.)

"The hardened blocks heat-cured at 200 degrees, and then immersed in the extreme alkali medium (the "200/3M" blocks), maintained about 50% residual strength at 22.6 MPa upon alkali attack. The blocks heat-cured at the other temperatures maintained much lower residual strengths at 10.3 - 14.6 MPa," says Naghizadeh.

"The 200/3M blocks immersed in extreme alkali medium displayed only limited fine cracking indicating low expansion, compared to the others which displayed severe cracking. Leaching of silicone and aluminium was lowest for the 200/3M blocks.

"X-ray diffraction showed that crystalline minerals, albite and sillimanite, formed in the binder phase of 200/3M blocks. Scanning electron microscope images of the 200/3M binders show the presence of a gel-like substance, characteristic of alkali attack. The heat-curing significantly reduced in the intensity of the attack but could not prevent it," he says.

"The High Temperature Heat Treatment (HTHT) at 200 degrees created this effect by inhibiting the dissolution of unreacted fly ash particles within the hardened geopolymer concrete matrix. However, the HTHT also reduced the compressive strength for these blocks by 26.7%."

Best used as precast

Fly ash geopolymer binders exhibit remarkable durability properties. Among these are high resistance to alkali-silica reaction; superior acid resistance; and high resistance to fire, low carbonation and limited sulfate attack, says Naghizadeh.

Fly ash geopolymer cement is suitable mostly for precast concrete manufactured at a factory or workshop. The reason is that strength development in geopolymer cement mixtures is generally slow under ambient temperatures.

This makes heat-curing necessary or essential for early strength gain. The practical methods established for heat-curing pre-cast Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) can be adapted for this.

This makes fly ash geopolymers suitable for precast concrete elements such as beams or girders for buildings and bridges, railway sleepers, wall panels, hollow core slabs, and concrete pipes.

For regular fly ash geopolymer concrete, a 24-hour period of heating at 60-80 degrees Celsius would be enough to achieve sufficient strength. This curing regime (temperature and duration) is common in cement industry, which is also used for some Portland cement concretes.

Although the use of geopolymer cement is growing every year, its application is still very small compared to OPC. Geopolymer has been employed as the binder in residential structures, bridges, and runways mostly in European countries, China, Australia, and the USA.

A new generation cement

Since the middle of the 18'th century, OPC has been used extensively to produce concrete. Its durability performance is well understood and its long-term behaviour can be predicted.

However, a new generation of cement is emerging as a suitable alternative to OPC in certain applications. These geopolymer cements (or geopolymer binders) have a nature and microstructure totally different from OPC.

A starting material used for geopolymer binder needs to be rich in alumina and silicate contents. On this criterion, multiple industrial waste or by-products qualify - such as rice husk ash, palm oil fuel ash and coal power plant fly ash.

However fly ash has two advantages for use as a geopolymer cement, says Naghizadeh.

Firstly, fly ash is available in millions of tons globally, also in developing countries. Repurposing fly ash as construction material can potentially reduce some of its environmental impacts. Currently, it is disposed of in vast ash dams and landfills close to coal-fuelled power plants, which generate air and ground-water pollution.

The second advantage for fly ash as starting material for geopolymer cement is its chemical composition. Typically, fly ash is rich enough in reactive silicon and aluminium oxides, which results in a better geopolymerization.

This in turn yields a binder with superior mechanical, physical and durability properties compared to the geopolymer concretes made using other waste products containing alumino-silicates.

More complex mix design

When designing a building, the engineer needs to ensure that the concrete used in the structure will have the expected strength for the service life. However, the physical and mechanical properties of concrete and other construction materials can change over time. Such changes can influence the material performance over the service life span of the construction.

Generally, an OPC concrete mixture includes cement, water and aggregate. The civil engineer develops an OPC mix design using specific proportions of these three ingredients for the intended structure.

"For fly ash-based geopolymer concrete activated by sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide, mix design is more complex than for OPC," says Naghizadeh.

"More parameters are involved: the amounts of fly ash, sodium silicate, sodium hydroxide, water, and aggregate; as well as the concentration of sodium hydroxide; the proportion and quality of glass within the alkali."

Fly ash from ash dams

In South Africa, research about using fly ash as a geopolymer cement is limited, says Prof Stephen Ekolu. Ekolu is a co-author of the study and former Head of the School of Civil Engineering and the Built Environment at University of Johannesburg.

"The existing research about fly ash geopolymer concrete uses fly ash supplied directly from power stations. Further research is needed about using fly ash from landfills and ash dams, technically referred to as "bottom ash" to produce geopolymer cement.

"The biggest research questions are issues of material quality, mix design, and developing the technology to allow curing at ambient conditions rather than the current practice of curing at elevated temperatures. Once these three scientific issues have been resolved, fly-ash and indeed most other forms of geopolymer cements can be better placed as OPC replacements worldwide," says Ekolu.

Not a concrete extender

Currently, a small amount of fly ash is used as a common cement extender. In South Africa that amount is 10% of the 36 million tons produced annually. It is mixed with clinker to produce Pozzolanic Portland Cement (PPC).

Though fly ash is used as a common OPC extender, fly ash-based geopolymer concrete (FA-GC) is not combined with OPC-based concrete.

The reason is that the hydration process of OPC is completely different from the geopolymerization reaction of FA-GC. Also, OPC-based concrete and geopolymer concrete each requires a different curing condition.

Different production than OPC

The major phases in OPC production are the calcination and grinding processes.

Unlike OPC, geopolymer production does not require these phases. Fly ash-based geopolymer binders consist of two components: The fly ash and an alkali activator. Usually, fly ash is used as produced in the power station, with no need for further treatment.

Alkali activator solutions such as sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide are also extensively produced in the industry. These are used for multiple purposes, such as detergent and textile production.

"Greener" concrete

"The long-term durability of geopolymer cement under different environmental conditions needs further research. Also, the construction industry globally lacks technical knowledge of the production of geopolymers. To employ geopolymer binders, engineers, technicians and construction workers need training to design and produce geopolymer concrete mix designs with the required properties," says Naghizadeh.

"There is no doubt that production of Portland cement needs to be limited in future, due to its huge environmental impacts. This includes about 5-8% global anthropogenic carbon-dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, which contributes to climate change," adds Ekolu.

Several studies, including those from the University of Johannesburg, have shown that fly ash geopolymer can exhibit superior, or similar properties to Portland cement. This makes it a suitable alternative to replace Portland cement in certain applications.

Moreover, the availability of fly ash worldwide, especially in developing countries, provides an opportunity to produce more economic concrete "greener" than Ordinary Portland Cement, from the viewpoint of potential repurposing of a problematic waste product.

###

Written by Ms Therese van Wyk and Dr Abdolhossein Naghizadeh.

INTERVIEWS: For email interviews or questions, contact Dr Naghizadeh at anaghizadeh@uj.ac.za.

For interviews via mobile phone / Skype / Zoom with Dr Naghizadeh, contact Ms Therese van Wyk at Theresevw@uj.ac.za or +27 71 139 8407 (mobile) in Johannesburg, UTC + 2.

Dr Naghizadeh's doctoral research was partly funded by the Centre of Applied Research and Innovation in the Built Environment (CARINBE) at the University of Johannesburg.
Trade unions on Wednesday strongly protested against the decision of some state governments to cut their employees' pay, increase working hours and delay movement of migrant workers who wish to return home amid the lockdown.

As many as 12 central trade unions raised various issues during a webinar with Labour MinisterSantosh Gangwar and senior officials of the ministry on Wednesday.

The unions demanded effective implementation of Inter-StateMigrant Workmen Act, 1979 and also pitched for bringing a national policy for migrant workers.

In a statement issued after the webinar, BJP-affiliated Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) said it has demanded from the "government to immediately start creating a National Register of Migrant Workers for creating data base, proper identity, portability, labour law protection, social security benefits etc."



The union told the minister that many migrant workers returning to their homes are facing various problems, both in the host state as well as their home state.

The BMS said the Inter-State MigrantWorkmen Act, 1979 is grossly violated when train fare is collected from workers, and contractors/principal employers do not provide them with wages or food in the labour camps.

The BMS demanded immediate formulation of a national policy for migrant workers.

"Compulsory methods should not be adopted to dissuade migrant workers going to their home (reverse migration) to join their families," the union said.

It suggested the workers should be provided incentives to come back to the host states, likecash incentives, electronic passes and free train tickets.

BMS along with other unions also opposed the dearness allowance (DA) freeze by the central government.

The union said, "Huge salary cuts are made by nearly 14 state Governments and DAfreeze by the Central Govt. No guarantee is being given whether the amount so withheld will be returned or when it will be returned."



The labour ministry should write to states to immediately stop such massive salary cuts, the BMS said.

BMS President Saji Narayanan and General Secretary Virjesh Upadhyay participated in the webinar.

All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur told PTI that almost all unions were on same page to protest against state governments' move to increase working hours.

She said four states have amended laws to increase working hours to make up for production loss during lockdown.

She added that one of the four states has made a provision in law that no compensatory off or overtime would provided to workers for increased working hours.

At present, central law mandates eight hours work per day for six days a week.

The unions have also demanded free ration and Rs 7,500 for each needy family per month.

They asked the government to run trains or buses to facilitate movement of migrant workers to their homes.

Meanwhile, the labour ministry in a statement acknowledged the problems being faced by the working class, specially migrant workers, and assured all necessary cooperation to address the issues.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The world should come together to avoid the recurrence of the Covid-19 pandemic and create new systems involving responsible individuals, organisations and countries, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS) joint general secretary Dattatreya Hosable said on Wednesday.

The senior RSS functionary, in an interaction with foreign media persons through videoconferencing, said the limitations of ideologies of both global capitalism and global communism have exposed themselves in dealing with the pandemic.

The world will have to search for the emergence of a future world order, a new regime. Political ideologies based on politico-economic thoughts which have ruled the world for the last century have failed in todays world. Unbridled materialism and consumerism will have to be questioned; and I hope humanity will try to free itself from this, he said.

To a separate question on the message to the Arab leadership on the perception that Indian Muslims are being discriminated against, Hosable said RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has already made it clear that the entire community cannot be made a scapegoat for the acts of a few.

...Naming the whole community is not in the right spirit. The virus does not discriminate, he said, adding that a few prominent Muslim leaders wrote to Bhagwat and welcomed his stand on the issue.

The Sangh functionary also expressed hope that there will be a detailed inquiry carried out to investigate the origin, reason and impact of the pandemic.

In response to a question on the US Presidents Donald Trumps statement on the need to investigate the reason and origin of the coronavirus, he said when there is a global crisis of this magnitude, it is for the international community to probe or fix responsibility.

In any such conditions, it happens that the entire community through organisations with mandate and infrastructure and standing in the global system will go into that. Virus is virus; whether man-made or not is premature to say. It is in the interest of humanity is it good to probe; it is for better preparation in future, Hosable said.

The Sangh, which has steadfastly pushed for indigenisation, also had a message for the government: draft a detailed economic policy that will allow India of attract investments without harming the self-reliance and natural resources.

We will have to be very judicious; new measures will have to be announced so that MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) and agriculture can stand on their own feet; but at the same time any countries cannot close its doors to the others, he said.

Commenting on Hosables statement, political commentator Shirish Kashikar said: It is clear that all countries have to bring changes; India is the second most populous (country), and will have to be the first and others will follow.
Washington

When President Donald Trump finally left his White House quarantine Tuesday to tour a plant in Arizona that makes protective equipment, he declined to wear a mask, something he's been reluctant to do since the outbreak began.

During a tour of a Honeywell plant making N95 respirators for health care workers, the president donned safety goggles but no face covering, making good on his remarks that he didn't need to and probably wouldn't do it.

Since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended on April 3 that Americans wear face masks in public, Trump has repeatedly suggested they were impractical, pointless and beneath the dignity of the leader of the free world.

Trump said he couldn't see himself meeting with "presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens" while wearing a mask, even though diplomatic trips have been curtailed. He teased a small-business executive who had worn a mask at a White House event, telling her to put it back on before she spoke.

After facing criticism for not wearing a mask during a visit to a Mayo Clinic facility last week, Vice President Mike Pence wore one at a General Motors plant. In a Fox News town hall Sunday, he expressed regret.

"I didn't think it was necessary, but I should have worn a mask at the Mayo Clinic," he said.

Trump and Pence get tested for COVID-19 frequently.

Even before his trip to Arizona, public health experts said that Trump's comments had undermined the White House message on face masks.

Dr. K. "Vish" Viswanath, a professor of health communication at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said people notice when a leader's behavior contradicts their own recommendations.

"At the very least, it confuses people," he said. "At the very worst, it might even cause them to question if these rules apply to them or if the message is really that critical."

But he said that images of Trump wearing a mask could be persuasive, especially for Trump's more skeptical supporters. Researchers call this the "Katie Couric effect," after the journalist who had a televised colonoscopy, causing screening rates to skyrocket.

Trump's dismissive attitude toward masks lines up with his GOP base. An ABC News/Ipsos poll released last week showed that 69% of Democrats reported having worn a face mask or covering when away from home in the past week, while only 47% of Republicans said the same. Many people protesting coronavirus lockdowns in a number of state capitals recently have also skipped wearing masks while gathering in large groups.

Arizona is a new battleground state for the 2020 election, where some Republicans are getting strong challenges from Democrats.

Other political leaders have worn masks in public. The mayors of Chicago, Dallas and Los Angeles; the governors of California, Colorado, Florida, New York, Ohio, Virginia and Washington, and the heads of China, France, Greece, India and Japan have all worn them in public, as has Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Slovakian President Zuzana Caputova drew worldwide attention when she swore in a new prime minister wearing a fuchsia mask that matched her dress.

Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden has criticized Trump for not wearing a mask, saying that he should listen to science and pledging to wear one himself in public.
The Assam Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department is working on war footing to draw an action plan for controlling the spread of the African Swine Fever, which has killed 2,900 pigs in the state since February, a minister said on Wednesday.

A task force is being set up under the department's secretary to check the disease and minimise loss to pig farmers, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Minister Atul Bora told PTI.

"Veterinary doctors and scientists are deeply involved in controlling spread of the disease," Bora said.

Saying that an estimated 2,900 pigs had died due to the African swine fever, he said they were concerned about the potential spread of the disease to the Northeast.

"We do not want transportation of pigs from other parts of country to the region to avoid a crisis situation here," Bora said.

Pointing out it is a fatal disease of pigs and the mortality rate was 100 per cent, Bora said humans and other animals were not infected by it.

Informing that the disease could occur also through fresh and frozen pork, he said: "We have taken a decision to ban sale of pork in the six affected districts of Jorhat, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Bishwanath, Dibrugarh and Sivasagar."



Reports of deaths of pigs from other districts have also come in. So far 306 affected villages have been identified in the six districts, the minister said.

By making containment zones in the identified districts to keep them in isolation, he said the dead animals are to be disposed in deep burial with salt and bleaching powder.

He said his department officials were assisting in such burials.

On the preventive measures need to be taken, the minister said: "Adoption of strict biosecurity measures is the only preventive measure. We have directed that the domestic pigs be restricted to one area inside the farm premises so that the disease does not spread."



He said culling of infected animals was one of the preventive measures.

"If the situation demands, we will go for culling after taking the farmers opinion on it through discussions as many unemployed people in Assam are involved in the piggery industry for livelihood," Bora said.

As per the Census report, 21 lakh people are involved in the industry, but as per our own calculation, nearly 30 lakh are engaged, he added.

The minister said he had spoken to the Centre so that the pig farmers do not have to face any crisis situation as a lot of their money is invested in this industry.

He added that the state government was collecting data for helping the farmers who suffered the losses due to the infection.

Stating the genesis of the disease is in Africa where it was detected first in 1921, the minister said it started in India for the first time in Arunachal Pradesh in January.

"We suspect it has come to Assam from Xingiang province through adjacent Arunachal Pradesh through wild boar," he said. "This virus remains active till about two-and-a-half years and there is no treatment for this disease."



For protecting the wild boars, his department had suggested to the Forest and Wildlife Department to keep the animals under surveillance in national parks and adjacent villages.

The state government's concern began when classical swine flu vaccine given routinely at this time and the regular medicines did not work, then samples were tested in a Guwahati laboratory where it was found to be African swine fever.

The National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases in Bhopal where the samples were sent confirmed that it is African Swine Fever.

Bora said at the district level, the deputy commissioners had been given the responsibility to monitor the situation with teams of veterinary doctors and scientists sent to every district.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The initiative, dubbed Egypt will pass, encourages business owners to embrace online technologies and create new job opportunities

Egypts Ministry of Planning and Economic Development launched Tuesday the Misr Hataady (Egypt will pass) initiative that aims at encouraging the private sector to retain its workforce and to provide new job opportunities in an attempt to counter the economic implications of the global Covid-19 pandemic.

Ministry spokesman Ramy Galal said the initiative calls upon civil society and businesspersons to provide their services online so they can keep the health of their workers safe and boost the national economy.

The initiative was launched in partnership with Terous Misr Foundation and number of businessmen and companies owners, a statement by the ministry read.

Minister of Planning Hala El-Saeed said the initiative aims to keep the gains of Egypts economic reform programme implemented since November 2016, which helps the government undertake health, social and economic procedures for fighting the pandemic.

El-Saeed added that these economic and social measures are in line with the national sustainable development agenda and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

El-Saeed noted that participation in the initiative is open to all businesses and companies.

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LONDON, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Commonwealth of Dominica took centre stage in a new episode of the 'Plan B' podcast released on Wednesday by CS Global Partners. The discussion themed around the benefits of Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programmes to the nations offering them, where Dominica prevailed in terms of the magnitude of the impact CBI has on its economy.

Known as the 'Nature Isle of the Caribbean', Dominica also stands out for its unique model of offering citizenship by investment. It focuses on driving high-quality foreign investment and rewarding individuals and their families with the status of economic citizens. This is possible through its Citizenship by Investment Programme, established in 1993 and currently ranked as the best in the world. Dominica excels at transparency, good management of CBI funds and economic progress that the Programme facilitates  a 'lifeline', as Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit often says.

"CBI money is being used to build hurricane-proof housing for thousands of Dominican families," says Zahra Khozema, a Communications and PR Officer at CS Global Partners in London. "The island is also improving its infrastructure, including roads, bridges, hospitals and health centres [] CBI is also supporting business initiatives, education, [and] resorts and hotels to attract tourists and bring life back into the tourism sector."

Those who wish to obtain second citizenship from Dominica have two options to choose from  either contribute to a government fund or invest in pre-approved real estate. The first CBI channel, called the Economic Diversification Fund (EDF), is more straightforward and starts at US$100,000. It allows the government to confirm receipt of the qualifying investment faster, which expedites the application process. Meanwhile, the country benefits most from EDF contributions, which the government redirects to other areas deemed necessary to improve the quality of life on the island.

For those with a more entrepreneurial spirit, investing in a select list of luxury resorts and hotels may be more suitable. This ranges from established boutique resorts like Jungle Bay or eco-luxury villas at The Residences at Secret Bay, to upcoming nature-immersed resorts like Sanctuary Rainforest, or internationally-branded 5-star hotels such as Tranquility Beach from Hilton's Curio Collection and Anichi Resort and Spa from Marriot's Autograph Collection. Investments for citizenship start at US$200,000, which pays off in attractive ROI and a head start in Dominica's promising ecotourism sector. fDI Intelligence, a service from the Financial Times, predicted in 2019 that Dominica is one of the top 20 tourism destinations of the future.

There are two distinctive features Dominica prides on. Firstly, it is very selective about whom it allows to obtain citizenship. Although investors from almost any country can apply, they must pass due diligence checks first to demonstrate that they are of good moral character. Secondly, the purpose of the CBI Programme is to primarily benefit the native population, while welcoming new economic citizens to its 'global community' where they can live, work and study among a kind nation with a promising future.

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www.csglobalpartners.com

SOURCE CS Global Partners
LONDON  For Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain, the political risks of running up the worst death toll in Europe from the coronavirus became starkly clear on Wednesday in a near-empty House of Commons, where he faced off for the first time against the new leader of the opposition, Keir Starmer.

Citing new statistics that suggest Britain, with more than 30,000 deaths, may have overtaken even hard-hit Italy, Mr. Starmer asked Mr. Johnson how he could claim apparent success in the response to the outbreak, as he did last week after he returned from his own serious bout with the virus.

That is not success  or apparent success, Mr. Starmer said, his words hanging in the silence of a normally boisterous chamber. Can the prime minister tell us, how on earth did it come to this?

Mr. Johnson replied that direct country-to-country comparisons were difficult and that the true human cost of the pandemic would only be clear after it was over. While statisticians generally agree with that assessment, Mr. Johnson implicitly acknowledged its weakness as a political argument.
Val Kilmer is opening up about the highs and lows of his decades-long career, as well as his battle with throat cancer.

In a new interview with The New York Times Magazine, Kilmer - a lifelong Christian Scientist - discussed his decision to go ahead with chemotherapy despite it going against his religious beliefs.

The religion maintains that prayer is most effective for physical healing when not combined with medicine, but these views were not shared by his ex-wife Joanne Whalley, 58, and their two children Jack, 24, and Mercedes, 28.

Staying strong: Val Kilmer - pictured above in 2019 - is opening up about the highs and lows of his decades-long career, as well as his battle with throat cancer.

"I just didn't want to experience their fear, which was profound," Kilmer explained, hinting that it was his family who urged him to seek medical help. "I would've had to go away, and I just didn't want to be without them."

Kilmer discovered that he had a lump in his throat when he was touring his one-man show Citizen Twain in Nashville in 2014.

He was later diagnosed with throat cancer after having symptoms and waking up in a pool of his own blood, but Kilmer tells the interviewee that it was the "suggestion of throat cancer," explaining his religious views.

Ex: Val and his ex-wife Joanne Whalley in 1988, with whom he has two children Jack, 24, and Mercedes, 28.

Support: Val and his daughter Mercedes in Hollywood last year

"The idea is rather than say I have it or possess it, there is a claim, there's a suggestion that this is a fact," he said.

Kilmer famously denied he had the disease, when friend Michael Douglas spoke about his health struggles in 2016. Speaking about the incident, Kilmer said: "They said I was denying that I had cancer, and when they asked me, I didnt have cancer."

Following his diagnosis in 2014, Kilmer had surgery the same year, as well as chemotherapy and radiation leaving him with a tracheostomy tube and a feeding tube.

Fighting fit: Val made an appearance with actor Al Pacino at the Simply Shakespeare's Live Read of The Merchant Of Venice at Walt Disney Concert Hall last year

The actor - who has just released his autobiography I'm Your Huckleberry: A Memoir -says he misses eating food in the interview, and regularly watches shows Top Chef, Chefs Table, and Ugly Delicious, longing for the time that he can eat again.

Losing none of his sense of humour, the Top Gun star joked that he's going "to look like Orson Welles" when he does eat again, and made a food-shoveling gesture with his arms.

The profile details how the actor was seen having lunch during the interview, which consisted of him mixing liquids together from 'various canisters' before putting them into a syringe to put into his feeding port.

Romance: He also opened up about his romantic relationships with celebs such as Carly Simon, Cindy Crawford and Angelina Jolie, along with Daryl Hannah, who he dated in 2001

Star: He made his feature film debut by receiving top billing in the 1984 spy comedy Top Secret, which he followed up with 1985's Real Genius and 1986's Top Gun, which made him an international star

Elsewhere, Kilmer - who once had a net worth of $25 million - discussed the devastating loss of his 6,000-acre New Mexico ranch in the 2008 housing crash.

"I just lost my home like a million other people. It was pretty awful," the actor said of his Santa Fe ranch, where he had planned to keep an animal sanctuary.

"I was gambling with being able to maintain the status, and I would've won my gamble, except for 2008."

Memoir: 'At first, I thought it was the Angel of Death, before I realized it was the Angel of Life,' Kilmer writes in the book, which was published on Tuesday by Simon & Schuster

The Batman star talks about New Mexico in his new book, and an encounter he experienced there in his 20s with what he describes as an 'amorphous black figure.'

'It will ruin the absolute gravity of this moment but in truth this dark angel looked very like Darth Vader, though without the helmet,' Kilmer said.

The star added that he watched the black figure rip out his heart, only to replace it with a 'bigger one.'

'At first, I thought it was the Angel of Death, before I realized it was the Angel of Life,' Kilmer writes in the book, which was published last month by Simon & Schuster.
As weeks become months following the imposition of economic and cultural lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the resumption of live music performance remains an increasing question mark.

Capitalist governments everywhere are pushing a back-to-work campaign in industry and other sectors of the economy, even though it will mean an untold number of deaths. In the field of classical music, however, back to work comes up against the obvious necessity for large audiences in venues of 1,000, 2,000, 3,000 seats or even more. One does not have to think very long about the reluctance of audiences to turn out for such events, under conditions where there is not yet any treatment or vaccine for COVID-19, or the serious internationally coordinated campaign to get the disease under control.

Amidst the accelerating bipartisan US back-to-work campaign, governments such as that headed by New York State Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo are forced to indirectly acknowledge this reality. In the tentative plan he announced on Monday, Cuomo suggested four stages of reopening, beginning with manufacturing and certain retail stores on May 15. Cinemas, theaters and large musical venues would be in the final stage, weeks later, assuming the state figures for coronavirus infection continue to decline.

Berlin Philharmonic in 2019

This proposal ignores the obvious reality that COVID-19 cases in New York are flattening rather than sharply falling, and that New York is not insulated from the rapid growth of infection rates in other parts of the country. Equally if not more important, the return to work and economic activity before the disease has been controlled will inevitably leadas medical sources warn and as the political representatives of the ruling class are well awareto a continuing and even more devastating wave of illness and death.

To say that the resumption of live performance is uncertain under these conditions would be a great understatement. This highlights the plight of musicians everywhere.

There are ten or 15 very well-known symphony orchestras in the United Statesbased in Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Seattle, Houston, New York and other cultural centers. They have of course been forced to cancel their seasons and have no clear idea of whether they will be able to proceed in the fall.

There are about 1,200 other symphony orchestras in the United States, however, located in mid-sized and even small towns, and at colleges and universities. The tens of thousands of musicians in these smaller orchestras, not to mention the large number who have freelance careers, face threats to their careers and livelihoods even greater than their counterparts at the well-known institutions.

The WSWS spoke to a number of classical musicians, in both Europe and the US, on their own work as well as the fundamental issues raised by the pandemic.

Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 2019

Christian, a baritone based in Berlin who specializes in music of the Baroque period, explained how his career had been interrupted:

I am not allowed to give any concerts until the end of August. I have lost almost 12,000 euros [$US 13,011] in income thus far. Four concert engagements were canceled. I received a compensation from the Berlin Senate that covered less than half of these losses.

The federal funds can only be used to cover operating expenses and commercial expenses, but freelance artists dont have any such expenses. You are not allowed to use these funds to cover living expenses and compensate for lost income. So basically, we dont get anything from it. Only [the states of] Berlin, North Rhine-Westphalia and Bremen have given artists something, but if you dont live in any of those regions, youre really out of luck.

I expect to lose another 4,000 or 5,000 euros in income in the coming months. If concerts resume in the fall, many of them will take place at a later date, but we dont know whats going to happen. If concerts do not resume, I will have to file for unemployment benefits starting in August.

Christian explained that the Initiative of Cultural Workers in Germany had issued an open letter appealing for an immediate relief program for those affected by pandemic cancellations and closures, asking for a guaranteed monthly income of 1,180 euros for all.

You cannot earn any money from streaming music. If people had a basic income of say 1,100 euroseven though that is not a lotmaybe you could ask everyone to donate before they access the stream. Right now, musicians who put on their work online earn nothing.

I did a ghost concert in an empty church, but we only gathered perhaps 30-40 percent of what we usually would make because we dont get any money from tickets. Even a sold-out concert at the Berlin Philharmonic does not cover costs. These concerts always have to be supported by the state. The worst thing though is that I horribly miss it [singing at concerts].

Capitalism is demonstrating that it cannot handle this crisisor, rather, it can handle it, but only at the cost of enormous sacrifices. Those who were doing poorly before are doing even worse now, while the bosses of Amazon and similar companies will emerge only strengthened.

Michigan Opera Theatre production of Puccinis La boheme

Jeremy Epp, a percussionist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO), told the WSWS:

Im fortunate to have an employer who is able to compensate me at a reduced rate for the next several months, but I anticipate losing several opportunities for supplemental income, and what happens if some measure of social distancing continues beyond the summer is unclear. Ive put off a house purchase until I have more certainty about my financial situation, and I know of many freelance colleagues whose circumstances are direr.

Were likely to get a more complete picture of how our country could have better prepared for the pandemic in time, but it appears that there was an opportunity to learn lessons from countries that faced COVID-19 before we did, and to take steps that would have mitigated its impact here.

Beyond that, the pandemic raises questions about how underlying conditions affected the virus spread, whether theyre about how we deal with poverty and the unemployed, or how our healthcare system compares to those of other countries.

The DSO has been among the leaders in streaming orchestra concerts, but theres still opportunity for growth and expanded audiences. We know there will be an appetite for live performance againits a greatly enhanced experience compared to watching a recording or a live streamand theres an opportunity for growth with the new audiences our online offerings attract. Weve been heartened to see how many people are turning to the arts for comfort and connection.

Gregory Near, a musician in the Detroit area, said:

I retired in the Spring of 2019 from playing trombone in the Michigan Opera Theatre [MOT] Orchestra, due to a neurological condition known as Musician Focal Dystonia of the Embouchure. The American Federation of Musicians Employee Pension Fund [AFM-EPF] has been underfunded for a number of years, and cuts to our monthly pensions are expected by 2021.

Im very concerned that the almost complete stop of live performances, and therefore contributions to the Fund, will put its future in jeopardy. My colleagues at MOT have all been sidelined for the 2020 Spring Season, and the Fall Season appears to be in doubt. These musicians have had to find creative ways to continue working, through online teaching and performances, for which donations are appreciated.

Asked about some of the broader issues raised by COVID-19, he replied:

The failure to respond quickly with appropriate plans and stockpiles of supplies has resulted in an overwhelming of our already insane health care system. The lack of a national health care system that includes all people has resulted in job losses, followed by health insurance losses and ending in unnecessary deaths. Now we are faced with [mass] unemployment, millions sheltering at home, schools closed, and only essential businesses open. Desperation is leading those unable to absorb their economic burdens to demand a premature opening of the world to resumption of work, which could lead to further spread of the virus and death. This points to a cascading failure of the whole capitalist system, when profits are put before people.

I watched and listened to the live At-Home Gala put on by the Metropolitan Opera, in which those who sing from the stage, those who make their instruments sing from the pit, and those who make sewing machines sing from the costume department, are sheltering in their homes around the world and performing via the Internet. I dont yet know how this way to reach an audience will develop and change how we move forward from here. But with this pandemic as background, these vignettes of artists performing and sharing their stories from home, desperate to return to work, reveals a side of what it is to be a performing artist that few have seen before. This can only be viewed as life-affirming!

The experiences of musicians and artists everywhere demonstrate that there can be no return to the status quo ante in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The austerity of the period following the 2008 financial crash is only the prelude to what will be coming in the wake of the current economic catastrophe, one that was triggered by COVID-19, but by no means caused by it. The concession demands that led to some bitter struggles at US orchestras in the past decade are nothing compared to what artists will be facing in the very near future.

While classical artists must fight, alongside all sections of the working class, for full compensation for income lost in the current crisis, this must be connected to a broader turn on their part to the working class and to objective social reality. There can be no avoiding the issues that are posed by the calamity that capitalism has produced. There can be no abstention from the enormous struggles that are on the horizon.

These are issues that cannot be confronted on a local or national basis, nor can they be resolved by calls for shared sacrifice. It is the profit system itself that is leading humanity to disaster, and the only answer must be the unification of every section of the working class, including professional and cultural workers, in the struggle for socialism.
After an argument erupted regarding social distancing guidelines at an ATM in Dorchester on Tuesday, a man pulled out a semi-automatic gun and pointed it at a person in line, police said.

Ricardio Pantojas, 40, of Boston, was arrested and charged with the unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, carrying a loaded firearm on a public way and assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, police said.

At around 12:45 p.m., Boston police responded to a call involving a fight and a person with a gun at the Citizens Bank on 569 Washington St.

Witnesses told police that an argument ensued after Pantojas refused to follow social distancing protocols while waiting in line, authorities said. Police said when the victims told Pantojas to adhere to the guidelines, he pulled out a gun and pointed it at them.

Pantojas, accompanied by a woman, fled the scene, but police said they soon found him in the area of 94 Whitfield Street.

Police said with the presence of a gun, both people were asked to exit the car. A search of the vehicle revealed a loaded Bersa .380 semi-automatic gun.

Related Content:
Belgium Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes on May 6 said that the countrys retailers will reopen to shoppers from Monday, May 11, but with strict distancing rules. Wilmes reportedly said that customers will be advised to remain apart and to wear masks when the stores open.

Belgiums National Security Council (NSC) has also given green light to the second phase' of deconfinement measures. While addressing the daily briefing, Wilmes said that the country can start the new phase because the criteria are favourable. She added that hospital admissions continue to decline, with only a third of the beds in the intensive care until being occupied by COVID-19 patients.

READ: Nepal Extends Lockdown Till May 18 To Curb The Spread Of Coronavirus

Currently, Belgium has more than 50,781 confirmed coronavirus cases and the deadly virus has claimed nearly 8,339 lives in the country. Wilmes reportedly said that the phase-out is a delicate exercise and some people might find it that the authorities are moving too fast. However, she added that the restrictions will be there for a long time.

According to reports, the new phase in Belgium will allow some businesses whose are not in contact with the public will be allowed to re-start. Schools, restaurants and bars will still remain close for a longer period of time to contain the spread. Meanwhile, on public transport, passengers have been instructed to wear protective face masks of the kind that have become ubiquitous on the streets of Brussels.

Furthermore, the authorities informed that when the shops do open they must ensure that there is enough space for each client to occupy 10 square meters and to remain 1.5 meters away from staff.

READ: Pope Backs Migrant Farm Workers As Italy Mulls Legalization

Coronavirus outbreak

Coronavirus, which originated in China in December 2019, has now claimed over 259,000 lives worldwide as of May 6. According to the tally by an international news agency, the pandemic has now spread to 212 countries and territories and has infected more than 3.7 million people.

Out of the total infections, more than one million have recovered but the easily spread virus is continuing to disrupt many lives. Major cities have been put under lockdown in almost all countries including Spain, and the economy is struggling.

(Image: AP)

READ: Russian Anti-doping Agency Plans To Resume Testing Athletes This Month

READ: Kosovo Albanian Woman Charged With Joining IS Terror Group


A man killed his adult son before killing himself in Northeast Portland, police said Tuesday.

Portland police said 78-year-old Michael OConnor is believed to have shot his son, 52-year-old William OConnor. The elder OConnor fatally shot himself.

The men were found Monday inside a home in the 13600 block of Northeast Milton Street. Police said they died at the scene.

Officers said they found the gun believed to have been used in the shooting.

No additional information about the deaths was immediately available.

-- Jim Ryan; jryan@oregonian.com; 503-221-8005; @Jimryan015

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
The weapon North Korea fired at a South Korean guard post on Sunday along the heavily-armed border was a 14.5 mm heavy machine gun capable of penetrating an armored vehicle. The lives of troops were at risk. But both Cheong Wa Dade and the military were in a rush to write off the incident as an "accidental discharge" and did not even lodge a formal protest. Experts say North Korean heavy machine guns are not known to misfire, and the story is even less likely given that all four bullets squarely hit a patch of wall 1.5 km away. On Monday, a day after the incident, North Korea lambasted South Korea's procurement of U.S.-made F-35 stealth fighter jets and joint military exercises, which makes it crystal clear that the provocation was planned as usual.

In the past, the South Korean military broadcast warnings and told the public when and what weapons North Korea fired. But the current administration kept mum. A Cheong Wa Dae official explained North Korea's silence by saying, "The North rarely responds when it comes to its mistakes." In other words, the presidential office claims that silence is somehow proof that the gunshots were accidental. The government is bending over backward to excuse North Korea's latest provocation. Will it also pass off the North's next missile launch as an accidental fumble?

Yet the same government wasted no time making personal attacks against North Korean defectors-turned-lawmakers who ran off at the mouth when rumors started that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is dead. They had to apologize profusely. They may have gotten ahead of themselves, but that is hardly a mistake on the same order of magnitude as shooting at a guard post. It is time the government got its priorities straight.


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In recent times, the mainstream media alongside some top tech companies in the world, have worked hard to suppress the widely held belief that the coronavirus is just a cover-up for 5G deployment and that 5G installations have created the coronavirus; however, they have done nothing to deny the fact that the 5G technology indeed lowers immunity and destroys health, as reported on many news outlets including Wired.

Instead, as the world sits at home, eagerly awaiting the containment of the present pandemic, reports continue to surface about government activities involving the alleged installation of 5G towers at various publicly funded facilities including public schools, all of which are temporarily shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

There has never been a more perfect time to install these technologies in public places away from the wondering eyes of parents, teachers and public workers. Fortunately, the public has still somehow spotted these nefarious activities and have begun to protest and resist the installation of these facilities in their neighbourhoods.

According to Alex Jones of Info Wars, more research should be done to find out more about the correlation between 5G radiation and the COVID 19 virus however, this research is never going to happen.

Why are people awakening right now to 5G?

The mainstream media has vehemently denied the claim that the 5G technology creates the coronavirus and the government alongside top tech companies have done everything to discredit this claim including banning any news outlet that propagates this claim. However, it is public knowledge that even though COVID 19 might not be created by the 5G technology, the technology indeed lowers immunity and exacerbates the spread of the virus. The public is beginning to wonder why the government has gone ahead to install this technology despite reservations by many scientists.

Radiated Viruses Have a Bigger Effect

The coronavirus, whatever its origin is made stronger when it comes in contact with the radiation that's emitted from 5G towers. According to Mike Adams, founder of Natural News, speaking in an interview with Alex Jones; 5G exposure potentiates the coronavirus and its ability to infect cells. Adams insists that 5G exposure causes voltage potentiated ion channels in the cells and changes the porosity of cell membranes, allowing things to be pushed into the cells that don't belong there.

So in the context of a highly infectious virus that invades cells, the presence of 5G can work as a biological weapon, as seen in certain cities that have the 5G technology, such as Wuhan and Guayaquil.Adam maintains that it is no coincidence that Guayaquil which is the epicentre of the virus in Ecuador has 5G towers installed in their city, so does Wuhan which was the epicentre of the outbreak in China.

Adams refers to a phenomenon called electrophoresis, a general term that describes the migration and separation of charged particles (ions) under the influence of an electric field. Electrophoresis ensures that if you pass a current through your body, it changes the porosity of the cell membranes inside your body. He describes this using a popular science stunt where college students would get drunk by having electric voltage passed through their fingers, pushing the alcohol right into the cells and making them about 5 times more drunk than they will ordinarily be with the same amount of alcohol. This is the same way that the 5G radiation worsens the effect of the coronavirus causing people to face a much higher health risk in locations where the 5G towers are situated.

Scientists have been warning the world about the dangers of 5G technology. While some countries have heeded this warning, others have mindlessly embraced wireless radiation and the harmful effects of EMFs and are unleashing 5G on innocent unsuspecting citizens.
New York:

A 30-year-old Indian chef was punched repeatedly in the face and called ISIS by an unidentified man in an alleged hate crime incident in the US city of Omaha.

Suthahar Subburaj, who works as a chef at an Indian restaurant in Omaha, was attacked last month while he was taking out trash for work.

A man wearing a black hoodie punched Subburaj multiple times in his forehead, face, mouth and kicked him in the leg, according to a report in The Omaha World-Herald quoting police officials.

Using abusive language, the man shouted at Subburaj, saying, ISIS, get out of my country and fled from the scene, the report said.

An advocacy organisation for Hindu Americans have voiced concern over growing xenophobia towards people of South Asian and Middle Eastern descent. Leaders of the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) have condemned the attack, calling it a hate crime.

Subburaj is a victim of the growing xenophobia towards people across the country of South Asian and Middle Eastern descent, citizens and recent immigrants alike, said Jay Kansara, HAF Director of Government Relations.

Law enforcement and government authorities must work closely with local community members of all racial and religious backgrounds in order to effectively address these types of attacks on innocent people and confront the hate and ignorance that fuel them, Kansara said.

Local police are investigating the incident as a hate crime based on religion, HAF said, adding it is monitoring the case.

Subburaj has been living alone in Omaha for about two years. He hopes his attacker is punished, but is also taught about different religions and races. His motivation and why he beat me, I dont have an answer for that, Subburaj said.

The Anti-Defamation League condemned the possible hate crime in a press release. We must all stand together against bigotry, hatred and prejudice, regional director Mary-Beth Muskin said.

We urge law enforcement to investigate this incident as a possible hate crime and hope that the perpetrator will be apprehended swiftly and brought to justice, Muskin said.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Among the countries that have successfully flattened the curve and managed to contain the coronavirus, is Australia. The country has managed to keep the viral transmission at bay and has now lifted some restrictions to let its residents return to more normal lives. Along with easing restrictions, the Australian Government launched the COVIDsafe app to help speed up contacting people infected with the virus.

Contact tracing app

Since the launch of the new coronavirus app, it has been downloaded more than five million times. COVIDsafe works by tracing every person who has the app and has been in contact with someone who tested positive for coronavirus over the past weeks. The app will make it easier for the Government to contact trace and alert those who have been in close quarters to infected people and ultimately help prevent the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

The new app asks users to register, and that information is then forwarded to health authorities if a person happens to come within close proximity to someone that is later diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Further, using Bluetooth technology, the app records anyone you get close to who has the app. The two apps in each persons mobile phones exchanged IDs, which cycle every two hours. If someone gets infected with the coronavirus, the ID will be uploaded, and the Government can trace who they came in close contact with over the past 14 days.

The COVIDSafe app is part of our work to slow the spread of COVID-19. Having confidence we can find and contain outbreaks quickly will mean governments can ease restrictions while still keeping Australians safe, the Australian Government said.

Privacy protections

Though the app is promising, there had been issues regarding privacy protection. The Government has now released its proposed laws to bolster privacy protections for the COVIDsafe app. It also emphasizes that the app is voluntary, and in the proposed laws, business owners who ban people from entry unless they have downloaded the contact tracing app will face five years in jail, with a fine of $63,000.

The new law will make it illegal for anyone to refuse an individual without the app entry to public places, or ban them from attending activities. Business owners who will not sell goods or services to them will be fined.

The new COVIDSafe app is completely voluntary. Downloading the app is something you can do to protect you, your family, and friends and save the lives of other Australians. The more Australians connect to the COVIDSafe app, the quicker we can find the virus, the Government added.

Only health authorities can access the data to be used for contact tracing only. It will be a criminal liability to use any app data in any other way. Also, the app cannot be used to enforce quarantine or isolation restrictions.

The Government assures the public that after the pandemic, the users will be prompted to delete it from their phone, deleting all app information. Further, the data contained in the storage system will be destroyed.

Kickstarting the economy

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Australia has shown efficiency in containing the spread of the virus. The Australian death toll stands at 96, with the number of confirmed cases topping 6,800.

With the effective containment of the virus, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Government would start to ease restrictions on May 8. The Governments focus is now geared toward helping the residents get back to work to kickstart the economy.

Nearly one million jobs have disappeared from the country since the advent of strict social distancing measures to halt the spread of the virus. With the economy severely affected, the Government plans to let the residents go back to work, but still imposing health measures to avoid a second wave of the outbreak.

With the new normal in place as the restrictions are lifted, Australians will be urged to get back to work as the current restrictions delivered a $4 billion hit to the economy each week.

Also, unemployment rates have increased since the pandemic started. It is vital to get people back to work as soon as possible to prevent the long-term economic and social effects of a high unemployment rate.
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When Peter Kozmus stepped off his plane from New York at Ljubljana airport in Slovenia in 2017, he expected to quietly grab his suitcase at the baggage carousel and make his way home. Instead, when he walked into the arrival terminal, he was greeted by crowds of people cheering, applauding and waving the national flag. Kozmus is not an athlete, a celebrity, or a famous politician. He is a beekeeper.

And on that morning in 2017, he was returning home with a delegation from the United Nations (UN) headquarters, having successfully petitioned officials to declare May 20 a global day for bees. It felt as if we were heroes, Kozmus recalls. It was like we were athletes returning with gold medals.

In Slovenia, beekeeping is a way of life. In this small European nation of 2 million, 1 out of every 200 people is a beekeeper. That is four times as many as in the European Union as a whole. Honey features in many Slovenian dishes and many Slovenes use apitherapy (honey bee products) to treat illnesses and chronic injuries. Not even the coronavirus, which has infected over 1,400 people and killed at least 96, slowed down the countrys dedication to keeping bees. During the lockdown, the government deemed bee keepers essential workers, permitting them to travel freely to tend to their hives.

Bees are themselves essential workers in making life possible for humans. They pollinate our crops, and are responsible for one in three of every spoonfuls of food we eat. They play an essential role in balancing our ecosystems, globally. Bees hold our ecologies together, says Andrew Barron, a neuroethologist who studies how nervous systems generate natural behavior in animals. If they disappeared, goes an apocryphal quote often attributed to Albert Einstein, man would only have four years of life left.

Certain bee species are on the decline. Europes bumblebee populations, for instance, fell by 17% from 2000 to 2014 while in North America, the population dropped by 46%, rates scientists say constitute a mass extinction. Although colonies of honey bees are not collapsing at the same rate, they are still in decline in many parts of the world American beekeepers reported a 37% loss in honeybee colonies just last year. There are multiple reasons for this, including rising pesticide use and the decline of wildflower cultivation, but a key factor is climate change  unpredictable seasons can impact pollen production, and higher-than-average temperatures can disrupt the bees ability to regulate hive temperatures.

Story continues

Yet in Slovenia, bee populations are flourishing. While differing survey methods and limited data makes it difficult to compare bee populations across countries, the Slovenian Beekeepers Association reports a 2% annual increase in the number of bee colonies throughout the country. From 2007 to 2017, Slovenia saw a 57% increase in beehive numbers, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Now, as the climate crisis threatens bee populations around the world, Slovenian beekeepers see an opportunity to be more than just stewards of a beloved tradition. They want to be footsoldiers in the fight against global climate change by exporting their unique beekeeping practices and progressive legislation to the rest of the world. This is urgent, Kozmus says.

Honeybees are threatened by climate change, but Slovenia's conservation practices are helping them survive. | Luka Dakskobler

We just love bees.

In the Julian Alps, where beekeepers tend to their apiariesbee housesand children pour honey on their morning breakfast, it is hard to imagine a life without bees.

It was here where Kozmus first developed an interest in beekeeping, aged nine. After a beekeeper visited his elementary school, Kozmus begged his father to buy him an apiary. He says he was the kind of kid who would sit in his room reading about bees and staying late after school to work with the beekeeping club. The communitys enthusiasm is no less intense; my email enquiries to Slovenians about beekeeping were answered instantly, with exclamation marks and smiley emoji faces. More than once, beekeepers excitedly pointed out that my name, Melissa, means bee in Greek. Its part of who we are, Kozmus says.

Slovenian beekeeping dates to the 18th century, when Maria Theresa, the empress of the Habsburg Empire, created the first beekeeping school in the world there, appointing Anton Jansa as the schools teacher. Today, Jansa is considered the pioneer of modern apiculture, and Zirovnica, his home valley, the cradle of Slovenian beekeeping. World Bee Day is celebrated on May 20 in honor of Jansas birthday.

Even as Slovenia has changedformerly a part of Yugoslavia, it won independence in 1991 and joined the European Union in 2004its citizens have kept the tradition of beekeeping alive. In Slovenia, beekeepers are the ones who take care of the bees not just to produce honey for money, but because we just love bees, says Blaz Ambrozic, a beekeeper who inherited his apiary in the Julian Alps from his great uncle when he was 11.

The countrys beekeepers can be a powerful force. The Slovenian Beekeepers Association, formed in 1873, has 8,000 members and its activities range from organizing beekeeping classes in schools to pushing out a nationwide campaign in 2007 to promote a traditional, Slovenian honey breakfast.

Its influence became clear around a decade ago, when Slovenian beekeepers began reporting that their bees were dying off. They suspected the culprit was neonicotinoids pesticides, a class of nicotine-like insecticides. The association went to Slovenias Ministry of Agriculture in 2011 to urge it to take action. While the association had anecdotal evidence that neonicotinoids were killing bees, they did not have definitive proof. The Minister of Agriculture at the time, Dejan Zidan, decided to trust the beekeepers instincts and banned the use of neonicotinoids that same year, becoming one of the first European Union (EU) countries to bring in the most stringent measures. A farmer in Slovenia found to be using neonicotinoids became subject to fines if it resulted in the death of bees.

Immediately after the ban, beekeepers reported fewer bee deaths. After seeing the positive impact of banning neonicotinoids, Slovenian beekeepers decided to share their story with the rest of Europe. The Ministry of Agriculture took Slovenias experience of banning neonicotinoids to the European Commission and petitioned for the institution to ban the pesticides across all EU countries. By 2013, the EU had placed a moratorium on three types of neonicotinoids pesticidesclothianidin, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxamand prohibited its use in crops pollinated by honey bees. In 2018, the EU further expanded the ban to all field crops, amid growing evidence that neonicotinoids were causing bee colonies to collapse. By alerting the international community, Slovenia helped pave the way for other countries, like the United States, to ban the substance. Slovenia was very active, as were the French beekeepers, in bringing this to everyones attention, says Jeff Petis, the president of Apimondia, the International Federation of Beekeepers Associations.

In many other countries, politicians may not have listened to anecdotal evidence from small-scale beekeepers. But in Slovenia, they constitute an important voter demographic. Because we have so many beekeepers, we have a lot of power, says Kozmus, who is the chair of the beekeeping council for the Ministry of Agriculture. Politicians dont want to anger beekeepers because when there are elections, beekeepers are an important population.

Slovenias Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, Aleksandra Pivec, who also serves as the countrys Deputy Prime Minister says its important to listen to beekeepers because the fact is that every third spoonful of the worlds food depends on pollination. She added that bees are  invaluable from both environmental and economic aspects.

An urban beekeeper inspects beehives on the rooftop of the Ljubljana Secondary School of Trade in Ljubljana, Slovenia. | Luka Dakskobler

The way of the Slovenes

The Slovenian approach to bee-keeping draws upon ancient traditions but also highly localized practices. For example, in 2002, the government gave conservation status to the Carniolan honey bee, Slovenias native bee. It banned the import of other honey bee species to avoid the introduction of new diseases and funded a breeding program for the species. Today, the Carniolan honey bee is the only protected native bee species in the European Union.

Experts say other countries, including the United States, do not focus on local species, often importing bees from abroad instead. These species are less suited to their new environments, making them more susceptible to disease. With climate change, some experts say many foreign bee species are less likely to be able to adapt. Slovenian beekeepers are smart because theyre using their own bee, says Alexis Beaurepaire, a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Bee Health. If you look at other countries, people keep importing bees and then they wonder why their bees dont survive. But the bees dont know that environment and they arent used to it.

Slovenia is also promoting its unique AZ hive, after the intials of its creator, Anton Znidersic. In Slovenia, 90% of carniolan honey bee colonies live in these small-scale, painted hives designed in the early 20th century. The AZ hives, which looks more like cabinets than the stack hives popular in the U.S., allow beekeepers to monitor their bee colonies more carefully and effectively. They also protect bees from harsh winter conditions, including strong winds and cold temperatures. In the context of climate change, some experts say this model may ward off issues associated with extreme weather patterns.

By working on a smaller scale with AZ hives, Slovenian beekeepers can spot when problems arise with their colonies, as was the case with neonicotinoids. Other countries, including the United States, have a mass industrialized approach to beekeeping, where colonies exist in much denser settings than they would in nature and are moved around larger plots of land, leading to greater varroa parasite and other disease transmission.

In the U.S., beekeepers have thousands of hives, says William Blomstedt, an American beekeeper living in Slovenia. But here, people will have fewer hivesmaybe a couple dozen or a hundredbut they can actually care for and monitor their bees.

While AZ hives are more time-consuming and challenging to scale-up, they are becoming increasingly popular with honey farmers around the world. In response to a growing global interest in Slovenian api-practices, the government created the Beekeeping Academy of Slovenia in April 2018, to educate beekeepers from around the world on Slovenias bee practices.

Thinking globally

But as weather becomes increasingly unpredictablewith flowers erratically blooming and frosts unseasonably covering the landscapeSlovenian beekeepers are having to deviate from the script their ancestors left to them. What it means to be a beekeeper is changing, says Ambrozic, who noted that Slovenia has just had an unusually late snowfall, affecting the bees foraging process. We need to think bigger.

That means looking beyond Slovenias borders and building an international coalition. The success of the neonicotinoid campaign taught Slovenian beekeepers that they could be advocates for bees worldwide. Peter Kozmus travelled the world with a delegation to convince other countries, from the U.S. to South Korea, to support the inauguration by the United Nations of a day devoted to bees.

After three years of lobbying, the UN General Assembly unanimously proclaimed May 20 as World Bee Day in 2017. Individuals and organizations working on bee conservation now come together on that day to raise awareness about the importance of bees for our ecologies and food systems and to brainstorm ways they can collaborate across fields and borders. We do not want World Bee Day to be a celebration because we dont have anything to celebrate right now, Kozmus says, noting that bee populations worldwide are plummeting. We want to use this day as a tool to inform people that bees are important.

Experts say that these kinds of efforts by Slovenia to foster international interest in bee conservation have been successful. North America, generally speaking, is following suit by thinking about bees as charismatic creatures, says Geoffrey Williams of the Bee Informed Partnership, a non-for-profit group from the University of Maryland focussed on saving honeybees. Slowly, there is huge interest developing in preserving bees. Were following their early steps.

Protecting the bees has taken Kozmus around the world. But in the Kozjansko valley, he still tends to his 100 bee colonies alongside his wife and three children. Like most Slovenian apiaries, the panels on Kozmus apiaries are colorfully painted and tell a story. On the top wooden panel, Acacia flowers are hand drawn alongside other wild plants. These are the plants the bees need, he says. One row below, different bee productssuch as honey and jellyare depicted. The bottom row, Kozmus favorite, is filled with iconic symbols of Slovenian beekeeping: a portrait of Jansa, images of student beekeeping clubs, and proudly painted letters that spell out World Bee Day.

The panels offer a reminder, he says, that the world can take action to curb global heating, ban dangerous pesticides and an end to ecological degradation. Every person can do something for the bees, he says.

Correction, May 19

The original version of this story misstated the categorization of the Carniolan honey bee. It is a subspecies of the western honey bee, not an individual species.
Drexel student Irem Baytas is working her co-op job for Pfizer from her residence, which she shares with several other Drexel students. Read more

As the country was emerging from World War I a century ago, the Drexel Institute of Art, Science, and Industry created a cooperative education program to support the workforce.

It began with 152 engineering students, and was just the third of its kind in the United States.

Since then, the program, which places students at what is now Drexel University in paid six-month work experiences, has grown to be one of the largest in the country. More than 5,000 Drexel students work co-op jobs nationally and internationally annually, with a median salary of more than $18,000 for the half-year. More than 1,500 businesses, including Peco, JPMorgan Chase, Penn Medicine, Independence Blue Cross, and Comcast, participate.

Now, the program is operating during another world crisis, the pandemic, and despite economic turmoil, 78% of students scheduled to be on co-ops this spring and summer are in their jobs or will have a delayed start, though virtually all are working remotely.

 READ MORE: Drexel president John Fry on managing his school through the coronavirus

When you take a look at a 78% employment rate in the middle of a pandemic, where people have had literally no time to even plan ahead for this, Im very, very happy about that, said Ian Sladen, Drexels vice president of cooperative education and career development.

But, he said, it also means several hundred students havent been able to find a position. In a typical year, 96% would have one by this time, he said.

The challenges are significant. Drexel pulled the plug on international co-ops earlier this year as the virus spread, leaving about 200 students in search of other opportunities. Some co-ops that were delayed have since been canceled, as employers face financial struggles and difficulties with remote work.

Sladen said Drexel is continuing to work with students who dont have co-ops. If students complete a professional development module, including advanced job search techniques, they will get academic credit for the co-op, he said.

 READ MORE: Charging full tuition for online classes? No, say some students, despite the coronavirus.

I feel very lucky to have gotten what I have, said Iain Zwiebel, 20, a biomedical engineering major.

He started his co-op for Johnson & Johnson on time. The firm sent him a company laptop, and he spends his days working on the launch for a product line for an orthopedic device from his home in Nashville.

In the past, Drexel rarely approved remote work because the school wanted students to have hands-on supervision. The pandemic changed that.

Zwiebel was supposed to be working at the pharmaceutical companys West Chester office. Im hoping by the end of the summer, Ill be able to be there in person, he said.

The co-op program was one of the main reasons Zwiebel and many others chose Drexel.

Irem Baytas co-op was so important to her that she stayed in the United States during the pandemic rather than returning to her native Istanbul, Turkey, before the borders closed.

The co-op at Pfizer is something Ive been looking forward to, said Baytas, 22, an economics major, because its one of the biggest pharmaceutical [companies], and also the position. Its project management, and Ive been wanting to try this out for a very long time.

She started April 6 and is working on financial forecasts and budgets from her Philadelphia residence. Her manager helped her adjust, including one-to-one video call meetings several times a week, she said. The global team she works with also holds video conferences and conducts activities to keep up morale. When she started, all shared personal photos to get to know each other.

They are really trying to keep up the communication," she said.

Co-ops are different from internships in that they run longer and, at Drexel, 83% come with pay, with employers helping to design the curriculum. The university recently raised $7.2 million for the program, with some funds to cover salaries of students working at nonprofit cultural institutions.

Students can get co-op jobs in just about any field. But thats not how it began.

Started by Hollis Godfrey, president of the school, the program was just for engineering students. Then, during the Great Depression, the school approached smaller employers. By 2005, there were 1,000 co-op programs nationally, serving about 200,000 students. At Drexel, 92% of eligible students participate; freshmen and seniors are not eligible.

 FAQ: Your coronavirus questions, answered.

Because of co-op, most students take five years to earn degrees, working three co-ops during that time. Students do not pay tuition while on co-op.

Nearly half of co-op participants working full-time receive job offers from a former employer, the university said.

That was a draw for Matthew Rantz, 21, a computer engineering major.

The co-op program opens up a number of networking opportunities, Rantz said.

He now works from his home in Pottstown for Centauri, a software and engineering technology firm. Every day, hes had plenty of web application projects to work on and learn from, he said.

"Centauri has been really good about making sure I can get as much as I can out of this co-op, he said.
A man who escaped from work-release last month in north Alabama was arrested following a high-speed police chase on Tuesday, the authorities said.

Richard Shirley Anderson was booked into the Marshall County jail on charges of reckless endangerment, attempting to elude, third-degree escape, second-degree escape, and failure to appear on charges of possession of a controlled substance and burglary, records show. His bail is set at $33,500.

Richard Shirley Anderson was booked into the Marshall County jail in Guntersville, Ala. on Tuesday, May 5, 2020.

Anderson was arrested after leading Marshall County deputies on a two-county chase that reached speeds over 130 mph, said Steve Guthrie, a sheriffs office spokesman. It began when deputies spotted a speeding motorcycle in the Asbury area of Marshall County, Guthrie said. Deputies chased Anderson in and out of Marshall and neighboring DeKalb County. The chase ended when Anderson got off the motorcycle in a church parking lot on Highway 75 in the small DeKalb County city of Rainsville and was tackled by deputies, Guthrie said.

Im just glad nobody got hurt, Guthrie told AL.com.

Anderson had been on Marshall Countys Most Wanted list after walking away from the local work-release program last month. He was on work-release from the Marshall County jail while awaiting trial on charges of possession of a controlled substance and burglary, court records show.

[More Alabama crime news]
Worcester health care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic flocked outside Wednesday afternoon to watch F-15 Eagles fly overhead to honor them.

The F-15 Eagles were part of a tribute to Massachusetts health care workers from the 104th Fighter Wing based at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield.

As MassLive previously reported, the flyover began in Cape Cod with a flyover Cape Cod Hospital at 12 p.m. From there, the planes flew over hospitals in Brockton, Boston and Framingham before arriving overhead of Worcesters DCU Center, St. Vincent Hospital and UMass Memorial Medical Center.

The jets finished their tribute in Western Massachusetts around 12:35 p.m.

Related Content:
Even as the Bay Area flattens its curve of coronavirus infections, reduces its number of hospitalizations and takes its first small steps toward eventually reopening the economy, most people remain willing to cooperate with lingering shelter-in-place orders.

Bay Area residents support those mandates at a higher rate than any region in California, according to a poll conducted by UC Berkeleys Institute of Governmental Studies. The survey of 8,800 registered voters, in conjunction with the California Institute of Health Equity and Access, found 68% of Bay Area residents are more concerned shelter-in-place will end too soon, compared to 20% who worry it will last too long. The statewide numbers are 62.5% and 26.5%.

State Sen. Scott Wiener, who represents San Francisco and northern San Mateo County, traced widespread regional support to attitudes formed long before the coronavirus arrived.

The Bay Area is deeply committed to public health, not just the government but the residents, Wiener said. People here understand the importance of good public health, whether its vaccinations, our very painful fight against HIV or strong access to health care. This community gets it when it comes to health in general and strong public health responses in particular.

That attitude has been evident in jarringly empty freeways and mostly quiet recreation areas. Bay Area residents have largely complied with regional and state directives  occasional crowds formed at Marin County beaches and East Bay parks, though not to the extent of Orange County beaches, where big turnouts prompted swift closure by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Not all regions of the country share the Bay Areas acceptance of staying at home. The economic impact of shelter-in-place orders has been devastating, making the issue increasingly contentious  and it largely breaks down along party lines.

The UC Berkeley poll, conducted April 16-20 and released last Friday, asked voters about several issues related to politics and COVID-19. The poll showed a deep partisan divide in California, with 87% of strong liberals supporting shelter policies (just 6% opposed). Only 24% of people who consider themselves very conservative supported the orders (65% opposed).

Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle

Eric Schickler, a Cal political science professor and IGS co-director, described public support for the mandates as related to progressive ideology and also skepticism of President Trump  features that are both prominent in the Bay Area.

Wiener finds the partisan divide on a public health issue very concerning.

Weve seen so many partisan divides on issues that are not partisan, he said. Climate change is not a partisan issue, but unfortunately it has become one. Coronavirus is not partisan  it attacks Democrats and Republicans equally. 

But unfortunately, the way the president and Fox News talked about the pandemic, dismissing it, and more recently in support of militias, theyve been sending mixed messages at best about how seriously we should take this. Were seeing a red-blue divide, which is tragic and dangerous.

Another discovery in the poll, Schickler said, is that Bay Area residents are very likely to trust state and local health officials and scientific experts. Of Bay Area respondents, 42% expressed a very high level of trust (compared with 35% overall in the state) and 64% expressed a high level of trust (compared with 56% statewide).

Thats notable because local officials implemented the nations first shelter-in-place order March 17, now extended through the end of May.

This trust likely means the proactive, decisive leadership of Bay Area officials was an important influence on residents, Schickler wrote in an email to The Chronicle. Bay Area residents tend to trust scientists and health officials more than in many parts of the country, and so they were receptive to the clear message they received early on.

Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle

Asked about the reasons behind this trust, Schickler pointed in part, to the high education levels in the area.

Among Bay Area respondents with a college degree or higher, support for shelter-in-place policies soared to 75%, compared with 15% who are worried it will last too long. Thats relevant because the Bay Area has a higher percentage of people with at least a bachelors degree than nearly all major metropolitan areas in the U.S.

San Jose (49.2%) and San Francisco/Oakland (47.4%) trailed only Washington, D.C. (49.9%), according to a 2017 analysis by the State Science & Technology Institute.

Even so, another unmistakable divide has emerged in the impact of shelter-in-place mandates on Bay Area residents. Some people can work from home and safely help flatten the regional curve, while many others continue to work at businesses deemed essential.

Those workers face heightened risk, according to a recent UCSF study in San Franciscos Mission District. Early results showed 6.1% of workers tested positive for the coronavirus, compared to 1.4% of residents; overall, 2% of those tested in the Mission were positive.

The overall positive rate in San Francisco is unknown because the entire population has not been tested. Also, the city provides results by the number of tests conducted, not by the number of people tested. Of the roughly 27,344 tests conducted in San Francisco, 6.4% have been positive.

In the Mission District study, 95% of the people testing positive were Latino. This helps explain why Rachel Brahinsky, an associate professor of politics and urban studies at the University of San Francisco, cautioned against sweeping conclusions about the Bay Areas shelter-in-place success, given the race-class and geographic divides, as she put it.

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.

Paul Chinn / The Chronicle

The early, clear, and consistent messaging from Bay Area public health officials has played a huge role in the response across the region, Brahinsky wrote in an email. Our strong network of community-based organizations has also played a key role, particularly in supporting community capacity with food delivery and mask production.

But Im wary of celebrating our results at this stage when we can see  in Bayview-Hunters Point, for example, or in the Mission  that the virus is exposing a stark divide between who can and cannot afford to protect themselves. The numbers may look relatively good regionally, but when you focus on the neighborhood scale you see workers, unsheltered people and communities of color are all disproportionately hurting.

This is a test of the Bay Areas storied progressivism: Will we step up to meaningfully protect the most vulnerable among us?

Hong Mei Pang, director of advocacy for Chinese for Affirmative Action, acknowledged the huge disparity in how communities are experiencing COVID-19. Pang described race as really a factor, and she noted the challenge for immigrants in connecting with the state Employment Development Department to file for unemployment, for instance.

That shapes attitudes toward shelter-in-place policies, Pang suggested, and the ensuing economic fallout.

I think a lot of this is making sure communities can access information in real time, with language access, and maximize all the relief benefits from the federal, state or local government, she said.

Laurie Thomas, executive director of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, said the Bay Areas acceptance of shelter-in-place may stem in part from the importance of international travel in the region, which could have triggered early awareness of the threat, in addition to the regions concentration of health care facilities.

Also, the Bay Area has always been a little more willing to take the cut financially for the greater good  and seeing how the regions early shelter-in-place policy kept hospitals from being overwhelmed may make residents more willing to stay the course and not give up their gains, Thomas said.

Still, as the crisis wears on, the stress of the finances is starting to wear thin, she added.

Editors note: Statistics on the percentage of positive tests in San Francisco were updated after the initial publication of this article.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Kate Galbraith contributed to this report.

Ron Kroichick is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rkroichick@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ronkroichick
Park Su-kyung / Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae

By Do Je-hae



President Moon Jae-in has decided to appoint Park Su-kyung, a professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in Daejeon, as his adviser for science and technology, according to Cheong Wa Dae, Monday.



Park will fill the vice-ministerial level post which has been vacant since early March following the resignation of Lee Kong-joo, who returned to teaching at Ewha Womans University after serving in the post for about a year.



Born in 1973, Park is 18 years younger than her predecessor, and is making headlines as the youngest person to become a member of the President's team of senior aides. Her appointment is considered unusual as vice-ministerial level posts in Korea have traditionally been held by people in their 50s or older.



Prior to joining the presidential office, she has already been recognized as a notable scholar in her field as the first woman to join the mechanical engineering department at her university, Cheong Wa Dae noted.



"As the first female mechanical engineering professor at KAIST, she has conducted extensive research in biomechanics," presidential spokesman Kang Min-seok said in a statement.



"She has also taken an active role in policy-making as a member of the Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology. We hope that she will contribute to advancing innovation in science and ICT."



Park finished her bachelor's and master's degrees at KAIST and acquired her Ph.D. at the University of Michigan, one of the most recognized universities in the field of technology in the U.S.



Before teaching at KAIST, she served as a senior researcher at the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials based in the science hub of Daejeon.


Myanmar Political Parties Want Say on 2020 Election Timing Amid Coronavirus Fight

2020-05-05 -- Political parties in Myanmar have urged the Union Election Commission to consult them on whether to postpone the country's 2020 general election due to the coronavirus pandemic, party officials said Tuesday.

Their call came after election commissioner Myint Naing told state-run radio that the commission would hold the election this year as planned, according to a post on the commission's Facebook page on Monday.

The UEC is responsible for organizing and overseeing elections, and vetting parliamentary candidates and political parties in Myanmar.

The exact date of the election has yet to be announced, but the commission has said the 2020 vote will be held in November, as it was in 2010 and 2015, despite concerns by the political parties that Myanmar should focus first on controlling the spread of the virus.

UEC members have de-emphasized concerns that the COVID-9 pandemic could force the rescheduling of the vote and have noted that South Korea managed to hold a general election in April amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Others argue that Myanmar is not as developed as South Korea and does not have the same resources to control the spread of the virus.

As of Tuesday, Myanmar reported 161 confirmed cases of the virus and six deaths.

"In this period of the coronavirus pandemic, all political parties and other concerned organizations should decide whether the general elections should be held instead of the Union Election Commission deciding on its own," said Ye Naing Aung, general secretary of the Peoples' Party.

Thein Tun Oo, spokesman and central committee member of the opposition Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), agreed that the UEC should not have sole decision-making authority.

"In this period of facing the virus pandemic, the Union Election Commission alone should not decide whether the election should be held or not," he said. "It's a decision for all. We should decide only after negotiations with all political parties and concerned organizations."

'Low voter turnout'

Sai Leik, a spokesman for the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD), said concerns over the virus may keep voters away from the polls.

"During the pandemic, people are facing difficulties, so there could be low public interest in the election," he said.

Sai Leik also said that the current armed conflict in parts of western Myanmar's Rakhine and Chin states would make it difficult to hold elections there.

"Everyone knows that armed struggles are becoming bigger in Rakhine, Chin, and other places, so it won't be possible to hold elections at the same time," he said. "We need to be able to end the armed conflicts first."

Sai Ye Kyaw Swar Myint, executive director of the People's Alliance for Credible Elections, cautioned that the COVID-19 outbreak would prevent the coordination necessary for holding the general election.

"There would be very low voter turnout for the election," he said, adding that the current crisis will pose problems for election preparations and management.

"All the political parties will not be able to conduct election campaigns, and there will be unfairness," he said. "There will be questions raised concerning the standards of the election."

About 100 political parties are expected to contest the 2020 election, according to the online journal The Irrawaddy.

Reported by Kyaw Lwin Oo for RFA's Myanmar Service. Translated by Maung Maung Nyo. 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 May not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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They wanted to experience college life, but their universities sent them home to learn from online classes during the coronavirus crisis.

Now, students across the United States are taking legal action against over 20 colleges and universities. They want the schools to return part of the money they paid for tuition, meal plans and housing costs. The students say they are not getting the quality of education they were promised.

The cases show students growing dissatisfaction with online courses that schools hurried to create as the coronavirus forced college campuses to close. The students say they should pay lower tuition rates for the part of the term that was offered on the internet. They argue that the quality of education is far below the classroom experience.

However, college officials reject the idea that students are owed refunds. Students are learning from the same professors who teach on campus, officials say. And the students are still earning credits toward their education. Schools say that, after being forced to close by their states, they are still offering students a quality education.

Grainger Rickenbaker is a 21-year-old student from South Carolina. He filed a class-action lawsuit against Drexel University in Philadelphia. He said the online classes he has been taking are poor substitutes for classroom learning. There is little interaction with other students or professors, he said. And some classes are being taught almost entirely through pre-recorded videos, with no class discussion.



Other students report similar experiences. A case against the University of California, Berkeley, says some professors are only sending homework assignments, with no video teaching at all. A case against Vanderbilt University in Tennessee says class discussion has been affected and the educational quality of classes has decreased.

In Indiana, a Purdue University engineering student says the schools closing has prevented him from finishing his senior project: building an airplane. His complaint says no online class can reproduce the real-world experience he had hoped to gain from the project.

Class-action lawsuits demanding tuition refunds have been launched against at least 26 colleges, targeting private universities, such as Brown, Columbia and Cornell. Students also have brought cases against large public universities, such as Michigan State and the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Some of the suits note some schools financial holdings. They accuse schools of unfairly keeping refunds even when the value of their endowments is often more than $1 billion.

Several colleges would not comment on the cases. But some said students have continued to get what they paid for.

Ken McConnellogue works for the University of Colorado. He said it is disappointing that people have been so quick to take legal action only weeks into the health crisis.

McConellogue told The Associated Press that professors have been working hard to provide the same high quality education as that of the classroom.

He admits that classroom and online learning are different. We all would prefer to have students on our campuses, he said, but noted we are in the middle of a worldwide health crisis.



Officials at Michigan State said their students are still taking classes taught by qualified teachers. And the school is still offering learning support services, academic advising, online office hours with teachers and library services.

Emily Guerrant is a Michigan State spokeswoman. She says her university has spent more money to move classes online. She added that the school has kept its promise to provide meaningful learning experiences at no additional cost to students.

Officials at Drexel University said the school has continued to provide many academic offerings and support while students learn from home.

Lawyers representing students, however, say the refunds are a question of fairness.

Roy Wiley is a lawyer for the Anastopoulo Law Firm in South Carolina, which is representing students in more than 12 cases.

Willey said his office has been contacted by hundreds of students seeking legal action, and his office is looking into several possible cases. Other law offices taking on similar cases say they are also seeing a rising demand from students and parents who say they should get refunds.

Along with tuition, the cases also seek refunds for costs that students paid to use physical fitness centers, laboratories and other buildings that are now closed. The lawsuits seek refunds that could add up to several thousand dollars per student at some schools.

Lawyers are asking courts to answer a difficult question as universities move classes online: Is there a difference in value between online classes and the traditional classroom?

Supporters of online education say it can be just as effective. And universities say they have done everything they can to create high-quality online classes in just a few weeks.

But some of the suits say that the college experience is about more than course credits. They say there is a value to the personal interaction students get with professors and other students, both in and out of the classroom.

Willey adds that colleges themselves often charge lower costs for online classes, which he says is a sign of their value.

Im Alice Bryant.

The Associated Press reported this story. Alice Bryant adapted it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

Quiz - Some University Students Want Schools to Return Their Money Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

tuition - n. the money that is paid to a school for the right to study there

campus - n. the area and buildings around a university or school

refund - n. an amount of money that is given back to someone who has returned a product or paid too much

class-action - adj. describing a lawsuit in which many people join together to sue because they all say they were harmed by the same person or group

lawsuit - n. a process by which a court of law makes a decision to end a disagreement between people or organizations

interaction - n. to talk or do things with other people

assignment - n. a task someone is required to do

academic - adj. relating to education and scholarship

endowment - n. a large amount of money that has been donated to a school, hospital, or something else, and is used to pay for its creation and operation costs
A month ago, Sweden decided not to mandate a lockdown in response to the Wuhan coronavirus. Instead, it decided to keep restaurants, cafes, and schools open. It issued guidelines that stated:

Everyone in Sweden is urged to stay at home if they are at all sick (even a mild cough or sore throat), practice social distancing, avoid non-essential travel within the country, work from home if possible, follow good hygiene practices, and avoid non-essential visits to elderly people or hospitals. People aged over 70 or in risk groups are advised to avoid social contact as much as possible.

Neighboring Norway took a different approach. Like most European countries and American states, it locked down. Thus, as John said, we had the makings of an experiment.

At the time the two nations policies diverged, Sweden had about 6,100 reported cases of the virus. Norway had about 5,400. However, Sweden had many more reported deaths attributed to the virus than did Norway (around 300 compared to around 50). Swedens population is about twice that of Norway.

A month later, Sweden has almost three times as reported cases of the virus as Norway. It has nearly 2,800 reported deaths compared to 214 in Norway. Yesterday, May 4, Sweden reported 90 new deaths from the virus. Norway reported 3.

The good news for Sweden is that the number of new reported cases and deaths is finally declining a bit, and the number of active cases dropped for the first at the beginning of May. However, this may be a mixed blessing for those who want Sweden to achieve herd immunity because its not clear that Sweden is close to the number of infections needed to confer such immunity.

Data for infections and deaths can vary from country to country (or state to state) based on the level of testing and the methodology for determining cause of death. However, unless the amount of social distancing in Sweden and Norway has been comparable notwithstanding formal government policy, there is no reason to doubt that Sweden was hit significantly harder than Norway by the virus in April.

The virus spreads by human-to-human contact. The less contact there is is among people, the fewer infections there will be for as long as the reduced level of contact continues. Indeed, if achieving herd immunity was one of Swedens reasons for not locking down, policymakers must have wanted significantly more infections in Sweden than in countries on lockdown.

Lockdown advocates point to Swedens higher rate of deaths. However, a comparison of short-term rates is only part of the story. Two other elements must be considered.

One is the long-term death rate. It may turn out that, ultimately, as many Norwegians as Swedes die from this virus per capita. That might be the case if future waves of the virus hit Norway harder than Sweden due to the fact that many fewer Norwegians have developed immunity.

The other element is the economy. Sweden was never going to avoid severe economic consequences from this virus simply by declining to lock down the economy. But it hoped the economic consequences would be less severe than otherwise.

Will they be? CNBC doesnt think so. It says that Swedens economy is expected to suffer just as badly as its European neighbors.

CNBC cites a forecast by Swedens central bank that Swedens GDP will shrink between 6.9 and 9.7 percent in 2020, and grow by between 1.7 and 4.6 in 2021. It cites another forecast that predicts a contraction of 7 percent this year, with unemployment rising to 10.2 percent.

CNBC compares these predictions to forecasts by the IMF for various European countries, but not Sweden or Norway:

The International Monetary Fund predicted earlier in April that Germany and the U.K. will see their economies contract by 6.5% and 7% this year, respectively. France is expected to see a 7.2% contraction, Spain an 8% contraction and for Italy to see its economy shrink 9.1%. Swedens neighbors Finland and Denmark, which also imposed lockdowns, are also expected to see their economies contract by 6% and 6.5%, respectively.

In my view, the IMF economic forecasts in this uncertain climate are worth about as much as the IHMEs epidemiology forecasts. In other words they are essentially worthless.

I would be shocked if, for example, Spains economy contracts by only 8 percent this year. As for unemployment, if Swedens number turns out to be 10.2, it probably will be the envy of many European countries.

As is the case with models like the IHME, we should reject the world of forecasting in favor of the real world. How do actual employment and spending numbers compare in Scandavia?

According to this source, Swedens numbers are clearly superior:

Personal spending in Denmark is down 66 percent and in Finland it stands at 70 percent, compared to only 30 percent in Sweden. Unemployment claims in Norway are rising four times as fast as those in Sweden.

(Emphasis added)

I dont see how these facts on the ground can be reconciled with the forecasts cited by CNBC, unless those forecasts assume a prompt end to lockouts throughout Europe and a prompt economic rebound that washes away to a significant degree the adverse economic effects of six weeks of economic inactivity. I hope both things come to pass, but a prompt economic rebound seems like wishful thinking.

In sum, the early returns from Swedens experiment are what one would expect. Sweden is being hit harder by the virus, at least in the short term, than comparable European countries. However, the economies of comparable European countries seem to be faring worse than Swedens.
After Governor Gavin Newsom ordered 80 new Coronavirus test sites across California, Lake Tahoe Community College has stepped up as one of the two host sites in El Dorado County.

"We jumped right on board," said Jeff DeFranco, President and Superintendent of LTCC. "We want to do what we can to help our community."

For at least two months, health officials inside the Physical Education building at LTCC will administer up to 132 tests a day. The one requirement is to make an appointment. No symptoms? No insurance? Not a documented resident? No problem.

"Regardless of your situation, you can come get a test," said Carla Hass, Communications Director for El Dorado County. "It's hard to know what the extent of the virus is in any particular location if we don't test for it."

While positive cases of the Coronavirus in El Dorado County have been relatively low (roughly 50 at the start of May), the number of tests has been limited. The road back to normalcy can only come with increased testing.

"We're just privileged and happy to play a small role in supporting the recovery for our community and region," said DeFranco.

To make an appointment for a COVID-19 test, click

or call 1-888-634-1123.
Automaker pledges fleet and funds to support national hunger relief efforts

TORONTO, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted society, putting millions out of work, into financial stress, and provoked a spike in national food insecurity, in some cases not seen since the 2008 recession.



Determined to help alleviate hunger in Canada and give back to its community, Kia Canada is deploying vehicles and much-needed funds through the #PowerToGive, a national partnership with Food Banks Canada.

Weve moved Canadians with safety and confidence for more than 20 years, says Elias El-Achhab, Chief Operating Officer at Kia Canada Inc. And our #PowerToGive partnership with Food Banks Canada and its 3,000 food banks and community agencies across the country will help put our team, our resources, and our vehicles to important work  feeding Canadians in this time of need.

Kia Canada is lending its press fleet of top-of-the-line new vehicles including the Sportage, Soul and Telluride to Food Banks in Toronto and Vancouver to support their daily work in providing food packs to vulnerable Canadians. Along with a $200,000 kick start donation, Kia Canada is also working with its national network of dealers, helping connect them with their local food banks and agencies to lend additional assistance and support.

The National Leader in Hunger Relief

Food banks across Canada are facing immense demand, with operational capacity strained to the max. To put things into context, one of our BC food banks typically records visits from 50 households in one week. That number rose to 300 household visits per week since the pandemic began, says Food Banks Canada CEO, Chris Hatch. That, coupled with a reduction in volunteers and a significant drop in food donations in some markets, means that we need support to ensure our neighbours are fed, he says.

What Kia is doing is another example of Canadians coming together, says Neil Hetherington, Chief Executive Officer at Torontos Daily Bread Food Bank. Through these very difficult times, we at the Daily Bread have seen time and time again how individuals and corporations have stepped up to the plate to say: we are all in this together! We are grateful to Kia Canada for providing an uplifting moment, as we navigate these unchartered, anxious times and helping alleviate pressures for our team who are working frontline in service of their communities, he says.

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The Power to Give

Kia Canada is giving back at all levels of its organization. Having already taken important steps to help alleviate financial difficulties for its customers, the company has worked closely with its lending partners to develop financial assistance options as well as launching the Kia Promise program, which provides an extension for warranties expiring between February 1st - April 30, 2020, giving customers additional time to address any warrantable concerns.

Visit kia.ca/powertogive to learn more and see our video thanking Canadians for their efforts.

Canadians in need of hunger relief should check out Find a Food Bank on Food Banks Canadas website.

About Kia Canada

Kia Canada Inc. (KCI), founded in 1999 and celebrating 20 years in Canada, is a subsidiary of the Kia Motors Corporation (KMC) based in Seoul, South Korea. The full line of award-winning Kia vehicles offers world-class quality and customer satisfaction through a network of 195 dealers across the country. The company employs 170 people at its headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario, as well as in locations across Canada and at its regional office in Montreal, Quebec. Kias slogan "The Power to Surprise," symbolizes the companys worldwide commitment to exceed customer expectations through sustained automotive innovation.



Whether it is a compact, crossover, or electric model which is among the best in the industry, each Kia vehicle offers a superior combination of precision engineering, exceptional performance, innovative features and advanced safety systems. Kia has sold a million vehicles, including popular models in Canada like the Soul, Forte, Sportage, Sorento, Stinger and has recently added the Seltos to its lineup. To learn more, visit kia.ca or Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

About Food Banks Canada

Food Banks Canada provides national leadership to relieve hunger today and prevent hunger tomorrow in collaboration with the food bank network from coast-to-coast-to-coast. For 40 years, food banks have been dedicated to helping Canadians living with food insecurity. Over 3,000 food banks and community agencies come together to serve our most vulnerable neighbours who last year  made 1.1 million visits to these organizations in one month alone, according to our HungerCount report. Over the past 10 years, as a system, we have sourced and shared over 1.4 billion pounds of food and Food Banks Canada shared over $90 million in funding to help maximize collective impact and strengthen local capacity  while advocating for reducing the need for food banks. Our vision is clear: create a Canada where no one goes hungry. Visit www.foodbankscanada.ca or Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram to learn more.

Please contact Amanda Chouinard or Jennifer Szmilko for more information.

Amanda Chouinard, Strategic Objectives

Phone: 416-500-0351

Email: amanda.chouinard@strategicobjectives.com

Jennifer Szmilko, PR Manager Kia Canada

Phone: 905-302-5452

Email: Jszmilko@kia.ca

Taylor Barker for Food Banks Canada

Phone: 519-209-2000

Email: taylorbarker@sppublicrelations.com
On Monday evening, radar images over Key West, Florida, lit up with a spattering of echoes. Specks of blue, green and yellow peppered the display. To an untrained eye, it might have looked like rain showers, but the sensitive radar unit was actually detecting migrating birds making their way back north as the weather warms.

It's not terribly unusual for weather radar to accidentally spot things other than strictly weather phenomena. Airplanes, butterflies, bats, wildfires, highway traffic and meteors are examples of what has flickered across radar maps.

When it comes to birds, ornithologists can glean useful information from the radar signatures of the winged creatures.

"The coolest thing we've learned in the past few years [is that] 3 to 4 billion birds migrate over the U.S. each spring and fall, respectively," said Andrew Farnsworth, a research associate at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, via email. He's part of a group that uses weather radar, citizen science and other tools to track and study migrating birds.

He said that the "red-eyed Vireo, gray catbird, gray-cheeked thrush, Bobolink, and many species of warblers" could have been among the birds that lit up Key West's radar on Monday evening. Using information about the species and the physics behind the weather radar's beam, his team can calculate the density of birds and the traffic rates through an area.

"Most bird migration occurs at night," Farnsworth said; the birds were seen on Key West's radar shortly after dusk. "Birds take off 30 to 45 minutes after local sunset and fly through the night, sometimes longer depending on if they are over water."

He says the initial wave of birds in the radar animation likely took off from Cuba, while the birds that appeared later in the night "took off from farther afield to the south."

Any sightings of particular species are compiled into a database the group maintains, which offers insight into the migratory patterns of hundreds of bird types.

Adriaan Dokter, a migration ecologist at the Cornell laboratory, says May is peak migration time for a number of species, particularly tropical ones.

"A lot of the birds that are wintering more in Central and South America . . . usually make huge numbers now that they're entering the country and flying around," he said. He has found that Florida is a hot spot of migrating bird traffic.

"The very interesting thing that happens with Florida is that you're so close to the ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, and [the gulf is] a major crossing [that] migratory birds . . . have to make," he said. "And so you have very interesting migration patterns, and you see birds moving [over] the sea and making landfall. . .. It's one of the most spectacular places in the country to get high concentrations [of birds]."

He said that rain or foul weather can cause enormous flocks of birds to descend onto land. For the most part, however, the birds are smart weather forecasters, and they wait for high pressure and southerly winds to make their oceanic journey.

"Songbirds can approach 70 or 80 mph if they have a good tail wind," Dokter said. "They are clever in choosing days with strong southerly winds. They are enormously accurate weather forecasters. . . . I'm always amazed."

The trip from Cuba to Florida usually takes six or seven hours, but Dokter says longer hauls from South America or the Yucatan Peninsula can force birds to remain airborne for 20 to 24 hours. Some species manage to remain in the air even longer.

"The bar-tailed godwits fly from Alaska to New Zealand. It's a nonstop flight, and it takes about eight days where they don't stop," Dokter said.

Others birds, such as the black-throated warbler, migrate between Canada or New England and the South or the Gulf Coast, spending about two days flying offshore over the open Atlantic.

The Cornell researchers have launched a website, eBird.org, to solicit observations from the general public and birdwatchers across the United States. It's free and open to the public to use, and it also aids scientists in identifying what birds could be behind the patterns spotted on weather radar.

"We use this frequently to assist in understanding what targets may be appearing on radar," Farnsworth said. "And we have over the last few years begun to integrate these data with the radar data."
New capabilities give network teams visibility over AWS resources and protection against advanced threats with CrowdStrike's award-winning threat intelligence

TORONTO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --BlueCat today announced enhancements to its Adaptive DNS platform that give businesses coping with sudden and profound changes in their network greater control, visibility, and agility using DNS, DHCP and IP address Management (DDI). These new capabilities enable network teams to better integrate cloud resources in Amazon Web Services ( AWS ) with on-premises networks, protect themselves from advanced cyber threats, and reduce the risk of network outages.

Because the new universal work from home reality has introduced new risks to enterprise networks, BlueCat also introduced several security improvements to BlueCat Threat Protection , its DNS firewall solution. These include the addition of threat feeds from CrowdStrike, a leader in cloud-delivered endpoint protection, and a feed of public DNS over HTTPS (DoH) servers. Now customers have greater visibility into network traffic, and better protection against phishing, malware, and other threats.

"Today's reality demands more programmability, efficiency, transparency, and security on the part of network infrastructure than ever before," says Andrew Wertkin, BlueCat Chief Strategy Officer. "Over the last month we have seen incredible changes in network traffic - like a 1500% increase in DoH requests across our customer base. Organizations can no longer afford to overlook the critical role DDI can play in achieving better visibility and control over endpoints, wherever they are physically located."

BlueCat customers are moving to hybrid environments, and adapting to remote work and security requirements at a record pace. New enhancements to Adaptive DNS help address these challenges.

BlueCat Cloud Discovery & Visibility for AWS: Many network teams struggle to gain visibility into networks and IP assignment in AWS, leading to DNS silos and data conflicts. This new capability provides automated discovery, inventory, and continuous synchronization of AWS cloud-based IP and DNS configurations, reducing time to remediate problems and costly downtime.

Many network teams struggle to gain visibility into networks and IP assignment in AWS, leading to DNS silos and data conflicts. This new capability provides automated discovery, inventory, and continuous synchronization of AWS cloud-based IP and DNS configurations, reducing time to remediate problems and costly downtime. BlueCat Threat Protection now includes CrowdStrike Threat Intelligence: Network and security teams can now enhance DNS data with rich context from CrowdStrike's threat intelligence to guard against attacks. Customers can also add a BlueCat-curated list of public DoH servers to BlueCat response policy zones to reduce DoH queries and ensure continued visibility into all network traffic. CrowdStrike's real-time threat intelligence accelerates alert triage and response to sophisticated threats. With the incorporation of CrowdStrike's threat intelligence into the BlueCat Threat Protection offering, BlueCat customers will benefit from instant visibility and a better understanding of threats, allowing them to proactively take action against future adversary activity.

Network and security teams can now enhance DNS data with rich context from CrowdStrike's threat intelligence to guard against attacks. Customers can also add a BlueCat-curated list of public DoH servers to BlueCat response policy zones to reduce DoH queries and ensure continued visibility into all network traffic. CrowdStrike's real-time threat intelligence accelerates alert triage and response to sophisticated threats. With the incorporation of CrowdStrike's threat intelligence into the BlueCat Threat Protection offering, BlueCat customers will benefit from instant visibility and a better understanding of threats, allowing them to proactively take action against future adversary activity. BlueCat Unified DDI: Other improvements to the BlueCat Adaptive DNS platform include a significant increase in scale and an enhanced user experience. Further, customers can now deploy cloud-managed Edge service points on BlueCat appliances to take advantage of intelligent query logging, forwarding and advanced security policies without requiring new virtual infrastructure.

About BlueCat

BlueCat is the Adaptive DNS company. The company's mission is to help the world's largest organizations thrive on network complexity, from the edge to the core. To do this, BlueCat re-imagined DNS. The result  Adaptive DNS  is a dynamic, open, secure, scalable, and automated resource that supports the most challenging digital transformation initiatives, like adoption of hybrid cloud and rapid application development. Learn more at www.bluecatnetworks.com.

SOURCE BlueCat
A high speed production line of insulin is pictured at the factory of Novo Nordisk, a global healthcare company, in Chartres.

Denmark's Novo Nordisk posted a better-than-expected quarterly operating profit on Wednesday and kept its full-year outlook, as customers stocking up during the coronavirus pandemic boosted sales of its diabetes medicines.

Novo Nordisk joined U.S. rival Eli Lilly and other large pharmaceuticals companies in sticking to or even raising full-year forecasts as lockdowns to combat the spread of the virus lead to stockpiling of medicines and other essentials.

"Sales growth was impacted by COVID-19-related stocking as increased patient prescription trends and wholesaler inventory levels were seen in particular in the US and EMEA in March 2020," the world's top maker of diabetes drugs said in a statement.

Sales jumped 16% to 33.9 billion Danish crowns ($4.92 billion) in the first quarter, beating the 31.5 billion crowns forecasted by analysts, but growth would have been 7% when adjusted for the COVID-19-related stocking, Novo said.

Operating profit came in at 16.3 billion crowns, compared to an average 14.2 billion crowns expected by analysts.

The company said it still expects sales to grow between 3% and 6% and operating profit to rise 1%-5% this year, both measured in local currencies, despite uncertainties stemming from the outbreak.

"The current COVID-19 pandemic causes uncertainty to the outlook regarding patient flow and societal impacts such as the unemployment rate in the US which is impacting healthcare insurance coverage," it said.
Long-term care homes overrun with COVID-19 infections and deaths, refrigerated trailers holding bodies that overburdened funeral homes cannot accept, nursing home morgues stacked with corpses, seniors left to suffer and die alonethese are just some of the horrors and indignities that face residents of Americas facilities caring for the elderly during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Trump administration has openly stated that up to 100,000 Americans can expect to die in the coming weeks and months as states move to reopen the economy. This shocking revision upwards of the administrations death projections were recounted by the president on Sunday with cold-blooded contempt for the lives of those who stand to die. And the numbers are likely an underestimation.

Disproportionately included among these countless thousands of deaths will be the elderly, many of them residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. In the US, perhaps more than in any other nation, seniors are not revered by the powers that be for their long years of labor and family care, but rather are seen as a drain on the economy. It can be said with confidence that the wiping out of large numbers of the older population is seen by the ruling elite as a convenient and positive byproduct of the coronavirus pandemic.

An internal report of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published by the New York Times projects that 3,000 daily deaths can be expected by June 1. This horrific death toll is the price the American ruling elite says is required to restart the economy under conditions where COVID-19 infections continue to steadily rise.

COVID-19 has already exacted a grim toll among the nearly 3 million individuals living in long-term care facilities across the US, including in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and intermediate care facilities. Another 3 million people work in these facilities, the majority under deplorable conditions and for poor pay, and with little to no protection against contracting the virus themselves.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), in the 23 US states that publicly reported death data in long-term facilities, there were over 10,000 reported deaths due to COVID-19 among residents and staff. In five statesDelaware, Massachusetts, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Colorado and Utahdeaths in these facilities accounted for a staggering 50 percent or more of coronavirus deaths.

Horrific stories continue to emerge from long-term care facilities across the country in the pandemic. Of the more than 25,000 deaths in New York, the nations hardest hit state, at least 4,813 residents with confirmed or presumed cases of COVID-19 have died at 351 of New Yorks 613 nursing homes since March 1. On Monday the state reported more than 1,700 previously undisclosed deaths at nursing homes and adult care facilities.

At one New York City nursing home, the Isabella Geriatric Center in Manhattans Washington Heights, nearly 100 of its 705 residents have died. Officials at the nursing home revealed Friday that 46 residents who tested positive for COVID-19, along with 52 suspected of having the virus, had passed away.

This huge death toll, the largest nursing home cluster in New York state, was first reported by local cable news station NY1. The stations report also revealed that due to delays by overburdened funeral homes in picking up bodies, the center had brought in a refrigerated trailer to store bodies and had concealed the trailer under tarps hung on the nursing homes fence. An official at the geriatric center said that the deadly situation had been compounded by a lack of in-house testing, staffing shortages and difficulty obtaining personal protective equipment (PPE) for employees.

In Medfield, Massachusetts, north of Boston, COVID-19 has killed 54 residents over the past four weeks at the Courtyard Nursing Care Center. An additional 117 residents and 42 employees have tested positive for the virus. Dr. Richard Feifer, chief medical officer for Genesis Healthcare, which owns Courtyard, told the Boston Globe that the nursing home cares for largely frail, elderly seniors with multiple health conditions, a description that applies to virtually all nursing home residents.

Deaths at the Medfield facility have received less media attention than would be expected until recently because of the COVID-19 outbreak that has ravaged the Soldiers Home, a veterans care facility in Holyoke in the western part of Massachusetts. A shocking 84 residents have died at the facility since the virus outbreak. Eighty-one employees have tested positive for the coronavirus.

The deaths at the Soldiers Home were initially hidden from both the mayor of Holyoke and local health officials, who only became aware of the developing situation when employees at the facility reached out to them. Staff said management at the facility refused to provide them with PPE and instructed them to crowd patients together from multiple wards into a single ward as a solution to staffing shortages due to infections. A state investigation into the deaths is underway.

A particularly gruesome discovery took place in mid-April when police found 17 corpses piled up at the Subacute and Rehabilitation Center in Andover, New Jersey. The bodies were stacked in a small morgue designed to hold a maximum of four bodies. The more than 2,000 deaths of staff and residents in New Jerseys long-term facilities account for about 40 percent of the states coronavirus-related deaths.

The Detroit Health Department reported at the end of April that 200 residents along with three workers had died of coronavirus in the citys 26 nursing homes. All 26 nursing homes in the city have cases of COVID-19, according to Mayor Mike Duggan. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services released data showing a total of 2,637 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among nursing home residents throughout the state.

As the state of Florida began to reopen some of its beaches and businesses this week, a list from the Florida Department of Health detailed more than 300 long-term care facilities where staff or residents had tested positive for COVID-19. Florida reported nearly 1,400 deaths statewide and 284 deaths in these facilities, but these numbers are suspect. They do not correspond to numbers reported by senior facilities and figures from the states medical examiners office.

Coronavirus cases and deaths in nursing homes and other elder care facilities have been similarly prevalent in Europe. According to the World Health Organization, up to 50 percent of the COVID-19 deaths in Europe have been associated with long-term care facilities. In the UK, official figures only recently began to include at-home and nursing home deaths.

As in the US, many of the elderly are suffering COVID-19 without visits from friends and family, which adds an additional emotional toll. Elders dignity is robbed as they take their last breaths hooked up to a ventilator with only hospital staff around them. Despite being overworked and placing themselves in danger of infection, doctors and nurses have been treating those dying with compassion, tending to them in their final hours and setting up phone and video calls with patients family members.

This kindheartedness stands in sharp contrast to the cruelty heaped on the elderly by government authoritieslocal, state and federalwho have underreported deaths in senior care facilities and provided little assistance to nursing homes and their workers in the form of testing and PPE. With the lives of hundreds of thousands of the population seen as the price that must be paid to get workers back on the job to produce profit, seniors who deserve high-quality medical care are instead seen as expendable as their profit-generating days are over.
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On Friday, the Los Angeles Times and its newsroom union announced that they had reached a deal to avoid layoffs at the paper, which like other media outlets has been walloped financially by the collapse of advertising during the coronavirus crisis. The agreement hinged on a poorly publicized, little used, and potentially powerful program that exists in California and many other states: work sharing.

Under the plan, which state regulators still need to bless, staffers will have their schedules cut back to four days a week and accept a 20 percent pay cut until August. But as a result, they will become eligible to collect some of their state unemployment benefits, as well the $600-a-week federal unemployment booster that Congress created as part of the CARES Act, the economic relief bill it passed in March.

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If the plan is approved, the Los Angeles Times will save a good deal of moneythe equivalent of furloughing one-fifth of its guild staff. But because they will be collecting unemployment benefits while working, few Times journalists will actually have to sacrifice any income. In fact, many, if not most, of them stand to get a temporary raise.

Its a tantalizing bargain, a rare potential win-win for a struggling company and its staff at a moment of economic catastrophe. You might assume, then, that many businesses would be rushing to take advantage of the same opportunity, especially given that other options, such as the Paycheck Protection Program, havent been universally helpful. But so far, work-sharing agreements have been a relative rarity during this crisis. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, by April 11, just 62,297 Americans claimed short-time compensation benefitsthe formal regulatory term for shared work programscompared with the more than 16.3 million who had been approved for ordinary unemployment insurance.

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Why arent more businesses rushing to embrace work sharing? I can offer a bit of firsthand insight there. For the past few weeks, Ive been working with Slates management on behalf of its editorial union to explore the possibility of setting up our own work-sharing program, and collaborated a bit with the Los Angeles Times guild leaders as we each tried to navigate the regulatory issues in different states. It turns out that even if you know about these programs, theyre still not that easy to set up right now, and sort of require a leap of faith that the government will administer them correctly. As our companys CEO recently put it to me in a moment of mutual frustration, the whole thing is kind of a pain in the ass.

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If youve ever heard of work sharing before, its probably because youve read one of the many articles about how Germany has successfully used the modelreferred to there as Kurzarbeitto save jobs during downturns. The basic idea is that instead of laying off workers, German businesses can cut them back to part time; in return, the government will cover 60 percent of their lost pay (67 percent if the worker has a child). So rather than lose their jobs at the Mercedes plant, Max and Hans get to, well, share them. The framework helped keep a lid on German unemployment following the Great Recession and is being used again there now that the coronavirus is decimating the global economy.

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Here in the U.S., 27 states and the District of Columbia run their own shared work programs, according to the National Conference of State Legislators, which are similar in spirit to the German version. Employers agree to cut back hours anywhere from 10 to 60 percent, depending on the state, and workers receive a prorated share of the unemployment benefits theyd be entitled to if they were totally out of a job (so if your hours are lowered 20 percent, you get 20 percent of your weekly unemployment pay). Businesses can cover all of their workers in an agreement, or just some of them, which adds a bit of flexibility. But as hard as labor policy wonks have tried to talk them up, these schemes have never really gone mainstream in America, likely because they arent well-promoted, require a bunch of administrative work, andcruciallythe benefits arent usually super-generous.

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So why are they suddenly so appealing? Simple. Right now, anybody who receives benefits from a work share program also automatically becomes eligible for the CARES Acts full $600-per-week federal unemployment benefit. It wasnt entirely obvious that this would be the case when the bill passed, but the Department of Labor clarified it in a regulatory guidance last month and reiterated it on Monday.

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That changes the math dramatically.

Lets use New York as an example, since thats where Ive been focusing most of my research (Slates mothership is located in Brooklyn.) Before the CARES Act, someone who had their hours cut 20 percent as part of a work-sharing agreement would have been eligible for $101 per week, at most (thats 20 percent of the states maximum unemployment insurance benefit of $504). After the CARES Act, that same person would see an extra $701 per week. That means pretty much anybody with a base salary of less than $180,000 per year would get a raise during the work share period.

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Heres how that pencils outthe money chart, if you will:

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The numbers work out pretty similarly in California, where the maximum state unemployment benefit is just a bit lower. The Los Angeles Times folks tell me that they expect 98 percent of their bargaining unit to be kept whole or get a bump.

The $600 weekly unemployment benefits that Congress created are only scheduled to last through the end of July, meaning that the beefed-up work share is a limited time offer. But even if its only a 10- or 12-week solution, I think most people would agree raises and three-day weekends are vastly preferable to layoffs, pay cuts, and furloughs. (As Kingsley Amis said: Nice things are nicer than nasty ones.) If theyre in financial trouble, businesses have every reason to at least consider the idea.

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And yet, few seem to be.

One reason why is that work-sharing programs are pretty obscure. HR departments dont necessarily know much about them. Nor do employment lawyers. I only found out about the extra $600 top off last month thanks to a university professor who actually advised members of Congress on unemployment policy in the lead-up to the CARES Act. At the Los Angeles Times, it was a similar situation: Reporter Matt Pearce discovered the idea while working on a story about the unemployment system. (He withdrew from the article and handed his notes to a colleague once he realized he would be working on the issue in his capacity as a union leader. Me? Im obviously conflicted out the wazoo).

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Even if you are aware that work-sharing agreements exist, setting one up is still a challenge. Without getting too deep in the weeds, the regulations governing these programs simply arent crystal-clear everywhere, since they were designed primarily with lower-wage, hourly employees in mind, not salaried workers, and getting answers to some basic question has been a bit of a journey. To give you a little taste: I started by ringing up the New York State Department of Labors official work share help line, which took me to a kind employee named Barb who, while helpful where possible, was not exactly in a position to answer hypotheticals that her bosses may or may not have ever contemplated. With a few days of work, I eventually managed to get some higher-ranking officials on the phone who could spell things out more at length. That is not a process thousands of businesses can, or should, replicate.

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And thats just one state. If you run a business with offices in multiple states, youll have to apply for a separate work-sharing agreement in each one, at least if you want to cover your entire staff. For Slate, thats meant trying to make inroads at D.C.s Department of Employment Services, which as far as I can tell is basically a black hole from which information cannot escape. (This is part of why Slate is still trying to decide whether to pursue work share.)

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Its also an open question how long it will take states to approve applications and start paying benefits. Nobody really knows right now. But given the way state unemployment offices have been overwhelmed, its fair to worry about it.

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States should have every incentive to make these programs smooth and easily accessible. Unlike normal unemployment benefits, which come out of state coffers, the CARES Act made work-sharing benefits 100 percent federally funded. Its a way to channel money from Washington to local employers that might have been cut out of other federal rescue efforts, like the ever-troubled Paycheck Protection Program.

As for other businesses? The advice Ive mostly gotten from state regulators has been to apply, and work with them to iron out any kinks. Its a nice deal if you can get it, and you can get it, maybe, if you try.
Air India on Wednesday, May 6 opened bookings for some special flights that will bring stranded Indians back from abroad under the Government of Indias Vande Bharat Mission. Sharing details of the same, the airline requested its passengers to read the eligibility criteria well before booking the tickets. Any passenger willing to travel to India through Air India special flights that will be operating from May 8 to May 14, 2020, is required to fulfill the following criteria.

READ | Air India Mandates Quarantine For Evacuation Crew Till COVID-19 Test Comes Negative

Eligibility criteria to board the special flight

Both Indian and foreign nationals who hold a valid VISA of at least one year can undertake the journey. Green Card or OCI Cardholders are also permitted to travel. The entire cost of travel must be borne by the passenger. Travelers are required to recheck their eligibility for taking the flight by referring to the conditions on the respective countries' regulatory website.

The passengers must also comply with all travel and health requirements of the Indian Government. They would also undergo thermal screening, and only asymptomatic travelers would be allowed to board the flight. The returnees would also bear the cost of quarantine charges upon their arrival in India and are also advised to refer to the guidelines laid out by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

READ | Airports In Kerala, Other States Gear Up To Receive Stranded Indians Abroad From Thursday

'Vande Bharat Mission'

As part of the Modi government's mammoth 'Vande Bharat Mission', a total of 64 flights will be deployed for evacuation of Indians from several countries. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has said that of these flights, 10 will be sent to the United Arab Emirates, two to Qatar, five to Singapore, seven to the US, five to the Philippines, seven to Bangladesh, two to Bahrain, seven to Malaysia, five to Kuwait and two to Oman. All domestic air travels are suspended since the nationwide lockdown was put in place on March 25, except relief/special and cargo flights.

READ | MHA Issues SOP For Evacuation Of Indian Nationals Stranded Abroad, Priority To Distressed

READ | MEA Commences Preparations To Rescue Indians Stranded Abroad Under 'Vande Bharat' Mission

(Image credits: PTI)
JAKARTA, May 6 (Reuters) - Indonesia's ministry of economic affairs is set to discuss how the country will continue its ambitious biodiesel programme, a ministry official told Reuters on Wednesday.

The economic affairs ministry will meeting on Wednesday to decide the government's next moves to ensure the continuity of a mandate which requires biodiesel to have 30% bio-content (B30) made from palm.

"We want to discuss how to keep the continuation of B30 (programme)," Musdhalifah Machmud, Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture told Reuters in a text message.

Indonesia started unrolling an ambitious biodiesel programme in late 2018, with the aim of soaking up excess supplies of palm oil and curb expensive fuel imports, which was a big contributor to the country's persistent current account deficits.

However, a historic crude oil rout this year has made palm oil - of which Indonesia is the biggest producer - less attractive for biodiesel feedstock.

Malaysia, the world's second biggest palm oil producer delayed a nationwide rollout of a B20 biodiesel mandate last month due to movement curbs imposed to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

State energy company PT Pertamina, which is developing refineries to process palm oil into fuel, asked parliament to cap prices for some crude palm oil (CPO) in February.

B30 is the highest palm-based bio-content in biofuels ever used. The government plans to launch the B40 programme between 2021 and 2022.

Indonesia is targeting biodiesel consumption of 14.2 million kilolitres (KL) in 2022, more than double the 6.26 million KL in 2019, but Maritime and Investment Affairs minister Luhut Pandjaitan admits going beyond B50 will be difficult without higher CPO production. (Reporting by Bernadette Christina Munthe and Fathin Ungku, editing by Louise Heavens)
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  A woman accused of assaulting an attendant on a flight from Fort Lauderdale to Grand Rapids pleaded guilty Tuesday, May 5, to interference with a flight crew.

Amy Jo-Manshum John pleaded to a potential 20-year felony.

The prosecution and defense agreed that she should not be imprisoned but instead undergo alcohol and substance-abuse treatment while on two years of supervised release.

In a plea agreement, a second interference charge will be dismissed at sentencing.

John, described as unruly, tried to intimidate flights attendants on the Dec. 14 Allegiant Airlines Flight #1795, a non-stop from Hollywood International Airport into Gerald R. Ford International Airport, federal prosecutors said.

She acknowledged in a plea agreement that she assaulted a flight attendant, swinging twice at her, and intimidated three others.

Specifically, while the flight was in progress, Defendant was disruptive, unruly, and disobedient, the plea agreement said.

She entered her plea before Magistrate Judge Ray Kent. She is free until sentencing. No date has been set.

Read more:

Six weeks into extreme social distancing, how are Michiganders still catching coronavirus?

Woman arraigned in fatal shooting of Flint security guard over face mask

With no surge in coronavirus expected, Muskegon health facilities eye reopening
President Donald Trump participates in a tour of a Honeywell International plant that manufactures personal protective equipment, Tuesday, May 5, 2020, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The Trump administration is aiming to wind down its coronavirus taskforce in the coming month as the president shifts his focus from battling an invisible enemy to rebooting the economy.

Its members have become fixtures on television sets across the nation, with Americans hungry for information and marooned at home, but the White House has begun discussions about winding down the group, which has been meeting less frequently, vice president Mike Pence said.

I think were having conversations about that and about what the proper time is for the taskforce to complete its work and for the ongoing efforts to take place on an agency-by-agency level, Mr Pence said, adding that the group could wind down by early June.

Were now looking at a little bit of a different form, and that form is safety and opening, Donald Trump said on a visit to Arizona, and well have a different group, probably, set up for that.

Asked about his statements in February playing down the threat of the virus, he told ABC in an interview that medical experts had also underestimated the risk and added: I want to be optimistic. I dont want to be Mr Doom and Gloom.

Its a very bad subject. Im not looking to tell the American people, when nobody really knows what is happening yet, Oh, this is going to be so tragic.

Mr Trump is seeking to move his focus away from the viruss spread and towards more familiar  and, aides hope, politically safer  ground: talking up the economy.

As more states have begun to ease closure orders, despite warnings that that could lead to spikes in new cases, Mr Trump has been trying to highlight his administrations work in helping businesses and employees rebound.

Aides said he would hold more frequent round tables with chief executives, business owners and beneficiaries of the trillions of dollars in federal aid already approved by Congress, and begin to outline what he hopes to see in a future phase four recovery package.

Mr Pence told reporters at a White House briefing that the US could be in a very different place by late May and early June as we continue to practise social distancing and states engage in safe and responsible reopening plans.

The administration is beginning to eye that window as the appropriate time for federal agencies to begin managing the pandemic response in a more traditional way, he said.

Deborah Birx, the taskforce co-ordinator, said the federal government would still keep a close eye on the data if the group disbands.

It took us a while to build that capacity and well make sure that were watching that at a federal level, she said.

Mr Trump and his White House team have been operating in a virus-safe bubble, thanks to rapid coronavirus tests provided to senior staff and anyone who meets the president.

He has been repeatedly talking up the administrations response to the virus, despite persistent criticism that he dragged his feet and failed to adequately increase production of personal protective equipment and testing supplies.

We did everything right. Now its time to get back to work, he said.

He added that the country has the best testing, with more than seven million now completed, even as some experts say millions more people must be tested every week for the country to reopen safely.

The president had earlier visited an Arizona face mask factory, using the trip to demonstrate his determination to see an easing of stay-at-home orders.

He did not wear a mask despite guidelines saying they should be worn inside the factory at all times.

The people of our country should think of themselves as warriors. We have to open, he said.

Im not saying anything is perfect, and yes, will some people be affected? Yes. Will some people be affected badly? Yes. But we have to get our country open and we have to get it open soon.
Hundreds of shows and concerts were forced to reschedule because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

And among them is the Splendour in the Grass music festival, which changed its start date from July 24 to October 23.

But concert promoter Michael Chugg, 72, thinks the festival's plans to go ahead in three months time 'ambitious'.

Is Splendour in the Grass over? Michael Chugg cast doubts on the music festival's plan to go ahead this October and called it 'ambitious'

He told The Briefing podcast on Wednesday: 'It's a punt, they're taking a punt. You know I don't want to be negative towards Splendour or any of the festivals.

'We'd like to have a couple (of shows) going on as well, but I think October is very ambitious,' he said.

The businessman, who is the founder of the Frontier Touring Company, said it was right for shows to be rescheduled.

The legendary music promoter told The Briefing podcast on Wednesday: 'It's a punt, they're taking a punt. You know I don't want to be negative towards Splendour or any of the festivals'

Plan to rebuild live music: Michael said it was the live music industry would have adapt to the COVID-19 restrictions in order to rebuild itself. He suggested that an act would perform over several days to smaller crowd numbers (Michael)

But looking ahead, he said: 'are they going to let Qudos open to 12,000 people or are they going to tell us to split it up and do two nights of six thousand or something? Are we even going to be able to play in arenas?'

Michael also said the live music industry would have to adapt to the COVID-19 restrictions in order to rebuild itself.

He suggested that a potential way forward would be to have an act perform over several days to smaller crowd numbers.

Checks and measures: In terms of music festivals, Michael said: 'I think festivals can happen without an antidote.' He added: 'There's going to be limited capacities, there's going to be very careful health checks that's gotta happen'

Aussie acts: Splendour in The Grass will celebrate its 20th anniversary, along with a stellar line up including homegrown talent such as Midnight Oil and Flume (pictured)

In terms of music festivals, Michael said: 'I think festivals can happen without an antidote. If they find a vaccine, great, but I think if they do the testings right.

He added that festivals would look very different: 'There's going to be a lot of barriers put in place, how close you can be to each other obviously.

'There's going to be limited capacities, there's going to be very careful health checks that's gotta happen. They're not going to just let this go away.

Splendour in The Grass will celebrate its 20th anniversary, along with a stellar line up including The Strokes, Tyler, The Creator, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Midnight Oil and Flume.
Melina Mara

As Democrats face an increasingly delicate political situation involving Tara Reades sexual assault allegation against former vice president and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden, progressive challengers to House incumbents are using the moment to bolster their case for change.

At least half a dozen insurgent candidates have started airing concerns publicly about the Democratic Partys handling of the developing story, even as Biden and his campaign have emphatically denied Reades allegation that he forcibly penetrated her with his fingers in 1993 when she worked as a member of his Senate staff.

Mckayla Wilkes, who is competing against the No. 2 House Democratic leader, Steny Hoyer of Maryland, put it simply in an April 26 tweet: I believe Tara Reade.

Those exact words were echoed days later by Lauren Ashcraft, the democratic socialist challenging longtime Rep. Carolyn Maloney of New York, the chair of the House Oversight Committee. I believe all survivors as default, she tweeted.

Similar messages have come from other insurgent contenders. For them, the Reade story is compelling for a number of reasonsseveral candidates, for example, are themselves women who have spoken openly and candidly about #MeToo issues on the campaign trail. And many have simply never liked Biden in the first place, having supported Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) or other presidential contenders.

Whats more, challengers are running against the party establishment as much as they are against any specific incumbentand the Reade issue has provided them another opportunity to argue that party leadership is out of touch and in need of replacement.

Indeed, many of the comments and online sentiments from progressive challengers about Reade have zeroed in on Speaker Nancy Pelosis (D-CA) defense of Biden, which she offered at a recent press conference on Capitol Hill. The happiest day for me this week, said Pelosi, was to support Joe Biden for President of the United States.

Story continues

The speaker declared she was satisfied with Bidens explanations, saying there is also due process, and the fact that Joe Biden is Joe Biden.

While those words may have been intended by Pelosi as a way to highlight what she sees as Bidens integrity, several progressive candidates pounced on the phrasing. Boys will be boys, tweeted Lindsey Boylan, one of the candidates running to unseat Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York. Thats what I heard in Joe Biden is Joe Biden.

Biden, who had relied on his campaign to dismiss the allegation for weeks, addressed it himself for the first time on Friday, initially releasing a lengthy statement categorically denying Reades allegation and then in a cable news interview. It is not trueI am saying unequivocally, it never, never happened, he said in an interview with Mika Brzezinski on MSNBCs Morning Joe. And it didnt. Bidens repeated denials were the first time he had personally addressed the claim by Reade, who worked as a staff assistant in his Senate office at the time.

Trump Privately Doubts Biden Assault Accusation, Says It Could Be Bullshit

But as Bidens team was grappling with how to respond for days before the interview, public chatter had already started among challengers to some of the House maps higher-profile members.

Rebecca Parson, who is running against Rep. Derek Kilmer in Washington states 6th congressional district, pointed out that her campaign has been among the first to urge Biden to answer for what she described as very serious allegations.

I am a lot freer to speak about this stuff, Parson told The Daily Beast in an interview. Sexual assault should be a red line for us. We need to be able to distinguish ourselves from the Republicans, she said. We cant win with hypocrisy like that.

When asked about conversations shes had with other left-leaning Democrats about the issue over the past few weeks, Parson responded candidly: With other progressive candidates, theyre really disappointed and disgusted with how the Democratic Party is reacting.

Arati Kreibich, a neuroscientist who is challenging two-term Rep. Josh Gottheimer in New Jersey, said her instinct is to believe women.

What feels frustrating about this, to me, is that we keep thinking that were making so much progress with MeToo, Kreibich told The Daily Beast. Weve gone so far with how we respect women, how we handle their stories, how we give them space to speak, how we give them space to be respected, and how we as a society are able to handle these things. And clearly that doesnt seem to be the case.

The past couple weeks have clarified for me, again, how much change is needed, she said.

Another female challenger, Zina Spezakis, appeared to be dissatisfied with Bidens public denial on Friday and said there needs to be more investigating. She zeroed in on what she described as Bidens history of inappropriate touching.

The outright dismissal of her story is a chilling wake up call to sexual assault survivors, tweeted Spezakis, who is challenging another New Jersey Democrat, longtime Rep. Bill Pascrell. The hypocrisy stinks sky-high. And I think most progressives are tired of hypocrisy from their own party after the last month.

Other candidates, meanwhile, have called out Democratic politicians who are standing by Biden after having taken notable #MeToo stands in the past. Believing women means we believe them even when its not politically convenient, tweeted Melanie DArrigo, who is running against Rep. Thomas Suozzi in Long Island, New York.

DArrigo tagged her home-state Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in the message: you taught us that, she tweeted at the senator. Gillibrand, of course, made waves in 2017 after leading a group of Senate Democrats to call for the resignation of former Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) when allegations of sexual misconduct piled up against him. Gillibrand has defended Biden amid the Reade controversy; she is hosting a virtual town hall for him focused on womens issues and coronavirus on Thursday.

Few incumbent Democrats facing tough races are especially eager to wade into the charged environment around the Reade allegation. The most viable challengers, however, dont appear to be either.

In progressive circles, some have noticed a palpable divide among which candidates are and are not putting the Reade comments front-and-center in their messaging. The candidates considered by operatives to have the best chances at unseating incumbentswho have raised the most money and have nabbed endorsements from left-wing kingmakers like Justice Democratshave largely been silent on Reade.

Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse, whos running a nationally-noticed campaign against Rep. Richard Neal in Massachusetts, has not tweeted or commented on the matter. Neither has Jamaal Bowman, a Bronx teacher who progressives believe has a good shot of defeating longtime Rep. Eliot Engel in New York. Neither campaign responded to requests for comment from The Daily Beast.

To some, their caution is not necessarily a bad thing. The most responsible actors on the left are still trying to figure out what to say, a progressive operative said. Theres a lot to weigh. Popping off to score points online doesnt necessarily befit the complexity of the issue, or the gravity of it.

While some down ballot Democrats are outspoken, key progressives in the House are still grappling with how to respond to the allegation, which is coming as the partys left and center wings attempt to move past a bruising primary and onto the November fight against President Trump.

Progressive firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) caught attention for her comments about the Biden-Reade issue at a time in the presidential primary when the party was coalescing around the former vice president at a rapid pace.

On April 15, two weeks before Biden addressed the subject personally, Ocasio-Cortezan insurgent challenger herself just two years agosaid the allegation was legitimate to talk about in an online conversation hosted by the womens co-working space The Wing. If we want, if we again want to have integrity, you can't say, you knowboth believe women, support all of this, until it inconveniences you, until it inconveniences us, she said.

And Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), a former Sanders campaign co-chair, said I encourage people to go listen to her and then give her a fair hearing, adding ultimately it's for the public to decide. Khanna endorsed Bidens bid in late April.

But progressives seem to broadly agree with the assessment that it is the responsibility of all elected officials to speak out in a way that addresses the complexity and nuance of the issue, even in a high-stakes political environment.

If we cant, then Im not sure how were going to be able to lead, Kreibich said. If we cant even make the effort and if we keep shutting folks down, and if we keep silencing women, and if we keep being afraid of challenge in this way, were not going to make real change happen, she said.

While at least some progressive challengers are hoping their public push will help move the conversation among more moderate Democrats within Congress, theyre aware of the perception that it can be seen as politically motivated. That perception, they say, is misguided.

One of the things that centrists and progressives share is that we want to beat Trump, Parson said. We are fully in unity and alignment. But what I believe and what lots of progressives believe is that we are not going to beat him by having a contest with who has fewer sexual assault allegations against them.

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JACKSON, MI  Furloughed employees will save Jackson County about $200,000 in May.

The Jackson County Board of Commissioners approved furloughs at its virtual meeting April 21. The furloughs will run at least until May 31.

The effects of the coronavirus outbreak have resulted in revenue losses of about $500,000 through April 30, per county documents. County officials expect the losses to continue as long as the states stay-at-home order is in effect.

Furloughs coming for 100 Jackson County employees due to coronavirus pandemic

The equivalent of 80 full-time employees were furloughed, County Administrator Mike Overton said. The number is a combination of full-time, part-time and on-call employees. There are around 700 total county employees.

About 60 percent of the furloughed employees work in the Department of Aging, Friend of the Court, the County Clerks Office and the Jackson County Health Department, Overton said.

Around 40 employees had volunteered for furloughs as of April 21.

The county will pay 100 percent of health insurance during the furloughs, per the boards decision. The county typically pays 80 percent of health insurance, while employees pay 20 percent. Employees will repay the county after the furlough ends.

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Occidental Petroleum booked a net loss of $2.2 billion for the first quarter of the year, attributing most of it to goodwill impairment charges of $1.4 billion and equity investment losses from Western Midstream Partners.

The company said it had reduced its capital spending program for the year by more than 50 percent, to $2.4-2.6 billion, and had identified spending cuts worth some $1.2 billion to be realized this year.

The oil price crash and oversupply crisis battered Occidental just months after it completed the acquisition of Anadarko, which has arguably become the most ill-timed acquisition in the industry. It cost Oxy $55 billion and expanded its presence in U.S. shale, which is now also being beaten into the ground by low oil prices, much below breakeven points.

Following the acquisition, Oxy was saddled with a total debt load of some $40 billion that it is now looking to reduce, the Wall Street Journal reported. The company has hired investment bank Moelis & Co. to help it with this.

Occidental has about $11 billion in debt maturing by 2022, Bloomberg reported last month and is desperately trying to conserve cash. To this end, it issued $257 million worth of new shares in mid-Aprilat prices at the timeto pay a dividend to Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway, which lent the oil company $10 billion to buy Anadarko.

Because of the unfortunate timing of its acquisition of Anadarko, Oxy has become one of the worst-affected oil players in the United States. Asset sales, one of the usual means of reducing significant debt loads, will fetch a lot less than before the crisis if they go through at all.

French Total, for example, told Oxy that it wouldnt be able to buy its business in Algeria as it had planned because of objections from the countrys government. Other deals will be hard to come by amid spending budget cuts, which puts Oxy in a rather difficult position where it has no other hope than a fast recovery in prices. For now, this remains highly unlikely.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Amid the unprecedented outbreak of deadly coronavirus, the Nepal government has sent funds for its citizens stranded in Ranchi, Jharkhand. According to reports, cash by the government was distributed among the diaspora of workers in India who were unable to go back due to the global health crisis. Suman Bhandari, one of the Nepali citizens who work in Ranchi told media agency that along with food material, the government has also asked distribution of at least Rs 500-1000 in cash.

"I had spoken to Nepal government day before yesterday. They sent the money in my account yesterday. I shopped for all the food material, called up these people and gave it to them, and also giving them Rs 500-1000 in cash," said Suman Bhandari.

Read - Australians, New Zealanders Repatriated From Nepal

Read - COVID-19: Nepal Extends Lockdown Till May 18, Suspends Cross-border Movement Until May 31

Lockdown extended four times

Meanwhile, Nepal has not only suspended all border movements till May 31 but has also extended the lockdown until May 18 in a bid to curb the further spread of COVID-19 disease. According to reports, the decisions were taken on May 6 after Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli chaired a cabinet meeting at his residence at Baluwatar. The nationwide lockdown in Nepal was enforced on March 24 and it has now been extended four times. As of May 6, Nepal has recorded 82 cases of coronavirus infections with no fatalities.

Read - One Indian Among 12 People Died In Nepal After Consuming Spurious Liquor

After originating from Chinas wet markets, the coronavirus has now claimed 258,356 lives worldwide as of May 6. According to the tally by international news agency, the pandemic has now spread to 212 countries and has infected at least 3,728,047 people. Out of the total infections, 1,242,500 have been recovered but the easily spread virus is continuing to disrupt many lives. Major cities have been put under lockdown in almost all countries and the economy is struggling.

Read - COVID-19: Nepal Records 16 New Cases; Most In Contact With Man Who Attended Tablighi Event In India

Read - Nepal President Summons Budget Session For Friday

(with ANI inputs)

Image Source: AP


"Finding the right attorney and law firm is always important and that is especially true during the Covid-19 crisis.

Clayton Trial Lawyers PLLC is announces its opening in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The new law firms practice areas are: business interruption insurance claims, commercial landlord and tenant disputes, complex business litigation, construction litigation, employment litigation, intellectual property litigation, insurance bad faith and defense and personal injury.

Its founder, William R. Clayton, a litigator for over 30 years, maintains a national civil trial practice having tried more than 100 cases in state and federal courts including major cases in California, Florida, New York and Nevada and has won more than $100 million in jury verdicts. He is joined at the new firm by others from Greenberg Traurig, LLP including rising star Miguel Aristizabal.

As recent as April 2020, William Clayton was a Principal Shareholder at Greenberg Traurig, LLP  one of the Top 10 largest law firms in the U.S. He was the former National Co-Chair of Greenberg Traurigs Real Estate Litigation Group. On leaving the firm, Clayton said that he decided to strike out on his own to fulfill a life-long dream of starting his own law firm  dedicated to a culture of practicing law freely in a world with no legal or business conflicts.

Built during the COVID-19 crisis, Clayton Trial Lawyers is a litigation boutique providing legal solutions for your urgent business needs. Clayton said, Finding the right attorney and law firm is always important and that is especially true during this challenging time.

The lawyers at Clayton Trial Lawyers, have gained broad litigation experience in multiple areas from practicing previously for almost 20 years at Greenberg Traurig, LLP (No. 1, number of overall first-tier rankings and most first-tier metropolitan rankings, Best Law Firms, U.S. News  Best Lawyers, 2011-2020).

About William R. Clayton

William was listed in the 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and is named in 2020 as a Top Lawyer in Florida. He was named in the 2017 Business edition of Super Lawyers among Top Attorneys in Business Litigation in the United States. He has been named a Super Lawyer in Florida by Super Lawyers (top 5% of Florida lawyers) for over ten (10) years.

Nationally, he is Board Certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocates (Board Certified  Proven, Tested Excellence). He is also Board Certified as a Civil Trial Lawyer (1% of Florida lawyers) and Board Certified as a Business Litigation Attorney (.2% of Florida lawyers), having passed rigorous standards. Of over 100,000 lawyers in Florida, William is among only a small percentage of lawyers (.02%) who are board certified in both specialties. In Nevada, he is also Board Certified as a Civil Trial Lawyer.

He is licensed to practice law in: Florida, Nevada, New York and Washington, D.C.

Clayton has also been recognized by Corporate Counsel for his superior client service in the BTI Client Service All-Stars 2015 report  just one of about 250 lawyers in the U.S. He was listed in 2015 edition of The Legal 500 United States Guide to Outstanding Lawyers. William was selected as Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Fort Lauderdale chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA).

By invitation only, he was chosen as member of American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), which is considered by many judges as the best of the best trial lawyers in the U.S. (at the time of his admission, applicants were required to try at least 20 jury trial trials  to verdict). William was selected  by invitation only  as a Fellow in the Litigation Counsel of America, which is limited to less than .5% of American lawyers. He is a member of Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an organization whose membership is limited to trial attorneys who have achieved jury verdicts of $1 million or more. William has been rated AV Preeminent by the peer review rating publication, Martindale-Hubbell. He lectures nationally on all aspects of jury trials, recent legal decisions and insurance bad faith.

Contact:

William Clayton, Clayton Trial Lawyers PLLC

Email: claytonw@ctllawyers.com

Tel: 954 712 2300; Cell: 954 980 8520

http://www.ctllawyers.com

William R. Clayton

Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer, Florida & Nevada

Board Certified Business Litigation Lawyer, Florida

Board Certified, National Board of Trial Advocacy

CTL Lawyers| 401 E Las Olas | Fort Lauderdale FL | Suite 130-175

T +1 954 712 2300

claytonw@ctllawyers.com | http://www.ctllawyers.com | View Biography
Asserting that the United States has flattened the curve on coronavirus, President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the country is now in the next stage of the battle, which is a "very safe phased and gradual reopening".

"Thanks to the profound commitment of our citizens, we have flattened the curve and countless American lives have been saved. Our country is now in the next stage of the battle. A very safe, phased and gradual reopening of our country," Trump said in his remarks at Honeywell International in Phoenix.

According to the John Hopkins University, which tracks coronavirus patients, by Tuesday, more than 71,000 Americans had died due to the deadly virus and over 12 lakh had tested positive.

However, there has been a sharp decline in the number of new cases and deaths in the country in the last one week, prompting Trump to say that the country has been able to flatten the curve.

This pandemic, he said, has underscored the vital importance of reassuring US supply chains and constructing a powerful domestic manufacturing base.

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

"I have been talking about that for a long time. Oftentimes, you would see a plant like this at a different country doing the work you can be doing, and you will do it better," the president said.

"The United States declared its independence nearly 250 years ago, but in recent decades, Washington politicians allowed our independence to be offshored, outsourced and ceded to foreign countries. But we are taking it back and we have been taking it back. And you look at our job numbers, you knew that we were taking it back," Trump said.

As such his administration believes in two simple rules -- buy American and hire Americans, he added.

"The people of our country are warriors. With your help, we will vanquish the virus and build a future of greatness and glory with American heart, American hands, American pride and American soul," he said.

Referring to his visit to the Honeywell factory that is producing masks, Trump said they are producing high-quality N95 respirators.

"There is no bad mask like various countries have been sent some very bad masks from other places. There is nothing like that at Honeywell. Respirators are there to protect our heroic doctors and nurses as they fight the unseen enemy," he said.

"More than 150 Honeywell employees are working around the clock, three shifts a day, six days a week. Think of this what you have done. You are part of this incredible industrial mobilisation, the biggest since World War II. Hard to believe for an invisible enemy, but it is a vicious enemy, smart enemy," he said.

"Like generations of patriots before you, the workers of this factory are pouring their heart and soul and blood into defending our nation and keeping our people healthy and safe," the president said.

Earlier, participating in a roundtable discussion with Native Americans, Trump described the coronavirus as a tough opponent. "But we are winning and starting to see our country come back," he added.

"It has been a very exciting few days. We are starting to see it all come back. We are improving the lives of Native American families and tribes more than any administration has ever done," Trump said.

But the mission is not accomplished yet, he added.

"Mission accomplished is when it is over. When it is over, mission accomplished," the president said.

The United States, he said, is now helping various countries, including providing them with essential medical supplies like ventilators.

"We have more ventilators now than anybody in the world and we are helping France, as you know. We are helping France, Italy, Spain, Nigeria. We are giving I think 250 to Nigeria. We have many countries that we are helping," he said.
Digital Innovation Has Transformed the Way We Live



The rapid rise of both e-commerce and online gaming expresses society's firm reliance on the power of the internet and what services they expect it to deliver. The proof, as reported by the US Department of Commerce, is that e-commerce increased from $461B in 2017 to $602B in 2020  a 31% increase.

New trends like 5G will transform whats possible even further by enabling a world of hyperconnectivity between users-users, users-machines, and machine-machines that require hyper speed and hyperscale.

Because of the speed at which user traffic is growing  propelled by the rate at which applications, workflows, and transactions need to take place  many organizations have had to adopt a hyperscale data center. And a growing number of these high-performance networks are built using advanced routing and switching infrastructures.

As a result, traditional security solutions are being discarded because they cannot provide adequate protection due to inherent performance limitations that lead to workflow bottlenecks and poor user experience. In many instances, security has been deprioritized in favor of preserving user experience because security devices would meltdown when they were used to secure user consumption of online services. Instead, a growing number of organizations have had to replace their enterprise-grade security with VLANs and Layer 4 access controls lists to protect their high-performance environments.

Its a terrible tradeoff.

From a security perspective, this can be disastrous. These alternatives do little to prevent attackers from impersonating themselves as legitimate users, establishing a beachhead, and then moving laterally across the network to gain access to credentials, applications, and data. Using a completely different attack method, nefarious actors could also send volumes of requests to overwhelm a website. This could bring down e-commerce sites or online services, resulting in the loss of revenue, bad press, and in worst cases, shut an organization's doors  permanently.

Organizations should never have to make the impossible choice between performance and protection.

Disruptions Can Result in a Detour, but the Journey to Dgital Innovation Continues

While organizations were mulling over the tradeoff of providing high-speed online services to grow their business while reducing the uncertainties of not having high-performance security controls in place, a more certain calamity hit us  the onset of the COVID19 pandemic. Those same organizations had to pivot their resources to quickly provision a suddenly massive remote workforce with encryption-based VPN technologies. Business continuity and disaster recovery plans were initiated to keep workers productive and maintain morale during a time of uncertainty.

However, far too many organizations quickly found that their firewalls  built using off-the-shelf hardware  did not provide enough scalability and performance headroom to inspect and secure the large number of remote connections that had come online. Even after paying high VPN upgrade license fees to scale connectivity, they still had to install new firewalls to deal with escalating scale and performance needs. And as a result, two of their prevailing concerns about cost and complexity just got exacerbated.

But a Time of Crisis Can Also Become of a Time of Opportunity

The outgrowth of this sudden transformation of networks around the world is that users are now able to more effectively collaborate  between themselves, with customers, and with partners  in ways unfathomable before. Using rich streaming media enables organizations to deliver content and collaboration and training while preserving the user experience. This is now the new normal.

But capitalizing on this opportunity requires building ultra-high-performance networks capable of handling the needs of both external and internal users equally well. But these same networks create security challenges that require an approach that traditional, off-the-shelf hardware-based firewalls cannot address.

Build Ultra-Fast Security-Driven Networks with FortiGate 4200F

The power to provide the security that todays networks require is only possible by using purpose-built hardware. Fortinet's latest NP7 network processor - enables astronomical performance and unparalleled capacity, all delivered in the industrys most cost-effective FortiGate 4200F security platform.

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The hardware acceleration of FortiGate 4200F is made possible through Fortinet's seventh-generation network processor, the NP7, that delivers Security Compute Ratings 5 to 15 times higher than any other security solution in the market. For example, it offers 15X the industrys average with more than 8M sessions per second.

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By delivering the industrys highest performance, it securely enables the most demanding digital innovation as well as meets the vast capacity and performance demands of critical business operations, both now as well as a future-proof investment against future calamities.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and other Royal Family members have wished Harry and Meghan's son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor a very happy birthday on social media, as the Queen's eighth great grandchild turns one today.

Prince William and Kate Middletons official social media account - Kensington Royal - posted a picture from last July, which saw immediate members of the family gather to celebrate his christening.

Photographed in the Green Drawing Room at Windsor Castle, other family members pictured included Prince Charles, Camilla Parker-Bowles, Meghans mother Doria Ragland, Prince William and Kate Middleton as well as Princess Dianas sisters Lady Jane Fellowes and Lady Sarah McCorquodale.

The post included a balloon emoji and was captioned, Wishing Archie a very happy first birthday today!

The official Clarence House Twitter account (which represents Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles) also shared a rare black and white portrait from Archies christening.

It showed Prince Charles looking on fondly as his son Prince Harry carried Archie, who wore the traditional Honiton christening gown numerous members of the family wore to their own christenings - including Archies father Harry.

Wishing Archie a "very happy birthday", the post also included some context about the photo which read, "This photo of Archie and his grandfather was taken following his christening in July 2019."

The Royal Familys official Twitter account also wished Archie a happy birthday, sharing another picture from the christening. It showed the Queen, Prince Philip, Prince Harry and Doria Ragland all smiling down at Archie as Meghan held her son.

The tweet read, Happy Birthday to Archie Mountbatten-Windsor who is celebrating his 1st birthday today! Archie is The Queens eighth great-grandchild.

Archie and his parents are currently in Los Angeles, following the official date that the Sussexes stepped down as senior royals in March. He will be celebrating his first birthday amidst a stay-at-home order for the state of California.

It has been a while since Archie was seen in public, though both Prince Harry and Meghan have been snapped by paparazzi volunteering with food charities to bring meals to those at-risk during the lockdown and have continued to support their charity patronages from afar on video calls.
At least 4,000 Goans from 65



countries have registered themselves on the Goa NRI commission's portal to come back to the country amid the coronavirus-enforced lockdown, state NRI Commissioner Narendra Sawaikar said on Wednesday.

The state NRI commission has shared the data with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Sawaikar told PTI.

Nearly 4,000 people have registered themselves on the Goa NRI portal launched by the commission. They are spread across 65 countries, mostly in the Middle East and the UK, the BJP leader said.

The Goa NRI Commission has urged the MEA to facilitate immediate repatriation of Goans who are stranded abroad.

Sawaikar said Goa does not figure in the first phase of the MEA's repatriation initiative, but its natives are likely to be brought back in the second phase.

The 4,000 people who have registered on the portal include a sizable number of students, some who have lost their jobs and some NRIs' parents who are stranded abroad as they had travelled prior to the lockdown.

Sawaikar said the MEA will give preference to those who have requested to come back under compelling circumstances", the criteria of which will be decided as per their guidelines.

Air India will operate 64 repatriation flights for a week from May 7 while the Navy deployed two ships as India rolled out a massive evacuation plan on Tuesday to bring back thousands of its nationals stranded abroad due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown.

From the Gulf countries to Malaysia and the UK to the US, the multi-agency operation christened 'Vande Bharat Mission' will see the state-owned airline operate the non- scheduled commercial flights till May 13 to ferry around 15,000 Indian nationals from 12 countries.

Those availing the repatriation flights will be charged, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Tuesday in New Delhi, adding that private Indian airlines may join the repatriation effort after May 13.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reaffirms that any solution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict cannot become a solution in practice if it is not acceptable for the peoples of Armenia and Artsakh.

During a Q&A session in the Parliament, the PM was asked to present his position on the statements of the Russian foreign minister and the Azerbaijani defense minister.

No Armenian leader has expressed a position on the NK conflict in such details as I did. No Armenian leader has expressed a position on the NK conflict so frequently as I did. No Armenian leader has been so public and transparent over the NK issue as I have been. My positions, the positions of the Armenian government exist insofar as they are our positions. In other words, our position exists regardless of what any positons exist in the world. And its clear that there are numerous positions in the world regardless of our positions. And this whole settlement process is for us to try to respond to one question whether can make closer the positions and have a common position? And I have included 2 more important components in all of these which is a very famous negotiation format that any solution to the NK conflict cannot become a solution in practice if it is not acceptable for the peoples of Armenia, Karabakh, and also the National Assembly, he said.

He said if in the past there have been leaderships which thought they would sign and give a solution, they have overestimated their powers.

According to the Armenian PM, the solution, which can be implemented theoretically, is the one which is acceptable for the peoples of Armenia, Artsakh and Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijani defense minister Zakir Hasanov recently stated that the possibility of resumption of military operations has increased. In turn Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov talked about a document proposing a stage-by-stage solution to the NK conflict.

Reporting by Anna Grigoryan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
Karnataka govt cancels special migrant trains, wants to revive economy

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Bengaluru, May 06: Karnataka has decided to cancel all trains arranged to transport migrant workers. The decision comes a day after Chief Minister, B S Yediyurappa appealed to the labourers to stay back.

The state has written to the Railways withdrawing the request to arrange for train services scheduled for Wednesday. The letter sought for the cancellation of train services scheduled to begin from Bengaluru to Dhanbad in Bihar at 9 am, 12 noon and 3 pm on May 6.

States urge Centre to run special trains to transport stranded migrant workers, students

On Tuesday, 1,199 passengers boarded the Shramik Special train from the Chikkabanavara railway station, however, many who had not registered were stopped near the approach roads.

Yediyurappa during a meeting with the representatives of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association said that the coronavirus situation in Karnataka is under control when compared to the other state. Several activities need to be resumed outside the red zones and hence labourers may avoid travel back to their natives.
If you like Homeland, you hate John Zabel. Thats just the way it is. From his first appearance in season 8 until the series finale, Zabel is the guy who represents the worst of America. As spies spy, operatives operate, and presidents try to govern, Zabel sits in an office hoping to bomb Pakistan.

Of course, the audience has that reaction because Homelands creators made the character that way. And Hugh Dancy, the husband of Claire Danes who played Zabel, did his best to bring to life a guy whom you have no choice but to despise.

[Spoiler alert: Plot details for all eight seasons of Homeland follow.]

But, for a moment, forget Zabel (whod never served in the military) in a tank in a picture hanging above his desk. Also forget about him saying hed go to war in Iraq again today if he had the chance (no skin off his back). And him telling Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin) he was making sh*t up.

Amid the frantic events prior to the extraordinary Homeland finale, you may have forgotten just how the beloved Max Piotrowski met his end. Prior to Maxs death, Zabel pushed for two scenarios that sealed his fate.

John Zabel argues that Hayes rescuing Max has no upside

(L-R): John Zabel and Linus Roache as David Wellington in HOMELAND, In Full Flight | Sifeddine Elamine/SHOWTIME.

Things happened fast in the final episodes of Homeland. After Haqqani surrendered himself in episode 7, you had Zabel sucking up to President Hayes (Sam Trammell) by telling him hed nabbed his own Bin Laden. (Hayes reluctantly accepts the praise.)

As horrified chief of staff David Wellington (Linus Roache) tries to calm the situation, Zabel fantasizes about how many times Haqqani will be shot. However, Hayes does the right thing and gets Afghan President Gulam to hold off on the execution until U.S. forces have a plan to rescue Max.

But after hearing the chances for success for such a mission are 50-50 at best, Hayes gets nervous. (He might end up looking like Jimmy Carter, he worries.) Thats when Zabel sees an opening. Who is this Max Piotrowski anyway? he asks Hayes, rhetorically. Not a soldier.

Then Zabel offers up what might be the most offensive thing uttered in eight seasons of Homeland (which is saying something). The U.S. government cant be expected to come to the rescue of every adventurer who get himself in trouble overseas, Zabel tells Hayes, referring to Max.

Zabel has President Hayes greenlight Haqqanis execution

(L-R): Maury Sterling as Max and Elham Ehsas as Jalal in HOMELAND, Fucker Shot Me | Sifeddine Elamine/SHOWTIME.

Hayes knows that once Haggani dies, Max follows shortly after. He says it in his phone call to Gulam. But now hes terrified about appearing weak. And Zabel convinces him theres no upside to the rescue mission. Im sorry, but saving some guy named Max is not the same as Osama bin Laden, he tells Hayes.

Shortly after that conversation, we watch Haqqani get pulled from his cell and shot. Obviously, Hayes gave the green light. When the story shifts back to the tribal area, where Haqqanis son Jalal is holding Max, Carrie notes that the group is mobilizing. (She has Yevgeny prepare his team to leave.)

Then, looking through Yevgenys binoculars, Carrie witnesses one of the more excruciatiing moments in Homeland. On the way to his groups caravan, Jalal shoots Max three times at point-blank range, killing him instantly.

Thanks to Zabel, Max became expendable in Hayes eyes. It didnt matter that hed dedicated his life to U.S. intelligence operations. When he needed the help of his country, Zabel decided Max wasnt famous enough to save.

Also see: Homeland Fans Have to Decide Who to Hate More: John Zabel or Beta Mike Dunne
CLEVELAND, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --

FIRST-QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS:

Total revenue increases 2.8%

Same-unit revenue increases 0.9%

EPS $0.66 vs. $0.67 in prior-year first quarter

vs. in prior-year first quarter Adjusted EBITDA $57.0 million vs. $57.7 million in prior-year first quarter

vs. in prior-year first quarter Mobilizes resources to help clients access emerging economic relief opportunities

Financial flexibility positions Company well for economic recovery

CBIZ, Inc. (NYSE: CBZ) today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2020.

For the first quarter of 2020, CBIZ reported revenue of $277.5 million, an increase of $7.5 million, or 2.8%, over the $270.0 million reported in 2019. Same-unit revenue increased by $2.3 million, or 0.9%, compared with the same period a year ago. Newly acquired operations, net of divestitures, contributed $5.2 million, or 1.9%, to revenue growth in the quarter. CBIZ reported income from continuing operations of $36.9 million, or $0.66 per diluted share, compared with income of $37.6 million, or $0.67 per diluted share, for the same period a year ago. Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter was $57.0 million, compared with $57.7 million for the first quarter of 2019.

During the first quarter of 2020, the Company announced three acquisitions with expected annualized revenue of $6.1 million. The Company also repurchased approximately 1.2 million shares at a cost of $29.5 million in the first quarter, but suspended further share repurchases in mid-March due to the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a precautionary measure, on March 25, 2020, the Company drew down an additional $210.0 million on its $400.0 million credit facility to preserve financial flexibility. The Company has ample liquidity, and at March 31, 2020, the Company had unrestricted cash and cash equivalents of $216.9 million and an outstanding credit facility balance of $383.0 million, resulting in a net debt balance of $166.1 million.

Given the uncertainty in the business environment created by the evolving COVID-19 situation and uncertain impact on full year 2020 results, the Company is withdrawing its 2020 guidance, which was provided on February 20, 2020.

Jerry Grisko, President and Chief Executive Officer of CBIZ, said, "After recording strong second-half 2019 results, we started 2020 with strong momentum across all major lines of business including positive contributions from our project-based businesses and evidence that strategic investments are realizing intended benefits. The COVID-19 pandemic began to impact our results in late March. We are fortunate to have entered this situation in a strong financial position with a solid balance sheet and are carefully managing our liquidity. Looking forward, the recurring and essential nature of our client services will help to mitigate some of the economic impact of the pandemic."

Grisko continued, "The safety and well-being of our team members and clients remains our top priority as we all navigate this uncertain business climate. Our workforce is well equipped to operate in a remote work environment, and our early actions to shift our team to working remotely allowed us to stabilize operations and minimize disruption for our clients. We have also mobilized resources to focus on supporting our clients and prospects through emerging relief opportunities such as the CARES Act and related stimulus programs. We are experiencing exceptionally high demand for content and guidance on the numerous government initiatives focused on small and midmarket businesses."

Grisko concluded "At this point, we, like other businesses around the country, are uncertain as to the duration and magnitude of the pandemic's impact and the pace for recovery. I remain confident that despite the complexity and uncertainty we now face, our size, geographic reach and wide range of services will enable us to bring valuable and differentiated solutions to both our clients and prospects, and that we will emerge a stronger company ready to take advantage of further growth opportunities."

Conference Call

CBIZ will host a conference call at 11:00 a.m. (ET) today to discuss its results. The call will be webcast live for the media and the public, and can be accessed at www.cbiz.com . Shareholders and analysts who would like to participate in the call can register at http://dpregister.com/10142060 to receive the dial-in number and unique personal identification number. Participants may register at any time, including up to and after the call start time.

A replay of the webcast will be made available approximately two hours following the call on the Company's website at www.cbiz.com . For those without internet access, a replay of the call will also be available starting at approximately 1:00 p.m. (ET), May 6, through 5:00 p.m. (ET), May 11, 2020. The toll-free dial-in number for the replay is 1-877-344-7529. If you are listening from outside the United States, dial 1-412-317-0088. The access code for the replay is 10142060.

About CBIZ

CBIZ, Inc. is a leading provider of financial, insurance and advisory services to businesses throughout the United States. Financial services include accounting, tax, government health care consulting, transaction advisory, risk advisory, and valuation services. Insurance services include employee benefits consulting, retirement plan consulting, property and casualty insurance, payroll, and human capital consulting. With more than 100 offices in 31 states, CBIZ is one of the largest accounting and insurance brokerage providers in the U.S. For more information, visit www.cbiz.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the impact of COVID-19 on the Company's business and operations and those of our clients; the Company's ability to adequately manage and sustain its growth; the Company's dependence on the current trend of outsourcing business services; the Company's dependence on the services of its CEO and other key employees; competitive pricing pressures; general business and economic conditions; and changes in governmental regulation and tax laws affecting the Company's insurance business or its business services operations. A more detailed description of such risks and uncertainties may be found in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.

CBIZ, INC. FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (UNAUDITED) THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2020 AND 2019 (In thousands, except percentages and per share data)





THREE MONTHS ENDED





MARCH 31,





2020



%



2019



%

Revenue

$ 277,455





100.0 %

$ 269,998





100.0 % Operating expenses (1)



199,827





72.0 %



215,496





79.8 % Gross margin



77,628





28.0 %



54,502





20.2 % Corporate general and administrative expenses (1)



10,489





3.8 %



11,680





4.3 % Operating income



67,139





24.2 %



42,822





15.9 % Other (expense) income:































Interest expense



(1,119)





(0.4) %



(1,401)





(0.5) % Gain on sale of operations, net



95





0.0 %



497





0.2 % Other (expense) income, net (1) (2)



(15,800)





(5.7) %



9,260





3.4 % Total other (expense) income, net



(16,824)





(6.1) %



8,356





3.1 % Income from continuing operations before income tax expense



50,315





18.1 %



51,178





19.0 % Income tax expense



13,453













13,613









Income from continuing operations



36,862





13.3 %



37,565





13.9 % Loss from operations of discontinued businesses, net of tax



(14)













(96)









Net Income

$ 36,848





13.3 %

$ 37,469





13.9 %

































Diluted income per share:































Continuing operations

$ 0.66











$ 0.67









Discontinued operations



-













-









Net income

$ 0.66











$ 0.67











































Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding



55,945













55,915









Other data from continuing operations:































Adjusted EBITDA (3)

$ 57,043











$ 57,741











(1) CBIZ sponsors a deferred compensation plan, under which a CBIZ employee's compensation deferral is held in a rabbi trust and invested accordingly as directed by the employee. Income and expenses related to the deferred compensation plan are included in "Operating expenses" ($14.8 million income in 2020 and $8.2 million expense in 2019, or (5.3%) and 3.0% of revenue, respectively) and "Corporate general and administrative expenses" ($1.8 million income in 2020 and $0.9 million expense in 2019, respectively, or (0.7%) and 0.3% of revenue, respectively) and are directly offset by deferred compensation gains or losses in "Other (expense) income, net" ($16.6 million loss in 2020 and $9.1 million gain in 2019, or (6.0%) and 3.4% of revenue, respectively). The deferred compensation plan has no impact on "Loss from continuing operations before income tax expense". (2) Included in "Other (expense) income, net" for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 is income of $0.7 million and $0.3 million related to net changes in the fair value of contingent consideration related to CBIZ's prior acquisitions. (3) Refer to the financial highlights tables for a reconciliation of Non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") financial measure, and for additional information as to the usefulness of the Non-GAAP financial measures to shareholders and investors.

CBIZ, INC. FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (UNAUDITED) (In thousands) SELECT SEGMENT DATA





THREE MONTHS ENDED





MARCH 31,





2020



2019

Revenue















Financial Services

$ 188,777



$ 185,144

Benefits and Insurance Services



79,612





76,255

National Practices



9,066





8,599

Total

$ 277,455



$ 269,998



















Gross Margin















Financial Services

$ 50,179



$ 50,686

Benefits and Insurance Services



14,389





14,884

National Practices



783





599

Operating expenses - unallocated (1):















Other



(2,523)





(3,449)

Deferred compensation



14,800





(8,218)

Total

$ 77,628



$ 54,502



(1) Represents operating expenses not directly allocated to individual businesses, including stock-based compensation, consolidation and integration charges, and certain advertising expenses. "Operating expenses - unallocated" also include gains or losses attributable to the assets held in the Company's deferred compensation plan, which do not impact "Income from continuing operations before income tax expense" as they are directly offset by the same adjustment to "Other (expense) income, net" in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income. Net gains/losses recognized from adjustments to the fair value of the assets held in the deferred compensation plan are recorded as compensation income/expense in "Operating expenses" and as income/expense in "Other (expense) income, net".

CBIZ, INC. SELECT CASH FLOW DATA (In thousands)











MARCH 31,





2020



2019

Net income

$ 36,848



$ 37,469

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities:















Depreciation and amortization expense



5,704





5,659

Bad debt expense, net of recoveries



2,289





1,054

Adjustments to contingent earnout liability



(684)





(281)

Other noncash adjustments



1,712





511

Net income, after adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities



45,869





44,412

Changes in assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions and divestitures



(64,500)





(69,074)

Operating cash flows used in continuing operations



(18,631)





(24,662)

Operating cash used in discontinued operations



(16)





(91)

Net cash used in operating activities



(18,647)





(24,753)

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities



4,355





(9,736)

Net cash provided by financing activities



207,772





10,025

Net change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

$ 193,480



$ (24,464)

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of year



146,505





130,554

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of year

$ 339,985



$ 106,090



















Reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash to the consolidated balance sheet:















Cash and cash equivalents

$ 216,942



$ 2,143

Restricted cash



28,927





27,721

Cash equivalents included in funds held for clients



94,116





76,226

Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

$ 339,985



$ 106,090



CBIZ, INC. SELECT FINANCIAL DATA AND RATIOS (In thousands, except for percentages and days sales outstanding)

















MARCH 31,



DECEMBER 31,





2020



2019

Cash and cash equivalents

$ 216,942



$ 567

Restricted cash



28,927





29,595

Accounts receivable, net



263,180





222,031

Current assets before funds held for clients



533,589





276,518

Funds held for clients



141,984





179,502

Goodwill and other intangible assets, net



666,112





654,671



















Total assets

$ 1,616,558



$ 1,400,774



















Current liabilities before client fund obligations

$ 167,210



$ 186,906

Client fund obligations



142,219





179,020

Bank debt



381,923





104,333



















Total liabilities

$ 946,298



$ 741,536



















Treasury stock

$ (565,180)



$ (535,693)



















Total stockholders' equity

$ 670,260



$ 659,238



















Debt to equity



57.2 %



16.0 % Days sales outstanding (DSO) - continuing operations (1)



94





75



















Shares outstanding



54,430





55,419

Basic weighted average common shares outstanding



54,571





54,299

Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding



55,945





55,895



(1) DSO is provided for continuing operations and represents accounts receivable, net, at the end of the period, divided by trailing twelve month daily revenue. The Company has included DSO data because such data is commonly used as a performance measure by analysts and investors and as a measure of the Company's ability to collect on receivables in a timely manner. DSO should not be regarded as an alternative or replacement to any measurement of performance under GAAP. DSO at March 31, 2019 was 97.

CBIZ, INC. GAAP RECONCILIATIONS Income from Continuing Operations to Non-GAAP Financial Measures (1) (In thousands)











THREE MONTHS ENDED





MARCH 31,





2020



2019

Income from continuing operations

$ 36,862



$ 37,565

Interest expense



1,119





1,401

Income tax expense



13,453





13,613

Gain on sale of operations, net



(95)





(497)

Depreciation



2,283





2,157

Amortization



3,421





3,502

Adjusted EBITDA

$ 57,043



$ 57,741



(1) CBIZ reports its financial results in accordance with GAAP. This table reconciles Non-GAAP financial measures to the nearest GAAP financial measure, "Income from continuing operations". Adjusted EBITDA is not defined by GAAP and should not be regarded as an alternative or replacement to any measurement of performance or cash flow under GAAP. Adjusted EBITDA is commonly used by the Company, its shareholders and debt holders to evaluate, assess and benchmark the Company's operational results and to provide an additional measure with respect to the Company's ability to meet future debt obligations.

SOURCE CBIZ, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.cbiz.com


News Desk Editor

Jack is the news editor at the Emerald. He is a journalism and political science major at the University of Oregon who enjoys reading alone, drinking coffee alone and eating in parks...alone. Send tips or food recs to jforrest@dailyemerald.com
My message to the rest of the country is learn from how much effort, how much discipline it took to finally bring these numbers down and follow the same path until youre sure that its being beaten back, he said on CNN, or else if this thing boomerangs, youre putting off any kind of restart or recovery a hell of a lot longer.
(Bloomberg) -- Jay Y. Lee, the billionaire scion of Samsung Group, issued a personal apology for his companys role in a scandal over succession that rocked South Korea and promised not to hand down leadership to his children, signaling he will likely be the last of his family to oversee the countrys most powerful conglomerate.

Speaking at a briefing at company headquarters, Lee admitted missteps in the past and pledged he will avoid violations of the law in the future. His promise means that leadership of Koreas largest conglomerate, which was founded by his grandfather and then led by his father, wont get passed to a fourth generation.

We are recognized for our top-class technology and products, but the public view of Samsung is still critical, the 51-year-old said, dressed in a dark suit, white shirt and tie. This is all because of our shortcomings. This has been my fault and I offer my sincere apology.

Lee has been entangled for years in allegations that he used horses and financial contributions to win favor, via an intermediary, from then-president Park Geun-hye to help with his succession as Samsung chief. The scandal led to Parks impeachment in 2017 and her sentencing to a 25-year prison term. It also inflamed public anger over the power of the countrys conglomerates, triggering the election of a reformer as her successor. The executives apology may help burnish Samsungs image, which improved after the electronics giant publicized a series of efforts to aid Korea in its battle against Covid-19.

The legal fight has disrupted Lees tenure at the helm of Samsung Electronics Co., the worlds leading producer of smartphones and memory chips. He became de-facto leader after his father suffered a heart attack in 2014, but he was then imprisoned for about a year until his release in early 2018. Lee returned to court for a retrial last year when the scope of the alleged wrongdoing was revised, and he again faces the possibility of jail.

Story continues

I give my word here today that from now on, there will be no more controversy regarding succession. There will absolutely be no infringement against the law, Lee said. There will be no leaning on legal expediency or actions that cause ethical reproach. My sole focus will be on enhancing the corporate value of Samsung.

Lees tone was markedly different from the past. He and Samsung had insisted repeatedly that they had done nothing wrong.

It is symbolic that Koreas top company will separate ownership from management, said Park Ju-gun, president at corporate watchdog CEOScore.

Lee also apologized for Samsungs stance against unions, a long-running area of controversy.

At Samsung, the labor culture did not move in step with the times, he said. From now on, I will make sure that Samsung is not criticized for union-free management.

Samsung C&T Corp., the de facto holding company for the Samsung empire, surged 6.6%, well ahead of the Korean market index.

Samsung C&T shares rose on expectations that Lee may not go back to jail again, relieving uncertainties over trial issues, said Lee Sang-hun, senior analyst at HI Investment & Securities. Through todays presser, Lee showed his leadership and sought to boost corporate image.

The appeals court that decided to release Lee is expected to rule on his final sentence in the next few months. Unless new evidence emerges during the retrial, the appeals court is expected to rule in line with the decision of Koreas Supreme Court, which found Lee had used the horses and money to bribe President Park while seeking political support. This would mean altering Lees presently suspended prison sentence.

Why the Fate of Samsungs Billionaire Heir Turns on Horses

The total amount of alleged bribery determined by the top court carries a minimum sentence of five years, which cannot be suspended in the same way that Lees existing sentence had been. Media coverage in Korea, however, has centered on Article 53 of the Korean Criminal Act, which stipulates there could be a discretionary mitigation of the punishment when there are extenuating circumstances. In Lees case, the damage to Samsung -- crucial as it is to Koreas economy -- could be presented as grounds to keep him out of prison.

Samsung Billionaire Heir to Cede Board Seat Before Legal Probe

Lee gave up on extending his three-year term on the Samsung board. Although hes keeping his title as vice chairman, it will be the board that drives overall management decisions, people familiar with the matter have said.

Park of CEOScore said that Lee has been under pressure to apologize and demonstrate contrition after the years of scandal.

Lee himself has been struggling with succession under Korean law, Park said. But todays announcement was weak. He didnt say hed take away the Lee family ownership at Samsung.

(Updates with outside comment from eighth paragraph)

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(Photo : Massimo Pinca/REUTERS) French researchers have re-tested samples of ICU patients between early December and mid-January.

Several European countries, including France, are among the worst-hit countries during the coronavirus pandemic, and now, French researchers have reason to believe that the first COVID-19 case in the country was actually undiagnosed in December, more than a month before their first case was reported. French doctors found evidence of an early COVID-19 case.

ALSO READ: [BREAKING] COVID-19 Cure Almost Here? Pfizer Pushes Potential Cure to Clinical Trials, And Will Create Millions Of Vaccines by 2021

ALSO READ: COVID-19 Update: Coronavirus May Be Transmitted By Children, New Study Shows; Kawasaki Disease May Be Linked to COVID-19

Researchers Found Evidence of Early COVID-19 Case

In a report by NPR, Dr. Yves Cohen, the head of the emergency at the Jean-Verdier and Avicenne hospitals near Paris, France, said that he and his colleagues found evidence of an undetected and undiagnosed coronavirus case when they re-tested samples from intensive care patients that suffered from influenza-like symptoms between early December and mid-January.

"Among them we found 14 patients that were not diagnosed with pneumonia," Dr. Cohen told BBC. "In April, we defrosted the samples we had stored, and we tested them again, but this time for traces of COVID-19."

From the defrosted samples, one of them came back positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

In order to guarantee the results, they re-tested the sample with another technique, and it still came out positive for the virus.

In addition, the doctors re-checked the chest scan of the patient with the positive sample and saw that it was compatible with the viral infection's symptoms, which means that France already had a case even before the first reported case.

Read Also: Dominant Coronavirus Strain Might be More Contagious Than the First

No Travel History

The patient's name is Amirouche Hammar, an Algerian-born fishmonger living in Bobigny, which is in the northeastern suburbs of the French capital.

According to BGR, Hammar had never traveled anywhere after his visit to Algeria in August 2019, and he certainly hasn't been to China, where the novel coronavirus is believed to have originated, nor did he have any relations there.

Hammar's two children also fell ill after him, although his wife did not.

Fortunately, all of them are doing fine now.

The patient was tested on December 27, 2019 but since the symptoms for COVID-19 do not manifest until five to 14 days of infection, Hammar was likely infected around December 14 to 22, 2019.

Nevertheless, this could show that France has had the virus longer than they thought, and knowing this is essential as they are a step closer to understanding the virus and its evolution in the country.

Comparing with the Coronavirus Analyzed in China

The team is now going to check the genetic code of the virus they have found on Hammar's sample and will compare it with the genetic code of the novel coronavirus analyzed in China.

If they see a connection, it would have significant implications, according to Dr. Cohen, saying that it would "point to different contamination sources" around the world.

However, they did note that it is possible that there are false negatives in the samples they have re-tested, and there might also be other patients with COVID-19 that were not admitted to the ICU, thus were not analyzed.

The results of their research are now published in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents.

Meanwhile, a professor of molecular virology at the University of Nottingham, Jonathan Ball, said that the samples the researchers have re-tested might have been contaminated in the lab.

He explained that if Hammar was indeed infected with COVID-19, there should have been a rapid and earlier outbreak in France.

Read Also: Coronavirus Warning: Cashier is Deemed to be the Most Dangerous Place in Supermarkets

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Hezbollah has softened its position and clearly accepted aid from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the only available option to help Lebanon get out of its acute economic crisis. Does this mean that the way is now clear for an intervention by this organization? It is still too early to confirm, especially that the Shiite party maintains the vagueness by indicating that it will refuse IMF diktats that would undermine national sovereignty or increase social discontent.

Within a few weeks, Hezbollah's position clearly evolved. On February 25, its number two, Sheikh Naim Kassem, was still categorical, saying "we will not accept to submit to imperialist instruments ... We do not accept to yield to the IMF to solve the crisis." Kassem, however, acknowledged that his party was not opposed to consultations taking place between the government and a delegation from the international organization at that time.

On March 13, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah was much more pragmatic. Iran has asked the IMF for emergency funding to help it fight the coronavirus outbreak and it has become clear that the Lebanese government of Hassan Diab could not expect any help from Arab countries or others, without going through the world body. In addition, the financial noose is tightening around Hezbollah, which has been suffering from US sanctions and now from the coronavirus crisis that has practically isolated Lebanon. While he announced that he no longer opposes IMF intervention, Nasrallah reiterated that he rejects any condition which would undermine "national sovereignty" or " lead to an explosion in the country," such as a VAT drastic increase.

In his televised speech on Monday, the Hezbollah leader was less clear. "We are not in principle against Lebanon seeking assistance from any party, except from the enemies of Lebanon," he said. "What is unacceptable is to submit to the IMF with our hands and feet tied."

Nasrallah said the government will engage in negotiations with the IMF on the basis of its economic recovery plan. He said he supported the plan which could be "discussed and amended," adding that "the government is not going to deliver the country to the IMF (...), we will see what are the conditions and if the country can bear them."

According to Kassem Kassir, an analyst close to Hezbollah, the pro-Iranian party "is showing utmost flexibility" in these difficult times. "The party is being pragmatic but as long as it does not affect its strategic choices," Kassir said, noting that in Islamic jurisprudence "necessity sometimes allows recourse to what is prohibited."

The Issue of the Crossing Points

According to political sources, ministers close to Hezbollah and the Amal Movement have also affirmed at a cabinet meeting last Thursday, during which the economic recovery plan was adopted and the decision to ask for assistance from the IMF was taken, that they do not oppose intervention by the international organization on condition "it does not infringe on Lebanon's sovereignty."

That is where the shoe pinches. How to define which conditions are acceptable or not? The IMF, whose largest financial contributor is the United States, does not generally impose political conditions but it will obviously demand absolute state control over tax revenues, starting with the ports, airport and border crossing points.

US assistant secretary for Near East affairs, David Schenker, told Emirati newspaper The National that he expected rigorous conditions to be set by international institutions in implementing the reform plan, requiring commitment across the political spectrum in Lebanon.

"Hezbollah is not known for its support for reforms. This is an organization that funds its activities through illicit finance, corruption..," Mr Schenker said. "Reform at the ports that collects revenues is not going to be appreciated by everyone in Lebanon."

A source close to Hezbollah told L'Orient Le Jour that the Shiite party has made clear to Prime Minister Hassan Diab that it "does not oppose seeking assistance from IMF provided that it does not impose, for example, political measures such as delimitation of borders (with Israel) or dramatic increases in taxes or prices which could fuel social discontent." The source explained that in the event of IFM intervention, "Hezbollah will decide its position on a case-by-case basis," noting for example the party's opposition to the privatization of the electricity sector as a way to secure room for maneuvers. "Most of the crossing points with Syria are currently closed," he said, emphasizing that Hezbollah "in any case is not engaged in smuggling.. It uses one or two (border) passages for his combatants fighting in Syria and for its weapons and the state knows that perfectly."

Last month, an Israeli drone targeted a vehicle carrying forces from Hezbollah in Syria near the Lebanese border. No one was hurt. The attack took place in Jdeitet Yabous inside Syria, very near the Lebanese border crossing point of Masnaa- officially closed since March 15 to contain the spread of coronavirus. One of the routes, used by Hezbollah to transport men and equipment to Syria where the party is fighting alongside the regime, passes near the Masnaa crossing and arrives at Jdeidet Yabous, according to local sources.

The source close to Hezbollah affirmed that the party is not linked to any trafficking via the port or airport. But would Hezbollah be willing to no longer enjoy access to Beirut international Airport while his cash flows are drying up? Just last week, and according to the airport official daily report about aircraft movements, a private plane arrived from Tehran, with 99 people on board ... and lots of cash money, well-informed sources said.





(This article was originally published in French in L'Orient-Le Jour on the 5th of May)








Congress MP Partap Singh Bajwa on Wednesday urged the Punjab government to stop the exodus of migrant workers from the state to avoid a 'self-made' economic crisis after the coronavirus lockdown is lifted.

In a letter to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Bajwa said around 10.08 lakh workers, who are an integral part of the state economy, have applied to go home and the state government should convince them to stay back to avoid a labour crisis after the lockdown.

Without these individuals, we will have a labour crisis that will irrevocably hinder our economy. With the workers gone, I fear our factories will have no labour post-lockdown, Bajwa wrote.

Bajwa said the government must do everything to encourage these workers to remain in the state, otherwise, "we are staring at a self-made economic crisis", adding to the woes of the industry already reeling under the damage caused by COVID-19.

I believe it would be better at this moment if the government could do its best to convince the workers to remain so that the industries can function again at the earliest, he added.

Referring to migrants, Bajwa said they have the right to go back but their departure raises many questions and issues.

The state has done its best to provide food, shelter and healthcare to these individuals, as well as pleas from the government to remain in Punjab. Yet, now that the central government has opened travel for stranded individuals to return home, the state is now promoting the aforementioned exodus, he said.

This shifting of position has left many industries confused. After all, in these troubled times, the drivers of our state economy look to the government for direction, he wrote, stating that he has received pleas of help from various industries due to the exodus of migrant workers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[May 06, 2020] Abnormal Security Named a 2020 Cool Vendor in Cloud Office Security by Gartner

Abnormal Security, a leader in protecting large enterprises from business email compromise (BEC) attacks, today announced it has been included in the list of Cool Vendors in Cloud Office Security1 by Gartner (News - Alert). The report recognizes vendors with "innovative approaches to cloud office security, email and collaboration." As the primary communication channel for business, email continues to be the biggest attack vector for threat actors. Despite extensive investment into email security, business email compromise (BEC) continues to plague organizations, leading to $26B in losses according to the FBI. According to Gartner, "With the rise of business email compromise, buyers often look for a single product that can provide protection against all advanced cloud office threats." Abnormal Security offers a complete platform that delivers a modern approach to Office 365 and Google (News - Alert) G Suite security through three core capabilities: Protection: Abnormal Security stops the full spectrum of email attacks that slip past Microsoft (News - Alert) Exchange Online Protection (EOP), with a unique focus on targeted, socially engineered business email compromise (BEC) attacks

Abnormal Security stops the full spectrum of email attacks that slip past Microsoft (News - Alert) Exchange Online Protection (EOP), with a unique focus on targeted, socially engineered business email compromise (BEC) attacks Detection: Abnormal Security identifies Email Account Compromise (EAC) by analyzing both email and user event data through Abnormal Behavior Technology (ABX)

Abnormal Security identifies Email Account Compromise (EAC) by analyzing both email and user event data through Abnormal Behavior Technology (ABX) Response: The Abnormal platform includs automated response actions to drive security team efficiency, including the ability to triage end-user reported messages via Abuse Mailbox integration and automatically trigger password resets or revoke login sessions for accounts that have been compromised.



"Business email compromise continues to be the costliest security issue for large enterprises today," said Evan Reiser, CEO and co-founder of Abnormal Security. "The most sophisticated attacks bypass even the most premium-priced secure email gateways, requiring a fundamentally different platform architecture. We believe our inclusion in the Gartner Cool Vendors in Cloud Office Security report is reflective of the changing priority and rethinking around email security for companies shifting to the cloud."

To download the full Gartner "Cool Vendors in Cloud Office Security" report, visit the Abnormal website here. To schedule a demo with Abnormal Security, please visit https://abnormalsecurity.com/request-demo/. [1] Gartner, "Cool Vendors in Cloud Office Security," Brian Reed, Ravisha Chugh, May 1, 2020. Gartner Disclaimer Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our 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 Abnormal Security The Abnormal Security Cloud Email Security Platform protects enterprises from targeted email attacks. Powered by Abnormal Behavior Technology (ABX), the platform combines the Abnormal Identity Model, the Abnormal Relationship Graph and Abnormal Content Analysis to stop attacks that lead to account takeover, financial damage and organizational mistrust. Through one-click, API-based Office 365 and G Suite integration, Abnormal sets up in minutes, requires no configuration and does not impact email flow. Backed by Greylock Partners, Abnormal Security is based in San Francisco, CA (News - Alert). www.abnormalsecurity.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005940/en/

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By PTI

LOS ANGELES: Actor-director Tommy Wiseau has been ordered by a Canadian court to pay USD 700,000 to the makers of an unauthorised documentary about his universally panned film "The Room".

According to Variety, the documentary, "Room Full of Spoons", by Richard Harper, Fernando Forerero McGrath, Mark Racicot and Richard Towns, was scheduled to release in 2017 following the debut of "The Disaster Artist", starring James Franco, but Wiseau thwarted it.

The filmmaker obtained an injunction citing a violation of copyright and an invasion of privacy.

He claimed that the documentary used clips from his 2003 movie and also revealed the fact that he was born in Poland, which he had aimed to keep secret.

The case went to trial in January and on April 23, the Superior Court Judge Paul Schabas ruled in favour of the documentary makers.

The judge called the usage of the use clips from the film as "fair dealing" and added that details on Wiseau's origins were "available from public sources, which is how the defendants obtained and confirmed it".

Schabas ordered Wiseau to pay USD 550,000 to Harper, McGrath, Racicot and Towns in lost revenue due to the thwarted release.

He also awarded close to USD 150,000 in punitive damages, citing Wiseau's "oppressive and outrageous" conduct toward the documentary makers.

"This action was brought for the improper purpose of preventing the release of a documentary disliked by Tommy Wiseau," the judge said.
Despite the Dubai real estate market having to deal with a full lockdown, innovative tools like Live Viewings and Virtual Tours aided in the successful closing of a total of 1,824 transactions worth over Dh3.62 billion ($985.4 million) in April, according to UAE-based real estate portal Property Finder.

This brings the year-to-date total to 12,254 sales transactions worth Dh24.15 billion, it stated.

Off-plan accounted for 72% of all transactions and was dominated by Villanova and Dubai Creek Harbour for villa/townhouses and apartments respectively.

Top off-plan sales locations were The Lagoons in Dubai Creek Harbour (123 transactions), Jumeirah Village Circle (112), Villanova (110), Umm Suqeim (105) and Business Bay (97), said the Emirati portal citing figures from Data Finder, its real estate insights and data platform.

According to the report, the volume of transactions for the secondary market were considerably lower than the off-plan market however Dubai Marina (40) and Palm Jumeirah (39) dominated as always followed by Mudon (31), Downtown Dubai (26) and Dubai Hills Estate (21).

The top communities for apartment sales were: Jumeirah Village Circle (125); Dubai Creek Harbour (123); Umm Suqeim (105); Downtown Dubai (92) and Jumeirah Beach Residence (86).

The top communities for villa/townhouses sales were: Villanova (118); Serena (36);

Dubai South (26); Jumeirah (18) and Arabian Ranches (12).

Property Finders proprietary search demand data shows the trends of what consumers are looking for. For overall Dubai, the search demand has been dominated by Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah with both areas accounting for 21% of all searches in April.

This is followed by Downtown Dubai with 7.2% of all searches, Dubai Hills Estate with 4.8% and Jumeirah Village Circle with 4.2%. The top keywords consumers used for the month of April are payment plan, upgraded, seaview, furnished and pool.

The trends show consumers are looking for more space and better payment terms, stated the UAE property portal.

"Since the beginning of March and when the Covid-19 crisis started, the percentage of searches on the Property finder Portal for villas/townhouses is higher than for apartments. This trend continues to grow even after the lockdown has eased," remarked Lynnette Abad, the director of Research and Data.

"When compared to the previous weeks, sales enquiries submitted to agents for villas in Dubai were up 30 per cent than the same week last year," stated Abad.

"Rental leads for villas in Dubai are also up for the second week in a row, up 56 per cent compared to the same week last year," she added.-TradeArabia News Service
Universities could be given permission to fly in thousands of international students to ease their financial losses, despite Australia's travel ban expected to be in place for months.

Nev Power, head of the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission, said foreign university students are critical in kickstarting Australia's economy.

International students contribute $35billion a year to Australia's economy, which was hit hard when the country's borders shut due to the coronavirus.

Universities could be given permission to fly in thousands of international students to ease their financial losses. Pictured: Travellers boarding buses at Adelaide Airport

Nev Power, head of the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission, said foreign university students are critical in kickstarting Australia's economy. Pictured: The University of Sydney

Mr Power stressed the importance of rebooting education, the country's third largest export, to ensure the economy is up and running again in July.

While the Federal Government is refusing to assist universities financially, Mr Power told the Australian Financial Review the two should work together to bring foreign students back in.

He said foreign students should be flown in on chartered aircrafts, with srtict quarantine measures in place.

'There's an opportunity here for the universities to work with government to provide safe processes to get those students either in a holding pattern overseas, but then to expedite those visas, get those international students back here as quickly as we can,' Mr Power said.

'We'll need to put quarantine provisions in. We'll need to make sure that unis are reconfigured to incorporate safe practices. But that way we can accelerate that because right now, this academic year, you could have them back.'

While Australia appears set to ease coronavirus restrictions this week, overseas holidays will have to wait until at least October at the earliest, according to experts and the country's leaders.

International students contribute $35billion yearly to Australia's export income, which was hit hard when the country's borders shut due to the coronavirus. Pictured: University of Sydney

Interstate travel could be allowed without restrictions as early as August if infections stay low, experts predict.

ROAD TO RECOVERY - ACCORDING TO EXPERTS April: Some elective surgery. Schools reopen May: More schools open. No more fines for leaving home June: Gatherings limit increased to allow very small social events. Restrictions lifted on 'non-essential' businesses and shops July: Pubs, cafes, restaurants return but with 'tight controls' - limits on numbers and spaces between groups August or September: Interstate holidays resume with half-empty planes. Pubs, restaurants and cafes fully reopened. October: The earliest international travel to select countries could resume but returning travellers would still need to quarantine for 14 days Advertisement

But officials have warned the international travel ban won't be lifted for another six months, at the earliest.

The federal government said the international travel ban is expected to remain in place long-term, but domestic travel is likely to restart sooner depending on the situation in each state.

An exception could be travel to New Zealand, with the government considering establishing a trans-Tasman bubble allowing travel to and from Australia.

Infectious disease expert Professor Peter Collignon previously told Daily Mail Australia that prohibition on international travel to and from Australia is likely to remain in place until after winter.

There's a possibility Australians could begin to take interstate holidays sooner by August or September - if infection rates remain low.

'Domestic travel (including NZ) will start up again much easier providing we can keep our infections rates low here, plus lots of testing, washing hands, no big crowds and physical distancing,' he said.

Even if travel restrictions are lifted, it is likely travellers will be forced to quarantine upon return. Pictured: Passengers at Sydney's International Airport

In the latest update on coronavirus restrictions, the federal government said the international travel ban is expected to remain in place long-term. Pictured: Brisbane Airport

Mr Collignon said the decision to restart international travel will also depend on what happens 'next winter in Europe and North America', and whether infections will spike again.

He speculated an overseas holiday could be possible before Christmas if things break the right away around the world.

The earliest would be October, but only to certain locations and with extreme inconvenience, he predicted.

'You would only be allowed to go if it was a relatively safe place but you'd have to put up with being quarantined for two weeks when you get back,' he said.

Quarantine on return would be necessary for the next 12 months at least as even a few infected travellers could start a new outbreak.

When this would be possible depends on how other countries go combating coronavirus and if Australia is satisfied with their efforts.

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 need better data to make sure where you're going is an area of relatively low transmission and right now we don't have it for anywhere because there's not enough testing,' Professor Collignon said.

Australians could be free to gather in homes in groups of up to 10 people as soon as Mother's Day following Scott Morrison's much-anticipated coronavirus announcement this week.

The ban on public gatherings of more than two people could reportedly be lifted when the prime minister addresses the nation following Friday's National Cabinet meeting.

It comes as Mr Morrison said on Wednesday night he wanted Australia to get back as 'close as we possibly can' to normal life as the world waits for a COVID-19 vaccine.

The 10-person rule could be a part of the National Cabinet's advice when they meet at the end of the week and then put in place by the federal government for the weekend, 7News reported.

Mr Morrison pictured with a drink in hand at a Parliament House event in October 2018. He said on Wednesday evening in a live Q&A he wanted Australia to get back as 'close as we possibly can' to normal life while the world waits for a COVID-19 vaccine

It would allow family barbecues and dinner parties to go ahead in time for the annual celebration of motherhood in Australia.

While the federal government can announce what measures will be used across the country going forward, it is up to each state and territory to decide how and when each rule will be implemented.

The Australian leader added the widespread use of the COVID-19 government app was vital to the slow re-opening of society and preventing a second wave.
Barr. Agbor Balla Nkongho Archives

Not everyone can be bullied or intimidated. The earlier they know that the better for them. Barrister Nkongho Felix Agbor alias Agbor Balla, Instructor at the English Law Department of the University of Buea was reacting after boycotting a May 6, 2020 summons where he was expected to justify why he set an examination question on the Anglophone Crisis.

The Disciplinary Hearing unfolded at the Board Room of the Central Administrative Block Wednesday, May 6, 2020 despite Agbor Nkonghos boycott.

Sheriff-Bailiff Tapa Justin Lebrin served Agbor Nkonghos Appearance Under Protest to the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buea Wednesday morning. The four-page document was received on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor by his private secretary. In the document, Nkongho picks holes in the disciplinary hearing, positing that it fell short of legal provisions in force.

The withdrawal of Agbor Nkonghos courses even before the hearing justifies claims that his dismissal from the University of Buea is only a matter of time.

Prof. Atangcho Nji Akonumbo, Dean of the Faculty of Laws and Political Science suggests that the rights activist breached professional obligations when he set an exam question on the Anglophone Crisis in a first semester level one course titled Political and Constitutional History of Cameroon. The question read: The Anglophone crisis since 2016 was caused by lawyers and teachers strikes. Assess the validity of this statement. (40 marks)

An Invitation Letter to a Disciplinary Hearing dated April 29, 2020, was only delivered to Agbor Ballas office at the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA) at 12:08 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, 2020, 22 hours to the hearing.

In the invitation letter, Prof. Atangcho writes: On the instruction of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buea, and in keeping with article 16 of decree No. 93/036 of 29th January 1993, you are being invited to appear before a constituted Disciplinary Panel of the University to hear allegations against you for non-compliance of professional obligations for a question you set on LAW243: Political and Constitutional History of Cameroon, during the 2019/2020 first semester examination.

Enter Agbor Nkonghos Appearance Under Protest

Re: INVITATION LETTER TO A DISCIPLINARY HEARING

MEMORANDUM OF APPEARANCE UNDER PROTEST

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your letter, reference 2020/093/UB/D/FLPS/FO of 29 April 2020, on the above subject matter. The cited letter was served to my office at Biaka Street, Upper Bonduma, Buea on Tuesday, 5 May 2020, at 12:08 PM. After reading through the letter, I have some observations to make. Before I do so, I will reproduce the operative part of the letter which states:

On the Instruction of the Vice-Chancellor, and in keeping with article 16 of decree No 93/036 of 29th January 1993, you are being invited to appear before a constituted Disciplinary Panel of the University to hear allegations against you for non-compliance of professional obligations for a question you set on Law 243: titled: Political and Constitutional History of Cameroon, during the 2019/2020 first semester examination. The hearing has been slated for Wednesday 6th May 2020.

The University of Buea (UB) is an institution which my generation of Anglophone students in the then University of Yaounde, alongside civil society organizations and pressure groups advocated for, by peacefully protesting in Yaounde and major cities in the South West and North West regions. These protests effectively pressurised the Government to upgrade the Buea University Centre to a fully fletched Anglo-Saxon styled university. Subsequently, as the President of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium, we fought to protect its independence and its spirit of excellence which formed the foundation of countless intellectuals. UB is an institution in which I take profound pride and honour to teach. For the past five years, I have sought to perpetuate its foundational spirit of excellence in future leaders and students of Law.

It follows that I am responding to your letter out of reverence for UB, and what it represents as an institution.

Regarding the content of the letter, my first observation is that it flouts laid down procedures and disrespects legal provisions.

DISRESPECT OF LEGAL PROVISIONS

An invitation for a teacher to appear before a disciplinary panel must be preceded by the respect of certain statutory provisions. There are a set of Decrees and Ministerial Circulars entrench to govern and regulate disciplinary proceedings involving university teachers.

Sir, I am aware that you are not a stranger to these texts and their requirements for a teacher to appear before a disciplinary committee. However, for purposes of clarity and emphasis, permit me to refresh your memory with these.

Antecedent Procedures Prior to Invitation to attend the Disciplinary Hearing

Under Section 57 (1) of Decree No 93/035 of 19 January 1993 on the special status of higher education staff as amended by Decree No 2000/048 of 15 March 2000,

The rapporteur investigates the matter by all means appropriate to the manifestation of the truth. He hears the suspect on a report.

Section 57 (2) provides that At the end of his investigation, he writes a detailed report which he forwards to the President of the Disciplinary Council.

It is based on this report as provided in Section 57 (3) that the President of the Disciplinary Council causes the holding of the council by a convocation addressed to the members of this Council, specifying the day, time and place of the meeting.

Similarly, the need to protect the right to a defence is well articulated in the following instruments;

-Ministerial circular No. 17/0013/MINESUP/SG/DAJ/CC of 17 October 2017 on due respect of disciplinary procedures in public institutions of Higher Education in Cameroon;

which forms part of the New University Governance, to be read in conjunction with -Decree No. 93/027 of 19 January 1993 on common provisions applicable to universities as amended by Decree No. 05/342 of 10 September 2005;

- Decree No 93/035 of 19 January 1993 on the special status of higher education staff as amended by Decree No 2000/048 of 15 March 2000.

Reference is hereby made to the Ministerial circular, under the heading

THE DISCIPLINARY COUNCIL AND THE PROCEDURE FOR TEACHERS. Following Section B; The requirements of disciplinary proceedings involving teachers states that:

It is incumbent primarily to the Registrar, on the occasion of a disciplinary council before which a teacher must appear, to investigate the matter. In this wise, he must obligatorily hear the suspect on the basis of a report [. . .].

At the end of the investigation, a circumstantial report is transmitted to the President of the Disciplinary Council, in order to provoke the holding of the Disciplinary Council, through a convocation sent to the members of the Council precising the day, time and the place of the session.

The suspect, in this case, was never invited for the purposes of any such prior investigation.

The Circular further states that: [t]he suspect is informed in the same way that the documents in the file are kept at his disposal with the rapporteur, for Consultation on the spot and in confidence either by himself or by his defendant.

The suspect was also not availed of this information.

Furthermore, Section 55(2) of Decree No 93/035 of 19 January 1993 states that

The decision translating the teacher to the Disciplinary Council is notified to him as well as to each member of the Council and that

It must state the exact nature of the facts alleged against the suspect and the penalties to be inflicted upon him.

The aforementioned letter inviting me to a Disciplinary Hearing does not mention what sanctions I may incur.

Besides, Section 56(2) states that the teacher implicated has the possibility to defend himself or be assisted by a defender of his choice.

The summons fails to apprise the suspect of this fact.

Service of Invitation Letter to a Disciplinary Hearing

As earlier stated, the letter inviting me to the Disciplinary Hearing was served this May 5, 2020 at 12.08 PM. The Ministerial Circular of 2017, supra, states that:

The disciplinary procedure of a teacher being essentially contradictory, the suspect must be summoned in writing, at least five (05) days before the holding of the Council.

The invitation falls short of the minimum requirement of five days of prior notice. The use of the mandatory MUST in the circular and not the optional MAY is an imperative command and a legal obligation that must be respected. It shows the importance of the necessity to give the suspect ample time to prepare his defence. How can justice be done and be seen to be done when the suspect was served less than 24 hours to the hearing. What time will the suspect have to prepare against the very serious allegations against him?

The circular also provides that:

The teacher convocated before a disciplinary council has the right to defend himself, either orally or in writing, and may also be assisted by one of his peers or by any other defender of his choice.

This fact was also not stated in the letter of invitation of the hearing.

It follows, that the letter inviting me to appear before a Disciplinary Panel disregards relevant instruments and violates my rights as a teacher in the University of Buea. It also violates my fundamental human rights for a fair hearing.

As an advocate for justice and respect of the rule of law, should I honour the said invitation, which is a manifest and gross violation of the law, it would amount to setting the wrong precedent which will hurt and have a negative impact on teachers who in the future may be invited without any regard for due process to appear before the disciplinary panel and the long-term credibility of our academic institutions.

Consequently, to prevent the propagation of the injustices outlined above, I will not be attending the Disciplinary hearing schedule for 6th May 2020, at I0: 00 AM. at the Boardroom of the Central Administrative Block.

Dear Sir, kindly note that I remain predisposed to defend myself, either orally or in writing, before any competent Disciplinary panel when the provisions of the relevant instruments have been complied with.

Whereof, I do forward this memorandum of appearance under protest to serve the purposes it deserves.

Regards,

Nkongho Felix Agbor

cc:

President of the Republic

Prime Minister, Head of Government

Minister of Higher Education
A pedestrian walks by a closed sign on the door of a restaurant on March 17, 2020 in San Francisco, California.

States enduring the brunt of the coronavirus crisis are receiving a smaller proportion of emergency small business loans than some Mountain and Midwest states, according to analysis conducted by the Federal Reserve.

"In New York, the epicenter of the coronavirus in the United States, less than 20 percent of small businesses have been approved to receive PPP loans. In contrast, more than 55 percent of small businesses in Nebraska are expecting PPP funding," wrote Haoyang Liu and Desi Volker, two economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

For its study, the New York Fed used the number of coronavirus cases in a given state as a proxy to track changes in the economic impact of Covid-19 across the country. It then compared the differences in economic impact across states to the percentage of businesses in each state that has received Paycheck Protection Program loans.

What they found was that there wasn't a relationship between the intensity of the coronavirus impact in a given state and the percentage of that state's businesses that are approved for PPP loans through the end of the first round of the program's funding.

Specifically, the economists found that "there is no statistically significant relationship between the severity of the economic impact of COVID-19  measured both in terms of cases and unemployment claims  and the share of small businesses getting PPP loans, after excluding New York and New Jersey."

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York

The findings will likely fuel a principal complaint about the Small Business Administration's program. Critics alleged that the PPP's first-come, first-served basis has allowed regions of the U.S. with fewer Covid-19 cases to receive an inappropriate proportion of the funds.

The complaints allege that rural states with fewer coronavirus cases have been approved for too many of the PPP loans while states on the coasts grappling with the majority of U.S. Covid-19 cases have received too few.

A separate study, conducted by researchers at the University of Chicago's Booth School, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan School and the National Bureau of Economic Research, found that only 15% of firms in congressional districts hardest hit by the coronavirus and job losses received loans in the first tranche versus 30% of firms in the districts least affected by the pandemic.

The SBA said Sunday that the second round of PPP funding has been more successful in delivering funds to smaller businesses. The government said that 2.2 million loans had been made since the second round of funding began and that the average size of the new group of loans was $79,000.

"Nearly 500,000 of the loans were made by lenders with less than $1 billion in assets and non-banks," SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a joint statement on Sunday. "Over 850,000 loansabout one third of the 2.2 million loanswere made by lenders with $10 billion of assets or less."

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York

To be sure, while some of these states have not seen as many coronavirus cases, many have been under similar stay-at-home orders which have shut down small businesses.

Congress in March approved the CARES Act, a $2.2 trillion piece of emergency legislation that provided nearly $350 billion in relief loans to the Small Business Administration for the PPP. The SBA was to extend to the nation's mom and pop businesses struggling to meet payroll costs thanks to the impact of Covid-19.

Demand was so great for the funds that the program was oversubscribed by April 16, forcing lawmakers to pass a new bill replenishing the fund with another $310 billion. The SBA began approving loans again on April 27.

But the program has faced a deluge of complaints since its launch, including the skewed distribution of funds across geography.

The New York Fed economists hypothesize that, instead of the frequency of coronavirus cases, the percentage of state businesses receiving PPP loans may be related to the proportion of a state's businesses serviced by small community banks.

"Community banks have been reported to view PPP as a chance to expand their customer base. The four largest banks in the United States represent a significant share of the depository base but have (at most) a combined 12 percent share of the total amount lent through the PPP," Volker and Liu wrote.

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York

"Moreover, the fifteen largest banks originating PPP loans have just a combined 26 percent market share of the total dollar amount lent," they added. "It seems therefore that medium-sized and small banks, including community banks, are important in channeling PPP funding."

The Fed economists found that there appears to be a strong correlation between a state's percentage of small businesses that received bank financing in 2019 and the state's percentage of small businesses that have now received PPP loans. This result suggests that banks are prioritizing their own, preexisting customers when debating which applicants to approve, the economists say.

Another source of outrage over the PPP began after reports that large companies with access to the public capital markets tapped the facility for hundreds of millions of dollars while thousands of far smaller firms were left without an alternative.

The public backlash against public companies taking the loans was so fierce that it forced many to reconsider and return the funding even though they may have filled out their SBA applications truthfully.

Shake Shack, for example, said it returned the $10 million it got through the PPP after it sold $150 million in new shares. Ruth's Hospitality and Fiesta Restaurant Group later did the same.

Read more of CNBC's coronavirus coverage here. Subscribe to CNBC PRO for exclusive insights and analysis, and live business day programming from around the world.
Ukraine and Brazil are interested in intensifying bilateral dialogue despite current restrictions imposed to counter the spread of coronavirus.

The interlocutors confirmed the mutual interest in intensifying the bilateral dialogue, as well as the possible formats of further contacts, during the existing restrictions to counteract the spread of the new coronavirus, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports upon a video conference between Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Yevheniy Yenin and Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Brazil, Ambassador Kenneth da Nobrega.

The Ukrainian diplomat thanked the Brazilian colleague for assistance during the repatriation and transit of Ukrainian citizens through the territory of Brazil. The parties agreed to promote the exchange of information on diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19.

Yenin stressed that the fight against the pandemic could not be a reason for lifting sanctions against countries-violators of international law.

As noted, Yevheniy Yenin and Kenneth da Nobrega paid special attention to the opportunities of trade and economic cooperation, as well as consideration of the drafts of bilateral agreements.

ol
Richard Adams Centenary Emblem Veteran character actor Peter Capaldi is the perfect choice to narrate Blackstone Audios new version of Watership DownThis is pure audiobook magic for any age.-Seattle Times

Celebrate the centenary of Richard Adams birth, on May 9th, 2020, by listening to the incredible audiobook production of Adams classic novel, WATERSHIP DOWN [Blackstone Publishing; May 7, 2019; audiobook], narrated by award-winning actor, director and screenwriter Peter Capaldi. Richard Adams (19202016) grew up in Berkshire, England, the son of a country doctor. After an education at Oxford, he spent six years in the army and then went into the civil service. He wrote many novels and short stories, including Watership Down and Shardik.

One of the most beloved novels of our time, WATERSHIP DOWN, first published in 1972, is an epic journey, a stirring tale of adventure, courage, and survival. Peter Capaldis brilliant new narration of WATERSHIP DOWN was a finalist for the 2020 Audie Award for Best Male Narrator, a finalist for the 2019 SOVAS Award for Best Audiobook Narration, a winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award, and has been praised as pure audiobook magic for any age (Seattle Times). Capaldi, is the winner of two BAFTAs, two British Comedy Awards, and an Oscar for directing the live-action short film Franz Kafkas Its a Wonderful Life. Capaldi is the Twelfth Doctor of the long-running BBC program Dr. Who.

A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, this new audio production of WATERSHIP DOWN is a must-listen classic for all ages. Both an exciting adventure story and an involving allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature, it has delighted generations with its unique and charming world, winning many awards and being adapted to film, television, and theater.

Praise For Peter Capaldis Narration of Watership Down

Veteran character actor Peter Capaldi is the perfect choice to narrate Blackstone Audios new version of Watership DownHis crisp, woolly rasp confides with a homey, avuncular quality, capturing the wonder in Adams rich descriptions of the English countryside in a way that recaptures the intimacy of being read to as a child. He ably handles the exotic, wuffy-fluffy Lapine vocabulary of the rabbitsand the whole cast with skill reminiscent of Jim Dales legendary Harry Potter recordings. This is pure audiobook magic for any age.

-Seattle Times

Narrator Peter Capaldis resonant voice is perfect for this rerelease of Adamss 1972 epic. Besides his natural Scottish accent, Capaldi crafts more than 20 distinctive voices for this storyCapaldis pacing is dynamic. His narration of lush descriptive passage of the English countryside is unhurried and soothing, while depictions of battles with rival rabbits and predators bring out all the danger and terror. Capaldi delivers a riveting version of this wonderful classic. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.

-AudioFile

Watch the interview on WATERSHIP DOWN featuring Peter Capaldi and Juliet Johnson, daughter of Richard Adams: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmiMKW7X4zk.

Listen to an excerpt from the audiobook: https://soundcloud.com/blackstoneaudio/watership-down-by-richard-adams.

Find out more: http://www.blackstonepublishing.com/watershipdown.

TITLE: WATERSHIP DOWN

AUTHOR: RICHARD ADAMS

READ BY: PETER CAPALDI

PUBLISHER: BLACKSTONE PUBLISHING

FORMAT: AUDIOBOOK

AUDIO RELEASE DATE: May 7, 2019

TRADE DIGITAL DOWNLOAD ISBN: 9781982562700

TRADE DIGITAL DOWNLOAD PRICE: $24.95

AVAILABLE WHEREVER AUDIOBOOKS ARE SOLD
At least 22 people, including 16 foreign nationals, have been sent to jail for violating lockdown norms here, police said on Wednesday.

Senior Superintendent of Police Kalanidhi Naithani told PTI they have been sent to temporary jails set up in several business school buildings.

He said the 22 people which included 10 Indonesians and six Nepalese have been lodged in four temporary jails in the district after obtaining judicial custody.

Naithani told PTI that they have been arrested for violations of several sections of the India Penal Code, the Epidemic Act, the Disaster Management Act and the Foreigners Act.

Police have registered 24 cases for lockdown violations and 94 people have been arrested, the SSP added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Where theres federal money, theres the potential for that money to be mismanaged and used fraudulently. Thats no different for new coronavirus relief aid for schools, the U.S. Department of Educations office of inspector general has announced.

Earlier this week, the inspector general laid out its oversight priorities for money provided to states and schools under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Actthe law gave the Education Departments inspector general $7 million to do this work.

The office says its priorities for CARES aid oversight will include auditing Department and grantee management and spending of these funds; examining the effectiveness of the relief programs; and investigating misuse, theft, and other criminal activity involving these funds. And the acting Inspector General Sandra Bruce is representing the Education Department on the new Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, which consists of inspectors general from across the federal government and will monitor how coronavirus aid is used.

You might remember Bruce because more than a year ago, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos decided to replace Bruce, but then backtracked after congressional Democrats protested.

Here are the priorities for the inspector general when it comes to CARES money:



Use of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund. (Thats the roughly $13 billion inCARES money mostly earmarked for districts.)

Processes for awarding and monitoring Governors Emergency Education Relief Fund. (Thats the roughly $3 billion in CARES aid for governors to distribute to K-12 and higher education.)

And heres where the IG will pay attention when it comes to what the Education Department itself does:



Process for awarding and monitoring Education Stabilization Fund Discretionary Grants. (Thats the bulk of CARES education aid.)

Process for awarding and monitoring Project SERV Grants. (These help schools recover from traumatic events.)

Implementation of national emergency educational waivers authority. (Think waivers from mandatory tests , for example.)

, for example.) Oversight of States continued compliance with certain requirements under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Rehabilitation Act. (DeVos recently told Congress there should be no new waivers from IDEAs key provisions.)

In addition, the inspector generals office says it will keep in mind the results of oversight of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Actthe Great Recession-era stimulusto the CARES Act.

In 2014, the Education Departments inspector general issued a lessons learned report from the 2009 stimulus. One striking passage from that report: Since 2009, we have issued more than 50 audit reports on Department, recipient, and subrecipient implementation of the Act. We have also opened 218 criminal investigations involving allegations of fraud, waste, or abuse, and have reviewed 143 allegations of reprisal against people seeking whistleblower protection.

Follow us on Twitter @PoliticsK12 . And follow the Politics K-12 reporters @EvieBlad @Daarel and @AndrewUjifusa .
Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs



Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed over the phone joint efforts to overcome the coronavirus pandemic and other issues of mutual concern on Wednesday, including the stalled defense cost-sharing negotiations.



During the talks, Pompeo congratulated South Korea for successfully pulling off the April 15 general elections amid the COVID-19 outbreak and thanked the Asian ally for close cooperation in the exchange of information related to tackling the virus, Seoul's foreign ministry said in a release.



In response, Kang explained the government has been advising citizens not to lower their guard against the pandemic and to stick to eased quarantine rules after the country has seen a slowdown in infections.



They also shared the understanding that the South Korea-U.S. relations have been strengthened in a mutually beneficial way and agreed to cooperate further in various areas, including coronavirus responses, based on their firm alliance, the ministry said.



A foreign ministry official said that the stalled negotiations on defense cost-sharing were also part of the agenda items in Wednesday's phone call.



"They exchanged views to the effect that the two sides should work together to swiftly reach a deal for the defense cost-sharing negotiations in a general sense," the official said on condition of anonymity. "Today's phone call does not seem to have led to any breakthrough in the negotiations."



The allies have yet to reach a deal on renewing the terms for Seoul's share of the cost to maintain some 28,500 American troops stationed on its soil, amid Washington's call for a drastic increase in the payment.



U.S. President Donald Trump has rejected a South Korean offer of at least a 13 percent raise for the deal, known as the Special Measures Agreement (SMA), saying Seoul should pay more for its own defense.



On Tuesday, Marc Knapper, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for Korea and Japan, renewed Trump's call by urging Seoul to show flexibility.



A diplomatic source in Seoul told Yonhap News Agency on Wednesday regarding Knapper's remarks that South Korea has already made the "best possible offer."



The source also said there has been little progress in the SMA talks since early April, adding that Seoul has little clue as to what kind of flexibility the U.S. is referring to.



The previous SMA expired at the end of last year, in which Seoul agreed to pay about $870 million. The absence of a new cost-sharing deal has placed some 4,000 Korean employees with the U.S. Forces Korea on unpaid leave since April 1. (Yonhap)


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Oregon nursing home regulators have suspended the license of a Southeast Portland nursing home in the wake of 28 coronavirus deaths linked to the facility.

At least 117 cases of COVID-19 are connected to Healthcare at Foster Creek. Its continued operation poses a serious danger to the public health and safety, the Department of Human Services said in a letter signed Monday.

State officials said the nursing homes operators demonstrated a consistent inability to adhere to basic infection control standards.

The license suspension comes weeks after the state discovered a slew of problems at the facility.

Here are more developments to know Wednesday:

RECOVERING: Oregons first coronavirus patient, a Lake Oswego school custodian, has been released from hospital after a two-month stay. A mariachi band and well-wishers celebrated the milestone.

TESTING: Linn County has launched an ambitious coronavirus testing program after the state couldnt help. If it can happen there, it can happen anywhere, county commissioner Roger Nyquist said.

CASES: The Oregon Health Authority reported four new deaths from COVID-19, as the number of cases climbed past 2,800. In Astoria, two seafood plants closed after 13 workers test positive for coronavirus.

DEMOGRAPHICS: New data reveals the Oregon zip codes with the most coronavirus infections. Public health officials say theyre trying to be transparent but acknowledge concerns about whether disclosure could generate hate.

REOPENING: State officials will allow some state parks to reopen Wednesday, more than a month after closing due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Archdiocese of Portland will open Catholic churches this weekend, with plans to restrict attendance at every mass to 25 parishioners.

BUSINESS: Amazon has continued shipping packages through the coronavirus outbreak and has attracted a number of complaints from workers. Now, a Salem warehouse worker has sued the retailer.

DINING: When Oregon restaurants reopen to customers, they may need to follow new guidelines from state officials, including closing by 10 p.m. A Portland winery is already adapting to the virus by offering curbside wine pickup out of the back of a pickup truck. But Southeast Portland neighborhood brunch spot Arleta Library Cafe announced that it would close permanently.

LIFE TODAY: Gold Beach Books recently mailed thousands of free books across the country after making a no-strings offer during the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile in Portland, people are flocking to a giant agave plant, much to its owners dismay.

#TEAMOREGON:

Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter

-- The Oregonian/OregonLive

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Sam Boak with a Boak & Sons employee on the roof of a commercial building during a project Now more than ever, its important to show high school students career options that dont require a college degree. Ohio has a severe need to fill skilled trade positions. By recognizing that need, we can help people find a successful career path by filling those positions.

National Skilled Trades Day was started in Youngstown Ohio by a company called City Machine Technologies (CMT). CMT serves many large industrial manufacturing companies with services such as electric machinery, industrial machining, crane breaks and more. The holiday was first recognized in May of 2019 by the Registrar to increase awareness about skilled trade jobs in the United States. It is now observed annually on the first Wednesday of May. This year, Sam Boak is commemorating National Skilled Trades Day and sharing his advice and thoughts on the impact of the skilled trades industry.

Sam Boak is the President and Founder of Boak & Sons, Inc.; a residential and commercial contracting company that specializes in roofing, siding, gutters, sheet metal and insulation. Sam Boak started the company in 1974 as an insulation company and over the years, he expanded the business to cover the multiple service areas it is known for today. The majority of employees are specialized in the skilled trades industry and Sam Boak prides himself in hiring the best quality tradespeople.

Recognizing National Skilled Trades Day is important to me because its another way to thank the incredible Boak & Sons employees for what they do, said Sam Boak. The skilled trade industry is vital to our economy and deserves to be recognized and appreciated and the next generation needs to be aware of the incredible opportunities the trades industry offers them.

Recently, Sam Boak decided to lay off his employees for four weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although it was a hard decision to make, his employees safety was his first concern. Now that his employees are back to work, Sam Boak is emphasizing his appreciation for his employees and encouraging high school students to consider the skilled trade industry.

Paying for college was already expensive before the COVID-19 pandemic, and we still dont know how the virus will impact education in the future, said Sam Boak. Now more than ever, its important to show high school students career options that dont require a college degree. Ohio has a severe need to fill skilled trade positions. By recognizing that need, we can help people find a successful career path by filling those positions.

Sam Boak is a strong supporter of education, especially in Mahoning Valley where his business is based. He even endowed a scholarship through Boak & Sons at Youngstown State University for student athletes who are studying business. However, Sam Boaks business is run by the men and women in the skilled trades industry and he strongly encourages students and adults to look into a career in one of those fields. He also reminds people to explore the trades industry as a career path before they bury themselves in college debt.

For more information about Sam Boak and Boak & Sons, visit http://www.boakandsons.com.
B order officials in Sweden found a huge stash of weapons when they stopped a "zombie hunter" vehicle trying to enter to country from Germany.

The couple arrived in Malmo, Sweden, on a ferry in late March, border officials told local media this week. The German couple were reportedly moving to the country in the middle of the coronavirus outbreak.

The unusual vehicle stood out immediately to border guards, the customs agency told Swedens SVT News.

The Hummer had "Zombie Response Team" printed on the passenger door, along with a phrase at the back that said "Infected People Will Be Shot".

Some of the weapons found stashed in the vehicle / Swedish Customs Service

Customs officials checked inside the vehicle and found rifles, pistols, several crossbows, teargas guns and canisters, shock devices and a slingshot.

Prosecutor Michelle Stein told SVT News: "No information has emerged in the interrogations that they were planning to shoot zombies.

"It's because they come in a car that has such decals on it that causes the Customs Administration to react.

"They were moving to Sweden and packed up parts of their household goods, including these items. But they believe they did not know that permission was required to bring it into the country."

The pair are now being prosecuted for trying to import weapons that require a permit, STV News said.

The couple reportedly said they did not know that the weapons were required to be licensed in Sweden and that they had no intention to use them.
COVID-19: Indonesia's North Sumatra residents deny Chinese fishing vessel permission to dock

by Apriadi Gunawan

May 05,2020 | Source: The Jakarta Post

Residents in Pulau Sembilan village of Langkat regency, North Sumatra, Indonesia, refused to allow a Chinese fishing vessel to dock at a local port on Sunday over fears of COVID-19 transmission.



The MV Cheung Kam Wing initially planned to transport grouper fish from a local fishing company in the regency but eventually changed course over fears of a backlash from the residents.



One local, Misnaldi, said residents had never prevented foreign fishing vessels from docking before, but said they were concerned the crew could transmit the disease.



"We're worried that foreign crews could transmit COVID-19 to the locals. This is the reason we are denying foreign ships entry to Pulau Sembilan," Misnaldi told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.



Misnaldi said he was baffled by the governments decision to still allow foreign ships to enter Indonesian waters, especially as it had asked residents to stay at home and had enforced a mudik (exodus) ban to curb the spread of the virus.



"It's not fair, foreign citizens are allowed to enter the country, while Indonesians are forbidden to go anywhere to curb the spread of COVID-19," he said.



Langkat Police deputy chief Com. Delami Saleh said the situation in the area had calmed after the ship changed course.



"It is now under control. The locals were reluctant to let a Chinese fishing vessel dock because they were concerned the crew might carry the coronavirus," Delami told the Post.



Langkat is one of several regencies in North Sumatra that have been categorized as green zones, or safe areas, amid the COVID-19 outbreak.



Langkat COVID-19 rapid response task force spokesman Muhammad Arifin Sinaga said no confirmed cases had been recorded in the regency so far.

 2016 - 2020 PT. Niskala Media Tenggara

Theme(s): Others.
The new Northern Ireland Nightingale wards are designed to treat coronavirus sufferers at Belfast City Hospital.

Northern Ireland's NHS Nightingale hospital is to keep admitting new patients, the Belfast Trust has confirmed.

It comes after Downing Street said that London's Nightingale would stop taking in coronavirus admissions but would remain on standby.

However, the Belfast City Hospital tower designated as the Nightingale here "continues to accept patients at this time", the Belfast Trust said.

As of Tuesday, Department of Health figures showed that of Northern Ireland's 102 Intensive Care Unit beds, 26 were occupied by patients with suspected - or tested positive for - Covid-19.

A further 50 individuals were in ICU for other conditions, while 26 beds were available.

It was also revealed that a further 17 deaths had been reported, bringing the current total of virus deaths here to 404, based on Department of Health data.

Belfast Trust was asked how many of the 26 ICU patients were currently in the Nightingale, which was set up at the start of April with 230 beds.

A spokesperson said: "We certainly do not have all 26 confirmed Covid ICU cases in Nightingale, this would be shared across Mater, Nightingale and acute sites within other Trusts.

"Additionally, the 102 ICU beds mean beds are those that are already within the system across the region. In Nightingale, we have capacity to flex up to 230 should it be required, but those wouldn't be considered in these figures."

A spokesperson for the Department of Health said that hospitals here have managed "critical care demand without the need for regional escalation" and credited it to precautionary measures taken by the public.

They said: "The BCH tower was designated as Northern Ireland's Nightingale in the event of an extreme surge.

"Fortunately, the impact of social distancing has meant that individual Trusts have been able to manage critical care demand without the need for regional escalation.

"The Nightingale is currently being used to treat a mixture of Covid-19 patients requiring critical care and acute medical care."

On Monday, it emerged London's Nightingale is to stop admitting new patients following limited demand for its services.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said no new coronavirus admissions were expected at the hospital in east London's ExCel centre in the coming days.

Although it will not accept new patients, the temporary hospital will remain on "standby" should it need to resume operations in the future.

In April, the Department of Health announced it would be designating BCH's tower block as Northern Ireland's first Nightingale Hospital.

At the time, the Department said they were "continuing to assess the potential of the Eikon Centre at Balmoral Park, Maze as a second Nightingale facility to further increase bed capacity later this year in preparation for any further wave of the coronavirus, should this occur".

Meanwhile, it was reported that last Friday London's Nightingale had only 19 patients, down from a peak of around 35 earlier in April.

A new Nightingale hospital on Wearside, for the North East of England, officially opened yesterday, but could end up being used solely as a "reserve capacity".
CHICAGO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Arizton's recent research report, Ireland Data Center Market - Investment Analysis and Growth Opportunities 2020-2025 is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 6% during the period 20192025. This market research report includes data-driven and deep market insights on the impact of COVID-19 across geographies, segments, and vendor landscape. Leverage Arizton's market analysis to take real-time strategic business decisions and enhance your product portfolios.

Key Highlights Offered in the Report:

Over 60% of business organizations in Ireland have already adopted public or private cloud services. Dublin continues to dominate the Ireland data center market with around 50% of investments. Hyperscale self-built facilities by Facebook, Microsoft, Google, and AWS to aid in cumulative investment of over $5 billion during 2019-2025 in Ireland . $2 billion of cumulative revenue opportunity for principle construction contractors and sub-contractors in Ireland market. New hyperscale colocation entrants namely, Echelon Data Center and K2 Data Center to contribute to sizable market growth of Ireland during the forecast period.

Key Offerings:

Market Size & Forecast by Investment | 20192025

Market Size & Forecast by Colocation Revenue | 20192025

Impact of COVID-19 on Data Center Market

Retail & Wholesale Data Center Colocation Pricing in Ireland

List of Data Center Investments in Ireland

Market Dynamics  Leading trends, growth drivers, restraints, and investment opportunities

Market Segmentation  A detailed analysis by IT infrastructure, electrical infrastructure, mechanical infrastructure, general construction, and tier standard

Key Market Participants  List of 10 IT infrastructure providers, 15 construction service providers, 15 support infrastructure providers, and 11 data center investors

Get your sample today! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/ireland-data-center-market-2025

Ireland Data Center Market  Segmentation

Increasing hyperscale investments in data center will increase ODM server revenue in the market. Mission-critical and high-performance server systems are likely to dominate owing to increase in implementation of IoT-related technologies.

Increase in OPEX will shift hyperscale operators from VRLA-battery based UPS systems to Lithium-ion UPS systems. Facebook uses 48VDC powered UPS systems shared through OCP (Open Computer Project) community. The adoption of 48V DC- powered systems in data centers is mainly to avoid a 510% loss in the conversion of AC to DC by UPS systems in data centers.

Data centers in Ireland , operational and under construction in 2019, are providing rack capacity of over 8,000 racks. The adoption of OCP & Open19 community-based 48U rack units will increase among hyperscale data center investors in the country.

Market Segmentation by IT Infrastructure

Servers



Storage Systems



Network Infrastructure

Market Segmentation by Electrical Infrastructure

UPS Systems



Generators



Transfer, Switches & Switchgears



Rack PDUs



Other Electrical Infrastructure

Market Segmentation by Mechanical Infrastructure

Cooling Systems



Rack Cabinets



Other Mechanical Infrastructure

Market Segmentation by General Construction

Building Development



Installation & Commissioning Services



Building Design



Physical Security



Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM)

Market Segmentation by Tier Standard

Tier I & Tier II



Tier III



Tier IV

Market Segmentation by Geography

Dublin



Other Cities

Ireland Data Center Market  Dynamics

SME adoption of cloud computing to boost market growth. Cloud computing adoption has experienced a considerable growth in Ireland with increase in data volumes. Irish businesses anticipate that their data volumes will surge by over 70% over the next three to four years. Dublin has emerged as cloud computing hub with the presence of big cloud providers such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Google, and IBM. Connectivity to cloud service providers is a significant factor when selecting a colocation provider in Ireland. More than 60% of the business organizations in Ireland have already adopted public or private cloud services, which is expected to reach 80% during the forecast period. The growth in data has resulted average spending of $1.5 million by Irish enterprise on data storage and processing.

Key Drivers and Trends fueling Market Growth:

Investment on Submarine Cable is on Rise

Government Support to boost Data Center in the Country

IoT Surge to Fuel Edge Demand for Data Centers in Ireland

Renewable Energy Procurement to Reduce Electricity Cost

Get your sample today! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/ireland-data-center-market-2025

Key Market Participants

IT Infrastructure Providers

Atos



Arista



Broadcom



Hewlett Packard Enterprise



Cisco



Huawei



NetApp



Dell Technologies



IBM



Lenovo

Construction Service Providers

Designer Group



SISK



Exyte & M+W



PM Group



Bouygues



Arup



Future Tech UK



KMCS



ISG



Mace Group



Mercury Engineering



Kirby Group



Callaghan Engineering



Winthrop



Burceshaw

Support Infrastructure Providers

ABB



Caterpillar



Cummins



Eaton



Legrand



STULZ



Schneider Electric



Vertiv



MTU Onsite Energy



Euro-Diesel (KINOLT)



Hitec-Power Protection



Rittal



KOHLER(SDMO)



Trane ( Ingersoll Rand )

)

Socomec

Data Center Investors

Facebook



T5 Data Centers



JCD Group



CyrusOne



Google



Echelon Data Centres



Digital Realty



Office of Public Works (OPW)



Amazon Web Services (AWS)



Nautilus Data Technologies



EdgeConnex

Explore our data center knowledge base profile to know more about the industry.

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Three separate crashes in Melbourne this morning have caused 12km motorway queues.

The collisions on the Monash Freeway led delays to stretch from Blackburn Road to Heatherton Road.

Four vehicles collided near Jacksons Road around 6am and caused the closure of three city-bound lanes, The Herald Sun reported.

Three separate crashes on the Monash Freeway in Melbourne (crash near Jacksons Road pictured) this morning have caused 12 kilometre traffic queues

Several people were assessed by paramedics but nobody was taken to hospital.

All three lanes were reopened around 7.15am.

Two other crashes near Blackburn Road and Wellington Road were attended by emergency services.

The right lane is closed off at both crash sites.

An Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said one motorist had been taken to Dandenong Hospital and was in a stable condition.

VicTraffic said drivers should use the Princes Highway as an alternative route.

Police advised motorists to slow down and observe speed limit signs.
The first major UK study into victims of computer misuse crime has exposed the serious harm some victim's experience, as well as barriers to reporting such offences, receiving support, achieving justice and the precarious resources dedicated by the police to cybercrime.

Changes throughout the entire system are being recommended to better serve the needs of victims, and help protect others in the future. These include changing the name of Action Fraud, reforming websites offering support, better training for police staff working with victims and dedicating more permanent resources in the police to fighting this crime, among many others.

Researchers at the University of Portsmouth were commissioned by the Home Office and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services to assess the nature and impact of crime related to misuse of computers, and the support provided to those affected by it. They interviewed 52 victims of computer misuse and conducted a survey of 252 victims.

Computer misuse crime is a legal term relating to unauthorised access to computers, data or networks, which can involve; hacking, intentional virus infections, denial of service attacks and ransomware. In the year ending 2018 it accounted for 9 per cent of all reported crime in the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW).

Professor Mark Button is Director of the Centre for Counter Fraud Studies at the Institute of Criminal Justice Studies, University of Portsmouth. He has led the team of academics who have interviewed victims and compiled the report and recommendations.

He said: "There has been a perception that cyber-crimes don't have as bad an impact as some physical crimes, but this report shows that computer misuse crime has similar, and in some cases a worse impact, than comparable traditional crimes such as burglary. We found victims who compared the cyber attacks to physical assaults, some rape and some contemplating suicide as a consequence. " He went on:

"We also found some victims struggling to report these crimes, with for example one woman whose laptop camera had been hacked by criminals dismissed by the police and another lady whose estranged husband hacked her computer, to secure advantage in divorce negotiations, told it was not a crime."

Researchers found poor classification of Computer misuse crime by authorities, and recommends new systems for reporting. They suggest regular monitoring and evaluation of the classifying procedures at Action Fraud and the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau to make sure they are accurate.

The report finds that the "Action Fraud" brand has been a barrier to some reporting of crime, and recommends the organisation is renamed the National Fraud and Cybercrime Reporting Centre. It also finds that greater prominence needs to be made of Computer misuse crime on the current Action Fraud website.

A review of information on all police force websites about computer misuse crime is also being advised, to ensure a consistency of reporting of such crimes across the country. Researchers found that all police officers and staff should be better trained in understanding what constitutes a Computer misuse crime offence.

It is also recommended the National Cyber Security Centre works with key organisations who receive complaints from customers, including banks and social media providers, to encourage victims to report crime through common web links.

The report also suggested increasing resources for tackling computer misuse. Many victims who were questioned by University of Portsmouth researchers did not receive a police investigation or any police support. Only 4 of the 52 interviewed actually experienced their perpetrator(s) being brought to justice. The authors found that resources for dealing with Computer misuse crime are often built upon short-term funding.

Professor Button is hoping the report will serve as a wakeup call to officials in government and law enforcement. He said: 'Despite nearly a million computer misuse crimes being reported in the 2018 England and Wales crime survey, just 23,683 were recorded by Action Fraud. This illustrates significant under-reporting and highlights a subsequent lack of support for those who have often been left deeply affected by the crimes."

###

Editor's notes:

Copies of the report can be downloaded here:

Action Fraud is the UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime in England, Wales and Northern Ireland It provides a central point of contact for information about fraud and financially motivated internet crime. The service is run by the City of London Police working alongside the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) who are responsible for assessment of the reports and to ensure that fraud reports reach the right place. The City of London Police is the national policing lead for economic crime.

The Centre for Counter Fraud Studies (CCFS) is one of the specialist research centres within the Institute of Criminal Justice Studies (ICJS) at the University of Portsmouth. The Centre was founded in 2009 to address the growing interest in counter fraud, and to offer research and knowledge services to publicise and explain the problems of fraud and economic crime.
U.S. oil production could decline this year by 2 million bpd-3 million bpd, due to limited storage capacity and low oil prices, Russias Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin told local media on Wednesday.

We see that the production drop in the United States may range from 2 to 3 mln barrels daily this year either on account of storage capacities filling or merely because it is not possible for certain companies to work in the conditions of the price being $30-35 [per barrel], to say nothing of $20 [per barrel], Sorokin said in an interview with the Roscongress Foundation carried by TASS.

Apart from large production cuts in the United States, curtailments in Canada could top 800,000 bpd, so those two North American producers could provide between 2.8 million bpd and 4 million bpd of cuts from producers that are not part of the OPEC+ pact, Sorokin said.

For the United States, Rystad Energy expected in mid-April that oil production would drop by 1.5 million bpd by the end of 2020. Around that time, Wood Mackenzie expected U.S. Lower 48 supply to be 2.6 million bpd below its pre-price collapse forecasts for end 2021. The 2.6-million-bpd drop through 2021 assumes that in response to the lower oil price, operators would cut more than 100 rigs from the Permian basin by the end of May 2020 and over 200 rigs, or 25 percent, across all plays by the end of June.



Related: Why Russia Finally Accepted Deeper Oil Output Cuts

In total, low oil prices could force 4 million bpd of non-OPEC supply out of the market, WoodMacs Global Oil Supply team has estimated.

According to Russias deputy energy minister Sorokin, global commercial oil inventories could start declining in the third quarter this year if countries begin to ease the lockdowns.

The OPEC+ pact participants are motivated to cut production because the penalty in the absence of actions is a new market collapse, and no one is interested in that, Sorokin said.

Referring to Russias uneasy task to cut 2 million bpd as part of the OPEC+ deal, he said that Moscow expects to achieve the maximum reduction level as soon as practicable.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Actor Arjun Rampal has condemned the crowding of liquor stores, and has asked the government to take serious action against those flouting lockdown rules. Arjun took to Instagram to share a video of a large crowd outside a liquor store, and condemned the behaviour in harsh words.

He wrote, Please stop this. Outside liquor stores, as they have been opened. I urge the government to please stop this immediately. This is absolute chaos and there is no level of discipline being maintained, or any kind of social distancing. He added, These guys deserve a thrashing, not drinking.

The video shows the crowd rushing to purchase alcohol, as stores were opened in some areas on Monday. The video shows police trying to control the crowd, but to no avail. The police is then forced to shut down the store as a last ditch effort to disperse the crowd. Several people in the video do not appear to be wearing masks, and are standing in close proximity to each other.

Also read: Randeep Hooda takes a dig at those queuing for liquor with an Extraction still: Coming back from liquor shops be like

Arjuns post found several people agreeing with him. Seriously these people have no respect for their own body and others.. it is such a shame, wrote hairstylist Aalim Hakim in the comments section. Biggest mistake. Shame and Sad, wrote chef Vicky Ratnani.

Also read: Javed Akhtar, Raveena Tandon oppose reopening paan, liquor shops amid lockdown: Excellent, the spitting starts again

Though the Maharashtra government allowed liquor stores to open from Monday, respective district collectors were empowered to grant permission to them to operate. Many liquor stores remained closed on Monday, as the permission letter was made available to the owners only after 2 pm. Liquor shops in Mumbai were closed again from Wednesday as the Mumbai Municipal Corporation decided to let only essential services function in the city.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also warned citizens that if they fail to obey laws, liquor shops will be closed once again. It was unfortunate that chaos was seen at some shops today in Delhi....If we come to know about violations of social distancing and other norms from any area, then we will have to seal the area and revoke the relaxations given there, he said.

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Abby J. Leibman is president and CEO of MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger. Ashish Vazirani is executive director and CEO of the National Military Family Association.

All across America, food banks are experiencing unprecedented demand. Families struggling to put food on the table during the COVID-19 pandemic are turning to food pantries, charities and federal benefits for help as the painful reality of hunger sets in.

Among those seeking help are military families who don't know where their next meal will come from. Yes, military families facing hunger -- it's as unjust as it is shocking.

This is not a new problem. Sadly, even before the pandemic, military families faced "food insecurity," unsure of where or how they would feed themselves and their families.

For nearly a decade, our organizations, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger and the National Military Family Association have urged policymakers to pay attention to this unacceptable issue. Unfortunately, our proposed solutions have not yet come to fruition. The problem persists, and sadly so do the stigma and shame associated with the need for nutrition benefits.

These currently serving members of the armed forces, often junior enlisted service members with multiple dependents, have been turning in desperation to emergency assistance for years, surviving with the help of the food banks and pantries that operate on or near every military installation in the country.

Food pantries are now overwhelmed, as we are seeing in dramatic news images and headlines.

Like many Americans, military families often rely on two incomes. As national unemployment rates skyrocket, the toll hits military families particularly hard. Military spouses, who faced a 24% unemployment rate and even higher rates of underemployment before the pandemic, are reporting desperate levels of income loss. In fact, the COVID-19 Military Support Initiative, which surveys military families on a weekly basis about their experience during the ongoing pandemic, found in a poll taken April 21-28 that 18% of military spouses who were working prior to the COVID-19 crisis have lost their job or are unable to work due to the pandemic.

Families with children are hit particularly hard. In the 2018-19 school year, one-third of children at Defense Department-run schools on military bases qualified for free or reduced-cost lunches. Without access to subsidized school meals, families face terrifying uncertainty about having enough food to eat.

Military families are going hungry, and they need not. Congress can act immediately to help the military families who are. It's time to remove this known, but long-ignored, barrier that prevents military families from accessing our federal government's frontline defense against hunger, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

Currently, a service member's Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is counted as income for determining eligibility for SNAP, which prevents many struggling military families from accessing this critically important -- and often life-saving -- federal benefit. Housing subsidies for civilians are not counted as income for SNAP. Nor is BAH considered income by the IRS or counted into a service member's Adjusted Gross Income.

If the IRS doesn't consider BAH income, SNAP shouldn't either.

A simple provision to exclude BAH from the equation would ensure that these service members are treated equitably and are able to meet their family's most basic needs. It would also eliminate unnecessary stress and anxiety contributing to optimal mission readiness. Congress must act now to prioritize this simple change in the next COVID-19 response legislation.

During this time of global crisis, everyone is facing uncertainty and hardship in some way. But no one -- certainly not those who stand up to serve our country -- should go hungry.

-- The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration.
Egypts Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) and the American Concord International Investment Group have inked on Wednesday a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a joint firm to moderate a fund specialised in healthcare mainly in Egypt, the Middle East, and Africa.

According to a statement, the funds first phase worth $300 million targets maximising the assets on the long run through making use of foreign direct investment (FDI) opportunities, in addition to attracting FDI flows and creating joint investment opportunities in other mega projects.

The new fund aims to create a diversified healthcare platform benefiting from Egypts increasing population, and creating healthcare entities appropriated for exporting healthcare services to Europe, Middle East countries and Africa, besides maximising the promising firms value in the sector and untapped assets.

Minister of Planning and Economic Development and Chairman of the fund Hala El-Said said that investing in healthcare is one of Egypts priorities in the time being amid the COVID-19 crisis. In addition, Egyptians health is key to Egypts Vision 2030 for Sustainable Development, she said.

She clarified that the new healthcare fund also aims at increasing the private sector's participation in the Egyptian economy in accordance with Egypts Vision 2030 that put the private sector as an essential partner in Egypts development progress.

The Executive Manager of Egypts Sovereign Wealth Fund Ayman Soliman said that Egypts fund plays an important role in attracting new investments to tap into the states assets, in addition to modernising and expanding healthcare services amid the current COVID-19 crisis and its increasingly harsh impacts on the global economy.

Thus, we have to be ready and we must create solutions that help alleviate the pressure on healthcare systems in the region and the world because of the COVID-19 outbreak, Soliman added.

Meanwhile, Chairman and Founder at Concord Group Mohamed Saleh Younes said that there is an increasing demand on the healthcare industry, which includes drug producers, recognising service providers, which is witnessing high annual growth.

He added that the new fund will receive the promising investments either from the government or from the private sector to create diversified investments in the healthcare sector to maximise its value over the investment period.

There are significant opportunities for expanding in this kind of business in the Middle East and Africa markets, using the developing resources in Egypt that provide a unique opportunity for the new fund," according to Younes.

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The Red Bank Commission meeting on Tuesday night took place in person at city hall for the first time in two months. Mayor Ruth Juno and the all commissioners thanked City Manager Tim Thornbury and City Recorder Ruthie Rohen for keeping the city running during the period of social distancing caused by the Covid-19 quarantine. The fire, police and public works departments were also commended.

City Manager Thornbury told the commissioners that the budget had been a challenge due to the uncertainties of revenue for the upcoming year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The proposed budget of $6,546,622 with no property tax increase, but it does include a pay raise of two percent for the citys employees. Budget workshops, where the public is welcome, are scheduled for May 19 at 4 p.m., June 2 at 4 p.m. and a third meeting on June 16 at 4 p.m., if it is needed. All meetings will be held at the Joseph Glascock Red Bank Community Center at 3653 Tom Weathers Drive behind the municipal swimming pool.

The city parks are now open, said the city manager, but for the time being playgrounds in Red Bank remain closed. Updates will be provided from time to time, he said. He also announced that until further notice, future city commission business will be conducted at the community center.

An ordinance that gives discretionary authority to the city manager during times of declared emergencies, such as the on-going period of quarantine and social distancing, passed on a final reading. The state comptroller made the recommendation for the city to have a written policy to allow the city manager to determine and implement procedures for maintaining essential services and an essential workforce during times of emergencies. This includes decisions relating to telecommuting from work or home, furloughs, paid leave and paid administrative leave.

To facilitate a housing development on a parcel of land located on Pine Breeze Road, Red Bank will enter into an interlocal agreement with the city of Chattanooga. A small portion of the property being developed in Red Bank crosses city boundaries into Chattanooga. A boundary line adjustment will move that 1.3-acre area into the city limits of Red Bank. In return, for a period of time, property tax on that property will be paid to Chattanooga.

An amendment was passed regarding the citys sign ordinance which removes some content-based restrictions due to court decisions. This will permit some content that was previously not allowed because the restrictions are no longer valid or enforceable.

City Manager Thornbury formally thanked past Mayor Eddie Pierce for his years of service and contributions to Red Bank in the capacity of both commissioner and mayor. He did a lot of great things and will be missed, he said. Mr. Pierce is no longer eligible to be on the commission after moving out of the city.
Cairo and Marsa Alam airports received a number of special flights on Tuesday that were transporting home 921 Egyptians who had been stranded abroad in various parts of the world for several weeks, in the wake of the widespread suspension of flights due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Two special EgyptAir flights coming from Kuwait carrying almost 600 passengers arrived at Cairo International Airport on Tuesday, Al-Ahram Arabic reported.

The first flight, carrying 298 people, arrived in the afternoon, while the other arrived in the evening, carrying 298 passengers too.

All the returnees from Kuwait will stay under quarantine areas at repurposed university dorms in Cairo, as per the health ministrys recommendations.

The Tuesday arrivals are the first to come from Kuwait since Sunday, when a group of Egyptian workers protested at a shelter for those who have violated the Gulf countrys residency law, demanding repatriation.

Marsa Alam International Airport received a special AirCairo air flight coming from both Dar es Salam in Tanzania and Khartoum, Sudan, carrying 174 Egyptian passengers.

Another EgyptAir flight also arrived in the Red Sea city on Tuesday, bringing 151 Egyptian passengers from Iraqi capital Baghdad.

All the passengers were transferred to designated quarantine hotels in Marsa Alam, where they will be lodged for 14 days.

The cabinet has said the state will cover the cost of those staying at university dorms, while those who want to spend their quarantine period at designated hotels in Marsa Alam will have to pay for their stay.

Egypt is set to operate several flights in the coming days to return more stranded nationals.

Priority for Egyptians returning from abroad will be given to humanitarian cases, followed by those with expired residences or terminated contracts, then those with a final exit visa and tourists, Information Minister Osama Heikal said on Tuesday.

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GRAND BLANC, MITrials for COVID-19 antibody treatments are underway in hospitals across the state.

Dozens of in-patients at Michigan hospitals like Ascension and McLaren are being treated using virus-fighting proteins from the plasma of people who recovered. The hospitals are using a method called convalescent plasma infusions, a form of treatment used against SARS, the Spanish Flu and Ebola.

Patients treated with the infusions are monitored and their progress is shared with the Mayo Clinic, the organization overseeing the trial.

A treatment for COVID-19 doesnt exist. The trials are meant to study a potential way of treating patients symptoms. Ultimately, if the trial shows positive results, researchers can try to identify the number of antibodies necessary to kill the virus.

Antibodies are virus-fighting proteins taken from the plasma of people who had the virus and recovered from it. Those antibodies are then infused into the blood of patients with the virus.

Ascension Genesys pulmonary specialist Dr. Muhammad Aboudan said the patients are frequently monitored until they have healed. Doctors are looking for green lights like improvements in breathing or lessening of symptoms like coughing.

The trials are in the very early stages of finding a treatment for the virus, according to McLaren Oakland Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Frank Rosenblat.

Because this infection is so new to all of us, we dont know how its entirely going to play out in the long term, he said. We have clinical endpoints, such as: Is the patient doing better since receiving this treatment?"

Early data from a small group of patients in China has shown that the infusion can help critically ill patients recover, according to hospital officials.

The use of plasma for viral infections has a historical and scientific basis, Rosenblat said referencing its use during previous pandemics.

Earlier this week, officials announced that a Michigan-made coronavirus vaccine from Pfizer is in clinical trials. Aboudan said doctors around the world are hoping an effective vaccine is produced by the fall. A vaccine raises the human immune system to kill a virus.

I'm hoping we have a vaccine by the end of the year so we can vaccinate high-risk people at least, Aboudan said.

Normally, vaccines can take years to create, test, and efficiently mass produce. Rosenblat said to do all of that and distribute it globally by the fall would be impressive.

With any vaccine, there are all kinds of variables, Rosenblat said. This is all new to us."

Some vaccines work better than others. For example, each year scientists create a new vaccine catered to the common flu because the virus changes. According to Rosenblat, researchers dont know enough about COVID-19 to make that determination yet.

Rosenblat, who started training in infectious disease control during the HIV pandemic, said hes never seen anything like whats going on today. The researcher is used to following guidelines created by the worlds leading experts after studying a disease for years.

This is new to all of us. Were really not used to practicing on data that is only a few weeks old, Rosenblat said.

Thats not to say getting a vaccine out by the fall is impossible.

I think everyone is putting their attention and resources towards this right now. Its all hands on deck, Rosenblat said. We dont have the luxury of figuring this out in the next two or three years, we have to figure something out now.

People interested in donating plasma can find more information here.

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Ian and Margaret Wishingrad had planned to spend their spring weekends getting cereal made of pea protein and tapioca into the mouths and shopping lists of health-conscious millennial moms.

After launching Three Wishes, a high-protein, low-sugar, grain-free cereal brand in October, the Scarsdale, New York, husband-wife team was looking forward to interacting with potential customers at grocery stores near and far.

Sampling is a great way for us to meet people, tell our story, and have them try Three Wishes, Ian Wishingrad said. Once they taste the product and meet Margaret and me, theyre excited to buy it.

Their planned stops included stores where their products are currently being sold, such as Stew Leonard's, Wegmans and Whole Foods.

Ian and Margaret Wishingrad of Scarsdale, have created a new cereal line called "Three Wishes". Here they are pictured in their driveway, April 29, 2020, where over the weekend, they passed out samples in their "drive-thru" U shaped driveway.

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After hustling for two years to roll out the product, the startup was finally at a turning point last October when Three Wishes started appearing on the shelves of about 600 stores around the country. The next step was to get people to buy it and to do that, the company offered in-store tastings.

Then COVID-19 threw things for a loop.

With social distancing rules making in-store sampling an impossibility, the Wishingrads came up with a novel idea.

Ian and Margaret Wishingrad of Scarsdale, have created a new cereal line called "Three Wishes". Here they are pictured in their driveway, April 29, 2020, where over the weekend, they passed out samples in their "drive-thru" U shaped driveway.

They turned their U-shaped driveway into a drive-thru sampling station last weekend and caught the attention of hungry locals with signs posted on a busy road in town.

It turned out to be a success.

David Frank, who lives in the neighborhood, said he saw signs and decided to swing by to show support.

There were already a few cars lined up ahead of him.

It was a fun little experience in the strange world we're living in now, Frank said. They're trying to innovate in these times. It's not easy to do.

The couple said about 50 people drove through. Margaret Wishingrad, dressed in a mask and gloves, handed pre-sealed samples to drivers using long-handled prongs.

Story continues

The Three Wishes cereal was created by Ian and Margaret Wishingrad of Scarsdale. Over the weekend, they passed out samples in their "drive-thru" U shaped driveway.

Frank, who is a fintech (financial services and technology) entrepreneur, said he appreciated the fact that the couple were tackling a major industry.

Most startups these days tend to be technology-based, Frank said. So its nice to see something different. It tastes great. Its very healthy and not loaded with carbs.

Wishingrad, a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, began his career working at Manhattan advertising agencies. In 2014, he founded BigEyedWish, an advertising agency creating brand campaigns for major companies such as AT&T, Diageo, Nestle, Macy's, and Terra Origin. His wife, Margaret, a former real estate professional, also worked at the firm in operations.

Margaret, Ellis and Ian Wishingrad

When their now 3-year-old son Ellis was 6 months old, Margaret Wishingrad said she was disillusioned with the cereal offerings on the supermarket shelves.

I really started to pay attention to ingredients and the different nutritional values that were important to me in feeding my child, she said. But most products had a lot of carbs and sugar and I realized that there was a wonderful opportunity for products that can lead to a healthier lifestyle right from the start.

The young millennial family, armed with branding and operations savvy, as well as a compelling story, decided it was time to launch a new business.

They recruited a food scientist to come up with a formula that worked with their basic requirements.

We wanted to create a product with high protein, low sugar, and no grains, she said. We wanted it to be entirely gluten free and a really clean product.

After about two years of trial and error and a lot of terrible tasting samplings, they got the right formula.

Instead of rice or wheat, Three Wishes is made of tapioca, pea protein and chickpea flour, and is sweetened with monk fruit or organic cane sugar.

After initially investing their own money into developing the product, the couple were able to get the attention of some strategic investors.

Among them are Peter Rahal and Jared Smith, co-founders of RXBar, a protein bar company that was sold to Kelloggs for $600 million; Brad Murray, co-founder of Tatcha Beauty, which sold to Unilever for $500 million; and Steve Van Tassel, the former president of Post Cereal.

It's really, really expensive to bring consumer packaged goods to market," Wishingrad said. "Once we started to get some famous investors, more money came and once we started to show that we got onto the shelves of stores, more stores came.

So it's all about momentum, and that's why the coronavirus has been really bad for our business. This is not the time where people are going into the supermarket to have a good time and taste new things. They just want to get their stuff and leave.

Three Wishes, which retails for $4.99 to $5.99, is currently being sold at Sprouts Farmers Market stores throughout the country; Erewhon, a natural foods grocer based in L.A.; Wegmans; Stew Leonard's; and Whole Foods stores in the Pacific Northwest. In June, it will be available at Whole Foods stores in the Northeast.

Steven Vigilante, a venture capitalist specializing in consumer packaged goods, said he was impressed with what the Wishingrads were doing to create awareness.

There are a lot of brands that have closed-up shop and said this is too hard and there's nothing we can do, said Vigilante, an investor in Three Wishes.Then you see brands like Three Wishes that are just adapting and improvising and coming up with really creative ways to connect with the customers.

The couple said they hope to do a few more drive-thru samplings in the coming weeks. In the meantime, they are working on getting permission from grocery stores in the area to set up sampling stations in their parking lots.

Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy covers women and power for the USA Today Network Northeast. Click here for her latest stories. Follow her on Twitter at @SwapnaVenugopal. Support local journalism; go to lohud.com/specialoffer to find out how.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: N.Y. entrepreneurs hold drive-thru cereal sampling to help business
BALTIMORE - U.S. businesses cut an unprecedented 20.2 million jobs in April, an epic collapse with coronavirus outbreak closing the offices, factories, schools, construction sites and stores that propel the U.S. economy.

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This article was published 6/5/2020 (622 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BALTIMORE - U.S. businesses cut an unprecedented 20.2 million jobs in April, an epic collapse with coronavirus outbreak closing the offices, factories, schools, construction sites and stores that propel the U.S. economy.

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The Wednesday report from payroll company ADP showed the tragic depth and scale of job losses that left no part of the world's largest economy unscathed. The losses will likely continue through May, with a recovery in hiring likely to begin in the months that follow, said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics.

A man checks information in front of Illinois Department of Employment Security in Chicago, Thursday, April 30, 2020. Another 3.8 million people filed claims for jobless benefits last week, according to the Labor Department. While that's down from the previous week's 4.4 million, a staggering 30.3 million have applied for unemployment in the six weeks since the coronavirus began taking a wrecking ball to the U.S. job market. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

This is one for the record books," Zandi said. The good news is that we're at the apex of the job loss."

Even though Zandi expects hiring to resume in June as states ease lockdowns, he cautioned that it will be a slog over several years to recover all the jobs lost in April.

The private industry report comes two days ahead of the official monthly job figures from the U.S. Labor Department. Economists believe the Friday report will reveal unemployment in the U.S. stands at a shocking 16%, up from 4.4% in March.

According to ADP, the leisure and hospitality sector shed 8.6 million workers last month. Trade, transportation and utilities let 3.4 million people go. Construction firms cut nearly 2.5 million jobs, while manufacturers let go of roughly 1.7 million people. The health care sector cut 1 million jobs, but education services eked out a gain of 28,000 as colleges and universities do not appear to have forced significant layoffs that could come later this year.

More than half of April's job losses came from smaller companies with 500 workers or fewer. But larger employers cut 8.9 million jobs. Polling by The Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research indicates that nearly eight in 10 households that suffered job losses expect to return to their previous employer.
By Marcelo Rochabrun

SAO PAULO, May 6 (Reuters) - Brazil airline Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes said on Wednesday its planes were nearly as full in April as they were a year ago in spite of the coronavirus crisis, bucking an industry trend of empty planes.

Gol said in its monthly traffic report that its planes had been 80% occupied on average during the month, compared with 81% in April 2019.

Like most airlines around the world, Gol is a shadow of its former self, operating minimal flights while keeping most of its fleet grounded.

Still, reports in the United States and elsewhere have highlighted empty flights that sometimes carry just one passenger, despite similar capacity reductions.

Gol's results were in sharp contrast with those of Aeromexico, the region's only other airline to have reported April traffic figures. Aeromexico said its planes were 48% occupied in April, compared with 82% a year ago.

In the United States, Delta Air Lines has blocked all of its middle seats to allow for some social distancing in its flights. That means that a plane with three seats on each side of the aisle cannot be more than 67% occupied.

Gol exclusively operates Boeing 737 planes, which have that configuration, but it has not announced a plan to block its middle seats. The carrier said most passengers were wearing masks voluntarily and that it was making this a mandatory requirement as of May 10.

Gol, Brazil's largest domestic airline, had no immediate comment.

Brazil has been hit hard by the new coronavirus, amid criticism that the right-wing government of Jair Bolsonaro has done little to fight it while minimizing its severity.

The governor of Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest state, has complained frequently that too many citizens are disobeying quarantine recommendations. On Tuesday, Brazil raised its coronavirus death count to nearly 8,000 and reported 114,715 cases.

Gol said it operated about 39 flights a day in April, 94% fewer takeoffs and landings than a year ago.

Story continues

In a conference call with investors earlier this week, Gol said government officials were overrepresented in its flights compared to normal times.

Gol's Chief Executive Paulo Kakinoff said he was aware that there could be a spike in coronavirus cases within the company, but that "it is not happening so far."

"And most of our crew members are still being exposed every single day," Kakinoff said, noting there were eight coronavirus cases at Gol. (Reporting by Marcelo Rochabrun; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 11:04:45|Editor: huaxia

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NEW DELHI, May 6 (Xinhua) -- A massive fire broke out at a warehouse in Tikri border area in Delhi on Wednesday morning, confirmed an official of the Department of Delhi Fire Services to Xinhua via phone.

As many as 30 fire tenders have been rushed to the spot for fire-fighting.

Giving details of the fire incident, the official said, "The fire broke out a PVC (Polymerizing Vinyl Chloride) godown this morning in a small industrial area at Tikri Kalan village of Delhi. There are no reports of human death or injuries so far."

PVC material is a synthetic thermoplastic material used in hosepipes, insulation, shoes, garments, etc. Hard PVC is used for making moulded plastic articles.

According to latest information, fire-fighting operation is underway and more details are awaited. Enditem
GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- All four school bond proposals in Genesee Countys May election passed Tuesday, May 5.

Voters in the Bentley, Clio, Grand Blanc and Mt. Morris school districts voted in favor of the various ballot proposals.

The election was smooth sailing with a record percentage registered voters participating in comparison to prior years, according to Genesee County Clerk John Gleason.

Of registered voters with a ballot to vote on in the May 2020 election, 26.91 percent mailed in or dropped off a ballot.

In other years, May elections have had single digit voter turnout, Gleason said.

First of all the voters had nothing else really to do except watch Jeopardy and (mail) out their vote, Gleason said.

Michigan polls quiet as absentee voting booms to record levels amid coronavirus outbreak

What passed

Grand Blanc Community Schools $87 million bond passed with 6,396 yes votes and 4,411 no votes.

A zero-mill increase bond, the bond will not raise taxes, but continue the current millage rate of 6.3 mills for the next six years, which means a $6.30 tax for every $1,000 of taxable value for residences and businesses.

Read more here: Grand Blanc schools passes proposal to get $87 million bond on ballot

Clio Area Schools $40.6 mill bond proposal passed with 2,664 yes votes and 2,489 no votes.

With the proposal passing, the districts sinking fund will decrease from 2 mills to 0.5 mills, so total tax rates would only rise by 2.25 mills. This means a tax increase of $2.25 would be added annually for every $1,000 of taxable value for residences and businesses. For a home worth $100,000 the taxable value would be $112.50 per year, or $9.38 a month.

Bond dollars will go toward the districts current effort to right-size and consolidate the schools, said Clio Superintendent Fletcher Spears.

Read more about it here: Clio schools ask voters to pass $40.6 million bond

Mt. Morris Consolidated Schools $11.2 million bond proposal passed with 1,242 yes votes and 953 no votes.

The bond is projected to increase the districts current tax levy by three mills and would cost the average taxpayer $9.38 per month, or $0.33 per day.

Bond dollars would primarily be used to renovate and upgrade facilities and bring them to compliance with building and accessibility codes.

Read more about it here: Mt. Morris schools is asking voters to pass $11.2M bond proposal in May

Bentley Community Schools $2.24 million proposal bond passed with 732 yes votes and 433 no votes.

It will not raise taxes. Instead, the bond will levy the districts current rate of 4.9 mills for a maximum period of 17 years. The district is able to levy a no-mill increase from the current rate due to an increase in taxable values since the last bond was passed.

This means $4.90 will continue to be taxed annually for every $1,000 of taxable value.

The bond dollars will fund fixes to immediate code issues at Barhitte Elementary School, said Superintendent Kristy Spann, such as replacing the fire alarm head and installing a new intercom system.

The bond will also go toward replacing Barhittes boilers, installing new security systems at all schools, replacing temperature controls and replacing drinking fountains.

Read more here: Bentley Community Schools asks voters to approve $2.2 million bond

Record turnout

Leading up to the May election, Gleason said the numbers were already high as people responded to mailed ballot applications.

The Bureau of Elections also mailed absentee ballot application forms to every registered voter in the Bentley, Clio, Grand Blanc and Mt. Morris school districts.

Ive always been in favor of mail -- Ive always been in favor of that," Gleason said. I find it the easiest and I think its the easiest to administer because you just open the mail, youve got the mail and thats it.

The biggest impediment to people supporting mail-in or online voting are concerns over the integrity of the vote, Gleason said. However, he said the success of this May election shows it can be done without some issues faced during in-person voting at the polls.

I just like mail," he said. "I think thats the way of the future.

Find archived Genesee County election results here.

Past May election percentage turnout of registered voters with ballots:

May 2019 (included partial term election): 11.7 percent

May 2018 (only tax proposals): 8.84 percent

May 2017 (only tax proposals): 6.58 percent

May 2016 (only tax proposals): 12.91 percent

May 2015 (included partial term election): 20.64 percent

May 2014 (only tax proposals): 9.32 percent
Apart from pictures and videos of delicious home-cooked food on social media, another trend that has picked up lately is people attempting to do their own haircuts, hair colours or facials. With salons closed, "Do It Yourself" or DIY seems to be the new buzzword of the beauty industry. According to a recent McKinsey report, DIY hair colouring, nail care and care in other beauty categories are finding new customers. In the US, sales of hair dye and hair clippers increased by 23 and 166 per cent, respectively in the first week of April versus a year ago. In the UK, nail polish sales are increasing by double digits every week.

Despite DIY becoming a trend, the salon industry is gearing up to welcome customers as soon the lockdown is lifted. From restarting operations with less than 50 per cent staff strength in order to maintain the required social distancing norms to giving their customers exclusive protective kits and also getting their staff to use a fresh kit for every customer they service, salon chains are doing everything possible to win the trust of consumers. Gone are the days when a customer would inadvertently walk into a salon to avail a service, as service by appointment would be the new norm. Most salon chains also plan to move to contactless billing, wherein they would encourage customers to pay online.

"My cost for each customer will go up by Rs 200, as we will give each customer a personalised kit, consisting of scissors and trimmers. We will treat both our customers and staff as COVID patients as we will make sure both of them are given the required protective gears and masks," says C.K. Kumaravel, Founder of the Chennai-headquartered salon chain, Naturals.

"We are going to tell our customers that we expect them to have the Aarogya Setu app, apart from the temperature checks that we will do before they enter the salon. We will also do temperature checks for our staff," adds Bhupesh Kinger, Director, Enrich Salons. The added safety measures would increase the operating cost of salons between 15 and 20 per cent, which would also translate into a 15-20 increase in cost of salon services.

Tough times

Consumers are unlikely to avail as many services as they used to do before the lockdown started. With safety and hygiene becoming a huge concern and priority, bulk of consumers may only avail basic services such as a haircut. Services such as threading, waxing and indulgence services such as spa and hair treatments that are done in closed doors may stop until coronavirus fear phases down. "We have reengineered the customer experience journey at all touch-points in the salon. Qualified medical experts have reviewed and enhanced the protocols for services like threading, waxing, manicures, pedicures and facials, to reduce the chances of transmission. Besides reducing direct person-to-person contact, the new protocols eliminate sharing of products and have detailed sanitisation protocols that advocate the use of protective gear and disposables at all times. The new service procedures and enhanced safety measures will ensure that both customers and salon staff are protected and have a safe service experience," points out an HUL spokesperson (HUL owns Lakme Salons).

Kumaravel says that cutting down of a host of services will hugely impact profitability. "80-90 per cent consumers will only ask for basic services such as haircuts, which are loss-making services. I make my money through services such as hair colouring, hair spa and facials, services such as hair extensions and bridal make-up are where I make a killing. The next one year will be a business of survival for us. We won't make profits."

Spoorthy Shetty, CEO, BBlunt, agrees that business will shrink post the lockdown. "It will take many months to even reach our past performance levels, so there will be a razor-sharp focus to reduce overheads. We may have to consider limiting the number of days and working hours to cut down utility costs, work on inventory rationalisation as we don't want money sitting on the shelf, we may want to review the compensation structure, align the salary with higher variable and lower fixed," she explains. "We will also speak to our landlords for more consideration, where a part of the rent can be fixed and some part can be on revenue sharing model. We will not make fresh marketing investments to acquire new clients, rather focus on our regular client base," she further adds.

In fact, Kumaravel of Naturals says that most of his franchisee partners will be unable to run the show unless the government comes to their rescue. "Even if the government gives back part of the GST money we have paid, we can at least pay salaries to our staff. Each of our franchise invests Rs 50 lakh per month, which covers salaries, product costs and laundry expenses. They have managed to pay March and April salaries, but beyond that, it looks difficult." Naturals runs 675 salons across the country, out of which Kumaravel owns just five of them.

Innovation

Necessity is the mother of invention and the salon industry is also trying to think differently in order to stay afloat. Enrich, says Kinger, is toying with the idea of video consultations. "We are creating videos on skincare and haircare and will start offering virtual video consultations. We will basically help our consumers to take care of their skin or hair with the materials they have at home. At a later stage we may sell beauty kits and follow it up with a virtual video consultation."

The salon products business is a relatively big one and lot of FMCG companies such as Loreal, Wella and Schwarzkopf have salon exclusive products. Kinger of Enrich says that his company has already started offering these products on its website and has even started delivering them to consumers' homes.

Will home salon services become a reality now? The industry stakeholders are apprehensive. "Health and safety of our employees are as important as the health and safety of our clients. Not all salons will look to shifting to home services as home is an uncontrolled environment and 80 per cent of the COVID cases are asymptomatic. Physical store is a more controlled environment where guidelines can be implemented and monitored. The omni-channel is now being discussed more than ever but we would take baby steps as of now," says Shetty of BBlunt.

"We believe that customers will have a safe service experience in the controlled salon environment with stringent hygiene measures and detailed checks in place. This is difficult to replicate in home services where the service providers are likely to go from one home to another. Hence, we will continue to focus on delivering services in the safe environment of Lakme Salons," adds the HUL spokesperson.

Also Read: Tax hike on petrol, diesel to add Rs 1.4 lakh crore to govt's kitty: Barclays

Also Read: Coronavirus: Mumbai hospitals face bed, medical personnel shortage as cases rise

Also Read: Petrol, diesel prices: Decoding the tax structure
MainStreet RISE In every city, suburb, and rural community, we must spring to action to help our small businesses stay alive. MainStreet RISE gives business owners the support and tools they need to maximize revenue from consumers who want to help their own Main Streets.

The Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO), with Fanbank, GoDaddy, and other partner organizations, has launched MainStreet RISE, a new initiative to rescue 100,000 small businesses in low-wealth communities. Through a comprehensive suite of revenue-generating, web-enabled, marketplace technology and counseling solutions, AEO provides resources to help small business owners keep their businesses afloat during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is targeted to more than 100,000 small businesses in low-moderate income communities, including minority, veteran, and women-owned small businesses, and available to all small businesses with less than one million dollars in pre COVID-19 revenue.

Right now, the heartbeat of Americathe small Main Street businessis on life support, said Connie Evans, president and CEO of AEO. In every city, suburb, and rural community, we must spring to action to help our small businesses stay alive. MainStreet RISE gives business owners the support and tools they need to maximize revenue from consumers who want to help their own Main Streets.

A key feature of MainStreet RISE is free access to one of Fanbanks payments solutions that enables businesses to sell store credits through digital media. With a simple opt-in, businesses receive customized social posts, automated emails, landing pages, and print materials that include links for customers to buy in amounts ranging from $5 to $2,000. After an easy one-click checkout process, the much-needed cash is immediately sent to the business.

This crisis is unprecedented on Main Street, but so are the technology tools we have to confront it, said Mitch Jacobs, CEO of Fanbank. We are proud to join AEO in galvanizing this support for the most underserved small businesses. We are eager to share powerful fintech tools to help these vulnerable entrepreneurs tap revenue from the communities that want to support them.

GoDaddy, the company that powers everyday entrepreneurs, will provide a bundle of goods and services to enable digital business for those struggling to maximize their online strategies. It is even more critical now that Main Street businesses establish an online presence, said Stacy Cline, director of corporate citizenship for GoDaddy. Launching programs like #OpenWeStand and expanding our support of Empower by GoDaddy in partnership with AEO allows us to provide all the help and tools small businesses need to be online. By offering free resources, such as real-time webinars and digital presence content to help people move to e-commerce or rethink their current strategy, were able to make an impact on those small businesses who have been affected by COVID-19.

For businesses in need of accounting help, Bench, a fintech company that gives expert bookkeeping services to small businesses, is providing access to their online bookkeeping technology services and team of accounting professionals. MicroMentor, a global nonprofit that matches small businesses to mentors online from anywhere across the globe, is offering their services so that small business owners can get quick support from trusted individuals. MicroMentor will also train volunteers who want to join MicroMentor as a certified mentor on their platform, and use their knowledge to help struggling small businesses.

We care deeply about connecting volunteer mentors to small businesses faced with unexpected challenges due to COVID-19, said MicroMentor Executive Director Anita Ramachandran. At a time when face-to-face connections pose a threat to public health and safety, our online community invites entrepreneurs and mentors to create profiles describing their respective business needs and skills, self-select a mentoring match from anywhere in the world, and start solving problems together. We are thrilled to be offering this support alongside our partner, AEO, and doing our part to help small businesses weather this storm.

Learn more about MainStreet RISE at https://aeoworks.org/mainstreetrise/.

About the Association for Enterprise Opportunity

The Association for Enterprise Opportunity is the leading voice of innovation for microfinance and microbusiness. Our mission is to create economic opportunity for underserved entrepreneurs throughout the United States. We engineer transformational change through research, convening, incubation, and advocacy to foster a robust and inclusive marketplace. For more information, please visit http://www.aeoworks.org.

About Fanbank

Fanbanks first-of-its-kind Transaction Intelligence platform executes real-time purchase actions on MasterCard, Visa, and American Express payments using customer purchase history, demographics, and firmographics, along with over 100 other data sources. Businesses processing over $30 trillion annually access Transaction Intelligence through their existing payments account without any new cards, apps, or changes to their POS. Learn more at http://www.fanbank.com.

About GoDaddy

GoDaddy is empowering everyday entrepreneurs around the world by providing all of the help and tools to succeed online. With 19 million customers worldwide, GoDaddy is the place people come to name their idea, build a professional website, attract customers, and manage their work. Our mission is to give our customers the tools, insights, and people to transform their ideas and personal initiative into success. To learn more about the company, visit http://www.GoDaddy.com.

About Bench

Bench is Americas largest professional bookkeeping service for small businesses. Bench is helping small business owners access relief funding by preparing the financial statements they require, and offering consultative services to support relief funding applications. Visit http://www.bench.co to learn more.

About MicroMentor

MicroMentor is the world's largest community of entrepreneurs and experienced volunteer business mentors. MicroMentors easy-to-use social platform enables the worlds largest community of purpose-driven entrepreneurs and business mentors to create powerful connections, solve problems, and build successful businesses together. For more information, please visit: http://www.micromentor.org.
[May 06, 2020] GINQO Partnership Supports COVID-19 ICU Bed Demand Insight

TORONTO, May 6, 2020 /CNW/ - GINQO, a Canadian analytics consulting company, has partnered with UK company Draper & Dash to help Canadian hospitals model and forecast the impact of increased numbers of patients requiring ICU beds to enable preparation and response now and for possible future waves of this lethal virus.



The COVID-19 Impact Assessment Tool, also used by the UK's National Health Service (NHS), takes data from individual hospitals to understand usual levels of demand for beds or emergency care, then combines this data with what has already been seen from the spread of the virus across the globe.

As the pandemic picked up speed worldwide, Draper & Dash took six weeks and 10 data scientists and employees with clinical backgrounds to repurpose their existing AI health care platform to address COVID-19. A forecast of upcoming demand on a given healthcare facility is created using each provider's data, run through several different forecasting models. The results provide the basis upon which healthcare teams can plan their next steps in combating the effect of the virus, working to ensure that patients have a place to go and are able to receive the care they need. Orlando Agrippa, Chief Executive of Draper & Dash, said "We're very pleased to partner with GINQO to provide our solution to the Canadian healthcare system. GINQO's analytics expertise and Elite partnership with Qlik, our tool's visualization platform, provide the crucial skills needed to help Canadian hospitals better prepare to support patients." "Helping Canadian public safety and healthcare organizations use data to inform critical decisions during this health crisis is of utmost importance. We're very proud to partner with Draper & Dash to bring their important solution to Canada," said GINQO President Ingo Hardieck. About GINQO: GINQO is committed to the development of innovative analytics solutions that meet the changing needs of Canadian organizations to assist them on their digital transformation journey using data and predictive insights. We are proud our solutions help inform decisions that save lives and property every day. About Draper & Dash: Draper & Dash Healthcare is a London based Venture Capitalist backed healthcare AI and Machine Learning predictive data and analytics company. D&D's solutions give hospitals and healthcare facilities the analytical data insight needed to improve patient care and flow. SOURCE GINQO Consulting Ltd.

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Researchers launch clinical study to measure impact of prayer on coronavirus

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An international team of doctors, led by Kansas City cardiologist Dr. Dhanunjaya Lakkireddy of the Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute, is currently conducting a clinical study to measure the impact of prayer in the health outcomes of coronavirus patients.

Prayer is often used as a medium to invoke divine intervention for affirmation of life, healing of the sick and protection of the vulnerable. This often remains a controversial intervention from a scientific perspective. Although used regularly in the inpatient setting of critically ill patients, the benefit of prayer on healthcare outcomes has been heavily debated, the researchers noted in the overview of the study.

While historical studies have aimed at demonstrating improved health outcomes in patients who pray, these studies are typically difficult to reproduce and are subject to bias. Many studies have attempted to focus on improvement in quality of life or improvement in symptoms of psychiatric disease. The lack of available information regarding the impact of prayer on inpatient outcomes prompted our further investigation.

Lakkireddy explained in an interview with NPR that the study will involve 1,000 patients with coronavirus infections severe enough that they require intensive care.

All the patients will receive the standard of care prescribed by their medical providers but half of the randomly chosen patients will receive a "universal" prayer from one of five religions: Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism. The other 500 patients will constitute the control group.

Lakkireddy said the medical professionals he has assembled for the studys steering committee are also all people of faith.

"We all believe in science and we also believe in faith," he told NPR. "If there is a supernatural power, which a lot of us believe, would that power of prayer and divine intervention change the outcomes in a concerted fashion? That was our question."

The study will measure outcomes such as mortality rate differences, hospital length of stay, length of ventilator support, and ICU length of stay, among other things.

Lakkireddy, who was "born into Hinduism," noted that he attended a Catholic school and spent time in synagogues, Buddhist monasteries and mosques.

"I believe in the power of all religions," he said. "I think if we believe in the wonders of God and the universal good of any religion, then we've got to combine hands and join the forces of each of these faiths together for the single cause of saving humanity from this pandemic."

All patients in the study will receive a COVID PRAYER STUDY Identification number and the prayer below will be used, according to the study.

Dear God

We pray you to bless our friend (CPS ID)

We pray you to give our friend the strength to pull through this sickness

We pray you to heal our friend from this disease that is consuming him

We pray you to give the health care professionals involved in our friends care, the necessary courage, wisdom and protection

We pray you to quickly put an end to this global scourge, save the world and prevent sickness to the rest of our brothers and sisters

We pray you to bring solace, strength and resolve to fight this deadly virus with all our might

Thank you for hearing us out and bestowing your divine will on our friend and many others around us.

While previous studies have found no significant effect of prayer on patient outcomes, Lakkireddy, who said his medical colleagues have had "a mixed reaction" to his study, said: "A miracle could happen. There's always hope, right?"
This morning Southwest Airlines announced a summer fare sale, which likely has nervous fliers saying, "Wait. What?"

In a CBS "Face the Nation" interview on Sunday, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly pushed a positive spin, stating that with physical distancing, masks and the deep cleaning of aircraft, it's time for air travel to resume. He said, "I don't think the risk on an airplane is any greater risk than anywhere else...It's as safe as an environment as you're going to find."

He added, Were doing everything possible to encourage people to come back and fly, which translated into one of the first broad summer fare sales we have seen since the COVID-19 pandemic began and interest in air travel plummeted. (See Kelly's interview here.)

Are you ready to jump on a plane yet? Will a cheap fare be enough to push you off the fence?

FIGHT TO FINISH: Historic warbirds set to soar over Houston in epic flyovers

A quick look at the Ready for Summer sale shows fares that are pretty good, but not the fire sale that you might expect in the current environment of nearly zero demand for air travel.

To get the deal you need to book trips by May 7 at midnight, central time.

Sale fares are good for travel from May 19 through October 30, which really makes this a summer and fall sale.

As usual with Southwest's sale fares, they are not available on Fridays or Sundays. There are also no fees for changes or cancellations.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Readjusted model forecasts thousands more Texas COVID-19 deaths

Some examples of the deals on offer include $98 roundtrips for intra-California and Las Vegas trips. From the Bay Area, Denver's going for $200 roundtrip, Phoenix or Seattle roundtrip is $160. Most transcon roundtrips to Florida and the Northeast run $360. Hawaii fares are at about $300 roundtrip. See all the sale fares here.

How do you feel about flying this summer? Is a good deal enough to help you get on a plane? Take our poll here or below and let us know how you feel.

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 weekly 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.
 Flash

Egyptian authorities stressed they will continue to repatriate all citizens stranded abroad by the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Minister of Immigration Nabeela Makram said on Tuesday.

The minister highlighted the priority would be given to the Gulf states, Kuwait in particular, in the coming days.

According to statement posted on the cabinet Facebook page, Makram explained the committee formed under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has prioritized a number of segments in its plan, including humanitarian cases, expats with expired residency permits, and those whose contracts have terminated.

On Tuesday, the foreign ministers of Egypt and Kuwait expressed over the phone satisfaction with the level of ties between the two states and rejected all bids intended to strain historic bonds.

"I was glade to know I will soon return to my homeland," Hazem Anwar, 33-year-old teacher, told Xinhua over the phone.

Anwar, who lost his job in Kuwait over the coronavirus crisis, added that "my family was living in fears because my residence permit has been expired."

Egypt's prime minister said "the country has taken several measures to arrange isolation buildings for the citizens coming from abroad to prevent the spread of the virus," according to the cabinet statement.

Some universities' dormitories have been detected to serve the 14-day quarantine period, he added, noting all the expenses will be paid by the government.

On April 22,Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said that around 3,500 Egyptians are stranded abroad over coronavirus, affirming that authorities are committed to bringing them back despite "hard circumstances."

An airplane carrying 327 Egyptians who were stranded in the United States, including 37 orphans, landed in Marsa Alam International Airport on Tuesday.

It is the fourth repatriation flight arrived in Egypt from Washington. Two flights arrived in early April and a third flight landed on May 2, repatriating 339 stranded Egyptians.

The airport will receive another two flights on Tuesday evening, one from Baghdad and another from Khartoum.

Egypt's Ministry of Aviation in cooperation with the Ministries of Immigration, Foreign Affairs and Tourism organized a total of 22 special flights between April 21 and May 5 to return Egyptians who were stranded abroad due to worldwide flight bans.

The maritime transport sector in Red Sea province would organize sea voyages as well, to return Egyptians from Saudi Arabia's coastal city Duba, according to the Health Ministry.

Egypt recorded on Monday 348 new coronavirus cases and seven deaths, which raises the total infected patients of COVID-19 to 6,813 and the total deaths to 436.




He has been an invaluable mentor and friend to me since I clerked for him in 2011 and 2012, Walker said of Kennedy. It was not meant as anything more than a reference to the dissent that he wrote, and again, a bit of a tongue-in-cheek allusion to the reality that no Supreme Court justice likes being in the dissent.
PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-06 21:27:35

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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 6, 2020 / Terra CO2 Technologies Ltd. ("Terra"), a private company that is owned 57.8% by Strategic Metals Ltd. (TSXV:SMD) ("Strategic"), is pleased to announce recent corporate developments, expanded operations and important milestones. Terra is developing Alternative Cementitious Material ("ACM") as an environmentally-sensitive alternative to Portland cement. Terra's ACM research is in the field of geopolymer cement, also known as alkali-activated materials (AAM).Portland cement has been at the core of modern construction for generations and is nearly a $500 billion CAD business annually. However, the cement industry is a major CO2 emitter. Production and transportation of Portland cement account for 7 to 8% of annual CO2 emissions world-wide. Terra's ACM technology has potential to replace Portland Cement, thereby reducing CO2 output by 60% or more, without compromising strength or cost.Corporate DevelopmentsTerra has recently realigned its management team to accelerate the company's transition from research to development. The key move, as Terra moves toward commercialization, is the ascension of Bill Yearsley, from an advisory role to the positions of CEO, President and director. Mr. Yearsley is a limited partner and former operating partner of Lariat Partners Fund One since 2013, and an investor and lead outside director at Tri-Arc, LLC. Previously, Mr. Yearsley was the CEO of a publicly traded EPC solar company. From 2007 to 2011, Mr. Yearsley was an endowed professor at the University of Colorado Boulder Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, and was honored as the top teaching faculty member in 2011. In 1996, Mr. Yearsley co-founded American Civil Constructors and led the company as chairman and CEO until 2007. From 1984 to 1997, Mr. Yearsley was employed by Redland PLC a Footse 100 firm. Later in his tenure served as chairman and CEO of the construction materials and non-metallic mining group of Redland responsible for 12000 employees across Europe and NA. Mr. Yearsley holds a BS in engineering, MS in Industrial Management and PhD in Construction Management. Mr. Yearsley brings extensive experience with merger and acquisition transactions, capital raising, operations and management of public and private companies.The former CEO, Donald Lake, is now Senior Vice-President of Research and Development, a role that will have him overseeing Terra's in-house research team as well as off-site studies. Mr. Lake's ideas are the foundation of Terra's technology and this change of roles will allow him to focus on continued innovation.The former President, Doug Eaton, has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors. Mr. Eaton is also CEO and President of Strategic.Terra has now engaged Industria Partners, an investment banking group based in Denver, Colorado, to assist with fund raising and to help design an effective business model for commercialization of the ACM technology.Terra has also engaged three very experienced legal firms. Fasken in Canada, and FisherBroyles LLP in the US are working to prepare and file patent applications as part of a comprehensive intellectual property strategy. Two provisional patent applications have already been filed in regards to ACM and production processes. These applications are important milestones for the company because they protect vital intellectual property. More patent applications will be submitted in the coming months. The third newly-engaged legal firm, Hogan and Lovells US, LLP, will coordinate with Terra's existing legal and accounting representatives to facilitate effective operations in the USA.Expanding OperationsTerra is currently conducting its research at a small facility in North Vancouver, BC, and will soon be re-locating and expanding its laboratory. The new facility will house a laboratory pilot plant with 10-fold increase in hourly production capacity and enhanced process monitoring. These upgrades will allow Terra's researchers to accelerate evaluation of various mix designs, to optimize the relationship between performance and cost of production, and to test different processing parameters more effectively. Terra is presently focused on optimizing the technology for ready-mix concrete which makes up the majority of the cement market in North America. Over time, Terra expects to broaden its research to cover more specialized cement applications. Although Terra's main focus is on developing a replacement for Portland Cement used in concrete construction, it is also exploring applications for the technology that are specific to the mining industry, such as binders for dry-stacked tailings, backfill and grouts.Off-Site StudiesTerra has contracted with Hazen Research, Inc. to conduct a pilot-scale test of its ACM manufacturing technology at Hazen's research campus in Golden, Colorado. Milling of the feedstock is underway and thermal processing will commence in the coming weeks. ACM material produced by the test will be sent from Hazen to independent materials testing laboratories, where strength and other key characteristics of cement and concrete will be evaluated according to nationally-recognized standards. If successful, this pilot-scale test will be another major milestone for Terra and a key step toward commercialization.Terra has recently completed a federally-funded proof-of-concept study on solidification/stabilization of coal tailings from a site in Nova Scotia. Terra is awaiting a review of the results and a decision regarding further field testing of Terra's ACM technology with the goal of decommissioning a tailings pond."Terra and its research team have made very significant strides in advancement of technologies that have potential to be highly disruptive in a major industry. Cement is one of the most widely used commodities on Earth and has enormous market value. Global concerns with rising CO2 emissions are driving aggressive efforts by the cement industry to reduce its CO2 output, and Terra's technologies could be key to attaining this goal." states Doug Eaton, President and CEO of Strategic, "We strongly believe that Terra is assembling the right team, and has the tail winds in place, to rapidly capitalize on an immensely important environmental and business opportunity." About Strategic Metals Ltd.Strategic is a project generator with a portfolio of more than 120 projects that are the product of over 50 years of focussed exploration and research by a team with a track record of major discoveries. Cu
As stay at home orders begin to lift across the United States and pet owners eventually begin to transition back into their previous routines of schooling, commutes, long days at the office, extracurriculars, and even travel, many may see their pets exhibit emotions and behaviors signaling separation anxiety.

Dogs have become accustomed to having their humans home with them, relishing an abundance of quality time, extra walks, and additional petting and treats. They wont like it very much when their routine changes.

Roger Mugford, an animal psychologist who has worked extensively with the British royal family, told The Times of London that owners should start preparing their pets now to cope when coronavirus restrictions are lifted, as they have likely built up a reservoir of overdependency. The American Veterinary Medical Association reports that separation anxiety is one of the most common canine behavior problems in the United States, diagnosed by 20 to 40 percent of animal behavior practices.

Mark Rowlands, professor and acting chair in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Miami who has studied the special bonds between people and animals, weighs in on pet anxiety and how to help our canine companions adjust when the lockdown ends.

What are some of your observations related to the relationship between humans and domesticated pets?

I know most about dogs, and so Ill restrict my comments to them. You will find a dazzling variety of personalities in dogs, as many and varied as you find in humans. But they are all extremely social creatures and dont like to be separated from their pack. How much they dont like it will vary from dog to dog and perhaps from breed to breed. In my experience, herding dogs, in particular, like their flock to be all together in one place. This is unfortunate, since modern life often mandates long periods of separation, five or more days a week. For many dogs, this is a disaster. But it can manifest itself in several different ways. Some dogs simply get bored and depressed. Some get used to it or seem to do so. In others, however, separation anxiety is the result.

Have you ever witnessed or experienced animal separation anxiety?

Oh yes. The most separation-anxious animal Ive ever known was a 150-pound wolf hybrid, named Brenin, with whom I was fortunate to spend a decade or so living and traveling. His anxiety would show itself through immensely destructive behavior. He once ate his way through a wall between the kitchen and laundry room, in an effort, I assume, to make his way out into the backyard. Another time, when I had to leave him for a couple of hours in the caron a car ferry between Wales and Irelandhe completely ate the inside of my car: seats, seatbelts, and steering wheel. He won, of course. I hardly ever left him on his own! I even had to take him to the classes I was teaching. He liked that.

What are the warning signs to let you know that your pet is exhibiting anxiety?

The destructive behavior I just described is a common way that separation anxiety manifests itself. Also, quite common are soiling (happily it never seemed to occur to Brenin to do that), vocalization (howling, whining, and barking), shaking, salivating, and loss of appetite.

Are other animals prone to anxiety, or is this a trait more commonly expressed in dogs?

I believe cats also exhibit separation anxiety, which shows itself in many of the same kinds of symptoms. But Im afraid I dont know much about cats. The more social an animaland dogs are the archetypes of social mammalsthe more likely separation anxiety is to be a problem.

How would you recommend pet owners begin to adjust their routines in an attempt to ease the transition back to work, school, etc.?

Stay home as much as you can. Work from home when you can. Exercise is also crucial. A tired dog is generally a happy dog. If you have to leave your dog at home, try to take them out for a long walk, run, or cycle beforehand. And if you cant do it beforehand, make sure you find time to do it afterward. Doggy day care might also provide a partial solution for some dogs.

Conversely, what are your thoughts as to how humans will adjust after spending so much time at home with their pets?

Humans are as varied as their pets. I suspect the human reaction will be as mixed as it is in their dog or cat companions.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I grew up with dogs as a kid and have lived with several as an adult. I can honestly say that the happiest these dogs have ever been was when they were able to spend plenty of time with their (human) families. For example, the happiest days in the life of Hugo, a German shepherd of ours, was when we all wentHugo, myself, my wife, and childrento Europe for six months during a sabbatical I took in 2013. He was able to spend all day with us, doing new and interesting things every day. Dogs need variation, physical exercise, and intellectual stimulation. But, most of all, they need us to spend time with them.

Rowlands memoir The Philosopher and the Wolf (Granta, 2008), which chronicled his relationship with Brenin, became an international best-seller.

Visit https://news.miami.edu/life/stories/2020/04/how-the-u-works-from-home.html to meet some animal co-workers who have been keeping University faculty and staff members company while working at home.
Two of El Chapos sons have imposed a coronavirus curfew on a town under their cartels control, according to local media.

Ivan Archivaldo Guzman and Jesus Alfredo Guzman have threatened those who disobey the restrictions with beatings with boards, arrest or fines, the Yucatan Times reported.

Joaquin El Chapo Guzman is currently serving a life sentence at ADX Florence, a prison in Colorado dubbed the Alcatraz of the Rockies..

This is no game, were not playing, a member of the Sinaloa Cartel reportedly said in one of several videos circulating on social media.



After ten oclock at night, all the people must be inside their homes due to the coronavirus, otherwise they will be punished, these are orders from above (from Los Chapitos), the video said, referring to the brothers.

The two brothers are known as Los Chapitos or the little Chapos and are said to be running their fathers cartel.

The Yucatan Times says that cartel members have been patrolling Culiacan, the state capital of Sinaloa, Mexico, in heavily-armoured vehicles to enforce the curfew.

El Chapo was extradited to the US in 2017 having initially been arrested in 2014 before escaping through a tunnel under his jail cell. He was recaptured in 2016.

Mexico has 26,025 confirmed coronavirus cases and has had 2,507 deaths, far less than the United States.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updates
South African internet firm Naspers-backed Dot plans to digitize around 5 lakh merchants and facilitate 10 lakh transactions per day by the end of this year, a senior company official said on Wednesday.

The company has raised around Rs 60 crore in a round led by Naspers firm Payu Fintech Investments for developing QR code-based contactless commerce technology and digitise merchants across the country, Dot founder Shailaz Nag told PTI.

Naspers has invested in several Indian firms, including Swiggy, Byju's, OLX and MakeMyTrip.

Nag said Dot has developed contactless commerce technology which does away with the need for people to queue up at any eatery or while shopping.

"The entire catalogue of a merchant can be accessed by a QR code scanning and transaction can be made on that digital catalogue. There is also no need for customers to download separate apps for QR code scanning. Around 2,500 large format retailers have started using it and we plan to take it to around 5 lakh merchants by year end," Nag said.

The company started deployment of the technology at food outlets like Haldiram's, Social, Chili's, Cafe Delhi Heights, Fab Cafe as well as retail brands, and is now planning to reach out to other merchants for their digitisation.

"Our focus is also very clear. We aren't giving any app or website to offline retailers to start running to become digital. Our goal is to provide a digital commerce platform to offline merchants and use channels like WhatsApp, Google, UPI, net banking etc for post transaction engagements with the end user," Nag said.

The company will charge merchants on a per transaction basis for using this technology.

"We are looking at 10 lakh transactions per day on our platform by the end of this year," Nag said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Focussing on district level growth in post-COVID period will help creating huge employment opportunities, contain migration from villages and push India's GDP, former union minister Sureshh Prabhu said on Wednesday.

He said that increasing district level growth by additional 3 per cent will help increase the national GDP.

The government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is focusing on districts as part of a bottoms-up approach for boosting growth, Prabhu, who is also India's Sherpa for G20 and G7 groups, said.

"District led growth will lead to huge employment generation, stop migration from villages to cities, and will develop entrepreneurs and self reliant villages," the Rajya Sabha member said.

As workers and labourers are returning to villages, they would utilise and consume local resources, which would help in generating economic activities and it will also help in increasing their incomes, he added.

"Demand in agri, industry and services sectors too would increase," Prabhu said.

Further Prabhu said that institutions like IIM and National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) have conducted study on six districts, including Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Solan, Varanasi and Vishakhapatnam, and has stated that additional 3 per cent growth in each distruct is doable.

District level focus will create a "new India in the post-Covid era," he sadi, adding it would also help in achieving the target of taking the country's GDP to USD 5 trillion.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian Navy launches Operation "Samudra Setu"

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Defence

Posted On: 05 MAY 2020 7:18PM by PIB Delhi

Indian Navy has launched Operation "Samudra Setu" - meaning "Sea Bridge", as a part of national effort to repatriate Indian citizens from overseas. Indian Naval Ships Jalashwa and Magar are presently enroute to the port of Male, Republic of Maldives to commence evacuation operations from 08 May 2020 as part of Phase-1.

The Government has been closely monitoring the situation with respect to effect of COVID-19 pandemic on our citizens abroad. The Indian Navy has been directed to make suitable preparations for their evacuation by sea.

The Indian Mission in Republic of Maldives is preparing a list of Indian nationals to be evacuated by Naval ships and will facilitate their embarkation after requisite medical screening. A total of 1000 persons are planned to be evacuated during the first trip, catering for COVID- related social distancing norms vis-a-vis the carrying capacity and medical facilities available onboard.

The ships have been suitably provisioned for the evacuation operation. The evacuated personnel would be provided the basic amenities and medical facilities during the sea-passage. In view of the unique challenges associated with COVID-19 stringent protocols have also been stipulated.

The evacuated personnel will be disembarked at Kochi, Kerala and entrusted to the care of State authorities. This operation is being progressed in close coordination with Ministries of Defence, External Affairs, Home Affairs, Health and various other agencies of the Government of India and State governments.





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US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, May 6 said that the coronavirus outbreak has impacted the United States harder than the 9/11 attack or the Pearl Harbor attack that took during World War II. Trump, while speaking to reporters at the White House, said that the current pandemic is worse than anything the US has seen so far, adding that it should have never happened in the first place.

Read: US: 'If We Did This A Different Way, We Would Have Lost More Lives', Says Trump

Pandemic deaths take over war tolls

According to reports, more than 2,400 American soldiers were killed and over 1,100 others were wounded when the Imperial Japanese Army launched a surprise attack at a Pearl Harbor naval base in Honolulu, Hawaii on the morning of December 7, 1941. The attack led to the United States' formal entry into World War II the next day.

The September 11, 2001 attacks killed more than 3,000 people and triggered the United States to start anti-terrorism operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries, which is still going on and is considered the longest-running military operation in the world.

Read: WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Reminds Importance Of Clean Hands On Hand Hygiene Day

Coronavirus outbreak

Meanwhile, the coronavirus outbreak has infected more than a million people in the United States alone and has killed over 73,000 people to date. The United States is the worst affected country by the pandemic that has roots in China.

Health experts believe that the virus originated from a seafood market in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where exotic animals were reportedly being traded illegally. According to figures on the Worldometer website, over 3.79 million people have been infected by the disease globally, of which 2,62,641 have lost their lives to the pandemic.

(Image Credit: AP)

Read: Spain's Coronavirus Death Toll Below 200 For Third Consecutive Day But Economic Cost High
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 10:47:10|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, May 5 (Xinhua) -- A former U.S. federal scientist in charge of developing drugs and vaccines filed a whistleblower complaint Tuesday, saying he was ousted for raising concerns over the coronavirus to the White House, which he said downplayed the threat.

Rick Bright, former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) -- a division of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) -- said through his lawyers in the complaint that he voiced concerns over the virus in January but faced resistance from HHS head Alex Azar and other senior administration officials.

"Dr. Bright acted with urgency to begin to address this pandemic but encountered resistance from HHS leadership, including Secretary Azar, who appeared intent on downplaying this catastrophic threat," read the 89-page complaint filed with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, an independent U.S. government agency that can investigate and prosecute abuses against federal employees.

HHS spokesperson Caitlin Oakley said in a statement that Bright has been reassigned to a post at the National Institutes of Health to work on diagnostic testing for COVID-19, but that he has not shown up. "We are deeply disappointed that he has not shown up to work on behalf of the American people and lead on this critical endeavor."

The whistleblower complaint said the HHS's "involuntary" transfer of Bright's job "violated the Whistleblower Protection Act."

An expert in vaccines and therapeutics who was appointed head of BARDA in 2016, Bright issued a statement last month saying he would file the whistleblower complaint, adding that he was removed from the post because he resisted Washington's efforts to push hydroxychloroquine -- a drug for treating malaria -- and the related chloroquine as cures for COVID-19.

"In our filing we will make clear that Dr. Bright was sidelined for one reason only -- because he resisted efforts to provide unfettered access to potentially dangerous drugs, including chloroquine, a drug promoted by the administration as a panacea, but which is untested and possibly deadly when used improperly," read the statement by the deposed official's lawyers.

Through Tuesday's complaint, Bright wanted himself to be reinstated while requesting a thorough investigation into his ouster.

He will testify before a U.S. House of Representatives panel on May 14, a spokeswoman for Bright said Tuesday. Enditem
Ask your question anonymously and see what others are asking Softway decided that this product should be released for free - no strings attached.

In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, Softway, a digital transformation agency in Houston, Texas, created a free tool to help businesses stay more engaged with a remote workforce. The web app, originally created for internal use at Softway to foster more engagement, transparency, and efficiency in meetings and remote eventsis now widely available for free, no strings attached.

The product, titled Just Ask, is aptly named. Its crafted around asking and answering questions in an inclusive, psychologically safe, and efficient way. As a two-way communication tool, Just Ask is both bandwidth and user-friendly for teams and companies of all sizes.

By using Just Ask alongside other virtual conferencing software, Softway has been able to reduce the overall time spent in meetings. By gathering questions before meetings begins, Just Ask allows for more efficient and productive remote meetings.

Meeting or event hosts can quickly create interactive Q&A events, which generate a shareable URL that allows attendees to join from smartphones or computers. Users of the Just Ask tool will be able to ask questions anonymously, upvote and downvote questions in real-time, and see all other questions from fellow participants. More features, like polling, are planned for releases in the near future.

I know companies are struggling right now, said Mohammad Anwar, CEO of Softway. Not just with financials, but with supporting their people through this crisis. A big part of that is being able to connect with them, be transparent with them, and be honest with them. Weve seen the Just Ask tool do wonders for our company during this unprecedented situation.

Softway is trying to embody its vision statement bring humanity to the workplace through the Just Ask tool. When the COVID-19 crisis caused thousands of businesses to shift into survival mode, Softway was no exception.

Mohammad and his leadership team were not just focused on keeping Softway afloat, but also ensuring that the mission and culture of their 17-year-old company did not disappear when the world needed it most.

Mohammad continued, what better way to give back to the community than offering up tools weve been able to use, leverage, and experiment with internally to the community at large.

Thats why Softway decided that this product should be released for freeno strings attached.

The Just Ask web app is available now and is free to use. You can try it out here.

The Just Ask tool will be rapidly updated to reflect user feedback and new, already planned feature improvements. The team at Softway hopes the Just Ask tool is as useful for you as its been for them.

Softway is a digital transformation agency in Houston, TX that humanizes technology, propels brands, and changes culture. The 200 person organization has offices in the USA and India. Visit softway.com for more details.

Contact details: Frank Danna, Director of Culture and Seneca | frank@softway.com
Despite earlier assertions to the contrary, Trump now says taskforce will continue indefinitely and focus on vaccines.

In a reversal from statements he made only a day earlier, United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the emergency taskforce handling his administrations response to the coronavirus outbreak would not be wound down after all and would instead continue its work indefinitely.

In a series of tweets, Trump said the taskforce may add or subtract people but will remain in place and focus on safely bringing the hard-hit country out of its economic lockdown, as well as on finding a vaccine and other treatments for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

At a White House event honoring National Nurses Day on Wednesday, Trump said he would announce new members of his coronavirus task force by Monday. He added that he thought he would be able to wind down the taskforce sooner, but had no idea how popular it was.

Vice President Mike Pence, who leads the group, told reporters on Tuesday that the taskforce could be wound down within weeks, but Trumps Wednesday tweets appeared to contradict that assertion.

I think were starting to look at the Memorial Day (May 25) window, early June window for shutting it down, Pence said on Tuesday. He added that coordination of the response to COVID-19 would be moved on to federal agencies.

Trump, on his first trip outside Washington, DC, in weeks, had on Tuesday defended the timing of the move, saying the US could not be closed for the next five years.

Mike Pence and the taskforce have done a great job, Trump said during the visit to a mask factory in Arizona. But were now looking at a little bit of a different form and that form is safety and opening and well have a different group probably set up for that.

.gloves, gowns etc. are now plentiful. The last four Governors teleconference calls have been conclusively strong. Because of this success, the Task Force will continue on indefinitely with its focus on SAFETY & OPENING UP OUR COUNTRY AGAIN. We may add or subtract people .  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 6, 2020

He said two leading medical experts who have played prominent roles on the taskforce  Dr Anthony Fauci and Dr Deborah Birx  would stay on as advisers after the group was dismantled.

Fauci, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease director who has at times openly contradicted Trumps assertions about the pandemic, has become a lightning rod for scorn from the presidents supporters on the far right.

Before departing the White House, Trump was asked by a reporter why he would allow Fauci to testify next week before a committee of the Republican-controlled US Senate but not the Democratic-majority House of Representatives.

Because the House is a setup. The House is a bunch of Trump-haters, the Republican president answered. They, frankly, want our situation to be unsuccessful, which means death, which means death, and our situation is going to be very successful.

Trump, who had staked his November re-election bid on a robust US economy before the pandemic struck, said Democrats want us to fail so they can win an election, which theyre not going to win. He offered no evidence to support his assertions.

New controversy

The comments by Trump and Pence came as as the former head of the US biomedical research agency filed a whistle-blower complaint, accusing the Trump administration of removing him in part because of his resistance to push a malaria drug championed by Trump.

Dr Rick Bright, former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, alleges he was reassigned to a lesser role because he resisted political pressure to allow widespread use of hydroxychloroquine. He said the Trump administration wanted to flood coronavirus hotspots in New York and New Jersey with the drug.

I witnessed government leadership rushing blindly into a potentially dangerous situation by bringing in a non-FDA approved chloroquine from Pakistan and India, from facilities that had never been approved by the FDA, Bright said on Tuesday on a call with reporters.

Their eagerness to push blindly forward without sufficient data to put this drug into the hands of Americans was alarming to me and my fellow scientists.





As of Wednesday, the known coronavirus death toll in the US stood at more than 71,000 people, while the number of confirmed infections had surged past 1.2 million.

Debate over how and when to ease restrictions on commerce and social life have grown increasingly politicised ahead of the presidential election in November, with Trump and his Republican supporters agitating to loosen physical distancing measures more swiftly than medical experts deem prudent.

Democratic governors of states hit the hardest by the outbreak have taken a more cautious stance, abiding by advice from public health officials  and guidelines from the White House itself  warning that vastly expanded coronavirus testing and other safeguards needed to be put in place first.

But dozens of US states, many led by Republicans in the south, Midwest and mountain west, have begun in recent weeks to ease stay-at-home orders that have paralysed their economies.

Texas, one of the largest, allowed restaurants, retail stores and shopping malls to resume business on a limited basis last Friday. On Tuesday Governor Greg Abbott, a Republican, announced he was expanding that partial reopening to hair salons, barber shops and nail parlors this Friday, to be followed by fitness clubs and office buildings on May 18, subject to occupancy restrictions and workplace physical distancing.

Widespread relaxation of physical distancing measures was a key factor cited by an influential coronavirus mortality model on Monday in predicting nearly 135,000 Americans would die from COVID-19 by early August, almost double previous projections.
After suffering losses during the last two consecutive sessions and witnessing a negative opening for the day, the Indian market benchmarks are now trading in the green on May 6.

The market is on a bouncy track and there is a fall after every rise in the market and vice versa.

For many, the recent rise in the equity market was bewildering as almost all indicators of the domestic economy had been showing signs of acute distress due to COVID-19.

However, in the last two days, Sensex has plunged nearly 7 percent and a widespread sell-off has been witnessed. Market experts are expecting volatility to continue in the market due to weak global cues, high valuations, profit-booking, weak results announced so far and no further stimulus by the government keep investors on tenterhooks.

Is the market in sync with economic reality?

Muted earnings combined with looming uncertainty over the economic situation due to extended lockdown have started haunting the participants.

It seems pertinent at this juncture to figure out if the market has finally woken up to the economic reality, and that the rally that it saw in the month of April will not be repeated in the near-term.

The market is forward-looking and it tends to factor in the possibilities that lie ahead. It is always ahead of the economy in terms of anticipated improvement.

Rusmik Oza, Executive Vice President, Head of Fundamental Research at Kotak Securities pointed out that on the front of valuations, Nifty is trading at 18.5 times on forward PE, which is very closer to the previous peaks of about 19 times.

"The recent pullback in our market is on the back of smart rally seen in the US markets, which may not be sustainable. Probability of Nfity50 going closer to its recent low is very high because of the hit on businesses and potential earnings downgrades," Oza said, hinting that the market might come in sync with the economic reality.

More than the economic reality, the market seems to be disappointed with the absence of adequate government stimulus. Besides, increasing the risk of NPAs in banks and uncertainty over consumer demand are also the factors that are keeping investors nervous.

"Indian market is experiencing facing selling pressure as the stimulus package is still under consideration. There is an increasing risk of higher defaults in the banking system post moratorium. States are hiking taxing to increase revenue that will bring more uncertainty to consumer demand that might have already gone through fundamental changes," said Sameer Kalra, Founder, Target Investing.

What will move the market?

COVID-19 is the biggest factor that will move the market, followed by government stimulus and economic indicators of the country. Global cues, too, will have their say in the market.

"In the near-term, we expect the market direction to depend on the spread and intensity of COVID cases, and incremental government and regulatory actions to restart the economy," said Siddhartha Khemka, Head - Retail Research, Motilal Oswal Financial Services.

Pankaj Pandey, Head of Research at ICICI Securities said the initial wave of selling in the market during March was led by the heightened level of fear which is largely done with.

He believes the market will largely react to domestic factors going forward. Global news and stock-specific movement was also there.

"While we assess the magnitude of collateral damage which COVID-19 is going to do to a number of companies and sectors, it has not yet been fully factored in by the market. So, the market will continue to see volatility for at least the next 3-6 months," Pandey said.

Pandey, however, does not expect the market to fall to the levels of 7,000 as the phase of peak fear is behind and the volatility index India VIX has also cooled off. He expects 8,800-9,800 levels in the short-term.

Experts are mixed in their views on the level of the market.

Kalra of Target Investing believes the market may go even below 7,000.

Aamar Deo Singh, Head of Advisory, Angel Broking said the market appears to have factored in a lot of the negatives, so it appears that 7,500 should act as a very strong bottom in months to come.

"However, if the lockdown across the world and the coronavirus scenario worsens, then, in that case, the market could witness serious pain," he said.

G Chokkalingam, Founder & MD, Equinomics Research Advisory, sees about 10 percent correction from the current level.

"Domestic economic reality is the biggest trigger for the market at this juncture. In the short-to-medium term, the market is expected to tread water. However, in the long-term, the India growth story is intact," Chokkalingam said.

"Investors should remain stock-specific and should focus on companies that have been less impacted by COVID-19 such as pharma and select FMCG stocks," he added.

Uncertainty will continue to prevail in the near-term. Investors should maintain a 'bottom-up' approach, experts suggest and use correction to accumulate quality names in a staggered manner.

The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.
Five grocery stores in the Gresham and Englewood neighborhoods on the South Side were closed after their owners were charged with Link card fraud, officials said.



Walid Mohamed, 50, of Palos Hills, Imad Qatanani, 37, of Burbank and Mohammed Abuzir, 49 of Bridgeview are each charged with organizing a criminal financial crime enterprise.



Link cards function as debit cards for Illinois residents eligible for "cash assistance or ... food stamps," according to the state Department of Human Services. The three are accused of making phony transactions that allowed customers to get cash, officials said.



Police were tipped to the scam in June and opened an investigation with the Cook County state's attorney's office, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Homeland Security, officials said.



Police searched safety deposit boxes, bank accounts and seized two guns and $100,000.



The stores closed were on Ashland Avenue south of Garfield Boulevard; Garfield Boulevard west of Ashland Avenue; the 6500 block of South Ashland Avenue; the 8500 block of South Ashland Avenue; and the 6800 block of South Damen Avenue.
Terry Jo Duperrault, 11, was just hours away from death after drifting alone in the open sea for four whole days. She was parched, her skin covered in salt.

She drifted in and out of consciousness while reclining on a three-foot cork raft that was slowly disintegrating. When Nicolaos Spachidakis saw the little girl, he could hardly believe his own eyes.

Saving Duperrault

Spachidakis was the second officer of the Greek Freighter, Captain Theo, where he had been scanning the waters of a strait near the islands of the Bahamas when he spotted what seemed like a dancing whitecap in the distance.

He realized the single, white dot was too small to be a boat and far too large to be debris. He alerted the captain, who plotted a collision course for the mysterious speck. When they stopped beside it, they discovered a young girl floating by herself in a small lifeboat.

The crew quickly gets her aboard their freighter. Terry Jo tells them her name and that she's the sole survivor of a sailboat called Bluebelle. She quickly loses consciousness.

However, after she wakes up, she recounts the most bizarre and devastating story of what happened aboard the Bluebelle.

The Duperrault Family

On November 8, 1961, prominent optometrist Dr. Arthur Duperrault and his family decided to go on a trip from Fort Lauderdale to the Bahamas on their sailboat Bluebelle. They were accompanied by hired airforce veteran and skipper Julian Harvey and his sixth wife, Mary.

Terry Jo and her family spent a week in the Bahamas. There, they learned snorkeling and spearfishing through crystalline waters. They explored uninhabited islands and dined on the freshest seafood with the locals.

The Bluebelle began its voyage home to Florida on November 12. Terry Jo went to the small cabin below deck. The rest of her family stayed in the cockpit.

The Murder

At around 11 in the evening, Terry Jo woke up after hearing screams from the upper deck. She could hear her brother, begging for help. She also heard sounds of running and heavy footfalls.

Paralyzed with fear, she decided to stay in her bed for countless minutes. Terry Jo tried to work up the courage to see what was happening.

When she finally decided to open the door, she found her mother and brother dead. They were lying in a pool of blood. She ascended to the deck where she saw their captain, Julian Harvey heading towards her.

Harvey held a rifle in his hands, scaring the little girl. After a few moments, he turned and left. Terry Jo noticed water cresting below deck: the boat is sinking.

Harvey dived into the ocean and swam for his escape vehicle, the dinghy, leaving Terry Jo aboard and alone.

Harvey's Account

Harvey's dinghy was found by a freighter, the Gulf Lion. The crew members immediately brought the skipper to the U.S. Coast Guard. During the investigation, he claimed the Bluebelle's masts broke, puncturing the ship's hull and rupturing the gas tank, leading to a fire.

He brought along the dead body of Terry Jo's sister. He claimed he saw her floating face down in the water and tried to revive her to no avail. Something about his story felt off, but nobody ever questioned his account.

The coast guard conducted an extensive search on air and in the sea. They covered over 5,000 miles, but they found nothing.

The Skipper

Harvey was a competent WWII bomber pilot. He had previously served in the Korean War and managed to pull off a high-risk test flight. However, he was periodically noted for ditching missions due to "engine failure."

Harvey also had multiple wives-six, to be exact. Until Mary, he had a habit of courting, rapidly marrying, and then dumping his partners. He would always say he felt no affection for them anymore.

The bomber pilot was previously entangled in a dark mystery that was never resolved. In 1949, he, his third wife, and his mother-in-law were driving back home from a night at the movies. By his account, the car suddenly swerved on a bridge and rolled over into the waters below. Harvey was the lone survivor in the incident.

When locals offered to help find the two victims, the pilot appeared to be very calm. He also boasted about jumping out of the car in mid-air. His wife and mother-in-law were never found. He later claimed his wife's life insurance policy.

Suicide

The Coast Guard later informed Harvey of Terry Jo's rescue. He left the interrogation room and checked into a nearby motel under a false name.

On November 17, a maid at the motel discovered Harvey's dead body and a hasty note to a friend. He slashed himself with a double-edged razor blade.

The murder, it would seem, was done so he could collect $20,000 after Mary's death. Many said he killed the Duperrault family to prevent any witnesses.

To this day, no one knows for sure why Harvey let Terry Jo live. Some speculate he wanted to be caught. Others claimed he probably never expected her to survive.

Terry Jo, who changed her name to Tere Fassbender, went on to work at the Department of Natural Resources in the fisheries department. She also worked in the Water Resources and Water Regulation and Zoning.

Want to read more interesting stories? Check these out:
Stefani Reynolds/Getty

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Republicans refusal to bail out cash-strapped states will lead to defeat for us all, in an epic rant on Tuesday against the federal governments decades of mismanagement and crippling partisanship in the face of COVID-19.

Its not red or blue, its red, white, and blue. This coronavirus doesnt pick Democrats or Republicans. It doesnt kill Democrats or Republicans, it kills Americans, Cuomo said during his daily press briefing in New York City, urging the nation to embrace factual, productive and united bipartisanship to pass a virus relief stimulus bill necessary to get this economy back on its feet.

The virus is less discriminating and more of an equalizer than the lens through which were viewing it, he added. And if we cant get past this now, when can we get past this? You cant put your politics aside even now, even today?

Cuomo Slams McConnell: I Dare You to Let States Declare Bankruptcy

Cuomo has repeatedly feuded with Republican leadership over the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic. In a Monday interview with the New York Post, Trump said he wouldnt provide federal aid to states that have been hit hard by the coronavirus, including New York, because theyre mostly blue states.

I think Congress is inclined to do a lot of things, but I dont think theyre inclined to do bailouts. A bailout is different than, you know, reimbursing for the plague, Trump said. Its not fair to the Republicans because all the states that need helptheyre run by Democrats in every case. Florida is doing phenomenal, Texas is doing phenomenal, the Midwest is, you know, fantasticvery little debt.

Trump, who was happy to bail out the airline and cruise ship industries with $58 billion, has also floated the idea of incorporating a states use of sanctuary cities in bailout considerations.

If you starve the states, how do you expect the states to be able to fund this entire reopening plan? Cuomo said, adding that Democratic lawmakers will not pass another bill that does not provide funding for states. The president, in my opinion, has to be the responsible one here.

Story continues

Cuomo, who has been asking for federal funding for weeks, said the federal government has the authority to literally determine how many people live or die. New York is grappling with a $13.3 billion budget shortfall and is projected to lose another $61 billion over four years as a result of the public health crisis.

Cuomo said New York was resilient enough to bounce back from what he previously called an economic tsunami but he said he was more appalled that the federal government was in a stalemate over allocating funds in the next stimulus bill to state and local governments.

Its not a blue-state issue. Every state has coronavirus cases. This is not any mismanagement by the states, Cuomo said. If anything, the mismanagement has been on behalf of the federal government, and that's where the mismanagement has gone back decades.

Trumps comments to the Post echoed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who suggested last week that states most affected by the pandemic should consider filing for bankruptcy rather than seeking additional aid from the federal government. McConnell said any additional assistance to state and local governments needed to be thoroughly evaluated.

Cuomo, who has repeatedly slammed McConnell for his absurd suggestion, said Tuesday that New York had paid $116 billion more than it had received from the federal government annually, money he wished to get back if Republicans refused to provide relief funding. New York had given the most money to the federal government, while KentuckyMcConnells home statewas among the top three states to receive more than they give, he added.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also slammed Trump on Tuesday, calling the president a pure hypocrite for putting politics over the coronavirus response. In his daily briefing, de Blasio said Trump claimed he does not do bailouts but provided nearly $58 billion to the airline industry amid the pandemic.

Trump Wants to Bail Out Airlines and Cruise Ships. How About Us?

He says hes not inclined to do bailouts. Hes a pure hypocrite given how much money hes put in the hands of the corporations and the wealthy already, de Blasio said, noting that the pandemic is projected to cost the city $7.4 billion in lost tax revenue next year. That means hes not inclined to help firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, police officers, doctors, nurses, health-care workers, teachers, sanitation workers.

Seemingly in response to Cuomos harsh words, Trump took to Twitter Tuesday afternoon to suggest poorly run states were using the pandemic as an excuse to secure federal funds.

Well run States should not be bailing out poorly run States, using CoronaVirus as the excuse! Trump tweeted, adding that the elimination of Sanctuary Cities, Payroll Taxes, and perhaps Capital Gains Taxes, must be put on the table.

The political squabble comes as New York officials shift their attention to reopening the economy. To date, 25,000 state residents have died and 318,953 more have been infected with the coronavirus. Cuomo said that, although 230 people died in the last 24 hours, hospitalizations, ICU admissions, and deaths have decreased over the last week.

And while the state seems to be past the worst of the pandemic, Cuomo stressed his continued apprehension about lifting shelter-in-place restrictions too early, triggering a second wave of the disease.

Theres a cost to staying closed, no doubt. Economic cost, personal cost. Theres also a cost to reopening quickly. Either option has a cost, Cuomo said. The faster we reopen, the lower the economic cost, but the higher the human cost because the more lives lost. That, my friends, is the decision we are really making. What is that balance? What is that trade-off?

Federal projections now estimate the COVID-19 death toll will increase from 60,000 to 100,000. Cuomo reiterated Tuesday that, despite political and economic pressure to loosen restrictions, New York still has a long way to go between public life to return to a new normal.

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The recently released FX on Hulu series Mrs. America chronicles the story of the fight over ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s and 80s. Were it not for my late boss Phyllis Schlafly stepping in and defeating this train wreck of an amendment against insurmountable odds, there wouldnt be a story. This narrative should not be left to Hollywood elites to tell.

The nine-part Mrs. America series paints Phyllis as a power-hungry, cold, calculating, and egotistical individual who cares about protecting her "political profile in D.C." Nothing could be further from the truth. While these falsehoods aren't surprising coming from liberal Hollywood, they are disappointing nonetheless.

I was privileged to have been personally hired by Phyllis and worked at her side for nearly four years before she passed away in 2016. Spending countless hours with her, I can attest to the fact that the Phyllis Schlafly I knew and worked for is not the same person as two-time Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett portrays in the show.

As a wife, mother to six, lawyer, author of 27 books, and political activist, Phyllis cared about many things. However, she never held her own image and profile in high regard, especially not above any of the issues she fought for.

Perhaps one of the greatest examples I recall displaying Phylliss lack of concern for her image surrounds her endorsement of Donald J. Trump for president. To understand this high-profile move, we must go to 1964 when Phyllis self-published A Choice Not An Echo. The book presents an in-depth look at the deal-making of Republican National Conventions from 1938 to 1960. She proposed that the Republican Party should choose a true conservative as the nominee rather than allow the globalist Kingmakers to select their choice behind closed doors and then present him to the American people. With over three million copies sold, her book helped catapult conservative Barry Goldwater into winning the 1964 Republican presidential nomination.

Now fast forward to March 2016, Phyllis Schlafly met privately with Donald Trump before endorsing him as the Republican presidential candidate from the stage of the Peabody Opera House in St. Louis, MO. She believed that he was our choice -- not an echo of failed political systems past -- just as she believed of Barry Goldwater in 1964. Phyllis went even further to write her twenty-seventh and final book titled The Conservative Case for Trump in which she predicted he would appoint constitutionalist judges like Antonin Scalia, end bad trade deals, and put a stop to the entry of illegal immigrants by securing our border.

I recall countless times when either Phyllis or I were approached by conservatives who couldnt understand her endorsement of Trump. Their concerns mostly surrounded his lack of prior political experience and what they perceived as a questionable personal life at best. The questions and pushback she received never phased her. She truly believed that Trump was the right man for the job and she wasnt afraid to say so. After Trump won against all odds, many conservatives came back to say Phyllis was right. I should have listened to her all along!

Working with Phyllis on a professional level was a remarkable experience in and of itself, but I was blessed that she mentored me outside of the office as well. We traveled together, visited over dinner, and spent time at her home on the weekends. It was in these moments that I learned some of the most important lessons of my life.

Phyllis instructed me that it didnt matter who received the credit as long as the work got done. When attacked while standing for the truth, dont take the attacks personally. Stand your ground but respond with grace. Leaders must work hard and persevere in the difficult times. Always remain resolute and dont become discouraged by the setbacks along the way. Phyllis not only taught these lessons, she lived by them.

No matter what Hollywood tells you, I knew the real Mrs. America. She was a lady who displayed humility, class, kindness, and resilience even in the midst of adverse circumstances. I am truly grateful for the lessons I learned from Phyllis and hope that I may emulate even a little of what she taught me. By sharing my experiences, I hope that you, too, will come to know the true legacy of Phyllis Schlafly.

Rebekah Gantner is the Executive Director of the Eagle Forum Education & Legal Defense Fund. She was hired by Phyllis Schlafly in 2013 and worked closely with her for three years at the Saint Louis headquarters prior to Phyllis passing.
THE ISSUE:

Evidence grows of missteps by the Trump administration in handling the coronavirus pandemic.

THE STAKES:

Happy talk of returning to normalcy won't stop a still-spreading deadly disease.

As a global pandemic spread through the United States, the Trump administration allowed sellers of coronavirus antibody test kits to self-certify that the tests worked. What could possibly go wrong?

Well, as of mid-April, nearly 100 brands -of test kits of unverified quality were on the market - tests that people relied on to determine whether they, their family, their patients or employees had been exposed to the novel coronavirus. We don't know how many people wrongly assumed, based on the tests, that they had built an immunity, and then ignored social distancing guidelines, or stopped wearing masks, or engaged in other risky behavior that would expose them and others to the virus.

This reckless, laissez-faire approach to something as serious as disease testing is just one of the recent revelations about the Trump administration's handling of a pandemic that, as of Wednesday, had infected more than 1.2 million people in the U.S. and killed at least 72,233 of them.

President Donald Trump's latest deflection? Maybe the numbers are wrong, he says: Maybe they're a lot lower.

It's malarkey. Researchers say the official death toll numbers are in fact too low, because of inadequate testing on both the living and the dead.

But such magical thinking seems to form much of this administration's approach. We learned this week from The Washington Post that Mr. Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, turned over efforts to help hospitals acquire protective equipment in part to volunteers with no expertise or experience.

Sign up for The Knick  Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter.

We learned from The New York Times that Rick Bright, the head of the Department of Health and Human Services' Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency, says he was ordered to stock up on the drug hydroxychloroquine, a dubious coronavirus "cure" Mr. Trump has hyped, despite the FDA's cautions against using it. Dr. Bright said that politically connected marketing consultants influenced key medical policy decisions, and that his advice to step up research on COVID-19 treatment and to purchase protective equipment was ignored.

We learned from Reuters that the FDA lowered its standards in the push to import the president's imagined miracle drug from unregulated, uninspected plants in India and Pakistan.

And now Mr. Trump tweets about how exciting it is to see America opening up again - an America with the pandemic still on the rise, an America still unready for the massive job of testing and contact tracing, an America led by an administration that still can't get straight if it's disbanding its coronavirus task force or not.

Little wonder states are going it alone or trying joint efforts, like New York's pact with six other Northeast states to buy protective and medical equipment. It's hardly what citizens of the most powerful nation on Earth expect, but it's perhaps the best we can do with a president whose incompetence yields more danger daily, as the pandemic tragically rolls on.
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Linkedin Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 6, 2020 06:29 623 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd631dca 1 National pre-employment-card,KPK,Jokowi,ruangguru,COVID-19,coronavirus Free

The Indonesian Anticorruption Community (MAKI) has asked the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to investigate the governments preemployment card program, particularly the lack of transparency in its selection of private-sector partners.

The appointment of the partners was allegedly conducted without a beauty contest [competitive applications and bidding], and it did not meet the requirements of administrative and technical qualifications because there was no previous announcement of the requirements themselves, MAKI coordinator Boyamin Bin Saiman said in a statement on Monday.

In March, the government announced that it had appointed eight digital platforms as partners in the preemployment card program  an initiative that combines cash aid and training subsidies for unemployed workers to augment the social safety net during the COVID-19 crisis.

The partners announced were the Manpower Ministry, e-commerce platforms Tokopedia and Bukalapak, as well as online learning platforms Ruangguru, Pintaria, Sekolahmu, Pijarmahir and MauBelajarApa.

The e-commerce platforms were responsible for the programs marketing and sales, while the learning platforms provided the training courses  ranging from marketing to fishing  intended to develop the skills of people laid off as a result of the pandemic.

Critics have criticized the partner-selection process as opaque, with no open call for applicants or transparent selection criteria.

Read also: Preemployment card draws criticism as workers need cash aid

The appointment is also suspected of violating the provisions in the form of unfair business competition or monopoly, Boyamin said.

MAKI submitted the request for the investigation, along with supporting documents, to the KPK on Monday.

Boyamin said the cost per course  between Rp 200,000 (US$13.23) and Rp 1 million  was too expensive when compared to the salaries of school teachers and college lecturers and the production cost of the course materials.

It is also way more expensive than other training courses available on YouTube or those searchable on Google, which are free and only require an internet plan, he said.

Boyamin cited Institute for the Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) researcher Nailul Huda, who said that the partners could potentially reap Rp 3.7 trillion in profit  Rp 457 billion each.

With the potential profits, he estimated the companies would get 66 percent profit from the course fees, higher than the 20 percent profit limit allowed by the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) and the Development Finance Comptroller (BPKP).

Read also: Preemployment card ineffective, gimmicky, CEO participant claims

The preemployment card programs stated goal is to help workers and small business owners hit by the COVID-19 outbreak. It seeks to distribute Rp 20 trillion in incentives from the 2020 state budget to 5.6 million eligible recipients.

About 9 million candidates have applied for the program since its launch on April 11. More than 2.2 million people have lost their jobs as of April 20 as a result of the health crisis.

This is not the programs first brush with controversy. The appointment of Ruangguru  a startup owned by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's then-expert staffer Adamas Belva Syah Devara  as a private-sector partner led to Adamas resignation on April 21.

Negative sentiment has also plagued the program, with 81 percent of the 38,000 online discussions of the program containing keywords such as conflict of interest and leaked budget, according to Indef research between March 27 and April 25.

Panji Ruky, the preemployment card programs management director of communications, however, claimed the partner-selection process was conducted fairly, without any corruption.

Perbanas Institute economist Piter Abdullah has also questioned the programs effectiveness because of the lack of hiring during the outbreak, noting that people needed cash assistance more.

KPK acting spokesperson Ali Fikri said on Tuesday that the antigraft body would look into the information provided by MAKI before deciding whether to take further action.

"If our analysis finds an indication of potential criminal practice, then there will be a possibility that the KPK will launch an [investigation] into the case," he said as quoted by kompas.com.
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The Committee to Protect Journalists on May 4 joined more than 100 civil society organizations in an open letter calling on Colombias National Protection Unit to adopt measures to ensure the safety of journalists and other human rights defenders under increased threat due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The National Protection Unit, founded in 2011, guards hundreds of people under threat, including union leaders, human rights activists, politicians, and journalists, according to CPJ research. Earlier this month, CPJ expressed concern about reports that the unit had decided in March to suspend meetings of its Risk Assessment and Protection Measures Recommendation Committee, which conducts risk assessments and responds to requests for protective measures, due to safety concerns around the coronavirus.

The letter calls on the National Protection Unit to adopt all measures necessary to protect the life and work of human rights defenders in the context of the current social, economic, and health emergency. It also calls on state authorities to ensure that emergency measures allow journalists and other human rights defenders to continue fulfilling their essential work, and to refrain from restricting their work or movement.

The joint letter is available in English and Spanish.
A major fire broke out at the Tikri-Kalan PVC market on the Delhi-Haryana border in the early hours of Wednesday

New Delhi: A major fire broke out at the Tikri-Kalan PVC market on the Delhi-Haryana border in the early hours of Wednesday, the fire department said.

The call about the blaze was received at 2.50 am and 36 fire-tenders were rushed to the spot, a fire department official said.

No casualties were reported, he said, adding that scrap material, which was kept in the open, caught fire.
File image of Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

All non-resident Indians (NRIs) being repatriated may be compulsorily quarantined at government facilities in Kerala.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said at his daily press briefing on May 5 that all NRIs, arriving in the state would have to adhere to a strict quarantine of 14 days. The first seven days of this would have to be at government facilities. After that, these people will have to remain in home isolation for another week.

COVID-19 pandemic LIVE updates

Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, on the other hand, said in Mathrubhumi News Super Prime Time that, as per a central government directive, the NRIs would have to follow a compulsory quarantine for 14 days under government supervision, Mathrubhumi reported.

The Centre, on May 4, announced its decision to bring back Indians stranded overseas in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak and the lockdown that followed. On May 7, the first two special flights to repatriate Indians will be operated to evacuate people stranded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These will start with applicants from Kerala, who form the majority of those who have registered to be brought back home,

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 passenger list for the two flights -- Abu Dhabi to Kochi and Dubai to Kozhikode -- will be finalised by the Embassy of India, Abu Dhabi, and the Consulate General of India, Dubai.

A total of 200,000 expatriates have registered so far to travel back to India.

Follow our full coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic here
Teachers are doing a phenomenal job adapting and embracing this new method of online instruction, said Nathanael Tarwasokono, president and CEO of Firstmark Credit Union.

On behalf of its employees and members, Firstmark Credit Union is donating 10,000 bags to support San Antonio schools amid the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) crisis.

According to 2017 estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, 21% of Bexar County households do not have broadband internet. In some school districts, this number can be as high 51%. As the Coronavirus pandemic has forced students and teachers into virtual learning, school districts are doing their best to ensure that those students without internet access dont get left behind. Using a curbside delivery approach, families are able to pick up physical lesson plans from their school for at-home learning.

As a credit union founded by teachers and for teachers, Firstmark has taken a leadership role to ensure that schools have what they need to weather the COVID-19 crisis. One of their biggest needs is bags to help distribute these critical student resources, and thats where Firstmark has stepped in. The credit union is donating 10,000 curriculum bags to area school districts.

Teachers are doing a phenomenal job adapting and embracing this new method of online instruction, said Nathanael Tarwasokono, president and CEO of Firstmark Credit Union. As parents, we appreciate their dedication and recognize the enormous task of having to prepare both virtual lessons for delivery online in addition to physical lesson plans.

Schools interested in receiving curriculum bags can call the Firstmark Credit Union Marketing Department at 210.556.2480 and leave call back details, including name, school/ISD and number of curriculum bags needed.

Firstmark also recently donated N95 masks to the Childrens Hospital of San Antonio. The credit union believes in being a responsible citizen of the community and supporting frontline workers. Learn more about their efforts at firstmarkcu.org.

About Firstmark Credit Union

Firstmark Credit Union has been helping people achieve financial success for more than 88 years. The Firstmark story began in 1932 at Fox Tech High School where ten teachers signed a charter to form the San Antonio Teachers Credit Union. Firstmark has grown the ten teachers original $475 investment to almost 100,000 members and over $1 billion in assets. Firstmark is a not-for-profit, member-owned financial institution focused on helping people to better their lives. For more information, visit http://firstmarkcu.org or call 210.342.8484.
Six arrested in kidnapping of retired Jalisco doctor

Tlajomulco de Zuniga, Jalisco  A retired doctor from the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) in the state of Jalisco has been rescued by police after being held captive for 15 days.

The former doctor managed to escape his captors and flag down a passing police unit that was patrolling the Villa Alta neighborhood where he was being held. The retired doctor, who has not been identified, said that he was kidnapped and while in their custody, had his money stolen via bank cards.

Police escorted the man back to the house where he was able to identify those who had kidnapped him. Police have arrested five men and one woman for his kidnapping. Upon their arrest, police reported finding drugs and a weapon, all of which were seized along with two motorcycles and one vehicle the doctor said was used in the kidnapping.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi will discuss the impact of coronavirus with chief ministers of party-ruled states on Wednesday and assess the steps taken by them to contain the pandemic, sources said.

According to the sources, Gandhi will hold consultations with them through video conferencing on Wednesday morning.

She will also discuss the issue of migrant labourers and workers stranded at various places and steps taken by the states in bringing them back to their home states.

Gandhi had announced on Monday that the state units of Congress party would pay for the train fares of migrant workers as they prepare to go back to their homes in different parts of the country. She also criticised the central government for charging them for their travel by train.
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Obamacare's contraceptive coverage mandate returns to the Supreme Court on Wednesday in a high-profile case that will force the justices to once again consider which businesses may deny their employees access to free birth control.

The fight over the mandate, included in the 2010 health-care overhaul legislation formally known as the Affordable Care Act, has spanned nearly a decade and two presidential administrations.

It has come to the Supreme Court twice before  once, in 2016, during an election year  though never quite like this time.

As a result of health precautions taken in the midst of the spreading coronavirus, Wednesday's oral argument will be the third in the history of the court to be broadcast live to the public. The audio feed will be available at 10 a.m. ET on this page.

The two previous cases that came to the Supreme Court over the coverage mandate concerned whether Obama administration requirements imposed too harsh a burden on employers with religious objections to providing or facilitating contraceptive coverage.

Wednesday's case, the first to reach the Supreme Court under President Donald Trump, asks the opposite question: whether Trump administration rules released in 2017 provide too wide a carve-out for religious and moral objectors to deny women coverage.

The stakes in the latest case are higher than the previous two, according to Nelson Tebbe, a law professor at Cornell Law School who studies constitutional law and religious freedom. In those cases, female employees whose benefits were at stake still retained coverage, via third parties, after their employers gained exemptions.

"This is a very different kind of religious exemption because it does not provide alternative coverage for female employees or female dependents of male employees," Tebbe said. Possibly more than 100,000 women stand to lose their contraceptive coverage, he said.
Researchers will Test COVID-19 RNA-Based Vaccine Candidates Developed by Pfizer and BioNTech

In a significant development in the global effort to discover a safe and effective vaccine for COVID-19, researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) became the first in the U.S. to begin testing experimental COVID-19 vaccine candidates developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. The research, funded by Pfizer Inc., will study the safety, efficacy, and dosing of an experimental mRNA -based vaccine.

At present, there are no licensed vaccines or therapies for COVID-19, a serious respiratory disease detected in December 2019 in the Wuhan, Hubei Province, in China that has now spread across the globe as a pandemic resulting in some 70,000 deaths in the U.S. alone.

The vaccine research is being conducted in the UMSOM Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health (CVD), and it is part of a multicenter study in the U.S. and in Germany that will include up to 360 participants in this initial stage. In Baltimore, the clinical trial includes up to 90 healthy adult participants, between 18 and 85 years of age.

We are excited to begin testing these vaccine candidates against COVID-19. The research is on a fast track given the extreme consequences of this pandemic and the critical need for preventive measures, said Kathleen Neuzil, MD MPH, the Myron, M. Levine, MD, DTPH, Professor in Vaccinology, Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, and Director of the CVD. Dr. Neuzil and Kirsten Lyke, MD, Professor of Medicine, are the investigators for the vaccine trial, which is now recruiting and screening for participants. The first participant was vaccinated on May 4.

This so-called BNT162 program is a collection of at least four experimental vaccines, each of which represent a different combination of mRNA formats and target antigens. -- mRNA  or messenger RNA  is a long molecule, composed of nucleotides linked in a unique order to convey genetic instructions about how to make proteins. Once mRNA in a vaccine is inside of the bodys cells, it directs the cells to produce protein antigens, which stimulate the immune system of the vaccinated individual, generating immune response to the vaccine antigen. It differs from a traditional vaccine because it is does not inject a virus protein into body.

The participants will receive two injections a month apart. The first group to be vaccinated will include healthy adults aged 18 to 55, and the next group will include volunteers aged 65 to 85 years of age. The researchers will investigate different dosages and types of the vaccine candidates to learn which one is best tolerated and produces the strongest immune response.

A vaccine is urgently needed for COVID-19. Our infectious disease experts and our vaccine experts at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have decades of experience in developing and testing protections from the leading infectious and emerging diseases. This research is an essential first step in protecting populations around the world from this serious illness, said Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, who is also Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, UM Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor, University of Maryland School of Medicine.

For individuals interested in participating in this important vaccine trial: Call 1 (410) 706-6156, text COVID19Vaccine to #555888, email clintrial@som.umaryland.edu, or visit:

https://www.medschool.umaryland.edu/cvd/trials/Experimental-COVID-19-Vaccine/

About the University of Maryland School of Medicine

Now in its third century, the University of Maryland School of Medicine was chartered in 1807 as the first public medical school in the United States. It continues today as one of the fastest growing, top-tier biomedical research enterprises in the world -- with 45 academic departments, centers, institutes, and programs; and a faculty of more than 3,000 physicians, scientists, and allied health professionals, including members of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences, and a distinguished two-time winner of the Albert E. Lasker Award in Medical Research. With an operating budget of more than $1.2 billion, the School of Medicine works closely in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical Center and Medical System to provide research-intensive, academic and clinically based care for nearly 2 million patients each year. The School of Medicine has more than $540 million in extramural funding, with most of its academic departments highly ranked among all medical schools in the nation in research funding. As one of the seven professional schools that make up the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus, the School of Medicine has a total population of nearly 9,000 faculty and staff, including 2,500 student trainees, residents, and fellows. The combined School of Medicine and Medical System (University of Maryland Medicine) has an annual budget of nearly $6 billion and an economic impact more than $15 billion on the state and local community. The School of Medicine faculty, which ranks as the 8th highest among public medical schools in research productivity, is an innovator in translational medicine, with 600 active patents and 24 start-up companies. The School of Medicine works locally, nationally, and globally, with research and treatment facilities in 36 countries around the world. Visit medschool.umaryland.edu.

About the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health

For over 40 years, researchers in the Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health have worked domestically and internationally to develop, test, and deploy vaccines to aid the worlds underserved populations. CVD is an academic enterprise engaged in the full range of infectious disease intervention from basic laboratory research through vaccine development, pre-clinical and clinical evaluation, large-scale pre-licensure field studies, and post-licensure assessments. CVD has worked to eliminate vaccine-preventable diseases. CVD has created and tested vaccines against cholera, typhoid fever, paratyphoid fever, non-typhoidal Salmonella disease, shigellosis (bacillary dysentery), Escherichia coli diarrhea, nosocomial pathogens, tularemia, influenza, malaria and other infectious diseases. CVDs research covers the broader goal of improving global health by conducting innovative, leading research in Baltimore and around the world. CVD researchers are developing new and improved ways to diagnose, prevent, treat, control, and eliminate diseases of global impact. Currently, these diseases include typhoid, Shigella, E. coli diarrhea, malaria, and other vaccine-preventable infectious diseases. CVD researchers have been involved in critical vaccine development for emerging pathogens such as Ebola and Zika. In addition, CVDs work focuses on the ever-growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance.
Chinese Consul General in Chicago Zhao Jian (R) and Wanxiang America Corporation President Ni Pin (C) have a video chat with former Missouri Governor Bob Holden at Wanxiang America's headquarters in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, the United States, on May 4, 2020. Wanxiang Group, a Chinese multinational automotive components manufacturing company headquartered in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, is donating 1.1 million face masks and 50,000 protective masks to 12 U.S. states, with the first batch of thousands of boxes shipped on Monday. (Xinhua)

CHICAGO, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Wanxiang Group, a Chinese multinational automotive components manufacturing company headquartered in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, is donating 1.1 million face masks and 50,000 protective masks to 12 U.S. states, with the first batch of thousands of boxes shipped on Monday.

A label on each box reads, "Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off." The 12 states are Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Delaware, Mississippi, Colorado, South Dakota and Louisiana.

Before the shipment, former Missouri Governor Bob Holden expressed thanks from his residence in Missouri through a video chat to Chinese Consul General in Chicago Zhao Jian and Wanxiang America Corporation President Ni Pin, who were in Wanxiang America's headquarters in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, overseeing the shipment.

"You've made a lot of people very, very happy and feeling much more safe and secure. And that's what I think is cool about building bridges between your culture and our culture for the benefit of both cultures," Holden said to Ni.

Holden thanked Zhao, saying, "It's very, very important that we find common ground and work together because our two countries both have great histories, can have even a greater future by working together as partners and building those relationships to benefit humanity on both sides."

"Our work together will mean we can be successful together. That is what gives me hope that as we go through the difficult times that we're in today, we will have a brighter future together," he added.

Zhao thanked Holden for serving as a very important bridge between the Chinese people and the Midwest in the United States. "It's a very challenging time, but it's good to see that all relevant partners are working together and acting together, unified against the virus."

"The virus is the common enemy of the whole humanity and no one can deal with it by itself. So we think we need to work together and fight against the virus together," he noted.

Zhao recalled the support and assistance China received earlier this year from American companies and people when China was in the most difficult times of the fight against the virus. "We believe that with the concerted efforts, the people here in the Midwest of the United States will be able to control the spread of the virus."

"We also believe that for China and the United States, the two very important countries, the two biggest economies in the world, we should play a leading role in working together, in helping the world fight against the virus. There are really a lot of things that we need to do together and we can do together," Zhao said.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee sent Ni a thank-you letter. "On behalf of the citizens of Tennessee, I wanted to thank you for your donation of 40,000 disposable masks given through the U.S. China Heartland Association. These masks will help our brave frontline personnel combat the immediate and lasting effects of this terrible virus," it read.

In another thank-you letter, Indiana Secretary of Commerce James Schellinger expressed gratitude for Wanxiang's donation of 100,000 masks to the state of Indiana "during this difficult and uncertain time." "This donation is critical in advancing our state's preparedness and will help protect thousands of lives throughout our communities."

"In a world that is more connected now than ever before, the opportunities and challenges we face are shared. We remain committed partners and we look forward to the opportunity to work together in the future," Schellinger wrote in the letter.

According to Ni, Wanxiang has ordered more masks from China. "There's much more we can do with the local hospitals as well," he said, adding that Wanxiang is looking forward to working with local organizations.

"We stay together, [and] we will defeat this COVID-19," he said.
A photo of the device made from SiC with NV centres. Credit: Jun-Feng Wang

Decoherence is the bane of quantum technologies. In coherent systems, the phase of the wave functions representing the quantum states of particles in the system have definite relations between each other. This allows quantum devices to operate in a meaningful way that differs from classical devices. However, interacting with the world around us rapidly leads to decoherence, which makes it harder to exploit quantum effects for enhancing computation efficiency or communication security. Research has shown that quantum systems with impressively long coherence times are possible in diamond, but diamond is far from the favorite for manufacturers. Now, researchers at the University of Science and Technology in Hefei and Wuhan University in China have demonstrated SiC can boast some of the quantum merits of diamond with the additional advantage of optical control at the wavelengths used by the telecommunications industry.

The defects prized for quantum technologies are nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers, in which a carbon atom in diamond is replaced by a nitrogen with a missing carbon at the neighboring crystal lattice site. What makes this kind of defect interesting for quantum technologies is that you can control its quantum spin states with light and produce photon-spin entanglement with long coherence times, even at room temperature. The difficulties arise when trying to position the technology in the real world as opposed to the lab. The photon-spin interactions for NV centers in diamond need light at visible wavelengthstelecommunications wavelengths are much longer. In addition, these finely engineered devices need to be hacked out of one of the hardest (and most expensive) materials known to man, one that industry does not have established nanofabrication protocols for.

It turns out there are types of defects in SiC that might also be useful for quantum technologies. SiC is widely used in power electronics, so commercially viable avenues for producing SiC devices already exist. Over the past 10 years, vacancies and divacancies (where one or a pair of atoms in the lattice are absent) in SiC began to attract interest when researchers learned that they could also control their spin states with light at room temperature with long coherence times. The observation of NV centers in SiC really piqued interest, as these were optically active at the wavelengths used by the telecommunications industry as opposed to the shorter visible wavelengths needed to control the spin states of vacancies and divacancies in SiC. "We were also interested in the question whether NV centers in the technical material SiC can be coherently controlled like those in diamond," says Jin-Shi Xu, researcher at the University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui and one of the corresponding authors on the report of these latest results.

Optimized implantation

Simply blasting a sample with nitrogen atoms can create NV centers in SiC, as the impact causes nitrogen atoms to take the place of host atoms and elbow a neighboring atom out the way at the same time. You can then see how the defects created behave and whether they may be useful for quantum technologies by measuring different optical responses, such as optically detectable magnetic resonance, photoluminescence and zero phonon lines (where laser light excites the state of the defect without giving or taking energy from lattice vibrations).

One complication is that the impact can blast a lot of other host atoms out the way, too, producing unwanted vacancies and divacancies. The divacancies can prove particularly awkward as they resemble NV centers with some of the optical measurements. In addition, there are not only many kinds of NV centers with different orientations within the crystal lattice, but many polymorphs of SiC as well. "We were greatly interested in NV centers in 3C-SiC with the ZPL [zero phonon line] being in the c-band telecom range, but after trying many different samples, we still could not detect the corresponding ZPLs," says Xu. "We then turned to the 4H-SiC and obtained exciting results."

By controlling the annealing temperature, Xu and fellow USTC researcher Chuan-Feng Li and their collaborators were able to increase the signal from the NV centers with respect to the divacancies. Adjusting other parameters such as annealing time also helped so that they were able to increase the concentration of NV centers by a factor of six. "Previously, people did not know whether NV centers could be isolated," he says. "We tried optimizing the implant fluence and temperature, and we finally found that it worked."

With the implantation parameters optimized, the researchers then tested how much if any coherent optical control they had over the spin-state system. When a quantum system with two available states is illuminated by light at the frequency exactly equating to the energy difference between the states, the system will flip between states at a characteristic frequency. By measuring these "Rabi oscillations," the researchers could confirm that they had coherent control over their system, and that this lasts with a coherence time (T 2 ) of 17.2 s.

The observed coherence times are still shorter than those for NV centers in diamond where a T 2 of milliseconds has been observed. However, it does compete with the coherence times observed for divacancies in SiC, with the additional advantage of operating at telecommunication wavelengths. In addition, the researchers already have in mind strategies that could increase the decoherence time further, including lower nitrogen concentration and the dynamic decoupling technology. The work poses a "coherent" argument for further investigations of NV centers in SiC for quantum computing.

Explore further Novel method for easier scaling of quantum devices

More information: Jun-Feng Wang et al. Coherent control of nitrogen-vacancy center spins in silicon carbide at room temperature. Physical Review Letters (2020) Accepted manuscript Journal information: Physical Review Letters Jun-Feng Wang et al. Coherent control of nitrogen-vacancy center spins in silicon carbide at room temperature.(2020) Accepted manuscript journals.aps.org/prl/accepted/  7547fe3ebb7c2343ca33

 2020 Science X Network
Coronavirus: Tuesday's news from Spain and around the world Coronavirus Updates on the global pandemic

That's everything for our coronavirus blog. Make sure to check back tomorrow to see the latest developments but, until then, stay safe.

00:30. The United States have reported a total of 1,194,494 cases of coronavirus, of which 321,192 are in New York State alone. In terms of deaths, of the 70,272 in the country, 25,073 have occurred in this state which, because of the large number of people moving around for tourism and business, is the most affected in the entire country.

22:50. The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) and the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) have reached an agreement whereby the Basque party will support a further extension of Spain's state of emergency, according to COPE. As such, the proposal that Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will take to Congress will go ahead.

22:25. Gilead Sciences' antiviral drug remdesivir could receive approval in Japan for treatment of COVID-19 patients in the country on Thursday, Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said. Remdesivir already received emergency use approval last week in the United States.

21:35. In France, 330 coronavirus deaths have been recorded in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 25,531, the sharpest increase in six days, according to government figures. New positive cases are also on the rise. In the last two days the curve has risen again, with 576 new cases on Monday and 1,100 new positive cases on Tuesday.

21:25. Several athletes from the French delegation that traveled to Wuhan to participate in the military World Games in late October 2019 claim to have been ill with coronavirus-like symptoms upon their return from China, according to French media. Anonymously, one of the 401 army athletes who represented France in Wuhan told BFM TV that after returning he was sick with fever, difficulty breathing and unable to get out of bed for three days.

21:12. In Russia, the number of infections rose again, with more than 10,000 positive cases for the third day in a row, taking the total to more than 155,000. Deaths are at least 1,451.

21:05. United States president Donald Trump has come after the Democratic Party by stating that the country has done seven million coronavirus tests

For the constant criticism from the Do Nothing Democrats and their Fake News partners, here is the newest chart on our great testing "miracle" compared to other countries. Dems and LameStream Media should be proud of the USA, instead of always ripping us down! pic.twitter.com/8AwnPCNchF ? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 5, 2020

20:40. Amador Suarez Villa, Real Madrid vice-president during Ramon Calderon's time as president between 2006 and 2009, has died of coronavirus at the age of 76. He had been a Real Madrid member since 1964 (he had the card number 10.319), he was born in Huelva on February 12, 1944, although he was now living in San Sebastian, where he died after 40 days in hospital.

20:15. In the United States, 70,115 people have died of coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University. The epicentre of the nationwide outbreak remains New York, where 25,073 deaths have been recorded. The total number of detected cases is 1,181,885.

19:38. In Italy, there have been 236 deaths from COVID-1I in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number to 29,315. The increase in positive cases has risen by 1,075, while the number of discharges has been 2,352.

18:35. The World Health Organization confirmed on Tuesday that a case of COVID-19 was detected in France in December. A French hospital that retested old samples from pneumonia patients and found they were treating a man with COVID-19 on December 27, nearly a month before the French government confirmed its first cases.

18:10. Britain has overtaken Italy as the European country most affected by COVID-19. The number of deaths has already reached 32,313. Great Britain may already be taking some measures towards de-escalation, although this has never been as strict as in other places. In principle, the confinement measures decreed on March 23 last until May 7.

17:44. Pfizer and BioNTech have begun administering doses of their experimental coronavirus vaccines for initial testing in humans in the United States. The US drug maker and the German company said that if the vaccine proves safe and effective in trials, it could be ready for wide distribution in the United States by the end of the year.

16.54. Portugal has registered 11 deaths in the past 24 hours, while there are 178 new cases. In total, the country has had 1,074 deaths and 25,702 cases.

15.09. The USA's daily coronavirus death toll could reach about 3,000 by June 1, according to an internal document that has been obtained by The New York Times.

13.34. The WHO has said that the theories coming from the USA about the origin of the coronavirus are just "speculative". "We have not received any data or specific evidence from the US government relating to the purported origin of the virus," Dr. Michael Ryan told reporters.

13.21. For the third day in a row, Russia has registered more than 10,000 COVID-19 cases.

12.49. The UK now has more deaths than Italy from coronavirus, having registered more than 32,000.

12.24. Various Hollywood actresses have come together to create a funny virtual fight.

12.17. Mango will donate one percent of their takings from sales made in physical stores to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

11.04. The latest coronavirus figures for Spain are out. There were 185 deaths in the past 24 hours, a slight increase on the 164 registered the day before.

10.07. Madrid will make certain streets pedestrian-only to provide more space for people to walk and exercise.

09.31. According to the University of Washington, the number of coronavirus-related deaths in the USA could rise to 134,000.

08.58. With Australia and New Zealand having few cases, there is talk or reopening flight routes between the two countries.

08.00. Spain's opposition parties are set to call for alternative means of organising the return to normality, rather than another state of emergency extension.

07:10. There are reportedly fewer than 400 active cases of coronavirus in China.

07:00. Hello and good morning. Welcome along to this Monday's live blog on all the latest coronavirus news from Spain and beyond.
Early in the pandemic, her staff revisited supplies stockpiled from the 2009 H1N1 outbreak and found everything largely intact except for a few specialized respirators that needed new batteries, Cook said.

The scarcity of protective gear, such as N95 masks and gowns and hand sanitizer, became apparent, so the team created an inventory, reached out to local health care providers and groups working with vulnerable populations to assess their needs, screened requests and worked with city purchasing to hunt for needed supplies.

Friday marked a day when a new cache of personal protective equipment from the state was set to arrive at a secure city warehouse.

Cook and her team screen and vet requests and make recommendations to the unified command on who should receive equipment.

Gowns have become the new scarce commodity even after the department's Brock Hanish designed a body covering with help from Nebraska Innovation Campus folks that could be cut from house wrap and used by Lincoln EMTs and paramedics.

Lincoln Public Schools staff have worked to cut the gowns, nicknamed "Brock smocks," from rolls of Tyvek, while other staff sew them to make the one-size-fits-all smocks.
Just as much of the country hides behind masks and closed doors, the Supreme Court has suddenly made the decision to be seen. For the first week in history, the justices are allowing their proceedings to be broadcast, live on C-SPAN, and we all have the opportunity to hear their voices for the last 10 oral arguments of the 2019 term. Even Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, phoning in from a hospital bed where she is recovering from gallbladder complications, was audible to millions of people possibly for the first time as she expressed, in real time, the questions that worry her about the case.

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And just as the justices are choosing to be visible as the rest of the world slides away, the arguments on Wednesday in Little Sisters of the Poor v. Pennsylvania and Trump v. Pennsylvania are a pretty good indicator of which Americans are visible to the justices and which are simply not. The casesconsolidated for argumentare a follow-on to Obama-era challenges by religious objectors to the contraception mandate in the Affordable Care Act, and if they feel a bit echoey to you, thats because the consolidated cases raise many of the same issues the court addressed in Zubik v. Burwell, which fizzled out in the spring of 2016 after Justice Antonin Scalia died as the case was pending.

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The Little Sisters of the Poor, a Roman Catholic charitable religious order that is doing particularly heroic work to save the elderly, the dying, and the poor during the current COVID-19 crisis, already have a religious accommodation. They have a church plan the government doesnt claim to regulate. They were granted permission to intervene in this case, but the actual dispute here is over new rules promulgated by the Trump administration to broaden the kinds of employers permitted to opt out of the contraception mandate, for reasons religious or moral, and the states (led by Pennsylvania) that do not want to bear the increased cost of the exemptions. But some of the justices still manage to see only religious objectors suffering, and they are also telling us a lot about whom, and also what, they do not see.

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Under the ACA, employers had to provide cost-free contraceptive coverage as part of preventive health care. Churches were always exempted from the mandate, while religious charities, hospitals, and schools were allowed to ask their insurers to provide the coverage directly. Youll recall that in 2014, after Hobby Lobby and other for-profit employers refused to cover contraception for their workers, the Supreme Court determined for the first time that the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act permitted them to opt out, even if it hurt nonreligious third parties (the people who work for them). Instead of forcing these employers to provide birth control outright, the court said they could readily be given the same accommodation the Obama administration had granted religious objectors: They could simply shift the costs to insurers so long as the employer self-certified that it objects to covering contraception. At that point, the religious dissenters no longer wanted that accommodation or to be any part of a causal chain that ended in birth control for workers, regardless of who paid, and demanded that workers be forced to find some other source. That was Zubik, which was decided by not deciding (the case was sent back to the lower courts).

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In 2017, the Trump administration broadened the category of religious exemptions to include more employers who wanted to be free from the obligation to cover their workers contraception. Any nonprofit or for-profit employer, including publicly traded companies, could now be exempted on religious grounds. Further, nonprofits and companies that are not publicly traded who have moral if not religious objections to birth control can also claim exemptions. A federal appeals court in Philadelphia enjoined the new rules nationwide. There is a big element of this case that questions whether the Department of Health and Human Services followed its own administrative procedures to make that new rule, bypassing the ordinary notice and consent requirements, but the bigger issues the court is considering are whether religious dissenters require even more of an accommodation than the self-certification accommodation that came out of Hobby Lobby, and whether the Trump administration can expand that accommodation for anyone with, you know, moral objections to birth control.

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The long-standing tradition, in cases of religious objectors who wish to opt out of government obligations that violate their faith, is one of careful accommodation, with the state attempting to balance the religious burdens on the adherents against the interests of the state and the hardship that befalls third parties. In a moment of vanishingly rare bipartisan consensus, the majority of the justices acknowledged at argument that theres no reason for this question to be in its fourth year of litigation: Is it really the case that there is no way to resolve those differences? asked Chief Justice John Roberts. He added, when questioning Paul Clement, who represents the Little Sisters, The problem is that neither side in this debate wants the accommodation to work. Ginsburg noted that these cases are meant to be resolved through tolerance, accommodation, and respect for workers and students. And Justice Stephen Beyer added, I dont understand why this cant be worked out.

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Justice Samuel Alito, who wrote the Hobby Lobby opinion without ever determining whether there is a compelling state interest in contraception, and without much mention of women at all, took the strongest position in favor of the Little Sisters. He also noted that the longest and best government tradition was for accommodation before concluding that there is nothing the nuns can possibly do to bring them into compliance, even as they are not being asked to comply, and so they must, for some reason, prevail. For her part, Ginsburg could see the clashing interests, but what was most visible and painful to her are the women who will be forced to track down and pay out of pocket for contraceptive care they were guaranteed under the ACA. In three separate rounds of questions, she noted that the Trump administration had tossed entirely to the wind what Congress considered to be essential, that women be provided this service, with no hassle and no cost to them. She was mystified that the government was leaving women in precisely the position the ACA had tried to avoid: to hunt for other government programs that might cover them. And for those who are not covered by Medicaid or one of the other government programs, they can get contraceptive coverage only from paying out of their own pocket, which is exactly what Congress didnt want to happen. Oddly, the only textualist left in the room was the woman asking why the ACA used the words comprehensive coverage when it seemingly really meant meh.

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In response to Ginsburgs questions about how many women would be left in this situation, Solicitor General Noel Francisco shrugged that perhaps between 75,000 to 125,000 women would in fact lose employer coverage for contraception. Those women, then, are so insignificant as to be invisible to the Trump administration. They are truly the ghost-women of the American workforce.

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The true invisibility of these real harms to real women was surfaced when Justice Sonia Sotomayor pressed Paul Clement on what would happen if the government were to similarly exempt religious dissenters from covering a COVID-19 vaccine. Could religiously dissenting companies or charities opt out of paying for an employees hypothetical coronavirus vaccine? Surely such religious objectors exist? Clement responded that in the context of COVID-19, I think the government might be able to meet its burden of requiring that the vaccine be provided regardless. It seems that might rise to a compelling interest for the government, which, it seems, birth control can never be.

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As is often the case of late, it was Roberts who seemed to lament that the 2017 exemptions might sweep too broadly, leaving space for some of the new rules to be cut back. At minimum there may be agreement that the way the court promulgated the rules was sloppy. Astoundingly, the other court conservatives who routinely push for the kneecapping of agency powers and the nondelegation constraint on all federal agencies, appear to be cool with the argument that since Trumps HHS has the authority to create religious exemptions, it also has the authority to do whatever it feels like whenever it wants for any reason. But, as we see with increasing clarity, in a world in which every injury is shaped like a deliberate anti-religious affront, everything elseand everyone elseis always just shadows and noise.
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A Californian mall has reopened and defied Governor Gavin Newsom's stay-at-home order as shoppers poured in - while nervous customers across Texas and Florida shunned shopping centers even though they are allowed to visit.

People flocked to the Yuba City mall Wednesday as it called time on complying with Newsom's executive order to keep non-essential businesses shuttered to slow the spread of coronavirus and became the first Californian mall to reopen.

But in states where malls and retailers have been told they can reopen, shopping centers lay deserted as people decided to keep staying home

In Austin, the newly-reopened Domain mall failed to pull in shoppers and was left looking like a ghost town, growing fears that relaxing lockdowns early could trigger a renewed spike in coronavirus cases and deaths.

It was a slightly brighter picture at The Woodlands Mall in Houston and the Galleria Dallas, where a handful of families, couples and friends were seen taking advantage of the chance to treat themselves to something new.

Over in Florida, the International Mall in Tampa reopened Wednesday under rules it could operate at a maximum capacity of 25 percent - something that did not look to be a problem as the mall walkways lay sparse of shoppers.

However, the Yuba Sutter Mall in Yuba City defied Newsom's orders and became the first mall in California to reopen amid the pandemic

The mall welcomed an influx of shoppers Wednesday, with customers pictured lining up outside stores that were reopening

A customer shuns a mask and tries on shoes with her dog in the Journeys shoe store in Yuba Sutter mall

A woman has her nails done at the Nail Tech salon in the Yuba Sutter Mall in Yuba City, California

A group of other people desperate for a manicure lined up outside the Nail Tech salon waiting for their turn

In California, the Yuba Sutter Mall in Yuba City defied Newsom's orders and became the first mall in California to reopen amid the pandemic - despite the state still being under lockdown.

The mall welcomed an influx of shoppers Wednesday, with customers pictured lining up outside stores that were reopening.

Around 22 of the 50 retailers opened their doors, with the others staying shut under the executive order.

One woman was pictured having her nails done at the Nail Tech salon while a group of other people desperate for a manicure lined up outside waiting for their turn.

In a shoe store a woman was pictured with her dog - but without a mask - trying on a new pair of shoes.

The defiance comes as Newsom has been cautious about relaxing the state's stay-at-home order and some counties have taken matters into their own hands.

California: Canoga Park Mall continues to be shut as Governor Gavin Newsom has been more cautious about relaxing the state's stay-at-home order

The governor announced Monday that stores selling books, clothing, sporting goods, flowers and other retailers can reopen for curbside pickup from Friday as long as they implement social distancing adjustments

The Northridge Fashion Mall is pictured abandoned Wednesday as they continue to be shuttered until at least Friday  when Newsom's restrictions begin to ease

The death toll in California has now reached 2,396 and confirmed coronavirus cases reached 58,924 as of Wednesday

Newsom has refused to bow to pressure to reopen the state too quickly, as the death toll has now reached 2,396 and confirmed cases 58,924.

Most malls continue to be closed to shoppers across the state, with both the Northridge Fashion Mall and Canoga Park Mall pictured abandoned Wednesday.

The governor announced Monday that stores selling books, clothing, sporting goods, flowers and other retailers can reopen for curbside pickup from Friday as long as they implement social distancing adjustments.

Six counties in the Bay Area, including San Francisco, have extended the shelter-in-place order until mid-May but will allow construction to restart.

However, three Northern California counties have already reopened in defiance of state orders, after anti-lockdown protesters took to the streets over the last week demanding an end to lockdowns.

Newsom has slammed the move by the several rural counties 'a big mistake' that could set back the progress the state has made in tackling the pandemic.

Austin: The newly-reopened Domain mall failed to pull in shoppers and was left looking like a ghost town, as some people decided to keep staying stay home

Dallas: At the Galleria Dallas, a few shoppers were seen returning to the mall as it opened for the first time since March 18

Houston: Families, couples and friends were seen taking advantage of the chance to treat themselves to something new in The Woodlands Mall

As Californians defy stay-at-home orders, nervous shoppers are staying away from newly-reopened malls in Texas for fear that the lockdown is ending too soon.

Businesses are returning to a type of normal after the state lifted restrictions at the weekend and allowed malls, stores, movie theaters and restaurants to open up at 25 percent capacity.

Concerns are mounting that the state's push to reopen is too soon, as infections continue to rise, reaching 33,912 cases and 925 deaths as of Wednesday morning.

This comes as a leaked recording exposed Governor Greg Abbott admitting that reopening Texas amid the coronavirus pandemic will lead to a rise in infections of the deadly virus across the state.

The Domain opened its doors Friday for the first time since the pandemic forced it to shutter on March 18.

But, despite the sunny weather, Texan shoppers looking to take advantage of the chance for some retail therapy at the sprawling open-air shopping center were in short supply.

Pictures taken Wednesday at the outdoor mall show only a handful of people strolling around - a far cry from the lines of people seen during retail's busiest seasons of Black Friday and the Christmas holidays.

The mall's operator Simon Property Group - the biggest operator across the whole of the US - has become one of the first to return to business as usual, reopening 59 of its locations across the US as of May 5 and with another 18 planned over the course of the next week.

The Domain, Texas: Closed stores line a sidewalk at the outdoor shopping center in Austin as many stores remain closed despite being able to reopen

As of Wednesday morning there were 33,912 coronavirus cases and 925 deaths in Texas

Customers eat at Glorias, a restaurant at The Domain, an outdoor shopping center in Austin

Austin: The Domain opened its doors Friday for the first time since the pandemic forced it to shutter on March 18

Hand sanitizer is available for shoppers: Only a handful of people were seen strolling around outside the front of the mall - a far cry from the lines of people seen during retail's busiest seasons of Black Friday and the Christmas holidays

Despite the sunny weather, Texan shoppers looking to take advantage of the chance for some retail therapy at the sprawling open-air shopping center were in short supply

The group has introduced a number of measures to keep shoppers and workers safe at its malls.

Signs reminding shoppers to keep a 6-foot distance were displayed around the mall and sanitization checkpoints have been set up in common areas and restrooms.

All staff are required to wear masks and have their temperatures checked when they report for work at the mall.

Certain areas such as play areas and drinking fountains remain closed, while the common areas that have stayed open such as the food court seating and restrooms are being subject to regular cleaning and have been limited so that people can more easily practice social distancing.

Images of the Domain show some benches in the open air have been taped up to ensure weary shoppers can keep six-feet apart as they take a pit stop during their sprees.

Signs reminding shoppers to keep a 6-foot distance were displayed around the mall and sanitization checkpoints have been set up in common areas and restrooms

Images of the mall show some benches in the open air have been taped up to ensure weary shoppers can keep six-feet apart as they take a pit stop during their sprees

Certain areas such as play areas and drinking fountains remain closed, while the common areas that have stayed open such as the food court seating and restrooms are being subject to regular cleaning and have been limited

The measures have not been enough to draw in the crowds, however, with pictures showing the mall deserted of customers.

A lone male customer was seen wearing a mask to collect take-out from one of the food outlets, while a woman wearing a mask pointed out the closed off play area as she walked past.

Hopes that the center's reopening would spark an influx of shoppers and restore some much-needed business to ailing retailers have fallen flat, with staff reporting depressing scenes inside the stores too.

A worker at Chaser clothing store told Reuters Monday they had served one customer all day.

The measures have not been enough to draw in the crowds, however, with pictures showing the mall deserted of customers. A woman wearing a mask pointed out the closed off play area as she walked past

A lone male customer was seen wearing a mask to collect take-out from one of the food outlets

Hopes that the center's reopening would spark an influx of shoppers and restore some much-needed business to ailing retailers have fallen flat

'I've seen one customer today - they didn't buy anything,' said Taylor Jund. 'There's absolutely no one coming around here.'

A visitor said the lack of customers is not surprising.

'The cases of coronavirus aren't really going down, so I suspect people aren't comfortable going to malls or getting back to normal life,' David Tamayo said while sitting on a shaded bench with his girlfriend at The Domain, where he said they came to relax outdoors.

Dallas: At another Simon Properties Group mall over in Dallas, more people were seen taking advantage of the chance to return to stores that were not classed as essential under the earlier stay-at-home order

A family were also seen putting on masks provided to them by the mall - as the facility is handing out the protective wear to shoppers who need them

A worker opens Pandora store up for business: Not all stores have chosen to reopen yet

At another Simon Properties Group mall over in Dallas, slightly more people were seen taking advantage of the chance to return to stores that had not been classed as essential under the earlier stay-at-home order.

A handful of couples, families and friends were seen browsing the stores in the Galleria Dallas on its reopening day Monday.

Two young boys were handed masks to put on by security at the mall after they had turned up to shop maskless.

A family were also seen putting on masks provided to them by the mall - as the facility is handing out the protective wear to shoppers who need them.

Two young boys were handed masks to put on by security at the mall after they had turned up to shop maskless

High end fashion brand Louis Vuitton was fairly busy, with a shop assistant seen wearing a mask while welcoming shoppers to the store

A sign could be seen in the window of the store reminding shoppers about social distancing - all on-brand with the fashion store's look

A handful of couples, families and friends were seen browsing the stores in the Galleria Dallas on its reopening day Monday

High end fashion brand Louis Vuitton was seen to be fairly busy, with a shop assistant wearing a mask welcoming shoppers to the store.

A sign could be seen in the window of the store reminding shoppers about social distancing - all on-brand with the fashion store's look.

As well as pointers to wear a mask and practice social distancing, the sign tells shoppers to 'ask your client advisor for assistance' as a reminder that safe practices doesn't mean an end to good customer service.

The shopping center had said it was taking the weekend to plan for its reopening rather than rush to open its doors as soon as the executive order lifted Friday

A man and child walk through the mall wearing masks. The mall said it will monitor the number of customers coming through its doors via the parking entrance to ensure the mall is in compliance with Governor Abbott's new rules that retailers must operate at 25 percent capacity

Shoppers wear masks outside Macy's. The mall will also continue with its 'Retail-To-Go' initiative - which many stores have offered during the lockdown

The Retail-To-Go initiative means shoppers can make purchases either online or by phone, and retailers can then deliver the goods to them at a drive up lane that is open daily from noon to 6 pm

A worker cleans the hand rails of the escalator in the Galleria Dallas mall on Monday to protect against COVID-19

The shopping center had said it was taking the weekend to plan for its reopening rather than rush to open its doors as soon as the executive order lifted Friday.

It will monitor the number of customers coming through its doors via the parking entrance to ensure the mall is in compliance with Governor Abbott's new rules that retailers must operate at 25 percent capacity.

That said, with the sparsity of shoppers - and with some retailers choosing against reopening their stores - this does not seem to be an issue the mall is facing.

The mall will also continue with its 'Retail-To-Go' initiative - which many stores have offered during the lockdown - where shoppers can make purchases either online or by phone, and retailers can then deliver the goods to them at a drive up lane that is open daily from noon to 6 pm.

Houston: The Woodlands Mall has signs reminding people to social distance. 'Shop smart, stand six stairs apart' the floor to the escalator reads

Shoppers were seen returning for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic to The Woodlands Mall Tuesday

Some shoppers wore masks as they walked through the mall, while for other shoppers - and even some stall attendees in the malls - there was no masks in sight

Over in Houston, shoppers were also seen returning for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic to The Woodlands Mall Tuesday

Some shoppers wore masks as they walked through the mall, while for other shoppers - and even some stall attendees in the malls - there was no masks in sight.

In Journeys shoe store, a shop assistant was seen helping a young girl pick up some new shoes.

While the worker sported a face mask, the young customer shunned the measure suggested by the US government to slow the spread of coronavirus and had no covering on her face.

Stores making sure they comply with the 25 percent capacity rules were seen being taped off after the maximum numbers of occupants were reached.

At one point, manager Natalie Hijazi temporarily closed off the entrance to Pet Fair store and put up a sign saying: 'Due to the current 25% occupancy limit by Governor's order, we are limiting the number of entries.'

Two women wearing masks as they walked through the mall following its reopening

Stores making sure they comply with the 25 percent capacity rules were seen being taped off with signs after the maximum numbers were reached

Manager Natalie Hijazi temporarily closed off the entrance to Pet Fair store and put up a sign saying: 'Due to the current 25% occupancy limit by Governor's order, we are limiting the number of entries'

Governor Abbott announced the reopening of malls at a limited capacity last week as the state looks to return to normal life as soon as possible amid the pandemic.

Since March 18, malls and shopping streets have been pictured boarded up and deserted due to stay-at-home orders.

Shopping was limited to essential purchases only, with grocery stores and pharmacies some of the only retailers allowed to keep their doors open.

Abbott was initially reluctant to allow non-essential businesses to recommence trade until May 18.

However, the governor bowed to public pressure, and will also allow public pools, barbershops, hairdressers and nail salons to re-open from Friday.

It is unclear when bars will be able to re-commence trade.

But Abbott has now been heard admitting that reopening the state will trigger a renewed spike in cases of the deadly disease.

The number of cases of coronavirus in Texas continues to rise as the state reopens

A map of Texas shows the spread of coronavirus across the state. Concerns are mounting that the state's push to reopen is too soon, as infections continue to rise, reaching 33,912 cases and 925 deaths as of Wednesday morning

Abbott announced in a media briefing last week that the state would 'strategically' allow businesses such as malls, movie theaters and restaurants to run at 25 per cent capacity and said 'it's only logical to see there would be an increase in the number of people that test positive'.

But in a Friday call with lawmakers Abbott directly linked the reopening to the spread of COVID-19, while stating that his goal was not to eliminate the disease but only get the number of reported cases reduced.

'How do we know reopening businesses won't result in faster spread of more cases of COVID-19?' Abbott is heard asking in the audio obtained by The Daily Beast.

'Listen, the fact of the matter is pretty much every scientific and medical report shows that whenever you have a reopeningwhether you want to call it a reopening of businesses or of just a reopening of societyin the aftermath of something like this, it actually will lead to an increase and spread. It's almost ipso facto.'

The authenticity of the conversation, first reported by The Quorum Report, with members of the state legislature and Congress was confirmed by the governor's spokesperson.

In the recording Abbott goes on to admit that he is not aiming to eradicate the virus in the state and knows that allowing people to gather again will cause the infection rate to spike.

'The more that you have people out there, the greater the possibility is for transmission,' Abbott continued. 'The goal never has been to get transmission down to zero and never can be to keep transmission down to zero.

Florida: Two men walk through the International Mall in Tampa, Florida, which was back to business on Wednesday as it reopened with new measures aimed to stop the spread of coronavirus among shoppers and staff

Though the mall was eerily quiet in comparison to the pre-pandemic era, a small but steady stream of shoppers arrived on the opening day to take in the chance to browse their favorite stores  something that had become a distant memory

Most shoppers wore protective face masks as they were pictured strolling through the mall

Over in Florida, the International Mall in Tampa was back to business on Wednesday as Governor Ron DeSantis also allowed malls and stalls to reopen at 25 percent capacity.

Though the mall was eerily quiet in comparison to the pre-pandemic era, a small but steady stream of shoppers arrived on the opening day to take in the chance to browse their favorite stores  something that had become a distant memory.

Most shoppers wore protective face masks as they were pictured strolling through the mall.

Certain stores seemed to draw in bigger crowds than others with around eight people  some in masks and some without - seen congregated outside the Disney store.

Certain stores seemed to draw in bigger crowds than others with around eight people  some in masks and some without - seen congregated outside the Disney store

A sign displayed on sportswear brand Lululemon read: 'We're closed. Our teams are making sure that we're fit to open when the time is right' as it continues to stay shut until further notice

The mall's Apple store and J Crew store also had signs saying they are staying closed indefinitely

A man goes for a stroll through the mall. Despite the lifting of the state's restrictions, just 20 percent of stores reopened that morning

One shopper told Fox 13 they just wanted a trip out  rather than needing to buy something.

'Actually we just came in to walk, to see if everything was open,' said Valerie Flavors.

But despite the lifting of the state's restrictions, just 20 percent of stores reopened that morning.

Many stores kept their doors closed, amid fears that reopening businesses too soon will spark an uplift in new cases of coronavirus.

Many stores kept their doors closed, amid fears that reopening businesses too soon will spark an uplift in new cases of coronavirus, including J Crew above

More stores in the mall are expected to open later in the week and others offer a delivery-only service to shoppers' cars

The International Mall has taken a number of steps to create a safer environment for staff and shoppers, including social distancing signs

A sign displayed on sportswear brand Lululemon read: 'We're closed. Our teams are making sure that we're fit to open when the time is right.'

The mall's Apple store and J Crew store also had signs saying they are staying closed indefinitely.

More stores in the mall are expected to open later in the week and others offer a delivery-only service to shoppers' cars.

The International Mall has taken a number of steps to create a safer environment for staff and shoppers.

Signs were seen reminding people to social distance while a mall worker was pictured sticking a social distancing sticker on the floor.

Outside luxury jeweller Tiffany & Co. a worker was seen wearing a visor, protective gloves and a mask while wiping down the railings.

The mall management said when the center reaches the maximum capacity of 25 percent under the state's rules, it will close its doors to new shoppers.

A mall worker was pictured sticking a social distancing sticker on the floor at the International Mall

Several shoppers are seen walking outside the stores without masks. The mall management said when the center reaches the maximum capacity of 25 percent under the state's rules, it will close its doors to new shoppers

Outside luxury jeweller Tiffany & Co. a worker was seen wearing a visor, protective gloves and a mask while wiping down the railings

Florida lifted most of its coronavirus restrictions Monday, including allowing retailers and restaurants across much of the state to open their doors at a 25 percent capacity.

But there are varying restrictions in place across the state, meaning South Florida and Miami shopping malls still have to keep their doors shut.

As well as malls, Florida also relaxed rules along its beaches from Monday as part of the state's phased reopening.

Cafes along the beach also reopened with eateries allowed to resume dine-in services if they have outdoor seating and can ensure social distancing.

Medical practices can also resume elective surgeries and procedures while movie theaters, bars and fitness clubs will remain closed for now.

Governor Rick DeSantis has left existing restrictions in place across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties - the three most highly populated in the state.

DeSantis had drawn criticism for waiting until April 2 to clamp down on commerce, after most other states had already done so.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Florida had 38,002 confirmed cases and 1,539 deaths from coronavirus.

As shoppers across some states have started to take advantage of the chance to snap up their favorite brands once more this week, the scenes inside and outside the malls give a mixed picture of how residents feel about relaxed lockdown rules.

Texas and other southern states are leading the way in letting stay-at-home orders expire and getting economies back up and running, despite repeated warnings from medical experts if they reopen too soon.

Armed protesters have been marching on capitol buildings to demand an end to lockdowns, saying it has taken away their liberty and that businesses and jobs have been damaged beyond repair.
A bird nest filled with eggs has been spotted in a pair of boxers hanging in a Chinese school dormitory after it was closed for more than three months due to the coronavirus lockdown.

A Chinese parent made the unusual discovery on Friday while helping their child move to another dorm at a secondary school in Xiangyang, Hubei province, Chinese media report.

A student, who remains unidentified, had allegedly left the washed underwear to dry before the school was forced to shut down amid the virus outbreak.

A bird nest filled with eggs has been spotted in the crotch area of a pair of boxers hanging at a dormitory in China after the school was closed for over three months due to the lockdown

It comes as tens of millions of pupils in China are returning to the campus after the draconian coronavirus lockdown. Hubei students who are in their final year of high school have resumed classes today.

Social media footage captured a bird nest hidden in a pair of black underpants hanging at the balcony of a dormitory. A few eggs can also be spotted at the animal's cosy home.

An online post included pictures of the bird nest - allegedly uploaded by a student from the school - read: 'Can't find this unlucky brother from year 11.'

One pupil replied: 'S***, my clothes is still hanging in the corridor.'

Another web user commented: 'Hahaha, this bird nest must be nice and warm.'

Pictured, a student takes her luggage as she moves in the student residence at Shenzhen Futian High School on April 27

Hubei students who are in their final year of high school have resumed classes today. A high school senior student checks the body temperature of her classmates before a class in Wuhan, Hubei province on May 6

Pupils from the former ground zero Hubei province who are in their final year of high school resumed classes today. Students in year 3 are seen washing their hands before entering the Hubei Wuchang Experimental High School on April 30

The unusual scene comes after schools and universities across China have recently welcomed their students back to the campus after cities lifted travel restrictions.

Pupils from the former ground zero Hubei province who are in their final year of high school resumed classes today.

Authorities required students to wear face masks at all times and maintain a high level of personal hygiene by washing their hands regularly.

But experts have warned that pupils might struggle with intense physical activities while wearing face masks.

A student wearing a face mask walks past a monitor connected to a thermo scanner which detects pupils' body temperatures at the entrance of Wuhan No.2 High School on May 6

Students wearing face masks are pictured reading books on a playground of Pingmin middle school on the first day of its reopening on April 25

The warning comes as two schoolboys in China died of sudden cardiac arrest in the space of a week as they take part in PE lessons while wearing face masks.

The students from two different Chinese cities, both 'suddenly' collapsed on their schools' running track and were subsequently pronounced dead on April 24 and April 30 respectively.

Officials from several major cities  including Tianjin and Shanghai - have cancelled running tests for students this year as a result of the increasing concerns over pupils' fitness.
Gardai and PSNI officers mount armed coronavirus checkpoints on the border with Northern Ireland at Carrickarnon Co Louth. PA Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Business leaders in cross-border areas have suggested the reopening of the economy in Northern Ireland could be coordinated with the Republic's plan.

Paul Clancy, the head of Londonderry Chamber, and Colm Shannon, leader of Newry Chamber, said the volume of cross-border travel and work in their locations meant it would be helpful to be in step with plans in the Republic.

They were giving evidence to the Assemblys Economy Committee on Wednesday morning on the impact of Covid-19 and the prospect of the reopening of the economy, along with Simon Hamilton, chief executive of Belfast Chamber and Karen Yates, head of Causeway Chamber.

Mr Clancy said: It would be very beneficial to try and coordinate as much as possible across the border.

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He said 60% of members of Londonderry Chamber members had indicated plans to furlough staff but that he hoped that the furlough scheme could be extended beyond June to help stricken sectors.

Colm Shannon, of Newry Chamber, said that nearly 80% of firms in the area were closed or operating from home.

About 70% of firms had furloughed all or some of their staff. But he said that firms who were considering reopening their staff now felt that their staffing requirements would be around 25% below the levels of March.

Mr Shannon said: We have previously been one of the fastest-growing economies in Northern Ireland but today nearly 80% of firms are closed or operating from home. The big challenge of Covid-19 has been its sudden nature, with no time to prepare and markets and customers disappearing overnight.

He said rebuilding consumer confidence after lockdown would be crucial and may require some coordination with the Republic of Irelands approach due to Newrys location close to the border.

Belfast Chamber of Trade chief executive Simon Hamilton told MLAs that only 6% of businesses in the city remained physically open, only a third were eligible for either the Executive's 10,000 or 25,000 grant schemes and 83% of businesses are furloughing workers.

Expand Close General view of Belfast city centre on Wednesday as many businesses remain closed due to the Coronavirus. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E / Facebook

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Whatsapp General view of Belfast city centre on Wednesday as many businesses remain closed due to the Coronavirus. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye.

He said the coronavirus impact on the city had been significant.

"Given the fact that the city is the economic driver of the entire region, accounting for 30% of Northern Ireland's jobs, produces a quarter of the total rates take and generates 50% of out of state visitor spend."

He added: "It isn't expected that footfall will pick up to anywhere near pre-coronavirus levels for some time to come so those businesses will need ongoing support to help them through these tough times which will be with us for quite a while."

Mr Hamilton said Belfast's performance sent "ripples" around other parts of Northern Ireland.

Last week Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced a phased approach to reopening in the Republic, including the reopening of small shops with a small number of staff on June 8.

Mr Shannon added: Wed like to see an equivalent and realistic plan in Northern Ireland as well, and some form of alignment so we dont have two tiers with one system on one side of the border and another in our area.
Democratic voters in East Portlands House District 47 will see just one candidate for the seat on their May 19 primary election ballots: Rep. Diego Hernandez.

But Hernandez faces accusations of sexual harassment and calls from House Speaker Tina Kotek and other legislative Democrats to resign, which raises the question of what would happen in the heavily Democratic district if Hernandez does step down.

Theres no indication he immediately intends to do so: In a statement to The Oregonian/OregonLive on Monday, Hernandez asked that people withhold judgment until the investigation is complete. Unlike many other Oregon lawmakers who hold outside jobs, serving as a lawmaker is Hernandez sole occupation, according to his candidate filing with the Secretary of States office. He is also an elected member of the Reynolds school board serving his second term.

Seven people have accused Hernandez of incidences of verbal sexual harassment as well as  sexual harassment that involved contact, that would involve touching and creating a hostile work environment in or around the Capitol, interim Legislative Equity Officer Jackie Sandmeyer told lawmakers on the House Special Committee on Conduct Monday afternoon.

Hernandez chose not to take part in the hearing and what exactly he is accused of doing and to whom remains unclear. But the fact that so many women have submitted complaints clearly caused fellow Democrats to have serious concerns.

The committee ultimately voted to implement safety measures against Hernandez, including a requirement that he provide 24-hours notice before entering the Capitol. Lawmakers also ordered no contact between Hernandez and the people who reported his alleged misconduct.

Andrea Chiapella, legislative director in the Oregon Secretary of States office, said two processes come into play if a lawmaker resigns at this point in an election year. Surprisingly enough, this happens fairly often, Chiapella said of the need to replace a lawmaker, which has occurred in recent years for a variety of reasons, such as a lawmaker stepping down to run for higher office.

If a state representative resigns at least 61 days before the Nov. 3 general election, that legislator would be replaced for the remainder of their term through an appointment process in which candidates are selected by county commissioners in the district. When the resignation is closer to the general election, the position simply goes unfilled for the remainder of the term and the new lawmaker takes office in January 2021.

As for selecting that new lawmaker, voters would still get to make the decision in November. But since Hernandez is running unopposed in the May Democratic primary, the Democratic Party would have to hold a nominating convention to replace him if Hernandez steps down and withdraws from the nomination to represent the party on the November ballot, Chiapella said. Anyone appointed to serve the remainder of Hernandez term in 2020 would not automatically become the Democratic nominee in November. Under state law, Democrats would have to hold the nominating convention no later than the 67th day before the general election, Chiapella said.

Molly Woon, a spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Oregon, said shes not aware of any write-in campaign by any Democrat in House District 47. She concurred with Chiapella that Oregon parties and elected officials have plenty of experience with the processes of filling empty legislative seats and replacing candidates who drop out.

For example, Democrats chose Courtney Neron to represent them on the November 2018 ballot for House District 26 after the winner of the Democratic primary for the seat, Ryan Spiker, withdrew from the race, citing health concerns. Selecting a candidate via a nominating convention amid the coronavirus pandemic would present some challenges, but Woon said if the party ends up needing to do so, we will find a way.

-- Hillary Borrud: hborrud@oregonian.com; @hborrud

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Guernica 37 has said that Rami Makhlouf is in the UAE and that he should be tried for his role in supporting the regime and their crimes writes Etihad Press.

An international human rights organization has revealed the location of Rami Makhlouf, a Syrian businessman and the current presidents cousin: he is in the UAE.

The organization called for a fair trial for his role in inciting crimes carried out by the Syrian governments armed forces against Syrian civilians over the past nine years.

Guernica 37  International Chambers, which works on international and justice issues, said in a statement that it published on its website May 4, 2020, that Rami Makhlouf is a, part of a joint criminal enterprise that is headed by the Syrian president and is carried out by a network of supporters within the regime intelligence branches.

The statement added that Makhlouf is currently in the United Arab Emirates, despite him being on the list of US and European sanctions for his involvement in public corruption, and his funding of the brutal destruction of the pro-democracy revolution since 2011.

The group called on the UAE to respect its obligations to international treaties, and not allow the use of its territory as a safe haven for individuals accused of war crimes.

The group added that more than half of Syrias pre-war population has been killed, disappeared, forced to leave their homes or forced into exile due to the brutal methods of the Syrian intelligence and security forces, and Rami Makhlouf is considered a very important part of this operation. He willingly witnessed the destruction of entire communities in Syria, as well as the brutal killing of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians.

Rami Makhlouf published two video clips in the past several days on what appeared to be his official Facebook page. In the latest clip, he said, Had anyone expected that the security apparatus would target the companies of Rami Makhlouf, who was their greatest supporter, main servant and biggest sponsor throughout the war?

According to the rights groups statement, Makhloufs videos were clear admission of support for the crimes committed against civilians.

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.
Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have launched a new mobile platform to address another serious complication of the novel coronavirus pandemic: stress and anxiety. Called "MyWellnessCheck," the platform will seek to understand how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is affecting mental health on a global scale and identify how certain attitudes and behaviors may help increase positive well-being during a crisis.

"When facing something as new as this pandemic with so many unknowns, threats to a person's overall mental health and wellness are undeniable," said Raeanne Moore, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine. "It's important that we provide tools that check in on people and identify when support is needed."

The survey is anonymous and available worldwide in English, Dutch, Spanish and Mandarin. It was initiated by a multidisciplinary team of researchers using the UC San Diego's collaborative science platform Earth2.0.

The project is led by psychiatry researchers at UC San Diego Health and designers at Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands.

The effort begins with an anonymous survey focused on asking basic questions about health, such as sleep, exercise, optimism for the future and quality of personal relationships.

In order to be involved in the study, respondents will need to provide contact information including an email and phone number, but any personal identifiers are kept separate from the data so researchers will not be able to associate any person with certain responses.

Using the answers, researchers will develop better measures of a person's well-being and expand upon mental health interventions for the future. Answering the questions serves as a positive mental activity for the respondents as well.

This is a unique global situation that challenges us to think about our fundamental goals in society,If we are able to understand how this crisis is affecting our well-being over time, we will be better positioned, as a society, to respond to our collective needs." Derek Lomas, PhD, Assistant Professor of Human-Centered Design, Delft

Researchers will also analyze a person's living situation, population density of their city, demographics and geographical information to address how the context of a person's environment may be affecting their overall well-being.

"By gathering this data on a global scale, we'll create 'heat maps' and look at how people in the United States and throughout the world are dealing with stress and anxiety associated with the COVID-19 crisis," said Moore.

These data are intended to not only help from a psychological perspective, but a biological one. Research shows loneliness, stress and anxiety are significant health risk factors, particularly among older persons.

"We're hoping that the survey will increase personal awareness so that people can better identify when they may be at risk for poor outcomes and know when they need to reach out for help," said Lomas. "In terms of intervention, we hope in the future to be able to provide support both immediately and over time."

MyWellnessCheck is also available for organizations, such as companies or schools that wish to anonymously check-in with their staff or students.

"This can allow organizations to explore different avenues of support for their team, resulting in a measurable impact and better services for those in need," said Moore.
A van taken early Sunday morning by a 13-year-old boy in northern Bucks County was spotted about 1 p.m. that day on Interstate 95 South in Fairfax County, Virginia, south of Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania State Police said Wednesday afternoon.

The stolen license plate, that Kadin Kent Willauer, 13, of Milford Township, swapped onto his parents white 2016 Chrysler Town & Country minivan while stopping for gas in Upper Saucon Township soon after leaving his house at 3:30 a.m., was picked up by some sort of camera/plate reader along the highway, police said. It wasnt clear if the boy was still behind the wheel more than 200 miles from home. The Pennsylvania tag as of that point was ZGW4969, police said.

A similar 2016 white Chrysler Town & Country minivan.Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com

The boy didnt bring his cellphone, but the van hasnt triggered EZPass and there has been no credit card use, police said. The boy did have some money with him, police said. Willauer has not contacted his parents since running away, police said.

There was no immediate connection between Willauer and the Washington, D.C., area, police said. It initially thought that he remained in the area.

Troopers on Tuesday searched the Appalachian Trail but didnt find anything, police said. Willauer is an experienced dirt bike and ATV rider who is comfortable in the outdoors, police said.

Kadin Kent WillauerCourtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com

Police are actively searching for the boy and the investigation is ongoing. If you have any information on where he may be or where he might go, you are asked to call the Dublin barracks at 215-249-9191.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting lehighvalleylive.com with a voluntary subscription.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is facing criticism after announcing a plan with Bill Gates foundation to reimagine schools when they reopen after the coronavirus pandemic.

During a press briefing Tuesday, the New York governor wondered aloud if the old model of in-person learning was obsolete with todays technology. He didnt say buildings wont reopen, but said the state is exploring the possibility that K-12 schools will utilize distancing learning in the future.

Cuomo also announced a partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to evaluate possible changes to the education system, including providing more opportunities to students, using technology to reduce educational inequality, and recreating larger class or lecture hall environments with virtual classrooms.

Bill Gates is a visionary in many ways, and his ideas and thoughts on technology and education hes spoken about for years, Cuomo said Tuesday. But I think we now have a moment in history where we can actually incorporate and advance those ideas.

We all talk about change and advancement, but really we like control and we like the status quo and its hard to change the status quo. But we get moments in history where people say, OK, Im ready. Im ready for change. I get it. I think this is one of those moments.

The Gothamist reports at least five organizations have already spoken out against the partnership, citing concerns about the Microsoft founders support of standardized testing and Common Core curriculum.

Both the Gates Foundation and Andrew Cuomo have a history of pushing privatization and agendas that have the potential to destroy public schools," Alliance for Quality Education executive director Jasmine Gripper told the publication. This collaboration raises a red flag and real questions about what shape our reimagined public schools will take post-pandemic, and whether they will be recognizable as public schools at all.

According to U.S. News & World Report, three groups  New York State Allies for Public Education, Class Size Matters, and the Parent Coalition for Student Privacy  have already written to Cuomo and state education officials to voice their objections.

We were appalled to hear that you will be working with the Gates Foundation on reimagining our schools following the Covid crisis, the coalition wrote. Bill Gates and the Gates Foundation have promoted one failed educational initiative after another, causing huge disaffection in districts throughout the state.

The education of our children has been repeatedly put at risk by their non-evidence based solutions, which were implemented without parent input and despite significant public opposition."

New York State United Teachers President Andy Pallotta added in a statement: If we want to reimagine education, lets start with addressing the need for social workers, mental health counselors, school nurses, enriching arts courses, advanced courses and smaller class sizes in school districts across the state. Lets secure the federal funding and new state revenues through taxes on the ultrawealthy that can go toward addressing these needs. And lets recognize educators as the experts they are by including them in these discussions about improving our public education system for every student."

New York state schools are closed for the rest of the academic year due to concerns about COVID-19. Cuomo has not said if schools will resume in-person classrooms this fall or what, if any, changes will occur to prevent further spread of the virus that has infected more than 1.2 million in the U.S. and killed at least 70,000 nationwide.

Lets learn from this experience, Cuomo said Tuesday. We did a lot of remote learning. Frankly, we werent prepared to do it, we didnt have advance warning. But there is more we can do.

According to U.S. News & World Report, its unclear if New York will financially compensate the Gates Foundation or whether it will donate its consulting resources to the state.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has committed to work with New York State on its efforts to ensure equitable access to education for its students in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a spokesperson said in a statement. We will provide further details as they become available.

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Michael Stone is tackled by security officers as he entered Stormont in 2006

Michael Stone on parole from Maghaberry prison in 2019

Milltown Cemetery bomber Michael Stone's legal bid to overturn a ruling that he must spend at least four more years in jail will be heard next month, it was has been confirmed.

Senior judges said social distancing restrictions can be put in place to enable the loyalist killer's appeal to proceed at the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast.

Stone is currently serving a 30-year sentence for waging a sectarian campaign involving six murders.

He was freed early under the Good Friday Agreement in 2000, but returned to prison six years later for attempting to kill Sinn Fein leaders Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness at Stormont.

In January 2019 the High Court held that the Department of Justice had wrongly determined Stone is eligible for potential release on parole.

According to that ruling he must remain behind bars until July 2024 at the earliest.

The finding came in a legal challenge mounted by the sister of one of 64-year-old Stone's victims.

Deborah McGuinness's brother, Thomas McErlean, was among three mourners murdered in the infamous grenade attack on an IRA funeral at Milltown Cemetery in west Belfast in March 1988.

Expand Close Loyalist Michael Stone attacks mourners at Milltown Cemetery in 1988 / Facebook

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Stone initially attempted to mount an appeal at the Supreme Court.

However, justices in London said they did not have jurisdiction to hear the case.

Instead, the former UDA man is going before the Court of Appeal in Belfast in an attempt to reverse the ruling in Ms McGuinness's case.

At a review hearing on Wednesday, Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan told lawyers participating remotely that a live hearing can be facilitated.

"We have noticed in particular that there's a great deal of space in the Nisi Prius court," Sir Declan explained.

"As long as the hearing is limited to the legal representatives and the press."

Extensions may also be made to ensure the three appeal judges can maintain social distancing.

Penciling in a hearing in early June, Sir Declan added: "We will check staff arrangements and notify the parties of the date."

The case centres on the High Court finding that the six years Stone spent out on licence should not count towards his minimum term of imprisonment.

As well as killing three people in the Milltown attack, he was also the gunman in another three murders.

Milkman Patrick Brady was shot dead in south Belfast in November 1984, 12 months before joiner Kevin McPolin was gunned down in Lisburn, Co Antrim.

Stone's return to prison followed his infamous assault on Parliament Buildings in 2006.

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He denied it had been a bid to kill the Sinn Fein politicians, instead claiming it was an act pf performance art.

In 2013 he was told that he must serve the remainder of his 30-year sentence.

Stone's case was then referred to Parole Commissioners on the basis that he has now served that minimum term.

However, Ms McGuinness claimed the Department unlawfully included the six years he spent out on licence before the attack on Stormont.

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Her legal team insisted he should not be considered eligible for release until 2024 - when a full 30 years will have been served in custody.

They successfully argued it was required for a sentence imposed to punish and deter Stone from any future offences.
A college student who asked her professor for an assignment extension after her father died from complications related to COVID-19 was told to "try to get it done in time" via email, according to a viral post that's sparked outrage and conversation about which demands are reasonable to place on students during this time.

Saige Kratenstein, a junior at the University of Maryland, tweeted an email she says she got from her finance professor last Thursday. The professor, who did not respond to NBC News' request for comment, instructed Kratenstein that it would be "better" for her to complete the assignment on time as she likes to be "consistent with students because there are many who are having difficult times."

In a separate email Kratenstein tweeted, the professor told Kratenstein that keeping up with the work "could take your mind off things," a response the student found "incredibly insensitive."

Related: Graduates Face Hiring Challenges Due to Coronavirus

"I didn't bother to continue fighting it. I guess she, in her mind, felt like everyone was going through a hard time, as she said, but I had just lost my dad," Kratenstein said. "I was definitely kind of shocked and a little taken back by it."

Kratenstein, 20, said she has asked other professors for similar extensions and that they had been "much more understanding."

"A lot of them said not to even worry about the rest of the semester and that they could exempt me from everything," Kratenstein said. "They told me to focus on my family and were very considerate and understanding. She was the only one I didn't receive a compassionate response from."

Kratenstein posted a screenshot of the emails on social media and urged educators to "do better."

"I simply asked my prof for a few days extension on a project because MY DAD died as a result of covid19 and THIS is the response I get," Kratenstein wrote. "DO. BETTER."

Saige, right, with her sister, Ivy, mother, Liz and father, Alan. (Courtesy of Saige Kratenstein)

She received hundreds of supportive comments in response, with many empathizing with the "horrifying" nature of the professor's response and expressing condolences for her loss. The viral tweets also caught the attention of the administration at the University of Maryland who Kratenstein says is now working with her on academic accommodations. The finance course was a required course for her marketing major.

Story continues

"They've checked in on me and they're getting it all handled," Kratenstein said. "My advisors have been amazing and I'm grateful for their help."

Kratenstein's father, Alan, died on April 13 at 63 years old. The college student said she hadn't been able to see her father since he went to the hospital on March 29.

"It's been really difficult," Kratenstein said. "All anybody is talking about is the coronavirus and that is essentially what took my dad away from me. It's difficult hearing about it and the littlest things remind me of my dad and I'll just start bawling."

A University of Maryland spokesperson confirmed that the school has "offered academic accommodations," including granting the extension Kratenstein asked for, "as well as support services for our studentas mental and emotional health."
Lawyer Cahir O'Higgins is charged with stealing 400 from a defendant, as well as four counts of falsifying documents

One of Ireland's top criminal lawyers has been charged with stealing from a defendant and perverting the course of justice by falsifying documents.

A court heard that Cahir O'Higgins (45) told gardai: "I am surprised at this allegation. I am not guilty."

He is facing trial on the charges, and the case against him was adjourned for the preparation of a book of evidence.

Judge Colin Daly remanded him on continuing bail in his absence.

Mr O'Higgins, whose address was given as Cahir O'Higgins and Company, Kingsbridge House, Parkgate Street, was not required to be present when his case came before Dublin District Court yesterday.

Notes

He is charged with stealing 400 from a defendant who was before the courts on July 30, 2016.

The theft is alleged to have happened at Londis on Parkgate Street, near the Criminal Courts of Justice.

Mr O'Higgins is also charged with four counts of falsifying documents to pervert the course of justice.

Two counts are alleged to have taken place within the State on December 8, 2017, and another two at the Bridewell Garda Station four days later.

According to the charges, Mr O'Higgins produced to gardai a copy of notes purported to have been made by him on July 30, 2016.

Two of the charges allege that the copy of notes produced to the gardai was not made on the date purported, while the other two allege that it contained information Mr O'Higgins knew to be untrue.

It is alleged this was with intent to pervert the course of public justice, in the context of a criminal investigation in respect of an allegation of theft against him.

Detective Garda Colm Kelly told the court he arrested Mr O'Higgins at Bridewell Garda Station for the purpose of charge at 2.28pm last April 7.

Between 2.51pm and 2.56pm, he was charged by Garda Sergeant Dave O'Leary, in his presence, Det Gda Kelly said.

He was cautioned, and in reply to all the charges Mr O'Higgins said: "I am surprised at this allegation. I am not guilty. I will answer it at the appropriate time in court."

The DPP was directing trial on indictment on all matters, Det Gda Kelly said, meaning the case will be sent forward for trial by judge and jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court when a book of evidence is ready.

Det Gda Kelly said the DPP would consent to the accused being sent forward on a signed plea of guilty should this arise.

Delay

Defence barrister Karl Monahan said there was an issue of prosecutorial delay in the case.

Judge Daly said that would be a matter for the trial.

"It's a matter I am required to put on the record at this time," Mr Monahan said.

Judge Daly remanded Mr O'Higgins on continuing bail in his absence to appear in court on June 16.

Mr O'Higgins is the managing partner of his firm, which provides a full range of legal services including criminal defence and human rights law.

His firm has represented clients at all levels of the criminal justice system and he has frequently featured on lists of Ireland's top-paid legal aid solicitors.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 6)  Media giant ABS-CBN has enough surplus funds to continue paying the salaries of its workers for at least three months, according to a financial analyst.

Even as the leading network is bound to lose a huge chunk of revenues following its shutdown, it remains to have a healthy balance sheet, the research head of COL Financial Group, April Tan, told CNN Philippines The Final Word on Wednesday.

The analyst noted that the network still has around 4 billion left, which should allow it to support its employees at least until August this year.

However, should ABS-CBN fail to secure a franchise from Congress by then, she warned it is likely that its thousands of employees will really be forced out of work.

I think it will be very difficult to convince, say, the existing or new investors to pump fresh capital and even for the banks to lend money, because we don't even know if they will be granted that franchise, Tan said on the networks other options for funding.

RELATED: Gov't eyes granting cash aid for ABS-CBN workers through COVID-19 program

Following a cease and desist order issued by the National Telecommunications Commission on Tuesday, ABS-CBN currently faces an uncertain future, with a generous part of its revenues being generated from advertisements aired in channels no longer operational. The NTC has walked back on its commitment to issue a provisional authority to the network pending its franchise renewal.

The shutdown of the broadcast giant covers 42 TV stations, five AM stations, and 18 FM stations.

[Surviving a shutdown] is going to be difficult, because for example, as of the first nine months of last year, ABS-CBN gets around 50% of revenues from advertising, Tan explained.

Aside from that, on an annual basis, they actually have a manpower cost of around 14 billion as of 2018, she added.

RELATED: Lawmakers slam NTCs cease and desist order vs ABS-CBN

The trading of ABS-CBN shares was also suspended by the Philippine Stock Exchange a day after the corporation went off air.

The PSE required ABS-CBN to submit a full disclosure on the order's impact on "the business, financial condition, operations, and prospects of the Company, as well as its business continuity plan, risk mitigation measures, and such other material information for the investing public."

Citing much uncertainty on ABS-CBNs franchise renewal, Tan advised the investing public to stay on the sidelines first.

Most likely, if you cant afford to wait, or if its a significant portfolio, theres no choice but to cut your losses and stay on the sidelines first, because we dont know how long this will drag on, she said, addressing stockholders.

With the closure order and the trading halt in place, GMA Network has seen a surge in its shares, with over 20% increase on Wednesday, as more investors expect advertising spending to shift to the rival company.
Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak has held a phone conversation with the advisors to the leaders of the Normandy Format countries, during which he proposed to approve the membership of the enlarged delegations of Ukraine, Russia and the OSCE on line with Ukraine's proposals during the next meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group on May 14.

"The high official status of the delegates will allow making decisions faster and more effectively, as well as implementing them and seeing who does not fulfill them," the press service of the president's office quoted him as saying on Wednesday.

Yermak said that the Ukrainian side has also proposed to invite representatives of the certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions and internally displaced persons (IDPs), who were forced to leave these territories after May 2014, for work in working groups.

He also said that the TCG will engage these people to participate in debates, consultations and approval on the issues envisaged by the Minsk agreements.

At the same time, Yermak emphasized that it is unacceptable to hold any talks with representatives of the unrecognized quasi-state formations.
BANGKOK  The tiny orangutan, no bigger than a house cat, was about 10 months old when he was rescued. Most of his nose had been sliced off, probably in the machete attack that killed his mother.

He was taken to a rehabilitation center near the city of Medan, on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, and raised with other orphans. Given the name Bina Wana, he was put through the centers forest school, in which he learned how to climb trees, find food and survive in the wild.

Now about 6, Bina Wana had been scheduled to be freed soon, as part of an ambitious program that has released more than 300 rescued Sumatran orangutans into the rainforest.

But as with so many of his human cousins, Bina Wanas freedom has been put on hold by the coronavirus.
MICHIGAN  Government officials have been encouraging small businesses in the state to apply for the newest round of Small Business Administration loans.

The SBAs Paycheck Protection Program started accepting new applications on April 27, with $310 billion in federal relief made available.

There continues to be a significant need for additional resources to support our small businesses facing many challenges in the face of the COVID-19 virus, said Michigan Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II in a statement. This additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program offers much-needed financial support for our small businesses and their workers to help them get through this tough time.

Since the second round started, 2.2 million loans worth $175 billion have been made to small businesses, with the average loan size being $76,000.

Across Michigan as of May 1, more than 60,000 loans have been approved worth more than $5.5 billion and more than 470 lenders have taken part. Michigan is part of the Great Lakes region of the SBA, which had 300,000 loans totalling $22.8 billion.

Rob Scott, the SBAs regional administrator for the Great Lakes Region, said the average loan size has fallen from the programs first round average of $200,000, which he said reflected the kinds of businesses receiving the loans.

In the first round, we helped a lot of those larger small businesses, Scott said. This second round, it was smaller small businesses, the mom and pop stores around your community.

Scott attributed that smaller loan amount to why the current round of funding has not been depleted yet and that businesses given those loans are taking their money further. The SBA currently has about $135 billion remaining in this round of the PPP program.

Scott also said that if there was the need for a third round of this program, it would have the support of Congress and the president.

SBA systems are processing loans so lenders can disburse funds quickly, said U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and SBA administrator Jovita Carranza in a statement. We encourage all eligible lenders to participate and all eligible borrowers that need this assistance to work with an approved lender to apply. We are fully committed to ensuring that American workers and small businesses continue to get the resources they need to get through this challenging time.

In total across both rounds, the SBA has processed over 3.8 million loans worth half a trillion dollars in economic support.

The program has not been without its faults. The website the SBA uses to process loans crashed on its first day of reopening. And despite the funding meant for small businesses, some large chains and corporations have managed to get funds through this program and returned them to the SBA.

To further ensure PPP loans are limited to eligible borrowers, the SBA has decided, in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, that it will review all loans in excess of $2 million, in addition to other loans as appropriate, following the lenders submission of the borrowers loan forgiveness application, the statement reads.

More information about the PPP program can be found at www.sba.gov.
Sam Trevethyen, Head of Beverage Training & Development at GRIND, a trendy chain of London coffee houses revealed how to make a cappuccino at home.

Sam Trevethyen, Head of Beverage Training & Development at GRIND, a trendy chain of London coffee houses revealed how to make a cappuccino at home. Pictured, a Grind Coffee

INGREDIENTS

Nespresso compatible pod machine

Grind House Blend pods

French Press Milk or Mylk

Saucepan

Cappuccino

Cup

METHOD

1. Fill the French Press  full of milk 2. Pour into the saucepan 3. Heat on the stove until it starts to bubble 4. Fill up the pod machine with filtered water 5. Once the milk is heated, pour back into the French Press 6. Using the metal filter, pump it up and down into the surface of the milk to add texture

7. Once the milk as increased in size by 30% take our the metal filter 8. Place a Grind House Blend pod in your machine (our pods are Nespresso compatible) and make into the Cappuccino cup 9. Swirl the milk in the French Press until it is shiny 10. Pour into the coffee 11. Enjoy!

SAM'S TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE A PERFECT COFFEE

KEEP YOUR COFFEE IN AN AIRTIGHT BAG

As with all things, fresh is best, always. However, not everyone has access to a quality coffee grinder, which is why there are so many different styles of ground coffee available.

Once the coffee is ground, it can lose up to 50 per cent of its volatile aromatics (the good stuff) within five minutes, so how it is stored, and how it is ground is very important

Firstly, if the coffee is not in an airtight bag or container, it can taste weak, or stale. This is especially true of coffee that sits in supermarkets or weeks or even months. Secondly, if the coffee is ground fine enough to brew espresso, it will have lost a lot more flavor and intensity as it sits in the packet.

There are ways around this. At Grind, for example, all of our tins are nitrogen flushed and then instantly sealed, for freshness. The nitrogen replaces the oxygen inside the tin, creating a natural environment that helps preserve the coffee. Another thing we do is only offer coffee on what we call 'Omni Grind' - this is suitable for all types of filter coffee, including drip, french press, or immersion brew. As this is a coarser grind, it helps keep the coffee fresh for longer. As with all things, the most important thing you can do is buy high quality, well-sourced and well-roasted coffee.

HOW TO STEAM YOUR MILK

The best at-home milk hack is to fill a French Press 1/4 full of milk, heat it until it starts to bubble, and pour it back into the French Press. Then, using the metal filter attached to the lid, hold to just under the surface of the milk and pump it up and down, fairly vigorously. This will drive air and texture into the milk, and you can experiment with how deep you go or how fast for different results.

As a general rule, once the volume of milk has increased by 1/4 it will be thick enough to transport you back to the last time you had a barista-made coffee. You can even watch some latte art videos and give that a go!
EU says bloc experiencing biggest shock since Great Depression as economy projected to contract by 7.5 percent in 2020.

The European Union has predicted a recession of historic proportions due to the impact of the coronavirus with a drop in output of more than 7 percent, as it released its first official forecast of the damage the pandemic is inflicting on the blocs economy.

The 27-nation EU economy is expected to contract by 7.5 percent this year, before growing by about 6 percent in 2021.

Europe is experiencing an economic shock without precedent since the Great Depression, EU Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said in a statement.

Both the depth of the recession and the strength of recovery will be uneven, conditioned by the speed at which lockdowns can be lifted, the importance of services like tourism in each economy and by each countrys financial resources.

More than 1.1 million people have contracted the virus across Europe, and more than 137,000 have died, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Unclear outbreak data, low testing rates and the strain on healthcare systems mean the true scale of the pandemic is likely to be much greater.

With the spread slowing in most European countries, people are cautiously venturing out of confinement and gradually returning to work. However, strict health measures remain in place amid concerns about a second wave of outbreaks and any return to something like normal life is at least months away.

The pandemic has hurt consumer spending, industrial output, investment, trade, capital flows and supply chains.

It has also hit jobs. The unemployment rate across the EU is forecast to rise from 6.7 percent in 2019 to 9 percent in 2020 but then fall to approximately 8 percent in 2021, the Commission said.

While the virus hit every member country, the extent of the damage it ultimately inflicts will depend on the evolution of the disease in each of them, the resilience of their economies and what policies they put in place to respond.

Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal will be among the hardest-hit by the economic effects of the pandemic, while Luxembourg, Malta and Austria are to weather the shock better.

Greek GDP is to contract the most, by 9.7 percent, with Italy recording the second-deepest recession of 9.5 percent and Spain 9.4 percent.

Italy, the EU country hardest hit by the coronavirus, will see its budget deficit surge the most, to 11.1 percent of GDP this year from 1.6 percent last year, but it will fall back to 5.6 percent in 2021, the Commission forecast.

Spains deficit will just exceed 10 percent this year, up from 2.8 percent in 2019, and France will be close behind with a budget gap of 9.9 percent this year. The Commission expects it to fall to 4.0 percent next year.

Italys public debt will also record the biggest increase this year to 158.9 percent of GDP from 134.8 percent in 2019. It is seen falling to 153.6 percent in 2021, the Commission said.

Expectations for Europes economy have changed dramatically since February 13, when the Commission had predicted a path of steady, moderate growth of 1.2 percent this year and next.

At that time, uncertainty over US trade policy and a Brexit trade deal plus tensions in Latin America and the Middle East were the main threats.

The coronavirus outbreak in China was noted at the time as a new downside risk but the Commissions assumption less than three months ago was that the outbreak peaks in the first quarter, with relatively limited global spillovers.
The spokesperson to President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina, has once again come under fire from Nigerians on social media platforms, following his comment rebuking a Nigerian for demanding a presidential media chat.

A man, who identified himself as Mr Ibikunle, during a call-in session on a live programme on Nigeria Info FM, implored Mr Adesina to encourage Mr President (Buhari) to come out and speak to us (Nigerians) through a media chat.

In his reaction, Mr Adesina criticised the caller.

I just want to encourage Mr Ibikunle not to continue to sound like a broken record, Mr Adesina said.

The spokesperson, in a rather mimicry tone, rebuked any brewing intention to demand another address from the president since he has addressed the nation thrice after serious clamour by Nigerians across social platforms in the last two months.

When this COVID thing began, president should talk to us, the president should talk to us, he has had three national broadcasts within a month, what else do they want? What else do they want?

People think because either you elected a president or you didnt elect him, you must lead your president by the nose. It doesnt happen.

Because you elected a man then you begin to order him around. The president would do whatever is good for the country any given time, Mr Adesina said in a one minute forty-five seconds video currently among the top twenty trends in Nigeria.

Growing threat

Meanwhile, as the countrys economic activities spring to life on the second day of easing its lockdown restrictions, PREMIUM TIMES has observed the continuous flouting of the social distancing and other issued directives to curb the spread of the disease in the country.

READ ALSO:

The clustered bank entrances and the ongoing jostle for commercial vehicles in various parks within Abuja, Lagos, and Ogun, have been identified by many as factors that could have a negative impact on the countrys increasing cases.

As of Tuesday night, Nigerias confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose to 2950 with 148 new cases reported by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.

NCDC said the 148 new cases were reported from 17 states- Lagos  43, Kano  32, Katsina  9, FCT  10, Zamfara  14, Taraba  7, Borno  7, Ogun  6, Oyo  5, Bauchi  3, Edo  3, Kaduna  3, Adamawa  2, Gombe  2, Plateau, Sokoto and Kebbi  1 case each.
When George W. Bush addressed the media for the final time as president, in January 2009, he summed up his eight years in office with a joke: "Things didn't go according to plan, let's put it that way."

And how. Bush's two-term presidency ended in the shadow of the crises  at home and abroad  that began after he was sworn in, including the early stages of the Great Recession, the invasion of Iraq and Hurricane Katrina.

Some were out of his control; some were sparked by his administration. Many (or most) were some difficult combination of the two. How Bush faced these problems and where his government failed in addressing them, in the eyes of many Americans, came to define his years as commander-in-chief.

Bush's presidency is the focus of a new two-part American Experience documentary on PBS. The second half, exploring the 43rd president's tumultuous second term, aired Tuesday night.

"The Bush presidency is going to be a bit of a riddle for historians," journalist Robert Draper said in Tuesday's episode. "He's going to be judged as a guy who seemed very simple but in fact was a very complicated man."

The documentary's first installment, which aired Monday night, told the story of Bush's rise from a wealthy and privileged Texas playboy to becoming the president of the United States, with an optimism that gave off an aura of being a "people person" who saw the good over the bad.

But in its Tuesday episode, American Experience took a deeper look at the consequences of Bush's attitude as the leader of the free world and how dominoes began to fall during his second term.

The second half picked up with the U.S.'s entanglement in Iraq growing deeper as the Bush administration faced both natural and financial disasters at home, such as Hurricane Katrina's deadly landfall in 2005 and the 2007-2008 housing crisis.

"That period, in the days and weeks after Katrina, were as challenging as anything in the entire presidency," Dan Bartlett, a counselor to the president, said in the documentary.

Story continues

RELATED: George W. Bush Documentary Explores His Decision to Quit Drinking After Wild 40th Birthday

PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP via Getty President George W. Bush (left) stands with retired firefighter Bob Beckwith and addresses first responders at Ground Zero on Sept. 14, 2001

David Hume Kennerly/Getty President George W. Bush (left) and his father, former President George H. W. Bush, at the 43rd president's inauguration on Jan. 20, 2001.

Bush faced severe backlash for the federal government's slow response to the disaster in New Orleans, which the documentary depicts in photos, interviews and clips from local officials at the time, like then-New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin who blasted the administration for not stepping in sooner and said it was "too late."

The fumbled response also led to Kanye West's infamous criticism: "George Bush doesn't care about black people."

Bush has since called West's comment a low point of his presidency and reporters said in the new documentary that the president understood the severity of the sentiment against him as it happened.

"George Bush actually said that at one point that Katrina was worse on his presidency than the Iraq war had been because what it exposed was complete incompetence," journalist Elisabeth Bumiller said on American Experience.

The documentary looked at both Bush's verbal and symbolic gaffes, including moments when his administration jumped the gun on labeling its efforts a success: from hanging a "Mission Accomplished" banner in 2003, when the Iraq conflict was far from over, to congratulating FEMA on a job-well done as hundreds of thousands in New Orleans still faced the fallout from Katrina.

Defending him, Michael Gerson, Bush's chief speechwriter, said on American Experience that "his natural tendency is to build people up as they're confronting crisis. That's what he normally does. But [Katrina] was a case where a little bit more patience would've been justified."

Patience wasn't in the cards for Bush when the 2008 housing crisis hit, according to the documentary.

In spite of his conservative economic beliefs, Bush allowed the federal government to step in and bailout companies whose decisions led to the market's collapse as the president prepared to hand over the White House to Barack Obama.

"September and October of 2008 were really, I thought, the scariest of the entire Bush administration," Joshua Bolten, Bush's former chief of staff, says. "9/11 was a horrible and, of course, by far the most devastating moment during the entire eight years of that presidency. But from the standpoint of an ongoing threat that everybody in government knew that we had to do something about  the financial crisis  it was really scary."

The Bush administration settled on a $700 billion bailout that Bolten says was "antithetical to everything that Republicans generally and President Bush, in particular, believed in."

RELATED: The Obamas Will Give Virtual Commencement Speeches for the Class of 2020 amid Coronavirus

PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP via Getty George W. Bush (center) speaks to the media as he tours Ground Zero on Sept. 14, 2001.

Bush's presidency, like every administration before his, was plagued with the unexpected. Some of them were history-making, however.

As the documentary lays out: Nine months into his time in office, the country was hit by the deadliest terror attack in its history. In the middle of his tenure, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in New Orleans and questioned his capability to manage ongoing emergencies at home. And in the final months of his presidency, a financial crisis that threatened to be worse than the Great Depression ravaged the country's economy and forced Bush to make drastic decisions.

In these moments, American Experience suggests, the U.S. was steered through an obstacle course of crisis by a political heir whose own life lacked direction until he was 40 and was later defined by the eight years he spent in the White House.

In a particular irony, the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks were the toughest moments of Bush's presidency but, in their wake, the country rallied around him in what would prove to be rare bipartisan approval.

(In the years since he left office, as he's retreated from politics, Bush, now 73, has seen his reputation rebound as he's focused on more personal projects such as helping wounded veterans.)

"That's a moment when I think every American was proud of George W. Bush," journalist Eugene Robinson said at one point in American Experience. "He had a measure of support that no president could ever dream of and, in a sense, he squandered it."
While he served patients, a 'coronavirus warrior' waited helplessly as his three-year-old son fought for his life in another hospital, a battle which he eventually lost.

IMAGE: General Officer Commanding (GOC) Inder Mohan Lamba honours corona warriors, in Prayagraj, on Tuesday. Photograph: PTI Photo

Manish Kumar, 27, a ward boy in Lucknow's Lokbandhu Hospital, could not even perform the last rites of his son due to medical protocols and watched from a distance as his family members completed the rituals.

On Saturday night, he was serving patients at an isolation ward in the Level-2 government COVID-19 hospital, when he got a frantic call that his son, Harshit, was having difficulty in breathing and also had a stomachache.

"When I got the call, I became restless but could not leave the hospital immediately. My family members took my son to the King George's Medical University. They kept sending me his pictures on WhatsApp. At about 2 am he left the world, leaving all of us behind," said Manish as he wept while narrating the episode to PTI.

"I wanted to see my son but decided not to tell my colleagues as I did not want to leave my patients to fend for themselves. But noticing the frequent calls I was getting and seeing my condition, they realised something is wrong and asked me to leave," he said.

Manish, taking all necessary precautions, reached KGMU, where his son's body lay.

He, however, did not enter inside and kept waiting for his son to come out, not alive and kicking, but lifeless and motionless.

"I saw him from a distance as my family members took him home and I followed them on my bike. I wanted to embrace my son and hold him as I could not accept that he is no more," he said.

Even in grief, he chose not to step into his house to protect his family from possible coronavirus infection.

"I did not enter my house and sat on the verandah near the gate. Next day, he was cremated by family members as I could not even touch his body as advised by my seniors to avoid any infection," he said.

As a number of people are involved in a cremation, his touching the body could have created problems for others, he said.

Manish said that now he only has fond memories of his son in the form of some videos and pictures on his mobile.

When asked when he will be joining duty, he said, "Very soon."

"At present I am spending time consoling my wife, that too maintaining a safe distance. I am not entering home and spending time on verandah. I will resume my duties in day or two. Patients are waiting to be attended. I will find solace in serving them," he said.

The state capital has witnessed 242 coronavirus cases till Tuesday of which 161 have been treated and discharged while one died.

]There are 80 active cases undergoing treatment as of now.
Ryan Payne, once described as a pivotal architect of the Oregon refuge occupation who used his military experience to lend credence to the armed takeover in 2016, wants a judge to end his three-year term of supervised release early.

Payne served his prison term of three years and one month and has completed half of the three years of supervised release that U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown ordered in March 2018. He received credit for the time he was held in jail after his arrest in late January 2016.

Payne was sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiring to impede federal employees at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge through intimidation, threat or force. Under the plea deal, Payne received less time for accepting responsibility, though the judge questioned if that was warranted, considering he tried to withdraw his guilty plea. But he also received additional time for serving as a leader of the occupation.

Payne is head of operations at REM Technologies, a start-up company in Belgrade, Montana. The company is developing a new method of processing raw materials in the metals supply industry. Hes been employed there since August after working as a licensed electrician for another company since his release from custody, according to his lawyer Lisa Hay, Oregons federal public defender.

Payne married after getting out of prison, has four children with his wife and one on the way, according to his lawyer.

Mr. Paynes compliant conduct and positive contribution to his community throughout the past 18 months of supervised release demonstrates that further supervision is unnecessary, Hay wrote.

Federal prosecutors havent yet responded to the motion.

The U.S. Probation Office in Montana, where Payne lives and is supervised, described his adjustment to supervision outside of prison as reasonable.

Hes had three minor infractions when he was unable to produce for a urinalysis test on Jan. 29 and June 6 in 2019, according to the probation office. He also didnt report a Feb. 2, 2019, encounter with the Montana Highway Patrol to probation officials, according to an email from the U.S. Probation Office that his lawyer included in her motion. Its unclear what that encounter or stop was for.

No violations resulted from the low-level infractions, according to probation officials. He paid his $10,000 restitution in full by Sept. 23, maintains contact with his probation officer and has asked for approval to access federal lands as required. It also appears he has abstained from communicating with his co-defendants in the case, the probation office noted.

Mr. Payne has maintained a job, a stable place to live, grown his family, and developed healthy, prosocial relationships, Hay argued in her motion.

When she sentenced Payne, Judge Brown ordered him not to have any associations or contact with co-defendants in the Malheur occupation or co-defendants in the Nevada prosecution of the 2014 stand-off near the Bundy family ranch. Brown also ordered Payne to stay away from board members of Operation Mutual Defense, a militia group that Payne co-founded.

Payne was found to have violated the no-contact order with co-defendants, however, based on photos he posted to Facebook in December 2017 that showed him posing with Ammon Bundy and Jon Ritzheimer at the Toquop Wash near Bunkerville, Nevada, and at the Bundy Ranch, following his release from custody in Las Vegas as the Nevada prosecution fell apart.

Payne was one of 18 people who either pleaded guilty or were convicted by a jury in the 41-day Malheur refuge occupation in 2016. Prosecutors originally indicted 26 people. Leader Ammon Bundy, brother Ryan Bundy and five others were acquitted of all charges during a trial. The government dropped a conspiracy case against independent broadcaster Pete Santilli.

In January 2018, a federal judge in Nevada dismissed separate conspiracy charges against Payne, Ammon and Ryan Bundy and their father, Cliven Bundy, after she found prosecutors engaged in flagrant misconduct'' and a deliberate attempt to mislead'' and made several misrepresentations to both the defense and the court about evidence.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian

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Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.

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The hotel industry manages to overcome the crisis

HOTELS CLOSED TO SAVE COSTS

As the first 4-star resort in Yen Bai province newly established in October 2019, Le Champ Tu Le Resort used to have an occupancy rate of 70-80 per cent. However, this success did not last long. When the pandemic appeared, the number of bookings decreased and eventually stopped completely since social distancing measures were issued. Nearly one month without any revenue, Duc Long, owner of Le Champ Tu Le Resort, said he had cut 30 per cent of the managers salary, gave employees a rotating leave, and temporarily closed the resort till the end of June, waiting for the disease to be under control and tourism to recover before reopening. We have considered the plan to only operate three weekends to serve domestic tourists on vacation, or pause completely until the end of June. Currently, I am considering the second option because the number of visitors is still unstable, he said.

Longs concerns are similar to the anxiety of thousands of people who are doing business in the hotel industry in Vietnam today. The sudden breakdown of the inbound tourist market has completely stunned the industry since the end of March. Meanwhile, domestic tourists have not been able to travel due to restrictions on movement and social distancing. Many hotels had to close in February, others tried to maintain operations by reducing room rates by 50-60 per cent but also had to eventually shut down from mid-March as there were no more guests. Pham Thi Hang, owner of the Hanoi Emerald Waters Hotel in Hanois Old Quarter, said she had to make the difficult decision to close the hotel, temporarily giving employees a break from work with a subsidy of VND1.5 million per month. This amount will be paid once in August, when the hotel returns to normal operation.

The fastest and most effective option for many small- and medium-sized hotels is the shutdown to save operating costs, reduce staff and wages, and then restructure the business model, focusing on developing a digital platform and taking advantage of training time to prepare for a stronger return after the epidemic. Some high-class hotel brands such as Banyan Tree and Marriott also take advantage of the opportunity to build and strengthen relationships with customers by sending notifications about their prevention efforts to them, while introducing deals in the near future.

Although facing many difficulties, some other hotels are determined not to cut wages out but to find other solutions. Muong Thanh has co-operated with travel agencies and airlines to offer stimulus products, flight ticket combos, and hotel rooms at preferential prices, as well as attractive discounts for loyal customers. Nguyen Anh Tuan, director of Muong Thanh Grand Hanoi Hotel, said We encourage our employees to use their leave days or to work in other areas such as serving conferences and seminars.

CHANGES TO ADAPT

However, there are also hotels that find more creative solutions, proactively diverting to save themselves. Nearly 160 hotels and resorts have registered to become free or paid isolation centres during the pandemic. The owner of Hanoi Emerald Waters Hotel also voluntarily used his premises as a quarantine place on the call of Hanoi citys authority. Hotels selected for free isolation will receive electricity and water subsidies from the state, which will help them save operating costs. Some hotels, such as Hoi An Beach Resort, Sun & Sea Resort (Hue), and Mangrove Can Gio Hotel (Ho Chi Minh City), provide isolation service packages for foreigners. These packages include affordable room rates, meals, and other service fees, also bringing some profit for the hotel.

In Hanoi, the three 5-star hotels Pullman Hanoi Hotel, Pan Pacific Hotel and Crowne Plaza Hotel are arranged to offer accommodation for flight crews of foreign airlines entering Hanoi to ensure the prevention of COVID-19 infection.

Elsewhere, some 4-to 5-star hotels are focusing on home catering for customers. As such, JW Marriott Hanoi, Lotte Hotel, and Fortuna Hanoi, among others, launched these services in late March and early April. JW Marriott Hanoi will serve their meals door-to-door with prices starting from VND750,000. Metropole Hanois restaurant also delivers products starting at VND1.9 million. Park Hyatt Saigon also opened a chef service to cook dishes to be delivered to customers homes. Tran Minh Hanh, deputy director of Grand Saigon Hotel, said the on-site delivery at this time creates a sense of intimacy and safety, helping the hotel connect closely with guests and make a good impression for when the pandemic is over.

Besides these temporary solutions, longer and more reliable steps are also being considered by hotel owners. From the experience with SARS, many experts believe that the domestic tourist market is likely to recover after two months, while the international tourist market takes about six months. Therefore, some investors have planned to expand the scale by acquiring private hotels for sale at reasonable prices. After a period of 1-2 months of renovation, these hotels can go into operation when the domestic tourism market starts to stabilise, with more time for promoting activities and building new products to welcome international visitors in the last months of 2020.

Bobby Nguyen, CEO of Mekong Rustic, said that May will be the time for many investors to buy because after a few months of losses, many small hotels will reduce their size and want to sell to cut losses. He is also planning to find a few ecolodges to discuss co-operations or acquisitions. Bobby is confident that the tourism market will recover quickly, starting from the domestic market in Ho Chi Minh City and the southern provinces. By June, Vietnams hospitality industry will probably welcome more arrivals from Northeast Asian markets such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea, while European visitors must wait until October. About 80 per cent of Mekong Rustics visitors in the summer are Vietnamese. It is also the time when the West prepares for the fruit season. We expect to sell more culinary experience packages to Vietnamese guests.

At this time, Saparis hotels and Sapa Eco-home Mountain Retreat of Lu A Tau at Sapa have started to receive the first bookings for some domestic customers, while many European customers who booked before the outbreak have not been cancelled. The owners were initially very worried and thought that the epidemic would cause them to lose everything. However, the first rays after the gloomy days made them more confident. I will be ready to start all over, because there is no stopping point in this circle of life, one of them said.
Terror group Hizbul Mujahideen's de facto chief Reyaz Naikoo, on the run for eight years, was killed on Wednesday by security forces in his village in Kashmir's Pulwama district, police said.

Anticipating a law and order problem, authorities suspended mobile telephone services of private operators and mobile internet services across the Valley.

Security forces engaged with militants in two gunbattles in the south Kashmir district, one in Sharshalli village where two unidentified militants were killed and the other in Beighpora in Awantipora where they finally put down Naikoo who was holed up with another terrorist.

His accomplice attempted to escape by charging at security forces but was also killed.

The gunning down of the Hizbul Mujahideen commander, a major breakthrough in the fight against terror, comes three days after eight security personnel, including two Army officers Colonel Ashutosh Sharma and Major Anuj Sood, were killed in Handwara.

of the killing of 35-year-old Naikoo, who carried a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head and had escaped the police dragnet thrice, led to some incidents of people pelting stones at security forces. However, this was handled with care to ensure there was was no collateral damage, an official said.

Giving details of the operation, officials said security forces zeroed in on Naikoo's hideout on Tuesday. But instead of initiating an immediate operation, the security forces fortified their cordon around the area and plugged all escape routes so he could not escape as he had done thrice earlier.

Army units were pushed along with the special operations group of Jammu and Kashmir Police at dawn, the officials said. A gunfight broke out after Naikoo and his accomplice fired at the security personnel.

CRPF and police forces laid an outer cordon to keep the public away from the encounter site.

Shortly after noon, one of the militants came out from the house firing indiscriminately at the security forces in his attempt to escape. However, he was shot dead in the retaliatory fire.

It was not immediately known whether that was Naikoo or his accomplice.

A police spokesperson said earlier in the morning that a top terrorist commander along with an accomplice was trapped in an encounter but did not reveal his identity. Later in the day, officials disclosed that the man in their sights was Naikoo, the man they had been looking for for eight years.

He became the de facto chief of the terror group after the death of Burhan Wani, the poster boy of militancy in the Valley, in July 2016.

In a separate encounter at Sharshali village, two militants, who are yet to be identified, were gunned down in an encounter with security forces.

Acting on a tip-off about the presence of militants in the village, security forces launched a cordon and search operation. It turned into an encounter after militants opened fire towards security forces' positions, officials said.

The forces retaliated, killing the two militants, they said.

Naikoo's death must not used as an excuse by some to put more people in "harm's way by provoking violence and protests", former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said on Twitter.

Abdullah said Naikoo's destiny was decided the moment he picked up the gun and adopted the path of violence and terror.

"His death must not be used as an excuse by some to put more people in harms way by provoking violence & protests," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Flight attendants talk in a nearly empty cabin on a Delta Airlines flight operated by SkyWest Airlines as travel has cutback, amid concerns of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), during a flight departing from Salt Lake City, Utah, April 11, 2020.

A lobbying group representing U.S. airlines on Wednesday said federally mandated minimum service requirements are "unsustainable" for carriers as the Covid-19 pandemic sends passenger numbers to the lowest levels since the 1950s.

One of the requirements to receive portions of $25 billion in federal payroll grants and loans under the coronavirus rescue package is that airlines have to keep a certain number of flights, which varies by carrier and is based on networks before the disease spread widely.

The Department of Transportation has issued some waivers but Nicholas Calio, president and CEO Airlines for America, which represents Delta, American, United, Southwest, JetBlue, Alaska and Hawaiian, said in prepared testimony ahead of a Senate hearing that "the cost associated with operating nearly empty flights to communities with little to no demand significantly exacerbates air carrier liquidity."

Airlines are among the industries hardest hit by the coronavirus and the shelter-in-place orders. They have parked about half of their planes and cut thousands of flights to try to save money, but are already posting their first quarterly losses in years. The industry group estimates U.S. airlines are burning about $10 billion of cash a month.

Airlines aren't currently planning to seek additional federal aid to weather the coronavirus, Calio told lawmakers.
They starred on the hit series ER together.

And Julianne Margulies wished her 'sweet pal' George Clooney a happy 59th birthday on Wednesday.

The actress, 59, shared a touching throwback from their days filming the medical drama series, along with references to the current pandemic.

Happy birthday George! Julianne Margulies wished her 'sweet pal' George Clooney a happy 59th birthday on Wednesday

'Happy Birthday to my sweet pal George Clooney,' she captioned the snap. 'This picture was taken right after we filmed our very last scene together in Seattle for #ER . #staysafe #dontdrinkbleach #dontinjectlysol #listentoscience.'

In the snap, a younger George and Julianna smiled towards the camera, not showing any signs of exhaustion after a long day of filming.

Together, George and Julianna made up part of the original cast of ER, which would ultimately change throughout the course of the show's 15 year run.

George played Dr. Doug Ross, while Julianna played his on-screen love interest, nurse Carol Hathaway.

The doctor is in! George played Dr. Doug Ross, while Julianna played Nurse Carol Hathaway

After leaving ER, the pair continued to enjoy success in showbiz.

Julianna received two Emmy awards for her portrayal of Alicia Florrick in The Good Wife.

George, meanwhile, became a star on the big screen with roles in Ocean's Eleven, Up In The Air, and The Ides Of March.

Hollywood! After leaving ER, the pair continued to enjoy success in showbiz

Recently, the A-lister and his wife Amal Clooney donated more than $1 million of their personal funds to help mitigate damage from the coronavirus.

The star and his 42-year-old spouse have split the donation into six chunks for different organizations worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to Deadline.

The money will help everyone from George's colleagues struggling in Hollywood amid a shutdown of the industry, to more direct relief efforts.
David Beckham likes to think he is a man of the people  and he has the tattoos to prove it. However, the Communist state of China takes a rather different view of his body art.

I can reveal that Chinese TV censored all of his inkings when it recently screened his BBC TV documentary charting his journey to the Amazon rainforest.

The documentary, called David Beckham Into The Unknown, chronicles his epic trip to the jungle travelling by motorbike and boat with best friend Dave Gardner  the partner of actress Liv Tyler.

Given the humidity and high temperatures, he is often scantily clad and wears little more than a T-shirt.

Chinese TV censored all of his inkings when it recently screened his BBC TV documentary charting his journey to the Amazon rainforest

The documentary, called David Beckham Into The Unknown, chronicles his epic trip to the jungle travelling by motorbike and boat with best friend Dave Gardner

However whenever he hoves into view in the Chinese broadcast, parts of his anatomy suddenly go blurry  be it his arms, hands, neck or chest. At one point he goes topless which requires his entire torso to go fuzzy.

Beckham, 45, prides himself on his body art and his arms, torso, back, legs, shoulders and head are covered with more than 50 various designs. His tattoos include his wife Victorias name in Sanskrit on his arm and he also has tattoos of the names of his four children, the words Love on his left hand and Victoria on his right.

The words Dream big, be unrealistic adorn his right-hand knuckles.

Beckham has said his tattoos, often honouring his family, are about the people I want with me always.

Whenever he hoves into view in the Chinese broadcast, parts of his anatomy suddenly go blurry

At one point David Beckham goes topless which requires his entire torso to go fuzzy (pictured)

His body art also quotes famous Chinese philosopher Confucius: Life and death are determined by fate, rank and riches decreed by Heaven

Becks is particularly fond of religious iconography which may not have gone down well.

A portrait of Jesus being lifted from his tomb by cherubs is etched on his left upper chest. There is a winged guardian angel on his back, a winged cross on the back of his neck, an angel on his right arm and a small tattoo of Christ on his side.

His body art also quotes famous Chinese philosopher Confucius: Life and death are determined by fate, rank and riches decreed by Heaven.

However, strict state censors have banned tattoos from TV screens  along with any other representations of hip-hop culture  and so Beckss pride and joy was airbrushed out of history.

Its chaos: Billie Piper admits home schooling is a struggle

Secret Diary Of A Call Girl star Billie Piper has her hands full looking after three children in lockdown.

I started off trying to do all of these online obligations, but its been too hard because theres home schooling and we have a little baby, she says.

Theres ten dishwasher loads a day  its just chaos.

The actress, 37, has two sons, Winston, 11, and Eugene, seven, from her marriage to Lewis star Laurence Fox and had a baby daughter, Tallulah, last year with her musician boyfriend Johnny Lloyd.

Since Ive had a baby girl I feel Ive got a bigger flame in my stomach about feminism, she says.

I didnt want to talk about it a great deal, even though most of the things Ive done in my life suggest that I am a feminist. 

Junior Campbell, who co-composed the music and lyrics for the original Thomas The Tank Engine TV series, is chuffed that Prince Harry has recorded an intro for a special edition to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the book it was based on.

Stories were relayed to us of how much the boys loved the series, he tells me of Harry and Prince William.

Campbell is best known as a member of Marmalade, who had a No 1 with a cover of The Beatles Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.

He adds: I once read that [Princess] Diana was nuts about Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da and danced to it constantly in 1968.

Ronnie Woods ex Jo cooks up a Little Red Rooster...

Ronnie Woods ex-wife Jo moved out of her 4 million house in Primrose Hill last year to escape chaotic London life.

Now, after only a few months in her new Northamptonshire home, she has transformed herself into a domestic goddess.

The erstwhile model, 65, who was married to the Rolling Stone for 26 years until 2011, has launched her own cooking channel on which she demonstrates recipes from her rustic kitchen.

Despite frequently lauding a vegetarian lifestyle, her first two recipes feature meat. Heres how to make my fabulous Magic Chicken, she says. My grandchildren love this and the idea came originally from my eldest son, Jamie.

After only a few months in her new Northamptonshire home, Jo (pictured) has transformed herself into a domestic goddess

After Michael Sheens uncanny impersonation of Who Wants to Be A Millionaire host Chris Tarrant in the recent drama Quiz, Jeremy Clarkson, the current host of the show, now declares that hed like Sheen to play him on screen as well.

It would have to be Sheen, says Clarkson. He can play anyone. Hes been Brian Clough, David Frost and hes been a robot bartender in Passengers, hes a chameleon.

Except 5ft 10in Sheen might have a problem matching up to Clarksons 6ft 5in heft.

Are Dame Joan and godson flouting lockdown etiquette?

Dame Joan Collins has come under fire for appearing to flout social distancing rules after posting a charming picture of herself and her godson Theo Massow  son of socialite Ivan Massow  on a park bench.

The pair, who do not live in the same house, seem to be less than 2m apart.

The post prompted critical comments from her Instagram fans.

Perhaps the critics need to get out more (metaphorically speaking, of course).

Pictured: Dame Joan Collins and her godson Theo Massow on a park bench

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidmans adopted daughter, Bella Kidman Cruise, is drawing on her creative talents to help fight the coronavirus.

The London-based artist, 27, has designed a tote bag to raise money for front-line carers, which she is selling for 15 through her company, BKC.

Bella says: One hundred per cent of the profits will be donated towards supplies and support to help first responders during the fight against Covid-19.
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Andrew Romanoff, a former speaker of the Colorado state House, addresses delegates in a video posted online ahead of a series of virtual assemblies. He won top line designation in the June 30 primary at the party's state assembly, held remotely on Saturday, April 18, 2020. He will face former Gov. John Hicknlooper for the chance to challenge Republican U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner.
A pioneering researcher said to be on the verge of a very significant breakthrough in coronavirus findings has been shot and killed in an apparent murder-suicide.

Bing Liu, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was found in his house on Saturday with gunshot wounds to the head, neck, torso and extremities, police said.

Detectives believe an unidentified second man known to the victim, found dead in his car, killed the academic before taking his own life.

In a statement, Pittsburgh said it was deeply saddened by Lius death, adding: The University extends our deepest sympathies to Liu's family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time."

His colleagues at the institutions biology department added: "Bing was on the verge of making very significant findings toward understanding the cellular mechanisms that underlie SARS-CoV-2 infection and the cellular basis of the following complications.

Members of the universitys medicine school have vowed to complete his research "in an effort to pay homage to his scientific excellence.

Detective Sgt. Brian Kohlhepp of Ross Police Department said there was zero indication that Liu was targeted for his Chinese nationality.
We strongly believe theres no better place to work than Litmus, and its because of the people. Were a team of innovators, and its visible through the successful growth of our employees, our services and the success of our customers worldwide," said Erik Nierenberg, CEO of Litmus.

Litmus, the leader in email marketing, has been named to Inc. magazines annual list of the Best Workplaces for 2020. Hitting newsstands May 12 in the May/June 2020 issue, and as part of a prominent Inc.com feature, the list is the result of a wide-ranging and comprehensive measurement of private American companies that have created exceptional workplaces through vibrant cultures, deep employee engagement, and stellar benefits.

Litmus is not only leading the email solution category in customer and product success but employee growth, both professionally and personally. Being named a Best Workplace by Inc., Litmus offers employee benefits and perks, such as:



Regular volunteering projects to support local communities

Designated Volunteer Time Off (VTO)

Opportunity to work in one of the three Litmus offices, completely remote, or a combination

Free lunch and snacks every day in the offices

Learning and development tools, both online and in-person, needed to succeed for everything from computer equipment to career development

Regular outings and get-togethers to connect with each other and celebrate achievements

Because of the leadership capabilities, technical abilities and work ethic of our great employees across all levels, it allows us, at Litmus, to partner with major global brands across every industry, including 80 percent of the Fortune 100, said Erik Nierenberg, CEO of Litmus. We strongly believe theres no better place to work than Litmus, and its because of the people. Were a team of innovators, and its visible through the successful growth of our employees, our services and the success of our customers worldwide.

Collecting data from more than 3,000 submissions, Inc. singled out 395 finalists for this years list. Each nominated company took part in an employee survey, conducted by Quantum Workplace, on topics including trust, management effectiveness, perks, and confidence in the future. Inc. gathered, analyzed, and audited the data. Then Inc. ranked all the employers using a composite score of survey results.

The strongest engagement scores came from companies prioritizing the most human elements of work. These companies are leading the way in employee recognition, performance management, and diversity. It is a different playbook from a decade ago, when too many firms used the same template: free food, open work environments, and artifacts of fun.

Building a great corporate culture comes only from strong leadership, said Scott Omelianuk, Inc. magazine editor-in-chief. The companies on Inc.s Best Workplaces list are setting an example that the whole country can learn from, especially now, when company culture is more important to the workforce than ever.

While researching the finalists, Inc. and Quantum saw distinct themes:

100 percent provide health insurance.

50 percent allow employees to bring pets to work.

62 percent take employees to offsite retreats to relax and recharge.

20 percent offer paid sabbaticals to reward length of service.

About Litmus:

Litmus provides the leading email optimization and collaboration solution for marketers. From Pre-Send campaign development and testing to Post-Send insights for future content optimization, Litmus improves marketing performance and strategy, delivering increased subscriber engagement. With offices in Boston, San Mateo and London and backed by Spectrum Equity, Litmus is used by major global brands across every industry, including 80% of the Fortune 100, the top 10 retailers, 9 of the top 10 ecommerce brands and U.S.banks, and 23 of the top 25 U.S. advertising agencies. Learn more about Litmus at litmus.com, subscribe to the Litmus blog, or follow us on social media - Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

About Inc. Media:

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

About Quantum Workplace:

Quantum Workplace, based in Omaha, Nebraska, is an HR technology company that serves organizations through employee-engagement surveys, action-planning tools, exit surveys, peer-to-peer recognition, performance evaluations, goal tracking, and leadership assessment. For more information, visit QuantumWorkplace.com.
Tim Fischer/Midland Reporter-Telegram

The Midland Health Department on Tuesday issued a quarantine of property order for Midland Medical Lodge, according to administrator Keri Powell.

This is a standard procedure for the infection challenge at hand. The order does not impose any facility processes or procedures that have not already been in place at the facility, she said in a statement. Our team will continue to work closely with the health department and hospital in this ongoing effort to stop the spread of COVID-19 and protect our communitys most high-risk population.
STOCKHOLM, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Polygon announced today the appointment of a new Director of International Sales - Hans Christian Sorensen.

In recent years, Polygon has strengthened its international customer base. Many international customers appreciate that Polygon can deliver services in several countries. To further strengthen our international presence and offer high quality services to our customer, the company has decided to appoint an International Sales Director who will focus on engaging the clients as well as to coordinate our sales and marketing efforts across boundaries. Hans-Christian has strong experience from the Property Damage Restoration industry, most recently as a Market Director with global assignments for AREPA at their European headquarters. Hans Christian will report to Jonas Granath, Chief Commercial Officer of Polygon Group.

"Strengthening international sales and to be able to offer our clients high quality services in all countries where we operate if a vital part of our strategy. I am therefore very pleased that Hans-Christian is joining us and convinced that he will add a lot of value to our customers", says Axel Granitz, CEO of Polygon Group.

"Throughout my long experience in our industry, I have always viewed Polygon as a strong company. I am thrilled to join the leading company in our industry and excited about the development opportunities ahead of us. The strong culture of Polygon with people who are eager to develop and cooperate across borders makes me proud of now being part of this dynamic team", says Hans-Christian.

For further information, please contact:

Jonas Granath

Chief Commercial Officer & Deputy CEO Polygon Group

Phone: +46(0)70-384-33-45

Email: jonas.granath@polygongroup.com

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/polygon/r/polygon-appoints-a-new-director-of-international-sales,c3105065

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The Winnipeg Art Gallery opened its doors Tuesday for the first time since March 14, but things were pretty quiet.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 5/5/2020 (623 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Art Gallery opened its doors Tuesday for the first time since March 14, but things were pretty quiet.

"Weve only had about seven people or so," said Amber OReilly, stationed by the main entrance to greet visitors.

OReilly is doing double duty now both in her regular job as engagement officer for the WAG and as additional security around the galleries to ensure that visitors are practising proper COVID-19 physical distancing.

The WAG offered free admission to front-line workers and their families Tuesday and Wednesday and is set to open to the public Thursday, with regular admission rates.

Visitors will be asked to complete a self-screening health questionnaire and are informed of physical-distancing protocols in place. Masks are encouraged, but not mandatory, and everyone is asked to keep two metres apart.

That didn't prove to be much of a problem for the two or three families wandering around Tuesday afternoon. By comparison before the pandemic, free events every second Sunday often drew numbers close to 1,000.

"Its not about the number of visitors we have today, tomorrow or next week," director and CEO Stephen Borys said.

Tara Klassen, who works at Health Sciences Centre, took her children (from left) Sidonie, 11, Analeigh, 12, Charlotte, 9, and Ethne, 6, to the Winnipeg Art Gallery Tuesday on the first day of its reopening for front-line workers. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)

"Its really about the WAG being a place in the community, a welcome, engaging and safe space open to everyone. Winnipeggers need places like the WAG  outside of their home or workplace  where they can find together or alone, inspiration, recreation and rest."

Recreation is something HSC health-care worker Tara Klassen and daughters Analeigh, 12, Sidonie, 11, Charlotte, 9, and Ethne, 6, are definitely ready for.

Klassens children are home-schooled and are used to being out a lot and going on field trips, so being locked up at home has been a bit of a challenge.

"We havent gone anywhere in a couple of months," she said. "It seemed like a great day to get out and enjoy the gallery."

The girls had plenty of room to explore at the WAG. They wandered through the contemporary exhibits and the salon-style wall, where they saw a painting of three little girls in fancy dresses with a cute pug-like dog.

"They look like us," one of them remarked.

"Yeah, but we don't wear dresses like this," another replied.

As Klassen and her family continued to explore, a few other individuals and families trickled in.

Nurse Christine Cockerill brought her son Luke to the Winnipeg Art Gallery, where she checked out the sculpture Crouching Venus, created by Pietro Barzanti in 1890. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)

Community nurse Christine Cockerill was with her son Luke.

"I had a day off," she said, "and it was something to do. This is really a nice opportunity. Besides work and groceries, this is the first time I've gone out."

"And I came with my mom," said Luke. "I had nothing else to do."

Cockerill hadn't been to the WAG in a while, so she was excited to see what's new, such as Into the Light, an exhibit dedicated to the work of Lionel LeMoine FitzGerald that was originally set to open on April 3. She was also drawn to an Italian sculpture called the Crouching Venus; she reflected on the different experiences of Italy and Canada during the pandemic.

"(Italians) werent even allowed outside to get fresh air," she said, "but they still all gave praise to their front-line workers."

Before continuing through the gallery, Cockerill took a moment to thank O'Reilly and the WAG for being open and for celebrating front-line workers.

"Its not just nurses and doctors who are front-line workers," she added. "Truck drivers, the people that are in your grocery store deserve to be recognized."

Frances.Koncan@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @franceskoncan
Billionaire Sam Zell, who earned his nickname 'the Grave Dancer' buying up troubled real estate in the 1970s, said the coronavirus pandemic will leave the same kind of impact on the economy and society as the Great Depression 80 years ago, with long-lasting changes in human behaviour that imperil many business models.

"Too many people are anticipating a kind of V-like recovery," Zell said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. "We're all going to be permanently scarred by having lived through this."

Just as the depression left behind a generation that couldn't shake the experience of mass unemployment, hunger and desperation, the burdens this crisis has forced on society may be similarly hard to forget. Zell, 78, said it won't be easy for people to live as they did before the "extraordinary shock" of the pandemic.

"We're all going to be permanently scarred by having lived through this," predicts Sam "Grave Dancer" Zell. Credit:Bloomberg

He expects some amount of social distancing and working from home to persist long after the acute phase of the outbreak is over, possibly for years. Retail, hospitality, travel, live entertainment and professional sports are some of the industries he sees continuing to struggle.
The Maharashtra government has sought clarity from the Railways over whether it is bearing 85 per cent of the transport cost of migrant workers heading home amid the lockdown, the state home minister said on Wednesday.

IMAGE: Migrants board a special train to reach Lucknow, during the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, in Jalandhar, on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo

These workers do not have jobs and the Railways should not charge train fare from them, Deshmukh said in a video message.

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday said the Railways has subsidised 85 per cent of ticket fare for special trains being run to transport migrant workers and the state governments have to pay the remaining 15 per cent.

"On behalf of the Maharashtra government, I am seeking clarity from the Indian Railways whether it is really bearing 85 per cent cost of the train ticket. No official order has been received from the railways so far," Deshmukh said.

Everybody knows that these migrant labourers have no jobs since last 40 days and they are desperate to return home, he pointed out.

"The railways should do away with charging the ticket cost from the migrant labourers," he said.

So far, nearly 36,000 migrant labourers have left from Maharashtra for their native places, an official earlier said.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday said her party's state units will bear the cost of rail travel of needy migrant labourers stranded at their workplaces due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown and seeking to return home.

She also accused the central government and the Railways of completely ignoring the demands made by the Congress for ensuring the safe and free travel of migrant workers and labourers to their homes.

Rebutting the Congress' criticism, the BJP said on Monday that the Railways has subsidised 85 per cent of ticket fare for special trains being run for migrant workers and the state governments have to pay the remaining 15 per cent.

Insisting on COVID-19 test of migrant workers 'inhuman': Sena

The Shiv Sena on Wednesday criticised states which have insisted on coronavirus testing of migrant workers before taking them back, terming it is a 'cruel and inhuman' stand.

An editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana also criticised the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government, saying it brought back students from Kota in Rajasthan without any testing 'since they were rich', while train fares were charged from the poor.

The Sena praised Congress president Sonia Gandhi's decision asking her state party units to bear the cost of the train fare of migrant workers returning home.

Workers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh migrate mostly to Maharashtra and Gujarat, it noted.

'Till yesterday, these workers were the vote bank of political parties and leaders, as if Mumbai and Maharashtra have been built on the hard work of these migrant workers. These people are running away in times of crisis and their political mentors have turned them away," the Sena said.

It alleged thatthe Uttar Pradesh government made a 'u-turn' on taking back migrant workers and put stringent conditions for them, including that they be tested for coronavirus before return.

'This stand of states is cruel and against humanity,' the Sena said

It also accused the Uttar Pradesh government of 'rich-poor bias'.

'Hundreds of buses were sent to Kota to bring students back to Uttar Pradesh without any testing since they were rich. For poor, rail ticket fares were charged,' the Marathi daily said.

The Sena said migrant labourers stuck in different parts of Maharashtra have to face a new ordeal now.

Maharashtra looked after them well but they want to go home while their home state is not ready to take them.

It praised Congress president Sonia Gandhi's decision asking her state party units to bear the cost of the train fare of migrant workers returning home.

This was done on humanitarian grounds, the Sena said.

'Migrant workers are not cats and dogs. But their native states are not showing humanity,' it said.

The Sena said Union minister Nitin Gadkari has rightly pointed out that 'migrant labourers may run away from Maharashtra but what will they eat in their home state'.
[May 06, 2020] Rexel Energy Solutions Awarded a Master Contract from the School Project for Utility Rate Reduction (SPURR)

BELL, Calif., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Rexel Energy Solutions (RES), a distributor of energy efficiency solutions, has been awarded a master contract from the School Project for Utility Rate Reduction (SPURR) for LED Lighting and Energy Conservation Services. RES was selected among multiple applicants after a competitive RFP and interview process to supply energy efficient products to public school districts, community colleges and other "Eligible Entities" throughout the state of California such as cities and counties. By upgrading to LED, program participants will benefit by cutting energy consumption, meeting state clean energy goals, and providing bright, evenly balanced lighting to classrooms, hallways, common areas, gymnasiums and outdoor areas. RES is excited to host a kick-off webinar for all interested participants on Tuesday, May 19th at 11 AM PDT. During the webinar, attendees will learn about the program, benefits of installing LED lighting, an overview of products, and an introduction to Rexel Energy Solutions and the services they provide. Visit www.spurrenergy.com today to register. "SPURR has been helping school districts, colleges, universities, cities, counties, and other public agencies control their utility costs for decades through its various procurement programs," said Michael Rochman, Executive Director of SPURR. "The LED Lighting Program has had early success. We know it will develop into a powerful cost reduction tool. We are excited to have a firm with the size, expertise, and financial backing, such as Rexel Energy Solutions onboard!"



"We are excited to be working with SPURR to develop innovative strategies that deliver both results and value to their members across the state of California," said Paul Michaud, Vice President of Sales at Rexel Energy Solutions. "In addition to reduced energy consumption and lower utility bills, participants will also benefit from the increased comfort and productivity that LED lighting provides, both enhancing the space and making it more conducive to learning." RES has in-depth knowledge of energy efficiency programs nationwide, an experienced sales and support team, on staff technical specialists, and maintains a robust inventory to support this program. While upgrading existing lighting to LED is a great way to save money and energy, RES also offers additional energy efficiency measures to implement comprehensive energy projects - including advanced lighting controls, UV Lighting for disinfection, electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, water conservation measures, EE transformers, motors, VFD's, plug load controls, PPE, and much more.

Interested school districts and eligible entities should visit www.spurrenergy.com for more information. Rexel Energy Solutions

Rexel Energy Solutions is a part of Rexel USA based in Dallas, TX, the U.S. subsidiary of the Rexel Group. Rexel, a leader in the professional distribution of products and services for the energy world, addresses three main markets - residential, commercial and industrial. The Group supports its customers to be at their best in running their business, by providing a broad range of sustainable and innovative products, services and solutions in the field of technical supply, automation and energy management. Rexel operates through a network of some 2,000 branches in 32 countries, with more than 27,000 employees. The Group's sales were 13.7 billion in 2019. Learn more at rexelenergy.com SPURR

Since 1989, SPURR has conducted complex procurements of utilities-related goods and services for member public school and community college districts and county offices of education. SPURR has made the results of those procurements available to its members and to eligible non-members, such as public universities, cities, counties, and special districts. SPURR aggregates buying power and technical expertise to obtain the best available pricing and terms for our program participants. Visit spurr.org to learn more. Contact:

Lindsay Thompson

Rexel Energy Solutions

508-738-5229

[email protected]

www.rexelenergy.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rexel-energy-solutions-awarded-a-master-contract-from-the-school-project-for-utility-rate-reduction-spurr-301053361.html SOURCE Rexel Energy Solutions

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The man behind the dots calls that criticism silly. Kevin Hassett, the former council chairman who left the White House last year, only to return as an unpaid adviser to President Trump during the pandemic, said in an interview on Wednesday that the chart in question was not a forecast of deaths and never meant to be read as one.

It is not even a model of the virus, Mr. Hassett said. Rather, the chart was intended to show a simple mathematical formula, logged in a popular spreadsheet program, that produces a graph that roughly aligns with the forecast model of daily virus deaths produced by a team at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington. It looks like a smooth curve, peaking near the end of April and falling off quickly this month. The point of the curve, Mr. Hassett said, is to show how the actual death count in the country has matched up with what the institutes model had forecast in the past.

Mr. Hassett said the dots at the end  the ones showing deaths trailing off to near zero by May 16  were not a prediction and were never understood by anyone in the White House to be one. He said that he had never shown the curve to the president or any members of the White House coronavirus task force, and that the White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, has confirmed to him that no one in the administration has ever used the chart as a forecasting tool.

Its not an alternative to the model  its just a different way of visualizing the model, Mr. Hassett said.
Jared Kushner's coronavirus task-force has blundered through the health crisis and hamstrung his ability to fight the pandemic, a whistleblower has alleged.

The former insider complained the president's son-in-law's group is under-qualified and under-resourced to command such influence over the White House's response.

Inexperience has led to a string of missed opportunities, particularly in botched efforts to stockpile personal protection equipment, they claim.

The group of private sector workers came from companies such as Google and Goldman Sachs with the idea that their dealmaking expertise would help provide masks, gloves, ventilators and other needed equipment.

Instead they achieved little - and found themselves dealing with a 'VIP list' of Donald Trump's cronies and Fox News stars, one of whom - Jeanine Pirro - called repeatedly to demand 100,000 masks for a New York hospital.

The whistleblower has now made an official complaint to the House Oversight Committee, seen by the Washington Post.

They are the latest administration official to gripe that Kushner has parachuted a handful of his young friends and associates into key roles, in scenes which have been likened to a 'frat party'.

Jared Kushner's coronavirus taskforce has blundered through the health crisis and hamstrung the Unites States' ability to fight the pandemic, a whistleblower has alleged

An official compared Kushner's team to a 'frat party.' Its members include Brad Smith, a fellow Harvard grad, and Jared's former college roommate Adam Noehner

Kushner has drafted two dozen volunteers from various private consultancy firms to oversee critical jobs during the health emergency.

But the whistleblower, who quit their volunteer job, submitted a complaint which read: 'I believe we are falling short. I am writing to alert my representatives of these challenges and to ask that they do everything possible to help front-line health-care workers and other Americans in need.'

Of especial concern was the mishandling of the nationwide call to arms to help shore up the supply of PPE.

Kushner's volunteers were tasked with sifting through offers from companies to manufacture the gear and select the best ones.

But the group was prioritised leads from conservative journalists sympathetic to the president, with suggestions they were not chosen on merit, the complaint alleges.

And because the group tried to contact supplies using their personal email addresses, they received few responses.

Kushner defended his volunteers and said in a statement to the Post 'this program sourced tens of millions of masks and essential PPE in record time and Americans who needed ventilators received ventilators.'

But the New York Times reports that this group was responsible for the now notoriously bungled $69million ventilator contract.

In late March, Trump tweeted to urge businesses to 'start making ventilators now!'

Yaron Oren-Pines, founder of networking solutions company Legasus Networks, then replied to Trump's Tweet saying: 'We can supply ICU Ventilators, invasive and noninvasive. Have someone call me URGENT.'

Two of Kushner's volunteers forwarded the lead to federal officials, the Times reported, and New York awarded Oren-Pines a $69million contract to make 1,450 ventilators - zero arrived.

Kushner, a senior adviser who has the president's ear, was also seen as a surprise choice to take charge of the White House's crisis response as he lacks any notable health procurement experience.

On the VIP list: The New York Times and Washington Post reported that Fox News star Jeanine Pirro demanded 100,000 masks for a New York hospital and kept contacting the taskforce until they arrived, while Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade got in touch with 'tips'

Another 'VIP': Charlie Kirk, of pro-Trump group Turning Points USA was another Trump crony logged on the taskforce's VIP list

White House adviser Jared Kushner attends a teleconference with governors at the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters From left, President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf, White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx and Adm. Brett Giroir, assistant secretary for health and Kushner on March 19, 2020 in Washington, DC

The figures he has involved in order to expedite requests for equipment include friends and associates from his time as a senior White House aide and as a player in New York real estate.

They include Kushner's former roomate Adam Boehler, the head of an international finance agency, and Brad Smith, who leads an innovation center at the Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services.

According to his CMS bio, Harvard grad Smith 'was the Co-Founder and CEO of Aspire Health, which he grew from an idea into the nation's largest home-based palliative care provider operating in 25 states and over 70 cities.'

The paper also identified software entrepreneur Nat Turner as part of Kushner's improvised team.

The whistleblower also revealed how the team had a 'VIP list' of Trump cronies and Fox News stars who got in touch either with 'tips' on where to get PPE - or to demand them.

The New York Times reported that the 'VIP list' - which the White House claimed not to know about - included Judge Jeanine Pirro, the Fox News Saturday evening host, Brian Kilmeade, of Fox & Friends, former Apprentice star turned 'Women for Trump' organizer Tana Goertz, and Charlie Kirk, of pro-Trump group Turning Points USA.

The group endured repeated contact with Pirro until 100,000 masks were sent to a New York hospital she wanted them for.

It also dealt with a Scranton cosmetic dentist and Mar-a-Lago member called Albert Hazzouri who claimed he could get ventilators from Mexico and dropped the president's name during repeated phonecalls. None resulted in the purchase of any equipment.

When the New York Times contacted him a man claiming to be his brother denied the dentist had name-dropped the president.

Donald Trump ABANDONS plans to disband coronavirus taskforce after outcry and now says it will 'continue on indefinitely' but focus on 'safety and opening up our country again'

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the White House's Coronavirus Task Force will continue after concerns were raised following an announcement it would be disbanded.

Trump, in a long Twitter thread, praised the task force's work and cited its successes in combating the coronavirus. He noted it would now 'continue on indefinitely with its focus on SAFETY & OPENING UP OUR COUNTRY AGAIN.'

His announcement came less than 24 hours after Vice President Mike Pence told reporters the group was winding down.

The task force is scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, according to Pence's public schedule.

Questions were raised about why the White House was disbanding the group when infections in the United States are on the rise and more than 70,000 people have died. And President Trump frequently reacts after news coverage of his decisions.

President Donald Trump said the White House's Coronavirus Task Force will continue after concerns were raised about it being disbanded

President Trump with members of the coronavirus task force: Vice President Mike Pence, Admiral Brett Giroir, Dr. Anthony Fauci, CMS administrator Seema Verma, Dr. Deborah Birx, Surgeon General Jerome Adams, and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar

Researchers say the ominous new forecast is a reflection of social distancing measures being increasingly relaxed across the US

Trump originally defended the decision but changed his mind Wednesday, announcing its continuation and new focus as he continues his push to get the country reopened. The president also warned some officials could be added or subtracted to the group and noted it would also focus on efforts to make a vaccine.

'The White House CoronaVirus Task Force, headed by Vice President Mike Pence, has done a fantastic job of bringing together vast highly complex resources that have set a high standard for others to follow in the future,' Trump wrote on Twitter.

'Ventilators, which were few & in bad shape, are now being produced in the thousands, and we have many to spare. We are helping other countries which are desperate for them. Likewise, after having been left little, we are now doing more testing than all other countries combined, and with superior tests. Face masks & shields gloves, gowns etc. are now plentiful,' he added.

'The last four Governors teleconference calls have been conclusively strong. Because of this success, the Task Force will continue on indefinitely with its focus on SAFETY & OPENING UP OUR COUNTRY AGAIN. We may add or subtract people to it, as appropriate. The Task Force will also be very focused on Vaccines & Therapeutics. Thank you!,' he concluded.

His announcement comes amid a report that officials warned the number of deaths 'will be high' as the country reopens.

Trump has acknowledged there would be 'more death' due to the coronavirus pandemic, as states begin the process of allowing businesses to reopen.

'It's possible there will be some because you won't be locked into an apartment or a house or whatever it is,' the president told ABC News on Tuesday. 'But at the same time, we're going to practice social distancing, we're going to be washing hands, we're going to be doing a lot of the things that we've learned to do over the last period of time.'

Trump said the reality is, 'We can't sit in the house for the next three years.'

'There'll be more death, than the virus will pass, with or without a vaccine,' he noted.
The Queen is 'very impressed' with the way Australia has handled coronavirus, Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed today.

The pair spoke on the phone on Tuesday night when they also discussed bushfires and drought.

After quickly shutting the borders and imposing strict social distancing rules, Australia has only suffered 96 coronavirus deaths compared with 29,427 in the UK and 71,921 in the US.

Pictured: Mr Morrison and his wife Jenny meeting the Queen in Buckingham Palace in 2019

The Queen's last visit to Australia was in 2011. She is pictured visiting a wildlife park that year

Queen Elizabeth first visited Australia in 1954 (she is pictured that year in Sydney) just months after taking the throne aged 25

The Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, greet children in Bundaberg in 1954

'With COVID-19 she's very impressed with what's been happening here,' Mr Morrison told 2GB radio.

The Queen, who is a keen fan of horse racing, was 'particularly happy to know that the races were still running,' the Prime Minister said.

Mr Morrison described the 94-year-old queen as 'amazing' and said she loves Australia.

'She's amazing. Jenny and I got to meet Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace last year and we had a lovely chat,' he said.

'She's terribly interested in the daily things of life, your family, how things are going.'

Queen Elizabeth first visited Australia in 1954 just months after taking the throne aged 25. Her last visit Down Under was in 2011.

'She love this country, she's been here many times and she regrets the fact that she can no longer visit so many places including Australia, Mr Morrison said.

'She also asked what's happening after the bushfires and I told her the responses there - and the drought as well.

'And she understands drought issues and rural issues really well and she was terribly interested in that.

Queen Elizabeth recently contacted New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern for a progress report on COVID-19.

Ms Ardern said it was a 'treat' to speak with Her Majesty.

'Her affection for New Zealand, her interest in whats happening here and her memory of places and events that are special to us never ceases to amaze me,' she said.
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa on Wednesday urged Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh to take all possible steps to stop the exodus of migrant labourers to protect the economy of the state.

Warning of a labour crisis, Bajwa, in a letter to the chief minister, said, The state government must do everything to encourage migrant labourers to stay back, otherwise the state would be staring at a self-made economic crisis. This would add to the woes of industries reeling under the damage of Covid-19.

He said he had received pleas from various industries in this regard.

Bajwas statement comes at a time when the Congress has asked all its state units to bear the cost of rail travel of migrant workers to their homes. In Punjab, 10 lakh workers, including 5.4 lakh from the industrial hub of Ludhiana, have registered to go back home.

PHDCCI MENTORSAPPEAL

PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) state mentor and former chairman RS Sachdeva also said the state government should stop the migrant workers from going back home. They (government) have been trying to give support to industry to resume operations, but this will not work if workers leave. Workers exodus will not just hit factories planning to resume operations, but also the ones that are already operating, he said in a statement.

CHANDUMAJRA EXPRESSES CONCERN

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) senior vice-president Prem Singh Chandumajra also expressed his concern over the issue. He said the exodus of migrant labourers from Punjab would be a major setback for the industry and agricultural sector in the state.
The State of New Mexicos efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic in regulating the oil and gas industry were condemned by environmentalists who accused the State of forgoing pollution standards and reducing oversight.

WildEarth Guardians questioned the New Mexico Environment Departments decision to reduce some well inspections amid the public health crisis to curtail person-to-person contact and curb the spread of the virus.

The group criticized the State for relying solely on oil and gas companies to monitor for pollution.

Jeremy Nichols, WildEarths Climate and Energy Program director said the move was putting the struggling oil and gas industrys bottom line ahead of public safety.

Last month, the price per barrel of domestic crude dropped below $0 per barrel for the first time in history, and while the market recovered slightly in recent weeks, Permian Basin production fell due to a lack of fuel demand brought on by the coronavirus outbreak.

In this unprecedented health crisis, the New Mexico Environment Department is turning its back on clean air and communities, Nichols said. This sick indifference to human health is nothing but an attempt to appease the bankrupt oil and gas industry.

Nichols called on the State to instead cease oil and gas production in New Mexico, as New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham recently extended stay-at-home orders and the closure of non-essential businesses until May 15.

New Mexicos environmental and health regulators have effectively closed shop, giving the oil and gas industry free rein to poison the states air with impunity, he said. The right thing to do is to pause this dangerous industrial activity. Instead, the Environment Department is putting the fox in charge of the henhouse.

In a news release from WildEarth Guardians, the group asserted that the virus could be transmitted to people via pollution particles.

The Carlsbad area, within the Permian Basin oilfield, was found last year to have some of the highest levels of ozone in the state, a pollutant created when sunlight interacts with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which could be emitted by oil and gas facilities.

Areas with heavy oil and gas operations were allegedly seeing spikes in air pollution, the release read, and Nichols accused the State and administration of President Donald Trump of bailing out the industry during the crisis.

While nurses, doctors, service industry workers, those in agriculture and food processing, and many more are on the frontlines trying to protect us and help us weather the COVID-19 crisis, the New Mexico Environment Department is running away and disowning its role in safeguarding our health and well-being, he said.

Just like the Trump Administration, New Mexicos health and environmental regulators are surrendering to the fossil fuel industry, forcing people to pay the price of unchecked pollution.

NMED recently announced it would cease routine, in-person air quality inspections but could use targeted inspections in the field as needed.

Operators were asked to monitor their facilities and report any possible violations to the State.

NMED also asked operators who believe violations were the result of the pandemic to report the State with regulators evaluating such claims on a case-by-case basis, and providing extensions for only specific operations related to testing, monitoring and record-keeping.

NMED Cabinet Secretary James Kenney said the agency intended to continue pursuing pollution violations, while complying with social distancing orders from the governor and providing some relief to the industry  a man economic driver for New Mexico.

The pandemic has presented challenges for both the regulated community and environmental regulators, Kenney said. We are absolutely committed to striking a balance that takes these hurdles into account while maintaining compliance with state and federal laws.

New Mexicos main compliance agency for the industry, the Oil Conservation Division (OCD)  an arm of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD)  announced similar guidelines intended as a response the industrys concerns brought on the by the pandemic.

To practice social distancing, the OCD elected to shift staff to telework, read an EMNRD news release, meaning in-person operations were discouraged.

EMNRD also contended that the low-price market could cause operators to shut in wells, making reporting requirements difficult to comply with.

The OCD planned to work with companies to achieve compliance despite the challenges, the release read, by allowing operators to request extensions of reporting requirements and allow wells to be shutdown to avoid negative economic impacts.

This is an unprecedented time for our state, and the nation, said EMNRD Cabinet Secretary Sarah Cottrell Propst. As the COVID-19 public health situation has changed and the global reality of energy demands has shifted in response to the pandemic, the OCD is in constant communication with stakeholders about new processes and the changing needs of industry.

The New Mexico State Land Office also recently began implementing measures to support the industry during the pandemic and trying economic situation, engaging in an emergency rule-making process to allow operators to avoid penalties when wells are shut in due to the collapse of the market.

On the federal level, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) and a group of senators urged the Department of the Interior to maintain oil and gas royalty rates amid the pandemic to protect state budgets during the pandemic.

If the DOI moved forward with curbing royalties, the senators argued that any new leasing on federal land should be blocked.

Waiving or reducing royalties owed to the federal taxpayer and states will further delay critical resources from being deployed by states, tribes, and local governments to combat this pandemic and other essential services needed to restart our economy safely, the senators wrote in a May 1 letter to Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt.

This will only exacerbate the reliance of these states on additional federal relief.

Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on Twitter.



2020 the Carlsbad Current-Argus (Carlsbad, N.M.)

Visit the Carlsbad Current-Argus (Carlsbad, N.M.) at www.currentargus.com

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SOLNA, Sweden, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --

January - March 2020

Revenue for the first quarter amounted to SEK 5,329 million compared to SEK 5,006 million the corresponding period the previous year. Real growth was 2 percent (5) and organic growth was 0 percent (2).

Loomis operating income (EBITA)1) amounted to SEK 589 million (564) and the operating margin was 11.0 percent (11.3).

Income before taxes amounted to SEK 490 million (509) and income after taxes was SEK 365 million (379).

Earnings per share before and after dilution amounted to SEK 4.85 (5.04).

Cash flow from operating activities2) amounted to SEK 768 million (30), equivalent to 134 percent (5) of operating income (EBITA)2).

As previously communicated, the Board of Directors has resolved to withdraw its proposal on dividend of SEK 11 per share for 2019 and a final decision on distribution of dividend is expected to take place on an extraordinary general meeting when the consequences of the corona pandemic have become more clear.

The on-going corona pandemic had, for the group in total, a limited negative effect on revenues and operating result during the quarter.

Kristoffer Wadman, who currently has the position as Chief Innovation Officer, will leave Group Management and enter into the position as Director of Marketing for Loomis initiatives within digital payment platforms.

1) Taxes, Amortization of acquisition-related intangible fixed assets, Acquisition-related costs and revenue and Items affecting comparability.

2) The key financial number and the ratio are reported exclusive of impact from IFRS 16.

CONTACT:

Anders Haker

Chief Investor Relations Officer

Mobile: +1-281-795-8580

E-mail: [email protected]

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/loomis-ab/r/loomis-interim-report-january---march-2020-and-change-within-group-management,c3105484

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/51/3105484/1243020.pdf Loomis Interim Report January-March 2020 https://mb.cision.com/Public/51/3105484/8cf25ad34b9e4bb9.pdf Loomis Interim Report January-March 2020 - press release

SOURCE Loomis AB
SEOUL, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Top diplomats of South Korea and the United States talked via phone about situations relevant to the COVID-19 outbreak and other issues of mutual concern, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday.

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held phone conversations earlier in the day.

Pompeo congratulated South Korea for successfully conducting parliamentary elections on April 15, expressing his gratitude to Seoul for sharing information on the COVID-19 and closely cooperating in dealing with the virus, according to South Korean foreign ministry.

Kang told Pompeo that the South Korean government asked people not to lower vigilance against the virus but to stick to the self-disinfection rules despite the recent slowdown of the viral spread.

In the latest tally, South Korea reported two more COVID-19 cases for the past 24 hours, raising the total number to 10,806. All the new cases were imported, and the domestic infection recorded zero for the third straight day.

Kang said South Korea will actively share its experience of the COVID-19 response with the United States and the international community.

The two ministers agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields, including the COVID-19 response.
Adele returned to social media to celebrate her birthday -- and she set the internet ablaze.

The British singer posted to Instagram on Wednesday for the first time since Christmas to celebrate turning 32 and to send a message to those on the COVID-19 front lines.

MORE: Adele and Jennifer Lawrence stop by NYC gay bar to say hello

"Thank you for the birthday love. I hope you're all staying safe and sane during this crazy time," she wrote. "I'd like to thank all of our first responders and essential workers who are keeping us safe while risking their lives! You are truly our angels."

As quickly as Adele came to say "Hello," she ended her post with "2020 okay bye thanks x."

Of course, the Grammy winner drew a lot of attention for her changing looks and body transformation as well. In a full-body photo, Adele is smiling big as she is framed by a circular golden floral wreath. With her long blonde hair worn down, she looks as gorgeous as ever in a black midi dress with puffy sleeves and black heels.

Fellow celebrities like Chrissy Teigen took notice, commenting, "I mean are you kidding me."

Rita Wilson -- who battled COVID-19 with husband Tom Hanks -- also shared her well wishes and praise. "Happy Birthday, Adele," she wrote. "Sending you so much love! Looking gorgeous!"

MORE: Adele teases new music on her 31st birthday, post-split

While Adele is known for keeping her personal life as private as possible, it was revealed last year she and husband Simon Konecki split. Konecki and the "Someone Like You" singer share one child together, their 7-year-old son Angelo.

Here's to hoping we get new music from Adele very soon.

Adele reveals new looks in birthday post thanking front-line workers originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com
At a late Tuesday afternoon meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi showered praise on academics, industry and start-ups for setting aside their reservations and joining hands to power Indias research to develop tests, vaccines and drugs for Covid-19. But PM Modi had one lurking concern.

This was about the ability of the regulatory framework to keep pace with industry and scientists. PM Modi, who has on occasions spoken how the bureaucracy and its systems werent able to keep pace, said Indias regulatory system for new drugs and vaccines was still creaky and cumbersome at the best of times. This, Prime Minister Modi told the meeting of top government officials, had to change. Fast.

The prime minister underscored that we not only had to have the highest quality, ethical standards but also the highest speed, a senior government official who was present at the meeting of the task force on coronavirus vaccine development, drug discovery, diagnosis and testing told Hindustan Times.

Among those who were present at the meeting were principal secretary to the PM PK Mishra, principal scientific adviser to the government K VijayRaghavan, advisor to PM Amarjeet Sinha, biotechnology department secretary Renu Swarup, Indian Council of Medical Research director general Balram Bhargava, Union health secretary Preeti Sudan and Rajesh Bhushan who will take over as health secretary three months later.

This means we need to overhaul the regulatory system, that too at warp speed, one official later told HT. He explained one aspect of the concern around the regulatory framework that the prime minister had articulated.

In the United States and Europe, there are provisions to conduct human trials on emergency clearance basis. In India, it can take drug companies months to even conduct trials on mice.

Besides, an official explained by way of an example, if a drug such as Remdesivir of Gilead Sciences turns out to be a success in the United States, it will take a considerable time to reach the medicine to Indian patients due to red tape in the entire system of drug approvals. We really need to revamp the approval processes at the drug controllers office, he said.

In the course of Tuesdays meeting, when a participant spoke about Indias dependence on one country for supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), Prime Minister Modi underlined that companies need to take pride in manufacturing API also rather than relying on other countries. It should be a matter of pride not just low costs, PM Modi said.

In the early part of the task force meeting, PM Modi was told that there were 30 Indian vaccines in different stages of development including a few that were going on to the trial stage. In drug development, officials told the meeting that they were looking at repurposing existing drugs to treat Covid-19 in addition to working on new drugs and linking a high performance computational approach with laboratory verification to keep research on the fast track.

An official statement issued after the meeting had stressed that the prime minister took note of the extraordinary coming together of academia, industry and government.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Shishir Gupta Author of Indian Mujahideen: The Enemy Within (2011, Hachette) and Himalayan Face-off: Chinese Assertion and Indian Riposte (2014, Hachette). Awarded K Subrahmanyam Prize for Strategic Studies in 2015 by Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) and the 2011 Ben Gurion Prize by Israel. ...view detail
A team of Italian scientists has claimed it has discovered the world's first vaccine that can neutralise coronavirus. Italian scientists at Rome's Spallanzani Hospital have claimed that they are the first to neutralise the virus via a vaccine and that the initial results were "encouraging and beyond expectations". They said after mice were injected the vaccines, they produced antibodies that could also block the virus from infecting humans. After experimenting with the five best candidates that produced antibodies, two of them were selected as final candidates. The scientists claim the vaccine candidates could also adapt to COVID-19 evolutions and even mutations.

Also read: Coronavirus vaccine update: These countries are closest to finding a treatment

This is for the first time that a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) candidate vaccine has capability to neutralise the deadly virus in human cells, Luigi Aurisicchio, CEO of Takis, the firm developing the medication, told the country's news agency ANSA. He added this was the most advanced stage of testing of a candidate vaccine and could begin human trials in Italy after this summer.

Also read: Coronavirus: 8 vaccines in human trials, 100 in preclinical stage

Not only Italy but many other countries including the US, the UK and Israel are claiming to have developed vaccines and crucial drugs to treat the deadly virus. Israel's Defence Minister Naftali Bennett said on Monday that the country's scientists had made a 'significant breakthrough' in coronavirus treatment by isolating a key antibody at its biological research laboratory. The monoclonal neutralising antibody developed at the Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR) could neutralise the disease-causing coronavirus inside carriers' bodies, Bennett told the Israeli media.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) on May 2 allowed emergency use of the experimental drug Remdesivir to treat coronavirus patients. The decision was taken after some studies, including one led by an Indian-American physician Aruna Subramanian, found the drug Remdesivir shortened the recovery time for the hospitalised patients with severe coronavirus infection. Scientists at Jenner Institute of Oxford University also claim to have made a potential vaccine for coronavirus.

Also read: Israel makes progress in coronavirus vaccine search; defence minister claims 'significant breakthrough'

INDIA CORONAVIRUS TRACKER: BusinessToday.In brings you a daily tracker as coronavirus cases continue to spread. Here is the state-wise data on total cases, fatalities and recoveries in one comprehensive graphic.

Edited by Manoj Sharma
Some businesses in Napa Valley have begun to reopen. (Robert Durell/Los Angeles Times)

Terry Letson watched business at his Napa Valley restaurant drop by 25% over the last six weeks. With no help yet from the state, no uptick in coronavirus cases in the county and still no sign of a lifting of restrictions on his eatery before Mothers Day  the busiest day of the year for restaurants  enough was enough.

Were protecting the people that are high-risk at the sacrifice of our well-being, income and livelihood, he said. When the cure is more damaging than the disease, we're in trouble.

Defying county orders, Letson, 58, reopened his Fume Bistro on Monday after weeks of following state rules and serving only takeout. The tables are set 10 feet apart, employees are temperature-checked every morning and only 45 people are allowed inside the 18-year-old establishment, which typically serves up to 100 people at a time, Letson said.

Public health officials have already visited him in person and informed Letson by email that they will attempt to shut down the restaurant by Thursday. But hes undeterred.

"Its been 47 days now. At some point we need to move on a bit."

The restaurant typically employs 36 individuals, but is currently allowing 11 people with the largest families and no other means of income to work part-time.

Napa County has reported 75 COVID-19 infections among its roughly 138,000 residents and two deaths  one of the lowest numbers in a state that has seen nearly 60,000 infections and more than 2,400 deaths.

As Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced that certain restrictions on businesses will be modified as early as Friday, counties throughout the state have pressed for faster and more liberal action amid ongoing protests to reopen the state. Some, such as Sutter and Yuba counties, reopened ahead of the states permission.

"Theyre making a big mistake. Theyre putting their public at risk. Theyre putting our progress at risk, Newsom said during a briefing Tuesday in Sacramento about those counties. These are real exceptions. The overwhelming majority of Californians are playing by the rules doing the right thing.

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Letson said that county leaders for Napa Valley have yet to take such steps, despite the low numbers in comparison to a hot spot such as Los Angeles County, which accounts for the majority of the state's COVID-19 deaths. He and other business owners are instead taking action independently.

The restaurant's reopening came as a nearby art gallery announced last week that it would reopen Monday, despite the countys orders, so it could support the 30 artists and employees who rely on the gallery for income. Quent Cordair Fine Art encouraged other businesses to do the same.

Weve risked everything; weve worked too hard and fought too long to bring our business to life, to keep it alive, and to grow it over the past 24 years to sit passively and watch it die for the unwillingness of some in the community to permit others to live and work on their own terms, to accept and deal with any marginal risk at their own judgment and discretion, gallery owners Quent and Linda Cordair wrote in an open letter. The message came with a warning, Public officials: Know that were prepared to risk fines, arrest or jail.

The art space typically sees less than 10 people at a time, but is limiting that number to no more than six after its reopening. Neither Cordair was immediately available for an interview, but recently said during a YouTube livestream that while online sales continue, in-person sales are key to the survival of the gallery.

"This is life and death for us," Quent Cordair said.

Photos shared on Twitter showed people standing outside the gallery Monday holding signs that read Freedom is Essential and "Let Napa reopen.

Letson said that residents have similarly supported his restaurants decision. He trusts that people who are sick will not enter the restaurant and insists that the opening is no different than large retail stores such as Target and Walmart being allowed to continue operating.

Hospitality has completely shut down. Im not unique in the struggle  Im just unique in pushing it.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  Declining revenues because of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic have created a large deficit in Ohios operating budget. Thats put education funding at all levels on the chopping block.

You can listen online here.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine says he plans to cut $300 million in K-12 public-school funding and $110 million from college and university funding. Nearly all state government agencies will see reductions, but education is bearing the brunt, along with Medicaid, which is targeted for a $210 million cut. Meanwhile, fewer people are traveling, so the Ohio Turnpike is losing millions in toll collections. The people who are driving are doing it significantly faster. And students might attend in-person classes only two days per week when schools start back up in August.

Hear cleveland.com editor Chris Quinn discuss these stories and more in todays podcast.

The podcast is a summary of cleveland.coms morning newsletter The Wake Up. You can receive The Wake Up through email at 5:30 a.m. each weekday by subscribing here.

You can get our podcasts delivered directly to your phone, and we have an Apple podcasts channel exclusively for this podcast. Subscribe here.

Do you get your podcasts on Spotify? Find us here.

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Pacific islands like Hawaii usually depend on their beauty and beaches to draw in visitors to keep their economies strong. But in an effort to fight the new coronavirus, island leaders have been forced to take an extreme step - cutting off tourism completely.

Hawaii has among the lowest COVID-19 infection and death rates in the United States. In March, Governor David Ige did something no other state truly could do: close its borders.

The move stopped the tens of thousands of visitors who usually arrive every day. People who do make it onto the island face a required two-week quarantine.

We also had the opportunity to enact a quarantine, make it meaningful and most importantly, know that we could reallyreduce the number of visitors we get, he told the Associated Press.

With more than 3,220 kilometers of ocean separating it from the rest of the world, Hawaii is in a much better position to control the spread of the virus. Unlike states like Alaska, Montana and Wyoming, it is not possible to drive into Hawaii or take a train.

While Hawaii has been effective in defending against the virus, the travel restrictions have severely damaged the tourist-fueled economy. As a result, Hawaii now has one of the nations highest unemployment rates, with nearly 33 percent of workers jobless.

The governor said keeping the community safe and healthy had come at the expense of more than 225,000 residents who are now unemployed.

Nearly all the places in the world that do not have confirmed COVID-19 cases are in the Pacific.

American Samoa is a U.S. territory west of Hawaii. It is the nations only place that is free of the virus. Officials there have asked Hawaiian Airlines to stop daily flights from Honolulu in an effort to keep the territory virus-free.

Every other U.S. state and territory, including the islands of Guam and Puerto Rico, have reported cases of coronavirus.

Hawaii became the first state to require travelers to quarantine as a way to keep the virus from spreading. The state has arrested several tourists for breaking quarantine, which can bring a $5,000 fine and up to one year in jail.

Arrivals to Hawaii for this time of year fell from about 30,000 people a day to just a few hundred. Most of the arrivals are Hawaiians returning home.

Mary Ann Jenkins left Honolulu to see family in Indiana in early April. She knew she would have to quarantine when she returned.

Indiana did not have the same restriction. There was really no problem going into Indiana, Jenkins said. She agrees with the governor's order to limit visitors to Hawaii.

On the mainland, you can go from one state to the next and youre just still driving down the road so you never know who, what or where youre coming in contact with, Jenkins said.

Hawaii also expanded testing to close contacts of infected people, said Lieutenant Governor Josh Green. He says that for the next year, or until the virus is no longer a threat, travelers should be tested 72 hours before arriving.

Im Susan Shand.

The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Bryan Lynn was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

tourism - n. the business of visiting a place for pleasure

quarantine - n. the period of time during which a person or animal that has a disease or that might have a disease is kept away from others to prevent the disease from spreading

opportunity - n. the chance to effect something

at the expense of - expression. using someone or something to one's own benefit
There have been myriad efforts from academia and industry to ramp up production of ventilators to ease potential shortages amid the pandemic. A partnership between General Motors and a Seattle medical device maker began producing ventilators at GMs Kokomo, Indiana, plant late last month. The first shipment of those machines went to Chicago hospitals. Engineers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have been working on a simple ventilator that could be plugged into hospital oxygen supplies and run without electricity.
Moody's Analytics Named Category Leader for CLO Solutions in Chartis Report

Moody's Analytics, a global provider of financial intelligence, has earned the Category Leader distinction in a new Chartis Research report. Technology Solutions for Credit Risk 2.0: Credit Risk Analytics, 2020; Market Update and CVA/CLO Solutions Vendor Landscape evaluates 13 leading vendors of CLO solutions.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005295/en/

https://www.moodysanalytics.com/about-us/awards

This recognition reflects the long-term commitment and significant investment that Moody's Analytics has made in the CLO market. From the formation of Moody's Analytics in 2008, it has had coverage of every structured asset class and has worked with many of the largest market participants. As a result the CLO product suite reflects a deep understanding of the structured finance community's needs. For example, different market participants need to access data and analytics in unique ways, and Moody's Analytics makes them available through several flexible solutions including a web portal, local or hosted APIs, data feeds, microservices, Excel Add-In, and more.

"We are delighted to be recognized by Chartis for our CLO solutions," said Bhargav Jani, Senior Director at Moody's Analytics. "Our rich content, developed over the past decade, sets us apart from other vendors in the CLO space. Our ability to deliver that content flexibly, suiting our clients' unique needs, is an even greater differentiator."

The report's RiskTech Quadrant for CLO solutions, pictured above, highlights each vendor's "Completeness of Offering" and "Market Potential." The report's separateVendor Capabilities table evaluates the vendors on six specific capabilities. Moody's Analytics earned "Best-in-class" for three capabilities (collateral data analytics, pricing engine, and CPM support)-more than any other vendor.







Our CLO Market Solutions are a part of the Moody's Analytics suite of solutions for the structured finance market, which includes analytical platforms such as the Structured Finance Portal for investors and the Ki solution for issuers of securitizations.

This suite of solutions also earned Category Leader status for Moody's Analytics in last year's Chartis Research report Fixed-Income Technology Solutions, 2019 Market and Vendor Landscape.

Learn more about this new recognition, which adds to the company's growing list of awards and accolades.

Moody's Analytics, Moody's, and all other names, logos, and icons identifying Moody's Analytics and/or its products and services are trademarks of Moody's Analytics, Inc. or its affiliates. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners.

About Moody's Analytics

Moody's Analytics provides financial intelligence and analytical tools to help business leaders make better, faster decisions. Our deep risk expertise, expansive information resources, and innovative application of technology help our clients confidently navigate an evolving marketplace. We are known for our industry-leading and award-winning solutions, made up of research, data, software, and professional services, assembled to deliver a seamless customer experience. We create confidence in thousands of organizations worldwide, with our commitment to excellence, open mindset approach, and focus on meeting customer needs. For more information about Moody's Analytics, visit our website or connect with us on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Moody's Analytics, Inc. is a subsidiary of Moody's Corporation (NYSE: MCO). Moody's Corporation reported revenue of $4.8 billion in 2019, employs approximately 11,300 people worldwide and maintains a presence in 40 countries.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005295/en/
Srinagar, May 6 : In a major success in anti-militancy operations in J&K, security forces on Wednesday killed the most wanted militant commander, Riyaz Naikoo along with his associate in Pulwama district thereby avenging the deaths of five security men killed in Kupwara district on May 3.

Naikoo, Kashmir's most wanted terrorist and Hizbul chief was trapped late on Tuesday in his native Beighpora village in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.

The Hizbul Mujahiddin commander and and his associate were killed early on Wednesday while another militant was killed in a separate operation in Sharshali village of Khrew area in Pulwama district away from Naikoo's encounter spot.

Confirming Naikoo's death a senior security forces officer said, "Naikoo has been neutralized along with his associate.

"We had said that the martyrdom of our bravehearts, Colonel Ashutosh Sharma, major Anuj Sood, Lance naik Dinesh Singh, naik Rakesh Kumar and sub-inspector Saqeer Khan would be avenged and that pledge has been fulfilled within three days." Two terrorists, a Pakistan national and a local terrorist were also killed in the encounter in Chanjimulla village of Handwara tehsil on May 3 along with bravehearts.

Officials said the operation to eliminate Naikoo was carried out with pinpoint precision without any collateral damage.

Authorities have suspended mobile Internet across the Kashmir Valley and imposed curfew in most major towns of the valley to ensure that no ugly fallout of Naikoo's death affects the law and order.

A video conferencing meeting was reportedly held earlier between senior officers of the Union Home Ministry and J&K top brass to address any law and order issues peacefully.

In Srinagar city, the District Magistrate announced that all curfew passes issued on or before May 5 have been cancelled and fresh passes would be issued after two days.

Authorities do not want to take any chance after killing the most wanted militant commander who happened to be a Kashmiri.

No chances are being taken with the law and order situation since in a similar situation in July 2016 when Naikoo's predecessor and Hizbul poster boy chief commander, Burhan Wani was killed, said an official.

A six month long unrest had followed Burhan's death when over 100 protesters were killed in clashes with the security forces in the Valley.

The overnight operation to trap Naikoo by the security forces was started on Tuesday evening when a massive search operation was launched in the native Beighpora village of Naikoo near the Awantipora town of Pulwama district.

Sources had told IANS then that after receiving credible information that the top Hizbul Mujahideen commander had come to visit his home in Beighpora village the joint op by the Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the local police, moved in quickly to seal all entry and exit points of the village.

"The adjoining Gulzarpora village has also been brought under the cordon and search operation is on to ensure that once trapped, he is unable to escape," sources said.

Riyaz Naikoo took over as the commander of Hizbul Mujahideen after the outfit's poster boy and commander Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight with the security forces in Kokarnag area in Anantnag district on July 8, 2016.

Naikoo carried a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head.

Naikoo had been masterminding the killings of local policemen to put pressure on them not to engage in anti-militancy operations.

It was because of this threat perception that policemen were advised not to visit their homes especially in South Kashmir districts where Naikoo held sway among the militant ranks.

Before joining the militant ranks, Naikoo worked as a mathematics teacher at a local school. He was known to have passion for painting roses before he picked up the gun at the age of 33.

Security forces hold Naikoo responsible for holding the Hizbul together after its possible disintegration when Zakir Musa broke away from the Hizbul ranks to form his own splinter group.

Musa split from the Hizbul in 2017 and formed his own group called Ansar Ghazwatul Hind that claimed to be the Indian affiliate of the Al-Qaeda.

Musa was killed in Dadsara area in Tral tehsil in an encounter with the security forces on May 23, 2019.
Top Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Riyaz Naikoo has been killed along with two associates by a joint team of security forces in Kashmirs Pulwama district, a senior security official said on Wednesday.

Riyaz Naikoo, who was leading the banned Hizbul Mujahideen in Kashmir valley, had been trapped in the operation in Beighbora village of Pulwama district earlier in the day. Jammu and Kashmir director general of police Dilbag Singh was supervising the operation.

Also read : Riyaz Naikoo, Kashmirs most wanted terrorist, carries Rs 12 lakh reward

A senior police officer described Riyaz Naikoos elimination as a huge success.

Naikoo is learnt to be close to the Pakistan-based Hizbul chief, Syed Salahuddin, who was declared a global terrorist by the US in 2017.

Naikoo had taken over as chief of the terror group after the outfits Kashmir commander Burhan Wani was gunned down in July 2016.

The tech-savvy Naikoo, who used to give private tuitions to school children before joining Hizbul Mujahideen, had played a crucial role in holding the terror groups hold in the valley after the groups Zakir Musa split the outfit in 2017 to form his own group Ansar Ghazwatul Hind.

Zakir Musas new outfit was claimed to be an affiliate of Al Qaeda. Musa didnt get to lead the new outfit for long. He was killed in an encounter in Tral in May last year.

Also read : Who is Riyaz Naikoo, Kashmirs most wanted militant?

Naikoo, however, had been awfully lucky. In Kashmir, where the career span of terrorists rarely exceeds four years, Naikoo lasted eight years.

He had been cornered by the security forces in Kashmir on several occasions but had managed to slip out every time. One reason, a J&K police officer told Hindustan Times, that when the police got the initial input about the presence of Kashmirs most-wanted terrorist, police chief Dilbag Singh quickly got into the picture to oversee the entire operation.

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Twenty-nine BSF jawans, forming part of a company deployed earlier in the Walled City area in Delhi on internal security duty, tested positive for Covid-19 here on Wednesday, an official of the border guarding force said.

All these jawans had been shifted to the Subsidiary Training Center (STC) of BSF on Monday from Delhi for quarantine.

Their samples were taken on Tuesday after their arrival at Jodhpur and had been sent to AIIMS for examination. The report was released by AIIMS on Wednesday morning, in which they were tested positive, the BSF official said.

All of them have now been admitted in the AIIMS for treatment, he added.

According to the official, all these jawans were the part of a BSF company, which had been sent to Delhi from Jaipur for internal security purpose and had been put up at the Jama Masjid.

Some of the jawans, on duty there, had tested corona-positive, after which the entire company was air-lifted to Jodhpur and was quarantined at the STC considering adequate accommodation for their quarantine.

The official said the quarantine centre at the STC here is well-equipped for the purpose and the administration here has been taking proper care of all the jawans.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Melbourne, Australia, May 5, 2020 - (ABN Newswire) - iSignthis Ltd (ASX:ISX.AX - News) (HAM:TA8.F - News) is pleased to announce its 4th consecutive positive quarterly operating cash flow contained in the Appendix 4C and our quarterly business activity report.

This has been re-issued to accommodate the direction from the ASX (see end of this report).

Financial Analysis 1Q20

- 1Q20 is the Company's 4th quarter of positive operating cash flows, +$1.78m for the quarter.

- Cash balance at end of quarter was $17.5m in consolidated Group Cash, broadly flat from $17.7m as at 31 December 2019.

- 1Q20 receipts from customers were down 33% from 4Q19 to $10.5m due to the impacts from COVID-19, combined with seasonality in some merchants' volumes and other issues mentioned below.

- Client funds held are now over $100m, up from $96m as at 31 December to $101m as at 31 March 2020.

- The Company made a $4.2m investment in NSX Limited during the quarter for a 12.96% stake, per our announcement dated 20/2/2020.

- In the Quarter the Company completed the acquisition of UAB Baltic Banking Service for a total cost of EUR75k cash and 1,394,533 ordinary ISX shares.

- Administration and corporate costs were up circa $430k in the quarter, due mainly to the ASX related legal proceedings.

- Cash flows in the quarter also include a $3.2m cash contribution from the joint venture partner, as previously announced.

Business Activities 1Q20

- Probanx executed a A$4.5m agreement to develop a Delivery versus Payment (DvP) Platform for the NSXA, to be delivered over 24 months (excluding any COVID Delays).

- Probanx mobilised key personnel to meet its obligations under the ClearPay JV agreement.

- Integrated UAB Baltic Banking Service team under "Probanx" banner.

- UAB Baltic Banking Service's SEPA Core and SEPA Instant services now integrated with Probanx COREPlus system. Available as a service by ISXPay under our Bank Institution Code (BIC) of ISEMCY22XXX.

- SEPA Instant also now available as a SaaS module to Probanx COREPlus third party financial institution customers.

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- Injunctive relief was sought against the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), with the Federal Court hearing the matter on the 16th April 2020. Judgment is scheduled for 30th April 2020.

- Enquiries for Probanx CORE banking and network products increased, with several (individually non-material) agreements executed with EU regulated entities.

- Flykk(R) app approved by Apple Inc, with release to worldwide app store expected during May/June 2020. Refer to www.flykk.it for details.

- Focus on enhancing AML compliance, including:

- Partnership agreement executed with Lexis Nexis, allowing the incorporation of Lexis Nexis data into our systems for resale to third parties consuming our Paydentity service or Probanx solutions.

- Paydentity(TM) cascade extended to include BankID from Norway and Sweden, with Finland under integration, to complement the previously integrated 3rd party instant electronic verification sources, further expanding our 'instant' KYC(C) capability. The Company's patented Payment Instrument Verification (PIV) processes continue to be utilised where instant electronic verification methods are not available, reducing KYC(C) from a manual process that takes days, to a process that is online and takes minutes. PIV relies upon verification of bank accounts and regulated cards.

- Integration completed to two key gaming platforms, extending our platform integrations beyond the exchange and trading platforms integrated during 2018.

- Due to the COVID-19 lock down requirements of Federal and State governments in Australia, and Governments of Cyprus, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, ISX, similar to other companies, implemented work from home and other operational strategies, as part of its Pandemic Policy and Business Continuity Plans, to mitigate the effects on staff and operations of the spread of the virus in the wider community.

- COVID-19 impacted March revenues indirectly, with almost 3 weeks of processing time being lost. The Company failed to process transactions across a number of card schemes as a consequence of either the scheme itself being technically or commercially un-responsive, arrangements with the schemes being subject to further commercial or due diligence requirements, or the Company itself changing its systems without taking into consideration the impact on the scheme. By way of example, our PCI DSS certification, despite having been successfully audited and submitted to the relevant scheme on time, was not updated by one of the card schemes, leading to suspension of some processing services.

- Processing to merchants across the Visa network was also suspended for parts of March pending response to Visa re queries on ASX "investigation", concerns re "derogatory media" and the focus on high risk merchants. The Company is providing Visa with information regarding the ASX "investigation" and other matters. Visa has notified that their response times on this matter have been impacted by COVID-19.

- Other COVID-19 impacted matters include :

- Our Tier 1 Australian processing rollout being delayed and will not meet the May 2020 anticipated timetable, due to unavailability of test slots from the major card schemes.

This is as yet to be rescheduled but is anticipated to be later in the year.

- SWIFT rollout has also been deferred, until such time as test slots will become available. The Company does not at this stage have visibility on expected dates.

- ASIC has advised that as a direct consequence of COVID-19, consideration of our application under Corporations Regulation 7.2.16 is taking longer than anticipated to assess.

Update to Appendix 4C

In accordance with Listing Rules 18.8(a) and (b), ASX directs ISX to include in each quarterly activity report it gives to ASX under Listing Rule 4.7C, commencing with its quarterly activity report for the quarter ended 31 March 2020, a breakdown by sector of the revenue ISX has derived from customers during the applicable quarter, divided into the following sectors:

- Options/CFDs/FX

- Crypto/digital currency

- Online gambling

- Online video gaming

- Credit providers

- Travel services

- Other

1Q20 unaudited revenue was for the Group was $10.6m. The percentage of revenue derived from industry segments during the quarter is detailed below:

- Options/CFDs/FX - 11%

- Crypto/digital currency - 2%

- Online gambling - 1%

- Online video gaming - 60%

- Credit providers - 0%

- Travel services - 4%

- Other - 22%

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KAMPALA  Ugandas recovered coronavirus cases have increased to 55 after 3 more cases were discharged today.

The ministry of Health said that those that have been discharged from Entebbe Grade B Hospital on Monday May 4 had tested negative twice for the disease at an interval of 24 hours.

Entebbe Grade B Principal Nurse Ms Roselyn Mutonyi the hospital is now remaining with three patients admitted at the facility and in stable condition.

Dr Chris Nsereko, the head of the medical team at the facility has in total discharged 29 COVID-19 patients since COVID-19 started.

Dr Nsereko said the 52 patients who were earlier discharged are being followed up in their respective communities.

We have what we call a discharge protocol which entails what to do when we discharge these patients. We continue to follow them in their communities with the help of psycho-social workers. We also continue to observe them for any recurrences of symptoms and also look at their social lives and educate the community about them. Most importantly, we follow them indefinitely and we are always in constant contact, he said.

Uganda has not registered any deaths thus far out of the 89 confirmed cases.

Kenya today confirmed 25 more cases, taking its total of 490 infections while Tanzania stopped counting a week ago after President John Magufuli questioned the test kits.

Official figure stand at 480.

Rwanda has 259 with zero death.

Related
BRIDGEPORT At least 32 tons of food, enough for 50,000 meals, will be distributed Thursday in the Bass Pro Shops parking lot in what the Connecticut Food Bank is calling its largest effort ever.

Dan Gomez, the Food Banks chief operating officer, said he expects to serve nearly 2,000 vehicles during the event, which will begin at 10 a.m. and last until the food is gone or 2 p.m.

A crew of Bridgeport police officers will be directing traffic off the East Main Street exit on the northbound side of I-95  Exit 28  and from the Seaview Avenue exit on the southbound side  Exit 29  to the Bass Pro Shops parking lot. Once inside the lot, drivers will be directed to the distribution section. Everyone should remain in their cars but open their trunks.

A volunteer will bring a box or bags containing bread, yogurt, a 20 pound box of fresh fruit and vegetables, canned and packaged soups and other non-perishables. Everyone is eligible to participate as long as supplies last.

A smaller food distribution limited to the first 100 families will take place at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Refuge Church of God Parking lot, 3050 Main St.

The spike in need caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is being felt across all six counties, said Paul Shipman, senior director of marketing, communications and government relations at the Connecticut Food Bank. We are buying food at a pace we never saw before.

He said the normal course of donations to the food back comes from growers, grocers and distributors. But the shift from dining out to cooking at home and the impact the pandemic has had in terms of infections, shutdowns and consumer purchases has led to the Food Bank having to purchase items.

Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut Media

Many of our partner agencies are being overwhelmed and its important we make every effort to provide as much relief as we can, he said.

We would like to thank Bass Pro Shops for supporting our efforts to help our community and providing us their parking lot to host this event. Further, Id like to thank the mayor and local civic leaders of Bridgeport as well as state representatives for assisting us in planning this event, Gomez said.

Future Connecticut Food Bank Mobile Pantry food distributions are posted at http://www.ctfoodbank.org/mobilepantry.

Gomez noted that Connecticut Food Bank is doing everything possible to ensure the safety of our volunteers through the following measures:

All volunteers will be given a no-touch temperature check upon arrival. Volunteers with a temperature of 100.4 or above (the recommended threshold from the CDC) will be asked to leave.

There will be several disinfectant stations. Volunteers should thoroughly wash their hands prior to arrival. Hand washing should last at least 20 seconds under warm water.

Accommodations are in place to allow volunteers to perform their duties with reasonable social distancing.

The food bank will provide disposable gloves and the city of Bridgeport will support providing masks for volunteers during their shift.

Anyone interested in making a financial donation may mail it to Connecticut Food Bank, 2 Research Parkway, Wallingford, Ct. 06492.
A 22-year-old Twitter employee was killed in a shooting in San Francisco on Monday night.

Courtney Brousseau was shot on Friday evening at around 8:20pm in the city's Mission District. He succumbed to his injuries on Monday night.

Courtney Brousseau, 22, was shot on Friday night after he picked up take-out

Moments before the shooting, he had tweeted a picture of his food on Twitter

Brousseau had been out to pick up take-out food when he was struck by gunfire.

Two men in their 20s got out of their vehicle and opened fire before driving off, according to San Francisco police.

Witnesses said 50 to 60 shots were fired in a shootout between two groups of unidentified people at the intersection of 14th Street and Guerrero.

Shortly before he was shot, Brousseau tweeted a photo of his burrito dinner with a picture of Dolores Park at dusk.

'I just ate a delicious burrito in Dolores Park and for a brief moment everything felt okay,' he wrote.

A spokesperson for Twitter said that staff at the company was heartbroken at his death

Brousseau worked for Twitter as a product manager and was a bike campaigner

Witnesses said 50 to 60 shots were fired in a shootout between two groups of unidentified people at the intersection of 14th Street and Guerrero, pictured

The 22-year-old was caught in a hail of gunfire in San Francisco's Mission District on Friday night

Brousseau, who graduated from the University of California at Berkeley, was a product manager at Twitter.

Leslie Berland, a spokeswoman for the company, posted a message: 'Today we lost a beloved Tweep, and we're collectively heartbroken.

'I've spent a lot of time on Courtney's timeline to get to know him better. What I discovered is he was the best of us. #LoveForCourtney,' she wrote.

Brousseau was involved in campaigning for more bike lanes and had an interest in bike safety in San Francisco.

'Courtney Brousseau is who I wished my 22-year-old self could have been,' wrote the director of transportation for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency online.

A 17-year-old boy was also caught in the crossfire although his injuries were not as serious, reports KTVU.
Gourmet take-out delivered by a butler in a black sedan -- Thailand's super-rich have not forgone luxury during a pandemic which has locked the country down, crushed the economy and left millions unemployed. Thailand is one of the most unequal nations in the world and the chasm between rich and poor is widening as the coronavirus eviscerates jobs, leaving 22 million registering for a government cash hand-out. Hundreds line up daily for food donations across Bangkok, a grim sign of an economic contraction forecast at more than six percent this year -- the worst since the Asian financial crisis in 1997. For rich Bangkokians the pandemic has brought the inconvenience of restricted movement -- with an overnight curfew still in place despite some businesses reopening -- but no end to the lifestyle of plenty. Concierge company the Silver Voyage Club has retooled its services to meet the cravings of the elite, delivering high-end meals from the top-tier restaurants. "Our top clients are... high-net-worth individuals who are VIP from the banks," said founder Jakkapun Rattanapet. Concierge services kick in as part of a rewards programme when bank account holders have "at least US$1 million", he explained. His company launched White Glove Delivery after their concierge business took a nose dive as global business travel staggered to a halt. Wagyu beef, seafood and dim sum are on offer from 20 restaurants, some housed in luxury hotels or listed on the Michelin Guide. Clients include corporate diners and celebrities, their meals delivered in carefully packaged boxes to their housekeepers in upscale Bangkok neighbourhoods or to company headquarters. A butler -- wearing white gloves -- can also come along to set the table and present the food. As part of the fight against COVID-19, White Glove also donates 1,000 meals a day to frontline workers in hospitals, Jakkapun said. Thailand has 27 billionaires, according to Forbes, with the Chearavanont family who head agro-industrial conglomerate CP Group topping the list worth an estimated $27.3 billion. They pledged US$29 million to the government last month the same day premier Prayut Chan-O-Cha called for the country's super-rich to dig deep to help stave off economic ruin. Restrictions on Bangkok's restaurants were eased Sunday allowing customers to eat-in with social distancing. But with alcohol off the menu, many food businesses are still relying on delivery for an income. Dalian, a Chinese restaurant in downtown Bangkok, makes 3,000 baht a day (US$90), an 80 percent drop from before the pandemic, said manager Jay, who declined to give a last name. The restaurant is turning to delivery apps to reach customers who are mainly still staying at home, despite their high commission of around 30 percent. "(The commission) is quite a lot, but we don?t have another way to go," he told AFP. Concierge companies in Bangkok have taken to delivering high-end meals from top-tier restaurants during Thailand's coronavirus lockdown Many restaurants in Thailand have been forced to rely on their delivery service Restrictions on Bangkok's restaurants were eased Sunday allowing customers to eat-in with social distancing
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 19:29:43|Editor: huaxia

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MADRID, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday announced that the European country will hold official mourning and pay homage for the people who have lost their lives to the coronavirus.

Sanchez made the announcement during a debate in the Spanish Congress (lower chamber of Parliament) as he sought authority to extend the State of Alarm, imposed on March 15, for a further two weeks after it is due to expire on May 9.

The prime minister argued that extending the State of Alarm was "vital" to his government's four-phase plan to relax social gatherings restrictions to stop the spread of the virus.

Spain is currently in phase zero, or the first stage, of his plan, with most of the country expected to progress to phase one on May 11 depending on each province's ability to meet certain criteria in containing the virus.

"As soon as the majority of the country is in phase one, the government will declare official mourning and when we are in the 'new normal,' we will hold a public homage to the victims," said Sanchez.

According to the Ministry of Health, Consumer Affairs and Social Services, 25,857 people in Spain have so far died from the deadly disease. Enditem
WASHINGTON  A federal scientist who says he was ousted from his job amid a dispute over an unproven coronavirus treatment pushed by President Trump said Tuesday that top administration officials repeatedly pressured him to steer millions of dollars in contracts to the clients of a well-connected consultant.

Rick Bright, who was director of the Department of Health and Human Services Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority until his removal in April, said in a formal whistle-blower complaint that he had been protesting cronyism and contract abuse since 2017.

Questionable contracts have gone to companies with political connections to the administration, the complaint said, including a drug company tied to a friend of Jared Kushners, President Trumps son-in-law and senior adviser. It said Dr. Bright was retaliated against by his superiors, who pushed him out because of his efforts to prioritize science and safety over political expediency.

The 89-page complaint, filed with the Office of Special Counsel, which protects federal whistle-blowers, also said Dr. Bright encountered opposition from department superiors  including Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II  when he pushed as early as January for the necessary resources to develop drugs and vaccines to counter the emerging coronavirus pandemic.
A far-Right extremist inspired by the Christchurch atrocity today pleaded guilty to having explosives and instructions on how to make bombs.

Filip Golon Bednarczyk, 25, of Luton, Bedfordshire, was arrested by detectives from the Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism unit on December 11 last year.

Police had suspected him of being a terrorist due to his interest in firearms and firearm attacks, his purchase of materials for an improvised explosive device and frequent Right-wing rhetoric.

Filip Golon Bednarczyk (pictured), 25, of Luton, Bedfordshire, was arrested by detectives from the Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism unit on December 11 last year

A search of his bedsit led to the discovery of handwritten notes, electrical component parts and a 2kg bag of sulphur powder.

An analysis of his electronic devices revealed an interest in firearms, knives and killings as well as extreme right-wing views.

He had memes depicting support for the Christchurch attack in March 2019 in which 51 people were killed, as well as the attacker's 'manifesto'.

During a virtual hearing at the Old Bailey (pictured), Bednarczyk admitted possessing an explosive substance under suspicious circumstances between May and December last year

The defendant had also allegedly searched the internet for Nazis, Hitler, the Polish Defence League and Britain First.

During a virtual hearing at the Old Bailey today, Bednarczyk admitted possessing an explosive substance, namely sulphur powder, under suspicious circumstances between May and December last year.

He also pleaded guilty to seven charges of possessing a document likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism in relation to various titles about homemade explosives, including Semtex and black powder.

Bednarczyk had memes depicting support for the Christchurch attack in March 2019 in which 51 people were killed (pictured, flowers for victims), as well as the attacker's 'manifesto'

Prosecutor Dan Pawson-Pounds asked for sentencing to be put off to a later date.

He said the Crown had received a basis of plea from the defendant and a psychiatric report was being prepared.

Judge Anthony Leonard QC remanded the defendant into custody, telling him he would set a timetable to sentencing as soon as possible.
Pfizer and BioNTech Dose First US Participants for BNT162 COVID-19 Vaccine Program

By HospiMedica International staff writers

Posted on 06 May 2020



Illustration

Pfizer Inc. (New York, NY, USA) and Biopharmaceutical New Technologies {(BioNTech) Mainz, Germany} have dosed the first participants in the US in the Phase 1/2 clinical trial for the BNT162 vaccine program to prevent COVID-19.



The trial is part of a global development program, and the dosing of the first cohort in Germany was completed last week. The Phase 1/2 study is designed to determine the safety, immunogenicity and optimal dose level of four mRNA vaccine candidates evaluated in a single, continuous study. The dose level escalation portion (Stage 1) of the Phase 1/2 trial in the US will enroll up to 360 healthy subjects into two age cohorts (18-55 and 65-85 years of age). The first subjects immunized in Stage 1 of the study will be healthy adults 18-55 years of age. Older adults will only be immunized with a given dose level of a vaccine candidate once testing of that candidate and dose level in younger adults has provided initial evidence of safety and immunogenicity. During the clinical development stage, BioNTech will provide clinical supply of the vaccine from its GMP-certified mRNA manufacturing facilities in Europe.



BioNTech and Pfizer will work jointly to commercialize the vaccine worldwide upon regulatory approval (excluding China, where BioNTech has a collaboration with Fosun Pharma for BNT162 for both clinical development and commercialization). Pfizer and BioNTech are working to scale up production for global supply. Pfizer-owned sites in three US states and in Belgium have been identified as manufacturing centers for COVID-19 vaccine production, with more sites to be selected. Through its existing mRNA production sites in Germany, BioNTech plans to ramp up its production capacity to provide further capacities for a global supply of the potential vaccine. The breadth of this program should allow production of millions of vaccine doses in 2020, increasing to hundreds of millions in 2021.



With our unique and robust clinical study program underway, starting in Europe and now the US, we look forward to advancing quickly and collaboratively with our partners at BioNTech and regulatory authorities to bring a safe and efficacious vaccine to the patients who need it most. The short, less than four-month timeframe in which weve been able to move from pre-clinical studies to human testing is extraordinary and further demonstrates our commitment to dedicating our best-in-class resources, from the lab to manufacturing and beyond, in the battle against COVID-19, said Albert Bourla, Chairman and CEO, Pfizer.



It is encouraging that we have been able to leverage more than a decade of experience in developing our mRNA platforms to initiate a global clinical trial in multiple regions for our vaccine program in such a short period. We are optimistic that advancing multiple vaccine candidates into human trials will allow us to identify the safest, most effective vaccination options against COVID-19, said CEO and Co-founder of BioNTech, Ugur Sahin.










STAMFORD  A 97-year-old nun with close ties to Connecticuts Colombian community died at age 97 after contracting the coronavirus, according to her obituary.

Raquela Mesa-Acosta, a sister for more than 70 years, died on April 22.

At 19, Mesa-Acosta joined the religious order founded by Saint Laura Montoya, who is the first saint of Colombia, and even served as a personal assistant to Montoya in the saints later years.

Sister Raquela recounted that her work as a young religious was with the native Indians in the area of Casanares, Porto Carreno and Porto Imarco, which are located near the border with Venezuela. She often smiled when recounting that she was very good using the canoe to travel the rivers and aid the poor families and children of the native peoples, wrote Rev. Matthew R. Mauriello, who served as chaplain at the St. Camillus Nursing Home in Stamford were Mesa-Acosta lived since 2014.

Montoya, sensing a great zeal in Mesa-Acosta, later named her the Mother Superior for the central eastern Province of the Order, Mauriello said.

Later in life, after moving to the U.S. from Colombia, Mesa-Acosta worked closely with Msgr. Francis Campagnone, who was a pioneer in Hispanic ministry in the Diocese of Bridgeport.

She is survived by her niece, Nora, the daughter of her sister Berta.
Plans to celebrate Manitobas 150th birthday this year have been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But Manitobans can still take time to celebrate the provinces rich history and remember the events  including the struggle for self-determination and the fight to protect Indigenous rights  that led Manitoba to join Confederation.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 5/5/2020 (623 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Plans to celebrate Manitobas 150th birthday this year have been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But Manitobans can still take time to celebrate the provinces rich history and remember the events  including the struggle for self-determination and the fight to protect Indigenous rights  that led Manitoba to join Confederation.

It was 150 years ago this week that the House of Commons debated the Manitoba Act, a statute that brought the first Prairie province into the constitutional fold. On May 12, Manitobans will celebrate the 150th anniversary of that historical achievement  the day the bill received royal assent in 1870.

Manitobas entry into Canada was not an easy journey. The events of 1869-70  known as the Red River Resistance  occurred during a period when Indigenous rights were virtually non-existent and the notion of responsible government was still in its infancy. It was against that backdrop Canada made its first attempt to settle the West in 1869. Following a backroom deal between Ottawa and the British government to purchase what was then Ruperts Land from the Hudsons Bay Company, Canada planned to take over the territory Dec. 1 of that year.

It was 150 years ago this week that the House of Commons debated the Manitoba Act, a statute that brought the first prairie province into the constitutional fold.

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Without consulting those living in the Red River Settlement  most of whom were of Metis ancestry  the government of John A. Macdonald made arrangements to install a lieutenant-governor and a federally-appointed council to govern the area. No provisions were made to protect the land holdings of local inhabitants, nor their linguistic or cultural rights. For the time being, there would be no elected legislative assembly in the new territory. Provincial status would have to wait until a sufficient number of new settlers from the East moved in.

Unwilling to accept those terms, a growing number of Red River settlers  led by Metis leader Louis Riel  took up arms and resisted what they saw as a takeover of their land. After preventing lieutenant-governor designate William McDougall from entering the settlement (and following the establishment of a provisional government), they demanded to negotiate with Canada. Red River residents were not opposed to joining the new Dominion; they simply wanted the same democratic and land rights other Canadians already enjoyed. That was the essence of the resistance.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES A statue of Louis Riel stands at the Manitoba Legislature.

Following a winter of internal conflict in the settlement (which included the execution of Thomas Scott), three delegates were chosen to travel to Ottawa  at the invitation of the federal government  to negotiate Red Rivers entry into Canada.

It was there Red River residents  soon to be Manitobans  secured the democratic, linguistic and land rights they sought, including full provincial status and an elected legislative assembly. Land holdings would be recognized and Metis families would be eligible for 1.4 million acres of land grants. Those and other provisions were contained in the Manitoba Act, a constitutional amendment introduced in the House of Commons May 2, 1870 and debated over a period of 10 days. The act was proclaimed into law on July 15.

The birth of Manitoba was marked by a struggle for democracy and the recognition of Indigenous rights. The rights of Manitobas Indigenous people continued to be under attack for many decades after 1870, and still are today. But Manitobas entry into Confederation was the beginning of the fight to improve those rights. The efforts and vision of those who fought for them 150 years ago are worth remembering and honouring.
SIOUX CITY -- The two Siouxland counties hardest hit by the novel coronavirus each reported deaths from the COVID-19 disease Tuesday.

The number of positive cases also continues to climb rapidly in the third county that makes up Sioux City's metro area.

Siouxland District Health confirmed that a woman age 81 or above became Woodbury County's third known death from COVID-19. The health agency reported 63 new cases in the county, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 1,315.

Dakota County also reported its third death and nine new cases to increase the county's total to 1,014 total positive cases. The Dakota County Health Department did not release information on the gender or age of the most recent person to die from the virus.

Union County in South Dakota also had 14 new cases Tuesday. At 46 positive cases, Union County now ranks fourth among South Dakota's 66 counties in number of positive cases. Of Union County's cases, 19 of the patients have recovered.

A week ago, Union County's total stood at 12 positive cases. The recent uptick is linked to Dakota City's Tyson Fresh Meats plant, which employs more than 4,300 workers, many of them living in Woodbury, Dakota and Union counties.

"The increase in cases today is related to a mass testing event related to the Tyson Plant in Dakota County, Nebraska," South Dakota Department of Health communications director Derrick Haskins said.

As of Thursday, 669 Tyson workers had tested positive for COVID-19, a source familiar with the situation told the Journal.

The meatpacker closed on Friday for cleaning. Tyson on Monday delayed the plant's reopening, which had been scheduled for Tuesday, while awaiting complete results of testing of its workers.

Three of the six metro Sioux City residents to die from the virus were Tyson workers, and a 56-year-old man who worked at the Seaboard Triumph Foods pork plant died of the disease Friday. Seaboard Triumph reported last week that 11 of its workers had tested positive for the virus.

MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center and UnityPoint Health  St. Luke's said in a joint statement Tuesday that the two Sioux City hospitals are providing care for 97 COVID-19 patients.

According to Siouxland District Health, 53 of those patients are Woodbury County residents. It's not certain how many Dakota County residents have been hospitalized in Sioux City because the Dakota County Health Department has said it cannot provide those numbers.

Iowa Department of Public Health data show that a total of 520 hospital beds are available in Regional Medical Coordination Center Region 3, which includes Woodbury County and most of Northwest Iowa. Nearly all of the patients currently hospitalized with COVID-19 are being cared for in Sioux City hospitals.

In a news release Tuesday evening, MercyOne said it has room for more patients.

"MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center has been planning for eight weeks for this surge in volume that our community is now experiencing. We are implementing our surge plan, and the plan is working. We are not at capacity, and it is not our plan to transfer patients. We have resources and support beyond Siouxland from our parent organizations, MercyOne and Trinity Health, which have sent us equipment and staff. We stand ready to serve all of the health care needs of our community," the news release said.

RMCC 3 also has a total of 72 intensive care unit beds, and 44 patients currently occupy them, state statistics show. Of the region's 57 ventilators, 28 are being used by patients.

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The United States President Donald Trump said hes sending 250 ventilators to Nigeria to help fight the coronavirus. He revealed o...





The United States President Donald Trump said hes sending 250 ventilators to Nigeria to help fight the coronavirus.





He revealed on Tuesday the size of the aid he promised Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari during a phone conversation last week.





He spoke during a visit to Honeywell International in Phoenix Arizona. The company produces masks.





Trump claimed during the visit that the U.S. has now flattened the curve on coronavirus.

He said he is helping other nations, including Nigeria with essential medical supplies.





We have more ventilators now than anybody in the world and we are helping France, as you know. We are helping France, Italy, Spain, Nigeria. We are giving I think 250 to Nigeria. We have many countries that we are helping, he said.





Thanks to the profound commitment of our citizens, we have flattened the curve and countless American lives have been saved. Our country is now in the next stage of the battle. A very safe, phased and gradual reopening of our country, Trump said in his remarks at Honeywell International in Phoenix.





According to worldometers.info, which tracks coronavirus patients, by Tuesday, 72,275 Americans had died due to the deadly virus and 1,237,761 had tested positive.





However, there has been a sharp decline in the number of new cases and deaths in the country in the last one week.





This prompted Trump to say that the country has been able to flatten the curve.





This pandemic, he said, has underscored the vital importance of reassuring U.S. supply chains and constructing a powerful domestic manufacturing base.
New report by US-based Freedom House says the three countries have witnessed a democratic backsliding.

Hungary, Serbia, and Montenegro can no longer be called democracies after unprecedented democratic backsliding, a democracy watchdog has said.

The US-based Freedom House declared in its annual Nations in Transit report on Wednesday that Hungary is instead a hybrid regime  in a grey zone between democracies and pure autocracies.

Balkan states Serbia and Montenegro have also lost their democratic status for the first time since 2003 because of years of increasing state capture, abuse of power, and strongman tactics employed by their respective Presidents Aleksandar Vucic and Milo Djukanovic, the report said.

The decline of the European Union member Hungary, once a democratic frontrunner in 2005, was the most precipitous ever tracked by the group, which is mainly financed by the US government.

In 2020, Hungary became the first country to fall by two of the groups ranking categories and leave the group of democracies entirely, according to the report.

Hungary today can no longer be regarded as a democracy, Freedom House said.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbans government has dropped any pretence of respecting democratic institutions, it said.

After centralising power, tilting the electoral playing field, taking over much of the media, and harassing critical civil society organisations since 2010, Orban moved during 2019 to consolidate control over new areas of public life, including education and the arts.

The adoption in March of a COVID-19 emergency law that lets the government rule by decree indefinitely has further exposed the undemocratic character of Orbans regime, it added.

A Hungarian government spokesman dismissed the ranking and described the group as the fist of the Soros network, referring to the US billionaire George Soros  long accused by Orban of meddling in Hungarys affairs.

Freedom House was once known as the bipartisan human rights organisation. With their Soros funding theyve declined, said Zoltan Kovacs in a Twitter post.

Anyone who doesnt conform to their liberal view gets downgraded, he said.

Freedom House also reported a stunning democratic breakdown across the 29 countries it surveyed from Central Europe to Central Asia, noting there are now fewer democracies in the region today than at any point since the annual report was launched in 1995.
Paul Hollywood didn't hold back on his feelings about tofu - the vegetarian bean curd often featured in Asian cooking - during the latest episode of his culinary tour of Japan.

Some viewers of Paul Hollywood Eats Japan were left cringing after the Bake Off judge, 54, offered a very honest appraisal of five tofu-based dishes while dining with a guide in a Kyoto restaurant.

The star likened the bean curd's consistency to the 'texture of a slug' and said that the dishes were 'rank'.

While Hollywood's guide, a fellow Liverpudlian named Diane, laughed off his series of repulsed faces as the dining continued, some viewers said they found his candid approach 'ignorant'.

Scroll down for video

The second episode of Channel 4 series Paul Hollywood eats Japan saw the Bake Off star trying tofu - five different ways - in a restaurant in Kyoto

Yudane, a basic tofu with a runnier consistency, pushed the judge over the edge...leaving his host to say 'It doesn't matter what you say, I'm still going to enjoy it.'

However, the 54-year-old, known for his honesty, didn't hold back, branding the food he was served 'rank' - which some viewers suggested was an 'ignorant' response

Is he going to be sick? Hollywood told his guide, a fellow Liverpudlian named Diane, that one of the tofu dishes had 'the texture of a slug'

Awkward: Diane, who's lived in Japan for 30 years, took her fellow Liverpudlian through a range of bean curd dishes, none of which were to his taste

Vegetarian Diane, who moved to Japan 30 years ago, explained the five dishes Hollywood had presented to him as the pair sat face to face in the restaurant.

Among them was fried tofu and yudofu, boiled silken tofu. However, it was yudane, a basic tofu with a runnier consistency that led Hollywood to unleash the word 'rank'.

He said: 'Jeez, that's rank!'

Diane responded. 'This is my paradise right now. It doesn't matter what you say, I'm still going to enjoy it.'

On social media, many blasted Hollywood's choice of words.

@ylinnhsnet1 wrote: '"texture of a slug" Paul Hollywood on tofu. That's not gonna endear him to the Japanese.'

@keiannfeli1 added: 'Did @PaulHollywood just refer to tofu, a core component of most East Asian & vegetarian dishes as 'rank'? You can't make this ignorance up.'

Others agreed that tofu was hard to love, even when served by some of the world's best chefs.

Not a fan: Hollywood dug deep to try the Asian vegetarian staple but was upfront with his feelings about tofu

The first dish the baker sampled was yudofu, boiled silken tofu which is served in hot water

A quartet of 'very bad' dishes - even the deep friend tofu wasn't appealing to the judge

Yudofu, served in boiling water, was the first dish presented to the chef during the latest episode of his culinary tour of Japan

@justinecedwards wrote: 'I totally agree on #Tofu. It would be on my list to put into #Room101.'

It's been a jittery start for the straight-talking Liverpudlian, with viewers last week branding the show 'racist' and 'cringeworthy' after the baker expressed surprise that the Japanese eat bread, and gave a Michelin-starred chef a Pot Noodle.

'Why is Paul Hollywood presenting a programme called Paul Hollywood Eats Japan if he cant use chopsticks, knows no Japanese etiquette and says things like Japan makes me nervous because its all rice and noodles isnt it??" wrote one, while a second penned:

'So disappointed, before you travel, stop understand cultural differences and learn some respect and stop saying inappropriate racial slurs.'

Paul Hollywood, 54, started his culinary and cultural road trip across Japan in Tokyo in last night's episode of the Channel 4 show. Pictured, with chef Saito

Viewers expressed their horror after the TV star gave Michelin-starred chef Saito a chicken and mushroom Pot Noodle to try

Taking to Twitter, one viewer wrote: 'So disappointed, before you travel, stop understand cultural differences and learn some respect and stop saying inappropriate racial slurs' (pictured)

In the opening scenes of the first episode, Paul Hollywood acted surprised to hear the Japanese eat bread, despite revealing he had previously rejected an offer to be a bakers apprentice in the country.

He said: 'I've never been to Japan before. I mean why would I? I'm a baker. It's all about rice and noodles, isn't it?

Expressing their outrage at the comment, one viewer wrote: 'And I was right about #paulhollywoodeatsjapan "I thought all Japan had was rice and noodles. Yes Paul, Japan is more than just rice and noodles....Probably the most ignorant show on Japan that I've ever watched!!!'

A second sarcastically penned: 'They have bread in Japan, bread? But I thought it was just rice and noodles. Bread?! But we make bread in England, this is Japan, I didn't think they had bread. And it's good bread! Bread, in Japan of all places!'

Paul Hollywood was handed a bowl of ramen by chef Saito (pictured) and said: 'Think of it as a posh Pot Noodle'

Many took to Twitter to discuss Paul Hollywood's comment: 'I've never been to Japan before. I mean why would I? I'm a baker. It's all about rice and noodles, isn't it?' (pictured)

A third added: 'Paul Hollywood said When I was a trainee baker, they advertised for jobs in Japan but I didnt apply because I didnt think they ate bread. Why would they advertise for bakers if they didnt eat bread? What did he think the job involved? #stereotypes.'

He then popped into Michelin-starred Nakiryu, where he was welcomed by owner and chef Saito, before being handed a bowl of ramen.

Think of it as a posh Pot Noodle, the professional baker told viewers.

After Saito showed his creation of a ramen noodle bowl that people can make in the comfort of their own homes, the baker then handed him a chicken and mushroom Pot Noodle to try.

Id never buy one of these,' laughed professional chef, Saito.

And while some suggested it was just a bit of lighthearted fun, others who tuned in were left cringing at the bizarre scenes.

'Surely if you had no idea about Japanese food and culture youd at least do some research before you go? This is so bad,' wrote one, while a second commented: 'What a s*** show. Hes made us Brits look like tw*ts with his ignorance.'

A further commented: 'This is #paulhollywoodeatsjapan program is very condescending,' while a fourth added: 'Whyyyy is Paul Hollywood making a Michelin starred noodle chef in Japan eat a pot noodle cringe.'
The movie business is obviously not an easy one and it's scary how it's a normal thing for fans to send death threats to people when they don't agree with something. Its very f*cked up how easily someone can affect a person mentally. In a recent candid interview, director Josh Trank opened up about all the controversies he's been involved in over the years, from Fantastic Four to Star Wars, and how much of a toll it took on him.

 YouTube

The 2015 version of Fantastic Four was an overall disaster and Josh knew by the end as he famously disowned the final cut of the movie as all the control was taken from him by the studio. But, problems related to the movie started right from the beginning for him. He talked about how the death threats from Marvel fans got so bad for him after people didn't like Michael B Jordan was cast as the historically white Johnny Storm. It was so bad that he started sleeping with a gun.



 Fox

He said, "I was so f**king paranoid during that shoot. If someone came into my house, I would have ended their f**king life. When youre in a headspace where people want to get you, you think, Im going to defend myself. People never realize that any kind of online bullying can have such a huge impact on someone, it can ruin their mental health. Moreover, this is straight-up racist since people didn't like a black actor portraying this character and I'm sure these are the same people who would defend a white actor being cast as a black character saying it's just fiction, it's not real. Moreover, Chris Evans himself would be disappointed with the racism.



 Fox

Coming to the movie itself, it was a critical and commercial disaster and he blamed it all on the studio. In a very self-destructive manner, he once tweeted, "A year ago I had a fantastic version of this. And it wouldve received great reviews. Youll probably never see it. Thats reality though." According to him, they began the movie without any script or ending in place and the first cut itself caught the studio off-guard. That led to a lot of reshoots and the director of the movie basically being cut out of the entire process.



He said, "It was like being castrated. Youre standing there, and youre basically watching producers blocking out scenes, five minutes ahead of when you get there, having [editors hired] by the studio deciding the sequence of shots that are going to construct whatever is going on, and what it is that they need. And then, because they know youre being nice, theyll sort of be nice to you by saying, Well, does that sound good? You can say yes or no."

 Fox

Well, he didn't want to be fired so he said 'yes'. And, it was all downhill for him, he even had to quit a Star Wars movie and said, "I quit because I knew I was going to be fired if I didnt quit." At least now he's making somewhat of a comeback and has directed the upcoming To Hardy movie called Capone, which is basically the untold story of the notorious gangster Al Capone's final years.


Representative image

Shehnaz Ahmed and Krittika Chavaly

The debate on central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) is heating up. The reference to a digital dollar in an early draft of a United States legislation for the $2 trillion financial stimulus package announced to fight the impact of COVID-19, and reports of Chinas impeding deployment of the worlds first digitised currency, the digital yuan, has propelled this debate.

A CBDC is a new form of money issued by the central bank that is intended to serve as legal tender. In theory, a CBDC could be used either for retail (low-value, high volume) or wholesale (high-value, low volume) transactions. Currently, only a limited number of financial institutions (such as commercial banks) can hold and transact in electronic central bank-issued money or reserve balances.

A retail CBDC can expand this access to regular businesses and individuals, allowing them to make everyday payments in a digital equivalent of physical cash, held either as tokens or in an account.

Arguably, the CBDCs appear to present solutions to several policy challenges, such as direct cash transfers and physical cash transactions. For instance, instead of transferring cash to bank accounts or delivering physical cash to the distressed, the CBDCs may facilitate such transfers digitally without requiring beneficiaries to hold bank accounts. Moreover, given the nature of the ongoing pandemic and worldwide calls for the greater use of digital payments, the CBDC research that is underway might receive an additional boost in several jurisdictions.

In Indias case, this might present an opportune moment to understand whether a CBDC is an instrument worth adding to the policymakers toolkit.

Global research and experimentation on CBDCs pre-dates the current crisis.

Sweden has been studying CBDCs as a government-backed alternative to private digital payment methods given the steep decline in the use of cash. In Uruguay, the CBDCs have been tested as part of a wider financial inclusion drive. A 2019 study by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) revealed that central banks representing a fifth of the worlds population have said they are likely to issue the first CBDCs in the next few years.

In the last couple of months, France and South Korea have specifically launched experimentations to test use cases of their CBDC projects. China has also confirmed that it has rolled out a pilot of its digital currency in four of its cities. While it is difficult to confirm if the announcements were triggered by the ongoing crisis, the BIS recently noted that the pandemic may heighten calls for a CBDC.

During the first wave of policy responses to COVID-19, the Indian government encouraged the use of digital payment methods to limit contact between individuals and quell virus transmission. Although the Indian digital payments infrastructure is robust, it does not appear that a CBDC is on the anvil. Indeed, a CBDC could support and further Indias vision of building a resilient, innovative, and competitive payments landscape. It may help meet future demand for digital payment methods, given the less-cash India goal that has been actively pursued by the government.

A CBDC could also become a building block for designing a better cross-border payments framework. Acknowledging the potential of a CBDC in cross-border payments, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) noted that a CBDC could facilitate real-time cross border transactions by potentially eliminating the need to go through layers of correspondent banks, which would likely increase efficiency and lower the overall transaction cost.

Nevertheless, each of the aforesaid opportunities come with challenges that require careful consideration. A CBDC could raise obstacles from a monetary and financial stability perspective  for instance, if a significant amount of deposits are moved from commercial banks into a CBDC, it could have implications for the balance sheets of commercial banks. There are also apprehensions concerning anonymity, given that the digital nature of the currency will entail increased monitoring of transactions.

Going forward, it is critical for India to build an accessible, inclusive and resilient payment system that can withstand sustained shocks in the aftermath of this crisis. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has a large toolkit of technology and policy instruments it can use to towards furthering post-pandemic priorities, of which a CBDC might well play a part. India must, therefore, seriously consider accelerating the discourse on a possible Digital Rupee to balance these policy priorities.
The meatpacking industry hit a grim milestone this week when the number of coronavirus cases tied to outbreaks at its beleaguered plants passed 10,000, according to USA TODAY and Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting tracking.

At least 170 plants in 29 states have had one or more workers test positive for the coronavirus. Some of those workers also have infected others, which is included in the count. At least 45 workers have died.

The outbreaks have prompted at least 40 meat slaughtering and processing plant closures  lasting anywhere from one day to several weeks  since the start of the pandemic.

The shutdowns sparked meat shortages in some parts of the country and triggered an executive order by President Donald Trump to keep plants open. But more than a week after Trumps order, closures have continued unabated, the media outlets found.

President Donald Trump speaks during a coronavirus task force briefing at the White House.

At least seven coronavirus-affected meatpacking plants shut their doors since the April 28th executive order. Thats in line with the average of eight weekly plant closures in the month leading up to the order, USA TODAY and the Midwest Center reported Tuesday.

The next day, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released a statement warning further action against plants that dont reopen.

Plants should resume operations as soon as they are able after implementing the CDC/OSHA guidance for the protection of workers, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Purdue wrote in a letter to stakeholders.

I exhort you to do this, he wrote. Further action under the Executive Order and the Defense Production Act is under consideration and will be taken if necessary.

Red meat production has shown some signs of improvement over the past week, with 46,000 more hogs and 10,000 more cattle slaughtered Wednesday than a week earlier.

However, weekly production is still down 36% from the same time last year, causing continued "spot" shortages around the country. Wendys, the chain restaurant, has altered its menu, and Costco has limited how much meat its customers can buy.

Story continues

Meatpacking infections continue to climb

The number of infections tied to meatpacking plants has rapidly increased since April 22, when USA TODAY and the Midwest Center published their first story on meatpacking plants during the pandemic. At that time, about 2,200 people across 48 plants were infected. That number has jumped five-fold since then.

Infections include not only plant workers, but their family members and other close contacts.

Workers stand close together on a poultry processing line as shown in this photo from a U.S. Government Accountability Office report.

On May 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released its own accounting of infections and deaths among meatpacking workers. But those figures appear to be outdated. For instance, the CDC reports that one meatpacking worker died in Georgia. But, in mid-April, a spokesperson for Tyson Foods confirmed to The Associated Press that four workers from one of its Georgia plants had died.

The CDC and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on April 26 released guidelines for meatpacking plants to ensure worker safety. The guidelines suggested plants implement social distancing measures, such as spacing out workers on the line or in the break rooms or putting visual cues showing six feet of distance on the floor.

Many companies said they have implemented social distancing measures for workers, but Smithfield Foods, one of the largest meatpacking companies in the U.S., said doing so would be difficult.

"There are inescapable realities about our industry," a statement on its website reads. "Meat processing facilities, which are characterized by labor-intensive assembly-line style production, are not designed for social distancing."

On Tuesday, a federal judge in Missouri dismissed a lawsuit a worker brought against Smithfield. The worker alleged the company did not do enough to protect its employees.

Perdue praised the decision.

"This ruling affirms that OSHA is the primary entity that has authority over workers safety, he said in a statement.

Trumps order and what it means

Legal experts are split on just how much power the Trump administration wields to keep meatpacking facilities open. The executive order named such plants critical infrastructure, but did not include a specific order for them to remain open.

Instead, it delegated authority under the Defense Production Act  A Korean War-era power that has traditionally been used to move the federal government to the front of the line for supplies  to USDA Secretary Perdue, who has yet to use it.

Perdue on Wednesday released a statement saying closed meatpacking plants must submit plans to reopen to the agency. The plans must show how plants intend to follow the guidelines the CDC and OSHA issued in late April. Those that dont, he said, could be subject to further action.

Legal experts are dubious the Defense Production Act can enable the Trump administration to force a meatpacking plant to operate. Several noted Wednesday that while more strongly worded than past communications, Perdues letter still fell short of issuing an order under the act.

"The Executive is urging plants to open, not ordering them to do so," Deborah Pearlstein, a professor at Yeshiva Universitys Cardozo Law School, said.

Thomas McGarity, a law professor at the University of Texas, further noted the letter uses language like exhort, instead of order, and should instead of shall.

In my view, this is another shot across the bow that is more explicit about the Trump administrations expectation that the plants that are closed will be reopening soon and that plants that are contemplating closure will think twice about doing that, McGarity said.

This story is a collaboration between USA TODAY and the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting. The Center is an independent, nonprofit newsroom based in Illinois offering investigative and enterprise coverage of agribusiness, Big Ag and related issues. Gannett is funding a fellowship at the center for expanded coverage of agribusiness and its impact on communities.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Meatpacking industry hits grim milestone of 10,000 coronavirus cases
(Natural News) Infection rates in New York are slowly on the decline. Outside the Empire State, however, the rest of the country is moving in the opposite direction. An analysis by the Associated Press found that known infection rates outside of New York are rising even as other states move to lift their lockdowns.

According to figures from Johns Hopkins University, new confirmed infections per day in the U.S. exceed 20,000, and deaths per day are well over 1,000. Public officials now warn that the failure to flatten the curve and drive down infection rates in places could lead to many more deaths, as people are allowed to go out and businesses to reopen.

Make no mistakes: This virus is still circulating in our community, perhaps even more now than in previous weeks, stated Linda Ochs, health director for Shawnee County, Kansas.

Taking New York out the equation shows infection rates are rising

The tightly packed New York metropolitan area, which is home to around 20 million people, has been the outbreaks epicenter in America, accounting for nearly one-third of the nations 70,000 coronavirus deaths. If the area, which is currently under lockdown is included, the number of infections in the U.S. appears to be on the decline, according to the AP analysis. It also found that the five-day rolling average for new cases decreased to 8.6 per 100,000 people as of Monday, down from 9.6 three weeks ago.

Without the New York area, the story of the analysis changes. The rolling average for new cases outside the state actually increased over the same period  from 6.2 to 7.5.

The daily number of new deaths in the New York metropolitan area has seen a marked decline in recent weeks. However, in the rest of the country, it has essentially just plateaued. Without the former, the five-day rolling average for new deaths per 500,000 people dropped only slightly to 1.82, down from 1.86 on April 20.

Testing for the coronavirus in the U.S. expanded, which contributes to the increasing rate of confirmed infections. However, according to Dr. Zuo-Feng Zhang, a public health researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles, the expanded testing doesnt explain the entire increase.

This increase is not because of testing. Its a real increase, he stated.

Ominous trends in the spread of the pandemic are emerging in places all over the country, far from New York City.

On Monday, Shawnee County in Kansas reported a doubling of cases from last week on the same day that business restrictions started to be eased. On Tuesday, deaths in Iowa surged to a new daily high of 19, while 730 workers from a Tyson Foods meat processing plant tested positive.

Meanwhile, the city of Gallup in New Mexico was put under strict lockdown until Thursday because of an outbreak. Guarded roadblocks have been set up, alongside a ban on having more than two people in a vehicle, to prevent travel in and out of the city.

Updated projections show increased infections

On Monday, the University of Washingtons Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) released a new model that nearly doubled its projection of coronavirus-related deaths in the U.S. to around 134,000 through early August. (Related: CDC projecting SURGE in deaths, hospitalizations by early June: 3,000 deaths and 200,000 new infections per day.)

These projections are considerably higher than previous estimates, representing the combined effects of death model updates and formally incorporating the effect of changes in mobility and social distancing policies into transmission dynamics, the IMHE said in its update.

Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the IHME, also attributed the increase to the fact that most states are expected to ease restrictions by next week.

According to Murray, without stay-at-home orders and similar measures, we would have had exponential growth, much larger epidemics and deaths in staggering numbers. However, he also warns that cooperation is waning, with cellphone location data showing that people have been going out even before their states reopen.

Sources include:

APNews.com

Coronavirus.JHU.edu

USNews.com

COVID19.HealthData.org
The Odisha government sought clarification from the Centre on Wednesday if activities outside the Jagannath temple in Puri could be permitted during coronavirus lockdown, as it is in a fix whether to allow the construction of chariots for the annual Rath jatra.

The move comes two days after the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee (SJTMC) sought its permission to go ahead with the chariot construction outside the temple premises, as uncertainty loomed over holding of the famous festival on June 23.

"We have sought clarification from the Centre on whether to allow chariot construction during the lockdown period," Law Minister Pratap Jena told PTI.

Jen said the clarification was required as the lockdown had been imposed by the Union Home Ministry till May 17.

Opposition parties, servitors and religious heads criticised the state government for the delay in granting permission for the chariot making.

"There is no need to seek permission from the Centre. The state is capable of allowing the activities in green zone," BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra said.

State Congress president Niranjan Patnaik said the BJD government should take a decision without delay. "We will accept whatever decision the state takes keeping in view the public health in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic," he said.

The temple servitors, however, expressed resentment over the state government's act of prolonging the process.

"There should be no delay in the Lord's work. Say yes or no," said Binayak Dasmohapatra, a senior servitor in Puri temple. "Making delay in taking decision is creating confusion among crores of Hindus."



The chief carpenter of Lord Jagannath Nadighosh chariot, Bijay Mohapatra, also expressed concern over the delay in beginning of the construction work.

"We have already lost 10 working days. The chariot construction work should have been started from 'Akshaya Tritiya' (April 26)," Mohapatra said. "I can't see a possibility of conducting Rath jatra this time."



Earlier, the SJTMC, headed by Gajapati Maharaja Dibya Singha Deb, had appealed to the state government to allow construction of the chariots as the rituals associated with chariot making were performed inside the temple on April 26.

He said construction work might continue in Puri, which is a green zone.

The SJTMC said that social-distancing guidelines would be followed when the carpenters construct the three chariots at Rath Khala near the temple office.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had last month held discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on uncertainty over organising the Rath Jatra because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier, two prominent servitors' bodies) had appealed to the chief minister not to stop the annual Rath Jatra as it is linked to the emotions of lakhs of devotees across the globe.

They said the festival could be organized on a limited scale with adequate precautionary measures.

Around 10 lakh devotees from across the country and abroad throng the seaside pilgrim town during the Rath Jatra every year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has so far provided cash assistance of 34,800 crore to the poor since it announced the 1.7 lakh crore Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) on March 26 to alleviate distress caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown, the finance ministry said on Wednesday.

The package, equivalent to around 0.8% of Indias gross domestic product (GDP), included the distribution of food and cash to the poor for three months starting in April. Besides direct financial assistance, PMGKY, targeted at 390 million beneficiaries, included free distribution of wheat, rice, pulses and cooking gas cylinders.

In a statement, the finance ministry said the government was front-loading payment of 16,394 crore towards the first instalment of payment to 81.9 million beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KiSAN) scheme

PM-KISAN, launched on December 1, 2018, provides cash support of 6,000 per year to farming households across the country in three equal instalments. While launching the 1.7 lakh crore relief package on March 26, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the 2,000 first instalment under PM-KISAN this fiscal year would be front-loaded and paid immediately.

The finance ministry statement said 10,025 crore had already been credited to over 200 million (98.33%) women account holders under the Jan Dhan Yojana; it was towards the first instalment of three monthly payments of Rs.500 to women to tide over difficulties caused by Covid-19 and its aftermath. The government has also credited Rs. 2,785 crore to 55.7 million women Jan Dhan account holders in the second instalment as of May 5, it said.

The finance ministry said 1,405 crore has been disbursed to about 28.2 million elderly, widows and disabled. On March 26, Sitharaman had promised an ex-gratia payment of 1,000 to 30 million poor senior citizens, widows and divyang (disabled) to cope with economic disruptions caused by Covid-19.

About 22 million building and construction workers have received financial support amounting to 3,492.57 crore, the statement said.

Besides cash transfers, the government has already distributed foodgrains to millions of poor, it said. The PMJKY promised 5 kg wheat or rice and 1 kg of preferred pulses free every month till June this year to 800 million poor.

According to the finance ministry statement, 960,000 members of the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) had availed of the benefit of online withdrawal of non-refundable advances from their EPFO accounts amounting to Rs. 2,985 crore. The government also transferred 24% EPF contribution to nearly 4.5 million employees accounts amounting to 698 crore, it said.

To help low-wage earners in the organised sector, the government on March 26 announced that it would pay 24% of monthly wages into the PF accounts of people who earn below 15,000 per month, employed in businesses having less than 100 workers, for the next three months.

This would prevent disruption in their employment, Sitharaman had said while announcing the welfare package.

The government has also notified the increased wage rate under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (MGNREGA) effective from April 1, 2020, the finance ministry said.

Sitharaman had raised wages for MNREGA workers under the PMJKY package by 20 a day with effect from 1 April to provide an additional 2,000 benefit a year to workers.

PMGKY had also promised insurance cover of 50 lakh per health worker engaged in the fight against Covid-19. Insurance Scheme for Health workers in Government Hospitals and Health Care Centres has been operationalised by New India Assurance covering 22.12 Lakh health workers, the finance ministry said.
NEW YORK, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, WHP Global ("WHP" or the "Company"), owner of the American menswear brand Joseph Abboud organized a donation of 2,000 meals to the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) in New Brunswick, one of the hardest hit areas in the state of New Jersey. Working with subscription meal kit service Marley Spoon, Inc., the brand delivered Dinnerly meal kits to frontline healthcare workers at RWJUH including nurses, physicians, and EVS workers as they left their shift to return home to their families.

Joseph Abboud brand delivers 2,000 meals to frontline healthcare workers at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Jersey. Credit: Michael Simon

"Our team at RWJUH is working around the clock to respond to this unprecedented pandemic," said John J. Gantner, President and Chief Executive Officer of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. "Heartfelt expressions of gratitude that we receive from our community, like this generous donation from WHP Global let our team know their efforts are appreciated and inspire them to continue their fight against COVID-19. We are deeply grateful to WHP for their support and keeping our staff fueled with these delicious meals during this challenging time."

The company's COVID-19 relief initiative was first kicked off on the Joseph Abboud brand Instagram account as part of a "Joseph Abboud Work From Home Challenge." Fans of the brand were invited to post pictures of their best fashion looks being worn during video conference calls. The fashion angle for posts were "business up top" and "at home on the bottom." The winner selected was @stayfoxx for his post. The original plan announced was to donate 1,500 meals, but based on the response, WHP Global decided to increase the amount to 2,000 meals.

"As COVID-19 continues to impact our communities, it is important that we do our part as a brand to support the heroes on the frontlines," added Effy Zinkin, Chief Operating Officer of WHP Global, which owns the Joseph Abboud brand. "My dad, Dr. Lewis Zinkin, was a teaching attending surgeon at RWJUH for 38 years. RWJUH was also the hospital that showed an incredible amount of care and dedication to him during his last days battling cancer, and it is critical to the greater community where our customers live and work each day. WHP Global is proud to support the essential workers at the hospital."

This donation is part of the brand's larger commitment to helping those on the frontline fight against COVID-19. Last month, Tailored Brands, owner of Men's Wearhouse and the exclusive apparel and fashion accessories U.S. licensee of the Joseph Abboud brand, brought back employees and reopened the Joseph Abboud factory in New Bedford, Massachusetts, the largest manufacturer of men's suiting in America, to make nearly 400,000 masks to help essential workers in need.

To further expand the brand's continued efforts, Zinkin announced, "For every order of Joseph Abboud product completed on www.menswearhouse.com from today until May 31st, an additional meal will be donated to frontline healthcare providers, until we reach another 8,000 meals for a total of 10,000."

For more information on Joseph Abboud and the COVID-19 initiative, please visit www.josephabboud.com or follow @JosephAbboud on Instagram , Facebook , and Twitter .

About the Joseph Abboud Brand

An iconic American menswear brand founded in 1987, Joseph Abboud offers a modern take on heritage ready-to-wear and customized menswear. Delivering on its mission of helping every man look and feel their best, Joseph Abboud combines decades of trusted productions with today's best tailoring to offer timeless designs to fit every man. With two primary marks, Joseph Abboud and JOE Joseph Abboud, the brand currently generates over $700 million in global retail sales with product distributed by best-in-class partners including Tailored Brands in the U.S. and Onward Kashiyama in Japan. Joseph Abboud products are sold in the U.S. and Canada at Men's Warehouse, Jos. A Bank, K&G Stores and Moores banners and globally throughout Asia and Mexico. For more information, visit www.josephabboud.com.

About WHP Global

WHP Global is focused on the future of brand management. The New York-based firm specializes in acquiring global consumer brands and strategically investing in high-growth distribution channels and global digital commerce platforms, in addition to introducing new product categories that are relevant to today's consumer. For more information, visit www.whp-global.com .

About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) is a 965-bed academic medical center with campuses in New Brunswick and Somerville, NJ. Its Centers of Excellence include cardiovascular care from minimally invasive heart surgery to transplantation, cancer care, stroke care, neuroscience, joint replacement, and women's and children's care including The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (www.bmsch.org). As the flagship Cancer Hospital of Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and the principal teaching hospital of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, RWJUH is an innovative leader in advancing state-of-the-art care. A Level 1 Trauma Center and the only Pediatric Trauma Center in the state, RWJUH's New Brunswick campus serves as a national resource in its groundbreaking approaches to emergency preparedness.

RWJUH has been ranked among the best hospitals in America by U.S. News & World Report seven times and has been selected by the publication as a high performing hospital in numerous specialties. The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital has been ranked among the best hospitals in America by U.S. News & World Report for three consecutive years. For more information, please go to www.rwjuh.edu/rwjuh/about.aspx .

Media Contacts:

WHP Global:

Jaime Cassavechia / Karrah Goldberg

212-518-4771

[email protected]

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

Robert Cavanaugh

732-937-8593

[email protected]

SOURCE WHP Global

Related Links

http://www.josephabboud.com


A retail body has urged the Government to help shops with their rent costs during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Retail Excellence Ireland has said that the country's retail sector has been "disproportionately negatively impacted" by the emergency.

In recent weeks, Central Bank research estimated small firms will need 5.7bn in liquidity measures to survive the crisis. The Banking & Payments Federation Ireland, the business group for banks, estimates that 8bn or 9bn is required when larger SMEs are included.

The group believes the Government needs to draw up a road map for SMEs in the same way it has done for the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions.

David Fitzsimons, Group CEO at Retail Excellence Ireland, said: We need a Government rent grant measure to deal with commercial rent costs over the period of emergency.

"We have proposed that the rent burden is met as follows: a 60% Government Grant, 20% Tenant rent Payment, 20% Landlord Rent Discount.

"Many other countries have announced similar support measures. Every commercial lease provides that the tenant can enjoy 'quiet enjoyment' to trade. This enjoyment has been removed for good reason by Government."

He also called for the local authority rates waiver to be extended to 12 months at least.

He said: "Local Authorities will have significant difficulty collecting rates until Q2 2021.

"We also require that essential retailers who remained open, but incurred significant losses, should be included in any rates relief measure.

"When retail businesses re-open they will face extremely subdued demand. We have profiled reopened countries across the EU and all retailers open today are suffering like-for-like revenue declines of approximately 60%. Government recovery measures must fully take account of this bleak economic forecast.

"Now is not the time for Government to be cautious, the economy needs bold & robust measures to ensure a recovery, he added.
The federal government has mandated prompt response to Freedom of Information (FOI) request as one of the conditions for spending funds dedicated to fight coronavirus in Nigeria including mitigation of its social and economic effects on Nigerians.

This condition is among the eight contained in the guidelines issued on Tuesday by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation detailing the framework for the management of COVID-19 Funds in Nigeria.

Since February when the first coronavirus index case, an Italian, was discovered in Nigeria, funds from governments, individuals and corporate organisations have been donated to Nigeria. Some groups have demanded details of donations from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

In a Freedom of Information request sent to the CBN in April, the Human and Environmental Development Agenda, (HEDA Resource Centre) said the apex bank has the moral and constitutional obligation to make known to the public the total funds received. It said without any prompting, the CBN should have been releasing to the public the figure of any fund received on behalf of the people of Nigeria.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) also asked the federal government to publish weekly details of the exact funds and other resources allocated by the authorities for the fight against coronavirus. It also requested for the ones received from the private sector.

Meanwhile, the government on Tuesday said in order to ensure transparency, all participating Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) must provide information on all COVID-19 fund transactions requested under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) within seven days of receiving the request.

It said so far, the country has got about N28 billion under the Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) Fund domiciled at the CBN and the five COVID-19 donor in the Treasury Single Account (TSA) sub-accounts domiciled in Zenith Bank, Access Bank, Guarantee Trust Bank, United Bank for Africa and First Bank.

The federal government said it only approved TSA sub-accounts in the commercial banks solely for the purpose of receiving COVID-19 donations.

The second major condition is that the funds will not be disbursed until after appropriation by the National Assembly. The Minister of Finance was told to promptly liaise with the lawmakers to pass a supplementary budget for the utilisation of the funds based on estimated total collection for the year and it must detail the needs submitted by the affected MDAs together with estimated costs, as the basis for allocation of funds, to enable post expenditure reporting and audit.

A third condition is that funds are to be appropriated directly to participating MDAs and spending units like the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, etc., rather than to an intermediary agency like the Presidential Task Force (PTF), while administrative cost of the PTF shall be appropriated separately to the PTF Secretariat.

As a fourth condition, the federal government mandated that all collections into the commercial bank accounts to be swept into FGN Sub-Recurrent Account with the CBN as failure will attract sanctions.

Also, the Accountant-General of the Federation said only the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) system should be used to effect payment to necessary agencies in accordance with the laws, rules and regulations, including those relating to the Public Procurement Act (subject to the guidance of the Bureau for Public Procurement).

A sixth condition is that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation must publicise on a daily basis all inflows and outflows for the funds, and the statement must show the source of the outflow.

A seventh condition is that all MDAs should publish detailed reports of their activities relating to COVID-19 Fund on their websites at the end of every week, while a Monthly Budget Performance Report shall be published on the Open Treasury Portal not later than 14 days following the end of the month.

The eight and last condition is that two weeks after the end of the pandemic, a comprehensive report of all receipts and payments shall be published on the OAGF Transparency Portal as well as other government websites, including those of Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning; Secretary to the Government of the Federation and OAGF.
The chair of Australia's federal work health and safety body says the country does not need new workplace regulations to manage the risks of coronavirus despite a union push for tighter rules as businesses start to re-open.

Diane Smith-Gander, the independent chair of Safe Work Australia, warned governments would see unintended consequences if they were too prescriptive about the safety measures businesses should take because of the different conditions across industries.

Safe Work Australia chair Diane Smith-Gander argues current workplace laws are up to the task of the coronavirus. Credit:Paul Jeffers

Instead she said businesses should be held to existing high standards like giving workers a "healthy and safe working environment" and told how to keep workers safe from coronavirus under that framework.

"We've got to let that system operate," said Ms Smith-Gander, a corporate heavyweight who sits on boards including Wesfarmers and AGL. "If we try to over-regulate and over-legislate, we will have unintended consequences for sure."
Its quiet on the campus of Springfield Technical Community College these days.

Just how much longer the campus stays closed and students continue to learn online is the question hanging over this and other colleges around Western Massachusetts.

Its early May. September is a long way off, said John B. Cook, president of STCC, which has not decided its plan for the fall semester yet.

Holyoke Community College and Greenfield Community College have already decided to keep virtually all their classes online in the fall, keeping their combined student bodies of more than 10,000 off campus.

Other schools continue to weigh their options. The University of Massachusetts Amherst is still deciding if its students will come back on campus in the fall, Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy said Tuesday in an online video.

8/28/2019 - Springfield Technical Community College John B. Cook. (Hoang 'Leon' Nguyen / The Republican)

STCCs Cook said his decision will come soon and might be a hybrid of in-person labs and practical courses for technical and health care degrees and lectures moved to the virtual realm.

I know our students in particular are going to want to have clarity sometime this summer about what they are registering for, he said in a telephone interview Tuesday afternoon. We are not going to wait till the last minute to make decisions. We know that there are broader considerations out there. Is there testing? Is there contact tracing in place? (Is personal protective equipment) widely available?

He said directives from Gov. Charlie Baker are key. The governor recently ordered K-12 schools closed through the end of the academic year, and orders closing nonessential businesses and banning gatherings of more than 10 people are in effect until at least May 18.

If new rules allow gatherings of 20 or more, Cook said, STCC might be able to have in-person classes if students are spaced apart and other precautions are taken.

STCC is the only technical community college in the state, he said. That means its roughly 8,800 students take more labs and practical courses than students at other community colleges. That hands-on emphasis makes the decision to shift online more difficult.

Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield is also considering what fall 2020 will look like. It must consider that its rural student body might have less access to high-speed internet.

We are planning to go either way, Christina Wynn, dean of enrollment management, said in phone interview. We are gearing up to make sure we can offer many of our courses in the remote online environment.

Holyoke Community College decided this week to move virtually all its courses online for fall 2020.

Unlike residential campuses, some of whom are indicating a commitment to reopen in the fall, we have very limited control over where our students sleep, eat, work, and congregate, Rachel Rubinstein, HCC vice president for academic and student affairs, wrote in a memo to faculty Tuesday.

Our students are firmly embedded in local community networks, more likely to be older, have children, and be essential workers, Rubinstein wrote. They are more likely to belong to low-income and communities of color, that nation-wide have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. This makes them, and all of us, all the more vulnerable. The responsibility to keep everyone as safe as possible weighs heavily.

HCC is the states oldest community college, serving more than 11,500 students annually in credit and noncredit programs and courses.

A few days earlier, Greenfield Community College announced that it would offer virtually all courses online in the fall as well.

Anna Berry, chief student affairs officer at the 1,800-student campus in Franklin County, said the decision was swayed by the prediction that there will be a second wave of COVID-19 infections in the fall.

No one at GCC wanted to have another semester interrupted in the middle. Where we start off and then have to pull the rug out from our students with another shift to a remote learning environment, she said. We want them to be able to make plans.

Yesterday, we announced our plans for a primarily remote fall semester. There are many unknowns regarding the virus and... Posted by Yves Salomon-Fernandez on Friday, May 1, 2020

Still, the continued closing may be a hardship for some students.

Not all of our hilltown students have good access to internet, Berry said in a phone interview. Many of them do not have good cellphone service.

Announcing now gives students time to prepare for fall and work with the college to solve connectivity issues. All those plans are still very much in the formulation phase, Berry said.

The college is building up support services and ways to build community among students online.

Weve had a lot of experience with online teaching prior to this whole thing, Berry said. Necessity is the mother of invention. Im not going to kid anybody and say its the same experience and you can build community in the same ways.

She said the cost per class is the same online or in person. But online classes are priced the same for in-state and out-of-state residents, so some students will save money.

Berkshire Community Colleges Wynn said there are costs associated with online courses. There are technology needs, instructors to pay. She said the state sets tuition.

And then there is the question of how many students will register in the fall.

Community college enrollment tends to go up in times of economic recession. Jobs are tight and people realize they need more and skills and credentials to compete, Cook said.

Berry said many students who otherwise would go to a four-year residential campus wont this fall for fear of that second coronavirus wave. Those students might instead start at a community college.

On the other hand, coronavirus and its economic toll might make community college unaffordable. Disruptions at child care centers and schools might mean parents cant take time out for even an online course.

Im imagining we are going to do OK, Berry said.

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Here are the latest developments from Asia related to the novel coronavirus pandemic: - Students in Wuhan return to school - Chinese youngsters in Wuhan, where the coronavirus first emerged, filed back to class, wearing masks and walking in single file past thermal scanners. Senior school students in 121 institutions were back in front of chalkboards and digital displays for the first time since their city shut down in January. "School is finally reopening!" posted one user on Weibo, China's Twitter-like short messaging platform. - Pompeo has no evidence about virus lab leak: China - China hit back at US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over his claims that the coronavirus originated in a lab in Wuhan, saying he "doesn't have any" evidence. Washington and Beijing have clashed repeatedly over the virus, which emerged in China late last year but has since spiralled into a global pandemic. Meanwhile, Beijing's ambassador to the UN in Geneva said China will not prioritise inviting international experts in to investigate the source of the virus until after the pandemic is beaten. - South Korea returns largely to normal - South Korea returned largely to normal as workers went back to offices, and museums and libraries reopened under eased social distancing rules after new coronavirus cases dropped to a trickle. The country endured one of the worst early outbreaks of the disease outside China and while it never imposed a compulsory lockdown, strict social distancing had been widely observed since March. - Stocks enjoy further gains as restrictions eased - Most equities rose again as investors grew increasingly, but cautiously, hopeful that the worst of the coronavirus has passed and as countries begin to slowly open up from lockdown. While a string of data highlighted the calamity visited upon the global economy by COVID-19, a slowdown in both infections and deaths in some nations is allowing them to ease restrictions that have kept half the planet stuck at home. - Taiwan company eyes human trials for vaccine - A Taiwanese company said it was seeking approval to begin human trials after a COVID-19 vaccine they developed over the last four months had worked in animals. Adimmune Corporation said their candidate vaccine had produced antibodies that could "effectively inhibit the virus" within mice during testing, and it hoped to start human trials later this year. In Australia, research is set to begin into using blood plasma from recovered coronavirus patients as a therapy for those who become infected, the latest country to investigate the possible treatment. Melbourne-based bio-pharmaceutical firm CSL Behring said the first phase of research in Australia would focus on developing a test to detect the presence of antibodies that fight the virus in plasma. - Macau reaches infection-free milestone - The tiny gambling enclave of Macau reached the landmark of 28 days in a row with no new confirmed cases -- which many epidemiologists says is the threshold for being able to declare an outbreak over. The densely crowded semi-autonomous Chinese city had early infections but quickly shut its borders. It has recorded just 45 cases and no deaths. - Bangkok millionaires' club enjoys lockdown luxury - Gourmet take-out delivered by a butler in a black sedan -- Thailand's super-rich have not forgone luxury during a pandemic which has locked the country down, crushed the economy and left millions unemployed. For the rich in Bangkok, the pandemic has brought the inconvenience of restricted movement -- with an overnight curfew still in place despite some businesses reopening -- but no end to the lifestyle of plenty. Concierge company the Silver Voyage Club has retooled its services to meet the cravings of the elite, delivering high-end meals from top-tier restaurants. burs-sr/rma Weibo
Fried Chicken Sandwich with a Spicy Bread and Butter Pickle Coleslaw

What are bread and butter pickles?

What is a good substitute for buttermilk for the fried chicken?

How to make the fried chicken breasts.

Fried Chicken Sandwich with a Spicy Bread and Butter Pickle Coleslaw

Fried Chicken Sandwich with a Spicy Bread and Butter Pickle Coleslaw Print

With Image Without Image Yield: 4 sandwiches

Author: Karen Kerr This fried chicken sandwich, dressed with a spicy bread and butter pickle slaw and rooster aioli will be your new favorite sandwich. Ingredients: For the Aioli 1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Louisiana style hot sauce For the Pickle Slaw 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 jalapeno, thinly sliced

4 cups coleslaw mix

1/2 cup bread and butter pickle slices, chopped

1/4 cup pickle juice from the jar Fried Chicken Breasts 2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk (see note for substitutions)

2 - 8 ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced in half

Oil for frying For the Sandwiches 4 hamburger buns or sandwich rolls

Butter Instructions: To Make the Aioli Mix the garlic, mayo, and hot sauce in a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. To Make the Slaw Mix the jalapeno, onion, coleslaw mix, pickles, and pickle juice. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill. To Make the Fried Chicken Whisk the flour, pepper, and salt and place it in a shallow bowl. Pour the buttermilk into another shallow bowl. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture. Next, dip each piece in the buttermilk. Finally, dredge each piece back in the flour mixture. Set aside a wire rack over a half sheet pan for placing the fried chicken. Heat a 12 inch heavy skillet and add 1/2 inch of oil. Using a deep frying/candy thermometer, heat the oil to 350 degrees F. Fry the chicken, about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown and fully cooked. Transfer to the wire rack and season with salt and pepper. To Assemble the Sandwiches Spread the sandwich buns with butter and grill, cut side down, on a skillet or grill pan until toasty. Spread the aioli on the top bun. Build the sandwiches with the chicken on the bottom, then the coleslaw, and then the aioli spread top buns. Calories

598.59 Fat (grams)

36.27 Sat. Fat (grams)

6.90 Carbs (grams)

53.08 Fiber (grams)

4.68 Net carbs

48.40 Sugar (grams)

22.51 Protein (grams)

14.49 Sodium (milligrams)

1166.85 Cholesterol (grams)

46.18 https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2020/05/fried-chicken-sandwich-with-spicy-bread-and-butter-pickles.html Karen's Kitchen Stories sandwich, fried chicken, coleslaw Lunch American

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This fried chicken sandwich with a spicy bread and butter pickle coleslaw pretty much is my new favorite sandwich.I could eat this fried chicken sandwich every day. The aioli alone (with garlic, mayo, and hot sauce) makes it worth it.Just imagine a crispy boneless fried chicken breast topped with a coleslaw tossed with bread and butter pickles and spread with the amazing spicy aioli. So good!There is a restaurant in Los Angeles called Son of a Gun that serves this sandwich. The fried chicken is amazing. The sandwich is topped with this amazing bread and butter pickle slaw and then drizzled with the ridiculously delicious aioli.This sandwich is inspired by the restaurant's famous fried chicken sandwich, which is featured in The LA. Cookbook: Recipes from the best restaurants, bakeries, and bars in Los Angeles The book has seven chapters, including cocktails, appetizers, breakfast and brunch, soups and bowls, noodles and pizza, fish and seafood, main dishes, salads and veggies, and desserts. There are over 100 LA restaurants featured in the book. I am rooting for all of these restaurants!Instead of a side of coleslaw, this sandwich features coleslaw on the sandwich. The coleslaw includes sliced bread and butter pickles, and is dressed with pickle juice from the jar.Bread and butter pickles are both sweet and dill. They are kind of like dill pickle chips but with some sweet pickle juice added.In fact, if you can't find bread and butter pickles, just add dill pickle chips and toss the coleslaw with half dill pickle juice and half sweet pickle juice from the jars. It's not exactly the same, but it's still really good. Plus, there are jalapenos in there!While I used store bought sandwich rolls, if you really want to get fancy, you can even make your own hamburger buns or brioche buns If you don't have any buttermilk on hand, just stir a teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice into whole milk and let it sit for 5 minutes at room temperature. I love using this hack when I'm out of buttermilk or don't want to buy a whole quart when I only need a cup.The aioli sauce on this sandwich is amazing. The original recipe calls for Louisiana style hot sauce (usually Tabasco). I was out of Tabasco, so I used Tapatio, which is a really popular hot sauce in Los Angeles, where it was born. It seemed fitting.Don't be intimidated by making the fried chicken for these sandwiched. They are not deep fried. Instead, they are fried in about 1/2 inch of oil in a heavy (preferably cast iron) skillet.Just dredge boneless skinless chicken breasts in a flour mixture, then buttermilk, and then back in the flour mixture. Fry the chicken breasts in the heated oil about 3 minutes per side and then drain on a wire rack.This month, the Foodie Extravaganza celebration is all about pickles, hosted by Culinary Adventures with Camilla . The third week in May is International Pickle Week!Check out everyone's recipes for making pickles, using pickles, or quick pickling:This fried chicken sandwich, dressed with a spicy bread and butter pickle slaw and rooster aioli will be your new favorite sandwich.Check out my recipe index for more amazing recipes.
Green Party Mr Eamon Ryan revealed he received commitments on reducing emissions by 7pc per year on average over the next 10 years in Government formation talks.

Mr Ryan held talks with Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar yesterday.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Ryan said he hoped to have an agreement on the programme for government by the end of the month.

The two leaders said they "fully accept" reducing emissions will provide better air quality and better quality of life.

"It will create jobs and allow for economic opportunities to develop across Ireland as a result of deep retrofitting, renewable energy, peat lands management and green technology," they said.

They said it is important to work with the agriculture sector and rural communities to achieve this goal and ensure there is a just transition built into the process.

"We will of course seek to improve farmer incomes and protect the family farm mode as part of the European Green Deal and a revised Common Agriculture Policy," they added.

It comes as its understood Agriculture Minister Michael Creed objected to the lack of consultation within the party before Fine Gael committed to reducing carbon emissions by 7pc per year on average over the next decade.

Sources at a Fine Gael teleconference call said Mr Creed was critical of Green polices and "went through each of them and tore them apart".

Sources at the meeting said Mr Creed was critical of Green polices and went through each of them and tore them apart. The Agriculture Minister said he did not believe it was possible to achieve a 7pc per year reduction in emissions without reducing the national herd, according to a source.

He is very concerned about the impact of the emissions target on farming and sought clarification about how this was agreed and when, as source said.

Roads

During a teleconference call with the Taoiseach, Fine Gael TDs and senators insisted key infrastructure projects must be ring-fenced when official talks with the Green Party and Fianna Fail begin.

Senior party figures also raised concerns about the impact of Green Party policies on the economy in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Government chief whip Sean Kyne said the development of the Galway City ring road and Moycullen bypass must be protected from Green demands to cut Government spending on roads.

Minister of State Patrick O'Donovan and Limerick City TD Kieran O'Donnell raised concerns about the Foynes to Limerick road and Adare bypass. Mr O'Donovan also questioned whether a major natural gas pipeline planned for Limerick would be abandoned.

The Green Party is insisting on a 2:1 split in favour of spending on public transport over roads as a condition of entering negotiations.

Local Government Minister of State John Paul Phelan said the Green's demands were "contrary to the national interest" when trying to restore the economy after the coronavirus crisis.

However, Mr Varadkar told the meeting he believes a new government will be in place next month.

In a statement after the meeting, Fine Gael parliamentary chairman Martin Heydon said: "The Fine Gael leader said he was determined the talks between his own party, Fianna Fail and the Greens, due to begin on Thursday, would be successful, and a Government formed that would last four to five years."

"A significant number of party TDs and senators sought reassurances that Fine Gael core values and policies would be reflected in an agreed programme for government," he added.
Angela La Gamba, Digital and Social Media Specialist, Providence Healthcare Foundation "Were still in the very early stages of leveraging a social engagement approach to relationship building, but were finding our rhythm and excited to be able to build more robust relationships online with existing and prospective donors, says Angela La Gamba, Providence Healthcare Foundation.

COVID-19 is seriously impeding fundraising efforts for many nonprofit organizations. Grapveine6 is supporting these organizations in their social engagement efforts by donating training and access to the Grapevine6 enterprise content engagement platform and social publishing app at no charge during this period. Providence Healthcare Foundation is the first organization to benefit from this donation program.

New Challenges

With the state of the world and the dubious prospects for the next few months, many not-for-profit organizations experience significant difficulties with their fundraising programs since direct outreach and community events channels are currently unavailable. A lot of private businesses are now adapting to the situation by moving their business online, but most charitable organizations lack access to the same level of technology.

The lifeblood of every not-for-profit organization is community engagement. Building awareness, cultivating advocacy, nurturing ever-greater enthusiasm for the mission and, of course, raising critical funds are all inherently personal endeavors.

Critical to success is strengthening relationships with donors, a task made very difficult as the world endures unprecedented strains on our healthcare system, economic wellbeing, and ability to gather in groups as we have historically done.

New Opportunities for Charitable Organizations

With personal distancing and other coronavirus-related quarantine practices affecting the foreseeable future, fundraising organizations are forced to prioritize digital channels, leaning into social engagement to expand fundraising reach and awareness. Using social networks to reach and educate the local community about fundraising opportunities not only drives donations, but enhances brand awareness and contributes to community building, creating social solidarity in the face of the pandemic.

Social engagement creates opportunities to expand fundraising reach and awareness, but a personal touch still makes the difference. Grapevine6s technology and support enable both.

Early Adopters

Providence Healthcare Foundation provides support to the patients, residents, clients, staff and volunteers of Providence Healthcare. They focus on four main areas: rehabilitation, palliative care, long-term care and community programs. Patients of the nonprofit healthcare facility are recovering stroke victims, amputees, and others suffering from complex medical conditions. Their mission is to help these individuals go home as quickly as possible and integrate back into their communities.

In late 2019 Brian Cook, Chief Revenue Officer for Grapevine6, visited Providence Healthcare and was struck by the incredible work being done at the hospital. During his tour he learned the Foundation relied on traditional methods to conduct community outreach and fundraising. He saw an opportunity for the Foundation to enhance digital engagement with their community on social media and offered to help by donating his companys Content Management Platform software.

Were still in the very early stages of leveraging a social engagement approach to relationship building, but were really beginning to find our rhythm and excited to be able to build more robust relationships online with existing and prospective donors, says Angela La Gamba, Digital & Social Media Specialist for Providence Healthcare Foundation. What we most enjoy about the program is being able to send out personalized content to our existing audience with the click of a button, she noted.

Helping Not-For-Profits Promote Fundraising During COVID-19

The Grapevine6 team recognizes the challenges facing the fundraising industry. To that end, the company is donating training and access to the enterprise content engagement platform and social publishing app at no charge during this pandemic period. If your nonprofit organization is interested in tapping Grapevine6s social engagement platform for fundraising, please contact Paul Odnoletkov podnoletkov@grapevine6.com.

About Providence Healthcare Foundation

Since 1987, Providence Healthcare Foundation has worked with generous donors and the community to raise essential funds for Providence Healthcare, a leader in providing rehabilitation, palliative care, long-term care and community programs in Toronto. The Foundation is one of the few Canadian charities to achieve the prestigious accreditation from Imagine Canadas Standards Program: http://www.providence.on.ca/foundation

About Grapevine6

Grapevine6 is a patented social and digital sales engagement platform that accelerates sales and marketing efforts. Launched in 2013, Grapevine6 uses artificial intelligence to provide the content that moves sales opportunities through the pipeline in a more efficient and effective way. Grapevine6 solves the content challenges faced in deploying employee advocacy, content marketing and social selling, and works with existing sales and marketing investments to increase ROI. The company was designated a Leader by Forrester in The Forrester New Wave: Sales Social Engagement Tools, Q2 2019. Grapevine6 won the 2020 Corporate Excellence Award for Outstanding Content Engagement. Headquartered in Toronto and led by an award-winning team of engineers, Grapevine6 powers the global social selling program at some of the largest technology and financial services companies in the world. Follow Grapevine6 on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. For more information visit Grapevine6.com.
The hair-rising spy drama Killing Eve drew its inspiration from the murders of real people, it has been revealed.

Security consultant Gordon Corera described how he was able to collaborate with the creators of the drama to give avid fans a glimpse of the world of espionage and make the narrative plausible.

The drama, which was written by actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge, follows Sandra Oh's character Eve as she tries to catch the cunning Villanelle, played by Jodie Comer.

Corera, went on to explain that the assassination of the fragrance mogul Carla de Mann in series one, who was killed by Villanelle by a poisonous perfume, was inspired by the assassination of Kim Jong-nam- the half-brother of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in 2017.

The spy drama Killing Eve, which follows Sandra Oh's character Eve as she tries to catch the cunning Villanelle, played by Jodie Comer (pictured), drew its inspiration from the murders of real people

Among the deaths the show's creators took inspiration from was the killing of the North Korean leader's half brother Kim Jong-nam (left). Following his death Doan Thi Huong (right) was among the two women arrested by Malaysian Police for his murder

Consultant Gordon Corera collaborated with the creators of the drama to give fans a glimpse of the world of espionage

An autopsy showed the banned VX nerve agent was found on Kim's face and in his eyes, blood, urine, clothing and bag.

He had been waiting for a flight to Macau at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia on February 13 when two women ran up to him from behind and appeared to spray an unidentified liquid on him.

Following his death, Doan Thi Huong, from Vietnam and Siti Aisyah, from Indonesia were arrested based on CCTV footage.

The true event went on to influence the killing of Carla de Mann in Killing Eve, who is followed into a bathroom by the psychopath killer Villanelle and asked to smell a perfume.

The action leaves the fragrance mogul suffering with an asthma attack and she dies immediately.

Speaking on the BBC's Obsessed With podcast Corera said: 'It was Sally the producer who got me involved right at the start and Sally was a friend of a friend at the BBC.

'The friend had forwarded me an email from Sally just saying ''we're working on this show and it's going to be a little bit different but could I meet you for a coffee and tell you about it''.'

Following a meeting with the show's producer, Corera set about helping the show's writers in building a world of espionage based on true events and bringing a real-life element to the show.

He continued: 'I think the wildest thing I got asked to do was quite early on sitting with them and they said ''so it's a show about assassins, it's about killing people'' and Phoebe and the writers said ''we haven't killed that many people ourselves but we don't know that much about how to kill people''.

The show's writer previously said Villanelle's character was influenced by the U.S. killer Angela Simpson

'I was like ''yeah'' and they said could you help us come up with some ways of killing people and I was like ''ok''.

'So I went away and wrote this document called the Kill List which is somewhere on my laptop. It's basically a load of different ways to kill people, but crazy quirky ways.

'I took some things that happened 50 years ago, some that had been in the news, some that you hear about in other places and just passed that on and of course they used some of them.

'And they gave that Killing Eve ''zing'' to some of the ideas that I had and I think that's what the writer's are great at.'

The chilling drama, which first aired in 2018, has seen its characters killed in the most gruesome and horrific ways, from a poisoned needle in the eye to choking a victim to death in an elevator using his own tie.

While the BBC security correspondent did not reveal any other plots that had been inspired by the murders of real people, writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge has previously revealed that Villanelle's character was influenced by the U.S. killer Angela Simpson.

In the spy drama Sandra Oh, who plays Eve Polastri (pictured), is left trying to catch the psychopath killer

Villanelle and Eve share many close encounters during the course of the chilling spy drama

Simpson, from Phoenix, was responsible for impaling, strangling, dismembering and burning Terry Neely in 2009.

She pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison in 2012.

Waller-Bridge previously told The New York Times: 'She sounds more like a psycho than anyone has ever sounded.'

The writer, who also created the award-winning drama Fleabag, recently revealed that she would like to write a role for herself in the third series of Killing Eve and see her character meet a gruesome end at the hands of Villanelle.

Speaking to The Sunday Mirror she said: 'I was like, I am going to write myself a part so that I can be murdered by Jodie.'
TDT | Manama

Court of Cassation president and Supreme Judicial Council deputy president Chancellor Abdulla bin Hassan Al Buainin announced yesterday the inauguration of an online legal filing service of all Sharia lawsuits, as part of the digital transformation initiatives launched by the judicial sector.

Chancellor Al Buainin praised the constant support of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of His Majesty the King and Supreme Council for Women (SCW) president, to initiatives aimed at enhancing the judicial and justice system related to the family.

This, he said, paves the way for attaining major achievements at the level of legal services delivered to the family, in accordance with the goals of the comprehensive development march spearheaded by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa said that the new service will increase the efficiency of the judicial and justice services delivered to Bahraini women, as well as facilitate procedures for lawyers and litigants.

Shaikh Khalid extended his sincere thanks to the Information and e-Government Authority (iGA) for its constant support for carrying judicial digital transformation.

Chancellor Al Buainin stated that the new service will pave the way for completing all litigation stages electronically, including the issuance of verdicts while ensuring all legal guarantees are in force in the Kingdom.

iGA chief executive officer Mohammed Ali Al Qaed affirmed that the launch of the new service is an example of the successful joint efforts to develop Bahrains judicial system, in line with the leaders vision in this regard.
Photos of a man wearing a home-made Ku Klux Klan hood as he shopped at a suburban San Diego grocery store caused an uproar on social media over the weekend.

The unidentified middle-aged man, dressed in a camo T-shirt and cargo pants, was photographed Saturday evening in the produce section of a Vons store in Santee. Employees told him to remove the pointy hood, which he was ostensibly using to comply with face-mask requirements in San Diego County.

Several members of our team asked the customer to remove it, and all requests were ignored until the customer was in the checkout area, said a spokeswoman for Vons  a Fullerton-based unit of Albertsons.

Several shoppers took photos of the man and posted them on Twitter and Facebook, causing a swift response.

WHY WAS THIS PERSON NOT REMOVED FROM THE STORE IMMEDIATELY??? IS @vons DOWN WITH THE KLAN??? tweeted journalist and TV host Toure.



Santee Mayor John Minto and the City Council released a joint statement Sunday night denouncing the attire that depicted a symbol of hatred. The mayor also said the county Sheriffs Office was investigating the incident.

East County Supervisor Dianne Jacob called the photos abhorrent.

This blatant racism has no place in Santee or any part of San Diego County, she said in a statement Sunday. It is not who we are. It is not what we stand for and cant be tolerated.

A photographer who asked to be identified only as Melissa S. told the Times of San Diego she was shocked by the display.

I was in disbelief, Melissa said. He was behind me in line. Standing quietly. A man in a wheelchair [went] past and saluted him and he laughed. I took the photo because I couldnt believe what I was witnessing. Ive grown up in Santee and have never seen such racism right before my eyes.

The incident wont help Santees efforts to shed an decades-old reputation as a center of white supremacist activity. That unsavory history has led to the East County city of about 60,000 being nicknamed Klantee and Santucky."

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

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
The ruling NPP had pledged to scale up intensive public education to reach out to all regardless of one's geographical location with the support of all relevant stakeholders.

The Kits which contained quantities of hand sanitizers, Veronica buckets, tissues, boxes of antiseptics, and liquid soap will be distributed to all 23 Constituencies in the Region.

Also, high-risk areas including Markets, lorry stations, , hairdressing salons, tailoring shops, and corporate entities will benefit.

Presenting the items to the various Constituency Chairmen at the Regional Party Headquarters in Cape Coast, Mr Richard Takyi Mensah, Regional Secretary of the Party urged them to distribute the items as envisioned.

He encouraged Ghanaians to keep to social distances and wash their hands under running water to support the government's effort in curbing the spread of the deadly disease.

He reminded all Parliamentary aspirants to prioritize the national fight against the Coronavirus pandemic and suspend all large social gathering activities.

Alhaji Gibrine Adams, the Mfantseman Constituency on behalf of all the Constituency Chairmen thanked the Party for the gesture.

He called on philanthropists to donate more of the kits to help prevent any possible community-to-community transmission of the disease.

---GNA
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 18:06:44|Editor: huaxia

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TOKYO, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Nobel laureate Tasuku Honjo has refuted claims that China manufactured the novel coronavirus, saying those rumors are "dangerously distracting."

"I am greatly saddened that my name and that of Kyoto University have been used to spread false accusations and misinformation," the 78-year-old Japanese professor said in a statement released by Kyoto University on April 27.

Honjo, who won the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, said that "This is a time for all of us, especially those of us devoting our careers to the forefronts of scientific research, to work together to fight this common enemy."

"At this stage, when all of our energies are needed to treat the illness, prevent the further spread of sorrow, and plan for a new beginning, the broadcasting of unsubstantiated claims regarding the origins of the disease is dangerously distracting," said Honjo.
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Linkedin Mardika Parama (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 6, 2020 17:37 622 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd66376a 1 Business mudik-ban,COVID-19,covid-19-task-force,Transportation-Minister-Budi-Karya-Sumadi,doni-monardo Free

A circular letter issued by the COVID-19 task force on Wednesday allows businesspeople and state officials that are involved in health and essential services to travel despite the governments restriction on all passenger travel.

The exemption is given to state officials, private sector workers and state-owned enterprises (SOEs) employees that provide health services, basic necessities, security and defense and vital economic functions.

Repatriated Indonesian nationals, individuals who need emergency medical care and family members of a deceased individual are also exempted from the ban, the document shows.

State officials are required to obtain a permit from their superior with at least the rank of Echelon II, while businesspeople are required to sign a statement letter to notify local officials. Prior to their departure, all traveling individuals must provide a negative result of a COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test or rapid test, or health documents from a hospital or clinic as well as a return ticket.

Read also: Jokowi mulls option to move Idul Fitri collective leave to July

Certain individuals are exempted from the travel restriction to streamline the distribution of test equipment, personal protective equipment (PPE) and staple foods and to expedite the COVID-19 testing process, the task force chief, Doni Monardo, said.

Id like to reassert that mudik is still banned, he said during a televised statement on Wednesday. We issued this regulation based on the fact that there are logistical hindrances in sending COVID-19 test results, as well as reports on the lack of transportation for medical personnel.

The government is currently restricting all kinds of passenger travel through Transportation Ministerial Regulation No. 25/2020 in an attempt to ban the Idul Fitri mudik (exodus) as it scrambles to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

All inbound and outbound travel from COVID-19 red zones, areas that are implementing large scale social restrictions (PSBB) and agglomeration areas, such as Greater Jakarta and Greater Bandung in West Java, is prohibited from April 24 to May 31, the regulation stipulates.

The ministerial regulation indeed sets out several exceptions, including the transportation of supplies, medicines and medical equipment, as well as fire trucks, ambulances and hearses. Operational vehicles for specific missions, such as repatriation flights and for transporting high-ranking officials, COVID-19 task force officials, government officials, the Indonesian Army and the National Police are also allowed to travel.

Read also: Explainer: Whats allowed and whats not in Indonesia's mudik ban

However, exemptions for businesspeople or others with essential urgencies are not stipulated in the regulation.

Earlier on Wednesday, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said the ministry could allow all public transportation to recommence operations by Thursday to accommodate individuals who were exempted from the mudik ban.

It is possible to allow all types of transportation to get back to operations with one condition: they must comply with the health protocol, he told lawmakers.
Warning issued after further reports of rogue traders targeting elderly residents in Wrexham

This article is old - Published: Wednesday, May 6th, 2020

Residents are being urged to remain vigilant after further reports of rogue traders targeting elderly victims across the area.

Last week we reported that a 95-year old man in Holt was approached at his doorstep by a man claiming to be a plasterer.

Further details of the incident have now been released, with rogue trader described as slim, in his 40s, 6ft tall, with stubble and wearing a flat cap.

He knocked on the victims door and offered to do roofing work for 1,200.

The had no identification, but claimed his business was called First Choice. He then put pressure on the elderly resident by claiming that his property was in danger of flooding after the heavy rain from the previous day.

The resident was told water would be pouring through the ceilings if he didnt have the work done there and then. Sadly, 300 was handed over to this rogue trader.

In a separate case, elsewhere in Wrexham, a vulnerable lady was targeted in her home by a man going by the name of Alistair.

The man managed to gain access to her home on the pretence that he was assessing her lack of food in the house due to Covid-19 as she is unable to get food herself.

He had no ID with him and appeared to mislead the lady in terms of his own identification.

All care workers and anyone from the council has identification, which they must be able to present when asked. If they dont have ID, do not let them in.

Wrexham Trading Standards and North Wales Police are currently working together to assess both incidents and provide support to the victims.

It is important not to let anyone into your home, especially during this unprecedented time.

Cllr Hugh Jones, Lead Member for People  Communities, Partnerships Public Protection and Community Safety, said: If anyone knocks on your door and says they are from the council or any other organisation, you should try to check with the organisation directly to verify that the caller is genuine, especially if they dont have valid ID. Any legitimate caller will completely understand and will wait while checks are made.

If in the end you cannot be sure that the call is genuine, dont let the person into your house or give them personal information. If the caller becomes aggressive or if you are feeling threatened at all, you must call the Police.

Lawrence Isted, Chief Officer Planning and Regulatory, added: During these difficult times its vitally important that we look out for our families, friends and neighbours. In this particular case, a vulnerable person was deliberately targeted and unfortunately ended up handing over money.

Be extremely cautious of any cold callers. Legitimate businesses very rarely  if ever  cold call at your property, so dont get pressured into opening the door to them, let alone agreeing to something youll regret.

Always allow yourself enough time to think about your decision and if youre unsure about anything discuss it with family members and friends before agreeing to anything or handing over money.

If you believe your property may need work doing to it look for a reputable trader or go off the recommendations of people you trust. This will help you stay safe from doorstep crime.

If you want to report something you think is suspicious, please contact either Citizens Advice Consumer Services on 0808 223 1133 or North Wales Police on 101. (Please be aware that theres a message on the Citizens Advice website saying that its taking them longer than usual to respond).

To report a distraction burglar or rogue trader who has taken your money and is still in the area  call 999.
NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Chem-Dry , the world's largest carpet cleaning franchise, has signed a Master Franchise agreement for Cyprus with Beirut-based entrepreneur, Camille El Zeinaty.

El Zeinaty, who also owns the Master Franchise rights for Lebanon, recognizes that there is a tremendous opportunity for a cleaning franchise on the island nation - especially in a post-pandemic world.

"We're excited about the opportunity for Chem-Dry in Cyprus," El Zeinaty said. "The economy of Cyprus is based on tourism, as it is the third largest island in the Mediterranean and third most populated, but convenient to Turkey, Greece and Lebanon. After the COVID-19 outbreak, the standards for cleanliness will be higher than ever before. There's a great opportunity with hotels, casinos, and homes that will be in need of our services. Our continued expansion in the Mediterranean area positions us to be the number one cleaning company in Cyprus. We will be focusing on flooring, deep cleaning and sanitizing both homes and commercial properties. Our unique approach to cleaning has never been more relevant and we look forward to growing the brand in Cyprus."

"Chem-Dry is a legacy brand in the United States and around the world," says Joe Manuszak, Vice President of Global Development. "Our 40 years of success is proof to entrepreneurs and investors that Chem-Dry's products and services will always be in demand. Chem-Dry continues to help enthusiastic leaders like Camille take their business goals to the next level."

Chem-Dry is the world's largest carpet and upholstery cleaning franchise with more than 3,000 franchises in over 55 countries, serving 11,000 homes and businesses a day. Chem-Dry has held the honor of being Entrepreneur magazine's top-rated carpet cleaning franchise for 32 straight years. The Chem-Dry Hot Carbonating Extraction process delivers a faster-drying, deeper and more environmentally-friendly clean that appeals to both home and business owners. In addition to carpet and area rugs, Chem-Dry provides cleaning and renewal services for tile and stone, granite countertops, leather and upholstery, air ducts and dryer vents.

"Cyprus is a land of innovation and growing with recent natural gas reserves, we expect a robust economy for many years," El Zeinaty said. "Our research proves great opportunity for our products and the customers in Cyprus. We are very excited about this opportunity for Chem-Dry, and we expect to do very well servicing the cleaning and sanitizing needs across the country for both Chem-Dry and those that will partner with us."

To learn more about Chem-Dry and its franchise opportunities, visit:

www.chemdryinternational.com

Contact:

Joe Manuszak

Vice President, Global Development

[email protected]

+1 616 560 8686

SOURCE Chem-Dry

Related Links

http://www.chemdryinternational.com


Technavio has been monitoring the emission control catalysts market and it is poised to grow by USD 4.09 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of about 6% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005610/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Emission Control Catalysts Market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Latest Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact

The market is fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. BASF SE, Cataler Corp., Clariant International Ltd., Cummins Inc., Haldor Topsoe AS, Honeywell International Inc., Ibiden Co. Ltd. Johnson Matthey Plc, Tenneco Inc., and Umicore. are some of the major market participants. The growth in the automotive sector 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.

Growth in automotive sector has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Emission Control Catalysts Market 2020-2024: Segmentation

Emission Control Catalysts Market is segmented as below:

Application Mobile Emission Stationary Emission

Geography APAC Europe North America South America ROW

Metal Palladium Platinum Rhodium



To learn more about the global trends impacting the future of market research, download a free sample: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR43303

Emission Control Catalysts Market 2020-2024: Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our emission control catalysts market report covers the following areas:

Emission Control Catalysts Market Size

Emission Control Catalysts Market Trends

Emission Control Catalysts Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies growing demand for passenger cars as one of the prime reasons driving the emission control catalysts market growth during the next few years.

Emission Control Catalysts Market 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the emission control catalysts market, including some of the vendors such as BASF SE, Cataler Corp., Clariant International Ltd., Cummins Inc., Haldor Topsoe AS, Honeywell International Inc., Ibiden Co. Ltd. Johnson Matthey Plc, Tenneco Inc., and Umicore. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the emission control catalysts market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

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Emission Control Catalysts Market 2020-2024: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2020-2024

Detailed information on factors that will assist emission control catalysts market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the emission control catalysts market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the emission control catalysts market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of emission control catalysts market vendors

Table Of Contents:

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2019

Market outlook: Forecast for 2019 2024

Five Forces Analysis

Five forces summary

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Application

Market segments

Comparison by Application

Mobile emission Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Stationary emission Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by Application

Market Segmentation by Metal

Market segments

Comparison by Metal

Palladium Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Platinum Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Rhodium Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by Metal

Customer landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

APAC Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Europe Market size and forecast 2019-2024

North America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

South America Market size and forecast 2019-2024

MEA Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

BASF SE

Cataler Corp.

Clariant International Ltd.

Cummins Inc.

Haldor Topsoe AS

Honeywell International Inc.

Ibiden Co. Ltd.

Johnson Matthey Plc

Tenneco Inc.

Umicore

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005610/en/

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Worcester officials announced Wednesday that the city has closed its temporary shelter at the DCU Center for members of the homeless population who have COVID-19.

City Manager Edward Augustus Jr. said that the 10 individuals who were staying at a homeless shelter at the DCU Center were moved Tuesday to a hotel in Northampton that the state is running as a care center for homeless individuals who have COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

The DCU Center, which opened in early April as a field hospital for coronavirus patients, and started housing positive members of the homeless population during the month after the shelter at Worcester Techincal High School had reached its capacity.

Because our census had gotten down to a relatively low number, quite honestly because were so many weeks into this, running so many different shelters, we were really struggling to maintain the staffing levels at that facility, Augustus said during the citys daily press briefing.

When the homeless individuals have completed their isolation period at the hotel in Northampton, they will be brought back to Worcester to return to the SMOC shelter with an effort to find permanent housing.

Augustus said there is no plan to shut down the field hospital operation at the DCU Center. The city is looking at other options for homeless individuals who may test positive for the virus in the future.

The field hospital at the DCU Center had 29 individuals on Wednesday, two more than Tuesday, Augustus said.

Augustus announced 85 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the citys total to 2,588 cases. Since April 1, the city has averaged 69 new cases per day.

In towns around Worcester, there are 212 cases in Shrewsbury, 64 in Holden, 60 in Grafton, 101 in Leicester and 175 in Millbury.

Between Saint Vincent Hosptial and the UMass Memorial Health Care system, there are 261 inpatients with coronavirus on Wednesday, a decrease of five from Tuesday. Of those patients, 111 are in the intensive care unit, two more than Tuesday, Augustus said.

The two systems have seen 144 patients die from illness related to the virus, an increase of seven since Wednesday.

A total of 216 employees from the systems have tested positive, and the manager noted the sacrifice of those employees while thanking the 104th Fighter Wing based at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield for flying F-15 Eagles above hospitals on Wednesday as a thank you message.

I want to thank them for the flyover because it was a great way for them, on behalf of I think all of us, to say thank you to the many health care workers who are showing up day-in and day-out, around the clock, to provide care for folks who have coronavirus, Augustus said.

Across Massachusetts, 4,420 residents have died from illness related to coronavirus and at least 72,025 people have tested positive as of Wednesday afternoon, according to state health officials.

Related Content:
- Several public figures from across the globe expressed their pride in Stephen Wamukoya

- To some, he was a problem solving oriented child who had impressed them

- The nine-year-old could not hide his joy in knowing that his innovation had got global attention

- He was more than grateful to those who congratulated and saw potential in him

When Stephen Wamukoya first hit the headlines, he had just innovated a handwashing station that had attracted the attention of Kenyans who thought he was a brilliant little boy.

Little did he nor his parents knew that his innovation would get the attention of people from across the globe.

READ ALSO: 13-year-old girl born with development delays accepted to university

The nine-year-old could not hide his joy in knowing that his innovation had got global attention. Photo: NTV

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: 87-year-old grandfather sells houses he gave his children after they refused to attend his wedding

Taking to different social media platforms to celebrate Wamukoya, several public figures expressed their pride in the Class Three pupil.

"This is one of the most inspiring pieces of news we have seen for a while," wrote one Facebook user.

"Clearly demonstrating that low technology solutions that can be easily replicated beat high tech solutions hands down," he added.

READ ALSO: Kisumu street kids sleeping in sewer lines to evade police during curfew

While others congratulated him and celebrated him, others thought he could be allowed to join other innovators who were years older than him.

To some, he was a problem solving oriented child and using available local resources was what impressed them even more.

"He may be too young for our new MSc launching but we have colleagues working in Kenya," tweeted Samer Abdelnour, a lecturer at Institute of Global Prosperity, University College London.

READ ALSO: My wife chose alcohol over our children - Nairobi man narrates

Wamukoya made the machine which does not require one to touch the liquid soap or the water bucket. Photo: NTV

Source: UGC

"Maybe there's a chance to connect for future work on innovation for community," he added.

Wamukoya, a pupil at Mukwa Primary School, made the machine which does not require one to touch the liquid soap or the water bucket, which are placed side by side.

The Class Three pupil said that he came up with the idea after watching many people struggle to wash their hands.

READ ALSO: Gov't to pay jobless Nairobi youths KSh 616 per day for keeping slums clean

The Class Three pupil said that he came up with the idea after watching many people struggle to wash their hands. Photo: NTV.

Source: UGC

He began putting together the machine which his father helped him to complete it. He said he only used KSh 3,000 to make it.

He said that the money was given to him by his father who had been supporting him to make his innovation dream come true.

The nine-year-old could not hide his joy in knowing that his innovation had got global attention and was more than grateful to those who congratulated him.

Thank you for making the whole world see my innovation, may God bless you, said Stephen.

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
(Bloomberg) --

Apple Inc. has dug in its heels in a standoff with the French government over the merits of protecting users privacy versus giving the state access to information in efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19.

A French manager for the Cupertino, California-based company declined the governments request to modify privacy and security settings for apps that use Apple devices Bluetooth technology on Saturday, a spokesman for Digital Minister Cedric O said. A representative for Apple declined to comment.

Read More: France Says Apple Bluetooth Policy Is Blocking Virus Tracker

Apple could have helped us make it work even better. They didnt do it for a reason that is beyond me. I think its regrettable, O said on a BFM Business television program Tuesday. A company that has never been in a better economic shape is not helping the government to fight the crisis. We will remember that.

The politicians punch comes as the French state plans to start tests for its application next week on about 100 volunteers. It will expand the tests before an official launch planned for June 2, Os office said.

France had previously aimed to deploy the app by May 11, when the country will begin to lift restrictions on movement. But the tool wasnt ready and Parliament has demanded a right to vote on the app to debate whether programs that send data on users locations and contacts to the government are a privacy violation. The vote may be scheduled for the week of May 25.

Apple and Alphabet Inc.s Google are jointly developing a framework for public health apps that keeps data on users devices. People who have come into contact with those who have self identified as having Covid-19 will get an alert.

Read more: Apple-Google Virus Combat Plan Hinges on Still-Scarce Testing

While that approach is gaining popularity with governments, including Germanys, some countries like France and the U.K. want to be able to send the data to their health systems and notify users themselves when they come into contact with someone whos been exposed.

Story continues

French privacy watchdog chief Marie-Laure Denis said Tuesday that CNIL will monitor the app to ensure that only a minimum of private data is collected. She advised the state to avoid intrusive and useless data collection and asked for more information about who would have access to the databases.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com

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2020 Bloomberg L.P.
A family of doctors received a heartfelt and warm welcome from their neighbours in Hyderabad when they returned home after two weeks of duty. Pictures show people showering the family with flowers petals and clapping for them to show their appreciation for the work theyve been doing in the fight against coronavirus.

The family first won praise on Twitter after Telangana Rashtra Samithi working president and state Information Technology minister KT Rama Rao mentioned them in a tweet. Today I have not one but three #CitizenHeroes all from same family, he had tweeted back in April.

Unmindful of their own safety, Dr. Mahboob Khan, his wife Dr Shahana Khan & daughter Dr. Rashika Khan have dedicated themselves to fight #Coronavirus at Gandhi, Chest & Koranti hospital, he added sharing some photos of the family.

Today I have not one but three #CitizenHeroes all from same family



Unmindful of their own safety, Dr. Mahboob Khan, his wife Dr Shahana Khan & daughter Dr. Rashika Khan have dedicated themselves to fight #Coronavirus at Gandhi, Chest & Koranti hospitals



Kudos to you Guys  pic.twitter.com/vReCXnwJ58  KTR (@KTRTRS) April 6, 2020

Now, the same family has been felicitated by their neighbours. Pictures show the family smiling as they stand with their hands folded while people around them shower them with their gratitude.

The image shows the doctor family standing with folded hands.

The welcome took place on Sunday, May 3, when the Indias armed forces expressed appreciation for doctors, medical professionals, police officials and paramilitary forces who are working tirelessly against coronavirus.

The doctor family standing in front of their house.

Facebook user Mitchelle Dias also shared a video of the grand welcome given to the doctors at Indian Airlines Colony in Begumpet, Hyderabad. The members, along with the representatives, gathered and cheered the doctors from the main entrance of the colony to their residence, cheering, clapping and showering rose petals, she mentioned in her post.

Earlier, similar videos of doctors receiving such wonderful welcomes went viral on social media. Case in point, Dr Vijayashree, a resident of an apartment in Bengaluru, who got a heros welcome from her neighbours.

Heres another example of a doctor receiving such a welcome when she returned home after 20 days of Covid-19 duty. Even PM Modi shared the heartening video on Twitter.
Tourism chiefs have been "selective" in choosing what images to use from the controversial drama 'Normal People' to promote Ireland.

The adaptation of the Sally Rooney novel has sparked a furor over the sex scenes, described by critics as something youd expect to see in a porno movie.

The programme scandalised listeners of 'Liveline' last week with complaints about the prurient sexual content.

Tourism Ireland has been using scenery from Normal People to promote Ireland as a holiday destination when the lockdown ends.

In an apparent reference to the more racy scenes, Tourism Minister Brendan Griffin said "not everything is suitable" in the TV drama for tourism promotion.

Mr Griffin said Tourism Ireland was still promoting the country to visitors during the lockdown.

"They are making the most of the time that is available there now, in terms of people looking at social media, people looking for, effectively, escapism, I suppose in situations where they are in self-isolation or they are in lockdown.

"So they have been very active online in terms of promoting Ireland and imagery from Ireland," he said.

Expand Close Bestseller: Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar Jones in the TV adaptation of Sally Rooneys Normal People / Facebook

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Mr Griffin said some parts of 'Normal People', filmed in Sligo, were being used for tourism promotion.

"And actually some of that imagery included Sligo very recently from some of the cinematography from 'Normal People' actually, which was filmed partly in Sligo as well.

"So they have to be selective with the cinematography. Not everything is suitable for worldwide distribution from a tourism perspective," he said with a grin in the Dail.

"But Sligo looks fantastic on screen always."

Mr Griffin's successor, Transport Minister Shane Ross, has discussed his personal connection to the programme.

The intense on-screen romance between lead characters Marianne and Connell starts with a kiss in the childhood home of Mr Ross.

Mr Ross, who lost his seat in Dublin-Rathdown earlier this year, joked that his parents would be "absolutely horrified" with all the "shenanigans and antics" in the series, which is famed for its intense and frequent sex scenes.

Knockmore House in Enniskerry, which dates back to 1850, was chosen to be the set of Marianne's family home in the 12-part TV adaption of Sally Rooney's successful novel.

Marianne, who is played by British actress Daisy Edgar-Jones, comes from a rich family.

She falls in love with Paul Mescal's character Connell, whose mother works as a cleaner in Marianne's house.

Knockmore House, which was owned by Mr Ross's late parents, is the backdrop for the blossoming romance which starts with a kiss in one of the manor's grand front rooms in episode one.

"I think it's great myself," Mr Ross told the Irish Independent.

"I think my parents would be absolutely mortified by what's going on in their house, which was a haven of morality."
No information is held around the discharge of patients from hospitals to care homes where Covid-19 later broke out, health officials have said. (Jonathan Brady/PA)

No information is held around the discharge of patients from hospitals to care homes where Covid-19 later broke out, health officials have said.

Around 40% of deaths linked to the virus - 158 of 393 to April 24 - occurred in care homes, according to the latest data from Northern Ireland's statistics agency. However, additional detail on care home cases is difficult to obtain.

Initially the Department of Health was asked about care homes currently listed as having had Covid-19 outbreaks. It was asked how many had received patients discharged from hospital who had been admitted with suspected Covid-19 or similar symptoms, and/or were treated in or near to Covid-19 wards, but were fit to either return to their care home or reside there for recovery. The department was asked whether testing was conducted on each patient who had been admitted with Covid-19 symptoms ahead of discharge to a care home.

The department said it did not have this information, and suggested it is more likely to be a query for the Public Health Agency (PHA); the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) and/or the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) support team.

The department was then asked if the minister could give an assurance that he will instruct officials to look into the issues raised. Its reply pointed to a recently released statement around the introduction of testing in care homes and ahead of discharge from hospital.

However, as this could not apply retrospectively, ministerial assurance to have these matters looked into was again requested, but not answered.

Meanwhile, the PHA stated it does not collate this information. The RQIA failed to respond.

HSCB initially sent the minister's latest statement contending this answered the issue on testing ahead of return to care homes. When pointed out that the question asked was retrospective and the minister's statement was not, it responded: "The information is not held centrally in the requested format; however, it may be collated by individual care homes."
Parents are demanding that clear alternative plans to the Leaving Cert exams be made available to students given the additional demands and pressures they are under due to the pandemic.

Ahead of meetings today on contingency plans for the postponed state exams, expected to begin at the end of July, the National Parents Council Post-Primary (NPC-PP) is calling for clarity and prompt action.

The group, which represents parents and guardians nationwide, said in the absence of a confirmation that exams would take place, creative solutions were needed.

There is growing uncertainty and confusion about what form the exams might take, dates and conclusion times, with the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland

(ASTI) ruling out traditional timetables.

The lack of any clear plan is taking its toll on students, the NPC-PP has warned.

"The increasing level of stress and pressures on Leaving Certificate students and their families grows daily and is unacceptable.

"The disparity of facilities and support for Leaving Certificate students across the country is clear. One solution cannot and will not offer fairness and equity to all students."

With no quick end to the Covid-19 crisis, the NPC-PP said alternative plans were needed.

"This situation will continue in the coming months and creates predicaments which make it impossible to categorically state that exams will take place from 29th July as suggested."

"Students and parents continue to express concern and nervousness about assemblage involved to facilitate seated exams and are seeking alternative plans which take account of other potential scenarios and that will offer alternative routes to completion and a definitive conclusion date for students."

"Flexibility has been asked of and delivered by students in the final year of their post-primary education. They deserve flexibility in assessment for their Leaving Certificate exam in return."

All efforts and arrangements must also be put in place to ensure that no student is disadvantaged due to the inadequacies of alternatives to their normal schooling and educational supports, poor online access or socio-economic factors, says the NCP-PP.

A number of possible options and alternatives have been put forward for consideration by the NPC-PP and the Irish Second Level Students Union (ISSU).

The Department of Education is also examining a possible Plan B.

The Leaving Cert was omitted from Taoiseach Leo Varadkars announcement on plans to exit the lockdown, prompting fresh worries among students.

He later confirmed that written exams are still planned to begin on July 29, and that sixth-year students are due to return to classrooms for two weeks of revision.

In recent days, political pressure has also increased, with Fianna Fail, Solidarity/People Before Profit and the Social Democrats now calling for the exams to be cancelled. Sinn Fein and Labour have also called for more clarity on how the exams will operate this year.

Education Minister Joe McHugh is due to attend the State Exams advisory group today to review all scenarios relating to the Leaving Cert, his spokesman confirmed.

Further details in relation to the exams is due to be announced in the first week of June, depending on the health advice and assessment of the Covid-19 response, a spokesman for the Department of Education said.

"The Minister has also made it clear that he wants to see students get at least two weeks of class time, in school, before the Leaving Certificate examinations begin. That would also have to be based on health advice."

Plans for the exams are still being discussed, he added: "Meanwhile, work has been continuing on contingency planning around the issues related to the Leaving Certificate. This detailed work is ongoing and a number of complex issues are being considered."

Meanwhile, the ASTI has said the normal timetable for the Leaving Cert exams will not operate this year.

The revised timetable will ultimately be decided by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), and is expected to take into account the public health advice as well as concerns over deep-cleaning, it said.

Leaving Cert students speak about pressures of uncertainty

President Michael D Higgins, second left and Cork Lord Mayor Cllr John Sheehan, along with conference chairman Frank Dorr and youth activist Alicia OSullivan from Skibbereen, at the Cork Conference on Intergenerational Climate Justice at City Hall, Cork. Picture: David Keane. XXjob Exam News 13.11.2019

Alicia OSullivan, is a sixth year student at Skibbereen Community School, County Cork:

"The Leaving Cert is actually very rigid and its very, very standardised; Everything happens the same way, every year. But thats been completely upended this year. One of the biggest worries students have is if it will be safe to hold exams come July. I know that they are considering how they will actually run the exams, how the timetable will look, things like that. But theres still that uncertainty in terms of it actually being safe for students.

"The idea that theres going to be X amount of students crammed in a sweaty, clustered exam hall touching the same desks, biros and papers all day. That doesnt seem very realistic to anyone. On top of that, theres people like myself who are immuno-compromised. Obviously we have our worries too, if it will be safe for us.

"I also have worries about the results, and how the CAO will work. Ive applied to go abroad. Its only one of my options, but its one of my top options. I know there are a lot of people who have their hearts set on studying abroad. Due to the virus, nothing is fair, nothing will be completely fair, we do have to accept that circumstances are unprecedented.

"But I think what theyve done has just added more unfairness to it, and drawn it out. People are arguing that predicted grades are unfair, and yes, maybe thats true. No-one is saying they are completely fair. But in my opinion, theyve just added problems by postponing the exams. Personally, Id like to sit the exams but looking at it objectively  How is it going to be possible when the uncertainty is causing such problems for students?

Charlie Murray is a sixth-year student at St Caimins Community School in Shannon, County Clare:

I dont feel that postponing the exams was ever a solution but moreover, a temporary fix. If we arent able to do what we usually do during these unprecedented times, then we cant be expected to do the very same Leaving Cert this year. There has to be something new in place. We cannot be expected to sit exams as normal and get the same results because this has put all of us at a disadvantage.

"I think postponing the exams has also created further problems down the line. For example, if you want to study abroad, if we postpone everything, that means when other countries are doing their recruiting for colleges, we dont know if our results will be out.

"With online teaching, since thats at home, weve intertwined our school life with our home life. So with all this pressure, it feels like theres no escape. I find myself leaving my home more and more to try and escape it. Anytime Im at home, the exams are constantly hanging over my head. The pressure and the stress is growing by the day and were constantly told to keep our heads down but realistically we cant.

"We dont know what were working towards because we dont know what the exams will hold. With all the uncertainty, how can you work towards a goal that is unknown? Its causing us anxiety and stress and with that, were losing motivation. Without motivation, you cant retain information. So you could sit at your desk and read books and books for hours on end to try to study but if were not able to retain that information whats the point?

There are countless students and teachers across the country who do not have the resources for proper online teaching. Are they going to be forgotten about? All this is just constantly building stress and it feels as if students are not being listened to."
Joy Behar of The View is possibly the most outspoken critic of President Donald Trump out of all the co-hosts. When discussing the latest political developments with fellow panelists Whoopi Goldberg, Sunny Hostin, and Meghan McCain, Behar never holds back on her thoughts regarding the Commander in Chief.

Fans of Behar were probably surprised when the talk show host actually agreed with Fox News personality Sean Hannity, a known ally of the president.

Joy Behar of The View | Lou Rocco/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images

Several states protest stay-at-home orders

With the nation in quarantine due to the coronavirus crisis, residents in some states such as Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin have taken to protesting lockdown orders with some even bringing guns to demonstrations. While workers and business owners are concerned about the failing economy, government officials maintain that stay-at-home restrictions are essential to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

This has become a much bigger deal than just, Oh, I have to shut down for a couple of weeks,  llinois music teacher and mother of three Ashley McLemore told People in April. This has turned into this extreme government overreach.

Yet medical professionals insist that quarantine measures are necessary as the virus continues to spread. This is a highly contagious virus, Dr. Deborah Birx, coronavirus task force coordinator for the Trump administration, has said. We dont know by looking at someone if they have pre-existing conditions or not, so all of us as far as protecting others must continue to do all of the recommendations to ensure that when we are in an asymptomatic state were not passing the virus to others.

STAY-AT-HOME PROTESTS SURFACE: After anti-lockdown rallies in California, Michigan, Illinois and Massachusetts, the co-hosts react to how the protests were handled and how demonstrators handled themselves. https://t.co/umdLo14k1l pic.twitter.com/83Ybz3EMwd  The View (@TheView) May 5, 2020

Sean Hannity comments on protests

While President Trump is a known defender of the Second Amendment, Hannity, who has a close alliance with the president, commented that armed protesters in Michigan were attempting to intimidate officials with the show of force on his May 4 broadcast.

Now, no one is a bigger defender of the Second Amendment than yours truly, Hannity maintained, according to People. Everyone has a right to protest, protect themselves, and try to get the country open.

When the conservative journalist aired footage of several protestors with large guns, he adamantly commented on the danger this type of action was bringing to others.

This with the militia look here and these long guns, uh no, Hannity said. Show of force is dangerous. That puts our police at risk and, by the way, your message will never be heard, whoever you people are. No one should be attempting to intimidate officials with the show of force. And God forbid something that happens, then theyre going to go after all of us law abiding Second Amendment people.

The View star praises Fox News host

After Hannitys statements trying to dissuade pro-gun protestors, Behar commended the conservative commentator on The View. Things are really bad when even Sean Hannity is out there telling these crazy people to stop it, Behar said on the May 5 episode. Just stop it.

Behar recalled protests from the past where firearms were not an issue. I come from the generation, as do you Whoopi, where we protested the Vietnam War.  Nobody was carrying a gun, okay, The View star explained. That is not a protest. That is a terrorist act, or the indication of it. I dont say that they are terrorists, but they are certainly intimidators.

Behar concluded by giving props to Hannity for speaking up. They are trying to intimidate people with this. And radio silence on the right by the way, besides Sean Hannity, I havent heard anybody else say something like that, Behar noted.

Apparently Behar and Hannity finally agree on something.
Opinion Article

6 May 2020

Over the years I have lived and worked through numerous crisis's that have led to economic downturns - Gulf War (early 90's), 9/11, SARS, the Housing Crisis in 2008, etc and now COVID-19. I have made my share of mistakes, learned from those mistakes and also had my share of successes.

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Planning During SARS

Let me tell you about one of those successes. When the SARS virus hit our city hard in spring 2003, we had our biggest hotels go from occupancy levels around 85% to 18%. Panic had set in across North America and travelers were fearful of coming to our city.

My boss came to me and asked me to put together some marketing programs to help mitigate the problem. My first reaction was that this wasn't an occupancy problem but a health problem and if we simply did as asked we would have used up our marketing budget trying to attract customers who weren't going to travel to our city regardless of how good the deal was He pushed me a bit to consider some options.

As I asked the Directors of Marketing to join me in a brainstorming session, I realized that there might be something we could do. But before we could come up with ideas to increase business, we had to be realistic about our problem:

Groups were canceling at a very quick pace

Business & Leisure travelers were disappearing

Television stations around North America were basically suggesting to people not to come to our city

We had no control over how the problem was caused or how it was going to be resolved

People in our city knew that they were NOT going to get SARS

We needed a short-term plan (SARS is still with us) and a long-term plan (SARS has started to significantly subside).

It's important to note that SARS and COVID-19 are very different and therefore our short-term SARS solutions would not work with COVID-19.

Actions We Took During SARS

We listened to what our local Director of Public Health said, not to what the business experts said. The CDC can be a great guide for you as you plan your strategies.

Short-term - we focused on the people who knew that they were safe by offering special deals (discounted rates plus value add-on's) for them to get in their cars and drive 20-60 minutes and stay with us to enjoy a night away from home at a great price. As SARS slowly started to subside, we expanded our customer geographic location circle. We didn't get our occupancies back to where they were but we were able to generate some additional cash flow, cover fixed costs and keep many employees from getting laid off.

Long-term - we knew that all the hotels in our city were getting clobbered and that we'd all be competing fiercely for business. Groups would rebook but not before next year. Leisure travelers would be very nervous. Therefore, we focused on our highly profitable business travelers. Our defined goal was to get a higher STR index than our competitors in the first few months of post SARS travel. I met with a major airline and put together a flight/hotel prize that was a trip to anywhere in the world where our airline partner flew and we had a hotel/resort. The more a frequent traveler stayed in our hotels the more chances they had to win. The results were:

We beat our competitors in STR index Our business returned to normal much faster than our competitors

Remember it's important to note that each crisis and economic downturn has its own unique characteristics and there is no universal solution that fits across the board. Ultimately the solutions need to focus on those unique characteristics and be tailored market by market.

Short Term Do's and Don'ts for COVID19:

Don't stress over your occupancy levels. There is absolutely nothing you can do to incent more customers to stay in your hotel - no rate discount, no creative package, no special services will overcome the outside influence that you are facing.

stress over your occupancy levels. There is absolutely nothing you can do to incent more customers to stay in your hotel - no rate discount, no creative package, no special services will overcome the outside influence that you are facing. Do focus on customer relations and long-term good will. Have a liberal cancellation policy - in fact, I would recommend a full refund with no strings attached.

focus on customer relations and long-term good will. Have a liberal cancellation policy - in fact, I would recommend a full refund with no strings attached. Do

focus on employee relations. Make every effort to keep as many staff employed as possible. Even if it requires make work projects - projects that you have been meaning to do that can now be done by idle staff.

focus on employee relations. Make every effort to keep as many staff employed as possible. Even if it requires make work projects - projects that you have been meaning to do that can now be done by idle staff. Do enlist members of your team to help associates apply for benefits that may now be available - unemployment insurance, rent relief, debt relief, etc

Mid-Term Do's and Don'ts for COVID19:

Do focus on customer segments that may continue to travel and use your facilities despite the health concerns.

focus on customer segments that may continue to travel and use your facilities despite the health concerns. Do promote to locals who understand the true environment - always a good idea. Offer them a package that creates a desire to get out of the house - good room rate and value adds such has F&B and Spa discounts. They weren't thinking of doing anything, but your package made them change their minds. (when CDC, WHO and local regulations allow)

promote to locals who understand the true environment - always a good idea. Offer them a package that creates a desire to get out of the house - good room rate and value adds such has F&B and Spa discounts. They weren't thinking of doing anything, but your package made them change their minds. (when CDC, WHO and local regulations allow) Don't sacrifice your pricing Integrity - if you decide to lower your rates, make sure there is a rational reason for do so which will allow you to raise your rates when the reason changes i.e. higher demand. In other words, don't go overboard with discounting and be aggressive when the opportunity arises.

sacrifice your pricing Integrity - if you decide to lower your rates, make sure there is a rational reason for do so which will allow you to raise your rates when the reason changes i.e. higher demand. In other words, don't go overboard with discounting and be aggressive when the opportunity arises. Don't sacrifice customer good will: Have a liberal cancellation policy that focuses on maintaining customer Good Will. The long-term value of your customer relations is much more important the few extra dollars you will collect in cancellation fees.

sacrifice customer good will: Have a liberal cancellation policy that focuses on maintaining customer Good Will. The long-term value of your customer relations is much more important the few extra dollars you will collect in cancellation fees. Don't lay off members of your core Sales Team: It is never a good idea to lay off sales people to save a few dollars. They are the ones working on your future.

Long Term Do's and Don'ts for COVID19:

Start thinking about your recovery plan now:

What customer segments will return the fastest? What can we offer to incent them to stay with us?

Create a relationship with every customer that cancelled a reservation. With every cancellation confirmation include a bounce back offer for a future stay - no strings attached and no prior to language - who knows when this will end. Hopefully, you have a lot of customer datause it wisely.

Contact all your group customers who cancelled and offer an incentive to rebook at a later date. Get some futures on the books and offer flexible cancellations policies should the situation take longer to resolve.

Prepare your promotional messages now and plan to release them as things begin to normalize. Also prepare to release updates on operations and protocols to meet new guest expectations.

Sales Team: Your sales team should be working harder and longer than ever before. Be sure they use the hotel down time to focus on the future.

Hit the ground running when the time is right and beat your competitors out of the starting block.

In the short term and mid-term your goal is to maintain customer relations, generate incremental cash flow where possible, cover fixed costs and keep as many people employed as possible. In the long term your goal is to recover and scale back up faster than the competitive set and if successful all stakeholders will be pleased - employees, management team, the brand and owners.

Also, take this significant down time to consider reorganizing departments structures, explore new financial models for future success, more formal training etc.

Business will return and the more you do now in terms of planning effective strategies, the more business you will get which in turn will create more employee satisfaction leading to improved customer retention.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday returned to the House of Commons for the first time since he tested positive for coronavirus and had to be hospitalised as his COVID-19 symptoms worsened last month.

As he faced off with the new Opposition Labour Party Leader, Keir Starmer, for their debut Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) clash, Johnson declared that he was doubling the target for the number of daily coronavirus tests to be carried out in the country to 200,000 by the end of May.

"We're running at about 100,000 a day, but the ambition clearly is to get up to 200,000 a day by the end of this month and then to go even higher," he said, in response to Starmer's query on the government's "test, track and trace strategy to tackle the pandemic.

Johnson told MPs that a "fantastic" testing regime will be critical to the UK's long-term economic recovery.

He also confirmed that there will be a statement in Parliament next Monday on easing up some of the lockdown measures in place to contain the spread of the deadly virus. The UK government is bound by law to review the stay-at-home social distancing rules by this Thursday.

Johnson said he would wait until Sunday to announce the government's plans because more data would be available by that time, as he warned it would be an "economic disaster" to relax the lockdown in a way which triggered a second spike in coronavirus cases.

"The faster we can suppress the virus, the quicker we can restart the economy, and ensure communities get the help they need, he said.

A television address is expected from Johnson this Sunday, during which he will lay out a comprehensive plan on getting the UK economy moving again.

Johnson had been diagnosed with COVID-19 on March 26 and was admitted to the hospital 10 days later. The following day, he was moved to intensive care.

On Sunday, Johnson revealed for the first time that there were "contingency plans" in place in case things went badly wrong and he died during his treatment for COVID-19 in the hospital.

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has criticised the government for this plan to unveil a lockdown exit strategy in a televised speech before first running it past Parliament.

In a statement to the Commons, the Speaker said: It has been widely reported that the Government will make a major announcement about the review of lockdown this Sunday.

"I consider this a matter of regret. It is important that the press is kept informed. But it is the duty of this House to hold the government to account, not the media. Major government announcements should be made first in the House and this is more important than ever during this time of crisis.

However, Downing Street said it had a duty to set out the government's thinking "in a clear way to the public".

"What matters is that we get the right response, that we fully consider all the evidence and ensure that we communicate the next steps, whatever they may be, in a clear way to the public. We'll continue to ensure Parliament is fully updated," a Downing Street spokesperson said.

The UK was put into strict lockdown measures in an effort to curb the infection and flatten the peak of coronavirus cases on March 23, with rules imposed on people to stay at home unless moving out for one exercise a day or for emergencies and essentials.

It has led to a near-complete economic shutdown, which the government is now working towards easing up gradually from next week.

The deaths in the UK from coronavirus on Tuesday rose to 32,375, making it the worst-hit country in Europe from the pandemic.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[May 06, 2020] Tanzania gaining further mobile market consolidation

Sydney, May 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just released, this edition of Paul Budde Communications focus report on Tanzania outlines the major developments and key aspects in the telecoms markets.

Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Tanzania-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses Tanzanias telecom sector enjoys effective competition, particularly in the mobile segment. There remains considerable movement within it, with Smart having stopped services in late 2019 and Tigo having completed its merger with Zantel. The government has encouraged foreign participation to promote economic growth and social development, and policy reforms have led to the country having one of the most liberal telecom sectors in Africa. Tanzania only has one fixed-line operator, the incumbent TTC, after the second provider stopped offering fixed services. There are also several mobile service providers, with four additional players licensed under a new converged regulatory regime. Mobile penetration reached 85% by early 2020, and growth in the number of subscribers remains strong. In recent years a price war among these players has adversely affected the smaller operators (including Smart), which have suffered from customer churn. Following the launch of mobile broadband services, the mobile network operators have become the leading ISPs. Operators are hoping for revenue growth in the mobile data services market, given that the voice market is almost entirely prepaid and voice ARPU continues to fall. To this end they have invested in network upgrades. A fast-developing source of revenue is from mobile money transfer and m-banking services. The landing of the first fibre optic international submarine cables in the country some years ago revolutionised the market which up to that point had entirely depended on expensive satellite connections. In parallel, the government is working on the later phases of a national fibre backbone network aimed at connecting population centres around the country. The government has become more determined to manage the telecom sector more effectively. It has cracked down on counterfeit smartphones, which were thought to account for up to 30% of devices in circulation, and has introduced a biometric SIM card registration scheme. BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus in 2020 is having a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries. On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth. Although it is challenging to predict and interpret the long-term impacts of the crisis as it develops, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report. The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions. Key developments Tigo completes merger with Zantel;

New MTRs agreed to 2022;

Tigo Pesa receives the GSMA Mobile Money Certification;

Halotel Tanzania launches HaloPesa m-banking service;

TTC extends LTE-A service, launches investment program for its FttP project;

Regulator completes biometric SIM card registration scheme;

TTC seeks TZS1.77 trillion over five years to upgrade networks and gain market share;

Government allocates TZS17.5 billion to improve rural telecom infrastructure;

Report update includes regulators market data to December 2019, operator data to Q4 2019, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of COVID-19 on the telecoms sector, recent market developments. Companies mentioned in this report Tanzania Telecommunications Corporation (TTC); Zanzibar Telecommunications Corporation (Zantel); Vodacom Tanzania; Bharti Airtel (Zain); Millicom (Tigo); Benson Informatics Limited (BOL); Sasatel (Dovetel); Africa Online; Raha.com; Tele2; Alink; SatCom Networks; SimbaNet; Afsat; Cats-Net Key Statistics

Regional African Market Comparison TMI vs GDP Mobile and mobile broadband Fixed and mobile broadband

Country overview

COVID-19 and its impact on the telecom sector Economic considerations and responses Mobile devices Subscribers Infrastructure

Telecommunications market Market analysis

Regulatory environment Regulatory authority National Telecommunications Policy 1997 National ICT Policy Regulatory overhaul Electronic and Postal Communication Act 2010 Electronic and Postal Communications Regulations 2018 Fixed-line developments Telecom sector liberalisation Converged licensing framework (CLF) International gateways Interconnection Universal Communication Services Access Fund (UCSAF) Foreign ownership restrictions Mobile network developments Mobile Number Portability (MNP) Quality of Service Spectrum auction  700MHz Tariffs International roaming Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs) Network sharing SIM card registration

Mobile market Market analysis Mobile statistics Mobile data services Mobile broadband Mobile infrastructure 4G (LTE) 3G Other infrastructure developments Major mobile operators TTC Mobile Vodacom Tanzania Airtel Tanzania Tigo Tanzania Zanzibar Telecommunication (Zantel) Halotel (Viettel Tanzania0 Mobile Virtual network Operators (MVNOs) Mobile content and applications M-money, m-banking M-health

Fixed-line broadband market Introduction and statistical overview Market analysis Broadband statistics Public internet access locations Tanzania Internet Exchange (TIX, AIXP) Broadband infrastructure Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) Networks Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) EV-DO Fixed wireless (WiMAX, WiBro, Wi-Fi) Satellite broadband

Digital economy E-health E-learning

Fixed network operators TTC Privatisation and exclusivity period 2000-2005 SaskTel management contract 2007-2009 Future direction Zantel Smart

Telecommunications infrastructure TTCs fixed-line network Wireless local loop (WLL) Private networks National fibre backbone International infrastructure Submarine fibre Satellite Terrestrial

Appendix  Historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports



Table 1  Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities  Tanzania  2020 (e)

Table 2  Change in average mobile tariffs  2010  2019

Table 3  Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration  2010  2025

Table 4  Mobile voice subscriber market share by operator  2011  2019

Table 5  Average use of services per subscriber  2012  2019

Table 6  Change in mobile voice traffic by type  2014  2019

Table 7  Growth in the number of SMS sent  2012  2019

Table 8  Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration  2010  2025

Table 9  Growth in the number of internet users and penetration rate  2010  2019

Table 10  Growth in the number of TTC mobile subscribers  2010  2019

Table 11  Growth in the number of Vodacom Tanzanias mobile subscribers  2010  2019

Table 12  Growth in the number of Airtel Tanzanias mobile subscribers  2010  2019

Table 13  Growth in the number of Tigo Tanzanias mobile subscribers  2010  2019

Table 14  Change in the number of Zantels mobile subscribers  2010  2019

Table 15  Growth in the number of Halotels mobile subscribers  2015  2019

Table 16  Mobile money subscriptions by operator 2015  2019

Table 17  Share of mobile money subscriptions by operator 2018  2019

Table 18  Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers  2010  2025

Table 19  Fixed wireless internet subscribers  2013  2019

Table 20  Decline in the number of Smarts mobile subscribers  2015  2019

Table 23  Growth in international internet bandwidth  2010  2017

Table 24  Historic  Fixed interconnection rates  2013- 2017

Table 25  Historic - Average mobile tariffs  2005  2009

Table 26  Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate  1995  2009

Table 27  Historic - Vodacom Tanzania data subscribers  2013  2016

Table 28  Historic - Vodacom Tanzania ARPU ($)  2003  2014

Table 29  Historic - Vodacom Tanzania ARPU (TZS)  2011  2016

Table 30  Historic - TTC mobile subscribers  2006  2009

Table 31  Historic - Vodacom Tanzania subscribers  2000  2009

Table 32  Historic - Airtel Tanzania subscribers  2002  2009

Table 33  Historic - Millicom Tanzania mobile subscribers  2000  2009

Table 34  Historic  Zantels mobile subscribers  2000  2009

Table 35  Historic - Internet users and penetration rate  1999  2015

Table 36  Historic - Fixed-line internet subscribers  2001  2009

Table 37  Historic - Fixed-line broadband subscribers  2005  2009

Table 38  Historic - Cable modem broadband subscribers  2005  2014

Table 39  Historic - TTC financial data  2010; 2012  2014

Table 40  Historic - Fixed lines in service by operator and teledensity  1999  2009

Table 41  Historic - Fixed lines in service  1995  2009

Table 42  Historic - International bandwidth  2001  2009 List of Charts

Chart 1  Overall Africa view - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita

Chart 2  East Africa - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita

Chart 3  Africa  Bottom-tier Telecoms Maturity Index (Market Emergents)

Chart 4  East Africa Telecoms Maturity Index by country

Chart 5  East Africa mobile subscriber penetration versus mobile broadband penetration

Chart 6  East Africa fixed and mobile penetration rates

Chart 7  Change in average mobile tariffs  2010  2019

Chart 8  Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration  2010  2025

Chart 9  Mobile voice subscriber market share by operator  2011  2019

Chart 10  Growth in the number of SMS sent  2012  2019

Chart 11  Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration  2010  2025

Chart 12  Growth in the number of internet users and penetration rate  2010  2019

Chart 13  Growth in the number of TTC mobile subscribers  2006  2019

Chart 14  Growth in the number of Vodacom Tanzanias mobile subscribers  2009  2019

Chart 15  Growth in the number of Airtel Tanzanias mobile subscribers  2010  2019

Chart 16  Tigo Tanzania mobile subscribers  2009  2019

Chart 17  Change in the number of Zantels mobile subscribers  2009  2019

Chart 18  Growth in the number of Halotels mobile subscribers  2015  2019

Chart 19  Mobile money subscriptions by operator 2015  2019

Chart 20  Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers  2010  2025

Chart 21  Decline in the number of Smarts mobile subscribers  2015  2019

Chart 23  Growth in international internet bandwidth  2009  2017 List of Exhibits Exhibit 1  Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment

Exhibit 2  East Africa - Key Characteristics of Telecoms Markets by Country

Exhibit 3  700MHz spectrum auction  June 2018

Exhibit 4  Emergency rescue scheme for Lake Victoria Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Tanzania-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses Nicolas Bombourg [email protected] Within Australia (02) 8076 7665 Outside Australia +44 207 097 1241

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Masimo CEO Joe Kiani on Tuesday explained how its telehealth systems can be useful in the fight against coronavirus.

"As my wife said, it feels like everything we've done has been for this moment," he told CNBC's Jim Cramer in a "Mad Money" interview.

Masimo, a global medical device maker, markets noninvasive monitoring systems, including pulse oximetry systems that monitor pulse and oxygen levels in patients. The company in March launched a remote patient monitoring system called Masimo SafetyNet that is useful for health-care workers during the deadly Covid-19 outbreak to track patient vitals from a safe distance.

The wireless pulse oximetry works whether a patient is moving or experiencing low blood flow, Kiani said.

"You could put the patient in the room," he explained, "bring the monitor outside of the room and instead of walking into the room to check on the vital signs of the patient ... you can now remotely monitor the patient" when giving care.

The system uses signal extraction technology, or SET, to track a user's blood oxygen saturation and respiration rate. As hospitals filled up with individuals who contracted the fast-spreading contagion, the pulse oximetry device allows health-care workers to monitor patients from home, Kiani said.

"We now have made it possible to send patients outside the hospital including the home, which you're probably the most comfortable in, and allow clinicians to remotely monitor you so that if you get in trouble, like some patients have, they can bring you right in," he said, adding "and if you're fine and recovering, you can be at your home where it's less chance" of spreading and catching disease.

Masimo, which reported earnings in late April, topped Wall Street estimates for the first quarter. The company brought in $270 million in revenue and profits of 97 cents per share.

Masimo saw revenue grow more than 16% from the year ago quarter. The SET business also grew double digits and analysts are expecting sales to jump more than 25% in the current quarter, according to FactSet estimates.

Shares of Masimo rose 3.66% to a new closing high of $234 in Tuesday's session.
SAVANNAH, Ga.  The parents of a black man slain in a pursuit by two white men armed with guns called for immediate arrests Wednesday as they faced the prospect of waiting a month or longer before a Georgia grand jury could consider bringing charges.

A swelling outcry over the Feb. 23 shooting of Ahmaud Arbery intensified after a cellphone video that lawyers for his family say shows the killing surfaced online Tuesday. Following the videos release, a large crowd of demonstrators marched in the neighborhood where Arbery was killed, and the state opened its own investigation, which the governor and attorney general pledged to support. The men who pursued Arbery told police they suspected he had committed a recent burglary.

Arberys mother, Wanda Cooper Jones, told reporters Wednesday she believes her 25-year-old son was just out for his daily jog in a neighborhood outside the port city of Brunswick. She hasnt watched the video.

I saw my son come into the world, Jones said. And seeing him leave the world, its not something that Ill want to see ever.

No arrests have been made or charges filed in coastal Glynn County more than two months after the killing. An outside prosecutor in charge of the case said he wants a grand jury to decide whether criminal charges are warranted. That wont happen until at least mid-June, since Georgia courts remain largely closed because of the coronavirus.

Attorneys for Arberys family said the father and son, who have acknowledged in a police report grabbing guns and pursuing Arbery in a truck after seeing him running in their neighborhood, should be arrested now before a grand jury decides whether to indict them  as often happens in criminal cases.

These men were vigilantes, they were a posse and they performed a modern lynching in the middle of the day, said Lee Merritt, an attorney for Arberys mother.

According to an incident report filed by Glynn County police, Arbery was shot after two men spotted him running in their neighborhood on a Sunday afternoon. Gregory McMichael told police that he and his adult son thought the runner matched the description of someone caught on a security camera committing a recent break-in in the neighborhood. They armed themselves with guns before getting in a truck to pursue him.

The father said his son, Travis McMichael, got out of the truck holding a shotgun, and Arbery began to violently attack. He said Arbery was shot as the two men fought over the shotgun, according to the police report.

After Arbery was shot, the police report says, Gregory McMichael turned him onto his back to see if he was armed. The report doesnt say whether he had a weapon.

A phone number listed for Gregory McMichael has been disconnected. The Associated Press could not immediately find a phone listing for Travis McMichael.

The cellphone video, initially posted by a Brunswick radio station, shows a black man running at a jogging pace on the left side of a road. A truck is parked in the road ahead of him. One man is inside the pickups bed, and another is standing beside the open drivers side door.

The runner crosses the road to pass the pickup on the passenger side, then crosses back in front of the truck. A gunshot sounds, and the video shows the runner grappling with a man in the street over what appears to be a shotgun or rifle. A second shot can be heard, and the runner can be seen punching the man. A third shot is fired at point-blank range. The runner staggers a few feet and falls face down.

Tom Durden, the district attorney appointed to oversee the case, declined to comment Tuesday when asked if the video depicts Arberys shooting.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation got involved Wednesday after Durden requested the agencys help. GBI Director Vic Reynolds said he assigned three supervisory-level agents to the case.

I realize that emotions are running high in this community and theyre running high throughout this state, Reynolds said in statement. And the last thing anyone wants to do is extend us any patience. But I also realize that this investigation must be done correctly.

Georgia law says a person can kill in self-defense only if he or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent death or great bodily injury  or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony. The law also says a person who provokes an attack or acts as the aggressor cant claim self-defense.

Merritt, the attorney for Arberys mother, said the U.S. Justice Department should also investigate the death as a hate crime.

The FBI has said its assisting, said Justice Department spokesman Matt Lloyd, and as is standard protocol we look forward to working with them should information come to light of a potential federal violation.

Republican Gov. Brian Kemp late Tuesday threw his support behind that probe. He tweeted: Georgians deserve answers. State law enforcement stands ready to ensure justice is served.

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, also a Republican, spoke out as well.

Based on the video footage and news reports that I have seen, I am deeply concerned with the events surrounding the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, Carr said in a statement. I expect justice to be carried out as swiftly as possible.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, also weighed in. The video is clear: Ahmaud Arbery was killed in cold blood, Biden tweeted, referring to the death as a murder.

Jackie Johnson, the district attorney for Glynn County, recused herself from the case because Gregory McMichael worked as an investigator in her office. He retired a year ago. George Barnhill, the first outside prosecutor on the case, stepped aside in mid-April at the urging of Arberys family. Barnhill has a son who works as an assistant prosecutor for Johnson.

___

Associated Press writer Michael Balsamo in Washington contributed to this story.
[May 05, 2020] Monsoon Blockchain Partners With Industry Giants in the US and Asia to Engineer the Next Generation of Fintech

Monsoon Blockchain Corporation, Asia's premier blockchain company pioneering the adoption of highly secure decentralized asset management, has partnered with Asia's largest digital asset platform OSL of BC Group, DraperDragon Fund, CarbonBlue of BSN, and Academy Award Winning Studio Cross Creek Media. This deal signifies a major move for the blockchain, digital assets, and the expansion of global media and Hollywood. These partners create a global powerhouse in the Asia-Pacific region, which plan to harness industry-leading blockchain solutions for their business needs. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200505006164/en/ (Graphic: Business Wire) The Monsoon-OSL deal will explore opportunities to accelerate the drive towards the digitalization of assets, money, currencies, and decentralized blockchain ledgers (where all transactions, storage of payments and data will be inviolably recorded). Combining intellectual property, deal flow, large scale investors, and blockchain capabilities, Monsoon Blockchain is looking to create a digital asset powerhouse in the US and Asia. OSL is the Hong Kong region's most comprehensive digital asset platform, providing Software-as-a-Service, brokerage, exchange, and custody services for institutions and professional investors. OSL manages over $1.5B in transactions per month in digital asset trading. After reaching $171 billion this year, the value of business-to-business and cross-border payments carried out on blockchain systems is estimated to exceed an astounding $4.4 trillion by 2024. Recently, Fidelity International, a spin-off from the U.S. financial services brand Fidelity Investments, invested in BC Group (stock code: 863 HK), the Hong Kong-based operator of crypto exchange OSL. Including custodial accounts, the firm reported $8.3 trillion in assets under administration - a spike from the reported $6.7 trillion in 2018. Both Monsoon and OSL will participate in launching multiple digital assets and tokens including media and telecommunications tokens, Monsoon Token, and other branded assets within the Monsoon ecosystem. Monsoon has been making worldwide news in blockchain after partnering with China's largest phon retailer, Dixintong (D.Phone), which generated a reported $2.5 billion in revenue in 2019.



Monsoon will be joining the Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN), which was recently launched on the Chinese Mainland on April 25th, 2020 and will officially be available for global commercial use by June 25th. China Mobile (News - Alert), China UnionPay, and Red Date Technology are the founding consortia partners that created the BSN protocol and infrastructure, which has been deployed in over 100 cities in China. The BSN is a global interoperability protocol that allows companies to connect to different blockchain ecosystems, as well as create and run new blockchain-as-a-service applications. The BSN will accelerate the development of digital economies and smart cities deployment by providing global interconnectivity and integrated blockchain cloud computing services for participants on the network. Additionally, Monsoon has formed a new partnership with CarbonBlue Innovations to integrate cloud computing capabilities on top of the BSN protocol, allowing the creation of new low-cost blockchain cloud computing offerings suitable for developing regions of the world. CarbonBlue Innovations is a leading venture building and investment company that is focused on rapidly commercializing and scaling blockchain, fintech, and digital finance innovation around the world. Not only does CarbonBlue Innovations focus on both fintech infrastructure solutions, but also digital assets and investment banking services to allow the institutional adoption of regulated digital assets.

Michael Sung, Chairman of CarbonBlue Innovations asserted: "Monsoon's unique cloud computing optimization technologies complement the existing multi-cloud offerings of the BSN and can further enhance our ability to customize blockchain cloud services for the developing world. With this partnership, we will be able to offer compelling low-cost solutions to enable SMEs (small and medium enterprises) globally to join the digital economy, which will massively drive self-sufficiency and financial inclusion in these developing regions." Monsoon will also be able to leverage the partnership with CarbonBlue Innovations to create innovative digital asset securitization and digital finance solutions for the market. Leveraging CarbonBlue Innovation's strong academic and institutional finance affiliations, the new partnership will allow the creation of a vertically-integrated digital asset investment banking platform to address the massive opportunity in the future digitization of the world's economy. CarbonBlue Innovations is able to provide full-stack solutions, vertically-integrating fintech technology infrastructure, legal/regulatory best practices, and institutional financial engineering expertise for digital finance. Michael Sung added, "CarbonBlue Innovations has created a strong strategic partnership network consisting of the top digital asset companies leading the industry. Combined with Monsoon's access to various industry ecosystems and pipeline of tokenization projects, our partnership will enable us to immediately scale to take a leadership position in the market and allow our clients to leapfrog into the future of finance." Partnering with Monsoon Blockchain, Cross Creek Media ($1.5B in the worldwide Box (News - Alert) office) will expand its digital assets in film, television, and IP into the blockchain universe. The aim of the partnership is to achieve streamlined digital content management systems, and to gain broader access to worldwide audiences. Cross Creek has been a co-financier/producer of such films as Oscar winner Black Swan and has been behind hits American Made, Everest, Black Mass, Bloodshot, Hacksaw Ridge and the upcoming The Trial of the Chicago 7. Cross Creek is well positioned to be the next generation of production houses. Additionally, Cross Creek will announce a token style offering alongside Monsoon Blockchain Corporation. Timmy Thompson, CEO of Cross Creek Media stated: "We are very excited to work with Monsoon and continue developing award-winning properties. Furthermore, we believe Cross Creek's portfolio of new media technology investments perfectly positions us to take advantage of the new distribution paradigms." "We are very honored to work with such insightful leaders and innovators, the breadth of participants in this deal demonstrates the significant impact blockchain will have across a wide variety of industries," Dr. Donald Basile added, "tokenization of asset classes has a tremendous upside on both the investment level and security level. Gartner's (News - Alert) prediction of over $3 trillion of business value added by blockchain seems increasingly likely." Monsoon Blockchain Corporation is focused on innovative cloud solutions in the blockchain ecosystem. Dr. Donald Basile, its CEO and founder, is the former CEO of Fusion IO, a company known for playing a major role in implementing the cloud systems at Apple and Facebook as well as partnerships with HP, IBM, and Dell (News - Alert). Recently, Monsoon Blockchain added advisory board members Ken Goldman, President of Hillspire (Eric Schmidt's family office), and former CFO of Yahoo and Fortinet (News - Alert) and Xiaoma Lu, former Dalian Wanda Investments CEO and former board member of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange to their team. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200505006164/en/

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LONDON (Reuters) - The euro resumed its decline on Wednesday and the Japanese yen reached a seven-week high against the U.S. dollar after a court decision challenged German participation in the euro zones stimulus programme.

Germanys highest court on Tuesday gave the European Central Bank three months to justify purchases under its bond-buying programme, or lose the Bundesbanks participation in one of its main stimulus schemes.

Some clients are sensing that it is much easier to implement stimulus in the (United) States than it is into Europe, said Neil Jones, head of FX sales at Mizuho.

The euro fell to a near two-week low of $1.0786 on Wednesday EUR=EBS. The common currency was last down 0.4% at $1.0795.

For a grapohic on Euro falls yen rises on fears of economic glut, click here

The ECB is expected to be able to justify its bond purchases, so the German court decision is unlikely to derail the euro zones stimulus efforts. But the uncertainty is only the latest strain on Europes coronavirus response and undermines the euro zone project and the euro.

Athanasios Vamvakidis, head of G10 currency strategy at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, said he expected the euro to weaken further amid a weaker global outlook, a more severe euro zone recession than others expect, a weaker euro zone macro policy response and low oil prices.

Euro zone business activity almost ground to a halt last month as government-imposed lockdowns to stop the spread of the coronavirus forced factories, shops and restaurants to close and recreation to cease, a survey showed.

In addition, retail sales in the euro zone suffered their largest decline on record in March.

The fact that speculators are now long the euro also undermines its current levels, Vamvakidis said. Leveraged funds have trimmed their long positions on the euro, but the number of longs is still close to their two-year highs. EURNETUSD=

For a graphic on Leverages funds remain broadly long euro, click here

We expect euro/dollar to weaken in the months ahead, Vamvakidis said, adding that the saw the euro falling to as low as between $1.02 and $1.05 with risks to the downside.

A declining euro helped Scandinavian currencies regain some strength. The Swedish crown rose to a two-month high versus the euro EURSEK=D3 and the Norwegian crown reached a one-month high against the euro EURNOK=D3.

The yen rose 0.2% to 106.20, its strongest since March 17 JPY=EBS.
It is a blood memory that Ireland has never forgotten.

Some 173 years ago, an American Indian tribe were so moved by the suffering caused by the Great Famine that they ignored their own poverty to send donations across the Atlantic to Ireland in a bid to help a people they did not know and had no connection with.

The Choctaw Nation - still reeling from their own 'Trail of Tears' and struggling to adapt to the Oklahoma plains that were far from their rich ancestral homelands - donated a total of $170 (the equivalent of around 4,500 today).

Their donation came after tribal elders were appalled to read about the suffering in Ireland from repeated potato crop failures - which so vividly reminded them of what 60,000 of their people had just endured on the 'Trail of Tears'.

The Choctaw tribe made the donation while wealthier nations effectively ignored the unfolding disaster in Ireland.

It became one of the most famous gifts of famine aid - and a kindness Ireland has never forgotten.

Now, Irish people are flocking to donate to a special pandemic appeal fund for the Navajo and Hopi Indian tribes - inspired by how American Indians tried to help Ireland at its time of greatest need.

The appeal fund was launched after the Covid-19 virus cut a swathe through tribal elders and Indian families over the past eight weeks.

Almost 50 deaths have been reported amongst Navajo and Hopi Indians across Utah, Arizona and New Mexico.

The appeal aims to raise cash to help with medical needs, food aid and the provision of masks, hand sanitisers and personal protective equipment (PPE).

Launched on March 15, the appeal has now raised 1.68m - most of it from people in Ireland or of Irish descent.

It was organised by the Rural Utah Project education team of Ethel Branch, Vanessa Tulley, Delores Greyeyes, Zach Chupa and Klee Benally.

"The favour is returned through generous donations from the Irish people to the Navajo Nation during our time of crisis," Ms Tulley said.

"In moments like these, we are so grateful for the love and support we have received from all around the world.

"Acts of kindness from indigenous ancestors passed being reciprocated nearly 200 years later through blood memory and interconnectedness.

"Thank you, Ireland, for showing solidarity and being here for us."

Irish donors who have flocked to back the appeal underlined how they remembered what the Choctaw did for this country in 1847.

Donor Pat Hayes said Ireland's debt had not been forgotten.

"From Ireland, 170 years later, the favour is returned - to our Native American brothers and sisters in your moment of hardship," he said.

Maria O'Shea explained: "Kindness not forgotten from Ireland - stay safe."

Donor Tara Pollard put it simply: "From Ireland with love."

The appeal target is $2m (1.84m) - a goal made all the more achievable by high-profile endorsements, including one from 'Game of Thrones' and 'Aquaman' star Jason Momoa.

For Ireland, what the Choctaw Nation did in 1847 ranks high among the country's debts of honour.

Three years ago, Choctaw Nation chief Gary Batton was invited to Cork to attend the unveiling of a special memorial of thanks for the 1847 famine donation.

Suffering

Chief Batton explained that suffering is not unique to one nation.

"Your story in Ireland is our story," he said.

"We didn't have any income. This was money pulled from our pockets.

"We had gone through the biggest tragedy that we could endure, and saw what was happening in Ireland and just felt compelled to help.

"The bond between our nations has strengthened over the years. We are blessed to have the opportunity to share our cultures, and meet the generous people who have continued to honour a gift from the heart."

The Midleton sculpture by Cork artist Alex Pentek was entitled 'Kindred Spirits'.

It was comprised of nine seven-metre-high eagle feathers reaching towards the sky and arranged in a circular shape to represent a bowl filled with food and being offered to those suffering from hunger.

East Cork municipal officer Joe McCarthy said it was a remarkable gesture by the Choctaw Nation in 1847.

"The Choctaw people were still recovering from their own injustice, and they put their hands in their pockets and they helped strangers. It is rare to see such generosity. It simply had to be acknowledged," he said. "They bestowed a blessing not only on the starving Irish men, women and children, but also on humanity.

"The gift from the Choctaw people was a demonstration of love."

The Midleton statue wasn't the first Irish demonstration of gratitude towards the Choctaw Nation.

In 1990, Choctaw leaders were invited to Mayo to take part in a special re-enactment of an 1848 famine protest.

Then, in 1992, Irish leaders took part in a special 'Trail of Tears' trek from Oklahoma to Mississippi.

Former President of Ireland Mary Robinson has also been named an honorary Choctaw chief. Anyone wishing to donate to the Navajo/Hopi appeal can do so at: uk.gofundme.com/f/NHFC19Relief
Researchers studying the structure of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 have found a unique feature in the virus that could explain its highly transmissibility between people, findings that may aid in the development of new drugs against the disease.

The study, published in the Journal of Molecular Biology, identifies a structural loop in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, an area of the virus that facilitates entry into cells.

In this loop, the researchers, including those from Cornell University in the US, also assessed a sequence of four amino acids which make up the protein which are different from those in other known human coronaviruses in this viral lineage.

Analysing the lineage of SARS-CoV-2, the scientists showed that it shared properties of the closely related SARS-CoV-1 behind the 2002-03 SARS pandemic, and HCoV-HKU1, a highly transmissible but relatively benign human coronavirus.

They said SARS-CoV-2 is both highly transmissible and lethal.

"It's got this strange combination of both properties," Whittaker said.

"The prediction is that the loop is very important to transmissibility or stability, or both," he added.

Whittaker and his colleagues focused on further studies of this structural loop and the sequence of four amino acids.

Aside from primates, they said, cats, ferrets, and mink are the animal species most susceptible to the human novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2.

In order to infect a cell, they said features of the spike protein must bind with a receptor on the host cell's surface, and cats have a receptor binding site that closely matches that of humans.

To date, the scientists said, infections in cats appear to be mild and infrequent, with no evidence that cats, in turn, infect humans.

Recent research had suggested that Malayan pangolins could be intermediate host for SARS-CoV-2, carrying the disease from bats to humans.

However, the scientists speculated that both humans and pangolins could be final hosts from a different intermediate host.

"We hypothesise that despite having a common origin in bats, the relationship between pangolin coronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2 is not sufficient to support the claim that pangolins harbor the direct precursor to the currently circulating human SARS-CoV-2," the scientists reported in the study.

They said while the origin of the novel coronavirus has been found to be in bat reservoirs, there is still no definitive evidence of the possible intermediate host that could transmit the virus to humans.

Whittaker added that studies probing into feline coronaviruses can provide further clues into SARS-CoV-2 and coronaviruses in general.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a bid to offer safe and hygienic car buying experience to customers amid coronavirus pandemic, Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) has put in place a comprehensive standard operating procedure (SoP) for its dealerships across the country. The process involves the implementation of strict safety, sanitation and social distancing norms across all its showrooms for the safety of its customers and employees.

"After the implementation of these SoPs and based on approvals from State Governments, Maruti Suzuki dealerships have started to open and deliver the cars to waiting customers," the auto major said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

Maruti Suzuki network comprises 3,086 showrooms across 1,964 towns and cities. All of them will abide to the new safety protocols.

"The opening of showrooms will depend on permission from local authorities," the New Delhi-headquartered company said.

Also Read: Coronavirus lockdown: Maruti Suzuki reports zero sales in April

Explaining the new way of life at Maruti Suzuki showrooms, the company's Managing Director and CEO Kenichi Ayukawa said, "Customers satisfaction and safety is our top priority. All our dealerships have put in place steps to ensure complete safety, hygiene and sanitisation of all touch points. I would like to assure our customers that your car buying experience with Maruti Suzuki is completely safe."

"At the same time, not just our dealerships, but also our manufacturing facilities and service workshops are completely sanitised. They are following all safety protocols, as prescribed by the government. The Maruti Suzuki family looks forward to deliver your favorite car in a completely safe and hygienic environment," Ayukawa added.

The company said that the new COVID-19 SoP designed by the team of experts at Maruti Suzuki encapsulates all the facets of customer interactions. Adequate measures have been taken to offer a safe, hygienic and a virus free environment to customers, it said.

Also Read: Coronavirus: Maruti Suzuki production falls 32% in March amid lockdown

"From the time a customer walks into the showroom, till the final delivery of the vehicle -- all processes have been scientifically studied," MSI said.

In wake of coronavirus-led lockdown, Maruti Suzuki now offers the convenience of door step delivery of cars. All staff visiting customers' homes will follow safety protocols - including wearing masks and carrying sanitisers. All cars will be fully disinfected before delivery. The showrooms will have hand-sanitisers at every touch point, it said.

For the safety of dealership employees, the company is monitoring health of all employees through a wellness app every day. This app works in conjunction with the government of India's Aarogya Setu app to track health status for all staff. Thermal scanning, availability of sanitisers, staggered lunch timings and compulsory wearing of face masks throughout the working hours and commutation will also be implemented, Maruti said.

Besides, the auto major has conducted a detailed training of its dealerships staff across the country towards maintaining a hygienic environment for customers, it said.

In the month of April, the country's largest carmaker reported zero sales in the domestic market, (including sales to OEM), due to compliance with the government orders to shut down all production facilities. On March 23, Maruti announced that it had stopped production of vehicles at its various plants, including Gurugram and Manesar and Haryana, as a precaution against the spread of life-threatening coronavirus.
Angel Di Maria and wife, Jorgelina

Cardoso, the wife of Paris Saint-Germain forward, Angel Di Maria, has claimed that her husband only joined Manchester United in 2014 because of the money.

Di Maria moved to Old Trafford in 2014, after Man United splashed out 60million to sign him from La Liga giants, Real Madrid.

The Argentine international played only one season (2014-2015) for the Red Devils before he left the Premier League giants for PSG.

During his one year at Man United, Di Maria was made one of the clubs highest earners with a deal worth 175,000-a-week salary.

The winger was also handed the legendary number 7 shirt, previously worn by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Eric Cantona.

I remember Angel coming up and saying, an offer from Manchester United has come in. Maybe we will be a little more financially secure, Jorgelina told Los Angeles de la Manana.

We fought about it. I told him, not a chance, he could go on his own. No, come on. Let us go, he replied.

There was a lot of money involved, and afterward, the Spanish were calling us money grabbers. And they were right.

If you are working for a company and the competition comes along and offers to pay you double, you take it.
D ebenhams has announced that another five of its UK stores will not reopen following the easing of lockdown.

The department store said that despite "best efforts" it had been unable to agree terms with shopping centre owner Hammerson to reopen the branches, after falling into administration last month.

It has been reported that the closures may result in about 1,400 job losses across the five branches.

Stores that are due to close are in Birmingham's Bullring, Croydon's Centrale shopping centre, Silverburn in Glasgow, High Cross in Leicester, and Reading's Oracle, the retailer confirmed.

A spokesman for Debenhams said: "We can confirm that despite our best efforts, we have been unable to agree terms with Hammerson on our five stores in its shopping centres, and so they will not be reopening.

"We continue to engage in constructive talks with our landlords and have agreed terms on the vast majority of our stores, which we look forward to reopening when government restrictions allow.

"This is no reflection on the commitment of our colleagues in these stores and we are extremely grateful for their support."

Last month Debenhams closed seven outlets, resulting in the loss of 422 jobs, though it said it had agreed terms with landlords to continue trading at 120 of its 142 UK stores.

The retailer entered administration on April 9, appointing FRP Advisory to oversee the process, casting a shadow over the future of its 22,000 staff.

At the time the majority of its employees in the UK were being paid under the Government's furlough scheme.
Delta Airlines has announced plans to operate its flights at 60 percent capacity and block all middle seats in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus  though budget airline Frontier will charge an extra $39 for the luxury of social distancing.

Delta announced their temporary changes Tuesday, with the airline taking social distancing measures beyond keeping the middle seats off limits by capping first class sales at 50 percent of capacity and economy class at 60 percent.

The Atlanta-based carrier will be blocking off select window and aisle seats across the next few weeks for aircraft with 1-by-2, 2-by-2 and 2-by-3 seating configurations. The airline has been blocking the sale of the middle seat on all flights since mid-April, except for in first class.

Delta also revealed a number of other measures to expand distancing measures on its full fleet of mainline and regional aircraft, including a new policy requiring all customers to wear face masks and boarding flights from the back to the front.

Delta announced their temporary changes Tuesday, with the airline taking social distancing measures beyond keeping the middle seats off limits by capping first class sales at 50 percent of capacity and economy class at 60 percent

Delta also revealed a number of other measures to expand distancing measures on its full fleet of mainline and regional aircraft, including a new policy requiring all customers to wear face masks and boarding flights from the back to the front

In accordance with the new measures, from May 4, all Delta Customers and employees will be required to wear masks or face coverings in the check-in lobby, Delta Sky Club, gate areas, jet bridges and on board.

Anyone without a mask will be provided one by Delta staff, the airline said.

Delta also recently began boarding flights from the back of the aircraft to the front to limit the number of passengers passing one another in the aisles.

That measure was first actioned on April 10, however following Tuesdays announcement, it will stay in place through at least June 30.

A number of other US airlines are revamping their seating arrangements, boarding protocol and aircraft sanitation in an effort to stem the spread of COVID-19 and reassure customers that its safe to fly amid the pandemic. Passenger traffic has dropped 95 percent from this time last year, leaving many planes with empty seats.

Hoping to tempt customers back to their ultralow-cost service is Frontier, who added a new product to its extensive menu of in-flight purchase extras: a More Room seating option.

The new policy allows customers to buy 'peace of mind' and enjoy their flight at a social distance without having the middle seat next to them occupied.

Famed for their cheap flights and extra costs  ranging from carry-on bags to soft drinks  the More Room option is set to cost prospective flyers around $39 and up, depending on the flight.

While we believe the best measure to keep everyone healthy is to require face coverings, for those who want an empty seat next to them for extra peace of mind or simply additional comfort, we are now offering More Room, said Frontier CEO Barry Biffle.

Hoping to tempt customers back to their ultralow-cost service is Frontier, who added a new product to its extensive menu of in-flight purchase extras: a More Room option

The new policy allows customers to buy a peace of mind and enjoy their flight at a social distance without having the middle seat next to them occupied

US Airline Coronavirus Safety Measures Alaska Airlines: Blocking off middle seats on all its large aircraft and the policy is effective through May 31. American Airlines: Blocking off 50 percent of its main cabin middle seats and any seats situated near the flight attendants jump seats. The policy is effective through May 31. Hawaiian Airlines: Crew will manually assign seats to 'increase personal space onboard' and prevent the booking of middle and adjoining seats. JetBlue: Not barring middle seats outright, however, flight staff are limiting the number of seats for sale on most aircrafts 'to provide additional space between individuals who are not traveling together.' Spirit Airlines: Middle seats on most of Spirit Airlines aircraft will be blocked, according to the companys website. There is no end date specified. Southwest Airlines: Instead of blocking off middles seats, the number of passengers allowed on board has been capped. Passengers are responsible for picking their own seats and managing their own space needs. The policy began May 2. United Airlines: Passengers are limited from booking middle seats 'where available.' Aircraft that have two-seat rows will only allow one passenger to book a seat while the other remains empty. Additional spacing procedures include blocking off seats directly next to the booked seat, whether it be directly in front of a window seat or beside an aisle seat. The policy is in place through May 31. Advertisement

Flights departing from May 8 through August 31 will have 18 More Room seats available for purchase, including Stretch seats in the front three rows of the aircraft which provide extra legroom and recline.

When asked by CNBC why the airline didn't opt to block all middle rows, Frontier CEO Barry Biffle explained that the practice would result in rising airfare.

As a low-cost carrier, Frontlines aircraft are configured in a high-density format where seats are placed closer together to properly utilize all cabin space. For example, a Frontier Airlines Airbus A321 narrow-body aircraft has only four fewer seats than an American Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner wide-body jet, SeatGuru reported.

Frontier has taken a number of other measures to ensure the safety of crew and passengers, expanding on its April 13 policy that all crew must wear facemasks and extending the order to passengers as well.

From May 8, all passengers must also complete a form acknowledging that they dont have any COVID-19 symptoms. Their temperatures will be checked and sanitation efforts will be carried out throughout the flight.

We bottomed out a few weeks ago, Biffle told the CNBC. To put things in perspective, prior to this, we carried around 80,000 passengers a day and we got down to about 3,000 passengers per day just a few weeks ago. But, I'm really pleased, yesterday and now again today, we're going to carry over 10,000 passengers.

Biffle also pushed back against claims the airline is putting a price on safety, saying that Frontiers cleaning practises and other policies are already sufficient enough. He said the More Room option is just an added extra for their most worried customers.

We don't believe this is what you need to be safe but it's one more thing that we can do to put people's minds at ease, the CEO said.

Comapny CEO Barry Biffle pushed back against claims the airline is putting a price on safety, saying that Frontiers cleaning practises and other policies are already sufficient enough. He said the More Room option is just an added extra for their most worried customers

US airlines are collectively burning more than $10 billion in cash a month and averaging fewer than two dozen passengers per domestic flight because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Even after grounding more than 3,000 aircraft, or nearly 50 percent of the active US fleet, industry trade group Airlines for America said its member carriers, which include the four largest U.S. airlines, were averaging just 17 passengers per domestic flight and 29 passengers per international flight.

The U.S. airline industry will emerge from this crisis a mere shadow of what it was just three short months ago, the group's chief executive, Nicholas Calio, said during a prepared testimony at the US Senate on Wednesday.

Net booked passengers have fallen by nearly 100 percent year-on-year, according to the testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee.

The group warned that if air carriers were to refund all tickets, including those purchased as non-refundable or those canceled by a passenger instead of the carrier, this will result in negative cash balances that will lead to bankruptcy.

US airlines have canceled hundreds of thousands of flights, including 80 percent or more of scheduled flights into June as U.S. passenger traffic has fallen by 95 percent since March.

Calio said airlines 'anticipate a long and difficult road ahead. ... History has shown that air transport demand has never experienced a V-shaped recovery from a downturn.'

The US Treasury has awarded nearly $25 billion in cash grants to airlines to help them meet payroll costs in exchange for them agreeing not to lay off workers through September 30. Major airlines have warned they will likely need to make additional cuts later this year to respond to a long-term decline in travel demand.
PHOENIX, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Offerpad, an industry leader aiming to provide the best way to buy and sell a home, has helped thousands of consumers sell safely, instantly, with no showings and on their timeline since 2015. With Offerpad leading the way in demonstrating new Certified Safety Procedures, home sellers, buyers and real estate agents may request a free, no-obligation offer beginning Friday, May 8 throughout more than 800 cities across the country.

Offerpad's certification comes from HealthyVerify, a health safety organization which applies experience, knowledge, and the latest scientific evidence to help businesses implement procedures that minimize transmission of infectious diseases, in association with Barrow Neurological Institute, one of the world's premier destinations for specialized medicine. "We are pleased to assist Offerpad in their attention to public health as they continue business in these unusual times. The procedures, specifically planned for Offerpad's unique operations, were thoughtfully designed to reduce the risk of viral transmission. By properly disinfecting common areas, limiting the number of people in homes, and handling nearly all processes remotely, Offerpad customers can feel confident in their well-being  and that of others  when working under Offerpad's new HealthyVerify-certified business procedures," said Dr. Ana Moran, HealthyVerify's head infectious diseases physician.

Company-wide training for Offerpad's Certified Safety Procedures is currently underway. Home sellers can expect a streamlined and contact-less experience from the moment they request an offer on their home, throughout their inspection process, and carried through their free local move. As one of the largest renovation companies in the country, Offerpad's superior logistic planning and effective renovation teams also have elevated safety procedures when working on vacant homes. Homebuyers can view Offerpad-owned homes virtually, with 3D walkthroughs and video chat tours through the company's website. As virtual touring may be infeasible for some customers, Offerpad-owned homes are vacant, sanitized and ready to be toured.

"As we begin to re-energize our economy, I am pleased to see an Arizona-grown business setting the example for best practices nationwide," said Arizona Governor Doug Ducey. "Thank you to Offerpad for prioritizing public health and safety as Arizona looks ahead to economic recovery."

Offerpad is known for processes that focus on consumers who want to conduct a large part of their real estate purchase or sale remotely and on their own schedule. The new procedures will enhance the customer experience with safety, confidence and ease across all Offerpad markets.

"It's excellent to see Offerpad, a national industry leader started and scaled in Arizona, begin to resume some business operations with these rigorous new safety standards in place," said Sandra Watson, Arizona Commerce Authority President & CEO. "As a result of forward-thinking innovators like Offerpad leading the way, Arizona will return stronger than ever."

Offerpad's thoughtful and proactive attention to the health crisis allows the company to continue to carry out its mission to provide the best way for people to buy and sell a home. Beginning Friday, May 8, interested home sellers can experience Offerpad's Certified Safety Procedures and are encouraged to request their free, no obligation offer at www.offerpad.com.

About Offerpad

Offerpad is a leading technology and real estate company with a mission to provide the best way to buy and sell a home. Leading with firsthand real estate experience and utilizing powerful technology developed in-house, Offerpad provides direct home offers to deliver modern, consumer-centric home buying and selling solutions that help more people move freely. On average, Offerpad receives a new offer request from homeowners every 30 seconds and acquires a home every 20 minutes throughout regular business hours. Offerpad is a privately held company headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, operating across the country in 800 cities and counting. Visit Offerpad.com for more information.

Media Contact: David Stephan, (602) 825-3135, [email protected]

SOURCE Offerpad

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In the biggest-ever evacuation exercise in modern history, India is set to bring back nearly 250,000 nationals home from across the world.



Priority will be given to the Gulf region, but will mount 64 flights from London, Singapore, San Francisco, New York, Washington, Kuala Lumpur, Chicago and some others starting May 7. The Gulf has been made the starting point as nearly 70 per cent of non-resident Indians live there. The government is also planning to send back non residential Indians (NRIs) stuck in India on the same flights.



However, Civil Aviation Minister told reporters on Tuesday that passengers would have to bear the travel cost



What are the charges for evacuation?

The Indians stranded abroad will have to pay anything from Rs 12,000 to Rs 1 lakh per ticket depending on their location. While the fare is Rs 50,000 to return from the UK, it is Rs 100,000 for a passenger coming from the US.



What's being deployed?



Commercial jets - Air India's Boeing 777, 787

Military transport planes- C-17 Globemaster, C-130J Super Hercules

Three naval ships-INS Jalashwa, INS Magar and INS Shardul



Countries to where India will operate flights:

The UAE (10), UK(7), US(7), Qatar(2), Saudi Arabia(5), Singapore(5), Malaysia (7), Philippines(5), Bangladesh(7), Bahrain(2), Kuwait(5) and Oman(2)

Who can travel



Only asymptomatic passengers. Priority will be given to the workers who have lost their livelihood, or have short-term visas and others like expecting mothers and senior citizens with medical conditions.



Process after arrival



Once in India, the people will be tested medically and will be quarantined for 14 days in state-run facilities on payment basis. Travellers will have to register for "Aarogya Setu"



Well, India has a long history of evacuations during wars and natural disasters. Let's take a look at the 7 biggest rescue and evacuation operations that India has conducted:



India in February and March had evacuated citizens from Wuhan, Iran and Italy.



In Air India's first medical evacuation, in over 70 years of existence, it flew two flights to Wuhan, China, to bring back the 637 Indians and 7 Maldivians from the epicentre of the outbreak, on January 31 and February 1. In an evacuation on February 27, brought back 119 Indians and 5 foreign nationals who were on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship, docked off Yokohama, in Japan. In another another operation, the Indian government flew an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft to Wuhan (on February 26) carrying 15 tonnes of medical assistance including masks, gloves and other medical equipment. On its return, this IAF aircraft also brought back 76 Indians and 36 foreign nationals.



Evacuation from the Gulf: So far, India's evacuation of civilians from Kuwait during the 1990-91 Gulf war has been the world's largest evacuation exercise of civilians by air. Around 1,70,000 Indians were caught in the war which left millions homeless and many dead. , at the time, operated around 500 flights over two months. More than 25 years later, the feat inspired the Bollywood flick Airlift', starring Akshay Kumar.



Operation Raahat: An operation, launched by the Indian Armed Forces, to evacuate 4,640 Indian citizens and 960 foreign nationals of 41 countries from Yemen during the 2015 Yemeni Crisis. There was military intervention by Saudi Arabia and its allies using airstrikes on the capital, Sana'a. The evacuation by sea began on April 1, 2015 from the port of Aden, while the air evacuation by the Indian Air Force and Air India commenced on April 3, 2015 from Sana'a.



Operation Maitri: It was a rescue and relief operation in Nepal carried out by the government of India and Indian armed forces in the aftermath of the April 2015 Nepal earthquake. India responded within 15 minutes of the quake. The Indian Armed Forces evacuated around 5,188 persons, while nearly 785 foreign tourists were provided transit visa.



Evacuation from Brussels: On the morning of March 22, 2016, three coordinated suicide bombings occurred in Belgium: two at Brussels Airport in Zaventem, and one at Maalbeek metro station in central Brussels. Thirty-two civilians and three perpetrators were killed, and more than 300 people injured. A flight evacuated 242 Indians, including 28 crew members who had been stranded in Brussels. The airline first took around 800 people who had been stranded at the airport after coming in on four different flights, by road to Amsterdam. Two jet flights left for Amsterdam from India. While one brought back 242 passengers to India, the other took off to Newark.



Operation Safe Homecoming: It was an operation launched by the Indian government on February 26, 2011 to evacuate its citizens, fleeing from the Libyan Civil War. The air-sea operation was conducted by the Indian Navy and Air India. Eighteen thousand Indian nationals, working in Libya, were trapped because of the unrest. After the evacuation of more than 15,000 Indian nationals, the operation ended on March 11.



Operation Sukoon was an operation carried out by the Indian Navy to evacuate Indian, Sri Lankan and Nepalese nationals, as well as Lebanese nationals with Indian spouses, from the conflict zone during the 2006 Lebanon War. In one of the largest evacuations conducted by the Indian Navy, a total of 2,280 people including 1,764 Indians, 112 Sri Lankans, 64 Nepalese and 7 Lebanese nationals with Indian spouses were evacuated following the conflict.
Conservatives should not repeat old-fashioned politics



The main opposition United Future Party (UFP) is hesitating to merge with the Future Korea Party (FKP), the satellite party it launched for the April 15 general election under the newly introduced Election Law. Speculation is rife that the FKP, which won 19 proportional seats in the election that delivered a landslide victory to the ruling Democratic Party of Korea amid the coronavirus pandemic, may go it alone without merging with its parent party.



The satellite party can form a floor negotiation bloc should it recruit an independent lawmaker. Then it can recommend a vice speaker and a few committee chairpersons while receiving state subsidies. The party also can get involved in selecting a candidate for the head of a to-be-created corruption investigation office for high-ranking officials. Rep. Won Yoo-chul, the party's leader, said Monday that he would discuss merging his party with the UFP once the parent party's floor leadership is in place. The UFP is to elect a new floor leader Friday, so one could see how the merger issue could be settled soon.



The satellite party's latest move might cause the nation's conservative force to face criticism for using a cheap trick again for political gains. The main opposition party took a lot of flak for launching the FKP in the run-up to the election and prompted the ruling party to create its own satellite party. Given that the UFP is now in disarray over who will take the party's interim leadership, the FKP's independent route might lead to the breakup of the conservative opposition bloc.



The public is already fed up with conservative politicians who continue to bicker despite their crushing defeat. If they repeat their old-fashioned politics, many people will certainly turn their back on them, dealing a fatal blow to the opposition's rebuilding plan. The UFP should be cool-headed and do whatever it can to prevent the conservative bloc from being wiped out.


PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-06 15:39:30

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SHERMAN OAKS, CA / ACCESSWIRE / May 6, 2020 / Leo Robin Music honors those jazz artists we've lost to the Coronavirus. It is with great sadness to watch so many influential jazz artists that were larger than life end in such a tragic way. The news has come as a crushing blow; among the victims are bassist Henry Grimes, saxophonist Lee Konitz, trumpeter Wallace Roney, guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli and pianist Ellis Marsalis Jr. - a band of angels performing together. "Thanks for the Memory" Oscar-Winning Lyricist Leo Robin was honored whenever these artists performed his songs. Although the Coronavirus has taken these jazz artists from us, it can never take away the wonderful legacy each of these artists has left behind for us to forever embrace. For all of these great jazz artists who have so many wonderful recordings, Leo Robin's Oscar winning song says it best, "Thanks for the Memory." In memoriam, we reflect on their wonderful contribution to the jazz world as we listen to Ella Fitzgerald recording of "Thanks for the Memory." Ella Fitzgerald recording of "Thanks for the Memory," composed by Ralph Rainger with lyrics by Leo Robin, with Andre Previn and his orchestra in 1955,released as a single and on Sweet and Hot album. Also, it was a track on her 1967 Verve release Whisper Not album, with backing by Marty Paich and his orchestra.We echo the positive sentiment at the daily news conference of the White House Coronavirus Task Force where on April 11 President Trump said, "Faith is essential in America. The power of prayer is seen across all of America in this crisis, as our heroes fight this invisible enemy." While our frontline workers are fighting against an invisible enemy, we at Leo Robin Music wish for a world less divisive where each and every hero gets the credit they deserve. With this sentiment in mind we invite the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to celebrate jazz heroes who have made an impact on our world. Robin helped these jazz musicians by providing them material that each performed in their own unique style. The Walk of Fame Committee recognized that Robin was a jazz hero and awarded Leo Robin a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame 30 years ago but still has yet to be installed. When social distance is relaxed, it would be a good time for the Hollywood Chamber to unveil Robin's star at a ceremony on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.More than 30 years ago, in 1988, both Cherie Robin, and actor, Bob Hope, wanted to see to it that Leo would be acknowledged for the legacy that Roy Trakin reported on in his Variety article," Thanks for the Memory: How Leo Robin Helped Usher In the Golden Age of Song in Film;" to this end, Cherie Robin and Bob Hope sponsored Leo for a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Tragically, Cherie Robin never received the good news about Leo's star because she passed away on May 28, 1989, a little over one year before the letter from the Hollywood Chamber was sent out on June 18, 1990 announcing that her husband had been awarded the star. As a result of these ill-fated circumstances, Leo's star was never installed. On July 6, 2017, Leo's grandson discovered Leo's long-lost star when he stumbled upon it on the internet. When, later that day, the grandson called the Hollywood Chamber and spoke to Ms. Martinez, he told her about his discovery of Leo's long-lost star; she officially confirmed it was true and said, "Nothing like this has ever happened before." Almost two years later on May 23, 2019, Ashley Lee from the Los Angeles Times first broke the grandson's serendipitous discovery in her story, "Leo Robin never got his Walk of Fame star. Now his grandson is fighting for it." When, nearly 30 years ago, the acceptance letter was mailed to Mrs. Robin (deceased) and subsequently returned to sender, Ms. Lee reported what happened, "The envelope was returned to its sender and has since remained in the Chamber of Commerce's records." She also tweeted, "at first I didn't believe that Leo Robin's star had really slipped through the cracks" with a photo of that acceptance letter and the envelope stamped "RETURN TO SENDER." The Hollywood Chamber made no attempt to notify the co-sponsor, Bob Hope, who has four stars on the Walk. In a press release issued by Leo Robin Music on June 26, 2019, the following was said about the Hollywood Chamber, "What the Chamber did after the letter was (marked) "Return to Sender" was not customary practice but smacks of disregard for the individuals honored by the Walk of Fame Committee." These great jazz artists left us so many wonderful recordings of their works including Leo Robin's songs and now we at Leo Robin Music pay tribute to them. "Thanks for the Memory" of the versatile double bassist Henry Grimes playing to "If I Should Lose You.." "Thanks for the Memory" of the graceful saxophonist Lee Konitz playing to "Easy Living" and "Thanks for the Memory." "Thanks for the Memory" of the impeccable trumpeter Wallace Roney playing to "If I Should Lose You." "Thanks for the Memory" of the masterful guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli playing to " Please." "Thanks for the Memory" of the legendary and beloved pianist Ellis Marsalis playing to "Easy Living," "If I Should Lose You" and " Louise." Many children of these great jazz artists would themselves become great musicians and follow in the giant footsteps of their legendary fathers. Every jazz musician lost in this pandemic had a unique start that sent them on a distinct trajectory. Ellis Marsalis was an educator and a New Orleans jazz patriarch who - along with his four musician sons - formed a musical dynasty that championed jazz values. As a leading educator at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, the University of New Orleans, and Xavier University of Louisiana, Marsalis influenced the careers of countless musicians, as well as his sons. Like their father, his virtuoso trumpeter son Wynton has played to "My Ideal" and "Easy Living" and his maestro saxophonist son Branford has played to "If I Should Lose You" and " Louise." Leo Robin Music expresses its heartfelt condolences to Wynton and Branford and all of the families of these great jazz artists who have left the jazz community with their great legacies.The jazz band Branford Marsalis's Quartet recently toured appearing in November 2019 at Yoshi's club for a three-night run.Branford Marsalis crooned with his tenor sax on composer Ralph Rainger and lyricist Leo Robin's "If I Should Lose You," a favorite of jazz artists.Me
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A 79-year-old disabled woman who was allegedly buried alive in a deserted tomb by her son has miraculously survived after being trapped in the pit for nearly three days, authorities have said.

Police in north-western China's Shaanxi province rescued the paralysed mother, known by her surname Wang, on Tuesday after the woman's daughter-in-law reported her missing.

The 58-year-old son, known by his surname Ma, has been detained and faces an attempted murder charge, according to the police. An investigation on the incident is underway.

A 79-year-old disabled pensioner in China has miraculously survived after her son tried to bury her alive in a deserted tomb nearly three days ago

Disturbing footage shows Ms Wang covered in mud while being pulled out from the burial pit by two police officers.

On Tuesday morning, local police from Jingbian county of Shannxi province received a report from Ms Wangs concerned daughter-in-law, known by her surname Zhang, according to an official statement.

Ms Zhang told the officers that the pensioner had not returned home after Mr Ma put his mother on a pushcart and wheeled her out of their family home around 8pm local time on May 2.

The police immediately summoned Mr Ma for interrogation during which the son confessed that he attempted to bury his mother alive in an abandoned tomb.

Officials soon located the burial pit and started digging the tomb after hearing someone screaming for help.

They surprisingly found the paralysed mother still alive after nearly three days without food or water.

Disturbing footage shows Ms Wang covered in mud while being pulled out from the burial pit by the police officers in Jingbian county of Shaanxi province

Media reports suggested that the son returned with the empty pushcart in the wee hours of May 3 after dumping his mother in the tomb.

When his wife, Ms Zhang, asked about Ms Wangs whereabouts, Mr Ma lied and said that he had hired a van driver and sent his mother to visit relatives.

Ms Zhang eventually filed a missing person report when she failed to locate her mother-in-law, who was unable to walk on her own.

Local authorities have yet confirmed these accounts. It remains disclosed that why Mr Ma carried out the brutal attempt.

The pensioner is in stable condition and receiving treatment at a local hospital, said the police on Wednesday.

Police have detained Mr Ma on suspicion of attempted murder. Further investigation is underway.
Bells has launched a vegan Scotch pie to tap growing interest in plant-based food in Scotland.

Available in a pack of two, and mirroring Bells original Scotch pie, it had been developed in response to consumer demand for a vegan variant.

Bells is part of everyday life in Scotland and has been for many decades. It has taken time to develop as we wanted to produce a vegan pie that customers will love just as much as the original, said Bells managing director Ronnie Miles.

A staple in Scottish households, half a million of its Scotch pies are sold every week, said the company.

Like many retailers, Tesco has seen a growing demand for vegan and vegetarian products across Scotland, said James Lamont, buying manager at Tesco Scotland.

Bells is a market-leading pie range and, having tasted the new Bells vegan Scotch pie, I am confident that it will be a winner with many of our customers.

The pie rolls out this week in major Tesco and Sainsburys stores across Scotland with an rsp of 1.50.
Shahganj police have filed the chargesheet against 18 persons including seven foreign jamaatis and a professor of Allahabad University (AU), who was also named in the FIR lodged against them under Epidemic Act and other relevant sections of IPC.

Seven Indonesian jamaatis had come to India on tourist visa and attended religious programmes at Markaz in Nizamuddin, according to the chargesheet filed on Monday. They later arrived to Prayagraj and were staying at Abdullah Masjid near Prayagraj railway station with two persons of West Bengal and Kerala and some local Tablighi Jamaat members. It is alleged that a senior faculty member of political science department of AU and caretaker of the mosque helped them stay at Abdullah Mosque but did not inform police. The AU professor himself visited Markaz but did not inform the AU authorities or the administration. After receiving information about them, Prayagraj police had quarantined all Tablighi Jamaat members along with the professor and later lodged FIR against them. They were arrested and sent to jail after their quarantine period was over and recovery of one Indonesian national who had tested corona positive.

Investigating officer sub inspector Manoj Kumar said the charge sheet under epidemic act, violation of section 144 and violation of visa rules and foreign act was filed on Monday.

Earlier, Kareli police had also chargesheeted 12 persons including nine nationals of Thailand. They were staying in Hera mosque on tourist visa. In both cases, 30 persons had been sent to jail.


By Baek Byung-yeul



The tech industry's woes are deepening as companies in next-generation display sectors are constantly battling a brain drain as talented Koreans head to work in China. The country is trying to enhance its capabilities to reduce reliance on foreign technology under the long-term plan it calls, Made in China 2025.



Company officials in the display sector said Wednesday Chinese firms' attempts to scout engineers working for companies involved with the development of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are rampant, causing concerns that Korea could lose its leadership in OLED technology, which is designated as one of the national core technologies.



"We have always experienced brain drain to China. But there is a change in terms of scouting engineers. Chinese firms tried to approach display technology engineers cautiously in the past, contacting them directly, but they are now open about it, posting job openings on local job portal sites," an official from display industry said.



Korea already made a costly blunder back in the early 2000s as China's BOE was able to grow into a global leading LCD maker after it took over HYDIS, the LCD business unit of Hynix Semiconductor  now called SK hynix  in 2002 and acquired the related technologies.



Back then, the government was criticized for its poor handling of the display technology, in which the country was comparatively ahead of other countries. When HYDIS' display business was up for sale, major display makers Samsung and LG refrained from purchasing it to avoid controversy regarding possible accusations of market monopolization.



Since then, Chinese companies have allegedly recruited more than a thousand Korean engineers, with guarantees of a higher salary. Industry officials said Chinese companies have tried to scout Korean engineers as this is a fast way to narrow the gap between Korea and China.



As seen in LCD technology, the officials added the same things are occurring in the OLED business, which is regarded as a next-generation display technology, saying the technology gap between Korean makers and Chinese makers is less than three years and the gap is rapidly narrowing.



At a time when the Moon Jae-in administration is increasing its effort to localize essential materials, parts and equipment used in the tech industry, calls are growing for the government to come up with special measures not to repeat the same errors.



To protect the local display industry, the government designated OLED technology as a national core technology, making it difficult to leak related technologies outside the country. Under the Act on Prevention of Divulgence and Protection of Industrial Technology, a person who leaks display and semiconductor technology to overseas companies, may face more than three years in prison.



"Since the technology was designated as a core one and the punishment was also strengthened, we estimate the brain drain has lessened, though we don't have specific data," the official said.



Another official from the display material industry said the company has seen a number of technology leakage cases and taken a firm stance to protect itself from the leakage.



"In terms of technology leakage, we have taken a strong stance to protect our intellectual property. We have strengthened monitoring and filed a lawsuit against individuals or companies who infringed on our patents," the official said.



However, they added there should be more intensive measures to prevent the brain drain to China because the current measure prepared by the government is not 100 percent effective.



Since the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic has stabilized in China, display makers there have been scrambling to announce their new technologies and products.



BOE, the largest display maker in China, recently announced its plan to make a strategic cooperation with a U.S. chip giant Qualcomm to produce OLED displays featuring the latter's ultrasonic fingerprint sensors. The Chinese company started to produce OLED displays at its Chengdu plant in 2017 and plans to build new production lines in Mianyang and Chongqing.



Once the company finished constructing manufacturing lines, it is expected to have a monthly capacity comparable to that of Samsung Display  170,000 a month.



EverDisplay Optronics will also commence operations at its AMOLED display manufacturing plant. For the plant the company invested in 27.3 billion yuan ($3.85 billion). Its products will be used in smartphones, TVs, laptops and other smart devices.



As those Chinese manufacturers are deeply related with global leading Chinese electronics makers such as Huawei and Xiaomi, industry analysts said Korea is poised to lose its leadership in OLED technology to Chinese firms.


US must remove sanctions if it truly seeks to help Iran in virus fight: Rouhani

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 05 May 2020 3:41 PM

President Hassan Rouhani has lashed out at the United States for intensifying its illegal sanctions against the Iranian nation at a time when the country is fighting a deadly coronavirus outbreak, saying Washington should first lift the bans to prove its sincerity in offering help to the Islamic Republic in the battle.

"If the Americans are honest amid this coronavirus situation and seek to take a measure (to help Iran), the only way is for them to end the illegal sanctions on Iran," Rouhani said in a telephone conversation with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday.

He hailed the Japanese government for lending Iran a helping hand by supplying aid to the country, slamming the US for further tightening its sanctions against the Islamic Republic regardless of the tough conditions facing the country.

The stepped-up sanctions, he added, have caused many problems for Iran in its efforts to obtain medical supplies and foodstuff.

The Iranian president stressed the importance of strengthening collective cooperation as the only way to contain the coronavirus as well as the need for efforts to reduce regional and international tensions.

"It is unfortunate that we have witnessed the US creating even more tensions in Iraq and the Persian Gulf region," said Rouhani. "America has always been the initiator of tensions in the region."

US President Donald Trump and his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have on several occasions extended a self-proclaimed helping hand towards Iran, with the top American diplomat accusing the Iranian medical system of suffering from weakness in the battle against the new virus.

Iran has roundly denounced the claims as hypocritical, saying if the US was genuine in its offer of help, it should first lift the sanctions.

Iran, one of the Middle Eastern countries hardest hit by the pandemic, has been doing its utmost to contain the respiratory disease despite the hardships caused by the US sanctions.

The Trump administration has not only defied international calls in recent weeks to halt the draconian sanctions, but has even slapped more restrictive measures on the Islamic Republic.

Washington re-imposed its sanctions on Iran in May 2018 after unilaterally leaving a historic nuclear accord with the Islamic Republic and five other major powers that has been endorsed by the UN Security Council.

Japan PM criticizes US bans

The Japanese prime minister, for his part, criticized the intensification of US sanctions against Iran amid the COVID-19 pandemic as an incorrect move and called on all countries to put humanitarian measures high on their agenda.

It is a source of concern that tensions are still ongoing in the Middle East despite the pandemic, Abe said, emphasizing the necessity of restoring peace and stability to the region.

He noted that Iran is an important and influential country which plays a leading role in promoting peace in the region, and that Japan would continue cooperation with the Islamic Republic in this regard.

The Iranian president and Japanese premier also called for expanding bilateral cooperation in the fight against the coronavirus and sharing experience in the field.

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He's been described as 'the perfect quarantine boyfriend.'

And on Tuesday, Kate Beckinsale's beau Goody Grace was snapped visiting her Brentwood, California home, as the relationship looks to be flourishing in spite of the unusual conditions brought about by the lockdown in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Grace, a 22-year-old musical artist from Canada, donned an all-black ensemble of a T-shirt, a leather belt with silver loops, skinny jeans and Converse Chuck Taylor high tops. He wore a white face mask and sunglasses as he exited his vehicle, with his black locks in a shot and shaggy style.

Romance: Kate Beckinsale's beau Goody Grace, 22, was snapped visiting her Brentwood, California home on Tuesday, as the relationship looks to be flourishing in spite of the unusual conditions brought about by the lockdown in response to the coronavirus pandemic

Grace and the 46-year-old English actress have been following statewide and local stay-at-home orders in Los Angeles, as 'they are still quarantined together at her home,' a source told People on Sunday.

The Widow actress is very fond of Grace, as 'she finds him very mature, smart and creative' and 'enjoys his company,' the source told the publication.

'He entertains her with music, they cook and watch movies,' the source added. 'She thinks he is the perfect quarantine boyfriend.'

The Underworld actress and Goody were spotted grocery shopping together in the tony Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles, departing the market holding hands as they gazed lovingly at each other.

Style: Grace, a 22-year-old musical artist from Canada, donned an all-black ensemble of a T-shirt, a leather belt with silver loops, skinny jeans and Converse Chuck Taylor high tops

Franchise star: The London native is shown in a still from the 2003 movie Underworld

The pair was spotted together as far back as January when they were photographed leaving a pre-Grammys party together; their blossoming romance was confirmed on Easter Sunday when they were seen hand-in-hand enjoying a stroll.

Kate also has been commenting on Goody's Instagram posts as far back as January and shared her emotions with a heart emoji on one of his pictures.

An insider previously told the magazine that they've been seeing one another 'since the beginning of the year: 'They have fun and Kate seems happy. His age is not an issue for her. Its just a number.'

Mother of one: Kate is shown with daughter Lily Mo Sheen in October 2013 in Santa Monica, California

The London native was previously married to director Len Wiseman, 47, she who met on the set of Underworld. They married in 2004 in the Bel-Air area of Los Angeles, announced their separation in November 2015 and Len filed for a divorce in 2016 that was finalized in 2019.

Kate shares 21-year-old daughter Lily Mo Sheen from her previous relationship with Michael Sheen, 51, that lasted from 1995 to 2003.

Goody at age 17 moved from Canada to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music.
NeedHelpSellingHome.com launched their service offering North Miami homeowners fast cash for their homes, without the hassle. The company offers to buy houses anywhere in Miami and other parts of Florida, at any price

MIAMI, FL / ACCESSWIRE / May 6, 2020 / A Miami-based company is offering North Miami homeowners assistance with selling their homes fast for cash. With their launch the company offers to buy houses anywhere in Miami and other parts of Florida, at any price.

Details can be found at https://www.needhelpsellinghome.com

The newly launched all-cash services are operated mainly in Miami North. The services are offered to those avoiding foreclosure, facing divorce, on the verge of moving, behind in their mortgage, or liens. A spokesperson for the company said they buy houses in any condition, whether or not they are lived in, being rented, are vacant, or are not even habitable.

Further, there's no need for the owners to clean up or repair the property, no need for an agent to assist in selling the property, and there's no contract involved that binds the homeowner to a certain term. With this fast cash company, there will be no waiting or wondering, since there is no waiting period of 6-12 months, as is the case with other real estate companies.

In essence, if someone has a property they need to sell, the real estate company makes that person a fair cash offer and closes on the property when the individual is ready to sell. It takes three steps for this to happen.

First, interested parties are encouraged to contact the company who will then research the details of the home and start crafting the best deal for the owner. Next, the company will present the owner with its cash offer, which comes with no fees or obligations. Once the owner agrees with the offer presented, then the deal is sealed and he/she will receive the payment as promised.

The company is also different from other companies, in that property owners can contact them via the website and fill out and submit the property information form provided. Owners can expect a fair all-cash offer on their property within 24 hours. Further, if there's a need for cash quickly, NeedHelpSellingHome.com offers to close the deal in as little as 7 days, since the company doesn't rely on traditional banking financing.

Story continues

Interested parties can visit the website above for more detailed information and instructions.

Contact Info:

Name: Jose Corbera

Email: Send Email

Organization: Corbera Investments, LLC.

Address: 9229 SW 170th Path, Miami, FL 33196, United States

Phone: +1-786-730-8386

Website: https://www.needhelpsellinghome.com/

SOURCE: Corbera Investments, LLC





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/588674/Miami-North-FL-Sell-Homes-Fast-for-Cash-as-is-Homeowners-Service-Launched




Washington, May 7 : US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a phone conversation, discussing issues of arms control and COVID-19, the US State Department said in a statement.

Pompeo and his Russian counterpart discussed next steps on arms control issues as well as several bilateral issues of mutual concern, including global efforts to respond to the spread of COVID-19, according to the statement released on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

"In my discussion with #Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, I affirmed that we are ready to engage in arms control negotiations that advance the security of the United States and our partners," the top US diplomat tweeted later in the day.

"We'll continue to push for mechanisms that are verifiable and enforceable," he added.

In 2010, Washington and Moscow signed the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), which stipulates the limits to the numbers of deployed nuclear warheads and strategic delivery systems by both. The New START, the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty in force between the two nuclear superpowers, expires on February 5, 2021.

The agreement can be extended for at most five years with the consent of the two countries. Russia has expressed willingness to extend the treaty, while the Donald Trump administration has yet to officially reply.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Champignon Brands Inc. (Champignon or the Company) (CSE: SHRM) (FWB: 496) (OTCQB: SHRMF), a human optimization sciences company focused on applying novel and natural treatment protocols to address a broad range of disorders and deficiencies with an emphasis on psychedelic medicine, is pleased to announce the appointment of Pat McCutcheon to its board of directors effective immediately.



Mr. McCutcheon is currently Chief Executive Officer of one of the leading global cannabis companies, MediPharm Labs Corp. (MediPharm) (TSX: LABS). A true visionary in the emerging global cannabis industry, Mr. McCutcheon initially founded MediPharm after identifying an important, overlooked segment of the burgeoning cannabis market to create the first pure-play cannabis company focused solely on extraction and API manufacturing. Mr. McCutcheon was paramount in raising considerable capital to finance MediPharm's vision, thus creating a top-five cannabis revenue-generating company within the Canadian cannabis industry in the span of three years.

We are tremendously pleased to have Pat join the Champignon Board, commented Gareth Birdsall, director of Champignon. His extensive experience in commercial development across the pharmaceutical industry combined with direct experience operating and scaling highly profitable businesses further strengthens our board with expertise that will accelerate the expansion of our clinical footprint via the establishment of net new clinical entities, as well as industry partnerships for ketamine, psilocybin and MDMA.

Prior to MediPharm, Mr. McCutcheon held senior roles with various large pharmaceutical companies  including Jansen Pharmaceuticals (Johnson & Johnson), Sanofi and Astra Zeneca  where he was directly responsible for launching a wide range of medical products. During his tenure at Jansen, he was head of the hospital division for renal and mental health products, which was recognized as one of the most highly successful programs at Jansen. Mr. McCutcheon holds an honours bachelor of science degree in biology from the University of Western Ontario.

I am excited to join the Board of Directors of Champignon given its leadership position with the only licensed operating ketamine clinic and integrated research centre of its kind in Canada, stated Pat McCutcheon. I look forward to working with the board and the companys management team to advance Champignons clinical development and expansion program in the US and Canada. I also look forward to assisting the Company with its plan to evaluate other assets and new partnerships that will expand its pipeline in the rapidly emerging ketamine and psilocybin for mental health industry that has demonstrated strong potential in a short period of time.

Champignon also reports that it has appointed Matthew Fish, JD as President and Secretary. In his private practice as a securities lawyer, Mr. Fish has developed extensive experience with respect to public companies, capital markets, as well as mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Fishs skillset will assist the Company in accelerating its North American new clinical entity roll-out. Gareth Birdsall will remain CEO and a director of Champignon.

About Champignon Brands Inc.

Champignon Brands (CSE: SHRM) is focused on the formulation and manufacturing of novel ketamine, anaesthetics and adaptogenic delivery platforms for the nutraceutical and psychedelic medicine while being supported by a leading psychedelics medicines clinic platform. The Company is pursuing the development and commercialization of rapid onset treatments capable of improving health outcomes, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as substance and alcohol use disorders. Under a collaborative research agreement with the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine, the Company is conducting preclinical studies and eventual human clinical trials, with the objective of demonstrating safety and efficacy of the combination of psilocybin and cannabidiol in treating mTBI with PTSD or stand-alone PTSD. Champignon continues to be inspired by sustainability, as its medicinal mushroom-infused SKUs are organic, non-GMO and vegan certified. For more information, visit the Companys website at: https://champignonbrands.com/ .

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

W. Gareth Birdsall

Chief Executive Officer

T: +1 (613) 967-9655

E: info@champignonbrands.com

FOR INVESTOR INQUIRIES:

Tyler Troup

Circadian Group

E: SHRM@champignonbrands.com

FOR CHAMPIGNON BRANDS FRENCH INQUIRIES:

Remy Scalabrini

Maricom Inc.

E: rs@maricom.ca

T: (888) 585-MARI

The CSE and Information Service Provider have not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this release.

Forward-looking Information Cautionary Statement
Press Release

6 May 2020

The world's latest crisis - COVID-19 - has taken over our lives, irreversibly shifting our economy, society and lifestyle. But how has it affected the foodservice industry - and what big changes are on the horizon? Find out more about how coronavirus has impacted our industry and what foodservice operators should consider when adapting their business to life as our 'new normal'.

Advertisements

How is the industry changing?

Though the pandemic is still in its early stages, we've already seen a considerable shift in how consumers are getting their food, and how local restaurants and foodservice providers are responding.

1. Local farm shops are booming

One of the biggest shifts has been that of consumers turning to local farms for their fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy produce. While grocery stores have experienced severe shortages in supply, farms shops have been able to offer local shoppers a steady stream of fresh goods.

Many local farms now also offer quick-turnaround delivery or contactless collection (with impressively short lead times), which has been a key advantage for those who are at-risk or quarantined at home. Grocery stores, on the other hand, have been unable to keep up with demand, leaving many without a suitable delivery option for weeks, if at all.

Another big advantage of local produce is that people know where their food is coming from, which not only helps them feel more secure about avoiding shortages from hard-hit countries, but also helps them contribute to the local economy, supporting local businesses that otherwise might not have been able to ride out the storm.

2. Restaurants are shifting to take-away or delivery models

It's no secret that the foodservice industry -and hospitality industry as a whole - has been heavily impacted by the containment measures imposed by governments. But many restaurateurs have been quick to adapt their business model to offer their customers more flexible, pandemic-friendly dining options. This has caused a surge in take-away and delivery service options, not only from quick service or fast-casual restaurants but also from higher-end restaurants.

While the commission fees of delivery service providers (which typically reach as high as 30%) can be off-putting for many restaurateurs, there's good news on the horizon. Many delivery services are adapting their business models by reducing or eliminating their fees or opting for a flat-rate, subscription option so restaurants can get a better return on their margins.

But what about food safety concerns? Most restaurants have implemented stringent health & safety regulations to protect both their staff and their patrons - covering everything from sourcing, to preparation and service. In China, foodservice operators like McDonald's have responded with contactless pick-up options where customers don't have to make any contact with the staff.

3. Independent businesses are seizing the day

As many international chains such as McDonald's, Subway, KFC and Burger King have decided to close stores altogether, there's a growing opportunity for small, independent businesses to fill the gap. These businesses are more agile and flexible as they employ fewer staff (often from the same family), and are therefore able to react quicker to serve local customers. These customers are likely to spread the word throughout their local communities, further boosting the success of these businesses and building a loyal customer base that's likely to stick around well after the dust has settled.

Food & workforce safety tips

Food and workforce safety will remain a key issue during - and beyond - the ongoing pandemic. While the good news is that there is no proof of COVID-19 transmission from food or food packaging, restaurants will still have to put in place stringent new safety measures to protect their staff and customers alike.

Here are the key factors that any foodservice business should consider.

Consult with your local health department for protocols and guidance on what measures are required to keep your business running smoothly. Depending on the amount of community spreading of COVID-19 within a particular area, these recommendations may vary.

Set up clear protocols for your establishment and communicate these to all of your partners, suppliers, employees and customers.

Workers presenting symptoms of COVID-19 should not be present at work, or in contact with customers or coworkers, and should immediately communicate their condition to their employer.

Employees handling food should wash their hands for at least 20 seconds and wear gloves, a mask and/or hairnet as recommended.

Employees should stay at least 2 meters away from customers and coworkers, to comply with social distancing recommendations. This could involve: Limiting the number of staff in a food preparation area and spacing out workstations. Limiting the number of people who can come into the premises at one time (rule of thumb = 1 person/10m2) by using a ticketing system. Using spacing measures (tape/line floor markers) to help with distancing and show customers where to navigate.

While 'open food' areas such as buffets do not pose an increased risk, customers and employees should continue to behave in a hygienic manner. Where possible, food should be pre-packaged.

Hand sanitizer should be made available to customers, and its use encouraged upon entering and leaving the establishment.

Touchpoints (doors, payment stations, baskets, handles, ladles etc.) should be cleaned and disinfected regularly.

For restaurants offering a delivery service:
A UK-based technology company has announced plans to expand its online courses available across international schools in India from September.

Pamoja said it will offer a range of new online Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge International AS & A Level courses to Cambridge International Schools throughout India covering science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.

With a young population and rapid expansion in internet connectivity, online learning can be a real asset for India as it seeks to skill up the next generation to thrive in the rapidly changing world of work they will enter, said John Ingram, CEO of Pamoja

There can never be a substitute for a face-to-face teacher, but our online tools can help students take STEM courses that may not be offered by their school. They can also assist teachers in the classroom by helping them prepare their lessons and track student progress. This can free teachers up to give students more face-to-face time, helping bring complex STEM subjects to life, he said.

Pamoja said it is launching the new online STEM courses at the same time the Indian government is seeking to train up over 40 crore people in different disciplines by 2022 through its Skill India campaign, launched in 2015.

The importance of STEM learning as part of this was underscored by a recent report by the National Science Foundation that found that 80 per cent of the jobs created in India in the next decade will require some form of maths and science skills.

Students will also gain practical experience of collaborative, digital technologies that promote self-direction and independence in learning; skills that are highly desired by universities and employers in India and around the world, Ingram said.

Pamoja, based in Oxford, is a registered school of Cambridge Assessment International Education, the world's largest provider of international programmes for 5 to 19-year old students.

It said that international schools in India who sign up to provide Pamoja's new selection of Cambridge International courses online will benefit from broader subject offerings to their students, fewer challenges caused by teacher shortages, and more flexible timetables.

They will also allow their students to benefit from practical experience of new digital technologies.

Pamoja Taught courses are delivered online by experienced Pamoja teachers trained in online learning methodologies, covering the same content and preparing students for the same assessments as traditional face-to-face courses.

Cambridge IGCSE is described as the world's most popular international qualification for 14 to 16-year olds, taken in over 150 countries and in more than 4,800 schools around the world.

There are over 800,000 subject entries for Cambridge IGCSE exams each year. Cambridge International AS & A Level qualifications are taken in 134 countries with more than 575,000 subject entries each year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dublin, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Cruise Missile Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (2020 - 2025)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The cruise missile market is expected to register a CAGR of 13.61% during the forecast period.



Over the years, the influence of missiles in modern warfare strategies has increased, and countries have started emphasizing preserving missile systems in their armory. Following the theory of deterrence and mutually assured destruction, countries are procuring and developing more lethal cruise missiles having high speeds and ranges. From a strategic perspective, the possession of such lethal missiles will help the countries in keeping their potential adversaries at bay.



The market is expected to grow primarily due to the emphasis on the cruise missile procurement and development activities undertaken by militaries to gain a strategic upper hand.



However, this growth is subjective to several associative factors, such as allocation of funds for procurement of cruise missile systems and may be adversely affected due to budget constraints and various factors that may eventually lead to the program delays and cancellations.



Key Market Trends



Supersonic Missiles Segment Held the Largest Market Share in 2019



In segmentation by speed, the Supersonic segment held the largest share in the market as of 2019. A supersonic missile relies primarily on sheer speed and inbuilt electronic countermeasures to penetrate the air defense network of the hostile enemy forces. Countries, such as the United States, China, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and India are a handful of countries that possess the capability to develop a supersonic cruise missile. Currently, Russia is actively developing the 9M730 Burevestnik, also known as the SSC-X-9 Skyfall, to deliver long-range strategic nuclear strikes.



Theoretically, a nuclear-powered supersonic missile, such as the SSC-X-9 Skyfall can have unlimited range, while sustained supersonic speeds would enhance the difficulty to intercept and enable it to circumnavigate bubbles of radar coverages and leverage terrain to minimize the chance of interception. Russia has also developed and deployed the P-800 Oniks anti-ship cruise missile. The missile launches from a vertical position and uses angular thrusters located near the nose to reposition itself horizontally and begin its flight path toward the target. The missile then flies at supersonic speeds, can maneuver to avoid air defense, and is resistant to electronic countermeasures. Also, in October 2019, the Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted test firings of two BrahMos surface-to-surface supersonic cruise missiles to validate the IAF's ability to neutralize targets located at up to 300 kilometers with pinpoint accuracy. Such developments have helped the segment gain the largest market share in 2019.



North America to Dominate the Market During the Forecast Period



During the forecast period, North America is projected to dominate the market by growing with the highest CAGR. The region also accounted for the highest market share in terms of geography in 2019. The growth in the US cruise missile market is the biggest reason for the region's dominance. The enhanced capabilities of China and Russia on the battlefield forced the United States to increase its investment in technologically advanced weapon systems. Other factors, such as the rising violence in the Middle-East, due to geopolitical tensions and terrorism, significantly contributed toward the growth of the procurement of missiles and missile defense systems by the US armed forces.



In February 2020, the current US president proposed an FY 2021 budget of USD 740.5 billion for national security, of which USD 705.4 billion is allocated for the Department of Defense (DoD). The FY 2021 base budget for procurement is USD 131.75 billion, out of which the munitions procurement investment accounts for USD 21.3 billion for Air Force, Navy, and Army. AMRAAM, JASSM / JASSM ER, Harpoon, and Tomahawk are the commonly used cruise missiles by the US Air Force and Navy, respectively. Tomahawk cruise missile is carried by over 145 warships in the United States. Recently, in January 2020, the government announced its plan to upgrade the arsenal of Tomahawk cruise missiles to the latest Block V configuration in the coming years, and to retire and demilitarize the older models.



Competitive Landscape



The prominent players in the cruise missile market are Lockheed Martin Corporation, Raytheon Company, The Boeing Company, Tactical Missile Corporation, and MBDA, among others. Currently, many local, as well as international players, are developing various cruise missile models. Local production has allowed for a decline in per-unit cost of cruise missiles; this has reduced dependency on large players for advanced and better missiles. The sales of cruise missiles from major players are for upgrade kits and modernization kits of existing missile inventory from countries, like the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and other European nations.



The COVID lockdown situation across the world is expected to delay existing projects and planned projects by half a year, as communities and government reel with the aftereffects of the manufacturing and production shutdown. The impact of the same will be visible directly on raw material and logistics and project completion. Still, the demand in 2020 is expected to drop slightly and then improve starting from 2021.



Key Topics Covered:



1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Study Assumptions

1.2 Scope of the Study



2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY



3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY



4 MARKET DYNAMICS

4.1 Market Overview

4.2 Market Drivers

4.3 Market Restraints

4.4 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

4.4.1 Threat of New Entrants

4.4.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers/Consumers

4.4.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

4.4.4 Threat of Substitute Products

4.4.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry



5 MARKET SEGMENTATION

5.1 Launch Platform

5.1.1 Air

5.1.2 Surface Combatants

5.1.3 Submarine

5.1.4 Land

5.2 Range

5.2.1 Short-Range Missiles

5.2.2 Medium-Range Missiles

5.2.3 Long-Range Missiles

5.3 Speed

5.3.1 Subsonic

5.3.2 Supersonic

5.3.3 Hypersonic

5.4 Geography

5.4.1 North America

5.4.1.1 United States

5.4.1.2 Canada

5.4.2 Europe

5.4.2.1 Germany

5.4.2.2 United Kingdom

5.4.2.3 France

5.4.2.4 Italy

5.4.2.5 Russia

5.4.2.6 Rest of Europe

5.4.3 Asia-Pacific

5.4.3.1 India

5.4.3.2 China

5.4.3.3 Japan

5.4.3.4 South Korea

5.4.3.5 Australia

5.4.3.6 Rest of Asia-Pacific

5.4.4 Latin America

5.4.4.1 Brazil

5.4.4.2 Mexico

5.4.4.3 Rest of Latin America

5.4.5 Middle-East and Africa

5.4.5.1 United Arab Emirates

5.4.5.2 Saudi Arabia

5.4.5.3 Turkey

5.4.5.4 Rest of Middle-East and Africa



6 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

6.1 Vendor Market Share

6.2 Company Profiles

6.2.1 Lockheed Martin Corporation

6.2.2 Raytheon Technologies Corporation

6.2.3 Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO)

6.2.4 The Boeing Company

6.2.5 MBDA Inc.

6.2.6 Aerojet Rocketdyne Inc.

6.2.7 Tactical Missile Corporation

6.2.8 Kongsberg Gruppen ASA

6.2.9 Roketsan Roket Sanayii ve Ticaret AS

6.2.10 Avibras Industria Aeroespacial SA

6.2.11 China Aerospace Science and Industry Group Corporation Limited



7 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE TRENDS



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/6yt8he

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 18:47:56|Editor: huaxia

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MOSCOW, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Prosecutor General's Office on Wednesday asked the country's communications watchdog to block online videos alleging that COVID-19 is a man-made bio-weapon.

The office said in a statement that it has discovered videos posted on the VK social network and YouTube alleging that the coronavirus is a genetically modified biological weapon.

These materials contain "inaccurate" socially significant information that poses a threat to people's life and health, and that violates public order and safety, the statement said.

It recalled that the World Health Organization, the Russian government, or other official Russian authorities have never confirmed information about the artificial origin of COVID-19. Enditem
Fmr. Missouri governor defends Jim Bakker in 'Silver Solution' coronavirus lawsuit

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Former Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, has sided with Jim Bakker amid a lawsuit against the controversial televangelist over claims that he peddled a fake cure for coronavirus.

Nixon is serving as an attorney for Bakker after the office of Republican Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed a lawsuit in March when the televangelist promoted a Silver Solution product claiming to have helped cure other strains of coronavirus.

The former governor and state attorney general argued in a statement Monday that he believed his client is innocent.

Jim Bakker is being unfairly targeted by those who want to crush his ministry and force his Christian television program off the air, stated Nixon, as reported by local media.

The video recording of the Jim Bakker Show clearly shows the allegations are false. Bakker did not claim or state that Silver Solution was a cure for COVID-19. This case is about religious freedom.

Nixon submitted a motion to dismiss the states lawsuit on Monday in the Circuit Court of Stone County claiming that the lawsuit against Bakker violated the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The motion argued that the lawsuit burdens the religious practice of Bakker and Morningside Church Productions and lacks a compelling governmental interest.

The Attorney General asks the Court to determine which religious doctrines and sermons preached by a pastor from the pulpit concerning the interpretation and application of current world events to his religion, and his views on ecclesiastical matters, are sufficiently true to evade the proscriptions of secular law, stated the motion.

Such an action by the Attorney General is as unprecedented as it is improper; neither the United States Constitution nor the Missouri Constitution permit this suit to be maintained.

During an episode of The Jim Bakker Show that aired in February, Bakker and his guest, Dr. Sherrill Sellman, claimed that a Silver Solution product could cure strains of the coronavirus.

This influenza, which is now circling the globe, youre saying that Silver Solution would be effective? Bakker asked Sellman, a naturopathic doctor.

Well, lets say it hasnt been tested against this strain of the coronavirus, but its been tested on other strains of the coronavirus and has been able to eliminate it within 12 hours, replied Sellman.

The broadcast was met with backlash from both state and federal officials, with the Food and Drug Administration and the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James sending cease-and-desist letters to Bakker.

The 2019 novel coronavirus poses serious consequences to public health, and consumers are concerned as to how they can best protect themselves and their families, wrote James, as reported by The Hill in March.

Your shows segment may mislead consumers as to the effectiveness of the Silver Solution product in protecting against the current outbreak.

In an interview with Ozarks First in March, Schmitt said that Bakker and Morningside Church Productions have an opportunity, in a pretty short timeframe, to answer certainly the allegations that weve made and itd be our hope that they no longer represent that this 'Silver Solution' can cure the coronavirus.

Bakker is known for selling various religious and health products in response to disasters and potential End Times scenarios.
- The Bataan Provincial Health Office confirmed that a 17-day-old baby tested positive for COVID-19

- The baby is from Mariveles and also the 3rd infant to contract the coronavirus disease

- Bataan health office also reported that there are now 107 COVID-19 positive cases in the province

- As of posting time, the Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 10,004 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country

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Bataans provincial health office said on Tuesday that a 17-day-old infant tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

KAMI learned that the infant was among the 6 new cases of COVID-19 in Bataan on Tuesday.

In a report by GMA News Online, the infant is from the town of Mariveles. The baby is reportedly the 3rd infant to get infected with the coronavirus in the province.

Among the new cases of COVID-19 were 3 health workers at the Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center.

According to the Bataan Provincial Health Office, there are now 107 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the province.

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In a previous report by KAMI, the Department of Health (DOH) recorded a total of 10,004 COVID-19 cases in the Philippines.

The coronavirus disease or COVID-19 was first reported in Wuhan, China. As of posting time, there are 3.6 million positive cases across the globe.

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In this video, a 4Ps member replied to critics and provided an explanation as to where her cash aid goes! Check out all of the exciting videos and celebrity interviews on our KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel!

Source: KAMI.com.gh
Amid the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, the Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday introduced an ordinance for the protection of 'Corona Warriors' and against those who attack or misbehave with them. Those who spit on 'Corona Warriors' or who hide their infection will also be dealt with strictly.

Gautam Budh Nagar Police Commissioner Alok Singh said that as per the new ordinance if anyone misbehaves with health workers, paramedical personnel, police personnel, sanitation workers or any corona warriors deployed by the government, they will face imprisonment ranging from six months to seven years. A fine may also be imposed on them ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh.

The state cabinet has approved the Uttar Pradesh Public Health and Epidemic Disease Control Ordinance-2020.

In addition to this, strong action will also be taken on those who spit on the Corona Warriors, throw dirt, break isolation during the quarantine and provoke attacks or misconduct with them. For this, a punishment from two to five years and a fine ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh has also been added in the Ordinance, said Singh.

Singh added that for violating the quarantine, the punishment would be from one to three years and the fine would be from Rs 10,000 to Rs one lakh. Apart from this, the punishment for those escaping from the hospital will be one year to three years and the fine will be from Rs 10,000 to Rs one lakh.

A punishment of one to three years for obscene and indecent conduct and a fine ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs one lakh will also be imposed. There is also a provision of harsh punishment for breaking lockdown and for spreading this disease. He told that if a coronavirus patient disguises himself he can be punished from one to three years, and a fine of Rs 50,000 to Rs one lakh will be imposed on him.

If the coronavirus patient deliberately travels by public transport, then there is a provision for imprisonment ranging from one to three years and fine ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs two lakh.
The National Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sammy Awuku, has said comparing John Mahama to President Akufo-Addo in terms of competence is a complete mismatch.



Measuring the state of the economy in the first three years of the two regimes, Sammy Awuku said the economy is in better health under the current administration than it was, during the period John Dramani Mahama was President.



Sammy Awuku speaking on Anopa Nkomo on Accra-based Kingdom FM107.7 with Kwame Tutu disclosed that, Akufo-Addo led government had to use the last three years to clear the mess created by the Mahama administration inspite of all the achievements that have been chalked between 2009 and 2016.



We saw that even during dumsor electricity prices were being increased, fuel prices were being increased, teacher trainee allowances were being canceled, he added



He, therefore, implored membership of the NPP to continue preaching the good works of the government as the country prepares towards the 2020 general election.



He said Mr. Mahama, who is staging a comeback on the ticket of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) after being defeated massively in 2016, is only going about criticizing his (Akufo-Addo) good policies.



According to the Vice President, the Akufo-Addo-led government has performed better and delivered on its promises so much than any other government under the fourth Republic of Ghana.









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Warsaw  Wed, May 6, 2020 08:09 623 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd636f9a 2 Art & Culture Chopin,Competition,Poland,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free

Poland's Chopin competition, which has launched the careers of renowned pianists, has been postponed until next year because of the coronavirus pandemic, organizers said Monday.

The autumn competition that draws contestants from around the world once every five years will take place at the Warsaw Philharmonic from October 2 to 23 in 2021, organizers said on the official webiste.

They added that the list of pianists already accepted for the preliminary round "will remain the same. All the tickets purchased for the sold-out event remain valid."

A total of 164 pianists from more than 30 countries are to compete in the preliminary round in Warsaw, with 80 to be selected to perform in the subsequent round.

Since it began in 1927, the competition named after the composer Frederic Chopin has opened doors for the winners to play in prestigious venues and has launched the careers of celebrated pianists like the Italian Maurizio Pollini and Argentina's Martha Argerich.

It is reserved for pianists between the ages of 16 and 30, and laureates have come from Asia, Europe, and North and South America.

The juried performances are open to the public and always sell out.

Born in 1810 in Zelazowa Wola, near the Polish capital, Chopin fled his homeland just before an 1830 uprising, and later lived in Vienna and Paris.
A government scientist was ousted after the Trump administration ignored his dire warnings about COVID-19 and a malaria drug President Donald Trump was pushing for the coronavirus despite scant evidence it helped, according to a whistleblower complaint Tuesday.

Rick Bright, former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, filed the complaint Tuesday with the Office of Special Counsel, a government agency responsible for whistleblower complaints.

He alleges he was reassigned to a lesser role because he resisted political pressure to allow widespread use of hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug favored by Trump.

He said the Trump administration wanted to flood hot spots in New York and New Jersey with the drug.

Brights complaint comes as the Trump administration faces criticism over its response to the pandemic, including testing and supplies of ventilators, masks and other equipment to try to stem the spread. To date, there have been nearly 1.2 million confirmed cases in the United States and more than 70,000 deaths.

Bright also said the Trump administration rejected his warnings on COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus. He said he acted with urgency to address the growing spread of COVID-19 after the World Health Organization issued a warning in January.

But he said he encountered resistance from HHS leadership, including Health and Human Services Secretary (Alex) Azar, who appeared intent on downplaying this catastrophic event.

Bright alleges in the complaint that political appointees at the Department of Health and Human Services tried to promote hydroxychloroquine as a panacea. The officials also demanded that New York and New Jersey be flooded with these drugs, which were imported from factories in Pakistan and India that had not been inspected by the FDA, the complaint says.

But Bright opposed broad use of the drug, arguing the scientific evidence wasnt there to back up its use in coronavirus patients.

He felt an urgent need to tell the public there wasnt enough scientific evidence to support using the drugs for COVID-19 patients, the complaint states.

Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned doctors against prescribing the drug except in hospitals and research studies.

In an alert, regulators flagged reports of sometimes fatal heart side effects among coronavirus patients taking hydroxychloroquine or the related drug chloroquine.

The decades-old drugs, also prescribed for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, can cause a number of side effects, including heart rhythm problems, severely low blood pressure and muscle or nerve damage.

In late January, Bright said he made an effort to ramp up federal procurement of N95 respirator masks, after having heard warnings that a global shortage could imperil first-responders.

But he said his boss, Assistant Secretary for Planning and Preparedness Robert Kadlec, gave short shrift to the warnings during a meeting Jan. 23.

At another meeting that day, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Kadlec responded with surprise at (Brights) dire predictions and urgency, and asserted that the United States would be able to contain the virus and keep it out, the whistleblower complaint said.

Publicly, HHS was saying it had all the masks that would be needed.

Bright found an ally in White House trade adviser Peter Navarro, who was also urgently concerned about the virus.

The complaint described a series of contacts with Navarros office that led to a meeting between Bright and the trade official on at the White House on a Saturday early in February. Bright said his boss, Kadlec was not pleased.

Navarro clearly shared (Brights) concerns about the potential devastation the United States would face from the coronavirus and asked (Bright) to identify the supply chain and medical countermeasures most critical to address at that time in order to save lives.

Navarros memos to top White House officials raised alarms even as Trump was publicly assuring Americans that the outbreak was under control.

Bright felt officials had refused to listen or take appropriate action to accurately inform the public and spoke to a reporter who was working on a story about the drug.

He said he had to tell the public about the lack of science backing up its use, despite the drug being pushed by the president as press briefings, to protect people from what he believed "constituted a substantial and specific danger to public health and safety, the complaint says.

As the death toll mounted exponentially each day, Dr. Bright concluded that he had a moral obligation to the American public, including those vulnerable as a result of illness from COVID-19, to protect it from drugs which he believed constituted a substantial and specific danger to public health and safety, the complaint says.

On Jan. 20, according to the complaint, the WHO held an emergency call to discuss the novel coronavirus. It was attended by many HHS officials, and which WHO officials advised that the outbreak is a big problem.

Trump has accused the U.N. agency of mismanaging and covering up the spread of the virus after it emerged in China and said he would cut funding.

Bright's agency works to guard against pandemics and emergent infectious diseases, and is working to develop a vaccine for the novel coronavirus.

Top officials also pressured him to steer contracts to a client of a lobbyist, he reported.

Bright said he repeatedly clashed with leadership about the role played by pharmacy industry lobbyist John Clerici in drug contracts. As he tried to push a contract extension of a contract for one of his clients Aeolus Pharmaceuticals, Clerici said the companys CEO was a friend of Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law.

In the complaint, Bright says he wants to returned to his position as the director and a full investigation.

When Brights plans to file a complaint surfaced last month, HHS confirmed that Bright is no longer at the BARDA agency, but did not address his allegations of political interference in the COVID-19 response.
March and April traditionally are slow months for Iverstine Farms Butcher, but that changed when the coronavirus pandemic forced people to self-quarantine.

Restaurant dining rooms were shuttered, and though takeout was readily available, more people started cooking at home.

On a quest for quality ingredients, many ended up at Iverstine Farms Butcher at 4765 Perkins Road in Baton Rouge.

Iverstine specializes in meat from local farms that is cut in-house. It also has a smokehouse for making deli meats, bacon, hams and sausages.

"For us, it (the stay-at-home order) has increased demand for our products," said owner Galen Iverstine. "The demand is higher, but getting it to the customers is a little bit more of a challenge. But we've adapted, and we're doing a lot of home deliveries  pretty much doing home deliveries every day."

Last year, the shop launched a subscription service that delivers a monthly meat box directly to customers' doors.

"We deliver here and in surrounding parishes," Iverstine said. "We already had the infrastructure in place for that, and we've seen a big increase in demand for that. Before, we were delivering 15 or so boxes a week. Now we're delivering 20 to 30 a week. And on top of that, we're delivering a lot of a la carte home deliveries three or four days a week."

The store continues to maintain its retail hours. Only six people are allowed in at a time, and everyone is required to follow the social distancing guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control.

"That hasn't been an issue for us," Iverstine said. "We have had a lot of people calling in their order and getting it when they get here. That way, they're in and out, and we've had people request that we do curbside service, which we're doing. And home delivery helps keep our business."

The adjustments are just the latest for the operation, which first began selling at a booth at the Red Stick and Main Street farmers markets.

"Originally, I was college student without direction, and I had to get clear on what my career place would be," Iverstine said. "So I went and worked on a farm in New Hampshire awhile, then my parents and I decided to start this in Baton Rouge."

Iverstine's parents, Jack and Brenda Iverstine, raise livestock on their farm in Kentwood. The family realized there was a gap in the local meat market.

"There weren't many local markets with meats in particular," Iverstine said. "But because meats are better when they're raised with sustainable farming methods, we saw an opportunity here in Baton Rouge to do that."

In 2009, the Iverstines began selling at the local farmers markets. They opened their shop and store in 2016.

Galen Iverstine runs the store, which started out selling only meats from his parents' farm.

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"We basically built our model around what the demand was for us at the farmers market," Iverstine said. "We said, 'What if we expanded that and had 70 to 80 retail hours rather than four on a Saturday?' We've grown since we've been, and we've shifted gears. We were producing 100% of the meat we sold, and then about a year and a half ago, we decided to throttle that down and bring more farmers into the fold and source from them, as well."

Now the shop works with 10 other farmers from New Iberia, DeRidder, the north shore of New Orleans and Mississippi.

"We also sell some rabbits from a rabbit farmer up in Greensburg, but beef, chicken and pork are our main meats," Iverstine said. "Then we also do turkeys for the holidays. We did 350 turkeys this year."

Iverstine Farms is known as a whole animal butcher shop, where all production takes place. Carcasses are brought to the shop directly from the slaughterhouse.

"All of our butchering was learned here," Iverstine said. "Before we opened, the slaughterhouse we were using in Eunice was doing all of our butchering, and that was one of the big reasons we wanted to move to this model."

Once meat is packaged at a slaughterhouse, a seller can't change it.

"Say all of your shoulders are cut at 3 pounds, and somebody wants a 6-pound shoulder," Iverstine said. "There wasn't much I could do about it because once it has that state inspection sticker on it, I can't break the package and cut it. This model allows us a lot of versatility on how we cut meat for the customer, and that's a big part of why people come here, because they can get a custom cut they can't find in the grocery store."

The shop also is able to make use of more of the whole animal. Bones cooked in stocks are used for dog treats, and fats are rendered for lard.

Iverstine Farms also supplies to a handful of area restaurants.

"It's not a major part of our business," Iverstine said. "It accounts for about 10% to 15% of our overall business. Most of our customers are just home cooks looking for good quality products to cook at home."

Most people buy chicken, he said.

"And our pork chops and our ground beef, of course  the staple items. It's spread out  everything from the person who just wants to stock their freezer with good quality ground meat; the person who realizes that pasture-raised, locally raised chicken tastes way better than a store-bought chicken; and then the people coming for a special cut for a special occasion, those higher end rib-eyes."

Now, like everyone else, Iverstine is waiting to see what happens when restaurants are allowed to reopen.

"There's definitely an uptick of people cooking at home because of the limited access to restaurants," Iverstine said. "The question is, post all of this, how does it level out? Some restaurants are going to close, and then people have gotten used to cooking at home more, so how does that balance out at the end of it?

"Is this a growth curve we can plan around or is it just a flash in the pan, and does it all come back to normal?" he asked. "That's our big question."
ATLANTA, GA --- Barbadian Christian recording artist, songwriter, and record executive Karlos Cobham officially announces the launching of KWEST Records (pronounced Quest), his new independent Gospel record label. As founder, Cobham will operate as CEO and will serve as the label's flagship artist. He is expected to release new music this year.

Additionally, KWEST Records has forged a global digital distribution deal with United Alliance Music Group (UAMG), an independent Christian label and distributor. Under the terms of the new strategic distribution deal, UAMG will offer label services, A&R, and function as the global digital distributor for all future KWEST Records master single, EP and full album recordings and visuals through its partner Sony/Orchard, the industrys leading independent distributor and label services company.

Paul Wright, III, CEO of United Alliance Music Group and an industry veteran with over 25 years states, We are ecstatic to welcome Karlos Cobham and KWEST Records to our UAMG roster. We will continue to serve our artists, by providing them the tools and knowledge required for sustained success. Cobham states, " I'm grateful for the opportunity to partner with UAMG/Sony/The Orchard." "This is a dream come true. KWESTERS! We're on a KWEST!"

A former Barbados Music Award Gospel Artist of the Year nominee, Cobham has performed across the world including his native Barbados, Jamaica, Canada, The UK, and the United States. He's shared the stage with GRAMMY winner Tasha Cobbs and has collaborated with popular Gospel Reggae Artist DJ Nicholas. Cobham is also the visionary and founder of KWEST International, Inc, a non-profit creative and visual arts organization.

CONNECT WITH KARLOS COBHAM

Website:www.KarlosCobham.com | Facebook:/IAmKarlosCobham | Instagram: @IAmKarlosCobham | Twitter: @IAmKarlosCobham

###
BAKU -- The wife of a member of the opposition Popular Front Of Azerbaijan (AXCP) says she has not been able to meet her spouse for more than a month after he was forcibly placed in a psychiatric clinic following his criticism of the country's leadership.



Aygun Humbatova told RFE/RL that she and her children tried to meet her husband, Aqil Humbatov, on May 5 but the administration of the clinic in Baku refused the request.



"Last time we talked by phone, I felt there was something wrong with him. His voice was strange as if he was very confused and unwell. I am very much concerned about the medicine they force him to get there. He is an absolutely healthy person and now they do not allow me to see him," Humbatova said.



Humbatova said that she was informed "just recently" that the term of her husband's forced treatment in the psychiatric clinic was six months.



Humbatov was first detained on March 30, a day after he placed a post on Facebook that criticized the government and President Ilham Aliyev for ignoring the rights of poor children, many of whom need medical treatment.



He was sent to a psychiatric clinic the same day with a diagnosis of "paranoidal personality disorder."



However, on April 1, a court ruled that Humbatov could not be placed in a clinic against his will and the activist was released.



Humbatov then published new posts on Facebook describing the conditions in the psychiatric clinic as "inhuman" and "horrible."



On April 2, police detained Humbatov again and a court of appeals in Baku ruled that he must be placed in a psychiatric clinic for treatment.



"It is not fair to punish someone just for saying the truth... Our [eldest] daughter was so hopeful to see her father, but they did not allow her, and she is so desperate to see him. Her father is being ruined there, and his children are here," Humbatova told RFE/RL, adding that she is now taking care of three children alone, the youngest of whom is a toddler.



Critics of Aliyev's government say authorities of the oil-rich South Caucasus nation frequently seek to silence dissent by jailing opposition activists, reporters, human rights defenders, and civil society advocates without grounds.



Dozens of AXCP members have been arrested, and some imprisoned, in recent years on what their supporters have called trumped-up charges.



Humbatov's lawyer Nemat Karimli told RFE/RL last month that his client was unable to appeal the court's decision to place him in the psychiatric clinic as the ruling had not been officially delivered to him as of April 22, 20 days after the decision had been announced. Without having received the documents from the court, Karimli was not able to file an appeal.



Humbatov, his wife, and his lawyer insist that he is healthy, both physically and mentally, and that there is no need to keep him in the clinic.



Aliyev denies any rights abuses. He took power in 2003 shortly before the death of his father, Heydar Aliyev, a former KGB officer and communist-era leader who had ruled Azerbaijan since 1993.
A day after the Delhi High Court declined to grant interim stay on airing of Vir Das' Hasmukh on Netflix, the actor-comedian has thanked the HC for its support.

A lawyer, named Ashutosh Dubey, had filed a plea against Hasmukh that had claimed the fictional series maligned the reputation of advocates.

Taking to Twitter, Vir has issued an official statement, expressing his gratitude and appreciation to the Delhi HC.

Here's what Vir posted:

"Yesterday, in the Delhi High Court, there was a hearing. A hearing about our show where a fictitious comedian does jokes about a fictitious lawyer. Close to 10 legal notices, groups organising to down-rate it, a suit for 'defaming the reputation of lawyers'.

Fair game. As artists we are taught to accept feedback humbly, and I do so knowing that my work always has, and will polarise people. But if we can accept that these actions go a little beyond feedback, I hope I've earned the right to respectfully respond.

I have spent a decade of my life trying to make this country laugh. I certainly haven't always succeeded, but I have heard enough laughter and seen enough happy people to know that comedy, of all genres, does more good than harm. Offence is taken, not given.

The very essence of democracy is that a creative artist is given the liberty to project the picture of the society in a manner he perceives. One of the prime forms of exposing the ills of the society is by portraying a satirical picture of the same. Stand-up comedians perform that very purpose. In their portrayal they use satire and exaggerate the ills to an extent that it becomes a ridicule. In the humorous portrayal of the ills of the society the stand-up comedians use satire. - Delhi High Court

I humbly thank the High Court for their support.

Thank you. With respect, Vir."

Meanwhile, the main petition seeking permanent injunction on airing of the show is pending and listed for hearing in July. Netflix, represented by advocate Saikrishna Rajagopal, said in the court that an injunction on the show would be contrary to freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under the Constitution.

It has argued that there are several judgments which say lawyers as a class cannot be defamed.
YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. Armenia registered the largest two-year Democracy Score improvement in the history of the Freedom Houses Nations in Transit 2020 report.

The report is dedicated to the democratic developments in 29 post-Soviet Eurasian countries. It says the score has reached its highest-ever point for Armenia, with improvements related to elections and corruption in the latest edition.

According to the report, a national consensus in favor of political change, the rule of law, and the elimination of systemic corruption formed the basis of Armenias 2018 Velvet Revolution. This public demand provides a historic opportunity for democracys advocates inside and outside the country, the report says.

Major transformations driven by public demands for better governance have been under way in Armenia and Ukraine. Armenian prime minister Nikol Pashinyan and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy will now face the difficult challenge of managing expectations, maintaining trust, and restructuring corrupt systems without contravening democratic norms, the report says.

Freedom House urges to invest heavily in programs in Armenia that support the rule of law and strengthen independent institutions, including comprehensive judicial and police reforms. Both the United States and the EU have stepped up support, but their programs should also focus on maintaining social cohesion and addressing political polarization. Overcoming these challenges could be the key to success for any other reforms, according to the report.

The report highlights that a growing number of leaders in Central and Eastern Europe have dropped even the pretense that they play by the rules of democracy. They openly attack democratic institutions and are working to restrict individual freedoms.

Many leaders in this region are no longer pretending to care about democracy or the rule of law, said Michael J. Abramowitz, president of Freedom House. It is time for European leaders who are committed to freedom to address the crisis in their own neighborhood. The coronavirus crisis has created an inflection point, after which things could become much worse, or democracy could be revitalized, said Abramowitz. We hope that this experience will illustrate the importance of transparent and accountable governance and catalyze new demands for change.
A senior lecturer at the Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences at the University of Ghana (UG), Dr Phyllis Dako-Gyeke is urging government to boost sensitization on preventive measures in curbing the further spread of the novel Coronavirus in Ghana.

The lecturer made the call on Eyewitness News on the backdrop of reports that some Ghanaians were flouting COVID-19 preventive measures such as wearing of face masks and ensuring social distancing.

The Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman Manu on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, observed with dismay the manner in which sections of the public were not complying with the directive to wear face masks.

The senior lecturer in making suggestions on how government could get the citizens to comply with the directives said the following in an interview on Eyewitness News:

We are a stage that we are looking at the directive but I think that we should cast our minds back because this whole COVID-19 pandemic requires a risk communication and an effective one as suchWe are expecting some behavioural changes from themthats the outcome. So when we get to the outcome and we are not getting the results, its just asking whether we did well at the education level because there is the lack of knowledge in terms of the specific interventions that are being rolled out as preventive interventions like the social distancing, wearing of a nose mask and all that. Do people really understand how they are supposed to practice that?

These are questions that we are supposed to be asking. The authorities at a point in time need to listen to people and address their concerns. So you ask somebody who lives in a crowded place to practice social distancing, what are you talking about? So we are at the point where we are looking at changes in behaviours so the education must continue, she advised.

---citinewsroom
The owner of Co Antrim's Kilroot power station has won deals to supply electricity to the all-island market in 2023-2024.

The T-4 auction was run by the transmission system operators in Northern Ireland and the Republic, EirGrid and SONI.

EirGrid and SONI said the auction process was intended to deliver a reliable electricity supply at the least possible cost.

Kilroot and Ballylumford owner EPUKI was awarded contracts for existing energy units at Ballylumford and further units at Kilroot power station, both based in mid and east Antrim.

Kilroot has also won a 10-year deal for new gas generation to replace existing coal units.

East Antrim DUP MP Sammy Wilson said: "It is good news that Ballylumford and Kilroot have secured a place in the energy market for the future.

"We have always had concerns about energy dependence from outside of Northern Ireland. Winning this capacity auction ensures not only that production facilities at Kilroot will be secured but, more importantly, this puts the area in a position to deliver new generation in the future."

Economist John Simpson said the auction had yielded unexpected results.

"For Northern Ireland there has been close interest in the possible arrival of new generation investment. In a surprise, the new owner of Kilroot has been provisionally offered a contract based on investment in two new generating capacity units, which may supply nearly 340mw ready for use late in 2023," Mr Simpson explained

"The older Kilroot plant, burning coal or oil, was not in the auction and is expected to close.

"A bid by Belfast Power, linked to a plan to build a new generation plant in Belfast, has not been successful.

"These auction results are the provisional outcome after bids were assessed to select the most competitive suppliers."

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council said the winning of the contracts was crucial to the area's future economic plans.

Council chief executive Anne Donaghy said: "It is so important to our borough's economy that we remain key energy creators for the region. The outcome of this capacity auction is very positive for our economic growth plans post-Covid-19."

EPUKI said winning the contracts would "ensure the transition towards low-carbon generation as well as protecting security and stability of supply through the continuation of indigenous generation".
KEY HIGHLIGHTS

BMS wants government to create a national register of migrant workers

Urges joint effort by industry groups, govt to retain labourers a their respective workplaces

BMS wants labour ministry to tell states to not cut salaries of government employees

Other demands include protection of pension payouts and demand side incentives to jump start economy

Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), the trade union affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has urged the government to desist from any anti-worker amendments in labour laws to facilitate shifting of companies from China or other countries. "China is notorious for not having democracy, any respect for human rights, labour law protection, active trade unions etc. India cannot be a good substitute for such undemocratic characteristics in the mad run to provide cheap labour," Saji Narayanan, national president, BMS says.

It also called for the adoption of an India-centric, Swadeshi roadmap for the post coronavirus economic development. "FDI and e-commerce should be restricted. Government should declare a stimulus package targeting mainly the working population and job intensive sectors like tiny, micro, small industries, agriculture and allied sectors," Narayanan said.

In a meeting with Union Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar, BMS said that the government should create a national register of migrant workers in the wake of coronavirus crisis. The migrant register will result in the creation of a data base providing them proper identity, portability, labour law protection and social security benefits. The organisation also complained that the Inter State Migrant Workers Act, 1979, is grossly violated when train fare is collected from workers, and contractors or principal employers don't provide wages or food in labour camps. The organisation called for the formulation of a National Migrant Workers Policy at the earliest.

According to BMS, state governments should not compel migrant workers to return home (reverse migration) to join their families during the COVID period. Instead, they should be provided incentives, insists Narayanan. Citing poor conditions of labour camps and absence of good employee-employer relationship as the reasons that prompt reverse migration, BMS wants industrial associations, trade unions, government officials and local elected representatives to collectively undertake a campaign to retain labour at the work places.

The labour union also highlighted the issue of delayed payments and wages to workers. "The 7th of every month is the due date for disbursal of wages...The central government should strictly monitor payment of wages," BMS demands. It added that daily wage workers were not getting their wages on time and faced job losses. Those working in fishing, beedi, garment, automobile industries have been deprived of their regular income. Home-based workers too have lost their livelihood during the lockdown, it said.

The union urged opening up of industrial, supply chain and other activities in all parts of the country except COVID hotspots. BMS wants the labour ministry to write to states to not cut salaries of government employees. Huge salary cuts have been made by nearly 14 state governments apart from freeze on Dearness Allowance (DA) hike by the central government, Narayanan said.

"No guarantee is given whether the amount so withheld will be returned. BMS opposes the unilateral decision on DA freezing. Low-wage employees should be exempted from the freeze," he added. Other demands include protection of monthly pension payouts and demand side incentives to jump start worst-hit sections of the economy such as hotels, cinema, transport, travel and tourism.

The labour union also criticised the move of some state governments to increase the working hours. "It should be immediately reversed as it is against ILO conventions and the existing labour laws. India should be a model to other countries in respecting International Labour Standards set by ILO," Narayanan points out.

Also read: Coronavirus impact: US 'turbocharging' initiative to remove industrial supply chains from China

Also read: Coronavirus outbreak: China tests state-run digital currency in 4 cities amid pandemic
Rebiotix and Ferring are the first to announce positive preliminary results on primary efficacy endpoint from ongoing pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial for RBX2660

RBX2660 is an investigational, non-antibiotic, microbiome-based therapy, developed to reduce Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection recurrences

CDC defines C. diffas a major burden to patients and doctors and an urgent healthcare threat causing an estimated half a million illnesses and thousands of deaths annually in the US alone1,2

Today, Rebiotix and Ferring Pharmaceuticals announced positive preliminary findings from their ongoing pivotal Phase 3 trial of the investigational microbiome-based treatment, RBX2660. These preliminary positive efficacy findings mark an important milestone, advancing RBX2660 in its clinical development program with a goal of bringing a US FDA approved therapy to patients. The clinical development program for RBX2660 is the most advanced in the world in evaluating the safety and efficacy of a standardized, non-antibiotic microbiome-based therapy.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005454/en/

RBX2660 is being developed to reduce C. diff infection recurrences, an urgent unmet need for patients and healthcare providers worldwide. Antibiotics, the current standard of care, have been shown to disrupt the microbiome and increase the risk of C. diff recurrence.3 C. diff causes nearly 30,000 deaths each year in the US and in Europe, the incidence of C. diff is increasing, with recurrent bouts of infection representing 10-15% of all healthcare-related infections in hospitals annually.4,5 As a live biotherapeutic, aiming to help restore the gut microbiome community, RBX2660 may bring an innovative therapeutic option to patients suffering from this potentially deadly infection.

"C. diff infection is a significant public health threat that has limited treatment options. These positive preliminary findings represent a major step forward towards bringing an innovative, non-antibiotic option to patients that may help restore their gut microbiome, said Per Falk, Ferring's President and Chief Science Officer. With health systems under increasing pressure due to viruses like COVID-19 and the rising threat of antimicrobial resistance, the need for new therapies is greater than ever. We believe the power of the microbiome has great potential and we look forward to bringing RBX2660 to patients soon."

"Since founding Rebiotix in 2011, our mission has been to harness the power of the microbiome to treat complex diseases. Our first goal was to address C. diff, which poses a significant health threat to thousands worldwide every year," said Lee Jones, CEO and founder of Rebiotix, a Ferring company. The positive preliminary data on the primary efficacy endpoint are a major stepping stone for the RBX2660 development program, bringing us closer to an approved microbiome therapy available for healthcare providers to help patients. As a first-in-class, potentially paradigm-changing technology, we look forward to discussing our final data with the FDA in the latter part of this year."

The ongoing Phase 3 trial is a randomized, multicenter, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study. The trial also incorporates a safety assessment intended to follow patients for several months after receiving the investigational drug. The safety data will provide insight into the potential of using microbes as a therapeutic intervention. The full data package is anticipated in the second half of 2020.

This trial builds on nearly a decade of research and evaluation of the formulation, with robust clinical and microbiome data collected over multiple controlled trials under the proprietary MRT drug platform.

Notes to editors

About Clostridioides difficile infection (C. diff)

C. diff is a bacterium that causes diarrhea and colitis (an inflammation of the colon).6 It is estimated to cause up to half a million illnesses in the US alone every year and is considered an urgent threat to public health by the CDC, and can lead to severe complications, including hospitalization, surgery, and death.2 While antibiotics are the standard of care to address the infection, they are also the primary risk factor for disease recurrence.3 Recurrence of C. diff occurs in approximately 15-50% of patients.7

About the microbiome

The human microbiome is a complex community of microorganisms which live on every surface of the body. The microbiome aids in the maintenance and development of the immune system, metabolism, and other functions essential to human life.8 The gastrointestinal tract houses the most dense and complex population of microbiota, which has an incredible influence over daily health from aiding in food digestion to fighting disease. Clinical and scientific studies indicate antibiotics, viruses, stress and other factors can disturb the gut microbiota. This disruption, often referred to as "dysbiosis," may have negative health impacts, and promote conditions for infections like C. diff infection to take hold.9 Rebiotix and Ferring believe there is tremendous potential in microbiota-based therapies to address such illnesses, and are evaluating this therapeutic optionthrough theirpioneering microbiota-based MRT drug platformbeginning with recurrent C. diff infection

About RBX2660

The investigational RBX2660 formulation is the first-in-class microbiota-based therapy to achieve positive preliminary Phase 3 study results. RBX2660 is being developed to help break the cycle of recurrent C. diff infection. The therapy has been granted Fast Track, Orphan, and Breakthrough Therapy designations from the US FDA. The RBX2660 ongoing pivotal Phase 3 trial, PUNCH CD3, is a randomized, multicenter, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study. For more information about the RBX2660 Phase 3 study, visit www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03244644).

About Ferring Pharmaceuticals

Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a research-driven, specialty biopharmaceutical group committed to helping people around the world build families and live better lives. Headquartered in Saint-Prex, Switzerland, Ferring is a leader in reproductive medicine and maternal health, and in specialty areas within gastroenterology and urology. Founded in 1950, privately-owned Ferring now employs approximately 6,500 people worldwide, has its own operating subsidiaries in nearly 60 countries and markets its products in 110 countries.

Learn more at www.ferring.com, or connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

About Rebiotix

Rebiotix Inc, part of the Ferring Pharmaceuticals Group, is a late-stage clinical microbiome company focused on harnessing the power of the human microbiome to revolutionize the treatment of challenging diseases. Rebiotix has a diverse pipeline of investigational drug products built on its pioneering microbiota-based MRT drug platform. The platform consists of investigational drug technologies designed to potentially rehabilitate the human microbiome by delivering a broad consortium of live microbes into a patient's intestinal tract. For more information on Rebiotix and its pipeline of human microbiome-directed therapies for diverse disease states, visit www.rebiotix.com, or connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

References

1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What Is C. Diff? 17 Dec. 2018. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/cdiff/what-is.html.

2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Biggest Threats and Data, 14 Nov. 2019. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/biggest-threats.html.

3 Theriot CM, Young VB. Microbial and metabolic interactions between the gastrointestinal tract and Clostridium difficile infection. Gut Microbes. 2013;5(1):86-95. doi:10.4161/gmic.27131.

4 Lessa FC, Mu Y, Bamberg WM, et al., Burden of Clostridium difficile Infection in the United States. New England Journal of Medicine. 2015;372(9):825-834. doi:10.1056/nejmoa1408913.

5 DRG Report 2016 Clostridium Difficile.

6 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Clostridioides difficile Fact Sheet. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/cdiff/pdf/Cdiff-Factsheet-P.pdf

7 Stevens VW, Nelson RE, Schwab-Daugherty EM, et al., Comparative Effectiveness of Vancomycin and Metronidazole for the Prevention of Recurrence and Death in Patients with Clostridium difficile Infection. JAMA Intern Med. 2017;177(4):546-553. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.9045.

8 Mohajeri MH, Brummer RJM, Rastall RA, et al., The role of the microbiome for human health: from basic science to clinical applications. Eur J Nutr. 2018;57(Suppl 1):1-14. doi:10.1007/s00394-018-1703-4.

9 Quigley EM. Gut bacteria in health and disease. Gastroenterol Hepatol (N Y). 2013;9(9):560-569.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005454/en/

Contacts:

For more information, please contact

Courtney Jones

Marketing Manager

Rebiotix Inc., a Ferring Company

+1 651 705 8774 (direct)

courtney.jones@ferring.com



Lindsey Rodger

Senior Manager, Corporate Communications

Ferring Pharmaceuticals

+41 58 451 4023 (direct)

+41 79 191 0486 (mobile)

lindsey.rodger@ferring.com
Wells Enterprises is deepening their relationship with Fact & Fiction by awarding the agency creative and strategic work for Blue Ribbon Classics, The Cheesecake Factory At Home ice cream, and Coffee House ice cream bars. The engagement for the frozen-treat brands includes social strategy, creative development, and content production. Madhava Foods had engaged Fact & Fiction to produce campaigns that broaden awareness and consumer preference for Madhava's full line of products and for the Cocomels brand.

"When it comes to building a modern and relevant brand, speed is crucial. So, we are extremely excited to be partnering with an agency that provides exceptional creativity along with the agility and structure necessary to execute exceptional campaigns not just rapidly, but effectively. We look forward to working alongside Fact & Fiction in bringing Madhava and Cocomels to life in a meaningful, consumer-centric way," said Kimberly Waldron, director of marketing, Madhava Foods.

Fact & Fiction is built on the belief that brands shouldn't have to sacrifice quality, speed or efficiency as they seek growth. They built their agency to be able to move at the speed of modern, combining strategy, creative and production disciplines in a single collaborative team structure. Because Fact & Fiction has a full roster of in-house producers, photographers, and editors, clients experience seamless strategy, concepting, creative development and deployment without interruption.

"Now on our 4th and 5th brand engagements with Fact & Fiction, our organization recognizes and appreciates the Agency's ability to concept and execute ideas that are rooted in strategy and insight, timely and relevant to consumers & culture, while having the power to break through to ultimately impact the business. We're excited to broaden our relationship even further," said Shilpa Gadhok, senior brand manager, Wells Enterprises.

About Fact & Fiction

Fact & Fiction is an insight-based creative content shop that builds brands people care about and makes campaigns worth paying attention to. Based in Boulder, Colorado and a subsidiary of Boulder Heavy Industries, Fact & Fiction is structured to move at the speed of modern, providing a more effective, relevant and nimble option for brands that don't want to sacrifice quality.

About Wells Enterprises

Wells Enterprises, Inc. is the largest privately held, family-owned ice cream manufacturer in the United States. Wells produces more than 200 million gallons of ice cream per year and distributes products in all 50 states. Wells manufactures its signature brand Blue Bunny, lower-calorie Halo Top, the iconic Bomb Pop, and Blue Ribbon Classics.

About Madhava Foods

Madhava Ltd., producer of the #1 agave and coconut sugar in the US, is committed to raising the standard for the food we eat by delivering unprecedented purity across a portfolio of natural sweeteners, oils and vinegars. Madhava recently acquired Cocomels, maker of the original coconut milk caramel, in late 2019.

CONTACT:

Mandy Melby

[email protected]

720.771.0475

SOURCE Fact & Fiction

Related Links

http://www.factandfiction.work


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PICKERING, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 6, 2020 / Renforth Resources Inc. (CSE:RFR)(OTC Pink:RFHRF)(WKN:A2H9TN) ("Renforth" or the "Company") is pleased to provide shareholders with a pit constrained gold Mineral Resource Estimate for Renforth's wholly owned Parbec Property, located on the Cadillac Break, in Malartic, Quebec and contiguous to the open pit Canadian Malartic Mine. This Mineral Resource Estimate has been calculated by P&E Mining Consultants Inc. of Brampton, Ontario, with an effective date of April 30th, 2020, using only assay data from between 2007 and Renforth's last work on the property in 2019, excluding all assay results obtained historically, or prior to 2007. Renforth has in its possession all the core from 2007 to date."Delivering this pit constrained Mineral Resource Estimate for our wholly owned Parbec Gold property to Renforth's shareholders is done with a great deal of satisfaction. Renforth awaits the results of our recently announced metallic screen work for Parbec and will use those, once received, in conjunction with this deposit model, to assess our next steps at Parbec. In Parbec Renforth has the luxury of being well positioned, on the Cadillac Break in Malartic Quebec, with accessible surface ounces in a rising gold market and is able to make our next moves with no outside pressures" states Nicole Brewster, President and CEO of Renforth.Parbec April 2020 Pit Constrained Mineral Resource EstimateThe engineered open pit geometry has a maximum depth of 225 m and a maximum length of 1,300 m, whereas mineralization at Parbec reaches a maximum depth of 738m and is present the length of the Cadillac Break on the Property, ~1.8km.Renforth can use the new 3D model generated with this Mineral Resource to plan future drilling at Parbec relative to the constraining pit shell.Assay composite results used, those obtained between 2007 and 2019, were capped at 20 g/t Au in this model. Renforth has determined that there is a nugget effect present at Parbec which could impact future development, capping of the composite grade within the constraining pit shell is a prudent and conservative approach.The Mineral Resource Estimate totals 104,500 oz of gold in 1,822,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.78 g/t Au in the Indicated classification and 177,300 oz of gold in 3,122,000 tonnes at an average grade of 1.77 g/t Au in the Inferred classification as follows;Parbec Mineral Resource Estimate (1-6)AreaClassificationCut-off Au(g/t)Tonnes(k)Au(g/t)Au(koz)Pit ConstrainedIndicated0.321,7821.77101.4Inferred0.321,9971.56100.3Out-of-PitIndicated1.44402.383.1Inferred1.441,1252.1377.0TotalIndicated0.32 + 1.441,8221.78104.5Inferred0.32 + 1.443,1221.77177.31) Mineral Resources which are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues.2) The Inferred Mineral Resource in this estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resource could be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration.3) The Mineral Resources in this report were estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions and Guidelines prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by the CIM Council.4) Historically mined areas were depleted from the Mineral Resource model.5) The pit constrained Au cut-off grade of 0.32 g/t Au was derived from US$1,450/oz Au price, 0.75 US$/C$ exchange rate, 95% process recovery, C$17/t process cost and C$2/t G&A cost. The constraining pit optimization parameters were C$2.50/t mineralized mining cost, $2/t waste mining cost, $1.50/t overburden mining cost and 50 degree pit slopes.6) The out of pit Au cut-off grade of 1.44 g/t Au was derived from US$1,450/oz Au price, 0.75 US$/C$ exchange rate, 95% process recovery, C$66/t mining cost, C$17/t process cost and C$2/t G&A cost. The out of pit Mineral Resource grade blocks were quantified above the 1.44 g/t Au cut-off, below the constraining pit shell and within the constraining mineralized wireframes. Additionally, only groups of blocks that exhibited continuity and reasonable potential stope geometry were included. All orphaned blocks and narrow strings of blocks were excluded. The longhole stoping with backfill method was assumed for the out of pit Mineral Resource Estimate calculation.Renforth would like to offer readers of this press release an understanding of the meaning of the Indicated and the Inferred Mineral Resource classifications. In both instances the gold ounces stated are verified to the satisfaction of the Qualified Person who authored the Mineral Resource Estimate. The difference is the level of confidence the author of the Mineral Resource Estimate has regarding the likelihood of mining, as stated in bullet #2 above the level of confidence is lower in the Inferred classification than the Indicated, it is reasonable to expect that with some amount of additional exploration Inferred ounces can be mined, whereas the Indicated ounces do not require any additional ex
Chinese medical teams have made significant contributions to the epidemic prevention and control work in Africa, as many medical personnels have fought on the frontlines in efforts to help contain the spread of the coronavirus in the region.

A Chinese doctor sends temperature guns to Tiluneisi Beijing Hospital. (Photo via the Chinese medical team to Ethiopia)

As of April 22, Chinese medical teams in Africa conducted a total of 350 special training sessions, trained 12,690 people, and issued a total of 1,203 publicity bulletins, notices and guides.

The Chinese medical team to Ethiopia has not only assisted the Ethiopian health department in debugging virus testing equipment and successfully completed the first test, but also helped Tiluneisi Beijing Hospital, where the medical team is located, to do a good job in epidemic prevention and control, with emphasis on strengthening the protection of medical workers.

According to the epidemic prevention and control in Ethiopia, the service period for the 21st batch of medical team to Ethiopia has been extended.

Zheng jinbiao, a member of the Chinese medical team to Equatorial Guinea, checks the eyesight of a local patient.(Photo via the Chinese medical team to Equatorial Guinea)

As the 30th batch of medical assistance to Equatorial Guinea, the medical team in Equatorial Guinea has a total of 25 members, covering pediatrics, emergency disposal, intensive care and other clinical departments.

After the outbreak of the epidemic, the government of Equatorial Guinea immediately contacted the medical team in hope that the team could deploy members to government-designated hospitals to provide support.

The medical team, in coordination with the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in Equatorial Guinea, dispatched its members to several local hospitals to make a contribution to the forefront of the fight against the epidemic.

Chinese efforts have also made a difference in Sierra Leone. Toby, a trained surgical nurse, said that under the patient guidance of Chinese doctors, the local medical staff have recognized many problems that were usually ignored, such as wearing a mask.

After study and exchange, local doctors in Sierra Leone no longer panic about COVID-19 epidemic, but have had the confidence in doing a superb job in prevention and control.

After understanding the difference between the Ebola virus and COVID-19, local hospitals in Sierra Leone have set up hand-washing devices and hung posters for epidemic prevention and control at the gates, outpatient halls and doors of inpatient wards.
In a post shared to Reddits Wedding Shaming forum, the anonymous couple, who are believed to be from the UK, asked for people to fund their traditional and modern wedding  along with their honeymoon in either Peru, Dubai, Japan, Turkey or Egypt.

While the bride, who is a musician, offered to write an original song to express her gratitude to well-wishers.

But many angered forum users were quick to take to the comments section, slamming the couple for being tacky.

Wow Id like to go to those places too! Wheres my money? This would be tacky any time but especially now, wrote one, while a second penned: People who think they DESERVE a nice wedding or honeymoon are deluded.



In the initial post, the couple began: We are planning our wedding to take place in September. Unfortunately we are both fighting chronic illness and try to stay above water during the Covid-19 crisis.

This wedding is supposed to be all traditional / modern wedding but our dreams have been narrowed down because of our chronic illness and medical costs.

The duo then decided to take things a step further by discussing their dream honeymoon plans, that are yet to be decided.

It read: We also have dreams for our honeymoon with locations like: Peru, Dubai, Turkey, Egypt and Japan. If only we could do 1 of those locations we would see this as our dream fulfilled.

You could make the difference in helping us fulfill that dream. If you can afford to donate anything it would mean the world to us!

[Since] I am a musician at heart I can give in return some of my latest tracks for you to enjoy.

However, rather than taking to their purses to donate, many were left outraged by the mere suggestion of helping  with some brides admitting they couldnt even afford their own honeymoon, so went without.

My husband and I couldnt afford a fancy honeymoon, wrote one. We used a cabin a family member loaned to us and we were grateful for that.

I am astounded how many people ask for money to fund the honeymoon. If you cant afford it, maybe the money youre given as a present should be put into things other than a holiday.

A second commented: My husband and I didnt go on a honeymoon because we couldnt afford it and couldnt get the time off work. We never would have asked people to pay for our holiday. Who the hell do they think are? while a fourth agreed:

If someone GIFTS them money for their honeymoon without being asked, thats great, but to ask for it is very tacky and tone deaf.

Particularly since many folks are struggling with their own issues that actually ARE related to COVID-19.

Meanwhile, a further wrote: Ive never understood why people think their dream wedding or honeymoon is something any stranger cares about, to which another replied: Because theyre self centered enough to think theyre celebrities.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updates
A primary six pupil of the Tutukpene Municipal Assembly Basic School, was on Friday, April 24, allegedly caught breaking into a room, and was the same day, banished by the Chief and his elders from the town.

Superintendent Lawson Lartey, the Municipal Police Commander of the Oti Region, summoned the community leadership over the matter and said failure to produce the boy would land them in the grips of the Law.

The Commander condemned the action of the community, saying the practice of banishment was not covered by Law and was an abusive act.

Mr Lartey advised that traditional leaders worked more with State structures in fighting crime, and asked that they aligned customs and traditions to fundamental human rights.

The Chief is said to have prohibited anyone from tracing the boy, with his family expressing fear to GNA of losing him to hunger and disease.

My son can die of hunger or be affected by this Coronavirus, Afua Amoah, mother of the boy said, and appealed to the public to help find him.

---GNA
Oil prices on Wednesday built on the previous day's surge, boosted by signs of easing in the coronavirus that is allowing some countries to begin opening their economies, though traders are keeping an eye on brewing China-US tensions. International benchmark Brent gained 0.45 percent to $31.11 a barrel, reversing early losses, having surged 14 percent above $30 on Tuesday for the first time since mid-April. US marker West Texas Intermediate climbed 1.1 percent to $24.18 a barrel, after rising 20 percent the previous day. Oil markets were battered in April as the virus strangled demand owing to business closures and travel restrictions, with US crude falling into negative territory for the first time. But they have started to rally -- WTI has doubled since last Tuesday -- as governments from the Pacific to Europe and some US states report lower new infection rates and deaths, and begin easing tough lockdowns from Europe to Asia ease curbs and economies start shuddering back to life. However, Donald Trump's comments at the weekend hitting out at Beijing over its handling of the outbreak, saying it began in a Wuhan lab but so far offering no evidence, have raised tensions between the economic superpowers. "Traders are incredibly cautious this morning, weighing all the possible China responses," said Stephen Innes, chief global market strategist at AxiCorp. "And the one that would hurt the most would be for China to reduce imports of US oil." The rally has also been supported by a deal agreed between top producers to reduce output by almost 10 million barrels a day, which came into effect on May 1. And there are signs that the massive oversupply in the market is starting to ease as demand slowly comes back. Energy data provider Genscape said earlier this week that stockpiles at the main US oil depot in Cushing, Oklahoma had increased by only 1.8 million barrels last week following weeks of major rises.
Mumbai, May 6 : Nearly two months after he was arrested, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday filed a chargesheet against Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor before a special court, official sources said.

Kapoor was arrested by the ED on March 8 and charged under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The agency is probing allegations of paying Rs 600 crore to a company controlled by Kapoor and his family members, from a firm linked to the scam-tainted Dewan Housing Finance Ltd (DHFL).

The Kapoors, including Rana Kapoor, his wife and their three daughters, allegedly got huge amounts in kickbacks through the companies owned by them for sanctioning massive loans to some corporate entities which later turned non-performing assets.

The DHFL founders, Kapil Wadhawan and Dheeraj Wadhawan, were arrested last month by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the same case from Mahabaleshwar and are presently in custody till May 8.

The CBI has charged that Yes Bank had invested Rs 3,700 crore in short-term debentures in the DHFL for which the Wadhawans paid kickbacks of Rs 600 crore to Kapoor in the form of a loan to DoIT Urban Ventures India Pvt Ltd, owned by his daughters.
New Jersey hospitals received much-needed federal funding to alleviate the financial strain for battling the coronavirus, but a few say they will not be able to take advantage of the funding.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded $1.7 billion to 53 New Jersey hospitals that treated a minimum of 100 patients who had the virus. HHS also allocated another $8.1 million earmarked for 12 hospitals in rural areas of the state.

Shore Medical Center in Somers Point and Cape Regional Medical Center in Middle Township are still treating coronavirus patients and other emergencies, but are effectively closed for all other procedures. Located in some of the areas of the state least hit by the virus, the hospitals say they have not treated 100 COVID-19 patients in the required timeline, and so are not eligible for the funding.

Shore Medical Center spokesman Brian Cahill said that while it was necessary to close the hospitals, and that the community has helped to support them, that support only offsets a fraction of revenue that was lost.

We need to make sure that assistance represents the shared sacrifices that healthcare workers at both medical centers have made, said Shore Medical Center spokesman Brian Cahill.

Cahill said that both hospitals had treated patients who were showing symptoms of the coronavirus as far back as January, but they were not included in the HHSs minimum threshold of 100 patients admitted prior to April 10, 2020. The spokesman said that if the patients were included in the count, both hospitals would have received the funding. Instead, Cahill said the hospitals, patients, and their staffs had been forgotten.

Fortunately, the number of diagnosed cases in Atlantic and Cape May counties have been relatively low so far, Cahill said. But whether it was one patient treated or 100, Shore and Cape Regional embraced the same risk as every other hospital. Every patients life and every clinician who cared for them should be counted and valued the same as those in other hospitals in the state and across the country.

Cahill said he is hoping Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) will help bring legislation that will help the other hospitals who were not eligible to receive money.

We are all supposed to be in this together, Cahill said.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Chris Franklin may be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 6)  Members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) raised over 228.4 million from their own pockets to help in the national government's COVID-19 response, and to fulfill their promise to assist families affected by the pandemic.

The donation, which exceeded the original target of 200 million, was turned over on Wednesday to the Department of Finance by PNP Chief Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa.

Aside from our fight against COVID-19, the most challenging battle our government and the rest of the nation is facing is our struggle against poverty, which comprises majority of Filipinos  the homeless, the daily wage earners, the marginalized, and the poorest of the poor throughout the country," PNP Spokesperson Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac said. "Thus, the PNP personnel voluntarily contributed from their salaries as our way to help the government take care of poor Filipinos in this prolonged fight against the pandemic."

"The PNP, together with the AFP, is in full support with the father of our nation, our commander-in-chief, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, to strictly implement government guidelines," Banac added.

The PNP also encouraged the public to provide financial support for the less advantaged, as the country continues to grapple with the socioeconomic impact of the pandemic.

"We can only win this war against COVID-19 if we will unite as one nation to support and follow [the] government, as well as help take care of our fellow Filipinos not only to fight the contagion, but also poverty," the PNP spokesman said.

Gamboa, meanwhile, thanked businesses, organizations, groups, and individuals for extending donations, in support of the healthcare frontliners, as well as the PNP and the AFP personnel, amid the battle against the dreaded disease.

In a related development, the PNP said it is now ready to manage another quarantine facility in Metro Manila, the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.

The PNP Health Service, the Department of Health, and the Inter-Agency Task Force, will supervise the operations in the 132-bed isolation site for mild to moderate COVID-19 cases, it added.

A total of six doctors, nine nurses, and 21 personnel from the Medical Reserve Force (MRF) will take turns in the duty.

"The Philippine National Police is grateful to [the] DPWH for the prompt conversion of the PhilSports Arena into another quarantine center. With the full support of the national leadership, we are confident [that] we [will] be able to accomplish this crucial mission, the PNP top official said.

The Finance Department lauded the PNP, and described their deeds as "a heroic and a rare display of citizenship."

In April, the police force launched their own version of "SAP," or the "Sariling Alay ng Pulis" project, through the Team PNP Bayanihan Fund Challenge, to "generate some 200 million from [their] pockets to augment government funds for social amelioration programs for Filipinos in the marginalized sector." The PNP officers willingly committed to giving 50 percent of their basic pay for the month of May.

On Wednesday, the Philippines breached the 10,000 mark, as it recorded 10,004 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 1,506 recoveries and 658 deaths.
The global death toll from the coronavirus is nearing 260,000 with more than 3.6 million infections confirmed, causing mass disruptions as governments continue to try to slow the spread of the new respiratory illness.

Here's a roundup of COVID-19 developments in RFE/RL's broadcast regions.

Russia

Industrial facilities and construction companies in the Russian capital will resume operations after May 12, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said amid reports that the number of coronavirus cases across the country increased by more than 10,000 over the previous 24 hours.

Sobyanin also said on May 6 during an online meeting of the government with President Vladimir Putin that it was too early for service-sector outlets in Moscow to reopen, even though the number of officially registered cases in the capital has decreased for the last few days.

Economy Minister Maksim Reshetnikov said at the session that economic activity in the country in general had fallen by one-third in comparison with what it was before the coronavirus lockdown was imposed at the end of March.

Also on May 6, health authorities said the number of coronavirus cases in Russia increased by more than 10,000 and reached 165,929, including 1,537 deaths. It was the fourth straight day with at least 10,000 new registered cases.

Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova's press service said on May 6 that she was among the newly infected, adding that the minister did not require hospitalization and the disease was proceeding in "a light form."

Lyubimova is the third top official in Russia to test positive for the coronavirus, after Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Construction Minister Vladimir Yakushev.

During the online session, Putin ordered regional governors to develop plans for the gradual lifting of coronavirus restrictions after May 11.

Russia has imposed a partial lockdown on many regions, including Moscow, in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Putin initially announced a nonworking week from March 28 to April 5, extended it until April 30, and later prolonged it again until May 11.

Central Asia

The World Health Organization (WHO) says it is still working on a possible visit to Turkmenistan as the country continues to claim it is has yet to record a positive test for the coronavirus even as the outbreak engulfs its Central Asian neighbors.



Stephanie Brickman of the WHO's Europe Press Office told RFE/RL that a mission is currently in Tajikistan and had looked to continue on in a second leg of that trip to Turkmenistan, but could not amid reports that the government in Ashgabat has yet to issue an official invitaiton.



"In the initial planning phases, it was hoped that the mission could travel on to Turkmenistan after finishing in Tajikistan. We are still in the process of facilitating logistics, which proves to be challenging in current times," Brickman wrote in an email to RFE/RL.



Media reports this week cited a representative of the UN agency as saying that the visit to Turkmenistan could not take place since the prerequisite for any mission is an invitation from the host government interested in WHO assistance.



Turkmenistan has not reported any registered COVID-19 cases yet, but experts are skeptical of the claim given the lack of transparency and an independent media in the country.



Doctors in the country are not allowed to talk about the coronavirus, face masks are banned, and citizens are punished for publicly discussing the global pandemic.



Despite the claim of no cases, authorities have set up three quarantine zones around the country in a bid to prevent the spread of what they call "infectious diseases."



People with coronavirus symptoms are not being treated for the virus, and COVID-19 test results are unknown, even if they are performed.

RFE/RL's Coronavirus Crisis Archive Features and analysis, videos, and infographics explore how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the countries in our region.

In Tajikistan, where authorities confirmed coronavirus cases for the first time on April 30, authorities in the capital, Dushanbe, said on May 6 that that several makeshift hospitals to accommodate as many as 3,000 patients will be built in the city in just one month to treat the surging number of COVID-19 infections.



However, experts told RFE/RL that Dushanbe and other towns and cities in the country already face a shortage of medical personnel and equipment to treat coronavirus patients in current existing hospitals and temporary treatment sites housed in kindergartens, schools, and university dormitories.



A day earlier Tajik President Emomali Rahmon relieved Health Minister Nasim Olimzoda of his duties and appointed Jamoliddin Abdullozoda to the post.



According to official data, 293 coronavirus cases, including five deaths, have been registered in Tajikistan.



In neighboring Uzbekistan, the number of coronavirus cases was reported as 2,217, including 10 deaths, as of May 6.



In Kyrgyzstan, the latest figures are 871 cases with 12 deaths.



The largest number of coronavirus cases in the region has been officially registered in Kazakhstan, with 4,298 cases with 29 deaths

With reporting by RFE/RL's Turkmen, Tajik, Uzbek, Kyrgyz, and Kazakh services, RIA Novosti, and Dozhd TV
Farmers have reiterated the need to protect British food and farming standards as trade talks between the UK and US are set to get underway.

The first round of delayed video-conference negotiations will involve 200 officials today (5 May), and is expected to last two weeks with future talks every six weeks.

International Trade Secretary Liz Truss has pledged to drive a 'hard bargain' and said any deal with the US was 'essential' to ease the Covid-19 financial impact.

"Increasing transatlantic trade can help our economies bounce back from the economic challenge posed by coronavirus," she said.

"As we sit down at the negotiating table, be assured that we will drive a hard bargain to secure a deal that benefits individuals and businesses in every region and nation of the UK."

But farming groups have again reiterated the need for the British government to maintain food and farming standards in a UK-US trade deal.

The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) said that while the American market could boost British food exports, the US 'must conform' to the UK's standards.

Our farmers grow some of the best produce in the world. Businesses are well placed to capitalise on growing demand and new markets abroad," CLA president Mark Bridgeman said.

However, if the US wants greater access to the UK market for its own produce, they must conform to our high standards.

"Allowing food produced to low animal welfare and environmental standards to undercut UK farmers is unacceptable."

The government has repeatedly issued warm words in this regard, but industry groups have urged officials to go further and legislate to protect farmers.

"Maintaining food standards needs to be part of the Agriculture Bill," Mr Bridgeman said.

Speaking at the NFU Conference in February, NFU President Minette Batters said any drop in UK food and farming standards would be "insane".

She said legislation must be in place to safeguard British farming from imports that have been produced using methods that would be illegal in the UK.

There is no doubt that UK negotiators will come under pressure to find ways of allowing the US greater access to the UK market for food that does not meet our own standards," Mrs Batters said.

If we are to ensure any country negotiating a trade deal with the UK is left in no doubt as to our governments position on food production standards, it needs to be enshrined in law that all food imports will be held to the same standards.

Farmers need to know that their businesses wont be undercut by food imports that they would be unable to produce here legally."
An American veteran who served in World War II and stood guard during the Nuremberg trials of top Nazi officials, has died from coronavirus at the age of 93.

Emilio J DiPalma was living in the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke, Massachusetts, at the time of his passing in April. The veteran hospital and center has had 84 people die, 71 of whom tested positive for the virus.

'There was so much life there,' one of his daughters, Emily Aho, explained to Military.com. 'They had this canteen, there was always people singing, dancing, games. I loved going there and visiting. And the staff was amazing. They truly loved my father.'

The family's loss continued. Aho would soon learn her uncle had died the following day.

Emilio J DiPalma was living in the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke, Massachusetts, at the time of his passing. He died on Wednesday at the age of 93 (pictured in 2009)

DiPalma, from Springfield, was drafted into the U.S. Army in September 1944 when he was 18. By the time he arrived in Europe in early 1945, he was deployed to the front lines

84 people at the facility have died, with 71 testing positive for the virus

'The hard part of all of this... is that there's no funeral. There's no services. We can't be graveside. They can't embalm,' Aho said. 'He's gotta go in the ground soon, and that's that.'

DiPalma, from Springfield, was drafted into the U.S. Army in September 1944 when he was 18. By the time he arrived in Europe in early 1945, he was deployed to the front lines.

While in combat, DiPalma shared in a 2002 interview with the New York State Military Museum that he and his fellow soldiers were focused on their tasks and the emotions would not be felt until much later.

'When things calmed down, it would be hours later, I'd get the shakes, you know,' he said. 'And I've never felt like that, before or after.'

DiPalma shared that he came close to death a few times while chasing after retreating soldiers through the German countryside. Several of his friends died while on the pursuit.

The soldier was then assigned to Nuremberg, following the end of the war in Europe. DiPalma was assigned night shift duty of photocopying records seized from Nazis and struggled understanding why they documented everything

'When a bullet or slug comes close to your head, it emits a cracking sound, similar to the sound of a snapping whip,' he would write in his memoir. 'Nobody had to teach or tell you what that crack was.'

The soldier was then assigned to Nuremberg, following the end of the war in Europe. DiPalma was assigned night shift duty of photocopying records seized from Nazis and struggled understanding why they documented everything.

DiPalma would later be tapped to watch the cells of top Nazi war criminals and stood guard in the courtroom during the trial.

Eli Rosenbaum, a U.S. Department of Justice, explained that U.S. Army Col. Burton Andrus - the officer in charge - wanted only men who fought in Europe to guard the courtroom.

'He wanted the defendants, and he wanted the world, to see some of the men who had defeated the Nazi regime through their courage,' Rosenbaum said.

DiPalma would later be tapped to watch cells for top Nazi war criminals and stood guard in the courtroom during the trial

Rosenbaum, who has led the office that has worked to deport ex-Nazis from the U.S., befriended DiPalma after reading his memoir. He referred to the veteran as a 'quiet hero' of the Greatest Generation.

'He experienced the horrors of combat personally,' Rosenbaum said, 'and then month after month in the courtroom at Nuremberg he was there as additional horrors were detailed every day.'

Hermann Goring, who helped established the Nazi's secret police, was just one of the fallen military leaders DiPalma encountered during the trial.

DiPalma recalled an encounter he had with the Nazi leader, who did not want to walk into a hallway until a group of onlookers left. The at-the-time 19-year-old nudged Goring.

'He turned around, and he swung at me, and he hit me on the arm,' DiPalma said in the 2002 interview. 'And I give him an awful belt in the kidneys. He never said a word to me. But he didn't like me. I know he didn't like me.'

The American got to take an extra step in making the Nazi leader suffer.

'He frequently asked me for a drink of "wasser," or water, during recess while I stood at the end of the dock near him,' Mr. DiPalma wrote in his memoir, according to the Telegram. 'When I would return with a cup of water, taken from chlorinated Lister bags down the hall from the courtroom, Goring would take the water, taste it, and say, "Bah, Americanish," and hand it back to me.'

'The next time he asked me for water, I left to get him some, but not from the canteens. I went to the latrines and scooped some water from a toilet, returned to the courtroom and handed the cup to Goring. Goering drank it down and proclaimed, "Ahhh, gute wasser!"'

Hermann Goering, Rudolf Hess, Joachim Ribbentrop and Wilhelm Keitel at the Nuremberg Trials (front row, left to right)

The soldier recalled how Albert Speer, an architect who was minister of armaments and war production, would draw sketches of American guards. Rudolf Hess, Hitler's deputy in the Nazi Party, muttered out the window from his cell. But DiPalma suspected that Hess was just faking mental illness.

Baldur von Schirach, who was in charge of the Nazi's youth organization, once told DiPalma during a recess: 'The Hitler Youth is nothing more than your Boy Scouts.'

'I said "Really?"' DiPalma recalled in the 2002 interview. 'He didn't realize that I was a front-line soldier. I said, "I fought your Hitler Youth." He never said a word.'

Returning from the war, DiPalma married Louise Catelotti and raised four daughters in East Longmeadow. The father worked as a crane operator and volunteered at his local fire department.

Aho remembers her father as being capable and modest, but something of a jokester. She knew he had served in the war and had a role in the trials but didn't know to what capacity.

'He never really talked about his service,' she said.

DiPalma started sharing his story while in his 70s after a visit the pair took to Germany in 2000. They stopped by the Palace of Justice in Nuremberg, where the trials were held, and was met with a warm welcome from local historians.

DiPalma started sharing his story while in his 70s after a visit the pair took to Germany in 2000. They stopped by the Palace of Justice in Nuremberg, where the trials were held, and was met with a warm welcome from local historians

With help from Aho, a children's book author, DiPalma made his story into a memoir, 'Just a Kid,' for young readers.

Aho shared that her father wanted folks to learn from the story, adding that in Germany 'they turned a blind eye. They didn't speak up. And then it became the norm.'

The pair would visit schools to talk about DiPalma's experience, and the veteran gave oral-history interviews to museums. He also made an appearance to the New York Film Festival in 2010 during the re-release of a 1948 film on the trials that had been shown in Germany. His image made an appearance in the film.

In 2009, DiPalma was awarded the Legacy of Nuremberg award at the Virginia Holocaust Museum.

By 2010, the soldier would feel his age and pull back from engagements. He moved into the facility in 2018.

Aho last visited her father on March 8. By then, he was already in decline but reached out to his daughter and smiled when he saw her.

The author shared that her sister Donna was the only person allowed to visit him once he contracted COVID-19. He died not long after Donna arrived on Wednesday.

'I think he was waiting for her,' Aho said.

A National Guardsman stood outside his door, she added.

Of the deaths reported at the center, 71 have tested positive for COVID-19 while 12 tested negative. One test is pending, according to WWLP.
Modern offices want a fully integrated security ecosystem that enhances the building occupant and visitor experience, says John Szczygiel, EVP and COO of Brivo. Brivo Visitor meets this need with an additional layer of security, matched with a welcoming visitor experience."

Brivo, the global leader in cloud-based access control and physical security platforms, announces the release of its latest product, Brivo Visitor, a kiosk-based visitor management solution for commercial properties. Brivo Visitor provides guest identity and photo capture, delivery management, arrival notifications, badge printing, customizable workflows, and journaling of data to the same centralized database as Brivos flagship Onair access control platform. The combination of visitor management, plus access control in a unified solution, simplifies security and compliance for administrators and provides a secure, streamlined visitor experience. The product elevates security for multi-tenant commercial properties, standalone offices, and reception areas in private company suites.

Modern offices want a fully integrated security ecosystem that enhances the building occupant and visitor experience at the same time it provides security, says John Szczygiel, EVP and COO of Brivo. Brivo Visitor meets this need with an additional layer of security, matched with a welcoming visitor experience. Employees and tenants appreciate it because they get immediate notification of guest arrival on their mobile phones.

As an extension of the Brivo Onair cloud platform, Brivo Visitor inherently provides data integration with the customers core enterprise security systems. For customers, this means that visitor management is part of the same web and mobile application suite they already know how to use. For partners , Brivo Visitor is an easy add-on to any new access control system. It can even be added to existing accounts remotely, with no truck roll.

Another timely benefit of the custom workflow feature is the ability to ask health questions related to the Coronavirus. This provides a means to screen for potential risks and capture the data needed for contact tracing should a visitor or host later turn out to be symptomatic.

Brivo Visitor is easy to set up as it supports badge printing from AirPrint-enabled printers, and uses any commercially available iPad and kiosk to easily complement office decor and accessibility requirements. The Brivo Visitor app is distributed via the Apple App Store, and is activated through a subscription available from Brivo authorized resellers.

About Brivo

Brivo is the global leader in cloud-based access control and security platforms for commercial and multifamily properties. Our mission is to provide Simply Better Security solutions that improve user experiences for property managers, tenants, employees, and visitors. With over 20 million users and 1,500 authorized resellers, our SaaS platform has been unifying the security experience across access control, mobile credentials, video surveillance, identity federation, visitor management, intercoms, and elevator control since 2001. Hundreds of software partners and end users use our APIs and SDKs to extend our solutions to unique vertical market offerings. More than ten years of SOC audits underscore our commitment to protecting customer privacy and data security. Brivo is privately held and headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland.


As part of our #LockdownLessons series, Bizcommunity is reaching out to South Africa's top industry players to share their experience of the current Covid-19 crisis, how their organisations are navigating these unusual times, where the challenges and opportunities lie, and their industry outlook for the near future.

Professor Elain Vlok, Clover manager of the Clover Mama Afrika Trust

What was your initial response to the crisis/lockdown and has your experience of it been different to what you expected?

Comment on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on your organisation or economy as a whole.

Examples:

Mama Phumla of Dibashe Special Centre in Mdantsane forms part of the ECD Forum and has a permit to help deliver food parcels to 26 families in the Potsdam location during this time.



Mama Nondumiso Mpitimpiti of Step Ahead Centre in Amalinda Forest is able to provide her community with fresh eggs, thanks to the egg-laying project Clover Mama Afrika helped her set up earlier this year.



Mama Engelina Molete of Lejwe La Thuso Foundation in Dobsonville has been cleaning up and preparing her food plot.



Mama Phomolo Raisa of Botshabelo is very active in educating her members regarding hygiene and has distributed sewn masks to each one, as well as been using this time to train members baking skills under strict hygiene conditions and supplying the members with much-needed fresh bread and buns.



Mama Rina Malan of Pretoria has been working hard with the teenagers of her centre to sew masks and has just received an order from Clover to produce over 3,000 masks.



Mama Daphne Oliphant of Roodewal continues to bake for her community and is keeping the children busy with craft work.



Mama Selestien Moses of Ashbury has initiated a challenge to produce 1 million masks for her community and surrounds.

Professor Elain Vlok with Clover Mama Afrikas (Image supplied) click to enlarge

How is your organisation responding to the crisis?

Comment on the challenges and opportunities.

How has the lockdown affected your staff? / What temporary HR policies have you put in place regarding remote working, health & safety, etc.?

How are you navigating physical distancing while keeping your team close-knit and aligned?

How have you had to change the way you operate?

Any trends youve seen emerge as a result of the crisis?

Your key message to those in the sector?

What do you predict the next six months will be like?

We chatted to Professor Elain Vlok, Clover manager of the Clover Mama Afrika Trust, to get her take.At first the news was a bit daunting, however our mamas and our team are accustomed to facing challenges and so we adapted fairly quickly.The Clover Mama Afrika team has been working from home, and we hope to return to the office during May or June due to the lowering of lockdown levels to level four. We are lucky that our work is mobile and thanks to technology, we are available 24/7.Clover, as a business, is an essential service, but the mamas have felt the change. They are used to being out on the ground, helping, operating and working. It has, therefore, been difficult for them. However, in true Clover Mama Afrika spirit, theyve been supporting their communities by sewing masks, thanks to their sewing courses, delivering food parcels, and providing educational activities to children in their care, among others.We are available to our mamas countrywide telephonically and via email and obviously have had to put all skills training on hold until further notice. We are assisting the sewing mamas with fabric and accessories for them to meet the demands of mask sewing for their communities. Our top sewing mamas have received an order to provide Clover with corporate masks.The challenge for us is not being able to see our mamas. Relationships are built on face-to-face meetings, but we have learned from our experience that we make the most of our face-to-face time together, and build on that remotely when not in the same province as all our mamas. Similarly, some of our mamas cannot operate, meaning a lack of income from projects like catering. It is economically a very difficult time for everyone.A lot of our mamas have adapted and tried to turn the difficulties into opportunities  such as mask sewing. Theyve also used their existing skills to help others (food parcel delivery). The opportunity here is looking beyond what we cannot do, and looking at what we can do during lockdown.We are already used to dealing with our mamas remotely, because they are based all around the country. Therefore, we maintained our regular contact via email, WhatsApp and phone calls. We have encouraged them to stay indoors per lockdown rules.As mentioned, we are a close team and work remotely already. It is difficult for our mamas and we wish we could visit them, but we remain in regular contact and promote social distancing. We have shared various posters and advice on social distancing with all our mamas to use at home and at their centres, should they be permitted to be open. Regarding the team in the office, we have regular Skype meetings and we ensure that no task on hand is delayed. It is basically work as usual, just not in the same office.What we have done is talk to our mamas about their challenges during lockdown. We are always available to our mamas, whether it be for advice or for the evaluation of additional project support.Many of our mamas are sewing masks for their communities, now that masks are recommended by government, and we are pleased so many of our mamas have benefitted from our sewing classes and can still earn something while helping their communities.Keep positive, stay indoors where possible, stick to the levels imposed by government and adapt where possible.The next six months are not going to be easy; we will need to be in touch with our mamas and offer whatever support we can and its going to be a working relationship with challenges that we might not foresee. However, we are up for the challenge and stay positive. Our mamas have always been positive in the face of adversity and this will be another hurdle that will put us through our paces, but I believe we will recover.We also look forward to rescheduling our skills training sessions and do our national road show before the end of the 2020. If there is one thing I am certain about, it is that our Clover Mama Afrikas will recover and will be doing better after the lockdown. I dont see the period after lockdown as problematic but as exciting and challenging, and we will make it work.
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As the U.K.s film and TV industry looks to restart, a crucial 10-day consultation period is underway on production guidelines that are now circulating across the industry. (Excerpts of the guidelines are published below.)

More than six weeks on from the March 23 lockdown, industry figures such as John McVay, head of producers trade body Pact, warns that restarting business is not like switching a factory back on.

More from Variety

A lot of people are saying, You should just do what Denmark or other countries did, (but) every country is different. Just because Denmark does it one way, it doesnt mean it will work here, McVay tells Variety.

The route to get cameras rolling again has required a complex network of British Film Institute-led working groups on high-end film and TV production, exhibition and distribution, broadcasting and independent film  all of whom have spent more than a month compiling best practice protocols that have now been issued to various industry orgs for consultation.

The Inward Investment Recovery Group, led by the British Film Commission, focuses specifically on high-end TV and film, and has set a May 15 deadline for industry responses that will feed into final proposals shared with government to inform a dedicated set of principles and protocols.

An early draft of the exhaustive 27-page protocols, seen by Variety (for a condensed list of specific measures, please see below), shows measures in place for health and safety training and awareness; supervision; COVID-19 testing and health checks; physical distancing, PPE and mental health; transport; quarantining for international cast and crew; accommodation; on-set cast and crew; catering and craft services; workspaces; equipment cleanliness; limitations on face-to-face meetings; stunts; crowd shoots; studio operations; and construction and workshops.

Story continues

John Barclay, head of recorded media at actors union Equity, tells Variety that the government will slowly, and probably in stages, allow a return to productions across the audio-visual industries based on the various protocols. In the interim, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to set out plans for an easing of lockdown restrictions on Sunday (May 10).

But the question remains: when can production  particularly premium scripted production  resume in earnest? And how?

Alex Boden, chair of the Production Guild of Great Britain and whose producing credits include Netflixs Cursed and Sense8, says that until government guidelines are firmed up, We cant even consider bringing a small crew together.

Its all about regulations on social distancing and potentially wearing PPE, and seeing how that translates to a working environment on a set, in a studio and on a location, says Boden. We will need that extra layer of experts who may need to be trained.

Boden predicts few producers are absolutely confident (they) can start up in the next few weeks. A number of industry insiders estimate production will take four to six weeks of preparation to get back up and running. One U.K.-based studio executive notes, Its July at the earliest, if that, except for maybe very limited scenes.

Streamers such as Netflix, however, are gearing up to hit the ground running. Variety understands the SVOD has producers, line producers and financial controllers already starting work on certain productions to ensure there is no gap in output.

Susanna White, chair of the film committee at industry org Directors UK, whose own credits include Nanny McPhee and Parades End, says the directing process will certainly take longer. We wont be returning to film sets in the way we knew them with dining buses and lots of people crowding round a monitor. Its going to have a very different feel to it.

All execs agree that even with protocols now in early stages, insurance remains a major sticking point for the industry. Pacts McVay is leading the charge on a pan-industry group looking at insurance and notes, Even if we get back to work and were all doing protocols properly and professionally, if the government says, Oh, youre all locked down again, where does the burden fall?

If youre a big U.S. entity, you might be able to soak that up and be fine, but if youre a British company, its very hard to think about doing a major drama series thats going to cost you millions and millions of pounds if suddenly you have to go through another suspension, says McVay.

An array of options are being considered, including a dedicated fund that can insure productions or the government effectively (setting) up as an insurance company itself, says McVay.

Read on for key excerpts of the British Film Commissions draft protocols for production:

COVID-19 Health and Safety Training

 COVID-19 Safer Working induction training must be undertaken by all crew members at least two days prior to shoot commencing.

Supervision, Enforcement & Communication

 Allocate a dedicated COVID-19 H&S Supervisor to the production, with authority to stop unsafe working practices. Allocate a COVID-19 H&S Coordinator to each department to enforce protocols.

 Hire staff, or train designated crew members, to carry out COVID-19 health and symptom checking. Optimize the number of COVID-19 trained medical personnel on set based on crew size. Site signage/posters reminding crew of required good practice

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Testing / Health Check

 Ensure pre-employment screening is completed for all cast and crew.

 Ask all crew members to complete a health questionnaire at the start of the job

 Designate a medic (or trained marshall) to take each crew members temperature ideally twice daily.

 Do not allow anyone with a high temperature to work

 If a crew member shows COVID-19 symptoms, send them home or to their accommodation by private transport

 Cast or crew who have been in close contact with a suspected or known case of COVID-19 should stay at home until safe to return

 Be aware that the whole production may be halted for crew-wide quarantine or testing if a crew member who has wide contact with cast and crew, such as the Director or 1st AD, shows undiagnosed symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19

Physical Distancing, PPE, Personal Hygiene & Mental Health

 Adhere to physical distancing (2m apart) wherever possible  placing markers across sites.

 In a communal workspace, try to allow 4m2 space per person in clear areas and 6m2 space per person in areas that are crowded with equipment or furnishings

 Where 2m distancing cannot be upheld, limit numbers and time spent in close proximity and avoid standing face-to-face (work shoulder-to-shoulder or back-to-back instead)

 Make responsible use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to help communal and personal protection

 Set out best practice personal hygiene for crew, including regularly washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or using hand sanitizer

 Avoid physical contact with others (even fist/elbow greeting bumps)

 Provide adequate handwashing and incidental cleaning equipment

 Consider facilities that reduce queuing or touch, such as extra toilets and handwash basins, or keeping doors wedged open.

 Adopt a managed, secure process for access and egress from individual production zones.

 Ensure the mental health and wellbeing of all cast, crew and ancillary staff is given sufficient priority.

Transport

 For international air travel, use airlines which are operating appropriate physical distancing and hygiene practices.

 For domestic travel, use private self-drive transport where possible (e.g. cycles, motorcyles, own car).

 allocate ample parking spaces at sites for crew; use privately hired transport such as taxis or minibuses if private transport is not available or viable; set maximum occupancy limits to vehicles to observe physical distancing; limit shared vehicles to members of same department if sharing is unavoidable

 Use public transport only as last resort, avoiding peak times where possible

 Use local crew where possible, to limit travel time

Quarantining for Inbound Cast/Crew from Outside the UK

 When bringing international cast and crew into the UK, arrange health checks (including fast test if available) as soon as they arrive and after any quarantine period, if applicable; ensure UK Government guidance on quarantine is adhered to immediately upon arrival

Accommodation

 Provide appropriate isolation accommodation for cast/crew arriving from outside the U.K., making sure it is sanitized by a production-approved supplier prior to occupation

 Avoid the need for temporary overnight accommodation wherever possible.

On-Set Crew, Cast & Supporting Artist Numbers

 Adopt remote working practices where possible and allow only designated essential crew members on set

 Consider organising departments into smaller cohorts and keep them separate to minimise the knock-on impact of one member developing symptoms

 Think about: staggering call times; limiting access to communal work areas to one department at a time; allowing extra time to swap over where required; and allowing additional prep, shoot and strike days accordingly

 Keep interaction between departments to a minimum.

 Conduct dressing, pre-lights, etc. well in advance of the shooting crew arriving to keep crew from those departments separate

 Whenever a department finishes its tasks on set, any shared areas or equipment to be wiped/cleaned

 Consider using a shift system to help manage numbers and avoid excessive working hours to support crew well-being and immunity

 Limit use of daily crew (dailies) and do not allow visitors wherever possible

 Make use of remote-monitoring technology to reduce the number of people present on set. Work with Producers, Writers and other Executives via video call wherever possible

 Avoid having a large video village and spread monitors around instead

Unit Base/Facility Vehicles

 Allocate individual cast trailers, no sharing

 Partition craft and technical trailers with perspex or clear plastic screens to segregate operators/workstations by at least 2m

 Keep all trailers clean  sanitize them before use and if/when occupants change

Catering & Craft Services

 No communal food preparation, storage areas or serving, e.g. buffets or platters

 Use single-serving, pre-packaged food

 No unwrapped food or snacks to be left out

 Use single-serving drinks

 Use single-use cutlery

 Maintain physical distancing (2m) during meal breaks for queuing and eating

 Stagger meal and break times to avoid congestion in eating area

 Use a one-way system for navigating the eating area if possible

Workspace Cleanliness, Sanitization and Inspection

 Dedicate staff for cleaning and supervision, equipped with COVID-19 awareness training

 Take extra measures to clean and disinfect all working, waiting and other communal areas regularly through the day

Personal and Hired-in Equipment Cleanliness, Sanitization and Inspection

 Ask crew not to share personal items (e.g. phones/iPads, chargers, pens) wherever possible and to take responsibility for regularly sanitising their own personal equipment with disinfectant wipes

 When hiring-in equipment, try to minimise shared use.

 Have extra radios and headsets, and dedicate a member of each department to be responsible for them for duration of shoot, (e.g. disinfecting, name- labelling, charging)

 Consider using other methods of playback as well as video monitors on set to help keep crew apart, e.g. use individual iPads

 Avoid using cash and favour payment cards and online purchasing wherever possible

 Where possible, deliveries should be made 72 hours in advance of when they are required and stored in a sterile and secure location

 Where not possible, implement a sterilisation procedure to receive, disinfect and hand over items

 Allow extra time to process deliveries and, if necessary, extend equipment hire period in order to carry out the sanitisation process

 If equipment is shared, it must be regularly disinfected (including packing cases, handles, props, etc.) and always before it is used by a different crew member

Limiting Face-to-Face Meetings/Meeting Etiquette

 Adopt inclusive remote-working technology and avoid in-person meetings during prep and shoot unless absolutely necessary

 Where face-to-face meeting is essential, adopt clear protocols such as: use well ventilated spaces; ensure participants sit or stand at least 2m apart, preferably not directly face-to-face; avoid the need for sharing or passing around items (e.g. pens, printouts, iPads); view drawings, plans and other documents digitally; set a clear advance agenda and keep meeting time to a minimum

Crowd Shoots and Supporting Artists

 Try to avoid physical crowd scenes where possible or adjust to reduce the number of supporting artists required, e.g. using CGI/plates/green screen

 When working with supporting artists: locate holding areas as close to the shooting location as possible, to keep transit time as short as possible; allow extra time to receive supporting artists on site due to health checking and COVID-19 briefing

 While shooting: adhere to 2m physical distancing wherever possible; keep supporting artists in place for as little time as possible (no more than 10 minutes if they are less than 2m apart); try to avoid face-to-face positioning

 Consider using supporting artists who belong to the same household in crowds/backgrounds; placing crowd shoots as late as possible in the schedule; asking supporting artists to wear own clothes and do own hair and make-up, if viable

Studio Operations

 Agree clear demarcation of responsibilities between the production and Studio Operations

 If multiple productions overlap, work together to organise schedules and logistics that allow for best use of available space and facilities on site

Construction, Workshops & Off-Set Services

 Compartmentalise services as much as possible to minimise contact with any other department and lower the risk of cross-contamination. For example: use dedicated runners for collections; povide drop-off/collection points for items to limit contact; pre-fabricate as much as possible in-house, only assembling and painting on site

 Partition workstations/benches with perspex or clear plastic screens to segregate operators and use appropriate PPE if close-proximity working is essential

 All power tools should be used by a single person only, no sharing of such equipment  if equipment is shared, it must be regularly disinfected and always before it is used by a different operator

 Consider splitting construction crew into separate early and late shifts

Art Department, Set Dressing & Props

 Allow Art Department crew to work alone on set until dressing is complete before any other departments undertake their tasks

 Limit handling of key props to prop master and relevant cast

 Allow time for additional cleaning and disinfection of props, furniture and other set dressing when they have been handled, leaned against, etc. by other cast or crew members

Camera (inc. Grip/Crane)

 Agree a process for safe handling of items such as camera cards and cases when passing to DIT, e.g. Limit the number of people handling them; wipe down cards and card cases on handover; wash hands before and after handling them

 Try to allow camera placement to take place without any other department working in close proximity

 Where possible, use remote monitoring, remote focus and other solutions that allow operating at distance

Costume

 In order to limit the number of crew on set, consider keeping the Costume Designer and Truck Costumer at unit base dressing cast; undertaking as many fittings as possible during prep or off-site to avoid additional costumes and people coming to base; allowing a representative of the Costume Department on set only for period or speciality costume (e.g. military) where accuracy is essential

 Keep physical contact between cast members and costume crew to a minimum, with both wearing PPE when close proximity is unavoidable

 Where possible, cast should receive their costume in a screened-off cubicle and dress without assistance

 To help reduce cross-contamination risk: Separate individual cast members costumes in plastic bags; Hang cast members own clothes inside a clean plastic cover; launder costumes frequently and cover individually in plastic covers after cleaning; Consider the use of PPE when appropriate, e.g. when handling costumes

Director & ADs

 To reduce face-to-face contact, the Director should use remote video conferencing for all meetings and prep

 To reduce the number of people from this department on set, consider using a wide-angle camera to show the Directors rehearsal to crew via phones; allowing only the Director and 1st AD on set; Keeping the 2nd AD at unit base to call cast and prepare for on-set crew, as called by 1st AD

 Distribute call sheets and sides digitally by the 2nd AD to eliminate physical printouts

Hair & Make-up

 Keep hair and make-up stations at least 2m apart to allow appropriate physical distancing

 Consider a procedure to limit chair time, e.g. ask cast to shave at home; as few looks as possible per day; ask cast and supporting artists to remove own make-up where possible (following protocol); ask supporting artists to do own hair and make-up where possible  Build in extra time for HMUAs to: change PPE / wash hands between each cast member; disinfect equipment, station and chair between cast members

 Increase equipment hygiene, e.g.use PPE to set up stations; use air borne sanitising sprays; keep makeup in sealable containers; use disposable brushes and applicators; put hair pins/grips and brushes into antiseptic washes on wrap

 Introduce use of aprons or overalls for HMUA, to be washed daily

 Consider processes to limit cross-contamination risk, e.g. allocate own makeup kit, brushes, hair products and equipment to each cast member, to be sterilised each day and only used on them

Lighting Technicians

 Wherever possible, allow electrical crew to work alone on set until lighting is complete before any other departments undertake their tasks

Locations

 Assess whether location can accommodate additional workspaces for essential crew and services; working areas can be securely isolated from public; exclusive use can be given for entire period of use; if not using a Unit Base, ample private parking to be provided where possible.

 Set clear protocols and allow extra time for prep, shooting and strike on location, including: deep clean of the location by a professional cleaning contractor at the end of each day; provide alternative accommodation to location owners for the duration of the shoot, where appropriate

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KABUL -- Afghanistan's intelligence agency says it has busted a joint terrorist cell of the Islamic State extremist group and the Haqqani network, a powerful Taliban faction.

Five members of the cell were killed and eight others arrested when security forces stormed two hideouts of the group in Kabul and Shakar Dara district, some 25 kilometers north of the capital, the National Directorate of Security (NDS) said on May 6.

It said in a statement that the cell had carried out major attacks in Kabul, including a March 25 assault on a Sikh temple that left at least 25 worshipers dead.

The attack was claimed by the Afghan affiliate of the IS, Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP).

The joint IS-Haqqani cell was also behind a rocket attack during the swearing-in ceremony of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on March 9, according to the NDS.

The intelligence agency said the members of the cell also killed several Afghan officials and fired rockets at Bagram Airfield, the main U.S. military base in Afghanistan located north of Kabul.

Afghan officials have long accused the Haqqani network, a U.S.-designated terrorist group, of carrying out attacks claimed by or blamed on the IS.

The ISKP has been active in the war-torn country since 2015, fighting the Taliban as well as Afghan and U.S. forces.

With reporting by AFP
Due to the cancellation of flights because of the coronavirus, many Armenian citizens have remained in the western states of the United States, especially in Southern California, some of whom need immediate help with medication, finance, accommodation, and other issues. The Consulate General of Armenia in Los Angeles announced about this on its Facebook page.

The consulate general called on Armenians living in the western states of the US and to private companies to provide assistance to those Armenian nationals who have remained temporarily in the US due to the cancellation of flights.

All those who wish to assist these Armenian citizens are asked to contact the Consulate General of Armenia in Los Angeles.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing $23 million to expand broadband service into unserved and underserved areas in rural New Mexico, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said Tuesday.

The money will go to three recipients through the USDA ReConnect pilot program.

This is what we want to provide for all of rural America, Perdue said in a teleconference. We dont want to continue the digital divide that we have today.

ENMR Telephone Cooperative was awarded a $19.2 million grant. Acoma Pueblo was awarded a $942,000 grant, and Penasco Valley Telephone Cooperative received a $3.1 million award.

State Agriculture Secretary Jeff Witte said the expanded service would help agricultural producers market their products online. Perdue said it will enhance telemedicine in rural areas.

Witte also said the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the challenges students in rural New Mexico face without internet.

Theyre (schoolchildren) learning from their homes, he said. And yet weve run into connectivity issues. I think through this ReConnect program, we have a great opportunity to really get that taken care of in the future.

The ENMR project has a $6.4 million match. The project will build over 758 miles of fiber, offering services in 19 areas in eastern New Mexico, according to the USDA. It will serve more than 780 households, farms, businesses and ranches.

The Acoma Pueblo project includes a $300,000 match. The pueblo intends to build 13 miles of fiber and deliver wireless broadband to 771 households, farms, businesses, schools and health centers. The project will be spread over 22 miles in Cibola County.

Penasco Valleys project will build 46 miles of fiber to serve 659 households over 363 square miles in Lincoln, Otero, Chaves and Eddy counties. It has a $1 million match.

ENMR Chief Financial Officer David Robinson said the grant will allow many people in the rural areas ENMR serves to communicate beyond the use of telephones and copper cable.

Our pueblo has strived to connect for a number of years, Acoma First Lt. Gov. Pierson Siow added. This funding will afford tribal members, especially our students, with the opportunity to prosper and connect with external needs.  It is especially important during this coronavirus, with our students forced into distance learning.

He said households on the pueblo average only 7 megabytes per second in internet speed under current providers. He said that once the project is complete, the pueblo would be able to provide high-speed internet to 95% of its community.

Without the grant, the costs would be too high for Penasco Valley to provide sufficient high-speed internet to the remote areas it serves, CFO Kurt Garrard said.
As the country wrestles with the COVID-19 epidemic, home health testing, checkups and diagnostics have never been more important and companies like LetsGetChecked are filling a void left in a U.S. healthcare system consumed by the outbreak.

The surge in demand for the company's services has led to an equal surge in investor interest, and LetsGetChecked is one of many home health and remote diagnostics companies to raise new capital during the pandemic.

The company's new $71 million financing isn't just about the services the company can provide during the COVID-19 epidemic. Now that an increasing number of Americans are accessing home health services, they'll likely continue to use them thanks to their convenience and ease of use, according to LetsGetChecked chief executive, Peter Foley.

"People are very focused on COVID-19. [But] were seeing trends of increases in everything else," said Foley. "This situation has definitely legitimized the space of home diagnostics. We are seeing spikes in those kinds of tests. Everything that needs monitoring were seeing spikes in."

Most consumers are avoiding doctors, hospitals and clinics out of concern over the epidemic and that's pushing them to use telemedicine and remote testing services, said Foley.

And the company has stepped up to address the coronavirus outbreak itself. The company, which has a manufacturing facility in Queens where it makes its own test kits has been unfazed by the supply chain issues that have hit other companies, said Foley. And LetsGetChecked has a certified lab facility where it can conduct its own tests.

LetsGetChecked at-home Coronavirus test kit.

Right now, the company is offering both a serological test (sourced from a Korean lab and awaiting approval by the FDA) and a PCR test (from ThermoFisher) for SARS-CoV-2 and is looking to expand the scope of its tests. The LetsGetChecked tests include a rapid (antibody) serology test for results within 15 minutes, followed by a PCR-based test which requires a swab sample to be collected from a patient and later processed within the LetsGetChecked high complexity CLIA lab in Monrovia, Calif., the company said. Initially the testing was for first responders and those most at risk from the disease, but the population that the company is testing is expanding as the spread of the virus slows.

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"We were fortunate enough to be in a position where we could help people now," says Foley.

LetsGetChecked isn't the only startup at work developing and distributing home testing services for the coronavirus. Everlywell and Scanwell Health are two other startups that have been developing and selling home test kits as well.

LetsGetChecked began fundraising four months ago, and even then, in the days before COVID-19 hit American shores, the environment for raising capital had tightened, Foley said.

In the days before the disease reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. LetsGetChecked was pitching its ability to test at-home or through partner retailers for cancer screening, sexual health, fertility and pharmacogenomic testing.

Users can buy tests and collect samples at home before sending them to LetsGetChecked's facility. The company connects its customers to board-certified physicians to discuss abnormal results and determine a course of action for treatment

The company's initial pitch and the promise of a vast remote diagnostics market was enough to convince Illumina Ventures, which co-led the round with HLM Venture Partners. Other new investors included Deerfield, CommonFund Capital, and Angeles Investment Advisors. Previous investors Transformation Capital, Optum Vnetures, and Qiming Venture Partners USA also participated.

For Illumina Ventures, the LetsGetChecked remote testing service can serve as a channel for some of the tests under development at the firm's other healthcare portfolio companies, according to Nick Naclerio, a founding partner at Illumina Ventures and a new director on the LetsGetChecked board.

"A lot of companies developing cutting edge new tests have challenges building a channel into the broader market," said Naclerio. "Here is a company going after building the kind of future, patient-initiated testing channel that the world needs and is probably synergistic with some of the companies that are doing next generation testing."

Those would be companies like Serimmune, which is developing tests to map the human immune system, or Genome Medical, which applies the latest understanding of the human genome to treatments for patients. The firm also has investments in cancer screening companies like Cernostics*.

Naclerio also sees a dramatic shift in consumer behavior on the horizon in the post-COVID-19 world.

"COVID presents a tremendous need for at-home infectious disease testing or at-work infectious disease testing," he said. "This is breaking down a lot of the barriers that have historically slowed the adoption of telehealth... It creates an opportunity for LetsGetChecked even once we get over the peak of the curve. Theres going to be a lasting impact."

*This article has been updated to reflect that Illumina Ventures is not an investor in Grail, which spun out from Illumina Inc.
After a long wait, the Sony Xperia 10 II is finally ready to hit store shelves. It will become available in Taiwan first (starting on May 20) and should arrive in Europe soon (Sonys official site has Buy Now buttons but for now they lead nowhere).

Anyway, the launch of the phone brings us the first camera samples. Unlike its predecessor, the Xperia 10 II has a proper triple camera with wide, ultrawide and telephoto lenses. The sensor resolutions are 12MP, 8MP and 8MP, respectively, so don't expect the same quality as the Xperia 1 II, but it's still a major improvement over the original 10.

Here is a photo of the same scene shot with each camera, which shows the difference in field of view:



Sony Xperia 10 II camera samples: 16mm (ultra wide)  26mm (wide)  52mm (telephoto)

Next up, a test of the cameras Night mode:



Sony Xperia 10 II Night mode test

This mid-ranger features an 8MP selfie camera, heres a shot from it:



Sony Xperia 10 II selfie camera sample

By the way, the launch in Taiwan introduced two new colors  Mint Green and Berry Blue. Its not clear if these will be available in Europe, but we hope so as Sony originally only showed the Xperia 10 II in Black and White.

While we dont have a shipping date yet, Sony did officially reveal the European prices: 320 in the UK and 370 on the continent.

Source (in Mandarin) | Via
It was early March when Valeria Martinez, a 21-year-old college student in New York City, decided to postpone her spring break trip to Iceland.

Valeria Martinez postponed her spring break trip to late June. (Valeria Martinez)

"We heard of the European travel ban and we obviously got freaked out by it," Martinez told TODAY. Even though Iceland wasnt a hot spot for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, she and her friends worried that they wouldnt be allowed back into the United States.

And flying from New York  which has had more than 300,000 confirmed cases so far  the classmates knew they posed a risk to others. "It's not really considerate of us to stay in Airbnbs and go to public places while carrying a virus we may not be aware of," she said.

But when will it be safe to travel again?

According to a recent Harris Poll, 51% of Americans have canceled or postponed travel due to concerns about COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Only 49% of Americans said they would be ready to fly six months after the government says the virus is abating. And with millions of Americans out of work, many won't be able to afford a vacation anytime soon.

Airlines have been canceling flights amid decreased demand as governments have worked to flatten the curve. Since March 23, U.S. airlines have canceled nearly 220,000 flights nationwide and nearly 50,000 flights have been canceled in Europe, according to the airline and flight-tracking website FlightStats.

Dennis Tajer, an American Airlines captain and spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association, the airline's labor union, told TODAY that American Airlines canceled all flights to China in January after pilots refused to fly there and to Hong Kong and filed a lawsuit to ensure the cancellations.

"When we get to the other side of this, I think everyone is going to take baby steps toward the new normal," he said. "Anybody that comes out of the gate running should be harnessed. Be cautious, be disciplined but don't be afraid."

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To ensure further safety of crew members and passengers, the APA has called for more rigorous screening by the Transportation Security Administration, including temperature scans and requesting additional information from passengers. Tajer believes these measures, paired with appropriate safety gear supplied for crew members, such as masks and gloves, will help give Americans the confidence to travel safely again.

A representative from the TSA told TODAY that the agency will be monitoring the COVID-19 situation, looking at projections and will be working with airlines and airports to ensure its operations will match the need in relation to people traveling.

When will international travel ramp up again?

In addition to a reduction in flights, airfare has continued to drop. Last month, CNET found a $23 ticket from Boston to San Juan, Puerto Rico, an extreme drop from the $300 it would have been in February. And recently, the Italian island of Sicily said it would pay for part of people's travel costs to visit later in the year.

Despite these incentives, experts still suggest holding off on travel for now. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that all nonessential international travel should be avoided. And back in March, the U.S. State Department raised its global travel advisory to level 4: Do not travel. According to the department's advisory, "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."

"If you're talking about international travel, I don't think anybody should be planning to go anywhere this year," American travel writer and television host Rick Steves told TODAY from his home in Seattle. "I mean, you can hope, and I'm hoping."

Steves organizes guided tours in Europe and has several planned for later this year. While he hopes they can still have the tours, he is "psychologically prepared" if they need to be canceled.

And Steves hasn't officially canceled his own large family European vacation planned for early June but plans to postpone the trip to 2021.

"Anybody who is champing at the bit to go to Europe this year needs to just relax," he said. "If it happens, it happens. But be prepared, emotionally and psychologically, especially if you are on an organized tour, to hold off."

Dr. Naomi Rogers, a professor of the history of medicine at Yale University, told TODAY that airline travel might be safe by June as airports remain open and people continue to fly. And while places like Iceland might be appealing for the great outdoors, Rogers warns of other roadblocks for social distancing.

"Where are you going to stay?" she said. "And how are you going to make sure that the place you are going to stay in is safe enough? Maybe those things can be figured out, but that and airports is what worries me.

Krystof Gogela, a 17-year-old from the Czech Republic, has been planning and saving to travel to the United States for the last four years. Now, he has different plans.

"Because of the whole coronavirus situation, we were told we would be unable to make our trip in time because we were supposed to leave in June," he said. "So for the past few months, I've been really into South America and the U.S., so we have discussed it in our family and have decided to rebook our trip to a new one and go to South America instead."

Gogela is planning on traveling to Buenos Aires, Argentina, in late October with his grandfather. While there is still chance they may have to cancel or rebook again, Gogela is trying to stay positive.

"I've been told that our chances are around 70% that we will be able to go," he said. "But I'll let the time tell."

Travel expert Misty Belles of Virtuoso recently told TODAY's Al Roker that international travel will take longer to revive compared to domestic travel because not only are people wary of flying, but countries might not open up their borders right away. "The travel sweet spot for international is really about nine months out," she said, which coincides with holiday travel.

What about travel within the U.S.?

Belles believes that regional travel will come back first. "People have been cooped up for a long time," she said. "They're going to look to get out. But they're not going to want to venture too far from home." That means driving destinations that are a few hours away from home will be popular along with outdoor destinations like state and national parks.

Eli Finkelson, a 20-year-old student at New York's Hofsta University, has been planning a trip for her 21st birthday this August with her two best friends since the ninth grade. It wasn't until January that they decided upon Nashville, Tennessee. With their trip still months away, Finkelson and her friends understand the precautions they may have to take.

"I think we're planning on playing it by ear right now," she told TODAY from her home in New Hampshire. "We're probably all going to bring masks. I'm not really sure how much sightseeing we'll do."

While avoiding crowded bars and practicing other forms of social distancing is something Finkelson and her friends can do, their biggest concern is having to reschedule flights.

"I just spent a bunch of money," she said. "I don't want to get sick because then I'll have a really hard time recovering if I get sick. But it's my 21st birthday."

Finkelson, who has severe asthma, understands the risks of traveling so soon. The Airbnb that she and her friends are renting is advertised as a "**SANITIZED CONDO**" in the listing.

"I just want a couple days in the sunshine with my friends," she said. "I just need to get out of the house. It will have been months back here; I'm not used to be cooped up in a place  being in New York City three or four days a week. I just want to be in 90-degree weather with my friends for a couple days. I'm walking to Nashville if I have to."

Although Rogers considers domestic travel to be a crucial part of her ordinary life for research and conferences, shes holding off for now. The coronavirus pandemic means that no libraries or archives are open.

As for the future of travel, Rogers is concerned there could be a second wave of coronavirus.

Depending on how much we sort of relax self-isolation and social distancing, it could again hit the most vulnerable just when you think, 'Oh OK, we want to go back to the mall, she said. I think there is a danger of too soon.

However, she understands peoples deep desires to explore the world. "I am self-isolating with my husband, who is terribly sad about not being able to travel," Rogers said. "He loves to go to exotic and unusual places, and I think that  I know that there are many people like that who really want to get back to the world."

What is the new normal?

People want to travel in a way in which they feel safe enough, said Rogers. "And I don't quite know how safe enough is going to work."

Just as 9/11 changed the way we travel, the pandemic will usher in sweeping changes. Already, airlines like JetBlue and Delta have announced requirements for passengers to wear face coverings throughout their travels.

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Rogers recalled how the AIDS crisis in 1988 changed hygienic infrastructure as we know it. "I remember when I was a child and I would go to the dentist and no one ever wore gloves, she said. They didn't wear masks, none of it. That was a post-1988 development."

Rick Steves, on the other hand, has no doubt that travel will get back to the normal we are used to; the main question is when.

"We got back to normal after 9/11; we got back to normal after different terrorist attacks and economic crises and wars and so on," he said. "Demand for travel does not dissipate; it's pent up and then it springs back when the coast is clear."

CORRECTION (May 7, 2020, 12:20 p.m.): An earlier version of the article misspelled the name of Krystof Gogela. It is Krystof Gogela, not Krstoph Gogola.
(AMF Autorite des Marches Financiers)

Regulatory News:

Genkyotex (Paris:GKTX) (Brussels:GKTX):

Genkyotex shares ISIN code FR00011790542 Euronext Paris Brussels Date Number of shares

making up the

share capital Number of voting rights April 30, 2020 11,548,562 Theoretical number of voting rights(1): 11,548,562 Number of voting rights exercisable at a shareholders'

meeting(2): 11,543,597

(1) In accordance with Article 223-111 of the AMF's General Regulation, this number of shares is calculated based on all shares carrying the right to vote, including those stripped of voting rights.

(2) Less shares stripped of voting rights.

About Genkyotex

Genkyotex is the leading biopharmaceutical company in NOX therapies, listed on the Euronext Paris and Euronext Brussels markets. Its unique platform enables the identification of orally available small-molecules which selectively inhibit specific NOX enzymes that amplify multiple disease processes such as fibrosis, inflammation, pain processing, cancer development, and neurodegeneration. Genkyotex is developing a pipeline of first-in-class product candidates targeting one or multiple NOX enzymes. The lead product candidate, setanaxib (GKT831), a NOX1 and NOX4 inhibitor has shown evidence of anti-fibrotic activity in a Phase II clinical trial in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC, a fibrotic orphan disease). Based on its positive Phase II results, a phase 3 trial with setanaxib in PBC is being planned. Setanaxib is also being evaluated in an investigator-initiated Phase II clinical trial in Type 1 Diabetes and Kidney Disease (DKD). A grant from the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) of $8.9 million was awarded to Professor Victor Thannickal at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to fund a multi-year research program evaluating the role of NOX enzymes in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic lung disease that results in fibrosis of the lungs. The core component of this program is a Phase 2 trial with setanaxib in patients with IPF scheduled to recruit patients in first semester of 2020. This product candidate may also be active in other fibrotic indications.

Genkyotex also has a versatile platform well-suited to the development of various immunotherapies (Vaxiclase). A partnership covering the use of Vaxiclase as an antigen per se (GTL003) has been established with Serum Institute of India Private Ltd (Serum Institute), the world's largest producer of vaccine doses, for the development by Serum Institute of cellular multivalent combination vaccines against a variety of infectious diseases

For further information, please go to www.genkyotex.com or investors@genkyotex.com

Disclaimer

This press release may contain forward-looking statements by the company with respect to its objectives. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs, estimates and expectations of Genkyotex's management and are subject to risks and uncertainties such as the company's ability to implement its chosen strategy, customer market trends, changes in technologies and in the company's competitive environment, changes in regulations, clinical or industrial risks and all risks linked to the company's growth. These factors as well as other risks and uncertainties may prevent the company from achieving the objectives outlined in the press release and actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements, due to various factors. Without being exhaustive, such factors include uncertainties involved in the development of Genkyotex's products, which may not succeed, or in the delivery of Genkyotex's products marketing authorizations by the relevant regulatory authorities and, in general, any factor that could affects Genkyotex's capacity to commercialize the products it develops. No guarantee is given on forward-looking statements which are subject to a number of risks, notably those described in the universal registration document filed with the AMF on April 30, 2020 under number 20-0434, and those linked to changes in economic conditions, the financial markets, or the markets on which Genkyotex is present. Genkyotex products are currently used for clinical trials only and are not otherwise available for distribution or sale

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005702/en/

Contacts:

Genkyotex
CEDAR KNOLLS, N.J., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --The New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program (NJMEP) is announcing two new programs to help New Jersey's manufacturing community meet the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the global spread of COVID-19, NJMEP is providing a back to work recovery guide and checklist, online training, and consulting to manufacturers to help them plan, prepare, protect, and recover their operations. Manufacturers need to continue assessing the potential risks and opportunities for their organizations. NJMEP staff will conduct a virtual assessment to determine the manufacturers need. This assessment will be the first step in helping to aide in the recovery.

Programs for New Jersey Manufacturers:

1. NJMEP is providing no fee, online virtual training, and consulting sessions in three categories:

Process Control (Lean, Six Sigma, and Plant Layout)

Human Resources & Sales (Employer/Employee Policy and Business Development)

Business Planning (Strategic Planning, Business Continuity Planning, and Risk Assessment)

Manufacturers can take advantage of (5) four-hour sessions of training and/or consulting in any of the above areas.

2. NJMEP will also be training 160 underemployed or unemployed individuals from Newark, Paterson, Camden and Trenton who will be provided with online Manufacturing Skills Standards Council (MSSC) training. These individuals will receive foundational certifications in manufacturing and transportation, logistics and distribution (TLD)  the qualification helps with upskilling and onboarding.

Candidates will be available for a 90 day 'temp to perm' assignment after the completion of the first module.

MSSC training includes modules in Safety, Quality Practices & Management, Manufacturing Processes & Production, and Maintenance Awareness. Participants will graduate from the program as either Certified Production Technicians (CPT) or Certified Logistics Technicians (CLT).

"The economic implications of this pandemic are and will continue to hit our manufacturing community hard. While we hope that it will be a quick dip, the reality is that we don't know how long recovery will take. NJMEP's mission is now more important than ever. As obstacles and challenges that we haven't seen before arise, we continue to be a solutions provider for manufacturers, and lead in the recovery process," says John W. Kennedy, Ph.D., CEO, NJMEP.

About NJMEP: NJMEP is a private, notfor-profit organization that improves the profitability and competitiveness of New Jersey's manufacturers. Backed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), NJMEP enables organizations to enhance their productivity and efficiencies, reduce costs, and improve employee performance. For more than 20 years, NJMEP has used its extensive network of connections and proven track record of success to help manufacturers adapt to the latest innovative technologies and best practices to realize more than $4.16 billion in value. Our services are categorized into the following three areas: Operational Excellence, Innovation and Growth Strategies, and Workforce Development. NJMEP also has a signature philanthropic program, Manufacturing Cares, which is designed to provide a platform for manufacturers to give back to the community by pooling efforts to increase our impact.



SOURCE New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program

Related Links

njmep.org


Earlier this year, it was announced by the United States Attorneys Office for the District of Massachusetts that a civil health care fraud complaint has been filed against SpineFrontier, Inc. (SpineFrontier) and Impartial Medical Experts, LLC (IME). In addition to the companies, individuals within the companies have also been implicated  Kingsley Chin, the founder and CEO of SpineFrontier; Aditya Humad, the CFO of SpineFrontier; and Vanessa Dudley, Chins wife and the Business Administrator of IME  as have other entities owned/controlled by Chin.

According to the governments Complaint in Intervention, SpineFrontier and the other defendants paid  and conspired to pay  kickbacks (i.e., sham consulting fees) through a third-party (IME). The lawsuit alleges that the defendants made these payments to surgeons to get them to use SpineFrontiers product in spinal surgeries. Therefore, the government says that the defendants violated the Anti-Kickback Statute, causing federal healthcare programs to pay millions of dollars in false claims.

According to the Complaint, SpineFrontier made the payments through IME, which operates only with a Florida PO box and whose only employee is Dudley. Further, with respect to the conspiracy charges, the defendants told the surgeons that they could bill SpineFrontier and IME for consulting on a per-surgical case basis, regardless of the time, if any, spent on consulting.

The government alleges that SpineFrontier and IME allegedly did not set a limit on the number of times a surgeon could purportedly evaluate a SpineFrontier device, which resulted in the same physician being paid for submitting consulting hours on the same device over and over again. SpineFrontier made no effort to track, review, or assess feedback that surgeon-consultants provided. Often, the defendants paid surgeons ostensibly for consulting time even when surgeons had provided no product feedback whatsoever.

Civil Health Care Fraud Claim Settlements

In addition to the above-named defendants, the United States settled claims against five physicians, each of whom admits to seeking and obtaining kickbacks from SpineFrontier through IME for consulting work he did not perform. As part of the settlements, each physician admitted that either SpineFrontier, Chin or Human (in some cases more than one) gave specific instructions to bill consulting hours to SpineFrontier for each surgery in which he used a SpineFrontier device, regardless of whether any time was actually spent consulting.

Dr. F. Paul DeGenova, an orthopedic spine surgeon in Ohio, admitted to accepting payments from SpineFrontier via IME for consulting hours he did not work, and agreed to settle the governments claims for $486,985.

Dr. Michael Murray, an orthopedic spine surgeon in New York employed by the Department of Veteran Affairs, admitted to accepting payments from SpineFrontier via IME for consulting hours he did not work, and agreed to settle the governments claims for $330,668.

Dr. Joseph Shehadi, a neurosurgeon in Ohio, admitted to accepting payments from SpineFrontier via IME for consulting hours he did not work, and agreed to settle the governments claims for $323,419.

Dr. Agha Khan, a neurosurgeon in Maryland, admitted to accepting payments from SpineFrontier via IME for consulting hours he did not work, and agreed to settle the governments claims for $310,843.

Dr. John Atwater, an orthopedic surgeon who has worked in in Florida and Illinois, admitted to accepting payments from SpineFrontier via IME for consulting hours he did not work, and agreed to settle the governments claims for $105,149.

Government Statements

Kickbacks paid to surgeons as sham medical consultants, as alleged in this case, cheat patients and taxpayers alike, said Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate kickback schemes that threaten the integrity of our federal health care system, no matter how those schemes are disguised.

Surgeons have a moral imperative to operate in a trustworthy, transparent manner. No less than peoples lives and safety depend on them. Today, five spine doctors from across the country admitted they prioritized payoffs over patients to enrich themselves and a Malden medical supply company, SpineFrontier, by shelving their ethics once hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks were put on the negotiating table, said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. The FBI aggressively pursues health care fraud because cases like this dont just impact a few people. The cost of these egregious crimes is ultimately borne by all taxpayers.
Venezuelan authorities detained 13 people, including two US citizens, for taking part in a failed armed incursion to oust President Nicolas Maduro, according to a press conference given by Maduro on May 4.

During the press conference, Maduro held up two US passports and a number of ID cards described as belonging to Airan Berry and Luke Denman, who he said were in custody and had been working with Jordan Goudreau, a US military veteran who leads a Florida-based security company called Silvercorp USA.

Gondreau identified himself as the organizer of the invasion and told Reuters that Berry and Denman were also involved.

Goudreau said his plan had been coordinated with Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido; however, Guaidos communications team denied this. Credit: Nicolas Maduro via Storyful
An empty Westminster Bridge is pictured in front of Britain's Houses of Parliament in central London on April 13, 2020, as life in Britain continues over the Easter weekend, during the nationwide lockdown to combat the novel coronavirus pandemic. -

A British scientist advising the government on its coronavirus response resigned from his role on Tuesday, after the Daily Telegraph reported he had broken lockdown rules by meeting a female friend.

Epidemiologist Neil Ferguson, a professor at Imperial College in London, said he was standing down from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) which plays a key role in shaping government policy.

The Telegraph said he had been visited by a 38-year old woman on two occasions. This would breach rules which say citizens must only leave their homes to shop for food, for exercise or medical needs, or if they cannot work from home.

"I accept I made an error of judgment and took the wrong course of action. I have therefore stepped back from my involvement in SAGE," Ferguson said in a statement.

Ferguson's academic team produced modeling on the likely spread of the virus which has been repeatedly cited by ministers, and is seen as a turning point in their response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The model showed that under a reasonable worst-case scenario as many as 500,000 people could die. It contributed to the decision to impose the most far-reaching restrictions on daily life in Britain's peacetime history to stop the spread of the virus.

"I acted in the belief that I was immune, having tested positive for coronavirus and completely isolated myself for almost two weeks after developing symptoms," Ferguson's statement said.

"I deeply regret any undermining of the clear messages around the continued need for social distancing to control this devastating epidemic. The government guidance is unequivocal, and is there to protect all of us."
How to costume movies gorgeous historiograph can be free to be brilliant quickly, and decadent, has been shown in the cinema "The Favourite", Giorgos Lanthimos' makes equally opulent as well as psychologically fascinating Hofintrige to the triangular relationship between a Baroque Queen and their two favorite. The screenplay by Tony McNamara, who now presents his own Variation on the theme was written at the time: In the original for the transmitter Hulu-produced TV series "The Great" no longer are we at the court of the English Queen Anne, but to the Russian Tsar Peter III. But again, women in the center of the story, which is advertising aggressively than just "occasionally true". The undisputed main character of the Satire of the eponymous Large: Catherine, of course, the Empress of Russia.

Ursula Scheer

editor in the features section.

F. A. Z.

Elle Fanning contributes to their shiny appearance as Mary Shelley re-crinoline and the Central star in a will o ' the wisp the Hofuniversum, the absurd Pomp of his own pre-clarify legislative brutalization costumes. For the squeamish, this is nothing, as here every occasion for unprovoked outbreak of violence with a joyful "Hussa!" welcomes and shoot the breeze threshed or shot. Crude curses (all the time the F-Word) to fly with the same frequency through the area as glasses at the wall, and the despotic-stupid Monarch to himself and to others, not only in a figurative sense, the pants down. By the way, we are the unappetizing most necessities, performance of witnesses. It is more hinted at than shown in the changing Directors (including Matt Shakman, Colin Bucksey and Ben Chessell) staged series, but so much of the elaborate ornamentation of the legendary bluntness never was, and the great brazen increases up to silliness.

The more fascinating it is to observe the manner in which Elle Fanning in this circus a character embodies, which degenerates in the case of Oversubscription, never quite a caricature, but on your face the same amazement about the madness reflects, the like feel to the viewers. The ground, hypersensitivity hatischen, to monologues, escalating rates, the McNamara as a screenwriter and Executive producer are placed in the mouth (sensational your exposure to the wedding night), seems to enjoy them like other vodka-chocolate with sugared Violets. This is what it looks like, as you would be with your rosy totally want alabaster complexion straight a Rococo-pastel stepped out. All costumes, equipment, and mask are exquisite.

But what is it actually? Catherine, Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst, takes us out of the swing, you allow yourself your young girls dream of love and a standing bear on a trip to Russia, books of Voltaire, Descartes and Rousseau in the Luggage. Further away from Helen Mirrens Interpretation of the Mature Empress in the Sky-series "Catherine the Great" can hardly be; an idea of Sofia Coppola's Pop-Queen "Marie Antoinette" from 2006 is in the air. Sophie's groom (Nicholas Hoult) turns out to be as messed-up giant baby with a penchant for cruelty and a single real Hobby: his mistresses. Only from a distance, he is reminiscent of the young Henry VIII in "The Tudors". The mummy of his dead mother in the closet, and the campaign against the Sweden are the only two punchlines to a Regency, which is a joke. Catherine does not enter as a power-hungry Erotomanin the stage, as you liked to draw, but as a young Naive. Emotionally and sexually from your spouse is disappointed, she searches desperately for a way out, until they developed emancipatory ambitions  education for the illiterate women in the yard, and realizes that Peter had to go away when you achieve something and be happy want.

Updated Date: 18 June 2020, 06:19
Churches in England are to be gradually reopened under a three-stage plan once lockdown measures are eased, authorities have said.

In a video-conference call held on Tuesday, leaders from the Church of England agreed to lifting the closure of church buildings in time and in parallel with the governments approach.

Under the first phase, limited activities such as streaming services or private prayer by clergy would be rolled out  so long as social distancing and hygiene precautions are taken.

The second stage will see the reintroduction of some rites and ceremonies, while the final phase intends to allow worship with limited congregations so long as government restrictions are eased enough to allow this.

At the meeting, led by Bishop of London Dame Sarah Mullally, the Church of England agreed that the decision on the timing of when to implement the new measures should be made by individual diocesan bishops.

It stressed that this was guidance and not an instruction or law, and said that it will be constantly reviewed depending on the national situation.

National Church of England guidance will also be updated in the coming days with further advice on how the stages could be lifted, it added.

Bishop Sarah said: We are hugely grateful for all that our churches and clergy have been doing to support the Governments message to stay at home, to support the NHS, and to save lives.

While it is clear there will be no imminent return to normality, the emphasis is now turning towards how and when aspects of social distancing can be eased, although we remain mindful of the potential risks of a second wave of the virus.

Nevertheless, it now makes sense for us to start to look ahead to the potential easing of restrictions so that our clergy and churches can be prepared.

Across the world, religious sites have begun tentatively reopening their doors  including a small number of churches in Germany last weekend.

Singing is to be forbidden amid concerns that it causes the virus to spread more easily, while physical contact is prohibited.

Synagogues will also start to reopen slowly, as will mosques, which are due to hold their first public prayers since lockdown on 9 May.

Karl Justen, a prelate in the German Catholic Church, called the governments decision to reopen religious buildings a positive sign that religious freedom and infection prevention could work in harmony.

Josef Schuster, the president of the German Central Council of Jews, said: People need stability and trust in their religions, especially in the current situation.

In South Korea, worshipers have been told to keep their distance and wear masks after the government relaxed restrictions on religious gatherings.

Onnuri Church, one of the biggest churches in Seoul, required members to sign up online ahead of the service and sit on designated seats to maintain distance.

It has also limited attendance to 700 in a hall with a capacity of 3,000 people, a church official said.

A secretive church, the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, was at the epicentre of South Koreas coronavirus outbreak, with about half of the countrys total infections of 10,728 linked to its members.

Additional reporting by agencies
Amid coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown, the first flight bringing back Indians stranded in foreign countries will land in Kerala on Thursday (May 7). In one of the country`s biggest evacuations during the coronavirus outbreak, a flight carrying 175 stranded Indians will land in Kochi, Kerala from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) at 9.40 pm. The Air India Express flight will leave UAE at 4.15 (local time).

A second Air India Express flight carrying 175 stranded Indians will leave from Dubai at 5 pm on Thursday (May 7) and arrive in Kozhikode in Kerala at 10.30 pm.

Two other flights, carrying 200 passengers each, is also scheduled to land in Kerala on May 7. A flight from Saudi Arabia's Riyadh and another from Qatar's Doha are scheduled to reach Kozhikode and Kochi respectively.

Amid coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown, the Centre on May 5 said that it will operate at least 64 flights between May 7-13 to bring back thousands of Indians stranded in foreign countries. 64 flights will be operated from May 7 to May 13 to bring back stranded Indians from abroad, Union Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said.

Over 14,000 people will be brought back from countries including the UK, the US, UAE, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Bangladesh. In the first week, Air India will be conducting all the flights, the Aviation Minister said adding that private airlines will be considered going forward.

Puri had said that the Indians stranded abroad will be charged for flights bringing them home. The minister said, the rates fixed for the journey from London to Mumbai is Rs 50,000. Similarly for those who are returning from London to Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Delhi will also pay Rs 50,000 for the journey. "For Chicago-Delhi-Hyderabad the rough cost will be about Rs 1 lakh. For Dhaka-Delhi flight, the rough cost will be Rs 12,000," he had said.

On May 7, a total of 2,300 passengers will be brought back from ten nations. On May 8, a total of 2,050 passengers will be brought back from nine nations. On May 9, a total of 2,050 passengers will be brought back from nine nations. On May 10, a total of 1,850 passengers will be brought back from eight nations.

On May 11, a total of 2,200 passengers will be brought back from nine nations. On May 12, a total of 2,500 passengers will be brought back from eleven nations. On May 13, a total of 1,850 passengers will be brought back from eight nations.

Out of the total 64 flights, 15 flights from seven countries will arrive in Kerala; 11 flights from nine countries would be arriving in Tamil Nadu; seven flights from six countries will come to Maharashtra; 11 flights from nine countries are scheduled to come to the Delhi.

Another seven flights from six countries will reach Telangana; five flights from five countries will reach Gujarat; one flight will reach Punjab; three flights will reach Jammu and Kashmir; three flights from three countries will reach Karnataka and one flight will reach Uttar Pradesh.

On arrival, all the passengers will be screened and will be subjected to a 14 days quarantine period, Puri stated. The Minister had added that all prescribed health guidelines will be followed while bringing the passengers home.
The consensus has been that strains of the coronavirus are functionally the same, even if they look genetically different. The fact that the coronavirus is mutating is unsurprising, because all viruses mutate as they replicate. So far, this virus appears relatively stable, according to virologists, but the vast extent of the spread of the coronavirus has given it ample opportunity to evolve.
Foreign homeowner levels refuse to budge - illustration photo

Despite the country now being home to more than 80,000 foreigners, fewer than 1,000 have processed ownership with local authorities, with some hurdles remaining in the way of foreigners owning their dream home in Vietnam.

According to Tran Minh Hoang, deputy general secretary of the Vietnam Association of Realtors, foreign demand for property in Vietnam is high, especially in the high-end and luxury segments of residential and vacation property.

The association is suggesting the government extends the foreign ownership cap from the current 30 per cent of apartments in any given project to 50 per cent, Hoang said.

Non-nationals with high capital are not really interested in mid-end and affordable like Vietnamese people. They are on the market for luxury and high-end properties so they would not pose competition to local buyers  and developers could increase their sales, he added.

The cap change would become a stimulus for the local market at a time when the current pandemic is keeping Vietnamese people from getting involved. Demand for home ownership by overseas buyers is enormous as prices in Vietnam are lower than in regional countries.

For example, the average price of a unit in Ho Chi Minh Citys central business districts is quoted at $5,500-6,500 per square metre, much lower than prices in Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok.

International demand has been on the rise in the Vietnamese property market in the last five years. However, due to regulatory limitations, fewer foreign buyers are granted ownership certificates. This pushes many to buy units via Vietnamese relatives or spouses who have Vietnamese citizenship.

The biggest issue hindering them in buying and gaining ownership over property in Vietnam right now is the slow issuance of the list of projects where they can make a purchase.

The 2014 Law on Housing, which allows foreigners to own property in Vietnam, took effect in July 2015, and Decree No.99/2015/ND-CP, which specifies the mechanisms for implementing these rights, came into force that December.

However, more than three years since non-nationals were given the right to purchase property, only a few cities have issued lists of projects where there is room for them.

Foreign buyers mostly hail from South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and China, and mainly live in high-end projects from developers such as Indochina Capital, CapitaLand, Keppel Land, Vinhomes and more.

Among those Indochina Capital boasts major projects such as Hyatt Regency Danang, Indochina Riverside Towers Danang, and Indochina Plaza Hanoi. They were developed before 2015 when the amendments to the Law on Housing allowing foreigners to buy property were implemented. Previously, more efforts were made to sell properties to locals.

Amendments have created new demand. Indochina Capitals brokerage arm, Indochina Properties, has contributed in success of ventures like Vinhomes Golden River in Ho Chi Minh City. and the Zei in Hanoi.

Legal status of foreign ownership in Vietnam The Law on Housing and Law on Real Estate Business were adopted by the National Assembly in November 2014 and both took effect in July 2015. The Law on Housing allows all foreigners holding a visa to enter Vietnam, as well as foreign-invested enterprises to buy units in housing projects in the country. The ownership rights include the right to use, sell, mortgage, or contribute houses as capital to an entity. Five significant restrictions for foreigners should be noted: - Foreigners' housing ownership beyond projects (e.g., a townhouse or villa built by individuals but not in a real estate project) is not allowed. Foreign buyers must purchase units from developers only; - The total foreigners house ownership may not exceed 250 separate houses in a ward or 30 per cent condominium in an apartment building; - The time of ownership is 50 years from date of obtaining the land use right and property ownership certificate, and may be extended; - Foreigners who buy houses or condominiums from leased land may only lease houses; and - Payment must be made by bank transfer. Source: LNT Partners

Andy Han Suk Jung - CEO, SonKim Land

I am fully supportive of proposals to increase the room for overseas investors. Over the past five years since country passed a new residential law to allow foreigners to buy apartments, we have seen a remarkable growth in the real estate market partly driven by international buyers.

Interest had led to many potential buyers coming to visit Vietnam which also helped the tourism and retail sectors. We also learned that to get out of recession in the real estate market, opening the room to foreign investors indeed has boosted the economy.

At the moment, we are seeing a global crisis and this may be a lot more serious than what we are seeing now as more people will lose jobs and more companies go out of business. To revive the economy, I think this is the perfect time to increase the foreign quota from 30 per cent to a higher rate which will help to quickly recover from this pandemic situation, and also to maintain the strong growth of the economy.

As many countries are now trying to diversify their product-sourcing countries away from China, I personally believe that this would give Vietnam another huge opportunity to export products out to other parts of the world which will also help bring more foreign direct investment into the country to build more manufacturing facilities.

As SonKim Land is a developer that focuses on luxury products, we have more than 30 per cent foreign customers who have bought our products.

The demand from these customers is very big but under the current law, there is a limit to how much we can capture these demands.

It is understandable to control foreign ownership, but the law can be eased up to 49 per cent. I believe this can help to attract lots of demands from abroad and help the country to recover from this pandemic crisis sooner than any other Asian countries. It was a pity to see many disappointed buyers who had to walk away as no foreign quota was available during the sales event.

We are certainly looking forward to seeing a revised law allowing more non-nationals to invest in Vietnam and the fastest recovery of this difficult crisis.

With the law allowing foreigners to buy properties in Vietnam, not only has the quantity increased, but quality has also improved to meet with the demands of investors as many foreign developers have entered the market and introduced high-quality products.

With many apartments of international quality, many expatriates have found perfect homes for their families which gives them peace of mind to settle themselves in Vietnam and make key cities here some of the hottest destinations in Asia to work and live.

Le Hoang Chau - Chairman, Ho Chi Minh City Real Estate Association

The percentage of units foreign buyers are permitted to own in Vietnam should be considered very carefully to both ensure the benefits of the whole economy and the governments obligation to manage the property market. I personally think that this percentage could be increased to 50 per cent from the current 30 per cent. These numbers are only estimations of the market demand, but any expansion should make Vietnam more attractive to the foreign community.

I would raise this percentage to 50 per cent due to the fact that people of any nation usually have a habit of living in centred communities. For example, we already have Japanese, South Korean, Taiwanese, and European communities in the major cities of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, and Nha Trang. The 50 per cent limit would create an opportunity for foreigners to live together and support each other  it would allow creating homogenous living areas where residents share the same habits, living styles, and require similar services. The creation of communities would also make it easier for local management authorities to supervise these communities.

Su Ngoc Khuong - Senior director of Investment Savills Vietnam

Easing the property ownership limit for foreigners is necessary to help them have a stable life while they are working in Vietnam. Our country is integrating into the global economy and we are also encouraging inbound investment, which makes it all more reasonable to extend property ownership for non-Vietnamese people.

There are two main types of foreigners buying houses in Vietnam  those from countries of high foreign direct investment here such as Japan, Singapore, and South Korea. as well as overseas Vietnamese who are showing increasing interest in buying property in their home country.

Property is a high-value asset and should be transacted as any normal goods as long as it complies with regulations and does not impact national security.

Foreigners should be permitted to trade property in Vietnam if they fully comply with all related tax and financial obligations and prove that they have the necessary capital sources.

I do not think the percentage of foreign ownership in itself is important  the question is how the houses and projects will be controlled and managed after selling them.

Doan Van Binh - President CEO Group

The regulations permitting foreign property ownership in Vietnam should be more open. Foreign buyers are now permitted to own residential property (apartments in projects) only, but cannot buy other property types such as second homes or vacation properties, despite the high demand they show for it.

Permitting people from other countries to buy non-residential properties would attract huge investment capital flows into the real estate market.

They should be able to buy properties in Vietnam except for projects located in areas crucial from the perspective of national defence and security as prescribed by the government.

This would be both an open and attractive policy for non-nationals and make matters more transparent and information more accessible whenever they look into projects of interest.

In the long term, we can consider to ease more conditions and authorise foreigners to use land and other assets in land transactions in the same way Vietnamese nationals are allowed.
Detectives investigating the death of a baby boy in Keady are waiting for an expert report on a ribcage injury, a court was told yesterday.

Armagh Magistrates' Court, sitting in Lisburn, heard that because of restrictions introduced to counter the coronavirus pandemic, it could take up to six months for an expert to produce a report on the injuries suffered by 11-month-old Hunter Patrick McGleenan.

Defence counsel Aaron Thompson described that as a "fairly shocking delay".

Sharyar Ali, a Pakistani national with an address at Westerna Terrace in Co Monaghan, is in custody accused of murdering the little boy, who died on November 26 last year.

Previous courts have been told that the 31-year-old "crossed the border a number of times" while he was caring for the child.

There have also been claims the baby died as a result of a "non-accidental" head injury.

Ali, who was in a relationship with the child's mother for approximately a year, has claimed that the infant fell off a low sofa and struck his head on a concrete floor.

When interviewed by police officers, the defendant said he performed CPR and gave the child a cold shower in a bid to revive him.

Ali claimed also that he noticed the child's lips were blue and he was not breathing the following morning, so he took him to his mother and said he was unable to breathe.

Members of the family then tried to help the little boy, but he was already dead.

Previous courts heard there were "still ongoing enquiries" with An Garda Siochana in relation to the death.

In court yesterday a prosecuting lawyer said that all of the evidence, apart from the medical evidence, was expected by the end of July.

After that, the Public Prosecution Service will decide whether to proceed with the matter without the expert's report.

Adjourning the case to June 2, District Judge Amanda Henderson thanked the prosecution for the "very detailed update".

She also suggested that the file could be looked at to see if the case could be progressed "in the absence of that (the expert's report)."
Benjamin Netanyahu can serve as prime minister while under indictment on corruption charges, Israels Supreme Court has ruled, paving the way for the premiers controversial power-sharing deal with his chief elections rival.

In the much-anticipated decision, the court found that Mr Netanyahus unity government deal with ex-army chief Benny Gantz does not violate the law.

The 11-judge panel dismissed arguments that staying in power unlawfully shields him in a corruption trial, saying they did not find any legal reason to prevent Netanyahu from forming a government.

The statement added the legal conclusion did not diminish the severity of the pending charges against Mr Netanyahu for violations of moral integrity and the difficulty derived from the tenure of a prime minister accused of criminal activity.

The late-night decision by Israels top court will likely prevent an unprecedented fourth election and break a crippling political deadlock that has seen the country ruled by a caretaker government for over a year following three inconclusive votes.

Mr Netanyahu, already Israels longest-serving prime minister, has struggled to sweep a majority of seats during the elections, after being indicted across three trials on graft charges he vehemently denies.

In a joint statement released shortly after the courts ruling, Mr Netanyahus Likud party and Mr Gantzs Blue and White announced that they had concluded the establishment of the government.

They said they hoped to hold a swearing-in ceremony next Wednesday following the completion of the legislative process this evening.

The decision comes just 24 hours before a deadline to present their government and avoid yet another election.

The pair face just one more hurdle  a parliamentary vote on legislation needed to allow the coalition to go ahead.

The Knesset held a socially distant session overnight Wednesday, with lawmakers in masks scattered through the building, the guest and media gallery.

Mr Netanyahu and his coalition partner Mr Gantz, as well as supporters of the deal, hope to complete the third and final vote needed by the end of Thursday.

According to Israeli media, the first vote showed the Likud and Blue and White sweeping a sizeable majority of the ballots cast.

But in the past, the deal has been met with fierce opposition from Mr Netanyahus critics and Mr Gantzs former elections partners who have accused him of selling out.

Signed on the 20 April the power-sharing agreement outlines a three-year term with Mr Netanyahu acting as prime minister for the first 18 months followed by Mr Gantz.

Critics of the deal accuse the premier of trying to shield himself from prosecution or conviction by staying in power.

Mr Gantz has also come under fire. He formed Blue and White before the April 2019 election with opposition leader Yair Lapid and other former chiefs-of-staff, on the promise that they would never form a government with Mr Netanyahu because of the corruption charges against him.

After three inconclusive votes, no side has been able to cobble together a majority of seats to form a government. Mr Gantz then agreed to join forces with Mr Netanyahu, an action which led to several of his elections partners, including Mr Lapid, quitting.

Over the last few days, the Supreme Court has deliberated about whether an indicted politician can be given authority to form a new government, and whether their power-sharing deal  which includes new legislation  was legal.

The judges ruled that while the coalition deal presents significant legal difficulties, the court would not interfere.



Eliad Shraga, a lawyer representing one of the petitioners against the coalition deal, expressed disappointment but said he would respect the decision. "We will continue to raise the flag of morality," he told Channel 12 news.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Only 10 per cent of SBI's borrowers have availed the moratorium

HDFC Bank says their numbers are in single digits

Coronavirus-impacted sectors like MSMEs, hospitality, tourism, transportation are the ones availing

Salaried class has largely avoided the moratorium and continue to pay EMIs

Most of the banks' borrowers of retail and corporate loans seem to be staying away from availing the three-month EMI (Equated Monthly Instalments) moratorium under the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) Covid Relief Package.

The three-month moratorium is a deferment of EMIs and not a waiver. The banks are either increasing the tenor of the loan with additional EMIs or adjusting the deferment amount in the existing EMIs over the life time of the loan.

The country's largest bank, the State Bank of India (SBI), has claimed that only 10 per cent of its borrowers have asked for a moratorium. The third-largest in private sector, Axis Bank, has disclosed that 10-12 per cent of its borrowers have opted for moratorium till April, while the number is between 25-28 per cent in terms of loan value. HDFC Bank, says its numbers are in single digit. The largest private sector bank has very few borrowers in the wholesale segment opting for moratorium, but retail customer applications have seen a surge. IndusInd Bank claims only 5 per cent of its borrowers have used the moratorium.

Clearly, the numbers don't look large given the lockdown and close of business activities. One of the reasons could be the percentage of borrowers disclosed by the bank instead of the percentage in terms of value term. If one takes the Axis Bank data in value terms, the moratorium share in total loan of banks should be less than 30 per cent.

Also, expert suggest that the numbers may surge as banks have computed these figures at varying dates from March-end to April-end. There is also no deadline or last date for borrowers to apply for moratorium; the requests continue to flow.

"There are also instances where borrowers who have opted out from moratorium are coming back to take the benefit," says a banker. The low moratorium request doesn't suggest full extent of coronavirus' impact. Cases and deaths are on the rise and factories and companies are still to restart or maximise operations to full capacity.

Bankers say coronavirus-impacted sectors like MSMEs, hospitality, tourism, transportation are the ones availing the moratorium. "MSME players are most vulnerable. Even if they have cash, they want to preserve cash flows for future contingencies," says Padmaja Chunduru, Managing Director & CEO at Indian Bank.

Currently, the banks' MSME book constitutes roughly about 20 per cent of the total outstanding loans of Rs 90 lakh crore.

The banks' retail portfolio is largely salaried class with a major share of secured home loans. These customers haven't opted for moratorium in big way. Many have realised it's only deferment of EMIs and not a waiver.

But there are others who have availed the facility.

The banks claim that some have opted for moratorium even though they have enough money in their accounts and are receiving salaries. They probably want to conserve liquidity for any future contingencies as private sector employees fear pay cuts and job losses.

In the medium to large corporate segment, the banks have offered an 'opt in' model where firms have to make a strong case before the lender for getting a moratorium. The banks are quite strict in analysing each application. "Banks always have a fair idea about their large customers because of the long relationships," says Ashutosh Khajuria , CFO & Executive Director at Federal Bank.

"We understand their supply chain, raw material and distribution issues. It is easier for us to see whether a corporate customer is a genuine case or not," he added.

Also read: RBI proposes, SBI disposes; banks resist moratorium to NBFCs

Also read: Coronavirus loan moratorium - how to pause, continue or get refund for EMIs

Also read: Microfinance body demands moratorium facility, seeks help from PM Modi
So, thats it. Finally, the curtain has been drawn. Whichever way one tries to spin this  and it will be spun, no doubt  the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the United Kingdom is nothing less than dramatic. And so we wait for the wave of uproar, the anger, the riots even, or a soupcon of self-criticism at least. Yet nothing comes. Just as we sadly witnessed with the Grenfell Tower fire, the good people of the United Kingdom seem not to realise that it isnt just their economy-obsessed politicians that are out of touch with real life, it is the people themselves  British society as a whole.

In the same way that government and business managed to justify the idea that self-assessment for fire safety was a sensible strategy, rather than the inevitable and perilous consequence of cuts to the fire brigade, a quick and dirty way to save money  because, as proven by the use of flammable cladding, buildings never actually catch fire  here we are, in a society riven by systematic cuts to public services that is now encouraging people not to contact their GPs after several days of a high fever, but to wait at home till it abates or until one becomes too ill, because this is what the science tells us to do.

Why is this so? Why are the good people of Britain, not to mention great swathes of its media, buying into and parroting the misleading claims we keep hearing? Were flattening the curve, are now past the peak and if the virus disproportionally affects Bame Brits, it cant possibly be the result of social inequalities linked to generations of racial discrimination. Why? Because so many in this society are complicit. So many have an interest in the perpetuation of inequalities  social, racial, educational; between owners and renters; between those who are able to work from home and those who must go on the front line every morning.

Even the poorest are able to make sense of their lives because they, in turn, are able to exploit the poor from elsewhere, those making their cheap clothes in Asia or those being flown in from Eastern Europe to pick the food from the fields of their beloved island for an insultingly minuscule wage. And that doesnt even begin to address the horror of animals in battery farms, whose unbearable sacrifices bring joy to the many queueing for their daily fix of takeaway popcorn chicken.

Could this virus become Britains Vietnam War? Could it trigger a major national reassessment and finally expose a bitter truth that this great nation has been living a post-colonial lie, on borrowed time, for far too long? Or are we so deluded, so unjustifiably proud and, in fact, so scared, that were simply going to keep calm and carry on  carry on sinking, that is, oppressed by this toxic, calcified system, in order to make sure that Brexit means Brexit?

Angele DG

London SE14

Disappointing PMQs

Watching PMQs today, its clear that the present format, with fewer members present and no barracking or braying from the audience, exposes the prime ministers inability to focus, understand a question and to maintain a consistent narrative. He says one thing and then in the same sentence says something different. Nothing has changed except now there is nowhere for him to hide.

Will the right-wing press mention his obvious weaknesses having lauded him as saviour of the UK? Or will they stand aside as he leads us over the cliff as we ditch our EU friends in favour of new untested friends? Who will wake up first to the changed world we find ourselves in?

When the facts change, a wise person reviews the situation and if necessary will change their opinions. What evidence do we have of that today?

John Simpson

Ross on Wye

History repeating itself

In 1961, John F Kennedy, the then-president of the USA, authorised the CIA-led invasion of Cuba which became known as the Bay of Pigs, and ended in ignominious disaster in April of that year.

Moving to the present, it has been reported that a group has been apprehended on a Venezuelan beach in some bizarre operation to overthrow the president of said country, Nicolas Maduro, and allegedly at least two of the protagonists are American citizens. Goodness knows why they had their passports on them during an illegal raid.

The government of this deeply troubled South American country has been quick to point the finger at Donald Trump, and close associates in backing this plot or at least having knowledge of its existence.

We are used to spooky parallels with the 1920-30s, and now could it be that we are seeing the 1960s being repeated; within just over 18 months of the invasion, Kennedy was killed by an assassin in Dallas.

I feel it wise that someone should remind the current occupant of the Whitehouse what happened back in those tumultuous years!

Then again, some people never learn.

Robert Boston

Kingshill

Care failures

Matt Hancock is the secretary of state for health and social care, however, he has failed to bring forward a single care bill and has presided over the deaths of people in care homes, mostly privately run. Bupa, for example, has had a number of deaths in their homes, which leaves questions to be answered  after they are asked of course.

The planning disaster is down to the last 10 years of Tory rule. No ifs, no buts.

I, for one, did not choose this path. Cant see many others owning up to voting for it either.

The time for a proper rethink of how we want our society to move forward is now.

Hancocks disdain for a Labour MP asking questions will be discussed further!

Gary Martin

London E17

Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent Show all 19 1 /19 Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent Two elderly people chat on a street in Valencia, Spain on 4 May EPA Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent People look at the city from Villa Borghese park in Rome during the first day of Italy's next phase in its coronavirus lockdown Getty Images Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent An elderly couple who has not been outside for nearly two months enjoys the weather as they sit on a bench in a park in Athens on 4 May AFP via Getty Images Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent Henri de Chassey, wearing a protective face mask, kisses his partner Margaux Rebois, who is returning to Paris after spending two months in Brussels on 4 May REUTERS Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent A commuter in protective mask wears gloves at an underground station in Brussels as some companies are allowed to bring workers back to the office EPA/STEPHANIE LECOCQ Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent Paralympic swimmer Inigo Llopis prepares to swim in San Sebastian, Spain, for the first time since the lockdown began Getty Images Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent A worker wearing personal protective equipment disinfects a school in Athens as Greece relaxes its nationwide lockdown REUTERS Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent A Spanish National Police officer distributes protective masks in Melilla, Spain, on 4 May EPA Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent An employee poses in front of halfway-cured hams in a factory in Guijuelo, Salamanca, Spain, on 4 May EPA Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent Workers in protective suits disinfect a high school in Athens as Greece moves to reopen schools for final-year students on 11 May EPA Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent A worker disinfects a bus as transport vehicles are disinfected several times a day as part of Belgium's lockdown exit strategy Belga/AFP via Getty Images Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent A worker from Textilia haberdashery in Brussels holds a fabric that can be used to make customised protective face masks as Belgium relaxes its lockdown measures REUTERS/Yves Herman Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent A bride tries on a wedding dress at a bridal shop in Madrid on the first day that some small businesses are allowed to open during Spain's lockdown REUTERS Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent People walk across the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping mall in central Milan as Italy eases its lockdown AFP/Getty Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent A couple kiss in the Duomo Square in Catania as Italy starts moving out of its lockdown Reuters Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent Mirel Chetan organises the books of the Antonio Machado bookstore in Madrid after 51 days of closure Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent A couple kiss in front of the sea in Catania as Italy begins a staged end to a nationwide lockdown due to the spread of the coronavirus disease ANTONIO PARRINELLO/ REUTERS Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent A waiter at Caffe Cracco handles takeaway coffee in Milan on 4 May as Italy starts to ease its lockdown Miguel Medina/AFP via Getty Images Europe emerges from lockdowns across the continent A woman holds a yoga posture as she exercises by the Colosseum monument in Rome on the first day of Italy relaxing its lockdown measures VINCENZO PINTO/AFP via Getty Images

Masks for smokers

I can reassure Mike Sawyer of Denver (Letters, 5 May) that people are already making holes in masks so that they can smoke  seen regularly on the streets of east London!

I also see masks slung around peoples necks, dangling from hands and lifted off the mouth in order to talk to others, demonstrating clearly that they are utterly useless outside a medical setting.

Glynne Williams

London E17
The Stanford-led study also found that when drivers were pulled over, officers searched the cars of blacks and Hispanics more often than whites

The largest-ever study of alleged racial profiling during traffic stops has found that blacks, who are pulled over more frequently than whites by day, are much less likely to be stopped after sunset, when "a veil of darkness" masks their race.

That is one of several examples of systematic bias that emerged from a five-year study that analyzed 95 million traffic stop records, filed by officers with 21 state patrol agencies and 35 municipal police forces from 2011 to 2018.

The Stanford-led study also found that when drivers were pulled over, officers searched the cars of blacks and Hispanics more often than whites. The researchers also examined a subset of data from Washington and Colorado, two states that legalized marijuana, and found that while this change resulted in fewer searches overall, and thus fewer searches of blacks and Hispanics, minorities were still more likely than whites to have their cars searched after a pull-over.

"Our results indicate that police stops and search decisions suffer from persistent racial bias, and point to the value of policy interventions to mitigate these disparities," the researchers write in the May 4th issue of Nature Human Behaviour.

The paper culminates a five-year collaboration between Stanford's Cheryl Phillips, a journalism lecturer whose graduate students obtained the raw data through public records requests, and Sharad Goel, a professor of management science and engineering whose computer science team organized and analyzed the data.

Goel and his collaborators, which included Ravi Shroff, a professor of applied statistics at New York University, spent years culling through the data, eliminating records that were incomplete or from the wrong time periods, to create the 95 million-record database that was the basis for their analysis. "There is no way to overstate the difficulty of that task," Goel said.

Creating that database enabled the team to find the statistical evidence that a "veil of darkness" partially immunized blacks against traffic stops. That term and idea has been around since 2006 when it was used in a study that compared the race of 8,000 drivers in Oakland, California, who were stopped at any time of day or night over a six month period. But the findings from that study were inconclusive because the sample was too small to prove a link between the darkness of the sky and the race of the stopped drivers.

The Stanford team decided to repeat the analysis using the much larger dataset that they had gathered. First, they narrowed the range of variables they had to analyze by choosing a specific time of day - around 7 p.m. - when the probable causes for a stop were more or less constant. Next, they took advantage of the fact that, in the months before and after daylight saving time each year, the sky gets a little darker or lighter, day by day. Because they had such a massive database, the researchers were able to find 113,000 traffic stops, from all of the locations in their database, that occurred on those days, before or after clocks sprang forward or fell back, when the sky was growing darker or lighter at around 7 p.m. local time.

This dataset provided a statistically valid sample with two important variables - the race of the driver being stopped, and the darkness of the sky at around 7 p.m. The analysis left no doubt that the darker it got, the less likely it became that a black driver would be stopped. The reverse was true when the sky was lighter.

More than any single finding, the collaboration's most lasting impact may be from the Stanford Open Policing Project, which the researchers started to make their data available to investigative and data-savvy reporters, and to hold workshops to help reporters learn how to use the data to do local stories.

For example, the researchers helped reporters at the Seattle-based non-profit news organization, Investigate West, understand the patterns in the data for stories showing bias in police searches of Native Americans. That reporting prompted the Washington State Patrol to review its practices and boost officer training. Similarly, the researchers helped reporters at the Los Angeles Times analyze data that showed how police searched minority drivers far more often than whites. It resulted in a story that was part of a larger investigative series that prompted changes in Los Angeles Police Department practices.

"All told we've trained about 200 journalists, which is one of the unique things about this project," Phillips said.

Goel and Phillips plan to continue collaborating through a project called Big Local News that will explore how data science can shed light on public issues, such as civil asset forfeitures - instances in which law enforcement is authorized to seize and sell property associated with a crime. Gathering and analyzing records of when and where such seizures occur, to whom, and how such property is disposed will help shed light on how this practice is being used. Big Local News is also working on collaborative efforts to standardize information from police disciplinary cases.

"These projects demonstrate the power of combining data science with journalism to tell important stories," Goel said.

###
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Stressors, such as getting into arguments or disagreements with others, have been linked to poorer physical and mental health. Research has shown that how a person emotionally reacts to stressful events can predict future health outcomes, such as chronic health conditions, anxiety, and even mortality risk.

Gloria Luong, a Colorado State University assistant professor in Human Development and Family Studies who studies socioemotional development and health across adulthood, has published a paper investigating how Chinese Americans and European Americans choose different coping strategies in response to a social conflict stressor that may either pay off immediately or in the long run.

An immediate payoff will make a person feel better in the moment, while a long-term pay off will make them feel better when they look back on the situation.

Luong's latest paper, published in Cognition and Emotion, found that culture helps to shape what people value in different situations and their social relationships.

"Even though we may not be able to control all stressful situations in our lives, we can work on controlling how we choose to cope with those stressors and how we emotionally respond to those events," said Luong, who found that coping preferences differed by cultural groups.

Chinese Americans were more likely to choose strategies that made them feel better at the moment by seeking supportive responses from their conflict partner.

In contrast, European Americans were more likely to confront their conflict partners, which was associated with feeling less positive during the conflict discussion. By opting for this coping strategy, however, European Americans were more likely to look back on the event in a more positive light one week later than Chinese Americans.

These findings suggest that people may prefer to use different coping strategies that pay off immediately or in the long term, and these choices may have consequences for longer-term health and well-being.

According to Luong, stressors can exert a detrimental effect on physical health equivalent to smoking five cigarettes a day and can increase the risk of coronary heart disease by 50 percent.

"If we are not able to find ways to effectively cope with everyday stressors to mitigate their negative effects on our health and well-being, we may be putting ourselves at risk," said Luong.

"The more reactive we become in response to stressors in terms of emotional and physiological arousal, the riskier our health profiles become."

Previous research

Luong explained that in the scientific literature, much of the work has largely ignored contextual factors of stress responses, such as how culture might shape the kinds of coping strategies people might prefer to use, or how people may prefer to make tradeoffs in terms of shorter-term vs. longer-term payoffs.

Instead, research has focused on coping strategies that are generally considered to be adaptive with respect to how effective a person deals with a stressor or how they reduce negative responses to stressors.

Cultural differences

Culture helps to shape what people value in different situations and their social relationships. Individualistic contexts like European American cultural contexts in the United States are more likely to view themselves as unique individuals who are independent and have freedom in decision making.

"I think we are seeing a lot of that now across the U.S. with people protesting the social distancing measures as an encroachment on their freedom and choices," said Luong.

In contrast, in more collectivistic contexts, such as in East Asians and Asian American cultural contexts, people view their identities more as being part of a larger social fabric, so that there is a recognition that the choices they make are more likely to affect others around them.

In collectivistic contexts, people may care more about maintaining social harmony and conformity.

"We believed we would find some of the largest cultural group differences when looking at how European Americans and Chinese Americans choose to cope with an interpersonal stressor, in which they discuss emotionally-charged moral and ethical dilemmas with another person and that person challenges them and tells them they are wrong," said Luong.

The study found that this was indeed the case. European Americans were more likely to stand up to their study partner when the study partner disagreed with them.

In contrast, Chinese Americans were more likely to seek out emotional support from their study partners, which, in turn, was related to smaller decreases in their positive emotions.

Memories of interaction

The study also asked participants how they remembered their negative and positive emotions one week later.

"We know that memories are reconstructed; they are not just like playing videotapes or looking at photographs," said Luong. "New experiences can change how people remember what happened to them, and to the extent that people are able to reframe past negative events in a more positive light, they may be better able to cope with and move on from such events."

European Americans remembered experiencing more positive emotions and fewer negative emotions than they had actually experienced in the prior week. Only European Americans showed positive emotional memories. Chinese Americans showed no such memory biases because they remembered their emotional experiences as they had lived them during the prior week.

European Americans were more likely to confront the study partner, which reduced their positive emotions to a higher degree than Chinese Americans at the moment but may have helped them to process the event in such a way that they could be satisfied with how they dealt with the situation.

Luong believes her team was the first to show that these cultural differences in memory biases stem from how people coped with the stressor in the prior week.

Long-term health and well-being

"I am not sure we know enough right now about which strategies are more adaptive," said Luong. "If you did a good job of dealing with a stressor at the moment, and those short term strategies are maintained over time, then that's great for you and your health."

Luong explained that in her study, subjects never saw the study partners again. Still, if the study were to be extrapolated to real life where people have to deal with the same partners over and over again, then if the person ignored confrontation continually, it could be a bad long-term strategy.

"In our study, it made sense to kind of ignore this study partner because people knew they would never see them again," said Luong. "It may not have been worth getting worked up to argue with someone who doesn't really care if you are right or wrong."

Luong argues the need to be careful about extrapolating the study findings out of context, but to take context into consideration on when each strategy may be adaptive, and for which dimensions of health or well-being.

What's next?

Luong's current study, the Health and Daily Experiences study, funded by the National Institute on Aging, is now trying to contextualize cultural group differences in coping and stress responses inside and outside of the lab.

The study is looking at differences between European Americans and LatinX/Hispanic participants in how they cope with challenging tasks in the lab, as well as how they deal with stressors in their daily life.

The study will be able to track people's physiological responses to understand how these responses may put people at higher risk for health problems.

Explore further Americans embrace positive feelings, while Chinese prefer a balance

More information: Gloria Luong et al. Cultural differences in coping with interpersonal tensions lead to divergent shorter- and longer-term affective consequences, Cognition and Emotion (2020). Journal information: Cognition and Emotion Gloria Luong et al. Cultural differences in coping with interpersonal tensions lead to divergent shorter- and longer-term affective consequences,(2020). DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2020.1752153
Twenty-two people linked to a Border Security Force battalion in Dhalai district tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Wednesday, taking the number of cases in Tripura to 64, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said.

The total active cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) rose to 62 in the state after 22 people from the 138th battalion at Ambassa tested positive.

"Alert! 22 persons from 138-Bn #BSF Ambassa found #COVID19 POSITIVE today including 18 male, 1 female, 3 children," Deb tweeted on Wednesday night.

"Total #COVID19 POSITIVE cases in Tripura stands at 64 (2 already discharged, so active cases: 62) Dont Panic, Govt is working vigilantly," Deb said.

Two BSF jawans of 138 battalion headquarters at Ambassa in Dhalai district had tested positive on May 2. The very next day, 12 more BSF personnel tested positive.

On May 4, 13 more tested positive and on May 5, another 13 BSF jawans tested positive for COVID-19.

All the COVID-19 positive persons are either BSF personnel or their family members.

Earlier in the day, the Tripura government asked the BSF Inspector General (Tripura) Solomon Minz to conduct an inquiry on the spurt of COVID-19 cases among jawans of the 138 battalion of the paramilitary force posted in Dhalai district and submit a report within seven days.

Law Minister Ratan Nath said the Principal Secretary (Home) Barun Kumar Sahu had written a Minz, asking him to inquire into the origin of the COVID-19 cases and submit a report within seven days.

The state government has declared Dhalai district as red zone and marked three locations -- the battalion headquarters, a base camp at Gandacherra and a border outpost with Bangladesh at Kareena as containment zones.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
This undated photo provided by Freedom Initiative shows Reem Desouky, 47, with her 13-year-old son Mustafa Hamed at an art event in Lancaster, Pa. Read more

CAIRO  Before his trip to Egypt last summer, Moustafa Hamed had likely expected to spend his final year in obscurity at his middle school in Lancaster County. Instead, the boy became an unexpected messenger in an international human rights case.

America, please, he said in a video released last fall, "I just need my mother.

For months, his mother, Reem Desouky, had been imprisoned in Egypt without a trial for running a Facebook page critical of Egypts president. This week, she was released and returned to the United States. Days after flying from Egypt to Washington, Desouky and her son remained in precautionary isolation, and have declined to speak publicly about the ordeal.

But a friend who had spoken with her via video chat said Desouky was "safe and very happy to be home in Pennsylvania. She looked remarkably well, the friend, Anita Pilkerton-Plumb, said on Wednesday.

Desoukys release followed a campaign not just by local friends and supporters, but human rights advocates and U.S. officials.

Her family and friends are ecstatic, the Freedom Initiative, a nonprofit that had campaigned for her release, said in a statement.

A 47-year-old single mother and interpreter in Lancaster, Desouky had traveled to Egypt last July with her son to visit relatives. She was arrested on charges that included promoting a terrorist group on social media and publishing false news.

Since President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi came to power in 2013 in a military ouster, Egypt has increasingly leveled such charges against activists, journalists, and social media users who criticize the government, according to Amnesty International.

Egypt is a longtime U.S. ally. President Donald Trump has offered effusive praise for Sisi on numerous occasions, referring to him last year as his favorite dictator.

In the months after Desoukys detention, at least 75 people and community groups had pressed lawmakers, the State Department and the Trump administration to intervene in her case.

Desouky was jailed at Qanater Womens Prison outside Cairo, where 10 inmates launched a partial hunger strike in December to protest inhumane treatment. A fellow prisoner died in custody the same month, according to advocates.

Egypts overcrowded prisons drew new attention in recent weeks, with local activists calling for the release of prisoners to prevent coronavirus infections. Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo raised concerns about American prisoners safety during the pandemic in a call to the Egyptian foreign minister.

But the reasons for those concerns were present before the virus. In January, another Egyptian American detained there, Mustafa Kassem, died in custody on a hunger strike after spending six years in a military prison without trial for allegedly joining a 2013 protest  an accusation Kassem had denied.

Vice President Mike Pence had previously raised Kassems case to Sisi, and his death sparked unusual criticism of Egypt from U.S. officials.

Pompeo called Kassems death pointless and tragic. Lawmakers called on Pompeo to reconsider $300 million in military aid to Egypt.

Kassems death put pressure on Egypt to release Americans, especially those seen as prisoners of conscience, said Tim Kaldas of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy.

Meanwhile, Desoukys release was a low-cost win for the Trump administration, Kaldas said, to defend its close ties to Egypts government and allay Congress concerns.

After Desoukys release, the State Department said in a statement that it "has no higher priority than the safety and welfare of U.S. citizens overseas.

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R., Pa.), who represents Desoukys district, noted in a Facebook post this week that "many people in our community advocated for her return and I know we are all happy that she is back safely.

And Lancaster Stands Up, one of the groups that lobbied for her freedom, expressed thanks to everyone who took the time to demand justice on behalf of her and her family.

The Freedom Initiative said it hoped Desoukys release would lead to more prisoner releases. Egyptian Americans Mohamed Amashah, a medical student, and Khaled Hassan, a limo driver, are two of a handful of Americans still imprisoned in Egypt. Desoukys brother, Nour, also remains in prison, a Freedom Initiative representative told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He was arrested during a visit to his incarcerated sister last summer.

Desoukys plans for the future are unclear. But before boarding her flight home, she renounced her Egyptian citizenship.
In the coming week for the Deutsche Lufthansa exciting. It is about the future of the leading European airline. And for many shareholders in the long run, your rate of return and shares in a tradition-rich company. It would have been able to stay in the run  up to actually calm-so the probably thought at least the Executive floor to Carsten Spohr. Finally, it was still reasonably on time, before the group's liquidity thanks to the Corona of a crisis to Zero, with the Federal government on a Deal agreed.

The Board of Directors of the (future M)Dax-group seems likely to have a bit of their new major shareholder Heinz Hermann Thiele, and the unconventional business thinking is underestimated. This is not a surprise, after all, he has this in the past as the main shareholder during braking specialist Knorr-Bremse act. It took exactly one Interview with the F. A. to make, for example, the the Lufthansa employees in Frankfurt, so really nervous.

Thiele is not a Gordon Gekko

Since Heinz-Hermann Thiele showed up to the F. A. Z. dissatisfied with the rescue package, particularly with the planned state entry. "I am firmly of the Belief that the state is not the best entrepreneurs," he said. Also, Thiele said that the increase of his shares in Lufthansa is now 15 percent is not a Signal to vote at the annual General meeting against anything. At the same time (justified) criticism came from him, however, that the Board of Directors of the crane-group have not named the the collar-treated Alternatives.

As blank ultimately the nerves at Lufthansa are showed the reaction of the company. Immediately, the group warned in a message prior to a Failure of the rescue package and called on its shareholders, if possible in large numbers at the extraordinary shareholders ' meeting. Lufthansa fears that the major shareholder Thiele collections could block due to the usually weak presence of shareholders on the rescue plan.

a bit of the Whole recalled the Dieter Wedel -three-divisor "the big Bellheim" from the 1990s, in which the Board of Directors of the bell home-buying houses, the greedy Investor, Karl-Heinz Rottmann, tried to dissuade, to start a revolt at the annual General meeting. However, Thiele seems to be neither a Rottmann, a Gordon Gecko from "Wall Street", wants to exclude the financial difficulties of the flight company "Bluestar".

The billionaire Thiele may have a strong Ego, a difficult shareholder and also a bit of a Fan of the "one against all", but he certainly has asked the right questions, even if many outsiders to be a confusing time. There was really next to the Federal rescue package is no better Alternative for the group, its over 138,000 employees and its shareholders? Conceivable is a part-financing on the financial market and not a capital increase would be, Yes, quite - and this is still at the nominal value.

doubt has been expressed, not just the major shareholder. Also a shareholder, conservationists are skeptical. The German protection Association for securities holding (DSW) had already claimed weeks ago in the framework of the Lufthansa-negotiations with the Federal government again and again that the entrepreneurial influence of the state must be prevented, so that the group has a Chance to maneuver themselves out of the crisis.

Updated Date: 19 June 2020, 06:20
Less than a month after saying 2020 guidance was secure, Barrick Gold Corp. lowered its output forecast after running into conflict with the government of Papua New Guinea.

Last month, Barrick said it was challenging a decision by the PNG government to deny rights to continue to operate the Porgera gold mine, which accounted for about five per cent of its production of the metal last year. On Wednesday, the worlds second-largest bullion producer lowered its guidance to a range of 4.6 million to five million ounces of gold, from 4.8 million-5.2 million.

The guidance was lowered because of Porgera for 2020, chief executive officer Mark Bristow said by phone Wednesday following the release of the companys first-quarter earnings statement. We put it on care and maintenance. We were forced to do that because we didnt have the right to mine.

Bristow said on Wednesday that a judge has insisted Barrick keep the Porgera mine on care and maintenance and ordered the miner to commence substantive discussions with the government and return to court on May 8 to report on progress. The judge said if they fail to reach an agreement, a court-appointed mediator will be set up, according to Bristow.

Barrick co-owns the Porgera operation with Chinese partner Zijin Mining Group Co. In May, the Canadian company suggested that with the proper investments, the project could be a tier-1 asset  meaning it would have high output at lower costs.

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Armenian Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan had a phone talk with his Belarusian counterpart Vladimir Makei, MFA's press service reported.

The FM exchanged views on steps in the fight against coronavirus. Minister Mnatsakanyan presented to his Belarusian counterpart the assistance programs and measures implemented by the Armenia government aimed at overcoming the socio-economic consequences.

The sides highlighted the close cooperation between the various branches of the MFAs in organizing the return of the citizens of Armenia and Belarus to their homeland and effectively addressing the challenges they face.

The FMs touched upon the issues on the bilateral agenda, expressing their mutual readiness to continue a constructive dialogue in fields of mutual interest. The importance of making full use of the potential of the inter-parliamentary platform was noted in this regard.

The two also touched on some issues on the agenda of upcoming events within the CIS, the Eurasian Union, and the CSTO.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted leave of extension of time to enable the Attorney General (AG) respond to a motion filed by Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, the Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).



The five-member panel, chaired by the Chief Justice, Mr Kwasi Anin Yeboah, gave the AG two weeks to study the motion filed by the applicant and thereafter adjourned the suit sine dine.



Mr Tony Lithur, the lead lawyer for Mr Ofosu-Ampofo, did not object to the grant of extension of time.



Mrs Yvonne Atakorah Obuobisa, the Director of Public Prosecution, had told the Court that the AG received the motion late.



Mr Ofosu-Ampofo, being tried jointly with Mr Anthony Kwaku Boahen, NDC Deputy Communication Officer, at the High Court on conspiracy to commit assault against public officers - the chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) and the chairman of the National Peace Council (NPC) - had proceeded to the Supreme Court after the Court refused a motion of stay.



An application was filed by the lawyers of Mr Ofosu-Ampofo at the Commercial Divisional High Court, where the trial is pending, seeking for a stay of proceedings whilst an appeal at the Court of Appeal was ongoing.



The application challenging the decision of the High Court to adopt the controversial witness statement of Mr Benjamin Osei Ampofo Adjei, the first prosecution witness, and a staff of Multimedia Group (Adom FM) was refused.



Mr Ofosu-Ampofo and Mr Boahen are standing trial over an alleged leaked tape, in which the National Chairman allegedly incited violence against both the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) and the Chairman of the National Peace Council (NPC).



The two have pleaded not guilty to a count of conspiracy to commit assault against a public officer, while Mr Ofosu-Ampofo has pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault against a public officer.



They have been granted a GHC100,000.00 bail with a surety each.

Source: GNA









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Dublin, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Asia Pacific Digital English Language Learning Market to 2027 - Regional Analysis and Forecasts by Product Type; Business Type; End User; Age Group" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.





The digital English language learning market in APAC was valued at US$ 1,678.6 million in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 17.2% during the forecast period of 2020-2027 to reach US$ 5,974.6 million by 2027.



The education sector in APAC is transforming exponentially owing to various initiatives undertaken by governments and private organizations to digitally drive the sector. Governments of various countries, such as China, South Korea, and Australia, have initiated the digital education schemes in the past years, which have helped in boosting the English education systems. For instance, Australian governmental initiative Digital Education Revolution (DER), which was initiated a decade ago, has fostered several schools and universities in leveraging digital education. Similarly, Chinese government has initiated several policies to drive the digital education majorly focusing on English language learning, which has propelled the rise in the number of companies offering the same to Chinese students.



Various initiatives have been undertaken by the Indian government to popularize the digitalized technologies in the educational sector. SWAYAM is the most prominent digital learning platform and initiative undertaken by Indian government to help the students opt for online courses covering all higher education subjects. International universities are also allowed to offer their respective courses and examination through SWAYAM platform, which is facilitating the students to learn and opt for examinations from international universities.



Digital transformation has influenced the educational sector in APAC heavily in the recent years. Australia and China are the most prominent countries to implement digital education in schools and universities, which include English language learning. However, China and South Korea lead the digital English language learning market in APAC. India on the other hand has recently implemented several initiatives to boost the digital education in the country under the initiative Digital India. Additionally, the penetration of internet has spurred the demand for e-learning in the country, which is positively impacting on the digital English language learning market in APAC. Also, the availability of the online examinations and scrutinizing individual English proficiency has gained popularity in APAC countries.



India, China, Indonesia, Australia, Thailand, and North Korea are economically developing countries and witnessing growing economies owing to various government-led initiatives toward progressive development. Factors such as initiatives focusing on digital infrastructures and various internet usage awareness campaigns lay strong platforms for the development of digitalization. Companies from the western part of the world have been keener on investing and opening their branches in the Asian countries. This is expected to positively influence the need for digital English language learning systems in the coming years.



The digital English language learning market players in APAC have been experiencing substantial growth in the recent years owing to the increase in procurement of their services by the corporate sector. Corporate communication is one of the most critical functions faced by various employees working in APAC organizations. Pertaining to this fact, several companies operating in different countries in APAC are undertaking initiatives to enhance the proficiency of English language among the employees. This factor is boosting the digital English language learning market through corporate sectors in APAC.



Reasons to Buy:

Story continues

Save and reduce time carrying out entry-level research by identifying the growth, size, leading players and segments in the APAC digital English language learning market

Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies

The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the APAC digital English language learning market, thereby allowing players across the value chain to develop effective long-term strategies

Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets

Scrutinize in-depth APAC market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as those hindering it

Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to client products, segmentation, pricing and distribution



Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction

1.1 Scope of the Study

1.2 Report Guidance

1.3 Market Segmentation



2. Key Takeaways



3. Research Methodology

3.1 Coverage

3.2 Secondary Research

3.3 Primary Research



4. Asia-Pacific Digital Language Learning Market Landscape

4.1 Market Overview

4.2 Ecosystem Analysis

4.3 PEST Analysis

4.3.1 Asia Pacific - PEST Analysis



5. Asia-Pacific Digital Language Learning Market - Key Industry Dynamics

5.1 Key Market Drivers

5.1.1 Growing Number Students Migrating to Western Countries from Asia

5.1.2 Penetration of Digitization Across The Education Sector

5.2 Key Market Restraints

5.2.1 Growing Security Concerns and High Risk of Piracy with Offline Content

5.3 Key Market Opportunities

5.3.1.1 Government Initiatives Regarding English Language Learning To Create Lucrative Business Opportunities

5.4 Future Trends

5.4.1 Integration of Advanced Technologies to Attract More Customers

5.5 Impact Analysis of Drivers and Restraints



6. Asia-Pacific Digital Language Learning Market -Market Analysis

6.1 Asia-Pacific Digital Language Learning Market Overview

6.2 Asia-Pacific Digital Language Learning Market Forecast and Analysis



7. Asia-Pacific Digital Language Learning Market Revenue And Forecasts To 2027 - Language Type

7.1 Overview

7.2 English

7.2.1 Overview

7.2.2 Asia-Pacific English Language Market Revenue and Forecasts to 2027 (US$ Mn)

7.3 Mandarin

7.3.1 Overview

7.3.2 Asia-Pacific Mandarin Language Market Revenue and Forecasts to 2027 (US$ Mn)

7.4 Spanish Language

7.4.1 Overview

7.4.2 Asia-Pacific Spanish Language Market Revenue and Forecasts to 2027 (US$ Mn)

7.5 German Language

7.5.1 Overview

7.5.2 Asia-Pacific German Language Market Revenue and Forecasts to 2027 (US$ Mn)

7.6 Other Language

7.6.1 Overview

7.6.2 Asia-Pacific Other Language Market Revenue and Forecasts to 2027 (US$ Mn)



8. Asia-Pacific Digital Language Learning Market - By Deployment Type

8.1 Overview

8.2 Cloud-Based

8.2.1 Overview

8.2.2 Asia-Pacific Cloud-Based Market Revenue and Forecasts to 2027 (US$ Mn)

8.3 On-Premises

8.3.1 Overview

8.3.2 Asia-Pacific On-Premises Market Revenue and Forecasts to 2027 (US$ Mn)



9. Asia-Pacific Digital Language Learning Market Analysis - By Business Type

9.1 Overview

9.2 Business-To-Business

9.2.1 Overview

9.2.2 Asia-Pacific Business-To-Business Market Revenue and Forecasts to 2027 (US$ Mn)

9.3 Business-To-Customer

9.3.1 Overview

9.3.2 Asia-Pacific Business-To-Customers Market Revenue and Forecasts to 2027 (US$ Mn)



10. Asia-Pacific Digital Language Learning Market Analysis - By End User

10.1 Overview

10.2 Academic

10.2.1 Overview

10.2.2 Asia-Pacific Academic Market Revenue and Forecasts to 2027 (US$ Mn)

10.3 Non-Academic

10.3.1 Overview

10.3.2 Asia-Pacific Non-Academic Market Revenue and Forecasts to 2027 (US$ Mn)



11. Asia-Pacific Digital Language Learning Market- Country Analysis

11.1 Overview

11.1.1 Asia Pacific Digital Language Learning Market Breakdown, By Key Countries

11.1.1.1 China Digital Language Learning Market Revenue And Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

11.1.1.2 Japan Digital Language Learning Market Revenue And Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

11.1.1.3 India Digital Language Learning Market Revenue And Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

11.1.1.4 Australia Digital Language Learning Market Revenue And Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

11.1.1.5 South Korea Digital Language Learning Market Revenue And Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

11.1.1.6 Rest Of APAC Digital Language Learning Market Revenue And Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)



12. Digital Language Learning Market - Industry Landscape

12.1 Market Initiative

12.2 New Development



13. Company Profiles

13.1 Babbel

13.1.1 Key Facts

13.1.2 Business Description

13.1.3 Products and Services

13.1.4 Financial Overview

13.1.5 SWOT Analysis

13.1.6 Key Developments

13.2 Busuu Ltd.

13.3 Fluenz

13.4 Lingoda GmbH.

13.5 Living Language (Penguin Random House, LLC)

13.6 Pearson PLC

13.7 Preply, Inc.

13.8 Rosetta Stone, Inc

13.9 Verbling, Inc.

13.10 Vabla, Inc.



14. Appendix



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/8pep73

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.



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Liquor enthusiasts were seen queuing up outside liquor stores at Nanitals Mall Road, while maintaining social distancing, on Tuesday amid the national lockdown.

The clip tweeted by ANI showed people maintaining at least a metres distance and wearing masks while standing in line. Not more than two persons at a time were attended to at the liquor shops. People were seen standing patiently with umbrellas in the midst of a hailstorm.

Take a look at the video:

Uttarakhand: Shoppers brave hailstorm to buy liquor at a shop on Mall Road in Nainital today. #CoronavirusLockdown pic.twitter.com/lvU2K1HT2c  ANI (@ANI) May 5, 2020

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Uttarakhand has a count of 60 positive coronavirus cases of which, 39 patients have recovered and one patient succumbed to the virus, as of Tuesday.
Lookout Books, the teaching press housed in the creative writing department at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, is partnering with nine indie bookstores all over the country to provide virtual backgrounds free for students  and anyone else without charge  for use in virtual classrooms and video conferences.

A blog on Lookouts website introduces the project, with thumbnail sketches of each participating bookstore alongside the background photo (s) available for downloading. The images vary: some are of interiors emphasizing book displays, while others are exterior shots, complete with signage identifying the store; one image is of a store's colorful logo.

Participating indies that each have provided Lookout Books with downloadable high-resolution images include Book Soup (West Hollywood, Calif.) Books Are Magic (Brooklyn); Brazos Bookstore (Houston); Hub City Bookshop (Spartanburg, S.C.); Main Street Books (Davidson, N.C.); McNally Jackson (New York City); Tattered Cover (Denver); Vromans (Pasadena, Calif.); and White Whale Bookstore (Pittsburgh).

Having gathered in virtual classrooms with my publishing students for the past six weeks, Ive become increasingly aware of the privacy concerns when we virtually invite others into our homes, publisher Emily Smith explained of the projects genesis. Im sure you know someone who joins your Zoom meetings from outer space or a palm-tree covered island, but for many of our students, backgrounds can be more than a joke. They can offer a layer of privacy and help maintain confidentiality around disparities in living situations.

Smith explained that she and her staff reached out to indies with which they already had some personal connection. I thought theyd be willing to help out on short notice, so that we could make backgrounds available to students right away, she said. Noting that "Zoom staging is a thing these days," Michael Chin, Books Are Magics event director, provided a simple reason for the bookstores participation: If we can give a spark of joy to anyone, were happy to do it, he said, adding, "And it reminds people that we're still here."

As for Hub City's Rebecca Arrowsmith, she says that she was receptive to participate in the project because "there is something both comforting and grounding about being surrounded by books. Lookout has created a virtual space of that same creativity, warmth, and comfort while we experience a different form of togetherness."

The program is not just for the benefit of students and others wanting to maintain their privacy, Smith maintains: it is also meant to support indie bookstores. Until were able to gather again for readings, book clubs, and of course shopping, she said, Lookout is asking folks to use these backgrounds as a way to support indies, and to visit their respective websites for more information about how to sustain them.

Many indies continue to host virtual story time for kids, readings, and book launches, Lookout's blog states, They fill orders from behind closed storefronts and work twice as hard for a fraction of the income. Theyre serving their communities. We recommend purchasing books from them online or curbside (if theyre offering that option), buying a gift card, or making a donation.

Smith said that other booksellers interested in participating in the program send an email to lookout@uncw.edu and attach a high resolution photo with the photo credit, as well as permission for Lookout to use the photo(s) for this purpose.
The Russian embassy in the Czech Republic has received the Czech Foreign Ministrys diplomatic note suggesting that the two countries launch consultations on tensions that escalated following the demolition of a monument dedicated to WWII Soviet Marshal Ivan Konev in Prague, Embassy Spokesman Nikolai Bryakin said.



"We have received such a note," TASS cited him as saying.



Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek said, addressing the lower house of the countrys parliament, that the Czech authorities "handed a note over to Russia suggesting that consultations be launched in accordance with paragraph five of the treaty on friendly relations and cooperation between the Czech Republic and Russia." According to the top diplomat, there are numerous points of disagreement between the two countries.



The monument to Marshal Konev was removed on April 3 following a decision by the authorities of the district Prague-6. The municipal authorities intend to hand it over to the Museum of the 20th Century that the Prague Mayors Office plans to establish. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said earlier that Moscow was waiting for the Czech authorities to respond to Russias proposal to discuss the violation of the 1993 friendship treaty.
The Minority Leader in Parliament, Haruna Iddrisu has urged government to withdraw the pre-tertiary education Bill from Parliament for proper work to be done on it.

He said the government needs to consult stakeholders broadly on the Bill and incorporate their before seeking parliamentary approval.

The Bill, when passed, will among other things see basic schools, Senior High Schools and TVET institutions being managed by District Assemblies, Regional Education Directorates and a Director-General, independent of the Ghana Education Service.

Haruna Iddrisu who spoke to Citi News on the sidelines of a donation event said the many concerns raised by some stakeholders must be considered before the passage of the Bill.

I am not principally against decentralization or decentralized roles in basic education but there are legitimate concerns raised by the stakeholders. At least I have read a formal correspondence from the Catholic Secretariat and their concerns are legitimate. Are our district and metropolitan assemblies are not ready to the responsibility and obligations we are creating for them? he quizzed.

The Tamale South legislator added that a more thorough national discussion is needed on the Bill before parliamentary approval is sought.

My plea to the president is for him to withdraw the pre-tertiary education Bill for a more thorough national consultation and discussion, he said.

He further said it is unconstitutional to make secondary education a part of basic education as earlier announced by President Nana Akufo-Addo.

To make Senior High School a necessary part of basic education is wrong in theory, wrong in practice and wrong constitutionally. He [Akufo-Addo] is doing a constitutional wrong to say that SHS is part of basic education. He should also not forget that Ghana is part of the West African sub-region, has he asked other leaders in the subregion whether they are doing same? Because there must be congruity, Haruna Iddrisu said.

Meanwhile, the Minority leader has donated 1,000 desks worth GH300,000 from his Social Investment fund to five schools in the Tamale South constituency.

---citinewsroom
Chris Hemsworth has a new movie to promote, and as he did last year, hes trying his hand without a hammer or axed, as in Men in Black International. Of course, Hemsworth well knows that the subject of Thor is never too far away, so they came up during a recent promotional appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Much ado has been made of Thors hammer Mjolnir and his axe Stormbreaker, and of whos allowed to hold them, whether its Captain America or Jane Foster. Apparently, even Hemsworth has trouble with them.

Chris Hemsworth | Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images

What did Hemsworth say on Jimmy Kimmel?

Kimmel recalled that the last time Hemsworth appeared on his show, when Kimmel and other talk shows could still have an audience, Hemsworth was talking about Thors props.

But during the recent appearance, Hemsworth was speaking from Australia, where hes quarantined with his family. So Kimmel asked Hemsworth if thats where the props are.

This is the house where the hammers are (in Australia) Hemsworth said. Ive got two hammers here, actually.

And he had one of them at the ready, probably anticipating the question. It was the original Mjolnir from the first Thor movie in 2011. Much was made of the fact that none of the other Avengers could lift the hammer during a scene in Avengers: Age of Ultron, but the actual hammer prop does have some heft.

Its not hollow, like a toy hammer might be, but its got some weight to it, Hemsworth said. My kids like to slowly, bit by bit, consider themselves worthy as they get older and stronger and able to pick it up.

Its not just the kids whom Hemsworth has to contend with  its his wife, Elsa Pataky, too. Hemsworth told Kimmel that he would put the hammer on the mantel or on display somewhere, and his wife will put it back in the cupboard. Kimmel responded, If worse comes to worse, you can reach out your hand and it comes back to you.

How do people like Hemsworths new movie?

Hemsworth appeared on Kimmel to promote his new movie Extraction, playing on Netflix. He plays the improbably named Tyler Rake, a mercenary who takes on a particularly dangerous extraction when he must rescue the kidnapped son of an imprisoned international crime lord. Its written by Joe Russo, one of the Russo brothers who directed four MCU movies, including the biggest of them all, Avengers: Endgame.

Its adrenaline-driven, high-action  this resonated in a different way. It has a heartbeat at the center of it. Its sort of an action art film, if you can combine the two  the action on this is unlike anything Ive ever seen, Hemsworth told Kimmel.

The movie has a fair 66 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with a Critical consensus starting, Spectacular stunt work and an electric performance from Chris Hemsworth cant save Extraction from being dragged down by its aimless violence.

We have to wait a bit longer for Thor: Love and Thunder

While Hemsworth shows off his Thor props, it will be a little while longer before we see Hemsworth as Thor. The movie had originally been scheduled to come out in November 2021 until the pandemic prompted Disney and Marvel to push back their entire schedule.

Now the movie is coming out in February 2022, making that a busy year for Marvel, with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Black Panther 2, Captain Marvel 2 and an unnamed fifth film all crowding the theaters.

Ever since Natalie Portman lifted Mjolnir at Comic-Con last year, her MCU colleagues have also been getting in on the fun. Brie Larson posted an Instagram of herself holding it, probably figuring that Captain Marvel would be able to lift it easily, prompting Portman to report, Hey, muscles, easy with my hammer.
Ontarios police watchdog is investigating an incident Monday where a 27-year-old man was seriously injured during an arrest.

Hamilton police were called around 9 a.m. May 4 to Sanford Avenue South and Aikman Avenue for a report of a suspicious vehicle, said the Special Investigations Unit.

On scene, officers found two men inside the vehicle.

After an interaction, both men were arrested, the SIU said. One of the men, a 27-year-old, was taken to hospital for treatment of a serious injury.

The SIU said its appealing for witnesses with information or video to come forward.

The SIU is an arms-length agency that investigates incidents involving police in Ontario where someone is seriously injured, killed or there is an allegation of sexual assault. The threshold of serious injury includes broken bones.

There are three SIU investigators assigned to this case.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529 or 647-297-0142. Any video can be uploaded through the SIU website.

Reach The Spectator newsroom at 905-526-3420 or news@thespec.com

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By IANS

MORADABAD: A man and his nephew have been arrested and sent to jail by the Uttar Pradesh Police on charges of sedition.

The two had allegedly sent a message on WhatsApp to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amit Pathak, with pro-Pakistan slogans and derogatory remarks about a particular community. The message had the Pakistan flag along with the slogan "Pakistan Zindabad".

The FIR has been lodged under sections 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups), 124 A (sedition), 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship) of IPC, and relevant sections of the IT Act.

Public relation officer at the office of the SSP, Inspector Harendra Singh, said the police chief instructed the Civil Lines Station House Officer to lodge a FIR and investigate the matter.

Station House Officer (Civil Lines) Inspector Naval Marwah said they put the sender's phone number under surveillance and tracked down the owner.

"We learnt that the uncle wanted to contest the upcoming Panchayat elections against a former Block Development Committee (BDC) member. His nephew used the latter's photograph as display picture on the WhatsApp number, and sent the message in the hope that his uncle's opponent would be arrested and his image would be tarnished," the police official said.

The SHO also said they have recovered the mobile phone from the nephew's wife. Upon interrogation, the nephew revealed that his uncle had used his mobile to forward the message to the SSP.

The uncle, however, said he had sent the message to his nephew, who forwarded it to the SSP.
In April 1945, the Canadian Army was given a daunting order: liberate Holland. After advancing through the northern salient, the Canadians faced 120,000 well-armed enemy soldiers cut off in the western part of the country. Allied forces would not conquer the remaining Nazi-held area without terrible losses, yet the problem remained of how to help the 3.5 million starving Dutch citizens suffering in the Hunger Winter.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 6/5/2020 (622 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

In April 1945, the Canadian Army was given a daunting order: liberate Holland. After advancing through the northern salient, the Canadians faced 120,000 well-armed enemy soldiers cut off in the western part of the country. Allied forces would not conquer the remaining Nazi-held area without terrible losses, yet the problem remained of how to help the 3.5 million starving Dutch citizens suffering in the "Hunger Winter."

J. Vrouwenfelder, who lived in the Hague at the time, recalled, "I queued for hours to get some salted endive or some beans. Always that hunger There remained nothing to buy, not even in the black market." Syrup from sugar, even fried tulip bulbs, sustained the populace. With bitter irony, cookbooks began to circulate with tulip recipes.

Tom Hanson / The Canadian Press Files Tulips bloom below the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill during the annual Canadian Tulip Festival, which took root after the Second World War when Princess Juliana of the Netherlands presented Ottawa with 100,000 tulip bulbs.

As the aerial war over occupied Europe progressed, the Dutch saw the Allied armadas both in daylight and during nocturnal raids. As the Allies slowly wrested control of the sky from the Luftwaffe, American daylight bombing and the Royal Air Force Bomber Command flew constantly over Holland.

On April 29, 1945, a startling sight greeted Dutch onlookers, as bombers flew over Holland in daylight, not at 20,000 feet, but skimming the dikes so low that pilots and aircrew could be seen in cockpits and at gun turrets.

The Dutch first heard of the plans for relief, called "Operation Manna," the previous evening when it was announced by the BBC. Quizzical listeners included the German gunners who manned the many anti-aircraft stations throughout the country. A momentous negotiation between friend and foe was about to take place.

On April 29, the BBC announced: "Bombers of the Royal Air Force have just taken off from their bases in England to drop food supplies to the Dutch population in enemy-occupied territory." Thirty-three RAF squadrons had their Avro Lancaster heavy bombers hastily adapted as aerial food "trucks," tasked with providing relief to Holland. A large number of the air crew came from RCAF ranks.

Arie de Jong, a 17-year-old student at the time, wrote, "There are no words to describe the emotions experienced on that Sunday afternoon. More than 300 four-engined Lancasters, flying exceptionally low, suddenly filled the western horizon."

His diary recorded, "One could see the gunners waving in their turrets. A marvellous sight. One Lancaster roared over the town at 70 feet. I saw the aircraft tacking between church steeples and drop its bags in the South." It was a memorable day for Bomber Command air crew, as well. An agreement to allow the bombers to drop food supplies was respected by German anti-aircraft gunners, who held their fire.

The approaches to the drop zones were made at 300 feet or lower, in order not to damage the food ejected from the bomb bays in gunny sacks without parachutes.

One Canadian pilot recalled, "Flying by a windmill and people waved at us from its balcony. You understand, we had to look up to wave back!" Rear gunner Sgt. Ken Wood, looking back from his perch, remembered, "People were everywhere  on the streets, on the roofs, leaning out of windows. They all had something to wave; a handkerchief, a sheet  it was incredible."

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F/S Gibson wrote, "I will always remember seeing Thank you Tommy written on one of the roofs those flights were a beautiful experience, it was as if we brought the liberation closer to reality."

A total of 3,100 flights were made by Bomber Command, with an additional 2,200 sorties undertaken by American Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bombers beginning on May 1, as Operation Chowhound. On May 5, 1945, German forces in Holland surrendered. The Dutch still mark the day as "Liberation Holland Day," and have never forgotten the sacrifices of Canadian soldiers and airmen to free their country. One of the Canadian soldiers was Winnipegger Len Van Roon Sr., who still recalls the day he set foot on Hollands soil: "Ive come home."

Editor Mark Colin Reid, in the latest issue of Canadas History, wrote: "Seventy-five years after (the Second World War), the Dutch are determined to keep alive the legacy of their Canadian liberators."

Operation Manna would culminate on VE Day, May 8, as the European conflict came to an end. Although more than 11,000 tons of food were dropped in the 10 days of the operation, some 20,000 people in the Netherlands would ultimately die of starvation.

On May 28, 2020, Bill Zuk from the Manitoba Chapter, Canadian Aviation Historical Society, will present the story of Liberation Holland via Zoom invitation (wzuk11@gmail.com).

Bill Zuk is director of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society and secretary of its Manitoba chapter.
As Covid-19 pandemic affects all sections of the society, said that its focus in the on-going crisis in Asia Pacific has been on prioritising three things: contributing to the immediate health response, helping people learn and work from home and supporting the small businesses most affected.

The company said in a statement late Tuesday that in India, it is helping female internet "saathis" (or trainers) share authoritative health advice with their networks in rural villages.

"Our team in India has helped local governments share the location of night and food shelters on Maps," said Scott Beaumont President, Asia Pacific.

started showing the locations of Covid-19 test centres on Google Maps, Search and Assistant in Indonesia, before extending the feature to other countries around the world, including India, Korea and the Philippines.





ALSO READ: Apple, Google ban GPS tracking in apps using contract tracing framework

In Korea, the Google Initiative is offering weekly sessions training journalists on how to identify misinformation.

The Covid-19 pandemic began spreading across Asia Pacific in January, affecting millions of people directly.

Google said that learners from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to have their schooling disrupted and their progress held back.

"So as part of Google.org's $10 million Distance Learning Fund, we're extending a $1 million grant to INCO. This funding will support non-profits in mainland China, Indonesia, Hong Kong and the Philippines as they help underprivileged students with access to home learning," informed Beaumont.

As Asia Pacific confronts the effects of Covid-19, Google said it will continue to stand by the region's people, business and communities for as long as it takes, and help rebuild when the time is right.
A day after a BSF driver who escorted a central team tested positive for Covid-19, five other troopers attached to the South Bengal frontier were found infected with the disease, the paramilitary force said.

Out of these five positive cases, three were engaged in escort duties of the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT), officials said.

Click here for full Covid-19 coverage

Five more personnel were found to be positive. Their reports came late in the evening. They have been admitted to M R Bangur hospital, a senior BSF official of South Bengal Frontier said.

The contact-tracing exercise has started and some have been sent on quarantine, the official said. According to senior officials of BSF South Bengal Frontier, the troops have been on high alert and efforts are on to ensure that the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and other guidelines are strictly followed by the troopers of the border-guarding force. After the driver of one of the escort cars was found positive, we sent him at an isolation facility and more than 51 personnel with whom he came in contact have been sent on quarantine. We have also tested more than 25 people so far, including other drivers of the escort team. None of them found to be positive. But still, all of them have been kept on quarantine as a precautionary measure. The process of testing is on , a senior BSF officer said.

The senior officer said the BSF was on high alert since the beginning of the pandemic. And after the first case in the South Bengal frontier was reported on Monday night, senior officers have been asked to ensure that the troops follow the SOP and other precautionary measures.

The officer said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been informed about the BSF constables infection. A Central team to look into the Covid situation in Kolkata and adjoining areas was staying at the BSF guest house in South Kolkata and all its logistics such as vehicles, escort personnel, security personnel were provided by the paramilitary force.

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An 18-year-old co-conspirator of a high-profile digital sexual exploitation ring was indicted on Wednesday for allegedly producing and distributing sexual abuse materials featuring women and girls. Yonhap



An 18-year-old co-conspirator of a high-profile digital sexual exploitation ring was indicted on Wednesday for allegedly producing and distributing sexual abuse materials featuring women and girls.



The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office said it referred Kang Hun for trial after indicting him on charges of acting as an accessory to the operation of the "Baksabang" chatroom on the messaging service Telegram, which allowed paid members to view illegally taken photos and videos of violent sex acts.



Kang is accused of having recruited and managed paid members of Baksabang (Korean for doctor's room), producing and distributing sexual abuse materials and delivering criminal proceeds worth about 26.4 million won (US$21,600) from the chatroom to its founder, Cho Ju-bin.



Specifically, Kang is suspected of blackmailing 18 female victims, including seven minors, into producing sexual materials between September and November last year for distribution and sales via Baksabang. He allegedly swindled 10 million won out of one of his victims by pretending to be a court judge.



Cho, a 24-year-old, has been indicted for allegedly blackmailing women into providing sexual videos to the illegal Telegram chatroom. At least 25 people, including eight underage girls, have been confirmed to be exploited by Cho.



Kang drew extensive media attention in the middle of last month, when the police disclosed his full name, age and face while transferring him to the custody of prosecutors for further investigation and indictment.



Kang was forced to stand in front of the public on April 17, marking the first time in South Korea that the police have made public the identity of a minor criminal suspect. The current law permits the disclosure of the identity of sex offenders but grants exceptions for minors. Kang, born in 2001, was a high school student last year when he allegedly worked for Cho.



Prosecutors said they will determine later whether to formally apply the charge of organizing a criminal group to Cho, Kang and other accomplices. Cho and 13 of his co-conspirators have so far been booked on the charge of organizing a criminal group, which can be punishable with a maximum of life imprisonment, while 23 paid Baksabang members have been booked for joining and operating in a criminal group.



The nation has been shocked by a string of sexual exploitation cases centered on group chatrooms of the Telegram messenger service, including Baksabang, prompting the government to announce new tough measures on digital sex crimes on April 23.



The authorities vowed to push to punish even buyers, advertisers and possessors of child and youth sexual abuse materials, as well as their producers and sellers, and to treat any production of digital sexual materials as a felony crime.



Two more co-conspirators of Cho's appeared before court on Wednesday to attend their pre-trial detention warrant hearing.



The two suspects, identified only as men aged 24 and 29, are accused of delivering money from Cho's fraud victims, including Sohn Suk-hee, president of cable channel JTBC, and former Gwangju Mayor Yoon Jang-hyun, to the Baksabang founder.



The two men are also suspected of converting cryptocurrencies paid by Baksabang members into cash and delivering the money to Cho.



The duo are additionally charged with helping Cho in his online scams, in which they defrauded about 30 people attempting to buy drugs after falsely touting drug sales on Telegram. (Yonhap)


Representative John Ratcliffe, a Republican from Texas, listens during a Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, May 5, 2020. Photographer: Gabriella Demczuk/The New York Times/Bloomberg via Getty Images

WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the U.S. intelligence community told senators Tuesday that among the global threats facing the nation, he would immediately focus on the coronavirus pandemic.

"The immediate concern that I have is getting answers," U.S. Representative John Ratcliffe said during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

"If confirmed, the intelligence community will be laser-focused on getting all the answers that we can regarding how this happened," he said.

The coronavirus has infected more than 3.6 million worldwide, and though many have recovered more than 254,430 have died. In the U.S. more than 1.1 million cases have been reported so far, with nearly 70,115 deaths, the most of any nation, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

The unfolding health crisis caused by the coronavirus is the latest issue to rattle relations between Beijing and Washington. The world's two largest economies were already engaged in a disruptive trade war and feuding over the unrest in semiautonomous Hong Kong.

Ratcliffe, who if confirmed will lead the nation's 17 intelligence agencies, said that he viewed China as the greatest threat to the United States, on many fronts. He listed China's ambition to grow its own empire through the Belt and Road Initiative and the nation's race to dominate technologies like artificial intelligence, 5G and quantum computing.

"I won't say all roads lead to China, but a lot of them do," he said.
Authorities from the United States federal government issued denials about the involvement of the country in a botched coup attempt to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro, who had a bounty that was worth $15 million by the U.S. Justice Department this year.

Earlier this week, Maduro ordered the detainment of former U.S. special forces soldiers Airan Berry and Luke Denman after an attempted kidnapping of the president in Caracas.



U.S. Attempts to Oust Maduro for the Past Year

The presidential crisis in Valenzuela began when Juan Guaido, president of the National Assembly, announced he was the acting president of the country.

What further delegitimized was that the U.S., along with other allied countries, started recognizing Guaido as Valenzuela's leader of the state since it was considered one of the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

After this, Agence France-Presse reported a memo by the U.S. Agency for International Development that the latter would "divert" over $40 million in the promotion of Guaido. This would be reserved for salaries and stipends covering travel, and other essential expenses for a complete democratic transition. They added another $2 million to support the opposition party.

President Donald Trump then ordered a freeze on all Venezuelan government assets in the United States as part of the measures for Maduro's removal from office. All of this happened last year.

This Monday, Maduro insisted that Denman and Berry were involved in the operation from the orders of the U.S. and Colombia to assassinate him.

Trump said that the U.S. was not involved in the operation. National Defense Secretary Mark Esper supported this claim. Trump told reporters, "It has nothing to do with our government."

Silvercorp founder and former U.S. Green Beret Jordan Goudreau said he was accountable for leading Operation Gideon last Sunday.



Check these out!



U.S. Coups in Other Nations

A lot of other countries' governments are wary of any involvement with the U.S., especially since the nation has had an active history of changing regimes over the world.

In Iran back in 1953, then-Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh was removed from office through the involvement of the Central Intelligence Agency, who organized a campaign to topple down Mossadegh's administration.

Eventually, the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was reinstated in that year's coup. Much later, he was overthrown by the Iranian citizens during the 1979 revolution. To this day, there are still tensions between the U.S. and Tehran.

In Latin America, oppressive leaders have been supported by previous administrations in the U.S. in the past. For instance, there are records of the involvement of the United States in the regimes of Chile, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Uruguay, and Nicaragua, to name a few.

During a coup to oust the then-elected Chilean socialist leader, President Salvador Allende died. At the time, U.S. President Richard Nixon elected Augusto Pinochet, a political tyrant whose administration saw the death of thousands of Chileans.

Another U.S.-elected official who was overthrown after a national revolution was Cuban President Fulgencio Batista, who was supported by the United States as a military dictator.
Venezuela's President Says 2 Americans Among Those Captured in Failed Invasion

By VOA News May 05, 2020

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said two Americans were among so-called "mercenary terrorists" who carried out a failed armed invasion of his country earlier this week.

Maduro went on state television Tuesday and showed the passports he claimed belonged to Airan Berry and Luke Denman, who were among 13 men captured in the failed raid that took place Sunday.

Maduro accused Berry and Denman of working for Jordan Goudreau, a U.S. military veteran who runs a private Florida-based security firm called Silvercorp USA. Both Berry and Denman are former U.S. Special Forces soldiers, also known as Green Berets.

Venezuelan military officials said the attackers were put down and caught as they attempted to sail into the port city of La Guaira from neighboring Colombia. Eight people were killed in the foiled attack. Photos of a group of men lying face down on the ground with their hands tied behind their back was televised Monday in Venezuela.

Goudreau has acknowledged organizing the operation in a video released on social media. Goudreau has also acknowledged Berry and Denman as being part of the operation, describing the pair as "my guys" in a telephone interview with the Reuters news agency.

Nevertheless, U.S. President Donald Trump denied the U.S. government was involved in the failed operation.

"We'll find out. We just heard about it," Trump said in response to a reporter's question about the armed invasion and the Americans' arrests. "But it has nothing to do with our government."

The Pentagon also denied involvement.

"The United States government had nothing to do with what's happened in Venezuela in the last few days," Secretary of Defense Mark Esper told reporters Tuesday.

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido is denying accusations leveled by Maduro's government that he hired Silvercorp to carry out the attack.

Maduro's administration frequently accuses political adversaries of trying to overthrow his government. Critics have dismissed the accusations as an excuse to detain Maduro's opponents.

Maduro has overseen a six-year economic crisis in Venezuela. More than 50 countries, including the United States, have indicated their support for opposition leader Guaido after a disputed election in 2018, but Maduro maintains control of Venezuela's military. U.S. sanctions are in place against Venezuela.

VOA Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb contributed to this report.

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Ikea is planning to re-open its stores across the UK later this month, the Mail has learned.

Bosses of the Swedish flat-pack furniture firm are drawing up plans to allow its outlets to start trading again.

Sources said the proposed reopening date was May 18 for its 22 stores in the UK.

Details emerged as McDonalds unveiled plans to open up more than a dozen delivery-only branches in an effort to reemerge from the coronavirus crisis.

Commenting on IKEAs plans, a source said: The objective is to open from May 18 though there is anxiety about how it can be managed.

A car goes to the coronavirus testing centre in Ikea, Wembley in late April. All of the Ikea stores have been closed since the lockdown began but they are planning to reopen in mid-May

There needs to be extensive cleaning throughout the day - hygiene is paramount - and we need to be 100 per cent certain we can clean systematically throughout the day.

The move would pose major challenges for store hygiene and would require strict management of social distancing.

It is not yet known whether some stores would be opened before others in a pilot scheme. The company has been trading online during lockdown.

During lockdown some of the stores' car parks - in Wembley and Gateshead - have been converted into coronavirus testing centres.

It is not yet clear how these will operate alongside the re-opening of outlets. MailOnline has approached Ikea for further clarification.

Asked about the reopening plan, an IKEA spokesman said: Were looking forward to welcoming customers back to our stores, as the situation allows and in line with government guidance.

The IKEA store in Gateshead, where a coronavirus testing site for NHS staff has been set up in the store's car park

For now, all our stores across the UK and Ireland remain closed but customers can continue to shop our full range online.

Which stores are set to reopen? Croydon

Greenwich

Lakeside

Tottenham

Wembley

Birmingham

Coventry

Nottingham

Belfast

Manchester

Warrington

Edinburgh

Gateshead

Glasgow

Leeds

Sheffield

Milton Keynes

Reading

Southampton

Bristol

Cardiff

Exeter Advertisement

The flat-pack furniture behemoth has not yet indicated what specific safety and social distancing measures will be in place when the outlets open again.

But the measures put in place when the shops opened again in the Netherlands in early April, give a useful indication of what to expect.

Only a limited number of customers are allowed in the store at any time. People are allowed to shop in pairs due to the bulky nature of some of the items, but no more than that.

In addition plexiglass screens were placed at checkout and customer service counters.

The popular furniture retailer has also opened stores up in Germany. At the store in Cologne the store is allowed a maximum of 640 people.

An employee counts people as they queue outside while ensuring social distancing.

The restaurant - serving the much loved Swedish meatballs - is closed as is the childcare centre where parents drop off their little ones before going shopping.

Much like B&Q - who reopened all their stores this week - the Ikea shop in Cologne has notices throughout the store warning people to abide by social distancing measures.

Customers line up to be let in to IKEA. the furniture store is only allowing 320 people in at a time in Delft, Netherlands. Markings on the floor show the distance people should keep from each other

McDonalds will reopen 15 restaurants and force staff to undergo temperature checks before every shift to ensure that they are not carrying covid-19.

The company will introduce shorter opening times, a reduced menu and lower staff numbers.

It becomes the latest food chain to announce plans to gradually reopen, after similar plans were unveiled by Nandos, Burger King, Pret a Manger and Costa.

McDonalds decided to close its 1,300 UK branches six weeks ago. The reopenings come after a trial of new measures to prevent staff from coming into close proximity of each other.

Perspex screens and distance markers will be installed in the reopening branches, while staff will be given non-medical grade face masks to wear.

Customers queue outside an Ikea store opening in Exeter on May 10, 2018

The 15 branches to reopen are concentrated in London and the South-East, including in Gillingham, Chelmsford, Luton and Ipswich.

Sanitising stations will also be introduced for delivery drivers from Uber Eats and Just Eat, who will not have contact with McDonalds employees when they pick up orders.

Meanwhile Vue Cinemas also hopes it can resume screening films as early as mid-July.

Chief executive Tim Richards said he is hopeful they can be open in time for the release date of Christopher Nolans new film, Tenet, on July 17.

He told the BBC: What we are trying to do is work with the Government to demonstrate that we are not like sporting fixtures or music concerts.

We can actually control how many people go into our cinema at any given time. We have the ability to schedule our films separately and we have the ability to control entrances and exits for customers.
It is clear that older people bear the brunt of the impact of the pandemic, both locally and across the world. The fatality rate for older people globally is higher than average and for those over 80 years of age it is five times the average.

In Northern Ireland over 40% of the recorded deaths to date have been individuals living in residential and nursing care homes. The proportion of deaths looks set to go over half of all deaths.

We must ask ourselves and our government if all that could have been done to prevent these deaths has been done.

First, this is an issue not confined to Northern Ireland - the rest of the UK, Sweden, United States, Italy and Spain, among others, were also found wanting.

The Department of Health attempted to shield people in care homes by ending visits and inspections.

Read More

But the late arrival of PPE and slow introduction of testing has increased the risk to those living in these settings.

Second, the relative underfunding and neglect of the care home sector goes back a very long time.

In 1997 the newly elected Labour government announced a Royal Commission into the care of the elderly.

It published its findings and recommendations in March 1999, but the proposals were largely ignored. In 2010 the newly minted coalition government set up a commission on social care, chaired by Andrew Dilnot. The Dilnot review reported in 2011 and its key findings were left to gather dust on the shelves.

Boris Johnson, on winning the election, called for a political consensus on how to fund and reform social care. This refrain has been made by political parties of all colours in the past, to no great effect.

In Northern Ireland we have largely followed the funding model adopted in England and Wales, which involves means-testing when paying for social care in residential settings.

Moreover, we have a number of our own reports on reform of health and social care whose recommendations have largely gone unfulfilled. These include investigations carried out by both the Human Rights Commission and the Commissioner for Older People.

While, of course, it is easy to be wise after the event, the danger of the pandemic if it spread to care homes was evident from the outset.

Indeed, the Commissioner for Older People provided advice to the government in the early planning stages as did others, such as Age NI and the Independent Health and Care Providers Group. However, much of the advice provided was not actioned to the extent it should have been.

We should have created a ring of steel to protect care homes from the virus with effective personal protection equipment (PPE) and priority testing. Even now, the government could do more.

For example, why not take mobile testing units to the car parks of nursing homes, rather than ask people to travel to be tested?

Further, in light of the legal challenge to the Department of Health for suspending care home inspections by the RQIA, there needs to be innovative thought given to how to provide support and reassurance that the regulatory and support role is continuing as effectively as possible.

Care homes, in common with the health service as a whole, rely significantly on staff recruited from abroad.

The government's new plans for immigration after leaving the EU transition period mean that, in future, staff in care homes will be recruited locally, or will have to be much better paid if they are recruited abroad.

Social care workers are among the lowest-paid workers in our economy and are widely considered to be an unskilled class of workers.

The truth is that providing high-quality care and support requires skills of compassion, patience, respect and love.

This workforce deserves the recognition and pay for the work they do, regardless of their nation of origin.

The challenges of recruitment in, and financing of, care homes, going forward, needs to be grasped more quickly and comprehensively than in the past.

The questions raised about the treatment of care homes during the pandemic raises wider issues of the treatment and respect afforded to older people.

Last week the United Nations issued a policy brief on the impact of Covid-19 on older persons globally.

In launching the report, the UN Secretary General, Antonio Gutteres, set out a number of clear messages, including that no person, young or old, is expendable and that older people have the same rights to life and health as everyone else.

In addition, decisions around life-saving medical care must respect the human rights and dignity of all people.

A key message from the report is that older people should be treated as neither powerless nor invisible.

Instead, the wisdom and experience of older people should be cherished and utilised.

We endorse these principles, as they are a timely reminder that older people are individuals, rather than a homogeneous group.

We acknowledge the work done by staff in care homes and those providing care in the community in the public and independent sectors.

We also recognise the importance of unpaid care provided by families for their loved ones.

Last week, Carers (UK) published a survey of over 5,000 unpaid carers, including over 400 from Northern Ireland, and found that, on average, carers were picking up an extra 10 hours of care per week.

More than half of those surveyed felt overwhelmed in managing their care responsibilities during the pandemic and were worried about burnout.

Both commissions remain open for business in dealing with all these issues.

When we come out of the other side of the public health crisis, we need to examine thoroughly and honestly what could have been done better and the lessons we need to learn.

We owe this much to the staff who have looked after us and our family members.

One of the tasks will be to build a more inclusive, sustainable and age-friendly society that is fit for the future.

Such a society would almost certainly include a transformation in how we pay for, provide and value social care in community and residential settings.

Les Allamby is Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. Eddie Lynch is Commissioner for Older People
Plans to build a small skate park in Escondidos Washington Park, something that has been discussed for years, are finally taking shape.

The City Council on Wednesday authorized a company to proceed with design plans for a 5,000-square-foot skate spot, a project that will also include the expansion of the existing parking lot in Washington Park.

The park is located in a high-density residential neighborhood in east-central Escondido where kids have complained for many years there are few recreational opportunities. Two years ago the city held a skate rally in the park to gather community input. It was probably the most successful community outreach event ever, some said, as hundreds of kids and their families from all over the city showed up.

Its been a long road to tow to get here, said Councilman John Masson, who has been championing skate parks for some time as has Councilwoman Olga Diaz.

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I grew up skating in downtown Escondido, Masson said. Having more of these spots for kids to hang out and get their aggressions out is a beautiful thing.

The park will be designed by New Line Skateparks, which came in with the lowest responsible bid at $143,574 to do the planning work. During the design phase, New Line will gather comments from the pubic during community meetings and via the citys website. People will be encouraged to submit written comments, sketches, pictures, etc. through a custom web portal for immediate online feedback from the consultants team.

Funding for the project was authorized in 2017 by the council, which allocated $300,000 in Park Development Funds for the design and construction of the skate spot, and $385,000 for the parking lot expansion.

The city will also continue to pursue various grant opportunities because the goal is to build several more skate spots in other parks.

I look forward to you finding a way to do more skate parks throughout the city, even just grind spots, Diaz told city staffers. These give kids the opportunity to get out that energy and exercise their sport in safe ways .. . Im happy to have one (skate spot) but would like them all over the place.

The skate spot will be made out of concrete and be designed for all types of users  skateboarders, in-line skaters, regular roller skaters, people on Razor scooters and BMX bikes.

jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones
Americans remain deeply wary of eating at restaurants, shopping at stores and taking other steps to return to normalcy, a poll shows, even as the White House is contemplating shutting down its coronavirus task force.

With several COVID-19 models taking a wrenching turn toward bleaker death forecasts in recent days because of reopening moves in some states, most Americans say they worry about getting the virus themselves and they oppose ending the restrictions meant to slow its spread, according to the Washington Post-University of Maryland poll.

Experts around the country are now revising their forecasts about the spread of the virus, and several models in the past three days suggest that resuming normal activity would spur a significant increase in the number of cases and deaths. The more dire outlook came as Vice President Pence revealed that officials have discussed disbanding the White House coronavirus task force within a month because of the tremendous progress weve made as a country. (Washington Post)

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Trump to ABCs David Muir: Possible there will be some COVID-19 deaths as country reopens (ABC News)

With new hot spots emerging, no sign of a respite (New York Times)

We wont know the impact of states reopening for weeks. Here are several reasons why (CNN)

3 USDA meat inspectors dead, about 145 diagnosed with COVID-19 (CBS News)

Russia stands by China and tells U.S. it must deliver proof over virus allegations (CNBC)

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Ousted vaccine director files whistleblower complaint alleging coronavirus warnings were ignored (CNN)

Trumps demand for payroll tax cut is rebuffed on Capitol Hill as lawmakers spar over next virus aid bill (Washington Post)

Theyre all LOSERS: Trump lashes out at conservative critics over new coronavirus ad (Politico)

Researcher on verge of making very significant coronavirus findings dead in apparent murder-suicide (NBC News)

New York state reports an additional 1,700 deaths at nursing homes (The Hill)

Federal judge rules New York must hold June primary canceled over coronavirus risks (NBC News)

Wisconsin Supreme Court justice questions whether stay-at-home orders are definition of tyranny (The Hill)

Mnuchin sued for denying citizen children their stimulus money (CBS News)

Ahead of confirmation hearing, former White House lawyer picked to oversee pandemic relief vows independence (ABC News)

Texas hair, nail and tanning salons to reopen this week, gyms next, governor says (CNBC)

Man who wiped nose on clerks shirt at Dollar Tree arrested (mlive.com)

World news

New report says coronavirus may have made early appearance in France (New York Times)

Trump admin denies involvement in retired Green Berets alleged operation against Venezuelas Maduro (ABC News)

Britain undergoing mindset change toward Beijing, says leading lawmaker (Politico)

ABS-CBN: Philippines biggest broadcaster forced off air (BBC)

Delhi imposes 70% corona tax on alcohol after crowding at shops (The Guardian)

Facility near Pyongyang airport linked to North Koreas missile program, U.S. think-tank says (Reuters)

Australia and New Zealand pledge to introduce travel corridor in rare coronavirus meeting (CNN)

South Korea spy agency says no signs North Koreas Kim received heart surgery: Yonhap (Reuters)
The latest antitrust movement in the United States creates additional risk for Alphabet GOOG/GOOGL and Facebook FB, but we believe this is already priced in, with both stocksfairly valued. Further, we don't believe investors should be overly concerned about a worst-case scenario.

As the 2020 elections approach, politicians, federal agencies, and international lawmakers have begun to investigate Alphabet's Google, Facebook, and several other Big Tech companies, proposing more stringent enforcement of antitrust laws and some calling for changes to or reinterpretation of existing statutes. However, the consumer welfare interpretation of antitrust law, in place for more than four decades, and recent cases, such as Ohio v. American Express in the U.S. Supreme Court, have set precedents favoring tech companies in general. While other cases, such as the 2011 Microsoft Internet Explorer settlement, do not look favorable, they have created a playbook for tech companies to navigate regulatory scrutiny and prepare for enforcement actions.

Also, several proposed state and federal regulations focus on data privacy and security. We believe Alphabet and Facebook understand the need to improve transparency around their use of data and are well on their way to doing so as they work with European and U.S. regulators.

We expect that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice will aggressively enforce the Clayton Antitrust Act to limit Google's and Facebook's acquisitions and are likely to impose additional fines on past behavior. We believe there is more uncertainty surrounding Facebook, as it is caught in more of a political upheaval during an election year than Google. Still, even in what we believe is the most plausible downside scenario, which includes fines beyond what we view as reasonable based on previous cases and excessively restrictive regulation that will likely harm consumers, our Alphabet and Facebook fair value estimates decline only 10%-15% versus our base case.

Story continues

Despite antitrust and other regulatory uncertainties surrounding Big Tech, we remain confident that Alphabet and Facebook will sustain their competitive advantages. We don't believe that more fines, fierce enforcement of antitrust laws, or the passing of new ones will allow competitors to overcome the network effects these companies have created.

The consumer welfare interpretation of antitrust law and some past large antitrust cases have set precedent that can benefit Google and Facebook. The disruptive online platforms that Google, Facebook, and the other Big Techs have created could bring new legal interpretations or the creation of additional agencies to oversee the digital markets, but any changes will take years to implement.

Politicians are more likely to show support for antitrust laws and their enforcement as 2020 is an election year. Big Tech companies remain under scrutiny by politicians after the 2016 election. Both sides of the political aisle continue to fault Google and Facebook for lacking data privacy and security and for poor content verification and quality management. The dominance of a few Big Techs has also outraged politicians, which could result in growing calls for reinterpretation of or changes to antitrust statutes. Cooler heads are likely to prevail as the election passes and the realities of the challenges inherent in regulating tech companies set in.

Regulators and politicians continue to focus on data and how it's used. Google and Facebook are not contesting these efforts, as both are seeking compromise or settlements with agencies and lawmakers. Restrictions on the use of artificial intelligence technology have also begun making the rounds in Europe. At the same time, enforcing data portability and interoperability, which may eliminate barriers to entry for competitors, especially among social networks, is being seriously considered.

Antitrust enforcement and further regulations pose a threat to one of Google's and Facebook's intangible assets, data. However, increased restrictions on data access and usage would apply to all companies, not just the industry giants. These two companies' large audiences and continuous consumer engagement are likely to continue to drive demand for their ad inventories, although possibly at lower prices in the short term.

The FTC and DOJ are likely to aggressively enforce the Clayton Act and limit Google and Facebook acquisitions in order to provide newcomers an opportunity to compete effectively. We expect restrictions on mergers and acquisitions to affect top-line growth and push both companies to spend more on research and development.

Facebook has had more antitrust tendencies than Google. There is more uncertainty and risk associated with U.S. antitrust matters surrounding Facebook. The company is currently caught in the political upheaval during an election year. Plus, because Facebook continues to operate mainly in the social network market, potential acquisitions may be more easily defined as horizontal or anticompetitive.

The likeliest negative outcome relative to our base-case assumptions for Alphabet and Google is that they will be excessively fined and face regulations. In contemplating this downside scenario, we reach fair value estimates of $1,188 and $191 per share for Alphabet and Facebook, respectively, 15% and 11% below our current fair value estimates of $1,400 and $215.

Lack of Trust and Concentration of Power Bring Antitrust to Forefront

Given the dominance of large technology companies like Alphabet and Facebook today, regulators and the public are again focused on the impact of such power concentration on competition and consumers. Questions they're asking include: Have prices increased for consumers and advertisers? Have merging companies increased the quality of their services? Have they taken any actions that violate antitrust laws and illegally restrain competition? Has their dominance stifled growth in innovation? Have they created further barriers to entry via intangible assets such as data and intellectual properties?

To answer some of these questions, we think the focus will be on current antitrust laws, precedents that some of the major antitrust cases may have set, possible changes in the interpretation of antitrust laws, additional regulatory steps that may be taken at the state and federal levels, and various changes that the companies have already implemented or are planning.

The two companies currently under the heaviest scrutiny are Alphabet (parent company of Google) and Facebook. Google has a 90% market share in search and a 41% global market share in online advertising, displaying dominance in both markets. Facebook currently holds 59% of the social network market, based on the number of users, and is second to Google in online advertising with a 30% share. The two have attained their market standings organically and through acquisitions. Both wide-moat companies have also created and strengthened their network effect and data moat sources, which have created barriers to entry for competitors and barriers to exit for online users. With these two companies' strong sustainable competitive advantages and further dominance in their markets, government agencies are focusing on Alphabet and Facebook and other Big Tech companies and asking whether they have conducted anticompetitive practices. The agencies and lawmakers could take additional actions that include imposing more fines; changing, creating additional, or increasing the enforcement of antitrust regulations; or even breaking up the two companies. The likeliest scenario is a combination of fines and further regulations, but we don't believe the impact of these potential actions will materially change our estimated intrinsic values for the companies.

This information was published March 5 as part of a Communications Services Observer, which is available to Morningstar's institutional clients.
By PTI

GUWAHATI: Multinational companies looking to move out of China should consider Assam, with its abundant natural resources, strategic location and robust industrial infrastructure, as their destination for setting up production facilities in India, state Industries Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said on Wednesday.

"Many American, Japanese and Korean companies are contemplating to shift their production facilities from China to India and we hope to woo these firms to set up production facilities in Assam," Patowary told reporters here.

The state government has urged the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Invest India, the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), the US- India Business Council and the US Chamber of Commerce to advise the firms in this regard, he said.

The Industries and Commerce Department has engaged a renowned firm to assess the impact of the lockdown on the industrial sector in Assam and suggest a policy framework to attract industries that are planning to move out of China, Patowary said.

The department is also in touch with the DPIIT and the JETRO for setting up a Japanese industrial township in Assam to attract investment of industries based in the East Asian country, he said.

A special cell has been set up at the state government's 'Assam Startup -- The Nest' incubator to guide and mentor enterprising youths returning to Assam from different states, the minister said.

"Interested youths registering with the digital platform will be mentored at IIM, Calcutta. Financial grant of up to Rs 50 lakh will be given to selected startups," he said.

The Industries and Commerce Department will also sign an MoU with the Indian chapter of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), Silicon Valley (USA) to leverage the startups in Assam so that they can have global access to the startup ecosystem, the minister said.

He said the department will also organise a conclave on startups in partnership with Microsoft after the lockdown is lifted.

"The potential of pharmaceutical companies has been realised during the COVID-19 outbreak. The Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has been requested to support the Assam government in setting up a pharma park in the state," he said.

The state government had on Tuesday issued revised guidelines allowing all industries with supply chain to restart operation without the need for special permission.

It also allowed warehouses and godowns to operate, vehicles to ferry goods and construction activities to recommence.

However, safety norms such as wearing masks, maintaining social distancing and sanitising vehicles and factory premises have to be ensured.

A total of 820 industrial units with 28,027 workers operated in the state on Wednesday, the minister said.

Patowary also asked the environment and forest, labour and urban development departments to extend the validity of trade licences, permissions and clearances issued to industries and business establishments from March 31 to June 30.
More than 19,000 archaeological artefacts and other artworks have been recovered as part of a global operation spanning 103 countries and focusing on the dismantlement of international networks of art and antiquities traffickers.

101 suspects have been arrested, and 300 investigations opened as part of this coordinated crackdown. The criminal networks handled archaeological goods and artwork looted from war-stricken countries, as well as works stolen from museums and archaeological sites.

Seizures include coins from different periods, archaeological objects, ceramics, historical weapons, paintings and fossils. Facilitating objects, such as metal detectors were also seized.

These results were achieved during the global Operation ATHENA II, led by the World Customs Organization (WCO) and INTERPOL, which was carried out in synchronization with the Europe-focused Operation PANDORA IV coordinated by the Spanish Civil Guard (Guardia Civil) and Europol. Details of both Operations, which ran in the autumn of 2019, can only be released now due to operational reasons.

Online illicit markets

Law enforcement officers paid particular attention to the monitoring of online market places and sales sites, as the Internet is an important part of the illicit trade of cultural goods.

During what was called a cyber patrol week and under the leadership of the Italian Carabinieri (Arma dei Carabinieri), police and customs experts along with Europol, INTERPOL and the WCO mapped active targets and developed intelligence packages. As a result, 8,670 cultural objects for online sale were seized. This represents 28% of the total number of artefacts recovered during this international crackdown.

Operational highlights

Afghan Customs seized 971 cultural objects at Kabul airport just as the objects were about to depart for Istanbul, Turkey.

The Spanish National Police (Policia Nacional), working together with the Colombian Police (Policia Nacional de Colombia), recovered at Barajas airport in Madrid some very rare pre-Columbian objects illegally acquired through looting in Colombia, including a unique Tumaco gold mask and several gold figurines and items of ancient jewellery. Three traffickers were arrested in Spain, and the Colombian authorities carried out house searches in Bogota, resulting in the seizure of a further 242 pre-Columbian objects, the largest ever seizure in the countrys history.

The investigation of a single case of online sale led to the seizure of 2,500 ancient coins by the Argentinian Federal Police Force (Policia Federal Argentina), the largest seizure for this category of items, while the second largest seizure was made by Latvian State Police (Latvijas Valsts Policija) for a total of 1,375 coins.

Six European Police forces reported the seizure of a hundred and eight metal detectors, demonstrating that looting in Europe is still an ongoing business.

Protecting our cultural heritage

This is the second time that Europol, INTERPOL and the WCO have joined forces to tackle the illicit trade in cultural heritage. Given the global nature of this crackdown, a 24-hour Operational Coordination Unit (OCU) was run jointly by the WCO, INTERPOL and Europol. In addition to assisting with information exchanges and issuing alerts, the OCU also carried out checks against various international and national databases, such as INTERPOLs database on Stolen Works of Art and Europols European Information System.

Organised crime has many faces. The trafficking of cultural goods is one of them: it is not a glamorous business run by flamboyant gentlemen forgers, but by international criminal networks. You cannot look at it separately from combating trafficking in drugs and weapons: we know that the same groups are engaged, because it generate big money. Given that this is a global phenomenon affecting every country on the planet  either as a source, transit or destination, it is crucial that Law Enforcement all work together to combat it. Europol, in its role as the European Law Enforcement Agency, supported the EU countries involved in this global crackdown by using its intelligence capabilities to identify the pan-European networks behind these thefts, said Catherine de Bolle, Europols Executive Director.

The operational success of customs and its law enforcement partners offers tangible proof that international trafficking of cultural objects is thriving and touches upon all continents. In particular, we keep receiving evidence that online illicit markets are one of the major vehicles for this crime. However, online transactions always leave a trace and customs, Police and other partners have established effective mechanisms to work together to prevent cross border illicit trade, said Dr Kunio Mikuriya, WCO Secretary General.

The number of arrests and objects show the scale and global reach of the illicit trade in cultural artefacts, where every country with a rich heritage is a potential target, said INTERPOL Secretary General Jurgen Stock. If you then take the significant amounts of money involved and the secrecy of the transactions, this also presents opportunities for money laundering and fraud as well as financing organized crime networks, added the INTERPOL Chief.

Background

Many activities carried out during the Operation were decided on and conducted jointly between customs and police at national level, with the support and participation of experts from the Ministries of Culture as well as from other relevant institutions and law enforcement agencies.

Press and media enquiries: WCO Press Office
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Five persons were killed and 27 others, including three children, wounded in bombardments targeting districts in Tripoli, an official source said here Wednesday
China's recent sentencing of a blogger and its arrest of a veteran rights activist indicate that Beijing is determined to continue silencing any critics of the ruling party and government.

Liu Yanli, a blogger in China's Hubei Province, was sentenced April 22 to four years in prison by the local court for crimes of provocation. The court document said she was guilty of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble," and that her online speech about current and former party leaders had damaged the government's image.

A week later, police took activist Xie Wenfei into custody for "provoking trouble." Xie, who has long been part of China's pro-democracy movement, has criticized the disappearance of several citizen journalists and rights activists who were involved in posting information about the government's handling of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Blogger Liu Yanli

The verdict by the local court stated that Liu Yanli fabricated false information on messenger apps to attack the Communist Party of China and state leaders, and that her behavior constituted a crime of provocation.

Liu had been active on Chinese social media accounts since 2009, commenting on democracy and politics. She circulated articles on WeChat about Chinese President Xi Jinping, former premier Zhou Enlai and Chairman Mao Zedong. She also maintained a blog which was often critical of the government and the police. Police repeatedly harassed her over her postings.

Liu's defense lawyer, who is also a relative, said her treatment resembles detention practices from the Cultural Revolution, because the charges all related to her statements online, which should be protected as free speech by China's Constitution.

Article 35 of the Constitution proclaims, "Citizens of the People's Republic of China enjoy freedom of speech, of the press, of assembly, of association, of procession, and of demonstration." However, the Constitution carries little weight in China's courts, where judges often rule in line with the Communist Party's preferences.

"We were not allowed to visit her since the lockdown in January," her sister Liu Yuehua told VOA. "I believe in her innocence. As long as she's not tortured until she's crazy, we will continue to appeal."

Liu made her last public appearance in court on Jan. 30, 2019. In her final statement, she said that this was not a legal case, but a political one.

"I'm just an ordinary citizen, I'm not a party member. I use common sense to express my opinions, but now I'm facing a guilty verdict, I don't think this is in line with the party's slogan 'serve the people,'" she said.

She also mentioned the Cultural Revolution, the decade in China when education ground to a halt, and society was overtaken by outbreaks of violence and political persecution.

"During the Cultural Revolution, if you want to make someone suffer, you just have to say he/she is anti-Party, and you are all set," she said.

Liu's defense lawyer Wu Kuiming told VOA that the 29 charges listed in the indictment were all related to online remarks, pointing out that the case was similar to that of Lin Zhao and Zhang Zhixin, who were shot during the Cultural Revolution because of their "counter-revolutionary" remarks.

Veteran activist Xie Wenfei

Meanwhile, police detained activist Xie Wenfei on April 29 on suspicion of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble."

Xie is a veteran rights activist in China's Hunan province. He recently has criticized the detention of three young volunteers who archived censored information about COVID-19 online, and questioned the disappearance in Wuhan of citizen journalists Chen Qiushi and Fang Bing. He also signed an online petition to honor the COVID-19 whistleblower Dr. Li Wenliang.

Virus Storytellers Challenge China's Official Narrative Citizen journalists with smart phones and social media accounts are telling stories about the virus outbreak in China in their own words

"This is not the first arrest," his brother Xie Qiufeng told VOA. "The police didn't tell me anything specific. I think it's about what he had posted on WeChat again."

Born in 1977, Xie Yunfei is a veteran activist who has been detained many times for exercising his rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly over the years. He previously served a 4.5-year prison sentence for supporting the 2014 Occupy Central protests in Hong Kong.

Xie's friend Ou Biaofeng, who is also an activist, told VOA that he's not surprised about Xie's arrest.

Ou said that in recent years, the government has severely reduced the space for civil liberties by rounding up rights lawyers, labor activists and citizen journalists. He added that anyone who expresses a slightly different opinion online will have their account blocked immediately.

"The pro-democracy movement in China has entered a freezing winter because of the crackdown," he said. "The pressure is just enormous. Also, for the past year or two, there's been less and less support of civil movements. It's quite sad."

The press freedom group Reporters Without Borders ranked China near the bottom of its 2020 press freedom index. The group said President Xi is tightening control over news and information and trying to export the country's oppressive surveillance systems.


Photo: (Photo : pexels.com)

Hannah Hyatt, a 10-year-old girl from Denver wrote a song - with help from her dad - for her mom and health workers.

Hannah had a school assignment for her social studies class. The assignment was to write a paragraph about her hero.

Hannah's mother is a doctor in Denver. According to her, her mom leaves for work while she is at home and in her pajamas.

Health workers have one of the most important jobs to do, especially during this pandemic. So, Hannah decided that she will write a paragraph about her mom - one of the nation's heroes (together with other frontline workers) and hers.

From a paragraph to a song

With the help of her dad, Dan Hyatt, Hannah turned her paragraph for school into a song for all healthcare workers.

According to Dan, while everyone is taking their distance, pulling back, and staying home, his wife and other healthcare workers are out fighting the virus, making them a different kind of hero.

Hannah and her dad performed the song. Both of them were playing the guitar. Before they began, Hannah gave a short message to all the medical workers whom she thinks plays a huge role in the fight against the coronavirus. She also describes everyone at the frontlines as selfless for putting themselves in danger for the sake of everyone else.

The lyrics of the song

Hannah, in her song entitled, "Doctors are the Heroes of Today", used a lot of metaphors. She named the superheroes that we usually see on television shows and movies. Some of the lines even described each superhero's powers:

Superman flies round the world....he's called the man of steel,

Batman fights for justice...plus he's got the Bat-Mobile, (...)

Wonder Woman's got her lasso of truth, Green Lantern's got his ring,

Thor's got his hammer...he ends wars with just one swing, (...)

She mentioned in her song that although those superheroes are big and strong, right now, they seem so far away, because their powers will not seem to defeat the virus, which for Hannah has changed the world.

In the latter portion of the song, Hannah tells why doctors are the heroes of today. She said they do not have superpowers nor super gadgets, but what they have is far more superior and real at these trying times. It is their sense of duty and responsibility of putting their patients first before them. Hannah also mentioned that her mom has her own secret weapon, and it is armed with her M.D. Finally, she ended her song with, "my mom is my hero, today."

The Coronavirus in the US

As of writing, there are already more than 1.2 million cases of coronavirus in the entire United States. Almost 70,000 deaths have been recorded; although there are more than 188,000 recoveries. In a report from the Washington Post, death may reach around 3,000 a day.

The entire world continues to battle the pandemic while experts are finding the cure or the vaccine to the virus.
Singaporean authorities on May 5 announced that they have taken multiple measures to enhance facilities in the dormitories which house migrant workers. This comes as the city-state reported 788 new COVID-19 cases taking the nationwide toll to 20,198. While giving the daily updates, the health ministry revealed that a majority of those who tested positive were work permit holders who were residing in clamped up dormitories. A total of 18 people have died due to coronavirus in the city-state.

The minister further revealed that only eleven out of the total were Singapore residents or permanent residents (Foreigner). Addressing Indian workers, the countrys minister of communications and Information S Isawaran explained that there was an urgent need for testing them and their co-workers. The Indian origin ministers spoke in Tamil to India workers and said that the Singaporean government had taken "undertaken numerous efforts to enhance the quality of and facilities withing dormitories".

Read: Singapore Reports 573 New Coronavirus Cases, Total Infections Reaches 18,778: Health Ministry

Read: Penguins Roam Around Freely At Singapore Zoo Amid Coronavirus Lockdown; Watch

4,800 Indians in Singapore test positive

Earlier this week, the Indian High Commissioner revealed that nearly 4,800 Indian nationals, most of whom were living in dormitories for foreign workers, have been tested positive with the novel coronavirus in Singapore till the end of April. Almost all of the infection among Indian workers is mild and their conditions are improving, Jawed Ashraf, Indian High Commissioner to Singapore, told PTI.

Over 3,500 Indian nationals, including students, have also registered with the High Commission to return home or to seek assistance for accommodation and food due to their unexpectedly long stay here, he said. Over 90 per cent of the 4,800 Indians infected by the virus are workers, most of whom are living in dormitories for foreign workers, he said.

In April, over 90 per cent of the COVID-19 cases emerging in Singapore were in dormitories, where authorities are conducting aggressive medical testing and taking quick steps to contain the spread of the virus.

Read: Singapore Reports 573 New Coronavirus Cases, Total Infections Reaches 18,778: Health Ministry

Read: COVID-19: Singapore Minister Sends Message To Migrant Workers In Tamil, Bengali

(Image credits: AP)
SALT LAKE CITY, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- RizePoint, a software as a service solution and industry technology leader in the safety, quality management, compliance, and social responsibility space, is helping businesses mitigate COVID-19-related risks and implement dramatically elevated cleaning and safety protocols. RizePoint customer, Regency, a pet service company, said RizePoint's tools have been tremendously beneficial during this unprecedented crisis.

Regency, an essential business, has remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many other companies nationwide, Regency has elevated their cleaning and safety protocols to reduce risk for employees and customers.

"We've been successfully using RizePoint's solutions to manage and monitor our new, enhanced cleaning and sanitation protocols based on CDC guidelines. As we've transitioned to new processes in this post-coronavirus world, we're now requiring staff to complete more steps and tasks than they're used to, acting more rigorously and cleaning more frequently," said Scott Buttz, COO of Regency.

Buttz said that RizePoint's solutions offer many significant benefits, helping their team:

Manage cleanliness, safety, and health of employees and customers.

Implement protocols, train staff, provide reminders, and reinforce their new standard operating procedures more easily.

Determine where support is needed and where supplies are low.

Identify critical areas of non-compliance, using two different audits, and ensure corrections are addressed immediately.

Share best practices from single locations across the organization.

Empower all staff members to share responsibilities, learn the new protocols, and take ownership for elevating safety practices.

"RizePoint's solutions have been instrumental during the crisis and will remain critical as we recover from it. We're using these tools to communicate our compliance with COVID-19 protocols and reassure our employees and customers that they're safe here. This is essential to bringing customers back, serving as a competitive differentiation, and helping the business grow," Buttz continued. "Additionally, this has been a great teambuilding and management-staff bonding experience. Everyone is working together like never before to address COVID-19, using our toolset and their passion to stay safe as an essential business."

"The COVID-19 crisis has changed the way we do business over the long haul. Every company will need to dramatically elevate their cleaning and sanitizing protocols and ensure that all employees are trained and compliant in following them. This impacts businesses across all industries  food service, hospitality, retail, healthcare, pet care, travel, and more," explained Dean Wiltse, CEO of RizePoint. "RizePoint is offering proven, best-in-class solutions and resources to help companies adapt to our new normal and remain resilient, strong, and safe."

RizePoint offers the leading mobile auditing application in the marketplace, which is helping companies worldwide adjust to the drastic changes in this post-COVID world. RizePoint's best-in-class solution is complete, comprehensive, and user-friendly, helping companies:

Train staff on the new safety precautions implemented due to coronavirus and reinforce proper behaviors.

implemented due to coronavirus and reinforce proper behaviors. Audit and track activities to ensure compliance.

Aggregate audit and checklist data across all locations and business operations.

Use multi-level reporting by location, region, and corporation to ensure compliance.

Reassure employees and customers about the safety and cleanliness of their venues through transparency about their elevated protocols.

RizePoint seamlessly integrates these new, post-COVID processes into companies' standard operating procedures. RizePoint's proven solution:

Can quickly and easily be set-up, allowing organizations to be up and running in every location in two days or less.

allowing organizations to be up and running in every location in two days or less. Is built using the language companies already use.

Doesn't change or disrupt normal business practices but instead enhances and supplements what businesses are already doing.

but instead enhances and supplements what businesses are already doing. Fits specific needs, including fully operational businesses and businesses working to return to normal business levels.

RizePoint is introducing three levels of their proven solutions, including free access to the online/offline mobile application, as well as complimentary access to COVID-19-related forms, reports, and auditing tools, all reviewed and endorsed by food safety leader, Savvy Food Safety. Additional options include programs designed for use in specific industries and a fully customizable enterprise-level solution. For more information on these options, visit https://rizepoint.com/mobile-auditor-covid-19-free-use/.

For more about how Regency is benefitting from RizePoint's solutions, please watch this video: https://rizepoint.com/regency-covid-19-use-case/.

About RizePoint

RizePoint, headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT, offers a quality management software solution that helps companies keep brand promises through their quality, safety, and compliance efforts. Customers gather better data, see necessary actions earlier, and act faster to correct issues before they become costly liabilities. The company serves the food, hospitality, and retail industries with a robust mobile auditing tool and a cloud-based platform that automates quality management systems and supplier quality management programs. RizePoint works with the most prestigious brands in the world, including Starbucks, McDonald's, L Brands, and Marriott, supporting them on a variety of safety and compliance activities. For more information, visit https://rizepoint.com/.

SOURCE RizePoint

Related Links

http://www.rizepoint.com


A dozen years ago, Midland High graduate Owen Tien took his Grand Valley State University degree and his passion for entrepreneurship and blazed a career path.

That path has eventually led him to being part of developing a medical technology that can be used when ventilators are in short supply  an initiative that was spurred by the coronavirus pandemic.

Now living in Ann Arbor with his wife and fellow MHS graduate, Emily, and their 7-year-old son, Alec, Tien has burned the candle at both ends many nights recently to help make available a new air pressure regulator, called VentMI, through MakeMedical, a company that he co-founded.

A VentMI, Tien explained, is made of aluminum, biocompatible silicone and biocompatible Radel plastic, measures only about six inches by six inches by 1.5 inches and weighs about one pound.

But this very small device can play a very big role in helping patients under extraordinary circumstances, such as in the current pandemic.

VentMI, which stands for "Ventilate Multiple Individuals," connects to a circuit which also includes two ventilator splitters, four one-way valves and a PEEP (positive end expiratory pressure) booster.

This circuit then allows more than one patient to use the same ventilator simultaneously, and ensures each patient receives the specific amount of air pressure that they need.

Hospitals where this technology is used will install anti-viral and anti-bacterial filters to protect the patients, Tien noted.

"We hope no one ever needs to use this. This will always be an emergency device," Tien said in a recent phone interview. "We're thankful that no one has had to use it yet, but we want to make sure that it is available if it's needed and it's as good a device as we can possibly make for an emergency scenario."

'A month of pulling all-nighters'

Tien, whose name is one of those written on the provisional patent for VentMI at the University of Michigan, said that ventilator splitting had been discussed for many years but didn't gain momentum until a potential shortage of ventilators due to the coronavirus became a concern.

That's when one of Tien's MakeMedical partners, Dr. Kyle VanKoevering at U-M, reached out to him. Dr. Glenn Green and Dr. David Zopf, also U-M physicians, are the other partners in MakeMedical.

"When the COVID(-19) crisis happened, Kyle called me up and said, 'It's looking like we're going to run out of ventilators. I have an idea for vent splitting. Do you want to help?'" Tien explained. "That led to a month of us pulling all-nighters. ... When we were in the prototyping process, we were averaging about four hours of sleep a night for two to three weeks."

The main concern the four men had to address was how to ensure that if two patients are using the same ventilator, each of them receives just the right amount of air pressure. Otherwise, splitting a ventilator could cause significant harm to a patient using that ventilator.

"What we viewed as the most critical control was, how much pressure is being delivered to a patient from a ventilator?" Tien said. "We went through about 15 iterations for our design in a week and a half."

Another company that Tien founded, a 3D printing company called Thingsmiths, also was involved in this process.

"We would come up with an idea, do the CAD design at Thingsmiths, and print it out at U-M or at Make Medical," Tien explained. "We'd be in the (operating room) at 1 or 2 a.m. and run a series of tests (to determine): 'Is the device performing as we want it to be?'

"We did that up to two times a day for a week and a half. That allowed us to be incredibly fast (in developing the VentMI)."

How the VentMI works and how it was authorized

Tien gave the following explanation of how the VentMI works.

"The sicker patient (on a ventilator) gets pressure control from the ventilator itself. The sicker patient is going to get the higher (air) pressure," Tien said. "Then, we are going to put another patient on this ventilator. We need to protect the second patient from that higher pressure.

"(The VentMI) snaps shut when the pressure that you want has been achieved ... and no more pressure is allowed to go in the system," Tien continued. " ... In a scenario like (the coronavirus), having pressure control is a key to giving proper care to the patient."

But as helpful and as precise as ventilator splitting and the VentMI can be, they are still a last resort.

U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Powell and Assistant Secretary for Health Brett Giroir wrote in an open letter to health care workers on March 31 that ventilator splitting "should only be considered as an absolute last resort."

Tien said he and his MakeMedical partners agree with that assessment.

"That announcement is exactly in line with our viewpoint on this," he said. "There's a strong debate in the medical community on how much value splitting a ventilator provides. But that's a debate that is going to take time to resolve."

MakeMedical will sell VentMI only at cost, Tien said.

"We're not seeking to profit from this device," he said. "And the University of Michigan has helped enable that by giving us a no-royalty license, (which means) we don't need to pay the University of Michigan anything for the use of their technology."

And as the only non-U-M employee of MakeMedical, Tien signed over his intellectual property rights to VentMI to U-M.

"I signed it over to avoid any legal qualms when we're trying to develop a device that could potentially save lives," he explained.

Once VentMI was thoroughly tested and received a provisional patent, MakeMedical also had to secure an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to allow VentMI to go on the market.

"The FDA, because of this crisis, has opened up a pathway to getting (emergency) use authorization that normally would not be possible," Tien explained. "With this EUA, there's still a lot of regulatory compliance (that we have to follow). But they've made (the approval process) as quick as they can while still making it safe for patients."

Tien noted the EUA allows for no more than two patients to be connected to a ventilator at one time, in tandem with the splitter and the VentMI.

"Under the terms of the (EUA), we've only had authorization for two patients. But in a true crisis, (connecting three patients to one ventilator) would be a potential option," Tien said. "(But with) every single patient you add to a ventilator, you're going to be degrading the quality (of care from the ventilator)."

A little help from a former governor

Tien and MakeMedical also got a helping hand from former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, who has an extensive business background, in finding a company to manufacture VentMI and potential markets for the product.

"We were helped by Rick Snyder, who connected us with Autocam Medical in Grand Rapids," Tien said. "Autocam was an ideal partner for us in being able to say, 'Hey we can make a lot of these very quickly if we need to.'

"It's been helpful to have a former governor on your team in terms of connecting you with the right people," Tien added.

And Tien said Autocam has completed 25 VentMI units, which will sell at a cost of $600 each. It remains to be seen where they will be sent.

At the moment, Tien said, the state of Michigan does not need them and possibly the rest of the United States doesn't either.

"Thankfully, it doesn't look like it's going to be in Michigan, and it might not be in the U.S.," Tien said. "Through Rick Snyder, we've been in contact with the Canadian and Mexican governments. Brazil has (also) been talked about as a potential destination (for the VentMI units)."

'Owen is absolutely awesome'

Dr. Glenn Green, who met Tien a little over five years ago, told the Daily News that he thinks very highly of Tien.

"Owen is absolutely awesome," said Green, who has been a U-M professor of otolaryngology and a pediatric otolaryngologist since 2003. "He has been contributing at every level (with the VentMI), from helping with design to manufacturing to quality assurances. He's a brilliant guy and he's very hard-working."

Like Tien, Green said while it's fortunate that VentMI isn't currently needed in Michigan, it could make a big difference elsewhere.

"It could have made the difference in thousands of lives (in Michigan)," Green said. "And it still might make that kind of difference in other countries, depending on what second-wave problems hit."

Tien and Green first became acquainted in December 2015, when Green asked Tien's Thingsmiths company to print a 3D model based on an MRI scan of a baby still in the womb.

Tien recalls the 3D printers at U-M were not open because it was either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, so Thingsmiths was the next option.

Once that 3D model was put together, it assured the team of doctors that the baby, named Conan Thompson, could be delivered safely when it appeared initially that he might not be able to breathe during delivery.

Conan is now a healthy 5-year-old.

"They were able to determine that they didn't need to perform an operation. They did some work post-birth and the baby is really healthy now," Tien said.

"It made a huge difference," Green said of the 3D model.

For his part, Tien is grateful to be working with Green, Zopf and VanKoevering because he says their priorities are in the right place.

"I feel very fortunate to work with them because they have the right viewpoint of innovation  that patient care needs to be the primary consideration in everything we do," Tien said.

The same goes for Autocam in Tien's view.

"I cannot speak highly enough of how good a partner they have been," he said of Autocam. "The leadership there has been all in, in giving us the resources we needed to have a device that is as safe as possible for patients."

As for the inspiration for Tien's own career, he considers Kim and Denise Krantz, the owners of Coffee Chaos in Midland, as two of his mentors.

"I worked at Coffee Chaos when it first opened and and I got to see some entrepreneurship and got some first-hand business experience," Tien said. "I learned a lot from Kim and Denise Krantz."
Taliban Urges Afghan Government To Speed Up Prisoner Release

By RFE/RL May 05, 2020

The Taliban has called on the Afghan government to speed up the release of prisoners in order to pave the way for negotiations with the militant movement.

A landmark deal signed by the United States and the Taliban on February 29 calls for the Afghan government to release 5,000 Taliban fighters as a confidence-building measure ahead of formal peace talks aimed at ending the 18-year conflict.

The agreement also provides for the militants to release 1,000 Afghan security force members.

"In the last 3 days, our 300 prisoners were released from the Kbl Adm. (Kabul administration) prisons which we welcome," Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen tweeted late on May 4.

"However, it is not enough -- the process should be expedited so the prisoners be saved from the Coronavirus and the way be paved for an earliest inception of intra-Afghan negotiations," Shaheen wrote.

The Afghan government so far has released about 750 Taliban inmates from jails, according to the Office of National Security Council (ONSC).

The Taliban has released 112 members of Afghan security forces, the ONSC says.

Kabul has been wary of releasing large groups of prisoners, especially with Afghan forces suffering heavy casualties in recent weeks from Taliban attacks across the country.

The violence poses an immediate threat to a fragile peace deal between the United States and the Taliban, as the Afghan military is forced to fight an emboldened Taliban with less U.S. support.

Adding to concerns over the situation was a recent report from the U.S. Special Inspector-General for Afghanistan Reconstruction that warned the spread of COVID-19 could derail the stalled peace efforts.

Afghanistan has registered 2,704 coronavirus infections and 85 fatalities.

But there is widespread concern that the number of cases in the conflict- and poverty-ridden nation of nearly 37 million could be much higher as only about 12,000 tests have been performed to date.

With reporting by AP, AFP, and TOLOnews.com

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/taliban-urges- afghan-government-to-speed-up-prisoner- release/30593741.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.

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A student who was caught on CCTV trying to sexually assault a woman at an east London bus stop has been jailed for four years.

Rami Othmane, 21, from Sicily, Italy, but living in Hackney at the time of the offence, was sent to prison for attempted rape on Wednesday after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing at Wood Green Crown Court.

The judge heard that, by chance, a member of staff in a CCTV control room saw Othmane attempting to force himself onto a woman at a bus stop in Allerton Road, Hackney, on January 22 at around 4am.

The controller alerted police straight away and officers went down to the scene, however, Othmane had already left the area.

The incident took place at a bus top in Allerton Road, Hackney / Google Maps

The victim did not wish to report the incident but due to the seriousness of the offence, officers decided to launch an investigation.

They were able to track Othmane through his movements on CCTV and trawled addresses in the vicinity to see if residents recognised him.

After a tip-off they paid Othmane a visit and spotted the coat he was seen wearing in the video footage at the time of the offence.

He was arrested and subsequently charged with attempted rape on January 31.

Investigation lead Detective Constable Dave Barrett said: It is with huge thanks to the diligent CCTV operator who spotted this alarming incident and immediately called police, allowing the officers to act quickly and locate the victim and ultimately put this man behind bars.

We fully respect the victims decision not to make a report but we hope todays outcome proves that we took this incident, like all sexual offences, extremely seriously and will work tirelessly to trace those who think they can commit atrocious crimes such as this.

Othmane is a dangerous individual and he may well have caused serious harm to others if he wasnt apprehended.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg challenged president Donald Trumps attempts to modify the Affordable Care Acts contraceptive access, from her hospital bed.

Ms Ginsburg was admitted to Johns Hopkins Hospital, in Baltimore, on Tuesday, and underwent treatment on a benign gallbladder condition.

A statement from the court confirmed that she was suffering from a gallstone that had migrated to her cystic duct, blocking it and causing an infection, but was resting comfortably.

Although she was recovering in the facility, Ms Ginsburg, still participated in the Supreme Court teleconference hearing on Wednesday.

The case that was heard, concerned whether medical insurance companies should have to cover contraception costs, or if there should be a religious exemption.

When the Affordable Care Act, often referred to as Obamacare, was originally introduced in 2010 by the Obama administration, all insurance companies had to cover contraception costs.

However, in 2017 the Trump administration tried to add a religious exemption, but have seen it blocked by federal courts in the years since.

Ms Ginsburg, speaking on a teleconference amid the coronavirus pandemic, told Solicitor General Noel Francisco, who was arguing for the Trump administration, that the law might force women to have to pay for contraceptive care themselves.

This leaves the women to hunt for other government programmes that might cover them, she said. And for those who are not covered by Medicaid or one of the other government programmes, they can get contraceptive coverage only from paying out of their own pocket, which is exactly what Congress didnt want to happen.

Ms Ginsburg, who is one of the eight associate Supreme Court justices, told him that if companies were exempt through religious beliefs, then women would be forced to pay for contraception, even if they disagreed with the companys religious stance.

You have just tossed entirely to the wind what Congress thought was essential, that is that women be provided these services with no hassles, no cost to them, she said.

Ms Ginsburg added: Instead, you are shifting the employers religious beliefs, the cost of that, onto these employees who do not share those religious beliefs.

Recommended Ruth Bader Ginsburg admitted to hospital with gallbladder infection

In his reply, Mr Francisco referenced a 2014 Supreme Court mandate that he believes gave agencies the discretion on whether to give contraception coverage.

He said: Theres nothing in the ACA as this court recognised in Hobby Lobby that requires contraceptive coverage, rather it delegated to the agencies the discretion to decide whether or not to cover it in the first place.

Mr Francisco added: And we think that that also includes the discretion to require that most employers provide it, but not the small number who have sincere, conscientious objections.

Ms Ginsburg is expected to be in hospital for a day or two, according to a statement from the court.
Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle

The Hearst Foundations on Wednesday announced 18 grants totaling nearly $2 million that will be distributed to education, health, culture and social service organizations throughout California.

The William Randolph Hearst Foundation and the Hearst Foundation Inc. will award grants totaling $1,925,000 to 18 organizations.
courtesy of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office

NOTE: Austin Johnson has been located, according to a 7:04 a.m. Tuesday update by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office.



In one week, two 16-year-old boys went missing in Montgomery County, leaving authorities asking the public to help bring them home.

Cody Sheff was last seen April 27 in Porter. He is thought to be heading to Illinois where he has family. He is described as 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighing 146 pounds, with black hair, hazel eyes and a light complexion, according to the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office.


US president Donald Trump looks on as Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health Anthony Fauci (middle) speaks during a news conference on the COVID-19 outbreak at the White House on February 26, 2020.

Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty

After blocking the nation's lead infectious disease expert and other members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force from testifying before Congress in hearings about the administration's pandemic response, President Donald Trump took a half measure to reverse course.

Before leaving to tour an N-95 mask facility in Arizona, Trump told reporters that Dr. Anthony Fauci will be able to testify before the Republican-controlled Senate, but not the Democratic-majority House.

"The House is a setup. The House is a bunch of Trump-haters," Trump said. "They put every Trump hater on the committee, the same old stuff ... But Dr. Fauci will be testifying in front of the Senate, and he looks forward to doing that."

A leaked memo from the White House on Monday stated "For the month of May, no Task Force members, or key deputies of Task Force members, may accept hearing invitations."

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Related Video: How Viruses Like the Coronavirus Mutate

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump told reporters that Dr. Anthony Fauci will testify before Republican-controlled Senate, but not the Democratic-majority House.

Last week, the Trump administration blocked a request from Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, from testifying before a House panel.

A leaked memo on Monday extended the muzzle to all members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, stating, "For the month of May, no Task Force members, or key deputies of Task Force members, may accept hearing invitations."

Before taking off on Air Force One to visit an N-95 mask manufacturing facility in Arizona, Trump addressed reporters on the matter, maintaining his stance blocking Fauci from testifying before the Democratic-majority House.

"The House is a setup. The House is a bunch of Trump-haters," Trump said. "They put every Trump hater on the committee, the same old stuff ... But Dr. Fauci will be testifying in front of the Senate, and he looks forward to doing that."

Story continues

Previously, a White House official did not rule out Fauci testifying before the Senate in a comment to the Washington Post.

"It's not muzzling, it's not blocking, it's simply trying to ensure we're able to balance the need for oversight, the legitimate need for oversight, with their responsibilities to handle COVID-19 work at their respective agencies and departments," the official said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Updated Notice: Waiver of IFTA Credentialing Requirements for Certain Motor Carriers

Issued: May 6, 2020

Executive Orders 2020-33, 2020-67 and 2020-68 declared a state of emergency in Michigan and a state of disaster across Michigan, and/or continued or expanded on previously declared states of emergency or disaster, related to the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have disrupted state business operations including the Departments ability to process licensing applications, issue decals, and authorize trip permits under the Motor Carrier Fuel Tax Act, 1980 PA 119, (MCFTA) and/or the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA). COVID-19 has also disrupted the ability of out-of-state motor carriers to obtain proper IFTA credentials from their home jurisdictions which are needed to comply with Michigan law when driving in Michigan. To ensure that these COVID-19 related disruptions do not impede the timely delivery of urgently needed resources and personnel to Michigan during this crisis, Governor Whitmer issued Executive Order 2020-40. Because Executive Order 2020-40 was set to expire at 11:59 p.m. on May 5, 2020, Governor Whitmer issued Executive Order 2020-73 (Order) extending the relief to motor carriers previously authorized by Executive Order 2020-40 and rescinding that prior order.

The Order temporarily suspends the licensing and decal requirements under section 5 of the MCFTA, MCL 207.215, and the trip permit requirements under section 7 of the MCFTA, MCL 207.217, for certain motor carriers. In addition, the Order temporarily suspends any other credentialing requirements administered by the Department under the IFTA for certain motor carriers. Enforcement of these credentialing requirements under the MCFTA and/or IFTA are also suspended, as are fines, penalties, or criminal sanctions for violations of these credentialing requirements, for certain motor carriers while operating in Michigan.

Under the Order, the suspension of the credentialing requirements (and enforcement of those requirements) only applies to those motor carriers providing critical assistance related to the COVID-19 pandemic (as defined in section 5 of the Order) in Michigan during the effective date of the Order through June 2, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. The Order does not suspend, restrict, or waive any other Michigan laws, regulations, or requirements applicable to motor carriers (including any requirements relating to the reporting, payment, or remittance of, or recordkeeping for, taxes imposed or arising under the MCFTA and/or the IFTA) or any laws, regulations, or requirements of other IFTA jurisdictions.

In recognition of the Order, the Department waives the credentialing requirements (licenses, decals, and trip permits) under the MCFTA and/or IFTA, and suspends enforcement of those requirements, for motor carriers covered by the Order beginning May 5, 2020 at 6:15 p.m. through June 2, 2020 at 11:59 p.m.

This waiver does not apply to, suspend, or otherwise affect a motor carriers responsibility for reporting, paying, remitting (or recordkeeping requirements for) taxes imposed or arising under the MCFTA and/or IFTA. This waiver does not imply or grant an exception to any state laws, regulations, or requirements other than as may be provided by the Order. The waiver does not apply to, suspend, restrict, or waive any laws, regulations, or other requirements of other IFTA jurisdictions.

Executive Order 2020-73 is available at:

https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/0,9753,7-406-98178_98455-521682--,00.html.

FAQs concerning the Order and Executive Order No. 2020-73 are available at: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/0,9753,7-406-98178_98455-528138--,00.html.

Questions regarding this Notice may be directed to the Departments Special Taxes Division  IFTA Unit at 517-636-4580 or IFTA_Licensing@michigan.gov.
Italy's Giuseppe Conte is insisting that he'll serve out his full term as premier as tensions within his ruling coalition build up amid a struggle to restart the crippled economy.

The current government is certain to reach the end of its term in 2023, Conte told newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano in an interview published Wednesday. "The forces of the majority are all aware of the great responsibility we carry."

Conte, who heads a coalition of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, the center-left Democratic Party and smaller parties, has come under political attack as he's begun gradually lifting Italy's stringent nationwide lockdown imposed to halt the spread of the coronavirus.

Infighting within the administration is delaying a 55 billion-euro ($60 billion) stimulus package, with allies including Five Star and the Democrats at odds over measures including boosting liquidity for businesses and an emergency income for people trapped in the underground economy.

Regional and business leaders have joined in the criticism, calling on the prime minister to speed up easing containment measures. While the manufacturing and construction sectors were allowed to restart on Monday, many other businesses remain shut.

Italy's economy will shrink by 9.5% this year, the European Commission said Wednesday, forecasting an unemployment rate at 11.8%. The Rome government estimates output falling 8% this year, while Bloomberg Economics sees a 13% contraction.

The tensions have triggered media speculation about the coalition's stability, with many suggesting the possibility of a so-called government of national unity led by a well-known figure like ex-European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi.

But differences between the parties, and their mutual distrust, make this a difficult prospect. Conte told Il Fatto that Draghi "has never demonstrated to me an interest in the premiership and I don't believe, knowing him, that he would let himself be urged by the various initiatives underway."

Conte, who is seeking European Union assistance including joint debt issuance, told Il Fatto that Italy, Spain and France are ranged against the more "frugal" position of northern countries.

"We will continue to fight so that the more ambitious hypothesis prevails," Conte said, adding a new recovery fund is unlikely to start before the summer.

President Sergio Mattarella sees early elections as the only alternative if Conte falls, because no alternative majority with a credible program is possible, according to officials who asked not to be named discussing a confidential issue.

Italy's head of state is tasked with holding consultations with parties seeking to form a new government, dissolving parliament ahead of elections and naming the prime minister.

Elections could be held in September or October, without waiting for a fall referendum on cutting the number of lawmakers in both houses of parliament, the officials said. Italian newspapers reported earlier Wednesday on Mattarella's views.

Ex-Premier Matteo Renzi, who leads junior coalition party Italy Alive, has threatened to withdraw support for the government if Conte fails to address the economic fallout from the shutdown. But Renzi's party, which only has around 3.5% support in opinion polls, risks a poor performance in any new election.

Agriculture Minister Teresa Bellanova, a member of Renzi's party, told state-owned Rai radio on Wednesday that she may resign if her demand for immigrant workers to be given legal status is rejected, Ansa newswire reported.
Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, were living more than 100 miles apart for the past two and a half years. Now theyre back under the same roof, but its only temporary.

Read on to find out the reason why the royal couple wont spend their final years together.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Why the queen and Philip live together now

Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth have been married for more than 70 years but in 2017, they began living in separate residences.

The Duke of Edinburgh officially retired from royal duties and left the hustle and bustle of London for a quieter life at Wood Farm Cottage located in Norfolk on the Sandringham estate.

The royal family matriarch meanwhile remained at Buckingham Palace since that is the official working residence of the monarch. But amid the coronavirus outbreak, the queen and Philip were moved and placed in quarantine together at Windsor Castle in Berkshire, England.

A message from Her Majesty The Queen.https://t.co/xVJmB7aU40 pic.twitter.com/HLHqRnZGIP  The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 19, 2020

According to The Express, they currently only have about a dozen staff members working at the castle while theyre staying there.

A source told The Times that the couple is enjoying doing things together and activities on their own as well. Prince Philip likes reading and painting watercolors while the queen has been speaking to family members via video chat and keeping up on the current events by going through the newspapers.

The reason theyll have to live away from one another again soon

Prince Philip, Duke od Edinburgh and Queen Elizabeth II | Tim Graham/Getty Images

Both parties are aware that their current living situation is only temporary. Thats because once the lockdowns are lifted, the duke will return to Woodfarm Cottage away from the busy city and the prying eyes of the paparazzi. And as long as she continues to work, his wife will return to her home base at Buckingham Palace.

The queen has made it clear that she will not retire or just hand over the crown to her son, Prince Charles, unless she is physically incapable of being the monarch.

I should like to make that dedication now. It is very simple. I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong, she proclaimed in a speech on her 21st birthday.

Princess Elizabeths (later Queen Elizabeth II) 21st birthday broadcast from Cape Town, South Africa | Topical Press Agency/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Clarence House also previously confirmed that the queen will not abdicate because of her advanced age.

There are no plans for any change in arrangements at the age of 95  or any other age, said in a statement via USA Today.

This means it is highly unlikely that Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip will live out their final years together.

Read more: Where Did Prince Philip Get the Engagement Ring He Gave to Queen Elizabeth and Does She Still Wear It?
CLIFTON PARK  The parade of people congregating in the doorway of La Fiesta, seeking a taste of Mexico to mark Tuesday's Cinco de Mayo holiday, resulted in a call to the police, a town official said.

Clifton Park Supervisor Phil Barrett said police responded to the restaurant in the Price Chopper plaza after the takeout order crowd got too large.

There was a huge crowd of people apparently, Barrett said. But I have not had a full report so I cant confirm the outcome of the State Police action.

Details were unavailable as no one answered the phone at La Fiesta on Tuesday evening and State Police said they could not discuss the matter with the press. They referred questions to their public information officer who would not be available until Wednesday morning.

However, a Facebook post showed dozens of people jamming an outdoor foyer. While most were wearing masks, they were standing inches apart, obviously not observing social distancing. Comments on the posted photo called out the diners for their not abiding by the pandemic's safety restrictions.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

This is why we have to have specified restrictions, one commenter wrote. People are not smart enough to do it on their own. I wish I could say unbelievable, but sadly its not.

The attraction wasn't just at La Fiesta. The manager of El Charro in Albany said their restaurant was overwhelmed with orders too. One diner on Facebook said she waited an hour outside for her meal and finally canceled her order.
Infiniti Research, a leading market intelligence solutions provider, has recently announced the completion of their latest engagement on market research solution for a flexible packaging market client. During this engagement, the experts at Infiniti Research helped the client to enhance operational efficiency and increase sales by 23%.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005714/en/

The global flexible packaging market is currently witnessing a period of low growth due to the rising tariffs on raw materials, evolving consumer buying behavior, and flexible packaging companies' inability to make technology upgrades to meet rising market demands. In addition, the increase in prices of raw materials and sustainability issues are presenting additional challenges for companies in the flexible packaging industry. Consequently, companies in the flexible packaging industry are compelled to streamline operations, revamp traditional business models, and proactively take approaches to tackle challenges coming their way.

Infiniti Research's team of industry experts and analysts are constantly monitoring the business impact of the COVID-19 crisis across sectors to help organizations prioritize response, mitigate risk, and continuously monitor the economic adversities on their business. Request a FREE proposal here.

The business challenge: The US flexible packaging industry has been experiencing rapid transformations due to the rising tariff on raw materials and rapidly changing customer buying behavior. In order to adapt to the changes and gain a leading-edge, an American flexible packaging firm wanted to gather comprehensive insights into the market's development, industry regulations, customer needs, and competitive landscape. They approached the experts at Infiniti Research to leverage their expertise in offering market research solution.

Want to know how we can help you to survive through these tough times and emerge stronger in the post-coronavirus world? Contact us here.

The solution offered: The experts at Infiniti Research gathered insights on primary customer needs and identified reasons behind customer switching to different brands. Also, our experts analyzed factors impacting customer buying behavior and identified technological developments in the US flexible packaging industry. Besides, we identified areas where the client lacked in comparison to the top flexible packaging companies in the US.

Infiniti's market research solution helped the flexible packaging market client to:

Understand customers' buying behaviors and innovate packaging materials to suit online shoppers needs

Identify the best technologies and processes to invest on to yield huge savings

Make technology upgrades before their competitors

Revamp their traditional supply chain models and adopt innovative techniques

Enhance operational efficiency and product quality

Enhance sales by 23%.

Wondering how your business can benefit from our market research solution? Request more information from our experts.

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/20200506005714/en/

Contacts:

Infiniti Research

Anirban Choudhury

Marketing Manager

US: +1 844 778 0600

UK: +44 203 893 3400

https://www.infinitiresearch.com/contact-us
- Cristiano Ronaldo has returned to Italy with his family

- The Juve striker had been in his home town in Portugal for isolation

- He returns to Italy where he and family stay in an amazing home in Turin

- Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

The Juventus striker and family have returned to Italy after spending the entire lockdown period in his home town in Madeira, Portugal.

Ronaldo, partner Georgina Rodriguez and the children returned to Italy in his a private jet owned by the former Real Madrid striker after they all spent two months away.

CR7 is ready to join his team-mates as they hope the Serie A will resume any moment in a bid to win more laurels.

READ ALSO: Cristiano Ronaldo: A look inside Juve star's $24.5 million Gulfstream private jet

It was gathered that the 35-year-old wanted to return to Italy as soon as possible and now they are staying in a stunning property many describe as a haven.

The private home which is away from prying eyes on a hill boasts of six well-furnished rooms as well as quite a number of bathrooms.

It has all sorts of amenities that would keep the star striker at rest as it is equipped with a state-of-the-art gym that he and former shop assistant Georgina love to use together.

READ ALSO: Mike Tyson offered $1m to come out of retirement and face Williams

The swimming pool is top-notch where the player is expected to cool down in by doing a few laps following a strenuous session lifting weights.

Hills to one side, a river to the other, the home overlooks the whole city and offers tranquillity.

He had been in quarantine with his partner Georgina Rodriguez and his family following the global outbreak of coronavirus pandemic.

But with his plane stuck in Spain over travel restrictions in the country, the Portuguese star had to seek alternatives to fly to Turin, Italy.

Ghanaian Pastor ventures into farming to help feed the country | #Yencomgh

READ ALSO: Mike Tyson offered $1m to come out of retirement and face Williams

Source: YEN.com.gh
COVID-19 deaths, hospitalisations and lockdowns could be over this year, says WHO

Coronavirus lockdown: After Delhi and Karnataka, Telangana opens liquor store in state

India

oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P

Hyderabad, May 06: With liquor shops remaining closed for more than a month in view of COVID-19 lockdown, Telangana on Wednesday re-opened the liquor stores with impatient tipplers forming serpentine queues even before the shutters went up.

The liquor store owners were seen performing special prayers with flowers, coconuts, incense sticks and offered 'Aarti' infront of the stores at several places, before commencing business. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday announced that barring 15 liquor outlets located in various containment zones in the state, the remaining over 2,200 would be open for business from 10 am to 6 pm beginning Wednesday.

Coronavirus crisis: How COVID-19 cases in Tamil Nadu are causing panic among people

However, pubs and bars that serve liquor will remain shut. Police personnel were deployed at most of the outlets to avoid untoward incidents and ensure law and order.

The central and state government began to ease restrictions in the third phase of the nationwide lockdown. Also, the Delhi government announced a 70 per cent hike in the price of liquor across categories in the capital, starting Tuesday.

Coronavirus crisis: Why sale of liquor matters to state? Which state collects more in revenue?

It can be seen that the manufacture and sale of liquor is one of the major sources of their revenue, and the reopening the sale of liquor comes at a time when the states have been struggling to fill their coffers amid the disruption on account of the lockdown.
The government should lay a special focus on supporting the informal sector as well as micro, small and medium enterprises to revive economic activities reeling from the coronavirus crisis, according to academics.

They also stressed the need for providing a fixed income support for at least three months to informal sector workers, saying they play a major part in running the economy.

Addressing a webinar on 'Indian economy during COVID-19' on Wednesday, former professor of University of Hyderabad D Narasimba Reddy said the focus should be on the informal sector, which contributes significantly in the country's GDP.

He advocated that Rs 6,000 per month should be given to workers at least for the next three months so that they can sustain in these difficult times.

Reddy also called for supporting the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), adding that there is also a need to provide social security and employment security to workers.

Echoing similar views, former professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University Ravi S Srivastava said the informal economy is highly impacted due to the outbreak of the coronavirus and suggested steps like loan waiver for small entrepreneurs to help the SME sector.

University of Hyderabad Professor G Omkarnath said that using urban labour force will help in reviving the urban economy.

There is also a need to declog the credit channel, he added.

The webinar was organised by TRR Government Degree College, Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh.

Professor Chirala Shankar Rao of the Department of Economics from this degree college said this webinar provided a platform to all the participants to share their views on the impact of COVID-19 on the Indian economy.

Among the other academicians participated in the webinar were M Ravi Kumar, Prajna Mishra from the University of Hyderabad, and N Trinad from Central university of Karnataka.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
May 06, 2020





A decade ago, simply owning a business website might have been enough to secure your foothold in the digital market. You still had to be conscious of design, but there weren't nearly as many hoops to jump through to ensure your content reached your desired audience.







In 2020, online competition is only increasing, which means you need to stay up to speed on trends.

This isn't as daunting as it might initially sound. Many of the search engine optimization (SEO) practices you need to use are not that complicated and they will make a significant difference to your traffic.

Whether you're linkbuilding in The Netherlands or overhauling your UI/UX design in the US, these are the three strategies you need in 2020:

1) Optimize Your Site for Voice Searches

Optimizing for voice searches is something a lot of web designers won't even consider when launching their sites, which is precisely why it could make such a significant difference for your brand. In the digital era, smartphones aren't going out of style any time soon, so it's up to you to accommodate the way people use the internet.

In the past, we would fire a bunch of words into a search box and hope that whatever popped up was relevant to what we needed. This is how keywords first came into prominence. These days, while keywords are still important, more people are using voice commands to perform searches. This isn't just true for smartphones, but home devices too.

A good way to ensure that your site is responding to these searches is by including rhetorical questions in your web copy that a user may ask. What questions does your site answer? Include as many as you can.

2) Make Use of Linkbuilding

Linkbuilding is the term used to describe linking one website to another via a clickable hyperlink. You'll have seen many over the years as they're highly commonplace on websites. This is sometimes referred to as backlinking. This isn't a new practice, but it is essential if you're hoping to boost the number of people visiting your site.

While internal links are used when the link takes a user to another page of the same website, an external link transports a user to a separate website. External links are great for boosting your Google (News - Alert) ranking as the algorithm reads it as one website recommending another.

Linkbuilding is popular because it's easy to execute and highly effective for driving traffic. Users will click on the link because they're interested in how it relates to the previous content, or they will be interested in learning more about a product or service mentioned.

Linkbuilding is less effective when you use irrelevant links. It's important that your linkbuilding is between two related sites, if only loosely.

3) Ensure Your UI/UX is Effective for Mobile Browsing

You can adapt your site to account for voice searches, but if a mobile-user reaches your site only to find it isn't compatible with their interface, then they're going to leave pretty quickly. Your website needs to possess a design that can shift seamlessly between both desktop and mobile views.

Four out of five consumers use their mobile devices to shop online, which means that mobile design is more important than ever before. You may even want to consider investing in app design to make mobile use with customers even more convenient.

Many of the popular web hosting servers (such as Wordpress or Wix) have in-built mobile compatibility with your sites, so there really is no excuse for not providing a multi-platform interface.
End Times scholar answers: Is COVID-19 part of biblical prophecy?

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A biblical scholar said the new coronavirus outbreak is a precursor to End Times prophecies, warning that the pandemic is a very serious foreshadowing of whats to come.

In an interview with The Christian Post, Mark Hitchcock, author of over 30 books related to biblical End Times prophecies, said Scripture is clear that there will be plagues in the End Times. He cited Luke 2:11, Revelation 6:8, and the prophecy of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, where the fourth rider kills one-fourth of the Earth's population with pestilence and the wild beasts of the earth.

In fact, Scripture tells us these plagues will kill 25% of the people in the world. Its literally going to be biblical proportions, the Dallas Theological Seminary professor said.

While he doesnt believe COVID-19 is one of the plagues mentioned in the Bible  those, he said, are going to happen during the tribulation in the future  he does view the pandemic as a vivid preview of whats coming.

Its a wake-up call for people to come to Christ in light of what's coming in the future, which is going to be far worse, he said. Its a very serious foreshadowing of whats to come.

I think it reveals the globalism of today. One person in China got this sometime in the fall and now it's in some 190 countries. Its also a picture of how small our world is today and how things are set up for the world ruler, the Antichrist, who is coming. I see just a lot of foreshadows and previews in the coronavirus, but I don't see this as a fulfillment of a specific prophecy.

Still, Hitchcock, who also serves as the pastor of Faith Bible Church in Edmond, Oklahoma, said he believes the End Times are drawing nearer due to the fulfillment of several key events.

So many things are happening in our world today: Israel is back in their land, the Middle East is constantly in turmoil, globalism is occurring  all of these things are signposts and point to what the Bible predicts about the soon coming of Christ, he said. We dont know when Hes coming; it could be today, it could be five years from now.

But I do think it should create within us a sense of urgency to be right with God and to tell others the Good News so that they, too, can be right with God.

Hitchcocks latest book Corona Crisis: Plagues, Pandemics, and the Coming Apocalypseaddresses how the coronavirus outbreak is related to End Times biblical prophecies about plagues, pestilences and pandemics.

The pandemic, the pastor told CP, has, like never before, unmasked for us just how fragile and fleeting life really is.

People are saying, Things now are so uncertain. Well, the idea of certainty and control that we think we have is really an illusion, he said. We think things are certain; we think we have some degree of control. But in times like these, the mask is pulled away, revealing to us that things aren't ever certain, and we really don't have control.

While the thought of the End Times can seem scary for some, Hitchcock stressed that God didn't give us Bible prophecy to scare us but to prepare us. He didn't tell us about these things to make us anxious, but to make us aware.

The Bible is very specific about what will happen before the End Times, he added, and its the job of the Christian to be aware of these things.

To me, the fact that things are unfolding the way the Bible said they're going to unfold gives me great confidence that God is in control and He's in Heaven, and things are working out according to His plan, he said. It's comforting that God told us what's going happen and it's happening. This is how we can know He is in control in the midst of all of these things.

The role of Christians amid the COVID-19 crisis, the Showdown with Iranauthor said, is to love those around them by following government guidelines regarding the pandemic and be on the lookout for those who need extra support and encouragement.

But more importantly, he said, its a time to proclaim the Gospel.

I think there's an openness right now. Its the perfect time for the Church to be getting the Gospel out in unique ways. Churches need to be leveraging what's happening for the sake of the Gospel.

In times of chaos, its important to remember that Heaven has an occupied throne, Hitchcock said.

We need to look up and gain that perspective when things are happening down here on the Earth. Christ is going to come back someday, and He's going to make this world new," he added. "Were going to live in the Messianic Kingdom. Eternity is before us.

Yes, its going to get worse before it gets better, but the hope we have is that God is going to bring things to culmination. Our job in the meantime is to be faithful to Him in the mundane, in the routine of life, just to live lives that are pleasing to God. I think thats Gods calling upon us in these times in which we live.


CHICAGO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Arizton's recent research report, Beard Care Market - Global Outlook and Forecast 2020-2025 is expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 7% during the period 20192025.

Key Highlights Offered in the Report:

By age group, Europe dominated the 50+ consumers segment and accounted for around 60% of the market share and is expected to add over $40 million by 2025. Oil & serum was the largest segment in 2019 and is likely to add over $730 million by 2025. 3/4th of the market was dominated by individual end-use segment. Furthermore, the men aged between 25-34 years accounted for more than 30% market share as they tend to be more fashionable. Consumers aged between 30-55 years are ideal for the branding of all types of products, including beard wash, soaps, and conditioners. Beard wax has significant demand in the Western European and Scandinavian countries owing to their traditional beard-growing trend, followed by Latin America , which is growing at a CAGR of over 7%. In 2019, more than 70% of Chinese men preferred buying male grooming products in brick-and-mortar stores than shopping online. Despite the high cost of the beard transplantation process, men in Western countries and emerging economies are willing to spend $5,000 - $15,000 for a quality beard transplant.

Key Offerings:

Market Size & Forecast by Revenue | 20192025

Market Dynamics  Leading trends, growth drivers, restraints, and investment opportunities

Market Segmentation  A detailed analysis by product, end-user, age group, distribution, and geography

Competitive Landscape  Profile of 25 prominent vendors

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Beard Care Market  Segmentation

The beard oil segment dominated the market in 2019 and is expected to sustain its position worldwide during the forecast period. The rapid growth in this segment is due to the new demand from secondary markets such as India , Malaysia , Brazil , Turkey , and Argentina .

, , , , and . The 50+ age segment consists of beard enthusiasts and grooming activists in Europe and North America only. The beard and mustache growing competition in these regions provides an additional opportunity for the age group to use maintenance products such as wax, balms, moisturizers, and shampoos.

and only. The beard and mustache growing competition in these regions provides an additional opportunity for the age group to use maintenance products such as wax, balms, moisturizers, and shampoos. With the beard care market is greatly influenced by consumption trends and lifestyle changes, the success of products rely on communication mix and distribution strategies. The online beard care market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 7% due to the development of digital marketing strategies, e-commerce platforms, internet penetration, and mass data management.

Market Segmentation by Product

Oil & Serum

Wax

Balms

Shampoos and Conditioners

Others

Market Segmentation by End-user

Individuals

Salons & Spas

Market Segmentation by Age Group

1829 years

3050 years

50+ years

Beard Care Market  Dynamics

The beard transplant market is gaining significant attention across western countries in the recent years owing to the influence and inspiration from stars like Tom Hardy, David Beckham, and Bradley Cooper. These style icons have eventually led to the preference towards beard care products and need for maintaining it. Beards have served as the symbol of fashion and masculinity for eons and generations with majority of adult men preferring to grow a full beard. However, genes and other body complications like hormonal changes, spot baldness, and lifestyle might lead to patchy or uneven beard growth for whom beard transplant treatment is the ideal solution. The beard transplant has been popular in the recent years which are estimated to provide effective and reliable results for most of the individuals.

Key Drivers and Trends fueling Market Growth:

Product Innovations and Marketing Strategies

Growth in Number of Beard Grooming Services

Growth in Fashion Conscious Consumers

Growth in Demand for Organic Cosmetic Products

Beard Care Market  Geography

North America is expected to contribute over 26% of the total revenue by 2025. With the US being the major contributor, the country is likely to witness the growth of numerous domestic vendors during the forecast period. The favorable market landscape supports the growth of niche players, including salons and spas. The shift in the grooming trend in generation X and the millennial population is more likely to sustain during the forecast period.

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Market Segmentation by Geography

Europe

Germany



Italy



France



UK



Spain

North America

US



Canada

APAC

South Korea



China



Japan



Australia



India

Latin America

Brazil



Mexico

MEA

Turkey



UAE



South Africa



Saudi Arabia

Major Vendors

Edgewell

L'Oreal Paris

Estee Lauder

Unilever

Honest Amish

Wild Willies

Cremo

Liberty

Smoky Mountain Beard Co

Beardoholic

Murdock London

Beardbrand

Mr Natty

Badass Beard Care

Billy Jealousy

Beardo

The American Beard Company

Viking Beard Company

The Beard Struggle

Viking Merch

Gentle Vikings

Smooth Viking

Robin Hood Beard Company

The Bearded Men

The Brighton Beard Co.

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NEW YORK - The number of foreign children adopted by U.S. parents fell by more than one-quarter last year, extending a 15-year decline, according to State Department figures released Wednesday.

Sharp drops in adoptions from China and Ethiopia more than offset increases from Ukraine, Liberia and elsewhere.

In the 2019 budget year, there were 2,971 adoptions from abroad, compared with 4,059 in 2018 and a high of 22,884 in 2004. The number has dropped every year since then, even as American families continue to account for roughly half of all international adoptions worldwide.

China, as has been the case for several years, accounted for the most children adopted by American parents. But the total of 819 was down from 1,475 in 2018 and far below a peak of 7,903 in 2005.

The State Department has attributed the steady decrease in adoptions from China to an improved Chinese economy and expansion of domestic adoption, as well as laws restricting activities by foreign adoption agencies and other nongovernmental organizations.

There were only 11 adoptions from Ethiopia last year, compared with 177 in 2018 and a high of 313 in 2017, when the African country was No. 2 on the list. Ethiopia imposed a ban on foreign adoptions in 2018, citing concerns about the well-being of adopted children and improprieties by adoption agencies.

After China, the most adoptions last year were 298 from Ukraine, an increase of 50 from 2018. There were 244 adoptions from Colombia, 241 from India, and 166 from South Korea.

Adoptions from Liberia rose from 30 to 51.

For a fifth straight year, there were no adoptions from Russia, which once accounted for hundreds of U.S. adoptions annually but imposed a ban that fully took effect in 2014. The ban served as retaliation for a U.S. law targeting alleged Russian human-rights violators.

According to the new report, 56 children were adopted from the United States to nine foreign countries, including 24 to Canada and 17 to the Netherlands.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Wednesday that Latino Illinoisans are testing positive for the new coronavirus at a higher rate than any other demographic group. About 60% of those screened for the virus whove identified as Hispanic have tested positive, nearly three times the statewide average, Pritzker said.

Decades of institutional inequities and obstacles for members of our Latinx communities are now amplified in this pandemic, the governor said.

Officials also announced 2,270 new known cases of COVID-19 and 136 more fatalities, bringing the total case count to 68,232 and the statewide death toll to 2,974 since the pandemic began. After dipping to a two-week low on Monday, the number of daily deaths has topped 100 for the past two day, including a record high of 176 reported Tuesday.

A day earlier, Pritzker announced a five-phase plan to reopen Illinois based on public health data and regional health care availability. Republican lawmakers in the Illinois House on Wednesday gave scathing reviews to plan, saying it does not work. Here are three charts breaking down Pritzkers plan.

Heres a recap of what happened May 6 with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:

8:10 p.m.: Chicago cant reopen without decrease in the number of coronavirus cases, Lightfoot says

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the city cant reopen without a decrease in the number of coronavirus cases, which we have not seen yet at all.

Though the city has seen progress in reducing the number of COVID-19 cases, Lightfoot said, challenges remain.

Lightfoot was asked about the citys plans to reopen during a Wednesday news conference about spiking COVID-19 cases among Latinos. Lightfoot said shes going to be proposing guidelines for the city that are separate from Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzkers, but added that she understands peoples anxiety and businesses concern.

I worry a lot, particularly about our micro-businesses and the workers that are affected and employed by those businesses, Lightfoot said. If theres not a solution soon, theyre never coming back. Theyve already been devastated.

Lightfoot said she wants to open the city, But we have to do it safely, and we have to do it at a time when we see there is actually a decline in cases.

Its ironic that were having this conversation in this moment when were talking about a surge in cases in the Latinx community, Lightfoot added. We are not where we need to be yet. We hope that were getting there. Read more here. Gregory Pratt

6:40 p.m.: Family members among group calling for stricter nursing home regulations

A Cook County commissioner on Wednesday called for additional related protections for nursing home residents across Illinois to help during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Brandon Johnson, a Chicago Democrat, outlined a Save our Seniors crisis plan, which, among other things, would free up additional federal money for nursing homes and require more certified workers at such facilities throughout the state.

The regulatory practices that this state is governed by are just not strong enough," Johnson said. " We need the governor to think beyond the limitations of our own imaginations.

Statewide, long-term care facilities have become a tinderbox for the coronavirus to spread. As of Friday, 1,082 of Illinois 2,457 COVID-19-related deaths were linked to nursing homes, assisted living centers and other long-term care facilities, according to Illinois Department of Public Health data. At least 7,500 residents at 348 facilities across the state have tested positive.

Johnson spoke at a news conference on Wednesday held outside the Westchester Health and Rehabilitation Center, which had 47 COVID-19 cases reported there, including 12 people who died from the virus, according to IDPH data.

Carrie Claybon was a resident at the facility who died from the coronavirus, her daughter said.

Claybon was known as Mom to all her neighbors in west suburban Berkeley, and though the 83-year-old had seven children, those familiar with her warm personality also saw her as a matriarch figure, her daughter Glenda Harris said. She wasnt with her loved ones in the final two months of her life before she died on March 30.

Now, my mom is deceased," Harris said Wednesday. "So now all I got is a memory. Alice Yin

6:19 p.m.: Businessman Willie Wilson moves 5-million face mask giveaway to Chicago churches

Former mayoral candidate Willie Wilson will donate up to five million disposable face masks at three South and West side churches on Saturday after the United Center backed out of the giveaway event, he said.

Wilson reached out to Mayor Lori Lightfoot via text on Tuesday to see if she wanted to appear at a Wednesday news conference to promote the event, he said. The mayor responded with questions about whether he had adequate security, he said.

On Wednesday morning, Wilson said United Center representatives called him and said they no longer wanted to hold the mask giveaway.

Lightfoot on Wednesday was asked whether she told the United Center to kibosh Wilsons plan, and said she merely raised some questions about it with Wilson.

I received some notification yesterday from Dr. Wilson about something he planned in the future, Lightfoot said. I asked a series of questions, which you would expect me to ask, which was Do you have a permit? Whats the security plan? And when you talk about five million masks, thats a lot of people coming together, and probably, my concern was, violating the state stay-at-home order.

God bless Willie Wilson for his generous heart, Lightfoot added. She said anybody making contributions has to do it in a way that puts public health and public safety first and foremost.

The timing of the cancellation struck Wilson as peculiar. We were ready to go, and then suddenly they canceled after I reached out to the mayor, he said.

United Center spokespeople could not be reached for comment.

Instead, Wilson said the Saturday mask giveaways will take place at the House of Hope and Apostolic Church of God churches on the South Side and the Mt. Vernon Baptist Church on the West Side. John Byrne

5:51 p.m.: United backs off plan to cut 15,000 workers hours to part-time after union files lawsuit

United Airlines backtracked on a plan to reduce 15,000 employees hours to part-time after the union representing the workers filed a lawsuit asking a judge to halt the cuts.

In the lawsuit, filed Tuesday, the union alleged the move violated the terms of Uniteds agreement giving the airline $5 billion in federal financial assistance to keep workers on the payroll.

United said the lawsuit was meritless and that plans to reduce full-time workers hours from 40 per week to 30 later this month complied with its obligations linked to the financial assistance and its collective bargaining agreement with the union.

But on Wednesday, the airline said it would ask the workers, including baggage handlers, customer service agents and reservations agents, to volunteer for reductions in hours. Full-time workers would go from 40 hours per week to 30 and part-time workers would go from 20 hours per week to 10, said Greg Hart, executive vice president and chief operations officer, in a memo to affected employees. Read more here. Lauren Zumbach

5:50 p.m.: Heres what Chicago offices might look like after the shutdown

Masked workers walk through an entrance-only door into the office high-rise, where their temperatures are taken while passing through security.

Lines form in lobbies as elevators bring small groups of workers  each facing a different wall  to their floors.

Touchless doors open into corporate offices, which have been reconfigured to limit close, face-to-face encounters.

Building extras like restaurants, if theyre open, only offer carry-out. Fitness centers and lounges are closed.

The offices that people will return to post-pandemic are a sharp contrast from the collaborative work spaces and amenity filled workplaces they walked out of in mid-March to begin working from home.

Indeed, Chicagos return to the office is expected to usher in the most dramatic changes in big commercial buildings in nearly two decades. Read more here. Ryan Ori

5:32 p.m.: Pritzkers plan to reopen Illinois leaves convention industry in limbo. Were in no mans land right now.

Before Illinoisans were working from home, before restaurants had shut down, and before the stay-at-home order was in place, the coronavirus pandemic was already ravaging the states convention business.

Now, it appears the industry that sustained the pandemics first economic blows might be one of the last to recover.

Under Gov. J.B. Pritzkers five-phase plan to reopen the state, conventions cannot be held until the final phase of recovery. To reach that phase, a vaccine must be developed, a treatment option must be readily available, or no new cases must arise over a sustained period.

Theres no telling how long it might take to reach the fifth phase, and increases in cases or hospitalizations could hamper progress. As a result, organizations are unsure whether they should cancel events later this year that would bring tens of thousands of people to the Chicago area, staying in hotels, taking cabs and ride-share vehicles and using their expense accounts to dine in the best restaurants. Read more here. Ally Marotti, Lori Rackl and Mary Wisniewski

4:10 p.m.: Can Illinois moviegoing survive Pritzkers COVID-19 reopening strategy?

Nobody knows when. But when Illinois arrives at Phase 4 of Gov. J.B. Pritzkers five-step reopening of the COVID-19 pandemic economy, will the majority of the states movie theaters survive long enough to see Phase 5?

The prognosis is wary at best among several Chicago area theater owners and operators.

Responding to the governors May 5 unveiling of what some call an inconsistent set of reopening criteria, exhibitors whose venues have been dark for nearly two months now wonder if theres room for negotiation regarding the proposed seating capacity guidelines.

Pritzkers revitalization" phase, which could arrive this summer but could arrive later than that, allows for a movie theater seating capacity of 50.

"This hard-and-fast number 50 is the wrong way to go, argues Ryan Oestreich, manager of the Music Box Theatre. For one thing, he says, "we need clarity: Is that 50 per building or 50 per (individual) auditorium?

At the Music Box, the larger of the two venues seats nearly 1,000. A venues square footage should be taken into account when determining customer capacity, says Oestreich. In its larger venue, he argues, the Music Box can social-distance the daylights out of a movie screening while safely accommodating 200 or more patrons.

A very tough pill to swallow: Thats how Downers Grove-based Classic Cinemas CEO Chris Johnson characterizes the 50-seat limit. Hes especially daunted by Pritzkers Phase 5, a more or less full reopening of the economy. The final phase, regulations subject to change, can come only when theres a vaccine or a comparable, easily available treatment for COVID-19. Read more here. Michael Phillips

3:56 p.m.: Illinois heath directors suggestion for Mothers Day? Virtual hugs.

With Mothers Day coming Sunday, the states top health official said virtual hugs remain the order of the day.

While many might be looking forward to real human contact after nearly two months of staying at home, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said widening quarantine circles to include extended family only increase the risk of spreading the coronavirus.

Expanding your circle will increase your risk of infection. Its that simple, Ezike said. The more people youre around, the higher the risk of contracting the virus from someone in this new expanded circle.

So, again, we are trying to minimize the risk for everyone. Thats why staying at home with that nuclear, established cell that youve had is the best way forward. Dan Petrella

3:40 p.m.: Unprecedented! Sham-demic! Coronavirus cliches are spreading and theres no flattening the curve

Talking to my three-year-old daughter about the pandemic, I find that words fail me. I try explaining that this is an unprecedented moment, in an uncertain time, and we are all in this together, attempting to flatten the curve. When Gov. J.B. Pritzker describes the pandemic as an unprecedented public health challenge, he comes across like every other email I seem to be receiving from businesses these days, all of them explaining that, despite these unprecedented times, our world will endure. Unprecedented always makes an appearance, then washes past my eyes.

Unprecedented never sings, it always feels lazy. Its not that unlike those protest signs in the Loop recently, the ones angrily insisting that the state reopen immediately. The pandemic became a SHAM-demic, the governor himself was not ESSENTIAL. Peter Sokolowski, editor-in-chief of the Merriam-Webster dictionary, said that the word we havent found yet is the one word or phrase to encapsulate the moment. Its like were looking for a word to capture what is scientifically defined yet vague, something that gets across Do I have toilet paper? and What happens if I touch that doorknob?'" Read more here. Christopher Borrelli

3:05 p.m.: Pritzker says Latino Illinoisans test positive at higher rate than any other demographic group

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Wednesday that Latino Illinoisans are testing positive for the new coronavirus at a higher rate than any other demographic group.

About 60% of those screened for the virus whove identified as Hispanic have tested positive, nearly three times the statewide average, Pritzker said.

Decades of institutional inequities and obstacles for members of our Latinx communities are now amplified in this pandemic, the governor said.

Pritzker and Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike highlighted resources available to help members of the Latino community, including free testing available at participating federally qualified health centers, regardless of insurance coverage or citizenship status.

Officials announced 2,270 new known cases of COVID-19 and 136 more fatalities, bringing the total case count to 68,232 and the statewide death toll to 2,974 since the pandemic began.

After dipping to a two-week low on Monday, the number of daily deaths has topped 100 for the past two day, including a record high of 176 reported Tuesday.

Nearly 15,000 tests were conducted in the previous 24 hours, meaning the statewide rate for positive tests was about 15%. Under the reopening plan Pritzker released Tuesday, the positivity rate in any of the plans four regions must be at or under 20% and increase no more than 10 percentage points over a 14-day period, among other criteria, in order to move to the next phase. Dan Petrella

2:40 p.m.: Illinois death toll nears 3,000

Officials on Wednesday reported 2,270 new known cases of COVID-19 and an additional 136 deaths. That brings the statewide total to 68,232 known cases, as well as a death toll totaling 2,974 since the outbreak began.

2:36 p.m.: Lightfoot sends teams to address breathtaking number of coronavirus cases in Chicagos Latino community

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot will create teams to address a breathtaking spike in coronavirus cases among the citys Latino population, she said in a Wednesday news conference.

Lightfoot unveiled several measures to address COVID-19 in Latino communities, including a plan to host virtual town halls to raise awareness, expanding the citys so-called Rapid Response Racial Equity Team to further target areas with high case rates, and working with unions to reach Latino workers in hard-hit industries.

Recent data on coronavirus-related deaths is opening a window into how hard the pandemic is hitting Latino communities. Across Illinois, Latino-majority areas have the highest number of confirmed cases, and on average, tests in those areas come back positive 41% of the time.

As of Tuesday, a ZIP code in South Lawndale, which includes Little Village, had the highest number of cases in the state, 1,596, the Tribune previously reported.

Lightfoot and public health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said Latinos in the city accounted for 14% of COVID-19 cases and 19% of deaths four weeks ago. Today, 37% of cases and 25% of deaths are Latinos.

We have reached another critical moment for our city, confronting the impact of COVID-19 on Chicagos Latinx community, Lightfoot said, using a gender-neutral term for Latino. With increasing testing, improved reporting and the continued spread of this terrible virus, we are seeing a surge in cases among our Latinx cases. This demands we dig down deeper and work harder to confront this reality.

Its hard to count the number of Latinos who have died of the new coronavirus because the medical examiner hasnt until recently been labeling cases with that identifier. But by Tuesday, ZIP codes that include Little Village, with 50 deaths, and Belmont Cragin, with 40, in Latino majority-areas, were among the city neighborhoods with the greatest number of fatalities. Read more here. Gregory Pratt and Elvia Malagon

2:32 p.m.: Skokie synagogue dedicated to deaf people may have to close its doors. Right now is not a good time to be asking people for money

Since its creation in 1972, Bene Shalom has been a Reform Jewish congregation committed to providing an inclusive environment to experience God and understand Jewish heritage. It is the only full-service synagogue in the nation devoted to the deaf community. Unfortunately the synagogue is on the cusp of closure, according to temple President Laura Schwartz. Over the years, she said, the temple has lost funding sources as church members have died.

Schwartz said the synagogues rabbis have already taken pay cuts, the temple put a donation button on the top right of its website and a Gofundme campaign is in place. According to Rabbi Douglas Goldhamer, the annual budget is $300,000, and they still need $150,000 to remain open until January 2021.

Were struggling, but right now is not a good time to be asking people for money, Schwartz said. Were hoping once this coronavirus situation dies down, hopefully in the fall, well renew our fundraising efforts.

Goldhamer said that if Bene Shalom shutters, its food pantry will close and the synagogues help for families in the community will end for deaf members as well as those who are not hard of hearing.

We need to share money with people who need food, who need clothes, Goldhamer, 75, said. I do believe strongly God has inspired me to do this work because I was sharing with the people a new way of seeing God through the American Sign Language  translating the ancient Hebrew and Aramaic characters through American Sign Language. ... Imagine going to your church and seeing prayers signed  its as if the prayers are dancing before you. Read more here. Darcel Rockett

1:20 p.m.: Indiana Dunes closing Porter Beach due to crowds, park officials say

The Indiana Dunes National Park is temporarily closing Porter Beach due to crowds until at least the end of May, officials said Wednesday.

This closure includes both the national park beach and associated parking lots due to unsafe health conditions related to overcrowding, unsafe sanitation practices and lack of social distancing pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic, National Park Service spokesman Bruce Rowe said in a release.

Park rangers will be patrolling and anyone on the beach could later face criminal charges, he said. A picture on social media Saturday appeared to show long lines at the entrance to the Indiana Dunes State Park in Chesterton.

All other trails and most other beaches at the Indiana Dunes National Park are still open, Rowe said. While the Dunes is being heavily used right now, he asked visitors to use another area of the park if a parking lot is full. Read more here. Meredith Colias-Pete

1 p.m.: Child abuse cases spike in Kane County during COVID-19 stay-at-home order

While misdemeanor and felony cases in Kane County have decreased during the coronavirus pandemic, abuse and neglect cases against children have gone up, Kane County States Attorney Joe McMahon said.

It is alarming on a number of different levels, McMahon said. Families are more isolated, so there are a lot of contributing factors that kind of go into the home environment.

The number of felony cases in Kane County dropped 15% in March and April of this year compared with the same two months in 2019, and misdemeanor cases were down 34% over the same time frame, McMahon said during his monthly media briefing this week.

However, cases involving abuse or neglect of children are up. The majority of the cases are referred to the Department of Child and Family Services by teachers, counselors, social workers and daycare providers. Despite educators and other service providers not seeing children in-person because of the COVID-19 stay-at-home order, the number of cases involving children has increased, McMahon said. Read more here. Megan Jones

12:40 p.m.: New community college program will train people to be contagious disease contact tracers

Oakton Community College has unveiled a new training program for contact tracing, a workforce Illinois will need to expand in order to contain the spread of the coronavirus as distancing measures are relaxed.

Oakton will begin offering online classes to an initial group of 60 students starting May 26, according to Jesse Ivory, dean of the Skokie campus and adult and continuing education.

The classes can be completed remotely in four weeks, will train students on how to track down people recently diagnosed with COVID-19 and inform others about potential exposure. During a virtual news conference Wednesday morning, Ivory said the program can help people who might have lost employment during the pandemic find another opportunity to serve the community.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has identified the need for a robust contact tracing program as the state begins to lift restrictions. In his five-phase plan released Tuesday, he said that contact tracing should be done for more than 90% of newly diagnosed cases within 24 hours in order for states to move into the revitalization phase, when schools and restaurants can reopen.

Previously, Pritzker estimated that rolling out a contact tracing program will cost about $80 million, and his health officials said the state will need up to 3,800 tracers. Elyssa Cherney

12:30 p.m.: This plan does not work: House Republicans pan Pritzkers reopening plan

Republican lawmakers in the Illinois House on Wednesday gave scathing reviews to Gov. J.B. Pritzkers regional five-phase plan to reopen the states economy.

This plan does not work, House GOP leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs said on a video conference.

This plan presumes that the governor shall rule the state for the upcoming months  and possibly much longer  if the vaccination is not available, Durkin said. I took an oath of office to faithfully discharge my duties in the co-equal branch of government called the legislature. I did not abdicate nor relinquish my elected responsibilities to the executive branch.

Durkin said he appreciated Pritzker incorporating some suggestions from him and other members of his caucus in the modified stay-at-home order that went into effect Friday. But he said the General Assembly needs to have a greater role in determining how and when businesses are allowed to reopen.

Pritzker on Tuesday laid out a road map for reopening businesses, schools and other facilities based on metrics such as the rate of new infections and available hospital capacity in each of four regions. He said the plan was based, in part, on input from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Read more here. Dan Petrella

11:35 a.m.: Hinsdale to close downtown street so restaurants can have more space for outdoor dining

As a way to help the villages restaurants and still abide by social distancing rules, Hinsdale plans to close a block of First Street in its downtown and allow the restaurants there to set out tables for outdoor dining on the street.

If we can think of creative ways to save our businesses that fall within whats allowed by the state, lets go for it, Village President Thomas Cauley, Jr., said.

The Hinsdale village trustees, meeting remotely Tuesday, unanimously supported the idea.

We have businesses in Hinsdale that are closed and Im very concerned that those businesses will not reopen, unless we get back to normal soon, Cauley said.

Restaurants on First Street, including il Poggiolo and Fuller House, already set tables on the sidewalk for al fresco dining during the summer, but this will allow them to serve more customers outdoors.Currently, Illinois restaurants cannot seat and serve people indoors. Read more here. Kimberly Fornek

11:30 a.m.: Fermilab physicists help design low-cost ventilator to fight COVID-19

Particle physics and medical device manufacturing may have little in common, but in the middle of a global health emergency scientists at Fermilab found they had a lot to offer the effort to meet demand for ventilators to treat COVID-19 patients.

Working with colleagues in Italy and Canada, as well as scientists in France, Spain and few other places, the group has designed a portable, low-cost ventilator that still is capable of the most precise functions that bulkier, costlier machines provide, said Stephen Brice, a particle physicist who heads Fermilabs Neutrino Division.

The machine won fast-tracked approval on May 1 from the Food and Drug Administration for use in the United States. It will be made by an Italian manufacturer, Elemaster. Read more here. David Heinzmann

10:45 a.m.: Cars.com lays off 170 employees to cut costs during COVID-19 pandemic

Cars.com, the Chicago-based car shopping website, has laid off 170 employees to cut costs during COVID-19 pandemic.

The layoffs, which took effect May 1, reduced the size of the Cars.com workforce by about 10%, and were part of significant measures the company has taken since COVID-related business restrictions imposed in mid-March curtailed revenue for the auto industry broadly.

We proactively worked with our customers to help them manage through the crisis, while also taking immediate measures within the company, including a 250-person furlough of our workforce, and from that furlough a permanent reduction of 170 people, Alex Vetter, CEO and president of Cars.com, said in a news release Wednesday.

Vetter said the company also reduced compensation for remaining employees. The furloughs were implemented on April 1. Read more here. Robert Channick

10:15 a.m.: Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago canceled due to coronavirus

The Pitchfork Music Festival, scheduled for July 17-19 in Union Park, has been canceled because of the novel coronavirus, organizers announced Wednesday.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Run the Jewels and the National were slated to headline the 15th anniversary celebration. Forty-two acts were set to play across three stages.

Organizers said ticket holders will be contacted via email with refund information. Full refunds are being offered. Some 18,000 music fans typically attend Pitchfork for each of its three days.

It can be pretty daunting to think about the future of live music right now, but know that we are fully committed to bringing Pitchfork Music Festival back in 2021 if the public health situation allows for it, organizers said in a statement. Read more here. Tracy Swartz

10:10 a.m.: Former CPS head Barbara Byrd-Bennett, convicted of corruption, moved from prison to Ohio halfway house as part of COVID-19 program

Barbara Byrd-Bennett, the former head of Chicago Public Schools convicted of pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks, has been moved from federal prison to an Ohio halfway house, records show.

Byrd-Bennett, 70, was transferred Tuesday to a home managed by RRM Cincinnati. She had been jailed at Alderson Federal Prison Camp, a minimum-security facility in West Virginia nicknamed Camp Cupcake where Martha Stewart served time for lying to the FBI about alleged insider trading in 2005.

Byrd-Bennett has a little more than a year left on her 4-year sentence. She is expected to remain in federal custody until June 2021, according to Emery Nelson, a spokesman for the Bureau of Prisons.Byrd-Bennett was freed as part of an initiative announced last month by Attorney General William Barr to release inmates who are near the end of their sentences and, due to age or medical issues, were at elevated risk for contracting the coronavirus. Read more here. Jason Meisner & Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas

6:40 a.m.: Cardinal Cupich to read Goodnight Moon for Chicago Public Librarys daily story time Wednesday morning

Cardinal Blase Cupich, the Roman Catholic archbishop of Chicago, was scheduled to be the Chicago Public Librarys featured guest reader for an online story hour Wednesday morning, according to the library system.

Cupich will read the childrens book Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown, on Facebook Live at 10 a.m. Wednesday as part of the library systems Live from the Library daily story hour, according to a news release.

The library system, whose buildings are closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, is having librarians and prominent Chicagoans read for the daily story hour.

The library system, whose buildings are closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, is having librarians and prominent Chicagoans read for the daily story hour. For more information on the story hour, check the libraries Facebook page.  Chicago Tribune staff

6 a.m.: Coronavirus pandemic could cause $560 million in Illinois gas tax revenue losses this year, possibly delaying some road and rail plans: report

Illinois could lose close to $560 million in gas tax revenue this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, which may delay some big state road and rail projects, according to a new report.

Last year, the Illinois legislature passed a six-year, $45 billion infrastructure package that provided $33 billion in funding for transportation, including road repairs around the state, train line extensions, new locomotives and other equipment. The legislation came after a 10-year drought in funding for transportation projects.

The bill included money for Amtrak service to Rockford, Metra service to Kendall County, an expansion of a busy portion of Interstate 80 and repairs to the CTA Green Lines Cottage Grove station. The transportation projects are being paid for primarily through a doubling of the states 19-cent-per gallon motor fuel tax, which started last July.

But the report from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute, a non-profit think tank, found that with road travel down by almost half, the state could lose $296 million to $559 million this year alone, depending on different scenarios. Read more here.  Mary Wisniewski

6 a.m.: Mommys not coming back. Another Chicago-area nurse dies of COVID-19.

Five months ago, Krist Angielen Guzman gave birth to her third child.

She named the boy Leandro after her maternal grandfather and an uncle, a renowned pediatric surgeon in the Philippines whom she idolized. He had fueled her passion for medicine at a young age and inspired Guzman to fulfill it by becoming a nurse.

In a cruel coincidence, one month and thousands of miles apart, Guzman and her uncle both died after contracting COVID-19 while working on the pandemics medical front lines.

Guzman, 35, died May 2 after a short battle with the disease. She is one of at least 25 medical professionals across Illinois who have died of complications related to the virus. Nearly 5,000 have tested positive, said state public health officials, who acknowledge the exact figure is unknown and likely higher. Read more here.  Christy Gutowski

6 a.m.: Latino communities in Illinois see uptick in COVID-19 confirmed cases: Physical distancing is a privilege

Data on cases and coronavirus-related deaths is opening a window into how hard the pandemic is hitting Latino communities. Across Illinois, Latino-majority areas have the highest number of confirmed cases, and on average, tests in those areas come back positive 41% of the time. As of Tuesday, a ZIP code in South Lawndale, which includes Little Village, had the highest number of cases in the state, 1,596.

Its harder to count the number of Latinos who have died of the new coronavirus because the medical examiner hasnt until recently been labeling cases with that identifier. But by Tuesday, ZIP codes that include Little Village, with 50 deaths, and Belmont Cragin, with 40, Latino majority-areas, were among the city neighborhoods with the greatest number of fatalities.

Two-thirds of the patients in the COVID-19 unit at Mount Sinai Hospital, on the citys West Side, are Latinos, said Dr. Sunita Mohapatra, the infectious disease chief at the hospital. A lack of private insurance along with the likelihood of having preexisting conditions could be factoring into the high numbers, she said.

Theyre coming into the hospital when they are already a lot more sick, she said. A lot of people are still working, and they are working these jobs that are putting them at risk. Read more here.  Elvia Malagon, Hal Dardick, Cecilia Reyes and Jessica Villagomez

6 a.m.: For National Nurses Week, we asked Chicago-area nurses what their new norm looks like. Heres what they had to say.

Poignant, heart-wrenching stories from the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic have flooded our inbox over the past few days, as the Tribune asked Chicago-area nurses one question: How are you living through this new norm?

For National Nurses Week, May 6-12, more than 60 of them told us how they make it through each day, and about the hardest challenges theyre facing. Some brought smiles to our faces. Others offered words of caution and hopes for the future. Read more here.  Ariel Cheung

May 5

Here are five things that happened Tuesday that you need to know:

May 4
A researcher at the University of Pittsburgh whose department says he was close to very significant findings about Covid-19 was killed in an apparent murder-suicide, police said.

Dr. Bing Liu, a 37-year-old research assistant professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, was found shot dead in his home on May 2. A second man, later identified as 46-year-old Hao Gu, was also found dead in his car near Lius home with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Lius university department said in a statement that he was an outstanding and prolific researcher who was close to a breakthrough in studying Covid-19s infection mechanism through computer models. He had been working at home during the pandemic.

Bing was on the verge of making very significant findings toward understanding the cellular mechanisms that underlie SARS-CoV-2 infection and the cellular basis of the following complications, the statement reads. We will make an effort to complete what he started in an effort to pay homage to his scientific excellence.

Neighbors told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that they did not hear any gunshots on May 2, and that Liu was not quiet and kept to himself. Ross Township Police have said they have zero evidence the killing was related to Lius work.

The police department said in a statement Thursday that the deaths were the result of a lengthy dispute regarding an intimate partner. Liu was married, but his wife was not home at the time of the shooting. The police added that the case was being passed on to federal authorities, because both men were not U.S. citizens.

More from National Review
New Delhi, May 6 : Two advocates have written to the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court D.N. Patel asking him to take suo moto cognisance in connection with the incident relating to the Instagram chat group of a few south Delhi schoolboys.

"We beseech your Lordships, to take suo-moto cognizance of the aforesaid incident and direct the concerned police authorities to register FIR against the perpetrators and initiate investigation in the matter," the letter said.

Leaked screenshots of the private Instagram chat group stirred up a storm over rape culture in India after numerous schoolboys were allegedly seen sharing photos of underage girls, objectifying them, and planning 'gang rapes'.

"We have taken the liberty to write the present letter to you sir, seeking suo moto cognizance, since as members of the society and especially as members of the legal fraternity, we are under an obligation not to remain silent spectators in matters of violent crime against women and leave it to the victims alone to fight a lonely battle," the letter said.

Narrating the incident in their letter, the two advocates - Neela Gokhale and Ilam Paridi wrote "It has been reliably learnt that a group of boys, allegedly from south Delhi, aged about 16-18 years of age, have created a group chat on Instagram, a social media platform, under the name and style of 'Bois Locker Room'. The contents of the conversation and chats on the group, which have now emerged in public domain, are extremely shocking. The content is related to obscene and lewd comments on the private body parts of the women, with further threats and offers to leak morphed nude pictures and circulate them." "Private photographs of women and girls were shared accompanied by foul and degrading comments in respect of the girls in the photos. Furthermore, the conversation between the members went to the extent of making plans to 'gang rape' the said minors. A sample screenshot reveals that the boys have made statements, such as - 'We can rape her easily' and 'I will come whenever you say. We will gang rape her', 'I will get more boys' etc," the letter said.

It also said that the photographs have been taken without the consent of the depicted women or girls, and shared amongst the groups. "The comments which follow the photographs are extremely objectionable and of highly pornographic nature. It shocks the conscience of any right-thinking member of society to see that school going boys are indulging in border line pedophilia and misogynistic behaviour and are using social media platforms to perpetrate crimes against women and propagate rape culture," the letter states.

The two advocates also wrote that while virtual platforms and technology have been a boon for enabling people to learn, share, and grow, a handful of rogues cannot be permitted to dilute the credibility and utility of the social media platforms, to perpetuate and propagate their vile and abusive behaviour. The mediums which were meant to lend voices even to the voiceless, cannot be permitted to offer its platform as a breeding ground for misogyny and extend all the offline sexism and objectification that prevails online.

The incident came to light after a girl from south Delhi shared the screenshot over social media exposing the said groups and scores of similar groups.

Meanwhile, another alleged version of a "Girls' Locker Room" has started trending on the micro blogging site. Many screenshots shared on Twitter have alleged that just like the boys' version, there is a similar chat group that sexualises and objectifies boys and talks trash about their bodies.

After the leaked screenshots went viral, many also started bashing 'feminists' for criticising only men, while others found both instances objectionable and called for gender sensitisation for both sexes.

A man has allegedly posted some screenshots of the chat groups on social media where girls were allegedly objectifying boys. The group chat screenshots allegedly have objectionable images of men in the so-called women-only group.

Another social media user who discussed about the girls' group on Instagram said, "I am not here to expose anyone. I am just here to educate the people that it happened both way."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 14:03:53|Editor: huaxia

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SEOUL, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Top diplomats of South Korea and the United States talked via phone about situations relevant to the COVID-19 outbreak and other issues of mutual concern, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday.

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held phone conversations earlier in the day.

Pompeo congratulated South Korea for successfully conducting parliamentary elections on April 15, expressing his gratitude to Seoul for sharing information on the COVID-19 and closely cooperating in dealing with the virus, according to South Korean foreign ministry.

Kang told Pompeo that the South Korean government asked people not to lower vigilance against the virus but to stick to the self-disinfection rules despite the recent slowdown of the viral spread.

In the latest tally, South Korea reported two more COVID-19 cases for the past 24 hours, raising the total number to 10,806. All the new cases were imported, and the domestic infection recorded zero for the third straight day.

Kang said South Korea will actively share its experience of the COVID-19 response with the United States and the international community.

The two ministers agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields, including the COVID-19 response. Enditem
Stranded Rohingya boat people sit on the deck of an abandoned smugglers' boat drifting in the Andaman Sea, May 2015.  UNHCR/Christophe Archambault

Five years on from the 2015 boat crisis in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, in which thousands of refugees and migrants in distress at sea were denied life-saving care and support, we are alarmed that a similar tragedy may be unfolding once more.

We are deeply concerned by reports that boats full of vulnerable women, men and children are again adrift in the same waters, unable to come ashore, and without access to urgently needed food, water and medical assistance.

There is no easy solution to the irregular maritime movements of refugees and migrants. Deterring movements of people by endangering life is not only ineffective; it violates basic human rights, the law of the sea and the principles of customary international law by which all States are equally bound.

We call on States in the region to uphold the commitments of the 2016 Bali Declaration as well as ASEAN pledges to protect the most vulnerable and to leave no one behind. Not doing so may jeopardize thousands of lives of smuggled or trafficked persons, including the hundreds of Rohingya currently at sea.

As we have seen time and time again, in desperate situations  whether in search of safety and protection or basic survival  people will move, whatever obstacles are put in their way.

Saving lives must be the first priority. We recognize that in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, States have erected border management measures to manage risks to public health. These measures, however, should not result in the closure of avenues to asylum, or in forcing people to either return to situations of danger or seek to land clandestinely, without health screening or quarantine. States can  and should  ensure that our common concerns relating to public health and security are matched with a re-affirmation of solidarity and compassion.

Faced again with the need to find a regional solution to a regional problem, as was the case during the 2015 crisis, it is important to build on the solid cooperation and planning that has already been undertaken by ASEAN and the Bali Process to address irregular maritime movements.

We call on States to continue and expand search and rescue efforts, and to ensure that landing procedures and reception conditions are safe and humane. Some States in the region have already demonstrated that health screening and quarantine arrangements can be implemented so that people can disembark in a safe, orderly and dignified manner. Search and rescue must be combined with arrangements for prompt disembarkation to a place of safety.

Now is the time for governments in the region to recall the commitments made in the Bali Declaration. We urge the Bali Process Co-Chairs to activate the Consultative Mechanism to convene affected countries and facilitate a timely and regional resolution of the crisis in the Andaman Sea.

We also call on States in the region that are not directly impacted to offer support to those States that do proceed with rescue and disembarkation.

IOM, UNHCR and UNODC reaffirm our support to States across the region to provide immediate assistance to asylum-seekers, refugees and vulnerable migrants, as well as to strengthen the broader response capacity to respond to irregular movements. UNHCR, IOM and UNODC have dedicated capacities that can be mobilized to assist States and local authorities to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including support for initial health assistance, information dissemination, and where appropriate to ensure that quarantine procedures are followed.

In the longer term, a sustainable and comprehensive response to the movement of refugees and migrants cannot be achieved without concerted international cooperation. We encourage States to draw upon the Global Compact for Migration and Global Compact for Refugees to promote a sustainable and comprehensive response to the movement of refugees and migrants.

This includes establishing effective, predictable and equitable disembarkation arrangements anchored in a broader strategy with safe and legal migration options, including for family reunification.

In line with the United Nations Transnational Organized Crime Convention and its Protocols, signed by all States of the region, traffickers and smugglers should be investigated and prosecuted for their crimes in full accordance with international standards for human rights, while fully respecting the rights of victims. States should underscore the existing political commitment to zero tolerance towards the criminal elements facilitating movements and taking advantage of the vulnerable.

Equally, international action and solidarity are essential to tackle the drivers of refugee and irregular migrant movements, including statelessness, discrimination, deprivation, persecution, and other violations of human rights.

Without collective efforts to address these interlocking issues, this human tragedy will continue to unfold over and over again. We call on States to break this cycle now.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok

Catherine Stubberfield, [email protected], +66 65 929 8062

International Organization for Migration (IOM)

Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok

Itayi Viriri, [email protected], +63 917 890 8785

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok

Rebecca Miller, [email protected], +66 81 418 8468
A dog lover who was last seen shopping at Kmart has disappeared in the middle of the night after leaving his black labrador Slade at home alone.

Jarrad Lovison, 37, was last seen riding his green mountain bike along March Street in Newborough, Victoria, just after 9.45pm on April 15.

Mr Lovison was also spotted at Kmart and Woolworths in Moe, Latrobe Valley before he met a friend on Belvedere Street.

His disappearance is being treated as suspicious because Slade was left at his property and friends and family have told police it is unlike Mr Lovison to go anywhere without his dog.

Jarrad Lovison (pictured left), 37, was last seen riding his green mountain bike along March Street in Newborough, Victoria just after 9.45pm on April 15

His disappearance is being treated as suspicious because 'Slade' was left at his property and friends and family have told police it is unlike Mr Lovison to go anywhere without his dog

Police have released images of Mr Lovison, including one in a beanie that he sent to friends on the night of his disappearance.

They hope someone may recognise him and provide information regarding his whereabouts.

Mr Lovison is described as being 213cm tall with a slim build and he has a shaved head.

He was last seen wearing a dark coloured top and pants, as well as dark runners with red socks.

Police also released a picture of his bike, which is yet to be found, as he was known for riding his bike around Newborough.

Victoria police urge anyone who spots Mr Lovison to contact triple zero immediately.

Mr Lovison was also spotted at Kmart and Woolworths in Moe, Latrobe Valley before he met a friend on Belvedere Street
What lies beyond the pandemic? MassForward is MassLives series examining the journey of Massachusetts small businesses through and beyond the coronavirus pandemic.

__________________

In the beginning of March, New England Disposal Technologies began preparing its business for the coronavirus. While many small businesses braced for fewer customers and lulls in service, NEDT actually anticipated business-as-usual.

But the notion came with an adjustment in service.

Normally involved in environmental cleanup and hazardous waste management, NEDT shifted its core market just prior to the surge of coronavirus in Massachusetts.

We recognized that the state of Massachusetts would need these type of disinfectant services for their fight against COVID-19, assistant general manager Patrick OToole said. So we quickly ramped up and innovated to support not only the state but our private partners.

NEDT is one of a wave of small businesses in Worcester County and across the state that are looking beyond conventional service to find new ways of generating revenue amid the coronavirus pandemic.

On a state level, NEDT has cleaned the vehicles of first responders, from police cruisers to ambulance and fire trucks. In the private sector, NEDT has disinfected trucks that deliver medical supplies, food and grocery items so the cargo can arrive at stores safely and without the threat of spreading the coronavirus.

This particular service that were offering its different than some other services being offered, President and General Manager Michael Robertson said. Its more high-tech and it has a greater effectiveness than a lot of places.

Initially, NEDT offered the disinfecting service to its clients it already worked with. One of those clients was the town of Sutton, where NEDT is located. The business disinfected the towns emergency vehicles at no cost. A Facebook post of the cleaned vehicles sparked interest from other surrounding towns.

Municipalities such as Northbridge and Millbury as well as private companies contacted NEDT for safe disinfecting.

The technology NEDT acquired involves a dry-fog method. It spreads a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and other cleaning agents. It appears to be a mist, but in reality the chemical spray is dry.

It offers a cleanliness that is described as emergency room clean.

The equipment doesnt require an operator to hand wipe surfaces or even use a hand-held sprayer.

The disperser is set in a room and triggered remotely. The particles expand to the tiniest nooks and crannies of a room and are safe for electronic devices.

Still, employees wear full personal protective equipment, including masks, gloves and an entire suit. Cleaning stations within the vehicles scrub the suits clean after a job.

Test strips can be placed around a room to ensure the correct amount of cleaning agent is dispersed

Were keeping everybody busy. There may be less overtime for some of the staff, Robertson said. But everybody is busy every day."

The demand for NEDTs new service has made up for losses in other areas. NEDT said theyve experienced fewer calls regarding hazardous waste management and environmental spills.

Regular clients are also pushing back non-essential cleaning, Robertson said.

Places that are essential, that are staying open, theyre holding off on spending money on certain services that we provide that they can put off, Robertson said.

Still, NEDT hasnt had to cut hours or lay off any staff.

It employs 50 people - the same number prior to the pandemic. While being tasked with cleaning the virus from surfaces, no employee has contracted the virus .

We really train our employees on this continuously, Robertson said. Its not just employees in the field, we have very strict virus precautions in place here.

Monday marked a month since NEDT launched its new disinfecting service. As the cases of coronavirus continue to surge and facilities like Walmart are forced to shut down for deep cleaning, NEDT expects business to remain busy.

Everybody is booked, Robertson said. Part of that is the services that we added and used to backfill those [jobs] that are stagnant right now.

MassForward is MassLive's series examining the journey of Massachusetts' small businesses through and beyond the coronavirus pandemic.

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Bearman, Blue Flames lawyer, had issued a statement to The Times earlier in the week about the dispute with Maryland, saying Blue Flame fully intends to honor that contract. The statement said the company is devoted to getting masks and ventilators to the people in Maryland who so desperately need them.
SAN JOSE, Calif. & HOD HASHARON, Israel-- May 6, 2020 -- Omni Design Technologies, a leading provider of high-performance, low-power mixed-signal Intellectual Property (IP) solutions, today announced it has appointed Satris Group as its sales representative in Israel. As the demand for Omni Designs IP portfolio grows in Israel, Satris will address the needs of our customers in Israel, strengthen Omni Designs local presence and expand its regional activities.

Omni Design is developing key mixed-signal IP and we are seeing increasing traction of their products. Omni Design offers innovative high performance, ultra-low power Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC), Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) and Analog Front End (AFE) IP as well as compact and low power temperature and voltage monitors (TVM) on advanced process nodes.



Customers in Israel are focused on developing some of the most innovative products for 5G, automotive, AI, and IoT markets, said Dr. Kush Gulati, president and CEO of Omni Design Technologies. There has been increasing demand for our mixed-signal products in Israel and we were looking for an experienced partner to represent us there. Satris has extensive experience in selling leading edge IP products and we look forward to them strengthening our local presence and providing seamless support to customers in Israel.



Omni Design is developing key mixed-signal IP and we are seeing increasing traction of their products, said Oved Saraf, vice president of sales at Satris Group. We are excited to be their representative and bring their portfolio of advanced mixed-signal IP solutions to customers in Israel. We believe Omni Designs products will enable these companies in Israel to increase product differentiation in their end markets.



For more information about Omni Designs IP portfolio please visit www.omnidesigntech.com.

About Omni Design Technologies:

Omni Design Technologies (http://www.omnidesigntech.com) is a leading provider of high-performance, ultra-low power IP cores in advanced process technologies that enable highly differentiated systems-on-chip (SoCs) in applications ranging from wired and wireless communications, automotive, imaging, sensors, and the internet-of-things (IoT). Omni Design, founded in 2015 by semiconductor industry veterans, has an excellent track record of innovation and collaborating with customers to enable their success. The company is headquartered in Milpitas, CA with additional design centers in Massachusetts and Bangalore, India.

About Satris Group:

Satris Group (http://www.satrisgroup.com) is a leading distributor of IP and EDA products in Israel, providing advanced technologies to Israeli semiconductor and electronics companies from vendors around the world. The Satris team consists of veterans in the semiconductor space with a deep understanding of customer needs and a strong commitment to their success.






He said that was necessary because the five asymptomatic Covid-19 victims in the Municipality posed a serious risk to vulnerable community members.

Dr. Abdulai said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Tumu concerning the seven Covid-19 cases recorded in the Municipality.

The Sissala East Municipality in the Upper West Region had recorded seven cases of the Covid-19 with five of the cases being asymptomatic.

"I have seen them, and none of them have shown signs and symptoms and this makes them asymptomatic, which suggests they are in the community living normal lives.

This can be dangerous to vulnerable groups like people who have compromised lungs, the aged, asthmatic, TB patients and innocent persons can be infected without knowing ", Dr. Abdulai explained.

The Medical Superintendent added that the isolation facility at Tumu could not withstand an outbreak as it did not have a single ventilator that could support someone with respiratory distress.

He appealed to benevolent individuals and organisations to support the health facility with Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and thermometer guns among others to help protect the health staff against the deadly virus.

Mr Alex Bapula the Sissala East Municipal Director of Health Services called for psychological support for the COVID-19 infected persons.

He praised the frontline health workers for their quick response and appealed to the authorities to make available all the resources needed for the front line staff to be courageous to carry out their work effectively.

Mr Bapula also appealed to the community members to report all strangers as well as natives who were returning to the communities from other parts of the country to the health authorities for the necessary action to be taken.

---GNA
Relatives mourn at the roadside while waiting for funerary service workers to pick up of the body of Arlen Laranjeira Bezerra, 39, a victim of the new coronavirus who died after fleeing the emergency room of the Delphina Rinaldi Abdel Aziz Hospital in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil, Tuesday, May 5, 2020. Bezerra was admitted to undergo treatment for COVID-19 disease and after escaping from the hospital at dawn, his body was found by family members approximately 200 meters from it. (AP Photo/Edmar Barros)

Even as countries moved forward Wednesday with easing their coronavirus restrictions and restarting their economies, a large cluster of infections linked to a market in India and the first lockdown of a major Brazilian city highlighted that the battle against the pandemic was far from won.

In the United States, President Donald Trump emphasized his determination to see a quick return to normalcy with a visit to an Arizona mask factory that was expected to kick off his regular travels as the nation emerges from seven weeks of virus-imposed isolation. The push to ease stay-at-home orders comes even as U.S. infection rates outside the New York metropolitan area are rising.

In India, which partly eased its lockdown Monday, health authorities were rushing to contain an outbreak of the virus at one of Asia's largest markets for perishable goods. The market in the southern city of Chennai, spread over more than 250 acres, had remained open throughout the lockdown and is now tied to at least 1,000 cases.

Another 7,000 people connected to now-shuttered Koyambedu market were being traced and quarantined, a huge task given that the facility is critical to the food supply across Tamil Nadu and neighboring states.

The market cluster contributed to India's biggest single-day increase in virus infections yet, with authorities on Tuesday reporting 3,900 cases and 195 deaths. The health ministry attributed the spike to reporting delays by state governments, but experts remain worried about a potential health catastrophe in a country of 1.3 billion people and a medical system strained even in the best of times.

People wear masks to help stop the spread of coronavirus, while waiting in line to enter a store on Fifth Avenue in Sunset Park, a Brooklyn neighborhood with one of the city's largest Mexican and Hispanic communities, Tuesday, May 5, 2020, in New York. The annual street festival parade marking Cinco de Mayo was canceled this year due to COVID-19. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

The capital of Brazil's tropical Maranhao state ground largely to a halt Tuesday, becoming the first major city in the country to enter a lockdown in the hopes of preventing the coronavirus from overwhelming the health care system of one of the nation's poorest states.

Some 1.5 million people in Sao Luis and three neighboring cities have been confined to their homes, except for a handful of essential tasks. The vast majority of businesses have been shuttered, as have schools and public transport. Parks are closed, and residents cannot go out to exercise.

The decree from the state governor will last 10 days to start and applies to one-fifth the state's population. It comes despite President Jair Bolsonaro's insistence that only the elderly and other high-risk populations should stay home. The president and his followers have repeatedly criticized local leaders who imposed more stringent restrictions in the face of surging coronavirus cases.

President Donald Trump participates in a tour of a Honeywell International plant that manufactures personal protective equipment, Tuesday, May 5, 2020, in Phoenix, with Tony Stallings, vice president of Integrated Supply Chain at Honeywell, right and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Elsewhere, Britain's official death toll, at more than 29,000, topped that of Italy to become the highest in Europe and second-highest in the world behind the United States. The official number of dead worldwide surpassed a quarter-million, according to a count by Johns Hopkins' University, though the true toll is believed to be much higher.

On his visit to Arizona, Trump acknowledged the human cost of returning to normalcy.

"I'm not saying anything is perfect, and yes, will some people be affected? Yes. Will some people be affected badly? Yes. But we have to get our country open and we have to get it open soon," he said.

On Monday, a model from the University of Washington nearly doubled its projection of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. to around 134,000 through early August, with a range of 95,000 to nearly 243,000. Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the institute that created the projections, said the increase is largely because most states are expected to ease restrictions by next week.

Cars and trucks are driven on a relatively empty highway in Frankfurt, Germany, Wednesday, May 6, 2020. Due to the coronavirus a lot less traffic is seen during the day. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Trump, asked about the projections before traveling to Arizona, disputed the accuracy of models in general and said keeping the economy closed carries deadly costs of its own, such as drug abuse and suicide.

New confirmed infections per day in the U.S. exceed 20,000, and deaths per day are well over 1,000, according Johns Hopkins figures. And public health officials warn that the failure to lower the infection rate in places could lead to many more deathsperhaps tens of thousandsas people are allowed to venture out and businesses reopen.

"Make no mistakes: This virus is still circulating in our community, perhaps even more now than in previous weeks" said Linda Ochs, director of the Health Department in Shawnee County, Kansas.

According to an Associated Press analysis, the numbers show that when the New York metropolitan area's progress against the coronavirus is taken out of the equation, the rest of the U.S. is moving in the wrong direction.

Tara Van Wieren works on a Mother's Day flower arraignment at Relles Florist in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, May 5, 2020. Florists are among the retail businesses that Gov. Gavin Newsom said might be eligible to open before the end of this week under upcoming state guidelines concerning the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

A woman walks in the "Villa 31" neighborhood during a government-ordered lockdown to curb the spread of the new coronavirus in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tuesday, May 5, 2020. According to official data, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 disease in this city's slum have increased in the past week, putting authorities on high alert. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

An Indian traffic police man stops a motorist during nationwide lockdown in Gauhati, India, Tuesday, May 5, 2020. India's six-week coronavirus lockdown, which was supposed to end on Monday, has been extended for another two weeks, with a few relaxations. Locking down the country's 1.3 billion people has slowed down the spread of the virus, but has come at the enormous cost of upending lives and millions of lost jobs. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

An employee calls for a client to enter a fast food restaurant, during a government lockdown restricting residents to essential shopping in the mornings in an attempt to contain the spread of the new coronavirus, in La Paz, Bolivia, Tuesday, May 5, 2020. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

Forensic investigators look at the body of a man infected with the new coronavirus who collapsed on the street and died, according to Police Captain Diego Lopez, in Quito, Ecuador, Tuesday, May 5, 2020. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)

When the still-locked-down area is included, new infections in the U.S. appear to be declining, according to the AP analysis. It found that the five-day rolling average for new cases has decreased from 9.3 per 100,000 people three weeks ago on April 13 to 8.6 on Monday.

But subtracting the New York area from the analysis changes the story. Without it, the rate of new cases in the U.S. increased over the same period from 6.2 per 100,000 people to 7.5.

While the daily number of new deaths in the New York area has declined markedly in recent weeks, it has essentially plateaued in the rest of the U.S. Without greater New York, the rolling five-day average for new deaths per 500,000 people dropped slightly from 1.86 on April 20th to 1.82 on Monday.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the national debate over when to reopen ultimately boils down to the value placed on people's lives.

"The faster we reopen, the lower the economic costbut the higher the human cost, because the more lives lost," he said. "That, my friends, is the decision we are really making."

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Independent TD for Laois-Offaly Carol Nolan has welcomed the decision by An Bord Pleanala (ABP) to grant Bord na Mona leave to apply for substituted consent.

The long-awaited delay in ABP arriving at its decision meant that the harvesting of peat on bogs over thirty hectares was practically brought to a complete standstill following a High Court ruling in September 2019.

I want to welcome this decision by An Bord Pleanala and the subsequent decision by Bord na Mona to review the implications of the ABP announcement for new operational requirements for peat operations," Deputy Nolan said.

"The fact of the matter is however that workers in Bord na Mona, in Derrinlough Briquette Factory, and Edenderry power station and many other workers in the wider horticultural sector are being subjected to a deeply divisive process where all the power seems to be in the hands of An Bord Pleanala.

"I have said it before; we cannot have workers and indeed the entire regional development of the midlands being held hostage to the chronic levels of instability, delays and uncertainty of the kind that APB are fostering.

"There are already profoundly serious economic and employment consequences coming down the line with respect to the fragmented Just Transition Process.

"We urgently need a more robust process where the rights of workers and their families occupy a more central place than that which currently exists.

"At present it seems like they are the last ones to be considered. That has to change if this so called Just Transition is to mean anything, concluded Deputy Nolan.

Sinn Fein TD Brian Stanley also "welcomed the decision to allow Bord na Mona to apply for substitute planning consent for this year's peat harvest."

The decision is good news for Bord na Mona workers in Laois-Offaly and South Kildare whose employment prospects for this year were been put in jeopardy. This includes workers in Cul na Mona in Laois and Kilberry in South Kildare along with those in Offaly that supply peat to Edenderry power station and Derrinlough Briquette Factory.

"The application now and needs to be processed quickly by An Bord Pleanana as there have been enough delays in this process. The decision in this was to be made in March but regrettably, two months of very dry weather which would have been very suitable for peat harvesting have been lost. Im calling on An Bord Pleanana to grant this without any further delay."

In a statement this morning, Bord na Mona said: "Bord na Mona can confirm its applications for leave to apply for substituted consent have been granted by An Bord Pleanala (ABP). The company had been prevented from harvesting peat this season as a result of a High Court ruling in September 2019 which struck down the peat regulations enacted in January of last year.

"The decision by ABP relates to the harvesting of peat on bogs over thirty hectares and helps sustain peat supply to Derrinlough Briquette Factory, the Horticulture business and meet the reduced peat requirement for Edenderry power station. The decision also allows Bord na Mona to commence the formal substitute consent application process and to begin pre-harvesting preparations.

"The scale of the collapse in energy demand caused by the health crisis means that many of the recent Covid-19 mitigation measures, including the temporary release of employees, will likely remain in place. The company will, however, review the implications of the ABP announcement to assess the new operational requirements for peat operations. The company will be communicating the full implications of this decision to employees in the coming days and weeks."

Meanwhile, Barry Cowen has called for the immediate publishing of Kieran Mulvey's Just Transition report.

After so many knocks to BnM workers, I am glad to finally see this approval being granted [ABP]. It means Edenderry can continue its co-fuelling operation and the immediate future of Derrinlough Briquette Factory is secure.

It also means there will be a limited supply for Shannonbridge and Lanesboro Power Stations to the end of the year, so they can operate as long as there is an increased demand and price for electricity as Ireland gets back to work.

Nonetheless, while this is a small relief for BnM workers, its not exactly a game-changer when it comes to the viability of the midlands.

At every turn, the orderly, pre-planned, decarbonisation process, set out by the Government, has been accelerated, far outstripping any investment in the area. The future of the midlands now depends on the State committing to special and targeted supports for the region.

There can be no more delays in the publishing of the Just Transition Commissioners report. It is my intention that this report will feed into any programme for Government negotiations and I will ensure that Fianna Fail and our negotiating partners understand the need for adequate compensation and new opportunities in the midlands, he concluded.
New Rugby Australia director Peter Wiggs has resigned.

The Supercars chairman and Archer Capital co-founder joined the RA board on March 30 and was poised to take the reins as chairman until a fallout over his plans to install Australian Olympic Committee boss Matt Carroll as chief executive without going through a recruitment or interview process.

Wiggs also wanted to appoint Carroll's former boss, long-running former RA chief executive John O'Neill, to a director's role on the board.

Several RA directors raised concerns over the method behind both suggested appointments, leading to Wiggs threatening to resign. He did so this morning, board sources confirmed.
Iranian President Hassan Rohani has threatened a "crushing response" if the United States continues efforts to prolong a UN Security Council arms embargo on Tehran that is set to expire later this year.

A landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers provided for Tehran to curb its nuclear program in return for the lifting of international sanctions, as well as for a UN conventional-weapons embargo due to expire in October.

But U.S. President Donald Trump in 2018 withdrew from the agreement signed under his predecessor, Barack Obama, calling it a bad deal, and reimposed harsh sanctions that have crippled Iran's economy.

Washington now says it also wants to extend the arms embargo.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo vowed on April 29 to use all means available to extend the ban beyond October and said he was "hopeful" the UN Security Council would prolong the restriction before it expires.

However, Security Council members China and Russia, which stand to win major new arms contracts with Iran and together with France, Germany, and Britain are still part of the 2015 deal, are certain to oppose an extension of the embargo.

In a televised speech on May 6, Rohani repeated Iran's long-standing criticism of Washington's decision to exit the nuclear deal, which he called a "stupid mistake."

"If America wants to return to the deal, it should lift all the sanctions on Tehran and compensate for the reimposition of sanctions," the Iranian president said.

"Iran will give a crushing response if the arms embargo on Tehran is extended," he added.

Iran has gradually rolled back its commitments under the accord since the United States withdrew from the pact.

Washington believes Iran's nuclear program is secretly working toward military capabilities, while Tehran claims it is solely for civilian purposes.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and AP
Gap Inc., the mall stalwart that owns its namesake brand, Old Navy, Banana Republic and Athleta, said it plans to reopen up to 800 stores in North America by the end of the month as retailers clamour to return to business after temporarily shutting down because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Our goal is to be responsibly aggressive, Sonia Syngal, chief executive of Gap, said in an interview Tuesday. Every retailer will have its own opening strategy, but suffice it to say we are looking to open where were legally allowed to open as soon as we can.

The plan follows similar strategies announced in recent weeks by Macys, owner of Bloomingdales and Bluemercury; and Simon Property Group, the biggest mall operator in the United States.

Retailers that sell non-essential goods, especially clothing, have been eager to reopen as their sales have plummeted, promising new safety protocols for the pandemic era, including Plexiglas partitions, hand sanitizer stations and face masks for their employees.

Foot traffic to stores had been down even before the virus outbreak, and it remains to be seen how quickly shoppers will return to the newly refashioned environments while the country continues to grapple with a highly contagious virus.

Syngal emphasized that most of Gaps revenue did not come from indoor malls, pointing to Old Navy locations at strip malls, its outlet business and online business. Old Navy, in particular, was very, very relevant for what people are wanting right now, she added, with apparel for families and activewear available at off-mall stores.

Gap said it would start reopening stores this weekend in Texas, though it declined to share the number of locations that would welcome customers. The company said it anticipated 800 reopenings this month, based on changing decisions by state and local authorities and a patchwork of restrictions across the country. The figure represents nearly one-third of Gaps locations in North America, where it also owns Intermix and Janie and Jack.

While the company has built a robust online operation, its stores remain crucial. It has nearly 2,800 locations in North America, mostly in the United States. The company recently said that it had suspended rent payments for its North American retail stores in April, which comes out to about $115 million (U.S.) per month, and it has been negotiating lease terms. It also said the pandemic continues to negatively impact our operations and liquidity.

In the meantime, Gaps brands have introduced curbside pickup and shipping products from stores. The company, which furloughed nearly 80,000 store employees in North America as part of the closures, declined to say how many workers have been brought back or how many will return.

Syngal, who was appointed chief executive of Gap in March, said that Texas has made it especially easy for national retailers to reopen.

Texas has aligned state-level and county-level requirements, and thats made it easier for retailers to have a more consistent opening plan, she said. Its a state-by-state and county-by-county decision, and large retailers like us have been advocating for more consistency at that level.

She added: It really does come down to what governors decide  our whole stance is that we will be ready to reopen as it is safe to do so as dictated by local authorities.

At the chains operated by the Gap, fitting rooms and restrooms will not be available when stores reopen. Returns will be quarantined for 24 hours. The company will encourage, though not require, customers to wear face coverings while shopping, and monitor the flow of customers in stores while encouraging social distancing.

Syngal said the company expected that shoppers would generally wear masks as authorities and businesses encouraged their use and that it has learned from its 250 locations in Asia, which have reopened.

In a news release Wednesday, Syngal emphasized that the companys priority was the health and safety of its employees and customers.

Our approach to reopening balances the fact that taking care takes time, with the urgent need to restore the economy and provide the opportunity for our teams to come back to work, she said.
The Odisha government on



Wednesday appealed to the people of the state not to ill-treat the migrant workers who have returned but to accept them as brothers and sisters.

A total of 35,540 migrant workers or Non-Resident Odias (NROs) have so far returned to Odisha, the state government said Wednesday.

The government issued such a statement as many people in the state feel the returnees are "liability" on the state after a section them violated quarantine norms and some tested positive for COVID-19, an official said.

"Please do not look down the returnees as they return from the highly COVID infected states. Though some of them tested positive for the virus, they can be treated properly," said state governments COVID-19 spokesperson Subroto Bagchi.

Odia brothers and sisters are returning to state very day since May 3, Bagchi said, adding that 7,451 people have returned to Odisha on Wednesday. "So far 35,540 Odias have returned to Odisha. Returnees are coming by train/bus and other vehicles," Bagchi said during the daily briefing.

The spokesperson also said that the returnees have the same rights as others permanently staying in Odisha. "Rather, they (returnees) have more rights on the states resources for being in distressed condition due to lockdown. The returnees are no less than any citizen," he said.

Justifying the state governments decision to bring back the Odias stranded in other parts of the country due to the lockdown, Bagchi said that it is duty and responsibility of the administration to ensure that all the people, both those staying in the state and others who live in other places having their roots here, remain healthy.

Keeping in view the possibility of returnees being infected with novel coronavirus, Bagchi said they have been put in mandatory 14-days quarantine.

Besides, the government has taken adequate measures to extend treatment to the affected people while protecting those not affected by the virus, he said, adding that as a precautionary measure, all the returnees are stamped and kept in either home quarantine or the centres opened at the 6,798 panchayats.

Panchayati Raj secretary D R Singh said the state has already set up 12,000 temporary medical centres (TMCs) across the gram panchayats and kept ready at least 5 lakh beds for use of returnees. "The returnees are being served with quality food, separate beds, usable personal kits apart from health treatment," Singh said.

Meanwhile, the state government has increased food expenditure for migrant labourers kept in relief camps to Rs 120 per adult and Rs 100 per child.

A video went viral on social medial which showed the returnees performing exercises on the premises of a quarantine centre at Kukudakhandi village under Baghalati Gram Panchayat in Ganjam district.

In the video, an instructor is imparting workout training to the inmates of the quarantine facility. They were doing the workouts while maintaining social distancing and discipline. A similar scene was also witnessed at another temporary medical camp (TMC) at Talagaon village.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Emilia Adnes-Maxwell had hired workers from one such agency to care for her mother at her home in Eustis, Fla. Barbara Koski Maxwell, 94, was beset with dementia. Adnes-Maxwell had promised her mother that she wouldnt place her in a nursing home, so when Koski Maxwell started needing constant care, her daughter took her into her home. When awareness of covid-19 began to spread, Adnes-Maxwell, who is dealing with her own immune deficiency condition, worried about the risks of having multiple workers enter her home, particularly because some of them visited patients in nursing homes or hospitals. She asked her agency to provide the same workers, day after day, to mitigate those risks.
California sued ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft on Tuesday, alleging they misclassify their drivers as independent contractors to deprive them of employee rights in violation of the state's new labor law.

The lawsuit, filed by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and the city attorneys of Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, claims the ride-sharing companies rob workers of their protections and give themselves an unfair competitive advantage.

The suit accuses the ride-sharing companies of violating Assembly Bill 5 or AB5, which went into effect on January 1 and makes it harder for companies to classify workers as independent contractors instead of employees, who are entitled to minimum wage and benefits such as workers compensation.

'Californians who drive for Uber and Lyft lack basic worker protections  from paid sick leave to the right to overtime pay. Uber and Lyft claim their drivers aren't engaged in the companies' core mission and cannot qualify for benefits,' Becerra said in a statement.

'Sometimes it takes a pandemic to shake us into realizing what that really means and who suffers the consequences.'

California sued ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft on Tuesday, alleging they misclassify their drivers as independent contractors to deprive them of employee rights, in violation of the state's Assembly Bill 5 labor law

California represents Uber and Lyft's largest source of revenue.

On April 16 a rally of ride-share drivers with Rideshare Drivers United and Transport Workers Union of America took place in Los Angeles where demonstrators called for California officials to enforce AB5 to allow them to qualify for unemployment insurance in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Uber and Lyft, as well as Doordash, are funding a ballot initiative campaign to exclude their drivers from the law while giving new benefits such as health care coverage. The initiative is likely to qualify for the November ballot.

Uber said in a statement it would contest the lawsuit in court 'while at the same time pushing to raise the standard of independent work for drivers in California, including with guaranteed minimum earnings and new benefits.'

'At a time when California's economy is in crisis with 4million people out of work, we need to make it easier, not harder, for people to quickly start earning,' the statement said.

Lyft, however, vowed to work with the attorney general and other officials to 'bring all the benefits of California's innovation economy to as many workers as possible, especially during this time when the creation of good jobs with access to affordable health care and other benefits is more important than ever.'

A driver wears a face mask and gloves at a protest for Uber and Lyft drivers with Rideshare Drivers United and Transport Workers Union of America on April 16. The group rallied in LA demanding California officials enforce the AB5 law so that they may qualify for unemployment insurance in the COVID-19 outbreak

A driver and passenger wear face masks as Uber and Lyft drivers with Rideshare Drivers United and Transport Workers Union of America conduct a caravan protest outside the California Labor Commissioner's office amidst the coronavirus pandemic on April 16

A protester at the drive-thru rally for ride-share drivers rights pictured above with a sign that says 'Uber/Lyft Owes Me $400,000'

A long line of cars participating in a caravan protest outside the California Labor Commissioners office on April 16, demanding officials enforce AB5 so they may qualify for unemployment insurance pictured above. Drivers were also demanding back wages they claim they're owed

Becerra highlighted the coronavirus pandemic during Tuesday's virtual news conference, saying if drivers contract the virus or lose their jobs as a result they won't have access to health care coverage and other worker protections.

'They're the ones who would have to worry about how they'll pay their bills, what they'll do in the future, how they'll survive moving forward economically,' Becerra said.

Jerome Gage, a Los Angeles Lyft driver, said in a statement that drivers haven't been given personal protective equipment during the pandemic.

'I am terrified of getting sick as passengers cough and sneeze in my car constantly. Uber and Lyft have abandoned drivers and passengers by failing to provide personal protective equipment,' said Gage, who is also a leader of the Mobile Workers Alliance, a group of Southern California drivers urging the state to enforce the labor law against Uber and Lyft.

'I am unable to stay home. If I dont drive, I have no income. I have no choice. If I don't risk my health, I wont have money to eat and pay my bills.'

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said his upcoming state budget will include more money for state and local attorneys to file enforcement actions against companies in the gig economy that are not complying with the state's law on worker classifications.

He said Tuesday that roughly 450,000 Californians who have filed for unemployment have done so under a program for workers in the gig economy. He said issues around how gig workers receive unemployment benefits are heightened amid the pandemic.

But members of the Protect App-Based Drivers & Services coalition said in a statement they opposed the state's lawsuit, arguing it moves to take away drivers' choices to work as independent contractors.

Dozens of AB-5 supporters pictured above rallying for the bill to be signed into law to give drivers rights outside Sacramento's Capitol building on August 28, 2019

A federal judge in February denied Uber and Postmates' request for a preliminary injunction that would have exempted them from the law. But separately, a federal judge in January indefinitely blocked the law from applying to more than 70,000 independent truckers, deciding that it is preempted by federal rules on interstate commerce.

A state judge, however, ruled in February that Instacart, a grocery delivery company, is likely misclassifying some of its workers as independent contractors instead of employees and flouting the labor law.

The state Legislature is also considering amending the law, though lawmakers are split whether to broaden or narrow it as other groups - such as freelance writers and photographers - contend they have been hurt by it through unintended consequences.

The state's lawsuit, filed in San Francisco, alleges that Uber and Lyft haven't paid enough payroll taxes as a result of the misclassification. The suit seeks restitution for unpaid wages owed to drivers, civil penalties and a permanent ruling that would prohibit the companies from misclassifying drivers in the future.

New Jersey's labor department filed a $640 million tax assessment last year against Uber, saying the company misclassified its drivers.
By Jonathan Leath

During his April 7 press briefing, President Trump spoke on the drastic difference in COVID-19 cases for minorities in this country. At the same briefing, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, responded to this situation by saying, Its very sad. Its nothing we can do about it right now except to try and give them the best possible care to avoid those complications.

While Black Americans make up only 14% of the population in New Jersey, theyre nearly 20% of the reported COVID-19 deaths. Upon hearing this announcement and these statistics, what pained me the most was that none of this came as a shock to me. Not only was the stark difference in case numbers and fatalities not surprising, neither was the government saying there is nothing they can do about it.

What gives me both hope and concern, though, is that New Jersey Congressman Frank Pallone heads the Houses Energy and Commerce Committee. On April 15, Pallone wrote to Seema Verma, the head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), asking her to release demographic data, saying: The implications of COVID-19 on racial and ethnic minority communities cannot be fully understood or addressed until more comprehensive information, like the vast Medicare billing data available to CMS, is analyzed and publicly released.

While it seems like Congressman Pallone has our best interests at heart, he is currently doing more harm than good by supporting surprise medical billing legislation that mirrors a Republican effort to prop up Big Insurance profits.

Unfortunately, because of the sinful greed of insurance companies and flaws in our healthcare system, thousands of American patients receive unexpected bills that financially burden or even bankrupt them. Patients, doctors and first responders are hit with these massive costs when insurance companies refuse to cover and pay for certain emergency procedures. Heaven forbid insurance companies take a hit to their billions of dollars of profits.

And once again, racial minorities are experiencing the brunt of the issue, while the government scrambles to figure out a way to come to our aid. Black Americans still experience illnesses at higher rates, have higher death rates than white Americans and are more likely to have preexisting conditions that make us more vulnerable to these diseases and more likely to be put in a financial hole because of high medical costs.

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has said he would address the issue of access to health care and surprise medical billing, as has the Congressional Black Caucus. But its now time that we all band together and fight to change these terrible health disparities and protect each other from this crisis in care.

One of the scariest parts of the crisis of surprise medical billing is that Congress cannot seem to get the fix right, and now they are trying to lump in broken legislation with the coronavirus packages. The current legislation to stop surprise billing, known as the Lower Health Care Costs of 2019, would only serve to starve our communities of health care. If this legislation was passed, it would allow insurance companies, who are the real culprits behind the issue, to take payments from their policyholders, ration care and refuse to pay the full amount for services their policyholders required.

That means insurers, by refusing to cover certain care, will cause more hospitals and emergency ambulatory services to go out of business. Not to mention that vital services may even be ignored by some health care providers altogether. And guess where those health care services will shutter first? Black neighborhoods. Once again, our communities suffer disproportionate pain in service of higher corporate profits.

Democrats in Congress, including Congressman Pallone, need to step up and join the Congressional Black Caucus in defending American minorities and ensure that insurance companies do not profit from our hardships anymore. Though Im sure Democrat leaders on the bill mean well, there are too many unintended consequences of this legislation to allow it to go through as it currently stands. I hope that our voices are heard and loud enough to make a difference before it is too late, and we see any more of our community suffer unnecessarily.

Pastor Jonathan Leath, MSOL, is the co-pastor of Converge Church in Moorestown. For 11 years, he was the founder and pastor of Destiny Church before he merged his congregation with Maranatha Christian Fellowship to form Converge Church.

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Pants with 'leg sleeves' will be the best-selling style of trousers among Australian women this winter, a Sydney fashion label has predicted.

Trend watchers at Bec and Bridge issued a newsletter for the brand's latest collection on Tuesday morning, declaring sleeve-inspired silhouettes will dominate over the next three months.

But none more so than cuffs, a style of trouser with a turned up hem cropped just above the ankle that flatters every body shape.

Usually stitched onto high-waisted trousers which hang loose around the legs before tapering in at the ankle, cuffed silhouettes elongate the body, making you appear taller and slimmer.

Comfortable and versatile, cuffed trousers can be styled with sneakers for a casual look or towering stilettos as part of a sleek, sophisticated ensemble, making them a perfect investment piece to take you from working at home, back to the office.

Scroll down for video

Italian businesswoman Chiara Ferragni wears bubblegum pink cargo pants with cuffed hems from her eponymous fashion line, Chiara Ferragni collection on May 2, 2020

Seeing double: Two styles of beige trousers with 'leg sleeves' or ankle cuffs on sale now, from Australian streetwear label I.Am.Gia (left) and Sydney fashion label Bec and Bridge (right)

The style is being sold by some of Australia's most popular fashion labels, with chic black and tan coloured trousers for $280 from Bec and Bridge and fluorescent lime cargo pants currently reduced to $40 from streetwear brand I.Am.Gia online.

Fast fashion retailers are also stocking cuffed pants, with a rainbow of colours available from Pretty Little Thing and a similar range from Missguided for as little as $27.

Italian businesswoman Chiara Ferragni was one of the first to spot the blossoming trend, including cuffed trousers in striking shades of pink, purple, blue and green in her eponymous fashion line, Chiara Ferragni Collection, as far back as 2018.

The mega-influencer has been wearing a uniform of printed crop tops and cuffed trousers almost everyday for the past two months, as she continues to isolate in her Milanese penthouse with rapper husband Federico Lucia and their two-year-old son Leone.

A model wears a pair of beige cargo pants with cuffed hems from I.Am.Gia

Glam and casual: White, high-waisted leather trousers with cuffed hems from fast fashion website Pretty Little Thing (left) and lime green cuffed cargo pants from I.Am.Gia (right)

Alongside cuffed trousers, draped skirts, fringed bags and flat shoes are expected to dominate winter fashion Down Under.

Elle Australia market editor Samantha Wong said skewed proportions will also be popular, like tiny crop tops paired with knee-length skirts, over-sized blazers and mid-calf boots.

Ms Wong said ponchos will be a must-have for the style set this year, as well as headbands and slouchy, off-the-shoulder jumpers, which haven't been fashionable since the late Noughties.
A cluster of five probable COVID-19 cases has been identified at a workplace in Prairie Mountain Health, while a seventh person in Manitoba has died from the virus.

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This article was published 5/5/2020 (623 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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A cluster of five probable COVID-19 cases has been identified at a workplace in Prairie Mountain Health, while a seventh person in Manitoba has died from the virus.

"This has been over the last few days that (original) case would have been detected, and certainly it's led to a very thorough contact investigation and a number of people being advised to self-isolate and then, very close, watch for symptoms," Manitoba's chief public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, said during Tuesday's health briefing.

He said he didn't know offhand how the original person who acquired the virus got it  whether it was travel-related or through some other means  but the others contracted it after being in contact with that person.

Roussin said public health officials are working with the workplace to test others who may have been exposed and to implement sanitation protocols.

He noted this is not a health-care facility, and because no public-health risk has been identified no further information is being released at this time.

When asked if this occurred in a food-processing facility, Roussin said, "We're not going to disclose any more about it."

But, he said, if that were the case, "that probably would be something that we would disclose given the issues on other places."

The Cargill meat-packing plant in High River, Alta., south of Calgary, reopened Monday after a two-week shutdown due to a COVID-19 outbreak. More than 900 of its 2,000 workers have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

There are also outbreaks at the JBS meat-processing plant in Brooks, Alta., which has reduced production to one shift per day largely due to absenteeism, and at Harmony Beef just north of Calgary.

Meanwhile, the province's seventh virus-related death involves a man in his 70s who died in the Southern Health-Sante Sud region.

The man, who had underlying medical conditions, had previously been in intensive care. He died on Monday.

"Our thoughts go out to their friends and family," Roussin said, adding the man had not been in a long-term care facility before being admitted to hospital.

One new confirmed case of COVID-19 was reported Tuesday, bringing the total number of lab-confirmed positive and probable positive cases in Manitoba to 282.

Four people are currently hospitalized, but none are in intensive care.

There are 37 active cases and 238 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19.

Shared Health's chief nursing officer, Lanette Siragusa, said the new online portal, launched Monday to allow people to check their own lab results, had 473 people registered on the Shared Health website as of 3 p.m.

Of those, 275 had already received their results online.

Those who test positive will still get a call from the province's public health team for further instruction.

 brobertson@brandonsun.com, with file from the Canadian Press
The glut of natural gas could lead to more cancelled LNG exports in the next few months.

It is clear that yes we face today people talk lot about the oil market, but the gas markets are suffering a lot, the CEO of Total SA, Patrick Pouyanne, told investors and analysts on an earnings call on Tuesday. We are on the way to, I would say, cancel some of the of the LNG tankers during summer time in order to limit some losses.

Global LNG supply is expected to rise to 380 million tonnes in 2020, up 17 Mt from a year earlier, according to data from Rystad Energy. However, demand will rise by a relatively modest 6 Mt, putting total demand at 359 Mt for the year.

Two obvious things stand out from those numbers. There was an oversupply problem heading into 2020, even before taking the global pandemic and economic downturn into account. Second, the supply overhang will be made worse this year as new additions exceed demand growth.

The market can often digest excess gas, either by burning more for electricity or putting more in storage. But in 2020, when ample LNG supply is coupled with demand destruction, prices have already hit record lows and storages have already filled faster than usual. Production shut-ins are becoming a realistic possibility, Rystad Energy said.

Europe has often soaked up excess cargoes, but storage is much higher than usual, leaving little room for extra shipments. That has LNG prices in the Netherlands (a key price marker for Europe) trading below $2/MMBtu. A recent report found that the economics of the LNG market are imploding.

European storage could reach its limit and LNG cargoes with deliveries in the summer months are at risk of being canceled, Rystad said.

The problem is similar in the U.S.  tepid demand and high inventories. Natural gas prices in the U.S. have also traded below $2/MMBtu for much of 2020, although prices have edged up recently. A depressed economy and weak prices have walloped coal, which is now generating less electricity in the U.S. than renewable energy. Related: This Could Be The Beginning Of A Tremendous Oil Rally

At least 20 LNG cargoes have already been cancelled, according to an April 22 report from Reuters. [T]hese cargos are unlikely to get placed by other entities since export economics are so far out of the money, Bank of America said. Although earlier than we expected, we are not surprised that US LNG exports are getting cancelled, and expect more cargos get cancelled in subsequent months.

At the same time, the depressed market will surely delay or cancel final investment decisions in new LNG export projects. Due to the low LNG prices in 2019, and into 2020 amid a global LNG supply surplus and uncertainties in the trade environment, some of the proposed projects are seeing slower progress towards FID, a recent report from the International Gas Union warned.

But gas bulls have some factors working in their favor. U.S. gas production actually began declining late last year after peaking in November. At first, Appalachian gas drillers were hurting from low prices, made worse by the associated gas boom in the Permian. But the pandemic and meltdown in the oil market has killed off the gusher of gas from the Permian, which could accelerate the tightening of the gas market. Oil might unintentionally bail out the global gas market this summer, Bank of America Merrill Lynch said in a report.

Associated gas production could by 0.6 bcf/d by July simply from the recent oil drilling cutbacks. But the actual decline will likely be larger as more curtailments are announced, Bank of America said. Sluggish oil activity might make natural gas great again! the bank said, before cautioning that future natural gas prices are at the mercy of oil prices. Bank of America forecasts prices for gas in 2021 at $2.75/MMBtu.

Goldman Sachs is more bullish, forecasting gas prices to rise sharply to $3.50/MMBtu by next winter.

That isnt great news for LNG exporters in the U.S., however. Higher priced U.S. gas means there is little room to ship it overseas, where prices remain depressed.

By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
FOSH is rapidly gaining momentum as part of a global "open design movement", whereby the free release of information on customized research hardware, such as design, schematics and bill of materials are easily accessible anywhere with an internet connection.

This information can then be fed into 3D printing devices for hassle-free and cost-effective manufacturing which, after the initial investment of a 3D printer, would only be as expensive as the raw printing materials. This enables rapid and much less expensive hardware to be produced, which can be produced rapidly at scale, such as ventilators during the current pandemic.

The study is the first national-level one of its kind, and the group included Ismo Heikkinen, Hele Savin, Jouni Partanen and Jukka Seppala from Aalto, and visiting Fulbright Finland professor, Joshua Pearce, from Michigan Technological University. Pearce explains the reason behind using Finland as the country to base their study on, 'Finland has a superior education system which is focused on specializations in science, and it has a very approachable scale. However, in saying that, the approach of strategic support of open hardware design applies to any country'.

Pearce and his colleagues looked at all the research infrastructures & facilities in Finland and calculated the savings in a scenario where all of the research hardware (that is over 10K in value) would be converted to free & open source.' We looked at the infrastructure that made the most sense to open source first and then determined how much could be saved on research capital costs alone'.

FOSH research priorities for Finland would include developing open-source transmission electron microscopes and scanning electron microscopes

The study concluded that conservatively speaking, FOSH development of two-electron microscopy tools would save Finland over 40m so equivalent level of nano-scale imaging could be obtained. Similarly, millions of Euros would be saved nation-wide, while significantly strengthening Finland's atomic layer deposition (ALD)-related research excellence.

Overall, the results indicate Finnish science funders could save millions of Euros annually on scientific equipment purchases if all hardware costing over 10,000/item is converted to FOSH. Furthermore, the majority of this would become 'on shore' production, currently carried out by equipment manufacturers in other countries.

Pearce says, 'I believe it's of significant national/European interest. We have looked at how Finland could strategically alter how science funding is allocated to save millions of Euros a year while getting better equipment, reducing imports, and improving the national economy'.

Pearce explains that the money saved from FOSH will prove invaluable elsewhere in the research, 'Instead of doing the same amount of science innovation for less money - the concept we were using was to do more science innovation for the same amount of money. Maybe even ten times more! The idea was if x-million is allocated for equipment instead of spending x-amount to purchase the equipment, you will spend a fraction of it to do open-source hardware design. Then in the next year instead of buying one tool, you could buy ten or more of the same thing and help many more researchers go faster'.

Pearce points out, 'In my lab, we have saved hundreds of thousands easily. In the paper - the open hardware that already exists has saved substantial money. Estimates on open-source syringe pumps alone are that they have saved scientists millions and that is only one device. Hardware X, the open hardware journal for science, just published its 100th design - and in general, those devices are saving about 90% off the purchase cost of proprietary tools. Frankly, spending money to buy black-box hardware is a waste of money if there is an open-source option'.

###
Los Angeles City Mayor Eric Garcetti Announces LA Represents: Pro Bono Legal Services Available to all Angelenos affected by COVID-19 Pandemic

Tuesday, May 5, the Los Angeles City Mayor, Eric Garcetti provided news surrounding the recovery stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Garcetti disclosed current statistics developing in the coronavirus outbreak. The mayor touched on proper protocols that will be in place for local businesses to adhere to, there is still a severe level of precaution to take in order to move forward in a new era safely. The Los Angeles Mayor and Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer announced the Launch of LA Represents, legal services that are offered free of charge that will assist Angelenos facing problems within leasing contracts and business agreements. Mayor Garcetti is looking to have every Angeleno in a stabilized condition, as L.A. faces a new way of operation in post pandemic time.

The overall goal remains the same for the Mayor, to have a safer Los Angeles. The elected official has taken great discretion and careful consideration in which businesses will open and which will remain closed. There is a delicate glass of protection that can crack under the pressures of making the wrong decision within opening the economy. Garcetti stated, Taking the wrong way forward, will be bad for our health and for our economy. The reality is, impulsive moves will kill more people and shut everything down again. All actions leading into this new way of business, must be well thought out. Although the curve is bending, the threat of coronavirus has been a consistent fog that surrounds all living inhabitants.

Mayor Garcetti shared the latest updates behind the COVID-19 outbreak in L.A. Over 200,000 people have been tested for COVID-19. The elected Official shared as of May 5. there were 58 additional deaths. This brings the total COVID-19 related deaths in the L.A. County to 1,313. The average death rate in a week has been 45 fatal cases per day. There were 1,638 new cases reported, bringing the total of positive COVID-19 reports to 27,815. The latest numbers reflect a 2% increase, since yesterday. There is a daily average of 1,002 new cases. Within the city of L.A., the new report reflects 13,468 COVID-19 cases.

As Los Angeles inch towards reestablishing the economy, there are legal issues among residents and business owners face amid the pandemic. Eric Garcetti in partnership with L.A. City Attorney Feuer announced the launch of L.A. Represents, a pro bono initiative, to provide free legal service to those affected by COVID-19. Vulnerable tenants, domestic violence victims, low income Angelenos can benefit from L.A. Represents. The program is a coalition of legal firms that are looking to increase their pro bono work in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Lawyers will work alongside working class families and individuals facing eviction, businesses on the verge of closing indefinitely, and domestic violence issues.

The collaboration includes Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Inner City Law Center, Public Counsel, Asian American Advancing Justice, and Neighborhood Legal Services. The Mayor stated, Having a lawyer or advocate by your side, can make all the difference. Sound legal advice is available for small businesses that are facing trouble within certain aspects of their business agreements due to COVID-19. Bet Tzedek Legal Services is looking to help local businesses to recover from the impact coronavirus applied to their services. Mayor Garcetti declared, Small Businesses are the backbone of our economy, they are the mainstay of our main streets.

ADVERTISEMENT

The actions of staying home, wearing a mask, and wearing gloves are saving lives. The hospital capacity still remains stable. Anyone is eligible to go get tested, there 36 testing sites. These locations can test 18,000 people. Hours of operation are being extending starting Wednesday, May 6.
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The value of General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) shares has dropped significantly by more than 54% since its recent highs of $13.19 in mid-February and lockdown due to the growing effects of coronavirus. As of today, it has hit intraday lows of $6.15 per share.

This comes as alarming news to most of its long term investors, especially when one of its biggest cheerleaders, billionaire investor Warren Buffet, has recently changed his tone about the company.

Several analysts point out several factors that caused the drop and reasons that might dictate the company's performance soon as the company continues to cut about around a quarter of its aviation staff. However, the Latvian-born investor James Richman does not seem to agree entirely with the looming outlook.

[caption id="attachment_831799" align="aligncenter" width="700"]

James Richman

Sage of Omaha Warren Buffett takes a bearish stance on General Electric (NYSE:GE) while the Baltic States richest investor James Richman maintains a bullish outlook projecting for it to take a quick dip to $5, before eventually hitting $10-levels, a more than 65% increase from its current price[/caption]

News about industry giants falling or failing tends to be magnetic to the public. These rampantly spread through media platforms and create a snowball effect. However, when the dust settles a clearer picture emerges, time will always allow both sides of the story to be told.

The same holds true in the case of General Electric. The value of its share may be absorbing the grunt of the announcement of David Joyce, vice-chair of GE's aviation, regarding its cost-cutting measures. It also does not help that the "Sage of Omaha", Warren Buffett, unloaded his shares from the airline industry saying it was a "mistake".

However, a contrarian outlook on the situation may present an interesting proposal. James Richman, who is most notably known for his investments in tech giants such as Uber, Tesla, and Amazon, believes that the situation must be looked upon with another set of lenses.

Story continues

Could the price of its stock reach the $10 level relatively soon? The investment tycoon apparently believes so.

Richmans contrarian approach

Throughout his career, James Richman has reportedly made his biggest profits by taking the non-conventional route.

By taking such a course, he has emerged ahead of everybody. It is evident in his portfolio as he invests in biomedical technologies when most are doubling down on their aeronautical and oil investments. His sage became apparent when the Monaco-based investor was one of the earliest investors of the then developing company Facebook. His contrarian approach regarding the company was mostly criticized up to the time the profits started pouring in. Richman simply has a natural talent that allows him to make choices that ended up serving him and his private investment firm, JJ Richman, despite the rest of the investment world saying otherwise.

It was also the case when Richman ventured into investments in tech companies such as Tesla and Uber. These giants were supported by the billionaire philanthropist during their nascent stages. The capital that he pumped in earned him a fortune once the companies became fully operational and ramped up their global scale operations.

The richest investor from the Baltic States, is now moving in a similar fashion with his bullish outlook on the American conglomerate, General Electric. Richman speculates that value could rally by over 65% and would even bring the stock back to the $10 level once again.

GEs future swing

It is understood that James Richman believes that GE is on its way to recovering from the 52-week lows that it experiences currently. However, before such a move materializes, Richman is inclined to think that there is a possibility of it hitting the $5 mark before it eventually snaps back to the $10 level, at which point it would double in price experiencing a 100% move.

Meanwhile, the billionaire founder of Berkshire Hathaway Warren Buffett sees that the airline industry has drastically changed for the worse because of the new coronavirus. He sees that the excess in new planes will become a great challenge to offset. He projects a situation where airlines would regain 70-80% in operations, but would still be in a fix because of the new airplanes that will not be used or sold any time soon.

It remains to be seen whose foresight will become more significant and profitable in the near future.

In the past, James Richman has been often compared to Warren Buffett, and one of the most trusted money managers for many family offices when faced with challenges that affect their asset preservation. The private investment fund manager has been able to deliver steady profit to his clients for over a decade. This has even led to some of his clients speculating that he is more in tune with the global shifts and changes that affect the global markets, perhaps even better than the sage of Omaha.

Disclosure: No positions in General Electric Company (NYSE:GE).
In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, China's new large carrier rocket Long March-5B blasts off from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in southern China's Hainan Province, May 5, 2020. The Long March-5B made its maiden flight on Tuesday, sending the trial version of China's new-generation manned spaceship and a cargo return capsule for test into space. (Tu Haichao/Xinhua via AP)

China plans to send four crewed space missions and the same number of cargo craft to complete work on its permanent space station within about two years, officials said after the launch of a newly designed spacecraft aboard the latest heavy-lift rocket.

The announcement by the country's crewed space program further cements China's aspirations to rival the U.S., Europe, Russia and private companies in outer space exploration.

The unmanned spacecraft and its return capsule were flung into space aboard a Long March 5B rocket in its debut flight Tuesday evening from the Wenchang launch center in the southern island province of Hainan.

The capsule is reportedly an improvement on the Shenzhou capsule based on the former Soviet Union's Soyuz model and can carry six astronauts rather than the current three.

China earlier launched an experimental space station that later crashed back through the atmosphere, and plans to build a larger facility with multiple modules to rival the scale of the International Space Station.

China's burgeoning space program achieved a milestone last year by landing a spacecraft on the largely unexplored dark side of the moon and has plans to launch a lander and rover on Mars.

The program has developed rapidly, especially since its first crewed mission in 2003, and has sought cooperation with space agencies in Europe and elsewhere.

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, China's new large carrier rocket Long March-5B blasts off from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in southern China's Hainan Province, May 5, 2020. The Long March-5B made its maiden flight on Tuesday, sending the trial version of China's new-generation manned spaceship and a cargo return capsule for test into space. (Guo Cheng/Xinhua via AP)

The U.S., however, has banned most space cooperation with China out of national security concerns, keeping China from participating in the International Space Station and prompting it to gradually develop its own equipment. The new Long March 5B rocket has been specially designated to propel modules of the future space station into orbit.

China is also among three countries planning missions to Mars for this summer. The United States is launching a lander, China has a lander-orbiter combo, and the United Arab Emirates is sending an orbiter.

Spacecraft can only be launched to Mars every two years, to take advantage of the best possible lineup between Earth and its neighboring planet.

Explore further China says launch of key new space rocket 'successful'

 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
CLEVELAND, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Evergreen Podcasts (Evergreen or the Company) is excited to announce that Lake Effect Radio has committed to an additional round of investment in the Cleveland, OH-based podcast company. The $500,000 investment will help fund the working capital position of Evergreen and support the company's podcast industry expansion.

"In these uncertain times, I'm certain that podcasting has a bigger future than ever," noted Joan Andrews, Principal of Lake Effect Radio, "With this investment, I want not only to help this great company thrive but to keep millions of people all over the world enriched and entertained with this great programming."

"This new investment round comes at a crucial time," offered Michael DeAloia, CEO of Evergreen Podcasts. "In a period of economic uncertainty for most companies, Evergreen continues to see growth in its branded podcast and partner podcast lines of business. As companies are forced to move remote, more businesses are looking for alternate means of communication. Podcasting is positioned for enormous growth in this work-from-home economy."

The new capital from Lake Effect Radio will be invested in working capital, marketing enhancements, improved hosting and distribution platforms, and critical new podcast show production. The Company was founded in January of 2017 with one employee and two interns. During its first year of operation, Evergreen launched 4 podcasts with nearly 18,000 podcast downloads. By the end of 2019, Evergreen had added 20 new podcast programs and enjoyed over 1,000,000 downloads. As of 2020, the company has 34 podcast programs that have been downloaded in over 180 countries.

Podcasts published by Evergreen include Rebel Force Radio, The Chad & Cheese Podcast, Burn the Boats, Riffs on Riffs, Pit Pass Moto, Professional Book Nerds, Banking Transformed, Your Teen, Up2, and Wake Up Call. The entire Evergreen Podcasts catalog can be found on iTunes, Spotify, Pandora and over a dozen industry leading podcast platforms, worldwide. The Company employs 14 full-time staff members in addition to 25 freelancers.

Available by Request

Michael DeAloia, CEO of Evergreen Podcasts is available for interviews on all media platforms including TV, radio, online media and newspapers. Contact information is below.

About Evergreen

Evergreen Podcasts is one of the fastest growing podcast publishers in its class. Our network is committed to delivering entertaining and inspiring content to people wherever they are. We work with top brands and thought leaders to tell inspiring stories through branded content, original shows, and partner podcasts. From entrepreneurs and musicians, to philosophers and artists, we are in the business of uniting audiences with authentic storytelling that lives up to our name. Evergreen is powered by a diverse team of knowledgeable executives, experienced hosts, and talented creative professionals - passionately focused on publishing best-in-class Podcasts for Life.

Press Contact

Name: David Allen Moss

Email: [email protected]

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PHILADELPHIA, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Lannett Company, Inc. (NYSE: LCI) today reported financial results for its fiscal 2020 third quarter ended March 31, 2020.

"I am incredibly proud of the effort and dedication of all of our employees in response to the COVID-19 public health crisis," said Tim Crew, chief executive officer of Lannett. "We focused on employee safety and our team continues to produce important medications for patients. We also recently brought a number of new drug products to market. Fortunately for Lannett, all of our finished-dose manufacturing is U.S. based. We have long articulated our supply chain has less global fragmentation than that of many of our competitors. As a result, our supply chain for products and key ingredients has to date been only modestly affected by challenges associated with COVID-19.

"For our fiscal 2020 third quarter, net sales were higher than expected due to COVID-19, as patients appear to have purchased extra supply of their medications and some customers increased their purchases of some of our products to address patient demand and avoid shortages.

"We plan to launch several new products in the next several months, and look forward to our scheduled meeting in early June with the FDA to plan next steps for the clinical advancement of our biosimilar insulin glargine partnered product candidate."

For the fiscal 2020 third quarter on a GAAP basis, net sales were $144.4 million compared with $172.8 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2019. Gross profit was $41.7 million, or 29% of net sales, compared with $65.3 million, or 38% of net sales. For the fiscal 2020 third quarter, operating expenses included an asset impairment charge of $14.0 million related to the write-down of the value of a product license agreement. Net loss was $16.6 million, or $0.43 per share, versus net income of $10.6 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, for the third quarter of fiscal 2019.

For the fiscal 2020 third quarter reported on a Non-GAAP basis, net sales were $144.4 million compared with $172.8 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2019. Adjusted gross profit was $52.3 million, or 36% of net sales, compared with $77.0 million, or 45% of net sales, for the prior-year third quarter. Adjusted interest expense was $12.7 million compared with $17.0 million for the third quarter of fiscal 2019. Adjusted net income was $11.7 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, compared with $26.6 million, or $0.68 per diluted share, for the fiscal 2019 third quarter. Adjusted EBITDA for the fiscal 2020 third quarter was $35.9 million.

Guidance for Fiscal 2020

Based on its current outlook, the company tightened the range for net sales and revised certain other items in its GAAP and adjusted guidance for fiscal year 2020. The full guidance is as follows:



GAAP Adjusted** Net sales $535 million to $545 million, from $530 million to $550 million $535 million to $545 million, from $530 million to $550 million Gross margin % Approximately 29.5% to 31.5%, down from approximately 32.5% to 34.5% Approximately 37% to 39%, down from approximately 39% to 41% R&D expense $31 million to $32 million, down from $34 million to $36 million $31 million to $32 million, down from $34 million to $36 million SG&A expense $75 million to $77 million, up from $69 million to $72 million $65 million to $67 million, up from $63 million to $66 million Restructuring expense $2 million to $3 million, unchanged $ -- Asset impairment charges $16 million, up from $2 million $ -- Interest and other $66 million to $68 million, down from $67 million to $69 million $50 million to $51 million, down from $51 million to $53 million Effective tax rate Approximately 16% to 17%, unchanged Approximately 21% to 22%, unchanged Adjusted EBITDA* N/A $137 million to $147 million, down from $145 million to $160 million Capital expenditures $15 million to $20 million, down from $20 million to $25 million $15 million to $20 million, down from $20 million to $25 million

**A reconciliation of Adjusted amounts to most directly comparable GAAP amounts can be found in the attached financial tables.

Conference Call Information and Forward-Looking Statements

Later today, the company will host a conference call at 4:30 p.m. ET to review its results of operations for its fiscal 2020 third quarter ended March 31, 2020. The conference call will be available to interested parties by dialing 800-447-0521 from the U.S. or Canada, or 847-413-3238 from international locations, passcode 49654451. The call will be broadcast via the Internet at www.lannett.com. Listeners are encouraged to visit the website at least 10 minutes prior to the start of the scheduled presentation to register, download and install any necessary audio software. A playback of the call will be archived and accessible on the same website for at least three months.

Discussion during the conference call may include forward-looking statements regarding such topics as, but not limited to, the company's financial status and performance, regulatory and operational developments, and any comments the company may make about its future plans or prospects in response to questions from participants on the conference call.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This news release contains references to Non-GAAP financial measures, including Adjusted EBITDA, which are financial measures that are not prepared in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles (U.S. GAAP). Management uses these measures internally for evaluating its operating performance. The Company's management believes that the presentation of Non-GAAP financial measures provides useful supplementary information regarding operational performance, because it enhances an investor's overall understanding of the financial results for the Company's core business. Additionally, it provides a basis for the comparison of the financial results for the Company's core business between current, past and future periods. The company also believes that including Adjusted EBITDA, as defined in the company's existing Credit Agreement, is appropriate to provide additional information to investors to demonstrate the company's ability to comply with financial debt covenants. Non-GAAP financial measures should be considered only as a supplement to, and not as a substitute for or as a superior measure to, financial measures prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

Detailed reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures are included with this release.

Non-GAAP financial measures exclude, among others, the effects of (1) amortization of purchased intangibles and other purchase accounting entries, (2) restructuring expenses, (3) non-cash interest expense, as well as (4) certain other items considered unusual or non-recurring in nature.

*Adjusted EBITDA excludes the same adjustments discussed above, as well as additional adjustments permitted under the company's existing Credit Agreement.

About Lannett Company, Inc.:

Lannett Company, founded in 1942, develops, manufactures, packages, markets and distributes generic pharmaceutical products for a wide range of medical indications  see financial schedule below for net sales by medical indication. For more information, visit the company's website at www.lannett.com.

This news release contains certain statements of a forward-looking nature relating to future events or future business performance. Any such statements, including, but not limited to, successfully commercializing recently introduced products, launching an additional products in the coming months, the potential material impact of COVID-19 on future financial results, and achieving the financial metrics stated in the company's guidance for fiscal 2020, whether expressed or implied, are subject to risks and uncertainties which can cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors which include, but are not limited to, the difficulty in predicting the timing or outcome of FDA or other regulatory approvals or actions, the ability to successfully commercialize products upon approval, including acquired products, and Lannett's estimated or anticipated future financial results, future inventory levels, future competition or pricing, future levels of operating expenses, product development efforts or performance, and other risk factors discussed in the company's Form 10-K and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. These forward-looking statements represent the company's judgment as of the date of this news release. The company disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

FINANCIAL SCHEDULES FOLLOW

LANNETT COMPANY, INC. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (UNAUDITED) (In thousands, except share and per share data)



























ASSETS



March 31, 2020

June 30, 2019 Current assets:







Cash and cash equivalents $ 101,455

$ 140,249 Accounts receivable, net 180,356

164,752 Inventories

135,955

143,971 Prepaid income taxes 8,414

- Assets held for sale 2,678

9,671 Other current assets 14,450

13,606 Total current assets 443,308

472,249 Property, plant and equipment, net 181,408

186,670 Intangible assets, net 401,044

411,229 Operating lease right-of-use assets 9,774

- Deferred tax assets

111,793

109,305 Other assets

11,824

7,960 TOTAL ASSETS

$ 1,159,151

$ 1,187,413













LIABILITIES







Current liabilities:







Accounts payable

$ 33,834

$ 13,493 Accrued expenses

14,115

5,805 Accrued payroll and payroll-related expenses 13,121

19,924 Rebates payable

43,304

46,175 Royalties payable

21,362

16,215 Restructuring liability 61

2,315 Income taxes payable -

2,198 Current operating lease liabilities 1,045

- Short-term borrowings and current portion of long-term debt 95,064

66,845 Other current liabilities 2,850

3,652 Total current liabilities 224,756

176,622 Long-term debt, net 599,553

662,203 Long-term operating lease liabilities 10,189

- Other liabilities

14,115

14,547 TOTAL LIABILITIES 848,613

853,372













STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY





Common stock($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized; 39,898,838





and 38,969,518 shares issued; 38,741,712 and 38,010,714 shares outstanding at





March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2019, respectively) 40

39 Additional paid-in capital 319,064

317,023 Retained earnings

8,410

32,075 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (641)

(615) Treasury stock(1,157,126 and 958,804 shares at March 31, 2020 and June 30, 2019, respectively) (16,335)

(14,481) Total stockholders' equity 310,538

334,041 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY $ 1,159,151

$ 1,187,413

LANNETT COMPANY, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(UNAUDITED)

(In thousands, except share and per share data)

























Three months ended

Nine months ended





March 31,

March 31,





2020

2019

2020

2019





















Net sales

$ 144,372

$ 172,794

$ 407,824

$ 521,566

Cost of sales

94,380

99,571

258,699

303,012

Amortization of intangibles

8,316

7,906

23,497

24,286

Gross profit

41,676

65,317

125,628

194,268

Operating expenses:

















Research and development expenses

7,441

9,838

23,287

29,371

Selling, general, and administrative expenses

22,147

21,649

60,876

65,434

Restructuring expenses

191

452

1,771

1,687

Asset impairment charges

13,989

-

15,607

369,499

Total operating expenses

43,768

31,939

101,541

465,991

Operating income (loss)

(2,092)

33,378

24,087

(271,723)

Other income (loss):

















Loss on extinguishment of debt

-

(413)

(2,145)

(413)

Investment income

393

925

1,552

1,860

Interest expense

(16,177)

(21,485)

(52,163)

(64,430)

Other

(380)

(401)

(181)

(1,409)

Total other loss

(16,164)

(21,374)

(52,937)

(64,392)

Income (loss) before income tax

(18,256)

12,004

(28,850)

(336,115)

Income tax expense (benefit)

(1,664)

1,359

(5,185)

(71,594)

Net income (loss)

$ (16,592)

$ 10,645

$ (23,665)

$ (264,521)





















Earnings (loss) per common share:

















Basic

$ (0.43)

$ 0.28

$ (0.61)

$ (7.01)

Diluted (1)

$ (0.43)

$ 0.27

$ (0.61)

$ (7.01)





















Weighted average common shares outstanding:

















Basic

38,707,049

37,842,224

38,539,850

37,729,099

Diluted (1)

38,707,049

39,330,847

38,539,850

37,729,099









































(1) Effective with the 4.5% Senior Convertible Note issued on September 27, 2019, the diluted earnings per share was calculated based on the "if-converted" method.

LANNETT COMPANY, INC. RECONCILIATION OF GAAP REPORTED TO NON-GAAP ADJUSTED INFORMATION (UNAUDITED) (In thousands, except percentages, share and per share data)































Three months ended March 31, 2020

Net sales Cost of sales Amortization of intangibles Gross Profit Gross Margin % R&D expense SG&A expense Restructuring expenses Asset impairment charge Operating income (loss) Other income (loss) Income (loss) before income tax Income tax expense (benefit) Net income (loss) Diluted earnings (loss) per share (k)





GAAP Reported $ 144,372 $ 94,380 $ 8,316 $ 41,676 29% $ 7,441 $ 22,147 $ 191 13,989 $ (2,092) $ (16,164) $ (18,256) $ (1,664) $ (16,592) $ (0.43) Adjustments:





























Amortization of intangibles (a) - - (8,316) 8,316

- - - - 8,316 - 8,316 - 8,316

Cody API business (b) - (983) - 983

(47) (58) - - 1,088 - 1,088 - 1,088

Depreciation on capitalized software costs (c) - - - -

- (1,058) - - 1,058 - 1,058 - 1,058

Decommissioning of Philadelphia sites (d) - (192) - 192

- - - - 192 - 192 - 192

Branded prescription drug fee (e) - - - -

- (2,957) - - 2,957 - 2,957 - 2,957

Restructuring expenses (f) - - - -

- - (191) - 191 - 191 - 191

Asset impairment charge (g) - - - -

- - - (13,989) 13,989 - 13,989 - 13,989

Non-cash interest (h) - - - -

- - - - - 3,430 3,430 - 3,430

Other (i) - (1,168) - 1,168

(29) (354) - - 1,551 357 1,908 - 1,908

Tax adjustments (j) - - - -

- - - - - - - 4,832 (4,832)

































Non-GAAP Adjusted $ 144,372 $ 92,037 $ - $ 52,335 36% $ 7,365 $ 17,720 $ - $ - $ 27,250 $ (12,377) $ 14,873 $ 3,168 $ 11,705 $ 0.27

































(a) To exclude amortization of purchased intangible assets primarily related to the acquisitions of KUPI and Silarx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (b) To exclude the operating results of the ceased Cody API business (c) To exclude depreciation on previously capitalized software integration costs associated with the KUPI acquisition (d) To exclude the costs related to the decommissioning and shutdown of the Philadelphia manufacturing and distribution sites, including costs to transfer products to other locations (e) To exclude the federally mandated branded prescription drug fee related to Levothyroxine, a product the Company no longer sells (f) To exclude expenses associated with the Cody API Restructuring Plan (g) To exclude an impairment charge associated with an agreement to distribute Methylphenidate AB (h) To exclude non-cash interest expense associated with debt issuance costs (i) To exclude costs primarily related to the write-down of property, plant and equipment as well as COVID-19 special recognition payments (j) To exclude the tax effect of the pre-tax adjustments included above at applicable tax rates (k) The weighted average share number for the three months ended March 31, 2020 is 38,707,049 for GAAP and 46,132,471 for the non-GAAP earnings (loss) per share calculations. Effective with the 4.5% Senior Convertible Note issued on September 27, 2019, the diluted earnings per share was calculated based on the "if-converted" method.

LANNETT COMPANY, INC. RECONCILIATION OF GAAP REPORTED TO NON-GAAP ADJUSTED INFORMATION (UNAUDITED) (In thousands, except percentages, share and per share data)





























Three months ended March 31, 2019

Net sales Cost of sales Amortization of intangibles Gross Profit Gross Margin % R&D expenses SG&A expenses Restructuring expenses Operating income Other income (loss) Income before income tax Income tax expense Net income Diluted earnings per share (k)





GAAP Reported $ 172,794 $ 99,571 $ 7,906 $ 65,317 38% $ 9,838 $ 21,649 $ 452 $ 33,378 $ (21,374) $ 12,004 $ 1,359 $ 10,645 $ 0.27 Adjustments:



























Amortization of intangibles (a) - - (7,906) 7,906

- - - 7,906 - 7,906 - 7,906

Cody API business Held for Sale (b) - (1,342) - 1,342

(775) (979) - 3,096 - 3,096 - 3,096

Depreciation on capitalized software costs (c) - - - -

- (1,058) - 1,058 - 1,058 - 1,058

Legal and financial advisory costs (d) - - - -

- (961) - 961 - 961 - 961

Decommissioning of Philadelphia sites (e) - (1,760) - 1,760

- - - 1,760 - 1,760 - 1,760

Restructuring expenses (f) - - - -

- - (452) 452 - 452 - 452

Non-cash interest (g) - - - -

- - - - 4,514 4,514 - 4,514

Loss on extinguishment of debt (h) - - - -

- - - - 413 413 - 413

Other (i) - (625) - 625

- (1,188) - 1,813 352 2,165 - 2,165

Tax adjustments (j) - - - -

- - - - - - 6,363 (6,363)































Non-GAAP Adjusted $ 172,794 $ 95,844 $ - $ 76,950 45% $ 9,063 $ 17,463 $ - $ 50,424 $ (16,095) $ 34,329 $ 7,722 $ 26,607 $ 0.68































(a) To exclude amortization of purchased intangible assets primarily related to the acquisitions of KUPI and Silarx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (b) To exclude the operating results of the Cody API business Held for Sale which was classified as Held for Sale as of September 30, 2018 (c) To exclude depreciation on previously capitalized software integration costs associated with the KUPI acquisition (d) To exclude legal and financial advisory costs primarily related to exploring and evaluating debt and capital structure alternatives (e) To exclude the costs associated with the decommissioning and shutdown of the Philadelphia manufacturing and distribution sites (f) To exclude expenses associated with the 2016 Restructuring Plan as well as the Cody Restructuring Plan (g) To exclude non-cash interest expense associated with debt issuance costs (h) To exclude the loss on extinguishment of debt related to open market repurchases of Term Loans (i) To primarily exclude separation costs related to the Company's cost reduction plan, a reversal of indemnified unrecognized tax benefits due to expirations in the statute of limitations, as well as a write-down of certain assets related to the Company's foreign subsidiary (j) To exclude the tax effect of the pre-tax adjustments included above at applicable tax rates (k) The weighted average share number for the three months ended March 31, 2019 is 39,330,847 for both the GAAP and the non-GAAP earnings per share calculations

LANNETT COMPANY, INC. RECONCILIATION OF GAAP REPORTED TO NON-GAAP ADJUSTED INFORMATION (UNAUDITED) (In thousands, except percentages, share and per share data)































Nine months ended March 31, 2020

Net sales Cost of

sales Amortization

of intangibles Gross Profit Gross

Margin % R&D

expense SG&A

expense Restructuring

expenses Asset impairment

charges Operating

income Other

income (loss) Income (loss)

before income tax Income tax

expense (benefit) Net income

(loss) Diluted earnings

(loss) per share (l)





GAAP Reported $ 407,824 $ 258,699 $ 23,497 $ 125,628 31% $ 23,287 $ 60,876 $ 1,771 15,607 $ 24,087 $ (52,937) $ (28,850) $ (5,185) $ (23,665) $ (0.61) Adjustments:





























Amortization of intangibles (a) - - (23,497) 23,497

- - - - 23,497 - 23,497 - 23,497

Cody API business (b) - (2,911) - 2,911

(552) (433) - - 3,896 - 3,896 - 3,896

Depreciation on capitalized software costs (c) - - - -

- (3,175) - - 3,175 - 3,175 - 3,175

Decommissioning of Philadelphia sites (d) - (1,484) - 1,484

- - - - 1,484 - 1,484 - 1,484

Branded prescription drug fee (e) - - - -

- (2,957) - - 2,957 - 2,957 - 2,957

Restructuring expenses (f) - - - -

- - (1,771) - 1,771 - 1,771 - 1,771

Asset impairment charges (g) - - - -

- - - (15,607) 15,607 - 15,607 - 15,607

Non-cash interest (h) - - - -

- - - - - 11,001 11,001 - 11,001

Loss on extinguishment of debt (i) - - - -

- - - - - 2,145 2,145 - 2,145

Other (j) - (1,585) - 1,585

(29) (2,578) - - 4,192 21 4,213 - 4,213

Tax adjustments (k) - - - -

- - - - - - - 13,942 (13,942)

































Non-GAAP Adjusted $ 407,824 $ 252,719 $ - $ 155,105 38% $ 22,706 $ 51,733 $ - $ - $ 80,666 $ (39,770) $ 40,896 $ 8,757 $ 32,139 $ 0.76





(a) To exclude amortization of purchased intangible assets primarily related to the acquisitions of KUPI and Silarx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (b) To exclude the operating results of the ceased Cody API business (c) To exclude depreciation on previously capitalized software integration costs associated with the KUPI acquisition (d) To exclude the costs related to the decommissioning and shutdown of the Philadelphia manufacturing and distribution sites, including costs to transfer products to other locations (e) To exclude the federally mandated branded prescription drug fee related to Levothyroxine, a product the Company no longer sells (f) To exclude expenses associated with the Cody API Restructuring Plan (g) To exclude impairment charges primarily associated with an agreement to distribute Methylphenidate AB (h) To exclude non-cash interest expense associated with debt issuance costs (i) To exclude the loss on extinguishment of debt primarily related to the partial repayment of the outstanding Term Loan A balance (j) To primarily exclude accrued separation costs related to the Company's former Chief Financial Officer, COVID-19 special recognition payments, as well as legal settlements, partially offset by gains on sales of assets previously held for sale

(k) To exclude the tax effect of the pre-tax adjustments included above at applicable tax rates (l) The weighted average share number for the nine months ended March 31, 2020 is 38,539,850 for GAAP and 44,248,722 for the non-GAAP earnings (loss) per share calculations. Effective with the 4.5% Senior Convertible Note issued on September 27, 2019, the diluted earnings per share was calculated based on the "if-converted" method.

LANNETT COMPANY, INC. RECONCILIATION OF GAAP REPORTED TO NON-GAAP ADJUSTED INFORMATION (UNAUDITED) (In thousands, except percentages, share and per share data)































Nine months ended March 31, 2019

Net

sales Cost of

sales Amortization of intangibles Gross

Profit Gross

Margin % R&D

expenses SG&A

expenses Restructuring

expenses Asset impairment

charges Operating income

(loss) Other income

(loss) Income before

income tax (loss) Income tax

expense (benefit) Net income

(loss) Diluted earnings

(loss) per share (m)





GAAP Reported $ 521,566 $ 303,012 $ 24,286 $ 194,268 37% $ 29,371 $ 65,434 $ 1,687 $ 369,499 $ (271,723) $ (64,392) $ (336,115) $ (71,594) $ (264,521) $ (7.01) Adjustments:





























Depreciation of fixed assets step-up (a) - (2,459) - 2,459

- - - - 2,459 - 2,459 - 2,459

Amortization of intangibles (b) - - (24,286) 24,286

- - - - 24,286 - 24,286 - 24,286

Cody API business Held for Sale (c) - (4,828) - 4,828

(1,637) (945) - - 7,410 - 7,410 - 7,410

Depreciation on capitalized software costs (d) - - - -

- (3,175) - - 3,175 - 3,175 - 3,175

Legal and financial advisory costs (e) - - - -

- (3,389) - - 3,389 - 3,389 - 3,389

Decommissioning of Philadelphia sites (f) - (4,025) - 4,025

- - - - 4,025 583 4,608 - 4,608

Restructuring expenses (g) - - - -

- - (1,687) - 1,687 - 1,687 - 1,687

Asset impairment charges (h) - - - -

- - - (369,499) 369,499

369,499 - 369,499

Non-cash interest (i) - - - -

- - - - - 13,448 13,448 - 13,448

Loss on extinguishment of debt (j) - - - -

- - - - - 413 413 - 413

Other (k) - (1,751) - 1,751

(210) (3,789) - - 5,750 637 6,387 - 6,387

Tax adjustments (l) - - - -

- - - - - - - 95,066 (95,066)

































Non-GAAP Adjusted $ 521,566 $ 289,949 $ - $ 231,617 44% $ 27,524 $ 54,136 $ - $ - $ 149,957 $ (49,311) $ 100,646 $ 23,472 $ 77,174 $ 1.98

































(a) To exclude depreciation of a fair value step-up in property, plant and equipment related to the acquisition of Kremers Urban Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("KUPI") (b) To exclude amortization of purchased intangible assets primarily related to the acquisitions of KUPI and Silarx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (c) To exclude the operating results of the Cody API business Held for Sale which was classified as Held for Sale as of September 30, 2018 (d) To exclude depreciation on previously capitalized software integration costs associated with the KUPI acquisition (e) To exclude legal and financial advisory costs primarily related to exploring and evaluating debt and capital structure alternatives, including the December 2018 amendment to our Credit Agreement (f) To exclude the costs associated with the decommissioning and shutdown of the Philadelphia manufacturing and distribution sites (g) To exclude expenses associated with the 2016 Restructuring Plan as well as the Cody Restructuring Plan (h) To exclude asset impairment charges related to goodwill and other long-lived assets (i) To exclude non-cash interest expense associated with debt issuance costs (j) To exclude the loss on extinguishment of debt related to open market repurchases of Term Loans (k) To primarily exclude separation costs related to the Company's cost reduction plan, a special recognition incentive payment, as well as reversals of indemnified unrecognized tax benefits due to expirations in the statute of limitations (l) To exclude the tax effect of the pre-tax adjustments included above at applicable tax rates (m) The weighted average share number for the nine months ended March 31, 2019 is 37,729,099 for GAAP and 39,066,670 for the non-GAAP earnings (loss) per share calculations

LANNETT COMPANY, INC. RECONCILIATION OF NET LOSS TO ADJUSTED EBITDA (UNAUDITED) ($ in thousands)









Three months ended



March 31, 2020





Net loss

$ (16,592)





Interest expense

16,177 Depreciation and amortization

14,508 Income tax benefit

(1,664) EBITDA

12,429





Share-based compensation

1,870 Inventory write-down

2,432 Asset impairment charge

13,989 Investment income

(393) Other non-operating loss

380 Restructuring expenses

191 Restructuring payments

(537) Cody API business (a)

1,088 Branded prescription drug fee (b)

2,957 Other (c)

1,519 Adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP)

$ 35,925





(a) To exclude the operating results of the ceased Cody API business (b) To exclude the federally mandated branded prescription drug fee related to Levothyroxine, a product the Company no longer sells (c) To primarily exclude COVID-19 special recognition payments as well as the costs related to the decommissioning and shutdown of the Philadelphia manufacturing and distribution sites, including costs to transfer products to other locations

LANNETT COMPANY, INC. RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP ADJUSTED INFORMATION (UNAUDITED) ($ in millions)











Fiscal Year 2020 Guidance













Non-GAAP





GAAP

Adjustments

Adjusted

















Net sales

$535 - $545

-

$535 - $545

Gross margin percentage

approx. 29.5% to 31.5%

7.5% (a) approx. 37% to 39%

R&D expense

$31 - $32

-

$31 - $32

SG&A expense

$75 - $77

($10) (b) $65 - $67

Restructuring expense

$2 - $3

($2 - $3) (c) -

Asset impairment charges

$16

($16) (d) -

Interest and other

$66 - $68

($16 - $17) (e) $50 - $51

Effective tax rate

approx. 16% to 17%

5% (f) approx. 21% to 22%

Adjusted EBITDA

N/A

N/A

$137 - $147

Capital expenditures

$15 - $20

-

$15 - $20



































(a) The adjustment primarily reflects amortization of purchased intangible assets related to the acquisition of Kremers Urban Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("KUPI") (b) The adjustment primarily excludes depreciation on previously capitalized software integration costs associated with the KUPI acquisition as well as a federally mandated branded prescription drug fee related to Levothyroxine, a product the Company no longer sells (c) To exclude expenses associated with the Cody API Restructuring Plan (d) This adjustment primarily excludes an impairment charge associated with an agreement to distribute Methylphenidate AB (e) The adjustment primarily reflects non-cash interest expense associated with debt issuance costs (f) The adjustment reflects the impact of tax credits and deductions relative to expected annual pre-tax income

LANNETT COMPANY, INC. RECONCILIATION OF NET LOSS TO ADJUSTED EBITDA (UNAUDITED) ($ in millions)









Fiscal Year 2020 Guidance

Low

High







Net loss $ (26.0)

$ (20.7)







Interest expense 66.0

68.0 Depreciation and amortization 56.0

57.0 Income taxes (5.0)

(4.3) EBITDA 91.0

100.0







Share-based compensation 10.0

10.0 Inventory write-down 10.0

11.0 Asset impairment charges 16.0

16.0 Branded prescription drug fee 3.0

3.0 Cody API business 4.0

4.0 Decommissioning of Philadelphia sites 2.0

2.0 Separation costs 1.0

1.0 Restructuring expenses 2.0

3.0 Restructuring payments (3.0)

(4.0) Other 1.0

1.0 Adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP) $ 137.0

$ 147.0

LANNETT COMPANY, INC. NET SALES BY MEDICAL INDICATION

















Three months ended

Nine months ended ($ in thousands) March 31,

March 31, Medical Indication 2020

2019

2020

2019 Analgesic $ 2,811

$ 946

$ 6,806

$ 5,322 Anti-Psychosis 27,858

20,616

78,588

45,541 Cardiovascular 21,746

22,783

67,325

70,233 Central Nervous System 18,566

15,906

57,154

37,565 Endocrinology -

55,210

-

197,565 Gastrointestinal 20,745

16,501

56,020

47,038 Infectious Disease 21,749

4,162

51,722

13,258 Migraine 12,886

9,846

32,907

32,134 Respiratory/Allergy/Cough/Cold 2,966

2,549

8,747

9,521 Urinary 1,149

2,096

2,817

5,233 Other 8,051

14,247

27,847

37,658 Contract manufacturing revenue 5,845

7,932

17,891

20,498 Total net sales $ 144,372

$ 172,794

$ 407,824

$ 521,566

Contact: Robert Jaffe

Robert Jaffe Co., LLC

(424) 288-4098

SOURCE Lannett Company, Inc.

Related Links

www.lannett.com


Amid the unprecedented outbreak of deadly coronavirus, US President Donald Trump has said that the requirement of ventilators in the country has not only been surpassed. Since the global health crisis has posed varying challenges for the world leaders from the shortage of personal protective equipment to machines used in intensive care, Trump has said that the US has more ventilators than any other country in the world. While lauding his administrations response to the COVID-19 outbreak in daily briefing at the White House, the US President also said that the US is now helping friends including Italy, Spain, Nigeria. Now even though the number of coronavirus infections is continuing to rise in the country, according to Trump, the problem of ventilators is solved.

The need for ventilators in the United States has been completely metand exceeded.



We're now in a position to share our supply with other countries. pic.twitter.com/p5ptHgY9pu  The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 6, 2020

Read - Trump Upholds Chart Showing US Covid Testing Supremacy; Slams 'Do Nothing Democrats'

While Trump showed optimism about having more number of ventilators, a draft government report has projected that fatalities due to the coronavirus can reach over 3,000 per day by June 1 in the United States which is twice the present rate. On the contrary, the US President Donald Trump had recently said that the death toll of COVID-19 disease can spike up to one lakh and expressed confidence over finding a vaccine before 2020 ends. As of May 6, US has confirmed at least 1,237,633 cases of coronavirus with 72,271 casualties.

Read - Trump Admin Ignored Concern Over Hydroxychloroquine Import From In India, Pak: Fired US Scientist

Up to 1,00,000 people in US likely to die

As the crisis due to coronavirus outbreak continues, Donald Trump had said on May 3 that up to 1,00,000 people in the US are likely to die due to the pandemic. This came after the COVID-19 death toll in America surpassed Trumps previous estimates of being between 60,000 to 70,000. In an interview with an international media outlet, the US President also said that he was confident a vaccine would be developed by the end of 2020. Trump said were going to lose anywhere from 75, 80 to 1,00,000 people. Thats horrible.

Read - Donald Trump Says US Has Flattened Covid Curve Even As Total Cases Near 1.25 Million

Read - Trump's Opponent Biden Makes Impassioned Pitch For Covid Frontline Workers; Seeks Pay Rise
Weeks have passed since the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced plans to purchase excess food from farmers to distribute to food banks and charities to meet the growing need for food among workers and to prevent food waste. Yet, millions of pounds of food are still being destroyed or left to rot in the fields while millions of American workers are suffering from growing food insecurity as the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic have driven unemployment to levels not seen since the Great Depression of the 1930s. The New York Mission Society estimates that one-third of food banks across the country have already closed due to a lack of funding and supplies.

Devastating reports of farmers forced to cull livestock or destroy fresh food continue to emerge on a daily basis. Images of farmers destroying tomatoes, thousands of pounds of milk being dumped into drains, and piles of ripe fruits and vegetables being buried back into the soil are shocking workers around the country and the world as many struggle to put food on the table.

The scale of food waste taking place in the US

Due to inadequate reporting and tracking, no one knows for sure how much food has been wasted. However, anecdotal and piecemeal reporting gives a glimpse into the staggering level of waste.

Cars line up for food at the Utah Food Bank's mobile food pantry at the Maverik Center Friday, April 24, 2020, in West Valley City, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

The nations largest dairy cooperative, Dairy Farmers of America, estimates that farmers are dumping as many as 3.7 million gallons of milk each day. The New York Times reported last week that a single chicken processor is smashing 750,000 eggs a week. To put this figure in perspective, the number of eggs being destroyed at this single factory in a single week amounts to the yearly average intake of eggs for 2,595 Americans.

Perhaps the most chilling reports of food waste have come from poultry and livestock farmers who have begun culling their own herds. Hog farmer Al van Beek in Iowa told Reuters that he was recently forced to abort 7,500 pig fetuses because he did not have the room to house more animals. The decision troubled him deeply. The overcrowding is a result of lack of demand, which is in turn a result of the closure of multiple meat packing plants after thousands of workers have contracted COVID-19.

Some companies that breed piglets have even resorted to giving them away for free because demand has essentially disappeared.

Overall, the processing of hogs has fallen by a third and cattle by 10 percent compared to the usual output. Hogs are raised in cramped, temperature-controlled facilities and fed grain to hasten fattening. If they are not harvested in a timely manner, they grow too large to support themselves and can break their own legs trying to stand. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds said she expected national pork culling to reach 700,000 hogs a week at the height of the crisis.

The financial impact of the pandemic on farmers will be devastating and for some insurmountable, if no substantial help is provided from the federal government. Hog farmers nationwide will lose an estimated $5 billion, or $37 per head, for the rest of the year due to pandemic disruptions, according to the industry group National Pork Producers Council.

Capitalism, food production, and the COVID-19 pandemic

The implosion of the animal product industry is a direct result of the monopolization of livestock production and the negligent government policies that support it.

Consider the following: Roughly 90 percent of all broiler chickens are produced under contract with just three large corporations, and 57 percent of hogs are owned and slaughtered by just four companies. Farmers are forced to follow the instructions of their contractors (one of these giant corporations) or risk retribution and/or even be forced to shut down. Since the decisions of these corporations are primarily directed by the need to make profit, there are no serious considerations or motivation to implement rational solutions under the conditions of the current pandemic.

The results are devastating. Minnesota farmers Kerry and Barb Mergen had to watch as their contractor, Daybreak Foods, sent a team with carbon dioxide tanks to euthanize their 61,000 egg-laying hens. One onion farmer told the New York Times that he has begun burying tens of thousands of pounds of onions and leaving them to decompose in trenches because he cannot afford to distribute them without financial help.

Such needless waste is the result of system that is built around the need to guarantee profits and increase stock values. Meanwhile, the number of severely food-insecure people around the world is expected to rise to 265 million by the United Nations and 36 countries are at risk of famine.

A significant factor in this destructive system has been the development of Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). These CAFOs are large facilities with temperature-controlled environments, making it so that pigs can be fattened quicker and production can be concentrated spatially.

CAFOs have destroyed independent producers by securing grain subsidies from the state for decades, making it possible for CAFOs to out-compete and conquer the market.

These policies resulted in higher profits for corporations but can hardly be considered a positive development in production. A study published by the Union of Concerned Scientists in 2008 details how CAFOs were only made economically viable through government intervention. It also determined that alternative methods of production would be just as productive without the additional financial and environmental costs. The study estimates that CAFOs add an additional $5 billion in costs through externalities.

CAFOs are also notorious for causing environmental damage. Improper animal waste disposal by multiple large operations has been found to have contaminated the soil and ground water of neighboring communities.

The meat industry has become increasingly reliant upon the just-in-time mechanics of production. This means that animals are moved through facilities at a pace that requires the least amount of storage capacity in order to lower costs.

Under a rationally planned socialist economic system, it would be quite easy for this type of mechanics, and the science underlying it, to be implemented and utilized in a safe, humane and environmentally prudent capacity. At the very least, every effort would be made to redirect excess meat to the hundreds of food banks across the country that are in severe need of fresh food. However, under capitalism, a system driven primarily by the need to make a profit, this powerful technology is horribly misused and underutilized.

As thousands of animals are culled, all because it is not profitable to do otherwise, millions in the US face hunger. What is required to prevent such waste is a complete restructuring of food industries to ensure that food can reach those in need while workers are protected from infection. The capitalist ruling class and state have shown themselves to be unwilling and unable to take any such action.

Much of this carnage was avoidable. Meat packaging workers could have been provided with protective equipment at the onset of the crisis. Creative and scientifically informed changes could have been made at processing centers in order to adhere to social distancing and keep workers safe. Instead, no preparations were made to prevent the waste or protect the workers. Now, the companies and the Trump administration are colluding to force meat processing workers back to work with virtually no substantial protection while the companies will be released from any legal liability for workers who get sick and die.

On top of this negligent response, the White House is considering altering minimum wage laws for workers with migrant visas. This change would result in a decline in farm worker wages by about $2-$5 dollars an hour. In North Carolina, for example, this change would result in an hourly wage of $4 an hour for farm workers.
SAGINAW, MI  After two weeks in self-quarantine following possible exposure to COVID-19, former Saginaw mayor Joyce J. Seals shared her experience via Facebook and offered encouragement to residents who might find themselves in a similar situation.

Seals addressed the community during a Wednesday, May 6, Facebook Live event with Saginaw County Health Department Medical Director Dr. Delicia Pruitt and Health Officer Christina Harrington.

Seals said that a few weeks back, she received a call that a male relative was extremely ill at a doctors office and needed a ride to a hospital emergency room. They didnt want to call 911 for an ambulance due to the costs involved. Seals and her sister went to pick up the relative and when they saw him, he looked ready to pass out and was suffering from a severe cough.

That should have been an indication to call 911, Seals said. Though Seals had a mask and gloves with her, she was not wearing them at the time, she said.

She took her relative to the ER and later went home. She had no direct contact with anyone else between the two stops, she said.

When they called me later on and told me how sick he was and he probably had COVID-19  I went to my bedroom, not to come out, Seals said.

Seals said she did so as she did not want anyone else in her household getting sick from her. This included sending a visiting grandson back to Detroit and having her husband staying in a separate bedroom.

I stayed in there two solid weeks, because I knew that I had major exposure to COVID-19 and it was my concern that I didnt want anybody else to be impacted by the stupid mistakes Id made  not having on my mask and not having on the gloves, she said. Thats how I got myself into this mess.

Seals received daily calls from the Health Department to monitor her status. She took her temperature twice each day, though it never rose.

We want people to know its important to always keep that mask on, said Pruitt, who is also Seals daughter. You never know what youre going to encounter, so try to keep that mask on as much as possible.

Quarantine can be very difficult, Pruitt said. She asked her mom how she maintained while confined to her bedroom for two weeks.

That first day  I literally had panic attacks, Seals said. I said, God, I cannot do this. Theres no way Im going to be able to stay in my room for these 14 days.

Seals managed, though, by reading positive materials, creating a routine, and chatting on the phone with friends and loved ones.

Believe me, that really did help a lot, Seals said. I just feel for those who may not have those individuals who can call them up and give them an encouraging word.

Seals brought a Keurig into her room, watched TV and read, and had her meals placed outside her door.

You need to have some kind of normalcy while youre in that quarantine because otherwise, Im telling you, I cant explain to you the kind of heavy weight that was for a day or so until I could get myself organized and say, You know, you can do this. You can overcome this.

Pruitt asked Seals what message she had for people who have to go into quarantine.

Dont be afraid about it because its for your safety and everyone elses too, Seals said. Just do what they said. I know its tough. In order to make it through it, you got to prepare. You got to have some books, youre going to have to have some things to do while youre in quarantine. You cant just do nothing; you have to be prepared.

She also encouraged those who live alone to have a plan in place for others to bring them food and necessities should they be quarantined.

Pruitt added that if people start showing symptoms while in quarantine, they need to go into isolation mode and should call their doctor to obtain testing.

Just because you did 14 days doesnt excuse you from having COVID 19, especially if you start having symptoms within that time period, Pruitt said. Not every person gets to be off of quarantine after 14 days. You have to have no symptoms in that 14 days.

Seals said that since emerging from quarantine, she has kept her mask on at all times when in public. She said she recently went to a pharmacy and saw numerous people there not wearing masks.

I couldnt believe it, she said. They havent had a wake-up call. Dont get a wake-up call like I had to do.

Pruitt seconded her mothers gravity regarding the masks.

We may or may not be able to get rid of masks for a while, she said. This may be our new way of living in the United States of America. We just need to be good stewards, good citizens for each other.

Saginaw County has had 74 deaths out of a confirmed 762 coronavirus cases as of Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Dr. Muhammad Aboudan, the medical director of intensive care units at Ascension Genesys Hospital, was quoted by ABC 12 as saying he believes the coronavirus crisis is beginning to wane in mid-Michigan.

It's going much better, Aboudan told ABC 12. I honestly think we are now the number of patients decreasing, we are definitely beyond plateauing and flattening the curve.

Asked about Aboudans comments, Pruitt cautioned it may be premature to think the worst is behind us.

I think in general we need to look at the data for a little while longer to see what our trends are, she said. In this time period, sometimes these viruses can die down a little bit and then pick back up in the fall. Were not 100 percent sure. Well watch the data. We know that Michigan in general is kind of at the peak.

Harrington added that it appears Michigan as a whole is meeting or has met its peak of COVID-19 cases.

Were seeing some of the decline, she said. Over 70 percent of the cases in Michigan are in Macomb County and the city of Detroit. Theyre suggesting their peak has been met and theyre starting to see less hospitalizations and some freed up resources. But we saw cases much later. We all dont get it at one point in time and then its over at one point in time. That spread continues, so well likely peak a little bit after they have. Were seeing a slight reduction in the number of new positive cases per day when we look at the last two-week period.

However, testing expansion may alter those figures again, she continued.

Ramping up testing, particularly among those vulnerable populations, may make those numbers increase a little bit more, but the important piece is watching it over time, Harrington said.

Also during the Facebook Live event, Harrington stressed the importance of contact tracing, meaning tracking the contacts COVID-19 patients have had with other people.

It is a critical function of what public health is doing right now, Harrington said. A large number of our staff are very much focused on doing COVID investigations in addition to contact tracing. (Contact tracing) really means the things that weve been doing since the beginning of our first case back on March 21 and even prior to that when some of the testing was being done.

Testing results are received by the Health Department on an hourly basis, Harrington said.

Our staff are constantly monitoring that system, she said. When that positive result comes in to us, those 17-plus staff members are dedicated to jumping on those positive cases. That means contacting each and every one of them.

The Health Department already routinely employed contact tracing in dealing with other communicable diseases, such as salmonella and shigella.

Its not anything new to public health; its just new for some of our staff because were having to dedicate so many resources to this, now that we have over 750 confirmed positives in our community across Saginaw County, Harrington said. One of the really important, critical pieces of this to limit the spread is to find out, Who have you come into contact with?

After staff get a hold of positive patients, they reach out to every individual that person has in turn had contact with to let them know theyve been exposed. Those who have been exposed are then to quarantine themselves for two weeks, though thats not the same as isolating oneself, Harrington said.

Quarantine really means we tell you to stay home for 14 days, Harrington said. The duration is to get one through the contagions incubation period. If one doesnt manifest symptoms in that 14-day span, that person likely isnt infected.

Isolation, by contrast, is what those who are sick with the coronavirus go through.

A frequent question the Health Department is receiving from individuals who have quarantined or isolated is when can they return to work. Those who have shown symptoms are to stay home for at least 10 days from the day those symptoms manifested. In addition, one must by symptom-free for at least 72 hours, without the aid of medicine.

PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

Related:

Coronavirus deaths hit 200 in Genesee County, 70 in Saginaw County and 8 in Bay County

Mid-Michigan counties report small rise in coronavirus cases as statewide totals are delayed
LOS ANGELESPineapple Support, the mental health organization dedicated to the adult industry, is joining with camming network Streamate to host a wellness event May 18 to 20 featuring one-on-one sessions to help alleviate stress and anxiety caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For an appointment, click here.

The event offers anyone in the industry the opportunity to schedule a free, 30-minute, one-on-one guided meditation session with Pineapple Support therapist Ingrid dAquin. She said the consultations will allow participants to enjoy a moment of catharsis and leave the session with relaxation techniques you can start using immediately to calm and center yourself.

DAquin will also be hosting a webinar on May 18 at 2 p.m. ET to discuss the effects of depression, anxiety and isolation.

We are in unprecedented times and you are not alone if you are trying to figure out how you are going to see your way through the depression, anxiety and isolation, she said. Join us in this webinar where we will explore what makes a person resilient and learn simple take-home techniques to cultivate a stronger ability to bounce back and adapt to lifes fast balls.

To participate in the webinar click here.

The world as we know it has changedat least for now, says Liz, director of marketing at Streamate. We are all learning to adjust, and some may be forgetting about self-care, an important part of our overall well-being. Streamate is not only proud to partner with Pineapple Support on this event, but feel its imperative to offer all individuals the ability to re-center and gain focus to combat loneliness during these interesting times.

Leya Tanit, Pineapple Supports founder, said the events will provide important information to industry members impacted by the current coronavirus crisis.

COVID-19 has affected all of us, it is important to take time out, away from your daily stresses, and have a moment of calm, and the wellness event aims to provide those within the industry with just that, Tanit said. During each session Ingrid will guide you with breathing techniques and exercises that you can transfer to your daily routine.

Pineapple Support was founded in 2018 by the British-born Tanit in response to losses in the adult industry from depression, addiction and other mental illnesses. The organization is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit in the United States and a registered charity in the UK, which has connected more than 1,000 adult performers to mental health services, including free and low-cost therapy, counseling and emotional support.

For more information, visit PineappleSupport.org. Streamate is online at Streamate.com.
A police officer (right) stands next to men who were arrested on suspicion of links with the banned militant group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh [JMB], May 5, 2020.

Bangladeshi police have arrested 17 suspected militants who wanted to travel to Saudi Arabia by land to meet up with an engineer believed to be recruiting for jihad, a counter-terror official said Tuesday.

Terrorism-related cases have been filed against the suspects who remain under detention after their arrests late Monday in front of a mosque in Dhaka, according to Saiful Islam, a deputy commissioner of the polices counter-terrorism and transnational crimes unit.

They belong to the old JMB, Islam told BenarNews, referring to the banned militant group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, which affiliated with al-Qaeda in the past.

During primary interrogation, they informed us that they were going to Saudi Arabia via India, Islam said.

He said an expatriate Bangladeshi engineer spread an online message to go to Saudi Arabia to wage the so-called jihad there, and 19 men had assembled outside the Kakrail mosque in Dhaka to begin the journey.

We caught 17 of them before they headed for Tamabil, an area in the countrys northeast, Islam said, adding that two others fled as police officers were about to close in.

Police have also gathered information about the Bangladeshi engineer, who entered Saudi Arabia in 2016, Islam said.

Earlier, we had informal communication with the Saudi authorities about the suspected militants role, Islam said. As we have established concrete proof of his militant activities, now we will formally write to the Saudi government to detect and extradite him, if possible.

Bangladesh banned JMB in October 2005, the same year the group staged a nationwide wave of near-simultaneous but low-impact bombings that killed two. It later executed most of the groups leaders.

Nevertheless, JMB persists. Indian authorities told BenarNews in February that they had narrowly missed capturing the chief of JMB after tracking his movements near the Bangladesh border in West Bengal state.

An offshoot of JMB allied to the Islamic State carried out the nations deadliest terrorist attack at a Dhaka cafe in July 2016, leaving 29 dead including the five attackers.

Security analysts told BenarNews that the arrest of 17 suspects on Monday indicated that militant groups were taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic to boost their ranks.

[M]ilitants have been exploiting the situation. They have been circulating among the people that coronavirus was sent by Allah to punish the people, retired Army Maj. Gen. Abdur Rashid told BenarNews.

Due to the lockdown-like situation, people have been spending more time online. So, the militants have been spreading their propaganda online, he said.

Bangladesh, which has loosened movement restrictions and reopened some factories to diminish the pandemics economic impact, reported 10,929 infections and 183 COVID-19 deaths as of Tuesday. Its coronavirus shutdown has been extended to May 16.

Ataur Rahman Miazi, a professor of Islamic history and culture at Dhaka University, told BenarNews that the militants, possibly including the Bangladeshi engineer in Saudi Arabia, had been brainwashing regular citizens.

We very often see that some people claim themselves as the messenger of Allah, Miazi said. This engineer could have taken such a ploy to mislead people.
A state appellate court has overturned rulings by a trial court and dismissed a lawsuit stemming from a cross-median crash that killed two women on Interstate 10 in southern Arizona in 2008.

The Arizona Court of Appeals ruled last week that the family members of Pamela Humphrey and Ann Quinn didnt file a valid notice-of-claim against the state before filing a negligence suit over their deaths.

The ruling overturns a Maricopa County Superior Court jurys 2008 trial verdict and award of $47 million in damages, including nearly $40 million against the state.

The two women were killed when their vehicle went across the median near Casa Grande and collided with a tractor-trailer rig going in the opposition direction.

The lawsuit contended that the state was negligent because the highway lacked barrier cables to prevent cross-median crashes.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Arizona
RAMALLAH, West Bank/GAZA (Reuters) - One man has become the face of the Palestinians response to the COVID-19 crisis, and its not President Mahmoud Abbas.

Rather it is Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, an economist-turned-politician whose prominence in tackling the coronavirus has led many Palestinians to predict that he may one day succeed 84-year-old Abbas as president.

For Shtayyeh - an unelected Abbas appointee - the urgency of the Palestinian Authority (PA) efforts to curb the virus have helped reinvigorate the domestic image of a body long viewed by some as corrupt and unproductive.

Some 96 percent of West Bank Palestinians trust the way the PA under Shtayyeh has handled the pandemic, said a recent poll by the Jerusalem Media and Communications Centre.

The West Bank has recorded 354 cases and just two deaths. After an outbreak in Bethlehem in March the PA moved quickly to impose a full lockdown, fearing its weak health system would be overwhelmed.

The current crisis has bolstered Shtayyehs presence and cemented the impression that he might be the next president, said political analyst Akram Atallah.

He has brandished an image as a successful administrator in the eyes of the media, a leader who can be trusted to navigate a pandemic.

Shtayyeh has consistently said he does not harbour ambitions of the presidency, deferring instead to senior colleagues in the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and Fatah, the party that has long dominated it.

DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD

Certainly, as Palestinian president and chairman of the PLO, Abbas still holds the levers of power.

It is Abbas who retains final authority to impose and lift coronavirus restrictions, acting through press releases and rare television appearances.

But Shtayyeh, a Fatah loyalist two decades younger than Abbas, has taken the podium each week to reassure Palestinians.

So far, it has helped his rise. But prominence is a double-edged sword: if things go wrong, he will likely shoulder much of the blame.

Shtayyehs grasp of financial issues facing ordinary Palestinians has earned him respect. He was born in the village of Tell, near Nablus, before going on to earn a PhD in economic development from the University of Sussex in Britain.

Before Abbas installed him as prime minister in 2019, the fluent English-speaking Shtayyeh headed the Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction, a donor coordination institution.

But some criticise what they call his capitalist background - a criticism also levelled at his technocrat predecessor, Salam Fayyad, who was seen as too close to the West.

Unlike Fayyad, Shtayyeh has the advantage of belonging to Fatah.

STAGNATION

Palestinian political institutions have stagnated, without any presidential or parliamentary elections for more than a decade, and any successor, no matter who it is, will inherit a multitude of problems.

Negotiations with Israel broke down in 2014, relations with the United States are at an all-time nadir and the PAs power base is now confined to parts of the occupied West Bank after the Islamist group Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007.

Beyond coronavirus, Shtayyeh has failed to reconcile with Hamas, and his government has been squeezed by U.S. aid cuts and tax and trade disputes with Israel.

Shtayyeh also faces internal opposition from Fatah power brokers and security chiefs, who themselves harbour leadership ambitions, said sources within the group.

Two Fatah sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said some establishment figures initially backed Shtayyeh, but now regard him as a threat.

They thought (Shtayyeh) would serve as an employee at their service, but he proved he could work without them, said one.

Abbas is holding on to power. He keeps his grip on security, foreign affairs and finance, said another insider.

But Fatah official Fahmy Azzaarir said Shtayyehs main focus was the pandemic, not succession.

We all hope the prime minister will succeed in getting us out of the crisis, Azzaarir said. Everyone must support him.
Some Financial Institutions Going-Live Within Two-Months

Costa Mesa, CA, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

MeridianLink, developer of the financial industrys first multi-channel loan and new account origination platform, is gaining tremendous traction with their LendingQB product. The LendingQB browser-based, SaaS platform empowers lenders to achieve their lean lending goals by streamlining the mortgage lending process and delivering a world-class user experience.

In the last four months, over a half-dozen, new clients recently chose the mortgage loan origination platform over the others in the industry due to LendingQBs speed, flexibility, scalability, and ease-of-use.

Flexpoint Mortgage Corporation, a mortgage lender that provides a straightforward and personalized mortgage experience was able to start originating loans on LendingQB within two months of signing the contract. This was possible due to the superior level of support the LendingQB implementation team dedicates to every client.

"The dedicated client support team at MeridianLink has been an invaluable partner throughout the entire implementation process", said Aaron Leffler, President of Flexpoint Mortgage. "The LendingQB team has done a fantastic job being available for calls, incorporating our feedback, and working diligently to translate our business requirements into product functionality. Because of their dedicated partnership during implementation, we were able to start originating loans in two months, surpassing our expectations."

The new implementations highlight MeridianLinks leadership position in the financial services market space and continued demand for an alternative to existing mortgage loan origination platforms in the market today.

We are thrilled to work with our newest clients and to empower them to exceed their lean lending goals even during these times of uncertainty, said Alan Arnold, Chief Operating Officer of MeridianLink. The addition of these new partners is a recognition of our innovative solutions and reliable browser-based technology that is capable of supporting financial institutions during an unprecedented event like COVID-19.

Story continues

About LendingQB

LendingQB is a provider of Lean Lending solutions for residential mortgage banking organizations. The Lean Lending solution consists of a browser-based, end-to-end loan origination system, open API integrations to more than 300 different vendors and services, and configurable services that result in faster cycle times and lower costs per loan.

About MeridianLink

MeridianLink, Inc., developer of the industrys first multi-channel account opening and loan origination platform, is a leading provider of enterprise business solutions for financial service organizations. The companys passion for excellence is reflected in its web-based credit reporting, lending and new account opening/deposit technologies, which all enjoy solid reputations as being cutting edge, reliable and affordable. Based in Costa Mesa, California, MeridianLink is committed to creating smart solutions that deliver real value. For more information, visit www.meridianlink.com.

Charlie Lee

MeridianLink

866-862-9797

media@meridianlink.com


White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, right, introduces Kevin Hassett, chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, to the media during a press briefing in the Brady press briefing room at the White House, in Washington, Friday, Nov. 17, 2017.

Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Images

President Donald Trump and his top advisers have repeatedly down played the threat posed to American lives and the US economy by the coronavirus pandemic.

On Tuesday, the White House Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) released a so-called "cubic model" devised by Kevin Hassett, a top economic adviser, that shows COVID-19 deaths plummeting to zero by mid-May.

A slew of economists and public health experts quickly repudiated Hassett's model and some argued he bent the data to fit the outcome he desired.

Paul Krugman, a Nobel Prize-winning economist and New York Times columnist, tweeted that Hassett's modeling was "beyond stupid" and will "kill thousands."

Emily Gee, a former staff economist on the CEA, told Insider that CEA's decision to release the graph shows the Council is "being used as a mouthpiece for the administration and a political tool."

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

President Donald Trump and his top advisers have repeatedly played down the threat posed to American lives and the US economy by the coronavirus pandemic.

In some of the most infamous instances, Trump predicted on February 26 that the number of COVID-19 infections in the US "within a couple of days is going to be down close to zero," while Larry Kudlow, Trump's director of the National Economic Council, declared the virus had been "contained."

Related Video: How Location Data Can Help Stop the Spread of Coronavirus

Earlier this week, The Washington Post reported that the White House is relying in part on a so-called "cubic model" devised by Kevin Hassett, a top economic adviser, that shows COVID-19 deaths plummeting to zero by mid-May.

This model, which the White House Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) released on Tuesday, contradicts all other data and modeling, including that the White House is reportedly looking at. The University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation predicts 135,000 deaths by August 1. Nearly 73,000 people have already died from the disease in the US, with about 2,000 dying every day over the last week.

Story continues

On Wednesday, Hassett told The New York Times he used "just a canned function in Excel, a cubic polynomial" to create the model, confirming theories circulating online.

'Predictions are hard, especially those about the future'

A slew of economists and public health experts quickly repudiated Hassett's model, which they argue flies in the face of existing data, and criticized the administration for relying on its economic team to produce rosy public health analysis.

Paul Krugman, a Nobel Prize-winning economist and New York Times columnist, tore into Hassett's modeling and his record of economic research in a Tuesday op-ed.

Krugman pointed out that Hassett has made several major economic predictions  including that the stock market was massively undervalued in 1999 and that there was not a housing bubble in the mid-2000s  that turned out to be wrong and that Hassett has never admitted to those errors.

"Hassett remains ... a pillar of the modern conservative establishment, and Trump called on him to second-guess experts in epidemiology, a field in which he has no background," Krugman wrote.

He added in a series of tweets that Hassett's modeling was "beyond stupid" and will "kill thousands."

Hassett defended his work on Wednesday, telling The Times that the model wasn't intended to predict deaths.

"It's not an alternative to the model  it's just a different way of visualizing the model," Hassett said.

Emily Gee, a health economist at the left-leaning Center for American Progress and a former staff economist on the CEA, said Hassett's mathematical model is "suspect" for a host of reasons, including that it doesn't factor in the loosening of social distancing policies happening in states across the country.

"Fitting a model to past data is one thing, predicting the future is much harder," she told Insider. "To paraphrase Yogi Berra, 'Predictions are hard, especially those about the future.'"

Gee said CEA's decision to release the graph shows it's "being used as a mouthpiece for the administration and a political tool."

"They have at their disposal the best and brightest at the CDC and in the civil service and it boggles my mind why they're not using those resources and releasing more information, at least publicly," she said.

U.S. President Donald Trump displays a photo of the coronavirus beside Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, HHS Secretary Alex Azar, and CDC Associate Director for Laboratory Science and Safety Steve Monroe during a tour of the Center for Disease Control on March 6, 2020.

REUTERS/Tom Brenner

Republicans have also been critical of Hassett's model and the Trump administration's overall virus response effort.

"Pandemic response requires more than mathematical modeling," Mike Leavitt, the former Secretary of Health and Human Services under President George W. Bush, told Insider of Hassett's model. "It demands an understanding of the biology, a deep knowledge of history and the capacity to factor in human nature. Some of the more optimistic models I've seen are a product of assumptions that seem devoid of history and biology and human nature."

Brian Riedl, a conservative economist at the Manhattan Institute who called Hassett "a friend," conceded it is unusual for an economist to devise modeling about public health issues.

"I don't want to beat up Kevin ... For the most part, he is taken seriously by those on both sides of the aisle," Riedl told Insider, adding that Trump and his staff "really trust" Hassett. "That said, generally pandemic modeling is usually done by people with more of a background in public health data analysis."

Jason Furman, a former chair of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama, similarly slammed Hassett's work after the Council shared a graphic of the cubic model on its Twitter account.

"This might be the lowest point in the 74 year history of the Council of Economic Advisers," Furman tweeted on Tuesday. "The stakes on the epidemiological questions are so high that this utterly superficial and misleading 'modeling' has no place whatsoever in any discussion of the government's response."

Furman added that "the 'cubic fit' is based on an approach to epidemiology that has long been absent from any serious epidemiological discussions" and surmised it was "chosen to get the result they wanted."

Tomas Philipson, Trump's current CEA chair, tweeted back at Furman, attacking his credentials and accusing him and Krugman of not understanding that the modeling was "data smoothing," rather than "forecasting."

"Today was the low point, with past CEA Chair Furman (and economist turned political hack Krugman) not understanding the difference between data smoothing and model-based forecasting," he wrote on Tuesday evening. "Furman only chair without peer-reviewed scientific work and academic appointments-it shows."

Furman, now a professor at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, told Insider he has no further comment.

Business Insider
Oslo, 6 May 2020 - DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, today announced completion of testing and appraisal of the Baeshiqa-2 exploration well in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the imminent spud of an exploration well on a separate prospect, Zartik, located 15 kilometers southeast on the same license. The testing has proven oil and gas in three separate Triassic aged reservoirs. Evaluation of the test results will determine next steps towards further appraisal and assessment of commerciality.

As previously reported, in November 2019 DNO issued a notice of discovery to the government that hydrocarbons had been flowed to surface from the upper part of Triassic Kurra Chine B reservoir during first phase of testing. The reservoir produced between 900 and 3,500 barrels of oil per day (bopd) with specific gravity ranging between 40o and 52o API and sour gas between 8.5 to 15 million standard cubic feet per day (MMcfd).

Following a workover and acid stimulation, testing resumed in March 2020 in three other separate Triassic aged reservoirs with each flowing variable rates of light oil and sour gas, too.

During the second phase of testing, the lower Kurra Chine B reservoir produced between 600 to 3,500 bopd with specific gravity ranging between 47o and 55o API and sour gas between 4 to18 MMcfd. The test demonstrated that the upper and lower Kurra Chine B reservoirs are in communication, proving a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir interval of around 150 meters.

The Kurra Chine A reservoir flowed between 950 to 3,100 bopd of 30o to 34o API and sour gas ranging from 1.8 to 3.6 MMcfd from a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir interval of 70 meters.

The Kurra Chine C reservoir was the deepest encountered in the well covering only 34 meters of what is expected to be a thicker reservoir of around 200 meters. The drilled interval has been exposed to significant fracture damage due to the pumping of lost circulation material. The reservoir produced between 200 to 1,200 bopd of 52o API gravity and sour gas between 3.8 to 6 MMcfd.

Shallower Jurassic aged reservoirs were encountered during drilling and tested. However, the tested zones were not acid stimulated, and the results are inconclusive. The well was spud in February 2019 and drilled to a total depth of 3,204 meters (2,549 meters TVDSS), encountering almost a kilometer of fractured carbonates with poor to good oil shows. Baeshiqa-2 well was drilled safely, below budget and with all exploration objectives achieved.

The Zartik-1 well is anticipated to spud on 15 May 2020. Site construction was completed ten days ago on time and below budget.

DNO acquired a 32 percent interest and operatorship of the Baeshiqa license in 2017. Partners include ExxonMobil with 32 percent, Turkish Energy Company with 16 percent and the Kurdistan Regional Government with 20 percent.

--

For further information, please contact:

Media: media@dno.no

Investors: investor.relations@dno.no

--

DNO ASA is a Norwegian oil and gas operator focused on the Middle East and the North Sea. Founded in 1971 and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange, the Company holds stakes in onshore and offshore licenses at various stages of exploration, development and production in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Norway, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Ireland and Yemen.

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
After prosecutors took 85 days to call about 200 witnesses and put forward their case against the accused Claremont serial killer, the defence took just minutes to confirm it would not be calling any witnesses, including Bradley Edwards.

It marked the completion of the state and defence's evidence in the mammoth trial, which began on November 25, 2019.

Bradley Edwards on the day of his arrest being escorted out of his Kewdale home by Macro Detectives Joseph Marrapodi and Aaron Capes. Credit:Nine News Perth

The families of murder victims Sarah Spiers, Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon were silent as they left the Central Law Courts on Wednesday afternoon.

After waiting more than 20 years for justice, they will now wait four more weeks to hear closing arguments before Justice Stephen Hall retires to reach his verdict.
The state has over 10,000 licensed shops that sell country liquor, IMFL, wine and beer of which merely 3,500 operated on Monday and Tuesday

The Maharashtra government collected more than Rs 62 crore revenue on Day 2 of liquor sale after relaxations in COVID-19 lockdown were announced, said a senior official on Tuesday. On Day 1, Rs 11 crore was collected the official said.

"For the first time, we sold more than 16 lakh litre of liquor worth Rs 62 crore in a day. The state will earn Rs 31 crore as excise duty", an official told Times of India

The figure was low compared to the usual sale of 24 lakh litres daily, but noteworthy as most establishments were shut because they received the order from the collector late in the day, according to a report in Hindustan Times.

The amount was collected by the excise department by Tuesday night with just one-third of the total number of liquor shops in the state remaining open, an official said.

An estimated 16.10 lakh litres of bottled IMFL, beer, wines and country liquor were sold, he said.

The state has over 10,000 licensed shops that sell country liquor, IMFL, wine and beer of which merely 3,500 operated on Monday and Tuesday, he said, , according to a PTI report.

The long queues of tipplers outside liquor outlets led to the excise department recording an estimated revenue of Rs 62.55 crore by Tuesday night, he said. Of this, Rs 11 crore was collected on Monday, the day one of liquor sale, the official said.

Following relaxations in lockdown norms, long queues of tipplers were seen outside standalone liquor shops on Monday in various parts of Maharashtra though authorities in some districts decided not to permit alcohol sale.

All liquor shops were closed ever since a national lockdown was imposed across the country on 25 March to halt the spread of coronavirus. The lockdown was extended till 17 May, but standalone liquor shops were permitted to operate as part of relaxations by the state government.

There are 10,822 license holders in the state of which 3,543 opened for business. The long queues outside every shop have now reflected in states coffers with the sale of an estimated 16.10 lakh litres of bottled IMFL, beer, wines and country liquor.

"The estimated earnings from the sale stood at Rs 62.55 crore, said Kantilal Umap, state excise commissioner.

There are 17 districts (out of total 36) in Maharashtra where liquor shops remained open.

Collectors in nine districts have decided not to permit opening of liquor shops to avoid the spread of the coronavirus infection.

Two districts-Osmanabad and Latur-had opened shops but due to crowding, the authorities immediately ordered their closure.

There are five other districts where liquor shops were not opened but the authorities are working out a plan to allow them to operate in the coming days.

Maharashtra has three dry districts-Wardha, Gadchiroli and Chandrapur.
Singapore's Indian-origin megamall Mustafa Centre reopened its supermarket on Wednesday, more than a month after it was closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Singapore has a total of 20,198 coronavirus cases with 18 deaths so far. A total of 124 coronavirus cases have been linked to the popular mall as of May 3, reported Channel Asia.

Apart from the supermarket, all other sections of the mall, which sell clothes, shoes and electronics among other items, including products made in India, will remain shut as part restrictions in the "circuit breaker" period, the channel reported.

The mall's managing director Mustaq Ahmad said the supermarket, which is spread across 55,000 sq ft, reopened after the management received approval from the authorities following inspections.

"We have put in the necessary measures to make sure that Mustafa is safe, including limiting the number of people inside. We have a system that monitors the numbers," he said.

Shoppers at Mustafa Centre have to furnish either their passport or National Registration Identity Card before they are allowed to enter the shopping centre.

A maximum of 325 people are allowed in the supermarket at any one time, he said.

The management has also put in place other safe-distancing measures, such as tape on the ground to space customers apart at cash counters.

Like at other supermarkets across the country, the customers will also need to have their identity cards scanned and their temperature checked, Ahmad said.

The number of entry and exit doors have also been reduced from six entrances and exits to only one entrance and two exits to monitor the movement of customers.

About 100 employees will be working at the supermarket in shifts, Ahmad told the channel.

On April 2, the health ministry announced that Mustafa Centre was a COVID-19 cluster, with 11 cases linked to it at the time.

Soon after, the mall announced that it would close for at least two weeks, while it underwent disinfection.

The management was also advised by the ministry to keep the mall closed for two incubation periods, or 28 days, Ahmad said.

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

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Twenty-four people admitted at the Armys Research and Referral hospital in New Delhi have been infected with the coronavirus.

All the patients, who included serving and retired military personnel and their dependents, were admitted in the oncology ward of the hospital. Following their Covid-19 test reports coming positive, the patients were shifted to the Base Hospital in Delhi Cantonment, which is the designated hospital for coronavirus treatment, the Army said.

The Army said after a patient is tested positive, quarantine protocol is followed. A detailed contact tracing is carried out, including the family members who are categorised in the high-risk group, said a source. Vacation of the ward and a part of the building was undertaken immediately to start sanitization, as per the protocol. Investigation into the source of the contagion takes up to 48 hours and is under process, sources said.

This is the second biggest virus outbreak in the armed forces. Last month, 26 navy personnel had tested positive at a naval base in Mumbai. The navy has quarantined 150 officers and sailors at INS Netaji Subhash base in Kolkata as a precautionary step after two sailors reported symptoms.
A person holds a sign while gathering with others to protest stay-at-home orders put into place due to the COVID-19 outbreak outside the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City, Mo., on April 21, 2020. (Jeff Roberson/AP Photo)

The Pandemic of Virtue

Commentary

The Chinese Communist Party has given the Americanand Westernleft a wonderful gift. Never before has it been so easy, so cheap, or so convenient to moralize.

Thanks to the Wuhan coronavirus, our most virtuous citizens are those who sit in a comfortable home, busily teleworking, drawing full salary, and announcing proudly that theyll persist as long as it takes to ensure our safety. Bonus points to those whove taken the extra family time to notice that they do have children who might benefit from some form of bonding in the moments no longer wasted commuting.

As we find ourselves hurtling toward the seventh? (Eighth? Tenth? Who knows? Its all one big blur) week of our new cultural morality, the time has come to take stock and review some rules.

Staying at home is virtuous. Venturing out creates a rebuttable presumption of ill intent. Law enforcement officersor even self-appointed neighborhood scoldsshould stop and interrogate anyone seen outside engaging in some activity that is not obviously essential.

Caring about sickness and death related to the coronavirus is virtuous. Expressing sympathy for citizens denied transplants, surgeries, and treatments deemed elective, or pushed into unemployment, bankruptcy, penury, domestic abuse, anxiety, depression, or suicide is callous and selfish.

Embracing the worst-case predictions available at any moment is virtuous. Preferring the methodology of a far more modest predictive model demonstrates an intent to play games with peoples lives. Insisting upon clarity in data definitions, reasonableness in assumptions, or accepted statistical practices in model construction ignores science.

Reporting that existing medications appear to have been useful in helping at least some folks infected with the virus is a dangerous hoax. Speculating that some as yet untested vaccine will immunize the global population is wise and scientific.

Believing that in the presence of a public health crisis, those trained in epidemiology should possess dictatorial powers is virtuous. Suggesting that the opinions of public health officials are merely one of several concerns appropriate to consider before restructuring society is cruel and uncaring.

Of course, thats not to say that the new allocation of virtue and vice lacks subtlety. It must be overlaid on other important social concerns.

New York proudly ejected a field hospital built, funded, and run on charity dollars (i.e., not at taxpayer expense) rather than accept Christian charity. Some principles are inviolable, even in the face of emergency.

Medical professionals with specializations unrelated to the virus nobly stood aside as hospitals and bureaucrats shut down their practices and denied care to their patients. Unless, of course, their specialization is abortion, in which case they railed against reduced access to their services. Priorities, after all, are priorities.

Hasidic Jews attending the funeral of a revered Rabbi offended New York Citys famously progressive mayor so gravely that he put the entire Jewish community on notice. Gay men flocking to sun themselves on a crowded Christopher Street Pier barely warranted a mention. Because traditionally oppressed groups (like LGBT) deserve sympathy unavailable to traditionally dominant groups (like Hasidim).

Non-essential personnelfrom preachers to tattoo artistsreceived fines and arrests for plying their trade. Fortunately, marijuana dispensaries remain essential. Fathers playing catch with their kids and surfers on the open sea were sanctioned. Restaurants offering takeout and delivery are local businesses worthy of supportas long as they dont cross the line into criminality by allowing patrons to sit. The virtuous among us call for increased enforcement.

Vile protestors flock to streets, plazas, and state capitols selfishly claiming rights and seeking to restart their lives. Virtuous citizens sitting at home lament their inability to maintain the high behavioral standards of those who sought justice in Ferguson, Baltimore, Charlotte, and elsewhere earlier this decade.

Its a glorious new moralityto America. In China, whose regime provided progressives with the opportunity to adopt itits old hat. It comes down to a single word: compliance.

The new morality, it turns out, is as old as human history. Our leaders have determined what is necessary to serve the public good. Our job is to comply. Failure to complyor even willingness to questionmarks you as an enemy of the public.

We are hurtling headfirst into very dangerous territory. The scariest thing about it is neither the virus nor the economic shutdown. The true source of terror is the ease with which a majority of Americans seem willing to embrace the reasoning that every one of historys dictators has forwarded to justify the death of freedom.

Bruce Abramson, Ph.D. J.D., is the founder of the American Restoration Institute and the author of American Restoration: Winning Americas Second Civil War.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
The new NHS contact-tracing app could be used to send malicious alerts causing people to isolate unnecessarily, it has been warned.

The app, which is being trialled in the Isle of Wight, tells users if someone they have been in proximity with may be suffering from coronavirus, meaning they could be exposed.

But because users can set off the warnings themselves by reporting symptoms  rather than positive Covid-19 test results  it could be used to send out false alerts.

Dr Michael Veale, a lecturer in digital rights and regulation at University College London who this week gave evidence to MPs on the technology, told The Independent that Britains tracing app had nothing to stop individuals maliciously triggering notifications using its normal functionality.

People can deliberately put others into quarantine or report large areas, he said. A child could try to get a day off school by reporting symptoms from a parents phone to trigger a quarantine.

Dr Veale warned that people could lose trust in the system and ignore alerts if they discover a false warning was issued.

The UK is thought to be the only country in the world allowing people to self-report symptoms, rather than using Covid-19 test results. In other nations, such as Australia, positive tests are confirmed by officials before those who have come into contact with sufferers are alerted.

The UK app, which was rolled out to NHS and council workers on the Isle of Wight on Tuesday, uses Bluetooth to detect other users nearby.

 Hancock can't say if people pinged by smartphone app should self-isolate

It builds a database of significant contacts, within two metres and for at least 15 minutes, that can be voluntarily alerted if a user develops coronavirus symptoms.

Under the current lockdown, only a small number of people would be alerted by users abiding by guidance to stay at home.

But as restrictions lift and people return to work, potential contacts in offices and on public transport will increase dramatically.

Officials have said that if the NHS discovers a diagnosis was wrong, another alert telling people they can stop self-isolating will be sent out.

But with limited testing being carried out in the UK, it is unclear how frequently peoples declarations will be verified.

Its the first time this has been deployed, so we dont know what looks like fraud, Dr Veale said. Self-reporting is a UK quirk, and a pretty strange one.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has worked to mitigate against possible cyberattacks where hackers could generate realistic-looking proximity events for large numbers of people.

Ian Levy, the NCSCs technical director, said that self-diagnosis had brought security challenges.

One of the obvious ones is that an attacker can, for example, sit outside a hospital with some custom kit and create fake but realistic-looking proximity events for everyone in the hospital and then report themselves as sick, he wrote.

Without some smarts, everyone would be told to self-isolate. In our model, the risk modelling can catch this sort of attack and mitigate it.

Not everyone a person with symptoms has contact with will receive an alert, and the system has been designed to spot suspicious activity before one is sent out.

The app will be updated over time to respond to potential misuse.

Mr Levy said that removing self-reporting from the app would make managing the disease very, very hard in the UK, amid criticism of the governments testing regime.

It was unclear whether the NCSCs technology could also catch malicious reports by people who use the apps normal functionality.

Dr Veale said that while hacking could be spotted, individuals reporting maliciously look the same as a legitimate use.

He added that hypochondriacs and people who genuinely believe they have coronavirus symptoms, but do not have the virus, will also generate false alerts.

The app has also generated privacy concerns because of its centralised system, which sends user data to a server controlled by public authorities.

Other countries, including Ireland, are using a decentralised model that works through individual phones and does not build a central database on how the disease is spread.

Matthew Ryder QC, who wrote a joint legal opinion on the issue, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that the government was yet to present the evidence or the material it would need to justify the course it is taking.

The Information Commissioners Office previously suggested that a decentralised approach would best protect user privacy and will assess NHSXs data protection impact assessment. But a centralised system allows outbreaks to be tracked on a national scale.

Privacy campaign groups have raised concern that the app could be extended to monitor individuals movements and contacts, but the government emphasised that users will not need to give their names or other personal details.

Matt Hancock, the health secretary, said its purposes were purely and simply to control the spread of the virus and urged people to download the app.

He argued that it was completely wrong to claim it represents a threat to civil liberties.

Giving evidence to parliaments Joint Committee on Human Rights on Monday, the head of the unit developing the app warned of unintended consequences.

Matthew Gould, chief executive of NHSX, said officials do not know exactly how it will work.

There will be unintended consequences, there will for sure be some things we have to evolve, he added. When we launch it, it wont be perfect and as our understanding of the virus develops, so will the app.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health said: As we have seen throughout this crisis, the vast majority of people have taken their responsibility to protect the NHS and save lives seriously and were confident this will be no different when they use the new app.

Nonetheless we have taken precautions to mitigate against malicious activity.
Logan Green and John Zimmer at the WSJTECH live conference in Laguna Beach, California, October 22, 2019.

REUTERS/ Mike Blake

Lyft released first-quarter financials on Wednesday afternoon that easily topped expectations.

The company's revenue and total losses were better than Wall Street expected, and its stock price popped as much as 14%.

The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc for Lyft and Uber alike, as shelter-in-place orders across the country lead to fewer ride requests.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Lyft surprised Wall Street on Wednesday with first-quarter financials that handily topped expectations while providing the first look at how badly the coronavirus pandemic is affecting the ride-hailing firm's bottom line.

Here are the important numbers:

Revenue: $955.7 million versus an expected $829.6 million

Net loss (adjusted): $97.4 million versus an expected $179.6 million

Losses per share: $1.31  in line with expectations

Shares of Lyft jumped as much as 17% in after-hours trading shortly following the release.

Active riders came in at 21.2 million, where analysts had expected 22.7 million. Still, the number is a 3% jump over the same period the previous year. Revenue per active rider, a closely watched metric in the industry, rose 19% to a record high of $45.06.

While only the quarter's final few weeks were fully affected by the coronavirus, total rides volume fell as much as 75% in April, CEO Logan Green said, when a majority of the US was under some form of shelter-in-place orders. Now, rides have began to slowly increase again after a bottoming out the week of April 12.

"It's clear that macro trends will continue to negatively impact our business," he said. "Continued social distancing, altered consumer behaviour, and significant corporate cost-cutting will be significant headwinds for Lyft. These are the hard truths we're facing."

Because rides are so reduced, the company said it stopped on-boarding new drivers in March and there is now a waitlist.

Story continues

To cut costs in the face of the crisis, Lyft in April announced roughly 1,000 layoffs  17% of its workforce  and hundreds of other furloughs. Executives and high-level employees are also taking pay cuts, Lyft said at the time. Uber has also announced similar cuts.

Brian Roberts, Lyft's chief financial officer, said on the call that a majority of the company's costs are variable, which will help it weather the pandemic. Still, the company is not able to predict the full impact yet, and withdrew its full-year forecast in April.

"We cannot speculate what the rest of 2020 looks like," Roberts said. And investors know it won't be an easy recovery.

"Uber and Lyft face Herculean-like challenges looking ahead as the new reality will likely change the business models of these companies (and competitors) for the foreseeable future," Daniel Ives, an analyst at Wedbush, said ahead of earnings. "Even in food delivery while consumer demand is there, competition is driving meaningful pressure on profitability."

Asked point-blank about the possibility of getting into delivery to offset the rides losses, the answer was a resounding no.

"We have no interest in launching a consumer food delivery service," Roberts said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Late Tuesday, Douglas A. Kellner, a co-chairman of the election board, said the panel was reviewing the decision and preparing an appeal.

The decision to cancel the primary drew an immediate backlash from the campaign of Senator Bernie Sanders, whose April decision to suspend his presidential bid made former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. the presumptive Democratic nominee.

[Get the latest news and updates on the coronavirus in the New York region.]

A new count reveals 1,600 more deaths at nursing homes.

The coronavirus crisis at New Yorks nursing homes is even worse than believed.

New Health Department statistics released late Monday included the previously undisclosed deaths of more than 1,600 people who were presumed to have died of the virus at nursing homes but who had not received a confirmed diagnosis.

By May 3, according to the new data, 4,813 people had died of the virus at nursing homes. The new data did not include nursing home residents who died in hospitals.

The number of deaths of nursing home residents, either at homes or in hospitals, was 3,025 on April 28, and about 100 more people died at nursing homes from April 29 to May 2, according to state figures.

[Coronavirus in New York: A map and the case count.]

Connecticut schools will be shut for the rest of the academic year.

Gov. Ned Lamont said on Tuesday that in-person classes at all public K-12 schools in Connecticut would be canceled for the rest of the academic year and that online learning would continue as the state prepared for a partial reopening this month.
Increased surveillance by security forces and fresh infiltration attempts  some of them successful  by militants are behind the frequent encounters in Jammu and Kashmir over the past one and a half months, according to officials.

Since March 21, at least 33 militants and two of their associates have been killed in 15 gunfights across the Valley.

Most of these encounters took place in four districts of south Kashmir  Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag, which are considered the hotbed of militancy.

Twenty security personnel lost their lives in this period. Eighteen were killed in gunfights and in attacks by militants, and two army men died on the Line of Control (LoC) in ceasefire violations by Pakistan.

A senior police officer who did not want to be named said the security grid has increased surveillance in the four districts of south Kashmir, while also keeping a close watch on the LoC.

There is a pattern of encounters going up in the months of April and May. Last year too, several operations were seen in Kashmir during these months, the officer said.

March, April and May are the months when the snow starts melting on the upper reaches (of the Himalayas), and militants start infiltrating from PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) into Kashmir  which results in several encounters, the officer added. He said with modern surveillance gadgets, security forces are registering big successes in tracking and zeroing in on militants.

Another officer, who too did not want to be named, put emphasis on the need for technology-based surveillance in anti-militancy operations, while underscoring the importance of tip-offs by sources in such campaigns.

Once a militant comes in our radar, he is tracked through electronic surveillance, and the success is remarkable. Also, human intelligence inputs help the forces to coordinate operations in the better way, the second officer said.

Earlier, Dilbag Singh, Jammu and Kashmir director general of police, too, cited fresh infiltration attempts reported from north Kashmirs Uri and Kupwara sectors as reasons behind frequent encounters.

We get to know about militants and chase them. Sometimes, we also suffer casualties during operations, Singh said on Tuesday in an event paying tributes to three CRPF personnel.

The three troopers, deployed at a check post, were killed in an attack in north Kashmirs Handwara town.

A section of security officials and experts believes ceasefire violations by Pakistan are a desperate attempt to foment unrest in India.

In the security grid, many consider these ceasefire violations an attempt to give a cover fire to help militants crossing over to India.

Even on Wednesday, Pakistan resorted to firing on forward areas along the LoC in two sectors of J&Ks Poonch , drawing retaliation from India, a defence spokesperson said. There was no immediate report of any casualty.

Cross-border shelling between the two sides was going on till the filing of this report.

They (Pakistan) want the Kashmir issue alive, Major General (retired) GS Jamwal said. We should continue to maintain pressure...and ensure we dont lose our men but inflict maximum damage on them.
A Need Ohio Working Now bill is going to be introduced in the state legislature (Proposed bill would curb power of top officials, May 4). We in health care are seeing people get sick and die from COVID-19. This head-in-the-sand bill would demand that Gov. Mike DeWine ignore Ohio Health Director Dr. Amy Actons advice, removes direction from our very cautious governor, and requires the state General Assembly to determine whether we will adhere to advice from doctors and scientists. The delay in action that this bill represents will cause unimaginable damage.

As a health care worker whos working directly with COVID-19 patients, I see how this will adversely affect our population. Gov. DeWines prescience and orders, based on Dr. Actons evidence-based advice, helped flatten the curve. Stay-at-home restrictions will be reduced, not because the pandemic is over, but because there is now room for your mother and your child in the intensive care unit.

Taking the power away from the governor and giving it to the General Assembly, whose goal is politics and not the safety of their constituents, robs Ohioans of their ability to live safely, send their kids to school in the fall, and see their parents again. Those who insist they miss restaurants and haircuts are, by their insistence, selfishly forcing others to go to work for them.

Jean Wendland Porter,

Hinckley
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has seen his popularity rise as he leads New York states response to the coronavirus pandemic, appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine and getting interviewed by Howard Stern, Trevor Noah and Ellen DeGeneres. But it also means hes become a bigger target for critics and comedians.

The Late Show host Stephen Colbert praised Cuomos leadership on Tuesday night, but couldnt resist making a few jokes at his expense.

Theres one politician out there fighting back against this rush to reopen the economy: New York governor and vampire seeing the sun rise one last time before bursting into flames, Andrew Cuomo, Colbert said while showing a picture of Cuomo appearing outside on a sunny day.

Colbert, whos continued his late-night CBS show from home, also played a clip of Cuomo saying the value of a human life is priceless when considering health risks of lifting shutdown orders.

I gotta say, thats a refreshing contrast to (President Donald) Trumps position: A human life is worth about one trip to Buffalo Wild Wings, he cracked.

In a later segment, Colbert had fun with a Long Island matchmakers recent survey of New York women that found the governor and his younger brother, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, to be more desirable than the Jonas Brothers.

Let me be the first to say I did not realize those sets of brothers were after the same demographic, Colbert said. Being hot is the Jonas Brothers thing. Were the Cuomo brothers also voted more handy than the Property Brothers? And more Italian than the Mario Brothers?

E! News reports Gov. Andrew Cuomo also appeared on Chris Cuomos CNN show Tuesday night, and the Cuomo Prime Time host couldnt resist a few digs at his big bros celebrity status.

You seem to have changed through this process. You sound, you know, different. Youre taking on whats happening in the federal government  some say that it is evidence of a shift in ambition. Some say that going on shows like Ellen, where shes pumping your head up with helium about how great you are and cover of Rolling Stone  that you now, as we used to say in the neighborhood, think who you are. Do you believe that there has been a shift in your ambitions and in your sense of yourself because of all these new friends you seem to have? Chris asked.

Some say I shouldnt come on this show because you harass me and provoke me, Andrew shot back.

Too much fierce accountability? Cant take it? Chris quipped. Want a pat on the back, Love Gov?

Nothing about me has changed," Andrew insisted. "I havent been in the basement. I havent had my wife shear my hair out of resentment. None of that has happened to me  Im just doing my job, which is what Ive always done.

You're feeling pretty good about yourself these days, aren't you @NYGovCuomo ? pic.twitter.com/E82jNFYV6b  Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) May 6, 2020

Gov. Cuomo made headlines last week when he addressed professional matchmaker Maureen Tara Nelsons romance survey and confirmed that hes eligible after breaking up with celebrity chef Sandra Lee last year. Several celebrities, including Jada Pinkett-Smith, Chloe Sevigny, Chelsea Handler and Sterns co-host Robin Quivers, have recently said they have the hots for Cuomo, calling themselves Cuomosexual."

Do you think that you are an attractive person now because youre single and ready to mingle? Chris Cuomo asked.

I think beauty is in the eye of the beholder," the governor replied.

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NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo: I dont want to be vice president
Every night at seven o'clock, New Yorkers step outside their homes to cheer for the medical workers who are treating coronavirus patients. Horns from automobiles and police vehicles add to the cheering.

Some New York restaurants are making meals for doctors and nurses working in the citys hospitals.

Last week, U.S. military airplanes flew over New York and other cities as a show of thanks to healthcare workers.

With all these expressions of thanks, reports of attacks on healthcare workers are surprising.

The World Health Organization, or WHO, and top nursing officials have called on countries to protect nurses and other health workers from physical and verbal attacks. They note that these men and women are already making sacrifices in their lives every day to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

Howard Catton is head of the International Council of Nurses. He said that about 100 medical workers are reported to have died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. Many nurses were among the dead. Catton spoke to reporters last week.

Even before the virus began to spread, many nurses had difficult jobs. About 28 million people work as nurses. That represents 59 percent of all health workers worldwide.

Last week, WHO officials, the Nursing Now campaign, and the International Council of Nurses released the first State of the Worlds Nursing Report.

The report says there are not enough nurses in many areas. The nursing shortages are mainly in low- and lower-middle income countries, it noted.

The number of new nurses does not meet the expected needs in many countries, the report said. It points to some countries where many nurses are nearing retirement age. It said that trained health workers must be ready to do the work of those who have retired.

The report estimates eight percent more workers will be needed each year.

Nursing shortages are an issue in many parts of Africa, in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and Venezuela, the report added.

Discrimination and attacks

Although nurses make up the majority of all health workers, the report says their value is not recognized. It notes that 90 percent of nurses are female, and they are often victims of discrimination in the workplace. One surprising fact is that a little over a third of countries  thirty-seven percent - reported measures in place to prevent attacks on health workers.

Some workers have been attacked during the COVID-19 crisis because people fear contagion. A nurse in Mexico reported that someone threw a mixture of water and chlorine at her as she walked home.

Howard Catton said there have been reports from around the world of abuse of health workers.

"It is completely unacceptable, Catton said. He called for governments to stop such abuse and to make sure that public health messages are clear and fact-based.

The WHOs Giorgio Cometto said it was a relatively new experience for people to see health workers as a possible risk, "as opposed to being a solution to the current crisis. He added that in the current pandemic, it is very important to take the necessary steps to protect health workers.

Baroness Mary Watkins, chair of Nursing Now, noted nurses have been attacked in the past. That was during outbreaks of Ebola and HIV, the virus responsible for the disease AIDS.

Watkins said there has been a very, very clear directive from the police in many countries that attacking a health care worker is unacceptable. We need to keep pressure up, she added.

Im Jill Robbins.

Stephanie Nebehay reported on this story for Reuters. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

horn  n. a sound made by a car or truck

pandemic  n. a disease that has spread over a whole country or the world

contagion  n. the process by which a disease is passed from one person or animal to another

chlorine  n. a chemical element

outbreak  n. the sudden or violent start of something unwelcome, such as disease

How are medical workers treated where you live? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
Amazon has confirmed that a worker at a New York distribution centre has died of the Covid-19 disease.

A spokesperson said on Wednesday that it was in the process of informing workers at the warehouse on Staten Island, New York, and has been in touch with the employees family.

According to The Verge, which first reported the news, the individual was last on-site on 5 April and was diagnosed with the Covid-19 virus on 11 April.

We are deeply saddened by the loss of an associate at our site in Staten Island, NY, said Amazon spokesperson Rachael Lighty in a statement to The Independent. His family and loved ones are in our thoughts, and we are supporting his fellow colleagues.

The death is the third known fatality from the coronavirus among Amazon workers during the course of the US Covid-19 pandemic, after two deaths at separate Amazon warehouses in California in March and April.

Amazon workers at the Staten Island warehouse, known as JFK8, have been among those who have protested against the companys management of the pandemic.

In March, Chris Smalls was dismissed on the same day that workers walked out because of conditions at the facility, after an employee had tested positive for Covid-19.

Amazon maintains that he was fired for violating social distancing guidelines.

At least 29 workers have now fallen ill at the facility, The Verge reports.

Amazon believes that each of the cases at its Staten Island site are individual cases and are not linked, and that the death of the employee this week was not connected to other cases of the virus at the warehouse.

The office of the New York attorney general, Letitia James, sent a letter to Amazon in April warning that its provisions at the site were inadequate, reported NPR.

Last month, more than 300 hundred Amazon workers walked-out in an organised series of protests across the US.

Employees have called for further health and safety measures such as deep cleans at workplaces, in addition to the closure of some warehouses and sites.

Amazon has closed only one site in the US, a returns-processing centre in Kentucky, during the pandemic.

The company has taken several steps to address concerns raised by workers, including the enforcement of social distancing, increased cleaning, and wage increases.

On Wednesday, it said that the rate of infection among its Staten Island workforce was below the rate of the surrounding community.
Hyderabad: The approach of various state governments to testing patients for the novel coronavirus has become a bone of contention between doctors and state administrations.

The medical fraternity is in utter consternation given that different states are interpreting the guidelines of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) according to their respective comfort level. There is no standardised method being followed, say doctors.

In other words, Indias states are following a pick and choose policy in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic.

Telangana for instance is testing in a way that has baffled the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT). In a virtual meeting with doctors, complaints were forwarded to the Union health minister and the state health minister.

In other states, testing by private hospitals has been marred by the use of faulty kits.

Dr K.K. Aggarwal, president of the Confederation of Medical Associations in Asia and Oceania, and former president of the Indian Medical Association, said, Pre-operative testing in emergency and elective surgeries is very important for Covid-19. But the test results are 33 per cent negative. Doctors and hospitals cannot take risk with these kits. We must be provided quality kits and there must be one rule applicable across the country.

Dr Aggarwal added, The Union government should have declared a National Health Emergency, which they have not done. It was a big mistake. Every state is following its own rules and regulations. They are not following guidelines as is required to control and contain Covid.

Health is a state subject and the Centre can only advise them. This lacuna is being exploited by state governments, which has put the medical fraternity at risk. Due to the non-availability of personal protective equipment (PPEs) and testing kits, doctors have decided that no elective surgeries will be carried out.

Even if one patient who is Covid positive undergoes an operation, the surgeon, paramedical staff and operation theatre will have to shut down for 28 days, which is a huge risk. The infection rate from patient to doctors and staff is very high, said a doctor.

While Telangana has rejected over 200 samples sent for those in the pre-operative stage last week, doctors have been put at risk as they cannot refuse an emergency patient. This has increased the cost of surgeries, as PPE charges are separately billed to patients.

State governments have told doctors that insisting on a Covid-19 test for a non-Covid illness before operation or birthing is a crime. Medical experts have opined that doctors can and should insist on a Covid-19 test, as the test has an impact on treatment.

Dr Santosh Kraleti, a public health specialist, said, guidelines from ICMR and learnings from Covid-19 affected countries have shown that he patient must be tested before every operation. We have had 400 births in April but no test was conducted. Patients came from containment zones and red zones, but they were operated in private and government hospitals without testing. This is going to have serious ramifications as it will lead to further spread.

According to the Medical Council Act, doctors cannot refuse patients treatment and it is their duty to perform, even under the gravest circumstances. This has put them in a tricky situation.

Efficacy of testing kits is under the scanner and Indian manufacturers will take a month to supply products.

Earlier in March, when they were willing to manufacture, there was no assistance provided by the government. Over 80 per cent of them have imported kits from China and South Korea. Their capital has been blocked and due to inefficiency of kits they are not being paid by the government.

Rajiv Nath, forum coordinator, Association of Indian Medical Devices Industry, said, Covid-19 patients serum required for preparing testing kit has not been given to us. The quality must be superior but pricing is an issue. Why will a manufacturer put so much effort in making the product when there is no return on investment? The on-going problems of lockdown continue to exist in the manufacturing sector, marked by non-availability of labour, supply chains are not completely operational and capital is very scarce as governments have not paid us for past one year. How is it possible to step in now with further capital?
oonal/iStockBy KATHERINE FAULDERS and OLIVIA RUBIN, ABC News



(WASHINGTON) -- Dr. Rick Bright, the former head of the federal agency charged with overseeing the rapid production of a vaccine to fight the novel coronavirus, has filed a whistleblower complaint with the Office of Special Counsel alleging he was removed from his job in "retaliation" for raising concerns over various aspects of the administration's coronavirus response.



Bright said last month he would be filing a whistleblower complaint "detailing the retaliatory treatment to which he was subjected to by political leadership at the Department of Health and Human Services after raising appropriate science-based concerns about White House pressure on treatment and vaccines related to the COVID-19 pandemic."



In the lengthy complaint, Bright details alleged instances where top government officials ignored his warnings about the threat of the virus. Bright claims he began raising concerns as early as January, but was met with "indifference which then developed into hostility" from HHS leadership, including Secretary Alex Azar.



But Bright alleges he had been objecting to what he described as "cronyism" in HHS leadership for years. He claims he has faced pressure to "to ignore expert recommendations and instead to award lucrative contracts based on political connections and cronyism" since the spring of 2017.



Specifically, Dr. Bright alleges tensions "reached a boiling point" after he "resisted efforts to fall into line with the Administration's directive to promote the broad use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine and to award lucrative contracts for these and other drugs even though they lacked scientific merit and had not received prior scientific vetting."



"Dr. Bright was transferred to NIH to work on diagnostics testing -- critical to combatting COVID-19 -- where he has been entrusted to spend upwards of $1 billion to advance that effort. We are deeply disappointed that he has not shown up to work on behalf of the American people and lead on this critical endeavor," Caitlin Oakley, HHS spokesperson, said in a statement.



Bright is requesting to be returned to his position as director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, as well as "a full investigation." He was removed from his job last month in charge of the group, known as BARDA, which recently received more than $3 billion in federal funds to help ramp up production capacity so that any discovery of a coronavirus vaccine can be quickly manufactured and distributed to hundreds of millions of Americans. His removal from the post stunned some lawmakers who had been pushing for a more robust vaccine effort.



In the complaint, Bright details what he says was the administration's plan to use a hydroxychloroquine donation from Bayer in order to "make the drug available for the treatment of COVID-19 outside a hospital setting and without close physician supervision."



Bright alleges he received an "urgent directive" from the HHS General Counsel Bob Charrow that was passed down from the White House "to drop everything and make the chloroquine donated by Bayer widely available to the American public."



Though the plan did not go through, Bright alleges the "Administration nevertheless continued to push for expanded, unsupervised access to chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine."



Bright also details numerous clashes with his boss Dr. Robert Kadlec, the current Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) in the Department of Health and Human Services, whom he accuses of doling out government contracts based on personal connections rather than scientific merit.



Bright alleges another official in ASPR disclosed to him that "he sought to keep his distance" from the ASPR funding program "because he was concerned about its potentially illegal and unethical processes."



"As made explicit in email exchanges, Dr. Kadlec and his subordinates viewed Dr. Bright as an obstacle to their efforts to move BARDA money around," the complaint alleges.



Copyright  2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
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Retail billionaire Kishore Biyani-backed Future Group, which is saddled with high promoter level debt, has launched preliminary talks with a clutch of strategic and private equity investors to sell its stake in its general insurance joint venture with Italys Generali Group, people familiar with the matter told Moneycontrol.

Mumbai-headquartered Future, Indias largest retail firm, holds a 50 percent stake in Future Generali India Insurance, which commenced operations in 2007.

Future Group has reached out to India-focused private equity firm True North, Hero FinCorp, Kotak Mahindra Bank, among others, one of the persons told Moneycontrol. Future Group has named investment bank UBS to find a buyer for the proposed stake sale.

A second person said discussions have picked up pace in recent weeks and Future Group expects to raise $300-350 million through the deal. Another person said Future Generali India Insurance was a good, well-built platform that has been around for 12-13 years and would therefore attract interest from bidders.

A fourth individual privy to the negotiations said Future Generali is among the top 10-11 players insurance in India and is reasonably sized. True North is bullish on the domestic insurance sector and has been on the prowl for more bets in this space after it struck the Max Bupa deal. The Hero Group has attempted acquisitions in this segment earlier, but those deal talks didnt fructify and it continues to be interested in the segment, he said.

Explaining the deal rationale for Kotak Mahindra Bank, this person said they (Kotak) are a late entrant in the general insurance and a small player. They can achieve size and scale through this deal.

All the four persons spoke to Moneycontrol on the condition of anonymity.

In response to an email query from Moneycontrol, Future Group and UBS declined to comment. We have no comments to offer, said Rohit Rao, Chief Communication Officer, Kotak Mahindra Group. True North was unavailable for comment. When contacted, Abhimanyu Munjal, Joint MD and CEO, Hero FinCorp said, We dont want to comment on market speculation.

Future Group promoter entities had a total debt of Rs 11,970 crore, with total pledged shares estimated at over 90 percent by value across the group, according to media reports.

Future Generali India Insurance is present in more than 125 locations across India, has 3,000 active corporate clients and has sold more than 82 lakh policies. The firm manages assets worth Rs 3,629 crore as of March last year. It has products ranging from health insurance, personal accident, travel insurance, motor insurance, home insurance and others.

In 2018, Generali Group said it has signed an agreement with Future Group to increase its stake in its insurance ventures in India to 49 percent from 25.5 percent after investing $130 million.

Khushroo Panthaky, Director, Grant Thornton Advisory Pvt, feels the next few months could determine the extent of opportunity that the coronavirus pandemic could spell for these firms. "In the post COVID-19 era, on account of increased costs of reinsurance and a high incidence of claims on the health side, general and health insurance companies will enhance premium for individual and group health insurance policies. General insurance companies will start offering comprehensive health insurance and other covers, given that group health insurance could be made mandatory for all business and government establishments. The next six months could determine the extent to which this pandemic could turn into an opportunity for these insurance players," he explained.

In February 2019, True North purchased a 50 percent stake in Max Bupa from Max India for Rs 510 crore. Max Bupa is a joint venture between Max India and UK-based healthcare services firm Bupa. True North (formerly known as India Value Fund Advisors  IVFA) was established in 1999 with a focus on investing in mid-sized India centric businesses. It has pumped in around $1.5 billion across 30-plus businesses, according to its website. Its existing portfolio includes companies such as Zydus Wellness, Meru Cabs, DM Healthcare, KIMS Hospitals, Magma Fincorp, among others.

Delhi-headquartered NBFC Hero FinCorp offers two-wheeler loans, used car loans, loan against property, corporate and SME loans. According to media reports, in September 2019, the Anil Ambani Group called off the proposed sale of its general insurance business to Hero FinCorp after advanced negotiations.

Kotak General Insurance is a 100 percent subsidiary of Kotak Mahindra Bank. It offers non-life insurance products like motor, health, etc and had a footprint of 13 branches across India as of December 2017.
The world court had upheld India's claim that Pakistan has committed an egregious violation of Vienna Convention on several counts

New Delhi: India is in contact with Pakistan through diplomatic channels on implementation of International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision in Kulbhushan Jadhav case, sources said.

"Last year the ICJ gave a decision in favor of India. We are in touch with Pakistan through diplomatic channels on implementation of ICJ decision," sources said

On September 2 last year, India's Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan Gaurav Ahluwalia met Jadhav in Islamabad after Islamabad had granted consular access to the former naval officer.

In July, the ICJ, by a vote of 15-1, had upheld India's claim that Pakistan has committed an egregious violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations on several counts.

The world court had ordered Islamabad to carry out an effective "review and reconsideration" of his conviction.

Jadhav was purportedly "arrested" from Balochistan by Pakistani security forces on March 3, 2016, after he allegedly entered the country from Iran as claimed by Islamabad.

India has rejected Pakistan's allegations about Jadhav's involvement in spying and subversive activities and said he was kidnapped from the Iranian port of Chabahar where he was running a business.
TULSA, Okla., May 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of Tulsa is threatening to evict IC Bus from its school bus manufacturing facility at the Tulsa International Airport, a move which would cost the city and the state of Oklahoma 1,600 jobs.

IC Bus executives say in January 2020, the City of Tulsa, at the direction of Mayor G.T. Bynum, told IC Bus it was going to terminate the company's lease effective Feb. 14, 2020. This eviction, only 20 years into the company's 40-year lease, would have resulted in the immediate loss of 1,600 jobs. IC Bus requested additional time to hold negotiations.

IC Bus executives now say they are at an impasse with the City regarding this long-term lease for over 1 million square feet of manufacturing space and are concerned that if a resolution cannot be reached with Mayor Bynum and the City, the company will be forced to relocate outside of Oklahoma.

"Over the past 20 years, we've been able to create 1,600 good-paying manufacturing jobs," said Phil Christman, president of operations for Navistar International Corporation (NYSE: NAV), the parent company of IC Bus. "We spend $750 million each year with vendors and suppliers, and support more than 100 local businesses. We do not understand why City officials suddenly want to break the long-term framework and threaten to evict us."

"We would like to get this matter resolved so we can stay in Tulsa," Christman continued. "We have a great workforce and, despite the current tough economic conditions, we are continuing to operate and we have plans for growth. The potential loss of 1,600 jobs in the current economic environment makes no sense."

In addition to threatening to terminate the lease and evict IC Bus, Mayor Bynum, chief of economic development Kian Kamas and Mark Hogan, the City's director of asset management, have demanded that the company spend approximately $20 million on projects by 2024, regardless of the company's maintenance schedule. The Mayor and his team have also demanded a massive rent increase of $28 million over the next ten years.

Local Tulsa employees are being encouraged to join a coalition, the "Save Tulsa Jobs" campaign, www.savetulsajobs.com, where they and others can reach out to elected officials and express their support for keeping IC Bus in Tulsa.

In 1999, IC Bus and the City entered into a landmark agreement for a 40-year lease to repurpose an abandoned bomber plant on Mingo Road adjacent to the airport and transform it into a modern manufacturing facility. The nearly mile-long, 1-million-square-foot plant is the world's leading producer of school buses. IC Bus has invested over $140 million in the plant since it opened, including more than $48 million over the past five years.

"We have been doing everything in our power to protect the jobs of the hardworking men and women whose livelihoods are being put at risk. We must also ensure there is no disruption for our customers," said Christman. "Our desire is to stay and grow in Tulsa, but if local leaders will not be reasonable and honor the terms of our lease, we will be forced to take our plant and 1,600 manufacturing jobs to another state where they will be appreciated."

The demands of the Mayor's office include:

Replacing dormant freight elevators that are not used by IC Bus with expensive new elevators that will not be used for the foreseeable future by the plant.

Requiring a complete repaving and resurfacing of driveways, access roads and parking lots instead of maintenance and patch repair.

Immediately replacing more than 1,000 light fixtures in the parking lots, office areas and on the manufacturing floor with LED light bulbs, despite the fact that the plant retrofit and installed high efficiency lighting several years ago and the fixtures are less than halfway through their expected lifecycle.

Accelerating beautification or vanity improvements such as carpet and ceiling tile replacement, painting and numerous items related to the look of the building's exterior.

"Our priority is to ensure the plant is safe and efficient so that it can weather this economic climate, while providing communities with the world's safest, most technologically advanced school buses ever made," said Christman. "The City's demands to divert capital away from our employees and manufacturing operations, to meet beautification and other superficial goals made up by City staff, is not appropriate, and it is certainly not worth risking 1,600 jobs. We hope that the support of the community will help forge a consensus allowing us to stay in Tulsa, rather than IC Bus being forced to make long-term plans in another city out of state that will honor its commitments and contracts."

The Tulsa IC Bus plant provides starting wages of approximately $19 per hour, and experienced workforce members make up to approximately $32 per hour. In total, the plant provides over $60 million in direct income to local workers annually, in addition to health care and retirement benefits.

In addition to the $750 million spent each year on vendors and suppliers, the IC Bus operation generates new economic development by those suppliers. One IC Bus supplier is building a 45,000-square-foot greenfield manufacturing plant in Tulsa, specializing in the manufacturing of seating systems, to support the assembly of school buses at the IC Bus Plant.

Bus production is at its peak and approximately 75 vehicles are typically completed daily. IC Bus is continuing its manufacturing operations with enhanced safety protocols in place due to COVID-19.

So far, the impasse has not disrupted any manufacturing operations, and company officials are confident that this dispute will not cause manufacturing delays for the foreseeable future. A standstill agreement with the City expires on May 29, 2020. IC Bus hopes to reach a reasonable resolution with the City before that date.

More information about the impasse can be found at www.savetulsajobs.com or on Facebook at @SaveTulsaJobs.

About Navistar

Navistar International Corporation (NYSE: NAV) is a holding company whose subsidiaries and affiliates produce International brand commercial trucks, proprietary diesel engines, and IC Bus brand school and commercial buses. An affiliate also provides truck and diesel engine service parts. Another affiliate offers financing services. Additional information is available at www.Navistar.com.

SOURCE Navistar International Corporation

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http://www.navistar.com


Real Madrid maintain interest in Pogba, and hope for more business with their great allies Manchester United Real Madrid - La Liga Plenty of deals done in the past

Real Madrid haven't given up on the idea of signing Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba.

The Frenchman's market value has dropped over the last year and is some way off the 200 million euros Manchester United wanted for his services last summer.

Transfermarkt now have the midfielder valued at just 80 million euros, which is exactly what has Los Blancos still keen on his arrival.

United have been great allies of Real Madrid's in the past, engaging in business together for Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Javier Hernandez and Gabriel Heinze, while Angel Di Maria went in the opposite direction.

Cristiano Ronaldo

The Portuguese change the Spanish side's recent history, becoming a legend at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

Ronaldo broke all records imaginable in Madrid and won 16 titles, including four Champions Leagues.

Nine years after arriving for 96 million euros he left for 112 million euros to join Juventus.

David Beckham

The Englishman was the cherry on the cake of Florentino Perez's Galacticos, which he had started to build in 2000.

Real Madrid took advantage of his troubled relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson and paid just over 30 million euros to sign him, making him the cheapest of those big name signings.

Beckham spent four years at Real Madrid, won LaLiga Santander under Fabio Capello and then set off for Los Angeles.

Ruud van Nistelrooy

The forward landed in 2006 in another deal that Real Madrid pounced upon when Ferguson chose to sell the Dutchman after he and Cristiano Ronaldo had problems.

At 30, Van Nistelrooy joined Los Blancos and hit the ground running by bagging 33 goals in his first season to win the Pichichi and the title under Capello.

He added another 20 goals the following season before injuries took their toll.

Gabriel Heinze and Chicharito

The Argentinian touched down in 2007 and helped Real Madrid to the 2007/08 LaLiga Santander title, which was their second in row.

He played 26 times and was an important member of the backline.

Hernandez arrived later to join Carlo Ancelotti's 2014/15 side and although he didn't have a starring role, he scored an important goal against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final.

Angel Di Maria

Now at Paris Saint-Germain, the Argentinian had problems at Real Madrid which caused a separation.

United took advantage of his situation by offering around 80 million euros to sign him.

Things didn't go to plan at Old Trafford though and he soon joined PSG.
The Ahmedabad civic body will



issue notices to private hospitals, clinics and nursing homes, asking them to open facilities within 48 hours or lose licence, an official said on Wednesday.

The Ahmdabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) also decided to designate nine private hospitals with aggregate capacity of 1,000 beds as COVID hospitals under the Epidemic Diseases Act, an official said.

"Private clinics/nursing homes/hospitals to be issued notices to open their clinics within 48 hours and be notified that they will lose their licences otherwise," said Additional Chief Secretary Rajiv Kumar Gupta, who has been appointed to monitor works related to coronavirus in the city.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ohio House Republicans on Wednesday rammed through a spiteful measure seeking to handcuff the ability of Gov. Mike DeWine and his health director, Dr. Amy Acton, to issue health orders to protect Ohioans from COVID-19 and other killer diseases. They did so in the teeth of Ohioans overwhelming support for DeWine and his actions.

The amendment, which passed the House by a non-veto-proof 58-37 vote -- largely party-line, with two Cleveland-area Republicans dissenting -- could not have come to a vote without the approval of Speaker Larry Householder.

Its also petty.

It takes a swipe at Acton, a nationally recognized public servant, praised for her skill in protecting Ohioans. Yes, of necessity, some of Actons orders -- issued with the support and under the direction of DeWine -- have inconvenienced Ohioans long accustomed to doing what they want, when they want.

But her orders, and DeWines decisions, have also saved lives -- something most Ohioans also recognize. A Baldwin Wallace University Ohio Poll released last week found a stunning 90 percent of Ohio voters backed the states coronavirus restrictions and about 85 percent approved of DeWines handling of the pandemic.

And although the amendments wording nominally targets Acton, its evident this mean-spirited piece of legislation aims primarily at undercutting DeWine, a fellow Republican.

Whether this is Statehouse show business, aimed at pacifying rural members of Householders GOP caucus, or a genuine power grab by Householder at DeWines expense, it represents the Larry Householder of his controversial 2001-2004 speakership, not the supposedly older-and-wiser Larry Householder who regained the speakership in 2019.

In a statement after the House action, Gov. DeWine warned that, Creating more uncertainty regarding public health and employee safety is the last thing we need as we work to restore consumer confidence in Ohios economy."

Moreover, the amendment all but invites people to sue the state. It allows an Ohio citizen to seek an injunction against the director of health without meeting the [customary legal] requirements for an injunction, the Legislative Service Commission reports in its analysis of the amendment.

So much for GOP gripes about lawsuits.

The Ohio Houses State and Local Government Committee slid the amendment into a Senate regulatory reform bill, Senate Bill 1, without public testimony. On a party-line vote earlier Wednesday, the committee then sent the amended bill to the House floor.

Among committee members voting for the amendment were Republican Reps. Dave Greenspan, of Westlake, and Steve Hambley, of Brunswick. Greenspan later opposed amended SB 1 on the House floor -- as did fellow GOP state Rep. Gayle Manning of North Ridgeville. All the other House Republicans voted for it. No Democrats did.

The amendment limits Actons orders to 14 days unless approved by a select group of 10 lawmakers who serve on the legislatures Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR).

In other words, this measure doesnt just seek to take away from the elected governor of Ohio the life-and-death power of issuing any but the most temporary emergency public health orders. It also hands that power to 10 lawmakers hand-picked by the Ohio House speaker and the Ohio Senate president.

The JCARR panel is composed of five state senators (three Republicans and two Democrats, including Cleveland Democrat Sandra Williams) and five representatives (three Republicans, including Lake Countys Jamie Callender, a close ally of Householder, and two Democrats, including Lakewoods Michael Skindell).

If the amendment becomes law, any order Acton issues would expire after 14 days unless at least three Senate members of JCARR and three of its House members approve it.

The amendment is retroactive; it applies to orders Acton made on or after April 29. Since then, the Legislative Service Commission reports, Acton has issued two orders. One extended K-12 school closings through June 30. The other allowed some businesses to reopen.

Because the amendment was added to a Senate-passed measure, the Senate must now agree or disagree to the Houses wrongheaded proposal. Senate President Larry Obhof, a Medina Republican, and his Senate GOP caucus can act to protect Ohioans health -- and save their fellow Republicans in the House from themselves -- by emphatically rejecting this ill-conceived amendment.

To do anything less is to risk Ohioans lives.

This editorial has been updated to include Gov. DeWines statement responding to the House action.

About our editorials: Editorials express the view of the editorial board of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer -- the senior leadership and editorial-writing staff. As is traditional, editorials are unsigned and intended to be seen as the voice of the news organization.

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Spain has extended the state of emergency imposed to combat the coronavirus pandemic for two more weeks from Sunday, allowing the government to control people's movements as it gradually relaxes a national lockdown.

Parliament approved the measure on Wednesday after Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who heads a fragile coalition government, mustered enough support from opposition parties to carry the vote.

Spain, where more than 25,000 people have died from the COVID-19 disease, has been under a lockdown since March 14 and the current state of emergency ends at midnight on Saturday.

Although the situation is improving, Sanchez says it is necessary to maintain some restrictions on movement to keep the infection at bay.
Police at the scene of a stabbing incident in the Woodbourne Crescent area of west Belfast

A 17-year-old boy was remanded into custody on Wednesday accused of stabbing a man in the stomach in west Belfast.

The youth appeared before the city's Magistrates Court in connection with the alleged knife attack in the Woodbourne Crescent area last Saturday.

A 26-year-old man was taken to hospital for treatment to abdominal wounds.

The defendant, who cannot be identified because of his age, faces charges of causing grievous bodily harm and possessing an offensive weapon with intent.

A detective claimed CCTV evidence links him to the stabbing.

It was alleged that the teenager can be seen producing the blade without warning.

"He did not hesitate to use it on an unsuspecting victim who thought he had been punched before realising he had been stabbed," the detective contended.

"It would appear that he stabbed the injured party without knowing him, and police would be concerned that if released he may attack another member of the public."

District Judge Mark Hamill was told the knife has not been recovered.

Concerns were also raised that there could be reprisals against the youth due to tensions in the local community.

Defence solicitor Ciaran Toner insisted his client has not been warned of any threat against him.

He argued that the accused could live at an address in north Belfast, up to eight miles away from the scene of the alleged attack.

But Mr Hamill ruled that it was premature to seek release amid an ongoing police investigation.

Refusing bail, the judge said: "I'm concerned about the whereabouts of the knife, and the question of interference with witnesses."

He remanded the teenager in custody to appear again in four weeks time.
About 50 cars have arrived at Yevropeiska Square and remain there as an act of protest.

Entrepreneurs have blocked traffic downtown Kyiv, demanding that the government should not obstruct their activity amid lockdowns introduced in Ukraine to counter the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Read alsoRallies outside Cabinet: Businessmen demand quarantine easing, equal rules (Photo, video)

About 50 cars have arrived at Yevropeiska (European) Square and remain there as an act of protest, an UNIAN correspondent reported.

Activists say they arrived from nearly 40 cities and towns. Stickers on their cars say: "Do not destroy small businesses," "Justice for all," "Quarantine kills," "Open markets in the country," "Protect small businesses," "You kill small businesses and seek a new IMF loan," "Stop passing decisions without thinking," and others.

Protesters claim the work of small- and medium-sized businesses cannot be halted over the quarantine.

Also, about 30 people are continuously walking across at a pedestrian crossing near the building of the city's parliamentary library, and cars that are not participating in the rally are blocked. The same situation is at a pedestrian crossing near Parkova Alley near the Dynamo stadium.

Meanwhile, police have blocked Hrushevskoho Street towards the government quarter. Members of the dialogue policing unit are also present there.

Activists plan to hold a rally outside the building of the Cabinet of Ministers and thus quarrel with law enforcement officers who do not let them pass towards the government's building.

A heavy police presence enhanced by the National Guard to ensure order and security is seen on Kyiv streets.
Looking like something right out of a Hollywood horror film, smoke billowed from the patient simulators mouth and nose, filling a pyramid-shaped acrylic chamber that encased the mannequins head.

Standing nearby was Dr. Richard McNeer, an anesthesiologist at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

The chamber, he observed, was working flawlessly, preventing the smokein this case, theatrical fog used to mimic COVID-19 respiratory particlesfrom reaching him and the team of other health care experts who had gathered to test the device as part of a mock intubation procedure.

But then, McNeer had one of those aha moments. He discovered that a Yankauer, a special suctioning tool used in many medical procedures, could actually evacuate most of the aerosol particles if it were positionedprior to intubationstrategically near the opening of the mannequins vocal cords.

It was a serendipitous discovery, McNeer recalled. Suction has been used to remove everything from stomach contents to blood. But this is perhaps the first time its been considered for use in suctioning out aerosols. This is something that can be done upstream of just about any of the other strategies and safety measures to prevent exposure to the virus during intubation.

A formidable one-two punch, the chamber, or intubation box, and suction tubing are part of a broad University of Miami initiative to 3D print and fabricate devices and personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical personnel on the front lines of the war against COVID-19.

From low-cost ventilators and powered air-purifying respirators to surgical helmets, filter caps for N95 masks, and even nasal swabs used to test for the coronavirus, a multitude of products are either in the design and testing phase or, as is the case with the intubation box, in actual use.

Departments and divisions from across the University are involved in the endeavor, helping to ramp up stockpiles of medical supplies at a time when demand has outpaced supply.

Were responding to the needs of all those in the health care field who are caring for COVID-19 patients. Thats our guiding principle, said Jean-Pierre Bardet, vice provost of strategic projects, who is spearheading the Universitys COVID-19 Preparedness Committee.

Doctors and nurses still need better PPEs. And when the crisis subsides, the public will need more effective personal protection and more testing, Bardet said. How will we address those challenges? How will we deal with the second COVID-19 wave? Ventilators are no longer in short supply in the U.S., but what about other parts of the world like South America? Our goal is to produce badly needed supplies and equipment that will be used, not squandered.

Global pandemics, said Jeffrey Duerk, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, require local responses and quick action by the entire community. It has been impressive to see the mobilization of faculty, student talent, and institutional leadership in responding to emerging and evolving needs.

Of all the fabrication projects now underway, the intubation boxes are at the most advanced stage, with physicians and nurses at Ryder Trauma Center, Jackson Memorial Hospital, and Nicklaus Childrens Hospital already using them as protective shields during certain medical procedures.

Made from acrylic, the reusable, clear enclosure covers a patients head and has two circular ports through which an anesthesiologist inserts his gloved hands and arms to perform an airway procedure.

We knew that anesthesiologists were at risk of being exposed to splatter and respiratory droplets when performing intubations, so we were trying to find a way to protect them, said Suresh Atapattu, a biomedical engineer at the Miller Schools International Medicine Institute. Were not anesthesiologists, but we wanted to come up with something to help those physicians at the tip of the spear in this fight.

As Atapattu and cardiologist Eduardo de Marchena, associate dean for international medicine, searched for a solution, they found inspiration from half a world a way. A physician in Taiwan, they learned, had constructed and used a clear barrier device to protect health care workers when intubating COVID-19 patients.

So Atapattu quickly sprung into action, designing a version of the box and then driving to a local Lowes home improvement store to buy the acrylic to build it. He constructed the first prototype in the garage of his Plantation, Florida, home, using Crystal Clear Gorilla Tape to attach the sheets of acrylic, and a Dremel tool to create the ports.

It was a learning process from the very beginning, Atapattu recalled of building the first box. The design had to be clean, which meant we couldnt use screws to attach the sheets because there couldnt be any places inside where the virus could hide.

He initially built two boxes, giving one to Nicklaus Childrens Hospital, where pediatricians praised the functionality of the design, and another to McNeer, who tested the device on a patient simulator at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies Simulation Hospital for Advancing Research and Education (SHARE).

In the latter case, the box turned out to be a bit cumbersome. So, McNeer and two nursing school clinical faculty members, who participated in the testing phase, reimagined the design. They suggested to Atapattu that the boxes be pyramid-shaped and collapsible, so they could be easily stored when not in use.

With the design now finalized, Atapattu turned to the School of Architecture, where Maxwell Jarosz, architect and manager of the fabrication lab and model shop, employed a precision laser cutter to build more intubation boxes. The lines are now cleaner, and the design is more prism-shaped, Atapattu said. But the key elements are still thereacrylic and Gorilla Tape.

Six of the boxes were recently delivered to Ryder Trauma Center, where McNeer works as an anesthesiologist, performing airway procedures on patients who are brought in with serious and often life-threatening injuries.

Sometimes, we have to intubate them because of the injuries theyve sustained, not knowing if theyre COVID-19 positive or not, he explained. Weve intubated patients who have subsequently been shown to have the virus. Were trying to protect ourselves as much as possible. But its different than what a lot of the frontline caregivers are experiencing, where they know that a patient is COVID positive. In our situation, we have to prioritize. If a patient is febrile, we treat them like theyre COVID-19 positive.

A total of 30 intubation boxes will be fabricated, with the College of EngineeringJohnson & Johnson 3D Printing Center of Excellence Collaborative Laboratory donating additional acrylic to complete the construction phase.

A lot of architects have skill sets that are valuable, knowing about 3D printing for one, Jarosz said. Doctors can do a very good job describing what they need, but because of their clinical obligations, they arent always able to make it. So, weve been able to contribute in that regard. Its been a very interesting collaborationone I thought Id never be in but am happy to be a part of.

As for the suction tube to be used in tandem with the intubation box, Jarosz is working with McNeer on a design that is more ergonomically friendly. Once the design is finalized, the tubes will be 3D printed in mass quantities at the School of Architecture.

Were exploring some modifications so that were able to perform the suctioning while staying out of the way of the person who is inserting the endotracheal tube, McNeer said. And we want to make sure that were better able to place it in the proper position before the intubation is attempted. The aerosol is generated once you start to look for the vocal cords. So, the actual suctioning has to be started before then.

A prototype will be ready soon. Im anxious to see how it performs in the simulation hospital, McNeer said.

The intubation box and use of periglottic suctioning, as it is formally called, are applicable not only to anesthesiologists, but to anyone in the medical field performing intubations, said Jeffrey Groom, professor of clinical and associate dean for Simulation Programs at SHARE, who participated in the simulations.

From paramedics in the pre-hospital setting to emergency department personnel to physicians and nurses, as well as the anesthesia and ICU folks, it has implications across the health care setting, said Groom, a former City of Miami paramedic for 12 years. Beyond the current COVID-19 pandemic, the routine use of barrier boxes and periglottic suctioning should be considered for use with all endotracheal intubation procedures where there may be an exposure or infection risk.

Nichole Crenshaw, assistant professor of clinical and director of the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program, who performed the mock intubation procedure at the nursing school, recognizes the critical need for health care workers to protect themselves as the pandemic continues to rage.

Being a part of this project has been a way to make sure were all staying safe, said Crenshaw. Theres been a heightened sense of taking care of each other during this crisis. And, thats what has stood out to me more than anything.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported 888 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, raising the statewide total to 51,845.

Across Pennsylvania, 3,106 have died due to COVID-19, including 94 newly reported fatalities, the health department said. All of those who have died were adults.

Two-third of the states coronavirus deaths have occurred in long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes. More than 10,000 residents in those facilities have contracted the virus, along with more than 1,000 employees.

This marks the fourth day in a row the state is reporting fewer than 1,000 new cases; that hasnt happened since March.

The health department reported new data Wednesday; the data reflects cases and deaths reported by midnight.

There are 204,495 patients who have tested negative for the virus, the health department said. The new state figures indicate results from 5,458 tests.

The health department released data Tuesday that included 554 newly reported fatalities. The department said some of those deaths have occurred over the previous two weeks, so the data didnt reflect a one-day spike in fatalities. Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine has said it can take several days to reconcile data and confirm deaths are tied to the coronavirus.

A closer look

Cases have been reported in all of Pennsylvanias 67 counties but the health secretary said the curve has flattened in Pennsylvania. Even the Philadelphia area, which has been hit hardest, appears to have passed the peak of the virus, Levine has said.

The city of Philadelphia leads the state with 13,742 cases and 625 deaths, according to the state health department. In neighboring Montgomery County, 4,827 people have contracted the virus and 471 have died.

Lancaster County leads central Pennsylvania with 2,041 cases and 145 deaths due to the coronavirus, according to the state health department.

Heres a look at cases in other midstate counties: Lebanon (774 cases and 15 deaths); York (722 cases and 11 deaths); Dauphin (711 cases and 29 deaths); Franklin (406 cases and 9 deaths); Cumberland (386 cases and 26 deaths); Adams (148 cases and 5 deaths); and Perry (34 cases and 1 death).

Reflecting the statewide trend, most coronavirus deaths in central Pennsylvania are tied to nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.

Nursing homes

The health department said 2,108 residents in long-term care facilities have died due to the coronavirus.

Across Pennsylvania, 10,010 residents of long-term care facilities have contracted the virus, along with 1,372 employees.

Cases have been found in 502 long-term care facilities in 44 counties.

Across Pennsylvania, 2,553 coronavirus patients are being treated in hospitals and 549 patients are on ventilators, according to the health department. With hospitals treating fewer patients, the health department has given hospitals approval to resume elective surgeries, which had been prohibited to preserve beds and supplies in the pandemic.

Most of those who contract the virus dont require treatment at a hospital, health care officials have said. Still, they caution that the virus can cause serious complications, particularly for seniors.

Reopening Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania remains under a stay-at-home order but Gov. Tom Wolf will lift 24 counties from the order on Friday. The counties are in northcentral and northwestern Pennsylvania.

These are the counties that will be reopened first: Bradford, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Montour, Northumberland, Potter, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, Union, Venango, and Warren.

Wolf has said the reopening of the state will occur in three phases: red, yellow and green. The 24 counties moving into the yellow phase Friday will be allowed to reopen some businesses, with some restrictions.

More from PennLive

School districts have moved their classes online. But not all students have joined them

UPMC nurses describe the challenge of battling coronavirus: National Nurses Week

Out of money and out of time: Pa. agencies serving those with disabilities face financial crisis

Top Pa. health official says state wont supply masks, other protective equipment to hospitals that resume elective surgeries

Gov. Tom Wolf talks about Pa. primary, mail-in ballots and voting at the polls in a pandemic
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Campus shutdowns, the shift to remote learning, and shrinking revenue from sources like dorm fees and student bookstores has hit the California State University system with $337 million in lost income and new costs, according to the university's first tally of the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It is a significant loss in revenue for all 23 campuses," said Mike Uhlenkamp, spokesman for Cal State Chancellor Tim White.

The overall $337 million hit for the spring semester has been softened by about $260 million in federal relief sent to the university system, Uhlenkamp said, and campuses can tap into reserves to make up for some of the rest of the costs.

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But the long-term fiscal outlook for the system remains uncertain, according to the California State University Fiscal Status Report, released Tuesday in advance of next week's meeting of the system's Board of Trustees.

"There are several key questions that will not be answered for several months," the report says. "(1) How severe will the effects of COVID-19 be on the current and future state budget, and what will that mean for state investments in the CSU? (2) To what extent will the state's multi-billion dollar reserve mitigate the need for budget reductions? (3) How will a final Fall 2020 state budget -- effectively a mid-year budget -- disrupt CSU campuses in budget planning and immediate operations?"

Of the overall hit for the spring semester, $287 million resulted from a massive drop in income streams such as student housing and parking, as well as lost revenue at campus nonprofits like bookstores.

"We're probably down in clothing sales since the COVID crisis started about 70%," said Clint Aase, director of the Bronco Bookstore at Cal Poly Pomona.

A typical March and April yields about $600,000 in sales, Aase said, but this year that was down to $210,000. Fall and spring textbook sales were good and the bookstore is seeing steady online sales, but he's worried because commencement has been postponed and the graduation ceremony and related events typically yield big sales in items such as caps, gowns, diploma frames, and alumni clothing.

The Bronco Bookstore sells about 2,300 diploma frames each year, starting at about $150 each. Aase said he's sold about 200 so far. Online sales are keeping the bookstore afloat for now, mostly in items such as laptops and computer cameras for video conferencing. The bookstore hasn't laid off any of its 14 full-time staff people, but it's only employing about six of the 125 students who usually work at the bookstore.

The report expresses similar worries about employees. "If existing conditions persist into the summer and fall," it says, "one of the many challenges the CSU could face is the potential for additional, significant, and precipitous revenue drops. It would be challenging for campuses to reduce costs because of the adverse impact it would have on the employees of those enterprise programs."

The third hit to campuses came in the form of unexpected costs. The report said the university system spent about $50 million it had not anticipated to sanitize facilities, pay workers overtime, and provide hardware and software for the transition to online instruction. CSU's operating budget for the current fiscal year is $7.2 billion.

Cal State trustees will discuss these costs at their meeting next Tuesday. There is no action expected.

Uhlenkamp said the looming topic at Tuesday's discussion will be how the CSU system will prepare for cuts to funding expected as Governor Gavin Newsom prepares to release in the coming weeks his revised budget for next fiscal year.
The Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) has welcomed the decision to widen the testing criteria for Covid-19.

People need to display symptoms of the coronavirus, for example, a cough, fever or shortness of breath and do not need to be a priority group, according to the change in criteria.

The Irish College of General Practitioners welcomes the widening of the Covid-19 testing criteria," the group's president, Dr Mary Favier, said

"We need to be able to track this virus, so the wider we can cast the net the better.

This is a necessary step as restrictions are easing. We are increasingly confident the systems the HSE have put in place will be able to accommodate and manage the ramping up in the number of tests performed each week.

As we increase the number of tests, it is critically important that contact tracing is timely and appropriately organised in order to deal with the anticipated rise.

"If a test result is positive, public health must ensure they quickly trace that persons contacts so that we are then managing the ongoing spread of the disease.

'This remains something to worry about': Criteria for Covid testing widens from today

The testing criteria for Covid-19 has changed from this morning.

People dont have to be in a priority group to get tested but need to have a cough, fever or shortness of breath.

Monaghan GP Illona Duffy says widening the testing criteria will help contain the spread of the virus.

"There can be that sense that most people are feeling 'well, I've mild symptoms, it's ok, this isn't something to worry about' - this remains something to worry about," she said.

"That's why I'm delighted to see today that we are opening up the testing again so we can get a true picture.

"Every decision that we are going to make about moving forward, every decision that we are going to make about relaxing all the restrictions that are on us, have to be made by the spread of the disease," she added.
Interstate Police Raid Trucking Company Over Fatal Melbourne Crash

Police carried out raids on three Sydney properties linked to the trucking company of the driver who allegedly killed four police officers in a multi-car collision on April 22.

Connect Logistics head office in Riverstone, Sydney was swarming with Victoria and New South Wales state police May 5. An additional two homes linked to the companys managers were also raided, reported 9News.

It is understood police confiscated a number of documents during the searches, including logbooks. Investigators are checking if the company was compliant with heavy vehicle laws.

The cross-state raids have been carried out by Victoria police detectives from the Heavy Vehicle Unit, Crime Investigation Unit, NSW Traffic, and Highway Patrol Command Crash investigators.

Victoria Police is currently in NSW as part of their continued investigations into the fatal crash on the Eastern Freeway in Kew, Senior Constable Alistair Parsons told 9News.

Police previously searched residential properties in Frankston and Croydon in Melbourne, linked to Connect Logistics.

Eastern Freeway Collision

Mohinder Singh Bajwa was driving the Connect Logistics truck that swerved into the emergency lane crashing into four police officers who were responding to a speeding Porsche driver.

Leading Senior Constable Lynnette Taylor, Senior Constable Kevin King, Constable Glen Humphris, and Constable Joshua Prestney lost their lives in the line of duty. It was the biggest loss in a single day in Victorian police history. Funerals have been held for them in the past week.

Singh appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on April 27 and was charged with culpable driving causing death. He did not apply for bail and is scheduled to return on Oct. 1.

The 47-year-old is receiving psychiatric care since the incident, his lawyer said that Singh may have been living with undiagnosed mental health issues his whole life.

It is understood that drug paraphernalia was located in his truck, reported 9News.
The coronavirus pandemic has been an unprecedented disaster for New York  and one that has injected a fresh sense of urgency into efforts to address climate change. With emissions falling as a result of stay-at-home orders and reduced productivity, there is even a chance of making substantial strides against the looming global emergency.

Activists are demanding divestment from fossil fuel companies. New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer is urging insurance companies to give up on coal. Major investors want an environmentally sustainable economic recovery.

And in another small but significant sign that the matter is being taken more seriously, the state Department of Financial Services announced Tuesday that it was hiring Nina Chen as its first director of sustainability and climate initiatives, even as the agency grapples with COVID-19 and the economic slowdown it has wrought.

Chens portfolio will include developing policy initiatives on a wide range of fronts, including sustainability, green finance and climate mitigation. But when it comes to helping businesses weather the changes of climate change, the MIT grad and Nature Conservancy alum will have one overarching goal, according to her new boss.

She can help industry to engage in this very difficult job of trying to quantify what their risks are, DFS Superintendent Linda Lacewell told City & State. (Businesses) are going to be dealing with that on all sides.

Hiring one person to begin discussions with big business will not change the states regulatory environment anytime soon. However, it does mark a pivot by the state when it comes to addressing a problem that could make the human and economic toll of the current pandemic appear mild by comparison.

The valuation of that can be tricky in standard financial terms said Stuart Gruskin, the chief conservation officer for The Nature Conservancy New York. You need the environmental stakeholders, the businesses stakeholders and the regulators at the table. It really has to be a real all hands on deck approach.

The new focus on climate change at the department comes as the state Climate Action Council, which was appointed by the governor and legislative leaders, develops plans to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions by 85% (based on 1990 levels) by 2050. While that timetable has made the state a national leader in setting climate goals, New York has some catching up to do with European countries like France and the U.K., according to Lacewell. Climate change, prior to this pandemic, has been one of the biggest risks for big business, she said. The Europeans in many ways have been ahead of us on this, unfortunately.

Efforts in the European Union have focused on creating a green finance taxonomy that would offer clarity to banks, money managers and insurers on what officially makes a business environmentally sustainable, according to Bloomberg News. The European Banking Authority plans to wrap up such work by 2025, but the current focus is on gathering data to assess just how climate change increases risk across the economy.

Measuring the success of such efforts can be difficult in the short term, according to Lacewell, who credited conversations with European regulators for inspiring the departments new climate change effort in New York. More information has to be gathered on how industries like insurance are already factoring climate change into their financial plans. Only then can state regulators turn their attention towards creating a green new regulatory regime.

While that will take years to develop, the hiring of Chen does send a signal, according to Lacewell. When your regulator asks you what you're doing about something, the regulator is saying this is important, Lacewell said. And the industry reacts internally, to put more resources into getting their arms around that particular issue.

Figuring out how to balance the competing interests in environmental projects was a big part of the work that Chen  who declined to comment for this story  did during her five years at The Nature Conservancy, where she directed the nonprofits conservation investments program. She previously worked at Goldman Sachs and the Royal Bank of Canada.

With a chemical engineering doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Chen was described as smart by several people in the environmental movement. Her experience in both the financial and environmental sectors is inspiring confidence that the department is serious about taking its climate change efforts up to a new level  but the work is only beginning.

With President Donald Trump largely dismissive of the dangers of a warming planet, New York and other states have tried to fill a void. While the Climate Action Council will not release its plan for the state until 2022, the state will have to incorporate changes to the financial sector as soon as possible in order to meet the challenges of climate change.

Getting someone in place to lead that effort sooner rather than later was a welcome development, according to state environmental leaders. There are a lot of challenges up ahead, said Richard Schrader, director of policy for the Natural Resources Defense Council of New York. This is a good place to start.

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly attributed calls on insurance companies to cut ties with the coal industry, which were actually made by New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer.
At least three members of Irans Revolutionary Guards (IRG's) were reportedly killed in a clash with a counter-revolutionary group on May 5. According to Iran's state media, the event took place in the western province of Kurdistan. The Iranian media agency ISNA quoted a Guards statement that read that Colonel Shakiba Salimi and two other fighters, Jafar Nezampour and Majid Shokri, were martyred after the battle killing a number of counter-revolutionary elements.

READ: IS Militants Kill 10 In Coordinated Attack In Iraq

Breaking News:

Three #Iranian Revolutionary Guards Commanders #IRGC were killed in a clash with a #Kurdish party in #Divadarreh city

The names of those killed:

Shakiba Salimi:The commander of the Marivan Revolutionary Guards

Jaafar Nazempor/Mohammad Shokri#TwitterKurds #Iran pic.twitter.com/J2zx49ln0X  Hengaw_Eng (@Hengaw_Eng) May 5, 2020

Clash near Divandareh

The statement reportedly added that the clash occurred near the town of Divandareh about 63 kilometers (39 miles) east of the border with neighboring Iraq and 400 kilometers (250 miles) west of the capital Tehran. There were no details on the affiliation of the gunmen. Iran has been struggling to fight against the Kurdish militants for the past 40 years. As per reports, the militants use bases in neighboring Iraqi Kurdistan to launch attacks against the Guards and state institutions inside the country. According to the Iranian state television, the final rites of those killed in the clash were held this morning keeping in mind the health protocols and social distancing norms implemented due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.

READ: SEALs Tried To Locate US Citizen Taken By Afghan Militants

Three Revolutionary Guards Reported Killed In Western #Iran: "The area has seen occasional fighting between Iranian forces and Kurdish separatists, as well as militants linked to the #IslamicState extremist group" #IRGChttps://t.co/6wLnXS69Nz  Lucas Webber (@LucasADWebber) May 5, 2020

As per reports, the area has witnessed occasional fighting between Iranian forces and Kurdish separatists as well as militants linked to the extremist Islamic State group. In July, Kurdish militants killed three members of the guard in the country's northwest. Irans eastern borders have also been the scene of occasional clashes with Baluch militants, too.

READ: 5 ULFA(I) Militants Arrested In Assam; Arms And Ammunition Seized

READ: Pakistan Says Militant Attack In Northwest Kills Soldier
If you have not read the work of Ida B. Wells, now is the time. Much of her writings and other documents from her life dating back to 1884 are available online through the University of Chicago Library. The archival diaries, manuscripts and news clippings offer an up-close account of what bravery looks like in the face of terror.
Dark Waters, the film that tells the story of a lawyer, Robert Bilott, and his long struggle to hold DuPont accountable for leakages of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) into the environment, and more disturbingly, its alleged attempts to cover up information relating to serious health issues caused by it, is a film worth watching. In the film, a West Virginian farmer, Wilbur Tennant, notices that after DuPont starts dumping chemicals in a nearby landfill facility, his cattle start dying and he discovers enlarged organs, tumours and other physical deformities which he believes are due to chemicals seeping into the stream from which his animals drink.

Meanwhile, on July 4th 2020 it will become illegal to use, or place products that are chemically treated with water repellents based on C8 telomers on the EU market  with some exceptions for critical end uses. These chemicals, based on fluorinated 8-unit carbon chains, are the most effective water and stain repellents available but it is known that a very small amount of PFOA is produced as an unintended by-product during the manufacture of the C8 telomers.
By Trend

Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 25 times, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

The Armenian armed forces were using large-caliber machine guns and sniper rifles.
Stuart Levey, who currently serves as the chief legal officer for HSBC, has been named chief executive officer of the Libra Association.

The move was announced in a Wednesday press statement. It comes less than a month after the Libra Association announced a broad reimagining to its stablecoin initiative, which will see the issuance of multiple, fiat currency-tied stablecoins. What's more, materials released at the time strongly indicate that the project is looking to align itself, at least in part, around the efforts of the globe's central banks to create digital currencies of their own.

"With the recent initiation of a payment system license under the regulatory supervision of Switzerlands Financial Markets Supervisory Authority, FINMA, Mr. Leveys leadership will help ensure our vision for innovation, inclusion, compliance and competition can be realized," the Association said in its statement.

Levey previously served as the Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence for the U.S. Treasury Department, according to his LinkedIn account. He served in that role between July 2004 and March 2011. He previously worked for the U.S. Department of Justice.

"I am honored to join the Libra Association as it charts a bold path forward to harness the power of technology to transform the global payments landscape," Levey said in a statement. "Technology provides us with the opportunity to make it easier for individuals and businesses to send and receive money, and to empower more than a billion people who have been left on the sidelines of the financial system, all with robust controls to detect and deter illicit financial activity. I look forward to working closely with governments, regulators, and all of our stakeholders to realize this vision."





 2020 The Block Crypto, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.
PHILADELPHIA, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- VBit DC, one of only a few U.S.-based hosting hardware mining companies, announced its $1.1 million seed funding round, led by angel fund Golden Age.

VBit Technologies

VBit DC will use the funding to begin the construction of a 200MW data center in Alberta, Canada. Once completed, VBit's massive Alberta data center will be one of the largest data centers in the world dedicated solely to Bitcoin mining operations. The size of the center and access to inexpensive electricity will allow VBit DC to offer its customers increased mining efficiency and considerably better ROI than was previously possible.

VBit Technologies was founded in 2018 when a few crypto believers and aficionados came together and began exploring the concept of making crypto mining, and its incredible potential, more accessible to the general public. Today, VBit is committed to its mission: leveraging its cutting-edge data centers and equipment to help build efficient cryptocurrency mining operations that can be utilized by everyone. Since launching, VBit has helped around 3,000 customers, and its user growth has been exponential month over month, with users in many different countries.

Danh Vo, CEO, and Founder of VBit Technologies commented on what this will mean for the company, the Bitcoin mining community and, most importantly, for those who are yet to join it:

"We are thrilled to have the support and capital needed to accelerate our growth further. So far, we've been proud of how much our customers gained, and now we're taking this to the next level. I am not only talking about the quantity of the Bitcoin they mined but the feeling of security, a stable stream of passive income which has tremendous value, especially in times like this."

"We expect more people to join us as our new data center will make a change out there in terms of accessibility and clarity of ROI. Bitcoin mining has been opaque and seen as something ambiguous and murky for far too long. We are incredibly excited to offer something reachable, affordable, and efficient for a change that can make a real impact on peoples' lives," he continued.

Media Contact:

Jason Wong

Email: [email protected]

Related Images

vbit-mining-rigs.jpg

VBit Mining Rigs

SOURCE VBit Technologies

Related Links

http://www.vbitmining.com


 Flash

Wanxiang Group, a Chinese multinational automotive components manufacturing company headquartered in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, is donating 1.1 million face masks and 50,000 protective masks to 12 U.S. states, with the first batch of thousands of boxes shipped on Monday.



A label on each box reads, "Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off." The 12 states are Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Delaware, Mississippi, Colorado, South Dakota and Louisiana.

Before the shipment, former Missouri Governor Bob Holden expressed thanks from his residence in Missouri through a video chat to Chinese Consul General in Chicago Zhao Jian and Wanxiang America Corporation President Ni Pin, who were in Wanxiang America's headquarters in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, overseeing the shipment.

"You've made a lot of people very, very happy and feeling much more safe and secure. And that's what I think is cool about building bridges between your culture and our culture for the benefit of both cultures," Holden said to Ni.

Holden thanked Zhao, saying, "It's very, very important that we find common ground and work together because our two countries both have great histories, can have even a greater future by working together as partners and building those relationships to benefit humanity on both sides."

"Our work together will mean we can be successful together. That is what gives me hope that as we go through the difficult times that we're in today, we will have a brighter future together," he added.

Zhao thanked Holden for serving as a very important bridge between the Chinese people and the Midwest in the United States. "It's a very challenging time, but it's good to see that all relevant partners are working together and acting together, unified against the virus."

"The virus is the common enemy of the whole humanity and no one can deal with it by itself. So we think we need to work together and fight against the virus together," he noted.

Zhao recalled the support and assistance China received earlier this year from American companies and people when China was in the most difficult times of the fight against the virus. "We believe that with the concerted efforts, the people here in the Midwest of the United States will be able to control the spread of the virus."

"We also believe that for China and the United States, the two very important countries, the two biggest economies in the world, we should play a leading role in working together, in helping the world fight against the virus. There are really a lot of things that we need to do together and we can do together," Zhao said.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee sent Ni a thank-you letter. "On behalf of the citizens of Tennessee, I wanted to thank you for your donation of 40,000 disposable masks given through the U.S. China Heartland Association. These masks will help our brave frontline personnel combat the immediate and lasting effects of this terrible virus," it read.

In another thank-you letter, Indiana Secretary of Commerce James Schellinger expressed gratitude for Wanxiang's donation of 100,000 masks to the state of Indiana "during this difficult and uncertain time." "This donation is critical in advancing our state's preparedness and will help protect thousands of lives throughout our communities."

"In a world that is more connected now than ever before, the opportunities and challenges we face are shared. We remain committed partners and we look forward to the opportunity to work together in the future," Schellinger wrote in the letter.

According to Ni, Wanxiang has ordered more masks from China. "There's much more we can do with the local hospitals as well," he said, adding that Wanxiang is looking forward to working with local organizations.

"We stay together, [and] we will defeat this COVID-19," he said.
As San Luis Obispo planned to vote on a climate change policy, a SoCalGas union leader emailed city officials saying he would bus in hundreds of protesters. (Alex Gallardo / Los Angeles Times)

San Luis Obispo was on the verge of passing an ambitious climate change policy when the proposal's most vocal critic, Eric Hofmann, found a trump card: fear of the coronavirus.

Elected officials in this city along California's Central Coast planned to vote on an energy code that would encourage construction of all-electric buildings, which don't use gas appliances and aren't hooked up to the gas grid. It's an increasingly popular tool for cities looking to phase out fossil fuels  and a threat to the gas industry, which has mounted a vigorous counteroffensive.

On March 16, Hofmann sent an email to San Luis Obispo officials that left them shocked.

"If the city council intends to move forward with another reading on a gas ban I can assure you there will be no social distancing in place," he wrote. "I strongly urge the city council to kick this can down the road to adhere to public health safety measures. Please don't force my hand in bussing in hundreds and hundreds of pissed off people potentially adding to this pandemic."

Hofmann is president of Utility Workers Union of America Local 132, which represents thousands of employees of Southern California Gas Co.  one of the nation's largest gas utilities, and a prominent crusader against local efforts to phase out gas. He also chairs the board of directors of Californians for Balanced Energy Solutions, a pro-gas advocacy group that has received funding from SoCalGas and worked closely with the utility to generate opposition to all-electric building policies.

"We will pull permits and close streets and have a massive protest on April 7th. Now is not the time to do this," Hofmann wrote. "Please tell mayor harmon and the rest of the council for the sake of people's health, that their efforts are better focused on how to better deal with this pandemic than to stir up all the emotions of people losing their jobs along with this disease."

Story continues

The next week, San Luis Obispo officials scrapped plans for an April 7 vote on the energy code. The vote has not been rescheduled.

The city's community development director, Michael Codron, attributed the indefinite delay in part to Hofmann's threat.

"There's no way to know whether it was bluster," he said in an interview.

A sign declares the boundary line of the Southern California Gas Company gas fields at Aliso Canyon. (Michael Owen Baker)

The fight in San Luis Obispo is a particularly intense example of a battle playing out across the state.

More than two dozen California cities have approved policies over the last year banning or discouraging the use of natural gas for space heating, water heating and cooking in new buildings.

Climate activists and many energy experts see transitioning to all-electric buildings as the best way to slash emissions from homes and businesses. Gas is a fossil fuel that contributes to climate change, whereas California's electricity is increasingly supplied by climate-friendly sources such as solar and wind farms.

SoCalGas has responded by convincing nearly 120 cities and counties to approve similarly worded resolutions, originally drafted by the gas company, calling for "balanced energy solutions." The company's climate solution of choice is renewable natural gas  a fuel that could replace some of the fossil gas that contributes to climate change, but which experts say has serious limitations.

Natural gas workers, fearful for their livelihoods, are on the front lines of the battle.

The Utility Workers Union of America has joined SoCalGas in funding Californians for Balanced Energy Solutions, or C4BES, which critics deride as a front for the gas company. In addition to Hofmann, two other UWUA officials serve on the group's board.

Separately, a union representing Los Angeles utility workers protested Mayor Eric Garcetti's decision last year to shut down three gas-fired power plants along the coast. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 18 attacked Garcetti over his climate agenda, and briefly used its political influence to hold up the city's approval of a record-cheap contract for solar power.

Under San Luis Obispo's proposed energy code, all-electric buildings would be the preferred option for new construction. Developers would still be allowed to build homes and commercial structures that use gas, so long as they retrofit an existing building, or pay a fee to the city to reduce gas consumption elsewhere. Existing homes and businesses would not be affected.

California's electricity is increasingly supplied by climate-friendly sources such as solar and wind farms. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Hofmann described the policy proposal in existential terms. Asked about his March 16 email, he sent The Times a written statement claiming that San Luis Obispo "has made a provocative attack on the livelihood of our members with its anti-gas policy."

"That has stirred vehement reactions from our members, including mass attendance at past City Council meetings," Hofmann wrote. "When the City Council announced that it would re-start its anti-gas effort at the April 7th meeting, we thought it best to both organize our members' attendance in an orderly way, and at the same time try to persuade the City Council to postpone its anti-gas effort to a more prudent time."

"Fortunately the Council agreed and did so," he added.

Hofmann also noted that his email "predated the Governors COVID-crisis shutdown."

Gov. Gavin Newsom didn't issue a statewide stay-at-home order until three days after Hofmann's email. But Newsom's office had already announced that public events "can proceed only if the organizers can implement social distancing of 6 feet per person." San Luis Obispo had reiterated Newsom's directive, noting that "there will be limited capacity" for attendance at council meetings.

Hofmann's email was obtained by the Climate Investigations Center, a fossil fuel industry watchdog group, under the California Public Records Act, and shared with The Times. He addressed the message to Codron, copying several other city officials.

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A screenshot of Eric Hofmann's March 16 email to city officials in San Luis Obispo.

San Luis Obispo Mayor Heidi Harmon, a longtime climate activist, said it is "incredibly disappointing and disturbing and concerning to hear that this group is willing to risk our community's health and safety." She described Hofmann's threat as consistent with the fossil fuel industry's willingness to "continue down this incredibly dangerous path" of heating the planet.

Harmon said she's sympathetic to gas utility workers fearful of losing their jobs. But she feels strongly that fossil fuels need to stay in the ground, and that government ought to help fossil fuel workers transition to new jobs in the clean-energy economy.

She also pointed to emerging scientific research suggesting that poor air quality makes people more vulnerable to COVID-19.

All these things are interconnected and interrelated," Harmon said.

San Luis Obispo's city council had voted in September to approve the new energy code, after a packed meeting where dozens of people commented for and against the policy, including SoCalGas employees. But before the council could vote a second time  which was required for the policy to take effect  UWUA Local 132 accused council member Andy Pease of a conflict of interest, saying she should have recused herself because she's a partner in a consulting firm that specializes in energy-efficient buildings.

Pease said at the time that she didn't believe she had a conflict. And the energy code would have passed even without her vote. But city officials delayed a final vote and asked the state's Fair Political Practices Commission to review the union's complaint.

With no answer yet from the FPPC, San Luis Obispo staff decided to bring the energy code back to the City Council in April for a redo of the first vote, with Pease recusing herself. That's when Hofmann threatened the protest.

A key pipeline for SoCalGas, Line 235, runs through the desert near Newberry Springs, California. The line carries natural gas toward the Los Angeles Basin. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Hofmann, a lead construction tech at SoCalGas, is on a three-year leave of absence from the company due to his union leadership position. SoCalGas said he did not discuss or coordinate his protest threat with company executives or managers.

The company otherwise declined to comment on Hofmann's email.

SoCalGas workers are out there on the front lines performing the work needed to safely maintain our infrastructure, while also protecting the safety and well-being of the communities we serve," gas company spokesman Chris Gilbride said in an email.

Jon Switalski, executive director of Californians for Balanced Energy Solutions, didn't respond to a request for comment about whether Hofmann discussed or coordinated his threatened protest with C4BES before emailing San Luis Obispo officials.

The SoCalGas-backed advocacy group published a Facebook post March 13 warning that San Luis Obispo "could put in place rules that will make natural gas energy in new and existing buildings too expensive and out of reach for many Californians."

SoCalGas, meanwhile, continues to face accusations that it has inappropriately used ratepayer funds to fight clean energy policies  potentially including in San Luis Obispo. California Public Utilities Commission staff ruled last week that their ongoing investigation into the utility's expenditures could include questions raised by the commission's Public Advocates Office, and by the Sierra Club, about whether SoCalGas has used customer money to lobby against city ordinances promoting all-electric buildings.

The gas company sent a comment letter to San Luis Obispo last year opposing the city's proposed energy code.

It's unclear when San Luis Obispo will reschedule the vote. Codron said city officials determined that "having a council meeting with extraordinary participation just wasn't something that was appropriate to move forward with." The city recently started hosting digital council meetings open to public commenters, but they've been "fraught with technical challenges," Codron said.

"We're going to look for the soonest opportunity where the logistics of a meeting of this scope can be managed," he said.

SLO Climate Coalition chair Eric Veium, who advocated for the new energy code, noted that San Luis Obispo leaders have set a goal of carbon neutrality by 2035  one of the country's most ambitious climate targets. He's confident they won't back down.

"We will not allow the fossil fuel industry and their front groups to bully us," he said.
PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-06 13:00:20

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WINNIPEG, MB / ACCESSWIRE / May 6, 2020 / Winston Gold Corp. ("Winston Gold" or the "Corporation") (CSE:WGC)(OTCQB:WGMCF) is pleased to announce that the Carrabba tunnel has intersected the upper level workings of the historical Custer Gold Mine. The excavation work was accomplished without accident or health issues. Winston Gold takes pride in the fact that its mining team completed Carrabba Tunnel safely in the midst of the Covid pandemic using the best available health protocols.After 900 feet (274 metres) of tunnel development, our mining team successfully reached their target and broke through into an old cross-cut tunnel that connects the upper level of the historical Custer Workings with the upper level development of the Block 93 vein system.Upon inspection of the cross-cut tunnel it was determined that access to the old Block 93 workings is currently blocked by a muck pile situated about 40 feet (12 metres) southeast of the break-through point. Access to the Parallel gold vein and the old Custer Workings was also blocked by a muck pile about 80 feet (24 metres) northwest of the Carrabba break-through point."Looking forward, the plan is to slash out the old access tunnel to 12 feet by 12 feet dimensions so we can get modern mining equipment to the Parallel and Block 93 gold veins as well as gain access to the rest of the Upper Level Custer workings," stated Murray Nye, CEO and Director of Winston Gold. "We expect to reach the Parallel vein by the third week in May if everything goes as planned. At that point we intend to drive a drift along the Parallel vein and begin stockpiling gold mineralized material as we develop access." The Block 93 gold vein was never formally mined but a historical drift was developed along the vein to prepare for stoping work. Winston has drilled above this old drift and did not encounter any stopes. These old workings will also be slashed to allow better access for personnel and equipment so drifting can continue along the vein.Rehabilitation work on the upper level workings of the Custer Mine will continue from both ends of the historic workings once access to the Parallel and Block 93 veins have been established. The rehabilitation work will allow emergency access and ventilation as well as provide drill stations to further explore the down dip extent of the Custer vein system for future mining operations.Qualified PersonThe scientific and technical content and interpretations contained in this news release have been reviewed, verified and approved by Dr. Criss Capps PhD. P.Geol., an independent consultant to Winston Gold Corp. Dr. Capps is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.About Winston GoldWinston Gold is a junior mining company focused on advancing high-grade, low cost mining opportunities into production. Towards that end, the Corporation has acquired the under explored and underdeveloped Winston Gold project near Helena, Montana.The Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE) has neither approved nor disapproved the information contained herein. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.Forward-Looking InformationThis release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that Winston Gold Mining Corp. (the "Company") expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include regulatory actions, market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.For more information, please visit www.winstongoldmining.com; or contact:Murray Nye,Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Winston GoldSuite 201-919 Notre Dame AvenueWinnipeg, Manitoba, R3E 0M8Telephone: (204) 989-2434E-mail: murray@ winstongold.com SOURCE: Winston Gold Corp.
REED CITY -- Grace Jacobson, an eighth grader at Trinity Lutheran School in Reed City, was announced as one of 10 statewide winners in this year's Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan essay contest.

The America and Me Essay Contest encourages youth to explore their roles in America's future. It encourages eighth grade students to write about their Michigan heroes, someone who has made a difference in their life.

The topic of Jacobson's essay was the importance of adoption, and her adoptive family.

Jacobson's essay earned sixth place out of 3,500 essays submitted by students from more than 350 Michigan schools. Trinity Lutheran School was sponsored by Farm Bureau Insurance agent Dan Lee.

"We are so proud of Grace and her selection as the sixth-place winner in the Farm Bureau essay contest," said Trinity president Rich Saladin. "Grace is a fantastic representative of Trinity Lutheran School.

"Thank you to her teacher, Jim Chatel, for providing this unique opportunity to her and her classmates," he added. "We especially thank Dan Lee for sponsoring this event and supporting our Reed City community."

"Farm Bureau is proud to support Michigan students and schools around the state through the America and Me essay contest," said Farm Bureau Insurance CEO Don Simon. "Each year, we are impressed and moved as these student authors share personal stories of their local Michigan heroes."

Each contest winner received a personalized plaque, a personalized medallion, a copy of their essay printed on metal, a cash award of $1,000, and $1,000 for their school, plus an additional $500 to the school if they are sponsored by a Farm Bureau agent.

In addition, they will receive a custom Farm Bureau Insurance corn toss game to promote family fun during the coronavirus shut down.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the state of emergency throughout Michigan, the America and Me Awards Day events scheduled for May 12, have been canceled.

The top 10 statewide winners will be recognized remotely.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The fitness centers are closed and you can feel that cabin fever creeping in. Now it's more important than ever to keep body and mind in balanceand in shape.

And we need to find ways to do that at home or close by.

Tai Chi, yoga and other forms of exercise and activity that emphasize conscious presence (body-mind activities) can be smart ways of replenishing ourselves.

"Both empirical data and research point in the same direction: namely, that exercise and movement that emphasize conscious presence have a beneficial effect on our health," says Berit steras, a physiotherapist and university lecturer at NTNU's Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science.

She explains that 'exercise and movement with a conscious presence' means turning your attention more inward than outward. With intention, you observe your contact with the ground, your breathing and other responses or movements in your body and mind, but without involving them.

"In other words, you assume an observant attitude, as 'captain of your ship." This enables conscious and appropriate choices and adjustments along the way," says steras.

Reap multiple benefits

These types of activities are beneficial on several fronts, for both body and mind.

"They increase concentration and enable you to carry out the movements in the most appropriate and present way possible. This allows each person to reap what is most beneficial for them. For some people, the greatest benefit will be to become more consciously present so that they feel what they actually need, like a type of self-care," says steras.

ou dont need a lot of space or your own fitness room to do Tai Chi, for example. Frode Strand Karlsen at the Trondheim Tai Chi Centre demonstrates. Credit: Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Some individuals find that what they need most is to regulate their stress and tension, which is often related to emotions.

And for others, building up certain physical qualities, like strength, coordination, balance, or agility, is the goal.

In an article on the health website Norsk Helseinformatikk AS (Norwegian Health Information), Karlsen says:

"Some people call it meditation in motion, or medicine in motion, but it's a Chinese martial art that originated 700-800 years ago. Tai Chi has evolved into a form of training that we do today primarily for the sake of health. Tai Chi helps you train your coordination, balance and body movement. The idea is to balance your body awareness with mental awareness. "

Win-win effect for body and mind

"It seems that training our conscious awareness leads to rejuvenation where it's needed, in other words, to restore the balance between our body and our mind. This can be subjectively experienced and expressed as reduced pain, stress, fear and anxiety, but it can also be observed as objectively detectable changes in the brain and body," says steras.

"When the mind doesn't get as tense, then we can release our bodily tensionswith all the benefits that brings with it. And when the body doesn't get as tense, this also relaxes the mind and head," she says.

Thus, a very favorable interaction can occur for our body-mind and create a win-win effect.

However, steras emphasizes that since so many mechanisms and individual factors are involved for each person, and they change over time, you can't necessarily predict the effects and health benefits for any given individual.

Less stress and more dopamine

Several studies have been conducted that investigate the effects of various body-mind activities and movements.

"Mindfulness practice involving conscious movements and increased awareness of the movement of energy in the body have been shown to be associated with lower stress, positive affect and higher levels of dopamine," says steras.

Dopamine is important for controlling volitional movements, but it is also important as a "reward system" in the brain. Fun activities lead to an increased release of dopamine in certain parts of the brain.

"Several effects can also be observed following mindfulness practices, such as improvements in balance and movement control," she says.

Adapting better in stressful situations

In a pilot study conducted among elite athletes, researchers found that physical mindfulness training (Mindful Performance Enhancement Awareness and Knowledge)  like Tai Chiled to increased attentiveness to bodily signals, increased neural processes and healing of interoceptive disorders.

Interoceptive signals are sensations that are projected from the body to the brain via a variety of neural pathways, and that allow us to understand internal bodily states. Faulty links between the body's signals and the brain's interpretation of them have been suggested as an underlying cause of some mental disorders.

Healing this mismatch or misinterpretation can result in an improved ability to adapt in stressful situations.

After seven weeks of mindfulness training, the athletes reported an increased awareness of their bodily reactions and higher levels of interoceptive awareness. That translates to having a greater awareness of their bodily functions and a better ability to understand and describe what was happening inside their bodies.

The athletes had lower levels of alexithymia, which is the inability to identify or describe one's feelings. The participants were able to be in better touch with and understand their emotions and their bodies' needs. They became more connected to their own bodies and emotions.

Effect of Tai Chi versus physical therapy for osteoarthritis

steras wrote a commentary on a study in the Journal of Physiotherapy that compared the effect of Tai Chi with physical therapy for knee osteoarthritis: Similar benefits from Tai Chi and supervised physiotherapy.

The study was conducted at an academic tertiary care hospital in Boston, U.S..

The randomized study included female and male participants in their 40s with knee osteoarthritis. The participants were selected on the basis of certain criteria, described in the study.

Patients with osteoarthritis of the knee are recommended to exercise to cope with pain and are often referred to physiotherapy for help and guidance. Two different exercise interventions were evaluated in the study: Tai Chi and physical therapy. Although previous studies have documented the beneficial effects of exercises in this patient group, there is no consensus on the type and dose of exercises that are the most effective for patients with long-term knee pain diagnoses.

The study concluded that Tai Chi and physiotherapy were equally effective in patients with knee osteoarthritis. However, the Tai Chi group showed greater improvements in depression and in one component of quality of life, aspects that can be crucial for long-term health and well-being, steras wrote.

Tai Chi is widespread in China. It is common to see people practising alone or in groups in the parks before the work day starts. This practitioner trains in the Peoples Park in Shanghai. Tai Chi is widely practised in many parts of the world. Today, it is estimated that over 250 million people practise the martial art worldwide. Credit: Idun Haugan / NTNU

Tai Chi facts

Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art and a self-defense system based on Daoist philosophy and the teachings of Yin and Yang, the two fundamental forces of nature and human life in Daoist philosophy.

The goal of Tai Chi is to strengthen the body and the mind by increasing one's strength, agility and inner harmony.

Tai Chi is widespread in China, and most of the population shares the notion that exercise has a positive effect on body and mind. Among other things, it is common to practice Tai Chi in parks in the morning, alone or in groups, before the work day starts.

Due to the many health benefits it is believed to confer, Tai Chi has spread to large parts of the world, including Norway. Today, more than 250 million people are estimated to practice this martial art worldwide.

The martial art is often practiced as therapy to improve health, especially for musculoskeletal disorders, and to increase longevity and quality of life by experiencing less stress.

No one knows for sure when Tai Chi originated, but the martial art may have roots as far back as the 13th century. Around the 1600s, the techniques were compiled into the Chen style, from which most of today's styles have evolved.

Five main Tai Chi styles exist, all of which are called by the family names of the people who developed them: Chen, Yang, Wu, Sun and Wo Hao.

Tai Chi is performed using carefully defined, fluid and slow movements, often combined in specific patterns. To force an opponent off balance, practitioners use their own softness and the opponent's own energy against them.

A training session often consists of Chinese breathing exercises and meditation in addition to various movements. The techniques are based on old principles of self-defence and combat. You often stand in the same position for many minutes, which can make Tai Chi both physically and mentally demanding.

Explore further COVID-19: Tips for mindfulness and coping with anxiety
Scientists have developed an app that provides insights on COVID-19 hot spots, and the symptoms users must look out for, an advance that may aid public health officials in their efforts to contain the pandemic.

According to the study, published in the journal Science, the COVID Symptom Tracker app has already seen early usage by more than 2.5 million people in the US and the UK, generating valuable data for physicians, scientists, and public officials.

"The app collects daily information from individuals in the community about whether they feel well, and if not, their specific symptoms, and if they have been tested for COVID-19," said study senior author Andrew T. Chan from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in the US.

The scientists said it may be useful as a planning tool to inform guidelines around self-isolation, identify regions in need of additional ventilators, expand hospital capacity, and provide real-time data to prepare for future outbreaks.

They said the app was launched in the UK on March 24, and became available in the US on March 29.

Since its launch, the study noted that the app has seen more than 3 million users.

"This work has led to the development of accurate models of COVID-19 infection rates in the absence of sufficient population testing," Chan said.

"For example, the UK government has acted upon these estimates by providing advanced notice to local health authorities about when to expect a surge of cases," he added.

Using results from the app, the scientists are also investigating risk factors for infection, as well as the effects of COVID-19 on patients' health.

Chan also pointed out that the app does not have any contact tracing function in contrast with software that is being rolled out in collaboration with Apple and Google.

"Our app is designed to be entirely voluntary so that they can share information about how they are feeling in a way that safeguards their privacy," he added.

The scientists are asking individuals, even those who are feeling well, to download the app and participate in this effort to provide information related to COVID-19.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Irans hardliner election watchdog has opposed a last-ditch effort by the outgoing parliament to boost political competitiveness in the countrys closed electoral system.

The 92-year old chairman of the Guardian Council, Ahmad Jannati has said that a draft bill in parliament is aimed at watering down his councils authority in approving candidates for elections.

The Guardian Council vets all parliamentary and presidential candidates and as a norm rejects most aspirants. In last Februarys parliamentary elections not only thousands of would-be candidates were disqualified but even 100 serving lawmakers were barred from running again.

This is one of the many mechanisms in the Islamic Republic to control the political establishment in the country and not allow any dissenting voice to gain political office.

The parliaments draft bill is aimed at eliminating the role of prosecutors in the vetting of candidates and keep the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps, the countrys main military force, from playing any role in the process. Usually, the Guardian Council asks the opinion of the Guards about candidates. This could be a violation of the Constitution, which says the military should stay out of politics.

The Guardian Council consists of six religious scholars appointed by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and six legal experts approved by parliament. It is also tasked with approving all legislation by parliament.

The Councils unprecedented large-scale disqualifications of candidates this year led to widespread criticism and many political groupings boycotted the February vote, which had a low turnout.

During the parliamentary debate over the draft bill, many lawmakers harshly criticized the Council and one member called its interference engineering elections.

In his remarks, Jannati called for an experts approach to reforming electoral law without emotions and expressed hope that the new parliament to be sworn in at the end of May to take up the issue of enacting a new legal framework. However, because of the Councils widespread rejection of candidates, the new parliament is packed with hardliner lawmakers who share Jannatis worldview.
The trial of Aaron Brady, who denies the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, has resumed in front of the jury following a nine-week break.

The jury, now made up of six men and seven women, viewed CCTV footage showing the movements of a car three nights before the robbery in January 2013 that resulted in Det Gda Donohoe being shot dead. The timing of the footage was put to the jury alongside details of contacts between two mobile phones linked to the accused man and phones linked to two men suspected of involvement in the robbery.

Aaron Brady, aged 28, from New Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Det Gda Adrian Donohoe on January 25, 2013, at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co Louth. Mr Brady has also pleaded not guilty to a charge of robbing approximately 7,000 in cash and assorted cheques on the same date and at the same location.

Yesterday was the first sitting of the trial in front of the jury since the first week in March. Over the intervening two months, lawyers for both sides have worked on legal issues in front of Mr Justice Michael White and in recent weeks, the jurors were contacted and informed of measures taken by the courts to mitigate the risk of contracting Covid-19. One of the 14 jurors said he was not willing to continue due to fears over his health and Mr Justice White explained to the jury yesterday that he was discharged without having to come to court.

The judge welcomed the remaining 13 jurors and told them he has made directions to allow for social distancing in court and to comply with the governments guidelines to mitigate the threat of the disease. However, he added that if any juror has a difficulty or concern they should bring it to his attention. He also said he has arranged to refund any parking costs incurred by the jury when attending court.

He further explained that a second court has been set up where people can view the proceedings remotely, thus keeping the numbers in any one court to a minimum. The jurors have been given seating around the court so they do not have to sit grouped in the jury box and Mr Justice White has put a limit on the number of people allowed in the courtroom.

Giving the jury a roadmap of the evidence to be heard in the coming weeks, Brendan Grehan, prosecuting, said this week and part of next week will be taken up with CCTV and telephone evidence. Other witnesses may be introduced and from May 18, he said, it is intended that witnesses in New York will give evidence via live video link. When that happens, he said the court will sit from 2pm to allow for the time difference between here and the east coast of America.

Civilian crime and policing analyst Edward McGoey was the first witness to give evidence. He told Lorcan Staines, prosecuting, that he analysed phone records for the garda investigation team. He said this investigation was "much harder" than ones he had done previously due to the volume of records sought. They numbered in the thousands, he said.

Detective Garda Gareth Kenna told Mr Staines that he was part of a garda team that analyzed CCTV footage from 380 locations as part of the investigation. Gda Kenna compiled a CCTV montage of footage taken from 25 of those locations. On the footage he pointed out a dark-toned saloon car at a garage in Ballymascanlon at 12.20am on January 23, 2013. At around the same time, Mr McGoey said a number of text messages were exchanged between two phones attributed to Mr Brady and phones attributed to a man named as a suspect for the robbery and that mans brother.

Det Gda Kenna also pointed out a dark-coloured saloon car driving towards the Bellurgan area at 1:41am and entering a house belonging to the parents of the robbery suspect. Among the last texts sent by Aaron Brady on the night was to his then girlfriend Jessica King at 1.32am in which he said: "I love you more. Night xx."

The trial continues on Friday in front of Justice White and the jury of six men and seven women.
A Georgian-Israeli billionaire believes he has found a solution to the Gaza Strip's chronic water crisis.

Michael Mirilashvili wants to deliver hundreds of generators that produce drinking water out of thin air. His company, Watergen, sent a machine to a Gaza hospital last week in a rare case of Israeli-Palestinian cooperation in the Hamas-ruled enclave.

Gaza's water situation is dire. Since the 2007 Hamas takeover of the crowded Palestinian territory, Gaza's 2 million people have endured endured a crippling border blockade by Israel and Egypt that froze virtually all trade and most travel.

The 13-year-old lockdown, along with three Israel-Hamas wars, has produced chronic power cuts and damaged Gaza's infrastructure, contributing to water contamination.

Electricity shortages prevent proper sewage treatment, forcing the strip to spew over 100,000 cubic meters (3.5 million cubic feet) of poorly treated sewage into the Mediterranean each day, according to U.N. estimates.

Gaza relies on an aquifer as its main source of potable water. But over-extraction has allowed sea water to seep in, rendering 97% of the area's water undrinkable.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Mirilashvili said he wants to send more water generators to Gaza because they are our neighbors and it's a great pity to look at them suffering from such severe water shortages. He spoke days after one of his machines was installed on the roof of the Al-Rantisi Medical Center in Gaza City.

Just a day after delivery, the generator, a large blue cube roughly the size of a vending machine, began producing cold, clean water for the hospital's pediatric cancer ward.

Most of Gaza's households buy water from private vendors who desalinate water at small-scale stations. But experts warn this water is impure. UNICEF estimates two-thirds of this water is already contaminated by the time it is delivered.

The children undergoing cancer treatment at the Gaza hospital need clean food and water because their immune system has been compromised, said Nima Ashour of the Palestine Children's Relief Fund, a U.S.-based charity that runs the pediatric department.

The dire shortage of clean water makes the Watergen machine very important for the hospital, she said.

The Watergen device runs on electricity. But because of frequent power outages, the machine will soon be connected to solar panels. In the winter, the device can be hooked up to conventional power supplies.

Functioning like a dehumidifier, the machine extracts moisture from the air and converts it into drinking water. The machine sent to the Gaza hospital is a medium-sized model and generates about 800 liters, or over 200 gallons, a day.

Watergen says its largest generators can provide clean drinking water to thousands of people. The company has also developed a new consumer version for home use.

Watergen's technology was initially developed for military use in 2009, but it shifted gears to civilian markets after Mirilashvili bought the company in 2017.

Even the billionaire has had to wrestle with Israel's military bureaucracy, which tightly controls access to Gaza. Mirilashvili said that it took him over a year to receive permission to transfer a first Watergen machine to Gaza. It was delivered to a southern town last December for a separate project.

Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas from arming, and it closely inspects all incoming cargo to make sure it is not used for military purposes.

After winning swift permission for the hospital project, Mirilashvili believes the procedure will now get easier and that he could deliver enough water generators to meet the territory's daily drinking water needs within a year.

The generators can cost tens of thousands of dollars apiece. Watergen, which donated the new machine to the hospital, said it is prepared to sell additional devices to Gaza at a substantial discount.

Mirilashvili, who was born in Georgia, controls a vast business empire that has included casinos, hotels, oil, real estate and Russia's largest social network.

In the 2000s, he spent eight years behind bars in Russia on kidnapping charges he dismissed as fabricated. The European Court of Human Rights ruled in 2008 that he didn't receive a fair trial, and he was subsequently released. He now spends much of his time in Israel, where he is a prominent philanthropist.

Watergen has deployed its machines in over 60 countries, both developing countries lacking water infrastructure, such as India and Uzbekistan, and in areas of developed countries suffering from drought, such as California.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 23:54:20|Editor: huaxia

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Firefighters disinfect the canteen in Wuhan No. 23 Middle School in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, April 22, 2020. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)

BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Wednesday chaired a leadership meeting on improving systems for regular epidemic prevention and control.

The meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee heard a report from the central guiding group for novel coronavirus prevention and control.

The guiding group, under the firm leadership of the CPC Central Committee and with the great support of the people across the country, fought side by side with people in Hubei Province and its capital city Wuhan, Xi said.

Xi said that the group had spared no effort to curb the spread of the virus and worked hard to build a strong first line of defense, making important contributions to winning the people's war against the epidemic.

He said the spread of the virus overseas has not been effectively curbed yet and cluster cases were reported in a few areas in China, posing considerable uncertainty to the epidemic control.

Senior students walk through a temperature measuring station to enter Hubei Wuchang Experimental High School in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, May 6, 2020. (Xinhua/Xiong Qi)

The epidemic prevention and control measures in Hubei should not be relaxed, Xi said.

The CPC Central Committee has decided to dispatch a liaison group to better support the follow-up epidemic prevention and control work in Hubei and Wuhan, Xi said.

He called for unremitting efforts in all aspects of work to consolidate epidemic control achievements.

Xi also urged the implementation of a series of policies to promote the economic and social development of Hubei and help the province accelerate resuming normal life and work.

The meeting required improving the medical and healthcare structure, reforming the disease prevention and control system, raising epidemic monitoring and early warning capabilities, strengthening public health emergency laws and regulations, and enhancing the response and treatment systems for major epidemics and public health emergencies.

Efforts should also be made to overhaul the urban and rural sanitary conditions, improve public health facilities, popularize health knowledge among the public and promote a healthy and environmentally friendly lifestyle, according to the meeting. 
The number of Luxembourg's volunteer firefighters has slightly grown. 220 young firefighters were recruited since May 2018.

The number of active volunteer firefighters has only increased by 30 to 3,730 since 2018. The Grand Ducal Fire and Rescue Corps (CGDIS) boasts an approximate total of 6,320 firefighters. Around 600 new members have joined the CGDIS ranks since 2018. Some 560 individuals quit CGDIS since 2018, Minister of the Interior Taina Bofferding specified in her reply to a parliamentary question by Pirate Party MP Marc Goergen.

Luxembourg now also boasts 550 paid full-time firefighters, an increase of 175 since 2018. Bofferding also addressed the mandatory medical aptitude test firefighters have to undergo; 1,630 of these checks were carried out last year. 180 people were deemed inapt for service.

The minister concluded that there had, to her knowledge, never been a shortage of firefighters to respond to incidents.
FILE PHOTO: A Qatar Airways aircraft takes off at the aircraft builder's headquarters of Airbus in Colomiers near Toulouse

DUBAI (Reuters) - Qatar Airways said on Wednesday it would this month start to rebuild its network, in anticipation countries will ease air travel restrictions and based on monitoring of passenger trends.

State-owned Qatar Airways has been one of few airlines to continue regular, scheduled flights during the global lockdowns to contain the novel coronavirus, maintaining services to around 30 destinations.

It will gradually resume flights to some of the 167 destinations it served before the outbreak, aiming to fly to 52 destinations by the end of May and up to 80 destinations in June.

"We have built a strong level of trust with passengers, governments, trade and airports as a reliable partner during this crisis and we intend to continue delivering on this mission as we gradually expand our network," Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker said a statement.

But the airline said entry restrictions were constantly evolving, making it difficult to predict future travel.

Short-haul travel was expected to recover first, while demand between large global cities will take time to pick up, even though people will want to see friends and family after months of lockdown.

Flights would be added gradually, the airline said, based on monitoring passenger flows and booking trends.

By June, it aims to fly to 33 Asia-Pacific destinations, 23 across Europe, 20 in the Middle East and Africa and four in the Americas, many of which have banned foreigners from entering.

The aviation industry has been among the hardest hit by the coronavirus crisis, which has destroyed travel demand as governments closed their borders.

Qatar Airways in March said it was burning cash reserves and would eventually seek government aid. It has since temporarily cut salaries and told staff to prepare for substantial job cuts.

Gulf rival Etihad Airways planned to start resuming passenger flights in May, only to later delay until mid-June.

(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell; editing by Louise Heavens, Elaine Hardcastle and Barbara Lewis)
More pirate attacks in the Gulf of Guinea, fishing trawlers boarded

May 05,2020 | Source: defenceWeb

Ten crew have been kidnapped from a tanker off Nigeria and two fishing trawlers have been boarded in the latest incidents of maritime crime and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.



The tanker MT Vemahope was attacked by a single speedboat with an unknown number of armed individuals on board on 30 April while off Libreville, Gabon, Dryad Global reports. The vessel is understood to have been boarded resulting in the kidnap of ten crew members with four crew remaining onboard.



Several days later, on 3 May, a fishing trawler was boarded by armed men onboard a speedboat off Libreville. The speedboat had at least 13 people on board, Praesidium International said. Another fishing trawler was boarded the same morning. Praesidium added that the vessels involved were the Amerger II and the Amerger VII. Three crewmembers were kidnapped from the Amerger II. The perpetrators then attacked the AMERGER VII and kidnapped another three crewmembers. Both fishing trawlers were released. The crew included three Indonesian, two Senegalese and one South Korean.



The perpetrators spoke English and the area has been a hotspot of piracy activity originating from Nigeria as recently as late December 2019 when the Panama-flagged landing craft Tropic Dawn was boarded by armed men who killed the Master before escaping. The same speedboat then approached two Chinese fishing trawlers anchored southwest of Owendo and kidnapped 4 crewmembers. Finally, with local naval patrols of the area, the speedboat proceeded towards the open sea where the pirates intercepted the Ethiopian-flagged cargo vessel Benovation. The pirates hijacked the ship, forcing the crew to sail north up to Cameroon where they disembarked and escaped on a speedboat taking with them two crew members, Praesidium said.



The modus operandi recorded based on available elements share some similarities with the above-mentioned events and the possibility that the same group is involved is not to be ruled out.



With the kidnap of 10 crew from the Vemahope the total number of crew kidnapped from vessels operating in West Africa within 2020 has increased to 42 personnel, Dryad said.



The Vemahope incident is located 40 nautical miles northeast of an incident involving a vessel being fired upon in February and 101 nautical miles northwest of what appeared to be a focus of incident reporting within 2019.



Historically incident reporting within this area is significantly less than that of the wider Delta area, principally a s a result of less traffic density. However, across 2019 and 2020 there has been a gradual increase in incidents occurring beyond traditional maritime crime heartlands, Dryad said.



If confirmed, this incident would be the seventh deep offshore incident within the Nigerian exclusive economic zone within 2020. Total incidents in West Africa have thus far tracked 2019 trends almost exactly with a partial fall of only 1 incident seen in 2020 compared to incidents over the same time-frame in 2019.

 defenceWeb 2019

Theme(s): Others.
Shareholders gave Ocado a bloody nose in a revolt against boardroom excess after chief executive Tim Steiner landed a 59million payday.

Just hours after the online grocer revealed sales have jumped more than 40 per cent in the last five weeks, it emerged that 29.7 per cent of investors had voted against top pay at the company.

The rebellion, which took the shine off Ocados bumper sales figures during the lockdown, followed the recommendation of three shareholder advisory groups who described rewards as excessive.

Ocado chief executive Tim Steiner landed a 59m payday last year and has a 526m stake in the online grocer

Last year 88million was paid in bonuses to executives as part of a long-term share scheme, and Steiner is in line for up to 100million over five years if the share price continues to rocket.

A vote over 20 per cent is considered a revolt under corporate governance rules, and requires the company to consult investors.

Shareholders were also urged to oppose the re-election of Andrew Harrison, who heads the remuneration committee, and chairman Lord Rose, on claims he is not independent.

Roses reappointment was waved through with just 4.1 per cent voting against. But a fifth of shareholders voted against Harrisons reappointment at the annual general meeting, held behind closed doors yesterday.

The FTSE 100 company, which has enjoyed a monumental rise on the stock market, said its massive pay packets were fair rewards for Ocados exceptional share price performance.

A trading update revealed sales have jumped 40.3 per cent in the last five weeks amid booming demand for online food deliveries during the lockdown.

That followed 10.3 per cent growth in the first quarter.

Ocado has ramped up deliveries from its warehouses to meet demand, but it was unable to make the rapid increases that rivals such as Tesco have made, as it is limited by the number of robots it has to pick food for orders.

New staff were brought in to fill in for those off sick or self-isolating, while those on the frontline have received a 10 per cent bonus.

It has also reduced the number of items it is selling. Suspending the delivery of mineral water has allowed Ocado to deliver to 6,000 more households per week.

In total it has delivered more than 50m items to UK homes since the middle of March after its website was hit with so much demand it had to shut for four days. Customers are still doing big shops because people are eating at home, or buying for vulnerable neighbours or relatives.

Wine, beer and chocolate are selling well as shoppers look to reward themselves with little treats, the firm said.

It withdrew financial guidance for the rest of the year, citing the uncertain route out of lockdown and how it will affect shoppers.

Finance chief Duncan Tatton-Brown said: Were not yet sure of when some of the restrictions will change, when the behaviour of customers will return to normal and what the economic impact will be. Theres lots of uncertainty.

Peel Hunt analysts said: A very positive surprise performance from Ocado highlights that online food delivery is a vital public service and has grown in popularity over the past few weeks, and will likely see a permanent step-up post-Covid-19. Shares rose 5.6 per cent, or 93.5p, to 1772.5p.
The co-founder of electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk, Florian Schneider, has died at the age of 73 from cancer, the managers of the group announced Wednesday. The band, which he set up with co-founder Ralf Hutter in 1970, changed electronic music, laying down the foundations for hip-hop, synth-pop, techno and house. "Florian Schneider died after a short cancer, just a few days after his 73rd birthday," one of the group's managers, Alexandra Greenberg, told AFP, quoting comments from Hutter. Born in Ohningen in West Germany in April 1947, Schneider started collaborating with Hutter in 1968. The pair combined their German mother tongue with synthesisers and drum machines to create"krautrock", a major contrast to the Anglo-Saxon pop brought in by the British and American troops in Germany. Some have placed Kraftwerk's influence on pop music on a par with that of The Beatles. Their music, with its distorted vocals, haunting basslines mixed with the synthesizer pads and drum machine, won over many audiences and artists, from David Bowie and Madonna to Daft Punk and Kanye West. In 1976 Bowie told Rolling Stone magazine: "My favourite group is a German band called Kraftwerk ? it plays noise music to 'increase productivity'. I like that idea, if you have to play music." David Bowie titled his "Heroes" instrumental track "V-2 Schneider" after Florian Schneider. Their words, in German then in Spanish, Russian, Polish or Japanese, also made them pioneers. From the 1970s, they tapped into the ubiquity of machines and the growing role of technology in everyday life. An avant-garde group and influential protagonists of contemporary art, Kraftwerk had a string of global successes with their albums "Autobahn" (1974), "Radioactivity" (1975), "Trans-Europe Express" (1977), "The Man Machine" (1978) and even the later "Tour de France Soundtracks" (2003). Florian Schneider left the group at the end of 2008, apparently following a dispute with Hutter over a bicycle pump. The pair rarely spoke afterwards but in 2014, the band, including Schneider, received the prestigious lifetime achievement Grammy. Florian Schneider left Kraftwerk in 2008 but the band plays on to new fans around the world
Press Release

May 5, 2020 SENATE ADOPTS GORDON'S RESOLUTION HONORING HEHERSON ALVAREZ' LIFE, DECLARING HIS BIRTH AND DEATH ANNIVERSARIES AS BLOOD DONATION DAY The Senate adopted on Tuesday Resolution No. 390 "Honoring the Life of Former Senator Heherson "Sonny" T. Alvarez by Conducting a Blood Donation Drive on October 26 and April 20 of Every Year, in Partnership with the Philippine Red Cross" sponsored by Senator Richard J. Gordon. The resolution states that Alvarez' daughter, Herxila, has requested the Senate to conduct a yearly blood donation in commemoration of Alvarez' birth and death anniversaries on October 26 and April 20, respectively. It also says that the donation drive will be conducted "to honor and remember the exemplary life of Sonny and his outstanding contributions as a legislator." In his sponsorship speech, Gordon said, "I certainly commiserate with his family, particularly with my good friend, Cecile Alvarez. I spoke with Sonny's daughter at the time of his passing and they would like to request the Senate if we could have a blood day to remember his father and the Red Cross would be glad to do it." Alvarez, who recently died due to Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), served in the Philippine Senate for two terms from June 30, 1987 to June 30, 1998. Among several laws that he championed are Republic Act No. 6557 or the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL), Republic Act No. 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS), Republic Act No. 7611 or the Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) for Palawan, and Republic Act No. 7638 or the law creating the Department of Energy (DOE). He also authored the resolution declaring April 22 as "Earth Day". Alvarez continued authoring bills that seek to protect the environment when he became representative of the fourth district of the province of Isabela in 1998 to 2001. He was the husband of Cecile Guidote-Alvarez, founder of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA).
The siblings of a detained Iranian student have dismissed a judiciary claim that their brother has ties to the exiled opposition Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO or MKE).

Speaking on May 5, judiciary spokesman Gholam Hossein Esmaili accused two students detained last month of contacts with the MKO, which is considered a terrorist group by the Islamic republic.

The group, aka the People's Mujahedin Organization of Iran, which collaborated with Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during the 1980-88 war between Iran and Iraq, was removed from the U.S. list of terrorist organizations in 2012.

Esmaili said the two students, whom he did not name, had "explosives" in their homes, while adding that they had been trained to conduct terrorist operations in the country.

He appeared to be referring to two award-winning students from Tehran's top Sharif university, Ali Yunesi and Amir Hossein Moradi, who were arrested on April 10 on unknown charges. He did produce any of the evidence.

Yunesi's siblings, who are based outside of Iran, said the charges were "ridiculous," while accusing the judiciary of covering up the truth about the arrest of their brother.

Reza Yunesi told the BBC that the authorities appeared to be pressuring his family due to his parents' past MKO membership.



He said his parents, who still live in Iran, had not been members of the group for years.

He added that his brother was not politically active and that the family had not been able to hire a lawyer for his detained brother.

Yunesi's sister, Ayda Yunesi, said in a video posted on Twitter that security officers who raided her parents' home in the Iranian capital had said that they did not find anything suspicious.

She said the judiciary did not have any evidence against her brother.

"The best you could do is to link him to those opposing you and misuse the distant past of his parents to cover up the truth," she said, while suggesting that the authorities could pressure her brother to make a false confession.

A number of former detainees have said in recent years that they had been forced to confess to charges brought against them by their interrogators.

Moradi's family has not publicly commented on his arrest and the charges against him.
Tyson Foods chairman John Tyson warned that there would be a meat shortage when major pork, beef and chicken plants closed because of the coronavirus, and Wendys is seeing the repercussions. Its fresh, never frozen hamburgers have been taken off the menu at select locations around the country, leaving customers to wonder, Wheres the beef?

The 101 Best Burgers in America

A new study by Stephens research firm shows that 18% of all Wendys restaurants have listed beef items as out of stock. The shortages vary by state with hundreds of Ohio, Michigan, Tennessee and New York locations serving chicken only, while there is no indication of supply issues in others.

It is widely known that beef suppliers across North America are currently facing production challenges, a Wendys spokesperson told The Daily Meal over email. We continue to supply hamburgers to all of our restaurants, with deliveries two or three times each week, which is consistent with normal delivery schedules.

However, some of our menu items may be temporarily limited at some restaurants in this current environment, the spokesperson continued. Were working diligently to minimize the impact to our customers and restaurants, and continue to work with our supplier partners to monitor this closely.

If your local Wendys is out of beef, kick your craving for greasy eats at home with these copycat fast food recipes for McDonalds, Shake Shack, Taco Bell and more.
Protective masks and other safety equipment remains in critically short supply at dozens of New Jersey nursing homes, as state officials announced plans to bring in outside consultants to look at the handling of the coronavirus crisis in New Jerseys long-term care facilities.

At the same time, state Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said her department is moving to test every nursing home resident and nursing facility worker in New Jersey.

Gov. Phil Murphy said Manatt Health, a national health advisory practice, will be tasked with making recommendations to the state on systemic reform related to long-term care facilities in the state.

We are taking aggressive measures within state government to protect the residents and staff at these facilities," Murphy said during his daily coronavirus press briefing in Trenton. But we also know we wont have all the answers. We will also need to look more broadly at this issue.

The so-called rapid review of three weeks or less will look at the states 575 long-term care facilities, seeking ways to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and reduce impacts of future outbreaks, officials said, and come up with a set of recommendations. They did not immediately disclose what the firm will be paid.

Murphy said the review will be led by Cindy Mann, former deputy administrator at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and a partner with Manatt Health, along with Carol Raphael, senior advisor at Manatt Health who served as chief executive officer and president of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York.

They will be working with us on a very tight timeframe, said Persichilli. The review will look at what additional protocols, resources and equipment should be put in place to best protect our residents.

The health commissioner, who said the team from Manatt will hit the ground running, will look at outbreak protocols and resiliency against future outbreaks.

As an increasing number of residents and staff have tested positive for COVID-19, nursing homes across the state have continued to complain about shortages in personal protective equipment, or PPE  such as surgical masks, N95 respirators, face shields and gowns to contain the spread of the virus.

Persichilli said 10.7 million pieces of safety gear has been distributed, but a number of facilities remain short of what is needed.

We recognize even today there are still challenges, she acknowledged.

Meanwhile, the number of long-term care facilities reporting cases of COVID-19 continues to increase, and the number of cases continues to increase along with it. There are currently 513 nursing homes and other long-term care facilities in the state that have reported 23,345 COVID-19 cases.

According to the latest data, 4,261 nursing home residents in New Jersey have died.

Earlier this week, Murphy said the states Attorney Generals Office would expand an investigation into long-term care facilities that he said have experienced what he called a disproportionate number of deaths. That investigation began after the tragedy at the Andover Subacute and Rehabilitation Center, where 17 bodies were discovered in a makeshift morgue on Easter Sunday.

The governor has repeatedly said the long-term care issue facing the state has been among its biggest challenges.

Officials have asked for anyone with information about misconduct in any facility to report those allegations through a special tips hotline. An on-line link, covid19.nj.gov/ltc, will allow them to alert the state to problems anonymously.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

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Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com.
NEW DELHI: The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi has launched a dedicated Twitter handle for giving latest updates and information about the coronavirus situation in the national capital.

The new Twitter handle @DelhiVsCorona will provide the latest updates and information to people about the COVID-19 and answer questions, general queries, and complaints of people.

Delhi Chief Minister has also announced to set up a team to monitor the COVID-19 situation in the national capital and to manage the new Twitter handle.

This team will visit all leading hospitals in Delhi, collect and analyse data about the COVID-19. This team will also address general queries of COVID-19 patients and their family members.

It may be recalled that the Delhi government had recently launched a special website for COVID-19 related updates.

The Website http://DelhiFightsCorona.in provides important information like Testing facilities, Containment zone details, Key Locations, E-Passes, Frequently Asked Questions, Covid-19 Stats & Figures.

Delhi is the third most affected state after Maharashtra and Gujarat. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday said that 5,104 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the national capital so far and the number of COVID-19 cases is doubling in 11 days.

"There are a total number of 5,104 positive COVID-19 cases in Delhi, of which 206 cases were added yesterday. There were no new deaths yesterday. However, 92 people are currently in ICUs and 17 people on ventilators," Jain said while speaking to reporters here.

He said that 1,468 patients, which is 31 percent of the total, have recovered after treatment."The doubling rate of COVID-19 cases in Delhi is at 11 days. A few days ago, the doubling rate was at 13 days and now it is at 11 days. There were many pending reports of test which has come now, spiking the figure as a result," Jain said.

"There was a time when the doubling rate had reached 4-5 days. We will be a little more comfortable when the rate reaches 20 days," he added. The Minister said that people coming to Delhi from other states will have to go through a medical test and added that they will be kept under home or institutional quarantine.
The UKs coronavirus death toll is now the highest in Europe, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

By Tuesday morning, the death toll in Italywhich was previously the highest in Europe to datereached 29,315, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Just hours later, the ONS announced total COVID-19 deaths in the UK had reached 32,313making Britain the first European country to exceed the horrific milestone of 30,000 deaths.

The ONS figures are based on deaths where COVID-19 is mentioned on the death certificate. In contrast, the Conservative government manipulates its figures by only counting those cases where COVID-19 is recorded as the cause of death. However, the 693 new COVID-19 deaths announced yesterday by the government also brought the UKs manipulated total to the highest in Europe at 29,427.

A London bus driver wears a mask to try and protect him from the coronavirus as he drives on his route in London (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

Thousands of new coronavirus cases continue to be reported every day in Britain, with another 4,406 yesterday and a total of 194,990. This is under conditions in which only a tiny fraction of the population, including around 10 million essential workers, have been tested. The UK has tested just 20,385 people per 1 million of the populationa lower rate than the United States, Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Russia and Canada.

According to the ONS analysis, COVID-19 was mentioned on 29,648 death certificates in England and Wales by May 2, with the remaining deaths registered in Scotland and Northern Ireland that mention COVID-19 bringing the UK total to 32,313. The ONS revealed that 7,713 of the deaths in England and Wales occurred outside hospitals. These included 5,890 in care homes (up from just over 3,000 the previous week), 1,306 in private homes, 301 in hospices, 105 in other communal establishments, and 111 elsewhere.

The ONS report stand in stark contrast to the figures handed out for months by Downing Street in its daily press briefings.

On April 24, the government reported a total of 19,506 deaths, but yesterdays ONS figure was is 42 percent higher than the number released by the Department of Health on that day. At that stage, the Johnson government was only counting deaths related to coronavirus of those who passed away in hospital.

The Daily Mail cited the assessment of a former ONS health analyst, Jamie Jenkins, who estimates that the numbers of excess deaths, i.e. those above the statistical average for the time of year, meaning that the coronavirus death toll was more than 45,000.

Last week, a Financial Times assessment of ONS data available at that point, estimated a death toll of at least 47,000. The paper reported that it drew this conclusion based on a figure of almost 30,000 excess deaths by mid-April across the UK The FT noted that Much of the increase in deaths has been recorded in care homes, with the coronavirus appearing to be killing more than twice the number of people recorded in daily figures from hospitals. By April 17, 7,316 deaths were recorded in care homes, compared with an average of 2,154 for that week over the past five years.

Yesterday, based on the new ONS data, the FT upgraded its estimated UK death toll from the virus to 53,800. It also cited yesterdays comments of David Spiegelhalter, professor of public understanding of risk at Cambridge university: I can be confident now . . . that there are more Covid deaths happening outside hospitals than in hospital.

Despite the UK approaching the highest number of deaths in Europe, newspaper headlines in the right-wing media Tuesday morning trumpeted Tory governments propaganda that the UK was past the peak of the virus and on a downward slopeto justify the Tories back-to-work agenda.

The Daily Mail front page read, Glimmer of hope as death toll falls, Sky News led with the almost identical headline, Coronavirus: Glimmer of hope as total number of UK deaths decline from peak, new figures suggest. It noted a slight fall in the total number of deaths registered in England and Wales in the week ending April 24driven by a decrease in the number of hospital deaths.

Sky focussed on a small fall in deaths compared to the previous week. The broadcaster reported that the seven days to April 24, saw the first decrease in the weekly total number of registered deaths since March 20. The number of deaths registered in the week to April 24 was 354 less compared with the previous week.

Despite all such attempts to conceal the real number of fatalities, the true facts are emerging in the UK and in every country. On Monday, it was reported that Italys mortality rate due to COVID-19 was far higher than that officially acknowledged by the governmentwhich does not include deaths where COVID-19 was the suspected cause.

According to research issued by the Italian statistics bureau ISTATbased on monitoring 86 percent of the population from February 21, when the first COVID-19 deaths occurred, until March 31nationwide fatalities were up 49 percent, compared with the average of the previous five years. The country saw 25,354 excess deaths; while the Civil Protection Agency registered COVID-19 as the official cause for 13,710, around 11,600 deaths were unaccounted for.
Kadhimi gave up the intelligence post when he became the prime minister-designate. The road to the premiership has been long and unwieldy for Kadhimi. He was the third candidate chosen by Iraqs fragmented political blocs after the previous two failed to get broad support. His success is a testament to lessons learned from where others had failed.
One of the most important components of the governments coronavirus disease (Covid-19) relief package is free LPG for three months for nearly 500 million people. As the national system of LPG distribution is reasonably well-functioning, it is an efficient way to provide economic support to the poor. With uncertainty all around us, ensuring free LPG takes at least one important burden off peoples plates.

There are, however, some concerns. The programme is focused on its recent customer base  about 83 million  created by the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. It may be an efficient way to reach the poor, but it, unfortunately, leaves out a number of equally deserving groups of the poor. To reach the left-out sections, India needs additional measures.

A secure and continuous supply of LPG is another concern. It is the only fuel in the country with stable demand. The consumption of other major fuels  gasoline, diesel, CNG, or coal  is drastically down due to the lockdown. Other energy-intensive activities involving the use of cars, buses, trains, and planes are at much lower levels. Due to the complete lockdown, more people are cooking at home, further pushing up the LPG demand.

LPG is an odd fuel in that, unlike oil, its not searched for directly. There are no LPG wells anywhere. It is, in fact, a secondary product of the oil and gas production, which, owing to low demand, threaten the availability of LPG. To ensure its supplies, the government has reached out to natural gas producers in the Persian Gulf. But with global gas and oil production suppressed, it may require more effort.

What perhaps is not so well-understood and appreciated is that ensuring the use of LPG among the poor is actually a direct health benefit measure. Air pollution exposure from biomass cooking fires increases the risk and severity of infection, a harmful situation particularly during the Covid-19 spread.

It is well-established that air pollution exposure increases the risk of respiratory diseases, including infectious ones like flu or pneumonia. This is not because pollution contains pathogens  the virus in this case  but because it decreases the effectiveness of the human immune system.

Recent research shows that those exposed to air pollution are more susceptible to Covid-19. Its also true for smokers whose immune system is further weakened by smoke.

Outdoor air pollution in India, among the worst in the world, and the use of fossil fuels such as coal, has dropped drastically during the lockdown. This is good for health, a partial counterbalance to the terrible disruption of life brought about by the economic disruption. Sending people to their villages and towns during the lockdown, however, may expose them to smoke from cooking fires if they are still using biomass fuel.

It will cause extra pollution exposures and enhance the risk of Covid-19 by counteracting the benefit from lower ambient pollution exposure. Since the household use of biomass is responsible for a substantial portion of ambient pollution nationally, some of the health benefits accrued due to low consumption of fossil fuel will also be lost.

Its praiseworthy that India has convinced most people to stay in their homes that have cleaner air owing to the use of LPG. But it may also want to find ways to ensure gas supply for those who are left out to help keep homes clean and safe for everyone.

Kirk R Smith is director, Collaborative Clean Air Policy Centre, New Delhi, and professor, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley

The views expressed are personal
Sarah Ferguson has revealed that she has joined LinkedIn while unveiling the elegant professional photo she chose for her profile.

The 60-year-old Duchess of York announced the news on Instagram and Twitter on Tuesday evening, writing: 'Excited to join @linkedin.' She also shared a link to her profile and encouraged her followers to check it out.

In her glamorous profile picture, Sarah is wearing a classic black sheath dress, and her red hair is styled in loose waves. She has one arm crossed over her chest, revealing the hot pink polish on her perfectly manicured nails.

New to the platform: Sarah Ferguson, 60, announced on social media on Tuesday evening that she has joined LinkedIn while showing off her professional profile photo

Roles: The Duchess of York is listed as a 'Spokesperson, Author, Producer and Humanitarian' under her current job title

She is listed as a 'Spokesperson, Author, Producer and Humanitarian' under her current job title.

The rest of the profile highlights her charity work, media appearances and published books, including two autobiographies and children's stories.

Sarah's marriage to Prince Andrew in 1996 and subsequent divorce thrust her into the spotlight, and her LinkedIn bio emphasizes how she parlayed her fame into roles as a reporter and presenter.

'The subject of countless media interviews herself, The Duchess has also found success as a reporter and presenter,' her profile reads.

Work: The rest of the profile highlights her charity work, media appearances and published books, including two autobiographies and children's stories

Keeping busy: Fergie launched her daily show 'Storytime with Fergie and Friends' on her new YouTube channel last month to bring a 'little bit of magic' to children during the global crisis

'In America, she has been a special correspondent for NBC's Today show and has presented specials and documentaries on ABC, FOX, and CNN.

'In Britain, she has presented and co-produced specials for ITV, BBC, and Sky TV. She has served as guest editor on BBC Radio 4 Today programme and has regularly contributed to BBC Radio 2s primetime lifestyle show "Steve Wright".'

She posted just one job under the 'experience' section: Founder of the non-profit organization Children in Crisis UK.

The charity's focus is 'improving the lives of children and women from underprivileged backgrounds in third-world countries.'

FERGIE'S LINKEDIN PROFILE Sarah Ferguson Spokesperson, Author, Producer and Humanitarian London, England, United Kingdom About The Duchess of York is a global humanitarian, businesswoman, best selling childrens book author, producer and wellness advocate. In 1993 she founded Children in Crisis and the charity has educated over 1.4 million children, trained over 18,000 teachers, built 57 schools and supports hundreds of schools on a yearly basis. Recently CIC merged with Street Child and The Duchess is Founder Patron, remaining active in its mission to provide education to forgotten children around the world. She has recently returned from visiting Street Childs projects in Nepal and Sierra Leone, supporting the most marginalised into education and out of bonded labour. The Duchess has published over 55 books including two autobiographies and titles dealing with health, empowerment, history, art, as well as children's stories. A seven book series for young readers has recently been signed in Australia and New Zealand, with the first 3 books The Enchanted Oak Tree, Genie Gems and Arthur Fantastic published shortly. Four books from the original Helping Hands series have recently been re-released. Other childrens books include the series of Budgie the Little Helicopter, adapted into a highly successful animated series on US primetime Fox and the childrens book Tea for Ruby, published by Simon and Schuster which had its debut at the top of the New York Times bestseller list. Other books include What I know now: Lessons Learnt The Hard Way; the aforementioned 12 book series Helping Hands with Lloyds Pharmacy and a five book childrens series about the adventures of Little Red. The Duchess retraced Queen Victorias travels abroad to co-write Travels with Queen Victoria as well as Osborne House. The subject of countless media interviews herself, The Duchess has also found success as a reporter and presenter. In America, she has been a special correspondent for NBC's Today show and has presented specials and documentaries on ABC, FOX, and CNN. In Britain, she has presented and co-produced specials for ITV, BBC, and Sky TV. She has served as guest editor on BBC Radio 4 Today programme and has regularly contributed to BBC Radio 2s primetime lifestyle show Steve Wright. Experience Founder Children in Crisis UK Jan 1997  Present  23 yrs 5 mos London, England, United Kingdom Advertisement

Sarah had less than 20 connections as of Tuesday night, but the number will undoubtedly grow as more and more people learn that she has joined the networking platform.

The Duchess of York is certainly keeping busy while in lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.

She launched her daily show 'Storytime with Fergie and Friends' on her new YouTube channel last month to bring a 'little bit of magic' to children during the global crisis.

On Tuesday morning, she posed with a rainbow balloon and colourful sandwiches to announce that TV producer Michael Whitehall and his wife Hilary  parents of comedian Jack Whitehall  would join her for the tenth episode of her show.

All smiles: The Duchess of York shared a photo of herself posing with balloons and traffic light sandwiches on Tuesday

Surprise! In an Instagram post, she announced that Michael and Hilary Whitehall would be her guests. on the tenth episode of her daily YouTube show

'Today at 4pm on Storytime with Fergie and Friends I am going to be showing a surprise video! My guest friends will be @fatherwhitehall and @hilarywhitehall,' she captioned the image.

For their appearance, Michael and Hilary sat in front of their bookcase at their home in London to read 'Oh, When I Was Your Age'.

The book, written by Ken Adams and illustrated by Val Biro, was published in 1991 and tells the story of Grandpa who appears to have done everything much better than his grandson Sammy in his younger years.

Reading time: For their appearance, Michael and Hilary sat in front of their bookcase at their home in London to read 'Oh, When I Was Your Age'

Craft time! In a separate video, Sarah demonstrated how to make traffic light sandwiches as she sat in her conservatory

Such fun: The Duchess of York used green, red and orange jam to create the colourful traffic light sandwiches

In a separate video, Sarah demonstrated how to make traffic light sandwiches as she sat in her conservatory, which was decorated with colourful balloons.

Fergie gave a step-by step-sandwich tutorial, cutting tiny holes in white bread before putting green, orange and red jam in between the slices to create a traffic light effect.

She is believed to be isolating at the Royal Lodge in Windsor alongside her ex-husband Prince Andrew, daughter Princess Eugenie, 31, and son-in-law Jack Brooksbank.

The Duchess of York's wholesome videos are posted to her YouTube channel daily to encourage little ones to read while in lockdown.
Doctors have called for an inquiry into how the British Government has handled the coronavirus crisis as its death toll surges higher than any country in Europe.

Detailed statistics yesterday confirmed that more than 30,000 Britons had died of COVID-19 by April 24, almost two weeks ago, and the number of victims continues to rise.

Trends suggest more than 40,000 people may already have died with the illness, the same number of civilians who were killed over seven months in the Blitz in World War Two.

Even the Department of Health's raw data, which only includes people who have tested positive for the virus, put the death toll at 29,427 yesterday.

Italy, still considered to be the worst-hit country in Europe, had recorded 29,079 deaths by May 5, according to the World Health Organization.

Officials in the UK have come under fire for their decision to abandon testing members of the public in the outbreak's early stages, and for not offering enough support to nursing homes, where it has recently emerged that thousands have died.

Boris Johnson today admitted the UK's death toll from the disease is 'appalling' in his first Prime Minister's Questions appearance since recovering from it himself.

There are also concerns that the country's lockdown, which was announced on March 23, came too late and outbreaks were already well under way in London and Birmingham.

The president of the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association has now said there should be an investigation into the Government's performance.

Dr Claudia Paoloni said questions must be asked about how quickly Downing Street reacted to the threat, whether lockdown came early enough and why the testing and tracing attempt has been 'inadequate'.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer today asked Mr Johnson: 'How on earth did it come to this?' when remarking on Britain's death toll usurping Italy's.

The UK now has more confirmed COVID-19 deaths - according to backdated statistics from the Office for National Statistics, National Records Scotland, and Northern Ireland's NISRA - than any other country in Europe

Dr Paoloni, who works as a doctor in Bristol, said the fact that more people appear to have died in Britain than anywhere else in Europe was an 'unwelcome milestone'.

She told The Guardian: 'There will have to be a full investigation of the handling of the COVID response in due course - a public inquiry - to understand why we are experiencing such large numbers in comparison to the rest of Europe.

'It puts into question whether the Government's tactics at the start of the pandemic were sufficiently fast, and especially whether the lockdown should have happened earlier and whether we should have been better prepared with increased capacity for viral testing and contact tracing from the start. Both have proven inadequate.'

Keir Starmer, who is a lawyer by trade, started questioning the Government's tactics in Prime Minister's Questions today in his first showdown against Mr Johnson since he took over from Jeremy Corbyn.

He said: 'Yesterday we learned tragically that at least 29,427 people in the UK have now lost their lives to this dreadful virus.

'That is now the highest number in Europe. It is the second highest in the world.

'That is not success, or apparent success, so can the Prime Minister tell us how on earth did it come to this?'

Mr Johnson replied: 'First, of course, every death is a tragedy and he is right to draw attention to the appalling statistics not just in this country but of course around the world.

'I think I would echo really in answer to his question what we have heard from Professor David Spiegelhalter and others that at this stage I don't think that international comparisons and the data is yet there to draw the conclusions that we want.

'What I can tell him is that at every stage as we took the decisions that we did we were governed by one overriding principle and aim and that was to save lives and to protect our NHS.'

When the number of COVID-19 patients dying was at its highest in hospitals, around April 8, it was still relatively low in care homes, which then surged in the days and weeks following

COVID-19 KILLED MORE THAN THE BLITZ, DATA SUGGESTS The COVID-19 outbreak could have already killed as many British people as the Blitz air raids did in the Second World War, data suggests. Figures published by each of the individual nations has suggested the the true death toll could be 42 per cent higher than the Department of Health count. Some 29,710 deaths had been recorded in England and Wales by April 24, as well as 2,219 in Scotland and 393 in Northern Ireland - a total of 32,322 across the UK. Officials had, by that time, counted only 22,173 fatalities linked to the virus, suggesting the true death toll today is higher than 40,000. The Blitz, a seven-month bombing campaign waged against Britain by Nazi Germany in 1940 and 1941 killed around 40,000 people, according to Parliament UK. A family clean up debris outside their house in Bexleyheath, London Most of the raids took place in London after beginning with 'Black Saturday' on September 7, 1940, when the Luftwaffe attacked the London Docklands. They would go on to bomb the capital city day and night for months, switching to night-only operations in October. While the air raids mainly targeted London, where they wreaked havoc and killed thousands, they were carried out across the UK, with devastating attacks aimed at Bristol, Birmingham, Coventry, Bath, Cardiff, Clydebank, Liverpool, Manchester, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Southampton, Swansea and Swindon before the campaign came to an end in May 1941, seven months after it had began. Between September 7, 1940, and May 21, 1941, more than 20,000 tonnes of explosives were dropped on British cities. London was attacked 71 times and bombed by the Luftwaffe for 57 consecutive nights. More than one million houses were destroyed or damaged in the city and, of those who were killed in the bombing campaign, more than half of them were from London. Adolf Hitler had intended to demoralise Britain before launching an invasion using his naval and ground forces, but the Blitz came to an end towards the end of May 1941, when Hitler set his sights on invading the Soviet Union instead. Advertisement

Backdated deaths data from the Office for National Statistics yesterday showed 29,710 people had died with coronavirus in England and Wales by April 24.

For the same date, National Records Scotland has registered 2,219 deaths, and Northern Ireland's NISRA agency counted 393. The UK total was 32,322.

This includes anyone who had the virus mentioned on their death certificate, whether or not they had been tested, and regardless of the ultimate cause of death.

Department of Health data, however, only includes those who are tested - until last week this only counted people dying in hospitals.

It had recorded 22,173 deaths by April 24 - 42 per cent fewer than the backdated, more accurate information.

Were the current data to be increased by the same 42 per cent, the true death toll for yesterday, May 5, would have been 41,786.

Scientists say countries record data differently so comparing them is 'simplistic' and inaccurate - many, including the UK, don't reliably record care home or community deaths on a day-by-day basis - but that the numbers are still disastrous.

The University of Cambridge's Professor David Spiegelhalter, who sits on the Government's SAGE advisory committee, said: 'The one thing we can be certain of is that all these numbers are substantial underestimates of the true number who have died from COVID.

'And [they're] an even bigger underestimate of the number who have died because of the epidemic and the measures taken against it.

'I think we can safely say that none of these countries are doing well, but this is not Eurovision and it is pointless to try and rank them.'

One of the reasons the British Government is under fire is its decision to stop testing members of the public and tracing the contacts of confirmed COVID-19 patients in March.

On March 12, Professor Chris Whitty said it was 'no longer necessary' to test, hospitalise and trace the contacts of everyone suspected to have the virus.

The Government instead focused its efforts on preparing the NHS for a disastrous surge in patients with life-threatening COVID-19.

A senior minister today admitted that mass testing should not have been stopped.

Security minister James Brokenshire admitted that 'capacity constraints' earlier in the coronavirus crisis meant contact tracing among the public was abandoned in March.

Asked whether, had there been the capacity, track-and-tracing should have continued, Mr Brokenshire told the BBC's Today programme: 'Would there have been benefit in having that extra capacity, as Patrick Vallance highlighted yesterday? Yes.

'The challenge that we had is that we have some fantastic laboratories, some fantastic expertise, but it has been the capacity constraints that we have had, and therefore how that posed challenges.'

His remarks came after the Government's chief scientist conceded Britain should have done mass coronavirus testing on the public at the beginning of the crisis and carried it on.

Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser to Downing Street, admitted yesterday that it 'would have been beneficial' to get a handle on testing faster.

The number of people dying each week during the UK's coronavirus crisis has been significantly higher - more than double in recent weeks - than the average number of deaths for this time of year

Security minister James Brokenshire admitted that 'capacity constraints' earlier in the coronavirus crisis meant contact tracing among the public was abandoned

Speaking to MPs in Parliament's Health Select Committee yesterday, he said: 'I think that probably we, in the early phases - and I've said this before - I think if we'd managed to ramp testing capacity quicker it would have been beneficial.

'For all sorts of reasons that didn't happen.'

One former World Health Organization director, commenting on the lack of focus on testing, said: 'This should not have happened'.

A former director at the WHO and now academic at University College London, Professor Anthony Costello, said the UK should never have let testing slip.

He said on Twitter: 'On March 12 we stopped all community testing at a time when there were less than 10 deaths and only 500 confirmed cases countrywide.

SECURITY MINISTER DEFENDS DECISION TO NOT SHUT BORDERS Number 10's security minister today defended the decision not to close the borders in a bid to stop the deadly coronavirus spreading. James Brokenshire said the scientific advice was 'very clear' and that banning travellers would 'not have had any significant impact'. In an interview with the BBC this morning, Mr Brokenshire said the decision to shut borders will be kept 'under review'. He was questioned on the decision after chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance yesterday told MPs most of the coronavirus strains being spread across the UK in March came from people returning from Spain and Italy. Mr Brokenshire told the BBC: 'I think it is important to note that the scientific advice was very clear that, up to this point in time, placing restrictions at the border would not have had any significant impact on epidemic progression in the UK. 'SAGE looked at this on March 23 - the numbers coming from other countries were estimated to be insignificant compared with domestic cases, comprising around 0.5 per cent of total cases at the time. 'Since then, obviously, you'll be more than aware, with all of the issues in the aviation sector, how we've seen a reduction in air passengers by around 99 per cent since the start of the outbreak. 'It is something we will continue to keep under review as we look to the next phase but, at that time, the advice was clear that placing restrictions would not have had any significant impact.' Advertisement

'Most local authorities had tiny numbers of cases. Before we stopped we were only doing 1,500 tests per day. This should not have happened.

'And contact tracing could have easily continued with local authority public health teams, GPs, environmental health officers and trained volunteers. Except maybe in London and W Midlands. This would have reduced spread.'

The UK is also coming under scrutiny over it being slower to introduce movement restrictions than other nations.

Data shows that countries which banned international travel earlier on appear to have coped better with their epidemics than countries that took longer.

Even now, Britain's borders remain open and health bosses still aren't routinely testing or quarantining travellers from overseas.

Meanwhile, dozens of countries which clamped down on international travel months ago appear to have averted major coronavirus crises.

In Europe, Norway and Denmark closed their borders to all non-citizens by March 13, within two weeks of recording their first cases of the virus. Both countries have recorded just 40 and 87 deaths per million people, respectively, compared to the UK's 438 per million.

It comes after damning figures yesterday revealed the UK quarantined just 273 out of 18.1million people who arrived in the UK in the three months before the lockdown.

UK's security minister James Brokenshire today defended Number 10's decision not to close the borders in a bid to stop the virus spreading, saying the scientific advice was 'very clear' and that banning travellers would 'not have had any significant impact'.

The Government's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, yesterday told MPs that SAGE had advised ministers that they would have to be 'extremely draconian' in blocking travel from whole countries otherwise 'it really was not worth trying to do it'.

He admitted that most of the cases in Britain were imported from Europe through 'the high level of travel into the UK'. Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage said the scale of Britain's crisis was down to the Government failing to act on flights.
Hizbul Mujahideen's de facto chief and one of Kashmir's most wanted terrorists Reyaz Naikoo was on Wednesday killed by security forces in his village in Pulwama district, prompting authorities to suspend mobile phones and mobile internet across the Valley.

The 35-year-old maths teacher turned terrorist, with a Rs 12 lakh bounty on his head, had successfully escaped the dragnet for eight years. But his luck finally ran out when he was shot dead after a five-hour gunbattle in restive Pulwama's Beighbpora village, about 40 km from here, police said.

Security forces engaged with militants in two simultaneous gunbattles in Pulwama, one in Sharshalli village where two unidentified militants were killed and the other in Beighpora in Awantipora where they finally put down Naikoo who was holed up with another terrorist.

His accomplice attempted to escape by charging towards security forces and opening indiscriminate fire but was also killed in the encounter, which led to clashes as people started pelting stones at security personnel.

Two people sustained bullet injuries but were taken to hospital and were stable, officials said.

The four bodies would not be handed over to the families in accordance with the new protocol in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic and would be buried by police, they said.

The gunning down of the Hizbul Mujahideen commander, a major breakthrough in the fight against terror, comes three days after eight security personnel, including two Army officers Colonel Ashutosh Sharma and Major Anuj Sood, were killed in Handwara on May 3.

The incidents of violence come amid a lockdown in the Valley and elsewhere in the country to curtail the spread of COVID-19 and also during the month of Ramzan.

Giving details of the successful operation, officials said security forces zeroed in on Naikoo's hideout on Tuesday. But instead of initiating an immediate operation, they first fortified their cordon around the area and plugged all escape routes so he could not escape as he had done thrice earlier.

Only then did they begin the actual operation to flush out the terrorist, who was categorised as A++ (top terrorist) and was known to be tech savvy, frequently posting audio and video clips on social media to motivate youth towards militancy and draw in more recruits to his outfit.

At dawn, Army units were pushed along with the special operations group of Jammu and Kashmir Police, the officials said. A gunfight broke out after Naikoo and his accomplice fired at the security personnel.

CRPF and police forces also laid an outer cordon to keep the public away from the encounter site.

Security forces also checked the railway line along the village following reports that he had dug a tunnel from his hideout to help him escape. This, however, turned out to be a rumour, said a senior police officer from ground zero.

A police spokesperson said earlier in the morning that a top terrorist commander along with an accomplice was trapped in an encounter but did not reveal his identity.

Later in the day, officials disclosed that the man in their sights was Naikoo, the man they had been looking for for eight years.

The bespectacled Naikoo became the de facto chief of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen after the death of Burhan Wani, the poster boy of militancy in the Valley, in July 2016.

Naikoo, who had 11 FIRs against him, masterminded the revival of the Hizbul Mujahideen and often released videos and audios with pro-Pakistan and separatist propaganda, officials said. He also executed a series of attacks on security forces, including policemen, and civilians.

He is alleged to have brutally killed civilians after branding them as informers. He also looted orchard owners and farmers to collect funds for his outfit besides collecting cash from illicit cultivation of opium and 'bhang' in south Kashmir, officials said.

His outfit figured in a narco trade case in Jammu where a huge sum of sale proceeds was transferred to one of his contacts.

Naikoo's death must not used as an excuse by some to put more people in "harm's way by provoking violence and protests", former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said on Twitter.

Abdullah said Naikoo's destiny was decided the moment he picked up the gun and adopted the path of violence and terror.

In the separate encounter at Sharshali village, two militants, who are yet to be identified, were gunned down in an encounter with security forces.

Acting on a tip-off about the presence of militants in the village, security forces launched a cordon and search operation. It turned into an encounter after militants opened fire towards security forces' positions, officials said.

The forces retaliated, killing the two militants, they said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In its first quarter century of operation, since 1894, there had never been a successful escape from the Auburn Prison for Women, part of the larger correctional facility there.

But that was until May 8, 1920, when a pair of inmates, Dorothy Creer and Irene Miley, together made an ingenious escape, straight from a Hollywood movie.

Their story, the Syracuse Herald noted, was one of the most sensational deliveries in the history of the jail, which first opened in 1817.

Although their freedom lasted a little more than 24 hours, they both admitted their escape was worth it and could not wait to tell their story.

***

- A view of the Auburn Prison taken between 1880 and 1910.Courtesy of the New York State A

By the spring of 1920, Auburn Prison inmates Dorothy Creer, age 22, and Irene Miley, 24, were becoming increasingly desperate.

Both young women would later tell newspapers that neither expected to live to see the end of their sentences.

Creer had served two years of her five-to-ten-year prison sentence for shooting her New York City sweetheart after a quarrel. (The shooting made no difference in their relationship, she said. The lovers conversed regularly through the mail.)

Miley was serving a similar sentence for first degree grand larceny for stealing from the New York lawyer she clerked for.

Neither had any complaints about their treatment at the prison, but they both that the food was insufficient and of poor quality.

Creer claimed she had lost 50 pounds in the two years since she was incarcerated, while Miley had dropped from 115 pounds to 95.

For Miley, she had another reason to escape, saying later:

What would you do if you were in my place? Almost every woman in the prison has some friends and relatives who send them boxes of candy or food. I havent anybody in the world and I was awfully lonely. Life appeared hopeless.

(She would also say she tried to hang herself, but Auburns warden said there was no record of it having happened.)

To improve their lot, the two hatched to a scheme to escape.

The most important thing they needed was a change of clothes once they got of the prison.

Using the five light gray blankets they were issued by the prison, they were able to fashion a suit of clothes for themselves, including hats which, the Herald said, they fashioned in a style worthy of experienced milliners.

They even made a pair of slippers which they fitted over their shoes so soften their tread and so they would not leave any trail behind, in case of bloodhounds.

The clothing was ready by the morning of May 8. Then they secured a screwdriver and two strong files.

Women at Auburn prison were quartered in dormitories in a separate wing off the main building. Each prisoner had a tiny apartment of her own. Each of these rooms had an ordinary wooden door which had a barred window for ventilation.

On May 8, 1920, two women, Dorothy Creer and Irene Miley, were the first to break out of the women's prison at Auburn. They were free for over 24 hours before being caught in Syracuse. These headlines are from the May 10, 1920 Syracuse Herald. Heritage MicrofilmHeritage Microfilm

Each night the women are locked in at 9 p.m. and a guard tries each door every hour until morning.

Newspapers called the locks used the most ordinary sort and could be easily removed with a screwdriver.

And thats exactly what Creer and Miley did, using tacks to put the locks back in place until they made their escape.

Shortly, after the 9 p.m. check-in the women removed the locks and were on their way.

They went to the prisons kitchen on the second floor where, for some reason, one of the windows did not have any bars.

No, I dont know how that happens, Creer said later. I just know that its there.

The window was high off the ground and both women were in for a bit of a tumble.

It was too far a drop, so I tied three blankets together and let Irene out. Half-way down she lost her strength and let go.

Creer tied the blankets to a wall radiator to help her descent but had a similar result as her comrade.

I thought Id climbed a couple of hundred feet when I felt something solid underneath. It happened to be the cornice (an ornamental molding) on the first-floor window, but I didnt know that. It felt like solid ground to me, and I let go.

She fell the final ten feet which jarred loose every tooth in my head, but she recovered and after a minute both were on their way.

Once into the prison yard, the women would have to contend with a 12-foot high wall that stood between them and freedom.

We found a spade in the yard and by standing that against the wall, I managed to shinny up, Creer remembered. But Irene couldnt make it. Finally, though, she took a run and a jump, and I caught her and pulled her up. It was some pull, believe me.

From the top of the wall, their escape was simple. They crawled along the top of the wall until they came to the stairs used by the guards.

We walked down, and we were out.

Once out, they walked along the wall, when they came upon a guard. They quickly improvised an act, pretending they were tourists:

So thats Auburn prison, Creer said to Miley. It must be awful tough to be locked up inside there.

Oh, I dont know, Miley responded. Why, they have flowers planted and everything.

Their ruse worked.

Once away from the prison, the pair planned to travel to Syracuse.

After a couple of wrong turns, they had managed to get just four miles east of Auburn by the time daylight arrived.

Then, a motorist approached, and they threw together another scheme.

After hailing down the lone, male motorist, they told him this story:

We told him we had gone out with a couple of fellows, and that they had tried to take advantage of our confidence, so we got out and walked. He was real sympathetic and talked awful rough about fellows like that who would play tricks like that on innocent women.

The women spent a lovely May Sunday afternoon in Burnet Park.

The duped man brought them to Syracuse and even gave them $1.25 so they could buy breakfast.

With the money left over, they toured the city in a trolley car, then told another man a hard luck story, which suckered him to buying them lunch.

They spent the afternoon at Burnet Park, where they built a campfire and had great fun.

In the evening, they were returned downtown and found another man to buy them dinner.

But by that time, their escape from prison had been discovered and the police in Syracuse and other nearby cities had been notified.

Patrolman William Mulberry was patrolling East Genesee Street that evening when he noticed two women dressed peculiarly. When they started walking faster when he noticed them, he followed. They surrendered without a fight, although they did try to pass along fake names.

Irene was real smart, Creer said, she told the cop her name was May Meredith But the only name I could think of was Elinor Glynn. Can you imagine anything like that?

They were taken to Syracuse police headquarters where they admitted to who they were.

Before they were brought back to Auburn, they told their story to the Syracuse Herald and cheerfully posed for photographers in their unusual costumes.

Both expected some form of punishment for their escape but figured that it would be worth it for the great time they had in Syracuse.

Well, well probably spend ten days each in the cage, Miley said, but I dont care. We had 24 hours of fresh air and it was worth it.

Their punishment was much more severe.

In November, each received an extra year to be served at the end of their original sentences.

READ MORE

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This feature is a part of CNY Nostalgia, a section on syracuse.com. Send your ideas and curiosities to Johnathan Croyle at jcroyle@syracuse.com or call 315-427-3958.

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Tekashi 6ix9ine has announced he will host an Instagram live session following his early release from prison.

The rapper was granted compassionate release in April due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A judge then gave him permission to record videos while on home confinement, and 6ix9ine  real name Daniel Hernandez  has appeared to tease new music.

On Tuesday, the artist teased his upcoming live session on Instagram, which will take place this Friday (8 May) at 3pm ET.

Lets get this party started, 6ix9ine wrote in the caption.

Dont get scared now.

In December 2019, the rapper was sentenced to two years in prison after pleading guilty to charges stemming from his involvement in the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods gang.

He then acted as a witness for the prosecution  a cooperation deemed game-changing by the judge in charge of his sentencing.

Judge Paul Engelmayer has now permitted 6ix9ine to "conduct employment-related activities outside the residence but within the confines of the rented property for two hours per week on one specific day that needs advanced approval by the Probation Officer.
For many years, the only modern novel translated from Arabic published in the prestigious Penguin Classics series of international literary works in English translation was Season of Migration to the North by the Sudanese writer Tayeb Salih.



Today, however, a new title has joined the list with a revised English translation by US academic William Hutchins of Egyptian writer Tawfik Al-Hakims 1933 novel Return of the Spirit, a reworking of a translation first published in a more limited series. Its appearance in the Penguin Classics means that Al-Hakims novel, undoubtedly a classic of Egypts modern literature, can now be enjoyed by a far wider English-language audience.



In his introduction to the new edition, Hutchins says that Return of the Spirit is at once a portrait of an Egyptian as a young artist and therefore an apprenticeship novel; the narrative of a failed romance that transforms everything; a political novel that celebrates the 1919 Revolution in Egypt and calls for national solidarity; a work of Arab Muslim literature; and a novel that presents its blended family as a model for Egyptian society and its characters as symbols for tendencies and ideas.



Another way of putting this would be to say that the novel is a gloriously mixed bag, with several different novels fighting to get out. First, there is the story of the protagonist, Muhsin, a young man living with his extended family in Cairo and occasionally returning to the countryside while exploring what life and the future have to offer. This novel, an often highly comic one of growing up and early love, is the story of an aspiring writer and is based on Al-Hakims own experience living with his family in Cairo in the years immediately before and after Egypts 1919 Revolution.



Then there is the political novel that Hutchins refers to, perhaps most in evidence when Muhsin visits his family in the Delta town of Damanhur in part two of Return of the Spirit. In addition to reflections on the differences between town and country life and the underdeveloped condition of local villages, this novel introduces characters who explicitly discuss political ideas and tendencies.



There are the characters on the train that Muhsin encounters between Cairo and Damanhur, for example, who discuss the differences between Egypt and Europe. One comments on how those present have made room for a new passenger. If this had happened in Europe, not one of the passengers would have moved, even if he was acquainted with the newcomer and his friend. No one [in Europe] will decrease his own comfort for the sake of another, no matter who he is, he says to general agreement. These discussions may reflect Al-Hakims own thoughts, since the relationship between Egypt and Europe, perhaps more broadly Europe and the Arab world, he returned to in a subsequent novel called Bird from the East.



There are also the foreign characters Muhsin encounters while in the Delta, with these being national stereotypes as well as vehicles for the expression of ideas. A French archaeologist lectures Muhsin on the achievements of European culture while also holding out the hope of a cultural renaissance in Egypt. The farmers of the Delta, for example, though presently uneducated, have a force within them theyre not conscious of. This is an ancient people. If you take one of the peasants and remove his heart, youll find in it the residue of ten thousand years of experiential knowledge, one layer on top of the other, though hes not conscious of it, he says.



Dont disdain those people who are poor today. The force lies buried in them. They lack only one thing a man from among them who will manifest all their emotions and beliefs and be for them a symbol of the ultimate. When that occurs, dont be surprised if these people, who stand together as one and relish sacrifice, bring forth another miracle besides the Pyramids.



A British irrigation inspector, more pragmatic, is inclined to dismiss the Frenchmans ideas. You Frenchmen think nothing of sacrificing facts to eloquence, he says. However, the Frenchmans point is born out in the final sections of the novel, which record the atmosphere in Cairo during the 1919 Revolution in Egypt, a national revolt against British colonial rule and the protectorate imposed on Egypt.



The Revolution both vindicates the French archaeologists predictions and serves as a powerful expression of national feeling and solidarity. A person looking at Cairo and its streets during that time would have seen in the midst of the demonstrations and chants Egyptian flags that showed the crescent moon [of Islam] cradling the cross. Egypt had perceived in a single moment that the crescent and the cross were the two arms of a single body with one heart: Egypt!







RETURN TO THE SPIRIT: Al-Hakim wrote Return of the Spirit while he was living in Paris in 1927, having been sent there by his family ostensibly to study law, but in fact spending as much time as possible absorbing the French and European cultural scene, particularly its theatre.



His return to Egypt some years later marked the beginning of an extraordinarily productive period for this still young author  he was born in 1898 in Alexandria  with Return of the Spirit, a first novel, being consigned to a drawer until 1933 when it was first published in Cairo. Meanwhile, Al-Hakim was spending his time writing theatre plays, while at the same time also experimenting with essays and memoirs.

People of the Cave, one of his best-known plays from the 70 or so he wrote during an exceptionally long writing career stretching into the 1980s, appeared in the same year as Return of the Spirit. There was also a novel-memoir reminiscent in its sometimes biting humour to parts of the earlier novel, though this time drawing not on Al-Hakims student days in Cairo but on his early career as a lawyer in the Delta. This work, Diary of a Country Prosecutor, was translated into English as long ago as 1947, indicating a strange time-lapse between its publication in English and the much later appearance of other works from the same decade in translation.Perhaps the mixed character of Return of the Spirit  part novel of apprenticeship, part political novel, part memoir, and part manifesto piece for future novels  should also be seen as part of this extraordinarily productive period. Al-Hakim had decided while in Paris that he could never follow his father in a legal career, at least not with any enthusiasm, and he had decided that he wanted to become a writer.But what sort of writer should he be? As he explains in The Prison of Life, a later memoir, some of his contemporaries had been tempted by journalism, then flourishing in Egypt and offering the prospect of a respectable career if not one that was as secure as the law. Others were experimenting with writing works of prose fiction, sometimes by Egyptianising, or half translating and half adapting, works in European languages. Still others were writing short stories, or autobiographies, biographies, and memoirs. There was a range of possibilities, perhaps explaining why Al-Hakim felt happy to try most of them, sometimes in hybrid works that are part fiction, part memoir, part political tract, and part adaptation from a range of models.But what he really wanted to be, he explains in The Prison of Life, was a dramatist. However, here too there was uncertainty. Part of him seemed to be drawn towards material exploring societal themes in a trend towards realist drama. But another part was drawn to exploring abstract issues that touched only tangentially on immediate societal issues and were less likely to find popular audiences.People of the Cave, a reworking of the Quranic and Christian story of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus, was like that, as were Al-Hakims plays from the 1960s that have reminded some of the theatre of the absurd of the time in Europe. Plays like The Sultans Dilemma, The Tree Climber, and the Fate of a Cockroach used absurd situations to ask questions about the foundations of political authority, the character of belief systems, and the extent and limits of human striving.He writes in The Prison of Life that the problem was how to find an audience for what he wanted to write, perhaps by smuggling questions of law and justice into a murder mystery/comic memoir in the manner of Diary of a Country Prosecutor or by blending his gift for comic dialogue, written in the vernacular, with politics and essayistic speculation in the manner of Return of the Spirit. He was torn, he says, between a desire for popularity and one for solitude, for reaching a wider audience and for retreating into an ivory tower of philosophical and aesthetic investigation.The Sultans Dilemma asks to what extent power should be subject to law. The dilemma in The Prison of Life is between imprisonment and freedom, rather like in the People of the Cave. The prison that I live in, made of wall-like inherited traits was something imposed by early life and upbringing, Al-Hakim says in his memoir. My freedom is my thinking. I am a prisoner in what I have inherited, free in what I have acquired. The intellectual and cultural edifice I have erected for myself is my own, he writes.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 30 April, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Its a natural human response to see a company succeed in an industry and look elsewhere for your own successful idea. Why charge forward in an arena that already has one business getting things right?

But if that were the case, there would be no Apple. There would also be no Facebook or Instagram or TikTok, only MySpace. Thered be no Netflix; youd probably be watching shows on Blockbuster+ now.

The point is that theres always room for a second mover to come in and improve upon whats already being done, even in a burgeoning industry. Its not always easy. Apple encountered a lot of struggles alongside its success over its first 15 years, but the wins that propelled it past the likes of IBM are possible for any growing company.

The Second-Mover Advantage

There are some first-mover advantages; a pioneering company goes through a natural progression of buzz and admiration. It determines how others view its industry, setting the standards everyone else will (relatively) be expected to follow. Its growth is celebrated and tracked, and money often follows. Then, however, it faces heightened scrutiny.

In any new industry, there are three phases: disruption, awareness and correction. We saw this with Microsoft in the 1990s, and were seeing this now with Facebook  even if the brand was technically more of a first behemoth than a first mover. The most well-known company in a new industry usually takes the brunt of that industrys scrutiny, up to about the 15-year mark. It seems to be our natural predisposition to build up the narrative around successful new companies and then correct when we think theyre too big.

Its something Amazon and Google have navigated better than most, but even theyre not fully immune. Still, the three phases they followed can light the way for other newcomers.

Related: In Technology, Entrepreneurs Must Take the Biggest Shots to Make the Biggest Gains

1. Disruption

Disruption puts an industry on the map. Ridesharing is probably the most oft-used example. Uber entered the market and completely changed how many people decided to both use transportation and earn a side income. The gig economy was fueled, and it then influenced other industries and services.

But disruption doesnt have to solely refer to a new product or service. It can also be a new process. Thats incredibly evident in the direct-to-consumer model, where everything from eyeglasses to mattresses was disrupted, allowing Warby Parker and Casper to become household names.

Education is prime for disruption. A recent Fortune article detailed the domestic and global need for more healthcare workers, positing that the millions of recently unemployed should be hired as community-health workers. Re-skilling was already growing as an alternative for companies to create less turnover, but now a more efficient way to transition people into healthcare jobs has become necessary.

Carrus CEO Misty Frost, whose company helps workers from other professions re-skill and certify for healthcare jobs, recently wrote for Thrive Global about finding meaningful work in a pandemic, noting that, Losing a job can start a cycle of grief that can be difficult to get out of. However, its important to use your time wisely to bounce back, taking stock of your skills (and potentially reskilling to shift your career), establishing a new routine and seeking new opportunities. Now more than ever, many of those new opportunities are in the field of healthcare. The pandemic itself has stirred disruption.

2. Awareness

Theres always a learning curve for a new industry. As the masses start to use a product or service, people begin to understand how it can further be improved. This is where the second mover starts to shine. It can pivot more easily than the first mover, with entrenched stakeholders and a set image. The newcomer can position itself better to appeal to the growing tastes of the industry.

When the mattress industry was first being disrupted, it had a common theme: direct-to-consumer mattresses, shipped to your door for a free trial. It was first marketed as a less expensive alternative to conventional mattress shopping. And it worked. Direct-to-consumer mattress brands grew. But there was a sizable buying market that wasnt shopping for discounts; it was shopping for quality and performance. The standard DTC mattress supply chain utilizes the same manufacturer in China, regardless of brand, to keep costs down.

Upstart company Purple recognized an opportunity to grow the industry beyond its start by building its own technology and production line, making everything in the United States. That required a sizable initial investment, but the brand has been able to carve out a growing segment focused on sleep quality and comfort technology. This vertical integration allows Purple to respond to market demand and enter new markets quickly with owned technology and positioning, as well as leap to anything lifestyle- or comfort tech-related, giving the brand endless pivot points.

3. Correction

This is the phase in every industry when it starts to mature, we recognize the players, the field has consolidated and the innovations arrive more slowly. Amazon is in this phase right now; so is Facebook. Theyre now a part of everyday life.

But in every generation, theres a business that takes the majority of the heat around a given topic, and we wonder if its gotten too big. Is it creating a monopoly? Is it capitalizing on an entire market, to consumer detriment? Twenty-five years ago, Microsoft endured those accusations; today, Facebook faces questions about how much data it gathers and how much it influences, from consumer opinion to political elections.

In some industries, scrutiny can lead to positive change. Over the past couple years, the work conditions of the $36 billion video game industry have been made evident. Once people were able to download games directly to consoles, the very nature of producing a game changed. Its great for the consumer, but it puts intense strain on staff to constantly develop.

Fifteen-hour days became common to meet release dates. Developers would hire, fire, hire again and not care what impact that had on company culture. Too focused on constantly meeting deadlines and keeping pace with the competition, this also led to a blind spot regarding harassment in the workplace.

Gearbox Software, maker of the Borderlands franchise, made its workplace its competitive advantage. CEO Randy Pitchford built a culture based on less turnover, with a stronger focus on the employee. This year, VentureBeat called Pitchford one of the most impactful and respected video game developers in the world. Paying extra attention to building the right culture attracts the talent needed to produce and feed the bottom line  particularly without high turnover in a tech-oriented industry.

This could usher in a new era in video games, making the story more important than the graphics. By making the continuity of the team more important than overworking contractors to meet a deadline, Gearbox is offering a needed course correction.

Related: Casper Co-Founder Shares Advice on Finding Success as an Entrepreneur

First movers may get a lot of the glory, but success isnt restricted to them. Second movers can often see what their industrys pioneers got wrong and offer an alternative. If the first mover drummed up enough interest, its a win-win for everyone, no matter their date of entry.

Related:

5 Ways Brands Can Reinvent Their Digital Marketing Strategy

3 Major Opportunities That Will Come From This Pandemic

This Artwork Inspired Veronica Chou to Make a More Responsible Fashion Brand



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On a recent Zoom meeting with their lawyer, Chicago attorney Charles Lee Mudd Jr., also on the call, Walkowicz said, I felt a mixture of things. I would say, number one, is that I really felt violated by it. It seemed so clearly to be based on me  and not only my appearance and my clothes, but also my work, because there are things about the doll ... that are directly related to my career, my lifes work.
SAN ANTONIO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCO) ("the Company") today reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2020.

"Like so many businesses across the world, we have found ourselves operating in an unprecedented environment, and our Q1 earnings were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic," said William Eccleshare, Worldwide Chief Executive Officer of Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. "Whilst we can't predict the full economic consequences of this global issue, our priority as a business remains the same as it always has been: to take care of our people and our customers and protect our business for the long-term.

"A robust strategy has been deployed across our markets to increase liquidity, preserve our financial flexibility and support the continuity of our platform and operations, including significant cost savings initiatives. We believe these decisive actions will help mitigate the impact of COVID-19, but we expect our Q2 revenues and Adjusted EBITDA will still be affected.

"A key pillar of our business strategy is to explore opportunistic transactions that help strengthen our balance sheet. Following a strategic review of our investment in China, in April we tendered our 51 percent stake in the Clear Media business to a consortium called Ever Harmonic for approximately $253 million, and expect to receive net proceeds of approximately $220 million. This significant cash injection is expected to further improve our liquidity position and increase our financial flexibility.

"We believe the Clear Media deal will show that in spite of current market conditions, the out-of-home sector and our distinct media offer remains powerful. Q1 saw another strong performance from our Americas segment, with top-line revenue growth of 8.5% and Segment Adjusted EBITDA up an exceptional 18.5%. Our continued investment in our digital strategy has unlocked growth in key cities across the world. Whilst brand communications strategies are being reshaped, in this time of critical need our media inventory has facilitated messages of support to hospitals, first responders, delivery professionals and food service workers and has been used by local governments to encourage people to stay at home.

"As we move forward, we're confident that our focus and execution of our digital transformation plan will position us to continue to grow out-of-home's share of total media spend and drive sustainable, profitable long-term value for our shareholders. I'd like to reiterate my thanks to our global workforce for their remarkable resilience, flexibility and teamwork. Their support is critical to ensure we emerge in the best possible position to help our clients and communities navigate the future."



Financial Highlights:

Financial highlights for the first quarter of 2020, as compared to the same period of 2019:

Americas:

Revenue up 8.5% year-over-year to $295.8 million .

. Segment Adjusted EBITDA1 up 18.5% year-over-year to $108.0 million .

Europe & Other:

Revenue down 18.9% year-over-year to $255.0 million .

. Segment Adjusted EBITDA 1 down $57.0 million year-over-year to $(29.3) million .

down year-over-year to . Revenue, excluding movements in foreign exchange rates ("FX"), down 16.1% year-over-year to $263.8 million .

. Segment Adjusted EBITDA1, excluding movements in FX, down $57.8 million year-over-year to $(30.1) million .

1 See "Supplemental Disclosure Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Information and Segment Adjusted EBITDA" section herein for an explanation of this financial measure.

COVID-19 Update:

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in unprecedented worldwide lock-downs, a significant reduction in time spent out-of-home by consumers, reductions in consumer spending, anticipated large declines in GDP and volatile economic conditions, and business disruptions across markets globally. We anticipate significant adverse effects on our results of operations throughout our business during the second quarter as more customers defer advertising buying decisions and reduce marketing spend. In particular:

Shelter in place protocols have limited the behavior and movement of consumers and target audiences, making it difficult to predict and plan advertising campaigns.

We are receiving an unprecedented level of requests to defer or cancel current contracts as customers seek to conserve cash.

Our customers are deferring buying decisions and reducing their marketing spend. Since the onset of the crisis in March, we have been experiencing a sharp decline in bookings, particularly in our European businesses.

We are closely monitoring the spread of COVID-19 and its impact on our global business, and we have taken and will continue to take steps to ensure the continuity of our platform and operations to serve our customers, as local conditions permit.

As a result of these unprecedented challenges, we have taken measures to increase our liquidity and preserve our financial flexibility, including aggressive cost cutting initiatives, including:

Negotiations with landlords to align fixed site lease expenses with revenue during the economic downturn;

Savings from lower variable compensation expense, temporary salary reductions, reduced hours for hourly employees, hiring freezes and furloughs;

Reducing discretionary expenses;

Deferring discretionary capital expenditures; and

Exploring options to defer our committed capital expenditures.

Our goal is to achieve operating cost savings in excess of $100 million and capital expenditure savings in excess of $25 million during the second quarter of 2020.

We are seeking to optimize cost savings to align with expected substantial decreases in revenues as circumstances continue to evolve in this challenging environment. These anticipated cost savings assume the current economic conditions persist and marketing spend does not resume in the second quarter.

In addition, we made a cautionary draw of $150 million under our Senior Credit Facility.

The first lien net leverage ratio related to our Senior Credit Facility's springing financial covenant was 5.37x as of March 31, 2020, below the 7.6x requirement. We expect the ratio to increase during the second quarter of 2020 due to the impacts of COVID-19 and the exclusion of results from Clear Media. Consequently, the Company is actively considering options with respect to additional liquidity measures and/or covenant flexibility.

We believe that these initiatives, as well as the net proceeds from the sale of Clear Media and cash on hand, will provide us with the liquidity and financial flexibility to enable us to meet our working capital, capital expenditure, debt service, and other funding requirements for the next 12 months. No assurance can be given, however, that these initiatives will be successful or will achieve the anticipated cost savings in the time frame expected or at all. See "Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements."



Results:

Revenue:

(In thousands) Three Months Ended

March 31,

%

Change



2020

2019



Revenue:

Americas $ 295,787



$ 272,722



8.5 %

Europe 211,690



243,895



(13.2) %

Other 43,332



70,499



(38.5) %

Consolidated Revenue $ 550,809



$ 587,116



(6.2) %















Revenue excluding movements in FX1:

Americas $ 295,786



$ 272,722



8.5 %

Europe 218,004



243,895



(10.6) %

Other 45,833



70,499



(35.0) %

Consolidated Revenue excluding movements in FX $ 559,623



$ 587,116



(4.7) %







1 See "Supplemental Disclosure Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Information and Segment Adjusted EBITDA" section herein for explanations of these financial measures.

Americas: Revenue up 8.5%:

Digital revenue up 20.2% to $98.8 million ; digital revenue from billboards & street furniture up 18.2% to $69.9 million

; digital revenue from billboards & street furniture up 18.2% to Combination of organic growth and the deployment of new digital displays

Revenue from print billboards and digital airport displays up

National sales up 9.3%; local sales up 8.0%

Europe: Revenue down 13.2%; excluding movements in FX, down 10.6%

Revenue adversely affected by COVID-19, particularly in France , Spain , Italy and Switzerland

, , and Lower revenue in Spain and Switzerland due to non-renewal of contracts

and due to non-renewal of contracts Partially offset by new contract in France and higher revenue from digital display expansion in the United Kingdom ("U.K.")

and higher revenue from digital display expansion in the ("U.K.") Total digital revenue up 0.3% to $64.2 million ; total digital revenue, excluding movements in FX, up 3.4% to $66.2 million

Other: Revenue down 38.5%; excluding movements in FX, down 35.0%

Revenue adversely affected by COVID-19, particularly in China

Direct Operating and SG&A Expenses:

(In thousands) Three Months Ended

March 31,

%

Change



2020

2019



Direct operating & SG&A expenses1:

Americas $ 188,552



$ 182,155



3.5 %

Europe 226,727



229,111



(1.0) %

Other 58,694



59,527



(1.4) %

Consolidated Direct operating & SG&A expenses2 $ 473,973



$ 470,793



0.7 %















Direct operating & SG&A expenses excluding movements in FX3:

Americas $ 188,552



$ 182,155



3.5 %

Europe 233,292



229,111



1.8 %

Other 61,819



59,527



3.9 %

Consolidated Direct operating & SG&A expenses excluding movements in FX $ 483,663



$ 470,793



2.7 %







1 Direct operating and SG&A expenses as included throughout this earnings release refers to the sum of direct operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization) and selling, general and administrative expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization). 2 Restructuring and other costs included within Direct operating and SG&A expenses were $1.8 million and $2.5 million during the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. 3 See "Supplemental Disclosure Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Information and Segment Adjusted EBITDA" section herein for explanations of these financial measures.

Americas: Direct operating and SG&A expenses up 3.5%:

Higher site lease expenses related to higher revenue

Higher bad debt expense and employee sales commissions, partially offset by lower bonus accrual

Europe: Direct operating and SG&A expenses down 1.0%; excluding movements in FX, up 1.8%

Higher fixed site lease expense in France ; higher variable expenses in the U.K. related to higher revenue

; higher variable expenses in the U.K. related to higher revenue Partially offset by lower expenses related to the non-renewal of contracts in Spain and Switzerland

Other: Direct operating and SG&A expenses down 1.4%; excluding movements in FX, up 3.9%

Corporate Expenses:

(In thousands) Three Months Ended

March 31,

%

Change

2020

2019

Corporate expenses1 $ 36,338



$ 28,614



27.0 % Corporate expenses excluding movements in FX2 $ 36,652



$ 28,614



28.1 %





1 Restructuring and other costs included within corporate expenses were $5.2 million and $3.4 million during the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. 2 See "Supplemental Disclosure Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Information and Segment Adjusted EBITDA" section herein for an explanation of this financial measure.

Corporate expenses up 27.0%; excluding movements in FX, up 28.1%

Incremental stand-alone costs associated with the build-out of new corporate functions after the Separation

Severance costs associated with cost-savings initiatives

Net Loss:

Consolidated net loss was $289.2 million and $169.6 million during the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Impairment charges on indefinite-lived permits of $123.1 million were recognized in the first quarter of 2020, driven by reductions in projected cash flows related to the expected negative impacts from COVID-19 and an increased discount rate.

Adjusted EBITDA1:

(In thousands) Three Months Ended

March 31,

%

Change



2020

2019



Segment Adjusted EBITDA1:

Americas $ 107,958



$ 91,129



18.5 %

Europe (14,111)



16,481



(185.6) %

Other (15,187)



11,220



(235.4) %

Total Segment Adjusted EBITDA 78,660



118,830



(33.8) %

Adjusted Corporate expenses1 (27,369)



(23,358)



17.2 %

Adjusted EBITDA1 $ 51,291



$ 95,472



(46.3) %















Segment Adjusted EBITDA excluding movements in FX1:

Americas $ 107,957



$ 91,129



18.5 %

Europe (14,329)



16,481



(186.9) %

Other (15,804)



11,220



(240.9) %

Total Segment Adjusted EBITDA 77,824



118,830



(34.5) %

Adjusted Corporate expenses excluding movements in FX1 (27,558)



(23,358)



18.0 %

Adjusted EBITDA excluding movements in FX1 $ 50,266



$ 95,472



(47.4) %







1 See "Supplemental Disclosure Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Information and Segment Adjusted EBITDA" section herein for explanations of these financial measures.

Capital Expenditures:

(In thousands) Three Months Ended

March 31,

%

Change



2020

2019



Capital expenditures:

Americas $ 15,817



$ 11,408



38.6 %

Europe 10,095



11,934



(15.4) %

Other 6,342



2,885



119.8 %

Corporate 3,640



1,946



87.1 %

Consolidated Capital expenditures $ 35,894



$ 28,173



27.4 %



Operating Highlights:

Americas:

Americas markets deployed 19 new digital billboards in the first quarter, for a total of more than 1,400 digital billboards at March 31, 2020 . Our Americas business had more than 1,900 digital billboards and street furniture displays at March 31, 2020 .

. Our Americas business had more than 1,900 digital billboards and street furniture displays at . Clear Channel Airports ("CCA") was awarded a new 10-year deal with Baltimore Washington International Airport as part of a competitive bidding process.

CCA renewed its contract with Signature Flight Support with a new 5-year deal to be the exclusive partner in 140 private aviation terminals in North America and the Caribbean . CCA's new media programs will provide leading global brand partners with exclusive foundation sponsorships and experiential advertising opportunities, including new custom digital networks of LCD and LED screens across the top 20-25 private aviation terminals around the country.

and the . CCA's new media programs will provide leading global brand partners with exclusive foundation sponsorships and experiential advertising opportunities, including new custom digital networks of LCD and LED screens across the top 20-25 private aviation terminals around the country. CCO RADAR, our suite of audience planning, amplification and measurement solutions, has remained a vital tool as consumer movement slowed beginning at the end of March. CCO RADAR has enabled certain brands to effectively plan and measure their out-of-home campaigns against specific audience segments, and in particular, for those businesses experiencing not only sustained activity but also an increase in overall visitations.

Europe:

European markets added 208 new digital displays in the first quarter, for a total of more than 15,000 digital displays at March 31, 2020 .

. Clear Channel U.K. celebrated the installation of its 100th 'Billboard Live' digital screen, as the business continues to expand its digital 48 sheet network across the U.K. The 100th screen was installed in the city of Manchester , with new screens also now in London , Glasgow , Liverpool and Birmingham , with more to follow.

, with new screens also now in , , and , with more to follow. Clear Channel Switzerland has extended its presence in the city of Locarno following the award of a contract which will enable it to operate all outdoor advertising in the city, effectively tripling the size of its current poster network. The portfolio will include a total of 250 advertising spaces in the important commercial hub and tourist resort, expanding Clear Channel Switzerland's national presence.

Clear Channel Spain continues to expand its national digital portfolio, adding new screens to its networks in the cities of Valencia (10 screens), Vitoria (4 screens) and Bilbao (6 screens), giving advertisers greater flexibility and targeting ability. Clear Channel Spain now has 396 digital screens across 7 key cities nationally ( Barcelona , Madrid , Seville , Malaga, Valencia , Bilbao and Vitoria).

(10 screens), Vitoria (4 screens) and (6 screens), giving advertisers greater flexibility and targeting ability. Clear Channel Spain now has 396 digital screens across 7 key cities nationally ( , , , Malaga, , and Vitoria). Clear Channel Belgium renewed its contract with the city of Namur to operate its street furniture network of 270 passenger shelters (400 ad panels) located on the most popular and frequented transit routes across the city for 15 years. This represents an expansion of Clear Channel's network in the south of the country.

Clear Channel Sweden reactivated its multi-award winning campaign, "The Out of Home Project," which uses digital out-of-home ("DOOH") screens to direct Stockholm's homeless people to their nearest emergency shelter when temperatures drop below minus 7 degrees Celsius, and has built in additional real-time functionality to attract volunteers to the shelters.

Other:

Other markets had more than 900 digital displays at March 31, 2020 .

COVID-19 Campaigns:

Clear Channel Outdoor Americas ("CCOA") has lent its platforms to amplify public safety messages in collaboration with the Ad Council, White House, HHS and CDC. CCOA created new out-of-home content for the #AloneTogether social distancing campaign and is featuring it on digital billboards across its entire DOOH network.

CCOA partnered with other leading digital and media platforms to amplify the public awareness campaign, "Stay Home. Save Lives." in California on its digital and print billboards.

on its digital and print billboards. Clear Channel Sweden created digital outdoor guides that allow citizens to share their tips for their favorite restaurants, shops, cafes, hairdressers, etc. in the cities of Stockholm and Malmo.

and Malmo. Clear Channel Belgium created the #staysafe campaign, running across all DOOH screens nationally.

Clear Channel Switzerland created the #attentionhelps campaign, showcasing messages of thanks and safety awareness on both DOOH screens and print displays.

Liquidity and Financial Position:

Cash and Cash Equivalents:

As of March 31, 2020, we had $371.8 million of cash on our balance sheet, including $68.8 million of cash held outside the U.S.

(In thousands) Three Months Ended

March 31,

2020 Net cash used for operating activities $ (98,621)

Net cash used for investing activities (35,944)

Net cash provided by financing activities 144,600

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (8,691)

Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash $ 1,344





Cash paid for interest on debt $ 145,938

Cash paid for income taxes, net of refunds $ 8,257



During May 2020, we expect to receive net cash proceeds of approximately $220 million from the sale of our stake in Clear Media Limited ("Clear Media"), our indirect, non-wholly owned subsidiary based in China.

Debt:

On March 24, 2020, we made a draw of $150.0 million under our Revolving Credit Facility, which matures in August 2024.

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, we made a principal payment of $5.0 million on the Term Loan Facility. Principal payments on the Term Loan Facility are due quarterly. Our next material debt maturity is in 2024 when the $1.9 billion 9.25% Senior Notes due 2024 issued by Clear Channel Worldwide Holdings, Inc. are due.

We anticipate having approximately $174.5 million of cash interest payment obligations throughout the remainder of 2020 and $331.8 million of cash interest payment obligations in 2021.

Refer to Table 3 in this press release for additional detail regarding the outstanding debt balance.

TABLE 1 - Financial Highlights of Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries:

(In thousands) Three Months Ended

March 31,

2020

2019 Revenue $ 550,809



$ 587,116

Operating expenses:





Direct operating expenses (excludes depreciation and amortization) 350,269



347,827

Selling, general and administrative expenses (excludes depreciation and amortization) 123,704



122,966

Corporate expenses (excludes depreciation and amortization) 36,338



28,614

Depreciation and amortization 75,753



75,076

Impairment charges 123,137





Other operating expense, net (6,021)



(3,522)

Operating income (loss) (164,413)



9,111

Interest expense, net 90,142



114,863

Loss on extinguishment of debt 



(5,474)

Other expense, net (18,889)



(565)

Loss before income taxes (273,444)



(111,791)

Income tax expense (15,779)



(57,763)

Consolidated net loss (289,223)



(169,554)

Less amount attributable to noncontrolling interest (11,732)



(5,387)

Net loss attributable to the Company $ (277,491)



$ (164,167)



Weighted Average Shares Outstanding

(In thousands) Three Months Ended

March 31,

2020

2019 Weighted average common shares outstanding  Basic and Diluted 463,465



362,039















TABLE 2 - Selected Balance Sheet Information:

(In thousands) March 31, 2020

December 31, 2019 Cash and cash equivalents $ 371,769



$ 398,858

Total current assets 1,649,577



1,201,891

Net property, plant and equipment 948,778



1,211,154

Total assets 6,124,410



6,393,288

Current liabilities (excluding current portion of long-term debt) 1,291,719



1,160,230

Long-term debt (including current portion of long-term debt) 5,230,930



5,084,018

Mandatorily-redeemable preferred stock1 46,421



44,912

Stockholders' deficit (2,363,543)



(2,054,706)







1 As of March 31, 2020, the liquidation preference of the Preferred Stock was approximately $47.6 million.

TABLE 3 - Total Debt:

(In thousands) March 31,

2020

December 31,

2019 Debt:





Term Loan Facility $ 1,990,000



$ 1,995,000

Revolving Credit Facility1 150,000





Receivables-Based Credit Facility1 





Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings 5.125% Senior Secured Notes Due 2027 1,250,000



1,250,000

Clear Channel Worldwide Holdings 9.25% Senior Notes Due 2024 1,901,525



1,901,525

Other debt 4,091



4,161

Original issue discount (9,250)



(9,561)

Long-term debt fees (55,436)



(57,107)

Total debt2 5,230,930



5,084,018

Less: Cash and cash equivalents3 (402,638)



(398,858)

Net debt $ 4,828,292



$ 4,685,160







1 The Company had $20.2 million of letters of credit outstanding and $4.8 million of excess availability under the Revolving Credit Facility and $50.6 million of letters of credit outstanding and $74.4 million of excess availability under the Receivables-Based Credit Facility. Access to availability under the Company's credit facilities is limited by the covenants relating to incurrence of secured indebtedness in the CCWH Senior Notes Indenture. 2 The current portion of long-term debt was $20.3 million and $20.3 million as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. 3 Includes cash and cash equivalents of Clear Media, which are held for sale on the Consolidated Balance Sheet at March 31, 2020.

Supplemental Disclosure Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Information and Segment Adjusted EBITDA:

A significant portion of the Company's advertising operations is conducted in foreign markets, principally Europe and China, and management reviews the results from its foreign operations on a constant dollar basis. The Company presents the non-GAAP financial measures of revenue excluding movements in FX, direct operating and SG&A expenses excluding movements in FX, corporate expenses excluding movements in FX, and Adjusted EBITDA (as defined below) excluding movements in FX because management believes that viewing certain financial results without the impact of fluctuations in foreign currency rates facilitates period-to-period comparisons of business performance and provides useful information to investors. These non-GAAP financial measures, which exclude the effects of foreign exchange rates, are calculated by converting the current period's amounts in local currency to U.S. dollars using average foreign exchange rates for the comparable prior period.

The Company presents Adjusted EBITDA because the Company believes Adjusted EBITDA helps investors better understand the Company's operating performance as compared to other outdoor advertisers and is widely used in practice. The Company defines Adjusted EBITDA as consolidated net loss, plus: income tax expense (benefit); all non-operating expenses (income), including other expense (income), net, loss on extinguishment of debt, and interest expense, net; other operating expense (income), net; impairment charges; depreciation and amortization; non-cash compensation expenses included within corporate expenses; and restructuring and other costs included within operating expenses. Restructuring and other costs include costs associated with cost savings initiatives such as severance, consulting and termination costs, and other special costs. The Company uses Adjusted EBITDA as one of the primary measures for planning and forecasting of future periods, as well as for measuring performance for compensation of executives and other members of management. The Company believes Adjusted EBITDA is useful for investors because it allows investors to view performance in a manner similar to the method used by the Company's management and helps improve investors' ability to understand the Company's operating performance, making it easier to compare the Company's results with other companies that have different capital structures or tax rates. In addition, the Company believes Adjusted EBITDA is among the primary measures used externally by the Company's investors, analysts and peers in its industry for purposes of valuation and comparing the operating performance of the Company to other companies in its industry. As part of the calculation of Adjusted EBITDA, the Company also presents the non-GAAP financial measure of Adjusted Corporate expenses, which the Company defines as corporate expenses excluding restructuring and other costs and non-cash compensation expense.

Since these non-GAAP financial measures are not calculated in accordance with GAAP, they should not be considered in isolation of, or as a substitute for, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures as an indicator of operating performance or, in the case of Adjusted EBITDA, the Company's ability to fund its cash needs. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures employed by other companies. Users of this non-GAAP financial information should consider the types of events and transactions that are excluded.

As required by the SEC rules, the Company provides reconciliations below to the most directly comparable measures reported under GAAP, including (i) consolidated net loss to Adjusted EBITDA and (ii) corporate expenses to Adjusted Corporate expenses.

Reconciliation of Consolidated Net Loss to Adjusted EBITDA



Three Months Ended

March 31, (in thousands) 2020

2019 Consolidated net loss $ (289,223)



$ (169,554)

Adjustments:





Income tax expense 15,779



57,763

Other expense, net 18,889



565

Loss on extinguishment of debt 



5,474

Interest expense, net 90,142



114,863

Other operating expense, net 6,021



3,522

Impairment charges 123,137





Depreciation & amortization 75,753



75,076

Share-based compensation 3,777



1,834

Restructuring and other costs 7,016



5,929

Adjusted EBITDA $ 51,291



$ 95,472



Reconciliation of Corporate Expenses to Adjusted Corporate Expenses



Three Months Ended

March 31, (in thousands) 2020

2019 Corporate expenses $ (36,338)



$ (28,614)

Restructuring and other costs 5,192



3,422

Share-based compensation 3,777



1,834

Adjusted Corporate expenses $ (27,369)



$ (23,358)



Segment Adjusted EBITDA

The Company changed its presentation of segment information during the first quarter of 2020 to reflect changes in the way the business is managed. Effective January 1, 2020, the Company has two reportable segments  Americas and Europe. The Company's remaining operating segments in China and Latin America, which do not meet the quantitative thresholds to qualify as reportable segments, are disclosed as "Other."

Additionally, beginning in 2020, Segment Adjusted EBITDA is the profitability metric reported to the Company's chief operating decision maker for purposes of making decisions about allocation of resources to, and assessing performance of, each reportable segment. Segment Adjusted EBITDA is a GAAP financial measure that is calculated as Revenue less Direct operating expenses and SG&A expenses, excluding restructuring and other costs. Restructuring and other costs include costs associated with cost savings initiatives such as severance, consulting and termination costs, and other special costs.

The Company has restated the segment information for prior periods to conform to the 2020 presentation.



Conference Call

The Company will host a conference call to discuss results on May 6, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The conference call number is 877-665-6356 (U.S. callers) and 270-215-9897 (International callers), and the access code for both is 9251754. A live audio webcast of the conference call will also be available on the events section of the Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. website ( investor.clearchannel.com ). After the live conference call, a replay of the webcast will be available for a period of 30 days on the recent events section of the Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. website.



About Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc.

Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCO) is one of the world's largest outdoor advertising companies with a diverse portfolio of approximately 570,000 print and digital displays in 32 countries across Asia, Europe, Latin America and North America, reaching millions of people monthly. A growing digital platform includes more than 16,000 digital displays in international markets and more than 1,900 digital displays (excluding airports), including more than 1,400 digital billboards, in the U.S.

Comprised of two business divisions  Clear Channel Outdoor Americas (CCOA), the U.S. and Caribbean business division, and Clear Channel International (CCI), covering markets in Asia, Europe and Latin America  CCO employs approximately 5,900 people globally. More information is available at investor.clearchannel.com , clearchanneloutdoor.com and clearchannelinternational.com .



Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The words or phrases "guidance," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimates," "forecast" and similar words or expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, such as statements about our guidance and outlook, our business plans, our strategies, our expectations about certain markets, our costs savings initiatives and our liquidity are forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond our control and are difficult to predict.

Various risks that could cause future results to differ from those expressed by the forward-looking statements included in this press release include, but are not limited to: the magnitude of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our operations and on general economic conditions; weak or uncertain global economic conditions and their impact on the level of expenditures on advertising; our ability to service our debt obligations and to fund our operations and capital expenditures; industry conditions, including competition; our ability to obtain key municipal concessions for our street furniture and transit products; fluctuations in operating costs; technological changes and innovations; shifts in population and other demographics; other general economic and political conditions in the U.S. and in other countries in which we currently do business, including those resulting from recessions, political events and acts or threats of terrorism or military conflicts; changes in labor conditions and management; the impact of future dispositions, acquisitions and other strategic transactions; legislative or regulatory requirements; regulations and consumer concerns regarding privacy and data protection; a breach of our information security measures; restrictions on outdoor advertising of certain products; fluctuations in exchange rates and currency values; risks of doing business in foreign countries; the impact of coronavirus on our operations; third-party claims of intellectual property infringement, misappropriation or other violation against us; the risk that the Separation could result in significant tax liability or other unfavorable tax consequences to us and impair our ability to utilize our federal income tax net operating loss carryforwards in future years; the risk that we may be more susceptible to adverse events following the Separation; the risk that we may be unable to replace the services iHeartCommunications provided us in a timely manner or on comparable terms; our dependence on our management team and other key individuals; the risk that indemnities from iHeartMedia will not be sufficient to insure us against the full amount of certain liabilities; volatility of our stock price; the impact of our substantial indebtedness, including the effect of our leverage on our financial position and earnings; the ability of our subsidiaries to dividend or distribute funds to us in order for us to repay our debts; the restrictions contained in the agreements governing our indebtedness and our Preferred Stock limiting our flexibility in operating our business; the effect of analyst or credit ratings downgrades; our ability to regain compliance with the continued listing criteria of the New York Stock Exchange and continue to comply with other applicable listing standards within the available cure period; and certain other factors set forth in our other filings with the SEC. This list of factors that may affect future performance and the accuracy of forward-looking statements is illustrative and is not intended to be exhaustive.

This press release includes forward-looking statements about our expected cost savings as a result of measures taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and their impact on our liquidity. We may cease these cost savings initiatives or modify them at any time in response to changes in economic conditions or other factors, and we may incur unanticipated costs that offset our anticipated cost savings as we navigate the challenges of the current environment. Additional factors may emerge as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic that could cause these expectations to change. To add to the uncertainty, it is unclear when an economic recovery could start and what a recovery will look like after this unprecedented shutdown of the economy. In light of the rapidly-evolving impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the magnitude and duration of its impact on our cost savings initiatives, our results of operations and our overall liquidity position will not be known until future periods.

You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date stated, or if no date is stated, as of the date of this press release. Other key risks are described in the section entitled "Item 1A. Risk Factors" of the Company's reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. Except as otherwise stated in this press release, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements because of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc.
When the playing of his three colleagues  all Austrian exiles  threatened to become too sweet, Lovett could be relied on to bring them back to the right side of good taste with a finely drawn phrase from his Stradivarius instrument.  The Guardian
The management of the Kumasi Central Prisons has made an urgent appeal to the Government to consider decongesting the facility.



This is to help ensure effective management of sanitation and promote healthy as well as hygienic conditions among inmates in the facility.



Assistant Director of Prisons (ADP) Alhaji Ousamane Tasembedo, Deputy Commander of the Kumasi Central Prison, who made the call, said this was very critical in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, since some of the cells had to be used to serve as isolation centres for new inmates brought from the courts.



He told the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi during a presentation programme that, the Command was doing its best to prevent the outbreak and spread of the virus in the facility and that all the preventive measures and protocols were being strictly observed by both the inmates and officers.



The presentation was made by Nana Appiagyei Dankawoso I, President of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to support the officers and inmates in the fight against the virus.



The items included 100 pieces of toilet papers, 100 pieces of carbolic soaps and gallons of hand sanitizers.



ADP Tasembedo pointed out that the Kumasi Central Prisons, which was constructed to house only 800 inmates, currently, had almost 2,000 occupants.



This, he indicated, had brought severe congestion and overcrowding in the various cells resulting in the spread of skin and other communicable diseases in the facility.



ADP Tasembedo said decongesting the facility would help promote social distancing and reduce physical contacts and other human activities that could promote the spread of the virus in the facility.



He called on Ghanaians to desist from stigmatizing ex-convicts, and rather, accept and help integrate them into the society.



ADP Tasembedo thanked Nana Dankawoso for the support and pledged that the Command would put the items to good use to help improve the sanitary conditions of the inmates.



Nana Dankawoso said he had been donating relief items to orphanages, widows and prisons for the past 13 years and pledged that he would continue to do more for the less-privileged in the society.



He said during the COVID-19 lockdown period, he provided food items and personal protective equipment (PPEs) for some 350 widows in the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Eastern Regions.



Nana Dankawoso called on other individuals and corporate organizations to support the Prisons Service to provide quality reformative services to inmates.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Health Minister Robin Swann has said he would have liked to have received prior knowledge of the Republic of Ireland's plans for easing the coronavirus lockdown before it was announced last Friday.

Mr Swann addressed the issue at yesterday's daily media briefing at Stormont hours after a government minister in the Republic defended the decision to press ahead with publishing plans to ease lockdown restrictions without informing the Northern Ireland Executive.

At Monday's Covid-19 briefing, First Minister Arlene Foster said Stormont had not received advance sight of the plan before it was published.

That came despite a memorandum of understanding between the jurisdictions' two health officials which was signed last month.

Mr Swann said yesterday that he understood the Republic's lockdown exit plan was made by the Cabinet on Friday afternoon and then immediately presented to the public.

"Would I have liked to have seen more of a conversation, yes. Was it politically possible for them to do that? That's a call for the Irish Government to make."

Mr Swann said any decisions around the steps Northern Ireland will take on exiting the lockdown will be an internal matter for the Executive.

He added: "Good manners is to talk to your neighbours and to make sure what you're going to do, whether it's always possible in these particular situations, it isn't always practical at this minute in time."

Mr Swann said he hoped to have conversations with his counterparts in the Republic around whether or not the UK's contact tracing app could be compatible with theirs.

Speaking earlier on RTE's Morning Ireland, Regina Doherty, the Irish minister for employment affairs and social protection, said she didn't know why Northern Ireland ministers were not briefed about the plan to reopen the Republic.

"But I think what our most important task to do after we had our cabinet meeting on Friday was to tell Irish people," Mrs Doherty explained.

"And that is what the Taoiseach did at the first opportunity after that cabinet meeting was over."

Ms Doherty said that "in hindsight" maybe the First and deputy First Ministers should have been told of the detail.

She added, however: "The most important thing we needed to do was to tell the people we serve, the Irish people, and that is what we did on Friday evening."

Tanaiste Simon Coveney later told RTE's Today with Sean O'Rourke programme that a "heads-up" was given to Arlene Foster, Michelle O'Neill and Robin Swann the night before the road map to easing restrictions was announced but precise details were not shared.

Mr Coveney added that the Republic's Minister for Health Simon Harris and his counterpart, Mr Swann, have a close relationship and there is frequent communication between the two chief medical officers.

However, Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill criticised the Irish Cabinet for not sharing details of their exit strategy with herself and Mrs Foster in advance of its publication last Friday.

She said: "I think it is unfortunate that he chose to not share that detailed information ... that would have been the natural and helpful thing to do as we work our way through this."
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 15:33:57|Editor: huaxia

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SUVA, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Fiji said on Wednesday that the country has done more than 1,300 COVID-19 tests so far.

Fiji's Minister for Health Ifereimi Waqainabete confirmed this on Wednesday, saying that Fiji's COVID-19 positive rate is 1.4 percent.

Fiji's testing capacity has increased remarkably. The Fiji Center for Disease Control is in capital city of Suva and the freight flights through Fiji Airways is able to bring the re-agents needed for testing.

Currently, Fiji, with a population of around 900,000, has reported 18 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since March 19, of which, 14 have fully recovered and the remaining patients, all in stable condition, are still quarantined in medical facilities.

Fiji reported on March 19 its first confirmed COVID-19 case with an overseas travel history to the United States and New Zealand.

To effectively cope with the spread of the dead virus, Fiji has taken strict measures including the lockdowns of Suva and Lautoka, the second largest city of Fiji, and the nationwide curfew from March 30 this year. Enditem
Midland Mayor Patrick Payton described the protests that took place in Odessa on Monday as a symptom of a frustrated community that is beyond ready to take final steps toward normalcy.

The protests at Midlands neighbor to the west resulted in citations, arrests, debates about constitutional rights and concerns about how much longer certain businesses can exist under restriction during a pandemic.

Weve got to be careful, Payton said Tuesday. You can only tell Texans not to do something for so long.

Payton was excited to hear that Gov. Greg Abbott has called for salons and barbershops to open on Friday. He wished for an earlier opening date for gyms, which the governor said will be allowed to open May 18. Payton said he had been in communication with the task force chair to reconsider restrictions put in place but didnt have any clue about what the governor might say Tuesday.

I am surprised, pleased and wishing for further action, Payton said.

The governor did not provide a date for when bars might be able to reopen. Payton said he knows that bar owners are becoming as frustrated as everyone else and he is concerned people ultimately will not abide by what the governor is asking businesses to do.

They are worried, tired and frustrated, Payton said.

Payton said the city will continue to pay attention to what businesses are doing, be empathetic toward their plight and emphasized that we are not coming after people. He said city and law enforcement officials inside Midland are aware of tension related to being in business and the tension about civil liberties.

During a livestreamed press conference on Tuesday, Ector County Sheriff Mike Griffis said, Were not here to violate anybodys Second Amendment rights but that those involved in the incident outside a West Odessa bar were using intimidation as a way to keep law enforcement from doing what were supposed to do.

Griffis said he respected those who disagreed with Abbotts orders, and if the right plan to open things up came before him, he would even sign such a petition, but he called the show of force a violation.

Of the eight people arrested, three were from Odessa.

About what was taking place in Odessa, Payton again said Midlanders will remember which businesses were conducting themselves safely. He also said that with the governors latest announcement, there is more light at the end of the tunnel and that he is hopeful a doorway to a new tomorrow is opened quicker than anticipated.

The following is a statement from the Midland Chamber of Commerce about the protests that took place in Odessa on Monday.

Unfortunately, there are no easy answers. Some that have chosen to open despite the order believe it is their only option  or risk losing their business entirely. Others are acting because they philosophically oppose the Governors decision. Each business must assess the risks associated with their actions. Can they afford the fines? Arrest? Also, are they willing to put their customers in a position to be fined or arrested? Will their business survive if they wait another two weeks?

Ultimately, we encourage businesses to seek every alternative option that will allow them to work within the current legal constraints. Frankly, we all must reassess our business models moving forward. This situation has forced us to adapt, explore new options and innovate. Midland is known for its wildcatter spirit. We urge businesses to draw on that strength and consider new ways to lawfully offer their services. Can bars partner with restaurants to offer beverages to go? Can gyms offer streaming classes for their members? Our advice is to think beyond how you have always done business in the past and consider how you might do business now and in the future. Then explore those options with the help of professional legal advice.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 6)  The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday reminded local government units (LGUs) who failed to complete their COVID-19 cash aid distribution to submit an explanation to the Department of Interior and Local Government. Deadline for the distribution was set on May 7.

DSWD Spokesperson Irene Dumlao said that along with the explanation, LGUs can also request from the DILG an extension of the distribution in their areas.

They will have to explain why they could not complete the payout with the prescribed timeline given to them, Dumlao said.

On the day of the initial deadline of the first batch of COVID-19 cash aid distribution on April 30, DILG Secretary Eduardo Ano announced a one-week extension of the cash subsidy program in Metro Manila, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, Bulacan, Cebu City, and Davao City. A four-day extension has been granted to other LGUs outside of those areas which also experienced similar problems.

Dumlao assured they are fully cooperating with the LGUs to complete their payouts during the deadline on Thursday (May 7).

We would like to reiterate that the DSWD trust the local government units that they will be able to deliver the aid to their constituents, she said.

Indigent families who are part of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and the informal sector are qualified to receive 5,000 to 8,000 cash aid from the national government.

As of 8 p.m. on Tuesday, the DSWD reported they distributed 71.3 billion of the social amelioration program to over 13 million intended beneficiaries. This accounts for 72 percent of the total 18 million target beneficiaries nationwide.

In the National Capital Region, only seven out of 17 LGUs have given cash aid to more than 50 percent of the intended beneficiaries.

These LGUs are Caloocan (91.53%), Pasig (76.06%), Valenzuela (70.36%), Marikina (67.56%), Mandaluyong (65.54%), Manila (64.59%), and Paranaque (63.98%).

Cities like Quezon City (14.38%), Muntinlupa (14.21%), Pasay (11.50%), and San Juan (10.80%) are struggling to complete their emergency subsidy distribution, a day before the deadline of the first batch.

Dumlao again reminded LGUs to submit their liquidation report, 15 days after completing the distribution of the first tranche of the emergency subsidy program brought by the COVID-19 crisis.

The liquidation report of LGUs, together with the encoded names of beneficiaries, should be submitted to the DSWD Field Office, Dumlao added.

The DSWD will conduct a post-payout validation to ensure the eligibility of the cash aid recipients.

After conducting its evaluation, DSWD will release the second batch of cash aid to the LGUs.

The national government allotted 96 billion for the second tranche of the cash aid program. DSWD guaranteed the funds are ready as the Department of Budget and Management transferred the money to them last April 17.

The second batch of SAP will now cover 23 million families after President Rodrigo Duterte approved the inclusion of five million families in the cash subsidy program last Saturday.

The enhanced community quarantine is extended up to May 15 in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and CALABARZON regions. The provinces of Pangasinan, Benguet, Iloilo, and Cebu are also covered by the quarantine extension.

Some LGUs also requested the extension of ECQ in their areas to further avert the spread of the virus.
(Newser)  After the controversy over Vice President Mike Pence's maskless visit to the Mayo Clinic, President Trump visited a plant in Arizona that makes N95 masks and wore some of the company's equipment on his facegoggles. The president and staff members including chief of staff Mark Meadows and press secretary Kayleigh McEnany did not wear masks on the visit to the Honeywell plant, although the tour included an area where a sign said masks were required, CBS reports. The president, in his first trip outside the Washington, DC area since late March, spent around three hours in Phoenix, reports the Arizona Republic. While at the Honeywell plant, he met with tribal officials and said his administration had improved the lives of Native Americans "more than any administration has ever done by far."

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Earlier Tuesday, Trump told reporters at the White House he might wear a mask during the visit. "I think it's a mask facility, right? If it's a mask facility I will, yeah," he said. He said he wasn't worried about traveling with officials on Air Force One, since every passenger had been tested for the coronavirus "over the last hour," CNN reports. At the Honeywell plant, Trump called for reopening the country, though he admitted there would be a cost. "Im not saying anything is perfect, and yes, will some people be affected? Yes," he said, per the AP. "Will some people be affected badly? Yes. But we have to get our country open and we have to get it open soon." (Read more President Trump stories.)
London markets closed flat today despite wild fluctuations on Wall Street - with tech shares in Apple and Microsoft up but energy stocks slumped.

The FTSE 100 index of Britain's biggest firms rose by only 4 points to 5,851 after some encouraging gains during the day.

In the US, technology stocks keep pushing higher, with Microsoft, Apple and other giants continuing their nearly unstoppable run even in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

That helped offset losses elsewhere in the market, and the S&P 500 was up 0.2%, as of 11:13 a.m. Eastern time. Earlier, it had erased a gain of 0.8% to swing to a loss of 0.4%.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was little changed at 23,886. The Nasdaq, which is full of tech stocks, was up 1.3%. European and Asian markets were mixed.

China's central bank set the yuan at a broadly central midpoint, analysts said, to try and cool tensions with the US.

The FTSE 100 index of Britain's biggest firms rose by only 4 points after some encouraging gains during the day

The value of the FTSE 100 has dropped considerably since the start of the pandemic

President Trump has hinted he could impose new tariffs on China over its handling of the virus outbreak, claiming he had seen evidence linking a Wuhan lab to the contagion.

The claim, repeated by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the weekend, overshadowed a further slowdown in the number of infections and deaths from COVID-19.

Stephen Innes, chief markets strategist at AxiCorp told Reuters: 'The People's Bank of China went a long way to extinguishing one major trade war hotspot by setting the yuan reference rate on a more risk-friendly level

'USD/CNH dropped about 200 pips on the stable fix, and a recovery in risk sentiment ensued, and there was no follow-through on U.S. President Trump's threat to China.'

European and Asian countries ended their lockdowns to halt the coronavirus spread and as producers axed supply after the demand crunch.

In the eurozone, Frankfurt's DAX 30 index eased 0.2 percent to 10,712.70 points and the Paris CAC 40 dipped 0.1 percent to 4,477.35.

Pictured below: The Dow Jones, which tracks 30 large, publicly-owned blue chip companies trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the NASDAQ

A panel displays the Hang Seng Index during afternoon trading, in Hong Kong, on Tuesday

German manufacturers saw new orders plunge by a record 15.6 percent in March, official data showed Wednesday.

The release came as a draft agreement revealed that Germany, Europe's biggest economy, will take new steps towards normalisation in May.

Including reopening shops and schools after weeks of shutdown imposed to control the spread of COVID-19.

'Currently the markets have been pricing in the expectation that economies will be able to pick up reasonably well from where they left off pre-coronavirus crisis,' said Fiona Cincotta, analyst at City Index trading group.

'However, with growing job losses and a change in dynamic in certain industries, such as aviation, and potentially many other sectors such as retail, restaurants, gyms and bars, it's becoming increasingly clear that this will be a rocky road to recovery,' she added.
The little girl, her black curls tumbling over her eyes and her slight frame uncomfortably splayed out on the airplane seat, hid crayons in her armpits the entire flight. She was puzzled how they, like the new people called Mom and Dad sitting next to her, now belonged to her.

Her new parents, Seth and Meg Mosier, looked to each other. Were they doing things right? It was not their first emergency evacuation  they had escaped war and violence before  but it was their first on a one-way flight from India sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And certainly their first with a little girl they had just adopted as a deadly pandemic swirled around the world.

In 2008, Seth, an American diplomat, was ordered to evacuate from the embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia, when the Russian military invaded. Meg drove a car filled with diplomats across the border and into the safety of Armenia. In 2011, the Arab Spring protests forced them to leave Egypt.

Yet here they were, singing The Star-Spangled Banner with dozens of young missionaries in suits next to a child who kept stuffing crayons under her arms and who clung to Meg as if her life depended on it.
DETROIT  Funds raised to purchase a pair of Cartier sunglasses for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer are being donated to a Detroit nonprofit.

Detroit rapper GmacCash raised $2,950 on GoFundMe to purchase the expensive sunglasses, known as Buffs, for the governor after she acknowledged his hip-hop song Big Gretch. The song pays homage to the governors response and handling of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and includes lyrics about her wearing Buffs, which are an iconic part of Detroits pop culture.

RELATED: Detroiters raise $2,900 to purchase Buffs sunglasses for Gov. Whitmer, aka Big Gretch

On Tuesday, Whitmer stated that she cannot accept the gift.

It is amazing to see GmacCash, and so many others step up in incredible ways to bring our state together during this tough time, Whitmer said in the statement. While Im grateful for the gesture to don a pair of iconic Buffs, I hope that the money raised will be put to better use to help spread positivity as our communities recover from this pandemic.

RELATED: Detroit rappers Big Gretch song gets some love from Gov. Whitmer

The governor may have been able to accept the gift as an in-kind campaign contribution, Simon Schuster, of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network, told MLive on Tuesday.

However, her wish for the money to go to better use is being honored by GmacCash who has chosen to donate the funds to New Era Detroit, he announced via Facebook. The organization provides food and other necessities to those in need.

Well I Tried Detroit  GoodMorning kings and queens, just wanna take the time out to thank everyone who donated to... Posted by GmacCash on Tuesday, May 5, 2020

When the city gives you some Buffs, thats because they feel like you earned them, you deserve them, GmacCash told WDIV Local 4. Its just my job, as like the voice of the city and a rap artist of the city, to do a song about it.

Listen to the song below. (Warning: The song includes explicit language.)

Stories that highlight how our communities are Powering Positivity are being done in partnership with The MediLodge Group, which has skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities throughout Michigan.

READ MORE:

Wednesday, May 6: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Eight weeks after Michigans first coronavirus cases, an animated map tracks its spread through the state

Michigans approach to reopening the economy: slow, steady and safe

Michigan AG says Whitmers orders are valid, instructs law officers to continue enforcement
(Bloomberg Opinion) -- As the coronavirus pandemic continues, Bloomberg Opinion will be running a series of features by our columnists that consider the long-term consequences of the crisis. This column is part of a package on the impact that the spread of Covid-19 will have on immigration. For more, see Tracy Walsh on how to prevent coronavirus from decimating refugee camps, and the Bloomberg Editorial Board on the post-pandemic changes needed to fix U.S. immigration policy.

Its hard to find the words to express my debt, the ordinarily garrulous British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said as he emerged from a close encounter with death last month. His main debt, Johnson significantly added, was to two nurses, Jenny from New Zealand and Luis from Portugal, who stayed at his bedside for 48 hours in an intensive care unit.

In recent weeks, doctors, nurses and care workers for the British National Health Service (NHS) have garnered the kind of heartfelt respect and gratitude that New York City firefighters elicited after 9/11. In particular, immigrants, who are disproportionately represented among Britains caregivers, janitors, pharmacists, grocery employees, truck drivers, plumbers and electricians, mass transit operators, and teachers, are presently being hailed for their gritty sense of duty, for standing between many people and premature death.

Johnson was clearly trying to connect to this public mood. His New Zealander and Portuguese nurses are two of the tens of thousands of immigrants who serve in the NHS and who are also most exposed to the virus: The first 10 NHS doctors to die from the virus originally came from Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Syria and Sudan.

At the same time, Johnsons own posture before the coronavirus outbreak  he promised to take back control of Britains borders and to slash immigration  warns of potential dangers ahead. The pandemic is already encouraging far-right demagogues and movements to intensify their rhetoric against immigrants.

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Xenophobia is globally rampant  aimed at Europeans, Africans and Americans in China, as well as Asian immigrants and their descendants in the West. Tight travel restrictions have been imposed around the world; some will persist after the crisis abates. In the U.S., President Donald Trump has temporarily halted the issuance of green cards, linking immigration, against almost all available research and data, to joblessness in his country.

There is no evidence either to connect the outbreak in Europe to the flow of asylum seekers across the Mediterranean or through Turkey. Yet Hungarys leader Viktor Orban has loudly conflated the pandemic with general mobility. We are fighting, he said recently, 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.

Such figures are clearly appealing to existing prejudices: Anti-immigration parties in Austria, Britain, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland  actually, most of Europe  have scored notable electoral successes in recent years.

They are also building upon a long history. Immigrations role in making the modern world has rarely been contested in the U.S.  a country, at least since the late 19th century, of immigrants. Americas economic and technological revolution and rise to global supremacy was powered by migrant workers from China, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain and Russia. Asian immigration from the 1960s onward helped cement the U.S. lead in technological innovation.

Parsis and Gujaratis in East Africa, Chinese in Malaysia and Indonesia, Indians in the Caribbean, Japanese in Peru and many other immigrant communities have long been active in the political and economic life of Asia, Africa and Latin America.

In contrast, amnesia and marginalization mark the history of immigration in Europe. Laborers from Belgium, Poland and Italy toiled in the fields and factories of France and Germany as these countries started to become more prosperous in the late 19th century. Within living memory, immigrants helped Europe recover from the ruins of its two civil wars.

West Germany, the former ground zero of racial supremacism, struck bilateral agreements with Italy, Turkey and Yugoslavia to recruit guest workers after World War II. Both France and Germany encouraged their colonial subjects in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean to bolster their much-depleted domestic labor forces; Irish nurses were crucial to the establishment of the NHS in Britain.

Neglected in national histories, these workers, savers, taxpayers and spenders made important economic contributions while enriching the continents social and cultural life  despite the fact that most of them were paid poorly, had few career prospects and were perennially besieged by hardened racial prejudice and suspicion.

Indeed, the centerpiece of Johnsons own campaign for Brexit included a bright-red billboard that proclaimed (falsely), Turkey (population 76 million) is joining the EU, accompanied by an image of a trail of footsteps passing through a door resembling a British passport. The irony that the same rabble-rouser should now owe his life to immigrants is even more pungent considering that Johnson is the great-grandson of Ali Kemal, a minister in the Ottoman Empire.

The question now, as the world suffers through its biggest crisis since 1945, is how to ensure that gratitude rather than fear dominates attitudes toward migrants.

Its possible that crisis-management will monopolize almost all political energy and public attention, marginalizing those who deal exclusively in the politics of fear and loathing. The far right hasnt made much progress in either Italy or Germany during this crisis. Those demagogues who are actually in charge, such as Trump and Orban, will have to work hard to relieve the strain on their countrys economies; they wont be able to shift all blame to foreigners and outsiders.

Moreover, immigrants will be needed, yet again, to rebuild shattered economies. In fact, in aging societies from Japan to Portugal, they were urgently required to fill job vacancies and to broaden the tax base for public spending well before the pandemic erupted. According to the Berlin Institute for Population and Development, Germany will need half a million immigrants annually for the next 35 years to maintain its current funding for pensions and social services. The U.S. has forestalled such a demographic crisis largely because of continuing immigration, which could be threatened if Trump succeeds in institutionalizing anti-migrant curbs.

Even Japan, traditionally hostile to immigration, has been forced to accept a rising number of immigrants, in part so that they can take care of its old people. Almost all of Asias other prosperous nations also suffer from low and often falling birth-rates. The existential challenge confronting them is unlikely to be met by a baby boom, even if one could be miraculously facilitated. Only new blood from elsewhere can keep their national economies fit as they cope with the fallout from the pandemic.

But focusing on the economic value of immigrants would not only leave them, as before, vulnerable to prejudice. It will also most likely lead to the repetition of a grotesque pattern: using immigrants to build modern economies and then abusing them when the latter falter.

The Gulf states look set to advance this ignoble tradition as they stigmatize their meagerly paid and ill-housed migrant workers. But Singapore offers a counterexample: There, by exposing the cruel living conditions of migrants, the virus has reshaped public opinion and shamed politicians into corrective action. As infections in worker dormitories surge, Singapores notably tough-minded government has vowed to act compassionately toward the indispensable people who toil ceaselessly if largely invisibly to create much of the city-states wealth.

In Britain, simple reality promises to overturn Johnsons campaign promise to drastically restrict low-paid foreign workers. As it turns out, the countrys most crucial sectors today, from the NHS and home care to farming and food processing, depend on precisely the kind of workers Johnson had hoped to stop at the U.K.s borders.

Shrinking public opposition to immigration in Britain, and Johnsons own remarks, suggest that a newfound appreciation for immigrants is developing. Faced with death and deprivation, perhaps even hardened nativists will be forced to recognize the net contribution  to cultural and economic, as well as physical health  that newcomers make to their societies.

Fighting for re-election, Trump will no doubt do what he has always done: demonize immigrants and foreigners. Still, there is some hope to be drawn from banks and landlords that suspend debt and rent collections, prisons that release prisoners and other instances of a more caring world that have been manifest in recent weeks.

Hopefully, the newborn feeling that we are all in this together can also quicken awareness that for too long workers in global markets have been reduced to commodities, to be traded on a market at the lowest possible price. What we have witnessed in recent years, without exploring in much detail, is a steady impoverishment of the working class in even the worlds richest countries. The process has been facilitated by nation-states surrendering more and more sovereignty to transnational institutions, such as the European Union, and global markets, and adopting policies, such as privatization, financialization and austerity, that restrict their scope of action.

The nation-state is now back, its rulers armed with greater power and authority and broader scope for political and economic experimentation than at any time since 1945. It remains to be seen if Johnson and his peers can eschew their cynical politics of the recent past and treat underpaid and undervalued workers  the class to which most immigrants belong  fairly and compassionately. Certainly, it is the only way to discharge the debt that he and society owe to those who save other lives by endangering their own.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Pankaj Mishra is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. His books include Age of Anger: A History of the Present, From the Ruins of Empire: The Intellectuals Who Remade Asia, and Temptations of the West: How to Be Modern in India, Pakistan, Tibet and Beyond.

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.
Groove is an Inc. Best Workplaces 2020 Winner Groove joins a list of 395 winners who were selected from more than 2,500 submissions based on employee surveys that were independently conducted by Quantum Workplace. The survey found 100% of Groove employees are engaged, far exceeding the 73.5% average of all participating organizations.

Groove, a leading sales engagement platform for account-based revenue teams, today announced that it was named to Inc. magazines Best Workplaces for 2020. Inc. magazine published its list of Best Workplaces 2020 award winners today on its website and will also publish an extensive Best Workplaces feature article on May 12 for its May/June issue. The publications fifth annual ranking of private-sector companies recognizes workplaces set apart by vibrant cultures, deep employee engagement, and comprehensive benefits.

Groove joins a list of 395 winners who were selected from more than 2,500 submissions based on employee surveys that were independently conducted by Quantum Workplace. The survey found 100% of Groove employees are engaged, far exceeding the 73.5% average of all participating organizations.

While Groove is in the business of helping sales and customer-facing teams drive more revenue, productivity, and customer satisfaction, we are equally committed to fostering a culture where employees feel supported, challenged, and fulfilled, said Chris Rothstein, CEO at Groove. I couldnt be more proud of the amazing team we have here at Groove. Every day, I get to work alongside an inspiring group of people who are passionate about building a business and helping our customers. Groove is more than just having the best sales engagement platform; its about creating an environment where our employees can thrive.

Grooves recognition by Inc. as one of the Best Workplaces of 2020 is the latest in a growing number of awards earned by the company, including a #1 ranking in customer satisfaction for sales engagement software in G2s Spring 2020 Grid Reports, and another #1 ranking in Crozdesks Sales Management Software Awards 2020. Groove is also recognized by Inc. 5000 as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. and by San Francisco Business Times as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the Bay Area.

Building a great corporate culture comes only from strong leadership, says Inc. magazine editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. The companies on Inc.s Best Workplaces list are setting an example that the whole country can learn from, especially now, when company culture is more important to the workforce than ever.

BEST WORKPLACES SURVEY METHODOLOGY

Each nominated company took part in an employee survey conducted by Quantum Workplace on topics including trust, management effectiveness, perks, and confidence in the future. Inc. gathered, analyzed, and audited the data and then ranked all applicants using a composite score of survey results. All companies had to have a minimum of 10 employees and be U.S.-based, privately held, and independent. Learn more at http://www.inc.com/best-workplaces.

ABOUT GROOVE

Groove is a sales engagement platform that automates non-sales activities so that sales teams can spend more time building relationships and generating revenue. Groove eliminates the need for CRM data entry and provides managers with real-time visibility into activity levels and performance, regardless of location. Groove also has the industrys only native Salesforce integration, which reduces administrative overhead by as much as 90%.

Over 50,000 account executive, sales development, and customer success representatives use Groove at some of the worlds largest and fastest-growing companies, including Google, Uber, Atlassian, and Capital One. Groove has earned the highest customer satisfaction rating on G2 in the sales engagement category for two years running.

Groove was named one of Inc. Magazines Best Workplaces 2020 and is one of the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing privately held companies in the U.S. Groove also ranks #14 on the San Francisco Business Times' "fastest-growing private companies in the Bay Area in 2019." Founded in 2014, Groove is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in San Diego and Seattle. To learn more, visit groove.co.

ABOUT INC. MEDIA

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

ABOUT QUANTUM WORKPLACE

Quantum Workplace, based in Omaha, Nebraska, is an HR technology company that serves organizations through employee-engagement surveys, action-planning tools, exit surveys, peer-to-peer recognition, performance evaluations, goal tracking, and leadership assessment. For more information, visit QuantumWorkplace.com.
Its our vision at HighOnLove to break down barriers and eliminate taboos that surround self-pleasure.

HighOnLove is here to elevate your sexual experience. The brand is adding a Sensual Massage Candle to their line of superior grade sexual wellness products made with cannabis oil. Curated by Angela Mustone, a specialist producer of adult cosmetics, HighOnLove looks to provide the perfect second or third party to each users sexual experience while elevating their interior decor.

Spice up your room, turn up the heat and set the mood for a sensual massage with this luxurious , soy based candle blended with nourishing cannabis seed oil and coconut oil. The alluring scent of rose bud seduces your senses, while the sensation of warm oils against your skin encourages relaxation, loving exploration and romance.

Its our vision at HighOnLove to break down barriers and eliminate taboos that surround self-pleasure, says Angela Mustone, founder and CEO of HighOnLove. I wish for our future to continue our movement and help women embrace their sensuality and explore a deeper romance while pampering their skin and creating more elegant room decor.

Using premier grade cannabis oil and nutrient-rich ingredients from the highest quality international suppliers, HighOnLove is alchemy at its finest. Angela has travelled extensively across many continents to test ingredients for her groundbreaking product line. Influenced by the worlds premium cosmeticians, these skin-friendly formulas provide revolutionary intimate experiences and a level of stimulation only cannabis oil can provide.

HighOnLove products are gynaecologically tested, chemical-free, vegan, and cruelty free. Made in Canada with premium, 100% natural ingredients, HighOnLove products contain no soap, parabens, allergens or colorants. Two versions of the line will be made available; the THC + CBD line and the Cannabis Seed Oil line to cater to those who live in areas with cannabis restrictions.

HighOnLove is available on http://www.highonlove.ca and ranges from $28 - $50 for their full 6-piece product line.

# # #

EDITOR'S NOTE: For more information on HighOnLove or to arrange to speak with a company spokesperson, please contact Nancy Trent or Pamela Wadler at 212-966-0024 or pam@trentandcompany.com.
The University of St. Thomas in Houston is expanding its free tuition offer for the fall semester, covering tuition for the first 300 students who enroll in its new associates degree programs and the first 100 who enroll in its new nursing masters programs.

The initiative, officials said, will assist students during the COVID-19 pandemic and nurses who have been on the front-lines of the pandemic.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses are helping to heal the world, Poldi Tschirch, dean of the nursing school, said in a written statement. I am grateful to the University of St Thomas for acknowledging the courage and service of nurses in our community by providing scholarships to support them in advancing their education.

The online programs, which include specialties in nursing and healthcare simulation, nursing education, and nursing leadership, can be completed in about two to three years while students work a full-time job and feature simulation labs for students to use at the college. A majority of the course work is online, but simulation labs will take place on campus. Those who are interested can apply online.

The college will also expand its original offer of free tuition for its three new associates degrees in cybersecurity, electronic or network technology from 100 students to 300, and will discount tuition for other students, charging $200 per credit hour instead of $300. The two-year programs are also online.

What we discovered from our initial offer was that the need to secure a college education or retool for a stronger position in the job market was great in Houston, St. Thomas President Richard Ludwick said in a statement.

Both bachelors and associates programs are still in the accreditation process.

St. Thomas will also offer discounted and free summer courses for current and prospective students.

Summer classes for undergraduates are now discounted by 60 percent, and graduating seniors pursuing a masters degree this summer can get their first course for free. New students or those who are visiting undergraduates or graduate students can also get their first summer class for free.

Current and new students who enroll in a summer course will receive a $500 scholarship toward a three-credit course during their fall semester.

brittany.britto@chron.com
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:

The value of trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan amounted to $22.5 million over first two months of 2020 compared to $20.1 million during the same period of 2019, Trend reports with reference to Kazakhstans Statistics Committee.

The share of Turkmenistan in total value of Kazakhstans trade turnover was 0.2 percent during the reporting period of 2020 compared to 0.1 percent during the same period of 2019.

Kazakhstans export to Turkmenistan amounted to $15.8 million over the period from January through February 2020 compared to $18.7 million during the same period of 2019.

Turkmenistans share in total volume of Kazakhstans export amounted to 0.2 percent during the reporting period of 2020 which corresponds to 0.2 percent during the same period of 2019.

In turn, Kazakhstans import from Turkmenistan amounted to $6.6 million over the first two months of 2020 compared to $1.4 million during the same period of 2019.

Turkmenistans total share in Kazakhstans import was 0.1 percent during the reporting period of 2020.

Total volume of Kazakhstans trade turnover amounted to $13.7 billion in the period from January through February 2020 which indicates a decrease from $14.3 billion during the same period of 2019.

Kazakhstans export amounted to $9.08 billion during the reporting period of 2020 ($9.9 billion in the same period of 2019), whereas import amounted to $4.6 billion ($4.4 billion).

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Follow the author on twitter: @nargiz_sadikh
(Bloomberg) -- When the headquarters of Mission Bio reopens next week, employees will find many of the familiar perks they enjoyed before Silicon Valley went into lockdown have changed. Instead of the communal trays of catered lunches served a few times a week, each employee will get their own boxed meal. The snacks will remain free, but the soda machine and tub of almonds will be replaced with canned beverages, bottled water and individually wrapped protein bites. One new benefit: Every two weeks, the startup plans to provide Covid-19 tests onsite to any staff member who wants one.

Mission Bio is returning to the office sooner than most businesses in Northern California. Officials have extended stay-at-home orders through the end of May, and some of the largest technology companies have indicated that they may keep offices closed for even longer. Mission Bio, which develops cellular chemistry technology, said it decided to reopen after consulting local officials who determined that the startups cancer research qualifies as essential. Cancer didnt work from home, said Nigel Beard, the chief technology officer.

The startups preparations for a return to the office offer a window into the unique challenges of adapting the Silicon Valley workspace to a pandemic. Mission Bios desks are arranged in an open-floor plan, a mainstay of the tech office thats entirely incompatible with social distancing guidelines. The company will keep the office open seven days a week and ask employees to select shifts, so that only a third of staff are present at a time. The lab stations are designed to be communal, but researchers will be required to work solo. Employees will have their temperatures checked by thermometer guns upon arrival and will be asked whether they or their family members have had coughs, fevers or trouble breathing.

The biggest tech companies are taking similar steps for when they finally return to campus. Apple Inc. intends to stagger the introduction of employees back to the office, conduct temperature checks, keep people apart and create some kind of health checklist, Tim Cook, the chief executive officer, told employees in a virtual meeting last month. He said the Cupertino, California, headquarters wont reopen until at least early June and workers would likely be reintroduced on a staggered basis. Google, whose campuses are designed to draw employees together to their many cafeterias and volleyball courts, doesnt plan to return until at least June, either. The company expects to make changes to its open-office design before staff return, said a person familiar with the preparations.

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Facebook Inc. is looking at ways to reconfigure its open-floor plan but is in no hurry to return because most employees can do their jobs from home, David Wehner, the chief financial officer, said on Bloomberg Television. Amazon.com Inc. told corporate staff across the world that if they are able to work effectively from home, they can stay there until at least October. Those who come in will be given face coverings.

On the day tech workers finally do go back, the first change many will notice is on their morning commute. The shuttle buses provided by larger companies may not operate at full capacity, and some employers might encourage people to drive to avoid public transportation. Upon arrival, theyll find redesigned lobbies. To funnel thousands of workers safely, companies are looking to use design tricks like stickers on the floor or carefully placed furniture to create barriers, said Primo Orpilla, co-founder of the San Francisco-based interior design company Studio O+A, whose clients include Microsoft Corp., Slack Technologies Inc. and Uber Technologies Inc.

Tech companies are particularly concerned with changes that could compromise their carefully curated aesthetic. Nobody wants rope barriers that make people feel like theyre at an airport, Orpilla said. Theyre looking for an artistic version of crowd control. If Shepard Fairey were in charge of making sure social distancing was part of your space, how would he do it? Orpilla said, referring to the creator of the Hope Obama campaign posters. In a change that would please George Costanza, some clients are considering rebuilding bathroom stalls so the walls extend from the floor to the ceiling, he said.

Many companies are realizing that the open officeonce considered forward-thinking for the way a lack of separation between workers fosters collaborationis unsustainable. Maybe that was innovative, said Andrew Holmes, the director of marketing at Loftwall, a Dallas, Texas-based maker of room dividers and desk partitions. Now it just feels like a place for germs to run wild. Sales of Loftwall dividers have at least doubled since the coronavirus outbreak. Apple, Google, Microsoft and Tesla Inc. are among the companies that have placed orders with Loftwall in the last 18 months, Holmes said.

A cubicle revival might not be enough, said Philip Martin, head of security at San Francisco-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase. If a colleague coughs while standing up, for example, they could infect neighbors. Martin anticipates officials might set guidelines for offices, such as reducing the number of people allowed in buildings or requiring barriers between workers. Hes making early preparations for Coinbases eventual return, but the company said it doesnt expect things to get back to normal until January or later.

Some workplaces are more challenging to redesign. Xwing, a startup developing autonomous aircraft, used to conduct biweekly test flights at an airfield in Concord, California, before the pandemic. The company would pack three or four employees equipped with headsets about an arms length apart from one another inside a small, noisy vehicle. The founder, Marc Piette, is trying to determine whether its feasible to have fewer engineers in the air and whether microphones would still be able to pick up their voices when wearing face masks. Were all about flying aircraft autonomously, Piette said. If we cant fly aircraft, it becomes a difficult problem to solve.

(Updates with Google plan in the fourth paragraph.)

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By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Chennai is likely to face a shortage of vegetables till May 10 with the closure of Koyambedu Wholesale Market following the coronavirus pandemic, according to S Chandran, Market management Committee Licensed Merchants Association President and Anaithu Sangankalin Kootamaipu general secretary.

As the bustling market during the lockdown was sealed off after the spurt of Coronavirus positive cases across the state linking the market, Chandran said that vegetables which were sold in Koyambedu wholesale market will be only available after the Thirumazhisai market opens.

He said that there could be a crisis in availability of vegetables in the city and vegetables like ladies-finger, brinjal would be locally available, there will be shortfall of carrot, beetroot, onions and potatoes. He said that the shortfall could result in spurt in prices of vegetables.

ALSO READ| Why did they come to Chennai's Koyambedu?

However, official sources said that vegetables would be available in Tambaram and Pallavaram which also caters to wholesale trade locally as such city wont be totally devoid of vegetables. Abdul Khader, secretary of Koyambedu Vegetable Wholesale Merchants Association, said that the since the market is closed, vegetables will be available only once the proposed Thirumazhisai market opens.

Meanwhile, vegetable prices have spiked with beans being sold at Rs 200 per kilogram in near Luz corner in Mylapore and around Rs 140 from a vendor 2 km away. Traders said that they were able to sell vegetables today by selling it to people and vendors before the market was sealed. "We are forced to get above 50 kg for any given vegetables. Unlike tomatoes and onions others will waste eventually," said S Rajamanikam from Velachery.

"Men carrying loads cost us Rs100 per sack double their usual wage. This is because many are not coming forward and it's difficult to get trucks these days and above it we have to make profit," said G Kanagavel, who distributes vegetables to vendors in Alwarpet.

Meanwhile, most of the small vendors are facing social stigma among neighbours as they had contact with people working in Koyambedu market. "Inorder to avoid stereotype I told my neighbours that we get supplied to our shops by the government approved agents and it is completely safe," said J Kanniga from Egmore.
Lufthansa to pay no dividend for 2019 as airline seeks bailout FILE PHOTO: The spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Munich

By Ilona Wissenbach

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Lufthansa <LHAG.DE> shareholders on Tuesday agreed to not distribute 298 million euros (259.53 million pounds)in retained profits as a dividend for 2019, as the airline enters the final stretch of negotiations for a 10 billion euro bailout.

Lufthansa needs to be rescued after coronavirus travel bans forced the German group to ground 700 of its aircraft, leading to a 99% drop in passenger numbers and causing the group to lose about 1 million euros ($1.1 million) in liquidity reserves per hour.

Some 10,000 shareholders followed the meeting online, representing 33.19% of the share capital, Lufthansa said.

The carrier, which is preparing to restart passenger flights slowly from June, is currently in talks with the German, Austrian, Swiss and Belgian authorities about a roughly 10 billion euro bailout. Chief Executive Carsten Spohr said that he expected to clinch a deal with Germany shortly.

"Our focus is on stabilising Lufthansa in its current form and not on acquiring other airlines. We are not planning a takeover at this time," he said, adding that consolidation among European airlines will slow down due to government bailouts.

Lufthansa's rescue deal is expected to give Germany a 25.1% stake in the airline as well as supervisory board representation, people close to the matter said.

Separately, Lufthansa is expected to receive about 5 billion euros in non-voting capital as well as roughly 3 billion in state-backed loans, they added.

The exact size of the rescue deal as well as the possible contribution from Switzerland, Austria and Belgium is still unclear, the sources said.

Spohr is expected to visit Brussels this week, according to Belgian daily LEcho. The airline is seeking 290 million euros in financial aid from the Belgian state. In exchange, Belgium wants guarantees on the future of Brussels Airlines and the development of the Brussels airport.

Spohr said that despite the bailout the German government was not interested in taking an active role in the company, after he had earlier warned about possible state interference.

Story continues

Klaus Schmidt, head of the council of economic advisers to the federal economy ministry, said at a ministry briefing on Tuesday, that the government should not weigh into discussions, for example, on whether Lufthansa's Germanwings division should be shuttered.

To reduce its cash outflows, Lufthansa -- which is taking a 2020 hit of about 1 billion euros from crude oil hedging -- said at the meeting that it had asked Airbus <AIR.PA> and Boeing <BA.N> to postpone aircraft deliveries.

Lufthansa is sticking to its plan to sell its catering activities, Spohr said, adding that further asset sales were not planned and a potential listing of its Lufthansa Technik business would currently only be possible at a massive discount.

(Additional reporting by Arno Schuetze, Marine Strauss, Klaus Lauer, Rene Wagner, Michael Nienaber. Editing by Jane Merriman, Thomas Seythal and Lisa Shumaker)
Health Minister Arsen Torosian acknowledged on Wednesday that Armenias coronavirus outbreak is deteriorating after the daily number of confirmed infections in the country reached a new record high following the virtual lifting of a nationwide lockdown.

The Armenian Ministry of Health reported in the morning that 163 people tested positive for coronavirus in the past day, raising the total number of cases to 2,782. It said that the death toll from the COVID-19 epidemic remains unchanged at 40.

The ministry has also reported the deaths of seven other individuals infected with the virus. It says that they died from other, pre-existing diseases.

The situation is increasingly becoming more difficult as evidenced by the numbers, Torosian told RFE/RLs Armenian service.

Unfortunately, we are on a rising trajectory at the moment, he said. We are still coping in terms of [hospital] capacity.

Torosian warned last week that the health authorities will soon be no longer able to hospitalize or isolate all infected people.

The authorities set up last month 1,500 hospital beds for COVID-19 patients. According to the Ministry of Health, some 1,600 patients were treated by medics in hospitals or hotels across the country as of Tuesday.

Torosian said that due to the rising numbers the Armenian government may again extend a coronavirus-related state of emergency which is due to end on May 14. But he did not comment on the possibility of restoring lockdown restrictions that had been imposed in late March.

Those restrictions, including a ban on most types of business activity, were largely lifted by May 4. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said on May 3 that Armenians must now share with the government responsibility for tackling the epidemic and minimizing its consequences. Pashinian urged them to abide by social distancing and hygiene rules set by the authorities.

Torosian likewise said that the further spread of the potentially lethal disease depends on each of us, not just me or the government. We have to learn to live [with coronavirus,] he said. For example, to wear face masks in closed spaces and keep a safe distance from each other.

Some critics of the government have condemned these statements, saying that the authorities are trying to dodge responsibility for their lax enforcement of stay-at-home orders and failure to contain the epidemic.
UW Student Group Helps Laramie Community Nonprofits

A University of Wyoming College of Business student group doled out $45,000 to four Laramie community nonprofit organizations.

About 30 students in UWs Student Center for the Public Trust (SCPT) chapter (Ethics Club) were involved with the Spark Tank program at various stages. The chapter recently held a virtual program to hear proposals from applicants.

Chapter members and guests viewed 15-minute prerecorded presentations from Big Brothers Big Sisters, Downtown Clinic, Feeding Laramie Valley and Laramie SAFE Project. All four organizations were researched and vetted by Ethics Club members. Students also consulted with the organizations to help prepare them for their Spark Tank presentations. The nonprofits were vying for a share of the $45,000 raised by the Ethics Club.

Following the presentations, SCPT chapter members deliberated, ranked the organizations and allocated funding.

As you would expect from our students, their discussions were intelligent, insightful and considerate, says Kent Noble, the Bill Daniels Chair of Business Ethics in the UW College of Business.

After chapter members expressed their opinions and voted, the clubs officer team was given final authority to specify the amount assigned to each organization, Noble says. Funds were given to:

-- Downtown Clinic, $15,000.

-- Laramie SAFE Project, $15,000.

-- Feeding Laramie Valley, $10,000.

-- Big Brothers Big Sisters, $5,000.

The students involved with this project feel really good about their efforts, especially given the current enhanced needs of our community due to the COVID-19 situation, Noble says.

This was the SCPTs third Spark Tank event. Over the last three years, the club has distributed $67,500 to local nonprofits.

UWs Spark Tank initiative has two primary purposes: to provide a spark that helps local nonprofits fulfill their missions, and to spark a sense of community service within Wyomings next generation of business and community leaders, says Dave Sprott, UW College of Business dean.

The John P. Ellbogen Foundation, Tom and Diane Honig, Dan and Kathryn Blaney, the Scarlett Family Foundation, the UW Foundation and dozens of individual contributors have helped fund the program, Noble says.

SCPT officers, listed by hometowns and majors, are:

-- President Kenna Noble, LaGrange, senior, business management, with a concentration in human resources.

-- Vice President Branton Samson, Torrington, senior, human resources and pre-dental.

-- Secretary and President-elect Troy Cassity, Riverton, senior, management.

-- Community service Chair Izzy Noonan, Eaton, Colo., junior, business management, with a human resources concentration.

-- Treasurer Alex Geiseman, Freeport, Ill., junior, finance.

-- Public relations and recruitment Chair Dana Miller, Reno, Nev., senior, business marketing and business management, with a marketing communications minor.

Kenna Noble says Spark Tank has been a tremendous opportunity for the chapter to help as many people as possible in the community, and she is grateful for those who have contributed to the program.

I also am grateful for the tremendous opportunity to have been a part of such an amazing event. I believe that those who are the happiest do the most for others, she says. I am forever grateful to have been a part of something much larger than myself and to have had the opportunity to bolster community outreach in Laramie.

Cassity adds that the Laramie community consistently supports UW students and their endeavors, and Spark Tank is a way of giving back.

Thank you to everyone who helped out this year by participating, donating or simply advocating our goals. We really appreciate the support, he says. Thank you to any and all nonprofit organizations in Laramie and across the world that never cease to find ways to help out and give back -- even when times are tough.
Jurong West Hawker Centre. (PHOTO: Screenshot/Google Maps)

SINGAPORE  Jurong West Hawker Centre, whose management courted controversy over its tray-return scheme in 2018, will be closed temporarily for potential renovation after the managements contract ends on 6 August.

In a media release on Tuesday (5 May), the National Environment Agency said that the three-year contract with Hawker Management, a socially-conscious enterprise under Koufu, will not be renewed.

The market and hawker centre, located at Jurong West Street 61, will re-open sometime in the second half of 2021.

During the closure, NEA will seek new ideas from operators to better meet the residents needs. It will also conduct public consultations to gather suggestions from the community, and could potentially conduct renovation works to improve the layout of the hawker centre.

Ideal performance standards not met

According to CNA, Hawker Management said that its ideal performance standards were not met, leading to its decision not to renew the management contract.

It said that, since its appointment as operator of Jurong West Hawker Centre in 2017, it has been putting in the necessary resources to bring vibrancy to Jurong West Hawker Centre and support the local hawker trade. However, the results have not met Hawker Managements performance standards.

Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources, said that food and beverage business operators are badly hit by the COVID-10 pandemic situation.

Food & beverage business operators, including stallholders at our hawker centres, are badly hit by the COVID-19 situation, she said in the NEA media release.

Given the poor business environment, when the lease of the current operator at Jurong West Hawker Centre, Hawker Management, expires on 6 August, NEA will seek new ideas and also a new operator to rejuvenate the operations and offerings... to better serve future stallholders, patrons and residents of the area.

Stall rentals waived from June until closure

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Existing stallholders will be offered to return to the renovated hawker centre when it is ready, if they wish to do so.

Meanwhile, Hawker Management will continue to manage the hawker centre until its contract expiry date. It will work with NEA to assist stallholders to relocate to available stalls at other NEA-managed hawker centres and markets, or Koufu-managed coffeeshops and food courts.

Hawker Management will also waive stall rentals from June to 6 August, and offer a $1,000 relocation fee to eligible stallholders.

For stallholders who choose to exit the trade and take on another job, or who may require financial assistance, NEA will work closely with relevant agencies to assist them.

Controversy over tray-return scheme in 2018

Hawker Management was part of a group of operators that NEA approved to run new hawker centres under its Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centre model, which was piloted in 2015.

It created controversy in 2018, when its tray-return scheme  in which hawkers pay their customers 20 cents if they return the trays  caused unhappiness among the hawkers, who filed a petition to NEA saying that it placed additional financial burden on them.

Hawker Management eventually changed the scheme after talks with the hawkers. Under the amended scheme, customers pay a 20-cent deposit to collect clean trays for use, and are refunded when they return the trays to the collection points.

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Jurong West Hawker Centre to change controversial tray-return scheme

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NEA, SEHCs agree on changes to hawker-operator contract terms from 1 Jan
An official says the election cannot be pulled off on Sunday, but the vote has not been officially postponed, either.

Poland is scheduled to hold a presidential election in just four days but nobody can say whether it will happen or not.

Sundays election date was set months ago but preparations have been thrown into disarray by the coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown Poland is under to control the spread of the virus.

Bitter fighting between the ruling conservative Law and Justice party (PiS) and its opponents is preventing the sides from coming together to find an alternative.

Plans for the vote are in chaos.

Proposed legislation regulating it is still in Parliament, with no guarantee that it will pass. A government official in charge of the vote acknowledges that the election cannot be pulled off on Sunday  but it has not been officially postponed, either.

The ruling party on Wednesday was setting the stage for a two-week postponement of the election with the top courts permission.

Up to now, PiS has been pushing to stick to schedule  holding a vote on Sunday with a runoff on May 24 if necessary  by making it a postal vote.

Party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski insists the constitution requires the vote be held in May. But he also acknowledges the party fears its candidate, President Andrzej Duda, the frontrunner in opinion polls, could be weakened later when the economic pain of the pandemic lockdown hits the now-robust Polish economy.

Opposition parties are against holding the vote now and want the government to declare a state of emergency to create a legal way to postpone the vote by three months.

They note that, under the lockdown, their candidates have not been able to campaign in any normal fashion but Duda is constantly on state television amid the governments virus-fighting efforts.

All of Polands living ex-presidents and several former prime ministers plan to boycott what they called a pseudo-election.

Donald Tusk, former Polish prime minister and former top European Union leader, likened the political situation to autocratic Belarus. He said on Tuesday on Twitter there used to be a joke there that you never knew if or when elections will take place, but you always knew who will win.

International democracy watchdogs have also voiced concerns, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

For democratic elections, its crucial that there is an open debate and genuine campaigning, said Katya Andrusz, spokeswoman for the OSCEs Warsaw-based Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.

Many Poles say they plan to boycott a vote they do not trust will be anonymous or fair. Under the current plan, 30 million registered voters would receive ballots in their home mailboxes and then on Sunday drop them in voting boxes set up in their neighbourhoods.

Reports of ballots having been posted online or even lying in a street only added to the general distrust in the postal vote.

Weeks ago, PiS proposed holding the election exclusively by mail, regarding that as a safe option during the pandemic. But that required creating new legislation to regulate the all-postal election.

The law passed the lower house of Parliament in early April but was rejected on Tuesday by the opposition-controlled Senate. Now, the legislation returns to the lower house for a final vote, possibly on Wednesday.

The outcome of the vote is not certain.

A government official in charge of organising the postal vote, Jacek Sasin, said on Monday that the schedule leaves too little time for 30 million ballots to be delivered by Sunday.

Illustrating the chaos, Parliament speaker Elzbieta Witek, the official in charge of naming election dates, is seeking the constitutional courts consent for a postponement till May 23, but also asked the State Electoral Commission if it could organise the presidential vote on Sunday.

The commission head, Sylwester Marciniak, replied on Tuesday night it was impossible for legal and organisational reasons, the PAP news agency said.

Complicating matters further, one small party in the conservative governing coalition is divided on the issue, with some of its members favouring a postponement. That creates the risk that the ruling party could lose its slim parliamentary majority.

Analysts see an advantage in postponing the election to May 17 or May 23, which would be the latest date possible under a constitutionally dictated schedule based on Dudas five-year term expiring on August 6.

There has been speculation that if PiS loses its parliamentary majority, it could declare a state of emergency, dissolve the government and trigger new parliamentary and presidential elections for August.

But PiS politician and spokesman Radoslaw Fogiel insists that under the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic, the party is trying to solve the problems, rather than look for them.
Egypt's prosecutor-general said on Tuesday that young Egyptian filmmaker Shady Habash died in prison due to alcohol poisoning after he drank a sanitising solution he thought was water.

Habash, 24, died on Friday in Cairos Tora prison complex, after over two years in pre-trial detention over charges including spreading false news and joining a banned organisation. He was arrested in March 2018 after directing a music video satirical of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.

Habash informed the prison physician he accidentally drank alcohol in the afternoon on the day before his death, claiming he thought it was water as he complained of stomach cramps, the persecutor-generals office said in a statement.

The physician gave him antiseptic and antispasmodic drugs and sent him back to his cell because his condition was stable, the statement added.

Prison doctors examined Habash several times throughout the day and gave him the necessary drugs. When his health deteriorated at night, a physician decided to transfer him to a hospital outside the prison, the statement said.

As an ambulance was being prepared, Habash did not respond to the doctors attempts to revive him and died before he was sent to hospital.

The prosecutors questioned three inmates. One of them said the deceased told him he had drunk by mistake alcohol used by a detainee as a protective measure against the coronavirus, and that his cell mates then found two 100-millilitre bottles of hand sanitiser of the same type used by the deceased in a trash bin.

Two other cell-mates were questioned, with one giving a similar account and the other claiming Habash told him he mixed liquid sanitiser with a soft drink to get the same effect of hard drinks.

The prosecutors statement said there were no apparent injuries to the body of the deceased.

The prosecutor-general ordered an autopsy to identify the direct cause of death and whether there were any injuries, drugs or alcoholic substances in his body, and to determine if medical procedures taken with him in detention were correct.

Habashs family released a statement on social media on Tuesday rejecting any political use of the young mans death and demanding an explanation for his death.



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Alisun Franson sells masks from a stand in front of her business Amiga Wild in Venice. (Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles leaders are exploring whether to require Angelenos to have masks or other facial coverings whenever they leave their homes, a proposal championed by Councilman Paul Koretz as a way to prevent new infections.

"The last thing we need is another spike in cases to set us back as we're trying to move forward," Koretz said.

The council has not yet decided to draft such a law, but voted Wednesday to ask city staffers to report back on health guidelines for wearing masks, what requirements have been imposed by other cities, and how such rules might be enforced.

Mayor Eric Garcetti has ordered that people wear masks or other facial coverings when they visit many essential businesses, including grocery stores, laundromats, hotels and restaurants offering takeout. Workers at such businesses must be provided masks by their employers, a measure meant to ensure employee safety.

But the order does not require Angelenos to wear masks in other instances when they leave their homes  for instance, while strolling down the sidewalk or sitting in a public park. Koretz argued the city should go farther.

"People still walk dogs. They still ride bicycles. They still may stop and chat with their neighbors," Koretz said in an interview. "This would reduce the spread."

Koretz said that under such an ordinance, people would be required to have the masks either already on their faces or close at hand so they could put them on quickly whenever they approach someone from outside their household.

The councilman argued that mandating that people cover their mouths and noses would save lives, by helping to keep people who are asymptomatic but carrying the COVID-19 virus from unknowingly transmitting it. He pointed to the Czech Republic, which imposed a similar requirement, as an example of how the mandate could clamp down on new infections.

A recent article in the Atlantic, co-written by university professors and a researcher who helped found the Masks4All campaign, stressed that if 80% of people wore masks that were modestly effective in protecting other people around them from being infected  such as cloth masks  it would reduce transmission "enough to halt the spread of the disease."

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The Westside councilman argued that a broader measure requiring masks would be helpful even if the city did not crack down on people who fail to wear masks with fines or other penalties. He likened it to banning smoking in restaurants, which he said was enforced mainly through "peer pressure" from other customers.

When Koretz first raised the idea last month, several council members were dubious. Some said the council should leave decisions about masks to Garcetti and public health officials. Others said they were concerned about penalizing people who cannot easily afford or access masks.

At Wednesday's meeting, some council members remained uncertain: Councilman Gil Cedillo raised concerns about racially discriminatory enforcement of mask rules against African Americans.

Councilman John Lee also expressed reluctance, saying that in his community, people seemed to be behaving responsibly to maintain social distancing and that "people already feel confined as it is."

Koretz suggested that the city could exempt young children, people with developmental disabilities or conditions that make it difficult to wear a mask, and anyone who would face a health or safety risk  carve-outs similar to those made by other jurisdictions such as San Diego County and Laredo, Texas, the councilman said.

Ahead of the Wednesday vote, an Echo Park resident who phoned into the meeting argued that more exceptions were needed  "for driving, for isolated exercise, for outings in the park." If not, Darcy Harris argued, "the costs to the physical and mental health to our citizens outweigh the public health benefits."

The council asked to staffers to bring back the informational report in a week.
Three marquee San Francisco tech companies  Uber, Airbnb and Lyft  which exemplified a new generation of megabillion-dollar startups, have now slashed staffs in response to the coronavirus pandemic and shelter-in-place orders.

Ride-hailing company Uber, among the citys largest employers, was the latest to do so, laying off 14% of its workforce, or 3,700 recruiting and customer support employees worldwide, on Wednesday in the biggest round of layoffs to date for a San Francisco tech company during the crisis.

Ubers smaller rival Lyft had 982 layoffs last week, or 17% of its staff, and will implement furloughs and pay cuts for hundreds more.

Vacation-rental site Airbnb on Tuesday said it would cut 1,900 jobs, or 25% of its workforce.

As the companies all acknowledged, their revenue has plunged as consumers stay home, and theres no clarity on when that will change.

Following on the heels of layoffs at other Bay Area tech companies, including Yelp, Eventbrite, Opendoor, LendingClub, Zenefits, Patreon, GoPro, the RealReal and VSCO, the latest rounds underscore that every industry is exposed to the wrenching disruptions wrought by the pandemic.

No one is immune, said Richard Florida, an urban studies theorist and professor at the University of Toronto. The recession  or depression  will bite everyone.

San Francisco developed a love-hate relationship with the tech sector as Silicon Valleys epicenter shifted here.

The city may have congratulated itself on having the worlds greatest concentration of high-tech startups funded by venture capital, but it was always bemoaning the new urban crisis it faces, with techies driving up housing costs and gentrifying the city, Florida said. Now that may turn into (deeper) problems. When people are laid off, they cant pay taxes.

Still, he and others acknowledged, laid-off tech workers are undoubtedly in far better shape than those in the first wave of unemployment, which was heavily concentrated in low-wage service sectors: hotel housekeepers, restaurant workers, child care providers, for instance. Many of those workers live paycheck to paycheck.

Tech workers should have savings socked away for a rainy day, Florida said. The pain will be felt broadly, but will fall most heavily on the least economically advantaged.

The tech layoffs will have wider repercussions because of their multiplier effect, said Paul Saffo, a Silicon Valley futurist.

Even as shelter-in-place orders ease, a whole lot fewer people will be returning to work in headquarters buildings in San Francisco, he said. They wont be coming in with their cash to buy things in the city.

Losing all those incomes that supported restaurants and the arts and culture scene will reverberate, Florida agreed.

On the other hand, the influx of highly paid tech workers into the Bay Area accelerated housing unaffordability, said Peter Cohen, co-director at the Council of Community Housing Organizations, a San Francisco nonprofit.

Even though the tech boom also helped create middle-wage and lower-wage jobs, developers aimed their production at the high end, which drove housing prices all the higher and out of reach for a very wide range of everyday workers not in those high-paid ranks, he said in an email.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

Now that could change.

Perhaps the reduction in some of that highly paid workforce from tech layoffs will begin to dampen housing prices as property owners have to adjust to new characteristics of demand, Cohen said. Well still need to address increased housing needs for middle-wage and lower-wage worker households going forward.

Saffo also sees some potential silver linings.

Tech layoffs could spawn a new wave of startups, he said, just as the 1990s downturn spawned the dot-com boom.

Startup culture is very resilient, Saffo said. The layoffs have unleashed a bunch of brain power that will now be out there looking for problems to solve and ways to have more control over their lives. And the pandemic has revealed a raft of obvious problems, from health care to employment equity, at all sorts of levels.

San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Roland Li contributed to this report.

Carolyn Said is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: csaid@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @csaid
NORTHBROOK, Ill., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Hilco Real Estate, LLC announces June 25, 2020 as the bid deadline for a former acute rehabilitation facility in Battle Creek, Michigan. Built in 2005, the well-maintained facility features 19 patient rooms, 12 private offices and seven semi-private offices. The building is also outfitted with numerous amenities that make it ideal for a variety of potential medical uses, including satellite hospital, surgicenter, urgent care clinic, memory care, assisted living, or skilled nursing facility among others.

The 44,000 SF, two-story building sits on over 8.50 acres in Battle Creek. The building is well equipped with a therapy pool, commercial kitchen, fitness area and occupational therapy rooms. Sweeping grounds include a large pond, outdoor patio, event area and walking trails with overlooks. This medical facility was formerly utilized as an acute rehabilitation hospital that operated at a near 90% occupancy in the early 2000s while it served patients from the communities of Battle Creek, Jackson, Kalamazoo, and many other surrounding cities. This sale offers the opportunity for the facility to continue serving these communities via a private, institutional or municipal owner.

The city of Battle Creek, with an estimated population of 51,000, is centrally located roughly 120 miles west of Detroit and 170 miles east of Chicago. The property is two miles north of the downtown area, which has seen a resurgence in recent years, and is in proximity to Kellogg Community College, Calhoun Area Career Center, The Oaks at NorthPointe Woods, and Bronson Battle Creek Emergency Hospital. Since 2008, there has been over $39 million of public and philanthropic investments that have leveraged $88 million in private investments focused on downtown Battle Creek leading to the creation of over 1,100 jobs.

Steve Madura, senior vice president at Hilco Real Estate, said, "This facility stands ready to serve, helping those brave healthcare workers fighting on the frontlines during these uncertain and unprecedented times. This property offers a host of desirable amenities that are well suited for a variety of future uses." He continued, "We are hopeful that the sale of this property will allow the facility to be put back into productive use in order to serve those impacted by the current pandemic, as well as the citizens of Battle Creek and others throughout the region for years to come."

The bid deadline for submitting offers is Thursday, June 25, 2020 by 5:00 p.m. (CT). Offers must be delivered to the offices of Hilco Real Estate on or before 5:00 p.m. (CT) on the day of the deadline to be considered. Interested buyers can submit their bids via mail to the following address: Hilco Real Estate, 5 Revere Drive, Suite 320, Northbrook, IL 60062, or via email to [email protected]. For further information, please contact Steve Madura at (847) 504-2478 or [email protected].

For further information on the property, an explanation of the sale process, sale terms or to obtain access to property due diligence documents, please visit HilcoRealEstate.com or call (855) 755-2300.

For more information about this or other properties available for sale, please visit HilcoRealEstate.com.

About Hilco Real Estate

Hilco Real Estate ("HRE"), a Hilco Global company (HilcoGlobal.com), is headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois (USA). HRE is a national provider of strategic real estate disposition services. Acting as an agent or principal, HRE uses its experience to advise and execute strategies to assist clients in deriving the maximum value from their real estate assets. By leveraging multi-faceted sales strategies and techniques, aggressive repositioning and restructuring experience, a vast and motivated network of buyers and sellers, and substantial access to capital, HRE exceeds expectations even in the most complex transactions.

Media Contact:

Gary Epstein

Hilco Global

Office: (847) 418-2712

Mobile: (847) 323-4943

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Hilco Real Estate

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By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: A court on Tuesday directed the Delhi Police Crime Branch to file a status report in a case relating to an attack on students and teachers on the JNU campus on January 5.

The court was hearing a plea filed by Professor Sucharita Sen, who suffered head injuries during the attack allegedly by masked people inside the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus on the date of incident, seeking registration of FIR in a case.

Metropolitan Magistrate Vipul Sandwar passed the direction after taking on record a status report filed by the police station of Vasant Kunj, North in pursuant to an earlier order.

The report filed by police on Tuesday said that an FIR was filed in the matter which has now been transferred to the crime branch along with the present complaint filed by Sen.

As per the submissions and the status report the only thing that can be ascertained is that an FIR at the crime branch has been lodged. Let a status report be called from Crime Branch, New Delhi within seven days from today mentioning the details of the FIR and the action taken pursuant to it, the judge said in the two-page order and posted the matter for May 18.

In her submission, the professor claimed that no action has been taken so far and that the case that was

transferred to the Crime Branch was a separate FIR.The court had in February directed the Station House Officer (SHO) concerned to file an action taken report (ATR).

With agency inputs
The self-declared mandate announced by Khalifa Haftar in a televised address last week may indicate growing tensions among his allies amid his failure to gain decisive advantage on the ground

Last week, the Libyan National Armys (LNA) Commander Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, accepted a popular mandate to rule Libya and declared an end to the Skhirat Agreement, a UN-brokered accord between Libyan factions signed in 2015. In a televised address on the Libyan Al-Hadath TV channel 27 April, he explained that the spurious accord has destroyed the country and steered it to precipitous slides.

He said that he would produce a new constitutional declaration containing a roadmap to the future and form a new government to replace the interim eastern-based government headed by Abdullah Al-Thani.

Haftars announcement conflicts with the political initiative announced several days earlier by his political ally Aguila Saleh, speaker of the Tobruk-based House of Representatives. Saleh had said that he would present the initiative, which calls for the creation of a new Presidential Council, to the UN soon.

Salehs and Haftars actions come at time when the LNAs campaign to take control of Tripoli has encountered setbacks as a result of Turkeys active military intervention on the side of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA). Advanced Turkish weapons, Turkish military advisers and thousands of Turkish-paid mercenaries have helped the UN-recognised GNA recover areas west of Tripoli and forced LNA affiliated forces away from the southern suburbs of Tripoli.

The GNA allied forces have also surrounded the LNA-held city of Tarhouna, located 60 kilometres southeast of the capital, and intensified strikes against Haftars forces at Watiya Airbase 140 kilometres southwest of the capital.

Two days after his televised address, Haftar surprised observers with a decision to suspend military activities and call for a humanitarian truce in response to the appeals of international and friendly powers. The GNA rejected the truce, claiming that it did not trust Haftar, and stressed that any genuine truce had to be backed by international guarantees. The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), for its part, called on both sides to seize this opportunity to immediately halt all military operations and resume the Joint Military Committee (5+5) talks  via video calling, if necessary.

The JMC (5+5) is one of the three tracks initiated by the Berlin Conference on Libya in January. The committee has convened twice in Geneva to discuss a proposed ceasefire agreement drafted by UNSMIL, but made no progress and has not met again since February.

Sources close to Haftar say that he plans to create a transitional government along the lines of the Sudanese model that was adopted in Khartoum following the overthrow of Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir last year. He would select most of the members of a new ruling council and government, but he is waiting to arrange matters with his allies at home and abroad before proceeding with this plan, according to the sources who gave no indication of their sense of its feasibility.

The political initiative that Saleh outlined 23 April calls for the creation of a new three-member Presidential Council consisting of a chairman and two vice-chairmen representing Libyas three historic regions: Tripolitania, Cyrenaica and Fezzan. They would be popularly elected in UN-supervised polls. Then a government, independent of the Presidency Council, would be appointed and headed by a prime minister from a region other than that of the Presidency Council chairman. The armed forces would be entitled to appoint the defence minister. The initiative also called for the creation of a new constituent body charged with drafting a new constitution, instead of the one that had been drafted by the previous constituent assembly in July 2017.

Immediately after Salehs announcement, Haftar implicitly rejected that initiative. In a statement broadcast live, he called on the people to give a mandate to an institution of their choice to lead the country in the forthcoming stage and issue a constitutional declaration outlining a roadmap for that stage. Four days later, he delivered the televised address stating that he had accepted the mandate and rejected the Skhirat Agreement. As this is the agreement on which the current political institutions base their legitimacy, Haftar effectively rejected the House of Representatives, which had long served as his political backing.

After an initial period of silence, Saleh convened a meeting of members of his tribe in his home in western Tobruk to announce that his opposition to the mandate that Haftar requested at a time when his military campaign in Tripoli is on the brink of collapse. He explained he feared the detrimental political repercussions that Haftars unilateral action could have on Cyrenaica, which had embraced the LNA since 2014.

This is not the first time that Saleh and Haftar have been at loggerheads, even if the former has denied differences between him and the LNA commander. This latest contretemps is a measure of the tensions between them at a time when both have been jockeying to secure prominent seats in the UN sponsored political process that is expected to resume soon. As international pressures mount towards this end, Haftars unilateral actions are a means to strengthen his political position at least in the east.

Both Washington and Moscow announced their dismay at Haftars unilateral declaration of a popular mandate. While the former stated that Haftar should nevertheless be included in any political settlement, Moscow claimed that it had been taken by surprise by his action. Russia, a strong backer of Haftar, had been accused of backing this step, especially since, as sources told Al-Ahram Weekly, a Russian diplomatic delegation had made an unannounced visit to Benghazi, Bayda and Tobruk last week. However, the Russian foreign minister stressed that Moscow had no prior knowledge of Haftars decision to claim a mandate and reject the Skhirat Agreement.

Although LNA Spokesman General Ahmed Al-Mismari, speaking on behalf of Haftar, dismissed speculation that the field marshal sought to dissolve the House of Representatives, Saleh clearly feared that Haftars action was precipitous and jeopardised the legitimacy the House of Representatives continues to enjoy in Cyrenaica, even if the LNA has been unable to succeed in its mission to gain control over Tripoli in the west. In his meeting with tribal members last week, Saleh appeared not so much opposed to the idea of Haftar monopolising political authority in principle as to his monopolising political authority in the east, where the two allies have butted heads over political powers and jurisdictions before, even as they continue to need each other.

In addition to exposing the tensions between Haftar and Saleh, the responses to Haftars actions in the east indicate that he is no longer as much of the eastern strongman as he once was. For several years, he had been able to do pretty much as he wanted in Cyrenaica without facing opposition and without having to ask for a second mandate. That he has asked for such a mandate reflects the extent to which his calculations have gone awry and, consequently, to which he has failed to turn political and military conditions to his advantage, which has aggravated the problems for members of his camp and strained his local, regional and international alliances.

As he comes under mounting military and political pressure, questions have also been raised concerning his ability to manage the intricate and sometimes conflicting network of local, regional and international alliances that he has built up over the past six years. Of particular importance to him, internationally, at this stage are France, which has supported him politically, and Russia, a strong backer of Haftar that has gradually increased its profile on the ground in Libya since 2016. Russia has been accused of working to protract the Libyan crisis in the hope of imposing conditions that will strengthen its hand against its international adversaries, much as it has done in Syria, Eastern Europe and elsewhere in Asia and Africa.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 7 May, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 6, 2020) - Ely Gold Royalties Inc. (TSXV: ELY) (OTCQB: ELYGF) ("Ely Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of its Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders held earlier today. The Company elected five directors to its board, namely Trey Wasser, William Sheriff, Tom Wharton, Ronald Husband, and Stephen Kenwood.

The shareholders approved all other matters as proposed, including the appointment of Smythe LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants as auditors of the Company and approval of the Company's 10% rolling Stock Option Plan.

Shareholders also approved the creation of a new Control Person (as that term is described in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV")) being 2176423 Ontario Ltd., a company controlled by Eric Sprott (Sprott"). In connection with a Loan Agreement dated November 29, 2019, as defined in the Information Circular (sent to shareholders of record on April 6, 2020), the Company issued to Sprott 16,216,215 non-transferable loan bonus warrants (the "Bonus Warrants"). Each Bonus Warrant is exercisable to purchase one common share of the Company (each a "Bonus Warrant Share") at an exercise price of $0.37 per Bonus Warrant Share. If Sprott exercised all of his Bonus Warrants, then he will become a new "Control Person" of the Company; however, the TSXV's acceptance of the Loan Agreement was made subject to the condition that Sprott will not be permitted to exercise the Bonus Warrants to the extent that his holdings of outstanding Company common shares will exceed 19.9% until such time as Sprott becoming a "Control Person".

On February 4, 2020, the Company also entered into an agreement with Sprott pursuant to which the Company intends to purchase a 0.50% net smelter return royalty (the "Target Royalty") on the Jerritt Canyon Mine facility, operated by a private Nevada limited liability company of which Sprott is the beneficial owner. In consideration for the Target Royalty, the Company intends to pay C$8,000,000 to Sprott by way of issuance of 12,698,413 Company common shares at deemed issue price of $0.63 per share (the "Royalty Shares"). The completion of the Target Royalty purchase remains subject to certain conditions, including the Company's completion of its due diligence on the Target Royalty and settling definitive closing documentation.

After giving effect to the anticipated purchase of the Target Royalty and the Loan Agreement, Sprott will beneficially own and control 20,313,867 Company common Shares and 19,023,942 Share purchase warrants, representing approximately 15.9% of the outstanding shares on a non-diluted basis and approximately 26.8% assuming exercise of all such warrants. Assuming the completion of the Target Royalty acquisition, and there being no other intervening transactions, the exercise by Sprott of the 16,216,215 Bonus Warrants will result in him becoming a new "Control Person" of the Company, in that he will beneficially own and control 36,530,082 Company common shares representing approximately 25.4% of the outstanding shares and, on a non-diluted basis approximately 26.8%.

About Ely Gold Royalties Inc. Ely Gold Royalties Inc. is a Nevada focused gold royalty company. Its current portfolio includes royalties at some of Nevada's largest gold mines, including Jerritt Canyon, Goldstrike and Marigold as well as the Fenelon property in Quebec, operated by Wallbridge Mining. Ely Gold's royalty portfolio includes several advanced projects that are scheduled for production by 2023. The Company continues to actively seek opportunities to purchase producing or near-term producing royalties. Ely Gold is also generating development royalties through property sales on projects that are located at or near producing mines. Management believes that due to the Company's ability to locate and purchase third-party royalties, its successful strategy of organically creating royalties and its gold focus, Ely Gold offers shareholders a low-risk leverage to gold prices and low-cost access to long-term gold 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 Caution: This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, including statements regarding the timing and size of the Offering, the anticipated use of proceeds, the required TSX Venture Exchange acceptance of the Offering, the future exercise of options on the Company's properties, the ability of the Company to generate and acquire new royalty interests, the Company's prospects for future revenue generation, management's assessment of the risks associated with the Company's business and stated plans for further near-term exploration and development of the Company's properties. 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 TSX Venture 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 the risk of accidents and other risks associated with mineral exploration, development and extraction operations, the risk that its partners will encounter unanticipated geological factors, or the possibility that they may not be able to secure permitting and other governmental clearances, necessary to carry out their stated plans for the Company's properties, the Company's inability to secure the required Exchange acceptance required for the Offering, and the risk of 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/55477
Airports were geared up to receive Indian nationals stranded abroad due to the coronavirus lockdown with Air India's repatriation flight from Abu Dhabi to Kochi on Thursday set to kickstart the country's biggest evacuation exercise by air and sea.

The AI's non-scheduled commercial flight with around 200 passengers on board is expected to land at the Kochi International airport in Kerala at 9.45 pm, as logistical arrangements and strict health protocols were put in place at several airports including in Thiruvananthapuram, Delhi and Mumbai.

Jishnu, a passenger from Abu Dhabi who was among those in the first lot to fly out of the United Arab Emirates(UAE), was elated that he would be able to return to his home state.

"I am very happy to have got the ticket. I was informed yesterday that I could travel", he told a television channel on Wednesday.

From the Gulf countries to Malaysia and the UK to the US, the multi-agency operation christened 'Vande Bharat Mission' will see the state-owned AI operate 64 flights till May 13 in the first phase to ferry around 15,000 Indian nationals from 12 countries.

Private Indian airlines may join the repatriation effort after May 13.

As many as 10 flights are planned to be operated on the first day from various destinations abroad. Besides Kochi, the other cities where the flights are scheduled to land on Thursday are Kozhikode(Kerala), Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Srinagar. Only asymptomatic passengers will be allowed to board the flights.

The Cochin International Airport and Cochin Port have made all arrangements to receive the returning expatriates, Ernakulam District administration said.

Thermal scanners have been erected at the airport for the screening of the passengers and for quarantine facilities, while 4,000 houses with water, electricity and bath attached facilities have been arranged in Ernakulam district.

Entire synthetic/textile wrapped furniture were replaced with temporary plastic chairs," an airport spokesman said.

The pilots and the cabin crew of the first batch of Air India Express evacuation flight were imparted training on handling of in-flight operations at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Doctors and nurses of a government medical college (GMC)hospital in Kochi along with experts in handling COVID-19 patients briefed the 12 airline staff including four pilots.

The pilots and cabin crew were provided training on donning and doffing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) suits, infection control practices to be followed in-flight and also the management of anticipated health emergencies during the flight, hospital authorities said here.

A practical demonstration of both donning and doffing of PPE suits according to the protocol was also given to the crew.

The training given by GMC Ernakulam has helped to build up the confidence level of the entire crew considerably and we are now fully confident to undertake the rescue mission," said Captain Paartha Sarkar.

For those arriving at Thiruvananthapuram, quarantine facilities have been arranged in six taluks to accommodate over 11,200 people and the government will bear the expenses.

Hotel rooms have been arranged for another 6,400 people for which they will have to pay, an official release said.

Various hostels, hotels, auditoriums have been taken for quarantine facilities of the Non-resident Keralites(NRKs).

While all arrangements have been made by the state government to receive the NRKs, there is some confusion about the number of days passengers will have to undergo quarantine on arrival.

The state government has said passengers from abroad will have to undergo seven days quarantine on arrival at government arranged institutions and undergo tests after a week.

If found symptomatic, they will have to go to hospitals and those whose samples are found negative will be allowed to leave for home where they have to strictly follow home quarantine.

But as per the Centre's guidelines, they will have to undergo 14 days institutional quarantine.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said it was "dangerous" to bring back stranded NRKs to the state without any COVID-19 tests as it would lead to spreading of infection.

He wanted the Centre to ensure that the NRKs undergo the tests before emplaning for their respective states.

Vijayan has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the state's concern on the matter.

There should not be any lapse in following globally accepted health protocols lestthere be a setback in the state's efforts to prevent community spread of COVID-19, Vijayan had said.

The Delhi government issued guidelines for screening and handling of repatriated passengers at the airport to reduce the possibility of spread of COVID-19.

Passengers returning to Delhi airport will be quarantined in a paid facility for 14 days from their date of arrival, it said.

Telangana chief secretary Somesh Kumar held a review meeting on arrangements for the arrival of the state's natives.

"The chief secretary informed that seven flights from six countries with about 2,350 passengers are likely to arrive in Hyderabad," according to an official release issued in Hyderabad.

Launching Operation Samudra Setu'( Sea Bridge), the Indian Navy despatched two ships to Maldives capital Male to commence the first phase of the evacuation operations from May 8.

A total of 1,000 people are planned to be evacuated in the first trip in naval ships INS Jalaswha' and INS Magar', a Navy release said. The evacuated people will disembark in Kochi, it added.

The largest-ever civilian evacuation was carried out by India in 1990 during the first Gulf war-- between Iraq and Kuwait--when almost 1.7 lakh Indian nationals were brought by air from Kuwait.

The 64 AI flights will be landing in 10 Indian states15 in Kerala, 11 each in Tamil Nadu and Delhi, seven each in Maharashtra and Telangana, five in Gujarat, three each in Karnataka and Jammu and Kashmir and one flight each in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

The flights would be operated by Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express to repatriate Indians from 12 countries-the UAE, the UK, the US, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.

Out of this, 10 flights will be to the UAE, seven flights each to the US and the UK, five flights to Saudi Arabia, five flights to Singapore and two flights to Qatar to repatriate Indian nationals between May 7 and May 13



During this period, seven flights each will be operated to Malaysia and Bangladesh, five flights each to Kuwait and Philippines, two flights each to Oman and Bahrain.

The government has already evacuated about 2,500 stranded Indians from China, Japan, Iran and Italy in the last couple of months after the outbreak of coronavirus in those countries.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

Trend:

A working group has been set up within the Non-Aligned Movement on the initiative of Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev, said Head of Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmat Hajiyev in an interview with AzTv, Trend reports.

He pointed out that the working group has several tasks, the first of which is to hold a meeting of health ministers of the Non-Aligned Movement.

Hajiyev noted that currently, there is a need to cooperate in the health sphere, to exchange experience, as well as various medical protocols and algorithms.

World Health Assembly will be held soon within the World Health Organization. In accordance with the instruction of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan will hold a meeting of health ministers as part of this event. Relevant work and coordination is underway based on the existing procedures within the Non-Aligned Movement, he said.
A man who was injured in a clash between two groups here earlier this week died during treatment at a hospital on Wednesday, taking the death toll in the incident to two, police said.

A 16-year-old boy, Hamza alias Fardeen Khan, was killed in the clash which took place in Masoompur village in Khejuri area on Monday.

Wasim (50) died during treatment in Varanasi, the police here said, adding that the toll in the incident now stands at two.

A heated argument broke out between Akhilesh Chaurasia and Wasim whose relative Suhail used to talk to his sister on phone, Superintendent of Police Devendra Nath had said on Tuesday.

This led to a clash between the two groups in which Hamza was killed and Wasim injured, he had said.

Both parties have lodged complaints against each other and cases have been registered, the police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chicagoans looking to fire up their grills should prepare for higher meat prices and restrictions on how many chops, steaks or burgers they can buy. COVID-19 outbreaks at meat processing plants across the country continue to disrupt how much product is making its way to grocery stores and butcher shops, despite large facilities beginning to resume operations on a presidential order to stay open during the pandemic.
Nicole Reitz, finishing her sophomore year as a journalism student at IUPUI, moved back home to Schererville when IU campuses across the state moved to online learning. She said she had already arranged housing for the next school year in downtown Indianapolis before the pandemic set in.

She still plans to return to Indianapolis when the fall semester comes, and said she would work remotely from her downtown Indianapolis apartment if needed. The Lake Central graduate said she's still been able to keep up this semester with a social media internship with the university, even though not being on campus has posed challenges.

"I'm definitely learning that you can get your work done in any situation," Reitz said. "I've gotten a lot better at working online and getting my work done in a very stressful situation."

Dyer native Renee Wessel said her two college student children are finishing their spring semesters at home with varying experiences. Wessel said her daughter Samantha, who is finishing her second year at Ivy Tech Community College in Indianapolis, will move on as planned to continue her education at IUPUI this fall regardless of education style.
China reported 2 new coronavirus cases for May 5 and 20 new asymptomatic cases, data from the national health authority showed on Wednesday.

This compared with 1 new coronavirus case and 15 new asymptomatic cases reported a day earlier. The two new cases were so-called imported cases involving travellers from overseas, compared with one such case a day earlier.

China's total number of coronavirus cases now stands at 82,883, while the death toll remained unchanged at 4,633, the National Health Commission said in a statement.
On the day he died, Timothy De La Fuente, a career Bexar County detention officer who did things by the book, insisted on calling work before seeking medical help.

I said, Lets go to the emergency room. He said, Ive got to call, He could barely get the words out. He was having a hard time breathing, recalled his wife, Pauline, who said her husband died before they could leave the house.

On Thursday, De La Fuente, 53, a 27-year veteran of the Bexar County Sheriffs Office, became the first local law enforcement officer to succumb to COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. His wife said the medical examiner determined his death resulted from the underlying condition of an enlarged heart.

My husband loved being a peace officer. He lived and breathed it. she said. His job was stressful but he was a very fair deputy at the jail.

After De La Fuente was injured three years ago when an inmate attacked him with a wooden mop. Two other inmates intervened.

At the hospital, another deputy told me, You know Pauline, they would not have helped him if they didnt like him, she said.

More Information Timothy De La Fuente Born: June 14, 1966 in Maryland Died: April 30, 2020 in San Antonio Survived by: Wife, Pauline; sisters Melinda De La Fuente and Sylvia De La Fuente Duran; nephew Matthew De La Fuente. Services: Pending See More Collapse

The youngest of three children in an Air Force family, De La Fuente was born at Andrews AFB in Maryland.

He moved permanently back to San Antonio in 1977 when his father was assigned to Kelley AFB, which since has closed.

After graduating from Jay High School, he took criminal justice courses at San Antonio College before going to work in 1992 at the Sheriffs Office.

He was very proud of his job. After he was injured, my mother used to tell him, Youre ready to retire, but he really loved working, said his older sister, Sylvia Duran.

He also worked numerous outside security jobs, armed and in uniform. His favorite was the King William Fair during Fiesta, where he helped watch over the money.

Had he reached full retirement age in three years, Pauline said, he was thinking about opening his own small security company, starting with all of his old clients.

De La Fuente and his wife were avid moviegoers, usually on opening night, and often to a show that featured fast cars, cops and robbers. They also were regularly seen at new eateries around town.

Before he was hurt, the De La Fuentes traveled regularly, making stops all over Europe and in the Middle East. Just recently, they started talking about resuming their travels.

Since De La Fuentes death, an inmate has died at the county jail. Hundreds more tested positive for infection by the novel coronavirus, even though a large majority of them  75 percent  didnt have symptoms.

Ive tested positive myself. I knew that I would. My husband died in my arms. Ive quarantined myself and am getting treatment, Pauline said.

Both his wife and sister were worried about De La Fuentes job at the jail during the pandemic, but he didnt talk much about it.

He wasnt one to make waves, Pauline said. Id say, When you get there make sure you have a mask and gloves, and if they dont give them to you, march over to Human Resources and demand it. But my husband would never do that.

She added, Hed say Its OK. But I dont know if he was just telling me that so I wouldnt worry.

After hearing her husband worked in a coronavirus hotspot at the jail annex, she wonders if he had adequate protection.

He was a beautiful man, a fine and loving husband. And he gave his life for his job, Pauline said.

His sudden death capped a period of deep tragedy for the small De La Fuente family. Earlier this spring, both his father and mother died.

Its very scary. Im still very sad and in disbelief that this has all happened, said his sister Sylvia, who recalled her last conversation with her younger brother.

I said, Please protect yourself. I dont think emotionally I can take losing someone else. My last words were that I loved him, his sister said.
ATLANTA (May 6, 2020)  The United States faces a series of critical challenges because of the COVID-19 pandemic, including serious impediments to holding safe, secure, and inclusive elections in November. Many voters across the U.S. are likely to find themselves in areas where the pandemic has not abated and where the health risks involved in going to polling locations will be unacceptably high.

To address this threat, The Carter Center urges federal and state governments to expand access to vote-by-mail options and to provide adequate funding as quickly as possible to allow for the additional planning, preparation, equipment, and public messaging that will be required.

The nonpartisan 2005 Commission on Federal Election Reform, co-chaired by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former Secretary of State James A. Baker III, noted among its many findings and recommendations that because it takes place outside the regulated environment of local polling locations, voting by mail creates increased logistical challenges and the potential for vote fraud, especially if safeguards are lacking or when candidates or political party activists are allowed to handle mail-in or absentee ballots.

However, the Carter-Baker Commission found that where safeguards for ballot integrity are in place  for example in Oregon, where the entire state has voted by mail since 1998  there was little evidence of voter fraud. The commissions main recommendations on vote-by-mail and absentee voting were to increase research on vote-by-mail (and early voting) and to eliminate the practice of allowing candidates or party workers to pick up and deliver absentee ballots. Fortunately, since 2005, many states have gained substantial experience in vote-by-mail and have shown how key concerns can be effectively addressed through appropriate planning, resources, training, and messaging.

I urge political leaders across the country to take immediate steps to expand vote-by-mail and other measures that can help protect the core of American democracy  the right of our citizens to vote, said former President Carter.

Among the key areas to address are:

Expanding easy access to absentee ballot request forms online and ensuring that requested ballots are received with enough time to vote and return the ballot for counting.

to vote and return the ballot for counting. Providing options for returning a ballot, including prepaid postage, use of a USPS postmark or other official data to verify that the ballots were cast on time, and accessible drop-off boxes.

Providing options for returning a ballot, including prepaid postage, use of a USPS postmark or other official data to verify that the ballots were cast on time, Establishing a dequate security provisions for all ballots, including ballots received by polling officials in advance of Election Day.

including ballots received by polling officials in advance of Election Day. Providing additional funding for election administrators for ballot printing, postage, ballot-tracking and processing, staff training, etc.

Disseminating clear public messaging about deadlines for ballot requests, submissions , steps needed to ensure ballots are valid (e.g. signing envelopes), and about the time it takes to count absentee ballots and finalize official results.

In addition to giving all voters the option to vote by mail, establishing COVID-19-sensitive polling locations on Election Day and for advance voting so that voters who need assistance or who prefer to vote in-person can cast a secret ballot, privately and free from outside influence.

###

Contact: In Atlanta, Soyia Ellison, soyia.ellison@cartercenter.org

Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope.

A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide.
Blood thinners may improve the survival rates of hospitalized coronavirus patients, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that being treated with the drugs could lower the risk of death by as much as 50 percent.

Among intubated patients, anticoagulant treatment boosted survival rates by more than 130 percent.

The team, from the Mount Sinai Health System in New York, says the findings provide new insight on how to treat and manage coronavirus patients after they're admitted to the hospital.

A new study has found patients treated with blood thinners had better survival rates and, of those who died, those treated without blood thinners died after 14 days compared to 21 dats for those on anticoagulants (above, left)

Additionally, 62.7% of intubated patients not treated with anticoagulants died in comparison with 29.1% for intubated patients treated with anticoagulants. Pictured: Nurses shift patients around in the bays of Roseland Community Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, April 15

'Clinically, we were seeing a lot of blood clots in patients,' co-author Dr Girish Nadkarni, an assistant professor of medicine and nephrology at Mount Sinai, told DailyMail.com.

'A lot of clinicians used anticoagulants as treatment so we wanted to see if they provided a benefit or not.'

Doctors have noticed an increasing number of coronavirus patients with blood clots whether in the feet - which calls bruises known as 'COVID toes' - to blockages in the brain that lead to strokes or death.

Recent studies from the Netherlands and France have found that up to one-third of seriously ill COVID-10 patients have suffered a pulmonary embolism.

This occurs when blood clots travel to the lungs, causing a threatening blockage in the arteries.

However, just 1.3 percent of severely ill coronavirus patients had suffered a pulmonary embolism, the French researchers found.

For the new study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the team looked at almost 2,800 COVID-19-positive patients admitted to five hospitals in New York City between March 14 and April 11.

Scientists examined survival rates for those placed blood thinners compared to those not taking the drug.

After considering certain risk factors, they found treatment with anticoagulants was linked to a 50 percent higher survival rate.

Of patients who died, those on blood thinners died after an average of 21 days in the hospital compared to those not on the drugs who died after about 14 days.

'The magnitude of the effect was frankly quite surprising,' Nadkarni said.

'Anecdotally and from small studies in China, we've known anticoagulants could help, but this benefit was quite surprising.'

The effect was even more prominent among ventilated patients. Nearly 63 percent of intubated patients not treated with anticoagulants died, compared to about 29 percent for patients treated with the medication.

Additionally, non-anticoagulant patients died after about nine days, while those on anticoagulants died after an average of 21 days - a 133 percent difference.

There was also no also significant difference in bleeding events among patients who received blood thinners compared to those who didn't.

For future research, the team plans to carry out a study analyzing about 6,000 coronavirus patients and the effectiveness of three types of treatments that prevent blood clots.

'We want to study a much larger group and answer some questions such as how much time, what type of patients, if they've been on anticoagulants before,' Nadkarni said.

'And we want to perform a randomized clinical trial to definitively test the benefit of anticoagulants.'

In the US, there are more than 1.2 million confirmed cases of the virus and more than 72,000 deaths.
KISTERS North America has released version 2020.0 of its 3DViewStation product family. The new version features additions and enhancements that assist users in the area of repurposing their CAD data. For instance: V2020.0s new neighborhood search features, the option to merge selected objects to a single one, a faster, more accurate clash detection and the ability to semantically search PMI. KISTERS provides visualization applications for the Windows desktop, web (via any HTML5 browser) as well as a VR edition.

One frustrating area in the reuse of CAD data can present itself when 2D drawings contain a set of fonts that are typically not included with the drawing file, but, will need to be installed on the local system in order to render the drawing correctly.

KISTERS development and enhancements always follow a customer-centric approach. After reviewing our customers most important requirements for 2D drawings, we created 2D font substitution via a customizable table, said Kelly Baumann, KISTERS North America Business Development Manager. At this point in time, we allow the user to substitute all fonts to a configurable, single one. 3DViewStation will now prompt, if one or several fonts could not be found and it allows the user to maintain a font substitution table - assigning different fonts to each one that was not able to be located.

One major focus of development was to increase the value of 3DViewStations clash detection function. We did a complete redesign of our clash. Enjoy: much faster performance, many more options to calculate values of interest and a much more satisfying display of results, she added. We believe that, in addition to performance speed, an intuitive and attractive user interface is truly the key to user acceptance and the key to preventing staff from reverting to legacy methods and habits. 3DViewStation v2020.0 introduces a fresh new set of easily applied color schemes. In addition, users can now change the color of render wires on a model by changing from the default black color to a variety of color options.

For further ease-of-use in V2020.0, we have added a new option, which allows users to select several subassemblies inside the structure tree and it then allows for the merging of each sub-tree to a single object  resulting in a reduced number of nodes. This might simplify the future processing of an assembly for our customers, re-selecting a merged group of objects instead of individual parts for clash detection, Baumann stated.

Known for its modern user-interface, high performance viewing, advanced analysis and integration capabilities into leading systems, 3DViewStation ships with current and mature importers for a broad range of 3D and 2D formats including i.e. Catia, NX, Creo, SolidWorks, SolidEdge, Inventor, JT, 3D-PDF, STEP, DWG, DXF, DWF, MS Office and many more.

V2020.0 Upgrades Include:

New and updated file formats:



Import 3D: NX 1899, Parasolid 32, Revit 2020, Revit reading performance improvement

Import 2D: CATIA: V5-6R2020 (R30), NX: 1899, 1903, 1904, 1907

New and updated functions:



Fresh UI layout with several color schemes

Supports the evaluation processes of our customers:Located in the application settings, there are now options to select UI configurations according to available optional modules

Faster launch of 3DViewStation Desktop

Neighborhood search (Linear, Box Trap) (neighborhood search available since v2019.1)

Edge color (wire) is customizable, several options

Merge objects: merge all selected objects to a single one or to several by selected sub-assembly

Re-design of clash detection: much faster and more accurate; calculation of intersection curves, penetration depth and volume; more display options, better presentation of results

Font recognition and replacement for 2D drawings (advanced 2D file formats only)

"Filter" has been renamed to: "Search"

Searching Semantic PMI has been added

Introduction of a status bar, information available for display will grow over time

Discontinuations: we eliminated HiCAD file format support; we eliminated 32-bit 3DViewStation Desktop version

The latest developments of 3DViewStation can be reviewed in more detail at: https://www.3dviewstation.com/blog.html.

According to Baumann, the KISTERS 3DViewStation is continuously enhanced in response to customer needs and requirements. It is available as Desktop, ActiveX, VR-Edition and HTML5 WebViewer product-versions. All product flavors are intended to be used together with a PLM, ERP or other management system product configuration or service and spare part applications, providing all necessary APIs. For cloud, portal and web-solutions, there is an HTML5-based WebViewer solution available, which does not require client installation. All file formats can be used in combination with the intelligent navigation and hyperlinking features to address needs of complex integration scenarios.

About KISTERS

25 years success in the market with superior visualization solutions from desktop to mobile has proven KISTERS to be one of the top players in the visualization industry. Clients ranging from small firms to well-known multinationals, 3DViewStation's easy-to-use interface is suitable for all user groups and 100% customizable to each individuals specific requirements. More than 3,000 customers and over 200,000 installations worldwide. In addition, KISTERS offers expert advice and support in concept development based on client requirements.
The coronavirus pandemic has upended countless jobs and even entire industries, leaving many wondering which will emerge out of the other side.

One industry likely to endure  or even thrive  under the virus, however, is artificial intelligence (AI), which could offer a glimpse into one of the rising careers of the future.

"This outbreak is creating overwhelming uncertainty and also greater demand for AI," IBM's vice president of data and AI, Ritika Gunnar told CNBC Make It.

Already, AI has been deployed sweepingly to help tackle the pandemic. Hospitals use the technology to diagnose patients; governments employ it in contact tracing apps and companies rely on it to support the biggest work from home experiment in history.

And that demand is only set to rise. Market research company International Data Corporation says it expects the number of AI jobs globally to grow 16% this year.

That could create new opportunities in an otherwise challenging jobs market. But the industry will need more women, in particular, if it is to overcome some of its historic bias challenges.
Nigerian Christian hospitalized after married couple was ambushed with machetes

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A Christian man in the Plateau state of Nigeria was hospitalized after he and his wife were ambushed by a group of four suspected Fulani herdsmen late last month.

With attacks by predominantly Muslim Fulani herdsmen continuing to victimize predominantly Christian farming communities throughout the West African countrys Middle Belt, 40-year-old Yusuf Pam told a contact for Morning Star News from his hospital bed about how he and his wife, Jumai Yusuf, were victims of a machete attack while driving their motorbikes on April 26.

The nonprofit persecution news outlet reports that the residents of Rachos village in the Riyom local government area claim that they were driving from Kuru to their home area of Kwi district when they were stopped by Fulani radicals. The attack left Pam with serious injuries, including cuts on his head.

When the herdsmen stopped us, they had with them sticks, cutlasses, and rifles, Pam told Morning Star News source and area resident Dung Tabari from his hospital bed. We pleaded with them to allow us pass, but they wouldnt, as four among them mercilessly descended on us. They attacked us by cutting us with machetes. They cut me on my head several times, and these left me with deep cuts as I was bleeding.

Pam further claimed that the attackers ganged up on him and beat him with sticks and knives.

Fortunately, his wife was able to escape with only minor cuts and swollen hands as a result of being beaten with sticks.

Yusuf, the wife, said she and her husband shouted for help. But no one was able to immediately come to their rescue. She fled the scene and ran into a nearby village for help.

As Yusuf saw the attackers surround her husband, she feared at the time that he had been killed.

I thought my husband was already dead, she said.

As she got closer to the village, she said that village members ran to help the couple. When she returned to the scene of the crime with village members, they saw her husband lying in a pool of blood.

He was already at a point between life and death, she said.

With the help of the villagers, the couple was taken to a nearby hospital.

This is not the first time that the couple was victimized by alleged Fulani attackers.

Over five years ago, Fulani radicals attacked Rachos village. As a result, the couple and most of the village residents were displaced from their home, Morning Star News reported.

According to the couple, they have been living in a displacement camp ever since the attack.

Im appealing for intervention, as I cannot pay the hospital bills, as all this while we have been living in an Internally Displaced Persons Camp since the attack on our community by the herdsmen in 2015, Pam said.

The husband and wife are members of the Church of Christ in Nations congregation in Rachos village.

The April 29 attack comes as estimates suggest that hundreds of Nigerian Christians have been killed by Fulani attacks in 2020.

Although clashes between Fulani herders and predominantly Christian farming communities have existed for decades, advocates say the severity and quantity of Fulani attacks against farming villages in recent years have greatly increased.

The Nigerian-based nongovernmental organization led by criminologist Emeka Umeagbalasi, International Society for Civil Liberties & Rule of Law (Intersociety), reported in early April that at least 400 Christians were been killed by Fulani herdsmen in 2020 alone.

We are deeply concerned and worried over the continued armed invasions by Fulani herders, who are perpetrating these attacks basically not only to reduce our numerical strength but also to advance their uncivil course of land-grabbing, Tabari told Morning Star News.

Intersociety also reported in April that at least 11,500 Christians have been killed since 2015 by Fulani herdsmen, Boko Haram militants and highway bandits.

International human rights groups such as Christian Solidarity International and the Jubilee Campaign have warned international actors that the level of violence against Christians in Nigeria has reached the level of genocide.

Millions of people have been displaced by the violence in the countrys terror-ravaged northeast region by Boko Haram, and the Islamic State West Africa Province as well as in the Middle Belt by Fulani radicals in recent years.

Nigeria is ranked as the 12th worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution on Open Doors USAs 2020 World Watch List. Nigeria is also listed on the U.S. State Department's "special watch list" of countries that have engaged in or tolerated severe violations of religious freedom."

In a recent attack reported by the Stefanos Foundation, three women and one man were reportedly killed and 36 houses were burned when suspected Fulani radicals raided a farming village in the Kaduna State of Nigeria on April 19.

On April 12, 12 Christians were reportedly killed and two others kidnapped when suspected Fulani radicals attacked a church wedding ceremony in northwest Nigeria.

That attack followed other reported Fulani attacks that were said to have occurred in March.
Israeli army says strikes came after rockets were fired towards Israel from the besieged enclave; no injuries reported.

Israel has said it carried out fresh attacks on the Gaza Strip in response to a rocket fired from the besieged enclave.

The Israeli army said it struck three positions belonging to Hamas, the group that governs the strip, early on Wednesday, more than a month after a precarious ceasefire went into effect.

It added that the attack was in response to an alleged rocket attack which was fired from Gaza towards Israel, and landed in an open field.

The attacks struck posts belonging to the al-Qassam Brigades, the Hamas military wing, in northern and central Gaza, according to local media reports.

No injuries were reported and no Palestinian group took responsibility for the fire.

There was no immediate comment by Hamas.

Wednesdays attack, the first since March 27, came as Israel was lifting restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The incident followed strikes on Iranian-backed proxies and their allies in Syria that killed 14 fighters and are believed to have been carried out by Israel.

Israels attack comes ahead of a reported visit later this week involving Hamas officials and members of the Egyptian intelligence in Cairo. Local media reported that both parties are expected to discuss a prisoner-exchange deal that is being deliberated with Israeli authorities.
by Austin Bay May 5, 2020

If it acts, the Free World has the opportunity to condemn another communist dictatorship to Karl Marx's dustbin of history and avoid a war with a totalitarian superpower circa 2035.

The Chinese Communist Party knows the COVID-19/Wuhan virus pandemic has exposed its imperial war to conquer the world, so it is frantically engaged in psychological and political damage control.

Why? The strategic exposure (a cruel pun) of Beijing's goal occurs at least 10 years too early. If the CCP and Emperor/President/Dictator Xi Jinping just had another decade of gross domestic product growth; of military modernization; of intellectual property theft; of trade rigging; of bribing crooked EU and American politicians and Ivy League academics; of stroking elite U.S. media; of narrative warfare crafted to undermine democracy and erode free speech -- with another 10 to 15 years of unrestricted "all lines of operation" warfare, China could hogtie America and have the military power to dominate Asia and the western Pacific.

If the CCP were to achieve strategic diplomatic, information, military and economic (DIME) power superiority in Asia, the nefarious economic, media, political, academic and cultural lines of operation camouflaging the strategic expansion could be dropped.

Unfortunately, the Wuhan pandemic imperils the CCP's strategic plan to dominate the globe. Yes, call it the Wuhan pandemic. Damn Obama administration toady Ben Rhodes, who, hair on fire, condemns the moniker as racist. Rhodes is a Beltway clerk with heavy political baggage.

Ebola virus? The Ebola is a river in the Congo. Old Lyme (Lyme disease) is in Connecticut. Rhodes spews CCP narrative warfare tropes. That's not slander; that's fact. The disease plaguing us originated in the mainland Chinese city of Wuhan. It's an origin, not an ethnic slur.

Rhodes gives us as an instructive example of a CCP narrative warfare scheme designed to sow doubt and discord. COVID-19 is an anodyne, antiseptic and distanced name -- narrative warfare camouflage, or a distraction to buy time and avoid consequences. Wuhan identifies the perpetrator. The CCP knows anti-Chinese communist sentiment is at its highest level since the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

Which exposes another weakness: The CCP faces discord in China, for the Chinese people know who ordered Tiananmen.

The Daily Telegraph in Australia has published an article based on a 15-page analysis documenting the CCP's Wuhan virus lies. My summary: China's government covered up the virus "by silencing" or "disappearing doctors ... destroying evidence ... and refusing to provide live samples to international scientists" developing vaccines. Bottom-line evil: The CCP knowingly endangered other countries.

The Telegraph report supports U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's ABC News interview during which he said "enormous evidence" exists the pandemic began in a Wuhan bio lab. He added, "China has a history of infecting the world, and they have a history of running substandard laboratories."

Pompeo did not call the virus a bio weapon -- that is, a manmade virus. Incompetence and stupidity by lab personnel likely spread the pathogen.

However, that charge alone undermines the CCP narrative that its system is superior to all others on planet Earth.

The CCP leadership lied about the virus, denied the outbreak and, failing, let it infect the world. CCP calculation: Every other nation must suffer the medical and economic consequences so China's imperial plan does not suffer a serious setback.

Miscalculation: The pandemic has wreaked global, war-level havoc, but the CCP's lie has been exposed.

The world must make the CCP pay. The operational trade advantages and intellectual property theft schemes mainland China has exploited since 1978, and definitely since it joined the World Trade Organization in December 2001, must be closed. Mainland Chinese corporations ultimately serve CCP interests, serving as intelligence and economic assets both domestically and internationally. Beijing changed China's economic structure to comply with WTO requirements. However, the Wuhan virus crisis makes it clear the CCP didn't change.

So penalize Beijing. Do it for global peace circa 2035.
The birth anniversary of Gautam Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, is celebrated as Buddha Purnima or Buddha Jayanti with much fervour across the world. It falls on a full moon day in the month of Vaisakh (April/May) according to the Hindu calendar. This year Buddha Purnima will be celebrated on May 7. In Theravada Buddhism, it is also observed as the day when Buddha, born as Prince Siddhartha Gautama (c. 563-483 BCE) attained Nirvana (salvation) under the Mahabodhi tree at Bodh Gaya, Bihar, as well as his death anniversary. The Vesak full moon day is the most important day in the Buddhist calendar. Several Buddhists go to the pagodas to pour water at the foot of the sacred tree in remembrance of the Buddhas Enlightenment.

Buddha Purnima is a major festival celebrated with great pomp and fervour in countries like Sri Lanka (where it is called Vesak), India, Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, Thailand, Tibet, China, Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Mongolia, Cambodia, Singapore and Indonesia, though celebrations vary from country to country.

Devotees of Buddha visit temples, light candles and incense sticks, pray and offer sweets and fruits before the statue of Lord Buddha. Sermons on the life and teachings of Buddha are held and attended by followers all over. People usually dress in white, do not consume non-vegetarian food and distribute kheer, as according to Buddhist lore, on this day a woman named Sujata had offered Buddha a bowl of milk porridge.

Many followers also free caged birds on this day as a symbol of empathy and compassion for all living beings, one of the most important teachings of Lord Buddha.

In India, a large fair takes place in Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, a major Buddhist pilgrimage site where Buddha is said to have delivered his first sermon after attaining enlightenment. The relics of Buddha are taken out for public display in a procession. Many Hindus also believe Buddha to be the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. This year, with coronavirus pandemic and nationwide lockdown, now in phase 3, the celebrations are likely to look different.

According to the British Library blog, Every full moon day is an auspicious day for Buddhists, but the most important of all is the day of the full moon in May, because three major events in the life of the Gotama Buddha took place on this day. Firstly, the Buddha-to-be, Prince Siddhattha was born at Lumbini Grove on the full moon day in May. Secondly, after six years of hardship, he attained enlightenment under the shade of the Bodhi tree and became Gotama Buddha at Bodh Gaya also on the full moon day of May. Thirdly, after 45 years of teaching the Truth, when he was eighty, at Kusinara, he passed away to nibbana, the cessation of all desire, on the full moon day of May.

Buddhas teachings to use in your daily lives:

Soon after Buddha achieved enlightenment, he gave his first discourse called Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta or Turning the Wheel of Dhamma, to five ascetics in the deer park at Isipatana in Benares (present-day Varanasi). These five ascetics became his first disciples and his teachings attracted many followers, who then joined the Sangha, the community of monks. Lord Buddha thereafter visited his ailing father to preach the Dhamma. After hearing his teachings, the king attained arahatta (perfect sanctity) before he passed away. This was followed by The Buddha preaching the Abhidhamma or the Higher Doctrine to his former mother, who was reborn as a deva with other deities in the Tavatimsa heaven. He then founded the order of Buddhist nuns. During his long ministry that lasted forty-five years, Lord Buddha walked throughout North India, and taught about the suffering of life, how to end it, how to attain peace and nibbana, to all those who listened.

Here are some of Gautam Buddhas teachings that you can use in your daily life:

It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you.

If you knew what I know about the power of giving you would not let a single meal pass without sharing it in some way.

Learn this from water: loud splashes the brook but the oceans depth are calm.

You only lose what you cling to.

The past is already gone, the future is not yet here. Theres only one moment for you to live.

The trouble is, you think you have time.

Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.

Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.

The tongue like a sharp knife Kills without drawing blood.

Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.

We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.

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Former president Barack Obama accused Senators Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa) and Ron Johnson (R., Wis.) of giving credence to a Russian disinformation campaign by probing a possible conflict of interest between Hunter Bidens business dealings and Joe Bidens diplomatic work.

In a March letter to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)  which maintains presidential records  Obamas office said that Grassley and Johnsons requests for Obama administration records related to certain meetings connected to Ukraine did not meet NARAs threshold for authorizing special access to presidential records ahead of their scheduled release.

The request for early release of presidential records in order to give credence to a Russian disinformation campaign  one that has already been thoroughly investigated by a bipartisan congressional committee  is without precedent, the letter reads. This use of the special access process serves no legitimate purpose, and does not outweigh or justify infringing confidentiality interests that all presidents have sought to protect.

It also cites the impeachment testimony of former National Security Council staffer Fiona Hill, who warned that Russia was promoting the fictional narrative that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election, to suggest the probe arises out of efforts by some, actively supported by Russia, to shift the blame for Russian interference in the 2016 election to Ukraine.

Johnson and Grassley have continued to probe the matter, sending a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last week requesting an interview with State Department officials and records of communication between Joe Biden and former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

In a November letter to Pompeo, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) said Biden held a series of phone calls with former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko regarding previous demands to dismiss Prosecutor General Shokin for alleged corruption. Shokin, who had seized property from Burismas founder Mykola Zlochevsky, was fired by Poroshenko.

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Johnsons spokesman Austin Altenburg told National Review that the Obama letters accusations were unfounded.

Our legitimate oversight is based on the many unanswered questions that surround potential conflicts of interest relating to the Obama administrations policy decisions with respect to Ukraine and Burisma Holdings, Altenburg said.  . . . The real Russian disinformation, we now know, was contained in the Steele dossier. Baseless accusations aside, our legitimate oversight will continue until we get answers for the American people.

Obamas letter concludes by saying the records requested by Johnson and Grassley could be released in the interest of countering the misinformation campaign underlying this request.

The National Archives has given approximately 9,400 pages of records to the Senate committees, an agency spokesperson told Buzzfeed. Johnson, who has defended the probe on the basis of transparency, revealed last month that his investigation into the Bidens dealings in Ukraine would be released sometime this summer.

President Trump has said the probe will be a major issue in the campaign.

I will bring that up all the time because I dont see any way out for them. I dont see how they can answer those questions. I hope they can, Id actually prefer it that they cant but I dont believe they will be able to answer those questions. That was purely corrupt, Trump said in March.

More from National Review
The Chinese national flag and the flag of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region fly above the Golden Bauhinia Square in Hong Kong, China, Aug 5, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]

HONG KONG  Protest violence is "destroying" the foundation of the city's stability and prosperity, the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council stressed on Wednesday.

The remarks came after the often-violent anti-government protests, which began in June last year, resurfaced in Hong Kong during the Labor Day holiday.

On May 1, groups of radicals flouted a ban on social gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic, staging illegal assemblies and hurling gasoline bombs at police vehicles. The radical protests have laid bare the ill intentions of the violent forces and the behind-the-scene plotters, organizers and instigators to drag Hong Kong into an abyss, a spokesperson for the office said in a statement.

Denouncing the "burn with us" mentality in Hong Kong and terming the protest violence as "political virus", the spokesperson said such radical violence has caused extensive disruptions, leaving profound adverse impact on the society. The radical force has become the biggest threat to the city's stability and prosperity, it added.

"Hong Kong will not enjoy a day of peace until violence is eradicated," the spokesperson said in the statement, noting that the central government will never sit idly and allow this destructive force to act wantonly.

The central government bears the greatest responsibility for maintaining the constitutional order in the HKSAR and for safeguarding national security, the spokesperson said, noting that it also bears the greatest concern for safeguarding the fundamental interests of Hong Kong and the fundamental wellbeing of Hong Kong compatriots.

The spokesperson called on the whole society to act in concert to stop violence and chaos, restore order, unite to fight the COVID-19 epidemic, save the economy, improve people's livelihood and jointly build the homeland.

In face of the current predicament, more than 1,500 representatives of various sectors of Hong Kong society on Tuesday launched the Hong Kong Coalition with an aim of building consensus and bringing Hong Kong back on track.

"We'd like to join the coalition in appealing to people to choose development over the 'burn with us' mentality, the rule of law over chaos, unity over division and promote Hong Kong's efforts to start afresh," the spokesperson said.

Hong Kong's bright future lies only in the adherence to and the full and accurate implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle, the spokesperson said.

"The central government has sufficient sincerity and confidence to ensure that the 'one country, two systems' policy remains unchanged and is unwaveringly upheld, as well as sufficient determination and capabilities to ensure that in practice it is not bent or distorted," the spokesperson said.

Battered by the unrest and the pandemic, the city's economy contracted 8.9 percent in the first quarter of 2020, recording the steepest quarterly plunge on record.

"Indeed, Hong Kong is in a predicament," the spokesperson said, citing many contributing factors including the rippling effects of a struggling global economy adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The biggest culprit, however, comes from inside, as radicals who are blatantly engaging in violence are the most malicious, destructive and toxic forces, the spokesperson said.

Since June 2019, the forces have been blatantly challenging the "one country, two systems" principle, trampling on the rule of law, putting people's lives in danger with acts of violence, arson and vandalism.

Their villainy has kept tourists away, dealing a heavy blow to investors' confidence, damaging the business climate and international image of Hong Kong and bringing huge economic losses, said the spokesperson.

"The violent forces are destroying the foundation of prosperity and stability in Hong Kong," said the spokesperson.

The HKMAO urged the public to firmly denounce violence. It appealed especially to influential organizations and individuals to diligently perform their duty to counter violence.

The only path to a brighter future of Hong Kong is to fully and accurately implement the "one country, two systems" principle, the office stressed.

With Xinhua inputs
Vedanta group companies Hindustan Zinc and Cairn Oil & Gas have contributed Rs 10 core to Rajasthan Chief Minister relief fund for fighting COVID-19.

"As people and organisations from all walks of life are pitching in to help the government in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, the two Rajasthan-based Vedanta companies, Cairn Oil & Gas and Hindustan Zinc, have extended a Rs 10 crore contribution to the Rajasthan CMRF COVID-19 Mitigation Fund," the company said in a statement.

This contribution is over and above approximately Rs 8 crore that the two companies are spending to ramp up community outreach in their operational areas.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot too acknowledged the Vedanta group's efforts to support the state during these challenging times, the statement said.

"The two companies, operational in Barmer and Udaipur... have steadfastly continued operations with a focus on Only Safe Production in these trying times, with minimal personnel and amidst stringent health and safety protocols," it said.

In addition, they have reached out to help local people and communities by spreading awareness. Also, they are supporting the local administration through CSR interventions in the areas of healthcare and sanitation.

Rajasthan government and district administration have been working diligently to fight coronavirus and Vedanta group has always been a partner in the state's progress and aims to do its bit in this endeavour, the statement said.

"It is time to make collective efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic to bring a significant change. We are facing multiple challenges but it's the country that comes first and it is our duty at a critical time like this to give back to society.

"Vedanta has had a long and fruitful association with the state of Rajasthan. Our commitment towards the people and growth of Rajasthan is unwavering. We look forward to supporting the state and district administrations in fighting this pandemic and restoring at the earliest," Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal said.

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



Major countries seek to bring manufacturing back home amid COVID-19 pandemic



By Kim Bo-eun



Global supply chains that have interlinked economies worldwide have shifted course and are headed toward dismantlement, as key economies seek to bring production back to their countries or nearby, to better manage risks.



The movement began years earlier and was accelerated by the U.S.-China trade war, but the COVID-19 pandemic has brought forward renewed impetus, as countries have seen major disruptions in supply chains, triggered by the coronavirus outbreak.



Governments are making concerted efforts with businesses by offering subsidies, to help manage risks associated with supply chain disruptions at a national level and also to create more jobs at home, as economies are battered by the pandemic.



Japan has begun taking measures after it saw exports from China nearly halve in February after the outbreak in Wuhan in December last year.



China is Japan's largest trading partner and its dependency on supplies from the world's second largest economy exceeds 20 percent of its imports. Following major disruptions, the government said it would provide up to $2 billion in subsidies for firms with factories in China seeking to reshore to Japan.



According to a survey of the Bank of America's analysts, which cover 3,000 companies, firms in more than 80 percent of 12 global sectors have begun the reshoring process. The survey showed half the sectors in North America plan to reshore.



U.S. President Donald Trump's trade advisor Peter Navarro said the U.S. could also provide subsidies for companies seeking a U-turn in operations, after the country suffered dire shortages in essential supplies from China.



U.S. firms had already been relocating production back to their country years earlier, based on the trade conflict that unfolded with China that hiked tariffs on goods imported from China.



Global consulting firm Kearney's Reshoring Index published last month shows U.S. imports from China fell 17 percent in 2019 from a year earlier due to tariff costs.



Many businesses based in North America have relocated production to Mexico, and Vietnam is another country that has seen a surge in relocations from China.



Based on labor costs, companies increasingly choose these countries and others in Southeast Asia, when relocating production sites.



In a meeting on the economy last week, First Vice Minister of Economy and Finance Kim Yong-beom referred to the global phenomenon and a possible resumption of the trade war between the world's two largest economies, which would accelerate reshoring efforts.



"Based on disruptions in global supply chains, manufacturers are reshoring," he said. "In addition, the conflict between the U.S. and China on responsibility over the spread of the virus shows possible signs of a trade war being reignited."



Korea made efforts for reshoring years earlier, but firms were slow to move, based on a lack of incentives.



However, the COVID-19 pandemic has pointed to the need to relocate production lines with auto manufacturers suffering a blow as overseas factories in countries including China halted operations to contain the virus.



In February, the government rolled out a package of incentives, which includes exempting corporate tax as well as subsidizing costs for building smart factories.



For Korea, the need for companies to bring their production sites outside of China is greater as China is its largest trading partner and Korea's dependency on the country's supplies is 30.5 percent, which is even higher than Japan's dependency.



Reshoring is expected to help the economy as it will create new jobs here, amid job losses as businesses take the brunt of a coronavirus-triggered plunge in consumption.



Kim stressed that protecting and creating new jobs will be "key to overcoming the crisis."



"More countries including the U.S. are taking action to become self-sufficient after they experienced a shortage in essential supplies coming from China," Park Chong-hoon, chief economist at Standard Chartered Bank Korea said.



"We can expect to see more advanced economies moving to reshore production. This will have an additional effect of increasing jobs."


PM to face Starmer at PMQs as UK death toll becomes highest in Europe

Boris Johnson will today come under fresh criticism over his handling of the coronavirus crisis as he faces Sir Keir Starmer for the first time during Prime Minister's Questions.

Mr Johnson will return to the Commons for Westminster's set-piece event later after the UK's official death toll became the highest in Europe, overtaking Italy, according to John Hopkins data.

The Labour leader is expected to question the PM on the Government's response to the crisis and also pressure him to set out a detailed plan on easing the lockdown.

It will be the first time Mr Johnson has taken questions in Parliament since returning to Downing Street after his admission to hospital with Covid-19.

Hubei students return to school for first time since China's outbreak

The first batches of students are today returning to school in Hubei, which was the epicentre of Chinas coronavirus outbreak.

Grade 12 students who have exams this summer will be the first to head back.

Most students in this year in other parts of China already returned to school in March.

All of the Hubei students had to do a coronavirus test before they could return to school.

Measures will be in place to make sure social distancing like partitions in the school canteen, according to state media.

White House looking to disband coronavirus task force

The White House is looking to wind down its coronavirus task force in a move to shift management of the USs response to the pandemic, Vice President Mike Pence has said.

Mr Pence said President Donald Trump was starting to look at Memorial Day on May 25 as the time to move the coordination responsibilities on to federal agencies.

Mr Trump placed Mr Pence in charge of the task force, which has been meeting almost daily since it was formed in March following the outbreak of Covid-19 in the country.

The virus has killed more than 70,000 Americans so far. The US death toll is the highest in the world.

Harry and Meghan celebrate Archie's first birthday under lockdown in US

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are celebrating the first birthday of their son Archie while under lockdown in the US.

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor turns one today but the milestone is likely to be marked by just Harry and Meghan in person.

The couple have made Los Angeles their home and they and other residents of California have been living under a "stay-at-home" order made by the state's governor Gavin Newsom.

Mission Impossible? Tom Cruise teams up with Nasa to shoot film in space

Tom Cruise is set to team up with Nasa to shoot a movie in space.

The Hollywood star, 57, is known for his all-action approach and does his own stunts, including a high altitude freefall for 2018's Mission: Impossible - Fallout.

But he could soon be going one further, leaving Earth altogether to board the International Space Station to film what would be the first feature filmed outside the Earths atmosphere.

On this day...

1840: The first postage stamp - the Penny Black - was valid for use after being issued by the Post Office.

1937: The German airship Hindenburg exploded at its moorings in Lakehurst, New Jersey, killing 36 of the 97 people aboard.

1954: Roger Bannister ran the first sub-four-minute mile on the Iffley Road track in Oxford, in three minutes 59.4 seconds.

1960: Princess Margaret married Anthony Armstrong-Jones (Lord Snowdon) at Westminster Abbey.

1966: Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, the Moors murderers, were found guilty at Chester Assizes and sentenced to life imprisonment.

1976: An earthquake struck Friuli in Northern Italy, causing 990 deaths and the destruction of entire villages.

1994: The Queen opened the Channel Tunnel.

1997: The Bank of England was given independence from political control, the most significant change in its 300-year history.

2004: The finale of television sitcom Friends was shown on US channel NBC, attracting 52.46 million viewers.

2013: Three women missing for more than a decade were found alive in the US city of Cleveland, Ohio. Ariel Castro was taken into custody.

2019: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan, welcomed baby son Archie into the world.
Bexar County Sheriff's Office

A 56-year-old man was arrested after he was accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl, according to an arrest affidavit.

Police were tipped off to Gregory Montemayor while they were investigating a human trafficking case involving a 16-year-old girl, who told police that Montemayor sexually assaulted her, the arrest affidavit said. She also said she visited him over 100 times, according to the affidavit.
By Sangmi Cha and Josh Smith

SEOUL (Reuters) - A new facility near Pyongyang International Airport is almost certainly linked to North Korea's expanding ballistic missile programme, according to a report from a Washington-based think-tank.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) cited commercial satellite imagery it says shows the facility and a nearby underground structure have the capacity to accommodate North Korea's largest intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that experts believe are able to strike anywhere in the United States.

The facility has been under construction since 2016, and includes a number of notable features, including an unusually large covered rail terminal and buildings that are linked by drive-through access, according to the CSIS report, published on Tuesday. The facility is also relatively close to ballistic missile component manufacturing plants in the Pyongyang area.

"Taken as a whole, these characteristics suggest that this facility is likely designed to support ballistic missile operations," the report said, calling it the Sil-li Ballistic Missile Support Facility.

The North Korean embassy in Beijing could not immediately be reached for comment on the report.

When asked about the report at a regular briefing in Seoul on Wednesday, a spokesman for South Korea's Unification Ministry said it would be inappropriate to comment.

Negotiations aimed at dismantling North Koreas nuclear and missile programmes have been at a standstill after working-level meetings with the United States collapsed last year.

In 2018, North Korea said it closed its Punggye-ri nuclear test site, and last year it offered to dismantle its Yongbyon nuclear complex in return for the revocation of five key U.N. resolutions during a failed summit between leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Vietnam.

But experts and U.S. officials say in the absence of a denuclearisation deal, North Korea has continued to expand its arsenal of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.

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In recent months, North Korea has also warned it could rethink its self-imposed moratorium on nuclear weapons tests and ICBM launches.

Located on the southwest corner of Pyongyang International Airport - approximately 17km (10 miles) northwest of the North Korean capital - the Sil-li facility encompasses approximately 442,300 square metres (4.76 million square feet), according to CSIS.

"A high-bay building within the facility is large enough to accommodate an elevated Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile and, therefore, the entirety of North Koreas known ballistic missile variants," the report said.

"The facility has been constructed next to an underground facility whose likely size is also large enough to easily accommodate all known North Korean ballistic missiles and their associated launchers and support vehicles."

The buildings are connected by a wide surfaced road network that could help move large trucks and ballistic missile launchers, the report said.

North and South Korea on Saturday exchanged gunfire around a rural guard post, raising tension a day after North Korean state media showed Kim visiting a factory, the first report of him making a public appearance since April 11.

North Korea launched multiple short-range anti-ship cruise missiles into the sea and Sukhoi jets fired air-to-surface missiles on April 14.

(Reporting by Sangmi Cha and Josh Smith; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
The Luxembourg border town of Schengen gave its name to the EU's treasured passport-free travel zone, but now it is in mourning -- because Germany closed the frontier to fight coronavirus.

Schengen, along with other towns along Luxembourg's frontier with Germany, is flying EU flags outside its town hall at half-mast in protest at Berlin's decision to extend border closures until May 15.

Michel Gloden, the mayor of Schengen, says he "cannot understand" Germany's decision to prolong the measures when, across Europe, countries are tentatively lifting coronavirus restrictions.

Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn has written to German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer to urge him to lift the measures, which have caused public anger in a country heavily reliant on cross-border workers.

Your papers, please!

Schengen, nestled in the picturesque Moselle wine country close to where Luxembourg, France and Germany meet, was where the 1985 Schengen Agreement was signed.

That laid the foundations for the 26-nation passport-free travel area cherished by many as among the bloc's greatest achievements.

But now, at the foot of vine-covered hillsides across the Moselle river from Schengen, three German police officers question drivers crossing the bridge one by one.

"We check all vehicles, day and night," said one. Only cross-border workers or those with a "legitimate reason" are allowed through.

Normally some 48,000 German residents work in Luxembourg, but the pandemic has forced many to work from home.

In one of the many petrol stations on the Luxembourg side, an employee reported a "frightening" drop in activity.

Normally the pumps are packed with foreign cars hurrying to take advantage of Luxembourg's famously low fuel prices -- not to mention cheap booze and tobacco -- but in the time of coronavirus customers are few and far between.

Countries across Europe have reimposed border controls to try to stop the spread of COVID-19, which has killed more than 145,000 people around the continent.

But the unfamiliar restrictions are particularly keenly felt in Schengen, mayor Gloden said.

"We haven't thought about frontiers here for decades," he said.

"The people who live here are suffering the most from the situation. We don't just go to Germany to go shopping -- we have friends and family there."

'Scientists defeat viruses, not police'

Coronavirus has struck in a symbolic year: 25 years since the creation of the Schengen area and 35 since the initial agreement to establish free movement among the six founding countries of the European Union: France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Robert Goebbels, former Luxembourg secretary of state for foreign affairs and one of the signatories to the 1985 agreement, reflects the exasperation felt in the Grand Duchy.

"Scientists and doctors defeat viruses, not police checks," he said.

"This is obviously a symptom of the lack of European solidarity, but we should not overburden the EU, as it has no powers in health matters."

Another symbolic date is fast approaching: May 9, Europe Day, marking the founding text of the EU.

Many in Luxembourg are hoping it will soon be followed by the restoration of one of the bloc's most famous accomplishments, the right to travel freely across internal borders.
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Linkedin Cyril Julien (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Wed, May 6, 2020 08:40 623 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd638ed7 2 World Washington,coronavirus,virus-corona,COVID-19,COVID-19-cluster,pandemic Free

Despite more than a month of stay-at-home orders, the Washington region has become a coronavirus hotspot -- and the African-American and Latino populations of the US capital have been particularly hard hit.

Washington and the neighboring states of Maryland and Virginia now have more than 50,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and there have been some 2,300 deaths.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan predicted in early April that the area would see the next major outbreak and was about two weeks behind New York, the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States.

Despite the closure of schools and non-essential businesses and a lockdown since the end of March, the number of infections, hospitalizations and deaths has continued to rise in the region.

"We are a highly populated area with a high density," said Travis Gayles, chief of public health services in Maryland's Montgomery County, which borders Washington.

"We still have a high number of essential workers that have to go to work and are subject to exposure there," Gayles told AFP.

Montgomery County, to the north of the US capital, has about one million residents. As of Tuesday, it had 5,541 confirmed coronavirus cases and 292 deaths.

Maryland as a whole has reported around 26,400 cases and more than 1,300 deaths.

Many of the area's essential workers are African-American or Hispanic, and their infection and death rates are considerably higher than those of the white population.

"It is not uncommon that two families share a two-bedroom apartment," said Gayles.

"When one is positive, it spreads quickly, and it is much more difficult to isolate."

Other factors contributing to the high fatality rate among minorities are underlying health conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes, and a lack of insurance coverage.

'Social distancing fatigue'

There have been more than 5,300 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Washington, which has a population of around 700,000, and 264 deaths.

African-Americans account for slightly less than half of the population of Washington -- but 80 percent of the virus deaths.

"This virus has not left the District," Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said Monday. "We are where we thought we would be in having peak experiences during the month of May."

Amanda Castel, a professor in the epidemiology department at George Washington University, said the rise in the number of cases is due -- to some extent -- to increased testing capacity.

"People should not be alarmed that the numbers continue to go up," Castel told AFP, adding they should instead be "reassured that social distancing is working."

"There are more test kits and more testing sites," she said. "We are building capacities to test more individuals.

"It means we will identify more people who are positive," she said. "It's a good thing."

Castel said it was important to ensure that those who test positive "go into isolation and that their contacts are also screened for symptoms and put into quarantine."

She cautioned against the dangers of "social distancing fatigue."

"Over the weekend, there was a lot more movement," she said. "That's concerning -- people are tired."

Gayles said he was hopeful the region may be approaching the peak, although to "calculate the peak is tricky."

"I'm optimistic we are in the area of it," he said.

Several US states have already begun reopening despite not having met federal guidelines that call for a 14-day decline in the number of new virus cases before doing so.

Ralph Northam, the governor of Virginia, has said he may partially ease restrictions from May 15 -- a move not yet embraced by Hogan or Bowser.

"Guidance was clear for states to prepare to reopen -- a 14-day decline in cases, capacity for widespread testing, hospitals in place," Castel said.

"If you can't tick all the boxes, it makes it premature to reopen."

Virginia has reported around 19,500 COVID-19 cases and nearly 700 deaths.
Plane loaded with respirators from the US lands in Mexico

Mexico City, Mexico  A plane from the United States loaded with respirators landed in Mexico on Tuesday, materializing an agreement for the acquisition of the equipment between Presidents Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) and Donald Trump, Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard reported.

In mid-April, AMLO said that his US counterpart had, during a phone call, guaranteed the country would receive 1,000 respirators and that he could acquire more.

The first batch of 211 Hamilton Medical devices, purchased at a price of between $16,000 and $24,000 per unit, landed at the Toluca airport near the capital as part of an airlift from Reno, Nevada and with a stopover in Memphis, Tennessee.

Tthe foreign minister noted that the aid was the result of a direct request from president to president, which made for cheaper costs. It was agreed that there would be support so that Mexico could acquire respirators, he explained before thanking President Trump for honoring his commitment to dispatch the respirators on time.

Our gratitude to all who have made it possible, said the Secretary of Foreign Relations through his Twitter account.

A FedEx plane loaded with 211 respirators landed in Mexico City Tuesday. The equipment will be used to treat Covid patients.

Lopez Obrador reiterated during his Tuesday morning press conference his intention to travel to the neighboring country in July to thank Trump for his solidarity and celebrate with him the revamped North American Free Trade agreement.
Three Katyusha-type rockets early Wednesday struck a military complex near Baghdad's international airport that is used by US troops and diplomats, Iraq's military said, without reporting casualties.

The attack was the first time American installations in Iraq have been targeted since late March, after around six months of rocket attacks that killed US, UK and Iraqi troops.

It also comes hours before Iraq's parliament is set to vote on a long-awaited new government, five months after the current cabinet resigned.

Iraq's security forces said in a statement that the rockets hit near the airport around dawn and that military units found the launching pad in an area of west of Baghdad.

"The target was the headquarters of the Counter-Terrorism Service, where American troops are based," a security source told AFP.

The high-security complex also hosts US diplomats moving in and out of the country.

Baghdad's airport has been closed since mid-March as part of a nationwide lockdown to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

It has coincided with a relative lull in tensions between the US and Iran after a particularly tense few months.

In January, Washington carried out a drone strike that killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani and top Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis at the Baghdad airport.

It then began planning for a widespread bombing campaign against pro-Iran groups in Iraq that it blamed for the rocket attacks on its forces.

Iran, in turn, launched missiles at US troops stationed in west Iraq and has vowed to oust all American forces from the Middle East.

The tit-for-tat attacks brought the two countries to the brink of war in Iraq, but since late March there had been no rocket launches and little escalatory rhetoric.

The US-led coalition helping Iraq fight remnants of the Islamic State group has also pulled back from nearly a half-dozen bases and relocated hundreds of troops.

But analysts say the two sides are likely repositioning for a conflict that could flare up at any moment.

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TORONTO, May 6, 2020 /CNW/ - A new study of Canadians highlights the negative mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and underscores the need for continued awareness, education and support of mental health care in the workplace, especially during the current public health crisis. It also indicates that a growing number of employers are offering proactive mental health support, mirroring employees' interest and comfort in virtual care options as part of their mental health and wellness. The study of 1,558 employees or those recently employed in Canada and the U.S. was conducted by Leger and commissioned by Teladoc Health (NYSE: TDOC) as a follow-up to the company's 2019 international mental health study conducted last fall.

COVID-19 Negative Impact on Mental Health More Prevalent in Women and Young Canadians

As a result of COVID-19, one in two respondents indicate their mental health has been negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The breakdown of this data shows:

The negative impact on female respondents (57%) is far greater than male respondents (43%)

52% of respondents between the ages of 18-34 were negatively impacted

This trend is similar to the U.S. where 49% of the same age group reported being negatively impacted. It is also consistent with findings from the fall study that revealed a greater need of support for this demographic

Respondents over the age of 65, an age group that has been deemed most at risk for the virus, experienced the lowest reported negative impact in both Canada (37%) and the United States (38%).

More Employers Proactively Providing Mental Health Support to Employees

To support the growing impact on employees' well-being, there is progress in opening the dialogue and closing the gap for mental health support in the workplace. Nearly 40% of respondents in Canada, far more than the 27% reported in the U.S., indicated that their employers have responded to the pandemic with some or all of the following initiatives:

Offering additional mental health support

Raising the discussion of employee mental health needs

Waiving fees for mental health support

For example, Teladoc Health has expanded its benefits offering, assuring that all of the company's 2,400 employees around the globe have access to and are aware of their free mental health benefits.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has given the mental health dialogue even greater importance and further advanced awareness and support for mental health among employers who are making it a priority," said David Sides, chief operating officer, Teladoc Health. "Our research from 2019 to today shows that we're closing the gap in employer support for mental health, as well as employees growing comfort in the use of virtual care. Teladoc Health will continue to play a leading role in normalizing the mental health conversation and providing mental health care to those who need it."

The growing employer support can be seen firsthand with the expanding list of Teladoc Health Canada partners who are supporting their employees with additional mental health resources. The utilization of Teladoc Health's Mental Health Navigator  a service that offers a confidential path to expert medical opinions on mental health as well as assistance in navigating the health system to help ensure correct diagnosis and subsequent treatment  has increased over the past 60 days with clients adding and expanding use. Year over year, the company is seeing an increase of more than 80% in new members contracted with access to the Mental Health Navigator service.

Canadians Demonstrate Increased Comfort in Using Virtual Care

With an increase in mental health education, awareness and support, comes increased comfort in seeking care and exploring remote care options. The study found that Canadian respondents with an employee benefits plan (66%) are more aware of the mental health resources available to them than American respondents (55%). Furthermore, six in ten (62%) Canadian respondents said they would be comfortable using virtual care for mental health support. 85% of Canadians who have access to employee benefits said benefit plans should offer virtual care benefits as an option to support mental health concerns as they do with physical health needs. This new data represents a significant increase in support for virtual care over the past six months. An October 2019 study by IPSOS MORI, and commissioned by Teladoc Health, reported that 40% of respondents welcomed remote forms of care.

"This pandemic has further highlighted the access gaps and need for widespread mental health care. Our providers are hearing a louder voice for mental health support than ever before, particularly in young people," said Dr. Gustavo Kinrys, medical director and vice president of Mental Health Services, Teladoc Health. "Seeking support to address mental health concerns is the new normal as more people choose not to bottle up their issues and keep them to themselves. The call for support is trending upward, as we play a critical role in working to help improve mental health education and awareness."

About the study

Leger conducted the omnibus survey among 1,504 Canadians and 1,001 Americans between Friday, April 17 and Sunday, April 20, 2020, using Leger's online panel. The margin of error for this study was +/-2.5% for Canada and +/-3.1% for the United States, 19 times out of 20. Questions were directed towards those who were employed or recently employed.

About Teladoc Health

A mission-driven organization, Teladoc Health, Inc. is successfully transforming how people access and experience healthcare, with a focus on high quality, lower costs, and improved outcomes around the world. Ranked #1 among direct-to-consumer telehealth providers in the J.D. Power 2019 U.S. Telehealth Satisfaction Study, the integrated services from Teladoc Health include telehealth, expert medical services, AI and analytics, and licensable platform services. With more than 2,400 employees, the organization delivers care in 175 countries and in more than 40 languages, partnering with employers, hospitals and health systems, and insurers to transform care delivery. For more information, please visit www.teladochealth.ca or follow @TeladocHealth on Twitter.

SOURCE Teladoc Health

For further information: Media Contacts: Kyle Denton, Golin Canada, 647-917-6984, [email protected]; Courtney McLeod, Teladoc Health, 914-265-6789, [email protected]
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HOOD RIVER, Ore. (AP)  Outdoor gear maker Dakine is closing its Hood River, Oregon, office and laying off 39 employees, officials said.

The current health crisis, and the corresponding Oregon stay at home order were unforeseen business circumstances, and have made it financially unfeasible for the company to continue operating, Dakine human resources director Raeanne Norberg wrote in a letter to state workforce officials.





. . .
High schools around the Capital Region have been quietly working with drive-in theaters in an attempt to plan alternative graduation ceremonies for their seniors amid the coronavirus shutdown.

Initial proposals call for everyone to stay in their cars while pre-taped segments are shown on the screen. But it's unclear if such an activity will be allowed in New York, as drive-in theaters have been classified as movie theaters and not allowed to open since the shutdown began in mid-March and closed schools for the rest year of the 2019-2020 year.

Hathaway's Drive-In, located in Hoosick Falls, has been approached by three schools so far about hosting a graduation ceremony for students.

"I responded to all the schools and said, 'Absolutely,'" said owner Duane Greenawalt. "I really feel bad about the seniors getting short-changed this year on so many levels."

One school already booked a date for their graduation ceremony, Greenawalt said, planning to project a video and do live speeches that families could listen to on their car radios. Students would receive their diplomas in the mail.

The Greenville Drive-In Outdoor Cinema also briefly mentioned on its Facebook page that "we've talked to both churches and schools about services/graduations."

Jericho Drive-In in Glenmont said in a recent Facebook post that it's been contacted by over a dozen school districts to hold graduation ceremonies - many of which, including Guilderland and Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk high schools, have already locked in dates.

More for you Tedisco: Host high school graduations at drive-in theaters

Guilderland High School principal Mike Piscitelli wrote in an email to parents and students that the district is considering canceling its reservation at SEFCU Arena for graduation "because we do not believe a large gathering such as graduation will be allowed by June 27th."

Piscitelli continued, "We feel we need to start making alternative plans. I have reserved a date at the Jericho Drive-In in Glenmont, for Saturday, June 20th. This venue is a possibility but we are also considering other venues. The ceremony could be a combination of live and taped events and we could incorporate some new, creative ideas. It is unknown at this time if the conferring of diplomas will be allowed."

Guilderland is encouraging students and parents to also submit any other ideas for recognizing graduates in an online form.

"These plans are ongoing and things may change as we get additional information. We are going to do our best to make these events special and I appreciate your help in accomplishing this," Piscitelli wrote.

Brian Bailey, superintendent of Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central Schools, also reserved the Jericho Drive-In for a graduation ceremony. He plans to set up time slots for students to be taped walking across a stage, one student at a time, and create a montage of students crossing the stage that would be displayed on the screen at the ceremony. Live speeches are also being considered.

"We have an entire cohort of children who have been deprived of a normal rite of passage," Bailey said. "It becomes our responsibility to try and amplify how special this accomplishment is."

Drive-in owners had already been lobbying to allow their businesses to reopen, with social distancing protocols put in place.

State Sen. James Tedisco, R-Glenville, sent Gov. Andrew Cuomo a letter Monday morning urging him to issue an executive order permitting the "outside-the-box approach" of hosting graduation ceremonies at local drive-ins, such as the Malta Drive-In Theatre.

Other school districts statewide are doing the same; a middle/high school in North Salem, Westchester County said it has already planned a June 22 drive-in graduation.

The governor's office had not responded to the Times Union's requests to comment on the issue as of Wednesday afternoon.

Drive-in movie theaters have been lumped in with regular movie theaters in Cuomo's order to close non-essential businesses as the state grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. But drive-in owners have said the generalization is unfair because, unlike indoor movie theaters, their customers are able to social distance in their cars  just like at any drive-thru restaurant that is remaining open during the state's "pause" period.

State Assemblywoman Pat Fahy (D-Albany) said she hasn't had any constituents contact her on the issue yet, but she raised a concern about accessibility.

"My only problem is it doesn't work for those in urban environments, and not everybody has a car or a drive-in nearby," she said, pointing to the number of parents who might not have cars in the Albany city school district.

However, Fahy asserted she's open to creative ideas to "create some special moments under the circumstances" as long as they're executed safely and responsibly.

"Every single drive-in owner that I know within a two-hour radius of Albany has been approached by several schools in their areas," said Greenawalt, Hathway's Drive-In owner. "They all want to help out, they just need the state to say, 'Yes, but just do it this way.'"

Bailey of the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk school district said a ceremony at the drive-in would in no way violate Cuomo's directives regarding social distancing since everyone would remain in their cars.

Plus, he said, it's their job as an essential business, since schools have remained open to provide and facilitate child care for the families in the district, and "within those responsibilities is the emotional and social wellness of children," Bailey said. "Things like graduation is a component of our responsibility."
Everyone who needs safe asylum accommodation must be able to properly self-isolate, say campaigners.

London, United Kingdom  Amira felt confused when she opened the letter, her eyes flickering over the words, disbelieving at first, before a sense of hopelessness set in. In one month, she would be back on the streets, searching for shelter.

It said I have to leave my temporary accommodation and all the support will completely stop, she says. I was in shock. They are telling people to stay inside, but now theyre forcing me out. I am just here, waiting  suffering.

Four years ago, Amira escaped conflict-riven Kurdish region of northern Iraq in northern Iraq and claimed asylum in the UK.

Since then she has received government support, housed with 18 other asylum seekers in Wolverhampton, central England. Each of the women has their own room, but kitchen and toilet facilities are shared, and fears of contracting coronavirus circulate, causing tension.

We are so worried one of us will get the virus, Amira told Al Jazeera. We have been told nothing  no rules, no instructions  and we are arguing about everything. Religion, cleaning, food  everything. Its sad to argue about things like this, but we all feel so broken inside.





Last month, the United Kingdom government announced it would stop evicting asylum seekers from state accommodation as part of its plans to prevent people from leaving their homes and help contain the spread of the coronavirus.

In a letter to the British Red Cross, Home Office Minister Chris Philp said: The practical outcome is that those who would ordinarily have their support stopped because their asylum claim or appeal has been rejected, will remain accommodated.

While charities welcomed the new government measures, they are concerned that limited communication from the Home Office and a backlog of cases may leave some asylum seekers destitute.

Deadly delays

Stephen Hale, CEO of charity Refugee Action, says the government needs to go further and faster.

Even before this crisis, serious problems in government asylum support were leaving thousands of desperate people for weeks and even months without a home, Hale said. In the wake of COVID-19, such delays become potentially deadly.

The Home Office must make sure everyone who needs support has safe asylum accommodation in which theyre able to properly self-isolate, he added.





The current government guidance advises asylum seekers and refugees against non-essential travel. Many of those who are most vulnerable say this is unavoidable.

Shaqib, an asylum seeker from Bangladesh, has had several asylum applications rejected. He now rotates between various peoples couches in Brighton on Englands southern coast, moving every two to three days and on occasion sleeping rough.

I have a tent and that feels better, to have the space. Sometimes I go to a shelter, but they tell me they cant arrange anything for me, he explained.

I feel stressed moving between places, Shaqib adds. I cant take it easy, cant relax. You dont know where you can get it. Maybe its better on the streets than in peoples houses.

Until recently, Shaqib was given financial assistance by friends who worked in the hospitality industry, but since the outbreak of the virus, that support has dried up. The depression, for which he is currently being prescribed medication, has considerably worsened in recent weeks.

I stay awake all night, I cant sleep until five or six in the morning, he says. Im very worried, thinking all the time, always thinking about my future. I have no normal life  no future that I can see.

200428103450299

Feeling unsafe

Cristiano from El Salvador is also concerned about the spread of the coronavirus in his communal housing.

After developing mild symptoms of coronavirus two weeks ago, Cristiano says he has been confined to his bedroom, and that he feels unsafe in the permanent housing he shares with nine others.

They are very aggressive to me, he told Al Jazeera. We share all the communal spaces and anytime I go to the bathroom or the kitchen, someone yells at me. No one allows me to speak, they just tell me to go. We need help from people at this time  We need humanity, not more pain.

Cristiano, who is HIV-positive, is concerned that a weakened immune system may have made him more susceptible to COVID-19.

Infections come to me very easily, but its difficult because coronavirus is so new. Nobody knows if it could make my HIV worse. I have to always stay in control, but its so hard when I cant move freely  not even in my house, he said.

The government has provided 1.6 billion pounds ($2bn) of additional funding to local authorities to enable them to respond to COVID-19 pressures across the services they deliver, including support for those most vulnerable.

Communication

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But charities remain concerned that administrative obstacles will prevent many who need it most from getting help.

Help at this time is difficult to access, said Sarah Taal, director of the Baobab Womens Project.

Drop-in advice and food banks have closed, destitution payments cannot be collected, and interpretation when contacting services by phone is also challenging. We are concerned that, without advice and support, many could be left homeless or destitute.

A spokesperson for the Home Office told Al Jazeera that the health and safety of asylum seekers in government housing was of the utmost importance:

Those who would ordinarily have their support stopped because their claim has been rejected will remain accommodated and supported. These changes are currently being communicated to individuals affected.

But for those like Amira, living in precarious accommodation and facing an uncertain future, it is difficult to look ahead.

When I think about something good, the opposite happens, so I dont like to think what could happen. I want to live today, in the moment. Nothing is up to me  you hope, you hope, you hope, but nothing comes.
Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital, says it is turning into "one giant open-air cafe" by giving restaurants and bars free use of its squares and parks.

The scheme aims to help jump-start the citys hospitality industry.

Plazas, squares and streets  nearby cafes will be able to set up outdoor tables free of charge this season and thus conduct their activities during quarantine," Vilnius Mayor Remigijus Simasius has said.

"Just open up, work, retain jobs and keep Vilnius alive."

The Restaurants' Association of Ireland (RAI) has called for a similar waiver of licenses for outdoor tables and chairs for one year, "to enable businesses to reopen and adapt to social distancing".

"I would be all for pedestrianising certain parts of the city now where you have very low throughput of cars," says its CEO, Adrian Cummins.

"Local authorities need to work with us in a proactive way to open up streets across the cities, towns and villages as quickly as possible, so people can use outdoor space during the summer."

The RAI has also called for a 0pc VAT rate, reboot grants and a waiver of local authority rates among other supports, to help restaurants remain viable under any new Covid-19 health and safety regimes.

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Under Ireland's roadmap for reopening, restaurants and cafes could restart trading from June 29 "where they can comply with social distancing measures and strict cleaning in operations".

Hotels, hostels, caravan and holiday parks could follow suit from July 20 "on a limited occupancy basis" - providing Covid-19 public health criteria are met in the meantime, of course.

Lithuania recently announced a phased exit from quarantine that has allowed cafes, restaurants, hairdressers, museums and most shops to reopen, while requiring ongoing social distancing and safety precautions.

As part of its regulations, cafes and restaurants can only have outdoor seating, and clients at different tables must be at least two metres apart. Customers may only gather in groups of two (or as families), should wear masks "when not eating or drinking" and should use contactless payments, the city says.

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In Vilnius, more than 160 bars, cafes and restaurants have already applied for free permits to set up outdoor tables, according to Go Vilnius, the city's official development and tourism agency.

The initiatives come as governments and hospitality businesses all over the world debate how best to reopen societies and help devastated shops, restaurants and cafes to operate a "new normal" under strict hygiene protocols.

In Portugal, for example, a 'Clean & Safe' stamp of approval has been applied for by over 2,300 businesses, while Singapore has introduced an 'SG Clean' quality mark for tourism and lifestyle sectors.

Vilnius has also permitted food trucks to operate more freely within the city, and opened a drive-in movie theatre on the tarmac of its international airport - where moviegoers can park "in the shadow of grounded planes".

The first film, screened last week, was Oscar-winner 'Parasite'.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A New Brighton felon apparently was bent on revenge when, prosecutors allege, he shot a man inside a Stapleton apartment building over two months ago.

Sean Whitted, 39, fired a bullet that struck the victim in the groin inside the lobby of 180 Broad St. late on the afternoon of Feb. 24, said a law enforcement source.

The incident was the third in the series of violent events that unfolded over about a half hour and began with Whitted being knocked out by the shooting victim in a fight, prosecutors said at Whitteds arraignment on Tuesday, according to his lawyer Mark J. Fonte.

Whitted was recently arrested in Delaware, Fonte said. The defendant said he had gone there fearing retaliation, said Fonte.

Police had released Whitteds photo on April 2 and sought the publics help in finding him.

Information on how he was nabbed was not immediately available.

Whitted is the third defendant charged in the case in which two victims allegedly were seriously injured  one stabbed and one shot.

He is accused of attempted murder, assault, attempted gang assault, criminal weapon possession and other charges. He denied the allegations during a remote arraignment Tuesday at state Supreme Court, St. George.

According to Fonte and a law enforcement source, the violence was sparked by a brawl shortly before 5 p.m. between two groups outside the apartment building at 180 Broad St.

A co-defendant, Vondel Howard, 26, of Stapleton, is accused of stabbing and beating a man during the fracas. Another co-defendant, Jordan Taylor, 27, of New Springville, is charged in the alleged beating but not the stabbing.

Howard was accused of attempted murder, attempted assault, attempted gang assault, assault, criminal weapon possession and criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Taylor was charged with second-degree assault, attempted second-degree assault and third-degree criminal weapon possession.

Both defendants have denied the allegations.

Whitted was knocked out during the fight in which the stabbing occurred, Fonte said, citing prosecutors.

He came to shortly thereafter and allegedly went into the building around 5:15 p.m.

Whitted forcibly entered an apartment where the brother of the man who punched him resides, according to a criminal complaint and statements, which Fonte said, were made in court.

Prosecutors said the defendant demanded to know the whereabouts of the man who hit him, according to Fonte.

Whitted pistol-whipped the brother, causing a laceration on the side of the face, the complaint said.

After leaving the apartment, Whitted accosted the man he was seeking in the lobby and shot him, alleged the source.

Afterward, Whitted skipped town.

The defendant maintains he wasnt running from the law but to avoid possible retribution, said Fonte.

My office is thoroughly investigating this matter, said Fonte. Issues such as why the alleged victim knocked my client unconscious and what threats were made to my client by the alleged victims crew causing him to flee to avoid further altercation, need to be examined."

Whitteds state Supreme Court case with respect to the shooting was adjourned to June 15.

He is also charged in Criminal Court with burglary, stemming from the second of the three incidents. That case was adjourned to June 8.

The defendant is being held in lieu of a combined $250,000 bond or $220,000 cash bail for the two cases.

Whitted has spent time behind bars.

In September 2018, he was sentenced to a year in jail after previously pleading guilty to a felony charge of attempted criminal drug sale, said the complaint.
AVON, along with Avon Foundation For Women, has announced USD $1Million in new grants to 50 frontline services and charity organizations across the world. The emergency grant programme was launched in tandem with AVONs #IsolatedNotAlone campaign, responding to the surge in domestic violence cases in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown.

The funding will provide crucial support for over 250,000 at-risk women and children who are affected by rapidly rising domestic abuse rates. The grants will be shared across 37 countries, including Brazil, Mexico, India, Philippines, Germany and the UK.

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, women, and children already at risk of domestic violence have become more vulnerable leading to a global surge in domestic violence. According to the latest data released by the National Commission of Women, the number of women calling support services has doubled in India after the announcement of the lockdown. Of the 257 complaints received (post lockdown and only in the month of March), 69 are related to domestic violence.

In India, AVON has partnered with three NGOs - Shakti Shalini, Swayam and Family Planning Association of India (FPAI)  to provide a total grant of USD $122,500 (approximately Rs.94 lakhs).

Family Planning Association of India will use the grant to provide essential services in rural communities across the country, including counselling for vulnerable women and children affecting by domestic abuse.

will use the grant to provide essential services in rural communities across the country, including counselling for vulnerable women and children affecting by domestic abuse. Swayam will use the funds to provide 400 women survivors of violence and their children (with whom Swayam works) with support services, including emergency rations, immediate medical aid, skill training and educational support for their children, based on their individual needs.

will use the funds to provide 400 women survivors of violence and their children (with whom Swayam works) with support services, including emergency rations, immediate medical aid, skill training and educational support for their children, based on their individual needs. Shakti Shalini will set up the Response Mechanisms programme, which will provide support in the form of crisis intervention, counselling, legal aid, mental and physical healthcare, shelter, skills development, artistic opportunities, educational and economic opportunities, housing aid, rehabilitation or reintegration, and follow-up.

Swati Jain, Marketing Director of Avon says, We want to assure every woman in India that she may be isolated but not alone during these unprecedented times. AVON, being a socially responsible women-led company, has always been committed to condemning and acting out against any act of violence against women and girls. With the #IsolatedNotAlone campaign, we firmly stand with women who are facing domestic violence during the lockdown and are making sure that we take the necessary measures to create awareness and support victims. We look forward to this collaboration with AVON Foundation For Women and our NGO partners and hope that, with their reach and our expertise, we can contribute to reducing cases of domestic violence in India.

#IsolatedNotAlone is a 360-degree campaign via which AVON will undertake several initiatives on its digital platforms and partner with non-profit organizations that work towards the rescue, protection, and rehabilitation of domestic abuse victims. The campaign focusses on raising awareness on the issue, signposting where to go for help, how to identify and support those at risk, and calling on governments to support the provision of life-saving services.

In addition to the Avon Foundations grant and in partnership with sister brands Aesop, The Body Shop and Natura, Avon is calling on governments around the world to keep domestic violence front of mind and expand funding and resources to cope with increasing violence. The companies are leveraging their combined global reach to 200 million consumers in 110 countries to ask people to support the campaign.

Globally, Avons 5 million representatives will continue to provide vital assistance for women and children who are experiencing abuse; embedding helpline and support information into catalogues, signposting where to get help, and donating vital personal hygiene and beauty products to refuges. The Avon Foundations $1 Million USD in funding will support women around the world and is aligned with AVONs campaign to help tackle the crisis of domestic violence.
Defense Secretary Esper: US 'Had Nothing to Do' With Attempted Raid in Venezuela

Sputnik News

19:07 GMT 05.05.2020(updated 19:55 GMT 05.05.2020)

Following an attempted coastal assault on western Venezuela by mercenaries attacking from neighboring Colombia over the weekend, US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper told reporters at the Pentagon on Tuesday, "The United States government had nothing to do with what's happened in Venezuela in the last few days."

On Sunday, Venezuelan Interior Minister Nestor Reverol announced on Venezuelan television that "a group of terrorist mercenaries coming from Colombia attempted a sea invasion, with the objective to commit terrorist attacks in our country, assassinate leaders of the revolutionary government and to increase the spiral of violence, generate chaos and confusion among the population, and with this, to attempt a new coup d'etat."

Venezuelan officials said they killed eight mercenaries and captured two. The two who were detained were later revealed to be US citizens: Luke Denman and Airan Berry, both former US Special Forces operatives.

The two men operated with a third: Jordan Goudreau, founder of private contracting firm Silvercorp USA, who claimed responsibility for the attack, which he called "Operation Gideon," in a video posted on YouTube on Sunday. Goudreau spoke alongside Javier Nieto, a retired Venezuelan army captain who now opposes the government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Juan Guaido, the former head of Venezuela's National Assembly who is held up by Washington as Venezuela's rightful leader, has denied all connection to "Operation Gideon." Likewise, US President Donald Trump told reporters who asked about the operation on Monday that "it has nothing to do with our government."

Guaido has staged several attempted coups d'etat since declaring himself interim president in January 2019, and Washington has implemented severe sanctions and organized sympathetic governments in support of Guaido's attempts. US President Donald Trump placed in charge of that effort Eliot Abrams, who in the 1980s organized similar efforts in several Central American countries by funneling funds and weapons to death squads seeking to overthrow governments that rebelled against Washington's rule.

In February 2019, authorities at Venezuela's Arturo Michelena International Airport in Valencia reported seizing dozens of weapons and other war materiel in a plane that flew from Miami, Florida, in the United States, and was purported to be carrying humanitarian aid.

 Sputnik

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Nordstrom plans to permanently close 16 full-line department store locations across the nation amid the COVID-19 pandemic which has dealt a blow to fashion retail, the company announced Wednesday.

The closures are estimated to make up 14% of the Seattle-based company's 116 full-line stores. Company leaders did not give any indication to which locations will be shuttered or how many employees will lose their jobs as a result, but emphasized adapting to the new digital environment in light of COVID-19.

"Weve been investing in our digital and physical capabilities to keep pace with rapidly changing customer expectations. The impact of COVID-19 is only accelerating the importance of these capabilities in serving customers," CEO Erik Nordstrom said. "More than ever, we need to work with flexibility and speed. Our market strategy helps with both, bringing inventory closer to where customers live and work, allowing us to use our stores as fulfillment centers to get products to customers faster, and connecting digital and physical experiences with services like curbside pickup and returns."

The Good Newsletter: Offset the sobering reality of the pandemic with a weekly dose of inspiring San Antonio stories

The company did not provide a specific schedule for reopening stores, but noted that the remaining stores will reopen "in a phased, market-by-market approach where allowed by local authorities and with the health and safety of employees, customers and communities as a priority."

Additionally, the company has moved its annual July Anniversary Sale to August.

Gabby Jones/Bloomberg

Economic analysts noted that the closures were more likely to hurt surrounding shopping malls.

"It is a blow for malls already severely bruised by the crisis and slowdown in retail," said Neil Saunders, the managing director of GlobalData Retail to BusinessInsider.

Nordstrom is not the only American clothing brand struggling to survive the pandemic. On Monday, J. Crew announced that it was filing for bankruptcy and other major department stores that rely on store-based retail, such as Sears and JCPenney, are under similar crushing debt with physical locations closed.
President Donald Trump denied any U.S. involvement in the Venezuela incident, saying "it has nothing to do with our government." Read more

An apparent attempt to invade Venezuela involving several Americans remained shrouded in confusion Tuesday as the two countries traded accusations but offered little new information about the mysterious mission.

Venezuela's foreign minister said two Americans, both former U.S. Special Operations soldiers, were "confessing without any reservations" after being arrested by security forces during the aborted invasion. He did not describe what the men had told authorities about the operation, which President Nicolas Maduro described as an assassination plot.

President Donald Trump denied any U.S. involvement in the incident, saying "it has nothing to do with our government."

The State Department said that it could not comment on the reported arrests, citing privacy considerations, but added that "there is a major disinformation campaign underway by the Maduro regime, making it difficult to separate facts from propaganda."

The two men were captured, along with six others, on Monday when the small boat they were traveling in attempted to land along Venezuela's coastline, only to be met by Venezuelan military and police forces. On Sunday, eight others, apparently Venezuelans, were killed and two were captured in a separate landing attempt, according to Venezuelan reports.

The incident added to more than a year of growing tensions as the Trump administration, accusing Maduro of human rights abuses, corruption and narcotics trafficking, has tried to force him from office with economic sanctions and criminal indictments.

A U.S. Army spokesman, Lt. Col. Emmanuel Ortiz, said that service records confirm that the two captured Americans, Airan Berry and Luke Denman, are Special Forces veterans, as is Jordan Goudreau, the head of a Florida security services company who first announced the operation in a video Sunday morning.

Goudreau, in an interview with The Washington Post, said Berry and Denman were "supervisors" of a force he said numbered about 60 Venezuelans. Most, if not all of them, were believed to be military and police defectors living in camps in Colombia, near the Venezuelan border.

Juan Guaido, the Venezuelan legislator and opposition leader recognized as "interim president" by the United States and more than 50 other countries, lashed out Tuesday at Maduro for staging what he called a "massacre."

"They knew about this and were waiting to massacre them," Guaido said in a virtual session of the opposition-controlled National Assembly. "Nicolas Maduro, you are responsible. The regime knew about that operation, you infiltrated it and waited to massacre them."

The CIA declined to comment.

The State Department statement, which described the unfolding situation as a "melodrama," said officials would be "looking closely into the role of the Maduro regime . . . and especially of the very large Cuban intelligence apparatus in Venezuela."

"The record of falsehoods and manipulation by Maduro and his accomplices, as well as their highly questionable representation of the details, argues that nothing should be taken at face value when we see the distorting of facts," the statement said.

"What is clear is that the former regime is using the event to justify an increased level of repression," the statement said. Noting "the timing of these events," the statement said that 46 prisoners were killed, and 74 injured, in a "massacre" by government forces at Los Llanos prison in Venezuela over the weekend.

Maduro's foreign minister, Jorge Arreaza, told The Post that the U.S. government had yet to make contact with the Venezuelan government after Maduro's Monday-evening announcement of the arrest of the two Americans.

"They have already had many hours to develop their 'it wasn't me' strategy," Arreaza said in a text-message exchange. He said the two were being questioned by Venezuelan authorities and were "confessing without any reservations."

Jorge Rodriguez, Maduro's communications chief, alleged at a news conference in Caracas that Goudreau and Trump are connected.

"How is it that the Secret Service of the United States hired Silvercorp to handle Trump's security and that Silvercorp publishes that on its website?" he asked.

The alleged connection appeared to refer to a relationship between Goudreau - who operates a Florida company, Silvercorp, that says it offers paid strategic security services - and former Trump security chief Keith Schiller.

According to a person close to Schiller, the two met early last year after a meeting in Washington organized by Global Governance, a group of business executives exploring potential opportunities in a post-Maduro Venezuela. At the meeting, Schiller was asked whether he knew someone who could provide security services in Venezuela.

He responded he did not but later received a telephone inquiry from a contact of Goudreau's, inquiring about security work. Schiller, said the person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity about the private contacts, said that he knew of possible work in Venezuela.

Schiller and Goudreau eventually made contact and went together to a meeting of Venezuelan opposition figures in Miami. After hearing what they were interested in and becoming increasingly leery about Goudreau, the person said, Schiller had no further involvement.

In his Sunday video, Goudreau and former Venezuelan National Guard officer Javier Nieto Quintero said that what they called "Operation Gideon" was designed to capture senior members of Maduro's government. They called on Venezuelan military forces inside the country to rise up and join the invaders.

Goudreau later told The Post he had known Berry and Denman for years. Goudreau and Denman deployed together in Iraq in 2010, said a former Special Forces soldier who served with all three of them. He spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Berry was a capable leader but dealt with personal family issues, two men who served with him said. Denman is an "artistic hipster" type, a former soldier said, with a lighter, carefree personality that was respected and rare in the community.

The three men deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan eight times combined, said Ortiz, the Army spokesman.

Goudreau, he said, left the service in February 2016 as a sergeant first class after serving first as an indirect fire infantryman and then a medical sergeant. Berry was a Special Forces engineer sergeant who served in the Army from 1996 until October 2013. Denman served on active duty as a Special Forces communications sergeant from October 2006 to December 2011 and in the Army Reserve through September 2014.

David Maxwell, a retired Army officer with 22 years of experience in Special Forces, said the Venezuela operation appeared to be poorly planned and executed.

Operators would typically favor sterile uniforms and forgo anything connected to their identity, Maxwell said. But Maduro waved Berry and Denman's expired military IDs, Veterans Affairs cards and passports in a televised address Monday following their capture.

"I don't know what their thinking was. It's embarrassing for the regiment and the U.S.," said Maxwell, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank in Washington. "Did they think it was going to be a 'get out of jail free' card?"

A core competency of Special Operations is working with indigenous forces to incite rebellion or overthrow a regime, Maxwell said, tasks that require a measured approach and long-standing ties.

"It doesn't seem like this contractor did any of that," he said of Goudreau.

A family member of Berry in Texas declined to comment Tuesday. Efforts to speak to Denman's and Berry's immediate families were unsuccessful.

____

Faiola reported from Miami. The Washington Posts Ana Vanessa Herrero in Caracas and Dan Lamothe, Shawn Boburg and Dalton Bennett in Washington contributed to this report.
One of New Brunswick's most infamous pieces of marine infrastructure is on its way back to the province.

A floating dry dock built at taxpayer expense at a shipyard in Bas-Caraquet, and removed to Quebec last fall, is en route to Saint John, where it will be used in the modernization of the port's west-side facilities.

Last year, Premier Blaine Higgs called the removal of the provincially-owned dry dock from the New Brunswick Naval Centre "a disgrace" and asked the Federal Court of Canada to block it.

But Groupe Ocean eventually won the right to move the dry dock to its main location in Quebec City.

Now the dry dock is being tugged back to New Brunswick, where a contractor will use it to build and move massive concrete box-like caissons as part of the port's $205-million expansion.

www.simexperts.com

Groupe Ocean spokesperson Philippe Filion said the dry dock is versatile enough that it was a less expensive option for the general contractor.

"It's so well made, it can be used for more than just raising and lowering vessels," he said. "It's a piece of equipment that New Brunswickers can really be proud of."

The dry dock's return journey to New Brunswick was first reported by Carole Brodeur, who works on a tugboat at the Port of Quebec. She posted photos of the dry dock to a Quebec City-based "shipspotting" Facebook group.

Port modernization

Saint John Port Authority CEO Jim Quinn said eight huge concrete caissons, each the size of a six-storey building, will be built one at a time on the dry dock. The caissons will then be floated in the water, filled with rock and sunk to become part of a new wharf.

"It's kind of going to be interesting to watch," Quinn said. "People think concrete doesn't float, but it does."

Groupe Ocean is also dredging as part of its work for general contractor Pomerleau.

Matthew Bingley/CBC

The federal and provincial governments have each contributed $68 million to the port modernization.

Story continues

Quinn wouldn't say what he made of the dry dock's role relative to its controversial history. "I have no comment on whatever happened a while back," he said with a chuckle.

Troubled past

New Brunswick taxpayers spent $10 million on the dry dock, which was built at the New Brunswick Naval Centre, a shipyard in the village of Bas-Caraquet.

The yard was initially owned by the village and the neighbouring town of Caraquet, but the previous Liberal government took it over in 2016 after it ran out of money. Groupe Ocean was an anchor tenant at the shipyard and several other boat builders operate there.

Last summer, the Higgs government refused to help fund a slipway at the yard, infrastructure that the Quebec company said it needed to be able to bid for larger shipbuilding contracts in Bas-Caraquet.

In September Groupe Ocean made plans to move the dry dock to its Quebec facilities. While the province owns the dock, the company has a 20-year lease to use it.

The premier called it "a disgrace" that New Brunswick taxpayers had subsidized a piece of infrastructure that would be used to compete with the Bas-Caraquet shipyard.

CBC

Groupe Ocean argued the plan all along was to build the dry dock in Bas-Caraquet, providing local workers with training and experience for future projects, then move it to Quebec.

The province tried to seize the dry dock through the Federal Court. But after granting an initial injunction, the court ruled that Groupe Ocean could move it to Quebec.

Groupe Ocean called the province's legal action an attempt to blame the company for the problems at the shipyard.

Fillion said last year the company might sue the province, but he said this week nothing has been filed. "We're still examining our options," he said.

The Higgs government had no comment on the dry dock being used in Saint John other than to acknowledge it.

"The Regional Development Corporation was advised by Groupe Ocean that the dry dock would be moved to Saint John for use during the Port of Saint John modernization project," said spokesperson Mary-Anne Hurley-Corbyn.
As workers on the early shift at Cedar Meats in Brooklyn in Melbournes west began filing in at 4.30am last Friday, they had no idea COVID-19 had been spreading among them for weeks.

Management broke the news at a 9am meeting. Staff were told that several of their colleagues had returned positive coronavirus results in recent days. Everyone was told to stop what they were doing and go and get tested immediately.

The Cedar Meats abattoir in Brooklyn. Credit:Chris Hopkins

Nathan*, who has worked at Cedar Meats for several years, was one of those at the meeting. He told The Age on Wednesday that even though his test result was negative, he was worried about his friends at work and potentially exposing his family to the virus.

The anxiety of not knowing who is infected and whether you had crossed paths with them was constant, he said. We work in different sections but we all eat together.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was hospitalized for a gallbladder condition on Tuesday, the Supreme Court announced, but is resting comfortably and it is expected she will be released in a matter of days.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg underwent non-surgical treatment for acute cholecystitis, a benign gallbladder condition, this afternoon at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, a statement from the court read. Following oral arguments on Monday, the Justice underwent outpatient tests at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C., that confirmed she was suffering from a gallstone that had migrated to her cystic duct, blocking it and causing an infection.

The statement concluded, The Justice is resting comfortably and plans to participate in the oral argument teleconference tomorrow morning remotely from the hospital. She expects to stay in the hospital for a day or two. Updates will be provided as they become available.

The 87-year-old has been treated four times for cancer, most recently last August. Ginsburg, who was appointed to the court in 1993 by President Bill Clinton, had a stent implanted to open a blocked artery in 2014.

Read original story Ruth Bader Ginsburg Resting Comfortably After Hospitalization At TheWrap
If confirmed  the doctors are certain, and the French government says it is looking at the report  the case of the fishmonger, Amirouche Hammar, would mean the coronavirus made an appearance in Europe long before officials there began tackling it

Paris: Weeks before Chinese authorities acknowledged that the coronavirus could be transmitted by humans, and nearly a month before the first officially recorded cases in Europe, a 42-year-old fishmonger showed up at a hospital in suburban Paris coughing, feverish and having trouble breathing. It was 27 December.

Now doctors in France are suggesting that the December patient may have been the earliest known coronavirus case in Europe.

If confirmed  the doctors are certain, and the French government says it is looking at the report  the case of the fishmonger, Amirouche Hammar, would mean the deadly virus made an appearance on the continent long before officials there began tackling it. The discovery would bring a strange new wrinkle to the story of the virus in Europe, one that has the potential of blowing up the previously established chronology.

The doctors who made the finding said they tested the samples twice to avoid false positives. But they acknowledged that they could not completely rule out that possibility.

They also cautioned that without further analysis of the sample, it was unclear whether the man had passed the virus on to anyone else, or whether his case was tied in any way to the epidemic that arrived later.

But if the timeline of when the virus appeared in Europe does change, the official efforts to combat the contagion would turn out not to have been just too late, but hopelessly too late.

By the time the first serious measures were put in place  the French government didnt order a lockdown until 16 March  the virus may have already appeared three months earlier, according to a study of the new case that has been peer-reviewed and accepted for formal publication in the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents.

That in turn would help explain the rapidly developing catastrophe that has since unfurled in France and Europe. There have been thousands of cases, hospitalisations and deaths, in numbers that only in recent weeks have begun to abate somewhat, as a result of the governments rigid confinement measures.

France alone has recorded more than 25,000 coronavirus deaths.

If confirmed, what this case does highlight is the speed at which an infection starting in a seemingly remote part of the world, can quickly seed infections elsewhere, said Professor Rowland Kao, the Sir Timothy OShea Professor of Veterinary Epidemiology and Data Science at the University of Edinburgh, in an interview for Britains Science Media Centre.

Why is this important? he added. It means that the lead time we have for assessment and decision-making can be very short.

The journal publishing the report about the case has had a brush with controversy over the coronavirus, walking back a study it published about treatments for the virus. And much about this apparent first case remains a mystery.

But the authors of the paper, doctors at the Avicenne Hospital in the Paris suburb of Bobigny, among others, declare flatly: Their study is of a patient infected with COVID-19 one month before the first reported cases in our country whose lack of recent travel suggests that the disease was already spreading among the French population at the end of December 2019.

French authorities declared the first official cases of coronavirus in the country  three people who had all recently been in China  on 24 January. That was four days after China for the first time confirmed human-to-human transmission.

The doctors retested samples from a man who had suffered from pneumonia. They found the coronavirus.

Theres no doubt for us, said Dr Yves Cohen, head of intensive care at the Avicenne and Jean Verdier hospitals, in the northern suburbs of Paris, and one of the authors of the study, in a telephone interview Tuesday. It was already there in December.

What is not clear is how the patient, Hammar, got it. Apart from a trip to Algeria last summer, he had not travelled. His wife, however, briefly exhibited some of the symptoms  coughing, principally  of the coronavirus, Cohen said.

Weve got some theories, he said. His wife had a little cough.

Hammars wife, Fatiha, who works in a supermarket near Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, told French television this week that she serves customers who come directly from the airport, with their suitcases, she said.

There were direct flights between that airport and the one in Wuhan, China, before borders were closed.

Experts warned that the case could not be directly tied to Frances current outbreak without a genomic analysis.

One really has to make a distinction between the epidemic wave and isolated cases, Samuel Alizon, an infectious diseases and epidemics specialist at the CNRS, Frances national public research organisation, said in a telephone interview.

It is quite possible, he explained, that there were isolated cases that led to transmission chains that died down.

Alizon said it was common for epidemics imported from abroad into a given country to undergo several false starts, with transmission chains that died down on their own before one of the imported cases led to an actual epidemic.

So the question is more: How many importation events did it take to launch the epidemic wave? he said.

The first case outside of China was reported in Thailand on 13 January. But experts have long suspected that the coronavirus may have spread internationally before the first officially reported cases.

The detection of the potential new case in France follows similar instances in the United States, where deaths from the virus were identified weeks earlier than first reported, and a model suggested that silent outbreaks had spread for weeks before detection.

The French government has said very little about the case so far.

Frances health ministry said Tuesday that authorities were in contact with scientists and experts from other countries on the timeline of the spread of the virus, and that they would carry out further investigations if they appear necessary.

We are in permanent contact with our European and Chinese counterparts on the issue, in order to better understand the spread of the virus at the global level, the ministry said.

Dr Olivier Bouchaud, an infectious disease specialist at the same hospital as Cohen, told the LCI news channel on Tuesday that it was common to keep frozen samples from patients with lung infections for later testing.

It isnt very surprising, Bouchaud said of the 27 December positive case, noting that in China the virus also circulated under the radar for weeks before the first official cases were detected.

Frederic Keck, a biosecurity expert at CNRS, said, If COVID existed in November  which some reports suggest was the case  it is certainly possible that it was here in December.

We never really know when an epidemic starts, Keck said.

Amirouche Hammar, who lives in Bobigny, a northern suburb of Paris, said in an interview with BFM TV that he drove himself to the emergency ward at 5 am on 27 December after several days of coughing, difficulty breathing and chest pains.

Hammar, who has a history of asthma and diabetes, was diagnosed with a pulmonary infection but quickly recovered and was discharged two days later.

I was surprised, given the devastation that the illness is causing, Hammar said of learning, months later, that he had tested positive for COVID-19.

Adam Nossiter and Aurelien Breeden c.2020 The New York Times Company
The China Coast Guard deployed three ships to the Scarborough Shoal on Tuesday, days after China announced a ban on fishing there and at other disputed parts of the South China Sea, ship-tracking software shows.

Scarborough Shoal is contested by China and the Philippines. While it is not uncommon for China Coast Guard (CCG) ships to patrol near disputed islands and reefs, the simultaneous presence of three CCG ships at one location often coincides with a more intense pressure campaign or providing an escort for another Chinese mission at sea.

Beijing last month declared two new administrative districts as part of its intensifying efforts to assert sovereignty over the South China Sea. And on May 1, it announced the start of its annual summer ban on fishing in waters where China claims jurisdiction, north of the 12th parallel. That places Scarborough Shoal within its scope.

Chinas government has also vowed strict enforcement of the ban this year--drawing strong protest statements on Monday from Vietnamese and Philippine fishing associations.

Ship-tracking software showed that CCG ships numbered 3303 and 3305 were patrolling the Scarborough Shoal Tuesday morning (local time), although the 3303 later stopped transmitting its location. Both are Zhaoyu-class patrol vessels.

They are accompanied by the CCG ship 3175, which is listed as a research vessel on the International Maritime Organizations publicly available registry, but fits the dimensions of and appears to be a Shuke II-class CCG patrol cutter.

All the ships were last spotted in mid-April. The 3303 was in port at Sanya, in Chinas Hainan province, and the 3305 and 3175 were sailing south of the Pearl Delta near Guangzhou.

It remains unclear how the current situation will play out and whether China will indeed up the ante in its fishing ban by not just policing the activities by Chinese fishing vessels but those from other countries.

In past years, both Vietnamese and Philippine fishing vessels have ignored the ban, which runs until Aug. 16. But fishermen are nevertheless accustomed to heavy-handed action by Chinese vessels in disputed waters and are calling for their own governments to stand up to Beijing.

The head of the Philippine fishing association, PAMALAKAYA, called Monday on the Philippine government not to wait for Filipino fishermen to be arrested and to launch an official protest.

Scarborough Shoal has been the site of previous confrontations between China and the Philippines. In 2012, Chinese vessels strayed into the shoal leading to a diplomatic rift. The following year, Manila filed an arbitration case against China, arguing the triangular shoal in the South China Sea had long been a fishing ground for Filipinos and was well within the Philippine exclusive economic zone.

China lost the case in 2016 but has essentially ignored the ruling and continues to assert it has historical rights over much of the South China Sea, despite the conflicting claims of the Philippines and other governments.

Chinas recent ship maneuvers have prompted criticism that it is taking advantage of other countries preoccupation with the COVID-19 pandemic to press its sweeping South China Sea claims.

The CCG has been lurking around all the Philippine-claimed features for weeks. The CCG ship 3302 was deployed to Scarborough Shoal in early April. The CCG ship 5402 has been patrolling Second Thomas Shoal, Half-Moon Shoal, and First Moon Shoal since April 10. Another CCG ship, the 5202, has been near Thitu Island since April 3.

Each ship has been able to maintain a continuous presence by refueling at the nearby Chinese bases at Mischief Reef and Subi Reef, respectively, illustrating how Chinas artificial islands and militarization has cemented its presence far from its shores.
2,500-ton press for Diverse Metal Products Selecting a U.S. manufacturer to help us support the United States Nuclear Navy was our #1 objective.

Beckwood Press Company, a leading manufacturer of custom hydraulic and servo-electric presses, automation systems, and the Triform line of precision forming equipment, has been awarded a contract by Diverse Metal Products (DMP) to manufacture a 2,500-ton hydraulic forming press. Scheduled for delivery later this year, the press will be used to make embossed heat exchanger plates in nuclear missile tubes for the U.S. Navy.

The custom press will feature an 8-point square gib guidance system that is fully adjustable left-to-right as well as front-to-back to minimize lateral movement under load. The 48-in. x 66-in. bed and ram bolsters will be machined to accommodate DMPs existing tooling. Safety features include light curtains on the front opening, fixed polycarbonate guarding on the rear, and a UL-Certified electrical enclosure.

Like every Beckwood press, DMPs new machine includes several up-time focused features. The press structure is engineered for Infinite Life using Finite Element Analysis software, dual linear and pressure transducers offer reliability and redundancy, and Beckwoods proprietary PressLink module facilitates fast, complimentary remote support.

We are proud to support companies like Diverse Metal Products who supply critical components to the U.S. military, said Josh Dixon, Beckwoods Director of Sales and Marketing. Our unwavering commitment to engineering and manufacturing presses in the United States results in safe, reliable machinery and gives every Beckwood customer a competitive advantage.

DMP is proud to partner with Beckwood on this project, said John Keith, one of DMPs owners. Selecting a U.S. manufacturer to help us support the United States Nuclear Navy was our #1 objective. Beckwood has done what they said they would. We are excited to deploy this asset in the coming months.

About Diverse Metal Products

Diverse Metal Products has over 60 years of combined experience manufacturing custom metal parts for the defense, oil & gas, construction, and food processing industries. From their 28,800 s.f. headquarters in Houston, TX, they offer a variety of services including stamping, laser cutting, forming, and machining. Learn more at diversemetalproducts.com.

About Beckwood Press Company

Beckwood Press Company is a leading manufacturer of hydraulic and servo-electric presses, located in St. Louis, MO - USA. Established in 1976, they offer both standard and custom presses as well as automation equipment for virtually every industry and application, including a line of temperature-controlled presses for compression molding and high-temperature hot forming / SPF applications. Beckwood also manufactures the Triform line of precision forming equipment and the EVOx line of servo-electric presses. Get the latest news from Beckwood at beckwoodpress.com/news.
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After you're admitted to the university, participating in the enrollment process becomes your next step toward becoming a Wildcat. When enrollment dates for your entry term open, you will receive an email letting you know it's time to register to enroll.

Planning for enrollment
The stock market volatility caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is likely causing investors to consider "selling in May and staying away" until the crisis ends. The U.S. certainly seems to be in a tough spot right now, with high unemployment rates, delayed stimulus payments, virus misinformation, insufficient testing and containment measures, and political gridlock.

It might be prudent for some investors to consider cashing out profits on their more resilient stock positions or trimming positions on battered ones. But it's also a good idea to consider diversifying into international markets, which have stocks that are faring better than those in the U.S.

Today I'll highlight three resilient international stocks investors should consider buying in the dreaded month of May.

1. Lenovo

Beijing-based Lenovo (OTC:LNVGY) is the world's largest PC maker. It controlled 23.9% of the global market in the first quarter of 2020, according to Canalys, while its rival HP (NYSE:HPQ) claimed a 21.8% share.

The COVID-19 crisis has significantly boosted demand for PCs as more people work and study from home, but Lenovo, HP, and other top PC makers are still struggling to meet that demand due to supply chain disruptions and an ongoing CPU shortage at Intel.

However, that balance should return as Intel resolves its issues, PC makers buy more chips from its rival AMD, and supply chains come back online. Unlike HP, which is hamstrung by a fading printing business, Lenovo generates most of its revenue from PCs, data center servers, and mobile devices. Rising revenue at Lenovo's PC and data center businesses offset a slowdown at its smaller mobile business last quarter, and boosted its revenue and net profit by 0.5% and 11% year-over-year, respectively.

Lenovo has grown its revenue annually for 10 straight quarters, and the stock's semi-annual dividend yield -- which is set every year based on its profits -- has hovered between 5%-7% over the past year. That high yield and a low P/E of 9 could set a floor under Lenovo's stock, and make it a more appealing investment than HP.

2. Tencent

Chinese tech giant Tencent (OTC:TCEHY) has remained resilient throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Last quarter, its revenue and adjusted profit rose 25% and 29% year-over-year, respectively, as its core gaming, advertising, and fintech and business services (including cloud services and digital payments) units all generated double-digit growth.

The quarter ended before China implemented aggressive lockdown measures in February, but Tencent's gaming, media streaming, cloud, and digital payments businesses likely benefited from stay-at-home directives. The crisis also cemented China's dependence on Tencent's WeChat, the top mobile messaging platform, which serves 1.16 billion monthly active users with over 300 million integrated Mini Programs.

Tencent's ad business, which generated 19% of its revenue last quarter, will inevitably face fierce headwinds, but the strength of its stay-at-home businesses should offset that slowdown. Tencent also recently took over Huya (NYSE:HUYA), the largest video game streaming platform in China, to bolster its gaming and video streaming ecosystem and attract more Gen Z users.

Analysts still expect Tencent's revenue and earnings to rise 21% and 15%, respectively, this year. The stock isn't cheap at over 30 times forward earnings, but that premium is arguably justified by its diverse portfolio, wide moat, and entrenched positions across multiple high-growth markets.

3. LVMH

Paris-based LVMH (OTC:LVMUY), the world's top luxury goods company, might seem like a risky investment as the pandemic curbs consumer spending. However, we should remember that the company -- which owns 75 iconic brands, including Louis Vuitton, Dior, Fendi, Bvlgari, Hennessy, and Sephora -- has easily bounced back from previous market meltdowns.

Throughout the Great Recession, LVMH's revenue rose 7% in 2008, declined 4% in 2009, and rebounded 13% in 2010. Its stock price subsequently rose 240% over the past 10 years. The reason is simple: LVMH's affluent customers, who aren't living paycheck to paycheck, generally keep buying luxury goods throughout economic downturns.

LVMH's portfolio is also so well-diversified that it can usually offset the weakness of one business segment with the strength of others. Its organic sales tumbled 17% annually in the first quarter as the pandemic shut down most of its stores, but it noted its brands maintained "good resilience" and would "emerge even stronger" after the crisis ends.

Unlike other struggling retailers, LVMH isn't starved for cash or credit. It's already seeing purchases accelerate again in China as more stores reopen, and leveraging its online stores to pick up the slack in other markets.

LVMH pays a forward yield of 1.4%, and the stock isn't cheap at 30 times forward earnings. However, this luxury leader could rebound much faster than other retailers -- and investors are willing to pay a premium for a seat at the table.
Batavia, NY (14020)

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Overcast skies and windy. A few flurries or snow showers possible. High 38F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph..

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The selected agency will have to design and implement SBI's corporate communications strategy with a long-term perspective.

New Delhi: As part of the brand building exercise, the State Bank of India (SBI) is looking for a public relations agency to help it become the preferred choice of customers for their banking needs.

The country's largest lender, SBI has a network of more than 22,000 branches spread across India. It is also present in over 30 countries.

"SBI is looking to engage with a public relations agency for providing public relation services (conceptualisation and implementation/execution of public relations campaigns)," it said in a request for proposal (RFP).

In its RFP document for selection of a PR agency, the bank said it aspires to give an impetus to its marketing efforts to develop a highly favourable brand perception from what it is today, and at the same time, the lender endeavours to become the preferred choice of customers.

The selected agency will be responsible for developing and implementing public relation activities to be organised by the bank.

The agency may also be required to engage with any specialist service providers such as film production house, event venues, travel agents, or other relevant service providers to deliver holistic solutions, the document said.

As per the RFP, the public relation agency will be engaged on a pure contractual basis for a period of three years, subject to annual performance review.

The selected agency will have to design and implement the bank's corporate communications strategy with a long-term perspective.

Also, it will have to "articulate short-term and long-term objectives with specific, actionable and measurable initiatives to build positive saliency for the bank by moulding opinion among various stakeholders i.e. customers, investors, media fraternity, analysts, government and public at large", the RFP said.

The scope of work for the agency includes media relations, media monitoring, timely intimation to the bank about any coverage that is detrimental to the interest of SBI, market intelligence and event management, it added.
A Chinese medical researcher on the "verge of making very significant" coronavirus findings has been found shot dead in the US state of Pennsylvania, media reports said on Wednesday.

University of Pittsburgh professor Bing Liu, 37, was found dead inside his home in Ross Township, north of Pittsburgh, on Saturday with gunshot wounds to the head, neck, torso and extremities, according to the Ross Police Department.

Investigators believe an unidentified second man, Hao Gu, 46 who was found dead in his car, shot and killed Liu in his home before returning to his car and taking his own life, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

Police believe the men knew each other, but say there is "zero indication that there was targeting due to his (Liu) being Chinese," according to Detective Sgt. Brian Kohlhepp, the CNN reported.

The university issued a statement saying it is "deeply saddened by the tragic death of Bing Liu, a prolific researcher and admired colleague at Pitt. The University extends our deepest sympathies to Liu's family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time."

"Bing was on the verge of making very significant findings toward understanding the cellular mechanisms that underlie SARS-CoV-2 infection and the cellular basis of the following complications," his colleagues at the university's Department of Computational and Systems Biology said in a statement.

"He was a very talented individual, extremely intelligent and hard-working," said Ivet Bahar, the head of the computational and system biology department in Pitt's School of Medicine.

Members of the university's School of Medicine describe their former colleague as an outstanding researcher and mentor, and have pledged to complete Liu's research "in an effort to pay homage to his scientific excellence."

Liu, who earned a Ph.D in computational science from the National University of Singapore, worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon University before becoming a research associate at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

The deadly coronavirus which originated from the Chinese city of Wuhan has infected over 3.67 million people and killed 258,051 people globally, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
Jacob Rees-Mogg has defended Matt Hancock, saying he will not ask the health secretary to apologise for telling a Labour frontbencher and frontline NHS worker to consider her "tone.

The shadow Commons leader, Valerie Vaz, demanded the cabinet minister apologise to Rosena Allin-Khan, in the wake of considerable criticism for his remarks during a debate on the governments failings on Covid-19.

Ms Allin-Khan, who has been working as an A&E doctor during the crisis, told MPs the ministers testing strategy was non-existent, adding: Community testing was scrapped, mass testing was slow to roll-out and testing figures are now being manipulated.

She added on Tuesday that many frontline NHS staff believed the governments lack of testing had cost lives and is responsible for many families being unnecessarily torn apart by grief.

Mr Hancock, who was in the Commons to answer an urgent question from the shadow health secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, replied; I welcome the honourable lady to her post as part of the shadow health team. I think she might do well to take a leaf out of the shadow health secretarys book in terms of tone.

How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities Show all 6 1 /6 How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities Milan, Italy REUTERS How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities North Jakarta, Indonesia REUTERS How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities Jakarta, Indonesia REUTERS How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities Venice, Italy REUTERS How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities New Delhi, India REUTERS How coronavirus lockdowns changed the world's most polluted cities Islamabad, Pakistan REUTERS

Later, Ms Allin-Khan posted on Twitter she would not watch her tone when challenging the government at the despatch box.

Responding to the comments on Wednesday, Ms Vaz said: How many times have people from the BAME community and women hear that remark?

And to compare her to a white male  almost telling her to behave in the same way as a white male  is totally unacceptable. Id be grateful if the leader could ask him to apologise. She is on the frontline of the Covid crisis and deserves an apology.

But in response Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the Commons, said the health secretary was doing a magnificent job and that we are very lucky to have someone who has shown such personal commitment during the coronavirus pandemic.

Therefore, Im not going to ask him to apologise, he added. Im going to say in the cut and thrust of debate people are entitled to say things and that is perfectly legitimate.

During business questions, Ms Vaz also requested that Sir Keir Starmer be briefed on Boris Johnsons plans to ease the lockdown in an anticipated address to the nation on Sunday evening.

Could I ask that the leader of the opposition has sight, under Privy Council rules, the strategy the government is going to set out on Sunday, she said.

Mr Rees-Mogg replied: Its not for me to promise briefings outside the House  its not my responsibility, but I think the good will and the positive contribution that has been made is very important.

He also defended the prime ministers decision to announce any changes to the current coronavirus restrictions directly to the public on Sunday  rather than the House of Commons.

The senior Tory added the government will provide the opportunity on Monday for MPs to scrutinise No 10s approach.
PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-06 23:10:03

2020 Ongoing Guidance Affirmed

FOLSOM, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Investor Contact: Daniel Fidell 609-561-9000 x7027 dfidell@sjindustries.com Media Contact: Marissa Travaline 609-561-9000 x4227 mtravaline@sjindustries.com

SJI Reports First Quarter 2020 Results

2020 Ongoing Guidance Affirmed

FOLSOM, NJ (May 6, 2020) - SJI (NYSE: SJI) today reported operating results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2020. Highlights include:

First Quarter 2020 GAAP earnings of $1.09 per diluted share compared to $0.94 per diluted share in 2019

First Quarter 2020 Economic Earnings* of $1.15 per diluted share compared to $1.09 per diluted share in 2019

First quarter results reflect increased profitability from Utility operations partially offset by decreased profitability from Non-Utility operations and impact of financing activities

COVID-19: Operations and delivery of natural gas to customers has not been materially impacted; incremental operating costs have been incurred for emergency response; some construction activity has ceased in line with governmental directives; capital markets steps completed to strengthen liquidity and support 2020 capital plan

Continuing execution of key initiatives - Efficient integration of ETG including TSA exit, execution of critical infrastructure modernization programs, and progress on regulatory initiatives including SJG base rate case

2020 ongoing economic earnings affirmed $1.50-$1.60 per diluted share; SJI continues to monitor operations, market conditions and business development initiatives for future impacts to financial projections

"This is a challenging time for our customers and communities, and our continuing priority remains the safety of our 1,100 employees and assuring critical gas delivery to the more than 700,000 customers we are honored to serve, said Mike Renna, SJI President and Chief Executive Officer. "While we have thus far witnessed a minimal financial impact from the pandemic, which is consistent with our first quarter results, we are continually monitoring all facets of our operations and will communicate any future impacts to our financial projections. Our long-term focus remains on addressing critical infrastructure investments to modernize our system, new projects to ensure adequate supply and system redundancy, and new investments that will lower consumption and the carbon content of natural gas in support of New Jersey's Energy Master Plan," added Renna.

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 GAAP GAAP Economic Economic GAAP GAAP Economic Economic Earnings EPS Earnings EPS Earnings EPS Earnings EPS Utility $ 107.7 $ 1.16 $ 108.9 $ 1.18 $ 100.0 $ 1.09 $ 100.0 $ 1.09 Non-Utility $ 5.8 $ 0.06 $ 6.4 $ 0.07 $ (1.6 ) $ (0.02 ) $ 7.9 $ 0.08 Other $ (12.4 ) $ (0.13 ) $ (8.5 ) $ (0.09 ) $ (12.8 ) $ (0.13 ) $ (8.5 ) $ (0.08 ) Total - Continuing Ops $ 101.1 $ 1.09 $ 106.8 $ 1.15 $ 85.7 $ 0.94 $ 99.4 $ 1.09 Average Diluted Shares 92.6 92.6 91.4 91.4 *Non-GAAP, see "Explanation and Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures." Note: Earnings and average shares outstanding are in millions. Amounts and/or EPS may not add due to rounding.

COVID-19 - Business Update

Our business operations continue to function effectively during the pandemic. Given the fluid nature of the crisis, we are continually monitoring our business operations and will adjust as necessary to continue to provide safe and reliable service to our customers and communities while keeping employees safe.

Workforce: Through proper planning and the innovative use of technology, all 1,100 employees are currently working, from employees in the field to those working from home to assist in reducing the spread of the virus.

Through proper planning and the innovative use of technology, all 1,100 employees are currently working, from employees in the field to those working from home to assist in reducing the spread of the virus. Operations: Operations and delivery of natural gas to our customers has not been materially impacted. To date, SJI has not experienced significant reductions in sales volumes across our utility businesses and is closely monitoring potential impacts due to COVID-19 pandemic responses at the state and Federal level.

Operations and delivery of natural gas to our customers has not been materially impacted. To date, SJI has not experienced significant reductions in sales volumes across our utility businesses and is closely monitoring potential impacts due to COVID-19 pandemic responses at the state and Federal level. O&M: As expected, we have incurred incremental operating costs for emergency supplies, cleaning services, enabling technology and other specific needs during this crisis which have traditionally been recognized as prudent expenditures by our regulators. SJI incurred costs during the three months ended March 31, 2020 of $0.6 million, with $0.4 million being recorded as Property, Plant & Equipment on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

As expected, we have incurred incremental operating costs for emergency supplies, cleaning services, enabling technology and other specific needs during this crisis which have traditionally been recognized as prudent expenditures by our regulators. SJI incurred costs during the three months ended March 31, 2020 of $0.6 million, with $0.4 million being recorded as Property, Plant & Equipment on the condensed consolidated balance sheets. Collections: To date, we have not seen a significant impact to our accounts receivable but we continue to monitor this metric very closely. The impact to the collectability of accounts receivable has traditionally been included in rate recovery.

To date, we have not seen a significant impact to our accounts receivable but we continue to monitor this metric very closely. The impact to the collectability of accounts receivable has traditionally been included in rate recovery. Capital Expenditures: Our investment programs to replace and upgrade critical utility infrastructure continue to move forward, but some construction activity has ceased in accordance with directives from the Governor of New Jersey. Looking forward, we expect an uptick in construction activity once we emerge from this crisis. We remain on track with our timeline for investment in solar in support of the goals of the New Jersey Energy Master Plan (EMP).

Our investment programs to replace and upgrade critical utility infrastructure continue to move forward, but some construction activity has ceased in accordance with directives from the Governor of New Jersey. Looking forward, we expect an uptick in construction activity once we emerge from this crisis. We remain on track with our timeline for investment in solar in support of the goals of the New Jersey Energy Master Plan (EMP). Liquidity: At present, we have total credit facilities of $1.25B, with $470M available in revolving credit, uncommitted lines and cash. In April, we completed steps to strengthen our liquidity and ensure the funding of our 2020 capital program (discussed in detail later in this report) and feel confident in our ability to manage through the impacts of COVID-19.

At present, we have total credit facilities of $1.25B, with $470M available in revolving credit, uncommitted lines and cash. In April, we completed steps to strengthen our liquidity and ensure the funding of our 2020 capital program (discussed in detail later in this report) and feel confident in our ability to manage through the impacts of COVID-19. Pension: We have no near-term cash requirements, as our portfolios were deemed to have no minimum funding requirement as of December 31, 2019.

We have no near-term cash requirements, as our portfolios were deemed to have no minimum funding requirement as of December 31, 2019. Regulatory: The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) continues to hold regular commission agenda meetings via internet teleconference. A resolution of our engineering and route proposal for SJG supply redundancy project is estimated in mid-2020. A resolution of SJG base rate case filing is estimated in Q4 2020.

First Quarter 2020 Results

For the three-month period ended March 31, 2020, SJI reported consolidated GAAP earnings of $101.1 million compared to $85.7 million in the prior year period.

SJI uses the non-GAAP measure of economic earnings when discussing results. We believe this presentation provides clarity into the continuing earnings of our business. A full explanation and reconciliation of economic earnings is provided under Explanation and Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures later in this report and in our 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2019.

For the three-month period ended March 31, 2020, economic earnings were $106.8 million compared to $99.4 million in the prior year period.

UTILITY

Utility entities include the gas distribution operations of South Jersey Gas (SJG), Elizabethtown Gas (ETG) and Elkton Gas (ELK). First quarter 2020 GAAP earnings were $107.7 million compared with $100.0 million in 2019. First quarter 2020 economic earnings were $108.9 million compared with $100.0 million in 2019.

South Jersey Gas (SJG)

Operating Performance. First quarter 2020 GAAP earnings were $70.5 million compared with $68.7 million in 2019. First quarter 2020 economic earnings were $71.7 million compared with $68.7 million in 2019. First quarter 2020 economic earnings reflect a one-time tax adjustment related to SJG's pending rate case. Utility margin increased $7.2 million primarily due to customer growth and the roll-in of investments from infrastructure replacement programs. We define utility margin, a non-GAAP measure, as natural gas revenues less natural gas costs, regulatory rider expenses and volumetric and revenue-based energy taxes. Total expenses increased $4.2 million, driven by increased operation and maintenance costs and depreciation expenses.

Customer Growth. SJG added approximately 6,500 new customers over the last 12 months and now serves more than 400,000 customers. SJGs 1.7% growth rate compares favorably to our peers and remains driven by gas conversions (~70%+ of new customer additions) from alternate fuels such as oil and propane.

Infrastructure Modernization. Through infrastructure replacement programs, SJG enhances the safety and reliability of our system while earning our authorized utility return on approved investments in a timely manner.

Our Accelerated Infrastructure Replacement Program (AIRP), as approved by the NJBPU, authorizes investment of $302.5 million over the five year period from 2016-2021 for important infrastructure replacement upgrades. Our most recent annual investment of $64.5 million for the period July 2018 to June 2019 was rolled into SJG rates effective October 1, 2019. Our annual investment for the period July 2019 to June 2020 is expected to be rolled into SJG rates effective October 1, 2020.

Our current Storm Hardening and Reliability Program (SHARP) was approved by the NJBPU in May 2018 and authorizes investment of $100 million from 2018-2021 for four projects to enhance the safety, redundancy and resiliency of the distribution system along our coastal communities. Our most recent annual investment of $27.4 million for the period June 2018 to June 2019 was rolled into SJG rates effective October 1, 2019. Our annual investment for the period July 2019 to June 2020 is expected to be rolled into SJG rates effective October 1, 2020.

Base Rate Case. In March, SJG filed a petition with the NJBPU requesting a revenue increase of approximately $75 million to recognize infrastructure investments made to maintain the safety and reliability of its natural gas delivery system. The request represents approximately $340 million in system improvements that are not currently reflected in base rates. SJG's request assumes an overall rate of return of 7.3%, return on equity of 10.4% and 54.2% equity ratio. Discovery has begun in line with our expected timeline. Consistent with prior rate case timing, a resolution of the case is expected later this year.

Redundancy Projects. In response to the NJBPU's call for utilities to evaluate preparedness for gas supply interruptions, we have evaluated potential redundancy solutions. These solutions are critically important to ensure service is not interrupted to our customers in the event of a significant outage, either behind our city gate, or on one of the two interstate pipelines that serve the SJG system.

Supply redundancy is a top priority for our utilities. In December 2019, SJG submitted an engineering and route proposal to the NJBPU for approval to construct needed system upgrades in support of a planned 2.0+ Bcf liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility, with a resolution anticipated later this year. We also continue to explore system alternatives that will allow for a secondary supply of gas needed to create reliability and resiliency for 140,000+ customers in Atlantic and Cape May counties.

Elizabethtown Gas (ETG)

Operating Performance. First quarter 2020 GAAP and economic earnings were $36.8 million compared with $30.9 million in 2019. Utility margin, as previously defined, increased $15.8 million primarily due to rate relief effective November 15, 2019 and customer growth. ETG'S rate case settlement authorized a $34 million rate increase based on a 9.6% return on equity and 51.5% equity component. Total expenses increased $9.9 million, driven by increased depreciation and operating and maintenance expenses.

Customer Growth. ETG added approximately 2,500 new customers over the last 12 months and now serves more than 297,000 customers. ETGs growth rate has increased from its historic growth rate, driven by increases in both new construction and gas conversions from alternate fuels such as oil and propane.

Infrastructure Modernization. ETG's Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP), as approved by the NJBPU in June 2019, authorizes investment of $300 million over the five-year period 2019-2024 for important infrastructure upgrades including the replacement of up to 250 miles of cast iron and bare steel mains. Our annual investment for the period July 2019 to June 2020 is expected to be rolled into ETG rates effective October 1, 2020.

Elkton Gas (ELK)

Operating Performance. First quarter 2020 GAAP and economic earnings were $0.4 million compared with $0.4 million in 2019. Utility margin driven by customer growth, infrastructure investment and rate relief was offset by operating costs and interest expense. In December 2019, SJI announced the sale of ELK to Chesapeake Utilities (CPK) for $15 million in cash. ELK serves approximately 7,000 residential and commercial customers in Cecil County, Maryland and was acquired by SJI in July 2018. Completion of the transaction is estimated in mid-2020 following Maryland Public Service Commission approval.

NON-UTILITY

Non-Utility entities include Energy Group, Energy Services and Midstream. First quarter 2020 GAAP earnings were $5.8 million compared with $(1.6) million in 2019. First quarter 2020 economic earnings were $6.4 million compared with $7.9 million in 2019 results.

Energy Group

Operating Performance. Energy Group primarily includes wholesale gas operations engaged in fuel supply management and commodity marketing. First quarter 2020 GAAP earnings were $5.1 million compared with $(2.0) million in 2019. First quarter 2020 economic earnings were $5.2 million compared with $7.6 million in 2019.

Fuel Supply Management contributed first quarter 2020 economic earnings of $3.2 million compared with $2.8 million in 2019, reflecting new contracts that became operational over the last 12 months. As of March 31, 2020, SJI had ten fuel supply management transactions under contract, with nine contracts operational.

Wholesale Marketing/Other contributed first quarter 2020 economic earnings of $2.0 million compared with $4.8 million in 2019. Low spreads and lack of market volatility driven by warmer weather resulted in lower margin and reduced asset optimization opportunities.

Energy Services

Operating Performance. Energy Services includes our legacy energy production assets (CHP, Solar, Landfills) and account services. First quarter 2020 GAAP earnings were $(0.4) million compared with $(0.7) million in 2019. First quarter 2020 economic earnings were $0.0 million compared with $(0.7) million in 2019, primarily reflecting reduced O&M costs from the sale of CHP offset by results from landfill activities.

Midstream

Operating Performance. Midstream includes our 20% equity investment in the PennEast Pipeline (PennEast), a planned 1-Bcf interstate pipeline running from the Marcellus region of Pennsylvania into New Jersey. First quarter 2020 GAAP and economic earnings were $1.2 million compared with $1.0 million in 2019, reflecting Allowance for Funds Used During Construction (AFUDC) related to the project.

Project Update. The PennEast Pipeline partners remain committed to the development of the pipeline project in its entirety. PennEast is happy to announce that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) recently approved the requested changes to the Pennsylvania portion of the approved route. PennEast also continues to make progress on advancing the request pending before FERC to construct the Project in two phases and is in encouraged by FERCs issuance of the Notice of Timeline for Environmental Review. The timeline announced by FERC aligns with PennEasts announced planned in-service date of November 2021 for Phase 1.

OTHER

Operating Performance. Other entity includes interest on debt, including the debt associated with our acquisitions of ETG/ELK in 2018. First quarter 2020 GAAP earnings were $(12.4) million compared with $(12.8) in 2019. First quarter economic earnings were $(8.5) million compared with $(8.5) million in 2019, reflecting an increase in net debt outstanding offset by debt repayments.

Balance Sheet and Cash Flow

SJI remains committed to a capital structure that supports our regulated-driven capital spending plan while maintaining a balanced equity-to-total capitalization, ample liquidity and a solid investment grade credit rating.

At March 31, 2020, equity-to-total capitalization was 31.6% compared with 29.6% at December 31, 2019, reflecting debt refinancing activity and repayment from non-core asset sales. As previously communicated, our growth plan embeds conversion of mandatory convertible equity units due 2021 ($287.5 million). Including conversion as well as equity credit from rating agencies for long-duration debt, our adjusted equity-to-total capitalization ratio, a non-GAAP measure, was 39.7% at March 31, 2020 and 37.5% at December 31, 2019.

As previously described, in April we completed steps to strengthen liquidity and ensure the ongoing funding of our 2020 capital program:

Executed a $200mm 18-month term loan, with proceeds used to pay off short-term maturities

Added additional liquidity at the SJI level through the close of a $150mm 364-day term loan

Completed $525mm private placement at SJG -$400mm drawn to refinance maturing term loan and $125mm drawn on six-month delay to support 2020 capital plan

Launched $200mm At-The-Market (ATM) program to provide flexibility in addressing previously announced 2020 equity needs

With $470 million of available capacity on our revolvers and successful execution of capital markets transactions, we feel confident in our liquidity position and ability to manage through the impacts of COVID-19.

For the three months ended March 31, 2020, net cash from operating activities was $165.9 million compared to $212.3 million in the prior year period, primarily reflecting less cash collections at SJRG resulting from maintenance and scheduled outages at several electric generation facilities for which SJRG has gas supply contracts. Net cash used in investing activities was $10.1 million compared with $108.8 million in the prior year period, primarily reflecting capital spending in support of customer growth and utility infrastructure upgrades offset by proceeds from asset sales. Net cash provided by financing activities was $152.2 million compared to $117.1 million in the prior year period, reflecting debt repayment and refinancing activity.

Financial Guidance

SJI affirms it expects 2020 ongoing economic earnings of $1.50 to $1.60 per diluted share. We are continually monitoring our operations, market conditions and business development initiatives and will communicate any future impacts to our financial projections.

Economic earnings guidance continues to primarily reflect:

Utility operations ~75% of earnings, excluding acquisition-related interest costs ~$500 million capital spending on growth, safety and reliability for SJG/ETG customers 10,000+ new gas utility customers, reflecting 1.5% customer growth, driven by accelerated pace at ETG Lower operating costs, driven by business transformation activities Infrastructure modernization at SJG/ETG under existing programs Execution of regulatory initiatives, including recovery of utility investment

Non-Utility operations ~25% of earnings, excluding acquisition-related interest costs

 Energy Services: $100+ million on renewable solar installations in support of EMP, and landfill exit

 Energy Group: Fuel management contracts, reshaped wholesale portfolio and contract expiration

 Midstream: AFUDC associated with PennEast Pipeline project

Balance sheet strengthening, driven by asset sales and refinancing activities

Equity issuance in support of utility redundancy project

Conference Call and Webcast

SJI will host a conference call and webcast on Thursday, May 7 to discuss our first quarter 2020 financial results. To access the call, please dial the applicable number approximately 5-10 minutes prior to the start time. The call will also be webcast in a listen-only format for the media and general public. The webcast can be accessed at www.sjindustries.com under Events & Presentations.

Date/Time: Thursday, May 7, 11:00 a.m. ET

Dial-In: Toll Free: 877-376-9937; Toll: 629-228-0738

Passcode: 2879365

About SJI

SJI (NYSE: SJI), an energy services holding company based in Folsom, NJ, delivers energy services to its customers through three primary subsidiaries. SJI Utilities, SJIs regulated natural gas utility business, delivers safe, reliable, affordable natural gas to approximately 700,000 South Jersey Gas, Elizabethtown Gas and Elkton Gas customers in New Jersey and Maryland. SJIs non-utility businesses within South Jersey Energy Solutions promote efficiency, clean technology and renewable energy by providing customized wholesale commodity marketing and fuel management services; and developing, owning and operating on-site energy production facilities. SJI Midstream houses the companys interest in the PennEast Pipeline Project. Visit sjindustries.com for more information about SJI and its subsidiaries.

Forward Looking Statements and Risk Factors

This news release, including information incorporated by reference, contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding guidance, industry prospects or future results of operations or financial position, expected sources of incremental margin, strategy, financing needs, future capital expenditures and the outcome or effect of ongoing litigation, are forward-looking. This Quarterly Report uses words such as "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "estimate," "forecast," "goal," "intend," "objective," "plan," "project," "seek," "strategy," "target," "will" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs and assumptions of management at the time that these statements were prepared and are inherently uncertain. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions on an international, national, state and local level; weather conditions in SJIs marketing areas; changes in commodity costs; changes in the availability of natural gas; non-routine or extraordinary disruptions in SJIs distribution system; regulatory, legislative and court decisions; competition; the availability and cost of capital; costs and effects of legal proceedings and environmental liabilities; the failure of customers, suppliers or business partners to fulfill their contractual obligations; and changes in business strategies; and public health crises and epidemics or pandemics, such as a novel coronavirus (COVID-19). These risks and uncertainties, as well as other risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements, are described in greater detail under the heading Item 1A. Risk Factors in SJIs and SJG's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and in any other SEC filings made by SJI or SJG during 2019 and 2020 and prior to the filing of this earnings release. Also refer to the additional risk factor described below:

Our business could be adversely affected by a public health crisis or the widespread outbreak of contagious disease, such as the recent outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020. In recent weeks, the continued spread of COVID-19 across the world has led to disruption and volatility in the global capital markets, which increases the cost of capital and adversely impacts access to capital. Additionally, our reliance on third-party suppliers, contractors, service providers, and commodity markets exposes us to possibility of delay or interruption of our operations. For the duration of the outbreak of COVID-19, legislative and government action limits our ability to collect on overdue accounts, and prohibits us from shutting off services, which may cause a decrease in our cash flows or net income. We have been executing our business continuity plans since the outbreak of COVID-19 and are closely monitoring potential impacts due to COVID-19 pandemic responses at the state and federal level. As expected, we have incurred operating costs for emergency supplies, cleaning services, enabling technology and other specific needs during this crisis which have traditionally been recognized as prudent expenditures by our regulators. The impact to the collectability of our accounts receivable is an unknown at this time but such receivables have traditionally been included in rate recovery. Our infrastructure investment programs continue to move forward, but some construction activity has ceased in accordance with directives from the Governor of New Jersey. To the extent this directive stays in place for a long period of time, our capital projects could be significantly impacted. It is impossible to predict the effect of the continued spread of the coronavirus in the communities we service. The Company has identified the macroeconomic conditions related to COVID-19 and the impacts on the business as an indicator to perform an interim impairment test related to the goodwill recorded on the Companys balance sheet. Should the coronavirus continue to spread or not be contained, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be negatively impacted, including impairment of goodwill, which in turn may have a negative effect on the market price of our common stock.

No assurance can be given that any goal or plan set forth in any forward-looking statement can or will be achieved, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. SJI and SJG undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, whether as result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Explanation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Management uses the non-GAAP financial measures of Economic Earnings and Economic Earnings per share when evaluating its results of operations. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered as an alternative to GAAP measures, such as net income, operating income, earnings per share from continuing operations or any other GAAP measure of financial performance.

We define Economic Earnings as: Income from continuing operations, (i) less the change in unrealized gains and plus the change in unrealized losses on all derivative transactions; and (ii) less the impact of transactions, contractual arrangements or other events where management believes period to period comparisons of SJI's operations could be difficult or potentially confusing. With respect to part (ii) of the definition of Economic Earnings, several items are excluded from Economic Earnings for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, consisting of the impact of pricing disputes with third parties, costs to acquire ETG and ELK, costs to prepare to exit the TSA, costs incurred and gains recognized on sales of solar, MTF/ACB, and ELK, severance and other employee separation costs, and a one-time tax adjustment resulting from SJG's Stipulation of Settlement with the BPU. See (A)-(E) in the table below.

Economic Earnings is a significant financial measure used by our management to indicate the amount and timing of income from continuing operations that we expect to earn after taking into account the impact of derivative instruments on the related transactions, as well as the impact of contractual arrangements and other events that management believes make period to period comparisons of SJI's operations difficult or potentially confusing. Management uses Economic Earnings to manage its business and to determine such items as incentive/compensation arrangements and allocation of resources. Specifically regarding derivatives, we believe that this financial measure indicates to investors the profitability of the entire derivative-related transaction and not just the portion that is subject to mark-to-market valuation under GAAP. We believe that considering only the change in market value on the derivative side of the transaction can produce a false sense as to the ultimate profitability of the total transaction as no change in value is reflected for the non-derivative portion of the transaction.

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The following table presents a reconciliation of our income from continuing operations and earnings per share from continuing operations to Economic Earnings and Economic Earnings per share (in thousands, except per share data):

Three Months Ended

March 31, 2020 2019 Income from Continuing Operations $ 101,100 $ 85,699 Minus/Plus: Unrealized Mark-to-Market Losses on Derivatives 4,322 13,150 Net Losses from a Legal Proceeding in a Pricing Dispute (A)  991 Acquisition/Sale Net Costs (B) 1,361 1,985 Other Costs (C) 147 2,573 Income Taxes (D) (1,305 ) (4,961 ) Additional Tax Adjustments (E) 1,214  Economic Earnings $ 106,839 $ 99,437 Earnings per Share from Continuing Operations $ 1.09 $ 0.94 Minus/Plus: Unrealized Mark-to-Market Losses on Derivatives 0.05 0.14 Net Losses from a Legal Proceeding in a Pricing Dispute (A)  0.01 Acquisition/Sale Net Costs (B) 0.01 0.02 Other Costs (C)  0.03 Income Taxes (D) (0.01 ) (0.05 ) Additional Tax Adjustments (E) 0.01  Economic Earnings per Share $ 1.15 $ 1.09

(A) Represents net losses, including interest, legal fees, and the realized difference in the market value of the commodity (including financial hedges), resulting from a ruling in a legal proceeding related to a pricing disp
While Louisville and Churchill Downs remain quarantinedat least for another week as the backside is set to open May 11 with racing expected to resume May 16Oaklawn Parks 2020 season ended in a blaze of glory. Racing in Hot Springs, Ark., continued as most other major-market tracks were closed for the last two weeks amid COVID-19 shutdowns and offered the sport a national lifeline hopefully getting us to the other side.

To no ones surprise, trainer Bob Baffert unleashed a one-two punch with Charlatan and Nadal to take both halves of a split Arkansas Derby (G1). Chester Thomas Allied Racings By My Standards proved to be among the best older horses in training with his score in the Oaklawn Handicap (G2). Handle of more than $41 million on the tracks closing day was encouraging.

Those were the big winners. Sadly, there were far more losers on the weekend.

The city of Louisville, specifically the surrounding neighborhood around Churchill Downs, took a tremendous financial hit. Hotels were empty of patrons and employees; Uber drivers idled; bars and restaurants that might have customers lined up to the curb to gain entrance were closed or only able to serve curbside.

Take a moment to think of all the additional part-time help Churchill Downs hires each spring for the Derby/Oaks weekend. Temporary tellers missed a big weekend of extra pay; extra security wasnt signed on to work; and food prep, hospitality, and bartenders were shut out of a weekend that conservatively generates gratuities in the seven figures each day. And weve yet to consider the plight of the local horsemen, grooms, and riders that missed out on one of the bigger paydays of the year.

Of course, were counting on a Kentucky Derby this yearSept. 5but with concerns for gatherings of any size and social distancing, it is hard to imagine it being the same size and scope of what it would have been last weekend.

However, Thoroughbred sales companies had one of their better weeks even though they failed to sell a horse. In a perestroika move with Fasig-Tipton and Keeneland, it was announced the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling sale and its Saratoga select yearling sale and sale of preferred New York-bred yearlings will slide down the calendar to just after the Derby and all take place in Lexington before Keenelands September yearling sale. While a blow to the city of Saratoga Springs, its an efficient move for the industry to continue the life cycle of the industry. The added time will also allow for the results of the 2-year-old sales, which have been moved to June and July, to be tallied and the money distributed so yearling-to-juvenile pinhookers will have some working capital.

There was further collaboration April 30 with a joint announcement from Fasig-Tipton and Keeneland regarding medication policies that will restrict the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, and bronchodilators, including clenbuterol, at all sales. As Thoroughbred racing has come under intense scrutiny regarding medication use, it is a smart move to insure further transparency in the auction process. Anything that can be done to instill confidence in the buyer is a positive.

A negative note in the sales arena is the loss of Dennis Henry Lynch, a 25-year veteran of the Fasig-Tipton team who lost his battle with cancer May 1. The 68-year-old horseman worked at The Blood-Horse back in the late 1970s before running his own bloodstock agency. He joined Fasig-Tipton in 1995 and had unique skills of both getting along with people and identifying really good horses, according to the sale companys president Boyd Browning Jr.

To add to that was the glint in Lynchs eyes when he launched into one of his many stories, as well as his enthusiasm and spark when he got behind a cause. His departure might well be the industrys biggest Derby weekend loss.
A man wearing a protective mask walks next to a poster with words "Help our heroes, stay at home" to support caregivers as the lockdown continues due to the coronavirus, May 4, 2020 in Paris, France.

Stephane Cardinale/Corbis via Getty Images

A patient in France who was originally believed to have pneumonia late last year may have actually contracted the coronavirus.

The patient tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, on December 27, said Dr. Yves Cohen, who treated the patient.

The results would mean he's France's new "patient zero," and contracted the virus before China informed the WHO about the outbreak.

Some experts believe the results could be a false positive. Jonathan Ball, professor of molecular virology at the University of Nottingham, says contamination could have come "from the wider lab activities."

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A French patient may have contracted COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, a full month earlier than France's previously known earliest case.

Amirouche Hammar, 43, tested negative for the flu when he first visited the Avicenne and Jean-Verdier hospital outside of Paris on December 27, to be treated for pneumonia. He was treated by Dr. Yves Cohen, head of the intensive care unit.

In a new study, Cohen and a team of researchers re-tested samples from 24 patients treated in December and January. Hammar's sample tested positive for the coronavirus.

Previously, the first known COVID-19 case in France was reported to be on January 24. China first informed the World Health Organization of a new pneumonia outbreak on December 31.

Cohen told a French TV broadcaster BFM that because Hammar, who had not traveled abroad since August, was tested several times, a false positive was unlikely.

In the medical journal article co-written by Cohen and to be published in the International Journal of Microbial Agents, the authors said: "Based on this result, it appears that the COVID-19 epidemic started [in France] much earlier" than previously believed.

"He could be patient zero, but maybe there were others in other regions," Cohen told BFM TV.

Story continues

Across the world, health officials have scrambled to locate their respective "patient zero" cases, which become more difficult to find as the disease spreads. Identifying such a patient could provide clues about the emergence and spread of the virus, and potentially inform future preventive measures.

Andrew Brouwer, an assistant research scientist at the University of Michigan, told Business Insider that the information helps epidemiologists "reconstruct the history of the outbreak."

"By the time we detect a severe case, there is already local transmission," Brouwer said.

Experts dispute the accuracy of Hammar's test result

Doctors ran a PCR  or polymerase chain reaction  test on a stored sample from him. Those tests are highly sensitive, Brouwer said, leading him to believe the results are legitimate.

"DNA can be effectively preserved in stored samples, and PCR is highly sensitive, so I have no reason to doubt the result," Brouwer wrote in an email.

But even though Hammar was tested several times, some experts say they may still be false positives.

The sensitivity of PCR could cut the other way, according to Jonathan Ball, professor of molecular virology at the University of Nottingham.

He said it makes it more likely for the test to pick up results from contamination.

Tourists wearing protective facemask walk in front of the Eiffel tower in Paris, on March 17, 2020 a few hours before the order of staying at home to all French citizens comes into effect, in order to avoid the spreading of the novel coronavirus.

LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty Image

"The PCR test is very sensitive, but therein lies a potential weakness  it is possible for contaminating viral genome from the wider lab activities to find its way into the odd tests and give a false-positive result," Ball told Business Insider.

"Whilst it is certainly possible that a case of COVID could be exported from China very early in the outbreak, there is nothing in the data describing the spread of the virus in France or indeed cases of COVID-19 being admitted to French hospitals that would indicate an early introduction into France," he wrote in an email.

Though Cohen's paper says researchers took steps to avoid false negative results, it says they weren't able to entirely rule them out "due to the sensitivity of [PCR] and a technique of storage that possibly damage the quality of the samples."

Christian Lindmeier, a spokesperson for the World Health Organization, said at a UN briefing in Geneva Tuesday that countries checking records for cases from late 2019 would give a "new and clearer picture" of the pandemic's timeline, and that a report of an earlier case in France is "not surprising."

"It's also possible there are more early cases to be found," Lindmeier said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The front page of The Epoch Times special edition that was distributed on April 13, 2020.

CBCs Article on Epoch Times Draws Storm of Criticism

Hundreds of reader comments removed from CBC article; Epoch Times publisher says CBC yet to apologize, retract report

A CBC article that used quotes from two individuals to characterize as racist and inflammatory a special edition of The Epoch Times on the Chinese communist regimes coverup of the coronavirus outbreak has met with heavy criticism from media pundits and CBC News readers.

In addition, The Epoch Times found that at least 400 comments on the story had been removed from CBCs website as of May 3. The vast majority of the deleted comments, some of which were captured by The Epoch Times before they were deleted, were critical of CBCs reporting, but didnt appear to violate submission guidelines.

In an emailed response, the CBC told The Epoch Times that it keeps a log of all deleted comments but declined to say how many comments were deleted from this particular article. The network also declined to answer why some of the deleted comments provided to them by The Epoch Times that dont appear to violate any guidelines were deleted.

Negative Reaction to CBC

Still, among the comments that remained on the story as of May 3, the top 400 most-liked comments, with the exception of one, were all critical of CBCs reporting. A handful were critical of both CBC and Epoch Times.

People walk into the CBC building in Toronto in a file photo. (The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette)

Cindy Gu, publisher of the Canadian editions of The Epoch Times, says that while CBCs article had a headline claiming to reflect the view of Canadians based on comments from two peopleone of whom was unnamedthe overwhelming response to CBCs report from its own readers and readers on other platforms has been negative.

The CBC claimed in its headline that Canadians were outraged by our reporting, Gu said. The response from many CBC readers and critics in Canada shows this to be false. Was the CBC unable to find any of the voices who appreciated our coverage, or were they simply not interested in hearing them?

She adds that despite Epoch Times request, CBC has so far not retracted its article nor issued an apology.

Following are excerpts from the top five most liked comments on the article, with the number of likes indicated in brackets:

Criticism of [Chinese] government  cant be r[a]cist. (217 likes)

Very disappointed to see a story so slanted in favour of the CPC [Communist Party of China]. The CPC is not China and not the Chinese people. (167 likes)

I dont understand why the media are so protective of the communist party of China which has no respect for human right[s] around the world. (150 likes)

Its [The Epoch Times] a pro-democracy anti-comm publication. No wonder this media source [CBC] doesnt like it. (117 likes)

Im offended that Canadas State Broadcaster is disseminating Chinese Communist Party propaganda with Canadian taxpayer funding. (116 likes)

In addition to pushback from readers, the CBC has also met with backlash from pundits, including in an opinion piece that ran on the front page of the Saturday, May 2, edition of the National Post critical of the national broadcasters coverage of The Epoch Times.

On April 29, columnist Terry Glavin tweeted: The CBC ombudsperson needs to deal with this. Should result in not just an apology to the Epoch Times, but to the Canadian public. The three (!) CBC journalists, and any producers involved, would benefit by being made to attend workshops in what racism is.

The CBCs article was in relation to an Epoch Times special edition recently delivered to some neighbourhoods in various provinces to showcase the publications reporting on the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) role in the global pandemic. Gu says this was done because the outlet considers that information to be important to Canadians, as well as to boost subscriptions.

The special edition includes coverage on how the Beijing regime hid the facts about the initial outbreak and caused a global pandemic, articles examining how the regime is hiding the true scale of infections and deaths, and other articles such as Beijings disinformation campaign on the pandemic.

Comments Deleted

Gu says after CBCs article was published early on April 29, many people contacted The Epoch Times to express their support via phone and email, and some also complained that the CBC had been deleting their comments on the article.

The Epoch Times captured a few logs of the comments later that day and also after commenting was closed the following day, and discovered that at least 400 comments had been removed as of May 3. One log showed there were 3,339 comments at one time, while only 2,921 comments remained as of May 3. The vast majority of the missing ones are critical of the CBCs reporting. The actual number of deleted comments could be higher as Epoch Times could not capture all the comments that were quickly deleted throughout the day.

The front page of The Epoch Times special edition that was distributed on April 13, 2020.

All comments on CBC have to pass screening based on the submission guidelines before they appear in the comments section.

The screening is done either by moderators or by automated tools, according to Chuck Thompson, head of CBC public affairs.

The submission guidelines published by the CBC stipulate rules for commenting on articles, including the requirement that comments cant be made anonymously, must be relevant to the topic, and be respectful and courteous.

That means that all of the 400 deleted comments must have passed the initial screening to be visible to the public before they were removed. It is not clear how many comments were rejected before becoming public.

According to Thompson, the rate of rejection is typically 10-20 percent, and could be as high as 50 percent if a story covers a sensitive or highly controversial topic.

Comments may be rejected for a variety of reasons including straying off-topic, being insulting or abusive, breaking laws or violating community standards, he said in an emailed response.

Moderators may then delete more comments even if they have already been made public.

Despite our precautions, inappropriate comments occasionally slip through and, when identified, they are removed as part of quality assurance processes, Thompson said.

It remains unclear how those 400 missing comments were deemed inappropriate under CBCs submission guidelines. Most of the deleted comments examined by The Epoch Times do not appear to violate the stated guidelines.

For example, one deleted comment reads: I guess the CBC doesnt see any irony in the fact that theyve been wrong throughout this pandemic more than the Epoch Times has.

Another says, Will any German Canadian feel offended now if a newspapers special edition reporting Konzentrationslager Auschwitz-Birkenau inside Nazi Germany? Ops, Rudy Gobert-Bourgarel wants you to think so. Really doubt whether CBC is now a Canadian taxpayer-funded State Mouthpiece for the Chinese Communist Party?

The Epoch Times showed these sample comments along with others to Thompson and asked why they were removed, but received no response.

Following Epoch Times submission of questions to CBC, the total number of comments on the article rose to 2946, an increase of 25 compared to the previous total number on May 3, after commenting was closed in the morning of April 30. The Epoch Times didnt check further what comments had been added back.

The negative response to the CBCs coverage wasnt limited to the commentary section of the article itself.

The senior reporter on the story, whose bio on Twitter says she is a COVID-19 Fact-checker, tweeted the link to the article. The post had three likes, zero retweets, and 26 comments as of May 5. On Twitter, when the number of comments is significantly higher than likes and retweets, thats indicative of reaction to the post being mainly negative. Of the 26 comments, 25 are critical of CBCs reporting.

Your story far from lived up to the integrity I expect of the CBC, reads the first comment on the tweet, which has five likes, more than the original post. It adds that criticizing the CCP is not racist, as the CCP is a political party, not China nor the Chinese people themselves. Conflating the two is playing directly into CCP propaganda.

With additional reporting by Omid Ghoreishi

The special edition can be downloaded here.

The Epoch Times was founded in 2000 in North America by Chinese immigrants and has been on the forefront of uncensored China news, breaking some of the most important China stories over the past two decades. It was among the first to report on the SARS outbreak in 2003 and won a national award in Canada for this coverage.

Since its launch, the independent news outlet has been the target of multiple attacks and interference from the Chinese communist regime. Last year, its printing press at its Hong Kong office was set on fire by masked intruders during the height of protests in that city. The Epoch Times believes that the Chinese Communist Party was behind the attack in an effort to silence the outlet.

The Epoch Times print newspaper is available via subscription across Canada and the United States. Its online version comes in English, French, Chinese, and more than 20 other languages.
BarcelonaSpains Public Prosecutor continues to oppose the leave granted to the Catalan political prisoners that allows them to have jobs outside prison. On Tuesday the Prosecutors Office filed an appeal with Barcelonas Audiencia Court to prevent Jordi Sanchez from engaging in voluntary work outside the facility where he is serving his prison sentence. Not long ago the court of penitentiary supervision ruled that Sanchez was entitled to daytime leave in accordance with Article 100.2 of the Prison Service Rules and Regulations. Even though the former Catalan National Assembly leader is currently on lockdown in Catalonias Lledoners prison, before the COVID-19 outbreak Sanchez had begun to do voluntary work for an NGO dedicated to preventing social exclusion. Other Catalan political prisoners, such as Omnium Cultural president Jordi Cuixart and ERC leader Oriol Junqueras, were also working outside on weekdays.

The Catalan News Agency reports that in the appeal the Prosecutor insists that Jordi Sanchez is de facto being treated as a level 3 inmate, even though he is classed as level 2. The Prosecutors Office also claims that in order to allow a prisoner to do any voluntary work, this must necessarily bear some connection with the crimes he was convicted for. The statement points out that it is praiseworthy to spend some of ones free time doing community work, but when this becomes an alternative to staying in prison, the choice is obvious and lacks any merit.

The Prosecutor argues that any community work which Sanchez might be eligible for should necessarily be related to the rule of law. The appeal claims that doing voluntary work will not be a positive influence on the convicts shortcomings. Besides, it emphasises that Sanchez was sentenced to 9 years in prison for a serious crime. The Prosecutor concludes that if an inmate wont acknowledge his crimes and the error of his ways, social rehabilitation is an unlikely outcome. In his statement the Public Prosecutor is at pains to deny any intention of changing Sanchezs political views, contrary to the interpretation made by the court of penitentiary supervision in the judgement it issued following earlier appeals lodged by the Prosecutor. Indeed, Spains Public Prosecutor had already filed an appeal to remove the benefits granted to Jordi Sanchez by the Lledoners Prison Board. However, the judge was not convinced and upheld the Boards decision.

The same situation as Jordi Cuixart

This is not the first time that the Prosecutors Office appeals against prison privileges granted as per Article 100.2 It did so in the case of Jordi Cuixart, whose benefits were also endorsed by the court of penitentiary supervision. The arguments which the Prosecutor used in Cuixarts case were the same: the convict shows no remorse for his crimes and he is being granted privileges that would correspond to a level 2 inmate.

Sanchez and Cuixarts demands have been endorsed by a court, unlike the rest of the Catalan political prisoners, who are still waiting for a ruling from the court of penitentiary supervision. Now it is up to Barcelonas Audiencia Court to issue a definitive judgement as to whether Sanchez and Cuixart are entitled to have a job or do voluntary work outside prison.
Government says 100,000 people displaced following torrential rain in the western part of the country.

Floods and landslides caused by heavy rain in Kenya have killed nearly 200 people, displaced 100,000 and strained critical infrastructure, officials said on Wednesday.

The heavy rain, which accelerated in mid-April, is expected to continue in already hard-hit areas in the coming weeks, the Kenya Meteorological Department said in its most recent forecast. May usually marks the end of the rainy season.

In Budalangi, western Kenya, residents have had to carry their belongings away from their submerged houses using boats and motorbikes, after the River Nzoia burst its banks.

Government spokesman Cyrus Oguna said on Twitter that over the past three weeks, floods had displaced 100,000 people  complicating efforts to protect against the spread of the coronavirus, which has killed 24 people in the country.

The government is providing food and water to the displaced people and has also requested the Ministry of Health to provide them with masks as a precautionary measure.

Floods and landslides have been concentrated in western Kenya and have so far killed 194 people, Eugene Wamalwa, the minister in charge of relations between the regional leadership and the national government, said.

Yesterday alone, we have lost 30 people in a matter of 24 hours, Wamalwa said.

Evacuations

Energy Minister Charles Keter said the water levels at two major Kenyan dams were unprecedentedly high.

The two dams, Masinga and Turkwel, have a combined installed electricity generation capacity of 140MW, representing about 6 percent of Kenyas total installed capacity.

As Masinga also feeds into several other dams, officials advised people living near those downstream reservoirs to evacuate.

We are telling people who are downstream, Garissa all the way to Tana River  things are worsening, Keter said about residents of the two eastern counties.

We are asking them to move. Let them not wait for water, because this is historical.

Security officials were already evacuating residents in high-risk areas, Interior Minister Fred Matiangi added.

We are not waiting for people to move  we are moving some people away from danger, he said.

The government says the water levels at two major Kenyan dams were unprecedentedly high [Thomas Mukoya/Reuters]

Floods have also destroyed 8,000 acres (3,237.5 hectares) of ricefields, the cabinet secretary for water and irrigation, Sicily Kariuki, said.

Kenya was already facing a looming rice shortage due to shipping disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

Heavy rains and landslides could also lead to water shortages, Kariuki said.

The infrastructure to deliver water has been washed away  pipelines have been clogged, said Kariuki, asking residents of several cities, including the capital Nairobi, to use their water in a rational manner.
(CNN) -- Samsung's de facto leader Lee Jae-yong says he will not be handing the company's management over to his children.

The billionaire Samsung vice chairman, who is the son of former chairman Lee Kun-hee, made the announcement at a press conference in Seoul on Wednesday.

"I do not plan to pass down my role to my children," the younger Lee, who is also known as Jay Y. Lee, told reporters.

"This is something I have thought about for a long time but have been hesitant to express openly. It was because not only is the business environment difficult, but I felt it would be irresponsible to speak on succession issues when I myself have not been properly proven yet," he added. His father was left incapacitated by a heart attack in 2014.

Samsung is South Korea's biggest conglomerate. Its combined businesses are estimated to account for around 15% of the country's entire economy. Samsung Electronics, the biggest part of the group, is the world's leading smartphone maker and a vital supplier of memory chips and display screens.

Lee, who was jailed in 2017 after what many called the "trial of the century," also apologized for shortcomings in his leadership of the company. He was convicted of bribery linked to the company's succession and the downfall of former South Korean President Park Geun-hye.

Lee on Wednesday acknowledged that Samsung has "failed, at times, to meet society's expectations." He discussed some of the controversies the company has faced in recent years, including disputes over the forming of labor unions as well as his own criminal trial.

"This has been my fault," Lee said. "I offer my sincere apology."

The executive's remarks come after Samsung's independent compliance committee advised Lee to apologize over the handling of succession and labor.

While Lee was freed from prison in 2018, his case gripped South Korea for months. It was part of a huge influence-peddling scandal that brought down the government of former President Park.

Last August, South Korea's top court ordered a retrial for Lee, reigniting the case and raising concerns that the technology scion could be sent back to prison.

Lee's comments came just days after Samsung warned investors about growing headwinds for its business.

The company last week reported rising revenue and operating profit for the first quarter of the year, but it also cautioned that the months ahead would be painful as the coronavirus pandemic disrupts global supply chains, hurts smartphone demand and complicates the adoption of 5G technology.

 Sherisse Pham contributed to this report.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Chastened Samsung heir will not hand the company down to his children"
The Congress of Deputies voted on Wednesday to extend the state of alarm in Spain for another 15 days, maintaining the emergency powers this situation gives the government to deal with the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, of the Socialist Party (PSOE), first implemented the state of alarm on March 14. Todays extension is the fourth that has been authorized by Spains lower house of parliament.

Sanchezs request for an additional period until May 24 was met with growing objections from the opposition, and the prime minister, who heads a minority government in coalition with junior partner Unidas Podemos, was forced into last-minute negotiations to secure the simple majority of more yes than no votes he needed in the 350-strong Congress.

There are no absolutely correct decisions, but lifting the state of alarm now would be an absolute mistake Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez

We have managed a partial victory against the virus with everyones sacrifice, he told lawmakers at the start of the debate on Wednesday morning. We are not here by chance. Nobody gets it right all the time in such an unprecedented situation. There are no absolutely correct decisions, but lifting the state of alarm now would be an absolute mistake.

The government offered concessions to the center-right Ciudadanos (Citizens) and to the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) to ensure success even though the main opposition group, the Popular Party (PP), finally decided to withdraw its earlier support and abstain in the vote.

Sanchez, who announced this morning that the country will have an official period of mourning for its Covid-19 victims when most of the country is in Phase 1 of the deescalation, sought to underscore his message that the state of alarm is necessary to defeat the coronavirus and that this legal tool is not encroaching on citizens freedoms.

All rights remain intact, not a single liberty has been violated. Just two of them have been limited, freedom of movement and to ensure public health and save lives, he said. We need to limit freedom of movement a few weeks more. Sanchez insisted this is meant to prevent the spread of the virus, not as a ruse to curtail liberties.

But his words did not appear to convince PP leader Casado, who announced that because of the governments most recent concessions, his 88 lawmakers would abstain rather than cast no votes. Casado was highly critical of the government during his speech, telling Sanchez that the exceptional situation does not allow for a constitutional dictatorship. The conservative leader accused Sanchez of lying about the causes of the severe impact of the Covid-19 disease in Spain, and of manipulating its economic and social consequences.

You are trying to craft a tale thats outside reality in order to arrive at this unsettling new normality that youre trying to sell us. Dont bring us another extension in 15 days, because we wont approve it. We do not support this overstepping of legal boundaries that has turned into a covert state of exception, said Casado, alluding to the second of three emergency situations contemplated by the Spanish Constitution: state of alarm, exception and siege.

Vox leader Santiago Abascal addressing Congress on Wednesday. Ballesteros (EFE)

Vox leader Santiago Abascal struck a similar note, warning Sanchez that he will have to prepare for class action suits because of his mishandling of the crisis, and suggesting that the prime minister might soon face a vote of no confidence in Congress.

You, Mr Sanchez, are trying to blackmail this chamber into renewing a power that you have abused. Maintaining the state of alarm saves neither lives nor jobs. What would save lives and jobs would be a change of government, said the leader of Spains far-right party, which is the third largest group in Congress following the general election in November 2019.

Abascal also aimed a barrage of criticism at Deputy Prime Minister Pablo Iglesias of Unidas Podemos, whom he accused of wishing to introduce  a bolivarian regime in Spain, alluding to Venezuela under the populist leader Hugo Chavez.

A majority

Together with the votes from his coalition partner Unidas Podemos and a few small parties such as the Canaries Coalition, Sanchez counted on 178 affirmative ballots, which was an absolute majority. There were 75 votes against and 97 abstentions.

The Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), which has six representatives in Congress, announced on Wednesday morning that it would vote in favor of a fourth 15-day period, in exchange for a pledge from Sanchez that decisions on deescalation will be made in partnership with regional authorities, not decreed from Madrid.

The Socialist leader also clinched a deal with Ciudadanos leader Ines Arrimadas that included political and economic concessions, including weekly meetings to discuss deescalation measures and negotiating financial aid for self-employed workers once the state of alarm is over. Ciudadanos holds 10 seats in Congress.

The Catalan Republican Left (ERC), which was instrumental in getting Sanchez back into the prime ministers office and which had so far supported the extensions, decided to vote against rather than abstain this time around, as did two other separatist parties, Together for Catalonia (JxCat) and Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP).

Gabriel Rufian of ERC said that his party no longer supported a renewal of emergency powers because there are no health criteria to justify this state of alarm under a single command in Madrid, which does not take into account crucial territorial information. The territories should make decisions, out of pure efficiency. We say no to a sine die extension to not having rights.

Alarm or chaos

In a country that has been particularly hard hit by the coronavirus crisis, with 25,857 officially recognized deaths as of Wednesday, the government had been framing the situation as a choice between state of alarm or chaos.

The only tool to limit mobility and fight against Covid-19 is the extension of the state of alarm, insisted Sanchez in the Senate on Tuesday.

But some opposition groups were arguing that there are existing laws that could be used instead to retain central command over healthcare and curtail citizen mobility during the countrys ongoing phased deescalation.

There have also been calls for Sanchez to disassociate coronavirus relief measures from the state of alarm. Legal experts had warned that if the extension had failed in Congress, it could have meant that almost all the measures the government has introduced to address the coronavirus crisis would be immediately dismantled on May 9.

Spains system of two-week periods differs from the methods used by other European countries to implement their own emergency legislation. Italy decreed a state of emergency on January 31 for a six-month period, and France introduced it on March 23 for the space of two months.

Vox wants car protests against government Vox leader Santiago Abascal said in Congress today that his party will apply for permission to hold demonstrations against the government on the streets of Spains main cities. In order to respect social-distancing measures, the protests would be held inside vehicles rather than on foot. Abascal challenged the government to ban these protests, suggesting that if it did, it would prove that freedom of assembly is being violated under the state of alarm. Just come out and say it, say that you have banned freedom of assembly, and say that your only fear is fear of the people, that you are only trying to protect yourself from the Spanish people, he said. Besides accusing Prime Minister Sanchez of running a covert state of exception, Abascal lambasted Deputy Prime Minister Pablo Iglesias, of the leftist Unidas Podemos, whom he held responsible for the high number of coronavirus deaths in Spains senior residences. He described Iglesias as a denier of all the crimes of communism, that criminal ideology, and said that every time the Podemos leader takes the podium, millions of Spaniards see his pathological obsession with the 1930s.

English version by Susana Urra.
Kraftwerk co-founder Florian Schneider has died at the age of 73, Billboard has confirmed.

In a statement, his bandmate Ralf Hutter announced: 'The very sad news that his friend and companion over many decades Florian Schneider has passed away from a short cancer disease just a few days after his 73rd birthday.'

In February, the legendary German electro pioneers announced a North American tour to celebrate their 50th anniversary.

RIP: Kraftwerk co-founder Florian Schneider has died at the age of 73, Billboard has confirmed

The influential group - which has inspired artists from David Bowie to Kanye West and Daft Punk - planned to kick off the 27-date trek throughout the US and Canada in Seattle on June 19, with destinations including Los Angeles, New York and Chicago along with Vancouver and Montreal.

The act promised immersive '3-D Concerts' -- a concept launched in 2013 that fuses three-dimensional visuals and performance art with Kraftwerk's music catalog -- that will return stateside for the first time since 2016.

Florian and Ralf Hutter started Kraftwerk in Dusseldorf in 1970 as part of the experimental 'krautrock' movement, a broad genre blending psychedelic rock with electronic rhythms and early synthesizers.

The group, who famously said that they wanted to make music more as machines than as men, quickly gained international recognition for industrial sounds, sparse arrangements and computerised beats that provided a blueprint for later genres including electro, hip hop, techno and synthpop.

Farewell: In a statement, his bandmate Ralf Hutter announced: 'The very sad news that his friend and companion over many decades Florian Schneider has passed away from a short cancer disease just a few days after his 73rd birthday (Florian pictured 2004)

Iconic: Florian and Ralf Hutter started Kraftwerk in Dusseldorf in 1970 as part of the experimental 'krautrock' movement, a broad genre blending psychedelic rock with electronic rhythms and early synthesizers (pictured 1973)

Kraftwerk - whose major albums include 'Autobahn,' 'Trans-Europe Express' and 'The Man-Machine' - were honoured in 2014 with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement award.

The notoriously reclusive act has been a major contributor to music technology, constructing homemade instruments and devices to craft its innovative sound.

Florian did not perform on any of the dates for Kraftwerk's 2008 world tour and was replaced by Stefan Plaffe.

An associate of the group said that Florian left Kraftwerk in November 2008, with his departure confirmed by NME in January 2009.

Success: The group, who famously said that they wanted to make music more as machines than as men, quickly gained international recognition (pictured in 1981)

Florian's exit from the band came with no explanation and from then on he kept a low profile.

Speaking in 2009, Ralf said his ex-bandmate 'worked for many, many years on other projects: speech synthesis, and things like that. He was not really involved in Kraftwerk for many, many years.'

Three years ago, he insisted that he had 'not really' communicated with Florian since he quit the group.

Departure: Florian's exit from the band came with no explanation and from then on he kept a low profile (pictured in 1971)

One of his last pieces of music came in 2015, when he teamed up with producer Dan Lacksman on 'Stop Plastic Pollution', to raise awareness for the climate crisis.

He stated that the track was about 'taking a swim in the ocean at the coasts of Ghana, watching fishermen catch nothing but plastic garbage in their nets'.

Tributes poured in for the musician following the news of his death from figures including Gary Kemp, Midge Ure and Jeremy Vine.

Paying respects: Tributes poured in for the musician following the news of his death

Taking to Twitter, Gary wrote: 'Such an important influence upon so much of the music we know, from Bowie, to electronica, much of the 80s and beyond into modern techno and rap, Florian Schneider was forging a new Metropolis of music for us all to live in. RIP.'

Midge Ure simply wrote: 'Way ahead of his time' while director Edgar Wright said: 'To say he was massively influential and changed the very sound of music, is somehow still an understatement. RIP, Florian Schneider, founder member of Kraftwerk.'

Jeremy Vine encouraged people to go and listen to Kraftwerk's album 'Autobahn', a record that sounds 'far ahead of its time in 2020'.

Founder of The Human League and Heaven 17 Martyn Ware wrote: 'The Future, The Human League, B.E.F. and Heaven 17 would never have existed without Florian Schneider and Kraftwerk'.
BEIJING, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Sogou Inc. (NYSE: SOGO) ("Sogou" or "the Company"), an innovator in search and a leader in China's internet industry, today announced that it will report its first quarter 2020 unaudited financial results on Monday, May 18, 2020 before U.S. market hours.

Sogou's management team will host a conference call at 6:30am U.S. Eastern Time, (6:30pm Beijing/Hong Kong time) on May 18, 2020, following the quarterly results announcement.

The dial-in details for the live conference call are:

U.S. Toll Free: +1-888-317-6003 Mainland China Toll Free: 4001-206115 Hong Kong Toll Free: 800-963976 Hong Kong Local Toll: +852-580-81995 International: +1-412-317-6061 Passcode: 0996007

Please dial in 10 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin. When prompted, ask to be connected to the Sogou Inc. call and provide the passcode.

A replay of the conference call may be accessed by phone at the following number until May 25, 2020:

International: +1-412-317-0088 Passcode: 10143626

A live webcast and archive of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations section of Sogou's website at http://ir.sogou.com.

About Sogou

Sogou Inc. (NYSE: SOGO) is an innovator in search and a leader in China's internet industry. With a mission to make it easy to communicate and get information, Sogou has grown to become the second-largest search engine by mobile queries and the fourth largest internet company by MAU in China. Sogou has a wide range of innovative products and services, including the Sogou Input Method, which is the largest Chinese language input software for both mobile and PC. Sogou is also at the forefront of AI development and has made significant breakthroughs in voice and image technologies, machine translation, and Q&A, which have been successfully integrated into our products and services.

For investor enquiries, please contact:

Jessie Zheng

Sogou Investor Relations

Tel: +86 10 5689 8068

Email: [email protected]

For media enquiries, please contact:

Yadan Ouyang

Brunswick Group

Tel: +86 10 5960 8600

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Sogou Inc.

Related Links

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The far-right leader is also facing a political crisis that has triggered calls for his impeachment.

Waving and pumping his fists, Brazilian President Jair Bolosonaro cheered hundreds of his far-right supporters outside the presidential palace on Sunday, who called for the return of military rule in the country and an end to the quarantine measures imposed to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.

This is a spontaneous demonstration, he said in a Facebook livestream that lasted more than an hour.

The people are with us, the armed forces who are in line with the law, order, democracy and freedom are also on our side, he said, amid the sound of a bullhorn and the loud roar of protesters huddled together, many not wearing masks, while cheering and waving large Brazilian flags.

Following the comments, the Defence Ministry put out a rare statement countering Bolsonaros claim, saying that the armed forces were on the side of democracy, the separation of powers and of Brazils constitution.

This latest fracture comes as Bolsonaro faces widespread criticism over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and amid a political crisis that has triggered calls for his impeachment. Analysts say that while the former army captain still maintains enough support to heed off the impeachment threat, he is treading lightly and continues to risk further isolation.

Moment of crisis

Bolsonaro, who has referred to the coronavirus as the little flu and interacted with supporters without a face mask, has argued that the economic fallout of lockdown measures would be deadlier than the virus itself.

He has also actively encouraged people to defy social distancing measures put in place by state governors, calling on people to return to work and take part in large gatherings, even after the number of COVID-19 cases in the country surpassed 100,000, with more than 7,900 deaths.

Bolsonaro made the decision that he would argue that the economic cost would be larger than the healthcare cost, which given what the pandemic has shown around the world, is not necessarily true, said Filipe Carvalho, a Brazil analyst with the Eurasia Group.

Supporters of far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro taking part in a protest against social distancing and quarantine measures, recommended by Sao Paulos governor Joao Doria [Amanda Perobelli/Reuters]

In mid-April, Bolsonaro fired Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta, a popular public figure, following disagreement over measures to tackle the coronavirus outbreak.

Mandetta, like most health experts, had recommended that social distancing be imposed across the country  a move Bolsonaro fiercely opposed. The president replaced Mandetta with an advocate for reopening the economy, prompting protests by residents who banged on pots and pans out of windows and balconies demanding that Boslonaro resign.

That anger has only been compounded by a major political crisis that escalated at the end of last month.

Bolsonaros justice minister, Sergio Moro, resigned in late April, accusing the president of interfering in an investigation and firing the federal police chief for personal and political reasons.

In a scathing 45-minute televised presentation, Moro accused the president of seeking to interfere in investigations that involved two of Bolsonaros sons, and had requested access to intelligence files. Moro also said that Bolsonaro had pressed him to replace the chief of the federal police with someone who would be a personal contact of the president. The comments triggered calls to impeach Bolsonaro  a move supported by nearly half of Brazilians, according to the most recent Datafolha survey.

Bolsonaro denied Moros accusations and said he had the authority to replace federal police officials. But the Supreme Court authorised an investigation into the allegations that Bolsonaro tried to interfere in the work of the countrys federal police force for political motives.

This is a real moment of crisis for Bolsonaro, said Anya Prusa, senior associate at the Brazil Institute in the Wilson Center.

He was already isolated because of widespread disapproval among former political allies and members of the political establishment regarding his response to the coronavirus, Prusa told Al Jazeera. When he pushed Sergio Moro to resign, it isolated him even further.

Once a close ally of Bolsonaro, Moro is a popular figure in Brazil and has won public trust due to his track record on fighting corruption.

Bolsonaro took to Twitter to blast Moro as Judas, in reference to the Biblical apostle who betrayed Jesus.

Brazils Justice Minister Sergio Moro speaking during a news conference in Brasilia, Brazil [Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters]

Days later, Bolsonaro tried to appoint Alexandre Ramagem, a family friend who took charge of the presidents security after he was stabbed on the campaign trail in 2018. He has been running the Brazilian Intelligence Agency since July. But Bolsonaro had to withdraw Ramagems name, after the Supreme Court blocked the appointment, arguing it would allow him to have inappropriate influence over law enforcement.

Bolsonaro then named and swore in a brief closed-door ceremony Rolando Alexandre Souza, another family friend.

Not very vulnerable

Despite the political crises and outrage over his handling of the coronavirus outbreak, some analysts say Bolsonaro is not under imminent threat of impeachment, though he may be treading a fine line.

He is not very vulnerable, said Thiago de Arago, director of strategy at Arko Advice.

He still has a level of popular support and alliances in the parliament that protect him against impeachment, de Arago told Al Jazeera. But this can change, the more he challenges the severity of the virus and the more the virus shows its severity, this will lead him to become further weakened.

According to a Datafolha survey published on April 28, 38 percent of Brazilians disapprove of the government, while 33 percent said they approved.

People wearing face masks standing on the marks for social distancing outside the Caixa public bank, as they wait to receive emergency aid given by the federal government in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil [Pilar Olivares/Reuters]

An indictment of the president would have to be approved by the lower house of Congress before a trial could move ahead to the Supreme Court. The House, however, is dominated by Bolsonaros allies and is unlikely to approve an indictment.

Nothing has coalesced enough to make impeachment an immediate threat, said Jessica Rich, assistant professor at Department of Political Science Marquette University. Everything is in flux, he has lost a lot of support and has a lot of enemies.

Others warn, however, it may only be a matter of time before Brazil witnesses a real turning point, one where more lives and Bolsonaros leadership may be at stake.

It is a situation that is still unfolding, so we dont entirely know where it is going to go, but it is clear that this is going to be a disaster for Brazil, the Wilson Centers Prusa said.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP)  Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday outlined a five-phase plan for re-opening the state as the threat from COVID-19 subsides, but there were no surprises  the speech with which people may resume former activities remains dependent on vigilance against the coronavirus.

Under pressure to show signs of a return to normalcy, the Democrat unveiled Restore Illinois, which indicates that the state has already entered the plan's second phase. It's defined by loosened restrictions on the governor's stay-at-home order, allowing more social interaction while wearing face coverings.

But while some states moved aggressively last week to reopen commerce and in Illinois, spring-like weather lured frustrated home-bound residents outside and into crowds, Pritzker made clear that the Restore plan is a long way from high gear.

We all have a passionate desire to return to the sense of normalcy that we felt before the world knew of COVID-19," Pritzker said in Chicago. Heres the truth and I dont like it any more than you do: Until we have a vaccine, or an effective treatment or enough widespread immunity that new cases fail to materialize, the option of returning to normalcy doesnt exist.

Pritzker has previously said reopening depends on a consistent, 14-day drop in new COVID-19 cases. There 2,122 new cases Tuesday, the eighth straight day over 2,000, for a total of 65,962. And just a day after 46 deaths were reported, the lowest in weeks, there were 176, bringing the death toll to 2,838.

For the most part, the outline puts on paper the plans Pritzker has discussed in daily briefings for weeks and merely provides for those anxious to restart the economy a road map toward relief. Those looking for beginning dates to mark on calendars will be disappointed.

The phases correlate with hospital bed occupancy remaining steady, medical facilities remaining on guard for disease surges, contact tracing to map the spread of the disease well underway, and in the later stages, testing for COVID-19 must broadly available regardless of symptoms or preexisting conditions.

But the phases also apply differently to four regions of the state  northeastern, north-central, central and southern Illinois. Where there are lower rates of infection or other positive signs, a region may move into a subsequent phase ahead of a neighboring zone.

However, the plan is not one-directional. As experts predict a surge in new cases from states reopening too quickly or from a natural wave in the fall, theres nothing preventing a region's return to an earlier phase.

Moving backward is honestly the last thing that anyone wants to do, Pritzker said. But if the virus begins to attack or the healthcare systems are heading toward becoming overwhelmed in any region, swift action will need to be taken."

The words had a particular foreboding, given remarks earlier in Washington from Vice President Mike Pence and Dr. Deborah Birx, the nation's coronavirus response coordintor. Birx said White House officials still remain concerned about the increased cases in Chicago."

Pence said he spoke by telephone to Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who told him of encouraging signs in hospitalization numbers. But Pence said, Were watching Chicago very carefully. Chicago is still very much top of mind for us.

Phase 1 of Pritzker's Restore Illinois plan, labeled Rapid Spread, outlines the closed schools and economy that characterized COVID-19's Illinois debut during March and April. As the speedy rise in the number of cases has entered a Flattening stage, Phase 2 allows some outdoor activities with the suggested social distance between people of 6 feet.

In the third phase, Recovery, many sectors of the economy would re-open with limits on crowd size and a continued face-covering requirement for those out in public who can't maintain 6 feet of separation.

But restaurants and bars don't start serving again until Phase 4, when travel and child care resume and schools re-open. The last phase, Illinois Restored, isn't ushered in until there's a vaccine or an effective treatment.

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.

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Check out more of the APs coronavirus coverage at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

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Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed from Washington, D.C.

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Follow Political Writer John OConnor at https://twitter.com/apoconnor
Rep. Lee In-young, outgoing floor leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), expresses his gratitude after receiving a flower bouquet from party Chairman Lee Hae-chan for his one-year service during a party meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday. During his term, the DPK secure 163 parliamentary seats in last month's general election. The ruling party plans to select a new floor leader today. / Yonhap
Most of the remaining tough decisions that will shape how the coronavirus outbreak will play out on United States soil will be made in state capitals  not Washington.

That was the message over and over during White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnanys second press briefing, as she time and again put the onus for a list of unresolved issued on state governors.

We have this beautiful concept called federalism. Its a governors decision, Ms McEnany said when pressed about why some state leaders are not following Trump administration-crafted guidelines for reopening states.

Mr Trump has shifted in recent weeks from focusing publicly on the federal effort to deal with the outbreak of the respiratory disease to a message focused almost exclusively on revving up the US economy, which has been crippled by Covid-19. Once gearing up for a re-election campaign based on a strong economy, Mr Trump is now trying to run against former vice president Joe Biden with record unemployment just six months from election day.

Some decisions, however, will be made by unelected officials  not governors or even the mayors of cities. An example is whether or not to wear a mask in public.

Doing so is recommended by the Trump administration, but thats the choice of the individual, Ms McEnany said as the White House faces accusations from Democratic leaders that it is essentially passing the buck to state and local leaders.

The president has said governors have the freedom to make decisions on keeping restrictions in place in their states or lifting them, she said.

She was pressed about what several specific governors are doing, some breaking from the White Houses suggested mitigation or reopening guidelines. Each time, she put responsibility to make  and, by extension, any potential negative fallout  squarely on those state leaders shoulders.

The governor is free to reach out to us. We are happy to consult with regard to specifics, she said.

Ms McEnany insisted during her opening statement that the president has always listened to health experts. Democratic officials contend the opposite is true, however.

During an exchange with reporters earlier in the Oval Office, Mr Trump called Rick Bright, the ousted former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, who on Tuesday filed a complaint saying he was ousted for pushing back against the presidents policies a disgruntled guy.

He sidestepped a question about whether he intended to slap new tariffs on China due to what he says is a cover up by the government there of the Covid-19 outbreak. But told reporters he would have more to say on the topic by the end of next week and suggested he was unhappy with Beijing because it was not buying US farm products at the rate Xi Jinping agreed to in a recent trade pact.

Ms McEnany was pressed to define the current US-China relationship. She called it one of disappointment and frustration.

White House foes have warned the president and his allies would try to discredit another whistleblower to damp down any public pressure to both reinstate Mr Bright and avoid directly addressing the red flags he has waved about the administrations Covid-19 response.

There are now at least 72,000 dead in the United States due to the coronavirus, with at least 1.2 million cases, according to Johns Hopkins University.

Some critics of the president contend he is playing a political game, and is paying less and less attention to the health crisis.

Trump is counting on the notoriously short attention span of American voters  after all, who remembers kids in cages, Hurricane Maria, Russian interference in 2016 or impeachment? Who will remember he grossly mismanaged a pandemic by November? I hope we disappoint him this time, tweeted Joyce Vance, a former United States attorney who now teaches at the University of Alabama.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, told MSNBC she has calculated that Mr Trump has essentially washed his hands of the Covid-19 pandemic and has declared victory even as it continues to spread, including to rural areas.

But at the White House, Mr Trump and his new top spokeswoman were in full campaign mode, referring to Americans as warriors for staying home and adhering to other anti-coronavirus suggestions and orders.

Theyre warriors because they stayed home. Theyre warriors because theyve social distanced, Ms McEnany said, echoing her boss by declaring the United States is engaged in a war with an invisible enemy.
The family of terminally ill woman Janet Tracey (above) won a landmark legal case over 'do not resuscitate' (DNR) notices. They have now threatened legal action against the Government over fears seriously ill Covid-19 patients' human rights are being ignored

The family of a terminally ill woman who won a landmark legal case over 'do not resuscitate' (DNR) notices have threatened legal action against the Government over concerns seriously ill coronavirus patients' human rights in care homes and hospitals are being ignored.

Kate Masters said the decision-making process around DNRs had 'become opaque, inconsistent and deficient' in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ms Masters's late father David Tracey had brought a successful judicial review establishing a violation of his late wife Janet's human rights while she was treated in Addenbrooke's Hospital, in Cambridge, after a fatal car crash in 2011.

In June 2014, the Court of Appeal ruled that the human rights of 63-year-old care home manager and grandmother Mrs Tracey, who had terminal lung cancer, were violated when a DNR order was placed on her medical notes without discussing it with her first.

More than 5,000 care home residents have died from Covid-19 in the UK. Official data shows care home deaths account for more than a third of all fatalities.

Ms Masters said she was prompted into action after becoming concerned that DNRs were being imposed in 'seemingly blanket ways, without consultation with patients or their families and [there was] a great amount of confusion within the general public over the need for consent'.

Her family's case in 2014 established there was a legal duty to consult with and inform patients if a DNR order was placed on their records except in very narrow circumstances.

It comes amid concerns from care organisations that elderly people across the nation are being pressured into signing DNR forms.

Kate Masters said the decision-making process around DNRs had 'become opaque' in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Ms Masters's late father David Tracey had brought a successful judicial review establishing a violation of his late wife Janet's human rights while she was treated in Addenbrooke's Hospital, in Cambridge, after a car crash in 2011. Above, Mr Tracey at the Royal Courts of Justice in 2014, with Kate (r) and another of his daughters, Alison Noeland

In a letter before legal action formally commences, Ms Masters called on Health Secretary Matt Hancock to ensure that patients' human rights were protected by reminding NHS trusts that blanket DNRs were unlawful

'Please do not exclude me!': The tragic case of Janet Tracey's DNR Despite Janet Tracey's poor prognosis after the car crash in 2011, her family said at the time that she had 'a strong will to live' and 'wanted to have every minute of every day' for her four daughters and seven grandchildren. Mrs Tracey, 63 - who already had terminal lung cancer - had told doctors she wished to be included in conversations about her care, and even wrote a note to one consultant from her hospital bed which said 'Please do not exclude me' and 'I will do my damnedest'. So she was 'distraught' and 'horrified' to discover that a DNR order had been placed on her notes without her knowledge. When Mrs Tracey objected, it was cancelled by Addenbrooke's staff, but it was reinstated days later following discussions with the family after her condition deteriorated, and she passed away on March 7, 2011. Advertisement

In a letter before legal action formally commences, Ms Masters called on Health Secretary Matt Hancock to ensure that patients' human rights were protected by reminding NHS trusts that blanket DNRs were unlawful.

She said without action from the Government, Covid-19 patients were 'at a considerable risk of having a DNR imposed on them without full information being given in advance, without a proper consultation and without any information as to what to do if the decision is disagreed with'.

The letter, from legal firm Leigh Day on behalf of Ms Masters, said: 'Trusts and staff are under unprecedented burdens with the day-to-day management of healthcare provision, giving rise to a real risk of local inconsistency and arbitrariness as to decision-making procedures in the absence of clear national policy.'

It also draws on Ms Masters's concerns for her own situation were she to be admitted to hospital.

The letter said: 'The proposed claimant is 53-years-old, with diabetes, fibromyalgia and an underactive thyroid.

'She is frightened that by reason of her underlying health condition and in the current pandemic with the well-publicised pressure on resources, she (and many others in similar circumstances) are at risk of having a DNA imposed on her without the requisite consultation and information which is necessary for the protection of her (human) rights.'

Janet Tracey had told doctors she wished to be included in conversations about her care, and even wrote a note to one consultant from her hospital bed which said 'Please do not exclude me' and 'I will do my damnedest'. So she was 'distraught' and 'horrified' to discover that a DNR order had been placed on her notes without her knowledge. (File image, Addenbrooke's)

In a statement, Ms Masters said: 'I have watched with alarm as reports of blanket DNR orders in care homes and failures to consult with patients and their families have been reported in the news since the start of the coronavirus crisis.

'After all that my dad did to fight to clarify the law regarding DNRs, I am determined to ensure that my human rights and those of others are not breached due to a lack of government direction.'

Merry Varney, Ms Masters's solicitor, added: 'Healthcare professionals are already overburdened.

'Our client believes it is time for the Government to step up and give national guidance that will ensure consistent and lawful decision-making at a local level and also ensure patients' fundamental human rights are being upheld.'

The legal firm said Ms Masters would consider bringing a judicial review if she did not receive a satisfactory response from the Government.

Deaths of 14 residents of Scottish care home are linked to Covid-19 A Scottish care home has confirmed the deaths of 14 residents are being linked to coronavirus. Six people who died at Methven House, in Kirkcaldy, Fife since the start of April, had tested positive for the virus and eight more were not tested but were believed to have died of Covid-19, said Colin Smart, managing director of Kingdom Homes, which runs 12 care homes in Fife. Mr Smart said six members of staff had also tested positive but that all had either recovered or were recovering. A Scottish care home has confirmed the deaths of 14 residents are being linked to coronavirus. Six people who died at Methven House, in Kirkcaldy, Fife since the start of April, had tested positive for the virus and eight more were not tested but were believed to have died of Covid-19 Meanwhile, Fife Labour MSP Alex Rowley has called on all private care home providers to come clean on the number of coronavirus deaths in their facilities amid concerns of an 'unfolding nightmare' in the region. Mr Rowley said he was struggling to see who was responsible for ensuring the overall safety of privately-run care homes and questioned why health and social care staff were not routinely tested for the virus. He has also called for more support for 'stressed and frightened' staff. Health secretary Jeane Freeman said the Scottish Government's capacity to intervene in the practices of private care homes was limited. She also announced that routine testing of health and social care staff in Scotland had not been ruled out. 'Since the weekend, enhanced outbreak investigations are being carried out in care homes where there has been a confirmed case of Covid-19,' she said. 'In these instances, all residents and staff are offered testing whether they are symptomatic or not. The enhanced outbreak investigations also include other homes if that facility is part of a group or chain. 'There is also sample testing at care homes where there have been no cases as part of our surveillance work.' Ms Freeman said guidance had been issued to all care homes on March 13 to ensure residents were looked after in their own rooms and that appropriate infection prevention and control measures were in place. Advertisement

Hidden epidemic of coronavirus in care homes - where more than 5,000 have died from the killer bug

Coronavirus deaths in care homes are not inevitable, a report has warned amid fears the killer virus has claimed the lives of thousands of Britain's most vulnerable.

Researchers at the London School of Economics have highlighted exactly where the UK has fallen short of protecting some 400,000 care home residents and staff.

More than 5,000 care home residents have died from Covid-19. Official data shows care home deaths account for more than a third of all fatalities.

The UK's total fatalities has reached 29,876. The Government added deaths outside hospital, such as in care homes, in their tallies only until April 30

The LSE report highlights how the UK Government's response has been different to other countries, taking a reactive approach rather than precautionary measures to prevent an outbreak.

In contrast, Hong Kong - which took action to prevent a crisis early on - has recorded no official deaths in care homes.

In some cases, swab tests have been limited to six residents with symptoms per care home, forcing staff to make assumptions on who may have the killer infection.

Carers are allowed to continue working even if they have had contact with a positive case, while in Germany a 14-day self isolation period is compulsory.

In South Korea, where total and care home deaths have been relatively low, regular temperature checks are taken of residents. A fever is one of the tell-tale symptoms.

Similarly in Hong Kong, residents are self-isolating even if there is no outbreak and must wear a face mask if they leave their room.

It comes as experts believe deaths are being hugely under-reported because of a lack of testing.

GPs may also have been reluctant to write Covid-19 on death certificates in the outbreak's early stages and figures from care homes are not included in the official daily toll.

By the time official sources had confirmed 217 care homes deaths, up to April 3, industry figures were saying the true count was much higher  potentially 4,000 between that date and the start of the outbreak.

Campaigners and MPs warned of an 'unfolding horror' that could end up with tens of thousands of forgotten victims.

Ministers faced urgent calls to get a grip and get virus tests for all staff and residents with symptoms, more protection gear and a Cabinet minister to deal with the crisis.

Care home operators complained they were being overlooked, left desperate by shortages of testing and staff safety equipment, which made it difficult to stop the disease.
In a rare incident, a woman gave birth to a baby girl in the car with the help of police personnel. The lady was on the way to the hospital when the car broke down and she went into labour.

According to Asian News International, the womans car broke down at Akhilya Circle in Jodhpur.

Speaking to the news agency, Preeti Chandra, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West), Rajasthan said, On May 4, a woman with her husband were on their way from Barmer district to Jodhpur for delivery when their car broke down at Akhilya Circle, Jodhpur. At that time the woman went into labour.

Though the lady constable present at the scene immediately called for a doctor and nurse, the delivery had to be done with the help of police Constables before the medical staff could reach, she added.

As per a Times of India report, the woman has given birth to a baby girl. The police officials had set up a tent so that the delivery can take place. Later, the mother and the baby were shifted to a nearby hospital for required medical attention. Currently, both of them are in healthy condition.

Speaking to the daily, Shaitan Singh, womans brother thanked the police officials for their support.

I am grateful to the police. Because of them, the lives of my sister and her child could be saved, he said.
ALBANY  Ten-year-old Myroslava "Mira" Chumakova has lived in Ukrainian orphanages since she was a toddler, surrounded by dozens of other children, seeking new families and new homes.

That was all supposed to change for Mira, in the middle of March.

That's when Albany resident Theresa Grimes, 53, boarded a plane in Newark, New Jersey, on March 13 for the 10 hours of travel to Kiev, Ukraine. It was the fourth time that she flew to the eastern European country, but this time she planned to return home with Mira, her newly adopted daughter, to join her husband, Michael, and their eight biological sons.

But Theresa Grimes never made it to Mira on that trip. About a day after she arrived in Kiev, Grimes was contacted by a U.S. Embassy representative to tell her that the borders were closing because of the COVID-19 pandemic and that she could end up stuck in Ukraine indefinitely if she didn't leave the country immediately.

Grimes made the difficult decision to return home to Albany without Mira, who has epilepsy and cerebral palsy. Two other American families that work with the same adoption organization as Grimes and her family also had to turn around and head back to the states.

It was the hardest decision I have ever made in my life, Grimes said. It was devastating.  It was also hard that she knew she was supposed to be coming home.

In early February, a court in Ukraine approved Mira's adoption by Theresa Grimes, a customer services agent for Southwest Airlines, and Michael Grimes, 53, a branch manager at American Financial Network Inc., a mortgage firm.

After arriving on the March trip, Theresa Grimes planned on making the six-hour train ride through the rural countryside to Mira. The plan was that they would then finish the final steps of the adoption, which included a medical exam and Miras visa being issued at the U.S. Embassy in Kiev, Theresa Grimes recalled.

But more than a month later, Mira remains in Ukraine, with little contact with her new family.

The Grimes family is not alone. Families in New York and those across the country have seen their plans to adopt children overseas stalled because of the coronavirus.

Our international adoption program is very small, but everyone in the program is affected in some way, said Michele Fried, founder and CEO of Adoption STAR, Inc., an adoption agency in New York, Florida and Ohio, of which the Grimeses are clients.

Another example from New York, Fried said, is a family in the western part of the state who may not be able to bring home the boy they hope to adopt because he is very medically fragile and the risk of travel during the COVID-19 pandemic may be too great, even if it is permitted. He is a teenager in Bulgaria and his prospective parents fear he will not be approved for adoption even after the health crisis passes.

On March 19, days after Theresa Grimes returned home, the U.S. Department of State advised U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel. The risks associated with the health crisis, as well as the closure of many foreign government services to process adoptions and complex travel logistics, have caused many families to postpone their scheduled travel for intercountry adoption. The department continues to strongly encourage prospective parents to defer travel overseas, according to a State Department official.

Still, intercountry adoption cases remain a high priority for the Department of State.

As resources allow, embassies and consulates worldwide are continuing to provide emergency and mission critical services, including for families in the process of completing adoptions, the official said.

Since March 25, the department is aware of 39 American families who have returned to the U.S. with their internationally adopted children, the official said.

Adoptions in New York have also faced some challenges, including accessing necessary paperwork because agencies and institutions are closed. New policies at hospitals around childbirth and infant discharge, and closed courts, where adoptions are finalized, also have added to the delays.

Fried said the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting all kinds of adoption and adding to the trauma children already face.

Now these children will wait longer, adding to their trauma, some will age out, meaning they will be considered too old for adoptive placement, and never have a forever family," she said. The impact of COVID-19 is profound, affecting all areas of adoption and child welfare, but most immediately its effects on international adoption may prove to be devastating for a childs chances to be adopted.

Recently, the Grimes family was able to video chat with Mira for her birthday. She turned 10 on April 28.

She was so delighted, Theresa Grimes said. I was very happy to be able to talk to her, thrilled to get my eyes on her. She was in good spirits.

The Grimes family also works with the Massachusetts-based organization, Hand of Help in Adoption, which advocates for the adoption of orphans from Ukraine. The organization helps facilitate the adoption process both stateside and in Ukraine. Their work includes helping the families compile the many documents they need, as well as navigating through the Ukrainian court system.

Nancy Thornell, the organizations family liaison, said Ukraine will have its borders closed until at least May 22, but is optimistic that eventually the restrictions will be lifted.

The Grimeses dont know when they will be united with their new daughter. As of now, Theresa Grimes said she was being cautiously optimistic for June or July.

I hope once Im on the other side of this, itll just be part of her story, she said. I hope its not causing more trauma to her.

But she also said she understands that sacrifices must be made during this health pandemic.

Hopefully this is a life lesson for our children about sacrifice, pulling together and sometimes things do not go as planned but to push through until the end, she said. As hard as it was to leave without her, I am hopeful that her new life with our family will be amazing. We are looking forward to celebrating our new normal with Mira as soon as it is safe to go get her.

Mackenzie Rigg is a Columbia County-based freelance writer.
Rep. Shim Jae-cheol, center, acting head of the main opposition United Future Party, speaks during a party meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday. The party has to decide whether to merge with its satellite Future Korea Party as it promised before the April 15 general election. Yonhap



By Kim Rahn



Opinion is divided among members of the main opposition United Future Party (UFP) over whether to merge with its satellite Future Korea Party (FKP) as initially planned, as some believe that that separation could be more advantageous to the opposition bloc.



The UFP set up the satellite party in February ahead of the April 15 general election after the implementation of a new electoral system which was intended to give minor parties more chances to gain National Assembly seats.



The UFP sent dozens of its party members to the satellite party, promising the two groups would merge once the election was over.



However, this plan has now become complicated after the FKP gained 19 seats: if the UFP, with 84 elected members, sends at least one of them to the satellite party, the latter will have 20 lawmakers, which will allow it to become a "negotiation group."



Some UFP and FKP members are now considering not merging but instead leaving the minor party as its own entity. The FKP is the third-largest party following the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the UFP, and some in the conservative bloc believe that the two conservative parties working together, instead of merging, will provide more ways to keep the ruling bloc in check.



If it becomes a negotiation group, the FKP can receive a government subsidy, separate from the UFP's share, according to the law on the National Assembly. It will also have the benefit of being entitled to recommend candidates for head positions of some government organizations.



The two conservative parties are especially focused on the selection of the chief candidate for a soon-to-be launched investigative body that will handle corruption cases involving high-ranking officials, which the UFP has opposed, claiming the new body will favor the current administration. According to the law governing the organization, the ruling and opposition parties can recommend two candidates each for the chairperson position. If the FKP remains on its own, the UFP and the FKP will be more likely to have influence over both candidates reserved for the opposition.



But others are pushing for a swift merger, considering the creation of the FKP was "foul play" to gain more seats under the new electoral system. They say changing the stance and not merging will be another underhanded move, and will result in more public distrust of the UFP which experienced a crushing defeat in the general election.





Rep. Won Yoo-chul of the Future Korea Party, center, speaks during a party meeting at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday. He said his party would discuss a merger with the main opposition United Future Party, once the latter selects a new leader. Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-geun
EU offers more aid, membership to Balkans in riposte to China, Russia EU Council President Charles Michel meets with leaders from Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Kosovo in Brussels

By Robin Emmott

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's 27 leaders on Wednesday gave their "unequivocal support" for the six Balkan countries to eventually become members of the bloc and offered them more financial support as Brussels seeks to check Chinese largesse.

The EU says it has not been given enough credit for the 3.3 billion euros ($3.6 billion) it is providing, an amount officials said outweighs medical supplies Beijing and Moscow sent to Serbia and Bosnia in the early phase of the coronavirus pandemic.

The summit, planned for the Croatian capital Zagreb 20 years after the first ever EU-Balkan gathering, took place by video, linking the heads of Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and North Macedonia with the 27 EU leaders.

Still scarred by 1990s wars, all six countries aspire to join the EU, though the response to the COVID-19 disease dominated discussions on Wednesday.

"The EU once again reaffirms its unequivocal support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans," the leaders of EU institutions and EU governments said in a final declaration, a reference to future membership once reforms are undertaken.

The leaders promised a "robust economic and investment plan" for the Balkans to help recover from the coronavirus crisis on top of the 3.3 billion euros.

China and Russia flew doctors and medical supplies to Bosnia and Serbia in March to help halt spreading of the coronavirus at a time when the EU's initial response was slow.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who at the time publicly thanked President Xi Jinping and the Chinese people, said on Wednesday in a statement that he was grateful for EU help.

Asked by reporters after the summit if Balkan leaders should show more praise for the European Union, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said: "their objective is the European Union and this summit is helping them to go in the right direction."

Story continues

The final summit declaration also demanded that Balkan countries follow EU foreign policy objectives, a veiled reference to concerns about countries aligning themselves too closely to Russia and China, which the EU says does not offer the same path towards becoming prosperous democracies.

"The EU reiterates its calls on all partners to progress towards full alignment with EU foreign policy positions, notably on issues where major common interests are at stake, and to act accordingly," the summit declaration said.

BATTLE FOR INFLUENCE

After years of neglect, the six countries now have the attention of EU governments, who have been worried about Chinese and Russian influence in the region for several years and a slide towards authoritarianism, corruption and organised crime.

U.S. democracy watchdog group Freedom House said in a report this week that Serbia and Montenegro could no longer be classed as developing democracies but rather "hybrid regimes" without proper checks and balances on executive power.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned in November that if the EU did not do more, "others will". On Wednesday, summit chair European Council President Charles Michel said the EU needed to be more active in the region.

The Serb member of Bosnia's tripartite presidency, Milorad Dodik, praised Russia last month, criticising Brussels for initially limiting exports of medical aid to non-EU members, although he later softened his language.

"This Zagreb summit sends a strong message  EU 27 are committed to the region," Michel said.

In March, North Macedonia and Albania won approval to start EU membership talks after a two-year delay, helping to counter a sense in the region that hopes of joining the bloc were fading.

To add to the problems, five EU countries do not recognise Kosovo's independence, including Spain.

At the summit, all leaders appeared against neutral backgrounds to avoid insignia that one EU official said "would make the video conference difficult" as lingering diplomatic tensions mean nationalist symbols could cause offence.

(Additional reporting by Gabriela Baczynska in Brussels, Aleksandar Vasovic in Belgrade and Maja Zuvela in Sarajevo; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne, Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Bernadette Baum)
LONDON, May 6 (Reuters) - Germany is set to raise 7.5 billion euros ($8.10 billion) from the sale of a 15-year bond on Wednesday according to a lead manager update seen by Reuters, in its first sale via a syndicate of banks since 2015.

The bond has received final demand of over 35.5 billion euros, including 3.15 billion from the lead managers, the update said.

It is due to price later on Wednesday at 22 basis points over Germany's existing Feb 2030 bonds, as announced earlier.

BNP Paribas, BofA, Credit Agricole, Commerzbank and HSBC are managing the sale. ($1 = 0.9259 euros) (Reporting by Yoruk Bahceli, editing by Huw Jones)
Photo: MIRAFLORES PRESIDENTIAL PALACE/HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Normally when people practice a thing for a very long time, they become competent at it. The U.S. government, for example, has invested decades, troops, and money into its traditional activities south of the border. By this, I mean coups. The U.S. has never met a left-wing Latin American political figure it did not want to overthrow, and you would think that after a while, theyd get good at it  and that this skill, honed over so many generations, would perhaps trickle down from the CIA and sundry special forces to our patriotic mercenaries.

Enter Silvercorp USA. The Venezuelan government announced on Tuesday that it had arrested 13 combatants in what it categorized as a failed incursion. Among them were Luke Denman and Airan Berry, both American citizens and employees of Silvercorp, a private security firm founded by Jordan Goudreau. Though one might be tempted to doubt the word of Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, recall that American mercenaries captured in a plot to overthrow Latin American government is probably the least-surprising headline a person could invent, and also, they filmed themselves doing a coup.

All doubts about the veracity of the Maduro governments claims regarding the failed incursion were laid to rest in the afternoon when a Venezuelan digital news outlet (@FactoresdePoder) published a video in which Goudreau claimed responsibility for the amphibious raid, and hinted that other operations were ongoing, Bellingcat, an investigative website, reported on Tuesday. The same Venezuelan news outlet tweeted what it claims are photos of a contract between Goudreau and opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has been feted by both the Trump administration and various members of the Democratic Party. Another photo republished by Bellingcat depicts an Airsoft rifle in the weapons cache seized by Venezuelan forces.

Not content to merely leave behind video evidence of their involvement, Goudreau and Silvercorps took things a step further. They tweeted about it.

Strikeforce incursion into Venezuela. 60 Venezuelan, 2 American ex Green Beret @realDonaldTrump  Silvercorp USA (@SilvercorpUsa) May 4, 2020

In fact, the Silvercorp Twitter account offers a lot to digest. This was not their first trip to Venezuela:

And they dabble in some light film criticism:

I liked a @YouTube video https://t.co/3TVVz7gslZ Why Star Wars: The Last Jedi is a Complete Cinematic Failure  Silvercorp USA (@SilvercorpUsa) June 9, 2018

I have never been a Green Beret, and I have never attempted a coup, though who knows where the future will take me. Nevertheless, I did assume  naively! erroneously!  that the first rule of organizing a coup is that you do not tweet about it. And doesnt it require a lot of planning? Based on my many years spent playing successive versions of Civilization, I think that if you want to capture a countrys capital city, you are going to need more than a boat, some guns, and 62 men of dubious military skill.

The most highly trained Protection Agents on the planet. https://t.co/pqmUncg2Tl  Silvercorp USA (@SilvercorpUsa) April 3, 2018

Absolutely, man. Good luck. Next time pick a better fishing boat.
The same group that launched Boston's "Straight Pride" parade have returned to the city to stage a "Reopen" protest against lockdown measures.

Demonstrators gathered at the State House in Boston, Massachusetts Monday, where a mostly-maskless, social distance-shirking group of approximately 2,000 demanded the state lift stay-at-home orders and other pandemic-related guidelines.

Protesters carried "Don't Tread on Me" flags, while at least one sign called for Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Dr Anthony Fauci, the lead infectious disease expert on the White House coronavirus response taskforce, to be imprisoned.

The "Liberty Rally" was organised by "Super Happy Fun America" - the same far-right group that organised a "straight pride" parade in the city in 2019, which was poorly attended and mostly drowned out by counter-protesters - and promoted by a local far-right radio host, Jeffrey Kuhner.

"I'm not going to sugar coat this, America is committing national suicide. I see churches closed, I see an economic collapse, thousands of businesses bankrupt and shuttered - all of this for a lousy virus? For a contagious flu at the absolute worst? This is not a pandemic," Mr Kuhner said during a speech he gave at the rally.

Covid-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in March, following a rapid rise in the number of cases outside China - where the virus is thought to have originated.

Super Happy Fun America was founded by the leader of another group - Resist Marxism - whose leaders once relished the idea of getting "to throw anti-American communists from helicopters sooner than we thought," a reference to one of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet's methods of execution. The group once used a white nationalist group - Patriot Front - as security at an event.

Additionally, chat logs leaked to Think Progress show members of Resist Marxism used anti-Semitic slurs and made anti-Semitic jokes.

The rally was a reaction to Governor Charlie Baker extending the state's stay-at-home orders beyond their initial 1 May date to 18 May.

Responding to a question from Boston.com, Mr Baker said his decision to extend the order was based on science, and he understood that economic and social consequences were likely.

"We do believe and buy into the guidance that we've gotten from experts in the field that you need to see downward trends in a number of key indices associated with this virus for some period of time before you can actually reopen, and that's the reason why we created the reopening task force, and it's why we've spent so much time working with our colleagues in the healthcare community to develop a set of indices that we report on every single day," Mr Baker said in a statement. "And as I said in my remarks, you know, after a really long time of not seeing much positive traction at all with regard to those measures, in the course of the past few days, we've actually started to see some positive downward trends."

According to WBUR Radio, Mr Baker formed an advisory panel of government officials, business leaders and healthcare experts who will work to determine a strategy and timeline for reopening the state.

The board's first plan is expected to be revealed on 18 May.
Facebook has removed hundreds of social-media accounts -- more than half of them based in Russia, Iran, and Georgia -- after finding they belonged to networks that were running influence campaigns.

Facebook announced the move on May 5, saying it took them down in April as part of its ongoing efforts to purge its platforms of misleading information and fake accounts set up to disrupt elections and society in general.

The suspended accounts were active on both Facebook and Instagram, which Facebook owns, and were linked to eight networks, the California-based social-media giant said.

The networks based in Russia and Iran focused their content internationally, while two networks in the South Caucasus nation of Georgia, along with two in the United States and one each in Mauritania and Burma (also known as Myanmar), operated with domestic audiences in mind.

All the networks were created before the coronavirus pandemic, but the company said it found people behind the campaigns had "opportunistically" used coronavirus-related posts to build an audience and drive people to their content.

"We know that people looking to mislead others -- whether through phishing, scams, or influence operations -- try to leverage crises to advance their goals, and the coronavirus pandemic is no different," Facebook said in a statement.

Facebook said its investigation linked activity on the Iran-based network to the state-owned Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting Corporation (IRIB). The activity originated in Iran and focused on a wide range of countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and a host of African nations.

The Russian networks activity was linked to individuals in Russia, the Donbas region in Ukraine, and two media organizations in Russia-annexed Crimea -- NewsFront and SouthFront. It posted in multiple languages beyond Russian, including Hungarian, Serbian, Georgian, and Persian.

Facebook said the activity of one of the two Georgia networks was linked to Espersona, a media firm in Georgia that Facebook has now banned. The other was linked to people associated with the United National Movement, a political party.

The U.S.-based accounts were linked to QAnon, a far-right conspiracy theory circulated among supporters of President Donald Trump.

It was the first time Facebook has taken action against QAnon, which has crept into mainstream U.S. politics. It is centered on the baseless belief that Trump is fighting a secret battle against enemies entrenched in the U.S. government, known as the "deep state," who aim to overthrow him.

It has been helped along by Trumps retweeting of QAnon-promoting accounts and followers attending his rallies.

In addition to the QAnon accounts, Facebook also removed accounts linked to VDARE, a U.S. website known for posting anti-immigration content.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
Crisis-ridden private sector lender Yes Bank, which had to be bailed out by a group of banks led by State Bank of India in March this year, posted a net loss of Rs 3,668 crore in the quarter ended March on account of higher provsions, or the money set aside to cover risky loans. The loss posted in the three months to March 2020 more than doubled compared with the Rs 1,507 crore loss the bank posted a year ago.

Yes Bank showed an extraordinary income of Rs 6,297 crore (net of tax) from the writedown of additional tier- 1 (AT1) bonds in its profit and loss account. If that amount were to be adjusted with the profit after tax (PAT) figure, the bank would show a profit of Rs 2,628 crore.

Most notably, the gross non-performing assets (GNPAs), or bad loans, of the bank stood at 16.8 percent compared with 3.22 percent a year ago. Compared with the December quarter, the gross NPAs have eased up a bit from 18.87 percent in December. Net NPAs in the March quarter stood at 5.03% compared with 5.97 percent in the December quarter and 1.86 percent in the year ago quarter.

The bank's deposits have shrunk to Rs 1.05 lakh crore, down 54 percent compared with Rs 2.27 lakh crore in the year ago quarter while advances declined 29 percent y-o-y to Rs 1.7 lakh crore from Rs 2.4 lakh crore in the year-ago quarter. The capital adequacy ratio under Basel-III fell to 8.5 percent from 16.5 percent in the year ago quarter.

After Yes Bank collapsed on account of years of careless lending and alleged financial irregularities, the Reserve Bank of India came with a reconstruction scheme to save the bank in March. State Bank of India and a clutch of lenders including HDFC Ltd, ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Bandhan Bank, Federal Bank and IDFC First Bank invested in the bank. These lenders hold a majority stake in Yes Bank now. The RBI also superseded the board with former SBI official Prashant Kumar and reconstituted the board.

During the bailout, the only class of investors who were left out was the additional tier 1 bond holders of the bank, whose investments worth Rs 8,415 crore were written off by the ban. But this has dragged the bank to endless courtroom battles after investors represented by Axis Trustee moved to Bombay High Court seeking courts intervention into the matter. That apart, hundreds of retail investors whose money is stuck in AT1 bonds are also likely to move courts seeking judicial intervention into the matter.

A closer look at the financials of the Yes Banks fourth quarter numbers shows that asset quality situation has slightly improved. For instance, the loans under the special mention accounts (SMA) of Yes Bank have dropped a little compared with the December quarter. However, the next big challenge for Yes Bank will be to augment its capital on account of poor capital adequacy ratios. The CET 1 ratio (common equity tier 1 ratio) and the Tier 1 capital ratio for the Bank as of March 31, 2020 stood at 6.3 percent and 6.5 percent compared with the minimum requirements of 7.375 percent and 8.875 percent, respectively. "This implies that the Bank will have to take effective steps to augment its capital base in the year 2020-21," auditors noted.

But capital is unlikely to be a concern for the bank given that it has the backing of half of Indias banking industry as promoters and that of the Reserve Bank, which facilitated the bailout.Yes Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor is presently facing investigations for alleged quid-pro-quo deals involving DHFL promoters, the Wadhawans, with respect to certain real estate transactions.

Kapoor was denied an extension as banks chief by the RBI in late 2018 after the central bank found major divergence in the reported bad loans of the bank and what its investigations unearthed during the course of a probe. Ravneet Gill, a former Deutsche bank veteran, took charge as Yes Bank CEO in March, 2019. But despite constant efforts to find investors, Gill couldn't win the confidence of investors. Eventually, the bank's board was superseded by the RBI and was taken over by the bank consortium.

Also Read | Yes Bank appoints Neeraj Dhawan as chief risk officer

Gill, in his statement to the Enforcement Directorate, has raised questions about Kapoor's actions and pinned the blame on him for the bank's downfall.

Also Read | Former CEO Ravneet Gill puts the blame on Rana Kapoor for Yes Bank collapse

SBI, HDFC, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Bandhan Bank, Federal Bank and IDFC First Bank together invested Rs 10,000 crore in Yes Bank.

Yes Bank rescue: Three private lenders trim stake within weeks of investing

In the past one year, the stock has fallen 84 percent, while it was down 52 percent during March quarter, and 43 percent year-to-date.
Audio Attachment: Listen to John Jinapor on Peace FM's 'kokrokoo' programme.

John Jinapor, former Deputy Power Minister and MP for Yapei/Kasawgu constituency, has asked Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to credit where it is due by acknowledging the efforts of the previous Mahama regime in resolving the 'dumsor' crisis in the country before President Nana Akufo-Addo took up the reins of government.



He also asserted that there was higher and better economic growth under the leadership of John Dramani Mahama.



Bawumia's Account On Mahama Economy



Speaking to journalists at the Jubilee House on Monday, May 5, 2020, Dr. Bawumia reminded the former President that he superintended over a weak economy between the years 2012 and 2016.



The Vice President slammed Mr. Mahama for failing to mitigate the economic crises his own administration created for the Ghanaian populace.



This was after the latter cynically questioned the much-touted robustness of the Ghanaian economy, describing it as being in an ICU just a month into the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic on the operations of local businesses.



If you want to test the robustness of an economy, you test it in a time of crises. Thankfully, we have had two crises. Under the NDC, it was an internally-generated crisis, which was dumsor. Under the Presidency of Nana Akufo-Addo, there has been an externally generated crisis, which has been the global Coronavirus pandemic.



I just want you to ask yourself, how have these two crises been managed? The dumsor crisis which crippled this economy for four years. What were the mitigating measures offered to businesses and individuals during the dumsor, an internally generated crisis? the Vice President questioned.



He further stated; We saw that even during dumsor, electricity prices were being increased, fuel prices were being increased, teacher trainee allowances were being cancelled, nursing trainee training allowances were being cancelled. All of that was happening during that particular crisis.



You look at the Coronavirus crisis and you look at the difference in terms of what has happened. The President has reduced electricity prices and has made it free for lifeline consumers. He has given free water to all Ghanaians for three months, has made sure that there is a stimulus package of 600 million Ghana Cedis for businesses and we have seen domestic production of PPEs (personal protective equipment) for our health workers locally.



John Jinapor's Rebuttal



But to John Jinapor, Ex-President John Mahama is a better driver of the economy than President Akufo-Addo.



He wondered how the government could subsidize electricity bills in these trying times of COVID-19 if not for the interventions that the Mahama administration made to resolve the energy crises.



Making his submissions on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo', he maintained strongly that President Akufo-Addo didn't inherit a 'dumsor' economy from the Mahama administration, adding that the current government is enjoying the fruits of the good works of its predecessor.



The Yapei/Kusawgu MP therefore challenged the Vice President to compare the performance of the current administration and erstwhile Mahama government, with particular emphasis on the energy sector.



"If the NPP say we didn't resolve it, tell us when you resolved dumsor. At least that should be settled. If you say when you took over, there was still dumsor; are we saying we still have dumsor and if it's resolved too, tell us the period you resolved it," he said.

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.

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - May 6, 2020) -(TSXV: NNO) (OTC Pink: NNOMF) (FSE: LBMB). Nano One Materials is pleased to announce that the Province of British Columbia is contributing $3,033,000 to Nano One's "Scaling of Advanced Battery Materials Project" adding to the previously announced $5.25M contribution from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC). These funds are non-dilutive and non-repayable.



"Nano One is honoured to have the participation and support of the Province of British Columbia said CEO, Dan Blondal. "Three million dollars will add to our multi-year runway and provide additional flexibility in accelerating, scaling and commercializing our lithium ion battery cathode technologies. These funds from the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources leverage project milestones, due diligence and reporting structure already in place with SDTC and will directly support scale up activities with previously announced collaborators, Volkswagen, Pulead, Saint-Gobain and a number of their peers."

Nano One has developed a technology platform to improve the production and performance of cathode powders used in lithium-ion batteries, with 16 patents granted and many more pending. The technology can make a wide range of lithium based composite powders for different battery applications including electric vehicles, e-buses, power tools, renewable energy storage and consumer electronics, as well as next generation solid state batteries. Nano One is working collaboratively with global automotive, energy, and supplying companies to improve the cost and durability of lithium ion batteries, and to imbed its technology into manufacturing plans.

This $3M contribution by the Province is being made as part of a funding partnership with SDTC and augments Nano One's existing Project Funding Agreement with SDTC, executed in September 2019, bringing the total contribution to $8,283,000. The original project scope and milestone deliverables remain unchanged.

Dan Blondal, CEO

For information with respect to Nano One or the contents of this news release, please contact John Lando (President) at (604) 420-2041 or visit the website at www.nanoone.ca.

About Nano One

Nano One Materials Corp has developed patented technology for the low-cost production of high performance lithium ion battery cathode materials used in electric vehicles, energy storage and consumer electronics. The processing technology enables lower cost feedstocks, simplifies production and advances performance for a wide range of cathode materials. Nano One has built a demonstration pilot plant and is partnering with global leaders in the lithium ion battery supply chain, including Pulead, Volkswagen and Saint-Gobain to advance its lithium iron phosphate (LFP), lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) and lithium nickel manganese oxide (LNM) cathode technologies for large growth opportunities in e-mobility and renewable energy storage applications.

Nano One's pilot and partnership activities are being funded with the assistance and support of the Government of Canada through Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) and the Automotive Supplier Innovation Program (ASIP) a program of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED). Nano One also receives financial support from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP). Nano One's mission is to establish its patented technology as a leading platform for the global production of a new generation of battery materials. www.nanoone.ca

Certain information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, the execution of the plans of Nano One Materials Corp ("the Company") which are contingent on the receipt of grant monies and the commercialization of the Company's technology and patents. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as 'believe', 'expect', 'anticipate', 'plan', 'intend', 'continue', 'estimate', 'may', 'will', 'should', 'ongoing', or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including: the ability of the Company to obtain additional financing; including the receipt of grant monies from SDTC, ASIP, NRC-IRAP, the Province of British Columbia and the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals. 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. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that is incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASENEITHER 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

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/55435
A motion by a member of the Public Service Commission to deliberate censuring a fellow commissioner died Tuesday morning after failing to get a second.

Commissioner Roger Koopman of Bozeman brought the censure motion against Commissioner Randy Pinocci of Sun River. Koopman has accused Pinocci of accessing his state emails without his knowledge, including several that were of a personal nature, and disseminating them. The emails were posted on the conservative website Northwest Liberty News, although the personal emails were later removed.

Pinocci, who abstained from Tuesdays discussion, has denied releasing the emails, although an investigation by the Billings Gazette indicated that he had made multiple requests for Koopmans emails. The investigation also found that PSC communications director Drew Zinecker had access to the emails.

While most state emails are considered public records, there are some exemptions for ongoing legal matters and minimal personal use.

It remains unclear who disseminated the emails publicly but Koopman indicated through his censure motion that he believes Pinoccis accessing of the emails and other statements about him violated the PSCs ethical code of conduct. The censure is not punishment or retaliation, but an effort to enforce a standard of conduct at the PSC, he said.

When a commissioner steps far outside of these reasonable limits and violates these boundaries, we ignore those violations to our peril, Koopman told the commission. We are saying, in effect, that no boundaries and standards exist, that we really dont apply any ethical discipline to ourselves  that we essentially do not have any standards of professional conduct that the public can rely on.

Relationships between Koopman and his fellow commissioners deteriorated over the last year as he has been outspoken over issues ranging from commission spending to it regulation of utilities. The commission is charged with regulating monopoly utilities such as NorthWestern Energy in the interests of balancing companies business interests with those of captive ratepayers.

Tuesdays motion, if passed, would have set up a future deliberation where both Koopman and Pinocci testified and the remaining three commissioners, Brad Johnson, Bob Lake and Tony ODonnell, would then vote on censure. But when Johnson called for a second, the rest of the commission remained silent, causing the motion to die.

In a scathing email sent to media following the PSC meeting, Koopman accused the PSC and Johnson specifically of putting political loyalties and grudges ahead of the commissions business.

It is one thing to lock arms on public policy questions, while pretending to be listening to all sides, Koopman wrote. The Johnson majority does this all the time. Its quite another to be so politically-driven (and resentful of an outspoken member like me) so as to refuse to even view the evidence that addresses an extremely serious set of ethics-related allegations against another commissioner.

The non-vote was an attempt to sweep the accusations under the rug, he said.

It amounts to thumbing their noses at the public they serve, while lowering their respect among the staff that serve them, Koopman wrote. It is an appalling example of moral cowardice, and an apparent inability to express even a modicum of moral indignation.

Koopman further accused the three commissioners of having made a previous agreement to abstain from seconding his motion. Such an agreement would violate Montanas open meeting law if made outside of the public process.

Johnson denied that such an agreement took place in an interview Tuesday, saying there was absolutely no violation, of the open meeting law and that the commission is exceedingly careful to avoid a quorum outside of public meetings.

Commissioner Koopman made his opening statement, it died for having a lack of a second, Johnson said. Clearly a majority of commissioners didnt feel the censure motion should proceed, at least at this time.

Pinocci told the Great Falls Tribune Tuesday that Koopman has lost touch with reality and should resign.

Reporter Tom Kuglin can be reached at 447-4076 @IR_TomKuglin

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As he prepared to graduate from high school in the late 1990s, Arizona teen Taylor Skelton knew he wanted adventurethough exactly what kind, he wasnt sure. Then he saw the frenetic action movie Con Air, and his future locked into focus: He wanted to be an Army Ranger.

After several years in the Army, Skelton decided to apply to the U.S. Army Aviation School. It was terrifying, he admitted. I had never flown anything but a kite before. But he went on to complete officer training and flight school with flying colors.

Now a graduate of the Accelerated B.S.N. program at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies, Skelton is the veteran of a distinguished military career spanning two decades and countless challenges. As a Blackhawk helicopter pilot deployed to multiple special ops missions in combat environments such as Iraq and Afghanistan, he flew hundreds of hours without incident. He has led surveillance missions, helped capture insurgents, trained military parachuting, and served as a medical evacuation pilot, a special operations pilot, and an instructor pilot.

Skelton is also a husband and father of two. His wife, Melanie, an internal medicine physician when they met, has since moved into palliative medicine. Inspired by both her technical skills and caring spirit, Skelton considered going to medical school when he retired from the military. Then his wife arranged for him to shadow some nurses and he gravitated toward a new goal: becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist.

With family in Florida, Skelton applied to several nursing schools in the state. UM was a long shot, he said, but it was my first choice. I knew I wanted a very strong, innovative program, and I was impressed by the absolute professionalism of the faculty and administration.

Not that Skeltons military background bred an automatic acceptance of received wisdom.

Helicopter pilots are, as the phrase goes, brooding, introspective anticipators of trouble, he said. We are always asking ourselves, What did I miss? What do we need to ensure success?  he added.

The level of detail in our planning was extreme. We would plan for days for a mission that would only last an hour. Our backup plans had backup plans, he pointed out. So, I dont take things at face value. If you tell me something is so, I want to know why. I enjoy that our professors are not afraid to be challengedtheyre willing to engage.

Skelton has found simulation-based education especially powerful. As you confront these scenarios designed by expert faculty based on their own experiences, you may think you know what is happening, he said, but then things flip 180 degrees. I call it teaching by humility. Its a big slice of humble pie, but you are better for it.

Earning a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice and homeland security in 2016, Skelton continued his impressive record of achievement at the School of Nursing and Health Studies. He made the Deans List, received a Florence Bayuk Nursing Educational Trust Fund Scholarship, and he was involved in several nursing and student organizations.

He now plans to gather a few years of professional experience, preferably in the intensive care setting, before applying to graduate school. Meanwhile, hes soaking up the adventure of his nursing education. As soon as I set foot on campus, Skelton said, I knew this was where I wanted to be.
 Dont trust, verify. While its hard to know even in the best of times whats going on inside North Korea, the rumors about Kim emerged in an even more challenging environment  when the country was even more tightly sealed off than usual because of the coronavirus. That should have put the media on even higher guard for misinformation, said Jean H. Lee, director of the Korea program at the Wilson Center in Washington and a former Pyongyang bureau chief for the Associated Press.
The United States is expected to deport an Iranian professor acquitted of sanctions evasion, Reuters reported Tuesday. Sirous Asgari has contracted COVID-19 in an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement facility, where he has been held for months despite his acquittal in November.

Why it matters: It appears that the Donald Trump administration is about to leverage Asgaris release to secure the safe return of Americans detained by Iran. Reuters cited three Iranian officials who said that the two countries are arranging a prisoner swap  similar to the exchange the two countries did in December.

Iran currently detains four known jailed Americans: Michael White, Siamak Namazi, Baquer Namazi and Morad Tahbaz. After convicting Iranian stem-cell scientist Masoud Soleimani on a minor sanctions evasion charge, the United States released him in November in exchange for Princeton doctoral student Xiuye Wang.

Whats next: Asgari is currently in quarantine due to his COVID-19 diagnosis, and the United States is expected to return him to Iran as soon as he receives the medical clearance to depart.

Know more: Mark Fitzpatrick argues that a US-Iran prisoner swap is long overdue.
BERLIN/VIENNA (Reuters) - Lufthansa might seek some form of protection from creditors while talking to the Berlin government about a 9 billion euro ($9.76 billion) rescue package, a company source said on Tuesday after government and airline sources said talks on a deal were continuing.

The company source said the type of creditor protection under consideration would require the company to be still solvent, with management staying on to oversee a restructuring.

Lufthansa, which like many other international carriers was forced to ground nearly all its flights due to the coronavirus, declined to comment.

The German flagship carrier's shares had risen as much as 12.1% earlier on Tuesday, which traders attributed to prospects of a rescue deal being close. They closed 2% higher at 8.09 euros.

The stock was also supported by the reported size of a rescue package, which met with some expectations, traders said.

Lufthansa and the economy ministry declined to comment after news outlet Business Insider cited company sources as saying Berlin would help in return for a blocking minority and one or two supervisory board mandates.

The question of state influence in the management of the company is a tricky one for Germany's coalition government. A government source said talks would continue but gave no timing.

Germany's conservative government wants to leave Lufthansa's management relatively free of intervention, while the Social Democrats (SPD) want the state to share ownership in order to influence decision-making to protect employees.

Unions representing pilots, crews and ground staff demand job guarantees if tax payer money flows.

Lufthansa has subsidiaries in Austria, Switzerland and Belgium and its two German hubs, Frankfurt and Munich, are located in the state of Hesse and Bavaria.

Lufthansa's Austrian unit AUA said late on Tuesday that it had applied for state aid of 767 million euros, of which a large part should be repayable loans and the remainder grants. These grants were still under negotiation, an AUA spokesman said.

Story continues

The Austrian government has repeatedly said it would require job guarantees and an assurance that Vienna will remain a transfer hub in return for financial support.

Lufthansa has issued stark warnings about its solvency amid a gloomy outlook after the coronavirus crisis grounded almost all its planes.

CEO Carsten Spohr this month cited cash burn at a rate of 1 million euros per hour, meaning the airline's 4 billion euro cash reserves will be inadequate.

Lufthansa currently transports only 1% of passengers compared with a year ago. Some 100 aircraft of its 760-strong fleet could be idled and 10,000 jobs are in danger, Spohr said last week.

Some rival airlines in Europe and in the United States have secured government help, but others have said they aim to manage without it.

Spohr assured Belgian Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes in a letter seen by a broadcaster he has no plans to sell Belgian unit Brussels Airline.

(Reporting by Michelle Martin, Christian Kraemer, Ilona Wissenbach, Andreas Rinke, Holger Hansen, Alexander Huebner, Alexandra Schwarz-Goerlich, writing by Vera Eckert in Frankfurt and Kirsti Knolle in Vienna; editing by Thomas Seythal/Jason Neely/Jane Merriman/Sabine Wollrab/Arno Schuetze/Dan Grebler)
YEREVAN, 6 MAY, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 6 May, USD exchange rate up by 1.97 drams to 481.97 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 5.13 drams to 519.80 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate up by 0.12 drams to 6.48 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 0.25 drams to 596.49 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price up by 312.90 drams to 26335.71 drams. Silver price down by 0.53 drams to 228.56 drams. Platinum price down by 13.53 drams to 11792.22 drams.
New York Police Department's Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the reported subway attack.

Getty Images/Spencer Platt

A New York man made hateful statements toward an Asian-American nurse and tried to force him off a subway train, police told NBC News.

The incident comes as Asian-Americans around the country face increased hostility and misplaced blame for the coronavirus pandemic.

NYPD's Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the incident, according to NBC News.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

An Asian-American nurse was on a subway train in New York Sunday when a man approached him making discriminatory statements, police told NBC News.

According to police, the man then grabbed the nurse by his wrist and shoulder and tried to remove him from the train.

"Hey Chinaman, you're infected," the man said, according to police. "You need to move to a different car. I'm going to beat this Chinese n------ up."

The 30-year-old nurse was uninjured and refused medical attention, according to NBC News, while the suspect fled.

The New York Police Department's Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the incident, according to NBC News.

The incident comes as Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders across the country face an uptick in racist harassment and attacks.

Over the past month alone, the group Stop AAPI Hate has received close to 1,500 reports of anti-Asian incidents, ranging from verbal harassment to physical assault, Manjusha Kulkarni, executive director of the Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council, told Business Insider in April.

On April 21, over two dozen Senate Democrats have signed a letter to US President Donald Trump concerning the rise in harassment and hate crimes against people of Asian descent amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The letter stresses that public officials need to "counter the mistaken belief that there is any link between the virus and a person's ethnicity."

The use of the terms "Chinese virus" and "Wuhan virus," deployed in conservative media and by the president himself, may contribute to the stigma against Asians and members of the AAIP community, the officials said in the letter.

Read the original article on Insider
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 23:33:26|Editor: huaxia

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TIANJIN, May 6 (Xinhua) -- China's northern port city of Tianjin received a total of 1.67 million visitors during the May Day holiday, according to the Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism.

From May 1 to 5, the tourists contributed a total of 654 million yuan (about 92.5 million U.S. dollars) in tourism revenue, said the bureau on Wednesday.

A total of 54 scenic spots above A-level have reopened in Tianjin. Tourist sites should not exceed 30 percent of their daily or real-time visitor capacity amid the COVID-19 epidemic.

The city required online reservations for tours of these tourist attractions. Tourists are also required to show their health QR codes and have their body temperatures taken for safety.

Tianjin dispatched nearly 1,200 law enforcement officers to inspect a total of 447 scenic spots, tourism enterprises, cultural venues and travel agencies, to make sure that the tourism sector ran smoothly and orderly during the holiday. Enditem
Sold for ~ US$ 3 Million

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NuLegacy Gold (TSXV: NUG; OTCQB: NULG.F) is pleased to welcome Metalla Royalty & Streaming Ltd. (Metalla) as a new stakeholder in NuLegacys 108 square kilometer flagship Red Hill property in the heart of Cortez gold trend of North-Central Nevada.



Metalla has announced the purchase (detailed below) of one half of the 3% gross overriding royalty (GOR) currently held by Idaho Resources Corporation (IRC)[*] on NuLegacys Red Hill property to close June 1, 2020.

Valuing GORs is a complicated business made easier in this instance by the straightforward nature of the purchase price for IRC; thus prorating the US$4 million purchase price for the total of 2% GOR purchased (1.5% GOR on Red Hill and 0.5% GOR on Anglo/Zeke claims) values a 1% GOR in the Red Hill project at ~US$2 million.i By comparison NuLegacy Gold, which owns/controls a 100% working interest in the Red Hill property, has an aggregate market value of ~ C$32.5 million.ii

Please follow this link to an updated and refreshed Investor presentation:

https://nulegacygold.com/site/assets/files/6471/rift_anticline_as_goldrush_analogue-_may_1-_2020.pdf

On April 27, 2020, Metalla entered into a share purchase agreement to acquire, on an arms length basis, 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of IRC for a purchase price of US$4 million payable in cash and shares of Metalla. Metalla is a precious metals royalty and streaming company listed for trading on the NYSE American and TSX Venture exchanges.

IRC is a privately held Nevada corporation which, upon closing of the Metalla transaction, will hold a 1.5% GOR over NuLegacys Red Hill property located on trend to the southeast of the Cortez operations and Goldrush project. IRC also holds a 0.5% gross overriding royalty on the Anglo/Zeke claims block located immediately northwest of and adjacent to NuLegacys Red Hill property and owned by Nevada Gold, and certain reversionary rights to acquire certain mineral claims under the Cortez joint venture plan of operations between Barrick Gold and Newmont Mining should such joint venture choose to relinquish their mineral claim interests. Metalla reports that closing of the IRC acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and exchange approvals and is expected to occur on or around June 1, 2020.

Story continues

About NuLegacy Gold Corporation: Focused on confirming high-grade Carlin-style gold deposits on its premier 108 sq. km (42 sq. mile) district scale Red Hill Property in the Cortez gold trend of Nevada. The Red Hill Property is located on trend and adjacent I to the three multi-million ounce Carlin-type gold deposits (the Pipeline, Cortez Hills and Goldrush deposits) that are amongst Barrick Golds largest, lowest cost and politically safest gold mineII.

I The similarity and proximity of these deposits in the Cortez Trend is not necessarily indicative of the gold mineralization in NuLegacys Red Hill Property.

II As extracted from Barricks Q4-2013 and Q1-2014 reports. As reported by Barrick, the Goldrush resource contains 8,557,000 indicated ounces of gold within 25.78 million tonnes grading ~10.57 g/t and 1,650,000 inferred ounces within 5.6 million tonnes grading ~9.0 g/t.

On Behalf Of NuLegacy Gold Corporation

Albert J. Matter, Chief Executive Officer & Director

Tel: +1 (604) 639-3640

Email: albert@nuggold.com

For more information about NuLegacy visit: www.nulegacygold.com or www.sedar.com .

Dr. Roger Steininger, a Director of NuLegacy, is a Certified Professional Geologist (CPG 7417) and the qualified person as defined by NI 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, responsible for approving the scientific and technical information contained in this news release.

Required Disclaimer: Metallas proposed purchase price for IRC is not necessarily indicative of and may bear no relation to the actual value of the Red Hill property or the market value of NuLegacys shares. There are no known NI 43-101 resources or reserves in the Red Hill Property and any proposed exploration programs are exploratory searches for commercial bodies of ore.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains forward-looking information and statements under applicable securities laws, which information and/or statements relate to future events or future performance (including, but not limited to, the potential value and prospective nature of the Red Hill Property and proposed future exploration and drilling programs thereon) and reflect managements current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking information and statements reflect managements current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Readers are cautioned that such forward-looking information and statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected including, but not limited to, actual results of exploration activities, unanticipated geological, stratigraphic and structural formations, environmental risks, operating risks, accidents, labor issues, delays in obtaining governmental approvals and permits, the availability of financing, market conditions, future prices for gold, changes in personnel and other risks in the mining industry. There are no known resources or reserves in the Red Hill Property, any proposed exploration programs are exploratory searches for commercial bodies of ore and the presence of gold resources on properties adjacent or near the Red Hill Property including Goldrush is not necessarily indicative of the gold mineralization on the Red Hill Property. There is also uncertainty about the spread of the COVID-19 virus and the impact it will have on the Companys operations, personnel, supply chains, ability to procure exploration equipment, contractors and other personnel on a timely basis or at all and economic activity in general. All the forward-looking information and statements made in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements and those in our continuous disclosure filings available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . The forward-looking information and statements in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances save as required by applicable law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

[*] As part of a reorganization of the estate of IRCs late founder, IRC will dividend out the other half of the 3% GOR (i.e. 1 % GOR) to its existing shareholders prior to closing of the Metalla transaction.

i This valuation assumes that a 1% GOR interest in the Red Hill property is equivalent to a 1% GOR interest in the Anglo/Zeke claims and makes no adjustment for any differences in the nature, type, quantity, grade and/or metal content, if any, of minerals situated on the Red Hill property and Anglo/Zeke claims. This valuation also attributes no value to the reversionary rights held by IRC. These assumptions are neither promises nor guarantees, may be inaccurate and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expected.

ii Based on a total of 407,173,804 common shares outstanding and a closing price of C$0.08 per share on the TSX Venture Exchange as of May 5, 2020.
(CNN) - The 12th person infected by coronavirus in Vatican City works for Pope Francis, the Holy See Press Office said today.

The person has been working remotely since early March and is now under observation at home, the Holy See Press Office Director Matteo Bruni said.

Vatican City is the seat of the Catholic church and has been a sovereign state in the middle of Rome since 1929. It has 605 residents, all with a Vatican City passport and who are out of Italy's legal jurisdiction.

The pandemic has radically changed the way the Vatican operates, with the Pope celebrating Palm Sunday mass in an empty church and the sites normally packed with tourists empty.

The 83-year-old Pope, who has a damaged lung from an infection in his 20s, has twice tested negative for coronavirus. He is being distanced from anyone who might be carrying the virus, takes his meals in his private quarters, and uses hand sanitizer before and after meeting any guests, the Vatican press office said last month.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Pope Francis employee tests positive for coronavirus in Vatican City"
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

May. 05, 2020 | PADUCAH

By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 05, 2020 | 07:32 PM | PADUCAH

Paducah native Dujuan Thomas has officially filed as a write-in candidate for Mayor of Paducah.



Thomas filed the paperwork with County Clerk Julie Griggs on Friday.



Thomas graduated from Paducah Tilghman High School in 2016 and went on to attend the University of Louisville where he majored in Communication. He enlisted in the Army National Guard at the age of 17, and has hosted philanthropic events for the Oscar Cross Boys and Girls Club of Paducah.



Thomas was recently commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel by Governor Andy Beshear. The commission of Kentucky Colonel is the highest title of honor bestowed by the Governor of Kentucky, given in recognition of an individuals noteworthy accomplishments and outstanding service to their community, state, and nation.



"Our city leaders have spent millions of dollars developing new features in our business district of our town, which is a good thing, but they have also failed to tend to the communities that have dealt with the same potholes, road imperfections, and dilapidated buildings for several years. That's one thing I want to change as mayor," said Thomas in his announcement video which can be seen on his Facebook campaign page.



"I want Paducah to grow in its entirety, while not neglecting the areas that most of our communities are in," Thomas added.
Long Thanh High-tech Industrial Park

Long Thanh High-tech Industrial Park (IP) was granted an investment certificate in 2015 with the total investment capital registered at $282 million. The project is located on an area of 410 hectares and was expected to put the first phase into operation in 2017. However, up to now, the investor has been unable to begin construction.

According to Somhatai Panichewa, general director of IP developer Amata Vietnam, the slow pace in land clearance and compensation is holding up progress in infrastructure development and the following steps of the project.

The scheduled operation date in 2017 drew in many foreign-invested enterprises in high-tech manufacturing to register land plots and set up factories at the project before it got stuck. It was expected that the park would have attracted at least $2 billion from foreign investors when it had come into operation three years ago.

Cao Tien Sy, general director of Dong Nai Industrial Zones Management Authority (DIZA) said that so far, Long Thanh High-tech Industrial Park has disbursed less than $5 million for land compensation. The key reason hindering compensation procedures was the lack of land areas to set up resettlement areas for locals.

Sy told VIR that in order to support the developer with the issue, the province had recently reserved a 47ha plot in Long Thanh town to resettle local residents giving up their land for this project. We expect that the land clearance and compensation for this project will be finished within this year and we can hand over clear land to the investor soon after that, Sy said.

Meanwhile, Hyosung Dong Nai, a subsidiary of South Koreas Hyosung Vina, is also facing difficulties in expanding the area of another project in Dong Nai. Hyosung Dong Nai was also granted an investment certificate in 2015. With the total investment capital of $660 million, this company is occupying a 22ha plot in Nhon Trach 5 Industrial Park to manufacture industrial materials, textiles, chemicals, and heavy electrical machinery.

According to the DIZA, Hyosung Dong Nai has so far disbursed $650 million to finish the construction of its factory and put it into operation, providing employment to more than 1,900 locals. With its ambition to expand the facility, Hyosung Dong Nai wanted to rent an additional 10ha at the IP, but there is apparently no land left to be leased.

The representative of Hyosung Dong Nai was not available for comment. However Sy said that he had recommended Hyosung Dong Nai several neighbouring IPs such as Nhon Trach 6 to set up its expansion factory.

Dong Nai is an industrial province with a very high portion of its land being industrial land, with 31 of its 32 IPs enjoying occupancy rates of over 80 per cent.

Many investors in the province are now requesting more land to expand their activities, but not much land is left. At present, Dong Nai Peoples Committee is instructing the local authorities to review and formulate plans to expand and develop more IPs to meet the investment demand, Sy said.

He said that Hyosung Dong Nai should pick a site as soon as they can because the land fund is also dwindling in neighbouring parks as occupancies are increasing very fast.

Dong Nai is now home to 49 foreign-invested projects with the total registered investment capital of $100 million and upward. The majority of these projects have reported healthy operations.
The normal timetable for the Leaving Cert exams will not operate this year, the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) has told its members.

With the schedule for the 2020 written exams to be confirmed at the beginning of June, the standard arrangements for the written exams will not be in place this year, according to the union.

The revised timetable will ultimately be decided by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), and is expected to take into account the public health advice as well as concerns over deep-cleaning.

In an FAQ to its members, the ASTI said that the practicalities of the arrangements are being discussed with management bodies, unions and the Department of Education and Skills at the on-going discussions of the State Examinations working group.

The union confirmed its support for the decision by Joe McHugh, the Minister for Education, on the Leaving Cert exams, notwithstanding a number of serious concerns raised by teachers, the FAQ states. "Those serious concerns remain to be addressed."

Teachers concerns include ensuring equality for students as well as practical issues such as childcare. Teachers have also expressed their concerns around both the practical and project work associated with the Leaving Cert and how this component of the State exams will be handled.

Project work and coursework in a range of subjects due to take place in May has been rescheduled until the beginning of the written exams. Practical tests in Art, Engineering and Construction studies, and the oral and practical performance tests in the Leaving Certificate Applied programme, also due to take place in May, have also been rescheduled to this time.

Work has been continuing on contingency planning around the issues related to the Leaving Certificate, a spokesman for the Department of Education said.

"This detailed work is ongoing and a number of complex issues are being considered."

In advisory group has also been set up to meet regularly to discuss issues in relation to the Leaving Certificate, he added. "Planning for the examinations is still being discussed, including at this group."

Separately, education sources have raised some concerns that potential legal challenges could be taken this year over the decision to award students full marks in the orals and practical performance tests.

These components of the exams were cancelled in March, with students awarded full marks for this portion of the exam. The Department of Education and the SEC did not respond to a request for comment.

Meanwhile, almost one million teachers and education staff in Ireland and the UK are warning that prematurely reopening schools without caution could lead to a spike in Covid-19.

The ability to test, trace and isolate the virus should be a prerequisite for reopening schools, along with effective social distancing, strong hygiene routines, appropriate PPE, and ongoing risk assessments.

That is according to a letter by the heads of ten teacher trade unions here and in the UK, sent to Education Ministers in all five jurisdictions urging significant caution be taken before schools are opened again.

Here, it is expected students will begin to return to school on a phased basis in autumn, in the last phase of the Governments exit plan.

Leaving Cert students discuss pressure hanging over them with exam uncertainty

President Michael D Higgins, second left and Cork Lord Mayor Cllr John Sheehan, along with conference chairman Frank Dorr and youth activist Alicia OSullivan from Skibbereen, at the Cork Conference on Intergenerational Climate Justice at City Hall, Cork. Picture: David Keane.

Charlie Murray is a sixth-year student at St Caimins Community School in Shannon, County Clare: I dont feel that postponing the exams was ever a solution but moreover, a temporary fix. If we arent able to do what we usually do during these unprecedented times, then we cant be expected to do the very same Leaving Cert this year. There has to be something new in place. We cannot be expected to sit exams as normal and get the same results because this has put all of us at a disadvantage. I think postponing the exams has also created further problems down the line. For example, if you want to study abroad, if we postpone everything, that means when other countries are doing their recruiting for colleges, we dont know if our results will be out.

With online teaching, since thats at home, weve intertwined our school life with our home life. So with all this pressure, it feels like theres no escape. I find myself leaving my home more and more to try and escape it. Anytime Im at home, the exams are constantly hanging over my head. The pressure and the stress is growing by the day and were constantly told to keep our heads down but realistically we cant. We dont know what were working towards because we dont know what the exams will hold. With all the uncertainty, how can you work towards a goal that is unknown? Its causing us anxiety and stress and with that, were losing motivation. Without motivation, you cant retain information. So you could sit at your desk and read books and books for hours on end to try to study but if were not able to retain that information whats the point?

There are countless students and teachers across the country who do not have the resources for proper online teaching. Are they going to be forgotten about? All this is just constantly building stress and it feels as if students are not being listened to."

Alicia OSullivan, is a sixth year student at Skibbereen Community School, County Cork: "The Leaving Cert is actually very rigid and its very, very standardised; Everything happens the same way, every year. But thats been completely upended this year. One of the biggest worries students have is if it will be safe to hold exams come July. I know that they are considering how they will actually run the exams, how the timetable will look, things like that. But theres still that uncertainty in terms of it actually being safe for students.

The idea that theres going to be X amount of students crammed in a sweaty, clustered exam hall touching the same desks, biros and papers all day. That doesnt seem very realistic to anyone. On top of that, theres people like myself who are immuno-compromised. Obviously we have our worries too, if it will be safe for us.

I also have worries about the results, and how the CAO will work. Ive applied to go abroad. Its only one of my options, but its one of my top options. I know there are a lot of people who have their hearts set on studying abroad. Due to the virus, nothing is fair, nothing will be completely fair, we do have to accept that circumstances are unprecedented.

But I think what theyve done has just added more unfairness to it, and drawn it out. People are arguing that predicted grades are unfair, and yes, maybe thats true. No-one is saying they are completely fair. But in my opinion, theyve just added problems by postponing the exams. Personally, Id like to sit the exams but looking at it objectively  How is it going to be possible when the uncertainty is causing such problems for students?
The National Commission for Energy, Housing and Utilities Services Regulation (NCER) has said that it required to temporarily ban building new renewable energy facilities until the issue with the development of green power generation is settled.

The corresponding proposals during a roundtable devoted to overcoming crisis phenomena in the Ukrainian energy sector held on Tuesday were voiced by member of the commission Dmytro Kovalenko during the regulator's presentation of its view on resolving renewable energy problems. Kovalenko, who presented the "hard" and "light" scenarios, said that the time constraints on the construction of new green generation facilities are necessary measures in the short term, regardless of the scenario.

The first option provides for a reduction in the feed-in tariff for solar power plants and wind farms to 9 and 8 eurocents per 1 kWh, respectively, which will lead to savings of UAH 15 billion.

To ensure that investors have an unbiased attitude to their legitimate expectations, it is proposed to provide them with the opportunity, by decision of the country's government, to receive reimbursement of capital, operating and financial expenses incurred by 2030 yielding a rate of return of 10-year government domestic loan bonds in euros with a margin of 2 percentage points (pp), taking into account previously received funds for the feed-in tariff.

As an alternative, it is also considered the possibility, after reimbursing investors of capital, operating and financial expenses, to introduce by 2030 a feed-in premium to the price on the day-ahead market at the level of 3.8 eurocents per 1 kWh for solar power plants and 1.3 eurocents for wind farms.

In addition, the "hard" scenario provides for the creation of a strategic reserve of UAH 7 billion to ensure operational security. It is proposed to form such a reserve by increasing the dispatch rate of Ukrenergo.

In turn, the "light" option provides for a reduction in the feed-in tariff by 30% for solar power plants and by 15% for wind farms, which, according to the regulator, will result in savings of UAH 11 billion.

Each of the two indicated scenarios provides for the possibility of free restrictions on the generation of renewable energy in the amount of no more than 20%, the introduction of 100% responsibility for misbalances, the provision of a mechanism to compensate for the limitation of renewable energy on the basis of a dispatcher's command, as well as the cancellation of a reduced tariff for household customers on the first 100 kWh of consumed electricity in the amount of 90 kopecks per kWh.
TORONTO - COVID-19 has delivered a rough quarter to Sun Life Financial Inc., but its top executive is confident the insurer will bounce back as demand for virtual care and increased coverage grows.

The Toronto-based insurer said this week that market declines triggered by the pandemic caused its net income to plunge by 37 per cent to $391 million in its first quarter.

Sun Life earned 67 cents per share for the three months ended March 31, down from $1.04 per share or $623 million a year earlier.

Even as revenues were dropping, customers were looking to beef up coverage in areas like short-term disability, critical illness or virtual care  a move Sun Life president and CEO Dean Connor doesnt believe will slow down.

We have seen in the past, after major crises like the Spanish flu and World War II, and were starting to see it here: peoples interest in insurance goes up, he told The Canadian Press.

Theyre more focused on insurance and they have reason to think about it more and that drives more sales.

His remarks came as the pandemic has pushed Sun Life  and every other insurer  to quickly adapt to a population with very different demands.

As some companies have mulled bankruptcy, layoffs and pay cuts, extended coverage and virtual care is on the minds of more Canadians.

Choices in those areas are not being made slowly anymore.

Every business has found a whole new gear, including Sun Life, a gear we didnt know we had. We see our clients making decisions at lightning speed, Connor said.

His business has been impacted because with Canadians asked to physically distance and stay home as much as possible, doctors offered virtual appointments and patients put off seeking care for non-emergency ailments. Dentists, chiropractors, physiotherapists and other medical professionals closed their offices.

Sun Life responded by doling out payment grace periods and offering credits against dental and non-drug-related extended health care premiums in hopes of reducing invoices for Canadian businesses, who are already struggling with low cash flow.

It offered 50 per cent credit per month against paid dental premiums and a 20 per cent credit for non-drug-related, extended health care premiums.

Sun Life also delved into mixing technology and coverage with its Lumino Health Virtual Care offering, a partnership with Montreal-based Dialogue Technologies and a referral network the company runs with Akira, EQ Care and Maple.

A lot of these tools we had already built out before the crisis, but the crisis has forced everyone to accelerate the adoption of these tools, so I think thats another benefit or silver lining to this cloud, Connor said.

COVID-19 had a mixed impact on the company. Individual insurance and wealth sales in April totalled about 80 per cent and 90 per cent of the prior year, and were aided by re-pricing strategies and virtual health-care programs that Sun Life said have been popular.

Sun Lifes underlying earnings grew by seven per cent in the quarter to $770 million or $1.31 per share. That compared with $717 million or $1.20 per share in the first quarter of 2019.

Sun Lifes shares gained $3.02 or 6.7 per cent at $47.81 in late afternoon trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

But there were significant declines too. Second quarter sales are uncertain because of strict quarantine protocols impacting face-to-face sales and the inability to predict when offices will be allowed to reopen and the economy to rebound.

Realistically, this will be a challenging year for financial institutions and there will likely be reductions to sales, premiums and assets under management levels, credit impacts, Connor said. on the earnings call.

For now, the company is focused aiding the 95 per cent of employees still working from home  a transition that was speedy because it was aided by 1,200 laptop computers Connor has said the company had stowed away for a rainy day.

Meanwhile, in Asia, it is helping workers in China and Vietnam return to offices on a gradual basis.

Those uncomfortable about heading back to traditional offices will be allowed to continue to work from home.

Those who return will be rotating what days of the week they can visit the office, so workers can physically distance, Connor said.

There will also be increased sanitization of shared surfaces, escalators and door handles that will give workers the confidence to feel safe in the office.

Connor will have an eye on the return to offices in Asia because of the lessons it can provide for Canada and beyond.

We are watching closely, were benefiting, were learning, he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2020.

Companies in this story: (TSX:SLF)
In custody: Venezuelan soldiers move a suspect from a helicopter in this screen grab from government TV. Photo: VENEZUELAN GOVERNMENT TV/Handout via REUTERS

Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela's president, said he has detained two American "mercenaries" involved in a murky operation allegedly intended to infiltrate Venezuela and overthrow him.

Mr Maduro appeared on state television on Monday to show off the seized passports of Luke Denman (34) and Airan Berry (41) accusing them of being US security forces. He said: "The US government is fully and completely involved in this defeated raid."

The pair, both former Green Berets, were arrested while eight Venezuelan army defectors with them were killed after the government foiled an "invasion" from the sea.

Donald Trump was yesterday forced to deny any involvement in what Venezuela's president says was an attempt to overthrow him. "It has nothing to do with our government," he said.

His denial came after Jordan Goudreau, a former US special forces soldier, confirmed he was behind the plot. Mr Goudreau (43) who served as a combat medic in Iraq and Afghanistan, confirmed that Mr Denman and Mr Berry had been arrested, but said 52 others had managed to infiltrate Venezuela and were in the process of convincing members of the security forces to join in an attack on Mr Maduro.

On Sunday, a group was travelling on speedboats from Colombia, heading towards the coastal state of La Guaira when they were intercepted by the Venezuelan military.

"They were playing Rambo. They were playing hero," Mr Maduro told reporters, saying he had dispatched 25,000 reservists to the coasts to fend off any further attack.

Venezuela is in a political power struggle in which two men, Mr Maduro and Juan Guaido, president of the opposition National Assembly, claim the presidency. Mr Guaido declared himself acting head of state in January 2019 with most western nations considering Mr Maduro's 2018 re-election to have been fraudulent. In late March, the US offered a reward for $15m for information leading to Mr Maduro's capture, accusing him of leading a drug cartel.

Tarek William Saab, Venezuela's Attorney General, told reporters yesterday that "hired mercenaries" had signed a $212m contract with Mr Guaido using funds "stolen" from state oil company PDVSA. The US has imposed sanctions on PDVSA and allowed Mr Guaido to use funds from frozen accounts. Mr Saab said Mr Guaido had signed a contract with Canadian-born Mr Goudreau, who leads a private security firm called Silvercorp USA.

Of the arrested men, Mr Goudreau told Reuters: "They're working with me. Those are my guys." He revealed that the mission, code name Operation Gideon, was to capture Mr Maduro.

Mr Goudreau told 'The Washington Post' that the two detained Americans, along with six former Venezuela military men, spent Sunday night at sea. They were running out of petrol, and Mr Goudreau was trying to secure a vessel out of the island of Aruba to "extract" them, he said.

The US government "should engage and try to get these guys back," said Mr Goudreau, who has boasted of high-level contacts in the Trump administration.
AUGUST 15, 2018: DigitalGlobe overview imagery of the Fiery Cross Reef located in the South China Sea. Fiery Cross is located in the western part of the Spratly Islands group. FIERY CROSS REEF, SOUTH CHINA SEA - AUG 15, 2018: DigitalGlobe via Getty Images overview imagery of the Fiery Cross Reef located in the South China Sea. Fiery Cross is located in the western part of the Spratly Islands group. Photo DigitalGlobe via Getty Images via Getty Images.

MANILA, Philippines (AP)  The Philippines protested on Thursday Chinas designation of a disputed South China Sea reef, which it has turned into a heavily fortified island base, as a Chinese administrative center.

The Department of Foreign Affairs issued a statement objecting to what it called Chinas illegal designation of Fiery Cross Reef as a regional administrative center in the hotly contested Spratly archipelago.

Its the latest in a series of disagreements in the sea as Asian nations grapple with the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused China last week of taking advantage of widespread distraction over the pandemic to advance its territorial claims.

The Philippines calls on China to adhere to international law, the department said, reminding Beijing of a 2002 agreement that urged governments with rival claims in the sea to exercise self-restraint and avoid actions that would escalate the disputes and undermine regional stability.

The Philippine government has protested Chinas self-declared territorial zones in the waters starting in 2012, with what it said was Beijings unlawful establishment of a Sansha City covering much of the South China Sea. It said it does not recognize Sansha nor its constituent units nor any subsequent acts emanating from them.

The Department of Foreign Affairs cited a July 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidated Chinas sweeping territorial claims in the South China Sea on historical grounds. China refused to participate in the arbitration case, which was initiated by the Philippines, and refused to recognize the ruling.

Last week, the Philippines protested Chinas establishment of two districts to administer two disputed groups of islands and reefs in the South China Sea.

One district reportedly covers the Paracel islands and the other has jurisdiction over the Spratlys, where China has turned seven reefs, including Fiery Cross, into missile-protected island bases, including three with runways.

Story continues

The Philippines has a presence on at least nine islands and islets in an area it claims in the Spratlys.

The U.S.-based Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, which monitors the territorial conflicts, said Fiery Cross has been developed into one of China's most advanced island bases in the waters with missile shelters, structures with retractable roofs, radars and a runway.

The Philippines also lodged a protest last week over a Chinese navy ships aiming of its weapons control radar at a Philippine navy ship in mid-February. The radar locks weapons on a target prior to an actual attack, although the Chinese navy ship did not fire.

China and the Philippines, along with Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan, have been locked for decades in an increasingly tense conflict over mostly barren islands, reefs and atolls and rich fishing waters in the South China Sea.
Total Bellas star Nikki Bella revealed her pregnancy to her mother Kathy Colace in a sneak peek for this Thursday's episode - titled 'Salsa Caliente' - airing at 9pm on E!

The clip began with the expecting 36-year-old questioning whether or not to drink the margarita she ordered over mother-daughter lunch at a restaurant.

'I just didn't know if I should be drinking because a certain way I've been feeling,' Bella (born Stephanie Nicole Garcia-Colace) said.

Surprise! Total Bellas star Nikki Bella revealed her pregnancy to her mother Kathy Colace in a sneak peek for this Thursday's episode - titled 'Salsa Caliente' - airing at 9pm on E!

'Well, I've been having cravings. I haven't had my... I'm like two weeks late.'

Kathy exclaimed: 'You better! Honestly? Promise me you'll have a boy.'

At that, Nikki got exasperated, revealed she hadn't yet told her fiance Artem Chigvintsev, and then flatly said: 'I do not want to be pregnant.'

'Oh my god, you kids stress the f*** out of me,' Colace groaned.

Cheers? The clip began with the expecting 36-year-old questioning whether or not to drink the margarita she ordered over mother-daughter lunch at a restaurant

Bella said: 'I just didn't know if I should be drinking because a certain way I've been feeling. Well, I've been having cravings. I haven't had my... I'm like two weeks late'

Kathy exclaimed: 'You better! Honestly? Promise me you'll have a boy.'

At that, Nikki got exasperated, revealed she hadn't yet told her fiance Artem Chigvintsev, and then flatly said: 'I do not want to be pregnant'

Colace groaned: 'Oh my god, you kids stress the f*** out of me...Well, I hope you and Artem are doing really good because this will throw just another curveball into your relationship'

'Well, I hope you and Artem are doing really good because this will throw just another curveball into your relationship.'

The retired WWE wrestler worried everything was moving 'too fast' since it had only been a week since her 'big argument' with the Russian-American 37-year-old.

'I have so many things going for me. And right now, to think, getting pregnant, what it would do to my life, it would completely change it,' Bella explained in a confessional.

'For me, it is so important to make sure Artem and I have this amazing, solid relationship and that we are ready to be parents - if that day ever comes.'

'I have so many things going for me': The retired WWE wrestler worried everything was moving 'too fast' since it had only been a week since her 'big argument' with the Russian-American 37-year-old

Bumping together: Nikki and her twin sister Brie (L) eventually revealed to the world on January 29 that they were both with child and their pregnancies were only a 'week and a half apart' (pictured April 28)

Shotgun wedding: The parents-to-be got engaged mid-November in France, and it'll be their second time down the aisle after ending their marriages to Giselle Peacock and her high school sweetheart (pictured April 20)

'Team Smackdown': Bella was technically still engaged to John Cena (until April 15, 2018) when she partnered up with Artem on the 25th season of ABC's Dancing with the Stars in 2017

Nikki and her twin sister Brie eventually revealed to the world on January 29 that they were both with child and their pregnancies were only a 'week and a half apart.'

The parents-to-be got engaged mid-November in France, and it'll be their second time down the aisle after ending their marriages to Giselle Peacock and her high school sweetheart.

Bella was technically still engaged to John Cena (until April 15, 2018) when she partnered up with Artem on the 25th season of ABC's Dancing with the Stars in 2017.

The Bella Twins' 256-page joint memoir Incomparable was published on Tuesday by Gallery Books, and they've been doing virtual readings on Facebook.
Rejecting charges by the opposition that the Aarogya Setu application breaches privacy, Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has asserted that the platform is "absolutely robust, safe and secure" in terms of privacy protection and data security.

"This is a technological invention of India -- Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, our scientists, NIC, Niti Aayog and some private (entities) -- whereby it is a perfectly accountable platform to help in the fight against COVID-19," Prasad told PTI.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has alleged that the Aarogya Setu app is a "sophisticated surveillance system, outsourced to a private operator, with no institutional oversight".

He also said it raises serious data security and privacy concerns.

"Technology can help keep us safe; but fear must not be leveraged to track citizens without their consent," Gandhi had said.

Countering the claim, Prasad said, "It is safe and secure. The data is in an encrypted form. Most important, it is for safety of Indians in public interest because it cautions you in the event there is a COVID-infected person in your vicinity."



The minister said the mobile application also helps tracing contacts in the event a person is infected.

"It is a very robust invention of technology and many other countries are using similar applications to fight COVID-19. And the second most important point is that the data is limited. Routine data remains for 30 days and in the event you are infected, then (for) 45 to 60 days. Then automatically it will vanish," he explained.

Prasad said there is always an option to scratch the app out of the phone or uninstall it.

"Then what is this hangama all about. The country has understood its utility and has willingly accepted it," he said.

The Aarogya Setu app is for smart phones.

"For feature phones we have developed Aarogya Setu IVRS. The app is absolutely robust in terms of privacy protection and safety and security of data," he said.

It is now mandatory for all government and private sector employees attending office to download the app, according to a Union Home Ministry directive.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been urging people to download the Aarogya Setu app, saying it is a fantastic use of technology to combat coronavirus.

"Tracks the spread of COVID-19 and notifies you if someone around you is suffering from it. Also lists help-desk numbers of various states," he had said in a series of tweets last month.

Meanwhile, the government on Wednesday said no data or security breach has been identified in Aarogya Setu after an ethical hacker raised concerns about a potential security issue in the app.

On Tuesday, French hacker and cyber security expert Elliot Alderson had claimed that "a security issue has been found" in the app and that "privacy of 90 million Indians is at stake".

Dismissing the claims, the government said "no personal information of any user has been proven to be at risk by this ethical hacker".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
I have never been so occupied on a daily basis, says Elli AvRam, who is been doing many things since the lock down began. I feel the day just goes by. I love dance but because of the shooting schedule, I would hardly get time. But I am have been doing it a lot now. I have taken to painting, and have even started writing. I also talk a lot to my friends. Its really funny because I feel I have become more social these days. The other day, I was talking to a friend back home in Sweden for six and half hours and it wasnt like we were bored. In fact, right now, work is the last thing on my mind as I just want things to get back to normal for everyone of us.

Unlike many people the actor says she hasnt watched much of television and has taken a lot of time self-introspecting, I havent binged watched a single series, as I have kept myself busy doing creative things. I love cooking, and I have been doing a lot. I have been living alone with my cat (Charles) and a house help. Every evening I sit besides my window with my cat and see the sun go down. There is a lot of me time available and I am enjoying it.

Avram, who was a participant in Bigg Boss says that the reality show somewhere prepared her for the lockdown, A lot of people are asking me how am I staying positive and not bored. I think subconsciously living in the Bigg Boss house made me adjust staying in the same place. I am not frustrated or feeling anxious. In fact inside the house, we had other people to interact, right now I am on my own. But I have social media and my phone to chat with people, so I cant complain, she signs off.
Actor Val Kilmer (L) attends the 2019 annual Thespians Go Hollywood Gala at Avalon Hollywood on November 18, 2019. (Michael Tullberg/Getty Images)

A new profile of the actor Val Kilmer by the New York Times has revealed the impact of the Top Gun stars recent cancer treatment.

According to the in depth interview, conducted before the global coronavirus lockdown, a tracheostomy has reduced the actors speaking voice to something between a squeak and a voiceless roar.

He can still squeeze air up through his windpipe however, explains journalist Taffy Brodesser-Akner, and past the hole that was cut into his throat and the tracheostomy tube, in a way that makes him somewhat understood  not very, but somewhat.

According to the NHS website, a tracheostomy is an opening created at the front of the neck so a tube can be inserted into the windpipe (trachea) to help you breathe.

Read more: Kilmer hallucinated on Top Gun

The profile explains that Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 after he developed a lump in a throat that made it hard to swallow while touring his Mark Twain-inspired stage show Citizen Twain. The profile adds that the 60-year-old actor who played Batman in 1995s Batman Forever had woken up in a pool of his own blood a time or two before seeking treatment.

Kilmer, a follower of Christian Science called it: the suggestion of throat cancer.

He explains that in Christian Science, the idea is rather than say I have it or possess it, there is a claim, theres a suggestion that this is a fact.

He worked with a Christian Science practitioner to pray his fear away so that his body would no longer manifest outwardly what can be diagnosed as a malady, but also sought a traditional treatment to allay the fears of his own family.

The movie "Top Gun", directed by Tony Scott. Seen here, Val Kilmer as Lt. Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky. Initial theatrical release May 16, 1986. Screen capture. Paramount Pictures. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)

The feature reveals that he had throat surgery, then chemotherapy and radiation that left him with the tracheostomy tube and a feeding tube. Kilmer says he no longer has cancer, and it was the medical treatment that causes him to suffer now, not the cancer. No longer able to ingest food orally, he has to feed himself through the feeding tube directly into his stomach.

Story continues

Read more: Willow sequel in development

The actor revealed that hed filmed five film roles already in 2020, and would next appear in Top Gun: Mavertick, the long-awaited sequel to his 1986 fighter pilot film, coming to cinemas over Christmas.

He teases though that his character Ice Man is no longer at loggerheads with Tom Cruises Maverick, and that in the sequel theyre friends.

Read NY Times excellent profile in full.

Top Gun: Maverick hits cinemas on 23 December.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday assured his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali of Indias support in ensuring supplies of essential medicines and offsetting the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

During their telephonic conversation, the two leaders discussed the domestic, regional and global challenges posed by the pandemic, and expressed solidarity with each other during the crisis.

The prime minister assure Dr Abiy Ahmed Ali of Indian support to Ethiopia, for ensuring supplies of essential medicines and ameliorating the economic impact of the pandemic, an official statement said.

Modi recalled the close ties between India and Ethiopia and the excellent development partnership between the two nations, it said.

Prime Minister Modi, on behalf of the people of India and on his own behalf, wished the people of Ethiopia success in the fight against the Covid-19.
MOUNT CLEMENS, MI  A southeast Michigan public works commissioner wants flushable wipe manufacturers to stop labeling their products as such.

The wipes can damage sewer systems because they are not biodegradable. Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller recently filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan with the goal of requiring disposable wipe manufacturers to stop labeling the sewer-clogging products as flushable, WDIV Local 4 reports.

During the current COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the last thing anyone needs is a major sewer back up, Miller told WDIV. These wipes are truly the scourge of sewer systems.

The lawsuit names nine manufacturers that sell the majority of flushable wipes in the United States: Dude Products, Nehemiah Manufacturing Company, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Proctor & Gamble Company, Nice-Pak Products, Professional Disposables International, Rockline Industries, S.C. Johnson & Son, and C.B. Fleet Company.

We are not trying to get the companies to stop making wipes, Miller said. We want them to change the label and make it clear that these are not to be flushed.

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Enable Midstream Partners LP (NYSE:ENBL)

Q1 2020 Earnings Call

, 10:00 a.m. ET

Contents:

Prepared Remarks

Questions and Answers

Call Participants

Prepared Remarks:

Operator

Good day and welcome to the Enable Midstream Partners First Quarter 2020 Conference Call and Webcast. [Operator Instructions]

I would now like to turn the conference call over to Enable's Senior Director of Investor Relations, Mr. Matt Beasley. Mr Beasley, you may begin sir.

Matt Beasley -- Senior Director, Investor Relations

Thank you and good morning everyone. Presenting on this morning's call are Rod Sailor, our President and CEO; and John Laws, our Chief Financial Officer. To achieve social distancing and limit travel, we only have a small group joining the call in the room today, but we also have other members of the management team on the phone to answer your questions.

Earlier this morning, we issued our earnings press release and filed our Form 10-Q with the SEC. Our earnings press release, Form 10-Q filing in the presentation that accompanies this call are all available in the Investor Relations section of our website. We will also be posting a replay of today's call to the site.

Today's discussion will include forward-looking statements within the meaning of the securities laws. Actual results could differ materially from our projections and a discussion of factors that could cause actual results to differ from projections can be found in our SEC filings.

We will also be referencing non-GAAP financial measures on today's call, which we have reconciled to the nearest GAAP measures in the appendix of today's presentation. We invite you to review the disclaimers in this presentation for both forward-looking statements and non-GAAP financial measures.

With that, we'll get started. And I will turn the call over to Rod Sailor.

Rod J. Sailor -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Thanks, Matt. Good morning and thank you for joining us. You can see on Slide 4, the key topics we plan to cover this morning. As always, Enable is committed to protecting the health and safety of our employees, customers and communities where we live and work while maintaining continuity in providing vital energy infrastructure services. Second, we plan to spend time today covering the current market environment and its impact on Enable, the significant demand reductions as a result of COVID-19 as well as the supply impacts from actions taken by Russia and Saudi Arabia have resulted in a significant drop in crude prices, which is impacted companies across the energy value chain. The US rig count has dropped almost 50% since early March and we are starting to see production curtailed in plays across the US to include certain areas of our footprint. During times of market volatility, we believe Enable benefits from its strong balance sheet, significant scale in key operating basins and our overall diversified asset portfolio of gathering and processing systems interconnected with natural gas, transportation and storage systems.

Third, we have quickly responded to this new market environment by reducing our capital expenditures and operating costs and we are committed to further action as needed to make sure Enable remains strong in 2020 and beyond. Fourth, despite the challenging business environment, we continue to execute on our strategic objectives and we have several key project and contracting updates to share today. Finally, while the market has changed quickly, we know it is important to provide an updated view for 2020, and John will share our updated outlook for the year at the end of the call.

The next slide highlights our response to COVID-19. As the coronavirus began to spread in the US, we quickly implemented our business continuity program, allowing us to continue operating our assets and executing on our business objectives. Following the local, state and federal guidelines and recommendations from health organizations, most of our employees have been working remotely and we have implemented social distancing practices for the field and other functions unable to work remotely. I am pleased to report the business operations are running smoothly and there have been no COVID-19 related impacts to systems operation or critical business functions, a testament to the hard work and dedication of our employees. To promote physical and mental well-being, we are offering multiple support resources to our employees and their families and we recently committed to make donations to hunger relief organizations in communities across our footprint.

Turning to the next slide. As the implications of the economic downturn and dramatic commodity price declines became apparent, we quickly announced actions designed to position the company well for the challenges of 2020. These actions included a 50% reduction in our distribution as well as significant cost and capital reductions which in total should result in approximately $450 million of additional cash flow on an annualized basis, which can be deployed back into the business to fund capital expenditures and reduce debt.

From a capital standpoint, we are limiting our capital expenditures to contracted long-term transportation and storage projects and contracted capital efficient gathering and processing projects. We are also looking for cost reduction opportunities across the business and have already identified significant savings, including idling of certain facilities, deferral of non-critical projects, lower materials and supplies costs as a result of reduced activity and lower equipment rental costs as we turn back under utilized rental compressor units and replace real units with unused equity units. Enable is now well positioned to fully fund its business in 2020 while reducing total debt levels, and we are committed to taking further actions as needed should challenging market conditions persist.

As we look at producer activity for the balance of the year, we expect most new well connects will be focused in the Haynesville Shale on our Ark-La-Tex system with more limited activity in the Anadarko and Williston Basins. Given significant declines in the demand for crude and the associated reduction in crude prices, we anticipate some amount of near term production curtailment in the Anadarko and Williston Basins and we have updated our outlook to reflect curtailments through June.

Turning to the next slide, Enable continues to benefit from a diversified asset portfolio. Our transportation and storage segment is anchored by firm contracts with high-quality customers providing stability during volatile market environments. With a more constructive outlook for natural gas prices, further out the curve, we are seeing increased producer interest in drilling and completing wells in leaner gas plays, particularly in the Anadarko Basin and as I just mentioned, we expect producers will continue to drill and complete wells in the Haynesville Shale in the Ark-La-Tex basin. Over the long-term, Enable is well positioned from both a producer operating cost and wellhead pricing perspective. Based on recent third-party research our gathering footprint includes plays with very competitive operating cost profiles. We also offer unique market solutions to our producers and many of our producers hold downstream capacity commitments that facilitate moving production to premium markets.

The next slide highlights several key project and contract updates. First, we recently received FERC approval on MRTs rate case settlements. These settlements established rates for service on the MRT system that provide a return on MRTs historical investments, recovery of the pipelines ongoing operating costs and rate certainty for customers. We recognized a one-time $17 million revenue benefit in 2020 related to 2019 billings, and we estimate a $7 million benefit on an ongoing basis. Our Gulf run pipeline project is proceeding on schedule. We recently filed certificate applications with the FERC on February 28 and FERC will now conduct an environmental assessment of the project. The project scope filed in the application would provide approximately 1.7 Bcf per day of capacity which could both accommodate Golden Pass' 1.1 Bcf per day commitment, and allow for additional capacity subscriptions that may develop from ongoing discussions at an estimated total cost for the filed scope of approximately $640 million. The project will be appropriately sized to meet contracted customer capacity commitments. And we estimate a capital cost of approximately $500 million to meet Golden Pass' current 1.1 Bcf per day commitment, subject to FERC approval, we still anticipate placing the project into service in late 2022.

Our mass natural gas transportation project also remains on schedule for its anticipated second quarter 2021 start-up. The project leverages Enable's existing infrastructure to provide access to emerging Gulf Coast markets and growing Southeast demand markets and is backed by a firm fee-based agreement. On the contracting front, EGT recently recontracted substantial capacity with its largest customer CenterPoint Energy Resources Corporation. The contracted term for the majority of the renewed capacity is nine years and the effective date of the new contracts will be April 1, 2021. We were also recently awarded a three year renewal for approximately 150,000 dekatherms per day from a utility on the EOIT system. And we recently contracted 100,000 dekatherms per day of capacity for two years starting in 2021 on EGT's Line CP. Finally, we continue to evaluate asset optimization opportunities and we recently closed on the sale of EGT's undivided 1/12th interest in the Bistineau storage facility.

I will now turn the call over to John to discuss first quarter results and our updated 2020 outlook.

John Laws -- Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

Thank you. Rod, and good morning everyone. My remarks will cover our first quarter 2020 operational and financial results at a high level as well as an updated outlook for 2020. As always, you can find a more detailed and comprehensive overview of our financial and operational results in our first quarter earnings release and in our 10-Q both of which were released earlier this morning.

Turning to the operational performance overview slide. We saw a slight decrease in natural gas gathered volumes as a result of lower volumes in the Anadarko and Arkoma Basins offset by volume increases in the Ark-La-Tex Basin. We saw an increase in crude and condensate gathered volumes driven by volume growth in the Anadarko, net of lower gathered volumes in the Williston. Finally, the slight decrease in transported volumes was primarily related to lower gathered volumes.

Turning to the financial results on the next slide. Our decline in net income was primarily driven by non-cash impairments that we recognized in our gathering and processing segment during the quarter, offset by revenue increases from FERC's approval of our MRT rate case settlements. The slight decrease in adjusted EBITDA was driven by lower gross margin after adjusting for non-cash items including an adjustment related to the change in fair value of commodity derivatives. The increase in DCF for the quarter was driven by lower cash payments made pursuant to the partnerships long-term incentive plan and lower maintenance capital expenditures. After considering the distributions declared, Enable's distributable cash flow exceeded distributions declared by $142 million fully funding our $38 million of expansion capital expenditures for the quarter and providing additional cash flow to reduce debt.

I will now discuss our updated 2020 outlook on the next slide. Before I get into the details, I want to recognize that we find ourselves in a very fluid environment. Accordingly, while we believe demand will return and prices will stabilize over time we cannot know or predict when that may occur, nor can we predict the full extent or duration of any customer volume curtailments. The outlook shown on this slide reflects current market prices, and our expectations for producer activity for the balance of the year, which have been informed by recent commercial dialog with our key producers. And, as Rod mentioned, we expect to see some curtailments in the Anadarko and Williston Basins as well as some new wells connected to our systems, primarily in the Ark-La-Tex basin.

In terms of production curtailments, the outlook assumes that we will see approximately 0.6 TBtu per day of natural gas production and 70,000 barrels per day of crude oil and condensate production curtailed in May. And while most producers are not giving indications on curtailments beyond May, our outlook assumes the curtailments extend through June at an approximate impact of $12 million for the month. At our current distribution rate and considering the actions we announced in early April to increased retained cash flows, we expect that distributable cash flow will exceed distributions by approximately $325 million at the midpoint of the outlook, that will allow us to fully fund our anticipated expansion capital expenditures for the year, while reducing total debt levels.

As I close my remarks, I want to emphasize that even though we are facing near term challenges our assets have served customers for many decades through many different industry cycles. We are confident that the steps we are taking position Enable well for success, both now and in the future.

I will now turn the call back over to Rod.

Rod J. Sailor -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Thanks, John. As we wrap up today's call, I want to emphasize a few key points. First, and most importantly, we are committed to protecting the health and safety of employees, customers and communities. Second, Enable is built for the long-term, and we continue to benefit from significant scale, diversified assets, integrated systems, unique market solutions and a strong base of firm demand driven transportation and storage contracts. Third, Enable remains strong and the actions we announced in early April create significant financial flexibility and liquidity. Finally, Enable will take the necessary actions to position the company for success in 2020 and beyond including continuing to scale expenses and capital to the business environment.

That concludes my remarks and we will now open the call up for your questions.

Questions and Answers:

Operator

Thank you, sir. We will now begin the question-and-answer session. [Operator Instructions] And the first question we have will come from Jeremy Tonet of JP Morgan. Please go ahead.

James Kirby -- JP Morgan -- Analyst

Hey. Good morning guys. This is James on for Jeremy. Appreciate you taking my questions. Just starting with the updated guidance. I appreciate the color in terms of the next few months. How you're seeing production buyout across your portfolio. Looking into the back half of the year in the second half, what kind of the moving pieces in terms of your GMP segment or what can get you to maybe the high-end versus the low end of the guide?

Rod J. Sailor -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Yes, James. This is Rod. I'll start the answer and John or Michael can weigh-in to the extent they need too. I think as we think about it, we said this in our commentary around the slides as we look at the back half of 2020 we continue to see a very constructive dry gas environment setting up. If you recall, we saw a lot of activity in the STACK areas, which is the gassier play as producers focused on crude they move down into the SCOOP. Our system can handle activity, be it in the SCOOP, be it in the STACK it in along the Anadarko Basin. So we do see some opportunities for producers to be a little more active on drilling in some of the gassier windows of the Anadarko, if we continue to see a constructive gas environment on the crude side, really it's going to be highly dependent on demand and the impacts on demand that increased demand would have on price to see I think more accrued directed drilling. That's what we've seen the biggest pullback from producers of weight. Again stronger gas prices, again, we expect to continue -- see producers, continuing to follow their drilling plans in the Haynesville. So, I think to some of the positives that we would expect or could point to, would be around a stronger gas price, what that would do for increased drilling in the gassier windows of the Anadarko and potentially others in the Ark-La-Tex basin.

And remember, one of the points. We really tried to emphasize is again given the integrated nature of our system, the fact that many of our producer are gathering customers have transportation obligations in our system. We continue to work with them to find creative ways to get gas molecules to the best -- absolute best market available. So I think you need to see some of a continued constructive gas environment and we need to see pick-up in crude demand.

James Kirby -- JP Morgan -- Analyst

Okay, thanks.

Rod J. Sailor -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Just just before you leave, I'll ask if John or Michael have anything to say?

John Laws -- Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

No, Rod. I think you said it well. I think just to think about it, maybe building on Rod's comments and really at the end of the day, we just think completions right. We still have some work going on in the area of the basin. We've got rigs running. But I think we've been a little conservative from a completion standpoint for the balance of the year. And so if you see some of the conditions that Rod has described, as we're all trying to work our way through this current environment and understand how the demand will rebound and what that will mean for prices, I think there is an opportunity to see the wells that are being drilled, some of that rig activity that's going on now being brought forward into the completions.

James Kirby -- JP Morgan -- Analyst

Great. Thanks. And then, just wanted to touch on the rating agencies and how conversations have been going with them? I assume they viewed the recent actions as a positive, but just if there is any rating sensitivity that they put out for you, I think S&P, put you guys on negative watch. Just how conversations are evolving with them and if there's any leverage target that you guys are trying by year-end?

John Laws -- Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

Yes, I think, good question. So we've been in very regular dialog with each of the three agencies, certainly leading up to the announcement that we had on 1st of April and thereafter. I think the primary leverage target that the agencies have put out for us and it varies a little bit, but generally, that 4.5 times range is to the extent we're exceeding that on a sustained basis that begins to be a point where they'll take a harder look. Look we've -- what we're entering into this crisis as we closed out last year, with a pretty strong balance sheet had under 4 times. We've maintained that leverage level through the first quarter, roughly 3.5 times to 3.6 times from a -- from an overall leverage level. So we feel like we're relatively well positioned, the measures that we've taken as well, on top of that, just to add to that strength as we continue to march through 2020.

James Kirby -- JP Morgan -- Analyst

All right, I'll stop there. Thanks for taking my questions.

John Laws -- Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

Thank you.

Operator

Next, we have the Danilo Juvane of BMO Capital.

Danilo Juvane -- BMO Capital Markets -- Analyst

Good morning and thank you for taking my questions. My first one is perhaps for Rod. In your prepared remarks you talked about being prepared to push further action to the extent that the situation deteriorates. Are there any specific levers that you're thinking about, potentially pulling in terms of further actions, and what necessarily makes you sort of pursue further actions up here?

Rod J. Sailor -- President and Chief Executive Officer

I appreciate the question. I think, the point to that comment is, I think we took the right and appropriate actions in April to ensure, strengthen the balance sheet and to give us ultimate financial flexibility and liquidity. And all of those options are on the table going forward, depending on what we see or believe the future holds to us. And I wouldn't write anything one above the other. But I just wanted to be sure that we made the point that we've got a lot of levers to pull, we pulled some of them, and we'll continue to look at pulling those or additional levers as we think the business climate warrants it.

Danilo Juvane -- BMO Capital Markets -- Analyst

That's helpful, Rod. Thank you. And now, looking at the O&M for the quarter, it was a little bit lighter than what we expected. You identified when you announced the dividend cut host of initiatives, cost savings measures and so forth. I think $35 million in O&M indentified for this year, $70 million for next year. Was any of that accelerated into the quarter? Just wanted some clarity on that.

Rod J. Sailor -- President and Chief Executive Officer

I think a little of it was because we started taking some actions around -- again, some of the actions that we're taking in the first quarter will carry on over into next year. But, yes, but, I think we'll continue. And I think we've got all of the $35 million currently identified and we'll continue to address cost cutting as we go through the year. We'll execute on the $35 million. And it would not surprise me if we saw a little bit more. And again, some of those cost reductions are activity-based. And so again, depending on activity levels, we could see some of those go down. We could see some of them go up with some of the discussions we're having around some of the dryer gas areas.

Danilo Juvane -- BMO Capital Markets -- Analyst

Thanks for the color, Rod. I'll get back in the queue. Thank you.

Operator

Next, we have Shneur Gershuni of UBS.

Agasha -- UBS -- Analyst

Good morning. This is Agasha [Phonetic] calling in for Shneur. Could you please provide more color on Continental's curtailments in the Anadarko, which wells could be impacted, do they focus more on vintage wells? Any color would be helpful.

Rod J. Sailor -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Yes. I don't think it would be appropriate for us to talk about individual customers and curtailments, especially given the Continental will be having I think their earnings call next week, and I'm sure they will be outlining what their plans are. We've tried to point out that the level of curtailments that we've had on our system, and clearly Continental is a large part of those curtailments. But, I don't want to get into any specifics around that. I don't think that would be appropriate for us.

Agasha -- UBS -- Analyst

Then, what is management thinking about debt repurchases in the open market? Is it part of the strategy this year to reduce debt, and has Enable repurchased any debt so far?

John Laws -- Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

We released our Q this morning. So, we don't have any debt repurchases disclosed in there. But look, I think what you should and investors should expect from Enable is that we're going to be front-footed on a number of different things and strategies in evaluating those opportunities and looking at how the debt may trade, could be an opportunity for us that we'll evaluate. But we don't have anything specific to comment on there.

Agasha -- UBS -- Analyst

Thank you for taking my questions.

John Laws -- Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

You bet.

Operator

[Operator Instructions] Next we have Alexis Kania of Wolfe Research.

Alexis Kania -- Wolfe Research -- Analyst

Hey. Good morning. Two questions. I think, first is, you mentioned the EBITDA impact of the June assumption of curtailments, which I think was $12 million to $16 million. Is that a fair assumption to use, to the extent that we see extensions of those curtailments, so that's again, a good sensitivity that we could use on a monthly basis for the balance of the year? And the second question is just on Gulf Run. Is there kind of a date when you would need to kind of decide on kind of the ultimate sizing of that project during the FERC process? I'm sure there's probably some implications in ordering, kind of pipe diameter and alike. So, I'm kind of curious about kind of what the window was to look for additional supply or contracted volumes?

Rod J. Sailor -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Yes. On the curtailment question, again, just to be clear, we did assume -- in our guidance, we assumed that there would be curtailments in May and June. Again, most of the producers we're talking to are taking it sort of on a monthly basis and have indicated May and very few have pointed to June, but we wanted to -- we felt that was the appropriate timeframe, just given the construct of the curve to take. And the $12 million number was the number that we referenced for June. You could expect that -- again, those wells are somewhat on decline, so that $12 million number would slowly decrease over time, should curtailments last past June. We're in the filing process on Gulf Run.

And so, yes, there is a date depending on how that process plays out that we will ultimately need to make some decisions around, probably first and foremost the ultimate size. So, we can start thinking about how we want to handle the pipe cost. To date, pipe cost has continued to come down since we announced that project, and that's been favorable to us. Clearly, there will likely be some escalations and other costs. So, right now, we haven't set a firm date that we need to say we're done. It's been an exercise with potential customers that we've had a lot of activity and then, it gets slowed to nothing. And now, we've seen another pickup of activity around potential interest in that project.

So, look, our commercial team has done a phenomenal job around that project. They will continue to talk with potential subscribers and capacity right up until we feel that during the regulatory process we need to finalize scope and move forward with making some purchases around -- or making some expenditures related to that project. Probably not as crisp an answer as you'd like, but it is an ongoing situation and we still have some ability to move our time around and still make all of our regulatory and construction deadlines.

Alexis Kania -- Wolfe Research -- Analyst

Great. Thanks very much.

Operator

Next we have Gabe Moreen of Mizuho.

Gabe Moreen -- Mizuho Securities -- Analyst

I appreciate that things are highly uncertain at the moment. But, can you maybe speak to sort of the base volume declines maybe you would expecting in your guidance sort of on a 4Q to 4Q basis or 1Q to 1Q basis in the Anadarko, just curious after curtailments are hopefully done with sooner rather than later where you see the base volumes kind of headed absent drilling?

John Laws -- Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

Yes. Hey. Good morning, Gabe. It's John. Thank you for the question. And I do appreciate you're recognizing sort of the -- how fluid things are at the moment. I think, as I mentioned a little bit earlier at the outset is, we're not real aggressive on well connects in the Anadarko this year. And so, -- and we've also not put out specific volumetric guidance here. But, I think, it's probably fair to say I think if you were looking at sort of an overall decline over the year, probably in that 10%-ish range. It'd be a little bit stronger than that if you were looking at Q4-to-Q4. But I'm going to stop short of giving you a specific number just as the inactivity continues to evolve and we don't know exactly how things will matriculate through the balance of the year, and as we're looking here on a fluid basis.

Rod J. Sailor -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Yes. And I might just add that, again, when crude price collapsed and producers started reacting, we've seen -- we're only in sort of the third week of this exercise around most producers shutting in production, and we've seen from our customers some changes in the wells that they planned to shut-in. And so, it is a very dynamic environment around that that does make it a little -- I think John said it well. We've made our best assumptions on our outlook based on the activity that we think that we will -- that we have seen and we think that we will see. But again, I think it's -- producers are going to continue to think about where best to find value between ongoing production, their drilling activities and what they want to shut in. I mean, clearly, it's heavily weighted toward crude, but there's a lot of gas with some of those shut-ins. And again, depending on the price construct, you can see that that vary. I think, it'll vary in May and optimistic that we will start to see some of those wells coming on hopefully sooner rather than later.

Gabe Moreen -- Mizuho Securities -- Analyst

Thanks, John. Thanks, Rod. And I truly appreciate the uncertainty of the whole exercise. Just want to clarify, John, when you threw out the 10%-ish number, was that Anadarko-specific or sort of a cross-basin kind of stab at the number?

John Laws -- Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

That was more of Anadarko. Yes. That's not necessarily in our expectations for some of the drier gas areas. And that gets into a little bit of the difficulty in giving you these numbers as well, because we continue to be encouraged by and see the activity of -- some of the rig activity converting into completions this year.

Gabe Moreen -- Mizuho Securities -- Analyst

Got it. And then, second question is, in the past you've been kind of creative I think in terms of coming up with some projects and solutions around basins where there's been excess processing capacity. You had mentioned earlier about cost saves on compressors. I'm just curious whether in your own network of plants in the Anadarko or even in conjunction with others, kind of solutions being bandied about, I think rationalizing some of that capacity. Just curious on your thoughts there.

Rod J. Sailor -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Yes. Look, I think, first, thank you. I do think we've been able to provide some creative solutions to those things and I think we'll continue to look. And look, I think rationalizing processing capacity in and around our footprint has been an exercise that we've continued to champion, probably haven't had as much success with that, again, outside of Wildcat where we were in a growing environment, our Wildcat project. But, we've talked about it in a constricting environment also. And so, nothing to announce there. It is something that we continue to think about. We think about ways to use -- better use our assets. And frankly, in areas where we're seeing a lot more activity, we're trying to find creative ways to partner with our peers and competitors to utilize all the capacity that's out there.

Gabe Moreen -- Mizuho Securities -- Analyst

Got it. Thanks Rod.

Operator

Well, this will conclude our question-and-answer session. I would now like to turn the conference call back over to Mr. Sailor for any closing remarks. Sir?

Rod J. Sailor -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Thank you very much. And in closing, I want to recognize all of our employees for their hard work, dedication and continued focus on safety during this challenging time. Look, I thank everyone on the call for your interest in Enable. And I hope you all remain safe and healthy. Please, have a great day.

Operator

[Operator Closing Remarks]

Duration: 37 minutes

Call participants:

Matt Beasley -- Senior Director, Investor Relations

Rod J. Sailor -- President and Chief Executive Officer

John Laws -- Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

James Kirby -- JP Morgan -- Analyst

Danilo Juvane -- BMO Capital Markets -- Analyst

Agasha -- UBS -- Analyst

Alexis Kania -- Wolfe Research -- Analyst

Gabe Moreen -- Mizuho Securities -- Analyst

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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Vienna  Wed, May 6, 2020 17:05 622 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd663462 2 Art & Culture Vienna,Museum,pandemic,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free

Vienna's museum of city history said Tuesday an appeal to submit photos of everyday objects to document the coronavirus pandemic for future generations had so far drawn hundreds of submissions.

Some 1,800 photos of masks, signs and other objects have been received since the Vienna Museum launched its appeal on March 25, spokeswoman Konstanze Schaefer said.

"We want to see how we tell our children, or our children's children, what happened in Vienna because of course this is a big moment for all of us," Schaefer told AFP.

"We must call for this now... A lot of the projects that came into existence in the beginning (of the crisis), such as neighborhood aid initiatives, don't exist anymore," she said.

Some 200 photos of submissions received have been put up on the museum's website.

Read also: #MuseumAtHome brings Indonesian art museums, gallery to screens

They include a photo of a discarded blue rubber glove, a police signboard that urges one-metre (three feet) social distancing and a mobile phone screen showing a call with the coronavirus hotline number of more than one hour and 28 minutes.

The museum will continue to accept submissions "as long as corona exists", Schaefer said.

Those objects eventually chosen to become part of the collection will be picked up from their owners and put into storage -- but any exhibition could be years from now, to allow time to step back from the crisis, according to Schaefer.

Other museums in Austria and in neighboring Germany have started similar initiatives to try to document the crisis for future generations, Schaefer added.

The Alpine nation of almost nine million people has so far been spared the brunt of the health crisis, with just under 15,600 reported infections and 606 deaths.
With the extensive proliferation of online content, free wi-fi across many locations, dirt-cheap data plans on mobile, broadband and fibre optic networks, watching online content has become the most comfortable pastime with a massive reach across youth and millennials in urban and rural areas. Many web-series and online materials are blatantly displaying nudity, violence, obscene language, has children and growing adolescents in real or simulated sex, offends religious sentiments, and promotes and encourages terrorism. Parents, in many cases, have no idea about the content being watched by their children.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), under the administrative control of the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India, has recently taken cognizance of research highlighting 95 per cent rise in online child porn traffic during the nationwide lockdown and sent notices to reputed and most used platforms like Google, WhatsApp and Twitter citing gaps on these platforms which make children vulnerable. The alarming fact is pornographic materials are accessible through the apps available on Google Play Store, links are available to join on encrypted WhatsApp groups, and various twitter handles are also propagating such WhatsApp group links openly.

Section 67B of The Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 specifically provides stringent punishment for publishing, browsing or transmitting child pornography in electronic form. Section 79 of the IT Act and The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules 2011 require that the intermediaries shall observe due diligence while discharging their duties and shall inform the users of computer resources to act accordingly. Government blocks the websites containing extreme Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) based on Interpol's "Worst-of-list" shared periodically by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) which is the National Nodal Agency for Interpol. The list is shared with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), who then directs major ISPs to block such websites. A dedicated website for information security awareness has also been set up by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity). (https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1580264) A survey conducted by TNN (Times News Network) in October 2019 states that 59 per cent of the respondents felt there was a lot of offensive content which was "unsuitable" for public viewing and a recent report by KPMG and OTT Platform EROS Now projected that India would have nearly 500 million online video subscribers by 2023, only second to China. In February 2020, the I&B Ministry along with IAMAI (Internet and Mobile Association of India) came with setting up of DCCCC (Digital Curated Content Complaint Council) following 2019's self-regulation code, the "Code of Best Practices For Online Curated Content Providers", but only a few of them are on board and have signed onto this code.

Online classes are now a new normal in the Covid19 scenario, and NCPCR has already issued an advisory to all state governments to ensure the safety of students and has mentioned that parental supervision is advised during such virtual classrooms. But like earlier pointed out, parents themselves are not aware of the content their child is accessing on the smartphones. It depends on their education levels, their cyber hygiene etiquettes and their basic awareness of the subject.

Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu had suggested in Parliament in November 2019 that a committee comprising a few MPs should be formed to suggest concrete steps to check pornography on social media, and other Internet platforms which are adversely affecting children in India. The government needs to run cyber hygiene awareness programmes in local languages on all media channels and newspapers and educate the people about the applicable laws. Educational institutions must inform students about the dangers of accessing objectionable online content. Most importantly, data sovereignty laws are the need of the hour in India, and the responsibilities of the content generator, content hosting platform, content transmitter, and the content sharer all have to be fixed.

The irony is that while all such platforms earn huge revenues from sharing content and circulating it, they escape when it comes to accepting responsibility due to some legal loopholes. On a broader level, India needs to discuss this right from Parliament to the remotest village, and a comprehensive policy supported by legislation is the need of the hour on this subject.

(Vinit Goenka is the author of Data Sovereignty: The Pursuit of Supremacy. The views expressed are personal)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
On Earth Were Briefly Gorgeous, the debut novel by TS Eliot Prize-winning poet Ocean Vuong, is a love letter from Vietnamese-American son Little Dog to his mum Rose, whose illiteracy means she will never read it. Sitting in the murkiness between fiction and memoir, On Earth... sees Little Dog telling Rose their story. How she was conceived in a brothel by a soon-to-disappear American soldier during the Vietnam War. How she married a man who beat her until her skin turned purple. How the family fled a refugee camp, when Little Dog was a toddler, to Hartford, Connecticut to find a better life. How that better life meant Rose working in a nail salon with chemicals so strong her hands resemble two partially scaled fish and later at a clock factory where after long shifts sweating over metal parts, she passes out in the bath, leaving Little Dog afraid she would drown.

Essentially plotless, Vuongs deeply tender prose loops around in different time zones and perspectives, most often that of Little Dog growing up in the Nineties, but also his journey into adulthood and literary acclaim in the 2000s, and also back to Lan, his Grandma, in Vietnam in the Seventies. At points, there are long, essayistic meditations on anything from Tiger Woods Asian heritage to Americas opioid crisis. In the final part of the book, Vuong jettisons the prose for poetic verse, with Roland Barthes, Duchamps Fountain and queer love all collapsing into splintering lines of verse. Vuongs sentences are so beautiful, sometimes I would say them over and over again in my head, hoping I might be able to trap them in there.

For Little Dog, love and pain are indistinguishable. Its almost impossible to tease the two feelings apart. Little Dogs humiliating name comes from the Vietnamese tradition of referring to a child as something so worthless, evil spirits will spare them from torture. Rose loves her son, but she acts as though she hates him in order to toughen him up for life in a country that often doesnt want him. After boys on the school bus beat up Little Dog, Rose slaps him harder than they did. You have to step up or theyll keep going, she tells him, getting so close to his face that he can smell the ash and toothpaste between her teeth. You have a bellyful of English, she says, her palm on his stomach now, you have to use it. From then on, she forces him to drink milk every day, pouring a thick white braid of it into his glass to make his bones stronger than the bullies. In an earlier passage, Vuong wonders: Perhaps to lay hands on your child is to prepare him for war.

When hes 14, Little Dog starts working at a tobacco farm. Its there that a blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy says, Im Trevor, from the shadow of a metal army helmet. American as apple pie, Trevor smells like peanut butter and his mouth tastes like french fries. He knows all the words to 50 Cents Many Men (Wish Death). Theres motor oil under his fingernails and he has a Fentanyl addiction that will eventually kill him. When they touch for the first time in the hay barn, with a Patriots game humming on the radio, Little Dog repeats the submission he performed earlier under Roses fists. Violence was already mundane to me, was what I knew, ultimately, of love, says Little Dog. Now he is being f***ed up, at last, by choice.

Through Trevor, a little lightness comes to the novel, as Little Dog sees his own body as beautiful just for the way it looks in his lovers eyes. In one scene, he considers his ribs in the reflection of a mirror, sunken as the skin tried to fill its irregular gaps, and the sad little heart rippling underneath like a sad fish, and for a short moment in these flaws, hurt gives way to healing. For once begins Little Dog, they were not wrong to me but something that was wanted, that was sought and found among a landscape as enormous as the one I had been lost in all this time. One day, boys like Little Dog might be able to feel love without feeling pain first. A mother might not have to prepare her son for war, but for joy. Or, to borrow a phrase from one of Vuongs poems, you might not have to break kneecaps just to show the sky.

And heres what some of our readers thought...

Steven, 41, London

I found the poetic language exhausting. I would have rather Ocean Vuong just said what he wanted to say clearer and then I think I would have been more emotionally touched by the book. Some of the phrases I just thought too easy and didnt really do it for me. Our facts lit us up and our acts pinned us down is one example.

Neesha, 22, Manchester

Ive never read something thats so clearly expressed the messy, nervous exploration involved in teenage sex. Because so many gay love stories end in tragedy, reading the book I was so convinced Trevor was going to hurt Little Dog, maybe even kill him. There is a sad end, but I was glad it wasnt one that was a punishment for being gay.

Recommended Flowers for Algernon is a sad interrogation of what it is to be human

Hannah, 23, London

I didnt like the way it broke down into poetry at the end. I thought the story should have focused more on Trevor and Little Dog and in following the tangents of Tiger Woods and art and all that, the story became a bit lost. For me the prose was, perhaps, too beautiful, too resonant, without enough plot.

Mandy, 43, Hull

I was confused constantly where I was in Little Dogs life and the narrative. But it never bothered me because of the strength of Vuongs writing. He didnt write the book, he sliced himself open and bled onto the page. Reading it cut me too, and turned me inside out. Just a sample: Did you know people get rich off of sadness? I want to meet the millionaire of American sadness. I want to look him in the eye, shake his hand, and say, Its been an honour to serve my country.

Our next Indy Book Club choice is Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata. Send your thoughts on the book to annie.lord@independent.co.uk
When a Royal Air Charters special flight landed in New Delhi on Wednesday to ferry back Zambian nationals from the Capital and Mumbai, it had on board two passengers who were not supposed to be there -- an Indian businessman and his cook.

The special evacuation flight was allowed by Indias ministry of home affairs (MHA) to fly back 39 persons including Zambian diplomat Steven Simasandu to Lusaka, but officials at the airport were surprised when the flight, which was supposed to be empty except for the crew, landed with Rajnish Gupta and Suresh Kumar Baheliya, according to people directly familiar with the matter.

Gupta, 47, a businessman who has business interests and an apartment in Lusaka, was travelling with Baheliya, his cook. He had managed to convince Zambian authorities to let him fly in on the special flight, which landed in Delhi via Muscat. Gupta told the officials at the airport that he was in Lusaka for work when the lockdown was enforced and that he managed to persuade Zambian government authorities that he had to be back in India.

It wasnt immediately clear how Gupta managed to convince Zambian authorities to let him travel to India. The Zambian High Commission did not respond to calls seeking comment.

More than 300,000 Indians are stuck around the world on account of the lockdown and the cancellation of all flights. Starting Thursday, the Indian government is running a massive evacuation operation to get many of them back to India. On Tuesday, the government said it would run 64 flights in the first week, starting Thursday, to fly around 15,000 Indians back home. According to guidelines issued for the operation, preference was to be given to those with expiring visas, people who were laid off, the elderly, students, pregnant women, and people with family medical emergencies.

When the plane landed at about 2pm on Wednesday, Indian authorities were shocked to find the two Indians on board because the Directorate general of Civil aviation (DGCA) permit had no mention of any incoming Indian passenger. HT has reviewed a copy of the note .

Till evening, the flight, which was to take on Zambians from Delhi and then fly to Mumbai where more Zambians were to board, was waiting on the tarmac, with Gupta and Baheliya next to it.

Someone cant just get on a plane like this illegally and come here, said a DGCA official. He will not be allowed to get off the flight.

But therein lay the big dilemma for the officials.

He (Gupta) is an Indian citizen after all and so we cant send him back, said an immigration official.

And so, as the discussions raged Wednesday evening, Gupta stood on the tarmac, closely watched by two security guards.

Even if he manages to stay back in India, he will face action and will be taken straight to quarantine, said an airport official.

After consultations with the Ministry of External Affairs, the immigration officials issued a show cause notice to the two passengers. The CISF which guards the airport were officially told to put the two back on the flight. However, the two were refusing to budge. The Zambian passengers were left waiting till shortly after 11pm, when a quick response team of 20 people surrounded Gupta and forced him onto the plane. Late on Wednesday night, the plane took off for Mumbai to pick up the rest of the passengers before heading to Zambia.

The Delhi Airport spokesperson said that he had no information about the incident. HT also contacted the Foreigner Registration Offices which handles the immigration department under the home ministry but there was no response.
A Scottish make-up artist left This Morning co-hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield in shock when she transformed herself into the latter.

Alana Pignatiel amazed the TV presenter, 58, with her uncanny resemblance to him through the power of make-up after spending an hour and a half to make herself look like him on Wednesday.

Wearing a grey wig to emulate the silver fox, Alana used make-up to draw on wrinkles to match his likeness before being introduced to the man live on the show.

Wow! Phillip Schofield was left stunned by make-up artist Alana Pignatiel after she transformed herself into him on Wednesday's edition of This Morning

Holly was besides herself with amazement, as she said: 'Oh my God. I feel like you've traded places.'

Meanwhile Phil said with glee that what she'd done was 'amazing', before asking her how she managed to complete the task.

Answering Holly and Phil's questions Alana revealed that she used 'just highlighting and shading' to transform into him, which Holly said was 'very clever.'

Alana also showed a photo of herself made up to look like Holly, and the presenter thought the likeness was remarkable.

Transformation: Wearing a grey wig to emulate the silver fox, Alana used make-up to draw on wrinkles to match his likeness before being introduced to the man live on the show

Delighted: Holly was besides herself with amazement, as she said: 'Oh my God. I feel like you've traded places', while Phil said with glee that what she'd done was 'amazing'

Elsewhere during the show. Twitter went into panic mode when, in a moment of excitement, Holly forgot about social distancing and ran over to Phil.

Standing close to one another while taking part in various experiments with resident scientist Zoe, Phillip said: 'Don't be so close. Get back, get back.'

Giggling Holly headed back to her side of the studio and realising her error, said: 'Of course, two metres'.

Talented artist: Alana also showed a photo of herself made up to look like Holly, and the presenter thought the likeness was remarkable

'The country just freaked out': Elsewhere during the show. Twitter went into panic mode when, in a moment of excitement, Holly forgot about social distancing and ran over to Phil

Phil shouted: 'Get back to your corner', and viewers were quick to express their fears for his safety on social media.

Some felt it was unfair that while they can't see their family and friends for weeks on end, the hosts could stand next to each other while doing experiments.

They ranged from discovering if paperclips float in water and how to make a hoverboard with a balloon.

Seeing the funny side? Phil told Holly to 'get back' and the giggling presenter headed back to her side of the studio

Viewers wrote: '#LooseWomen should we be having ago at Holly forgetting and going over to Phil this morning.'

'Here comes the uproar and internet trolls. Holly just got caught up in the excitement of science and forgot the social distancing rules as she ran over to Phil. Awkward.

'Nice #SocialDistancing Holly and Phil'

'The whole country just freaked out at @thismorning and Holly forgetting about social distancing. [Laughing] at Schofe dashing away; they make my day.'

How they normally are: Over the past few weeks, Holly and Phil have been making sure to sit two metres apart in accordance with social distancing recommendations
Former president John Dramani Mahama on Press Freedom Day on Sunday, May 3, 2020, said Ghana became the country with the highest levels of press freedom in Africa during his tenure as leader of the country.

At the time, we were ranked number one out of 54 countries in Africa. We placed 23rd on the global ranking among 180 countries, Mr. Mahama said in a statement found on his website, johnmahama.org.

But YEN.com.gh fact check has verified the claim by the NDC flagbearer and the verdict is that John Dramani Mahamas assertion is completely false.

READ ALSO: Ghana losing battle against COVID-19 - UK-based Pharmacist warns

The former presidents claim that Reporters Without Borders ranked Ghana number on the continent in press freedom is false because a check on the website of Reporters Without Borders says otherwise.

The Press Freedom Index is a ranking of countries compiled and published annually by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) based on the assessment of the countries press freedom records.

Mr. John Mahama served as President of Ghana in the years 2013 to 2016. But Ghana in those years according to the RSF placed 3rd, 3rd, 2nd, and 2nd from 2013 to 2016 respectively.

Fact check: Ghana never topped press freedom ranking in Africa during Mahamas tenure. Source: rsf.org

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: 5 likely candidates for NDC's VEEP position

So this means, Ghana never became number in the years, John Mahama was president, however, the only year Ghana topped Africa since 2013, was 2018, when the country also ranked 23rd in the world.

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has been responding to some concerns, assertions, and allegations made by former president John Dramani Mahama.

The NDC leader in his last two Facebook live conversation, raised issues about Ghanas economy not being strong and resilient like some top government officials in the NPP administration want Ghanaians to believe.

John Mahama also said the Akufo-Addo government has failed to build infrastructure to support or match the countrys growth.

Ghanaian Pastor ventures into farming to help feed the country | #Yencomgh

READ ALSO: 53 uncompleted health facilities left to rot by NPP revealed

Want to be featured on YEN.com.gh? Send us a message on our Facebook page with your stories, photos or videos.

Source: YEN.com.gh
By Julie Steenhuysen, Peter Eisler, Allison Martell and Stephanie Nebehay

(Reuters) - In the race to develop a vaccine to end the COVID-19 pandemic, governments, charities and Big Pharma firms are sinking billions of dollars into bets with extraordinarily low odds of success.

Theyre fast-tracking the testing and regulatory review of vaccines with no guarantee they will prove effective. Theyre building and re-tooling plants for vaccines with slim chances of being approved. Theyre placing orders for vaccines that, in the end, are unlikely to be produced.

Its the new pandemic paradigm, focused on speed and fraught with risks.

The crisis in the world is so big that each of us will have to take maximum risk now to put this disease to a stop," said Paul Stoffels, chief scientific officer at Johnson & Johnson <JNJ.N>, which has partnered with the U.S. government on a $1 billion investment to speed development and production of its still-unproven vaccine. If it fails, Stoffels told Reuters, it will be bad.

Historically, just 6% of vaccine candidates end up making it to market, often after a years-long process that doesnt draw big investments until testing shows a product is likely to work. But the traditional rules of drug and vaccine development are being tossed aside in the face of a virus that has infected 2.7 million people, killed more than 192,000 and devastated the global economy. With COVID-19, the goal is to have a vaccine identified, tested and available on a scale of hundreds of millions of doses in just 12 to 18 months.

Drug companies and the governments and investors that finance them are boosting their at-risk spending in unprecedented ways. The overriding consensus among more than 30 drug company executives, government health officials and pandemic-response experts interviewed by Reuters is that the risks are necessary to ensure not only that a vaccine for the new coronavirus is developed quickly, but that it is ready to distribute as soon as its approved.

Story continues

Investments from governments, global health groups and philanthropies have been aimed primarily at the most promising of the more than 100 vaccine candidates in development worldwide. But only a handful of those have advanced to human trials, the real indicator of safety and efficacy - and the stage where most vaccines wash out.

Even among the more encouraging prospects, very few are likely to succeed. Its possible more than one will work; its possible none will.

For companies in the race, there are some likely benefits: It's a proving ground for vaccine technologies and a chance to burnish reputations and boost shares. While some large companies, including Johnson & Johnson and GlaxoSmithKline Plc <GSK.L>, have said they plan to make the vaccine available at cost - at least at first - they may reap profits down the road if seasonal vaccination is needed and countries invest in stockpiles.

But finding a vaccine that works does little good without the ability to produce and distribute it. That means building manufacturing plants now.

"We want to make investments up front, at risk, even before we know the vaccines work, to be able to (immediately) manufacture them at a scale of tens or hundreds of millions of doses, said Richard Hatchett, a physician who managed U.S. pandemic flu policy under former President George W. Bush and returned to advise the Obama White House during the 2009 swine flu pandemic.

Hatchett now heads the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), a vaccine-development consortium supported by private donors as well as the United Kingdom, Canada, Belgium, Norway, Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands. The organization has raised more than $915 million of the $2 billion it anticipates spending to accelerate testing and build specialized production plants for at least three coronavirus vaccine candidates.

In the United States, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a federal agency that funds disease-fighting technology, has announced investments of nearly $1 billion to support coronavirus vaccine development and the scale-up of manufacturing for promising candidates.

One underlying fear, shared by everyone Reuters interviewed, is that even if a vaccine does prove effective, there wont be enough to go around.

Having reserves ready worldwide to immediately inoculate critical populations - health care workers, the elderly, people made vulnerable by medical conditions - would stamp out the pandemic faster and reignite economies, Hatchett said. The alternative, he said, is a replay of past pandemics, including the H1N1 influenza outbreak of 2009, with wealthy countries hoarding the vaccines.

If that happens, pandemic experts warn, infection hot spots will continue to pop up, each with the potential to create a new wave of illness.

FULL SPEED AHEAD

The scale of the coronavirus vaccine race has no historical parallels. CEPI has identified at least 115 ongoing vaccine initiatives worldwide. And the race is shattering norms of speed and safety in drug and vaccine development.

Some developers are running safety and efficacy trials in tandem, instead of sequentially, as is typical, and short-cutting traditional testing protocols. Others are working with regulators in multiple countries simultaneously, looking for the quickest path to market.

The resulting uncertainty makes it especially risky to invest in manufacturing facilities for a given candidate, since different types of vaccines can require very distinct production lines.

Many of the candidates attracting the most investment rely on proven vaccine approaches being adapted by Big Pharma companies with regulatory and production acumen. Some funders are gambling on smaller biotech companies and academic labs, which may have promising technologies but little to no experience getting a drug or vaccine approved and produced at scale.

BARDA, the U.S. R&D agency, is one of the biggest vaccine funders, with some $5 billion to spend. The agency plans to invest in five vaccine candidates, focusing mostly on projects from experienced drug makers.

"Each is coming with a lot of prior experience, said Rick Bright, who until this month was BARDAs director. They all know how to scale up."

In one of its biggest bets, BARDA is pouring nearly $500 million into a J&J effort.

J&Js coronavirus vaccine candidate uses a cold virus, rendered harmless, to deliver genes derived from the spiky, crown-shaped proteins on the surface of the new coronavirus, prompting an immune response.

J&J is using the same technology to develop vaccines for other viruses, including Ebola. While none has completed testing and won full U.S. approval, trials so far in tens of thousands of people have produced data showing the basic approach is safe, which could speed regulatory approval for the new coronavirus vaccine. But its far from a sure bet: Animal test data, due this summer, will give the first hint of the vaccine's effectiveness and human trials will begin in September.

By end of the year, well know whether it protects humans, said Stoffels, J&Js chief science officer.

In China, CanSino Biologics Inc <6185.HK> has vaccine technology similar to the one being used by J&J. CanSino is further along with its testing, having announced this month that its candidate had cleared initial safety trials in humans and was set to advance to the next stage.

Sanofi SA <SASY.PA>, the worlds largest vaccine maker, has attracted BARDA money for another proven approach, based on its approved Flublok flu shot. Sanofi uses insect cells instead of the traditional chicken eggs to grow the genetically altered virus proteins used to spur an immune response.

Not all the vaccine projects getting attention have a Big Pharma pedigree.

Moderna Inc <MRNA.O>, a biotech firm based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was the first in the United States to begin human trials when it began testing its vaccine last month. Working with the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the company received seed money from CEPI, and this month, BARDA kicked in $483 million to support the vaccines development and help scale up manufacturing. That includes hiring 150 skilled workers to eventually produce vaccine around the clock.

Modernas vaccine uses genetic material called messenger RNA (mRNA) to instruct cells in the body to make specific coronavirus proteins that then produce an immune response.

No mRNA vaccine has ever been approved for public use, but the technology is drawing interest, in part because it makes a vaccine easier to design and produce in vast quantities.

The end game is millions of doses," Tal Zaks, Moderna's chief medical officer, told Reuters. The company hopes to have an approved vaccine available as early as March 2021, and possibly before then for healthcare workers. German vaccine makers CureVac and BioNTech SE <22UAy.F> <BNTX.O>, which is partnering with Pfizer Inc <PFE.N>, are preparing to begin trials with similar mRNA-based vaccine candidates. So is Lexington, Massachusetts-based Translate Bio Inc <TBIO.O>, which is working with Sanofi.

EXTRAORDINARY SHORTCUTS

Even for vaccine hopefuls already in human tests, it will be months before theres conclusive evidence on safety and effectiveness - something funders are keenly aware of.

The rush has prompted scientists to consider previously unthinkable shortcuts.

Normally, vaccines would need to undergo clinical trials involving thousands of people before widespread inoculation is allowed. But after testing a prospective vaccine in a smaller group to ensure it is not toxic, Swiss researchers seek to immunize a lot of the Swiss population in the next six months and then produce for a world market, Dr Martin Bachmann, head of immunology at Inselspital, the University Hospital of Bern, said this week.

A spokesman for Swissmedic, the countrys drug regulator, said it was in contact with Bachmann's group and would not allow trials until the agency is assured that safety risks are addressed.

The Swiss vaccine employs virus-like particles to provoke an immune response, an approach that theoretically is considered safer because it does not directly expose people to the actual coronavirus. So far, it has only been tested in mice.

Dr. Gregory Poland, a vaccine researcher at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, is among those worried about the risks of injecting a large group of people with a vaccine that has only been through minimal testing in humans.

"I dont see how this is possible, he told Reuters, referring to Inselspitals plan.

LESSONS UNLEARNED?

The war on COVID-19 is haunted by lessons from the fight against another virus a decade ago.

In the spring of 2009, the H1N1 swine flu virus emerged in the United States and Mexico and spread worldwide. Within weeks, the World Health Organization(WHO) declared it the first pandemic since 1968.

Wealthier governments that had provisional contracts with vaccine makers immediately exercised them, effectively monopolizing the global vaccine supply," according to Hatchett and numerous official reports. The U.S. alone ordered 250 million doses, and Australia, Brazil, France, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and Britain all had vaccine.

Under pressure from the WHO, those countries ultimately committed to share 10% of their stockpiles with poorer nations. But due to production and distribution snarls, only about 77 million doses were shipped  far less than needed  and only after the disease had peaked in many regions.

If an effective vaccine emerges for the new coronavirus, a replay is possible, experts in pandemic preparedness say. None of the global health authorities consulted by Reuters believes there will be sufficient supplies to satisfy the immediate demand. Governments will be under tremendous pressure to immunize their own citizenry and get life back to normal, so hoarding remains a serious risk.

Ronald St. John, a physician who has held government posts on infectious disease control in the United States and Canada, expects a similar scenario with vaccines.

There is going to be a lot of self-interest in terms of the production, he said.

BARDA explicitly gives preference to vaccine projects promising U.S. production capacity.

We're asking the American taxpayer to give a lot to the vaccine effort, so its important to ensure U.S. access to any successful vaccine, said Bright, BARDAs recent chief.

But he added that BARDA also is encouraging the companies it backs to build manufacturing capacity outside the United States, so we can have a global supply all at once.

Many governments are pouring money into vaccine initiatives with expectations that they will be first in line if a viable vaccine emerges.

Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc <ARCT.O>, a San Diego biotech, is receiving up to $10 million from the Singapore government to develop its mRNA-based coronavirus vaccine candidate in partnership with the Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School. If the vaccine is approved, Singapore gets first access, said Arcturus CEO Joseph Payne. Everything after that, he said, goes to whoever pays for it.

Arcturus is not responsible for the ethics of distribution - governments are - but in order for governments to get the vaccine, they need to pay for it, Payne said. The country that will win is the country that stockpiles multiple vaccines at risk.

The company raised $80.5 million this week from a common stock public offering.

In China, a major global producer of vaccines, the government is backing several coronavirus vaccine projects, raising the prospect it will inoculate its 1.4 billion people first. One government-backed effort, by Sinovac Biotech Ltd. <SVA.O>, is already testing vaccine candidates in humans and awaiting initial data..

Sinovac got 60 million yuan ($8.4 million) in low-rate credit lines through a discount loan program supported by Chinas central bank. Government officials quickly made land available for the company to build production plants, including a factory meant to produce up to 100 million doses a year of its coronavirus vaccine.

Sinovac would not discuss how much public money is being invested. The relevant government agencies declined requests for comment.

On Friday, the World Health Organization announced a landmark collaboration across the international community to raise $8 billion to accelerate the coronavirus vaccine development and ensure equitable access worldwide to any successful vaccine. Countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas announced their participation, but the United States and China, two of the worlds biggest pharma forces, did not.

There will be no U.S. official participation, a spokesman for the U.S. mission in Geneva told Reuters, adding that the U.S. supports global cooperation to develop a vaccine.

Broader questions about U.S. policy on international vaccine distribution are still under consideration within the Trump administration, according to a member of the White House coronavirus task force who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity. The official noted that the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development are spending nearly $500 million to assist with the COVID-19 response internationally.

A WHO spokeswoman said Fridays announcement was the beginning of a global collaboration and we would welcome more countries coming on board. China did not respond to a request for comment.

People involved in the global vaccine race told Reuters that the greatest incentive for countries to promise to share coronavirus vaccines may be the uncertainty around which ones will work.

Since no country can be sure the candidates it backs will prove successful, committing to sharing with other nations can help assure theyll have an initial supply to inoculate health care workers and other critical populations.

"That's enlightened self-interest, as well as a global public good," said Jeremy Farrar, an infectious disease expert and director of the Wellcome Trust global health charity.

(Steenhuysen reported from Chicago, Eisler from Washington, Martell from Toronto and Nebehay from Geneva; additional reporting by Matthias Blamont in Paris, Alexandra Harney in Hong Kong, Roxanne Liu in Beijing, John Miller in Zurich and Kate Kelland in London. Editing by Michele Gershberg and Julie Marquis.)
China warned to prepare for armed confrontation with US over virus backlash

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 05 May 2020 5:53 PM

An internal report has warned Chinese leaders of the possibility of a military confrontation with the United States as tensions grow with Washington over accusations that Beijing has mishandled the new coronavirus outbreak.

The report, created by the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), which is a think tank affiliated with the Ministry of State Security, was presented to top Chinese leaders, including President Xi Jinping, early last month and concluded that global anti-China sentiment is at its highest since the violent incident at the Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Sources familiar with the report's content were cited by Reuters as saying that Beijing faced a wave of backlash led by the administration of US President Donald Trump in the aftermath of the pandemic and needed to be prepared in the worst-case scenario for an armed confrontation.

The paper stressed that Washington views China's rise as an economic and national security threat and a challenge to the West, according to the sources, and that the United States was aiming to undercut the ruling Communist Party by undermining public confidence.

The novel coronavirus, which causes a respiratory disease known as COVID-19, first erupted in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year before growing into a global pandemic, which has so far infected more than 3.6 million people and killed over 255,000 throughout the world.

Beijing and Washington have time and again clashed over the virus spread and its origin, further increasing tensions between the world's two largest economies.

Trump keeps referring to the novel coronavirus as the Chinese virus and Beijing has hit back by suggesting that the US military brought the virus to Wuhan and initiated the outbreak.

Trump has over the past weeks claimed that there is evidence Beijing created the new coronavirus in a medical lab in the Chinese city. This is while the US intelligence agencies say they have seen no evidence to show the virus is "man-made."

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has on several occasions accused China of not being transparent and honest about the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

The New York Times has reported that the White House is putting pressure on American intelligence agencies to provide evidence in support of Trump's claims about the deadly virus being a laboratory construct.

In February, China's Wuhan Institute of Virology dismissed rumors that the virus may have been artificially synthesized at one of its laboratories or perhaps escaped from such a facility.

Trump once again claimed on Thursday he was confident the coronavirus may have originated in a Chinese virology lab, but declined to elaborate.

China has fiercely defended its handling of the new coronavirus, repeatedly saying it "has been nothing but open, transparent and responsible" in informing the World Health Organization (WHO) and affected countries about the pandemic.

Scientific studies have already suggested that the virus originated through natural processes.

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IT HAS been 480 days and counting that the Chuck E Cheese franchise in Trinidad has remained closed as children under 12 are still not allowed in safe zones.

In October, the Government drafted a safe zone policy that does not allow children under 12 to enter restaurants and other places of leisure.
Social distancing may be especially hard on the L.G.B.T.Q. community, particularly younger people who are estranged from their families. In April, the Trevor Project, another nonprofit, published a white paper outlining the risks related to Covid-19 for L.G.B.T.Q. youth. Considerable research already indicates that this group is at greater risk of mental health disorders and suicide; now they are being deprived of the community spaces where they do feel supported. The number of L.G.B.T.Q. youth reaching out to the Trevor Projects hotlines has at times more than doubled since the crisis began. Were seeing a lot of patients with mental health issues because of an oversaturation of news and fear, Fortenberry said. This is already a particularly vulnerable population at baseline. When these kinds of events happen, there can be relapses into substance abuse as well. People tend not to be able to take care of themselves as they normally would in these kinds of crises.

It will be years before anyone is able to tally up the damage Covid-19 is inflicting on the populations that community health centers serve, especially when one accounts for the secondary costs to those who may never even contract the disease. The problems already emerging  in rural access to telemedicine, in access to medication for chronic conditions, in the dangerous isolation of L.G.B.T.Q. youth  could be the first indications of a much broader, secondary health crisis affecting treatment for the diverse range of maladies, from opioid addiction to obesity to chronic depression, that are commonly addressed by C.H.C.s. As part of the current stimulus package, community health centers stand to receive some share of a $50 billion line item aimed at Medicare-funded providers. But that money, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, will be divided up based on existing revenue, and it remains unclear whether any money will be specifically dedicated to dealing with the crisiss secondary damage. Eventually, as epidemiologists compare mortality rates for 2020 and 2021 with previous years, the deaths caused by this lack of access to basic medical care may be lumped in with Covid-19 itself, despite a number of them having been more preventable.

As the geography of the viruss impact continues to spread from New York to the rest of the country, more C.H.C.s will likely feel the same strains Callen-Lorde has as they try to balance their commitments to existing patients with the surging demand for care. Yet even as C.H.C.s are called upon to do more, the federal government is asking them to make do with less. Most of the centers funding comes from Medicaid, which compensates them for remote patient visits at a small fraction of the rate of live visits. The average reimbursement is $12 or $13, according to Dr. Ron Yee, chief medical officer of the National Association of Community Health Centers; there are likely millions of patients, meanwhile, who dont even possess the technology to connect with their C.H.C.s remotely. Once we get through the surge, we could have more problems later on if we are struggling to keep up with our patients, Yee told me. Were going to have to catch up on our chronic care, and kids who need vaccines. Our population of patients age 65 and up had already been increasing at a higher rate. Its even more critical that we stay on top of their care now.
Volunteers searching for for Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez, who went missing in Byron Bay a year ago, have expressed their outrage after details about the case were leaked.

In a post to a Facebook group dedicated to helping find the 18-year-old, searchers said a Belgian news agency had published sensitive details surrounding the case.

'It is with deep disgust that we find out that the Belgian news agency BELGA sought and published details of the investigation around the disappearance of Theo when the family had just expressed the reasons for which we did not communicate such details.' the post reads.

Theo Hayez was last seen leaving the Cheeky Monkey's Bar at Byron Bay on the New South Wales mid-north coast on May 31 last year

Theo Hayez (pictured with his girlfriend) went missing on May 31 after leaving Cheeky Monkey's bar in Byron Bay in northern NSW

'The fact that this information published by BELGA came from a 'good source' 'close to the file' is extremely shameful and demonstrates a complete disrespect for the family and the work of the Australian police. It is deeply disturbing.'

Detectives have been combing an area of bushland they believe could help them solve the disappearance and asked his family to keep quiet about DNA tests on a hat discovered similar to one he had been wearing.

Mr Hayez was last seen leaving the Cheeky Monkey's Bar at Byron Bay on the New South Wales mid-north coast on May 31, 2019.

Detectives have conducted searches around the Cape Byron Lighthouse in a final attempt to track down the backpacker's belongings, according to The Australian.

The efforts were centred around trying to find Mr Hayez's mobile phone where its signal was last traced on June 1.

Detectives had meanwhile asked the family of Mr Hayez to keep quiet about the results of DNA testing on a hat found in bushland off Tallows Beach.

The cap - discovered by a member of the public - matched the one Mr Hayez was wearing on the night he disappeared.

Detectives have been secretly conducting new searches around the Cape Byron Lighthouse (pictured) in a final attempt to track down the belongings of missing Belgian Backpacker Theo Hayez

The post to the group of supporters looking for Mr Hayez saying they were frustrated details of the case had been leaked

Police suspect Mr Hayez might have fallen while trying to climb the cliffs near Tallows Beach.

His family say they have not given up hope of finding the missing backpacker a year after his disappearance.

They posted a heartfelt message in the Looking For Theo Facebook group, thanking those who had helped to search for the backpacker - as well as giving an insight into the latest police efforts in 2020.

'Since the beginning of the year, we have spoken less publicly about developments,' the post reads.

'Far from us giving up hope or dedication, the main reason is because the ongoing police process means we need to be careful about what we say.

'We think about Theo every minute and would like to share any information that may help find out what happened to him - but we have to be careful that we also give the police the best chance of finding this out.

'It breaks our hearts every day and we hope that they will soon have some clarity for us. The police investigation is ongoing and we are grateful for this but we have been asked not to provide details.

'New searches have taken place and police have provided us with the results from the DNA testing conducted on the two hairs found in the cap.'

The hat was found by a member of the public in the same area where the last 'ping' from Theo's phone was recorded on June 1 around the Cape Byron Lighthouse.

A grey Puma hat was found in bushland at Tallows Beach, with Theo's family believing the cap belonged to the missing backpacker

A search party trawls through the Tyagarah Nature Reserve looking for Theo in June 2019

Data from Theo's phone has traced this route as his last known movements before he vanished on the night of May 31 2019

Theo's family is certain the hat is his.

The family has urged anyone with information on the backpacker's disappearance to contact them and police.

They have maintained Theo was not alone on the night he disappeared and believe anyone with new information should come forward.

Theo's family have not given up hope on finding him and have launched a new website to broaden their voice to more international audience

A new website has been launched to help the family extend their voice and reach a more broad international audience to find any leads to track down Theo.

'It will soon be one year (since his disappearance) and it is still important that you keep talking about Theo,' the post continues.

'We still believe that someone out there could help us to find out what really happened by providing us with some information about that night.'

Parents Laurent Hayez and Vinciane Delforge believe he was not alone on the night of his disappearance

Theo was travelling in Australia on a gap year after finishing school in Belgium.

Police began a land, sea and air search when they were alerted to his disappearance by staff at the Wake Up! Hostel in Byron Bay on June 6.

The hostel staff raised the alarm after finding his belongings, including his passport, left there untouched.

Theo's father, Laurent Hayez, flew into Australia that month and made an emotional public appeal to help find his son.

'I promised Theo's little brother that I would bring his brother home. Please, help me keep my promise to him,' he told reporters through tears at Tweed Heads Police Station.

Theo's disappearance made headlines around the world and several volunteer groups formed to search for him.

The case has been referred to the New South Wales Coroner.
Progress-Werk Oberkirch AG (ETR:PWO), which is in the auto components business, and is based in Germany, led the XTRA gainers with a relatively large price hike in the past couple of weeks. As a small cap stock, hardly covered by any analysts, there is generally more of an opportunity for mispricing as there is less activity to push the stock closer to fair value. Is there still an opportunity here to buy? Today I will analyse the most recent data on Progress-Werk Oberkirchs outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists.

See our latest analysis for Progress-Werk Oberkirch

What's the opportunity in Progress-Werk Oberkirch?

Good news, investors! Progress-Werk Oberkirch 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. Ive used the price-to-earnings ratio in this instance because theres not enough visibility to forecast its cash flows. The stocks ratio of 6.56x is currently well-below the industry average of 11.66x, meaning that it is trading at a cheaper price relative to its peers. However, given that Progress-Werk Oberkirchs share is fairly volatile (i.e. its price movements are magnified relative to the rest of the market) this could mean the price can sink lower, giving us another chance to buy in the future. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for share price volatility.

What kind of growth will Progress-Werk Oberkirch generate?

XTRA:PWO Past and Future Earnings May 6th 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 grow by a double-digit 12% over the next couple of years, the outlook is positive for Progress-Werk Oberkirch. 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 PWO is currently below the industry PE ratio, it may be a great time to increase 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 price multiple.

Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping an eye on PWO for a while, now might be the time to make a leap. Its prosperous future profit outlook isnt fully reflected in the current share price yet, which means its not too late to buy PWO. But before you make any investment decisions, consider other factors such as the track record of its management team, in order to make a well-informed assessment.

Price is just the tip of the iceberg. Dig deeper into what truly matters  the fundamentals  before you make a decision on Progress-Werk Oberkirch. You can find everything you need to know about Progress-Werk Oberkirch in the latest infographic research report. If you are no longer interested in Progress-Werk Oberkirch, 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.
One person is dead and two others injured after a drive-by shooting on the East Side late Tuesday night.

A group of people were standing in the front yard of a residence near the 4600 block of Belinda Lee Street just after 11 p.m., when a maroon SUV pulled up to the house and opened fire, San Antonio police said.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday filed its first charge sheet in the YES Bank money laundering case, naming its co-founder and former chief executive Rana Kapoor, his wife and three daughters, and three companies linked to his family.

The agency has estimated the size of fraudulent deals at Rs 5,050 crore, and accused the Kapoor family of receiving Rs 600 crore as kickbacks in return for YES Bank extending questionable loans.

In the charge sheet submitted to a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Mumbai, ED also accused YES Capital, Morgan Credits and RAB Enterprises of money laundering and receiving personal gratification in lieu of loans to borrowers.

After YES Bank failed to raise enough money to stay afloat, the Reserve Bank of India seized the lender on March 5; ED arrested Kapoor three days later, suspecting irregularities in loans granted to Dewan Housing Finance Ltd (DHFL). On March 13, RBI got a clutch of public and private sector banks to rescue the private lender.

During its investigation, ED found that YES Bank had lent Rs 3,700 crore to DHFL against debentures issued by the company in April-June 2018; simultaneously, DHFL sanctioned a loan worth 600 crore to Doit Urban Ventures (India), a company fully-owned by Kapoors three daughtersRoshini, Radha and Raakheethrough Morgan Credits.

DHFL is yet to repay the loan, and according to ED, the Rs 600 crore loan to Doit was a kickback to the Kapoor family in lieu of loans from YES Bank. Further, YES Bank lent to Doit against a collateral of five properties whose market value was inflated from about Rs 40 crore to Rs 735 crore to justify the loans, the charge sheet said. This was agricultural land and the value was inflated. We will also uncover more financial irregularities in subsequent (supplementary) chargesheets, an ED official said on condition of anonymity. ED has so far scanned 100 entities which it suspects are shell structures.
Salutes to nurses and other health care workers are being held across the country, as America pays tribute during the coronavirus pandemic.

But such a ceremony being held in Delaware County, Pa., was marred when a gun-waving SUV driver crashed a parade of first responders honoring the staff at Mercy Fitzgerald Medical Center Tuesday night, according to 6ABC in Philadelphia.

Police in Darby, Pa., said the male suspect threatened to hurt people while waving the gun.

The resulting police chase of the suspect in the SUV came crashing to an end when the male driver lost control of the vehicle and rolled it over at Main Street and MacDade Boulevard in Darby.

The name of the suspect wasnt immediately released by police.

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Coronavirus strands 2 million lbs. of Swiss cheese in Pa.

Pa. dad on the run after beating kids, ages 2 and 4, with metal baseball bats, belts and boards: state police

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Pa. mom charged with attempted homicide after 7-year-old son dies violently: Heartbreaking
ROME, May 6 (Reuters) - The independence of the European Central Bank is key to the foundations of the European Union and no constitutional court should decide what it can or cannot do, Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Germany's highest court gave the bank three months to justify bond purchases under its flagship stimulus programme or lose the Bundesbank as a participant.

"It is not up to any constitutional court to decide what the ECB can or cannot do. Its independence is the fulcrum of the European treaties, which are recognised by Germany too," Conte told the newspaper, Il Fatto Quotidiano, in an interview.

"I find it out of place for a national court, although a constitutional one, to ask the ECB to justify its purchases. It cannot interfere in these initiatives," he added. (Reporting by Francesca Piscioneri; Writing by Giulia Segreti; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Kirsten Del Mastro, night shift lead respiratory therapist at UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center, spends long hours caring for patients with COVID-19 in the intensive care unit.

Hospital restrictions prevent families from visiting those patients. So Del Mastro and her co-workers help families connect with their loved ones.

Its definitely a hard process for the patient and their families, Del Mastro said. We FaceTime family members so they can talk to their loved one. We have a great, great team.

The ICU team has devised a number of creative solutions to help connect patients with their loved ones.

We post signs in patients rooms that theyre going to see when they get better, Del Mastro said.

The patients on ventilators have cards from loved ones posted right outside their rooms so theyll know were rooting for them, she said.

Community members can help by sending get-well cards to COVID patients at the University of New Mexico Hospital or SRMC.

If people could see what we see, theyd have a different understanding, Del Mastro said. People are passing without family members. Its not worth going out for any reason unless its an emergency. Its someones life, you know?

The plight of patients who are isolated from their loved ones tugs the heartstrings of the ICU staff.

We have a really good team, a compassionate team, she said. We cry with the families. Thats been very different from the past. But we are that for our patients now, too.

Heres where to send a get-well card to a hospitalized COVID-19 patient:

Sandoval Regional Medical Center, 3001 Broadmoor Blvd. NE, Attn: Irene Lunneborg, Rio Rancho, NM 87144; or

UNM Hospital, 2211 Lomas NE, Attn: Barbara Temer, Albuquerque, NM 87106

To donate to employees at either hospital, visit unmfund.org.
They wanted the campus experience, but their colleges sent them home to learn online during the coronavirus pandemic. Now, students at more than 25 U.S. universities are filing lawsuits against their schools demanding partial refunds on tuition and campus fees, saying theyre not getting the caliber of education they were promised.

The suits reflect students growing frustration with online classes that schools scrambled to create as the coronavirus forced campuses across the nation to close last month. The suits say students should pay lower rates for the portion of the term that was offered online, arguing that the quality of instruction is far below the classroom experience.

Colleges, though, reject the idea that refunds are in order. Students are learning from the same professors who teach on campus, officials have said, and theyre still earning credits toward their degrees. Schools insist that, after being forced to close by their states, theyre still offering students a quality education.

Grainger Rickenbaker, a freshman who filed a class-action lawsuit against Drexel University in Philadelphia, said the online classes hes been taking are poor substitutes for classroom learning. Theres little interaction with students or professors, he said, and some classes are being taught almost entirely through recorded videos, with no live lecture or discussion.

You just feel a little bit diminished, said Rickenbaker, 21, of Charleston, South Carolina. Its just not the same experience I would be getting if I was at the campus.

Other students report similar experiences elsewhere. A complaint against the University of California, Berkeley, says some professors are simply uploading assignments, with no video instruction at all. A case against Vanderbilt University says class discussion has been stymied and the quality and academic rigor of courses has significantly decreased.

In a case against Purdue University, a senior engineering student said the closure has prevented him from finishing his senior project, building an airplane. No online course can simulate the applicable, real-world experience he hoped to gain from the project, the complaint says.

Class-action lawsuits demanding tuition refunds have been filed against at least 26 colleges, targeting prestigious private universities, including Brown, Columbia and Cornell, along with big public schools, including Michigan State, Purdue and the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Some of the suits draw attention to schools large financial reserves, saying colleges are unfairly withholding refunds even while they rest on endowments that often surpass $1 billion.

Several colleges declined to comment on the lawsuits, but some said students have continued to get what they paid for.

Ken McConnellogue, a spokesman for the University of Colorado, said its disappointing that people have been so quick to file lawsuits only weeks into the pandemic. He said the suits appear to be driven by a small number of opportunistic law firms.

Our faculty have been working extremely hard to deliver an academic product thats got the same high standards, high-quality academic rigor as what they would deliver in the classroom, he said. Its different, no doubt. And its not ideal. We all would prefer to have students on our campuses, but at the same time, were in the middle of a global pandemic here.

Officials at Michigan State said students are still taking classes taught by qualified faculty, and the school is still offering tutoring services, academic advising, faculty office hours and library services.

We dont negate that this has been a difficult time for our university, especially for our students, Emily Guerrant, a Michigan State spokeswoman, said in a statement. The school has taken on new costs to move instruction online, she added, but we have maintained our commitment to providing meaningful and robust learning experiences at no additional cost to our Spartans.

Officials at Drexel University said the school has continued to provide a broad spectrum of academic offerings and support while students learn remotely.

Lawyers representing students, however, say the refunds are a matter of fairness.

You cannot keep money for services and access if you arent actually providing it, said Roy Willey, a lawyer for the Anastopoulo Law Firm in South Carolina, which is representing students in more than a dozen cases. If were truly going to be all in this together, the universities have to tighten their belts and refund the money back to students and families who really need it.

Willey said his office has received hundreds of inquiries from students looking to file suits, and his firm is looking into dozens of possible cases. Other firms taking on similar cases say theyre also seeing a wave of demand from students and parents who say they deserve refunds.

Along with tuition, the cases also seek refunds for fees that students paid to access gyms, libraries, labs and other buildings that are now closed. All told, the complaints seek refunds that could add up to several thousand dollars per student at some schools.

The lawsuits ask courts to answer a thorny question that has come to the fore as universities shift classes online: whether theres a difference in value between online instruction and the traditional classroom. Proponents of online education say it can be just as effective, and universities say theyve done everything they can to create rigorous online classes in a matter of weeks.

But some of the complaints maintain that the college experience is about more than course credits. They say theres value to the personal interaction students get with faculty and classmates, both in the classroom and out. Willey adds that colleges themselves often charge lower rates for online classes, which he says is a reflection of their value.

The tuition price speaks for itself, he said. These students decided to go to in-person, on-campus universities. They could have chosen to go to online colleges and earn their degree that way, but they didnt.

Even before the first lawsuits were filed, demands for tuition refunds had been spreading. Students at dozens of schools have started petitions calling for refunds as online classes left them underwhelmed. Scores of schools have returned portions of housing and dining fees, but few if any have agreed to return any share of tuition.

At the University of Chicago, hundreds of students signed a letter saying they will refuse to pay this terms tuition, which was due April 29, unless the school reduces tuition by 50% and keeps it at that level during the crisis.

Colleges counter that the coronavirus has put them under sharp financial strain, too. Some estimate that they could lose up to $1 billion this year as they brace for downturns in student enrollment, state funding and research grants. Some have already announced layoffs and furloughs as they work to offset losses.

But the lawsuits say its not fair to pass those losses on to students. Jennifer Kraus-Czeisler, a lawyer for the New York firm Milberg Phillips Grossman, which is representing several students, said colleges have a duty to return fees for services they arent providing.

Were not disparaging the schools for closing. They did what was appropriate, she said. But theyre profiting at the expense of students. It just seems unconscionable.
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Linkedin Ghina Ghaliya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 6 2020

The House of Representatives budget committee has agreed to endorse Regulation in Liew of Law (Perppu) No. 1/2020 on COVID-19 pandemic response despite public outcry over articles that would grant the government the power to allocate large sums of money and would provide a legal shield for officials carrying out COVID-19 policies.



Despite agreeing to endorse the regulation in a plenary meeting scheduled for May 12, House members asked the government to discuss the 2021 state budget with the House through the normal process, not through a

presidential regulation (Perpres) like in the revisions to the 2020 budget.



For the 2021 state budget, we want the governments commitment to discuss it with the House as usual, Supriyanto of the Gerindra Party said in a virtual meeting with government representatives on Monday.



Some Gerindra lawmakers and others from the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) previously voiced their objections to the executive order, raising concerns that it could bypass the Houses right to deliberate the state budget.



The lawmakers also previously objected to Article 27 on government officials impunity.



However, given the urgency, both factions agreed to discuss the Perppu in a plenary session.



COVID-19 has had great impacts on health, economics and public welfare. Therefore, we understand the urgency of this regulation, Dolfie Othniel Frederic Palit of the PDI-P said.



The Perppu allows the government to extend the state budget deficit beyond the legal cap of 3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and allocate the spending for programs to address the COVID-19 outbreak without the approval of the House. The spending will be declared costs to save the country from the outbreak, and any officials executing the related policies in good faith and according to the law cannot be subject to criminal or civil charges.

______



COVID-19 has had great impacts on health, economics and public welfare. Therefore, we understand the urgency of this regulation.

______



The provision has sparked anger among civil groups that have challenged the Perppu at the Constitutional Court over fears that it could lead to budget misappropriation and embezzlement if passed.



In a petition filed with the court on April 9, the groups demanded the revocation of contentious provisions stipulating that officials responsible for fiscal and monetary policies could not be criminally charged when using the state budget to counter the negative economic impacts of the health crisis.



Hendrawan Supratikno of the PDI-P said the party would support the governments efforts to weather the outbreak. However, he said the Constitution stipulated that all citizens were equal under the law.



Article 27 [of the Perppu] is a modification of Article 48 of Law No. 9/2016 on the prevention and resolution of financial system crises. There should be additional sentences in the Perppu that give the assertion that they cannot go against the law unless there is an abuse of authority so that policymakers are careful, he said.



In addition to the government coalition, parties outside the coalition, namely the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), the Democratic Party and the National Mandate Party (PAN) have agreed to ratify the Perppu.



Regarding Article 27, PAN does not think it violates any legal provision because we already have it in existing legal provisions, Eko Patrio of PAN said.

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A U.S. federal judge has dismissed a worker advocacy groups lawsuit accusing Smithfield Foods Inc, the worlds largest pork processor, of failing to adequately protect employees from the novel coronavirus at a plant in Missouri.

Smithfield is already taking many of the steps called for by the Rural Community Workers Alliance, including screening production-line workers for symptoms and installing barriers between them, U.S. District Judge Greg Kays in Kansas City, Missouri said in his ruling on Tuesday.

Kays also said that under President Donald Trumps executive order in April requiring meatpacking plants to remain open during the pandemic, the federal government, and not the courts, were responsible for overseeing working conditions.

Virginia-based Smithfield, which is owned by Chinas WH Group Ltd, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

David Muraskin, a lawyer for the advocacy group, on Wednesday said the decision was disappointing but that the lawsuit had spurred Smithfield to make changes in response to workers concerns.

We wish that Smithfield would do more, but the decision shows that workers can organize and move companies to make changes, and thats a really important development, Muraskin said.

In the lawsuit filed last month, the RCWA accused Smithfield of creating a public nuisance by failing to protect workers at the Milan, Missouri plant and endangering the surrounding community.

Smithfield responded that it had implemented protections recommended by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and other agencies.

The company said the lawsuit should be dismissed because OSHA is already conducting an investigation of the Milan plant, and government agencies are continually changing their guidance for the industry.

Kays agreed in his decision on Tuesday.

Under these circumstances, where the guidelines are rapidly evolving, maintaining a uniform source for guidance and enforcement is crucial, the judge wrote.

Smithfield has closed other pork-processing plants in Missouri, Wisconsin and South Dakota after outbreaks of coronavirus cases among workers. Companies like Tyson Foods Inc, Cargill Inc and National Beef Packing Co have also shut U.S. meat plants during the pandemic.

Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that about 4,200 workers at meat and poultry plants had contracted the novel coronavirus, and 20 had died.

About the photo: Pig carcasses hang from an overhead conveyor at a Smithfield Foods Inc. pork processing facility in Milan, Missouri, U.S., on Wednesday, April 12, 2017.
Taiwan's exclusion from the upcoming World Health Assembly would harm the global response to the coronavirus pandemic and cannot be excused by mere rules of procedure, the island's health minister said on Wednesday.

Chen Shih-chung told international media at a conference that global health officials "have not been honest and failed in their responsibilities," in an apparent reference to the UN World Health Organization that oversees the assembly.

"As I said since the beginning of the epidemic, no one is able to accurately predict how the situation will be," Chen said.

"So the most important thing in the world pandemic is transparency. Each one has to share what they know about it."



Taiwan is claimed as part of Chinese territory by Beijing, which has excluded it from the United Nations and its subsidiary organizations. China's growing influence in the UN has made officials wary of crossing it, even while the US has withdrawn from or suspended funding for some of its bodies, including WHO, which it accuses of mishandling the outbreak and displaying a pro-China bias.

Chen said he acknowledged that UN member states would have to approve Taiwan taking part at the World Health Assembly, to be held in in Geneva beginning on May 17.

However, he said there were questions as to whether the WHO's procedural justice was manipulated.

Beijing's Communist leadership has increasingly shut Taiwan out of gatherings such as the World Health Assembly as part of a diplomatic and military drive to force Taiwan's independence-leaning President Tsai Ing-wen to recognise the self-governing island democracy as a part of China.

Beijing has threatened military force to bring Taiwan under its control and has been courting its handful of remaining diplomatic allies to isolate it internationally.

That has drawn a strong response from Washington, with whom Taiwan has strong but unofficial ties and which is its main guarantor of security.

At the same time, Taiwan has been praised over its handling of the pandemic, despite being just a short flight from China where the virus was first detected late last year.

As of Wednesday, the island of more than 23 million people had recorded just 438 cases of COVID-19 and six deaths.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Leaked audio has captured the governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, conceding that overwhelming scientific evidence is that reopening businesses will increase the spread of coronavirus  even as he himself authorises a phased relaxation of his states lockdown measures.

The audio was released as Texass Covid-19 death count approached 1,000, with some counties reporting their highest daily numbers of new cases so far.

On the conference call with state legislators, Mr Abbott made no bones about the implications of allowing businesses to resume operations. How do we know reopening businesses wont result in faster spread of more cases of Covid-19?

Listen, the fact of the matter is pretty much every scientific and medical report shows that whenever you have a reopening  whether you want to call it a reopening of business, or just a reopening of society  in the aftermath of something like this, that it actually will lead to an increase in spread.

So its almost ipso facto, the more that you have people out there, the greater possibility there is for transmission.

Texass reopening schedule is soon to begin. Hair and nail salons will be able to reopen on Friday, earlier than originally planned; the announcement came shortly after two Republican lawmakers staged a protest against the lockdown by getting illegal haircuts.

Mr Abbott is not alone in his acknowledgement that lifting the lockdown will spread the virus. His immediate deputy, lieutenant governor Dan Patrick, has said that older Americans should accept the risk of dying from the virus to allow business to continue. His rationale is that saving Americas economy should be top priority. As he put it, there are more important things than living.

Texas is one of several states allowing certain businesses to reopen, many of them against public health advice from experts including those on the presidents own task force. Among them is Florida, where governor Ron DeSantis was originally criticised for his slow response to the viruss spread.

The state has not experienced the explosion of cases originally feared, but there are no guarantees that reopening for business will not allow a second wave of infections to begin.

Also easing some restrictions, albeit more incrementally, is California, where governor Gavin Newsom this week said counties that meet various conditions can permit certain types of businesses to reopen.
The Whisky Exchange adds online tasting programme

The team at The Whisky Exchange is aiming to keep spirits lovers entertained at home with a series of online tastings and talks.

Viewers can taste along with the team by purchasing a specially-curated Perfect Measure sample pack for each session from thewhiskyexchange.com in advance.

May is World Whisky month at The Whisky Exchange and the tastings will be focusing on countries less well-known for making whisky, featuring cameos from some of the industrys biggest names. It is also Cinco de Mayo and so the retailer will be celebrating with Mexicos national drinks.

The series of events will kick off on May 7 with the companys ambassador Billy Abbot, who will host a live tasting session with whiskies from distilleries around the world, including Indias Amrut and Japans Miyagikyo.

The weekend will feature a celebration of Mexican spirits starting on May 9 when the retailers head buyer Dawn Davies MW will be leading a tasting of her favourite tequilas and mezcals.

On May 14, Israeli distiller Milk & Honey will give whisky fans the chance to try its new Classic Single Malt Whisky (yet to be released in the UK) in a tasting led by head distiller, Tomer Goren.

Continuing with the focus on world whisky, Indian distillery Paul Johns head distiller, Michael DSouza, will lead an immersive tasting live from the distillery in Goa, India, on May 21.

To finish world whisky month, on May 28, James Bowker, ambassador for Japanese whisky master Suntory, will take viewers through some of the distillers most famed releases.

Details of upcoming and past tastings, as well as all the tasting packs, can be found online on The Whisky Exchanges Virtual Tastings page.

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Australian hotel GM, 69, Phukets third death from COVID-19

PHUKET: A 69-year-old Australian who worked as a hotel general manager in Khao Lak has become Phukets third fatality directly related to being infected with COVID-19, officials reported today (May 6).

COVID-19Coronavirusdeath

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 6 May 2020, 12:05PM

Image: PR Dept

The Phuket Communicable Disease Committee announced the mans death in a report issued this morning.

The report gave only limited information about the man, reporting only the same information initially reported when the man was confirmed as infected on Mar 31.

He was recognised by officials as Case 63. An Australian man, 69, who worked as manager of a hotel in Khao Lak. He also usually stayed in Khao Lak. He did not go abroad within 14 days before he was tested and confirmed as infected. He had a chronic lung disease. He came to Phuket on Mar 19-21 and became ill on Mar 24, officials noted in their initial report. Forty people had high risk exposure to the man, officials reported at that time.

On Apr 3 officials confirmed that a Thai woman, 56, an accountant at a hotel in Nai Harn, had been confirmed as infected (Case 91), The woman had a history of contact with the 69-year-old Australian hotel manager. The woman also had a history of contact with foreign tourists. The woman became ill on Mar 14. Twelve people had high risk exposure to her.

The next day (Apr 4), that womans daughter, a Thai woman, 27, who worked as a Chinese language teacher, was confirmed as infected with COVID-19 (Case 107). The daughter was also reported to have had close contact with foreign tourists. However, the report at that time did not note when the daughter became ill, but did mark that no people had high risk exposure to this patient.

So far no further updates have been provided as to the condition of the 56-year-old Thai woman or her daughter.

The report by officials today (May 6) marked zero new confirmed cases of people infected with the virus, making it the fourth consecutive day that officials have reported zero new infections on the island.

As such, the total number of people in Phuket confirmed as infected COVID-19 since the outbreak remains at 220.

According to the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department of Thailand (PR Phuket) this morning, so far 9,354 people had been classified as at risk of contracting COVID-19. Of those, 9,134 were found not infected with the virus, the PR Phuket report said.

The PPHO itself, which serves as the Phuket Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Incident Command Center, reported this morning that 136 new Persons Under Investigation had been identified, bringing the total of PUIs identified in Phuket since the outbreak began to 5,319.

Of those, 5,226 had been cleared, the PPHO said. The remaining 93 people were still in hospital, comprising 36 people already confirmed as infected and 57 people still waiting for test results, up 10 from the 47 reported yesterday.

A total of 9,354 people had been checked by laboratory tests, with 220 people confirmed as infected with the virus, the PPHO confirmed. Of those, 182 were PUIs tested for the virus. Proactive screening of 4,035 people had resulted in 38 people being confirmed with the virus, the report added.

The report today marked that no people confirmed as infected are suffering serious effects from infection.



The report by the PPHO also noted that 180 people who had been confirmed as infected since the outbreak began had recovered and were no longer receiving hospital care.

Of note, the infographic posted by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department marked that figure as 181, including the three people who have died from the virus.
Transgender people have appealed to the government to institute a monthly basic income, ensure access to ration and essentials and supply of medication to help the marginalised community during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a letter to the finance, home and social justice ministries, more than 2,000 activists and groups said the community was hit hard by the ongoing national lockdown because it obliterated their primary sources of income -- begging and sex work  and the lack of proper identity cards stopped their access to social security schemes.

This community is already very badly affected and further marginsalised during a pandemic, and prone to higher health risks. It is important that the central government provide adequate support, which must include ration, said Meera Sanghamitra, an activist and one of the signatories to the letter.

The activists noted that some measures had been instituted to help the community  such as the provision of Rs 1,500 by the National Institute of Social Defense (NISD) -- but added that such efforts were mostly localized and inadequate. For example, the NISD allowance reached around 4,500 people, according to the activists, which made up roughly 1% of the 488,000-odd transpeople counted in the 2011 Census.

The activists demanded that the government provide a subsistence income of at least Rs. 3,000 per month, universalize the public distribution system to ensure food security, block the eviction or forced rent payment of transpeople, and ensure uninterrupted supply of essential medication.

This would also be in keeping with the spirit of the judgment of the Honble Supreme Court in NALSA vs UoI (14th April, 2014) and obligations of the state, there under as well as under Article 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution of India, the letter added, referring to the 2014 verdict of the top court that affirmed the rights of the trans community and recognised them as third gender.
The killing on Wednesday of the chief of the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), Riyaz Naikoo, has dealt a body blow to the banned terror outfit in the Kashmir Valley, experts said. Naikoo, who led HM since 2017, carried a 12 lakh bounty on his head.

He was killed with another terrorist at his native Beighbora village in Kahsmirs Pulwama district. A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) spokesperson identified Naikoo as one of the terrorists killed, while the Indian Army said it would not glorify terrorists by releasing their names.

Lt Gen D S Hooda (retd), a former commander of the armys northern command, said leadership decapitation is always a big blow to terror organisations. There is both a physical dimension of an organisation suddenly losing someone who was in control and also the psychological dimension of the effect on morale and having to find a replacement, he said.

Hooda, who said all these factors induce fear and panic among terrorist organisations, congratulated the security forces for great success.

Naikoos killing came days after five security men, including the commanding officer of a Rashtriya Rifles battalion and a major, were killed in a counterterror operation in north Kashmirs Handwara.

Experts said the killing of Naikoo in his own village was possible because the security forces had accurate intelligence about his movements.

People are sick of these terrorists and their diktats. They are providing intelligence to security personnel. Someone will take Naikoos place eventually but Hizbul Mujahideen has its back against the wall, said Lt Gen BS Jaswal (retd), also a former commander of the armys northern command.

Indian Army spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand said they wont confirm the names of the terrorists killed. The security forces are the heroes who eliminated 4 terrorists in 24 hours, he said.

Lt Gen Vinod Bhatia (retd), a former director-general of military operations, agreed with the armys decision and said that terrorists should not be glorified.
| By Jena Frick

Weve got bread here! Free chicken! shouted Anthony Savoy, as he walked through West Baltimore alongside his red-and-yellow horse-drawn cart. The bells on the horses bridle jingled with every step, letting the neighborhood know that even during a global pandemic, the arabbers were still hard at work.

Arabbers are street vendors who sell fruits and vegetables from colorful carts pulled by horses, and theyve been an institution in Baltimore since the late 1800s. Savoy has worked as an arabber for over 50 years, delivering fresh food to Baltimore neighborhoods with limited access to grocery stores.

On April 29, instead of delivering fruits and vegetables, Savoy delivered packages of bread and a thousand pounds of frozen chicken.

(View a photo gallery below.)

We need to do this job, and we always try to give back to the neighborhoods, Savoy said. Now that were all dealing with this COVID-19 pandemic, were trying to do our best to spread out in the neighborhoods and get people what they need.

The arabbers make stops throughout the neighborhood to distribute food to West Baltimore residents.

The bread that Savoy was carrying in his cart was donated by Baltimore's H&S Bakery, and the chicken part of a 2,000-pound donation from Holly Poultry to the University of Maryland, Baltimores (UMB) Community Engagement Center (CEC).

UMBs Office of Community Engagement is really passionate about making sure that all of our community members are doing well, said Madison Haas, UMBs economic inclusion coordinator. We're only as good as our community, so we really want to make sure that everyone is fed and that everyone has enough food in their fridge.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, its difficult and at times unsafe for many community members in West Baltimore to get to a grocery store. This enormous donation of chicken provides much-needed support for neighbors during this unprecedented situation.

UMBs CEC decided to team with Southwest Baltimore's Arabber Preservation Society to distribute the chicken directly to members of the community.

We wanted everything to be really accessible to the community, Haas said. The arabbers are really trusted in Southwest Baltimore, so partnering with them on this effort was a great way to make sure that our neighbors can get what they need right where they are.

The 2,000 pounds of chicken is expected to feed about 500 families in West Baltimore. Owners of the local business Neopol Savory Smokery offered their freezer space to store the large donation until it could be delivered directly to West Baltimore residents.

This is a blessing, said Paulette Carroll, a resident of the Poppleton neighborhood in West Baltimore. It feels like so many communities are being forgotten. No one is really coming out into the community, but seeing people who want to help physically here in the neighborhood is just wonderful.

The arabbers delivered the bread and frozen chicken over two days. Savoy said that he was happy to be doing such a great service. Even though their faces were hidden behind face coverings, community members were all smiling when they saw his cart coming down the street.

They love it! Especially the kids  they love to see the horse and wagon coming, Savoy said. We appreciate just being able to help somebody and give back to the community.

The UMB CEC plans to continue working with the Arabber Preservation Society to deliver future food donations  including more than 1,300 loaves of bread from H&S Bakery  throughout West Baltimore neighborhoods.
Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad has left for Doha, New Delhi and Islamabad, the US State Department said on Wednesday.

In Doha, Ambassador Khalilzad will meet with Taliban representatives to press for full implementation of the US-Taliban agreement.

In New Delhi, he will meet with Indian officials to discuss the important role of India in a sustainable peace in Afghanistan and the region. And in Islamabad, he will meet with Pakistani officials and also discuss the Afghan peace process.

"At each stop, he will urge support for an immediate reduction in violence, accelerated timeline for the start of intra-Afghan negotiations and cooperation among all sides in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic in Afghanistan," the State Department said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Karnataka government on Wednesday announced a Rs 1,610 crore relief package for the benefit of those in distress due to the COVID-19-induced lockdown, and hiked excise duty on liquor by 11 per cent to mop up revenues.

IMAGE: Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa addresses media at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. Photograph: PTI Photo

The measures announced by the chief minister B S Yediyurappa include compensation of Rs 5,000 each to thousands of washermen, barbers, auto rickshaw and taxi drivers, whose daily life has been affected.

It would also provide relief to farmers, flower-growers, MSMEs, large industries, weavers, and building workers.

The government has also hiked excise duty by 11 percent, which is in addition to the 6 per cent that was announced in the budget, he said.

People from all sections of society are facing financial difficulties due to lockdown of more than one and a half months... the easing of lockdown does not mean it has ended.

No one one should misuse relaxation, and cooperate in improving financial condition of the state," the chief minister said.

Noting that despite financial condition of the state not so good, it was the duty of the government to come to the rescue of people in distress, he said a Rs 1,610 crore relief package is being announced, and no state has announced such a big package at such a situation.

"With in a week we will transfer the amount to accounts (of beneficiaries). We have stopped all development activities and doing this on priority for the welfare of those in distress, despite financial limitation," he added.

Flower growers have destroyed their flowers following lack of demand for their produce due to the lockdown.

It is estimated that farmers cultivated flowers in about 11,687 hectares.

Realising the problems facing flower growers, the government announced compensation of Rs 25,000 per hectare limited to a maximum extent of one hectare for the crop loss.

Farmers who have grown vegetables and fruits were unable to market their produce, and the government has decided to announce a relief package for them soon.

COVID-19 has also affected service professionals such as barbers and washermen (dhobis) both in urban and rural areas, and it has been decided to provide a one time compensation of Rs 5,000 each to benefit about 60,000 washermen and about 2.30 lakh barbers.

It has been resolved to help about 7.75 lakh auto and taxi drivers by providing a one time compensation of Rs 5,000 each.

MSMEs have also suffered huge production losses due to the lockdown.

It takes some time for them to revive, Yediyurappa said.

The monthly fixed charges of electricity bills of MSMEs will be waived for two months.

Payment of fixed charges in the electricity bills of the large industries will be deferred without penalty and interest for a period of two months.

The chief minister also announced certain benefits for electricity consumers of all categories.

Already a Rs 109 crore weavers' loan waiver scheme was announced, of which Rs 29 crore has been released during 2019-20.

The balance amount of Rs 80 crore would be released immediately.

This would help weavers get fresh loans to continue their occupation.

The chief minister also announced a new scheme, Weaver Samman Yojana (Nekarara Sammana yojane) for the benefit of the suffering weavers.

Under this scheme, government would deposit Rs 2,000 directly into the bank account of the handloom weaver through DBT.

This would benefit about 54,000 handloom weavers in the state.

There are 15.80 lakh registered building workers in the state and the government has transferred Rs 2,000 to the bank account of 11.80 lakh of them through DBT.

Action has already been initiated to transfer Rs 2,000 to the accounts of the remaining four lakh construction workers soon after verifying beneficiaries bank account details.

In addition to this, an amount of Rs 3,000 would be deposited into their accounts through DBT.

Further, more than 1 lakh migrant labourers who wished to go back to their native states, Yediyurappa appealed to them to stay back, as construction and industrial activities have begun.

COVID-19 has not yet been eradicated, but it is inevitable that both efforts for controlling the spread of virus and economic activities for the development of the state have to go hand in hand, he noted.

"However, we have been able to control spread of COVID-19 and will have to take precautions in the future also," he added.
"Gov. Wolf continues to thank physicians, nurses, and other health care providers. But his words of thanks ring hollow without real action," Lawrence John, MD, president of the Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED), wrote in the Post-Gazette.

Like many governors around the U.S., Wolf has publicly thanked his state's physicians and nurses. More than 2,600 health care professionals in the commonwealth have been infected with COVID-19 through April 30.

However, as John pointed out in the Post-Gazette, the governor has not responded publicly to multiple letters from PAMED that have asked him to provide temporary medical liability immunity to health care workers through an executive order.

"Despite that risk, health workers continue to show up to work every day to care for patients who are suffering from a disease with no effective treatment and no accepted standard of care," John wrote in the Post-Gazette. "At the very least, physicians in Pennsylvania deserve to hear directly from Mr. Wolf as to why he is not providing them with the protection that their colleagues in other states already have in place."

Read full editorial: https://bit.ly/3dmNzs9

About the Pennsylvania Medical Society

PAMED is a physician-led, member-driven organization representing all physicians and medical students throughout the state. We advocate for physicians and their patients, educate physicians through continuing medical education, and provide expert resources and guidance to help physicians and their organizations navigate challenges in today's ever-evolving health care system. For more information, visit www.pamedsoc.org.

SOURCE Pennsylvania Medical Society

Related Links

https://www.pamedsoc.org/


TransUnion Using Neuro-ID for Fraud Detection

TransUnion, an analytics provider that produces consumer credit scores, has teamed up with Neuro-ID to employ the tech companys behavioral analytics software to detect fraud and reduce risk for insurance customers.

Neuro-IDs Friction Index Platform uses a JavaScript installation to reveal points of friction, hesitation and confidence as applicants digitally interact with an online quote or claim process, TransUnion said in a press release. This new behavioral layer of digital intelligence makes it possible to optimize conversion and minimize risk, the company said.

Our insurance customers have an insatiable appetite for new sources of data to help them make better and smarter decisions while providing consumers with great experiences, stated Mark McElroy, executive vice president and head of TransUnions insurance business unit. Neuro-ID unlocks the ability to scientifically measure and explain the friction and fraud behaviors their customers are exhibiting in real-time.

Neuro-ID said nine in ten customer journeys result in frustration, failure or fraud because companies simply do not have adequate visibility into their customers digital body language.

The company, based in Whitefish, Montana, was founded in 2010 by scientists who discovered a linkage between indecision and anomalous neuro-motor responses, the companys website says.

GuideOne Using Livegenic for Virtual Inspections

GuideOne Insurance has formed an alliance with Livegenic, a virtual collaboration technology platform that uses photo and video collaboration to offer virtual property and loss-control inspections to policyholders.

The virtual inspections will be targeted to GuideOnes core niches: religious organizations, nonprofit and human services organizations, small businesses and educational institutions. The carrier, based in West Des Moines, Iowa, offers commercial property and liability, business owners policies, workers compensation, commercial auto.

Using the platform shortens the claim processing cycle considerably because our customers no longer have to schedule an appointment and wait to meet in-person with an adjuster, said Jim Balzarine, director of claims at GuideOne. When a claim is approved, we can issue a check in one to two days versus the standard 10 to 14 days.

Balzarine said the virtual property inspections allow customers to interact with claims adjusters in real-time while capturing video of the damage, as well as audio.

Philadelphia-based Livegenic was founded in 2014 and has gone through three funding rounds, according to the companys website. Investors include Ben Franklin Technology Partners and Claim Central.

ICW Using Concentra for Telemedicine

ICW Group Insurance Companies has teamed up with Concentra Telemed to provide injured workers with access to medical treatment online via smartphone, tablet or computer.

Concentra Telemed gives injured workers the option to access non-emergency medical treatment 24 hours a day, seven days a week with no need to visit a medical facility or spend time in a waiting room, the San Diego based insurance carrier said in a press release.

We were actively working on our telemedicine rollout when the coronavirus pandemic hit, said Amanda Granger, senior vice president, for workers compensation claims. Thankfully, ICW Groups workforce was equipped to quickly shift to a work from home model and accelerate delivery of this important service.

The telemedicine service allows injured employees to video chat with a medical provider using video conferencing. The provider can diagnose, treat and prescribe medication. Telemedicine can also be used for follow-up visits and re-checks. The service also offers rehabilitation treatment for work-related injuries through Concentra Telemeds virtual physical therapy program, the company said.

Hi Marley Expands Pilot Project

Hi Marley, a Boston-based chatbot provider, says it is expanding a pilot project with Plymouth Rock Assurance that uses its text messaging software to resolve auto claims.

Hi Marley says insurance customers can arrange most of the claims process through text messaging rather than through traditional phone calls and scheduled appointments.

Plymouth Rock enlisted Hi Marley for a pilot project that directed 2,500 claims to the Hi Marley platform. The pilot increased customer satisfaction ratings, reduced rental days and lowered operational costs, the insurance company said.

Plymouth Rock will now expand its work with Hi Marley to design and deploy intelligent SMS text messaging across all customer and agent-facing interactions  from initial policy purchase, to service and renewal, Hi Marley said.

Plymouth Rock, also based in Boston, writes and manage more than $1.4 billion in auto and home insurance premiums across Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
#PeruEstaEnNuestrasManos El presidente @MartinVizcarraC, junto al ministro @VictorZamora y a la presidenta ejecutiva de EsSalud, Fiorella Molinelli, supervisa la habilitacion de dos torres adicionales y del hospital de campana en la Villa Panamericana para combatir el COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/sFaQamohXf
Washington: The Trump administration failed to prepare for the onslaught of the coronavirus, then sought a quick fix by trying to rush an unproven drug to patients, a senior government scientist alleged in a whistleblower complaint Tuesday.

Dr. Rick Bright, former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, alleges he was reassigned to a lesser role because he resisted political pressure to allow widespread use of hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug pushed by President Donald Trump. He said the Trump administration wanted to flood hot spots in New York and New Jersey with the drug.

I witnessed government leadership rushing blindly into a potentially dangerous situation by bringing in a non-FDA approved chloroquine from Pakistan and India, from facilities that had never been approved by the FDA, Bright said Tuesday on a call with reporters. Their eagerness to push blindly forward without sufficient data to put this drug into the hands of Americans was alarming to me and my fellow scientists.

Bright filed the complaint with the Office of Special Counsel, a government agency that investigates retaliation against federal employees who uncover problems. He wants his job back and a full investigation.

The Department of Health and Human Services issued a terse statement saying that Bright was transferred to the National Institutes of Health to work on coronavirus testing, a crucial assignment. We are deeply disappointed that he has not shown up to work on behalf of the American people and lead on this critical endeavor, HHS spokeswoman Caitlin Oakley said.

According HHS, Bright has not reported to his new post. But his spokeswoman said that Bright is on sick leave, following his doctor's orders, and that HHS has provided him no details on his new role.

Bright's complaint comes as the Trump administration faces criticism over its response to the pandemic, including testing and supplies of ventilators, masks and other equipment to stem the spread. There have been nearly 1.2 million confirmed cases in the United States and more than 70,000 deaths.

Bright said his superiors repeatedly rejected his warnings that the virus would spread in the US, missing an early opportunity to stock up on protective masks for first responders. He said he acted with urgency to address the growing spread of COVID-19  the disease the virus causes  after the World Health Organization issued a warning in January.

Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., chair of the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on health, said she plans to hold a hearing into his complaint next week, and Brights lawyers said he would testify. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, appearing on MSNBC, called the complaint very damaging.

In his complaint, Bright said he encountered resistance from HHS leadership, including Secretary (Alex) Azar, who appeared intent on downplaying this catastrophic event.

During a Feb. 23 meeting, Azar, as well as Bright's boss, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Robert Kadlec, responded with surprise at (Brights) dire predictions and urgency, and asserted that the United States would be able to contain the virus and keep it out, the whistleblower complaint said.

Bright said White House trade adviser Peter Navarro was a rare exception among administration officials, extremely concerned about the potential consequences of an outbreak. He described working with Navarro to break a bureaucratic logjam and set up military transport from Italy for swabs needed in the US.

Navarro was the author of several urgent memos within the White House. Bright said Navarro asked for his help, saying the trade adviser told him the memos were needed to save lives.

Navarros memos to top officials raised alarms even as Trump was publicly assuring Americans that the outbreak was under control.

Brights allegation that he was removed over his resistance to widespread use of the malaria drug was already public, but his whistleblower complaint added details from emails and internal communications while bringing to light his early attempts to acquire N95 respirator masks, which he said were ignored by superiors.

In late January, Bright said he was contacted by an official of a leading mask manufacturer about ramping up production. It was estimated that as many as 3.5 billion would be needed, while the national stockpile had about 300 million.

The complaint said that when Bright tried to press the issue about masks with superiors at HHS, he was ignored or rebuffed. HHS publicly represented not only that COVID-19 was not an imminent threat, but also that HHS already had all the masks it would need, the complaint said.

As the epidemic spread in the US and engulfed the New York metropolitan area, Bright alleges that political appointees at HHS tried to promote hydroxychloroquine as a panacea. The officials also demanded that New York and New Jersey be flooded with these drugs, which were imported from factories in Pakistan and India that had not been inspected by the FDA, the complaint says.

Last month, the US Food and Drug Administration warned doctors against prescribing the drug except in hospitals and research studies. In an alert, regulators flagged reports of sometimes fatal heart side effects among coronavirus patients taking hydroxychloroquine or the related drug chloroquine.

Bright felt officials had refused to listen or take appropriate action to accurately inform the public and spoke to a reporter about the drug. He said he had to tell the public about the lack of science backing up its use, despite the drug being pushed by the president at press briefings.

As the death toll mounted exponentially each day, Dr. Bright concluded that he had a moral obligation to the American public, including those vulnerable as a result of illness from COVID-19, to protect it from drugs which he believed constituted a substantial and specific danger to public health and safety, the complaint says.

On Jan. 20, according to the complaint, the WHO held an emergency call that was attended by many HHS officials, and WHO officials advised that the outbreak is a big problem.

Trump has accused the UN agency of mismanaging and covering up the spread of the virus after it emerged in China. He has also said he wants to cut the WHO's funding.

Brights agency works to guard against pandemics and emergent infectious diseases and is working to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus.

Top officials also pressured him to steer contracts to a client of a lobbyist, he reported.

"Time after time I was pressured to ignore or dismiss expert scientific recommendations and instead to award lucrative contracts based on political connections, Bright said in the call with reporters. In other words, I was pressured to let politics and cronyism drive decisions over the opinions of the best scientists we have in government.

Zachary Kurz, a spokesman for the agency where Bright filed his complaint, said the office couldnt comment or confirm the status of open investigations.
(Alliance News) - UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will come under fresh criticism over his handling of the coronavirus crisis when he faces Keir Starmer for the first time during Prime Minister's Questions.

The PM will return to the Commons for Westminster's set-piece event on Wednesday, a day after the UK's official death toll became the highest in Europe.

The Labour leader is expected to question Johnson on the government's response to the crisis and also pressure him to set out a detailed plan on easing the lockdown.

It will be the first time Johnson has taken questions in Parliament since returning to Downing Street after his admission to hospital with Covid-19.

Though more than 32,000 have died in the UK during the pandemic, the rate has been slowing and the PM is expected to unveil his "roadmap" of future steps later this week.

Starmer, who took over as Labour leader last month, has called for Johnson to form a "national consensus" on easing restrictions while protecting public health.

Johnson has not taken questions in the Commons since March 25 before Parliament broke early for Easter as MPs struggled to keep their distance in the Palace of Westminster.

He returned to Downing Street last week after recovering from Covid-19, but Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab deputised for him in PMQs as Johnson welcomed the birth of his new son.

Raab on Tuesday warned the "next stage won't be easy" but he said ministers want to ensure it is "more comfortable, is more sustainable and prevents lasting damage to jobs and livelihoods".

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who is involved in UK-wide decision-making through the Cobra system, had earlier set out her own blueprint for easing the lockdown.

Among measures being considering in Scotland is the possibility of joining a social "bubble" containing small groups of friends and family from different households for gatherings, even if that was only possible outdoors.

The prime minister's official spokesman confirmed the possibility of easing restrictions outdoors was also under consideration in Westminster, pointing towards evidence showing "there is less likelihood of transmission of this disease outdoors than indoors".

The prospect of the UK edging towards life after lockdown came as figures showed a total of 32,375 deaths involving Covid-19 have now been registered across the UK.

In Italy, the European country which first suffered an outbreak on a horrific scale, that figure stood at 29,315 as of 5pm on Tuesday.

But Downing Street has warned against comparing different nations' death tolls, with the true extent of the loss not likely to be fully realised for months to come.

In other developments:

a Neil Ferguson, the scientist whose research helped usher in the lockdown, resigned from his role advising the government after admitting "undermining" social distancing rules by reportedly meeting his "lover"

a Chancellor Rishi Sunak was considering his options on winding down the government's furlough scheme but Treasury sources insisted "no decisions have been taken" yet

a Experts warned that restrictions should be eased "very gradually" to maintain public trust in newly published documents from scientists aiding the response

a Testing again failed to meet the 100,000 daily target set by the government, with 84,806 tests on Monday.

The route out of lockdown will depend on how successfully the government can implement a contact-tracing programme to ensure infected individuals enter quarantine.

This will be aided by an NHS app, which Health Secretary Matt Hancock has defended against warnings of an impingement on civil liberties.

"We've all had to give up significant infringements on our liberty a for instance, with the social distancing measures and the lockdown a and we want to release those, and this approach will help us to release them," he told the BBC.

By Sam Blewett, PA Political Correspondent

source: PA

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Chhattisgarhs Economic Offences



Wing (EOW) has registered a case against three persons, including suspended IPS officer Mukesh Gupta, for allegedly committing financial irregularities through a trust, officials said on Wednesday.

The case was registered on Tuesday against Gupta, his father Jaideo Gupta and Dr Deepshikha Agrawal after investigation into alleged misuse of funds at Miki Memorial Trust, an EOW official here said.

While Jaideo is the head of the trust, Dr Agrawal was among its trustees and Director of MGM Eye Institute being run by the trust, he said.

They were booked under IPC sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust) 120B (criminal conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, he said.

In 2002, the 1988-batch IPS officer Gupta allegedly set up Miki Memorial Trust, named after eye surgeon Dr Miki Mehta who died in suspicious circumstances in 2001, with his father Jaideo as the trust's head, he said.

The trust allegedly received huge donations not only from within India but from foreign entities too, however the details were never shared with the state government or the concerned authority, he said.

The trust set up MGM Eye Institute hospital in 2004 on Vidhansabha road here by allegedly violating building norms of the Municipality Act, he said.

The trust then borrowed a term loan of Rs 3 crore for procuring medical equipment for the hospital and cash credit loan of Rs 10 lakh from State Bank of Indias Bayron Bazar branch by mortgaging the hospitals building in 2004, but later defaulted on repayment.

But the officer allegedly misused his position to ward off any action by the bank, said the EOW official.

The trio are also accused of hatching a conspiracy and obtaining a grant of Rs 3 crore from the state government by undertaking to performing free cataract surgeries for the poor and treating common people and government employees at low cost.

But the trust used the grant in settling its bank loan, he said.

The action was taken based on the complaint of Manik Mehta, the brother of late Dr Miki Mehta, he added.

Mukesh Gupta refuted the charges and termed the FIR as "false" and "fictitious".

"I am not a trustee of the (MGM) hospital. My father and Dr Agrawal are trustees in their individual capacities," he said in a statement.

The loan of Rs 3 crore was taken from the SBI to purchase medical equipment which went NPA, and it was repaid rightfully when the government gave a grant of Rs 3 crore, he said.

The government was informed about the loan becoming NPA and so the grant was given by the government and the file was duly processed at all levels, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The novel coronavirus deaths rose to 27 in Punjab on Wednesday with two more fatalities, while the number of cases climbed by 75 to 1,526, the Health Department said.

A 29-year-old man from Jalandhar died of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the PGIMER in Chandigarh on Tuesday, while a 39 year-old man died in Patiala on Tuesday, according to a medical bulletin.

The two deaths take the total fatalities in the state due to the pandemic to 27. A patient is critical and is on ventilator support, the bulletin said.

Seventy-five people, including 35 Nanded pilgrims, tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours, taking the total cases to 1,526. There are 1,364 active cases, according to the bulletin.

A total of 135 COVID-19 patients have been been discharged in the state so far with the recovery of two more people from Patiala and Jalandhar, it said.

Among the new cases, 28 were reported in Moga, 16 in Tarn Taran, and 13 in Amritsar districts. Two each were from Patiala, Mansa, Sangrur and Fatehgarh Sahib districts, the bulletin said.

There is a new COVID-19 case each in Barnala, Muktsar, Gurdaspur, SBS Nagar, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Bathinda, Hoshiarpur and Jalandhar districts, it said.

A total of 32,060 samples have been taken so far in the state, out of which 24,303 are negative and reports of 6,231 are still awaited.

A health official said the number of pilgrims from Nanded, Maharashtra, testing positive for the pathogen reached 1,004, which is 66 per cent of the total coronavirus cases in the state.

Amritsar continued to top the COVID-19 tally in the state with 230 cases, followed by 135 in Jalandhar, 124 in Ludhiana and 95 in Mohali districts.

Hoshiarpur and Patiala reported 89 cases each, followed 87 in Sangrur, 85 each in SBS Nagar and Gurdaspur districts.

Sixty-five people have been afflicted with the disease in Muktsar, 56 in Moga, 45 in Faridkot and 43 in Ferozepur districts.

The number coronavirus infections is 39 in Fazilka, 37 in Bathinda, 27 in Pathankot and 20 in Barnala. Nineteen people each have tested positive so far in Mansa and Fatehgarh Sahib, 18 in Kapurthala and 16 in Rupnagar, the bulletin added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Brewton, who teaches sixth, seventh and eighth graders, told Obama how she got interested in teaching: I didnt grow up in one of the best neighborhoods, and didnt have the two-parent household, so my school was my outlet. So I said to myself, how can I give back to those that actually helped me growing up?
By Kelsey Johnson

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada will invest C$252 million ($179.5 million) to help farmers and food processors weather the coronavirus outbreak, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Tuesday, but industry groups say the funding falls far short of what is needed.

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA), one of Canada's biggest farm groups, asked last week for 10 times the amount that was approved, an initial C$2.6 billion in emergency funding, to cover industry losses and costs.

While some of Canada's 10 provinces are beginning to reopen after lockdowns to fight the coronavirus, demand for many food products has dropped since mid-March, with most restaurants and bars closed.

"We will continue to work... to ensure that our food capacity in this country and these people who work so incredibly hard every single day to feed Canadians get the support that they need," Trudeau told reporters, adding that the government could provide more money if needed.

Industry groups immediately called for more.

"If your house is burning down and I offered you a bucket of water to put it out, you're probably going to have an issue," said CFA President Mary Robinson in an interview with CTV News.

About 40% of small- and medium-sized businesses in the farm and food sector have seen a significant demand drop, Canadian Chamber of Commerce President Perrin Beatty said.

Tuesday's announcement, he said, was a "first step," but falls "short of what the sector needs and will lead to delays in the ability of agriculture firms to address the impacts of COVID-19."

Canada's total coronavirus death toll rose to 3,915 on Tuesday, up about 4% from 3,766 on Monday, according to official data.

Several food processing plants, primarily in the meat industry, have had to temporarily shut down after workers became infected with COVID-19.

Trudeau said beef and pork producers, who have been forced to keep livestock on farms longer because of processing shutdowns, will receive C$125 million in disaster relief funding.

Story continues

Food processors will get C$77 million to help buy personal protective equipment for workers, adapt to health protocols or increase processing capacity, while the Canadian Dairy Commission will see its credit increased to C$200 million.

A first-ever food surplus purchase program valued at C$50 million will buy large quantities of products like potatoes and mushrooms that will be redistributed to food banks.

($1 = 1.4030 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting by Kelsey Johnson; additional reporting by David Ljunggren; editing by Steve Scherer, Bernadette Baum and David Gregorio)
UK Health Minister Matt Hancock dismissed the reports that claimed the government left many elderly people vulnerable to COVID-19 by prioritising hospitals. Speaking to Sky News, Hancock said that the government did not sacrifice the elderly in residential homes to prevent hospital resources from getting overwhelmed coronavirus cases.

The British minister asserted that the government worked very hard, from start, to protect people in care homes and put a huge amount of effort and resources behind supporting care homes. However, he admitted that the United Kingdom had not the capacity to test people on a large scale at the start of the outbreak.

Britain has overtaken Italy to record a sombre landmark of highest death toll related to COVID-19 in Europe, according to the latest report. UKs Office for National Statistics (ONS) released weekly data on deaths occurring up to April 24 and registered up to May 2, adding around 7,000 more fatalities to the number reported by Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), taking the total to 32,313 as of late April.

Read: UK Scientist Who Warned Over Virus Quits For Lockdown Breach

A total of 27,356 deaths involving COVID-19 were registered in England and Wales between December 28, 2019, and April 24, 2020. However, there was a change in how DHSC would report COVID-19 fatalities, directing to include all deaths where a positive test for COVID-19 has been confirmed irrespective of the place instead of reporting only the confirmed COVID-19 deaths in hospitals.

ONS, on its website, said that the data series has been improved by Public Health England (PHE) to include all deaths where a positive test for COVID-19 has been confirmed, wherever the death took place. The improved data series have been reconciled back to March 6, 2020, when the first COVID-19 deaths were notified.

Read: UK Top Medical Expert Resigns After Violating Lockdown Rules: Reports

Ministry cautions on new data

However, the Health Ministry issued a statement on Twitter saying the latest figures published by ONS has a different methodology and it can not be directly compared or extrapolated. It cautioned against extrapolating or estimating figures based on historic data as it risks being extremely misleading.

Read: UK, US Kick Off Post-Brexit Free Trade Talks Amid Outbreak

Read: UK Registers Highest COVID-19 Death Toll In Europe Overtaking Italy: Report

(Image credit: AP)
TDT | Manama

The Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani received yesterday through video conferencing copies of the credentials of a number of Ambassadors-Designate to the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Participating in the virtual meetings where the Ministrys International Affairs undersecretary Dr Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, and the Ministrys Undersecretary Dr Shaikha Rana bint Isa Al Khalifa.

The Foreign Affairs Minister received the copies of credentials of the following Ambassadors-Designate: Ambassador Rafael Veintimilla of Ecuador, residing in Cairo; Ambassador Al Habib Abbas Abdullah of Comoros, residing in Riyadh; Ambassador Vakhtang Jaoshvili of Georgia, residing in Riyadh; Ambassador Andrei Luchenok of Belarus, residing in Abu Dhabi; and Ambassador Jorge Daccarett of Chile, residing in Abu Dhabi.

The Foreign Affairs Minister welcomed the Ambassadors-Designate, wishing them success in their diplomatic duties. He also hailed the solid friendly relations between the Kingdom and their countries and the joint efforts to promote them in all areas in a way that benefits everyone.

For their part, the Ambassadors-Designate expressed their content in presenting their copies of credentials to the Foreign Affairs Minister, commending the development of friendship and cooperation between their countries and Bahrain.

They expressed their aspiration for more growth and progress in the path of relations that bind their countries with the Kingdom.
Ricky Gervais has revealed he was forced to negotiate with lawyers ahead of the 2020 Golden Globes over his risque joke about 85-year-old Dame Judi Dench.

The actor, 58, said he had to check that he was not violating any libel laws or broadcasting decency standards when making a crude comment about Dame Judi.

Repeating the joke on Late Night with Seth Meyers on Tuesday, Gervais said: 'Dame Judi Dench said [Old Deuteronomy in Cats] was the role she was born to play.

Taking a chance: Ricky Gervais has revealed he was forced to negotiate with lawyers ahead of the 2020 Golden Globes over his risque joke about 85-year-old Dame Judi Dench (L-R)

'She likes nothing more than plonking herself down on the carpet, lifting her leg and licking her own m***e.'

The five-time Golden Globe host revealed that the attorneys were concerned with his use of the slang word before encouraging him to instead use the word 'vagina'.

But Gervais went on: 'I said, "It's a British term, it's a cute term, it's not offensive, it's not a swear word"...

'I went, "I'm not going to say vagina! That's worse, that's so clinical''.'

Bizarre: The five-time Golden Globe host revealed that the attorneys were concerned with his use of the slang word before encouraging him to instead use the word 'vagina' (Judi pictured as Old Deuteronomy in Cats)

Divided: Gervais hosted the 2020 award ceremony in January with the rest of his opening monologue including controversial jokes about ISIS and Jeffrey Epstein (pictured at event)

Gervais hosted the 2020 award ceremony in January with the rest of his opening monologue including controversial jokes about ISIS and Jeffrey Epstein.

The revelation comes after the actor confirmed that there will be a third series of After Life thanks to its popularity on Netflix.

The star delighted fans as he took to Twitter on Wednesday to make the announcement.

In the making: The revelation comes after the actor confirmed that there will be a third series of After Life thanks to its popularity on Netflix

Success: The writer said that he was met with unanimously glowing responses from viewers after the second series aired

Speaking about the show, he wrote: 'Because so many of you watched #AfterLife2 so quickly and made it Number 1 again, the nice people at @Netflix have suggested that I get off my fat a*** and do another season. This is all your fault.'

Fans were quick to react to his post and share their delight over a third series after season two was met with applause.

One person wrote: 'Please do. Sobbing then laughing can be so cathartic. Just gets better and better.'

A different fan put: 'It is such a great show!!! Fabulous cast! Fabulous story!'

While a third follower commented: 'Our plan has succeeded! Get to work Ricky!'
A Harris County jail inmate diagnosed with COVID-19 died Wednesday, the first such death since the disease surfaced in the jail.

The man was between the ages of 50 and 60 years old, and had a variety of underlying heath issues, according to Jason Spencer, a spokesman with the sheriffs office.

Spencer declined to identify the man, citing advice from department and county lawyers related to concerns over medical privacy laws.

He had been booked into the jail on a felony charge months ago, Spencer said, and diagnosed at a local hospital where he had been taken for treatment for non-COVID-19-related symptoms.

We take our duty of ensuring the health and safety of all our inmates seriously, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said. And we are saddened by this loss of life. He and his loved ones have our sincere sympathy.

TESTS RISE: After widespread testing, Harris County sheriff reports COVID-19 spike at jail

The death comes as jails and prisons across the United States are trying to prevent the spread of the coronavirus among their inmate populations. For months, public health experts have warned that the close confines of correctional facilities could lead to widespread outbreaks that could then filter back out into the community.

Those concerns led Gonzalez and Judge Lina Hidalgo to warn about the need to reduce the number of inmates at the jail, which houses 7,400 inmates and is the second largest county jail in the United States. Opponents argued a mass release of inmates would endanger public safety.

Amid that dispute, the number of inmates to test positive for the illness has risen to 601, according to the sheriffs office. Of those, 249 are now in recovery, and 92 did not experience any symptoms. Fourteen inmates are currently hospitalized.

More than 2,700 inmates are now in observational quarantine, Spencer said.

PARAMEDICS ON THE FRONT LINE: 'I need to do everything I can to not get sick': Coronavirus upends life for Houston paramedics

The virus has also spread to hundreds of people who work at the sheriffs office, including more than 200 detention officers. According to a department news release, more than 400 deputies, detention officers and support staff are in quarantine as a precaution. A dozen employees are hospitalized.

It's unacceptable turf battles and process are turning our jail into the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in Harris County, Hidalgo said Wednesday in a statement. Today, one in ten people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in our county can trace their case directly back to our jail, including over 200 Sheriffs Deputies. Sadly, this was not only predictable, but preventable.

Across the state, some 1,100 inmates have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to information from the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. Another 4,838 inmates are in observational quarantine.

Advocates for jail inmates said the news was shocking and frustrating.

Weve been dreading this news, said Krish Gundu, of the Texas Jail Project. Its hard to process, because we have all been saying this is going to happen, that we need to do something. Its like watching a train wreck.

The Houston medical community and the Sheriff have been warning for weeks about the impending catastrophe inside the Harris County jail -- a public health nightmare that will spread across the Houston area, said Alec Karakatsanis, of Civil Rights Corps, who led two challenges against Harris Countys bail system. This death was preventable and tragic. We will watch a lot more people die unless Kim Ogg and the district judges dramatically reduce the jail population. It's in their hands.

State Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, said a review of the inmates health record was warranted.

These are extraordinary times, he said. I strongly feel no one should be confined (in jail) who doesnt pose a public safety threat.

Gabrielle Banks contributed.
The relations between Russia and Armenia have a rather full agenda and a long history hinged on all the principles of allied ties, and they are expressed in practice. This is what Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Zohrab Mnatsakanyan declared in parliament today, responding to questions about why Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov made his statement on the phased settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict now.

According to Mnatsakanyan, the relations concern several sectors, starting from security and ending with education and culture. Mnatsakanyan also declared that the relations with Russia have been and remain one of the major directions of Armenias foreign policy.

We continue to work with our Russian colleagues with that spirit. The last time we touched upon these issues was two days ago. Its obvious that both Russia and Armenia have many questions, but there is no need to dramatize all the time, Mnatsakanyan said. In response, deputy of the Bright Armenia Party Arkady Khachatryan declared that he highly appreciates the ministers diplomatic response and said the following: Nobody is questioning the strategic relations between Russia and Armenia, but do the messages in Lavrovs statement really need to be discussed in parliament and to whom are they addressed?

In response, the minister said there can be a long analysis of the messages and the addressees. As far as I remember, an Azerbaijani source had asked the question, and the response was given to the Azerbaijani source, Mnatsakanyan noted.
German submarine sinks the Lusitania, 1915. In pursuance of Germanys policy of piratical warfare, in attacking unarmed merchant ships and sinking them without warning, a German submarine has sank the Cunard liner Lusitania, 30,396 tons, during a voyage from New York to Liverpool. The liner was off the Old Head of Kinsale, less than twenty miles from the entrance to Cork Harbor, about 2 p.m., on Friday, when she was torpedoed without warning and sank within half an hour. The weather at the time was perfect, with a hot sun and gentle southerly breeze. The loss of life is believed to total 1502. The Official Press Bureau makes the following announcement:

Total on Board: 2,160 Survivors: 658 Perished: 1502 The Lusitania carried 1313 passengers. They comprised: First class: 290

Second Class: 662 Third Class: 361 Already 145 bodies have been brought in. Nearly all of the first class passengers perished. Of these 106 were Americans. It is stated that the American passengers totaled 187. A message from Washington, however, sets down the total number of Americans on board at 600. Of the first class passengers, 179 were British subjects. Other Britishers on board totaled 723. Between 500 and 600 survivors landed at Queenstown. Several, who were wounded, died. Eleven survivors are at Kinsale, and others are scattered along the coast.

Five of the boats reached Queenstown late on Friday night. Pitiable scenes were witnessed as the survivors landed. They consisted of barefooted men and women, thinly clad, their clothing soaked with sea water. Twenty-two of the rescued passengers have died. The captain and first and second officers and 67 of the crew, including four stewardesses, have been saved. Immediately after the liner was struck she took a heavy list. Those who made for the port side had very little chance. The first class passengers were having lunch at the time of the disaster. Before the vessel made the final plunge the stern rose high in the air, and remained there several minutes.

Many of the passengers were stupefied by the fumes of the torpedo. The passengers generally believed that although the liner had been torpedoed she would float. She however sank in less than 30 minutes. THE NEWS IN LONDON FIRST REPORTS DISBELIEVED HEARTRENDING SCENES AT CUNARD OFFICES

Scarcely any scene in the war has made the same profound impression in London. The threats made prior to sailing were lightly dismissed. Even the submarine activity off Kinsale during the last few days did not cause anxiety, the public pinning its faith in the liners speed. The first rumors of disaster were frankly discredited, but the official confirmation of the news produced a shock. Most people were unable to realise a great disaster had happened. Slowly the facts were accepted. The one question asked was, how many were saved? The absence of information on this point deepened the anxiety. Distressed inquirers, including many Americans, besieged Cunard companys offices. Heartrending scenes were witnessed, as the officials were for some hours without information. A lady fainted at the counter whilst asking for news of her brother and sister. The crowds in Cockspur-street increased hourly, and offices of the company remained open all night. LINER OFF KINSDALE HEAD SIGNALMEN OBSERVE HER DISAPPEAR

THE RUSH TO THE RESCUE According to the best available information, the Lusitania was torpedoed about 2 oclock. The signalmen at Kinsale Head observed the liner in difficulties at 2.12 p.m. Apparently the first wireless call for help was picked up at Queenstown, three minutes late, and Kinsale reported that at 2.33 that the vessel had disappeared. Twenty boats were counted on the scene immediately afterwards. All the Lusitanias boats were capable of carrying from 50 to 60 people each. The liner carried more than sufficient boats to accommodate the passengers and crew. Meanwhile Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Coke had ordered four naval vessels and all the available tugs, trawlers and lifeboats from Queenstown to help in the rescue work, and summoned all the neighboring stations. Many motor boats were prominent in the rescue work. A Greek steamer was among the first at the scene, and she towed the boats towards the harbor. A motor boat rescued 50 people, transferred them to the Admiralty tug Stormcock, and, returning to the scene, towed several boats. Soon the fleet of the Lusitanias boats were being slowly moved shoreward. A fleet of motors was dispatched from Cork to meet the survivors. Those who were wounded were soon placed in a hospital, where several of them died. The survivors landing at various ports caused confusion in arriving at estimates of the number rescued.
Erecting Dutch-style dykes along a third of Europe's coastline could prevent over 80 per cent of projected flood damage from rising sea levels, a study has found.

Europe is expected to face as much as 3.3 feet of sea level rise by 2100  presenting serious challenges for the 200 million people who live within 31 miles of the coast.

The researchers found that the ultimate benefits of erecting dykes would outweigh the costs for a quarter of the UK coast under 16 inches of sea level rise.

This would rise to a third of the UK coastline if water levels rose instead by 3.3 feet.

Such protections would cost between 456627 million annually, compared with the average 359 million in coastal flood damages the UK presently faces each year.

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Erecting Dutch-style dykes, as pictured, along a third of Europe's coastline could prevent over 80 per cent of projected flood damage from rising sea levels, a study has found

Coastal oceanographer Michalis Vousdoukas of the European Commission Joint Research Centre in Italy and colleagues assessed the costs and benefits of bolstering the defences of the European coastline.

The team considered projections of sea-level rise, waves, tides and storm surges under both moderate and high future greenhouse gas emissions scenarios.

From their modelling, the researchers determined how much land might be flooded and the financial damage such would cause  enabling them to assess the merit of raising dykes in given areas.

The team found that, although the costs of erecting dykes outweighed the resulting benefits for around 6875 per cent of the European coastline, the benefits outweigh the costs where population density exceeded 500 people per square kilometre.

Furthermore, Belgium had the highest percentage of coastlines (8595 per cent) where the benefits of building dykes are predicted to compensate for the initial costs. This was followed by France (at 5866 per cent) and Italy (5359 per cent).

'Our study underlines the unprecedented rise in damages from coastal flooding unless mitigation and adaptation measures are taken,' the team wrote.

'We find that around 95% of these impacts could be avoided through moderate greenhouse gas emission mitigation and by raising dykes where human settlements and economically important areas exist along the coastline.'

Europe is expected to face as much as 3.3 feet of sea level rise by 2100  presenting serious challenges for the 200 million people who live within 31 miles of the coast

The UK Environment Agency, however, considers it important to build coastal 'resilience', rather than bolstering defences.

'Resilience includes accepting that in some places we cant eliminate all flooding and coastal change, and so we need to be better at adapting to living with the consequences,' an agency draft report argued last year.

'For example, by designing homes that can be restored quickly after theyve been inundated with water, or potentially moving communities out of harms way.'

'We cannot expect to build our way out of future climate risks with infinitely high walls and barriers,' agency chairwoman Emma Howard Boyd said last May, the Times reported.

Meanwhile, the Global Commission on Adaptation last September advocated for considering relocating coastal communities away from areas of sea-level rise.

The full findings of the study were published in the journal Nature Communications.
LIMERICK is bracing itself for job losses this Wednesday with car ride-hailing service Uber set to cut workers at its city offices.

The company, which has its European centre of excellence in Thomas Street, has told the 500 staff to expect job losses locally, as it announced it is 3,700 redundancies worldwide.

The move comes about as the Covid-19 pandemic decimates the firms business which principally relies on the hailing of cars and cabs through a mobile telephone app.

While no figure has been revealed in terms of how the Limerick operation will be impacted, local TD Maurice Quinlivan said staff were today told to expect up to 30% layoffs. This would equate to around 150 positions.

Its understood a consultation period will be started among the staff, with an email going out from the company later.

Mr Quinlivan described it as devastating news for workers locally.

Uber is a significant local employer, employing hundreds of staff from their Europe, Middle East and Africa headquarters in Thomas Street. The Covid-19 pandemic has had terrible consequences for so many people, with over 1,300 sadly losing their lives here so far, thousands having gotten very sick and so many people losing their jobs. This is another major blow for Limerick City centre in particular, he said.

The Sinn Fein TD urged Enterprise Minister Heather Humphreys ensures affected staff are offered support and online re-training opportunities to help them find new employment.

This is very difficult news for the staff affected and its vital they are supported by the social protection system in the short term, via the Pandemic Unemployment Payment and by the employment services and jobs agencies going forward, he added.

In an international statement about its overall business, Uber said its layoffs included its customer support and recruiting teams, and it expects to incur about $20m in costs for severance and related charges.

Uber and rival Lyft have already withdrawn their full-year financial outlooks as demand for app-based rides dropped sharply across the world after governments imposed stay-at-home orders to curb the transmission of the coronavirus.

Headquartered in San Francisco, Uber provides ride-service hailing, food delivery and a micromobility system with electric bikes and scooters.

A spokesperson for Uber said the firm cannot share local staff reduction numbers.

They added: "With people taking fewer trips, the unfortunate reality is that there isnt enough work for many of our front-line customer support employees. Since we dont know how long a recovery will take, we are taking steps to bring our costs in line with the size of our business today. This was a tough decision, but it is the right one to help protect the companys long-term health and ensure we come out of this crisis stronger."
The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire has revealed that the drug used in treating coronavirus patients in Nigeria is a broad-spectrum anti-retroviral medication called Remdesivir.

Ehanire, who made this revelation during a press briefing on Tuesday, said treatment with Remdesivir is given by injection into a vein.

We have been using that drug (Remdesivir). We have tried that in Lagos too. So, we have tried the anti-retroviral drug to see what effect it has, he said.

The drug, according to the minister, was originally developed as a potential treatment for Ebola and has been adopted by the government as of the options for treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Remdesivir is being tested as a specific treatment for coronavirus, and the US had approved emergency use of the drug for treatment of those with severe COVID-19 symptoms.

KanyiDaily had reported that a Nigerian doctor, Babafemi Taiwo is leading a major study on the antiviral drug Remdesivir in the United States.

Dr Taiwo was interviewed by CNN and he explained the promising result of the drug in treating COVID-19 patients.
Labour Party leader reverses stance to reach out to people of Indian origin, the UKs largest ethnic minority.

Keir Starmer, the newly-elected leader of the United Kingdoms main opposition Labour Party, has changed the partys stance on the Kashmir issue  a step that has raised a debate on the contentious matter.

Any constitutional issues in India are a matter for the Indian Parliament, and Kashmir is a bilateral issue for India and Pakistan to resolve peacefully. Labour is an internationalist party and stands for the defence of human rights everywhere, Starmer said on April 30 after a meeting with the members of Labour Friends of India group.

I am committed to working closely with Labour Friends of India to rebuild trust with the community. We must not allow issues of the subcontinent to divide communities here.

A Labour government under my leadership will be determined to build even stronger business links with India and to cooperate on the global stage on issues such as climate change, Starmer added.

About half a million Indian forces are stationed in Kashmir [Danish Ismail [Reuters]

People of Indian origin are the UKs largest ethnic minority community, making up more than 2.3 percent of the population, some 1.5 million people.

A large share of both people of Indian and Pakistani origin vote for the Labour.

Assault on basic liberties in Kashmir

Starmers comments are controversial for advocates of the Kashmiri cause, as they believe the region should have the right to self-determination via a referendum, rather than have their fate decided by others.

Mirza Waheed, a Kashmiri novelist and journalist based in London, expressed shock, saying that Starmers assertion that Kashmir is a constitutional issue in India could be seen as support for the Modi regimes brutal assault on all basic liberties in Kashmir.

The future of Kashmir can only be decided by the people of Kashmir. Im shocked to hear the Labour leader callously disregard the agency of millions of long-suffering Kashmiris. Mr Starmer ought to know that Kashmir is a bloody legacy of the British empire, Waheed tweeted.

Labour Friends of India said that relations with Labour under previous leader Jeremy Corbyn were strained after party members passed a motion at their annual conference last September criticising Indias actions towards Muslim-majority Kashmir.

Last August, New Delhi stripped the region of its semi-autonomy and downgraded it into two federal territories.

Subsequently, the nearly seven million people in the Kashmir valley were put under a strict security lockdown with tens of thousands of additional troops deployed in one of the most militarised regions in the world.

Mobile phones and limited internet connections were revived in January this month.

The 2019 Labour motion said Kashmir was a disputed territory and the people of Kashmir should be given the right of self-determination in accordance with UN resolutions.

The enforced disappearance of civilians, the state-endorsed sexual violence of women by armed forces and the overall prevalence of human rights violations in the region not only continues but has exasperated further in the past week, it said.

At the time, Labour Friends of India condemned what they saw as the anti-Indian rhetoric contained in the emergency motion on Kashmir.

Seema Chandwani, the vice-chair of London Labour, tweeted on April 30: Keir Starmer cannot meet with an unaffiliated unaccountable group of people and change the Conference position on Kashmir unilaterally.

In his maiden speech earlier this year, Labour MP Tahir Ali said: This is not, in my view, a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan  the international community needs to take responsibility.

My role is not to take sides, such as to be pro-Pakistan or anti-India. I believe, as a Kashmiri, that it is my duty to highlight the abuses and human rights violations to this House, he added.

Even after seven decades, the people of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir are waiting for their right of self-determination promised by the UN.

Promote UK-India ties

The change in Labours position was welcomed by the Labour Friends of India, however.

I congratulate Keir Starmer on his election as leader Rajesh Agrawal, the co-chair of Labour Friends of India, said after meeting with Starmer.

I really welcome his commitment to rebuilding strong links between the Labour Party and the Indian community. This has been a great start and Keir has achieved a lot in the short span of a couple of weeks.

Labour Friends of India will work closely with him and will continue to promote UK-India ties as well as continuing to raise any issues from the community to the leadership.

Kashmir is held by India and Pakistan in parts, and claimed by both in full. A small sliver is also held by China.

Since they were partitioned in 1947, the two countries have fought four wars  in 1948, 1965, 1971, and 1999  three of them over Kashmir.

Some Kashmiri groups have been fighting against Indian rule for independence, or unification with neighbouring Pakistan.

According to several human rights groups, thousands of people have been killed in the conflict in the region since 1989, when armed rebellion erupted against Indian rule.
Berks Heim, a county-run nursing home facility in Berks, shared its latest coronavirus numbers, which continues to tell a grim story. A total of nine of the facilitys residents have died from COVID-19 since March.

Three more residents have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the Berks County Commissioners announced on Wednesday. One new staff person has also tested positive.

"What do you say to family and friends that have lost a loved one especially with all the challenges of COVID-19 in place? Commissioner Christian Leinbach said. "This is just too hard to imagine unless you experienced it yourself. Please pray for these families.

The most recent numbers show: four more residents have passed away after testing positive; 24 residents have COVID-19; there are 14 COVID-19 positive residents at the facility with one resident hospitalized; and, a total of nine Berks Heim residents have died from COVID-19.

Residents took tests within the last few days and received results on May 5 and May 6. The families of those who tested positive have been contacted, as well as the residents and residents families who live on the same floor as the individual who tested positive.

Anyone who might have come into contact with a resident who tested positive, or the staff member, has also been contacted, according to the Berks County Commissioners.

"Berks County and Berks Heim Management are committed to protecting the health of both our residents and our employees especially during this unprecedented health crisis, commissioners said in a statement.

Mitigations efforts, like not allowing visitors, began at the nursing home on March 11. Screenings of all employees and other approved individuals were implemented upon entering the building. Those steps include monitoring temperatures, symptoms, and following recommended guidelines to restrict access as necessary based upon the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and the Pennsylvania Department of Health standards.

Stringent steps have been taken to try to stop the coronavirus from spreading, according to commissioners. Among them, face and surgical masks are worn all the time by staff and residents; residents spend most of their time on the floor in which they live; new residents are being admitted through an extensive review and appeal process; new residents are admitted to a specific area to be quarantined for 14 days.

The nursing home has undergone extensive cleaning and food preparation is following CDC guidelines, the commissioners said.

Berks County, home to the city of Reading, as of last week, had the sixth-highest number of COVID-19 cases in the state. More than 2,400 people have contracted the virus in Berks, according to state figures.

More:

Heres this Jersey Shore towns coronavirus strategy for Memorial Day weekend (and the summer)

Pa. coronavirus cases approach 52,000; fewer than 1,000 new cases for 4th straight day
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Some of the corporate responses to COVID-19 make me incredibly happy I dont work for a large company anymore. Some of the troubling reports from other companies include forced work in unsafe areas, not enough  or any  protection gear, massive layoffs and furloughs, and the sense that a critical mass of well-paid CEOs and politicians dont get that many people live paycheck to paycheck.

If I were to focus on that, however, it would just get you and me depressed, and none of us need help getting depressed now.

There are exceptions though. One company I follow stepped up, thanks to HR VP Tracy Keogh and CEO Enrique Lores. Of the responses Ive reviewed so far, they stand out for moving aggressively to protect not only its employees lives but also their quality of life.

Ill explore their approach and close with my product of the week: iProov, a facial recognition product that overcomes the problem of deepfakes without needing a special camera. It is being used to help with social distancing at scale for government and banking, and would be useful for healthcare.

What Makes HP Different

HP is a vastly different company. It was split off from the old Hewlett Packard, and then-CEO Meg Whitman saddled it with the declining businesses and most all the combined firms massive debt. Those decisions almost immediately put the firm on deathwatch. I recall talking to one of the competing CEOs who thought then-CEO Dion Weisler got so excited about becoming CEO he didnt realize it was a death sentence.

However, he did know the risk. Starting in crisis forced the firm to rethink its operating policies and procedures, governance, employee measurement systems and corporate rules. In effect, HP came close to tossing out everything and starting over, making the firm into one mammoth startup.

The result was a firm that was more focused on customer and employee care, and less focused on making Wall Street happy than its parent was, and HP was far more agile as well. Internal communications were stronger, the focus on creating and maintaining trust was stronger, and employees had a far higher priority in terms of their care and feeding than previously had been the case.

One other difference was that Tracy Keogh took over as HPs head of HR. Keogh has an MBA from Harvard and has seen 35 of her employees advance to lead other HR departments. This is important, because it is rare to get this level of talent in HR. In many companies, HR is just a compliance organization led by executives who failed in some other part of the business.

The practice of placing underperforming executives in HR never has made sense to me, given that employees, not executives, are the ones responsible for a firms success. HP is now a showcase of what a firm can do when it has the right talent in HR and at the top of the company.

One of the other exciting things addressed at the split  something other firms are struggling with  is board diversity. HP is diverse at the top, not just at the bottom.

HPs Execution

HP is a multinational with a substantial presence in China. Internally it generally knew what was going on when the virus outbreak was just starting, and didnt have to depend on the unreliable messages the rest of us were seeing. HP took the threat seriously early and moved to acquire personal protective equipment (PPE) and protect employees in a timely way. It has been able to shift its PPE reserves from country to country, ensuring that employees who do have to come to work are protected.

Employees working in hot spot areas were housed close to their factories to help protect their families. Anticipating the outbreak, HP brought an epidemiologist on board and set up several HP medical clinics to help ensure that executives were getting accurate information and that COVID-related decisions were well informed.

The companys geographic spread gave it real-time information both on how to manage the shift to working from home and how to prepare to bring some people back to the office. For instance, HP already is working on employee testing plans so it can quarantine aggressively during the next virus wave.

They also recognizes that this COVID event isnt a one-time thing, and it already has prepared for a new world in which many employees, if not most, will continue to work from home. This already has changed its hiring priorities. People who cant relocate now are attractive candidates since they wont be coming into the office anyway.

HP understood that people working from home would have unique problems. The company is elping employees with programs to keep kids engaged and learning. It is working on virtual summer camps focused on STEM education. Recognizing the critical nature of interns as seed corn for future hires, HP didnt cancel the program  it virtualized it.

It has rolled out new training, toolsets, and frameworks for managers because it recognized that managers are the critical link to ensuring operations, but many are untrained to manage highly remote staff.

It is fascinating and brilliant, because even those of us who had formal training in management werent trained to deal with a staff working at home and fearing for their lives and the lives of their families. Some of the management meetings even included the managers kids.

HP went beyond that with its nightly events. For instance, with the help of its partner DreamWorks, it implemented DreamWorks Fridays, so employees and their families could enjoy movies together.

Another session featured David Rock, who has a professional doctorate in the Neuroscience of Leadership, and serves as director of the NeuroLeadership Institute. His focus was on mitigating stress by helping people put words to their feelings.

There have been cooking classes, as well as financial planning classes (for those who still had finances left to manage). I wonder if having a homework club was wise? Kids have long memories.

Tracy and Enrique alternate updates to employees regionally. Employees can ask questions, which helps them feel connected to the leadership. It also informs them about what is going on, enabling employees to contribute to solving problems the executive staff is confronting.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Wrapping Up: Out of a Crucible of Fire a Sparkling Example of Excellence

HP was formed out of conflict. Surviving a near-death experience forged a unique family of employees who were backed by strong management. Together they stepped up to ensure that HP would emerge from this latest crisis successfully.

That level of employee care, engagement and execution is unique in the U.S. market, and it is to Enrique Lores and Tracy Keoghs credit that I know of no other company that has pivoted so well during this crisis.

It also is a credit to HP employees that they stepped up and together have functioned as a family. I think it is a shame that HP is the exception and not the rule, and my reason for writing about the firm this week is that I hope others will emulate its approach. This kind of incredible employee care will replace layoffs and furloughs as the preferred way of meeting troubled times.

Ill close with this: Like you, Ive heard the saying when given lemons make lemonade, and I too thought it was BS. No longer, because that is precisely what HP did  nicely done!

One of the big problems with so many employees, managers, and executives working from home is that their corporate security systems are not designed to prevent remote workers from phishing attacks. They can be contacted and fooled into thinking an attacker is a member of their company, even a top executive, and tricked into providing confidential information. We already know passwords and IDs arent secure. Hell, at IBM we were alerting about passwords and IDs in the 1980s.

Facial recognition is compelling, but systems like Microsoft Hello require unique cameras that most folks dont have, and regular facial recognition can be fooled with video files. More recently, these systems can be fooled with Deep Fakes that allow remote attackers to convince you they are someone they are not.

What makes iProov different is that it is a cloud-based facial recognition service that analyzes the light on the face to ensure the person you are seeing is a real person.

I expect this technology eventually will migrate into some of the widely used video conferencing platforms like Skype, which are being used widely during the COVID pandemic, to make sure these tools arent exploited to rip off companies and individuals.

One of the implementations is for border control, so that a live person wouldnt be required to validate someone coming into a country. (Border control agents are incredibly susceptible to becoming infected by a spreading virus.)

When it can be relied on, facial recognition is compelling as a second factor, but at this time my main interest is in using it to automate people-facing jobs that place employees at high risk of infection, to create a far safer world.

Because iProov solves a critical problem for healthcare, immigration, banking, people working from home, and security in general, it is my product of the week.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ECT News Network.
Imagine, you are at an outdoor music festival when all of a sudden you hear pop, pop, pop. Everyone looks around in wonder. Then the pop, pop, pop continues, but now there is screaming, panic and people are running. You start to run, too. There is confusion, as everyone is running in different directions. You are scared, really scared, because now you know that someone is shooting at the crowd. You run some more, not even sure where an exit is and what direction the shooting is coming from. Pop, pop, pop and you hit the ground, you get up and run some more, more gunshots, you hit the ground again, each time skinning your knees, hands and elbows. You see people getting shot in front of you, it is all very loud and terrifying.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 6/5/2020 (622 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Imagine, you are at an outdoor music festival when all of a sudden you hear pop, pop, pop. Everyone looks around in wonder. Then the pop, pop, pop continues, but now there is screaming, panic and people are running. You start to run, too. There is confusion, as everyone is running in different directions. You are scared, really scared, because now you know that someone is shooting at the crowd. You run some more, not even sure where an exit is and what direction the shooting is coming from. Pop, pop, pop and you hit the ground, you get up and run some more, more gunshots, you hit the ground again, each time skinning your knees, hands and elbows. You see people getting shot in front of you, it is all very loud and terrifying.

This was the scene at the Route 91 shooting on Oct. 1, 2017 in Las Vegas. Our daughter was in that crowd, running for her life. She was killed trying to escape. The horror lasted 11 minutes, and in that time the shooter killed 58 people, wounded 413 and and 456 were hurt as they fled for their lives. He had fired more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition. In the midst of one 31-second span he fired 280 rounds  nine bullets every second  from 1,200 feet away. The police found several AR-15 and AR-10 assault rifles among the 23 legally owned firearms in his arsenal and 5,000 unused rounds of ammunition.

Mark and Brenda Smith's daughter, Tara Ann Roe, was killed in a mass shooting in Las Vegas on Oct. 1, 2017. (Photo courtesy Sophia Models International)

Bullets fired from assault rifles are meant to kill and maim as many people as possible in a very short time frame. Unknown to most Canadians, in February 2018 the Associated Press applied and received a court order that demanded the Las Vegas Coroners Office release the autopsy reports of the 58 victims. A Las Vegas newspaper printed partial autopsy reports of the victims (names and ages were not permitted). We personally contacted the journalist of this report and asked him why he would do this, knowing how absolutely devastating it was to the victims families. His reply was he wanted people to know what a bullet fired from a high-powered assault rifle can do to a body. The harsh reality of the truth written in each of the 58 reports would be impossible to read and comprehend. The journalist also wrote how the bullets used by this killer were meant to ricochet within the body, and in many cases do not exit the body.

So, here we are today and Canada is finally banning assault-style rifles. That 1,500 types of firearms can no longer be sold, bought, imported or used is a very positive move in the right direction. It will start with a buy-back program for current owners. We should be applauding our government for taking a proactive stand against any weapons of mass destruction. This is an important first step, with a lot of work also needed to stop the Illegal sale and black market availability of these firearms. It is not going to be accomplished quickly, but the effort it will require is well worth it. We need all levels of government to support this as there is no purpose to be served to be negative of the first step being taken or to criticize. It could be your life or a loved ones life saved one day because of the establishment of this ban.

We struggle to understand why anyone would want to own an assault-style weapon. Do you feel you have the right to own one? You say it is fun! You say it is a sport! Does it give you some sort of macho status? To those who say it is your business and you will lose money because now you cant sell assault weapons, cry us a river. For our family and friends, all other family and friends who have had loved ones killed in the many senseless mass shootings, we have cried an ocean. If even one person who reads this and makes the decision to turn in their assault weapon, then the mental anguish to took us to write this letter would have been worth it.

MARK and BRENDA SMITH

Brandon

P.S.: Our deepest heartfelt sympathy to the family and friends of the victims in Portapique, N.S.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Thomas Cruise is set to become the first actor to act in a movie shot in outer space. The joint project by Space X and NASA would be 'the first narrative feature film -- an action adventure -- to be shot in outer space', Deadline reported. The head of the U.S. space agency confirmed the news on social media. 'NASA is excited to work with Tom Cruise on a film aboard the Space Station. We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make NASA's ambitious plans a reality,' NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said on Twitter. It is not clear when will Tom Cruise fly into the International Space Station for the unnamed movie. Cruise played an astronaut in 2013 film Oblivion, but he film was shot on earth. Cruise narrated for the IMAX documentary that was shot on board the space station in 2002. The winner of three Golden Globe Awards and three nominations for Academy Awards, Cruise is one of the highest-paid actors in the world. Hollywood's most popular action hero is known as a daredevil who does not opt for dupes to do his stunt roles. 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.
Ahmaud Arbery, 25, was shot dead during a jog in Brunswick, Georgia, on February 23 by two white men who claimed they were looking for a burglar suspect

Joe Biden called the death of an unarmed black man shot in Georgia by two white men in late February 'murder' and said he was 'killed in cold blood' after video of the incident circulated on social media.

'The video is clear: Ahmaud Arbery was killed in cold blood,' Biden tweeted late Tuesday along with a link to a Georgia district attorney recommendation that a grand jury hear the case.

'My heart goes out to his family, who deserve justice and deserve it now,' the presumed Democratic nominee continued in his Twitter post. 'It is time for a swift, full, and transparent investigation into his murder.'

The assertion from Biden, who served as vice president under the first black U.S. president, comes as cellphone video footage was posted by a local radio host Tuesday and circulated heavily across social media.

On Tuesday the DA also announced as the incident gained more traction that the case will go to a grand jury to decide if criminal charges are warranted against the two white men involved in the shooting.

The shocking video appears to show the moment when Ahmaud Arbery, 25, who was jogging in Georgia, was chased and gunned down by a white man who claimed he was looking for a burglary suspect while a second white man watched.

But the victim's family lawyer says the footage clearly shows a 'murder.'

Arbery was killed February 23 in a neighborhood outside the coastal port city of Brunswick, Georgia.

Since the shooting, which was caught on camera, no one has been arrested or charged in the case, prompting an outcry from the local NAACP and others.

In the video, Arbery can be seen jogging down the street, in the middle of the road as the parked pickup truck waits further up.

Gregory and Travis McMichael, father and son respectively, are believed to be the two men waiting at the vehicle.

Joe Biden asserted Tuesday night that the incident, caught on camera, shows that Arbery was 'killed in cold blood'

Cellphone video has been circulating showing the moment Ahmaud Arbery, 25, was killed on February 23 as he was jogging in a Georgia neighborhood and approached a parked pickup truck. Gregory and Travis McMichael are believed to be the two men waiting at the vehicle. The clip shows the jogger trying to get around the group

A shot can be heard in the video and the two can then be seen scuffling as Arbery looks to try to get the gun away from Travis. Two more shots can be heard and are fired at point-blank range

Arbery can be seen stumbling to the ground as the clip comes to a close. 'This is murder,' Arbery's family lawyer, Lee Merritt said

'It is time for a swift, full, and transparent investigation into his murder,'the presumed Democratic nominee and former vice president for the first black president demanded

Screaming can be heard, but it is inaudible.

The jogger can be seen trying to make his way around the vehicle but a man believed to be Travis blocks his path with a gun.

A shot can be heard and the two can then be seen scuffling as Arbery looks to try to get the gun away from Travis.

Two more shots can be heard and are fired at point-blank range before Arbery is seen stumbling to the ground.

Tom Durden, a Georgia prosecutor assigned to examine the case, declined to comment Tuesday when the prosecutor was asked if he could verify that the video showed the shooting of Arbery.

Durden announced on Tuesday he plans to have a grand jury hear the evidence in the shooting.

The announcement that a grand jury will review the case came as an attorney for Arbery's mother posted a cellphone video on Twitter that he said shows the shooting. 'This is murder,' lawyer Lee Merritt said.

'Mr. Arbery had not committed any crime and there was no reason for these men to believe they had the right to stop him with weapons or to use deadly force in furtherence of their unlawful attempted stop,' said a statement by Merritt, who represents Arbery's mother, Wanda Cooper.

The grand jury won't happen for more than a month, as Georgia courts remain largely closed because of the coronavirus until at least June 13.

'I am of the opinion that the case should be presented to the grand jury of Glynn County for consideration of criminal charges against those involved in the death of Mr. Arbery,' Durden said in a statement Tuesday.

'Mr. Arbery had not committed any crime and there was no reason for these men to believe they had the right to stop him with weapons or to use deadly force in furtherence of their unlawful attempted stop,' said a statement by lawyer Lee Merritt, who represents Arbery's mother, Wanda Cooper

Reached by phone, Durden said no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting. He declined to say what charges he would have a grand jury consider or to comment further.

John Perry, a Brunswick pastor and president of the local NAACP chapter, said he was glad to hear that Durden will send the case to a grand jury. But he was dismayed that the armed men who went after Arbery remain free.

'It's very problematic,' Perry said. 'To shoot and kill and not get arrested, it doesn't compute.'

Arbery was shot dead in the Satilla Shores neighborhood in Brunswick, Georgia, just after 1pm on February 23.

According to Glynn County Police, officers responded to the area as a result of a 911 call, but by the time they arrived to the scene Arbery had been shot by a white man identified as 34-year-old Travis McMichael.

Travis and his father, Gregory, 64, a retired Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney investigator, had seen Arbery, who was unarmed, running in the area and armed themselves before chasing him down in a pickup truck.

Ahmaud Arbery was gunned down in the Satilla Shores neighborhood in Brunswick, Georgia, just after 1:00 p.m. on February 23

According to Glynn County Police, officers responded to the area as a result of a 911 call, but by the time they arrived to the scene Arbery had been shot by a white man identified as 34-year-old Travis McMichael (right). The other man was identified as Travis' father, Gregory (left)

According to The New Brunswick News, 911 dispatchers received two calls about Arbery being in the neighborhood.

About 50 seconds into one of the calls, the dispatcher interrupted the caller and said: 'I just need to know what he was doing wrong.'

During the chase, the McMichaels yelled for Arbery to stop because they wanted to talk to him, according to The New York Times.

They then pulled up to Arbery, and Travis got out of the truck with the shotgun.

Gregory claimed that Arbery started to 'violently attack Travis' and the two men started fighting over the shotgun.

That's when Travis fired one shot and then 'a second later there was a second shot'.

More than two months later and neither Gregory nor Travis McMichael have been charged with Arbery's death.

Arbery's family has started a Facebook page called I Run with Maud that serves as an outlet for relatives to advocate for justice.

'On February 23rd 2020, Ahmaud Arbery was wrongfully chased and killed by two individuals who took the law into their own hands after they thought Ahmaud 'looked suspicious' because he was 'running' down the street.

'Join us in bringing light to this tragedy as we demand justice for Ahmaud Arbery,' the page reads.

During the chase, the McMichaels yelled for Arbery (pictured with his family) to stop because they wanted to talk to him. They then pulled up to Arbery, and Travis got out of the truck with the shotgun

Gregory said Arbery (pictured with his family) started to 'violently attack Travis'. That's when Travis fired one shot and then 'a second later there was a second shot'. More than two months later and neither Gregory nor Travis McMichael have been charged with Arbery's death

In mid-April, the family shared a statement from the office of Jackie Johnson, the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District attorney, announcing that she had recused her office from the case because Gregory served as an investigator within the office.

Arbery's case was then sent to George E. Barnhill, the district attorney in Waycross, Georgia.

But he also had to recuse himself from the case after Arbery's mother argued that Barnhill had a conflict because his son also works for Johnson.

According to the Times, before Barnhill gave up the case, he had argued that there was not sufficient probable cause to arrest Arbery's attackers.

Barnhill claimed that the McMichaels were within their rights to carry their firearms under Georgia's open carry law and had the right to pursue a 'burglary suspect'.

Under Georgia law, Barnhill had argued that if Arbery attacked Travis, he was 'allowed to use deadly force to protect himself'.

Barnhill also claimed that Arbery had mental health issues and prior convictions, which include shoplifting and violating probation.

Arbery's defender, Michael J. Moore, called Barnhill's statements 'flawed', noting that the McMichaels were the ones who appeared to be the aggressors.

'The law does not allow a group of people to form an armed posse and chase down an unarmed person who they believe might have possibly been the perpetrator of a past crime,' Moore said, according to the Times.
Dubai: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani threatened a "crushing response" on Wednesday if the United States goes ahead with plans to extend an embargo on Iranian trade of conventional arms, which the United Nations is set to lift later this year.

Under Iran's deal with world powers to accept limits to its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of sanctions, a UN weapons embargo is due to expire in October. The United States, which exited the deal in 2018, says it wants to extend the embargo.

In a speech on Wednesday, Rouhani repeated Iran's longstanding criticism of Washington's decision to exit the nuclear deal, which he called a "stupid mistake".

"If America wants to return to the deal, it should lift all the sanctions on Tehran and compensate for the reimposition of sanctions," said Rouhani, a pragmatist whose rhetoric towards the United States is frequently more measured than that of some officials. "Iran will give a crushing response if the arms embargo on Tehran is extended," Rouhani added.

Iran has gradually rolled back its commitments under the accord in response to the US decision to quit, but says it wants the agreement to remain in place. It has criticised European parties to the deal for failing to salvage the pact by shielding its economy from US sanctions.

"Iran's nuclear steps are reversible if other parties to the deal fulfil their obligations and preserve Tehran's interests under the pact," Rouhani said.
I have been trying to do my civic duty. I stay more than 6 feet away from most people (which is usually not a problem, given the fact that some folk consider deodorant to be non-essential). I live alone, so my trips to the store are surgical strikes: I know where the food is, I map out the quickest route strategically, follow it, and am out of the supermarket in under 10 minutes. If grocery shopping were an Olympic sport, Id have several gold medals. I have social distanced from vulnerable friends and relatives, mastered the art of Zoom and Facetime, and learned to make my own damn coffee.

But I draw the line at the masks. At least, I used to. Slowly, though, I am beginning to capitulate like a Frenchman during the Nazi occupation. And please dont write me letters complaining that I just compared the Pennsylvania Health Department and several public officials to Hitler, because theyre much more like Stalin, and anyone who knows their history understands that totalitarians are unique in their brands of totalitarianism.

Its not like I didnt initially try and cooperate with the suggestion that we wear masks. That was when health experts said that wearing a face covering would protect us from contracting the coronavirus, which weve always known is highly communicable. I started seeing some folks with those Darth Vadar style face coverings, and purchased one. I tried it on, gasped for air, and that was the end of that thing.

Afterwards, when the health experts told us to leave the professional grade masks to the health care workers, I felt vindicated. Virtuous is the better word. I said to myself, Dont wear that mask, Christine, you need to leave it for the courageous first responders in hospitals. I could feel the halo forming over my head.

But then, I saw other sorts of masks emerging on my neighbors faces, bandanas and handkerchiefs attached by rubber bands and homemade quilted pieces of folk art and things that looked like turtlenecks on steroids. Stories about reading groups that had turned into sewing circles made the rounds. Social media ran ads for stylish masks made out of breathable fabric (which led me to believe that being able to actually breathe cost a bit more, but that you could get a non-permeable mask made out of lead for cut-rate prices).

And then I started hearing that it was my obligation to wear one of these monstrosities because I could be Patient Zero, Typhoid Christine, and that I owed it to my neighbor with whom Ive shared less than five words in our entire relationship to keep her safe from my hypothetical germs.

Thats when I rebelled. The idea that I was a Petri dish waiting to infect the world grated on my nerves, and I started walking around in public with my naked face (of course it wasnt entirely naked because I will not go out without makeup). I made sure to stay away from other people, walked to the other side of the street if I saw another person approaching on the sidewalk, kept a mask in my hand as a prop as if to say, I just took this off to breathe for a moment but I usually shower with the damn thing, and always wore a mask in closed environments.

I even wore a mask on public transportation, which actually made the experience more enjoyable since it filtered out the usual sweat-and-controlled substance aroma that usually permeates the cars.

But I pushed back against wearing the mask as a default position. Until, that is, I started getting the look from little children. Apparently, paranoid adults have been indoctrinating their tiny tots into believing that people who dont wear masks outside, everywhere and at every moment, are dangerous. They are up there with child molesters and anti-vaxxers (and in the Philadelphia area, Trump supporters).

The look in those little kids eyes was an epiphany for me. I do not like being hated, even though I could solve that problem by just pretending Im a liberal columnist and be done with it. But I would rather eat a bat from Wuhan before I did that, so I have come to the sad conclusion that  for the sake of the children, mind you  I will wear a mask whenever I am not in my house.

Unless I decide to join that small, hardy band of French-speaking resistance fighters in the Delaware Valley and we manage to overthrow the Vichy regime in Harrisburg.

Christine Flowers is an attorney and a resident of Delaware County. Her column usually appears on Sunday. Email her at cflowers1961@gmail.com.
CAGAYAN de Oro City 2nd District Representative Rufus Rodriguez on Wednesday, May 6, filed a proposed joint resolution granting ABS-CBN Corporation a provisional franchise until June 30, 2022.

A joint resolution, if approved by both chambers of Congress and signed by the President, has the force and effect of a law.

The measure was filed a day after ABS-CBN was forced to stop broadcast operations in compliance with a cease and desist order issued by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

At the same time, Rodriguez filed another bill seeking to renew the television networks franchise, which expired on May 4, 2020.

Rodriguez said a provisional franchise until 2022 would give Congress enough time to deliberate on the pending bills.

Twelve similar bills seeking to renew the ABS-CBN franchise are pending before the House committee on legislative franchises. The committee started accepting position papers in February 2020.

Both the House of Representatives and the Senate need additional time to review, assess and determine whether or not ABS-CBN shall be granted a new franchise, the proposed joint resolution states.

The measure noted that the Bureau of Internal Revenue has certified that ABS-CBN has been regularly paying its taxes. From 2016 to 2019, the network paid a total of P14.398 billion.

The Department of Justice earlier cleared ABS-CBN of allegations over its pay-per-view feature, saying its franchise authorized the company to introduce such a feature under the broad term commercial purposes.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has also certified that ABS-CBN has not committed any violations with regards to the constitutional restrictions on foreign ownership.

General labor standards, occupational safety and health standards, and security of tenure have been complied with, the proposed resolution further stated.

ABS-CBN incurred the ire of President Rodrigo Duterte after it failed to air some of the Presidents political ads during the 2016 elections. Duterte, however, had accepted the public apology of ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque assured earlier Wednesday that Duterte was completely neutral on the matter and that the decision to grant or deny ABS-CBNs application for another franchise lies solely with Congress. (MVI/SunStar Philippines)
Prosecutors in Georgia have called for the review of charges relating to the fatal shooting of Ahmaud Arbery: Family of Ahmaud Arbery

The presumptive Democratic nominee for president, Joe Biden, has called for justice in the case of Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed black jogger who was fatally shot in February.

Mr Biden said that his heart went out to the 25-year-olds family on Wednesday after video emerged showing the unarmed black jogger being shot whilst out running in Georgia.

The video is clear: Ahmaud Arbery was killed in cold blood, said Mr Biden on Twitter. It is time for a swift, full, and transparent investigation into his murder.

A prosecutor in Georgia said on Tuesday that he would ask a grand jury to decide if charges should be filed against a white former law enforcement officer and his son in relation to the shooting.

Prosecutors have also been criticised for their previous reluctance to file charges against former district attorney investigator Gregory McMichael and his son, Travis.

The video footage, which was taken by an unidentified witness in another car and has caused widespread indignation online, shows Mr Arbery jogging down a narrow two-lane road and around a white pickup truck stopped in the right lane, its drivers door open.

As Mr Arbery crosses back in front of the truck a gunshot is fired. Mr Arbery is then seen struggling with a man holding a long gun as a second man stands in the bed of the truck brandishing a revolver. Two more shots are heard before Mr Arbery stumbles and falls face-down onto the asphalt.

The video of #AhmaudArbery sickens me to my core. Exercising while Black shouldnt be a death sentence, said Senator Kamala Harris on Twitter.

Tom Durden, the acting district attorney for a neighbouring district, said in a letter posted on Facebook that the case should now be reconsidered.

I am of the opinion that the case should be presented to the grand jury of Glynn County for consideration of criminal charges against those involved in the death of Mr. Arbery, said Mr Durden, who was assigned to investigate the fatal shooting after prosecutors in Brunswick and a neighbouring district recused themselves due to potential conflicts of interest,

Story continues

Mr Durden said he would present the case to the next available grand jury in Glynn County, which is not expected to meet until mid-June under restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, he said.

According to a police report obtained by The New York Times, Gregory McMichael, a former police officer and district attorneys investigator, told investigators the incident began when he spotted Mr Arbery from his front yard hauling ass down the street.

McMichael told police that, because he suspected Mr Arbery in a string of recent neighbourhood break-ins, he summoned his son and the two men gave chase in the truck, carrying a .357 Magnum revolver whilst Travis McMichael was armed with a shotgun.

Gregory McMichael said Mr Arbery began to violently attack his son and fought over the shotgun, prompting Travis McMichael to open fire. It is not clear from the police report or the videotape if Gregory McMichael also fired on Mr Arbery.

According to a letter obtained by the Times, the prosecutor in Brunswick argued there was not probable cause to arrest the McMichaels because they were legally carrying firearms, had a right to pursue a burglary suspect and use deadly force to protect themselves.

A lawyer for Mr Arberys family told The New York Times that the video clearly showed a criminal act. This is murder, said S Lee Merritt. The series of events captured in this video confirm what all the evidence indicated prior to its release.

Additional reporting by Reuters

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A group of migrant workers, accompanied by women and children, reached UP's Shamli after travelling on foot for 10 days from Punjab's Ludhiana, police said on Wednesday.

The group of 40 included five children and three women.

They were going towards Fatehpur district when police stopped them in Shamli on Tuesday evening.

Police said the group members said that they had to cross the Yamuna river with the help of a tube during their journey.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The number of Covid-19 cases in Gujarat reached 6,245 on Tuesday after 441 new cases were reported, while a record 49 more patients succumbed to the disease, taking the death toll in the state to 368, health department official said.

The state reported the highest single-day positive cases and also death of COVID-19 patients so far. Of these, Ahmedabad accounted for 349 new cases and 39 deaths. Vadodara reported 20 new cases and Surat 17.

Of the patients who died on Tuesday, 34 were classified to be co-morbid and high-risk patients, the official added.

Principal Secretary (Health) Jayanti Ravi told reporters that the recovery rate in the state has improved to 22.11 per cent from 9.48 per cent ten days ago.

Meanwhile, the Gujarat government on Tuesday formed a committee to ensure the overall management and coordination for sending back migrant workers from Surat to their native places. The moves comes a day after nearly 204 migrant workers were arrested for allegedly pelting stones at policemen, demanding that they be allowed to go home.

The workers, mainly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, have been charged with rioting and attempt to murder after the fourth incident of violence in Surat in the past 23 days.

Secretary to chief minister Aswani Kumar said the committee will be headed by minister of state for health, Kishor Kanani, MM Patel, commissioner of municipalities administration and three other officers.

The committee will coordinate with regional administrations in Botad, Bhavnagar, Amreli, etc and ensure the safe return of migrant workers, Kumar said.

The state, in coordination with the central government, has successfully sent 42 thousand migrant workers through 35 labour trains to various states like U.P, Bihar, Orissa, etc ...

Director General of Police (DGP) Shivanand Jha said migrant workers from various cities must be patient and cooperate with the authorities. If people take the law into their hands, strict actions will be taken against them, said Jha.

The Gujarat government on Tuesday also received the permission from the Centre to conduct Solidarity Trial for the Covid-19, officials said.

The Solidarity Trial will compare four treatment options against standard of care, to assess their relative effectiveness against Covid-19, the World Health Organization states.

The Centre has given permission to conduct Solidarity Trial for the Covid-19 virus at BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad, said Jyanti Ravi, principal secretary (health) adding that the permissions to conduct similar trials at four other colleges are under process.

(With PTI inputs)
Lucknow, May 6 : The Yogi Adityanath Cabinet on Wednesday passed a draft ordinance allowing provision for fine of up to Rs 5 lakh and jail term of up to seven years as it amended the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, and ensured stricter punishment for those assaulting corona warriors, including doctors, paramedical staffs, police personnel and sanitary workers.

This comes days after the central government brought an ordinance to protect the health workers.

The government spokesman said that the amendment made by the state government -- Uttar Pradesh Epidemic Disease Covid-19 Regulations, 2020 -- will be implemented at the earliest.

This means stern punishment for those who have been insulting and attacking corona warriors including doctors, health workers, police personnel and even sanitary workers who have been on the frontline in the battle against the coronavirus. Spitting on corona warriors will also be an offence under this measure.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Labour leader Keir Starmer has come under fire for what is seen as repositioning its policy on Jammu and Kashmir, which previously had an overtly international and human rights-based focus, but has moved in his bid to rebuild trust with India and the Indian community in the UK.

Buffeted by competing demands and claims by the pro-India and pro-Pakistan lobbies in the party, Starmer, who took over from Jeremy Corbyn in April, has been gradually distancing the party from the Corbyn era, which was seen in sections of the community as being anti-India.

Several Labour MPs  particularly those leading pro-Kashmir interests such as Debbie Abrahams, chair of the all-party parliamentary group on Kashmir, who was deported from India in February after Indian officials said she was travelling on a wrong (business) visa that was cancelled  are due to meet Starmer on Thursday to discuss the repositioning that sees the Jammu and Kashmir. Several individuals and groups have angrily asked him to reconsider the new approach.

There were ripples and more in London and the UK when New Delhi made fundamental changes in the status of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, leading to violence outside the Indian high commission and anger in sections of the Indian community against Labour. The ministry of external affairs had rejected a Labour party resolution seen as anti-India.

Starmer last week set out the repositioning in a statement with the Labour Friends of India, a lobby group in the party. His focus on building even stronger business links with India and conception of the Jammu and Kashmir issue is seen by his critics as betraying human rights values.

Starmer said in the statement: We must not allow issues of the sub-continent to divide communities here. Any constitutional issues in India are a matter for the Indian Parliament and Kashmir is a bilateral issue for India and Pakistan to resolve peacefully. Labour is an internationalist Party and stands for the defence of human rights everywhere.

A Labour Government under my leadership will be determined to build even stronger business links with India and to co-operate on the global stage on issues such as climate change. I look forward to meeting the Indian high commissioner in due course to open a renewed dialogue between the Labour Party and the people of India, he added.

The Pakistani community in the UK has largely stood by Labour even as large sections of the Indian community have gravitated towards the Conservatives in recent elections. It remains to be seen how the Pakistani community responds politically to Starmers perceived pro-India stance, since moving to the Conservatives or the Liberal Democrats is not exactly an option.

Starmer wrote to the Hindu Forum of Britain (HFB) last week and made similar points, further riling his critics such as the South Asia Solidarity Group, Momentum Internationalists. The HFB had raised issues such as caste legislation, anti-India stance and Hinduphobia in the Labour party.

Indian circles remain cautiously optimistic on Starmers overtures, viewing his statements as a bid to move on from the Corbyn era, but keenly observing how he deals with the challenge of retaining support of the Pakistani community, which closely identifies with issues related to Jammu and Kashmir.

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On April 19, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy launched an initiative to certify tourist attractions as coronavirus-free that would come into force when the pandemic slows to ensure the safety of Turkeys many tourist sites.

The Minister said the ministry had been working with other relevant ministries and industry representatives to decide on the guidelines and regulations for the certification system.

Turkey has now initiated a partial normalization process for the tourism sector as the countrys fight against the coronavirus pandemic has proven effective and a decline in the number of new infections and deaths is reflected in the figures.

Guidelines for coronavirus-free certification

The normalization process for the industry will include various measures, from imposing social distancing rules in crowded places to providing face masks to the tourists.

According to the newly announced action plan, a certification system will be implemented for both hotels and transfer vehicles. All details were taken into consideration for the certification program, from the training of the hotel employees to the reorganizing of buffets, restaurants, meeting rooms or pool areas.

Transfer Vehicles

Disinfectants will be available in every transfer vehicle and the aisle seats of the vehicles will be left empty.

Hotels

Hotels will be given a maximum occupancy permit of 60% and hotels will provide masks to tourists without one.

Visitors temperatures will be checked and the entrance of the hotels and lines marking social distancing will be used at reception and in the lobby.

Hotels will display warning signs about the virus at various points throughout the facility and will distribute brochures and information notes in different languages.

Disinfectants will be accessible throughout the facilities from the lobby to floors, elevators and corridors.

Following the customers departure from the hotels, rooms will be left empty for 12 hours for refreshing and ventilation. During this period, frequently touched surfaces such as door handles, touch screens, control panels, countertops, hand washing stations, water heaters, televisions, air conditioners and toilets will be regularly disinfected.

Sitting areas in the lobby, resting, or waiting areas will be redesigned to prevent people from hanging about in groups, crowding the area. To accommodate this, the number of seats and chairs will be reduced to the minimum and social distance requirements will be marked out.

Hotel staff in charge of room cleaning will wear personal protective equipment while working.

Quarantine areas in hotels

One of the changes that will come into force during this period of the pandemic, and possibly post-pandemic, will be quarantine areas created at hotels for emergencies. Guests displaying COVID-19 symptoms will be taken to the quarantine area.

Protective clothing will be available for the hotel staff to prevent contamination while exclusive training will be given to the staff on how to handle a possible occurrence of an infected case.

Hotel restaurants

The open buffet system will remain but several changes will be implemented. The foods will be presented from behind glass panels and hotel staff will serve the food, while products and materials such as sugar, salt, spices, toothpicks will be offered in disposable packages.

Hand sanitizers will be placed at the entrance of restaurants and cafes.

Social distancing marks will also be placed at the entrance and to maintain a minimum distance of 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) between the tables.

Tea or coffee machines, all kinds of beverage machines and similar devices in common use will be removed and the beverages will be served by the staff.

Pool and beach areas

Social distancing marks will be placed between sun-beds in the hotel grounds, around pools and on beach areas.

The chlorine level in swimming pool water will be kept between 1-3 parts per million (ppm) in outdoor pools and between 1 and 1.5 ppm in indoor pools.

Warning signs instructing guests to shower before entering the pool will be displayed in a prominent place.

Fitness centers and spa areas will be closed this season.

Mete Ay welcomes the initiative

Mete Ay, chairman of the Cals Tourism Association pictured here in the grounds of his hotel The Golden Moon in Cals

Mete Ay, chairman of the Cals Tourism Association speaking to Fethiye Times earlier, welcomed the initiative saying the certification will reassure holiday makers of the measures being taken to ensure their health and safety.

We have received the measures for five-star hotels which are being implemented and we expect the measures for two-star hotels, three-star hotels and villas next week. The hotels will open in phases as the measures are put in place and certificates issued

The Ministry of Transport is preparing to launch domestic flights after the Bayram holiday and International flights after 12th June, starting with Russia and Germany.

Before Mr Ay went on to talk about the flights, he made a phone call to the Director of Operation and Business Management YDA Dalaman Airport, Ahmet Orcun Songur, to confirm the tentative plan for the reopening of Dalaman Airport. He then told us,

The first priority is to make sure Dalaman airport is safe for passengers. Disinfecting procedures, social distancing measures and thermal scanning will all be in place before flights resume

He was able to confirm that Dalaman Airport would reopen for International flights on 12 June 2020. At present, we have no detailed information about airlines or flight schedules.

He also confirmed the, again tentative, plans to extend flight schedules into the winter months.

We have lost April, May and June of the 2020 season and there are talks in progress with various agencies to extend the flight schedules into October, November and December 2020. We are also looking at the possibility of starting scheduled flights from 1 March 2021.

Sources: Daily Sabah/Haber48

This information is correct at the date of publishing (6 May 2020)
Chennai, May 6 : A majority of scientists and crew members aboard four ships of National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) will have to wait a little longe before they can set foot on the terra firma due to extension in lockdown till May 17.

"We are trying to sign off scientists on vessel Sagar Nidhi and bring them to Chennai and Hyderabad," M.A. Atmanand, NIOT Director, told IANS.

"The Sagar Nidhi vessel has entered Tuticorin port. We will be signing off 11 scientists and take them to Chennai and Hyderabad. The remaining will remain on board. A new team of scientists will board for the next scientific mission," D. Rajasekhar, Project Director, Ship Management Group, told IANS.

About 110 persons -- both scientists and crew members - sailed out on four ships in March on a scientific mission.

As the coronavirus lockdown kicked in, the NIOT scientists and the crew were not able to return to the shore and contined with their work on sea and were hopeful of coming ashore on May 4.

However, the central government extended the lockdown by two more weeks till May 17.

The four ocean research vessels are: Sagar Nidhi (25 scientists, 30 crew), Sagar Manjusha (6 scientists, 16 crew; sailed out on March 19), Sagar Anveshika (5 scientists, 12 crew; sailed out from Vizag on March 20) and Sagar Tara (4 scientists, 13 crew; sailed out on March 22 from Beypore, Kerala).

According to Rajasekhar, vessels Sajar Manjusha and Sagar Anveshika are in the Bay of Bengal whereas Sagar Tara was carrying out a survey in Lakshadweep Islands.

Rajasekhar said the ships are adequately stocked with supplies while the scientists and the crew are in touch with their family members.

"Their morale is good," he said.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Louisiana will resume publicly naming nursing homes with confirmed cases of coronavirus, a state official said during a legislative hearing Wednesday.

That decision reverses one that Gov. John Bel Edwards' administration made in early April, when it stopped releasing the names of nursing homes that had reported having "clusters" of cases of the deadly respiratory disease. At that time, the state said the volume of reports had made it to difficult and that it was also relying advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC later said it leaves such decisions up to the states.

The Times-Picayune | The Advocate has filed numerous public records requests, beginning in early April, asking for the names of the homes, arguing that the names are public records. Louisiana Department of Health attorneys have said that it could take a month or more to fulfill the requests.

During testimony before the House and Governmental Affairs Committee Wednesday, Matthew Block, executive counsel to Edwards, said the state, which for the last month has reported aggregate infection and death totals in the state's nursing homes and other adult residential care facilities, will begin "a whole new reporting regimen on nursing homes" on May 18.

Do you work in a Louisiana nursing home? We want to share your story Do you work in a nursing home? The Times Picayune | Advocate's Faimon Roberts would like to talk to you about your experiences on the front li

The new reporting will include "individual names of nursing homes and all the metrics that are involved in each particular nursing homes," Block told the committee.

Nursing homes remain one of the main drivers of COVID-19 deaths in Louisiana. As of Monday, the last day the state reported numbers, the 688 nursing home deaths accounted for more than one-third of the state's total death toll from the virus. Nearly two-thirds of the state's 279 nursing homes have reported at least one case, with a total of more than 3,100 cases in 176 homes.

The state normally publishes updated numbers on Wednesdays as well, but a late afternoon note from Louisiana Department of Health said a server problem would delay Wednesday's update until Thursday.

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Edwards said last week that the state plans to use some of the 200,000 testing kits expected to be sent by the federal government to begin a broad program of testing residents in nursing homes. Dr. Alex Billioux, the state's director of the Office of Public Health, has said that the state could send in "strike teams" to assist nursing homes in testing residents, but beyond those comments, there has been little clarity on how else the state plans to conduct the testing, including whether they plan to also test staff and contractors for the virus.

As new tests flow to Louisiana, officials grapple with widespread testing at nursing homes, prisons With Louisiana receiving the first batch of what is expected to be 200,000 coronavirus testing kits a month from the federal government, the s

Around the country, other states are also devoting ever more resources to fight the virus's advance in nursing homes, where some estimates put the national death toll above 20,000. In many states, officials have begun releasing the names of nursing homes with confirmed cases, sometimes in response to pressure from the public or advocacy groups.

In Louisiana, several homes and senior residential facilities have grappled publicly with the virus: Lambeth House in New Orleans had at least 18 deaths and more than 50 confirmed cases; the Southeast Louisiana Veterans Home in Reserve has had at least 28 deaths and more than half of its residents have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by virus.

In New Roads, state and federal officials have launched an investigation into the 120-bed Pointe Coupee Healthcare nursing home, where 11 residents have died, accounting for the vast majority of the parish's total death toll from the disease. In St. Landry Parish, more than two dozen of the parish's reported 47 deaths have been in nursing homes, according to news reports.

Staff writer Sam Karlin contributed to this report.
No fewer than 20 people , including men, women, children coming from Sokoto were interdicted at the Dangote Cement depot, Oyemekun Rd, in Akure on Wednesday, having beat all security checkpoints at the border.

The travelers were reportedly shipped to the state in the companys cement truck, though they claimed they came in a bus.

The Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 and President Muhammadu Buhari had directed there should be no interstate travel, and the Nigeria Governors Forum agreed all state should shut their bordersThe state Covid-19 task force however uncovered the travelers at the companys depot following tips-off from residents in the area.

The travelers have not explained why they defied the presidential directive.

Since confirmed cases of the virus ratcheted in Kano, Sokoto, Jigawa, and Kaduna, some of the citizens, including almanjiris, have been fanning out of the region into the southern part.

A truckload of such travelers were arrested also in Abia yesterday.

Sokoto Gov. Aminu Tambuwal has pleaded with Buhari and the NCDC to help the state out of the rising incidence of the pandemic.

Senior Special Assistant to Governor Akeredolu on Security Matters Jimoh Dojumo said Ondo Gov Rotimi Akeredolu ordered the travellers back to their state.

We received information that some people numbering about 20 were dumped in this particular location by trucks at night and that they were stranded here without knowing their destination, he told newsmen.

We dont even know if this is their final destination anyway, but the fact remains that we have been able to check them here and we are turning them back.

Akeredolu is not the only governors that have been hauling vagrants like these back to their states.

Govs Nasir El-Rufai, Abdullahi Sule, and others have been blocking these unwanted citizens from spreading covid-19.
Regulatory News:

GeNeuro (Euronext Paris: CH0308403085 GNRO), a biopharmaceutical company developing new treatments for neurologic and autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis, informs its shareholders that the Annual General Meeting will be held on May 27, 2020 at 9.30am at its head office, 3, chemin du Pre-Fleuri, 1228 Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva, Switzerland.

Based on article 6b of the Swiss Ordinance on Measures to Combat the Coronavirus (COVID-19) (COVID-19 Ordinance 2, version April 30, 2020), the Board of Directors has decided that shareholders of the Company may exercise their rights at this Ordinary General Meeting exclusively through the Independent Proxy. This measure allows the Company to hold the Ordinary General Meeting as planned despite the pandemic. The conduct of the Ordinary General Meeting remains subject to additional measures that may be issued by the Swiss authorities.

The notice for the meeting, including the agenda of the day as well as the motions put to the vote, has been published today in the Feuille Officielle Suisse du Commerce.

The documents and preliminary information concerning this meeting are being made available to the shareholders and can be consulted on the website of the Company: www.geneuro.com, under the section Investors Documentation Shareholders meeting.

It is also possible to consult the documents at the Company's headquarters, chemin du Pre-Fleuri 3, 1228 Plan-les-Ouates. Each shareholder has the right to request a hard copy of those documents.

About GeNeuro

GeNeuro's mission is to develop safe and effective treatments against neurological disorders and autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and Type 1 Diabetes, by neutralizing causal factors encoded by HERVs, which represent 8% of human DNA.

GeNeuro is based in Geneva, Switzerland and has R&D facilities in Lyon, France. It has 21 employees and rights to 17 patent families protecting its technology.

For more information, visit: www.geneuro.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200505006081/en/

Contacts:

GeNeuro

Jesus Martin-Garcia

Chairman and CEO

+41 22 552 48 00

investors@geneuro.com

NewCap (France)

Louis-Victor Delouvrier

Mathilde Bohin (investors)

+33 1 44 71 98 52

Nicolas Merigeau (media)

+33 1 44 71 94 98

Halsin Partners

Mike Sinclair (media)

+44 20 7318 2955

msinclair@halsin.com

LifeSci Advisors

Chris Maggos (investors)

+41 79 367 6254

chris@lifesciadvisors.com
A mother is warning others after an improperly fastened seatbelt left her 6-year-old daughter with health problems that she will endure for the rest of her life.

Shelly Martin received a call on Sept. 17, 2016, that changed her life. Her then-6-year-old daughter, Samantha Swartwout, had been involved in a serious car crash with her father.

As reported by WWBT, the pair were on their way home from a fair in Goochland County, Virginia, when Samanthas father lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a tree. Samantha was not sitting in her booster seat; her seatbelt was fastened across her stomach, but the shoulder strap was behind her back.

The impact of the crash caused the lap belt to slice open her abdomen.

The first person to reach Samantha and her father at the scene of the accident was 17-year-old Laura Kenny. Laura pulled Samantha from the car. She recounted that the little girl was leaned over, unconscious when I found her, and she was starting to wake up  she never cried once.

Samantha was rushed to VCUs Childrens Hospital of Richmond, and a sheriffs deputy phoned Shelly to deliver the devastating news. Its a phone call you do not want, Shelly recalled. Its awful, I mean its torture.

In addition to her severe abdominal injury, Samantha had a concussion and needed stitches on her forehead.

VCUs lead pediatric surgeon, Dr. Charles Bagwell, described Samanthas abdominal injury to WWBT. [Y]ou could see the stripe of the seat belt in an enormous bruise across her abdomen, as well as the fact that the edge, the far edge of the belt, had actually cut through her abdominal wall and she had protruding intestines from that, he said.

She was just about cut in two, Bagwell continued. Much of which, quite frankly, couldnt be repaired. The injury was too severe.

Speaking to CBS News, Shelly explained that had her daughter been sitting in her booster seat, her injuries would likely have been far less severe.

According to Safe Kids, an adult seatbelt rarely fits correctly until a child is between the ages of 8 and 12, depending on their size. The lap belt must fit snugly across the childs hips or upper thighs, and the shoulder belt must fit across the shoulder and chest, not the face or neck.

After her accident, Samantha underwent a series of operations to help repair the damage to her abdomen. Shelly slept by her side every single night.

However, Samanthas recovery entailed more than simply addressing her physical injuries. She is seeing a psychology doctor for possible PTSD, Shelly explained to CBS News, weeks after her daughters accident.

On Oct. 6, 2019, Samantha was allowed to go home with her mother, wearing a binder to keep her abdomen intact during the healing process.

She has so many limitations, Shelly told Today. Shell try to build a fort with her blankets, but she cant because she cant bend over. She will cry, How can other kids do this? and, When will I be normal?

Samanthas 7th birthday party (Courtesy of Shelly Martin)

A family friend organized a GoFundMe page to help with Samanthas ongoing medical costs. To date, the fund has amassed over $6,000 of a $20,000 goal, and Shelly is desperately hoping that the support will continue.

Speaking to The Epoch Times in April, Shelly reflected, We were so thankful that so many donated to our GoFundMe account. My daughter will have intestinal problems, emotional problems, etc., for the rest of her life.

Samantha, as pictured on Nov. 14, 2019 (Courtesy of Shelly Martin)

Samantha, now 10 years old, has not been able to attend public school and cannot socialize as freely as her peers. In addition, Samanthas father passed away in July 2019, so the little girl and her mother are going it alone.

After all the attention of an accident is over, the world will forget your struggles, Shelly said. Then its up to just the parent and the child  day after month after year.

Shelly described her own and Samanthas ongoing struggle as a constant ebb and flow of being thankful and needing a break. Yet, if sharing their story could save another childs life or another parents sanity, Shelly reflected, then she will continue to do so.
In the wake of pandemic, the rift between the United States (US) and China has deepened. Washington has said it will scrap the phase one trade deal it made with Beijing in January. The Donald Trump administration is also speaking to countries such as India about the possibility of ripping out electronic and healthcare supply chains from China. As the US president blames China for Covid-19, Chinese official media mocks the bungled US response to the pandemic.

The abusive language at the highest levels of government on both sides is unusual and dangerous. Governments keep ambassadors out of the nastiest frays so that they have a path towards negotiations and reconciliation. Talk of a trade war even as the world is slipping into a recession could not be more badly timed. All is fair in trade and war, but when superpowers have only battle plans as blueprints to handle bilateral relations, the resulting scenarios range from bad to worse. That all this is happening during a global health crisis makes it even more perilous.

India leans towards the US but keeps an outstretched hand to China. This allows it to maximise benefits. New Delhi has been careful not to call out Beijing regarding its handling of the outbreak. Yet, it has worked more closely with the US on almost every other element of the pandemic. Its reward: tangible assistance and public praise from both sides. The economic gains from supply chain distribution are potentially enormous but are seriously diminished if they require India to align with a single pole. The challenge for India will be to continue its present soft balancing against China without being drawn into a US containment policy, which, it is unclear Washington has either the will or the way to impose. Fortunately, India has sufficient heft that both the US or China know they must persuade rather than coerce New Delhi. Multi-alignment is the catchphrase of Indian diplomacy today, but at its core is the belief India must avoid choosing between sides until the time it is powerful enough that the choice become irrelevant. The next six months will test whether a foreign policy hedge can grow during a geopolitical storm.
Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor passed away on April 30, after a two-year battle with leukemia. Since then, his daughter, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni has been posting various memories of her late father.

Recently, she took to her Instagram story to share a beautiful picture of Rishi dancing with his mother, Krishna Raj Kapoor. She aptly captioned it as, "Reunited with his most favourite person." In the picture, the actor is seen holding his mother's hand as if asking her for a dance.

Riddhima also posted a picture of her parents, Rishi and Neetu from their wedding celebrations. The photo features the Bobby star in a suit, while his bride Neetu is seen wearing a heavy sari with the pallu on her head.

Speaking about Rishi Kapoor's mother Krishna Raj Kapoor, she passed away on October 1, 2018. Unfortunately, Rishi Kapoor couldn't attend his mother's funeral as he was undergoing cancer treatment in New York.

Later, the veteran actor had opened up about his mother's demise while speaking to The Times of India. He was quoted as saying, "That was very unfortunate. I left for the US on September 29, and my mother passed away on October 1. She knew that I had contracted a serious disorder. That entire period was traumatic for me."

"I was caught up with my problem. I didn't know what to do, and I didn't have an option because I had to be here in New York. My brother told me that by the time I would get back, it would be too late. Also, I didn't have the stamina or strength to come back," he had further revealed.

Sharmila Tagore On Rishi Kapoor: He Took My Attention Away From Saif In Hum Tum

When Rishi Kapoor REPRIMANDED Priyanka Chopra And Said 'You're NOT A Brand Dear, You're An Actor'
The family of a motorcycle gang leader who was executed in broad daylight on a Bronx street over the weekend by two assassins carrying guns with silencers are speaking out, demanding that the killers be brought to justice.

Photos shared by the wife and daughter of Francisco Rosado, 51, on social media show a man with a shaved head and a face completely covered in tattoos.

But according to his wife Jeannie Rosado and daughter Amanda, beneath his tough exterior, the head of The Bronx chapter of the much-feared Pagan's Motorcycle Club was a loving family man with 'a heart of gold.'

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This image shows Francisco Rosado, 51, the leader of The Bronx chapter of the Pagan's Motorcycle Club, who was shot dead by two masked gunmen on Saturday

The victim's widow, Jeannie Rosado (right), said of her husband (left) that he was a family man with a 'heart of gold' who loved his children and grandchildren

Rosado was standing in a parking lot on Hollard Avenue near Boston Road in the Allerton section of The Bronx at around 3.20pm on Saturday talking to some people when he was accosted by a pair of armed masked suspects and shot dead.

Surveillance video captured the moment the killers jumped out of a blue Jeep Cherokee and ran with their silencer-topped guns drawn toward Rosado standing out of the frame. The footage did not show the victim getting hit.

The assassins returned moments later, got back in the Jeep and sped away. As of Wednesday morning, no arrests have been made.

In an interview with the New York Daily News, Jeannie Rosado said she and her entire family, including her and Francisco's three grown children and five grandchildren, are devastated by his death.

'He had a short temper, but a heart of gold,' the widow told the newspaper of her partner of 27 years. 'He was a hard-working man who provided for many people.'

Rosado worked as a building superintendent in Allerton, and in his free time ran the Pagan's club in The Bronx - one of four major outlaw biker gangs in the US that has been linked to the production and smuggling of drugs.

Surveillance video from The Bronx show a blue Jeep Cherokee carrying at least two men parked in the Allerton section on Saturday afternoon

The men dressed in blue surgical face masks emerge from the vehicle with guns drawn

The video shows that the suspects' pistols are equipped with silencers

They sprint across the street with guns drawn. The video does not show the moment biker gang leader Francisco Rosado, 51, is fatally shot in the head

Moments later, the alleged assassins return to the car, having purportedly executed the victim off camera

The armed suspects get back in the blue Jeep Cherokee and speed off

Jeannie Rosado told the News that he had never been in any serious trouble with the law beyond the occasional fight.

The widowed mother-of-three expressed hope that her husband's killers would be tracked down.

'I pray every night they are brought to justice,' she said. 'I know my God will not fail me on that.'

A day after her father's death, Amanda shared a heartwarming photo of her heavily tattooed dad cradling in his arms her two young sons.

Rosado, head of the Bronx chapter of the Pagan Motorcycle Club, was shot and killed by two masked men in the borough's Allerton neighborhood on Saturday afternoon, according to law enforcement sources. Police are pictured at the scene

Police have not officially named the victim but sources confirmed it was Rosado, the purported leader of the Bronx chapter of the Pagan Motorcycle Club. Members of the club are seen wearing official jackets in the file photo above

In a press release to DailyMail.com, NYPD detectives said officers responding to a 911 call about a male shot arrived to find the victim unconscious and unresponsive before medics declared him dead on the scene.

Detectives did not disclose the victim's identity, but sources confirmed to the New York Post that it was Rosado.

Photos taken at the scene by a DailyMail.com photographer showed a massive police presence around a body covered with a white sheet - as well as people consoling each other.

Medics were seen loading a woman into an ambulance, but it is unclear how she was involved in the incident.

Bystanders said that she may be a relative of Rosado and that she had collapsed at the scene.

Police said they responded to a 911 call about a shooting on Holland Avenue (pictured) and found the victim unresponsive and unconscious with bullet wounds to the head and chest

People believed to be relatives of Rosado are seen consoling each other at the scene

A body under a white sheet at the scene of the shooting on Saturday afternoon

Medics were seen loading a woman into an ambulance, but it is unclear how she was involved in the incident

The Pagan Motorcycle Club has more than 1,300 members across at least 100 chapters in several states along the East Coast.

The gang has been linked to the production and smuggling of meth, cocaine, heroin and PCP and is also believed to have deep ties to organized crime.

The Pagans are one of four major outlaw motorcycle gangs in the US - with rivals being the Hells Angels, the Bandidos and the Outlaws.

Rosado's murder has sparked fears among law enforcement that a gang war could be brewing, should his assailants be linked to a rival group.

Law enforcement officials have speculated that the hit could be linked to the Pagans' aggressive expansion efforts in New Jersey, where the bike gang now has 17 clubs, or its long-standing feud with Hells Angels, reported Bronx Justice News.

The Angels had recently moved their headquarters from Manhattan to The Bronx, which traditionally has been the Pagans' sphere of influence.

The Pagan Motorcycle Club has more than 1,300 members across at least 100 chapters in several states along the East Coast. Patches worn by gang members are shown above

The new Hells Angels headquarters in The Bronx was hit by a hail of bullets on Thursday night. No one was injured, and police have not yet made any arrests

On January 2, the Angels' clubhouse in the Throggs Neck section of The Bronx was shot up by multiple gunmen on motorcycles, who have not been arrested to this day.

The building sustained some damage after being hit by more than a dozen bullets, but no injuries were reported.

The Hell's Angels are easily the world's most famous biker gangs with an estimated 2,500 members. Many members have a hand in criminal enterprises ranging from drug running and production to racketeering.

They are notoriously aggressive when defending their turf and have long-simmering feuds with many other clubs including the Pagans, Outlaws and Bandidos.

The Pagan's, who exclude black members, are widely believed to have ties to the Aryan Brotherhood and the Italian Mafia.

They were formed in the 1950s but reportedly didn't enter the criminal underworld until John 'Satan' Marron took control in the late 60s and 70s. They have since grown to become one of big four motorbike gangs in the US. They're implicated in producing and selling drugs, as well as working as arms dealers and bombing plots.

The gang has a long rivalry with the Hell's Angels and Complex reported that in 2010, 19 members of the group were arrested in New York for allegedly plotting to bomb Hells Angels.

Another rival, Bandidos Motorcycle Club, began in the South focusing on smuggling drugs across the Mexican border into the US. They were also involved in the Waco gun battle. They are rumored to have around 5,000 members worldwide. While their strongest base is in the South, they also have chapters on the East Coast, including New York.

The last of the Big Four are the Outlaws. Founded in 1936, they're believed to be the world's oldest outlaw motorcycle club and the Hell's Angels fiercest rivals.
A fired American vaccine expert has alleged that the Trump administration ignored the concerns of doctors over the importation of hydroxychloroquine from "uninspected" factories in India and Pakistan and flooded the US with the unproven and potentially dangerous anti-malarial drug to treat coronavirus patients.

Dr Rick Bright led the US government agency trying to develop a vaccine for the deadly coronavirus that has claimed over 71,000 lives and infected over 1.2 million people in America, the worst hit nation.

In a complaint filed on Tuesday before the US Office of Special Counsel, which oversees the protection of whistleblowers, the scientist said he was ousted for questioning the potential of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), an anti-malaria drug touted by President Donald Trump as a "game changer" for treating COVID-19 patients in America, the worst-hit natio



In his complaint, Bright says he raised concerns about US preparedness for coronavirus starting in January but was met with "indifference which then developed into hostility" by leaders at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Bright alleged that top officials of the HHS repeatedly ignored his messages and that of others over the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and medicines like hydroxychloroquine in particular.

When fired last month, Bright was the head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, a research agency within the HHS. He reported directly to Robert Kadlec, the assistant secretary of preparedness and response at the HHS.

"Dr Bright remained extremely concerned about the drug's importation from Pakistan and India because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had not inspected the drugs or the factory that produced them," the complaint said.

"In Dr Bright's experience, drugs from uninspected factories can be contaminated or dosed improperly and this could obviously be dangerous to those who took the medication.

"Apparently unconcerned about this known danger, Dr Kadlec and others in the administration sought to 'flood' the marketplace with these drugs," it alleged.

The Trump administration imported nearly five crore units of HCQ which in March received the Emergency Use Authorisation from the FDA.

The Trump administration, the complaint said, was not interested in hearing from Bright and his department or subject matter experts.

"Dr Bright and his team had apparently spent all their political capital in their effort to limit chloroquine and rushing into a potentially dangerous situation and that there was no one to help stop the push to 'flood' the country with this unproven and potentially dangerous drug," the complaint said.

"He concluded that his only remaining avenue was to share his concern with the journalist who understood the specific issue and risks associated with these drugs and who had already gathered substantial information from multiple sources," it added, referring to his discussion with a reporter.

The documents provided to the journalist were "not privileged or classified," according to the complaint.

It alleged that HHS Secretary Alex Azar's directive to secure a Nationwide Expanded Access IND protocol for chloroquine, based on scant scientific evidence and on such a short time-frame, sent Bright and his colleagues scrambling.

Within the hour, Bright called a meeting of experts to discuss the directive from Azar.

The group expressed serious concern about a Nationwide Expanded Access IND protocol for chloroquine given the lack of clinical data available about its therapeutic benefits and concern about its potential safety risks, especially if administered without close physician supervision, it said.

Bright and his FDA colleagues were also concerned about the quality and potential toxicity of the chloroquine supplies produced and shipped in from facilities in India and Pakistan that were not approved by the FDA and therefore, not approved to be used in the US marketplace.

The HHS clinical and regulatory expert teams worked frantically for 48 hours without sleep to come up with a plan that would ensure the greatest level of safety for people who received this drug.

They discussed narrower options for the rollout, including a small pilot study, and established an inter-agency working group of clinical and regulatory experts to determine the safest way to make the unproven drug available without causing harm to the American public, the complaint said.

When fired earlier, Bright alleged that he was ousted because of his "insistence" that the government spend funds on "safe and scientifically-vetted solutions" to address the coronavirus crisis and not on "drugs, vaccines and other technologies that lack scientific merit".

His attorneys argue that Bright's removal from his post amounts to a violation of the Whistleblower Protection Act, claiming that Bright "has engaged in numerous instances of protected activity."



In the complaint, he says he is seeking reinstatement as BARDA's director and asking for a full investigation.

Meanwhile, the HSS has issued a statement saying that Bright was transferred to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to work on coronavirus testing.

HHS spokesperson Caitlin Oakley said in a statement that Bright has been reassigned to a post at the NIH to work on diagnostic testing for COVID-19, but that he has not shown up.

"We are deeply disappointed that he has not shown up to work on behalf of the American people and lead on this critical endeavour," the spokesperson said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
(Bloomberg) -- Facebook Inc. introduced the initial members of its oversight board, the group that will hear user appeals on content decisions and make binding judgment calls that could go against earlier decisions by the company.

So far, the board includes 20 academics, lawyers, journalists and human rights advocates. The largest social media company created the panel after criticism of Facebooks extensive power, which is only growing: It has about 3 billion users now.

Up until now, some of the most difficult decisions have been made by Facebook and you could say Mark Zuckerberg, Helle Thorning-Schmidt, oversight board co-chair and former prime minister of Denmark, said Wednesday.

Zuckerberg, Facebooks co-founder and chief executive officer, has voting control of the company, and has called the board a check on his power -- a way for Facebook to self-regulate, perhaps so governments dont feel the need to step in. Its a huge step for the global community, Schmidt said.

Shes co-chairing with Jamal Greene of Columbia Law School, who focuses on constitutional rights, Michael McConnell, a constitutional law professor at Stanford Law School, and Catalina Botero-Marino, dean of the Universidad de los Andes Faculty of Law in Bogota.

The co-chairs cautioned that they will only be able to review a few cases, some long after Facebook has made its initial decision.

Were going to be selecting a few flowers -- or maybe theyre weeds -- from a field of possibilities, McConnell said. We are not the internet police. That isnt our job. Our job is more to consider appeals, to apply an after-the-fact deliberative second look at this, so as to advance fairness and neutrality in decision-making. Being a part of the board is a part-time commitment -- an estimated 15 hours per month as the members continue with other roles.

The board will focus on cases from Facebook and Instagram that affect a large number of people or involve a particularly thorny area of Facebooks policy, so that one decision has a higher impact. The decisions will be made public. The board said it wont be addressing problems on WhatsApp, since that app is encrypted so board members cant see what users are saying to each other.

Story continues

The initial 20 members will select the next 20, while Facebook works on a system for the group to pick out cases to review. The board, which may take months to get up and running, aspires to be a kind of global Supreme Court for the internet. Botero-Marino said its better for internet companies to solve their own problems, so governments dont feel compelled to limit citizens free expression online. In my opinion, this unique board represents a very good model of self-regulation, she added.

The board decisions will be binding and will not be overturned by Facebook, unless they violate the law, according to the company. The board is funded by a $130 million irrevocable trust, paid for by Facebook, but the company cannot fire any of the board members. Because the board isnt part of Facebook, it is open to the idea of taking on work from another social media company, such as Twitter Inc., in a few years.

(Updates with board member time commitment in seventh paragraph.)

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A 5.1-magnitude earthquake hit Firoozabad region in Iran's Lorestan province on Wednesday, according to Iran's Seismological Center, Xinhua reports.

The epicenter of the earthquake was at the depth of 7 km, 33.753 degrees north latitude and 48.080 degrees east longitude.

Sharif Khosravi, the governor of Selseleh town in Firoozabad region, told official IRNA news agency that there has been no report of casualties over the quake.

The earthquake has caused cracks and slight damage to the buildings, said Khosravi. Enditem
To support R&D for reusable PPE to be supplied to government hospitals

Sustaining its commitment of contributing towards the well]being of healthcare workers during the COVID]19 pandemic, PNB Housing Finance has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT Delhi (Indian Institute of Technology). The initiative will support critical research and development (R&D) of a unique prototype material to be used in manufacturing sustainable (washable and reusable) PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) surgical gowns and masks. These will then be supplied to notable government hospitals.

Through this MoU, the company will support the Department of Textile and Fibre Engineering, IIT Delhi in fast]tracked R&D of high]quality PPE material. The cloth technology developed under this initiative will help in producing affordable, sustainable and reusable PPEs. The prototype will be tested at government]accredited labs.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Scott Murdoch and Anshuman Daga

HONG KONG/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - GlaxoSmithKline has sold its stake in Unilever's Indian business for $3.4 billion(2.75 billion pounds), marking India's largest block trade, which will help the British company in its goal of reinvigorating its drug development pipeline.

The transaction GSK announced on Thursday comes as it pursues a two-year programme to split into two entities after it made costly bets on experimental cancer treatments and future cell and gene therapies amid sluggish revenue growth.

The drugmaker is cashing in a 5.7% stake it took in Hindustan Unilever, which produces everything from deodorant to soup, as payment for the sale of its malted drink brand Horlicks and other nutrition brands to Unilever in 2018.

The 133.77 million shares were offloaded on average for 1,905 rupees, according to a statement from GlaxoSmithKline.

Potential investors were earlier told the shares would be sold in a range of 1,850 to 1,950 rupees, which was a 3%-8%discount to Wednesday's closing price of 2,010.20 rupees.

In the statement, GSK said it would now receive net proceeds of 2.9 billion pounds ($3.59 billion) from the stake sale and the sale of its Bangladesh business, which is expected to close later this year.

It said the recent Hindustan Unilever share price gains led to better than expected sale proceeds.

The deal eclipses the previous block trade record in India when Daiichi Sankyo sold its $3.18 billion stake in Sun Pharmaceuticals in April 2015, according to Refinitiv. On a global basis, the Glaxo block trade will be the 10th ever biggest, according to the data provider.

The largest ever block trade remains Naspers selling $9.8 billion worth of Tencent stock in Hong Kong in March 2018.

More than 100 institutional investors - 80% foreign investors and 20% domestic Indian funds - participated in the deal, a source with direct knowledge of the matter said.

Shares of Mumbai-listed Hindustan Unilever, which fell as much as 5.38% to 1,902 rupees, recouped some of those losses to close down 0.9% on Thursday. The company declined to comment on the stake sale.

Story continues

"One could argue that the stock was a tad overvalued at the 2,600 level, but at 1,900, it is reasonably valued," said Ajay Bodke of Mumbai-based portfolio management service company Prabhudas Lilladher.

"In an environment of heightened risk aversion, people continue to look at sectors such as consumer staples, healthcare and IT as safe havens."

HSBC Holdings, JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley were the bookrunners on the deal.

MORE DIVESTMENTS

GSK's decision could also inject some momentum into India's equity capital markets which have struggled in line with other major financial markets as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

There has been $6 billion worth of equity capital market deals in India so far in 2020, down from $8.52 billion during the same time list year, according to Refinitiv.

The data showed the rate of activity in 2020 is the slowest since 2017.

In comparison, Hong Kong's equity capital markets have seen $12.8 billion worth of activity this year.

Earlier this year, GSK launched a two-year programme to split into two entities, separating the core prescription drugs and vaccines business from an enlarged over-the-counter products business that was merged with a Pfizer unit.

It is considering more divestments to fund the costs of the separation.

Having sold travel vaccines to Bavarian Nordic for up to 955 million euros ($1.03 billion)in October last year, the British group is looking into shedding more assets, starting with a review of its prescription dermatology business with about 200-300 million pounds in annual sales.

($1 = 0.8074 pounds)

($1 = 0.9260 euros)

(Additional reporting by Sumeet Chatterjee in Hong Kong, Chris Thomas and Chandini Monnappa in Bengaluru; Writing by Ludwig Burger, Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
NEW YORK  There was nothing but navy, teal and baby blue all the way down the block, as hospital workers in layers of protective gear streamed into a line that captured the attention of three police cars.

They were headed to an open box truck with a big sign taped to the side: "Show your hospital ID: Get free PPEs."

Some wanted to know whom to thank, and they'd inevitably be waved over to a slight, blond woman named Rhonda Roland Shearer. Just as she had done after 9/11, distributing millions of dollars in supplies to workers at Ground Zero that she'd mobilized herself, Shearer was in the thick of things  having once again leveraged a substantial line of credit to do so.

"This is to save the skin behind your ears!" she said, handing out curious strips of plastic notches, similar to barrettes, that hold the loops of surgical masks.

The "ear savers" were, as Shearer does best, a solution to a problem nearly everyone in line said they had, but no one had quite realized they needed fixed.

Nationwide, the shortage of personal protective equipment has fueled a tense political standoff between federal, state and local government officials, one that has left many frontline medical workers to fend for themselves amid the ongoing crisis. In mid-March, to the frustration of state officials and hospital administrators, President Donald Trump advised the country's governors "try to get it yourself," forcing states and hospitals into competition with one another for lifesaving PPE.

Shearer doesn't necessarily present as a skilled medical supplies haggler, but that's all she does now. A 65-year-old sculptor whose late husband was the evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould, she's a rarity in the tony Manhattan neighborhood of Soho where she's lived in an artists' loft for decades. Nearly everyone else, it seems, fled to their second homes in the Hamptons or even farther afield when the coronavirus pandemic hit. "I have no country house, no car," said Shearer, and besides, this is where she feels at home, running not away from, but toward the fire.

"This feels like having gold. Gold! Because we don't have sufficient supplies. It's very, very bad," said Karen Titus, a nurse clutching a Shearer-issued bag containing seven surgical masks, a KN95 filter and a face shield. Titus was wearing the PPE she'd improvised by taping "chucks," or disposable pee pads, around her calves and shoe coverings made from cut-up socks.

Everyone in line was either from the city-run Kings County Hospital, like Titus, or the state-run University Hospital of Brooklyn across the street. Both are overwhelmed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, and serve a low-income neighborhood. Some nurses showed up wearing rubber gas masks they'd bought in hardware stores.

Shearer wasn't alone. This project, called Cut Red Tape 4 Heroes, is a partnership with Housing Works, a New York-based nonprofit serving the homeless and people with HIV/AIDS. Shearer and her then-husband, investor H. Joseph Allen, were the group's first benefactors in 1990. Housing Works CEO Charles King also credits Shearer with the idea that Housing Works start a high-end thrift store to raise money and employ clients. They now have 12 throughout the city.

Shearer's goal with the PPE, as it was for months after the 2001 terrorist attack that leveled Lower Manhattan's twin towers, is to bypass an equipment distribution system that she believes is failing workers on the front lines, nonprofit workers and the homeless. "I'm running literally 18-hour, 20-hour days," she said, either hunting down good prices for the PPE or standing outside hospitals asking employees what they need.

Over the past month, according to bank statements and receipts shared with The Washington Post, Shearer has gone from zero debt to borrowing more than $600,000 on a home equity line of credit to buy wholesale masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and face shields. She leveraged about $1 million in this way after 9/11.

Shearer had tried to source deals and pass them along to city agencies, but "they didn't move fast enough," she said, and the PPE she'd secured for New York's frontline workers instead "went to somebody else."

The only way to get workers what they needed, she decided, was to buy and distribute it herself. And she knew she could because she'd done it before.

Trials and tribulations

"I was delighted to have her there," said Harry Meyers, retired assistant chief of the FDNY who was the original Ground Zero incident commander managing 1,800 men digging victims' remains out of the debris.

As documented at the time, the city's emergency management agency called the police on Shearer multiple times to arrest her for handing out items like hard hats, T-shirts, underwear, Carhartt pants and jackets, rakes, trowels and power tools.

It was Shearer's daughter, London Shearer Allen, who first ran toward "the Pile" hours after the towers fell, with a hand truck loaded with leather gloves and face masks from her mother's sculpture studio. Shearer followed five days later, after getting stuck at the border in Canada with Gould.

"It just made life so much easier for my guys to do their job safely," Meyers said. "At the time, the bureaucracy was entirely incapable of supplying the things we needed because nothing like it had ever happened before. It's kind of like this virus."

At first, Shearer tried donating through official channels with the office of emergency management, but the supplies got loaded up on a barge and when she talked to workers, they said they never saw them. "I didn't have to do that more than a couple days to see, 'Boy, am I flushing money down the toilet,' " she said.

She vowed from then on that she would bypass bulk donations and only do direct issuance, like in the military  meaning she would hand over supplies herself and get sizes of the individual recipients, "so we were able to give, you know, Firefighter Callahan his size 22 boots that are hard to get." She also went around to Salvation Army and the Red Cross outposts, which gave her lists of things they needed.

Wanting to get the right goods into the right people's hands is also why she isn't buying N95 masks to give out for free now. Fit on those can be a matter of life or death, and she thinks it's irresponsible not to have fit testings. "It's particularly important now because women have small faces," she said.

Key to her Ground Zero operation was C.J. Vallone, owner of DiVal Safety, a construction-gear distributor in Buffalo, who drove down a truck full of donations, and soon gave her a $1 million line of credit.

"That was spooky," said Vallone about giving that much trust to a stranger. "But she was so sincere, and being able to help  that is one of the proudest moments of my professional life." Every month he'd drive down newly purchased supplies and donations.

When she heard about the problems with the supply chain in late February, Shearer said she thought, "This is a complete Groundhog Day."

It was a call from her daughter that activated Shearer again. "She said, 'Mom, I really think that this is something maybe we can help on,' " Shearer said. "And when your child points to something, a right to do to correct wrongs. Then that's it for me. I get on a mission."

She called people she knew at the FDNY and they told her they were worried because they had no masks for doing crowd control. Then she called Vallone, who donated pallets of gloves and Tyvek suits.

"It was like Christmas. They just showed up," Shearer said. But she needed a medical supplier who could ship things fast. Soon she'd made contact with Mayank Parikh, owner of the independent Super Health Pharmacy, with nine stores in the city and New Jersey, who started helping her source big orders out of his State Island flagship. The first was 100,000 three-ply surgical masks, which he managed to ship to her in 24 hours.

Parikh only orders through his trusted supply chain  either name brands or manufacturers on the Food and Drug Administration's list of approved PPE vendors. He also donated the trucks she's using, and paid for the Cut Red Tape 4 Heros banners. Shearer sources everything herself, ordering from other vendors or directly from manufacturers, too, following the same standards.

"I feel like I've known her for decades, but it's been months," he said. "She's awesome. She really helps keep the energy and fire going. And it just really motivates me to help get her these items, you know?"

Flashbacks

COVID-19 is bringing back many memories of 19 years ago.

Gould died after a recurrence of cancer in 2002, as Shearer was still distributing supplies at Ground Zero. Shearer cries often when she talks about being there. "I just need a second."

Recently, London, 41, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer related to the toxins at Ground Zero, and her surgery was paid for by the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund. "We're so happy," Shearer said. "We just got the news that the margins are clear, and they think she'll have a full recovery." A similar cancer killed Shearer's partner of 15 years after Gould, FDNY Chief Ronald R. Spadafora. They met after they'd finished up at the site. "He was someone I could relate to because it does affect you, the trauma," she said.

 FAQ: Your coronavirus questions, answered.

But also as happened 19 years ago, Shearer's efforts are running into bureaucratic walls. University Hospital was the only one of a dozen hospitals that Shearer and Housing Works have called that welcomed them onto their property. She just showed up outside public hospitals like Kings County, Bellevue, and North Central Bronx, and was inundated with not just hospital workers but public housing residents and the homeless. One hospital used security to get them to move their operation across the street, she said.

"The ironic twist is that the same admin people who called the police came out to get PPEs and said they were sorry," said Jaron Benjamin, Housing Works's vice president of advocacy, who's been doing most of the outreach to hospitals to partner with them or let them park on their property.

Among the sticking points are that Shearer wants to know the names and sizes of employees she's outfitting, and she wants to hand out of her truck with photographers present. "They want to do it in secret and I don't do secret things, I'm sorry," she said. "Part of the healing of all of this is transparency. We don't just bring supplies. We bring respect and community."

Besides, she said, "I need to get the word out so hopefully more people help out."

One director of donations, who asked not to be identified for fear of losing his job, explained that his hospital had a policy of only accepting donations to a general stockpile that could be vetted for quality. "It's about protecting our staff," the director said.

Shearer said she's provided receipts for American-made, name-brand purchases  sealed boxes of DuPont and Medline, all FDA approved.

An emergency medical technician in Queens, who also asked not to be named, said he was shocked. "It doesn't make any sense to me why anyone would turn away free PPE."

Benjamin said he's heard from employees that "if there's any hesitation from the hospitals, it's because they don't want to publicly look like they can't provide for their staff."

Thats what its for!"

Back outside the hospitals in Brooklyn, pathologists were streaming back to their work stations each carrying a box of 25 Tyvek suits, donated by Parikh, which in today's market can go for $20 each. That was $15,000 the hospital didn't have to spend, Shearer said.

Shearer chatted with emergency room nurse Jacqueline Reid, who said she was grateful to have masks to take home, since all hospital-issued masks had to be checked out and checked back in. "I have a daughter who had a bone-marrow transplant, and I just feel like this is so nice for her," Reid said.

"That's what it's for!" Shearer said. "This is for you, ladies. Because at the end of your shift, you throw away your mask and what do you wear home? How do you shop?"

She and Housing Works staffers passed out 2,200 kits of PPE and ran out of 50 gallons of hand sanitizer in an hour. Shearer has since acquired a van from Parikh to do smaller runs to veterans hospitals. Her worry now is not just about hospital workers but the homeless; her research, she said, showed that many shelters on Staten Island had closed because of a lack of PPE  which might account for why the subways are so overrun. Shes provided PPE for the two shelters King set up in hotels for homeless people with COVID-19.

"If I'm insane," she said, she could borrow the full $2 million line of credit, which if she fails to pay it off, could result in the loss of the Soho loft she bought with Gould.

The Go Fund Me page that Housing Works had set up to help reimburse her costs was only $26,400 toward the well over a half-million shed already spent, but Shearer said she had no intention of making herself whole any time soon. Id rather focus on people giving me money so I can keep doing this. I want to keep buying PPE, she said. Im just focused on helping the workers that are taking the real risk.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Works Progress Administration into law on May 6, 1935. The Federal Writers Project followed on July 27.

Kristen Hare is a reporter with a grim beat in the time of COVID. She tallies the carnage of newspaper layoffs for the Poynter Foundation. Every day I add them, she says, and the next day it starts all over again.

To which millions of Americans right now would be more than entitled to say: Boohoo. As did skeptical Americans during the Great Depression when, 85 years ago today, Franklin Roosevelt signed the Works Progress Administration into existence. But today, we look back on the WPA  and the Federal Writers Project, which FDR authorized 10 weeks later  as among the wisest things the United States ever did.

If the Writers Project had only ever kept young, broke writers like Zora Neale Hurston, Kenneth Rexroth and John Cheever off the dole, it would have been enough. Picture Saul Bellow, Studs Terkel, Nelson Algren and Richard Wright around the same Chicago office coffee urn, griping about going underappreciated. Years later they would be honored with a Nobel, a Pulitzer, a National Book Award and a U.S. postage stamp, respectively.

In addition to producing wonderfully written guidebooks to all 48 states, many American cities and more, along with invaluable oral histories, the project helped make writers out of people who otherwise might never have had the chance. Yet its riches dont just belong to English majors or historians, or even all the shunpike travelers who, to this day, refuse to leave home without at least one state guide in the glove compartment. No, the Federal Writers Projects greatest gift lay in introducing Americans to their multifarious, astonishing, broken country.

The original WPA Guide to California (1939). (Public domain)

The program made writers go out into the world, says Dagoberto Gilb, the award-winning L.A.-born novelist. They learned what unseen working people who might not read much think and say  people who told beautiful human stories to writers who recorded them. Like fables.

Dont take Gilbs word for it. John Steinbeck called the American Guides the most comprehensive account of the United States ever got together. Thomas Pynchon  nobodys idea of an easy grader  wrote that the guides make instructive and pleasurable reading. In fact, there is some stuff in the [guide to the Berkshires] so good, so rich in detail and deep in feeling, that even I was ashamed to steal from it.

Story continues

There is one living writer whose evangelical belief in the lasting lessons of the FWP beggars even my own. Jason Boog, the L.A. correspondent for Publishers Weekly, will soon publish an eerily timely new book, The Deep End: The Literary Scene in the Great Depression and Today.

The American Guides, he says, captured all sorts of cultural works that we could have forgotten: dance steps in Harlem, the early efforts of union organizers in Hollywood and the locations of Hooverville tent cities around Manhattan. As we go through our own crisis  I think a FWP in the 21st century could raise up the voices of people most directly affected by this disaster.

As we approach Depression-era unemployment levels, could another Project come to pass? Gray Brechin, the UC Berkeley geographer who founded the Living New Deal project  an indispensable online map of every last WPA building, mural and bridge in America  isnt holding his breath:

I dont see anything like a renewed, let alone expanded FWP in the offing. That we had one once was a mark of both the ingenuity and compassion of the Roosevelt years.

The natural suspects to pull off a new Writers Project would be the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. In March they received $75 million apiece under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. (For five years, I led literary initiatives for the NEA out of whats now a 7th-floor suite in the Trump Hotel.)

Reached at her office, NEA Chair Mary Anne Carter sounds as busy as a battlefield surgeon. Helping arts and literary organizations at this time really means helping them survive, she says. We hear talk of a Phase 4 bill and the Congress has asked us various questions, but any new programs ... would have to be written into the legislation.

Zora Neale Hurston, one of the beneficiaries and stars of the Federal Writers Project. (PhotoQuest / Getty Images)

One of Carters predecessors, Dana Gioia, points to a vastly different environment. When [the FWP] began 85 years ago, the literary world was entirely for profit  newspapers, magazines, and publishers  and the number of writers was smaller, he says. There are hundreds of thousands of writers [today], probably more than auto workers.

If it were up to him, Gioia would recommend that the NEA expand programs such as the Big Read to hundreds of cities across the U.S. to keep readers, libraries and bookstores engaged. They are the necessary infrastructure for literature.

My old NEA colleague Jon Peede is now chair of the NEH. He says scholars and cultural centers are already documenting the pandemic, but I dont expect the U.S. government to formally organize these efforts, which have sprung up spontaneously. Our federal cultural agencies should seek ways to make catalytic investments in these efforts.

Should any trade publisher ever want to help revive the Project, their first call should be to Matt Weiland. Vice president and senior editor of W.W. Norton, the only major employee-owned imprint in Manhattan, Weiland independently published  A New Deal for New York  in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. He also co-edited  State by State : A Panoramic Portrait of America, a collection of essays by Gilb, Susan Orlean and 48 others consciously modeled on the WPA Guides.

I would relish a revitalized Federal Writers Project, of any scale, for our time, says Weiland. Vast portions of our country remain shockingly underdescribed, and vast numbers of its citizen-writers remain underemployed. What better time, what fitter moment to engage loads of them in meaningful work and create a detailed and lasting portrait of America in (let us hope) the wake of the pandemic.

David A. Taylor, who co-wrote Soul of a People: Writing Americas Story, a moving documentary on the FWP, envisions a more modern version taking hold.

I don't see writers making guide books but a range of narrative products documenting this moment  podcasts, photo essays, oral histories, says Taylor. We could try different models like start-ups with an eye for what might come out of this crisis.  But it would likely have more private and philanthropic partners.

I reached out to all the partners Taylor spitballed  the Gates Foundation, 826 National , ProPublica, the American Journalism Project and others. Only Steven Waldman sounded jazzed right away. He is president and co-founder of Report for America , a national program that places reporters into local newsrooms, with help from places like Facebook, Google and the Annenberg Foundation.

Just this year in California, Report for America subsidized the creation of about 20 journalism jobs from the Long Beach Post to Spectrum News 1. Waldmans idea for a new FWP was the most concrete Id heard yet: Start with existing programs like AmeriCorps, itself inspired by a bit of CCC [California Conservation Corps] and WPA with a touch of Peace Corps thrown in. The 27-year-old program could scale up Waldmans efforts  225 reporters placed in the field this year  all the way up to 5,000.

Waldman had bogarted my crack pipe! So I took a deep breath and fired off an email to William Randolph Hearst III, the publisher of Alta magazine (to which Ive contributed) and chairman of the board of his namesake media giant. His publisher grandfather hated the WPA even more than he hated Citizen Kane, Orson Welles pitiless fictionalization, but Will Hearst is different. Hes exactly the guy you hope youd be if you were an heir to one of the largest media empires in the world.

"I am a huge believer in the Federal Writers Project, Hearst wrote back. And its on my bucket list to collect the WPA State Guides  I would be pleased to help.

It was good to hear, but there's help and there's help. Nobody, not even a major philanthropist, would attempt such an outlandish venture without partners. But could a few individual and corporate foundations, coupled with some catalytic investment from a federal agency and a few thousand reporters, somehow cobble together a new kind of Writers Project?

To put it gently, 2020 is not 1935. The notion that a consortium of individuals can coordinate on anything like the level that a strong, organized federal government seems difficult to imagine. The sense of shared national endeavor that midwifed the Writers Project feels like a relic from another millennium. In a country and a time as divided as this one, the Writers Project threatens to sound like a bedtime story  just another of Dagoberto Gilbs beautiful fables.

But please, please, wont somebody tell it again?

Kipen is a former director of national reading initiatives for the NEA. Hes written introductions for reissues of four WPA Guides and founded the lending library and podcast Libros Schmibros.
- Stonebwoy has incurred the wrath of Nigerians over some comments attributed to him

- It appears Nigerians are not happy with Stonebwoy for saying most of their artistes pass through Ghana before becoming well-known

- They have taken Stonebwoy to the cleaners for making that comment

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

Nigerians have taken on Ghanaian award-winning Dancehall artiste Stonebwoy for saying most of their artistes pass through Ghana before blowing up.

During an Instagram live conversation with Tunde Balogun, a top Nigerian media personality, Stonebwoy said most Nigerian musicians pass through Ghana before becoming successful.

He added that there is no big Ghanaian artiste who had to pass through Nigeria to make it big.

READ ALSO: Ken Agyapong finally opens up on what motivated him to go to the university (video)

Nigerians have to always passed through Ghana, why? Theres a blessing here that you guys tap from and run with. No Ghanaian artiste who is big in Ghana had ever had to go to pass through Nigeria to qualify to blow in the country.

READ ALSO: Emelia Brobbey shares rare video of a song she recorded in the studio with late Bernard Nyarko

Stonebwoy cited Mr Eazi as an example of such artistes to support his claim.

This comment got the attention of Nigerians and they are not happy with Stonebwoy.

READ ALSO: Wedding invitation for Date Rush Contestant Ignatius pops up in new photo

Some Nigerians on social media quizzed why Ghanaian act have not tapped into that blessing Stonebwoy claims to flow in the country.

Others also said if it was not for the fact that that they were attending school in Ghana, they wouldn't have known any Ghanaian artiste.

Below are some of the comments:

@Olumide_babs: "Ever since he featured Sean Paul, this boys brain been operating in a reverse mode"

@Regions.rehab: "Nigeria artiste pass through Ghana to blow like really. Its just like saying American Artistes pass through Nigeria to blow."

@Andyblayz: "Hes talking in the rubbish that dont make sense"

@eggie5star: "Its Only Mr Eazi! No one else"

@Blassicbaggie: "They need to carry this one go hospital ASAP"

@Cynthiabrightney: "Kupe boys and even the Ghanaian undertakers, who announced them to the world Nigeria wey be global 'blower' blowing international artiste since 19 kiridim"

Watch the video below;

READ ALSO: Beautiful curvy lady who could not afford university starts successful business

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong, has stated that he never went to university up until 1993.

According to the outspoken politician, at that time, he did not see the need to attend university because he was making lots of money.

Kennedy Agyapong added that he changed his mind and went to the university in 1993 after the former flagbearer for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), told him in 1992 that he (Ken Agyapong) was going to a strong businessman.

Madam Yaa Botwe seems to have a lot to say about the novel "KWABENA-19" | #Yencomgh

Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Get interactive via our Facebook page.

Enjoyed reading our story? Download YEN's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news!

Source: YEN.com.gh
Khiron is the exclusive Latin American supplier to Project Twenty21, a leading UK registry study enrolling up to 20,000 patients by the end of 2021, to create the largest body of evidence in Europe for the effectiveness and tolerability of medical cannabis

First import of EU GMP medical cannabis products is complete





Khiron branded products available to participating UK doctors, with first prescriptions now received





Khiron has secured a strategic partnership with an EU GMP fulfilment partner which can deliver patient prescriptions to their homes





UK medical cannabis clinics and doctors have received regulatory approval to conduct teleconsultations with patients, a new milestone in opening up patient access





Approximately 1.4m people in Great Britain are using "street cannabis" to treat medically diagnosed, chronic health conditions (source: YouGov)





people in are using "street cannabis" to treat medically diagnosed, chronic health conditions (source: YouGov) By 2024, the UK medical cannabis market is predicted to be worth nearly 1bn, servicing nearly 340,000 active patients (source: Prohibition Partners)

TORONTO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Khiron Life Sciences Corp. ("Khiron" or the "Company") (TSXV: KHRN ), (OTCQX: KHRNF), (Frankfurt: A2JMZC), a vertically integrated cannabis leader with core operations in Latin America and Europe, today announced the receipt of its first medical cannabis prescriptions for patients participating in Project Twenty21 in the United Kingdom (UK). Khiron branded EU GMP medical cannabis is now available for prescription from doctors and clinics participating in Project Twenty21, Europe's largest study of the effectiveness and tolerability of medical cannabis.

Khiron has been actively preparing to supply Project Twenty21 since first announcing its participation in November 2019. The supply of EU GMP medical cannabis is fully supported by the Company's global medical education team, led by Dr. Maria Fernanda Arboleda, International Director for Medical Services. Khiron will leverage educational materials and key learnings from the Company's Colombian cannabis experience in making therapeutic recommendations for Project Twenty21.

Leading the project, Professor David Nutt from the UK's leading independent scientific body Drug Science commented: "Khiron's assistance in delivering Project Twenty21 will expand the formulary significantly. Our shared vision, accelerating access of medical cannabis to patients who need it the most, will be greatly enhanced by the support provided by the Khiron team."

Tejinder Virk, President of Khiron Europe, commented: "The receipt of our first prescriptions in the UK is a testament to Khiron's regulatory strengths and globally diversified supply chain strategy. We have the flexibility to source medical cannabis products from multiple countries, with an aim to optimize for quality, speed and economics. The implementation of virtual consultations in the UK and mail order fulfilment are also huge milestones, which remove friction for patients and help to drive positive health outcomes."

Khiron is the exclusive LatAm supplier to Project Twenty21, Europe's first and largest national medical cannabis registry study in November 2019. Project Twenty21 aims to enrol 20,000 patients by the end of 2021, creating the largest body of evidence for the effectiveness and tolerability of medical cannabis  with an aim to demonstrate to policymakers that medical cannabis should be as widely available, and affordable, as other approved medicines for patients who would benefit from them.

About Khiron Life Sciences Corp.

Khiron Life Sciences Corp. is the dominant integrated medical cannabis company in Latin America. Khiron has core operations in Latin America, along with activity in North America and Europe, and is licensed in Colombia for the cultivation, production, domestic distribution, and international export of both tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) medical cannabis. The Company delivers best in class regulatory compliance, has the first approved line of CBD cosmetic products on shelf in Colombia, and is fully authorized to manufacture high- and low-THC medical cannabis, and to fill prescriptions for low-THC medical cannabis in the country.

With a focused regional strategy and patient oriented approach, the Company combines global scientific expertise, agricultural advantages, branded product market entrance experience and education to drive prescription and brand loyalty to address priority medical conditions such as chronic pain, epilepsy, depression and anxiety in the Latin American market of over 620 million people. The Company is led by Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Alvaro Torres, together with an experienced executive team, and a knowledgeable Board of Directors that includes former President of Mexico, Vicente Fox.

Visit Khiron online at www.khiron.ca and on Instagram @khironlife

Cautionary Notes

Market and Industry Data

This press release includes market and industry data and forecasts that were obtained from third-party sources, industry publications and publicly available information. Third-party sources generally state that the information contained therein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but there can be no assurance as to the accuracy or completeness of included information. Although management believes it to be reliable, Khiron has not independently verified any of the data from third-party sources referred to in this presentation, or analyzed or verified the underlying studies or surveys relied upon or referred to by such sources, or ascertained the underlying economic assumptions relied upon by such sources.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All information contained herein that is not historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. Khiron undertakes no obligation to comment analyses, expectations or statements made by third-parties in respect of Khiron, its securities, or financial or operating results (as applicable). Although Khiron believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements in this press release are reasonable, such forward-looking statement has been based on expectations, factors and assumptions concerning future events which may prove to be inaccurate and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond Khiron's control, including the risk factors discussed in Khiron's Annual Information Form which is available on Khiron's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and are made as of the date hereof. Khiron disclaims any intention and has no obligation or responsibility, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

SOURCE Khiron Life Sciences Corp.

Related Links

https://www.khiron.ca/en/home


The United States relocated its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May 2018. Two years later, Ambassador David Friedman stated that the Donald Trump administration will support Israeli plans for partial West Bank annexation under certain conditions.

In a May 6 interview with the right-wing Israel Hayom newspaper, Friedman explained that when the process of mapping the area to be annexed is completed, Israel would need to suspend settlement construction in the areas not to be annexed, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would need to propose to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that they open negotiations on the basis of the Trump administration's Middle East peace plan. Then, and assuming that Netanyahu will get Knesset approval for an annexation plan, the United States will recognize Israel's sovereignty in the areas that the plan outlined. Israel Hayom will publish the full text of the interview on Friday.

Friedman also gave an interview to the Jerusalem Post, making sure that his annexation statements got into the headlines. It's the perfect gift for Netanyahu just a day before the deadline for presenting the new government to the Knesset. We will be ready to address this issue if Israel is ready. Ultimately, as Secretary [of State Mike] Pompeo said, its Israels decision. They have to decide what they want to do," said the ambassador.

Friedman was clear on the negotiation point, emphasizing that the new Israeli premier must offer to talk to the Palestinians. US recognition of Israels sovereignty over West Bank settlements would depend on Israels agreement to negotiate "in good faith," as Friedman told the Jerusalem Post. The expectation is that the prime minister will agree to negotiate  and if the Palestinians show up, he will negotiate in good faith based on this plan.

As a reminder, Israel has already embraced Trumps peace plan, which Blue and White leader Benny Gantz has called on the political system to accept in full. The unity agreement enables Netanyahu to present an annexation proposal for voting as early as July 1.

Netanyahu received another American gift shortly after the interviews. Pompeo is expected to arrive in Israel May 13 for a swift 24-hour visit, to meet with Netanyahu and his unity-government partner Gantz.

Israels reactions to the interviews came in deeds before words. Defense Minister Naftali Bennett approved the construction of some 7,000 housing units in the West Bank settlement of Efrat, in the Etzion settlement bloc not far from Jerusalem. After the announcement, Bennetts colleague in the Yamina party leadership, former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, called on Netanyahu to rapidly annex the West Bank settlements, arguing that this moment, Israel has a supportive [US] president.

Bennett has been using his time in office to advance the settlement cause and create facts on the ground. On May 3, Bennett seized municipal power from the Palestinian Authority in Hebron to approve the construction of an elevator and ramp at the Tomb of the Patriarchs, making the holy site wheelchair accessible. And while the Palestinians support facilitating access to handicapped people, they objected fiercely to the project, which flaunted the 1997 Hebron protocol between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization signed by Netanyahu himself.

For the moment, Netanyahu is in no hurry to get Yamina join his unity government with Gantz. Politically, he no longer depends on the party, and Bennett is only too aware of it.
One person was shot and killed and another was stabbed at a Northwest Side barbershop Wednesday, according to the San Antonio Police Department.

Police identified a suspect, a man in his 30s, and were searching for him Wednesday afternoon.

Officers responded to a report of a cutting at around 12:30 p.m. on the 11300 block of Bandera Road. Inside the rear of a Diesel Barbershop, they found a 20-year-old woman dead from a gunshot wound.

A second victim, a woman in her early 20s who police said was stabbed multiple times by the same man, was found nearby at a Pei Wei restaurant. The woman had made her way from the barbershop. Her injuries were not believed to life-threatening.

FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox

SAPD Police Chief William McManus said the incident was not a robbery.

This started from a disturbance in the front of the barbershop and escalated into gunfire and a stabbing, McManus said.

Police said the barbershop was preparing to reopen Friday, the first day such businesses will be allowed to do so in Texas. Officials did not say whether or not any of the individuals involved were employees.

Crystal Hernandez, 20, and a friend were headed to the Chick-Fil-A in the same shopping center when they saw yellow police tape strung across much of the parking lot.

Its scary. We were so close, Hernandez said.

The manager of the Chick-Fil-A, Stephen Garza, said none of the restaurants workers outside heard or saw the incident.

To be honest, with the cars and everything, theyre not really listening for anything else besides taking orders, Garza said. Weve never seen this many police cars or helicopters or anything like that.

Police searched the Chick-Fil-A property and dumpster area with a K-9 unit, Garza said.

On Wednesday afternoon, officers were searching the area as a police helicopter flew overhead.

The suspect will face charges of homicide and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, police said.

Mark Dunphy is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | mark.dunphy@express-news.net | @m_b_dunphy
Negotiations meant to avert a walkout of nursing home facility workers this week are ongoing.

A Jacksonville nursing home is among the facilities that received strike notices.

Aperion Care Jacksonville was among the 40 initial nursing homes that were notified workers would walk out this coming Friday if an agreement has not been reached. The workers are represented by SEIU Healthcare Illinois. The list grew to 64 healthcare facilities across the state by this past Friday.

The union contends owners have ignored requests for essential resources, training and information. Workers are asking for improved personal protective equipment and enhanced safety protocols, more hazard pay and base compensation. The union is requesting a wage floor of $15 an hour for all workers and $16 an hour for certified nursing assistants. They also are requesting a 50% hazard pay bonus during the crisis.

Claiming that workers are dealing with devastating conditions during the pandemic, organizers also claim the facilities are not providing sufficient paid time off for illnesses that could be related to COVID-19. The union is calling for 80 hours of paid sick leave.

After the initial strike notices were sent out April 27, SEIU Healthcare launched a digital campaign, Strike For Our Lives, in support of nursing home workers and critical of conditions in nursing homes.

Soon after the strike notices were sent, representatives of the Illinois Association of Health Care Facilities  the organization representing the facilities owners  accused SEIU of using the crisis as a negotiating tactic to extract concessions they believe to be unrelated to the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite the public back-and-forth between the union and management, marginal progress is being made in negotiations. James Muhammad, communications director for SEIU Healthcare Illinois & Indiana, said talks are ongoing with the facilities owners. The two sides have spoken daily for the past week.

A deal has not yet been reached and the workers still intend to walk out Friday if there is no agreement, but Muhammad said talks have shown promise.

Weve been able to incrementally make progress, Muhammad said.

Aperion Care, the company that owns the Jacksonville nursing home, did not return a call for comment.
The COVID-19 death toll in Rajasthan increased to 93 with four more fatality reported on Wednesday, while 159 people tested positive for the disease, taking the total number of cases to 3,317 in the state, an official said.

The state has 1,485 active coronavirus cases, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rohit Kumar Singh said.

The deaths were reported from Swai Madhopur, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Karauli districts. The death toll due to the virus in the state has climbed to 93, he said.

The capital city of Jaipur alone has reported 51 deaths. As many as 159 new cases, including 50 in Jodhpur, 43 in Jaipur, 12 in Pali, five in Ajmer, three each in Alwar, Jalore and Jhalawar, two each in Dholpur and Dungarpur, one each in Bharatpur, Chittorgarh, Karauli, Rajsamand, Swai Madhopur and Sikar besides 30 BSF jawans airlifted from Delhi where they were on COVID-19 management duty, have tested positive, the official said.

The state now has 3,317 confirmed cases of COVID-19, out of which 1,275 have been discharged from hospitals, Singh said.

Jaipur has reported the highest number of cases with 1,090 infections, followed by 812 in Jodhpur.

The COVID-19 cases in Rajasthan include two Italian citizens and 61 people brought from Iran, who have been put up in Army health centres in Jodhpur and Jaisalmer.

The desert state is under lockdown since March 22 and a massive survey and screening is underway to track the people infected with the virus.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
City Council on Wednesday agreed to spend $15 million in federal relief funds to help residents affected by the economic downturn catch up on April and May rent, which council members said is imperfect but will offer critical help to some families.

City leaders acknowledged the program, which will be paid for with federal CARES Act funds and will be administered by Houston nonprofit BakerRipley, will not come close to meeting demand.

Thats the problem that we face: Were trying to do as much as we can with the little that we have, Mayor Sylvester Turner said.

The vote was unanimous though several council members raised concerns about equity, since landlords have to apply for the assistance before their tenants and because the money will be disbursed out on a first-come, first-served basis. If landlords do not apply, their tenants will not be able to get the relief.

Turner said that was a way to get landlords to agree to the terms of the deal, which require them to waive late fees and interest, formulate payment plans for tenants whose rent is above the maximum $1,056 payment, and rescinding any notices to vacate or eviction proceedings from missed April and May rent.

Councilman Greg Travis said the first-come, first-serve dispersal amounts to picking winners and losers, although he noted its better to help some than none.

Were helping for a month or two, and we need to be helping for years, said Travis, who argued government created the problem by issuing stay-home orders and other policies to fight the pandemic.

Councilwoman Letitia Plummer said the process should prioritize the most vulnerable first. She pointed out that apartments with federally-backed loans have protection for their payments that extend further than those with private loans, who could risk foreclosure if they do not collect rent and are unable to make their payments.

Were going to have people that are on the streets on the 18th of May, Plummer said. The Texas Supreme Court has halted evictions through that date.

Turner encouraged district council members to urge apartment managers in their districts to apply for the relief starting Thursday. Tenants in those buildings can apply for the assistance next week.

The Houston Apartment Association applauded the move. The group said 10 percent of renters were not able to pay rent in April. It does not yet have figures for May.

It's going to help thousands of Houstonians who have been unable to work during this difficult time, association president Clay Hicks said. Our job now is to get apartment owners across the city to register as quickly as possible so the program is ready for residents to sign up next week.

The program would provide up to $1,056 per month to city residents who can demonstrate they are late on April or May rent payments due to the economic impact of COVID-19. They must be current on prior rent payments, and make less than 80 percent of the area median income or qualify for certain other governmental assistance programs, such as Medicaid or SNAP.

More Information How to get rent assistance How to apply Landlords interesting in getting relief for their tenants can begin applying Thursday, May 7 The portal will open at 10 a.m. Register at houstonrentassistance.org Tenants of those landlords can begin applying May 13 Who is eligible? Landlords must: Waive all late fees, penalties and interest for April and May; allow tenants to enter into payment plans for rent above the maximum $1,056 per-month payment; and rescind any prior notice to vacate and halt any prior eviction proceedings for the two months Residents must: live in Houston; be late for rent in April, May or both; be current on rent before April 2020; affirm their inability to pay rent is due to financial hardship from the economic impact of COVID-19; and either have income less than 80 percent of the area median income or qualify for other governmental assistance, like Medicaid, WIC, SNAP, Head Start, or a VA Pension. See More Collapse

Vice Mayor Pro Tem Martha Castex-Tatum proposed tabling the issue for a week and extending those late fee waivers into June, but it was rejected by council.

Delaying this any further is going to hurt the people we are trying to help, Mayor Pro Tem Dave Martin said. We need to get something moving rapidly.

The administration said it expects the program to help a minimum of 6,818 households. The funding includes $600,000 in administrative expenses.

Other Texas cities have crafted similar plans. San Antonio put together a $25 million package and Dallas d evoted about $13.7 million . Harris County authorized a $15 million relief fund last week. Each of those programs extend beyond rent to help struggling residents with utilities, mortgages and other obligations.

dylan.mcguinness@chron.com
WASHINGTON  The Trump administrations nominee for inspector general overseeing billions in Treasury Department coronavirus relief funds is facing skepticism from Democrats who fear that he will not show sufficient independence.

Even so, that nominee, Brian D. Miller, stands to be confirmed as the special inspector general for pandemic recovery by a Republican-controlled Senate. In that position, he would monitor the disbursement of $500 billion in loans to businesses and corporations. Those funds were appropriated in last months CARES Act, a $2 trillion package meant to stimulate an economy paralyzed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Democratic skepticism during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, came in part because Miller currently serves as a White House attorney. Miller fought back by citing his legal mandate to investigate fraud and abuse related to coronavirus spending.

If I am unable to do my job, I will resign, he vowed.

White House lawyer Brian D. Miller. (Salwan Georges/Pool via Reuters)

Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., asked if he would look to gain presidential approval before investigating contacts, issuing reports or communicating with Congress.

Miller promised that he would not.

His supporters on the Republican side pointed to an investigation Miller did as an inspector general in the George W. Bush administration, when he faulted top federal administrator Lurita Doan for abusing her position. Doan, who had been a military contractor before joining the Republican administration, was forced to resign.

Most recently, his job was to defend Trump on charges related to abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. During the impeachment inquiry into President Trumps withholding of military aid to Ukraine, Miller rebuffed a request from the Government Accountability Office.

The White House does not plan to respond separately to your letters, Miller wrote on Dec. 20 of last year.

The impeachment has receded in the national imagination, overtaken by a pathogen that has killed some 70,000 Americans. Still, Millers rejection of the information request returned as a point of contention on Tuesday, as Democrats wondered if he could ever assert independence from a president he has been representing.

Story continues

I was just answering the mail, Miller explained of that exchange. Democrats were not satisfied with that answer, with Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., wondering if Miller would find such stonewalling, as he called it, acceptable in response to a coronavirus-related inquiry.

Im not really sure what your question is getting at, Miller replied.

A former attorney in the George W. Bush administration who later served as inspector general for the General Services Administration  the position in which he wrote the report critical of Bush appointee Doan  Miller gave careful, legalistic answers, vowing to assert his own independence but avoiding any overt criticism of the Trump administration.

Alex Wong/Pool via Reuters

I will conduct every audit and investigation with fairness and impartiality, he said in his opening statement, pledging to seek the truth in all matters that come before me. Those matters are likely to involve questions about why large, well-funded corporations are asking for small-business loans.

And there have been reports of people connected to the White House seeking such loans. Given the presidents business ties, Democrats worry about the proliferation of such arrangements.

The hearing took place under remarkable circumstances, two days into the Senates return to a capital that remains under lockdown. The upper chamber was hastened into reconvening by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., despite objections from some legislators that it was not safe to do so.

His counterpart in the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has not yet moved to reopen her chamber, though she may do so as early as next week.

The familiar scene of a hearing room packed with legislative aides and members of the public was nowhere in evidence. Instead, large bottles of hand sanitizer and cylindrical containers of sanitizing wipes marked a new congressional normal. So did a briefing room largely absent of legislators themselves.

Many attended the hearing via video. Those who attended in person wore face masks, as did the nominees themselves (along with Miller, the committee considered the nomination of Dana T. Wade to become the chairperson of the Federal Housing Administration).

Miller with Dana T. Wade, Trump's nominee for federal housing commissioner. (Alex Wong/Getty Images/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Millers nomination has been especially fraught because Trump has shown unrelenting suspicion of inspectors general, who are supposed to act as independent watchdogs within their agencies. Trump has routinely challenged that independence.

Only last Friday, he removed Christi Grimm, inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services, for a report that highlighted severe shortages of testing supplies in hospitals. Before that, he fired Glenn Fine, who had been overseeing all coronavirus spending. And right before that, he fired Michael Atkinson, the intelligence communitys inspector general, whose certification of a whistleblower complaint initiated the very impeachment investigation that Miller and other White House attorneys would be responding to months later.

Democrats wondered if Miller had anything to do with the removal of Fine or Atkinson, but Miller said his ethical obligations prevented him from saying anything about his White House work. Early in the hearing, Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, asked Miller if he would show support for Grimm, who had lost her job for writing the very kind of report Miller will be expected to conduct.

I am not here to assess those sort of actions, Miller answered.

Michael Atkinson, former inspector general of the intelligence community. (Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

He also survived an exchange with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., who had previously indicated her unease with the Miller nomination. Under intense questioning from the progressive former presidential candidate  and potential vice presidential pick for Democratic nominee Joe Biden  Miller made concessions, somewhat uneasily, to her consumer watchdog side, asserting that companies that took loans but then still laid off or furloughed workers could earn unwelcome attention from him.

Im not comfortable answering hypotheticals, Miller said, right before agreeing that the first of the hypotheticals she presented would merit scrutiny from his office.

Good, good, Warren said.

She also asked him if a company that lobbied the White House and Congress receiving a bailout was a potential circumstance he would want to investigate.

As the nominee hesitated, Warren reminded him that they had spoken privately the day before, and that he had then agreed that such a scenario was worthy of investigation. That left Miller with little option but to agree.

The Republicans have a narrow majority in the Senate. Its not clear that Democrats were willing to put much energy into the fight against the Miller nomination, in seeming awareness of the coronavirus-related battles all but certain to come.

_____

Click here for the latest coronavirus news and updates. According to experts, people over 60 and those who are immunocompromised continue to be the most at risk. If you have questions, please refer to the CDCs and WHOs resource guides.

Read more:
Nearly 35,000 of Uttar Pradesh's migrant workers, stuck up in various places across the country amid the coronavirus-triggered lockdown, were to reach back home on Wednesday.

While 19 special trains carrying workers have already reached various places in Uttar Pradesh from different states, nine more trains are to reach later tonight, said Additional Chief Secretary Awanish Chandra Awasthi.

Asked about the total numbers of migrant workers reaching home in the state on Wednesday, Awasthi said each train is carrying around 1,200 to 1,250 workers.

As per Awasthi's figures of passengers being carried by each train, an estimated 33,600 to 35,000 workers were to reach home by late Wednesday night.

The Uttar Pradesh government has already made arrangements of bringing 38 more trainloads of its workers from other states in the next few days, the additional chief secretary said, adding with this a total of 66 trains will be bringing the workers back.

He said 19 trains, reaching Uttar Pradesh, have arrived at Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow, Jaunpur, Allahabad, Bareilly, Gorakhpur and Ballia railway stations among others.

Nine trains will be coming from Punjab of which two from Jalandhar and Ludhiana have already started, he said adding 13 trains from Gujarat have already arrived.

Four trains have already come from Maharashtra and seven others will be arriving soon, he said adding that one train from Karnataka (Bangalore) has started on Wednesday and will be reaching Lucknow soon.

Two trains from Telangana have started and will be reaching Gorakhpur and Barabanki.

We have done the needful on our part for running the Shramik Trains from Kerala and it will be starting from there soon, he said.

Awasthi said the Uttar Pradesh is also talking with the governments of Odisha, Bihar ,Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh to make arrangements to bring back its migrant workers home.

An agreement has been reached to bring back remaining 30,000 workers from Haryana by roadways buses and 10,000 others from Rajasthan. he said.

Clear directives have been issued to authorities concerned to ensure proper medical testing of returning workers before sending them to their native places where they will have to stay in home quarantine, Awasthi added.

Earlier reports reaching here said over 4,700 migrant workers reached various places in Uttar Pradesh, including Ballia , Gorakhpur and Lucknow on special trains from different parts of Gujarat.

While 1,250 labourers arrived in Ballia on a train from Rajkot, another 1,262 reached Lucknow on a train from Anand, officials said.

Uttar Pradesh State Roadways Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) buses were arranged to take labourers home from railway stations, they said.

Another special train carrying migrant labourers from Viramgam (in Ahmedabad) carrying 1,234 labourers arrived in Lucknow.

Over 1,000 migrant labourers reached Gorakhpur in a special train from Surat on Wednesday afternoon.

A decision to run these trains was taken by the Centre last week following repeated requests by several states.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 5)  President Rodrigo Duterte appealed to local government units to accept returning overseas Filipino workers in their areas amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

The national government will insist that you accept the OFWs, said Duterte in his taped message aired late Monday night.

The President lamented that some LGUs are not accepting returning Filipinos abroad back to their localities.

Duterte understood the concern of the LGUs that returning OFWs may spread the virus in their area. But he responded that it is their duty to help and protect their constituents.

Duterte also mentioned that every Filipino has the constitutional right to travel, as enshrined in Section 3 of the Bill of Rights under the 1987 Philippine Constitution, which cannot be taken away by the LGUs.

The President also urged LGUs to provide them with a temporary place to stay in their towns in order to avoid further spread the disease.

Rather just leave them there stranded, they have money for their pockets intended as savings for their family. Their money will run out and they would go home with their pockets empty. We do not want that to happen, said Duterte.

Duterte suspended yesterday the collection of higher premiums for OFWs from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation to ease their burden amid the COVID-19 crisis.

The Department of Labor and Employment also offered a one-time 10,000 cash aid for repatriated OFWs. The department confirmed that some 86,000 overseas workers are qualified to receive the financial assistance.

OFWs must submit to their respective Philippine Overseas Labor Office an accomplished application form for the special cash assistance downloadable from the website or social media account of the said office.

The workers must also submit a photocopy of passport and/or travel documents such as residence ID or visa, proof of overseas employment, proof of loss of employment on account of the virus, and proof of a pending case that caused their current undocumented status such as case reference number and case endorsement stamped by the POLO.
An inside source from the South Pyongan Province recently told Daily NK that North Korean authorities are insisting people that South Korea and the US are spreading COVID-19 Intentionally.

The source told Daily NK, "A coronavirus prevention session was held during a recent inminban meeting." Inminban is a Neighborhood Watch-like form of a local cooperative organization in North Korea. No North Korean person exists outside the inminban system; everyone is a member.

The speaker at this meeting told people that the US and South Korea are "spraying the coronavirus on various items" and shipping them to North Korea.

The speaker also urged people that they should "be alert" and if they discover any "strange items" it is their duty to report it to the authorities immediately and avoid touching them.

This is interpreted with the intention of the North Korean authorities to shift the responsibility of the economic disaster caused by the COVID-19 crisis to external factors such as the Korean government and the United States and to win over the public's sentiment. Also, to use the lockdown situation to focus more on "ideological education" given to the people .

In this regard, the North Korean media are likewise emphasizing patriotism, ideological unity, and highlighting the solidarity system among the people.

North Korean medias are also taking part in this matter. Rodong Sinmun published an editorial page on April 29, stating that the primary motivator of state development is "the ideological and spiritual strength of the masses." The article continued that "All party members and other working people should cherish absolute loyalty to the party and ardent patriotism and fully discharge their responsibilities and duties in the grand revolutionary advance for building a powerful socialist country."

Rodong Sinmun on the same day printed the entire third page dealing with the series of a model example of propaganda education around the country conducted by "frontline" propaganda officials.

Meanwhile, there were many reported cases in which North Korea was telling people false information about South Korea's attempt to harm them. Daily NK previously reported that another speaker from North Korea authorities addressed that South Korea is waging "biological warfare" against North Korea.

Daily NK also reported that the lecturer from the meeting held in late March in Hoeryong told people that South Korean authorities were "spreading" the coronavirus into the country.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Major cruise lines have announced they plan to resume sailings as early as August 1. For travelers planning to book a cruise post-COVID-19, travel insurance comparison site, Squaremouth.com, explains what they need to know about travel insurance.

Coverage for Contracting COVID-19 Still Available

Travelers booking cruises now, or keeping their travel plans, can still purchase a policy for COVID-19 concerns, however, coverage is limited, and varies by provider.

As of May 6, 2020, Squaremouth.com reports five travel insurance providers that offer coverage if a traveler contracts COVID-19 while cruising. These policies include emergency medical and medical evacuation coverage if a traveler contracts the virus while on the cruise and need to receive medical care or be medically evacuated.

As of May 6, 2020, there are four travel insurance providers on Squaremouth.com who include trip cancellation coverage if a traveler contracts coronavirus, or is quarantined, and unable to travel as planned.

Being Denied Boarding Due to Cruise Line Screenings May Be Covered

Previously, cruise lines denied boarding to travelers who had a fever or had recently traveled to a destination considered high-risk for the coronavirus. When cruising returns, it is possible these regulations will continue. If a traveler is not allowed to board their cruise because they have a fever or are sick, they may be covered to cancel their trip if they receive documentation from a doctor. However, if a traveler is denied boarding because of a recent visit to a risky destination cancellation coverage may not be available.

Cancel for Any Reason Is Best Option for Cruisers With Cancellation Concerns

Many of the unprecedented impacts on travel related to COVID-19 are not covered by standard insurance policies, like travel bans and border closures. The best cancellation option during this time of uncertainty around travel is a Cancel for Any Reason policy. This optional upgrade can reimburse travelers 75% of their trip cost and is the only option that allows travelers to cancel their trip for any reason not covered by a standard policy, including travel bans or fear of traveling due to coronavirus.

It is important to note that travelers who purchase Cancel for Any Reason policies must cancel their trips 2-3 days prior to departure in order to be reimbursed, so a last-minute cancellation, such as being denied boarding at the cruise port, would be too late.

TRAVEL INSURANCE INFORMATION FOR COVID-19

The Traveler's Guide to Travel Insurance for COVID-19 was created to inform travelers about their insurance options during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Coronavirus Pandemic Current Event Center includes answers to frequently asked questions and providers' position statements. These resources are updated daily as the situation evolves.

ABOUT SQUAREMOUTH

SQUAREMOUTH compares travel insurance policies from every major travel insurance provider in the United States. Using Squaremouth's comparison engine and third-party customer reviews, travelers can research and compare travel insurance policies side-by-side . More information can be found at www.squaremouth.com .

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The Karnataka government on Wednesday announced a 1,610 crore Covid-19 relief package, chief minister B S Yediyurappa.

The relief package will benefit farmers, MSMEs, handloom weavers, flower growers, washermen, barbers and autorickshaw and taxi drivers among others.

A package of Rs. 1610 crores will be released as Covid-19 financial package. One time compensation of 5000 will be given to 230,000 barbers and 775,000 drivers, Yediyurappa said according to ANI.

Click here for full Covid-19 coverage.

The chief minister also appealed to migrant workers from other states not to leave since construction work has started again.

We have sent around 1 lakh people in 3500 buses and trains, back to their hometowns. I have also appealed to the migrant workers to stay as the construction work has resumed now, he said.

A statement from the chief ministers office said the government has also decided to waive monthly fixed charges of electricity bills of MSMEs for two months because MSMEs have also suffered huge production losses due to lockdown.

The statement also said that payment of fixed charges in the Electricity bills of the large industries will be deferred without penalty and interest for a period of two months.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Karnataka government decided not to pay the additional instalments of dearness allowances with effect from January 1, 2020 to government employees and pensioners because of the crisis triggered by Covid-19 pandemic.

While the additional instalments of Dearness Allowance due from July 1, 2020 and January 1, 2021 shall also not be released until further orders, the government said it will continue to pay Dearness Allowance at the existing rates.

Meanwhile, the state health department said 19 more Covid-19 between 5 pm Tuesday and Wednesday noon were reported in the state. The total number of Covid-19 cases in the state is now 692, including 345 who have been discharged. There have been 29 casualties.
Editor's Note: This story has been corrected to clarify details about Texas LNG's state permit and how the company's proposed project compares to other facilities.

Houston liquefied natural gas company Texas LNG on Wednesday received a state permit for a proposed export terminal at the Port of Brownsville with stricter air pollution standards than the company had previously proposed.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality air pollution permit authorizes the proposed plant to make up to 4 million metric tons of liquefied natural gas per year, but with tougher rules for the project's hot oil heaters.

Texas LNG has agreed to the tougher standards, which are the same as those applied to the proposed Rio Grande LNG along the Brownsville Ship Channel, but are still less stringent than standards for heaters at the Freeport LNG export terminal, which began operations south of Houston last year.

The Great LNG Debate: Growing industry faces stiff opposition in Valley

Texas LNG launched the effort for a permit more than five years ago. The project has been opposed by some residents and others concerned about safety and its effects on the environment. Opponents have sued in an attempt to overturn federal approval of the project.

Texas LNG is the smallest of three liquefied natural gas export terminals proposed for the Port of Brownsville. The projects represent nearly $40 billion of investment, thousands of construction jobs, hundreds of permanent jobs and an opportunity to boost U.S. exports.

"State and federal regulators have consistently refused to listen to concerns from our communities about the threat that these dirty, dangerous fracked gas facilities would pose to already vulnerable populations by pumping even more pollution into the air we breathe," Sierra Club campaign organizer Rebekah Hinojosa said in a statement. "Texas LNG still faces legal challenges at the federal level, and we are determined to ensure that it is never built."

Fuel Fix: Get daily energy news headlines in your inbox

Liquefied natural gas prices in East Asia, the largest LNG market in the world, are trading at record lows due to the economic repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic. Many industry observers doubt that the U.S. can compete with LNG produced in the Middle East and Australia.

In a statement, Texas LNG Chief Operating Officer Langtry Meyer defended the economics and safety of the project.

"Texas LNG is committed to operating in an environmentally responsible manner, including use of electric motors instead of conventional gas turbine compressors to minimize air emissions, making the facility one of the worlds cleanest LNG liquefaction plants," Meyer said. "By delivering clean, safe, low-cost Texas natural gas energy to our customers around the world, Texas LNG can contribute to a cleaner global environment."

Read the latest oil and gas news from HoustonChronicle.com
The Delhi Commission For Women has issued notice to Delhi Police over trolls "slandering" Jamia Millia Islamia student Safoora Zargar, who is pregnant and lodged in Tihar Jail for alleged violence during anti-CAA protests here.

Zargar, the media coordinator of Jamia Coordination Committee, was arrested last month in connection with the protests in northeast Delhi's Jaffrabad in February.

Later, she was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in a case related to the communal violence over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in northeast district and sent to Tihar Jail.

Zargar is being trolled on social media on the paternity of her child.

"On receipt of complaints, DCW issued notice to Delhi Police Cyber Crime Cell against shameful slandering by trolls of pregnant Safoora Zargar," the panel said.

DCW chief Swati Maliwal said the court will decide whether Zargar is guilty or not "but no one has the right to outrage her modesty and vilify her character".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A former UP MLA has slammed the "anti-woman policy" of the Haryana government following the resignation of a 2014-batch IAS officer Rani Nagar.

"The central government says 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' while on the other hand the Haryana chief minister has turned a deaf ear and not taken action against the errant IAS officer for molestation in the last two years," former Khekhra legislator Madan Bhaiya said.

Nagar, a 2014-batch IAS officer of the Haryana cadre, had resigned on Monday citing "personal safety on government duty" as the reason.

After submitting the resignation, she later left for her hometown Ghaziabad from Chandigarh with her sister.

In 2018, Nagar had accused an additional chief secretary-level bureaucrat of harassing her. The state government had conducted an inquiry into the allegations, but the charges did not hold against the officer, a Haryana government official had said.

In an earlier post on her Facebook page, Nagar, who was living in the UT guest house of Chandigarh since 2018 along with her sister, had claimed that despite numerous complaints against the senior bureaucrat, no action was taken against him.

Nagar had mentioned that last year, she had lodged a complaint against the bureaucrat before a court and claimed there is a constant threat to "our lives" (she and her sister), while requesting her Facebook friends to report the matter to the court, if they go untraceable.

On Wednesday, a delegation of Gurjar Samaj met the officer's father Ratan Singh Nagar in Nehru Nagar Colony in the city.

The members of the delegation tried to convince him to urge Nagar to take back the resignation. They also advised her to contest the case against the "errant" IAS officer without leaving the service,Bhaiyya added.

The leaders of Gurjar Samaj who hold portfolios in the government will also raise their voice in favour of the woman IAS officer who belongs to an OBC community, the former legislator said.

Acting upon the complaint of Rani Nagar, the Haryana government must initiate an impartial inquiry against the senior IAS officer. Inaction in this case shows the apathy of the state governmentm, the former MLA claimed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ziath Ltd - a manufacturer of scanners for reading 2D barcodes on the base of sample tubes, which are frequently used for processing Covid-19 samples, has announced support for mental health charities in the UK and the USA.

To show support for people struggling with mental health issues during the present crisis, Ziath will make a significant donation to two mental health charities that work with those affected by the stress of living through the uncertainty and restrictions imposed during the lockdown to control the outbreak.

Our small company has been working flat out to build tube scanners for the UN/IAEA Covid-19 screening program around the World. Although we are all tired and working long hours to meet the demand, we are still mindful of the many thousands of people who are stuck inside their house or apartment with no prospect of social contact, going to work or relaxing in a bar or restaurant. The stress caused by the current lockdown affects us all, it can be an unseen killer just as deadly as the virus itself. We wanted to help out in our own small way and chose the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) in the UK and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) to receive our support. Neil Benn, Managing Director of Ziath

Ziath will donate the equivalent of 5000 to both charities.

The CEO of CALM, Simon Gunning, said "We're grateful for Ziath's generous donation to the CALM cause. Since lockdown weve experienced a huge surge in demand for our helpline, and the demand continues to be unprecedented. That means, right now, we're taking a record number of calls from people who are struggling with a variety of mental health issues. Ziath's donation means we'll be able to answer an additional 600 potentially lifesaving calls and webchats, continuing to support those who need us most."

The AFSP is honored to partner with Ziath LLC. Now is a critically important time to raise awareness of mental health and increase funds for lifesaving suicide prevention efforts. We could not do this without Ziaths initiative and involvement from their industry partners. We are in this together and together we can save lives. Jessica van der Stad, The Regional Director of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Ziaths Commercial Director, Steve Knight, urged other companies who are still working during the pandemic to consider doing something similar. Mental health issues during lockdown are increasing across the population. With no immediate end to the crisis in sight, wed urge other businesses who can afford it to consider supporting these vitally important charities and the work they do.

CALM operate a free UK wide helpline and webchat which is available from 5 pm - midnight 365 days a year on 0800 58 58 58 and via https://www.thecalmzone.net/. In the USA, you can call 800-273-8255 or text TALK to 741741 to reach help at the AFSP or visit their website at https://afsp.org/mental- health-and-covid-19
Ventilators are the go-to way physicians treat serious cases of COVID-19, but some patients at Wellington Regional Medical Center in Florida started refusing breathing tubes a couple of weeks ago.

Some would "initially refuse and then beg us for it just before they tap out," said Dr. Rob Harrell, a cardiac surgeon who is the medical director of the hospital's intensive care unit.

Physicians from the Palm Beach suburb of Wellington, in Salt Lake City, Boston and elsewhere were stumped and frustrated by a medical journal report last month that 88% of COVID-19 patients placed on ventilators died in a New York hospital system. Their own death rates were more like 20% and nearly always involved people older than 80, especially those with severe chronic health conditions.

Wellington Regional Medical Center has created 16 negative pressure rooms in addition to the two they already have to treat COVID-19 patients in Wellington, Fla., May 5, 2020. Recently converted rooms have plywood over the windows.

The Journal of the American Medical Association study, published April 22 by researchers at Northwell Health, was followed by a little-noticed correction two days later. A more recent report from Massachusetts General Hospital researchers matches the lower rates, which doctors cite to fight what they say is dangerous anti-ventilator sentiment.

Outside experts started to recommend against ventilators because they were "synonymous with death," said Harrell. Says Dr. Sean Jorgenson Callahan, a pulmonologist at the University of Utah Health: "The big sentiment floating around is that being put on a ventilator is a death sentence."

Dr. Rob Harrell, medical director of the ICU at Wellington Regional Medical Center in Wellington, Fla., said ventilator patients there have done far better than in a well-publicized medical journal study.

In the JAMA study, the mortality rate for 18 to 65-year-olds on ventilators was more than 76%, while more than 97% of patients older than 65 on ventilators died. That's where the combined death rate of 88% came from. Death rates for those in these age categories who weren't intubated and placed on ventilators were nearly 20% and nearly 27% respectively.

In the correction, Northwell said only 24.5% of the coronavirus patients on ventilators died or been discharged. The lower percentage adjusts the death rate to exclude everyone on ventilators who were still alive and battling the virus at the time the study ended.

Story continues

"The 88% statistic is deceptive because patients developing severe respiratory failure from COVID can be sick for a long time," said Callahan. "If you report data in the midst of a pandemic - on an illness that can persist for a long time- the data can be incomplete. Patients haven't had the time or opportunity to recover."

Karina Davidson, Northwell's vice president of research, said the numbers were correct but it was 88% of the 323 patients put on ventilators for whom Northwell had an "outcome." These people had either been discharged, as in the case of 38 patients, or died.

"People are somehow hearing this very small percentage of people for whom we knew an outcome and assuming it was the ventilator that was the problem," said Davidson. "That was not the case."

The study out a week later found less than 17% of COVID-19 patients on ventilators at Massachusetts General Hospital died. This newer report in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine concluded continued use of ventilators for COVID-19 patients with "acute respiratory distress syndrome" was justified.

"We saw all the discussion and people were reporting the very high number, which made us more motived to publish our study," said Dr. Jehan Alladina, who was co-lead author on the paper. "We had a minimum 30-day followup and no one remained intubated."

"The big problem with the JAMA study is people were still on ventilators," said Alladina, a Mass General pulmonary and critical care physician. "You're not sure how they would do, but the (death rate) would probably be a lot lower."

Davidson acknowledges Northwell is learning from its ventilator experience. It was one of the first hospital systems to get COVID-19 patients and Davidson said many of its patients were considerably older - so more high risk. At the pandemic's beginning, the hospital waited many more days than it does now to intubate patients because "we did not understand how fast patients could be in serious respiratory distress."

Now, Davidson said she wants to "get the accurate information out that when patients arrive in a coma or not breathing, a mechanical ventilator is a lifesaving technique that has the possibility of prolonging their survival."

When patients stop breathing on ventilators, the ventilator "did not force them to stop breathing earlier," she said.

Harrell said New York hospitals, including Northwell, have been overrun with patients and "being overwhelmed is obviously bad for patient care." And he acknowledges his own hospital now has a 30% to 35% mortality rate of patients on ventilators as more people with multiple chronic health conditions come in.

The key to caring for patients on ventilators, who often have to remain intubated and connected to them for two weeks, is "profoundly simplistic," said Harrell. They need the right mix of blood and oxygen or "the organs will not survive," he said. So by keeping the patient's blood moving, "our hope is eventually the patient will have enough reserve to rid themselves of the virus."

Still, Harrell doesn't want intubation to sound too easy, lest more people like the former students on spring break start minimizing the risks again.

"You do not want to be that guy in a chemical coma on a breathing tube for 30 days," said Harrell.

O'Donnell can be found on social media as @jayneodonnell or by email at jodonnell@usatoday.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ventilators not COVID-19 'death sentence' despite JAMA study on NY
A terrorists was killed in a gun battle with security forces in Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama district, officials said on Wednesday morning, even as a search operation was being conducted to nab Hizb-ul-Mujahideens commander Riyaz Naikoo.

The operation is still underway in Sharsali village in Awantipora area of the district, where the terrorists was gunned down, police said.

Two operations are underway in south Kashmirs Pulwama district from late Tuesday night. They were launched by the security forces after they got a tipoff about the presence of terrorists in the area.

One of the search operations is currently being conducted in Beighpora Gulzapora, the native village of Hizbuls operational chief Riyaz Naikoo, who is the senior most active commander in the valley.

Also read | Assalamualaikum: How one word changed the course of Handwara encounter

Sources said that the operation has been launched to track him down. However, its not clear whether Naikoo is trapped in the cordon.

A senior police officer confirmed that a couple of operations are on in Pulwama. Currently, the forces are conducting house-to-house searches, the officer said.

On Tuesday night, the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir police moved some earth digging equipment in the village.

The last two months have seen a series of operations in Kashmir. In the past three days, eight security force personnel, including the commanding officer of the armys 21 Rashtriya Rifles, were killed in two separate encounters in Handwara.

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OTTAWAResidents of a First Nation in northern Ontario threatened by spring flooding are facing more complex and some fear-inducing options for escape this year, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The almost 2,000 residents of Kashechewan First Nation have had to flee their community every year since 2012 due to flooding, removed to larger centres such as Timmins and Thunder Bay.

But this year, many residents are worried about catching the novel coronavirus or bringing it back into their community.

Thats why about 1,200 people have instead decided to wait out the flood season on the land, with some setting up camps in their traditional territories and others planning to camp in an area known as Site 5, about 30 kilometres from the First Nation, where the community is eventually supposed to be moved.

The remaining 800-odd residents are staying put, hoping the waters dont rise too high this year and force them to leave.

Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller says the flood plan for Kashechewan this year is more complex due to the additional risk the pandemic places on the First Nations residents.

COVID-19 in any community has complexified any sort of movement and with a community like Kashechewan that has had this preventative relocation and evacuation for the last few years, COVID-19 has intensely complexified some of the planning, Miller said in a recent interview.

You can imagine, with people very worried and fearful about their health, you have to layer the epidemic plan on top of a potential evacuation plan.

The federal government is providing $2 million to support those who will relocate to camps, ensuring they have adequate resources and supplies, including medical and sanitary resources.

To protect the safety of those staying in Kashechewan, water levels are being measured closely with daily fly-overs while residents remain on higher ground.

Miller said these plans reflect the desires of the residents.

However, the chief and council of Kashechewan sent a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in early March, asking for military engineers to help construct an evacuation camp at Site 5, complete with enough tents and supplies for all 2,000 residents.

...(I)ce break up on the Albany River is approaching fast. We expect it to be in early May. That gives us only few weeks to plan and execute this project, part of the letter reads.

Being on the land, cut off from distractions and most media, may prove to be helpful to our youth, learning survivor (skills) and living off the land.

Interview requests to Chief Leo Friday Wednesday were not returned.

The department of National Defence confirmed to APTN News last month it was in discussions with the community about options for the proposed evacuation camp. But those never materialized.

Miller suggested this is because not everyone in the community wanted to go to such a camp.

There are members who have moved to Site 5, but perhaps not in the numbers that were initially contemplated would go based on the letter that chief and council sent to the prime minister six or seven weeks ago.

But NDP MP Charlie Angus, who represents the riding encompassing Kashechewan, says he believes government was too slow to respond to the First Nations request, and many people decided to head out on their own to their traditional camps rather than wait for Ottawa.

Hes concerned about what will happen to those who are waiting in the flood-prone community, as the nearby waters have already begun to rise.

What happens if the flood waters rise quickly and theres still 800-some people in the community? Where do they go? Thats still not clear.

Several of the surrounding Ontario municipalities that usually host First Nations residents fleeing floods and fires have said they cant take evacuees this year, including Thunder Bay and Kapuskasing. Others have raised concerns about a lack of resources and personnel to handle an influx of evacuees, due to facility closures and layoffs caused by the pandemic.

Angus says this, coupled with the fears among Kashechewan residents of being relocated to cities with outbreaks of COVID-19, has led to deep concerns about where those who are not able to camp in tents for the flood season will go.

Weve asked for them to look at other options, maybe a military site, places where, if we had to evacuate them, we could do so safely and maintain the distancing that is necessary, because everybody knows in the Treaty 9 region, if COVID gets into one of the communities, it will have a devastating impact, Angus said.

Miller said sites have been identified in nearby towns and cities if floods force the remaining residents to leave and that COVID-19 distancing protocols will be followed.

Of all the evolving floodings and potentials for the wildfire season, this is the one that is of intense preoccupation for me and my team. But Im confident the plans that weve put into place are the best ones, given the circumstances.
The latest novel coronavirus news from Canada and around the world Wednesday (this file is no longer updating. Click here to read the latest). Web links to longer stories if available.

10:40 p.m.: Four children have contracted COVID-19 at a city-run daycare in Yorkville, said Toronto medical officer of health Eileen de Villa.

Eleven staff at the Jesse Ketchum Child Care Centre have also tested positive, she said at the citys daily briefing on the pandemic.

My understanding is that they are all doing well and recovering without incident at home, she told reporters.

10 p.m.: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said those setting fire to cellphone towers can face serious criminal charges.

Vandalizing cellphone towers does nothing but threaten emergency services and impact the daily lives of Canadians across the country," he wrote on Twitter. These recent acts are serious criminal offences and carry severe penalties."

The warning came after at least four cellphone towers were set on fire in Quebec over the span of a few days.

A spokeswoman for the town of Prevost, Que., where a Rogers-operated tower was hit Monday, said in recent weeks that residents have brought up unfounded conspiracy theories linking 5G technology to COVID-19.

6:15 p.m: B.C. Premier John Horgan has announced the first stages of a gradual reopening plan for the provinces economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic  including opening parks for day use, opening schools on a voluntary basis, and allowing small social gatherings.

B.C.s COVID-19 economic reopening plan came Wednesday on the tail of plans released in Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan, and while Quebec is already planning a return to school for kids this month.

Weve put in place a plan that has slowed the growth of the virus and put us in pace for a safe restart of the economy, Horgan said. The good news is were already at Phase 1. That is because B.C. did not fully shut down.

Unlike most other provinces, B.C.s economic restrictions due to COVID-19 never extended broadly to non-essential businesses, meaning some book stores, shops and furniture stores remained open during the height of COVID-19 restrictions, as long as they could enforce physical distancing between shoppers.

Daycares for essential workers also remained open during Phase 1.

5.pm: Ontario passes both 20,000 cases and 1,500 deaths. As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, Ontario's regional public health units are reporting 20,032 confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19 with 1,543 deaths. With 429 more cases (up 2.2 per cent) and 58 more deaths, we've passed 20,000 and 1,500 on the same afternoon.

4:20 p.m.: Unlike the City of Mississauga, Toronto Mayor John Tory told reporters he is not looking to ban fireworks as Canada Day approaches. He said they may be used as long as people respect social distancing.

4:05 p.m. Dr. Eileen de Villa, Torontos Medical Officer of Health, is encouraging people to walk or bicycle when travelling in the city, rather than taking public transport, to reduce the spread of the virus.

We need to be careful not to undo our progress, she said.

4 p.m.: Mayor John Tory said Torontos streets will look different in the post-COVID-19 world. The mayor says the city will need more road space for walkers and bikers, and that a plan to accomplish this goal is in the works.

More bike lanes will also be ushered in on main streets like Bloor Street West. Busy streets next to parks or trails may also be completely closed on certain dates, such as weekends, to encourage physical distancing and reduce health risks. The initial goal for the city is 50 km of quiet streets, said Tory.

Tory says the city is now encouraging people to keep their distance rather than just staying home all the time.

The city has been facing increasing criticism of late for not providing enough outlets for residents to get outside while maintaining a safe distance from one another.

Officials have been reluctant to relax social distancing measures despite evidence that the rate of infections is slowing, for fear of losing ground and wasting the work that went into slowing the spread of the virus in Toronto.

Some of the moves will be temporary and some permanent.

2:15 p.m.: How many Ontarians are still getting COVID-19 in the community? The Stars Ed Tubb and Kenyon Wallace explains why the province cant say for sure,

2 p.m.: New Brunswick is reporting one new case of COVID-19, raising the provincial total to 120 cases.

The latest case is someone in their 20s in the Saint John area who had been in contact with a positive case in Ontario.

Dr. Jennifer Russell, the chief medical officer of health, says the New Brunswick resident was already self-isolating when they tested positive.

On Tuesday, Russell said a person who tested positive had flown into Moncton, N.B., on April 27 on a WestJet flight.

However, Russell says it has now been learned that the person had recovered from COVID-19 in Alberta before flying to New Brunswick. She says no notice should have been issued about that passenger.

No cases are in hospital in New Brunswick and 118 cases are considered recovered.

1:40 p.m.: Canadians are rallying behind their political leaders during the pandemic, a new poll suggests.

The Campaign Research survey for the Star found approval ratings for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Quebec Premier Francois Legault, and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe have soared amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Read the story from the Stars Robert Benzie.

1:30 p.m.: Mayor John Tory is optimistic Raptors can begin training again, within reason. Read the story from the Stars Doug Smith.

1:25 p.m.: Canadas chief public health officer says a COVID-19 outbreak gripping the northern Saskatchewan community of La Loche is an area of concern.

Dr. Theresa Tam says not only is the region remote, but theres Indigenous communities located nearby.

Health officials in Saskatchewan say the virus arrived in the Dene village 600 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon last month via travel from a work camp in northern Alberta.

It has since spread through the community, leading to the death of two people in long-term care homes and making the far north the region in the province with the most active cases.

1:20 p.m.: Quebec is reporting an additional 112 deaths from COVID-19, bringing the provincial total to 2,510.

The total number of cases has risen to 34,327, an increase of 910 from the previous day.

Of those cases, 8,284 are classified as recovered. There are 1,840 people in hospital, including 213 in intensive care.

Deputy premier Genevieve Guilbault announced a $31-million government action plan to combat mental health impacts of the pandemic.

1:18 p.m.: Premier Doug Ford says that as of Friday at 12:01 a.m., all nurseries and garden centres can open  not just curb side pickup and on Saturday hardware stores can fully open. Hardware stores will also be allowed to reopen Saturday. All retail stores with a street entrance can reopen for curb side pickup on Monday. That means shoes, clothes, etc.

1 p.m.: Ford is expected to address reporters at his daily briefing. A livestream of his news conference will be available at thestar.com

12:55 p.m.: Prince Edward Island is reporting no cases of COVID-19 Wednesday.

Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Heather Morrison, says 26 of the 27 cases on the Island are now considered recovered.

Morrison says there have been 250 complaints about people not following public health orders, resulting in 93 warnings and 16 charges.

12:45 p.m.: Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting no new cases of COVID-19. The province has confirmed 259 cases of the illness and 244 people have recovered.

Four people are in the hospital and two are in intensive care.

12:19 p.m. (updated): Canada is on track to complete its millionth test for COVID-19 sometime in the next 24 hours even as the countrys biggest province continues to struggle to hit its own testing target.

Dr. Theresa Tam, the chief public health officer of Canada, reported that as of Wednesday morning, more than 970,000 tests had been completed nationwide since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.

Canada has typically completed between 20,000 and 30,000 tests a day over the last week. Tam has previously said she would like to see about 60,000 tests a day.

11:55 a.m.: Senior Liberal cabinet minister Jean-Yves Duclos says members of the Canadian Armed Forces have now been deployed to 13 long term care facilities, most in and around Montreal.

Duclos, who is the president of the Treasury Board, says altogether about 1,000 members of the Forces will be deployed to assist, and that seven other sites have been identified for possible assistance from the CAF.

He says further information on where they are going will be released by the military and Quebec government.

The military had earlier said 24,000 personnel were being placed on standby to assist in COVID-19 relief efforts.

11:45 a.m.: The City of Toronto is opening a second COVID-19 recovery site for the homeless on Friday.

The new downtown site will have a capacity for up to 250 individuals who test positive for COVID-19. The City is operating the site with University Health Network, Inner City Health Associates and community health partners.

The new site will operate in addition to an existing 200-bed COVID-19 recovery site for homeless individuals that opened in April.

Among the primary goals of the recovery site is treating homeless patients with dignity in a clinical setting and ensuring they have a home to go to afterward  not a return to homelessness.

11:45 a.m.: The chief public health officer has acknowledged that the number of deaths as a result of COVID-19 in Canada has now exceeded the national projections for potentially 3,883 deaths by May 5.

Just over 4,100 people have died in Canada to date.

Dr. Theresa Tam says the increased number of deaths is due to the tragic fact that those who were infected weeks ago are now coming to the end stages of COVID-19, and are passing away, most often those in long-term care facilities.

But Tam points out that the epidemic still appears to be slowing down and that the doubling time for infections is now at about 20 days.

11:25 a.m.: Nova Scotia is reporting seven new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total to 998 confirmed cases. No new deaths were reported today leaving the provinces total at 41.

To date, the province has registered 31,541 negative test results. Health officials say five people are currently in hospital with two of those patients in intensive care, while 661 people

11:15 a.m.: Ontarios regional health units are reporting their lowest 24-hour period of COVID-19 case growth by percentage, according to the Stars latest count.

As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, Ontarios regional health units are reporting a total of 19,615 confirmed or probable cases of COVID-19, including 1,488 deaths.

With just 319 new cases reported provincewide since the same time Tuesday morning, the provinces overall case count rose by just 1.7 per cent  the lowest such increase the Star has counted and a rate thats down sharply from mid-March.

In the second half of that month, the province saw an average daily growth of 20 per cent, a rate that doubled Ontarios case count about every four days. In the first half of April, that rate slowed to an average of 9.5 per cent daily growth, and the second half of the month averaged about four per cent, or a doubling time of around two-and-a-half weeks.

A 1.7 per cent daily increase would double the provinces case count about every 40 days.

Still: Ontarios public health units continue to report large numbers of new deaths, with 49 more reported since 11 a.m. Tuesday; as new cases have been falling in recent weeks, the trend in the daily count of new deaths has continued to go up.

Because many health units publish tallies before reporting to Public Health Ontario, the Stars count is more current than the data the province puts out each morning.

Earlier Wednesday, the province said 1,032 patients are now hospitalized with COVID-19, including 219 in intensive care, of whom 174 are on a ventilator  numbers that fluctuated up and down in recent weeks. The province also says more than 13,000 patients who have tested positive for the coronavirus have now recovered from the disease  about two-thirds of the total infected.

The province says its data is accurate to 4 p.m. the previous day. The province also cautions its latest count of total deaths  1,429  may be incomplete or out of date due to delays in the reporting system, saying that in the event of a discrepancy, data reported by (the health units) should be considered the most up to date.

The Stars count, includes some patients reported as probable COVID-19 cases, meaning they have symptoms and contacts or travel history that indicate they very likely have the disease, but have not yet received a positive lab test.

11:10 a.m.: The countrys chief public health officer says to date, more than 970,000 people have been tested for COVID-19 in Canada.

Dr. Theresa Tam says about six per cent of those tests were positive.

The number of tests being carried out in Canada are of increased importance as provinces begin to slowly reopen their economies in tandem with increased COVID-19 surveillance.

10:43 a.m.: The Canadian Pharmacists Association says ongoing drug shortages mean pharmacies are receiving short shipments from manufacturers, leaving them to try to adjust on the fly.

The association first warned of the possibility of looming shortages in early March, when supply chains were disrupted by COVID-19 in China.

While Canada has seen a spike in shortages since then, it hasnt developed into the emergency situation some health officials had feared.

Barry Power with the association says manufacturers and wholesalers have told them the rationing measures pharmacies are taking are helping to reduce demand.

Many pharmacies have instituted a 30-day limit on the quantity of drugs they dispense at once  which has an impact on some patients who have to pay more frequent dispensing fees.

Power says the association is working with Health Canada to decide when those restrictions should be lifted.

10:40 a.m.: Ontario is reporting that 12,961 tests were done Tuesday. The province had said it would be doing 16,000 tests a day by now. On Tuesday, Premier Doug Ford was blaming half of Ontarios regional medical officers of health for low testing rates.

10:16 a.m.: One day after saying that the COVID-19 task force would be winding down, President Donald Trump said Wednesday that it would continue indefinitely, but focus more on rebooting the economy.

Trump tweeted that the panels focus would be on SAFETY & OPENING UP OUR COUNTRY AGAIN.

Trumps reversal comes as deaths and infections rates outside of New York, the epicentre of the coronavirus, are rising even as states move to lift their lockdowns.

9:15 a.m.: LCBO will be extending hours starting May 14. Some 360 outlets, which had been in reduced hours during the pandemic, will be open 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays.

9 a.m.: City of Toronto staff will be enhancing protections for the fox family that has taken up residence under the Woodbine Beach boardwalk.

While being shown images of people standing close together to photograph the animals, Tory on Wednesday told CP24 the makeshift barriers around their den will be improved and physical distancing ticketing considered.

The city tried a common-sense laissez-faire approach to keep people at a distance from the foxes. But crowds persist which isnt good for the animals or the potential spread of COVID-19 between onlookers, the mayor said.

The whole idea is not to have crowd scenes, whether its for foxes or cherry blossoms or anything else, so that we wont be spreading the virus, Tory said, adding High Park will reopen very soon once the blossoms pass their peak.

Tory also told CP24 that the citys property tax deferral to help people hurt by the COVID-19 shutdown wont be extended past June, and he expects the city and province to soon say if the Toronto Raptors can start practising with a couple of athletes and a couple of trainers at a time.

8:20 a.m.: Ontario is extending a period of lower hydro rates as well as its emergency orders.

The orders, which were set to expire today, include the closure of non-essential businesses, the prohibition of public gatherings of more than five people, and the closure of outdoor amenities such as playgrounds.

They have now been extended for another two weeks, to May 19.

Ontarios overall declaration of a state of emergency was extended last month to May 12.

The government also says that it will extend lower electricity rates for residential consumers, farms and small businesses to May 31.

An initial order from March for off-peak rates to be charged all day had been set to expire this week.

8:15 a.m.: Premier Doug Fords government is further liberalizing Ontarios liquor laws as a prescription for helping an ailing restaurant sector stricken by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has lowered the minimum price that restaurants and bars are allowed to sell gin, rum, tequila, vodka, and whiskey.

7:30 a.m. Having already turned Scotiabank Arena into a giant kitchen, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment is adding BMO Field to the cooking mix.

With the help of sponsor BMO, the lakefront stadium is being repurposed to add more kitchen muscle to help produce meals for Torontos front-line health-care workers and the citys most vulnerable during the global pandemic.

Adding BMO Fields primary kitchen is expected to increase the number of daily meals to up to 13,000 from the initial goal of 10,000. The program total to date should hit the 100,000-meal milestone this week.

The program is taking advantage of the nine kitchens at Scotiabank Arena.

MLSE culinary director Chris Zielinski has some 25 chefs at work along with 75 support staff assembling the meals at the two venues. Its an army, he said.

5:33 a.m.: The Disneyland theme park in Shanghai will reopen May 11. Visits will be limited initially and must be booked in advance, and the company said it will increase cleaning and require social distancing in lines for the various attractions.

With warmer weather and new virus cases and deaths falling to near-zero, China has been reopening tourist sites such as the Great Wall and the Forbidden City palace complex in Beijing.

5:27 a.m.: Health officials are rushing to contain the spread of the coronavirus in Indias southern city of Chennai, where a large cluster has been identified among people at one of the countrys largest markets for fruit, vegetables and flowers.

The busy Koyambedu market, with 500 shops spread over 250 acres, is central to the food supply chain in Tamil Nadu and neighbouring states. It had remained open through Indias nationwide lockdown, and hundreds of traders visited regularly until the market was shut on Monday after the viral cluster was detected.

Some 7,000 people connected to the market were being traced and quarantined, J. Radhakrishnan, the nodal officer for COVID-19 in Chennai told The Associated Press late Tuesday.

5:15 a.m.: The coronavirus has delayed Indonesian regional elections being decided by more than 100 million voters.

President Joko Widodo signed a regulation that would move the elections from September to December or later depending on the pandemic situation, the State Secretariat website said. The vote would elect 9 governors, 37 mayors and 224 district chiefs across the archipelago.

5:10 a.m.: A senior government scientist is alleging that the Trump administration failed to prepare for the onslaught of the coronavirus in spite of his repeated warnings earlier this year.

Dr. Rick Bright, former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, also alleges in his whistleblower complaint that he was reassigned to a lesser role because he resisted political pressure to allow widespread use of hydroxychloroquine.

U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed the malaria drug as a treatment for COVID-19, but the Food and Drug Administration now warns doctors against prescribing it except in hospitals and research studies.

4 a.m.: The Trudeau government is expected to face a grilling today from opposition parties over its handling of the COVID-19 crisis.

A small number of MPs are to convene for a once-a-week, in-person sitting of the House of Commons and they are expected to zero in on the perceived deficiencies of the billions of dollars in emergency aid programs the federal government has implemented to cushion the economic impact of the pandemic.

Among the criticisms, the outraged reaction of Canadian farmers to the $252 million in support announced Tuesday for the agri-food sector  far less than the $2.6 billion deemed necessary by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.

1 a.m.: New York Citys subway system went silent in the early morning hours of Wednesday, as part of a plan for the normally round-the-clock system to shut down for train cleaning.

The trains, which had been running on a reduced schedule since late March, are now going to be stopped from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. each day.

Fewer trains would be running in the overnight hours anyway, but the shutdown allows for daily cleanings and for city workers to move homeless people who have been more visible in subway cars during the coronavirus.

Tuesday 8:45 p.m.: At least 10 taxi and limo drivers working out of Pearson International Airport have died since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, including three more since Friday, the drivers union says.

Those drivers include Karam Singh Punian, who died Monday, and Akashdip Grewal, who died Friday, said Rajinder Aujla, president of the Airport Taxi Association, which represents about 700 drivers operating about 350 vehicles licenced to pick up passengers at Pearson.

Full story by the Stars Kevin McGran here.

Tuesday 6:20 p.m.: Mount Pleasant Cemetery Group is looking at opening its cemeteries on the day before and the day after Mothers Day to allow people to pay their respects to loved ones who have passed away, Mayor John Tory said, speaking at the daily city hall press conference.

Tory said the decision was discussed with the cemeterys provincial regulator and the citys medical officer of health, following on the heels of discussions with Coun. Josh Matlow.

He said families will have to abide by social distancing rules and avoid mingling with others at the cemetery, and respect current provincial regulations limiting the size of groups to a maximum of five people.

Read more of Tuesdays coverage here.

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More Than Half of Workers at Tyson Meat Factory Test Positive for CCP Virus

More than half of the workers at a Tyson Foods pork processing plant in Perry, Iowa, have tested positive for the CCP virus, commonly referred to as novel coronavirus, health officials announced May 5.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Dr. Caitlin Pedati, Medical Director of the Iowa Department of Public Health, said she had approved the release of testing results of employees at a number of Iowa meatpacking plants and TPI Composites in Newton, deeming it necessary to protect the public health. Each of the facilities has a confirmed outbreak, meaning 10 percent or more of the workforce in a single location is sick or absent.

Sarah Reisetter, Deputy Director of the Iowa Department of Public Health said that a total of 730 workers at the plant in Perry had contracted the virus, representing 58 percent of its staff, reported WHOtv.

Iowa Premium Beef in Tama saw 258 positive tests, or 39 percent of its workforce, Reisetter said, while the Tyson plant in Columbus Junction had 221 positive tests, or 26 percent of its workforce. Tysons Waterloo facility had 444 positive cases, representing 17 percent of its employees, and TPI Composites in Newton had 131 positive tests, or 13 percent of its workforce.

Reisetter added that the department appreciated employers working with them to offer testing to employees as identification and isolation of ill workers helps to prevent the spread of the virus within the community.

In a statement issued on Monday, Tyson Foods said that operationally, we have and expect to continue to face slowdowns and temporary idling of production facilities from team member shortages or choices we make to ensure operational safety.

The lower levels of productivity and higher costs of production we have experienced will likely continue in the short term until the effects of COVID-19 diminish, the company added.

The company also said that the health and well-being of its staff remains a top priority as we fulfill our critical role feeding the world in these uncertain times, and that it has instituted safeguards that meet or exceed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines at all [its] facilities to ensure the safety of its staff.

A number of meat and poultry plants across the United States have shut down in recent weeks after employees contracted the virus, leading to warnings from top executives that a shortage may hit the country soon.

Last week, President Donald Trump signed a Defense Production Act order, designating meat processing plants as critical infrastructure and compelling them to stay open. Trump said he will also provide liability protection.

Read More Republican Congressional Leaders Push for Liability Protections
Armenias Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had a telephone conversation with Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on the latters initiative.

The PM presented the COVID-19 situation in Armenia, and the steps being taken by the countrys government to fight against it.

The interlocutors exchanged views on the global situation caused by this pandemic.

PM Pashinyan underscored the work of the WHO in the current situation.

The parties also discussed the cooperation between the Armenian government and the WHO, as well as the prospects for its expansion.
Pauline Hanson has called for JobSeeker payments to be cut off if a person has been unemployed for more than two years.

She also criticised the decision to double the payment to $1,100 during the coronavirus pandemic, saying those already on it should not receive an increase.

In what Scott Morrison described as 'super-charging the safety net', the $550-a-fortnight payment was doubled to $1,100 to help households stay afloat.

The inflated payments came into effect on April 27 and applied to all recipients, not just those left unemployed by the COVID-19 outbreak.

But even before that adjustment, which came into effect on April 27, many out of work were already experiencing problems getting the payments.

'That's causing problems, it is blowing out our budget,' One Nation leader Ms Hanson told the Sydney Morning Herald.

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One Nation leader Pauline Hanson (pictured) called for a limit to be brought in to stop JobSeeker payments after two years

Pictured: An empty restaurant area at the Notting Hill Pub in Melbourne on March 23. Australian National University microbiology professor Peter Collignon said venues may at first need to close their indoor seating area to reduce coronavirus transmission

'By increasing their Newstart allowances there's no incentive to go out and find work.'

Calling long-term out-of-work payments a 'big mistake', Ms Hanson said people should be cut off from the public purse.

'After this they should only [be paid] Newstart allowance for two years and if you don't get a job within those two years you should lose it for a year.'

But she made an exception for recipients over the age of 50, conceding that it was harder for them to find a job.

Ms Hanson also criticised the government's JobKeeper package, which offers $1,500-a-fortnight to workers so they can retain their jobs.

A large number of shops in New South Wales are still closed (pictured, Sydney's QVB on April 20) but have been closed for more than a month, leaving thousands unemployed

She said the amount paid through the scheme should be directly link to how many hours they work, rather than a blanket amount for all workers - full and part-time.

As the coronavirus outbreak spread, the government vowed to up the JobSeeker payments, as well as passing a $130billion JobKeeper package.

Unveiling the laws on March 22, the prime minister said: 'We will be focusing on those in the front line, those who will be feeling the first blows of the economic impact of the coronavirus.

'We will be supercharging our safety net and supporting the most vulnerable to the impacts of the crisis, those who will feel those first blows.'

The measures doubled income support for those on JobSeeker, previously known as Newstart, and also offered more support for pensioners and carers.

The coronavirus lockdown has left shopping centres deserted as retailers temporarily close their doors (pictured, Westfield in Parramatta on April 1) leaving many out of work

It also introduced grants of up to $100,000 for small and medium-sized businesses.

The unprecedented stimulus package also gave millions of workers, including foreigners on working visas, early access to $20,000 from their superannuation.

This is only if they can prove they face financial hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic.

To help the country recover from the COVID-19 restrictions, which have left almost one million Australians unemployed, Ms Hanson called for home-grown business to be championed.

Shock figures on Tuesday showed almost one million workers had lost their jobs due to strict social distancing measures forcing businesses to close.

The number of jobs dropped by 7.5 per cent between March 14 and April 18, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

A group enjoy last drinks at the Pyrmont Bridge Hotel on March 22, the last night before pubs were shut down across Australia

People line up outside of a Centrelink office in Melbourne on April 20, after the coronavirus pandemic left thousands out of work

Ms Hanson said governments should be ensuring it 'only buys Australian-made products where possible' and procures items from local companies.

Meanwhile, workers struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic are urging the government to not revert JobSeeker payments to their pre-coronavirus levels.

The government has signalled the payments will revert back to $550 at the end of September, when it predicts the worst of COVID-19 will be over.

Anti-poverty charities called the previous payment, which left unemployed people with $40-a-day, 'cruel and brutal'.

A fortnightly survey, the Essential Poll, found that 57 per cent of Australians wanted the inflated JobSeeker payments to stay.

The world-famous Opera Bar at Sydney's Opera House is seen closed on March 23 (pictured) due to the coronavirus pandemic

WHAT DOES MY BUSINESS NEED TO DO TO REOPEN SOON? Businesses are encouraged to create a 'COVID-safe workplace' to reopen. - Limit the number of people allowed in-store at any one time - Encourage customers to shop alone - Schedule deliveries to avoid crowding - Clean regularly-touched surfaces, such as door handles, lift buttons and hand rails - Use floor markings to remind customers to maintain a distance of 1.5m - Encourage customers to download the COVIDSafe contact tracing app Advertisement

Of the 1,093 people surveyed, 15 per cent were unsure about the payment.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has said the payments are intended to help people find work, not leave them on welfare long-term.

'We have been very clear that the measures we have announced are temporary,' he said.

Australian Council of Social Service chief Cassandra Goldie says the JobSeeker payment, formerly known as Newstart, must be enough for people to survive.

'It's clear we need a permanent fix to our social safety net. Our income support system was cruel before this crisis began,' Ms Goldie said.

'We can never go back to the brutality of trying to survive on $40 a day. We need a secure safety net that protects us all from poverty.'

The Bavarian bar at Manly Wharf is seen closed on March 25 (pictured) due to the coronavirus lockdown, but ministers hinted restrictions may soon be lifted

A woman\ wearing a protective mask waits in line at a Centrelink office in the Bondi Junction suburb of Sydney on March 24

The new supplement to JobSeeker payments began on April 27, alongside the $130 billion JobKeeper package.

Those $1,500-a-fortnight payments started to be sent to employees on Wednesday.

Labor also supports an increase in the JobSeeker payments, while Ms Goldie warned that reducing the rate after the pandemic would stall economic recovery.

'We need a decent social security safety net in place that works at all times,' she said.

Last week, it was revealed that more than 1.34 million people were on the JobSeeker allowance.

The number of people who are currently not working may be even higher as those on the JobKeeker allowance are not included in the figures.

Although they are not working, JobKeeker recipients are still technically employed as they are payed by their employers while the government subsidies their wages.

The government has budgeted the $1,500-a-fortnight JobKeeper allowance based on the prediction that 6.6 million people will apply for the benefit in the next six months.

People line up outside of a Centrelink office in Melbourne on April 20, after the coronavirus pandemic left thousands out of work
If China develops a coronavirus vaccine before the U.S. does, national security fears that it will use it for econonomic leverage. Both the U.S. and China are rushing to create a vaccine that will benefit the world or one that will create something far worse.

The mainland government will treat the whole world like another China and leverage the vaccine as a bargaining chip to any country opposed to them.

Most countries are coordinating to make a vaccine for COVID-19 that has infected 3.3 million all over the globe, but China and the US are developing it themselves. NPR reports that China has been trying and hacking the US coronavirus database, raising accusations that China is purloining data that is not theirs.

One national security official added that China is hell-bent on creating a cure that they could use to rule the world. This once again stressed that China is not to be trusted one bit.

A report was published last Sunday about a vaccine war, many national security officials, public health experts are wary of what China will do with a vaccine.

One of the key elements to the strategy of the Chinese Communist Party's propaganda efforts is to leverage on western nations about what they demand if they acquire it first. Which would put countries like the U.S. and UK, with other states in a bad place.

Matt Kroenig, former Pentagon and CIA official said,"Often, Chinese offers of aid come with strings attached." China cannot be trusted according to Kroenig.

He added that China is fearful of U.S. influence and that they will use anything to disadvantage America.

Also read: China Crying 'Blackmail' After World Leaders Accuse Them of Creating Pandemic

Recent changes from the Five Eyes Alliance reveal that China hid and knowingly propagated the spread of the virus which has branded the mainland Communists as power mongers, but China wants to rewrite lying about the virus and doing nasty things to those opposed to them.

In one admonition, one national security official said that China's head start in vaccine research is a danger to everyone opposed to them.

The official alleged that China has been thieving and stopping at nothing to steal any research, and claim it as their own. Whatever they have is not 100% Chinese, they want to be seen as 'very benevolent [with the vaccine] so as not to be seen as a pariah.'

According to Politico, Chinese intelligence and national assets are hacking into "hard-earned research" by the U.S. to claim and use the purloined information as their own. China is now desperate after they foisted the virus, and maybe paying for it as well.

China wants to displace opposition to it, with diplomatic leverage and the vaccines will give it an economic advantage by vaccinating its workforce, to resume economic activity.

Dr. Ross Mckinney Jr, chief scientific officer at the Association of American Medical Colleges, revealed to Politico that the vaccine is the key for China to dominate the world economy.

Kroenig even scoffed at the ideas of nations trusting China to deliver a working and not faulty vaccine, after sending tonnes of sub-par and less than acceptable PPE's to Europe.

The US has 30 formal treaty allies with leading scientific research communities, while China is limited.

Related article: Shocking Evidence from Western Intelligence Claims to Prove China's Lies, Misdirection of Coronavirus

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
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Linkedin Paul Handley (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Wed, May 6, 2020 09:45 623 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd63c9a9 2 World US-China,coronavirus,COVID-19,cybersecurity,intelligence,pandemic,bilateral-spat Free

President Donald Trump's pick to lead the US intelligence community said Tuesday that he would focus on China as the country's greatest threat, saying Beijing was determined to supplant the United States' superpower position.

But John Ratcliffe, an outspoken Trump defender nominated to become director of national intelligence, came under pressure in a Senate confirmation hearing over whether he would politicize the intelligence process to keep the president happy.

It's the second time Ratcliffe has sought the crucial position -- which has lacked a permanent office holder for nearly nine months -- after he withdrew from consideration in August following questions over his experience and credentials.

"I view China as the greatest threat actor right now," Ratcliffe, a Republican congressman from Texas, told the Senate Intelligence Committee.

"Look with respect to COVID-19 and the role China plays; the race to 5G; cybersecurity issues: all roads lead to China," he told the panel.

He cited China's geopolitical thrust through its "Belt and Road" global infrastructure initiative, its programs to acquire strategic technologies quickly, and its "military-civil fusion initiative" that keeps the private sector beholden to government priorities.

"These are all spokes of the same initiative and that's for China to supplant us as the world's superpower."

Ratcliffe added: "We very clearly don't want an authoritarian regime like the Chinese Communist Party setting standards in the world marketplace."

Other officials forced out

Ratcliffe appeared before the first committee hearing held in Congress after a weeks-long hiatus forced by coronavirus, with masks required for those not speaking and hand sanitizer accompanying bottles of water for those addressing the chamber.

The director of national intelligence job has been vacant since Dan Coats, who was regularly at odds with the president, left in August. Trump then forced out other top intelligence officials who were, like Coats, seen as not politically loyal to the White House.

Trump has repeatedly accused the US intelligence community of plotting against him as a "deep state," fuelling increasing resentment among the US spy community.

In July Trump first nominated Ratcliffe as DNI but he quickly withdrew in the face of strong resistance in Congress, even from among some senior Republicans. Lawmakers faulted him for an extremely thin resume on national security matters -- just one year serving on the House Intelligence Committee.

The DNI job requires overseeing and coordinating 16 other intelligence bodies, including the CIA, the National Security Agency, and the FBI's counterintelligence division.

Trump then named counterterrorism official Joseph Maguire as acting DNI, only to remove him in February after a Maguire aide told Congress that Russia was meddling in the 2020 election and had developed a preference for Trump.

Trump then named his ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, another strong political defender, as acting DNI, and renominated Ratcliffe as permanent DNI.

That has left the Democrats and Republicans who opposed Ratcliffe last year -- including, it is believed, Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr -- caught between approving him as permanent DNI or accepting Grenell in the job for another half year.

Ratcliffe stressed in the hearing that he would "speak truth to power" and not shape intelligence reports to the president's preferences.

But Democrats expressed doubts, noting his rejection of the intelligence community's conclusion that Russia tried to help Trump in the 2016 election.

"Never has anyone more unqualified been formally nominated by a president to lead the US intelligence community," former CIA chief of staff Larry Pfeiffer wrote of Ratcliffe Tuesday.

However, he said on Twitter the committee should confirm him in the job, "because there's never been anyone less qualified to sit in the DNI's chair that the current acting DNI Ric Grenell."
Activists hold placards during a protest rally in front of the ABS-CBN headquarters in Quezon City, near the Philippine capital Manila, May 5, 2020.

The Philippine government faced a heavy backlash Wednesday for shutting down the nations largest broadcaster, with critics saying the ABS-CBN network was an important news source during the coronavirus pandemic, as authorities reported that infections had surged past 10,000.

The Philippines reached the milestone a day after the spokesman for President Rodrigo Duterte said that the COVID-19 curve had begun to flatten. Duterte had criticized ABS-CBN, a television, radio and online network, over its unrelenting reporting of his administrations much-maligned drug war.

Critics said the forced closure of the television, radio and online network could undermine the governments efforts to control the deadly virus, because ABS-CBNs massive audience reach had helped save lives by disseminating information related to the pandemic.

Closing down ABS-CBN costs lives, on top of unnecessarily burdening the thousands who will lose their jobs, Vice President Leni Robredo, the opposition leader who has had her differences with Duterte, said in a statement.

The networks programs went off the air Tuesday after its 25-year franchise license expired and telecoms regulators ordered the media giant to cease operations. Congress, the government branch with the authority to issue a new license, sat for more than three years on an application to renew the networks franchise.

The shutdown of ABS-CBN likely will cause coronavirus cases to rise even more, said Congressman Joey Salceda, citing research done by his team.

Essentially this thing will cost us 2,600 more infections, Salceda, an ally of the Duterte administration, said over the ANC cable news channel. In short, it has a direct impact on something that were trying to deal with, so it is an existential threat to the country.

The Malacanang Press Corps, an association of dozens of reporters who regularly cover the presidential palace, condemned the TV networks shutdown as a shameless and blatant attack on press freedom.

The confluence of events shows us that this is an orchestrated attack in part against ABS-CBN, and on the whole, an attack against press freedom by agents of the government, the group said in a statement. It did not elaborate.

Rights groups as well as press organizations in Asia and elsewhere also questioned the shutdown of the network, which has more than 11,000 employees.

Human Rights Watch called it a despotic move to silence a media firm.

The New York-based watchdog viewed the development with deep concern, said Phil Robertson, its deputy director for Asia.

This also comes at the worst possible time, when the COVID-19 pandemic is ravaging countries like the Philippines and when accurate and truthful information is needed crucially, he said in a statement.

Secretary Carlito Galvez, head of the governments COVID-19 taskforce, declined to wade into legal matters against ABS-CBN, but he underscored that the media had been a great help in publicizing information on our new normal.

We have seen that ABS-CBNs impact on our information campaign for our citizens has really been big, Galvez told reporters Wednesday.

ABS-CBN was ordered to go off the air by the National Telecommunications Commission, a regulatory panel, because its license, which expired Monday, had not been renewed by Congress, as required by law.

The network shut down its operations two days after United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told an online dialogue that journalists are key to countering the dangerous outbreak of misinformation accompanying the COVID-19 pandemic.

Guterres highlighted the importance of impartial news media at a time when harmful health advice, hate speech and wild conspiracy theories are rising, and blatant lies are being spread online at a dizzying rate.



The antidote to this pandemic of misinformation is fact-based news and analysis. It depends on media freedom and independent reporting, he said.

ABS-CBN was one of two Filipino media companies that Duterte had publicly ridiculed in his speeches for their unflinching coverage of his drug war, which has left an estimated 6,000 dead since he took office in mid-2016.

The other one, online news site Rappler, whose foreign investors were earlier forced to transfer their shares to their Filipino partners after they came under attack from the president, who claimed they were controlled by foreign agents. Its chief executive, Maria Ressa, however, faces several court cases that she has branded as harassment.

We need to revive the economy

On Wednesday, the Department of Health confirmed 320 new coronavirus cases and 21 deaths, taking the nations cumulative tally to 10,004 with a death toll of 658 and 1,506 recoveries. Among those with infections were 1,859 health workers, who were under quarantine while being treated, the department said.

The day before, presidential spokesman Harry Roque pronounced that the government was seeing a flattening of infection rates, as he hinted that a regionwide coronavirus lockdown may not be extended beyond May 15.

Roque said the government was taking all things into consideration, as he emphasized that the already weakening economy needed a shot in the arm amid the crisis.

Remember, it is a confluence of how fast the disease spreads and the governments capacity to provide care to the economy. That is what we are looking for, he told reporters Tuesday, noting that we need to revive the economy.

In a way, we can say it has begun to flatten, Roque said, referring to how the daily numbers of new confirmed cases were not as high as in previous weeks.

With most businesses now shut for more than a month, mainly in the main Luzon Island and other major cities, the countrys overall trade has taken a beating, with total merchandise trade dropping to about U.S. $11.44 billion in March  its lowest level in two years, government figures show.

The number was about 26 percent lower than the $15.4 billion recorded in the same period last year, with both exports and imports registering significant drops, according to the states economic planning office.

Merchandise trade may recover in 2021, but this will depend on how fast we can contain the spread of COVID-19 and mitigate its economic impact through government polices to support affected industries and workers, socio-economic planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said in a statement Wednesday.
Yaw Michael

06.05.2020 LISTEN

THE EFFIDUASE Magistrate Court in the Ashanti Region has sentenced a 27-year-old fetish priest at Effiduase to two years' imprisonment for attempting to exhume the corpse of one Francis Kwabena Agyapong, who was buried recently.

The court presided over by Michael Derrick Ocloo, sentenced Yaw Michael after pleading guilty to the charge of causing unlawful damage, contrary to section 172 of Act 29/60.

The Effiduase District Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Asare Bediako, who briefed DAILY GUIDE, said on April 13, 2020, the deceased, a form two student of Ejisu Senior High Technical School, was shot by some armed robbers when he was going to a building site to mould some concrete blocks.

He said the armed robbers shot the deceased in the abdomen after they had robbed him of his mobile phone and GH10.00 at a place close to Effiduase Roman Catholic Church.

Kwabena Agyapong was first rushed to the Effiduase Government Hospital before being referred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) where he died the following day.

On April 20 at about 2:00pm, the deceased was buried at the Effiduase Cemetery. But 30 minutes later, the police received information that the convict had gone to the grave yard in an attempt to exhume Kwabena Agyapong's body.

The police rushed to the scene and found the convicted fetish priest tampering with some concrete slabs that had been used to cover the grave of the deceased.

Yaw Michael told investigators that he saw in a dream how Agyapong's killers had kept his spirit in a bottle placed in the coffin so he was at the cemetery to dig his grave and free his spirit so he could avenge his death.

Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent Asare Bediako has disclosed to DAILY GUIDE that three persons have been arrested and put before the same court in connection with the murder of the deceased.

Suspects Kelvin Nyarko Boateng, 21, alias Bush; Muhamadu Ibrahim, 22, alias Survival; and Kwadwo Boamah Boateng, 63, have been remanded in police custody to reappear on May 6, 2020.

---Daily Guide
For many drivers, car insurance might be too expensive. Fortunately, insurance providers offer numerous discounts to make their policies more affordable, said Gurgu C, Project Manager of Internet Marketing Company.

Car insurance is a frustrating but necessary factor in car ownership. Obtaining the best policy possible is not that easy and many drivers are likely to run into some common issues and questions about the process. Luckily, there are many discounts offered across the car insurance industry to make insurance policies more affordable.

Drivers who are shopping around for a new car insurance company and policy should check if the following discounts are offered and if they meet the eligibility requirements:



Loyalty discount. To get a loyalty discount, drivers should ask their insurers whether a discount is offered, how long they will need to be a customer to be eligible, and any other terms that might apply. Insurance companies apply the discount after a predetermined period of time, and some companies will increase the discount the longer the drivers remain a customer.

Good student discounts. High school and college students are often eligible for discounts. Insurers offer this discount to students with good grades because they believe that a good student is likely to be a more responsible driver than a mediocre or poor student.

Bundling or multipolicy discounts. Most insurance providers offer a discount for customers who purchase two or more policies together. Policyholders can bundle their car insurance policies with other policies such as homeowners insurance, boat insurance, or renters insurance.

Good driving discounts. Generally, there are two types of good driving discounts: those offered to drivers who maintain a clean driving record free of crashes and moving violations, and those offered to drivers who opt-in to tracking programs. Drivers who keep a clean driving record can save about 5% on their policies, while drivers who opt-in for a tracking program are likely to save way more.

Defensive driving discounts. Drivers who successfully complete an approved driver training course are eligible for a defensive driving discount. However, drivers should check if their insurers offer this discount to them.

Employer/ affinity group discounts. Drivers who work for a company that has negotiated a bulk rate with a certain insurance company are eligible for this type of discount. A typical affinity group discount can be anywhere from 5% to 20%, though the actual savings depend on the terms the employer negotiated with the insurer.

Teacher discounts. Many major auto insurance companies offer special discounts, rates, or perks, especially for teachers and educators.

Military and veteran discounts. Most car insurance providers offer special rates or discounts to active military personnel, veterans, and their families. Insurance providers can offer perks like discounts on vehicles parked on a military base and discounts on vehicles stored during active deployment.

Safety gear discounts. Unfortunately, safety equipment discounts arent that common anymore. Most new vehicles are equipped with technology that reduces or minimizes the risk and impact of a crash. Only a few insurers offer specific discounts for vehicles with such features. Insurers say that, in general, customers with such vehicles already pay lower rates for vehicles with safety features such as anti-lock brakes.

Low mileage discounts. Insurance providers are offering this discount to drivers who drive less than a certain amount of miles, usually less than 15,000 miles per year.

For additional info, money-saving tips and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/

Compare-autoinsurance.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc.
My Irish ancestors all came to America between 1847 and 1849  during the time of An Gorta Mor, the Great Hunger, when the British Empire hoarded all the food they were producing on colonized Irish land and left the native people with nothing but diseased potatoes to survive. This plight resonated with the Choctaw Nation, who lived in and around modern-day Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana, and of course had had their own experiences with a systematic genocide at the hands of a land-greedy colonizing force just a decade earlier. So the Choctaw rallied their resources, and sent $170 over the Atlantic to the starving people in Ireland  the equivalent of either $5,000 or $20,000 dollars today, depending on your calculations.

To commemorate this generous act, a statue was erected in Midleton, County Cork in 2017.

But solidarity is even better than a statue. Which is why, as Native Americans have disproportionately suffered from the impacts of COVID-19, Irish people rallied to the cause, raising more than a million dollars for the Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund on GoFundMe in just a few days. The effort was largely spearheaded  or at least publicized  by Irish journalist Naomi O'Leary, who also spoke about the historical relationship and the legacy of colonialism on the Irish Passport podcast:

More than $1 million has now been added to the Navajo & Hopi relief fund since it began going viral in Ireland.

I explain the history of solidarity between Irish people and Native Americans and the legacy of colonialism in this new @PassportIrish episode: https://t.co/YQZliigGSi  Naomi O'Leary (@NaomiOhReally) May 6, 2020

From O'Leary's Irish Times article on the initiative:

Many comments on the GoFundMe page referenced the Choctaw donation. Some read "Ni neart go cur le cheile" ["No strength without unity"] and others simply "Ireland remembers". "173 years ago, the people of the Choctaw nation showed Ireland unimaginable generosity," wrote donor Michael Foy. "I am donating today in memory of our shared past, and to help overcome this crisis together  just as we did nearly two centuries ago." Cassandra Begay, a member of the Navajo Nation and one of the team organising the fundraiser, burst into tears as she told The Irish Times of seeing the donations flood in. "We noticed that we were getting a lot of donations from Ireland so we were wondering why . . . sorry I get emotional talking about this part," Ms Begay broke off. "And I learned about what the Choctaw did for the Irish people, and it was so beautiful."

You can still support the Navajo and Hopi GoFundMe campaign, which is up to $2.5 million as of this writing.

Coronavirus: Irish donate to hard-hit Native Americans to repay famine aid [Naomi O'Leary / The Irish Times]

Irish return an old favor, helping Native Americans battling the virus [Ed O'Loughlin and Mihir Zaveri / The New York Times]

Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund

Image: Kindred Spirits Choctaw Memorial in Midleton, Co. Cork, Eire, taken by Gavin Sheridan via Wikimedia Commons/CC 4.0
The Delhi government on Wednesday launched a Twitter handle for addressing COVID-19 related queries and complaints of the people.

The handle @DelhiVsCorona will ensure authentic information about the disease and serve as a one-stop solution for all the COVID-19 related queries and complaints, the government said in a statement.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has formed a team to monitor this Twitter handle. The team will gather live status of the situation in the government hospitals and provide authentic information on COVID-19, it said.

"The team will also respond and solve the issues of patients and doctors in the Delhi government hospitals."



Twitter users can tag @DelhiVsCorona and tweet with their queries regarding ration, checkups, hospital-related queries or any other COVID-19 related questions, the statement read.

"The team of representatives will ensure swift and speedy action on the issues related to COVID-19 treatment raised on Twitter. This will help reduce panic and anxiety amongst the citizens of Delhi," added the statement.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
There were 610,637 enterprises in Vietnam as of December 31, 2018, up 9% over the same period in the previous year. Among them, 44.1% were generating profit, 7.5% posted a breakeven situation while 48.4% were operating at a loss.

About 78.5% of State-owned enterprises were operating profitably, 2.2% of enterprises confirmed breakeven and 19.3% of enterprises reported losses.

Meanwhile, the foreign direct investment (FDI) sector posted 51.5% of enterprises seeing profit, 1.9% of enterprises at breakeven and 46.6% with losses.

The private sector occupied 96.9% of total enterprises but it was the least efficient business sector. Only 43.7% of private enterprises made a profit while 7.7% of enterprises reported at breakeven and 48.6% of enterprises suffered losses.

Therefore, the revenue of the private sector and income of workers in this sector were at a lower level compared to the State sector and foreign sector.

However, the private sector is the only sector that generated a two-digit increase in pre-tax profit compared to the previous year.

The private sector has grown rapidly in the past two years, contributing greatly to the country's GDP growth. But the productivity, quality and efficiency of this sector are lower than that of State and FDI sectors for many reasons.

An important reason is that private enterprises mainly are micro and small scale, so they do not have sufficient ability regarding capital, labour, advanced technology, and management capacity in order to meet development requirements.

The majority of private enterprises are operating in the field of wholesale, retail, restaurants and catering services which are vulnerable areas.

Notably, since early 2020, this business line has been badly affected and suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the "health" of Vietnamese enterprises continues to weaken compared to the overall picture published in the White Book 2020.

Enterprises are the main growth engine of the Vietnamese economy, contributing up to 60% to national GDP. Therefore, promoting the growth, productivity, quality and efficiency of enterprises is also necessary to boost sustainable economic growth.

Experts recommend that State agencies should continue to improve the legal environment, mechanisms and policies for enterprises towards a reduction in business costs and a simplification of procedures related to investment, land, construction, tax payment and social insurance as well as the building of economic policies in support of enterprises investment in technology, productivity and competitiveness.

In the context of the coronavirus outbreak, the Government has developed specific measures to remove bottlenecks and push back difficulties in order to stabilise production and business activities with the focus on promoting the domestic market.

Meanwhile, localities should identify their advantages and potential to guide the development of enterprises and create them as a driving force for sustainable and breakthrough growth.

In addition, it is necessary for enterprises to enhance their innovation and application of advanced science and technology in production and business, especially core and pioneering technologies.

They should proactively renew business thinking and improve governance capacity, productivity, quality, and competitiveness of products and services while standardising production to meet the requirements and standards of international markets.
Midland Memorial Hospitals chief medical officer has become a fixture at daily press briefings and on evening news broadcasts amid the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic. Akin to Dr. Anthony Fauci at White House briefings, Dr. Larry Wilson simultaneously reassures Midlanders and implores them to take the situation seriously.

Wilson spent the beginning of his career in the military, doing his training at a military medical school in Bethesda, Maryland, and his emergency medicine residency in Washington state. He lived in Hawaii for several years and did a few military tours before moving to Midland in 1997.

He said with a laugh that he never expected or wanted to be in the spotlight as he is now.

Im not a natural spokesperson, Wilson said. I enjoy medical work  being the voice Ive evolved into is not something I relish. Im really looking forward to the return of normal health to Midland and I can get back to my job.

But he recognizes the importance of his new role. He said its critical to be transparent and provide accurate information with as few gaps as possible, because those gaps tend to get filled with misinformation.

I think its really important that we get the message out to people and that theres a degree of authority and trust  I hope Im adequately expressing the views of all our health care providers in the community that this is a really important situation, but we dont have to be scared. We dont have to be nutty about it, Wilson said. Its a virus, and it behaves like a virus. If were careful about it, we can dampen it and improve our circumstances.

Its a new virus and we havent had immunity to this, so were going to be susceptible to it. Theres a vulnerable subset of the population that are going to die from this, and we want to minimize that. Its an important statement to try to make and hopefully people hear it and trust that its coming from someone whos reliable, believes in the messaging and wants everyone to do as well as they possibly can, he said.

He said the coronavirus is the most significant worldwide pandemic since the Spanish flu of 1918, calling it truly unprecedented in our lifetimes.

And beyond the scale of the virus itself, Wilson said, the repercussions from its impact on every sector of the economy is a double whammy, especially in the community hes called home for 23 years.

He said he was originally drawn to West Texas because it has the warm climate he was used to from growing up in California.

I thought Id come here and get my feet on the ground and figure out where I could go elsewhere in Texas, and then one thing led to another  the hospital setting was nice, the people were good here, everything was locked in and I havent figured out how to extract myself, he said.

As Wilson remembers it, hospital staff realized in mid-February they were about to be hit with a pandemic. They became increasingly concerned by how easily transmissible the virus seems to be and how hard it hits certain subsets of the population.

By the time you hear about something, its already a big deal, he said. It just got really scary, really fast.

As Midland Memorial made preparations, businesses, agencies and schools statewide were forced to close or reduce staffing to skeleton crews, leading to a 1,600 percent increase in the number of Texans who had filed for unemployment by the end of March. Midland was particularly hard-hit as the coronavirus diminished demand for oil, and the Saudi-Russia oil war brought the price crashing to $25 a barrel.

You see the price of oil dwindling as you see the ramping up of the novel coronavirus, Wilson said. It just seemed surreal.

He said its been difficult to watch as the fallout from the virus impacts everyone in the community. Its also difficult to watch his colleagues be exposed to the illness and get sick from it, he said.

Its not something that you ever want to have to live through, but you want to do everything in your power to help make it better, he said.

Despite the current bleakness, Wilson said hes cautiously optimistic because the hospital hasnt seen a significant or unexpected uptick in suspected cases. He said thats evidence of the effectiveness of social distancing and following recommended precautions, and he hopes residents continue those patterns over the next few months.

Lets please be thoughtful, lets all get through this well and move forward, he said.
NEW YORK, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Rotary Pump Market is expected to grow from USD 4,263.13 Million in 2018 to USD 5,912.12 Million by the end of 2025 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.78%.



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05871426/?utm_source=PRN



The positioning of the Global Rotary Pump 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 Rotary Pump Market including are CIRCOR International, Colfax Corporation, Dover Corporation, SPX Flow Technology Sweden AB, Tushaco Pumps, Atlas Copco AB, IDEX Corporation, Pfeiffer Vacuum GmbH, Viking Pump, and Xylem Inc.



On the basis of Product Type, the Global Rotary Pump Market is studied across Gear Pump, Lobe Pump, Moving Vane Pump, Progressive Cavity Pump, and Screw Pump.



On the basis of Industry, the Global Rotary Pump Market is studied across Chemical & Petrochemical, Food & Beverage, Machinery Industry, Oil & Gas, Pharmaceutical, Power Generation, and Water & Wastewater.



On the basis of Distribution Channel, the Global Rotary Pump Market is studied across Offline and Online.



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 Rotary Pump Market

2. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and new product developments in the Global Rotary Pump Market

3. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyzes the markets for the Global Rotary Pump Market

4. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new products launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the Global Rotary Pump Market

5. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players in the Global Rotary Pump Market



The report answers questions such as:

1. What is the market size of Rotary Pump market in the Global?

2. What are the factors that affect the growth in the Global Rotary Pump Market over the forecast period?

3. What is the competitive position in the Global Rotary Pump Market?

4. Which are the best product areas to be invested in over the forecast period in the Global Rotary Pump Market?

5. What are the opportunities in the Global Rotary Pump Market?

6. What are the modes of entering the Global Rotary Pump Market?



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05871426/?utm_source=PRN



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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.



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Supervisor Chad Horton walks among the maze of pipes at the Freeport LNG facility in Quintana, Texas, U.S., on April 1, 2009. Bloomberg

Is the United States sanctioning Russias natural gas pipeline that ends at Germanys edge because it wants to sell more liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe or because Russia illegally annexed Crimea? The stated aim has a dual purpose  to prevent Western Europe from becoming dependent on Russias energy sources while also diminishing Russias economic leverage in Eastern Europe.

The distinctions are important: If the purpose is to save Western Europe from Russian dominance, the Europeans are not buying it. They are perfectly capable of choosing a fuel supplier, they say, and view the United States as a reliable way to diversify their natural gas sources. The other energy partners are Norway, Algeria, Qatar and Nigeria. The continent, meanwhile, is building receiving terminals  or those to take-in the LNG that is frozen and shipped.

LNG is often the lower-priced option thanks to a strong supply push, says Michael Stoppard, chief strategist, global gas for IHS Markit INFO. Major pipeline suppliers, such as Russia to Europe, are choosing not to flood the market any further. It all adds up to LNG being relatively resilient in the face of gas demand declines.

Its one thing if the United States is able to compete on the merits. Its quite another if it is using economic sanctions as a weapon. At issue is Russias so-called Nord Stream 2 pipeline  a companion to its Nord Stream 1 pipeline. It not only allows Russia to double its natural gas capacity headed to Europe but it also allows it to circumvent its nemesis, Ukraine. Nord Stream 2 is owned by Gazprom and is a $10.5 billion project that stretches 745 miles from Russias gas fields to Germanys Baltic coast. The U.S. says Russia lacks the technology to finish the pipeline. Russia says it will complete it by 2021.

Russia now supplies 39% of Europes natural gas. The United States supplies 3.5%, although a third of all U.S. LNG went to the European Union between January and November 2019, the European Commission says.

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is a leading proponent of the sanctions that went into effect in December 2019, saying that Nord Stream 2 is a lose-lose: first, the natural gas sales help finance Russian territorial goals while second, the line bypasses Ukraine and deprives it of revenues to run its country. Ukraine, of course, has aligned strategically with the West, creating conflict with Russia with which it shares cultural and business interests.

Its far better for Europe to be relying on energy from the United States than to be fueling Putin and Russia and dependent on Russia and subject to economic blackmail, Cruz said in December when the Nord Stream 2 sanctions were approved. The sanctions also apply to any third party builder or financier. At that time, the Swiss contractor Allseas Group stopped participating while others with money on the table  Shell Oil and Engie  were befuddled by Washingtons moves.

Ulterior Motive

But Cruz has an ulterior motive: he represents an oil-and-natural gas-producing state, which needs to jack-up sales to Europe  especially now. The lack of demand coupled with the oversupply means falling prices and job losses.

The Nord Stream 2 sanctions are helping the U.S. crack open European natural gas markets. But they have also had a practical and tangential effect of getting Russia to negotiate with Ukraine. At the end of 2019, the two countries formally agreed on a contract to send Russian gas through Ukraine and into Europe. It is a $7 billion deal that lasts five years.

If big if  those talks would lead to more deals and the subsequent withdrawal of Russia from Ukraine and Crimea, the sanctions will have paid off. But the developed world is already sanctioning Russia by banning the necessary technologies to develop oil and gas while also preventing those deals from getting financed. Russia has also been kicked out of the Group of Seven, formerly Eight. Its economy is contracting while nosediving energy prices are leading to fewer revenues and budget shortfalls.

With its abundance of unconventional natural gas, the United States has become a net exporter of LNG since 2017. Donald Trumps pitch to the American people is that this country would become an energy dominant source  that the country would feed its own needs and then export its shale oil and gas around the world. In that regard, the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has approved a dozen LNG export terminals, on top of the five that currently exist.

LNG demand is weak right now, says Neil Chattejee, chair of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission during a call hosted by the Atlantic Council. U.S. companies are trying to secure long-term contracts and the U.S. is now a net exporter of energy. This has positive benefits economically and geopolitically: It is an alternative to Russia and it is beneficial to our allies. A resurgence of demand will come.

The biggest European markets for the United States are the United Kingdom, Spain and France. But Germany is the most lucrative catch  a country that is in the process of shutting down all of its nuclear and coal plants. Germany has a goal of replacing much of that energy with renewables. Before that can happen, however, it will look to natural gas to fill the void  a fuel needed to back up wind and solar power when the weather does not play ball.

For the record, the Germans are peeved at the Americans, saying that their sanctions against Russia are having an extraterritorial effect.

The European Union would be casting a wide net for more natural gas suppliers with or without the U.S. sanctions on Nord Stream 2. In Western Europe, the penalties are largely seen as heavy-handed. In Eastern Europe, and specifically Ukraine, the sanctions are viewed as a hammer  a mechanism to get Russia to the bargaining table.

The geopolitics are complicated. But one thing is not: if the United States wants to gain increasing access to European natural gas markets, it will have to rely on free enterprise and not on coercive techniques.

Read the original article here.
Welcome to summer in the great indoors.

Parents around the country are learning their children's summer camps will be canceled, delayed or moved online as the fallout from the coronavirus seeps into another facet of American life. From New Hampshire to California, camps and parents are scrambling as Zoom campfires and "virtual cabins" in the living room become more likely.

It's a blow for children  and their parents  who have spent weeks cooped up during school closures and had considered camp a reward for adhering to weeks of social isolation and homeschooling. It also will squeeze nonprofits that rely on the infusion of cash from camp payments and put young counselors out of work.

"When we finally found out that schools were going to be closed for the rest of the year, I was like, 'Well, there's always summer camp.' I was really holding out for that," said Rasha Habiby of Los Angeles.

Her 10-year-old daughter's first-ever sleep-away camp has been canceled, and they're both devastated.

Habiby and her husband have demanding work schedules but kept their kids away from her parents to avoid possibly spreading the virus. Now, she said she may be forced to ask them to baby-sit.

"I panic. I cry. I do all those things. But what other options are there?" Habiby said. "I know we're not the only ones in this situation. I'm keenly aware of that  but somehow it doesn't make it any easier."

An estimated 20 million U.S. children attend summer camp each year, fueling an $18 billion industry that employs over a million seasonal workers, according to the American Camp Association.

The association, which represents more than 3,100 camps, has hired independent health experts to draft recommendations for camps, and many still hope to open, said Tom Rosenberg, group president and CEO. Camps also are awaiting guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and input from state and local health departments, he said.

"Most camps are not asking if they're going to open but how they're going to open. It's essential," Rosenberg said. "Right now, 20 million kids that would normally be going to camp are cast adrift in a sea of screens."

Camp Walt Whitman, a seven-week overnight camp in New Hampshire's remote White Mountains, sent parents a letter with three options: canceling, postponing or going forward with social distancing and other precautions. The camp, which charges $13,000 for the full session, will decide after May 20, director Jed Dorfman said.

For smaller camps, canceling could mean financial ruin. Many nonprofits rely on camp fees for their budgets and to pay contracts signed in advance. Some that have canceled are urging parents to donate all or part of the tuition or apply it to next year.

That backfired for Galileo Learning, a San Francisco-area camp that enrolls thousands of children, after it canceled and credited families for next year. After an outcry, the company asked parents whether they would like a full or partial refund or a credit. A Galileo statement said it had laid off or furloughed more than 80% of year-round staff.

Other camps are racing to move online.

Interlochen Arts Camp, which enrolls 2,800 kids and teens from 50 countries in its prestigious summer program in Michigan, will switch to virtual lessons and workshops while making the session shorter, president Trey Devey said.

The Girl Scouts of Oregon and southwest Washington canceled in-person camps for thousands but will roll out virtual experiences in June, said Allie Roberts, director of programs for the Girl Scouts in 33 Oregon counties and three counties in Washington state.

The Girl Scouts' 111 councils nationwide are each finding an approach that suits their region and membership.

"It's a heartbreaking decision but it's the right decision for the safety of our girls," Roberts said.

Other camps are shutting down completely.

Administrators in Florida realized it was impossible to practice proper social distancing at Camp Kiwanis, a sleep-away camp tucked along a lake in the Ocala National Forest. Each week, over 100 kids spend four nights and then go back to their homes in Marion County, which is seeing new coronavirus cases daily, camp director Scott Mitchell said.

The camp has been a fixture for 72 years, and one-quarter of the children get scholarships from the local Kiwanis Club, he said.

Go on Netflix and find the cheesiest summer camp movie you can find, and thats us. Its a traditional, good old-fashioned summer camp, Mitchell said. Its kind of a sad day for our community. But if you look at other places that have really been hit, its a small price to pay.

Still, it's a bitter pill to swallow for many, including young people who have started to expect disappointment as the pandemic drags on.

Delia Graham, 15, was ecstatic to spend six weeks at Willowbrook Arts Camp, where she's been going since age 5. She's old enough to work as a half-day counselor, a step toward becoming a full-fledged staffer at the popular drama and arts camp near Portland, Oregon.

Graham and five camp friends spent days in a FaceTime group chat debating what would happen before getting the bad news, said Graham, who had already been struggling with her school's closure.

"I didn't think it would get so bad, that it would last this long," she said of the pandemic. "I really miss my friends."

___

Gillian Flaccus of The Associated Press wrote this story. Flaccus reported from Portland, Oregon. Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire, contributed. Follow Flaccus on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/gflaccus.
Kim Jong Un is (apparently) alive and (presumably) well. The North Korean dictator appeared in a state-issued photo over the weekend, in which he is shown cutting the ribbon on a new fertilizer factory outside Pyongyang. He looked not the least bit dead.

This development was a bit awkward for CNN and many other news outlets around the world, as well as a few intelligence agencies, which had spent the past few weeks in a frenzy over Kim's health, or lack thereof.

According to stories in otherwise reliable mainstream publications, Kim died. According to journalists, he was "in grave danger," possibly as a result of a botched operation. Others split the difference, saying he was in a coma or brain dead.

Or, as it turns out, not.

Although it's hard to know anything for sure about North Korea, the fertilizer-plant photo suggests the reporting about Kim over the past few weeks was a farrago of misinformation, non-information, half speculation and outright guessing.

The worldwide misreporting appears to have started with a South Korean website that has acknowledged that it mistranslated a single anonymous source's account of Kim's health.

The first story about Kim's alleged health issues was published by the South Korea-based website Daily NK, which monitors news, gossip and rumors from North Korea.

Daily NK's story on April 20 said that Kim was recovering from an unspecified "cardiovascular procedure," supposedly as a result of heavy smoking, obesity and fatigue, and that he reportedly was in stable condition.

But Robert Lauler, the English-language editor of Daily NK, said on Tuesday that the English rendering of "cardiovascular procedure" from the site's story in Korean was inaccurately rendered as "heart surgery," a far more serious phrasing and one that found its way into other news reports.

Daily NK has since corrected its original English-language story to say "cardiovascular procedure" instead, he said.

There was some superficial context for concern about Kim, even if the story was vague about what exactly his health was. It noted that Kim hadn't been seen in public since April 11, and more important, had failed to show up for the annual ceremony on April 15 marking "The Day of the Sun," the anniversary of the birthday of Kim Il Sung, North Korea's founding dictator, "eternal president" and Kim's grandfather.

South Korean officials publicly downplayed and even disputed the Daily NK story. They said they had seen "no unusual activity" in Pyongyang - no irregular troop movements, no spike in communications, no public broadcasts of funereal music - that would suggest something was up with the 36-year-old Kim.

Nevertheless, an international game of telephone was on.

Daily NK's sketchy reporting soon found firmer footing in the west via CNN, which reported on April 21 that the United States was monitoring "intelligence" that Kim was in "grave danger" after undergoing surgery. The story cited several unnamed sources: a U.S. official "with direct knowledge," a "second source familiar with the intelligence" and "another U.S. official." The latter said the concerns about Kim's health are credible "but the severity is hard to assess."

A CNN spokesperson stood by the story and said the reporting in it was "straightforward." The story's lead author, CNN anchor Jim Sciutto, declined to comment.

Then the story exploded. CNN's article set off an international game of gossip, with news reports about Kim staking out every possibility.

Kim was dead, TMZ declared under a "breaking news" banner. (The celebrity news site hedged a bit, throwing a "reportedly" into the story and headline and allowing that Kim might merely be "on his death bed with no hope for recuperation.") Kim was brain dead, MSNBC host Katy Tur asserted on Twitter, citing "two U.S. officials," though she later deleted and apologized for the tweet. There were reports that Kim was in a coma. Or that one of Kim's guards had shot him.

Soon, a semisatirical hashtag was trending on Twitter: #KIMJONGUNDEAD.

The uncertainty about Kim quickly leapfrogged to uncertainty about his successor. Supposedly, his younger sister, Kim Yo Jong, was in line to succeed him, the Daily Beast speculated, although an opinions contributor for The Washington Post took issue with this.

Into this murky swamp waded President Donald Trump, who offered . . . more uncertainty. Trump, who often touts his friendship with Kim and regularly calls American media organizations "fake news," said during a briefing on April 23 that CNN's report was "incorrect." But he didn't say how. And then he implied he had no idea: "I have a good relationship with Kim Jong Un, and I hope he's OK."

A few days later, Trump said he had a "very good idea" about Kim's health, but "I can't talk about it now."

And so the world waited to learn if a rogue, unpredictable, nuclear-armed state still had its hereditary leader or might be plunged into a power struggle.

The question was answered on Saturday with North Korea's release of a smiling Kim opening a fertilizer factory.

Experts on North Korea see this as a teachable moment for U.S. media. Among the takeaways:

- Don't trust, verify. While it's hard to know even in the best of times what's going on inside North Korea, the rumors about Kim emerged in an even more challenging environment - when the country was even more tightly sealed off than usual because of the coronavirus. That should have put the media on even higher guard for misinformation, said Jean Lee, director of the Korea program at the Wilson Center in Washington and a former Pyongyang bureau chief for the Associated Press.

South Korea's news media isn't always the most reliable source even under normal conditions, she said. "I never picked up a story [from South Korean news reports] until I checked and confirmed it on my own," said Lee. "There is a long pattern of South Korean media reports being inaccurate. I was always strict about not spreading information that wasn't verified."

- The intelligence wasn't all that intelligent, suggests Jung Pak, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington. It's doubtful the story would have gotten traction, at least in the American media, if the unnamed "U.S. officials" relied upon by CNN and MSNBC hadn't provided some support for it, she said.

"Insight into Kim's health . . . would be the toughest to get because of North Korea's robust counterintelligence practices," said Pak, a former CIA analyst who is the author of "Becoming Kim Jong Un: A Former CIA Analyst's Insights Into North Korea's Enigmatic Young Dictator." "It's hard in general to get access to something as sensitive as a leader's health, in North Korea or elsewhere." Given how sensitive any such information would be, "it would be prudent" for Western intelligence services not to leak information like that in the first place.

- The president didn't help, either, by appearing to give oxygen to the rumors. "The way Trump presents information rarely helps bring clarity or peace of mind to a situation," said Jenny Town, a fellow at the Stimson Center, a Washington think tank, and deputy director of 38 North, a website that analyzes North Korea.

She notes that it's likely that Trump was briefed about Kim, though how much certainty there was in such a briefing is unknown. In any case, "questions about Kim Jong Un's health should have been anticipated [by the president] and careful answers crafted for him to balance what he knew and what he could say in a way that instilled more confidence in the government's ability to respond to the evolving situation," Town said.

A footnote: As of April 30, two days before Kim re-emerged in public, Daily NK - the original source of the Kim rumors - had bumped up its assessment of his condition from ailing to dead. It acknowledged that this was only a rumor, too, of course.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

Trend:

Destructive rhetoric and provocative steps of Armenia's military-political leadership puts into question the Karabakh conflict negotiation process, mediated by the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Assistant to Azerbaijans President, Head of the Department of Foreign Policy Affairs of the Presidential Administration, Hikmat Hajiyev told Trend.

It is known that the process of negotiations is based on a phased settlement. The statements of the Minsk Group co-chairing countries at various levels, as well as at the level of heads of state, repeatedly spoke about the plan for a phased settlement of the conflict and unacceptability of the status quo. Armenia, like always, in order to deceive its public, makes groundless claims. The resolution of the conflict based on a 'batch formula' is not a matter of discussion, Hajiyev noted.

The conflict should and will be resolved within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, in accordance with the Constitution of Azerbaijan, the well-known resolutions of the United Nation Security Council (UNSC) and the Helsinki Final Act. The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan has never been and cannot be the subject of discussion. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia or any other person cannot make judgments about the territorial integrity and sovereign territories of Azerbaijan. As President Ilham Aliyev noted, the conflict should be resolved only within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan," said the official.

He emphasized that the first and most important step in a phased settlement of the conflict is the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, and ensuring the right of Azerbaijani IDPs to safely return to their native lands.

If the aggressive policy of Armenia continues, it is impossible to achieve progress in resolving the conflict. The occupation of part of the Azerbaijani territories by Armenia, like any occupation, is temporary. Armenia, as an occupying country, must finally understand this, Hajiyev stressed.

The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is enshrined in the Constitution of Azerbaijan. The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and its sovereignty are recognized and supported by the entire international community. In the context of the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the territorial integrity, sovereignty and inviolability of the borders of Azerbaijan are enshrined and reaffirmed in many international political and legal documents, including UN Security Council resolutions Nos. 822, 853, 874 and 884. The UNSCs resolutions reaffirm Azerbaijans territorial integrity and note that Nagorno-Karabakh is an integral part of Azerbaijan, strongly condemn the use of force against Azerbaijan and demand a complete, immediate and unconditional withdrawal of occupying forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, Hajiyev said.

The position of the international community regarding the so-called "elections" organized by Armenia in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan has again shown that the situation that arose as a result of the occupation, military aggression and bloody ethnic cleansing, can never be kept up. These so-called "elections" were rejected by the OSCE, the EU, the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Turkic Council and other international institutions, as well as individual states, who expressed support for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, he said.

Hajiyev said that EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) again clarified the EUs position on supporting the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in its statement on May 1.

Meanwhile, Armenia continues to voice contradictory statements. As we have already noted, the position of Azerbaijan regarding the settlement of the conflict is unambiguous, decisive and consistent, Hajiyev said.

The political leadership of Armenia made claims about the participation of the illegal regime in the negotiations, and allegedly about a change of the negotiations format. The format of the negotiations cannot be changed, and as a state that has occupied part of the Azerbaijani territories, Armenia is a party to the conflict, bearing political and legal responsibility. As a result, Armenia was forced to continue to participate in the negotiations in the existing format, Hajiyev stressed.

The last "election" show, organized in Azerbaijans occupied territories, again showed that the proclaimed regime itself is nothing more than a criminal organization, and an integral part of the inter-clan war in Armenia. To link the illegal criminal regime created as a result of bloody ethnic cleansing with the right to self-determination is the real political hypocrisy, said the official.

Armenia, which carried out bloody ethnic cleansing of over a million Azerbaijanis, does not even have the moral right to talk about security. And the biggest source of danger for the region is exactly the aggressive policy of Armenia and the presence of Armenian troops in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, Hajiyev emphasized.

In order to ensure the safety of the Azerbaijani population in the face of military provocations of the Armenian units, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces carried out counter-offensive measures in April 2016. As a result, the artificially created myth of the Armenian army vanished. Investigations by the Armenian army, as well as the dismissal of high-ranking generals after the April clashes, were recognition of defeat. Azerbaijan, on the basis of the UN Charter and its Constitution, reserves the right to ensure its territorial integrity and sovereignty at any time, said the official.
A calculative and cold-blooded terrorist, Riyaz Naikoo had a lucky run for eight years before he was killed by security forces on Wednesday in a gun battle lasting several hours. Life came to a full circle for the bespectacled Pakistan-supported Hizb-ul-Mujahideen's top terror commander Naikoo as he was gunned down in the same village from where he had scripted his journey into terrorism in 2012.

One of the most-wanted terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, Riyaz Naikoo along with his associate was killed in an encounter with a joint team of Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force and Jammu and Kashmir Police in Beighpora village of Awantipora in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir.

READ | Riyaz Naikoo killed dozens, turned youths into terrorists, aggressively targeted security forces

With this, the security forces also avenged the deaths of five security personnel killed in the Handwara area of Kupwara district on May 3. Four Indian Army personnel including the Commanding Officer of Indian Army's 21 Rashtriya Rifles Colonel Ashutosh Sharma, Major Anuj Sood, Naik Rajesh Kumar, Lance Naik Dinesh Singh, and Jammu and Kashmir Police officer Sageer Ahmed Qazi were martyred in an encounter in Chanjmulla area of Handwara. Two terrorists were also killed in the encounter, Army sources had said.

READ | J&K administration not to give bodies of Riyaz Naikoo, associate to relatives

It is learnt that an Indian Army unit had entered the house of a civilian to prevent a hostage situation when the terrorists opened fire on them. The troops managed to safely evacuate the civilians from the house. The encounter had started on May 2 after the security forces succeeded in trapping the terrorists inside the house located in the forest of Handwara.

Naikoo's elimination is a major blow to the local terror groups active in the area. He became a terrorist in May 2012 and was a close associate of former Hizb-ul-Mujahideen chief Burhan Wani. He carried a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head.

READ | List of top terrorists eliminated in Kashmir valley

The dreaded terrorist was involved in more than a dozen killings since he picked up the gun. On March 8, 2014, Naikoo was involved in the killing of Haji Ghulam Mohammad Dar, the father of a sarpanch at Dogripora in the Valley. He was involved in the firing on a police bus near Bhatpora Tokena.

READ | Riyaz Naikoo: Terrorist who masterminded killings of Jammu and Kashmir policemen

Naikoo was also a part in the killing of Gh Mohi-Ud-din Dar, Javaid Akbar Khanday a resident of Khandaypora, a Police Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Mir at Padgampoara crossing, six migrant labourers in Kulgam, and truck drivers and fruit traders after August 5, 2019. He was also involved in the kidnapping of constable Naseer Ahmad, looting of nine weapons from the residence of former MLA Wachi and release of an audiotape threatening attacks on the jail staff after preferential treatment being provided to terrorists and the separatists lodged in various jails was discontinued.

READ | Riyaz Naikoo, Pakistan-supported Hizb-ul-Mujahideen's top terrorist, killed in Beighpora village of Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmi

Naikoo was also responsible for a large number of innocent youths getting into terrorist ranks and indulging in serious violence against the security forces and the local population. He resorted to brutal killings of civilians by branding them as informers of the police and security forces. Apart from the above, he was involved in many other cases of a heinous crime for which several number of FIRs were registered against him.

He had been continuously making audio and video clips and putting up on social media to motivate youth to join terrorism and went on recruiting new boys. He was a mastermind behind the revival of the outfit in Jammu and Kashmir. He also released videos and audios on a number of occasions carrying pro-Pakistan and separatist propaganda.

He also looted orchard owners and farmers to collect funds for his outfit and collected booty from illicit cultivation of opium in South Kashmir. Naikoo's outfit was also involved in narco trade case in Jammu where a huge sum of sale proceeds was transferred to one of his contacts.

According to officials, the operation to eliminate Naikoo was carried out with pinpoint precision without any collateral damage. Authorities had suspended mobile Internet across the Kashmir Valley and imposed curfew in most major towns of the valley to ensure that no ugly fallout of Naikoo`s death affects the law and order.

In a big move to stop glorification and big funeral procession of terrorists, the bodies of Naikoo and his associate will not be given to their relatives. The administration of the union territory has decided to bury them and not reveal the location. This decision also came at the backdrop of stone-pelting by youths on a vehicle of security forces in Pulwama at the encounter site of Naikoo.

Security forces hold Naikoo responsible for holding Hizbul together after its possible disintegration when Zakir Musa broke away from the Hizbul ranks to form his own splinter group. Musa split from the Hizbul in 2017 and formed his own group called Ansar Ghazwatul Hind that claimed to be the Indian affiliate of the Al-Qaeda. Musa was killed in Dadsara area in Tral tehsil in an encounter with the security forces on May 23, 2019.
The office we left is not going to be same when we return post lockdown. Things are going to be a lot different and its a fact. With cities and states around the country preparing to ease restrictions in the coming months, companies are rethinking office life.

Image For Representation/Reuters

But the fear about catching the virus and easing back in to office space is going to be a hell of a challenge for all of us. According to a recent survey, 93 per cent of the employees working in India are anxious about heading back to their offices as and when the lockdown period gets over, and nearly 85 per cent expect their office spaces to be sanitised before they return to work.

According to an IANS report, health-tech community product, FYI, undertook the survey conducted by MindMap Advance Research with 560 India Inc. entities, including employees from across small, medium and large enterprises in major metro cities of Delhi-NCR, Mumbai and Bengaluru.

Of these employees, 85 per cent were male and 15 per cent were female. The data also showed that 59 per cent employees are concerned about their health, 25 per cent said they are anxious about their financial the situation, while 16 per cent fear that the crisis will be a prolonged one, leading to high anxiety.

Image For Representation/Economic Times

It may be an understatement to say that the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the way we live and work. This event has very quickly served as a tipping point to unprecedented change in the mindset and attitudes of people, to both life and work. Our survey informs India Inc. of the new priorities they would need to juggle when it comes to the health and safety of their employees, Yeishan Goel, cofounder, FYI, which undertook this survey in the last week of April 2020 told TOI.

The fear of the lockdown lifting comes from a realisation that there are better ways to live and people across the world have one way or the other made peace with self-isolation in these strange and terrible time and now many dont want to let go of it.

As reported in the survey, 82 per cent said that they would agree to participate in the measures that require them to be monitored, while 18 per cent said that they would comply if the privacy of their data is assured.

Image For Representation/Reuters

A high sense of solidarity emerges among the employees, with 96 per cent confirming that they would embrace and comply with the health monitoring initiatives, despite the inconveniences they may cause.

The survey showed that 81 per cent of the employees would resume work only in batches, while 73 per cent expect the employers to enforce work from home as an ongoing process.

With news that the lockdown will be eased gradually across countries, readjusting after such a big change can bring its own set of challenges and may take time.
Friday feels different heading into Month 3 of self-isolation. Were getting a start on what weekend, exactly?

Still, though the days blend together in a listless stew, when Friday rolls around on the interactive cardboard kitchen calendar I ritually adjust each morning, toggling the wheels for number and day, I feel the ancient urge to celebrate.

With Tex-Mex, to be specific. Ive always been fascinated by the correlation of Fridays and Tex-Mex feasting in Texas. Ive felt the connection since I first got taken to Spanish Village on Almeda as a college student in the late 1960s, there to cut my ritual Friday-night teeth on cheese enchiladas and illicit margaritas.

My friend Mimi Swartz, the Texas Monthly writer who grew up in San Antonio, always maintained that Fridays and Tex-Mex became intertwined culturally because Friday was Tex-Mex day in school lunch programs across the state.

That seems as good a theory as any. Id intertwine it with the 1971 invention of the frozen-margarita machine by Dallas restaurateur Mariano Martinez. Once frozen margs caught on, the slightly wild Friday Tex-Mex extravaganza really took off.

I have several sets of friends who have standing Friday-night, thank-God-its-the-weekend Tex-Mex dates everywhere from El Tiempo to Glorias to Ninfas on Navigation, and I bet you do, too. The urge is strong.

I felt it last week, hunched over my laptop as Friday afternoon wore on. I shall have Tex-Mex, dammit, I swore to myself.

Texas restaurants were allowed to reopen that day, by edict of the governor, but that option was out for me. Im of the cohort prone to the direst COVID-19 outcomes, and my instinct for self-preservation runs strong, so I needed curbside pickup. From a place I trusted. Preferably contactless.

With great queso, croaked a voice deep in my lizard brain. So it was that I pulled my car into the parking lot at Little Pappasitos Cantina at 5:45 p.m., to be greeted by an off-duty policeman wearing a blue surgical mask. Have you prepaid? he asked me.

I had. The Pappasitos website allows you to create an account, order online from the trimmed-down takeout menu  complete with adult beverages and all manner of a la carte trimmings, if you like  and roll through an outdoor sanitizing station where a masked attendant will deposit your food in the backseat.

The setup inspired confidence, and it ran like clockwork, which didnt really surprise me. The Pappas family goes long on detail at its various restaurants. The prices can make me wince, but the professionalism factored into the cost really mattered to me right now.

So did the queso. Id been missing the blessed stuff piercingly over the past two months. I dont make my own  its best left to the pros, I figure  and I love the Pappasitos version at this Upper Kirby location. Supple and laced with pico de gallo that has just the right quotient of crunchy onion, salty but not too salty, this queso tastes like celestial baby food to yours truly. Delivered in a plastic pint tub, the essence of comfort, it was the primary reason I picked Pappasitos in the first place.

Well, that and the fajitas. I very much admire the Pappasitos version, with their laid-back marinade and twinge of woodsmoke  both the skirt steak and the shockingly good chicken. (Ive given up ordering chicken fajitas elsewhere, pretty much. Too dry and disappointing.)

I feared the rosy, medium-rare doneness I so admire in the restaurants beef fajitas might not survive the drive home, sweating under a plastic lid. It did. You can even specify exact degree of doneness you want on the online order form, I noted approvingly.

The bottled watermelon frozen margarita kit, which came with its own little plastic bottle of tequila, proved less roadworthy. By the time I decanted the rose-colored contents at home, it was half slush and half liquid. Ive concluded frozen drinks are best consumed in-house.

Pappasitos combo medium fajitas is pretty dear at $36.95, but I found the portion was generous enough to last for days and days. Its Monday as I write, and I still have a little left in the refrigerator, which I plan to combine with pico de gallo scraps and leftover Spanish rice for Pandemic Fried Rice, Tex-Mex style. Even my two dogs got a few tidbits.

A big order from Pappasitos is the gift that keeps on giving, wrote my editor when I marveled at how much mileage I was getting out of my order. I had two big bagfuls of thin, crackly tortilla chips and two containers of that roasty red salsa Pappasitos does so well. I had enough queso to gorge on half a container Friday evening, then eat it again for breakfast the next day because what is time anymore, then polish it off for a Saturday cocktail order, when I shook up my own house Mezcal margarita with the key lime juice I had frozen weeks back.

I rolled up sprawling flour-tortilla fajita tacos loaded with caramelized onion and pico de gallo and red salsa and guacamole. (At least until Day 2, when I gazed upon the gray, exhausted guac leftovers and cursed myself for not eating it all at once.) At one point, I just grabbed chicken slices and onion flaps and popped them into my mouth as a snack.

Its like tapas, I told myself. For breakfast on Sunday, I mashed some charro beans and refried them and made lovely bean and cheese tacos with some Cabot cheddar, red salsa and onion that I chopped. Next, Im contemplating chilaquiles pan fried with leftover chips and salsa, with some fried eggs on the side.

Just devising these meal plans seemed as satisfying as finishing the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle or a devilish game of Sudoku. Eating at the top of the food chain was fun in my old life, but my new one provides different pleasures.

Ordering from Pappasitos, I figure I got my moneys worth not just in food but also in the festive Friday-night feeling that I was rewarding myself for another seven days deposited in the psychological bank.

Where theres Tex-Mex, theres life, I told myself, toasting the week behind me with a half-melted frozen margarita with which I could, for once, find very little fault.

alison.cook@chron.com

twitter.com/alisoncook
ANN ARBOR, Mich., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Franworth, a franchise-focused growth equity firm, announced today the launch of its Professional Services Division, offering an extensive suite of support options benefitting both emerging and mature franchise Affiliate Brands. Through this new division, Franworth has expanded its Shared Resource Platform (SRP) in an effort to help businesses of all sizes gain access to the company's wealth of resources, including its executive team, best-in-class tools and proven processes.

Initially launched in February 2020, the SRP was built from years of experience across multiple franchise sectors, and offers educational courses, tools, templates and playbooks related to real estate and construction, operations, marketing, finance and legal, as well as distribution and fulfillment services. The new Professional Services Division makes these resources more accessible and is led by Franworth operating partner Mike Skitzki, who leverages his 20+ year career in franchising to help each partner identify the best way to accelerate success and growth in a cost-effective, rapid and flexible way.

"As long standing leaders in franchising, we leveraged our unmatched expertise to identify the fundamental challenges that have plagued the industry for years and develop a suite of services directly catering to those needs," said John Rotche, founder and CEO of Franworth. "The impact of the COVID-19 crisis has been immediate within the franchising segment, and we anticipate that recovering from the pandemic will require a complete overhaul in the way business is done. Our SRP platform and Professional Services Division embrace this new reality and provide essential tools and resources to support businesses at all stages of development and fuel the success of their brand."

In the midst of the ongoing pandemic, Franworth's SRP program has become increasingly valuable for businesses struggling to navigate and survive the current climate, fueling a surge in new engagements. The new suite of services were intentionally designed to be customizable and flexible, allowing Franworth to support businesses of all levels across a variety of segments and industries. As a result, new Affiliate Brand partners range from established concepts backed by global giants to emerging franchisors and startups, including Bark Social, an innovative off-leash dog park and craft beer/coffee bar concept slated to open its first location in Washington D.C. this summer.

"Bark Social partnered with Franworth as an Affiliate Brand so we can scale nationally and address a major growth opportunity within experiential pet retail," said Bark Social Co-Founder Luke Silverman. "John Rotche and his team have a proven track record of building well-known brands and we are excited to work with them to build a business that delivers unparalleled value for customers, employees, and partners."

To learn more about the resources available through Franworth's Professional Services Division, visit franworth.com/affiliates.

About Franworth

Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Franworth accelerates value for brands and independent unit value for franchisees using our proven franchise systems, professional support services and shared resources platform. Partnering with Franworth gives franchise concepts access to an expansive suite of best-in-class processes, talent, technology, proprietary supply chain system and logistics designed to help scale their businesses efficiently to achieve profitability and maximize their potential for success. Led by a team of industry veterans with more than 450 years of combined experience, Franworth's executive board and leadership team includes Founder, CEO and Managing Director John Rotche, CFE; Managing Director and Partner David Barr; Partner Drew Brees; President and Chief Operating Officer Dave Keil; General Counsel and Chief of Staff Jonathan Koudelka; Chief Financial Officer David Taccolini, Operating Partner and Professional Services Division Lead Mike Skitzki; and Operating Partner and CEO of The Lash Lounge Meg Roberts. Franworth's current portfolio of franchise brands includes The Lash Lounge, skoah, CITYROW and Madison Reed Color Bar. For more information on Franworth or to learn more about how it can help your company grow, visit franworth.com.

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(Newser)  The professor whose advice to Britain's prime minister led to the country's lockdown has apologized for an "error in judgment." According to the Telegraph, leading epidemiologist Neil Fergusonnicknamed "Professor Lockdown"flouted social distancing guidelines by allowing his "married lover" to visit him at home. The woman, Antonia Staats, lives with her husband and children in another London home, and government policy urges citizens not to mix with people from different households. Ferguson says he has resigned as a government adviser and he deeply regrets "any undermining of the clear messages around the continued need for social distancing to control this devastating epidemic," the BBC reports.

story continues below

"I acted in the belief that I was immune, having tested positive for coronavirus, and completely isolated myself for almost two weeks after developing symptoms," Ferguson said Tuesday. He said he knows allowing Staats to visit was "the wrong course of action." "The government guidance is unequivocal, and is there to protect all of us," the professor said. Staatswho has an "open marriage," according to the Telegraphcrossed London to visit Ferguson at least twice. The Guardian reports that as a member of the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, Ferguson presented models that convinced authorities to introduce strict lockdown measures. He recently warned that lifting the lockdown too early could cost 100,000 lives. (Britain now has the highest COVID-19 death toll in Europe.)


Good Morning America

The reality is far worse than even parents may realize, according to Danielle Christian, a high school guidance counselor in Paris, Texas. "If youre not currently working in the world of education, theres no way that you can understand what is going on in schools right now," Christian wrote in now-viral Facebook post. Christian, also the mom of a second-grade student, told "Good Morning America" she has worked in education for 13 years and has never seen anything like what teachers, administrators and students are going through now amid the pandemic -- from facing school closures over the past two years to learning loss, experiencing mental health struggles and needing absences due to quarantine and illness.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 13:27:48|Editor: huaxia

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SEOUL, May 6 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's online shopping posted a double-digit growth in March as people avoided outside activities such as shopping, traveling and social gatherings, on the fear of the COVID-19 outbreak, statistical office data showed Wednesday.

Shopping in the cyberspace amounted to 12.58 trillion won (10.3 billion U.S. dollars) in March, up 11.8 percent from a year earlier, according to Statistics Korea.

Online purchase of agricultural, livestock and fishery products surged 91.8 percent as people preferred cooking at home. Food delivery services soared 75.8 percent, and the purchase of food and beverage advanced 59.4 percent.

The purchase of computer and peripherals in the cyberspace jumped 30.1 percent as office workers were encouraged to work at home. This year's new school year opened with online classes, contributing to higher laptop demand.

Online demand for culture and leisure services plunged 88.9 percent, and demand for travel and transport services tumbled 73.4 percent as people refrained from outside activities.

Online shopping took up 28.2 percent of the total retail sale in March, posting the biggest-ever monthly figure.

About two-thirds of online shopping was the mobile shopping through smartphones.

Mobile shopping reached 8.47 trillion won (6.9 billion U.S. dollars) in March, up 19.2 percent from a year earlier.

During the January-March quarter, the online shopping amounted to 36.84 trillion won (30.1 billion U.S. dollars), up 16.6 percent compared with the same quarter of last year.

The mobile shopping reached 24.79 trillion won (20.3 billion U.S. dollars) during the first quarter. Enditem
There will be enhanced cleaning in the buildings, too.

Were putting the plan together now, Good said.

It will be posted at entrances to the buildings when theyve opened to the public again, he said.

All employees except the directors at the Memorial Opera House and Expo Center were put on furlough after Gov. Eric Holcombs plan to gradually restore Indiana to normal meant large gatherings would not happen soon, Good said.

Hopefully, when we bring them back, well have some work for them to come back to, Good said.

Those two venues are self-funded.

With no money coming from the outside, we had to hunker down and ride it out, Good said.

A group of county commissioners and County Council members is reviewing the pandemics financial implications for the county.

Were looking at a hiring freeze, McClure said, and requests for additional money will be strongly discouraged. County Auditor Vicki Urbanik also would be authorized to permit borrowing between funds so nothing is in the red, he said.
Almost 80% of Leaving Cert students would like to see the postponed exams cancelled and an alternative grading system used.

The most recent survey carried out by the Irish Second Level Students Union (ISSU) shows overwhelming support for the cancellation of the exams amongst the almost 24,000 students who took part.

Carried out between May 1 and May 5, almost eight-in-ten (78.6%) students said they favoured implementing a predicted grade model instead of the postponed exams.

Wednesday went by without a decision made on contingency plans for the Leaving Cert as students, parents, teaching unions, principals, school patrons and other educational bodies met with the Department of Education.

Alternative assessment models continue to be discussed, the department said in a statement issued following the meeting.

Among the topics discussed included the practicalities of holding the exams this year while taking social distancing into account, along with other public health measures that may be required based on medical advice.

The ISSU said its latest survey shows a considerable increase in the number of students who are in favour of cancelling the exams since its last survey carried out between March and April.

Students need clarity on the logistics that will be involved with the postponed exams, and their health must be prioritised, the representative body added. Students have also noticed a deterioration in their motivation to continue studying, and have pointed out the difficulties with sustaining this under such pressurised circumstances.

Earlier in the week, the National Parents Council Post-Primary (NPC-PP) called for clear alternatives and creative solutions to be made available for students.

The group, which represents the parents and guardians of second level students, called for clarity on the alternative assessments being considered by the department and the State Examinations Commission (SEC).

Political pressure also continues for a decision on the exams. Thomas Byrne, Fianna Fails education spokesman, has called for the cancellation of the exams. Fianna Fail leader Michael Martin has also indicated that he believes hosting the exams may not be consistent with public health advice.

Donnchadh OLaoghaire, Sinn Feins education spokesman, has said the written exams should not go ahead if there is only a slim chance of them happening. An ultimate decision on such contingency plans must be made as soon as possible, he added.

In a statement issued after the meeting yesterday, Joe McHugh, the Minister for Education, said the discussions will help make decisions on the Leaving Cert that "have students best interests at heart and that are guided at all times by the public health advice.

Meanwhile, one organisation has said the most disadvantaged students may be falling further behind every day schools remain closed.

Youth Work Ireland warned that the closure of schools poses immense challenges and that young people deserve to have their needs considered, and exams are front and centre in this.

Michael McLoughlin, Youth Work Ireland head of advocacy, said: "There may be ways of delivering the Leaving Cert only but increasingly some students are going to be disadvantaged compared to others."
Providing Advanced Data Capture and Intelligent Document Classification Solutions "ancoraDocs can be deployed in a matter of hours or days, not the weeks or months you often see with traditional capture solutions", said Nick Bova, VP of Sales at ancora Software.

During these unprecedented times of the Covid-19 pandemic with social distancing and work from home orders, ancora Softwares customers have been very successful in easily moving their AP processing into their employees homes. This shift of more online activities is helping spur growth of ancoras solutions in delivering an accelerated ROI to our customers.

ancora Software an industry leader of Intelligent Process Automation including our no code/low code Intelligent Document Classification and Advanced Data Capture solution ancoraDocs is meeting and exceeding our customers requirements around remote AP invoice processing. ancoraDocs has become more central to our customers as their staffs are now working remotely. Whether the customer is using our on-premise deployment or our Azure hosted cloud deployment the only requirement for an employee to process invoices from home is a computer with a browser, there is no software that needs to be installed and is totally secure. Our current customer base is proving that our remote technology works every day.

It is very easy for a company to take advantage of what ancoraDocs has to offer and eliminate all their document classification, separation and manual data entry from any computer, from any location. With the use of unassisted and assisted machine learning a new customer can be using our solution in a matter of hours or days, not the weeks or months required for deployment by our competition. ancoraDocs can process an invoice the software has never seen before and with just a few mouse clicks utilizing assisted machine learning they will see 100% accuracy in document classification and data extraction including line item detail.

ancoraDocs is available either on premise or as a true multi-tenant cloud service hosted by ancora on Microsoft Azure. It can also be deployed as a hybrid solution, utilizing zero footprint browser-based clients. ancoraDocs is designed to bring simplicity to a market where applications have historically been complex and overpriced, as well as difficult to configure, install, use, and maintain, said Nick Bova, VP of Sales at ancora Software. It can be deployed in a matter of hours or days, not the weeks or months you often see with traditional capture. This helps users start realizing their benefits sooner and produces a faster time to ROI. In addition, it opens the market to SMB organizations, which have historically not been able to take advantage of automated document capture due to the significant costs of getting started.

Based on the uncertainty of the immediate future as to when companies can bring their employees back into the office ancora is seeing an uptick in the addition of new customers. Many companies and organizations are trying to solve the immediate problem they have processing invoices and others want to make sure they are ready if work from home orders go away but come back because of a second wave of the virus. ancoraDocs will also help companies that start to bring their employees back to the office across multiple shifts to keep social distancing, with ancoraDocs the employees processing invoices can remain at home and would not need to come into the office at all. A comment we have heard often over the last 30 days is we wish we would have purchased ancoraDocs much sooner, we would not be in the position we are in today.

About ancora Software

ancora Software, Inc. is an innovative provider of Intelligent Process Automation solutions including Intelligent Document Classification and Data Capture. ancoraDocs, our flagship product, was developed to bring simplicity to a technology that historically has been complex, over-priced, and difficult to configure, install, use and maintain. Our Business Process Automation solutions with patented artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies help companies eliminate costly manual steps in their business processes such as document classification, document analysis, manual data entry, manual filing, etc. Businesses using ancora Software achieve faster and less expensive business process automation and better controls over valuable critical information. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, ancora Software maintains sales and support operations throughout North America and the UK.
Orphans" went very well, attracting an audience of some 10,000 people, with the majority of people ponying up a generous donation and even dressing up as if they were going to the hipster theater on a big night out in Sydney. Most of the audience, of course, had never been to Red Line Productions or even heard of them before. Many of them did not even live in Australia, and knew nothing about its theaters.
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Linkedin Bambang Muryanto (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta  Thu, May 7, 2020 08:27 622 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd66883d 1 National sexual-abuse,Indonesia,UII,#NamaBaikKampus,campus,Nama-Baik-Kampus,sexual-abuse-on-campus,Yogyakarta Free

As many as 30 female students from the Indonesian Islamic University (UII) in Yogyakarta have come forward and reported IM, an alumni of the school, to the Yogyakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Yogyakarta) for alleged sexual abuse.

IM, who graduated from UIIs school of architecture, is currently studying for a masters degree at the University of Melbourne in Australia.

In response to the reports, UII plans to strip IM of the honors he received for his high academic achievements, UII spokeswoman Ratna Permata Sari said.

Read also: Sexual abuse on campus: 174 survivors across Indonesia speak up

The university is also providing psychological counseling for the women, said Syarif Nurhidayat of UII's Law and Ethics Bureau.

The legal counselors of the women said the alleged abuse had gone on for years. "The survivors reported that they experienced the sexual abuse between 2016 and 2020," LBH Yogyakarta deputy director Meila Nurul Fajriah told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

According to reports received by LBH Yogyakarta, IM allegedly committed acts of sexual abuse while studying at the university, and allegedly continued to harass women via social media after graduating and continuing his studies in Australia.

IM was known as a popular student on the campus because of academic achievements and for speaking on religious matters at various discussions.

"There were various patterns to the way he sexually harassed and abused his victims. We have identified four common patterns," Meila said.

The first pattern, Meila said, was by communicating via Instagram. IM, Meila said, would begin by initiating a conversation with his victims under the guise of trying to motivate them to succeed in their studies. IM would later take the conversation in a sexual direction.

The second pattern was by video call, in which IM would allegedly expose his genitalia to the victim as soon as she answered the call.

He also reportedly lured in women by selling IELTS and TOEFL practice books and asking them to pay with cash on delivery, before inviting the women to his dorm where he would engage in inappropriate and unwanted physical contact, such as hugging them from behind.

He also allegedly used force to assault his victims, such as by grabbing their thighs or forcing them to kiss him.

Meila said the majority of his victims were his juniors on his campus, who idolized him because of his achievements.

"We recognized there was a power imbalance in these relationships. IM used his influence and his gentle persona to manipulate his victims into trusting him," she said.

She said none of the women had reported their cases to the police.

"The survivors only want IM to acknowledge his wrongdoings, and demand institutions, communities and organizations stop putting him in the spotlight, including UII. They also want the university to create regulations on sexual abuse prevention on campus," Melia continued, adding that LBH Yogyakarta was already conducting an investigation into the case should the women want to take legal action.

Of the 30 reports received by LBH Yogyakarta, some of the women had submitted their reports to @UIIBergerak, the university's antisexual abuse campaign on Instagram, as well as to Instagram user @fasyateixera. Some students also reported IM directly to the university's Law and Ethics Bureau.

IM responded to the allegations via Instagram, stating he been wrongly accused and that he forgave those who had accused. He hand wrote a three-page "clarification letter" and published photographs of each page on his account and also shared a picture of his work desk where the letter was placed near a string of tasbih (prayer beads).

"To all my good friends who had have participated in this slander against me, I have already forgiven you before you have realized your mistakes. What happened to me today is the fate that Allah has given me," he wrote in the letter.

He said he wanted to meet with those "who felt disadvantaged" by him to settle the matter properly.

Through the #NamaBaikKampus (Campus Reputation) campaign last year, in collaboration with Tirto.id and VICE Indonesia, The Jakarta Post received 174 testimonies from survivors of sexual abuse from 79 state, private and religious-based universities in 29 cities across the country. Roughly half of the survivors said they did not report the sexual abuse to anyone (dpk/evi)


CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - China will on Thursday release April numbers for imports, exports and trade balance, highlighting a busy day for Asia-Pacific economic activity.



Imports are expected to fall 12.4 percent on year after easing 0.1 percent in March, while exports are called lower by an annual 12.1 percent after falling 6.6 percent in the previous month. The trade balance is expected to see a surplus of $9.7 billion, down from $19.9 billion a month earlier.



China also will see April results for the services and composite PMIs from Caixin; in March, their scores were 43.0 and 46.7, respectively.



Australia will see March numbers for imports, exports and trade balance, plus April results for the Performance of Services Index from the Australian Industry Group. In February, imports were down 4.0 percent on month and exports were down 5.0 percent on month for a trade surplus of A$4.36 billion. In March, the services index score was 38.7.



South Korea will provide March figures for current account; in February, the current account surplus was $6.41 billion.



The Philippines will provide Q1 numbers for gross domestic product; in the three months prior, GDP was up 2.2 percent on quarter.



Finally, the markets in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia are closed on Thursday in observance of Vesak Day and will re-open on Friday.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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FORMER NXT TALENT DEBUTS FOR IMPACT WRESTLING

Former WWE NXT star and CHIKARA Champion Kimber Lee, 29, officially debuted on tonight's episode of Impact Wrestling, portrayed as someone from Jessika Havok's past. She and Havok have faced off in the past, dating back to the earliest era of their careers.

Lee was originally trained by Drew Gulak at the CZW Academy and was a regular there, Beyond Wrestling and CHIKARA for several years, including a run as CHIKARA's Champion, where she played a great, likable babyface.

Lee was signed to a NXT deal in 2016 under the ring name Abbey Laith. She was never regularly utilized or pushed on television. She was released in 2018. A year later, Lee publicly acknowledged that she had been battling alcoholism but had been sober for some time.

After her WWE release, Lee toured for STARDOM in Japan. Her Impact run will be the first national TV exposure of her career beyond a few NXT appearances.

Lee's debut can be seen below:

.@MadisonRayne tried to get to the bottom of @FearHavok's relationship with @nevaehOi4k but the debuting KIMBER LEE added a whole new layer to the story. #IMPACTonAXSTV @Kimber_Lee90 pic.twitter.com/Llljb85XgT  IMPACT (@IMPACTWRESTLING) May 6, 2020

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Former Cambodian opposition leader Kem Sokha (L) greets the family of Prime Minister Hun Sen (2nd L) at a ceremony mourning Hun Sen's mother-in-law in Phnom Penh, May 5, 2020.

A meeting held between Cambodias Prime Minister Hun Sen and the former head of the banned opposition party Kem Sokha during a funeral for Hun Sens mother-in-law was a matter of formality and does not herald a political reconciliation, the countrys ruling party said Wednesday.

Hun Sen held a 50-minute meeting on Tuesday with the former president of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), now on trial for treason, after he sent condolences over the death of Hun Sens mother-in-law and attended her funeral in the capital Phnom Penh, the government-aligned online Fresh News service reported, without saying whether political issues were raised.

The meeting has led to much speculation about whether the two leaders might resolve their differences stemming from the September 2017 arrest of Kem Sokha over an alleged plot to overthrow the government and a ban of the CNRP by the Supreme Court in November that year for its supposed role in the scheme.

The move to dissolve the CNRP was part of a wider crackdown by Hun Sen on the political opposition, NGOs, and the independent media that paved the way for his ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) to win all 125 seats in parliament in the countrys July 2018 general election.

On Wednesday, CPP spokesperson Sok Eysan dismissed talk of resolution between the two, including whether charges might be dropped against Kem Sokha.

We, the CPP, still do not view this as a political breakthrough, he said.

[Kem Sokhas case] is a matter of lawrule of law and democracythat we all uphold. Therefore, the gesture of respect and condolence at a relatives funeral cannot be considered a solution to resolve a legal matter.

CPP and CNRP officials have refused to elaborate on what was discussed during the Tuesday meeting, but representatives from Kem Sokhas camp seemed to suggest that the two men largely shared a moment of sadness over the May 4 death of Hun Sens mother-in-law Bun Seangly.

Meng Sopheary, Kem Sokhas attorney, told RFAs Khmer Service that she was unable to say whether the sit-down could lead to a reconciliation.

Kem Sokha went there to express condolences to Samdech Hun Sen on the loss of his mother-in-law, she said using an honorific title for the prime minister.

Kem Sokhas Cabinet Chief Muth Chantha said in a statement on his Facebook page that Kem Sokha had consoled Hun Sen during the meeting but added that the two had also discussed issues relevant to the national and peoples interests, without providing further details.

Meeting welcomed by public

Sar Mory, the president of the Cambodian Youth Network (CYN), noted that regardless of what was discussed, the public has welcomed the meeting between the two political rivals.

People want to see them engage in a culture of dialogue to resolve national issues such as the coronavirus and [likely trade sanctions from the European Union over democratic rollbacks], he said.

I think that if they continue to argue, our national interests will suffer.

Social development researcher Seng Sary told RFA such gestures could lead to a thawing of political relations but warned that they may not resolve the main conflict between the CPP and CNRP, which he said had become a personal matter.

This is especially true between Hun Sen and [acting CNRP chief] Sam Rainsy, as their feud has become more personal, and it will be difficult for them to reconcile and tolerate one another, he said.

I think the chance for Kem Sokha to reconcile with Prime Minister Hun Sen is higher than that for Sam Rainsy, because Hun Sen and Kem Sokha dont have a history of insulting and humiliating each other.

Dara Vichhay, a resident of Phnom Penh, said he was happy to see Hun Sen and Kem Sokha sit and talk to each other because for several years he has only seen Hun Sen threaten and intimidate the CNRP, and jail its leaders.

As a citizen, I wish to see all politicians act in a mature way and work to benefit the people, he said.

Rival party leaders in Cambodia have a history of overcoming differences to comfort one another during the loss of a loved one.

In 2013, when Hun Sens father died, Sam Rainsy sent him a letter of condolence from self-imposed exile. Shortly after, the prime minister asked King Norodom Sihamoni to pardon him, paving the way for his return to participate in the countrys general election.

In August 2015, Sam Rainsy was again forced to flee the country to avoid a string of charges brought against him by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court that he maintains are politically motivated. However, when Sam Rainsys own mother-in-law died in 2016, Hun Sen sent his son to attend the funeral.

Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Sok Ry Sum. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
"Encouraging the safety of all Americans is the backbone of our company's core values. During these uncertain times, we remain committed to ensuring both travelers and residents are staying informed and are better prepared against extreme weather," says InsureMyTrip Marketing and eCommerce Manager Ronni Kenoian.

Travelers can also listen to special hurricane-themed episodes of "Trips & Tips", an InsureMyTrip podcast, available on iTunes and Spotify.

Understanding Coverage

National Hurricane Preparedness Week (May 3-9, 2020) is underway, and travel insurance agents at InsureMyTrip are reminding travelers that once a storm starts forming, it is considered a foreseeable event and insurance coverage will no longer be available to cover losses related to that storm.



When it comes to severe weather, here are some examples of how insurance may enable travelers to receive reimbursement of pre-paid, non-refundable trip costs if they must cancel a trip due to severe weather-related issues that are covered under the trip cancellation benefit:

Flights are grounded due to a hurricane: Many plans will cover a traveler when common carriers such as airlines and cruise lines cease service due to weather. The cessation of services must be for a certain number of hours, usually 24-48.

Resort is in the path of a hurricane: A few plans will offer coverage when the traveler's destination is under a NOAA-issued hurricane warning.*

A hurricane damaged my hotel or resort: Many plans will cover a traveler when a hotel, resort, or vacation rental is devastated and made uninhabitable by a storm.

A hurricane damaged my home: Many plans will offer coverage when the primary home of a traveler sustains destructive storm damage that renders the home uninhabitable.

I changed my mind: For the opportunity to cancel a trip for reasons other than those listed as "covered reasons" on a policy, a traveler may consider Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) protection.

CFAR is an optional time-sensitive benefit available on some plans that allow a traveler to cancel a trip for any reason, no less than 48 hours prior to the scheduled departure. Reimbursement is usually 50-75% of the prepaid, non-refundable trip cost. A traveler must meet specific eligibility requirements and must purchase a policy with CFAR selected within 14-21 days of making an initial trip payment or deposit.

Note: CFAR is also an option for travelers who want coverage in the event they want to cancel a trip due to COVID-19 fears. Learn more about coverage options via the Travel Insurance & Coronavirus resource hub .

Travelers interested in learning more about insurance plans for travel during hurricane season can visit www.InsureMyTrip.com or call 1-800-551-4635 to speak with a licensed travel insurance agent.

Hurricane Travel Insurance Expert:

Meghan Walch

401-773-9210

[email protected]

*With most comprehensive travel insurance plans, the NOAA-issued hurricane warning must be issued for the traveler's destination within 24-48 hours of the traveler's scheduled departure. The cancellation must also be more than 14 days after the traveler's effective date for trip cancellation coverage. This means this coverage would not be available if the traveler is 15 days or closer to the departure of a trip.

About Weather-Ready Nation

InsureMyTrip is part of the Weather-Ready Nation (WRN) Ambassador program, an initiative of the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to strengthen partnerships with external organizations toward building community resilience in the face of increasing vulnerability to extreme weather and water events.

About InsureMyTrip

It's simple. InsureMyTrip finds you the right travel insurance plan, every time. InsureMyTrip is the authority on travel insurance. We are committed to empowering travelers to make the best possible insurance decisions by leveraging our technology, data intelligence, and expertise. InsureMyTrip is rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau.

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Riyaz Naikoo, operational commander of Hizbul Mujahideen has been killed during a gun battle between the security forces and the terrorist outfit on Wednesday. Naikoo had taken over the reins after the death of Burhan Wani.

Riyaz Naikoo was on the run for eight years before he was killed in South Kashmir today. The key commander of Hizbul Mujahideen was visiting his aged parents in the village for Ramzan. Intel got a tip-off during his presence after which the operation was launched. A joint team of Indian Army, CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a cordon-and-search operation on Tuesday night at Beighbora village.

After the intel was received, multiple fields and railway tracks were dug up in search of an underground hideout. On Wednesday morning, the forces established contact with Hijbul Mujahideen, following which the terrorists were trapped and a prolonged gunfight ensued. The search operation was called off at 1pm on Wednesday.

The house where Riyaz Naikoo was suspected to be trapped was blown up using 40 kg of IED. The Hijbul commander had a bounty of Rs 12 lakh on his head.

Amid the encounter at the Pulwama village, authorities snapped internet services across Kashmir fearing a law and order situation. In yet another gunbattle simultaneously in Pulwama district, two unidentified militants were killed.

Also read: 'No, Thank You': Less than 10% bank borrowers avail 3-month EMI moratorium

Also read: Tax hike on petrol, diesel to add Rs 1.4 lakh crore to govt's kitty: Barclays
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Linkedin Agustinus Hari (The Jakarta Post) Manado, North Sulawesi  Wed, May 6, 2020 10:12 623 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd63d8d0 1 National Anoa,manado,North-Sulawesi,sulawesi-utara,death,mati,Anoa-Breeding-Centre,BKSDA,animal-conservation Free

The North Sulawesi Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) has revealed the death of a female anoa  an endangered animal native to Sulawesi  and two baby anoas in March at the government-run Anoa Breeding Centre in Manado, North Sulawesi.

The Manado Environment and Forestry Research and Development Agency, which runs the facility, had previously been adamant not to talk about the animals death.

A 9.5-year-old anoa named Ana and her unborn calf died on March 7, North Sulawesi BKSDA head Noel Layuk told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Noel said that earlier that day, Ana, who had been pregnant for nine months, was in a healthy condition and had yet to show signs of giving birth.

During a checkup, Ana was still seen lying down and interacting with other anoas. There were no changes in behavior and no signs of fluid that indicated she was going to give birth, he said.

Read also: Where are the anoas? Central Sulawesis midget buffaloes no longer in sight

The next morning, Ana and her unborn baby were found dead, with Anas body caught in the cage.

She was most likely having difficulty getting her body free and became exhausted, causing shortness of breath leading to death. We estimate that it occurred at night when it was dark and raining so the CCTV could not capture the event, said Noel.

The breeding center reported the death of two anoas to the North Sulawesi BKSDA on March 8.

Noel added that another calf had also died.

"A newborn to a 10-year-old anoa named Denok had died. It was her third calf," he said, without further elaboration on the time of death.

Read also: Conservation hopes high after third anoa born at breeding center

Contacted separately on Tuesday, an officer at the center who refused to be identified, declined to comment about the death of Denoks newborn and even asked the Post not to expose the incident.

The center was established by the Environment and Forestry Ministry in 2015 to help boost the declining population of anoa due to hunting and deforestation.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) included the anoa on its red list of endangered species in 1986. The anoa is also a protected species according to the 1990 law on the conservation of natural resources and ecosystems.

There are less than 2,500 adult anoas in Sulawesis forests, according to IUCN data. Meanwhile, the breeding center has 10 adult anoas  three males and seven females  as well as three calves, which were born in 2017 and 2018. (aly)
(Natural News) The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Damodardas Modi, initiated a sudden lock down of the entire country on March 24th. The lock down went into effect at midnight, the same day it was announced. Overnight, tens of millions of hardworking men and women were told they could no longer work and collect a paycheck. Over the next few days, migrant workers, which comprise 20 percent of the labor force in India, fled from the populated cities en masse, traveling hundreds of miles away to their home villages. The lock down has resulted in the greatest forced migration in the history of India and has created a ripple effect of unemployment, poverty and homelessness.

Government reactions to COVID-19 have caused new curves of poverty, unemployment, homelessness, despair

In an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19, which has stealthily affected over 210 countries since the fall of 2019, governments have abandoned the use of precision quarantines for the veritably sick and have instead implemented population control methods to combat the invisible enemy. One after another, governments around the world have followed in the footsteps of communist China, restricting travel, commerce and congregation, locking select establishments down, enforcing stay-at-home orders, imposing bodily requirements and controlling the economy. These actions have severe unintended consequences. Will heavily-populated countries like India be able to slow the curve of poverty, homelessness and despair in the grueling days, months and years ahead?

Migrant workers are afraid to return to cities because of unpredictable economic conditions and government requirements

Modi is currently lifting restrictions on the economy and offering incentives to lure migrant workers back into the cities. Many of the workers fear going back, not necessarily because they might get an infection, but because they are afraid of what the government might do to restrict their movement, take away their job, or affect their livelihood at a moments notice.

The unprecedented hardship faced by migrant workers since the outbreak of Covid-19 might result in fear psychosis, said Sujan Hajra, Mumbai-based chief economist at Anand Rathi Financial Services Ltd. He predicts that the hardships have just begun for Indias already precarious employment situation and projects wide scale labor shortages and skyrocketing unemployment over the next six months.

After Modi jis lock down, were scared of returning, said Sontosh Das, 24 who spoke over the phone. During tough times, only family comes to help. Das had to flee 870 miles away to his home village in West Bengal and is afraid to return to work because he risks being left with nothing again. He is currently working on the family farm to make ends meet. Like many workers around the world, Das is at the mercy of the ever-changing demands of government officials. As lock downs are extended and as new restrictions are put in place from week-to-week, many workers feel psychologically abused and controlled, not knowing if their work and livelihood will exist in the morning or if next month offers any hope of recovery at all.

Despair is setting in. Companies in India have already reported severe labor shortages at ports and factories. Labor shortages are expected at Nissan Motor Co, Ford Motor Co and Suzuki Motor Corp. Real estate developers are seeing a rise in defaults on payments for office buildings and apartments. Many workers in India work for less than $5 a day and are wondering if working in uncertain conditions is even worth it. Families, stricken with poverty and hunger, are working together to make ends meet. Some are able to take advantage of Modis rural job guarantee program, but this barely scratches the surface. Nearly a quarter of all the people in the country are now jobless.

Economic advisors suggest that the 600 billion rupees that Modi plans to transfer to the poor will not be enough to hold off hunger and homelessness. Indias former finance minister Palaniappan Chidambaram believes the poor will need another 6 trillion rupees cash if the country plans to survive. These actions will provide short term relief, but the economy will not recover and jobs will not remain, if the flow of revenue remains stagnant and people continue to fear for their lives. No matter how much money is helicoptered in, the real problems will remain.

How will populated cities continue to face an emerging infectious disease threat without losing their confidence in one another, without losing their livelihoods, their jobs and the ability to engage in commerce? How will nations face ongoing infectious disease threats without devolving into an ongoing martial law police state where liberty and human dignity is lost?

Sources include:

MSN.com

Bloomberg.com
R ory Stewart today abandoned his bid to become London mayor, saying it was impossible to continue after the election was delayed for a year by the coronavirus crisis.

The former Tory cabinet minister said it had been an agonising decision to quit but said he could not ask his army of unpaid volunteers to continue for another year.

He makes his announcement today  on the eve of what should have been polling day - in an exclusive article for the Evening Standard.

He said he was giving up hopes of securing his dream job because of the difficulties independent candidates faced against the Labour and Conservative machines, with hundreds of canvassers and bigger budgets for election leaflets and advertising.

The point about an independent campaign is it needs to be a sort of quite quick insurgency where you really build excitement over a few months, he said. But you cant beat these huge machines if youre pushed into a nearly two-year campaign.

His withdrawal paves the way for Labours Sadiq Khan to be re-elected for a second term.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan / PA

The most recent poll, from Queen Mary University of London in March, had seen Mr Stewart advance to third place, on 13 per cent, behind Mr Khan and Tory candidate Shaun Bailey, despite having only launched his campaign last October.

Mr Stewart was seen as a wild card and polling indicated that he would be more of a threat than Mr Bailey to Mr Khan if he made it through to the second-round run-off, though Mr Khan was still expected to win.

The Government announced in March that the mayoral election and other local elections in England would be delayed until May next year as the country prepared to go into lockdown.

Mr Stewart, 47, the one-time Tory leadership contender, had quit the Conservative party and was running as an independent for City Hall.

Speaking to the Standard last night, he said a key factor in ending his campaign had been the need to be honest with donors. His campaign had attracted financial support from many Londoners making small donations.

Mr Stewart said: We were on our way to a great battle this time round, I thought. One of the team just said: Its like one of those drag races  we built our car but we never really got to race it properly.

Its been a very difficult decision. Its a job I really, really dreamed of. I dont think I will ever find another role in the world which would be as exciting or satisfying as that. It would have been a great, great privilege. There is no city like it in the world.

If I had been lucky enough to be elected I would much rather have done [this] than being Prime Minister.

Mr Stewart had pledged to quit if he failed to cut crime as mayor, and a Come Kip With Me initiative of sleeping on Londoners floors to understand their problems attracted national publicity.

Asked why he had not delayed a decision until the lockdown ended and life began to return to normal, Mr Stewart said: I think it would have been dishonest. I have taken a few weeks to get my head straight. Yes, I could have left things open and I could have teased people a bit, but I think it would have been unfair to myself or my supporters.

A lot of our donations were very small donations. I cant let people continue to donate on false pretences.

Rory Stewart / PA

He said he planned to write a book on politics and hoped to stay in public life. But he said he would not re-join the Tory party. He declined to endorse any other candidate for mayor.

He said: I would like to stay in some form of public service so maybe some charities or universities and see if there will be another opportunity in the future to contribute in some way. It just didnt seem fair or realistic to [continue].

Writing in todays Standard, Mr Stewart said he had hoped to tackle the knife crime epidemic and housing crisis and wanted to halve disgraceful levels of rough sleeping.

He praised the extraordinary passion of his supporters, saying: It was entirely due to these volunteers that we ended with the largest independent campaign in recent British politics.

But then Coronavirus hit. Perhaps because I had dealt as a Secretary of State with Ebola, I was quicker than some to see the problem of coronavirus. I was the first to call for the suspension of the very campaign and election into which I had poured nine months of my life.

But sadly, this spelled the end of our dreams for London. Our independent campaign work could work as an insurgency, sustained by the free-work of volunteers, over nine months. But not over 21 months. In such a grinding, costly, prolonged campaign the big party machines have the overwhelming advantage.

I could not put our volunteers through another 12 months of campaigning in an environment completely changed by Coronavirus and with the odds now so steeply against us.

Listen to The Leader: Coronavirus Daily podcast



Tory mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey said: Rory made a valuable and refreshing contribution to the race for City Hall.

Like me, he believes London needs new leadership. Rory brought some interesting ideas to the table and his unique campaigning style was was a real breath of fresh air.

I wish him all the best for the next chapter.
The number of children in the United States showing signs of this new syndrome  which first was detected in Europe last month  is still small. None are known to have died, and many have responded well to treatment.

No solid data yet exists about how many children in the United States have fallen ill with what doctors are calling pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome.

This is really only a disease that has been clear for two weeks now, so there is so much were trying to learn about this, the chief of pediatric critical care at Cohen Childrens, Dr. James Schneider, said in an interview on Tuesday.

Doctors say this condition does not seem to be driven by the virus attacking the lungs, a hallmark of coronavirus infection in adults.

While some of the children with this condition do end up with respiratory problems and a few have needed to be on ventilators, it seems to be less a lung-specific disease, said Dr. Steven Kernie, chief of pediatric critical care medicine at Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Childrens Hospital, which has treated between 10 and 20 children with the condition, ranging from infants to older teenagers.
(Photo : Screenshot from: Weibo Official Website)

Reports have shown that photos of Lenovo's first-ever gaming phone have been leaked online. As told by The Verge, a "trusted" anonymous source leaked unreleased material along with the specs for the new phone to XDA Developers. However, there is no guarantee that all these details will reflect in the phone's final design.





Read Also: Twitter Prompts Users to Edit Their "Offensive" Tweets before Posting Them in Aim to Halt Online Bullying

Photos of Lenovo's first gaming smartphone have been leaked along with some exciting features

Lenovo has long been preparing to release its first gaming smartphone under the brand, "Legion Gaming." And thanks to a very trusted source, everyone will now be able to take a look at the details of the potential design and its detailed specifications.

According to XDA Developers, "In late December of 2019, Lenovo created a new account called "Legion Gaming Phone" on Chinese social media platform Weibo. Over a month and a half later, Lenovo officially teased the first smartphone under its Legion gaming brand. The company uploaded a poster announcing that this upcoming smartphone will be powered by the Snapdragon 865, Qualcomm's highest-end SoC for mobile devices."

On March 3, general manager of Lenovo China Mobile, Chen Jin, teased the public that the Legion gaming smartphone will be featuring a disruptive new architecture to solve issues for mobile games like surface temperatures and reduced charging speeds. News on this eventually slowed down following the coronavirus pandemic.

Read Also: The U.K. Officials Analyze to Manage Sewage to track the spread of the coronavirus after Britain finally Eases its Way out of Lockdown

Next level gaming specs

Although receiving some have expressed skepticism, Lenovo managed to tease some posters about the 90W fast-charging feature of the Legion gaming phone. The company did clarify, however, that they are serious about the numbers and specs that they are putting out.

XDA Developers said that "There will be more than one first-generation Legion smartphone model. More recently, Lenovo shared a render suggesting the Legion gaming phone has a notch-less display, and they also uploaded a video revealing that there will be a second USB Type-C port on the side so users can charge the phone while they hold the device horizontally."

Aside from official teasers, there have been a handful of leaks as well, such as an image posted on Weibo of what seems to be Lenovo's Legion gaming smartphone bundle. The entire bundle includes the phone, wireless earbuds, a pair of gamepads, and a protective case.

The report also added that "Although I'm still not 100% convinced the actual Lenovo Legion will look like the phone in these renders, I am very sure that the videos I obtained are official marketing videos. Lenovo may be exaggerating a bit about the phone's bezels-as some smartphone companies tend to do in their marketing renders-but the overall design shown here will likely reflect the actual phone's design."

Read Also: Smaller and Lighter Oculus Quest VR is Coming, But Expect Delays; Amazon's First Big-Budget Game is Arriving This May

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
New Delhi seems to be enveloped in shocking incidents. First, the 'Bois Lockerroom' discovery, followed by the worst management of liquor sale as people flouted all social distancing rules.

Adding a third shocking indecent to the list, Meera Chopra, actor last in film Section 375 , has taken to Twitter to share that her fathers phone was stolen from him at knife-point in New Delhis Model Town.

@DelhiPolice my dad was taking a walk in #policecolony. 2 guys came in a scooter, showed knife and snatched his phone. This is how safe you claim delhi to be. @ArvindKejriwal @CPDelhi  meera chopra (@MeerraChopra) May 5, 2020

Tagging the Delhi Police and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Meera Chopra wrote, @DelhiPolice my dad was taking a walk in #policecolony. 2 guys came in a scooter, showed a knife and snatched his phone. This is how safe you claim Delhi to be. @ArvindKejriwal @CPDelhi.

Within a few hours, the Twitter handle of DCP North Delhi asked her to share details of the incident.

Pl give some more details/ contact number. Which police Colony is this?  DCP North Delhi (@DcpNorthDelhi) May 5, 2020

Immediately, Meera Chopra recounted the incident and also praised the Delhi Police for their quick action.

Thanks @DcpNorthDelhi for such a quick action. Makes me proud when we feel protected by our police department. Its never abt what has been snatched but protecting our elders is most important! Respect @DelhiPolice https://t.co/KFmH0vTtFo  meera chopra (@MeerraChopra) May 5, 2020

While we don't know if Meera's father will ever get his phone back, the hope is that the criminals who did this should be arrested and be punished.




Gemma ODoherty and John Waters arriving at the High Court in Dublin. Photo by Steve Humphreys 6th May 2020

A challenge to laws introduced by the State due to the Covid-19 pandemic is doomed to failure, the High Court has heard.

The challenge by John Waters and Gemma ODoherty was also described as "a full frontal attack" on articles of the Constitution concerning the separation of powers.

In judicial review proceedings against the State and the Minister for Health they seek the quashing of various pieces of recently enacted legislation which they say are unconstitutional and flawed.

They also want the court to make a declaration that the legislation challenged is unconstitutional.

Expand Close Gemma ODoherty and John Waters arriving at the High Court in Dublin. Photo by Steve Humphreys 6th May 2020 / Facebook

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Whatsapp Gemma ODoherty and John Waters arriving at the High Court in Dublin. Photo by Steve Humphreys 6th May 2020

Lawyers for State respondents, as well as lawyers for the Dail, Seanad and the Ceann Comhairle, who are notice parties, oppose the action.

That preliminary application came before Mr Justice Charles Meenan, who following the conclusion of submissions on Wednesday reserved his decision.

The Judge, who did not say when the court would be able to deliver its decision, said he would give the matter his "complete priority."

He said that in line with what has become the normal practice during the pandemic the judgment would be delivered electronically.

On the second day of the hearing Patrick McCann SC, for the State, told the court the application was "doomed" on several grounds.

It was procedurally flawed and should have been brought by way of plenary hearing which would involve the hearing of oral evidence, and not by way of judicial review, counsel said.

Judicial review was something used to ensure lower courts and public administrative bodies have carried out their lawful functions and not a way to challenge a decision of the legislature or the Oireachtais, counsel said.

There was a failure to put expert evidence supporting their challenge before the court, counsel argued.

Counsel added the applicants lacked the legal standing to bring the case to a full hearing, as they had not set out how the regulations challenged personally affects them.

Francis Kieran Bl, for the Oireachtas notice parties, said the challenge was "a full frontal attack" on articles on the Constitution and the separation of powers.

Counsel said that the courts should not interfere with decisions made by the houses of the Oireachtas in relation to the laws brought about by Covid-19, and that leave should not be granted as the matters raised cannot be decided on by a court of law.

Counsel said that the caretaker government was entitled to bring forward the laws, that they were unanimously passed by agreement of the parties and technical groups of the incoming Dail.

The Dail was perfectly entitled to have a reduced number of TD attend and vote on the laws. The numbers of TDs present, which due to Covid-19 was reduced by agreement to over 40 and the vote in the Dail exceeded the required quorum of 20, counsel said.

There was no issue in relation to the outgoing Seanad voting on the laws.

Counsel said while the Dail is dissolved on the calling of an election, the Seanad remains in place until the day before a new one is elected and is entitled to vote on legislation that comes before it.

In their submissions, Mr Waters and Ms ODoherty had raised questions about the manner how the new laws were passed by the legislature, and in particular by an outgoing Seanad, and that it was proposed by a caretaker government.

Mr Waters argued that the laws were so draconian that they amounted to an exceptional circumstance which would allow the court interfere with a decision of the legislature.

Ms O'Doherty, who said that the action was being brought "on behalf of the people of Ireland," described the situation as like living under "martial law".

She described the actions of the government as something "like a coup."

During the hearing, the Judge asked her to cease making what he described as speeches that were not assisting the court in the decision it had to make.

Ms O'Doherty denied making speeches and said she had a right to be heard on what was a very important issue.
The measures announced by Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa include compensation of Rs 5,000 each to thousands of washermen, barbers, auto rickshaw and taxi drivers, whose daily life has been affected.

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Wednesday announced a Rs 1,610 crore relief package for the benefit of those in distress due to the COVID-19-induced lockdown, and hiked excise duty on liquor by 11 percent to mop up revenues.

The measures announced by the Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa include compensation of Rs 5,000 each to thousands of washermen, barbers, auto rickshaw and taxi drivers, whose daily life has been affected. It would also provide relief to farmers, flower-growers, MSMEs, large industries, weavers, and building workers.

The government has also hiked excise duty by 11 percent, which is in addition to the 6 percent that was announced in the Budget, he said.

"People from all sections of society are facing financial difficulties due to lockdown of more than one and a half months... the easing of lockdown does not mean it has ended. No one one should misuse relaxation, and cooperate in improving financial condition of the state," the Chief Minister said.

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Noting that despite financial condition of the state not being so good, it was the duty of the government to come to the rescue of people in distress, he said a Rs 1,610 crore reliefpackage is being announced, and no state has announced such a big package at such a situation.

"Within a week we will transfer the amount to accounts (of beneficiaries). We have stopped all development activities and are doing this on priority for the welfare of those in distress, despite financial limitation," he added.

Flower growers have destroyed their flowers following lack of demand for their produce due to the lockdown. It is estimated that farmers cultivated flowers in about 11,687 hectares.

Realising the problems facing flower growers, the government announced compensation of Rs 25,000 per hectare limited to a maximum extent of one hectare for the crop loss.

Farmers who have grown vegetables and fruits were unable to market their produce, and the government has decided to announce a relief package for them soon.

COVID-19 has also affected service professionals such as barbers and washermen (dhobis) both in urban and rural areas, and it has been decided to provide a one time compensation of Rs 5,000 each to benefit about 60,000 washermen and about 2.30 lakh barbers.

It has been resolved to help about 7.75 lakh auto and taxi drivers by providing a one time compensation of Rs 5,000 each.

MSMEs have also suffered huge production losses due to the lockdown. It takes some time for them to revive, Yediyurappa said.

The monthly fixed charges of electricity bills of MSMEs will be waived for two months. Payment of fixed charges in the electricity bills of the

large industries will be deferred without penalty and interest for a period of two months.

The Chief Minister also announced certain benefits for electricity consumers of all categories.

Already a Rs 109 crore weavers' loan waiver scheme was announced, of which Rs 29 crore has been released during 2019 -20. The balance amount of Rs 80 crore would be released immediately. This would help weavers get fresh loans to continue their occupation.

The Chief Minister also announced a new scheme, Weaver Samman Yojana (Nekarara Sammana yojane) for the benefit of the suffering weavers. Under this scheme, government would deposit Rs 2,000 directly into the bank account of the handloom weaver through DBT.

This would benefit about 54,000 handloom weavers in the state.

There are 15.80 lakh registered building workers in the state and the government has transferred Rs 2,000 to the bank account of 11.80 lakh of them through DBT. Action has already been initiated to transfer Rs 2,000 to the accounts of the remaining four lakh construction workers soon after verifying beneficiaries bank account details.

In addition to this, an amount of Rs 3,000 would be deposited into their accounts through DBT.

Further, more than 1 lakh migrant labourers who wished to go back to their native states, Yediyurappa appealed to them to stay back, as construction and industrial activities have begun.

COVID-19 has not yet been eradicated, but it is inevitable that both efforts for controlling the spread of virus and economic activities for the development of the state have to go hand in hand, he noted.

"However, we have been able to control spread of COVID-19 and will have to take precautions in the future also," he added.
Union civil aviation minister Hardeep Puri talks about the governments mammoth plan to evacuate stranded Indians, coordinating with the states to ensure their quarantine, the resumption of domestic flights and public transport in an interview to Anisha Dutta.

Edited excerpts:

Q: What is the scale of this massive rescue plan that the Indian government is going to begin from tomorrow? You have given an estimate of about 1,90,000 people but there is no clarity on how many stranded Indians we are expecting.

The figure of 1,90,000 was a figure which was a working hypothesis for MEA initially. Our missions are in touch with people who have expressed a desire to come back then the missions do an outreach through associations of different Indians and groupings. When we started looking at the mechanics and modalities for the evacuation flights and we started getting into greater detail the first impression that we got was that the overall figure of 1,90,000 would actually be conservative and the figure would end up many times higher than this.

The total number of Indian nationals in the Gulf alone goes into several million. Some of them need to come back because they are in distress, some of them have had their Visas expired, some of them are facing deportation and others are in an emergency situation. If you put these together the figure is going to be well beyond 190,000 to 200,000. If it were a normal situation through normal civil aviation operations, you could carry these people back but the fact of the matter is domestic civil aviation and international flights have been under lockdown since March 23, therefore our ability to bring these people back is directly dependent on the arrangements that the state governments can make to receive these people. It is absolutely imperative that all those coming from abroad will have to be subjected to mandatory 14 days quarantine.

Also Watch | New Covid-19 test, invented in India, may be deployed within a month

Tomorrow three flights are planned one to Singapore and two to Abu Dhabi. We will see how this process proceeds. How much satisfaction in terms of risk minimization we get. An operation of this magnitude, 190,000 might be the largest and the most comprehensive programme ever attempted and in a difficult operating time when you are dealing with an invisible enemy. In the coming days we will refine the programme for the coming weekswe will add more countries and add more flights.

Q: How long will this take?

I am not committing myself to the total number to be evacuated, within how much period of time we do this in will depend on the manner in which we are able to execute this in consultation with the state governments. As far as the civil aviation component is concerned we can ramp that up. We have 650 aircraft at our disposal; some of them are long haul. It depends on the behaviour of the virus and the situation in the states which are receiving these people. We have a plan of the first week to ferry 14,800 people in 64 flights, in the next week we will look at an increase in numbers depending on our experience during this first week.

Q: Is there a plan to help NRIs stuck in India? How does the government plan to ferry them back?

All Indian citizens who are ordinarily NRIs, those who are on long-term work Visas, those who are green card holders etc, yes we would be happy to open the booking for them. But you have to factor in another issue which is that many countries are not receiving or not willing to receive people who are not their nationals. For instance, I thought people from Dubai who are stranded here could be sent back but they are not allowing any foreign nationals to come back even those with long term working Visas. Hence unless these restrictions are lifted by the receiving country the airlines cannot do anything about it. In the United States and United Kingdom there is no difficulty, we are booking people on the outgoing flights.

Q: You used the word evacuation and you talk about it as a commercial operation as well. What do we call it?

Where does it say that the term evacuation means it has to be gratis? Nowhere. Lets look at this realistically, these are people who went abroad to earn their livelihood, some are in difficult situations because they dont have jobs anymore but at the same time the state is providing a service through a civil aviation company. That company (Air India) is also being barely kept afloat, it requires an infusion of Rs 500 crore to 600 crore every month to keep up. We are providing a service so we have to levy a charge. There are irresponsible members of opposition parties saying it should be free and well thats one sure way of running the economy to the ground. It cannot be done free because theres a cost to it and the charge which has been levied like Rs 12,000 from the Gulf, Rs 50,000 from UKit is reasonable considering that the flight will have to go reasonably empty one way and it may not be 100% full on the way back.

A plan has been devised that they go from the port of embarkation to a pre- designated port of disembarkation and the passengers are taken into government mandated paid quarantine facilities arranged by the state government.

Q: Is there a plan now after this to begin rescue flight operations domestically as well as for those stranded in different states?

When you have a country like India which has the worlds third largest civil aviation domestic marketpre-Covid-19 we were dealing with 435 million passengers. Obviously, people are stranded, I have been getting requests from people asking when they will resume because they have to meet their family or some other urgency but all these decisions will have to be taken after we factor in the behaviour of the virus. In the process of easing mobility you dont want exponential growth in the infections. Since the Prime Minister took decisions very early in the day, those were bold and very timely decisions, we were able to control the spread.

Today, our overall number is less than 50,000 with a doubling rate of 12-13 days and total fatality is about 1600. Compared to global figures these numbers are more under control and hence we can draw some satisfaction. But in the process of opening mobility there is always a risk whether you are opening mobility through surface transport of different kinds or ship or planes. Hence you have to simultaneously do two things; put in place safeguards and precautionary measures and Standard Operating Procedures and on the other hand you ease mobility. I think we have reached a stage where we will just start getting used to the idea that the virus is going to be around for a while but we will not allow it to completely circumscribe or curtail our normal economic activity which is vital to keep the country going.

Q: One sense from the government is that there will be a gradual resumption of services? How will it be done when and if the government decides to allow?

The civil aviation resumption of domestic traffic cannot be taken in isolation. When you open up domestic flights you will also have to open up traffic in railways, and other modes of surface transport. Even the Delhi Metro has a ridership of 6.5 million a day and will have to be opened accordingly. It will all be part of a package. My expectation is that we will do it in a slow and calibrated manner. I want to reiterate that the decisions remain to be taken. When they are taken, I expect that we will do it in a gradual mannerfirst 25% operations then gradually increase. On when will it happen? I am hoping sooner than later but again it is dependent on economic activity. In the last few days a range of economic activities have opened up substantially. In the coming weeks I expect it to be eased and a calibrated opening taking place including domestic aviation and finally civil aviation overall.

Q: When can we expect an economic stimulus for the civil aviation sector?

I am not in the habit of anticipating what my senior colleague the finance minister is going to say. My ministry and all the senior officials have personally been in touch with all the airlines. We know exactly where they are seeking relief and have brainstormed with them and passed on some of their suggestions to the finance ministry. But the size of the package, stimulus etc is not for me to comment. We have to create an ecosystem so that when the crisis is over we emerge from it stronger. It would mean the amount of damage for the stakeholders in the sector is minimised. The stakeholders are the airlines themselves, the airport operators, the tourism industry etc, who are all at a severe disadvantage right now. But the eternal optimist that I am, I am hoping that we will navigate our way out of this.

Some airlines were taking advance bookings and you issued a clear directive to stop and also to reimburse bookings made during the lockdown. Some airlines have opened advance bookings again, how will you control that?

It is a very complicated situation, the airline ticketing structure is very complicated where you have passenger as a user, the travel agents and then you have the airline. In the normal system that we follow, which is a deregulated system, the airline is supposed to put on its website its lower fare and the highest fare and then they can charge according to the market mechanism. I realised what was happening pretty early, a lot of people who were in distress because they had booked a flight and it got cancelled due to the lockdown so I issued an advisory saying that people should be reimbursed.

When I found that some airlines were not following that, I was compelled to issue a directive. Meanwhile, there are other tickets which people had booked before the lockdown, now there is a demand that they reimburse those also and the matter is before the Supreme Court because someone had filed a PIL. I cant comment on it because my ministry will have to take a position there. We will have to look at the interest of the passengers primarily but also look at the situation of the airlines. But clearly if a passenger booked a ticket and got affected by the lockdown it should be reimbursed but if he booked in advance; its a global practice. Some governments like the European Union and the US have told their regulator to allow refunds. I am sympathetic towards the situation of the airlines but equally conscious about the poor customer.
(Bloomberg) -- Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg underwent non-surgical treatment for a benign gallbladder condition and will be in the hospital for a day or two, the U.S. Supreme Court said, in the latest health scare for its oldest justice.

Ginsburg, 87, a four-time cancer survivor, had been suffering from a gallstone which caused an infection, according to a statement from the court. She is resting comfortably, the court said, and plans to take part in two arguments Wednesday, which are being conducting by telephone because of the coronavirus.

Ginsburg was treated Tuesday at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore after undergoing tests the previous day at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington. She had participated in phone arguments on both days, taking turns with her colleagues in asking questions.

The court said the tests confirmed that a gallstone had migrated to Ginsburgs cystic duct, blocking it and causing the infection. Her condition, cholecystitis, is caused in most cases by gallstones blocking the tube leading out of the gallbladder, according to the Mayo Clinics website.

Cholecystitis would typically call for a laparoscopic cholecycstecomy, a surgical procedure to remove the gallbladder, said Benjamin Thomson, head of general surgery at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Australia. In an 87-year-old patient, antibiotic therapy may be recommended instead, he said.

Endoscopic Examination?

If the stone is causing cholangitis, or inflammation of the bile duct system, doctors may want to examine Ginsburgs pancreatic and bile ducts using an endoscope, said Thomson, a hepato-pancreato-biliary surgeon who treats pancreatic cancer. The so-called ERCP procedure would use a bendable, lighted tube placed through her mouth and into the stomach and first part of the small intestine. Shed also be administered antibiotics, he said.

Ginsburg reportedly had a distal pancreatectomy in the past, said Thomson, who has never treated her. Normally that has a survival of only 1%, so its amazing shes still alive, he said.

Ginsburgs health has been of particular concern to liberals in recent years. The Supreme Court could tack sharply to the right if she had to step down and President Donald Trump was able to appoint her successor.

Until last year, when she was recovering from lung-cancer surgery, Ginsburg had never missed an argument because of illness. She joined the court in 1993.

Ginsburg has also survived two bouts of early-stage pancreatic cancer, last year and in 2009, and was treated for colon cancer in 1999.

An avid exerciser, Ginsburg has continued with her workouts at the court even while much of Washington has been shut down because of the Covid-19 outbreak.

2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Starting Wednesday, Failure to Follow Face Mask Rule Could End in Fine

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  No one wants to be the face-mask police, but starting Wednesday, there will be potential consequences for businesses that do not require customers to wear them.

Under an executive order announced Friday that goes into effect on May 6, face coverings are mandatory throughout the commonwealth for anyone over the age of 2 who is unable to maintain a distance of 6 feet from others.

Gov. Charlie Baker has characterized mandatory face coverings as a likely part of a "reopened" Massachusetts economy after the state begins phasing out the non-essential business closure order issued on March 23.

In the near term, it is the essential businesses that have remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic that will carry the load of enforcement. If the grocery stores, pharmacies and other retail stores singled out in the executive order do not require customers to cover up, those establishments and or the non-compliant customers could be fined up to $300 per occurrence, according to the order.

"It's the governor's decree," said Robert Pytko, the store manager at Adams Hometown Markets in Adams. "It's one of those things where we have to go by what the state obliges us to do. But there are limitations to what we can and cannot do.

"Someone may have a medical condition. There are some things that make it physically difficult to wear a mask."

In fact, Baker's executive order does grant an exemption to anyone who declines to wear a face covering "due to a medical condition."

Pytko said the leadership of Adams Hometown Markets, which has two Massachusetts locations  Adams and Monson  was meeting later on Tuesday to discuss how it would comply with Baker's executive order.

"There are going to be some challenges with it, believe me," Pytko said.

While some Bay Staters may claim a medical exception, the majority of the population will be obliged to wear a mask, and the stores are obliged to ensure that they do.

"If [customers] refuse to wear one, they can be denied entry," said Gina Armstrong, Pittsfield's director of public health. "It's just like when you walk into a convenience store and they have a sign saying, 'No shirt, no shoes, no service.' Now, it's: no mask, no service.

"We will take action with stores that are not ensuring compliance with the requirement. We do have the option to issue fines if it's an ongoing issue."

Armstrong said that her office does not want to have to issue those fines.

"Yes, we do have the option to issue fines if it's an ongoing issue, but our first approach is always an education approach," she said. "We would also want to assess why there's noncompliance. Is it because people are having trouble accessing face coverings? We'd want to address that. Is it a lack of awareness? We'd want to get the message out there."

Pittsfield has been requiring food service employees to wear masks since early April and said it would begin fining scofflaws on Friday, not long before the governor announced the face covering order for everyone.

Armstrong noted that the order to wear face masks is designed to help the community "get back on its feet." It is a measure that is designed to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus that has killed more than 70,000 in the U.S., including 4,212 in Massachusetts.

In issuing the order, the governor emphasized growing evidence that a large percentage of the people who acquire the novel coronavirus will remain asymptomatic but are able to transmit the virus to others. Wearing a face covering, it is hoped, will lower the risk of those transmissions.

On Tuesday, Baker said he believed most Massachusetts residents will get on board with the order to wear face coverings when 6-foot social distancing is not possible.

"My expectation is that people are going to do this," Baker said. "And they're going to do it because it's the right thing to do, not just for themselves but for the people that they are close to.

"I get the fact that getting to 100 percent compliance is probably not going to be a reasonable expectation. But I think people for the most part are going to do it. I really do."

If an individual refuses to comply, city officials in North Adams and Pittsfield were clear that the stores will not be alone in their efforts.

"As a last resort, there would be the option of law enforcement if someone said they're coming in anyway," said Dr. Alan Kulberg, who chairs the Pittsfield Board of Health. "They would be able to file a report with the police. We would hope it would not come to that. We would hope these situations would be resolved amicably."

In a letter addressed to "all essential service retail establishments" dated May 6, the North Adams Department of Inspection Services said, "The City of North Adams will support any establishment in enforcing the [face covering] Order. If any physical security concerns arise, local law enforcement should be notified."

Armstrong said the Pittsfield Health Department would continue to rely on reports from customers about any businesses that are not enforcing the face-covering order, including denying access to non-compliant individuals.

On Tuesday morning, iBerkshires.com reached out to several store managers at some of the larger chains in the area and was referred to their corporate headquarters.

Repeated messages seeking comment from officials at Stop & Shop and Price Chopper were not returned.

A spokesperson from Springfield-based Big Y declined to address whether managers were directed to deny service to customers without masks but did refer to a page on its website that reads, in part, "Customers are required to wear cloth face coverings/masks in accordance with state or local regulations."

A spokesman for Rhode Island-based CVS Pharmacy noted that the retail giant requires face coverings for its employees but that while it encourages customers to wear them, it does not have a policy to deny service to those who do not.

"We have store signage in any market with state or local orders to remind customers that wearing a mask is required by law," wrote Mike DeAngelis, CVS' senior director for corporate communications. "If a customer is not wearing a mask or face covering, we will refer them to our signage and ask for their assistance in remaining compliant with the requirement. If they choose not to wear a mask, our priority is to help them complete their purchases as quickly as possible and provide them with information about other options we have available for their future needs, including free home delivery for prescriptions and our drive-thru window service."

That may not be good enough to satisfy municipalities, which were given the responsibility of enforcing the face covering rule in Baker's executive order.

Pittsfield's Armstrong said that, in general, the city's businesses have done a good job implementing other changes needed to combat COVID-19.

"Here and there, stores get a little bit overcrowded, or here or there if there are lines outside the establishment, they may not be monitored as much as they could, but they're making a tremendous effort," Armstrong said. "And we're seeing more and more consistency as we're going through this.

"And we'll continue to work with them. Our inspectors definitely will follow up if we get any complaints."

The goal of public health officials is to get to the point where complaints don't arise because consumers are complying on their own.

That largely has been the case at places like Guido's Fresh Marketplace in Pittsfield and Great Barrington and Kelly's Package Store in Dalton. "We find, for the most part, people are really willing to comply and have our safety at heart and are grateful we're providing a service and understand there are parameters to how we can operate," said Alana Chernila, the marketing manager at Guido's. Chernila said starting Wednesday, Guido's will be denying service to anyone not wearing a face covering. Enforcement does put retailers in a difficult position, she said, but that, in and of itself, is not new. "What about this [pandemic] does not put retailers in a difficult position?" she said. "It's not really a new moment of discomfort. We're getting used to it. "We have occupancy limits in our store and a line up outside for people waiting to get in. We're already in a position where we're asking customers to comply with a whole list of restrictions to make everyone safer. We ask that they shop alone instead of coming with other people. We ask them not to use their cell phones. We ask that they keep their conversations to a minimum in the store, that they shop at greater intervals than they are used to. "We have so many things that we've been asking of our customers." Overall, Guido's is not anticipating any issues when it begins enforcing the order on Wednesday, she said. At Kelly's, general manager Andrew Kelly also said he is not overly worried about the advent of the state mandate. "We have very few people coming now without a face mask," Kelly said. "We actually carry face masks. There's a church group that does them for a donation. We've sold over 200 through here so far." For anyone who is not wearing a face covering, Kelly said he plans to start giving stern reminders to go along with signage asking for compliance. "Then, if it gets to a repetitive point, we're going to say to a person, 'You can't come in without a face mask,'" Kelly said. "You've got to handle it with some tact. "You don't want to look like a jerk, but at the same time you want to make sure your community is safe and well looked after. That's part of our job as well."

Updated Wednesday morning with comments from Guido's Fresh Marketplace.
Dream vacations at InterContinental Phu Quoc

Combining modern comfort with island charm, each of the resorts 459 rooms features custom made linens accented with sublime Vietnamese silk accessories, luxurious bathrooms complete with exquisite in-room amenities, and the promise of a truly memorable stay.

Designed to meet the different needs of all discerning travellers, the resorts accommodation options include the resort wings, the brilliant sunshine apartments at the modern Sky Tower, or in one of its private and peaceful lotus-lagoon villas.

In the heart of the resort are the two adjacent infinity pools, Vista and Oasis, overlooking the turquoise ocean. A lazy chair under a truss of golden trumpet vines in bloom is just the right spot to take a rest after swimming and sunbathing, perhaps with a good book or some refreshing sips from a detoxifying drink and some ice-cream to disperses the sultry midday sun.

Just few steps away from the pools, six innovative restaurants and bars offer an eclectic array of gastronomic delights. Enjoy exquisite seafood under the stars at LAVA restaurant, or listen to the waves with barbecued delights at Sea Shack.

Families with children can enjoy lovely family moments at Splash! swimming pool or gather around a delicious hot pizza just out of the oven at the poolside Italian cuisine at Ombra.

But there is more. The 250-sq.m childrens playground Planet Trekkers opens up a colourful world with endless fun. For the little gourmets, Kids Can Cook childrens cooking corner located inside the Sora & Umi restaurant enables them to work with the resorts chefs and create their first hand-made cookies.

By far the best place to admire Phu Quocs breathtaking sunset is INK 360 bar on the 19th floor of the resort where romance-seekers can sip on a cocktail and enjoy themselves.
Leaders of the European Union have reaffirmed their "unequivocal support" for six Western Balkan states to eventually become members of the bloc and offered them fresh financial support as the region struggles to cope with the coronavirus crisis.



With Russia and China vying for influence in the region, the leaders of EU institutions and member states gathered for a roughly two-hour video summit on May 6 with EU hopefuls Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.



The summit avoided advancing membership talks and instead focused on the socioeconomic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed about 140,000 people on the continent, eroded economic growth, and suppressed any appetite EU leaders have for enlargement.



The Western Balkans belongs in the EU and there is no question for us about it, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after the summit.

'Special Responsibility'



The EU has a special responsibility in assisting its partners in the region, particularly regarding the impact of the coronavirus, she added.



In their final declaration, the EU leaders said the bloc once again reaffirms its unequivocal support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans."



They also promised a "robust economic and investment plan" for the Balkans to help recover from the COVID-19 crisis, on top of the 3.3 billion euros ($3.6 billion) in emergency funding that the EU already mobilized for the region.

Von der Leyen said the new package, to be presented later this year, would focus on transport and energy infrastructure but also EU policy priorities like fighting climate change. There was no indication of how big the package might be.



In return, the EU leaders sought assurances that the six countries stand ready to carry out political, democratic, and economic reforms, warning: Increased EU assistance will be linked to tangible progress in the rule of law and in socioeconomic reforms, as well as on the Western Balkans partners adherence to EU values, rules, and standards.



The final summit declaration also called on Balkan countries to progress towards full alignment with EU foreign policy positions, notably on issues where major common interests are at stake, and to act accordingly."



The talks, which before the coronavirus epidemic were planned to be held in Croatias capital, Zagreb, came as the EU tries to counter criticism it was initially slow to help the Balkans handle the crisis.



The EUs response stood in contrast to Russia and China, which widely publicized their quick delivery of shipments of masks and other gear.



In Serbia, President Aleksandar Vucic criticized the EU for a lack of solidarity at the start of the crisis while praising Russian and Chinese assistance.



But the EU leaders on May 6 underlined that European support and cooperation goes far beyond what any other partner has provided to the region [which] deserves public acknowledgement.



Of the Western Balkan states, Serbia and North Macedonia have progressed the most toward eventual EU membership but are still years away.



Albania and North Macedonia, which after a frustrating delay last year were given the green light in March to formally start membership negotiations, are still waiting for a concrete start date.



Kosovo and Bosnia are still trying to earn candidate status.

With reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters
 Flash

Britain has overtaken Italy as the worst-hit country in Europe by the novel coronavirus, according to the latest official figures released Tuesday.



Chairing Tuesday's Downing Street press briefing, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said another 693 COVID-19 patients have died, bringing the total coronavirus-related death toll in Britain to 29,427.

The figures include deaths in all settings, including hospitals, care homes and the wider community.

Earlier in the day, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published its latest coronavirus-registered death figures, showing the total death toll has passed 32,000, making Britain the worst-hit country in Europe followed by Italy.

The ONS uses an alternative measure as its figures are based on all mentions of COVID-19 on a death certificate, including suspected COVID-19.

The coronavirus-related death toll in Italy currently stands at 29,315.

Responding to a question by the BBC about his reaction on Britain's death toll, Raab called it a "massive tragedy" but said it is difficult to compare among different countries before the pandemic is over.

"It is important but I don't think you can make the international comparisons you are making at this stage," he said.

"I don't think we'll get a real verdict on how well countries have done until the pandemic is over and particularly until we've got comprehensive international data on all cause of mortality," he said.

Meanwhile, Raab said Britain is continuing to see evidence of the flattening of the peak of the virus.

The next stage "won't be easy" as Britons go on to the next phase of adjusting to a "new normal", he said.

A coronavirus-tracing app has started to be trialled from Tuesday in the Isle of Wight. The government hopes to roll out the app across the country in the "middle of this month", according to Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last Thursday that the country was "past the peak" of the COVID-19 outbreak and a "comprehensive" plan will be published later this week on "how we can continue to suppress disease" while restarting the economy.
A group of Victorian boarding schools have chosen to stay open over the school holidays rather than lose international students to coronavirus border closures.

Staff at Toorak College in Mount Eliza spent the two-week break "being parents" to Chinese boarders, one aged just 13.

Toorak College boarding house has stayed open during the coronavirus crisis. Credit:Jason South

Sixty-seven of the school's 70 boarders are from China. Principal Kristy Kendall said the boarders were in "remarkable spirits" despite being restricted to school property for seven weeks.

Boarding schools claim they've been largely forgotten in the coronavirus crisis. Like universities, border closures and Australia's fragile relationship with China pose a grave risk for the country's 199 boarding campuses.
YouTube star Brittani Boren Leach has revealed that she and her husband Jeff are expecting a baby again, after tragically losing their three-month-old son Crew at Christmas.

In an emotional Instagram post Tuesday, the Texas mom, 29, revealed that they discovered the happy news just as they moved into a new home amid the coronavirus pandemic.

'We cried tears of joy and happiness, tears of sadness, tears of nervousness, and tears of hope,' Leach wrote, alongside a picture of the pair holding a baby scan. 'God has sent us the biggest blessing in the midst of many difficult trials and we are so thankful.'

In an emotional Instagram post Tuesday, the Texas mom, 29, revealed that they discovered the happy news just as they moved into a new home amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Mentioning their late son, Leach added: 'We are so excited to meet this little heaven-sent blessing that big brother Crew has picked out just for us.'

She also shared a video featuring Crew's four siblings, captioned: 'Sent straight from Heaven and without a doubt, hand-picked by big brother Crew himself, estimated to arrive on December 1, 2020.'

And she added a quote, celebrating her 'rainbow baby'.

'It is understood that the beauty of a rainbow does not negate the ravages of any storm. When a rainbow appears, it does not mean that the storm never happened, or that we are not dealing with its aftermath. It means that something beautiful and full of light has appeared in the midst of darkness and clouds. Storm clouds may still hover, but the rainbow provides a counterbalance of color, energy and hope.'

Family: Brittani and Jeff share two other sons, and each have a child from a previous relationship; here, Crew's siblings pose with his portrait

In the video, the couple hug as they are surrounded by sons Cooper and Cash as well as her son Carter and his daughter Sydney from their previous relationships.

The children embrace Brittani, and put their four hands over her stomach.

Leach had previously admitted her struggles in the aftermath of her son's death, after she was blasted by critics for posting images of his final days before his organs were donated.

In a video posted to YouTube in January this year, Leach and her husband addressed their critics, saying that the negative remarks 'do not matter'.

Family: Brittani is seen during her pregnancy with Crew, with her three older sons

'However, they have made it more difficult for me to grieve,' she said.

The video was posted a month after Crew was found not breathing at a relative's house on Christmas day.

The child was eventually resuscitated, but ended up brain dead, leaving the couple with the difficult choice of turning off his life support and donating his organs.

Leach shared a series of heartbreaking images alongside her tiny son while in the hospital.

Journey: YouTube star Brittani Boren Leach and her husband Jeff had documented their grief the over the loss of their son Crew

During the process, she posted images on Instagram of the baby's final days, which they drew the criticism online.

Leach kept her followers up to date as she ended up burying Crew in a gown made from her wedding dress.

'Oh how I wish this picture was taken today, I would give anything just to hold him this close again,' Leach wrote in the caption of a sweet photo that shows her holding the child

'Those of you who were following me before and 'knew' Crew, knew he lived in this wrap. It was his favorite place to be,' she said.

Precious: A picture of Leach's son Crew before he became ill

She told fans the family had decided to donate his organs, adding: 'The pain is unbearable. I keep thinking that I will wake up from this nightmare, but I don't.'

Leach said: 'We are living a nightmare, and I'm dying inside. This can't be real.'

But she also added: 'Please keep in mind that we can see your comments, questions and conversations with one another. Put yourself in our shoes (which is impossible to do) and ask yourself if you'd want to read what you're about to write or say.'
StanChart's annual investor meeting was closed to shareholders in line with government restrictions to control the spread of the new coronavirus.

London: Standard Chartered Chairman Jose Vinals said on Wednesday his Asia-focused bank was well placed to benefit from a late 2020 economic rally, despite the extraordinary impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy.

There is no doubt that the world will be coping with the threat of COVID-19 for some time. We expect most economies to suffer significant negative growth rates this year before the global economy moves gradually out of recession, starting in the latter part of 2020, Vinals said via a video message to investors posted on the banks website.

This recovery will most likely be led and then driven by markets in Asia, where we generated 80 percent of our profits in 2019.

The banks annual investor meeting was closed to shareholders in line with government restrictions to control the spread of the new coronavirus. Results of proxy voting in the AGM will be published to investors later on Wednesday.

The Spanish economist, who has served as chairman of the bank since December 2016, also said the board had acted decisively to cut pension perks for executives after a sizeable investor rebellion last year.
TDT | Manama

His Royal Highness the Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa stressed yesterday that Bahrain and Kuwait were bound by a deep-rooted history and distinguished relations based on robust foundations of cordiality laid by the countries forefathers.

HRH the Premier, who was receiving Kuwaits Ambassador to Bahrain Sheikh Thamer Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah, praised the steady development of relations between the two countries across all sectors, which demonstrates their keenness on boosting cooperation to the highest levels.

The Ambassador conveyed the greetings of Kuwaits Emir HH Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah and his wishes of good health to HRH the Premier and further progress and prosperity to Bahrain and its people.

HRH Prince Khalifa asked Sheikh Thamer to convey his greetings and thanks to HH the Emir and to the Prime Minister and his wishes of further progress and prosperity to Kuwait and its people.

HRH the Premier lauded HH Sheikh Sabahs stances that contributed to the elevation of the status of Kuwait regionally and internationally. He also hailed Kuwaits progress under his wise leadership.

The Ambassador expressed gratitude to HRH the Premier for his care and support to deepening relations and cooperation between Bahrain and Kuwait and lauded his wisdom, vision and objectivity on various regional and international matters.

Sheikh Thamer paid tribute to the efforts of the government, led by HRH Prince Khalifa, in caring about Kuwaitis in Bahrain. He stressed his countrys keenness on broadening cooperation with the Kingdom.
Curbside is now common at supermarkets, restaurants and drugstores  a social distancing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Add to the list Wildlife Rescue of New Mexico.

The organization is still accepting injured or orphaned critters, but only with an appointment, and only from outside the clinics front gate.

Founded in 1981, the Wildlife Rescue, at the entrance to the Rio Grande Nature Center on Candelaria NW, rehabilitates wildlife and, when possible, returns animals to their natural habitat, said Ann Zolin, a longtime volunteer and a clinic manager.

Because the Nature Center is closed, the Wildlife Rescue clinic is also closed to people wishing to drop off animals. If someone finds an animal that requires help, they must first call the clinic at 505-344-2500 to leave a message or make an appointment for a curbside drop-off, Zolin said.

Of course, not all animals will be accepted, among them known carriers of rabies or large mammals, including raccoons, skunks, foxes, coyotes, bears, cougars and deer, Zolin said.

To get assistance for these animals, call New Mexico Game and Fish at 505-222-4700, or call the citys 311 Community Contact Center and ask for the Albuquerque urban biologist.

Wildlife Rescue also does not capture injured or orphaned animals, nor does it capture and relocate healthy wildlife, Zolin said.

During an average year, Wildlife Rescue takes in about 2,000 animals at its clinic, 80% of which are birds, said Penny Elliston, a founder of the organization.

At this time of the year, people are mostly finding what they think are orphaned baby rabbits, she said My message to them is leave them alone, because most of the time, the mother is nearby. If the baby rabbit is clearly injured, maybe from a dog or cat attack, then the animal should be brought in.

While Wildlife Rescue works with veterinarians who donate their time, it does not have a veterinarian on staff, Zolin said. It has volunteers who rehab animals at their homes, particularly baby animals that need more frequent feedings.

Our best possible scenario is to rehab and release. Thats our goal, Zolin said.

When animals cant be released back into the wild, they are often used in education programs conducted by Wildlife Rescue at the Nature Center, schools, parks, and senior and community centers. Most of these animals live at the home of the volunteers who worked to rehab them.

Animals that are badly injured and cant be rehabbed must, according to state rules, be humanely euthanized, Elliston said. The specimens are then donated to the Museum of Southwestern Biology at the University of New Mexico,

An all-volunteer nonprofit organization, Wildlife Rescue of New Mexico is funded by donations, as well as some small state grants. To make a monetary donation, go to the organizations website at wildliferescuenm.org, or mail a donation to P.O. Box 70364, Albuquerque, NM 87197.
By Trend

Turkeys coronavirus death toll reaches 3,520 with 59 new fatalities, while the number of recovered patients hit 73,285 with 1,832 new releases, the health minister said on Tuesday, Trend reports citing Daily Sabah.

Sharing the pandemic's daily updates on his Twitter account, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca expressed that the number of intensive care patients keeps falling, while the number of recovered cases are on the rise, which shows the measures against the outbreak are proving successful.

According to the latest figures, there are 1,338 intensive care patients in Turkey and 5,119 people have recovered from the virus over the past 24 hours.

In the same period, over 33,283 additional tests were conducted for a total exceeding 1.2 million.

Some 707 patients remain intubated.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
If you want to know where Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells priorities lie, youd be hard pressed to find a better proxy than the Senate Judiciary Committees hearing schedule.

That, or his own words.

My motto for the year is leave no [judicial] vacancy behind, Mr McConnell reminded conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt in an interview on 22 April.

That hasnt changed. The pandemic will not prevent us from achieving that goal, he said.

After five weeks away from the Capitol over health concerns arising from the coronavirus pandemic, Mr McConnell is following through on that promise despite strong objections from Democrats.

The Judiciary panel that oversees federal court nominations held its first hearing of the week on Wednesday to consider whether to elevate 37-year-old district court judge Justin Walker, a McConnell protege, to the powerful DC Circuit Court.

On Thursday, the panel will consider eight more prospective judges, a US marshall, and a federal district attorney.

Then it will break for the weekend before finally holding a hearing next Tuesday examining liability during the Covid-19 pandemic for businesses that are deciding whether to open even as the pandemic rages on.

Circuit courts

Mr McConnell has made it clear that loosening tort law during the health crisis to encourage businesses to re-open without the threat of copious lawsuits stemming from Covid-19 exposure is his top priority for the next piece of coronavirus legislation.

But the Judiciary Committees schedule makes it even clearer that reshaping the federal judiciary in his conservative image remains the majority leaders top overall priority so long as Donald Trump is in the White House.

Because not only does installing conservative judges to some of the highest courts in the land  the countrys 13 federal appellate courts, which the majority leader has prioritised, support the Trump administrations agenda in real time  it also sets up all sorts of legal roadblocks for a President Joe Biden.

Barack Obama only managed to get 54 of his appeals court nominees confirmed during his entire eight-year presidency.

Mr Walker, whose family has known Mr McConnells since he was a little boy, would be Mr McConnell and Mr Trumps 52nd confirmed appellate circuit judge in just over three years.

Democrats, who would doubtless be pulling the same tricks as Mr McConnell if they were in his position, blasted the majority leader and Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham of South Carolina on Wednesday for scheduling the pair of judicial nomination hearings as the committees first orders of business before examining any of the issues related to the coronavirus crisis that fall under the panels jurisdiction.

Those issues range from guards and inmates exposure to Covid-19 in federal prisons, how the health crisis is jamming the immigration system, and whether law enforcement has enough personal protective equipment as it protects the streets.

"We're in the middle of one of the greatest public health crises in the history of our nation. We're sitting in a committee with jurisdiction in so many critical areas when it comes to this crisis, and instead Senator McConnell is unwilling to set aside his wish list of filling the courts," Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin of Illinois said in his opening remarks at the hearing for Mr Walker on Wednesday.

"The American people deserve better," Mr Durbin said.

Walking, chewing gum

Mr McConnell has argued, in not so many words, that the Senate can walk (address coronavirus) and chew gum (confirm judges) at the same time, which is what Democrats said during their impeachment proceedings against Mr Trump.

But impeachment wasn't unfolding during an unprecedented national crisis that demanded immediate passage of legislation: Impeachment was the national crisis.

And its not like the Senate has been exactly on the ball with its responsibility to conduct oversight of the more than $2.7trn Congress has pumped into the economy and health system since coronavirus landed on US shores earlier this year.

Mr McConnell and Speaker Nancy Pelosi still havent reached an agreement on who will chair the bicameral, five-person oversight panel created in the $2.2trn CARES Act to oversee its rollout.

The CARES Act was signed into law in March, and the panels first report is due this Saturday.

That could be hard to compile without a chairperson.

And while other Senate committees are holding various information-gathering hearings related to Covid-19, they are not oversight enquiries into how the administration has implemented the new laws.

If Mr Walker could make the trek from Western Kentucky to DC for his hearing before the Judiciary panel, and medical adviser Scott Atlas of the Hoover Institute could testify before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee on Wednesday to talk about the pandemic, certainly Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar could make the 17-minute walk across the Capitol complex from HHS Humphrey Building to the Dirksen Senate Office Building to answer question about his departments latest actions.
Russians sign marital agreements twice as frequently - notaries

 flickr.com/ Dallas

16:32 06/05/2020

MOSCOW, May 6 (RAPSI) - The number of concluded marital agreements increased twice in the first half of April, the Federal Notary Chamber told RAPSI on Wednesday.

According to the statement, such contracts become more and more popular in Russia. Last year, their number rose by 3 percent. In the first half of this "self-isolated" April, their amount upped twice as compared to the same period of the last year, the Chamber notes.

Notaries cited the experience of China where the number of divorces increased after the coronavirus lockdown; and citizens were proposed to record divorces not in court but through notaries.

According to the Chamber, Russia can follow the suit of China in this matter.
[May 06, 2020] LOGIX Fiber Networks Announces Direct Connectivity Between MDC Laredo & McAllen in South Texas

LOGIX Fiber Networks, the largest independent fiber network provider in Texas, and MDC Data Centers, the leading provider of network-neutral colocation on the border, announced a new direct route for carriers between MDC Laredo and MDC McAllen. This direct link between McAllen and Laredo, the largest inland port on the U.S.-Mexico Border, increases the options available to international carriers for interconnection across the border. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005206/en/ MDC Data Centers and LOGIX Fiber Networks have established direct connectivity between MDC Laredo and MDC McAllen to connect with Mexico. (Photo: Business Wire) LOGIX's robust network now reaches over 265,000 miles of fiber that connects cities like Laredo and McAllen to the five largest markets in Texas (Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, and Houston), as well as adaptive delta modulation (ADM) capabilities in Corpus Christi. LOGIX offers speeds up to 100 Gbps and carrier solutions that include fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, 10 Gigabit Ethernet, and 100 Gigabit Ethernet. LOGIX is a preferred backhaul solution for several key Latin American carriers at MDC's data centers, serving as a gateway to Texas markets and providing last-mile solutions with over 3,000 on-net locations in Texas.



"LOGIX has been providing carrier-grade, fiber network services throughout Texas for 35 years and we are committed to continuing our growth in Texas and beyond," said Matt Murphy, CEO of LOGIX Fiber Networks. "During this time of social distancing and travel restrictions, this expansion of services between Laredo and McAllen is an important step to keeping international businesses connected." Laredo has been a strategic choice for carriers due to its proximity to cities like Dallas in the U.S. and Monterrey in Mexico, with a combined population of over 2.5 million people. Just 144 miles to the south of Laredo is McAllen, where the largest concentration of Mexican networks interconnect with Tier-1 networks and content and cloud providers. McAllen is also home to MDC's flagship data center and the MEX-IX, the only internet exchange in the U.S. focused on peering with Mexico.

The strategic location of these cities on the border and the current ecosystem offers a direct route for carriers to connect with Mexican networks to better meet the growing demand for internet traffic from the northern states in Mexico and provides international carriers with an opportunity to expand into the Mexican market directly. About MDC Data Centers MDC Data Centers helps network operators, content providers, and enterprises interconnect with major network service providers on the United States border with Mexico. It is considered one of the fastest-growing data centers in South Texas, presenting a unique offer of reliable and neutral colocation services with a fiber crossing infrastructure that brings networks across the border. Due to its proximity to Mexico, MDC serves this emerging market enabling American and International carriers to connect to the largest concentration of Mexican networks. For more information visit mdcdatacenters.com or follow MDC Data Centers on LinkedIn and Twitter (News - Alert) at @mdcdatacenters. About LOGIX Fiber Networks LOGIX Fiber Networks is an established fiber-based network infrastructure operator in Texas. LOGIX provides highly secure fiber-based data and voice services as well as data center access to over 10,000 enterprise and carrier customers. Known for its outstanding Texas-based customer service, flexible connectivity options, and best-in-class reliability, LOGIX's built-for-business fiber network delivers the reliability customers need so that they can focus on their business. LOGIX's affordable solutions leverage expertise accumulated over its 35-year history. As a nimble, regional player, LOGIX efficiently develops and deploys large-, medium- or small-scale footprints to support its customers' current and future business requirements. LOGIX offers a broad range of business voice and data options for simple and complex configurations including Business Voice, Business Internet, Business Ethernet, Business Wavelength, Business Voice Cloud, Business Voice Trunks, Data Centers and Cloud Connect. For more information about LOGIX, call 281-688-6231 or visit www.logix.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005206/en/

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Staff coming into work when they are sick are believed to be responsible for Australia's big new coronavirus outbreaks, infectious diseases experts say.

It comes as figures reveal the 'growth factor' of the virus - a critical measurement which shows whether Australia has COVID-19 under control - has spiked.

The figure passed 1.01 on Monday and ticked up to 1.04 on Tuesday, an ABC blog reported.

It is the first time in a month that the 'growth factor' - where the national broadcaster compares supplied case numbers from week to week - has topped 1.0.

The spike came as authorities confirmed 49 people have tested positive at a Melbourne meatworks and a 16th person died at Sydney's Newmarch nursing home.

Both outbreaks are believed to be caused by ill staff coming into work, with authorities confirming the Sydney case and continuing to investigate the Melbourne outbreak.

ABC figures show Australia's 'growth factor' has spiked to 1.04 in recent days. Authorities want to the community to keep the rate below 'one'

New South Wales reported three cases on Tuesday and nine on Wednesday while Victoria reported 22 and 17 cases on the same days.

Tasmania reported two cases on Wednesday and Queensland no new cases. Western Australia has gone a full week without any new cases and South Australia 13 days,

What's caused the new outbreaks?

A healthy worker - appropriately - wears a mask at a cafe in Sydney this week

Infectious diseases expert, Professor Peter Collignon from the Australian National University, said staff going to work while sick appears to be a major factor in the recent corona-clusters.

'The biggest mistake for clusters is that staff members have gone to work when they're unwell,' Prof Collignon told Daily Mail Australia, referring to instances both Down Under and in New Zealand.

Case in point was the deadly outbreak at the Newmarch nursing home, in Caddens, western Sydney.

The outbreak occurred after a staff member with mild COVID-19 symptoms attended work for six days in a row - infecting 37 of 100 residents and 26 staff.

Anglicare, the centre's operator, has warned the situation is likely to get worse.

Meanwhile, health authorities in Victoria have conceded an infected worker sparked this week's outbreak at Cedar Meats in Gippsland, in Melbourne's west.

But it's not yet clear if the worker was suffering any symptoms at the time of the outbreak.

Several workers were unwell by the time authorities realised the situation was out of control and the virus appears to have got a three-week head start on health officials.

49 workers at a Melbourne meatworks have tested positive to COVID-19, after an infected employee sparked an outbreak

Family members outside Newmarch House, in Caddens, in Sydney's west, where 16 residents have died from a COVID-19 outbreak

A nurse at one of Victoria's mobile testing sites. All Cedar Meats workers have now been tested for the coronavirus

The first worker at the centre was diagnosed on April 2 and the second worker on April 24, the state's Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) said on Tuesday.

A DHHS spokeswoman claimed the April 2 case ''had not been at work while infectious so the workplace was not considered an exposure site' in a statement.

The second case was diagnosed weeks later and, on April 25, a worker tested positive at hospital after severing his thumb in an apparent workplace accident.

Authorities have indicated a silent spreader may have been responsible for the outbreak.

But an unnamed meatworker claimed on Radio 3AW this morning that the worker infected in early April had attended the abattoir prior to his diagnosis.

Professor Sutton told talkback host Neil Mitchell 'it remains a rumour' and an investigation was 'appropriate'.

A DHHS spokeswoman said: 'The source of infection is still under investigation'.

Experts say Australia is in for a long battle with '20 to 30 cases a day'

The infectious diseases doctor Professor Collignon said Australia should expect the virus's case numbers to bob up and down over the coming weeks, especially if compared from day-to-day.

That's because the country has driven the total number of cases down to extremely low levels - and big outbreaks such as the meatworks have a significant impact on figures.

The infectious diseases doctor said it would be troubling if the total number of cases consistently rose by more than 100 per day.

Say ahhh: A man gets tested at a Victorian mobile clinic - as an outbreak at a meatworks leads to a surge of cases in the state

Prof Collignon said it seems 20 to 30 cases a day seems to be a 'new normal', like case numbers have been in success stories in Taiwan and South Korea.

The virus is said to have a 'long tail' after its peak. 'We have to expect this for the next few months,' the expert said. 'It might get worse in winter because viruses transmit more.'

Prof Collignon said Australia was still in a good place after successfully deploying a 'suppression' strategy against the disease, using social distancing and lockdowns.

A mother helps her daughter with her face mask after sharing a Happy Meal in Sydney this week

Australia has reported 6,856 cases and 97 deaths in total over the course of the pandemic

The strategy has worked so well the Federal Government and the states have signaled restrictions will likely be eased from Friday.

Prof Collignon said measures going forward needn't be full-on lockdowns, but will involve Australians following social distancing rules.

'We can't become hermits, but we can do a lot of things,' he said.
Washington: US President Donald Trump says the White House coronavirus taskforce will remain in place but with a focus on medical treatments and easing restrictions on businesses and social life, and perhaps with different advisers.

Trump had said on Tuesday, local time, that he planned to replace the taskforce with "something in a different form".

Coronavirus taskforce: Dr Anthony Fauci speaks while Seema Verma, administrator of the Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services, President Donald Trump, Surgeon-General Jerome Adams and Dr Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, listen, in March. Credit:AP

In a series of tweets on Wednesday, however, Trump said that because of its success, "the taskforce will continue on indefinitely with its focus on SAFETY & OPENING UP OUR COUNTRY AGAIN. We may add or subtract people to it, as appropriate."

He added: "The taskforce will also be very focused on Vaccines & Therapeutics."
Join the digital adventure! The SIG Procurement Technology Summit is a state-of-the-art digital experience for sourcing, procurement and risk professionals. Register to join online May 11-15. This Summit is unique among procurement industry events because it combines forward-thinking, executive thought leadership with gamification aspects and prize giveaways to create a state-of-the-art digital experience.

SIG, the premier membership organization for sourcing, procurement, outsourcing and risk executives, today announces that executives from CrowdStrike, GEP and SAP Ariba will headline its Procurement Technology Summit. The event will take place entirely online from May 11 to May 15.

Delivering the opening keynote address on Monday, May 11, is Santosh Nair, Vice President of Technology at GEP. He will join SIG CEO and President Dawn Tiura for a fireside chat to discuss how the Coronavirus pandemic has impacted procurement and supply chain, how technology can help in times of crisis, and what procurement and supply chain leaders should be considering as we work through this pandemic and beyond.

Mr. Nair leads GEPs Digital Transformation practice, primarily in procurement and supply chain domains. His specialties are digital transformation, cloud computing, strategic planning, organizational design, source-to-pay business transformation, operations cost reduction, new product development, technology enablement and user adoption.

On Wednesday, May 13, Chris Haydon, who leads SAP Procurement Solutions, will take part in a fireside chat with Ms. Tiura to discuss how the COVID-19 crisis has put the spotlight on the need for agile procurement and applying the lessons learned from this crisis to reimagine and reinvent supply chains.

Serving since 2017 as senior vice president of customer value, Mr. Haydon was formerly SAP Aribas chief strategy officer. Currently he focuses on customer success while defining end-to-end spend management solutions that drive differential business outcomes and leads SAPs procurement product strategy, portfolio and product roadmap.

For the closing keynote address on Thursday, May 14, Shawn Henry, President, CrowdStrike Services and Chief Security Officer at CrowdStrike, will share stories from the frontlines of cybersecurity in the wake of destructive attacks. This session will focus on cybersecurity principles that all corporate leaders should know, the current cyber threat-scape, the importance of safeguarding the supply chain, business versus technical risk, and how your organization can prepare for and prevent an attack.

Mr. Henry retired as FBI Executive Assistant Director in 2012, overseeing half of the FBI's investigative operations, including all FBI criminal and cyber investigations worldwide, international operations, and the FBI's critical incident response to major investigations and disasters. During his 24- year career, he held a wide range of operational and leadership roles in four FBI Field Offices and FBI Headquarters. He currently serves on the Strategic Advisory Committee of the Global Cyber Alliance.

This pandemic has made it clear that procurement leaders need greater agility and transparency in their supply chains to take proactive, preventative measures against future disruptions, said SIG CEO and President Dawn Tiura. The advanced procurement technology that you can experience at the Procurement Technology Summit will give your business a competitive edge and mitigate supplier risk up and down the supply chain.

The Procurement Technology Summits theme is Join the Digital Adventure because it enables attendees to explore the unknown and provides them with the necessary knowledge and tools that procurement professionals need to overcome the challenges ahead. This Summit is unique among procurement industry events because it combines forward-thinking, executive thought leadership with gamification aspects and prize giveaways to create a state-of-the-art digital experience.

Additionally, when SIG member companies register to attend, they can use their allotted Summit seats for a $1,000 credit to enroll in SIG Universitys Certified Sourcing Professional (CSP) program. The CSP program is SIG Universitys longest-running certification program and is recognized as the most well-rounded curriculum available for sourcing professionals.

The interactive digital environment of the SIG Procurement Technology Summit will feature keynote speakers, breakout sessions with live Q&A, and a virtual Innovation Hall with platform demonstrations that showcase how artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotic process automation are transforming procurement and driving better outcomes for businesses.

For more information, visit the Procurement Technology Summit website for the full agenda, FAQs and registration pricing information.

About SIG

SIG, https://sig.org/ is a membership organization that provides thought leadership and networking opportunities to executives in sourcing, procurement and outsourcing from Fortune 500 and Global 1000 companies and the advisors who serve them. SIG is widely known as a forum for sharing next practices and thought leadership through live networking events, virtual forums and a comprehensive online SIG resource center (SRC), which was developed by and for professionals in sourcing and outsourcing. The organization is unique in that it blends practitioners, service providers and advisory firms in a non-commercial environment. SIG is also the parent organization for SIG University, a one-of-a-kind certification and training program for professionals and executives seeking deep expertise in sourcing and governance for themselves or their teams, as well as Future of Sourcing, which provides unrivaled digital content for the opinion-formers and decision-makers at the heart of the outsourcing space.


By Bahk Eun-ji



Life will become much harder for residents in rural areas after Korea Post closes nearly seven hundred unprofitable post offices, mostly in farming and fishing villages, over the next four years to improve its worsening bottom line, according to the postal workers' union Wednesday.



Currently, many people living in rural areas rely on postal offices not only for mail services, but also for financial and insurance services. When the offices in their towns close, it will be difficult for them, particularly senior citizens, to access remittances and other everyday financial services





An elderly woman with an umbrella enters a post office in Incheon, west of Seoul, in this Feb. 25 file photo. /Korea Times file
Fire up the backyard BBQ without fear of a deadly sting. That hike in the forest or walk in the park should be just fine too.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 6/5/2020 (622 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Fire up the backyard BBQ without fear of a deadly sting. That hike in the forest or walk in the park should be just fine too.

There's no need for Canadians to worry for their personal safety with the arrival of so-called "murder hornets" on the West Coast, experts say.

"They're kind of a bully to other insects, but not to us," said entomologist Justin Schmidt. "They don't really attack us. It'd be really hard to get stung unless they get established, which I would say is a nil to zero chance."

The insect  proper name: Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia)  cuts an imposing figure.

As big as a man's thumb, it boasts a wing span of up to seven centimetres, a large orange head, black eyes and a sting that could seriously injure or even kill a person.

However, despite the dubious nickname that has been pooh-poohed by experts, murder hornets are not exactly taking over on these shores. But if they do manage to re-emerge, they could be a real threat to honey bees.

Normally found in the forests and low mountains of eastern and southeast Asia, it remains unclear how they arrived in North America. Their moniker  perhaps better suited for a comic book title or rock band name  was coined in Japan.

Three Asian giant hornets were spotted in B.C. for the first time last August in the Nanaimo area, the province's agriculture ministry said. The single nest was spotted and destroyed, but a specimen was found last November in White Rock, B.C., and two specimens were found in December at Blaine, Wash.

British Columbia classifies the Asian giant hornet as a "serious honey bee predator." If it returns, it has the potential to impact that population.

"They have massive heads with these giant mandibles and they just chop them in half," said Gard Otis, an adjunct professor at the University of Guelph specializing in bee behaviour and forest entomology. "They just cut their heads off, cut their bodies in half, and you end up with a slaughter on the ground in front of the hive.

"They kill all the adult bees and then they have (honey, larvae, pupae) that's left over. It's like they just stocked up the refrigerator for the next pandemic."

Farmers in the southern B.C./northern Washington area depend on honey bees to pollinate crops such as apples, blueberries and cherries.

The Asian giant hornet is not currently a pest regulated at the federal level, so it falls under the mandate of the province, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Wednesday in an email.

B.C. issued an information bulletin in March asking residents near the border to be on the lookout. The province has also said it planned to place hornet traps near the border and distribute pest-alert notices to area residents.

There has not been a reported sighting so far this year.

"I don't think really we need to worry too much about them," said insect biology expert Peter Kevan, a professor emeritus at the University of Guelph. "I think that whoever gave them the name 'murder hornet' is just trying to get some hyperbole in the press."

Mission accomplished.

The murder hornet story has gone viral in recent days as a North American audience  already on edge due to the COVID-19 pandemic  was seemingly given one more reason to worry.

The TMZ website helped pile on by posting a video of what appeared to be a giant hornet savagely snuffing the life of a mouse with repeated stings.

It was almost enough for one to swear off the Great Outdoors altogether, at least for this summer anyway. But fear not, experts say, as the Asian giant hornet isn't interested in humans and last year's sightings were very limited.

"It's very large and it's very defensive of its nests," Kevan said from Cambridge, Ont. "If people leave it alone, it'll leave them alone because really it's a carnivore."

The wooded habitat where it was spotted offers suitable nesting grounds. The hornet's life cycle begins in April when queens emerge from hibernation, feed on sap and fruit, and look for underground dens.

They hunt insects and are generally not looking to engage with people, pets or large animals, the B.C. agriculture ministry said.

Disturbing a nest, however, will put them on the attack. And a sting packs a mighty wallop.

Schmidt, an adjunct scientist at the University of Arizona, created the Schmidt Sting Pain Index to rate the relative pain levels of different stings.

A mild sting from a fire ant scores a 1.0 while a high-end 4.0 is reserved for the likes of the aptly named bullet ant.

A 2.5 rating for a trap-jaw ant sting is comparable to having a rat trap snap a fingernail in half. Schmidt pegged the Asian giant hornet sting at a potent 3.0 or even a 3.5.

"It has 10 times the venom of a honey bee easily, probably 20 times the average yellowjacket," he said from Tucson, Ariz. "So it's got a lot of stuff there."

Otis said he was stung in 2013 while doing research in Vietnam.

He recalled a sharp initial penetration in his big toe and a fierce blast of pain setting in about 30 seconds later.

"It was this incredible searing pain," he said from Guelph, Ont. "I couldn't put a shoe on for two or three days. I had to wear my sandal. I could barely sleep at night.

"I had to take more Tylenol than you're ever supposed to take in a 24-hour period just to try to dull the pain. It was bad."

If the Asian giant hornet does re-emerge here, questions remain about whether it would be inclined to travel east given the potential change in climate. In addition, a queen would need to be transported at a certain time of year, likely via truck, train or plane, and manage to survive the trip.

Try our Dish The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney. Dish arrives in your inbox every other Friday. See sample. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Many insects introduced to this foreign environment don't have enough genetic diversity in the initial group of wasps to sustain their numbers, Otis said.

Schmidt agreed it was unlikely they would prosper in North America.

"They're probably not going to get established, they're just going to get eradicated," Schmidt said. "Then we'll be back to good old boring life as usual."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2020.

- With files from The Associated Press.

Follow @GregoryStrongCP on Twitter.
New Delhi: Retirement fund body EPFO on Wednesday allowed employers to register their digital signatures online through e-mail, in view of the lockdown to combat COVID-19, according to a labour ministry statement.

Currently, authorised persons of employers have to go to the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) offices to get their digital signatures registered.

In the current scenario of the lockdown and other disruptions, employers are not able to function normally and are facing problems in using their digital signatures or Aadhaar-based e-sign on EPFO portal, the statement said.

Many important tasks like KYC (Know Your Customers) attestation, transfer claim attestation etc are being done online by the authorized persons of employers using their digital signatures (DSC) or Aadhar based e-sign on EPFO portal.

For using DSC/e-sign, one time approval from EPFO's regional office is required.

But, due to the lockdown, many employers are facing difficulties to send the one-time registration request to the regional offices, it said.

In view of this situation and to further ease the compliance procedure, EPFO has decided to accept such requests through e-mail also, the ministry said.

An employer can send the scanned copy of the duly signed request letter to the concerned regional office through e-mail, it added.

Official e-mail addresses of the regional offices are available at?www.Epfindia.Gov.In.

Further, it said such establishments, whose authorized officers have approved digital signatures but are not able to locate the dongle, can login to the employer portal and register their e-sign through the link for registration of already registered authorized signatories.

If their name against the approved digital signature is same as that in their Aadhar, the registration of e-sign will not require any further approval, it added.

Other authorised signatories can register their e-signs and send the request letters approved by the employers and seek approval of the concerned EPFO offices, it said.

This facility provides further relief to the employers and EPF members adversely impacted by the pandemic, it added.
Irelands chief medical officer has urged hairdressers to resist the temptation to offer black market cuts.

Dr Tony Holohan also asked people not to seek out the services of hairdressers while they are not permitted to open.

Under the Governments recovery plan, hair salons and barbers will not be able to open until phase four, which is anticipated to commence on July 20.

It is a more risky behaviour Dr Tony Holohan

On Wednesday, the incoming president of the Irish Hairdressers Federation said people are offering to pay up to four times the normal price for a haircut.

Danielle Kennedy told RTE a black market has erupted since the recovery plan was published, with hairdressers being offered up to 200 euro for haircuts that would usually cost between 40 to 50 euro.

Dr Holohan was asked about the development at the daily Covid-19 briefing.

The reason why we have identified that kind of activity as a measure for a later stage in terms of possible easing of restrictions is because that activity involves close touching of individuals so people who provide those services are obviously in close contact with individuals and that increases the risk of transmission, he said.

Certain kinds of work that we have identified are associated with lower risk, where your work does not involve, for example, working with other people or does not involve work that involves touching other people.

But being involved in that industry does involve touching of individuals, it increases the risk of transmission of infection. It is a more risky behaviour.

He added: So I would appeal in two ways.

First of all, to people who are either in that industry as employers or as providers of that service to remember those risks and the importance of protecting the health and well-being of the employees who would work in the provision of those services.

And then second of all is to people who might seek out those services for very understandable reasons that by doing so its introducing a potential risk at an earlier stage that we think is safe to do so.
We are writing on behalf of our constituents, as concerned Iowans and fellow elected officials who are working to put the interests of our communities ahead of politics during this unprecedented public health and economic crisis.

Our cities have seen first-hand the impact COVID-19 has had on Iowans. People have gotten sick. Some have tragically passed away. All of us have seen the life we have known come to halt.

We stand on the front lines, ensuring the critical services Iowans rely upon remain in place. However, with the suspension of our daily life, we are headed toward a moment even more critical than the recession of 2008-2009. Our cities are preparing for significant revenue shortfalls, with some initial estimates putting revenue losses near $75 million, not including the hundreds of other community, county, and state governments. It is our desire to work closely with the federal government to ensure that public services remain strong and fully supported.

We encourage our congressional delegation to join the bipartisan calls of support for state and local governments across our country and here in Iowa.
Published in PLOS ONE today, a study by an international team from the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas and Hokkaido University in Japan further explores the proliferation of the most commonly occurring duck-billed dinosaur of the ancient Arctic as the genus Edmontosaurus. The findings reinforce that the hadrosaurs - dubbed "caribou of the Cretaceous" - had a geographical distribution of approximately 60 degrees of latitude, spanning the North American West from Alaska to Colorado. Credit: Masato Hattori

A new study by an international team from the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas and Hokkaido University and Okayama University of Science in Japan further explores the proliferation of the most commonly occurring duck-billed dinosaur of the ancient Arctic as the genus Edmontosaurus. The findings also reinforce that the hadrosaursknown as the "caribou of the Cretaceous"had a huge geographical distribution of approximately 60 degrees of latitude, spanning the North American West from Alaska to Colorado.

The scientific paper describing the findtitled "Re-examination of the cranial osteology of the Arctic Alaskan hadrosaurine with implications for its taxonomic status"has been posted in PLOS ONE, an international, peer-reviewed, open-access online publication featuring reports on primary research from all scientific disciplines. The authors of the report are Ryuji Takasaki of Okayama University of Science in Japan; Anthony R. Fiorillo, Ph.D. and Ronald S. Tykoski, Ph.D. of the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas, Texas; and Yoshitsugu Kobayashi, Ph.D. of Hokkaido University Museum in Japan.

"Recent studies have identified new species of hadrosaurs in Alaska, but our research shows that these Arctic hadrosaurs actually belong to the genus Edmontosaurus, an abundant and previously recognized genus of duck-billed dinosaur known from Alberta south to Colorado," said Takasaki.

The report states that anatomical comparisons and phylogenetic analyses clearly demonstrate that attribution of the Alaskan hadrosaurines to a unique genus Ugrunaaluk is inappropriate, and they are now considered as a junior synonym of Edmontosaurus, a hadrosaurines genus previously known from lower latitude North America roughly in between northern Colorado (N40?) to southern Alberta (N53?).

The fossils used for this study were found primarily in the Liscomb Bonebed, Prince Creek Formation of the North Slope of Alaska, the location of the first dinosaur fossils discovered in the Arctic.

The team's research also show that the plant-eating hadrosaurs were taking over parts of North America during the Cretaceous, suggesting that Edmontosaurus was likely an ecological generalist.

"In other words, Edmontosaurus was a highly successful dinosaur that could adapt to a wide variety of environmental conditions," said Fiorillo. "It's not unrealistic to compare them to generalized animals todaysuch as mountain sheep, wolves and cougars in terms of their range and numbersthat also roam greater geographic distributions."

Members of this team also found ties to Kamuysaurus japonicus, a new genus species they discovered near Hokkaido, Japan, and named in 2019.

"Combined with the newly named Kamuysaurus of Japan, Alaska Edmontosaurus shows that this group of hadrosaurs, the Edmontosaurini, were widely distributed in the northern circum-Pacific region, meaning that they were incredibly successful dinosaurs," said Kobayashi. "It's fascinating to think they likely used the ancestral Bering Land Bridge between Asia and North America for migration in a manner similar to mammoths, woolly rhinoceroses and early humans."

Edmontosaurus belong to a clade Edmontosaurini as Kamuysaurus, a recently described hadrosaurine dinosaur from Japan, suggesting that Edmontosaurini widely distributed along the northern circum-Pacific region. North America and Asia were connected by Beringia during the Late Cretaceous, and some dinosaurs are believed to have traveled to the North American continent this way. Edmontosaurini is one of the dinosaur groups that may have ventured the North America-to-Asia pathway and adapted to the Arctic environment. Those creatures that stayed in North America evolved to Edmontosaurus, and those that stayed in Asia and moved on to Japan are believed to have evolved to Kamuysaurus.

"This study is a wonderful example of why paleontologists need to be more aware of how individual growth and life stage of fossils matter when we try to interpret the anatomical features preserved in them. If you don't, you run the risk of erroneously erecting a new 'genus' or species based on juvenile traits that will change or vanish as the individual creature grows upand winds up being an adult of an already-known 'genus' or species!," said Tykoski. "Our study shows that was probably the case with these juvenile duck-billed dinosaurs from the ancient Arctic of Alaska."

More information: "Re-examination of the cranial osteology of the Arctic Alaskan hadrosaurine with implications for its taxonomic status" PLOS ONE (2020). Journal information: PLoS ONE "Re-examination of the cranial osteology of the Arctic Alaskan hadrosaurine with implications for its taxonomic status"(2020). journals.plos.org/plosone/arti  journal.pone.0232410

Provided by Perot Museum of Nature and Science
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Al Amiri Hospital, the presidential hospital of the Kuwait Ministry of Health, in Kuwait City, has completed the implementation of Harris QCPR at its state-of-the-art 415 bed expansion. Al Amiri is a leader in Kuwait's digital transformation and this first step has streamlined the patient registration and clinical documentation processes at the healthcare organization while increasing patient safety, provider efficiency and promoting standardization of care.

Pictured is Harris Healthcare's Vice President Dave Gersh and Deputy Director Anwar Alrashed of Al Amiri Hospital along with Adnan Al Rayes, VIRTUS Program Manager and Harris Healthcare and Virtus staff. Pictured is Harris Healthcare's Vice President Dave Gersh and Deputy Director Anwar Alrashed of Al Amiri Hospital along with Adnan Al Rayes, VIRTUS Program Manager and Harris Healthcare and Virtus staff.

The project's success was the result of a tight collaboration between Amiri's experts with Virtus Health IT, a leading Kuwait Health IT service provider, and Harris Healthcare.

With this implementation, Al Amiri is one step closer to achieving its vision of digital transformation. Dave Gersh, Vice President at Harris Healthcare, said: "It's our honor to work with Al Amiri and Virtus staff and witness the formidable results brought about by the deployment of the QCPR enterprise-wide solution." Gersh adds: "We look forward to growing with Amiri and Virtus in Kuwait."

By eliminating manual entries, Amiri Hospital' nurses and physicians can now spend more quality time with patients and are promptly made aware of critical changes in their status. The system has been of great utility in CAMA (Covid-19 Acute Management Area).

Virtus' Program Manager Mr. Adnan Al Rayes said that "We have had a great collaboration with Harris Healthcare's clinical and technical teams to examine and evaluate how we could enhance Amiri Hospital' workflow processes so that we not only improved the patient care experience but streamlined clinical practices. Furthermore, we have integrated several first of a kind capability such as a Smart Pharmacy, ePrescription, Patient Portal, and Telemedicine; all of which are focused on making people's lives better, from the patient to the clinician at the bedside and all the way through the health system. The current deployment is all set to serve as a Health Information exchange platform for the Amiri Governorate."

Harris Healthcare is focused on building innovative solutions to address the healthcare challenges faced globally, such as the shortage of human resources and funds. "We've reengineered the clinical documentation process for clinicians. Our streamlined clinical documentation workflow and intuitive design help save precious time and effort for busy clinicians," said Gersh.

About Al Amiri Hospital

The 418-bed Amiri hospital was built in 1980's and expanded by adding the Sabah Al Ahmed Cardiology and Thunayan Al Ghanem Gastroenterology centers. In 2012, as part of its vision to expand the nation's bed-capacity from 7,500 (in 2010) to 13,000 beds (in 2022), the Government of Kuwait awarded the contract for the construction of a design-build 415-bed extension to Amiri Hospital to the joint venture lead by The Al Essa Group a core member of Virtus Holding. The expansion project was handed over on 26th November 2018.

The project consists of a new story tower, including 381 inpatient and 34 outpatient beds. The program includes ICU, CCU, Dialysis, Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, Outpatient Clinics, Physical Therapy and Laboratories.

With a robust Computing Infrastructure platform that supports state-of-the-art technologies, ranging from an EHR (Harris QCPR) - enabled Hospital Information System, a smart pharmacy, a Perioperative system (Picis) and a patient portal, the new Amiri expansion has earned the repute of being one of the most IT Enabled healthcare facility driving Digital Transformation in Kuwait.

About Virtus Health Informatics

Headquartered in Kuwait, Virtus Health Informatics (VHI) is an Integrator of Health-IT, Digital and business solutions that help healthcare organizations and professionals navigate change, solve complex problems, and impact patient care.

VHI builds Health Information Platforms - a combination of specialized technology and services, from datacenter set-up, to converged networks, to workflow analysis, to software implementation and customization, to user training and system adoption, to operation and maintenance.

VHI is at the forefront of digital transformation of Healthcare in Kuwait.

For more details, visit http://virtushealthit.com/

About Harris Healthcare:

Harris Healthcare is a global, leading provider of award-winning Digital Health Solutions that improve the safety, quality, and efficiency of patient care. Harris Healthcare provides proven, flexible solutions that make our clients successful by streamlining processes, increasing productivity, and driving positive clinical outcomes. For more details, visit http://www.harrishealthcare.com

Contact Ryan Brunswick,

[email protected]

# 571-267-3928 x74230

Andrea Ernst-Bissinger,

[email protected]

1 800 393-0278 x 74105

SOURCE Harris Healthcare
Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBC DSAI) at IIT Madras has invited applications for its post Baccalaureate Fellowship Program for those who wish to pursue a one or two years research internship in the areas of data science and artificial intelligence.

Eligible candidates can apply for the fellowship at https://rbcdsai.iitm.ac.in/Post_Bacc/

The Post Baccalaureate fellows are expected to undertake independent research under the mentorship of a Faculty member at RBCDSAI. They are free to explore multiple threads of research, work with various research teams, and establish collaborations with the numerous visitors and affiliates of the Centre. They have access to all the computing, software and library resources of RBCDSAI and have guaranteed travel support to attend a conference per year in India, said Prof B Ravindran, Head, RBC DSAI.

The fellowship carries a stipend between Rs 40,000 and Rs 60,000 a month based on students qualifications and experience and lasts for a maximum of 2 years.

Eligibility:

Candidates must have completed their Bachelors degree within the last two years

Must have demonstrated academic excellence throughout their undergraduate program

Benefit:

Work in a highly interdisciplinary environment, with some of the leading faculty in Data Science and AI

Access to state-of-the-art CPU/GPU high-performance computing infrastructure

Fellowship of Rs. 40,000-60,000 p.m.

Fully funded trip to a national conference every year

Application:

Deadline for application--- 20th of every month;

Short-listed candidates will be interviewed in the first week of the subsequent month

Applicant will have to provide the following:

Link to your online CV (Dropbox/OneDrive/Google Drive, etc.)

A short research proposal (300-500 words)

List of research areas (keywords)

List any relevant online courses (NPTEL, Coursera, etc.) that you have already done.

A short research proposal (300-500 words)

Areas of Research:

Deep Learning

Network Analytics

Natural Language Processing

Theoretical Machine Learning

Reinforcement Learning and Multi-arm Bandits

System Architecture for Data Science and AI

Ethics, Fairness and Explainability in AI

Systems Biology and Health care

Smart cities and Transportation

Financial Analytics

Click here to apply online
NAPA, Calif., May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crimson Wine Group, Ltd. (OTCQB: CWGL) today announced that Alexis Walsh has been appointed Senior Vice President of Global Sales & Brand Marketing.

In this newly created position, Walsh brings to Crimson more than 15 years of wine industry experience, most recently as Senior Vice President of Marketing at DAOU Vineyards and Winery, Paso Robles. She previously was based in Napa as Vice President of Commercial Strategy and On-Premise for Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) in the Americas, one of the worlds largest wine companies, headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. At TWE for six years, Walsh led a team of 40 professionals across sales, trade and customer marketing, marketing services and education. Prior to TWE, she held various roles in brand management and national account on-premise sales for six years at Trinchero Family Estates in St. Helena.

Alexis is uniquely skilled at bridging sales, marketing and strategy to achieve powerful business objectives, said Jen Locke, Crimson CEO. Alexis will oversee all aspects of wholesale, export and brand marketing, leading the team responsible for overseeing a holistic portfolio and channel strategy to enhance consumer demand and increase sales and profitability. Her unique skillset makes her perfectly suited to bridge our sales and marketing teams into one combined entity. We welcome her to the Crimson family.

Walsh earned an MBA degree from the Walter Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley and a BA degree in psychology from Harvard University. She also holds a Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) designation, as granted by the Society of Wine Educators.

I am thrilled to join the team to help foster the companys mission of expanding its quality brand portfolio throughout the marketplace, Walsh said. I look forward to developing strong relationships with new and existing business partners, as we unleash the potential of the brands globally.

About Crimson Wine Group

Based in the Napa Valley, Crimson Wine Group crafts benchmark wines from exceptional vineyards in premier wine-growing regions throughout the United States. Crimson Wine Group owns and manages approximately 1,000 acres of vineyard land across six distinct regions, along with a diverse collection of exceptional domestic estates and wine brands, including Pine Ridge Vineyards (Napa, Calif.), Seghesio Family Vineyards (Healdsburg, Calif.), Archery Summit (Dayton, Ore.), Chamisal Vineyards (San Luis Obispo, Calif.), Double Canyon (West Richland, Wash.), Seven Hills Winery (Walla Walla, Wash.) and Malene Wines (Santa Luis Obispo, Calif.). For more information, please visit www.CrimsonWineGroup.com.

For More Information, Contact:

Crimson Wine Group

Tina Hilger

707.260.0910

tinah@crimsonwinegroup.com
The Government was facing fresh questions over its coronavirus testing regime tonight as the number carried out fell by more than 40 per cent in just four days.

Some 69,463 took place in the 24 hours to 9am today, according to Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick.

That figure is just 57 per cent of the 122,327 tests that Matt Hancock boasted had been carried out on Thursday to meet his pledge of 100,000 tests conducted per day by the end of April.

It came as Boris Johnson revealed a new 'ambition' to reach a capacity of 200,000 tests per day by the end of May.

Ministers have hailed increased testing as vital for allowing the lockdown to be eased from next week and kick-start the economy.

But critics questioned the validity of the numbers. Labour's shadow health secretary Jon Ashworth said: 'Far from delivering on the promise of 100,000 completed tests a day, testing numbers have now fallen three days in a row.

'A test, trace and isolate strategy is crucial to tackling this virus.

'Ministers needs to explain why the number of tests being completed daily is falling rather than rising.'

Some 69,463 took place in the 24 hours to 9am today, according to Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick

That figure is just 57 per cent of the 122,327 tests that Matt Hancock boasted had been carried out on Thursday to meet his pledge of 100,000 tests conducted per day by the end of April

It came as Boris Johnson revealed a new 'ambition' to reach a capacity of 200,000 tests per day by the end of May

Healthy Secretary Matt Hancock claimed the Government met its 100,000 a day testing target by the end of April, including 40,000 tests that had been sent out to homes but had not yet processed.

It has failed to maintain that level in early May, with just 84,000 tests completed on Monday and

The Prime Minister today said the ambition clearly is to get up to 200,000 a day by the end of this month and then to go even higher'.

A 'fantastic testing regime' will be critical to the UK's long-term economic recovery, he added.

Downing Street later confirmed he was referring to capacity, rather than the total amount of tests actually carried out, and it could include new antibody tests if any are found to work accurately.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer savaged the Government over its fateful decision to scale down coronavirus testing in March, only for it later to be deemed vital to beating the pandemic.

He clashed with Mr Johnson over the pandemic as they faced each other for the first time at Prime Minister's Question in the hushed, court room-like surroundings of the mostly-empty House of Commons.

The Prime Minister admitted contact tracing - where those suspected of having the virus are tracked down and tested - was stopped in mid-March as the transmission of coronavirus from individuals in the UK meant that 'it exceeded out capacity'.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer tore into Boris Johnson today over the Government's fateful decision to scale down coronavirus testing in March, only for it later to be deemed vital to beating the pandemic

It came after the Government's chief scientist conceded Britain should have done mass coronavirus testing on the public at the beginning of the crisis and carried it on.

Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser to Downing Street, admitted yesterday that it 'would have been beneficial' to get a handle on testing faster.

Britain's death toll climbed to the highest in Europe last night in one of the darkest days of the coronavirus pandemic.

Two official measures revealed our figures had surpassed Italy's which had previously been the worst-affected nation on the continent.

Facing Mr Johnson, Sir Keir said: 'Contract tracing was happening in the UK but it was abandoned in mid-March. We were told at the time that this was because it was quote 'not an appropriate mechanism' but yesterday the deputy chief medical officer said it was to do with testing capacity.

'So can the Prime Minister just clarify the position for us?'

The two party leaders clashed over the pandemic as they faced each other for the first time at Prime Minister's Question in the hushed, court room-like surroundings of the mostly-empty House of Commons

Mr Johnson replied: 'As I think is readily apparent Mr Speaker to everybody who studied the situation and I think as the scientists would confirm, the difficulty in mid-March was that the tracing capacity that we had, that had been useful as he rightly says in the containment phase of the epidemic, that capacity was no longer useful or relevant since the transmission from individuals within the UK meant that it exceeded our capacity then.

'Now the value of the testing, tracking and tracing operation that we're setting up now is that as we come out of the epidemic and as we get the new cases down, we will have a team that will genuinely be able to track and trace hundreds of thousands of people across the country and thereby to drive down the epidemic.'

Mr Johnson was the latest minister to admit the UK could not handle enough testing at the start of the pandemic.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Security Minister James Brokenshire both made similar confessions in interviews today.

The admissions sparked criticism over how testing was handled.

Senior Lib Dem MP Layla Moran said: 'The Government has admitted what we all knew already: testing did not begin quickly enough.

'Our country has paid a devastating price for this, and in the wake of the crisis we need an inquiry to examine the delays to testing, as well the ongoing lack of PPE for frontline workers.'

Asked whether, had there been the capacity, track-and-tracing should have continued, Mr Brokenshire told the BBC's Today programme: 'Would there have been benefit in having that extra capacity, as Patrick Vallance highlighted yesterday? Yes.

'The challenge that we had is that we have some fantastic laboratories, some fantastic expertise, but it has been the capacity constraints that we have had, and therefore how that posed challenges.'

Mr Hancock this morning said it would have been good if the UK had had the diagnostic testing capability enjoyed by Germany, but insisted the UK had caught up.

He said: 'The Germans started with this enormous diagnostics industry. But if you look at other countries around the world we are miles ahead on testing and we are now one of the world leaders.

'It is true that Germany has a very high capacity - about the same as ours. So we have basically caught up with Germany that started with this massive capability. We are miles ahead of South Korea now. Absolutely.'

The UK Government has only allowed members of the public to get coronavirus tests from last week, and there are still restrictions on who is eligible, even if they have symptoms (Pictured: A woman has a nasal swab taken at the Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge)

Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK's chief scientific adviser, admitted it 'would have been beneficial' for the UK to have testing ramped up weeks earlier than it did

Government data last night showed there had been 29,427 deaths in hospitals, care homes and the community  a rise of 693 in one day.

But a second set of figures from the Office for National Statistics put the death toll at 32,375  once numbers from Scotland and Northern Ireland had been included - taking the UK above Italy.

When the first cases of the coronavirus appeared in the UK every person suspected of having it was being tested and any positive cases would be quarantined in a specialist disease hospital.

As the infection spread, however, the Government gave up trying to test everyone.

On March 12, officials announced testing would be limited to patients and staff in hospitals so that authorities could focus on preparing hospitals for disaster.

That policy continued for six weeks until April 28, when testing was expanded to key workers and over-65s with symptoms, and later to those without signs of the illness.

Speaking to MPs in Parliament's Health Select Committee yesterday, Sir Patrick said: 'I think that probably we, in the early phases - and I've said this before - I think if we'd managed to ramp testing capacity quicker it would have been beneficial.

'For all sorts of reasons that didn't happen.'

One former World Health Organization director, commenting on the lack of focus on testing, said: 'This should not have happened'.

A former director at the WHO and now academic at University College London, Professor Anthony Costello, said the UK should never have let testing slip.

He said on Twitter: 'On March 12 we stopped all community testing at a time when there were less than 10 deaths and only 500 confirmed cases countrywide.

'Most local authorities had tiny numbers of cases. Before we stopped we were only doing 1,500 tests per day. This should not have happened.

'And contact tracing could have easily continued with local authority public health teams, GPs, environmental health officers and trained volunteers. Except maybe in London and W Midlands. This would have reduced spread.'

Sir David King, a chemist at the University of Cambridge, agreed that testing could have spared the UK some of the devastation it has gone through.

Asked whether he thought testing could have cut the death toll he told the BBC: 'I don't think there's any might about it, of course it would.'

In his evidence yesterday, Sir Patrick added: 'I think it's clear you need lots of testing for this but, to echo what Jenny Harries has said, it's completely wrong to think of testing as the answer.

'It's just part of the system that you need to get right. The entire system needs to work properly.'

Dr Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer for England, has explained that the UK stopped its policy of testing everyone so officials could focus on preparing the NHS.

When officials realised Britain was on the cusp of a full-blown epidemic the Government scrambled to try and prepare the already-crumbling NHS for patients.

Videos and reports emerging from Italy, which battled what is still perceived as the worst outbreak in the world, showed patients in corridors and hospitals overwhelmed with the sick and dying.

Afraid Britain faced the same fate, the Government rushed to cancel all non-urgent operations, empty hospital wards and buy as many ventilators as it could get its hands on.

In the process, testing, tracking and tracing of people infected with the virus in the community fell by the wayside.

Professor Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer, said on March 12: 'It is no longer necessary for us to identify every case'.

Throughout March, the Government never tested more than 9,000 people in a day, and the number hovered below 15,000 until mid-April.

During that time, hundreds of thousands of people - potentially millions - are believed to have been infected with the coronavirus and almost 18,000 people had died by the first time the Government managed to test 15,000 in a day.

The World Health Organization, shortly after Professor Whitty's announcement, had urged countries to 'test, test, test'.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, its director-general, said not doing so would be like 'trying to fight a fire blindfolded'.
Australia's leaders have been urged not to release the handbrake on coronavirus restrictions too quickly, to avoid a potentially disastrous second infection wave.

State and federal leaders will decide on what rules are to be eased on Friday at a crucial national cabinet meeting.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said restrictions would be gradually eased rather than an immediate return to life before the pandemic.

'Some things will open - others will not,' he told reporters in Canberra.

'It will be scaled so that risk of increasing the number of cases is minimised while giving the maximum benefit to the economy and to normalisation of society.'

Gatherings of more than two people could be allowed under new eased restrictions

State and federal leaders will decide on what rules are to be eased on Friday at a crucial national cabinet meeting. Cafes are pegged as one of the first places likely to reopen

Australian Medical Association president Tony Bartone has warned national cabinet not to feel pressured into lifting restrictions.

'Friday's meeting should continue to apply medical evidence when putting the health of all Australians first,' he said.

He said reinstating isolation measures after a second wave of infections would be worse for health outcomes and the economy than a cautious relaxation.

'People should not get their hopes up too high at this stage, because rushing to get things back to normal, without caution and safeguards, risks a huge setback for everyone,' Dr Bartone said.

There have been 6,875 cases of coronavirus in Australia, and at least 5,984 people have recovered.

Currently, people are allowed to leave their houses to exercise with no more than one other person from outside their own household. Pictured: People walking along a path in Burleigh Heads

Pictured: Last drinks at the Pyrmont Bridge Hotel in Sydney before bars closed on March 23. They could soon reopen

The death toll stands at 97, including 16 residents at western Sydney nursing home Newmarch House, which faced regulatory action on Wednesday.

A cluster at a Melbourne abattoir is behind 49 cases, while the national infection rate had its highest increase for more than two weeks on Wednesday when 26 diagnoses were reported.

The effective reproduction number, which measures the ability of the virus to spread, will need to remain below one for eased restrictions to remain in place.

That means an infected person on average passed the disease on to less than one other.

Keeping the growth of infections low and demonstrating an ability to stay on top of outbreaks are other crucial factors.

'As we look to open up society we will expect to see other outbreaks and the important thing is that we will need to be able to get on top of them quickly,' Professor Kelly said.

An empty carpark is seen outside the closed Dreamworld amusement park on the Gold Coast after it was shut down amid the coronavirus pandemic

Australian National University infectious disease specialist Sanjaya Senanayake agreed, confessing it was likely Australians would see a spike in cases in coming weeks if restrictions are eased from Friday.

'If social distancing methods are lifted in the coming week, there's definitely a very good chance we could see a surge of cases, but it's not a certainty,' he said.

But Professor Senanayake said Australia's healthcare system would be able to cope with a steady growth.

'If we gradually lift them and monitor those new cases, we will see only a small increase, relying on Australia's capacity to test cases and track potential contacts.'

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has previously said easing restrictions is connected to the number of people who download the government's coronavirus tracing app.

So far, more than 5.1 million people have downloaded and registered for the app.
Gov. Phil Murphy will be back at the Trenton War Memorial at 1 p.m. Wednesday to hold another press conference about the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 8,200 New Jerseyans.

It will be streamed on the governors YouTube channel.

The governor will be joined at the press conference by state health commissioner Judy Persichilli, state epidemiologist Dr. Christina Tan and Colonel Pat Callahan, the State Police superintendent.

One of the big topics at the press conferences in recent days has been when non-essential businesses in New Jersey will be allowed to reopen. At Tuesdays gathering the governor said he hears about the topic, morning, noon and night. Non-essential businesses havent been allowed to be legally open since March 21.

Murphy has two other scheduled media appearances on Wednesday. At 11:15 a.m. he will be on New York City radio station WCBS-880 AM. Then at 5:30 p.m. the governor will take questions on News 12 New Jerseys Ask Gov. Murphy.

Wednesday marks nine weeks since the first COVID-19 case was reported in the state on March 4.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Christian Clothing Company Encourages Believers to Speak Gods Peace to the Culture

There is much uncertainty and anxiety due to the profound effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Many people have lost loved ones and are grieving. Many have also lost their source of income and are facing an uncertain future. Furthermore, the shelter in place measures, the lack of social interaction, and the uncertainty of knowing the end of this unprecedented season, have caused many people to lose their peace and their sense of security. Recently, the Christian Post carried the headline, Pandemic spikes prescriptions for depression, anxiety, insomnia as expert warns of mental health crisis. The pandemic has certainly fueled increased stress, worry and anxiety in the lives of many individuals.

But we as believers, who know Gods peace, have the opportunity to introduce our friends, neighbors and everyone in our sphere of influence to Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Isaiah9:6 ascribes to Jesus the title, Prince of Peace. Jesus is the Prince of Peace because He is the answer and the solution to any trouble. Jesus is Lord over sickness, disease, death, lack, worry, fear and anxiety. He encourages us to look up to Him for help. Psalm 121:1-2 says, I lift my eyes to the mountains-where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth, (NIV). Philippians 4:19 says, And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus, (NIV).

Jesus gives the antidote to fear, worry and anxiety in Philippians 4:6-7; Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And Gods peace (shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace) which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, (AMPC).

Isaiah 26:3 says, You will guard him in perfect and constant peace whose mind (both its inclination and its character) is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You, (AMPC). Be a voice for the gospel. Wear Scriptures and help others to find their peace in Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

Wear Scriptures, LLC is a Kingdom business consecrated to God, to bring honor and glory to His name. The business is dedicated to spreading the gospel of our LORD Jesus Christ with Christian clothing and accessories.
Bengali actor Koel Mallick welcomed her son on Tuesday and shared the news with her fans, along with a family picture in which she can be seen posing with her husband Nispal Singh and the newborn baby.

Sharing the picture with the newborn, Koel posted a message on Twitter which said, Our little one arrived this morning. We want to share our joy with you and seek your blessings for our baby boy. Jeet congratulated her and wrote, Congratulations @YourKoel @nispalsingh both your family and the loved ones. Enjoy every bit. Vikram Chatterjee also tweeted, Congratulations and lots of love for all three of you! Parambrata Chatterjee, Mimi Chakraborty, Srijit Mukherjee, Shubhashree Ganguly, Rituparna Chatterjee and Raima Sen also took to Twitter to congratulate her.

Overwhelmed!!Its definitely the best day of our life! Meant to have replied to each one of you individually for inundating your blessings upon our child...please accept our gratitude from the deepest core of our heart!  Koel Mallick (@YourKoel) May 5, 2020

Later, she also thanked fans for their love and wishes. Overwhelmed!!Its definitely the best day of our life! Meant to have replied to each one of you individually for inundating your blessings upon our child...please accept our gratitude from the deepest core of our heart, she tweeted.

Also read: Rishi Kapoor choked up while talking about cancer diagnosis to friend, couldnt finish conversation

Koel, who married Nispal in 2013, announced her pregnancy on February 1, which is also her wedding anniversary. Blessings Through the rolling days of kicks, punches and somersaults... the sound of a new life beating inside me. Like a glistening silver thread woven into the fabric of my life, our child is longingly awaited this summer, she wrote with a picture where she can be seen posing with her husband.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop
Dwayne Jones and his crew of staff and volunteers at the Galveston Historical Foundation were antsy, feeling like they ought to be busy with plans for their annual Historical Homes Tour as they normally would any spring.S o Jones decided, why not go virtual? Video calls are being used in a variety of formats for work meetings, happy hours and even mini concerts, so its hardly a stretch for a homes tour to go online.

For nearly 50 years, area families have spent Mothers Day weekend touring other peoples homes, and theyll be able to again this year even if its in a form that conforms to the new boundaries dictated by the coronavirus pandemic, Jones said.

From 1-5 p.m. on Saturday, the GHF will conduct four home tours live on its website  galvestonhistory.org  and at Facebook.com/galvestonhistory. In between each of those tours, Jones and others will give talks. Jones will talk about the islands architecture and history; renowned architectural historian Stephen Fox will talk about the work of Houston architect John Staub, who designed three homes on the island; and a third presentation will be given by Plein Air Southwest, the juried art competition and show.

This is the 48th year for the GHF Historical Homes Tour, but Jones said that they could have an in-person tour later in the year if health conditions allow. The event usually draws up to 5,000 visitors depending on the weather and the homes on the tour.

More Information Galveston Historical Homes Tour When: 1-5 p.m. Saturday Find it:galvestonhistoryorg or facebook.com/galvestonhistory Schedule: 1 p.m. McKinney-McDonald House tour; 1:30 p.m. Dwayne Jones lecture; 2:15 p.m. William and Mary Margaret Moody III House tour; 2:45 p.m.: Stephen Fox lecture; 3:30 p.m. Charles and Estelle Miller House tour; 4 p.m. Plein Air Southwest presentation; 4:30 p.m. James and Louise DeForest House tour Cost: Free; $30 donation is encouraged See More Collapse

Whats important is that the tour connects people to our island and our history and come back here, Jones said. Sometimes it makes them want to buy a house here and have their own experience living in Galveston.

Tom and Nancy Dalys second home in Galveston  the William and Mary Margaret Moody III House  is one of the four home on the tour. Docents will lead tours in some of the homes, but the Dalys are taking on the task themselves.

Other homes on the tour include two homes on the 900 block of Winnie, the James and Louise DeForest House (1883) and the McKinney-McDonald House (1890). The DeForest home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and is considered one of the islands best examples of Victorian architecture to survive the Hurricane of 1900.

The Charles and Estelle Miller House (1899) is the fourth home for the event, and its one that had suffered damage in a fire and was purchased and renovated by the GHFs Residential Revolving Fund. Some 30 percent of the home had to be reconstructed and it required a new roof and foundation stabilization; when the extensive renovation is done, the home will be sold.

The Dalys main home is in Braeswood Place in Houston, and they use their Galveston place for weekend visits for themselves, their children and grandchildren.

Designed by John Staub and built in 1938 for Bill Moody III and his second wife, the home sat vacant for a decade before the Dalys bought it in 2015. It hadnt been touched in a long time, prompting the Dalys to replace wiring and plumbing, do some exterior masonry repairs, replace the kitchen and completely remodel three of the homes six bathrooms. (Three others got partial makeovers.)

It was a beautiful but neglected building and was going to be a challenge, and I bit at the bait, said Tom Daly, a retired architect, of buying the house and embarking on an extensive renovation. Its a good example of his work  not as extravagant as some of his big Houston houses, but its all beautifully done.

Daly described the home as a 1930s Hollywood house with Art Deco features, including a grand staircase inside.

It was built in 1938 for a whole different world with servants and formal living and dining. The kitchen was created for the cook  not for the people who lived there, Daly said. It was created as an upper middle class fancy house for people who lived with help. It not only had to be fixed materially, but reworked a bit to our kind of life today.

diane.cowen@chron.com
Best bet on the board?

The MGM Grand Sports Book in Las Vegas has Francis Ngannou at -125 to win by knockout and -265 simply to win his fight vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

In a battle of two of the hardest punchers ever in the UFC, Rozenstruik is +370 to win by KO and +215 to win period.

If you like Ngannou by KO, there are appealing rounds odds. Ngannou is +150 to win in Round 1, which means by either KO, submission or disqualification. Hes +475 in Round 2 and +900 in Round 3.

If you want to play the underdog, youll get huge plus money in every round on Rozenstruik, who clearly has the power to knock Ngannou out (not saying hell do it).

MGM Grand has Rozenstruik at +600 to win in Round 1, +950 to win in Round 2 and +1500 to win in Round 3.

Ill take a flier and bet $100 on Ngannou at +900 in Round 3 as well as $100 on Rozenstruik at +1500 in Round 3. If Ngannou wins in the third, Id get a profit of $800, while if Rozenstruik finishes him in the third, Id earn a $1,400 profit.

Karate Hottie looks good as underdog

Carla Esparza is a former champion and is coming off an impressive Fight of the Night victory over Alexa Grasso. Perhaps as a result of that victory, the MGM Grand has Esparza as a -155 favorite vs. Michelle Waterson. Waterson is +130.

I thought Esparza may be a 6-5 favorite at best in the fight, so when you can get Waterson as an underdog in this situation, you should take it.

Michelle Waterson kicks Joanna Jedrzejczyk in their women's strawweight bout during UFC Fight Night at Amalie Arena on Oct. 12, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Waterson is coming off a tough loss to ex-champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk in a bout in which she absorbed a lot of punishment. Waterson is the superior striker, but the threat of the takedown from Esparza can even that out.

But Waterson has a 57 percent takedown defense and she connects with more than 1.1 significant strikes per minute more than Esparza, according to FightMetric.

Given that, Id lay $50 on Waterson at +130 with the hope of making a profit of $65.

Kattar favored in intriguing fight

The match between Jeremy Stephens and Calvin Kattar is one of the many at UFC 249 that have led me to say that on paper, this is the best card the UFC has put on in a long while.

Story continues

The Stephens-Kattar fight figures to be fireworks, because both are aggressive and each is hit frequently. Kattar has a serious edge in significant strikes landed per minute (5.12 to 3.09), but he also is hit much more frequently (6.36 to 2.98).

Kattar, who is coming off a decision loss to Zabit Magomedsharipov, is a -250 favorite. Stephens is +200.

I expect Kattar to win the fight, but Stephens is as tough as they come, and so the fight should go the distance. But instead of laying $250 to bet on Kattar to win, Id play $100 on Kattar to win by decision at +120. A win there would make a profit of $120.

Triple-C rides again

At another place and time, Id have picked Dominick Cruz to defeat Henry Cejudo for the bantamweight title and not thought twice about it. But I cant do that now, not with the way Cejudo has performed and how long Cruz has been sidelined.

Cejudo is a -225 favorite, with Cruz at +180.

Cruz has fought just once in more than five years. In that span, Cejudo has won both the UFC flyweight and bantamweight belts and established himself as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the sport.

Hes a strong, physical fighter with a great wrestling base, incredible cardio and an ability to adjust when he needs to do so.

I hate to play really large favorites, but I like Cejudo in this case and so Id lay the $225 hoping to make a profit of $100.

More UFC 249 coverage from Yahoo Sports:
Donald Trump might think Stephen Colbert has no talent, but amusingly, Colbert said on Tuesdays The Late Show that he agrees with that assessment. In fact, Colbert joked, he only got where he is through the same means employed by Trumps son in law, Jared Kushner.

Earlier in the day, in an interview published by the New York Post, Trump got distracted from managing one of the worst health crises in American history in order to say he might once again skip the White House Correspondents Dinner, and then complain about the way late-night TV hosts talk about him.

Trump in particular took issue with NBCs Seth Meyers, who hosted the WHCD in 2011, but in the process of insulting Meyers he also looped in Colbert. Seth Meyers, he was nasty. Just one joke. The guys got no talent whatsoever. Zero. How do these guys get jobs? I dont get it. How does a Seth Meyers, how does [Stephen] Colbert  has no talent, theres nothing funny about him, nothing funny, Trump ranted.

Trump also name-checked Colbert as being a no talent in a tweet about late-night ratings.

Also Read: Trump Visits a Mask Factory (Without Wearing a Mask) While 'Live and Let Die' Plays at Top Volume (Video)

Well, I cant speak for Seth, hes very talented, Colbert said about that quote. But Im an idiot. And the only reason I have this job is because I married the daughter of Donald CBS, and for some reason he keeps putting me in charge of everything. That of course being a clear reference to Kushner, who is married to Ivanka Trump.

Colbert also played an amusing video imagining what it would be like if president Franklin Delano Roosevelt behaved like Trump, in this case interrupting his speech on Dec. 8, 1941 regarding the Pearl Harbor attack to complain about how terrible Groucho Marx was. Watch the whole clip below:

In the middle of a pandemic, the President of the United States found time to critique late-night TV hosts, again. #LSSC pic.twitter.com/PE5gat8IaL

 A Late Show (@colbertlateshow) May 6, 2020

Read original story Colbert Responds to Trumps No Talent Insult by Comparing Himself to Jared Kushner (Video) At TheWrap
All eyes are on Elon Musk currently. While Teslas stocks tanked at the beginning of May due to his Twitter rampage, all business has been left to the wayside for the CEO, as he just welcomed a newborn child into the world with his girlfriend, Claire Boucher, aka Grimes. And its certainly not the first time Musk has made headlines for his relationships.

We cant forget that Musk has dated high-profile actresses, like Amber Heard, before. And hes been married three times in the past, twice with the same woman. So, will Musk rush down the aisle with Grimes now that a baby is involved? We doubt it  and heres why.

Elon Musk and Grimes just welcomed a baby on May 4

X, the unknown variable 

, my elven spelling of Ai (love &/or Artificial intelligence)

A-12 = precursor to SR-17 (our favorite aircraft). No weapons, no defenses, just speed. Great in battle, but non-violent

+

(A=Archangel, my favorite song)

( metal rat)    Gies   (@Grimezsz) May 6, 2020

We dont hear much about Grimes personal life, but now that shes dating Musk, were all interested to hear about how their relationship progresses. And it all started with a tweet. Musk was going to make a difficult-to-understand tech joke, and he saw Grimes already made it. This resulted in him sending her a direct message  and it seems the rest is history.

Grimes was the first to announce her pregnancy, too. She did so on Instagram, though many didnt believe her at first. Eventually, she became more open with her fanbase about the difficulties of her pregnancy. And she even opened up about the decision to have a baby in the first place.

Its a pretty crazy sacrifice and only half of the population has to do it. It was really profound to me when I decided I was going to do it, to actually go through the act of  like, yknow, unprotected sex, she told Rolling Stone. Im just like, I have sacrificed my power in this moment.

Now, Grimes and Musk welcomed their newborn  and theyre seriously confusing fans with the name, X  A-12.

Musk has been married three times before

Actress Talulah Riley and Elon Musk | Gregg DeGuire/WireImage

Musks newborn certainly isnt his first. He has five children with his first wife, Justine Wilson. While hes certainly busy with his businesses, hes said in the past that he adores his kids, so it seems he was also extremely excited about bringing another little one into the world.

Musk has a set of twins, Griffin and Xavier, who were born in 2004, and triplets, Saxon, Kai, and Damian, who were born in 2006. Wilson and Musk decided to try IVF after the birth of their first son, Nevada. Sadly, Nevada dies of SIDS, and it greatly impacted Wilson after.

Musk and Wilson were married for eight years. And just a few weeks after their divorce, Musk decided he wanted to spend the rest of his life with actress Talulah Riley  though their relationship took many twists and turns. They married the first time in 2010 and divorced in 2012. They then reconciled, married again in 2013, and officially went their separate ways in 2016. To this day, it seems the two are still on good terms.

Will he marry Grimes? He likely wont jump into it quickly

Elon Musk and Grimes attend the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art | Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Huffington Post

So, now that Musk and Grimes have a baby together, are they destined for marriage? Were not sure. We havent heard Musk talk too much about Grimes, though Grimes admitted to Rolling Stone that shes very in love with her boyfriend. And Musk has talked about marrying again after Riley in the past.

I think it would be extremely unwise for me to jump into a third marriage without spending considerable time figuring out if the third one will workit was never my intention to have a short marriage, he told Forbes back in 2012. Essentially Id want to be super sure before getting married again, but I certainly would love to be in a relationship. For sure.

He said this before remarrying Riley, of course. So perhaps hes more likely to get down on one knee than we think. Only time will tell.

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A handful of international financial groups have cut their ties with coal-fired power plants  a sustainability move as investors and the public demand strong action on climate change.

Lender attitudes shift on coal-fired ventures, illustration photo

A few days ago, the multinational lender HSBC confirmed that it would cease lending to new coal power stations anywhere globally  a bold shift moving towards decarbonisation.

HSBC said that it had amended its policy specialising in phasing out coal support, removing the previous exemption of Vietnam, Indonesia, and Bangladesh. Experts stated that the banks move would affect its involvement in funding Long Phu 1, a planned coal project with estimated investment capital of about $1.87 billion in Vietnam, where it acted as global co-ordinator. The plant begun construction in 2011 in the southern province of Soc Trang.

Earlier this year, VIR also reported that the financial group went cold on continuing its activities at Vinh Tan 3 Thermal Power Plant after being appointed as financial advisor to this $2 billion project in 2014.

Vinh Tan 3 thermal power plant, which has three turbines with a total installed capacity of 1,980MW, is the largest coal-fired thermal power facility at the Vinh Tan thermal power centre in the south-central province of Binh Thuan.

HSBCs cancellation marks the latest move by a major international lender to ease off on bankrolling fossil fuel in Asia as many banks are under pressure from environmentalists and investors to move their financing away from fossil fuels.

The Royal Bank of Scotland stated it would end financing coal by 2030 and place stricter rules on oil and gas, while in December, Standard Chartered has pulled financing for three coal-fired power plants in Southeast Asia. The bank did not name the projects but industry sources said it referred to the Vung Ang 2 and Vinh Tan 3 plants in Vietnam, and Java 9 and 10 in Indonesia, as cited by Reuters.

CLP Holdings, one of the largest investor-owned power businesses in Asia Pacific, also halted its investment in new coal-fired power plants. The group is one of the developers of domestic Vung Ang 2 and Vinh Tan 3.

Credit Suisse, the ex-lender and shareholder of Vincommerce and Novaland, said it would stop financing new coal-fired power plants as well. Last November, the Danish Energy Agency, together with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, cautioned Vietnam against building new coal-fired power plants. It believed the country needs prompt action to slash future coal demand, which could include taxation on the use of coal or limits on new coal-based power generation.

In mid-April, two Japanese megabanks, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) and Mizuho Financial Group, signalled their cancellations in lending and investing to new coal-fired power plants from May 1.

SMFG  a foreign shareholder of Vietnamese private lender Eximbank  said in a statement that the globe has been moving towards decarbonisation since the Paris climate accord and that it would not provide financial support in principle to new coal-fired power plants, according to The Japan Times.

The companys move is part of its efforts to address climate change and support the global movement towards decarbonisation, including the Japanese governments call for an 80 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Mizuho, on the other hand, planned to half its $2.8 billion loans to coal power projects by 2030 and then to reduce them to zero by 2050. The move illustrates a global rise in momentum towards new measures against climate change. Notwithstanding, Mizuho said it may consider offering loans to projects designed to upgrade existing coal-fired plants with higher efficiency, including with lower carbon dioxide emissions.

Previously, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group confirmed it would cut ties with new investments and debts to coal power plants, in principle.

Vietnam now has 14 new coal power projects which are located in eight provinces with a total capacity of 17,390MW. Seven have already faced a considerable public backlash, while one project has been delayed for eight years and the investors of two others are undetermined.

In January, 12 health and environment organisations, including the Green Innovation and Development Center, the World Wildlife Fund, and the Vietnam Sustainable Energy Alliance have called on Vietnam to scrap plans for 14 new coal plants. Vietnamese authorities are contemplating a switch from coal to gas or green energy in the next four projects. VIR

Luu Huong

Is Vietnam becoming more and more addicted to coal? While the world is fleeing from coal, Vietnam is becoming increasingly addicted to coal, according to Nguyen Dang Anh Thi, an energy and enviornment expert.
Ha Loi celebrating the end of compulsory isolation

Ha Loi hamlet is famous for being one of the main flower producers in Hanoi and the north of Vietnam. Just a blink after the isolation ended, the road leading to the hamlet was filled with endless vehicles carrying flowers.

Ha Loi residents were overjoyed to be able to leave the hamlet and start selling flowers and produce again

The hamlet is home to 2,700 households with 11,500 people, all of whom went into compulsory isolation for 28 days since April 8 when the 243rd COVID-19 patient was diagnosed. So far, Ha Loi has spent 21 days on lockdown without a new case. In addition, all the villagers were tested negative by Hanoi Centre for Disease Control.

Ta Quang Thai, chairman of Me Linh Communal People's Committee said, "Even after lifting the blockade in Ha Loi hamlet, residents still have to abide by social distancing and stay at home unless absolutely necessary. People are all required to wear face masks when going outside and cannot gather in crowds. Those who do not comply with the regulations will be punished."

After isolation, the locality still maintains 74 supervisory groupsto daily monitor residents' health and propagate prevention and control measures, next to timely detecting suspicious cases.

Authorities removing the quarantine facilities around Ha Loi

Ha Loi used to be one of Vietnam's COVID-19 hotspot, with 13 out of the total 271 patients across the country. In the latest update on May 6, Vietnam has found no newly infected patients for 20 days, and 232 patients have been discharged from hospital, 39 cases are being treated, and no deaths have been reported.

To date in Vietnam, there are 34,097 people under quarantine who have been in close contact with infected patients and people entering Vietnam from other countries affected areas.

The essential workers who have been managing the health and safety of Ha Loi residents
Julianna Margulies wasn't about to let her "sweet pal" George Clooney's birthday slip by without a celebration. The actress shared a throwback pic from the pair's "ER" days in honor of Clooney's 59th on Wednesday.

The behind-the-scenes photo finds the longtime pals standing side by side with emotional expressions on their faces. "Happy Birthday to my sweet pal George Clooney. This picture was taken right after we filmed our very last scene together in Seattle for #ER," Margulies, 53, captioned it.

The snapshot delighted fans of the long-running NBC medical drama, which aired from 1994 until 2009 and rocketed both stars to fame. Margulies played Carol Hathaway, head nurse in the emergency room of Chicago's County General Hospital. Clooney played Dr. Doug Ross, a womanizing physician who fell hard for Carol. Despite many bumps along the way, the characters welcomed twin daughters and, eventually, began a new life together in Seattle.

Julianna Margulies and George Clooney on

"Wow!!!! I love you guys! Doug and Carol are THE best couple that ever existed on TV," one fan wrote in the comments.

"Perfection! You two together were truly extraordinary  totally transcended TV," another gushed.

Of course, in real life, Clooney is a dad to his own 2-year-old twins, Alex and Ella, with wife Amal Clooney. During a May 2019 visit to TODAY, the actor, who's notorious for pranking his Hollywood pals, revealed his son and daughter were already playing tricks on him.

"They're happy kids. They laugh a lot. They do pranks already," he boasted.

"They put peanut butter on their shoes, so that it looks like poo-poo on their shoes and stuff," Clooney added, laughing. "They think that's funny."
Surprise! Daniel Radcliffe is returning to his roots in the Wizarding World.

On Tuesday, Radcliffe  who captivated audiences as boy wizard Harry Potter for a decade on the big screen  kicked off a star-studded relay-reading of the J.K. Rowling book that started it all: Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone.

Stephen Fry, David Beckham and Dakota Fanning have also signed on to recite chapters from Rowlings seminal work, as have Eddie Redmayne and Claudia Kim from the Fantastic Beasts series; and Noma Dumezweni, who originated the role of Hermione in the popular stage production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Radcliffe, whose final outing as the Boy Who Lived hit theaters in 2011, lent his famous voice to Chapter 1 on Tuesday. All 17 chapters of The Sorcerers Stone (known as The Philosophers Stone outside the United States) will be read by familiar faces in the coming weeks.

Weve got a treat for you, read a Twitter announcement from the Wizarding World shared by Rowling. From today, amazing friends of the Wizarding World are going to take turns reading Harry Potter book one. And to start us off with Chapter 1, we think youll agree we have the perfect narrator 

The goodwill stunt is part of a larger #HarryPotterAtHome campaign launched by Rowling in an effort restore some magic amid the coronavirus crisis. Last month, the author unveiled a new Harry Potter website, complete with videos, puzzles, illustrations, quizzes and more activities to entertain quarantined families.

Who better to lend their voice to Chapter One than the prolific actor who portrayed Harry in all eight films? reads a message from the Wizarding World team. As the figurehead of the Harry Potter films for so many years, we hope you love watching this incredibly special video of Daniel revisiting Harrys adventure  this time not on a film set, but through the pages of the first book.

You can watch Radcliffe read the entire first chapter of The Sorcerers Stone at wizardingworld.com/chapters/reading-the-boy-who-lived and listen on Spotify, which will release audio-only versions of the readings as they come out.



2020 Los Angeles Times

Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
TORONTO, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Solar Alliance Energy Inc. (Solar Alliance) or (the Company) (TSX-V: SOLR) announces it has reached agreement (Debt Settlement Agreements) with certain directors to fully settle an aggregate of up to a total of $56,437.50 of unpaid fees for shares in the Company. Pursuant to the Debt Settlement Agreements, the Company would issue up to an aggregate of 2,257,500 common shares of the Company at a deemed price of $0.025 per share to Super Power Energy Corp., Robert Miller, Ken Stadlin and Anton Shihoff pursuant to the temporary relief bulletin issued by the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) on April 8, 2020.



The Debt Settlement Agreements are subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued will be subject to a four month hold period which will expire on the date that is four months and one day from the date of issue.



For more information:



Solar Alliance

Myke Clark, CEO

416-848-7744

mclark@solaralliance.com



About Solar Alliance Energy Inc. ( www.solaralliance.com )

Solar Alliance is an energy solutions provider focused on residential, commercial and industrial solar installations. The Company operates in California, Tennessee, North/South Carolina and Kentucky and has an expanding pipeline of solar projects. Since it was founded in 2003, the Company has developed wind and solar projects with a combined capital cost exceeding $1 billion that provide enough electricity to power 150,000 homes. Our passion is improving life through ingenuity, simplicity and freedom of choice. Solar Alliance reduces or eliminates customers' vulnerability to rising energy costs, offers an environmentally-friendly source of electricity generation, and provides affordable, turnkey clean energy solutions.

Statements in this news release, other than purely historical information, including statements relating to the Company's future plans and objectives or expected results, constitute Forward-looking statements. The words would, will, expected and estimated or other similar words and phrases are intended to identify forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Companys actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different than those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include but are not limited to: uncertainties related to the ability to raise sufficient capital, changes in economic conditions or financial markets, litigation, legislative or other judicial, regulatory and political competitive developments and technological or operational difficulties. Consequently, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward-looking statements.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release."


ICE detainees in Los Angeles will have to remain under custody after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit overruled a judge's decision to require their release.

On April 24, U.S. District Judge Terry Hatter ordered the release of the immigrant detainees from the Adelanto ICE Processing Center in an effort to reduce the population and allow the remaining detainees to observe social distancing.

Hatter believed the conditions inside the holding facility creates a massive risk of being a breeding ground for a COVID-19 infection. He said the overcrowded detaining center prevents the immigrants from staying six feet apart from each other.

The recent decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals allows Trump's administration to appeal the order.

Despite overruling the release of the migrants, the 9th Circuit left part of Hatter's decision that required the facility to follow COVID-19 self-isolation guidelines suggested by the federal health agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hatter's ruling came after an American union, and a law firm filed a class-action lawsuit demanding the release of the migrants primarily due to the living conditions at the facility.



Detention Center

According to the suit, small eight-by-10 foot cells often house four and eight detainees. They share bunk beds spaced three feet apart. The facility's showering areas often see up to 72 people at a time.

The detainees were also denied access to essential hygiene products-including hand sanitizers, gloves, and face masks. Cleaning procedures inside the facility were also reported to be lacking.

The detention center has over 1,300 immigrants. The COVID-19 infection can spread rapidly and infect hundreds of people inside Adelanto. The facility's staff are also at risk of contracting the deadly virus.

The lawsuit claims a progression of the disease could lead to devastating outcomes where one in every five migrants would need hospitalization. The figure, it said, could overwhelm regional medical capacity. Dozens will succumb to the virus.

Adelanto officials said they'd staggered meal times to prevent the migrants from crowding. They've also reduced the number of visitors to the center to follow social distancing measures.

While no detainee at the facility has yet to test positive for the COVID-19 pandemic, only six migrants have received tests as of April 23.



COVID-19

According to an ICE spokesperson, the agency has successfully reduced the population in all detention centers to about 70 percent. In Adelanto, they reduced the number of migrants from more than 1,680 to 1,294 since January.

ICE officials also denounced claims they do not observe regular cleaning protocols, citing they ensure detainees receive the care they need while under ICE custody. The spokesperson said their staff disinfects all common areas multiple times in a day. They have also equipped internal areas with disinfectant dispensers and are educating detainees on best practices to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.

The ICE was ordered to file a census of detainees by May 1. They were also required to submit weekly status reports and a summary of the total number of people inside the facilities.

ICE officials refused to comment on the pending litigation.



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CHILDCARE is to be provided to five thousand families with essential workers under a plan outlined by Children's Minister Katherine Zappone this evening.

The government has been under pressure to provide childcare to staff in the front-line of the coronavirus battle.

Ms Zappone said she agreed with Opposition politicians who said it was needed before now but the government was waiting for approval by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).

She said the childcare scheme is due to begin in the first phase of the government's plan for reopening the country, which is due to begin on May 18.

Read More

Initially it will involve childcare staff working in the homes of the essential workers.

Childcare providers will tomorrow be invited to register to participate.

Information will also be provided on how families can access the scheme.

She told the Dail that participation will be voluntary but "Many services have expressed an interest in supporting this initiative and being part of Ireland's call during these challenging times."

The government is planning on providing the service to 5,000 families at a cost of around 4.7m-a-week.

The majority of the cost will be borne by the State but there will be a parental contribution of 90-a-week per family.

She said the scheme "will provide essential health care workers with 45 hours of childcare a-week."

Workers are to be paid an average of 15-per-hour.

The State will cover employer PRSI, leave accrual, and management and administrative overheads.

"In the coming days eligible health workers will be advised to contact a Pobal parent support centre to request the service and to indicate their childcare needs and preferences," she said.

The scheme is initially intended to run the scheme for a period of four weeks with a review after two weeks and another at the end of the four-week period.

She said phase three of the government's roadmap will see creches and pre-schools reopen for essential workers.

This is the first step in the reopening of childcare centres to the wider population.

Ms Zappone said it's inevitable that childcare services will not open at full capacity and this will increase the cost of providing childcare.

She said she doesn't expect creches to be able to absorb increased pay costs nor would parents be able to pay the increase.

She said: "I will begin inputting into future government decisions to make the case for the need for state subsidies to compensate."
Ram Charan is in family man mode, sharing glimpses on social media, and the netizens are loving it. His recent video with his grandmother, wherein he learns to make fresh butter was way too cute to miss. Well, him sharing beautiful memories from the dust-caked albums and spending quality time with his family, is the proof that the actor is completely loving the quarantine period amid the lockdown. As per rumours, the Mega Power Star is in no mood to decide his next after RRR and Acharya. It is said that he has been approached by directors like Vamsi Paidipally, but the actor is not ready to respond. Sources also say that Ram Charan has asked all the directors, who are planning to narrate stories, to wait until the lockdown ends, citing his films' release date.

Mega Power Star was working on SS Rajamouli's RRR which will now resume the shoot once the lockdown is lifted. Though the makers of the film had revealed that the movie will release on January 8, 2021, it is rumoured that the epic drama has been postponed to June 21, 2021, owing to the ongoing pandemic. The RRR team is yet to confirm the news about the postponement. It is reported that 80% of the shoot has been completed so far and the cast will resume the Pune shoot, once everything goes back to normal.

Ram Charan is also a part of Acharya directed by Koratala Siva. The actor will appear in an extended cameo in the action thriller. Megastar Chiranjeevi will essay a double role in the movie bankrolled by Niranjan Reddy and Ram Charan under his banner Konidela Productions. For now, Acharya has wrapped up 40 percent of its shoot so far and is expected to hit the screens on Sankranti 2021.

Mega Power Star Ram Charan To Act In Mahesh Babu's Production Venture?
A safe travel zone between Australia and New Zealand during the COVID-19 shutdown is currently being discussed as both countries try desperately to revive their economies.

But for New Zealand, reopening the borders will be the lifeline the country needs as it faces a devastating economic crisis after sacrificing NZ$12.1 billion to support its citizens during the pandemic.

Tourism is the country's biggest export industry, generating $16.2billion directly to the GDP.

And Australians are the biggest contributor to that, with 1.5 million Aussies visiting the country in 2019, pouring $2.5billion into the New Zealand economy.

Tourism is New Zealand's biggest export industry, contributing $16.2 billion directly to the GDP (Pictured: Supermodel Georgia Fowler poses for a photo in Piha, New Zealand)

Australians flock to Queenstown every year during ski season, they are the biggest tourism group, behind Kiwis (Pictured: EFC star Red Dela Cruz, at Onsen Hot Pools in Queenstown)

About 1.5 million Aussies visiting the country in 2019, pouring $2.5 billion into the New Zealand economy (Pictured: Supermoel Georgia Fowler going for a surf in New Zealand)

New Zealanders are the second biggest tourism group behind China, with 1.43 million Kiwis jumping across the ditch for a holiday last year.

But their $2.6billion contribution to the Australian economy is only a fraction of the $12.4 billion Chinese visitors bring.

New Zealands foreign minister, Winston Peters, has been one of the biggest advocates for the travel bubble, stressing the importance of kick-starting the economy after the four-week lockdown.

'Time is of the essence in terms of both of our economies and if we have confidence in each other, and the same systems and see ourselves as one for the purpose of economic recovery, then I think it will be a whole lot sooner than people think,' he said.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern dialled in for Australia's coronavirus cabinet meeting on Tuesday for the neighbouring countries to discuss reopening their borders to trans-Tasman travel following their successes in containing the disease.

Jacinda Ardern (pictured) says both countries would need to be confident they would neither import or export cases before travel between the two countries is allowed

New Zealand has had great success in tackling coronavirus - with no new cases on 4 May

The travel zone would not include a 14-day quaratine period, both countries would need to be confident they would neither import or export cases before travel between the two countries is allowed.

Ms Ardern and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison agreed it will take sometime before the safe travel zone is a reality.

'We need to be cautious as we progress this initiative. Neither country wants to see the virus rebound so its essential any such travel zone is safe,' Ms Ardern said.

'Relaxing travel restrictions at an appropriate time will clearly benefit both countries and demonstrates why getting on top of the virus early is the best strategy for economic recovery.'

Mr Morrison said Australia would be focusing on reopening state borders first.

Both countries closed their borders to travellers in March as the coronavirus crisis escalated.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) says it will take sometime before the safe travel zone is a reality

New Zealand could soon reopen its borders to Australian holidaymakers as part of a 'trans-Tasman bubble' (Pictured: Travellers leaving Auckland, New Zealand on April 8)

The move brought the travel industry to a crashing halt and saw thousands of workers with jobs.

Airlines have been struggling to stay afloat amid the pandemic.

Virgin Australia was the first to fold with the company going into voluntary administration two weeks ago owing almost $7 billion.

Qantas has recently secured funding to keep ensure the company survives until December 2021.

It is preparing to lose $40million a week until the travel industry recovers.
Electric car maker Tesla is preparing to restart some car production in Fremont, potentially in violation of local and state shelter-in-place orders, The Chronicle has learned.

Some workers returned to the companys Fremont plant Wednesday to prepare for a planned reopening of some production lines between now and next week, according to a person familiar with factory operations who asked not to be named for fear of retaliation. The person was granted anonymity in accordance with The Chronicles anonymous source policy.

The person said that only a handful of employees have returned to the factory floor for now to prepare, and that additional safety measures have been put in place at the factory to guard against coronavirus transmission.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A spokeswoman for the Fremont Police Department, which is responsible for the area that includes the plant, said there were no plans to visit the site when informed by The Chronicle of reports of the partial return to work.

Were all sort of in a little bit of a gray area, said department spokeswoman Geneva Bosques, referring to Gov. Gavin Newsoms announcement this week that some retail, manufacturing, and logistics businesses would soon be allowed to operate on a limited basis if they take safety measures and local authorities approve.

Bosques acknowledged that under the current Alameda County health order, Tesla cannot operate its manufacturing line but added that having a small team of people in there (who) are social distancing may not violate the health order.

Officers from the Fremont Police Department made two previous visits to the factory in April and observed minimum basic operations, like maintenance, allowed under the health order. Tesla was not cited for violations, Bosques said.

Tesla had previously openly defied the Alameda County shelter-in-place order when it was first instituted on March 17, operating for nearly a week before sending workers home. Authorities had ruled the plant was a nonessential business under the health order.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

That order, which was extended and is still in effect, prohibits manufacturing or assembly of nonessential products.

Some Tesla workers received word over the last weekend in April that they would be returning to work the following week, but the company retracted those orders.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has strongly criticized the economic restrictions put in place to fight the coronavirus. Musk decried the stay-at-home orders as fascist during a recent call with investors and has taken to Twitter to demand the immediate reopening of the U.S. economy.

Chase DiFeliciantonio is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: chase.difeliciantonio@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ChaseDiFelice
Vietnamese citizens line up at the ticket counter of Charles De Gaulle International Airport in Paris, France, May 5, 2020. Photo courtesy of the Voice of Vietnam.

Vietnam brought back around 240 of its citizens from France on Wednesday by a special Vietnam Airlines flight.

The passengers landed in Van Don Airport in the northern province of Quang Ninh, before receiving health checks and being sent to quarantine camps.

They included people working in France, more than 100 students and 60 tourists who were stranded there, some for weeks.

There were 19 children under 14 years of age, 30 people aged over 60 and two pregnant women. There was a family from Germany that needed to return to Vietnam immediately since a relative was being treated for cancer.

On the way to France on Tuesday, the Vietnam Airlines plane carried medical equipment gifted by Vietnamese government.

France is the fourth worst affected Covid-19 country in Europe after Spain, Italy and the U.K. with over 170,500 cases and more than 25,500 deaths.

Since mid-April Vietnam has been working with countries like the U.K., Italy, Canada, and Japan to organize flights to bring its citizens home following the suspension of commercial flights.

Vietnam has suspended all international flights from March 25.

Its Covid-19 tally so far is 271, with 232 patients recovering and 39 getting treatment now. The country has gone 20 days without community transmission as of Wednesday.
Two institutions: the Ghana National Tailors and Dressmakers Association GNTDA and the New Tailors and Dressmakers Association NATADA both based in Atebubu, have together presented 600 pieces of nose masks to the Atebubu-Amantin municipal assembly to help in the fight against the covid-19 pandemic.

Making the presentation, the Coordinator for GNTDA Mr. Richard Obeng said the donation was borne out of the need to contribute to the prevention of the disease adding that the need for nose masks has become even more important as we go about our economic and social activities.

Receiving the items, the Atebubu-Amantin Municipal Chief executive Hon. Edward Owusu commended the two bodies for their sense of purpose.

He said the fight against the pandemic is a collective effort and urged others to do their bit to ensure the COVIID-19 is brought under control.

The MCE promised to explore the possibility of contracting the two bodies to sew the masks in large quantities for distribution to the people in the municipality.

Mr. Obeng was accompanied by Madam Mary Agyeiwaa, treasurer of NATADA.

Present at the presentation were the Municipal Coordinating Director Hajia Fati Saaka and the head of the Business Resource Centre Mr. Isaac Oppong.
After facing questions about disbanding the White House coronavirus task force even though the pandemic hasn't abated, President Donald Trump tweeted Wednesday that the task force would "continue on indefinitely" to focus on vaccines and therapeutics but that "we may add or subtract people."

As more states begin to ease restrictions even as the country's death toll continues to climb, the president also is conceding it's likely more lives will be lost in the push to reopen the U.S. economy, while many Americans struggle to choose between life and livelihood.

MORE: White House task force stays but public hearing less from experts Fauci, Birx at critical time

The U.S. death toll surpassed 70,000 Tuesday, and Trump admitted that it's "possible" more Americans will die as governors lift orders that were invoked to slow the spread of the virus, during an interview with ABC News "World News Tonight" Anchor David Muir.

PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks with ABC News' David Muir in Phoenix on May 5, 2020. (ABC News)

MORE: Trump to ABC's David Muir: 'Possible there will be some' COVID-19 deaths as country reopens

"It's possible there will be some because you won't be locked into an apartment or a house or whatever it is," Trump said, before criticizing "out of whack" models. "But at the same time, we're going to practice social distancing, we're going to be washing hands, we're going to be doing a lot of the things that we've learned to do over the last period of time."

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.

MORE: President Trump to Americans who've lost loved ones to the coronavirus: 'I love you'

Here are Wednesday's most significant developments in Washington:

Trump backs off plans to wind down task force, says more names will be announced on Monday

Trump signs a proclamation in honor of National Nurses Day

Trump meets with the GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa in Oval Office

WH press secretary Kayleigh McEnany completes her second press briefing

Pelosi calls Trump vain for not wearing a mask

Story continues

PHOTO: President Donald Trump listens during a meeting with Gov. Kim Reynolds, R-Iowa, in the Oval Office of the White House, May 6, 2020, in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP)

White House press secretary says that notion everyone needs to be tests is 'nonsensical'

Kayleigh McEnany opened her second press briefing in a way her boss, President Trump, would likely approve: By touting the 7.5 million coronavirus tests she says the U.S. has completed to date -- calling it "an extraordinary number" -- and deeming the notion that every American should be tested for COVID-19 "nonsensical."

"If we tested every single American in his country at this moment, we'd have to retest them an hour later and then an hour later after that, because at any moment, you could theoretically contract this virus. So the notion that everyone needs to be tested is just simply nonsensical," McEnany said.

When ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl asked McEnany about mask guidance, after the president was not seen wearing one while touring a mask production facility Tuesday, she noted that facial coverings are still a recommendation, not a requirement, in public.

"As we've put out, it's recommended, but that's the choice of the individual as to whether they wear a mask or not. The president yesterday, the CEO of Honeywell said that there was no need, and so he followed that advice and that guidance," she said, although the president said earlier he did wear one "backstage."

When Karl followed up to ask McEnany to explain why there might be a huge difference in polling between Democrats and Republicans over whether or not they think it's necessary to wear a mask in public, she signaled she didn't see a correlation by Party.

"I have no sense as to why that would be. That's the choice of the American public, that's the choice of the individual as to whether to wear a mask or not," McEnany added.

PHOTO: White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany speaks during a briefing in the James Brady Briefing Room of the White House, May 6, 2020, in Washington. (Alex Brandon/AP)

Pelosi calls Trump vain for not wearing a mask at tour of mask production facility, says she feels 'sad' for Fauci

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called out President Trump for not wearing a mask on his tour Tuesday of a mask production facility, saying that "he should have worn a face mask" but for him, it's an issue of vanity.

"It's a vanity thing I guess with him. You'd think as the president of the United States, you would have the confidence to honor the guidance you are giving others in the country," Pelosi said during an interview on MSNBC this afternoon.

"'Why should I have a mask? I'm the president of the United States,'" Pelosi continued, mocking Trump. "But forget it. Let's not make that important. Let's make important what we can do next by working together to honor our first responders, our heroes."

After Trump called the Democratic-led House "a bunch of Trump haters" on Tuesday, Pelosi said Wednesday she hopes the House does not have to use its subpoena power on Dr. Anthony Fauci after the White House barred him from testifying before a House committee, even though he will testify before a Republican-led Senate committee next week.

"I would hope that Dr. Fauci would say things in public, and that we wouldn't need him to be subpoenaed," Pelosi said. "I feel sad for him and anybody who has to stand in the task force and practically validate what's coming out of the president's mouth except for an occasional clarification."

"It's clear the administration is afraid of the truth. The president of the United States to say that the Congress, the House, is 'a bunch of haters' is so beneath the dignity of the office that he holds and so distant from the seriousness he should bring to a matter of life and death of so many people in our country," she added.

The California Democrat also slammed President Trump for rushing to reopen the country despite the many risks involved and criticized him for appearing to cheer on protests.

"Everyone is eager to get out," Pelosi said, "when the science tells us that we can do something differently or to be socially distant, wearing your mask, doing things in a way that is appropriate. Not cheering people on, going with guns and swastikas to the Michigan legislature and saying these are really good people."

"Death is not an economic motivator," Pelosi added.

ABC News' Mariam Khan

PHOTO: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi attends the ceremonial swearing-in of Democratic Representative from Maryland Kweisi Mfume (not pictured), on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC., May 5, 2020. (Michael Reynolds-EPA via Shutterstock)

Former CDC chair says US coronavirus death toll will hit 100,000 by end of May

The expert witnesses who testified before lawmakers on Wednesday in Dr. Anthony Fauci's place warned that the coronavirus could surge as states begin to reopen without adequate testing and contact tracing.

"We are in a critical moment in this fight," Dr. Caitlin Rivers, a Johns Hopkins epidemiologist, told House lawmakers. "We risk complacency in recognizing that without continued vigilance in slowing transmission, we will again create the conditions that led to us being the worst-affected country in the world."

Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Tom Frieden predicted that the U.S. death toll will hit 100,000 by the end of the month and warned that the disease will continue to spread and could circulate for the next several years.

"The very best way to get our economy back is to control the virus -- and economic stability is incredibly important to the public's health," he said. "It is inevitable that there will be future outbreaks. What's not inevitable is that we continue to be so underprepared."

ABC News' Benjamin Siegel

Trump says he had 'no idea' that 'respected' task force was so popular

In an Oval Office event Wednesday afternoon, President Trump explained why he reversed himself in saying the task force will continue for now but "at a certain point, we won't need the task force."

"I had no idea how popular the task force is until actually yesterday when I started talking about winding it down I got calls from very respected people saying, 'I think it'd be better to keep it going. It's done such a good job. It's a respected task force,'" Trump said. "I knew it myself, but I didn't know whether or not it was appreciated by the public but it is appreciated by the public."

Instead of doing away with the group, the president now says he will "be adding two or three additional members" to the task force on Monday who he suggested will bring expertise on "opening our country."

He also that "there may be one or two that will be less involved," without offering further details

"I look forward to when we can close the task force because the job will be essentially over," Trump added.

Asked if the nation has to accept that there will be more deaths than there might otherwise be in the push to reopen, Trump acknowledged -- as he did to ABC News' "World News Tonight" Anchor David Muir Tuesday  that that might be the case but said "I don't think people will stand for" continued closures.

"We can't have our whole country out," Trump said. "It's not sustainable."

PHOTO: President Donald Trump holds a signed proclamation in honor of World Nurses Day during an event in the Oval Office of the White House, May 6, 2020, in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP)

Joined by a group of nurses of the Oval Office event, President Trump signed a proclamation at the event to make May 6 National Nurses Day, calling it "a big deal," as the coronavirus continues to spread across the country.

Asked whether they've come across personal protective equipment shortages in their work, one nurse said there have been "pockets" of shortages -- an admission which President Trump did not seem pleased to hear.

"Certainly there are pockets of areas where PPE is not ideal but this is an unprecedented time," said Sophia Thomas, president of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, who works in New Orleans. "I've been reusing my N95 mask for a few weeks now. I just broke out a new one to come here in case I needed to wear it."

"Sporadic for you but not for a lot of other people, because I've heard the opposite," President Trump countered.

Another nurse who works in New Jersey then added that she has not personally seen a shortage of PPE and the president thanked her for saying so.

"So you don't see that?" Trump said. "They're fake news. I appreciate you saying it."

Coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar also took a moment to thank the nation's health care workers, both sharing that their mothers are also registered nurses.

Trump also said that he had, in fact, put on a mask the day before during a visit to a Honeywell plant in Phoenix, Arizona, but told reporters, "I can't help it if you didn't see me."

"I did have one, no. I put a mask on," Trump insisted. "I had a mask on for a period of time."

When reporters pressed him on why no one saw him with a mask on, Trump said he had it on "backstage" but not for "too long" because he said he was told he didn't need one.

"You know, we were far away from people, from the people making the masks," he continued. "But I did put a mask on and it was a Honeywell mask, actually. And I also had a 3M mask and I had about four other masks -- but I did have it on."

ABC News' Jordyn Phelps

PHOTO: President Donald Trump hands a pen off after signing a proclamation in honor of World Nurses Day, in the Oval Office of the White House, May 6, 2020, in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP)

Trump now says 'task force will continue on indefinitely'

President Trump has done something of an about-face on the future of the White House task force coordinating the government response to the coronavirus crisis, tweeting Wednesday morning that the task force will, in fact, "continue on indefinitely" but that "we may add or subtract people."

....to it, as appropriate. The Task Force will also be very focused on Vaccines & Therapeutics. Thank you!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 6, 2020

The president also said it will be "very focused on Vaccines & Therapeutics" as he pushes for a quick economic revival.

The task force does have a meeting scheduled for today at 4 p.m. which Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to lead. Notably, it's scheduled for the same time as the new White House press secretary's briefing.

The president had said Tuesday the task force would take "a little bit of a different form."

"We'll have a different group, probably, set up for that," Trump said in Phoenix, adding that they'll continue to be involved in White House decision-making along with "other doctors and so will other experts in the field."

PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response during a meeting with Gov. Kimberly Reynolds of Iowa, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, May 6, 2020. (Tom Brenner/Reuters)

MORE: White House to wind down coronavirus task force as Trump shifts focus to reopening country, officials say

Pence also told reporters that conversations were underway about winding down the task force by around Memorial Day.

Although Trump claims the task force will continue to exist, it remains to be seen whether it'll meet as frequently and whether it'll truly hold the elevated status it has over the last few months.

ABC News' Ben Gittleson

What to know about the coronavirus:

How it started and how to protect yourself: Coronavirus explained

What to do if you have symptoms: Coronavirus symptoms

Tracking the spread in the U.S. and worldwide: Coronavirus map

Government coronavirus response updates: 'No idea' that 'respected' White House task force so 'popular,' Trump says, explaining reversal originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
In context: Whether you have hearing difficulties or not, closed captions are an incredibly useful tool in games, movies, shows, and more. When the audio mixing for a given piece of media isn't the best (or you simply don't have the greatest sound setup), captions can help you more easily follow what's happening on screen.

Unfortunately, not all media has support for captions out of the box. Fortunately, that could change moving forward; in a sense, anyway. As spotted by Techdows, Google appears to be bringing its incredibly useful (and formerly Android-exclusive) Live Caption feature over to desktop platforms through Chrome.

Live Caption was spotted in the latest Canary versions of Google Chrome, and enabling it is as simple as flipping a switch in the browser's Accessibility settings menu. Once the switch is on, a slightly-translucent black box will appear within your Chrome window, and the technology will do its best to transcribe what's being said.

We probably don't need to tell you that this feature isn't perfect -- auto-generated captions probably aren't going to be as accurate as their human-created counterparts for at least a few more years. However, it still does an admirable job, and best of all, it doesn't require an internet connection.

If you want to take advantage of Live Caption on desktop right now, you'll first need to download the latest beta build of Google Chrome right here. After doing that, enter chrome://flags into the browser's address bar, and search for the Live Captions setting. Once you've found it, select "Enabled" in the right-hand drop-down box, and then relaunch Chrome.

When the browser boots back up, navigate to Chrome's Accessibility Settings menu and you'll find the new Live Captions toggle. In our own testing, we were able to get the caption box to show up, but it didn't display any text for the videos and songs we tested. Perhaps it still needs some time to be fully finished.

If you don't feel like messing around with the above steps but still want to take advantage of Live Captions, don't fret too much. Since this is a fairly significant feature, we expect it to be switched on for the general public in the near future, provided the Chrome team is able to iron out any bugs it might have.
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Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Wed, May 6, 2020 07:45 623 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd635e79 2 World Donald-Trump,White-House,coronavirus,task-force,COVID-19,pandemic,health Free

In the latest sign that the Trump administration no longer considers the coronavirus pandemic its top daily priority, the White House could soon disband the emergency task force handling the outbreak.

Vice President Mike Pence said Tuesday that the emergency task force he heads will not be needed much longer than the end of this month.

"I think we're starting to look at the Memorial Day [May 25] window, early June window" for shutting it down, he told reporters.

The coronavirus task force has spearheaded the complex response to the fast-spreading virus, which has already killed about 70,000 Americans.

The group headed by Pence and reporting to President Donald Trump coordinates between medical institutes, political staff and state governors, some of whom have spent weeks frantically trying to help overwhelmed hospitals.

The task force also drew on medical experts to formulate national recommendations on social distancing.

Pence said that those efforts will soon be ready to be turned over to regular government agencies working "in a more traditional manner."

That view of the situation no longer being an outright emergency goes with Trump's new focus on pushing the country to embrace reopening of the economy.

Trump says that while he wants a "safe" reopening, the hardship caused by the economic shutdown is the main threat.

Critics say that the health situation remains far from secure and that Trump is rushing to try and boost the devastated economy in time for his difficult reelection battle in November.

White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany insisted that Trump will continue to be briefed by the medical teams, even if there is no formal crisis group.

"Reporting on the task force is being misconstrued to suggest the White House is no longer involving medical experts. This is totally false. President @realDonaldTrump will continue his data-driven approach towards safely re-opening," she tweeted.
Rural hospitals will receive at least $1 million each, plus payments based on annual expenses.

Expense payments will be based on total Medicare expenses in the last cost report filed with CMS.

Advocates are asking Congress to forgive advance Medicare payments  which functionally are loans  to rural hospitals.

The federal government has begun to release targeted financial assistance to rural hospitals, but more help may be needed.

Rural hospitals have continued to struggle financially amid the coronavirus pandemic as they face increased costs and reduced income from the cancellation of elective procedures. One indicator is the closure of three such facilities  two in West Virginia and one in Tennessee  since the start of the national health emergency, observers say.

Approximately half of all rural hospitals operate in the red on an annual basis, and not being able to do routine and elective visits and procedures during COVID-19 further strains their finances today, said Carrie Henning-Smith, PhD, an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota.

Brock Slabach, a senior vice president with the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), noted increasing concern that a wave of closures or mergers and acquisitions is coming for rural independent hospitals.

The pandemic has shined a bright light on the widening fractures that exist in the rural health safety net, Slabach said.

Hundreds of rural hospitals, rural health clinics and small physician practices are on the verge of closure due to cash shortages, and many have had to cut staff, according to the NRHA.

New federal funds are on the way

On May 1, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) began distribution of $10 billion it had designated for rural providers as part of provider assistance included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. That funding is in addition to the $50 billion in CARES Act general-distribution funding that providers have received in recent weeks.

Recipients of the $10 billion will include:

Rural acute care general hospitals

Critical access hospitals (CAHs)

Rural health clinics (RHCs)

Community health centers located in rural areas

The funding entails a minimum base payment plus a percentage of annual expenses for hospitals and RHCs. The add-on will amount to approximately 2% of a facilitys operating expenses, Slabach said. The expense-based method accounts for operating costs and lost revenue incurred by rural hospitals for both inpatient and outpatient services, an HHS release stated.

Rural acute care general hospitals and CAHs will receive at least $1 million each before additional funding is added based on operating expenses, according to HHS.

Base payments also aim to account for RHCs with no reported Medicare claims, such as pediatric RHCs, and CHCs lacking expense data, and to ensure all nonhospital clinical sites receive at least $100,000 before additional payments based on operating expenses.

The payments will come through direct deposit, and eligibility will be based on the physical address of the facilities as reported to CMS and the Health Resources and Services Administration, regardless of any affiliation with organizations that are based in urban areas.

NRHA also has learned the add-on payments will be based on:

The most recent cost report filed with CMS

Medicare cost report worksheet G3 Line 4, if applicable, or total Medicare expenses

These substantial targeted rural payments will help to stabilize rural hospitals during this stressful time, Slabach said.

The rural funding comes with its own set of terms and conditions to which hospitals must agree. Such requirements in other CARES Act funding pools have raised concerns from some industry observers.

Additional steps are needed

NRHA is preparing recommended steps to further bolster rural providers in the next coronavirus legislation that Congress is expected to consider.

A major request will be forgiveness of funding forwarded to hospitals through Medicares Accelerated and Advance Payment Program. As of April 27, CMS said it had given 21,000 Part A providers $59.6 billion in advance payments.

Some providers have criticized the funding program  through which payments effectively are loans  because hospitals will need to repay the assistance within 120 days of receipt or have future Medicare payments withheld. That may create challenges for hospitals where Medicare volumes remain low. Additionally, 10.25% interest payments are due starting 30 days after the 120-day period, and full repayment is due within one year.

Beyond receiving federal assistance, rural hospitals want to restart elective procedures to help their finances in the longer term. Slabach said those organizations are actively planning to restart elective services when it is safe and there are adequate supplies of PPE.
One Home guard was



killed and another was injured when a speeding truck hit their motorcycle in East Champaran district on Wednesday night, police said.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Jyoti Prakash said the mishap took place around 8 pm in Paharpur police station area of East Champaran when Om Prakash Pandey (31) and Prem Bhushan Tiwari (52) were on their way to the adjoining West Champaran district.

Pandey died on the spot while Tiwari received serious injuries and he was rushed to a hospital by police personnel where his condition was stated to be critical, the DSP said.

He said both were residents of Bettiah, the district headquarters of West Champaran and were returning from Patna where they had been deployed for traffic control.

A search was on for the truck that knocked them down and the errant driver, the DSP added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Photo: Joe Wyatt/Unsplash

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Paris, France (PANA) - UNESCO is organizing an online meeting of intellectuals, change leaders and cultural figures on Thursday to take stock of the socio-cultural implications of the Covid-19 pandemic on the future of societies on the African continent, PANA learned in Paris
Mary Johnson died in 2018. Last week, her heirs received a stimulus check in the mail for $1,200 payable to Mary L. Johnson Decd.

We had a good laugh about it, said her son, Tim Martin Johnson of Philadelphia. Shes been gone two years. We laughed about how the check actually said Deceased on it.

After the laughter died down, Johnson  who was the executor of his mothers estate  was faced with a quandary.

I tried to figure out what to do, he said. I was pretty sure we couldnt accept it.

During the last month, the Internal Revenue Service has paid out more than $207 billion in Economic Impact Payments to individuals as part of the $2 trillion pandemic package known as the CARES Act.

But the act was written so quickly that no one bothered to ensure that money wouldnt be sent to the dead, said Nina Olson, a former IRS official and current executive director of the Center for Taxpayer Rights.

Olson estimates that the IRS may have mailed thousands of checks, potentially worth tens of millions of dollars, to people who the agency should have known had breathed their last.

Sure, the government would like the money back. After all, Its a bit of an embarrassment when so many of the living are struggling economically through the pandemic to be sending checks to the dead.

But tax experts said Tuesday that the issue is a little more complicated. Theres nothing in the law that would require the return, they say.

And the government has made the same mistake before.

Nearly 2.8 million Americans died in 2018, the last year that the number of deaths was available, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its unknown how many of the deceased received relief money in recent weeks.

Whether someone received a check was dependent on whether they  or their estate  had filed a tax return in 2019 or 2018.

Its terrible because were dealing with human beings who are still struggling with a recent loss in their lives, said Olson. Its part of what happens when you have to get money out quickly. You know youre going to be inaccurate.

Whether the checks must be returned may be a matter of personal conscience.

Youre not supposed to keep that payment, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told the Wall Street Journal in a story published April 28. Were checking the databases, but there could be a scenario where we missed something, and yes, the heirs should be returning that money.

It took the IRS until May 6 to post information on its website FAQ asking heirs to comply.

But the IRS cant do much more than ask, said Martin Abo, of accounting firm Abo & Co. LLC in Mount Laurel and Philadelphia.

Its unclear whether you would actually have to do it. Theres really nothing in the law to say you have to give it back, said Abo, who has received multiple inquiries about the checks written to the dead. But stand advised.

Olson, of Taxpayers Rights, concurred. Theres no legal interpretation, she said. I dont know how theyre basing their decision" to ask for the money back.

Every week, the IRS receives a master death file of every American who has died.

They know these persons are deceased, Olson said. Now someone in their families is being told they have to go to the post office, stand in line, and mail the check back? Its very disturbing.

She said it is unlikely the IRS would pursue the stimulus money that it had erroneously awarded.

It will cost more to file the suits than its worth, Olson said.

 ASK US: Do you have a question about the coronavirus and how it affects your health, work and life? Ask our reporters.

History also indicates that little will be done to recover the money. In 2008, the Department of the Treasury sent rebate checks of $300 to $600 to millions of Americans, many of them long dead.

Olson, then the National Taxpayer Advocate, for the IRS, testified before Congress about the mix-up. During questioning, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D., Texas) pointed out that his late mother had been granted $300. The IRS then did not make an effort to have that money returned.

Just like 12 years ago, [the law] could have said dont send it to people who are deceased," Olson said. 'But they didnt. Now theyre putting it on the taxpayers of the world to correct the mistake.

Johnson, whose late mother, Mary, was issued the check, said he and his siblings weighed their options. They decided to do the moral thing.

Theres no way my family would keep it. We wouldnt feel right about doing that, Johnson said. We sealed it back up and sent it back.
Three Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) members died in a gunfight in a Kurdish-majority part of western Iran yesterday, according to multiple reports.

Unidentified gunmen killed a colonel and two other members of the elite military unit in Divandarreh, in Kurdistan province about 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of Iraq, The Associated Press reported. It cited Iran's Tasnim news agency.

Irans state-run Press TV said the incident occurred during an IRGC operation against terrorists in Kurdistan province.

The colonel, Shakiba Salima, fought in the IRGC for several years in Kurdistan, according to Press TV. The outlet reported the three IRGC deaths and also said a number of opposing fighters were killed.

There are several armed Kurdish groups in Irans Kurdish majority areas on its western border. These groups have attacked the IRGC in the area for years. Kurds there are also subject to violence from the state. Kurdish smugglers known as kolbars are frequently shot at by border guards as they cross into the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Kurdish political prisoners are regularly executed in Iran, which has one of the highest rates of death penalty use in the world.

Press TV and The Associated Press did not say who killed the IRGC fighters. Hengaw, which reports on Kurdish rights in Iran, tweeted that the fight was with a Kurdish party, but did not specify which one.

Representatives of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran and Komala  two of the Kurdish parties in Iran with armed factions  did not immediately respond to Al-Monitors request for comment. The Kurdistan Free Life Party, an affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Turkey, also operates in Iran.

Some Iranian Kurdish groups base themselves across the border in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, where they can operate more freely in small towns in the mountains. Iran sometimes bombs them across the border, mostly notably destroying Iranian Kurdistan Democratic Party headquarters in Koya in late 2018.
One of the oldest disciplines in digital marketing, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) has evolved a lot over the years. Vishal Shah, Associate Vice President  SEO, iProspect, and Asad Khan, Associate Vice President  SEO and Performance Content, iProspect, guide us through the shifts that SEO marketing has undergone in the past decade in Adgullys two-part in-depth look at the SEO space.

In Part 1 of the report, we spoke about how digital marketers are approaching SEO strategies depending on the type of client and their business objective. This is the 2nd part of an in-depth report on Search Engine Optimisation.

The Jio launch completely revolutionised the data consumption patterns in India. First, more people than ever were browsing the web via their smartphones. Second, regional populations who were first time smartphone users began exploring the Internet. The most important bit was change in content consumption formats, a heavy shift from text-based content to rich media, especially video consumption. This clearly had implications on search behaviour as well.

Today, mobile phones are driving higher web traffic than desktop in India, which is nearly 80 per cent. Apps have become the go-to destination for mobile users rather than websites. SEO marketers have to adapt to these changes as clients were demanding solutions that were aimed at mobile users.

Asad Khan relates some of the emerging trends, The mobile user is searching for information on the go; many of them prefer to speak to their phones rather than typing (Voice Search). According to Google, India has seen a whopping 270 per cent growth YoY in voice searches. Popularity of Indian languages is growing at much faster pace due growth of search in Bharat (non-metros).

He adds, Now, we are not just building content for our clients, but enabling it to be ready from a voice search perspective. Another strategy is identifying the non-metros that are driving traffic for the brand and providing solutions for regional language content.

Vernacular Search

India has 22 official languages and numerous local dialects. When a user types a query in their local language: 1) the search engine must be able to recognise the query, and 2) the results that are thrown up must be in the language that the user is comfortable with.

Also, the syntax or structure of search queries in regional languages is different from English language, which throws up new keyword trends.

This creates an opportunity for clients to reach new users, as Vishal Shah explains, If people are searching for a keyword in Hindi, ranking for it could be beneficial because not all brands run ads for Hindi keywords. For an English search query, you might see four ads and the organic reach of the ad goes down, which, in turn, impacts the CTR (Click Through Rate). If people are not running ads for vernacular keywords and youre ranked first, then you could drive a lot more CTRs.

Khan states, Vernacular is growing at a faster pace than English search. 50 per cent of vernacular search is in Hindi language; 30 per cent is in Telugu, Bangla and Tamil and the remainder is occupied by other languages.

However, for practical purposes creating content in all regional languages is not always recommended to clients keeping into account the feasibility and scalability aspects.

According to Shah, If you look at search trends, while English queries still dominate a lot of sectors/ niches, theres a substantial contribution by Hinglish keywords as well. When we start optimising for a particular language, the focus is still on English or Hinglish search queries. Even though the intent is to build a lot more content in Hindi, we are still observing that on a relative scale, the search volumes for generic queries using pure Hindi keywords are still lesser in many lines of business. But, of course, theres still a lot more potential for this to increase.

He adds, There are sectors where the data does not support vernacular search from a volume of queries perspective. There are many areas we are not seeing a huge uplift in vernacular search. We initiate such solutions only if the client asks for it or the data tells us to.

Voice Search

As digital marketers come to terms with the limitations of Vernacular search, they become increasingly excited about the combination of Vernacular search and Voice search.

Shah observes, Vernacular search could catch up in the future because Voice search is growing every day, as per Google. If Voice recognition is increasing, then there is no control over the language of the search query. You have the liberty to input a really longish query (a long tail keyword) that could be a mix of couple of languages. And this trend could also gain some traction in future.

Targeting

A search query can be input from a device anywhere across the board. So, how are digital marketers able to drive the right kind of traffic for their clients using SEO?

Shah explains, Search engines can identify global versus local matches of search queries based on the content you create and the signals that your website (domain name especially) provides. Suppose a brand wants to target consumers within India, then it makes sense to have a website with the domain ending with www.example.in. Thats a clear-cut signal that this website is targeted towards audiences in India. If you are catering to customers across the globe, then it might make sense to have a .com website, but with a sub-directory structure like www.example.com/in. Having Geo-specific sub-domains is another option that one can explore. Google Search Console also provides multiple options to pass geo-specific signals which indicate that a domain or a section of pages caters to audience within a specific geography.

Even the content that you create would have to reflect nuances from different regions. Google Search Engine is able to pick up on those nuances.

Shah shares an example, Suppose you have a product that sells in 20 geographies, where the local languages may vary. Fundamentally, it is the same product, but the price and features may vary depending on the region. At least 50 per cent of the content remains exactly the same. To avoid duplication of content, Google has made available tags that allow similar pages relate to one another and helps Google rank the right page in the right geography.

A newer trend is the rise of hyperlocal SEO. With consumers searching on the go, some brands have leveraged hyperlocal search to drive traffic to their physical stores and outlets.

Sharing an example, Khan elaborates, Near Me searches have significantly risen by 75 per cent YoY and this is driving impact for retailers in-store. People typically search for Hotels Near Me, Doctors Near Me, Garages Near Me, etc., and end up visiting retailers offline store. Clients are looking for solutions that make their outlets and stores more accessible to the consumers. Having your brand listed on Google My Business has become hygiene for most brands. To improve the ranking of your business, a SEO strategy could be having a lot of user generated reviews and ratings, which act as a local signal for Googles ranking algorithms.

Delivering targeted SEO solutions for clients requires thinking in three critical areas:

How do I build my content assets from an international and hyperlocal search perspective?

How do I supplement my business listing with 3rd party contributors (reviews/ ratings) from the relevant geographies?

How do I indicate through localised signals (tags) that my content solutions are geography specific?

The Omnichannel experience

The lines between brick and mortar retail and e-commerce have blurred, with retail clients opting for an inclusive omnichannel strategy to reach their customers. Now, every modern retailer wants an omnichannel presence and asks for digital solutions that solve business problems.

Khan shares an example of how iProspect delivered an omnichannel strategy, A growing number of consumers are researching online and purchasing offline. This behaviour is reflected in growing click-to-store-visit ratios in categories like food, groceries, and shopping. However, there are some tactical ways by which brands can convert a visit into a lead. We were approached by a very popular electronics brand that was selling offline to devise an SEO strategy. We designed interactive product brochures for them, which we filled with various technical information pertaining to the product. On the final product page, we created a call to action that prompted the consumer to input their lead details. Our communication said, if you register, we will share the brochure of the product and share details of where you can purchase it from. This way, even if the consumer is not on your site, we can capture their lead details, which can be used to target them in other ways.

Identifying search trends are important, but matching them with consumer purchasing paths is critical for delivering results.

Shah shares an observation, We have an e-commerce client who caters to multiple markets. They have 5-6 stores in Mumbai. The pattern we have seen in India is that the brand sees a lot of online traffic, but the end conversion happens in retail stores. Out of the total organic traffic to the website, US contributes only to a quarter or a bit lesser; but generates high volumes of sales and thereby revenue.

Khan highlights another trend, While search volume is much larger on mobile, yet the transaction volumes continue to be larger on the desktop. Weve observed for a lot of brands that visitors tend to discover products, read product information, add to cart but the final purchase is usually made on the desktop.

App store optimisation

If the web browser is primary real estate on the desktop, then apps are primary real estate on smartphones. Many of the digital brands, especially those players from the OTT space, primarily look at app installs and subscribers on their platforms to measure business growth. Apps that rank high in the Playstore search rankings have a greater visibility and increased chance of getting downloaded.

Shah says, There is a discipline called app store optimisation, where we try to improve visibility on Playstore and App Store. App store optimisation helps us rank for some queries on the Playstore. Google crawler isnt able to crawl through complete app screens the way it is able to do with desktop screens. Increasing visibility on the Playstore is a function of optimising your profile page with critical keywords and play with the title and description keywords.

He adds, Some users try to search for apps on desktop and Google allows them to discover apps by using a method called deep linking and indexing.

For example, you are searching for some show on an OTT platform and input the search query for the show on Google Search (primarily mobile). If you have deep linking and indexation properly implemented, the search results will throw up a result with link to the App with a small indicator saying Installed if you have the OTT app installed. If you dont have the app installed the results will throw up a prompt message to download the app.

Khan observes, Marketplaces are getting a lot of traction, hence moving beyond a website-centric e-commerce strategy is a no brainer. With maximum shoppers choosing to shop on e-commerce marketplace, optimising for sites such as Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal and other discoverability platforms is going to be critical moving forward. Currently, Google and YouTube command >90 per cent of search traffic, but with more than 50 per cent e-commerce searches now taking place on marketplaces, that dichotomy might change soon.
ALBANY  The state Gaming Commission has made limited progress in implementing recommendations issued by Comptroller Thomas DiNapolis office that concerned whether animal safety rules were being followed in New Yorks horse racing industry.

An initial DiNapoli audit issued in November 2018 found that the Gaming Commission, which regulates thoroughbred tracks including Saratoga Race Course, needed to better document daily operating policies and procedures; improve how information was recorded in a database documenting equine breakdown, death and injury; and ensure adherence to drug testing requirements. DiNapolis office at the time recommended the Gaming Commission develop and adhere to written policies and procedures addressing those shortcomings.

In a three-page follow-up letter, DiNapolis office said the Gaming Commission did not provide the comptroller's office with a response indicating steps were taken to implement the recommendations, as required by law.

Additionally, during the course of this follow-up review, the commission impeded the progress of our review  there were numerous delays in providing requested information, documentation, and meetings, audit director Brian Reilly wrote to the Gaming Commission.

During the follow-up review, DiNapolis office found that the Gaming Commission had developed procedures for post-race drug testing of horses, but that the commission would not provide evidence those procedures were being followed.

In addition, the Gaming Commission said it had formal policies and procedures for daily operating functions, as well as a uniform incident reporting policy, but would not provide them to the comptrollers office.

DiNapolis office said the Gaming Commission is supportive of securing a comprehensive database, but that fiscal restraints have prevented the commission from taking steps to develop it.

Horse racing has a long and storied tradition in New York state, but a rash of thoroughbred deaths around the country is drawing scrutiny to those in the industry who skirt rules to get a leg up on their competition, DiNapoli said in a statement to the Times Union. Its up to regulators like the state Gaming Commission to hold unscrupulous trainers accountable, but the commission has been lax in keeping the type of records that could point out wrongdoers. This has to change.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

As noted in the 2018 audit, 21 horses died or were euthanized between November 2011 and March 2012 as a result of conditions sustained while racing at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens  an unusually high figure that sparked concern among the public and within the racing industry.

In a response, the Gaming Commission said the audit report and observations continue to mischaracterize the commissions documentation. It said policies and procedures have been in effect at all racetracks for decades and the material, which has been provided to Comptroller staff on numerous occasions, inform and instruct on-site staff on how to complete daily activities, outline procedures for post-race drug testing, and establish an incident reporting policy.

As regards the database, the commission noted that the lab, located in Morrisville, is independent of the commission and operates as a contracted vendor.
New Delhi, May 6 : The Chief Ministers of the Congress ruled states on Wednesday accused the Centre of non-cooperation in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, taking decisions arbitrarily without consulting them, and not providing them funds. The Chief Ministers were deliberating on the lockdown 3.0 situation with Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi.

At the meeting, held via video conferencing, Sonia Gandhi questioned the exit strategy of the Centre post May 17 when lockdown 3.0 ends.

"After May 17th, what? and after May 17th, how? What criteria is the Government of India (GoI) using to judge how long the lockdown is to continue...." she said during the meeting.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who has set up two committees -- one to strategise on how to come out of the lockdown and the other on economic revival -- said, "Concern is people sitting in Delhi are deciding on classification of zones without knowing what's happening on the ground." Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said, "The States are facing dire economic crisis. They need to be provided immediate assistance." He said in his state 80 per cent of the Small Industries have restarted and nearly 85,000 workers have returned to work.

Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayansamy also accused the Centre of taking one sided decisions. "The Government of India is deciding on zones without consulting the states and this is creating an anomalous situation. People sitting in Delhi can't tell the states. No State or CM is consulted. Why?" asked the Chief Minister.

"PM isn't saying a word on the economic package for states," he added.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Gehlot raised the issue of the stimulus package for the states. "Until extensive stimulus package is given, how will states and country run? We have lost Rs 10,000 crore of revenue. States have repeatedly requested Prime Minister for a package, but we are yet to hear from GOI," Gehlot said.

In the meeting, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh advised the Chief Ministers that they needed to "deliberate and ask as to what is the strategy of the Centre to get the country out of the lockdown?" Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi suggested that the "The central piece of strategy to fight Covid-19 is to protect the elderly as also those who are diabetic and with heart condition." Former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram stated, "States are bleeding in terms of finances, but no money is being allocated by GOI. A number of newspapers have brought out the unavailability of finances with states."

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
After years of low prices and trade disputes, 2020 was finally supposed to be a better one for U.S. dairy farmers. But now it could be what drives many of them out of business for good.

Many hope some government relief will keep them afloat as they dump countless gallons of milk they would have sold to restaurants and schools now shuttered by the coronavirus pandemic.

The last several weeks have proven an unexpectedly challenging time for the entire agricultural sector, as the country's food service supply chain struggles to adjust to life in an unforeseen and unprecedented situation.

But dairy farmers have to figure out what to do with their extremely perishable product when about 50% of the industry's demand from restaurants, school cafeterias, and other food service is cut off.

Things were already not easy for dairy farmers going into 2020. The dairy industry was just coming off five years of low prices on milk brought on by stiff global competition. Dairy farmers have also been hurt by trade disputes. And then there is the long-term decline in milk drinking, although consumption of cheese and other dairy products has risen over the last several decades.

Beginning in November 2019, two major names in the industry filed for bankruptcy within a few months of each other. The first was Dean Foods, a Texas-based dairy process that sells its goods under 50 different brands around the country. Then in January, Borden Dairy, a 160-year old producer, also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Prices were finally beginning to rise again as 2019 came to a close, and farmers thought this year would bring some relief to balance sheets. Then coronavirus hit.

There are new opportunities for U.S. milk producers abroad, in the growing markets of Africa and Asia. But farmers from Europe, New Zealand, and other mature dairy markets are jockeying for that business as well.

And U.S. milk producers first need to survive.

CNBC's Amelia Lucas contributed to this story.
The windows of the local school were damaged, houses were set on fire

Russia-backed militants have once again violated humanitarian law Joint Forces Operation Facebook

Prosecutor's Office of Luhansk region has launched an investigation into the shelling of a school and apartment buildings in Zolote-4 village that was conducted by Russia-backed militants. This was reported on the website of the Prosecutor's Office of Luhansk region.

On April 30, windows of the local school were damaged due to the enemy attacks. On May 1, 2020, the houses of the civilian population were under fire. There are no victims reported.

A pre-trial investigation has been launched under Part 1 of Article 258 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. In recent days, the situation in Zolote-4 village of Popasnianskyi district has become more complicated.

"Apart from the positions of the Joint Forces, the shellings are also being carried out in the housing sector which is a direct violation of international humanitarian law," the statement said.

As we reported earlier, Commander of the Joint Forces Operation Volodymyr Kravchenko stated that over 2,000 regular Russian officers remained in the occupied area of Donbas.
By Carina Woudenberg

San Jose Spotlight

South Bay medical centers are prepared to resume knee replacements, gall stone removals, heart catheterizations and other so-called elective surgeries after Gov. Gavin Newsom lifted the ban on these types of procedures late last month, hospital officials say.

Doctors were previously barred from performing non-emergency operations amid an expected surge of COVID-19 patients. Now that the number of new coronavirus cases is trending downward, hospital officials say they're ready to accept patients who had to put off that hip or heart valve replacement because of the pandemic.

"Everyone has been cautious and eager to get that going," said Kenneth West, chief operating officer for Regional Medical Center. "We want to ensure that people aren't unnecessarily at risk or delaying things that may be necessary to do sooner rather than later."

West attributes a large number of COVID-19 cases at the East San Jose hospital for helping to ensure the necessary procedures were in place to handle coronavirus patients.

"I think it really challenged our team that we went over and above," West said.

West estimates that the hospital reached its peak in coronavirus cases around late March or early April - a total of 427 cases seen over a roughly six-week period. Now he says Regional Hospital is seeing about half as many.

Good Samaritan Hospital, which has a main campus in San Jose and an additional site in Los Gatos, reports a peak in COVID-19 cases around early March, according to the hospital's chief nursing officer Mark Brown.

The hospital is unique, Brown said, in that it didn't have as many coronavirus cases as Regional Hospital and others but did start seeing them early - treating the third-known coronavirus patient in the state back in late January.

"We've been prepping for and dealing with (COVID-19 patients) for three months now," Brown said.

At its peak, Brown estimates that the hospital saw between 30 and 40 patients who either had the virus or who were under investigation. Now that number has dropped to one or two cases per day.

"It's extremely manageable," Brown said.

Both Regional and Good Samaritan created additional safety precautions at their hospitals, such as limited entrances to the buildings, screenings at the door and mask requirements for everyone. These measures and others - such as frequent cleaning of high-touch points in the buildings - are now considered standard protocol for hospitals and medical centers, West noted.

In many cases, patients have endured pain and discomfort from delaying these necessary operations, but the hospitals have taken a financial hit from the postponed procedures as well.

For example, at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, O'Connor Hospital and St. Louise Regional Hospital, surgeries are down by more than 50 percent, said Maury Kendall, hospital spokesman for the three county-owned facilities.

"This has had a significant impact on patient revenues," Kendall wrote in an email to San Jos Spotlight.

Hospitals across the Bay Area are facing financial fallout from fewer patients, partially because of the absence of elective surgeries, officials said, but also from an overall fear people have of visiting a medical facility during a pandemic.

At Stanford Health Care in Palo Alto, 14,000 workers were told late last month they would be hit with furloughs and pay cuts to help the hospital weather the financial hardship. The hospital sustained a drop in revenue following a 40% decrease in emergency room visits and elective surgeries.

Brown said overall hospital volume at Good Samaritan has dropped by roughly 50 percent amid the pandemic, with a cut to surgeries even greater than that.

Hospital workers not required to report to work because of the patient shortage have been paid 70 percent of their salaries instead of being laid off or forced to use their paid time off, Brown said. The policy is in place at the hospital until mid-May.

South Bay hospitals are resuming elective surgeries on Monday and have been carefully prioritizing surgeries from a backlog of patients.

Hospital leaders said they're grateful to the Bay Area counties for implementing shelter-in-place orders quickly, saying it has saved them from having to cope with the surge of patients seen in places like New York.

However, West said it's its still important to stay vigilant.

"To some degree, the moment you stop stressing is when you let your guard down," he said. "We're still winding down the response phase, we're in the recovery phase (and have) started to reboot."

Contact Carina Woudenberg at carinaw86@gmail.com or follow @carinaew on Twitter.

This story was originally published by San Jose Spotlight. Please use the following link when sharing: https://sanjosespotlight.com/are-south-bay-hospitals-ready-to-perform-elective-surgeries-amid-covid-19/

Copyright  2020 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.
Historically, times of crisis have brought out the best in U.S. policymaking. The Great Depression ushered in the New Deal. The Cuyahoga River burning due to industrial pollution in 1969 gave us the Environmental Protection Agency. What might the coronavirus-fueled public health and economic emergencies lead to? If we follow another example from history, the answer just might be universal child care.

The crisis facing our nation today shines a spotlight on the shortcomings of our health care delivery system, flaws in our democratic process and racial and environmental injustices. Perhaps more than anything though, it has illuminated the child care crisis in this country.

Even in "good times," child care comes with a steep  and daunting  price tag. Among working families with children under the age of 5 that pay for child care, the average family spends nearly 10% of its income on child care. This is 40% higher than what the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has defined as affordable. In more than half the states in the country, one year of infant care costs more than one year at a public four-year university.

So overwhelming is this burden that many young adults are having or planning to have fewer children than they'd like, and citing the cost of child care as the number one reason.

Parents aren't the only one getting a raw deal. The average hourly wage for an early childhood caregiver is $10.60. Nearly one out of every three preschool teachers and one out of every two home-based child care providers are enrolled in a public assistance program to help support their own families. In other words, the people we look to help halt the cycle of poverty, by educating our youngest children and by supporting parents' efforts to work, are living in poverty themselves.

It's become clear that as a nation, we've abandoned our caregivers. Health care workers are left to improvise their own personal protective equipment as they care for the sickest among us. Child care providers worry they may not be able to afford reopen their doors once it is safe to do so. Parents are meant to figure out how to foot an unaffordable bill for child care in good times  and how to make do without it in bad.

Our caregivers simply cannot bear this burden alone any longer.

A popular meme that proclaims "Your grandparents were called to war. You're being called to sit on your couch" certainly downplays the very real consequences of social distancing for many Americans. But in drawing a comparison to World War II, it also reminds us of a time when the federal government did finance child care as a response to an urgent need. In that case, the need for women to enter the war effort.

In 1940 Congress passed the Lanham Act in order to fund public works, including child care, in communities with defense industries. All families in which the mother was involved in the war effort, regardless of income, were eligible for child care for up to six days a week. Parents paid the equivalent of about $10/day in today's dollars to send their children to one of the 3,000+ centers funded by the Lanham Act, many of which featured the hallmarks of high-quality child care programs: they had low student-teacher ratios, served meals and snacks and taught children arts and educational enrichment activities.

But they didn't last long, despite the pleas and protestations of many who wanted to keep them open. When the war ended, the Lanham Act was terminated, federal funding for child care dried up and the majority of programs established during the war shuttered. But not before an estimated 600,000 to 1.5 million children were served. Recent studies indicate that the Lanham Act programs led to successful long-term outcomes for many of the participating children. Their mothers benefited too  participating women experienced a substantial increase in maternal employment, even years later.

Just as it did in 1940, our nation today faces an incredible challenge and an incredible need. At least one part of the solution remains the same. The federal government absolutely must take steps to provide and fund universal child care. And it should last well beyond our current crisis. Like the Social Security Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency that emerged from past national calamities, we should emerge from this period with an enduring universal child care program, robust system of parent support, and government entity responsible for its management.

More than 70 years ago, Eleanor Roosevelt said of the wartime child care centers, "Many thought they were purely a war emergency measure. A few of us had an inkling that perhaps they were a need which was constantly with us, but one that we had neglected to face in the past."

In the decades since, our nation willfully returned to a state of denial with regard to its child care needs. But once again, a crisis has made the need for child care support painfully apparent. It's an almost inexcusable tragedy that we find ourselves back here, but it presents an opportunity to make up for past mistakes, by renewing and sustaining the short-lived effort to provide universal child care. Our caregivers deserve nothing less.

Editor's Note: This item has been amended to correct the byline.

Dr. Dana Suskind is a pediatric physician, professor of surgery and pediatrics and the founder and co-director of the TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health at the University of Chicago. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Before the Senate's Watergate hearings, public television was still mostly known as a venue for educational programing. Big Bird, not big news.

But Gerald Slater, an executive at the fledgling Public Broadcasting Service and one of its four founding employees, took responsibility for offering up the 1974 hearings in prime time, shifting the system's image. In two decades as an executive at PBS and then Washington's WETA, Slater played a key role in the development of public television, expanding its coverage of public affairs and the arts.

"Gerry was a bona fide pioneer in a system that started as a kind of experiment," said Sam Holt, another of that first group of PBS staffers.

Slater, 86, died at Sibley Hospital on April 24 of covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. His case was complicated by multiple myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow.

Slater left WETA in 1989 and ran his own consulting business. Halcy Bohen, his wife since 1987, said Slater was a central figure in a large family that included his two children, three stepdaughters and nine grandchildren. In later years, Bohen said he enjoyed taking the grandchildren on trips around the world - China, Ghana, Italy, England.

"He was absolutely a joy to grand-parent with," Bohen said.

But he suffered declining health and in October had moved to a retirement community where he could receive care for dementia. When the virus outbreak began, Bohen, who had also moved to the community, said she and Slater were separated in different parts of the facility. The last time she saw him in person was March 13.

The virus killed him a few days after he fell ill in April. His family gathered via screen to be there for his final moments.

Having grown up in the Bronx, New York, and never losing the borough's distinctive accent, Slater began in the television business while an undergraduate at New York University, working as an usher for CBS.

Slater became an acolyte of Fred Friendly, a president of CBS, and part of a group committed to building a public alternative to commercial television.

After the Watergate hearings helped establish public television's reputation for delivering public-affairs programming, Slater joined PBS member station WETA in 1975, beginning a long partnership with Ward Chamberlin, the station's chief executive. They overhauled what was then a small station, playing off its position in the national capital to tap resources such as those at the Smithsonian Institution.

"We wanted it to be straight and we wanted it to be believable and trustworthy," said Linda Winslow, whom Slater hired to WETA in 1978. He promoted her to a senior role in public affairs, the kind of job few women held in television at the time.

Sharon Rockefeller, who took over the leadership of WETA after the two departed, credited them with laying a foundation that has positioned the station today as the second biggest producer of public television content.

"We had no financial base, but it was about location, location, location," said Rockefeller, who was a board member at the station in the early '70s.

Though Chamberlin was averse to conflict, Slater took it on. He could be blunt with people but without alienating them: As one former colleague put it to Bohen, he was a "sheep in wolf's clothing."
Tamil Nadu School Education Minister KA Sengottaiyan on Wendesday (may 6) said that the schedule to conduct the pending TN SSLC examinations 2020 will be released in June 2020.

The minister added that the state's School Education department is currently working on preparing a schedule for the Tamil Nadu Class 10 examinations which will be held in June 2020.

It may be recalled that the first and second-year HSE examinations were conducted by Tamil Nadu Board in March 2020 while the class 10 examinations were scheduled to start in March end.

The TN HSE second year (Class12) exams were conducted from March 2 to 24, 2020 while the first year exams were held from March 4 to 26. The SSLC examinations were scheduled to start on March 27 and end on April 13, 2020 but the exams were postponed due to the 21-day nationwide lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 24 to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country.

Around 9.45 lakh students were expected to appear for the TN SSLC examinations in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

The Central government has extended the lockdown for the third consecutive time until May 17, 2020 and has said that the educational institutions will not remain operational during the lockdown period. Due to this, the examinations and other activities have been completely stopped at different schools and universities across the country.
A Delhi court on Wednesday directed the city police to register an FIR against two women who had allegedly violated the lockdown orders and passed communal slurs in the Rodgran, Lal Kuan on April 16, stating that this might lead to communal tension in the area which had witnessed tension due to a parking fight.

Metropolitan Magistrate Rishabh Kapoor ordered that the case be registered against the two women under sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 153A (vilification or attacks upon the religion, race, place of birth, residence, language) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs).

According to a complaint by a local resident, on April 16, the two womenMamta and Suraiyahad allegedly tried to disrupt the communal harmony by passing communally disparaging remarks. The complainant Waiz Islam contended that these two women were carrying metal rods in their hands and caused public annoyance by smashing the doors of houses and shops, mostly populated by the Muslims.

He said the video of the incident was taken and uploaded on the web. The complaint added that the area is communally sensitive and has already witnessed communal tension due to a parking issue. He said that even though the matter was reported to the Station House Officer (SHO) and an email was also sent to the DCP, no action has been taken so far.

In an Action Taken Report (ATR), the Delhi police informed the court that the two women were out on the streets to feed the stray dogs and had a heated exchange with the people of Rodgran. The police said the ladies did not pass any communal slurs and a local press reporter uploaded the video on the web without verifying it.

However, the court said that the duo had violated the lockdown and even though they belonged to an NGO, they should have carried proper passes granting them permission to roam freely. The judge also pointed out that both the women were residents of Farshkahan, Lal Kuan and Gali Jamun Wali, Ballimaran, around 450 and 750 meters respectively from the place of the incident.

The Metropolitan Magistrate said that there is no justification as to what the women were doing in the area where the incident occurred. He said all the offences are cognizable in nature and requires investigation.

prima facie commission of cognizable offence is shown. The area of occurrence is a sensitive area which has already witnessed communal tension on a previous occasion, therefore, (if) incidents like these are not taken in law, it would lead to communal disharmony and disturbance in public peace and tranquillity, which the nation is not prepared (for) at this time of Covid-19, the judge said.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Chinese automaker Chongqing Changan Automobile Co.,Ltd. (Changan) said it gained a net profit of RMB631,077,888.63 attributable to shareholders during the first quarter, a year-on-year surge of 130.1% from the net loss of RMB2,096,352,326.12 for the year-ago period.

Excluding non-recurring gains and losses, the company still suffered a net loss of RMB1,793,324,817.62, versus the year-ago loss of RMB2,161,147,810.27. The substantial variance may be partly due to the government subsidies of RMB57,408,092.65 recorded into current gain/loss account.



During the same period, its revenue slid 27.76% year on year to RMB11,564,077,463.34. The cash flow from operating activities stood at RMB4,155,344,266.52, jumping 27.51% as a result of the significant decrease in cash paid for purchasing goods and receiving services.

The operating cost decreased 30.58% from a year earlier to RMB10,555,130,992.83, mainly thanks to the year-on-year decline in product sales volume.

Due to the reclassification of the company's expenses, the first-quarter management expenses slumped 35.49% to RMB404,138,581.75, while R&D expenses soared 53.08% to RMB697,946,683.12.



Affected by the coronavirus eruption, Changan witnessed its Q1 sales decline 32.1% over a year ago to 303,078 units. However, the decrease in March sales significantly contracted to 28.7%, versus the 43.3% drop in China's overall auto sales.

One of bright spots is the revival of Changan Ford's performance. According to Changan's sales report, the Sino-U.S. joint venture sold 30,456 new vehicles in the first quarter, posting a 17.2% year-on-year decrease, the smallest one among Changan's subsidiaries. Its March sales dipped 27.9% from the year-ago period, helping Changan outpace the overall auto industry. Reportedly, it even over-fulfilled the retail sales target set for March, in part thanks to a series of measures adopted to support its dealers.
3 reasons the COVID-19 death rate is higher in U.S. than Canada

The nation next door has been a hot topic for Canadians during the coronavirus pandemic, with chatter frequently involving a certain politician who lives in a white Washington mansion.

The U.S. has a COVID-19 mortality rate about twice that of Canada's, with more than 200 deaths per million versus a little over 100 per million in Canada.

CBC News consulted five infectious disease experts, academic studies and data collected by governments and companies to try to find out why.

The overwhelming opinion points to three main contributors: longstanding issues related to health care, politics and one particular city.

While every expert agreed the U.S. government flubbed its early response to the pandemic, most said the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump was just one element in the bigger story.

The gap in fatalities between the U.S. and Canada is not a methodological quirk attributable to different reporting methods, the experts said.

The U.S. had 1.2 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, and more than 71,000 deaths as of Tuesday night, and Canada had more than 63,000 cases and close to 4,300 deaths.

Death rates more reliable measure than cases

Mortality rates are considered a more accurate reflection of the rate of spread than case totals, which rely on inconsistent testing standards across jurisdictions.

"I think per capita deaths are a proxy for the extent of disease activity," said Ashleigh Tuite, an epidemiologist at the University of Toronto.

It's important to see the U.S.-Canada disparity in a global context, she said: U.S. death rates are still far lower than those in Spain, Italy and Belgium.

Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press

The difference in death rates between the U.S. and Canada could continue to change as the pandemic progresses. In fact, it has been steadily narrowing, according to data published each day by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control,

In March, Americans were dying from COVID-19 at a per-capita rate 3.6 times higher than that of Canadians. In the first half of April, it was 3.1 times. It was 1.7 times in the last half of April. In early May, death rates have been similar.

Story continues

Cases in the U.S. have already had a direct effect on Canadians. In Ontario, for example, the U.S. was by far the largest source of early imported cases.

The gap in outcomes opened up in March, when the virus hit New York.

New York, New York

The U.S. was unfortunate that its most bustling city got struck early.

"How prepared that initial city or geographic area was will influence your death rate," said Amesh Adalja, a pandemic preparedness fellow at Johns Hopkins University and Medicine in Baltimore.

Cities hit later benefited not only from being less crowded but from having more time to prepare, he said.

Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters

Without the Big Apple, the Canada-U.S. gap looks very different. Nearly half the difference disappears. Move beyond the suburbs of New York, and the Canada-U.S. death rates are even closer.

In fact, the death rate from COVID-19 is nearly identical between Canada and the 47 U.S. states that do not include a New York City suburb, based on state- and county-level data compiled by the site Worldometer.

Such comparisons are statistically dicey, however, because excluding one sub-national region distorts a country's demographics and urban-rural mix.

CBC News

What's beyond dispute is that New York was clobbered by COVID-19, and one of its defining attributes  crowding  played a role.

New York has no rival in Canada when it comes to population density, which epidemiologists identify as a contributing risk. It has twice the density of Vancouver, Canada's most-crowded city.

Every weekday, 5.4 million people cram into New York's subway system, pushing its metal turnstiles and filling its cars, with a rail ridership more than six times that of Toronto's subway and streetcar system.

In early March, before many grasped the severity of the crisis, and before workplaces emptied out, infections rippled through the city, with the transit system a likely transmission vector.

An MIT researcher, Jeffrey Harris, described it in the title of a working paper, not yet peer-reviewed: "The subways seeded the massive coronavirus epidemic in New York."

New York City was "a fire that could be easily ignited," said John Brownstein, a Canadian-born epidemiologist at Harvard University and the Boston Children's Hospital.

Health access and pre-existing conditions

It's no secret underlying health conditions appear to make COVID-19 deadlier.

A report just released by the U.S. Centers For Disease Control found nearly three-quarters of those hospitalized in Georgia had pre-existing conditions believed to make COVID-19 more severe.

Hypertension was the most prevalent pre-existing health problem among people in the Georgia study: about 67.5 per cent had high blood pressure. Severe obesity was also on the list.

The U.S. has by far the highest obesity rate in the developed world and slightly higher rates of hypertension than Canada.

The Georgia study pointed to a wide racial disparity: 83 per cent of patients with coronavirus in hospitals it studied were African-American.

The CDC study is the latest indication of black Americans being hit harder than other population groups by COVID-19. (Comparable data for Canada is not yet available.)

WATCH | African Americans in Georgia have been hit disproportionately hard by the coronavirus:

This hints at some gaps in the U.S. health-care system that predated the pandemic. There's a persistent gap in access to care, for example, with visible minorities likelier to lack medical insurance.

Nearly 10 per cent of the American public lacked insurance before the pandemic, and that number is likely to grow as people lose jobs and employer-provided plans.

The U.S. government has promised to cover testing and treatment costs for the uninsured.

Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

But anecdotes and analysis warn of people facing unexpected costs. In particular, minority groups and uninsured people must travel farther for tests, according to a paper Brownstein co-authored.

Minority groups, rural residents, homeless people and those struggling with mental health and addiction are less likely to receive care, according to Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious-disease expert at Stanford University.

"We are seeing high numbers in cities [and] areas where there are historically vulnerable populations," Kuppalli said.

"These types of patients are very difficult to engage in health care and are the most vulnerable."

Politics has an impact

Politics may have played a role in whether or not people practised physical distancing, some American studies suggest.

That's consistent with several U.S. public-opinion polls showing a partisan gap in attitudes about the pandemic, with Republicans less worried than Democrats.

People in counties that voted predominately for Trump in the 2016 election were less likely to perceive risk, seek information or practise physical distancing, according to a paper published last month by university researchers in Chicago and Texas.

Alex Brandon, John Minchillo/The Associated Press

"Even when, objectively speaking, death is on the line, partisan bias still colours beliefs about facts," study authors wrote. They say their paper, which is not yet peer-reviewed, accounted for differences in population density.

Another paper said what precautions individual Americans took against the virus may have been influenced by what they heard on political talk shows.

Viewers of one Fox News show hosted by Sean Hannity (who initially mocked the pandemic) were less likely to isolate than viewers of another Fox show hosted by Tucker Carlson (who took the threat seriously), according to the paper by researchers at the University of Chicago.

CBC News

Tracking data collected by Google from smartphones suggests that Canadians practised more physical distancing than Americans and began doing it earlier.

Google's reports for Saskatchewan and Alberta show people in those provinces doing more distancing than people across the border in Montana and North Dakota.

Clear public communication is essential in a pandemic, said Saverio Stranges, chair of epidemiology and biostatistics at Western University in London.

Canadian politicians, while not perfect, tried delivering consistent messages at the federal and provincial levels, guided by public-health experts, he said.

In the U.S., Trump repeatedly clashed with state governors at various stages of the crisis  criticizing their performance, blasting some for reopening too slowly, and at one point also accusing a Republican ally in Georgia of reopening too quickly.

Several governors expressed frustration at the mixed-messaging and lack of co-ordinated response and made their own plans for procuring protective equipment and curbing the virus.

Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press

Trump was quicker in some aspects of his response than the Canadian government. He limited travel much earlier and promoted the use of masks earlier.

Yet Trump's messaging ebbed and flowed on basic details such as the severity of the crisis.

In February, a month after he restricted travel from China, Trump was still insisting the U.S. would have zero cases soon.

In that same period, Canada's health minister was urging Canadians to stockpile food.

The White House is still blowing hot and cold about the threat level ahead, releasing a cautious plan for reopening, then encouraging protests in several states calling for immediate reopening of the economy.

The initial U.S. response to the pandemic was impeded by a testing debacle at the outset, but the country is now catching up to Canada in per-capita testing rates.

It has done 23,208 tests per million people compared to Canada's 24,359 per million.

"The federal response in the United States is definitely responsible for where we are," Adalja said. "You had from the beginning mismanagement and downplaying of the threat."
Representative image.

Three Katyusha rockets landed in the "perimeter" of Baghdad International Airport on Wednesday, the Iraqi military said.

The military said it found a rocket launcher with a timer in a rural area in western Baghdad, and there were no reported damages or casualties.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
DALLAS and LONDON, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Hedera Hashgraph , an enterprise-grade distributed ledger platform, today announced that University College London (UCL), London's leading multidisciplinary university, has joined the Hedera Governing Council. The Council, designed to be the most decentralized governance model for a public ledger, will comprise up to 39 global organizations from a diverse array of industries and geographies.

UCL is one of the world's leading educational institutions in the area of blockchain and distributed ledger technology (DLT). Earlier this month, the International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications (INATBA) partnered with the European Commission and UCL to coordinate blockchain solution providers to respond to the European national health emergencies inflicted by the current coronavirus (COVID19) pandemic.

Mance Harmon, CEO and co-founder of Hedera Hashgraph, said, "The addition of UCL to the Hedera Governing Council marks a historic moment. As the very first university on the council, they help Hedera expand our reach into the education sector, with the engagement of a leading global educational institution already making waves in the DLT space. The launch of the COVID19 Task Force by UCL demonstrates how governments, society, businesses, charities, and medical research centres can utilize the full benefits of DLT in overcoming unprecedented challenges."

Ranked 8th in the world by QS World University Rankings in 2020 and with over 42,000 students from 150 different countries, UCL is amongst the top performing universities in the world. UCL launched the Centre for Blockchain Technologies (UCL CBT) in 2016 dedicated to researching the effects of DLT on socio-economic systems and to promoting the adoption of blockchain technology. The centre is one of the largest in the world, and serves as the nucleus for DLT and blockchain research and engagement across 8 different departments and over 180 researchers and practitioners from UCL, other academic institutions and companies.

Paolo Tasca, Executive Director at UCL Centre for Blockchain Technologies, said, "The UCL CBT is one of the world's oldest and largest academic blockchain centres. We are proud to be joining the Hedera Governing Council to steward the next generation of DLT. The UCL CBT is ready to embrace this open, decentralized governance model and Hedera's innovative technological solutions to real-world problems. The recently launched COVID19 Task Force is just one example of how we will continue to support blockchain-based solutions in addressing profound global challenges, and we look forward to expanding the potential of distributed ledgers through our work with Hedera."

University College London joins other council members, including Boeing, Deutsche Telekom, DLA Piper, FIS (WorldPay), Google, IBM, Magalu, Nomura, Swirlds, Swisscom Blockchain, Tata Communications, and Wipro. All members of the Hedera Governing Council are required to run a node on the Hedera Hashgraph public network and are responsible for approving updates to the Hedera platform codebase. Members ensure the council's decentralization and diversity while the governance model protects users by eliminating the risk of forks, guaranteeing the integrity of the codebase, and making the source code open for review.

Harmon concluded, "UCL's membership on the council demonstrates our commitment to diversification of governance, and highlights our existing presence across multiple other industries including telecommunications, cloud computing, aviation, supply chain, and IT. We applaud their ongoing commitment to being at the forefront of DLT adoption, and look forward to their participation in Hedera's future growth."

For more information, visit https://hedera.com/council

About Hedera

Hedera Hashgraph is a public distributed ledger for building decentralized applications. Developers can build secure, fair, blazing-fast decentralized applications on top of the Hedera platform. Dr. Leemon Baird, Hedera Hashgraph Co-Founder and Chief Scientist, and Mance Harmon, Co-founder and CEO of Hedera, patented the groundbreaking hashgraph technology after working together at the United States Air Force Academy and as founders of Trio Security, BlueWave Security, and Swirlds, Inc.

For more information, visit https://www.hedera.com , or follow us on Twitter at @hashgraph , Telegram at t.me/hashgraph , or Discord at https://www.hedera.com/discord . The Hedera whitepaper can be found at https://www.hedera.com/whitepaper.

About University College London

Founded in 1826 in the heart of London, UCL is London's leading multidisciplinary university, with more than 13,000 staff and 42,000 students from 150 different countries. Ranked 8th in the world by QS World University Rankings in 2020, 4th in Europe and 1st in London, University College London is amongst the best universities in the world. It was the first university in England to welcome students of any religion and the first to welcome women on equal terms with men. UCL's founding principles of academic excellence and research aimed at addressing real-world problems continue to inform its ethos to this day through focusing its research endeavours on the Grand Challenges of Global Health, Sustainable Cities, Cultural Understanding, Human Wellbeing, Transformative Technology, and Justice & Equality. UCL's dedication to world-class research, education and innovation is recognised through its globally recognised ranking. In the most recent Research Excellence Framework, UCL was the top-rated university in the UK for research strength.

For Media Enquiries

Zenobia Godschalk

E: [email protected]

Emily Kielthy

Wachsman

E: [email protected]

T: +353 87 097 2754

SOURCE Hedera Hashgraph

Related Links

https://www.hedera.com


Historic day as Assembly becomes Parliament  your AM is now a MS

This article is old - Published: Wednesday, May 6th, 2020

The National Assembly for Wales will now be known as Senedd Cymru, or the Welsh Parliament  with Assembly Members (AM) also changing to Members of the Senedd (MS).

The National Assembly became the Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament) today. Despite the bi-lingual element of Welsh Parliament added to its official title, it will be known commonly as the Senedd in both languages.

Its one of a raft of changes in the Senedd and Elections Wales Act 2020, including allowing 16 and 17 year olds to vote in Senedd elections in 2021.

Eligible foreign nationals will also have a vote in those elections.

A similar bill which would give electors of the same age the right to vote in local authority elections is also progressing through the bill stages.

Controversial plans to allow prisoners to vote in Senedd elections was dropped by Welsh Government last month because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The change in voting ages is the most sweeping change to democracy in Wales since the Representation of the People Act 1969, when the minimum voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 years old.

Fittingly the first Welsh Government minister to address the nation this historic day will be Finance and Trefnydd (Leader of the Senedd) Rebecca Evans.

She will hold the daily coronavirus ministerial briefing from Cardiff at 12.30pm later today.

By Jez Hemming  BBC Local Democracy Reporter (more here on the LDR scheme)
When Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party were proposing to go on a government spending spree ahead of last December's general election there was much talk of a magic money tree.

The coronavirus emergency has meant that not just the UK government but all advanced economies have been required to grow money rainforests.

There is an assumption that there will always be buyers for government debt because of the need for banks, insurers, pension funds and the like to hold safe assets even if the returns are paltry and, in many cases, negative.

The coronavirus emergency has meant that not just the UK government but all advanced economies have been required to grow money rainforests

Moreover, if the private sector doesn't step into the breach the central banks will save the day by buying bonds for cash.

But we shouldn't kid ourselves that there will always be demand for government bonds. Britain's Debt Management Office had a narrow escape on March 19  just as lockdown was coming into view  when the bids for 3.25billion of gilts almost failed to find enough buyers.

The shortfall was only covered when the Bank of England called on the cavalry  an interest cut to just 0.1 per cent and the promise of up to 200billion of quantitative easing.

If we thought that the Government might have a problem, as the bills for furlough pile up, then look across the Atlantic.

The US Treasury has revealed that it will be seeking to raise $3 trillion (2.4trillion) in the second quarter of this year.

That is a figure five times larger than any time in US history, and a sum almost the same size as the whole of the UK economy.

The scale of the fundraising reflects the scale of coronavirus rescue for the US economy launched by the White House in co-operation with Congress.

The conventional view in the US, as it is in the UK, Japan and elsewhere, is that this is fine because the Federal Reserve will act as a backstop by buying up what the private markets fail to absorb.

The Americans have extra freedom because, for most of the world, the US dollar is the reserve currency and there is very little choice but to keep the greenback in stock.

Unfortunately, the pound has no such buffers other than the Bank of England.

That is among the reasons that the sooner the UK gets back to work and fiscal exposure is limited, the less risk of setbacks in the gilts market and an unsustainable monetary explosion.

Sharing the spoils

Tim Steiner has stuck with it and created a great tech champion in Ocado.

Its value to great swathes of middle-income Britain has been demonstrated in the Covid-19 emergency when it has been overwhelmed with demand.

Chief executive Steiner and the Ocado board, headed by former M&S chief Stuart Rose, need to recognise that ill-constructed pay awards could lead to the grocery and tech company being branded the new Persimmon.

The housebuilder's reputation was shattered by over-generous pay awards which drew attention to its failings as a seller of safe homes.

Royal London Asset Management says it will join the incipient revolt against Steiner's 58.7million total pay and incentive award. Even in these times of a health and economic emergency no one begrudges Steiner and his executive team.

However, the gusher at the heart of the excessive awards, the 'growth incentive plan,' has been layered on top of the company's variable pay scheme.

It is all the more embarrassing at a moment when unemployment is soaring, many chief executives (but not enough) have taken pay cuts and swathes of the workforce are on furlough.

Remuneration committee boss Andrew Harrison and chairman Rose need to impress upon Steiner his duty to show sacrifice. The cash would be better spent on the warehouse operators and the drivers who are a lifeline to many families.

Wake-up call

Lloyds Bank finally has discovered it can feel good to do the right thing.

In just 24 hours it has managed to make 32,000 loans to the value of 1billion to the smallest businesses under the Government's 'bounce back' loans scheme.

That should ensure that many of these companies at least have a chance of surviving the lockdown.

Pity that it took a 100 per cent Government guarantee, a simplified application system and some discomforting feedback for it to see sense.

The Black Horse rides again.
No global pandemic or lockdown protocols will stop Meghan Markle and Prince Harry from celebrating a very important occasion this week: the first birthday of their son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.

The little boy will be turning one-year-old this Wednesday, May 6, 2020, and his proud parents will surely make the most out of the day to mark the milestone of celebrating his first year in their new Los Angeles home.

While it is unclear if the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will throw a simple birthday party for Archie on the said day, a spokesman of the couple revealed that they would release a new photograph of the young Sussex to mark his special day.

In a statement released to Sunday Times, Meghan and Harry's representative said that people could expect to see him on his birthday. However, the rep did not specify the details on how the Sussexes will share the photo to the public, considering that they are no longer using their official Sussex Royal Instagram account.

Meanwhile, according to another source, Meghan initially planned to celebrate Archie's birthday with a couple of friends and A-list celebrities. However, her plans were pushed back due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

"It will be just the three of them," the source told a UK news outlet. "Meghan understandably refuses to take any risks with guests or travel."

The insider also revealed that the ex-royal couple was originally planning to celebrate Archie's birthday with the members of the royal family on a later date. They also planned to visit the United Kingdom to meet friends and charities.

"The hope had been that Archie's first birthday would somehow be marked with some members of the Royal Family, cousins, grandparents, and some godparents in the UK when they were over," the insider said.

However, royal author Penny Junor believes that the pandemic wouldn't stop the royals on greeting Archie on his special day. He said that the family would surely receive tons of calls, especially from Archie's great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and grandfather Prince Charles.

"I would think the Queen will speak to them and definitely Archie's grandfather, Charles. But perhaps, not his other grandfather Thomas Markle, which is very sad," the royal expert said.

Aside from this, Meghan is also expected to be the one to bake Archie's cake -- which will likely be sugar-free.

"Meghan's an amazing cook and loves being creative in the kitchen so I think she'll have been busy baking so Archie can enjoy his first taste of birthday cake this week. It will be organic and possibly sugar-free. Something suitably healthy for a one year old," royale xpert Katie Nicholl told OK!

Nicholl also shared they could splash around the pool if the weather is good.

Mother's Day

Aside from Archie's first birthday, this week is also extra special for Meghan Markle as she will also celebrate U.S. Mother's Day on Sunday, May 10, 2020.

It is the second time that the 38-year-old Duchess will celebrate the holiday, but it will be her first time to observe it on her American home soil. During last year's Mother's Day, Meghan just gave birth to Archie and marked the special day by sharing a cute photo of the newborn's tiny toes on Instagram.

The said photo was taken at the Sussexes' Frogmore Cottage residence in Windsor.

"Paying tribute to all mothers today - past, present, mothers-to-be, and those lost but forever remembered. We honour and celebrate each and every one of you," the Instagram post reads.
Firefighters from Long Beach Fire Station 11 respond to a call on April 15. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

On a cold Sunday night in March, Long Beach firefighter and paramedic James Dolas began to feel the first tingle of illness.

The next day, as the 34-year-old came down with a fever, sore throat and muscle pain, his supervisor delivered the bad news: He feared that Dolas and other firefighters at Station 11 had been exposed to the novel coronavirus.

One day later, Dolas and eight other firefighters were confirmed as positive for COVID-19. Soon, that number doubled to 16.

Dolas self-isolated in a guestroom at home. He barricaded the door, which didn't lock, with a chair to keep his 3-year-old daughter at bay. But he wondered whether he had already passed the virus on to her, as well as his 1-year-old daughter and his wife.

For the Long Beach Fire Department, the outbreak spurred a race to contain the spread of the virus  and led to changes likely to remain mainstays of how their first responders handle emergency calls related to the coronavirus.

Fire departments across the country are experiencing similar outbreaks. In L.A., 26 firefighters have tested positive for COVID-19. L.A. County Fire has 84 firefighters who have tested positive for the disease.

So far, Long Beach, the second-most-populated city in the county with more than 460,000 people, has recorded nearly 800 residents testing positive for COVID-19. At least 38 people have died.

Of the firefighters, Long Beach Fire Chief Xavier Espino said the sheer number of them testing positive in such a short amount of time came as a shock. But he said it also provided a valuable learning experience.

"It was a great moment," he said, "in how we bounced back and responded."

A punch to the gut

When the first three confirmed cases of residents with COVID-19 were announced in Long Beach on March 9, city officials were already following the state's lead, declaring local and health emergencies, along with heeding guidelines suggested by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Story continues

The city shifted to a unified command, allowing Long Beach departments to coordinate an effective response to the pandemic while providing routine services to residents.

Espino said his department reached out to fire agencies in New York, Washington and in the Bay Area for advice on managing the pandemic and keeping staff safe. Long Beach firefighters were already using personal protective equipment and were practicing good hygiene.

But the department implemented suggestions from the other cities, including the creation of decontamination areas where firefighters could remove their fire gear.

Jake Heflin, Public Information Officer for the City of Long Beach's All Hazard Incident Management team, shows the proper Personal Protective Equipment that you may see doctors, nurses & first-responders wearing to protect the public. #COVID19LongBeachhttps://t.co/xeh2Saa8Xe  Long Beach Fire (CA) (@LBFD) March 9, 2020

Emergency dispatchers screened for possible coronavirus patients and relayed the information to first responders. Depending on the severity of the call, fire paramedics would try to request that patients meet them outside. If that wasn't possible, Espino said a paramedic would first go inside and assess the patient while the rest of the fire and medic team waited outside.

All-important social distancing proved to be tricky for the firefighters because they live and work together. Espino said that, when shifts changed, as many as 20 firefighters could be at a station. In retrospect, that probably contributed to the spread of the coronavirus among firefighters.

Espino said it wasn't until March 24, a Tuesday, when he learned that several firefighters at Station 11 were feeling sick. At least five of them had gone in for testing that day, and Espino was awaiting the results.

"I was steeling myself up for maybe one person to come back positive," the fire chief said. "The initial five tests came back positive."

Espino said it was a punch to the gut.

An hour later, three more tests came back positive for COVID-19.

"It was kind of devastating for us to have that happen in one fell swoop," Espino said.

He said the department quickly moved the staff on duty to a nearby station. There, they continued to respond to emergency calls and were kept in an area away from that station's firefighters. The department also hired a company to disinfect Fire Station 11 and reopened it shortly after.

'I didn't think I had it'

Charles Hakopian, a 34-year-old firefighter and father of two, stood next to his wife that Tuesday afternoon when he got the call. With his phone on speaker, he listened as a health official confirmed that he had tested positive for COVID-19.

Charles Hakopian was among Station 11 firefighters to test positive for COVID-19. He's since recovered. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Like other firefighters, Hakopian thought he had a cold or a relatively mild flu. They knew firefighters were prone to illness because of long hours and lack of sleep. Station 11 was also one of the busiest fire houses in the city.

And they were already being careful. When the firefighters responded to emergency calls involving possible coronavirus patients, they made sure to wear N95 masks, gloves, gowns and goggles. They removed their fire gear outside the fire station and regularly washed their uniforms. They wiped down the station  including the paramedic trucks  with bleach and disinfectant wipes.

"We take all the proper precautions in protecting ourselves," Hakopian said. "Until I got my results, I didn't think I had it."

After getting his results, he worried he had infected his family. At the time, they hadn't been out of the house for two weeks.

"So if they were to get sick, it was something I brought home," Hakopian said.

A little later that day, Dolas got the same phone call from the Long Beach Health Department while he was home in self-isolation. He shared the results with his wife by phone.

Over the next few days, Dolas recovered from the disease. His meals were left outside the guestroom for him to pick up. The room had French doors connecting to the backyard, where he would sometimes walk to get fresh air.

"I felt like a prisoner," he said.

Other times, he watched from behind the locked French doors as his 3-year-old danced, trying to entertain him.

"That helped the time go by a little bit," he said, chuckling.

Some days were harder than others. Dolas was used to caring for his daughters on his days off while his wife worked. He'd make them special meals like Mickey Mouse pancakes for breakfast. He would put them down for naps and bedtime. He missed sitting by his 3-year-old as she learned about colors and shapes. He missed the evening walks with her, too.

"She just learned to ride her bicycle with training wheels, and now we werent able to do that," Dolas said. "You miss out. It's hard."

'Life is going to change a little bit'

Shortly after the discovery that eight of its firefighters were sick, the health and fire department tested anyone who might come into contact with those firefighters. As the number of COVID-19 cases grew in Long Beach, so did the number of firefighters who tested positive for it.

As of April 1, 16 firefighters had tested positive. A majority of the firefighters were from Station 11. Espino said there had been no new cases since, and the department has taken steps designed to prevent future outbreaks among its ranks.

The origin of the infection that led to the outbreak remains a mystery. Long Beach fire officials say it could have resulted from any number of calls the firefighters responded to. Dolas and Hakopian said they both responded to calls in which the patient later tested positive for COVID-19.

On April 19, the department launched a specialized team to handle suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients. The Mobile Assessment Team, made up of two paramedics and one ambulance, is dispatched to patients who have COVID-19 or are experiencing symptoms associated with the disease.

City officials say the team is outfitted with personal protective equipment and undergoes a special sanitation process. The process is meant to be completed at designated locations to mitigate potential spread of the virus to other facilities, equipment or materials.

Station 11 firefighters who tested positive for COVID-19 have since returned to work. Hakopian and Dolas said, given how fast things seem to be moving, they're not sure their coronavirus education is done.

"Obviously, weve learned a lot up to this point," Dolas said. "But Im sure after all this is done there will be a lot other policy changes. Im sure life is going to change a little bit."
Construction is now fully under way of Irans game-changing oil pipeline that will be able to transport huge quantities of oil and petrochemicals from its major oil fields via Guriyeh in the Shoaybiyeh-ye Gharbi Rural District of Khuzestan Province 1100 kilometres to the port of Jask in Hormozgan province on the Gulf of Oman. This 42-inch pipeline is absolutely crucial to Irans ability to continue to circumvent U.S.-led sanctions against it and to consolidate its burgeoning customer base in Asia.

Vitally in all respects, the Guriyeh-Jask pipeline will allow Iran to freely ship at least 1 million barrels per day (bpd) of its own crude oil anywhere in the world (with a continued focus on China initially) whilst at the same time if necessary being able to disrupt all other oil supplies that transit through the Strait of Hormuz (around 35 per cent of the worlds total).

According to reports last week from the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) and the Petroleum Engineering and Development Company (PEDEC), the development of the Guriyeh-Jask pipeline project is proceeding uninterrupted and Irans capacity to produce the required pipeline slices and related equipment has more than doubled in the last few months. Given this, the NIOC also announced that the pipeline will be up and running at least in considerable part by the end of this Iranian calendar year that ends on 20 March 2021.

According to a senior oil and gas industry source who works closely with Irans Petroleum Ministry spoken to by OilPrice.com last week, testing of various elements of the pipeline will in fact begin relatively shortly and completion of the basic structure that will allow for some oil flows will be in place well before the official target date.

The logistical model Iran has at present is not sustainable in the current circumstances, with around 90 per cent of all of its oil for export currently loaded at Kharg Island  with most of the remaining loads going through terminals on Lavan and Sirri - making it an obvious and easy target for the U.S. and its proxies to cripple Irans oil sector and therefore its economy, he told OilPrice.com. Conversely, Iran wants to be able to use the threat  or reality  of closing the Strait of Hormuz for political reasons without also completing destroying its own oil exports revenue stream, he said. Related: OPECs Second Largest Oil Producer Isnt Complying With Output Cuts

Even before U.S. sanctions were re-imposed in [May] 2018, the Kharg terminal was not ideal for use by tankers as the narrowness of the Strait of Hormuz means that they have to travel extremely slowly through it, meaning that the transit cost increases, there are delays in revenue streams, and they are easy targets for even simple attacks, he added.

In the first instance, the oil to be pumped from Guriyeh will be drawn from the cluster of resource-rich oil fields in the West Karoun area, including the supergiant fields of North Azadegan, South Azadegan, North Yaran, South Yaran, and Yadavaran. These fields in particular are the current focus of Irans programme to increase the mean average rate of recovery from its key oil sites from around 4 per cent at present to at least 12 per cent within the next two years. According to the Iran source, every incremental barrel increase is being sought as, for every one per cent that the rate of recovery from West Karoun is increased the recoverable reserves increase by 670 million barrels.

Such an increase is entirely reasonable to project, given that the lifting cost per barrel of crude oil in Iran is at the same world-low level as in Saudi Arabia (US$1-2)  implying the same ease of extraction  and Saudi Arabias mean average rate of recovery across its fields is at minimum 50 per cent. Saudi, moreover, is looking to increase this to 75 per cent within the next couple of years. In addition, Jask will also be used to move crude oil feedstock supply to petro-refineries and petrochemical plants, with a view to increasing these exports as well to Asia.

Once the oil is in Jask it will be stored in any of the 20 storage tanks each capable of storing 500,000 barrels of oil, in the first phase (totalling 10 million barrels) for later loading on to very large crude carriers (VLCCs) headed from the Gulf of Oman and into the Arabian Sea and then to the Indian Ocean. The second phase will see an expansion to an overall storage capacity of 30 million barrels, said the Iran source. These VLCCs will be accommodated in shipping facilities costing around US$200 million in the first phase, although the plans are to expand capacity to allow for further regular shipping of various oil-adjunct and petrochemical products in particular demand in Asia.

In addition, according to a comment last week from Hossein Azimi, director of the Pars Oil and Gas Company (POGC) that oversees developments at Irans supergiant non-associated natural gas field, South Pars, a single point mooring (SPM) loading system with a capacity of 7,000 square metres per hour of loading capacity recently arrived in Assaluyeh, southern Iran, which would augment gas condensate loading capacity of the field. This SPM will allow for the handling of liquid cargo, such as petroleum products, for tanker ships. Related: Why Russia Finally Accepted Deeper Oil Output Cuts

There will be a few more of these installed in the south, in the Gulf of Oman, in the coming months, as they are very useful in areas where a dedicated facility for loading or unloading liquid cargo is not available, the Iran source told OilPrice.com. These SPMs will operate in a similar manner to those of Irans neighbour, Iraq, in that they will be located many kilometres away from the onshore facilities, connected to them by a series of sub-sea pipelines, and able to handle the biggest of VLCCs. According to Azimi this first SPM will be completed by September of this year.

Having huge oil storage capacity available just a short direct sea journey away from India means that pressure from India and Pakistan is likely to result in the final go-ahead for the construction of the Iran-India oil and gas pipeline or the Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline. This would necessitate the stationing of Iranian security personnel  that is, IRGC  on Indian soil or on Pakistani and Indian soil, which is of considerable strategic interest for the IRGC, said the Iran source. It also means that Iran can send oil supplies  and anything else it wants in the tankers  to the Houthi faction in Yemen to keep a constant threat to the Saudi southern flank, and also to militia groupings in Somalia and Kenya, he underlined.

By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
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The Duchess of Cambridge has selected some of her favourite photographs that best capture the 'resilience, bravery and kindness' of Britons caught in the coronavirus crisis.

She has joined forces with the National Portrait Gallery to launch a community photography project designed to catch the 'spirit, mood, hopes and fears' of the nation.

The project, titled Hold Still, showcases the lives of those who have put everything on hold to help protect our NHS - and the reality of everyday life on the frontline for our helpers and heroes.

Kate, 38, who spearheaded the campaign, is a patron of the National Portrait Gallery and a keen amateur photographer, aims to capture a snapshot of the UK at this time, with the help of the nation.

The Duchess will personally curate 100 photographs for the Hold Still exhibition.

She said she had been 'struck' by the many 'incredible' images seen already, 'which have given us an insight into the experiences and stories of people - some desperately sad images showing the human tragedy of this pandemic'.

Others, she said, had been more 'uplifting'. Among her favourites are a five-year-old girl called Eaddee who wears a painted rainbow face for the NHS, 79-year-old Jack Dodsley dancing with a health worker at Newfield Nursing Home in Sheffield, grandparents greeting their grandchildren from the other side of a window, and Nottingham ICU nurse Aimee Goold.

The community photography project comes after the UK became the first country in Europe to record 30,000 deaths from the coronavirus yesterday, announcing 649 more victims. Now at a total of 30,076 dead because of the COVID-19 outbreak, the UK has hit the grim milestone before either Spain or Italy, which were widely considered to have the worst outbreaks in Europe. Only the US has recorded more fatalities, with 72,000.

People from across the UK are invited to submit a photographic portrait which they have taken during these extraordinary times for the community project.

Adorable - Here is a five-year-old girl called Eaddee who wears a painted rainbow face in support of the NHS

A favourite of the Duchess - grandparents greeting their grandchildren from the other side of a window while social distancing

Pictured: 79-year-old Jack Dodsley dancing with a health worker at Newfield Nursing Home in Sheffield

ICU nurse Aimee Goold posted a heartbreaking image of her tired and scared face, pleading with people to stay home

The Duchess of Cambridge has joined forces with the National Portrait Gallery to launch a community photography project designed to capture the 'spirit, mood, hopes and fears' of the nation as it continues to battle coronavirus. Pictured during an interview, which will be broadcast on ITV's This Morning today

Participants are also encouraged to provide a short written submission to outline the experiences and emotions of those depicted in their photograph.

Hold Still is completely free, open to all ages and abilities, and will focus on three core themes - 'Helpers and Heroes', 'Your New Normal' and 'Acts of Kindness'.

The idea is to create a unique photographic portrait of the people of our nation in lockdown as we 'hold still' for the good of others, and celebrate those who have continued so we can stay safe.

It will reflect resilience and bravery, humour and sadness, creativity and kindness, and human tragedy and hope.

Hold Still will also act as a reminder of the significance of human connection in times of adversity, and that although we were physically apart, as a community and nation, we all faced and rose to the challenge together.

The project - spearheaded by Kate, 38, who is patron of the National Portrait Gallery and a keen amateur photographer - is called Hold Still, and aims to capture a snapshot of the UK at this time, with the help of the nation

Kate has taken part in an interview, which will be broadcast on ITV's This Morning today, to speak about the project and her motivations for utilising photography to capture a portrait of a nation.

The Duchess and her love for the lens: How Kate Middleton's university studies led her to break Royal tradition and take her own family snaps As the Duchess of Cambridge releases new photographs to mark Holocaust Memorial Day, it's evident that her passion for the lens has led her to create some stunning pieces. Kate Middleton has a clear love for photography and her first major project had been for her parents for their party planning business, Party Pieces in 2008 when she was commissioned to do some work for them. Kate studied art history at St Andrews which included modules such as Histories of Photography (1835 - 1905). She then went on to produce her thesis on photography of children. She then went on to break royal tradition, straying away from the favoured royal photographers and herself releasing snaps of her children, including pictures of Prince George before his first day in nursery. Since then she has gone on to share a host of photos of her children via the Kensington Palace Instagram page. It is also believed that she had taken her own photos for the Queen's 90th birthday celebrations. Advertisement

In it, she wore a stunning yellow bracelet-sleeve silk dress by British brand Raey, featuring a pink and green tree print. The dress is currently on sale on Matches Fashion for 148, reduced from 495.

Kate wore her brunette locks in loose waves around her shoulders and opted for her signature natural make-up, with brown eyeshadow and a nude lip.

On the launch of Hold Still, The Duchess said: 'We've all been struck by some of the incredible images we've seen which have given us an insight into the experiences and stories of people across the country.

'Some desperately sad images showing the human tragedy of this pandemic and other uplifting pictures showing people coming together to support those more vulnerable.

'Hold Still aims to capture a portrait of the nation, the spirit of the nation, what everyone is going through at this time. Photographs reflecting resilience, bravery, kindness  all those things that people are experiencing.'

Submissions for Hold Still can be made from today (May 7) via www.npg.org.uk.

The closing date will be June 18, 2020. One hundred shortlisted portraits will then feature in a gallery without walls  a one of a kind digital exhibition open to all. A selection of images will also be shown across the UK later in the year.

The images can be captured on phones or cameras, and each image will be assessed on the emotion and experience it conveys rather than its photographic quality or technical expertise.

For 164 years, the National Portrait Gallery has existed to tell the stories of the people of Great Britain through the medium of portraits. In these unprecedented times, it is now more important than ever that we find ways to document and share our individual and collective stories of an experience which has impacted everybody's lives in a multitude of ways.

Speaking about Hold Still, Nicholas Cullinan, director of the National Portrait Gallery London said: 'Even if we are alone, we can all create something together.

'We are honoured to partner with the Duchess of Cambridge on the Hold Still project, which will provide an inclusive perspective on, and an important historical record of, these unprecedented times, expressed through the faces of the nation.

In January, Kate took photographs of two Holocaust survivors with their grandchildren as part of the commemorations for the 75th anniversary of the end of the Holocaust. Steven Frank, 84, with his two granddaughters Maggie, 15, and Trixie, 13, was photographed holding a pan his mother used as a boy

Kate invited Steven Frank, 84 and Yvonne Bernstein, 82, pictured, into her home that she shares with Prince William and her family in order to create the images which were inspired by Dutch artist Vermeer

'The National Portrait Gallery reflects the history of Britain through the personal stories of the people who have helped to shape it. We are now inviting each and every person, across every city, town, village and home in the UK, to share their portraits with us in this unique collective endeavour.'

The Duchess of Cambridge has been Patron of the National Portrait Gallery since 2012, and has a lifetime honorary membership of the Royal Photographic Society. She has a longstanding interest in photography and its power to capture emotions and stories.

In January, Kate took photographs of two Holocaust survivors with their grandchildren as part of the commemorations for the 75th anniversary of the end of the Holocaust.

Kate invited Steven Frank, 84 and Yvonne Bernstein, 82 into her home that she shares with Prince William and her family in order to create the images which were inspired by Dutch artist Vermeer.

The Duchess of Cambridge (pictured), who is a patron of the Royal Photographic Society, took the photographs which were released to mark Holocaust Memorial Day and will be part of an exhibition later this year

The Duchess of Cambridge has a longstanding interest in photography and its power to capture emotions and stories, and often shares images she has taken of her children. Pictured: Photographs of Princess Charlotte, taken by Kate to mark her fifth birthday last week

One photography expert told MailOnline that it was clear Kate had been influenced by 'Vermeer's study of light'.

The Duchess, who said their stories would 'stay with her forever', encouraged her subjects to hold 'deeply personal' items that reflected their time at Nazi camps.

Kate is also renowned for capturing enchanting, natural shots of her children, Prince George, six, Princess Charlotte, five, and Prince Louis, two.

To mark her youngest two children's birthdays recently, Kensington Palace released stunning pictures of Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, taken by their proud mother.

Both Kate and Prince William, 37, have continued to support charities and organisations close to their hearts despite the UK's lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic

Both Kate and Prince William, 37, have continued to support charities and organisations close to their hearts despite the UK's lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The royal couple have been using video calls to show their support, chatting about mental health, schools and the NHS, and clapping for the NHS every Thursday while isolating at Anmer Hall, their home in Norfolk.

Last week the Duchess paid a 'morale-boosting' virtual visit to a maternity unit in Kingston - where she previously spent two days on a work placement - last week, gushing her congratulations to stunned new mother Rebecca Attwood.

Rebecca, from Raynes Park in South-West London, said: 'Having a surprise conversation with the Duchess of Cambridge after two hours' sleep was particularly surreal.'
San Francisco Toyota is set to open its showrooms again under a modified schedule.

San Francisco Toyota, which had closed its in-person sales operations in March in response to the states stay-at-home orders, is reopening its showroom and one of its service centers on a modified schedule as the state begins inching toward a plan to slowly return to business.

The Bay-area dealership is now open for sales and service at its Geary Boulevard location in San Francisco. The sales hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Its parts and service department there is open Monday through Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Van Ness Avenue location remains closed until further notice. These hours, openings and closures are subject to change at any time as circumstances warrant in the ever-changing landscape of today's world.

In order to help keep its customers safe, San Francisco Toyota is putting a number of different protocols in place, including hand-washing stations and proper sanitation practices to offer a clean environment, which will also adhere to social distancing guidelines for customers and employees on location.

Even with this reopening strategy, the San Francisco Toyota digital storefront is always open for shoppers in the area to peruse a selection of new and used models. Customers can even make use of the online shopping process known as SmartPath from the comfort of their homes, which can help them limit the time they spend in the showroom. Customers are encouraged to speak with a dealership representative for more details on all of the shopping options available.

With this modified schedule, people may return to San Francisco Toyota in safe fashion with the practice of proper sanitary and social distancing measures recommended by health experts. For questions about the modified schedule or any other information pertaining to the dealership, interested parties are encouraged to call 415-504-1947 or visit http://www.sftoyota.com.
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The UK has today become the first country in Europe to record 30,000 deaths from the coronavirus after it announced 649 more victims today.

Now at a total of 30,076 dead because of the COVID-19 outbreak, the UK has hit the grim milestone before either Spain or Italy, which were widely considered to have the worst outbreaks in Europe. Only the US has recorded more fatalities, with 72,000.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson today admitted the situation is 'appalling' and that he 'bitterly regrets' what is happening in care homes after he was grilled by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who asked: 'How on Earth did it come to this?'

The Government has today batted away questions about why more people appear to have died in the UK than other countries - Mr Johnson earlier said 'I don't think data is yet there', while Public Health England's Professor Yvonne Doyle said it could be a year before the truth becomes clear.

Professor Doyle said at this afternoon's briefing: 'It is far too early to say how this will eventually result for how countries have fared in this epidemic'.

The rising death toll has triggered calls for an inquiry into Downing Street's handling of the crisis, with doctors accusing the Government of being too slow to start lockdown and of running an 'inadequate' testing and tracing scheme. Officials announced today that 201,101 people have now tested positive - an increase of 6,111 people today.

NHS England today confirmed 331 more people had died in hospitals. Scotland announced 83 more deaths, Wales 21 and Northern Ireland 14. It means the official count now stands at 29,876.

But the true number is thousands higher - NHS hospital statistics are still lagging by almost two months and one of the victims announced today actually died on March 13.

Grisly statistics released yesterday showed the true death toll had already surpassed 32,000 by April 24, meaning the true death toll could be 42 per cent higher than the official Department of Health count.

The shocking figures - compiled by the Office for National Statistics - took into account more detailed, backdated information and did not only include laboratory-confirmed cases.

It suggested Britain's real death toll may have already exceeded 40,000, meaning COVID-19 has killed more Brits in eight weeks than died over seven months during the Blitz bombings in World War Two.

In other developments to Britain's coronavirus crisis today:

National Records for Scotland showed that the true death toll there is at least 2,795, not the 1,703 reported by the government, but figures tentatively show the country may be past its peak;

The woman having an affair with Professor Neil Ferguson said the lockdown was straining her open marriage, as Health Secretary Matt Hancock admitted the shamed scientist's trysts had left him 'speechless';

Boris Johnson announced he is hoping to begin easing the UK's coronavirus lockdown on Monday, if the latest scientific evidence shows the spread of the disease is sufficiently under control;

The Prime Minister has set a Government target of doing 200,000 coronavirus tests per day by the end of May - even though officials are not yet regularly hitting the 100,000-per-day target;

And he said workers need to be freed from furlough and let back to work safely to 'earn their pay', amid anger over plans to 'wind down' the Government's wage support scheme;

Britons could spend four days working in the office and the next ten working from home in radical new plans put to the government to kick-start the economy while avoiding a second peak of infections;

Ikea is planning to re-open its stores across the UK later this month, with bosses of the Swedish flat-pack furniture firm drawing up plans to allow 22 of its outlets to start trading again from May 18;

Britons could miss out on summer holidays to the continent as European countries prepare to agree when travel will be possible and which nations to bypass, it was reported;

More than 100,000 people were wrongly told that they were 'extremely vulnerable' to coronavirus and needed to self-isolate until 30 June, Department of Health officials revealed;

Glasgow University scientists claimed there is no evidence the coronavirus - scientifically known as SARS-CoV-2 -has mutated into more aggressive strains, despite studies claiming the contrary.

Boris Johnson admitted in Parliament today that the UK's death toll from the disease is 'appalling' in his first Prime Minister's Questions appearance since recovering from it himself, but refused to be drawn on comparing it to other countries'.

Sir Keir Starmer, who is a lawyer by trade, started questioning the Government's tactics in Prime Minister's Questions today in his first showdown against Mr Johnson since he took over from Jeremy Corbyn.

ALMOST 800 HAVE DIED OF COVID-19 AT ENGLAND'S WORST-HIT NHS TRUST Almost 800 people have died of coronavirus at England's worst-hit NHS trust, data today revealed. University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust has recorded 798 fatalities among patients who tested positive for COVID-19. Only one other trust - London Northwest University Healthcare NHS Trust - has had more than 500 coronavirus deaths (535). Four other trusts, three in the capital and one in Derby, have suffered more than 400 deaths, according to the NHS England breakdown. In total, the 10 worst hit trusts have suffered 4,530 fatalities - 21 per cent of the total death toll across England's hospitals. The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has had the most victims out of all seven health boards in Wales, with 244 deaths. THE 10 NHS TRUSTS IN ENGLAND WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF COVID-19 DEATHS University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust: 798 London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust: 535 Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust: 448 King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust: 445 Barts Health NHS Trust: 424 University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust: 406 Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust: 371 Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust: 370 Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust: 354 Advertisement

He said: 'Yesterday we learned tragically that at least 29,427 people in the UK have now lost their lives to this dreadful virus.

'That is now the highest number in Europe. It is the second highest in the world.

'That is not success, or apparent success, so can the Prime Minister tell us how on earth did it come to this?'

Mr Johnson replied: 'First, of course, every death is a tragedy and he is right to draw attention to the appalling statistics not just in this country but of course around the world.

'I think I would echo really in answer to his question what we have heard from Professor David Spiegelhalter and others that at this stage I don't think that international comparisons and the data is yet there to draw the conclusions that we want.

'What I can tell him is that at every stage as we took the decisions that we did we were governed by one overriding principle and aim and that was to save lives and to protect our NHS.'

NHS England today announced the deaths of 331 people between the ages of 32 and 102, of whom 17 were otherwise healthy before they caught COVID-19.

The up-to-date NHS data showed that England's worst-hit hospital trust has now seen the deaths of almost 800 people since the crisis began.

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust has recorded 798 fatalities among patients who tested positive for COVID-19.

Only one other trust - London Northwest University Healthcare NHS Trust - has had more than 500 coronavirus deaths (535).

As the death toll continues to rise in Britain it is becoming clear that it has had one of the highest death tolls of any country in the world, yesterday overtaking Italy.

Italy, still considered to be the worst-hit country in Europe, had recorded 29,079 deaths by May 5, according to the World Health Organization.

Officials in the UK have come under fire for their decision to abandon testing members of the public in the outbreak's early stages, and for not offering enough support to nursing homes, where it has recently emerged that thousands have died.

BORIS JOHNSON ADMITS UK DEATH TOLL 'APPALLING' Boris Johnson admitted in Parliament today that the UK's death toll from the disease is 'appalling' in his first Prime Minister's Questions appearance since recovering from it himself, but refused to be drawn on comparing it to other countries'. Sir Keir Starmer, who is a lawyer by trade, started questioning the Government's tactics in Prime Minister's Questions today in his first showdown against Mr Johnson since he took over from Jeremy Corbyn. He said: 'Yesterday we learned tragically that at least 29,427 people in the UK have now lost their lives to this dreadful virus. 'That is now the highest number in Europe. It is the second highest in the world. 'That is not success, or apparent success, so can the Prime Minister tell us how on earth did it come to this?' Boris Johnson today conceded at Prime Minsiter's Questions that the UK's coronavirus death toll is 'appalling' Mr Johnson replied: 'First, of course, every death is a tragedy and he is right to draw attention to the appalling statistics not just in this country but of course around the world. 'I think I would echo really in answer to his question what we have heard from Professor David Spiegelhalter and others that at this stage I don't think that international comparisons and the data is yet there to draw the conclusions that we want. 'What I can tell him is that at every stage as we took the decisions that we did we were governed by one overriding principle and aim and that was to save lives and to protect our NHS.' Advertisement

The president of the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association has now said there should be an investigation into the Government's performance.

Dr Claudia Paoloni, who works as a doctor in Bristol, said the fact that more people appear to have died in Britain than anywhere else in Europe was an 'unwelcome milestone'.

She told The Guardian: 'There will have to be a full investigation of the handling of the COVID response in due course - a public inquiry - to understand why we are experiencing such large numbers in comparison to the rest of Europe.

'It puts into question whether the Government's tactics at the start of the pandemic were sufficiently fast, and especially whether the lockdown should have happened earlier and whether we should have been better prepared with increased capacity for viral testing and contact tracing from the start. Both have proven inadequate.'

Weekly statistics were published yesterday laying bare the scale of coronavirus in care homes - around 6,000 people had died with the virus by April 24, according to death certificates.

And the numbers suggest the fatalities were still rising weeks after they had peaked in England's hospitals. They make up around one in five of all deaths from COVID-19 but this is already closer to a half in Scotland.

Mr Johnson today told the House of Commons that there has been a 'palpable improvement' in cares homes in the last few days.

Sir Keir Starmer said: 'Yesterday's figures that show that whilst happily in hospitals it looks as though deaths are falling, deaths in care homes continue to go up.

'At the press conference last night, the deputy chief scientific adviser said, and I quote, "what this shows us is that there's a real issue that we need to get to grips with in relation to what's happening in care homes".

'I couldn't agree more, but 12 weeks after the Health Secretary declared that we're in a health crisis, I have to ask the Prime Minister - why hasn't the Government got to grips with this already?'

The Prime Minister responded: 'I can tell him actually that he's not right in what he just said about the state of the epidemic in care homes because if he looks at the figures, in the last few days, there has been a palpable improvement.

'We must hope that that continues and we will ensure that it does continue.'

The UK now has more confirmed COVID-19 deaths - according to backdated statistics from the Office for National Statistics, National Records Scotland, and Northern Ireland's NISRA - than any other country in Europe

When the number of COVID-19 patients dying was at its highest in hospitals, around April 8, it was still relatively low in care homes, which then surged in the days and weeks following

COVID-19 KILLED MORE THAN THE BLITZ, DATA SUGGESTS The COVID-19 outbreak could have already killed as many British people as the Blitz air raids did in the Second World War, data suggests. Figures published by each of the individual nations has suggested the the true death toll could be 42 per cent higher than the Department of Health count. Some 29,710 deaths had been recorded in England and Wales by April 24, as well as 2,219 in Scotland and 393 in Northern Ireland - a total of 32,322 across the UK. Officials had, by that time, counted only 22,173 fatalities linked to the virus, suggesting the true death toll today is higher than 40,000. The Blitz, a seven-month bombing campaign waged against Britain by Nazi Germany in 1940 and 1941 killed around 40,000 people, according to Parliament UK. A family clean up debris outside their house in Bexleyheath, London Most of the raids took place in London after beginning with 'Black Saturday' on September 7, 1940, when the Luftwaffe attacked the London Docklands. They would go on to bomb the capital city day and night for months, switching to night-only operations in October. While the air raids mainly targeted London, where they wreaked havoc and killed thousands, they were carried out across the UK, with devastating attacks aimed at Bristol, Birmingham, Coventry, Bath, Cardiff, Clydebank, Liverpool, Manchester, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Southampton, Swansea and Swindon before the campaign came to an end in May 1941, seven months after it had began. Between September 7, 1940, and May 21, 1941, more than 20,000 tonnes of explosives were dropped on British cities. London was attacked 71 times and bombed by the Luftwaffe for 57 consecutive nights. More than one million houses were destroyed or damaged in the city and, of those who were killed in the bombing campaign, more than half of them were from London. Adolf Hitler had intended to demoralise Britain before launching an invasion using his naval and ground forces, but the Blitz came to an end towards the end of May 1941, when Hitler set his sights on invading the Soviet Union instead. Advertisement

Backdated deaths data from the Office for National Statistics yesterday showed 29,710 people had died with coronavirus in England and Wales by April 24.

For the same date, National Records Scotland has registered 2,219 deaths, and Northern Ireland's NISRA agency counted 393. The UK total was 32,322.

This includes anyone who had the virus mentioned on their death certificate, whether or not they had been tested, and regardless of the ultimate cause of death.

Department of Health data, however, only includes those who are tested - until last week this only counted people dying in hospitals.

It had recorded 22,173 deaths by April 24 - 42 per cent fewer than the backdated, more accurate information.

Were the current data to be increased by the same 42 per cent, the true death toll for yesterday, May 5, would have been 41,786.

Scientists say countries record data differently so comparing them is 'simplistic' and inaccurate - many, including the UK, don't reliably record care home or community deaths on a day-by-day basis - but that the numbers are still disastrous.

The University of Cambridge's Professor David Spiegelhalter, who sits on the Government's SAGE advisory committee, said: 'The one thing we can be certain of is that all these numbers are substantial underestimates of the true number who have died from COVID.

'And [they're] an even bigger underestimate of the number who have died because of the epidemic and the measures taken against it.

'I think we can safely say that none of these countries are doing well, but this is not Eurovision and it is pointless to try and rank them.'

One of the reasons the British Government is under fire is its decision to stop testing members of the public and tracing the contacts of confirmed COVID-19 patients in March.

On March 12, Professor Chris Whitty said it was 'no longer necessary' to test, hospitalise and trace the contacts of everyone suspected to have the virus.

The Government instead focused its efforts on preparing the NHS for a disastrous surge in patients with life-threatening COVID-19.

A senior minister today admitted that mass testing should not have been stopped.

Security minister James Brokenshire admitted that 'capacity constraints' earlier in the coronavirus crisis meant contact tracing among the public was abandoned in March.

Asked whether, had there been the capacity, track-and-tracing should have continued, Mr Brokenshire told the BBC's Today programme: 'Would there have been benefit in having that extra capacity, as Patrick Vallance highlighted yesterday? Yes.

'The challenge that we had is that we have some fantastic laboratories, some fantastic expertise, but it has been the capacity constraints that we have had, and therefore how that posed challenges.'

His remarks came after the Government's chief scientist conceded Britain should have done mass coronavirus testing on the public at the beginning of the crisis and carried it on.

Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser to Downing Street, admitted yesterday that it 'would have been beneficial' to get a handle on testing faster.

The number of people dying each week during the UK's coronavirus crisis has been significantly higher - more than double in recent weeks - than the average number of deaths for this time of year

Security minister James Brokenshire admitted that 'capacity constraints' earlier in the coronavirus crisis meant contact tracing among the public was abandoned

Speaking to MPs in Parliament's Health Select Committee yesterday, he said: 'I think that probably we, in the early phases - and I've said this before - I think if we'd managed to ramp testing capacity quicker it would have been beneficial.

'For all sorts of reasons that didn't happen.'

One former World Health Organization director, commenting on the lack of focus on testing, said: 'This should not have happened'.

A former director at the WHO and now academic at University College London, Professor Anthony Costello, said the UK should never have let testing slip.

He said on Twitter: 'On March 12 we stopped all community testing at a time when there were less than 10 deaths and only 500 confirmed cases countrywide.

SECURITY MINISTER DEFENDS DECISION TO NOT SHUT BORDERS Number 10's security minister today defended the decision not to close the borders in a bid to stop the deadly coronavirus spreading. James Brokenshire said the scientific advice was 'very clear' and that banning travellers would 'not have had any significant impact'. In an interview with the BBC this morning, Mr Brokenshire said the decision to shut borders will be kept 'under review'. He was questioned on the decision after chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance yesterday told MPs most of the coronavirus strains being spread across the UK in March came from people returning from Spain and Italy. Mr Brokenshire told the BBC: 'I think it is important to note that the scientific advice was very clear that, up to this point in time, placing restrictions at the border would not have had any significant impact on epidemic progression in the UK. 'SAGE looked at this on March 23 - the numbers coming from other countries were estimated to be insignificant compared with domestic cases, comprising around 0.5 per cent of total cases at the time. 'Since then, obviously, you'll be more than aware, with all of the issues in the aviation sector, how we've seen a reduction in air passengers by around 99 per cent since the start of the outbreak. 'It is something we will continue to keep under review as we look to the next phase but, at that time, the advice was clear that placing restrictions would not have had any significant impact.' Advertisement

'Most local authorities had tiny numbers of cases. Before we stopped we were only doing 1,500 tests per day. This should not have happened.

'And contact tracing could have easily continued with local authority public health teams, GPs, environmental health officers and trained volunteers. Except maybe in London and W Midlands. This would have reduced spread.'

The UK is also coming under scrutiny over it being slower to introduce movement restrictions than other nations.

Data shows that countries which banned international travel earlier on appear to have coped better with their epidemics than countries that took longer.

Even now, Britain's borders remain open and health bosses still aren't routinely testing or quarantining travellers from overseas.

Meanwhile, dozens of countries which clamped down on international travel months ago appear to have averted major coronavirus crises.

In Europe, Norway and Denmark closed their borders to all non-citizens by March 13, within two weeks of recording their first cases of the virus. Both countries have recorded just 40 and 87 deaths per million people, respectively, compared to the UK's 438 per million.

It comes after damning figures yesterday revealed the UK quarantined just 273 out of 18.1million people who arrived in the UK in the three months before the lockdown.

UK's security minister James Brokenshire today defended Number 10's decision not to close the borders in a bid to stop the virus spreading, saying the scientific advice was 'very clear' and that banning travellers would 'not have had any significant impact'.

The Government's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, yesterday told MPs that SAGE had advised ministers that they would have to be 'extremely draconian' in blocking travel from whole countries otherwise 'it really was not worth trying to do it'.

He admitted that most of the cases in Britain were imported from Europe through 'the high level of travel into the UK'.

As officials in Whitehall face criticism over how they have handled the crisis in the UK, the science around the disease is continuing to evolve.

One of their advisers on the SAGE panel - the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies - today said that how severely ill someone becomes may be influenced by how much of the virus they first become infected by.

Professor Lucy Yardley, from the University of Bristol, today said evidence shows 'viral load' plays a big role in how sick someone will become.

She said it explains why so many healthcare workers - who come into face-to-face contact with gravely ill patients - have fallen victim to the disease and should be factored into ministers' lockdown exit strategy.

Having a high viral load - the number of particles of the virus they are first infected with - gives the bug a 'jump start'.

It also raises the risk of a patient's immune system becoming overloaded in its battle against COVID-19.

SCOTLAND'S TRUE DEATH TOLL 64% HIGHER BUT BEGINNING TO FALL The true coronavirus death toll in Scotland is 64 per cent higher than the government's figures show, statistics have revealed. A data release from the National Records of Scotland put the total number of people who have had COVID-19 mentioned on their death certificate at 2,795. Officially, the toll is 1,703. And, last week, almost six out of 10 (59 per cent) of the 523 deaths recorded happened in care homes. Many care home victims have been unable to get tested and therefore never made it into the official counts. Despite the news that Scotland's death toll is significantly higher than official records show, it appears to have started falling, the BBC reported. Last week, up to May 3, was the first time the weekly number had dropped - falling to 523 in a week from 656 the week before. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: 'Our progress, while real, is still too fragile to immediately ease restrictions in any meaningful way.' Advertisement

It means someone infected indirectly by touching a door handle could end up with milder symptoms than someone who inhales an infected person's cough.

Professor Yardley warned the virus could be deadlier if it spreads between families in the same house because of the prolonged close contact. She didn't mention whether co-workers would be at risk - but they would also come into contact with each other in the office without strict social distancing rules.

She told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme this morning: 'There's a lot of suggestive evidence that the more virus that you're exposed to while you're becoming infected, both the higher risk you'll become infected but also you might be more severely ill.

'And I think this is behind the recommendations for, of course, lots of protective equipment for people that are exposed to a lot of the virus in hospitals and now in care homes.

'But we're arguing that that probably needs to be applied more in the home as well, where people are caring for most of the people that are ill with coronavirus.

'It's kind of been observed mainly in places like hospitals - but actually you do see whole families going down with it very badly as well.

'People actually worry, possibly too much, about passing somebody on the street without a mask [but] unless they cough in your face, which would be dangerous, that's probably not very risky.'

And researchers at the University of Glasgow have hit back against claims that the virus has mutated to become more infectious or dangerous.

Their research follows a claim made only yesterday by scientists at the University of Sheffield and a laboratory in New Mexico that the type of COVID-19 racing through Europe was newer and more infectious than the version found in China.

And a Government-funded study released yesterday found at least a dozen different strains of coronavirus were spreading through the UK in March.

But the claims are 'unfounded' and no version of the virus currently circulating is any more or less potent than another, University of Glasgow experts claimed.

The researchers admit they uncovered thousands of mutations but said they were so small that this was 'normal and expected'.

The changes are not large enough to affect the behaviour of the coronavirus - called SARS-CoV-2 - or offer any proof of there being different strains, leading them to conclude that only one type of the virus is circulating currently.

All viruses, including the one that causes COVID-19, naturally mutate as they spread through populations but it is not normally a cause for alarm.

Most of these changes will have little to no effect on the biology of the virus or the aggressiveness of the disease they cause.

Some viruses, such as the flu, mutate much quicker, which is why a different flu jab is created every year to protect millions of people against different strains
The world was first introduced to the Duggar family in September 2004. Over the years, the family has amassed some fans, many critics, and a good bit of notoriety. With that notoriety has come fan theories. While some theories are tame and turn out to be accurate, some are truly wild. Heres the question, though, do some of the crazier Duggar theories hold water?

Some family critics theorize that the Duggar family might be involved in human trafficking

Back in November 2019, rumors began to swirl that the Duggar familys compound was raided by FBI agents. While the FBI denied being on the property, the Department of Homeland Security revealed that agents from their office were in Arkansas and had made contact with someone in the Duggar family. They told KNWA, a local news station, that the agents were carrying out a criminal investigation. No further details have surfaced, but that hasnt stopped critics from theorizing about the nature of the departments visit.

Some family critics believe that the federal agency is currently investigating the Duggars for human trafficking. The theory began to run wild after the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette mentioned a recent investigation by the department had led to the arrest of an Arizona attorney. That attorney was arrested under suspicions of operating an adoption ring in Northwest Arkansas. The illegal adoptions reportedly targeted Marshallese children. Fans have suggested that John David Duggar and his wife Abbie Burnett currently occupy a home adjacent to a Marshallese church.

There is no evidence to indicate the Duggar family is connected to the suspected ring. The agency did not go into detail about the investigation, and it could be a year before they wrap up their work. As it stands, the investigation appeared to center around a car lot that was operated by Joshua Duggar. The lot has since been emptied.

Mary Duggar was the mastermind behind 19 Kids and Counting

It has long been assumed that Jim Bob was the mastermind behind his media machine, but those in the know believe Mary Duggar, Jim Bobs later mother, is the actual architect of the Duggar brand. Family critics believe that Mary actively shopped Jim Bobs growing family to different television networks in hopes of landing them a show, and thus providing a much-needed influx in cash. While Jim Bob and Michelle have long proclaimed that they lived without debt, many critics note that the older Duggar kids seemingly grew up in poverty and may have experienced food insecurity.

A comment on an Ibiblio article from 2007 suggests this theory holds water. In the comment section, a user who went by the name Alice alleged to know the family well. The user claimed that Mary, not Jim Bob, was actively involved in getting the family donations and shopping their story to different publications and television networks. While the users identity was never revealed, they appeared to have a lot of insider knowledge about the family. They even brought up Josh molesting his siblings years before In Touch broke the story.

Fans theorize that Jinger was disowned for moving and wearing pants

When Jinger Duggar moved out of Arkansas, her siblings seemed sad. Family critics, however, theorized that Jim Bob and Michelle were livid about the move, and only grew angrier as Jinger continued to spread her wings. Neither Jim Bob nor Michelle commented on Jingers decision to move even further away from Arkansas last summer. The lack of commentary led some critics to assume Jinger had been completely disowned.

According to Celebrity Insider, critics have theorized that Jim Bob is easily angered when he cant control a situation, and, at this point, Jinger can no longer be controlled. While that very well could be true, it doesnt seem like any disowning took place. Jinger and her husband, Jeremy Vuolo, have popped up in family photos from time to time, indicating that they havent been cut off. Sure, Jeremy may not have been Jim Bobs first choice for his daughter, but they appear to have a somewhat cordial relationship. If anyone is going to be excommunicated from the Duggar clan, it seems like it will be Jill Duggar.
P olice have cordoned off a busy road in south east London after a double stabbing in broad daylight.

Officers scrambled to Crofton Road, Orpington, just after 12.30pm on Wednesday after two males were found with knife wounds.

The pair were taken to a major trauma centre but their condition and age is not yet known, Scotland Yard said.

London Ambulance Service attended the scene and called for police assistance.

One man claiming to be a witness tweeted: "Witnessed two young boys running across the road asking for help. Both were stabbed. Stopped to help.

"The gravity of the incident meant London Air Ambulance had to be called."

A crime scene is in place and no arrests have been made.

A London Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: "We sent two ambulance crews, an incident response officer and we also dispatched London's Air Ambulance trauma team.

"We treated two people at the scene, both men, and took them to a major trauma centre."

More follows...
The Willis Research Network (WRN) has formed a new partnership with Cloud to Street, a global flood-mapping and monitoring platform that aims to help governments, humanitarian organizations and private sector actors increase resilience to catastrophic flooding.

The partnership will leverage Cloud to Streets high-resolution satellite and machine learning flood monitoring technology and dynamic analytics systems, which include near real-time flood monitoring and high-cadence flood mapping to build and implement reliable and scalable risk transfer solutions.

The partnership will work to close the insurance protection gap in the developing world, where approximately 90% of economic losses from disasters remain uninsured, putting economically vulnerable households at greater risk and slowing recovery efforts following disasters, said WRN in a statement.

For the past two years Willis Re, the reinsurance broking arm of Willis Towers Watson, has worked with Cloud to Street to expand insurance coverage in Indonesia. New projects are planned in Africa later this year, explained WRN.

We are very pleased to welcome Cloud to Street into the Willis Research Network and look forward to working together through our Climate and Resilience Hub, said Simon Young, senior director, Willis Towers Watson.

We will collaborate on researching and developing tools to better understand flood risk and its real-time manifestation around the world, added Young.

This will enable us to build and implement innovative risk transfer tools to better serve the needs of current and future clients across both public and private sectors, and from individual homeowners and farmers to corporate supply-chains and sovereign governments.

While working with governments and insurers in almost 20 countries, we have seen first-hand the urgent need for innovative disaster financing and new insurance products around flooding, said Bessie Schwarz, CEO and co-founder of Brookyn, N.Y.-based Cloud to Street.

Were thrilled to partner with Willis Towers Watson to scale Cloud to Streets flood technology and bring reliable parametric flood insurance to the governments we support and many others, she continued. Together, our combined expertise will enable us to offer insurance tools that mitigate the economic impact of flooding for communities throughout Africa and the world.

About the Willis Research Network

Founded in 2006, the Willis Research Network (WRN) is a collaboration between academia and the finance and insurance industries. The WRN explores ways in which the worlds leading research organisations can help confront the challenges of managing risk and delivering resilience for the insurance industry.

About Cloud to Street

Cloud to Street is a flood-mapping and monitoring system designed to help governments, humanitarian organizations and insurers in low data environments respond and prepare for natural disasters. Originally founded with seed funding from Google in 2014, Cloud to Streets technology combines high resolution satellite imagery, cloud computing, machine learning, and community intelligence to monitor floods in near real-time and analyze flood risk remotely around the globe.

Topics Mergers Flood Willis Towers Watson
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Yonhap



South Korea's spy agency denied speculation about North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's illness and ensuing heart surgery Wednesday, adding that he is ruling the regime as usual.



The National Intelligence Service (NIS) also said at a closed-door briefing to lawmakers that the North's leader has appeared in public 17 times so far this year, the fewest ever, due to his focus on domestic affairs and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.



"At least, it is judged that Kim did not receive surgery or a medical procedure related to his heart," Rep. Kim Byung-kee of the ruling Democratic Party told reporters.



The North Korean leader's absence from an annual event marking the April 15 birth anniversary of his late grandfather Kim Il-sung had spawned speculation that he might be seriously ill.



But Pyongyang's media reported Saturday that Kim attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony at a fertilizer factory. It carried photos of him smiling and talking to officials.



The NIS said Kim has no health problem related to his heart, citing experts' explanation that even a mild procedure would take four to five weeks of rehabilitation.



The agency said Kim's public activity so far this year represents a 66 percent fall in the average of 50 public appearances in previous years.



"Even when Kim did not appear in public, he was managing state affairs as usual," the NIS was quoted as saying.



The spy agency did not rule out the possibility of the COVID-19 outbreak in North Korea.



Pyongyang claims there are no confirmed infections of the virus, but it has intensified preventive efforts by tightening its border with China.



"North Korea has stuck to the stance of no infections but given that there were vibrant human exchanges with China before the border closure in January, we cannot exclude the possibility of the coronavirus outbreak in the North," the NIS noted.



It said North Korea's economic difficulty has increased since then, adding that prices of seasoning and sugar shot up and North Koreans hoarded daily necessities.



The agency, meanwhile, said it has not detected any unusual signs that North Korea resumed the Yongbyon nuclear complex since its operation was halted in late 2018.



"There are also no special movements in (the now-demolished) Punggyeri nuclear test site or the Dongchang-ri missile launch site," it added.



The NIS added that North Korea has restored the use of the U.S. dollar for its key international settlement currency from the euro, as the greenback is more circulated in markets.



In the early 2000s, the North chose the euro as the main settlement currency in a bid to brace itself for Washington's stringent sanctions on Pyongyang and to increase trade with Europe. (Yonhap)


SAO PAULO - President Jair Bolsonaro was in a stir again Tuesday after Brazils former justice minister reportedly accused him of trying to personally pick the head of federal police operations in Rio de Janeiro, where the far-right leader has a home and two of his sons are politicians.

TV Globo and mainstream Brazilian newspapers reported that former Justice Minister Sergio Moro told investigators that Bolsonaro pressured him in March to accept a political appointee to head the countrys federal police office in Rio.

The presidents sons, Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro and city council member Carlos Bolsonaro, are under investigation by Rio state prosecutors and police. The president said Tuesday that neither he nor those two sons are subjects of federal police investigations.

Moro, who shot to fame as the judge who oversaw the mammoth Car Wash corruption investigation that convicted dozens of politicians and business executives, is seen as a hero by many Brazilians and was publicly granted free rein to operate in the Bolsonaro administration.

He resigned April 24 after Bolsonaro fired the head of the federal police without consulting him.

On Tuesday, the president confirmed that the head of federal police operations in Rio was leaving that post, but said the officer was being promoted.

I have nothing against the superintendent of Rio de Janeiro, and I dont interfere in the federal police, and hes being invited to be an executive director, Bolsonaro told reporters in the capital, Brasilia.

The embattled Brazilian leader also accused Moro of violating national security law by allegedly giving journalists the content of their conversations.

According to the leaked summary of Moros deposition in the southern city of Curitiba, the former minister said Bolsonaro sent him more or less the following message in a text message: You have 27 superintendencies (of the federal police). I just want one, the one in Rio de Janeiro. The reports did not show printed images of that exchange.

Bolsonaros prosecutor-general requested an investigation into the allegations of presidential interference that Moro made when he resigned, which a Supreme Court justice granted. Another justice nullified Bolsonaros first choice for the federal police directorship amid reports of a longstanding close relationship.

Brazils top court has authorized federal police and prosecutors to interview Cabinet ministers in the Bolsonaro administration about Moros accusations.
(Newser)  A researcher on the cusp of making "very significant findings" related to the novel coronavirus was shot dead in Pennsylvania over the weekend. Bing Liu of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine was killed around noon Saturday inside his home north of Pittsburgh in what authorities describe as a murder-suicide. An hour after the 37-year-old's body was found with gunshot wounds to the head, neck, and torso, the body of another man was found in a car parked about 100 yards away, per NBC News and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Hao Gu, 46believed to have killed Liu before returning to his cardied of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, officials say. Police are still investigating a potential motive and the relationship between the two men but say they knew each other.

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Liu had been working from home with his front and rear patio doors open to the elements, police say. The University of Pittsburgh says "Bing was on the verge of making very significant findings toward understanding the cellular mechanisms that underlie SARS-CoV-2 infection and the cellular basis of the following complications." The former postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon University, who co-authored more than 30 papers, "was just starting to obtain interesting results," Ivet Bahar, Liu's supervisor within the computational and systems biology department, tells the Post-Gazette. "He was sharing with us, trying to understand the mechanism of infection, so we will hopefully continue what he was doing." Liu is survived by a wife, who was out of the house at the time of the shooting. (Read more murder-suicide stories.)
RICARDO B. BRAZZIELL, MBR / Associated Press

Gov. Greg Abbott has expanded the list of businesses allowed to reopen in a May 5 executive order that's part of a two-part plan to restart the Texas economy.

Restaurants, retail stores, movie theaters, malls, museums, libraries, churches and places of worship were allowed to start reopening at 25 percent occupancy levels on May 1. If state data shows there is no spike in COVID-19 cases, phase two would allow other businesses to resume operations on May 18 and for already-opened businesses to increase occupancy levels.
A 90-year-old woman was discharged



from the civil hospital here in Maharashtra on Tuesday after recovering from COVID-19, the district administration said.

Besides, a seven-month-old boy tested positive for coronavirus in Mira-Bhayander township of Thane district.

The district on Tuesday reported 121 new COVID-19 cases, taking its tally to 1,399, an official release said.

These include 452 cases from Thane municipal limits, 395 from Navi Mumbai, 224 from Kalyan-Dombivali, 189 from Mira Bhayander, 50 from Thane rural, 42 from Badlapur, 20 from Bhiwandi-Nizampur, 16 from Ulhasnagar and 11 from Ambernath municipal limits.

So far, the district has recorded 38 deaths due to the disease, the release said.

It also said that 11 coronavirus positive cases reported from Kalyan-Dombivali on Tuesday included five policemen, it said.

Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Commissioner Vijay Suryavanshi on Tuesday said residents of the area working in Mumbai will not be allowed to leave or enter Kalyan from May 8 in view of the rising number of COVID-19 cases.

BJP MP from Bhiwandi, Kapil Patil, urged Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray that those from the powerloom town working in the essential services in Mumbai be accommodated near their workplace.

In the Mira Bhayander township, the local civic body had earlier only allowed milk and medicine shops to open. But, in an amended order issued on Tuesday, it allowed photocopy outlets to also open in order to facilitate migrant labourers to compile their documents for obtaining permission to travel to their native places.

Besides, an official release said the CIDCO exhibition centre in Navi Mumbai has been taken over the by local civic body to convert it into a COVID-19 treatment facility and accommodate 1,200 patients.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The number of discharge cases of COVID 19 patients has been increasing with an average of 41.02 percent as against the national average of 28.63 percent while about 1.5 lakh people are likely to land in the coming days at various airports. Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, during a review meeting held on Wednesday, has said that the number of discharge has been better than the national average.

Its good sign for the state, the number of discharges of COVID 19 patients has been increasing in the State with an average of 41.02 percent against the countrys average of 28.63 percent. The officials said that the State government is following a strict discharge protocol, where a patient gets discharged if they dont have a fever for three days, show improved respiratory symptoms, and test negative twice in consecutive samples taken at least 24 hours apart. The COVID-19 positive rate for the country is 3.87 percent and for the state, it is 1.26 percent.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to focus on strengthening telemedicine facilities in the State and make arrangements for the door delivery of medicine to the patients through sub-centers.

About 1.5 Lakh people would be landing in the State from various destinations and screening should be done at the airport itself and they would be categorized as per the guidelines of the COVID 19 pandemic while Rs 500 would be given to those who wish to return to their native states.

The migrant workers and other foreign returnees are expected to land at Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Tirupati airports. As per the guidelines of the Union Health Ministry, all the passengers will be categorized as per the pandemic situation in the country they are arriving from. In regard to the transportation of interstate migrant workers, so far 1000 people have arrived from Thane and are undergoing tests in Guntakal. As part of the precautionary measures, nine checkpoints are set up at border points.

The Chief Minister instructed the officials to be kind and generous with the migrant workers and extend support by all means. In case if any State has not come forward to send the migrant workers belonging to AP, then the State government should take the initiative to bring back those stranded.

APs BHAROSA to Migrant Workers

Government of Andhra will be paying for the travel of all the Migrant Workers who were accommodated in relief centres set up across the state ever since the lockdown was imposed and wish to return to their respective states. Apart from this, he has also instructed the officers to ensure that one-time financial assistance of 500 is given to all these Migrant Workers from various other states like Odisha, UP, Bihar etc who are stuck and wish to return via trains arranged by the state government. He further reiterated that the state is also ready to pay for the return of Migrant Workers from AP who are stuck in other states and wish to return.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u95xpasd4A

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UNICEF has provided UAH 16 million worth of essential supplies for health workers in eastern Ukraine who help tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

UNICEF in Ukraine has procured medical equipment, personal protective equipment and hygiene supplies for hospitals in eastern Ukraine. The assistance has resulted from a close partnership with the private sector, reads the statement posted on the organizations website.

In addition, UNICEF has shipped oxygen concentrators, oximeters and personal protection equipment for medical workers in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

UNICEF is standing ready to support health care institutions with critical supplies in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. This assistance will help patients with severe respiratory disorders, and doctors, tirelessly performing their jobs in hazardous environments. We also appreciate all the contributions from our private sector partners that made this help possible, said Ms. Lotta Sylwander, UNICEF Representative in Ukraine.

Nineteen health care facilities in eastern Ukraine, including hospitals and primary health care centres, will benefit from oxygen concentrators. UNICEF will also provide personal protective equipment and sanitizers to the laboratory that provides the entire Donetsk region with coronavirus PCR testing. Overall, the medical supplies are worth over UAH 10 million.

An adequate water and hygiene supply remains one of the essential measures to minimize the coronavirus outbreak, especially in areas with frequent water supply cuts. Together with private sector partners, UNICEF is delivering over 200 tons of drinking water, creating a reliable stock in health care facilities in the east. Around 10,000 medical staff and patients will receive sanitary kits, as a part of the COVID-19 response. This aid is worth nearly UAH 6 million, reads the statement.

In total, UNICEF is calling for support from international communities and local businesses to fund its USD 29.9 million COVID-19 appeal, including USD 8.5 million for humanitarian response in eastern Ukraine.

As reported, as of Wednesday morning, Ukraine reported 13,184 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 487 cases in the previous day.

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The gunfight in Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama district has brought the spotlight back on Riyaz Ahmed Naikoo, the most wanted terrorist in the valley.

Security forces had launched the operation to nab Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Riyaz Naikoo on Tuesday night on a specific input Beigpora Gulzapora in Awantipora.

Contact established in the third operation at #Beighpors #Awantipur. Top terrorist commander is trapped. Exchange of fire on. Details shall follow, J&K police tweeted.

Riyaz Naikoo took over as the chief of Hizbul Mujahideen after the outfits poster boy Burhan Wani was killed in a gunfight with the security forces in Kokarnag area in Anantnag district on July 8, 2016.

A post-graduate, he carries a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head.

A resident of Naikoo Mohalla in Durbug of Awantipora, Riyaz Naikoo has been listed as a category A++ militant, which is given to the most-wanted terrorist in the Valley. He took over as chief of the Hizbul Mujahideen in the Valley after the killing of his associate Sabzar Bhat in May 2017.

Naikoo is now considered to be the overall commander of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) for the entire Valley. In the last one year, the security forces cornered him many times but each time he has managed to escape, a central security force official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, had said while speaking to HT.

Naikoo, the officer had said, has assiduously cultivated an image of a moderate militant.

He is said to have worked as a mathematics teacher at a local school before joining the terrorist ranks. He was known to have a passion for painting roses before he picked up the gun.

Naikoo had released a video in 2017, saying he would welcome the return of Kashmiri Pandits in the Kashmir Valley and claimed that terrorists were not enemies of the Pandits.

Riyaz Naikoo is also believed to be behind the revival of the Gun Salute that terrorists give to their fallen comrades at their funeral.

Security officials also believe Naikoo has managed to draft many young people from south Kashmir into militancy due to his image.
Australian comedian Celeste Barber is known for copying some of the world's biggest supermodels for a laugh.

But the joke appeared to be on Celeste this week, when the 38-year-old suffered a disaster while trying to imitate American runway star Bella Hadid on Instagram.

Celeste tried to recreate Bella's new front fringe at home, but was devastated by the vast difference her hairstyle had in comparison to the 23-year-old model's.

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'Do not cut your bangs' Comedian Celeste Barber, 38, took on supermodel Bella Hadid (L) to disastrous results after trying to copy her chic hairstyle which she shared to Instagram

Celeste first showed a video of Bella showing off her new chic look in an orange crop top that put her toned midriff on display.

The catwalk queen showed off her razored bangs, while smiling at the camera.

The clip then cut to Celeste who appeared to have cut a fringe into her own hair that was far too short for her liking.

She wimpered for the camera, hinting she was on the verge of crying.

Don't try this at home! The clip then cut to Celeste who had cut bangs into her hair in a disastrous way with her looking like she was going to cry

'Just because Bella cut her bangs in iso DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULD!' she wrote under the video caption.

However, a number of fans speculated that comedian Celeste had just used a number of bobby pins or a clip-in in order to get the look of bangs for a comedic shock value.

The post was liked by a number of Celeste's high-profile followers, including Selma Blair, Beth Ditto and Marion Cotillard.

Power: Celeste has gained a new level of stardom after raising an enormous $51 million for the Australian bushfires earlier this year

Celeste has gained a new level of stardom after raising an enormous $51 million for the Australian bushfires earlier this year.

Speaking to InStyle magazine in March, Celeste threw cold water on the idea she would enter politics after her heroic fund-raising feat.

Celeste jokingly said 'I'm the Australian Oprah now', before calling herself a non-political person.

The social media star originally set a goal of $30,000, but ended up raising $51 million, but it has been held in legal limbo.

Next move! Speaking to InStyle magazine in March, Celeste threw cold water on the idea she would enter politics after her heroic fund-raising feat
SANTA FE  New Mexicos death toll from the coronavirus outbreak has hit 169, as state health officials announced seven additional deaths Wednesday.

Four of the deaths occurred in McKinley County, which has been pummeled by the COVID-19 outbreak and has the states highest infection rate.

The other three deaths were a man in his 80s in Bernalillo County, a woman in her 60s in Bernalillo County, and a woman in her 90s from Santa Fe County.

With New Mexicos testing capacity having been ramped up in recent weeks, state health officials also announced 153 new confirmed cases of the virus, bringing the state total to 4,291 cases. A total of 101 of the new cases were from McKinley or San Juan County.

Meanwhile, the number of individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 has also steadily ticked up in recent days. There are now 1,073 cases designated as having recovered by the state Department of Health, meaning roughly 25% of those infected have made a recovery.

In an effort to slow the spread of the virus, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Monday extended a lockdown order for Gallup, which is in McKinley County, for an additional three days, after the citys mayor asked her to do so. Under the new order, the lockdown will remain in place until noon Thursday.

The COVID-19 outbreak has also hit nursing homes and other group-living facilities hard. As of Wednesday, there were 29 such facilities statewide that had confirmed cases among residents or staff, according to the DOH.

The two latest decedents from Bernalillo County were residents of such facilities. One was a patient at Canyon Transitional Rehabilitation Center, while the other was a resident of Uptown Genesis, according to the agency.
Talk about double standards - when one of the 'experts' advising the Prime Minister can't even abide by his own recommendations, why should the rest of us?

Professor Neil Ferguson estimated that over 250,000 people would die from coronavirus in the UK unless a draconian lockdown was imposed.

Now he's exposed as a hypocrite who can't abide by the same rules as the rest of us - caught out receiving nookie visits at home from his married lover who lives several miles away.

The first on the same day that Professor Ferguson was telling the rest of us we might have to remain isolated until early June!

The Professor claims he 'thought he was immune' as he had already isolated for two weeks after testing positive the virus - a feeble excuse which doesn't bear inspection as all over the country, ordinary citizens are forbidden family visits.

Government scientist Professor Neil Ferguson (pictured on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show on April 5) is a hypocrite who can't abide by the same rules as the rest of us

His lover Antonia Staats is believed to have visited the scientist shortly after he finished self-isolating for two weeks - and may also face police action

It's time for a drastic re-evaluation. Boris and his Ministers must strip away the emotive phrases, the talk of wars and battles, of 'staying safe'.

If we're ever going to return to work, to see friends and families in the flesh and get money in our bank accounts, then politicians must start treating us like adults.

For weeks, we've passively obeyed their endless directives- and ended up terrified, a third of the population too scared to go for a walk or enter a shop.

It's time for Boris to show bold leadership rather than simpering and appealing to our emotions. Now the first peak has passed, he must decide who can and who can't leave their home and their neighbourhood.

Should the chosen few be the young- primary school kids and the under-30's?

As rumours are flying thick and fast, pensioners are up in arms, fearing even more months of incarcaration. Pressure is mounting on the Prime Minister to offer concessions to the most loyal Tory voters - the elderly.

It's time for Prime Minister Boris Johnson (pictured outside Downing Street in Westminster today) to show bold leadership rather than simpering and appealing to our emotions

Meanwhile, what about the unlucky victims who didn't even catch the virus? Cancer patients facing shortened lives as they await treatment that's been mothballed. Heart and stroke victims too fightened to enter A and E.

A medical catastrophe looms as the fallout from pouring all resources into combatting one devastating disease becomes evident. Hospitals have empty beds and silent wards. Specialist units with expensive resources stand idle.

For goodness sake, can someone find a way out of this befuddled maze we're trapped inside? Devise a strategy that's fair, not waffling, easily understood and accepted by everyone, young and old, rich and poor, black and white.

On Sunday, Boris Johnson plans to reveal what baby steps the UK will take to ease lockdown. He must adopt a new mantra instead of mouthing the same old platitudes about staying safe and staying at home.

We need a different set of criteria to galvanise the fit and healthy of all ages back into action, one that diminishes pointless fear.

There are some hopeful signs - Health Secretary Matt Hancock has finally got the message and ordered an urgent review into the status and background of the UK's coronavirus victims - the highest in Europe at around 30,000.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock (pictured at Downing Street today) has ordered an urgent review into the status and background of the UK's coronavirus victims

Hopefully this research will lead to a strategy which doesn't involve macho charts and targets and 'five key goals' - which no one understands.

The work is already being done as all governments are in the same boat, desperate to find a safe way to normality. Universities and scientists all over the world are focusing on the groups hit the hardest.

The overweight, men, and black Caribbean and asian citizens are all more likely to end up in intensive care and die from Covid-19 than white women and children.

Black and ethnic victims are three times more likely to die than white people, and there are more deaths in poorer neighbourhoods than where the middle class or rich live.

As for obesity, it places virus victims of all ages at increased risk. Three in ten adults in the UK are chronically overweight, and many insist on describing their size as a 'lifestyle choice'. It's one which places huge strains on the heart and vital organs, and makes virus sufferers twice as likely to end up in intensive care, and face death. One which costs the NHS plenty.

On the other hand, a large number of nine million British pensioners are perfectly healthy, exercise daily, and live in their own homes. So it's time for Matt Hancock and his team to decide what are the factors which determine whether or not you will survive the virus.

Then, it might be possible to devise a health passport (including a compulsory BMI check) to allow a gradual return to normal life, always maintaining social distancing and taking care to wash hands and wear masks (if that makes you feel more confident).

The evidence also seems to suggest that women are far more likely to be able to exit lockdown and remain virus-free than men. Two thirds of the patients with Covid-19 in intensive care are male, and they are far more likely to die than women.

Does this mean that women should be allowed back to work, allowed to exercise for more than a measly hour, allowed to visit the shops every day for non-essentials like pants and hair dye and even perhaps allowed to go to the hairdressers?

I am hoping and praying that this is the case so I can leave my man at home, where he is perfectly happy making a new sour dough loaf every day.

Cooking a new recipe for supper every night. Listening to the radio, playing his guitar, talking to the dog and swapping really dumb jokes on his phone with his male friends who all also really like lockdown.

He can finally mow the lawn, mend the strimmer and finish making a workbench in his potting shed, where I have been allowed a small corner for my seed trays and trowels. I want to wear decent clothes again- he's content to blob about in sweat pants for the foreseeable future.

Come on Boris, take the big leap of faith that's eluded you so far - let the women of Britain (including pensioners) out of captivity in time to save our economy.

Going back to work will be easy peasy after weeks of doing the laundry and listening to appalling music.
Africa-focused tech talent accelerator Andela has let go 135 employees, CEO Jeremy Johnson confirmed to TechCrunch.

Senior staff at the company  with offices in New York and four African countries  will also take salary cuts of 10% to 30%.

The compensation and staff reductions are a result of the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis and bring Andela's headcount down to 1,199 employees. None of Andela's engineers were included in the layoffs.

Backed by $181 million in VC from investors that include the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the startups client-base is comprised of more than 200 global companies that pay for the African developers Andela selects to work on projects.

There's been a drop in the demand for Andela's services, according to its CEO.

"The vast majority of our customers have stayed with us. But new business has slowed down dramatically," Johnson told TechCrunch on a call.

"Like any venture-backed startup, we're built for growth. And so if growth is gonna slow dramatically, your [cost] burden has to come down."

Andela Nigeria Office

Andela's Nigeria office (Image Credits: Andela)

The company is also preparing for the possibility of hard economic times moving forward.

"We already know this is going to have a material impact on pace of growth. And as a result of that, we've got to make sure we're prepared to weather the storm," Johnson said.

The American CEO noted the latest measures weren't entirely due to external factors. They also connect to a strategic direction change for the company, the details of which will follow, according to Johnson.

Andela's staff cuts mark the first notable round of layoffs in African tech coming from one of the continent's best funded and most visible startups (by press volume).

The company launched in 2014 with co-founders who included Nigerian entrepreneur Iyinoluwa Aboyeji and American Christina Sass. Aboyeji has since departed and Sass stepped down as Andela president in 2019, but maintains an advisory role with the company.

Story continues

In Africa, Andela has offices in Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. The company cut 400 junior engineers in September, but that announcement came with news it had attained a $50 million run rate as a Series D startup.

News of Andela's recent layoffs broke late afternoon Lagos time on Tuesday, after CEO Jeremy Johnson announced the cuts on an all-hands staff call.
A special train carrying 1,030



labourers who were stranded in Telangana due to lockdown back to Madhya Pradesh reached the Habibganj Railway Station here on Wednesday night.

The train which had departed from Hyderabad on Tuesday night, reached Bhopal at 8 pm, said a district official.

All the passengers were being screened, and the administration also provided them food and water, he said.

These migrants belong to 33 districts of Madhya Pradesh including Bhopal. After screening, they will be sent to their home districts, the official said.

On May 2, a special train had carried 347 stranded migrants back to Madhya Pradesh from Nashik in Maharashtra.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China continues to persecute Early Rain Covenant Church, orders members to cease online services

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Chinas communist government has continued to monitor and persecute Sichuan provinces Early Rain Covenant Church, demanding church members cease all online worship services.

Over two years after shuttering the 5,000-member church, breaking down the doors of church members and leaders homes and arresting more than 100 people, police have continued to harass ERCC members, according to a new report from China Aid.

A Christian, who did not reveal her name, told the persecution watchdog that over the weekend, police brought in ERCC members in charge of church activities and online services and demanded that they stop all activities.

Among those brought in to the police station was Ran Yunfei, who had originally been scheduled to give a testimony during a church service Friday. Ran was escorted home only after the service ended.

Because police only summoned Christians during the churchs online services, the source who informed China Aid believes police are still monitoring the church.

In April, several members of the church were arrested by the Public Security Bureau for participating in an online Easter worship service on Zoom and ordered to cease all religious activity.

A supporter of ERCC shared on Twitter, Since 8:30 a.m., some security officials have entered these Christian families homes and pretended to be chatting with them casually. At 9:30 a.m., the worship began, and they were also invited to participate. Once they realized that the sermon was from ERCCs imprisoned pastor Wang Yi, they immediately shut it down.

Her account was corroborated by church leader Zhang Jiangqing, who was warned by the police at his house, saying, Dont participate in already banned [religious] activities anymore! Dont listen to pastor [Wang]s sermons anymore! If you do this again, we will deal with it seriously and take you away!

ERCC, led by pastor Wang Yi, has not been able to gather in person since the communist regime shut down the church in 2018 and arrested their pastor and other leaders. Pastor Wang was later sentenced to nine years in prison on charges of subversion of power and illegal business operations.

Church members have continued to face harassment from authorities, even amid the countrys coronavirus outbreak.

According to International Christian Concern, Pastor Wangs son, Shuya Wang, celebrated his 13th birthday on March 9 without his father. Forced to attend a public school since last year, he has been escorted in a police car each day. During the coronavirus pandemic, with schools closed, Shuya and his mother are reportedly still being monitored by police.

Open Doors USAs World Watch List ranks China as one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to the persecution of Christians. The organization notes that all churches are perceived as a threat if they become too large, too political or invite foreign guests.

In addition to Early Rain Covenant Church, the Chinese Communist Party has shuttered a number of well-known churches, including Rongguili Church in Guangzhou and Xunsiding Church in Xiamen.

China has also been labeled by the U.S. State Department as a country of particular concern for continuing to engage in particularly severe violations of religious freedom.

In its annual report released last week, the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom called the country the worlds foremost violator of human rights and religious freedom. The report cited the Chinese governments harassment of human rights advocates outside its border as well as the CCPs continued persecution of Christians, Muslim-majority Uighurs, and other ethnic minorities.

Addressing the report, commissioner Johnnie Moore said that while China has the capability of being a nation we can all admire, the CCP has chosen to violate inherent human rights ... any chance they can.

Enough is enough, he stressed. And we've said enough is enough.

Moore warned that China is exporting their intolerance around the world. The light is blinking red, and its time for the Chinese government to take a different path.
Delhi Police Commissioner SN Srivastava has directed his officers and rank and file to disinfect police stations and take adequate precautions against coronavirus, officials said on Wednesday.

He held a video-conference meeting with his officials on Tuesday to review the force's preparedness to fight the coronavirus pandemic, they said.

He also enquired about the health of police personnel.

After it was reported that nine more police personnel were found positive for coronavirus, he directed that staff who came in contact with them be quarantined.

He also directed that such police stations be properly disinfected and staff be briefed to take adequate precautions while discharging their duties, they said.

He also took the stock of situation in the wake of opening of liquor vends and strategies made by Joint CPs (Commissioner of Police) for maintaining social distancing and controlling crowd.

He directed the joints CPs to conduct meetings with DSIIDC officers and suggest them to execute sale through online portal to avoid crowding at liquor vends.

Moreover, Joint CPs and district DCPs should ensure that instructions and norms issued by the government in this regard are meticulously complied with by all liquor vends, the officials said, adding he insisted on ensuring that sufficient arrangements are in place before opening of liquor vends.

He also directed the joint CPs to implement lockdown from 7 pm to 7 am as per guidelines issued by the government. For this purpose, he asked the joint CPs, district DCPs and other officers to be available on ground much in advance to ensure an effective lockdown, they said.

Reviewing the action taken by the Joint CPs against the receivers of stolen property, he directed that raids be conducted on known receivers of such property.

The raiding parties should be equipped with PPE kits, face shields, hand gloves, masks etc.

During the meeting, Special Commissioner of Police (Vigilance) pointed out there was a need for separate isolation facility for COVID positive asymptomatic policemen who are not admitted in hospitals.

The Police Commissioner directed Special CP Law and Order (North) to designate a place where these policemen can be quarantined.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Sir Keir Starmer has been urged by a DUP MP to take disciplinary action against a Labour Party youth association that tweeted a tribute to hunger striker Bobby Sands on the anniversary of his death.

Tuesday marked 39 years since the former Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP died after 66 days on hunger strike in the Maze prison.

On Tuesday evening, London Young Labour tweeted a picture of the Falls Road mural dedicated to the IRA man.

They wrote: On this day in 1981, socialist and republican Bobby Sands died as a PoW [prisoner of war], following a hunger strike during which he became an elected MP.

We remember him and continue to fight for an end to imperialism and for a free and united Ireland.

The tweet received over 2,000 replies, both supporting and condemning the tribute.

DUP MP Ian Paisley asked new Labour leader Sir Keir to take action against those behind the tweet.

It celebrates a IRA terrorist, Bobby Sands, and calls for the end of imperialism in Northern Ireland. Last time I checked, Labour policy on Northern Ireland is to ensure the people here have self-determination and that Northern Ireland is a part of the UK until the people decide otherwise, he said.

In correspondence to Sir Keir, the North Antrim MP stated: I know you will be appalled by anyone suggesting that someone who bombed a furniture shop in Dunmurry in 1976  a small business that employed people from across the community  can hardly be applauded as an anti-imperialist but are nothing more than a criminal terrorist.

To suggest that he, Sands was a prisoner of war would, if true, pose so many awkward questions for current leaders of a major political party in Northern Ireland.

I trust you will have this tweet removed, a suitable apology published and the members who orchestrated and retweeted the message disciplined or expelled. Your actions on this will be seen as a measurement of how important Northern Ireland is to the Labour Party under your leadership.

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Sammy Heenan from Rathfriland, Co Down, was orphaned when he was just 12 after his father was shot by an IRA gunman outside his Legananny home in 1985.

Mr Heenan said he was shocked by the tweet and responded to it directly after it was shared by London Young Labour.

They should come over here and speak to the victims of the IRA and understand and appreciate what the victims have went through, he told the Belfast Telegraph.

They would then not be in any way eulogising or glorifying Bobby Sands the terrorist.

Im shocked that the youth of a mainstream political party would glorify an individual in such a way.

Sir Keir took over the leadership of the Labour party last month after Jeremy Corbyn - a republican sympathiser himself - stepped down from the role after five years.

Mr Corbyn had previously been criticised by Stephen Gault, whose father Samuel was one of 12 people killed by the Provisional IRA in the Remembrance Sunday bomb in Enniskillen, for his sympathies towards the IRA.

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Calling on Sir Keir to take a similar approach to his stance on anti-Semitism within Labour, Mr Heenan said it would send a big signal to those who support past terrorism.

It sends a bad signal to those who took a stand, especially those within the armed forces, who are fighting terrorism worldwide, he continued.

Then you get this group  the future of the Labour Party  giving glory to Bobby Sands.

The Labour Party is like many political parties and has quite a broad range of people within it. Theres people more to the right and more to the ultra-left.

Obviously those in that ultra-left group had taken over Labour for quite some time so there are still individuals who would be sympathetic, so to speak, to the aims and objectives of these terrorist groupings within the party.

These young people in London glorifying someone like Bobby Sands are living under some deluded romanticism that there was, what they would call, a struggle over here.

At the end of the day Bobby Sands was a terrorist and inflicted great pain and hurt on the people of Northern Ireland and the people of mainland Great Britain experienced that as well as a result of their vile terrorist campaign over 30 years.

The Labour party was approached for comment, but none was received by the time of going to press.
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 6, 2020 / Gratomic Inc. ("GRAT" or the "Company") (TSXV:GRAT)(FRANKFURT:CB81)(WKN:A143MR) is pleased to announce, further to its Press Release dated March 26, 2020, that it has received confirmation from the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Namibia that the Minister has issued Mining Licence 215 (ML215) for the Company's Aukam Graphite Property in Namibia. The Licence covers Base and Rare Metals, Industrial Minerals and Precious Metals. The Licence area falls within the proximity of the Aukam Processing Plant and the Graphite bearing shear zone for a total of 5002 hectares (5002 ha). Securing the mining licence is a critical step towards moving the Aukam Mine into commercial production.

The Company has completed 8 months of pilot testing on historically mined product and conducted an internal study on the efficiency of the pilot processing facility on this material. Through rigorous testing and adjustments to the plant, Gratomic can now produce a concentrate of up to 98% Cg. Management has subsequently decided to build a 20 000 tonne per annum processing plant. To date, 90% of construction is complete. Upon completion of the remaining 10%, the Company will initially start processing material from historical workings left at the surface when the mine last operated in 1974.

The Company has recently appointed Dr. Ian Flint to complete a preliminary economic assessment on the Aukam Processing plant. The study, its recommendations, and their subsequent implementation, will ensure the scale up of the existing pilot plant to a commercial scale processing facility that will provide the desired concentrate grades and production rates.

With respect to site exploration, in the coming months diamond drilling will resume at Aukam Graphite. The drilling will be conducted utilizing Company owned drilling equipment, focusing on areas proximal to graphite mineralization, depicted by previous diamond drilling, underground excavation and surface outcrop sampling. The drill targeting will be systematic with the expectation of producing an NI 43-101 resource estimate.

Arno Brand, President and CEO of the Company stated that "we are thrilled to receive the official mining licence for the Aukam Graphite Mine in Namibia. This is a monumental milestone for Gratomic, which took an extensive amount of effort to accomplish. Once the funding is secured, Gratomic will be able to move into the commercialization phase of development."

Risk Factors

No mineral resources, let alone mineral reserves demonstrating economic viability and technical feasibility, have been delineated on the Aukam Property. The Company is not in a position to demonstrate or disclose any capital and/or operating costs that may be associated with the processing plant.

The Company advises that it has not based its production decision on even the existence of mineral resources let alone on a feasibility study of mineral reserves, demonstrating economic and technical viability, and, as a result, there may be an increased uncertainty of achieving any particular level of recovery of minerals or the cost of such recovery, including increased risks associated with developing a commercially mineable deposit.

Historically, such projects have a much higher risk of economic and technical failure. There is no guarantee that production will begin as anticipated or at all or that anticipated production costs will be achieved.

Failure to commence production would have a material adverse impact on the Company's ability to generate revenue and cash flow to fund operations. Failure to achieve the anticipated production costs would have a material adverse impact on the Company's cash flow and future profitability.

Steve Gray, P. Geo. has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release and is the Company's "Qualified Person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About Gratomic Inc.

Gratomic is an advanced materials company focused on mine to market commercialization of graphite products most notably high value graphene-based components for a range of mass market products. We have a Joint Venture collaboration with Perpetuus Carbon Technology, a leading European manufacturer of graphenes, to use Aukam graphite to manufacture graphene products for commercialization on an industrial scale. The Company is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol GRAT.

For more information: visit the website at www.gratomic.ca or contact:

Arno Brand at abrand@gratomic.ca or 416 561-4095

"Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release."

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Investors are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com).

SOURCE: Gratomic Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/588695/Gratomic-Granted-a-Comprehensive-Mining-Licence-for-Base-and-Rare-Metals-Industrial-Minerals-and-Precious-Metals
Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, stung by the BJPs allegations of suppression of Covid-19 data, on Tuesday informed that 91,515 cases of Influenza-like Illness (ILI) and 872 cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) were found in 5.57 crore households during door-to-door surveillance conducted by her government in the state.

Also read: Kolkata pvt lab sealed, fined for Covid19 testing

During the period of 7th April to 3rd May, 5.57 crore total household visits have been conducted. 872 cases of persons with SARI and 91,515 cases of persons with ILI have been identified and given necessary health advice. 375 people have also been admitted to different health facilities. 62 of them have tested positive for Covid-19 with the affected being treated at our hospitals. The surveillance efforts are ongoing and we will not stop till we together defeat Corona in Bengal, she posted on Facebook.

South 24 Parganas tops the list of districts with 8,712 cases, followed by Burdwan East (6,785) and Alipurduar (5,906). The massive door-to-door surveillance, a herculean effort undertaken by 60,000 specially trained ASHA and health workers non-stop for the past 4 weeks, has been ongoing since the past one month to identify SAR and ILI cases, said Ms Banerjee adding, The surveillance gives us early warning signals and is an important proactive step in fighting Covid-19.
Editors note: This is the second of a two-part series on the candidates running for the 2nd Congressional District seat currently held by Rep. Greg Walden, R-Hood River. The first part highlighted the Republican candidates who have filed statements in the Voters Pamphlet, and this article looks at the Democratic candidates.

Five Democrats are running in the May 19 primary for the congressional seat now held by Rep. Greg Walden, and they are hoping for an upset in the historically Republican district.

Two of the Democrats, Nick Heuertz and John Holm, are from Jackson County. The other Democratic candidates are Jack Howard, Alex Spenser and Chris Vaughn.

Howard, a La Grande resident and former Union County commissioner, didnt file a statement in the Voters Pamphlet.

Vaughn didnt respond to a request for an interview.

Whichever Democrat wins will go up against one of 11 Republicans running for the GOP nomination.

The 2nd Congressional District spans a massive area in Oregon stretching from the Idaho border to the Cascades, and from Washington to California. Jackson County is in the southwestern-most part of the district.

Spenser, a writer, campaign strategist and motivational speaker from Klamath Falls, said she previously crisscrossed the district, logging 6,200 miles in an effort to reach out to as many residents as possible in her campaign before the pandemic struck.

I have a background thats as diverse as this district, she said. I understand where people are coming from.

Spenser, who hasnt previously held political office but has been involved in political campaigns, said water is one of the biggest issues that concerns many Oregonians.

A massive agreement over the Klamath River that resulted in compromises by tribes, farmers, ranchers and received support from California and Oregon failed to get passed by the U.S. Congress.

She said all these groups were denied their voices when Congress didnt act, and she would work to get Congress to take up the issue again if elected.

One of my goals is ending the divisiveness that has plagued the U.S. and Oregon, she said.

Another goal for Spenser is to push for an elevated high-speed rail system throughout Oregon, potentially connecting Medford, Klamath Falls and Bend to Portland.

It would be a relief valve in case of a Cascadia event, she said. Transportation officials have warned that a major earthquake could destroy bridges along Interstate 5, including the viaduct through downtown Medford.

The massive rail project would be funded by federal and state dollars, Spenser vowed.

Holm, a political strategist, business owner and licensed Realtor who lives in Medford, said his mother worked to help everyone in the community and strove to mend fences with neighbors.

Its something she instilled in me, he said. To me, we have lost this community spirit and we have lost our connectedness to our neighbors.

Holm has criticized Walden for adhering to the GOPs unbridled self-interest and failure to lead, which he said creates a deficiency in representation for rural Oregon.

Holm said he would push for more support for education, health care, veterans and job creation.

The pandemic has revealed how unprepared education is in using technology effectively as a tool, he said. As a result, hed promote expanded Wi-Fi and high-speed internet throughout rural Oregon.

Holm wants to expand on green technology, pushing more solar and wind generation throughout the state, particularly on unused farm land. It would allow the farmers to get grants, he said.

A high-speed rail system for the West Coast is another project he would support.

Heuertz, a Central Point resident, said he hasnt held political office, though he has been a board member for a nonprofit.

Ive run my own business for the past 22 years, and that has helped develop my leadership experience, he said.

Heuertz thinks hes well suited to understanding the needs of the diverse and expansive 2nd Congressional District.

I was raised here in the district on a small farm near Sams Valley, he said.

His goal, if elected, would be to get rid of special-interest dollars fueling political campaigns.

People will trust their government again if elected officials arent always looking over their shoulders for special-interest donors, Heuertz said.

He has endorsed Medicare for all, but he said his plan wouldnt tax individuals making less than $200,000 to pay for it.

A Medicare-for-all system would greatly benefit rural hospitals, Heuertz predicted.

Like other Democrats in the race, Heuertz supports a high-speed rail system that would connect rural parts of the state to Portland.
CLEVELAND, Ohio  House Republicans on Wednesday moved to strip Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Actons authority to issue lasting state orders, a direct attack on Republican Gov. Mike DeWine and his response to the coronavirus pandemic.

House Republicans amended and passed a 2019 regulatory reform bill that would limit health department orders to 14 days. Under the amended Senate Bill 1, an order could only be extended if it receives approval from the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review.

If JCARR, a 10-member panel of five House and Senate members from both political parties, declines to approve the order  or even act on it  it would be rescinded immediately. It gives anybody the ability to sue to rescind a health order without having to show they were harmed by the health order.

The bill passed mostly along party lines with 58 in favor and 37 against, less than the three-fifths majority need to override a veto. A spokesman for Gov. Mike DeWine said the governor would veto the bill if it reached his desk.

Two Republicans, state Reps. Dave Greenspan of Westlake and Gayle Manning of North Ridgeville, broke from their party and voted against the bill. Earlier in the day, Greenspan voted to move the bill out of a committee for a House floor vote.

No Democrats voted in favor of the bill.

DeWine, who earlier this week said any criticism of Acton should be directed toward him, released a statement minutes after the House vote. He said lawmakers should be focused on issues such as balancing the budget, moving Ohios economy forward and protecting the health and safety of Ohioans.

"Creating more uncertainty regarding public health and employee safety is the last thing we need as we work to restore consumer confidence in Ohios economy, DeWine said.

Republicans said they were trying to check the governors offices power through legislative oversight, saying her authority was too broad.

I think the legislators that are elected by the people of the state of Ohio ought to have an opportunity to understand why we are doing this and how how we are doing this, House Speaker Larry Householder, a Perry County Republican. ...I dont see why reasonable people wouldnt agree with reasonable orders, so I dont see it as affecting anything the governor is trying to do.

It seems to me that if we are going to complain about a lack of process here, we need to realize there has been precious little process there, said House Majority Leader Bill Seitz, a Cincinnati Republican.

At times the GOP arguments seemed contradictory. Legislators said the response would not be diminished because technology allows for JCARR to meet quickly and rule on an order. The full chamber, however, was not able to exercise the same ability, they said.

Democrats criticized the process as rushed and needlessly attacking Acton. The final language of the amendment was released Wednesday morning just before the House State and Local Government Committee was set to convene at 10 a.m. House Republicans passed it out of the full chamber by 3:30 p.m.

It wasnt transparent to legislators, said state Rep. Brigid Kelly, a Cincinnati Democrat. It wasnt transparent to impacted parties. And it wasnt transparent to the public.

House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes, an Akron Democrat, said JCARR was unequipped to deal with emergency health matters, particularly since there are no public health experts on the committee. The vote also disregarded the health of millions of people the Democratic caucus represents, she said.

The people of this caucus overwhelmingly represent those impacted by the coronavirus and who will die, Sykes said. That includes people who are black, who are disproportionately impacted, hospitalized and dying from the coronavirus. It is disrespectful.

State Rep. Allison Russo, a Columbus Democrat, said beyond the current pandemic, the amendment was also a security concern, limiting how the state can respond to possible biological weapons attacks.

Adding an arbitrary 14-day limit to public health orders simply takes us backwards in our ability to protect the publics health and national security, Russo said. It says to the public we do not trust health experts and safety experts to do their job efficiently and effectively in times of national and state crisis.

The day started with Republicans introducing language of the bill just minutes before the State and Local Government Committee was set to hear the matter, which immediately went into recess to allow Democrats time to read the amendment and caucus.

During the committee hearing, Chairman Scott Wiggam, a Wooster Republican, said the change was not singularly focused on rescinding Actons most recent orders. However, the bill is retroactive to any orders issued beginning April 29, which includes the states most recent stay-at-home directive.

Republicans and Democrats generally argued the same points during committee.

State Rep. J. Todd Smith, a Farmersville Republican, said Democrats shouldnt be concerned with the rush job since health department directives are issued late at night. Health department orders usually go into effect at 11:59 p.m.  the minute before the day legally changes over.

Nobody has yelled at them for rushing it through in the late of night, because the extension of this latest quarantine was done at midnight, Smith said. Nobodys criticized that. I havent criticized that. But now this amendment is being criticized because in an extraordinary time, were having to work in this extraordinary fashion so we can have our voices heard from the local areas.

Several Republicans also questioned the necessity for any orders at all, echoing a letter signed by 33 House Republicans on April 27 calling for DeWine to end coronavirus restrictions immediately.

We are clearly on the downside of the curve, said state Rep. John Becker, a Clermont County Republican. There is no longer a risk of overwhelming the health care system. Im not sure there ever was. That argument didnt make sense to me initially.

After the bill was passed, Householder told reporters the House isnt trying to micromanage the governors office. But, he said he personally doesnt think the business closures were necessary at all.

Moving back, I was of the opinion that we should have allowed businesses to stay open, and just reduce the maximum occupancy of all buildings across the state of Ohio, he said. I think social distancing would have been accomplished that way, and you wouldnt have big clusters of chain stores like Wal-Mart, Target and all of those folks, where everybody was elbow to elbow... You would have had less people in stores maybe spread out in the community rather than having these clusters.

Democrats pointed out that the legislature already has authority to override health directives by a two-thirds majority vote. State Rep. Fred Strahorn, a Dayton Democrat, said the amendment seemed designed to limit legislative oversight by granting more authority to JCARRs 10 members instead of the entire House delegation.

We dont need to normalize a barrier in terms of public health officials day-to-day life in trying to keep us safer, Strahorn said. That is ridiculous.

SB1, a creation of GOP Senate President Larry Obhof, was originally passed by the Senate in 2019 as a way to curb regulations in the state. The bill had not passed the House, but many of its provisions were wrapped into the 2019 biennial budget bill, which breezed through both chambers and was signed into law by DeWine.

At this point, the amendment seems little more than a public spectacle from a caucus that has continually challenged DeWine on his coronavirus response for the past month. Resentment has grown from House Republicans, including Speaker Larry Householder, toward DeWines administration and the multiple orders limiting economic activity and public interaction to curb the spread of the virus.

The state has been under a stay-at-home order since March, which was extended through May 29 at the beginning of the month as DeWines administration began a phased-in approach to reopening the state. Since then, multiple House Republicans have called for the immediate reopening of the state without restrictions such as social distancing or sanitization requirements for the workplace.

And its still unclear whether the Ohio Senate would even take up the measure. Senate President Larry Obhof, a Medina Republican, said Wednesday that his chamber would examine the states response after Ohio emerges from the pandemic. Members of his caucus hadnt seen language of the bill until after it passed committee, he said.

In terms of specific language that maybe pending over there today, I dont think anyone saw that until the last few hours, Obhof said in a press briefing before the House vote.

This post has been updated.

Cleveland.com reporter Andrew Tobias contributed

Read more cleveland.com politics coverage:

Ohio K-12 students could go to school two days a week in fall, with online learning

Ohio legislator cites God for refusing to wear face mask during coronavirus crisis

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announces $775m in state budget cuts to education, Medicaid and more

More to get priority for coronavirus screening, including group home residents, as Ohio expands testing capacity
The International Board on Books for Young People livestreamed this year's Hans Christian Andersen Award ceremony on Monday, with Jacqueline Woodson of the United States winning as author and Albertine of Switzerland as illustrator.

Woodson has a prolific body of writing from picture books to young adult literature, all of which feature lyrical language, powerful characters and an abiding sense of hope, according to the board.

Albertine creates books with multiple levels of interpretation, with drawings made with infinite precision that are lively and full of humor.

The Hans Christian Andersen Award is regarded as the most distinguished international honor for children's literature. Cao Wenxuan became the first Chinese author to receive the award in 2016.

At the livestreamed event, IBBY also announced the winners of the IBBY-iRead Outstanding Reading Promoter Award, which went to Zhu Yongxin from China and Marit Tornqvist from the Netherlands.

The award has been established by IBBY, with the Shenzhen iRead Foundation as its sponsor, to encourage commitment to the cause of reading promotion.

Zhu has devoted his life to research and activities related to reading promotion, including training and programs for children in rural areas and children with special needs, the vulnerable and those living in remote areas of China.

Tornqvist is a writer and illustrator who has developed reading programs for children focused not only the story, but also on the experience of reading itself and on encouraging children to narrate and illustrate their own stories.

According to IBBY, the winner of the IBBY-Asahi Reading Promotion Award is Casa Cuna Cuenteros of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Casa Cuna Cuenteros is a group of passionate volunteers who carry out reading and storytelling activities in a children's hospital in Buenos Aires.
Kenyas anti-graft watchdog, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, is reportedly investigating a controversial property deal between Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and the Kenya Railways pension scheme.

According to sale agreements, Sonkos family is buying the property in Nairobis upmarket Upper Hill at Sh498.5 million.

Situated along Matumbato Road  right behind the five-star Radisson Blu Hotel  the property serves as Sonkos private office. It is where the embattled governor has been operating from since he was barred from accessing City Hall over alleged corruption.

The contract was inked on April 30 last year, with Sonko forking out Sh144.6 million in a week to seal the deal with the former team of trustees of Kenya Railways staff retirement benefits scheme  Corporate and Trust Pension Services Ltd.

The Star reported on Tuesday that sources at EACC said the commission is investigating, among other things, where Sonko got the funds to purchase the property.

On Monday, EACC boss Twalib Mbarak wrote to the acting CEO of the scheme, Victoria Mulwa, to provide relevant documents by Wednesday. The papers include tender documents, minutes of the tender committee, sale agreements, payment documents, approved subdivision and the main title deed.

Mulwa is also expected to record a statement at Integrity Centre.

The two parcels sold to Sonko measure 0.7415 acres and 0.5003 acres and are adjacent to each other.

The Nairobi governor was set to pay Sh298 million for the first property and Sh200.5 million for the other.

For the first property, Sonko reportedly paid Sh26.6 million before the execution of the contract and a further Sh60 million seven days after the signing of the deal.

For the second parcel, the governor paid Sh18 million before signing the contract and a further Sh40 million in seven days.

This amounts to a total sum of Sh144.6 million that Sonko paid as initial installment.

The remaining Sh353.9 million was to be settled in 90 days upon receipt of completion documents including the original certificates of titles and rates clearance.

However, Corporate and Trust Pension Services Ltd had not provided the documents to Sonko by the time they left office in July last year.

The Star reported that EACC has since established the property belongs to the pension scheme and has asked its managers to halt any further transaction on the property.

This is to ask you to halt the intended sale as the matter is under investigations, Mbarak said in a letter dated April 29.

The property deal was signed between Corporate and Trust Pension Services Ltd directors James Olubayi and Anthony Kilavi, and a firm known as Primix Enterprises Ltd.

Sonkos wife Primose Mwelu Mbuvi is one of the directors of Primix Enterprises Ltd.

James Kanyeki, a current trustee of the scheme, blames the former trustees for failure to provide documents to Sonko to complete the sale process.

He also alleges that they drained the scheme and withdrew, in unclear circumstances, some Sh22 million from the funds coffers long after their contract expired.

The matter is a subject of investigations by the DCI.
(Photo : Image by @janboehm Twitter Account ) [BREAKING] Mercedez-Benz Instagram Got Hacked; Suspects Posted Swastika Logos and Bitcoin Donation (Photo : Image by @RelaxxDE Twitter Account ) [BREAKING] Mercedez-Benz Instagram Got Hacked; Suspects Posted Swastika Logos and Bitcoin Donation

An unidentified group of hackers recently hacked German-owned automotive company Mercedez-Benz's official Instagram account. A Twitter user first recognized the unusual posts from the page. The company confirmed the tweets and said that they apologize for any inconveniences that the hackers have made-- since some of the posts involve the Swastika logo and Bitcoin donation amid pandemic.

Mercedez-Benz Instagram got hacked! Here's what happened

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Hacking is no longer unusual in today's pandemic since almost everyone is on their gadgets. However, a recent hacking was made in one of the most popular car companies in the world, Mercedez-Benz.

On Tuesday evening, May 5, the Instagram account of Mercedez-Benz profiled @mercedesbenz_de, was taken over by hackers for quite some time. Suspects changed the name of the account to "HACKED BY catz (hacked by catz)."

Aside from the name profile, hackers also posted unusual pictures on the page. What's most interesting was when the hackers posted the infamous logo of the German Nazi, Swastika character.

Even the pictures of one of its competitor BMW was posted on the page-- showing what appears to be a promotion to buy their products.

Bitcoin donations for the poor

Aside from the Swastika logo and BMW promotions on their official Instagram page, the hackers also changed the profile picture of the account with a bio saying "Donate for hungry." The post had its Bitcoin address along with it-- allowing every Mercedez-Benz followers' to donate their bitcoin for supposedly Coronavirus pandemic victims.



A report also identifies the hacker sharing from the Stories section of the Mercedes-Benz account. "All of you follow," said hacker, sharing an Instagram user's account. Hacker shared a photo belonging to a different user and wrote, "Follow. I love it."

ALSO READ: Apple Watch Saves 80-Year-Old With Heart Problem That Hospital Said She Doesn't Have



c o m m u n i t y coole super unproblematischec o m m u n i t y pic.twitter.com/CgtMiksOJx  Jan Bohmermann (@janboehm) May 5, 2020

Hackers reportedly followed accounts of random people in social media. Each minute that the hacking lasted, new accounts from Instagram were followed by the hackers using the automotive's official account.

Mercedez-Benz confirms the hacked account

After the Twitter user speculates that the official Instagram account of Mercedez-Benz was hacked, the management of the company officially confirms the hacked account on a follow-up thread.

The official Twitter account of the German-owned company said that they apologize for what happened and clarifies that they are now in control of their account. Information on the identity of the suspects is not yet released by the company.

Thanks for letting us know, the account has been hacked and we're taking appropriate action. Sorry for any inconvenience and offence caused.  Mercedes-Benz (@MercedesBenz) May 5, 2020

ALSO READ: New Mercedes-Benz Electric SUV Will Enter Market in 2020

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The lockdown triggered by the spread of the coronavirus has entered into the third phase and entrepreneurs, the original hustlers, have had to make a plenty of changes to their daily routine to adapt to working from home (WFH). Their daily schedules have been disrupted and their long drawn out usual meetings have been replaced by video calls. Not to mention the stress of a looming economic slowdown and pressure from investors.

Moneycontrol looks at how a scrum of business leaders is dealing with these fast changing times. In todays edition of Virtual Leaders, Network 18s Rakesh Khar spoke to Zia Mody, noted corporate lawyer and Founder-Managing Partner of AZB & Partners.

You can read other editions of Virtual Leaders here.

Edited excerpts from the interview:

Q: We have completed 40 days plus of lockdown. This is unprecedented. How has your work from home experience been?

A: I have set habits. I am used to paper and I am used to people. I must say the first two weeks were tough to get a shift in the mind set. But now one is getting used to not being able to communicate face to face. I am getting used to using technology as a way to get work done.

I find the younger lawyers much more adept and comfortable in embracing new technology. They really dont see that it is so difficult. That has been good news for me. As a law firm, our lawyers are working. I would not say it is business as usual. It is little inefficient. The reality is that we have to get used to the new reality. But we must thank technology for sustaining us all during the lockdown time.

Q: Going forward, do you see work from home being an enduring phenomenon?

A: There is a slight dip in the output. There is inefficiency and the deal flow is slower. I think the reality would entail partly working from home. We really dont know how will it all pan out?

The way back to work will be gradual. I think Courts will have vacation in Mumbai. You wont, therefore, have to test the proposition right away. I see Courts too will be reluctant to resume as before Covid. It is not as if virus will just go away. I think we all will have to live with the virus. It is troubling right now for me.

Q: Given the lockdown and its resultant highly adverse impact on business and economy, what kind of feedback are you getting from your clients?

A: There are a couple of threads to it. One, nobody has given up on India. It is a destination. The worry is the global recession which will hit everybody and not only India. Private Equity (PE) and Strategic Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) entities are trying to see what kind of economic impact lockdown will have across all their portfolios. They would be looking at their existing targets to see if they are healthy.

The medium and long terms play of India in infrastructure, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and the entire consumer space is inescapable. I see a short term pause for some, just because they are just trying to take a deep breath to see where the world has re-aligned itself.

Q: Given the economic contraction, do you see any major PE exits in India?

A: I think global PE funds would be looking at all their portfolios globally and India would be a focus area as well. They would be looking at Asia. I dont think there is any stopping the PE activity. To my mind, the PE activity will continue but not at the same pace. There will be slightly more caution.

Q: Has work from home given you an opportunity to spend more time with family and friends?

A: Yes. I spent more time with my husband then in years and years. I have a daughter living with us (she was earlier in US). It is great to have her locked up with us. I have two other daughters. We call them by video daily and it feels great to connect. I have also found time to connect with some old friends and professional colleagues across the globe. I would say there has been more time spent in reconnecting than I have done in the last five years.

Q: What are key leadership lessons that the lockdown has taught you and business in general?

A: It has made us more contemplative; made us re-assess priorities and distil out the important ones. It is time to think that we dont need to get paranoid about 100 things. It may be just about 50 issues that should bother you. Most importantly, I have got an opportunity to think more deeply and calmly on any matter, be it personal or about business.

As regards clients, the key learning has been to anticipate such a sudden swift risk. I think companies will have to see the importance of role of risk officers across all asset classes. Also, how do we prepare companies in which we invest for establishment of robust governance models? We have to ensure as to how we turn out to be fairly good, if not excellent, at managing this kind of crisis.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi said on Wednesday that the party seeks to know what criteria the government is using to judge how long lockdown will continue. She was speaking at a meeting of chief ministers of the Congress-ruled states.

After May 17, what? And after, May 17 How? What criteria is the government using to judge how long the lockdown is to continue, she said during the meeting.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was also present at the meeting, said, We need to know what will happen after lockdown 3.0.

Sonia Gandhi discussed the impact of coronavirus pandemic with chief ministers of party-ruled states on Wednesday and assessed the steps taken by them to contain the pandemic.

She also discussed the issue of migrant labourers and workers stranded at various places and steps taken by the states in bringing them back to their home towns. Rahul Gandhi was also present at the meeting.

Gandhi had announced on Monday that the state units of Congress party would pay for the train fares of migrant workers as they prepare to go back to their homes in different parts of the country. She also criticised the central government for charging them for their travel by train.

The Congress chief has so far written seven letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi since March 23 on different issues, including seeking safe and free travel of stranded workers to their home towns.

The Congress has repeatedly been raising the issue of stranded migrant workers with both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi attacking the Centre for its failure to put in place a humane policy to send them back to their homes.

Sonia Gandhi has also formed an eleven-member consultative group under the chairmanship of Manmohan Singh to discuss various issue arising out of the coronavirus crisis.
Doctors in Mumbai will now have to serve coronavirus patients for 15 days mandatorily. If they fail to do so, they risk losing their medical licence. However, BMC has allowed exemption to doctors above 55 years of age and the ones with co-morbidities including diabetes, hypertension and heart ailments.

Dr TP Lahane, Director of Medical Education and Research in Mumbai has written to doctors asking them for their service. Doctors will have to fill a form stating their eligibility, Maharashtra Medical Council registration number, their current posting and the preferred place to serve COVID-19 patients and mail it to BMC. The order will be effective for registered medical practitioners in Mumbai and suburban districts.

Also read: Coronavirus Lockdown India Live Updates: Liquor sales soar as states open alcohol shops; COVID-19 cases-49,391

" We've asked all private doctors, who are below 55 yrs of age and not having any comorbidity and who closed their clinics due to lockdown, to work for 15 days to provide COVID-19 treatment. They'll be paid and provided with protective gears," said Dr Lahane.

Non-adherence to the order will be considered a breach of the MCI Code of Ethics that is administered to doctors when they receive their degree. Action will be taken according to the provisions in the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897 and other acts.

Many doctors had to pull the shutters amid the coronavirus lockdown. Moreover, many doctors and healthcare professionals have contracted the virus while treating corona patients, leading many hospitals to close.

Also read: Coronavirus: Mumbai hospitals face bed, medical personnel shortage as cases rise

Meanwhile, the private and public health care facilities are spread thin as coronavirus cases surge. Additionally, Maharashtra Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday asked Thane district authorities to set up a 1,000-bed hospital in the next three weeks to fight coronavirus.

Maharashtra had reported 15,525 cases out of which 617 have died and 2,819 people have been discharged, as per latest Health Ministry data.

Also read: Lockdown 3.0: Liquor shops in Mumbai shut again; only essential shops open

INDIA CORONAVIRUS TRACKER: BusinessToday.In brings you a daily tracker as coronavirus cases continue to spread. Here is the state-wise data on total cases, fatalities and recoveries in one comprehensive graphic.
By Patricia Zengerle and Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S.

By Patricia Zengerle and Mark Hosenball

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. senators pressed Donald Trump's nominee to lead U.S. intelligence on Tuesday on whether he would act independently of the president on hot-button issues like the origins of the coronavirus in China, as lawmakers held the first socially-distanced hearing during the coronavirus pandemic.

Both Republicans and Democrats at the Senate Intelligence committee's confirmation hearing wanted to know how Representative John Ratcliffe would manage pressure from Trump, a president who has often been at odds with the intelligence community.

The three-term House member, who fervently supported Trump during impeachment repeatedly pledged to act independently.

"The intelligence I deliver will not be subject to outside influence," he said.

Many questions for the Republican nominee to head 17 U.S. intelligence agencies centered on coronavirus and China, which Trump has partly blamed for the devastating impact on the United States.

The cavernous hearing room was eerily empty, as the Senate observed strict protocols to protect against the spread of coronavirus. Ratcliffe said that, if confirmed, he would focus on the virus's impact, questions about its origins in China and U.S. competition with Beijing.

"If confirmed, the intelligence community will be laser focused on getting all the answers that we can regarding how this happened," Ratcliffe said.

Trump's administration and the government in Beijing have been engaged in a bitter war of words over how the coronavirus spread, as the illness has killed more than 60,000 Americans and cratered the country's economy, complicating Trump's run for re-election in November.

Ratcliffe said he views China as the greatest threat to the United States, on many fronts. "I won't say all roads lead to China, but a lot of them do," he said.

Trump nominated Ratcliffe, a member of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee since January 2019, to be director of national intelligence last summer. The nomination was dropped amid questions about his lack of experience and partisan reputation but the Republican president nominated him again this year.

Now, a few Republican committee members, including committee chair Richard Burr, promised they would back Ratcliffe, while stressing the need for the director to be politically independent.

PARTISANSHIP

Democrats appeared unconvinced.

The committee's top Democrat, Senator Mark Warner, said he was concerned about partisanship from Ratcliffe, a strongly outspoken supporter of Trump during impeachment hearings last year, especially regarding intelligence oversight and whistleblowers.

"I still have some of the same doubts now as I had back in August," Warner said.

There has been no Senate-confirmed Director of National Intelligence since August, when former Republican Senator Dan Coats retired. The current acting DNI, Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, is seen as a fierce Trump partisan.

Trump and aides have sharply criticized intelligence officials, accusing them of working for a "Deep State" seeking to undermine his presidency.

Ratcliffe repeatedly praised them.

"I don't think that the men and women of the intelligence community are running amok," he said.

Burr, who privately criticized Ratcliffe when his name was first floated last year, promised the Republican-majority panel would quickly recommend Ratcliffe to the full Senate. Trump's fellow Republicans hold a narrow 53 to 47-vote in the chamber, and he needs 51 votes for confirmation, so approval is likely.

Trump infuriated Democrats and attracted criticism from some Republicans by firing Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson, who sent Congress a whistleblower complaint alleging that Trump sought to persuade Ukraine's president to collect potentially damaging information on former Vice President Joe Biden, a leading Trump political rival.

That report became central to Trump's impeachment.

Much about the hearing was unusual, or unprecedented. Ratcliffe's family did not attend.

Some staff and senators wore masks into the room, but removed them to speak. Ratcliffe did not wear a mask. Members of the press were limited to a small number, who provided pool reports.

Burr closely questioned Ratcliffe about his view of Russian interference in U.S. elections. The nominee said he agreed that Russia sought to sow discord in the United States and interfere in the 2016 and 2018 campaigns.

Trump has rejected intelligence community conclusions that Moscow sought to boost his candidacy.

"I will deliver the unvarnished truth, it won't be shaded for anyone," Ratcliffe said under questioning from Senator Susan Collins, one of the Senate's most moderate Republicans.

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle and Mark Hosenball; Editing by Mary Milliken and Alistair Bell)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
WASHINGTONOver the course of Tuesday and Wednesday, the Trump administration announced the move to a new phase of its efforts against the coronavirus. But from a certain angle, it looked a heck of a lot like the old phases: another attempt to hang a mission accomplished banner and declare the war over, even as the battle rages on and the casualties pile up.

The specifics of the most recent effort are that the presidents coronavirus task force, led by Vice-President Mike Pence, will be either wound up or changed substantially by June 1.

On Tuesday, Pence said the task force would wrap up its work by early June. It really is all a reflection of the tremendous progress weve made as a country, Pence said. President Donald Trump appeared to confirm this later in the afternoon. We cant keep our country closed for the next five years, you know, the president told reporters during a visit to Arizona.

But in a series of tweets on Wednesday morning, Trump changed the message: the task force would continue indefinitely but transition its work to a new phase, in which it would focus on SAFETY & OPENING UP OUR COUNTRY AGAIN as well as working on vaccines and therapeutics  the transition, he said, being a sign of the fantastic job the task force had done. Later Wednesday, he said that he had planned to wind the task force down, but changed his mind when the reaction to his announcement of it made him realize how popular it is.

This is familiar ground for Trump, who has been declaring success and moving on to the next phase ever since the first coronavirus cases were reported. In January, he said the five cases then identified in the U.S. were very little problem and he had it under control. In February, he said the 15 cases in the U.S. would soon be down to zero. In March, he said he had a vision of reopening the country by Easter. In April, he said repeatedly that the virus was going away.

Over the course of that time, more than 70,000 people have died in the U.S. of COVID-19, and more than 1.2 million have contracted the virus. Today, there are roughly 100,000 active cases across the country. And an analysis of national data excluding New York shows the number of new cases and deaths continue to rise.

Nevertheless, the reopening demanded by the president is underway. This week marked a kind of grand going-out-for-business event across dozens of states, which allowed restaurants, hair salons, retail stores, beaches and fitness clubs to reopen under varied conditions  this despite the fact that no state had met the guidelines for reopening as of last week. Despite states like Georgia and Texas reporting a rise in the number of new cases, even as they send people back to work and play. Despite Trump administration officials privately worrying about shortages of protective equipment and ventilators, according to leaked recordings of interagency meetings obtained by Politico.

Trump acknowledged Tuesday that some people would suffer as a result of lifting restrictions. In Arizona, he characterized Americans as warriors in this battle. And, yes, will some people be affected? Yes. Will some people be affected badly? Yes. But we have to get our country open, and we have to get it open soon.

At what cost, in the lives and health of warriors?

Well, by June 1  when Pence projected the coronavirus task force might be done, at least with its current phase  the Federal Emergency Management Agency is projecting 200,000 new cases and 3,000 deaths a day. In death toll terms, thats a daily 9/11. The White House and Centers for Disease Control have disavowed that modelling, saying it was an unfinished draft that should not be read as a forecast and does not match task force projections.

But a University of Washington model that has been frequently cited by the White House now predicts nearly 135,000 deaths by early August  twice the number the same model had predicted in April over the same that time frame. The change comes as a direct result of the trumpeted reopenings of various states. The revised projections reflect rising mobility in most U.S. states as well as the easing of social distancing measures expected in 31 states by May 11, indicating that growing contacts among people will promote transmission of the coronavirus. Increases in testing and contact tracing, along with warming seasonal temperatures  factors that could help slow transmission  do not offset rising mobility, thereby fuelling a significant increase in projected deaths.

Trump claimed Tuesday that the model was based on a no-mitigation scenario, even though it expressly accounts for levels of mitigation. He also dismissed it and other models as wrong.

Still, he did acknowledge that there will be more death.

But Trump also predicted that the virus will pass, with or without a vaccine. It is a prediction he has been making since January, when many people first heard of the virus. A consistent message projecting success, delivered once again as the death toll rises ever higher.

Read more about:
China and Russia are promoting "false narratives" on social media that blame the West for the coronavirus pandemic while casting their countries as best-equipped to deal with the crisis, U.S. officials say.

That message was voiced in Brussels on May 6 during a telephone press conference given by acting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Reeker and U.S. Special Envoy and Coordinator of the Global Engagement Center Lea Gabrielle.

Gabrielle said Russia in particular was peddling conspiracy theories that blame the United States for the virus, which has infected more than 3.6 million people globally and killed over 258,000.

"Just to name some of Russia's most critically harmful narratives -- they've been using false narratives that the COVID-19 was produced by the U.S. as a bio-weapon. They've pushed out the false narrative that the U.S. and other Western governments have used efforts to contain [the outbreak] as part of a scheme to increase government control over their populations," Gabrielle explained.

She added that both Russia and China had tried to "push out false narratives" that the two countries "are global leaders in containing the virus, while the EU, NATO, and the U.S. are either unwilling or incapable of addressing" the epidemic.

Reeker said Russia had been engaging in such disinformation campaigns for some time.

He said Washington, as well as NATO, was paying more attention to the "cyber-realm" as it becomes a growing threat.

Gabrielle said China, where the coronavirus was first detected in December, was focusing on shaping the "global narrative" and "deflect[ing] blame" for the pandemic.

"So, we've now seen concerted efforts by Beijing to push conflicting theories about COVID-19 that are intended to sow doubt, to deflect blame, and to create the idea that it may not be possible to know the truth," Gabrielle said.

China is also "trying to push the narrative that it's superior to the West in responding to global health crises," she added.

Reeker also addressed the decision by President Donald Trump to suspend U.S. funding of the World Health Organization (WHO), a move criticized by world leaders. In making the announcement on April 15, Trump said the UN agency had "failed in its basic duty" in its response to the coronavirus outbreak.

"What we did was we had some great concerns about the WHO, how it's been used, and how it has failed in many aspects in dealing with this pandemic. That's not a new thing, there have been numerous efforts to reform the WHO just in the past decade. But WHO has done many good things around the world, of course, and the U.S. has been the largest funder of the WHO," Reeker said.

"So what we did was suspend payments at this point while we review exactly what has gone on there to make sure that certainly our money -- but, frankly, everybody else's -- is going to be used correctly and make the most of our investments into the health sector, particularly when it comes to COVID-19," he explained, stressing Washington would remain "very engaged" in battling the coronavirus.
Auburn Mayor Ron Anders said his city and county have paid a heavy price during the coronavirus pandemic.

We have had 7 of our citizens die due to the Covid-19 virus. There have been 28 deaths in Lee County. The deaths in Lee County are third highest number in the state, Anders wrote in a recent Facebook post.

Despite that heavy toll  Lee County has some 409 coronavirus cases as of today and was an early state hot spot for the virus  Anders said Auburn is ready to reopen.

Auburn listened, Auburn acted. We gave up our activities, or hobbies, our worship, and many of us our careers to keep our citizens safe. Without the quick reaction of the citizens of Auburn our outlook could be much darker. But its not, Anders said. We have reason to look forward but not reason to act with reckless abandon. Just as we have acted decisively to curb the spread, I believe its time to act responsibly to re-open our community.

Our restaurants need our presence, our businesses need our support, our personal providers need our hair, nails, bodies. Our employers need our efforts and we need their compensation. Its time for Auburn to get back to work, to life, to friends, to community.

Anders is the latest city leader to call on Gov. Kay Ivey to lift the remaining restrictions designed to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Alabama has been under a stay-at-home order since early April with non-essential businesses closed since late March. Last week, Ivey announced retail stores could reopen but kept restrictions in place for close-contact services such as salons and gyms and limiting restaurants to take-out only. Restrictions also remain in place that prohibit non-work gatherings of more than 10 people, meaning churches cannot meet in person.

Those orders will remain in place until at least May 15.

In his Facebook message, Anders said Auburn had necessarily sacrificed its spring in order to keep community members healthy. He added that any reopening should be gradual.

We will need to remember those new habits as we return to our former habits. Hygiene, distancing, cough etiquette, size of our group is still part of our current lives. We must not forget or we will revert back to the conditions of this spring. But Auburn must and needs to open again, he said.

I encourage Governor Ivey and her team to consider altering her order from April 28. Our businesses need it, our citizens can handle it.
A brief exchange of fire took place between security forces and terrorists in Sharsali area of Khrew Panpore in Southern part of Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.

Reports suggested that a joint team of Army's 50RR, 185 BN of CRPF and police launched cordon and search operation in Sharsali area of Khrew. During cordon and search operation brief exchange of fire took place between security personnel and terrorists. Forces have tightened the cordon around the suspected spot and have launched a search operation in the area.

Meanwhile, massive search operation is underway in Beighpora area of Awantipora which is the native village of top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo.

On Tuesday (March 5), a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel sustained minor splinter injuries below knee after unidentified terrorists hurled a grenade on the troops of 181 Battalion of the CRPF at Pakherpora in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday (May 5). CRPF sources said four civilians were also injured in the incident.

The attack took place hours after a terrorist was arrested by security forces in Gundana tehsil in Doda district. He has been identified as Tanveer Ahmad Malik. The security forces, however, are yet to ascertain the group affiliation of Tanveer.
NORWALK  Norwalk has 17 new confirmed coronavirus cases as of Wednesday and three new deaths.

The city now has 1,719 total confirmed coronavirus cases and 95 related deaths.

I am sad to share news that three more Norwalk residents have died from COVID-19. My heart goes to out to their families, friends and loved ones, said Mayor Harry Rilling. We are not out of the woods yet, but it looks as though we are past the peak of positive cases. This really is a testament to the work of people physically distancing and staying home. I know it hasnt been easy, but it has made a difference. I know everyone is eager to return to some sense of normalcy, but it will be a slow process.

Rilling said hell be releasing a plan soon for reopening city services and amenities. With May 6 being National Nurse Day, Rilling acknowledged the nurses still on the COVID-19 frontlines.

There are many in the community who are on the frontlines of this pandemic, but today, I want to offer a special thank you to all of the nurses who are working tirelessly to keep the community safe and healthy, he said. Nurses always goes above and beyond and I am eternally grateful for the work you do.

Rilling will be joined by Norwalk Health Director Deanna DAmore for a live Zoom Town Hall on Thursday, May 7 at 6 p.m. Members of the public will be able to ask questions in real time. More information is available at norwalkct.org/meetings.

Elsewhere in the city, early childhood partners have come together to offer virtual support groups for Norwalk families with children ages 0-5. The groups will be offered twice a week via Zoom in both Spanish and English, beginning Friday, May 8. One group will be held Tuesdays at 10 a.m. in Spanish and the other will be held Fridays at 3 p.m. in English. More information can be found here.

At the state level, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced the formation of a joint federal-state task force to combat COVID-19 related fraud in Connecticut. The task force will investigate and prosecute a wide range of misconduct related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including price gouging, healthcare and government program fraud, consumer and small business scams, lending scams, charities fraud, and cyber fraud. Members of the public can report fraud by emailing attorney.general@ct.gov or calling 860-808-5318. More details at ct.gov.   

erin.kayata@hearstmediact.com
Guest Commentary

Bacchus Barua and

Mackenzie Moir

The COVID-19 crisis has led many provinces to take drastic measures to both limit the spread of the virus and ensure scarce medical resources are available, including cancelling thousands of elective surgeries in provinces such as Ontario and British Columbia.

These cancellations are creating a growing backlog that must be addressed once the worst of the pandemic is over. But will our health-care system be able to manage and absorb this backlog and, if not, is there anything we can do about it?

First, even in ordinary circumstances (lets call this the pre-COVID world), our health-care system struggles to address routine demand for patient care. A recent report revealed that almost half of all hospitals in Ontario regularly operate beyond capacity. In the post-COVID world, we should expect a return to this unfortunate situationexcept worse, due to the thousands of patients whose surgeries have been postponed.

Secondly, even in the pre-COVID world, patients could routinely expect to wait almost 21 weeks for elective treatment (after a referral from a family doctor). Its not unreasonable to expect this situation to deteriorate in the post-COVID world.

Of course, other countries around the world have also stopped or curtailed elective and scheduled care. However, many of these countries have far more medical resources than Canada does and may be able to better absorb the impact of these cancellations. For example, Canada reports an age-adjusted ratio of just 2.0 acute-care beds per thousand people, far less than countries such as South Korea (8.1) and Germany (5.5). Canada also has relatively fewer physicians per capita, ranking 26th out of 28 universal health-care systems.

Again, while just about every country will likely also experience increases in wait times for treatment, most will start from a much lower base-line wait compared to Canada. For example, in the pre-COVID world, significantly more Canadians (18 percent) reported waiting four months or longer for elective surgery in 2016 compared to, for example, Switzerland (6 percent) and Germany (0 percent).

So, how can we prepare for the post-COVID world?

One option would be to embrace the private sector as an ally. Unlike Canada, many other universal health-care systems around the world will have the private sector on standby to provide elective surgeries. There are three distinct potential advantages for Canada to follow a similar approach. First, by contracting services out to existing private clinics, Canadas public health-care system can potentially serve more patients without having to invest in expensive infrastructure (as previously demonstrated in Saskatchewan). Second, by allowing patients to pay for treatment privately, the private sector can act as a pressure-valve and potentially alleviate stress on the public system.

Finally, unlike the public sector in Canada, a robust and independent private sector isnt bound by government budgets or competing with other social programs. This will allow for a dynamic response where the private sector can flexibly expand to absorb the surge in patient demand and contract once demand stabilizes.

To be clear, Canada has been fortunate to have fewer cumulative cases per million than many other developed countries. Further, our health-care professionals and policymakers have been exceptional in dealing with this crisis, and they deserve all of our support.

However, the blanket cancellation of elective surgeries is creating a backlog of patients who need electivebut medically necessarycare. We must consider policy options to assist them in the post-COVID world.

Bacchus Barua is Associate Director, Health Policy Studies, Fraser Institute and Mackenzie Moir is a Junior Policy Analyst at the Fraser Institute.
DALLAS, TEXAS (May 6, 2020) - A new study by an international team from the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas and Hokkaido University and Okayama University of Science in Japan further explores the proliferation of the most commonly occurring duck-billed dinosaur of the ancient Arctic as the genus Edmontosaurus. The findings also reinforce that the hadrosaurs - known as the "caribou of the Cretaceous" - had a huge geographical distribution of approximately 60 degrees of latitude, spanning the North American West from Alaska to Colorado.

The scientific paper describing the find - titled "Re-examination of the cranial osteology of the Arctic Alaskan hadrosaurine with implications for its taxonomic status" - has been posted in PLOS ONE, an international, peer-reviewed, open-access online publication featuring reports on primary research from all scientific disciplines. The authors of the report are Ryuji Takasaki of Okayama University of Science in Japan; Anthony R. Fiorillo, Ph.D. and Ronald S. Tykoski, Ph.D. of the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas, Texas; and Yoshitsugu Kobayashi, Ph.D. of Hokkaido University Museum in Japan. To read the entire manuscript and view renderings, go to https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0232410.

"Recent studies have identified new species of hadrosaurs in Alaska, but our research shows that these Arctic hadrosaurs actually belong to the genus Edmontosaurus, an abundant and previously recognized genus of duck-billed dinosaur known from Alberta south to Colorado," said Takasaki.

The report states that anatomical comparisons and phylogenetic analyses clearly demonstrate that attribution of the Alaskan hadrosaurines to a unique genus Ugrunaaluk is inappropriate, and they are now considered as a junior synonym of Edmontosaurus, a hadrosaurines genus previously known from lower latitude North America roughly in between northern Colorado (N40?) to southern Alberta (N53?).

The fossils used for this study were found primarily in the Liscomb Bonebed, Prince Creek Formation of the North Slope of Alaska, the location of the first dinosaur fossils discovered in the Arctic.

The team's research also show that the plant-eating hadrosaurs were taking over parts of North America during the Cretaceous, suggesting that Edmontosaurus was likely an ecological generalist.

"In other words, Edmontosaurus was a highly successful dinosaur that could adapt to a wide variety of environmental conditions," said Fiorillo. "It's not unrealistic to compare them to generalized animals today - such as mountain sheep, wolves and cougars in terms of their range and numbers - that also roam greater geographic distributions."

Members of this team also found ties to Kamuysaurus japonicus, a new genus species they discovered near Hokkaido, Japan, and named in 2019.

"Combined with the newly named Kamuysaurus of Japan, Alaska Edmontosaurus shows that this group of hadrosaurs, the Edmontosaurini, were widely distributed in the northern circum-Pacific region, meaning that they were incredibly successful dinosaurs," said Kobayashi. "It's fascinating to think they likely used the ancestral Bering Land Bridge between Asia and North America for migration in a manner similar to mammoths, woolly rhinoceroses and early humans."

Edmontosaurus belong to a clade Edmontosaurini as Kamuysaurus, a recently described hadrosaurine dinosaur from Japan, suggesting that Edmontosaurini widely distributed along the northern circum-Pacific region. North America and Asia were connected by Beringia during the Late Cretaceous, and some dinosaurs are believed to have traveled to the North American continent this way. Edmontosaurini is one of the dinosaur groups that may have ventured the North America-to-Asia pathway and adapted to the Arctic environment. Those creatures that stayed in North America evolved to Edmontosaurus, and those that stayed in Asia and moved on to Japan are believed to have evolved to Kamuysaurus.

"This study is a wonderful example of why paleontologists need to be more aware of how individual growth and life stage of fossils matter when we try to interpret the anatomical features preserved in them. If you don't, you run the risk of erroneously erecting a new 'genus' or species based on juvenile traits that will change or vanish as the individual creature grows up - and winds up being an adult of an already-known 'genus' or species!," said Tykoski. "Our study shows that was probably the case with these juvenile duck-billed dinosaurs from the ancient Arctic of Alaska."

###

About the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. The top cultural attraction in Dallas/Fort Worth and a Michelin Green Guide three-star destination, the Perot Museum of Nature and Science is a nonprofit educational organization located in the heart of Dallas, Texas. With a mission to inspire minds through nature and science, the Perot Museum delivers exciting, engaging and innovative visitor and outreach experiences through its education, exhibition, and research and collections programming for children, students, teachers, families and life-long learners. The 180,000-square-foot facility in Victory Park opened in December 2012 and is now recognized as the symbolic gateway to the Dallas Arts District. Future scientists, mathematicians and engineers will find inspiration and enlightenment through 11 permanent exhibit halls on five floors of public space; a children's museum; a state-of-the art traveling exhibition hall; and The Hoglund Foundation Theater. Designed by 2005 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate Thom Mayne and his firm Morphosis Architects, the museum has been lauded for its artistry and sustainability. To learn more, please visit perotmuseum.org.

About Hokkaido University. Hokkaido University is home to some 4 million specimens and documents that have been gathered, preserved and studied since the Sapporo Agricultural College began more than 130 years ago. Amongst these are more than 10,000 precious "type specimens" that form the basis for the discovery and certification of new species. Opened in the spring of 1999, the Hokkaido University Museum conveys the diverse range of research carried out at Hokkaido University while also using various original materials and visual media to introduce the university's cutting-edge research.

Okayama University of Science. Okayama University of Science carries a various scientific departments more than 5000 students are enrolled every year. The university recently opened a new course for studying paleontology in 2014 and renovated a dinosaur museum in this April. Dinosaur research projects at the Okayama University of Science are appointed to one of the selective projects of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and the University is now known as one of the key institutions for dinosaur researches in Japan.
Baku, Azerbaijan, May 6

By Fidan Babayeva  Trend:

The subsidiary of the Azerbaijan Industrial Corporation (AIC), Azertutun LLC, has exported 99 tons of medium-quality processed tobacco to Indonesia under a contract with the Belgian company Tobacco Trade Services since the beginning of 2020, Director of the Agrarian Production and Trade Department of the corporation Ilham Bayramov told Trend on May 6.

"Moreover, raw tobacco worth $440,000 was exported to Russia and Ukraine," he said.

Bayramov noted that a great part of the exports accounted for Indonesia, the export to which was carried out for the first time.

"At the same time, from the beginning of 2020, 38 tobacco samples were pre-shipped to Germany, Belgium and Brazil for initiating the export," he said.

The director stressed that in 2019, the volume of exports from Azerbaijan to Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia and Poland amounted to 1,293 tons, of which 475 tons accounted for Russia. He added that earlier, there were certain delays in exports due to the cargo clearance procedure. However, with the company's accession to the Green Corridor system of the State Customs Committee in 2019, the shipment process became much faster and easier.

According to Bayramov, it is planned to increase the production volume of dry tobacco to 3,000 tons in 2020.

On August 10, 2017, Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev approved the state program on the development the production of tobacco and tobacco products in Azerbaijan for 2017-2021. One of its main goals is to increase tobacco productivity to 20 centners per hectare, expand the cultivated area of tobacco to 6,000 hectares and increase production to 12,000 tons of tobacco.

Azertutun company has 236 tobacco drying chambers and other necessary infrastructure in Balakan, Zagatala and Sheki districts of the country.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: Fidan_Babaeva
Church grieves as beloved Maine pastor, father of 2 killed in motorcycle crash

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Bill Chadwick, a beloved pastor and father of two from Maine who was well known for his wit, selflessness, and passion for life and Christ, died tragically in a motorcycle accident Saturday morning. He was 64.

Authorities told Central Maine that Chadwick was riding a motorcycle at the intersection of Route 25 and Conant Street when he crashed into another vehicle around 11:50 a.m. He died at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle, 71-year-old James Bosse, was uninjured, police said.

Chadwick had been pastor at Stroudwater Christian Church in Portland since 1990 at the time of his death.

In a statement on its website, the church described the loss as something that may seem more than we can bear.

It is with great regret and deep sadness that the Board of Stroudwater Christian Church must share with you that today our beloved Pastor Bill passed away. He died in a motorcycle accident. The loss and profound grief we all feel may seem more than we can bear, yet we are reminded of Pastor Bills many words, over his many years with us, that strengthen and encourage us, and will lead us to a place of peace in our Lord whom he loved and served, it said.

In his bio on the churchs website, Chadwick was described as having the heart of an evangelist as well as being an author, scholar, and student of the Word.

His widow, Carol, with whom he raised two sons, Benjamin and Daniel, during 32 years of marriage, said his passion was leading others to God.

He was absolutely passionate about leading others to Christ. That was his principal mission in life, that was why he got up every day, she told Central Maine.

Congregant Brett Williams, who also served a Chadwicks worship director, remembered him as a giant with a quick wit, a beautiful mind, and a colossal heart.

The world lost a giant yesterday. My pastor from Stroudwater Christian Church, William Henry Chadwick, was instrumental in my life when I was single, when I got married, and when I became a dad. He had a quick wit, a beautiful mind, and a colossal heart. He supported and trusted me when I was his worship director ... a gift I didn't appreciate at the time. He was my pastor in every sense. He will be very sorely missed. Rest in peace, friend, Williams wrote on Facebook.

Chadwick, who, like millions of Americans across the nation, was also coping with a stay-at-home order which in his state remains in effect until May 31, recently had his wit on display in a post on Facebook about how he was managing.

Day 35 and I still have plenty of projects to do around the house. Just yesterday I counted 34 ants in the morning on the front deck and 7 on the back deck in the afternoon. That was down from just a week ago. I think I've flatten the curve, he wrote on April 22. Soon I'll let the wife come out and sun on the deck again as long as she practices social distancing. Wish the deck was bigger so we both could practice social distancing at the same time. As it is now, I just report to her that no one else was there. I'm fine really. We can do this. Tomorrow. I'm cleaning out her closets. Should be a good day.
For Immediate Release

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE INFORMATION IN IT, IS RESTRICTED, AND IS NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, SWITZERLAND OR SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO DISTRIBUTE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT

FURTHER, THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE, OR FORM THE BASIS OF AN OFFER TO SELL OR ISSUE OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY, SUBSCRIBE FOR OR OTHERWISE ACQUIRE ANY NEW OR EXISTING ORDINARY SHARES OF PROVIDENCE RESOURCES PLC IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH ANY SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL

Terms and conditions used in this announcement have the meaning ascribed to them in the announcement of 6 April, 2020 unless the context requires otherwise.

Providence Resources P.l.c.

Result of Extraordinary General Meeting

Dublin and London  May 5, 2020 - On April 6, 2020, Providence Resources P.l.c., ("Providence" or the Company) the Irish Energy Company, whose shares are quoted in London (AIM) and Dublin (Euronext Growth Market), announced a conditional fundraising of 157,973,004 Placing Securities and 20,000,000 Subscription Securities (each of which shall comprise one New Ordinary Share, one 3p Warrant and one 9p warrant) at a price of 0.015 (equivalent to approximately US$0.018) each.

The Company is pleased to announce that, at its Extraordinary General Meeting held earlier today, the Resolutions set out in the Circular dated April 6, 2020 were duly passed. The results of the Poll of the meeting are set out below.

Ordinary Resolution 1  To authorise the Directors to allot relevant securities

Vote Type Voted Voted % % of Issued Share Capital Voted For 358,390,158 99.996% 54.52% Against 13,519 0.004% 54.52% Total Voted 358,403,677 100% 54.52% Votes Withheld 33,904

Special Resolution 2 - To disapply statutory pre-emption restrictions in respect of the allotment of shares in connection with the Fundraising

Story continues

Vote Type Voted Voted % % of Issued Share Capital Voted For 358,381,534 99.995% 54.52% Against 16,737 0.005% 54.52% Total Voted 358,381,534 100% 54.52% Votes Withheld 39,310

Ordinary Resolution 3 - To increase the authorised capital of the Company

Vote Type Voted Voted % % of Issued Share Capital Voted For 358,394,330 99.997% 54.52% Against 9,440 0.003% 54.52% Total Voted 358,403,770 100% 54.52% Votes Withheld 33,811

Special Resolution 4 - To authorise the Directors to adopt and implement the 2020 Share Option Scheme

Vote Type Voted Voted % % of Issued Share Capital Voted For 285,600,251 79.687% 54.52% Against 72,801,128 20.313% 54.52% Total Voted 358,401,379 100% 54.52% Votes Withheld 36,202

Accordingly, and subject to Admission becoming effective, the Company has therefore raised aggregate gross proceeds of approximately 2.7 million (equivalent to approximately US$3.3 million) through the Placing and the Subscription.

Application has been made to the London Stock Exchange and Euronext Dublin for the New Ordinary Shares to be admitted to trading on AIM and Euronext Growth and this is expected that Admission will occur at 8.00 a.m. on May 6, 2020. Following Admission, the New Ordinary Shares will rank pari passu in all respects with the existing Ordinary Shares in issue including the right to receive all dividends or other distributions declared, made or paid after the date of their issue.

Following Admission, the Company's total issued and voting share capital will comprise 835,397,852 Ordinary Shares of 0.001 each. This figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, securities of the Company under the FCA's Disclosure and Transparency Rules.





INVESTOR ENQUIRIES Providence Resources P.l.c. Tel: +353 1 219 4074 Alan Linn, Chief Executive Officer Cenkos Securities plc Tel: +44 131 220 9771 Neil McDonald/Derrick Lee J&E Davy Tel: +353 1 679 6363 Anthony Farrell Mirabaud Securities Limited Tel: + 44 20 3167 7221 Peter Krens MEDIA ENQUIRIES Murray Consultants Tel: +353 1 498 0300 / +353 87 255 8300 Pauline McAlester

ANNOUNCEMENT & FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This announcement contains certain forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those projected or implied in such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking information involves risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect expected results. No representation is made that any of those statements or forecasts will come to pass or that any forecast results will be achieved. You are cautioned not to place any reliance on such statements or forecasts. Those forward-looking and other statements speak only as at the date of this announcement. Providence Resources P.l.c undertakes no obligation to update any forward- looking statements.

ABOUT PROVIDENCE RESOURCES PLC
Home  Just In  Nepali Congress panel to study Covid-19 impact on economy

Kathmandu, May 6

The main opposition party, Nepali Congress, has formed a special committee to probe and analyse the effects of coronavirus outbreak in different areas of Nepals economy.

The decision to form the committee was made in a meeting of the partys central working committee led by the party president Sher Bahadur Deuba on April 29.

The partys leader and former finance minister Ram Sharan Mahat heads the committee. It has 14 members including Mahesh Acharya, Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, Narayan Khadka, Minendra Rijal, and Chinkaji Shrestha among others.

The committee will prepare suggestions regarding the relief packages and priorities in the budget for the next fiscal year as well as analyse the long-term effects of the Covid-19 in the Nepali economy.
NEW YORK, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The ASEAN cloud infrastructure market will gravitate toward a hybrid deployment model (partially premises-based and partially cloud-based) in the next 3 to 5 years. The demand for managed cloud offerings has been increasing, particularly for Application-as-a-Service and Network-as-a-Service offerings. Enterprises are looking to deploy more open-source private cloud platforms across hybrid environments, as hybrid-IT emerges as a new norm. The adoption of multicloud solutions will accelerate owing to factors such as the migration of development applications to the public cloud and disaster recovery and business continuity purposes.







Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05873694/?utm_source=PRN







Active government initiatives such as Smart Cities in developing countries and key digital hubs present new monetization opportunities for service providers in developing verticalized cloud solutions to address governments' digital transformation ambitions. The demand for integrated management solutions is likely to increase in multicloud environments. Managed hybrid cloud platforms are in demand to accommodate workloads, ranging from enterprise applications (such as email, enterprise resource planning (ERP), and cloud-native applications) and analytics to the Internet of Things (IoT).



While cloud security and privacy remain major concerns for many companies in the ASEAN region, they present monetization opportunities for vendors to provide ancillary managed security, cloud, and other professional services. The expansion of open-source technologies, as well as advances in application programming interfaces (API)-accessible single-tenant cloud servers, helps promote acceptance toward managed cloud providers. Established data center markets such as Singapore and countries experiencing high data center growth rates such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand are expected to be the key focus areas for cloud infrastructure market growth in the ASEAN region owing to the availability of necessary infrastructure and connectivity, as well as the presence of hyperscale cloud vendors. Stiff competition and increasing commoditization of pure-play storage and cloud offerings are driving providers to offer new services and innovate. These include bundling more managed services (such as managed security and analytics) into their cloud services portfolio, thereby shifting the focus away from being a pure reseller of public cloud services.



KEY ISSUES ADDRESSED

What is the addressable market opportunity for cloud infrastructure services?

What are the driving and restraining factors that will shape the future of the data center services market in ASEAN and Taiwan ?

? What are the significant developments in the cloud infrastructure services space in ASEAN and Taiwan ? Which are the key participants in the market and what are their market strategies?

? Which are the key participants in the market and what are their market strategies? What are the key customer adoption trends in the cloud IaaS market in ASEAN and Taiwan ?

? Where are the growth opportunities, and what are some actionable recommendations for service providers and vendors to capitalize on these opportunities?





Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05873694/?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.



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India has suspended all existing visas granted to foreign nationals, barring a few categories, till international air travel to and from India remains shut due to the coronavirus pandemic, said media reports, citing an government order.

The extension will be for a period of 30 days beyond opening of international travel in the country, reported Press Trust of IndIa.

In a separate order, the Union Home Ministry also said it has extended on gratis basis the visas of foreigners stranded in India due the lockdown.

The government led by PM Narendra Modi had announced such a suspension on April 17, but that order expired on Monday (May 4). The new prohibition on arrival of foreigners through the normal route has no specific date unlike the earlier order.

All existing visas granted to foreigners - except those belonging to diplomatic, official, UN international organisations, employment and project categories - shall remain suspended till prohibition on international air travel of passengers from and to India is lifted by the government, the order said.

In the other order, the Home Ministry said regular visa, e-visa or stay stipulation of foreign nationals whose visas have expired post-midnight February 1 or would expire during the ban on international air travel from India would be extended on Gratis basis just on submission of an online application.

The ministry also said it has kept in abeyance multiple-entry life-long visas given to Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) card holders till international travel remains suspended, reported PTI.

However, the OCI card holders who are already in India can stay in the country for any length of time, it stated.

Such extensions would be for a period up to 30 days from the date of lifting of prohibition on international air travel without any overstay penalty, it said.

Exit to such foreign nationals, if so requested by them, will also be granted on the same lines, it said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry issued detailed four-page Standard Operating Protocols, SOP, for Indians returning to India beginning this week from the Gulf and elsewhere in the world, reported Emirati news agency Wam.

It details how they can return to India, the procedures during repatriation flights and what awaits them upon landing at their destinations.

The SOPs also apply to persons stranded in India who are desirous to travel abroad for urgent reasons. Their visas will be extended free of charge for 30 days beyond resumption of international flights out of India, the report stated.

In its third order, the Home Ministry said the right of multiple-entry on lifelong visa for OCI card-holders will continue to be kept in abeyance till the prohibition on international air travel to and from India.

Any foreign national holding an OCI card who intends to travel to India for compelling reasons during the period may contact the nearest Indian mission, stated the PTI report.

In case of persons holding OCI card who are already in India, the OCI card will remain valid for their stay in India for any length of time, it added.
"At Sentry, we're committed to helping those we serve get through this very difficult time," said Pete McPartland, chairman of the board, president, and CEO of Sentry, and chairman of the Sentry Foundation. "We also understand help is needed at the heart of our communities. By partnering with local organizationsfrom United Way to other community groupswe hope to lift up our communities and work together to overcome the challenges we face."

As the title sponsor of the Sentry Tournament of Champions for the last three years, and through the 2029-2030 PGA TOUR Season, Sentry has made a commitment to work year-round to build community on Maui and support the island's charities.

"We think of Maui as our home away from home and have come to understand first-hand the unique challenges faced by the people of Maui," said Stephanie Smith, vice president and chief marketing and brand officer, Sentry. "Those challenges are even more present during these uncertain times and we believe the most meaningful way we can help is to support to organizations that are ingrained in the community that can best identify and serve its needs."

A longtime supporter of United Way, the Foundation's donation to Maui United Way is one of 15 donations to local United Way organizations where Sentry employees live and work, as well as Maui. An additional matching program encourages employees to join the company in supporting their communities.

In the past few weeks, United Way nationally has seen a more than 200 percent increase in calls from people looking for food, financial assistance, and housing. The organization is dedicated to coordinating its vast network of resources and connecting as many people as they can to assistance.

"We're grateful for Sentry's continued support as we face this extraordinary hardship," said Nicholas Winfrey, president and CPO, Maui United Way. "Their donation will make many programs possible, supporting the health, education, economic opportunities and provide a safety net for those we serve."

"On behalf of the people of Maui County, I extend my deep appreciation to Sentry Insurance for its generous donation to Maui United Way," Mayor Michael Victorino said. "With more than 33,500 unemployment claims in Maui County since mid-March because of the COVID-19 emergency shutdown, our people are hurting, and Sentry's financial assistance will help us get through this crisis and emerge stronger than everMaui County strong!"

Recognizing policyholders who have pivoted to manufacture COVID-19 supplies

Every day, businesses insured by Sentryboth small and largeare adjusting their operations to serve the immediate needs of their communities. The Sentry Foundation will recognize these efforts by making contributions of $5,000 each in the customers' names to charities of their choice.

Donations have already been made on behalf of Lakeview Industries, SISU, Thermoformed Plastics of New England (TPNE), and Vista Color for their efforts in converting their operations to make critical equipment and supplies such as low cost ventilators and PPE.

Sentry is one of the country's largest mutual insurance companies, currently ranked No. 685 on the Fortune 1000 list. Sentry employs more than 4,300 associates throughout the U.S., including about 2,500 in central Wisconsin.

About the Sentry Insurance Foundation

The Sentry Insurance Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Sentry. Funding priorities include education support, workforce development, United Way, and local organizations that work to improve and enhance the quality of life in the communities where we work, live, and play.

SOURCE Sentry Insurance

Related Links

http://sentry.com


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In brief: The tricky thing about disasters is that its nearly impossible to predict where they will hit. Alphabets Loon knows this all too well as experiences like Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico back in 2017 and the earthquake in Peru last year served to help shape how they operate moving forward.

In short, Loon  the Alphabet subsidiary that provides mobile service to areas that might not otherwise have connectivity (like those that have just been hit by a natural disaster) through high-flying balloons  has shifted its thinking from disaster response to disaster preparedness.

By preparing the necessary elements that go into a deployment in advance, Loon said it can cut down on their ability to respond to a disaster from weeks to just days or hours.

On that front, Loon has partnered with AT&T and has successfully integrated the Loon system with AT&Ts network. In a disaster scenario, this will save valuable time as Loon wont have to complete time-intensive network integration. It also means that Loon will be able to work with AT&T partners around the globe (so long as they have a standard international roaming relationship with the carrier).

While the partnership with AT&T will certainly help, Loon admitted that more work is still needed in other areas to help speed along deployment. For example, the company has been working to get regulatory approval from governments to fly overhead when needed. To date, Loon has received permission to fly in over 50 countries including Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, just to name a few.
The economic damage being caused by the coronavirus, and the war of words over who is to blame for the pandemic, are rapidly increasing the doubts over whether the United States and China can uphold the terms of their phase one trade deal.

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he would terminate the deal if China does not buy the amount of American products it has promised. It is the first time that Trump has publicly expressed his impatience about the implementation of the deal signed at the White House in mid-January, crucially before the scale of the coronavirus outbreak became clear.

For Beijing, the deal has been an unpleasant burden from day one. China engaged in back and forth negotiations with the US for nearly two years to avoid an all-out trade war, but it was never Beijings wish to subject its foreign purchases or domestic policies to US influence.

And even before the coronavirus outbreak grabbed the headlines, China had kept a low profile on its deal with the US. Few Chinese officials, including Vice-Premier and chief trade negotiator Liu He, discussed the deals implementation in public. It is only in an interview given by Cui Tiankai, Chinas ambassador in Washington, at the start of April that Beijing expressed it was still committed to the deal.

The phase one trade deal requires China to buy an additional US$200 billion worth of US products and services over the next two years compared to 2017 levels. However, the global pandemic has made it extremely unlikely China will be able fulfil its promises.

The US was hoping China would buy large quantities of crude oil, but Chinese imports have been limited amid a global supply glut.

China, the worlds largest importer of crude, imported just US$114 million worth of oil and other mineral fuels from the US in the first quarter of 2020, less than half the level of a year earlier. This is almost negligible compared with the US$11.3 billion it bought from Russia and US$10.7 billion it bought from Saudi Arabia, according to data from Chinas General Administration of Customs.

Story continues

One executive with a Chinese state-owned oil company, who declined to be identified, said weakened demand for oil was a fundamental reason for the limited US purchases.

The US has another disadvantage in selling oil to China  the transport fee from the US to China could be US$10 per barrel, which is a few bucks higher than that from the Middle East

Chinese state-owned oil company executive

The US has another disadvantage in selling oil to China  the transport fee from the US to China could be US$10 per barrel, which is a few bucks higher than that from the Middle East, the executive said. A few bucks can make a huge difference now in oil deals [with prices so low].

At the same time, Chinas purchases of American farm products surged early in the year, although this was from a very low base due to impact of US tariffs. Imports of US soybeans increased 210 per cent in the first three months of 2020 from a year earlier to US$21.88 billion, or 7.8 million tonnes, Chinese customs figures showed.

But the momentum of purchases has weakened since March, when the coronavirus pandemic began to disrupt global transport and trade. The US had no soybean exports to China in two weeks in March, according to data from the US Department of Agriculture. In the last full week of April, shipments of soybeans to China totaled 10,375 tonnes, less than a tenth of the levels from a year earlier.

The Office of the US Trade Representative also announced in mid-February, when the trade deal took effect, that it had formed a new Bilateral Evaluation and Dispute Resolution Office. According to the requirements of the phase one deal, China should have established a counterpart office to address any disputes regarding implementation of the agreement.

China, though, has yet to announce details of whether it has set up its own body, and the Ministry of Commerce was not available for comment on Tuesday due to the Labour Day public holidays in China.

With the coronavirus dominating the agenda, hardly any updates about the trade deal have appeared in Chinas official rhetoric over the past three months. This includes meetings of the ruling Communist Partys top-level Politburo and the regular press conferences by central government ministries involved in the trade talks.

It has now become impossible to strictly implement it, Huo Jianguo, the former head of a think tank under the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, said in March.

According to Huo, the problem is not Chinas reluctance to buy US products, but disrupted US supplies due to the coronavirus.

China-US relations are still on a downward trajectory  the atmosphere in China-US relations during the epidemic has been the worst over the past 30 years

Niu Xinchun

The opening up of Chinas financial services market has also been slow, according to lobby groups.

Therere sectors within financial services for which China has yet to issue formal notices of how to proceed, how to apply, said Lester Ross, chair of the policy committee of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, last week.

One big benefit of the trade deal for China was that it offered a sense of predictability for its trade with the US, as well as its relations with Washington. However, the coronavirus has changed this perception as its exports have plunged and China-US tensions have again flared up.

China-US relations are still on a downward trajectory  the atmosphere in China-US relations during the epidemic has been the worst over the past 30 years, said Niu Xinchun, director of Middle East Studies at China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, according to an article published by the think tank at the start of April.

After the epidemic, China-US relations will inevitably face new problems. The epidemic impacts the implementation of the Sino-US trade agreement, and the interdependence of Sino-US industrial chains.

Sign up now and get a 10% discount (original price US$400) off the China AI Report 2020 by SCMP Research. Learn about the AI ambitions of Alibaba, Baidu & JD.com through our in-depth case studies, and explore new applications of AI across industries. The report also includes exclusive access to webinars to interact with C-level executives from leading China AI companies (via live Q&A sessions). Offer valid until 31 May 2020.

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Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister



Ajit Pawar on Wednesday asked the Centre to increase the 40,000-metric tonne limit set for NAFED for procuring onions to 50,000 metric tonnes in the interest of cultivators and consumers in the state.

Pawar, who holds the finance portfolio, made the demand in a letter to Union Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Ram Vilas Paswan.

The National Agricultural Cooperative Federation of India (NAFED) is a central agency that aims to promote cooperative marketing of agricultural produce to benefit farmers.

Pawar said Maharashtra has witnessed good production of onions and the produce is available on a big scale presently across agricultural produce market committees in the state.

The current COVID-19 crisis, however, has affected the purchase of onions, the senior NCP leader added.

Pawar predicted that with favourable weather conditions, the onion production will be on the higher side during the rabi (winter) season.

Once the crop taken during the rabi season will hit markets, the prices will plunge, adversely affecting farmers, the finance minister said.

This needs to be avoided. The Centres decision to purchase onion through NAFED is worth welcoming, but reducing the procurement limit to 40,000 metric tonnes from 45,000 metric tonnes last year is unjust.

Hence, the procurement limit should be increased to 50,000 metric tonnes, a statement quoted Pawar as saying in the letter.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI  A collaborative testing effort in Muskegon area congregate living facilities such as adult foster care homes has found that more than half of people tested so far had contracted coronavirus.

The congregate living facilities where testing has been conducted include adult foster care homes, group homes, and room and boards in Muskegon County, according to a news release issued Wednesday by HealthWest, a community mental health center in Muskegon.

Nurses began testing for COVID-19 at the facilities on April 22. Out of more than 30 individuals tested for the coronavirus so far, more than half were positive as of Wednesday morning, May 6, according to the release.

The collaborative testing program identified three people who were hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms, all three of whom have survived, officials say.

HealthWest Communications Coordinator Gary Ridley did not provide an exact number of how many residents are going to be tested through the collaborative testing effort. He said residents in area group living facilities are first screened by HealthWest staff for COVID-19 symptoms and then tested based on statewide protocols.

Many of those being tested by HealthWest nurses have physical or emotional limitations that prevent them from participating in more traditional drive-through testing programs, HealthWest Executive Director Julia Rupp said in a prepared statement.

Muskegon County has confirmed 318 positive coronavirus cases out of 2,681 residents who have been tested as of Tuesday, May 5. Among the confirmed cases are 18 people in their 70s and 25 people over the age of 80, countywide data shows.

Eighteen people in Muskegon County had died of COVID-19 as of Tuesday. Older adults make up more than half of those deaths  eight people who have died were over the age of 80, and three people were in their 70s, county data shows.

County health officials reported five deaths linked to COVID-19 in Muskegon area assisted living centers last month.

Four residents of Seminole Shores Assisted Living Center died from COVID-19 and one resident of DaySpring Assisted Living died, according to a news release issued by Muskegon County April 22.

Six HealthWest nurses were selected in April to join the specialized COVID-19 testing team, according to Wednesdays release. The number of nurses eligible to join the program has been limited due to a lack of adequately fitting personal protective equipment.

Training and testing materials have been provided by Mercy Health, officials say.

We know that it is very important to test our at-risk populations in order to reduce transmission, said Mercy Health Muskegon President Gary Allore in a released statement. We are grateful to be able to support the Muskegon health community in this way as it embodies our mission to be a transforming, healing presence in the communities we serve.

HealthWest trained staff also have assisted the county with conducting contact tracing for anyone in services at HealthWest who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Contact tracing helps us identify possible sources of infection and is a critical tool in our COVID-19 response, said Muskegon County Health Officer Kathy Moore in a released statement. HealthWest staff has been invaluable in helping us work with those they serve.

PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

More on MLive:

Muskegon County sees 2nd lowest single-day increase of coronavirus cases in 3 weeks

Coronavirus at Muskegon area group living facilities confirmed by health department

3 residents, 3 staff at Grand Rapids Home for Veterans now positive for coronavirus
WASHINGTON, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Danaher Corporation (NYSE: DHR) (the "Company") today announced results for the quarter ended April 3, 2020. All results in this release reflect only continuing operations unless otherwise noted.

For the first quarter 2020, net earnings were $595.1 million, or $0.81 per diluted common share. Non-GAAP adjusted diluted net earnings per common share were $1.05.

Revenues increased 3.0% year-over-year to $4.3 billion, with non-GAAP core revenue growth of 4.5%.

Starting with the second quarter of 2020, the Company intends to present core revenue growth including Cytiva. For the second quarter 2020 the Company anticipates that non-GAAP core revenue growth including Cytiva will be in the range of approximately flat to down 10%.

Thomas P. Joyce, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We are pleased with our first quarter performance during such an unprecedented time. We delivered 4.5% core revenue growth driven by positive results in each of our three reporting segments, with particular strength in our Cepheid, Radiometer, Pall, and ChemTreat businesses. We were also excited to close our acquisition of the GE Biopharma business, now called Cytiva, on March 31."

Joyce continued, "We are incredibly proud of our team's response to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are providing much-needed diagnostic testing capabilities today and supporting our customers' pursuit of new treatments and vaccines for the future. Looking ahead, we feel well-positioned to navigate through this uncertain environment. We believe that the combination of our strong portfolio, exceptional team, and disciplined execution driven by the Danaher Business System will continue to differentiate Danaher in 2020 and beyond."

Danaher will discuss its results during its quarterly investor conference call on May 7, 2020 starting at 7:30 a.m. ET. The call and an accompanying slide presentation will be webcast on the "Investors" section of Danaher's website, www.danaher.com, under the subheading "Events & Presentations." A replay of the webcast will be available in the same section of Danaher's website shortly after the conclusion of the presentation and will remain available until the next quarterly earnings call.

The conference call can be accessed by dialing 866-503-8675 within the U.S. or by dialing +1 786-815-8792 outside the U.S. a few minutes before the 7:30 a.m. ET start and telling the operator that you are dialing in for Danaher's earnings conference call (access code 3845297). A replay of the conference call will be available shortly after the conclusion of the call and until May 21, 2020. You can access the replay dial-in information on the "Investors" section of Danaher's website under the subheading "Events & Presentations." In addition, presentation materials relating to Danaher's results have been posted to the "Investors" section of Danaher's website under the subheading "Quarterly Earnings."

ABOUT DANAHER

Danaher is a global science and technology innovator committed to helping its customers solve complex challenges and improving quality of life around the world. Its family of world class brands has leadership positions in the demanding and attractive health care, environmental and applied end-markets. With more than 20 operating companies, Danaher's globally diverse team of approximately 67,000 associates is united by a common culture and operating system, the Danaher Business System, and its Shared Purpose, Helping Realize Life's Potential. For more information, please visit www.danaher.com.

NON-GAAP MEASURES

In addition to the financial measures prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), this earnings release also contains non-GAAP financial measures. Calculations of these measures, the reasons why we believe these measures provide useful information to investors, a reconciliation of these measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures and other information relating to these non-GAAP measures are included in the supplemental reconciliation schedule attached.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements in this release that are not strictly historical, including statements regarding the Company's anticipated second quarter financial performance, the Company's contributions to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the positioning of the Company's portfolio, the Company's differentiation and any other statements regarding events or developments that we believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future are "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results, developments and business decisions to differ materially from those suggested or indicated by such forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. These factors include, among other things, the highly uncertain and unpredictable severity, magnitude and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic (and the related governmental, business and community responses thereto) on our business, results of operations and financial condition, Danaher's ability to successfully integrate the operations and employees of the Biopharma business Danaher recently acquired from General Electric Company (now known as Cytiva) with Danaher's existing business, the ability to realize anticipated financial, tax and operational synergies and benefits from such acquisition, Cytiva's performance and maintenance of important business relationships, the impact of our debt obligations (including the debt incurred to finance the acquisition of Cytiva) on our operations and liquidity, deterioration of or instability in the economy, the markets we serve and the financial markets (including as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic), developments and uncertainties in U.S. policy stemming from the U.S. administration, such as changes in U.S. trade and tariff policies and the reaction of other countries thereto, contractions or growth rates and cyclicality of markets we serve, competition, our ability to develop and successfully market new products and technologies and expand into new markets, the potential for improper conduct by our employees, agents or business partners, our compliance with applicable laws and regulations (including regulations relating to medical devices and the health care industry), the results of our clinical trials and perceptions thereof, our ability to effectively address cost reductions and other changes in the health care industry, our ability to successfully identify and consummate appropriate acquisitions and strategic investments and successfully complete divestitures and other dispositions, our ability to integrate the businesses we acquire and achieve the anticipated benefits of such acquisitions, contingent liabilities relating to acquisitions, investments and divestitures (including tax-related and other contingent liabilities relating to past and future IPOs, split-offs or spin-offs), security breaches or other disruptions of our information technology systems or violations of data privacy laws, the impact of our restructuring activities on our ability to grow, risks relating to potential impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets, currency exchange rates, tax audits and changes in our tax rate and income tax liabilities, changes in tax laws applicable to multinational companies, litigation and other contingent liabilities including intellectual property and environmental, health and safety matters, the rights of the United States government to use, disclose and license certain intellectual property we license if we fail to commercialize it, risks relating to product, service or software defects, product liability and recalls, risks relating to product manufacturing, our relationships with and the performance of our channel partners, uncertainties relating to collaboration arrangements with third-parties, commodity costs and surcharges, our ability to adjust purchases and manufacturing capacity to reflect market conditions, reliance on sole sources of supply, the impact of deregulation on demand for our products and services, labor matters, international economic, political, legal, compliance and business factors (including the impact of the United Kingdom's separation from the EU and uncertainty relating to the terms of such separation), disruptions relating to man-made and natural disasters (including pandemics such as COVID-19) and pension plan costs. Additional information regarding the factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements is available in our SEC filings, including our 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K, our first quarter 2020 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and our Prospectus Supplement filed with the SEC on April 6, 2020 pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release and except to the extent required by applicable law, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events and developments or otherwise.

DANAHER CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS (unaudited)

($ and shares in millions, except per share amounts)



Three-Month Period Ended



April 3, 2020

March 29, 2019

Sales $ 4,343.1



$ 4,220.2



Cost of sales (1,900.3)



(1,865.3)



Gross profit 2,442.8



2,354.9



Operating costs:







Selling, general and administrative expenses (1,458.3)



(1,367.7)



Research and development expenses (287.0)



(267.5)



Operating profit 697.5



719.7



Nonoperating income (expense):







Other (expense) income, net (1.5)



5.1



Interest expense (47.4)



(20.5)



Interest income 62.5



15.7



Earnings from continuing operations before income taxes 711.1



720.0



Income taxes (116.0)



(387.7)



Net earnings from continuing operations 595.1



332.3



Earnings from discontinued operations, net of income taxes 



1.5



Net earnings 595.1



333.8



Mandatory convertible preferred stock dividends (19.6)



(6.5)



Net earnings attributable to common stockholders $ 575.5



$ 327.3



Net earnings per common share from continuing operations:







Basic $ 0.83



$ 0.46



Diluted $ 0.81



$ 0.45



Net earnings per common share from discontinued operations:







Basic $ 



$ 



Diluted $ 



$ 



Net earnings per common share:







Basic $ 0.83



$ 0.46



Diluted $ 0.81



$ 0.46

* Average common stock and common equivalent shares outstanding:







Basic 697.2



707.6



Diluted 707.9



718.5





* Net earnings per common share does not add due to rounding.

This information is presented for reference only. A complete copy of Danaher's Form 10-Q financial statements is available on the Company's website (www.danaher.com).

Adjusted Diluted Net Earnings Per Common Share from Continuing Operations 1



Three-Month Period Ended

April 3, 2020

March 29, 2019 Diluted Net Earnings Per Common Share from Continuing Operations (GAAP) $ 0.81



$ 0.45

Pretax amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets A 0.22



0.22

Pretax transaction costs deemed significant and integration preparation costs, in each case related to the acquisition of Cytiva B 0.08



0.02

Pretax impairment charges related to a facility in the Diagnostics segment and a trade name and other intangible assets in the Environmental & Applied Solutions segment C 0.01





Pretax fair value adjustments and losses on the Company's equity and limited partnership investments D 0.01





Tax effect of all adjustments reflected above E (0.05)



(0.04)

Discrete tax adjustments and other tax-related adjustments F (0.04)



0.34

Declared dividends on the MCPS assuming "if-converted" method G 0.01





Adjusted Diluted Net Earnings Per Common Share from Continuing Operations (Non-GAAP) $ 1.05



$ 0.99



1 Each of the per share amounts above have been calculated assuming the Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock ("MCPS") had been converted into shares of common stock.

Adjusted Diluted Share Outstanding



Three-Month Period Ended

April 3, 2020

March 29, 2019 (shares in millions)





Average common stock and common equivalent shares outstanding - diluted 707.9



718.5

Converted shares 2 12.4



4.3

Adjusted average common stock and common equivalent shares outstanding - diluted 720.3



722.8



2 The number of converted shares assumes the conversion of all MCPS and issuance of the underlying shares applying the "if-converted" method of accounting and using an average 20 trading-day trailing volume weighted average price ("VWAP") of $132.64 and $128.09 as of April 3, 2020 and March 29, 2019, respectively.

See the accompanying Notes to Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Core Revenue Growth



% Change Three-

Month Period Ended

April 3, 2020 vs.

Comparable 2019

Period Total sales growth (GAAP) 3.0% Impact of:

Currency exchange rates 1.5% Core revenue growth (Non-GAAP) 4.5%

Forecasted Core Revenue Growth and Core Revenue Growth Including Cytiva



% Change Three-

Month Period

Ending July 3, 2020

vs. Comparable 2019

Period Core revenue growth (Non-GAAP) (2.0%) to (12.0%) Impact of:

Cytiva ~2.0% Core revenue growth including Cytiva (Non-GAAP) Flat to (10.0%)

See the accompanying Notes to Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Notes to Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures

A Amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets in the following historical periods ($ in millions) (only the pretax amounts set forth below are reflected in the amortization line item above):



Three-Month Period Ended

April 3, 2020

March 29, 2019 Pretax $ 156.4



$ 157.4

After-tax 125.9



126.8



B Pretax costs incurred for transaction costs deemed significant and integration preparation costs, in each case related to the acquisition of Cytiva in the three-month periods ended April 3, 2020 and March 29, 2019 ($59 million pretax as reported in this line item, $53 million after-tax and $15 million pretax as reported in this line item, $13 million after-tax, respectively). The Company deems acquisition-related transaction costs incurred in a given period to be significant (generally relating to the Company's larger acquisitions) if it determines that such costs exceed the range of acquisition-related transaction costs typical for Danaher in a given period.

C Pretax impairment charges related to a facility in the Diagnostics segment and a trade name and other intangible assets in the Environmental & Applied Solutions segment recorded in the three-month period ended April 3, 2020 ($8 million pretax as reported in this line item, $6 million after-tax).

D Pretax fair value adjustments and losses on the Company's equity and limited partnership investments recorded in the three-month period ended April 3, 2020 ($7 million pretax as reported in this line item, $5 million after-tax).

E This line item reflects the aggregate tax effect of all nontax adjustments reflected in the preceding line items of the table. In addition, the footnotes above indicate the after-tax amount of each individual adjustment item. Danaher estimates the tax effect of each adjustment item by applying Danaher's overall estimated effective tax rate to the pretax amount, unless the nature of the item and/or the tax jurisdiction in which the item has been recorded requires application of a specific tax rate or tax treatment, in which case the tax effect of such item is estimated by applying such specific tax rate or tax treatment. The MCPS dividends are not tax deductible and therefore the tax effect of the adjustments does not include any tax impact of the MCPS dividends.

F Discrete tax adjustments and other tax-related adjustments for the three-month period ended April 3, 2020, include the impact of net discrete tax gains of $27 million (or $0.04 per diluted common share) related primarily to excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation and the release of reserves for uncertain tax positions due to the expiration of statutes of limitation. Discrete tax adjustments and other tax-related adjustments for the three-month period ended March 29, 2019, include the impact of net discrete tax charges of $245 million (or $0.34 per diluted common share) related primarily to changes in estimates associated with prior period uncertain tax positions and audit settlements, net of the release of valuation allowances associated with certain foreign tax credits, tax benefits resulting from a change in tax law and excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation. The Company anticipates excess tax benefits from stock compensation of approximately $7 million per quarter and therefore excludes benefits in excess of this amount in the calculation of Adjusted Diluted Net Earnings Per Common Share from Continuing Operations.

G In March 2019, the Company issued $1.65 billion in aggregate liquidation preference of 4.75% MCPS. Dividends on the MCPS are payable on a cumulative basis at an annual rate of 4.75% on the liquidation preference of $1,000 per share. Unless earlier converted, each share of MCPS will automatically convert on April 15, 2022 into between 6.6542 and 8.1513 shares of Danaher's common stock, subject to further anti-dilution adjustments. The number of shares of Danaher's common stock issuable on conversion of the MCPS will be determined based on the VWAP per share of our common stock over the 20 consecutive trading day period beginning on, and including, the 21st scheduled trading day immediately before April 15, 2022. For the purposes of calculating adjusted earnings per share, the Company has excluded the paid and anticipated MCPS cash dividends and assumed the "if-converted" method of share dilution (the incremental shares of common stock deemed outstanding applying the "if-converted" method of calculating share dilution are referred to as the "Converted Shares".)

Statement Regarding Non-GAAP Measures

Each of the non-GAAP measures set forth above should be considered in addition to, and not as a replacement for or superior to, the comparable GAAP measure, and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. Management believes that these measures provide useful information to investors by offering additional ways of viewing Danaher Corporation's ("Danaher" or the "Company") results that, when reconciled to the corresponding GAAP measure, help our investors to:

with respect to Adjusted Diluted Net Earnings Per Common Share from Continuing Operations, understand the long-term profitability trends of our business and compare our profitability to prior and future periods and to our peers; and

with respect to core revenue from continuing operations, identify underlying growth trends in our business and compare our revenue performance with prior and future periods and to our peers.

Beginning with respect to forecasted results for the second quarter of 2020, we also present core revenue from continuing operations on a basis that includes revenue attributable to Cytiva (formerly the Biopharma Business of General Electric Company's ("GE") Life Sciences business), which Danaher acquired from GE on March 31, 2020. Historically Danaher has calculated core revenue solely on a basis that excludes revenues from acquired businesses recorded prior to the first anniversary of the acquisition. However, given Cytiva's significant size and historical core revenue growth rate, in each case compared to Danaher's existing businesses, management believes it is appropriate to also present core revenue on a basis that includes Cytiva. Management believes this presentation provides useful information to investors by demonstrating now the impact Cytiva has on the Company's growth profile, rather than waiting to demonstrate such impact twelve months after the acquisition when Cytiva would normally have been included in Danaher's core revenue calculation. Danaher calculates period-to-period core revenue from continuing operations including Cytiva by adding to the baseline period revenue Cytiva's historical revenue from such period (when it was owned by GE), net of the revenues of the product lines Danaher divested to obtain regulatory approval for the Cytiva acquisition, and also adding Cytiva's net revenues to the current period.

Management uses these non-GAAP measures to measure the Company's operating and financial performance, and uses core revenue and non-GAAP measures similar to Adjusted Diluted Net Earnings Per Common Share from Continuing Operations in the Company's executive compensation program.

The items excluded from the non-GAAP measures set forth above have been excluded for the following reasons:

With respect to Adjusted Diluted Net Earnings Per Common Share from Continuing Operations:

We exclude the amortization of acquisition-related intangible assets because the amount and timing of such charges are significantly impacted by the timing, size, number and nature of the acquisitions we consummate. While we have a history of significant acquisition activity we do not acquire businesses on a predictable cycle, and the amount of an acquisition's purchase price allocated to intangible assets and related amortization term are unique to each acquisition and can vary significantly from acquisition to acquisition. Exclusion of this amortization expense facilitates more consistent comparisons of operating results over time between our newly acquired and long-held businesses, and with both acquisitive and non-acquisitive peer companies. We believe however that it is important for investors to understand that such intangible assets contribute to revenue generation and that intangible asset amortization related to past acquisitions will recur in future periods until such intangible assets have been fully amortized.



We exclude costs incurred pursuant to discrete restructuring plans that are fundamentally different (in terms of the size, strategic nature and planning requirements, as well as the inconsistent frequency, of such plans) from the ongoing productivity improvements that result from application of the Danaher Business System. Because these restructuring plans are incremental to the core activities that arise in the ordinary course of our business and we believe are not indicative of Danaher's ongoing operating costs in a given period, we exclude these costs to facilitate a more consistent comparison of operating results over time.



With respect to the other items excluded, we exclude these items because they are of a nature and/or size that occur with inconsistent frequency, occur for reasons that may be unrelated to Danaher's commercial performance during the period and/or we believe that such items may obscure underlying business trends and make comparisons of long-term performance difficult.



Danaher's Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock ("MCPS") will mandatorily convert into Danaher common stock on the mandatory conversion date, which is expected to be April 15, 2022 (unless converted or redeemed earlier in accordance with the terms of the applicable certificate of designations). On the prior pages, we present the earnings per share-related measures on a basis which assumes the MCPS had already been converted as of the beginning of the applicable period (and accordingly also exclude the dividends that were actually paid on the MCPS during such period, since such dividends would no longer be paid once the MCPS convert). We believe this presentation provides useful information to investors by helping them understand what the net impact will be on Danaher's earnings per share-related measures once the MCPS convert into Danaher common stock.

(unless converted or redeemed earlier in accordance with the terms of the applicable certificate of designations). On the prior pages, we present the earnings per share-related measures on a basis which assumes the MCPS had already been converted as of the beginning of the applicable period (and accordingly also exclude the dividends that were actually paid on the MCPS during such period, since such dividends would no longer be paid once the MCPS convert). We believe this presentation provides useful information to investors by helping them understand what the net impact will be on Danaher's earnings per share-related measures once the MCPS convert into Danaher common stock. With respect to core revenue from continuing operations and core revenue from continuing operations including Cytiva, (1) we exclude the impact of currency translation because it is not under management's control, is subject to volatility and can obscure underlying business trends, and (2) we exclude the effect of acquisitions (other than Cytiva, in the case of core revenue from continuing operations including Cytiva) and divested product lines because the timing, size, number and nature of such transactions can vary significantly from period-to-period and between us and our peers, which we believe may obscure underlying business trends and make comparisons of long-term performance difficult.

Forward-looking estimates of Adjusted Diluted Net Earnings Per Common Share from Continuing Operations do not reflect future gains and charges that are inherently difficult to predict and estimate due to their unknown timing, effect and/or significance, such as certain future gains or losses on the sale of investments, acquisition or divestiture-related gains or charges, discrete tax items and legal contingency provisions. With respect to forecasted core revenue from continuing operations and forecasted core revenue from continuing operations including Cytiva, we do not reconcile these measures to the comparable GAAP measure because of the inherent difficulty in predicting and estimating the future impact and timing of currency translation, acquisitions and divested product lines, which would be reflected in any forecasted GAAP revenue.

SOURCE Danaher Corporation

Related Links

http://www.danaher.com


Many researchers and couples assumed women were bearing the brunt of the extra labor during the pandemic, but this is among the first efforts to quantify it at a national level. The survey asked questions of a representative group of 2,200 Americans in April. (The questions about housework and child care were asked only of people who said they lived with partners or children.)

Another, not-yet-published survey of domestic labor during the pandemic, by a University of Utah sociologist, Daniel L. Carlson, and colleagues, found that similar shares of men reported doing more than women said they did. The survey also found that mothers were primarily responsible for home schooling, even when couples otherwise shared child care responsibilities.

The additional time that women typically spend on domestic work, particularly child care, has significant consequences outside the home: It is a major reason for their lower pay and stunted career paths. Now that theyre spending even more time on these chores because of the pandemic, the repercussions could worsen.

Being forced to be at home is amplifying the differences we already know exist, said Barbara Risman, a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and part of a group of sociologists who analyzed the data. What terrifies me for the future is if it will push women out of the labor force in a way that will be very hard to overcome.

Already, women are doing less paid work than men during lockdown, the survey found. In couples with both people working remotely full time, 28 percent of women and 19 percent of men said they were working less than usual.
It was safety first for Terri Irwin on Tuesday during the weekly grocery shop for her family on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

The widow of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, 55, ditched her usual khaki attire and wore a vibrant face mask at a supermarket near Australia Zoo, in Beerwah.

She kept warm in a navy fleece zip-up jumper with light blue jeans as she left the store with a trolley full of healthy items.

Safety first! Terri Irwin wore a face mask while doing the family grocery on Tuesday near the family home at Australia Zoo, near Beerwah on the Sunshine Coast

Terri almost went undetected in her casual ensemble, which she paired with blue Nike trainers.

Taking precautions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the mother-of-two wore a spotted face mask over her face.

Being environmentally conscious, Terri also chose not to use plastic bags, and instead opted to use cardboard boxes to hold her items.

She unloaded her shopping trolley into her car and revealed she had bought a selection of healthy items for her family.

One item she packed into the cat was an Ingham's roasted chicken - likely the Irwin's dinner for the evening.

Winner, winner: Among the items the items Terri, 55, purchased included an Ingham's roasted chicken - likely their dinner for that evening

Ditching the plastic: The environmentally conscious mother-of-two forgo reusable plastic bags, and instead opted to use cardboard boxes to hold her items

The essentials: Among the other things she bought were eggs, bananas, rice crisps and San Pellegrino sparkling mineral water

Eggs, bananas, rice crisps and San Pellegrino sparkling mineral water were among some of the other items in her trolley.

Terri also bought bread rolls, paper towels and toilet paper.

Afterwards, she returned the trolley back to the bay before taking the short drive back home to Australia Zoo.

Loading up: She also bought bread rolls, paper towels and toilet paper

Don't want them to squash: Terri carefully added the tray of eggs with the shopping in the back of her car

More shopping: The conservationist also bought bread rolls, paper towels and toilet paper

Terri's solo trip to get groceries comes after reports her daughter Bindi has discreetly been 'looking for decent candidates' to date her widowed mother.

The young Wildlife Warrior, 21, reportedly wants her mother to find love again and is even shopping around for potential suitors to take her out on a date.

'Bindi would love nothing more than to see Terri find a nice guy and settle down,' an inside source reportedly told GLOBE magazine.

'She's been discreetly asking around and looking for decent candidates who can take her mum out to dinner and get her back into the dating whirl again.'

Courteous shopper: Afterwards, she returned the trolley back to the bay before the short drive back home to Australia Zoo

Playing matchmaker: Terri's solo trip to the groceries comes after reports her daughter Bindi has discreetly been 'looking for decent candidates' to date her mother Terri

First love: Terri has been too busy working and raising Bindi and Robert to have time for dating in the 14 years since her husband passed, according to the source. Steve (with Terri) was 44 when he tragically died on September 4, 2006, after a stingray attack at near Port Douglas

The conservationist has been too busy working and raising Bindi and Robert to have time for dating in the 14 years since her husband died, according to the source.

Steve was 44 when he tragically died on September 4, 2006, after a stingray attack at Batt Reef near Port Douglas, Queensland.

Surviving him is his widow Terri, and children - Bindi, 21, and Robert, 16.

Bindi recently tied the knot with her long-term boyfriend Chandler Powell.
Photo taken on March 5, 2020, shows Anthony Fauci (front), director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), speaking during a press conference on the coronavirus at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

"A number of very qualified evolutionary biologists have said that everything about the stepwise evolution over time strongly indicates that it evolved in nature and then jumped species."

WASHINGTON, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, could not have been artificially or deliberately manipulated.

Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), made the comments Monday in an interview with National Geographic.

While answering a question regarding evidence that the virus was made in or accidentally released from a lab in China, Fauci said, "If you look at the evolution of the virus in bats, and what's out there now is very, very strongly leaning toward this (virus) could not have been artificially or deliberately manipulated -- the way the mutations have naturally evolved."

"A number of very qualified evolutionary biologists have said that everything about the stepwise evolution over time strongly indicates that it evolved in nature and then jumped species," he said.

Asked about the possibility that the virus was found outside the lab, then brought back and escaped, Fauci said, "That means it (virus) was in the wild to begin with."

"That's why I don't get what they're talking about (and) why I don't spend a lot of time going in on this circular argument," he said.

Photo taken on May 3, 2016, shows Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), speaking during a Zika briefing in Washington D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Bao Dandan)

According to the National Geographic report, Fauci is most concerned that the United States will be put to the test this fall and winter by a second wave of COVID-19 if the country does not blunt the infection rate by the summer.

The United States needs to have not only an adequate supply of tests available before a second wave hits, but also a system for getting those tests to the people who most need them, Fauci said.

"I don't think there's a chance that this virus is just going to disappear," Fauci said. "It's going to be around, and if given the opportunity, it will resurge."

The United States should also focus this summer on properly reinforcing the nation's health care system, ensuring the availability of hospital beds, ventilators, and personal protective equipment for health care workers, Fauci was quoted by National Geographic as saying.

He also stressed the importance of continuing social distancing everywhere until the case counts start to fall in cities and states.

Photo taken on Oct. 24, 2014, shows Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), speaking during a news conference in Maryland, the United States. (Xinhua/Bao Dandan)

As countries around the globe are stepping up efforts for a vaccine to treat COVID-19, Fauci said there is better chance of quickly getting a vaccine for the novel coronavirus than for HIV based on his years of experience, because for some reason human bodies make more adequate immune response to coronavirus than HIV.

The experimental vaccines are inducing, at least in animal models, really rather substantial immune responses, particularly the mRNA vaccine, according to Fauci.

He said the NIAID is developing and supporting multiple vaccine candidates.

"You want a lot of shots on goal. We want four or five candidates that we put out there all within a reasonable time," Fauci said.
A health-tech community product, FYI, undertook the survey conducted by MindMap Advance Research with 560 India Inc. entities, including employees from across small, medium and large enterprises in major metro cities of Delhi-NCR, Mumbai and Bengaluru.

New Delhi: At least 93 per cent of the employees working in India are anxious to return to office as and when the lockdown period gets over, and nearly 85 per cent expect their office spaces to be sanitised before they return to work, a new survey said on Wednesday.

Of these employees, 85 per cent were male and 15 per cent were female. The data also showed that 59 per cent employees are concerned about their health, 25 per cent said they are anxious about their financial situation, while 16 per cent fear that the crisis will be a prolonged one, leading to high anxiety.

Nearly 85 per cent expect their employers to implement and enforce safety guidelines and advisories and seek out new and innovative ways to protect their health while they are in the office.

"India Inc. employees are clearly stressed on the account of their health and that needs to be managed on priority," the survey said.

Evidence supports the fact that happier and secure employees are more productive than those under stress, said Yeishan Goel, Co-founder, FYI.

According to the report, 99 per cent of the employees said that they would like to see a system of Corporate Health Responsibility (CHR) being made mandatory for the employers, just like Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

These expectations are based on the recognition among employees that it would require them to participate in the efforts which the employers undertake to make their health a priority.

At least 82 per cent said that they would agree to participate in the measures that require them to be monitored, while 18 per cent said that they would comply if the privacy of their data is assured.

A high sense of solidarity emerges among the employees, with 96 per cent confirming that they would embrace and comply with the health monitoring initiatives, despite the inconveniences they may cause.

The survey showed that 81 per cent of the employees would resume work only in batches, while 73 per cent expect the employers to enforce work from home as an ongoing process.


Morocco has rapidly expanded its fleet of drones as it battles the coronavirus pandemic, deploying them for aerial surveillance, public service announcements and sanitisation.

This is a real craze. In just weeks, demand has tripled in Morocco and other countries in the region, said Yassine Qamous, chief of Droneway Maroc, African distributor for leading Chinese drone company DJI.

Moroccan firms have been using drones for years and Qamous says it is among the most advanced countries in Africa for unmanned flight, with a dedicated industrial base, researchers and qualified pilots.



But restrictive regulations have long limited civilian drones to specific applications such as filming, agriculture, monitoring solar panels and mapping.

That changed rapidly as the novel coronavirus swept across the world.

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U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks about the CCP virus during a media briefing at the State Department in Washington on May 6, 2020. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque/Pool)

Entirely Consistent: Pompeo Denies Mixed Messages From Administration About Viruss Origin

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said statements by senior officials about the origins of the CCP virus are entirely consistent, rejecting allegations that there were conflicting opinions within the administration about where it came from.

Every one of those statements is entirely consistent, he said at a May 6 press conference. Lay them down together, there is no separation. We are all trying to figure out the right answer. We are all trying to get the clarity. There are different levels of certainty assessed at different places. Thats highly appropriate.

He added that Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milleys recent remarks concerning the genesis of the outbreak were entirely consistent with what I think everyone in the administration has said, including President Trump.

Milley said on May 5 that the weight of evidence is that the virus is natural and not man-made, which was the same conclusion reached last week by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

On the second issue of whether it was accidentally or intentionally released from a lab, Milley said: We do not have conclusive evidence in any of that but the weight of evidence is that it was probably not intentional.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, in a May 4 interview with National Geographic, said there was strong evidence indicating the virus was not made in a lab, and that it evolved in nature and then jumped species.

When asked about the possibility that the virus was leaked from a lab, Fauci replied: But that means it was in the wild to begin with. Thats why I dont get what theyre talking about [and] why I dont spend a lot of time going in on this circular argument.

Trump on April 30 suggested he had seen evidence pointing to the virus originating from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, a top-level lab where researchers studied how coronaviruses jump from animals to humans. Meanwhile, Pompeo on May 3 said there was a significant amount of evidence that it came from a lab in Wuhan.

Pompeo at the May 6 press conference repeatedly defended against assertions that such statements represented a discrepancy in official positions, saying that people stare at data sets and come to different levels of confidence, adding that the intelligence community is still figuring out precisely where the virus began.

We dont have certainty, and there is significant evidence that this came from the laboratory, he added. Those statements can both be true.

Demands for Transparency

Pompeo repeated calls for the Chinese regime to cooperate and be transparent about the origins of the outbreak.

We still dont have the samples that we need. We still dont have the access, he said. They continue to be opaque, and they continue to deny access for this important information that our researchers, our epidemiologists need.

The state secretary said the United States has made many formal requests for data access to the Wuhan lab. When asked if Beijing has formally responded, Pompeo quipped: You should ask Ambassador Cui, who had a great op-ed this morning, and I cant wait for my daily column in the China Daily, referring to the opinion piece written by the Chinese Ambassador to the United States that was published in the Washington Post. China Daily is the Chinese regimes English-language mouthpiece newspaper.

Pompeo said it was up to Beijing to help provide answers. Every one of us stares at this situation and says, Who can provide the answer to precisely where patient zero was from? Where this actually came from? We all know who can unlock the keys to that, he said.

Every one of those leaderswhether its Dr. Fauci or Gen. Milley or myself or the presidentwe all know how to get to this answer. Thats where the focus needs to be. Its where our focus is.

He emphasized that it was important for the regime to disclose what it knows about the outbreaknot just to save lives, but to reduce the risk of another pandemic.

We are demanding of them only what we demand of every nation: be transparent, be open, be a reliable partnerthe very things that they say, he said.

The Chinese say they want to cooperate. Great. Cooperation is about action. Its about opening up. Its about sharing this information.
Curious just how far your dollar goes in San Antonio?

We've rounded up the latest places for rent via rental sites Zumper and Apartment Guide to get a sense of what to expect when it comes to scoring apartment rentals in San Antonio if you've got a budget of up to $1,200/month.

Take a look at the listings, 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.

7626 Callaghan Road

Listed at $1,106/month, this 1,400-square-foot two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment is located at 7626 Callaghan Road.

The apartment comes with a dishwasher and hardwood flooring. When it comes to building amenities, expect secured entry and on-site laundry. Pet owners, rejoice: This rental is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly. The listing specifies a $300 pet fee.

According to Walk Score, this location is moderately walkable, is somewhat bikeable and has a few nearby public transportation options.

(Take a look at the complete listing here.)

1983 Oakwell Farms Parkway

Next, there's this two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment situated at 1983 Oakwell Farms Parkway. It's listed for $1,108/month for its 1,120 square feet.

Amenities offered in the building include secured entry. In the unit, you'll see a fireplace and a dishwasher. Good news for animal lovers: The rental is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly. The listing specifies a $250 pet fee, $350 pet fee.

According to Walk Score, this location is car-dependent, has some bike infrastructure and has a few nearby public transportation options.

(Check out the complete listing here.)

Eckhert Road and Border Mist Drive (Eckhert Crossing)

Here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment at Eckhert Road and Border Mist Drive that's going for $1,109/month.

When it comes to building amenities, expect garage parking and a swimming pool. Neither cats nor dogs are welcome.

According to Walk Score's assessment, the area around this address is car-dependent, has minimal bike infrastructure and has a few nearby public transportation options.

(Take a look at the full listing here.)

6201 Grissom Road

Then, located at 6201 Grissom Road, this 1,199-square-foot two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment is listed for $1,110/month.

In the apartment, the listing promises a balcony, carpeted floors and stainless steel appliances. The building has a swimming pool. Pet owners, rejoice: The rental is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee.

According to Walk Score, the surrounding area is car-dependent and is somewhat bikeable.

(Take a gander at the complete listing here.)

4835 Lord Road

Finally, check out this 1,433-square-foot four-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment that's located at 4835 Lord Road. It's listed for $1,128/month.

Building amenities include secured entry and on-site laundry. The apartment also includes a walk-in closet, hardwood flooring and a dishwasher. Pet lovers are in luck: The rental is both dog-friendly and cat-friendly.

Walk Score indicates that the surrounding area requires a car for most errands, isn't particularly bikeable and has a few nearby public transportation options.

(Check out the complete listing here.)

Working with a tight budget? Here are the cheapest rentals recently listed in San Antonio.

This story was created automatically using local real estate data from Zumper and Apartment Guide, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Additionally, get free local real estate marketing ideas and tools for agents, brokers and more.

Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
In this article INFO

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 3.66 million

Global deaths: More than 257,800

Most cases reported: United States (over 1.2 million), Spain (over 219,300), Italy (over 213,000), United Kingdom (over 196,200), France (over 170,600) The data above was compiled by Johns Hopkins University as of 2:32 p.m. Beijing time. All times below are in Beijing time.

5:50 pm: Study finds coronavirus spread swiftly in late 2019

A genetic mutation study carried out by scientists in London has suggested that the coronavirus spread swiftly in late 2019 and is adapting to its human hosts. The study, carried out by University College London's (UCL) Genetics Institute, found almost 200 recurrent genetic mutations of Covid-19, which the researchers said showed how it may be evolving as it spreads in people, Reuters reported. UCL professor Francois Balloux, who co-led the research, said the results showed that a large proportion of the global genetic diversity of the virus is found in all of the worse-affected countries. That suggests that the virus was already being transmitted extensively around the globe from early on in the epidemic.  Holly Ellyatt

5:30 pm: Spain sees daily death toll increase again

Spain's daily death toll has ticked upward with 244 fatalities reported on Wednesday by the health ministry. This comes after three straight days of less than 200 reported deaths per day. The total number of deaths has reached 25,817, up from 25,613 the previous day. Spain has now reported 220,325 confirmed cases of the virus, with 685 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours.  Holly Ellyatt Tweet

5:15 pm: UK's health minister says elderly care homes were a priority, as well as hospitals

The U.K.'s Health Minister Matt Hancock refuted the accusation that the government had left many elderly people in care homes vulnerable to coronavirus by prioritizing hospitals. "I feel like we put a huge amount of effort and resources behind supporting care homes from the start," Hancock told Sky News Wednesday although he conceded that testing could have been ramped up earlier in the country's outbreak.  Holly Ellyatt

4:50 pm: EU economy expected to contract 7.5% in 2020

The EU economy is expected to contract 7.5% in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic brings the worst economic shock since the Great Depression in the 1930s, the European Commission said Wednesday. The executive arm of the EU has released its latest economic forecasts  the first estimates since European countries introduced lockdown measures to stop the spread of the virus. In February, the European Commission estimated a 1.4% rise in GDP for the EU this year.  Silvia Amaro

A Covid-19 patient is carried by a nurse into the Jimenez Diaz Hospital, in Madrid. Cesar Luis de Luca | picture alliance | Getty Images

4:30 pm: UK has reportedly drawn up 3-stage plan for easing coronavirus lockdown

The U.K. has drawn up a three-stage plan to ease the coronavirus lockdown, The Times newspaper said Tuesday. The newspaper, as reported by Reuters, has said that the first phase will involve small shops reopening alongside outdoor workplaces and the second will involve large shopping centers reopening, with more people encouraged to go into work, The Times said. Pubs, restaurants, hotels and leisure centers will be among the last to open, it said. The government must review the lockdown by Thursday, May 7 and Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to outline the government's strategy on lifting restrictions on Sunday.  Holly Ellyatt

4:10 pm: US needs to 'deliver proof' as it accuses China over coronavirus outbreak, Russia says

Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman told CNBC that the U.S. is wrong to accuse China of being responsible for the coronavirus outbreak without providing proof. As the controversy over the origins of Covid-19 continues, with the U.S. pointing the finger of blame at China, the Kremlin's Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told CNBC Tuesday that Russia couldn't "show any solidarity" with China-bashing by the U.S., and stressed the importance of Moscow's relationship with Beijing. "We consider it not a proper time, being somewhere in the middle of a severe crisis, an unprecedented crisis, to try to blame everything on the international health organization (the World Health Organization) or, the next day, on China," Peskov said Tuesday.  Holly Ellyatt

3:35 pm: Singapore's cases surpass 20,000

Singapore reported another 788 cases of the coronavirus disease, according to a preliminary update by the health ministry. That brings the country's total number of infections to 20,198 since the outbreak. The vast majority of new cases were migrant workers living in dormitories, the ministry said. Those workers have accounted for close to 90% of confirmed cases in Singapore, official data showed. The country's Minister for National Development, Lawrence Wong, told CNBC earlier that Singapore is not yet halfway through its outbreak. (See 2:14 pm update)  Yen Nee Lee

3:16 pm: Indonesia's finance minister warns of shrinking household consumption

Indonesia's household consumption, a major contributor to economic growth, may shrink in the second and third quarters due to restrictions put in place to contain the coronavirus oubtreak, Reuters reported, citing Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati. The warning came after the largest economy in Southeast Asia grew at its weakest pace since 2001. The country missed estimates and posted a 2.97% year-over-year growth in the first quarter. Lackluster consumption contributed to the decline in growth, and analysts warned that Indonesia could fall into a recession. Consumption accounts for around 57% of Indonesia's gross domestic product, according to the Reuters report. The country has reported 12,701 coronavirus cases and 872 deaths as of Tuesday, according to health ministry. The capital of Jakarta and several neighboring cities implemented social-distancing measures that include closing schools and offices.  Yen Nee Lee

2:14 pm: 'This is still the first half of the marathon,' Singapore minister says of the country's outbreak

Singapore, where the number of coronavirus infections have surged in recent weeks, could still report high numbers of new cases for some time, said Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong. The country is carrying out "extensive testing" among migrant workers living in dormitories, said Wong, who co-heads a task force to manage the outbreak in Singapore. Cases found there were behind the jump in new infections over the last one month. The minister acknowledged that some safeguards in those dormitories "were not sufficient."  Yen Nee Lee

1:24 pm: India's services activity collapses following nationwide lockdown

A private survey that tracks India's services activity recorded "an extreme decline" last month following a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The IHS Markit India Services Business Activity Index came in at 5.4 in April  markedly lower than a Reuters poll forecast of 40, and the previous month's 49.3, according to a statement by IHS Markit. A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while below 50 represents contraction. "According to panellists, activity fell severely as a result of the nationwide lockdown, leading businesses to shut down their operations as demand collapsed," the statement read.  Yen Nee Lee

12:45 pm: Germany's cases jump by 947 to surpass 164,000

Germany reported 947 new coronavirus infections, taking its tally of confirmed cases to 164,807, according to the latest data by the Robert Koch Institute, a federal government agency responsible for disease monitoring and prevention. The country's death toll from Covid-19 rose by 165 to 6,996, while the total number of recoveries were around 137,400, the data showed.  Yen Nee Lee

11:46 am: Spending during China's Labor Day holiday drops nearly 60%

China has recorded 115 million tourist trips domestically from May 1 to May 5 that brought 47.56 billion yuan (around $6.7 billion) in revenue, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said. Revenue fell nearly 60% from last year's Labor Day holiday in China, which was one day shorter. China's Forbidden City in Beijing reopened to visitors at the start of this month after being closed since January due to the virus outbreak. The museum received about 5,000 visitors a day during the holiday, according to state media. Activities have resumed in the world's second-largest economy where the number of daily reported cases has dwindled.  Evelyn Cheng

10:38 am: New Zealand reported 2 new cases, one additional death

New Zealand's health ministry said as of 9 a.m. local time on Wednesday, one person was confirmed to have Covid-19 and another person was a probable case. The country also reported its 21st death. Cumulatively, New Zealand reported 1,488 confirmed and probable cases. The country eased some restrictions in recent weeks as the number of new infections slowed. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, along with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, announced on Tuesday a "trans-Tasman COVID-safe travel zone" between the two countries will be introduced once it is safe to do so. Under the agreement, Australia and New Zealand will ease travel restrictions for visitors traveling between the two countries.  Saheli Roy Choudhury

10:08 am: The pandemic has pummeled global travel  5 charts show how

While all sectors are feeling the effects of a drastic slowdown in global economic activities, the travel and tourism industries are struggling with a multitude of challenges. Lockdown measures have kept people at home during some of the peak seasons for traveling, shelving travel plans globally. Since the outbreak, more than 200 countries and territories have enacted measures to restrict and deter travel in an attempt to limit the spread of the virus, according to a report by the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

Those measures include border closures, flight suspensions, and mandatory quarantine requirements. That has caused some airlines and hotels to run into financial difficulties, and millions of people to lose their jobs. See the rest of the charts here.  Yen Nee Lee, Saheli Roy Choudhury

9:16 am: China reports 2 new cases, no additional deaths

China's National Health Commission attributed the two new confirmed cases to travelers from overseas and said another 20 people were asymptomatic. No new deaths were reported. In total, China reported 82,883 confirmed cases and 4,633 deaths. The virus was first reported in Wuhan, a city in the Hubei province, late last year before it spread rapidly.  Saheli Roy Choudhury

8:20 am: Trump says 'there'll be more death' from coronavirus

U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged that reopening parts of the country would inevitably cost some Americans their lives. But he argued that the benefits outweighed the costs. "It's possible there will be some [deaths] because you won't be locked into an apartment or house or whatever it is," Trump told ABC's David Muir in a rare network news interview. "But at the same time, we're going to practice social distancing, we're going to be washing hands, we're going to be doing a lot of the things that we've learned to do over the last period of time."

Donald Trump speaks as he departs the White House, on May 5, 2020, in Washington, DC en route to Arizona, where he will tour a mask factory and hold a roundtable on Native American issues. Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images

As of Tuesday, U.S. deaths had climbed above 70,000, with total cases over 1.2 million. "There'll be more death, that the virus will pass, with or without a vaccine. And I think we're doing very well on the vaccines but, with or without a vaccine, it's going to pass, and we're going to be back to normal," Trump said.  Christina Wilkie

8:18 am: Argentina secures $4 billion loan from the Development Bank of Latin America

Argentina has secured $4 billion from the Development Bank of Latin America to finance efforts tackling the economic impact of the disease outbreak, Reuters reported. The funds will be distributed over four years, Reuters said, adding that the bank expects to invest $900 million in Argentina this year. Hopkins data showed infection cases in the South American country are above 4,800 and at least 262 people are dead.  Saheli Roy Choudhury

8:11 am: Indian banks are anticipating more bad loans and that could delay economy recovery

India has been in a national lockdown since late-March that has now been extended twice. With economic activity drastically lowered, there is a growing fear that daily wage earners and small business owners may not have the financial strength to weather the lockdown  there's anticipation that they may default on their loans. One expert told CNBC that banks and non-bank lenders are going to be more cautious from now on about whom they lend money to. If people who need loans are unable to get them, it could potentially delay India's economic recovery from the coronavirus crisis.  Saheli Roy Choudhury

8:04 am: Global infection cases over 3.6 million
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by Paul Nguyen Hung

In 2019 the Church of Vietnam had 5,000 priests and more than 5,000 seminarians and students, as well as 307 congregations and religious associations for a total of 33,087 religious, including 28,099 nuns, 4,988 men religious, and 1,670 religious order priests. Many priests, religious and even bishops work abroad.

Hanoi (AsiaNews)  Last Sunday, 3 May, was World Day of Prayer for Vocation. On this occasion, Bishop Anphong (Alphonse) Nguyen Huu Long of Vinh shared his thoughts about it with young Vietnamese.

"Everyone is given a mission by the Lord, he said. We can choose a religious life or marriage. We respond to Gods will with all our freedom, our faith and our generous commitment ".

Ordained bishop on 22 December 2018 by Pope Francis, Bishop Huu was assigned to the Diocese of Vinh on 1 February 2019. He now chairs the Evangelisation Committee of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Vietnam for the 2019-2022 period.

All vocations are noble, as long as you discern exactly what God wants for you, the prelate said to Vietnamese priests and religious. The greatness of the vocation of priests and religious is that they do not live for themselves, but live with God for others (cf. Rom 14:7-9). At the same time, throughout their lives, they honour God and seek salvation for others.

Studies by the Catholic Church have shown that there are many priestly and religious vocations in Vietnam. This abundance is certainly not spontaneous, but is the result of many positive factors such as the moral atmosphere of the family and the friendly social environment.

The development of priestly and religious vocations is one of the things the Catholic Church strives for, but quantitative increases also requires greater focus on quality.

Through the examples of Vietnamese martyrs, many have faced hundreds of challenges and died for their faith. After just 500 years, the seeds of faith have sprouted almost everywhere in the country. Vocations have multiplied and the footsteps of the Vietnamese missionaries can be found everywhere.

The text Giao Trinh Hoi Nhap Van Hoa Cong Giao Viet Nam (Vietnamese Catholic Cultural Integration Programme) shows that in 2019 the Catholic Church of Vietnam had about seven million members, or seven per cent of the population, with 5,000 priests and more than 5,000 seminarians and students.

Data from the Religious Committee of the Bishops' Conference indicate that, as of early 2019, the local Church had 307 religious congregations and associations with a total of 33,087 religious, including 28,099 nuns and 4,988 religious, with 1,670 religious order priests.

Many Vietnamese men and women religious have gone abroad. many Vietnamese priests note that "the Vietnamese Catholic Church is exporting vocations to other countries, especially the United States where more than 950 Vietnamese priests are present across the country.

Some of these priests are from congregations like Dong ong Cong, which has around 100 members. Then there are the Order of Redemptorists, the Missionaries of the Divine Word (SVD), the Jesuit order and the Dominican order, etc.

Some Vietnamese bishops also abroad, like Bishop Vincent Nguyen Van Long in Australia, Bishop Vincent Nguyen Manh Hieu in Canada, Bishop Toma Nguyen Thai Thanh in the United States, and Archbishop Peter Nguyen Van Tot, former nuncio of the Holy See in Sri Lanka.

Initially, when Vietnamese priests and religious were sent to the mission, they encountered many difficulties and achieved modest results compared to what they wanted. One of the most obvious difficulties for priests and religious was the language barrier. But everyone can overcome this first challenge.

For Bishop Huu, To renew evangelisation in Vietnam, Pope Francis in Evangeli Gaudium (25-33) said to look to the future. We need to think about things to do, areas of interest to develop, and ways to adapt evangelisation to the current moment in Vietnam.
'As much as $4 billion in India's start-up companies has come from Chinese funds.'

'Government policy must not remain indifferent to the problems India's start-up ventures are likely to face after the change in FDI rules,' says A K Bhattacharya.

A few days ago, the Union government took two important economic policy decisions in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

A closer look at both the decisions showed that their common target was foreign investment in India.

One decision could have a long-term bearing on Indias foreign investment space, while the other would have a temporary implication, but its impact on foreign investors in certain sectors would be no less significant.

The first decision was an amendment to an order of April 15 that, among other things, allowed e-commerce companies to resume supplies of non-essential goods from April 20 as part of the phased withdrawal of the national lockdown.

But four days later, on April 19, the government clarified that the relaxation was withdrawn.

The Confederation of All India Traders, which represents the physical retail sector, thanked the government and welcomed the decision.

What did the government achieve by the rollback?

If the purpose of the earlier order was to gradually withdraw the lockdown, allowing e-commerce companies to resume supplies of goods was a sensible move.

But what perhaps came in the way was the fact that most of these e-commerce companies were subsidiaries of foreign companies and CAIT was deeply upset that while physical stores would remain shut, the foreign-owned e-commerce companies would resume supplies.

The sequence of events has left the e-commerce giants in no doubt that they have a hostile policy environment to deal with while doing business in India.

There is also no denying the adverse impact such decisions will have on India's foreign direct investment policy environment.

The second decision, taken on April 18, mandated that all FDI from countries with which India had a land border would be subjected to specific and prior approval from the government.

The notification explained that it was aimed at 'curbing opportunistic takeovers/acquisitions of Indian companies due to the current COVID-19 pandemic'.

Remember that already foreign investment proposals from Pakistan and Bangladesh were subject to specific approvals of the Indian government.

Thus, the new order essentially impacted investment flows from Bhutan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Myanmar and China.

But cumulative FDI flows from all these countries, except China, were negligible in the last two decades -- none from Bhutan, $80,000 from Bangladesh, $2.44 million from Afghanistan, $3.25 million from Nepal and $8.97 million from Myanmar.

For China, the amount of FDI inflows in this period was about $2.34 billion, accounting for just half a per cent of India's total cumulative foreign investments of about $457 billion.

So, what was the concern over FDI from a country that was so little in the last 20 years?

There are two possible reasons.

One, it was a decision prompted by strategic considerations.

Already, Australia, Germany, Italy and Spain had taken steps to subject Chinese investments in their countries to greater scrutiny.

India also wanted to take similar steps against China.

Two, the official FDI flows from China may look very small, but there are reports that huge amount of FDI come into India from countries other than China, but whose beneficial ownership resides with Chinese nationals or in China.

Hence, the industry ministry notification clarified that all foreign investments whose beneficial ownership was in China would also be subjected to specific approvals.

According to one estimate, an investment of as much as $4 billion in India's start-up companies has come from Chinese funds, which are present in as many as 18 of the 30 unicorns (a start-up venture with a valuation of over $ 1 billion) in India.

If foreign fund flows to these start-up companies slow down because of the new procedural tightening, the government's grand Start-up India initiative to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship is likely to suffer.

While strategic interests are of paramount importance for the government, no less critical should be the financial needs of the start-up sector that had just begun flowering in this country.

Government policy, therefore, must not remain indifferent to the problems that India's start-up ventures are likely to face in the wake of a change in FDI rules.

A fast-track mechanism should be created within the government system for considering and expeditiously clearing all FDI proposals coming in from China for all ventures, in particular the start-up companies, provided these are not aimed at acquiring or taking over existing companies.

It can be nobody's case that India does not need foreign capital, particularly for ventures that help create jobs in the country.

If there are concerns over investments from China from a strategic perspective, these should be addressed.

But the government should simultaneously take steps to minimise any sudden disruptive impact on existing start-up companies, in particular, which are critically dependent on the next tranche of foreign investment, at least till such time they can find alternative sources of funds.

After many years of gradual and slow reforms in India's FDI policy, discretion is once again trying to reclaim its space in decision making, using the excuse of the threats arising out of the COVID-19 outbreak and China's growing dominance.

This is a trend that needs to be closely monitored and reversed.
On Monday, Midland Mayor Maureen Donker and City Manager Brad Kaye testified before a United States House of Representatives members forum on the Coronavirus Community Relief Act (H.R. 6467), a bipartisan bill that encourages the allocation of federal funding for smaller communities responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the virtual meeting, Donker discussed the fiscal responsibility of Midland and the unprecedented challenges that COVID-19 is causing for cities and villages across the nation. She also discussed the benefits of the proposed Coronavirus Community Relief Act and its potential impact on smaller communities. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief & Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 27, provided direct funding to communities with populations over 500,000.
Jaipur, May 6 : The Union Ministry of Tourism is actively working to create a set of guidelines for travellers, monuments, guides, hotels and restaurants, tour operators and other stakeholders. The official document should be ready by the middle of this month and will be supported, endorsed and vetted by the ministry.

It will be in line with the Ministry of Health guidelines and various ideas that are coming from the industry. This was stated by Additional Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, Dr Rupinder Brar. She was speaking at a webinar organised by Indian Heritage Hotels Associations (IHHA). The theme of the webinar was 'Indian Heritage Hotels and the Impact of COVID-19'.

Principal Secretary Tourism, Art & Culture, Government of Rajasthan, Sreya Guha said that the Department of Tourism, government of Rajasthan has been working closely with the heritage hotel industry to negotiate a revival package. A special task force has been formed by the government for economic revival. There has been a lot of interaction with the hotel and tourism sector in formulating various recommendations. Some of which have been given to the Finance Department of the State.

Apart from this, salary support, waiving of electricity charges, state tax reimbursement, reduction in bar fees, among others have also been looked into. Guidelines have already been created for the monuments. These will insist on staggered timings, mandatory online bookings and hygiene protocols as well as galleries and museums with limited entries, she said.

Earlier in his opening remarks, President of IHHA, Gajsingh, an ex-royal of Marwar, said that the future of foreign tourism looks bleak, therefore there is a need to concentrate on domestic tourism and focus on state-wise marketing with emphasis on each state's specialities and peculiarities.

Hotels should project a clean image by maintaining the utmost hygiene and sanitation standards. Itineraries should be created for families particularly of urban areas who want to experience rural life. Ancillary industries need to be developed so as to engage existing hotel employees in services such as food delivery, handicrafts production and much more.
With officials in 46 states and the District of Columbia confirming that schools will remain closed for the rest of the academic year because of the coronavirus pandemic, a major paediatrics group has released guidelines as to how an eventual return to the classroom might look.

In advice published on Tuesday, the American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP), which represents 67,000 paediatricians, says that schools and local authorities should consider a phased reopening either with reduced hours or only involving certain classes or year groups.

They should also prepare for the possibility of intermittent closures, as and when new outbreaks of Covid-19 occur  keeping the prospect of a second wave of infections in mind.

Schools should continue to disinfect and sanitise buildings and equipment, use masks, and monitor the health of both students and teachers.

The structure of the school day could also be different, with teachers moving between classrooms rather than students, to limit unnecessary interactions.

Underpinning decisions to reopen remain factors such as the availability of testing, and capacity for community surveillance and contact tracing.

Tracking the local and national spread of the virus will also be an important factor, as infections peak at different times geographically.

The AAP is keen to have students return to the classroom provided the appropriate measures are taken.

While some school districts have implemented distance learning, this is not generally believed to replicate the in-person learning experience, the guidance states.

The group warns about a widened divide in academic progress between students with differing access and engagement with distance learning.

Remaining realistic in its conclusion and outlook for the future, the organisation says: Until the broad availability of a vaccine and/or treatment for Covid-19 exists, there is a risk for future waves of disease impacting communities across the country; it is important that schools plan for the possibility of additional periods of school closures and prepare strategically for distance learning or other educational options.
Dublin, May 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Cell Expansion Market to 2027 - Global Analysis and Forecasts By Product; Cell Type; Application; End User, and Geography" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global cell expansion market is projected to reach US$ 42,837.11 Mn in 2027 from US$ 11,929.43 Mn in 2018. The cell expansion market is expected to grow with a CAGR of 15.6% from 2019-2027.



Driving factors include increasing adoption of regenerative medicines, rising prevalence of cancer. However, the risk contamination during cell expansion is expected to hamper the market during the forecast period.



Cancer is one of the major cause of human death worldwide. In recent years, the cases of cancer have been increasing tremendously and the trend is anticipated to remain the same in the upcoming years. According to the World Health Organization in 2018, approximately 9.6 million deaths across the globe were due to cancer. Furthermore, the National Cancer Institute predicted that in 2018, approximately 1,735,350 new cancer cases would be diagnosed in the US.



Changes in lifestyle have resulted in more exposure to oncogenic factors. Cancer can be cured if diagnosed and treated at an initial stage. Cancer sequencing using next-generation sequencing (NGS) methods provides more information. Additionally, cell expansion related procedures also aids in research, diagnostics and treatment of cancer.



Furthermore, Asia Pacific region is also facing the problem of the growing prevalence of cancer. The top 15 countries with Cancer prevalence are Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, China, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mongolia, India, Laos, and Cambodia. According to the National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research (NICPR), in 2018, in India, total deaths due to cancer were 784,821.



The global Cell Expansion market is segmented by product, cell type, application, end user. Based on product, the cell expansion market is segmented into consumables and instruments. In 2018, the consumables accounted for the largest market share in the global cell expansion market by product. These consumables are essential components of any laboratory experiment hence they are expected to witness significant growth during the forecast period. Based on cell type, the cell expansion market has been segmented into human cell and animal cell. Furthermore based on application the cell expansion market has been segmented into Regenerative Medicine And Stem Cell Research, Cancer And Cell-Based Research and Other Applications. Based in end user market is segmented into Biopharmaceutical And Biotechnology Companies, Research Institutes, cell banks and others.



Some of the essential primary and secondary sources included in the report are the National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research (NICPR), Association for Management Education and Development, Center for Cancer Research, International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR), American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research and others.



Reasons to Buy

Story continues

Save and reduce time carrying out entry-level research by identifying the growth, size, leading players and segments in the cell expansion market.

Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies.

The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the global cell expansion market, thereby allowing players across the value chain to develop effective long-term strategies.

Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets.

Scrutinize in-depth global market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as those hindering it.

Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin security interest with respect to client products, segmentation, pricing and distribution.



Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction



2. Cell Expansion Market - Key Takeaways



3. Research Methodology



4. Cell Expansion- Market Landscape

4.1 Overview

4.2 PEST Analysis

4.3 Expert Opinions



5. Global Cell Expansion Market - Key Market Dynamics

5.1 Key Market Drivers

5.1.1 Increasing Adoption of Regenerative Medicines

5.1.2 Rising Prevalence of Cancer

5.2 Key Restraints

5.2.1 Risk Contamination During Cell Expansion

5.3 Key Opportunity

5.3.1 Middle Income Countries Creating Development Opportunities

5.4 Future Trend

5.4.1 Consistent Research in Drug Discovery Activities

5.5 Impact Analysis



6. Cell Expansion Market - Global Analysis

6.1 Global Cell Expansion Market Revenue Forecasts And Analysis

6.2 Global Cell Expansion Market, By Geography - Forecasts And Analysis

6.3 Market Positioning Of Key Players



7. Cell Expansion Market - Revenue And Forecasts To 2027 - Product

7.1 Overview

7.2 Global Cell Expansion Market, by Product , 2018 & 2027 (% Share)

7.3 Consumables

7.3.1 Overview

7.3.2 Global Consumables Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

7.3.3 Reagents, Media & Serum

7.3.3.1 Overview

7.3.3.2 Global Reagents, Media & Serum Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

7.3.4 Disposables

7.3.4.1 Overview

7.3.4.2 Global Disposables Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

7.3.4.3 Culture Tissue Flasks

7.3.4.3.1 Overview

7.3.4.3.2 Global Culture Tissue Flasks Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

7.3.4.4 Bioreactor Accessories

7.3.4.4.1 Overview

7.3.4.4.2 Global Bioreactor Accessories Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

7.3.4.5 Other Disposables

7.3.4.5.1 Overview

7.3.4.5.2 Global Other Disposables Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

7.4 Instruments

7.4.1 Overview

7.4.2 Global Instruments Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

7.4.3 Cell Expansion Supporting Equipment

7.4.3.1 Overview

7.4.3.2 Global Cell Expansion Supporting Equipment Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

7.4.4 Bioreactors

7.4.4.1 Overview

7.4.4.2 Global Bioreactors Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

7.4.5 Automated Cell Expansion Systems

7.4.5.1 Overview

7.4.5.2 Global Automated Cell Expansion Systems Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)



8. Cell Expansion Market Analysis and Forecasts to 2027 - Cell Type

8.1 Overview

8.2 Global Cell Expansion Market, by Cell Type, 2018 & 2027 (% Share)

8.3 Human Cells

8.3.1 Overview

8.3.2 Global Human Cell Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

8.3.3 Adult Stem Cells

8.3.3.1 Overview

8.3.3.2 Global Adult Stem Cells Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

8.3.4 Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

8.3.4.1 Overview

8.3.4.2 Global Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

8.3.5 Embryonic Stem Cells

8.3.5.1 Overview

8.3.5.2 Global Embryonic Stem Cells Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

8.3.6 Differentiated Cells

8.3.6.1 Overview

8.3.6.2 Global Differentiated Cells Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

8.4 Animal Cells

8.4.1 Overview

8.4.2 Global Animal Cell Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)



9. Cell Expansion Market Analysis And Forecasts To 2027 - Application

9.1 Overview

9.2 Global Cell Expansion Market Share by Application 2018 & 2027 (%)

9.3 Regenerative Medicine And Stem Cell Research

9.3.1 Overview

9.3.2 Global Regenerative Medicine And Stem Cell Research Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

9.4 Cancer And Cell-Based Research

9.4.1 Overview

9.4.2 Global Cancer And Cell-Based research Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

9.5 Other Applications

9.5.1 Overview

9.5.2 Global Other Applications Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)



10. Cell Expansion Market Analysis And Forecasts To 2027 - End User

10.1 Overview

10.2 Global Cell Expansion Market Share by End User 2018 & 2027 (%)

10.3 Biopharmaceutical And Biotechnology Companies

10.3.1 Overview

10.3.2 Global Biopharmaceutical And Biotechnology Companies Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

10.4 Research Institutes

10.4.1 Overview

10.4.2 Global Research Institutes Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

10.5 Cell Banks

10.5.1 Overview

10.5.2 Global Cell Banks Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)

10.6 Other End Users

10.6.1 Overview

10.6.2 Global Other End Users Market Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (US$ Mn)



11. Cell Expansion Market - Geographic Analysis

11.1 North America Cell Expansion Market, Revenue and Forecast to 2027

11.2 Europe Cell Expansion Market, Revenue and Forecast to 2027

11.3 APAC Cell Expansion Market, Revenue and Forecast to 2027

11.4 MEA Cell Expansion Market, Revenue and Forecast to 2027

11.5 South and Central America Cell Expansion Market, Revenue and Forecast to 2027



12. Cell Expansion Market - Industry Landscape

12.1 Overview

12.2 Growth Strategies In The Cell Expansion Market, 2017-2019

12.3 Organic Growth Strategies

12.3.1 Overview

12.3.1.1 Recent Organic Developments By Players In The Cell Expansion Market

12.4 Inorganic Growth Strategies

12.4.1 Overview

12.4.2 Recent Developments By Players In The Cell Expansion Market



13. Global Cell Expansion Market-Key Company Profiles

13.1 BD

13.1.1 Key Facts

13.1.2 Business Description

13.1.3 Financial Overview

13.1.4 Product Portfolio

13.1.5 SWOT Analysis

13.1.6 Key Developments

13.2 Merck KGaA

13.3 Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.

13.4 Terumo Corporation

13.5 General Electric Company

13.6 Corning Incorporated

13.7 Miltenyi Biotec

13.8 Danaher

13.9 Lonza

13.10 STEMCELL Technologies, Inc.



14. Appendix

14.1 About the Publisher

14.2 Glossary Of Terms



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/hjxwqh

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

CONTACT: CONTACT: 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
Fifteen children in New York City have been hospitalized with an unknown illness that may be linked to the coronavirus, according to health officials.

All of the patients  who range in age from 2 to 15  have fevers. More than half reported having a rash, abdominal pain, vomiting, or diarrhea, an alert from the citys department of health said. Most of the children are exhibiting characteristics of Kawasaki disease otherwise knowns as mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, which causes inflammation in the walls of some blood vessels in the body.

Officials describe the illness as a pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome potentially associated with COVID-19.

Some of the sick children have been admitted to pediatric intensive care units with more than half requiring cardiac support and five being placed on ventilators. None have died.

No cases have been reported in New Jersey as of Tuesday morning, according to health department officials. However our epidemiologists are speaking to healthcare facilities to gather information on any related illnesses, a statement from the department said.

Kawasaki disease or syndrome is rare and typically affects children under the age of 5, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control.

The disease was first described in Japan by Tomisaku Kawasaki in 1967, and the first cases outside of Japan were reported in Hawaii in 1976, according to the CDC. Clinical signs include fever, rash, swelling of the hands and feet, irritation and redness of the whites of the eyes, swollen lymph glands in the neck, and irritation and inflammation of the mouth, lips, and throat.

Jane C. Burns, professor and director of the Kawasaki Disease Research Center, issued a statement last week about the possible connection between the disease and the coronavirus.

We have long suspected that there may be different triggers for KD based on individual genetics, Burns said in the letter to parents of children with the disease. The emergence of this new problem suggests that the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, may be a trigger for some children to develop KD.

More than 24,000 people in New York state have died of COVID-19 related causes, the most of any state in the country.

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Almost half of Onondaga Countys coronavirus deaths are from nursing homes

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com

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Uber said Wednesday it will lay off 3,700 employees and that CEO Dara Khosrowshahi will forgo his base salary for the rest of the year.

The layoffs to its customer support and recruiting teams represent about 14% of its 26,900 employees, based on Uber's most recent headcount.

Khosrowshahi made $1 million in base salary in 2019 but gained the vast majority of his compensation from bonuses and stock awards.

The moves were announced in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Uber's stock fell as much as 4% Wednesday but ended the trading day down 0.9%.

Uber has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, which has crushed the travel industry because of lockdowns to stop the spread of the virus. Uber's global gross bookings are down 80%, according to a report from The Information last month. Investors will get a greater sense of the impact on Thursday when Uber reports earnings.

Khosrowshahi hinted in a memo to employees Wednesday that more cost cuts are on the way.

"We are looking at many scenarios and at each and every cost, both variable and fixed, across the company," Khosrowshahi said. "We want to be smart, to move fast, to retain as many of our great people as we can, and treat everyone with dignity, support and respect."

Khosrowshahi said Uber would give employees "a further, final update" within two weeks.

Uber's drivers have suffered from lost income, reigniting the debate around whether Uber should be able to classify them as contractors. Khosrowshahi advocated to President Donald Trump for a "third way" of classifying workers beyond contractors and employees, while pushing for gig workers to be eligible for stimulus relief. On Tuesday, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and three city attorneys in the state announced a lawsuit against Uber and Lyft, alleging they denied workers benefits by misclassifying them.

Even as the company has considered cuts, it reportedly also has been looking at investments for the future. Uber had been in talks to lead a $170 million investment in the electric scooter company Lime, according to The Information, valuing it at $510 million, a 79% drop from its previous valuation. Uber already owns a minority stake in Lime and has its own line of electric scooters and bikes called Jump. The proposed deal would transfer Jump to Lime and give Uber the option to buy Lime at a specified price between 2022 and 2024, according to the report.

Here's the full memo Khosrowshahi sent to employees:

Team Uber,

I wanted to let you know that we just announced the elimination of around 3,700 roles in CommOps and Recruiting, and the closure of 40% of our Greenlight locations. You can read the emails that were sent to those teams here.

With the reality of our Rides trips volumes being down significantly, our need for CommOps as well as in-person support is down substantially. And with our hiring freeze, there simply isn't enough work for recruiters.

This is not in any way a reflection of these employees' efforts or contributions to getting us to where we are, as a service that everyone associates with movement and earnings opportunities. We wouldn't be here without their efforts and I want to personally thank them for everything they've done for Uber.

We have worked hard to put together generous severance packages with a longer period of healthcare coverage to help provide a bridge, and we are also supporting EXTs whose roles are affected by today's decision.

That's today's news. But, as I said at yesterday's All Hands, this is one part of a broader exercise to make the difficult adjustments to our cost structure (team size and office footprint) so that it matches the reality of our business (our bookings, revenue and margins). We are looking at many scenarios and at each and every cost, both variable and fixed, across the company. We want to be smart, to move fast, to retain as many of our great people as we can, and treat everyone with dignity, support and respect. As I said yesterday, you can expect we will have a further, final update for you within the next two weeks.

Days like this are brutal. I am truly sorry that we are doing this, just as I know that we have to do this. And while it's easier said than done, we have to keep our heads down and keep executing, because thatand nothing lessis what will keep Uber going and get us to the other side.

Given this news, and since we have Q1'20 earnings tomorrow, I thought it would be good to get everyone together again on Friday for a Global All Hands, where we can walk through our financial results and today's changes, and can continue to answer your questions as openly as possible. Keep an eye out for an invite soon.

UberOn,

Dara

-CNBC's Deirdre Bosa contributed to this report.

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WATCH: Delivery workers are risking their lives to bring people groceries during coronavirus  here's what it's like for them
Three coronavirus hotbeds in



Andhra Pradesh continued to register more cases while some 'outsiders' too contributed to the upward surge as 60 more tested positive for COVID-19, taking the state tally to 1,777 on Wednesday.

At the same time, two fresh deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, taking the toll to 36 while 140 patients were discharged after treatment from various hospitals in the state, the latest health bulletin said.

Among the 60 new cases reported in the last 24 hours, 12 were Gujaratis and one a Kannadiga.

The Gujaratis, according to official sources, were a group of 29 preachers who came to Anantapuramu district in January.

They were all staying together and recently sent to a quarantine facility.

Of the 29, 14 tested positive on Monday and 12 more on Tuesday, the sources said.

Details of the one other person from Karnataka were yet to be revealed.

The 'outsiders' count was not specifically added to any district though they were shown in the state's overall tally.

The three Covid-19 hotbeds in AP Kurnool, Guntur and Krishna reported 17, 12 and 14 new cases respectively.

Kurnool and Krishna also reported one coronavirus death each, taking the states total to 36.

In all Kurnool district registered 533 coronavirus cases, of which 369 are now active following the discharge of 153 and death of 11 patients.

Guntur reported a total of 363 cases so far, of which 226 are now active after 129 discharges and eight deaths.

Krishna touched the triple century mark, but only 173 were active as 117 got discharged and 10 died.

The number of active Covid-19 cases in AP now stood at 1,012.

A government data chart said 1,41,274 tests were conducted till date, including 7,782 in the last 24 hours, at the rate of 2,646 per million population, which it claimed to be the highest in the country.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Louisianas place on the steep backside of the coronavirus curve is getting to be the envy of other states, epidemiologically speaking.

The coastal states where Louisianans might be most likely to take a trip right about now -- Texas and across the Gulf South -- still are riding their new infection counts higher.

Now those states have begun to crank up local retail ahead of Louisiana, fixing to save their economies. Thousands of visitors flocked over the weekend to newly reopened beach spots from Galveston to Orange Beach, Ala., with reports of liberal disregard for social distancing rules in some spots.

To epidemiologists, its an invitation to a second wave of COVID-19, or just a bloated extension of the first one.

That's similar to what bordering countries at different stages of spread  and different lockdown protocols  already have witnessed when trying to open up.

When China, Hong Kong, and Singapore locked down and stopped receiving most international flights (and) reduced transmission to very low, they opened and shortly thereafter there was a rise in cases, said Dr. Barry Bloom, a Harvard University public health professor who specializes in infectious diseases.

Almost all of the new cases were from European or U.S. travelers re-introducing COVID-19 into China, Bloom said.

In the case of travel in and out of Louisiana and across the South, Bloom expects nothing different.

+8 'We had a phenomenal weekend': Grand Isle's beach opening ignites debate during coronavirus Time will tell if Louisiana moves toward a phased reopening of the economy on May 16 or pushes it off because its coronavirus cases haven't hi

I would think that without the ability to keep travelers out from Texas or Georgia or other states that have not worked to track and control the number of infected individuals, you could expect to see flare-ups or renewed chains of transmission, he said.

I hope I am wrong, but it means continued public health surveillance hopefully putting out small fires before they increase exponentially and outrun the health system capacity.

In Gulfport on Monday, Louisianans and their license plates were easy to spot among those taking in the kind of idyllic spring weather that draws perennial hordes to the so-called Redneck Riviera.

One state over in Alabama, Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon said Tuesday that he was pleasantly surprised by how visitors acted over the first weekend since restrictions were lifted.

Public beach parking lots were packed, though Kennon described the crowd as about a third of a normal spring weekend. Thats not enough to sustain the local economy, he said, but a good soft opening for the COVID-19 era.

It was extremely quiet and reserved. I think people were just very respectful and appreciative the beaches were open. They didnt want to mess up, he said. Hopefully next week its going to be a much bigger crowd.

Kennon acknowledged the selfish motives of leaders in a city that relies on the 10-week season beginning around Memorial Day to sustain its local businesses. Some 95% of Orange Beach travelers come by car, and at least one in five hails from Louisiana, the mayor said.

If the beach scene sounds enticing for Louisianans looking for a different kind of stimulus after seven weeks at home, the China-Russia border offers some sobering food for thought, said Dr. Ali Khan, former director of CDCs Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response.

In late January, while Russia was clean of known coronavirus cases, the countrys prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin, ordered border crossings with China closed to prevent its spread.

Last week, as Mishustin stepped aside to recover from his own case of COVID-19, China was grappling with new outbreaks along the border with Russia, brought in by Chinese nationals coming home from Russia. Now its China shutting down border crossings, according to news reports.

I see this as an issue of how you change community risk. Whether you come from abroad, the next state, or the next county, said Khan, now dean of public health at the University of Nebraska. Ideally, you would coordinate across borders for a similar public health approach.

The first weekend of Texas beach freedom brought crowds to Galveston, where on Monday city officials asked the state to help manage a huge influx of visitors to a city that isnt fully open for business. The Daily News of Galveston County reported that nearly 120,000 cars crossed the bridge onto the island over the three-day weekend.

Gov. Greg Abbotts order for beaches to open May 1 came as Galveston officials were considering a more measured phase-in.

"Many people were following the rules, socially distancing on the beach and safely enjoying the island, but some were not," said Marissa Barnett, city spokeswoman.

"A full opening of the beach was not a local decision, but we are actively seeking local solutions to protect the health and safety of our residents and our visitors."

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Janice Gibson, night auditor for the Commodore on the Beach hotel across the street from the beach, said she was called back to work Friday. Of the hotels 92 rooms, 75 were booked.

Our beach, it was packed. I see why it was packed. The restaurants were open. The bars were open, she said. Most of the (visitors) were either from Houston or in our surrounding area. They werent paying no attention to the rules.

Gibson, 59, said shed worked at the hotel since 2003 and wasnt ready to return to work, even with plastic shields at the counter.

I think thats stupid, Gibson said of the states reopening. Because its not over. Its not like they say, Go back and do what youre doing. We got a cure. Everythings all right, she said. No. You dont. We havent hit our peak yet.

Actually, Texas keeps hitting a new one. Its curve now forms a double peak, the second one taller than the first and still rising. The state has six times Louisianas population, but comparable numbers of stricken residents so far: 33,000 for Texas to 30,000 for Louisiana.

Alabama is still carving out a range of peaks along its curve, while Mississippis viral ticker looks like a Wall Street darling. Those two states combined have 70% more people than Louisiana, but still only about half the number of reported COVID-19 cases as of this week -- though that may owe in part to less testing.

Jefferson Parish economy reopening plan prepares for 'new normal,' business leaders say As they discussed a three-phase plan to reopen Jefferson Parish, business leaders on Monday urged business owners to prepare for a "new normal

Compared to Louisiana, those states were later to see the arrival of COVID-19, slower to restrict commerce, and now swifter to ease up on lockdown orders.

In Alabama, Gov. Kay Iveys Safer at Home opened up beaches limited to groups of 10 or fewer, among other measures to start up the state's economy.

Mississippi isnt far behind. Gov. Tate Reeves this week announced restaurants could reopen there on Thursday.

In Texas, Abbott freed stores, restaurants and malls to reopen last Friday. On Tuesday he announced that hair salons, barbershops and tanning salons would be added Friday to the Open Texas slate.

None of those states are sliding back down the COVID-19 curve, according to the latest data.

A lot of the gains in some areas are going to be reversed, and the thing thats most puzzling to me is that there are states and municipalities where there have been absolutely no reductions in cases, and they are implementing retraction of stay-at-home orders, said Mike Saag, a University of Alabama infectious diseases professor.

Saag, who was tending to COVID-19 patients in Birmingham on Tuesday, said he was quite concerned about the trend nationally for states to jump into the deep end before theyve got their epidemic under control.

Alabama heath officials are trying to put the brakes on Casey Jones, he said.

Saag himself fell ill with the disease over two weeks in March, contracting it from his son on a drive home from the Northeast, he said. He and his son quarantined themselves but Saag said his wife tested positive anyway.

That tells you how incredibly contagious this thing is. Its not something to be finessed or taken lightly, he said.

Rebecca Christofferson, an expert in infectious diseases at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, describes a "two-way interaction" with dual risks: Louisianans travel to other places and drop off a virus they thought had died down at home, or they visit a place that has loosened things up, and bring it back home again.

"Its sort of like how you need to wear a mask to protect your neighbor, and you socially distance to protect your neighbor," she said. "It's the same thing here. We need reciprocity."

Susan Hassig, an epidemiologist at Tulane, said she thinks Louisianas neighbors pose a lot of hazards by reopening with testing more limited than in Louisiana.

Texas put up barriers to keep us out awhile back. Its like, maybe we should reinstitute those, Hassig said.

Louisianans traveling outside the state  especially in, for instance, urban areas of Texas -- have to realize theyre moving into an environment where theyre more likely to encounter people who are infected, she said.

The virus is the virus, whether youre in Louisiana or Texas. And we almost certainly have less of it than they do in Texas or Florida or Alabama right now. Just because theyre not looking for it doesnt mean its not there.

Jeffrey Shaman, an expert on infectious diseases and director of the climate and health program at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, said that it is regrettable that states are choosing to go their own way. But it could lead to a better understanding of the virus, he added.

"It would be preferable to have states following similar policies  but that would require high levels of cooperation among neighboring states or federal direction," Shaman said. "At least with lack of coordination and multiple approaches, states can learn from each others successes and mistakes."

-Staff writer Gordon Russell contributed to this story.
The latest:





Virus killing more African Americans in US than any other group, study finds

More African Americans are dying from coronavirus in the United States than whites or other ethnic groups, according to a new study.

Black Americans represent just 13.4% of the American population, according to the US Census Bureau, but account for more than half of all Covid-19 cases and almost 60% of deaths, the study found.

Disparities, including access to health care, are likely to blame, researchers concluded in a report released Tuesday.

The team of epidemiologists and clinicians at four universities worked with amfAR, the AIDS research non-profit, and Seattles Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access, PATH, to analyze COVID-19 cases and deaths using county-level comparisons.

Racial data is still lacking in many areas, and their analysis uses what data was available as of mid-April.

The results: They compared counties with a disproportionate number of black residents  those with a population of 13% or more  with those with lower numbers of African American residents.

Counties with higher populations of black residents accounted for 52% of coronavirus diagnoses and 58% of Covid-19 deaths nationally, they said.

Social conditions, structural racism, and other factors elevate risk for COVID-19 diagnoses and deaths in black communities, wrote the scientists from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, the University of Mississippi Medical Center and Georgetown Universitys ONeill Institute for National and Global Health Law.

Collectively, these data demonstrate significantly higher rates of COVID-19 diagnoses and deaths in disproportionately black counties compared to other counties, as well as greater diabetes diagnoses, heart disease deaths, and cerebrovascular disease deaths in unadjusted analyses, the authors concluded.

The study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, is currently under consideration by a medical journal and has not yet been published.



President Trump tours mask factory in Arizona

President Trump toured a mask factory Tuesday in Arizona.

The president did not wear a mask while at the factory. The Associated Press reports the president said he would wear a face mask if the factory was "a mask environment." Trump wore safety goggles as he toured the facility. Factory guidelines said masks should be worn inside at all times. Trump, senior White House staff and Honeywell executives did not wear masks.

In addition to touring the Honeywell factory, Trump held a roundtable on Native American issues while in Arizona, the AP reports. He met with Native American leaders and distributed 1,000 quick virus tests.

Native Americans have been hit hard by the terrible pandemic, Trump said. Hopefully, that will be helpful to you."

Model cited by White House projects 134,000 deaths in the U.S.



Public spaces were filled with visitors over the weekend as some states began loosening lockdown measures, and experts now warn the easing could drive up the country's coronavirus death toll  by nearly double, according to one prediction.

In the past two weeks, governors across the country introduced plans for phased reopenings amid mounting pressure from residents and businesses who are fearful of devastating economic impacts of lockdowns.

But easing restrictions now may come with a heavy price.

"It's the balance of something that's a very difficult choice," Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country's leading infectious disease expert, told CNN Monday night. "How many deaths and how much suffering are you willing to accept to get back to what you want to be some form of normality, sooner rather than later?"

At least 42 states will have eased restrictions by this coming Sunday, ranging from simply opening state parks to allowing some businesses to restart. This includes California  the first state to implement a sweeping stay-at-home order  where some stores will be allowed to reopen this week.

The U.S. could now see 134,475 deaths by early August  nearly double the prediction just last week of 74,000 deaths by a model from the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.

Relatedly, a Trump administration model projects a rise in coronavirus cases and deaths in the weeks ahead, up to about 3,000 daily deaths in the U.S. by June 1, according to an internal document obtained by The New York Times. Over the past week, about 2,000 people died daily in the U.S., according to data from Hopkins.

The sharp increases in the two models are tied to relaxed social distancing and increased mobility in the U.S. States across the country  including Florida, Colorado, Indiana, Nebraska and South Carolina  have eased restrictions in an attempt to revive a sputtering economy and calm restless residents.

States are easing restrictions even though many areas have yet to hit their projected peaks  meaning there's plenty of room for overwhelming infection rates, said Dr. Manisha Juthani, an infectious diseases physician at the Yale School of Medicine.

"(People's increased) mobility and bringing the virus potentially from one area of the state to another area of the state is something that can really change this entire trajectory" for the worse, Juthani told CNN's "New Day" Tuesday.

So far, the U.S. has recorded more than 1,181,800 infections and at least 69,079 deaths. Over the weekend, parks in New York City and Atlanta drew crowds as residents began venturing out of their homes. In the city of Miami Beach, more than 7,300 warnings were issued to people who weren't wearing face covers, while more than 470 warnings were given to those who failed to practice social distancing.

Discarding social distancing measures too quickly can result in a rebound of cases, Fauci said. And a rebound is highly likely with a virus that can spread "like wildfire."

More coronavirus vaccine candidates are tested in the US

Researchers continue to race for a potential coronavirus vaccine  and another group of candidates is being tested in people in the United States.

U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and German biotechnology company BioNTech have begun testing four coronavirus vaccine candidates in humans in New York and Maryland, the companies said Tuesday.

The trial had already started in patients in Germany last week. The Phase 1/2 study is designed to test the safety, effectiveness and best dose level of the four vaccine candidates.

The first stage of the U.S. trial will enroll up to 360 healthy adults, starting with ages 18 to 55 and eventually including ages 65 to 85, the companies said.

These companies aren't the first with a vaccine program this far along.

The U.S. National Institutes of Health started human testing of one vaccine candidate in the United States in March. In the United Kingdom, Oxford University's Jenner Institute began testing its vaccine candidate in humans in April.

The World Health Organization says 108 potential COVID-19 vaccines are in development around the world  up from 102 on April 30. Eight of the potential vaccine programs have been approved for clinical trials, WHO says.

Fauci, a member of the White House's coronavirus task force, last week suggested January as a potential date for a vaccine, but vaccines typically take years to produce.

An experimental coronavirus vaccine entering into human trials in the U.S. could be available in many millions of doses by the end of 2020, according to the CEO of BioNTech.

The German drug maker has partnered with U.S. giant Pfizer to distribute a potential vaccine, which is already in human trials in Germany. BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin believes the regulatory approval process could be sped up from what is historically an 18-month time frame due to the global pandemic.

So the approval of any drug is based on the evaluation of a potential benefit and remaining risk," Sahin told CNN. "The benefit of a vaccine in a pandemic situation is much greater and therefore an approval or an authorization of a vaccine in a pandemic situation has to follow other rules than we have seen in the past."

If it is approved by the regulators, Sahin said the partners are prepared to go as fast as possible" to get the vaccine to the population.

Meanwhile, researchers may be learning more about how soon COVID-19 spread outside China.

Doctors at a Paris hospital say they've found evidence that a patient who was there in December was infected with COVID-19. The man had not been to China.

If verified, this finding would show that the virus was already circulating in Europe at that time  well before the first known cases were diagnosed in France or hotspot Italy.

The first official reports of COVID-19 in France had come on Jan. 24, in two people who had a history of travel to Wuhan, China.



Protests against masks

As health officials and businesses navigate safe reopenings, many communities  and the federal government  have urged Americans to wear face coverings when they're in public. In parts of the U.S., it's required.

But those guidelines have also seen pushback  including last week at Michigan's Capitol building, where hundreds of protesters showed up, most of whom were not covering their faces.

On Friday, a security guard was shot in the head and killed after telling a customer at a Michigan Family Dollar store to wear a face mask. The governor required face masks in enclosed public spaces in late April. Three people have been charged.

In Stillwater, Oklahoma, an emergency proclamation issued to require face masks in stores and restaurants was amended a day later after store employees were "threatened with physical violence and showered with verbal abuse," Stillwater City Manager Norman McNickle said in a statement.

And in San Diego County, a supermarket customer wore a Ku Klux Klan-style hood to cover his face and only removed it at the cashier despite having been repeatedly asked to multiple times before, KSWB reported.
NEW DELHI: Shahrukh Pathan, the man who allegedly opened fire at police personnel on February 24 during violence in northeast Delhi, moved a fresh bail plea in the matter in a Karkardooma court on Wednesday.

The Delhi High Court had on Tuesday directed a sessions (trial) court to hear the bail plea of Pathan, who is currently under judicial custody in the matter.

The High Court had issued the direction after Pathan`s counsel submitted that an application has been filed before the session court seeking grant of bail but the matter has not been taken up for hearing observing that there is no urgency in the matter.

Notably, Delhi Police recently filed the first chargesheet against Pathan and other accused in the Karkardooma court.

According to the police, after the incident in February, Pathan initially kept roaming around in the national capital before slipping away to Punjab and Uttar Pradesh`s Shamli, from where he was arrested later by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police.

During the investigation, Pathan revealed that the car he used belonged to his uncle`s son and that he had left the car in a garage in Haryana after it broke down.

In February, violence broke out in northeast Delhi between the groups supporting and opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act, which led to the deaths of at least 53 people.
Actor Aditi Bhatia is planning to return to India after the Indian government decides to repatriate stranded citizens stuck abroad. The diva said, she has filled the application but till now didn't get any news from the Indian embassy.

After the lockdown was imposed nationwide, Yeh Hai Mohabbateins fame Aditi Bhatia got stuck in Los Angeles. However, now the government has eased some restrictions and will repatriate 15000 nations from abroad. So, Aditi Bhatia is now planning to return to India and has begun the preparations to come back to her home.

Talking to a web portal, the actress said her family is aware of government steps taken to bring back all the nationals stuck in abroad. Aditi revealed that there are Indians just like her who came as a tourist and now stuck here. Talking about the returning process she has filled the application and soon it will be taken into consideration by the government.

Meanwhile, Aditi also said, that their no direct flight to India so firstly they will travel within the United States of America than will take a connecting flight to India. Though its a risky decision as a chance to get contacted to the virus is high but there is no other way to reach India as there are no flights from LA airports.

Check Aditis LA video:

Asking about the further repatriation process, she said she didnt get an answer from the Indian embassy but hoping for the best and soon she will return to India. Talking about the current scenario of India, the number is increasing rapidly as it has now reached to 49,391 with a death toll of 1,694. While globally the number is account 3.68M with a 258K death toll, till now 1.21 million has recovered.

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President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed he did wear a mask behind the scenes when he visited a factory in Arizona that makes the face coverings, but asserted he was told he didn't need to don one during the plant tour.

He added it wasn't his fault the press didn't see him wear it but admitted it wasn't on 'too long.'

'I had a mask on for a period of time. I had a mask but I didn't need it,' he said during an event in the Oval Office, adding that he was standing at such a distance that a mask was not required.

'I can't help it if you didn't see it,' he told the press.

President Donald Trump claimed he did wear a mask backstage when he visited a factory in Arizona that makes the face coverings

'I had a mask on for a period of time. I had a mask but I didn't need it. I can't help it if you didn't see it,' Trump said while holding an event in the Oval Office Wednesday with nurses for World Nurses Day, where no one wore masks or socially distanced

During a Tuesday tour of Arizona's Honeywell factory, where they make N95 masks, Trump wore poorly-fitting safety goggles, but said he was told he did not have to wear a mask because he was far away from everyone else

Trump was seen and pictured wearing safety googles during his tour of the Honeywell factory on Tuesday but not a face mask, despite signs posted requiring people to wear the coverings. He said he asked a Honeywell official if he should wear one and was told no.

'He said, you don't need one. We were far away from the people making the masks. They were making the mask,' Trump said.

He said he wore a mask made in the Honeywell factory.

'But I did put a mask on and it was a Honeywell mask, actually,' he added. 'I don't know if you saw it or not, but I had it on.'

He said he didn't wear it long but 'had it on backstage.'

Factory workers did wear masks but the officials giving President Trump the tour did not wear one. President Trump said he saw the factory workers wearing the face coverings, but insisted 'the workers had them because they are working next to each other.'

However Honeywell strongly suggested to the Washington Post that in fact the White House had made clear that Trump and those who met him did not need to wear masls.

'Following White House recommended protocol, a small number of individuals directly interfacing with the President on Tuesday were tested for COVID-19 immediately prior to the event, received negative test results, and were permitted to not wear masks during portions of the visit based on that medical screening,' the company said in a statement to the newspaper.

'All others present were wearing masks and social distancing in accordance with Honeywells site policy.'

The president made his remarks during an event in the Oval Office with nurses to mark World Nurses Day. Neither he nor the nurses nor White House officials wore face masks during the event and they did not observe social distancing practices.

'I can't help that. Look, I'm trying to be nice and signing a bill and you criticize us,' President Trump said when asked about it. He signed a proclamation in honor of World Nurses Day.

The nurses were tested for the coronavirus before their meeting with Trump - the White House requires anyone meeting with the president to be tested - and said their results were negative.

'We wouldn't do anything to harm our president,' one of the nurses said. 'We are all tested and we are all negative and that's why we are not socially distancing and why we are not wearing masks.'

Trump only wore safety goggles to protect his eyes on Tuesday's Honeywell factory visit and not a face mask - despite signs saying such coverings should be worn and as he was surrounded by workers in face masks.

'Attention, face mask is required in this area,' read the sign in the portion of the factory President Trump toured. 'Please wear your mask at all times,' was one of the safety guidelines on a sign near the factory's entrance.

But President Trump did not wear one as he observed workers. A White House official said that the facility said officials were not required to wear masks but to take all precautions.

The president was non-committal about wearing a mask before he left on his trip, telling reporters at the White House that he might 'wear' one.

But he did not.

President Trump was surrounded by workers wearing masks during the tour

A sign in the portion of the factory President Trump toured required masks be worn, claiming 'protective equipment is mandatory'

The Honeywall factory the president toured was converted to making N95 masks

The tour came before he sat down with ABC News' David Muir for an interview in which the president said as states reopen: 'There'll be more death, than the virus will pass, with or without a vaccine'.

Over the course of the interview, the president suggested that there would be 'more death' due to the coronavirus pandemic, as states begin the process of allowing businesses to reopen.

'It's possible there will be some because you won't be locked into an apartment or a house or whatever it is,' the president said. 'But at the same time, we're going to practice social distancing, we're going to be washing hands, we're going to be doing a lot of the things that we've learned to do over the last period of time.'

The president, making his first trip out of Washington in three weeks, toured an Arizona factory that was expanded to make N95 masks in response to the coronavirus epidemic.

During the tour, given by Honeywell International Inc. CEO Darius Adamczyk and Honeywell International Inc. Vice President Tony Stallings, the president was surrounded by workers wearing face coverings as they produced masks to be sent to health care workers on the frontline of the pandemic.

'I just want to thank all the people at this incredible company, this incredible plant,' Trump told workers after his tour. 'This pandemic has underscored the vital importance of restoring our supply chains and constructing a powerful domestic manufacturing base.'

President Trump has never been photographed wearing a face mask and has shown reluctance to do so even as he acknowledges the recommendation of the CDC to wear one when proper social distancing cannot be enforced.

Before he left for Arizona, he said he'd wear a mask if it was a 'mask facility.'

'If it's a mask facility I will, yeah. I don't know if it's a mask facility,' he added.

A sign near the entrance of the Honeywell factory asks people to wear face masks

Arizona Senator Martha McSally (right) listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a tour of a Honeywell International plant; the senator and factory workers wore masks

President Trump praised factory workers after his tour and thanked them for their work

President Donald Trump said before leaving that he 'might' wear a mask during his visit to an Arizona factory that expanded to make N95 masks in response to the coronavirus epidemic

Honeywell started making masks at the end of April due to concerns about a shortage of facial coverings. The company said it can make 10 million of the masks per month.

Arizona remains under a modified stay-at-home order until May 15. Republican Gov. Doug Ducey allowed some stores to reopen Monday voluntarily as part of the administration's push to get the country reopen. The state has seen almost 9,000 infections and more than 350 deaths.

Trump's trip had additional security concerns - how to stop anyone from getting infected from the coronavirus when the group travels together in the tight quarters of Air Force One and the cars in the presidential motorcade.

Three Arizona Republican lawmakers traveled to the state with Trump. Senator Martha McSally tweeted a photo of them in front of Air Force One preparing to board and ignoring social distancing guidelines.

'Headed to Arizona on Air Force One soon,' she wrote, adding a selfie that showed Rep. Paul Gosar and Rep. Debbie Lesko in tight approximation with her.

President Trump said everyone traveling with him on the plane was tested for the coronavirus. The White House has ordered anyone meeting with the president to undergo a coronavirus test first. Factory workers at Honeywell were also reported to have been tested for the virus.

'Everybody traveling has been tested,' Trump said at the White House before he departed. 'Literally they have been tested over the last hour and the test results come back in 5 minutes. We have great testing or they wouldn't be allowed to travel with me. It's not my choice, it's a very strong group of people that want to make sure that they are tested, including Secret Service. They're all tested - everyone traveling on the plane.'

Gosar spent two weeks in March in self-quarantine out of concerns he came in contact with someone who tested positive for the virus while attending CPAC.

The dentist-turned-congressman closed his offices and wrote he'd rather die 'gloriously in battle' than from the coronavirus.

'Been thinking about life and mortality today,' Gosar tweeted at the time. 'I'd rather die gloriously in battle than from a virus. In a way it doesn't matter. But it kinda does.'

Trump has been noncommittal about mask wearing after Vice President Mike Pence was criticized for not wearing one during a visit to the Mayo Clinic last week, flouting hospital policy to wear a face covering. Pence later said he should have worn one.

'I will know when I get there. If it's a masked environment I would have no problem,' the president told reporters on Air Force One as they prepared to go to Arizona.

The president's last trip to Arizona was on February 19, when he held a campaign rally in Phoenix. The state is crucial to his re-election.

A poll out last month showed Democratic presumptive nominee Joe Biden up nine points in Arizona, which tends to trend red. The poll was a troubling sign for Trump as Arizona hasn't gone for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1996.

The president has shown his restlessness.

'I've been at the White House now for many months, and I'd like to get out,' Trump said last week.

As the coronavirus crisis was becoming more serious at the beginning of March, the president spent the weekend away at his Mar-a-Lago resort and then stopped in Orlando to host fundraisers before returning to the White House on March 9.

President Trump has never been pictured in public wearing a face mask

Vice President Mike Pence was criticized for not wearing a face mask during his trip to the Mayo Clinic last week; he later said he should have worn a mask

He's essentially been there since.

The president took a day trip to Norfolk, Virginia on March 28 to see the USNS Comfort depart for New York City.

This past weekend, Trump flew off the Camp David before returning Sunday.

He then participated in a Fox News Channel town hall at the nearby Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Trump admits there will be 'more deaths' as states start to reopen and US fatalities hit 70,000, believes coronavirus 'will pass with or without a vaccine' and predicts the economy will be 'raging' next year

President Trump had a message for the families of the 70,000-plus Americans who are now dead from COVID-19.

'I want to say I love you,' he told ABC News' David Muir in an interview that was broadcast Tuesday night. 'And to the people that have lost somebody, there's nobody - I don't sleep at nights thinking about it - there's nobody that's taken it harder than me.'

Over the course of the interview, the president suggested that there would be 'more death' due to the coronavirus pandemic, as states begin the process of allowing businesses to reopen.

President Donald Trump and ABC News' David Muir practice social distancing during an interview on Tuesday night

Trump said in the ABC interview that 'we can't sit in the house for the next three years'

'It's possible there will be some because you won't be locked into an apartment or a house or whatever it is,' the president said. 'But at the same time, we're going to practice social distancing, we're going to be washing hands, we're going to be doing a lot of the things that we've learned to do over the last period of time.'

The president said the reality is, 'We can't sit in the house for the next three years.'

'There'll be more death, than the virus will pass, with or without a vaccine,' he again suggested.

There's no evidence yet that the coronavirus will simply go away, or that it's seasonal.

'And I think we're doing very well on the vaccines but, with or without a vaccine, it's going to pass and we're going to be back to normal. But it's been a rough process. There is no question about it,' Trump said.

Several weeks ago, on April 17, Trump said he expected 'around 60,000, maybe 65,000' Americans dead of the coronavirus.

Ten days later he used 70,000 as the benchmark.

The death toll surpassed 70,000 earlier Tuesday.

On Friday, he said 'hopefully' the full tally would be below 100,000 lives lost.

During Sunday night's Fox News Channel town hall at the Lincoln Memorial, Trump acknowledged he kept giving himself a higher ceiling.

'I used to say 65,000. Now I'm saying 80 or 90 and it goes up and it goes up rapidly,' Trump told the anchors. 'But it's still going to be, no matter how you look at it, at the very lower end of the plane if we did the shutdown.'

The president had put the original '15 Days to Slow the Spread' in place when medical experts cited a death count in the millions if no social distancing was practiced.

To the family members of victims Trump said, 'I want to say that we're doing everything that we can.'

'We love you, we're with you, we're working with you, we're supplying vast amounts of money like never before, we want that money to get to the people and we want them to get better,' Trump said.

'No matter how well we do next year - I think our economy is going to be raging, it's going to be so good - no matter how well, those people can never ever replace somebody they love,' the president continued.

'But we're going to have something that they're going to be very proud of,' he added.

Muir and his ABC News team interviewed Trump during his first big trip out of the White House since the coronavirus pandemic struck.

Trump traveled to Phoenix, Arizona where he toured a Honeywell N95 mask plant - and didn't wear a mask.

Muir said during the 'World News Tonight' broadcast his temperature was taken before the sit-down and he sat at least 11 feet away from Trump.

'There were no handshakes with the president this time,' Muir said.
By Trend

Georgia has allocated 89.9 million lari (about $28.09 million) for the implementation of a health program for 2020 to manage COVID-19, Trend reports citing Georgian media.

Quarantine facilities, except for the Abastumani Lung Center, will receive not more than 100 lari ($31.26) per day for each patient. The services provided by the Abastumani Lung Center will be reimbursed under the state program 'Referral service'.

The quarantine units will be equipped with primary medical supplies/medicines, and transport fees of the medical staff will be reimbursed.

The gathering, storage and transportation of biological materials will be reimbursed at the cost of not more than 10 lari ($3.13) per unit.

Every test to determine COVID-19 by Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), if necessary, will be reimbursed by between 50-150 lari ($15.63-$46.88), depending on how samples are collected and submitted.

Every testing for COVID-19 by rapid antibody assay will be reimbursed by not more than 20 lari ($6.25).

Inpatient treatment with COVID-19 in both confirmed and unconfirmed cases will be also0 reimbursed.

The state will pay 100 lari ($31.26) per bed to clinics which have up to 80 beds and 120 lari ($37.51) per bed to clinics with more than 80 beds.

In the past 24 hours, the number of coronavirus cases in Georgia has increased by 6, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 610. The number of patients who have recovered from the illness reached 269. Nine coronavirus patients died.
Of course, there were some who thought they could recall us, but that has proved to be a tall order for them. The Supreme Court judgment is clear and does not need to be interpreted in any other way than what it is.
NEW HAVEN  Packages of free surgical masks were distributed on Winchester Avenue in New Havens Science Park on May 5, 2020.

Approximately 50,000 masks were given out during the event, dubbed Masks for CT, in a collaboration between Masks for CT, Masks for Heroes, the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven, the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, Yale University and ConnCAT, Varick AME Memorial Zion Church, the Jewish Community Center of Greater New Haven, the United Way of Greater New Haven and others.
An ice rink featuring a frozen waterfall in Beijings Changping district has become a popular destination among climbing enthusiasts and newcomers to ice sports. Located in the Huyu Natural Scenic Area, the rink consists of a 40-meter-high climbing area. With the approach to the Beijing Winter Olympics, ice and snow activities are attracting fans across the country. The China Tourism Academy estimated that 305 million people will visit such venues nationwide this season

Jan 18, 2022 05:36 PM
Wednesday, May 6, 2020 at 2:00PM

By Glenn Dunks

It is not very often an autobiographical documentary about genocide is selected to open a prestigious strand of one of the biggest film festivals in the world. I suppose thats what being the first filmmaker to, among other things, land an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film with a work of non-fiction does to ones reputation. Director Rithy Panh has forged his career through telling the stories of his Cambodian homeland and its a testament that despite what may be considered tunnel vision for other filmmakers, this is his 18th feature, he continues to find new and interesting angles to investigate.

After detours through a colonial archival scrap-book in France is Our Mother Country and meditative stargazing experimental curiosity Exile, Panh has returned to the more earthbound terrain of his Oscar-nominated The Missing Picture (my no. 1 documentary of the decade). A film as rooted in the mud and the dirt that built that film its signature image of gaunt and decaying figurines, Graves finds Panh on an even more personal mission than that film...

Returning to Cambodia from his emigre home of France, Panh seeks to find the mass graves of his family; laying unmarked somewhere with untold others, their spirits materializing here and there yet offering little tangible clues.

He begins his journey shaving his head in a Buddhist temple, perhaps a symbol for his personal return to Year Zero or perhaps just a personal acknowledgment of the role faith will play moving forward. Panh experiments with a variety of methods to communicate with well, not with the souls or the ghosts of his family necessarily, but with the ground in which they are buried. It is a rare film, documentary or otherwise, that touches on the personal weight of being a survivor of genocide. The impossible mourning that one carries with them after such a trauma like the rocks he collects, polishes, burns and then packs neatly in an urn like cremated ashes of bodies he will never find.

He again uses a variety of media, most memorably a return to the clay dioramas of The Missing Picture, but this time populated with real photographs of the deceased; a startling and deeply profound visual representation of the very real lives once brutally and unceremoniously extinguished and thrown into the soil. A detail only deepened by the directors interactions with the rural Cambodians who live on and tend to the land to this day and tell of their experiences under the regime that killed an estimated two million people, a quarter of the nations population, where a single spoon for eating was considered a luxury.

Despite its focus on the ground below, Panhs 18th feature ends with a simple work of visual trickery that looks towards the heavens. Like Exile with its preoccupation with the moon and stars in the face of equally solemn material, Graves Without a Name attempts to perhaps find some sort of solace amid the near exhaustive pain that its director uncovers. A soaring movement across the Cambodian landscape towards a bright amber-coloured sun. Through narration, once again spoken in French by Randal Douc, Panh notes that he is familiar with the image of death; Cambodia being a place where the living and the dead are too eerily close. But in these final moments it feels as if perhaps he has found something within himself that speaks beyond all of that. The horrors that lay so uncomfortably close to the surface across Cambodia are impossible to forget, nor should they be, but if Panh's next film finds him looking at other concerns of his childhood homelike Graves hints at and which reviews out of Berlin suggest Irradiated doesthen maybe he found something out there on the land after all.

Release: Out on DVD and VOD on May 12.

Oscar chances: I don't know if it will be eligible, but if the documentary branch didn't go for The Missing Picture I doubt they'll go for this one (although it would be a worthy nominee).
Native American tribes were expected to see some long-awaited relief money from the federal government trickle in as soon as Tuesday, according to the Treasury Department -- but the battle is long from over with no timetable set for the remaining funds and a court fight over some of that cash potentially going to for-profit corporations.

The nearly 600 federally recognized tribes in the U.S. have not yet received any of the $8 billion set aside for tribes in the CARES Act, which passed over a month ago, despite the devastation Native American tribes have disproportionately experienced from coronavirus.

Navajo Nation, for example, the nation's second-largest tribe, has the third-highest rate of infection in the country, behind New York and New Jersey. Cases in the Navajo population made up 55% of total cases in New Mexico as of Monday.

On Tuesday, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said $4.8 billion, or 60% of the total $8 billion initially set aside, will begin hitting tribes' bank accounts. The money will be distributed based on population size, with the largest tribes receiving the biggest shares of money.

MORE: For tribes, casinos fund what the government doesn't. Now, they're closed.

Tribes had expected to receive the full funds by April 24 and now there is no timetable for the remaining money, some of which could go, controversially, to the for-profit Alaska Native Corporations. More than a dozen tribes have sued to try to stop the corporations, which serve tribal shareholders in Alaska, from getting the relief money, arguing that it should go directly to Alaska Native tribes. A judge recently sided with the tribes, temporarily halting the Treasury Department from disbursing money to Alaska Native Corporations, but the Treasury Department still intends to do so.

The delay in relief has "outraged" tribal leaders across the country, said Chuck Hoskin Jr., the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, in an interview.

Story continues

The Cherokee tribe, the largest in the country and home of the largest tribal health system, said the relief was desperately needed. That they're receiving some of it is encouraging, though "long, long overdue," Hoskin said.

PHOTO: Steve Yankton and Nathaniel Badmilk speak to drivers during a lockdown at the entrance to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in Pine Ridge, S.D., April 15, 2020. (Andrew Hay/Reuters)

The government will "have to do more than commit to a belated plan to distribute some of the funds" in order to restore relationships, Hoskin said. "They need to develop a plan to distribute all the funds."

"Once they do that, they can start to repair some of the injury that's been inflicted on Indian Country during a time when we are on the front lines of public health, when we have experienced crippling effects to our own region's economies, and in which we need to share in the recovery," he said.

Democratic New Mexico Sen. Tom Udall, whose state is home to 23 Native American tribes, called the Treasury's announcement on Tuesday "the definition of 'too little, too late.'"

"It comes weeks after the deadline and billions of dollars short," Udall said in a statement.

MORE: Navajo community left to fight COVID-19 with limited resource

Still, some tribes are optimistic.

"Although the formula for distribution was unknown until today, we are very pleased that many Tribal Governments will begin receiving a portion of much needed financial relief based on population data, hopefully by the end of this week, to help provide critical services to their citizens," said Matthew Wesaw, Tribal Council chairman of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, a tribe in Michigan and Indiana.

As for the other 40% of the funds, which amounts to $3.2 billion, the Treasury Department has yet to say when it will be disbursed.The money will be distributed based on how many employees are on tribes' payrolls, according to guidance from the Treasury Department.

That relief would particularly benefit tribes that have small populations but employ thousands of people through tribal businesses, like gaming, though all tribes stand to benefit from the money in different proportions.

The concern, though, is that pending litigation could take a chunk out of the outstanding money.

PHOTO: Relief workers prepare supplies at a farm, used as a base for aid to Navajo families quarantined in their homes due to the coronavirus disease near Shiprock, N.M., April 7, 2020. (Andrew Hay/Reuters)

An undisclosed amount has been withheld for Alaska Native Corporations until the court case is resolved, according to the Treasury Department, and the money could theoretically come out of the 40% of funds that haven't been distributed yet.

"That's the discouraging part of today's news," Hoskin said.

Hoskin said that while the Alaska corporate interests are entitled to relief, they should seek other avenues.

"They certainly deserve relief, but the 573 federally recognized tribal governments should get exactly what the Congress intended, which is an appropriate share among those tribes of the $8 billion," Hoskin said.

Because there are over 200 Alaska Native Corporations, one concern is that including them would dilute the pot of relief money. Tribes have also pushed back against qualifying Alaska Native Corporations as federally recognized tribes, arguing that money to the for-profit corporations doesn't directly benefit Alaska Native tribes in the same way a direct payment would.

"Alaska Native tribes that I've talked to are saying to leave the Alaska Native Corporations out and let the tribes directly benefit. There's no need for an intermediary for them to benefit," said Chairman Aaron Payment, 1st Vice President of the National Congress of American Indians, in an interview.

MORE: Coronavirus map: Tracking the spread in the US and around the world

In court, lawyers for Alaska Native Corporations argued that the corporations are sympathetic to the desire to protect tribal members, but "the Alaska Natives that comprise and are serviced by the ANCs are no less deserving of relief." Without relief funds, Alaska Native Corporations "risk disproportionally bearing the brunt of this already-devastating pandemic," according to court documents filed Tuesday morning.

Mike Williams Sr. is a tribal leader in the Alaska Native village of Akiak and a shareholder of two corporations. He believes the corporations should get relief funds, but federally recognized tribes deserve the "entirety of the $8 billion funding from the CARES Act," he said.

"Corporations are hurting too but because of their classification, they can access relief funds from other venues," Williams said in an interview. "We have to take care of our employees and so there should be a bailout for us like airlines and other businesses. But we fully support the tribes."

ABC News' James Hill contributed to this report.

Tribes will begin to see some of coronavirus relief money owed by federal government originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Photo credit: Jenna Schoenefeld

From Popular Mechanics

At the beginning of April, Los Angeles-based photographer Jenna Schoenefeld set out to document and recognize the everyday people using sewing machines, fabric, and 3D printers to help others protect themselves from the coronavirus. Over the course of the month, she observed how these essentials for healthcare workers were made by people balancing being out of work, child care, and stalled businesses with the new reality.

Yet, as these citizens sought to be part of the solution, they found meaning and purpose in trying to make a difference.

They feel like making these masks gives them a sense of purpose and takes their mind off the world, which I think can be unbelievably important for some people during this time, Schoenefeld said. It feels great to be out and taking pictures. It also feels good to find something slightly positive in all this. Something that shows how humanity can come together to solve a problem.

While keeping at least a six-foot distance from all of her subjects, Schoenefeld got a glimpse of this work close up. She also wore a mask and gloves and sanitized her equipment before and after shoots. She felt compelled to highlight the amazing people stepping up for her community right now through various processes.

Its hard to see history being made around you and not feel like I cant fully photograph it like Im trained to do, like my heart tells me to do, she said.

To give you a closer look at this work, here are six people Schoenefeld photographed that are working in unique ways based on their skills, materials, and equipment to help healthcare workers and the general public.

Roger Hernandez

Photo credit: Jenna Schoenefeld

With family and friends working in hospitals, Roger Hernandez, 48, 3D prints face shields out of his home in East Los Angeles. So far hes printed and distributed over 100 face shields, which he has given mostly to healthcare workers and some caregivers. However, hell give one to anyone who needs it.

Story continues

Photo credit: Jenna Schoenefeld

The face shields Hernandez makes are done on an Artillery X1 printer using PLA filament. The 48-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, taught himself how to 3D print about a year and a half ago so he could make replacement parts and modifications for his wheelchair.

Photo credit: Jenna Schoenefeld

Hernandez considers himself more of a tinkerer than a maker, meaning he downloads and uses existing designs that he can sometimes modify. For his face shields, he uses a design downloaded from Josef Prusa.

Photo credit: Jenna Schoenefeld

Hernandez also makes a variation of the face shield that has animal ears, which some doctors from childrens hospitals have requested. He pulled this version and design from Joe Larson, who modified the original Prusa face shield design.



Photo credit: Jenna Schoenefeld

To make his shields, Hernandez started by using filament he had lying around his home. When that ran out, he bought more and also received some through donations. Hernandez prefers these to financial donations.

Photo credit: Jenna Schoenefeld

To make the face shields, Hernandez puts the design through a program which turns it into G-code, which then coordinates the printer to move the nozzle and fill in plastic layer by layer. He can currently print two shields in roughly three to four hours.

Miyoki Chan

Photo credit: Jenna Schoenefeld

Miyoki Chan, 36, started sewing face masks out of her home after seeing that hospitals on the east coast were having shortages. She thought west coast shortages would likely follow. Using sewing skills she developed on her own four years ago to make clothing for her daughter, Chan has made roughly 100 masks so far, which were donated to healthcare workers, caretakers, grocery store employees, and pharmacists on the frontlines. Whatever fabric or elastic or time that I spend is minimal or nothing compared to what theyre putting themselves through, she said.

Photo credit: Jenna Schoenefeld

Chan initially followed a mask pattern from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and watched several other videos. She made modifications to these designs, including adding an extra slit in the back for a filter after reading that medical workers had difficulty telling front from back if the same fabric was used. She decided to use elastic-string ties because she also read that medical workers preferred ties instead of earpieces.

Photo credit: Jenna Schoenefeld

Chans masks use 100-percent cotton. She initially started with yards of it she had at home from her own collection. When her supply ran low, she started to receive donations. Chan recommends ironing the fabric first to help with measurements and pre-washing any fabric you use to avoid masks shrinking in the wash.

Rob West

Photo credit: Jenna Schoenefeld

Rob West, 36, founded the group L.A. Face Shields. West has a background in fabrication, and for the past few years hes been working in the art department for film and TV, building custom props, set carpentry, and film sets.



Photo credit: Jenna Schoenefeld

Looking for ways to make safety gear and how to help during the pandemic, West stumbled upon a Facebook post about an ER doctor who was looking for face shields. West answered the call, putting together a prototype to show the doctor within 24 hours. He made 200 of those initial shields. When those received rave reviews from the hospital he sent them to, West ramped up production.

Photo credit: Jenna Schoenefeld

West isnt alone in his work. His friend, Joe Fiorillo, has been helping him make shields since production began. More and more people have gotten involved since, which led to the creation of L.A. Face Shields. This couldnt have happened anywhere close to this scale without all of these people chipping in. West said. No one does something like this alone.



Photo credit: Jenna Schoenefeld

West works 12- to 14- hour days. As production, and the size of the group, has grown, hes shifted from fabrication to delegating and executive decision-making. Relying heavily on donations, they have made over 4,000 shields, which have been distributed to more than 40 hospitals in Los Angeles, Denver, and New York City.



Photo credit: Jenna Schoenefeld

Since demand for the shields is so high and getting materials can be difficult, a challenge for West has been production speed. West made his prototype using materials donated by a prop fabricator he has worked for, and now has to use whatever material they can get that is up to safety, clarity, and durability standards. Marine vinyl is preferred for the clear material.

Phoenix Mellow

Photo credit: Jenna Schoenefeld

Phoenix Mellow, 29, is a costume designer who most recently worked on the NBC show A.P. Bio until production was halted due to the coronavirus. Now, shes making masks with her sewing machine in her apartment using fabrics she had in storage boxes. Mellow researched mask patterns online, including old patterns from the 1918 flu pandemic, before designing her own pattern. Shes made about 60 masks so far, sending some to friends and family, and donating others to senior-citizen facilities.

Photo credit: Jenna Schoenefeld

For her masks, Mellow uses 100-percent cotton fabric, filter fabric, 22- or 24-gauge metal wire, and cotton thread to keep them inexpensive. Using CDC guidelines, she designed her mask to be comfortable, reusable, washable, and adaptable to all face shapes while allowing for chin movement. Everyone she knows with a sewing machine is making masks. When you see other people wearing it, you feel ok to wear it, so its encouraging people she said.

Raseljka Maras & Katarina Dzale

Photo credit: Jenna Schoenefeld

Katarina Dzale, left, 43, and Raseljka Maras, 41, are making masks and coordinating distribution through a Facebook group they started called Homemade Face Masks L.A. Both came to Los Angeles from Croatia about two and a half years ago to grow their fashion tech startup company, ICONIC28. They were in the process of looking for an investor when everything stopped due to the coronavirus, so they decided to organize a group of volunteers to help make masks and distribute them to those in need.



Photo credit: Jenna Schoenefeld

The duo started making masks using materials they had stashed from their business. Since then, they have been using donated materials or materials purchased from donated funds. They also give away pre-cut kits with fabric and elastic to sewers who can then follow the pattern to complete the masks. Dzale is a fashion designer and textile engineer who focuses more on sewing and cutting fabrics for teams. Maras works on deliveries, coordination, and receiving requests from hospitals and people in need. Much of their time is spent on finding new volunteers, and they work about 12 to 15 hours a day.

Photo credit: Jenna Schoenefeld

Dzale designed the pattern so that it can be worn over an N-95 mask though it can also be worn alone. The pattern also has a stitch for a removable nose bridge and a special chin closer. All fabrics received are left outside for 48 hours before being washed, dried, and ironed for safety. They are then pre-cut so team leaders can distribute kits to sewers. When masks are completed, they are picked up by drivers and delivered to a local coordinator who organizes distribution to hospitals.

Photo credit: Jenna Schoenefeld

Growing up in Croatia, both Dzale and Maras lived through war and know how life could be normal one day and suddenly change the next. Making masks has helped give them a purpose, and the group has also created a much-needed community for social interaction, albeit from a distance. Currently, the group has about 200 people making masks all over L.A. and has donated about 15,000 masks to hospitals, police departments, nursery homes, and homeless shelters.

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CHICAGO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Vodori, a creator of cloud-based software that revolutionizes how life science companies get regulated content to market, today announced a $3 million fundraise to further deliver on its promise to simplify how life science companies create, approve and distribute regulated content. The round is comprised of existing investors who want to help the company build on the significant momentum generated during the past year.

Vodori offers a suite of unique solutions to help companies quickly get their drugs and devices into the hands of those who need it most.

Pepper Flow helps life science companies move through promotional material reviews with speed, accuracy and compliance.

Pepper Flow Digital Review delivers the industry's only interactive web page review solution so users can route, review and annotate web pages and web apps in their native, interactive format.

Pepper Folio seamlessly moves approved marketing materials into the hands of life sciences sales reps and medical science liaisons to support effective customer interactions.

The funds will be used to increase research and development and expand the company's software offerings to deliver more customer-requested capabilities. This includes expanding Pepper Folio's capabilities and platforms to serve an even wider target market that relies on the company's current software for e-detailing and sales enablement.

This capital raise comes at a time of growing interest in scalable technologies that can meaningfully decrease time in regulatory approval processes, while increasing compliance. Vodori customers report increased throughput and up to 50 percent reduction in time spent managing the promotional review process, while mitigating compliance risk.

"Our 8x revenue growth in 2019 and 150 percent increase in Pepper Flow usage in 2020 have shown us that life science manufacturers are hungry for next-generation software that is turnkey, intuitive, and accessible," said Scott Rovegno, Vodori Founder and CEO. "With several customers involved in our Pepper Folio early access program, we are confident in the unmet need, the lack of solid solutions appropriately tailored to life sciences, and our collaboration with customers to build great products. By accelerating R&D and commercialization of our expanded software suite, we will ensure that life science companies maximize the speed, efficiency, and agility of their commercialization efforts."

To further help life science companies, Vodori is offering its Pepper Flow MLR Bundle at no cost for six months. Medical, legal and regulatory (MLR) review is critical to business operations at life sciences companies. With most companies now experiencing a shelter-in-place workforce, the Pepper Flow digital solution enables teams to collaborate remotely while maintaining compliance. Learn more at www.vodori.com/mlr-bundle.

About Vodori

Vodori is the creator of the Pepper Cloud Product Suite: modern, cloud-based software that revolutionizes how life science companies review, approve, and distribute regulated content. The Pepper Cloud Product Suite, which includes Pepper Flow, Pepper Folio, and Pepper Flow Digital Review, is used by thousands of life science professionals in more than 35 countries worldwide. Vodori is committed to excellence in product usability and providing world-class customer service. For more information, visit vodori.com.

Contact

Niki Drelicharz

Vodori, Inc.

312.940.7921

[email protected]

SOURCE Vodori, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.vodori.com


[May 06, 2020] Nano Magic Inc. Responds to Securities Trading Suspension

DETROIT, Michigan, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nano Magic Inc. (OTCMKT: NMGX), , announced today, in connection with an Order of Suspension of Trading issued on April 30, 2020 by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), that neither the Company, nor its officers or directors were the source of information in the marketplace claiming that the Company has a patent for a disinfectant that kills coronavirus referenced in the Order instituting a 10-day suspension in the trading of the Companys securities that the SEC described as in the public interest and the protection of investors. The Company believes that the information to which the SEC refers is information that may have been posted by third parties on internet message boards. The Company cautions investors to rely only on information released by the Company in its current and periodic reports filed with the SEC, and in press releases that the Company, from time to time, may issue. The Company has a strict policy of not communicating on internet message boards and a policy of not communicating with persons seeking to obtain information from the Company outside of the Companys public filings and official statements. The SEC, in 2013, published a warning for investors that the internet enables individuals and companies to communicate with a large audience  by  posting a message on an online bulletin board, entering a discussion in a live chat room, or sending mass e-mails.But its nearly impossible for investors to tell the difference between fact and fiction. Accordingly, persons interested in accurate and current information about the Company only should consult the Companys public SEC filings and official statements. The Company stands fully behind the accuracy of its public SEC filings and official statements. The Company at no time and in no medium has communicated or published information claiming that the Company has a patent for a disinfectant that kills coronavirus. The Company has no knowledge of the source of such inforation entering the marketplace. The Companys practice is to cooperate with non-public inquiries conducted by regulators.



The Company does have four issued patents  two issued in April 2017, one issued in November 2018, and one issued in October 2019  relating to the Companys work in disinfectants. The testing on the Companys formulations for the four patents all occurred prior to the filing in 2015 of the patent applications. There is no reference to the specific strain of coronavirus that is the subject of current popular and widespread interest and possible solutions in any of the four patent applications because the newest strain of coronavirus was unknown at the time of the patent applications. The Company looks forward to the resumption of the trading of its securities, at which time investors should rely only on information published by the Company.

The Company has retained experienced outside counsel to address any questions that the SEC may raise that relate to the 10-day suspension of trading in the Companys securities. The SEC imposed a 10-day trading suspension; the SEC did not bring a civil enforcement action against the Company or any of its officers or directors. The Company is actively continuing its business operations. About Nano Magic Inc. Nano Magic Inc. (OTCMKT: NMGX) is a leader in creating and bringing to market cutting-edge nanotechnology powered applications formulated and packaged in the U.S.A. with special expertise in liquid products to apply to surfaces such as glass, porcelain, and ceramic. Consumer products include lens care, electronic device hygiene and protection, anti-fog solutions (sport and safety), as well as household cleaning and auto protection. Other applications include, interior/exterior display panels, touch screens, glass displays and screens, windshields, solar panels, glass countertops and display cases, china, porcelain, glass tableware, toilets, sinks, shower doors and more. Nano Magic also develops and sells printable inks and pastes, and graphene foils. Nano Magics Innovation and Technology Center in Austin, TX engages in contract research and development work for government and private customers. Nano Magic focuses on innovative and advanced product solutions harnessing the magic power of nanotechnology to create a safer, more socially conscious, and higher performing world. Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside of our control, concerning our business, products, and financial results. Actual results may differ materially from the results discussed. More information about our business, products, and financial results are included in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, and in reports subsequently filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). All documents are available through the SECs Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval System (EDGAR) at www.sec.gov or from our website listed above. All forward-looking statements apply only as of the date hereof. We hereby disclaim any obligation to publicly update the information provided above, including forward-looking statements, to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law. Contact Information Jeanne Rickert, Esq., General Counsel

[email protected]

(844) 273-6462

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Navajo Nation president says Native American communities are not getting the emergency funds they need for testing and equipment.

COVID-19 has struck particularly hard in the largest Native American reservation in the United States.

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez has imposed a strict lockdown, curfew and even checkpoints across the Navajo Nation. But he says Native American communities are not getting the emergency funds they need for testing and equipment.

More lives have been lost in the Navajo Nation than in the rest of New Mexico.

Al Jazeeras Rob Reynolds reports.
Private lender ICICI Bank on Wednesday said it has provided protective equipment to Uttar Pradesh government hospitals and police force, as part of its nationwide initiative to help frontline workers to combat coronavirus.

The lender donated protective products, including 1.8 lakh surgical masks, 8,500 litres sanitisers, over 850 PPE suits and 1,000 kg of bleaching powder to the authorities in Lucknow, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Gonda, Unnao and Prayagraj among others, it said in a release.

The bank has also provided 30 thermal scanners to Varanasi district administration, it added.

"We are standing in solidarity with various state governments, police departments and health professionals in their tireless efforts to treat and safeguard citizens of the country in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. Our support to various authorities in UP is part of these activities," Head-Government Banking, ICICI Bank, Saurabh Singh said.

The bank is also facilitating the Uttar Pradesh government in digital collection of donations for district level COVID-19 Relief Fund Accounts of Saharanpur, Etawah, Ayodhya and Varanasi, the release noted.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
People  mostly white, sometimes armed, occasionally carrying Confederate flags or hoisting placards emblazoned with a Nazi slogan from the Holocaust  have been loudly protesting to push their state governments to reopen business and spaces before enough progress has been made to contain the coronavirus. This is yet another illustration of the race and class divide this pandemic has illuminated in this country.

For some, a reopened economy and recreational landscape will mean the option to run a business, return to work, go to the park or beach, or have a night on the town at a nice restaurant or swanky bar. But for many on the lower rungs of the economic ladder, it will only force them back into compulsory exposure to more people, often in occupations that make it hard to protect oneself and that pay little for the risk.

Georgia was on the forefront of state reopenings. The first businesses that were allowed to reopen were, for the most part, those that provide low-wage jobs that require significant contact  such as tattoo parlors, barbershops and hair salons, and nail shops.

These are the struggling workers who entertain and aestheticize people of means. These businesses were by no means essential, and they put these workers in danger. There is absolutely no way to practice social distancing while inking someone a tattoo. (Also, what are you so desperate to stamp on your body that you would risk it all during a pandemic?)

And many of the people doing these jobs will have to take public transit to get to work and search for suitable child care before they leave home. Schools, in most cases, are still closed.

But even among professions that we dont immediately consider low-wage or minority-dominated, there are areas of high risk and low wages. For many people, the image that comes to mind about the medical field, those on the front lines, are doctors and nurses, people who are highly educated and highly paid. But there are many other people in those hospitals that make them run.

For instance, a majority of nursing assistants are members of racial minority groups. A third are African American. Half have completed no formal education beyond high school. And, according to RegisteredNursing.org, the median annual wage for a nursing assistant in a hospital is just $30,000. For those in nursing homes and providing home care, the pay is even lower.

It has been widely reported that the virus is having a disproportionate effect on black and brown people in America, both in terms of infections and death. But that is only one aspect of the disparities. In a country where race and ethnicity often intersect with wealth and class, there are a cascade of other impacts, particularly economic ones, to remain conscious of.

In a Pew Research Center survey conducted last month, 52 percent of low-income workers said they or someone in their household had lost a job or taken a pay cut as a result of the pandemic. But when you look at this through a racial lens, another striking reality emerges: 61 percent of Hispanic people agree with the statement, compared to 44 percent of African Americans and just 38 percent of white people.

And, as Pew pointed out, lower-income adults are less prepared to withstand a financial shock than those with higher incomes.

A McKinsey and Co. report last month found: Thirty-nine percent of jobs held by black workers, 7 million jobs in all, are vulnerable as a result of the Covid-19 crisis, compared with 34% for white workers.

Forty percent of the revenues of black-owned businesses are in the five most vulnerable sectors  including leisure, hospitality and retail  compared with 25 percent of the revenues of all U.S. businesses.

Beyond the threat to black personal economics, the crisis also poses a threat to black institutions. As the McKinsey report pointed out, the crisis is likely to significantly  and quickly  hobble historically black colleges and universities.

Even when the country starts to recover, the race and class disparities will most likely still be present and working against minorities in low-wage jobs. As the Center for American Progress wrote last month, Evidence demonstrates that while workers of color are often the first to be fired during economic downturns, they are often the last to be rehired during recoveries.

This pandemic is likely to not only expose inequalities, but also exacerbate them.

America has never been comfortable discussing the inequalities that America created, let alone addressing them. America loves a feel-good, forget-the-past-lets-start-from-here mantra.

But this virus is exploiting these man-made inequalities and making them impossible to ignore. It is demonstrating the incalculable callousness of wealth and privilege that would willingly thrust the less well-off into the most danger for a few creature comforts.

This crisis is exposing the class savagery of American democracy and the economic carnage that it has always countenanced.
Annie Kelleher has been making tough medical decisions for years now, ever since she was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer.

The coronavirus pandemic pushed another anvil-size health-care decision onto her shoulders: Should she continue to welcome into her home the health aides who help her survive, even though they could be carrying the virus? Or should she eliminate all possible carriers of the virus and hope her husband can bear the load instead?

"They are so fundamental to my well-being at this point," said Kelleher, 61, of Canton, Connecticut. "Even though I have a husband and he's wonderful, they help me with things that he can't."

Thousands of Americans have faced a similar dilemma in the weeks since covid-19 paralyzed the nation, forced to choose between isolating themselves to guard against contracting a potentially fatal disease and continuing to receive the much-needed help of home health workers. Some of those aides are providing medical treatment, which means their services are regulated by Medicare. Others are providing more-personal assistance - helping patients move around their homes and assisting with basic functioning - as part of noncertified services that are similarly crucial to those who require them.

Home aides in both categories are caught in a conundrum. A recent survey conducted by the National Association for Home Care and Hospice found that 42 percent of home health aides were treating patients who had tested positive for covid-19, according to William Dombi, president of the home-care association. But concern also lies in the unknown. Inconsistent testing means patients and their caregivers often live with the fear that the other is harboring the virus.

Unlike health-care workers affiliated with hospitals or other practices, many home-care aides have not been given personal protective equipment. Many have no office or agency infrastructure to provide testing for the virus. If they continue traveling from place to place, seeing patient after patient - particularly without the personal protective equipment they need - they risk contracting the virus and bringing it home to their families. If they do not, they will be out of work.

"The workforce issues stem from a lack of PPE," said Kevin Smith, chief executive at Best of Care, a home health agency in Massachusetts. "If an aide doesn't feel safe, he or she is not going to want to go to work. And who can blame them? They're often going into homes where they don't necessarily know who has been there the day before, let alone the hour before."

The dangers faced by those on both sides are real and urgent. One of Kelleher's trusted aides, Lessie Wilson, called and reported that she needed to take some time off. Her husband, Leroy Wilson, had tested positive for the virus. A few days later, after 40 years of marriage and raising seven children, he died at age 77.

"He was a very religious man, and although I was never blessed to meet him, I know his prayers helped keep me alive these past two years," Kelleher wrote in memory of Wilson.

Lessie Wilson returned to work for Kelleher after she had been quarantined in accordance with agency protocol. She works for an agency that assigns direct-care workers to patients and that has instituted protocols to clear potentially infected workers before they return to work. But not all direct-care workers are affiliated with agencies; Kelleher's other aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of privacy concerns, finds clients herself. Those patients must trust her to take her own precautions, and she must trust them to take theirs.

Emilia Adnes-Maxwell had hired workers from one such agency to care for her mother at her home in Eustis, Florida. Barbara Koski Maxwell, 94, was beset with dementia. Adnes-Maxwell had promised her mother that she wouldn't place her in a nursing home, so when Koski Maxwell started needing constant care, her daughter took her into her home. When awareness of covid-19 began to spread, Adnes-Maxwell, who is dealing with her own immune deficiency condition, worried about the risks of having multiple workers enter her home, particularly because some of them visited patients in nursing homes or hospitals. She asked her agency to provide the same workers, day after day, to mitigate those risks.

But her mother was visited by many unfamiliar faces, and rarely the same one twice. Some had homemade masks. Some were rationing PPE at the direction of their employer. So Adnes-Maxwell asked that the home health aides stop visiting and instead just drop off the necessary supplies. She said she could "see the fear" in the aides' eyes. She shared it.

"I was scared," Adnes-Maxwell said. "I didn't want this coming into our home, but I could see it being inevitable."

Her mother eventually contracted the virus. She struggled to breathe and coughed up mucus. Adnes-Maxwell wiped her mother's eyes and tried to help her. Koski Maxwell, once a renowned courtroom artist and illustrator for Highlights magazine, died April 1. Adnes-Maxwell said she doesn't know where the virus came from. She was furloughed from her job at Walt Disney World and had stayed inside for some time before her mother died. She said her son visits only a few people in the neighborhood.

Adnes-Maxwell pointed out that the family lives about 30 minutes from the Villages, a retirement community in central Florida that has experienced a covid-19 outbreak.

She is hardly the only client to cancel home-care services for family members. With more people working from home than normal, more patients have family members around to help.

Even some who don't have family at home are not willing to risk exposure. Smith said his Massachusetts-based agency has seen a 20 percent drop in overall services provided, largely because of patients canceling services.

Marla Lahat, executive director of Home Care Partners, a District of Columbia nonprofit organization that helps low-income families secure home health care, said her organization had about 650 clients before March 15. As of last week, it had lost 120 of those clients - just shy of 20 percent.

Home health workers are canceling, too. Smith and Lahat said they've seen workers decide they couldn't risk bringing the virus home to their families, or couldn't find adequate child care, or couldn't afford transportation to their jobs. According to a study conducted by PHI - an organization that studies and works to improve the home health industry - the median hourly wage for a unionized home health worker is less than $13 an hour. Most do not have paid sick leave. The choice to leave work or risk illness can be as devastating to them as the choice to receive their care or turn it away can be for those who need them.

The magnitude of cancellations nationwide is hard to calculate because reliable data about the state of the in-home care industry is almost impossible to accumulate. Robert Espinoza, vice president of policy at PHI, said the fractured home health system precludes that kind of data collection.

"There isn't really a strong data collection system at the state level where we can get a sense of how many home-care workers there are, how many full-time [or] part-time employees, what are the vacancy rates, turnover rates," Espinoza said. "And one of the implications of that is we can't tell where a workforce shortage is greatest and identify which part of a state needs more workers. And that's only become more pronounced in this moment."

Smith, Lahat and others said they expect many patients to resume services once the country begins to reopen and testing becomes more widely available. Still, the financial crunch imposed by the pandemic could push many home-care agencies out of business. In the meantime, workers and their clients are left to decide whether to risk infection or endure the alternative.

Kelleher's other home aide hasn't stopped visiting. That aide has emphysema, meaning she is also in a high-risk category for covid-19. But she said she doesn't go many places - she gets gas, goes to the supermarket, goes to Kelleher's, goes home. She and Kelleher say not much has changed, at least not for them.

"We don't hug anymore," said Kelleher, who said she couldn't imagine going without regular visits from home health aides, even as each of her four children offered to take her home with them.

"I was like, you know, I have everything here set up the way I like it," Kelleher said. "I've got my little dog. I've got my big chair. It would just be a nightmare to try to move somewhere else at this point."
Diplomats from the five permanent member states of the UN Security Council keep working on a joint document that may be adopted at a summit of the quintets leaders, but neither the date nor other details of the meeting are clear at this point, Russian presidential press secretary, Dmitry Peskov said, TASS reports.

"There was [Russian President Vladimir] Putins initiative. [US President Donald] Trump has confirmed that such a meeting would be expedient. He said the United States would join such a meeting," Peskov said.

However, no specifics regarding the date or format are available at this point.

"Contacts are underway among the quintets diplomats over drafting a corresponding document. The work has not been finalized yet," Peskov added.
MANZINI  Families of the 11 police officers who died in a tragic accident along with a truck driver, have been advised to consider doing DNA tests or burying their loved ones together in a heroes acre.



This was after some of the families failed to identify the bodies of their loved ones due to the fact that they were burnt beyond recognition.

However, some of the affected families managed to identify the bodies of their loved ones using their force numbers which were on their uniforms.



The families were invited to Dups Holdings Funeral Home yesterday morning where the identification process was held, however, for some of them, it was impossible to identify their deceased relatives.



According to an impeccable source, the families were advised that there were options which they could explore to avoid burying wrong bodies. The first option, according to the source, was that they take the bodies to Pretoria in South Africa to do deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) tests.



However, they were warned that this process could take a long time, the source said.

The other option was to bury the officers together in a heroes acre. He said in that way, the challenge of having families that would bury the wrong corpse, would be resolved. However, the families are yet to meet with the police top brass and among the issues to be discussed is how the fallen heroes and heroin would be laid to rest.



On the other hand, this publication gathered that after the identification exercise, which did not yield the desired results, six bodies of the deceased police officers were taken to the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital where a post-mortem was conducted.



William Dlamini, the National Commissioner (NATCOM) of Police confirmed that with the assistance of RFM Hospital, they managed to do a post-mortem of six deceased officers out of the 11. He said the remaining five officers post-mortem would be conducted today. RFM Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Benjamin Simelane said the hospital was aware that there was an arrangement about conducting the post-mortem that was made with the hospital yesterday.



Pathologist



However, he said they were not privy to what really transpired as usually, the police use a government pathologist.

The police chief also mentioned that today, they would be meeting the affected families. Thereafter, he said they would make a public announcement.



The accident took place last Thursday near New Village in the Manzini Region along Yithi Abantu Highway and it involved a police Toyota Quantum and a truck.

A total of 12 lives were lost during the accident and it included the 11 police officers and truck driver.
Soros Charity Should Have to Oppose Prostitution to Receive US Grants, Supreme Court Told

The Trump administration urged the Supreme Court May 5 to leave in place a legal provision that requires foreign organizations receiving U.S. government grants to oppose prostitution and sex trafficking.

Oral arguments were heard by the high court telephonically for the second time in history in the case cited as USAID v. Alliance for Open Society International Inc. (AOSI). Chief Justice John Roberts announced at the outset of the hearing that Justice Elena Kagan recused herself and wouldnt be participating.

AOSI was founded by the controversial billionaire George Soros, who has long been the focus of conservative ire. The preeminent funder of the activist left in this country, Soros has called the United States the main obstacle to a stable and just world order and hailed communist China for having a better-functioning government than the United States.

Formed under Delaware law in 2003, AOSI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and part of Soross Open Society Foundations (OSF) network of philanthropies. On its more recent publicly available IRS filing, AOSI describes its mission as to transform closed societies into open societies and to protect and expand the values of existing open societies.

Soros and the philanthropies he funds have long opposed keeping prostitution illegal.

Criminalization of sex work compromises sex workers health and safety by driving sex work underground, the OSF website states.

Attorney Christopher Michel from the U.S. Solicitor Generals office told the eight justices during oral arguments about the Leadership Act, which was enacted in 2003 to combat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the disease it causes, acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), outside the United States.

Twenty years ago, the HIV/AIDS pandemic was devastating the world, he said.

Since the Leadership Act was enacted, the United States has committed nearly $80 billion to global AIDS relief, and it has worked, saving more than 17 million lives in the most successful American foreign aid effort since the Marshall Plan.

Congress imposed a funding condition that requires recipients of grants under the statute to have a policy opposing prostitution and sex trafficking, which Congress found are coercive practices that spread HIV/AIDS and degrade women and girls.

Congress can do that because foreign entities lack constitutional rights, so they cannot bring an unconstitutional conditions claim. AOSI, a U.S. entity, isnt subject to the funding condition and after a previous Supreme Court victory in 2013 is free to use funds without any compelled speech.

Back then, the court ruled that the government cant condition a grant on professing a belief approved by the government. The court held that it is a basic First Amendment principle that freedom of speech prohibits the government from telling people what they must say.

Michel continued, To be sure, respondents can choose to affiliate with foreign entities that must comply with the policy condition, but any effect on respondents message is now a product of their own choice, not government compulsion.

AOSIs contrary view is startling, Michel said.

They would allow U.S. non-profits to export constitutional rights to legally separate foreign entities abroad simply because they share similar brands. That novel theory has no basis in this Courts prior decision, it could undermine long-standing regulations of foreign speech, and it has no practical justification.

Representing AOSI, attorney David Bowker said current law in effect forces U.S. entities to speak because their foreign affiliates are required to observe the requirement.

They speak as one, make speech and policy decisions together, and are indistinguishable to the public, he said.

The U.S. entity cannot disavow the foreign affiliates policy without appearing hypocritical and without appearing to engage in doublespeak, he said.

The entities share the same name, same logo, same brand, Roberts noted.

Despite that, the organizations are separate legal entities, Michel said, adding that such a relationship carries with it both advantages and disadvantages. They have to accept the bitter with the sweet, he said.

When a statute violates the First Amendment, the burden is on the government, not the speaker, to give First Amendment freedoms the necessary breathing space, Bowker said.

If AOSI had to sever ties with affiliates, it would destroy their organization. Posing such a choice demonstrates how the government continues to use its vast spending power to coerce respondents fealty, Bowker said.

Justice Samuel Alito said to Bowker, what concerns me today is not so much the immediate impact of a decision in your favor but where it would lead.  I am concerned that it will force Congress either to withhold foreign aid entirely or to allow foreign aid to be used in ways that are contrary to the interests of the people of this country.
Amidst the expanding coronavirus pandemic in the United States, the Trump administration is implementing a reckless and socially criminal open up the economy policy that will result in hundreds of thousands of deaths that could, with correct policies, be prevented.

Trump, in an interview with ABC News aired on Tuesday night, exuded indifference to the consequences of the policies his administration is carrying out. Therell be more death, Trump said, the virus will pass, with or without a vaccine. And I think were doing very well on the vaccines but, with or without a vaccine, its going to pass, and were going to be back to normal.

On Monday, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a close advisor to Trump, bluntly told CNN that it was necessary for the American people to sacrifice their lives by going back to work. The American people have gone through significant death before [in World War I and II]  and weve survived it. We sacrificed those lives. The sacrifice, he added, was necessary to stand up for the American way of life.

When asked whether he thought the American people would accept up to 3,000 deaths per day by the end of this month, as projected by a leaked internal report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Christie replied: Theyre gonna have to.

Even as the virus spreads, the Trump administration is ending all pretense of prioritizing the saving of lives. To underscore this point, the White House announced on Tuesday that it is planning on shutting down its coronavirus task force as the country moves to open up. Trump has already cancelled press conferences of the task force, and the administration is clearly preparing to get rid of its most prominent spokesman, Dr. Anthony Fauci.

The drive to open up the economy is taking place under conditions in which the spread is accelerating. By mid-day Tuesday, the official number of new deaths in the United States was 2,350, up sharply from 1,324 recorded the previous day. The death toll has now passed 70,000. Less than a week ago, the Trump administration stated that it expected that the death toll would reach 75,000 by August. In reality, that toll will be reached before the end of this week.

The pandemic is expanding rapidly in rural areas and throughout the Midwest. There is a rise in the number of deaths in Texas, which is the first indication of the disastrous consequences of a premature back to work movement.

The New York Times noted in an article published on Tuesday, Rural towns that one month ago were unscathed are suddenly hot spots for the virus. It is rampaging through nursing homes, meatpacking plants and prisons, killing the medically vulnerable and the poor, and new outbreaks keep emerging in grocery stores, Walmarts or factories, an ominous harbinger of what a full reopening of the economy will bring.

Dakota County, Nebraska, a center of the meatpacking industry, now has the third-most cases on a per capita basis in the country, after reporting no cases as late as April 11. Nearly 600 meatpacking workers in the region tested positive for the virus last month. The number of cases is increasing sharply in Illinois, Maryland, Virginia, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, New Mexico and many other states.

In addition to Christies statement about the necessity for sacrifice, Trump declared on Tuesday afternoon that the American people are warriors, with the implication that they must be willing to give their lives to the cause. What is the war and what is the cause?

The war that the administration is carrying out is not a war against the pandemic. Its policy is that of herd immunitythat the coronavirus should be allowed to run rampant with nothing done to stop it.

The war that Trump is waging is a war against society. The sacrifices are those demanded by Wall Street. As for the cause, it is the enrichment of the corporate-financial oligarchy. The American way of life invoked by Trump and Christie that is to be defended has nothing to do with the lives and interests of the vast majority of the population, who want to protect themselves, their families and their coworkers. Rather, it means going back to work and dying for profits.

The Trump administration is articulating a policy with distinctly fascistic characteristics, but it is a policy that is embedded in class interests. After first downplaying the pandemic, the Trump administration and Congress utilized the crisis atmosphere to carry out a multi-trillion-dollar bailout of Wall Street. Even amidst economic conditions and mass unemployment not seen since the Great Depression, and an expanding death toll, share values continue to rise relentlessly.

The homicidal policy of the Trump administration and the new Wall Street Bull Market are two sides of the same phenomenon. The interests of the corporate-financial elite are completely alienated from and opposed to society. The enrichment of the ruling elite is dependent upon the suffering of the mass of the people.

Having vastly expanded the debt level of the United States, the ruling class is compelled to intensify its exploitation and impoverishment of the working class. This is the central force behind the mad drive to return to work. Millions of workers have been unable to receive any unemployment benefits, while small businesses have been cut out of access to loans as part of the Paycheck Protection Program. The aim is to create an economic imperative for a return to work.

The Trump administration has the advantage of not facing any significant opposition within the political establishment. The policy of massive enrichment of the oligarchy is bipartisan. The handout to Wall Street, sanctioned by the CARES Act, was passed unanimously in the Senate, with every single Democrat and Republican voting for it, including Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

Whatever nervousness may exist in the media over the social implications of Trumps policy, the back to work campaign is also bipartisan. The campaign to ensure that the cure is not worse than the disease was initiated by the New York Times and its columnist Thomas Friedman, who continues to campaign for a strategy based on herd immunity. As the Trump administration implements a policy that will lead to widespread deaths, there is no statement of opposition from the Democratic Party.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the fight against the pandemic is inseparable from a fight against the capitalist system. The conflict between the needs of society and the profit system is not just a theoretical question. It is demonstrated in practice every single day.

All social resources must be directed not to bailing out Wall Street, but to securing the needs of the working class. Non-essential production must remain closed as every measure is taken to preserve life and contain the virus. All workers must receive full income and benefits until it is possible to return to their jobs under safe conditions. Mortgages, student loans and other payments to the banks must be cancelled.

The Socialist Equality Party unequivocally denounces the back to work and return to normal campaign.

The fight against the pandemic is inseparably linked to a struggle against the ruling class and its dictatorship of economic and political life. It is, therefore, a political struggle to mobilize the working class against a lawless government and the capitalist system that it defends.
Olivia Palermo is continuing to keep up her style rep while still taking the necessary precautions while out and about amid coronavirus in New York City.

The 34-year-old socialite stepped out on Tuesday looking runway ready, as she took her beloved white Maltese dog, Mr. Butler, for walkies.

Olivia strutted down the sidewalk while on her phone, rocking a long cream dress and cardigan, and a parka-inspired green jacket.

Style run: The 34-year-old socialite stepped out on Tuesday looking runway ready, as she took her beloved white Maltese dog, Mr. Butler, for walkies.

The style veteran recently took to social media to encourage her six million followers to play around with fashion while being safe during the current global pandemic.

'Safety, but make it fashion,' she began.

'Finding creative ways to protect myself on my daily walks with Buddy. Get creative with your closet and make your own covering and leave the professional masks to the healthcare workers.'

Fabulous: The style veteran recently took to social media to encourage her six million followers to play around with fashion while being safe during the current global pandemic.

Me and Mr. Butler: Olivia's pet pooch looked excited to be outside in NYC

She ended the caption of the outdoor photo with: 'Thankful to everyone helping on the frontlines on #worldhealthday and please #stayhome if you can! '

Olivia's post was met with mixed reviews. Many followers deemed her message irresponsible.

'forget about fashion lol Just wear the medical MASKKK,' one wrote.

Another penned: 'But you have to wear a medical mask, please don't give this type of advise just because of fashion ... Is risky.'

Not seen with her was her husband of nearly six years, German model, Johannes Huebl.

The pair wed in 2014 after first getting together in 2008. They were engaged for six -months before tying-the-knot in June 2014.
Transgender birth mother can't be recognized as baby's father: appeals court Court says the best interests of children should be taken into account

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A trans-identified female in England can not be listed as the father of a child to whom she gave birth, an appeals court ruled.

A three-judge panel from the Court of Appeal of England and Wales headed by Lord Chief Justice Ian Burnett last week upheld an earlier high court ruling against 34-year-old journalist Freddy McConnell.

At common law a person whose egg is inseminated in their womb and who then becomes pregnant and gives birth to a child is that childs mother, the appeals court decision reads. The status of being a mother arises from the role that a person has undertaken in the biological process of conception, pregnancy and birth.

According to court documents, McConnell has identified as a male since age 22. McConnell underwent a double mastectomy as well as hormone treatment. But after stopping the hormone treatment in 2016 and undergoing intrauterine insemination fertility treatment, McConnell became pregnant and gave birth in January 2018.

The courts ruling supports the earlier decision in which the High Court of Justice, Family Division ruled that motherhood is defined as a status afforded to a person who undergoes the physical and biological process of carrying a pregnancy and giving birth no matter what gender the mother is recognized as under the Gender Recognition Act of 2004.

The earlier high court decision had also laid emphasis on the right of a child of a trans person to know its origins.

The appeals court stated in its ruling that the legislative scheme of the Gender Recognition Act required McConnell to be registered as the mother of the child rather than listed as the father, parent or gestational parent.

That requirement did not violate his or YYs Article 8 [of the European Convention on Human Rights] rights, the rulings read. There is no incompatibility between the GRA and the Convention. In the result we dismiss these appeals.

The ruling asserts that the law is clear that a child only ever has one mother, although there may be more than one parent.

According to the Court of Appeal, being a mother or father with respect to the conception, pregnancy and birth of a child is not necessarily gender-specific, although until recent decades it invariably was so.

It is now possible, and recognized by the law, for a mother to have an acquired gender of male, and for a father to have an acquired gender of female, the court said. By virtue of that section the status of a person as the father or mother of a child is not affected by the acquisition of gender under the [Gender Recognition Act], even where the relevant birth has taken place after the issue of a GRC.

The court stressed that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child requires that the best interests of children generally should be taken into account as a primary consideration when striking a balance in legislation.

In our judgement, that is precisely what Parliament has done in enacting a carefully crafted set of provisions which balance the rights of transgender people and others, including their children, the rulings contends. The view that Parliament has taken is that every child should have a mother and should be able to discover who their mother was, because that is in the childs best interests.

Others may take a different view and in time may be able to persuade Parliament to take a different view. What cannot be doubted is that Parliament has taken into account the best interests of children as a primary consideration.

The appeals court also opined that the grounds of appeal before this Court did not raise Article 14 of the Convention, which confers the right to equality in the enjoyment of the other Convention rights.

We consider that Article 14 raises no separate issue in the circumstances of this case, the ruling reads. Any difference of treatment which is contained in the relevant legislation is objectively justified for the reasons we have already set out in relation to Article 8.

In a statement, McConnells legal team at Laytons LLP chastised the ruling as a narrow interpretation of the Gender Recognition Act that will force all transgender people to choose between being a parent and having full recognition of their gender.

The judgment asserts the term mother and father are not gender bound while simultaneously forcing registration according to the transgender individuals birth gender, the statement reads. This is not only an unjustifiable interference in his rights to a family and private life, but even domestic legislation in the UK birth allows other individuals on birth certificates to be identified simply as parents.

McConnell wrote on Twitter that it was a [d]isappointing, conservative decision.

[W]e knew this would be a long fight, she told LGBT supporters online. Dont lose hope. We are applying to the Supreme Court. Trans parents will get legal recognition.

The ruling was also criticized by the U.K.-based LGBT rights group Stonewall. Stonewall Director of Campaigns, Policy & Research Laura Russell said in a statement that the courts missed a vital opportunity to send a positive message that recognizes all parents for who they are.
[May 06, 2020] Artemis Consulting Provides Software Development Services for U.S. Copyright Office's Public Records System

WASHINGTON, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In September 2019, Artemis Consulting was awarded a contract updating the copyright public records system, which hosts the largest collection of copyright records, for the U.S. Copyright Office (USCO). The USCO has been in need of a new web-based cloud-hosted Enterprise Copyright System (ECS) to allow for better communication and information sharing between the USCO and the public. As part of the USCO's modernization efforts as articulated on https://www.copyright.gov/copyright-modernization, development of the ECS is in processthe overall system that provides the public with records of copyright owners, copies of completed registration records, recordation documents and registration information. Working on the public records portion of the ECS, Artemis Consulting is creating a new system that will offer a more easily readable and searchable database and an updated user interface, giving easier access to USCO's public records. The Artemis team has knowledge of the data from both the ECS registration and recordation systems, having completed the data analysis and implementation of the recordation system in collaboration with USCO staff, OCIO staff and others. Rohit Gupta, Atemis President and Founder, explains, "The Public Records project is part of a much bigger multi-year system-wide modernization effort that includes both the registration and recordation systems. Because we are pulling both registration and recordation information from older databases, we are essentially designing ways of organizing this data into the new and improved system, making it easier for the public to access the data." The new public record system will eventually not only migrate all the current Copyright Public Records Catalog, but also content from other USCO legacy systems, as well as allow for new content from future registration and recordation systems that are part of the ECS modernization effort.



Amee Shah, Artemis CEO, adds, "Our Artemis team has been working hard and collaborating with the USCO and OCIO staff to create an online system that is flexible in allowing for continued updates. We have been making great progress and are excited to be part of a project that makes vital copyright information more easily available to the public." About Artemis Consulting, Inc.

Artemis Consulting, is a woman-owned IT Services and Management consulting firm in the Washington D.C. metro area. They are an Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Company, one of Virginia's Fantastic 50 Fastest Growing Companies and an Entrepreneur 360 company. Since 1999, they have been designing and developing software and integrating systems that transform their clients' organizations and help improve customer experience. With the growing trend toward Agile methodology and DevOps, Artemis' microservices design and architecture allows for continuous delivery and deployment of complex applications with relative ease. In the public sector, Artemis Consulting has a variety of Government-wide IDIQ prime contracts. The company prides itself on a team-oriented talent base which works collaboratively with clients and believes in being socially responsible in its local communities by donating time, expertise and financial support.

Contact:

Priya Dewsbury

5713540270

[email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/artemis-consulting-provides-software-development-services-for-us-copyright-offices-public-records-system-301053889.html SOURCE Artemis Consulting Inc.

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An Australian film about a man with coronavirus in home quarantine predicted the COVID-19 pandemic more than three years before the outbreak.

Independent movie Cooped Up was dubbed a 'quirky romantic comedy' when it was released in 2016 but it now has some chilling parallels to the health crisis.

In the film, wrestler Jake Ridge is infected with a 'bat coronavirus' during a trip to China and is forced to self-isolate in his childhood home in Sydney for 21 days.

During this time, he falls in love with epidemiologist Dr Emily Mundy, who visits him to check on his condition while often wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).

Coincidentally, the film's director Kane Guglielmi is currently in lockdown with his wife and two children in Tuscany, Italy - one of the worst affected countries.

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The poster for 2016 Australian movie Cooped Up, which seemingly predicted the COVID-19 pandemic as it told the story of a man who is forced into self-isolation after contracting coronavirus in China

Early in the film, Dr Mundy informs the main character Jake that he has coronavirus after returning to Sydney from a trip to China.

'It's similar to a bat coronavirus but we've also found it in bats and camels,' she said.

The epidemiologist then shows Jake a newspaper with a headline that reads: 'Deadly virus hits Sydney.'

Similarly, the current COVID-19 strain is believed to have originated from a bat in a Chinese wet market in the city of Wuhan before making its way to Australia.

'You've been exposed to an emerging respiratory coronavirus with a known fatality rate over 90 per cent. Elevated heart rate and high temperature will be the first symptoms,' Dr Mundy then says.

'If you don't have anything like this 21 days after exposure, then you're fine.'

Jake is then forced into self-isolation and finds ways to pass the time such as masturbating, dressing up as characters and pretending to fish from his couch.

Likewise, people contract coronavirus are required to self-isolate at home unless their illness requires treatment at hospital.

Early in the film, epidemiologist Dr Emily Mundy (right) informs wrestler Jake Ridge (left) that he has 'bat coronavirus' after returning to Sydney from a trip to China and that he has to self-isolate at home for 21 days

Dr Mundy then shows Jake a newspaper with a headline that reads: 'Deadly virus hits Sydney.'

At one point, he wraps a tea towel around his mouth like a face mask and carries disinfectant spray bottles in each hand like a quarantine cowboy.

Face masks, disinfectant and hand sanitiser have all been in short supply during the current pandemic as they prevent infection.

Dr Mundy comes back to the house to check on Jake at several points in the film.

She wears a full hazmat suit, a face mask, goggles and gloves - otherwise known as PPE, which is now in incredibly high demand at hospitals across the world.

Jake dons a face mask and uses disinfectant spray in the film while Dr Mundy wears full PPE, which are all items that are currently in shortage amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Jake pretends to fish from his couch to pass the time while in self-isolation with coronavirus

Mr Guglielmi, the film's director, said it was 'bizarre' that his movie directly mirrors the current reality for millions of people around the world.

'When the film was first released, some people had said the plot was too far-fetched. Up until six months ago I thought maybe, in some ways, it was too,' he told 9News.

'I myself can't believe the parallels of the film, it is literally identical to what people are going through right now.'

He was inspired to make the film when he discovered the concept of infected people self-isolating at home, which he thought was interesting.

The director and writer John Ratchford even consulted a virologist to make the film scientifically accurate, which is why it has so many parallels to COVID-19.

The independent film maker put everything on the line to make the film, even selling his house to fund the production.

Three years later, the investment is paying off as he made deals with various international streaming services to broadcast the movie across the world.

The film's director Kane Guglielmi (left) is currently in lockdown with his wife Nicole (right) and their two children, aged two and four, in Tuscany, Italy - one of the worst affected countries

Mr Gugielmi, his wife Nicole and their two children, aged two and four, are currently living in lockdown in Tuscany, Italy.

Cooped Up has blown up in popularity since the COVID-19 and Mr Gugielmi has been interviewed by news organisations in the US, UK, Canada and New Zealand.

The director signed a deal with Channel 10 to air the movie for Australian audiences last Friday.

But Mr Gugielmi slammed the network for removing a three-second dedication to his late brother, who died of suicide, at the start of the film.

'I am deeply disappointed, and quite frankly disgusted to learn of the actions by this evening in the broadcast of my feature film Cooped Up,' he wrote on Facebook.

Channel 10's Head of Programming Daniel Monaghan later apologised, saying he 'deeply regrets' the decision.

Cooped Up is currently available to rent or buy on Vimeo and Amazon Prime Video.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES

OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

OTTAWA, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Martello Technologies Group Inc. ("Martello" or the "Company") (MTLO.V) a provider of digital experience monitoring (DEM) solutions deployed in more than 5,000 enterprise networks around the world, is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with PI Financial Corp. and Eight Capital to act as co-lead underwriters, on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters (collectively the "Underwriters"), pursuant to which the Underwriters will purchase, on a bought deal basis, an aggregate of 23,810,000 units of Martello (the "Units") at a price of $0.21 per Unit (the "Offering Price") for aggregate gross proceeds of $5,000,100 (the "Offering"). The net proceeds of the Offering will be used to pay a portion of the purchase price in connection with the previously announced acquisition by the Company (the Acquisition) of all of the issued and outstanding securities of GSX Participations SA (GSX) pursuant to a share purchase agreement dated April 28, 2020.

The Units will be offered by way of a short-form prospectus in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia, and such other additional jurisdictions in Canada as agreed to by the Company and the Underwriters.

The Company has also granted the underwriters an option to cover over-allotments (the Over-Allotment Option), which will allow the underwriters to offer up to an additional 15% of the Offering, on the same terms as the Units. The Over-Allotment Option may be exercised in whole or in part at any time up to 30 days following the closing date of the Offering, for any number of Units, Unit Shares, Warrants, or any combination thereof at a price equal to the Offering Price for a Unit and a price to be agreed upon for the Warrant.

GSX Acquisition

The Company has entered into a share purchase agreement dated April 28, 2020 to acquire 100% of the shares of GSX, a provider of end-user experience monitoring for Microsoft Office 365 headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland with more than 400 enterprise customers globally. The consideration for the acquisition is 22,000,000 common shares and CDN$13,860,000 cash for an aggregate purchase price of $18,700,000, subject to adjustment (the "Purchase Price").

Story continues

Terms of the Offering

Each Unit shall consist of one common share of the Company (each, a Unit Share) and one transferable common share purchase warrant (each such warrant, a Warrant). Each Warrant shall be exercisable into one common share at an exercise price of $0.30 per common share for a period of 36 months from the Closing Date (the Warrant Shares or together with the Unit Shares, Shares). Commencing on the date that is 12 months following the Closing Date, if the daily volume weighted average trading price of the common shares of the Company on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV) for any 10 consecutive days equals or exceeds $0.50, the Company may, upon providing written notice to the holders of the Warrants, accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants to the date that is 30 days following the date of such written notice.

The Offering is expected to close on or about May 26, 2020, or such other date as agreed between the Company and the Underwriters, and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the closing in escrow of the Acquisition and the receipt of all necessary regulatory and other approvals including the approval of the TSXV.

The Company has agreed to pay a cash commission of 7.0% of the gross proceeds of the Offering and will issue to the Underwriters compensation options (the Compensation Options) equal to 5.0% of the aggregate number of Units sold under the Offering (the Underwriting Fee). The Compensation Options will be exercisable into common shares of the Company at a price per Compensation Options equal to the Offering Price for a period of 24 months from the closing of the Offering.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

About Martello Technologies Group Inc.

Martello Technologies Group Inc. (MTLO.V) is a technology company that provides digital experience monitoring (DEM) solutions. The company develops products and solutions that provide monitoring and analytics on the performance of real-time applications on networks, while giving IT teams and service providers control and visibility of their entire IT infrastructure. Martellos products include unified communications performance analytics software, and IT analytics software. Martello Technologies Group is a public company headquartered in Ottawa, Canada with offices in Montreal, Amsterdam, Paris, Dallas and New York. Learn more at http://www.martellotech.com



Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "goal," "seek," "believe," "expect," "future," "may," "should," "will" and similar references to future periods. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding anticipated closing date of the Offering, adjustments to the Purchase Price, and accelerated exercise of Warrants.



Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following:

Changes in customer demand.



Disruptions to our technology network including computer systems and software, as well as natural events such as severe weather, fires, floods and earthquakes or man-made or other disruptions of our operating systems, structures or equipment.



Delayed purchase timelines and disruptions to customer budgets, as well as Martellos ability to maintain business continuity as a result of COVID-19.

Any forward-looking statement made by us in this news release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

For more information, please contact:

Tracy King

Vice President of Marketing

tking@martellotech.com

613.271.5989 x 2112

John Proctor

President & CEO

jproctor@martellotech.com

613.271.5989
Evidence of an ice age Indian Ocean El Nino was found in the chemistry of these 21,000 year old foram shells by Thirumalai in 2017, when he was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics. The researchers now think the processes driving Indian Ocean El Nino during global cooling were very similar to those under global warming. Credit: Kaustubh Thirumalai

Global warming is approaching a tipping point that during this century could reawaken an ancient climate pattern similar to El Nino in the Indian Ocean, new research led by scientists from The University of Texas at Austin has found.

If it comes to pass, floods, storms and drought are likely to worsen and become more regular, disproportionately affecting populations most vulnerable to climate change.

Computer simulations of climate change during the second half of the century show that global warming could disturb the Indian Ocean's surface temperatures, causing them to rise and fall year to year much more steeply than they do today. The seesaw pattern is strikingly similar to El Nino, a climate phenomenon that occurs in the Pacific Ocean and affects weather globally.

"Our research shows that raising or lowering the average global temperature just a few degrees triggers the Indian Ocean to operate exactly the same as the other tropical oceans, with less uniform surface temperatures across the equator, more variable climate, and with its own El Nino," said lead author Pedro DiNezio, a climate scientist at the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics, a research unit of the UT Jackson School of Geosciences.

According to the research, if current warming trends continue, an Indian Ocean El Nino could emerge as early as 2050.

The results, which were published May 6 in the journal Science Advances, build on a 2019 paper by many of the same authors who found evidence of a past Indian Ocean El Nino hidden in the shells of microscopic sea life, called forams, that lived 21,000 years agothe peak of the last ice age when the Earth was much cooler.

To show whether an Indian Ocean El Nino can occur in a warming world, the scientists analyzed climate simulations, grouping them according to how well they matched present-day observations. When global warming trends were included, the most accurate simulations were those showing an Indian Ocean El Nino emerging by 2100.

Rainfall simulations in the Indian Ocean under future global warming show more extreme periods of deluge and drought. According to the University of Texas-led study, the climate swings are the result of Indian Ocean El Nino and La Nina that could emerge within the 21st century if today's greenhouse warming trends continue. Credit: Pedro DiNezio

"Greenhouse warming is creating a planet that will be completely different from what we know today, or what we have known in the 20th century," DiNezio said.

The latest findings add to a growing body of evidence that the Indian Ocean has potential to drive much stronger climate swings than it does today.

Co-author Kaustubh Thirumalai, who led the study that discovered evidence of the ice age Indian Ocean El Nino, said that the way glacial conditions affected wind and ocean currents in the Indian Ocean in the past is similar to the way global warming affects them in the simulations.

"This means the present-day Indian Ocean might in fact be unusual," said Thirumalai, who is an assistant professor at the University of Arizona.

The Indian Ocean today experiences very slight year-to-year climate swings because the prevailing winds blow gently from west to east, keeping ocean conditions stable. According to the simulations, global warming could reverse the direction of these winds, destabilizing the ocean and tipping the climate into swings of warming and cooling akin to the El Nino and La Nina climate phenomena in the Pacific Ocean. The result is new climate extremes across the region, including disruption of the monsoons over East Africa and Asia.

Thirumalai said that a break in the monsoons would be a significant concern for populations dependent on the regular annual rains to grow their food.

For Michael McPhaden, a physical oceanographer at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who pioneered research into tropical climate variability, the paper highlights the potential for how human-driven climate change can unevenly affect vulnerable populations.

"If greenhouse gas emissions continue on their current trends, by the end of the century, extreme climate events will hit countries surrounding the Indian Ocean, such as Indonesia, Australia and East Africa with increasing intensity," said McPhaden, who was not involved in the study. "Many developing countries in this region are at heightened risk to these kinds of extreme events even in the modern climate."

Explore further Indian Ocean phenomenon spells climate trouble for Australia
GOTHENBURG  Gothenburg Public Schools is planning on hosting the most traditional graduation ceremony as the directed health measures in place on Aug. 1 will allow.

Gothenburg has set their graduation for Saturday, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m.

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Details concerning the ceremony will be communicated by the district throughout the summer as the local directed health measures change.

At the moment, Dawson County and the Two Rivers Public Health District are under measures which still prevent the gatherings of 10 or more people until May 31, it is unknown at this time if these measures will be extended longer.

Gothenburg seniors were able to check out on May 7-8 and received their cap and gowns.

Students unable to attend the graduation ceremony in August are to contact GPS Secondary Principal Seth Ryker.
Op-ed: The impact of the national lockdown on the right to protest

The Right2Protest Project explore how the lockdown has impacted the right to protest and how activism can continue without gathering in person

The national lockdown has resulted in a number of limitations to the right to protest. Gatherings continue to be entirely prohibited. The government has urged people to refrain from protesting or gathering for their own safety. This means that traditional forms of protests such as marching on public roads, sit ins, unauthorised occupation of public spaces and other mass-based disruptive protest repertoires are outlawed. The lockdown does not negate the fact that mass protests are an important component for holding government accountable. The essence of protests is the ability of a group of people to speak in one voice, with the same objective in mind.

As one court put it, a single voice is likely to be drowned out in our polity. A choir is far more likely to get its message across. Our courts have held that freedom of assembly is essential because it is generally organised public opinion that carries weight. It therefore makes sense that disgruntled members of the public in engage in mass protests. Notwithstanding that, the unique situation created by the pandemic has resulted in the traditional methods of protests being a serious health hazard. Fortunately, there are other ways in which people can protest without necessarily gathering and risking their health. Therefore, the limitation imposed on the right to protest does not imply that people cannot stand as one and fight for their fundamental human rights

Section 36 of the Constitution is termed the limitation clause and permits for the rights in the Bill of Rights to be limited. The nature of the right being limited by the Regulations is undoubtedly essential in a democratic society. The right creates a space both to speak and to be heard. It is a right exercised mostly by those who are marginalised. It provides a means of communication for those who feel their demands or concerns are not being given serious consideration by the state. In the current situation, it is arguably correct that the government could not impose any less restrictive means to curb the spread of the virus. The importance of the limitation of the right to gather is to curb the spread of the virus and there is reasonable relationship between the limitation and its purpose. Protesters must note that gathering or protesting not only violates the regulations, but it exposes them to high possibilities of contracting the coronavirus and spreading it.

With the current limitations in place, it is still important for people to be able to voice their dissent on issues. Those with access to digital spaces can take part in internet activism. In South Africa in particular, we have seen a rise in internet activism with people engaging with leaders on societal issues on twitter and the use of hashtags to highlight issues. Internet activism has become an important form of protest that informs protests on the ground and has helped bring attention to issues that South Africans face. In 2019, the #AmINext internet activism sparked protests all over South Africa showing the power that social media can have. People can also use platforms such as Amandla.mobi to start their own campaigns, sign petitions and garner support from the online community. During the lockdown, the use of social media to document force used by police and the military in communities has been a very important source of activism.

However, because of the disparities in South Africa, not everyone has access to digital platforms for an alternative form of protest and this is why we have seen an increase in protest action because for many, taking to the streets is the only outlet that they have. If you do not have access to digital spaces, we urge you to partake in other forms of protests such as putting signage up on your door or gate to voice your dissent, contact local civil society organisations that can assist you by providing advocacy support and document human rights abuses if you can. Organisations such as the Right2Protest Project is easily accessible on its hotline, 0800 212 111.

People should not have to risk their health and well-being to fight for basic human rights which should be afforded to them. Over the period of the lockdown we have noted with concern the increasing number of reports of protest action taking place across South Africa because people have no other option but to take to the streets because they do not have electricity, food or access to water and their engagement with local government has proven to be futile. A fundamental part of flattening the curve of COVID-19 is ensuring that communities have access to basic amenities to survive.

Although the traditional methods of protest may win the fight for access to basic services, it will not conquer the great war against COVID-19. Social distancing is essential during this unique period in our lives and people need to consider suspending the traditional methods of protesting.

Image by Edward Molopi.
On Twitter, Trump called them a group of RINO Republicans who failed badly 12 years ago, then again 8 years ago, and then got BADLY beaten by me, a political first timer, 4 years ago and said they are doing everything possible to get even for all of their many failures.
A Jersey City councilman isnt too keen on the arrival of 5G.

During Mondays virtual caucus meeting, Ward C Councilman Richard Boggiano questioned whether the city should allow the installation of 5G infrastructure after seeing a Facebook post about radiation emitted by utility poles.

This week on Facebook, somebody out of state, they put down they had a test of radiation and they said the amount of radiation coming from poles was unbelievable, Boggiano said during Mondays caucus. How are we going to know about radiation and if this is true?"

The ordinance, which will be voted for adoption Wednesday, would permit Cross River Fiber LLC to install high capacity fiber optic cables on existing utility poles and install 72 new utility poles supporting the infrastructure for a 5G network in the city.

I want to know about radiation, it was on Facebook, it was a big thing on Facebook about it warning the people of the danger of the radiation from these poles, Boggiano added.

Rob Sokota, chief administrative officer for Cross River Fiber, said the new receivers are small and low powered devices that pose no threat to peoples health.

Youre guaranteeing me and the people of Jersey City theres no radiation? Boggiano asked.

Theres no more emission from this pole, like I said, than there would be from your Wi-Fi router, Sokota replied.

5G technology, which began its roll-out out last year, can provide higher data speeds with less delay for telecommunication services. But the new wave of tech has been met with pockets of skepticism around the globe, including a debunked conspiracy theory that 5G spreads and worsens the coronavirus.

The International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection  the body that studies low energy radiation like microwaves, infrared, and radiofrequency radiation (RF)  states that 5G exposures will not cause any harm providing that they adhere to the ICNIRP (2020) guidelines.

Some ways people are exposed to RF radiation is through the broadcast of radio and television signals, transmission signals from cordless telephones, cell phones, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and microwave ovens.

Stronger, ionizing types of radiation, like x-rays, gamma rays, and ultraviolet (UV) light, are thought to be able to cause cancer.

The Environmental Protection Agency, meanwhile, states that while RF can be dangerous at very high levels, cellphones and wireless networks dont produce significant enough levels of RF to be dangerous.

Hudson County View first reported on Boggianos comments.

Boggiano said Tuesday he is going to ask to postpone the vote on the ordinance until the council gets further information. When asked about the Facebook post mentioned in caucus, Boggiano said Yeah, I cant find it. It disappeared. The thing that was sent to me, the video  the article.

Andy Penley, vice president of wireless solutions for Zenfi Networks  which merged with Cross River Fiber in 2018  said Tuesday that the utility poles used for 5G are not harmful.

A radio wave is just like a wave of water, it has a certain amount of power when it starts and as it travels over space that power disperses, Penley said. The strongest RF signal that the people are exposed to is actually the transmission from their own phone.

The conspiracy theory linking 5G to the COVID-19 pandemic even led to dozens of instances of arsonists setting fire to cell towers across Europe.

When people feel threatened or out of control or theyre trying to explain a big significant event, theyre more vulnerable or prone to turning to conspiracy theories to explain them, John Cook, an expert on misinformation with George Mason Universitys Center for Climate Change Communication, told the Washington Post.

Somewhat counterintuitively, it gives people more sense of control to imagine that, rather than random things happening, there are these shadowy groups and agencies that are controlling it. Randomness is very discomforting to people.
English French

Disclosure of total number of voting rights and number of shares forming the capital

as of April 30, 2020

CLICHY  May 06, 2020

Article L 233-8-II of the French Code de Commerce and Article 223-16 of the General Regulations of the French Autorite des Marches Financiers.

As of April 30, 2020, the total number of issued shares of SOCIETE BIC is 45,532,240 shares, representing:

67,010,976 voting rights,

66,441,881 voting rights excluding shares without voting rights

ABOUT BIC

BIC is a world leader in stationery, lighters and shavers. For more than 75 years, the Company has honored the tradition of providing high-quality, affordable products to consumers everywhere. Through this unwavering dedication, BIC has become one of the most recognized brands and is a trademark registered worldwide. Today, BIC products are sold in more than 160 countries around the world and feature iconic brands such as Cello, Conte, BIC FlexTM, Lucky Stationery, Made For YOUTM, Soleil, Tipp-Ex, Wite-Out and more. In 2019, BIC Net Sales were 1,949.4 million euros. The Company is listed on Euronext Paris, is part of the SBF120 and CAC Mid 60 indexes and is recognized for its commitment to sustainable development and education. It received an A- Leadership score from CDP. For more, visit www.bicworld.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube.

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A wealthy businessman who ran a buffalo soap company was crushed to death by one of his own animals in a tragedy that also left his teenage son fighting for his life.

Ralph Jump, 57, was killed after the giant animal rampage at their village farm in South Wales yesterday.

His 19-year-old son and 22-year-old daughter were also injured in the attack, with the former having to be airlifted to hospital where he is said to be in a 'critical' condition.

Ralph Jump, pictured with a water buffalo, was crushed to death after one of his own animals went on a rampage on his farm in Gwehelog, Monmouthshire

Mr Jump, a managing director of a heating company, rented the land in Gwehelog, Monmouthshire, to start a sustainable buffalo soap business with his family.

The father-of-three - known as Jon - hand-reared the buffalo at their three-acre farm along with his youngest two children.

Daughter Isabel, 22, organised the sales of the hand-wrapped bars of scented soap - and the Bufalina Soap Company started selling them ahead of last Christmas.

But their business dreams were shattered when one of the buffaloes attacked at their picturesque farm in the Wye Valley.

Jon was killed by the time police arrived and his son needed to be taken by helicopter to hospital, where he is still fighting for his life.

Isabel suffered leg injuries but is expected to recover.

Daughter Isabel, 22, pictured left, with her two brothers, who have not yet been named after the tragedy yesterday

Her mother Jo is being comforted by friends after the tragedy.

A neighbouring farmer said: 'Jon approached us last year about buying some hay for his buffalo.

'We asked him what he was doing and he said he was trying to diversify the farm.

'I think he had about a dozen buffalo at the farm and had bred a couple of calves over the past year or so.'

Police say the animal attacked at a farm property in Gwehelog, near Usk, in Monmouthshire, South Wales.

The buffalo has now been put down.

Mr Jump was MD of the Wunda Group, based at nearby Caldicot, Gwent. The company supplies heating equipment and employs 56 people - but is on lockdown.

A friend said: 'Jon spent all his life in a shirt and tie but loved pulling on his wellies to get stuck in at the farm. He was as happy as anything there.'

Police were called to a farm in Gwehelog, Monmouthshire, pictured, at around 2.50pm on Tuesday

The Jump family rented the farmland from the Pontypool Park Estate. A spokesman said: 'It is a terrible tragedy and we feel for them.

'The Jumps are very nice people and we feel desperately sorry for them.'

The family moved to the farm called Upper Berthllwyd about six years ago before introducing the buffaloes over the last few years.

Another neighbour said: 'You couldn't hope to meet nicer people. Their soap is very nice and they loved making it.

'This is such a quiet area and it was a terrible shock when ambulances and police suddenly turned up with an air ambulance helicopter too. It is a terrible shock.'

The farm is the base of The Bufalina Soap Company - selling a range of scented buffalo soap from 4 to 42.

The company says: 'We make our soap with the milk from our herd of Mediterranean Water Buffalo, located in the Welsh Marches.

Neighbours described it as 'a terrible shock when ambulances and police suddenly turned up', pictured

'Around the World this buffalo breed is famous for its dairy products such as mozzarella, gelato and ice cream. The richness of the milk makes it ideal for making a creamy, luxurious and gentle soap which leaves the skin feeling soft and moisturised.

'Our unscented and scented soaps (mainly made with essential oils and a couple with parfums) are all free from Palm oil, Parabens, Petrochemicals - made only from Water Buffalo milk, Coconut oil, Olive oil, Sunflower oil, Bees wax and Shea Butter.'

Emergency services were called at around 2.50pm yesterday.

A spokeswoman for Gwent Police said: 'A 57-year-old man from the Gwehelog area was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics from Wales Ambulance Service.

'A 19-year-old man from the Gwehelog area sustained critical injuries during the incident.

'He has been taken to the University Hospital of Wales for treatment by the Welsh Air Ambulance.

Pictured: A water buffalo. Ralph Jump, 57, was killed by an animal at his farm in Monmouthshire, South Wales

'A 22-year-old woman from the Gwehelog area sustained a serious injury to her leg.

'Her injuries are not thought to be critical and she has been taken to the Royal Gwent Hospital for treatment by the Wales Ambulance Service.

'The water buffalo has been destroyed,' police said.

It is believed the beast had been kept at the farm to produce milk for cheese.

A neighbouring farmer told The Sun: 'We'd heard that they had started having water buffalo to keep for cheese because it is getting very popular.

'But this is so tragic. So many farmers are trying to diversify - this is just awful.'

Another farmer said: 'The first I knew of it was when I saw the police helicopter and the air ambulance buzzing around. It's a huge shock to everyone in the area.'

County councillor Val Smith said: 'It's a lovely quiet area, lots of smallholdings and small farms. This is a dreadful thing to happen. My sympathies to all involved.'

Police officers on the scene received assistance from the National Police Air Service (NPAS).
Celebrity chef Manu Feildel has opened up about his mother Evelyne's ongoing breast cancer diagnosis.

The My Kitchen Rules judge, 46, revealed in April his mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer, aiming to raise awareness for charitable organisation Breast Cancer Trials.

'She was incredibly lucky as it was caught early,' Manu told the Daily Telegraph on Wednesday.

'She was incredibly lucky': My Kitchen Rules judge Manu Feildel opens up about his mother Evelyne's recent breast cancer diagnosis. Both pictured

According to the Breast Cancer Trials, Evelyne had not been experiencing any symptoms when she decided to go to a breast cancer screening, after receiving a letter in the mail because she was over the age of 50.

It was the early diagnosis that helped her to get treatment quickly, the celebrity chef has revealed.

'Thankfully, she is recovering well while living with my stepdad in France,' Manu explained.

'She is recovering well': The My Kitchen Rules judge, 46, revealed in April his mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer, aiming to raise awareness for charitable organisation Breast Cancer Trials.

Manu went on to explain it was his mother who first sparked his love for cooking and was an inspiration to him over the years.

'She was a single mum, yet she worked hard and looked after us. We had a great childhood,' he said.

The MKR judge has partnered with Breast Cancer Trials to encourage fans to donate funds towards clinical trail research.

Giving: Manu has partnered with Breast Cancer Trials to encourage fans to donate funds towards clinical trail research

He has offered an exclusive Mother's Day cooking masterclass for anybody who donates before May 16, with limited spots available.

'Streaming live from my home I will cook two of my favourite recipes and share some of my hints and tips and answer some of your burning culinary questions,' Manu explained on Instagram in late April.

'The perfect gift for your Mum, your partner or even yourself this Mothers Day.'
Russian President Vladimir Putin's approval rating fell in April to a historic low as the coronavirus crisis engulfs the country, along with the rest of the world.

Putin's approval rating fell to 59% in April, down from 63% in the previous month, according to a poll carried out by the independent Levada Center in Russia, which surveyed 1,608 Russian adults between April 24-27.

The poll was conducted by telephone rather than face to face, and the pollster said this "significant" change in the methodology could have contributed to Putin's lower rating. In January, his approval rating stood at 68%, and in February, at 69%.

Still, Levada's Deputy Director Denis Volkov told Reuters Wednesday that although the change in methodology could have shaved 1-2% off Putin's rating, even a rating of 61% would still mean Putin's approval rating was on par with a recent low recorded in 2013. Wednesday's figure means it has hit lows not seen since Putin first rose to power in 1999.

The poll comes as Russia's president grapples with the coronavirus outbreak in the country  perhaps the biggest challenge that has faced him during his 20 years of leading the country, whether as president or prime minister (he has alternated between the roles since late 1999).
Chennai, May 6 : A civilian kitchen staff working in the Officers Training Academy (OTA) here has tested positive for coronavirus following which all of his contacts have been quarantined, a statement said on Wednesday.

The OTA trains officers for the Indian Army.

According to the statement, the civilian kitchen staff was admitted to a government hospital on May 3 after he complained of chest congestion.

The person tested positive for Covid-19 on May 4. As a precautionary measure, all contacts of the civilian have been quarantined.

Presently there are no cadets at the OTA, which is functioning with minimal staff.

One batch of cadets had recently passed out and the other batch undergoing training is presently on term break since March 8.
More than 95,000 cases have been



registered for violation of prohibitory orders during lockdown in Maharashtra so far, and 18,722 persons were arrested in these cases, Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said on Wednesday.

The police are working round-the-clock to enforce lockdown and contain the spread of the virus, he said in a statement here.

95,678 cases were registered for violation of restrictions since lockdown began in the state, he said.

He had ordered strict action against anti-social elements who attack the police, doctors, nurses and health department officials who are working relentlessly, the minister said.

At least 184 incidents of assault on police were reported in the state during lockdown and 663 persons were held in these cases, he added.

414 police personnel and 42 officials contracted virus infection in the state, Deshmukh said.

If any police personnel has symptoms of the virus infection, they should immediately visit special centres set up for them for treatment, he said.

So far, three police personnel from Mumbai and one from Pune have died due to coronavirus, the minister said.

2,11,638 persons were prescribed quarantine since the pandemic arrived in Maharashtra, and the police have so far traced at least 642 persons who violated quarantine rules, he said.

The police also registered 1,279 cases of illegal transport and seized 53,071 vehicles during lockdown.

A fine of Rs 3.51 crore was collected in various cases of violation of lockdown, the home minister informed.

The Maharashtra government has set up 4,808 relief camps which have benefited 4,42,858 migrants, labourers and the poor, Deshmukh said.

"If the government provides some relaxation from lockdown, it does not mean it is over, people should follow social distancing and various rules of lockdown to win this fight against coronavirus," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A 22-year-old man has been killed in a San Francisco lockdown shooting after he was hit by gunfire.

At around 8:22pm, Courtney Brousseau began walking home from Dolores Park. Five blocks later he reached the Mission District intersection of Rosa Parks Lane and Guerrero Street at the same time a flurry of up to 60 shots were fired.

Mere minutes Mere minutes before the shooting happened, Brousseau posted on Twitter: 'I just ate a delicious burrito in Dolores Park and for a brief moment everything felt okay.'

The Berkeley graduate (above) was an associate product manager at Twitter with an impressive resume and bright future ahead of him

Brousseau, who was identified by friends and colleagues, was critically injured in shooting.

Authorities scrambled to the scene and discovered him unresponsive with a 'severe' gunshot wound, local news site SFist said.

He was rushed to San Francisco General hospital where he was placed on life support.

Police were scrambled to the scene after the shooting took place. Officers found Brousseau unresponsive and rushed him to hospital

He succumbed to his injuries at around 7pm on Monday, a hospital spokesman confirmed.

A 17-year-old boy also arrived at hospital after he was injured in the shooting. Police said his wounds were not life threatening.

Police said they are hunting two male suspects in their 20s who opened fire after exiting a vehicle. They are yet to make any arrests and the investigation is ongoing.

A police spokesman told the Chronicle the investigation was 'looking into all aspects' and that officers 'are not confirming or ruling anything out'.

Brousseau posted the above tweet just minutes before he was caught in the crossfire on Friday evening

The Berkeley graduate was an associate product manager at Twitter with an impressive resume and bright future ahead of him.

He had previously interned for Massachusetts' Sen. Elizabeth Warren, was a civic digital fellow for Code.gov, a consultant for California Lt. Gov Eleni Kounalakis and a programme manager intern at Microsoft.



Friend and Twitter co-worker Savanna Badalich told the San Francisco Chronicle: 'Every moment of his day had to be advocating. He just had such fierce empathy for so many communities.

'He wanted to make a difference, and he did. He just got it. He understood how to create change.

A police spokesman told local news outlets the investigation was 'looking into all aspects' and that officers 'are not confirming or ruling anything out' in the death of Brousseau

As well as working for Twitter, Brousseau was a volunteer for the California YMCA Youth and Government programme.

The Bay Area Rapid Transit - a public transportation system serving the Bay Area in San Francisco - shared a tweet saying: 'We at BART will forever miss you, Courtney. Courtney asked us tough questions and demanded accountability while being our biggest supporter.

'We will never forget the joy you expressed when you finally boarded a Fleet of the Future train. Rest In Peace.'

Twitter's chief marketing officer Leslie Berland described being 'heartbroken' at Brousseau's death.
Raven Sterrett, a 27-year-old dental hygienist in Portland, Oregon, hasnt gone to work in months. Governor Kate Brown suspended non-urgent medical procedures in mid-March, part of an effort to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. But Brown reversed that order on May 1, and Sterretts boss asked her to return to work on May 11.

Sterretts employer Pham Dental Care had taken steps to follow the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines to protect patients and staff, she tells TIME: ordering thermometers to test patients on arrival and acquiring personal protective equipment (PPE) for the staff. Still, shes unsure if its safe to return  for herself, or her patients. Portland, after all, is a hotspot for COVID-19 cases in Oregon, according to a tracker from Johns Hopkins University.

The CDC says that certain dental tools can generate aerosols  tiny droplets that suspend in the air  from a patients mouth. Studies suggest COVID-19 can survive in aerosols for hours, although the CDC says theres insufficient data to asses the risk of coronavirus transmission during dental procedures.

Sterrett asked her employers to delay elective procedures until June 15. But the office was unwilling to compromise, she says, and told her that if she didnt return on May 11, her job would no longer be available. Pham Dental Care did not respond to TIMEs request for comment.

Despite calls to reopen America and resume some normal economic activity, coronavirus is still spreading widely across the U.S.. But some governors are reopening regardless of the public health risk, putting many workers in the same position as Sterrett. As of May 6, at least 23 states are partially re-opening their economies, despite warnings from public health experts that the U.S. lacks the testing and contact tracing capability to support such measures.

Story continues

Read more: Loosening Public-Health Restrictions Too Early Can Cost Lives. Just Look What Happened During the 1918 Flu Pandemic

For workers like Sterrett, whether or not to go back to work can feel like an impossible decision. Should you refuse to return and be fired? Should you quit and risk losing unemployment benefits? In an unprecedented pandemic, what legal protections exist for workers?

That calculus will be different for workers in different states, experts say. One of the challenges with understanding your rights as an employee is that each state has different rules and laws that can augment federal law, Ann-Marie Ahern, a labor and employment lawyer in Cleveland, Ohio, tells TIME via email. For instance, workers in California enjoy far more protection in the workplace than almost anywhere else in the U.S.

Many states and cities have also expanded their usual worker protection laws during the pandemic. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, for instance, issued an executive order in early April prohibiting companies from firing people who stay home for certain coronavirus related reasons. And the Texas Workforce Commission has issued guidance saying that Texans can receive unemployment benefits if they choose to not return to work for certain COVID-19-related reasons.

But as Ahern notes, underlying federal laws also offer some protections to American workers who feel unsafe returning to work amid the pandemic. Heres what to know about those rights.

Can my employer fire me if I dont return to the office?

Generally speaking, an employer can fire you if you refuse to come back to work. Most workers in the United States are employed at will, meaning that an employer can fire them for any reason that is not deemed illegal, explains James Brudney, a professor of labor and employment law at Fordham University School of Law in New York.

Being nervous about the coronavirus likely wont be enough to legally protect you if you refuse to come back to work. Unless you have legal justification (or employer authorization), refusing to work will constitute a resignation from employment, says Sean Crotty, a labor and employment lawyer in Detroit.

Several federal laws may provide workers with that legal justification:

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act)

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) grants workers the right to refuse to work if they believe workplace conditions could cause them serious imminent harm, Crotty says.

Employers must comply with the OSH Acts General Duty Clause, which requires employers to guarantee their employees a workplace free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm. (States can also have their own OSH Act-approved workplace safety plans, which might have higher standards.)

But it may be tough to make a coronavirus-related case via the OSH Act.

I would caution that [the General Duty Clause] is a very high standard, Crotty says. It will be particularly hard to meet if the employer is practicing social distancing and hygiene guidelines at the workplace. Just saying that your employer isnt doing enough likely wont be enough to grant you protection, he adds.

If you think your workplace is unsafe because of the coronavirus, and you have concrete, specific examples, you can file a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The OSH Act also includes an anti-retaliatory clause, meaning you cant be fired or demoted for asserting your right to a safe workplace  though a worker must file that claim within 30 days of any alleged retaliation, Bill Hommel, a labor and employment lawyer in Tyler, Texas, explains.

Rusty Razor Barber Shop co-owner John Hopping cuts Norman Bettencourt's hair on the first day of reopening since the coronavirus shutdowns over one month prior in Kittery, ME on May 1, 2020. | Erin Clark/The Boston GlobeGetty Images

The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)

For employees in the private sector, if you and another worker feel your workplace is unsafe, and you both decide to not go into work for that reason, youre protected under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) as essentially going on strike for health and safety reasons, says Ruben Garcia, a professor of labor and employment law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Law. You would both be legally engaging in whats known as concerted activity, and the NLRA prohibits employers from retaliating against workers who are exercising their concerted activity protections, Garcia says. Your employer can hire someone to permanently replace you, but they legally cant fire you.

The NLRA, its about bargaining; about [making] changes at the workplace, Garcia says.

If you are fired for walking off a job because you feel unsafe, you can go to your local chapter of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and file a charge against your employer, Garcia explains. This law generally applies to all private sector employees regardless of whether theyre in a union. But some employees, including agricultural workers and domestic workers, are exempt.

However, as with an OSH Act complaint, your reasoning for feeling unsafe at work needs to be more specific than just general concern about COVID-19.

If you feel your workplace is particularly dangerous, you could possibly also be protected under the Labor Management Relations Act (LMRA). Kenneth G. Dau-Schmidt, a professor of labor and employment law at the Maurer School of Law at Indiana University, tells TIME that the LMRA states that if an employee walks off the job because of abnormally dangerous conditions, theyre protected from being fired. Importantly, unlike under the NLRA, workers who do this are not considered on strike, meaning their employer cant hire someone else to permanently replace them. Dau-Schmidt cautions, however, that abnormally dangerous is a very high standard.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act

The recently-passed Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which was intended to prop up the U.S. economy during the pandemic, includes some new or expanded worker protections that last through Dec 31, 2020.

If you work in the private sector for an employer with less than 500 employees, and have COVID-19, have COVID-19 symptoms or have been quarantined by a doctor or the government, you can take two full weeks of paid sick leave at your regular pay rate, subject to certain caps. And if you qualify for this paid leave, employers cant make you come into the office during that time. (The FFCRA also includes two weeks of paid sick leave at two thirds pay to employees unable to work (or telework) because they are caring for for someone who has been quarantined.)

A worker disinfects hand rails at the Galleria Dallas mall in Dallas, Texas on May 4, 2020. | Cooper NeillBloomberg/Getty Images

What if I have kids at home because of school and day-care closures?

The FFCRA extends up to 12 weeks of paid expanded family and medical leave at two thirds pay to employees unable to work (or telework) because they are caring for a child whose school or place of care is closed because of coronavirus. Its subject to caps and requires that employees have been at their company for 30 days before taking leave.

However, Hommel says that employers with under 50 employees dont need to offer the paid leave if they demonstrate it would jeopardize the viability of the business as a going concern.

What if Im at higher risk of contracting COVID-19?

Individuals at greater risk from the coronavirus can still be required to return to work, but they have special considerations, Crotty tells TIME.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers to engage in an interactive process to try and provide reasonable accommodations for all employees with a disability who request one. The ADA defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. The Family and Medical Leave Act  which the FFCRA expanded  also states that eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected leave for a serious health condition that makes them unable to perform their job, of if theyre caring for a family member when a serious health condition.

Read more: We Have to Decide Who Suffers Most in a Pandemic. Thats Complicated

While the ADA does not specifically list all impairments that qualify as a disability, many of the conditions that put an individual at a higher risk of contracting COVD-19, including diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, and immunodeficiency, are almost always disabilities under the law, Ahern says.

In order to claim protection under the ADA, Hommel says, its wise to have a medical professional make a determination that you have a particular condition. Then you should provide your employer with documentation of that condition alongside your ADA request.

If a doctor says you need to take a leave of absence for a medical condition, the ADA requires your employer to let you take that leave  unless it creates an undue hardship for your employer, says Ruth Major, a labor and employment lawyer in Chicago. The ADA does not specify a timeframe, but case law has imposed some limitations. The ADA also has anti-retaliation provisions that prevent your employer from taking action against you if you ask for accommodations under the law.

And if youre pregnant, be aware that the Pregnancy Discrimination Act  which applies to employers with 15 or more employees  requires employers to provide the same kind of accommodations to pregnant employees as disabled employees, Ahern adds.

Still, keep in mind that the ADA cant be used to stay home from work entirely.

A worker wearing a protective mask stands behind a plastic shield in Woodstock, Georgia, U.S., on April 27, 2020. | Dustin Chambers/BloombergGetty Images

Can my boss cut my hours or pay due to coronavirus concerns?

The short answer: yes. Generally, employers in the U.S. have the right to determine an employees hours and compensation, and then its the employees right to accept those terms or not, Ron Chapman, a labor lawyer at the firm Ogletree Deakins in Dallas, Texas, says via email.

However, most employers need to offer at least minimum wage. And for employees who are exempt, meaning they dont usually qualify for overtime, if the pay rate drops below the threshold, there may be liability for overtime, Ahern writes.

If you have a collective bargaining agreement, you also might have a contractual right to set hours or a set pay, Crotty adds.

Can my boss check employees temperatures? Or make me report potential COVID-19 symptoms?

Once again, the short answer is yes. Many jurisdictions are recommending and some are requiring employee temperature screenings and other measures, Chapman writes.

Matt Lavallee has his temperature checked by Laura Miner, PU group lead and First Aid team member, and Heather Roode, Human resources specialist and first aid team member, at the start of his shift at Vibram Corporation in North Brookfield, Mass., on April 28, 2020. | Barry Chin/The Boston GlobeGetty Images

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which enforces workplace anti-discrimination laws, has said employers can test employees before allowing them back into the workplace, as long as the Food and Drug Administration determines the tests being used are accurate and reliable. It has also said employers can take the temperatures of their employees, but must keep their health information confidential.

Employers must conduct temperature screenings in a way thats safe and respectful for employees, Crotty says. You want to let employees know about [the screening] in advance, you want to use no-contact thermometers, you want to have an appropriate person conducting the temperature checks and have that person garbed in the appropriate PPE. And if youre in a situation where you have to send someone home, you want to be respectful and discreet about it.

If I feel my workplace is unsafe, can I quit and collect unemployment benefits?

The federal CARES Act expanded unemployment benefits to people who might not have qualified in the past, such as gig workers (like Uber drivers) and people who are part-time employees or self-employed. It also granted Americans an additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits and mandated that people on unemployment receive an additional $600 a week. (However, that extra money will end after July 31.)

Otherwise, unemployment regulations vary from state to state, experts tell TIME. Generally speaking, unemployment laws mandate that you cant get unemployment if you quit, unless you have good cause for doing so, Crotty says. But an unsafe working condition is a potential basis for claiming good cause, he adds.

Among other factors, the state unemployment agency would consider the conditions under which you quit, whether you had raised any concerns to your employer, and whether the employer did anything to assess (or address) whether you actually were under unsafe work conditions, Crotty says.

Chapman adds that if an employee is in a high-risk category, the unemployment agency may deem the act of quitting to be reasonable based on the unique circumstances, although it would be a case-by-case determination.

If you plan on quitting because you think your workplace is unsafe, Major suggests that you first advocate your position to your employer, documenting your request and their response as evidence. But even copious notes of these interactions is no guarantee of qualifying for unemployment. Theres always a possibility that theyre going to say, we dont think that that was unsafe. And so you voluntarily left and youre not eligible for benefits, she says.

Overall, quitting is risky for the employee when it comes to unemployment, Crotty says. The employee may ultimately prevail and show they had good cause, but there may be a delay in getting benefits while the issue is determined. Furthermore, unemployment agencies are so backed up with claims right now that it might take a while before they really dig in and start making determinations about eligibility, he adds.

Small business owner Birl Hicks helps a customer at Columbia Place Mall in Columbia, South Carolina on April 24, 2020. | Sean RayfordGetty Images

What other rights should I know about?

As Brudney explains, the Fair Labor Standards Act dictates that you have a right to be paid for all the work you do during all the hours you work. So if you end up working longer hours as a result of the pandemic, youre supposed to be paid any appropriate overtime premiums you qualify for, he says.

Under the NLRA, most private sector employees also have the right to organize in a union, Dau-Schmidt tells TIME in an email. Union workers have more opportunities to address safety issues and negotiate over changes in working conditions than non-union employees, and unions have the expertise to handle these problems well, he writes.

Dau-Schmidt points to the example set by the United Food and Commercial Workers, which recently negotiated with grocery chain Kroger for more emergency leave, additional cleaning procedures and a pay increase. Non-union employees cant do that, he says.

Ultimately, workers who are nervous about returning to work because of the virus should take the time to understand all the potential courses of action open to them, experts say.

It is really important for people to understand all of their rights before making any employment law decisions, and to advocate for themselves in an informed manner, Ahern says. Many of these laws are new, and employees should not just assume that their employer knows or intends to comply with the law, she says, adding: Likewise, there are many circumstances that employees may face that may seem improper or irresponsible on the part of their employers, but may be very much legal.
Akshaya Kannan, a 2020 MD candidate for the Emory University School of Medicine, is from many places and is a self-described immigrant many times over. Born in Chennai, India, her parents were both physicians and immigrated to Bridgetown, Barbados, shortly after she was born.

When Kannan was five, her parents immigrated to the U.S. in search of better opportunities for her and her brother. Part of the move included them repeating their residency training in Massachusetts.

Residency training is difficult, Kannan says. I never wanted to be a doctor, because I hardly saw my parents when I was growing up. However, my parents absolutely loved what they did; and later in life, that passion for healing and working with communities spread to me and my brother.

After her parents completed residency training, the family moved to the Orlando, Florida, area, which Kannan considers home.

She attended the University of Chicago for her undergraduate education, majoring in public policy. Im passionate about social justice and government-led change, Kannan says. I became a U.S. citizen when I was 16 years old, and it is something I never take for granted. I really believe in the American democracy and am inspired by people-led movements like the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. and the Independence Movement in India.

During college, Kannan worked as a community organizer on the south side of Chicago advocating for a level one trauma center and received a Fulbright-Nehru Research Grant to study menstrual health and hygiene. This work formed the foundation for her passion of working with communities.

I absolutely loved working with communities at the local level, she says. I didnt want to simply study communities, I wanted to work alongside them. Thats when I decided to apply to medical school.

From medical student to public policy advocate

Because Kannan is extremely passionate about public hospitals, she wanted to train at a medical school affiliated with one.

Receiving the Woodruff Scholarship at Emory in 2015 was a dream come true. After completing three years of her medical school training, she took a leave of absence to pursue a masters in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School in 2018-2019. The break was approved by the Emory School of Medicine, which supported her goal of becoming a physician-policymaker.

She returned to Emory for the 2019-2020 academic year to complete medical school.

I cannot even describe how my training at Emory, in Atlanta, at Grady, has framed my thinking on health policy systems change, she says. All I can say is that Im excited for the future of medicine and health care systems transformation in this country. Im optimistic that we will see the changes that we need with time and with the support of physician-advocates.

Her most memorable moment at Emory came through serving on the board of Health Students Taking Action Together. During her second year, she and 30 other medical students organized a rally on the steps of Grady Memorial Hospital to advocate for Medicaid expansion in Georgia. More than 120 students, physicians, community members and politicians participated.

It was such an amazing moment of solidarity on the steps of a historic hospital, she says. I came to Emory because of Grady, and my experiences at Grady motivated my passion for health care justice and health equity. Im so excited for the next journey, but I know that in my heart Ill always be #Gradymade.

Akshaya came to Emory with previous experience in public policy  in Chicago, Washington D.C., and in Asia working for the U.S. Department of State  and found many social problems in Atlanta which she has worked to help solve, says Ira K. Schwartz, associate dean of medical education and student affairs with the School of Medicine. From big picture community issues, to careful attention to her patients comfort and their complicated medical problems, Akshaya will likely become a superb clinician, advocate for the underserved and respected physician-leader.

Weve been grateful for her service to our community in Atlanta, and were excited to see how she will shape the world.

Kannans next step is to further her training at the University of California San Francisco, where she matched for the obstetrics and gynecology program. I matched at UCSF and Im honestly still in shock, she says. It has been my dream program for as long as I can remember. I cannot wait to join their community of womens health policy leaders.
TRENTON, Ont. - A nation already struggling with the emotions of a pandemic lockdown, a horrific plane crash in Iran and the worst mass shooting in its history grieved again on Wednesday as it honoured the victims of Canada's worst military tragedy in more than a decade.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 6/5/2020 (622 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TRENTON, Ont. - A nation already struggling with the emotions of a pandemic lockdown, a horrific plane crash in Iran and the worst mass shooting in its history grieved again on Wednesday as it honoured the victims of Canada's worst military tragedy in more than a decade.

Canadians from coast to coast to coast watched as the six Armed Forces members killed in last week's helicopter crash off the coast of Greece were welcomed home in a special ramp ceremony at Canadian Forces Base Trenton in Ontario.

Canadian Armed Forces members (clockwise from top left) Sub-Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough, Capt. Brenden MacDonald, Capt. Kevin Hagen, Capt. Maxime Miron-Morin, Master Cpl. Matthew Cousins and Sub-Lt. Matthew Pyke are shown in a Department of National Defence handout photos. All were aboard a Cyclone helicopter which crashed into the Ionian Sea off the coast of Greece on April 29. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Department of National Defence MANDATORY CREDIT

The crash, the cause of which remains under investigation, represents the largest loss of life in one day for the Canadian Armed Forces since six Canadian soldiers were killed in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan on Easter Sunday 2007.

Reminders of COVID-19 were everywhere as the ceremony began, from the sparse crowd outside CFB Trenton to the masks and physical distancing of the victims' families, military personnel and government leaders on hand.

Among those there in person were Gov.-Gen. Julie Payette and Justin Trudeau, the first Canadian prime minister to attend a ramp ceremony since Paul Martin in January 2004, according to Queen's University professor Kim Nossal.

The pandemic wasn't the only difference from previous ramp ceremonies, which started in their modern form during the decade-long war in Afghanistan. There were also the pillows and military headdresses, a reminder that the remains of most of those lost have not been recovered.

Under partially cloudy skies, six hearses were lined up on the tarmac awaiting the arrival of the C-17 Globemaster as the families of the dead and missing Forces members met privately with a mask-wearing Trudeau in a building on the edge of the tarmac.

A short time later, the heavy transport aircraft landed and taxied to the loading area, preparing to discharge its precious cargo to those families and a grieving nation.

The first to emerge was the casket of Sub-Lt. Abbigail Cowbrough, the 23-year-old sailor from Halifax whose remains were recovered shortly after the Cyclone helicopter crashed into the Ionian Sea on April 29 while returning from a NATO training mission.

The casket bearing her remains was slowly carried from the Globemaster's hulking belly by eight military pallbearers wearing masks to a waiting hearse as a lone bagpiper played a lament. There Cowbrough's family was given a chance to pay respects and lay roses on her casket.

And then came the first of the pillows for those now missing and presumed dead. This one bore the headdress of Capt. Brenden Ian MacDonald of New Glasgow, N.S., one of the pilots on board the Cyclone helicopter known as Stalker 22.

A lone Air Force member carried the pillow and hat to a hearse as the bagpiper started to play again, the pillow-bearer's lonely form a striking contrast to the eight pallbearers who moments before carried Cowbrough's casket across the same stretch of grey tarmac.

As the pillow was placed in the hearse, MacDonald's family came forward, roses in hand.

Then more pillows and headdresses. One for Capt. Kevin Hagen of Nanaimo, B.C., the other pilot on board. One for Capt. Maxime Miron-Morin, the Cyclone's air combat systems officer from Trois-Rivieres, Que. One for Sub-Lt. Matthew Pyke, a naval warfare officer from Truro, N.S.

And then the last, for Master Cpl. Matthew Cousins, Stalker 22's airborne electronic sensor operator, originally from Guelph, Ont.

After a few minutes, the families climbed into waiting limousines that followed the hearses out of CFB Trenton, past a column of saluting troops before starting the traditional voyage west down the Highway of Heroes toward a forensic's centre in Toronto.

The federal and Ontario governments had asked because of COVID-19 that people stay home during the traditional procession between CFB Trenton and the Ontario coroner's office where all military remains repatriated during and since the Afghanistan war have been taken.

Yet many were expected to turn up on overpasses along the route to hang flags and offer a silent tribute as the six hearses and their police escort drove south past Cobourg and Port Hope, Newcastle and Bowmanville before entering Oshawa and the Greater Toronto Area.

In Halifax, Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil noted three of the victims were residents of his province and "they made us all proud.

"This has been a difficult time in our province and we offer our condolences to their families," he said. "Let us remind ourselves today to take a moment to mourn their loss and honour their legacy. They served their country, they served this province and we will be forever grateful."

While the identification of one other set of remains and military services still await, attention is now expected to shift back to the cause of the Cyclone crash.

A flight-investigation team that includes a representative from Sikorsky Aircraft, which builds the Cyclone, is currently investigating the circumstances around the crash. That includes interviewing those aboard the Halifax-class frigate HMCS Fredericton who saw the crash.

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The helicopter's flight-data and cockpit-voice recorders were recovered and are back in Canada for analysis.

The Defence Department says a team that includes social workers and military chaplains has been deployed to Italy to provide mental health support to Fredericton's crew, who have been allowed to communicate with loved ones back home.

The Cyclone was deployed with the Halifax-based HMCS Fredericton to Europe in January, where they had been attached to a NATO maritime force tasked with patrolling the Mediterranean and Black seas.

Cyclones are primarily based on naval vessels and used for hunting submarines, surveillance and search and rescue. They entered operational service  replacing the military's ancient Sea Kings  in 2018 after more than a decade of developmental challenges.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2020.

With files from Lee Berthiaume in Ottawa and Keith Doucette in Halifax.
Xerox to make hospital grade hand sanitizer with product from York, Nebraska production facility

OMAHA, Neb., May 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Green Plains Inc. (GPRE) is supplying FDA approved, FCC grade alcohol to Xerox Holdings Corporation (XRX) for use in their production of a new line of hospital grade hand sanitizers as both companies work to curb the spread of COVID-19 nationally.



In addition to our recent donations, we continue to work with our commercial customers to help them solve their supply chain needs for FCC Grade alcohol as an approved alcohol-based ingredient for use in the production of hand sanitizers and other critical cleaning products, said Todd Becker, president and chief executive officer of Green Plains Inc. We are happy to supply Xerox with our high-quality product from our plant in York, Nebraska that has been specifically producing this product for over 20 years.

The FCC Grade alcohol manufactured at Green Plains, York is distilled specifically for the production of cleaning products and disinfectants and is higher in purity and quality than traditional fuel grade ethanol. Green Plains does not sell any fuel grade alcohol for use in disinfectants or sanitizers.

Hand sanitizer is just one of many items in critical demand by our frontline workers, said Mary Fromm, vice president of manufacturing at Xerox. Green Plains is able to supply quality ethanol, which allows Xerox to deliver upwards of 140,000 gallons to healthcare organizations in the U.S. and Canada by June.

Xeroxs purchase from Green Plains will have a direct, positive impact on the U.S. farmer and the communities we serve during this crisis, as it enables our plants to remain open, continue to purchase corn, and keep high paying manufacturing jobs during this crisis, continued Becker.

About Green Plains Inc.

Green Plains Inc. (GPRE) is a diversified commodity-processing business with operations that include corn processing, grain handling and storage and commodity marketing and logistics services. The company is one of the leading corn processors in the world and, through its adjacent businesses, is focused on the production of high-protein feed ingredients. Green Plains owns a 50% interest in Green Plains Cattle Company LLC and owns a 49.0% limited partner interest and a 2.0% general partner interest in Green Plains Partners LP. For more information about Green Plains, visit www.gpreinc.com.

Green Plains Inc. Contacts

Investors: Phil Boggs | Senior Vice President, Investor Relations & Treasurer | 402.884.8700 | phil.boggs@gpreinc.com

Media: Leighton Eusebio | Manager, Public Relations | 402.952.4971 | leighton.eusebio@gpreinc.com

Sales Inquiries: Chris Shockley | Director | 402.383.5813 | chris.shockley@gpreinc.com
OPINION: "This should be a no-brainer, so whats the problem? Some members of the RTA board are hesitant to change the scope of the First Avenue project. They appear to want Tucson to build a six-lane roadway because it was the project scope promised in the 2006 plan and the RTA must do what was promised no matter the need or the cost. Decisions by the RTA Board should be made based on facts and data, not out of fear of public perceptions and long ago promises," write Tucsonans Ruth Reiman and Jane Evans.
Australians spending big on new webcams, gaming consoles and flashy new TVs over the coronavirus lockdown have helped electronics and hardware giant JB Hi-Fi post a bumper result for the third quarter of the financial year.

JB Hi-Fi told investors on Wednesday comparable sales at its Australian stores for the three months through March climbed 11.3 per cent, one of its highest-ever comparable growth figures for a single quarter.

JB Hi-Fi has reported a bumper sales result for the third quarter of the financial year. Credit:Justin McManus

This was largely due to a run on in-demand items to help shoppers work and relax at home, with chief executive Richard Murray saying customers had been prioritising not only home working and learning equipment, but had also splurged out on leisure and entertainment products.

"People are trying to take care of themselves mentally and physically, but also wanting to relax," he said.
National Development Minister and multi-ministry taskforce on COVID-19 co-chair Lawrence Wong addresses reporters at a virtual press conference oin May 2020. PHOTO: MCI

SINGAPORE  National Development Minister Lawrence Wong conceded that the safeguards against COVID-19 in foreign worker dormitories were not sufficient, according to a CNBC report on Wednesday (6 May), in the frankest admission yet by a Singapore leader that the government dropped the ball on the issue.

In an interview with CNBCs Squawk Box Asia, the co-chair of the multi-ministry taskforce on the coronavirus was asked by anchor Sri Jegarajah why the government had failed to identify these dorms, which house some 400,000 men across Singapore, as a potential area of infection risk.

Wong responded by pointing out that the foreign worker clusters have occurred not just in the dormitories, but also in common work sites and gathering areas.

Jegarajah then pressed Wong, But do you accept that conditions in those foreign worker dormitories were frankly appalling, frankly unhygienic, and this was an accident waiting to happen from a public health point of view? And if so, are those conditions going to change?

Wong replied that the living environment in the dorms has been steadily improving over the years, stressing that the real issue was that they were designed for communal living.

Nevertheless, he said, I think the lesson we've learnt from this experience is that with this pandemic, the unprecedented pandemic, the safeguards were not sufficient, and the design of the dormitories have to change. It cannot be designed in the same manner as it was before."

Almost 17,000 workers living in dorms infected

Wongs comments came on the same day that the Ministry of Health (MOH) reported a preliminary 788 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore as of Wednesday noon, bringing the total to 20,198. The vast majority of the new cases are foreign workers living in dorms, said the ministry.

The government has come under fire in recent weeks for failing to take stricter measures earlier to curb the spread of the virus in dorms, a number of which had been reported by the media and non-government organisations to be in cramped and unhygienic conditions. A total of 16,998 migrant workers living in dorms have so far tested positive for COVID-19 as of Tuesday.

Story continues

Speaking in Parliament on Monday, Manpower Minister Josephine Teo was asked if the authorities would apologise for the large number of coronavirus cases in the dorms. Teo responded by saying that migrant workers were more concerned with issues such as their medical care, wages and remittance.

These are the things that they have asked of us. I have not come across one single migrant worker himself that has demanded an apology, Teo said.

Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore

Related stories:

COVID-19: 1,200 employers on average penalised annually for unacceptable housing  Josephine Teo

COVID-19: Migrant workers were on MOM's radar since January  Josephine Teo
National Democratic Congress (NDC) communications team member, Brogya Genfi, has said it is a brilliant suggestion for former President John Dramani Mahama to advise the current government to allow the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) pay workers twenty percent of their contributions.



He said President Akufo-Addo has every power to make SSNIT pay its beneficiaries 20% of their contributions made to them in the past to cushion their lives for three months.



Speaking on UTV's 'Adekye Nsroma' newspaper discussion segment, Brogya Genfi categorically stated that "President Akufo-Addo has intentionally refused to make SSNIT cushion its beneficiaries because he knows his government owe them about 4.5 billion Ghana cedis and should he (President Akufo-Addo) succumb to this suggestion, then government will be forced to pay the debt owed".



He further explained that government has to just go to parliament for approval to allow SSNIT bail out it's benefactors since the country's economy is now in an Intensive Care Unit stage.



Listen to Brogya Genfi in the video below





Source: Elizabeth Semiheva Bedi/Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The D.C National Guard recently ordered Black Hawk helicopters to the Asheboro Regional Airport to transport 250,000 PPE masks that were manufactured by the local North Carolina company. Nufabrx, a proprietary biomaterial company that seamlessly embeds active ingredients including vitamins, supplements and medications into fabrics, in partnership with Bossong Medical has recently shifted production for a new line of reusable copper medical masks called TheraMasks. These masks are powered by CuTEC copper, a material that is known to be naturally antibacterial. Further talks are ongoing to partner with local DC small businesses to support the production effort.

These medical masks are designed to help reduce the spread of germs through the natural benefits of copper; the fabric helps create a healthier environment for the wearer and reduce facial contamination. The products are durable enough to be machine washed and dried for 30 washes. TheraMasks are environmentally friendly and are not intended to be thrown away daily like disposable masks. Products have been tested for antibacterial (AATCC 100) Bacterial Filtration Efficiency (BFE) and Viral Filtration Efficiency (VFE); all data is available to the public online.

The District of Columbia National Guard was activated by the D.C. Mayor, the Hon. Muriel Bowser, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This mission exemplifies the preparedness and quick response of the DCNG to provide vital supplies and equipment needed during these trying times.

Prior to delivering to DCs National Guard, Nufabrx had already begun delivering to first responders, law enforcement, emergency and medical support teams in Washington D.C. Every minute matters to those on the front line. Our heroes on the front lines are risking their lives for us, the least we can do is make sure they are adequately protected said Jordan Schindler, Nufabrx CEO. We are grateful that we are able to provide PPE to those that need them, and that our Government is choosing to support small businesses and Made in America in this difficult time. Numerous jobs have been saved and countless more brought back as a result of this effort.

Products can be purchased online at http://www.TheraMasks.com. Nufabrx is continuing to prioritize distribution to healthcare workers and first responders.

About Nufabrx and TheraMasks

Founded in 2011, Nufabrx was created by Founder Jordan Schindler after discovering his pillowcase was contributing to his acne. Teaming up with MIT scientists and DoD funding, Jordan spent seven years developing proprietary technology to embed active ingredients into clothing to make medicinal application easier and more efficient. As a way to help our healthcare workers, reusable copper medical masks were a natural transition; TheraMasks was founded as a division of nufabrx. For more information visit http://www.Nufabrx.com and http://www.Theramasks.com.

About Bossong Medical

Bossong Medical is committed to being a world class designer and manufacturer of innovative medical textile products made in the USA for the global market. Bossong Medical was founded to design, manufacture and distribute innovative medical textile products. Bossong Medicals competitive advantage is providing compression therapy products that are of world class quality utilizing the guidelines of ISO 13485 certification and FDA registration for Class I and Class II medical devices. http://www.bossongmedical.com
Hizbul Mujahideen commander among four rebels killed during Indias military operation in Pulwama district.

Indian troops killed four rebel fighters in gun battles in Indian-administered Kashmir, including the senior commander of the biggest separatist group fighting New Delhi in the disputed Himalayan region.

Hundreds of Indian soldiers launched an operation late on Tuesday after receiving intelligence that Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo was hiding in a village in south Kashmirs Pulwama district.

Naikoos death is being seen as a major victory for Indias counterinsurgency efforts and is likely to spark more unrest in the disputed region.

Police and army soldiers launched the operation in the Awantipora area in southern Kashmir based on a tip that some rebel commanders were sheltering there.

They used earth movers to dig up several patches of land, including a school playground, looking for possible underground hideouts, residents said.

Troops blasted at least two civilian homes with explosives, a common tactic employed by Indian troops in Kashmir.

He was trapped in a house and early today a gun battle took place during which he and his associate were killed, Kashmirs inspector general of police, Vijay Kumar, told Reuters news agency on Wednesday.

Two rebels were killed in another firefight nearby, Kumar added.





Teacher-turned-rebel

Naikoo, 35, joined the separatists in 2012, two years after about 100 people were killed by troops during a restive summer marked by protests and violence.

A former mathematics teacher with a bounty of 1.2 million rupees ($15,800) on his head, Naikoo was an aide to the charismatic Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, who was killed in July 2016, leading to months of unrest.

After Wanis death, Naikoo helped give new life to the rebel movement. He unified the ranks, which had been divided by splinter factions.

Dibyesh Anand, who teaches international relations at the University of Westminster in the United Kingdom, told Al Jazeera that Naikoos killing will make the relationship between Kashmir and India much worse than what it is.

Whats likely to happen is more frustration, more anger, more anxiety that ordinary Kashmiri population would have, he said.

The main intention of [Indias] Hindu nationalist government is not only to completely occupy Kashmir, but also to erase any form of resistance that Kashmiris have.

People gather after Naikoo was killed in a gun battle with Indian soldiers at Beighpora village in south Kashmirs Pulwama district [Younis Khaliq/Reuters]

Protests over the killings

Authorities disabled mobile internet across the Kashmir region early on Wednesday to prevent large crowds from gathering in the streets to mourn Naikoos killing.

Still, locals came out and pelted soldiers with stones in an attempt to disrupt the operation in which Naikoo was killed, Kumar said, adding that demonstrators had to be beaten back by troops.

Several protesters have received pellet injures and three of them have bullet wounds. They have been hospitalised, he said.

In all, at least 30 people were injured as protesters clashed with security forces in around a dozen spots across Kashmir, including in the main city of Srinagar, another police official said.

Protesters set fire to two police vehicles in Pulwama, the official said, declining to be named since he was not authorised to speak to media.





Intensified operations

Amid a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus, Indian troops have intensified operations in Kashmir, the countrys only Muslim-majority state, which was split into two federally administered territories last August.

Since late March, Indian forces have killed 36 rebels while losing about 20 soldiers, including a high-ranking army officer.

For decades, separatists have fought against Indian rule in Kashmir, wanting independence for the Himalayan region or to join Pakistan.

Kashmir is claimed in whole but ruled in part by both India and Pakistan. About 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian military crackdown.

There also has been almost daily fighting over the last several months along the rugged and mountainous frontier that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

Rebels have been fighting Indian rule since 1989. About 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian military crackdown.
The UK's youngest MP Nadia Whittome has been fired after speaking out about the lack of PPE she saw when she returned to the frontline of the coronavirus crisis.

Whittome, who won her seat for Labour in Nottingham East on 12 December, returned to Lark Hill retirement village in Nottinghamshire a month ago, pledging to help out in her former role.

The 24-year-old has been critical of the lack of protection and testing for staff earning 'poverty pay' at Lark Hill, voicing her opinion during televised appearances on BBC, SkyNews, and through her own social media channels.

The UK's youngest MP, Labour's Nadia Whittome (pictured in Parliament), has been fired as a carer after she returned to the frontline of the coronavirus crisis last month

Undated handout photo issued by Labour MP Nadia Whittome of herself (front right) with colleagues from Lark Hill retirement village in the Clifton area of Nottingham

Pictured: Lark Hill's old people's residential village in Nottinghamshire, where Whittome had been working since last month

She told the Mirror that shortages were risking the lives of residents and carers, adding that staff were only permitted the use of one mask a day and that the PPE store-cupboard was locked amid fears workers might steal and sell the equipment.

Whittome alleged the onsite nurse said masks aren't effective against the virus and that workers could buy them for themselves if it made them feel safer.

The site is run by Extra Care charitable Trust, who confirmed the MP had been fired for speaking to the media about her concerns, but refuted Whittome's claims about PPE shortages, adding that her comments had caused panic among their elderly residents.

Pictured: Undated file photograph of Whittome speaking on SkyNews about the coronavirus crisis

Shortly after she was elected to her seat in December, Whittome announced she would be donating a huge chunk of her salary to charities in her constituency because she wished to earn a 'worker's wage'.

Whittome said she was 'appalled' by the home's decision and said the trust hadn't followed due process in her termination.

She has called on other care staff who think they've faced discrimination by care providers to contact her.

One of Whittome's colleagues, who chose to remain anonymous, told the Mirror that she was 'dumbfounded' at the decision made by Extra Care to remove an 'excellent caring worker' and that the MP 'hasn't stated anything other than facts' in media interviews.

A spokeswoman for the Lark Hill Trust, told the publication they were well equipped with a 'fully [sic] supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)' and that reports of a lack of equipment were 'inaccurate'.

The reason for Whittome's dismissal, they said, is also due to staffing requirements. She was employed as a casual worker for eight shifts and the trust said they no longer needed her. All her time slots are now filled by permanent workers, they said.

A nurse in PPE speaks to a resident at the Wren Hall care home in Nottingham, which had 10 infected patients, on the date of this photo on 20 April, 2020

The trust went on to detail the amount of PPE in their ownership, including 6,000 masks.

They said Whittome's comments caused 'concern' among the residents, with significant efforts needed to calm them.

'This has occurred during a critical period when all of our resources have to be focused on protecting our resident's safety and welfare,' they said.
Looking to stay up to date about all of the news stories and local headlines that are important to Long Islanders? We've rounded up the top coverage for all of the important topics from multiple sources around Long Island, so you can be sure you've got the most recent update on the top stories for Long Island. Have an idea for a news story? Email us at news@longisland.com

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In 2019, global lifestyle brand, Kohler had come out with a digital-first campaign to showcase a new range of colours, capturing the greatness and vibrancy of Indian diversity. Twinkle Khanna was announced as the official brand ambassador and the campaign was hosted on two Times Internet properties  The Times of India and Economic Times  to increase awareness and create a brand lift. Three new range of colours  Peacock, Truffle and Thunder Grey  were promoted via the campaign and were quintessentially Indian colours.

Aimed at the premium audience segment, the campaign and the product created an impressive impact. Times Internet conducted a Brand Lift Study, which showcased that the campaign drove all metrics such as awareness, intent and favourability and performed particularly well amongst the premium metro audiences in the 35-54 year old bracket.

The overall estimated reach of the digital campaign was 35.5 million impressions on TOI and ET, garnering more than 90K+ clicks. The campaign was optimised for audience-level performance by Colombia, Times Internets homegrown ad tech stack.

Sandhya Biswas, Head - Brand & Retail, Kohler India, commented, From both the BLS and our own internal study, our brand metrics are showing an upward swing in our partnership with Times Internet and we hope to continue that in future.

Biswas also called the decision of giving both creative and media mandates to Dentsu Webchutney, a marriage of capabilities that delivered the campaigns message in an impactful manner across media channels.

The campaigns partnership with Times Internet helped build relevant traction amongst the affluent audiences of TOI and ET. According to Gurjot Singh Shah, Senior VP, Dentsu Webchutney, the agency deployed proprietary Dentsu tools such as DAN Explore to arrive at the media mix as per audience needs.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In a show of appreciation to medical personnel, White Castle gave away free Sliders and combo meals throughout April to EMTs, paramedics, nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals.

In all, healthcare workers in White Castle's 14 markets enjoyed more than $1 million worth of free combo meals, funded entirely by the family-owned business.

In a show of appreciation to medical personnel, White Castle gave away free Sliders and combo meals throughout April to healthcare professionals. In all, healthcare workers enjoyed more than $1 million worth of free combo meals, funded entirely by the family-owned business. In addition to the free combo meals, White Castle delivered more than 10,000 Sliders to hospital workers in Cincinnati, Columbus, Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Louisville, Indianapolis, New York and New Jersey.

In addition to the free combo meals, White Castle delivered more than 10,000 Sliders to hospital workers in Cincinnati, Columbus, Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Louisville, Indianapolis, New York and New Jersey. It has plans this week and next to deliver 1,700 Sliders to five hospitals in Minneapolis and is working to schedule additional food drops in other cities.

"As a family-owned business for 99 years, White Castle has a long tradition of supporting the people in the communities we serve," said Jamie Richardson, vice president at White Castle. "We've been inspired by first responders everywhere who have been on the front lines fighting this pandemic, and we wanted to do what we could to feed their souls and to say thanks."

White Castle was so impressed by the heroic efforts of these first responders it made the commitment to offer healthcare workers one free meal a day for the month of April. The initiative was expanded by making food drops at hospitals, giving healthcare workers a little treat while working. Team members from multiple White Castle restaurants prepared and delivered Crave Cases and Crave Crates, each one holding individually packaged Original Sliders and Cheese Sliders.

"In the midst of this incredibly tough time, healthcare workers are putting it all on the line to serve and take care of us," Richardson said. "The complimentary food was our way of letting them know we appreciate everything they're doing. We are honored that we were able to give back to them."

For more information about White Castle's other philanthropic activities, click HERE.

About White Castle

White Castle, America's first fast-food hamburger chain, has been making hot and tasty Sliders as a family-owned business for more than 99 years. Based in Columbus, Ohio, White Castle started serving The Original Slider, made from 100% USDA inspected beef, in 1921. Today, White Castle owns and operates more than 365 restaurants dedicated to satisfying customers' cravings, morning, noon and night and sells its famous fare in retail stores nationwide, in a growing number of international locations, and at military exchanges around the world. The Original Slider, named in 2014 as Time Magazine's most influential burger of all time, is served alongside a menu of creatively crafted Sliders and other mouthwatering food options, including White Castle's Impossible Slider, named by Thrillist in 2019 as the "Best Plant-Based Fast Food Burger."

White Castle's commitment to maintaining the highest quality products extends to the company owning and operating its own meat processing plants, bakeries and frozen-food processing plants. White Castle is known for the legendary loyalty of its team members, more than one in four of whom have worked for White Castle for at least 10 years, and of its faithful fans, affectionately referred to as Cravers, many of whom compete each year for entry into the Cravers Hall of Fame. The official White Castle app, available at iTunes App Store or Google Play , makes it easy for Cravers to access sweet deals and place pick-up orders any time. They can also have their orders delivered using one of White Castle's delivery partners. For more information on White Castle, visit whitecastle.com.

SOURCE White Castle

Related Links

http://www.whitecastle.com


By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijans religious leader, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh has sent a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump urging him to lift sanctions against southern neighbour Iran, local media reported on May 5.

Today during the global viral catastrophe, the people of Iran, who are our neighbors, have been deprived of the most necessary medical, food, and material assistance, and the elderly and children have been left to die in the face of a relentless disease. The appeals we receive about the suffering of the neighboring Iranian people, who are on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe, make it necessary to make emergency decisions in such an emergency period.

"We ask you to decide to suspend sanctions against the Iranian people in the name of humanism and human solidarity, lift all prohibitions and restrictions during the pandemic, liberate the Iranian people from isolation and crisis. Such a decision will be in accordance with all secular and spiritual laws and will be considered a God-pleasing act," Pashazadeh said in his letter.

It is the grace of the Almighty Creator that, despite the crises, confrontations, and conflicts, there are eternal values that do not allow our world to fall out of the abyss. Among them is the peaceful coexistence of people of different nationalities and faiths, the culture of mutual understanding. It is no coincidence that our holy books, the Torah, the Bible and the Quran, call on all of us to be merciful and compassionate for the sake of humanity, regardless of our beliefs.

"Solidarity and the ideals of humanism are important in the struggle against the new type of coronavirus raging in the world. Fortunately, the fight against coronavirus in Azerbaijan is being carried out seriously and successfully, and at the same time, great attention is paid to international humanitarian assistance and the provision of necessary assistance to foreign countries, the letter reads.

On January 8, 2020, US President Donald Trump announced new economic sanctions against Iran. The sanctions are imposed in response to a missile strike by Iran on U.S. bases.

___

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Ondo State on Monday turned back a large number of almajiris who came into the state.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the children who were about 25 in number, were driven into the state by a truck driver.

Almajiris are children who are sent to go live with Islamic clerics from whom they learn about the religion. Thousands of them, however, end up as street children without access to education or health care.

The almajiris, according to police sources, walked through bush paths after entering the state to beat the blockades by security officials enforcing the lockdown directives, before reentering the truck after finding their way back to the expressway.

The state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, first raised the alarm of almajiris pouring in from northern states on Monday while he was updating residents on developments regarding the efforts of the government in curtailing the spread of the disease.

He had lamented the porousness of the entry points into the state, manned by security agencies in line with the restriction of movement order.

Mr Akeredolu had noted that some states in the Northern Nigeria are already deploying almajiris to other parts of the country. He, however, did not name the states where the alamajiris would be coming from.

He called on residents to be vigilant and report any unusual large population of young people imported to the state.

As I said earlier, undesirable penetration at the borders and disregard for social distancing remain our low points, he said. Reports and daily briefing support these facts.

Tip

A source at the Ondo State government house, hinted that the government got the information on the movement of the almajiris and notified the security agencies to swiftly ensure they were not allowed.

We cannot allow them in, they have to return to where they are coming from, the source said. The government already had the information and that led the governor to make the statement on the matter.

Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Ondo State Command, Tee Leo-Ikoro, confirmed that the group of young men were intercepted and have been taken out of the state.

Mr Leo-Ikoro said the young men said they were coming from Sokoto State and had come in through Kogi State which shares boundaries with Ondo State.

This afternoon, we took them back to the boundary between Ondo and Kogi, because they said they came through a village in Kogi State, the police spokesman said.

We have to take them back to the boundary and asked them to return to Sokoto.

He also said they have gotten directives to block the bush paths where the almajiris had cut into the major roads in order to ensure none of them returned to the state.

With the blockade of those paths, because they know all the bush paths, we have ensured that no one is allowed to go through it. They were returned in the same truck they came in with.

A similar action was taken by the Osun State government when it returned a large of number of youth, who were described as illegal miners from Zamfara State. This had attracted a backlash from the government of Zamfara.

Osun had last week expressed concerns over the large number of northern youth, pouring into the state.

The deputy chief of staff to the Governor of Osun State, Adeyanju Biniyo, had observed that the northern youth were sneaking into the state and were undermining efforts to check the spread of the coronavirus.

The government of Zamfara State had criticised the Osun State government for the deportation saying it was in bad taste and unlawful.

It had also argued that the youth had the right to reside in any part of the country.

But the government of Osun State had explained that the action was part of its efforts to curb the spread of the COVID-19.

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Nigerian laws permit any national to live in any part of the country but in the wake of the deadly virus which has killed close to a 100 persons in Nigeria, many states have sealed their boundaries making it increasingly difficult to access for both residents and non-indigenes.
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BAR HARBOR, MAINE / ACCESSWIRE / May 6, 2020 / Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSE American:BHB) (or the "Company"), announced that the location of its 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held on Tuesday, May 12 at 11:00 am EDT has been changed to its offices at 82 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609. The location of the meeting has been changed because the prior location, the Bar Harbor Club, will not be open on the date of the meeting due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As previously announced, the meeting will also be held via webcast where shareholders will be able to vote their shares and participate virtually. Because of the State of Maine's "Safer at Home" executive order that limits gatherings to ten people, and for the health and safety of everyone, the Company strongly encourages shareholders to attend via the webcast rather than in person.Shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 16, 2020, can participate in the virtual meeting by visiting www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BHB2020 and entering the 16-digit control number located on their proxy. Registered owners that have not received their proxy material can contact Broadridge at 877-456-4860 to request a control number. Beneficial owners must contact their bank or broker-dealer to obtain their control number.Shareholders can vote their shares: 1) by visiting www.proxyvote.com; 2) by telephone at 1-800-690-6903; 3) at the meeting, preferably by webcast; or 4) via mail.Bar Harbor Bankshares (NYSE American:BHB) is the parent company of its wholly owned subsidiary, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. Operating over 50 locations across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is headquartered in Bar Harbor, Maine and has more than $3.6 billion in assets. As a leading Northern New England community bank, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust offers a full range of personal and business banking services, as well as wealth management services through its subsidiaries Bar Harbor Trust Services and Charter Trust Company. For more information about Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, visit www.barharbor.bank or call 888-853-7100. Member FDIC.Contact:Joseph SchmittChief Marketing OfficerBar Harbor Bank & Trust207-266-8834jschmitt@ barharbor.bank SOURCE: Bar Harbor Bank and Trust
Claims of a split between the Government and health experts have been dismissed as "inaccurate" by the Chief Medical Officer.

Speaking at yesterdays briefing of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), Dr Tony Holohan said reports that NPHET advised the Government that over-70s should cocoon until August, but was overruled by cabinet, were "inaccurate".

"Thats an inaccurate reading of the meeting," he said.

"There might be some misinterpretation that cocooning might stay in place until phase five (of the roadmap to reopening the economy - due on Aug 10), but thats certainly not our view."

Earlier in the day, Tanaiste Simon Coveney said the working relationship with NPHET is "fantastic" and that the idea that discussions between NPHET and the Government are "openly hostile" is confusing.

Dr Holohan also said he anticipates advising that non-surgical face masks be recommended from May 18, but urged against the public "rushing" to buy them.

It comes as the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) called for face masks to be made compulsory for all public transport users and for temperature checks for frontline transport staff before starting work.

Ireland has to date tested more than 210,000 people for Covid-19, while the case definition for getting a test appointment is to be expanded once more this week. Current testing capacity stands at 84,000 per week, two weeks out from the deadline to reach 100,000 every seven days.
In time, however, the bands mid-70s albums came to be regarded as classics. Kraftwerk received a Grammy Award for lifetime achievement in 2014, and Pitchfork named Trans-Europe Express the sixth-greatest album of the 1970s. The cold, sleek synth textures, and disaffected vocals might seem robotic (and of course, Kraftwerk nurtured that image), Dominique Leone wrote for the website, but they are also perfect realizations of the same minimal, streamlined tension that colored punk and new-wave.
At an appearance in Phoenix, Arizona on Tuesday to promote the governments back-to-work campaign, President Donald Trump confirmed reports that he is planning to dismantle the White House coronavirus task force. Trump traveled to Phoenix to tour a Honeywell aerospace plant that has partially converted to the production of N95 masks.

His first major event outside of Washington DC in a month, it was meant to signal that the period of quarantining is over and it is time to shift to reopening business. The White House indicated that more such appearances would soon follow, including one in Ohio later this week.

President Donald Trump tours tour a Honeywell International plant that manufactures personal protective equipment, Tuesday, May 5, 2020, in Phoenix, with Honeywell CEO Darius Adamczyk, right. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Trump combined his tour of the plant with a so-called round table with Navajo Indian officials, at which he displayed an executive order allocating $600 million for the Navajo Nation to combat the coronavirus. This is a drop in the bucket compared to the massive social needs of an impoverished and oppressed population that lacks the basic health infrastructure needed to deal with the pandemic. It is a tiny fraction of the more than $6 trillion that has been allocated on a bipartisan basis by Congress and the Federal Reserve to bail out Wall Street.

In a brief exchange with reporters following the round table, Trump was asked to respond to a report in the New York Times that he was planning to wind down the White House task force on the virus. He confirmed the report, saying the country had entered phase two of the pandemic, which he called safety and opening. He added, We will have a different group probably set up for that.

Trumps appearance featured the combination of self-congratulation, stupidity and brazen lying to which millions around the world have become accustomed. Significantly, he made a point of calling the American people warriors, implying that they had to be prepared to die. And to die, moreover, for Wall Street.

His announcement on the task force underscored that the drive to force workers back into factories and workplaces, without any serious safety precautions or equipment, and while the pandemic continues to rage unchecked, puts an end to any pretense of a coordinated effort to contain the disease.

It makes clear that the drive to resume corporate-profit making, in defiance of warnings from public health experts as well as polls showing lopsided majorities opposed to the operation, is a conscious decision to let the deadly virus spread more widely and take untold thousands more lives.

In practical terms, the existence of the task force, which includes scientists and medical experts such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, exerted little influence on the response of the Trump administration and the political establishment as a whole to the pandemic. From the onset, the response of the government has been determined by the interests and demands of the corporate-financial oligarchy that runs the country.

But the winding down of the body has considerable symbolic significance. It is a statement that neither the facts, nor science, nor popular opinion, nor the horrific toll in death and disease will deter the ruling class from propping up the stock market and expanding the wealth of the super-rich, no matter the human cost.

Trump is using the technique of the big lie to justify his back-to-work campaign. He claims that the pandemic is all but over, even as deaths surge past the 70,000 mark and infections continue to increase. It is, moreover, well known that the official figures vastly underestimate the real levels of contagion and death.

Earlier on Tuesday, as he left the White House to fly to Phoenix, Trump dismissed as irrelevant a report to the Centers for Disease Control by Johns Hopkins University predicting that the infection rate in the US would explode to 200,000 a day and the death rate would nearly double to 3,000 by the end of May.

He said the report assumed the absence of mitigation measures, while the moves to reopen already underway or announced by at least 42 states included lots of mitigation. This is a lie.

Few if any of the states meet the guidelines for reopening that Trump himself announced last month, including 14 straight days of declining infections. Many are openly flaunting minimal social distancing precautions, opening barber shops, beauty salons, gyms, beaches, shopping malls, restaurants and even movie theaters.

Even the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), which has consistently produced the lowest estimates of COVID-19 deaths of any scientific body, and which the White House has cited in the past, on Monday raised its projection for US deaths by August 1 from the already surpassed 60,000 to 135,000, based on what it called a premature lifting of social distancing measures.

In shutting down the task force, Trump is seeking to suppress any objective factual and scientific reporting. Despite efforts to accommodate himself to Trump, Fauci frequently felt obliged to contradict claims by the president of miracle cures and early vaccines, and he warned of the dangers of a premature reopening of the economy. As he seeks to intimidate and repress working class resistance to being forced to work under unsafe conditions, Trump will no doubt step up efforts to suppress statistical data on the actual impact of the disease.

Like everything else Trump does, the Phoenix event is closely linked to his electoral prospects in November. Arizona is considered a battleground state. He carried the state in 2016, but recent polls show a close race with the presumptive Democratic candidate Joe Biden.

Like a majority of states across the country, including states with Democratic governors, Arizona is loosening social distancing measures and beginning to allow non-essential businesses to reopen. The day before Trumps visit, Republican Governor Doug Ducey announced he was accelerating his plan to reopen the states economy.

Also on Monday, Gavin Newsom, the Democratic governor of the California, the most populous state in the country, announced that he would begin to reopen this Friday. Echoing Trump, he said, We are entering into the next phase this week, end of the week. The next phase will include the reopening of beaches and adjustments this week in the retail sector.

Trumps sociopathic gangsterism is not simply an individual question. He embodies the corporate-financial ruling elite in America. As in the rest of the world, this financial oligarchy is consciously exploiting the pandemic to implement policies of social plunder it had long been preparing to deal with a deepening economic crisis of the capitalist system. Despite tactical differences, the Democrats fully back this homicidal policy, which is directed above all against the working class.
Four out of the 11 travellers from Sokoto State intercepted over the weekend at the Oyo-Osun boundary by Oyo State border patrol have, on Tuesday, tested positive for coronavirus.

The states incident manager, Dr Taiwo Ladipo, disclosed this while speaking to newsmen Ibadan.

Ladipo said the four confirmed cases are isolated at the Infectious Diseases Centre, Olodo.

It would be recalled that men of the Nigeria Police had rounded up 11 travellers from Sokoto who were on their way to Akure, Ondo State.

After an interrogation of the travellers, Governor Seyi Makinde declared that the travellers would not be released to the Sokoto State Government until they undergo coronavirus test.



The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Oyo State as of Tuesday morning stands at 39, with 28 active cases. The state has also recorded two COVID-19 related deaths, while nine persons have recovered from the virus.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updates
The states case that Sarah Spiers was the first victim of the Claremont serial killer has been dealt two major blows with prosecutors reneging on their alleged motive for the murder and the judge indicating other evidence about the identity of her attacker was inadmissible.

Prosecutors allege Bradley Edwards murdered Ms Spiers on January 27, 1996 after she was last seen at 2.06am in Claremont waiting by a phone booth for a taxi to take her to Mosman Park.

Sarah Spiers is an alleged victim of the accused Claremont serial killer.

The 18-year-olds body has never been found and the case against Mr Edwards in relation to her murder is circumstantial.

Prosecutor Carmel Barbagallo originally claimed the Telstra technician killed Ms Spiers in the hours after his first wife rejected his invitation to attend the Australia Day fireworks together.
Vodafone will be the biggest loser from the planned O2-Virgin Media merger and could seek to 'gatecrash' the deal, say industry experts.

The British telecoms giant has long been seen as a potential suitor for broadband provider Virgin after it previously held unsuccessful takeover talks with parent Liberty Global.

But now Virgin is instead pursuing a tie-up with UK mobile network O2, which is owned by Spain's Telefonica, leaving Vodafone out in the cold.

Vodafone has long been seen as a potential suitor for broadband provider Virgin after it previously held unsuccessful takeover talks with parent Liberty Global

The deal would create a 24billion telecoms powerhouse spanning 6m broadband customers and 34m mobile users, challenging the dominance of BT and its mobile network EE.

But it would also leave Vodafone without a significant foothold in UK broadband, at a time when the industry is shifting towards offering 'converged' bundles that combine broadband, mobile and television services.

That could prompt Vodafone to mount a rival bid for Virgin or look for another takeover target to expand its reach, analysts have predicted.

Vodafone, which has 444m customers worldwide, is a major player in mobile and fixed assets in other top markets, including Germany, Spain and Italy.

Kester Mann, a telecoms analyst at CCS Insight, said: 'If the Virgin-O2 merger comes to fruition, Vodafone is going to be the biggest loser.

'It has tried to get into the converged bundle market but has not really made a lot of progress, so the creation of another converged, more capable competitor is going to put even more pressure on it.

'Vodafone has been talking to Liberty Global for many years, so the O2 announcement may now prompt it to come back to the table and make a rival offer.

'It has shown a renewed drive and commitment to the UK in recent years but they could now be left quite exposed.

'So if I was Vodafone and I heard about these merger talks I would be asking: 'What are our options here?'

'To gain fixed-line customers organically is extremely difficult. The only way to do that might be through an acquisition or new partnership.'

James Craven, managing director at investment bank GCA Altium, added: 'Potentially, this could trigger a bidding war between O2 and Vodafone to seal a deal with Virgin Media.'

Analysts at HSBC have also suggested that Vodafone's bosses are debating 'whether to crash the party'.

And should the O2-Virgin Media merger go ahead, they said budget broadband provider Talktalk and its 4.3m customers might become a takeover target for Vodafone or smaller mobile rival Three.

Talktalk, which is 29.8 per cent-owned by Carphone Warehouse tycoon Sir Charles Dunstone, has a market capitalisation of about 950million. Its shares have fallen 30 per cent so far this year.

But HSBC's analysts told clients: 'If convergence begins to play a larger role in the UK telecoms market, then we think Talktalk's base, and the scale that it provides, end up being a potentially attractive target for one of the two remaining mobile network operators who are without fixed broadband customers.'

The trend towards 'converged' packages in the telecoms market has been predicted for several years but in the UK companies have been slower to adopt them.

In November, BT launched its Halo packages  covering fixed broadband, fixed phone lines and mobile  promising 'connectivity in and out of the home' and support from technical experts for families.

It is priced from 57.99 per month, compared to standard broadband costing 27.99 per month.

Vodafone declined to comment last night.
Original housewife LeeAnne Locken left Real Housewives of Dallas after four seasons, presumably due to backlash from derogatory comments she made about castmate Kary Brittingham. In an Instagram comment, Locken refuted racism accusations against her because Kary and I are the same race.

LeeAnne Locken | Charles Sykes

LeeAnne Locken made derogatory remarks about Kary Brittingham

In the fourth season of Real Housewives of Dallas, original housewife LeeAnne Locken and newcomer Kary Brittingham started on the wrong foot. When the ladies vacationed at her beautiful Careyes, Mexican home, Locken complained about nearly everything, annoying Brittingham.

The mother-of-four attempted to get to know her, but the former pageant beauty came off as defensive, and they never truly resolved their issues. The ladies butted heads again in Thailand when DAndra Simmons wore Lockens Infinity Dress to dinner, and Brittingham harshly criticized the clothing, causing the former pageant beauty to leave dinner.

were you team LeeAnne or team Kary this season? #RHOD pic.twitter.com/g8XfnJ2AJH  slice (@slice_tv) January 1, 2020

Stephanie Hollman followed, and Locken made derogatory remarks relating to Brittinghams Mexican heritage. After the group spent a night on the town, Locken mocked Brittingham in a way many interpreted as racist to Kameron Westcott.

Bothered by her words, the Sparkledog owner informed the newcomer about what Locken said and then confronted her friend later. The Infinity Dress creator eventually acknowledged her hurtful words at the reunion and apologized to an upset Brittingham.

LeeAnne Locken left RHOD after four seasons

In a February 2020 statement to People, the original housewife announced she made the personal decision to step away from the Bravo reality series. According to Locken, she chose to leave because of her challenging experience in Season 4, and she wanted to focus more on her philanthropic work.

Shortly after her statement, Cary Deuber, an RHOD OG who is now a friend of the show, implied Bravo fired Locken in an Instagram Live broadcast.

Bravo and People have confirmed that LeeAnne Locken is saying goodbye to #RHOD after 4 seasons on her exit LeeAnne said, The last four years have been a trolley-slapping good time but after much consideration, I have made the personal decision to step away from RHOD. pic.twitter.com/4dGEm3dzoG  Real Housewives Confessionals (@RHConfessionals) February 26, 2020

However, Locken has continually insisted that she left on her merit on social media because the other women targeted her, and she would rather be happy.

Additionally, the former pageant beauty reported she has several projects in the works, including three television shows, two movies, and an upcoming book.

LeeAnne Locken claims shes the same race as Kary Brittingham

In an Instagram comment, Simmons suggested the person behind an account was actually Locken using a fake profile. The Hard Night Good Morning owner told her former best friend to check your facts and called her despicable.

Additionally, she advised Locken to do something meaningful with your life as the Infinity Dress creator has lots of time on your hands now. Locken responded four days later and contended she did have a fabulous life, which is why it took her so long to reply. She also advised Simmons to back off and be careful.

In another Instagram comment, the former pageant beauty responded to a user who called her a racist and implied she had a personality disorder. Locken admitted she struggled with depression but refuted his other claims. She also called the users racism accusations ignorant because Kary and I are the same race.

Technically, Hispanic is not a race, but an ethnicity. Therefore, many Hispanics or Latinos identify as white on the census or other government documents. However, this can be offensive because Hispanics have been fighting for representation as white does not accurately represent their racial identity.

Its unclear when Real Housewives of Dallas will return as COVID-19 postponed their production schedule.
In a major victory for the Indian security forces, Riyaz Naikoo, a top Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist was killed in an encounter in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir.

SCREENGRAB

Naikoo and two others were been trapped in his native Beighpora village since Tuesday night. Read more

Delhi Police Arrest Admin Of 'Bois Locker Room' Group That Shared Lewd Photos Of Minor Girls

Two days after the nation woke up to a scandal where underage boys shared lewd and morphed pictures of minor schoolgirls, the Delhi Police have arrested the admin of the infamous Instagram chat group.

Representational Image

The chat group on the photo-sharing app, Bois Locker Room, sent shockwaves across the country. Read more

Karnataka Cancels Migrant Workers' Special Trains, Allegedly To Resume Construction Activities

Migrant workers in Karnataka may have to wait more before they can go home.

BCCL

This comes after the Karnataka government cancelled all Shramik special trains from Bengaluru to their home states from Wednesday. Read more

From Zero To 2.5 Lakh Per Day In Two Months - How India Turned Around Its PPE Manufacturing

Within a span of two months, India has gone from zero to having the capacity of producing nearly 2.5 lakh PPE kits and 2 lakh N-95 masks per day which is sufficient to meet the country's requirement in dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak.

BCCL

A PPE kit consists of a mask, eye shield, shoe cover, gown, and gloves, which doctors and healthcare workers wear while attending COVID-19 patients. Read more

Airlines In India Likely To Suffer $11.2 Billion-Loss As Coronavirus Decimates Aviation Sector

The last time commercial flights operated in India was March 24, a day before the nationwide lockdown kicked in which has since been extended twice and is in place at least until May 17.

AFP

Indian airlines have since been grounded with just cargo flights operating to transport essential medical supplies - to and from country. Read more

3 Doctors Critical Of Russia's Handling Of COVID-19 Fell From Hospital Windows, Two Have Died

Over the past two weeks, three frontline health care workers have mysteriously fallen out of hospital windows in Russia, and two of them have died.

AFP

While, Alexander Shulepov, an ambulance doctor in Voronezh, is in a critical condition after falling from a hospital window on Saturday. Read more
I know a lot about art, the Canadian painter and writer Brad Phillips brags on his Instagram profile. OK, so whatve you got, smart guy? First of all, Mr. Phillips works best with words, arranged into minimal acerbic poems on his account @brad_phillips. (One reads America is my favourite movie.) The other account, @brad_phillips_group_show, is an agreeable reminder that artists often make the best curators. Here you can see the work of Cristine Brache (Mr. Phillipss wife), who also twists words into artworks, or Leon Spilliaert (1881-1946), an outre Belgian Symbolist painter who worked as an illustrator for Edgar Allan Poes publisher and shared a similar creepy, horror-tinged approach. Like those of most artist-curators, Mr. Phillipss picks are highly idiosyncratic and reflect his own works proclivities. But unlike many artists who think they can school you on art, Mr. Phillips actually delivers.

David Adjaye (@adjaye_visual_sketchbook)
The Cannabis Community Care and Research Network has launched two research studies to examine the impacts the coronavirus pandemic has had on marijuana consumers as well as cannabis businesses.

The Worcester-based public benefit corporation, abbreviated C3RN, provides research and analytic services related to the impact of medical and adult-use recreational cannabis. The corporation is working with UMass Dartmouth to collect anonymous information about the impact of COVID-19 on medical cannabis patients and adult-use consumers in its first study, according to a news release.

In its second study, C3RN is collaborating with UMass Dartmouth and the Holyoke Community College and the Cannabis Education Center to collect information about the impact of COVID-19 on cannabis businesses and the workforce.

Marijuana businesses in Massachusetts have been severely impacted by the pandemic. Recreational businesses have been shuttered through at least May 18 following an order halting all non-essential business operations by Gov. Charlie Baker. Medical marijuana businesses are allowed to operate through the pandemic and state cannabis regulators have reported a spike in new medical patient registrations.

There is a clear need to understand the impact of COVID-19, a devastating public health pandemic, on medical cannabis patients, consumers and businesses, said Marion McNabb, the CEO of C3RN. Additionally, under COVID-19, the cannabis industry cannot access much needed financial support from federal or state funds. The intention of the MA business and workforce study is to collect much-needed information to allow Massachusetts policymakers and stakeholders to make evidence-informed decisions about how to help a nascent and emerging industry in the Commonwealth.

In its study about consumers, the researchers through anonymous surveys are asking if consumers use cannabis to treat any health conditions, how cannabis helps during daily life, if the consumers have any side effects from using cannabis, preferred methods of using cannabis, whether consumers purchase through regulated sources and more.

After asking about cannabis use, the survey asks consumers about how the pandemic has impacted their lives, like feeling nervous or losing income, if the consumer has had any symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, if the consumer has been able to access testing and if so, if they received those test results.

In the survey on cannabis businesses and the workforce, researchers ask what resources have been difficult to obtain through the pandemic, like financial assistance, and if adult-use was permitted during the pandemic, what changes to business operations the worker may anticipate.

The anonymous survey also asks if businesses had to lay off employees and if any hiring is anticipated in the next month.

The two research studies have been approved by the UMass Dartmouth Institutional Review board as an extension of the initial study, the news release said.

Data will be collected anonymously and will be shared with key stakeholders and for peer-reviewed publication, according to the news release.

C3RN said it encourages members of the public to participate and directed those interested to complete surveys online.

Related Content:
New Delhi: A top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riaz Naikoo killed on Wednesday (May 6) by security forces in a village in Kashmir's Pulwama district. On the run for eight years, Naikoo was actively involved in brainwashing and recruitment of young boys in South Kashmir to join the terror outfit.

After his encounter, there is no known name alive to lead Hizbul Mujahideen in the Kashmir valley. Security forces had launched a massive operation to trap him in Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama. The encounter, which started late on Tuesday night went on till Wednesday afternoon.

Riyaz Naikoo reportedly came to his native home in Pulwamas Beighpora village when the security forces including the Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the local police, sealed all entry and exit points of the village.

With Naikoo, who carried a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head, two other militants were killed in a separate encounter in Sharshali Khrew area of Awantipora where the encounter began late on Tuesday night.

According to security agencies, there are 242 terrorists active in Jammu and Kashmir, and of these 104 Pakistanis. The ISI is striving hard to pressurize the cuurently active terro outfits to attack on Indian security.

Riyaz Naikoo became the de facto chief of Hizbul Mujahideen after the death of Burhan Wani, the poster boy of militancy in the Valley, in July 2016. Here's a list of top terrorists killed by security forces in Kashmir.

1. Muzaffar Ahmed Bhat: Four terrorists, including district commander of LeT Muzaffar Ahmed Bhat, were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Dialgam area of Anantnag district in south Kashmir on March 15, 2020.

2. JeM self-styled Kashmir chief Qari Yasir along with two terrorists was killed in an encounter with security forces in the Tral area of south Kashmir's Pulwama district on January 25, 2020.

3. Abu Saifullah alias Abu Qasim, top militant commander Abu Saifullah alias Abu Qasim, an associate of Yasir, was killed in the Khrew area of Pulwama district on January 23, 2020.

4. Burhan wani, who was the poster boy of Hizbul Mujahideen group in the Kashmir Valley, was killed in an encounter with security forces in Kokernag area of south Kashmir's Anantnag district on July 8, 2016.



5. Zakir Musa, former Hizbul Mujahideen commander and Ansar Ghazwat-ul Hind chief and a A++ terrorist, was killed in an encounter in Dadsara Tral area on May 23, 2019.

6. Jaish-e-Mohammed Commander Fayaz Panzoo was Killed in Anantnag encounter along with his associates on July 30, 2019.

7. Hameed Lelhari, who was Zakir Musa's successor and chief of Kashmir's al-Qaeda unit, was gunned down by the security forces in an encounter at Jammu and Kashmir's Awantipora on October 22, 2019.

8. Top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Osama, who was wanted in connection with the assassination of a senior BJP leader and an RSS functionary, was killed along with two other terrorists in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir on September 28, 2019.

9. Top Lashkar terrorist Asif Maqbool Bhat, who was behind Sopore attack on fruit traders family, was eliminatd in an encounter in Sopore on September 11, 2019.

10. Pakistani national Munna Lahori, a top commander of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), was killed in a joint operation of Jammu and Kashmir Police and Indian Army on July 27, 2019.

11. Ishfaq Ahmad Sofi, a top commander of Islamic State Jammu and Kashmir (ISJK)  an IS-inspired module in Kashmir Valley, was killed during an anti-insurgency operation in Amshipura area of south Kashmirs Shopian district in May 2019.

12. Top JeM Commander Khalid Bhai was killed with Naseer Pandith of Karmibad Pulwama and Umar Mir of Shopian in an encounter at Dalipora village, in south Kashmirs Pulwama district on May 17, 2019.

13. Mudasir Ahmed Khan, who was main conspirator of pulwama terror attack, was eliminated in an encounter with security forces in J&Ks Tral area in March 2019.

14. Abu Dujana, the most wanted Lashkar-e-Toiba commander, was killed with another militant in an encounter in Pulwama district of south Kashmir in July 2018.
Papillary renal cell carcinoma subtype (pRCC) is the second most common histological subtype in kidney cancer.Although several studies have shown that it is associated with better outcomes than clear cell RCC (ccRCC) in non-metastatic disease,conflicting results have been found regarding the setting of metastatic RCC.Moreover, few data are available on survival outcomes according to histology and treatment modality.In consequence, the aim of our study was to compare outcomes of metastatic pRCC vs. ccRCC overall and according to the most common treatment modalities used in this setting of patients, namely cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) alone, targeted therapy (TT) alone, or in combination with CN.To address this point, we relied on a population-based database, namely the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database, including 6,215 patients with metastatic ccRCC and 585 patients with metastatic pRCC diagnosed between 2006 and 2015. Our statistical methodologies included Kaplan-Meier analyses for survival estimates and multivariable Cox-regression analyses to adjust our results for several demographic and pathologic confounders. Moreover, we relied on propensity-score matching analyses which allowed us to reduce the effect of selection bias.Overall, 6,215 (10.1%) ccRCC and 585 (4.6%) pRCC harbored metastatic disease. Interestingly, rates of nodal metastases were two-fold higher in pRCC vs. ccRCC patients (49.7 vs. 23.3%) and African-Americans showed incredibly higher rates of pRCC than ccRCC histological subtype (27 vs. 6.6%). In the overall cohort, median overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were shorter in pRCC than ccRCC patients (13 vs. 18 and 12 vs. 18 months, respectively), but after propensity-score matching and multivariable adjustment, no survival differences remained. Finally, survival analyses according to treatment modality demonstrated shorter median OS and CSS in pRCC than ccRCC patients, regardless of treatment received.Several noteworthy observations may be derived from our study. First, ccRCC histological subtype confirms its aggressiveness, since a higher proportion of ccRCC progresses to metastatic disease, compared to pRCC histology. Second, important baseline differences can be found in the context of metastatic RCC. Specifically, pRCC shows a predilection for African-American ethnicity, and it is associated with incredibly higher rates of nodal metastases compared to ccRCC histology. Finally, survival analyses show that pRCC is an aggressive and unfavorable tumor histology in the presence of metastatic disease since it demonstrates poor OS and CSS overall regardless of treatment received.In conclusion, our observations indicate that papillary variant represents more prognostically unfavorable tumor histology in the context of metastatic RCC, showing a predilection for nodal spreading and African-American ethnicity. In consequence, further investigations are needed to evaluate the biological rationale behind these noteworthy findings, that may guide future targeted treatment of these patients.Written by: Giuseppe Rosiello, Carlotta Palumbo, Sophie Knipper, Angela Pecoraro, Stefano Luzzago, Pierre-Antoine St-Hilaire, Zhe Tian, Umberto Capitanio, Francesco Montorsi, Shahrokh F Shariat, Fred Saad, Alberto Briganti, Pierre I KarakiewiczCancer Prognostics and Health Outcomes Unit, Division of Urology, University of Montreal Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada.

., Cancer Prognostics and Health Outcomes Unit, Division of Urology, University of Montreal Health Center, Montreal, QC, Canada., Department of Urology and Division of Experimental Oncology, URI, Urological Research Institute, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina, 60, 20132, Milan, Italy., Department of Urology, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.References:
(Natural News) The true agenda behind the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic becomes more apparent by the day, including with the recent announcement by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo that public schools in the Empire State will be handed over to Bill and Melinda Gates once the lockdowns end.

Describing the pre-pandemic public school system as the old model, Cuomo told reporters during a news conference at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse that remote learning through apps like Zoom will become a permanent way of life for students in New York, long after the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis ends.

The old model of everybody goes and sits in a classroom and the teacher is in front of that classroom and teaches that class and you do that all across the city, all across the state, all these buildings, all these physical classrooms  why? he asked. With all the technology you have?

Stopping short of saying that all existing public school buildings will remain closed forever after the pandemic ends, Cuomo did reveal that his state is now exploring all of the ways that distance learning can remain a permanent fixture under his New World Order vision post-pandemic.

Back in March when Cuomo first closed all New York public schools, the narrative was that the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) needed to slow to the point that hospitals would not be overwhelmed, also known as flattening the curve. But the goal posts have since moved, much like they have all across the country, as the true intent of keeping things closed forever and switching to an all-digital society seems to be coming into full view.

Its hard to change the status quo, Cuomo lamented, clearly irritated that many people will not appreciate having all of society permanently changed because of a virus. But you get moments in history where people say, okay, Im ready for change. I get it. I think this is one of those moments.

Listen below to The Health Ranger Report as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks about how to deal with the five stages of coronavirus grief:

Bill and Melinda Gates to design blueprint for post-pandemic education in New York

Basically admitting that the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is being used to force New York  and the rest of the world, for that matter  into the New World Order, Cuomo outlined how things will change as his state transitions out of lockdown and into the new normal.

Along with keeping children at home basically forever, technology will replace pretty much all of the old methods of teaching and learning that required actual human interaction. Teachers will stay in their homes and teach children through screens, and ongoing social distancing rules when children do meet in actual buildings will be perpetuated.

Eugenicists Bill and Melinda Gates will also be given the keys to design a blueprint for post-pandemic education in New York, Cuomo revealed, which more than likely means that all children will be forcibly vaccinated and given mark of the beast quantum dot tattoos as part of their reentry back into the educational system.

During this transitionary period, all public schools in New York will remain closed throughout the rest of the schoolyear. This will create the time necessary for Cuomo and Bill and Melinda Gates to transition everything from the old way of doing things to the new, after which there will be no going back  which seems to have been the plan all along.

To keep up with the latest Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) news, be sure to check out Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

Syracuse.com

NaturalNews.com
By PTI

BOSTON: Scientists have developed an app that provides insights on COVID-19 hotspots, and the symptoms users must look out for, an advance that may aid public health officials in their efforts to contain the pandemic.

According to the study, published in the journal Science, the COVID Symptom Tracker app has already seen early usage by more than 2.5 million people in the US and the UK, generating valuable data for physicians, scientists, and public officials.

"The app collects daily information from individuals in the community about whether they feel well, and if not, their specific symptoms, and if they have been tested for COVID-19," said study senior author Andrew T.

Chan from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in the US.

The scientists said it may be useful as a planning tool to inform guidelines around self-isolation, identify regions in need of additional ventilators, expand hospital capacity, and provide real-time data to prepare for future outbreaks.

They said the app was launched in the UK on March 24, and became available in the US on March 29.

Since its launch, the study noted that the app has seen more than 3 million users.

"This work has led to the development of accurate models of COVID-19 infection rates in the absence of sufficient population testing," Chan said.

"For example, the UK government has acted upon these estimates by providing advanced notice to local health authorities about when to expect a surge of cases," he added.

Using results from the app, the scientists are also investigating risk factors for infection, as well as the effects of COVID-19 on patients' health.

Chan also pointed out that the app does not have any contact tracing function in contrast with software that is being rolled out in collaboration with Apple and Google.

"Our app is designed to be entirely voluntary so that they can share information about how they are feeling in a way that safeguards their privacy," he added.

The scientists are asking individuals, even those who are feeling well, to download the app and participate in this effort to provide information related to COVID-19.
San Francisco, May 6 : Smartphone sales in the US declined 21 per cent year-over-year (YoY) in the first quarter of 2020 driven by store closures and stay-at-home orders in the latter part of the quarter, said a report from Counterpoint Research.

While Apple only declined 13 per cent YoY, most other manufacturers saw steeper decline.

"Samsung on the other hand declined 23 per cent YoY. The Galaxy A-series continued to be a sales driver for Samsung as the Galaxy S20 series had a weak start due to COVID-19 shutdowns taking effect right as the new models hit the stores," Research Analyst Maurice Klaehne said in a statement.

However, OnePlus did manage to buck the trend as it saw two per cent year-over-year growth in the quarter due to its small year-ago base.

"OnePlus continues to make inroads into US carrier markets, especially through competitively-priced 5G smartphone offerings," Klaehne added.

Among the major players, Google's smartphone sales experienced the highest 64 per cent year-over-year decline in the US market in Q1 2020, revealed the report.

Factory closures in China due to COVID-19 began to impact supplies of smartphones in the US in February and early March.

"Manufacturers with factories located in Wuhan were affected the most. A late tax season bump saw a sales increase for prepaid devices in late February, but supply shortages limited this growth," said Research Director Jeff Fieldhack.

"In mid-March, demand plummeted due to COVID-19. States began to issue stay-at-home orders and both carriers and national retailers closed stores, restricted foot traffic and offered curb-side pick-up in only a few cases.

"Around 70 per cent of postpaid stores closed in March leading to a steep decline in smartphone sales for the last month of the quarter," Fieldhack said.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Lesotho's Prime Minister Thomas Thabane speaks during an interview with Reuters at State House in the capital Maseru, on Feb. 27, 2015. (Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters)

Exclusive: Lesothos Murdered First Lady Agreed to Divorce on Day She DiedSources

MASERUHours before she was shot dead on the outskirts of the capital, Lesothos former first lady, Lipolelo Thabane, made a surprising decision.

According to both a close friend and a well-connected businessman, she agreed to divorce her husband, Prime Minister Thomas Thabane, after years of refusing to make way for her rival.

With the blessing of that rivalThabanes current wife and first ladythe entrepreneur, Teboho Mojapela, met with Lipolelo on the day of her death to mediate.

She said, I am ready to free him,' Mojapela told Reuters. I just want to be looked after.'

The exchange was confirmed by her friend and confidante Thato Sibolla, who was present at the meeting.

Lipolelos change of heart, which has not previously been reported, adds a new twist to a scandal that has attracted rare international attention to Lesotho, the tiny kingdom of 2 million people tucked inside South Africa.

Gunmen ambushed Lipolelo, 58, in her car as she made her way home on the outskirts of the capital Maseru on June 14, 2017. Sibolla was with her in the vehicle.

Two days after the killing, Thabane, now 80, was sworn in for a second term. Two months later, he married Lipolelos successor and one-time rival Maesaiah Liabiloe Ramoholi, now Maesaiah Thabane.

Police charged Maesaiah with Lipolelos murder in February and named Thabane as a suspect, although he has yet to be formally charged in court. They both deny any involvement.

In Thabanes case, the high court must first decide whether he can be prosecuted while in office. The case has been postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, although Lesotho remains one of a small number of nations yet to register a case.

Thabanes own government is trying to force him from office before the end of July when he said he was willing to step down. It is unclear if he will bow to their demands.

Thabane and his wife declined to be interviewed or respond to written questions while the case is pending, and their lawyers said they had been instructed not to speak to the press.

Hes waiting for the police to lodge a complaint to court so that he can clear his name, Thabanes private secretary, Thabo Thakalekoala, said by telephone.

First Lady Maesaiah also wants to present her side of the story, her adviser, Manama Letsie, told Reuters. But she has already been found guilty in the public [opinion] court.

The high-profile murder case has destabilized a country already in turmoil.

Lesotho has seen four military coups since independence from Britain in 1966. South Africa, for whom this nation of jagged green mountains is an important source of tap water, is sometimes drawn in to help resolve upheavals, and it has stepped in as a mediator in the latest crisis.

Fateful Days

Thabane was an up-and-coming politician in the All Basotho Convention (ABC) party when he divorced his first wife, Yayi, and married Lipolelo in 1987.

By the time he became prime minister in 2012, he had filed for another divorce so he could marry Maesaiah.

Maesaiah had gone to court in 2015 to claim the right to be the first lady on the basis of a 2012 so-called customary marriagea practice common in a number of African countries that entitles a man to more than one wife.

She lost the case in 2015, on the grounds that Lipolelo was still married to Thabane.

There was this perpetual animosity between them, Lesothos Deputy Police Commissioner Paseka Mokete, in charge of the murder investigation, told Reuters.

Three days before the killing, a Sunday, Lipolelo asked Sibolla to call Mojapela, a politically connected businessman who had funded the ruling partys election campaign.

Lipolelo seemed jumpy, was sleeping at friends houses, and said she feared her life was in danger, Sibolla and a neighbor recalled.

Mojapela, a wealthy money-lender known to friends as J.P., was a friend of Thabane and Maesaiah, Sibolla said, and Lipolelo hoped he could mediate a truce between them.

Before meeting with Lipolelo, Mojapela says he sought the blessing of Thabane and Maesaiah. Maesaiah told him by all means mediate, he said, but do not expect the two women to meet face-to-face.

On May 6, Sibolla and Lipolelo set off in Lipolelos grey Chevrolet minivan to meet Mojapela at his lavish house, decked with Italian-style curtains and gilded furniture, in the South African border town of Ladybrand.

He told them Maesaiah wanted more than anything to be the first lady. Lipolelo gave her assent.

After Lipolelo and Sibolla left, Mojapela headed back to Maseru, where he says he met Thabane and Maesaiah at the Fu Li Chinese restaurant at around 6 p.m. and relayed Lipolelos message.

Maesaiah asked me to be more specific about what she wants, Mojapela said.

Reuters couldnt confirm the meeting. When a reporter visited the restaurant, it was under new management.

Thabanes private secretary, Thakalekoala, said he was not aware of a mediation attempt. Neither was Maesaiahs close friend, Motlatsi Kompi. The first ladys aide, Letsie, declined to comment.

Shortly afterward, Lipolelo was dead.

I saw the blood running down, said Sibolla, who was shot twice in the side in the attack. She was quite light in complexion, so you could really see it.

Police found 9mm pistol shells at the scene, Mokete, the deputy commissioner, said. He added that the assassination was carried out by one of several gangs of traditional musicians who are engaged in a deadly turf war.

Three men linked to the gang received calls from the phones of Thabane and Maesaiah in the days leading up to the killing, he said. Police issued arrest warrants for them, but they remain at large.

Finishing up at the Chinese restaurant, Mojapela says he headed to a friends house where, at around 8 p.m., his bodyguard delivered the news of Lipolelos death.

I was disgusted. I cried, he said. There was absolutely no need for this woman to be assassinated.

By Tim Cocks
Eugene Kaspersky, founder and CEO of Kaspersky, has launched 'Kaspersky Exploring Russia', a tourism startup accelerator. The project aims to help the Russian tourism industry in general, and young entrepreneurs in particular, to use this period to expand the opportunities for their businesses.

Eugene Kaspersky is a world-renowned pioneering expert-entrepreneur in cybersecurity. But Eugene also has a hobby, which has turned into more of a lifestyle: he's a passionate traveler and dedicated devotee of wild nature and adventure-tourism. Eugene travels all over the globe, but most of all he enjoys exploring his native Russia by visiting the country's hidden gems.

The coronavirus pandemic has hit the tourism industry especially hard. It damaged not only existing business, but also upcoming projects and plans. Tourist industry companies are now deprived both of any support from the larger actors and even an opportunity to promote themselves to launch new projects. The online-accelerator project aims to support startups and Russia's domestic tourism.

The accelerator aims to gather the most interesting and promising tourism projects to then help the creators implement their ideas further. Projects like these and the enthusiasm behind them is what made Eugene fall in love with traveling around Russia in the first place. And now it is high time for him to give back by helping their planned projects become a reality.

"This COVID-19 pandemic is a tragic experience for everyone," commented Eugene. "But it has also brought so much unity: people have started helping each other. Meanwhile we're continuing our main job maintaining security in cyberspace but we've decided to also help out companies that are suffering the most. And we're going to do that by giving them a chance to fulfill their plans and use this period for the maximum benefit. Our team, including me personally, is going to assist the projects by using our media- and marketing tools. Also, our accelerator will help with attracting investment. Participants will get a chance to present themselves in front of relevant companies, businesspeople and funds. Needless to say, the pandemic is going to change the tourism industry, but it doesn't mean people won't have the desire to travel and explore. And in this situation, the ones who will benefit will be those who use this crisis period wisely and be able to offer the market new approaches and projects".

Being Russia-oriented, tourism-related and smart! is basically all that a project needs to be in order to be enrolled in the Kaspersky Exploring Russia program. Participants don't even need to have a fully operating business, and their projects may exist merely as ideas in their creators' minds. There are also no geographical or national restrictions: participants may be from any country.

Participants will be categorized into four nominations:

Technological projects (start-ups) in the field of Travel Tech

Projects that make extreme and leisure tourism more accessible, and that also popularize and create infrastructure for it (Infrastructure Track)

Business projects that are socially significant in the fields of travel and tourism (Social Tech)

Business projects that have a positive impact on sustainable development (Sustainability)

The jury consisting of Eugene himself, Kaspersky representatives, and leading experts in tourism will select a shortlist of the most promising projects.

Finalists will get a chance to gain more knowledge on a series of online workshops and lectures. Leading experts in the industry will share their experiences and explain how to create a successful business. The finalists will learn everything from how to calculate a financial plan to how to apply a marketing strategy. During the program, finalist will not only compete for the main prizes, but also they will be helping themselves attract investment. Even the lecturers themselves could become so interested in projects to start supporting them. Moreover, the accelerator program will serve as a communication platform for young entrepreneurs to get in contact with key people.

The winners will be announced and awarded by Eugene, with the gold medalist being awarded with an online education grant directly relevant to their project. Those coming second will be awarded PR and marketing support for their projects. The participants taking third place will be awarded software subscriptions tailored to solve their business needs.

Throughout the duration of the program, the most inspiring ideas will be mentioned on Eugene Kaspersky and tourism influencers' social media channels. They will also get PR opportunities in tourism-related media.

Eugene Kaspersky hopes this initiative will help talented entrepreneurs acquire new knowledge and skills. He wishes it will help them find investors for their projects become a reality, and thus will boost the tourism industry. In addition to that, he hopes Russia will reveal itself in a new light for both domestic and international travelers.

About Kaspersky

Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity company founded in 1997. Kaspersky's deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative security solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments and consumers around the globe. The company's comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection and a number of specialized security solutions and services to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky technologies and we help 270,000 corporate clients protect what matters to them most. Learn more at www.kaspersky.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005538/en/

Contacts:

Gayle Landry

Gayle.Landry@Kaspersky.com

(781) 503-1874
Today New Zealanders will find out what life will look like if Cabinet agrees to loosen lockdown restrictions next week, and move into Alert Level 2.

There are existing guidelines about what would be allowed, but Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says these will be updated and may end up looking quite different.

The current guidelines

Physical distancing would still be required but going to school, going out to eat and celebrating, or mourning, milestone events is expected to become a lot easier.

Schools will open to all students, hospitality venues could reopen under certain conditions and larger weddings and funerals could be held.

Borders would remain closed, but business and social activity will be much less restrictive.

There will still be limits on mass gatherings - no more than 100 indoors and 500 outdoors, and as long as you're not breaking those rules you could get back to playing sport and doing other recreational activities.

Travel around the country would be loosened slightly in alert level 2 but under the current rules would still have to be "essential"; the tourism industry is hoping ministers have heard their pleas, and their assurances they could operate safely.

What the govt is considering

Jacinda says the rules will be updated because so much more is known about the virus.

"What you will have seen us do as we've gone through the different stages, we do take a fresh look at the system that was created at the beginning of the pandemic and what we apply is the latest knowledge, information and evidence to that framework."

The tourism industry has been one of the hardest hit, and Chris Roberts from Tourism Industry Aotearoa says allowing domestic travel that is "safe" as opposed to "essential" may be the lifeline many are hoping for.

Thousands of businesses "teetering on the edge" were ready to get back to business, act appropriately and safely and just wanted a chance to have some customers again, he says.

They could fulfil the key requirements of physical distancing - a metre apart - and the ability to contact trace, says Chris.

His call is backed by National's finance spokesperson, Paul Goldsmith.

"It's clear that if you shut down domestic tourism as well as international tourism you have a colossal impact on jobs, so the sooner we can get first domestic back and then international tourism the better."

Today's announcement needs to provide a lot more certainty, he says.

"I think people could forgive a huge amount of chaos and uncertainty at the start when we were in a mass panic, now six or seven weeks on we should be better organised and there should be clarity on what's in and what's out."

Another big change will be in the education system with all children back to school.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins says there is resistance from some schools to open under Alert Level 3, which he describes as "unfortunate".

Schools will only open under Alert Level 2, he says, if the government is confident there is no widespread community transmission.

There will also be a rapid response if any new cases did occur and "no justification to remain closed, when there is very little risk".

"New Zealanders have been incredibly cautious as we've moved from level 4 to level 3, to some extent a lot of families are still operating as if we are in level 4 conditions.

"I think as we move down to level 2 there is going to be a piece of work there just to reassure parents it is safe to send kids back to school," Chris says, with schools needing to play an active role.

National's education spokesperson Nikki Kaye says they should not be forced to reopen if they did not feel ready.

"There is a clearly an issue of confidence by some parents and teachers that needs to be addressed."

"The way to address that is to give really specific guidance that answers parents' and teachers' safety questions, to ensure they get that package of support around things like PPE and hand sanitiser and then that we are pragmatic and understanding of individual parents' and teachers' situations."

Another sector that's been unable to operate to any extent under alert level 3 is personal services - hairdressers, dentists and beauty therapists.

They - along with an increasingly shaggy looking public - will be hoping they too can reopen their doors if New Zealand makes the move to level 2 next week.

-RNZ/Jane Patterson.
Chancellor Angela Merkel and top executives from the likes of Volkswagen AG, BMW AG and Mercedes-Benz met via video conferencing. The auto industry has been indicated to hold out for the time being.

Germany postponed a decision on a new cash-for-clunkers program, forcing the countrys most important industry to bide its time as car demand tumbles in the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

After a video conference on Tuesday between Chancellor Angela Merkel and top executives from the likes of Volkswagen AG, BMW AG and Mercedes-Benz maker Daimler AG, the government and the industry will convene a working group to discuss efforts to revive Europes largest economy.

Results will be presented in early June, according to a statement from Merkels chief spokesman Steffen Seibert.

The goal of the deliberations will be to promote innovative technologies," Seibert said. That suggests the industrys efforts for sales incentives to include profitable diesel vehicles are likely to come up short.

VW Chief Executive Officer Herbert Diess and others have made public appeals for government incentives to purchase new cars, saying it would help suppliers, dealers as well as automakers recover from the coronavirus crisis.

Merkels administration though has cooled expectations as it considers a broader stimulus package, and some officials have expressed frustration with the industrys push for aid in the aftermath of the diesel-cheating scandal.

The industry does have high-level backers though. Premiers of the states of Bavaria, Baden-Wuerttemberg and Lower Saxony -- homes of BMW, Daimler and VW, respectively -- are supporting a plan to pay a subsidy of 4,000 euros (4,400) for low-emission cars as well as a 1,000-euro scrapping incentive, according to a tweet from Bavarian state leader Markus Soeder, a leading contender to succeed Merkel after her term expires.

Reviving auto demand will be one of the key questions for the comeback of the German economy," Lower Saxony Premier Stephan Weil said in an interview with Manager Magazin, calling for more aid for electric cars than diesel vehicles. Without sales incentives, many people will initially have other things on their minds than buying new cars and other goods."

Sales across Europe cratered in April, falling by more than 96% in Spain and about 89% in France. While automakers are beginning to reopen factories, VW officials have warned that production could soon stop again if deliveries dont pick up.

Sustainability Shift

The coronavirus crisis is hitting carmakers at a sensitive time. Manufacturers are ramping up spending on electric vehicles to meet tougher emissions regulations and need profits from conventional vehicles to fund those investments.

As unsettled consumers shy away from buying cars, Germany needs to confront reality and support models currently in serial production," Thomas Steg, a senior VW official, said in an April 29 web conference with lawmakers.

But after Volkswagen cheated on emissions regulations, the industry faces more headwinds than in the past.

Lars Klingbeil, the general secretary of Germanys Social Democrats, the junior partner in Merkels coalition, said that carmaker requests to support old technology are a no go. The industry could use past profits to stimulate sales, and any companies tapping aid shouldnt pay dividends to shareholders, he said.

There are question marks over some of the instruments proposed, and some of the appearances by top managers in the car industry in recent days have not made the discussions easier," Klingbeil said on Deutschlandfunk radio. Mistakes have been made in recent years, and now we have to see how we can reorganize the sector toward sustainability."

First Published Date:
Los Angeles

The fate of "Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind" hung on a Robert Wagner interview. Director Laurent Bouzereau knew that it would be a delicate conversation. If it didn't work, there would be no documentary. So they filmed it first.

"If there was nothing interesting in it or something that just didn't feel right, we were not going to proceed with the film," Bouzereau said.

With his stepdaughter Natasha Gregson Wagner in the interviewer's chair, Wagner sat for two days to tell the story of life with his wife  their highs and lows, their first marriage, their second marriage and how it came to an end with her tragic death in the waters off Southern California at 43.

"We didn't want to do something that was just a love letter," said Gregson Wagner, who also produced the film. "We really wanted to portray her and all of her humanity. Obviously we had to deal with that night and we had to deal with the controversy around it."

And they did in a conversation that is humane, candid and emotional, which curious audiences can see for themselves with the film now airing on HBO. But while the lingering fascination around Wood's death might draw you in, it's everything else that'll keep you glued to the television.

"If you don't know Natalie Wood and you don't love Natalie Wood, then you don't love Hollywood. You don't love movies," said Bouzereau, who also directed the documentary "Five Came Back."

In "Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind," Bouzereau tells the story of Wood's life through her personal belongings, photos, Super 8 and 16mm home videos and interviews with those who knew her best.

Bouzereau said, "We're telling the story of a family, the story of an incredible career, the story of a wife, of a mother and ultimately also the story of a tragedy."

Wagner, Wood's ex-husband Richard Gregson, Robert Redford, Mia Farrow, her daughters and more lend their voices and stories, which proved to be a cathartic experience.

"I felt that people for so long out of respect for my parents didn't ever talk publicly about my mom because it had become so nefarious in a way. I think for them, they were relieved they finally had the opportunity to share," Gregson Wagner said. "They really wanted to speak about her. They wanted to tell their story. They wanted to reminisce."

They talk about how Wood advocated for herself throughout her career. She fought for the freedom to choose her own projects while still under contract in the studio system (which is the only reason she was able to be in "West Side Story") and battled for equal pay for "The Great Race." Redford even credits Wood for jumpstarting his film career by throwing her weight around to get him cast in "Inside Daisy Clover" when he was still relatively unknown.

Wood also gets a part in telling her story through revealing archival interviews she did throughout her career and a beautifully honest (but unpublished) magazine article she wrote called "Public Property, Private Person," which Gregson Wagner reads.

"It was super important to give her a voice," Bouzereau said.

He was excited to discover that her film choices in the latter stages of her career are in some ways autobiographical.

"What she chose to star in were movies that had themes and storytelling that really spoke to issues she cared about," he said. "The films we were discussing in the documentary became like illustrations of Natalie herself."

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What the documentary is not, however, is an investigation into her death. They don't talk to police or yacht captain Dennis Davern, and never intended to. Both Christopher Walken and Wood's sister Lana declined to participate.

The interview with Wagner, the one that was going to "make or break" the film, may prove to be enough.

It was Bouzereau's idea to have Gregson Wagner do that one. After Wood died, 11-year-old Gregson Wagner stayed in California to be raised by her stepfather. She would visit her father, Richard Gregson, who died in August.

"I really wanted to showcase that relationship," Bouzereau said.

Gregson Wagner wanted the same.

Her stepfather, she said, "Has been so (misrepresented) by people who don't know him. He is somebody who's just so incredibly forthcoming and so genuine and so authentic."

And she said this film shows him as the person she knows him to be.

"We obviously don't rehash the night she died that often, but it was important to me that he that he felt safe enough to share," she said. "He got to share his story on his terms."
SBS has formally renewed documentary series Australia in Colour for a second season.

The series is a collaboration between Stranger Than Fiction Films and Arrow Media.

The 4 part series will continue its visual history of Australia, exploring how the family dynamic changed midway through the 20th Century and what fuelled the countrys emerging appetite for sport.

Jo-anne McGowan, producer for Stranger Than Fiction, said: We are delighted by the popularity of series one and cant wait to uncover more hidden gems from Australias amazing audio visual archives and bring them alive through colourisation once more.

Australia in Colour is part of a wider brand by Arrow Media, which has produced three series of America in Color, as well as Britain in Colour.

It previously screened on SBS in March 2019.

Source: TBIVision
After the award of the basic set of mandates for consultancy companies are now waiting for specific orders from the state Corona-Fund for Support for the WSF, the "economic stabilization Fund". A total of 26.5 million Euro heavy fee pot is ready for around one and a half dozen consultants, who are now all known by name.

Klaus Max Smolka

editor in the economy.

F. A. Z.

As of the F. A. Z. reported in advance, this includes in the first Los, Lazard, Rothschild, Deloitte, and a Tandem of Lincoln and Oliver Wyman. In addition to these four parties, the investment banks Citi and Evercore, such as a electronic platform for the procurement of the European Union is to be taken. In this lot it comes to listed companies  known case is the Deutsche Lufthansa.

The WSF is one of the instruments with which the Federal government intends to mitigate the effects of the Corona of a pandemic on the economy. The consultant will analyze the economic Outlook and the capital position of the company and thus their ability to estimate, repay debts. You should assess the measures taken by the WSF, the impact on existing financial instruments, the credit Rating and the access to the Capital markets of the company. Explicitly not the Council is asked to tax, law or accounting, not to reviews of the real estate or structured Finance products.

The applicants had to present concepts that differ according to the to the supervising branch of industry. The financial Agency as the competent authority requires, among other things, support for companies from the industries of automobile, textile, logistics, tourism, Hotel and catering, mechanical and trade. In the second Los it comes to non-listed companies. Here is a Pool of a dozen consultative parties are ready. Including Grant Thornton, Ludwig & co., as well as Friday & co. The others are PwC, Horn & Company, Rodl, such as KPMG, Pareto reported (with the previous Equinet), Warth & Klein is a Duo from Buttler and CoCo Finance, another Duo from Valetis and Buth & Hermanns, Roland Berger and EY.

celebrity name

Thus, by the consultancies and industry, all prominent names in the process, examiners almost. The companies had to submit bids on the Basis of daily rates, and secured their place in the consultant pool. Specific orders but are not guaranteed. They are issued by the authority yet. Have been selected by the parties in a Points system with three criteria: With each of 40% weighting to the tender price and the life went on runs with the qualifications of the consultants, to had 20 percent of the consulting concept.

Among the Selected, there are voices who fear that less crisis, companies take the help of the WSF than initially expected and, therefore, fewer jobs generated. The fee pot is considered to be not overly generous. But for the project mandate serves as a reference for future business  especially with the public sector.

Updated Date: 19 June 2020, 10:20
'Acharya, the first collaboration between Megastar Chiranjeevi and director Koratala Siva, has been attracting the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Firstly, it got delayed; then, there was this discussion about Mahesh Babu stepping in a guest role, which was vehemently denied by Chiranjeevi. It was also rumoured that Ram Charan is not investing a single penny into this project but taking credit as the co-producer. Then came the news of Trisha dropping the project due to creative differences.

The other day, various media outlets published unverified report that Kajal Aggarwal is also backing out of Acharya as she has to give bulk dates to a Tamil film.

However, her manager said that these are baseless rumours and the actress is very much a part of the film.

This would be Kajals second pairing with Megastar Chiranjeevi after Khaidi No 150.

Acharya has wrapped up 40 percent of its shooting so far. Koratala Siva is projecting the megastar in a completely different avatar. Ram Charan will play a lengthy guest role.

Being produced by Niranjan Reddy and Ram Charan, Acharya is expected to hit the screens for Sankranthi 2021 as Rajamoulis RRR is likely to be postponed from Sankranthi to summer 2021.

Text: Telugucinema.com

Images: Kajal on Instagram
A massive fire has destroyed one of Sharjah's tallest buildings, leaving hundreds, including Indians, homeless though no casualties were reported, according to media reports on Wednesday.

The fire started in the 49-storey Abbco Tower's 10th floor on Tuesday night, the Khaleej Times reported. It was brought under control after a three-hour operation by firefighters.

While seven people were treated at the site for minor injuries, five others were sent to hospital with signs of suffocation. No casualties were reported.

Director-General of Sharjah Civil Defence Colonel Sami Al Naqbi said the department was alerted about the fire at about 9.00 pm and it was brought under control by 11.55 pm.

Naqbi lauded the firefighters for saving all lives and for evacuating nearby buildings to stop suffocation. The cause of the fire is being investigated and total damages being estimated.

The fire damaged cars in the parking area as burning debris fell from the tower and strong winds spread the flame, the Gulf reported.

Over 250 families were evacuated from the building, which has 36 residential floors and 20 levels of car parking.

Each floor has 12 apartments, the Gulf reported, adding rents for studio apartments is around 18,000 Dirhams yearly and around 30,000 Dirhams for one-bedroom apartments.

Speaking to the newspaper, an Indian tenant from the building's 17th floor, Nelson Machado said, "There was smoke rising from the floor. My brother and I went down the staircase, with just our phones. Everything I own is inside that flat."



Another Indian tenant, Ajay Prabhu, returned to his home home on Wednesday to find nothing but rubble.

Luckily, my wife is in India right now. I don't know what's the condition of our apartment from the inside. It is on the side that was not on fire. I only have my wallet and phone, everything else - passport, degrees, documents - are in the apartment, he told the daily.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
On Tuesday, May 5, Apple officially announces major changes in its upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). This event is a much-awaited gathering of all developers in the tech industry. For 2020, Apple will host this annual event. However, since almost every country is now under lockdown and stay-at-home orders due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the company officially announces that all events held during WWDC will be made online. Here are the other things you must expect in the event.

Apple's WWDC 2020 now going online on June 22 amid Coronavirus

ALSO READ: Scientists: Coronavirus Mutates Again; Now With a Similar RNA With 2003 SARS Outbreak

According to the latest blog posting of the Apple website, the sought-after event of all tech developers in the world must now be held virtually starting on June 22.

These changes were made following the existing social distancing measures and lockdown orders from the government. Normally, this event happens in San Francisco Bay Area, but the city now also practices lockdown measures.

As a way to compromise to all developers looking forward to this event, Apple decided to make the event in an all-online gathering to protect everyone from crowds at the event.

"WWDC20 will be our biggest yet, bringing together our global developer community of more than 23 million in an unprecedented way for a week in June to learn about the future of Apple platforms," said Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.

What is Apple's WWDC 2020?

ALSO READ: [BREAKING] COVID-19 Cure Almost Here? Pfizer Pushes Potential Cure to Clinical Trials, And Will Create Millions Of Vaccines by 2021

To those people who don't know what this event offers, Apple's WWDC is one of the most prestigious tech events that are highly-anticipated throughout the year.

This event features early announcements for new iPhones, iPads, or even MacBook. It allows Apple engineers around the world to be gathered in one with the heads of Apple themselves.

"We can't wait to meet online in June with the global developer community and share with them all of the new tools we've been working on to help them create even more incredible apps and services. We look forward to sharing more details about WWDC20 with everyone as we get closer to this exciting event," said Schiller.

Apple opens Swift Student Challenge

Not only experts from different fields of Apple will be invited to the said event. The company also announced the Swift Student Challenge, a program for student developers to showcase their coding skills by creating their own Swift playground.

As the company's huge thanks to its 31st year, Apple wants everyone to be a part of WWDC-- even students that are still innovating on developing technology.

"Students are an integral part of the Apple developer community, and last year WWDC saw attendance from more than 350 student developers spanning 37 different countries," said Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering.

How to join Apple's WWDC 2020?

For all developers out there, here's your chance to visit the WWDC 2020.

Developers need to download the Apple Developer app and check-in other details about the event through their official website and via email. Having problems on how to pay for the event will no longer be a problem anymore as Apple announces that all developers will be given free access throughout the event.

ALSO READ: Facebook Big Events Canceled Until 2021; Employees Work-From-Home Extend Until May Says Mark Zuckerberg

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The plant-based meat maker shifted its focus to supermarkets and groceries as lockdowns hit partner restaurants.

Beyond Meat Inc beat quarterly profit and revenue estimates on Tuesday, benefitting from rising demand for its plant-based products at supermarkets and grocery chains and amid weak sales from restaurants due to COVID-19 lockdowns.

The company has been doubling down on its expansion in retail outlets, the most recent being its deal with Amazon Fresh. Its products are now sold at grocers, including Walmart Inc and Amazon.com Incs Whole Foods.

Were repurposing lines that were running for food service to retail  So this is not about just waiting this out, its about how do we reroute to get to the consumer, Chief Executive Officer Ethan Brown told Reuters news agency.

The rethink in strategy comes as the closure of dine-in areas and movement restrictions severely dented sales at its partner restaurants and Beyond Meat itself, leading it to suspend its 2020 forecast.

Food service sales in March were about 23 percent lower than what the company had expected, while sales at retail outlets rose 12 percent.

We can neither predict when or in what form normalcy will resume for our customers in this segment, nor when well see resumption of any expansion plans for our product lines for the quick-service restaurant customers in trial or test phase, Brown told analysts.

The El Segundo, California-based company has struck several high-profile deals last year with fast-food chains including McDonalds Corp and Dunkin Brands Group Inc.

In an update, the company said there was no negative reason to end the trial of its products at McDonalds Canada in April.

The plant-based burger maker is also likely to benefit from the rising meat prices due to supply shortage, which has forced grocers to curb customer purchases of meat products.

Beef prices have doubled in the last month, so its putting us closer within range and were going to try to further reduce that gap, Brown said.

The companys quarterly net sales more than doubled to $97.1m, beating expectations of $88.3m, according to IBES Refinitiv data.

Net income was $1.8m, or 3 cents per common share, in the three months ended March 28, compared with a net loss of $6.6m, or 95 cents per common share, a year earlier.

Analysts on average were expecting a loss of 7 cents per share.

Shares of the company, which had jumped 48.6 percent in April, rose 5.12 percent to trade at 5.13 percent.
An Alamo Community College officer is dead after suffering a heart attack while responding to a shooting near Crockett Park late Tuesday night.

The officer was driving near Dewey Place and McCullough Avenue on his way to the shooting just after 10 p.m., when he suffered the heart attack. His patrol vehicle side swiped a parked vehicle before coming to a stop.

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The officer was rushed to the hospital, but was pronounced dead less than an hour later.

The officer was trying to respond to a shooting near the 1400 block of Main Avenue at the time of his heart attack.

When additional police arrived at the scene of the shooting, they found 24-year-old Cameron Ellis with a gunshot wound to his chest.

Ellis had been at the apartment with friends when he said he was going over to Crockett Park, police said. About 15 minutes later he returned saying he had been shot.

Police said Ellis was uncooperative at first, but then later was unable to provide any suspect information due to his injuries.

A single shell casing was found in the street where the shooting took place, but officers couldn't find a suspect.

Ellis was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
FLINT (AP)  A Michigan woman was formally charged Tuesday in the fatal shooting of a store security guard who refused to allow her daughter inside because she wasnt wearing a face mask to protect against transmission of the coronavirus.

Sharmel Teague, 45, was arraigned via video Tuesday in district court, according to the Genesee County prosecutors office.

Teague, her husband, Larry Teague, 44; and her son, Ramonyea Bishop, 23, face first-degree premeditated murder charges in Fridays killing of Calvin Munerlyn, 43, at a Family Dollar near downtown Flint.

Larry Teague and Bishop have yet to be arrested and were believed to be on the run, prosecutor David Leyton said.

The three defendants also face gun charges. Larry Teague also is charged with violating Gov. Gretchen Whitmers executive order requiring all customers and employees to wear face coverings inside grocery stores.

Sharmel Teague argued with Munerlyn before leaving the store Friday afternoon, Leyton said Monday. Two men later came to the store, and one of them shot Munerlyn in the back of the head. Witnesses identified Bishop as the man who shot Munerlyn, according to Leyton.

No information has been released about the daughter, who has not been charged in the shooting.

Sharmel Teague was denied bond Tuesday and was scheduled for a May 14 probable cause conference.

It was not immediately clear if she has an attorney.
Ashley Greene looked stylish as she headed to the grocery store amid the coronavirus lockdown in Los Angeles.

The Twilight actress, 33, put on a leggy display in a thigh-split summer dress as she stood in a queue, read a book and observed social distancing.

The beauty teased a glimpse of her toned legs in the blue floral off-the-shoulder gown with a flowing skirt, paired with tan leather sandals.

Leggy: Ashley Greene looked stylish as she headed to the grocery store amid the coronavirus lockdown in Los Angeles

The actress accessorised with a stylish cream fedora hat and taking precautions, slipped on a tropical print face mask.

Her brunette tresses were pulled into a tousled updo while she shielded her eyes from the sun with a pair of chic shades.

The star looked relaxed as she queued for essential items before heading home.

The star is married to Paul Khoury. Ashley and Paul got engaged in December 2016 after three years of dating, with the voiceover artist popping the question while on vacation in New Zealand.

They went on to marry in a lovely San Jose, California ceremony in July 2018.

Queue; The Twilight actress, 33, put on a leggy display in a thigh-split summer dress as she stood in a queue, read a book and observed social distancing

The nuptials were witnessed by a number of famous guests, including Ashley's Twilight Saga co-star Robert Pattinson, Zac Efron, Liam Hemsworth, Brittany Snow, Ashlee Simpson and her husband Evan Ross and Aaron Paul and his wife Lauren.

After their wedding in San Jose, California, the newlyweds then headed off to Hawaii for a honeymoon.

She recently appeared on screen in Hollywood drama Bombshell alongside Charlize Theron.

The film chronicles the sexual harassment scandal that embroiled Fox News in 2016.

Ashley, who rose to fame when she starred as Alice Cullen in the Twilight series, plays the role of Fox reporter Abby Huntsman.
Students around the country respond to the postponement and cancellation of state exams.

'Ignored and stressed out - Leaving Certificate students are the silent sufferers of Covid-19'

Oscar Scattergood (17) from Co Kerry

The Government's stance on the Leaving Certificate is failing the 55,000 Leaving Cert students in Ireland.

Ever since the schools were closed on March 13, we have been forced to study and learn in a way that no Leaving Cert student ever has before.

We have been almost entirely dependent on ourselves since that date and were working towards the exams going ahead in June as normal.

However, as the Covid-19 crisis grew, we wondered what would happen to the exams. We knew it would be unsafe to carry on as normal, so the majority of us began to warm to the idea of predicted grades.

In a poll conducted by the Irish Second-Level Students' Union (ISSU), the majority of students supported this idea.

However, this clearly fell on deaf ears following the announcement by Education Minister Joe McHugh that the exams would be postponed until the end of July at the earliest.

The decision made no sense to the majority of students. It is totally unfair because:

1. If this goes ahead, we would have had approximately five months off school and would then be expected to sit the most important exams of our lives.

2. The decision disregards students' mental health. We are already stressed enough, and now we are expected to prolong this mental agony by two months.

3. What happens if there is a second wave of Covid-19? Would the exams be postponed again?

4. If we are placed in a room with each other, there is a risk of us getting infected while taking these exams.

5. Online learning is not a level playing field as many students don't have a reliable internet connection.

6. The majority of students have at least two or more subjects in which the course hasn't yet been completed.

I conducted a poll to ascertain the feeling of my fellow sixth-years at Colaiste na Sceilge. The results showed 76pc disagreed with the Government's decision to postpone the exams.

Of those who disagreed, 89pc agreed with predicted grades with a 'no-detriment policy', so if students disagree with their predicted grade they could take the exam to try to improve it.

The Government is treating us like we are too immature to think for ourselves, but many of us are now legal adults.

I understand the Government's priority is making sure everyone is safe, but we seem to be the silent sufferers.

In 50 years' time, this pandemic will be largely forgotten. However, its impact on our future will not be.

Many students now feel the best way to combat this issue is by protesting. I am warming to that idea as it seems inevitable the Government will continue to ignore us.

Oscar Scattergood (17) Colaiste na Sceilge, Cahersiveen, Co Kerry

'We are close to breaking point'

Amy Garland (18) from Co Cavan

Expand Close Feeling the pressure: Leaving Cert students Amy Garland / Facebook

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Whatsapp Feeling the pressure: Leaving Cert students Amy Garland





I urge Education Minister Joe McHugh not to put the tradition of the Leaving Certificate above the mental health of young people.

A 12-month Leaving Cert year without a summer break is not a solution, unless you want to destroy our mental health.

I am not one to normally stand up and voice my opinion. In this case, I feel it is my duty to stand up for the class of 2020.

Discovering that the exams may take place in July and August was heartbreaking. For many students, this was to be their last summer before entering the big, bad world. It was supposed to be our summer.

Ireland is a modern country. We have made so many changes that us students are proud of. But this is not a decision I am proud of.

There are 55,000 students at home, some trying to study, some trying to follow online classes, and some sitting in a corner crying because of all this pressure they are feeling.

Leaving Certificate year is hard at the best of times, but now that Covid-19 is here you can only imagine the stress we are feeling.

Of course, there is the worry that one of us could catch the virus and not be able to study.

However, our main concerns are focused on the possibility of a loved one who has an underlying condition contracting the disease.

There is also the worry that there is not enough money coming into the house, as well as possibly having to look after a younger sibling while preparing for the Leaving Cert. It is just too much.

So, what am I proposing?

What the UK system has put in place is outstanding.

Their solution is what we should be following.

A-Level students will receive predicted grades.

If a student is unhappy with these results, they have the option to sit their exams in autumn, if possible.

If a student has worked hard over the past two years, they will get the grade they deserve, and the teachers will be willing to award that.

We don't even know if we will have the course finished by the time of our exams.

To go ahead with the exams in July would be extremely unfair.

The Government doesn't know what will happen in the next few weeks, never mind the next few months, so how can the exams go ahead?

Visit our Covid-19 vaccine dashboard for updates on the roll out of the vaccination program and the rate of Coronavirus cases Ireland

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.
Coles has been slammed over a photo depicting a lack of social distancing at a store's self-service checkout.

The image, taken at a Coles in Morayfield, 44km north of Brisbane, showed two women standing at the same self-serve checkout just before 3.30pm on Tuesday.

The woman who took the image shared the image on social media slamming the supermarket chain.

'Good to know you only have social distancing when not busy,' the woman said.

The image, taken at a Coles in Morayfield, 44km north of Brisbane, showed two women standing at the same self-serve checkout just before 3.30pm on Tuesday

'Every second [checkout was] open then the worker opens all of them and everyone is on top of each other.'

She said it simply 'wasn't good enough'.

The customer said she approached the assistant manager, who she said seemed less than willing to help.

The staff member allegedly said she would pass it on but the customer was left frustrated as the woman was clearly in a position to do something about it.

A Coles customer service worker told the shopper on Facebook this matter had been escalated.

A Coles spokesperson said: 'Coles follows the recommendations of the Federal Department of Health as set out in their latest COVID-19 hygiene practices for supermarkets, including measures to reduce close contact between customers and team members.

'The Department of Health defines "close contact" as face to face contact for at least 15 minutes, or being in the same closed space for at least two hours.

Coles spokesperson defended the decision to open up all self-serve registers (stock)

A Coles customer service worker told the shopper on Facebook this matter had been escalated

'During busy periods we open all self-scanning checkouts so that customers can complete their shopping faster and minimise the time they spend in stores. We also encourage customers to plan their shopping trip ahead of time and to shop alone where possible.'

One social media user said saw similar scenes at a Coles in Mount Druitt, west of Sydney, on Sunday.

'The store was packed, definitely no social distancing happening. I used the self serve and the staff member did not wipe them down after each customer,' she customer said.

Another said: 'When did people stop taking responsibility for themselves.'
Today, Schibsted released its Q1 2020 results.

Highlights of the quarter

Group revenues increased by 5 percent in Q1 2020 Q1 revenues for Schibsted ex Adevinta decreased by 2 percent (4 percent currency adjusted)

Q1 EBITDA for Schibsted ex Adevinta came in 32 percent lower than last year at NOK 285 million

Nordic Marketplaces: Revenue growth slowdown particularly affected by COVID-19 from mid-March, leaving Norway revenues flat compared to last year, while revenues in Sweden increased driven by Motor. Underlying flat EBITDA margin in Norway, Sweden with lower margin driven by investments in sales and product and technology capabilities.

News Media: Exceptional growth in traffic and digital subscription revenues in March, but substantial drop in advertising revenues due to COVID-19 from mid-March and gaming regulation in Sweden led to a significant EBITDA decline year-on-year in Q1. Cost program targeting NOK 500 million cost reductions by 2021.

Financial Services: Continued growth in Lendo Sweden. Reduced investments in international expansion.

Growth: Solid revenue growth driven by Distribution. EBITDA decline driven by higher cost level and a decline in revenues for advertising driven services due to COVID-19.

Adevinta: Revenues increased by 8 percent, EBITDA margin of 23 percent (based on Adevinta's stand-alone reporting in EUR).

Given the uncertainties introduced by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board proposed to cancel the dividend for 2019.

Comments from the CEO

"Taking into consideration the huge impact the COVID-19 pandemic has on everyday life, global economic activity and our businesses, the first quarter of 2020 is satisfactory for the Group. We have initiated a range of measures to adapt to the uncertain situation, and at the same time continued to deliver fully functional services. In this context, I would highlight that our News Media operations have played a tremendously important role during the crisis, providing users with balanced and trustworthy information," CEO Kristin Skogen Lund says.

"Financially, we have seen a negative impact on revenues during the last weeks of March, and April has developed similarly. For the quarter, our revenues, excluding the contribution from Adevinta, declined by 2 percent. Adjusted for the sharp weakening of the Norwegian krone since mid-February towards other major currencies, revenues declined 4 percent," CEO Kristin Skogen Lund says.

"Nordic Marketplaces saw a slower revenue growth in Q1. In Norway, the revenue development was flat, driven by a revenue decline in the job and travel verticals due to lower volumes balanced out by revenue growth in advertising and other verticals. In Sweden, our renewed approach to the car market has continued to prove successful and revenues continued to grow in Q1," CEO Kristin Skogen Lund says.

"News Media has seen traffic records over the last weeks, but experiences a significant drop in advertising revenues, partly compensated by good growth in digital subscriptions. Advertising performance was rather stable in Norway compared to last year, up until mid-March, whereas Sweden was still affected by the regulatory tightening of the gaming industry imposed in early Q2 2019," CEO Kristin Skogen Lund says.

"Lendo in Sweden delivered another quarter with double-digit revenue growth, whereas Norway and Finland slowed down further. We continue to see good development for Lendo in the Danish market, even though this is at an earlier stage. We have taken the decision to close down the Lendo operation in Poland and to change the operating model and significantly scale down the operations in Austria," CEO Kristin Skogen Lund says.

"Our Growth portfolio had a mixed development in Q1, with Distribution continuing to perform well, further fuelled by the e-commerce growth during the COVID-19 outbreak, whereas revenues in advertising driven services declined," CEO Kristin Skogen Lund says.

"The described negative revenue trends led to a significant drop in operating margin in Q1. Going forward, we will continue to implement measures to ensure adequate operational and financial robustness during a period of significant turmoil and uncertainty. The most important initiative is a cost program for News Media to accelerate the transition to a future oriented, digital sustainable news organization. This is implemented to safeguard the News Media operations' long-term financial health and high relevance in society. Building on the measures which we announced at the Q4 2019 presentation, the total program includes cost reductions of around NOK 500 million. Implementation has started with first effects occurring during the second half of 2020. Full effect will be in place in 2021," CEO Kristin Skogen Lund says.

"In April, Schibsted refinanced a NOK 1 billion bond loan maturing later this year, and we are presently in a solid financial position. This means that we are well prepared to navigate in the current rough waters, and at the same time preserve capacity to act on opportunities that might occur," CEO Kristin Skogen Lund says.

First quarter

(NOK million) 2020 2019 Change Schibsted excluding Adevinta Operating revenues 3,026 3,089 -2% - of which digital 1,826 1,813 1% EBITDA 285 418 -32% EBITDA margin 9% 14% Schibsted Group including Adevinta Operating revenues 4,818 4,576 5% EBITDA 700 856 -18% EBITDA margin 15% 19%

Alternative performance measures used in this release are described and presented in the section Definitions and reconciliations in the quarterly report.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, our Q1 2020 presentation will be held as an English language webcast only on 06 May 2020 at 09:00 CET. Consequently, it will not be possible to attend the presentation in person. Participants can send in written questions through the webcast player.

The presentation will be webcasted live at: Schibsted ASA Webcast Q1 2020

You may also follow the presentation on YouTube: Schibsted ASA YouTube Q1 2020

CEO Kristin Skogen Lund and EVP CFO Ragnar Karhus will present.

A recording of the event will be available on the IR website shortly after the live webcast has ended.

Conference call for investors and analysts - Q&A session

Time: 06 May 2020 at 14:00 CET

Questions relating to the results will be answered in a conference call. The session will be held in English.

NOTE: To avoid waiting time when connecting to the call, please use the link below 5-10 minutes prior to start time, where you will be asked to type in your phone number and registration details. The event conferencing system will automatically call you back on the phone number you provide and place you into the event. Please note that the link will become active 15 minutes prior to the event: Link to join call: Click to join

For manual dial-in, use the following number (note that this connection might take more time):

Norway: +47 2350 0187

Sweden: +46 (0)8 5033 6546

UK: +44 (0)330 336 9401

US: +1 323-794-2095

Passcode: 76 20 73

A recording of the conference call will be made available at schibsted.com/ir/.

Contact persons:

Ragnar Karhus, CFO, +47 917 91 752



Jann-Boje Meinecke, Head of IR, +47 941 00 835

Atle Lessum, Head of Schibsted Group Communications, +47 415 05 645

Oslo, 06 May 2020

SCHIBSTED ASA

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

Attachments
The future Patricia Reser Center for the Arts in central Beaverton is $630,000 closer to covering its construction costs, thanks to an award from the Washington County Visitors Association.

With the award, announced Monday, the $51 million, 43,000-square-foot center has secured 97% of the construction funding it needs, Chris Ayzoukian, the centers general manager, said Tuesday.

We have a million dollars left to raise, he said. Our goal is to raise that before opening the doors.

Construction funds have come in through a private-public partnership that includes a city lodging tax  revenue from that tax provided $500,000 of Mondays award, according to a press release. Patricia Reser, a longtime arts supporter who is board chair at Beaverton-based Resers Fine Foods, gave $13 million through the Reser Family Foundation.

The center is also benefiting from a community campaign, Fill the Seats: For $1,000, donors will have their names placed on seats. Thats been going really well, Ayzoukian said. People still feel like this is important.

Lani E. Faith, executive director of the Beaverton Arts Foundation, which is coordinating fundraising for the center, said the Fill the Seats campaign has sold more than 130 seats. Weve also had several repeat donors give during this time of great need. And last week, we received a $100,000 potential pledge from a new donor who would like to challenge others to join him in closing the gap. We continue to be grateful for the significant level of support we have received so far.

The center broke ground last November next to Beaverton City Hall, north of Southwest Canyon Road and west of Southwest Hall Boulevard. Construction has been proceeding since then with an eye to completing the center next summer and opening it to the public in late 2021. As of this week, workers had completed the back wall of the centers two-story, 550-seat theater.

Dan Murphy (right), chair of the Washington County Visitors Associations board of directors, presents a check for $630,000 to Beaverton Mayor Denny Doyle. The money will go toward construction of the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts, whose theater is taking shape at the central Beaverton site.Courtesy of Washington County Visitors Association

Ayzoukian said construction remains on schedule despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Weve had to find workarounds to make sure workers are no closer than 6 feet, he said. The contractor on the project, Skanska, has been great in monitoring every single thing that happens on that site to keep the ball moving forward.

In some ways, the Reser Center was in a good place when the pandemic arrived in Oregon: The center didnt have operations to shut down, and it didnt have staff to lay off. And it can be proactive about its coronavirus response.

We want to make sure that when people are allowed to come back out and when they actually do come back out, they feel safe in our venue, Ayzoukian said. Were looking at different things in the design to see how we can do that, such as considering how visitors will enter and exit the building, how theyll use restrooms, and how tickets will be scanned.

People are eager for this place to open, but we want to make sure we open conscious of the environment for safety. Thats more important than anything.

Meanwhile, Ayzoukian is continuing discussions with Portland-area arts organizations about what the public will see at the center. He said hes asked the arts organizations to think about what they can provide in Beaverton that might be different from what they offer in Portland. And he is prioritizing programming that speaks and responds to Beavertons diverse population.

We want to have a place where people are surprised and delighted, he said. They might not know what a particular artist or production is, but they know itll be great.

awang@oregonian.com; Twitter: @ORAmyW
For two consecutive days, the number of patients recovered from the novel coronavirus infection in Karnataka exceeded the number of active COVID-19 cases in the state.

In a health bulletin issued on May 5 evening, the Karnataka Health Department reported 312 active COVID-19 cases in the state and said, "As of 5 pm of May 5, cumulatively 673 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, it includes 29 deaths and 331 discharges."

This shows that, with the 331 discharged people, the state outnumbered COVID-19 patients whose tally stood at 312.

Out of 312 active cases, 306 patients are in isolation at designated hospitals and are stable, while 6 are in ICU, while out of total 331 patients discharged so far maximum 80 are from Mysuru, 75 from Bengaluru urban, 26 from Belagavi, according to the state health department.

Coronavirus LIVE updates

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

Similarly, on May 4, the state had more recovered cases than active cases.

"As of 5 pm on May 4, cumulatively 651 Covid-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state and it includes 27 deaths and 321 discharges, the state health bulletin had read, adding that the total number of active COVID-19 cases in the state was 302.

This meant, the number of active cases stood at 312 while the number of discharged cases was 331.

In Karnataka, the most numbers of coronavirus infections have been reported in Bengaluru urban, followed by Mysuru and Belagavi, said the state health department.

Also read | PM Modi reviews status of India's efforts in developing coronavirus vaccine

In the fight against COVID-19, the state government has issued the notification on the regulations under 'Karnataka Epidemic Disease Regulation, 2020', making it mandatory on wearing mask and maintaining social distance. It has fixed penalties of Rs 200 in the Municipal Corporation area and Rs 100 in areas other than the Municipal Corporation areas.

(With inputs from PTI)

Follow our full coverage on COVID-19 here
Federal Labor's big spending education and health policies appear set for the chopping block as Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese warns his shadow cabinet that COVID-19 and its legacy will define politics for a generation.

The Labor leader has told his shadow cabinet to prepare for a "full reappraisal" of the party's policies in the wake of the coronavirus induced economic crisis, warning the ALP would face major budget constraints if it wins the next federal election.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese is warning his shadow cabinet they can't pursue big spending policies. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

In a leaked caucus document, seen by The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, Mr Albanese has set an ambitious timeline for Labor to overhaul its priorities and policy options for the COVID-19 recovery.

Mr Albanese's six-page memo to MPs reminds them it will be "important to acknowledge the constrained fiscal situation that will likely confront an incoming Labor government".
BRIDGEPORT  A federal judge reserved decision Tuesday on whether to release Luke Mega Jones, whose drug gang terrorized the citys West Side in the 1990s.

This man is a monster and he should never get out, Lorraine Scott Tappin sobbed as she begged U.S. District Judge Victor Bolden via a Zoom video conference not to release Jones. Her son, Anthony Scott was killed by the gang.

Jones, like many other inmates around the country, is seeking to be released from prison because of the pandemic. He told the judge he doesnt feel safe in prison from COVID-19.

In 2004, Jones was sentenced by federal Judge Alan Nevas to four life terms in prison plus two 10-year terms after being convicted of racketeering, conspiracy to commit murder and weapons and drug trafficking charges.

Federal prosecutors said Jones ordered the murders of Scott and Lawson Day in 1999 and Monteneal Lawrence in 1998.

Scotts bullet-riddled body was found in the courtyard of the P.T. Barnum housing project.

Anthony was my son. He wasnt a saint but he would never hurt anyone, Tappin cried as her husband held up a photograph of Scott. He (Jones) went around killing people in the street. He doesnt deserve another chance.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Francis opposed any early release for Jones and pointed out that the prison Jones is currently in has had no cases of COVID-19.

There is no reason why the defendant needs to be released. Everyone wants to get out of prison, but COVID-19 should not be a windfall to a defendant not subject to a prison reduction, Francis said.

Following the two-hour hearing, Judge Bolden said he would consider all factors before rendering his decision soon.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The COVID-19 epidemic is expected to disappear in the short term in Denmark, according to a report by researchers who warned however of a "considerable risk" of a second wave.

The report was released by the Danish health agency SSI, which operates under the health ministry and is responsible for the surveillance of infectious diseases.

"It is highly likely that the epidemic dies out on its own if the current level of closures continues," it said.

The researchers added that the epidemic was expected to die out even with a reopening of businesses, if social distancing was maintained, but stressed that "this is in the short term".

Noting the level of immunity in the Danish population was currently low, the report, drawn up for politicians mulling a second phase of easing, warned of "a considerable risk that a second wave of the epidemic will come later".

On April 15, the country started reopening pre-schools and resuming classes for the youngest primary school childrenunder strict social distancing and hygiene guidelines.

Since then the reproduction rate, or infection rate, of the disease has risen from 0.6 to 0.9, according to SSI, but a rate lower than one still means the number of new cases is going down.

With more than 10,000 cases confirmed, Denmark has recorded 506 deaths from COVID-19.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

 2020 AFP
Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday said that the governments must borrow to meet their deficits and not resort to imposing new or higher taxes amid the coronavirus crisis.

Chidambaram said imposing higher taxes should not be done at a time when the economic activity in the country has ground to a halt.

New or higher taxes will impoverish families further. Governments must borrow to meet their deficits, not impose higher tax burdens when economic activity has ground to a halt, Chidambaram tweeted on Wednesday.

He said the imposition of new or higher taxes makes sense only when the economy is booming.

New or higher taxes will impoverish families further.



Governments must borrow to meet their deficits, not impose higher tax burdens when economic activity has ground to a halt.  P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) May 6, 2020

Tax burdens on the middle class and poor is actually taxing distress, the former finance minister said.

We have been pleading for cash transfers from the government to the bottom half of the people/families. Instead governments are doing a REVERSE TRANSFER of money from the people to the government! Cruel, he added.

Governments should GIVE money to the people in times of distress, not SQUEEZE and TAKE money from the people.  P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) May 6, 2020

Earlier this week, the Kejriwal government announced an increase in value-added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel to raise money to fight the coronavirus disease. This decision had increased the price of petrol by Rs 1.67 per litre to Rs 71.26 and diesel, by Rs 7.10 to Rs 69.39.

The Centre on Tuesday raised the excise duty on petrol by Rs 10 and on diesel by 13 per litre to recoup some of the loss of revenue suffered by the government due to the Covid-19 lockdown. However, the change in the tax structure will not impact the retail sale price of petrol and diesel on account of the excise duty hike.

Besides this, some of the states, including Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Rajasthan, had announced an increase in the excise duty for liquor as alcohol stores lifted shutters after nearly a 40-day lockdown on Monday. Delhi increased the tax by 70%, Andhra by 75%, West Bengal by 30% and Rajasthan by 10%, all to raise funds to fight the pandemics and manage state finances, the governments said.
New Delhi, May 6 : Unprecedented internet traffic on the eve of one of the largest air rescue operations in the world brought 'down' the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation's website on Wednesday.

Accordingly, the ministry said that NIC is working on to fix the glitch caused. "Details regarding evacuation flights will be put up on the Air India website soon. Kindly check there directly. Our apologies for the inconvenience caused," the ministry tweeted India will commence one of the world's largest air rescue operations from May 7, when Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express will start the first phase of the mission. As per the plans, these two airlines will operate 64-flights in seven days to bring back 14,800 stranded Indians from 12 countries.
In the previous week, the health ministry of Brazil reported 6,276 new COVID-19 cases in one day. It is the highest record for COVID-19 cases reported in one day in the country. This brings that country's total novel coronavirus cases to 107,000, says the database of the Johns Hopkins University. At least 7,300 people were reported to have died from the deadly illness, says a recent article.



Worst Hit Areas in Brazil

Some of the areas in Brazil that are badly affected by the current pandemic is the Amazon rainforest. Many researchers say that the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is contributing to the Amazon rainforest's destruction.



Deforestation in the Amazon

There has been an increase in deforestation in Brazil of more than half in this year's first three months in comparison to the same period in 2019, say the researchers. INPE, the space agency of Brazil, makes use of data from satellite images to record the cutting and burning of a vast number of trees across the region every year. It was recorded last year that the fires were up by 30 percent.



The Largest Rainforest in the World

The largest rainforest in the world is the Amazon rainforest, and it is an important ecosystem that helps absorb five percent of the carbon emissions of the world every year. It significantly helps the world combat climate change.



Agricultural Productions vs. The Amazon Rainforest

An increasing number of lands in the Amazon region are being razed for agricultural production, such as soybeans and beef. This issue had attained worldwide attention during 2019's summer and fall season as thousands of fires in the Amazon had accelerated deforestation in the region.



In operation of Agencies the Normally Works in the Amazon

The non-government agencies that collaborate with indigenous people in the Amazon state that the inclining trend of deforestation in the region is partly due to the lesser presence of oversight agencies that generally operate in the Amazon. The seen cause for their absence is the recent implementation of social distancing guidelines and insufficient funding from Brazil's current government.

In April, the local media showed how leaders from indigenous groups and advocates feared that illegal miners, illegal loggers, and land-grabbers might take advantage of the crisis brought by the coronavirus. This group of people is fear of the intrusion in their territories in the region.



Check these out:



Plan to Deploy Armed Forces

Due to these increasing activities in the region, the vice president of Brazil Hamilton Mourao announced a plan to use the armed forces of the country to help fight against fires and deforestation in the Amazon last week.



Bolsonaro's Move

A similar move was implemented to combat forest fires in the region last year under a decree signed by President Jair Bolsonaro. However, the policies of the Brazilian president have resulted in the encouragement of developments in the Amazon. This had resulted in widespread criticisms.

The president was even criticized for reducing the oversight agencies' funding. Also, Bolsonaro failed to implement legislation for the prevention of deforestation.
COVID-19 deaths, hospitalisations and lockdowns could be over this year, says WHO

India logs over 2.82 lakh new cases, 441 deaths in last 24 hours

C M Yediyurappa announces COVID-19 financial package of Rs 1,610 cr

India

oi-Briti Roy Barman

Bengaluru, May 06: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Wednesday announced that package of Rs 1,610 crores will be released as COVID-19 financial package.

The CM also announced that RS 5,000 will be given as one time compensation to barbers and drivers.

"People are facing financial problems due to the lockdown, therefore, a package of Rs. 1,610 crores will be released as COVID-19 financial package. One time compensation of Rs 5,000 will be given to 2,30,000 barbers and 7,75,000 drivers," announced Yediyurappa.

Karnataka govt cancels special migrant trains, wants to revive economy

He further added, "We have sent around 1 lakh people in 3,500 buses and trains, back to their home towns. I have also appealed to the migrant workers to stay as the construction work has resumed now."

Meanwhile, Karnataka has decided to cancel all trains arranged to transport migrant workers. The decision comes a day after Chief Minister, B S Yediyurappa appealed to the labourers to stay back.

A package of Rs. 1610 crores will be released as #COVID19 financial package. One time compensation of Rs 5000 will be given to 230,000 barbers and 775,000 drivers: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa. #CoronavirusLockdown https://t.co/tuiJK6ONIo  ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2020

Yediyurappa also announced a hike in excise duty on liquor. Total excise duty on liquor in Karnataka now stands at 17 per cent.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, May 6, 2020, 12:57 [IST]
For China, this is not just any economic crash. It is one the country's leaders have steeled against for more than a decade.

China's top policy planners have long assessed the geopolitical ramifications of the next big economic crisis - the one that would bring their decades of miraculous growth to a halt.

Official policy papers reflect Beijing's awareness that this event would not only serve as a critical test of the Chinese Communist Party's domestic rule, but could reshuffle the balance of powers among China and Western nations.

After a big crisis, what is redistributed is not merely wealth within a country, but the relative power of all nations, wrote China's chief economic architect Liu He, who has since risen to vice premier, in a 2013 study of recessions.

China reported a 6.8 per cent drop in economic output for the first quarter of 2020, its first contraction on record since the death of party founder Mao Zedong in 1976. In recent weeks, president Xi Jinping has launched a construction campaign akin to that seen in America in response to the Great Depression, while touting poverty relief and investment in advanced technology to help boost both the output of coronavirus-hit factories and consumer spending.

Life under lockdown: Wuhan's windows, balconies and rooftops Show all 16 1 /16 Life under lockdown: Wuhan's windows, balconies and rooftops Life under lockdown: Wuhan's windows, balconies and rooftops wuhan-lockdown-9.jpg Photos Reuters Life under lockdown: Wuhan's windows, balconies and rooftops wuhan-lockdown-8.jpg Reuters Life under lockdown: Wuhan's windows, balconies and rooftops wuhan-lockdown-1.jpg Reuters Life under lockdown: Wuhan's windows, balconies and rooftops wuhan-lockdown-4.jpg Reuters Life under lockdown: Wuhan's windows, balconies and rooftops wuhan-lockdown-2.jpg Reuters Life under lockdown: Wuhan's windows, balconies and rooftops wuhan-lockdown-5.jpg Reuters Life under lockdown: Wuhan's windows, balconies and rooftops wuhan-lockdown-11.jpg Reuters Life under lockdown: Wuhan's windows, balconies and rooftops wuhan-lockdown-6.jpg Reuters Life under lockdown: Wuhan's windows, balconies and rooftops wuhan-lockdown-15.jpg Reuters Life under lockdown: Wuhan's windows, balconies and rooftops wuhan-lockdown-16.jpg Reuters Life under lockdown: Wuhan's windows, balconies and rooftops wuhan-lockdown-14.jpg Reuters Life under lockdown: Wuhan's windows, balconies and rooftops wuhan-lockdown-10.jpg Reuters Life under lockdown: Wuhan's windows, balconies and rooftops wuhan-lockdown-12.jpg Reuters Life under lockdown: Wuhan's windows, balconies and rooftops wuhan-lockdown-13.jpg Reuters Life under lockdown: Wuhan's windows, balconies and rooftops wuhan-lockdown-3.jpg Reuters Life under lockdown: Wuhan's windows, balconies and rooftops wuhan-lockdown-7.jpg Reuters

Since Mr Xi came to power in 2012, he has fast-tracked political preparations for the end of economic growth. He has flooded the airwaves with wartime-esque propaganda that lauds individual sacrifice for the national interest, while quashing budding pockets of dissent before they could grow.

Xi Jinping's political control policies all along have been guided by a recognition that someday the economic miracle will begin to sputter, said Richard von Glahn, a China economic historian at UCLA. The coronavirus has accelerated the timetable.

In 2010, China's top leaders commissioned a team led by Mr Liu to study the Great Depression and 2008 financial crisis. The project included officials from China's central bank and banking regulator, and resulted in hundreds of pages of analysis and policy recommendations published three years later.

This early preparation may give China a head start in its crisis response. As most of the world remains engulfed in day-to-day pandemic relief, China has begun broader strategic pushes, inching outward its sphere of influence in the Pacific and declaring greater control over Hong Kong. Beijing's overseas push has been made easier by the Trump administration's domestic focus, with the United States withdrawing from some of its traditional international roles.

Recommended A cold war may well follow this pandemic

However, Beijing's leaders could face a deeper domestic economic challenge than they initially projected. With the coronavirus outbreak fuelling grassroots anti-China sentiment, the Trump administration and other governments are seizing the moment to push for manufacturers to return from China.

Japan announced last month that part of its Covid-19 stimulus package will go towards reshoring factories from China, while Republican senator Marsha Blackburn said she and other US politician are pushing for similar incentives for American pharmaceutical companies.

Supply chains are going to move as quickly as they are incentivised to, she said in an interview.

China's response this year shows it has taken some lessons from the financial crisis. Beijing flooded the country with cash and cheap credit in 2008, which kept its economy growing but resulted in years of teetering local government debts and skyrocketing housing prices, said Li-gang Liu, chief China economist for Citibank, no relation to the vice premier.

This time, China has announced it will see the crisis through with infrastructure construction, a more stable if slower method. Mr Xi recently warned that houses were for living, not for speculation.

China's foreign, finance and defence ministries, the central bank and the country's main economic planning body, the National Development and Reform Commission, did not immediately respond to faxed requests for comment over a public holiday.

As for lessons from the Great Depression, Mr Liu, the vice premier, spent a number of pages of the 2013 report analysing the long-term political consequences, including the outbreak of the Second World War. He wrote that the responses of governments at the time were overtaken by surging populist sentiment.

Stay prepared for the worst consequences, he wrote.

Mr Liu, however, advised resisting the temptation of diplomatic overextension and unnecessary military engagements during a crisis. He attributed the global dominance of the United States following the Second World War to its preceding decades of isolationism.

For all its recent unshakable rule, China's history over the past century has been one of economic crises that brought the country to the political brink. During the Great Depression, an impoverished Japan invaded resource-rich Manchuria, sparking two decades of bloodshed and economic devastation in China.

The Chinese Communist Party faced its most severe political crisis in 1989, when tens of thousands of students and workers flooded Beijing's Tiananmen Square. While largely remembered as a pro-democracy movement, Mr von Glahn, the economic historian, says the demonstrations were more about economic grievances than anything else.

Deng Xiaoping, China's paramount leader at the time, gave the fateful order to stamp out the protests with deadly force, but acceded to public demands for faster economic reforms. This has been the deal that Beijing has offered ever since: economic growth in exchange for political quiescence.

Mr Liu illustrated his 2013 report with a series of charts that showed how the global power structure shifted following economic crises. The first showed the United States dominating the global economy after the Great Depression. The second showed emerging economies gaining pace after the 2008 crash.

The final one, labelled 2020, was blank.

The Washington Post
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Linkedin (Reuters) Brussels, Belgium  Wed, May 6, 2020 14:07 622 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd64ff6e 2 Science & Tech Belgium,united-states,scientists,COVID-19,coronavirus,pandemic,llama Free

A llama called Winter could prove useful in the hunt for a treatment for COVID-19, according to US and Belgian scientists who have identified a tiny particle that appears to block the new coronavirus.

The scientists, from Belgium's VIB-UGent center for medical biotechnology and the University of Texas at Austin, published research on Tuesday in the journal Cell, with the llama in Belgium central to their studies.

The group began four years ago looking into antibodies that might counter the SARS virus, which spread in 2003, and the MERS virus that flared up in 2012.

"The work was a side project in 2016. We thought maybe this was interesting," said Xavier Saelens, joint leader of the Belgian part of the collaboration. "Then the new virus came and it became potentially more crucial, more important."

Winter, the llama, was given safe versions of the SARS and MERS viruses and samples of its blood were later taken.

Read also: Bill Gatess coronavirus vaccine could be ready in 12 months

Llamas and other members of camel family are distinct in creating standard antibodies and smaller antibodies, with which scientists can more easily work.

The Belgian part of the research team, also led by Bert Schepens, identified fragments of the smaller antibodies, known as nanobodies, to see which bound most strongly to the virus.

Saelens describes the new coronavirus as the cousin of the SARS virus. Both have a corona, or crown, shape with protein spikes, onto which an antibody can latch.

The team intend to begin tests on animals, with a view to allowing trials with humans to begin by the end of the year. Saelens said negotiations were under way with pharmaceutical companies.

The research is not the first into nanobodies derived from camels or llamas. French group Sanofi paid 3.9 billion euros ($4.23 billion) in 2018 to buy Ghent-based nanobody specialist company Ablynx.
NEW BRITAIN  The state has given a temporary pass to the Bridgeport Police Department over data it was supposed to turn in to the Connecticut Racial Profiling Prohibition Advisory Board.

Instead, it will wait until this summer to report on whether the states largest city engaged in racial profiling when officers stopped drivers for motor vehicle violations during the daytime, when a drivers race and ethnicity are more visible.

The fifth annual racial profiling study, released Tuesday by Central Connecticut State Universitys Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy, was designed to see whether motorists stopped during the day were more likely to be non-white  an indication that local police were stopping people based on color rather than motor infractions.

But data for 2018, the information used in the report, was unavailable for Bridgeport because of what officials there said was a problem with how the information was collected. So Bridgeports information was left out of what was released Tuesday.

Bridgeport officials did not immediately respond to emails for comment.

Minus the Bridgeport data, the findings from the 2018 analysis of Connecticuts traffic stop data indicate that progress continues to be made in terms of the decision to stop a minority motorist, the report states.

The report, which features a study of the 510,000 traffic stops conducted during the 2018 calendar year by all police agencies  some 90,000 fewer than when the study was first done in 2016  also includes a comprehensive five-year analysis of traffic stop disparities for the Connecticut State Police.

One important aspect of the report was to analyze if there was an increase in stops of non-white drivers during the day when their race and ethnicity is visible as opposed to at night.

For the second year in a row, the report said there was no statistical difference.

The release of this report marks a major achievement of reducing racial disparities in traffic stops for a second year in a row. This statewide initiative continues to engender a conversation that will lead to improved relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve, said Racial Profiling Advisory Board Chair William Dyson.

Ken Barone, CCSUs IMRP project manager, said after they received data on the 2018 stops from all police departments, they noticed there were discrepancies with the data they received from the Bridgeport Police Department. They were missing data on thousands of 2018 traffic stops made by officers, he said.

Barone said he and his team met with Bridgeport officials and were told that data on traffic stops in Bridgeport had been set down on paper and the information from the first half of 2018 had been lost.

The city then began recording stop data electronically but only had information for the second half of 2018, Barone said.

We didnt want to just let them off the hook because they are required by law to report the data, Barone said.

In the end, he said, the advisory board decided to wait on Bridgeports 2019 data instead of using incomplete information from 2018.

We will do an analysis of 2019 for a supplemental report and we will likely publish that report in the summer, he added.
The armys air defenses have engaged hostile missiles that were targeting military depots in the Assfaira region writes SANA.

On Monday, the armys air defenses confronted a missile aggression in the Assfaira region in Aleppos south-eastern countryside.

A military source told SANA that at 10.32 p.m. a hostile aircraft was spotted on the screens of the armys air defenses coming from the north-east of Athria. The aircraftss missiles targeted some military depots in the Assfaira region, and the air defenses confronted the hostile missiles.

The source added that verification is underway to evaluate the losses caused by the aggression.

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.
One of five councillors who voted to ban the Storm from using Albury City Council facilities has pointed to the quartet of NRL players - which includes Melbourne flyer Josh Addo-Carr - caught flouting social distancing as the key factor in his decision.

The Storm were on Tuesday night barred from using the Albury Thunder training field as they prepare for the season restart on May 28.

Graham Docksey was one of five councillors who voted in favour of the motion at the extraordinary meeting on Tuesday night and revealed on Wednesday morning why he felt the club was not welcome.

"There have been too many examples of breaches, recently," Docksey told 2GB.
LOS ANGELES, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Los Angeles Urban League (LAUL) announced that its long-term donor, Bank of America, has awarded the LAUL a $20,000 grant to support its efforts to provide critical services to minority and women owned small businesses and entrepreneurs in underserved communities in Los Angeles.

"This grant will help us respond to the urgent needs of small business owners and entrepreneurs in our community caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This grant is also an affirmation of Bank of America's longstanding willingness to invest in and partner with the Los Angeles Urban League in support of our underserved communities through its day-to-day presence in the community as well as its philanthropic support. Partners such as Raul Anaya, Bank of America Market President, are essential partners without whom we could not provide the services that the underserved communities in Los Angeles so desperately need," said Michael Lawson, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League.

Specifically, this Bank of America grant will be used to support the Los Angeles Urban League's Urban Center for Entrepreneurship, which is an 18-month long incubator program run by the Los Angeles Urban League in partnership with OmniWorks that exposes minority and women-owned companies to best-in-class business intelligence, one-on-one strategies for success, and connects them with advisors and mentors, which accelerates the trainees' opportunities for success.

"Together with tremendous nonprofits like the Los Angeles Urban League, the private sector is working to help address the new demand and challenges created by this unprecedented health and humanitarian crisis," said Raul A. Anaya, Bank of America market president for Greater Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles Urban League, a 99 years old non-profit organization, has been a formidable advocate for the underserved communities in Los Angeles. These and other programs, such as the Construction Career Academy, Backstage Careers and the LAUL Entrepreneur Centers, have helped and supported individuals, within the underserved communities, improve their quality of life by acquiring new marketable skills and starting new careers. By publicizing this grant, the Los Angeles Urban League is building awareness and credibility for the work it does while recognizing the donor, Bank of America, who made this funding possible.

ABOUT THE LOS ANGELES URBAN LEAGUE

Los Angeles Urban league serves, educates and empowers African Americans and other minorities to secure economic self-reliance and civil rights by providing targeted social programs and advocating for issues that benefit our communities. Visit and follow Los Angeles Urban League at www.laul.org.

CONTACT :

Ron Carter

[email protected]

(323) 864-7092

SOURCE Los Angeles Urban League

Related Links

http://www.laul.org


Special childcare arrangements will cover up to 5,000 families with essential health workers with parents paying 90 a week for services.

Minister for Children Katherine Zappone told the Dail that childcare workers would be asked to volunteer for the scheme, which will begin in late May.

Those workers will then get 15 an hour and the total cost of the scheme will be 4.7m a week.

However, little detail was revealed about the general reopening of the childcare sector, which will begin in late July.

Ms Zappone said:

Consideration needs to be given to how children are prioritised for returning to childcare and this will be done in consultation with the sector.

It is my hope that significant additional investment will be provided to the sector as it re-opens. It seems to me that this is the primary requirement to ensure that the capacity will be sufficient for Irish families as the pandemic recedes.

Nonetheless, the clarity around childcare services for essential health workers will provide some relief to those in the sector, many who have struggled to find care for their children.

Ms Zappone explained:

"From May 18th, my Department will oversee the provision of childcare in the homes of essential healthcare workers. This is part of the first phase of easing the COVID 19 restrictions.

"Tomorrow we will be inviting registered childcare services to participate in this much needed measure. I will also outline how families can access the scheme.

"Participation will be voluntary. Many services have expressed an interest in supporting this initiative and being part of Irelands Call during these challenging times.

"We have been planning this for a number of weeks and have listened to suggestions from the childcare sector. Yesterday we had an extensive question and answer session with the Early Years Forum.

In the coming days, eligible health workers will be advised to contact a Pobal parent support centre to request the service and to indicate their childcare needs and preferences.

It is initially intended to run the scheme for a period of four weeks. There will be a review after two weeks and also at the end of the four week period.

Nonetheless, there still is no clarity around what will happen to services and the subsidies they may get or not as the different exit strategies of the lockdown go ahead.

Ms Zappone added:

It is inevitable that Childcare Services will not open at full capacity. Fewer children attending a childcare service will increase the costs of the provision of childcare for these children.

As outlined previously, 70% of the costs of provision of childcare are related to pay costs. I dont anticipate that Services will be in a position to absorb all of these costs.

Parents will also be unable to pay the associated increase. I will be inputting into future government decisions to make the case for the need for State subsidies to compensate.
RAF bombs Iraq for second time in a month

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 05 May 2020 3:18 PM

The Royal Air Force (RAF) has carried out a bombing raid in northern Iraq under the guise of combating the terrorist group Daesh.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Defense (MoD), a pair of RAF Typhoons and "other coalition aircraft" carried out a bombing raid on "six cave entrances" northeast of the city of Baiji, northern Iraq.

The Mod claims that the RAF was acting on "intelligence" that a "group of IS [Daesh] fighters with weapons were operating out of the caves".

The RAF Typhoons set off from their base in RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus to bomb alleged Daesh positions with Paveway IV precision-guided bombs.

This is the second RAF strike against alleged Daesh targets in Iraq in the space of a month. On April 10 two RAF Typhoons (based at RAF Akrotiri) carried out a bombing raid against an alleged Daesh position in an isolated area west of the northern city of Tuz Khurmatu.

The RAF's sudden offensive against alleged Daesh positions is strange in the context of the broader political and military situation in Iraq.

In recent months the UK's ally, the United States has bombed the positions and facilities of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces, which are widely regarded as the most effective anti-Daesh forces in Iraq.

This gives rise to the suspicion that the RAF  and the British military more broadly  is using the cover of an anti-Daesh military posture to stay militarily engaged in Iraq.

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This is the moment a pervert was confronted by vigilante paedophile hunters when he brought a friend to meet a 13-year-old girl at a bus station so he could take her home for sex.

Kieron Oliver, who was already on the sex offenders' register for sexually assaulting a four-year-old child, turned up to meet what he thought was a young teenage girl after exchanging explicit messages online.

But the 22-year-old had been duped, and when he arrived at Gateshead bus station he was instead met by members of the undercover group the Child Online Safety Team (COST), who filmed the confrontation.

Oliver admitted attempted grooming and attempting to communicate sexually with a child

One member can be heard telling him: 'Here to meet a 13-year-old, eh? Big man.'

Newcastle Crown Court heard Oliver had made reference to 'teaching' the child and discussed how he would prevent her getting pregnant in the messages.

Oliver, who asked if he could 'bring a friend' during the chats, arrived to meet the girl, he believed was called 'Lauren', with another man.

He tried to run when he realised the police, who had been alerted by COST, were waiting but was arrested.

Oliver, of Braeside, Dunston, Gateshead, who admitted attempted grooming, attempting to communicate sexually with a child and attempting to breach a sexual harm prevention order he was on a result of his previous convictions.

Judge Tim Gittins sentenced him to two years imprisonment, with an extended three-year licence period, and life-long sex offender registration and sexual harm prevention order.

The judge told him: 'You engaged on social media with a profile of someone who you were told was a 13-year-old girl. I am satisfied you knew that and continued to engage with that profile, believing it to be a 13-year-old girl.

'In fact, as you now know, it was a decoy profile put there by a voluntary vigilante group, who you were very quick to engage in a sexual way. The conversation was such that I am satisfied you were intending penetrative sexual intercourse with that child, had the opportunity arisen.'

Judge Gittins added: 'I take the view, at this stage, that you remain a substantial risk of committing further contact offences and causing really serious harm to female children in particular.'

The court heard it was five years ago when Oliver was convicted of sexual assault on a four year old and made the subject of sexual harm prevention order as part of a rehabilitation order.

He breached the order the following year by 'repeatedly' asking a 15-year-old girl to go out with him.

Kieron Oliver has been jailed for two years after being caught by vigilante paedophile hunters

The court heard he breached the order again later that year when he dug his fingers into the rib areas of two teenagers at a funfair and was convicted of common assaults on them.

He breached the order's requirements again in 2018. Prosecutor Andrew Walker said it was in February this year that COST set up a fake profile on social media site Skout.

Mr Walker said the group 'actively seek to identify those who seek out children online'.

Oliver initially arranged to meet the 13-year-old from the profile at the Metro Centre and said they could go to his flat to 'chill' but got spooked when he saw the police and left.

Mr Walker said: 'He messaged the profile asking if she had called the police. That was denied and the defendant seemed to accept that and so the messaging continued. It was thought by the decoy that the defendant was trying to be very careful in the language he used.'

The court heard the second meeting, at the bus station, was arranged for two days after the first.

Oliver thought he was going to meet a 13-year-old girl at a bus stop when he was caught

Oliver said they could 'share the same bed', asked if he could 'bring a friend', said he would 'teach you' and said he could stop her getting pregnant.

Mr Walker added: 'At the meeting place the defendant arrived. He was with another male. The defendant tried to run but was detained.'

Oliver told police he believed the girl he was due to meet was over 13. His friend, who was also arrested, said the same.

Penny Hall, defending, said Oliver had split from his partner a short time before the online chats started and had stopped going out.

Miss Hall said Oliver suffers from ADHD and autism, with a low IQ and finds it easier to communicate with younger people.

A member of COST said: 'This person has already committed a sex offence against a real child.

'This shows that the police don't have the staff to monitor sex offenders properly.

'I am glad he has been jailed, but I am not happy with the sentence. I personally think a person who is a second time offender should be dealt with more sternly.'
Researchers at the universities of Jyvaskyla (Finland) and Xiamen (China) have discovered a novel way to make functional macroscopic crystalline materials out of nanometer-size 34-atom silver-gold intermetallic clusters. The cluster material has a highly anisotropic electrical conductivity, being a semiconductor in one direction and an electrical insulator in other directions. Synthesis of the material and its electrical properties were investigated in Xiamen and the theoretical characterization of the material was carried out in Jyvaskyla. The research was published online in Nature Communications on May 6, 2020.

The metal clusters were synthesized by means of wet chemistry adding gold and silver salts and ethynyladamantane molecules in a mixture of methanol and either chloroform or dichloromethane. All syntheses produced the same 34-atom silver-gold clusters with an identical atomic structure, but surprisingly, the use of dichloromethane/methanol solvent initiated a polymerization reaction after cluster formation in solution and growth of human-hair-thick single crystals consisting of aligned polymeric chains of the clusters.

The crystals behaved as a semiconducting material in the direction of the polymer and as an electrical insulator in the cross directions. This behavior arises from metal-metal atomic bonding in the polymer direction while in the cross directions the metal clusters are isolated from each other by a layer of the ethynyladamantane.

Theoretical modeling of the cluster material by computer-intensive simulations using the density functional theory predicted that the material has an energy gap of 1.3 eV for electronic excitations. This was confirmed by measurements of optical absorption and electrical conductivity in a layout where single crystals we mounted as part of a field-effect transistor, which showed a p-type semiconductor property of the material. Electrical conductivity along the polymer direction was about 1800-fold as compared to the cross directions.

"We were quite surprised by the observation that the polymer formation can be controlled by simple means of changing the solvent molecules. We discovered this probably by good luck, but we hope that this result can be applied in future to design hierarchical nanostructured materials with desired functionality", says Professor Nanfeng Zheng from Xiamen University, who led the experimental work.

"This work shows an interesting example on how macroscopic material properties can be designed in the bottom-up synthesis of nanomaterials. Theoretical modeling of this material was quite challenging due to a large-scale model we had to build to account for the correct periodicity of the polymer crystal. To this end, we benefited very much of having access to some of the largest supercomputers in Europe", says Academy Professor Hannu Hakkinen from the University of Jyvaskyla, who led the theoretical work.

###

The computer simulations were done in the Barcelona Supercomputing Center under a PRACE computing grant. The work by Hakkinen's group is supported by the Academy of Finland.

Link to the article in Nature Communications in 6th of May 2020: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-16062-6

Article: P. Yuan et al.: "Solvent-mediated assembly of atom-precise gold-silver nanoclusters to semiconducting one-dimensional materials", Nature Communications, published online May 6, 2020. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16062-6

For more information:

Hannu Hakkinen, University of Jyvaskyla, Finland, hannu.j.hakkinen@jyu.fi, +358 400 247 973

Yang Cao, Xiamen University, China, yangcao@xmu.edu.cn Nanfeng Zheng, University of Xiamen, nfzheng@xmu.edu.cn

Communications officer Tanja Heikkinen, tanja.s.heikkinen@jyu.fi, tel. 358 50 581 8351

The Faculty of Mathematics and Science: https://www.jyu.fi/science/en

Twitter: jyscience
New Delhi:

There are 18 judges per 10 lakh people as compared to 50 judges recommended by the Law Commission in its 1987 report which the Chief Justice of India had recently cited seeking an increase in the judges strength.



According to the data put out by the Law Ministry in public domain, the judge to population ratio in India stands at 17.86 judges per 10 lakh people.



Mizoram has the highest judge to population ratio which stands at 57.74. In Delhi, it stands at 47.33, while in Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state of the country, the ratio is 10.54 judges per 10 lakh people.



West Bengal has the lowest judge to population ratio at 10.45 judges per 10 lakh people.



The sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court today stands at 31 judges, including the CJI as compared to 25 in 2009. The apex court faces a shortage of 3 judges. Four new judges were recently appointed to the apex court.



The sanctioned strength of the high courts till 2014 was 906 judges and it was increased to 1,079 in June this year. There are 24 high courts in the country.



But despite the increase in the sanctioned strength, the high court, as in July this year, faced a shortage of 477 judges.



The subordinate courts in the country, the backbone of justice delivery system, have a sanctioned strength of 20,502. But there are only 16,070 judicial officers serving in the courts and the shortage stood at 4,432 as on December 31, 2015.



Addressing the inaugural session of Joint Conference of Chief Ministers and Chief Justices of High Courts here in April, CJI T S Thakur had said since 1987, when the Law Commission had recommended an increase in the number of judges from then 10 judges per 10 lakh people to 50, nothing has moved.

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A 33-year-old Delhi Police constable was murdered by her husband, a head constable posted with the Delhi Police Special Cell. The head constable identified as Manoj was posted at South Delhis Lodhi Colony. He later committed suicide by shooting himself in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut.

Police sources said that after preliminary probe itr was found that Manoj shot his wife Renu Malik with his service revolver late on Monday night. Sources added that Renu was working with the coronavirus COVID-19 cell of the Delhi Police.

It is learnt that the constable Renu's body was found inside a car and a sharp-edged weapon was also recovered from the vehicle. A case of murder has been registered at Lodhi Colony police station.
Profits at the company which operates one of the most popular local radio stations in the country, Radio Kerry, last year tumbled by 61pc.

New accounts lodged by Radio Ciarrai Teoranta show the profits of 87,611 in the 12 months to the end of April 2019 were well below the 226,242 earned in the previous year.

The accounts show the Radio Kerry company last year paid out a dividend of 288,000, following a 270,000 payout in fiscal 2018.

Numbers employed by the company last year increased to 43 and the profit takes account of non-cash depreciation costs of 131,886.

Directors' pay totalled 150,000.

At the end of April 2019, the company's shareholder funds totalled 3.37m - that figure included accumulated profits of 2.98m.

Radio Ciarrai Teoranta's cash pile reduced to 504,524 from 853,217.

The most recent JNLR listenership survey shows that Radio Kerry increased its market share by 1.6pc to 53.2pc last year, one of the highest market share figures of any local station in the country.

A planned 2.67m purchase by Radio Ciarrai Teoranta's parent firm, Radio Kerry Holdings, of Clare FM and a controlling 70pc stake in Tipp FM collapsed last year.

In a letter to around 500 Clare FM shareholders in the aftermath of the deal collapse, CEO Tim O'Keeffe told them "it was for reasons beyond our knowledge that the deal did not complete".

"As a company we are extremely disappointed it has not been possible to close the deal to everyone's satisfaction," he said.

"It remains our view that consolidation within the industry is inevitable and positive for our industry."

At the time, a spokesman for Clare FM said it was "very disappointed" by the contents of Mr O'Keeffe's letter.

Radio Kerry Holdings also owns the dual radio franchise Shannonside Northern Sound and recorded profits of 287,878 for the 12 months to the end of April.
Ahmedabad:

The name of the next Chief Minister of Gujarat to succeed Anandiben Patel would be announced on Friday even as BJP president Amit Shah on Thursday held intensive deliberations with party leaders to finalise the candidate. BJPs parliamentary board accepted Anandiben Patels offer to resign on Wednesday at its meeting in Delhi, paving the way for appointment of a new Chief Minister to lead the party in 2017 Assembly polls.



A meeting of party MLAs and office-bearers will be held Friday evening at the BJP headquarters in Gandhinagar where the next CM would be announced, said state BJP president Vijay Rupani, who is also the state transport minister.



Apart from Amit Shah, all the party MLAs, office bearers and our observers Nitin Gadkari and Saroj Pandey will remain present at the meeting, said Rupani, after holding a long discussion with Shah at latters residence. Shah, who arrived in the morning, has been busy holding meetings with state BJP leaders and ministers at his house.



Among others, he met state BJP in-charge Dinesh Sharma, national joint general secretary (organisation) V Satish, party treasurer Surendra Patel, education minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama and former state BJP chief R C Faldu.



Health Minister Nitin Patel, considered to be the front-runner for the job, was also present during Shahs meeting with Rupani. When asked by reporters whether he would accept the post of CM, Patel evaded a direct answer but said, Whoever is chosen by the party, we all will work together.



Dinesh Sharma, who arrived Wednesday, engaged in hectic parleys with BJP leaders and ministers. It is believed that he apprised Shah of his observations on Thursday.



The names that are doing the rounds for the post are number two in the cabinet Nitin Patel, Union Minister Purshottam Rupala and Assembly Speaker Ganpat Vasava, a tribal leader.



Rupanis name also came up early on, but he indicated on Wednesday that he was not in the race as he was happy with his current job. After this, Nitin Patel has emerged as a strong contender.

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Normal People director Lenny Abrahamson says there has been a "strong positive response" to the sex scenes in the new series depsite Liveline backlash.

Last week on RTE Radio One's Liveline listeners called into Joe Duffy to complain about the sex scenes in the new series.

One Irish listener compared it to a "porno movie" while others have been deeming it Fifty Shades of Sligo.

The debate then sparked more discussion on various social media platforms, causing Liveline to trend on Twitter.

Director of the 12-part series, Lenny Abrahamson reacted to the controversy as he virtually guested on Today with Maura and Daithi.

Speaking from his home to studio, he said: "I think we did it very sensitively and I would say it's brilliant radio on Liveline but I wouldn't say that the callers who were upset about it represent too many people in the country now.

"And they are totally entitled to their view but I think most people feel very differently about intimacy and bout the positive aspects of it."

He added: "And generally speaking there has been a very strong positive response to the way sex scenes are shown and the way consent is dealt with.

I think we keep to the truth of it and I think that's very beautiful. I felt we'd arrived when talk to joe was tuning in to our world.

The Oscar-nominated director went on to say that it was important for the team to represent Conall and Mariannes relationship truthfully and their physical intimacy is a big part of that.

"And it's part of the story and, as you'll see the series go on, it tells you things about the two characters and therefore to do it justice we felt obliged to be truthful to that aspect of it.
(Corrects sourcing, paragraph 8)

By Agustinus Beo Da Costa

JAKARTA, May 6 (Reuters) - More than 60 workers at a factory run by the Indonesian unit of U.S. tobacco giant Philip Morris have tested positive for the coronavirus after operations were suspended when two staff died from COVID-19, a provincial government official said.

PT Hanjaya Mandala Sampoerna Tbk, one of Indonesia's largest cigarette companies, halted operations at its factory in the East Java city of Surabaya on April 26 after the two deaths, with subsequent testing revealing a coronavirus cluster.

Joni Wahyuhadi of the East Java COVID-19 taskforce said 61 workers had tested positive for the coronavirus.

"All have been isolated and contract tracing has been handled by the city government," Wahyuhadi told Reuters.

The factory implemented strict physical distancing protocols, temperature checks and other hygiene protocols since mid-March, after the first case of the coronavirus was announced in Indonesia, said Ryan Sparrow, a spokesman for Philip Morris International.

In an earlier statement, Sampoerna said operations had been suspended until further notice for "deep cleaning and sanitization" while its products would be held from the market for five days.

According to the World Health Organization, the coronavirus can survive for up to 72 hours on plastic and stainless steel, less than 4 hours on copper and less than 24 hours on cardboard. There are more than 500 employees at the Sampoerna factory, and more than 90 who displayed flu-like symptons are currently under quarantine in a hotel, said Wahyuhadi.

The discovery of the cluster comes as Wahyuhadi said several hospitals in Indonesia's second-biggest city of Surabaya, where the Sampoerna factory is located, had become overloaded with patients.

"We are continuing to make an emergency hospital, and there are already three (treatment) tents," he said.

Indonesia's COVID-19 taskforce head Doni Monardo said on Monday the country's overall infection rate had dropped by 11 percent, though on Tuesday the country recorded its highest daily increase in cases, with another 484 infections.

Story continues

Indonesia has officially recorded 12,071 infections and 872 deaths, the largest death toll in East Asia outside China.

Asked whether he felt the infection rate was stabilising in Indonesia, epidemiologist Panji Fortuna Hadisoemarto said that for Jakarta and its surrounds and the city of Bandung in West Java that seemed to be the case.

"But in East Java, it seems to be spiking once more," said Hadisoemarto, who teaches at Padjadjaran University.

East Java has recorded the third highest number of cases in Indonesia with a total 1,171 infections, behind Jakarta and West Java, and the second highest death toll of 117.

Surabaya deputy mayor Whisnu Sakti Buana confirmed that healthcare capacities was being boosted, but the infection rate in Surabaya had dropped. (Additional reporting by Stanley Widianto, Kate Lamb and Bernadette Christina Munthe. Writing by Kate Lamb. Editing by Ed Davies, William Maclean)
First introduced in 2018, the Employment Insurance System (EIS) is a scheme that offers you unemployment benefits and job search assistance should you lose your job for reasons like retrenchment, redundancy, and so on. It is a compulsory government scheme that covers all private sector employees automatically, with employers and employees each contributing 0.2% of the employees salary every month.

Who is eligible for EIS?

As mentioned above, the EIS is targeted at employees in the private sector, and you must also be a Malaysian citizen or permanent resident aged between 18 to 60 years old to be eligible.

The EIS does not cover domestic workers, self-employed workers, civil servants, and workers in local authorities and statutory bodies as they are not covered by the Employment Insurance System Act 2017. Moreover, workers who are aged 57 and above who have never paid contributions before that age are also not covered by the EIS Act, and are not required to contribute to the scheme.

Those are the eligibility criteria that you need to fulfil in order to be enrolled into the EIS scheme. However, in order to apply for the specific benefits under EIS should you find yourself unemployed, you also need to fulfil the following conditions:

Apply within 60 days after your loss of employment

Meet the contributions qualifying conditions (CQC) by paying the required minimum number of SOCSO and EIS monthly contributions

Your loss of employment must fall under the pre-set definitions.

For the purposes of claiming EIS benefits, your loss of employment must be due to one of the following reasons:

Normal retrenchment and redundancy

VSS/MSS (voluntary or mutual separation schemes)

Closure of the company due to natural disasters

Bankruptcy or closure of the company

Constructive dismissal

Resignation due to sexual harassment or threats made in the workplace

Resignation after being ordered to perform dangerous duties outside the job scope

You cannot claim for EIS benefits if your loss of employment is caused by dismissal due to your own conduct, voluntary resignation, retirement, or the expiry of a fixed-term contract.

What are the benefits offered under EIS?

Job Search Allowance (JSA)

The main benefit offered under the EIS is the Job Search Allowance (JSA), a financial allowance for those who have lost their one and only job. If you are successful in your application for the JSA, you will be paid a monthly allowance for a minimum of 3 months and a maximum of 6 months, depending on how you have fulfilled the CQC requirements through your monthly EIS contributions. How much allowance you get each month will also depend on pre-determined rates and your assumed monthly wages.

For months 1-3 under the JSA, you will get paid 80%, 50%, and 40% of your monthly assumed wage respectively, and for months 4-6 you will get paid 40%, 30%, and 30%. If youre wondering how to find out your monthly assumed wage, you can refer to the table on the SOCSO website  but generally, your assumed monthly wage is your actual monthly wage give or take RM50 or so  and capped at an assumed RM3,950 a month.

Month Payment rate (% of monthly assumed wage) Maximum possible JSA to be earned each month 1 80% RM3,160 2 50% RM1,975 3 40% RM1,580 4 40% RM1,580 5 30% RM1,185 6 30% RM1,185

So, if you earned a monthly wage of RM2,400, your assumed monthly wage would be RM2,350 and you would get 80% of that as your JSA during the first month, 50% of that amount in the second month, and so on. Due to the cap on the monthly assumed wage, even if you were earning way above RM4,000 a month, your monthly assumed wage would not be higher than RM3,950.

After receiving your first instalment of JSA, applications are required to prove that you are actively seeking jobs in order to receive the rest. If you manage to return to work while still returning your JSA allowance, you are eligible for the Early Re-Employment Allowance (ERA).

Early Re-Employment Allowance (ERA)

If you manage to return to work while still receiving your JSA, you will be given the ERA as a financial incentive. The ERA is worth 25% of the money that you are entitled to under the JSA but have not yet received, and this will be paid to you in a lump-sum.

Lets say you earned RM3,800 a month before you lost your job and started receiving JSA benefits. For the first month of JSA payments, you receive RM3,000 (80% of your assumed RM3,750 wage) and in the second month you receive RM1,875. However, you then manage to start a new job in the third month  so what happens to the rest of your JSA payments? Under the ERA benefit, you are entitled to 25% of the balance of your JSA  so in this case, you would get 25% of the RM5,250 balance, which amounts to RM1,312.50.

Reduced Income Allowance (RIA)

The JSA is meant for those who have lost their only source of income, so if you have multiple jobs and have lost at least one but not all of them, the RIA is the financial allowance that you should be applying for. The payment rates and duration of payment are the same as those of the JSA.

For example, Mr Chang works as a clerk on Mondays to Fridays and a barista on the weekends and certain weeknights. If he were to lose his job as a clerk, he would have to apply for the RIA as opposed to the JSA as he has lost of one of his multiple sources of income.

Training Fee, Training Allowance, And Job Search Assistance

Under the EIS, you are also entitled to financial assistance for vocational training programmes. This could be in the form of training fees paid directly to training service providers (training fee) and financial incentives paid to encourage attendance at training sessions (training allowance). EIS also runs programmes like the Re-Employment Placement Programme and Career Counselling, which offer support and advice to those who are looking for jobs.

How to apply for EIS benefits

As long as you fulfil the eligibility criteria for the Employment Insurance System, you should be automatically enrolled into the scheme; it is your employers responsibility to ensure that it is so. However, to receive the specific benefits offered under the EIS once you are out of a job, you will have to make the required applications yourself. You may apply online or in person at any office.

You will need a copy of your NRIC, proof of loss of employment such as a termination letter, a copy of your bank account information, and pay slips for the last 6 months. Depending on the type of benefit you are applying for, you will also need to prepare additional documents; you may refer to them on the SOCSO website here.

If any of your applications are rejected, you may file an appeal at the Social Security Appellate Board by filling up a form at the SOCSO office.

Unemployment initiatives and Covid-19

Besides the existing EIS scheme weve outlined above, SOCSO has also introduced additional forms of assistance specific to the Covid-19 pandemic, such as the Employment Retention Programme (ERP). The ERP provides RM600 per month up to a maximum of 6 months for employees who have been issued with no-pay leave due to Covid-19. The application can be made by employers on behalf of their employees.

SOCSO also introduced a temporary financial incentive called SIP Plus 60. It offers RM600 a month for a maximum of 3 months for those who have suffered loss of employment and are registered with EIS, but do not meet the CQC requirements of having made 12 months of EIS and SOCSO payments.

According to economists, the risk of more job losses and salary cuts have increased with the prolonged movement control order (MCO) in Malaysia, and recovery could take up to 12 months. A Sunway Business School economics professor has forecasted a 5-6% unemployment rate ahead of the 3.3% rate currently, with the number of unemployed individuals projected to rise to more than 800,000. Therefore, do keep yourself aware and informed of any forms of assistance that you could be eligible for should you suffer from a loss of employment at this current time.

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The U.K.'s coronavirus lockdown is likely to begin to be eased from Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, as he promised to announce details to the nation this weekend.

"We will want, if we possibly can, to get going with some of these measures on Monday," Johnson told Parliament. He said he will set out the next phase of the coronavirus strategy in a public statement on Sunday because it would be a "good thing" if people know what to expect before the changes come into operation the next day.

As part of its plans to exit the lockdown, the government has already said it will roll out a mass program of tracking and tracing coronavirus cases. Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, Johnson set a new goal to raise testing capacity to 200,000 a day by the end of the month, from about 108,000 now.

The premier, who returned to Parliament for the first time since contracting coronavirus in March, is under pressure to get the U.K. economy moving again, amid criticism that he was slow to react to the crisis. The U.K. now has the highest death toll in Europe, after passing Italy's total on Tuesday.

"What people want to see is a careful, sensible program attracting the widest possible support to continue to suppress the disease right down but to allow our economy to start up again," Johnson told the House of Commons on Wednesday.

The prime minister said any changes will be made based on the latest scientific data, which will come through over the coming days.

Ministers are trying to find a route out of the lockdown without triggering a second spike of infections that could overwhelm health care systems. Though officials say the U.K. is past the peak, they've also warned any changes to current rules must ensure transmissions are kept under control given the absence of a vaccine.

Johnson's spokesman, James Slack, said people should prepare for a "different kind of normal," and the government will adopt a phased approach to easing restrictions. The prime minister's statement on Sunday will focus on social-distancing measures, he said.

"Everything is not going to be able to return to normal all at once," Slack told reporters on a conference call.

In Parliament, opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer said the government had been too slow in its response to the outbreak, and demanded Johnson explain how the U.K. had surpassed Italy to have the worst death toll in Europe.

Johnson accepted that a time will come for looking at whether his administration took the right decisions in response to the pandemic. He also argued that it was too early to compare the U.K. death toll to that of other countries.

There have been calls for an independent public inquiry, which minsters have not so far committed to.

As the government prepares to ease lockdown measures, it is also drawing up guidance for employers on how to safely resume work. Ministers circulated seven papers to businesses and trade unions on Sunday, setting out what steps firms will need to take when restrictions are eventually eased. They include social-distancing measures and stricter hygiene rules.

That prompted a backlash from the Trade Unions Congress, which said the proposals wouldn't protect workers, a theme that was taken up by Tory and Labour members of Parliament on Wednesday.

"The proposals themselves are wholly inadequate," said Andy McDonald, Labour's employment rights spokesman. "No worker should have their life or the life of their loved ones risked simply by going to work."

Conservative MP Jane Stevenson said many people are "nervous" about returning to work, and fellow Tory Scott Benton said it's "vital" people are protected. A third Tory, Dean Russell, asked for reassurance the government will work with appropriate health and safety authorities and ensure workplaces are safe, particularly complex ones like construction sites.

Business minister Paul Scully defended the proposals as an "early draft" and said there will be "plenty" of opportunities for employers and unions to give feedback.

"Where workers still feel unsafe, they can contact the Health and Safety Executive or their local authorities," he said.
India suffered a double blow, losing its third and fourth round matches to Europe and top-seeded China by similar 1.5-2.5 margins, on the second day of the FIDE-Chess.com Online Nations Cup on Wednesday.

Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand came up against a strong opponent in Ding Liren and the two agreed to sign peace in 54 moves. P Harikrishna held higher-rated Yu Yangyi to a draw while long-time rivals Koneru Humpy and Hou Yifan drew their game.

India No. 2 Vidit Gujrathi lost his third successive game in the tournament, going down to Wang Hao to enable China secure a victory in the fourth round.

Earlier in the day, India went down to Europe 1.5-2.5 with Gujrathi's defeat at the hands of Levon Aronian proving to be decisive.

Anand and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave played out a draw on the top board. Harikrishna held Jan-Krzysztof Duda and world rapid champion Humpy and Anna Muzychuk shared the honours.

China escaped with a 2-2 draw against Russia thanks to Ding Liren's superb win over Ian Nepomniachtchi after the talented Vladislav Artmiev had given his team the advantage, by beating Wei Yi.

The two other games -- Yu Yangyi and Sergey Karjakin and Aleksandra Goryachkina versus Ju Wenjun -- ended in stalemate.

Meanwhile, Europe rode on wins by Aronian and Nana Dzagnidze to thrash USA 3-1.

China is ahead of the field with seven match points and 10.5 board points at the conclusion of four rounds.

India, which started as the fifth seed, is languishing at the bottom with one match point and 6.5 board points.

On Tuesday, India drew 2-2 against USA in the opening round before losing to Rest of the World 1.5-2.5.

The event follows the double round-robin format, with the two leading teams battling for the title in the Super-final.

All matches involve four boards -- represented by three men and a women player. The rapid time-control is 25-minutes plus 10-second increment per move.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Suh Hoon, chief of the National Intelligence Service, attends a plenary session of the Intelligence Committee at the National Assembly in Seoul, Wednesday. / Yonhap



By Kang Seung-woo



The controversy over two North Korean defector-turned-lawmakers-elect's incorrect speculation on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's health is expanding to a political feud between the rival parties, as they argue whether it will be appropriate for the two to be placed on National Assembly committees dealing with classified information on Pyongyang.



The unexpected fracas comes after Thae Yong-ho and Ji Seong-ho, both of whom were elected to the National Assembly last month, came under heavy fire for their unconfirmed remarks on Kim's health that contradicted the government's stance. Thae, a former North Korean diplomat, told CNN that Kim was unable to stand up by himself, while Ji, an advocate for North Korean human rights, said that Kim had probably died. Amid intensifying criticism on their remarks, they both apologized, Monday.



The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) is claiming that they should not be allowed to be on the National Assembly Intelligence Committee or the National Defense Committee that deal with confidential intelligence. Thae and Ji belong to the main opposition United Future Party (UFP) and its satellite offshoot, the Future Korea Party (FKP), respectively.



"We are wondering whether their remarks as lawmakers, regarding inter-Korean relations and issues on the Korean Peninsula, may gain public trust. In that respect, there are growing calls that they should be excluded from the two standing committees," DPK spokesman Rep. Song Gab-seok said Tuesday.



Independent lawmaker Min Byung-doo also said, "This incident based on small pieces of intelligence betrayed the trust of the people. I hope they will stand up for North Korean defectors by working on other parliamentary committees."



Furthermore, the DPK urged the two parties to make a public apology and discipline them as their remarks triggered unnecessary confusion in society and costs for the country's financial markets.



In response, the opposition bloc hit back at the ruling camp.



"Although the two lawmakers-elect disappointed the people due to their incorrect speculation, the governing party's criticism is going too far," UFP floor leader Shim Jae-cheol said during a party meeting Wednesday.



"The DPK is lenient to the North Korean regime but too strict on defectors-turned-lawmakers-elect. While it denounces them, why doesn't it request the North apologize for gunshots fired at a guard post?" Shim said, referring to the North's firing of four shots at a South Korean guard tower in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) Sunday, which the government said seemed to be "unintentional."



UFP spokesman Rep. Kim Sung-won was also critical, saying, "Not satisfied with calling for the exclusion of them from the intelligence and defense committees, the DPK is now talking about punitive measures against them. It is seen as nothing but nitpicking by any means. It is an act of old politics."



Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun, an independent lawmaker, also defended Thae and Ji, saying they should not be discriminated against.



"They can choose any standing committees they want and request any intelligence they have access to as lawmakers," Yoon said. While the North Korea leader was absent from public view, Yoon also said he underwent cardiovascular surgery, citing a source inside the North.



Meanwhile, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) told Intelligence Committee lawmakers, Wednesday, that it believes the North Korean leader did not undergo surgery or a medical procedure related to his heart, despite being absent from public view for 20 days. In addition, the spy agency said Kim was handling state affairs as usual.



According to the NIS, Kim has made 17 public appearances so far this year, the fewest ever, which is believed to have to do with the coronavirus pandemic and his focus on domestic affairs.


An alleged US mercenary captured in Venezuela has said he was part of a plan ordered by Donald Trump to kidnap president Maduro.

In an apparent confession on state TV, Luke Denman, who was arrested alongside other alleged mercenaries, said he had been sent across the border from Colombia to secure an airport to fly Mr Maduro America.

In a separate televised address, Mr Maduro said Donald Trump was behind the alleged plot to oust him, and ordered the US nationals to be tried in Venezuela.

In a video broadcast Mr Deman admitted his role in the alleged plot. "I was helping Venezuelans take back control of their country, he told an interviewer hidden from the camera.

The veracity of the comments is unclear, as was the conditions under which the video had been made. Mr Denman is being held by the Venezuelan authorities.

Speaking after the Denman video was played, Mr Maduro said: Donald Trump is the direct chief of this invasion.

The US government has denied any involvement. Last night Russia said the US denial over the alleged plot was "unconvincing".

More to follow.
Zach Horn hosts a video meeting online each Wednesday afternoon to talk to 9th-grade students in the Steelton-Highspire School District about civics.

But not every student tunes in.

In fact, he usually sees the faces of just about half of his students. Other students will watch a recording of his lesson and the class discussion later. But some wont plug in at all.

Keeping students engaged is a delicate balance, Horn said.

I try to hit the key standards, and answer the essential questions in the time I have with students, Horn said. I would like to have more time during the week, but if I spent too much time online, I think more students would tune out.

The district is reaching between 73 and 79 percent of its high-schoolers with online instruction of new academic material, according to teachers records. That means more than 20 percent of kids may be getting left behind.

Other central Pennnsylvania districts report similar results, saying theyre reaching 70 to 80 percent of students with instructional material. But what are the other 20 to 30 percent of kids doing? Will they be ready for the next grade level or their next step in life?

Educators worry that the COVID-19 shutdown of schools is magnifying inequities among districts, and will put struggling students even further behind.

Some well-positioned districts started online instruction more than a month ago. Others just made the transition in the past week or so.

This pandemic has revealed the stark inequalities between the haves and the have-nots, said Mark DiRocco, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators. Pennsylvania was already one of the worst in the nation for that.

MISSING STUDENTS

School leaders believe some of the missing students are due to technology gaps or barriers if their families dont speak English as a first language.

Some students also struggle against distractions at home: babysitting younger siblings, sharing devices with siblings or parents, dealing with domestic issues or direct impacts from the new coronavirus and the constant temptation of social media and video games.

Participation also varies by grade level. For example, 92 percent of Steelton eighth-graders completed assignments or watched instructional videos recently. But just 52 percent of seventh-graders completed assignments or engaged with at least one teacher.

Districts are not grading the online material, which could contribute to a lack of urgency by some students. Instead of letter grades, most students will get a ranking of their participation level in the fourth marking period. Their final letter grade for each subject will be a compilation of the first three marking periods of the school year.

Many school districts are being lenient about participation and grades amid the pandemic because the situation already is stressful enough. Some families may be facing uncertainty about food, employment, childcare, and housing. Educators dont want to add another burden but they also are trying to get their students through the planned curriculum.

Overall, I believe we have done a decent job, said Travis Waters, superintendent of the Steelton Highspire School District, but regardless of how well we do, online learning is not the best format for many students.

Adding to the tension are the unknowns: Will districts be able to offer summer school for students who need it? Will the districts be able to open the doors to their buildings in the fall? Will they have to cut staff or programs next year because of plummeting state revenue and property taxes?

The big push right now is to get seniors graduated and get kids ready for the next level, DiRocco said. But superintendents are very quickly transitioning to next yearPeople are running the film ahead to think about it. We need to be prepared for a second wave (of the virus.)

WHOS CONNECTING?

With schools closed for seven weeks now, PennLive checked in with a dozen area school districts to see how well they are reaching students.

Most districts are keeping track of when students are online and which kids are turning in assignments.

The state department of education does not require districts to take attendance, but strongly encourages it. Experts say its important to know why students might not be tuning in.

Until you track attendance, you just wont know where the gaps are, Bree Dusseault, a practitioner in residence at the Center on Reinventing Public Education at the University of Washington Bothell told the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Harrisburg School District said its getting nearly 80-percent participation from high schoolers after devices were distributed to them the week of April 6.

High school teachers are meeting with each of their classes for a 45-minute period every week for live instruction and to give a weeks worth of assignments to cover big ideas from the curriculum. An additional 4 hours a week of office hours are offered by each teacher.

Tracking younger students participation is more difficult since many of them are getting instruction by prerecorded lessons on the districts Facebook page, YouTube channel and partnership with the local public broadcasting station. The district opted to broadcast lessons after a survey showed one-third of students didnt have access to devices or high-quality internet.

We are broadcasting 13 videos daily that go between 7.5 to 9.5 hours per day, said Assistant Superintendent Chris Celmer. Facebook allots us 8 hours per stream for broadcasting and archiving our broadcast.

More middle schoolers could transition to online learning after the district distributed devices to them last week. And the district is buying additional Chromebooks for students in third through fifth grades and tablets for K-2 students with a $361,000 competitive grant awarded by the state.

To date, I am pleased with the results based on the metrics we can monitor, Celmer said. No one can accurately predict what the 2020-2021 school year will bring, so we must continue to explore ways to increase the connectivity with students and families.

Officials from the York School District did not answer emails requesting information about their participation, but the Lancaster School District said they are seeing an average of 61-percent participation each day by high schoolers.

The instruction, however, is asynchronous, meaning students dont need to be logged in every day, said district spokesman Adam Aurand.

The lessons are posted the Friday before the week they are due and students can determine what schedule works best for them, Aurand said. For example, a student could decide to do school work on Tuesdays and Thursdays only.

The district deployed 9,000 devices, developed online curricula and acclimated students, teachers and leaders to this new method of teaching in a short period of time, Aurand said.

We are steadily building capacity in order to offer robust online teaching and/or hybrid educational models over the summer and in the fall, as necessary.

Most district that track engagement by grade level said younger students were more engaged than older ones. This was true for the Cumberland Valley and Derry Township school districts, where nearly all elementary students logged in. But at CV just 75 percent of high schoolers logged in, and in Derry, 70 to 80 percent of high schoolers turned in assignments.

The Middletown School District reported an average 93-percent participation by younger students but slightly lower for grades 9-12.

Other districts, such as Central Dauphin, just started moving into new academic instruction, so they didnt have participation numbers available.

The West Perry School District reported among the highest participation with 94 to 96 percent of high schoolers engaged. The sprawling district covers 300 square miles, but the superintendent is personally visiting the homes of students who havent plugged in yet.

The Technology Department is working with families to offer additional resources to better assist the students in connecting with teachers, Superintendent David Zula said. The administration is coming up with other ways to get the materials to the students i.e. placing materials, videos on flash drives.

PARENTS AS TEACHERS

Bethany Waiwadas children went from getting seven hours of instruction per weekday prior to the pandemic to less than that each week right now. She lives in the Harrisburg School District, but the situation is the same in most districts, where instruction time has been slashed, limited by students attention span and technology capabilities.

Parents must step in and try to fill the gap. But its difficult for many parents who lack the resources and knowledge of professional teachers.

Two of Waiwadas children, in fourth and fifth grade, are learning math through a method much different from what Waiwada learned when she was in school. And they dont have math textbooks at home to explain the method, which involves decomposing numbers down into digit values.

Im tired of watching YouTube, trying to figure out their math, she said. Im not breaking down anything.

Waiwadas youngest son, in third grade, is disabled and nonverbal. The computer at his school used to speak for him. Now Waiwada is using a laminated board that shows words and commands on buttons that he can touch, but its not attached to a computer. Waiwada will say the word or command, but its not the same thrill that the school computer, and its instant feedback, provide.

I try to teach him new things, but it just doesnt capture his attention, she said.

Bethany Waiwada's third-grade son uses this board to help him communicate.

Her son can log in with a specialist for a virtual lesson a few times each week, but the same hurdles remain.

The kids are learning a little bit, she said. But retention is hard when its not really consistent. My daughter only has one class online per week. I think there should be teaching every day, at least once a day.

Waiwada teaches what she can at home. She can bake a cake with her children and talk about fractions or use real-world examples to talk about debits and credits. But she knows its not exactly aligned with the districts curriculum. And she knows other parents are struggling too, especially those who didnt finish high school or required special education themselves.

How do we expect someone with no education to teach the kids? she said.

One thing Waiwada has learned from this situation, she said, is a greater appreciation for what teachers do every day.

I definitely will not be second-guessing a teacher anymore, she said.

Zach Horn, who teaches 9th grade civics, works from his dining room table.

TEACHING REMOTELY

Even students who are plugging into online lessons arent as active as they were in when they were in an actual classroom, said Horn, of the Steelton Highspire School District.

His civics classes typically generated a lot of discussion among students, especially when they delved into voting, elections and polling in a highly divided political time.

Im definitely not getting as much participation, he said. People can be shy with the new technology. They arent used to having to mute and unmute their speakers and theyre worried that if they speak, someone else might be speaking at the same time.

Its harder for Horn to connect with his students as well.

Whenever youre behind the screen, you cant see the whole class at the same time, he said. You cant gauge where they are like you can in a physical classroom. I kind of feel like Im talking to a wall sometimes.

Rachael Kruleski teaches fourth grade in the West Shore School District and said she sees participation by her students vary by subject and by topic. The district recently shifted to a four-day model with expectations, assignments and meetings for each day.

For most math assignments, 20 out of 23 kids turn in their work. But for some science lessons, shes had just seven kids turn in their work.

Other science lessons have prompted better response, depending on the specific topic, and whether it interests the students.

That didnt happen in a physical classroom, she said. The kids couldnt choose to skip certain topics or lessons when the teacher was right there.

I record myself teaching lessons and I can tell some kids dont watch it, she said. They go right to the assignment and do it all wrong, and Im like, Did you watch me teach you about this?

A district survey showed some parents preferred paper packets to online lessons, so the district provided those. Some students take photos of their completed paper assignments.

Ive gotten some of those via email, she said. But other students I havent heard from since the beginning of all of this. Weve reached out. I cant tell you how many times. Some kids are doing everything. And some kids may be doing nothing.

Even for those students who are doing all that they can, the instruction is just a fraction of what was being offered before.

Its going to have an impact on everybody, Kruleski said. When we finally get back into the classroom, were going to be playing some catch-up. There are going to be some gaps.

Rachael Kruleski teaches fourth graders from Hillside Elementary School in New Cumberland from her home.

WHATS NEXT?

Most school districts are trying to prepare for the possibility that students may not be able to come back to their school districts in the fall. Or perhaps, they may come back with staggered schedules or some hybrid online model of learning.

But one thing is certain, according to many education leaders: access to computer devices and high-quality internet connection can no longer be viewed as a luxury. Its going to be just as essential going forward as textbooks once were, experts say.

Many decades ago, there was a debate about whether schools should provide resources like textbooks, said DiRocco. Because of equity concerns, the decision was made that yes, every kid should have a science book. It was a normal expectation.

Fast forward to today, and a lot of people, including me, believe some type of device should be standard in lieu of textbooks, he said.

Computers, laptops and tablets are the new textbooks of our time, DiRocco said, and also the inequity crisis of our time.

I think the state should step in and help districts do this, he said, then they can pivot at a moments notice in case of another coronavirus situation or weather event. The districts could simply keep things going.

DiRocco said he doesnt blame districts for not having devices for every student right now, but in two or three years, I would think every district would have that in place.

READ: PLCB works to plug loophole that lets customers cut in line for online booze orders

READ: From a distance, family, friends honor Harrisburg School Board member who died from COVID-19
Aravind Raj By

Express News Service

KARUR: The pandemic and resultant lockdown across the globe has dealt a body blow to textile industry in Karur which is bracing for a loss of around Rs 1,500 crore. Karur is one of the hubs for manufacture and export of kitchen and household textiles.

For over 25 years, manufacturers and exporters from the district have been participating in the annual international textile fair in Germany through which they receive the majority of their orders. Industries also receive orders from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Every year, the industries receive orders worth Rs 3,500 crore in foreign exchange.

Though this year the industries received their share of orders, many were cancelled due to the pandemic, resulting in huge losses. With Europe and the US most affected by COVID-19, experts and industrialists have calculated a loss of over Rs 1,000 crore.

Gopalakrishnan, former secretary of Karur District Exporters Association, said, Industries here receive orders in December and January, April and May and August and September. These are our peak seasons and business amounts to Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 crore. Now, finished products are lying in factories as we are unable to export them.

He added, The government has given the nod to start production. We can operate now, but many of our foreign buyers have cancelled orders. Till now, over 50 per cent of orders have been cancelled. It would be a miracle if there is business of over Rs 500 crore. We would lose August and September orders too if the

crisis does not come to an end. Industries here are on the verge of facing a loss of around Rs 1,000 to 1,500 crore.

Speaking on assistance from the government, Gopalakrishnan said, The government must provide us an exemption from paying ESI and PF to employees for at least six months. Interest on loans received for export trading must be waived and the repayment period of our loan amounts extended without any penalty. The central government must provide financial assistance and a fund of Rs 2 crore to MSMEs

through banks. Only through these kinds of assistance would industries here be able to restart production.
Five persons were arrested for



allegedly defying the COVID-19 lockdown by gathering at a temple on the occasion of Narsingh Jayanti in Madhya Pradesh's Indore city on Wednesday, police said.

With 1,681 virus cases and 81 deaths, Indore is the worst-hit district of Madhya Pradesh.

"Five persons were arrested near the Narsingh temple in Narsingh market area. They have been booked under section 188 (disobeying a government servant's order) of the IPC," inspector Amrita Solanki of the Sarafa police station said.

Religious gatherings have been banned, as a curfew was in place to contain the spread of COVID-19, she said.

Meanwhile, a clip of the incident has gone viral on social media.

The video shows devotees wearing masks singing hymns in front of the Narsingh Temple, while two policemen are seen near them.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan-supported Hizb-ul-Mujahideen's top terror commander Riyaz Naikoo along with his associate was killed on Wednesday in an encounter in Beighpora village of Awantipora in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. His elimination is a major blow to the local terror groups active in the area. He became a terrorist in May 2012 and was a close associate of former Hizb-ul-Mujahideen chief Burhan Wani.

READ | Riyaz Naikoo: Top Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorist who masterminded killings of Jammu and Kashmir policemen

The dreaded terrorist was involved in more than a dozen killings since he picked up the gun at the age of 33. On March 8, 2014, Naikoo was involved in the killing of Haji Ghulam Mohammad Dar, the father of a sarpanch at Dogripora in the Valley. He was involved in the firing on a police bus near Bhatpora Tokena.

READ: List of top terrorists eliminated in Kashmir valley

Naikoo was also a part in the killing of Gh Mohi-Ud-din Dar, Javaid Akbar Khanday a resident of Khandaypora, a Police Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Mir at Padgampoara crossing, six migrant labourers in Kulgam, and truck drivers and fruit traders after August 5, 2019.

He was also involved in the kidnapping of constable Naseer Ahmad, looting of nine weapons from the residence of former MLA Wachi and release of an audiotape threatening attacks on the jail staff after preferential treatment being provided to terrorists and the separatists lodged in various jails was discontinued.

READ | Riyaz Naikoo, Pakistan-supported Hizb-ul-Mujahideen's top terrorist, killed in Beighpora village of Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir

Naikoo was also responsible for a large number of innocent youths getting into terrorist ranks and indulging in serious violence against the security forces and the local population. He resorted to brutal killings of civilians by branding them as informers of the police and security forces. Apart from the above, he was involved in many other cases of a heinous crime for which several number of FIRs were registered against him.

He had been continuously making audio and video clips and putting up on social media to motivate youth to join terrorism and went on recruiting new boys. He was a mastermind behind the revival of the outfit in Jammu and Kashmir. He also released videos and audios on a number of occasions carrying pro-Pakistan and separatist propaganda.

He also looted orchard owners and farmers to collect funds for his outfit and collected booty from illicit cultivation of opium in South Kashmir. Naikoo's outfit was also involved in narco trade case in Jammu where a huge sum of sale proceeds was transferred to one of his contacts.

Riyaz Naikoo took over as the commander of Hizbul Mujahideen after the outfit`s poster boy and commander Burhan Wani was eliminated in a gunfight with the security forces in the Kokarnag area in Anantnag district on July 8, 2016. Security forces hold Naikoo responsible for holding Hizbul together after its possible disintegration when Zakir Musa broke away from the Hizbul ranks to form his own splinter group.
Vietnams intensified crackdown on corruption has continued to draw praise from the international community.

Last week, news of the Vietnamese governments ongoing success in combating corruption was revealed via the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) releasing its annual Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI), a policy monitoring tool assessing citizen experiences and satisfaction with government performance at the national and sub-national levels in governance, public administration and public service delivery.

PAPI 2019 data surveyed more than 14,000 citizens from all 63 provinces nationwide, and a UNDP press release stated that in 2019, the greatest progress was made in the dimension on enhancing control of corruption in the public sector (which is most strongly correlated with overall citizen satisfaction) and increasing transparency in local decision-making. This matches well-documented reform efforts spearheaded by the high-profile anti-corruption campaign.

The press release went on to pay tribute to Vietnams efforts. Tackling corruption has been a centrepiece of the Party and government efforts, with numerous high-profile investigations over the last few years, it said. Consequently, the 2019 PAPI report reflects the clear impact of this anti-corruption campaign on perceptions of grand and petty corruption. This dimension saw the strongest improvements in 2019 at commune and national levels  with 5 per cent more respondents than in 2018 reporting that corruption was decreasing.

According to the PAPI 2019, while the anti-corruption drive is changing perceptions, there is continued evidence of significant declines in petty corruption, as experienced by citizens in district level public hospitals and when applying for land use right certificates.

While control of corruption scores has improved, a substantial number of respondents (20-45 per cent) continue to perceive corruption as prevalent in the public sector. This suggests that further efforts are needed to address this problem in the coming years.

Vietnams anti-corruption campaign was intensified years ago with 2012s Resolution No.12-NQ/TW of the fourth Central Party Committee Meeting, which targeted improved morality within the Party.

Party General Secretary, State President Nguyen Phu Trong emphasised in a speech in December last year that the campaign would continue into 2020, and several high-profile investigations in 2019 confirm the campaign continues.

The government has also issued directives targeted at reducing petty corruption facing businesses and citizens, such as the prime ministers Directive No.10/CT-TTg on strengthening effective management and prevention of harassment and problems for people and businesses in working performance.

Last week, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ordered a comprehensive investigation over the public procurement of healthcare equipment nationwide, after a related scandal was uncovered in Hanoi.

Investigators from the Ministry of Public Security reported that Nguyen Nhat Cam, director of Hanois Centre for Disease Control, and his accomplices had increased the purchase price for a COVID-19 test kit package by three times, or VND4.7 billion (over $204,000).

PM Phuc recently instructed the Government Inspectorate to launch an urgent investigation into the observance of legal regulations regarding the recent state management of rice exports.

The inspection aims to identify whether or not there are any signs of profiteering or other negative acts taking place, and to strictly handle them in accordance with the law.

In fact, Vietnam was also extolled by the international community for its fight against corruption. The UNDPs PAPI 2017 revealed significant improvements in five of the six PAPI dimensions compared to 2016. These are Transparency, Vertical accountability, Control of corruption in the public sector, Public administrative procedures, and Public service delivery.

Caitlin Wiesen - Resident representative, UNDP in Vietnam One of the most important topics being discussed globally today is the wellbeing of people, the responsiveness of governments and public trust in government efforts in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. The Vietnamese government has been praised by citizens and the international community for being anticipatory, agile, and adaptive to effectively curb the outbreak. This is what we call triple A governance. The strong leadership, and rapid and transparent measures with priorities placed on public safety have been identified as key factors to boost public trust and support in the government and country leaders. The PAPI research is focused on the same governance principles. The PAPI index highlights the value of citizen engagement and their ability to assess provincial governance and public administration efficiency in responding to the needs and expectations of the people. Over the last 10 years, the PAPI index has collected and analysed the views and experiences of over 130,000 Vietnamese citizens to assess government efforts in promoting grassroots democracy, public administration reform, control of corruption, accountability, transparency, and environmental protection. These are all crucial efforts to help Vietnam achieve sustainable development. The 2019 PAPI report contains many findings, but let me highlight three which I found particularly interesting this year. First, over the two government terms from 2011 to 2019, provincial governance performance has gradually improved. The average provincial scores on the six initial dimensions have increased from 34.5 points in 2011 to 37.4 points in 2019. Virtually all provinces have seen positive annual improvements. In particular, we have seen the most significant improvements in the areas of control of corruption (which is most strongly correlated with overall citizen satisfaction) and transparency in local decision-making. This is a testament to the strong commitment of central and local leaders to improve governance. Building on these improvements, we encourage them to continue to drive these reforms forward. Second, the PAPI findings in 2019 continue to call for long-term attention to the nexus between economic growth, poverty reduction, and environmental protection. Despite Vietnams rapid growth rate in recent years, poverty reduction has topped the list of most important concerns while jobs and employment have remained in the top four since 2015. In 2019, poverty was cited by nearly one quarter of PAPI respondents as the most important concern. Citizens without social insurance were more concerned about slipping into poverty and those in the agriculture sector expressed less satisfaction with their household economic situation. Interestingly, the environment has made it back into the top three citizen concerns in 2019. As Vietnam prepares to move to the COVID-19 recovery phase, the vulnerable population might be even more concerned about poverty and job losses caused by the pandemic. The PAPI survey in 2020 will include questions related to the virus impact to timely reflect citizens concerns and guide policy responses. Third, the 2019 PAPI report shows that further streamlining of administrative procedures and fostering e-governance should be prioritised in the government reform agenda. Respondents have reported that efforts to streamline administrative procedures and implement one stop shops have been less impactful for citizens than for businesses. VIR

Nguyen Dat

Private firms confused about anti-corruption law Private businesses have said they were unsure about how to implement the 2018 Law on Anti-Corruption that came into effect on July 1.
Houthi authorities yesterday announced the first confirmed coronavirus case in areas under its control, some two weeks after reports of suspected cases in the countrys north.

A Somali immigrant was found dead in a hotel in Sanaa, Health Minister Taha al-Mutawakel told the Houthis' Al-Masira TV on Tuesday. The deceased man later tested positive for coronavirus and was suffering from kidney failure and underlying liver disease, Mutawakel said.

For Yemen as a whole, 21 coronavirus cases and three deaths have been reported. All declared cases until Tuesday had been in the countrys south, which is controlled by forces affiliated with the internationally recognized government-in-exile of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. The Hadi government declared the first case of the virus in its territory April 10.

The real number of cases in the war-wracked country is likely far higher, and there are reports the Houthi government has been keeping suspected cases in Sanaa quiet.

The World Health Organization warned in March of a pending explosion of coronavirus cases in both Yemen and Syria. The WHO said Tuesday that only 200 coronavirus tests had been carried out in Yemen.

UN humanitarian coordinator for Yemen Lisa Grande said last month the WHO would be forced to cut its operations in the country by some 80% after the US government announced it was ending most of its humanitarian assistance to Yemen in response to Houthi aid restrictions. The Trump administration later announced it was suspending its funding for the WHO.

On Friday, the United States announced it would provide $1.7 million in humanitarian aid to Yemen, mostly for parts of country under the control of the Hadi government. The aid accounts for less than 1% of the $1.3 billion in aid the country requires to fight the pandemic, Al-Monitor correspondent Bryant Harris reported last week.

Tuesdays announcement underscores concerns about transparency by Houthi authorities about the epidemic. Houthi officials, including Mutawakel, have made a point of saying the Saudi-led coalition would be to blame for any outbreak that occurs.

Houthi military officials and diplomats also have frequent contact with their counterparts from Iran. Al-Masiras news coverage has largely avoided the subject of the coronavirus in Iran, one of the hardest-hit nations on Earth.

Yemen, one of the last countries to report its first case of COVID-19, experienced the worlds worst recent outbreak of cholera starting in 2016. That epidemic has largely been brought under control, but world health authorities say the country is totally unprepared for the current pandemic.

UN-led efforts to reach a cease-fire in the countrys civil war faced yet another setback last week when the Southern Transitional Council, a member of the Saudi-led coalition, declared self-rule in Aden and other areas of the countrys south, though at least four prominent governors rejected the declaration.
The beaches may be off limits for now, but there's no lockdown on beach reads. Jennifer Weiner, she of the summer-iest of summer reads, releases her newest novel today and EW has an exclusive preview of the first chapter. Big Summer follows protagonist Daphne, who has been asked to serve as maid of honor to an ex-best friend in a big, fancy, Cape Cod wedding. Below, listen to a sample of the audiobook, read by Danielle Macdonald  you may recognize her voice from her roles in Dumplin' and Bird Box  or scroll further to read the print excerpt if that fits your fancy.

005_BigSummer_Part1_Chapter1_2018

Chapter One

2018

"OhmyGod, I am so sorry. Am I late? Leela Thakoon hurried into the coffee shop with a cross-body bag hanging high on one hip, a zippered garment bag draped over her right arm, and an apologetic look on her face. With her silvery-lavender hair in a high ponytail, her round face and petite figure, and her emphatic red lipstick, she looked exactly the way she did on her Instagram, only a little bit older and a little bit more tired, which was true of every mortal, I supposed, who had to move through the world without the benefit of filters.

You werent late. I was early, I said, and shook her hand. For me, there was nothing worse than showing up for a meeting feeling flustered and hot and out of breath. In addition to the physical discomfort, there was the knowledge that I was confirming everyones worst suspicions about fat ladieslazy, couch potatoes, cant climb a flight of stairs without getting winded.

Today I had wanted to look my best, so Id worked out at six in the morning and cooled down for an hour, unhappy experience having taught me that, for every hour I exercised, Id need thirty minutes to stop sweating. Id arrived at the coffee shop Leela had chosen twenty minutes ahead of time, so that I could scope out the venue, choose an advantageous seat, and attempt to best project an aura of cool, collected competence#freelancehustle, I thought. But if I landed this collaboration, it would mean that the money I earned as an influencer would be more than the money I made doing my regular twenty-hour-a-week babysitting gig, and possibly even more than my dogs account was bringing in. I wouldnt be supporting myself with my online work, but Id be closer to that goal. In yoga that morning, when wed set our intention, Id thought, Please. Please let this happen. Please let this work out.

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Want something to drink? I asked. I already had my preferred summer beverage, cold brew with a splash of cream and extra ice, sitting in front of me.

No, Im fine, said Leela, pulling the metal water bottle of the environmentally aware out of her bag, uncapping it, and taking a swig. Oh, well, I thought. At least my coffee had come in a glass and not plastic. Im so glad to meet you. Leela draped the garment bag over a chair, smoothed her already smooth hair, and took a seat, crossing her legs and smiling at me brightly. She was wearing a pair of loose-fitting khaki shorts, pulled up high and belted tight around her tiny waist, and a blousy white top with dolman sleeves that left her slender arms bare. Her golden skin, a deeper gold than I got even at my most tan, glowed from the sunshine shed probably enjoyed on a getaway to Tahiti or Oahu. There was a jaunty red scarf around her neck, pinned with a large jeweled brooch. She looked like a tiny androgynous elf, or as if someone had waved a wand and said, Boy Scout, but make it tiny and cute and fashion. I was sure that some piece of her outfit had been purchased at a thrift shop Id never find, and that another had been sourced from a website Id never discover, or made by some designer Id never heard of, in sizes that would never fit me, and that it had cost more than one month of my rent. The entire rent, not just the half I paid.

Leela uncapped her bottle and looked me over, taking her time. I sipped my coffee and tried not to squirm, breathing through the insecurity I could feel whenever I was confronted by someone as stylish and cute as Leela Thakoon. Id worn one of my favorite summer outfits, a hip-length pale yellow linen tunic over a plain white short-sleeved T-shirt, cropped olive-green leggings with buttons at the cuffs, and tan platform sandals, accessorized with a long plastic tortoiseshell necklace, big gold hoop earrings, and oversized sunglasses. My hairregular brownwas piled on top of my head in a bun that I hoped looked effortless and had actually required twenty minutes and three different styling products to achieve. Id kept my makeup simple, just tinted moisturizer to smooth out my olive complexion, mascara, and shimmery pink lip gloss, a look that said I care, but not too much. In my previous life, Id dressed to hide, in a palette limited to black, with the occasional daring venture into navy blue. These days, I wore colors and clothes that werent bulky or boxy, that showed off my shape and made me feel good. Every morning, I photographed and posted my outfit of the day (OOTD), tagging the designers or the places Id shopped for my Instagram page and my blog, which Id named Big Time. I kept my hair and makeup on point for the pictures, especially if I was wearing clothes Id been gifted or, better yet, paid to wear. That had entailed a certain outlay of cash, on cuts and color and blowouts, in addition to a lot of trips to Sephora and many hours watching YouTube makeup tutorials before Id found a routine that I could execute on my own. It had been an investment; one that I hoped would pay off.

So far, the signs were good. Oh my God, look at you, Leela said, clapping her hands together in delight. Her nails were unpainted, clipped into short ovals. A few of them were ragged and looked bitten at the tips. Youre adorbs!

I smiled backit would have been impossible not toand wondered if she meant it. In my experience, which was limited but growing, fashion people tended to be dramatic and effusive, full of hyperbolic praise that was not always entirely sincere.

So what can I tell you about the line? she asked, removing a Moleskine notebook, a fountain pen, and a small glass bottle of ink from her bag and setting them down beside her water bottle. I tried not to stare. I did have questions about the clothes, and the collaboration, but what I really wanted to know was more about Leela. I knew she was about my age, and that shed done a little modeling, a little acting, and that shed made a few idlerich-kid friends and started styling their looks. The friends had introduced her to celebrities, and Leela had started to style them. In a few years time, she had amassed over a hundred thousand social-media friends and fans who followed her feed to see pictures of beautiful people wearing beautiful clothes in beautiful spots all over the world. By the time shed announced her clothing line, Leela had a built-in audience of potential customers, people whod seen her clients lounging on the prow of a yacht in the crocheted bikini Leela had sourced from a beach vendor shed discovered in Brazil, or walking the red carpet in a one-of-a-kind custom hand-beaded gown, or dressed down in breathable linen, handing out picture books to smiling children in poor villages all over the world.

When Leela had launched the brand she was calling Leef, shed made a point of saying that her collection would be sizeinclusive. She didnt just want to sell clothes to straight-size women, then toss big girls a bone in the form of a belated capsule collection or, worse, ignore us completely. Even better, in the videos Id watched and the press release Id read on her website, Leela had sounded sincere when shed said, Its not fair for designers to relegate an entire group of women to shoes, handbags, and scarves because the powers that be decided they were too big or too small to wear the clothes. Amen, sister, Id thought. My clothes are for every woman. For all of us. Which sounded good, but was also, I knew, a bit of a cliche. These days, designers whod rather die than gain ten pounds, designers whod rather make clothes for purse dogs than fat people, could mouth the right platitudes and make the right gestures. I would have to see for myself if Leela was sincere.

Tell me what got you interested in fashion, I asked.

Well, it took a minute, Leela said, smiling her charming smile. Ive always been drawn to . . . I guess youd call it self-expression. If I were a better writer, Id write. If I were a better artist, Id paint or sculpt. And, of course, my parents are still devastated that Im not in med school. I saw a fleeting expression of sorrow, or anger, or something besides arch amusement flit across her pretty features, but it was gone before I could name it, erased by another smile. High school was kind of a shit show. You know, the mean girls. It took me a while to pull it together, but I made it out alive. And I figured out that I know how to put clothes together. I know how to take a ten-dollar T-shirt and wear it with a two-thousand-dollar skirt and have it look like an intentional whole. I nodded along, like I, too, had a closet full of two-thousand-dollar skirts and other components of intentional wholes. So I found my way to working as a stylist. And what I found, she said, lifting her shoulders and straightening in her seat, is that women still dont have the options that we should. She raised one finger, covered from knuckle to knuckle with gold rings that were as fine as pieces of thread. If youre not in the straight-size range, theres nothing that fits. Additional fingers went up. If youve got limited mobility, you cant always find clothes without hooks and buttons and zippers. If youre young, or on a budget, if you want clothes that are ethically produced, and are made by people who are paid a living wage, I dont want women to ever have to compromise, she said, eyes wide, her expression earnest. You shouldnt have to decide between looking cute and buying your clothes from a sweatshop.

I found myself nodding along, feeling a pang of regret for every fast-fashion item Id ever picked up at Old Navy or H&M.

Once I started looking at what was available, it was obvious to meI wanted to design my own clothes, Leela said. I know how great it feelsand Ill bet you do, toowhen you put a look together, and it just . . . She paused, bringing her fingertips to her lips and kissing them, a cliched gesture that she somehow made endearing. It just works, you know?

I nodded. I did know. Once Id started searching out clothes that fit and looked good on the body I had instead of the one that I wanted, I had discovered exactly the feeling Leela Thakoon was talking about.

I think everyone deserves to feel that way. Even if you dont fit the skinny, white, long-straight-blond-hair mold. Even if youve got freckles, or wrinkles, or wide feet, or youre one size on the bottom and a totally different size on top. She put her hand just above her breast, like she was pledging allegiance to inclusive fashion. All of us deserve to feel beautiful. She looked at me, her eyes meeting mine, and I nodded and found myself unexpectedly blinking back tears. Normally, I would have had a hard time mustering much sympathy for a woman whose worst problem with clothes was that they were too big. You could always get your pants cuffed and your shirts and dresses taken in. You could even pick up things in the childrens section, where everything was cheaper, but if you were plus-size, there wasnt much you could do if the size of a designers offerings stopped before you started. Still, I respected Leelas attempt to offer kinship, to point out that even tiny, exquisitely pretty world travelers with famous friends didnt always fit into the box of beautiful.

So thats why! She smiled at me brightly, asking, What else can I tell you?

I smiled back and asked the open-ended question I used at the end of all of these conversations. Is there anything else you think I need to know?

There was. For starters, I dont work with sweatshops, Leela began. Every single item I sell is made in the USA, by union workers who are paid a living wage.

Thats wonderful, I said.

We use fabrics made from natural, sustainable materialsmostly cotton, cotton-linen blends, and bamboothats been engineered to wick sweat and moisture and withstand five hundred trips through the washing machine. She paused, waiting for my nod. We recycle as much as we can. Well have a trade-in program, where you can exchange a worn garment toward credit for something new. Weve designed our manufacturing and our shipping with an eye toward keeping our carbon footprint as small as possible, and with annual goals for reducing it as well.

Also great, I said, and found, again, that I was impressed in spite of myself.

We are, of course, a woman-led company with a nonhierarchical management structure. She gave a small, pleased smile. True, right now its just me and my assistant, so its pretty easy, but as we grow Im going to keep it that way. Were small at the moment, she said with that beguiling smile, but when we expandnot if, but whenwere going to be as inclusive as possible. That means race, gender, age, ethnicity, and size. I want to make clothes for everybody.

Thats terrific, I said, and meant it.

Best of all, she said, reaching across the table and giving my forearm an uninvited squeeze, the pieces are luscious. She popped to her feet, picked up the garment bag, and held it in both hands, offering it to me. Go on. Try them on.

What, right now?

Please. It would be such an honor, she said, her smile widening.

Thankfully this coffee shop had a spacious bathroom that was covered in William Morrisstyle wallpaper, with fancy soap and hand lotion and a verbena-scented candle flickering on the reclaimed-wood table beside the sink. I hung the bag from a hook on the inside of the door. Luscious, I thought, bemused. It sounded like a brand-new code word for fat, like Rubenesque. But Id take it. Id always take a well-intentioned gesture toward kindness and inclusion over the rudeness that had underscored too many of my days.

I unzipped the bag. According to the promotional materials, each piece of the capsule collection had been named after a woman in Leelas life. They were all designed to work together, each could be dressed up or dressed down, and the collection could keep a working woman covered, from office to evening, seven days a week. It was the impossible dream. In my limited experience, clothes didnt work this way. Yoga pants still looked like yoga pants, even if you wore them to the office with a blazer on top; a bridesmaids dress was still a bridesmaids dress, even if you hemmed it or dyed it or threw a cardigan over it and put it on for a trip to the grocery store.

I told myself to keep an open mind as I removed the first hanger from the bag and gave the dress a shake. It had an A-line silhouette, three-quarter-length sleeves, and a waistline that gathered under the bust. The fabric was a silky blend of cotton and something stretchy and synthetic, light and breathable, but with enough weight to drape well. Best of all, it was navy blue, with white polka dots. I adored polka dots.

I shucked off my leggings and top, pulled the dress off, shut my eyes, and let the fabric fall over my head and shoulders, past my breasts and hips, unspooling with a silky swish. I turned toward the mirror and held my breath.

For all womenor maybe just all plus-size women, or maybe just metheres a moment right after you put on a new piece of clothing, after youve buttoned the buttons or zipped the zipper, but before youve seen how it looksor, rather, how you look in it. A moment of just sensation, of feeling the fabric on your skin, the garment against your body, knowing here the waistband pinches or if the cuffs are the right length, an instant of perfect faith, of pure, untarnished hope that this dress, this blouse, this skirt, will be the one that transforms you, that makes you look shapely and pretty, and worthy of love, or respect, or whatever you most desire. Its almost religious, that belief, that faith that a piece of silk or denim or cotton jersey could disguise your flaws and amplify your assets and make you both invisible and seen, just another normal woman in the world; a woman who deserves to get what she wants.

I opened my eyes, gave the skirt a shake, and looked at myself in the mirror. I saw how my skin glowed, rosy, against the navy blue, and how the bustline draped gracefully and didnt tug. The V-neck exposed the tiniest hint of cleavage; the wide, sewn-in waistband gripped the narrowest part of my body; and the skirt, hemmed with a cute little flounce of a ruffle that I hadnt noticed at first, flared out and hit right beneath my knees. The sleeves were fitted, snug without being uncomfortableI could lift and lower my arms and stretch them out for a hug, and the cuffs sat between my elbows and my wrists, another visual trick, one that made my arms look as long as the skirt made my legs appear.

I turned from side to side, taking in the dress, and me in the dress, from every angle the mirror would give me. I could already imagine it working with my big fake-pearl statement necklace, or with my dainty amethyst choker, with my hair in a bun, or blown out straight. I could wear this with flats, I thought. I could wear it with espadrilles or wedges or stilettos. I could wear it to work, with sneakers and a cardigan . . . or out on a date with heels and a necklace . . . or just to go to the park, sit on a bench, and drink my coffee. As Leela had promised, the fabric breathed. The dress moved with me, it didnt pinch or bind or squeeze. It flattered, which, in my mind, meant that it didnt make me look thin, or different, but instead like the best version of myself. It made me feel good, made me stand a little straighter. And . . . I slipped my hands down my sides. Pockets. It even had pockets.

A unicorn, I breathed.

Knock knock! called Leela, her voice merry. Come out, come out wherever you are! I gave myself one last look and stepped out of the restroom. In the coffee shops light, the dress looked even better, and I could notice little details, the subtle ruching on the sides of the bodice, the tiny bow at the base of the neckline, the embroidered rickrack along the cuffs.

So what do you think? I thought about trying to be coy. I thought about trying to be as effusive as fashion folk typically were. In the end, I gave her honesty.

Its amazing. My new favorite dress. She clapped, her pretty face delighted.

Im so glad! The dresswe call her Janeis the backbone of the collection. And theres pants . . . and a blouse . . . She clasped her hands together and pressed them against her heart. Will you try them on for me? Pretty please? Ive only ever seen them on our fit model. This is my first chance to see them, you know, out in the real world. I agreed. And, to my delight, every piece was just as comfortable, just as flattering, and just as thoughtfully made as the Jane. The high-waisted, wide-legged Pamela pants were chic, not frumpy, a world away from the palazzo pants that grandmothers wore on cruises; the white blouse, named Kesha, had princess seams and a clever hook-and-eye construction to guarantee that it wouldnt gape. I normally hated blazers, which always made me look boxy and approximately the size of a refrigerator, but the Nidia blazer was cut extra-long in the back and made of a stretchy brushed-cotton blend, with cute zipper detailing on the sleeves in a perfect shade of plum.

The last piece in the garment bag was a swimsuit called the Darcy. I lifted the hanger, swallowing hard. Swimsuits would probably always be hard for me. Even after all this time, all the work Id done to love my bodyto at least accept the parts I couldnt loveI still cringed at the cellulite that riddled my thighs, the batwings of loose flesh under my upper arms, and the curve of my belly.

The swimsuit had a kind of vintage style. There was a skirt, but it wasnt the heavy, knee-length kind Id remembered from my own mothers infrequently worn bathing suits, but a sweet flounce of ruffles that would brush the widest part of my thighs. You can do this, I coached myself, and pulled the suit on, over my underpants, and adjusted the straps. Another deep breath, and I looked in the mirror. There were my thighs, so white they seemed to glare in the gloom. There were my stretch marks; there were the folds of fat on my back; there was the bulge of my stomach. I shut my eyes, shook my head, and told myself, A body is a body.

Daphne? Leela called. Is everything okay? I didnt answer. Deep breath, I told myself. Head up. I slicked on red lipstick and slid my feet into my wedges. I made myself smile. Finally, I looked again, and this time, instead of seeing cellulite or rolls, or arms or thighs, I saw a woman with shiny hair and bright red lips; a woman whod dive into the deep end and smile for the camera and live her life out in the open, as if she had just as much right to the world as anyone else.

Holding that thought in my head, I opened the door. Leela, whod been bouncing on the tips of her toes for each previous reveal, went very still. Her hands, which shed had clasped against her chest, fell to her sides.

Oh, she said very softly. Oh.

Its perfect, I said, and sniffled.

Perfect, she repeated, also sniffling, and I knew that not only had I found the swimsuit and the clothes of my dreams, but Id landed a job, too. Once Id changed back into my own clothes, I returned to the table. Leela, beaming, extended her hand.

Id love to hire you as the exclusive face, and figure, of Leef Fashion. Her hand was warm, her grip firm, her gaze direct, her smile bright.

And Id love to accept. Its just . . . Leela looked at me, her face open and expectant.

Why me? I asked. I mean, why not someone, you know, bigger? No pun intended, I thought, and felt myself flush. Leela tilted her head for a moment in silence, her silvery hair falling against her cheek.

I like to think that building a campaign is like putting together a great outfit, she finally said. You pull a piece from here, a part from there. And everything has to fit. When I thought about who would fit my brand, I knew I wanted someone like you, whos just starting out. I want to make magic with someone I like; someone who is just at the beginning of her story. I want someone real, she concluded. Well, as real as anyone ever is on social. And youre real, Daphne, Leela said. Thats what people love about you, thats why they follow you. From that very first video you posted to the review you did of that workout plan . . . BodyBest?

BestBody, I murmured. That had been a doozy. The company had sent me its workout plan, a sixty-dollar booklet full of exhortations about Get your best beach body now, and Be a hot ass, and Nothing tastes as good as strong feels, and shots of slim, extraordinarily fit models with washboard abs and endless legs demonstrating the moves. Id done the entire workout plan, all twelve weeks of it. Id filmed myself doing jump squats and burpees, even though Id been red-faced and sweaty, with parts of me flopping and wobbling when I did mountain climbers or star jumps (none of the models had enough excess flesh for anything to flop or wobble). My carefully worded review had alluded both to the challenging workouts and the punitive language, which Id found distracting and knew to be ineffective. Research shows that shaming fat folks into thinness doesnt work. And come onif it did, most of the fat women in the world would have probably disappeared by now, Id written.

You have an authenticity that people like. Youre just . . . She tilted her head again. Unapologetically yourself. People feel like youre their friend, Leela said, looking straight into my eyes. Youre going places, Daphne, and I want us to go together. She extended her cool hand. So, what do you say? I made myself smile. I was delighted with her praise, with her confidence that I was going places. I was also still thinking about the BestBody review and how the truth was that the workout had left me in tears, so disgusted with myself that Id wanted to take a knife to my thighs and my belly. I hadnt written that, of course. No one wanted to see anything that raw. The trick of the Internet, I had learned, was not being unapologetically yourself or completely unfiltered; it was mastering the trick of appearing that way. It was spiking your posts with just the right amount of real . . . which meant, of course, that you were never being real at all. The more followers I got, the more I thought about that contradiction; the more my followers praised me for being fearless and authentic, the less fearless and authentic I believed myself to be in real life. Leela was still looking at me, all silvery hair and expectant eyes, so I took her hand.

Im in. She smiled and bounced on the balls of her feet, a happy little elf whod just gotten a raise from Santa. We shook and started talking termshow much shed pay for how many pictures and videos posted over what period of time and on what platforms. We discussed what time of day was best to post, which settings her viewers preferred.

Still shots are great. Colorful backdrops. Walls with texture, or murals. And fashion people love video, Leela said with the solemnity of a priest explaining the workings of a crucially important ritual. They like to see the clothes move.

Got it, I said, practically squirming with impatience. I couldnt wait to finish my day, get back to my apartment, and model the clothes for my roommate, to see how they worked with my shoes and my necklaces, to think about where I could wear them and how I could make them look their best.

Oh, and outdoor is better than indoor, of course. Do you have any plans for the summer? Leela asked. Any travel? I breathed in deeply and tried to keep my face still.

Im going to a wedding on the Cape. Do you know Drue Cavanaugh? Leela nibbled her lip with her perfect white teeth.

Shes the daughter, right? Robert Cavanaughs daughter. The one whos marrying the Single Ladies guy?

Thats her. She and I went to high school together, and Im going to be in her wedding.

Leela clapped her hands, beaming. Perfect. Thats absolutely perfect.

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In addition to the 41 furloughed staff members, 11 others will be cut to part-time hours, out of an administration of 237 people. Those furloughed will receive two weeks of pay and, like the unionized orchestra, chorus and stagehands, will retain their health benefits. The affected employees are spread across the companys departments, including artistic affairs, production and marketing.

Mr. Gelb said he had told the staff that he did not envision further cuts, at least through the summer. But in the interview he added that the Mets financial picture was complicated by not knowing when operations might resume, and by the likelihood that recovery would be slow, even after reopening.

Its very difficult to budget when you have so many uncertainties of timetable, he said. The performing arts are going to be the last business to return. Were still selling tickets for next season, but obviously the fall is in jeopardy at this point. Hard decisions will need to be made in the coming weeks about the opening. Perhaps by some miraculous situation we can return in the fall.

When the Met announced in March that it would cancel the remaining eight weeks of its season, Mr. Gelb said that he would forgo his salary until operations returned to normal, and that senior management and some staff would see pay cuts. But he added that there were no planned salary cuts for those making less than $125,000 a year, and no plans for layoffs of administrative staff members.

We need an administrative staff to keep the institution running without performances, Mr. Gelb said then. The business of the Met has to go on.
YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian received today Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

Ombudsman Tatoyan introduced the current activity of his Office. He informed that they have already submitted to the Parliament the annual report on the 2019 activity of the Ombudsmans Office, the situation of human rights and freedoms, as well as the annual report on the 2019 activity of the Human Rights Defender as a national prevention mechanism. The Ombudsman said the two reports will soon be debated in the Parliament.

The meeting also touched upon the cooperation of the Ombudsmans Office with the international structures.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
A New Jersey State Police detective shot in the leg during a confrontation at a Salem County trailer park on April 25 will soon be released from the hospital, officials confirmed.

Detective Richard Hershey was investigating an earlier home invasion at the Harding Woods mobile home park when he was confronted by a group of people and shot after ordering them to leave the area, authorities said.

Three men, Najzeir J. Naz Hutchings, 21, Tremaine M. Hadden, 27, and Kareen Kai Warner Jr., 19, all of Bridgeton, are charged with attempted murder and other offenses in the shooting. Six others were also charged in the investigation. The state attorney generals office announced Tuesday that Warners charges had been upgraded after he was originally charged only with a weapons possession offense.

New Jersey State Police Col. Patrick Callahan, speaking during Gov. Phil Murphys daily coronavirus update Tuesday afternoon, confirmed that Hershey would soon leave the hospital.

He appreciates, and so do all of us, your support and outpouring of prayers for him and his family, Callahan said.

Thats great news, Murphy responded to word of Hersheys recovery.

The detective had gone to the trailer park on a Saturday evening to investigate a home invasion assault hours earlier in which a woman was beaten and her cellphone stolen. A caravan of five vehicles arrived at the scene and confronted Hershey. After he told them to disperse, the detective was shot in the upper leg as the vehicles drove away. Hershey returned fire.

Najzeir J. Naz Hutchings, 21, Tremaine M. Hadden, 27, and Kareen Kai Warner Jr., 19, all of Bridgeton, are charged with attempted murder and other offenses in the shooting of a New Jersey State Police detective.

The trooper was taken to Cooper University Hospital, Camden, where he underwent surgery.

A woman who was with the caravan, but not among those charged, was wounded in the exchange of gunfire. She was treated and released.

Hershey was in plain clothes and driving an unmarked vehicle at the time, but identified himself to the group, officials said.

Hutchings and Warner allegedly fired on Hershey from one vehicle, while Hadden fired from another.

In addition to attempted murder, they are charged with aggravated assault on a police officer and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

Colby Opperman, 18, of Bridgeton was charged with second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon following the shooting.

Warner, Hutchings and Opperman were ordered held pending trial. A detention hearing for Hadden is slated for Monday.

Police ultimately charged five woman in connection with the home invasion.

Maria E. Betancourt, 39, of Vineland; Iramari Lazu, 22, of Bridgeton; Yomari Lazu, 43, of Bridgeton; Jazmin Valentin, 32, of Bridgeton; and, Mayra S. Roblero, 52, of Bridgeton, were each charged with aggravated assault, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery, burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary.

Iramari Lazu was among the members of the caravan who later confronted Hershey, authorities confirmed.

During detention hearings held Tuesday, the Lazus were ordered held pending trial, while the other three woman were released pre-trial.

The home invasion stemmed from derogatory comments the victim had made about a family member of someone involved in the assault, according to criminal complaints. Investigators believe the group returned to the scene that night to continue the dispute.

We allege that they were not satisfied with what had transpired earlier and that they went there to exact even more harm on the residents there, perhaps, Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said during an April 28 press conference announcing charges in the case.

Grewal described the group as a hostile mob.

Five woman were charged in the home invasion at a Pittsgrove mobile home park that occurred hours before a state police detective was wounded while investigating that incident.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com.
MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI  Two Casnovia Township officials narrowly avoided losing their seats after residents voted not to recall them in a special election Tuesday.

Township residents petitioned last year to recall Casnovia Township Clerk Jennie Powell and Trustee Daniel Winell, both Republicans, over their voting records on a controversial wind farm project that divided township residents and their elected officials for over a year.

However, Powell beat nonpartisan challenger Carrie Schuman by 245 to 209 votes, according to unofficial May 5 election results from the Muskegon County Clerks Office.

Winell held his seat by just six votes, beating nonpartisan challenger Steven Sower, Jr. with 230 to 224 votes.

RELATED: West Michigan officials facing recall election over controversial wind farm project

The controversial wind farm project sparked division within the township over a litany of complaints by residents, who claimed the proposed wind farm would create excessive noise and could create hazards for local wildlife.

The proposed wind farm, dubbed the Kenowa Ridge Wind Farm Project, would have built 31 wind turbines across portions of Casnovia Township in Muskegon County and Tyrone Township in Kent County. It was first proposed in 2018 and would have been completed this year.

After Powell, Winell and Treasurer Gayle Brock  who has since resigned  voted to approve the wind farm project, residents filed petitions to recall them, registering over 400 signatures.

Residents who filed petitions against the officials previously told MLive that Powell and Winell had lost the trust of Casnovia Township residents by voting against the will of residents.

However, Winell claimed the basis of the petition was inaccurate, and told MLive he was surprised the petition was approved in the first place.

Winell said even though some township officials wanted to resign immediately once the petition was filed, he decided to stick it out.

I believe in our system, I really do, he said. It is what it is. Our system is the way it is for a reason.

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T.R. Knight is celebrating an anniversary.

The 47-year-old actor, who played the role of Dr. George O'Malley on Grey's Anatomy, took to social media with a post to commemorate knowing his husband Patrick Leahy for 10 years.

The Minneapolis native, who has also performed on Broadway, tied the knot with Leahy, a ballet dancer/writer, in 2013.

Decade of love: Grey's Anatomy actor T.R. Knight, 47, took to social media with a post to commemorate knowing his husband Patrick Leahy for 10 years

The post on Friday was accompanied by a pair of the men posing amid beautiful nature in Dolores, Colorado, as Knight wore a blue shirt, while Leahy was clad in a purple top.

'Ten years ago, @bridgeteverett @zshaffer1 and @jasoneagan made meeting this magnificent human possible,' Knight wrote in an Instagram post.

He continued: 'My goal for the next ten? Keep trying to deserve him. ([Photo]: from one of my favorite adventures together... the next day we found Traveler!)'

The actor was hailed with supportive comments in the thread under the post, as his friend and Grey's Anatomy castmate Ellen Pompeo said, 'Love you guys.'

Inner circle: The actor was hailed with supportive comments in the thread under the post, as his friend and Grey's Anatomy castmate Ellen Pompeo said, 'Love you guys'

Simpler times: Knight and Pompeo were snapped in early March, just prior to the shutdown in the U.S. amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Actress Bitsie Tulloch wrote to Knight: 'I love and miss you both and cant wait for our social distancing walk on Sunday!!!' while actress Alicia Hannah wrote, Beautiful couple!! Happy anniversary!!'

Westworld star Lena Waithe added an emoji couple with hearts for eyes.

Knight's October 2013 nuptials to Leahy were attended by his one-time Greys co-stars Kate Walsh and Katherine Heigl; and Heigl's husband Josh Kelley, People reported.

The actor left the medical drama in 2009, two years after a scandal in which Isaiah Washington called him a homophobic slur amid a fight on the set. The incident paved Washington's path off the show, as he was fired in June of 2007 in the wake of the ugly exchange.
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State has approved payment of N25,000 daily allowance to medical doctors involved in handling coronavirus pandemic in the state.

The governor also approved payment of varying allowances on a daily basis to other health workers involved in the COVID-19 campaign.

According to a statement by the press secretary to the governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, in Ilorin, on Tuesday, the payment is meant to encourage the frontline health workers to do more.

In appreciation, the chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Kolade Solagberu, commended the governor, saying that, This is no doubt motivating and an added impetus towards driving the ready spirit of the health workers.



The Kwara State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association is proud to have you as our governor at this crucial time and shall sustain our collaborative stance to further break newer grounds for an overall improved health care system in Kwara State.

Follow Us on Facebook  @LadunLiadi; Instagram  @LadunLiadi; Twitter  @LadunLiadi; Youtube  @LadunLiadiTV for updates
New Delhi: Star couple Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma on Wednesday paid tributes to their pet dog Bruno, who died after gracing their lives for 11 years. Both Virat and Anushka took to their respective social media accounts to mourn the death of Bruno and penned an emotional goodbye.

"Rest in peace my Bruno. Graced our lives with love for 11 years but made a connection of a lifetime. Gone to a better place today. God bless his soul with peace," the Indian skipper wrote. While the actress Anushka shared a lovely selfie of the trio and captioned the picture, "Bruno RIP", adding heart emojis.

Rest in peace my Bruno. Graced our lives with love for 11 years but made a connection of a lifetime. Gone to a better place today. God bless his soul with peace pic.twitter.com/R1XSF3ES5o  Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) May 6, 2020

Celebs like Priyanka Chopra, Alia Bhatt, Zoya Akhtar, Sonali Bendre and others too dropped heart emojis on Anushkas post for Bruno.

Virat and Anushka have been spending some quality time together as the coronavirus pandemic has brought all sporting action and cinema across the world to a halt. They have also been constantly spreading awareness about the virus and urging people to adhere to the guidelines put in place by the government in order to stop the spread of novel coronavirus.

The couple earlier donated to support the Prime Minister`s Relief Fund and Chief Minister`s (Maharashtra) Relief Fund in the ongoing battle against the coronavirus pandemic.
CALGARY - Consumer demand for fuel is growing slightly after a sudden decline due to measures to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic but the CEO of Suncor Energy Inc. says he doesn't expect a full recovery for his company or the Canadian energy sector until at least 2022.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 6/5/2020 (622 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Suncor president and CEO Mark Little prepares to address the company's annual meeting in Calgary on May 2, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

CALGARY - Consumer demand for fuel is growing slightly after a sudden decline due to measures to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic but the CEO of Suncor Energy Inc. says he doesn't expect a full recovery for his company or the Canadian energy sector until at least 2022.

The Calgary-based oilsands and refining giant surprised analysts by cutting its quarterly dividend by 55 per cent to 21 cents per share as it reported a first-quarter net loss of $3.525 billion on Tuesday.

It had 18 years of consecutive annual dividend increases, with the latest announced in February.

The cut was necessary as the company resets its target of breaking even at a West Texas Intermediate price of US$35 per barrel, down from the previous mark of US$45, said CEO Mark Little on a conference call on Wednesday.

"Although we expect the crude market to substantially recover by 2022, the risk of an extended period of economic uncertainty, translated into weaker commodity prices and higher volatility, remains possible," he said.

"In the second quarter, we know our industry is being challenged by ... a significant supply and demand imbalance which has resulted in the largest collapse in crude prices ever. These market conditions require decisive leadership and action."

The company, which sells fuel across Canada through its Petro-Canada network, has seen a reduction in demand of 50 per cent for gasoline, 70 per cent for jet fuel and 20 per cent for diesel, Little said.

As North American oil storage fills to near capacity, any rebound in upstream oil production must be led by recovery in the downstream and that means it depends on when governments reopen the economy and consumers feel confident about travelling again, Little said.

There will be further delays as the high level of crude inventories is drawn down, he added.

Chief financial officer Alister Cowan said on the call he expects that Suncor's gross debt of about $20 billion will grow by $2 billion or $3 billion this year, but the company will break even on a cash flow basis in 2021.

In a report, analyst Michael Dunn of Stifel FirstEnergy estimated the dividend cut will save Suncor about $1.56 billion per year.

"While not altogether surprising, the cut was not a sure thing given Suncor's liquidity and track record of dividend increases. We agree with the move," he said.

Suncor's capital spending plan for 2020 is being cut to $3.8 billion, a further reduction of $400 million compared with its recent guidance and down $1.9 billion or about one-third compared with its original 2020 plan.

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It added it intends to cut operating costs by $1 billion or 10 per cent this year compared with 2019 levels.

Suncor registered an impairment charge of $1.38 billion on its 54.1 per cent share of the Fort Hills oilsands mine it operates and $422 million against its share of the East Coast offshore White Rose and Terra Nova assets.

Suncor also recorded a $397-million after-tax inventory writedown, as well as a $1-billion unrealized after-tax foreign exchange loss on U.S. dollar denominated debt.

Due to lower demand for refined products, Suncor is reducing its outlook for refinery throughput to between 390,000 and 420,000 barrels per day from the previous goal of between 440,000 and 460,000 bpd.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2020.

Companies in this story: (TSX:SU)
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has no plans to close state parks despite visitors continuing to violate social distancing orders during the coronavirus pandemic.

Ron Olson, DNR chief of parks and recreation, said discussions between the DNR and the governors office have not included talks about closing the parks completely. Public gathering spaces within the parks such as campgrounds, shelters, and lodging facilities are closed under the states stay-at-home order, which is due to expire May 15.

Moving forward, there will be a strong emphasis on making sure people dont go out and lose their better judgement while at the parks, he said. This can create a potential for the virus to spread. We dont want the parks to become those types of spaces. We are working with other park systems about social distancing messaging during this pandemic.

Recreation areas, trails, and other state-managed public lands remain open for use, but with previsions to decrease the risk of coronavirus spread.

Over the weekend, the DNR closed all parking lots at Grand Haven State Park due to a lack of social distancing as people gathered for an impromptu car show and refused to disperse when warned by law enforcement. Belle Isle State Park in Detroit was closed twice due to having too many cars on the island at one time. The park has a 3,000 vehicle limit.

Last month, Tippy Dam Recreation Area, located in the Upper Peninsula, closed as visitors continued to violate the states social distancing order and multiple citations were handed out at Sterling State Park, located in Monroe, to non-compliant visitors who refused to follow the social distancing order when advised by law enforcement. The citations totaled $500 each.

In an interview with The Detroit Free Press on Monday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer expressed strong concern about a lack of social distancing at Belle Isle State Park. She suggested that greater restrictions could be placed on access to state parks.

On Wednesday, Tiffany Brown, press secretary for Whitmer, told The Oakland Press that the governor is not expected to make any announcements about the state parks on Wednesday or Thursday.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Michiganders have been encouraged to take advantage of outdoor activities, including the use of state parks, as long as sound social distancing is followed.
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Every once in a while the universe aligns, the clouds part in the sky, and out of nowhere an instance of unexpected clarity shines through. A moment of Zen, if you will. On Tuesday, just such a moment arrived when the gods of side-eye looked down upon our beleaguered nation and delivered President Donald Trump touring a N95 mask manufacturing plant in Phoenix. During the coronavirus crisis, Trumps profound lack of anything resembling human emotions has been startling, even by Trump standards. Instead, the president has obsessed over numbers in their various forms: the death count, ventilator production, COVID tests performed, the stock market, poll numbers, approval ratings, and, perhaps most macabre, the TV ratings of his nightly pandemic press conference disasters where he lies, obfuscates, and distorts all of the above.

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Throughout it all, Trump has provided no collective moral, ethical, or even practical framework for how to address the interrelated problems posed by the pandemic, both in terms of public health and our collective economic well-being. This is a profoundly hard calculation to get right, but so far the human element of what is happening to actual Americans on the other side of the number-based presidential scorecard had been noticeably absent. There is no acknowledgment from this presidentor his party reallythat you can want to go back to work, even need to go back to work, while simultaneously being legitimately fearful, unwilling, or unable to do so.

Its been abundantly clear since the president first floated reopening the economy by Easter, a single week after shutting down the country, that Trumps open er up mantra on the economy has always been in service of his numbers, not his people. In some quarters of the American psyche, somehow Trump and his allies have managed to transform ill-informed, short-term decision-makingthat will likely come at enormous human and economic cost in the medium and long terminto a vague resemblance of and amorphous referendum on freedom. At this particular moment, freedom for Trump and his people is the freedom to do absolutely whatever they want to do whenever they want to do it. Essential liberties like the freedom to go to a crowded beach on a hot day no matter the consequences. The freedom to refuse to wear a mask even if it could save your lifeand most importantly others lives. What do you call this particular brand of absolutist, consequences-be-damned freedom that is bubbling to the surface in the current moment?

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On Tuesday, we got an answer when in walked Trump to the Honeywell mask plant for a tour of the production of vital PPE equipment that took so long to get underway. Because this is Donald Trump, the tour was accompanied by a soundtrack blaring in the background that made it hard to hear what was being said. Because this is President Donald Trump, the background music resembled a campaign rally of one, complete with Lee Greenwoods God Bless the U.S.A. and Survivors Eye of the Tiger. Its hard to imagine the world that the Trump administration inhabits, or the mind of the president it serves, where this somber moment in American history felt like the right time to turn to Trumpified Jock Jams. During the tour, Trump and his chief of staff Mark Meadows did not wear masks, even though the country is recommending Americans wear them and some states are compelling citizens to do so.

As a rep from the company explained to Trump the mask production process, the stars aligned, the soundtrack flipped to its next song, the clouds cleared, a moment of clarity arrived. Trump nodded along comprehendingly to the presentation while the lyrics from Guns N Roses version of Live and Let Die drowned out the mask-making details. And in that moment of Zen, the live and let die philosophy of governance was born.
A 25-year-old Brooklyn man was abandoned by two accomplices late Tuesday evening as a plan to use the stolen identities of people from across the country to create Sams Club memberships and buy nearly $7,000 in merchandise from the business in the Northampton Crossings Shopping Center began to unravel in Lower Nazareth Township, police report.

Savery Kwame Richardson had seven cellphones which had shopping and purchasing apps for Sams Club when he was arrested on the other side of Route 248 from the shopping center, Colonial Regional police said in court papers.

Just before 5 p.m., Richardson and two other people were in a black van with New York tags in the Sams Club parking lot near Route 33, police said.

They began accessing stolen identifies to open Sams Club memberships without authorization, police said.

Between 6:04 p.m. and 6:31 p.m., one of the three people checked out two 70-inch televisions valued at $749.99 each and one Wise Net Security System valued at $499, police said.

The second person between 6:13 p.m. and 6:27 p.m. checked out seven Roomba vacuum clears valued at nearly $1,750, police said. As the second person at 7:07 p.m. tried to check out six Roomba vacuums, they were confronted by a store employee about the purchase, police said. The person left the items there and departed the store, police said.

Richardson, having already checked out a 70-inch television, at 7:11 p.m. was putting another TV, a security system and a Roomba on a cart when he too was approached by a store employee, police said. Leaving the merchandise there, Richardson left but found the two others were already gone with what they got from Sams Club, police said.

Richardson was seen across the street in front of the LongHorn Steakhouse, police said. A Sams Club employee identified Richardson to responding officers and Richardson was taken into custody, police said.

Richardson was arraigned at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday from Central Booking before District Judge Nicholas Englesson on charges of access device fraud, criminal attempt to do the same, conspiracy to do the same, theft by deception, criminal attempt to do the same, identity theft and conspiracy to do the same, records show. He was housed in Northampton County Prison in lieu of $75,000 bail.

Richardsons preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled 9 a.m. May 20 in District Judge John C. Capobiancos court in Nazareth.

Court papers did not list an attorney for Richardson.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting lehighvalleylive.com with a voluntary subscription.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com.
The Beijing Blowback

Why countries are breaking with the Chinese regime and what it means

Commentary

One would think that Beijing would see that unleashing a pandemic is no way to gain favor with the world. Lying about doing so doesnt help, either; nor does blaming others for the outbreak.

And exporting tainted medical supplies to nations asking for help, while criticizing them for failing to protect their people from the pathogen doesnt make for an effective diplomatic strategy, either.

But thats the playbook, believe it or not, that Beijing is following in its global campaign to become the new leader of the world. Sure, vigorous propaganda blaming the United States, Italy, etc., is part of the plan, too. But few countries, if any, are buying it. Theres just too much toxicity, in all its forms, coming from Beijing.

Is it any wonder that European countries, and others, are now breaking with China?

World Falls Out of Love With China

Its not that the world was in love with China before the pandemic. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) had already made great strides toward alienating trading partners around the world.

They did so on a variety of levels, from technology and intellectual property theft to adversarial trading practices, currency manipulation, installing spyware in 5G networks, and much more.

Those are just a few of the reasons why the trend of redirecting supply chains out of China had already begun. President Donald Trumps massive tariffs on $500 billion worth of Chinese products didnt help either. They only accelerated the trend, even if casting the United States in a negative light in many European capitals.

But Chinas horrific behavior at the beginning of the outbreak has made itand the CCPa global pariah. For many countries, the pandemic that the Party unleashed upon the world opened their eyes as to the true nature of the CCPs outlaw regime. It also showed them how relying on a single supply source has made their economies truly vulnerable.

Beijings Bully Mindset Doesnt Travel Well

What is surprising, however, is how badly the CCP is behaving even after having caused the greatest global calamity since World War II. Or, perhaps not. The CCP isnt known for its surplus of empathy, compassion, openness, goodwill, or any other higher trait of human decency. Contrition, therefore, is not a factor in Beijings foreign policy.

Its quite the opposite, in fact. Chinas new breed of diplomats are, with the CCPs blessing, aggressive, ultra-nationalistic, crude, and dismissive toward their trading partners.

But instead of drawing nations closer to it, China is alienating them, especially the rich Northern European countries:

Sweden has just shut the very last Confucius Institute there and has cut ties with sister cities in China; and the UK and Germany are both reexamining their decision to use Huawei for their nationwide 5G network systems and, along with Australia, are talking about seeking hundreds of billions in reparations from China.

Both the UK and Germany are also concerned about their dependence on China for critical medical supplies and pharmaceuticals; distrust of China is so deep in Germany that its entire China policy is under review; and France has been targeted by Chinas disinformation campaign charging French parliamentarians with issuing racial slurs.

Italy is named and blamed by China as a possible source of the virus; and Spain, Holland, and the Czech Republic publicized purchases of defective Chinese masks and testing kits.

Beijings bully diplomacy also is backfiring in places such as Australia, which Beijing derogatorily referred to as gum stuck to the bottom of Chinas shoe, for wanting an investigation into the origin of the CCP virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus. Fortunately, even with Beijing threatening to boycott their wine and beef, Australia hasnt backed down.

Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, and the African Union have all complained about the Chinese regimes racists treatment of Africans in Guangzhou province.

A High-Risk Divorce

But wheres the United States on decoupling from China?

Its clear that today, the chances for any long-term cooperative partnership between Washington and Beijing are virtually nil. China has shown that it is a strategic adversary to the United States, as well as to the West as a whole. Beijing seeks to reorder the world on its own terms, a plan that threatens the well-being of the rest of the world, and its now a plain fact.

That is why the trade war against China wasand continues to bea necessity. Changing the unbalanced terms was needed to save American manufacturing, U.S. strategic capabilities, its economy, Americas global leadership, and the current international norms, as rickety as they may be. Most of Europe is beginning to agree.

And while Philadelphias leadership still sees the need to raise the Chinese flag over City Hall in the name of diversity, some American universities, similarly to Sweden, are closing Confucius Institutes on their campuses.

Its about time.

New China, Old Attitudes

But as the tariffs continue, and global demand continues to fall due to the CCP virus pandemic, economies around the world will suffer. That in itself may well lead to more conflict between the United States and China, as Beijing scrambles for resources, markets, and, of course, for the CCPs very survival at home.

Chinas new strain of diplomacy is what happens when a government starts to believe its own propaganda. But its not really new at all. Its an officially sanctioned position based on old realities, that will make the immediate future more dangerous, not less.

As Zi Zhongyun, an expert on America at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, noted recently, Beijings new aggression toward the West has its roots in the anti-Western Boxer Rebellion of the early 20th century. As long as that mentality guides Beijing policymakers, Zi says, it will be impossible for China to take its place among the modern civilized nations of the world.

It would appear that the Beijing blowback goes both ways. Is the world ready to reap that whirlwind?

James Gorrie is the author of The China Crisis and the blog TheBananaRepublican.com. He is based in Southern California.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Syracuse, N.Y.  Three Syracuse companies have made Inc.'s Best Workplaces of 2020, a listing based on a survey of how workers feel about their employers.

Bankers Healthcare Group, the Marrone Law Firm and Terakeet are among 389 companies on the list, including 46 in New York.

The magazines annual listing is based on a survey of 370,000 employees. The survey was done before the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the economy.

Companies on the list provide great benefits," including health insurance, Inc. said. And 62% take employees to offsite retreats, it said.

It may be a while before those retreats resume, but even in these trying times, the best operators will find a way to attract and reward great workers, the magazine said.

To be considered for the list, companies had to have a minimum of 10 employees and be U.S.-based, privately held, and independent (not a subsidiary or division of another company).

Bankers Healthcare Group provides loans to licensed health care practitioners and other highly skilled professionals. It employs more than 600 people in Florida and New York, including 265 people in its four offices in Syracuse.

The Marrone Law Firm is a small, boutique firm that specializes in estate planning, elder law and estate administration.

Terakeet helps companies raise their search engine visibility and brand reputation. It employs 235 people.

Rick Moriarty covers business news and consumer issues. Got a tip, comment or story idea? Contact him anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-470-3148
Emerging Melbourne actor Sunny S. Walia has been announced as the winner of a talent initiative, AACTA Pitch: ACTION!

A record-breaking 466 submissions were received in the home-made screen-test competition held by the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts.

On offer were opportunities in mentoring, head shots, awards tix and casting memberships. Noni Hazlehurst, casting and agents Kirsty McGregor and Aran Michael reviewed ten finalists. Walia is a fulltime student at the Australian Film & Television Academy, and has undergone courses at Brave Studios with Damian Walshe-Howling, Daniela Farinacci, Tyler Coppin, and Penny McDonald.

The Melbourne based actor says he thought of his fresh approach to the text while in the bathroom which is where he decided to film the scene.

Ill be completely honest and say I came up with the idea to do the screen test in the bathroom whilstin the bathroom, he said. Also, the fact that the script had no cemented directions in terms of actions or location I figured that could be any place in the house and realistically we had all the freedom in the world on how to deliver it. And with all the toilet paper shortage and the topic of germs, COVID in the script, why not work that in?

Thanks to AACTA for giving us a chance to perform and play in this time of unknown. And to win?! Wow! Not too sure what to say. Amazing experience and looking forward to reaping the rewards.

Launched in 2018, AACTA Pitch has grown into one of Australias premier talent and content initiatives, linking industry to emerging creatives and fast tracking the development of new productions and careers. Across web series, TV Drama, short film and feature film, AACTA Pitch has collaborated with organisations such as car brand MINI, the Australian Writers Guild and Screenworks to shine a light on a host of new voices, leading to production and meaningful development and marketplace interest.

TV Tonight is a partner of the AACTA Awards.
Updated projections from an influential modeling on how the coronavirus may play out this summer shows a "sobering new estimate of U.S. deaths."

The model comes from the University of Washingtons Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and used by the White House in determining its handling of the crisis.

Representing a significantly higher death toll in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and nationwide, the model aims to predict a resurgence if and when more social distancing mandates are relaxed.

This new model is the basis for the sobering new estimate of U.S. deaths, IHME Director Dr. Christopher Murray says in a news release. The model will allow for regular updating as new data are released on cases, hospitalizations, deaths, testing and mobility. It can also be used to identify what may be the trajectory to progressively relax social distancing while still limiting the risk of large-scale resurgence.

IHME says its model assumes that mandates that are currently in place will stay in place until infections are minimized. By wearing masks, staying six feet away from others, and washing hands, individuals can lower the risk of transmission, the institute notes.

Compared to its estimates released a week ago on April 29, Pennsylvania's death toll by Aug. 4 is projected to reach 8,607, up 358% from 2,400; New Jersey's death toll is projected at 16,044, up from 7,246; and the United States' total deaths are projected at 134,475 up from 72,433. That's for the current, possibly initial wave of COVID-19 infections, through Aug. 4.

When lehighvalleylive.com first wrote about IHMEs estimates April 2, Pennsylvania and New Jerseys death tolls were projected at 1,562 and 2,129, respectively, with nearly 94,000 deaths projected at the time nationwide.

The following charts show IHME's projected rise and fall of daily deaths from the coronavirus illness for Pennsylvania, New Jersey and the United States.

(Is the above chart not displaying? Click here.)

(Is the above chart not displaying? Click here.)

(Is the above chart not displaying? Click here.)

IHME says its forecasts changed based on a new hybrid model, which combines hospital resource demand with a disease transmission model that captures the impact of changes in social distancing mandates, changes in mobility and the impact of testing and contact tracing.

In each state, the evolution of the epidemic depends on the balance between relaxed social distancing, increasing temperature, and rising rates of testing and contact tracing, states Murray, the institutes director. We expect that the epidemic in many states will now extend through the summer.

Increases in testing and contact tracing, along with warming seasonal temperatures  factors that could help slow transmission  do not offset rising mobility fostered by the easing of social distancing measures, fueling the significant increase in projected deaths, according to the institute.

Along with the White House, the Pennsylvania Department of Health says it, too, is using the IHMEs estimates in its response to the crisis.

We are viewing this data from the University of Washington as some of the data that is helping to inform our decisions, and it highlights the concern of opening up too early, or too quickly, said department spokesman Nate Wardle. "That is why the Wolf Administration is rolling out a phased reopening, and a reopening that starts with areas where case counts are the lowest and there is capacity to treat individuals if counts were to increase.

Other states that have opened up have seen issues because of it ... . We will continue to strongly recommend the wearing of masks in public at any time that you may come into contact with someone else, whether at work, at a retail business, etc. We will also want people to maintain social distancing, and no large mass gatherings.

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation explains that its daily death counts may be different from those of states because it uses a rolling average of deaths over multiple days. This approach allows the death model to be better informed by the overall time trend and less sensitive to daily fluctuations.

Pennsylvania as of Tuesday had 50,957 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the first ones were identified March 6, and 3,012 people have died from it -- two-thirds of whom were living in long-term care facilities like nursing homes.

New Jersey has at least 130,593 total cases statewide, with at least 8,244 fatalities, as of Tuesday.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.
Millard Public Schools Superintendent Jim Sutfin sees four potential scenarios for fall: a normal opening, a delayed opening, an opening with a blend of classroom and remote learning and opening entirely with remote learning.

Sutfin said the district also must be ready to open normally but then shut down for some period because of an outbreak.

Millard, he said, will be ready to implement the right option to match the health conditions.

We will have them worked out to the best of our ability, he said.

The most difficult option, he said, would be to open entirely with remote learning.

In normal years, Sutfin said, teachers use those first days and weeks of the year to establish relationships and routines with students.

Westside Community Schools Superintendent Mike Lucas laid out several potential scenarios for next school year in a letter home to students and staff. He stressed that nothing is written in stone.

It is too early to tell, he wrote.

For example, if school cant start until September, Westside would adjust the calendar and end the year in June.




By Park Si-soo







Moviegoers are heading back to theaters as the coronavirus pandemic has noticeably subsided.







More than 114,000 tickets were sold on Tuesday alone  the highest daily record in two months  according to the Korea Film Council, with newly released animated movies such as "Trolls World Tour" and "Cats and Peachtopia" leading the sales. Tuesday was Children's Day, a national holiday.







The figure was nearly one tenth of that of last year's Children's Day, but still a substantial increase from 20,000 recorded at the height of the pandemic.







Industry insiders believe more people will visit theaters as the pandemic has lost its steam and the social distancing campaign has been eased.







South Korea reported only two new cases of coronavirus infection on Wednesday, both of which were imported, marking zero domestic infections for three consecutive days.


2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Fauquier community has proven resilient. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning --

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We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Fauquier Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come.
New York States cancelled Democratic presidential primary will now go ahead after a federal judge ruled the states move to cancel it unfairly deprived voters and delegates of the chance to influence their partys platform.

The primary was cancelled at the end of April, with the New York Board of Elections removing all names except Mr Bidens from the ballot, as is now provided for under state law if candidates have dropped out. The board cited the risk that voters could contract Covid-19 in the process of casting their ballots, as well as the fact that the result of the primary would make no difference to the nomination.

However, former candidate Andrew Yang and supporters of Bernie Sanders  who suspended his campaign at the start of April after losing a string of crucial primaries  maintained that the primary must go ahead to allow him and other candidates to win delegates to the convention, where the party platform is negotiated and then passed by vote.

In her ruling, Judge Analisa Torres agreed.

The removal of presidential contenders from the primary ballot not only deprived those candidates of the chance to garner votes for the Democratic Partys nomination, she wrote, but also deprived their pledged delegates of the opportunity to run for a position where they could influence the party platform, vote on party governance issues, pressure the eventual nominee on matters of personnel or policy, and react to unexpected developments at the Convention.

And it deprived Democratic voters of the opportunity to elect delegates who could push their point of view in that forum.

Mr Yang issued a statement celebrating the ruling. Im glad that a federal judge agreed that depriving millions of New Yorkers of the right to vote was wrong. I hope that the New York Board of Elections takes from this role a newfound appreciation of their role in safeguarding our democracy, he said.

The board of elections has not yet announced whether or not it will appeal Ms Torress decision.

There is now added support for efforts to radically expand New York States vote-by-mail option in order to protect voters from the coronavirus. The recent primary in Wisconsin saw multiple Covid-19 cases linked to long lines at polling stations, encouraging several states to consider moving to mail-only voting in time for the election in November.

The New York primary played a major role in the 2016 Democratic primary, albeit in a very different way. Despite early polling showing a close race, Mr Sanders was crushed by Hillary Clinton in a must-win contest late in the calendar.
At least 26 personnel of a police



station here, including 12 officers, have tested positive for coronavirus, an official said on Wednesday.

These police personnel, 12 of them officers, are attached to the J J Marg Police Station in South Mumbai, and currently undergoing treatment, he said.

A process is on to quarantine other police personnel who had come in contact with their infected colleagues, the official said.

With so many cases, the J J Marg Police Station may be the most coronavirus-affected police station in the metropolis, he said.

So far, 233 police personnel, including officers, have tested positive for COVID-19 in Mumbai, the official said.

Three police personnel have succumbed to the infection so far, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health released the newest breakdown of town and city coronavirus cases on Wednesday.

The state began releasing the data in mid-April. The data reflects statistics since the coronavirus pandemic started.

Health officials announced 208 new coronavirus deaths on Wednesday, but Gov. Charlie Baker said officials were cautiously optimistic about what they are seeing in the data.

The statewide death toll since the pandemic began was at 4,420 as of Wednesday.

There is a total of 72,025 positive coronavirus cases in Massachusetts as of Wednesday.

MassLives interactive chart below allows people to search for the number of coronavirus cases in each community:

For those unable to see the chart embedded above, click here.

Related Content:
A scene from "The Nightmare Before Christmas" episode of "Prop Culture." (Mitch Haaseth / Disney+)

In Disneys 1989 classic Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, two pairs of siblings learn that the backyard is a dangerous place when youve accidentally been zapped by a shrink ray.

The four miniaturized kids ride insects, climb flowers, sleep in Lego bricks and splash around in a bowl of cereal on the journey to reach their parents. Its a magical adventure, made possible by special effects, that has captivated many over the years.

It's sort of a universal kids fantasy, director Joe Johnston told The Times during a recent phone call. Heres your backyard that you know like the back of your hand, and yet when you're a quarter-inch tall, it's a completely alien environment. I think that was one of the things that was appealing to the kids.

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids marked Johnstons directorial debut after he cut his teeth working on designs and storyboards for the original Star Wars trilogy. He was reunited with the films infamous shrinking machine in an episode of Prop Culture, a new documentary series out now on Disney+.

The show follows host Dan Lanigan as he looks into props and other film artifacts, then meets with cast and crew members who reminisce about how these films were made.

Because its a Disney+ series, some of the featured items are pulled right out of the Walt Disney Archives  the extensive in-house collection of the companys history. Others are found with former crew members or borrowed from individual collectors. But every prop helped tell a story, and each is potent with nostalgia.

These props, these costumes, these set pieces, the artwork  it's all an extension of these films, because either this stuff was made for these movies or it was sourced and modified for [them], said Lanigan, a prop collector and film historian. It has some of that residual magic apparent from the making of these movies.

Each episode of Prop Culture focuses on a different film, including Mary Poppins (1964), Tron (1982), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) and The Muppet Movie (1979).

Story continues

For Lanigan, collecting and learning about props stem from a desire to feel closer to the movies he loves. .

If you're not into movies, you're not going to dig props, said Lanigan. The connection point for collecting these film-used artifacts is loving movies.

The series is a celebration of artists, practical effects and how filmmaking used to be. Its clear that Lanigan holds these classical techniques in high regard and believes in the special quality of the tangible: that actors in front of the camera cant be matched by worlds built completely through CGI.

Among the artists featured in the show is animator Tom St. Amand, the armature supervisor on The Nightmare Before Christmas. He was in charge of getting the metal skeletons with posable joints for the stop-motion puppets built. Each of the armatures was custom-designed and made from scratch.

Basically, you would start with a character design and then we would build an armature, St. Amand explained in a recent phone call. Then the sculptors would sculpt directly over the armature. That way, you can be sure that everything fit inside.

St. Amand, who has worked on films such as E.T., Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Rocketeer, Jurassic Park and a handful of Star Wars titles, described working on The Nightmare Before Christmas as something special.

Youd have liked visiting the sets because it was kind of like going to Disneyland in a way, said St. Amand. We had maybe 20 different setups going at the same time.

Sally and Jack in a scene from Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas." (Walt Disney Pictures)

Inspired by movies such as the original King Kong, The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad and Jason and the Argonauts, St. Amand said he just wanted to learn how to do all that stuff.

Back in those days you wanted to learn how to sculpt.  You had to learn something about mold-making [and] things like taxidermy, said St. Amand. I really wanted to learn how to do everything, and I ended up specializing in doing the armatures.

Every once in a while, however, hed fill in as a sculptor or a puppet fabricator. He once did costumes for a show because there was no one else to do them.

You couldn't always do your specialty all the time; you were always kind of thrown into situations, explained St. Amand. But that was pretty good, because each of us got a chance to do a range of things.

As the industry shifted to using more digital effects, St. Amand learned new tools of the trade and transitioned to working in CG  though he admits he and his peers had mixed feelings about it.

But we could see it coming. It's not like suddenly one week everything was different, he said.

Though the evolution in technology allows for more complicated shots, even motion capture still requires the eye of somebody like an animator to fix anything that doesnt look quite right. The technology has just changed the process.

Still, St. Amand says there is something special about making something that you could hold and turn around in your hands and see from all sides.

You could put it up on a shelf and you could walk away and you could come back a day later and pick it up and go, This is pretty neat. I can't believe I made it, he said.

Johnston also recognizes that there's an undeniable charm to the way movies used to be made [with] the analog version of props and miniatures and three-dimensional things that you can actually build and pick up and touch.

Hes welcomed the advances in technology, though he explains shooting on digital hasnt changed the way he approaches filmmaking.

Nick floats in a bowl of cereal in a scene from "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids." (Buena Vista Pictures)

The visual effects should never overpower the story, said Johnston. It doesn't matter if it's stop motion or digital effects or if it's a guy in a puppet suit, you're still telling the story about people.

For his next movie, on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Johnson plans to use multiple techniques: He'll be returning to the world of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids for the upcoming reboot, "Shrunk," set after the events of the original film.

When possible, why not build something that you can have the actors interact with as long as it's cost effective? he says. I just think it helps ground everything  the actors and the audience and all the filmmakers  if the thing is really here.

And at the end of the day, a prop is only as meaningful as the film for which it was created.

It's about the movie: You love this film, so you want to prop from it, said Johnston.

People will collect a bad prop from a great movie. They have no interest in a great prop from a bad movie.

Prop Culture

Where: Disney +

When: Any time

Rating: TV-PG (may be unsuitable for young children)




The world's main stock markets brushed off on Wednesday data showing the extent of the economic damage wrought by measures to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. Top among that data: more than 20.2 million US private sector jobs were destroyed in April according to payrolls firm ADP. Nevertheless, US stocks pushed higher at the open, but the Dow had dipped into the red by the close of European trading. The ADP figures are seen as an indicator of the all-important government non-farm jobs report due out Friday, which economists expect to show 28 million jobs lost in the month due to the widespread business shutdowns to contain the virus. "The stock market isn't trading from a standpoint of 'what have you done for me lately'. It's trading from a standpoint of 'what will you do for me later', and in its mind, what comes later is going to look a lot better than what has come lately," said market analyst Patrick J. O'Hare at Briefing.com. "That's why it continues to hold its ground in the face of ugly economic data and downbeat earnings news," he added. Chris Beauchamp at online trading firm IG said investors already know the jobs numbers are going to be bad and are instead focusing on the questions of how long it will stay this way and what the recovery will look like. "These are much tougher to answer, but the gains in equities over the past six weeks have been built on the idea that massive stimulus efforts will dull the edge of this crisis and promote a faster recovery," he said in a note to clients. European stock markets nursed modest losses while Asian indices mostly rose, and oil prices slid. In other downbeat economic news, the European Commission predicted the eurozone economy would contract by a staggering 7.7 percent in 2020. Calling it a "recession of historic proportions", the EU's executive said the 19-member single currency zone would then rebound by 6.3 percent in 2021, in an uncertain recovery that would be felt unevenly across the continent. It came after official data showed German manufacturers' new orders plunged by a record 15.6 percent in March. A draft agreement revealed that Germany, Europe's biggest economy, will take new steps towards normalisation in May, including reopening shops and schools after weeks of shutdown imposed to control the spread of COVID-19. "Risk sentiment continues to be buoyed on news of more countries/states rolling back containment measures, followed by reports of more companies re-opening operations," said Tapas Strickland of National Australia Bank. "That is giving hope that rollback will allow economic activity to resume and that we may be passed the trough in economic activity." British PM Boris Johnson said he could begin to ease a nationwide coronavirus lockdown next week, while Belgium is to open shops on Monday. But fears of a second virus wave as the lockdown eases have been keeping traders on their toes. - Key figures around 1600 GMT - London - FTSE 100: UP less than 0.1 percent at 5,853.76 points (close) Frankfurt - DAX 30: DOWN 1.2 percent at 10,606.20 (close) Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 1.1 percent at 4,433.38 (close) Milan - FTSE MIB: DOWN 1.3 percent at 17,159.31 (close) Madrid - IBEX 35: DOWN 1.0 percent at 6,680.80 (close) EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 1.2 percent at 2,842.09 New York - Dow: DOWN less than 0.1 percent at 23,865.06 Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 1.1 percent at 24,137.48 (close) Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.6 percent at 2,878.14 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: Closed for a holiday Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 6.9 percent at $28.84 per barrel West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 5.8 percent at $23.14 per barrel Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0802 from $1.0834 at 2045 GMT Dollar/yen: DOWN at 106.07 yen from 106.53 yen Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2351 from $1.2435 Euro/pound: UP at 87.47 pence from 87.11 pence burs-rl/bp German manufacturers' saw their new orders fall a record 15.6 percent in March Friday sees the much-anticipated release of US jobs data for April, with consensus forecasts that unemployment has surged to an incredible 16.2 percent
NATO Secretary General speaks with Georgian President Salome Zourabishvili

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

05 May. 2020

Speaking with the Georgian President Salome Zourabishvili in a teleconference on 5 May 2020, the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the COVID-19 pandemic represents an unprecedented challenge to NATO Allies and partners.

He stressed that the crisis has shown the key role that the militaries are playing in support of national civilian efforts, and the importance of NATO mechanisms to coordinate assistance. Mr. Stoltenberg praised Georgia's efforts in fighting the pandemic and highlighted that following Georgia's request for support to NATO's Euro Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC) , NATO Allies have provided support to Georgia, including with medical supplies from Poland and from the United Kingdom and with bilateral financial assistance and medical supplies from the United States. The NATO Secretary General stressed that NATO is well aware of Georgia's requirements and that more coordination is ongoing for additional assistance in the context of the pandemic.

The NATO Secretary General said that NATO and Georgia are unique and long-standing partners and stressed NATO's support for Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty within its internationally recognised borders. Mr. Stoltenberg thanked President Zourabishvili for Georgia's outstanding contributions to Euro-Atlantic security, including with its participation in the Alliances Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan. He stressed that the NATO-Georgia partnership contains practical and political tools to support Georgia's ongoing reforms and to help prepare Georgia's membership of the euro-Atlantic community when the moment is right.

Mr. Stoltenberg highlighted that at their meeting last month, NATO Foreign Ministers decided to deepen the Alliance's partnerships with Georgia and Ukraine even further. This includes efforts to share more air traffic radar data, working jointly to address hybrid threats as well as exercises in the strategic Black Sea region.

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BOSTON, May 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Liberty Mutual Group Inc. ("Liberty Mutual") today announced the pricing of its previously announced offers to certain eligible holders to exchange its 3.950% Senior Notes due 2060 (the "new notes") for five series of its outstanding notes (the "exchange offers"): its 6.500% Senior Notes due 2042, its 7.000% Senior Notes due 2034, its 6.500% Senior Notes due 2035, its 4.850% Senior Notes due 2044, and its 4.500% Senior Notes due 2049 (the "existing notes"), and related offers to purchase such series of existing notes for cash (the "cash offers"). The new notes value will equal the discounted value on the exchange offer settlement date (as defined below) of the remaining payments of principal and interest per $1,000 principal amount of new notes through May 15, 2060, the maturity date of the new notes, using a yield equal to, as calculated by the lead dealer managers, (i) the sum of (a) the reference yield with respect to the 2.375% U.S. Treasury Security due November 15, 2049 and (b) the fixed spread of 275 basis points, minus (ii) accrued and unpaid interest to but not including the settlement date. The reference U.S. Treasury security yield is 1.319%, the new notes yield to maturity is 4.069% and the new notes value is $976.58 per principal amount of new notes.

Exchange Offers

The table below indicates, among other things, the amount of new notes and cash that holders of the existing notes are eligible to receive for each $1,000 principal amount of existing notes validly tendered at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, today, May 5, 2020, unless extended or earlier terminated by Liberty Mutual (the "exchange offer expiration date") and not validly withdrawn at any time at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, today, May 5, 2020 (the "exchange offer withdrawal deadline"), or in connection with the guaranteed delivery procedures set forth in the offering memorandum and in the exchange offer notice of guaranteed delivery, and accepted by Liberty Mutual (as determined in accordance with the terms of the offering memorandum), as calculated at 2:00 p.m., New York City time, today, May 5, 2020:

















Composition of Total Exchange Consideration(1),(2)(3) CUSIP No. /ISIN Title of Security Principal

Amount

Outstanding Acceptance

Priority

Level Reference U.S.

Treasury Security Bloomberg

Reference

Page Fixed

Spread

(bps) Total

Exchange

Consideration New Notes Amount Adjusted Cash

Amount 53079EAZ7/US53079EAZ79 U52932AS6/USU52932AS62 6.500% Senior Notes due 2042 $269,852,000 1 2.375% U.S.T. due 11/15/2049 PX1 +240 bps $1,415.13 $1,000 $438.55 53079EAE4/US53079EAE41 U52932AD9/USU52932AD93 7.000% Senior Notes due 2034 $152,647,000 2 2.375% U.S.T. due 11/15/2049 PX1 +220 bps $1,379.08 $1,000 $402.50 53079EAG9/US53079EAG98 U52932AE7/USU52932AE76 6.500% Senior Notes due 2035 $301,113,000 3 2.375% U.S.T. due 11/15/2049 PX1 +220 bps $1,342.53 $1,000 $365.95 53079EBF0/US53079EBF07 U52932AX5/USU52932AX57 U52932AY3/USU52932AY31 4.850% Senior Notes due 2044 $613,922,000 4 2.375% U.S.T. due 11/15/2049 PX1 +240 bps $1,179.54 $1,000 $202.96 53079EBH6/US53079EBH62 U52932BE6/USU52932BE67 U52932BF3/USU52932BF33 4.500% Senior Notes due 2049 $350,000,000 5 2.375% U.S.T. due 11/15/2049 PX1 +245 bps $1,127.26 $1,000 $150.68 --------

















































(1) To be paid in new notes and cash per $1,000 principal amount of existing notes validly tendered at or prior to the exchange offer expiration date and not validly withdrawn at or prior to the exchange offer withdrawal deadline, or in connection with the guaranteed delivery procedures set forth in the offering memorandum and in the exchange offer notice of guaranteed delivery, and whose existing notes are accepted for exchange. The cash payment excludes accrued and unpaid interest. Accrued and unpaid interest, if any, will be paid on the existing notes up to, but not including, the initial exchange offer settlement date of May 7, 2020, which will be reduced by the interest accrued from May 7, 2020, the initial issuance date of the original notes, up to, but not including, the exchange offer settlement date, if any. The first interest payment for the new notes will include accrued interest from May 7, 2020, if any.

(2) The Total Exchange Consideration in respect of the 4.500% Senior Notes due 2049 is calculated based on December 15, 2048, the par call date for such series of existing notes.

(3) The Adjusted Cash Amount per $1,000 principal amount of existing notes validly tendered for exchange and accepted by Liberty Mutual is equal to (i) the applicable Total Exchange Consideration minus (ii) the product of (a) the principal amount of new notes applicable to such tendered existing notes and (b) the new notes value, divided by $1,000, such amount of cash rounded to the nearest cent, in accordance with Annex A to the offering memorandum.



The exchange offers are being made in accordance with the offering memorandum, dated April 28, 2020, the related eligibility letter and notice of guaranteed delivery (the "exchange offer documents"). To participate in the exchange offers, eligible holders must validly tender existing notes at or prior to (i) the exchange offer expiration date or (ii) 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the second business day after the exchange offer expiration date pursuant to the guaranteed delivery procedures described in the offering memorandum (the "exchange offer guaranteed delivery procedures"). Tenders of the existing notes may be withdrawn at any time at or prior to the exchange offer withdrawal deadline, subject to extension, but will thereafter be irrevocable except in certain limited circumstances where additional withdrawal rights are required by law. The "exchange offer settlement date" is expected to be May 7, 2020, which is the second business day following the exchange offer expiration date, for existing notes validly tendered in the exchange offers; provided that the exchange offer settlement date for any existing notes validly tendered in connection with the exchange offer guaranteed delivery procedures pursuant to a notice of guaranteed delivery and accepted for exchange is expected to be May 8, 2020, which is the third business day following the exchange offer expiration date. Accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the existing notes tendered for purchase will only accrue up to, but not including, the initial exchange offer settlement date of May 7, 2020.

The aggregate principal amount of the new notes issuable in the exchange offers is limited to $500,000,000 (the "new notes issuance limit"). If, at the exchange offer expiration date, the aggregate total exchange consideration payable for all validly tendered existing notes of a particular series (together with the aggregate total exchange consideration payable after exchanging all validly tendered existing notes of each series with a higher acceptance priority level (with acceptance priority level 1 being the highest)) is greater than the new notes issuance limit, then Liberty Mutual will not be obligated to accept for exchange, or issue any new notes in exchange for, such series of existing notes and may terminate the exchange offer with respect to such series of existing notes and each series of existing notes with a lower acceptance priority level. Either all validly tendered existing notes in an exchange offer will be accepted or no existing notes in a particular exchange offer will be accepted. There will be no proration of any series of existing notes.

Liberty Mutual's obligation to complete any exchange with respect to a given series of existing notes is also conditioned on the completion of the corresponding cash offer (as defined below) for such series of existing notes (with respect to each exchange offer, the "cash offer completion condition"). Liberty Mutual will terminate the exchange offer for a given series of existing notes if it terminates the cash offer for such series of existing notes, and it will terminate the cash offer for a given series of existing notes if it terminates the exchange offer for such series of existing notes. The termination of a cash offer for a series of existing notes will not impact the exchange offer for any other series of existing notes. If Liberty Mutual extends the cash offer for a series of existing notes for any reason, Liberty Mutual will extend the corresponding exchange offer for such series of existing notes. The cash offer completion condition cannot be waived by Liberty Mutual

Consummation of the exchange offers is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of a number of other conditions including the absence of certain adverse legal, accounting and market developments, as described in the exchange offer documents.

When issued, the new notes will not have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction. Therefore, the new notes may be offered and resold only in transactions that are exempt from registration under the Securities Act and the securities laws of any other jurisdiction. Liberty Mutual will not enter into a registration rights agreement with respect to the new notes.

Global Bondholder Services Corporation will act as the information agent and the exchange agent for the exchange offers. Questions or requests for assistance related to the exchange offers or for additional copies of the exchange offer documents may be directed to Global Bondholder Services Corporation at (866) 470-4300 (toll free) or (212) 430-3774 (collect). You may also contact your broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee for assistance concerning the exchange offers. The exchange offer documents can be accessed at the following link: http://www.gbsc-usa.com/eligibility/liberty.

Cash Offers

The following table indicates, among other things, the applicable total consideration that holders of the existing notes are eligible to receive for each $1,000 principal amount of existing notes validly tendered at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, today, May 5, 2020, unless extended or earlier terminated by Liberty Mutual (the "cash offer expiration date") and not validly withdrawn at any time at or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, today, May 5, 2020 (the "cash offer withdrawal deadline"), or in connection with the guaranteed delivery procedures set forth in the offer to purchase and in the cash offer notice of guaranteed delivery, and accepted by Liberty Mutual (as determined in accordance with the terms of the offer to purchase), as calculated at 2:00 p.m., New York City time, today, May 5, 2020:



CUSIP No. /ISIN Title of Security Principal

Amount

Outstanding Acceptance

Priority

Level Reference U.S.

Treasury Security Bloomberg

Reference

Page Fixed

Spread

(bps) Total

Consideration

(1)(2)

53079EAZ7/US53079EAZ79 U52932AS6/USU52932AS62 6.500% Senior Notes due 2042 $269,852,000 1 2.375% U.S.T. due

11/15/2049 PX1 +240 $1,415.13

53079EAE4/US53079EAE41 U52932AD9/USU52932AD93 7.000% Senior Notes due 2034 $152,647,000 2 2.375% U.S.T. due

11/15/2049 PX1 +220 $1,379.08

53079EAG9/US53079EAG98 U52932AE7/USU52932AE76 6.500% Senior Notes due 2035 $301,113,000 3 2.375% U.S.T. due

11/15/2049 PX1 +220 $1,342.53

53079EBF0/US53079EBF07 U52932AX5/USU52932AX57 U52932AY3/USU52932AY31 4.850% Senior Notes due 2044 $613,922,000 4 2.375% U.S.T. due

11/15/2049 PX1 +240 $1,179.54

53079EBH6/US53079EBH62 U52932BE6/ USU52932BE67 U52932BF3/ USU52932BF33 4.500% Senior Notes due 2049 $350,000,000 5 2.375% U.S.T. due

11/15/2049 PX1 +245 $1,127.26 _____________































(1) To be paid in cash per $1,000 principal amount of existing notes validly tendered at or prior to the cash offer expiration date or the cash offer guaranteed delivery date of May 7, 2020

pursuant to the guaranteed delivery procedures, and not validly withdrawn at or prior to the cash offer withdrawal deadline. The total cash offer consideration excludes accrued and unpaid

interest. We will pay accrued and unpaid interest on the existing notes up to, but not including, the initial cash offer settlement date of May 7, 2020. Interest will cease to accrue on the cash

offer settlement date for all existing notes accepted in the cash offers, including those tendered pursuant to guaranteed delivery procedures. (2) The Total Consideration in respect of the 4.500% Senior Notes due 2049 will be calculated based on December 15, 2048, the par call date for such series of existing notes.

The cash offers are being made in accordance with the offer to purchase, dated April 28, 2020, the certification instructions letter and notice of guaranteed delivery (the "tender offer documents"). Only holders of existing notes who are not eligible to participate in the exchange offers are eligible to participate in the cash offers. To participate in the cash offers, eligible holders must validly tender existing notes at or prior to (i) the cash offer expiration date or (ii) 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the second business day after the cash offer expiration date (such date and time with respect to a cash offer, as the same may be extended with respect to such cash offer, the "cash offer guaranteed delivery date") pursuant to the guaranteed delivery procedures described in the offer to purchase (the "cash offer guaranteed delivery procedures"). Tenders of the existing notes may be withdrawn at any time at or prior to the cash offer withdrawal deadline, subject to extension, but will thereafter be irrevocable except in certain limited circumstances where additional withdrawal rights are required by law. The "cash offer settlement date" will be promptly following the cash offer expiration date and is expected to be May 7, 2020, which is the second business day following the cash offer expiration date; provided that the cash offer settlement date for any existing notes validly tendered in connection with the guaranteed delivery procedures pursuant to a notice of guaranteed delivery and accepted for exchange is expected to be May 8, 2020, which is the third business day following the cash offer expiration date. Accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the existing notes tendered for purchase will only accrue up to, but not including, the initial cash offer settlement date of May 7, 2020.

Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the tender offer documents, cash offer eligible holders who validly tender existing notes at or prior to (i) the cash offer expiration date or (ii) the cash offer guaranteed delivery date pursuant to the cash offer guaranteed delivery procedures, and who do not validly withdraw tendered existing notes, and whose existing notes are accepted for purchase by Liberty Mutual, will receive the applicable total cash offer consideration for each $1,000 principal amount of existing notes, which will be payable in cash.

In addition to the applicable total cash offer consideration, cash offer eligible holders whose existing notes are accepted for purchase will be paid accrued and unpaid interest on such existing notes from and including the immediately preceding interest payment date for such existing notes to, but excluding, the cash offer settlement date. Interest will cease to accrue on the cash offer settlement date for all existing notes accepted in the cash offers, including those existing notes tendered through the guaranteed delivery procedures.

Liberty Mutual's obligation to accept any series of existing notes tendered in the cash offers is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions applicable to the cash offer for such series as described in the offer to purchase, including, among other things, (i) maximum total consideration condition (as defined below) and (ii) the exchange offer completion condition (as defined below). Liberty Mutual expressly reserves the right, subject to applicable law, to waive any and all conditions to any cash offer, other than conditions described by Liberty Mutual as non-waivable.

The maximum aggregate amount of cash that Liberty Mutual will use to purchase all validly tendered existing notes in the cash offers is $25,000,000 (the "maximum total consideration amount"), unless waived by Liberty Mutual as provided in the offer to purchase. If, at the cash offer expiration date for a particular cash offer, the aggregate total cash offer consideration payable for a particular series of validly tendered existing notes is greater than the maximum total consideration amount (after accepting for tender and paying the aggregate total cash offer consideration for all validly tendered existing notes of each series with a higher acceptance priority level (with acceptance priority level 1 being the highest)), then Liberty Mutual will not be obligated to accept for purchase such series of existing notes and may terminate the cash offer with respect to such series of existing notes and each series of existing notes with a lower acceptance priority level (the "maximum total consideration condition"). Either all existing notes in a cash offer will be accepted or no existing notes in a particular cash offer will be accepted as a result of the maximum total consideration condition. There will be no proration of any series of existing notes.

Liberty Mutual's obligation to complete any cash offer with respect to a given series of existing notes is conditioned on the completion of the corresponding exchange offer for such series of existing notes (with respect to each cash offer, the "exchange offer completion condition"). Liberty Mutual will terminate the cash offer for a given series of existing notes if it terminates the exchange offer for such series existing notes, and it will terminate the exchange offer for a given series of existing notes if it terminates the cash offer for such series of existing notes. The termination of an exchange offer for a series of existing notes will not impact the cash offer for any other series of existing notes. If Liberty Mutual extends the exchange offer for a series of existing notes for any reason, Liberty Mutual will extend the corresponding cash offer for such series of existing notes. The exchange offer completion condition cannot be waived by Liberty Mutual.

Global Bondholder Services Corporation will act as the information agent and the tender agent for the cash offers. Questions or requests for assistance related to the cash offers or for additional copies of the tender offer documents may be directed to Global Bondholder Services Corporation at (866) 470-4300 (toll free) or (212) 430-3774 (collect). You may also contact your broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee for assistance concerning the cash offers. The tender offer documents can be accessed at the following link https://www.gbsc-usa.com/liberty.

This press release does not constitute an offer to purchase any securities or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. The exchange offers and the cash offers are being made only pursuant to the confidential exchange offer documents or tender offer documents, as applicable, and only to such persons and in such jurisdictions as is permitted under applicable law.

For additional information contact:





Edward Pena

Senior Vice President and Treasurer

Liberty Mutual Group

857-224-6655

[email protected]

Richard Angevine

Public Relations

Liberty Mutual Group

617-574-6638

[email protected]

SOURCE Liberty Mutual Insurance
The man who died in a shootout in which he killed an Overland Park, Kansas, police officer was struggling with drug and alcohol addiction and had become increasingly threatening while awaiting trial on burglary and assault charges, according to a prosecutor and a relative of the man who were trying to have him kept in jail.Phillip Michael Carney, 38, died Sunday after a shootout with Overland Park Officer Mike Mosher, who was gunned down after stopping Carney's vehicle after an apparent hit-and-run, authorities said.
Right now, healthcare workers have to wear face masks everywhere.

Thanks to Seth Grimes, the industrial technology teacher at Calhoun High School in Hardin, those face masks are becoming more comfortable for many.

Grimes is using the schools 3-D printer to make face mask holders, an adjustable plastic strip that goes across the back of the head.

His wife, Stacey, works at Jerseyville Community Hospital. She had seen posts on Facebook about other people making face mask holders and she asked her husband if he could make them.

Grimes said nurses, doctors and all first responders have to wear surgical masks all day with little rest and no time to take them off.

I thought it was a great idea to help them be a little more comfortable while they are working so hard, he said.

Ive seen pictures online of how they have been rubbed raw behind the ears and on their faces, Grimes said. I thought this would make things a little easier on them.

The original design came from a website called Thingiverse. The website includes photos of people who have been making face mask holders in their communities. The home page of the site includes other ideas designers are trying to create to help people during the coronavirus pandemic.

I have made a little over a hundred so far, Grimes said. As of right now I plan on making at least 220.

Grimes has made holders for the nursing home in Hardin, JCH Medical Group in Hardin, JCH in Jerseyville, a clinic in Chicago where a friend of his works and a hospital in Madison, Wisconsin, where his brother works.

I plan to continue printing and giving them out to whomever needs or wants them, Grimes said.
Shannon, Kailee, Thomas, Colton, Adalyn, and Forrest Hansen (left to right) of Wayne explore McKaig Creek at the McKaig Nature Education Center in Upper Merion Township. The preserve has become a wildly popular refuge during the pandemic. Read more

In a densely developed and growing township that hosts one of the nations largest malls, the coronavirus crisis hit an obscure nature preserve in ways its keepers never could have anticipated.

Amid the avalanche of virus-related closings in March, the 93-acre McKaig Nature Education Center in the Wayne section of Upper Merion Township chose the path less traveled by: It stayed open. It was a popular decision  almost too popular.

McKaig, operated on a boot-string budget, suddenly became a hot spot. Foot traffic jumped ninefold, up to 500 visitors a day, park ranger Vytas Masalaitis said last week.

People say, I lived here 10 years; I didnt know this was here, he said.

 READ MORE: Illegal parking, public defecation, overflowing trash cans: Crowds cause mess at parks during coronavirus pandemic

Concerned about aiding and abetting a rapidly spreading virus and the potential impacts on the woods nine trails, vegetation, and wildlife  including the hatching salamanders in McKaig Creek  the parks board shut the trails for two days while it figured out how to handle the newfound celebrity.

The result was a reconfiguration of the trails by the preserves volunteers, routing traffic one way in the tighter areas; building a new footbridge across the creek; and posting new signage reminding people to kindly stay away from each other. The modest remake might well be a prototype for other natural areas that are contemplating reopening.

About three miles away in Berwyn, Chester County, the closed Jenkins Arboretum  famous for its rhododendrons and in danger of losing the peak azalea season  is looking at the McKaig strategy, said Tom Smarr, the executive director.

This is a model we are considering for our narrower pathways that run through sections of our plant collections, he said.

Repurposing the woods

Never, Masalaitis responded last week through a Darth Vader-like protective mask when asked if he ever had seen crowds like this at McKaig, which he has been visiting since 1966. He joined the board about 25 years ago and has been the ranger since 2011.

He recalled that the board of directors was divided over whether to close the woods, but came down on the side of staying open, with modifications. One of the things we worry about with everybody sheltering at home is the mental part of it, he said.

 READ MORE: Your guide to going outside (safely) right now

The built-out township, home of the King of Prussia Mall and whose population has jumped about 10 percent since 2010, also was bullish on keeping it open, Masalaitis said.

One choke point was the most popular entrance, on Croton Road next to what likely is the only school parking lot that is consistently filled with vehicles these days; its the favored parking area for people driving to the woods.

McKaig also closed off the beach, a congregating area along the creek near a trail intersection.

The one-way signs meant that visitors couldnt exit the park at the Croton entrance, and that was intentional, Masalaitis said. We directed visitors to explore the entire trail system, therefore spreading them apart, and this reduced close distance and so they would not need to pass opposing hikers.

It updated the directions and rules and posted them on its website and Facebook page.

Masalaitis said that the increased traffic has caused some collateral damage to the trails and vegetation and was fatal to some hatching salamanders, prompting the park to put up caution tape along the creek.

However, overall the crowding has been manageable and people have been diligent about keeping social distance.

With more people comes more maintenance, but its not an exponentially bigger problem, he said.

 ASK US: Do you have a question about the coronavirus and how it affects your health, work and life? Ask our reporters.

After the coronavirus

Parks in neighboring counties are planning to reopen or already have, but Masalaitis is confident that McKaig has found new followers.

The park receives no public money and relies solely on contributors, and this year it stands to lose its major fund-raising event, usually held in early June. Asked if the influx of visitors had yielded an influx of dollars, he said, Yes, some, but not proportionally. Many new visitors dont know that were a visitor-funded park.

Masalaitis himself is paid a small stipend, he said. The board and those who maintain the trails and rest of the park are volunteers.

The park is operated by the Upper Merion Park and Historic Foundation, formed in 1964, and named for Annah Colket French McKaig, whose family donated the land.

It might have taken a half-century, but the park has emerged from obscurity; all it took was a global pandemic.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

May. 05, 2020 | WESTERN KENTUCKY

By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 05, 2020 | 05:18 PM | WESTERN KENTUCKY

The Kentucky Community and Technical College System has announced tentative plans to hold some in-person classes for the fall semester.



Beginning August 17, fall term classes at the 16 KCTCS colleges will be held in a variety of formats. Tentative plans include face-to-face classes, as well as online classes and some options that are a combination of both delivery methods.



According to a press release from KCTCS, face-to-face classes will have a strong online or remote instruction component, so that if in-person classes must move online for part of the semester, the transition will be easier for students.



The colleges will also offer a variety of scheduling options, including 16-week, 12-week, and 8-week sessions.



Summer classes will begin soon and are currently only available in an online format. A few hands-on classes are tentatively scheduled for July at some colleges. This is based on Gov. Beshear's guidelines for opening facilities.



Each college is developing plans to meet social distancing and health requirements and strengthening virtual student support for online and remote classes.



Students and prospective students can enroll online or call their local college for more information.



Links to all 16 KCTCS colleges can be found at KCTCS.edu.
President Donald Trump speaks during an event on protecting Americas senior citizens in the East Room of the White House in Washington on April 30, 2020. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Trump Vetoes Resolution to Curb Iran War Powers: I Took Decisive Action

President Donald Trump on Wednesday afternoon vetoed a resolution that would curb his administrations war powers after the White House earlier this year authorized an airstrike that killed a top Iranian commander, Qassem Soleimani.

The Senate first passed the resolution in February before the bill was taken up by the House and was passed. In the Senate, eight Republican senators joined Democrats in passing the measure: Mike Lee (R-Utah), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine).

Its not likely that either the House or Senate will have the two-thirds majority to override Trumps veto. It had stipulated that Trump could only carry out military actions against Iran with the approval of Congress.

In a statement, Trump said that the measure was a very insulting resolution, introduced by Democrats as part of a strategy to win an election on November 3 by dividing the Republican Party, adding that GOP members who voted with Democrats played right into their hands.

Contrary to the resolution, the United States is not engaged in the use of force against Iran, he said. Four months ago, I took decisive action to eliminate Qassem Soleimani while he was in Iraq. Iran responded by launching a series of missiles at our forces stationed in Iraq. No one was killed by these attacks.

The commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Quds Force, Gen. Qassem Soleimani is seen in Tehran on Sept. 14, 2013. (Mehdi Ghasemi/ISNA/AFP via Getty Images)

The war powers bill was passed under the backdrop of escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, which fired a barrage of missiles at Iraqi bases that housed American forces, leading to minor injuries. Days after the strikes, Trump imposed more sanctions on Tehran, while Iranian-backed militia groups in Iraq have since sporadically launched rockets at other Iraqi airbases in the meantime.

The strike that killed Soleimani, who was in charge of the shadowy Quds Force and was blamed by top U.S. officials for the deaths of hundreds of American troops in the Middle East, was authorized under the law, according to the president. Before that, Iran-backed militia groups attempted to storm the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, lighting its structures on fire.

The resolution, meanwhile, would greatly harm Trumps ability to protect the country and implies that the Presidents constitutional authority to use military force is limited to the defense of the United States and its forces against imminent attack.

We live in a hostile world of evolving threats, and the Constitution recognizes that the President must be able to anticipate our adversaries next moves and take swift and decisive action in response, Trump said.

Before its passage in February, some senators argued that the measure isnt necessarily about Trump, but about Congress reasserting its Constitutional power to declare war.

This resolution is about Congress reclaiming its rightful role in decisions about war, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said at the time. While the president does and must always have the ability to defend the United States from imminent attack, the executive power to initiate war stops there. An offensive war requires a congressional debate and vote. This should not be a controversial proposition. Its clearly stated in the Constitution.
Officials at the Adler Planetarium and Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago said they would be open to taking the bag, but they would have to consider how it would fit into their collections. The planetarium already has a moon rock on display, and lunar meteorites, from chunks of the moon that fell to Earth, as well as meteorite dust.
The Nigerian media must tweak their operational templates and self-innovate to cope with the economic impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic on the industry across the world.

Some senior media practitioners gave the advice during a tweet chat organised by the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism on May 3 to commemorate the World Press Freedom Day.

Held under the theme The Economic Impact of COVID-19 on the Media Industry, the event featured three contributors from different media houses in Nigeria.

In her contribution, Ejiro Umukoro, the pioneer General Manager of MEGA 89.1 FM Warri, Delta State, said for the media to thrive under the new environment wrought by COVID-19, they must stop their knee jerk reactions on business issues.

Our mental dependency on government aid shows a very sick infrastructural decay at play in addition to the medias lack of self-innovation, having to kowtow to scratch-my-back-I-scratch-your-back revenue models.

The Chief Executive Officer of Women FM, Lagos, Toun Sonaiya, lamented that media houses in Nigeria have not received any government support to cope with the economic impact of COVID-19.

The media industry in the western world, though affected, were provided a lifeline by their various governments through intervention measures but the media industry in Nigeria, on the other hand, was left in the mud with most private-owned media vulnerable and badly hit, she said.

Ms Sonaiya said being at the front line as the health sector, the media industry has been grossly affected by the pandemic, also because of a large infrastructural deficit in the industry.

A silver bullet will not work across all media platforms. The pandemic affects the whole world so not many places to turn to for help. We must think our way out of this like everybody else, Mrs Sonaiya said, while recommending ways the industry can mitigate the economic effect of the pandemic.

She said media houses can consider boosting income by providing subscription-based services while charging amounts that their audience can afford.

Financing good journalism, will have to rely on memberships, subscriptions and donations. Post COVID-19 media business will not be business as usual. You either adapt or die. I believe this time calls for a global solidarity for media collaboration, she said.

In his own remarks, the Executive Director of International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Dayo Aiyetan, urged the media to strive for their own survival.

The media cannot fold its hands and wait for palliatives from governments. It is time to put on our thinking caps and find creative means of survival. he said.

Mr Aiyetan said the media can diversify and be creative about other means of revenue rather than seeking palliative from the government.

He warned that government funding of the media has the danger of making the media beholden to the government.

Mr Aiyetan said even in the wake of the pandemic, there are opportunities available to be explored by media houses and journalists.

He said media houses can also partner in carrying out projects, share the costs and credits.

Media houses must see new opportunities in the new reporting that the pandemic has thrown up. Misinformation is huge. Data is a big thing now. There are creative things media houses can do to produce unique content that would stand them out, Mr Aiyetan said on how to generate revenue in the wake of the pandemic.
A parade of 150 honking cars and minivans, festooned in balloons and messages of thanks for emergency child-care workers, made the local news in Peterborough recently.

Meanwhile in Toronto, where some emergency child-care staff and children have tested positive for COVID-19, staff supervising outdoor play have been met with scorn.

I was watching my children through the fence in the playground, and a man asked me why this daycare is open. He said there shouldnt be kids outside, said Toronto labour-room nurse Marianne Ryan, an essential worker who has relied on emergency child care for her two sons, ages eight and 11.

The caregiver told me that people frequently approach the staff with comments about how they shouldnt be open, Ryan said.

The publics lack of understanding  and respect  for child care is troubling for Sheila Olan-MacLean, president of the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care, who helped organize the show of appreciation in Peterborough.

Across the country, child care has been deemed an essential service for health-care workers, grocery store clerks and others on the front lines during the coronavirus crisis, she noted.

And yet, early childhood educators have been feeling quite left out in all the political praise for front-line staff during this pandemic, said Olan-MacLean, who runs Compass Early Learning and Care in Peterborough.

That could be changing. As provinces plan to reopen their economies, politicians like Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce are calling child care a prerequisite for parents  particularly women  to participate in the workforce.

During his daily media briefing on Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also highlighted the immediate need and importance of child care in the longer term, to make sure that equality in this country is more than just a goal, but is a concrete reality.

Advocates and academics couldnt agree more and say now is the time to move child care from the fringes of public policy in Canada to centre stage.

Child care is kind of a magic bullet because it provides jobs for women and lets women return to work in other sectors, said Brock University associate sociology professor Kate Bezanson, who specializes in social policy, gender, political economy and constitutional law.

And in Quebec, the only province where child care is widely available and heavily subsidized by public funds, research shows it more than pays for itself through increased tax revenue from womens employment. Child care also has the benefit of boosting the local economy, cutting child poverty and reducing the need for social assistance, Bezanson added.

But in the rest of Canada, child care is largely an ad hoc service, delivered in homes and centres run by non-profit and private businesses. Chronically low pay and staff turnover is rampant. Quality varies widely and the lack of public funding makes it ruinously expensive for parents, said Bezanson.

Many child-care centres are teetering on the edge of collapse thanks to the lockdown. Even if they survive, thousands of laid-off early childhood educators (ECEs) may be reluctant to return to their low-wage, low-status work, she warned.

In the short term, Bezanson and other academics and advocates urge Ottawa to work with the provinces to stabilize the sector so child care is available when the pandemic lifts.

Longer-term, Ottawa should consider investing in social infrastructure such as child care as an economic stimulus, said Bezanson, who has co-authored a report on the issue.

After the global recession of 2008  a crisis that disproportionately impacted men  Ottawa unleashed billions in capital infrastructure spending that created thousands of construction jobs. But with the current crisis slamming retail, hospitality and service industries  and their largely female workforces  the country needs a response aimed at helping women, the report argues.

To get the ball rolling, Bezanson and her co-authors want the Trudeau government to appoint a Child Care Secretariat, promised by the Liberals during the 2019 election, to begin creating a generational fix for the deeply entrenched inequalities and social vulnerabilities revealed by the current crisis.

The secretariat could be a national clearing house for best practices in the pandemic era. For example, Ottawa is reviewing preliminary research in Europe and Australia that suggests children are less likely to become ill from the virus and are unlikely to spread it; such findings could help guide how child care operates, advocates say.

Such a secretariat could also help provinces share practical lessons learned during the pandemic, said Marni Flaherty, executive director of Todays Family, a non-profit child-care agency in Hamilton, where all the emergency child care is happening in licensed home child care; child-care centres remain closed.

Flaherty says licensed home child care, with an average of three or four children per home, has some advantages over larger, centre-based care during a health crisis. If there is an outbreak, the small number of children and staff prevents the kind of disruption seen in Toronto, when an outbreak closed Jesse Ketchum Child Care Centre on April 28.

So far, 11 staff and four children, including an eight-month-old baby, have tested positive at the centre near Bay St. and Davenport Ave., one of seven city-run centres providing emergency care in Toronto. As a result, 43 child-care staff along with 55 children and their families have been forced to self-isolate for 14 days.

As advocates press Ottawa to launch a national child-care stimulus, Flaherty  whose agency also includes child-care centres  says the pandemic shows why informal home child care should be regulated, subject to public health measures and fully integrated with a larger national system of centre-based care.

What if the next pandemic targets children? she asked Shame on us if we dont learn from this and make change in this country.

ECE Jessica Henderson, 21, who usually works in a Hamilton EarlyON parenting centre and in a before- and after-school program run by Todays Family, volunteered her parents bungalow as an emergency child-care home. She says she has loved the experience.

As with all emergency child care during the pandemic, parents, kids and caregivers must have their temperatures taken every morning. Anyone who feels unwell or has a fever, runny nose, cough, nausea, diarrhea is prohibited from entering the home, and enhanced cleaning, disinfecting and hand-washing are mandatory.

Because Henderson is working with three sisters, ages two, five and six, the children can play together. But we practice social distancing (with others) when we play nature eye spy on our neighbourhood walks, Henderson added.

In Toronto, where all the emergency child care is run out of city-operated centres, ECE Maiya Rambarck, 55, is also adjusting to a new routine. She usually works with up to 24 preschoolers but now provides emergency care for a maximum of seven children whose ages range from three to eight.

It is a very different arrangement than before, she said, adding the room is large enough to allow for physical distancing among staff and children who are not related.

Since such distancing is not possible with smaller children who need to be held, staff are required to use a sheet or blanket between themselves and the child and it must be laundered after every use, according to provincial pandemic protocol.

City officials are not sure what child-care programs will look like post-pandemic, but its expected that they will have additional public health expectations and screening, said Dr. Vinita Dubey, associate medical officer of health.

But even before the COVID-19 cases at Jesse Ketchum, many ECEs worried about their safety, said Erin Filby of the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario.

The association, with 1,800 ECE members across the province, tracks Facebook groups and social media and has noticed a lot of fear and uncertainty in the profession, she said.

How do you do physical distancing with a baby? Infants need to be held, for their brains and their health, Filby said. We dont want to lose the developmental and caring aspect of child care amid all of the safety precautions.

Toronto labour-room nurse Marianne Ryan says she and her two sons who attended Jesse Ketchum thankfully tested negative for COVID-19. But now she is off work and says she wont send her kids back to the citys emergency child care again because the risks are too great. When shes cleared to work again, her father will drive from his home in Richmond Hill to care for the boys.

I know I am very lucky, she said. But I would have sent them back if I didnt have my dad because I would have no other choice. We have to get this right for the future.
The car that a missing engaged couple was last seen in has been found in North Carolina with two badly decomposed bodies inside, as police say they believe the pair were involved in a high-velocity crash.

Stephanie Mayorga, 27, and Paige Escalera, 25, were last seen on the night of April 15 leaving their home in Wilmington together and stepping into a dark gray 2013 Dodge Dart that belonged to Escelara, cops say.

On Monday Wilmington Police said they found the vehicle just after 3pm in the woods off the intersection of Independence Blvd and River Road but they don't know yet if the bodies inside belong to the couple.

'Two bodies were found inside. Due to the effects of decomposition, police cannot positively identify the two bodies at this time,' the police department said.

Both bodies are scheduled to undergo autopsies in the coming days.

Stephanie Mayorga, 27, and Paige Escalera, 25, were last seen on the night of April 15 leaving their home in Wilmington, North Carolina and getting into Escalara's dark gray 2013 Dodge Dart. That car was found deep in the woods on Monday with two badly decomposed bodies inside that are yet to be formally identified

Police shared this clip of the couple's car. It was found Monday around 3pm in the woods off the intersection of Independence Blvd and River Road

According to 911 records police now believe the car may have been involved in a 'extremely high-velocity crash' the night the couple disappeared.

'911 records show that on April 15, police, fire and EMS were dispatched to this area just before midnight. A caller advised that they saw a car in their rearview mirror heading west on Independence Boulevard [towards River Road], going at a high rate of speed, possibly hitting a wall and then going into the wooded area,' police said Tuesday according to the Port City Daily.

'When first responders arrived they met with the caller and searched the area with flashlights. However, they were unable to find any sign of a collision and no one with injuries,' according to police.

The case remains under investigation.

The women disappeared on the night of April 15 but were not reported missing until four days later by their roommate.

Wilmington police shared these video stills of the couple leaving their home April 15 appearing to be normal. Mayorga is pictured left in a black sweatshirt while Escalera was wearing a gray sweatshirt

The couple's roommate first reported them missing on April 19 but police have only ramped up their investigation after new undisclosed evidence was recovered on the disappearance. Pictured are the missing posters released with information on the women

Investigators have deemed their disappearance as 'suspicious' as they left their belongings in their apartment.

'It is not unusual for persons of this age group to be spontaneous,' Wilmington police Capt. Thomas Tillman said. 'It was unusual that the roommates didnt come back home and also that they had left all their property in the home.'

The recently engaged couple had not known each other very long, friends say, and had only lived in the apartment a week before their disappearance.

The delayed police effort to investigate the couple's disappearance has sparked outrage from the couple's family.

'A missing person's report was filed 3 days after their roommate hadn't seen them. She gave my sisters phone that was left at the apartment to police for evidence to which they didn't even use to find any of Paige's immediate contacts for information,' Stevie Jenkins, Escalera's sister, shared on Facebook on Sunday.

Mayorga's phone has been shut off since she went missing on April 15 and she did not answer calls from her boss when she didn't turn up for work the next day. She had been selling items such as a used drum kit and three watches on Facebook in late March, according to Port City Daily.

Stephanie Mayorga, 27, and Paige Escalera, 25 (pictured together) had moved into their Wilmington, North Carolina, apartment just a week before they disappeared on April 15

According to Escalera's sister Stevie Jenkins the couple did not know each other very long

Now cops believe the couple may have been involved in a high speed car crash the night they disappeared

Escalera's phone was found left behind on the couple's bed and given to the police as evidence by their roommate. In the lead up to her disappearance, the younger woman had blocked close friends on social media, her sister said.

Police have spoken to family and friends and the women are not believed to have been in contact since their disappearance two weeks ago.

Yet Escalera's sister has voiced concerns that she may have 'gotten into trouble' because of her willingness to help people out.

Jenkins told Oxygen that her sister had her fair share of troubles but is 'an amazing person and has always pulled out making the right choices. She has a big heart and is willing to help anyone but I am scared that she may have gotten into trouble this way'.

Escalera's sister Stevie Jenkins criticized what she called a slow police response on Facebook

Jenkins, who said that she had been reestablishing her relationship with her sister after 10 years, added that she had reached out to friends who say Escalera had blocked them on social media in recent weeks.

'As I have been contacting her close friends, I have found that every single one of them had been blocked from her social media over the last week or two. It is normal for family to not hear from her, but not her closest friends,' Jenkins said, adding that the couple had not known each other for very long and had only moved in together in March.

'As I spoke with Stephanie's friends, they say it isn't normal at all that they don't hear from Stephanie.'

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Wilmington Police Department at (910)-343-3620.
Liquor vends in Haryana reopened from Wednesday after nearly 40 days with reports coming in from most places that there was no violation of social distancing norms as witnessed in some other parts of the country recently.

There was no heavy rush of customers at the vends in the state as seen in places like Delhi when the liquor stores had reopened earlier.

The vends will remain open from 7 am to 7 pm.

The state government has imposed a variable ''COVID cess'', which has made different categories of liquor including Imported Foreign Liquor, Indian-Made Foreign Liquor, country liquor and beer costlier than before.

At different vends in districts including Karnal, Panchkula, Gurgaon, Kaithal, Rohtak and Bhiwani, moderate rush of buyers was witnessed.

A customer who purchased a liquor bottle from a vend in Karnal said, I am happy that the government took the decision to open the vends. The timings to open the vends are also good.

Another customer from Rohtak said, "The government has decided to hike the rate, but at least they have taken a good decision to open the vends. It will also help them get some revenue.

At a few places, people complained of liquor stock not being available with the vend owners.

I came early in the morning, but I was told to wait, said a customer in Fatehabad.

Customers from some other places also complained of vends not being stocked.

At some places including Faridabad, few vends remained shut.

Meanwhile, state Home Minister Anil Vij said he had strictly ordered district police chiefs that social distancing should be ensured.

I had directed them that if there is any violation, then, liquor contractors will be held responsible, he said.

It will be ensured that social distancing is maintained at the vends and there is proper barricading, he said, adding that customers will have to stand six feet apart.

Only five customers at a time were being allowed to stand on the sales counter of the retail liquor vend.

Ten minutes before the closure of a retail vend, no customer shall be allowed to stand in queue, except the five customers already at the counter.

Wearing face masks is mandatory for customers and salesmen while liquor vend owners will have to make available hand sanitisers at the counter at all times.

The state government had in a cabinet decision on Tuesday decided to open the retail liquor vends throughout the state barring in coronavirus ''containment zones''.

However, no ''ahataas'' or open drinking places adjacent to liquor vends will be allowed.

The Haryana government had shut down liquor vends in the state from March 27, two days after a countrywide lockdown came into force.

The government has imposed a variable ''COVID cess'' on liquor and the additional revenue generated will be used to support the areas or institutions adversely hit by the pandemic, Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala had said.

There is no move to permit home delivery of liquor, Chautala had pointed out.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Trump administration is preparing to wind down within weeks the White House taskforce that was formed to deal with the coronavirus pandemic in the country. This was announced by Vice President Mike Pence at a news conference Tuesday. He told reporters, 'A reflection of the tremendous progress we've made as a country', the Trump administration was 'starting to look at the Memorial Day [late May] window, early June window as a time when we could begin to transition back to having our agencies begin to manage, begin to manage our national response in a more traditional manner.' Later, talking to the media during a visit to the Honeywell International Inc. mask production factory in Phoenix, Arizona, Trump was asked why it was time to wind down the taskforce. 'We can't keep our country closed for the next five years,' he replied. 'Mike Pence and the task force have done a great job, but we're now looking at a little bit of a different form, and that form is safety and opening. And we'll have a different group probably set up for that,' he added. The task force was set up on January 29 with Vice President Mike Pence as its chairman. Trump said had been regularly conducing White House briefings accompanied by Pence and other members of the Task Force, including Dr. Deborah Leah Birx, who is the coronavirus response coordinator for the Task Force, and Dr Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. However, Trump nearly stopped the routine briefing after his suggestion that researchers try putting disinfectants into coronavirus infected patients' bodies as potential treatment for the killer disease met with scathing criticism by experts. Trump told reporters that both Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx would remain as advisers. 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.
[May 06, 2020] Zero-commission trading app TradeUP expands campaign to offer clients cash bonuses

NEW YORK, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- TradeUP, the commission-free stock trading platform, announced today that it is expanding its cash bonus program to a tiered structure, increasing the highest cash bonus possible from $50 to $200. The tiered promotion effectively lowers the threshold for qualification from a $3,000 deposit to just $1,000. Specifically, clients with an initial qualifying deposit of $1000 or more are able to claim cash bonuses worth up to $200. Moreover, clients who transfer their accounts from other brokerages may receive a reimbursement for any transfer fees up to $200. The offer is available immediately and ends on June 30, 2020. "We modified the reward scheme from a single and fixed-rate bonus to a multi-tiered structure in an effort to thank more clients," said Ryan Song, director of TradeUP, "Being customer-oriented means we always hope to interact with our clients and show our appreciation for their loyalty and support." Launched in January, TradeUP is a zero-commission trading platform for U.S stocks, ETFs and options. It also made headlines by offering local access to Hong Kong stock trading with competitive fees. Available both through its mobile app and web platform, TradeUP continues to enhance its operational capability and user experience by performing updates on a biweekly basis. "Rather than taking a minimalist approach that only incorporates minimalist graphics and limited analytical tools, we believe ease of use is achieved through three steps: investigate client preferences, tailor strategies to user expectations, and meet those expectations through technological innovation. TradeP's customers enjoy an intuitive interface and easy trading process because we seamlessly incorporated essential information and tools to our app without crowing the navigation bar," Song added.



Despite the impact of coronavirus on the global markets, TradeUP's user base and funding grow at a steady pace. "We experienced a surge in first-time investors drawn to the events we are currently hosting. Last month, we commenced our first ever paper trading competition, hoping to give investors more opportunities to glean market insights. Through the use of fintech, we strive to deliver a more efficient and reliable trading experience that is unmatched by market alternatives for generations to come," Song said. For more information about TradeUP's cash bonus program, please visit: https://tradeup.marsco.com/activity/market/deposit-award/#/award

Zero-fee or commission-free trading means $0 commission trading on self-directed individual cash or margin brokerage accounts that trade U.S. exchange-listed stocks and ETFs online. A $0.65 per contract fee applies to options trades. TradeUP also charges commission on Hong Kong stock trading. For full pricing details, see: https://www.itradeup.com/pricing/commissions-us Brokerage services in TradeUP are offered by Marsco Investment Corporation. Download TradeUP in the Apple App Store or Google Play for free. For more information, please visit TradeUP's website: https://www.itradeup.com/ About Marsco Investment Corporation Marsco Investment Corporation is a registered brokerage firm at SEC (CRD:18483; SEC: 8-36754), a member of FINRA/SIPC and a member of DTC/NSCC, regulated by the US Securities and Exchange Commission and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Risk Disclosure: All investments involve risk, including possible loss of principal. Past performance of a security, market, or financial product does not guarantee future results. Electronic trading poses unique risks to investors. System response and access times may vary due to market conditions, system performance, and other factors. Market volatility, volume, and system availability may delay account access and trade executions. The contents of this article shall not be considered a recommendation or solicitation for the purchase or sale of securities, futures or other investment products. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zero-commission-trading-app-tradeup-expands-campaign-to-offer-clients-cash-bonuses-301053665.html SOURCE TradeUP

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District Court judge Desmond Zaidan refused to jail a woman whos spent most of her life in care, at a court sitting today.

The 23 year old, understood to be a native of County Meath and who was up to recently living at a Nua Healthcare facility in the Midlands, appeared at Naas Courthouse on an allegation of criminal damage at Naas General Hospital, the breaking of a vehicle wing mirror today.

Read more County Kildare news

Sgt Jim Kelly sought a remand in custody saying she is likely to commit further crimes and she is a risk to others and herself.

He also said there are separate allegations against her of causing 10,000 worth of damage.

Solicitor Marie Gormley, representing the Health Service Executive, said the woman was in the care of Nua Healthcare but had not been formally remanded in care.

Ms Gormley said the woman has a mild intellectual disability, her mother has passed away and she is estranged from her father.

The court also heard the woman has personality detachment disorder and has self harmed.

Ms Gormley said the HSE has spent six months trying to find a proper service provider for the defendant and one diagnosis had indicated that the woman does not have a mental health disorder.

Ms Gormley said there were concerns about the woman being released today.

Solicitor David Powderly said there was no apparent appropriate accommodation for her and the woman had burned her bridges at a previous accommodation setting.

Judge Desmond Zaidan said the woman needs proper mental health care and it is up to the HSE to provide this.

He said he would not send the woman to prison adding that the State has the answers to the case because it has conducted all of the medical reports on her.

I'm not here to fill in the gap for State failures, added Judge Zaidan.

During an adjournment efforts to find assistance proved successful.

Mr Powderly said a bed had been located at a facility in Drogheda and after speaking to her social worker, the woman was happy to go there.

Judge Zaidan said if the woman had pleaded guilty hed have applied the Probation Act and released her but what might happen then.

He released the woman on bail, adjourning the case until July 8.

Judge Zaidan said that Mr Powderly could go to the High Court to invoke the defendants rights, if necessary.
The Turkish regime is sending more Syrian fighters to Libya to fight on their behalf, as the casualties mount and discontent grows reports Al-Watan.

The Turkish regime is continuing to send Syrian terrorists to fight alongside the so-called Government of National Accord against the Libyan National Army led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. Some 9,000 of the terrorists are fighting there, with 261 of them killed, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Tuesday.

SOHR said that it was, monitoring the arrival of new batches of hundreds of Syrian fighters to Libya via Turkey.

The number of conscripts who have reached Libyan soil until now has reached around 7,850, including a group of non-Syrians, while around 3,000 conscripts have arrived at Turkish military camps to receive training, according to SOHR.

There are hundreds of mercenaries reportedly preparing for transport to Turkey, as the National Army militias continue to draw up new registration lists by orders of the Turkish regime intelligence. The effort is seeing refusal from some of the militias, amid massive pressures against them to halt their support for the conscriptions, and threats against sending new batches of fighters to Libya.

SOHR said it had documented further human losses among the ranks of Syrian mercenaries in Libya, with at least 12 bodies of men who had recently fought battles in Libya arriving to areas under occupation by the Turkish regime and its mercenaries in rural northern Aleppo.

The number of fighters from pro-Turkish militias who have been killed in military operations in Libya had reached 261, according to SOHR, including fighters from the al-Muatasem Brigade, and Sultan Murad Division, the Northern Hawks Brigade, al-Hazmat and Suleiman Shah.

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.
Beachgoers spread out across the sand in Newport Beach on Monday, when Gov. Gavin Newsom's hard closure of Orange County beaches was still in place. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Newport Beach can partially reopen its coastline after the state signed off on an active recreation plan for the city's beaches, officials said Wednesday.

Beginning immediately, residents can now use the beaches for activities such as walking, running, hiking, biking, swimming, surfing and fishing from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, according to the city.

Beach parking lots remain closed, and more passive activities such as loitering and sunbathing are still off-limits. Beachgoers also must avoid gatherings with people they do not live with.

The city is very pleased to reopen our beaches for the physical and mental well-being of our residents, Mayor Will ONeill said in a statement. While the active recreation model was not the preferred choice by the City Council after discussions with our public safety personnel, we are confident that city staff will manage the beaches effectively under the approved plan.

Wednesday's announcement means every coastal Orange County city has now received state approval to reopen its local beaches in some capacity. The Orange County Board of Supervisors also voted Tuesday to submit a plan that would allow county-operated beaches to reopen for active recreation, as well.

The wave of reopenings comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered a "hard closuree" of all Orange County beaches last week in response to thousands of people flocking to the sand in some communities seeking relief from an April heat wave.

Newsom called the images that circulated of people congregating on Orange Countys shores disturbing and chastised beachgoers for ignoring state restrictions put in place to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

The move incited protests in and push-back from affected communities. Some officials said the images the governor cited were misleading, and didn't accurately portray that many beachgoers were acting responsibly and maintaining appropriate social distancing.

City leaders in Huntington Beach and Dana Point voted to take legal action against the governor. Even though beaches in both communities have since been allowed to reopen, Huntington Beach City Atty. Michael Gates said Tuesday that the city is continuing to seek an injunction against the governors order.

Rather than officially join that lawsuit, the Newport Beach City Council opted to file a court brief supporting the effort.

Councilman Kevin Muldoon, however, has personally sued Newsom in federal court over the beach closures.
Astronomers have found evidence for a striped pattern of clouds on the brown dwarf called Luhman 16A, as illustrated here in this artist's concept. The bands of clouds were inferred using a technique called polarimetry, in which polarized light is measured from an astrophysical object much like polarized sunglasses are used to block out glare. This is the first time that polarimetry has been used to measure cloud patterns on a brown dwarf.

Astronomers have detected what appear to be bands of clouds streaking across the surface of a cool star-like body known as a brown dwarf.

The bands, resembling those that stripe the surface of Jupiter, were discovered using polarimetry, a technique that works in the same way that polarized sunglasses block out the glare of sunlight.

"I often think of polarimetric instruments as an astronomer's polarized sunglasses," says Maxwell Millar-Blanchaer, a Robert A. Millikan Postdoctoral Scholar in Astronomy at Caltech. "But instead of trying to block out that glare we're trying to measure it." Millar-Blanchaer is lead author of a new study on the findings, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal. The observations were made using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile.

While evidence for bands of clouds on brown dwarfs has been seen before, this discovery represents the first time that these features have been inferred using the polarimetry technique.

"Polarimetry is receiving renewed attention in astronomy," says Dimitri Mawet, professor of astronomy at Caltech and a senior research scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed by Caltech for NASA. "Polarimetry is a very difficult art, but new techniques and data analysis methods make it more precise and sensitive than ever before, enabling groundbreaking studies on everything from distant supermassive black holes, newborn and dying stars, brown dwarfs and exoplanets, all the way down to objects in our own solar system."

The brown dwarf in the new study, called Luhman 16A, is part of a pair that together represents the closest known binary brown dwarf system to our solar system, lying at a distance of 6.5 light-years away. Discovered by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) in 2013, each orb weighs roughly 30 times the mass of Jupiter. Brown dwarfs form from collapsing clouds of gas in a similar fashion to stars but they lack enough mass to ultimately ignite and shine with starlight.

Previous observations with NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope found that three other brown dwarfs had signs of cloud banding, and previous studies of the partner brown dwarf to Luhman 16A, called Luhman 16B, have inferred the presence of large cloud patches. But all of these previous measurements looked at how the brightness of the objects varied over time and did not measure polarized light. In the new study, the VLT's NaCo instrument was used to study polarized light from both of the Luhman brown dwarfs.

"Polarimetry is the only technique that is currently able to detect bands that don't fluctuate in brightness over time," says Millar-Blanchaer. "This was key to finding the bands of clouds on Luhman 16A, on which the bands do not appear to be varying."

The researchers explain that, although they cannot image the brown dwarf itself, their measurement of the amount of polarized light coming from it allows them to infer the presence of cloud bands through sophisticated atmospheric modeling. Their observations do not allow them to specify exactly how many bands of clouds are rotating around on Luhman 16A, but according to their models, the answer could be two.

Their models also show that the patches of clouds would have stormy weather similar to that on Jupiter.

"We think these storms can rain things like silicates or ammonia. It's pretty awful weather, actually," says co-author Julien Girard of the Space Telescope Science Institute.

In the future, the team hopes to extend this work to measurements of planets around other stars, called exoplanets.

"Polarimetry is very sensitive to cloud properties, both in brown dwarfs and exoplanets," says Millar-Blanchaer. "This is the first time that it's really been exploited to understand cloud properties outside of the solar system."

With next-generation ground-based and space-based telescopes, this same method can also be used to study those exoplanets with the potential to host life. Polarimetry is very sensitive not only to atmospheric properties, says Millar-Blanchaer, but also the type of surface a planet has, so it may be used one day to detect liquid surface water, a sign of habitability.

Reference:

"Detection of Polarization Due to Cloud Bands in the Nearby Luhman 16 Brown Dwarf Binary," Maxwell Millar-Blanchaer et al., 2020 May 5, Astrophysical Journal (https://apj.aas.org]. The study was funded by the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the European Research Council.



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The Amazing Spider-Man: Ultimate Edition review

Months after the film left theaters, the Amazing Spider-Man game makes its way to the Wii U. Is it any better after all that extra time...
As long as you meet the basic requirements  you're in good health, 16 years or older and weigh at least 110 pounds  you are eligible to donate blood if you used non-synthetic marijuana. Marijuana is a plant that can be used naturally for medicinal and recreational purposes. But synthetic marijuana, also known as "Spice" or "K2," is a man-made version of the plant that could make you ineligible to donate blood, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA warns that the blood establishment's responsible physician should decide how to address a donor who presents with a history of synthetic cannabinoid use.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-07 00:40:51|Editor: huaxia

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BERLIN, May 6 (Xinhua) -- New passenger car registrations in Germany plummeted by 61 percent in April compared with the same period the previous year, the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) announced on Wednesday.

A total of 120,800 new passenger cars were registered in Germany in April, the ever lowest number in a month since 1990, KBA noted.

Domestic orders dropped by 70 percent while international car orders fell by 47 percent, according to KBA.

Car export had also come to "an almost complete standstill," the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) noted. Dropping by 94 percent, only 17,600 new passenger cars were delivered to customers all over the world in April.

The restriction of public life, the closure of car dealers and the limited working capacity of car registration authorities in Germany had been "decisive factors."

German car manufacturers almost completely stopped vehicle production in April. According to VDA, passenger car production in Germany had fallen by 97 percent year-on-year to only 10,900 units.

By now, Germany's largest car manufacturer Volkswagen as well as Daimler and BMW have started to gradually ramp up production after around five weeks of shutdown due to the coronavirus crisis. Enditem
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 7)  Cebu City Mayor Edgar Labella ordered on Wednesday a total lockdown in Sitio Alaska in Barangay Mambaling due to the rising COVID-19 infections there.

The lockdown in Sitio Alaska started at 1 p.m. yesterday and law enforcement authorities were sent to ensure strict implementation of lockdown and health protocols in the area.

Labella placed Sitio Alaska in total lockdown as it recorded 108 new confirmed COVID-19 cases yesterday.

A total of 122 new COVID-19 infections were reported in Cebu City yesterday, hiking the infected toll at 1,388.

Labella admitted that placing the entire Sitio Alaska would not be easy as it is heavily congested and an urban poor area.

He assured Sitio Alaska residents will be provided with canned goods and rice during the total lockdown. Labella is relying on donations from private companies to help in providing for the residents in the sitio.

The city mayor also confirmed Barangay Mambaling has 539 cases as of the latest count yesterday.

Sitio Zapatera in Barangay Luz was previously placed on total lockdown due to the high number of COVID-19 cases in the area. The sitio now has a total of 193 infections as of yesterday.

With the new cases added to the previous data issued by the Department of Health Central Visayas Center for Health Development, the entire Cebu province now has a total of 1,581 confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Lapu-Lapu City tallied four new cases while Mandaue City posted three new infections.

Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia said seven jail guards from the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center also tested positive of the virus.

As of the latest DOH tally yesterday, the country now has 10,004 confirmed COVID-19 cases along with 658 deaths and 1,506 recoveries.
- Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Ghana's Agric minister, has disclosed plans to ensure the nation is self-sufficient with regard to the production of rice

- According to him, some equipment have been purchased to ensure that the plan becomes a success

- Dr. Akoto went on to say that until 2017, Ghana's milling capacity was below 150,000 metric tonnes and this led to massive importation of rice

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has hinted at the possibility of making Ghana self-proficient in rice production from 2023.

According to him, the government has invested a number of farming implements such as harvesters to achieve the objective.

He added that the government has also purchased four different types of solar-powered milling machines from China to improve the production chain of rice.

READ ALSO: There is enough food in Ghana to feed everyone - Agric minister declares

Per a report by graphic.com.gh, he revealed this during an interaction with farmer groups and value chain operators in the agricultural sector in the Bono, Bono East and the Ashanti regions.

The sector minister also visited some farms to obtain primary information about the challenges the farmers face as the farming season begins.

YEN.com.gh understands that he observed the farmers did not have the needed equipment to help expand their farms, harvest timeously, mill the paddy rice, store their crops and find a market for their produce.

Dr. Akoto noted that currently, the milling capacity of rice in the country was 400,000 metric tonnes, even though the total demand stood at 1.2 million metric tonnes per year.

He went on to say that until 2017, the countrys milling capacity was below 150,000 metric tonnes, which occasioned the huge level of rice importation into the country, which he described as unnecessary and unwarranted.

In another report, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has initiated plans to halt the export of soya beans.

The move is in line with attempts to ensure that there are enough soya beans to feed for poultry birds in Ghana.

YEN.com.gh understands that MoFA is currently seeking legal backing to halt the exportation of the crop.

READ ALSO: Food is now cheaper in Ghana - Agric minister declares

Enjoyed reading our story? Download YEN's news app on Google Playstore now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news!

Rent advance exceeding 6 months could land you in jail in Ghana - Atta Akyea | #Yencomgh

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One of Donald Trump's most high-profile aides is involved in a bitter divorce battle that has dragged on for 18 months and is still unresolved, DailyMail.com can disclose.

Peter Navarro, 70, has become one of the White House's most prominent spokespeople, first over trade with China, and now as point man for procurement of essential supplies to deal with the coronavirus crisis.

But behind the scenes, he has been wrangling over a divorce deal with his estranged wife Leslie LeBon, 59, since November 2018.

Architect LeBon filed for divorce citing 'irreconcilable differences' and asking for spousal support two years after Navarro relocated to Washington D.C from Orange County, California, to join the White House, initially as Director of the White House National Trade Council.

Since then Navarro has lodged his own demand that she pay him alimony on top of his $183,000-a-year official salary, which has increased since his promotion to advisor to the President in February 2018.

President Donald Trump's aide Peter Navarro, 70, has been involved in a bitter divorce battle with his wife Leslie LeBon, 59, since November 2018

Navarro has become a prominent spokesperson in the White House, raising eyebrows last month when he said that his PhD in social sciences allowed him to weigh in on potential COVID-19 cures

The pair are also warring over property and jointly own a four-bedroom Craftsman-style 'mini estate' home in upscale Laguna Beach, California, where LeBon still lives.

The 3,323sqft property has been listed for sale since February 2019  initially with an asking price of $3.8million but that has since dropped twice to $3.3million.

According to the listing, the home boasts Pacific views 'from almost every room', a separate guesthouse, a firepit and a garage that contains a separate studio.

A furious LeBon told DailyMail.com that she would not be commenting on the case or on her estranged husband  insisting that her divorce is her business.

But when asked about Navarro's negotiating skills, the 59-year-old couldn't resist a crack, snapping, 'Tell him to do a better job' before storming inside.

She would not discuss the reasons for the split.

DailyMail.com contacted both Navarro and the White House for comment and has received no response.

The divorce is a far cry from the pair's previous life as a Laguna Beach power couple with both LeBon and Navarro known for dabbling in local politics  Republican for her and Democrat for him.

They also used the local press to boost their profiles, with LeBon posing for a glossy photo shoot for Laguna Beach Magazine in October 2012 where she spoke of life with the Navarro, then a professor of economics and public policy at the University of California Irvine, and their six cats - Bob, Jack, Luna, Nike, Pumpkin and Shadow.

The couple also shared the home with LeBon's son Alexander, now a 27-year-old professional sand sculptor and sales engineer, from her first marriage to Greg LeBon.

The pair are warring over a four-bedroom Craftsman-style 'mini estate' home in upscale Laguna Beach, California, where LeBon still lives

LeBon previously gushed about her love for antiques  boasting that the couple had surrounded their pool with ancient statues and pottery

The 3,323sqft property has been listed for sale since February 2019 - initially with an asking price of $3.8million and dropping to $3.3million

When the pair married in 2001, Navarro was still working in academia at UC Irvine and had yet to write his best-known work  2011's Death By China.

The pair were once a power couple, with both LeBon and Navarro known for dabbling in local politics

Instead, he was best known for his attempts to break into politics in San Diego  70 miles away  where he ran for office on a liberal Democratic ticket five times between 1992 and 2001.

One campaign, in 1992, was for Mayor of San Diego while another was a 1996 run for Congress, which he lost to Republican Brian Bilbray.

His final attempt was in 2001, when he unsuccessfully ran for a council seat, also in San Diego and again as a Democrat.

Despite LeBon's Republican registration, Navarro continued to support Democratic politics, championing Hilary Clinton during her first bid for president in 2008.

But he went all-in on backing Trump after Jared Kushner discovered his book, Death by China, on Amazon.com and got in touch with ask him to advise the campaign.

In his last year in private life he earned $240,000 from University of California-Irvine, with less than $1,000 in royalties from Death by China, and also had speaking fees from the Casket and Funeral Supply Association and other groups.

He did not register as a Republican until June 2018, well after Trump was elected and after 18 months in the White House.

LeBon, who runs her own architectural firm from the former family home, also has a history of dabbling in politics, in her case locally in Laguna Beach.

Her political involvement was supported by Navarro, including in 2010 when he  now a pugilistic media performer - came out swinging for his wife after she was ousted from the city's Design Review Board (DRB).

The board, which vets proposed developments, changed its voting rules, leading to LeBon being ejected.

Navarro immediately demanded a review of the process and filed an official complaint  all, he claimed, without his wife's 'knowledge or consent'.

A furious LeBon told DailyMail.com that she would not be commenting on the case or on her estranged husband  insisting that her divorce is her business. DailyMail.com spotted her out at a farmers market in Laguna Beach

When asked about Navarro's negotiating skills, the 59-year-old couldn't resist a crack, snapping, 'Tell him to do a better job' before storming inside

LeBon runs her own architectural firm from the former family home and also has a history of getting into politics locally in Laguna Beach

The 70-year-old, who raised eyebrows last month when he said that his PhD in social sciences allowed him to weigh in on potential COVID-19 cures, made much of his 'expertise' in public policy.

Speaking to the Laguna Beach Independent in 2010, he went on: 'I did this without either her knowledge or consent. It's a much bigger issue than that.

'I basically am involved in the public policy process, whether it's local politics or whether it's at the federal level, policy is my area of expertise.

'Policy here in the city of Laguna Beach is now in jeopardy because of the politicization of the DRB process.'

His complaint was rejected and LeBon was not reinstated.

Despite the setback, LeBon continued to pursue a profile in the city, posing at her $3million home for Laguna Beach Magazine in October 2012.

According to the listing, the home boasts Pacific views 'from almost every room' and has a separate guesthouse

Along with revealing their menagerie of six cats, she also gushed about her love for antiques  boasting that the couple had surrounded their pool with ancient statues and pottery.

Three years later, she was back in the spotlight when she worked as campaign manager for Republican Steve Dicterow in his bid to be elected mayor of Laguna Beach for the fourth time in 2015.

Dicterow, 66, went on to be elected to a term on the city council  his fifth  in October 2016 but was accused of financial impropriety during the campaign.

Opponents said he had failed to be transparent about campaign finances and accused him of 'conflicts of interest'.

He denied wrongdoing and later claimed the accusations were an attempt to destroy his reputation in a Twitter rant.
Key prostate cancer drugs will be made available before chemotherapy to keep patients away from hospital during the coronavirus crisis.

Experts have been campaigning for years for advanced hormone treatments enzalutamide and abiraterone to be given as a first-line therapy as soon as men are diagnosed.

Trials show that giving patients the drugs early dramatically improves survival chances  with the risk of dying within three years cut by a third.

Two prostate cancer drugs will be the first line of therapy for sufferers over the next three months

Enzalutamide, known by its brand name Xtandi, and abiraterone have been given the go-ahead to keep prostate cancer patients away from hospitals during the coronavirus pandemic

The NHS has resisted calls to give the treatments early on, insisting that men should first have chemotherapy and standard hormone drugs before they are allowed to try the more expensive options.

But officials have now relented and enzalutamide and abiraterone can be used as first-line treatments for the next three months.

They have made the allowance because hormones can be taken at home, meaning patients can avoid going to hospital for chemotherapy. Charities estimate 1,000 men will benefit during the three-month period.

Prostate cancer specialist Professor Nick James, of the Institute of Cancer Research in London, has been pressing for the change, and renewed his calls at the beginning of the coronavirus crisis.

He said: Abiraterone offers men a substantial and sustained improvement in their quality of life compared with chemotherapy  both during the course of their treatment but importantly also in the long term, allowing men to live well with their cancer.

Blood cell size key to early warning By Victoria Allen A simple blood test could detect undiagnosed cancer early by looking for abnormally small red blood cells. A study of more than 85,000 people found those with small red blood cells were twice as likely to be diagnosed with cancer in the next year, compared to people whose cells were a regular size. Experts believe the cells may shrink if people are losing blood without realising, for example if they have bowel cancer. Researchers at the University of Exeter found that in their sample of patients with small blood cells, 4 per cent were diagnosed with cancer in the next year, compared to just 2 per cent in the normal cell group. Abnormally small red blood cells, a condition named microcytosis, appeared to be a particular warning sign for bowel and lung cancer, followed by the blood cancer lymphoma. The study, part-funded by Cancer Research UK, concluded that those with smaller red blood cells should be tested for bowel and lung cancer. This will help detect the disease early and increase a patients chances of survival. Advertisement

Im pleased and relieved that many more men should now benefit from targeted hormone therapies right from when they are first diagnosed. They are smarter, kinder treatments, and could extend the lives of many more patients.

Offering enzalutamide or abiraterone to men as first-line treatment for prostate cancer will greatly lower the risk of exposing vulnerable patients to the coronavirus, and lightens the load on our hardpressed hospitals.

Men can take their tablets at home and have their bloods checked by their GP  and, unlike chemotherapy, enzalutamide and abiraterone have no significant effects on patients immune system.

It is frustrating that during this anxious lockdown period it has taken so many weeks to agree extended access to targeted hormone therapies.

'I would urge NHS regulators to consider other areas in which cancer care can be modernised, to move towards managing patients at home where possible.

Heather Blake, of Prostate Cancer UK, said the new rules will benefit men who might otherwise have had no treatment, with many hospitals delaying chemotherapy treatments.

She added: This is fantastic news for newly diagnosed men. Until now, they have been faced with the distressing prospect that chemotherapy, which could extend their life by 15 months, was not being made available due to the increased risk from Covid-19.

Enzalutamide and abiraterone both cost more than 30,000 a year, compared to about 5,000 to treat a man with chemotherapy.

Prostate cancer affects about 50,000 men a year in the UK and kills 12,000.
Callie Armstrong, of the Choctaw Nation, in Cork to commemorate the donation

It is a memory that Ireland has never forgotten.

173 years ago in 1847, a Native American tribe were so moved by the suffering caused by the Great Famine that they ignored their own poverty to send donations across the Atlantic to help a people they did not know.

The Choctaw Nation donated a total of $170 (the equivalent of around 4,500 today).

The tribe made the donation while wealthier nations effectively ignored the unfolding disaster in Ireland.

It became one of the most famous gifts of famine aid - and a kindness Ireland has never forgotten.

Now, Irish people are flocking to donate to a pandemic appeal fund for the Navajo and Hopi tribes - inspired by how Native Americans tried to help Ireland at its time of greatest need.

Swathe

The appeal fund was launched after the Covid-19 virus cut a swathe through tribal elders and Indian families over the past eight weeks.

Almost 50 deaths have been reported among Navajo and Hopi Indians across Utah, Arizona and New Mexico.

The appeal aims to raise cash to help with medical needs, food aid and the provision of masks, hand sanitisers and other personal protective equipment (PPE).

Launched on March 15, it has now raised just under 2m - most of it from people in Ireland or of Irish descent.

The appeal was organised by the Rural Utah Project education team, with team member Vanessa Tulley saying: "The favour is returned through generous donations from the Irish people to the Navajo Nation during our time of crisis.

"In moments like these, we are so grateful for the love and support we have received from all around the world."
Srinagar, May 6 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir police on Wednesday claimed to have arrested a Jash-e-Mohammad (JeM) militant and recovered huge cache of arms and ammunition, including AK-56 rifle and grenades, at Tral in south Kashmir district of Pulwama.



A police official said that a joint team of police and security forces apprehended a militant at Satura crossing in Tral in an ambush while he was found under suspicious circumstances on Tuesday evening.



He said on his questioning arms and ammunition was recovered from the militant, including one AK-56, five AK Magazines, 150 AK Rds, three Chinese Grenades and two mobile phones.

UNI BAS JAL 1002
In early April, the union president for Michigans postal service workers described the state of the industry in the Detroit area as bad due to impacts of the COVID019 pandemic.

A month later, James Haggarty said not much has changed.

The region continues to be hit hard by the coronavirus, leaving shorthanded staffs working through backlogs at U.S. Postal Service distribution centers. Haggarty said some mail has been sent to West Michigans processing centers to ease the strain on the Detroit area, where coronavirus has been more prevalent.

USPS has had 113 employees test positive for the virus in the Detroit-Pontiac-Flint area, and a handful in West Michigan, according to Haggarty, president of the Michigan chapter of the National Postal Mail Handlers Union.

Were still a little backed up in Detroit and trying to bring more people on to help, he said. People are starting to come back to work but not everybody. Were trying to get everything out as fast as we can but we can only do so much with the amount of people we have.

Mail is delivered daily throughout the Detroit region, but some customers may experience a lighter volume of mail or a temporary delay in package delivery due to the impacts of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to Elizabeth Najduch, a strategic communications specialist for USPS Detroit District.

In places like Grand Rapids and Saginaw, processing centers have picked up some of the mail normally sorted in Detroit, according to Mark Swan, union president for the National Association of Letter Carriers in Saginaw.

Saginaws system has had a few mail carriers recently retire, but with only three confirmed positives among its employees, the mail system hasnt been hit as hard by the virus.

Across the nation, Najduch said 1,606 of the postal services more than 630,000 employees have tested positive for the virus. She said there have been some deaths, but declined to provide a total.

Related: Michigan mail delivery slows as coronavirus hits postal service workers

At least two employees from the distribution center in downtown Detroit have died.

Anthony Smith was the first mail handler death attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the National Postal Mail Handlers Union. He was a U.S. Army veteran and forklift driver for USPS.

Bobby Wilkerson, 62, was also a Detroit mail handler who previously served three tours in the U.S. Army. He was a few weeks away from retiring when he died, and his family said they believe his death was related to COVID-19.

In Wayne County alone -- home to the city of Detroit -- there have been 17,314 confirmed cases and 1,924 deaths associated with COVID-19 as of Monday, May 4.

During the pandemic, the postal service has updated its leave policies to allow employees to stay home whenever they feel sick, or if they must provide dependent care or any other qualifying factor under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

In an agreement with the union, USPS is offering 80 hours of paid leave to non-career employees for issues related to COVID-19, and expanded its definition of sick leave for covered employees to deal with the closures of schools across the country.

Employees cant be disciplined for failing to work between Feb. 29 and May 17, according to the postal service union.

USPS continues to seek new employees for clerk and mail handler positions, and Haggarty said individuals interested in applying can do so online at the postal service website, here.

Health officials with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have said the risk of catching COVID-19 from packages or mail is low. Coronavirus is thought to be spread most often by respiratory droplets, according to the CDC.

The postal service is implementing measures at retail facilities and mail processing facilities to ensure appropriate social distancing, including through signage, floor tape, and cough/sneeze barriers.

USPS has provided its workers with masks, gloves, and cleaning and sanitation products, and updated its cleaning policies to ensure all cleaning occurs in a manner consistent with CDC guidance relating to the pandemic.

But in Saginaw, its up to the individual employees on if they want to wear masks and some choose not to. Swan would like to see more employees wear PPE and he has considered proposing a Saginaw system mandate.

For its customers, the postal service recommends using usps.com to purchase stamps, order packaging supplies to be delivered to your residence, and scheduling free carrier pick-up from your house.

We appreciate the patience of our customers and the efforts of employees as conditions change on a day-to-day basis, reads a statement from USPS.

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the postal service reported total revenue of $19.4 billion for its first quarter of fiscal year 2020 (Oct. 1, 2019 - Dec. 31, 2019). It was a decrease of $363 million, or 1.8 percent, from the same quarter the year prior.

USPS reported an increase in package revenue but decreases in overall volume and mail revenue. CEO Megan Brennan said the postal service continues to face systemic profitability challenges due to our restrictive business model and mandated costs.

The organization hasnt reported its second-quarter totals (Jan. 1, 2020 - March 31, 2020) but is expected to announce them later this month.

Haggarty said the postal service is getting less revenue because first-class mail is down and not a lot of people or businesses are doing marketing mail at this time. He said USPS needs help from the federal government to weather this storm and get back to where it was before the pandemic.

Last month, President Donald Trump said he wouldnt approve a $10 billion loan for the U.S. Postal Service unless the agency raises charges for Amazon and other big shippers to four to five times current rates, according to a report by the Associated Press.

The Postal Service is a joke because theyre handing out packages for Amazon and other internet companies and every time they bring a package, they lose money on it, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

MLive Photographer Riley Yuan contributed to this report.

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.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus. Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

Read more on MLive:

Less than 10% of Michigan coronavirus tests coming back positive; 86 new deaths reported

Gov. Whitmer extends orders on emergency supply transportation, remote notarization

Michigan farmers to benefit from U.S. buying $470M in surplus food

This is a very substantial crisis. Ann Arbor reduces penalties for late tax payments
Though the memes and video campaign have boosted Lightfoots national profile and drawn praise to the mayor for strong leadership and humor, she also has faced criticism for getting a haircut even though barbers and stylists were shut down under the states stay-at-home order. The mayor defended the decision by saying shes the face of the city and noting that her stylist wore a mask and gloves during the haircut.
EDITORS NOTE: This story has been updated to correct the name of French Funerals and Cremations president Tom Antram.

Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

Dakota William Powell was a promising young man who took his own life while struggling with mental illness.

When his loved ones got to his funeral, they discovered something horrific.

A lawsuit filed in state District Court in Albuquerque last week alleges that French Funerals and Cremations broke Dakota Powells legs to fit him into his coffin. Dakota was 6-foot-4, but mourners immediately noticed that the coffin was not even 6 feet long.

President Tom Antram, company majority owner Chet Stewart and a former employee are named as defendants.

Antram told the Journal that an investigation conducted by the funeral homes insurance company found no wrongdoing.

Marc Powell had made arrangements to have his sons body wrapped in linen and not embalmed or prepared for public viewing, per traditional Jewish custom. The body was to be placed in a simple pine coffin.

The funeral for the 26-year-old was held in Frenchs chapel in August 2017.

Defendant Antram and (an employee) met the family members and other mourners at the entrance to the chapel, and as the group approached the pine coffin at the front of the chapel, family members began to become emotional and exclaim that there must be some mistake as the coffin was much too short to contain Dakota Powell, the lawsuit says.

The coffin, according to the lawsuit, was noticeably and significantly less than six feet long.

To the horror of Marc and Sally Powell (Dakotas grandmother), and the other family members and mourners assembled, (a funeral home employee) callously stated that they had to disfigure and mutilate Dakota Powells body by breaking his legs so he would fit in the coffin, the lawsuit says. The employee even made a breaking gesture with her hands as she made this callous statement.

The lawsuit, filed by Dakotas father and grandmother, also says the funeral home didnt honor the familys wishes and prepared the body for public viewing. The Powells are asking for compensatory and punitive damages, as well as damages for pain, suffering and mental anguish.

The Powell family has been able to eventually reconcile themselves to Dakotas mental illness and ultimate suicide, but have been increasingly haunted by Frenchs decision to desecrate their beloved Dakotas body by breaking his legs and stuffing him into a coffin that was much too small for his tall frame, and to callously ignore specific instructions to prepare Dakotas body in a traditional Jewish fashion, Marc Powells attorney, Ben Silva, said in a statement to the Journal.

The Powells had hoped to sit down with Frenchs staff to understand how this could have happened. Instead, French refused to meet with the Powells and claimed that none of this tragic series of events ever happened and that they bore no responsibility at all.

Silva said Marc Powell will donate all monetary awards to the Dakota Tree Project, a nonprofit that plants trees in Albuquerques poorest neighborhoods in Dakotas honor.

Antram told the Journal on Tuesday that Dakotas family sent a letter to the funeral home in December demanding a cash payout. He said Frenchs insurance company conducted an investigation and found no fault by the funeral home. He said the company has not been served with the lawsuit and didnt want to comment on pending litigation.

We look forward to this process and making sure it reaches a resolution that is justified, Antram said.

Dakota loved glass blowing and was working toward opening his own studio and retail space, his obituary says. He was born in Albuquerque, and majored in business and economics at Colorado College.
A molecular biologist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who has for decades studied the nightmarish group of fatal diseases caused by prions -- chronic wasting disease in deer, mad cow in cattle and its human analog -- credits a middle-of-the-night dream for a crucial insight, a breakthrough she hopes could lead to a cure.

In a new paper in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology by Tricia Serio, dean of the College of Natural Sciences and professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at UMass Amherst, and others, report an unanticipated role for prion nucleation seeds that enhances their ability to appear and resist curing. Nucleation seeds are molecule clusters that form when prions attach to one another and change shape. "Once that change occurs, it creates a very stable aggregate known as amyloid that was thought to be impossible to inactivate by normal means," Serio notes.

The infectious prion is an unusual pathogen, a protein without nucleic acid, she explains. Prion diseases were first described in the 1800s, and include scrapie in sheep and other neurodegenerative diseases such as mad cow disease and in humans, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, fatal familial insomnia and kuru from ritual cannibalism in Papua, New Guinea.

Serio says, "These diseases are always fatal," but she and colleagues including first author Janice Villali work with natural yeast prions that can't be transmitted to humans or cause disease. "It's a good model system that is not infectious, and it grows really fast."

It has been known for decades that prion protein (PrP) misfolding is a key part of the disease process, she adds. In these diseases, proteins fold into 3D shapes that cause disease. In mammals, the protein quality control system responds to folding mistakes with "chaperone" molecules that seek out misfolds and try to refold and correct mistakes.

But prions misfold so quickly that chaperones can't keep up, Serio says. "That part was known," she adds, but scientists still could not figure out what was limiting the chaperone system, allowing prions to persist. "One key factor controlling the transition from harmless protein to invincible disease menace was so hidden and obscure that it had not been previously proposed," she says.

Then, after a conference where she had talked intensely all day about prions, Serio had the crucial dream. "It came to me that the size of the aggregate nucleation seed mattered," she recalls. "So we went back and designed experiments to test the minimum size idea by mathematical modeling with co-first author Jason Dark, and it worked. That led to this investigation and why we're really excited about this paper."

The first revelation was a surprise, Serio recalls -- prion aggregates come in different sizes. "Everybody knew of the nucleation seed, but no one knew they could be different sizes for the same protein." As prion proteins physically attach and the complex switches from one state to another, this minimum size is really important -- but why?

It turns out, Serio says, that the seed complex must double in size for the disease to persist. It it starts with four molecules, it must reach eight. "This minimum size determines whether the chaperone can win. Four has to get to eight, but if you catch it early enough, if you pull out one side of the square, the amyloid structure can't double. Chaperones prevent the disease by preventing it from doubling in that first round."

Another discovery is that if the minimum nucleation seed starting size is 10 and it must reach 20 to create two amyloids, that complex is an easier problem for chaperones to nip, Serio points out. "In yeast, the bigger the initial seed, the more difficult it is for the disease to resist chaperones and take hold because these protein quality controls have more time to act; the smaller seed is harder to cure because it doubles more quickly."

She adds, "We realized that if we could control this transformation, we could stop the disease from arising, but we also realized that the same barrier would control going backwards and unfolding an established amyloid. The literature says that's a silly idea because prions survive and resist killing so well. But once we figured out this minimum size, we showed that it could also predict the frequency of prion curing under different growth conditions. Looking back, we can't figure out how we missed it."

Serio says she and her team now know there are at least three nucleation sizes possible, and, "I suspect that it will turn out to be an infinite number," she adds. "In fact, we have shown that we can shift the nucleation size by changing the shape of the prion or by expressing a mutant form of the protein, opening the door to therapeutic intervention to reverse this process."
May 06 : BOLLYWOOD, the world of name and fame, glitters and gold, lavishness and luxury attracts the eyes of everyone. Our film stars are known for their acting skills and being glamorous, but some of us are not aware that many of these stars are highly qualified in their real lives.

While Ayushmann Khurrana has enrolled himself for an online course on Indian history during this lockdown, today we bring to you top 5 actresses of bollywood who are highly educated.

1. Parineeti Chopra: You will be surprised to know that the bubbly girl of bollywood holds triple honours degree in Business, Finance and Economics from Manchester Business School, UK.

2. Soha Ali Khan: She comes from the family of the learned. She holds a bachelor degree in Modern History from Ballilol College, Oxford. She did her masters in International Relations from the London School Of Economics and Political Science, UK.

3. Ameesha Patel: She is a perfect example of beauty with brains. She graduated from Tufts University in Medford Massachusetts, US with a gold medal.

4. Preity Zinta: The dimpled girl of bollywood who is now settled in US holds a bachelore degree in English with honours and a Master's degree in Criminal Psychology.

5. Taapsee Pannu: Without a God Father in the industry, she has carved her own path here. She completed her graduation in Computer Science Engineering from Guru Tegh Bahadur Institue in New Delhi and has worked as a software engineer.

So not only can these actresses don a gorgeous red carpet look with panache but they can surely give some intelligent brains a tough competition !!
[May 06, 2020] International capacity developments to benefit the telecoms sector in Samoa

Syndey, May 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just released, this edition of Paul Budde Communications focus report on Samoa outlines the major developments and key aspects in the telecoms markets.

Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Samoa-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses Samoa was one of the first Pacific Island countries to establish a regulatory infrastructure and liberalise its telecom market. In 2006, it became the first in the region to see the market entrance of Digicel, which has since launched services in other Pacific nations. The advent of competition in the mobile market saw prices fall by around 50% and network coverage increase to more than 90% of the population. 4G LTE is developing on the back of its initial launch in 2016 by Digicel Samoa, followed by BlueSky Samoa (now Vodafone Samoa) in early 2017. Digicel Samoa is considered to be the mobile market leader with its network covering the entire coastal areas of the country, which is home to about 95% of the population. Similar to other countries in the Pacific Islands, Samoas telecoms sector has been inhibited by a lack international connectivity. While Samoa has had access to the Samoa-America-Samoa (SAS) cable established in 2009; it is now recognised that this ageing cable will not meet the future bandwidth needs of Samoa. This issue is being addressed with two new submarine cables becoming available during 2018 and 2019. These, combined with the Samoa National Broadband Highway (SNBH), will improve speed, reliability and reduce the high costs which have previously been associated with Internet Access for Samoa. BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus in 2020 is having a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries. On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscribr growth.



The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions. Key developments:

BlueSky Samoa launched as the re-branded Vodafone Samoa in April 2020.

In early 2018 Cyclone Gita hit the South Pacific region causing widespread damage to Samoa and other islands nations. Essential communication services were quickly restored and repaired by the operators.

4G services first arrived in Samoa in 2016 when it was launched by Digicel.

In 2019/2020 an important telecoms development is occurring for Samoa with the launch of the Kacific-1 satellite.

Report includes assessment of the global impact of COVID-19 on the telecoms sector. Companies covered in this report include: Amalgamated Telecom Holdings (ATH), Vodafone Samoa, Amper SA, Blue Sky Samoa, Digicel Samoa, Kacific Broadband Satellite, O3b. Key statistics

Country overview

COVID-19 and its impact on the telecom sector Economic considerations and responses Mobile devices Subscribers Infrastructure Impact on Samoa

Telecommunications market Historical overview Market analysis Financial budgets 2017/2018 2018/2019

Regulatory environment Historic overview Regulatory authority Office of the Regulator (OOTR) Telecom sector liberalisation Privatisation of SamoaTel Ltd Spectrum management Access

Fixed network operator in Samoa Vodafone Samoa (formerly BlueSky)

Telecommunications infrastructure National telecom network Samoa National Broadband Highway (SNBH) International infrastructure Submarine cables Satellite broadband Smart infrastructure Climate change centre

Fixed broadband market Historical overview Market analysis

Mobile communications Market analysis Mobile statistics Mobile broadband statistics Mobile infrastructure Digital networks Major mobile operators Mobile Content and Applications m-banking (payments) Mobile handsets

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports List of Tables Table 1  Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities- Samoa  2019 (e)

Table 2  Evolution of GDP in Samoa  2011  2019

Table 3  Fixed lines in service and teledensity  2010 - 2019

Table 4  Samoa - Internet users and user penetration rate  2008 - 2018

Table 5  Samoa - fixed broadband subscribers and penetration  2009 - 2019

Table 6  Samoa - mobile subscribers and penetration  2012  2019

Table 7  Samoa - mobile broadband subscriptions  2013  2019 List of Charts Chart 1  Current mobile subscriber and mobile broadband penetration rates in countries to benefit from the Kacific-1 satellite List of Exhibits Exhibit 1  Vodafone Samoa at a glance

Exhibit 2  Regulations guiding International Connectivity in Samoa

Exhibit 3  The start of the internet in Samoa

Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Samoa-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 ]
LOS ANGELES, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Neuromuscular Disease Foundation (NDF) will launch its annual Symposium on GNE Myopathy Speaker Series on Friday, May 8th, albeit in a much different format than in previous years. The series is designed to educate both the patient and scientific communities on GNE Myopathy, an adult onset muscle-wasting disease. The goal is to feature specific updates from all NDF grant awardees for the 2020 cycle.

GNEM Symposium Speaker Series

Friday's presentation, "Exploring the Potential of Gene Editing as a Therapeutic in GNE Myopathy," will be presented online by Dr. Monkol Lek, with Dr. Angela Lek, from the Lek Lab at Yale University. Other speakers in upcoming weeks will include presentations from investigators at the National Institutes of Health, Ohio State University, Mount St. Joseph University, University of California, Hadassah Medical Center in Israel and Japan's National Center for Neurology & Psychiatry.

Lale' Welsh, NDF's CEO, explained the organization's strategic pivot during these highly unusual times. "Our mission to update patients and other scientists must continue through the uncertainty of this devastating pandemic and its aftermath. Although some nonprofits have felt the need to cancel their events, we are fortunate that our outstanding presenters, our dedicated team and our highly committed participants have embraced this revised presentation format. Our program supports the rare disease patient community by enabling the world's leading scientists studying GNE Myopathy to share information with the broadest audience possible."

CLICK HERE to register for this FREE event.

NDF's Symposia continue to represent the preeminent gathering for GNEM scientists, physicians, patients, caregivers and industry personnel, creating historically unprecedented opportunities for scientific collaboration and patient education. In the past, NDF has helped make the attendance of patients from all over the world financially possible through scholarships.

"By taking these presentations online, NDF is now also creating a unique opportunity for patients who are homebound, or others who previously would have been unable to attend, to participate. Additionally, this pivot allows the cost savings generated to be used towards critical new programs including our upcoming telehealth services." Ms. Welsh added, "The silver linings here are so many that this may very well become our new normal, moving forward."

This first event will be followed by a series of presentations to be made by scientists and industry professionals, all with scientific endeavors being funded by NDF in its efforts to find curative treatments for GNEM. Registrants will have the opportunity to ask live questions at the conclusion of each presentation. A recorded version will be made available, free of charge, "on demand" on NDF's website by anyone interested in learning more about GNE Myopathy.

About the Neuromuscular Disease Foundation: Founded in 2006, NDF is a registered 501(c)(3) public charity and the world's leading foundation in funding research that supports the search for a cure for GNE Myopathy (also known as HIBM). Its mission is to enhance the quality of the lives of people living with GNE Myopathy through advocacy, education, outreach and the funding of critical research focused on treatments and a cure.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Lina Jackson

T +310.721.1605

[email protected]

SOURCE Neuromuscular Disease Foundation (NDF)

Related Links

http://www.curehibm.org


The Galveston County judge is calling on the governor to freeze 2020 property appraisals at 2019 levels because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Mark Henry, the county judge, wrote Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday requesting the property assessment freeze so local families dont get hit with an additional economic burden during the global pandemic. Galveston County Central Appraisal District officials said the vast majority of county properties saw an increase in value in 2020, which would lead to higher property taxes.

The 2020 assessments are based on values prior to this pandemic and the economic consequences that came with it, Henry, a Republican, said in a statement. The right thing to do at this time would be to freeze values and reassess for next year when the economic impact can be taken into account.

Tommy Watson, the countys chief appraiser, said the district was simply following state law by assessing 2020 properties based on fair market value gleaned from 2019 data. He acknowledged that 2020 values will likely take a negative hit because the once-robust Texas economy has suffered as businesses have shuttered due to the virus outbreak and oil prices tanked.

January the 1st is our appraisal date and on January the 1st the market was still good, Watson said. Any effect that this pandemic will have on values will take place in 2021.

While Texas began a phased reopening of its economy this week, continued social distancing requirements are further complicating matters for county property owners unhappy with their assessments. Watson said that the appraisal district review board will not be doing in-person hearings for now, and that property owners are directed to file complaints online via email or over the phone. Watson added that there have been way more complaints filed this year than in the past.

The lack of in-person hearings has rankled Henry, who believes that social distancing has infringed on a key course of action for property owners. Henry aired this grievance in a letter to state Attorney General Ken Paxton, requesting that he freeze property appraisals at 2019 values due to the potential lack of due process in contesting appraisals. The Galveston County Daily News reported that state Rep. Mayes Middleton, whose district includes portions of Galveston County, also requested a legal opinion about whether cancellation of in-person property value protests violates Texans constitutional rights.

Protesting ones property assessment is one of these rights that must be protected, especially at a time when property appraisals in our state are skyrocketing and when so many families are facing economic hardship due to the pandemic, Henry wrote to Paxton, also a Republican.

Watson said online complaints to the central appraisal district are not unusual, even in normal times. In 2019, the central appraisal district fielded more than 1,600 property assessment complaints online and settled nearly 40 percent of those claims.

Henry also sent letters to Dennis Bonnen, the state House speaker, as well as local state representatives and senators, urging the legislators to take up property-tax appraisal reform in the coming legislative session.

In his letter to Bonnen, Henry noted that Galveston County was one of the few local governments to voice support for revenue caps on local governments during the 2019 legislative session, despite the fact that, in his view, the revenue cap didnt go far enough in providing property tax relief to local taxpayers.

Henry added that Galveston County has cut its property tax rate by 18 percent over the last eight years, but local taxpayers need the states other taxing entities to follow suit.

I have done what I can within the powers of my elected office to hold the line for taxpayers, Henry wrote to Bonnen. It is now up to you, as one of our local legislators, to take action on this issue.

nick.powell@chron.com
The BJP on Wednesday claimed that the Congress' top brass is forcing the party's chief ministers to implement its agenda and accused it of "not supporting" the nation in the fight against COVID-19.

In a statement attacking Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party leader Rahul Gandhi, BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said the opposition party is only interested in "defaming" the government and "weakening" people's unity.

The saffron party's response came after Sonia Gandhi questioned the central government over the criteria it adopted to judge how long the COVID-19 lockdown will continue and asked what it intends to do after May 17, when the lockdown is scheduled to end.

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh and former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi were part of the meeting with the chief ministers of states where the Congress is in power.

Hitting back, Hussain said, "Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are forcing these chief ministers to implement the Congress agenda. If the Congress cannot help the nation in the fight against COVID-19 then it should not at least divide the country over the issue."



In this fight against COVID-19, the Congress has not offered any support to the country, he alleged.

Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, he asked if the Congress leader has any responsibility other than raising questions.

Hussain said the Congress should refrain from its "lowly politics" and added that the party believes that the opposition's job is to only oppose. PTI KR



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Security forces have trapped a top terrorist of Hizbul Mujahideen and two others after an hours-long gunbattle in Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama.

Riyaz Naikoo and two others were trapped after the Security forces launched the operation on Tuesday night on a specific input Beigpora Gulzapora in Awantipora.

Here is a timeline of recent encounters and terror attacks in Kashmir:

April 29: Terrorists lobbed a grenade at Nowhatta Chowk in Srinagar towards a joint checkpoint of the state police and security forces, resulting in injuries to four security force one police personnel.

April 29: Terrorists fired on a civilian in Beighpora Kralgund area of Handwara. The injured person was identified as Ali Mohd Beigh.

May 3: Five security forces personnel, including the commanding officer of 21 Rashtriya Rifles, were killed in an encounter at Changimulla, Handwara. Two terrorists, including a senior Lashkar-i-Taiba operative Haider, were also killed in the encounter.

May 4: Terrorists fired indiscriminately upon a joint party of police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) deployed at Wangam crossing in Handwara. The fire was retaliated and during the ensuing firefight three CRPF personnel were killed. A 14-year-old boy was also killed in the crossfire.

May 4: One Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel was injured when terrorists lobbed a hand grenade at Nowgam Srinagar

May 5: Five people, including a CRPF personnel and four civilians, were injured in a grenade attack by terrorists in Budgam district.

May 6: Security forces arrested an overground worker of Hizbul Mujahideen at Sathura Tral in Pulwama district. In another operation, a terrorist was killed in Sarshil Khrew.
Work on the National Broadband Plan will see some homes connected before the end of the year.

The head of the company running the 2.9bn project is confident it will be completed ahead of schedule and under budget.

The aim is to eventually connect over half a million homes, schools, businesses and farms that currently are not served by commercial operators.

Speaking to Newstalk, CEO of National Broadband Ireland Peter Hendrick said progress is being made.

"We are confident that the project can be delivered under budget and certainly earlier than we have committed," he said.

That's our entire focus: let's get this done as fast as possible for the best value as possible and that's what our team are focussed on.

Mr Hendrick said work on the infrastructure for the project is underway:

"In the year to date we've designed 17,000 premises across multiple counties including Cork, Limerick, Galway, Cavan and this month we're moving into Roscommon," he said.

"You can see things are starting to progress. We hope to have homes connected certainly within this year."
Montreal, CA (H4T1V6)

Today

Becoming cloudy with snow likely overnight. Low --12C. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 90%. Snow accumulations less than one inch..

Tonight

Becoming cloudy with snow likely overnight. Low --23C. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 90%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.
Karen Warren, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

School districts across Houston are planning to hold a joint commencement ceremony June 5 that will be limited to students and faculty and streamed online, Mayor Sylvester Turner announced Wednesday.

The event, which Turner described as a one-of-a-kind citywide celebration, includes Alief, Aldine, Houston, Spring and Spring Branch ISDs. Graduating students will return to their respective school campus outside in a formation of their choosing, six feet apart, Turner said, adding that attendees will wear face coverings along with the traditional caps and gowns.
The team at Drizly, a Boston-based alcohol e-commerce marketplace, has launched a new company to deliver marijuana.

Lantern is the first on-demand cannabis e-commerce company in Massachusetts, according to a news release. While it was started by the team at Drizly, the two companies are separate.

The company is starting with delivery of cannabis to certified medical patients in Greater Boston, the news release said. Recreational marijuana shops are not yet able to offer delivery -- though that licensure option will soon be available through the Cannabis Control Commission -- and are currently not operating amid the COVID-19 pandemic per an order halting businesses considered non-essential by Gov. Charlie Baker.

Orders on Lantern will initially go through Revolutionary Clinics, which operates medical marijuana dispensaries in Cambridge and Somerville.

Meanwhile, discussions are underway with other licensed dispensaries as Lantern looks to serve patients throughout Greater Boston, Massachusetts and the nation, according to the press release.

Lantern is uniquely equipped to bring the long-sought discretion and convenience of online ordering and home delivery of cannabis to patients in Massachusetts, and to evolve as regulations evolve, said Meredith Mahoney, the president of Lantern. We launch today with an intuitive digital experience focused on delivering high quality products at the best prices within an hour."

Mahoney said Lantern is gearing up for recreational e-commerce and delivery once the regulations are in place.

Lantern works with medical dispensaries to bring their full inventories online and was developed to assist patients in finding products through simple navigation, step-by-step questionnaires and testing data, the news release read.

While Lantern is a separate entity from Drizly, it will apply the same rigor and strict compliance to cannabis regulations that Drizly is known for in alcohol commercefirst offering the service to medical cannabis patients, and eventually, to recreational consumers of legal age, the news release read.

Patients can make a Lantern account by going online and entering a state-issued medical cannabis prescription number. That will give patients access to product listings for licensed dispensaries in the patients area.

Over time, the platform will offer increasingly personalized product suggestions based on each individuals preferences, the news release read. Delivery is handled by trained dispensary personnel who accept debit cards or cash and require a state-issued medical marijuana card and photo ID at the point of delivery.

Currently, only medical marijuana companies can deliver in Massachusetts. The Cannabis Control Commission has a meeting scheduled Thursday and a vote on delivery is on the meeting agenda.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Drizly has reportedly seen sales surge 485% through mid-April, with customers stuck at home and opting in for delivery services.

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After Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri confirmed that rescue flights will be operated to bring back Indians stranded abroad, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) website has crashed due to an unprecedented number of visitors. This information was shared by MoCAs official twitter handle which tweeted, The MoCA website is down due to unprecedented traffic. Team NIC is working on it. Details regarding evacuation flights will be put up on the Air India website soon. Kindly check there directly. Our apologies for the inconvenience caused.

The MoCA website is down due to unprecedented traffic. Team NIC is working on it. Details regarding evacuation flights will be put up on the Air India website soon. Kindly check there directly. Our apologies for the inconvenience caused. MoCA_GoI (@MoCA_GoI) May 6, 2020

In a recent digitally held press conference, Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had confirmed that Air India will be operating 64 international flights from May 7 to May 13 to bring back stranded Indians from foreign countries. Going forward, the process of private airlines joining is possible as well.

Although allowed as a special case, Air India will charge the passengers for the ticket price, unlike the earlier rescue flights which were operated free of cost. Cost of tickets from London to Mumbai will be Rs 50,000, and cost to San Francisco will be Rs 1 Lakh.

This gives a breather to the airlines who are waiting for the government to lift the travel ban, which has exceeded more than 40 days. Since March 25, all the domestic air carriers have parked their planes due to the ban, suffering a massive economic setback. This is for the first time, govt has allowed airlines to operate the flight on a chargeable basis.

The 64 flights planned include - 10 flights to UAE, two flights to Qatar, five to Saudi Arabia, seven to the UK, five to Singapore, seven to the United States, five to the Philippines, seven to Bangladesh, two to Bahrain, seven to Malaysia, five to Kuwait, and two to Oman.

Out of the 64 flights, 15 flights from 7 countries will come to Kerala, 11 flights will come to Delhi, 3 flights to Jammu and Kashmir and 1 Flight to Lucknow. It was also stated that this is a special mission, and all those who avail of this will be charged - and on arrival, all the passengers will have to be screened and will have to be subjected to 14 day quarantine period.

In addition to this, it was also announced that those who are in India but have long term visas and work opportunities outside and want to return, may be considered to be sent back to those countries in the same flights.

Although there is no confirmation, the government is in talks with airlines to resume the domestic air services in a staggered once the lockdown is lifted post-March 17.

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Many British workers have been hit by salary reductions or have lost their jobs completely amid the coronavirus pandemic.

But there significant rewards to low-income savers who are able to put away up to 50 a month in the government's Help to Save scheme.

Users stand to earn 1,200 if they save the maximum of 2,400 over four years, significantly boosting their savings.

Victoria Todd, of The Low Incomes Tax Reform Group, told The Telegraph that thousands of people could now be eligible for the Help to Save scheme due to the current conditions.

Those struggling to save amid the coronavirus pandemic could be eligible to open a Help to Save account, which could result in a 1,200 boost to their savings

The scheme was launched in September 2018 to support those who are out of work or have a low income, with thousands of people potentially eligible because of the coronavirus crisis.

Savers keen to start using the scheme are only eligible if they are claiming Universal Credit, child tax benefits or working tax credit.

However once the account is open, savers can still use the scheme in full, even if their finances change or they no longer claim benefits.

People can use the savings account to put away between 1 and 50 each calendar month.

Thousands of coronavirus hit workers could now be eligible for the scheme, which offers a boost to savings from the government

At the end of the second and fourth years, a bonus is handed out based on how much has been saved.

How does Help To Save work? How does Help To Save work? Help To Save is available to certain people entitled to Working Tax Credit or receiving Universal Credit. People can use the savings account to put away between 1 and 50 each calendar month. At the end of the second and fourth years, a bonus is handed out based on how much has been saved. Based on the 50-a-month limit, the maximum that can be saved over the first two years, or 24 months, is 1,200. The saver is then entitled to a 600 bonus. If the saver puts away the maximum 50 a month, every month, for four years, they would receive a total bonus of 1,200, on top of the 2,400 you would have saved yourself. More information here Advertisement

Based on the 50-a-month limit, the maximum that can be saved over the first two years, or 24 months, is 1,200. The saver is then entitled to a 600 bonus.

If the saver repeats the process for the second two years of the scheme, they could go on to save a further 1,200, and receive another 600 bonus.

With the scheme running for four years, that means the saver could stand to receive a total bonus of 1,200, on top of the 2,400 they would have saved themselves.

The account is closed after four years.

If couples were both eligible to open for the Help to Save scheme and deposited a maximum of 50 into the account, they could benefit from a bonus of 2,400.

Ms Todd said people should 'give some thought' to open the account if eligible to do so.

She said: 'While such individuals may not be in a position to save at the moment, the account remains open for four years from the point it is opened.

'Therefore, it may be possible to take advantage of the scheme when financial circumstances improve and such individuals might no longer be claiming Universal Credit.'
Maybe your purpose on this planet isnt on this planet.

That is the tagline accompanying the US Space Forces recruiting ad that appeared on Twitter on Wednesday.

The 30-second commercial is a montage of young people looking to the stars, intercut with images of rockets rising from monolith-like hangars, all colour graded the familiar teal and orange of blockbuster action movies.

In addition to the expected military recruitment fare included in the video  stoic service members dutifully doing their part for the cause while looking away from the camera  the ad also includes the first official glimpse of the X37-B reusable space vehicle.

You may have caught a quick glimpse of the space vehicle, previously cloaked in secrecy, the X37-B, Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett said during a livestream event on which the ad was first revealed. This reusable space craft has completed five missions.

Recommended Trump admin mocked for launching camouflage Space Force uniform

The US Space Force  which was founded on 20 December, 2019 by order of president Donald Trump  will be in charge of projecting and protecting the USs global and domestic agendas in all matters relating to space, from missile warning systems to satellite operations.

Reaction to the new branch of the largest military in the history of the world has been mixed; the Space Force was mocked when it revealed its troops would be wearing camouflage  the semi-sarcastic implication being that camo would not be especially useful in space. The military organisation won a second round of ribbing after its logo was revealed and observers noted the emblem looked suspiciously like that of Star Treks Starfleet Command.

A show parodying the US militarys latest addition  aptly titled Space Force and starring Steve Carell  has already been filmed, and will debut on Netflix on 29 May.

Despite the mockery, Air Force officials claim theyre having no problems finding eager recruits to join its ranks.

Theres been an avalanche of applicants, Ms Barrett said during a livestream interview.

Applications for current members of the military who want to transfer into the new branch first opened on 1 May. That recruitment period will continue for the remainder of the month.
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying's Regular Press Conference on May 6, 2020

2020/05/07

Today marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the European Union. As the two major forces, markets and civilizations in the world, China and the EU have played irreplaceable roles in upholding world multipolarization, multilateralism and free trade. Since we established diplomatic ties 45 years ago, our bilateral relations have made substantial progress. China and the EU have been deepening partnership with the principle of mutual respect and harmonious co-existence, as evidenced by stronger mutual political trust, fruitful practical cooperation and rich cultural and people-to-people exchange, which has brought tangible benefits to the two peoples and contributed to world peace and prosperity. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, China and the EU have lent firm support to each other and jointly advanced global anti-epidemic cooperation.

The healthy and steady development of China-EU relationship serves the fundamental interests of the two sides and accords with the trend of the times. Under the new circumstances, China and the EU should join hands, expand consensus, continue to firmly uphold multilateralism, build on practical cooperation and strengthen communication and cooperation on international issues. We hope that the two sides will take the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties as a new historical starting point to advance the China-EU partnerships for peace, growth, reform and civilization, and shape a more wonderful and brilliant future for China-EU relations.

CCTV: On April 24, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the launch of an international cooperation initiative to accelerate the development and production of vaccines, tests and drugs against COVID-19 and ensure their equitable distribution. He also expressed hope for China's participation in this initiative. What's China's position?

Hua Chunying: China firmly supports WHO's leading role in global response to epidemics. We welcome its global collaboration initiative to accelerate the development and production of vaccines and drugs against COVID-19 and ensure their equitable distribution. We have decided to be part of it.

Viruses respect no borders. People of all countries are entitled to equitable access to drugs and vaccines. After the epidemic broke out, China shared the genetic information of the novel coronavirus at the earliest time possible, built up a platform to share data and research findings, and conducted international cooperation in the development of drugs and vaccines, making important contributions to relevant work in all countries.

As the most professional international institution with the highest authority in global public health security, WHO plays an irreplaceable role in the face of global public health crisis. China stands ready to work with the rest of the world to safeguard global public health security and fight the pandemic by speeding up development and production of medical products against COVID-19 and ensuring their equitable distribution.

Xinhua News Agency: To support the WHO's initiative to advance the diagnosis and treatment of the novel coronavirus pneumonia and the development and production of vaccine, the EU and other countries held the Coronavirus Global Response International Pledging Conference on May 4 which was attended by 42 state leaders and high-level representatives of governments, the UN Secretary-General and the WHO Director-General. Could you share with us more details about China's attendance?

Hua Chunying: China appreciates the EU and relevant countries' holding of this pledging conference which answers the call of the WHO. We believe that the conference has fully demonstrated the spirit of solidarity among the international community in overcoming difficulties. Ambassador Zhang Ming, Head of the Chinese Mission to the EU, attended the meeting as representative of the Chinese government.

China has been doing and will continue to do its utmost to help countries in need. China has set up RMB 2 billion special funds to provide anti-epidemic supplies to more than 150 countries and international organizations, shared experience on prevention, control, diagnosis and treatment with the rest of the international community, established online knowledge center on epidemic prevention and control that is open to all countries, held over 120 video conferences with more than 160 countries and international organizations, and sent 21 teams of medical experts to 19 countries. China also actively supports other countries in carrying out commercial procurement of materials in China.

China has also put forward specific plans to participate in multilateral health cooperation.We will continue to support WHO in continuing to play a core role in coordinating global fight against pandemic, expand the scale of the special funds on coronavirus if such needs arise, support the COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan, participate in the WHO-sponsored Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator initiative and strengthen scientific research cooperation with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the GAVI Alliance to jointly build an impregnable fortress against pandemic.

In addition, China also calls on all parties to increase support for the fight against the epidemics in developing countries. Developing countries should not become a weak link in response to the epidemic. China has helped relevant countries strengthen their public health systems and enhance their response capacity as the epidemics evolve and in light of their needs and aspirations. In response to the G20 call for debt repayment moratorium for the poorest countries, China has agreed to suspend principal and interest repayments on the debts of 77 developing countries due from May 1 to the end of this year. China also calls on the international community to work together to provide support to developing countries and strengthen third-party and multilateral cooperation.

We believe that as long as all members of the international community work together to overcome the difficulties, we will surely achieve a full victory in the international fight against the pandemic.

Sky News: China has always insisted that any investigation of the origins of COVID-19 should be led by scientists and should be transparent. Last week Dr. Gauden Galea, who is the WHO representative in China, told Sky News that despite asking repeatedly, the WHO hadn't been invited by China to take part in those investigations. Why hasn't the WHO been involved in those investigations?

Hua Chunying: My understanding is that this Sky News report did not quote Mr. Gauden Galea fully and failed to correctly reflect his viewpoint, thus misleading. I noted Xinhua News also had an interview with Mr. Galea recently. You can check on what he said during that interview.

In his Xinhua interview, Mr. Galea made his points very clear. He said that the WHO is aware of a series of research China is conducting on the animal source of the novel coronavirus and believes in China's research abilities. Mr. Galea also said that this February, the WHO and China jointly determined research fields where further study is needed on the virus, including the animal source of the virus. China's research in these fields is of critical importance to the prevention of such infectious diseases in the future.

On May 1, the WHO announced that the COVID-19 outbreak still constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), as unanimously agreed by the emergency committee, and called for joint scientific and research cooperation between the WHO, OIE, FAO and the member states to identify the animal source of the virus. Mr. Galea said in the interview that so far all the evidence points to the conclusion that the virus came from nature, and was not manipulated or synthesized by human. This is the same conclusion by many research fellows in this field. He also mentioned that the WHO would like to join in the research on the animal source of the virus at the invitation of the Chinese government.

Follow-up: We can provide the transcript of the interview to you if necessary. When will China give that invitation to the WHO?

Hua Chunying: You may be interested in Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng's recent interview with NBC. Vice Foreign Minister Le said that China has maintained sound communication and cooperation with the WHO all along. Mankind's progress is in fact accompanied each step by the experience-learning from the major infectious diseases. Of course, we remain open to such scientific investigation and research. We stand ready to continue with our close cooperation with the WHO so that similar occurrence in the future will be better dealt with.

Tracing the origin of the virus is a scientific and professional matter that should be addressed by scientists and experts in disease control. I've been following relevant reports recently. It is reported that in France, confirmed cases surfaced as early as last fall. A mayor of New Jersey admitted that he was infected with COVID-19 last November. Dr. Michael Ryan, Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme said to the media on May 4 that the WHO is open to all sorts of information that may point to the source of the virus and made analysis and judgement based on such information. But all the investigations on the source need to be science-centered and led by scientists.

Since the outbreak began, China has been upholding an open, transparent and responsible attitude and maintaining close communication with the WHO. We stand ready to continue to support the WHO in leading the global fight against COVID-19. We also support a wash-up or a review into this outbreak at an appropriate time so as to promote international health cooperation and improve global public health governance, especially to support developing countries with the building of their public health systems. In the future, when such challenges arise again, the international community will be better equipped to safeguard people's life, safety and health.

However, some people in the US have the audacity to say that China made or spread the virus. They want to push for "investigation" when China is already assumed guilty by them. This is political manipulation. They want to put China in the dock and hold China accountable and claim compensation. This runs counter to the original intention of scientific research and disrupts international cooperation. China is firmly opposed to that.

The Paper: A summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in the format of a contact group was held Monday through video conference and adopted a political declaration to support WHO's leading role in the global fight against the pandemic and call on all countries to cooperate on this. What is China's comment?

Hua Chunying: The Non-Aligned Movement recently held a virtual summit on COVID-19 and adopted a political declaration, reiterating its support for multilateralism and WHO's leading role in the global fight against the pandemic, and calling on all countries to strengthen solidarity and cooperation to respond effectively to COVID-19. The declaration also expresses support for those countries that have been subjected to unilateral coercive measures, condemns such measures against the members of the Non-Aligned Movement, and urges the international community to adopt effective means to stop measures that are not in conformity with the UN Charter and international law.

With the global spread of COVID-19, the declaration adopted by the Non-Aligned Movement reflects the broad consensus and just calls of developing countries in supporting multilateralism and the role of WHO and in calling for international cooperation to combat the pandemic. China welcomes and supports this.

The Non-Aligned Movement is an important symbol for developing countries to seek strength through unity and plays an important role in international affairs. We are ready to deepen cooperation with the Non-Aligned Movement to jointly combat the pandemic, safeguard the common interests of developing countries and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Prensa Latina: The Cuban embassy in the US was shot last week. I wonder if China has any comment about it?

Hua Chunying: China condemns all violence against diplomatic missions. According to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the receiving State is under a special duty to take all appropriate steps to protect the diplomatic mission and premises of the mission. We call on the US government to find out what happened as soon as possible and take concrete and effective measures to ensure the safety of diplomatic premises and staff.

Global Times: US Deputy National Security Advisor Matt Pottinger in remarks to the Miller Center at the University of Virginia on May 4 said that "the heirs of May Fourth are civic-minded citizens". I wonder if you have a comment on this?

Hua Chunying: This US official may think he knows China very well, but as we can see from his remarks, he doesn't really understand China or the May Fourth spirit, because he's strongly biased against China.

Mr. Pottinger was wrong in calling the May Fourth Movement a populist movement. The movement is a great patriotic revolution against imperialism and feudalism at a crucial moment for the Chinese nation. Patriotism is at its very core. And patriotism runs in the veins of the Chinese nation. The true heirs of the movement today is Chinese citizens with a patriotic heart. In this new era, carrying forth the May Fourth spirit means working for the building of a strong modern socialist country and realizing the great renewal of the Chinese nation. That is what being true civil-minded citizens means today. In the face of COVID-19, the Chinese people, united as one, fought a hard battle with extraordinary courage and perseverance, securing major success in containing the virus. This is the most vivid illustration of the May Fourth spirit.

Perhaps Mr. Pottinger forgot what triggered the May Fourth Movement. It was because foreign powers were trading their privileges in Chinese territory at the Peace Conference in Paris after World War I, and the Chinese people would never accept such loss of rights and national humiliation. Today, 101 years from then, if there are still people in Washington who want to act like bullies and pin the blame on China to get away with their poor handling of COVID-19, the 1.4 billion Chinese people will never allow it. The late Dr. Li Wenliang would never allow it.

We advise US officials to learn more about Chinese history and mind their own business.

China News Service: According to a recent report of the Department of Homeland Security intelligence, China "intentionally concealed the severity" of the pandemic and held off informing the WHO that the coronavirus "was a contagion" so it could increase imports and decrease exports of medical supplies. It also said that China attempted to cover up these behaviors. What is your comment?

Hua Chunying: I have laid out a timeline detailing China's epidemic responses on several occasions and relevant facts cannot be clearer.

Acting with openness, transparency and responsibility, China has timely informed the WHO and countries and regions, the US included, of the outbreak, shared the genome sequence of the virus, and carried out international cooperation on COVID-19 containment. China has also helped relevant countries with a large supply of face masks and other medical goods while overcoming its own difficulties. Take the US for example, as of May 1, China has provided the US with over 5.3 billion face masks, 330 million pairs of surgical gloves, 38.85 million protective gowns, 5.98 million goggles and nearly 7500 ventilators. It is absolute nonsense to charge China with "covering up the real situation", "holding off informing the WHO", and "profiteering during the outbreak".

Once again, we urge the US to stop spreading disinformation and misleading the international community. It should reflect on its own problems and work hard to bring its own epidemic situation under control. It is high time that it gave up the blame-dumping trick.

Beijing Youth Daily: The mayor of Belleville, New Jersey, Michael Melham said on April 30 that he has tested positive for coronavirus antibodies and believes he was sick with the virus in November. Professor Yves Cohen, head of the resuscitation sector at two hospitals in Seine Saint-Denis said on May 3 that a man admitted on December 27 last year was tested positive and he called on other hospitals to retested old samples collected earlier to find patient zero. Experts say this means the confirmed coronavirus was in France almost two months earlier than previously known. WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said on May 5 that the French case that appeared in December is not thought to have a direct link to China and this would give a "new and clearer picture" of the outbreak. He also encouraged other countries to check records for pneumonia cases of unspecified origin in late 2019. Do you have any comment?

Hua Chunying: Indeed, I also noted these reports recently. I think this again shows that tracing the origin of virus is very complicated

Where did the first cases occur? When did it occur? So far neither scientists nor disease control experts have reached a definite conclusion. The relevant work is ongoing and it must be studied by scientists and professionals, and the origin and transmission path of virus must be judged based on science and facts, so that human beings can better deal with such major infectious diseases in the future.

Wall Street Journal: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday that he has seen "enormous evidence" that the virus originated in a laboratory in Wuhan. How does China respond to these comments?

Hua Chunying: Mr. Pompeo says there is "enormous evidence". Then show it. I have seen reports that the head of the WHO said the US has not presented any evidence so far. According to the latest reports, senior US officials have backtracked on what they call "evidence".

The origin of virus is a complex and controversial issue, but there is a broad consensus in the international community that it is a very serious scientific issue that must be studied by scientists and medical experts on the basis of facts and science. At present, almost all the top scientists in the world, including famous scientists in the United States and experts in the field of disease control and prevention, believe that novel coronavirus originated from nature, not man-made, and there is no evidence of any so-called virus leakage from the laboratory.

I've seen a number of new reports of initial infections in recent days. For example, the US may have seen the first cases in last October, and France in December. WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said there could be earlier cases, and urged countries to investigate pneumonia cases of unknown origin in late 2019. At a regular press conference on May 5, Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead of the WHO's emergency program said some 15,000 full genome sequences of the novel coronavirus available show the novel coronavirus is not man-made. A few days ago, Yuan Zhiming, Director of the National Biosafety Laboratory in Wuhan, also gave a detailed statement to questions concerning the origin of virus in an interview with Reuters.

Mr. Pompeo has repeatedly said that he has "evidence", but he simply cannot present it. How could he bring it out? Because he didn't have it!

The website of Politico previously exposed a 57-page memo the National Republican Senatorial Committee sent to electoral organizations, which encouraged "actively attacking China" as a response to the coronavirus crisis, as well as three approaches to attack China including attributing the spread of virus to China's cover-up. The core is to attack China whenever they mention it. There have been so many spoilers in the screenplay of this US blame game and there is no point in continuing. A word of advice to those certain individuals in the US: Don't be too immersed in and addicted to this play.

I have also seen reports that Mr. Pompeo told the media that China has infected the world with viruses before, and that its laboratory operations are not standard and this is not the first time the world has faced a virus threat because of the failure of Chinese laboratory. Will Mr. Pompeo care to explain which Chinese lab has failed at what and when and where that failure happened?

What the international community knows clearly is that: the US used germ weapons during the Korean War and Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. For nearly two decades, the US, on its own, has been blocking the resumption of negotiation on a verification protocol to the Biological Weapons Convention. On August 2019, the US CDC abruptly order the closure of the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases in Fort Detrick. The US has set up many laboratories in the territory of the former Soviet Union but clammed up about what it's doing in these labs and how safe they are.

We note that the international community calls for the US to accept investigation and address these concerns. We hope that the US will act responsibly and take concrete actions to reassure the international community. On the other hand, they should stop scapegoating China, because the responsibility is so heavy and it's impossible to shift blame.

CNN: According to Reuters, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR) recently compiled a report, which says that after the COVID-19 outbreak, China has seen a record high hostility from the international community. The US fueled hostility towards China during the pandemic, which may result to military conflict between the two countries in worst scenario. Could you share more with us about this report? What's the foreign ministry's comment on this?

Hua Chunying: I haven't seen this report.

The fact is that the Chinese government, in an open, transparent and responsible manner, informed the world of the epidemic at the earliest time possible, shared experience in prevention and control, and conducted international cooperation, which has been lauded by the international community. Due to the epidemics, some face-to-face diplomatic activities have to be suspended but we have conducted substantial, frequent telephone diplomacy. Chinese leadership has had nearly 50 telephone calls with their foreign counterparts and State Councilor Wang Yi held around 80 talks by phone. China has received appreciation for such open sharing of experience and its contribution to the concerted global response. We see this in President Xi's attendance at the G20 Extraordinary Virtual Leaders' Summit on COVID-19 and Premier Li Keqiang's attendance at the Special ASEAN Plus Three Summit on COVID-19.

Like I said, despite the daunting task of prevention at home, China has been providing other countries with anti-virus supplies to the best of its ability. We have held over 120 video conferences of health experts with more than 150 countries, and sent 21 medical teams to 19 countries. There have been many touching stories in this process. The international community sees in China's concrete actions the spirit of sharing weal and woe with mutual assistance, which further demonstrates the significance of building a community with a shared future for mankind. The friendship between China and many countries has been deepened through the joint combat against the pandemic. As we speak, China has gained more friends.

Meanwhile certain people in the US, out of political calculations, went from bad to worse, stigmatizing and smearing China with all they've got in an attempt to shift the blame. This has caused misunderstanding or even aversion towards China in some ill-informed people in the US and some other countries, poisoning the public's perception of China. According to US media reports, due to inappropriate linkage of Asian groups with COVID-19, Asians in the US have fallen victim to serious xenophobia and frequent harassment and assault driven by racial discrimination. This will neither help with international cooperation in fighting the pandemic nor improve the American image or reputation.

We have made clear our solemn position to the US side through various channels and urged it to immediately stop smearing China. As for your reference to whether it will lead to military conflict, this is certainly the last thing we want to see. China always loves peace. We believe that all parties should be committed to deepening mutual understanding and trust through anti-epidemic cooperation and jointly building a community with a shared future for mankind, rather than creating or even provoking conflicts using the epidemic as an excuse. This may be what individual politicians in the US have been up to, but this attempt will be firmly opposed not only by the Chinese people, but also by all peace-loving and fair-minded people in the world. As I said just now, China is no longer what it was 101 years ago. We want some people in Washington to think hard about how strongly the 1.4 billion Chinese people would respond if they wanted to use the outbreak today to blame and bully China.

Phoenix TV: According to US media reports, the US is pressuring the European allies to side with it on assigning the responsibility of the outbreak. Some critics in Europe argue that the confrontation between China and the US will continue to intensify after the outbreak, that the process of globalization will inevitably be shaken, and European countries must make a choice. What is China's comment?

Hua Chunying: Your question at least illustrates the fact that the US is exerting pressure on its Allies and on other countries as well. To say that it has asked them to stand with the US on the accountability issue is a polite and civilized way to put it, when the US is actually asking them to be accomplice in framing China. As we all know, the US, out of domestic political needs, has repeatedly ignored the facts so that it can dump the blame on others. It is true that a choice has to be made by Europe and others, not between China and the US, but between lies and facts, between unilateral bullying and multilateral cooperation. It is easy to make such a choice and in fact many countries have done so with action. A recent example is the clear support of EU leaders for WHO to continue to play an important role in responding to outbreaks and strengthening the global public health system. To support and echo the WHO initiative, the EU held a pledging conference on 4 May which raised 7.4 billion euros for COVID-19 diagnosis, treatment and vaccine production. China has taken an active part in it and made our contribution. On strengthening solidarity and cooperation to combat the epidemic, China has always stood firmly with the UN, the WHO and other countries and made every possible contribution, while the US stands on the opposite side of the vast majority of the international community.

Bloomberg: Will China support the EU's resolution at the World Health Assembly for an independent review into the lessons learned of the health response? And our second question is, Taiwan has said that the WHO would allow it to participate in the World Health Assembly this month. Will China allow this?

Hua Chunying: On the issue of a review, as I just said, since the outbreak of COVID-19, China has been working closely with WHO in an open, transparent and responsible manner and supporting the global response with concrete actions. We stand ready to continue joint efforts with the international community to ramp up cooperation in fighting the pandemic. We support summarizing and reviewing the epidemic response at an appropriate time to advance international health cooperation and improve the global public health security governance so that we can deal with similar challenges better in the future.

What we oppose is the so-called investigation chanted by politicians in a few countries out of domestic political calculations based on the presumption of guilt. What we oppose is political maneuvers of the pandemic, which run counter to the original mission of scientific research and disrupt the concerted international response. China's position is clear-cut. We are completely above-board and have nothing to hide. We hope the international community will render active support to WHO's work.

On the Taiwan region's participation in WHO activities, China's position is clear and consistent. It must be handled according to the one-China principle. Under this precondition, China's Central Government has made proper arrangement for the Taiwan region's participation in global health affairs, which ensures that the region can deal with local or global public health emergencies in a timely and effective manner. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the DPP authorities have been engaging in political manipulation and constant hype-up over the issue of Taiwan's participation in WHO and WHA. The real intention is very clear. They are taking advantage of the virus to seek independence. We firmly reject this futile attempt.

Prensa Latina: Venezuela's government recently said that it foiled two militaries incursion from the sea of a group of mercenaries bent on terrorist acts to overthrow President Maduro. Do you have any comment about it?

Hua chunying: According to international law and basic norms governing international relations, a country's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be respected. China firmly supports the efforts of the Venezuelan government to safeguard sovereignty, maintain stability and improve people's livelihood, opposes any external interference in Venezuela's internal affairs under any pretext and firmly rejects any form of military intervention.

China always maintains that the Venezuelan issue should and must be resolved through consultation and dialogue between the Venezuelan government and opposition. We hope that all parties can bear in mind the overall interests of Venezuela and the people in the region, do more to promote peace talks and encourage all parties in Venezuela to find a political solution within the constitutional and legal framework through dialogue.

Reuters: President Trump said last Friday that he may consider using tariffs to punish China for spreading the virus. Do you have a comment?

Hua Chunying: Speaking of tariffs, I think facts have proven that it's an unwieldy weapon which is likely to hurt oneself as it wounds others. A trade war doesn't serve anyone's interests. In particular, under current circumstances, all parties need to work together instead of coercing others with the big stick of tariffs.

On the claim that China spread the virus, we need to get the facts straight. China has repeatedly shared the timeline of its response. On December 27, 2019, Dr. Zhang Jixian reported the first three suspected cases. On December 30, Wuhan Municipal Health Committee issued an "urgent notice on the treatment of pneumonia of unknown cause". On December 31, China informed WHO China of pneumonia cases of unknown cause. On January 3, 2020, China started to send timely updates to WHO and other countries, including the US. On January 23, China temporarily closed exit channels in Wuhan, sending a strong warning signal to the world. Back then there was only a total of 9 confirmed cases outside China, of which just one was in the US. On January 31, three major American airlines suspended direct flights between the US and China. On February 2, the US closed borders to all Chinese citizens and foreign nationals with travel history to China in the past 14 days. By then there was only about 10 confirmed cases reported in the US.

We noticed that on May 1, the US CDC released on its website a report by its Principal Deputy Director Anne Schuchat and the CDC COVID-19 Response Team. The report clearly states that continued travel-associated importations, not from China, large gatherings and cryptic transmission resulting from limited testing and asymptomatic and presymptomatic spread contributed to accelerated spread during FebruaryMarch 2020. These are plain facts.

The facts have proven that it is absurd to accuse China of spreading the virus. We may compare China's response with that in the US. China notified the US of the epidemic situation on January 3, while the US announced a national state of emergency on March 13, which means it took the US government 70 days. Even if we start counting from February 2 when the US closed borders to all Chinese citizens and foreign nationals with travel history to China in the past 14 days, it still took them as long as 40 days to respond.

China contained the spread of the virus in just over two months. On April 8, when the lockdown on Wuhan was lifted, the number of confirmed cases in the US had surged to nearly 400,000. Today it's more than 1.2 million. I wonder what the US was doing in the past months? Why would it allow things to end up like this? Is that what a responsible government does for its people?

We advise the US to stop trying to deflect attention and shift the blame onto China. It should put its own house in order first, contain the epidemic at home and do its utmost to save lives and keep its people healthy. Lives matter more than political gains. We hope the US government will manage its own affairs properly and give the America people a clear explanation.

Beijing Daily: On April 30, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) in the US issued a press release saying that the Intelligence Community concurs with the wide scientific consensus that the COVID-19 virus was not man-made or genetically modified. On May 4 CNN reported that according to two Western officials, intelligence shared among Five Eyes nations indicates it is "highly unlikely" that the coronavirus outbreak was spread as a result of an accident in a laboratory On the same day, National Geographic published an interview with Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci, who said the scientific evidence is very strongly leaning toward this could not have been artificially or deliberately manipulated. Do you have any comment?

Hua Chunying: I also noted relevant reports. Indeed, there has been a lot of reports and speculations about the origin of virus in the United States recently. As I said just now, some individuals in the US have been constantly accusing China out of their own domestic political interests and considerations, but their statements are often inconsistent and unfounded, thus cannot stand up to scrutiny. What they said have too often been denounced by scientists or medical and disease control specialists. Those in the US who are scapegoating China to shift blame should do soul-searching and learn their lessons.

As we repeatedly stressed, the origin of the virus is a complex scientific issue that should be answered by scientists and experts through rigorous and meticulous scientific research, one that should not be decided by politicians. We firmly oppose politicizing and stigmatizing the issue of the origin of the virus, and once again call on all people to respect science and stay away from conspiracy theories.

RIA Novosti: According to Chinese embassy to Russia, China's civil aviation required all passengers boarding Air China flights from Moscow to Beijing to present certificate proving that they don't have COVID-19. I wonder if this requirement is only for passengers from Russia or for other countries too? Will this requirement be extended to other airlines? If we look at the future, sooner or later, borders will open and people will start traveling again. Do you think this is going to be a general requirement in the future for getting Chinese visa or entering the country?

Hua Chunying: As you may know, given the current situation, China and many other countries are in close communication on how to strengthen border quarantine control, including how to ensure the safety of international travel and prevent the importation of cases. The only goal is to find ways to minimize the spread of the epidemic.

China and Russia have maintained high-level cooperation in epidemic prevention and control. According to the situation of the spread of infection in the civil aviation flights between China and Russia, China plans to temporarily implement the boarding policy which requires negative nucleic acid test results for all passengers of Air China's Moscow-Beijing flights. The move is aimed at preventing airline passengers from being cross-infected and causing a wider spread of the disease. You may check with the competent authorities of the Chinese side for details.

PTI: Last week CGTN television carried a report saying that the CDC of China has organized a joint study for inquiry into the origins of the virus by a Columbia University professor Dr. Ian Lipkin, and the professor from Sun Yat-sen University. Can you confirm this?

Hua Chunying: I'm not sure about the specific situation you mentioned. In fact, a lot of scientific cooperation projects have been carried out among scientists from various countries, including those conducted by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the Wuhan Institute of Virology with relevant scientific research institutions from many countries in the world in the spirit of openness, transparency and science.

Bloomberg: We've seen that US House Republican lawmakers have asked the education department for information about China investing in American colleges and universities as a way to further its strategic and propaganda goals. In a letter to Education Secretary, lawmakers said that China has strategically invested in US academia to steal information and technology. I wonder if you have any response to this?

Hua Chunying: I think in recent days, some politicians and congressmen in the US have done something to refresh or subvert people's understanding of disinformation. Because for them, as long as China is concerned, it's all about either spreading disinformation or pursuing political propaganda, despite what presented is plain truth. And American politicians, no matter how much they lie, they can do that without any sense of guilt or shame. So I wonder if this is a double standard, or if they believe deep in their hearts that the moral standards between China and the United States are different? Who is spreading disinformation? Who's making political propaganda? Recently, a lot has been disclosed by a series of reports in the US, and I think everyone sees it clearly so there's no need to name them one by one.

As two major countries, China and the US should create favorable conditions and provide an appropriate atmosphere for normal exchanges and cooperation between the educational and scientific communities of the two countries, instead of politicizing and demonizing all normal academic and scientific exchanges and cooperation. I think this is not conducive to the mutual understanding between the two peoples and the normal development of bilateral relations in the long run.
WATERLOO REGION  On March 21, Ontario Premier Doug Ford made a passionate plea to businesses across the province to help manufacture or develop items to aid in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

My message to business owners in Ontario is this: If you can retool your business to make these products, if you can supply these essential items, we need to hear from you right now, he said.

Dozens of businesses in and around Waterloo Region have answered that call.

From manufacturing protective face shields, hand sanitizer or garments for medical workers, to tech firms offering free access to software or security features, companies in this region have demonstrated the selflessness of this community.

The Record is compiling a list of what specific companies in and around the region are doing to ease the burden of COVID-19. This is an evolving list that will grow on The Records website as more businesses answer the call to help respond to the pandemic.

If you know of others we havent included, please email newsroom@therecord.com.

MW Canada

The Cambridge textile mill manufactures window covering fabrics for some of the top name brands worldwide.

But demand for its fabrics was put on hold in recent weeks as the pandemic forced the closure of retail outlets. With capacity available, MW Canada president Bob Berger decided to retool the plant, switching over some machines for the production of fabrics needed for medical, isolation and surgical gowns for front-line workers.

The fabrics are destined for garment manufacturers in Ontario.

We felt it was something we could make, and there was a need, Berger said. Its about keeping people working, and getting them off unemployment and CERB (Canada Emergency Response Benefit).

Intrigue Media

The Guelph-based digital media and video advertising firm has created a number of workshops, resources and strategic plans to help businesses deal with, and recover from, the pandemic.

The information and events, available free on Intrigues website, cover topics such as cash flow planning, marketing strategies, communication tools and bringing a team back from layoffs. There are leadership tips, information about working from home, and details on various assistance programs available to businesses.

In April, the company called for applications for a program that is seeing Intrigue build e-commerce websites for 10 businesses in exchange for 10 per cent of sales from the new sites. The company said it may accept more applicants to the program if other businesses are interested.

Tauria

At a time when more and more companies are relying on video communications technology to connect with staff working remotely, the Waterloo-based software encryption company has released a secure video conferencing platform.

The seemingly-overnight surge in video calling has been accompanied by stories of security breaches and sales of user information to third parties. Taurias technology allows users to send fully-encrypted messages, schedule, and share files, while also supporting up to 50 people per video call.

It is incredibly important for us to create a product that is fully end-to-end, no-knowledge encrypted to protect businesses. Encryption is the foundation of everything we do, chief executive officer Jesse The said in a release.

No-knowledge encryption means information shared via the platform cannot be accessed by Tauria staff, a feature that sets its technology apart from many of the other popular platforms in use.

GHD

The COVID-19 pandemic is bringing seismic change to the ways businesses and institutions will operate going forward. Global professional services firm GHD is helping its clients prepare for the new reality.

With its North American headquarters based in Waterloo, GHD provides engineering, architecture, construction and environmental services to clients in public and private sectors ranging from water and energy to environment and transportation.

GHD is helping to get businesses running again by developing and implementing new screening and social distancing protocols, industrial cleaning and sanitation practices, and managing and tracking the flow of people through a space.

Its digital team provides businesses with services such as remote monitoring of assets and systems, virtual training for employees, and improvements to remote working and digital collaboration. Its consulting services can also help businesses plan to reduce the impact of future events.

Recently, GHD assisted Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada as it worked to restart production at the Cambridge plant following a seven-week shutdown.

ATS Automation

The Cambridge-based automation solutions provider is helping manufacturers scale up production of critical medical devices, and enabling manufacturers to quickly pivot to manufacture devices that are desperately needed to contain and treat the coronavirus pandemic.

ATS worked with a large automaker in the United States to reconfigure its manufacturing facility, and has delivered equipment to enable the wide scale production of filtering facepiece respirator (FFR) masks.

ATS also worked with O-Two Medical Technologies in Canada to assemble critical ventilator components at ATS facilities, and a German manufacturer developing COVID-19 test kits to help them ramp up production.

We are proud to play our part and ready to do more, said CEO Andrew Hider.

Imagine Fiberglass

The Kitchener manufacturer of fiber-reinforced plastic products like swimming pools has turned its attention to producing a testing station that reduces the consumption of disposable personal protective equipment.

Based on a design from researchers at the Harvard Medical School, the IsoBooth is a COVID-19 testing station that allows health care workers to administer tests while significantly reducing the amount of single-use equipment like masks and gloves that face-to-face testing requires. Similar models are in use in Israel, South Korea and the United States.

The worker stands inside the booth behind a shield separating them from a patient, and administers a test using gloved external hand ports. A tray holds test kits and other supplies, along with sanitizing wipes used to clean the gloves and the shield between tests.

The IsoBooth is intended to give health care providers a safe and comfortable place to administer tests while significantly reducing the amount of PPE consumed by traditional testing methods, Imagine Fiberglass President Jim Ashton said in a release. Ontario alone intends to ramp up testing to 16,000 per day. Implementation of the IsoBooth would eliminate the use of almost two million disposable gloves and one million masks in two months.

Spot It

Up until now, the digital mapping and data visualization startup had primarily served hardware stores across Canada, building store maps that can improve employee efficiency and pinpoint where sales are being generated.

In response to the pandemic, the team  based in and around Waterloo Region and Guelph  has launched a new online platform that maps out more than a dozen local grocery store layouts. Customers can use the maps to identify where products are located, and can build their own store map, based on their grocery list, that they can download and take with them.

Free to use and available at spotitmapping.com, its designed to help people shop faster and minimize their contact with others in the stores.

We knew from our work with employees that a map can drastically speed up the process of gathering items so we figured that it would do the same for shoppers, Spot Its Caleb Opersko said in an email. Nobody likes standing outside a grocery store and waiting. If we could speed up the process, we thought it would minimize contact for everyone and the employees as well.

Given the response theyve seen so far, Opersko said Spot It hopes to expand the number and types of stores included on the platform.

Nicoya

The Kitchener-based biotechnology company is doing what it can to help researchers working on a COVID-19 vaccine.

Nicoya specializes in advanced analytical instruments for biotechnology and pharmaceutical clients. It is offering complimentary Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) technical support for data analysis or experimental design to any researcher working on a vaccine, regardless of the specific SPR instrument being used.

In a release, the company explained that the molecular characteristics of the virus need to be understood in order to develop a vaccine; researchers can obtain data in real-time using SPR technology.

Nicoya has a long history of standing behind scientists, said Nicoya co-founder Ryan Denomme. Now that this epidemic has brought their work to the forefront, its even more important that we do what we can to empower scientific research.

3D Prototype Design

The New Hamburg 3D printing and rapid prototyping company has developed small clips that can turn eyeglasses and a sheet of plastic into a protective face shield.

The 3D-printed clips, called Clip19, slips onto the arms of most types of eyewear, including prescription glasses, sunglasses, safety eyewear  even 3D glasses with the lenses removed. The clips hold a sheet of clear plastic which simply snaps into place.

3D Prototype Design is selling kits containing clips and plastic sheets. The non-medical grade face shields are lightweight and reusable.

KA Imaging

Waterloos KA Imaging specializes in X-ray technology, with applications in fields ranging from health and veterinary care to non-destructive testing, security screening, and research.

But the company believes its Reveal portable X-ray detector could prove valuable in the diagnosis of COVID-19, which can manifest in the lungs. Reveals first clinical trial, which began in 2018 at Grand River Hospital, scans lung cancer patients.

The Reveal technology captures simultaneous images at different energy levels, eliminating the blurs and streaks from heart beats or breaths that can mar dual-energy images that are captured consecutively. Elements like bones can be removed from the images once theyre acquired to provide a clear view of soft tissues like the lungs.

A conventional X-ray system can also be cost-effectively retrofitted with Reveal. KA Imaging wants to start clinical trials in Canada and the United States to test Reveals effectiveness in detecting COVID-19.

Hive

The Kitchener-based email marketing firm works with companies and brands, large and small, to better reach their customers with personalized messages.

The team has seen the impact that COVID-19 is having on small businesses, in particular, as owners struggle to adjust operations, communicate with their customer base, and encourage people to shop local.

So Hive is offering free email marketing consultation services to anyone who owns or works with small businesses in the Kitchener-Waterloo area. Topics include marketing strategy, building an email list, template optimization, deliverability, segmentation and automation. Theyre also offering three months of Hive email marketing for free.

Cambridge Materials Testing

With locations in Cambridge and Mississauga, the company is an independent testing lab that analyzes a wide range of materials and products in industries ranging from nuclear and aerospace to plastics, rubber and consumer goods.

But it has recently turned its attention to testing incoming personal protective equipment, including surgical and N95 respirator masks, face shields and surgical and isolation gowns, for Health Canada.

The company said in a release that it has also been spot testing imported and domestically-made protective equipment for Local Health Integration Networks and hospital groups. There have been reports in recent weeks that some imported equipment hasnt met Canadian standards.

Tri-Mach Group

The Elmira manufacturer, specializing in sanitary conveyors and equipment for the food processing and pharmaceutical industries, is producing clear sanitary barriers that provide a protective shield for workers.

The shields provide a barrier between customers and cashiers or tellers, or between workers on a production line. They can include openings for transactions, and can come framed or unframed. Tri-Mach can also design custom barriers suitable for any application.

The company says the barriers are durable and easily sanitized.

Trusscore

With its head office and manufacturing plant in Palmerston and an office at the Tannery in Kitchener, Trusscore makes sustainable building materials for agricultural, residential, commercial and health care spaces.

One of its products, a hospital-grade temporary modular wall system, is proving popular as a means of quickly reconfiguring space and providing additional separation. The smooth panels are non-porous, durable, lightweight and easy to clean. Theyre also completely recyclable.

Some of the walls were delivered to Grand River Hospitals emergency department in March for use in the waiting room.

St. Jacobs Quilt Company

Phyllis Winfield only opened her quilting business in September, but shes quickly added personal protective equipment to her list of services.

Inspired by her sister, a family physician, whod asked if she could make gowns for her office, Winfield has since shipped out hundreds of gown kits to health care workers and facilities throughout Waterloo Region, Wellington County and beyond.

Supplied with water-repellent, breathable fabric thats durable and machine-washable, the kits are ready to be sewn into gowns. An instructional PDF can also be sent to individuals or volunteers sewing the gowns.

Its been an interesting few weeks, Winfield said. I think everybody has skills and talents that they can use.

Dreampower Costumes

The Waterloo company specializes in costumes and dress-up clothes for children.

But theyve recently turned their attention to producing and sewing personal protective equipment including face shields and fabric face masks, scrub caps and isolation gowns  and theyre donating it to front-line workers in hospitals, clinics, long-term care homes, crisis centres and homeless shelters.

Theyve also posted online video tutorials and patterns for making hospital gowns and scrub caps.

A note on their website says they appreciate donations of any kind  including money, fabric, elastic  to keep the effort going. Together we will get through this, the message states.

Mark Nunes Clothier and Tailors

After 20 years in business as a high end clothing store for men and women in Waterloo, Mark Nunes is shifting gears to sew and donate hundreds of reusable face masks.

The store has been closed since March 16, but since then Mark and his wife Marina, along with their kids Alexander and Daniella and live-in niece Magda, have all been working daily to sew and donate more than 600 masks for customers and others in the community.

They have in turn paid it forward by donating to local hospitals, food banks, shelters and more.

We felt the great need to do something during a time when many of us were feeling hopeless and somewhat restless, Mark said. Theyve since run out of material and had to buy more, and they are now selling the masks for $7.

We decided we had the skills and the tools to create washable and reusable face masks for our community therefore allowing essential medical masks to be more accessible to our front line workers.

Vidyard

The Kitchener tech firm had been eyeing a mid-May launch for its latest product, a new secure video communications tool that helps businesses overcome internal communications challenges.

But in mid-March, they realized this product could prove helpful to companies quickly adjusting to work-from-home environments. With about three days notice, Vidyard made some adjustments and made the tool available for free, worldwide, until the end of June.

The company is also supporting local hospitals by donating meals for health care workers and co-ordinating services for them such as tutoring, grocery pickups and dog walking.

We are incredibly thankful to have such a power team of front line workers helping to keep this community safe, Laura Galbraith, Vidyards community engagement program manager, said in an email. We know that a little help goes a long way, so weve partnered with Grand River Hospital on meal donation, set up general volunteering services, and offered basic video tools to help support communication needs as they arise.

Hand sanitizer

A number of local businesses have turned their talents to the production of a scarce but critical commodity  hand sanitizer. Chief among them are distillers and craft brewers, with alcohol being a key ingredient in the skin cleansers.

Ben Murphy of Murphys Law in Elmira was among the first to try; his craft moonshine distillery has been producing hand sanitizer for a few weeks now.

Health care workers and first responders are typically at the top of the customer list for these producers. It is very remarkable to see how the distilleries have been stepping up, Murphy told the Record recently.

Waterloo Brewing has supplied distilleries including Murphys Law and Silver Fox Distillery in Arthur with free beer they can distill in the production of hand sanitizer.

A number of other local distillers, including Willibald Farm Distillery in Ayr, and brewers like Waterloos Innocente Brewing Company, have launched similar initiatives.

Head brewer Steve Innocente said theyre taking some of their beer and distilling it down to almost pure ethanol to make the hand sanitizer theyve dubbed Inno-Sani. Its something that I was capable of doing, and we need all the help we can get right now.

GlobalMedic has partnered with Willibald to provide packaging solutions and create a distribution network for its hand sanitizer. Jamie Cross, an emergency programs officer with GlobalMedic who lives in Waterloo Region, helped to co-ordinate the partnership that has distributed more than 1,000 litres of hand sanitizer to local retirement homes and other facilities.

Based in Moorefield, Pepprell Distilling Co. suspended production of its spirits in April to shift entirely to hand sanitizer.

Switching up production to hand sanitizer was a no-brainer for our team, head distiller Josh Cormier said in a release. We wanted to create a local product that could be delivered quickly to those in need in the Waterloo Region, especially our front line workers, emergency responders and vulnerable populations.

Going forward, theyll operate under the name Hilwood, after the street their warehouse is located on.

Many of the local producers are also involved in a project to supply sanitizer to front-line workers in Indigenous communities in northern Ontario.

In Formosa, Voisins Maple Products would normally have been transitioning from the busy maple syrup season to production for the tourist market. But in early April, with many of its retailers closed, they converted their equipment to bottle hand sanitizer.

With social distancing measures in place for staff, theyre bottling about 25,000 one-litre jugs of sanitizer every day. Were hoping by making the transition we can get things back to normal as soon as possible, Kelsey Voisin said in an email.

And Cambridge-based health and beauty brand Kalaya has also developed a new antiseptic hand sanitizer with hyaluronic acid that helps to hydrate skin and prevent dryness. Customers are limited to two bottles per month.

Prescientx

The Cambridge company develops and markets infection prevention technologies, ranging from copper-coated antimicrobial toilet seats to complex ultraviolet disinfection systems.

Prescientx has charged headfirst into the COVID-19 battle, creating a portable conveyor-style system that can disinfect up to 500 N95 face masks every hour using UV technology.

With adjustable speed controls and tunnel height, the Terminator CoV could be repurposed to disinfect other items, too, the company says.

President Barry Hunt said he thought of the idea in March as he heard of more and more mask shortages. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time, with the right skills, background and knowledge to say, We can solve this, he told the Record recently.

University of Waterloo chemical engineer professor Bill Anderson collaborated with Hunt on the devices development.

Powernoodle

Effective decision-making is key to corporate success at the best of times. But its even more challenging in the grips of a pandemic.

Travel restrictions and office closures are preventing traditional face-to-face business meetings. Video conferencing is a popular alternative but isnt ideal.

Powernoodle, a Stratford tech firm, provides a decision engagement platform that helps organizations make better decisions. In response to the COVID-19 challenge, the company is providing a webinar and other online resources to help businesses make quick, effective decisions in an uncertain time.

Were all in this together and the only way well get out of it is together, Powernoodles Dave Debacker said in an email.

Faire

The online wholesaler has leveraged its connection with tens of thousands of retailers across North America to help businesses survive the COVID-19 pandemic.

After surveying 20,000 retailers about how the disease has impacted their business, Faire found a strong need for financial guidance to keep businesses afloat. So they launched an impact calculator to help businesses understand how they might be impacted, and how they can respond and reduce costs.

Faire has also created an online resource page that lists best practices from retailers and shop owners, so others can make use of them in their own shops.

Weve been inspired by the resilience our retailers have demonstrated over these past few weeks, and well continue supporting them in any way we can, said Faire co-founder and chief technology officer Marcelo Cortes.

Rowan Williams Davies & Irwin Inc. (RWDI)

The Guelph-based engineering firm has expanded its consulting capabilities beyond wind and environmental projects to the world of personal protective equipment, in co-operation with Linamar Corp.

RWDI has expanded its modelling and 3D printing capabilities to produce 1,000 face shields for Guelph General Hospital, which will be delivered in the next few weeks.

Theyve also delivered dozens of face shields to The Hospice of Windsor and Essex County, and are in talks with other health facilities across North America.

We have grown into a global company, but we have always maintained close relationships in the community in which we were founded, said CEO Michael Soligo. Thats true of any community in which we have offices around the world. We want to help however we can.

Eclipse Automation

The Cambridge manufacturing firm is partnering with a Chinese company to make an automated production line system for badly-needed N95 face masks.

Eclipse will be able to manufacture, sell and distribute the system originally designed by Harmontronics Automation throughout North America, and make modifications to suit North American requirements.

Eclipse has the know-how to assess this system already producing N95 masks in China and see that any modifications required to meet North American specifications are done quickly and right, president Steve Mai said in a release. We can expedite this to provide a top-notch N95 mask automation system and lead the process to see that it can be scaled to all who need it.

The company also said in March that it was producing multiple automation systems for a medical device manufacturer to make diagnostic cards that test blood-oxygen concentration, an important reading in caring for those with respiratory ailments.

DarwinAI

The Waterloo artificial intelligence company recently partnered with the University of Waterloo to develop a neural network called COVID-Net that can detect coronavirus using chest x-rays.

The open-source project has attracted interest from around the world.

Neural networks are virtual models that simulate how the human brain makes decisions. COVID-Net uses artificial intelligence to interpret what its seeing in a patients X-ray. The project includes a tool that explains how the technology reaches its decisions.

Chief executive officer Sheldon Fernandez noted that materials and resources for the current swab tests for COVID-19 are in short supply, and it can take days to get results.

The proposed project is an important step in creating an alternative testing method that will allow assessment centers to triage patients more rapidly, increasing the rate of diagnosis and patient flow enabling hospitals to better utilize resources as the pandemic continues, he said in an email.

Artshine

The COVID-19 pandemic has cancelled all of the Kitchener-based business traditional in-school and community art programs.

But founder Paul Field has enlisted a group of artists to volunteer their time in creating video art tutorials from their homes. Each week, one English and one French tutorial for families to follow along with are shared for free via YouTube.

Field said his team is also preparing Ontario curriculum-connected resources for use by teachers for online learning. The company is still producing its monthly subscription box service, Artshine in a Box.

As a parent myself, I struggle to find age-appropriate, creative outlets for my children during this time. We want to help families through this time by providing them with that outlet  art tutorials for their children, Field said in an email.

We have had such an amazing response to these tutorials from families, not just in Ontario but across Canada.

Shaver Industries

The Kitchener-based company usually makes guards that protect equipment and machines. Now, theyve retooled their manufacturing facility to produce thousands of face shields that could be used to protect health care workers, first responders and others in the fight against COVID-19.

The company should soon have the capability to produce more than 25,000 shields per week. Shaver typically employs about 30 to 35 people, and roughly 15 employees will be focused on the face shield project.

Its very fulfilling to be able to support our community, support whoever we can, said marketing and business development manager Matt Gazzola. The feedback weve been getting makes it all worth it.

InkSmith

After hearing about a shortage of personal protective equipment for health care workers, InkSmith retooled its office, created a new design and got to work.

With the capacity to mass-produce tens of thousands of laser-cut face shields per day, the company even launched a new business named The Canadian Shield.

Approved by Health Canada in March, The Canadian Shield has been deployed in hospitals across Ontario, including Joseph Brant Hospital, Grand River Hospital, Cambridge Memorial Hospital and Queensway Carleton Hospital. The new company expects to have 300 employees soon, and was awarded a federal contract to produce 10 million reusable face shields by August.

We will hopefully be able to help a lot of people and flatten the curve, founder Jeremy Hedges told the Record recently. We are hoping we can help the Waterloo Region economy to grow and bring back manufacturing like it once was.

InkSmith has since partnered with local makerspace Kwartzlab to continue production of its original 3D-printed face shields called The Community Shield for front-line health care workers.

Lens Mill

Like many businesses, fabric and craft supplier Lens Mill closed its doors in March to help slow the spread of the pandemic.

Soon after, however, third generation owner Peter Menary started noticing messages on social media about shortages of personal protective gear and the need for volunteers to make more.

He didnt hesitate to recall staff to start making kits for volunteers to sew their own gowns and masks at home. As of April 7, workers had cut enough fabric to make 8,000 reusable gowns, and enough kits have been sold to make more than 30,000 individual masks.

There are between two and six staff spread at each of the seven locations, including Waterloo and Cambridge.

While they are not medical grade or intended as replacements for N95 masks, what we heard from some doctors and retirement homes and long-term care facilities, is they said pretty much the best we can do is going to be good, because its better than nothing, Menary said in a recent interview.

reebee

A global pandemic is an uncertain time, and local tech company reebee has stepped in to try and ease some of that uncertainty.

The free app and website normally allows shoppers to browse hundreds of digital flyers and save items to a digital shopping list. Now, reebee has a webpage devoted to timely updates from Canadian retailers such as Canadian Tire, Costco, Home Hardware, Sobeys and more.

These updates inform customers about the health and safety of employees and customers, stock levels, deliveries, special hours of operation, social distancing measures and more.

While COVID-19 unfortunately leaves many Canadians in difficult financial situations, it is really important to our entire team to do our best to help alleviate some of the financial burden they face, the company said.

Barbarian Sportswear and Salus Marine

When the pandemic hit, local entrepreneurs Kevin Puloski and Steve Wagner saw an opportunity to help.

Puloski (CEO and president of IT consulting firm Pund-IT), and Wagner (president of Barbarian Sportswear and Salus Marine) decide to recall about 20 employees to retool the two businesses that normally produce rugby sportswear and life jackets, and start making protective gear for health workers and the public.

Both companies are now entirely devoted to answering the call for help, with Barbarian staff sewing reusable masks for the general public, and Salus Marine staff sewing gowns for front line workers.

Entrepreneurship is all about pivoting to solve problems, and Steve and Kevin saw a problem and wanted to help, the company said in a statement. There was also a desire to keep local people working during this uncertain time and support other Canadian businesses by buying all material locally.

Ventilators For Canadians

Co-founded by Jim Estill of Danby Appliances and Rick Jamieson of ABS Friction in Guelph, alongside other Ontario entrepreneurs, Ventilators for Canadians plans to quickly supply Canadian-made ventilators to hospitals across Canada.

Theyre partnering with Mississauga-based Baylis Medical to manufacture the devices.

At Danby, about 20 employees  soon to be 200  are focused on the project. These are unprecedented times that required entrepreneurs and businesses to step up to help Covid-19 patients, Estill said in a release. We are grateful to be able to do our part to help.

Their ventilator is based on a publicly-available design thats in wide use, and is compact and portable. Its suitable for children and adults.

Jamieson said his firm is proud to be participating. At Ventilators for Canadians we know it is urgent for Canadians to come together with solutions to mitigate the threat of this pandemic.
The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India is 49,391. The infection has for far claimed 1,694 lives in India, and 14,182 patients have recovered.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India is 49,391 according to the Union Health Ministry. This number is expected to cross the half-lakh mark soon, with the number of cases rising in most states. The infection has so far claimed 1,694 lives in India, and 14,182 patients have recovered to date.

Delhi government issues guidelines for handling of Indian evacuees

As India prepares for the evacuation of Indian nationals stranded in 13 different countries from 7 May, the Delhi government has issued guidelines for the handling of the passengers arriving at Delhi Airport. The guidelines, which are meant to contain the spread of COVID-19 from the arriving nationals, states that 20 medical teams for triaging of passengers will be deployed and the evacuees will be quarantined at a paid facility for a period of 14 days from the date of arrival.

Situation in Maharashtra cause of worry: Union Health Minister

With a total of 15,525 confirmed COVID-19 cases, Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit state in the country. Union Health Minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan, today expressed concern over the situation in the state especially since 34 out of its 36 districts have been affected by the pandemic. The Minister assured that he will be meeting the state Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray soon to assess the situation and discuss courses of action.

Thackeray, in a recent statement, has stated that the Maharashtra government has requested hospitals and institutions like the Railways, Mumbai Port Trust, etc. to make more ICU beds available for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Concerns regarding rising reversal of gains against COVID-19 in May

Recent data revealed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare indicates that the gains made against COVID-19 in April 2020 are reportedly reversing. The doubling rate of the disease  which indicates the rate at which the number of cases double  improved from four days to 11 days by the end of April. This indicated a gradual flattening of the curve in India. The compounded daily growth rate (CDGR) plummeted after 8 April. However, since May 1, the CDGR has increased once again, exhibiting a rise in the curve again, which can be a matter of grave concern.

Indian government assures no data or security breach in Aarogya Setu App

After a French ethical hacker and cybersecurity expert, Elliot Alderson claimed that the data privacy and security of Indians was at stake due to the Aarogya Setu App, the Indian government and the developers of the app have rejected such claims on the apps Twitter handle. In a statement, the makers of the app responded to the queries regarding privacy and assured the public that no personal information of any user has been proven to be at risk.

New COVID-19 cases emerge in the BSF, total 383 paramilitary cases in India

Even though the Border Security Force (BSF) headquarters in Delhi have now reopened and have been deemed functional, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the BSF and other branches of the Central Armed Police Forces has increased. The BSF reported 85 new cases, bringing their total to 152 - while 146 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 45 Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), 15 Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and 13 Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel have also been confirmed to have been infected.

For more information, read our article on When is an area considered a COVID-19 hotspot.

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.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 16:27:01|Editor: huaxia

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SHENYANG, May 6 (Xinhua) -- In a short selfie video shot at an expressway service station Saturday, Mario Cavolo, an Italian American writer, was showing how mask-wearing station staff were carefully taking his body temperature at the restroom entrance.

Cavolo has lived in China for more than two decades, having spent time in many cities across China and eventually settled in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, with his family.

He was in the day on a business trip to Fuxin, a city about two hours' drive from Shenyang. A new facility of the Asia Pacific Business Leaders Club, where he serves as vice chairman, was about to be launched there.

"I cannot express how deeply thankful I am that my family is here in China and in Shenyang," Cavolo said. "The vast majority of foreign friends I know feel we are in one of the safest possible places."

The National Health Commission of China said Saturday that it received only one new confirmed COVID-19 case on the Chinese mainland the day before, which was an imported case, marking the lowest increase since Jan. 16.

Also, starting Saturday, central China's Hubei Province, the Chinese region once hardest hit by the coronavirus, lowered its emergency response to the COVID-19 epidemic from the highest to the second-highest level.

Cavolo has been giving updates, 12 articles to be exact, over the past months since his first LinkedIn article to balance the negative narratives surrounding how China handled the outbreak went viral in February.

In his latest article, titled "If you still don't understand how China succeeded stopping the virus, read this and be forever enlightened," he refuted the groundless speculations regarding China's progress in epidemic control.

What China has achieved in fighting the virus is because of the extremely disciplined controls, he wrote. "There is no conspiracy, there are no lies."

Cavolo said what he noticed more than anything is a persistent level of confusion and misinformation. It was what made him realize that his articles were desperately needed.

"In my case, I am a witness on the ground in China, along with hundreds of thousands of other foreigners living in China having the same experience, seeing the same things happening," he said.

The reason China got the virus under control in such a short time seemed crystal clear to Cavolo. The government took strict measures, and "every person at all times outside wears a mask. It is mandatory, not optional."

"Actions speak louder than words in life and saving lives was the first and only priority here in China, knowing full well that meant falling on the economic sword as a united act of civic duty and sacrifice," he wrote.

As of now, cities across China have rolled out a health QR code app. Every Chinese citizen has it on their mobile devices. People need to scan their codes when entering malls or other public service venues.

Cavolo was glad to see China is getting back to normal, with shopping malls much busier, and sales rebounding.

"It shows the public's confidence in the prospect of a victory over the epidemic and the enthusiasm for reclaiming their social life," he said, noting that people remain vigilant because they know that the virus still exists and there is a possibility of a comeback.

Cavolo called for an end to speculation and political garbage as scientists around the world are right now still actively working on identifying the origins and paths of the virus.

The Chinese government has implemented epidemic prevention and control work on a regular basis as cases of COVID-19 are dwindling in the country, which Cavolo called "the new reality for many months to come."

"There are no new cases and when a few crop up, the controls here are quickly put back in place," he said. "And I must give the thumbs up to China's meticulous measures." Enditem
As teachers continue to instruct and inspire their students remotely during the pandemic, students and parents in the Midland area are showing them love in creative ways during this Teacher Appreciation Week.

The Viking Parent Association of Northeast Middle School, for example, arranged to have Belle's Bakery give NMS teachers and staff free bags of cookies on Tuesday, which was Teacher Appreciation Day.

Staff members were also sent gift cards to local restaurants along with a poem of gratitude, and they were emailed a video that consisted of photos of students holding thank-you cards.

Unusual times call for flexible thinking, and Sarah Hocking, hospitality chair of the Viking Parent Association, said appreciation is just being shown to teachers and staff in a slightly different way this year.

"We normally would give them a meal this week in the teachers' lounge. But obviously, we can't do that for them this year," Hocking said. "So we gave them a lunch on us (through gift cards that were) mailed out to them."

Early in the week, a handmade paper sign was also placed prominently in the library windows along the front of Northeast, facing Sugnet.

The parent association decided to forgo asking parents for donations to help with Teacher Appreciation Week.

"This year, we opted not to ask for donations," Hocking said. "We used funds that we had already raised, because so many people are going through hard times (financially)."

A parent teacher organization of at least one other school in Midland, Adams Elementary, also sent restaurant gift cards to teachers and compiled photos of students holding thank-you cards into a video, which is now on the the Friends of Adams PTO Facebook page.
President Donald Trump's name is seen on a stimulus check issued by the IRS to help combat the adverse economic effects of the COVID-19 outbreak, in San Antonio, Texas, on April 23, 2020. (Eric Gay/AP Photo)

IRS Says Incarcerated People Dont Qualify for Stimulus Payments

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), in an update, said that people who are incarcerated do not qualify for pandemic stimulus payments.

Tens of millions of payments of up to $1,200 were doled out to Americans last month after President Donald Trump signed a $2.2 trillion stimulus legislation. It was approved after numerous businesses and companies were forced to shutter to curb the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

A payment made to someone who is incarcerated should be returned to the IRS, the agency wrote on its website, adding that such individuals do not qualify.

For a Payment made with respect to a joint return where only one spouse is incarcerated, you only need to return the portion of the Payment made on account of the incarcerated spouse, said the IRS, noting that a person is incarcerated if he or she is described in one or more of clauses (i) through (v) of Section 202(x)(1)(A) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.  402(x)(1)(A)(i) through (v)).

The agency does not mention payments for children of incarcerated people. Under the stimulus package, children under the age of 17 are eligible for $500.

Meanwhile, the IRS and Treasury Department said that more than 130 million payments have been sent out so far. The first payments were issued in early April.

The information used to distribute those payments is based on prior tax returns filed in 2018 and 2019.

The White House mailed out a letter from President Donald Trump to announce the IRS payments. (The Epoch Times)

In addition, the IRS said in its updated question-and-answer section that payments should be returned if they were made to someone who died before the payment was issued. It falls in line with remarks that were made by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who told the Wall Street Journal those payments should be sent back to the IRS.

Youre not supposed to keep that payment, Mnuchin told the news outlet last month. Were checking the databases, but there could be a scenario where we missed something, and yes, the heirs should be returning that money.

In one instance, North Carolina resident Heather Frazier told the Journal that she got a $1,200 direct deposit for her husband, Rob, who died in 2018.

My husband was a wonderful money manager, and I think he would be happy to know he was still getting a stimulus payment, she added. If they want the money back or whatever, Ill pay it back.
The United Nations Children Fund has warned that an estimated 19 million internally displaced children globally are among the worlds most vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The warning came as the organisation released a report looking at the risks and challenges facing internally displaced children, and the urgent actions needed to protect them.

The report, titled Lost at Home, looks at the risks and challenges internally displaced children face, and the urgent actions needed to protect them.

The UN organisation, in a statement on Tuesday, said globally, an estimated 19 million children, including Nigerians, are living in displacement within their own countries due to conflict and violence in 2019.

UNICEF also said there are currently 1.9 million people displaced from their homes, 60 per cent of whom are children with one in four, under the age of five, in Northeast Nigeria.

UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Peter Hawkins said, hundreds of thousands of children in North -eastern Nigeria are living in the shadow of conflict and now in the increasingly challenging shadow of a global pandemic and its potential socio-economic aftermath.

When a new crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic emerges, displaced children are especially vulnerable and the gaps in our ability to keep them safe are even more stark. We must urgently work together  all of us, government and humanitarian partners  to keep them safe, healthy, learning and protected, Mr Hawkins said.

According to Mr Hawkins, what we really need now are strategic investments and a united effort from government, civil society, private sector, humanitarian actors and children themselves to find solutions that can protect children from the affects of displacement  especially as we face the COVID-19 pandemic  and also address and help mitigate the longer term impacts this can have on childrens health and education.

Living pattern

The UN organisation said the COVID-19 pandemic is making a critical situation for displaced children and families around the world even worse.

READ ALSO:

They often live in overcrowded camps or informal settlements, where access to basic hygiene and health services is limited, and where physical distancing is not possible. This is true in Nigerias north-east, where conditions pose a particular challenge to containing the possible spread of diseases like COVID-19, the UN organisation said.

UNICEF also said internally displaced children around the world often lack access to basic services and are at risk of exposure to violence, exploitation, abuse and trafficking.

They are also at risk of child labour, child marriage and family separation, which all pose direct threats to their health and safety, the UN agency said .

UNICEF also said there were 12 million new displacements of children in 2019  3.8 million of them were caused by conflict and violence, and 8.2 million by disasters linked mostly to weather-related events like flooding and storms.

Currently, Nigeria has 2950 confirmed cases of coronavirus. 481 have been discharged and 98 deaths have been recorded.
Dennis Quaid and his fiancee Laura Savoie rocked slightly matching outfits as they headed out on Tuesday.

The 66 year old actor and his 26-year-old fiancee were spotted out while visiting a friend in Brentwood.

While Quaid was not seen with a face mask on Savoie was seen slipping a blue face mask on as she walked with her fiancee.

Dennis out: Dennis Quaid and his fiancee Laura Savoie rocked slightly matching outfits as they headed out on Tuesday

Quaid was all smiles while wearing a bright white button-down shirt over light blue jeans as he took a stroll while holding a few items.

The Innerspace star had a pair of red sunglasses perched atop his head with a wristwatch peeking under the left sleeve of his shirt.

He completed his look with a pair of black shoes with white soles as he walked to see his friend.

Laura's look: Savoie rocked a slightly matching look with a short-sleeved white blouse that was tied up to reveal her midriff

Savoie rocked a slightly matching look with a short-sleeved white blouse that was tied up to reveal her midriff.

She wore skin-tight light blue jeans and blue and tan platform shoes as she walked while putting a blue face mask on with black sunglasses on top of her head.

She was also seen carrying a bag from CVS and a bouqet of flowers, while Dennis' bulldog Peaches was seen walking behind her.

Praise: Their outing comes just weeks after Quaid came under fire after praising President Trump for his handling of the coronavirus outbreak

Their outing comes just weeks after Quaid came under fire after praising President Trump for his handling of the coronavirus outbreak.

'Well, to tell you the truth, I think the president is handling it in a good way,' he said in an interview with The Daily Beast.

'We see him on television every day, he's involved, and the travel ban early on was a great ideawhich he did in spite of protest about that,' he added.

Good way: 'Well, to tell you the truth, I think the president is handling it in a good way,' he said in an interview with The Daily Beast

Those comments about President Trump came just weeks after Quaid and Savoie were forced to postpone their own wedding.

However, the nuptials were not postponed due to the coronavirus itself but, according to US Weekly sources, were due to 'travel issues' they faced.

The actor popped the question to Savoie in October 2019, at Turtle Bay in Oahu, Hawaii.
Police investigating the circumstances surrounding an incident at a shopping centre on Ardoyne Avenue in north Belfast on Saturday have interviewed Sean Kelly, it is understood.

Detective Inspector Tom Phillips said: The man attended Musgrave police station this morning (Wednesday, 6th May) by prior arrangement.

A report will now be prepared for the Public Prosecution Service.

It's after footage emerged on social media on Saturday and was shared widely across social media platforms.

Kelly (46) was convicted of the IRA's 1993 bombing of a Shankill Road fish shop which killed nine people, including two children.

More than 50 others were maimed in the no warning blast, for which Kelly received nine life sentences.

Another bomber, Thomas Begley, was also killed in the blast.

He was later released in July 2000 under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

Justice Minister Naomi Long said on Sunday that she had reported the incident to police after seeing the footage.
Sweden has reaped the benefits of keeping its economy out of lockdown after escaping the dramatic growth slumps suffered by European rivals.

The Scandinavian country has taken a far more relaxed approach to tackling the coronavirus than much of the West, keeping most schools, restaurants and businesses open and relying on a voluntary approach to social distancing.

Swedish PM Stefan Lofven. Credit:AP

Official figures show the country's economy shrank by just 0.3 per cent in the first three months of 2020, a far smaller decline than most forecasters and its central bank expected. The Riksbank had pencilled in a drop of between 0.8 per cent and 1.8 per cent.

The smaller scale of the fall contrasts with record slumps seen across the Eurozone over the quarter as governments imposed more stringent measures. France's economy tumbled 5.8 per cent, Italy's 4.7 per cent and Spain's by 5.2 per cent, while the eurozone's output overall sank by 3.8 per cent - the worst decline in its history. The figures are likely to be far worse in the second quarter as lockdowns grind on.
The major goal, according to Vu Thanh Tu Anh from the Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management, is preserving people's lives and businesses in order to quickly recover after the epidemic.

The service sector that makes up a high proportion of the economy has suffered the most.

GDP saw a modest growth rate of 3.82 percent in Q1, a decrease of nearly 50 percent compared with the same period last year. The industrial production index was also equal to half of that of 2018.

Vu Thanh Tu Anh from the Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management,





The export growth rate was just 0.5 percent, a record low, while the import growth rate was minus 2 percent. The figures show that enterprises are running out of input materials for production.



Vietnam has been warned that the export growth rate will be even lower in Q2 as Covid-19 has affected large economies, Vietnams largest export markets.



Businesses, the pillars of the economy, have been shocked by Covid-19. The number of new businesses has increased by 4.4 percent, but capital and labor force has decreased.The number of businesses suspending operation or waiting for dissolution procedures has increased by 26 percent.

The major goal, according to Vu Thanh Tu Anh from the Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management, is preserving people's lives and businesses in order to quickly recover after the epidemic.

Anh warned that if the government cannot make effective and timely intervention, some business fields and many enterprises will go bankrupt, leading to serious consequences in growth, jobs and other social problems.

The government needs to respond as quickly and effectively as possible, with all resources, to prevent the medical crisis from turning into an economic crisis, or even a financial and public debt crisis.



Do not try to obtain high GDP growth rate at any cost and neglect the task of fighting against the epidemic. Keeping high growth rate is not the optimal goal right now, Anh said, adding that Vietnam will have to pay a high price if it stops preventive measures too soon.



Therefore, the governments policies to cope with Covid-19 need to target the most important issues  flattening the curve, protecting businesses health, reinforcing societys confidence, consolidating foundation for recovery, and mitigating consequences.



Of these, consolidating foundation for recovery and mitigating consequences are the most important tasks, because Vietnam needs to prepare well for the post-crisis period.



Anh mentioned three major policies to cope with Covid-19.



Regarding fiscal policy, the most important public expenditure is on healthcare and epidemic prevention. If the medical shock cannot be stopped, economic shock will come.



It is necessary to apply policies on tax exemption and reduction, and tax payment deadline extensions.



Regarding public investment, the governments policies should have two goals  stimulating the economy and fosteringr' capacity for the recovery period.

Kim Chi

During Covid-19, agriculture becomes pillar of the economy The Covid-19 pandemic continues to cause exports to stagnate. Coffee growers in the Central Highlands are experiencing many hardships.
: The Uttarakhand government on Wednesday clarified that it will bring back all 1.30 lakh stranded residents in other states who have registered themselves for their return.

However, it has asked the migrants to be patient citing the precautions to be maintained in the evacuation process.

The Centre which allowed the states to make arrangements to evacuate their stranded residents last week, issued new guidelines later stating that states are allowed to bring only those residents who are stranded in shelter homes or enroute to their home states. Those who are staying with their relatives or in any other accommodation without any problems cant be brought back.

So far till Tuesday, about 1.61 lakh people have registered themselves with the government website expressing their willingness to return to their home state, chief secretary Utpal Kumar Singh said.

Out of the total, about 1.30 lakh are from Uttarakhand who are stranded in other states while about 30,000 are from other states stranded in our state and who want to return home in their states. We will bring all our stranded residents but gradually. They have to be patient as the process is not easy because we have to take all the required precautions while doing so, said Singh.

He also said that the state has so far evacuated about 5,700 people from different places in state road transport corporation buses.

The evacuation process is ongoing and in that, we have brought back total 5,669 people back to their home in Uttarakhand mainly from Chandigarh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Apart from this, about 7,000 residents who were stranded in districts other than their home districts within the state, have also reached home through government arrangements, he said.

The officer said that the government was taking all the necessary precautions in the evacuation process.

We are coordinating with other states where our residents are stranded so as to ensure their compulsory medical examination before bringing them home safely without them having any symptoms of Covid-19. After they reach here, our health workers are again examining them before sending them to their home districts, said Singh.

A 14-day home quarantine for all evacuees is mandatory while those showing symptoms will be taken to institutional quarantine.

He said, The government has also designated the district magistrates as additional nodal officers to coordinate with nodal officers of other states to facilitate the movement of stranded migrants without much problem.
Bengaluru, May 6 : The City Central Crime Branch (CCB) police conducted 51 raids and arrested 70 people in 40 days of Covid lockdown for transacting banned activities, a police official said on Wednesday.

"In the 40 days lockdown period, CCB has so far done 51 raids and 70 accused arrested," tweeted Joint Commissioner of Police Sandeep Patil.

Patil said the department raided fake mask and hand sanitiser manufacturers, multiple bootleggers and profiteering vendors of food and other items.

The CCB has also busted online poker gambling and seized Rs 1.5 crore worth of banned items during the lockdown.

Several people employed innovative techniques to hoodwink the authorities to sell lockdown banned products and services, majorly liquor.

A few car-bound bootleggers and tobacco products sellers were also arrested.

Since two days of allowing liquor sales, Karnataka has witnessed record sales, which manifested the deprivation people suffered during the Covid confinement.

Rs 197 crores worth of liquor was sold in Karnataka on Tuesday, the second day of the liquor shops being allowed to sell in all areas except the containment zones.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
A Sharadhaa By

Express News Service

The lockdown might have come as a bane for many, but it has brought some positive results for actor Rakshit Shetty, who is using this time to complete the script of Punyakoti. The actor, who was shooting for director Kiranrajs debut, 777 Charlie, has also taken up Hemanth M Raos next, Sapta Sagaradaache Yello apart from Richie and Punyakoti.

I did watch a few films and have been reading a lot of books. However, my focus has only been on writing and rewriting, and the exciting part is that I have finally cracked the plot and the structure of the film. I have completed around 40 pages and have 50 more pages to go through. I am enjoying it. I am ready to lock myself until I finish the script of Punyakoti, says the writer, director, and producer, adding that the team is also in the last phase of the scriptwriting for Richie, which will be directed by PA Rahul.

Rakshit is also happy to get back to script writing that he used to do in his early years. I would enjoy writing all alone. Writing a script from the start to the end and in one flow is a different experience, something I went through before I did Simple Agi Ondh Love Story. There were times I would stay with my friends, who would go to work from morning till evening, and I would stay at home all day.

It was at that time I wrote Ulidavaru Kandanthe, and the first draft of Kirik Party and Avane Srimannarayana. After that I havent had the time to get into such a frame. I am experiencing it all over again, says Rakshit, adding, The story of Punyakoti is too intense. It has a lot of layers, and is not as easy as the stuff I wrote when I was an amateur. But it has put me in a different thought process for sure, he says.

For a creative person, there is always something new to learn, and Rakshit Shetty is always one step ahead when it comes to exploring something afresh. There was a time when I didnt know the nuances of writing. Even though I read a lot of books on writing, I would just write with a flow without realising the structure. My writing would be more or less like I was watching a film. With experience, I have got into an organic process when it comes to writing and structuring the film. I make sure it fits inside the formula, and it has become an objective as well as subjective writing, says Rakshit.

Ask him whats in store and Rakshit, who always wants to bring something out-of-the-box to the silver screen, says that he mainly believes in doing a project only if he is excited. For people to enjoy my work, I need to enjoy it first. I try to explore a unique subject, which I know people will like. I have a set of audience who think like me. I have never gone by the hit formula and delivered something which people have seen in my previous films. What next has always been on my mind, he says.

The film 777 Charlie requires the team to shoot in north India for 15 days, and rest of the portions in Mysuru. I dont think the locations can be changed as the script demands these places. We have no choice but to wait until we get permission for shooting. I will be taking up Hemanths project only after I am completely done with 777 Charlie, he says.
The spread of COVID-19 in Mumbai



and Pune is an opportunity to rework the town planning of the two prominent Maharashtra cities by stopping their vertical growth and encouraging self-contained satellite townships around them, architect Anant Gadgil has said.

New town planning rules should focus on "spread out housing"and encourage the concept of work from home for professionals, Gadgil, who is also a town planner and Congress MLC, told PTI.

He said the coronavirus has spread fast in congested areas, slums and chawls (tenements) in Mumbai and Pune, but its extent of spread is less in housing societies of the two cities.

"Since physical distancing is not possible in congested and densely populated areas, 'spread out housing' is the need of the hour," he said.

Mumbai is a linear city due to which its growth has been in the northern suburbs. But, trade and commerce centres remain at the same place as before, in south and central areas, he said.

"There should be a plan to have sub-growth centres, or self-contained satellite townships like Navi Mumbai, between Mumbai-Pune, Pune-Nashik and Nashik-Mumbai. These townships should be modelled on the lines of Chandigarh, Gandhinagar and Delhi," he said.

While planning the sub-growth centres, industries which get land to set up units in those areas should make arrangements of accommodation nearby for 25 per cent employees, Gadgil suggested.

There should also be facilities like educational centres, health centres, shops, malls, hostelsin the sub- growth centres, and work from home concept should be encouraged there, he said.

Gadgil also suggested that granting additional floor space index (FSI) for urban development should be stopped as it results in more building construction activities, leading to more congestion, flyovers and vehicular traffic.

"This vicious circle needs to be stopped," he said, adding that the coronavirus crisis is also an opportunity to replan cities in order to reduce vehicular pollution.

Gadgil said in new townships, residential complexes should have one room for office purpose with a separate entrance. This can be useful for home buyers like chartered accountants, lawyers, architects and doctors.

Civic bodies should give permission to such professionals to operate from those offices and not consider it as a commercial premises, he said.

Another option, Gadgil said, is to have a building for professional office space in a residentialcomplex of 10 to 15 buildings.

This will encourage the concept of work from home and reduce vehicular pollution, he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Do thinking and walking go hand in hand in determining the health course of senior adults? A study published by UT Health San Antonio researchers found that, indeed, the two functions often parallel each other in determining a person's health trajectory.

The researchers analyzed data from 370 participants in the San Antonio Longitudinal Study of Aging (SALSA) and found that they grouped into three distinct trajectories.

These classifications were based on the participants' changes on a cognitive measure and a gait speed task over an average of 9 years:

Stable cognition and gait class (65.4% of the participants).

Cognitive and physical vulnerability class (22.2%).

Physical vulnerability class (12.4%).

In our community-based sample of Mexican American and European American older adults aged 65 to 74 years old at baseline, the majority of individuals began the study with higher scores in both domains, cognition and gait speed. During follow-up, this group demonstrated resilience to age-related declines and continued to be functionally independent." Helen Hazuda, Ph.D., Study Senior Author and Professor, UT Health San Antonio's Long School of Medicine and Principal Investigator of SALSA

"In contrast, one-fifth of individuals began the study with lower scores in cognition and gait speed. They experienced deterioration in each domain during the follow-up period," Dr. Hazuda said.

The third group of individuals, termed the physical vulnerability class, demonstrated stable cognition throughout the study, but their gait speed slowed over time.

2 effects, 1 root?

Cognition was assessed using English or Spanish versions of the Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination, a 30-item tool that assesses orientation to time and place, attention, recall, language and other aspects. Gait speed was measured with a timed 10-foot walk.

"For most of the population we studied, changes in cognition and gait speed were parallel, which suggests shared mechanisms," said Mitzi M. Gonzales, Ph.D., lead author of the study and a neuropsychologist with the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases, which is part of UT Health San Antonio.

Cognition and gait speed may be altered by blood vessel disease, brain tissue insults, hormone regulation, and abnormal deposits of amyloid beta and tau proteins in the brain, Dr. Gonzales said. Amyloid beta and tau deposits are well-known indicators of Alzheimer's disease but may impact gait, too.

Abnormal protein deposition promotes neurodegeneration and synaptic loss, which may induce dysfunction in brain regions governing cognition and gait. Another possibility is damage to white matter in regions integral to both cognition and gait coordination." Sudha Seshadri, M.D., Study Coauthor and Professor of Neurology, Long School of Medicine

Seshadri is also the director of the Biggs Institute.

Groundbreaking San Antonio research

SALSA investigators led by Dr. Hazuda launched the study in 1992 and completed the baseline examination in 1996. Follow-up examinations were conducted at 18-month intervals between 2000 and 2005.

Among the 370 participants in this new analysis, 182 were Mexican American and 188 were European American. The Mexican American participants were almost four times more likely than European Americans to be in the cognitive and physical vulnerability class, even after statistical adjustment for educational attainment, income and chronic medical conditions, Dr. Gonzales said.

Prevalence of a key risk factor in this group, diabetes, was significantly higher in Mexican Americans (23%) than in European Americans (7%). Diabetes was associated with a 4 times higher likelihood of being part of the cognitive and physical vulnerability class.

Poor start, poor course

Individuals who entered the study with poorer cognition and slower gait speed went on to decline in both domains at an accelerated pace through the years of follow-up, Dr. Hazuda said.

"In this at-risk group, we observed steeper rates of decline over and above the low starting point," Dr. Hazuda said. "This suggests that preventive efforts should ideally target young and middle-aged adults in which there is still time to intervene to alter the trajectories."

Overall, individuals in the cognitive and physical vulnerability class and the physical vulnerability class had a five- to sevenfold increased risk of mortality in comparison to the stable cognition and gait class.
Amid a spurt in terror attacks and intense shelling by Pakistani Army along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, army officials say these are desperate attempts by an exasperated Pakistan post the abrogation of Article 370.

A senior officer of the Northern Command, requesting anonymity, said every time Pakistan indulges in mischief, it is given a stinging punch in the face. They had no locus-standi in the past but after nullification of J&Ks special status, Pakistan Army has been indulging in desperate attacks on security forces and intense shelling on the borders, he said.

In a recent report, the Intelligence Bureau had stated that there were 16 operational launch pads across the LoC that are ready to push 450 terrorists into J&K.

However, there was a lull for over six months after the August 5 move. The senior official attributed it to Pakistans internal problems. They were under pressure from FATF and then Imran Khans government got into a confrontation with General Bajwa. Our mountain passes were also closed due to snow. The lull can be attributed to multiple factors, he said.

We lost eight security personnel in two incidents but they cannot sum up and define the entire scenario. We are constantly maintaining pressure on militants and retaliating strongly to shelling and firing by Pakistan Army along the LoC, he said.

Major General (retired) GS Jamwal said, Pakistan is fast losing what they call their jugular veinKashmirafter the abrogation of Article 370. Therefore, they are now resorting to all sorts of desperate measures.

They want to keep the Kashmir issue alive and they know how to grab attention of the international community, including Islamic countries, by staging terror attacks and flaring up borders with India and then blaming us, he said.

He also anticipated more terror attacks in future. We should continue to maintain pressure on terrorists and ensure that we dont lose our men but inflict maximum damage on them, he said.

Pak army resorts to firing along LoC in Poonch

Pakistan Army on Wednesday resorted to firing on forward areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in two sectors of Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch district, drawing retaliation from Indian soldiers, a defence spokesperson said.

Around 3:40pm, Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms along LoC in Shahpur sector, the spokesperson said. Cross-border shelling between the two sides was going on when last reports were received, officials said. However, there was no immediate report of any casualty.

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[May 06, 2020] NMC INVESTOR FILING DEADLINE: Bernstein Liebhard Reminds Investors That Only 5 Days Remain to File a Lead Plaintiff Motion in a Securities Class Action Lawsuit Against NMC Health PLC

Bernstein Liebhard, a nationally acclaimed investor rights law firm, reminds investors of a deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion in a securities class action has been filed on behalf of investors that purchased or acquired the securities of NMC Health PLC ("NMC Health" or the "Company") ( OTC BB: NMHLY) between March 13, 2016 and March 10, 2020 (the "Class Period"). The lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California alleges violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. If you purchased NMC Health securities, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit NMC Health Shareholder Class Action or contact Matthew E. Guarnero toll free at (877) 779-1414 or [email protected]. According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) the Company lacked effective internal controls and risk management; (2) the Company engaged in undisclosed and extensive related party and de facto related party transactions; (3) NMC's debts were significantly understated and obfuscated; (4) NMC's cash-on-hand figures were overstatd; (5) NMC's principal shareholders were not accurately reporting or accounting their interests or stakes in the Company; (6) NMC did not review or know their principal shareholders interests or stakes in the Company; (7) consequently, the Company was not enforcing its Relationship Agreement with the principal shareholders; and (8) as a result, Defendants' statements about its business, operations, and prospects, were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.



On March 10, 2020 the truth was finally revealed when Bloomberg (News - Alert) published an article titled "Abu Dhabi Insurer Steps In to Help NMC Health Pay Salaries" the article reported that an insurer was assisting to pay NMC's expenses. On this news, NMC ADSs fell $3.28 per ADS, or almost 64% to close at $1.85 per ADS on March 10 2020. If you purchased NMC Health securities, and/or would like to discuss your legal rights and options please visit https://www.bernlieb.com/cases/nmchealthplc-nmhly-shareholder-class-action-lawsuit-stock-fraud-266/apply/ contact Matthew E. Guarnero toll free at (877) 779-1414 or [email protected].

If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than May 11, 2020. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff. If you choose to take no action, you may remain an absent class member. Since 1993, Bernstein Liebhard LLP has recovered over $3.5 billion for its clients. In addition to representing individual investors, the Firm has been retained by some of the largest public and private pension funds in the country to monitor their assets and pursue litigation on their behalf. As a result of its success litigating hundreds of lawsuits and class actions, the Firm has been named to The National Law Journal's "Plaintiffs' Hot List" thirteen times and listed in The Legal 500 for ten consecutive years. ATTORNEY ADVERTISING.  2020 Bernstein Liebhard LLP. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Bernstein Liebhard LLP, 10 East 40th Street, New York, New York 10016, (212) 779-1414. The lawyer responsible for this advertisement in the State of Connecticut is Michael S. Bigin. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005309/en/

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The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Russian Armed Forces totals 1,475 people in the period from March to May 5, the Ministry of Defense said in its bulletin released on Tuesday. On Monday, the ministry reported about 1,384 cases among servicemen.



"As many as 1,475 servicemen with positive results were found during the 100% (coronavirus) screening in the Russian Armed Forces from March to May 4 of this year," TASS cited the ministry as saying.



The coronavirus has also been detected with 1,186 servicemen particularly in military educational institutions, as well as 360 cases have been found among the civilian personnel of Russias Armed Forces, with 25 people having recovered since March, according to the ministry.
B oris Johnson will today come under fresh criticism over his handling of the coronavirus crisis as he faces Sir Keir Starmer for the first time during Prime Minister's Questions.

Mr Johnson will return to the Commons for Westminster's set-piece event later after the UK's official death toll became the highest in Europe, overtaking Italy, according to John Hopkins data.

The Labour leader is expected to question the PM on the Government's response to the crisis and also pressure him to set out a detailed plan on easing the lockdown.

It will be the first time Mr Johnson has taken questions in Parliament since returning to Downing Street after his admission to hospital with Covid-19.

Though more than 32,000 have died in the UK during the pandemic, the rate has been slowing and the PM is expected to unveil his "roadmap" of future steps later this week.

Sir Keir, who took over as Labour leader last month, has called for Mr Johnson to form a "national consensus" on easing restrictions while protecting public health.

Mr Johnson has not taken questions in the Commons since March 25 before Parliament broke early for Easter as MPs struggled to keep their distance in the Palace of Westminster.

Dominic Raab: Next phase won't be easy

He returned to Downing Street last week after recovering from Covid-19, but Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab deputised for him in PMQs as Mr Johnson welcomed the birth of his new son.

Mr Raab on Tuesday warned the "next stage won't be easy" but he said ministers want to ensure it is "more comfortable, is more sustainable and prevents lasting damage to jobs and livelihoods".

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who is involved in UK-wide decision-making through the Cobra system, had earlier set out her own blueprint for easing the lockdown.

Among measures being considering in Scotland is the possibility of joining a social "bubble" containing small groups of friends and family from different households for gatherings, even if that was only possible outdoors.

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The Prime Minister's official spokesman confirmed the possibility of easing restrictions outdoors was also under consideration in Westminster, pointing towards evidence showing "there is less likelihood of transmission of this disease outdoors than indoors".

The prospect of the UK edging towards life after lockdown came as figures showed a total of 32,375 deaths involving Covid-19 have now been registered across the UK.

In Italy, the European country which first suffered an outbreak on a horrific scale, that figure stood at 29,315 as of 5pm on Tuesday.

But Downing Street has warned against comparing different nations' death tolls, with the true extent of the loss not likely to be fully realised for months to come.

In other developments:

- Professor Neil Ferguson, the scientist whose research helped usher in the lockdown, resigned from his role advising the Government after admitting "undermining" social distancing rules by reportedly meeting his "lover"

- Chancellor Rishi Sunak was considering his options on winding down the Government's furlough scheme but Treasury sources insisted "no decisions have been taken" yet

- Experts warned that restrictions should be eased "very gradually" to maintain public trust in newly published documents from scientists aiding the response

- Testing again failed to meet the 100,000 daily target set by the Government, with 84,806 tests on Monday.

The route out of lockdown will depend on how successfully the Government can implement a contact-tracing programme to ensure infected individuals enter quarantine.

This will be aided by an NHS app, which Health Secretary Matt Hancock has defended against warnings of an impingement on civil liberties.

Listen to The Leader: Coronavirus Daily podcast



"We've all had to give up significant infringements on our liberty - for instance, with the social distancing measures and the lockdown - and we want to release those, and this approach will help us to release them," he told the BBC.
TWIN FALLS  A controversial, $30-million project that would bring 112 new apartment units and a charter school downtown is now heading to the City Council after the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the project be approved under the condition that the developer creates additional parking. That caveat could force the project to change significantly.

The Masqueray Lofts project includes two 56-unit, five-story apartment buildings along Seventh and Eighth avenues, near City Park. The majority of one of those buildings would be dedicated to low-income housing. The Boise-based Galena Opportunity Fund, which specializes in building housing in economically blighted areas, is the owner of the empty parking lots that would be converted into those properties.

The Galena Opportunity Fund also owns the old clinic building on Shoshone Street, which is slated to become a charter school. The charter school ties into the overall project, but was not specifically considered during the May 5 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.

While the proposal has won praise from city business leaders, who tout the potential for downtown economic development, it has also drawn the ire of area residents, primarily those along Seventh and Eighth avenues, who say they fear they wont be able to park close to their homes if the project proceeds as planned. Neighborhood residents have also voiced concerns about maintaining the areas historical character (its in a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places), privacy and property values.

We all want development, we all want expansion, neighborhood resident Dave Frantz said. We want growth, but nobody wants it in their backyard.

Planning and Zoning staff said there were 130 comment letters submitted regarding the proposal. The vast majority of those were in opposition to the idea. At Tuesdays public hearing, 29 individuals, mostly residents of Seventh and Eighth avenues, spoke against the apartments. No one spoke purely in favor of the project during the public comment portion of the meeting.

New residents, new revenues

Two new apartment complexes in downtown Twin Falls would come with a host of obvious benefits. City leaders talk frequently about the need for multi-story, multi-family housing downtown. More residents downtown would help with the areas ongoing economic revival, many say, and big apartment buildings would help meet strong housing demand.

Bob Smith of Hutchison Smith Architects is the lead architect for Masqueray Lofts. He said that Masqueray Lofts checks a lot of boxes for the city, economically.

Downtown Twin Falls is continually competing with perimeter development for survival, Smith said. The proven way to revitalize a downtown area like this is to bring people and housing into the area. Thats what this project is going to do.

Galena Opportunity Fund CEO Bill Truax pointed out that this is exactly what Twin Falls, in its comprehensive plan, has said it wants. Planning and Zoning Director Jonathan Spendlove noted at the start of the meeting that the project, on the whole, complies with the citys comprehensive plan.

Truax also addressed several resident concerns. For instance, some homeowners said in written comments that they fear low-income residents will bring drugs and crime into the area. Truax said the Galena Opportunity Fund takes serious offense to those claims.

During the public comment portion of the hearing, one resident said she was against the project because she didnt want the neighborhood to become a ghetto. That comment prompted City Attorney Shayne Nope to ask all meeting participants to refrain from discriminatory language.

Truax also emphasized there are strict requirements that force property owners to maintain low-income housing buildings. If a property falls into disrepair, the federal tax credits for the property disappear, Truax said, so property degradation is low for these types of buildings.

Smith said hes been working on housing developments like this one for nearly two decades. He said some of the negative assertions residents have made against the project are simply untrue. For instance, having a low-income apartment building isnt going to make everyones home worth less money, he said.

These projects improve property values, Smith said. I know that people are not going to want to believe that, but its true.

Truax also said that the Galena Opportunity Fund intends to be in Twin Falls for the long haul. He said his group has no intention of making a quick buck and leaving town. The fund has already spent $3 million on this project, he said, and plans on spending up to $27 million more. The economic viability of the Galena Opportunity Funds projects is significantly correlated with downtown Twin Falls success, too.

Truax, Smith and Fran Florence  who spoke on the developers behalf and has been involved in Twin Falls real estate for decades  all stressed the fact that this project will make use of two empty parking lots and a massive building that has sat vacant for a decade.

Whats going to hurt this neighborhood is continuing to do nothing with an abandoned building and vacant parking lots, Smith said.

An unreasonable request?

The Galena Opportunity Fund is effectively asking for three exceptions to Twin Falls Planning and Zoning rules. The first request is for a height exemption, so the apartments can be 62 feet, surpassing the 35-foot height restriction in residential zones. The second request is for a setback reduction so that the new apartment buildings can be closer to the street than the rules allow.

Neither of those requests received much pushback or discussion from Planning and Zoning commissioners during the four-hour meeting.

The third request  that the project be exempt from the standard parking requirements  was the most contentious point. Typically, the city would require a project such as this to provide two off-street parking spaces for each housing unit.

The Galena Opportunity Fund initially proposed that just 101 spaces were needed for the 112 apartments, and a chunk of those 101 spaces could come from street parking. After Planning and Zoning Commissioners said at a mid-April meeting that 101 spaces were insufficient, the group amended its proposal to 159 spaces, with a little under a third of those coming from street parking. In their estimates, Hutchison Smith Architects only counted street parking that is directly alongside Galena Opportunity Fund properties.

Hutchison Smith Architects also offered two ideas after the mid-April meeting to address parking concerns. One solution would have been to switch part of Seventh Avenue from parallel parking to 90-degree parking. According to Assistant City Engineer Troy Vitek, 90-degree parking probably wouldnt work on Seventh Avenue, because cars would have a hard time pulling out without crossing the centerline. Angled parking would be a better idea, Vitek said.

Also, Smith said part of the old clinic building can be demolished in order to create more parking. One school cant fill the whole massive building anyway.

Seventh and Eighth avenue homeowners who spoke during the public comment portion of the hearing made clear that they dont want any reduction in street parking.

We can barely park our cars in front of our houses now, Roxanne Welsh said.

Some Planning and Zoning commissioners noted that the parking estimates, even the revised ones, were still inaccurate. Nearly all Twin Falls residents, regardless of income level, have cars, they said, and many have two.

Florence said transportation will change in the future in Twin Falls. It will have to, he said, because when the city passes 50,000 residents  which is expected to happen after the 2020 census  federal requirements will force the city to develop a public transit plan.

Planning and Zoning Commissioner Marilu Perez also said Twin Falls transportation habits will change. She said its unfortunate that opposition to the project is so strong, and she hopes to see the project proceed in some form. Its important to keep in mind that if parking became more scarce, people would adapt, she said.

This (type of housing) is what I think Twin Falls is going to and its perfect, Perez said. I think this actually is an ideal thing, but I think Twin Falls is not ready for it right now. I think people arent thinking creatively and long-term.

A tough decision

Ultimately, the commission decided that the potential parking problems meant the project, as presented, could not be recommended for approval.

(The developer) is just not close to the parking requirements set forth in the (city) code, Planning and Zoning Commissioner Craig Kelley said.

Planning and Zoning Commissioner Carolyn Bolton said in her time on the commission, on-street parking has never been allowed to count toward a parking requirement tally.

The commission decided to recommend to the City Council that the developer provide one off-street parking stall for each studio apartment and two off-street stalls for the remaining 64 units. Under the current plans, that would mean the Galena Opportunity Fund will have to come up with roughly 70 additional off-street parking spaces. Kelley said that the developer will have to be pretty creative to find that many spots.

Change is inevitable, Bolton said. But incremental change thats suited to the nature of the surrounding area, to me, is optimal  not going from zero to 100 in one project.

Public meetings in a pandemic Before the telephone meeting even began in earnest, Planning and Zoning Commissioner Carolyn Bolton made a motion to table the meeting until individuals would be able to attend in-person, as opposed to over the phone. No one seconded the motion, and it never went to a vote. Twin Falls City Attorney Shayne Nope said that the commission essentially had to weigh two considerations in deciding whether or not to hold the meeting without allowing in-person attendance. There are two conflicting rights: A developer has a right to have its application reviewed in a reasonable amount of time, and citizens have the right to present evidence in public hearings. Ultimately, Nope said the meeting is legal. He noted that Gov. Brad Little amended Idahos opening meeting laws when the pandemic began, removing the mandate that physical, in-person public participation in open meetings be allowed. According to Nope, participation over the phone and through video is adequate, per Littles orders. A handful of the 29 individuals who participated in the public comment portion of the hearing said the meeting should have been postponed until it could have been held in person. Robert Myrland said that, while holding the meeting might be legal, its against the spirit of open meeting laws.

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At least 116 employees at an Oklahoma pork processing plant have tested positive for coronavirus, Seaboard Foods spokesman David Eahart said in a statement on May 4. Meanwhile, a surge of coronavirus cases in the Texas Panhandle, a crucial region for the nations beef supply, has federal officials sending help to Amarillo to try to control rising numbers of infections, the citys mayor said.

Oklahoma

The plant in Guymon has about 2,700 employees who are advised to stay home if sick, provided face masks and hand-sanitizing stations, and encouraged to maintain social distancing, Eahart said.

Texas County, where Guymon is located about 235 miles (378 kilometers) northwest of Oklahoma City, has 236 confirmed virus cases and two deaths, according to the state health department.

Eahart said about 30% of the plants employees do not live in Texas County, health department spokeswoman Donelle Harder said all cases and deaths would be attributed to an infected persons county or state of residence.

Guymon is about 15 miles (24 kilometers) north of Texas and about 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of Kansas.

The Seaboard plant has not closed, as some around the nation have until beginning to reopen under an executive order from President Donald Trump.

Texas

The Amarillo area is responsible for 25% of the nations fed beef supply, Mayor Ginger Nelson said, as the community joins others in the Midwest where the virus has sickened hundreds of meatpacking workers and threatens to disrupt the nations supply of pork and beef.

In Texas, more than 240 cases are linked to a JBS USA plant in Moore County, according to Lara Anton, a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of State Health Services. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has previously singled out the county as an area of concern.

Confirmed cases in neighboring Potter County have doubled over the past week to more than 800, and at least nine people have died.

Im hopeful they will be able to help us box in where our current hot spots are, Nelson said of the strike force coming to the area, which she expected to arrive soon as May 4. So that we can protect our hospital capacity and begin to strategize why it is our city is having the numbers that were having.

JBS USA spokeswoman Nikki Richardson said the company, although notified about the task force, does not know what their plan is or how it will affect the plant.

Meanwhile, the facility is open and operating, despite increased absenteeism in recent weeks. We are doing our best to safely provide food for the country during a challenging time, she said in an email.

Outbreaks have hit meat plants across the county. President Donald Trump has ordered them to remain open, while on May 4, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden called the plants among the most dangerous places there are right now.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report on May 1 said more than 4,900 workers at meat and poultry processing facilities have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, including 20 who died. Not all states provided data.

The CDC researchers cited risks including difficulties with physical distancing and hygiene, and crowded living and transportation conditions.

Anton said a team of health experts, including those with the CDC, will be visiting processing plants in the Panhandle this week to assess and recommend safeguards.

The number of virus infections is thought to be far higher than confirmed because many people havent been tested and studies suggest people can have the disease without showing symptoms.

The vast majority of those infected recover.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics COVID-19 Texas Oklahoma
By Sanjeev Miglani and Devjyot Ghoshal

NEW DELHI, May 6 (Reuters) - India will begin flights on Thursday to bring home some 400,000 citizens stranded overseas by travel restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, prompting some worries over the risk that imported infections could fuel contagion in the country.

India's coronavirus cases totaled 49,390 as of Wednesday, of whom 1,694 people had died, and there is still no sign of the curve in new cases flattening despite a stringent, weeks-long lockdown in the world's second most populous country.

But, responding to the distress among India's huge diaspora, the government has asked national carrier Air India to provide aircraft to bring back Indians who want to return from the Middle East, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The Indian Navy has also been asked to help by sending two ships to evacuate citizens from the Maldives, in the Indian Ocean.

Migrant workers, students and business people were left with no way home after India suspended air travel in March, just before entering a nationwide shutdown that remains in force until May 17.

And there have numerous tales of hardship, both financial and emotional, from people desperate to see sick relatives, attend funerals or births, while others have simply lost their jobs and are running out of money stranded abroad.

"Priority will be given to workers in distress, elderly people, urgent medical cases, pregnant women, as well as to other people who are stranded in difficult situations," the Indian consulate general in Dubai said.

The first round of evacuations would bring back around 200,000 people by the middle of May and then by mid-June a total of 350,000-400,00 would be flown back, a foreign ministry official said.

"By then, we are hopeful that foreign travel will be re-opened," the official said. Four of the ten flights that Air India will operate on Thursday will bring back people from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh and Doha and all into the southern state of Kerala, according to a seven-day flight plan released by the government.

Nearly 300,000 have signed up for the flights from the Middle East for which Air India is charging a little less than a normal commercial fare.

Story continues

"This is easily the most comprehensive, complicated and challenging programme I have seen in my career," said civil aviation minister Hardeep Puri.

Passengers will be screened at the departing airport and only those who are asymptomatic will be allowed to board. Once they land, they will be quarantined for two weeks, the government said.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, whose state has large numbers of people working in the Gulf, voiced concerns over the risks of not testing people for the virus before bringing them home.

There will be around 200 passengers on each flight. If two or three of them are carriers, it would affect everyone on that flight," he said. (Reporting by Sanjeev Miglani; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)
The first President Ho Chi Minh site was built on an area of nearly 10,000 square meters in Nooong On village, Muong town, the northeastern province of Udon Thani.

President Ho Chi Minh memorial site in Udon Thani

In early 2017, the road connecting provincial road 2263 to the relic was named by local authorities after Thau Chin 1 and Thau Chin 2, Uncle Hos alias during his revolutionary activities in Thailand. Of which, Thau Chin 1 road is 5 kilometers long and 6 meters wide; Thau Chin 2 road is 160 meters long and 4 meters wide, showing the respect and affection of Thai people for Uncle Ho.

The way to the President Ho Chi Minh historic site is named Thau Chin

The President Ho Chi Minh historic site has become a cultural address in Udon Thani province. Every year, on the occasion of his birthday (May 19th) and the Vietnam National Independence Day (September 2nd), many overseas Vietnamese in Thailand and Thai people come to the site and burn incense in commemoration of the great Vietnamese President.



In Nakhon Phanom Province, nearly 800 kilometers northeast of Bangkok, is the Thailand - Vietnam Friendship Village and President Ho Chi Minh memorial site in Nakhok village, Noongyath commune.

President Ho Chi Minh memorial site in Nakhon Phanom province.

In June 2013, during his visit to Thailand, Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong presented the Thailand - Vietnam Association in Nakhon Phanom province with a gift of VND30 billion to support the construction of President Ho Chi Minh memorial site. In the memorial site, there is a President Ho Chi Minh Museum, which displays many photos and documents about President Ho Chi Minh's life in 1928-1929 when he conducted revolutionary activities in Nakhon Phanom and some Thai provinces.

The memorial site consists of a Uncle Ho worshipping area designed by the Ho Chi Minh Museum and built in Vietnamese architecture.

Overseas Vietnamese have always upheld the Vietnamese tradition in the sites. Tour guides wear Vietnamese traditional long dress to warmly welcome visitors, leaving good impressions in their hearts.

Overseas Vietnamese in Thailand invite visitors green tea to show their warm welcome.

President Ho Chi Minh memorial sites in Thailand help reinforce and strengthen solidarity and friendship between the two countries./.
The Senate has asked the Federal Government to suspend the planned deployment of the fifth-generation (5G) network in Nigeria pending the resolution of all issues thrown up by the new technology.

The motion was sponsored by Senator Uche Ekwenife (PDP, Anambra Central) at plenary yesterday in Abuja.

Adopting the motion, the upper legislative chamber mandated four of its standing committees, Communications; Science and Technology; ICT, and Cybercrimes, to wholly investigation the newest advancement.

Also Read: Archbishop Benjamin Protests Against 5G In Nigeria (Video)

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The Anambra lawmaker expressed concern over the uncertainty surrounding whether or not the 5G network has been launched in Nigeria.

She said this will continue to fuel the speculations and rumours concerning the deployment of 5G network and its faster effect on the citizen of Nigerian.

The panels, led by the Communications Committee, are to report back in four weeks.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Close to nine crore users have downloaded the Aarogya Setu mobile application and it has been made mandatory that government and private sector employees use it to bolster efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Group of Ministers (GoM) on COVID-19 was informed about this on Tuesday by officials during its 14th meeting in which it also discussed various aspects pertaining to the 'performance, impact and benefits' of the Aarogya Setu application.

The government on Wednesday said no data or security breach has been identified in Aarogya Setu after an ethical hacker raised concerns about a potential security issue in the application and it was criticised by opposition Congress leaders.

The mobile application helps users identify whether they are at risk of COVID-19.

It also provides people with important information, including ways to avoid coronavirus and its symptoms.

The GoM was informed that "people have informed about their health status on the application which has helped in tracing those suffering with any symptoms for COVID-19 containment", the heatth ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

"The GoM was also informed that a mechanism has been devised to reach out to the people who have landline or featured phones through Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) in local languages for better results," it said Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan who chaired the GoM meeting said use of technology is integral for the containment strategy and is helping the states to manage the deadly disease in a more effective manner.

The Union Home Ministry on Friday also said the mobile app will be must for people living in COVID-19 containment zones.

"Use of Aarogya Setu app shall be made mandatory for all employees, both private and public. It shall be the responsibility of the head of the respective organisations to ensure 100 per cent coverage of this app among the employees," the ministry had said.

On Tuesday, a French hacker and cyber security expert Elliot Alderson had claimed that "a security issue has been found" in the Aarogya Setu app and that "privacy of 90 million Indians is at stake".

Dismissing the claims, the government said "no personal information of any user has been proven to be at risk by this ethical hacker".

The death toll due to COVID-19 rose to 1,694 and the number of cases climbed to 49,391 on Wednesday registering an increase of 126 deaths and 2,958 cases in the last 24 hours since Tuesday morning, according to the Union Health Ministry.

The death rate of COVID-19 patients in India is around 3.2 per cent while over 28 per cent of the total patients have recovered so far in the country, a senior health ministry official said.

These can be taken as a positive effect of the lockdown in the country along with the cluster management and containment strategy, the officials said.
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Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday that salons and pools would be permitted to open May 8, earlier than initially expected.

However, like retailers and restaurants, there are stipulations.
Vietnam recently celebrated the National Reunification and victory over a global superpower, but it has also been praised internationally in the past few weeks for initially winning the battle against an invisible enemy  the novel coronavirus.

A Vietnamese Government poster to fight COVID-19.

Even though the SARS-CoV-2 virus has led to more than 3.5 million infections and 240,000 deaths globally, there have been only 271 confirmed cases (or 2.8 cases per million people) so far in Vietnam, and no deaths reported. According to official figures, the country has recorded no new cases of community transmissions of the coronavirus for 18 days.

This is no small feat since Vietnam shares a long border with China, the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic, is a low-income country, and has a huge population of 95 million people.

The World Economic Forum, the Financial Times and many others have applauded Vietnam for its low-cost COVID-19 control and prevention model, and the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said decisive leadership, accurate information and community solidarity had helped Vietnam to manage the pandemic.

So what's the secret? It was the Governments call for action: Fighting the epidemic is like fighting the enemy.

This is a success story the country has used throughout historic wars to mobilise nationalism.

The Government has even dubbed its campaign against COVID-19 the Spring General Offensive of 2020  an echo of the General Offensive, General Uprising of 1975.

What led to Vietnams 1975 victory was a combination of united national strength and resources, and the unity of the military and the people in fighting the enemy. And such lessons have once again been drawn on in the countrys battle against coronavirus. The Government has spared no effort to combat the pandemic and protect its people, and the people, in return, have given their unceasing support. Therein lies the inexhaustible source of its power.

Vietnam doesnt have the resources to conduct massive testing like South Korea, and it knew its healthcare system couldn't afford the luxury of having tens of thousands of COVID-19 patients, so it acted early and swiftly using a combination of a committed political system and public support.

It began testing early after the first cases of the coronavirus were reported in the country. It has since conducted aggressive and extensive contact tracing, lockdowns and public communications campaigns.

All of these measures have been strictly followed and supported by the countrys military, public security forces, healthcare system and people.

The military was put in charge of transporting and providing accommodation for tens of thousands of people returning home to Vietnam from outbreak zones who needed to spend time in quarantine.

In the first outbreak of the virus in northern Vinh Phuc Province, a special task force was set up and sent from the capital to control the situation. Teams went door-to-door every day to check on the health of local residents and suspected infections.

This practice continued when the second phase broke out in Vietnam.

For each group of residents living in different parts of Vietnam, there is a leader. He or she plays the role of communicating with residents' groups about daily matters within their neighbourhoods. Local media have been running stories about energetic and enthusiastic individuals who have been travelling door-to-door to provide information about the Governments education campaign on COVID-19.

This model has proven its efficiency by also tracing suspected cases and making sure the virus doesnt spread. A huge number of people have been mobilised to track down people who had contact with confirmed cases.

The Government has also been creative in launching a public education campaign that includes cartoons, social media posts and posters about COVID-19, triggering a nationalist spirit. The slogan Every business, every citizen, every residential area must be a fortress to prevent from the epidemic has been effectively used to raise the patriotic spirit among many Vietnamese people, who have always been proud of their ability to stand united throughout wars and hardships.

The people have been picking up on the Government's message by spreading other down-to-earth slogans like staying at home is a patriot act, and fighting the enemy means you have to go to the battlefront, but fighting the pandemic means you should stay home. Social media campaigns have also been launched to call on people to change their avatars using the slogan Stay home when your country needs you.

Messages regarding the prevention and fight against the COVID-19 pandemic have been spread everywhere to raise public awareness of disease prevention and control, and face masks have become an indispensable item for everyone.

Medical students and retired doctors and nurses have also been mobilised and told to be ready if needed. A fund-raising campaign to buy medical and protective equipment for all those working on the frontline like health staff and soldiers was launched and attracted millions of people. Rice ATMs have been set up in localities across the country in order to support needy people affected by the pandemic.

Many organisations and individuals have also implemented their own campaigns to raise funds and provide food and gifts to poor or homeless people, with many heartwarming stories. The people of Vietnam have shown their solidarity in maintaining social order and promoting the image of a united, responsible and humane society.

The Government has also used text messaging and apps to provide information to citizens and encourage them to follow the health ministrys guidelines on COVID-19 prevention.

The MoHs online portal publicises each new case every day to all major news outlets and the general public, with details including location, mode of infection and action taken. Digital communication has helped not only disseminate accurate information quickly but also stem the spread of rumours and fake news regarding the pandemic.

Such efforts to control the situation and provide transparent information have gained huge public confidence for the Vietnamese Government. In a Dalia Research survey of 45 countries asking about public opinion of government responses to the pandemic, 62 per cent of Vietnamese participants said the Government was doing the right amount of work needed.

In addition, Vietnam has also been demonstrating humanitarian solidarity in the face of the pandemic threat to humanity by sending 450,000 hazmat suits, bought and paid for, to the United States from a local DuPont plant. It has had enough capacity to send 550,000 surgical masks to the worst-affected countries in Europe, and another 730,000 to its neighbours, Laos and Cambodia.

The war is ongoing, but the pandemic has strengthened Vietnams reputation and public trust in the Government. Tackling the matter of the economic recovery will be the next challenge that will require no less effort. VNS

Thu Van

Vietnam in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic With the spirit of fighting against the pandemic like fighting against an enemy, the whole Vietnamese Party, armed forces and people have made an all-out effort to implement synchronous measures to prevent and combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
WESTPORT  The Registrars of Voters announced that NEXT MONDAY, May 11, 2020, is the deadline for changes to party affiliation from one party to another to vote in a different party in the Aug. 11, 2020 Presidential Preference and the State and Local Primaries.

Connecticut is one of a small number of states that requires voters to join a political party prior to the day of a primary election or caucus for nominating candidates. As a result, voters often discover they are ineligible to participate in a primary only when they arrive at their polling place.
The Oyo State Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has replied the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state over allegation that Governor Seyi Makinde is at a war with the Federal Government.

PDP, which is the ruling party in the state, described the allegation as baseless and nonexistent.

This comes after the APC on Monday warned Governor Makinde against fighting the Federal Government.

Read Also: Makinde Says Oyo Schools Likely To Reopen

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According to the PDP, the said war only exists in the crude imaginations of the APC leaders.

Speaking via a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary in the state, Engr. Akeem Olatunji, the party said the Oyo APC is a group of frustrated individuals with unabated desperation to destabilise the peace and tranquillity in the state.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 05:07:06|Editor: huaxia

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UNITED NATIONS, May 5 (Xinhua) -- The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda, on Tuesday deplored the non-execution of arrest warrants for Libyan fugitives wanted by the court.

In her briefing to the Security Council, Bensouda called out Egypt and Gen. Khalifa Haftar, commander-in-chief of the east-based Libyan National Army (LNA), for their failure to surrender the fugitives.

The arrest warrants for Al-Tuhamy Mohamed Khaled and Mahmoud al-Werfalli are yet to be executed, said Bensouda.

Egypt, where Al-Tuhamy is believed to reside, has not arrested and surrendered him to the ICC. Gen. Haftar's LNA has neither facilitated the arrest and surrender of al-Werfalli nor ensured his genuine investigation and prosecution in Libya. Al-Werfalli is reported to be under the command of Gen. Haftar, she said.

Al-Tuhamy was the former head of the Libyan Internal Security Agency during the final years of the government of Muammar Gaddafi.

"While my office continues to meet its obligations under the Rome Statute by advancing its investigations despite resource constraints and a challenging operational environment, the course of justice cannot make further progress without the arrest and surrender of ICC suspects. This is a responsibility that neither rests on my office nor the court, but other actors in the Rome Statute system, namely states," said Bensouda.

"It is my sincere hope that this state of impunity will not remain the status quo and that the victims of Rome Statute crimes committed in Libya will have justice."

Justice for such crimes is crucial to the rule of law and stability in Libya. Where appropriate, accountability for such crimes must extend to those in positions of authority, she noted.

"I take this opportunity to once again stress that military commanders may be held responsible for crimes committed by forces under their effective command and control. Military commanders have a responsibility both to prevent or repress the commission of crimes by their forces, and to submit any such crimes for investigation and prosecution."

Bensouda said the arrest warrant for a third Libyan fugitive -- Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the second son of late Muammar Gaddafi -- remains enforceable.

On March 9, the ICC Appeals Chamber unanimously ruled that Saif Gaddafi's case is admissible before the court. Accordingly, Libya continues to be under an obligation to arrest and surrender Gaddafi to the ICC, she said.

In its judgment, the Appeals Chamber found that the ICC is barred from trying someone who has already been tried in a national jurisdiction with respect to the same conduct only if the proceedings in the other court are final, she said.

The Libyan domestic proceedings against Saif Gaddafi are not final. Given that he was convicted in absentia, if Gaddafi surrenders himself or is arrested, Libyan law provides that he must be retried. If sentenced to death for a second time, review by the Libyan Court of Cassation would be mandatory. Furthermore, the Libyan amnesty law does not apply to his case, she said.

In the course of the admissibility proceedings, Saif Gaddafi stated that he was released from detention on or about April 12, 2016. He has made no effort to surrender himself. Gaddafi is a wilful fugitive, actively evading justice both in Libya and before the International Criminal Court, said Bensouda.

Neither case can progress, nor can the victims of Gaddafi's alleged crimes receive justice, whilst he remains at large, she said.

Saif Gaddafi was captured in southern Libya by the Zintan militia in November 2011, after the end of the Libyan civil war. He was sentenced to death in absentia in July 2015 by a court in Tripoli. At the time of the Tripoli trial, he was in the custody of the de facto independent authorities of Zintan. He was later released from prison in Zintan and won amnesty by the Tobruk-based government led by Haftar.

Bensouda said the ICC Appeals Chamber's judgment provides valuable guidance on some important points of international criminal law.

Notably, she said, Judge Ibanez Carranza, in her Separate and Concurring Opinion, found that amnesties or similar measures that prevent the investigation, prosecution, and punishment of international core crimes that amount to grave human rights violations and grave breaches of international humanitarian law are incompatible with international law. Accordingly, Judge Ibanez Carranza found that such measures appear to be contrary to the object and purpose of the Rome Statute of the ICC, although this issue must ultimately be determined on a case-by-case basis.

This is a significant legal development with respect to the obligation of states to investigate, prosecute and, if appropriate, punish perpetrators of mass atrocities, said Bensouda. Enditem
The Saudi-Russian oil price war may be officially over with the new, historic, OPEC+ deal, but Saudi Arabia has continued to aggressively pursue additional market share in Asia and managed to squeeze share out of its key rivals in the largest Asian oil importers, Bloomberg tanker-tracking data showed on Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia doubled its crude oil exports to China in April to the highest volumes since at least 2017, exported the most oil to the U.S. since August 2018, and toppled Iraq as Indias top oil supplier last month, according to Bloomberg data.

After the collapse of the previous OPEC+ agreement in early March, Saudi Arabias oil giant Aramco announced deep discounts for its oil to customers in Asia for two consecutive months, April and May, with the announcement for the May official selling prices coming even after OPEC+ reached a new deal to begin cutting production from May 1.

After the deal was sealed, Saudi Aramco slashed the price of its flagship Arab Light crude grade to Asia by another US$4.20 per barrel compared to April, to a discount of US$7.30 a barrel to the Oman/Dubai benchmark average. In the prior month, the Saudis had slashed all their prices for all regions for April, after OPECs top producer and its partner in the OPEC+ pact, Russia, broke up the production cut deal and the Saudis waged a price war for market share by discounting their oil deeply to all markets.

The Saudi strategy to gain market share worked in April, according to Bloombergs data.

Saudi Arabias exports to China doubled to 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd), and sales to India surged to 1.1 million bpdthe highest in at least three yearsknocking Iraq off the top spot on the list of Indias biggest oil suppliers.

Exports to the United States also soared as the Saudis sent a fleet of oil tankers to the U.S. coasts. According to Bloombergs data, Saudi Arabias oil exports to the U.S. jumped to an average of 1 million bpd in Aprilthe highest export volume since August 2018.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Migrant laborers queue for a medical checkup at a quarantine center during a nationwide lockdown against the coronavirus outbreak in Allahabad, India on April 27, 2020.

Global lockdown measures as a result of the coronavirus pandemic could lead to millions of people contracting tuberculosis (TB) over the coming years, according to a new study.

As many as 6.3 million people are expected to develop TB as cases go undiagnosed and untreated between now and 2025, a study published by Stop TB Partnership on Wednesday showed, with 1.4 million people predicted to die during this time.

It is expected to set back global efforts to fight TB by at least five years, and possibly up to eight years.

"This situation makes me sick, because (it) is totally avoidable," Lucica Ditiu, executive director of the Stop TB Partnership, said via email. "We just need to keep in mind that TB, as well as other diseases, keep affecting and killing people every single day, not just Covid-19."

The research, which was commissioned in collaboration with Imperial College London, Avenir Health, Johns Hopkins University and USAID, was based on a three-month lockdown and a protracted 10-month restoration period as daily life returns to normal.

It was modeled on data principally drawn from three high-incidence countries (India, Kenya and Ukraine) and extrapolated to a global level.
Pope Francis said he was "struck" when he learned about Italy's exploited agricultural workers, during his weekly audience on Wednesday.

The pope said he was concerned about agricultural workers including the migrants working in the Italian countryside.

"Unfortunately, often they are brutally exploited," Francis said, speaking from the papal library with a few priests accompanying him.

The Italian government is debating legislation that would legalize tens of thousands of undocumented workers, many of whom work in the fields gathering tomatoes and oranges.

They have been left in desperate conditions without work, and without the benefits of the national social safety net during the coronavirus pandemic.

Francis has been conducting all his events within the Vatican walls as the coronavirus continues to spread around the globe, with more than 3.6 million people infected and over 250,000 deaths.
BlackArch Partners (BlackArch) is pleased to announce the sale of Chicago Custom Foods (CCF or the Company), a portfolio company of Highlander Partners, to Sauer Brands Inc. (Sauer Brands or Sauer), a portfolio company of Falfurrias Capital Partners (Falfurrias).

CCF, headquartered in Chicago, IL, is a leader in branded popcorn seasonings, a category it created in 2000 with the introduction of Kernel Seasons, now Americas No. 1 selling brand with more than 20 seasoning flavors (https://www.kernelseasons.com). The Kernel Seasons brand also offers an assortment of additional flavor enhancement products, including popcorn oils and drizzles. CCF has expanded into new food categories recently with brands that include Tasty Shakes oatmeal mix-ins, Veggie Seasons vegetable seasonings, and Truffle Seasons premium truffle-flavored popcorn seasonings. CCFs products are sold through more than 30,000 distribution points in the U.S. and internationally, including mass merchants, grocery stores and specialty retailers, as well as in movie theaters in 30 countries around the world. Its Kernel Seasons brand has enjoyed strong sales as popcorn and other snack foods continue to gain favor with consumers.

BlackArch was retained by Highlander Partners to serve as its exclusive financial advisor. The transaction builds upon BlackArchs significant momentum in the food & beverage sector and is a further example of the firms ability to position market-leading consumer brands.

Jeff L. Hull, President and CEO of Highlander, stated, The BlackArch team did an outstanding job executing the CCF process on behalf of our shareholders and management. They demonstrated an in-depth understanding of the business and were particularly thoughtful in helping us communicate the investments we made to broaden the platform and position the business for outsized growth. They were steady partners who provided sound advice and certainty in an uncertain M&A environment.

Transaction Highlights



Sauer Brands, a portfolio company of Falfurrias Capital Partners, has acquired Chicago Custom Foods, formerly owned by Highlander Partners

The Companys unique, innovative approach to revitalizing traditional food categories has cemented its position as the market leader in the branded popcorn seasoning space and provided momentum for expansion across multiple category aisles

CCF will operate as a separate business unit under the leadership of Jason Roy, current CEO and a 17-year veteran of the company. Roy will report to Sauer Brands CEO Martin Kelly

BlackArch leveraged its high-touch execution and deep food & beverage sector expertise to achieve a superior outcome for management and the shareholders

About Chicago Custom Foods

CCF is the creator and category leader in branded popcorn seasonings under the Kernel Seasons brand name. The Kernel Seasons product portfolio includes more than 20 popcorn flavors. CCF has recently introduced additional brands; including Tasty Shakes oatmeal mix-ins, Veggie Seasons vegetable seasonings and the premium Truffle Seasons popcorn seasonings. The Companys products are sold in more than 22,000 retailers, including mass merchants, grocery and specialty stores, throughout North America and internationally. The products also can be found in movie theaters in more than 30 countries worldwide, accounting for over 32,000 screens.

About Highlander Partners

Highlander Partners, L.P. is a Dallas-based private investment firm with over $2.0 billion of assets under management. The firm focuses on making investments in businesses in targeted industries in which the principals of the firm have significant operating and investing experience, including basic manufacturing, food, chemicals, building materials, consumer products, and others. Highlander Partners uses a buy and build investment approach, creating value by helping companies grow organically and through acquisitions.

About Sauer Brands

Founded as The C.F. Sauer Company in 1887, Richmond, Virginia-based Sauer Brands Inc. manufactures a broad line of inspired flavors including condiments, spices, seasonings and extracts. From the companys manufacturing facilities in Richmond, Virginia; Mauldin, South Carolina; New Century, Kansas; and San Luis Obispo, California, the company sells well-known brands such as Dukes Mayonnaise, The Spice Hunter, Sauers, Gold Medal and BAMA, as well as high-quality private label products, through the retail and foodservice channels.

About Falfurrias Capital Partners

Falfurrias Capital Partners is a Charlotte-based private equity investment firm founded in 2006 by Hugh McColl Jr., former chairman and CEO of Bank of America; Marc Oken, former CFO of Bank of America; and Managing Partner Ed McMahan. The firm is focused on acquiring or investing in a diverse portfolio of growth-oriented middle-market companies. By leveraging the extensive strategic and operational experience and business relationships of the firms principals, Falfurrias Capital Partners is positioned to be a value-added partner for both its portfolio companies and its limited partners. Media contact: David Coburn, 704. 408.4276, dcoburn@thinklga.com.

About BlackArch Partners

BlackArch Partners is a leading middle-market investment bank offering a full spectrum of advisory services to financial sponsors, private companies and diversified corporations. BlackArch addresses the needs of owner-operators, founders and shareholders of private companies with specialized services that include M&A advisory, strategic advisory and private capital solutions. Headquartered in Charlotte, NC, BlackArch features a total of 12 industry-focused practices that cover all sectors of interest to middle-market investors; BlackArch professionals have closed more than 350 transactions in 16 countries on four continents. Please visit our website, blackarchpartners.com, for more details.

Securities offered through BlackArch Securities LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC. Testimonials may not be representative of the experience of all clients. Testimonials are not a guarantee of future performance or success.
The European Union has come under fire from across the Dail over its response to the Coronavirus pandemic and recovery funds.

The Dail heard that "alarm bells are ringing", that the EU have "not learned any lessons" from the last recession in Ireland during the 2007 financial crash.

Leo Varadkar who has taken part in four videoconferences to discuss the pandemic with European leaders, said that "when this emergency started the level of coordination across the European Union was poor", before adding that the union have acted better than they did during the financial crash, when they "acted in a way that was too little and too late".

Mr Varadkar noted "there were strongly held different views around the table" on how a rescue package should be financed.

The Euro-zone rescue deal has exposed divisions in member states, where Italy and Spain, who have been severely hit by the virus, have accused northern nations - led by Germany and the Netherlands - of not doing enough.

Germany and the Netherlands are the vocal opponents to the idea of coronabonds", while at least another nine EU nations have said the new debt instrument, which would see pooled repayments and borrowing to avoid poorer countries slipping into severe debt, is needed to mitigate the oncoming recession.

So far, a 200bn European Investment Bank (EIB) Covid-19 guarantee fund for crisis lending to SMEs, mid-cap companies and corporates, underpinned by 25bn in member states has been confirmed.

A 240bn European Stability Mechanism for pandemic crisis support, which will see a new series of pandemic credit lines offered via loans to euro area countries has also been approved.

"Some believe there should be transfers from other countries to those countries most affected in the form of grants, others expressed the view that loans were the only acceptable options to their citizens," Mr Varadkar added, noting he felt "the right balance between loans and grants, is what we should aim for."

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin was critical of many aspects of the EU's response, noting; "the failure of leaders to agree a radical response should be a concern to everyone", and what has been agreed goes "nowhere near" what Europe needs.

Mr Martin hit out at Hungary, who have suspended parliament and implemented severe censorship measures, which he labelled "a major breach of the core EU democratic principles", and criticised the European Council for not acting on Hungarian leader Viktor Orban's actions.

Mary Lou McDonald added that "the EU was no great friend to Ireland or its people" during the last recession, and spoke out against any return to austerity".

Green Party TD Roderic O'Gorman also criticised member states who voted against states borrowing to recover from the crisis, saying the stance lacked "solidarity".

The Labour Party also called for solidarity among member states, and said the EU must use Covid-19 to break traditional hostilities, using Cuba as an example, who sent doctors and medics to Italy to help fight the virus outbreak in Lombardy, adding that Cuba should now receive relief from sanctions in exchange.

"We believe the EU should be leaders on this," Duncan Smith said.

Social Democrat co-leader Catherine Murphy said the response has to be "large enough" and not all member states were impacted in the same way.

Noting Italy's national debt, she said that Italy should not be forced to take on more debt, comparing it to Ireland's experience during the last recession under austerity measures, she said: "There are signs of the same kind of thinking, that we should be very concerned about".
The lead US airport security agency is weighing the possibility of requiring masks or face coverings for passengers who pass through checkpoints, according to a US official and two people familiar with the deliberations.

The move is part of a broader rethinking of how to limit the spread of the new coronavirus during air travel, an effort that could bring some of the most significant changes to the industry since the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Travelers passing through US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints will see other changes, including additional barriers to protect security officers, more extensive cleaning regimes and upgraded screening equipment to speed travelers through lines faster, according to current and former US officials and industry experts familiar with the plans.

TSA officers are allowed to wear masks at checkpoints but not required to do so. The agency is considering such a requirement, sources said.

News of potential changes came as the Senate Commerce Committee was set to hold a hearing Wednesday on the state of the aviation industry.

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 number of US air travelers plunged by 95 percent in March as lockdowns went into effect across the country to limit the spread of COVID-19, the respiratory ailment caused by the new coronavirus. But with restrictions ending in some states, US officials, airports and airlines are grappling with how air travel must change to operate more safely.

The discussions over possible face mask requirements came after nearly every major US airline said in the past week they will require passengers to wear them onboard flights. The San Diego International Airport and San Francisco International Airport already require face coverings.

Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, the country's largest union for federal workers, said during an online discussion with Democratic lawmakers on Thursday that passengers should be encouraged to wear masks, calling it "priority."

TSA has been reviewing the legality of requiring passengers to wear them, as well as reviewing whether it would need to have masks available for passengers, but has not reached a final decision, according to a US official and a source familiar with the matter.

An agency spokeswoman declined to comment on a mandate for passengers, calling it "speculative."

INCREASED SAFETY, FASTER PROCESSING

Aside from masks, passengers will find other changes in place at airports.

Plexiglass barriers have been installed at TSA checkpoints in more than a dozen airports around the country to protect officers from infection, according to the agency.

Cleaning efforts will be stepped up, too.

Some US airports and airlines are disinfecting surfaces with electrostatic sprayers, which create a quick-drying mist.

Separately, TSA frontline employees have been instructed to routinely clean frequently touched surfaces and screening equipment, the agency said.

The most ambitious developments could be on the technology front to speed up passenger processing and limit interactions with security officers.

A technology rolled out in 2019 that allows TSA security officers to scan a traveler's driver's license or identity document to confirm its authenticity and check it against flight records could be positioned to allow passengers to insert their IDs themselves.

The agency has installed more than 500 of the "credential authentication" machines across the country and recently awarded French company Idemia $11 million for another 500 units, which will be deployed over the summer, according to the TSA.

The agency has been pushing ahead with more advanced checkpoint scanning equipment that creates 3-D images of the contents of a traveler's bag. Since November, TSA has put nearly 100 such machines into place and continues toward a goal of 300 in total, a spokeswoman said.
From: Pamela D. Wilson - Caregiver Subject Matter Expert Golden , CO Wednesday, May 6, 2020



Caregiver Programs and Events Video Clip: Click to Watch Caring for Elderly Parents: Workplace Caregiver Programs Golden CO- Caregiving expert, Pamela D Wilson, offers unique caregiver programs for corporations with employee wellness programs focused on helping working caregivers caring for elderly parents. Never-ending to-do lists of running errands, attending medical appointments with elderly parents, and providing hands-on care consume 20 to 40 hours each week outside of full-time employment. Working caregivers feel unprepared for the roles and responsibilities associated with being a caregiverincluding hands-on care and medical tasks. The emotional aspects of caregiving are equally, if not more significant. According to Caregivers in Wilson's Groups: Being a caregiver is the hardest job you will ever have. Not much help out there. It's sad.

Caregiving takes such a toll on you. It's hard to explain without sounding like a complainer. Emotions are going all over the place.

Funny, I should find this post at 2:35 a.m. while searching for caregiving information.

I am the caretaker of my aging mother, and knowing someone out there can give me advice without running to her doctor all the time for simple things really helps. Reliable Information All in One Place Working caregivers and spouses caring for spouses full-time are pressed for time. Caregivers search the Internetlate into the night and early into the morninghoping to find thorough answers to common questions. The challenge is that few sources exist that create awareness about the stages of caregiving. Even fewer sources provide complete caregiver programs offering beginning to end insights into the roles and responsibilities of being a caregiver. Taking Care of Elderly ParentsStay at Home Wilson's caregiving program, Taking Care of Elderly Parents  Stay at Home is a deep-dive caregiving program that provides step-by-step guidance for all caregivers  family and professional caregivers. A lack of awareness about caregiving programs and limited time are two of the most commonly cited concerns for caregivers about seeking help. Another quote from a caregiver: I am a nurse and have cared for many people over the years, but none of this prepared me for the 24/7 care of my spouse and the losses I have had to do that. Loss of job. Loss of finances and loss of professional contacts and independence. At first, I thought, wow, I have spent a lifetime caring for and helping others, and there was no help for me. ?Caregiver Education Events and Programs Wilson's programs offered through corporations and organizations for working caregivers provide support at any time of the day. Broadcast quality video conferencing awareness programs meet individual corporate working caregiver concerns. Beyond video conferencing programs, ongoing support is available through Wilson's Taking Care of Elderly Parents  Stay at Home program. Caregivers find it easier to juggle work and caregiving when ongoing support is available. Learning practical day-to-day skills to care for elderly parents and advocacy skills to navigate the healthcare system is essential for caregivers. Wilson's Stay at Home program is in the final stages of an update and will be available by the end of May 2020. Caregiving expert, Pamela D. Wilson, offers virtual caregiving support solutions, on-site keynotes, and broadcast-quality video conferencing presentations and webinars for corporations. Wilson's website features her Caring for Aging Parents caregiving blog. She is a caregiving author of the book, The Caregiving Trap: Solutions for Life's Unexpected Changes and the host of her weekly radio program The Caring Generation. More information is available by calling Wilson at 303-810-1816 or completing a contact form on her website. # Check Out Podcast Replays of The Caring Generation Radio Program for Caregivers and Aging Adults HERE Pamela D. Wilson, MS, BS/BA, CG, CSA is a national caregiving expert, advocate, and speaker. More than 20 years of experience as a direct service provider in the roles of a court-appointed guardian, power of attorney, and care manager led to programs supporting family caregivers and aging adults who want to be proactive about health, well-being, and caregiving. Wilson provides education and support for consumers and corporations interested in supporting employees who are working caregivers. To carry out her mission, Wilson partners with companies passionate about connecting with the caregiving marketing through digital and content marketing. Her mission to reach caregivers worldwide is accomplished through social media channels of Facebook, YouTube, Linked In, Instagram, Caregiving TV on Roku, and The Caring Generation radio on Internet radio. She may be reached at 303-810-1816 or through her website.


Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 27F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. Low 27F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.
The central team deployed by the Union Health Ministry to assist the Health Department in containing the Covid-19 pandemic chalked out plans here on Tuesday for its next course of action, a source said.

There was no meeting between members of the central team with any of the West Bengal government representatives, according to the source.

The team members on Tuesday chalked out their plans and will hold a video conference with senior officials of the Union Health Ministry on Wednesday for advise on their next steps, the source said.

Tomorrow, they are likely to meet representatives from the state government. As of now, there is nothing scheduled, the source said.

Twenty central public health teams have been deployed to as many districts with high incidence of Covid-19 to identify the loopholes and help the state governments in implementing them.

The teams have been constituted with experts from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the AIIMS, the JIPMER, the All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health and others.

The team is scheduled to submit their observations along with recommendations either to additional chief secretary or the Health Department principal secretary of the respective states.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been recorded admitting that reopening Texas amid the coronavirus pandemic will lead to more infections.

Abbott announced in a media briefing last week that the state would 'strategically' allow businesses such as malls, movie theaters and restaurants to run at 25 per cent capacity and said 'it's only logical to see there would be an increase in the number of people that test positive'.

But in a Friday call with lawmakers Abbott directly linked the reopening to the spread of COVID-19, while stating that his goal was not to eliminate the disease but only get the number of reported cases reduced.

'How do we know reopening businesses won't result in faster spread of more cases of COVID-19?' Abbott is heard asking in the audio obtained by The Daily Beast.

'Listen, the fact of the matter is pretty much every scientific and medical report shows that whenever you have a reopeningwhether you want to call it a reopening of businesses or of just a reopening of societyin the aftermath of something like this, it actually will lead to an increase and spread. It's almost ipso facto.'

Greg Abbott said: 'In the aftermath of something like this, it actually will lead to an increase and spread.' He admitted in the Friday call 'the goal never has been to get transmission down to zero' but what 'we want to see is a reduction in the percentage of people who test positive'

The authenticity of the conversation, first reported by The Quorum Report, with members of the state legislature and Congress was confirmed by the governor's spokesperson.

In the recording Abbott goes on to admit that he is not aiming to eradicate the virus in the state and knows that allowing people to gather again will cause the infection rate to spike.

'The more that you have people out there, the greater the possibility is for transmission,' Abbott continued. 'The goal never has been to get transmission down to zero and never can be to keep transmission down to zero.'

He added: 'There's always going to be, with a rapidly transmittable disease like this, there will always be a level of transmission. And even when you have an immunization come out, there will be a transmission rate for COVID-19.'

Texas shutdown March 20 and from Friday Abbott will allow beauty salons to reopen. Next Friday gyms can reopen.

Despite earlier stating that the actual infection rate is likely to increase, Abbott stated that his priority was to see a decrease in the number of people who test positive.

'The goal is to reopen using strategies that are proven strategies that can continue to contain the spread of COVID-19,' Abbott explained. 'These are strategies that have been proven effective in the state of Texas for the past month and a half.

'This may come up in answer to a future question, but the main thing that we look forand this is the primary number that I've seen doctors and epidemiologists useis that what we want to see is a reduction in the percentage of people who test positive.

'If we can continue to achieve that, that means that we have COVID-19 under the control that we need. And that's what we're looking to achieve.'

As of Tuesday the total number of Texans tested was 427,210. Active cases were 15,372. The recovery count was 16,791. Confirmed hospitalizations were 1,888.

Abbott has focused on having a thousand more people recovered than active cases. In a media briefing Tuesday he said the trend in more recoveries than active cases was going for the fourth day in a row.

Texas Democratic Party Executive Director Manny Garcia said in a statement: 'Republicans are not here to protect you or your family. Governor Abbott finally admitted that prematurely opening Texas is going to lead to more cases and more deaths. Republicans are putting our families lives at risk so their billionaire donors can get richer. What Texas Republicans say in public yet again doesnt match what they say in private.

'It is absolutely shameful Governor Abbott wont face the press, take the tough questions, and admit the deadly risks of his decisions. He knew people would die after reopening Texas and now he needs to own it.'

Progress Texas responded in a statement: 'Gov. Abbott is trying to normalize an increase in cases to make people think the illnesses and deaths are not surprising. He wants to say this isn't news. Really?

'There is no bigger news than a government leader confessing to us that there will be an increase in illnesses and deaths from his actions. Texans are concerned for their families, neighbors, and communities, yet Gov. Abbott plows ahead while following orders from Donald Trump.'

A representative for Abbott said the governor has maintained his stance from the audio since the beginning, adding that 'as we begin to open up, we will see flare ups, whether we open now or three months from now'.

The spokesperson, John Wittman added: 'The key is ensuring we are able to contain that spread, which is where contact tracing comes into play.'

However in past interviews Abbott had claimed the increase in infection rate would be because of increased testing.

In one interview Abbott said that 'when you begin to reopen, there can be spikes or increases in those who test positive for COVID-19'. 'This is nothing to be worried about,' he said. 'In part, because we will be doing far more testing in the future than we have in the past and that alone will identify more people testing positive.'

In Texas Wednesday morning there were 33,912 coronavirus cases and 925 deaths.

Dallas and HarrisHouston counties were worst affected with more than 4,000 cases and Harris-non-Houston county had more than 3,000 cases.

It was closely followed by Tarrant, Bexar, Fort Bend and El Paso counties which all had more than one or two thousand cases.

The reopenings come after protests from people claiming the lockdowns are a violation of their rights.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 22:39:54|Editor: huaxia

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Combo photo shows a view of an empty campus road of No. 4 High School of Xiangyang in Xiangyang City, central China's Hubei Province, April 14, 2020 (left) and senior students walking on a campus road in the school on May 6, 2020. Students in their final year of 56 high and vocational schools returned to campus on Wednesday in Xiangyang City. Cleaning and preventive disinfection have been carried out in these schools before reopening to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei)
BRIDGEPORT  The city will be giving away up to 100,000 free facial masks to residents Saturday at five different distribution sites.

Mayor Joseph Ganim said those seeking masks must show proof of residency  which can be proven with a utility bill, a drivers license or some other person identification item showing a residence in the city.
WASHINGTON - Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Wednesday released a sweeping new directive governing how schools must handle allegations of sexual assault and harassment, granting new rights to the accused and handing colleges a clear but controversial road map to navigating these highly charged investigations.

The new rule bars universities from using a single official to investigate and judge complaints, a popular model, and instead creates a judicial-like process in which the accused has the right to a live hearing and to cross-examine accusers.

The rule also adds dating violence and stalking to the definition of sexual harassment. But it otherwise offers a narrow definition of harassment, requiring that it be severe and pervasive, as well as objectively offensive.

"Today we release a final rule that recognizes we can continue to combat sexual misconduct without abandoning our core values of fairness, presumption of innocence and due process," DeVos told reporters. The new regulation, scheduled to take effect on Aug. 14, falls under the federal civil rights law known as Title IX, which bars discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded schools.

The rule, first proposed in 2018, has come under fire from women's rights groups and Democrats, who said it would allow assailants and schools to escape responsibility, discourage victims from coming forward, subject survivors to additional trauma and make college campuses less safe for women.

"The Title IX rule is a devastating blow," Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said on Twitter, adding that "it's about silencing survivors."

The move was also opposed by university officials, who argue the new rules will turn their campuses into courtrooms incompatible with an academic atmosphere. On Wednesday, a leading advocacy group for colleges said the decision to implement the rules in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic reflected "appallingly poor judgment."

Even before the 2,033-page regulation was released, opponents were vowing a legal challenge, hoping to halt or at least stall the new rules.

"We will fight this rule in court, and we intend to win," Emily Martin, a vice president at the National Women's Law Center, an advocacy group, said Wednesday. She said the core of the challenge would be that the Education Department was "arbitrary and capricious" and in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act, which governs how agencies write regulations. She said the agency ignored evidence showing that the rules would harm survivors of sexual violence.

The rules follow years of pressure on universities to better respond to allegations of sexual assault. That pressure has increased amid a #MeToo movement that has empowered women to tell their stories of harassment and abuse, and amid a broad cultural debate over how to balance those stories against the rights of the accused.

Most recently, the debate has hit former Vice President Joe Biden, who has denied an allegation of sexual assault. Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, has promised to restore Obama-era rules for universities dealing with allegations, measures that are friendlier to alleged victims. His campaign did not reply to a request for comment on the DeVos regulation.

Supporters of the DeVos rule said it would restore balance and fairness to proceedings that too often tilt in favor of accusers. They were particularly buoyed by the requirement for cross-examination, saying it is the most effective way of ferreting out the truth of what happened in a situation when students offer different recollections of the same event.

"The cross-examination requirement means that if you're going to accuse someone of a terrible crime, you're finally going to be asked hard questions about that," said Justin Dillon, a lawyer with the D.C. firm KaiserDillon who has represented scores of students accused of sexual misconduct. "That's how it should be, given the stakes."

There are limits. Accusers are not required to be face-to-face or answer questions directly from the accused. The regulation also provides "rape shield protections," such as a bar on questions about an accuser's sexual history.

The new rules also allow schools to offer survivors supportive measures, such as dorm reassignments, in lieu of a disciplinary proceeding.

DeVos hoped to publish the rule late last year, but she was delayed in part by the need to respond to a crush of public comments - 124,196 in all, including a torrent of criticism from universities, advocacy groups, survivors of sexual assault and campus leaders.

This spring's coronavirus pandemic also contributed to delaying the announcement, but critics said the agency should have waited longer or given universities more time before the rules take effect, given the crisis.

Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, which represents university presidents, said his group pleaded with the agency to hold off issuing the rules during the pandemic. He said that implementing something this complex would be challenging under normal conditions but will be extremely difficult with campuses closed.

"This is irrational, unrealistic and completely at odds with the Trump administration's oft-repeated statement to tread lightly when imposing complex new regulations," he said.

DeVos responded that universities knew what was coming and should be prepared to implement it. "The reality is that civil rights really can't wait and students' cases continue to be decided now," she said. A department attorney added that the rule gives schools flexibility to conduct investigations and hearings remotely and that it covers online harassment.

The Education Department also wanted to finalize the rule in time to avoid having it rolled back by the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to overturn regulations passed in the previous months, GOP officials said. The administration feared that passing it too late might allow Democrats to attempt to undo it if they win control of Congress next year.

The rewrite of Title IX regulations will probably be recorded as the most significant and lasting legacy of DeVos's tenure as education secretary.

Her views promoting school choice for elementary and secondary students have stirred controversy, but she has made little headway in translating them into federal policy. She has worked to bolster for-profit colleges, but those moves affect just a slice of higher education.

These regulations, by contrast, affect every school that accepts federal money, which is virtually all of them.

In its broad outlines, the rules are unchanged from the proposed version released in 2018, though there were some alterations. In one change, the regulation explicitly adds dating violence, domestic violence and stalking as allegations that must be investigated.

The rules give universities a choice about what standard of proof they use in judging complaints. Schools may choose between "preponderance of the evidence" or the higher bar of "clear and convincing evidence." But a school may not use the lower standard if it relies on the higher one for allegations against employees, including faculty members.

Overall, the rules narrow the types of complaints that institutions are obligated to investigate. For instance, universities will be required to investigate complaints only if they are made to proper authorities. In a change from the proposed rule, though, any report to an employee of a K-12 school would put the school on notice and require a probe. (K-12 schools are also not required to hold live hearings.)

The final rule also clarifies that universities are responsible for investigating incidents that take place in university-recognized fraternity or sorority houses located off campus, or in other locations, such as at an academic conference that relates to a university program.

But incidents that occur off campus between two students on their own would not be subject to Title IX procedures.

The rule replaces less formal guidance issued by the administration of President Barack Obama and revoked by DeVos in 2017.

The new regulation could be undone or modified through legislation should Democrats gain control of Congress and the White House next year. But because it is a formal regulation, a new administration could not simply reverse it the way DeVos did with the informal guidance issued under Obama.
Attentive Oilprice readers must have read at least a dozen articles describing how hard Iraq has been hit by the drop in oil prices. Iraqs political travails are by no means over, Baghdad is now the tactical battlefield to have Mustafa al-Kadhimi, the head of the countrys National intelligence service, elected as the new prime minister after the previous two candidates failed to garner sufficient approval in the Parliament. Fighting coronavirus and low oil prices at the same time, the management of Iraqs slew of problems has befallen to Oil Minister Thamir Ghadhban who has become the de facto head of government after nominal Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi went into self-imposed absence.

Against this background, the federal Iraqi government has stopped all payments towards the Kurdistani Regional Government (KRG) last week. To put these numbers in context, the KRG needs around 900 million every month to ensure essential government functioning, of this, some 380 million came from the federal government in Baghdad which has pledged to take regional government officials and Peshmerga on its payroll. Even before COVID-19 struck the world and before oil prices plummeted by 60% compared to February 2020, Erbil had persistent issues with paying the salaries of people on its payroll  for instance, the money that public sector workers received this April were in fact arrears for December 2019.

The announcement of the caretaking federal government has triggered a new flurry of political activity  for the first time since January, a delegation of Kurdish officials (headed by the Kurdish Finance Minister Sheikh Janab) has travelled to Baghdad with the aim of strengthening Erbil-Baghdad ties. KRG has had a lot of political capital invested into not falling into the pitfall of a leaking budget. Bleeding from its heroic fight against the Islamic State, the KRG has maintained a policy of mandated austerity measures (among others the so-called salary-saving scheme) for 3 consecutive years since 2016 and it was only in March 2019 that the regional government could finally announce a new era, when salaries are paid in full and (supposedly) on time.

Story continues

Related: The Death Of U.S. Oil

Yet what does all this mean for the oil production of Iraqi Kurdistan? First and foremost, KRG officials have explicitly stated that Erbil would join the OPEC+ agreement and that Iraqs 23% production cut would be proportionately mirrored in Kurdish crude output. Given that October 2018 production figures are taken as the baseline for OPEC+ production curtailments, Iraq in total would need to cut 1.1mbpd in May-June 2020. This would presuppose a 0.2-0.3mbpd output cut in the next 2 months, a painful commitment for a regional government that has tacitly suggested to oil companies to postpone overdue crude marketing payments by at least 9 months, i.e. already into early 2021.

Interestingly, the crude volume to be cut by KRG is roughly equivalent with the 250kbpd that Kurdistan ought to be transferring to the federal government in exchange for Baghdad paying the regional governments payroll. The Kurdish crude transfers are concurrently becoming an increasingly hot topic in the Iraqi federal Parliament as a group of representatives has filed an official complaint to Finance Minister Fuad Hussein, who happens to be an ethnic Kurd and has been generally seen as a dovish figure who could usher in a new era of more harmonious coexistence between Baghdad and Erbil, accusing the federal ministry of misspending $5 billion in 2019 of public money on subsidizing KRG which did not even transfer the promised 250kbpd.

Graph 1. Kirkuk Crude Export Volumes in 2017-2020 (mbpd)

(Click to enlarge)

Source: Thomson Reuters.

Against the background of low oil prices and major discrepancies with the federal governments in Baghdad, Iraqi Kurdistan has suffered another blow with the US Treasury sanctioning the Switzerland-based Rosneft Trading (RTSA), one of the prime shippers of Kurdish crude. Thanks to a 2017 pre-financing deal with the Kurdish Regional Government, RTSA has managed to add Kirkuk into its portfolio of crude exports, however has become tangibly less visible on the market after the US sanctions. Rosneft has sold all its Venezuelan assets  the alleged reason why it found itself on the OFAC list  and is now expecting the US authorities to keep their promise of lifting the sanctions once RTSA quits Venezuela. Rosneft might have served as a way out in this case, another pre-financing deal is by no means impossible, yet this could happen only after the US sanctions issue is settled.

Were the Kurdish Regional Government to find interested partners, a pre-financing deal with a world-class trading houses might be the solution to its growing woes. Until then, Erbil has to rely on the political instruments it has available, like calling for the UN to mediate between the Kurds and the Baghdad government, so far to no avail. With health workers starting a strike on April 27 and political protests remaining an enticing prospect for the incensed populace, the KRG leadership ought to safeguard the oil and gas infrastructure from any potential damage to the breakaway regions infrastructure, as any attacks would only exacerbate the financial agony.

By Viktor Katona for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:

Read this article on OilPrice.com
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Across Connecticut, hospital workers who have survived COVID-19 are giving backby giving blood.

A number of hospitals and hospital systems are asking recovered employees to donate blood plasma, which is being used to treat patients who are still sick.

Sara Olson, a 51-year-old research associate at UConn Health in Farmington, said everyone can contribute to the community during the coronavirus pandemicand recovering from COVID-19 gave Olson a new way to contribute.

"I just happen to have this unique ability right now," Olson said. "I have these antibodies that helped me fight off this horrible virus, and maybe they can help somebody else."

Through clinical trials or more traditional treatment methods, the plasma donations from people like Olson are infused into the bloodstreams of severely ill patients. The plasma from the recovered patientsknown as convalescent plasmacontains antibodies, which help the human body fight pathogens such as bacteria and viruses.

In theory, the antibodies from the plasma should help patients who are still sick to fight back against the disease.

The treatment is still experimental, but Dr. Ajay Kumar, the chief clinical officer at Hartford HealthCare, said this week that a number of patients have shown improvement after convalescent plasma transfusions.

"Most patients are making good progress. Not all, unfortunately, but most are," Kumar said. "Drawing any conclusion from the earlier data would be premature ... but we are hopeful at this time."

A way to give back

When Olson developed a fever in mid- to late-March, it was the beginning of a coronavirus saga that would last for weeks.

She said the fever itself lasted 8 days, and she spent a couple of weeks mostly in bed. But even after her other symptoms had ebbed, Olson felt a deep fatigue for a total of more than a month.

"Stairs would kill me," Olson said. "Doing a load of laundry would send me back to bed for the rest of the day."

But as she slowly recovered at home, Olson was developing a super power.

On April 19, she went to the American Red Cross in Farmington to donate blood plasma. She was hooked up to an apheresis machine, which took blood through a needle in one of her arms, pumped it through a machine to separate and remove the plasma and then pumped the remaining blood components back into her other arm.

The process took about an hour and a half, Olson said, and it left her a bit woozy and lightheaded.

Other plasma donors say they have been affected by the donation process.

Chris Madison, a 29-year-old programmer at Hartford Hospital, said he didn't feel any weakness after an hour-long apherisis session at the American Red Cross in Westerly.

After recovering from a relatively mild case of COVID-19, Madison said he was happy that he could help out in some way, particularly because many of his family members are front-line health care workers.

"I've been kind of sidelined a little bit, being more of a programmer and having COVID and being quarantined," Madison said. "So I was just kind of looking for any way I could give back and kind of help with the crisis."

"Plasma is all we have'

The plasma donation process can be lengthyrecovered patients have to go through all of the paperwork and blood type testing of a normal blood donation, and then they also have to test negative for COVID-19.

After recovering from the coronaviurs, President of Bristol Health Kurt Barwis is currently waiting for his post-recovery test result so that he can donate plasma to Trinity Health's clinical trial. Even before his first plasma donation, he's already decided that he'll donate plasma a second time.

Barwis said he's heard that convalescent plasma can help severely ill patients, which made donating a no-brainer.

"We're still trying to figure out how to deal with this horrible disease," Barwis said. "So why wouldn't we try to use the things that are working?"

Some recovered hospital workers have hit roadblocks in the donation process.

Andrew Kemerly, a first-year surgery resident at UConn Health, tested positive for COVID-19 in mid-March. Right off the bat, he asked to be notified if he could donate plasma.

"When I first tested, I told them, "Please tell me if we get plasma donations set up,'" Kemerly said.

But despite being symptom-free for weeks, Kemerly's first post-recovery COVID-19 test came back inconclusive. His second post-recovery test came back positive. He's now waiting to once again get retested before donating plasma.

Another UConn Health employee had a similar experience. Amy Chmielewski, who oversees the clinical curriculum for medical students, had been symptom-free for two weeks when she was retested. Her test still came back positive.

Chmielewski was then retested again, and this time it came back negative. She's hoping to be able to donate plasma soon. When the hospital reached out and asked if she wanted to donate, Chmielewski said, she didn't even think of saying no.

Her moderate case of COVID-19 gave her a sense of the fear that the virus can bringand she knows that the fear is magnified for patients who are severely ill.

"Plasma is all we have at this point," Chmielewski said. "I was grateful for the opportunity to help."

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

2020 The Hartford Courant (Hartford, Conn.)

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
A motorcyclist killed in a crash Saturday evening was identified by the El Paso County Coroners Office Tuesday.

Colorado Springs police said Kyle Wojciechowski, 22, was killed about 7:40 p.m. when he lost control of his motorcycle on South Academy Boulevard, near the Hancock Plaza shopping center.

Investigators said Wojciechowski slid into a concrete median at the shopping center entrance after trying to stop for vehicles in front of him that had slowed.

Wojciechowski was thrown from his motorcycle and died immediately, police said. He was wearing a helmet.

The mans death is the seventh traffic-related fatality in Colorado Springs this year.

At the same time last year, there were 14.

RELATED:(tncms-asset)7d0584ee-8430-11ea-9e68-e38ecc9f46e9[0](/tncms-asset)(tncms-asset)3c159cfe-8029-11ea-82f9-2f00c482e404[1](/tncms-asset)

Contact Liz Henderson, 719-476-1623 Twitter: @GazetteLiz
A cluster of five probable COVID-19 cases has been identified at a workplace in Prairie Mountain Health, while a seventh person in Manitoba has died from the virus.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 6/5/2020 (622 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

Manitoba chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin and Shared Health chief nursing officer Lanette Siragusa speak during the provinces latest COVID-19 update at the Manitoba Legislative Building in Winnipeg on Tuesday. (Winnipeg Free Press) Winnipeg Free Press 2020

A cluster of five probable COVID-19 cases has been identified at a workplace in Prairie Mountain Health, while a seventh person in Manitoba has died from the virus.

"This has been over the last few days that (original) case would have been detected, and certainly its led to a very thorough contact investigation and a number of people being advised to self-isolate and then, very close, watch for symptoms," Manitobas chief public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, said during

Tuesdays health briefing.

He said he didnt know offhand how the original person who acquired the virus got it  whether it was travel-related or through some other means  but the others contracted it

after being in contact with that person.

Roussin said public health officials are working with the workplace to test others who may have been exposed and to implement sanitation protocols.

He noted this is not a health-care facility, and because no public-health risk has been identified no further information is being released at this time.

When asked if this occurred in a food-processing facility, Roussin said, "Were not going to disclose any more about it."

But, he said, if that were the case, "that probably would be something that we would disclose given the issues on other places."

The Cargill meat-packing plant in High River, Alta., south of Calgary, reopened Monday after a two-week shutdown due to a COVID-19 outbreak. More than 900 of its 2,000 workers have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

There are also outbreaks at the JBS meat-processing plant in Brooks, Alta., which has reduced production to one shift per day largely due to absenteeism, and at Harmony Beef just north of Calgary.

Meanwhile, the provinces seventh virus-related death involves a man in his 70s who died in the Southern Health-Sante Sud region.

The man, who had underlying medical conditions, had previously been in intensive care. He died on Monday.

"Our thoughts go out to their friends and family," Roussin said, adding the man had not been in a long-term care facility before being admitted to hospital.

One new confirmed case of COVID-19 was reported Tuesday, bringing the total number of lab-confirmed positive and probable positive cases in Manitoba to 282.

Four people are currently hospitalized, but none are in intensive care.

There are 37 active cases and 238 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19.

Shared Healths chief nursing officer, Lanette Siragusa, said the new online portal, launched Monday to allow people to check their own lab results, had 473 people registered on the Shared Health website as of 3 p.m.

Of those, 275 had already received their results online.

Those who test positive will still get a call from the provinces public health team for further instruction.

 brobertson@brandonsun.com, with file from the Canadian Press
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Wednesday rejected the idea that every American should receive COVID-19 testing before returning to work.

President Trump has said he's been tested multiple times for COVID-19, with the tests all coming back negative. On Tuesday, he visited a Phoenix facility that makes masks, but did not have a face covering of his own. A reporter asked McEnany about this, adding, "Why shouldn't all Americans who go back to work be able to get a test before they do?"

"If we tested every single American in this country at this moment, we'd have to retest them an hour later, and then an hour later after that, because at any moment you could theoretically contract this virus," McEnany responded. "So the notion that everyone needs to be tested is just simply nonsensical."

Earlier in the day, Trump said the United States is continuously conducting more COVID-19 tests, so it will "have more cases" than other countries. "In a way, by doing all this testing, we make ourselves look bad," he added.

More stories from theweek.com

Sen. Joe Manchin forgot to mute a call with Senate Democrats while he went through an Arby's drive-through

Trump reportedly got 'lava level mad' over potential exposure to coronavirus

Did we just witness one of the nuttiest foreign policy blunders in American history?


WICHITA, Kan., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --

First Quarter 2020 Results Driven by 737 MAX Production Suspension & COVID-19

Delivered 324 shipsets compared to 453 shipsets in the first quarter of 2019

Revenue of $1.1 billion

Earnings per share (EPS) of $(1.57) ; Adjusted EPS* of $(0.79)

; Adjusted EPS* of Cash from operations of $(331) million ; Free cash flow* of $(362) million

Recent Events

Took actions to preserve the health and safety of workforce including processes aligned with CDC guidelines to work with any exposed individual on the necessary quarantine period and the process to return to work

Acted to preserve liquidity:

Reduced cash dividend to a penny per share



Continued suspension of the share repurchase program



Received $225 million advance from Boeing; deferred repayment of $123 million advance from Boeing to 2022

advance from Boeing; deferred repayment of advance from Boeing to 2022

Deferred over $120 million of capital expenditures

of capital expenditures

Amended credit agreement to allow for bond issuance and to provide additional flexibility in light of market conditions



Raised $1.2 billion in senior secured second lien notes on April 17

in senior secured second lien notes on

Paid down in full the $800 million revolver on April 30

revolver on Implemented cost reduction actions:

Reduced 2,800 employees in Wichita, Kansas and 400 employees in Oklahoma in January; eliminated 200 contractor positions

and 400 employees in in January; eliminated 200 contractor positions

Announced further reduction of 1,450 employees in Wichita, Kansas ; additional reductions at other Spirit locations to align to lower production levels

; additional reductions at other Spirit locations to align to lower production levels

Initiated a voluntary retirement program for 850 hourly and salaried workers



Extended IAM and IBEW union contracts for three years



Reduced pay for all U.S.-based executives by 20 percent until further notice



Initiated a 21 calendar-day furlough of production workers and managers supporting Boeing programs in Wichita, Kansas and Oklahoma

and

Implemented a four-day work week for salaried workforce at Wichita, Kansas facility until further notice

facility until further notice Reached agreement with Boeing on 737 MAX production of 125 units in 2020

Announced temporary production partnership with Vyaire to produce ventilators

Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. [NYSE: SPR] reported first quarter 2020 financial results.

Table 1. Summary Financial Results (unaudited)



1st Quarter

($ in millions, except per share data) 2020 2019 Change







Revenues $1,077 $1,968 (45%) Operating (Loss) Income ($168) $233 ** Operating (Loss) Income as a % of Revenues (15.5%) 11.8% ** Net (Loss) Income ($163) $163 ** Net (Loss) Income as a % of Revenues (15.1%) 8.3% ** (Loss) Earnings Per Share (Fully Diluted) ($1.57) $1.55 ** Adjusted (Loss) Earnings Per Share (Fully Diluted)* ($0.79) $1.68 ** Fully Diluted Weighted Avg Share Count 103.7 105.3











** Represents an amount equal to or in excess of 100% or not meaningful.

"The aerospace industry and Spirit are facing unprecedented disruption and uncertainty from the continued 737 MAX grounding and COVID-19 pandemic. We have taken appropriate steps to improve the safety of our team in our manufacturing facilities. We have also executed a number of cost reduction activities to align our cost structure to the lowered rates of production. In addition, we have taken several actions to preserve liquidity. Our recent bond offering provides additional liquidity to help Spirit manage through these challenging times," said Spirit AeroSystems President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Gentile.

Revenue

Spirit's first quarter of 2020 revenue was $1.1 billion, down from the same period of 2019, primarily due to the 737 MAX production suspension directed by Boeing that began on January 1, 2020. Deliveries decreased to 324 shipsets during the first quarter of 2020 compared to 453 shipsets in the same period of 2019, including Boeing 737 MAX deliveries of 18 shipsets compared to 152 shipsets in the same period of the prior year. (Table 1)

Spirit's backlog at the end of the first quarter of 2020 was approximately $42 billion, down $1 billion from the previous quarter, with work packages on all commercial platforms in the Boeing and Airbus backlog.

Earnings

Operating loss for the first quarter of 2020 was $(167.5) million, down compared to operating income of $233 million in the same period of 2019. As a result of Boeing's 737 MAX production suspension that began on January 1, 2020, Spirit recognized lower margin driven by significantly less deliveries, excess capacity costs of $73.4 million, and restructuring expenses of $42.6 million for cost-alignment and headcount reductions. In addition, Spirit recognized abnormal costs of $25.4 million resulting from the COVID-19 Boeing production suspension that began in March 2020. Further, Spirit recognized a non-cash expense of $69.2 million resulting from the voluntary retirement program (VRP) offered during the first quarter of 2020. In addition to the expenses described above, Spirit recognized forward loss charges of $19.7 million in the first quarter of 2020 related to the Boeing 747, 787, Airbus A350, and BR725 programs.

First quarter EPS was $(1.57), compared to $1.55 in the same period of 2019. First quarter 2020 adjusted EPS* was $(0.79), excluding the impacts of planned acquisitions, restructuring costs and the VRP offered during the first quarter of 2020, compared to $1.68 in the same period of 2019, adjusted to exclude the impact of the planned Asco acquisition. (Table 1)

Cash

Cash from operations in the first quarter of 2020 was $(331) million, down from $242 million in the same quarter last year, primarily due to negative impacts of working capital requirements largely driven by supplier payments made following the 737 MAX production suspension, partially offset by $215 million received related to the February 2020 memorandum of agreement with Boeing. Free cash flow* in the first quarter of 2020 was $(362) million, down compared to $201 million in the same period of 2019. The Company's $800 million revolver remained drawn at the end of the quarter. Cash balance at the end of the quarter was $1.8 billion. (Table 2)

On April 13, 2020, Spirit entered into an amendment to its Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement. The primary purpose of this amendment was to permit Spirit to raise second priority secured indebtedness and provide flexibility to account for market conditions.

On April 17, 2020, Spirit raised $1.2 billion aggregate principal amount of 7.5% senior secured second lien notes due 2025 in a private offering. Spirit used the proceeds to pay its full revolver of $800 million on April 30, 2020, and will use the remaining $400 million for general corporate purposes.

In connection with the closing of the notes offering, the commitments under Spirit's senior unsecured $375 million short-term delayed draw term loan facility, dated as of February 24, 2020, were canceled in full and the facility was terminated.

* Non-GAAP financial measure, see Appendix for reconciliation

Table 2. Cash Flow and Liquidity (unaudited)





1st Quarter

($ in millions) 2020 2019 Change







Cash from Operations ($331) $242 ** Purchases of Property, Plant & Equipment ($31) ($41) (24%) Free Cash Flow* ($362) $201 **









April 2, December 31,

Liquidity 2020 2019

Cash $1,834 $2,351

Total Debt $3,031 $3,034











** Represents an amount equal to or in excess of 100% or not meaningful.

Subsequent Events

The first quarter 2020 financial results do not contemplate the impacts of the recently announced lower production rates by Boeing and Airbus. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impacts to the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350 programs. Based on preliminary assessments, the Company expects to recognize incremental forward losses in the second quarter of 2020 of approximately $70 million to $90 million on the Boeing 787 program, and $15 million to $20 million on the Airbus A350 program. As a result of the uncertainty that exists regarding customers' specific production rates and duration for such rates, and the Company's actions it may take to recalibrate its cost structure in response to decisions our customers make, the amount of forward losses the Company will recognize in the second quarter of 2020 may be materially different than the ranges indicated above.

2020 Outlook

Given the continued uncertainty surrounding the impacts of the Boeing 737 MAX grounding and COVID-19 pandemic, Spirit will not be providing guidance at this time.

Segment Results

Fuselage Systems

Fuselage Systems segment revenue in the first quarter of 2020 decreased 48 percent from the same period last year to $552 million, primarily due to lower production volumes on the Boeing 737 program resulting from the production suspension directed by Boeing that began on January 1, 2020. Operating margin for the first quarter of 2020 decreased to (15.7) percent, compared to 13.0 percent during the same period of 2019, primarily due to lower profit recognized on the Boeing 737 program due to excess capacity costs of $51.2 million with significantly less deliveries, restructuring expenses of $30.1 million for cost-alignment and headcount reductions, and abnormal costs of $15.3 million resulting from the COVID-19 Boeing production suspension that began in March 2020. In the first quarter of 2020, the segment recorded pretax $(4.0) million of unfavorable cumulative catch-up adjustments and $(13.2) million of net forward losses.

Propulsion Systems

Propulsion Systems segment revenue in the first quarter of 2020 decreased 54 percent from the same period last year to $225 million, primarily due to lower production volumes on the Boeing 737 program resulting from the production suspension directed by Boeing that began on January 1, 2020. Operating margin for the first quarter of 2020 decreased to (2.4) percent, compared to 19.7 percent during the same period of 2019, primarily due to lower margin recognized on the Boeing 737 program due to excess capacity costs of $15.8 million with significantly less deliveries, restructuring expenses of $8.8 million for cost-alignment and headcount reductions, and abnormal costs of $6.2 million resulting from the COVID-19 Boeing production suspension that began in March 2020. In the first quarter of 2020, the segment recorded pretax $(1.5) million of unfavorable cumulative catch-up adjustments and $(3.1) million of net forward losses.

Wing Systems

Wing Systems segment revenue in the first quarter of 2020 decreased 29 percent from the same period last year to $291 million, primarily due to lower production volumes on the Boeing 737 program resulting from the production suspension directed by Boeing that began on January 1, 2020 as well as lower revenue recognized on the Airbus A350 program as a result of pricing terms. Operating margin for the first quarter of 2020 decreased to 4.7 percent, compared to 16.1 percent during the same period of 2019, primarily due to lower margin recognized on the Boeing 737 program due to excess capacity costs of $6.4 million with significantly less deliveries, restructuring expenses of $3.7 million for cost-alignment and headcount reductions, abnormal costs of $3.9 million resulting from the COVID-19 Boeing production suspension that began in March 2020, and pricing terms on the Airbus A350 program. In the first quarter of 2020, the segment recorded pretax $(2.7) million of unfavorable cumulative catch-up adjustments and $(3.4) million of net forward losses.

Table 4. Segment Reporting (unaudited)



1st Quarter ($ in millions) 2020 2019 Change







Segment Revenues





Fuselage Systems $551.5 $1,069.6 (48.4%) Propulsion Systems 225.2 485.7 (53.6%) Wing Systems 291.4 407.9 (28.6%) All Other 9.2 4.6 ** Total Segment Revenues $1,077.3 $1,967.8 (45.3%)







Segment (Loss) Earnings from Operations





Fuselage Systems ($86.4) $138.9 ** Propulsion Systems (5.3) 95.5 ** Wing Systems 13.6 65.8 (79.3%) All Other 1.8 1.2 50.0% Total Segment Operating (Loss) Earnings ($76.3) $301.4 (125.3%)







Unallocated Expense





SG&A ($77.4) ($63.6) (21.7%) Research & Development (12.3) (12.9) 4.7% Cost of Sales (1.5) 8.1 ** Total (Loss) Earnings from Operations ($167.5) $233.0 **







Segment Operating (Loss) Earnings as % of Revenues





Fuselage Systems (15.7%) 13.0% ** Propulsion Systems (2.4%) 19.7% ** Wing Systems 4.7% 16.1% ** All Other 19.6% 26.1% (650) BPS Total Segment Operating (Loss) Earnings as % of Revenues (7.1%) 15.3% **







Total Operating (Loss) Earnings as % of Revenues (15.5%) 11.8% **









** Represents an amount equal to or in excess of 100% or not meaningful.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that may involve many risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "aim," "anticipate," "believe," "could," "continue," "estimate," "expect," "goal," "forecast," "intend," "may," "might," "objective," "outlook," "plan," "predict," "project," "should," "target," "will," "would," and other similar words, or phrases, or the negative thereof, unless the context requires otherwise. These statements reflect management's current views with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown. Our actual results may vary materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements. We caution investors not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements.

Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such forward-looking statements and that should be considered in evaluating our outlook include, but are not limited to, the following:

1) the timing and conditions surrounding the return to service of the B737 MAX, future demand for the aircraft, and any residual impacts of the grounding on production rates for the aircraft; 2) our reliance on Boeing for a significant portion of our revenues; 3) our ability to continue to grow our business and execute our growth strategy including our ability to enter into profitable supply arrangements with additional customers; 4) the business condition and liquidity of Boeing and Airbus and their ability to satisfy their contractual obligations to the Company; 5) demand for our products and services and the effect of economic or geopolitical conditions, or other events, such as pandemics, in the industries and markets in which we operate in the U.S. and globally; 6) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business and operations, including on the demand for our and our customers' products and services, on trade and transport restrictions, on the global aerospace supply chain, on our ability to retain the skilled work force necessary for production and development and generally on our ability to effectively manage the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business operations; 7) the certainty of our backlog, including the ability of customers to cancel or delay orders prior to shipment; 8) our ability to accurately estimate and manage performance, cost, margins, and revenue under our contracts, and the potential for additional forward losses on new and maturing programs; 9) our ability and our suppliers' ability to accommodate, and the cost of accommodating, announced increases in the build rates of certain aircraft; 10) competitive conditions in the markets in which we operate, including in-sourcing by commercial aerospace original equipment manufacturers; 11) our ability to successfully negotiate, or re-negotiate, future pricing under our supply agreements with Boeing, Airbus and other customers; 12) the success and timely execution of key milestones, such as the receipt of necessary regulatory approvals and satisfaction of closing conditions, in our announced acquisitions of Asco and select Bombardier assets, and our ability to effectively assess, manage, close, and integrate such acquisitions along with others that we pursue, and generate synergies and other cost savings therefrom, while avoiding unexpected costs, charges, expenses, and adverse changes to business relationships and business disruptions; 13) the possibility that our cash flows may not be adequate for our additional capital needs; 14) our ability to avoid or recover from cyber-based or other security attacks and other operations disruptions; 15) legislative or regulatory actions, both domestic and foreign, impacting our operations; 16) the effect of changes in tax laws and the Company's ability to accurately calculate and estimate the effect of such changes; 17) any reduction in our credit ratings; 18) our dependence on our suppliers, as well as the cost and availability of raw materials and purchased components; 19) our ability to recruit and retain a critical mass of highly skilled employees; 20) our relationships with the unions representing many of our employees, including our ability to avoid labor disputes and work stoppages with respect to our union employees; 21) spending by the U.S. and other governments on defense; 22) pension plan assumptions and future contributions; 23) the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting; and any difficulties or delays that could affect the Company's ability to effectively implement the remediation plan, in whole or in part, to address the material weakness identified in the Company's internal control over financial reporting, as described in Item 9A. "Controls and Procedures" of the Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2019; 24) the outcome or impact of ongoing or future litigation, claims, and regulatory actions, including our exposure to potential product liability and warranty claims; 25) our ability to continue selling certain receivables through our supplier financing programs; 26) our ability to access the capital markets to fund our liquidity needs, and the costs and terms of any additional financing; 27) any regulatory or legal action arising from the review of our accounting processes; and 28) the risks of doing business internationally, including fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, impositions of tariffs or embargoes, trade restrictions, compliance with foreign laws, and domestic and foreign government policies.

These factors are not exhaustive and it is not possible for us to predict all factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in our forward-looking statements. These factors speak only as of the date hereof, and new factors may emerge or changes to the foregoing factors may occur that could impact our business. As with any projection or forecast, these statements are inherently susceptible to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Except to the extent required by law, we undertake no obligation to, and expressly disclaim any obligation to, publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. You should review carefully the section captioned "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for a more complete discussion of these and other factors that may affect our business.

Spirit Shipset Deliveries (one shipset equals one aircraft)























1st Quarter





2020 2019

B737

18 152

B747

2 1

B767

6 8

B777

9 13

B787

40 42

Total Boeing

75 216











A220

15 8

A320 Family

188 178

A330

8 9

A350

26 28

A380

- 1

Total Airbus

237 224











Business/Regional Jet

12 13











Total

324 453













Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (unaudited)















For the Three Months Ended







April 2, 2020

March 28, 2019





($ in millions, except per share data)













Revenue

$1,077.3

$1,967.8

Operating costs and expenses:









Cost of sales

1,112.5

1,658.3

Selling, general and administrative

77.4

63.6

Restructuring costs

42.6

-

Research and development

12.3

12.9



Total operating costs and expenses

1,244.8

1,734.8



Operating (loss) income

(167.5)

233.0

Interest expense and financing fee amortization

(32.2)

(18.8)

Other expense, net

(49.0)

(11.0)



(Loss) income before income taxes and equity in net (loss) income of affiliate

(248.7)

203.2

Income tax benefit (provision)

87.2

(40.1)



(Loss) income before equity in net (loss) income of affiliate

(161.5)

163.1

Equity in net loss of affiliate

(1.5)

-



Net (loss) income

($163.0)

$163.1















(Loss) Earnings per share









Basic

($1.57)

$1.57

Shares

103.7

104.0















Diluted

($1.57)

$1.55

Shares

103.7

105.3















Dividends declared per common share

$0.01

$0.12



Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (unaudited)



April 2, 2020

December 31, 2019



($ in millions) Assets







Cash and cash equivalents

$1,833.6

$2,350.5 Restricted cash

0.3

0.3 Accounts receivable, net

508.6

546.4 Contract assets, short-term

380.9

528.3 Inventory, net

1,168.7

1,118.8 Other current assets

134.0

98.7 Total current assets

4,026.1

4,643.0 Property, plant and equipment, net

2,253.2

2,271.7 Intangible assets, net

30.6

1.2 Goodwill

78.5

2.4 Right of use assets

47.5

48.9 Contract assets, long-term

10.4

6.4 Pension assets

282.6

449.1 Deferred income taxes

192.6

106.5 Other assets

79.6

76.8 Total assets

$7,001.1

$7,606.0 Liabilities







Accounts payable

$740.7

$1,058.3 Accrued expenses

286.1

240.2 Profit sharing

17.6

84.5 Current portion of long-term debt

52.7

50.2 Operating lease liabilities, short-term

5.9

6.0 Advance payments, short-term

17.8

21.6 Contract liabilities, short-term

166.9

158.3 Forward loss provision, short-term

91.5

83.9 Deferred revenue and other deferred credits, short-term

17.9

14.8 Other current liabilities

37.0

42.9 Total current liabilities

1,434.1

1,760.7 Long-term debt

2,978.2

2,984.1 Operating lease liabilities, long-term

41.7

43.0 Advance payments, long-term

327.3

333.3 Pension/OPEB obligation

50.9

35.7 Contract liabilities, long-term

388.9

356.3 Forward loss provision, long-term

146.9

163.5 Deferred revenue and other deferred credits, long-term

36.8

34.4 Deferred grant income liability - non-current

27.4

29.0 Deferred income taxes

8.2

8.3 Other non-current liabilities

104.3

95.8 Stockholders' Equity







Common stock, Class A par value $0.01, 200,000,000 shares authorized, 105,399,855 and 104,882,379 shares issued and outstanding, respectively

1.1

1.1 Additional paid-in capital

1,125.6

1,125.0 Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(250.9)

(109.2) Retained earnings

3,036.9

3,201.3 Treasury stock, at cost (41,523,470 shares each period, respectively)

(2,456.8)

(2,456.8) Total stockholders' equity

1,455.9

1,761.4 Noncontrolling interest

0.5

0.5 Total equity

1,456.4

1,761.9 Total liabilities and equity

$7,001.1

$7,606.0

Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (unaudited)













For the Three Months Ended



April 2, 2020

March 28, 2019



($ in millions) Operating activities







Net (loss) income

($163.0)

$163.1 Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities







Depreciation expense

66.8

60.5 Amortization expense

0.5

- Amortization of deferred financing fees

1.9

0.8 Accretion of customer supply agreement

1.1

1.1 Employee stock compensation expense

9.8

7.7 Loss from derivative instruments

-

9.6 Gain from foreign currency transactions

(6.5)

(0.1) Loss (gain) on impairment and disposition of assets

0.2

(0.1) Deferred taxes

(61.5)

8.1 Pension and other post-retirement benefits, net

59.9

(6.4) Grant liability amortization

(2.4)

(5.7) Forward loss provision

(9.0)

(11.3) Changes in assets and liabilities







Accounts receivable, net

36.1

(68.8) Contract assets

144.5

(57.6) Inventory, net

(59.4)

23.5 Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

(278.6)

129.9 Profit sharing/deferred compensation

(66.7)

(48.0) Advance payments

(19.8)

(2.2) Income taxes receivable/payable

(32.8)

29.4 Contract liabilities

39.1

4.9 Deferred revenue and other deferred credits

6.3

11.6 Other

2.2

(7.8) Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities

($331.3)

$242.2 Investing activities







Purchase of property, plant and equipment

(31.0)

(40.8) Equity in assets of affiliates

1.5

- Other

0.3

0.1 Acquisition, net of cash acquired

(118.1)

- Net cash used in investing activities

($147.3)

($40.7) Financing activities







Proceeds from issuance of debt

-

250.0 Proceeds from revolving credit facility

-

100.0 Customer financing

10.0

- Principal payments of debt

(7.3)

(2.6) Payments on term loan

(5.7)

- Taxes paid related to net share settlement awards

(13.1)

(10.0) Proceeds from issuance of ESPP stock

1.3

- Debt issuance and financing costs

(4.8)

- Purchase of treasury stock

-

(75.0) Dividends paid

(12.4)

(12.7) Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities

($32.0)

$249.7 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash

(6.2)

(0.3) Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash

($516.8)

$450.9 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, beginning of the period

2,367.2

794.1 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, end of the period

$1,850.4

$1,245.0









Reconciliation of Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash:

April 2, 2020

March 28, 2019 Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of the period

$2,350.5

$773.6 Restricted cash, short-term, beginning of the period

0.3

0.3 Restricted cash, long-term, beginning of the period

16.4

20.2 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, beginning of the period

$2,367.2

$794.1









Cash and cash equivalents, end of the period

$1,833.6

$1,228.4 Restricted cash, short-term, end of the period

0.3

0.3 Restricted cash, long-term, end of the period

16.5

16.3 Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, end of the period

$1,850.4

$1,245.0

Appendix

In addition to reporting our financial information using U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), management believes that certain non-GAAP measures (which are indicated by * in this report) provide investors with important perspectives into the company's ongoing business performance. The non-GAAP measures we use in this report are (i) adjusted diluted earnings per share and (ii) free cash flow, which are described further below. The company does not intend for the information to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the related GAAP measures. Other companies may define and calculate the measures differently than we do, limiting the usefulness of the measures for comparison with other companies.

Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share. To provide additional transparency, we have disclosed non-GAAP adjusted diluted earnings per share (Adjusted EPS). This metric excludes various items that are not considered to be directly related to our operating performance. Management uses Adjusted EPS as a measure of business performance and we believe this information is useful in providing period-to-period comparisons of our results. The most comparable GAAP measure is diluted earnings per share.

Free Cash Flow. Free Cash Flow is defined as GAAP cash from operating activities (generally referred to herein as "cash from operations"), less capital expenditures for property, plant and equipment. Management believes Free Cash Flow provides investors with an important perspective on the cash available for stockholders, debt repayments including capital leases, and acquisitions after making the capital investments required to support ongoing business operations and long term value creation. Free Cash Flow does not represent the residual cash flow available for discretionary expenditures as it excludes certain mandatory expenditures. The most comparable GAAP measure is cash provided by operating activities. Management uses Free Cash Flow as a measure to assess both business performance and overall liquidity.

The tables below provide reconciliations between the GAAP and non-GAAP measures.

Adjusted EPS















1st Quarter





2020

2019





































GAAP Diluted (Loss) Earnings Per Share

($1.57)

$1.55

Costs Related to Planned Acquisitions

0.08 a 0.13 b Restructuring Costs

0.27 c -

Voluntary Retirement Program

0.43 d -

Adjusted Diluted (Loss) Earnings Per Share

($0.79)

$1.68













Diluted Shares (in millions)

103.7

105.3







a Represents the three months ended Q1 2020 transaction costs (included in SG&A)



b Represents the three months ended Q1 2019 Asco acquisition impact of $0.13 per share:



- Loss related to foreign currency forward contract of $0.11 (included in Other expense)



- Transaction costs of $0.02 (included in SG&A)



c Represents the three months ended Q1 2020 restructuring expenses for cost-alignment and headcount reductions (included in Restructuring costs)



d Represents the three months ended Q1 2020 retirement incentive expenses resulting from the VRP offered during the first quarter of 2020 (included in Other expense)

Free Cash Flow ($ in millions)











1st Quarter



2020

2019











Cash from Operations ($331)

$242

Capital Expenditures (31)

(41)

Free Cash Flow ($362)

$201



SOURCE Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc.
U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad will try to advance a sluggish Afghan peace process on a trip to Qatar, India, and Pakistan, the State Department said on May 6.

"At each stop, he will urge support for an immediate reduction in violence, accelerated timeline for the start of intra-Afghan negotiations, and cooperation among all sides in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic in Afghanistan," the State Department said.

The State Department said Khalilzad departed on May 5 and would meet with Taliban representatives in the Qatari capital, Doha, to press for full implementation of the agreement the two sides signed in February.

In Pakistan and India, regional rivals whose struggle for influence plays out in Afghanistan, Khalilzad will meet with officials to discuss the peace process.

The trip comes as U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on May 5 that the peace deal was "behind schedule" because both the Afghan government and Taliban have failed to live up to their commitments.

Progress on intra-Afghan talks has been hobbled by a political feud between President Ashraf Ghani and his rival Abdullah Abdullah, who both claim to be the leader of the country following a disputed election in September 2019.

The political deadlock comes as the Taliban has ramped up attacks in recent weeks despite a pledge to reduce violence aimed at paving the way for direct talks with Kabul, which was not a party to the US-Taliban deal.

The Taliban had agreed to negotiate directly with the Afghan government by March, but disputes over mutual prisoner releases have delayed talks.

The core deal is for U.S. and foreign troops to withdraw from Afghanistan following an intra-Afghan deal in exchange for guarantees from the Taliban not to allow the country to become a haven for terrorist groups aiming to strike abroad.




Gatwick Airport is facing a crisis after Virgin Atlantic ended its operations there.

The airline is axing 3,000 jobs and will now only fly from rivals Heathrow and Manchester.

It blamed the 'severe impact' of the coronavirus pandemic, which has prompted travel restrictions and forced airlines to ground fleets, and it comes just days after British Airways said it could also leave.

Gatwick departure: Virgin Atlantic is axing 3,000 jobs and will now only fly from rivals Heathrow and Manchester

Experts and unions said the moves threaten the airport's future and its status as the main challenger to Heathrow, which has been a rival in debates about where new UK air capacity should be.

Gatwick insisted it remained in a 'strong position' and that it would press ahead with plans to convert its emergency runway into a second, fully-functioning one. But Alex Macheras, an independent aviation analyst, said the exit was a disaster for the airport.

Budget pair suffering Budget carriers have laid bare the drop in air travel after airlines grounded fleets and governments tried to contain the spread of Covid-19. Ryanair carried just 40,000 people in April  down 99.6 per cent on 13.5m in April 2019. Hungarian airline Wizz Air flew 78,389 people last month, down 97.6 per cent from 3.28m last year. Meanwhile, aviation group Air Partner enjoyed a record April as it repatriated people and flew personal protective equipment into the UK. Unaudited accounts for the three months to April show a 6million underlying pre-tax profit.

He said: 'A cull of two of its most important airlines would throw Gatwick back decades and potentially wipe out the need for a second runway.'

Last week, BA said there was 'no certainty as to when or if services can or will return'.

Virgin Atlantic said it hoped to return to Gatwick if its business rebounded enough after the crisis.

But pilots' union Balpa said it was another terrible blow for the industry. Unite assistant general secretary Diana Holland said she had 'grave concerns about the impact on Gatwick'.

An airport spokesman said: 'This will be devastating for staff and many local businesses. We will continue to work with Virgin to get them flying again from Gatwick.

'We remain very optimistic about the long-term prospects and our resilience as a business, and having remained open through this pandemic we are in a strong position to extend operations quickly to meet demand.'
Daniel Radcliffe made the Twitter world stop when he read the first chapter of "Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone".

The fans of the novel series are just so happy.

Harry Reads Harry Potter

Daniel Radcliffe, the actor who played the title character of the novel series "Harry Potter," did exactly what his fans hoped for. He took it to social media to share a video of himself reading the first chapter of the book in the series.

Along with Eddie Redmayne, Dakota Fanning, and a few other celebrities, Radcliffe lent his voice for a good cause. Each actor read a chapter from "Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone". It is the first in the series of the best-selling fantasy novel written by J.K. Rowling.

While all the actors were at home in quarantine due to the coronavirus pandemic, they were still able to extend a helping hand for a good cause.

Radcliffe kicked off the big online event by reading the first chapter entitled "The Boy Who Lived." He narrated the story of how the young Harry Potter was left on the doorstep of his uncle and aunt's home.

"Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much," Daniel read.

The official Twitter account of the Wizarding World also made the announcement of the huge project. They revealed that friends of the Wizarding World will be taking turns reading a chapter from Harry Potter's book one.





And to start us off with Chapter 1, we think you'll agree we have the perfect narrator...

https://t.co/w9K77akbou pic.twitter.com/Q03PmjeD5d Surprise! We've got a treat for you...From today, amazing friends of the Wizarding World are going to take turns reading Harry Potter book one.And to start us off with Chapter 1, we think you'll agree we have the perfect narrator... #HarryPotterAtHome May 5, 2020

For A Special Cause

The project will last for weeks as a new chapter will be made available each week on Spotify. It will also be made available on the Harry Potter at Home website.

Last month, J.K. Rowling herself revealed the big project on Twitter. The author expressed her excitement amid the lockdown. She was hopeful it would be able to bring everyone a little bit of comfort at the time of the pandemic.

"Parents, teachers, and carers working to keep children amused and interested while we're on lockdown might need a bit of magic, so I'm delighted to launch Harry Potter at Home," Rowling said on her announcement on Twitter.

pic.twitter.com/i0ZjTplVoU Parents, teachers and carers working to keep children amused and interested while we're on lockdown might need a bit of magic, so I'm delighted to launch https://t.co/cPg0dZpexB April 1, 2020

Rowling added that she hopes the project would provide everyone some much-needed distraction.

"I hope these initiatives will give children and even adults a happy distraction during their enforced stay-at-home time," she shared.

Fans also took it to social media to express their gratitude.

"Thank you, @wizardingworld! This is one of the best things related to Harry Potter that I ever saw. It was really emotional to see Dan on it. This is truly amazing!" one fan wrote.

Another supporter said, "Daniel reading Harry Potter is like the ultimate HP fangirl moment loved it so much, thank you! Can't wait to listen to the rest!"

"Harry Potter reading Harry Potter...YES!" exclaimed an obviously excited commenter.

Danielle Radcliffe reading "Harry Potter" is just the beginning. Other celebrities including David Beckham, Stephen Fry, Claudia Kim, and Noma Dumezweni are set to read a chapter of the novel, too.
Professor Neil Ferguson is a regular guest on BBC Radio 4s Today programme. One such appearance was on March 30. It was the 7.50am slot, to be precise, when Prof Ferguson, not surprisingly, repeated the Governments stay-at-home message.

How ironic  to put it mildly  this particular soundbite, on that particular morning, seems with hindsight.

What no one realised at the time was that Prof Ferguson, whose coronavirus research prompted the lockdown, was not alone as he was being interviewed from his home on Today; he was entertaining a guest who was, how shall we say, not a member of his household.

The guest in fact was his girlfriend, Antonia Staats. She is 38 and married. He is 51 and understood to be separated from his wife. Might Miss Staats have even been in Prof Fergusons bed at the time he went on air? It was early morning, after all.

Pictured: Antonia Staats, 38, works for Avaaz, a global online activist network. She and her band of Left-wing colleagues had their own message for the general public: Stay at home

Professor Neil Ferguson (pictured) has now admitted he made a grave error of judgment and resigned from his Sage role

The affair, in other words, has not only opened up Prof Ferguson to accusations of hypocrisy but also ridicule.

Lockdown, Pants Down, Steps Down, is how the Guido Fawkes website headlined the revelation which resulted in Prof Fergusons immediate resignation as a Downing Street adviser.

He was a key member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) which has been informing the Governments response to the pandemic, earning him the nickname Professor Lockdown, a rather unfortunate sobriquet in the circumstances.

But he has never fitted the popular stereotype of a bookish academic. He is a fitness fanatic who normally wears jeans, T-shirt and jacket. And Miss Staats, a Left-wing campaigner and a mother of two, is certainly not the typical other woman. She is believed to be in an open marriage.

The two met about 18 months ago through the online dating site OkCupid. Perhaps we should not be too surprised given Prof Fergusons background. The data-driven matchmaking app  created by four Harvard maths students  uses scientific modelling to work algorithm magic to find a mathematical soulmate.

Few will see their relationship in such romantic terms, however, given the scandal surrounding their illegal trysts.

Prof Ferguson is understood to be living apart from his wife Kim, 54. They married in 2004 and have a teenage son.

His estranged wife is the daughter of a respected Oxford deputy headmaster and lives in a 1million, end of crescent, terrace townhouse (jointly owned with Prof Ferguson) in the fashionable Jericho district of Oxford, an area beloved of the towns liberal elite.

She describes herself as a sustainability educator and is the director of several companies devoted to green issues  possibly the only things she has in common with her husbands younger lover.

Antonia Staats grew up in Isny, southern Germany, went to university in Berlin and came to London to obtain a masters in Asian politics from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), where her husband works.

He is a Cambridge graduate and senior lecturer in Arabic Linguistics at SOAS and has met Prof Ferguson; they share an interest in data science.

Pictured: Antonia Staats joins other campaigners from Avaaz in holding a photo-call outside Parliament with a man dressed as Prime Minister Boris Johnson, pushing the plunger on a "No-Deal Bomb"

Pictured: Chris Lucas, husband of Antonia Staats, who is Prof Neil Ferguson's married mistress

Miss Staats herself works for Avaaz, a global online activist network. Avaaz  meaning voice in several European, Middle Eastern and Asian languages  says its mission is to close the gap between the world we have and the world most people everywhere want.

Two weeks before the UK was plunged into lockdown, she and her band of Left-wing colleagues had their own message for the general public: Stay at home. Everyone, the group declared, should avoid unnecessary close contact and stay at home when we can. More than half-a-million signed up to the online pledge.

The revelations about Avaaz makes news of Miss Staatss secret assignations with Prof Ferguson all the more incredible.

Before being deleted, her Facebook account highlighted some of her other activities with Avaaz.

In 2016, she took to social media in search of young Londoners who were unhappy with the referendum result as part of her Pleasedontgouk campaign.

The following year she was pictured protesting outside Parliament against Rupert Murdochs media empire, which she accused of pulling the strings of Theresa Mays government.

Even though German-born Miss Staats was ineligible to vote in Decembers general election, she was busy encouraging others to vote tactically.

Avaaz has also fought vociferously for greater protection for Press abuse victims and wanted the second part of the Leveson inquiry  intended to examine relationships between journalists and the police  to go ahead.

Oh, yes, and Miss Staats is also a climate change campaigner. Curiously, though  or predicatably some might say  her Facebook posts reveal she is happy to jet back to Germany for ski holidays.

She spoke about her middle class life with an au pair and a cleaner and her relationship with her husband on the Life in Pandemic podcast which was broadcast on March 31, the day after she stayed at Prof Fergusons London home when he appeared on the Today programme.

Chris [her husband] has it incredibly easy in the sense that we already had a set-up working from home, she said. You know we have little other stuff to worry about, right? You know were not renting. Even with the reduced schedule, I still get paid the same amount as when I was working kind of proper full days.

And I didnt have to scramble to find remote access to what I need for work, or, you know, monitors, computers, whatever I need at home, we had all of that and even so, its a strain.

She continued: I think strained has sounded too negative, but its an interesting relationship challenge. I mean, for, you know, Chris and my relationship because we spend a lot more time and quite different time with each other all of a sudden, right?

It must be especially challenging  or strained  of course, if you have an open marriage and you want to spend time with someone else.

Pictured: The south London home of Antonia Staats

One wonders what Prof Fergusons family, or rather his parents, make of his lovers supposedly open marriage? They are pillars of the community back in his native Wales. His father John, 73, is a member of the local parish council while his mother Kathy, 74, was a librarian who later became an Anglican priest, for the parish of Bro Arwystli in the Diocese of Bangor.

Were very proud of him [Prof Ferguson], she told the local paper after their son became one of the most famous scientists in the country. We worry about him but were very proud of him. How many times has Miss Staats visited Prof Ferguson during the lockdown? At least twice, that we know of. Millions of couples kept apart during the past weeks will take a dim view of their potentially dangerous liaisons. She travelled across London  Miss Staats is understood to live in south London, Professor Ferguson in west London  to see him. The first of Miss Staats visits, on Monday March 30, coincided with a public warning by Prof Ferguson that the week-old lockdown would have to remain until June.

A few days earlier, he announced, again on BBC Radio 4s Today programme  that he was self-isolating in his flat.

Ive been in so many meetings in the last few weeks, he told listeners. We think theres infectiousness for about a day before symptoms  and I was actually in a Downing Street Press conference. The more serious point it kind of highlights the need for the response which has been enacted.

Miss Staats made a similar revelation  about her husband  at around the same time on the Life in Pandemic podcast.

Chris has not been feeling great and thinks hes got it, she said. But, you know, we cant know for sure. So what now? Do we assume hes had it? And if so, does that change how comfortable we would feel going to see his parents or not? But until there is a test that would be widely available to help establish whether you have indeed gone through it or not, you just dont know.

Nevertheless friends, it has been reported, say that she was in Prof Fergusons flat on the morning of his 7.50am slot on Today.

On April 8, Miss Staats was at his flat again. The contradiction of what he says in public and what he does in private was highlighted two days later on April 10, again on Today. We clearly dont want these measures to continue any longer than is absolutely necessary, he said. I mean the economic costs, social costs, personal and health costs are huge, but we dont want to set out polices which maintain the suppression of transmission of this virus.

Prof Ferguson has now admitted he made a grave error of judgment and resigned from his Sage role. He said he acted in the belief that I was immune, having tested positive for coronavirus and completely isolating myself for almost two weeks after developing symptoms.

His mother-in-law, Eileen Pirie, 79, said: I think it is absolutely disgraceful the things that are being said about him. All of this derision because he invited a woman into his flat? Is this really such a big deal? Neil has organised, not single-handedly but to a great degree, our getting out of this huge and awful situation that we are all in.

Miss Staats has reportedly told friends she did not believe their actions in meeting to be hypocritical as she considers the households to be one.

Few people, one suspects, would agree with her.
(Photo : Pixabay) New Studies Claim COVID-19 Can Be Transmitted by Children: Kawasaki Disease Might Be Linked To The Findings (Photo : Kelly Sikkema) New Studies Claim COVID-19 Can Be Transmitted by Children: Kawasaki Disease Might Be Linked To The Findings

New studies have shown that children may transmit the novel coronavirus to others, increasing the infection rate.

The role of children during the ongoing pandemic is still an unanswered question of experts fighting COVID-19. But according to a report from The New York Times, only a few children infected by the coronavirus are reported; most of them only have mild symptoms.

There are two new studies that show strong evidence that children can also transmit the novel coronavirus. Many epidemiologists, who were not involved in the research said that although it is not yet proven, the results of the study are strong enough to suggest that schools should remain closed for now.

On the other hand, another report stated that a disease found in children called "Kawasaki Disease" may be linked to COVID-19.

According to CNN Health, 15 hospitalized children in New York City showed symptoms compatible with a multi-system inflammatory syndrome, which could possibly be linked to the coronavirus as reported by the New York City Health Department on Monday, May 4.

The children who tested positive for COVID-19 or had positive antibody tests are aged 2 to 15 years old and were hospitalized from April 17 to May 1. The children had a high temperature lasting for five days or longer, rashes, dry cracked lips, swollen glands in the neck, red fingers or toes, and redness in both eyes.

Pediatric specialists in the UK warned the public that a small number of children are becoming sick with the rare syndrome that could possibly be linked to COVID-19. Similar cases have also been reported in Spain and Italy.

New studies claim COVID-19 can be transmitted by children: Kawasaki Disease might be linked to the findings

According to The New York Times, one of the studies was derived from the data analyzed from two cities of China; Wuhan, where the virus originated, and Shanghai.

The study showed that children were about a third susceptible to coronavirus infection compared to adults. However, when the schools reopened, children became three times more vulnerable to COVID-19 infections and had three times more physical contact than adults.

Based on the results, the researchers concluded that closing the schools is not enough to contain the coronavirus outbreak--but it can still help decrease the infection rate by about 40%-60%.



"My simulation shows that yes if you reopen the schools, you'll see a big increase in the reproduction number, which is exactly what you don't want," said Marco Ajelli, a mathematical epidemiologist who conducted the study in the Bruno Kessler Foundation in Trento, Italy.

A group of German researchers and scientists led the second study which was more straightforward than the first one. They conducted a test involving children and adults which showed that the children who were positive of COVID-19 are just as infectious as the adults.

The team analyzed 47 infected children between ages 1 to 11. Fifteen of the participants showed underlying symptoms while the remaining were mostly free of COVID-19 symptoms. It was revealed that asymptomatic children in the study had viral loads of the virus which were just as high, or even higher, compared to adults.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
It has not been an easy time in the Lala Kent and Randall Emmett household.

The 30-year-old Vanderpump Rules star told Maria Menounos during her Better Together show that there has been tension with her 48-year-old fiance whom she was supposed to wed on April 18; they had to postpone their nuptials to July due to COVID-19.

'Well Randall and I have almost broken up about a dozen times, so, you know you, this is definitely a test for people's relationships,' said the blonde beauty.

Difficult time: It has not been an easy time in the Lala Kent and Randall Emmett household. The 30-year-old Vanderpump Rules star told Maria Menounos during her Better Together show that there has been tension with her 48-year-old fiance whom she was supposed to wed on April 18. Seen in November

Hard time at home with her man: Here the star is seen in April on Instagram

The star added that it is 'so crazy' because 'you know you sit there and you start bickering about little things and you start over-analyzing everything and like we really have just like elevated our relationship in such an amazing way.'

She said her future husband, who was a producer on The Irishman, does not put his own laundry away.

'Like, I know we're always gonna argue and of course we were never really going to end the relationship, but ya know, you're stuck with someone, um, but there was, ya know, we're in such a great place I didn't even think we could get any better,' she added.

Rocky: 'Well Randall and I have almost broken up about a dozen times, so, you know you, this is definitely a test for people's relationships,' said the blonde beauty; seen here in November

The couple co-parent Emmett's children with ex-wife Ambyr Childers, London, nine, and Rylee, five.

And they planned to have their own kids soon. But that has been pout on hold for now.

'I would like two [kids], Randall wants one, so we'll have two,' she said. 'I had made an appointment with my gynecologist to talk about, you know, starting to get it moving, because I was ready!

'I was gonna do that on April 9th, and Randall and I had discussed, like, let's make babies, and then this whole thing happened!'

The two seemed to be doing fine in mid April when he gave Lala flowers on what would have been their wedding day.

Moving on: Kent revealed she was trying to go with the flow of things after she was forced to push back her wedding date

'These flowers are a celebration of what is to come soon in our July wedding and the blessing that we will become one,' he wrote in the note.

'I love you more than any words could ever describe. My heart is full of love because I have you.'

The flowers were of multiple colors and types and nicely placed into a professional arrangement.

Special surprise: Lala Kent shared a beautiful bouquet of flowers she received from her fiance Randall Emmett on Saturday, on what was meant to be her wedding day before the global pandemic

Lala also took to her social media page to share a photo of herself wearing a veil ahead of her upcoming nuptials.

'Life doesn't care what we want or have planned,' she began.

'I'm a Virgo, so that really messes with me. I'm working on being softer. Going with the flow of things and realizing that light and love with [will] conquer it all.'

She ended the post with: 'Happy 4-18-2020. Stay healthy and strong. That's all that matters at this time.'

Unforeseen circumstances: Lala shared a post earlier in the week about how she was meant to head to the location at that time

Lala and Randall got engaged in 2018.

They recently opened up on the beauty's podcast, Give Them Lala, that they would be postponing their wedding.

'I'm going through my planner and I put my wedding day on April 18 in pen because I didn't think I would need to erase it at any point,' she said in March while breaking down in tears.

'It's okay babe,' Randall consoled her.

'It's okay to be sad. I don't think people realize how devastating it is for someone to have a wedding [canceled].'

At work: Lala is seen here with pal Brittany Cartwright on Vanderpump Rules

'I've watched you cry and you've seen me upset,' he added.

'We had a full-out cryfest a week ago when we first made the decisions [to postpone].'

The Vanderpump Rules stars made the decision to postpone the ceremony last month and revealed at the time they had postponed it to July.

'We have decided to move the date of our wedding to July given the unfortunate circumstances of what is going on,' they said in a statement to People at the time.

'We are obviously saddened by this but for the ultimate safety of our families and guests, we have made the decision to wait and see how everything progresses. Safety will always be our number one priority.'

Before the announcement, she had made fun of the seriousness of COVID-19, saying, 'God would not give it to her.'
OTTAWA - The federal information czar wants Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to tell government agencies they must strive to be transparent and accountable as they wrestle with the fallout from COVID-19.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 5/5/2020 (623 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau delivers an address to Canadians from Rideau Cottage during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa on Tuesday, May 5, 2020. The federal information czar wants Trudeau to tell federal agencies they must strive to be transparent and accountable as they wrestle with the fallout from COVID-19.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA - The federal information czar wants Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to tell government agencies they must strive to be transparent and accountable as they wrestle with the fallout from COVID-19.

Information commissioner Caroline Maynard said a message from the top  meaning Trudeau and Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos  is needed to ensure officials properly document federal decision-making during the pandemic.

The commissioner is concerned there could be an incomplete record of government efforts as people work at home or through virtual meetings.

"I think that they just need to be reminded that those responsibilities don't disappear because you're working from home," she said in an interview Tuesday.

The Access to Information Act allows people who pay a $5 fee to request a wide range of federal files, but the government says the pandemic is hampering its ability to answer formal requests.

Maynard predicts it could take years to recover from the expected delays caused by COVID-19 without prompt government action.

Maynard said she told Duclos in a telephone conversation Tuesday she wants to see departments and agencies proactively disclose more information about Ottawa's efforts to deal with the effects of COVID-19.

"They know what kind of information people are asking (for) right now  everybody's concerned about the response to COVID," she said.

"So why wait for an access request? Just provide the information. Everything is in briefing notes, in messaging within government."

Maynard finds it "ridiculous" that some agencies are still working with paper as they process requests instead of embracing digital tools  a constraint that is especially problematic now that people are doing their jobs remotely.

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.

She wants officials who process access requests to be able to do their jobs easily from home and respond to requesters electronically instead of through old-fashioned snail mail  in short, "finding creative ways to be able to respect their obligations."

Maynard said Duclos was "very receptive" to her desire to see immediate action.

In a statement, Duclos' office said Tuesday the Treasury Board Secretariat is providing guidance to institutions to continue to make best efforts to respond to requests, "in accordance with operational realities."

"Normal operations in the government of Canada, along with provincial and territorial governments and governments in other countries are all impacted by the current circumstances and exceptional measures put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 5, 2020.

Follow @JimBronskill on Twitter
A defining feature of the Morrison governments response to COVID-19 has been establishing the national cabinet, and its supporting advisory framework, in an attempt to ensure effective collaboration and co-ordination between the responses of his government and the states.

Cracks emerge in the national unity: Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. Credit:Amy Paton

Overall, it has worked pretty well. The goodwill and enthusiastic participation has been a welcome and a significant step above what we had come to expect by way of point-scoring and blame-shifting.

Perhaps it is too much to hope, given the limited success of past attempts to reform our federation, but it could and should be an important element of the recovery strategy to use the framework of the national cabinet to attempt genuine reform.

Where there has been some friction in national cabinet, it has principally been in areas that reflected persistent weaknesses in the structure of our federation, especially where there is overlap and duplication of roles and responsibilities.
Group 1 Automotive (NYSE:GPI)

Q1 2020 Earnings Call

, 10:00 a.m. ET

Contents:

Prepared Remarks

Questions and Answers

Call Participants

Prepared Remarks:

Operator

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to Group 1 Automotive 2020 first-quarter financial results conference call. Please be advised that this call is being recorded. I would now like to turn the call over to Mr.

Pete DeLongchamps, Group 1's senior vice president of manufacturer relations, financial services, and public affairs. Please go ahead, Mr. DeLongchamps.

Pete DeLongchamps -- Senior Vice President of Manufacturer Relations, Financial Services, and Public Affairs

Thank you, Ian, and good morning, everyone, and welcome to today's call. The earnings release we issued this morning and the related slide presentation that include reconciliations related to the adjusted results that we will refer to on this call for comparison purposes have been posted to Group 1's website. Before we begin, I'd like to make some brief remarks about forward-looking statements and the use of non-GAAP financial measures. Except for historical information mentioned during the call, statements made by management of Group 1 Automotive are forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Forward-looking statements involve both known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the company's actual results in future periods to differ materially from forecasted results. Those risks include, but are not limited to, risks associated with pricing, volume, conditions of the market, adverse developments in the global economy, as well as the public health crisis related to the COVID-19 virus and resulting impacts on demand for new and used vehicles and related services. Uncertainty regarding the duration and severity of COVID-19 and its impact on U.S. and international authorities to ease current restrictions on various commercial and economic activities and uncertainties regarding the timing, pace and extent of an economic recovery in the U.S.

and elsewhere from the unknown current and future impacts of COVID-19 and unknown future impacts on oil producers and the effects such can have on travel, transportation and oil prices, which in turn will likely adverse affect demand for vehicles and services. Those and other risks are described in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission over the past 12 months. Copies of these filings are available from both the SEC and the company. In addition, certain non-GAAP financial measures as defined under SEC rules may be discussed on this call.

As required by applicable SEC rules, the company provides reconciliations of any such non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures on its website. Participating on the call today, Earl Hesterberg, our president and chief executive officer; John Rickel, our senior vice president and chief financial officer; Daryl Kenningham, our president of U.S. and Brazilian operations; and Michael Welch, our vice president and corporate controller. I'd now like to hand the call over to Earl.

Earl Hesterberg -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Thank you, Pete, and good morning, everyone. For the first quarter, Group 1 generated $30.6 million of adjusted net income and adjusted earnings per share of $1.66 per diluted share, decreases of 20% and 19% from the prior year, respectively. Through February, we were on pace for record firs-quarter results in both the U.S. and U.K.

Our March results, however, were devastated by shelter-in-place orders in nearly all of our U.S. markets, as well as a complete shutdown of our U.K. operations. As previously announced, in March, we acted swiftly to reduce costs by furloughing 3,000 U.S.

and 2,800 U.K. employees, reducing the compensation of all executives, board members, corporate and support personnel and significantly reducing advertising and capex in addition to receiving support from numerous vendor partners for reduced pricing. During early April, we furloughed an additional 1,800 U.S. employees as we further adjusted staffing levels to sales volume.

We also announced the suspension of our quarterly dividend and the cancellation of our share repurchase program. The personnel actions were especially regrettable but were unfortunately necessary to preserve capital during this unprecedented economic event. After the first week of March, [Inaudible] all of our showrooms in the U.S., U.K. and Brazil have been progressively brought into a state of closure, leaving online sales as our primary means of selling vehicles.

We were unable to deliver about 35% of the vehicles we had contracted to sell in March in the U.K. And of course, that's the biggest selling month of the year. Our showrooms have been completely closed in the U.K. since mid-March, and our workshops are only open for emergency service work, which does not generate material gross profit.

In the U.S., our workshops have generally remained open, unlike many of our showrooms, but the flow of service customers has been down 40% to 50% since mid-March, simply because most of our customers have been living under shelter-in-place orders. The closure of most of our U.S. showrooms since mid-March has reduced new and used vehicle sales by a similar percentage. Without strong OEM incentives and Acceleride, our effective vehicle online purchasing platform, I expect the drop in vehicle sales would have been even greater.

As April progressed, we began to see some rebound in our week-over-week sales base in the U.S. market. For the final week, retail unit sales were down approximately 25%, and service revenues were pacing about 30% lower than prior-year levels. With sales and service beginning to recover from the lows we experienced at the start of April, we're starting to recall back some of our furloughed employees in the U.S.

and anticipate being able to add back approximately 500 U.S. employees by June. We will continue to monitor sales levels and adjust staffing levels as necessary. We can see some level of pent-up demand, especially in service, but it's not yet possible to quantify what that might be over the course of the coming months.

I'll now turn the call over to our CFO John Rickel for a balance sheet and liquidity overview. John?

John Rickel -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Thank you, Earl, and good morning, everyone. As of March 31, we had $19 million of cash on hand and another $83 million that was invested in our floor plan offset accounts, bringing total cash liquidity to $102 million. In addition, there was $258 million of additional borrowing capacity on our U.S. syndicated acquisition line, bringing total immediate liquidity to $360 million as of March 31.

In April, as previously announced, we redeemed all $300 million of our 5 1/4% bonds due 2023. This redemption was funded through acquisition line borrowings, mortgage borrowings and cash on hand. We funded over $130 million of mortgages in April with another $50 million in process and plan to be funded in May. We currently have approximately $225 million in liquidity in the U.S.

before the additional mortgages and ample local liquidity in the U.K. and Brazil. We do not have any material debt maturities before our 5% bonds are due in June of 2022, and our $1.75 billion U.S. credit facility was extended in 2019 through June of 2024.

Our U.S. credit facility rent-adjusted leverage ratio was 3.31 times at the end of the first quarter, leaving plenty of cushion under the 5.5 times limit. Finally, as Earl mentioned, we previously announced the suspension of our quarterly dividend and the cancellation of our share repurchase program, as well as capital expenditure deferrals to preserve liquidity. We feel comfortable that our balance sheet and liquidity position is adequate to carry us through the severe downturn until revenues are expected to start recovering in the second half of the year.

For additional detail regarding our financial condition, please refer to the schedules of additional information attached to the news release, as well as the investor presentation posted on our website. I'll now turn the call back over to Earl.

Earl Hesterberg -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Thanks, John. This concludes our prepared remarks. I'll now turn the call over to the operator to begin the question-and-answer session. Operator?

Questions & Answers:

Operator

[Operator instructions] Our first question comes from Rajat Gupta of JP Morgan. Rajat, please proceed.

Rajat Gupta -- J.P. Morgan -- Analyst

Good morning, everyone, and thanks for taking my question here. The first question I had was on the furlough actions. It looks like you've reduced roughly 52% of your employee base as of 2019. You're starting to get back some employees, and you talked about adding 495 employees by June.

That's just like 10% of the U.S. workforce that was furloughed that is being added back. Can you give us a sense of what kind of demand projections are those based on just being the lower number? And then all the furlough actions, could you give us a sense of how much of that are likely to be permanent in nature? Or is that sought -- and like within that, are there going to be more on the sales force side or on the service technician side? Just trying to get a sense of that. And then I have a follow-up.

Thanks.

Daryl Kenningham -- President of U.S. and Brazilian Operations

Rajat, Daryl Kenningham responding. When we made a determination to add back some people, it was based strictly on productivity based on the sales results we were seeing in April and based on our ability to respond to customers mainly through the Internet. We set some very specific metrics on sales per salesperson, hours per technician and sales per F&I and sales manager. And we use those metrics to determine how many people we should bring back based on the demand we were seeing at the time and based on a modest forecast for May.

And we expect that we will do that moving forward. And then your second question was how many of the actions we took are permanent? I'll let Earl add some color to that. But honestly, we're being very cautious with our costs. We want to trickle our costs back into our business because there's so many variables right now in it.

And that's what I would add from the U.S. side.

Earl Hesterberg -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Yeah. And this is Earl. The point is that Daryl is making is we have to be as responsive and reactionary as possible. I would hope that, at some point, we could bring all of the furloughed employees back.

But I have no idea what will be possible until we see how the market develops, and I've not been able to speak to anyone that can really provide any clarity on what the future holds. So until there is some clarity, we'll continue to react as quickly as possible. But I would hope that none of the reductions enforced are permanent, but the business will dictate that.

Rajat Gupta -- J.P. Morgan -- Analyst

Got it. Got it. OK. That's helpful to know.

And then on Acceleride, I mean what percentage of your sales in the -- at least in April or like toward the last couple of weeks of April or into May, what percentage of sales are happening through that platform? And then like, could you also give us a sense of what the unit economics are looking like for the online sales, both from a gross profit and SG&A perspective? Thanks.

Daryl Kenningham -- President of U.S. and Brazilian Operations

Daryl Kenningham, Rajat. For the month of April, we were -- Acceleride was 7% of our sales. It accelerated as the month progressed. That's up from normally what we had been seeing historically was 2.5% of our sales were Acceleride.

The unit economics are different than what we've seen versus our averages historically. What you've seen on previous calls in our previous reporting is that our gross profit numbers on Acceleride sales are very comparable to what we're seeing on nondigital sales. We're seeing our Acceleride leads are up 60% versus January and February. Our sales were the highest they've ever been in the month of April.

We're seeing some interesting things when customers get to the credit application in Acceleride. Their engagement has grown 35% since the COVID crisis started, which when customers engage in the credit app, that usually means they're at the buying signal. So we're watching that very carefully. And then across the country, on average, about 20% of our sales are home deliveries.

Rajat Gupta -- J.P. Morgan -- Analyst

Got it. That's great color. Thanks for the answers, and I'll jump back in queue. Thanks.

Operator

And our next question comes from Rick Nelson with Stephens. Rick Nelson, please proceed.

Rick Nelson -- Stephens Inc. -- Analyst

Thanks. Good morning, guys. So I'm a little bit late here, but I'm curious, you spoke to last week, U.S. sales down 25%, service and parts down 30%.

What are you seeing in markets that have opened up?

Daryl Kenningham -- President of U.S. and Brazilian Operations

Rick, this is Daryl. The shelter-in-place, there's two things that we're seeing. One is the shelter-in-place markets that are very strict, that obviously has a much bigger impact on sales. And we're seeing that, whether it's California or New Jersey, for example.

We're also seeing markets that have a heavy concentration of full-size pickup trucks, those markets tend to be doing better. Those seem to be the two biggest drivers in our sales success as time progresses.

Rick Nelson -- Stephens Inc. -- Analyst

OK. Daryl, used car values, your expectations there? And do you reduce inventory now? Or do you wait for demand to strengthen?

Daryl Kenningham -- President of U.S. and Brazilian Operations

Rick, we started to -- March 13 was sort of the date that we started taking action on used car inventories once we saw the demand was falling on the new and used side. And ideally, we want to get out of our inventory as judiciously as possible but also as quickly as possible. And I know you've looked at it. A lot of the Manheim market values, they've declined by as much as 16%; in some of the segments, as much as almost 20% since the middle of March.

And we wanted to get in front of that as much as we could. So in the middle of March forward, we've been aggressively pricing on half of our inventory centrally to try to get out of it as quick as possible. We've made some headway, some significant headway in our inventory levels in used: one, because the values have dropped; two, because we know there's a lot of vehicles still to go through the auctions from the rental car companies, for example; and three, the OEMs have become very aggressive with their incentives. So none of those are good for used car values.

So we wanted to get our inventories out as soon as possible. We were pleased with where we are so far. And then in April, we've started to do some modest acquisition, again, outside of our channel.

Rick Nelson -- Stephens Inc. -- Analyst

And finally, maybe you've covered this in the prepared remarks, but your SAAR expectations, how you see it developing over the remainder of the year and into 2021?

John Rickel -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Yeah, Rick, this is John. That's the difficult part, right, is that I don't think anybody has a real good crystal ball. We clearly have started to see some rebound, which is encouraging, but how fast and how far back it comes, that's what we're going to have to continue to monitor. That's why Earl's comments on adding people back somewhat depends on the return of the market.

We're prepared for a variety of outcomes.

Rick Nelson -- Stephens Inc. -- Analyst

OK. Gotcha. Thanks a lot, and good luck.

Operator

Our next question comes from John Murphy of Bank of America. John, please proceed.

John Murphy -- Bank of America Merrill Lynch -- Analyst

Hi. Good morning, guys. I just wanted to start with a first question in how the automakers are handling the situation. It seems like they're being relatively supportive and have some concern about maintaining a strong distribution network being your dealerships.

Just curious what kind of support you're seeing from them to get deals done, then also what's going on sort of behind the scenes on floor plan assistance and any other sort of pieces or items of help they might be providing you in the near term?

Earl Hesterberg -- President and Chief Executive Officer

John, this is Earl. I probably should have added in the prepared remarks. The OEMs have been very supportive of us, virtually every brand in both the U.K. and the U.S.

In my view, they have done the things they should do and the things they can do. And I've been very pleased with the level of OEM support almost across the board in both of those markets, things like eliminating targets, paying out at 100% levels and a variety of incentives, including some very powerful finance incentives right now, which are probably mitigating what could even be a greater decline in new vehicle sales. So I really think, generally speaking, our OEM partners have stepped up for us.

Daryl Kenningham -- President of U.S. and Brazilian Operations

John, this is Daryl. I agree wholeheartedly that OEMs have been very supportive in the U.S. for us. We've seen assistance.

You asked about floor plan. We've seen the OEMs be very flexible with their wholesaling of vehicles to us. If we've asked them to hold vehicles or if they've asked to help in planning out over the next two or three or four months, they've been extremely flexible and willing to do that. So as you know, their biggest challenge is getting production going again.

John Murphy -- Bank of America Merrill Lynch -- Analyst

And then maybe a second question to that, follow-up to what you just mentioned, Daryl. I mean the inventory levels look like, given the demand levels that we know about right now, like they're pretty heavy. But if this restart on production kind of stumbles beyond the end of May and into June and we have another month like we did in April, depressed but still 700,000-plus units going out the door, you could see a weird environment that people aren't expecting right now of inventory being relatively short on the new vehicle side. I'm just curious what your take is on current new vehicle inventory levels.

And if we went in other months or maybe two of even these depressed sales levels, how would you think about inventory? And I guess one of the really interesting things is as we're seeing GPUs on the new vehicles, the dealers that have been reporting so far as they've actually held up pretty well. Yours held up pretty well as well. I'm just curious if this dynamic on inventory and may be trying to save some inventory might be helping out there. Just sort of your thoughts on inventory in general.

Daryl Kenningham -- President of U.S. and Brazilian Operations

Yeah, John, I don't disagree materially with your statement. Right now, when you look at the absolute numbers, it looks like we're buried. If you project forward and look at a worse case with some of the plants not reopening, we could give then in some areas. So as we look at the snapshot today, we're not concerned.

But as we project forward, we could see where there could be some shortages later in the summer.

John Murphy -- Bank of America Merrill Lynch -- Analyst

OK. And then just lastly, maybe even following up on that. I mean you have two markets that you're uniquely exposed to Texas and the oil patch in general. I think there's been a lot of concern with what's been going on with oil prices.

Those markets may get hit pretty hard and if you're talking about large pickups being strong, those are those markets. So just curious if you can comment on what you're seeing in Texas and other oil-related markets. And then also across the pond in the U.K., how we should think about the restart there? Because it sounds like things are kind of naturally grinding back to life in the U.S., but it sounds like that's not the case in the U.K. So maybe if you can comment on that as well.

Earl Hesterberg -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Yeah, John, this is Earl. In the U.S. clearly, there's a big shock going through the energy industry, which isn't good for some of our markets. However, the energy industry, much of it's headquartered here in Houston, they got very lean when prices took a big turn down three years ago or whenever that was, the last oil shock.

And so they're much more responsive and their costs are way down. But yes, these oil prices are so low, they're clearly shutting rigs down. And it's going to require some economic recovery for the whole world before those prices stabilize. We can't see anything in our business yet.

But that's just a fact of life. The beauty is economies like Texas are pretty diverse and pretty strong and much more diversified every year with all the companies coming to Texas from other parts of the U.S. So we'll keep an eye on that. The beauty is we can adjust our cost structure much easier from the bottom up than from the top down.

We took it down to the bare bones, and now we'll bring the cost back, commensurate with the activity levels we experienced in the marketplace. And that's just what we'll have to do. So if some of the heavy oil markets don't recover like some of the other markets in the U.S., then we don't bring back as much cost. The U.K.

is a little difficult to predict. It seems the earliest we could open there might be March 11.

John Rickel -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

May 11.

Earl Hesterberg -- President and Chief Executive Officer

Probably the latest could be June 1, and something will come out in the next few days that maybe we'll give that more clarity. We do have a lot of cars to deliver, probably 4,000 or 5,000. Some are on our premises that customers just didn't show up to take. Others still have to be shipped from the various ports or holding centers that the OEMs have.

There's also quite a bit of pent-up service business I perceive in the U.K. because basically, there's only been breakdown service done now for 45 days. Although there's been some dispensation made, everybody in the U.K. has to have regular inspections on their vehicles, government-mandated.

We have a lot of people trying to get in for that. And so we'll see how the recovery occurs in the U.K., but it is coming from a standstill. So that is quite a different situation than the U.S.

John Murphy -- Bank of America Merrill Lynch -- Analyst

Great. Thank you very much.

Operator

And our next question comes from Armintas Sinkevicius with Morgan Stanley. Please proceed.

Armintas Sinkevicius -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst

Great. Thank you for taking the question. When we started the year, we were focused a lot on parts and services, your ability to hire technicians and advisors that being up on the technician side, roughly 13%. As we think about it here, parts and services has been more resilient than vehicle sales.

But maybe you could help contextualize how we should think about parts and services going forward? How many of the technicians have been affected by the recent actions you've taken around employee count?

Daryl Kenningham -- President of U.S. and Brazilian Operations

We expect that parts and service will recover nicely. We see that in some of the metrics we watch every day. Our inbound call center with accounts there every day are looking better and better. Our online scheduling numbers are looking better and better every day.

So we expect those trends to recover nicely. In terms of the technician headcount, we did furlough some technicians. I can tell you, we started with lower-skilled technicians first. Obviously, the ones we want to retain, the hardest to retain, the toughest to acquire are higher-skilled technicians.

And we've worked very hard to try to preserve that for skilled technicians in the stores.

Armintas Sinkevicius -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst

OK. And then with regards to Acceleride and the impact that COVID has had on online sales, any change in your philosophy, whether it's capital allocation, spending emphasis with regards to the push to digital and delivery?

Daryl Kenningham -- President of U.S. and Brazilian Operations

No formal things that we would announce today on it. We will tell you we [Inaudible] larger part of our world moving forward at a faster rate. We always believed in it, and that's why we've had our stores on it for so long. But we believe as customers get more comfortable through this cycle with it, it would become nothing but a bigger piece of our business.

And part of it is our store is getting more comfortable with it as a tool to service customers, and we're seeing that in a lot quite --

Armintas Sinkevicius -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst

And any areas that you would spend -- if you made the decision to further emphasize this initiative, what would you spend on? What do you feel like still needs to be sort of enhanced to have the capability that you envision down the line?

Daryl Kenningham -- President of U.S. and Brazilian Operations

Well, certainly messaging to customers is important to show how easy it is, how simple it is. Ensuring that process is matched in the store is certainly important. And there's some tools and things in the store we can do there. The technology itself, we feel like is pretty good.

John Rickel -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Yes. I would say the key point there is there's not a large capex build that goes with it. The team did a great job of kind of redeploying existing spend when we started putting this in 18 months ago. What Daryl is talking about is kind of where you would spend your advertising dollars that you're going to spend anyway, so there's not a big capex bill that would go with kind of additional enhancements to this.

Armintas Sinkevicius -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst

OK. And then my last question is just you've noted the week-over-week improvement to vehicle sales, given that the shelter-in-place rules have been in effect through April. Can you talk us through the demographics or the characteristics of customers that you're seeing that are coming in to buy cars in this environment? Is it people trying to buy cars instead of flying? Is it emergency responders? Is it people avoiding ride-sharing to the extent that you have visibility on what's driving the sales today? That would be interesting.

Daryl Kenningham -- President of U.S. and Brazilian Operations

A lot of what's driving it are the incentives that are out there, including the 0% financing that's available by many OEMs. That's what we have been able to glean so far.

Armintas Sinkevicius -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst

OK. Presumably, that 0% financing could continue given where rates are. Is that true or any other variables we should be mindful of?

Daryl Kenningham -- President of U.S. and Brazilian Operations

Yeah, I would think.

Armintas Sinkevicius -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst

OK. Great. Thank you for taking the questions.

Operator

And our next question comes from Michael Ward of Benchmark. Michael, please proceed.

Michael Ward -- Benchmark -- Analyst

Thank you. Good morning. Just a follow-up on the U.K. You said you had 4,000 to 5,000 units that basically were ordered but weren't delivered.

Is that correct?

Daryl Kenningham -- President of U.S. and Brazilian Operations

That's correct, Michael.

Michael Ward -- Benchmark -- Analyst

And so is that March and April?

Daryl Kenningham -- President of U.S. and Brazilian Operations

Well, they were basically March units. We've sold several hundred online and via phone in April. But of course, we couldn't deliver any. So I would say the majority of those were contracted in March, and we could not get delivered, but there were several hundred others that we've added to the pile throughout April.

Michael Ward -- Benchmark -- Analyst

OK. Now are most of those businesses your fleet and so they're under contracts, so they'll come back? Will you see those in the second quarter? Or as the vehicles are available, is that how it will work? Or --

Daryl Kenningham -- President of U.S. and Brazilian Operations

No, very few are fleet. Technically, some individual sales in the U.K. are what they call user chooser. So there are some user chooser units in there, which individuals bought with their company's money, but that's kind of normal business, and the delivery is kind of like a retail delivery.

So there is some of that in there, but there is no fleet as we would define it in the U.S.

Michael Ward -- Benchmark -- Analyst

No, no, no. No, I understand that, but it's not private buyers. So they're business-related.

Daryl Kenningham -- President of U.S. and Brazilian Operations

Yeah. Most of them are private buyers, most of them are.

Michael Ward -- Benchmark -- Analyst

They? Interesting. OK.

Daryl Kenningham -- President of U.S. and Brazilian Operations

Yes, they are, for sure.

Michael Ward -- Benchmark -- Analyst

OK. So now one of the things I noticed, if you go back on your track record in the '08 and '09 period, you guys didn't have one quarterly loss and volumes were down like they are today down 30%, 40%. Have you pulled enough levers where you can pull that off in the second quarter? Or is the U.K. too much of a disruption?

John Rickel -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Yeah. Mike, this is John Rickel. The difference, I would tell you, in '08 and '09 was that parts and service was a lot more resilient. We didn't see parts and service down 25%, 30%.

So that's certainly one difference. And then, yes, your other point is the fact that we're not able to operate at all in the U.K. and we don't know when we're going to be able to do, whether it's May 11 or the first of June makes that a bigger wildcard. Now against that, we've been very aggressive on the cost reductions.

The guys have done a fabulous job on that. So it's not impossible, but it's difficult to predict it here tonight -- or today.

Michael Ward -- Benchmark -- Analyst

That will be a hell of an accomplishment given the -- certainly, the scenario of what's going on in the marketplace. That's for sure. Well, thank you very much. I really appreciate it.

Operator

This concludes our question-and-answer session. I would now like to turn the conference back over to Earl Hesterberg for any closing remarks.

Earl Hesterberg -- President and Chief Executive Officer

OK. Thanks to everyone for joining us today. We look forward to updating you on our business progress on our second-quarter call at the end of July.

Operator

[Operator signoff]

Duration: 34 minutes

Call participants:

Pete DeLongchamps -- Senior Vice President of Manufacturer Relations, Financial Services, and Public Affairs

Earl Hesterberg -- President and Chief Executive Officer

John Rickel -- Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Rajat Gupta -- J.P. Morgan -- Analyst

Daryl Kenningham -- President of U.S. and Brazilian Operations

Rick Nelson -- Stephens Inc. -- Analyst

John Murphy -- Bank of America Merrill Lynch -- Analyst

Armintas Sinkevicius -- Morgan Stanley -- Analyst

Michael Ward -- Benchmark -- Analyst

More GPI analysis

All earnings call transcripts
When it comes to Hamilton history, Robin McKee knows where the bodies are buried.

For nearly 20 years, the former CHCH soundman has hosted weekly tours of Hamilton Cemetery with themes such as disasters, the arts, women and even the American Civil War.

But his Stories in the Stones has been put on hold this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Normally, the tours would start the first week of May and run until mid-November. But the city, which owns the cemetery on York Boulevard, has cancelled events on civic properties until at least July 2.

So as a bit of a substitute, I worked with McKee to come up with a Tombstone Top 10. Think of it as his Greatest Hits, or maybe the Buried Best.

McKee, 67, a passionate local heritage enthusiast who has a BA in history from McMaster University, has never missed a tour since starting the series in 2001. Once when he was travelling in Europe, he handled guide duties via his cellphone. Cancer surgery in his throat didnt stop him nor did a more recent stroke that left him legally blind. He has no vision in one eye and only 20 per cent in the other.

I will be buried in Hamilton cemetery. I have a plot there ... Ive literally danced on my future grave, he says.

But he doesnt plan on making use of it for a while. He has more exploring to do and stories to tell.

People think history is boring but you can bring the stories to life by taking people through the cemetery and showing them where the people are buried, he says.

Hes always on the lookout for new anecdotes and themes to explore and he spends a lot of time in the Local History and Archives Section of the Hamilton Public Library doing research. But, one topic he steers clear from is ghost stories.

I personally believe the cemetery is not haunted. Its a place of peace. It doesnt have zombies, he says.

Hamilton Cemetery has an estimated 69,500 graves and has been around since the mid-1850s. Its the biggest graveyard and most illustrious in Hamilton. Youll find everything from a big grey and black memorial for city founder George Hamilton to an inconspicuous footstone that sheepishly remembers notorious rum-runner Ben Kerr. There are giant mausoleums for wealthy families and graves with no markers at all. Its an open-aired museum of local history with stories behind every stone.

The Buried Best

1. George Hamilton (1788-1836) is the founder of Hamilton. He purchased a parcel of land that grew to become a city 10 years after he died. He was originally buried in a family cemetery near the escarpment, but Jolley Cut construction led to his remains being moved in the 1950s. Section Z-1.

2. Robert Land (1739-1818) escaped the American Revolution as a British Loyalist who was one of the first non-Indigenous settlers at the Head-of-the-Lake. The family thrived, and one of his descendants was Charles Lindbergh who made the first trans-Atlantic solo flight in 1927. Section CC-C.

3. Hugh Cossart Baker (1846-1931) set up the first Canadian telephone service in Hamilton largely so he could play chess with his friends over the phone. It all sounds familiar today with people using video conferencing to play games with their friends because of the coronavirus pandemic. Section CC-A.

4. William Winer Cooke (1846-1876), a military officer in the U.S. Army who grew up in the Hamilton area, died with Col. George Custer at the Battle of Little Big Horn in 1876. His body was originally buried near the battlefield, but his family had his remains exhumed and brought to Hamilton Cemetery. Section CC-B.

5. Ethel Kinrade (1884-1909) was the victim of one of the citys most sensational unsolved murders. She was shot to death in her home in a killing blamed on tramps. But there was great suspicion that her sister Florence pulled the trigger. Section M.

6. Adelaide Hoodless (1858-1910) was a leading advocate of pasteurized milk and a major social and educational reformer of the 19th century who co-founded the Womens Institute, among other organizations. Section C of A-A.

7. James Barron (1856-1903) was the first Hamilton police officer killed in the line of duty. He was shot to death in a crime that was never solved. The death led to local police being issued firearms. Section Q-3.

8. John Herbert Caddy (1801-1887) was Hamiltons Indiana Jones, an engineer and artist who was the first person to rediscover and sketch the lost Mayan city of Palenque. Section CC-C.

9. William Eli Sanford (1838-1899) was one of the first entrepreneurs to mass produce ready-made clothing. His tomb is one of the most extravagant in Hamilton Cemetery, looking like a Greek Temple. He drowned in Muskoka. Section A-8.

10. James Young (1853-1915) and wife Georgina Young (1858-1915) were passengers onboard the ocean liner RMS Lusitania that was famously sunk by a German U-boat in the First World War. The couple was travelling to England to visit their wounded son James Vernon, a soldier who had been fighting in France. The couple reportedly jumped from the doomed ship hand-in-hand to drown in the water below. Section V.
Further to the presidential directives dated 5th April 2020 on the provision of free water supply to the Ghanaian population during this COVID-19 emergency response period.

The Minister of sanitation and water resources Hon. Cecilia Dapaah has directed the management of Community water and sanitation agency (CWSA) to issue guidelines for implementation with respect to pipe water systems managed by water and sanitation management teams (WSMTs), NON-governmental organization (NGOS) and the private sector water providers to provide water free of charge for domestic use in all communities in Ghana.

In line with this directive of the president H. E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Management of the Techiman Municipal Assembly led by the Municipal Chief Executive Hon. John Kofi Donyina called for a meet with all private sector water providers in the Municipality to deliberate on the issues to ensure that the directive of the president on free supply of water is achieved.

At the meeting, Hon. Donyina thanked participants for attending the meeting despite their busy schedules and encourage them to observe the social distancing protocols at their respective homes and workplaces.

He then explained the reasons for the meeting and stress that the Assembly has received a letter from Accra, directing all Assemblies to meet water operators within their jurisdiction and subsequently, compile their bills for the months of January, February, and March 2020 for onward submission to Accra.

He pointed out that, the idea of collecting their old bills will help the government to be able to pay their claims using that three months as a bench mark, but was quick to add that government or the Assembly cannot force anybody to supply free water to the people but rather an appeal for them to help the citizenry in this difficult times.

He added that, the payment process will go through a thorough validation to ensure value for money and also to determine those that actually supplied the water within that period.

Touching on the issue of pre-financing, Hon. Donyina said most government work is pre-finance you invest in the work and receive your payment later. He explained that Assembly cannot afford to pay any claim instantly to anybody.

Hon. Donyina further explained that, despite government timely interventions in this difficult times of the covid-19 pandemic to mitigate the hardship of citizens, some people will take advantage of the situation to misuse the water.

He caution operators to put strict measures in place to control those that will take advantage and misuse the water at the determents of other domestic users.

Participants were allowed to asked questions or contributions for more clarifications, Mr. Eric Yeboah said some people at the community level use the water for commercial farming and molding of blocks should they be allowed to use the water for that purpose.

In response Hon. Donyina answered his question and many other questions from participants but was quick to add in his conclusion that proper regulations and control measures will be put in place by the assembly to check their operations.
rmbarricarte

When John Vogt, Jr. wondered where his stimulus check was, he was shocked to find out that he was not eligible for one. Vogt, 49, of Bronx, N.Y., is a fourth-generation American. In July, he married to a woman who is a Brazilian citizen. This year, they filed a joint tax return as a married couple. Consequently, he is disqualified from receiving his $1,200 stimulus check. The government is in the process of sending out millions of stimulus checks after Congress passed the $2 trillion Cares Act. Those checks amount to up to $1,200, or $2,400 per married couple, plus $500 for children under 17. However, read the fine print and you find that the rules require individuals to have Social Security numbers in order to get the money. American citizens who filed jointly with someone in that category are also disqualified. That has prompted disbelief from people like Vogt, a truck driver who was counting on the money to help start building an emergency cushion in the bank. "How much more American do I have to be?" Vogt said. "That really offended me."

Vogt is not alone. The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund recently filed a lawsuit against the federal government on behalf of six citizens who were deemed ineligible for stimulus checks because their spouses use Individual Tax Identification Numbers (ITINs) when filing their tax returns. ITINs are generally issued to non-American citizens for tax filing purposes. A separate lawsuit was filed this week on behalf of American children who are being excluded from the payments because both of their parents are not citizens. Meanwhile, Americans who find themselves excluded from receiving checks still have questions. Guidance from the IRS does address the situation, though the information is limited. Someone who is a non-resident alien as of 2020 does not qualify for a check, the agency says in its Q&A on the economic impact payments. There is one exception. Only one spouse needs to have a Social Security number to qualify for a check if either spouse is a member of the U.S. military during the taxable year. More from Personal Finance:

Some stimulus checks go out without $500 for qualifying children

Stimulus checks sent to dead people should be returned, government says

How lawmakers could get more stimulus money into people's hands If individuals are not qualifying residents and receive a payment, they should return it, according to the IRS. Accountants who work with married couples where one individual files with an ITIN are left to try to untangle the riddle for their clients. "This stimulus stuff is a nightmare!" one accountant at Greenback Expat Tax Services said in a memo to clients. David McKeegan, who co-founded Greenback, said that many couples are high net worth, and therefore are not eligible for stimulus checks to begin with. (The payments phase out completely for couples with over $198,000 in income.) Couples below that threshold have had mixed results. "In some cases, we have seen people filing with a [non-resident alien] who happens to have a [Social Security number] and thus receive the stimulus payment for both folks," McKeegan said. "But more often than not, we are receiving frustrated emails from clients asking why they have not received the payment yet," he said. McKeegan said he hopes there will be a "true-up on the 2020 return to make the playing field a bit more level for everyone." "We need to see how the final IRS interpretation goes on the 2020 return," McKeegan said.
Three Indian Soldiers Killed In Renewed Fighting In Disputed Kashmir

May 05, 2020

Three Indian soldiers were killed in clashes with militants in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, officials said, a day after a gunbattle in which five were killed.

The flare-up comes amid a major offensive by India that has killed 22 militants in the past month.

New Delhi said 20 Indian soldiers have been killed during the same period, the biggest death toll since a militant suicide attack killed 40 paramilitary police in February 2019.

On May 3, five Indian soldiers, including a high-ranking army officer, were killed in India-administered Kashmir.

Muslim-majority Pakistan and Hindu-led India have fought two wars over control of Kashmir, which is claimed in full by both nuclear-armed countries.

India accuses Pakistan of funding militant groups fighting Indian troops, a claim Islamabad denies.

Tensions in Indian-controlled Kashmir have been running particularly high since August 2019, when India stripped the region of limited autonomy and implemented a months-long crackdown on militants and supporters of independence or unification with Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AP

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/india- pakistan-kashmir/30593156.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.

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The roots of the origin of Mother's Day lies when a woman named Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother in Andrews Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia. This is the same place where the International Day shrine is held. Anna later started a campaign to recognise Mothers Day as a holiday in the United States.

Finally, in 1941, Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation after which the second Sunday in the month of May was declared as a national holiday to honour mothers. The day is observed on different days in different places. It is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of March in the UK celebrating the memory of Mother Church on Christian Mothering Sunday. Mother's Day is celebrated on February 2 in Greece linking the day with an Eastern Orthodox celebration.

This year, Mother's Day will be celebrated on May 10. The day is observed as an attempt to honour and celebrate mothers and their efforts in our lives. Here are few Mother's Day poster ideas to wish your moms this year.

Here are some poster ideas for Mother's Day 2020

Quillings

Quilling is also popularly known as paper filigree. It is typically an art form that involves the use of strips of paper that are shaped or rolled with the use of some quilling pins and then glued together to form a design. Designing a pretty paper filigree design for Mother's Day would make for a beautiful poster. One can make floral designs or spell out words or get more creative and build some different design.

ALSO READ | Cristiano Ronaldo Gifts Brand New Mercedes To Mother Maria Dolores On Mother's Day

Card

The most traditional way to go about to celebrate your mother is a Mother's Day card. One can go for the typical card or make a new one with creative ways like thread painting, sequins, and more. One can even use a chalk drawing method to make an adorable card.

Canvas

Another traditional yet best idea to make a Mother's Day poster is to make a canvas. One can easily paint beautiful scenery or write down sweet Mother's Day quotes for their moms on the board. One does not have to go all out when painting a canvas and can pick the simplest of designs and can still make it look elegant.

ALSO READ | Jacqueline Fernandez's Pictures With Her Mother Are Too Adorable To Miss

Art and craft

One can use different art and craft ideas to create an amazing mother's day poster. Multiple ideas like cutting up crafts, making figures, cutting out flowers, or other designs can be used to make a poster. One can get more creative and use baby handprints or footprints to make a poster.

Comic Strip poster

One can even write a creative comic strip to wish their mothers. Blank comic strips can easily be found on the internet or you can even draw your own and pick what story you want to create. Create a comic strip on a poster and write a creative and interesting wish or get nostalgic and write an adorable little story on it.

ALSO READ | Man Creates Supermarket At Home For 87-year-old Mom Amid Lockdown, Netizens Impressed

ALSO READ | Mothers Day 2019: 5 Top Apps To Stay In Touch With Your Mother While Retaining That Personal Touch
California governor Gavin Newsom has begun to modify the states stay at home order to combat the spread of the Covid-19 virus, allowing some retail, manufacturing, and logistics businesses to begin serving customers in a limited way on Friday, May 8.

As part of "Phase 2" of the state's four-step plan, bookstores (along with clothing stores, florists, and sporting goods stores) can reopen as long as they follow the states forthcoming guidelines to reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission. Those guidelines will be released on May 7.

Bookstores made the list of approved businesses that can open to curbside pick-up and home delivery. However, this does not allow for browsing," said Calvin Crosby, executive director of California Independent Booksellers Alliance (CALIBA). I am hearing of stores that are hard at work working on compliance for what the rules will be, from no-touch credit card processing to plastic barriers to establishing sanitation schedules and procedures, Crosby said, but added, I believe California is a long way from even limited browsing."

Kepler's Books CEO Praveen Madan has taken a "slow and steady attitude" toward the reopening process at the Menlo Park bookstore, focusing on "designing a safe, healthy enjoyable shopping environment" for his staff and community, rather than an immediate reopening as Phase 2 begins. "Its not a decision we make easily or lightly," he said. "We have a very inclusive decision-making model we use at Keplers. We want to bring our staff and our community along. The county has to say its okay to open and our key stakeholders have to agree as well." As the bookstore plans for the future, Kepler's will host a remote Community Reads program with customers reading Exit West by Mohsin Hamid together as they shelter-in-place.

Crosby added that while Newsoms guidelines will affect the entire state, local governments can set more strict rules and the state will respect those decisions. Accordingly, each store must find its own path to compliance, navigating both state and local regulations as California takes the first tentative steps toward restarting its economy.

Our mayor has not yet announced when our restrictions might change, said Pete Mulvihill, co-owner of Green Apple Books in San Francisco. As the bookstore awaits guidance from local leaders, it has been working on safety protocols, modifying work stations, and bringing back laid-off staff on the heels of a Paycheck Protection Program loan from the federal government. We expect curbside pickup to be available soon, but we don't know when. We'll be ready to offer that as soon as it's allowed, said Mulvihill.

I know stores, regardless of size and location, are equally concerned for their bookseller's safety and the public's safety once the next phase is in place, said Crosby. CALIBA has waived all dues for member stores during the Covid-19 crisis, and has been able to connect with stores of all sizes throughout the statesharing best practices, virtual event facilitation support, and education with members. Although physical distancing is the new normal, this office has never felt more connected to our members, he said.
The tug-of-war between non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) and commercial banks on the issue of extending three-month loan moratorium for bank loans is finally coming to an end.

After a meeting with the Reserve Bank of India's top brass and representatives of banks and NBFCs, most banks have agreed to extend moratorium to their NBFC clients on a case-by-case basis.

In some cases, banks have even begun returning the loan installments debited earlier from borrower accounts as part of the moratorium for all loan dues falling between March 1 and May 31, said industry officials.

"Most banks have started reaching out to us. In some cases, we have received reports that banks are returning the EMIs deducted since March. So once can say that the problem is resolved," said an official of NBFC industry .

In a meeting with bank chiefs, the RBI Governor Shakikanta Das and his deputies had made it clear to banks that the central bank has no issues with banks extending moratorium to NBFCs. The RBI repeated the same view in its meeting with NBFC industry representatives on may 4. Following this, banks have started communicating with their NBFC clients on moratorium details.

On March 27, RBI had announced the moratorium facility for all term loans as part of the COVID-19 package. Under this, all term-loan EMIs falling between March 1 and May 31 should be deferred by banks while the interest component will continue to accrue on the outstanding loan amount. This was done to provide relief to borrowers during the nationwide lock-down.

While banks and NBFCs immediately started offering this to their retail customers, banks were initially undecided on whether the same needs to be extended to financial intermediaries. This confusion happened after an FAQ from the Indian Banks Association (IBA) said NBFCs are not eligible for the moratorium. Banks took this cue and didnt extend the EMI deferral facility to their NBFC clients.

Banks also contested that the RBI circular isn't clear about financial intermediaries. In fact, the RBI circular on moratorium hadnt said anything specific about NBFC loans. The RBI governor, during his press conferences too didnt say anything about NBFCs. This lack of clarity gave room for banks to interpret the circular. On the other hand, the RBI felt that banks are being selective about the moratorium issue.

Moneycontrol had reported earlier about RBI's displeasure on banks approach on the moratorium issue.

"Banks want to have their cake and eat it too. Selective/cherry-picking instructions. How come banks have clarity on what they want to do but look for excuses for things they dont want to do? (sic)," a senior RBI official had said on condition of anonymity. "We have not prohibited (banks from extending moratorium to NBFCs). So for every decision of theirs (banks), why should RBI need to clarify?" the official asked.

According to the data from the RBI, outstanding loans to the entire NBFC sector from banks stand at Rs 7 lakh crore. On a year-on-year basis, this exposure has grown by 22 percent. That is a significant exposure. NBFCs feared this disparity in treatment on moratorium will create short-term liquidity issues for them since they are extending moratorium to their borrowers.

With Das speaking to banks specifically on the NBFC issue, banks are now left with no option but to extend the moratorium to NBFCs and NBFC-MFIs. This comes as a relief for NBFCs, especially smaller NBFCs, which are struggling with funding issues.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak
- Korina Sanchez is one of the employees of ABS-CBN who is affected by the network shutdown

- She learned about the move of the National Telecommunications Commission and Solicitor General Jose Calida

- She lambasted them for their action against the giant network that served the public for 65 years

- The journalist also asked when are the people liable for ABS-CBN shutdown going to jail

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Korina Sanchez aired her reaction upon knowing that ABS-CBN was ordered to stop its broadcast operation starting May 5.

KAMI learned that the said journalist took to social media her honest and serious thoughts about the fate of the giant network.

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She began by questioning Solicitor General Jose Calida, whom she said was a very close friend of her mom.

The Rated K host also claimed that people tried to close down ABS-CBN even though it is not in accordance with the law.

Talaga? Ano namang, excuse me, abuso ito? SolGen Joe Calida used to be very close to my Mom Celia Sanchez. They attend the same Bible Study. Sino na kaya ngayon ang Diyos ni Calida? she wrote.

Pilit pinapasarado ang ABS-CBN kahit labag sa batas? Kelan at paano kaya pwede ipakulong ang mga totoong abusado? she asked.

In a previous article by , Coco Martin vented out after knowing that the Kapamilya network was ordered to shut down.

Korina Sanchez is one of the most popular broadcast-journalists in the Philippines. She is currently married to Mar Roxas and they already have two children.

POPULAR: Read more news about Korina Sanchez!

Please like and share our Facebook posts to support KAMI team! Dont hesitate to comment and share your opinion about our stories either. We love reading about your thoughts!

Filipino nurse: "We actually don't want to become heroes Si Kimberly ay isang nurse sa Bacolod, isa siya sa mga frontliners na binubuwis ang buhay araw-araw. Narito ang kanyang masasabi sa nararamdaman ng mga frontliners tulad niya.  on HumanMeter!

Source: KAMI.com.gh
A growing number of reports indicate Chinese officials pushed their counterparts in Europe to make positive statements about China in order to receive shipments of medical supplies to fight the novel coronavirus.

Why it matters: The revelations further taint Beijing's attempts to portray itself as a responsible and trustworthy leader in global public health.

Context: Over the past two months, numerous high-ranking government officials from countries fighting coronavirus outbreaks have offered seemingly effusive praise to China for its assistance.

The Italian foreign minister credited China with saving lives in Italy, the Serbian president kissed the Chinese flag as he welcomed a shipment of medical supplies on the tarmac, and the Mexican foreign minister tweeted a photo of a plane delivering Chinese aid, writing "Gracias China!!!"

What's happening: Officials in some countries are now saying there was pressure to praise Beijing.

Poland: In exchange for medical supplies, Chinese officials pressured Polish President Andrzej Duda to call Chinese President Xi Jinping to express gratitude

Poland wasnt going to get this stuff unless the phone call was made, so they could use that phone call for propaganda purposes, the U.S. ambassador to Poland, Georgette Mosbacher, told the New York Times.

Germany: German officials have been approached by Chinese counterparts trying to get them to make positive public statements about Chinas coronavirus response and international assistance, according to German newspaper Die Welt Am Sonntag.

What they're saying: What is most striking to me is the extent to which the Chinese government appears to be demanding public displays of gratitude from other countries; this is certainly not in the tradition of the best humanitarian relief efforts," Elizabeth Economy of the Council on Foreign Relations told the Times.

It seems strange to expect signed declarations of thanks from other countries in the midst of the crisis.

The big picture: A quid pro quo for vital medical aid alienates global audiences who had at first been inclined to welcome Chinese Communist Party leadership in the fight against the coronavirus.

"The fairly aggressive party-state effort to 'tell a good China story' actually increases public awareness that these propaganda efforts on the Chinese side are going on," Thorsten Benner, director of the Global Public Policy Institute in Berlin, told Axios.

"They are shooting themselves in the foot by being so pushy on this."

Go deeper:
New York, US (PANA) - Unabated violence, particularly in and around the Libyan capital, has now been raging for more than a year, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda, told the Security Council in a virtual briefing on Tuesday, warning that war crimes may have been committed
In 2017, UKCloud received a Queens Award for Enterprise, the most prestigious award for businesses in the United Kingdom. Rt. Honorable Lord Maude of Horsham, a longtime member of the House of Commons, summed up the impact of the company on the government:

Congratulations to UKCloud for this significant achievement and its continued innovation, said Horsham. I hope that UKClouds success will inspire many other startups and small businesses to go on to do great things and keep the UK ahead of the global digital game.

Today UKCloud is doing just that. Serving numerous government organizationsfrom large central government departments through to regional NHS trusts the companys more than 250 employees play a key role not only in the U.K. governments digital transformation, but also in its cloud-first approach.

In 2013 our government specified that all central government departments take a cloud-first approach on any new technology purchases unless they could show that a different approach was more economical, says Leighton James, Chief Technology Officer at UKCloud. UKCloud was founded in 2011 to enable the governments ICT strategy, and as our name shows, weve focused on the cloud and cloud services from the beginning. Today we offer a multi-cloud platform that provides access to the right technology to suit individual customer workload requirements while simultaneously addressing the needs of those that want to develop true cloud-native applications.

All of UKClouds infrastructure technologies and services, are hosted in U.K.-based data centers, supported and managed by staff located in the U.K. Moreover, UKCloud, together with its ecosystem of partners, offer software capabilities to help organisations adopt a more holistic solution enabling the use of cyber security, artificial intelligence, big data, digital working, disaster recovery and backup to ensure businesses keep pace in an evolving environment.

UKCloud was founded on core values that include doing whats right to improve public services for U.K. citizens and protecting U.K. data, like the national asset it is, with sovereign cloud services, adds James. The needs of our public sector differ from the private sector in that there is more emphasis on data governance. From patient data and citizen records all the way to military details, everything must be handled safely and in a secure cloud environment. Accreditations and certifications are also paramount in the sector, along with the need for providers and partners that are able to align assurance across people, process, premises and technology.

James also notes that providers often must deliver access to other government networks such as those for Health and Social Care and the Public Services Network. The companys UKCloud for VMware offering is a secure, completely sovereign cloud that aligns with the countrys National Cyber Security Centre principles, is available across multiple security domains, and is natively connected to government networks. Unlike most public cloud platforms that are only suitable for OFFICIAL, UKCloud offers two additional security domains to meet the needs of higher classification levels.

The Importance of Being VMware Cloud Verified

Being VMware Cloud Verified is exceptionally valuable to us for many reasons, but one of the most important is that it enables us to support organizations through their data center modernization programs and support a true hybrid approach. We can build and operate VMware cloud technology that customers know and trust across customer-owned facilities (i.e. private cloud), UKClouds government-grade facilities (both secure cloud and public cloud) as well as VMware cloud environments on hyperscale platforms  delivering a consistent, familiar and seamless experience into cloud, says James.

UKCloud is also seeing significant demand for VMware technologies to power their multi-cloud strategy, and enable new services like Digital Workplace based on VMware Horizon, as well as managing the costs involved with multi-cloud. In UKClouds recent State of Cloud Adoption Survey, 80% of respondents agreed that fear of runaway costs is a notable concern, a reflection of the surveys finding that there is a clear need for more commercial control and flexibility.

As UKCloud noted in the findings, This supports the demand for offerings like the cost optimisation service offered by UKCloud and is powered by CloudHealth from VMware, which helps organizations better understand the costs they are incurring on hyperscale cloud platforms.

Despite the concerns highlighted in the survey, James sees a dramatic increase in the use of cloud technologies and services in the months and years to come. The cloud addresses not only legislative requirements such as the mandate that data and information be secured and stored safely for years, but also the increasing expectation among citizens that they be able to interact with government services at any time. 81% of the survey respondents also stated that cloud is merely an enabler for their organisation to adopt transformative technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Smart Places and IoT/hyper connectivity. This is where, as James notes, the cloud can help to accelerate innovative solutions and help the sector transform their services to meet these evolving needs.

There are of course more fundamental benefits as well.

One of the projects we are working with in healthcare is Genomics England, the largest genome sequencing project in the world, James explains. The platform we deployed is able to deal with the scale and complexity of genomics sequencing data and runs on the UKCloud for VMware technology. The aim is to improve outcomes for patients with rare diseases and cancers, and its already begun to transform the way NHS patients are cared for. Its a project that demonstrates the true value of the cloud.

Learn more about UKCloud and its partnership with VMware here.
University of Montana student Jonathan Karlen has been named a Udall Scholar, considered one of the most prestigious recognitions awarded to students studying in fields related to the environment and issues related to Native American nations.

Karlen, a junior majoring in wildlife biology with a minor in climate change studies, is one of just 50 students nationally to win a scholarship this year from the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Foundation. Originally from New York City, Karlen came to Montana after high school to study at UM and explore the states public lands.

Jonathan Karlen

The Wildlife Biology Program and my education here at UM have given me a strong foundation in science, rigorous research methods and skills to address complex problems with an interdisciplinary approach, Karlen said.

With support from the Udall scholarship, which provides $7,000 toward academic expenses, Karlen will begin a new joint wildlife biology and public administration degree program at UM. Launched in January 2020, this 4+1 program allows UM students to earn both a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife biology and a two-year masters degree in public administration at an accelerated pace of just five years.

Jonathan is part of the inaugural cohort for our 4+1 degree, and we could not be more excited for him, said Professor Sara Rinfret, director of UMs Master of Public Administration program.

Earning an MPA will provide me with a more focused skill set to launch a meaningful career in the field of natural resources policy, said Karlen, who also is a student in the Davidson Honors College, was a former president of the UM Student Chapter of the Wildlife Society and was just elected to serve on UMs student government.

Weve been extremely fortunate to have Jonathan as a member of our campus community, said Chad Bishop, director of the Wildlife Biology program. He is an amazing individual who is the embodiment of a student leader.

My experience at UM, specifically with the faculty and administrators, has been instrumental in shaping my career goals and connecting me with extraordinary opportunities, Karlen said.

UM historically is a top producer of Udall Scholars, and this years result brings its total to 43 since the program was launched in 1992 by the Udall Foundation.

For more information about the Udall Undergraduate Scholarship, visit https://www.udall.gov/. To learn more about the 4+1 wildlife biology and public administration joint degree program, go to https://www.umt.edu/law/mpa/curriculum/four-plus-one.php.

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A former board member of Harvey Weinstein's film studio has been ordered by a British judge to submit evidence to a tribunal investigating sex assault after he claimed he didn't have to because he lives in the US.

Tim Sarnoff, deputy CEO of film processing giant Technicolor, resigned from the board of The Weinstein Company in 2017, days after allegations of Weinstein's rampant sexual harassment came to light.

However in a sex discrimination claim made in a British employment tribunal against Weinstein, who is currently serving a prison sentence for sex offences in the US, Mr Sarnoff is listed as co-respondent.

Harvey Weinstein is currently serving his 23-year sentence for rape and sexual assault at a maximum security prison in New York State. (he is pictured in February outside the Supreme Court in New York)

He is among a number of the producer's former associates who are alleged to have 'knowingly helped Mr Weinstein carry out the unlawful acts of assault and harassment.'

Tim Sarnoff, deputy CEO of film processing giant Technicolor, (pictured) is among a number of the producer's former associates who are alleged to have 'knowingly helped Mr Weinstein carry out the unlawful acts of assault and harassment'

The claimant - who can not be named for legal reasons - alleges that she was sexually assaulted and harassed by Weinstein while she was working at The Weinstein Company.

Weinstein himself is listed as a respondent to the claim, alongside his brother and former business partner Robert Weinstein, the global and UK subsidiaries of The Weinstein Company and a number of associates - including its former COO David Glasser.

Having been one of the most powerful and influential producers in the movie industry, Weinstein was found guilty of two sex crimes in February - a verdict considered a watershed moment for the #MeToo movement, that was largely spawned by the allegations about the producer's conduct.

Weinstein is currently serving his 23-year sentence for rape and sexual assault at a maximum security prison in New York State.

Responding to a request for the tribunal to disclose documents ahead of the hearing, Mr Sarnoff argued that he could not be ordered to contribute any evidence - because he was not in Britain when the order was made.

Because the Hollywood high-flier does not work or live in the UK, he lodged an appeal claiming that he could only be compelled to provide disclosure if he was physically present in the country.

Mr Sarnoff's argument rests in the wording of the procedural rules that govern employment tribunals, which state that they 'may order any person in Great Britain to disclose documents or information'.

This was dismissed by Mr Justice Kerr sitting at the Employment Appeal Tribunal who, in a written judgment published today, said that 'a person may be taken to be 'in Great Britain' by virtue of that person taking in the litigation in Great Britain.'

The judge continued: 'It is unrealistic to argue that the bringing of a claim against a person located outside Great Britain notionally drags that person onto this island against his or her will by some kind of litigious magnetic force.

'The foreigner sued here but resident abroad does not choose to be sued and must react to the claim even if only to deny jurisdiction, or risk a default judgment.'

In 2018, the Metropolitan Police revealed that it was investigating an allegation of sexual assault against Weinstein in London (pictured in 2010, before allegations of sexual assault came to light), and several of his alleged victims are thought to be bringing their own cases against him in the UK

If the wording of the procedural rules was taken literally, Mr Justice Kerr said, the consequences would be 'unjust and near absurd'.

He added: 'In my judgment, the words "in Great Britain" must be taken to refer to the location of the employment tribunal making the disclosure order, not to the location of the person against whom the order is made.'

Having had his appeal rejected, Mr Sarnoff - who denies claims he helped Weinstein - will now be compelled to provide any evidence or information pertaining to the tribunal as it proceeds.

In 2018, the Metropolitan Police revealed that it was investigating an allegation of sexual assault against Weinstein in London, and several of his alleged victims are thought to be bringing their own cases against him in the UK.

After his sentencing earlier this year Jill Greenfield, a partner at London law firm Freshfisher, said she was representing six women in civil compensation claims against Weinstein.

The movie mogul's production company, Miramax, had offices in London.
A new whistleblower complaint alleges that Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, pictured with President Trump, and other top health officials ignored warnings in January and February about the need to prepare for a coronavirus outbreak. (Susan Walsh / Associated Press)

Top Trump administration health officials repeatedly ignored warnings in January and February about the need for masks and other protective equipment to prepare for a coronavirus outbreak, according to a detailed whistleblower complaint from a senior scientist ousted from his post last month.

The whistleblower complaint by Rick Bright, who was abruptly reassigned from his post overseeing drug and vaccine development at the federal Department of Health and Human Services, also says administration officials pressured him to back widespread use of anti-malaria drugs touted by President Trump as a treatment for the virus, even after Bright warned about possible health dangers.

The allegations shed new light on the Trump administration's disorganized and tardy response to the public health crisis, which has claimed more than 70,000 lives in the U.S. despite assurances by Trump and other senior officials earlier this year that the virus represented little threat to Americans.

Bright, who has a PhD in immunology, was involved in multiple meetings and discussions with senior White House and health officials in the first months of 2020, giving him a front-row seat to the administration response, including Trump's promotion of the anti-malaria drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine.

"I was pressured to let politics and cronyism drive decisions over the recommendations of the best scientists we have," Bright said in a conference call with reporters Tuesday. "Their eagerness to push blindly forward without scientific data to put this drug into the hands of Americans was alarming to me."

Bright was abruptly removed in April as head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, a research agency within the Health and Human Services Department that, among other duties, was overseeing research on coronavirus vaccines.

He contends that his reassignment to a lesser job at the National Institutes of Health was in retaliation for his repeated clashes with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Robert Kadlec, an Azar deputy with responsibility for overseeing public health preparedness. Kadlec, the assistant secretary for planning and readiness, oversaw Brights office.

Story continues

Bright's ouster was "retaliation, plain and simple," said Debra S. Katz, one of his lawyers. "They sidelined him and excluded him and ignored his very detailed advice."

His claims are detailed in a complaint seeking reinstatement to his post that was filed Tuesday with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, which oversees the protection of whistleblowers.

HHS political leadership leveled baseless criticisms against [Bright] for his proactive efforts to invest early in vaccine development as well as in critical supplies such as masks, respirators, and swabs, which were in short supply and would be necessary to combat COVID-19, the complaint says.

In response to questions, Health and Human Services spokeswoman Caitlin Oakley did not directly address Bright's allegations, saying in a statement Tuesday: "Dr. Bright was transferred to NIH to work on diagnostics testing  critical to combatting COVID-19  where he has been entrusted to spend upwards of $1 billion to advance that effort. We are deeply disappointed that he has not shown up to work on behalf of the American people and lead on this critical endeavor.

In addition to their sharp disagreements over coronavirus, Bright alleges in the complaint that he opposed moves by Kadlec to award contracts worth tens of millions of dollars to several small pharmaceutical companies represented by a friend of Kadlec's who was working as industry consultant.

In November, he opposed a $100-million proposal to fund an Ebola treatment developed "by a longtime friend of Dr. Kadlec" at Emory University in Atlanta and marketed by a small Miami-based firm called Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, according to the complaint. Last month, the consortium again sought Health and Human Services funding, claiming the drug showed promise against coronavirus, even though no human trials had been conducted, the complaint says.

Ridgeback and Emory did not return calls seeking comment.

The 89-page complaint documents repeated efforts by Bright in the first weeks of 2020 to urge Azar, Kadlec and other administration officials to quickly mobilize to secure masks and other protective equipment for the U.S. medical system to prepare for an outbreak of the virus here.

Widespread shortages of protective equipment for medical workers and testing supplies have persisted throughout the coronavirus outbreak, hampering the U.S. medical response and complicating current efforts to end stay-at-home orders across the country.

As early as Jan. 18, just days after coronavirus cases began to be recorded outside China, Bright pushed Kadlec to begin convening special disaster-planning meetings to coordinate a response across the federal government, according to the complaint.

Kadlec wrote back in an email cited in the complaint that he was not sure if that is a time sensitive urgency.

When Bright relayed warnings from mask manufacturers that they were having trouble getting through to U.S. government officials about the need to make production plans, he was similarly rebuffed, he said.

Even as senior health officials finally began to acknowledge the supply issues, Kadlec and others assured the White House in a Feb. 14 briefing that there were no immediate supply-chain issues, Bright's complaint alleges.

Bright also notes that his skepticism about the anti-malaria drugs touted by Trump antagonized senior administration officials.

In an apparent effort to score a short-term political victory for the Administration during the escalating health crisis," Kadlec's office "pressured BARDA to promote the malaria drug chloroquine," the complaint says.

Bright said he was ordered on March 23 by Health and Human Services general counsel Bob Charrow, in a directive from the White House, to drop everything and make the chloroquine donated by Bayer widely available to the American public.

Bayer had donated chloroquine to the government for use in treating coronavirus. The company got the drug from factories in India and Pakistan, and it was brought into the U.S. without inspection by the Food and Drug Administration, which concerned Bright, the complaint says.

On March 29, at Bright's urging, the FDA issued an authorization for chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, limiting its use by licensed healthcare providers to treat certain patients who could not otherwise participate in a randomized, controlled trial.

After Trump again touted hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19 during a White House news conference on April 4, Assistant Secretary for Health Brett Giroir instructed Kadlec and other federal officials to mobilize the nations supply chain to flood NY and NJ with treatment courses [of hydroxychloroquine], according to an email included in the complaint.

"Bright felt powerless to protect the public from this potentially toxic chemical that HHS, at President Trumps insistence, was touting as a safe treatment," the complaint notes.

Amid growing signs that hydroxychloraquine may endanger patients, The FDA has since issued a warning against the drug's use outside hospitals and other clinical settings.
Hungary should no longer be considered a democracy after an unprecedented consolidation of power by the European Union member's leader, according to an annual survey of countries that once lay behind the Iron Curtain.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban's dismantling of checks and balances over the past decade, including a decision to indefinitely rule by decree triggered by the coronavirus pandemic, pushed the nation into the "hybrid regime" category between democracies and autocracies, according to a report published Wednesday by Freedom House, a Washington D.C.-based rights group.

While Hungary posted the biggest decline since Freedom House started compiling its "Nations in Transit" report, it reflected a wider trend of weakening commitment to democracy across the 29 formerly communist countries.

"A growing number of leaders around the world have dropped even the pretense of playing by the rules of democracy," Freedom House researcher Zselyke Csaky wrote in the report. "They are openly attacking democratic institutions and attempting to do away with any remaining checks on their power."

Orban has dismissed criticism over the state of Hungary's democracy by saying that his changes were in line with the will of the people. He was re-elected for a third consecutive and fourth overall term in 2018.

He complained Monday that Hungary was the subject of "an unprecedented attack and disinformation campaign" over his actions in an open letter to fellow leaders of the European People's Party, the EU's largest political group.

"Anyone who doesn't conform to their liberal view, gets downgraded," Hungarian government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said on Twitter, referring to Freedom House. Without providing evidence, he also blamed Hungarian-born financier George Soros, whom Orban has demonized for promoting a liberal agenda, for allegedly influencing the report.

The number of countries classified as democracies fell to 10 from 15 a decade ago while hybrids like Hungary rose to 10 from three. Full-blown autocracies dropped to nine from 11. Freedom House, which is mostly funded by the U.S. government, gives each country a "democracy score" based on seven categories, including elections, corruption, judicial independence and media freedom.

Serbia and Montenegro, two nations hoping to join the EU in the future, joined Hungary this year in the "hybrid regime" category after its leaders "tipped those countries over the edge" after years of state capture and "strongman tactics," according to the watchdog.

Poland, another EU member, was downgraded to a "semi-consolidated democracy" from "consolidated democracy" after the ruling Law & Justice Party intensified attacks against courts, including persecuting individual judges.

Adding to pressure on the region's democratic institutions from Russia was the rising influence of China, which was less confrontational in style but also having an "insidious effect," Freedom House said.
The University of Cape Coast (UCC) has presented shopping vouchers to its international students who are still staying on campus as a result of the closure of Ghanas borders to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.



The students, numbering about twenty-six (26) also received items such as hand sanitizers, face masks, bags of sachet water among others to help them live comfortably on campus during the COVID-19 period.



Prof. Dora Edu-Buandoh, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University who made the presentation said the gesture was to help mitigate the hardships the students may be going through as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.



Many of the Universitys international students were unable to return to their home countries following the closure of the University and Ghanas airports to check the spread of the virus.



Our international students have been on campus since the President announced the closure of educational institutions in the Country and we are aware things have not been easy for them, she noted.



That is why we have taken steps to support them with the shopping vouchers and other protective items to ensure their health and safety, she added



Prof Edu-Buandoh advised the students to observe all the precautionary measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 to avoid contracting the disease.



You need to wash your hands with soap under running water frequently, use hand sanitizers when there is no water; maintain social distancing, and wear face masks she advised.



On academic work, Prof. Edu-Buandoh urged them to actively participate in lectures on the e-learning platform and also study the materials provided for their various courses.

Source: GNA









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[May 06, 2020] Satellite communications to be improved for Tonga's rural areas

Sydney, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just released, this edition of Paul Budde Communications focus report on Tonga outlines the major developments and key aspects in the telecoms markets.

Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Tonga-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses The rural areas of Tonga were to benefit from a 15-year agreement between Kacific Broadband Satellite and the Tongan government which would see additional bandwidth made available for around 89 remote communities and offer speeds similar to the large towns of Tonga. Satellite technology in particular is in widespread use across Tonga and plays an important part in giving the more remote areas access to communications services. Tonga is also reaping the benefits of being connected to an undersea high-speed fibre-optic cable. The cable was installed in 2013 and links Tonga to Fiji and onto Sydney. It was financed by a combination of funding from the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, the Tongan government and Tonga Cable - as part of the wider Pacific Regional Connectivity Program. This high-speed Internet access is providing Tonga with the ability to provide better health care services, reliable and faster connections for education and appropriate infrastructure for emerging e-commerce initiatives. Tonga is also heavily reliant on mobile technology. It has exhibited a strong mobile subscription growth in recent years. BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus in 2020 is having a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries. On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom servies, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth.



Key developments: At the end of 2018 a new 4G LTE network went live in Tonga.

Tonga Communications Corporation (TCC) reported a profit in 2017/2018.

In 2019/2020 an important telecoms development is occurring for Tonga with the launch of the Kacific-1 satellite.

Report includes assessment of the global impact of COVID-19 on the telecoms sector. Companies covered in this report include:

Tonga Communications Corporation (TCC); Tonga Digicel (formerly TonFon); Tonga Cable; Kacific Broadband Satellite; Asian Development Bank; The World Bank. Key statistics

Country overview

COVID-19 and its impact on the telecom sector Economic considerations and responses Mobile devices Subscribers Infrastructure Impact on Tonga

Telecommunications market Historical overview Market overview

Regulatory environment Historic overview Tonga Communications Corporation Act 2000 Introduction of sustainable competition Regulatory authority Department of Communications Privatisation of TCC

Fixed network operators Tonga Communications Corporation (TCC)

Telecommunications infrastructure National telecom network International infrastructure Satellite

Broadband access market Introduction and statistical overview Broadband statistics

Digital economy Introduction e-commerce e-Health e-Education

Mobile communications Market overview Mobile statistics Mobile broadband statistics Mobile infrastructure 3G 4G LTE Major mobile operators Mobile content and applications m-banking (payments/loans) Mobile handsets

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports List of Tables Table 1  Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Tonga - 2019

Table 2  Evolution of GDP in Tonga  2011  2020

Table 3  Tonga - fixed lines in service and tele-density  2006  2017

Table 4  Tonga  fixed broadband subscriptions and penetration  2009  2019

Table 5  Tonga  mobile subscriptions and penetration  2011  2019

Table 6  Tonga  Historic mobile subscribers  1998  2004

Table 7  Tonga  mobile broadband subscriptions and penetration  2013  2019 List of Charts Chart 1  Current mobile subscriber and mobile broadband penetration rates in countries to benefit from the Kacific-1 satellite

Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Tonga-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses Nicolas Bombourg [email protected] Within Australia (02) 8076 7665 Outside Australia +44 207 097 1241

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People wearing face masks stand outside the Selam Palace, a structure occupied by migrants, in La Romanina district, on the outskirts of Rome on April 7, 2020, amid the novel coronavirus' crisis (COVID-19). (Andreas Solaro/AFP via Getty Images)

Vatican Says Internal Migrants Should Have Same Rights as Refugees

ROMEThe Vatican says internal migrants should have the same legal protections as refugees and says their children should have the right to birth certificates, education, and to be reunited with their parents if separated.

The Vatican on May 5 published a booklet of pastoral guidelines to care for internally displaced people  migrants who are forced to flee their homes because of conflict, natural disasters, or persecution but dont cross international borders to seek asylum elsewhere.

More than 40 million people are believed to be displaced within their own countries.

Pope Francis has made the plight of refugees a hallmark of his papacy, calling for countries to welcome, protect, promote, and integrate anyone who is forced to leave their homes. The new guidelines apply that appeal to internal migrants and lay out ways the Catholic Church can help through advocacy, education, aid, and spiritual assistance.

The guidelines call for internal migrants to receive the same U.N.-sanctioned humanitarian protections as refugees, noting that the same forces, dangers, and vulnerabilities are at play.

It says the church should advocate for family reunifications when children are separated from their parents. To avoid new generations of stateless children, it calls for the church to press governments to issue birth certificates for children of internal migrants, and says the church itself can step in to issue its own forms of identification via school documents or baptismal certificates for Catholics.

Cardinal Michael Czerney, Franciss top adviser on migration, presented the new guidelines on May 5, noting they follow similar ones issued for the pastoral care of refugees and victims of human trafficking.

The key problem about internally displaced people is their invisibility, and that outside aid groups often have difficulty reaching them because of government restrictions on access inside their own borders, said Amaya Valcarcel, the international coordinator for the Jesuit Refugee Service.

By Nicole Winfield
Hilda Griggs, of Clementon, poses at home with some of her framed proclamations and accolades, including a proclamation from Congressman Donald Norcross. (Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

If you miss being with close family members during this coronavirus lockdown, you can probably relate to the loneliness that Hilda Griggs must have felt way back in 1943 when her five brothers all signed up with the military and left New Jersey to go overseas and fight in WWII. Needless to say, there was no such thing as teleconferencing, or cell phones, or personal computers.

Her remedy then was to go and join them, but there were obstacles.

"Living in New Jersey I had a lot of aunts and uncles and all of them would have been against what I was going to do," she recalled.

So Hilda enlisted across the river in Philadelphia and at the age of 21, she joined the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion which was the first and only all-Black Female unit to be deployed during the war.

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(Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

But there would be more challenges.

Her superiors in the unit didn't think the young, petite soldier would be tough enough to endure the rigors of remote training and deployment overseas, so they decided to keep her in the US.

"I went to the captain, which was in the office, but I had to get to the head of the captain." At first she was denied, the reason being the captain was too busy. "And I said 'You can't be too busy.' She couldn't believe that I came to her like that. Just like that after I saluted her, she decided I must be grown enough to tell her what to do. This is how she told me I was allowed to see the head captain."

That got her an audience with the 6888th's commander, Charity Adams, to plead her case that she was up to any challenge and she should be allowed to travel overseas with the unit. "We seemed to agree with each other and what topped it off was when I told her I had five brothers in the service" said Griggs.

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Provided 1943 file photo of Sgt. Hilda Griggs, who enlisted in the Women's Army Corps (WACs) on December 8, 1943, joining the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, which was the first and only all-Black Female unit to be deployed during the war. On her lapel is a hand-written note, "To Mother, Love Hilda"

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The first Negro WACs to arrive (on) the continent of Europe were 800 girls of the 6888th Central Postal Directory (Public Domain from the National Archives)

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A monument in Kansas honors the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. (Photo by Keith Pope.)

The women arrived in England on Valentine's' Day, Feb. 14, 1945, and were confronted with over a two-year backlog of mail in very large warehouses filled with mail bags from floor to ceiling. The buildings had poor lighting, were cold, damp, and rat-infested with broken windows.

The mail was stacked up a mile high but after a week you would get used to it," she said. "You could see where the mile high was coming down. I'm so glad because it made such a difference in their expression and their caring and their sharing.

The people treated us (in England) just like I was one of their children. Griggs continued, They were very good to us. They made sure we had enough to eat. And we did a lot of singing, dancing, flirting. It really turned out nice. Much better than I thought. "

The army gave the unit six months to clear the backlog. Working 24-hours a day in three eight-hour shifts, they cleared the backlog of nearly 18 million pieces of mail in just three months. The women sorted, repackaged and distributed 65,000 letters each eight-hour shift, 195,000 per day, 5.85 million monthly and nearly 18 million in 90 days.

The determination the feisty 21-year-old Hilda Griggs showed in challenging authority runs in the family.

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Marlene Griggs Warner, a nurse, cares for her Aunt, Sgt. Hilda Griggs. (Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Griggs now lives in the home of her niece, Marlene Griggs-Warner and her husband Errol M. Warner Jr, in Clementon. Marlene recalls hearing the story from her father, Joe, that when he found out his sister Hilda was now stationed in France where he was, he hoped to connect with her.

He told his superiors his baby sister was coming over to France and he wants to meet up with her," Griggs-Warner said. The commanding officer said he would only allow it if Joe Griggs could finish his assigned work first, and then he proceeded to continue piling on more and more work. Undaunted, Joe Griggs persisted.

He kept piling work on him and he got it done then the superior said, Well, You can go, Joe, and let him go," Griggs-Warner said.

The sibling reunion took Hilda by surprise.

When I first saw my brother I couldnt believe it, she recalls. It was just awesome. We were so happy to see each other, we didn't care how we looked or what we did.

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Maj. Lakisha Hale-Earle, right, chief of G1 plans and training for the U.S. Army Reserves 99th Readiness Division, pays tribute to former Sgt. Hilda P. Griggs during New Jerseys annual Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration Jan. 19, 2020 at the N.J. State Museum Auditorium in Trenton. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Sal Ottaviano)

This past January, Hilda Griggs was honored in a ceremony at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst as soldiers of the U.S. Army Reserve's 99th Readiness Division celebrated Black History Month.

The goal was to honor Sgt. Griggs and tell this virtually untold story about black history, womens history and American history, said Active Guard Reserve Maj. Lakisha Hale-Earle, who was instrumental in bringing Griggs to the 99th after having met her during a Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration in Trenton this past January.

It was amazing to see the rock star treatment she was getting," Hale-Earle said. "It took 75 years for the unit to be recognized for their efforts. It meant so much to me as a current black female service member to see one of my elders be honored. Its something she was very humble about. Its a testament to the type of woman she is. She comes from a really good, wholesome family.

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(Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Scroll below to see some more photos of Hilda Grigg and her awards.

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A framed Congressional Proclamation and a medal from the City of Camden honor Sgt. Hilda Griggs. (Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Military honors belonging to Sgt. Hilda Griggs. (Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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Somewhere in England, Maj. Charity E. Adams,...and Capt. Abbie N. Campbell,...inspect the first contingent of Negro members of the Women's Army Corps assigned to overseas service.(Public Domain from the National Archives)

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An Army Meritorious Unit Commendation awarded to Sgt. Hilda Griggs.

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An Army Meritorious Unit Commendation belonging to Sgt. Hilda Griggs.

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(Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

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A Congressional Proclamation honors Sgt. Hilda Griggs.

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An Army Meritorious Unit Commendation belonging to Sgt. Hilda Griggs

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Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Michael Mancuso may be reached at mmancuso@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @michaelmancuso. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Syracuse, N.Y.  After a seven-week moratorium for on-the-lot sales, you can go car shopping again in Central New York. But your trip to the dealership will look a little different than it did before the coronavirus pandemic.

Dealerships in Onondaga and Madison Counties were allowed to restart in-person sales this week, as long as they stick to a laundry list of new rules aimed at promoting social distancing.

For example, you cant open a vehicle without permission, and it must be sanitized before and after. You cant test drive the car along with a sales person. Familiar comforts like free coffee and bottled water are out of the question.

The New York State Automobile Dealers Association crafted a two-page list of policies dealerships need to obey if they want to reopen. Those policies went to Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, who shared them with Gov. Andrew Cuomos office. Cuomos office approved.

McMahon said the county will be regulating the partial reopening of dealerships. Dealers that break the rules will be fined, he said.

Each dealership has to appoint a compliance officer to make sure employees and customers are adhering to social distancing policies.

Roger Burdick, owner of Drivers Village, said his dealerships have emptied their showrooms and will only show vehicles in parking lots. The showroom cars offer a lot of surfaces people like to touch, so theyve been shuttered.

Other on-site services like food or coffee wont be allowed.

Test drives are allowed, but are tightly controlled. The car is cleaned before and after a test drive and the salesperson never gets inside.

So what it looks like is a little bit slower process, Burdick said. If they want to drive it theyve got to give us a few minutes to wipe down all the touch points, the signals, the console, the shifter, even the keys.

When it comes time to sign paperwork, customers and sales people will use separate pens. Everyone has to wear a mask. Employees will also wear gloves.

Burdick said it was a blessing that some of the restrictions on sales are being lifted. His salespeople have still been selling online and over the phone, but a lot of customers want to sit in a car or drive it before they make such a big-ticket purchase.

Itll keep our heads above water, he said. We expect to at least break even, or get really close to breaking even ... This is the breakthrough that we needed.

Heres a complete list of the guidelines developed by the local auto dealers associations and approved by the state and the county executive:

Surface Cleaning Protocols

 Surfaces in public areas are required to be cleaned thoroughly with products that meet the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) criteria for use against COVID-19.

 Public-area surfaces, particularly high touch surfaces, will be cleaned with increased frequency.

 Bathrooms must be cleaned regularly throughout the day.

 Bathrooms must be fully equipped at all times with proper disinfectant, paper towels (no cloth towels), or air-dry machines, etc.

Employee Safety Measures:

 Upon arrival at work, all employees will be asked if they are experiencing any new symptoms (coughing, sore throat, runny nose, etc.) and have their temperature taken using a digital thermometer, such as an infrared thermometer. Their temperature must be within the range of CDC guidelines for their age. Dealerships should maintain records about any employees temperature in a separate confidential, secure location to ensure compliance with privacy rules.

 Employees must maintain six feet distance from other persons at all times.

 Employees must wear a mask when interacting with any person in the dealership.

Facility Management:

 Signage in Customer Access Areas: Dealers must place health and proper hygiene reminders throughout the dealership areas where customers have access. The reminders will include information on the appropriate way to wear, handle, and dispose of masks. Dealers should also place the notices on their dealership internal monitors where possible.

 Furniture in public areas will also be removed or rearranged to meet social distancing requirements.

 Signage in Employee Work Areas (including locker rooms): Signs must remind employees of proper social distancing, face mask, protective glove-wearing, and hand-washing protocols.

 Food services are prohibited.

 Remove vehicles from the showroom where they prevent people from staying the minimum distance of 6-feet from others. Vehicles that remain in the showroom must be locked at all times and cannot be open for customer inspection. Dealers should only allow access to vehicles in the lot, outdoors, or in a secure cleaned area other than the showroom. Before and after any customers entry into a vehicle, it must be sanitized.

 Vehicles can be viewed on the lot but must be locked to prevent access.

 Dealers must designate an employee to monitor adherence to social distancing requirements and accommodate customers who request scheduled appointments.

 At vehicle sale/lease closing, dealers should use as large a room or space as necessary to maintain proper social distancing for the signing of documents. Dealers should use new or disposable pens for each transaction.

Customer Contact

 Signs will be placed in showrooms to remind customers and employees of social distancing protocols.

 As long as the Governors Executive Order regarding wearing face masks in public is in place, consumers who do not have a mask or acceptable face covering will not be permitted to enter the dealership unless the dealer supplies one at his or her option.

 Hand sanitizers are to be installed or located at the dealerships entrances and in multiple areas where consumers have access. Consumers should be allowed access to dealerships restroom to wash their hands if requested.

 Vehicles may only be accessed or test-driven upon request. Also, dealers must sanitize vehicles before and after customers enter them.

 Dealers should consider scheduling high-risk customers for a specific day or time of day.

MORE ON CORONAVIRUS

Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

Is going to school in person obsolete? Cuomo wonders why old model persists

Onondaga County just became the only place in NY where dealers can sell cars in-person

Almost half of Onondaga Countys coronavirus deaths are from nursing homes

Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com
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Survey reveals over 50% urban Indians maintain social distancing even at home, sleep and eat separately

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Chargesheet filed against foreign jamaatis, AU prof

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China accuses Pompeo of 'betraying Christianity with lies;' evangelical leaders respond

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Evangelical leaders have voiced support for Mike Pompeo after a nationalist tabloid controlled by the Chinese Communist Party accused the secretary of state of betraying Christianity with lies due to his suggestion that COVID-19 originated in a Chinese laboratory.

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, commented on the hypocrisy of Chinas attempt to pass judgment on Pompeos religious beliefs given its own restrictions on religious groups.

"What audacity for a regime that persecuted Christians so viciously to try and use the Bible to cover for their own lies, Rodriguez said in a statement to CP.

There is no bigotry like communist bigotry. China thinks that they can shutter churches, disappear pastors, and create an ever-present state of war with religion and then dole out advice to Christians. Well, here's some advice to the Communists: get your own house in order. This propaganda only demonstrates one thing: whatever Pompeo is doing is working, exactly as intended."

On Sunday, Pompeo asserted in an interview with ABC that there's "significant evidence" the novel coronavirus first infected a human in a biomedical laboratory in Wuhan, China  the epicenter of the outbreak.

When asked if China intentionally released that virus or if it was an accident in the lab, Pompeo replied: "I can't answer your question about that because the Chinese Communist Party has refused to cooperate with world health experts."

In response, China's state-owned Global Times newspaper argued in an editorial Monday that Pompeo, an outspoken Christian, is betraying Christianity by spreading lies or misleading the public regarding Chinas involvement in the COVID-19 outbreak.

[H]is lying for political purposes is contrary to his label as a so-called devout Christians, reads the editorial. It is widely known that Christian doctrine opposes lying - it's a sin. A false witness shall not go unpunished. And he that utters lies shall perish. From the Ten Commandments, the ninth says, You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Citing Pompeos groundless accusations, the editorial claims the former CIA director has brought shame to the evangelical Christians in the US, misusing their trust in the Republican party.

He is no doubt a degenerate politician and despicable from the perspective of religion."

Rev. Johnnie Moore, an evangelical leader and president of The Congress of Christian Leaders, said the CCP-affiliated attack is the clearest sign yet that China knows their game is up and they are getting desperate.

Actually, the CCP ought to be thanking God that Secretary Pompeo is as good a Christian as he is because theres a lot more the United States could do to hold them accountable tomorrow, Moore told The Christian Post.

Other pastors also came to Pompeo's defense.

Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, said that having personally met Pompeo, he believes the secretary of states faith is genuine and real.

Perhaps the Chinese government became angry with secretary Pompeo long ago because of his devoted efforts around the world to promote religious freedom, and to speak up for those being persecuted, especially within China, he said.

Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church, applauded Pompeo for the natural and transparent way he lives and communicates his faith strengthens his ability as a national and world leader.

Tim Clinton, president of the American Association of Christian Counselors, said Pompeo believes and practices his faith, adding that the attack from Chinese media will not cause him to back down one inch.

Last week, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom released a report recommending that the U.S. government again designate China as a country of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom Act.

USCIRF warned that "the state of religious freedom in China has continued to deteriorate" over the last year, with authorities using facial recognition and artificial intelligence to monitor religious minority groups.

The report cited Chinas continued persecution of Christians as well as the imprisonment of an estimated 900,000 to 1.8 million Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyzstans, and other Muslims held in more than 1,300 concentration camps in Xinjiang.

[China] cannot be compared to any other country in the world not only because of its inexcusable actions, but because of the way it aids and abets similar actions by other countries all around the world, said Moore.

Meanwhile, the international order, in pursuit of self-interest, continues to let China play by its own rules, and especially at the United Nations. This is absolutely inexcusable, and those nations around the world who ignore Chinas malevolence may eventually find themselves subservient to it. It is past time for our world bodies, and our liberal democracies, to demand more from China.
In this article GOOGL

France's President Emmanuel Macron (2nd L) and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) look at US President Donald Trump (front L) and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (front R) walking past them during a family photo as part of the NATO summit at the Grove hotel in Watford, northeast of London on December 4, 2019. Christian Hartman | AFP | Getty Images

Taxing tech giants has long divided policymakers, but disagreements with U.S. President Donald Trump could drive Europe to step up levies on companies like Google and Facebook, a lawmaker told CNBC. France, Austria and Italy are among the European countries that have implemented taxes on the tech companies at a national level, but there's been a failure at the European Union level to agree on a joint levy. The political and economic union of 27 countries failed to reach a consensus in March 2019, when four member states vetoed a common tax. At the time, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark and Finland said there should be a broader debate outside of Europe over a digital tax, before the EU implemented its own. However, criticism from the U.S. could push European countries to design an EU-wide digital tax, Paul Tang, a Dutch lawmaker at the European Parliament, told CNBC's Beyond the Valley podcast. "Trump will most likely unite Europe on this," Tang said. "We are already in a situation where the transatlantic relation is shaky."

The EU and the United States have clashed over trade, defense, foreign policy and much more since Trump's arrival in the Oval Office. "Taxation won't make this situation easier to put it mildly," Tang, from the Socialist group in the European Parliament, added, suggesting that the EU doesn't have much to lose from pursuing a digital tax, even if Trump opposes it, given the state of their relationship. The White House was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC Wednesday.

In the past, Trump has attacked European governments keen to make tech giants pay higher duties. He said in 2019 that France's digital tax was foolish and the "great American technology companies" should be taxed in their home country. Trump also started a trade spat with France and vowed to do the same with other European countries if they taxed U.S. tech firms more. The trade row has been put on hold while an international debate over digital tax takes place at the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). Tweet 1 "There is also a growing awareness in Europe that we need to act on our own, and Trump is forcing Europe to act on its own," Tang said. "This is not just in the area of trade and taxation, this is much broader." If there is no OECD agreement by the end of the year, tech giants will have to pay higher duties in some European nations, including in France, the U.K. and Italy. Meanwhile, the European Commission  the EU's executive arm  has also said that it will look to create a common EU digital tax if no OECD deal is forged.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 6)  After activating its Kindness Kitchen project in the wake of the Luzon-wide quarantine, McDonalds Philippines has given away nearly 200,000 free meals for COVID-19 frontliners.

Our philosophy is not just to do business, but more importantly to give back to the communities in which we serve, McDonald's president and CEO Kenneth Yang told CNN Philippines The Final Word on Wednesday.

The McDo Kindness Kitchen is a project of the Ronald McDonald House Charities, which initially targeted to provide 50,000 meals to the frontliners of the health crisis as well as the underprivileged communities.

McDonalds exceeded its initial target and has served over 100,000 meals as of April 4. It is set to reach the 200,000 mark by May 12, according to Yang.

The president of the popular fast food chain said they are able to extend food donations not just because of their own funding, but also those of corporate donors and individual partners.

Yang added that despite the severe impact of the quarantine to their business, McDonald's decided to continue paying the salaries and extend financial assistance to its employees.

They are also now gearing for the reopening of their stores once the enhanced community quarantine is lifted.

Were prepared for that," Yang declared. "Were looking forward to the re-opening."

He noted that there will be modifications in their operations in order to adhere to health and safety protocols to mitigate the spread of the virus.

Around 400 McDonalds stores are currently back in operations, although with limited channels such as delivery and drive-through.

Yang said they are also implementing a no-touch food delivery service to reduce the risk of infection.
China confident Indonesia will win the fight against COVID-19 soon: ambassador

JAKARTA, May 5 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government believes that Indonesia will win the fight against COVID-19 pandemic as soon as possible, Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia Xiao Qian said here on Tuesday.

"Under President Joko Widodo's strong leadership, the Indonesian government has implemented comprehensive policies and responded to the epidemic effectively," the ambassador said in a virtual press conference.

The Indonesian people, he said, had also shown a strong determination and conviction to overcome the epidemic.

"We sincerely appreciate the efforts, and strongly believe that Indonesia can certainly overcome the epidemic as soon as possible and restore normal economic and social order," Xiao said.

The Indonesian government, the diplomat also said, has shown "an open, transparent and responsible image" by actively engaging in international cooperation, providing equal protection to foreign nationals in the country, as well as providing facilities for diplomats and their family members.

Ambassador Xiao stressed that China will continue to provide support and assistance for Indonesia in dealing with the coronavirus.

As China and Indonesia are battling the COVID-19 outbreak, both offer sympathies and mutual support. In March, China sent the first wave of medical assistance to Indonesia. The equipment includes test kits, medical masks, protective clothing and ventilators.

Xiao said China would soon send a second batch of assistance to Indonesia in the near future. A number of provinces, cities and companies in China have planned to extend assistance to Indonesia.

As of Tuesday, Indonesia had confirmed more than 12,000 positive cases of COVID-19 across the country, while the death toll reached 872.
With consumers apprehensive about stepping out to buy smartphones, Vivo has introduced a new model to connect offline retailers with prospective customers. 'Vivo Smart Retail' will leverage the company's strong partner network of 30,000 Vivo brand ambassadors (VBAs) and 20,000 retailers to facilitate lead generation to purchase new devices.

"With our new retail model, we aim to assist our offline partners with business continuity. Through this solution, we aim to address the existing demand for smartphones across the country leveraging our vast offline network. Our VBAs will engage with customers through an SMS number, the company e-commerce website or Vivo India's Facebook page. Depending on the query, the VBA will pass on the lead to nearest Vivo retailer who shall address and solve the customer's requirement. The new model will comply with all government guidelines," says Nipun Marya, Director Brand Strategy, Vivo India.

Vivo has adopted this new model to enable business continuity for its pan-India retail network that will help consumers connect with retailers from the comfort of their homes. The SMS-based connectivity is already operational, while the other two platforms will be available to customers before May 12. The pilot shall be initiated in a phase-wise manner with the objective to be available pan India.

Since the nationwide lockdown announced in March, Vivo had mandated 100 per cent work from home for its employees deployed at the Gurgaon office and the production at manufacturing unit was also suspended. Vivo has not yet resumed manufacturing. "We are in touch with the district administration of Gautam Buddha Nagar. We still await clarity from them as the location falls under a red zone. We will start operations only once we get a go-ahead from the concerned authorities," clarifies Marya.

Vivo is positive that once the lockdown is lifted completely, the business will thrive again.

Vivo's current portfolio includes three product series. The Y series (Rs 8,000 to Rs 17,000), the S series (Rs 17,000 - Rs 20,000) and the V series (Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000). All models that are currently in circulation with offline partners shall come under this new program, and in a scenario that the retailer who has received the customer query doesn't have that particular device in stock, the lead then shall be passed on to the next retailer.

Continuing its support in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic, Vivo India has recently donated 15,000 PPE suits and 50,000 litres of sanitiser to the Central Government to ensure the safety of caregivers and healthcare professionals. The brand had earlier donated close to 9 lakh masks to state and central governments, police agencies and other municipal corporations.
An increase in public transport and roads patronage suggests Sydneysiders are slowly returning to work, according to Premier Gladys Berejiklian, who says the government is considering adding more services to the network as schools reopen.

Commuter numbers on NSW public transport have increased by 21 per cent since the initial lockdown. Credit:Natasha Rae

Patronage on public transport fell by more than 80 per cent through the first month of the COVID-19 shutdown, with the least amount of people on the network since the 1920s.

More recent toll and Opal data shows a 21 per cent increase in public transport use over the past month, and a 10 per cent jump on the roads since April 30, according to Transport for NSW.

Certainly the Opal data is telling us there has been an increase in activity of people using public transport and also in relation to tags on motorways we know there are more people driving, Ms Berejiklian said on Wednesday.
Water is a global resource which is essential for life on our planet, thus hydrological research and the study of its management has also become crucial work for the continuity of life on Earth. The availability of public data on water behavior such as data about river flow and rainfall are key for the research community in order to create a world water map. When drawing this map, the public and people who manage water resources on local scales also play important roles. By means of carrying out citizen science, they provide and verify data.

The research community works on this task with hydrological models, which are tools that enable them to represent processes in the hydrological cycle, and are able to obtain, for example, predictions about river flow using primarily rainfall data (though also other atmospheric variables such as temperature, solar radiation, land features and plant development can be used). These tools usually use a hydrological basin as a unit of measurement, with a basin being a unit of land whose water flows toward the same point.

Researcher Rafael Pimentel from the Fluvial Dynamics and Hydrology research group at the University of Cordoba, worked for two years at the Hydrology Unit of the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) where he participated in shaping the first global model on a basin scale. The model used was HYPE, a model designed in said unit for comprehensive water management in Sweden and previously used on a European scale.

The modelling process was challenging but feasible according to the research staff since it was applied to more than 130,000 basins that cover the world's land mass (except for Antarctica). The main challenge was compiling data and evaluating their quality, as well as calibrating the model, that being the process of testing the river flow model data and the observed data to assess whether or not the model was working properly. Due to the complexity of representing the great array of global hydrological processes, the model's performance varied. Generally speaking, the model provides good results, with an average value of over 0.4 in the Kling-Gupta Efficiency metric (KGE), which is an index used to quantify the goodness of a hydrological model which classifies models of 0.4 or more as good. The Eastern US, Europe, Japan and areas of Russia, Asia, Canada and South America were the areas with the best results, with KGE values of over 0.6, demonstrating a high potential for its use in performing seasonal forecasts of river flow in these areas. Using these weather data in a six-month period, it is possible to predict river flow data for the next six months. This prediction is quite useful for staff at reservoirs and hydroelectric power plants who could, with the help of these data, manage and plan their resources better and more precisely.

The challenge of scaling and quantifying the goodness of this model, in addition to verifying the geographical location of lakes, rivers and reservoirs so that it all coincides when scaling the model, was possible thanks to the amount of free access hydrological data that are available to the research community as well as to the general public, though the river flow data in this case was scarce in many areas. This shows how open access and shared knowledge helps hydrology progress. Nevertheless, there is a lack of information, especially regarding river flow, in many areas of the world with which to carry out this verification. Thus, the idea of creating a network of collaborative science has been proposed. Using this network, researchers, managers, consultants and students working in these areas with hydrological information on a local scale could assess the model in those areas. The corresponding part of the model would be provided to those interested, with the idea of working together to verify and adjust the model by means of workshops during which the locals would give their feedback. In this way, the model's representation of reality on a global scale would improve.

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A government scientist says he was ousted from his position after raising concerns that the Trump administration wanted to flood coronavirus hot spots like New York and New Jersey with a malaria drug that President Donald Trump was pushing despite scant scientific evidence it helped.

Rick Bright, former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, filed the complaint Tuesday with the Office of Special Counsel, a government agency responsible for whistleblower complaints. He alleges he was reassigned to a lesser role because he resisted political pressure to allow widespread use of hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug favored by Trump.

Bright alleges in the complaint that political appointees at the Department of Health and Human Services had tried to promote hydroxychloroquine as a panacea. The officials also demanded that New York and New Jersey be flooded with these drugs, which were imported from factories in Pakistan and India that had not been inspected by the FDA, the complaint says.

But Bright opposed broad use of the drug, arguing the scientific evidence wasnt there to back up its use in coronavirus patients. He felt an urgent need to tell the public that there wasnt enough scientific evidence to support using the drugs for COVID-19 patients, the complaint states.

Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned doctors against prescribing the drug except in hospitals and research studies. In an alert, regulators flagged reports of sometimes fatal heart side effects among coronavirus patients taking hydroxychloroquine or the related drug chloroquine.

The decades-old drugs, also prescribed for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, can cause a number of side effects, including heart rhythm problems, severely low blood pressure and muscle or nerve damage.

(Image Credit: AP)
~ Phase 3 LOGICS Study of RECORLEV (levoketoconazole) Reaches 41 of 42 Targeted Study Participants Completing the Randomized Withdrawal Phase; One Additional Patient Currently in the Randomized Withdrawal Phase and One Other Patient Scheduled to be Randomized Imminently ~



~ LOGICS Enrollment to Close on or Before May 14, 2020; Company Expects to Report Top-Line LOGICS Results During the Third Quarter of 2020 ~

~ Reports KEVEYIS (dichlorphenamide) First Quarter 2020 Revenue of $6.7 Million, a 54 Percent Increase Compared to $4.3 Million During First Quarter of 2019 ~

~ Adjusts its Full-Year KEVEYIS Revenue Guidance Range for 2020 to $22 Million to $26 Million Due to Uncertainties Surrounding the Duration and Potential Business Impact of the COVID-19 Global Pandemic ~

~ Reiterates Guidance that the Company Has Sufficient Cash On-Hand to Fund Operations Through the Third Quarter of 2021 ~

~ Strongbridge to Host Conference Call Today at 8:30 am ET ~

DUBLIN, Ireland and TREVOSE, Pa., May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Strongbridge Biopharma plc, (SBBP), a global commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of therapies for rare diseases with significant unmet needs, today reported financial results for the first quarter of 2020 and provided a corporate update.

As an organization, our collective thoughts are with the individuals and their loved ones directly impacted by the COVID-19 global pandemic, as well as the healthcare professionals and first responders who are bravely serving on the frontlines. We would also like to thank all of those in the scientific and medical communities working toward developing COVID-19 vaccines and treatments for their efforts in responding to this global health emergency. As the situation evolves, our primary focus will remain on the health and safety of our employees and the patient and physician communities that we serve, said John H. Johnson, executive chairman of Strongbridge Biopharma. I would like to thank our global clinical development, medical affairs, quality and regulatory teams for their hard work on the Phase 3 LOGICS study. We are very pleased with the high study participant completion rate in the LOGICS trial and look forward to closing enrollment  an important milestone that brings us closer to the possibility of bringing this next-generation treatment to people with endogenous Cushings syndrome. I am delighted by the progress our extended team has made in keeping the trial on track during these unprecedented and challenging times.

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Johnson added, We had an excellent start to the year with KEVEYIS, with that momentum continuing through April  our highest month of revenue ever for the product. These strong revenue results can be attributed to a combination of improved discontinuation rates and a steady flow of new patient starts. However, during the past six to eight weeks since COVID-19 stay-at-home orders were implemented nationally, we have been experiencing a reduction in new patient starts, which we believe can be attributed to limitations in our field teams ability to meet in-person with prescribers, a reduction in patient visits with doctors, and patient reluctance to try new medicines. Therefore, we have decided to adjust our KEVEYIS revenue guidance. Despite the potential KEVEYIS revenue reduction, we remain confident that off-setting expense savings will allow us to sustain our ability to fund operations through the third quarter of 2021.

We are especially pleased with the progress made in the LOGICS trial during this difficult time. LOGICS has 41 of 42 targeted completers, with one more participant in the randomized withdrawal phase and one participant scheduled to be randomized. We anticipate reporting top-line results from the LOGICS study during the third quarter of 2020. Our ability to reach these milestones during the COVID-19 pandemic is in large part due to innovative measures that we have undertaken in partnership with our global clinical trial sites. Measures such as home health visits, special transportation arrangements, telemedicine, direct-to-patient drug supply delivery, and regulatory authority-sanctioned protocol and monitoring flexibility are proving to be instrumental in facilitating timely completion of the study, said Fredric Cohen, M.D., chief medical officer of Strongbridge Biopharma. On behalf of Strongbridge, we would like to thank all of the stakeholders who have been integral to our RECORLEV clinical development program  our employees, the Phase 3 LOGICS and OPTICS study participants and research staff, our contract research organizations, and our vendor partners  for working together during this global crisis to mitigate potential disruption or delays to our research efforts.

Corporate & Financial Highlights

Rare Endocrine Franchise: RECORLEV (levoketoconazole)

The Phase 3 LOGICS study of RECORLEV in endogenous Cushings syndrome now has 41 of 42 study participants who have completed the randomized withdrawal phase, which includes the primary endpoint of the study. We expect to have a total of 42 or more study participants complete randomized withdrawal, as one additional patient is currently in the randomized withdrawal phase and another is in the titration maintenance phase, scheduled to enroll (randomize) imminently.

The enrollment window will close on or before May 14, 2020 to provide for the potential enrollment of the patient who is currently in the titration and maintenance phase of the study.

The Company anticipates that it will report top-line results from the LOGICS study during the third quarter of 2020.

The Company continues to anticipate submitting a New Drug Application (NDA) for RECORLEV to the FDA approximately six months after reporting top-line LOGICS results.

The Company has sufficient supply of RECORLEV on-hand to account for all study participants in LOGICS.

Rare Neuromuscular Franchise: KEVEYIS (dichlorphenamide)

The Company achieved KEVEYIS net product sales of $6.7 million for the first quarter ended March 31, 2020, in-line with its original expectations, and representing a 54 percent increase over first quarter 2019 revenue of $4.3 million. The Company also met its budget for KEVEYIS revenue for April 2020 and this represents the highest month of revenue in KEVEYIS history.

First quarter and April 2020 performance is attributed to the growth in patients on drug, which was at an all-time high in the first quarter of 2020, combined with recent low discontinuation rates for existing patients on therapy. Our patient services team is working closely with existing patients to minimize any interruptions or unnecessary discontinuations with therapy.

The Company has observed a recent reduction in new patient starts, which it believes has been driven by decreased interactions among patients and the medical community as a consequence of social distancing measures required due to COVID-19, and reduced in-person interaction between the Companys field team and the medical community since our field team is working remotely.

Due to uncertainties related to the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic, the Company has adjusted KEVEYIS full-year revenue guidance for 2020 to $22 million to $26 million.

The Company has an adequate supply of KEVEYIS on-hand to cover existing patients for approximately two and a half years and does not anticipate any disruption in the manufacturing process related to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Corporate

All Strongbridge employees are working remotely, which will continue until further notice in accordance with federal, state and local guidance.

Strongbridge has committed to supporting national COVID-19 relief efforts, including making a charitable contribution to the American Nurses Associations COVID-19 Response Fund.

Strongbridge had approximately $63 million of cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities, and no debt outstanding as of March 31, 2020.

The Company continues to expect that it can fund operations through the third quarter of 2021, at least one-year following anticipated receipt of LOGICS top-line results.

First Quarter 2020 Financial Results

The Company net revenue from sales of KEVEYIS increased $2.3 million or 54 percent from $4.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019 to $6.7 million. The Company recorded cost of goods sold of $1.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, compared to cost of goods sold of $0.8 million for the same period in 2019. Our gross margins were 85 percent for three months ended March 31, 2020, compared to gross margins of 81 percent for the same period in 2019.

Selling, general and administrative expenses were $10.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, compared to $12.1 million for the same period in 2019. The decrease during the current period was due to reduction of third-party expenses and personnel costs.

Research and development expenses were $7.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, compared to $6.6 million for the same period in 2019. The increase during the 2020 period was primarily due to expenses related to the RECORLEV LOGICS clinical trial and other RECORLEV development activities.

For the three months ended March 31, 2020, basic net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders on a GAAP basis was ($12.7 million), or ($0.23) per share, compared to a basic net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders of ($18.4) million, or ($0.34) per share, for the same period in 2019. Net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was lower than the same period in 2019 primarily due to increase in KEVEYIS revenue of $2.3 million. In addition, selling, general, and administrative expenses during the three months ended March 31, 2020 were lower compared to the same period in 2019, due to lower third-party costs in the current period and reduced personnel costs. We also had an unrealized gain of $0.6 million on the fair value of warrants recorded in 2020, compared to an unrealized loss of $1.8 million in 2019.

For the three months ended March 31, 2020, non-GAAP basic net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders was ($10.3 million), or ($0.19) per share, compared to a non-GAAP basic net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders of ($13.0 million), or ($0.25) per share, for the same period in 2019. The decrease in non-GAAP net loss during the three months ended March 31, 2020 was primarily due to an increase in KEVEYIS revenue of $2.3 million. In addition, selling, general, and administrative expenses during the three months ended March 31, 2020 were lower compared to the same period in 2019, due to lower third-party costs in the current period and reduced personnel costs.





STRONGBRIDGE BIOPHARMA plc Select Consolidated Balance Sheet Information (unaudited) (in thousands, except share and per share data) March 31,

December 31, 2020

2019 Consolidated Balance Sheet Data: Cash and cash equivalents $ 56,554 $ 57,032 Marketable securities 6,293 21,072 Total assets 101,060 117,638 Total liabilities 39,881 45,447 Total stockholders equity 61,179 72,191





STRONGBRIDGE BIOPHARMA plc Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss (unaudited) (in thousands, except share and per share data) Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 Consolidated Statement of Operations Data: Revenues: Net product sales $ 6,663 $ 4,333 Royalty revenue 11 10 Total revenues 6,674 4,343 Cost and expenses: Cost of sales (excluding amortization of intangible asset) $ 969 $ 813 Selling, general and administrative 10,403 12,100 Research and development 7,552 6,583 Amortization of intangible asset 1,256 1,256 Total cost and expenses 20,180 20,752 Operating loss (13,506) (16,409) Other income (expense), net: Unrealized gain (loss) on fair value of warrants 580 (1,820) Income from field services agreement  2,016 Expense from field services agreement  (2,229) Other income, net 228 685 Total other income (expense), net 808 (1,348) Loss before income taxes (12,698) (17,757) Income tax expense  (677) Net loss $ (12,698) $ (18,434) Other comprehensive income Unrealized gain on marketable securities 3  Comprehensive loss $ (12,695) $ (18,434) Net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders: Basic $ (12,698) $ (18,434) Diluted $ (13,278) $ (18,434) Net loss per share attributable to ordinary shareholders: Basic $ (0.23) $ (0.34) Diluted $ (0.24) $ (0.34) Weighted-average shares used in computing net loss per share attributable to ordinary shareholders: Basic 54,231,024 54,155,034 Diluted 54,444,681 54,155,034





STRONGBRIDGE BIOPHARMA plc Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures (unaudited) (in thousands, except share and per share data) Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 Operating loss Loss before income taxes Net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders Net loss per share attributable to ordinary shareholders GAAP $ (13,506 ) $ (12,698 ) $ (12,698 ) $ (0.23 ) Non-GAAP Adjustments: Amortization of intangible assets (a) $ 1,256 $ 1,256 $ 1,256 Stock-based compensation - Research & Development (b) $ 481 $ 481 $ 481 Stock-based compensation - Selling, General & Admin. (b) $ 1,270 $ 1,270 $ 1,270 Unrealized gain on fair value of warrants (c)  $ (580) $ (580) Adjusted $ (10,499 ) $ (10,271 ) $ (10,271 ) $ (0.19 ) Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 Operating loss Loss before income taxes Net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders Net loss per share attributable to ordinary shareholders GAAP $ (16,409 ) $ (17,757 ) $ (18,434 ) $ (0.34 ) Non-GAAP Adjustments: Amortization of intangible asset (a) $ 1,256 $ 1,256 $ 1,256 Stock-based compensation - Research & Development (b) $ 512 $ 512 $ 512 Stock-based compensation - Selling, General & Admin. (b) $ 1,811 $ 1,811 $ 1,811 Unrealized loss on fair value of warrants (c)  $ 1,820 $ 1,820 Adjusted $ (12,830 ) $ (12,358 ) $ (13,035 ) $ (0.25 )





(a) The effects of amortization of the intangible asset are excluded because these charges are non-cash, and we believe such exclusion facilitates investors ability to more accurately compare our operating results to those of our peer companies. (b) The effects of non-cash employee stock-based compensation are excluded because of varying available valuation methodologies and subjective assumptions. We believe this is a useful measure for investors because such exclusion facilitates comparison to peer companies who also provide similar non-GAAP disclosures and is reflective of how management internally manages the business. (c) The unrealized gain (loss) on fair value of warrants are excluded due to the nature of this charge, which is non-cash and related primarily to the effect of changes in the companys stock price at a point in time. We believe such exclusion facilitates investors ability to more accurately compare our operating results to those of our peer companies.

Conference Call Details

Strongbridge will host a conference call on Wednesday, May 6 at 8:30 a.m. ET. To access the live call, dial 844-285-7153 (domestic) or 478-219-0180 (international) with conference ID 5286566. The conference call will also be audio webcast from the Companys website at www.strongbridgebio.com under the Investor/Webcasts and Presentations section. A replay of the call will be made available for one week following the conference call. To hear a replay of the call, dial 855-859-2056 (domestic) or 404-537-3406 (international) with conference ID 5286566.

About Strongbridge Biopharma

Strongbridge Biopharma is a global commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of therapies for rare diseases with significant unmet needs. Strongbridges rare endocrine franchise includes RECORLEV (levoketoconazole), a cortisol synthesis inhibitor currently being studied in Phase 3 clinical studies for the treatment of endogenous Cushings syndrome, and veldoreotide extended release, a pre-clinical next-generation somatostatin analog being investigated for the treatment of acromegaly and potential additional applications in other conditions amenable to somatostatin receptor activation. Both RECORLEV and veldoreotide have received orphan drug designation from the FDA and the European Medicines Agency. The Companys rare neuromuscular franchise includes KEVEYIS (dichlorphenamide), the first and only FDA-approved treatment for hyperkalemic, hypokalemic, and related variants of primary periodic paralysis. KEVEYIS has orphan drug exclusivity in the United States.

About KEVEYIS

KEVEYIS (dichlorphenamide) is indicated for the treatment of primary hyperkalemic periodic paralysis, primary hypokalemic periodic paralysis, and related variants. In clinical studies, the most common side effects of KEVEYIS were a numbness or tingling, difficulty thinking and paying attention, changes in taste, and confusion. These are not all of the possible side effects that you may experience with KEVEYIS. Talk to your doctor if you have any symptoms that bother you or do not go away. You are encouraged to report side effects to Strongbridge Biopharma at 1-855-324-8912, or to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or visit www.fda.gov/medwatch . For additional KEVEYIS important safety information and the full prescribing information visit www.keveyis.com .

About RECORLEV

RECORLEV (levoketoconazole) is an investigational cortisol synthesis inhibitor in development for the treatment of patients with endogenous Cushings syndrome, a rare but serious and potentially lethal endocrine disease caused by chronic elevated cortisol exposure. RECORLEV is the pure 2S,4R enantiomer of ketoconazole, a steroidogenesis inhibitor. RECORLEV is believed to significantly suppress serum cortisol in healthy subjects and has the potential to be a next-generation cortisol inhibitor.

The Phase 3 program for RECORLEV consists of SONICS and LOGICS: two multinational studies designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of RECORLEV when used to treat endogenous Cushings syndrome. The SONICS study met its primary and secondary endpoints, demonstrating a statistically significant normalization rate of urinary free cortisol at six months. The ongoing LOGICS study is a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized-withdrawal study of RECORLEV that is designed to supplement the long-term efficacy and safety information supplied by SONICS.



RECORLEV has received orphan drug designation from the FDA and the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of endogenous Cushing's syndrome.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. The words anticipate, estimate, expect, intend, may, plan, potential, project, target, will, would, or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, contained in this press release, are forward-looking statements, including statements related to the Companys 2020 revenue guidance, expected cash runway, future cash balances, the potential advantages of RECORLEV, status of clinical trials, the anticipated timing for completion of enrollment and the release of top-line data from the LOGICS study and the submission of an NDA for RECORLEV to the FDA, the anticipated effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on our business, operating results and financial condition, Strongbridges strategy, plans, status and results of clinical trials, outcomes of product development efforts and objectives of management for future operations. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in such statement, including risks and uncertainties associated with clinical development and the regulatory approval process, the reproducibility of any reported results showing the benefits of RECORLEV, the adoption of RECORLEV by physicians, if approved, as treatment for any disease and the emergence of unexpected adverse events following regulatory approval and use of the product by patients. Additional risks and uncertainties relating to Strongbridge and its business can be found under the heading Risk Factors in Strongbridges Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and subsequent filings with the SEC. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections and are not guarantees of future performance or development and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and Strongbridge Biopharma does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.

Contacts:

Corporate and Media Relations

Elixir Health Public Relations

Lindsay Rocco

+1 862-596-1304

lrocco@elixirhealthpr.com
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (centre) talks with representative from the business community at a dialogue held in 2019 (Photo: tuoitre.vn)

The event, which will be carried out online and broadcast live on Vietnam Television (VTV), aims to address businesses concerns, boost production and restart the economy in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) is tasked with working with the Government Office, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), and relevant agencies to organise the event.

The MPI is responsible for receiving proposals from enterprises as well as participants. Based on the conclusions of the dialogue, the Government will issue a plan of actions detailing measures to restart the economy.

Dialogues with businesses have been held annually by the Prime Minister from the beginning of his term and the May 9 event is the fourth dialogue with businesses since PM Phuc took office in 2016.
(Newser)  The enigmatic co-founder of one of the most influential groups in music history has died. Florian Schneider, who founded Kraftwerk with Ralf Hutter in Dusseldorf 50 years ago, died of cancer last week, a musical collaborator confirms to the Guardian. Schneider was 73. The group pioneered electronic music and inspired legions of artists in genres including synthpop, hip-hop, and rock, Billboard reports. Schneider, who met Hutter while they were classical music students taking part in the German experimental music scene, played flute, violin, guitar, and a wide variety of synthesizers, some of them custom-made. He also filed patents for an electronic drum kit and the band's "Robovox" synth-vocal processor, Pitchfork reports.

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Kraftwerk released its first album in 1971 and gained international fame with a series of hit albums later in the decade, starting with 1974's Autobahn. The group was a major influence on artists including David Bowie, who named the track "V-2 Schneider" on his Heroes album after Schneider, the BBC reports. Schneider left Kraftwerk in 2008. "To say he was massively influential and changed the very sound of music, is somehow still a understatement," says film director Edgar Wright. Other artists paying tribute include Spandau Ballet's Gary Kemp, who says Schneider forged "a new Metropolis of music for us all to live in." (Read more obituary stories.)
Self-proclaimed Kenyas number 1 hypeman, Davidson Ngibuini aka DNG, has once again been accused of being a serial womanizer.

The Switch TV presenter and his girlfriend Fionah James have since parted ways after it emerged that DNG has been having an affair with one Toto Ray. In a video shared last week, Toto Ray disclosed that she was in a romantic relationship with the radio presenter without knowing he had a girlfriend.

She also claimed that DNG leaked her nudes on Telegram. My name is Ray, the reason as to why Im doing this video is to address the misunderstanding of me being labeled as sidechick in relation to DNG. This whole story started when DNG slid into my DM, telling me how beautiful I was, we chit-chatted and after a while we established some chemistry.

Toto Ray continued: He then asked me out for a date which I was to know him better, from there on, one thing led to the other. I actually believed when he told me he was single so I gave in into his advances. I believed he was into me, so I could not perceive the notion that he likes the opposite gender. After getting wind of this I had to cut off this thing completely. After breaking up he decided to slander me by sharing some of my intimate videos and photos on Telegram. This was very unethical form a guy you shared a connection. My cry for help is for the cyber bullying I have been receiving for the last one week, and some guys reaching to ask how much I charge to hook up with me. I really hope you all ladies shame men who do that without your consent.

Fast forward to a few days after Totos allegations, Fionah James has confirmed that she has broken up with DNG.

In interaction with her followers on social media, Fionah was asked what happened between her and the media personality, to which she alluded that DNG belongs to the streets.

Your boyfriend DNG, what happened? You even deleted your Sirname Ngibuini? posed the fan.

Fionah wrote: Weeeh I dont deal na simu za jamii.

She also told another fan that she is very single.

Another fan wondered what Fionah would tell her in-laws having been introduced to DNGs family.

Fionah clapped back: So what?? Kwani ni wetu? Am sure he is smart enough atajua what to tell them. Am not the only girl amepelekwa uko neither will I be the last tuko wengi.

The 34-year-old hypeman and Fionah made their relationship public in 2018.

This is not the first time DNG is being accused of having an insatiable thirst for the ladies.

Read: Fisi Alert! Kenyan Ladies Expose DnG For Being Too Thirsty
An Indian team, that has designed an app to help individuals to evaluate their symptoms of COVID-19 and connect them with medical professionals, is among the three groups chosen for this year's edition of IBM's Call for Code challenge.

Call for Code is a global initiative for developers to solve pressing global problems with sustainable software solutions. While the focus of this year's competition was on addressing climate change, IBM decided to add tech solutions for addressing the COVID-19 crisis as well.

IBM said it recognised the urgency to act, so it created an accelerated timeline for the Call for Code COVID-19 track. Three solutions - Are you Well? (Indian team), COVID Impact (global team that came together at the University of British Columbia) and Safe Queue (created by a developer in Los Angeles) - were chosen.

The Indian team comprised Deepak Goyal, Chandresh Tiwari, Hitesh Choudhary, Manoj Gupta and Yogesh Kumar and the four work with Altran, which is now a part of IT firm Capgemini.

The team has worked on building a comprehensive medical assistance system that could reduce the stress on over-taxed medical systems.

The app is designed to help individuals evaluate their symptoms, aided by IBM Watson Assistant. It then leverages a global dashboard that assigns cases a high, medium or low level of risk based on thresholds set by healthcare providers.

The system allows them to connect them with medical professionals who could use the data to prioritise cases and offer care in a safer manner.

One of the team members, Deepak Goyal said the solution helps the entire society.

"Starting with the user, it's a system to get hooked to a medical infrastructure which is not actually in the hospital, because the hospitals can't take care of everybody at this moment. But it gives them a feeling that the wellness of the people is taken care of," he said.

He added that the solution also helps medical teams because it gives them the power to take care of more people in less time. "It helps them expand their work without being overworked. It takes care of augmenting and expanding the medical infrastructure," he said.

Yogesh Kumar, another team member, noted that the solution uses Watson Assistant chatbots on the backend that helped the team speed up the process.

Gaurav Sharma, Vice President at IBM Cloud and Cognitive Software (IBM SW Labs, Global GSI Partnerships & IBM Cloud Paks AP) said countries globally are facing unprecedented challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic and to address some of these challenges, IBM expanded the scope of Call for Code 2020 to include COVID-19 as a separate track.

"The intent was to urge the global developer community to leverage their creativity, collective skills and open source technologies to respond to some of these pressing challenges. I'm excited that one of the winning solutions is from India, which is home to one of the largest growing developer population in the world," he added.

Since 2018, the Call for Code Global Challenge has grown to over 3,00,000 developers and problem solvers across 168 countries who have participated.

The 'COVID Impact' solution was created by a global team that came together at the University of British Columbia, hailing from Canada, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, and Mexico.

The predictive assessment tool aims to reduce the financial impact of COVID-19 on small businesses. It offers a curated list of federal resources for small businesses, and a real-time feed of sentiment-analysis evaluated articles.

The solution also offers an economic impact heatmap that visualises where need is greatest, which can help officials direct business aid to specific regions or industries.

The third solution chosen was Safe Queue. Created by a single developer in Los Angeles, the solution is a community-driven mobile app that is intended to replace physical lines at shopping centres, small businesses, and polling places with on-demand virtual lines to enable a safer way to manage entry during COVID-19.

It uses GPS location data to create a virtual queue of those within 1,000 feet of a location, allowing employees to control the queue digitally, and validating entry with a randomly generated QR code for each customer.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ninja Van, a Singapore-based logistics startup, has secured an additional $279 million in fresh funding as it works to scale its operations to keep up with the surge in e-commerce deliveries in six Southeast Asian countries.

Europes GeoPost, Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverins B Capital Group, Monks Hill Ventures, Carmenta, Golden Gate Ventures Growth Fund, Intouch Holding, Grab, and two sovereign wealth funds put money in the six-year old startups Series D financing round.

The startup, which has raised about $400 million to date, did not disclose its valuation -- but an analysis of an early tranche of this round coupled with todays announcement suggests that Ninja Van is now valued at about $750 million.

Ninja Van claims it delivers more than a million packages across Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. It works with several major e-commerce firms including Shopee, Alibabas Lazada, Indonesias Tokopedia.

In a statement, Ninja Van said it planned to use the fresh capital to make further inroads into the business-to-business sector, while also growing its other existing services.
In a major relief to all Markaz attendees who have been in quarantine for over 35 days, the Delhi government on Thursday, ordered the release of 4000 Tablighi Jamaat members who have completed quarantine, according to PTI. Moreover, it ordered sending all those members who have been named in the Delhi police investigation to police custody. Remaining members are going to be sent back to their home state, as ordered by the Delhi government.

Tablighi chief Maulana Saad says 'co-operating with investigation', releases statement

Delhi govt orders release of 4000 Markaz attendees

Delhi govt orders release of 4,000 Tablighi Jamaat members who have completed their required quarantine period in centres: Sources  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 6, 2020

All Tablighi members who are named and needed in investigation in Markaz incident to be sent to Delhi Police custody: Delhi govt  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 6, 2020

Tablighi members not needed in probe in Markaz case to be sent back to their home states: Sources  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 6, 2020

Tablighi Chief Maulana Saad urges Markaz attendees to 'co-operate with COVID authorities'

Markaz attendees in quarantine

Since the discovery of the Markaz cluster, all the attendees were evacuated and sent to institutional quarantine centres on March 30 in Delhi. While several attendees who had returned to their home states have been released from their respective quarantine centres after testing negative consecutively twice, those who were lodged in Delhi's quarantine centres were not released, as per reports. The Centre has stated that nearly 30% of India's COVID-19 cases were related to the cluster, while CM Kejriwal had appealed Markaz attendees to donate plasma, stating 'Blood sees no religion'.

Finance Ministry extends annual filing of GST till September 30 amid Coronavirus lockdown

What is the Nizamuddin COVID-19 scare?

On March 30, sources reported that a religious programme was organised at Tablighi Jamaat's headquarters Markaz Nizamuddin mosque between 13-15 March which had over 3400 attendees from Malaysia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and Kyrgyzstan and from several states in India. After attending the meeting, prior to the nationwide lockdown, 1500 of these attendees returned to several parts of the country, possibly spreading the COVID-19 virus. The mosque has claimed that while they were letting small groups of attendees leave from the venue prior to the Janta Curfew, several were stuck in the area owing to the nationwide lockdown. All 2631 occupants have been evacuated and the building has been sanitised. The Delhi Crime Branch which has booked the Markaz chief Maulana Saad for violating lockdown, who is still in self-isolation but aiding with the police investigation.

Delhi Police issue 4th notice to Maulana Saad, ask him to get tested for COVID in govt lab
You can believe whomever you choose in the alleged sexual-misconduct cases of Joe Biden and Brett Kavanaugh, but you cant revise history to erase your partisan double standards.

One of the most egregious examples of revisionism can be found in a column by the New York Times Michelle Goldberg, who employs nearly every attack Americans were warned never to use against alleged sexual-assault victims during the Kavanaugh hearings  questioning their motivations, asking why they didnt file charges, attacking them for not remembering specifics, etc. And yet, even if we adopt Goldbergs new standards, Tara Reade still emerges as a more credible accuser than Christine Blasey Ford.

For starters, Ford was unable to offer a time or place or a single contemporaneous corroborating witness. Ford offered no evidence that she even knew Kavanaugh. Reade worked for Joe Biden. Reade has offered a specific time and place for the attack.

Goldberg contends that Fords case against Kavanaugh was bolstered by four sworn affidavits from witnesses whom shed told that shed been assaulted.

This is an especially misleading comparison since the charges against Kavanaugh, unlike the ones against Biden, were investigated by the FBI. The question is how many affidavits would there be in support of Reades allegations if there were an official inquiry into her claims  and one conducted by the authorities, not an unbiased, apolitical panel, put together by the D.N.C., as Goldbergs newspaper desires?

There are already reportedly at least four people on the record who maintain Reade told them about the Biden incident, including her mother, who reportedly called in to Larry King Live in 1993, right after the alleged sexual assault took place, looking for advice; her neighbor, who claims that Reade told her about the assault a few years after it happened; and a friend, who says that Reade told her about the assault in 2007 or 2008.

Every witness that Ford claimed had been at the suburban Maryland party where Kavanaugh allegedly attacked her had no recollection of the assault or even the gathering where it supposedly happened. This group included Fords longtime friend Leland Keyser.

Story continues

If Goldbergs standard of credibility is measured by the number of sworn affidavits in existence, then she should be calling for an investigation into Reades story so that the two allegations can be subjected to the same level of scrutiny.

Another reason Ford is a more credible accuser than Reade, argues Goldberg, is that the latters story has changed. Goldberg even insinuates that Reades neighbor might be lying because she has trouble recalling if Reade relayed the story to her in 1995 or 1996.

Thats another new and convenient standard. It should be mentioned that during the Kavanaugh hearings we were told that its normal for victims not to recall every detail about these unconscionable attacks  which makes a lot of sense.

Unlike Fords story, which had evolved  changing places, years, seasons, and the number of attackers  Reades story has hardly budged, other than in regards to some hazy recollections about when or how she filed a report about Biden. Then again, if having a consistent story is the new measurement of credibility, Reade is at least as reliable as Ford.

Another reason to doubt Reades allegations, contends New York magazines Jonathan Chait, is that she coordinated her statements with Bernie Sanders supporters to maximize their political impact. Others, such as NeverTrumper Charlie Sykes, have insinuated even uglier conspiracies to discredit Reade, pointing out that she once deleted a pro-Putin tweet. Apparently Reade has been working the long con for the Russians since 1993. (Ford, incidentally, deleted her entire social-media history before making her accusations public.)

Unlike Reade, Ford didnt mention the alleged assault to anyone for around 25 years, until Kavanaughs name began appearing in the media as a prospective Supreme Court justice in 2012, and even then, it seems she only specifically cited the judges name after Donald Trump nominated him. If you want to maximize political impact, coming forward during a contentious Supreme Court nomination hearing after three decades of silence probably qualifies.

Both Goldberg and Chait also note that Fords therapists notes corroborate her claims. The notes do not exactly bolster her credibility, though. For one thing, Ford refused to turn over those notes to Senate Judiciary Committee investigators, instead handing snippets to a favorable reporter at the Washington Post. As far as we know, those notes conflict with her testimony regarding the number of attackers and the year. Moreover, why do therapists notes from 2012 speak to the credibility of an alleged victim more than a 1993 call from a mother?

Its not a mystery why liberals want Ford to seem more credible. At first the media completely ignored Reades allegations. But once reporters began responsibly reporting the story  a professionalism that wasnt afforded to Kavanaugh  the same liberals who had demanded we believe all women began flailing to rewrite history.

In USA Today, Kirsten Powers argued that there is no double standard in the way Kavanaugh was treated vs. Biden, because Democrats had merely called for the accusations to be investigated. That, too, is revisionism. Almost every Democratic senator had called for Trump to withdraw the nomination over the assault charges  many of those calls, in fact, were based on even flimsier accusations, recklessly spread by the press and politicians.

Its possible that Reades credibility would suffer, as did Fords, if an investigation took a deeper look. Yet, none of the Democrats who dispensed with due process and embraced Fords accusations have shown the slightest interest in speaking with Reade. Theyve simply adopted new guidelines for believing women and left liberal pundits with the job of justifying their actions  which they dutifully do.

Of course, none of the above is dispositive or unequivocal evidence of sexual assault on its own. We can never really know. But the notion that Ford is a more credible accuser than Reade doesnt stand up to even the most basic examination. Its just a flimsy excuse for hypocrisy.

More from National Review
An 88-year-old man was stabbed to death inside a Wales branch of Co-op while his wife waited for him in the car for 15 minutes.

The victim, John Rees, of Trealaw, Rhondda Valley, left his wife Eunice, 87, in their Honda car while he queued up to go into the village store on Tylacelyn Road, Pen Y Graig, Rhondda Valley, on Tuesday afternoon.

But the father-of-two died after being stabbed in the throat in the aisles  leaving his dementia-sufferer wife sitting alone in the car waiting for him. Three other shoppers were also stabbed.

South Wales Police have arrested a 29-year-old woman on suspicion of murder after the knife attack.

In a statement released by police, his family said: John was the very definition of a good man, extremely respected and liked in the community.

He was proud of his family, proud to be a Welshman and devoted to All Saints Church. We will all miss him terribly.

A friend of Rees said: It is so tragic. John was so dedicated to Eunice and they were always together.

She has no idea what has happened. Eunice has dementia and she can't take it in. She keeps on saying: Where's John?

The family friend added: He was known to everyone around here as Uncle John  he was that sort of man. He was very smart and always wore a shirt even though he was long retired.

Police at the scene in the village of Pen Y Graig in south Wales. (PA)

One of the people stabbed in the attack, Andrew Price (right), is said to be in a stable condition in hospital. (PA/Wales News)

He was a church warden and never had a bad word to say about anyone. He was the perfect gentleman.

The couple had an actress daughter who died about two years ago and a son living in London. They had two grandchildren.

Passers-by at the scene described Eunice as upset and looking for her husband after the stabbing before she was escorted away by police.

Eyewitnesses described seeing people fleeing the store following the attack.

A man and a woman were seen bleeding from wounds to the neck, according to shop workers.

Andrew Price, 58, was named as one of the people stabbed in the attack and is said to be in a stable condition in hospital.

Andrews niece Katie Evans said My uncle was sadly one of the victims that got stabbed in Penygraig earlier. This world has gone crazy.

Story continues

Read more from Yahoo News UK:

Water buffalo attack in Wales leaves one person dead and two injured

Coronavirus: Italy 'could be heading for deadlier second peak'

Amazing images show end-of-WWII victory celebrations

"Hope you make a speedy recovery Andrew Price. Our thoughts are also with the others."

Witnesses described seeing the aftermath of the incident, which happened at about 1.45pm on Tuesday.

Ravi Raj, 35, manager at the Pen Y Graig post office, said: "There was a woman attacking four different people with a knife.

Forensic officers at the scene of the stabbing, which left one man dead. (PA)

A forensic officer at the scene of the stabbing. (PA)

"I saw one of the men bleeding from his neck and one of the women from the side of the neck.

Another man is in a stable condition in hospital and two other people have suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Kenan Bastug, who was working in his brother's kebab shop, said a woman ran into the shop having been stabbed in the neck.

He told the PA news agency: "There was no blood but we could see like a one-and-a-half centimetre wound.

"She was shocked and didn't talk. She was crying. She was trying to stop the girl stabbing the guy, and then she got stabbed as well, I think. That's what she said.

Police stand guard at the road following the knife attack. (PA)

"She had a badge on that said NHS. But I don't know whether she worked for the NHS or not.

Another witness, who was sitting in a car outside the Co-op, said she saw an injured man in a van next to her being attended to by medics.

"This was the man who had been stabbed repeatedly, they took him out of the van and placed him into the ambulance," she said.

Businesses in the village were told to lock their doors as armed police and ambulances arrived at the scene.

Eyewitnesses described seeing people fleeing the store on Tylacelyn Road. (PA)

People spoke of their shock at the incident, which occurred in an area that has colourful banners draped along Tylacelyn Road in support of the NHS.

Rhondda MP Chris Bryant said: "You can't get more normal and ordinary than the Co-op in Pen Y Graig.

"So this feels horrific and extraordinary. My heart goes out to those who've been directly affected and my thanks goes to the police and NHS.

Police were appealing for witnesses to come forward, as well as anyone who had mobile phone footage.

Detective Chief Inspector Mark O'Shea, leading the murder investigation, said police are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.
With spring practice over the Oregonian/OregonLive is reviewing Oregons depth chart position by position. The eighth of a 25-part series looks at the centers.

Oregons most wide open offensive position battle, center, remains undetermined.

The shortened spring practice left no real opportunity to sort out who will replace Jake Hanson as one of only two players who will touch the ball on every play.

Alex Forsyth took the first-team reps in the spring and is the leader entering the offseason, but hes also a possibility at left guard.

A combination of Sam Poutasis emergence at guard and numerous minor ailments to Ryan Walk and Dawson Jaramillo left the Ducks with no choice but to keep Forsyth at center for their four spring practices.

Freshman Jonathan Denis got the second-team reps and could get early playing time, redshirt or not.

RELATED: Who replaces Jake Hanson as Oregon Ducks center in 2020?

Post-spring depth chart:

Alex Forsyth: 6-foot-4, 300 pounds, redshirt-junior

Jonathan Denis: 6-foot-3, 285 pounds, freshman OR

Ryan Walk: 6-foot-2, 290 pounds, redshirt-junior

Dawson Jaramillo: 6-foot-5, 312 pounds, redshirt-sophomore

Mario Cristobals take:

Really pleased with the progress of the offensive line. Undoubtedly thought we found some answers and we found them in a hurry. We were not surprised. We knew Alex Forsyth had been biding his time and he really showed out really well at center and at guard.

Starter:

Forsyth is going to start, its a matter of where. He might be the on-field leader of the offensive line vocally, which makes keeping him at center all the more appealing.

But in the pursuit of playing the best five it could be a matter of whether Sam Poutasi at left guard and Forsyth at center is a better tandem than Forsyth at guard and either Denis, Walk or Jaramillo at center.

Backup:

Denis worked with the second team in the spring and those were significant reps for a true freshman. More time to allow for the whole offensive line group to practice while healthy wouldve illuminated how much of Denis being thrown into the fire was based on lack of other healthy options but regardless, he stayed high on the depth chart for four practices and that time was invaluable.

A guy that just got here and showed that hes going to be in the mix for playing time, Cristobal said.

Oregon post-spring depth chart analysis: QB | RB | X | Z | Slot/F | TE | LT | LG | C | RG | RT | Specialists | DE | DT | NT | Stud | WLB | MLB | SLB | BCB | BS | FS | FCB | Nickel | Dime

Next wave:

The only reason why were listing Walk, who practiced with the second-team line most of the last two years, as the No. 3 option is because he was limited in the few spring practices and Denis benefited. Walk could easily still be the backup and has a chance to compete for the starting job.

Jaramillo was also limited due to illness and missed out on reps. He easily couldve been the No. 2 center in the spring if healthy.

Summer arrivals:

Marcus Harper, Jaylan Jeffers and Faaope Laloulu are not expected to play center.
CARLSBAD, Calif., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As countries begin to ease restrictions and allow some businesses to reopen, contact tracing and epidemiological studies will be critical to understand resurgence of potential COVID-19 outbreaks. Scientists not only need to know who is infected, they also need to rapidly identify which strain of the virus is spreading. To expedite such analysis, Thermo Fisher Scientific has now optimized its Ion AmpliSeq SARS-CoV-2 Research Panel for the Ion Torrent Genexus System.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) provides scientists a high-throughput method to quickly analyze the virus' genetic code and trace its origin. Doing so with the Genexus System, the first automated NGS platform with the simplest-to-use design, can provide results in about 24 hours. This newest offering expands Thermo Fisher's broad portfolio of genetic analysis tools now available to support COVID-19 research.

"The desire to get the global economy moving again responsibly is driving the need for advanced NGS technology that can quickly track the virus and enable health agencies to determine next steps," said Peter Silvester, senior vice president and president of Life Sciences Solutions at Thermo Fisher Scientific. "Access to rapid, simple and automated sequencing with the Genexus System can accelerate development of critical data to help stay ahead of COVID-19."

The Ion AmpliSeq SARS-CoV-2 Research Panel, previously designed to run on the Ion GeneStudio S5 System, has already helped trace the virus in a real-world setting. When a patient and his mother showed signs of COVID-19 simultaneously with four health care workers in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, there was immediate concern about transmission between patients and frontline health care workers.

To verify the safety of the hospital for patients and staff, testing was initiated. The health care workers tested positive by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the Center for Personalized Medicine at Children's Hospital Los Angeles performed NGS sequencing on their samples. Comparative analysis showed that, not unexpectedly, the mother and son had nearly identical strains of the virus that originated in Utah, with links to Europe, while the four health care workers had strains only distantly related to each other and to the family. This confirmed that there was no transmission between the patient family and the health care workers. Further, the health care workers acquired the virus from community spread and not from the patient and family member.

"The NGS sequence data permitted Children's Hospital Los Angeles to draw conclusions within 48 hours of sample procurement from the six individuals," said Timothy J. Triche, M.D., Ph.D., co-director, Center for Personalized Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles. "This information gave leaders at our institution greater confidence in our ability to provide a safe environment for our patients and our team members."

Thermo Fisher introduced the Genexus System in November 2019 as a versatile, turnkey solution with a simple-to-implement workflow. The platform's ease of use has been developed to provide all researchers  regardless of expertise level  access to the power of NGS technology. Its unprecedented speed to results and automation is designed to accelerate a broad range of applications, including oncology, infectious disease and reproductive health, among others. In March 2019, the company launched the Ion AmpliSeq SARS-CoV-2 Research Panel, which is listed as a resource on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for laboratories that intend to sequence SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus samples.

For more information, please visit Thermo Fisher's website.

*For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue exceeding $25 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, improving patient diagnostics and therapies or increasing productivity in their laboratories, we are here to support them. Our global team of more than 75,000 colleagues delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services and Patheon. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.

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Laser Therapy Market Research Report, By Type (Diode Lasers, Solid State Lasers, Gas Lasers, Dye Lasers, and others), By Application (Dermatology and Aesthetics, Surgery, Dental, Urology, Ophthalmology, and others) - Global Forecast from 2017 to 2023

Market Research Future (MRFR) anticipates strong CAGR of 9.2% in the global laser therapy market over the forecast period of 2017-2023. The expansion of the global laser therapy is the result of various market dynamics, out of which, the surging prevalence of diseases such as cataract and arthritis bears profound weightage. Laser therapy is the standard line of treatment in cases of cataract. Laser-based ophthalmology is highly preferred over other methods of treatment. YAG LASER, excimer LASER, femtosecond LASER, and others are the most commonly used lasers in ophthalmology. The widespread prevalence of cataract, as well as arthritis, promote the growth of the global laser therapy market. Expanding base of old population complements this factor since the elderly populace is more prone to acquiring diseases such as arthritis and cataract which induces additional demand for laser therapy.

Heightened demand for minimally-invasive and non-invasive procedures is a major drive behind the growth of the market. Consumers are highly inclined towards medical procedures which do not involve incisions and cuts. Additionally, laser therapy is extensively used in dermatology and cosmetology. Skyrocketing demand for aesthetics also encourages the growth of the global laser therapy market. Use of laser therapy in dentistry is also a key market influencer. On the contrary, the growth of the global laser therapy market might be impeded by high costs associated with laser therapy.

Segmentation



The global laser therapy market has been segmented based on type and application.



By type, the global laser therapy market has been segmented into diode lasers, solid state lasers, gas lasers, dye lasers, and others.



By application, the global laser therapy market has been segmented into surgery, dermatology and aesthetics, dental, and others. The surgery segment is further segmented into urology, ophthalmology, and others.



Regional Analysis



The Americas, Asia Pacific (APAC), Europe, and The Middle East & Africa (MEA) are the key markets for laser therapy.



The Americas is at the forefront of the global laser therapy market. A robust healthcare sector, high expenditure on healthcare, and widespread prevalence of chronic diseases in the region spur the growth of the global laser therapy market. In addition, the regions propensity to incorporate new and advanced technologies in the healthcare sector acts as a plus for the growth of the market. Other factors boosting the growth of the Americas market include growth in a number of aged populace and the presence of key players in the region.



Europe holds the second most significant share of the global laser therapy market. The region invests substantially in R&D activities which coupled with the availability of funds creates a conducive environment for the growth of the laser therapy market in Europe. A broad base of the patient population, well-developed healthcare sector, and high government support contribute to the growth of the market.





APAC is the fastest growing market for laser therapy. Expanding patient pool, development of the healthcare sector in the developing countries of China and India present growth opportunities to the APAC market. Also, increased affordability due to rising disposable income, government endeavors towards the modernization of the healthcare sector are other boosting factors.





The MEA market is likely to exhibit the least share of the global laser therapy market. Limited availability of healthcare facilities, lack of funds, and lack of awareness and dearth of skilled medical professionals constrain the growth of the market over the forecast period, especially in the Africa region. The Middle East accounts for the foremost share of the MEA market and is driven by high healthcare expenditure in the region.

Access Report Details @



Competitive Landscape



The key players in the global laser therapy market include Biolase Inc. (U.S.), Alma Lasers (Israel), Cutera (U.S.), IRIDEX Corp. (U.S.), Valeant (Canada), Coherent, Inc. (U.S.), and Angiodynamics, Inc. (U.S.).



Industry Updates



In December 2018, TRUMPF GmbH, a company involved in laser technology, announced the acquisition of Photonics GmbH from Philips. Through the acquisition, TRUMPF intends to expand its foothold in the growing markets in the photonics and digital products sectors.

Related news

About Market Research Future:




(HealthDay)The new coronavirus is disproportionately striking minority populationsparticularly urban blacks and Navajo Indians living on their reservation. Experts say social and economic factors that predate the COVID-19 crisis may help explain why.

"We found that there were large disparities in the proportion of people at risk of COVID-19 from minority and low-income populations," said study co-author Julia Raifman. She's an assistant professor of health law, policy and management at the Boston University School of Public Health.

Raifman believes decades of disparities in education, housing, jobs and stress levels have contributed to an excess risk of chronic disease based on race, ethnicity and income. And those same issues are exacerbating the COVID-19 crisis.

Dr. Gary LeRoy is president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. He said the "COVID pandemic has really shined a spotlight on the discrepancies in health care outcomes for people of color and of lower socioeconomic status, and this study raises some very valid points about those discrepancies."

Looking at the numbers

In New York, blacks make up 33% of COVID-19 hospitalizations. Yet black people are just 18% of the state's population, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Early data from New York City suggests that blacks are twice as likely to die from COVID-19 as whites are. The CDC also reported that, in New York City, death rates are significantly higher for Hispanics/Latinos than for whites.

Other areas hard-hit by COVID-19 have seen similar trends in deaths for black people. Louisiana's population is about one-third black, but about 70% of COVID-19 deaths occurred in blacks, according to The New York Times. In Illinois, 15% of the population is black, but 43% of those who died from COVID-19 were black. Michigan's population is about 14% black, yet black people accounted for 40% of that state's COVID-19 deaths.

The Navajo Nation has a population of less than 300,000 people in New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. ABC News reported that while Native Americans make up just 5% of New Mexico's population, they represent 20% of the state's COVID-19 cases.

Income seems key

Raifman's study looked at the prevalence of COVID-19 risk factors, such as asthma, heart disease and diabetes. The researchers reviewed 2018 data including over 330,000 people from a nationally representative group.

The researchers then estimated that 43% of American adults have at least one COVID-19 risk factor. That's about 97 million people. Around 18% have two or more risk factors, which is about 40 million people.

When the investigators looked at those under 65, they found at least one risk factor in: 33% of black adults; 42% of Native American adults; and 27% of white adults.

Only 8% of white adults had multiple risk factors compared to 11% of black adults and 18% of Native American adults.

The stark racial differences were also found in the 65-and-older group.

The researchers found that in people under 65, low-income adults were almost twice as likely to have one or more risk factors as high-income adults. Those with low incomes were more than twice as likely to have multiple risk factors.

The study authors noted that other inequitiessuch as living in crowded, multigenerational homes, working in a service industry in a job that cannot be done remotely and needing to use public transportation to get to workcan contribute to a higher risk of COVID-19.

An important factor contributing to infections for the Navajo Nation is that about 30% of homes on the reservation don't have running water, which makes regular hand-washing a challenge, the ABC News report said.

LeRoy, who was not involved in the new study, noted that lack of access to health care has likely played a role, too. In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, people couldn't easily access a test without a doctor's referral. That meant someone would need to pay for a doctor's visit, get a referral and then go for testing, likely incurring more cost. And even if they found out they had the virus, they might not have been able to quarantine effectively if they lived in a crowded home.

"We can't just snap our fingers and make everyone have the resources to shelter-in-place effectively," LeRoy said. He added that he doesn't expect there will be any quick fixes for these long-term problems.

Working conditions are a crucial factor in health disparities, LeRoy added. Many people of color or with lower incomes work in service-industry jobs that require close contact with others, such as nursing home aides. Industrial jobs can also keep people in close contact, he said, and pointed to the high rates of infections in people working in meat-processing plants.

Looking to the future

"I hope we emerge from this pandemic as a smarter global community, but we have to address these glaring health discrepancies," LeRoy said. One place to start might be making antibody testing more widely available. Antibody tests can show whether or not you've had the COVID-19 infection, but it's not yet clear if that also means that you cannot be reinfected. He said the test is available in some areas, but may not be easily accessible for some, and the cost is $65.

"You don't need a doctor's referral for this test, but a lot of people can't pay the $65," LeRoy said.

Raifman said that as cities, counties and states start to think about reopening their economies, "it's important to think about how we're all interconnected. Policies that protect minorities and people with low incomes help protect everyone. If we can prevent illness in communities that are high risk, I think it will prevent overall deaths and we can feel more comfortable opening up the economy, too."

Raifman's study was published online recently in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

Copyright  2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
The Tripura Government on



Wednesday asked the IG of Tripura frontier of BSF to conduct an inquiry on the spurt of COVID-19 cases among jawans of 138 battalion of the paramilitary force posted in Dhalai district and submit a report within seven days.

Tripura Law minister Ratan Lal Nath said in the last five days, 40 BSF personnel or their family members tested positive for COVID-19 and all of them were from the 138th battalion of BSF with headquarters at Ambassa in Dhalai district, 100 km from here.

Nath said the Principal Secretary (Home) Barun Kumar Sahu in a letter to the IG, BSF, Solomon Minz told him to enquire into the origin of the COVID-19 cases and steps taken by the BSF to prevent further infection among common people and submit a report to the state government within seven days.

Two BSF jawans of 138 battalion headquarters at Ambassa tested positive on May 2, the very next day 12 more BSF personnel tested positive, on May 4 thirteen more tested positive and on May 5 another 13 BSF jawans tested positive for COVID-19. All the 40 corona positive persons are either BSF jawans or their family members.

The state government has declared Dhalai district as red zone and marked three locations the battalion headquarters, a base camp at Gandacherra and a Border Out Post with Bangladesh at Kareena as containment zones.

Public Relations Officer (PRO) of BSF said the paramilitary force was also conducting an investigation about the source of the infection and all activities including PT, parade and group gathering of jawans have been stopped.

"The entry of any civilian into any BSF camp has been stopped for the time being. No BSF jawan is also allowed to go outside," the PRO added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called for the release of a Dallas salon owner who was jailed for repeatedly defying his executive order to shut down her business due to coronavirus precautions.

Dallas Civil District Judge Eric Moye criticized Shelly Luther on Tuesday for keeping her business, Salon a la Mode, open last week despite a citation, a cease and desist letter and a restraining order. During the hearing, Luther admitted that her business was still open partially, and the judge scolded her for blatantly disobeying the law meant to protect residents. Moye ordered her to be jailed for a week for her violations.

"The rule of law governs us. People cannot take it upon themselves to determine what they will and will not do," he said during the hearing.

MORE: Cops arrest armed men, Texas bar owner who violated order to close

Abbott had nonessential businesses close all of April as the pandemic spread throughout the state. Last weekend, he lifted restrictions on select businesses, including restaurants and malls, and on Tuesday he said hair and nail salons will be allowed to open on Friday with restrictions on the number of customers.

PHOTO: Shelley Luther, the owner of the Dallas hair salon 'Salon a la Mode' speaks to a crowd of supporters at an 'Open Texas' rally against coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic restrictions outside of the City Hall in Frisco, Texas, April 25, 2020. (Jeremy Lock/Reuters)

Luther, who has participated in several protests against the governor's orders and publically ripped the cease and desist letter, kept her salon open for more than a week after she was issued the restraining order. She told the judge she didn't regret her actions and would continue to keep her salon open.

"If you think the laws more important than kids getting fed, then please go ahead with your decision, but I am not going to shut the salon," she said.

In addition to the jail time Judge Moye, who had to tell Luther to stop interrupting him, ordered her to pay a fine of at least $3,500.

MORE: Public safety concerns as states ease restrictions

On Wednesday Abbott called the judge's ruling "excessive" and said jail time should only be used for the most excessive violations of his orders. He called for her release.

Story continues

"Compliance with executive orders during this pandemic is important to ensure public safety; however, surely there are less restrictive means to achieving that goal than jailing a Texas mother," he said in a statement.

PHOTO: Dallas salon owner Shelley Luther was jailed for seven days for contempt of court after being issued a citation for reopening her Salon A la Mode in Dallas while pandemic lockdown restrictions are in place. (Dallas County Sheriff's Department)

Luther's attorney didn't immediately return messages for comment to ABC News. He told reporters he would appeal the decision.

Dallas is the second-highest Texas county with COVID cases, 4,623, according to data from the state and the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. The county has seen 121 deaths, according to the data.

State health officials said Wednesday there were signs the virus was spreading as there were 34,422 cases across Texas, which was a 1,053 jump from Tuesday, and 948 COVID fatalities -- an increase of 42 from Tuesday.

What to know about Coronavirus:

How it started and how to protect yourself: Coronavirus explained

What to do if you have symptoms: Coronavirus symptoms

Tracking the spread in the US and Worldwide: Coronavirus map

Gov. Abbott calls for the release of woman who reopened salon despite state's COVID orders originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
A woman who underwent an allegedly illegal genital modification has told a Sydney court the procedure initially felt like 'really hot barb wire' and she screamed out in pain.

Her yells prompted touring body modifier Howard Rollins to order the man performing the procedure to get more anaesthetic from a nearby counter and issue instructions about when to restart, the woman told Sydney District Court on Wednesday.

Rollins, a 42-year-old US citizen also known by the moniker Luna Cobra, is on trial after pleading not guilty to being an accessory to a female genital mutilation in 2015.

Rollins, a 42-year-old US citizen also known by the moniker Luna Cobra, is on trial after pleading not guilty to being an accessory to a female genital mutilation in 2015

He denies being in the room in the Newcastle tattoo parlour.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, described the instrument used to remove part of her external genitalia as a 'branding iron' shaped like a pen.

'I could feel the sensation, like someone getting barb wire. Really hot,' she told the court on Wednesday.

'There are so many nerve endings there. I'm like 'that f***ing hurts'.'

When she screamed in pain, Rollins allegedly yelled 'get some more anaesthetic' and instructed 'we have to wait until it goes white' before starting again.

The trial is expected to hear a medical expert testify that a particular anaesthetic mixed with adrenaline can cause flesh to turn white.

Rollins left after the procedure was complete, the woman alleged.

She then received her burned-off genitals in a coffee jar.

'I know it sounds weird,' she said.

The trial continues.
With the lockdown extended for a further two weeks and the government introducing a phased roadmap to reopening the country, there are plenty of things were going to miss out on over the coming weeks - music events being one of them.

But one band is doing its best to ensure they dont fall off the rader, even if theyre separated during this Covid-19 pandemic.

In fact, State Lights will be releasing their latest single, Dont Make Plays On My Heart, this Friday, May 8.

It is a bit of a stylistic departure from our more recent singles, said Joe Regan, the bands guitarist, who is also a Granard native.

Its definitely more of a straight up rock song than whats come before. We have many sides to our music that weve flirted with revealing before, and Don't Make Plays is definitely the beginning of us actually doing that now.

The people around us who have heard it so far are big fans, so thats a good sign.

The song is about that person in your life that sometimes you wish you could forget, Joe explains - the person that seems to constantly come back into your life and cause old ground to be dug up.

The repetitive vocal line Dont Make Plays On My Heart is an attempt to warn the person to stay away and not attempt to manipulate you, said Joe.

While this single does introduce a different style to what were used to with State Lights, its certainly a style to which the entire band can adapt easily, making it sound like this has always been their style - but theres nothing new there.

When State Lights released Lonely more than a year ago, it too was a different style to previous singles. And yet, it suited the four lads just as well as all the tunes that came before it.

Speaking of Lonely, Joe and his three bandmates, Shane (Shobsy) OBrien, Paul Ridgeway and Noel Perry, have been keeping themselves busy while in isolation, by putting out isolation versions of their singles on their social media channels.

Shobsy, as frontman, has also done a few live Facebook performances, including one on April 25, when the band was supposed to perform their Button Factory gig, which has been postponed to October 15.

Yeah that was a real shame, but obviously it was postponed for a very good reason and we completely understood, said Joe.

Before the lockdown even happened we knew it was going to have to be pushed off, so we moved quickly to rearrange it to October 15. We hope by then that this thing has been gotten under control in some way and that people can go back to as normal a life as they can.

Theres no guarantee, but we have to hope. The most important thing for now is that we stick to the restrictions that are in place for as long as the department of health recommends.

The live performance on @StateLightsMusic Facebook page has had more than 10,000 views since it was aired, and other social media platforms have also received huge support.

It was really great. We were quite surprised at the amount of people who tuned in both on Facebook and Instagram, and sent their very kind support and well wishes, said Joe.

It was really heartwarming to see and Shobsy did a great job of carrying the load. We all would have loved to do it together of course, were all really missing each other.

We talk everyday, whether it be regarding something were working on or just to chat in general to see how were feeling. Everybody is good and most importantly, healthy.

Musicians across the country are adapting to these strange times where live gigs are prohibited and free Facebook performances are being lapped up by those of us who are isolating at home.

Were lucky in a way to do what we do, because even in a time like this, you can continue to be creative and write new songs, said Joe.

So weve been doing that a lot. The lads also have recording set ups in their homes, so weve even managed to record new stuff! Over 20 songs to be more specific, he laughed.

Weve stayed productive by doing that and also through recording and filming some live self-isolated performances of songs weve already released.

Theyve helped us stay busy on social media and have kept people engaged with us through this time.

So between our new single coming out, having time to record loads of new material, and filming some quarantined performances, weve actually been very busy during this time, he said.

Dont Make Plays on My Heart will be available to download or stream from Friday, May 8.

State Lights will perform a live gig in the Button Factory, Dublin, on October 15. Tickets are available via ticketmaster.ie.

To keep up to date on new music and other news, follow State Lights on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Read next: Ballymahon musician KTG releases new single amid the Covid-19 madness
iPlayer will be able to screen independent content for longer (Philip Toscano/PA)

Shows made by independent TV producers will be available on iPlayer for at least a year under a new deal struck between the BBC and the trade association Pact.

Previously, independently produced shows, such as BBC Threes adaptation of Normal People, would be available for up to 30 days on the streaming service.

The announcement comes after media watchdog Ofcom gave the BBC the green light to expand its iPlayer service, and host its content online for longer periods, after initial disputes over the value to the public and competitors.

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The deal gives the BBC a guaranteed 12-month window on all content it commissions within its initial payment.

It also sets out fixed rates for exclusive and non-exclusive extensions to the year-long window.

The terms of the deal will come into effect for entirely new commissions from Monday.

BBC director-general Tony Hall hailed it as an important deal for the BBC, the industry, and the wider public.

He added: Not only have we reaffirmed our commitment to supporting independent UK producers, we have also ensured licence fee payers have access to the best content for at least a year on BBC iPlayer. Everybody wins.

Expand Close iPlayer faces competition from streaming services like Netflix (Nick Ansell/PA) / Facebook

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Lord Hall, who in January announced plans to step down from the role, has previously said he believes iPlayer can challenge the existing dominance of services like Netflix and Amazon, and has focused on its expansion during his tenure.

The Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (Pact) represents the independent content producers in feature film, television, animation, childrens and digital media.

Its chief executive John McVay said: Pact has worked hard over many months to ensure that the BBC understood that indies deserve to be paid fairly for their content to be used for additional periods on the iPlayer.

The iPlayer has become even more important to viewers during this lockdown period, and its great that more compelling programmes will be available for longer  and that all UK companies will benefit from success.

ANNOUNCEMENT



We have agreed a historic new terms of trade deal with the BBC which will come into force on Monday 11th May.



Read all about it here: https://t.co/gKY5wTgdK9#UKindies #TVProduction pic.twitter.com/Xd6xF57HqJ  Pact (@PactUK) May 6, 2020

In addition, the BBC will pay independent producers sooner to extend the licence period, if the additional iPlayer windows are taken beyond 12 months.

Producers will also see greater revenue as a result of the BBC share of net receipts from sales being reduced to 10% in some cases.

Separate discussions will take place over childrens content, while content commissioned by BBC Three for both linear and online publication will retain its current initial iPlayer window set out in the terms of trade.

Normal People recently drove the channel to its best week for programme requests on the iPlayer, doubling a record set following the release of Killing Eve series one.

The series, produced by Element Pictures, received 16.2 million requests in its first week, with nearly five million from 16 to 34-year-olds.

Sara Geater, all3media COO and Pact chairwoman, said: The terms of trade are the lifeblood of the UK indie sector and Im delighted we have reached a mutually beneficial agreement with the BBC which gives them the flexibility to increase exploitation of the programmes across the iPlayer as well as their linear services.

This is obviously crucial at a time of increased competition from the global SVOD players. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the BBC team for their positive engagement.

Bal Samra, BBC Group commercial director, said: We are the largest supporter of the UK production sector, and so our priority was always to get a deal that worked for the broadest range of suppliers possible, regardless of size, location or type of content they make.

This agreement does that, and means that at a time of rapid change a strong BBC can continue to invest in its home market and champion UK content.

Im delighted we will be able to deliver more value to licence fee payers whilst at the same time independent producers will be able to showcase their work to a bigger audience and increase their commercial returns.
India has as many as 49,391 recorded cases of the novel coronavirus that includes 1,694 people who have lost their lives, according to the Union Health Ministry's latest update.

Of these, 33,514 are active cases while 14,182 have been cured and discharged.

The data was updated at 8 am on May 6 on the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's website.

Follow our LIVE blog for the latest updates of the novel coronavirus pandemic

With 15,525 COVID-19 cases, Maharashtra has reported the highest number of infections, followed by Gujarat (6,245) and Delhi (5,104).

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

Telangana has extended the lockdown till May 29, Chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao said on May 5.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 5 reviewed the status of India's efforts in developing vaccine, chairing a meeting of the Task Force on Corona Vaccine Development, Drug Discovery, Diagnosis and Testing.

S. No. Name of State / UT Total Confirmed cases (Including 111 foreign Nationals) Cured/Discharged/ Migrated Deaths ( more than 70% cases due to comorbidities ) 1 Andaman and Nicobar Islands 33 32 0 2 Andhra Pradesh 1717 589 36 3 Arunachal Pradesh 1 1 0 4 Assam 43 32 1 5 Bihar 536 142 4 6 Chandigarh 111 21 1 7 Chhattisgarh 59 36 0 8 Dadar Nagar Haveli 1 0 0 9 Delhi 5104 1468 64 10 Goa 7 7 0 11 Gujarat 6245 1381 368 12 Haryana 548 256 6 13 Himachal Pradesh 42 38 2 14 Jammu and Kashmir 741 320 8 15 Jharkhand 125 33 3 16 Karnataka 671 331 29 17 Kerala 502 462 4 18 Ladakh 41 17 0 19 Madhya Pradesh 3049 1000 176 20 Maharashtra 15525 2819 617 21 Manipur 2 2 0 22 Meghalaya 12 10 1 23 Mizoram 1 0 0 24 Odisha 175 60 1 25 Puducherry 9 6 0 26 Punjab 1451 133 25 27 Rajasthan 3158 1525 89 28 Tamil Nadu 4058 1485 33 29 Telengana 1096 585 29 30 Tripura 43 2 0 31 Uttarakhand 61 39 1 32 Uttar Pradesh 2880 987 56 33 West Bengal 1344 364 140 Total number of confirmed cases in India 49391* 14183 1694 *States wise distribution is subject to further verification and reconciliation *Our figures are being reconciled with ICMR

Globally, nearly 36.6 lakh infections and over 2.57 lakh deaths have been reported due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Follow our full coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic here
Reports record quarterly revenue of $76.1 million



Overall revenue grew 25% year-over-year, with organic growth of 16%

Strong order load through first four months

WALTHAM, Mass., May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Repligen Corporation (RGEN), a life sciences company focused on bioprocessing technology leadership, today reported financial results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2020. Provided in this press release are financial highlights for the quarter, updates to our financial guidance for the year 2020 and access information for todays webcast and conference call.

Tony J. Hunt, President and Chief Executive Officer said, Im really pleased with our flexibility and performance during the first quarter, while adapting to the challenging economic environment. We exceeded our financial goals, reporting record quarterly revenue and organic growth of 16% backed by strong order demand. The story of the quarter was the continued momentum at gene therapy accounts and strength in our chromatography and filtration franchises, with our proteins business performing above expectations.

Mr. Hunt added, The majority of our focus in Q1 and here again in Q2 is on employee health and safety while working together to keep our factories and supply chain fully open and operational during the COVID-19 pandemic. The dedication of our employees has been remarkable, and I especially want to thank those in our manufacturing and customer-facing organizations who have helped deliver on our commitments. While there are clearly uncertainties as to how the year plays out, we remain optimistic about 2020 as we execute on our strategy of bringing new products to market, further developing the gene therapy space and continuing to pace our investments as we expand our manufacturing capacity.

Financial Highlights for the First Quarter 2020

Revenue increased by 25% year-over-year as reported and 16% organically, to $76.1 million

GAAP gross margin increased to 58.0%, a year-over-year increase of 220 bps

Adjusted gross margin (non-GAAP) increased to 58.5%, a year-over-year increase of 250 bps

GAAP fully diluted EPS increased to $0.18 compared to $0.17 for the first quarter of 2019

Adjusted fully diluted EPS (non-GAAP) increased to $0.32 compared to $0.26 for the first quarter of 2019

Story continues

Financial Details for the First Quarter 2020

REVENUE

Total revenue for the first quarter of 2020 increased to $76.1 million compared to $60.6 million for the first quarter of 2019, a year-over-year gain of 25% as reported and 26% at constant currency, with organic growth of 16%.

GROSS PROFIT and GROSS MARGIN



Gross profit (GAAP) for the first quarter of 2020 was $44.1 million, a year-over-year increase of $10.3 million and representing 58.0% gross margin.

Adjusted gross profit (non-GAAP) for the first quarter of 2020 was $44.5 million, a year-over-year increase of $10.6 million and representing 58.5% gross margin.

OPERATING INCOME

Operating income (GAAP) for the first quarter of 2020 was $11.9 million compared to $11.2 million for the first quarter of 2019.

Adjusted operating income (non-GAAP) for the first quarter of 2020 was $18.3 million, an increase of 18% compared to $15.6 million for the first quarter of 2019.

NET INCOME

Net income (GAAP) for the first quarter of 2020 was $9.8 million, an increase of 22% compared to $8.1 million for the first quarter of 2019.

Adjusted net income (non-GAAP) for the first quarter of 2020 was $16.8 million, an increase of 37% compared to $12.2 million for the first quarter of 2019.

EARNINGS PER SHARE

Earnings per share (GAAP) for the first quarter of 2020 were $0.18 on a fully diluted basis, compared to $0.17 for the first quarter of 2019.

Adjusted EPS (non-GAAP) for the first quarter of 2020 were $0.32 on a fully diluted basis, compared to $0.26 for the 2019 period.

EBITDA

EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure, for the first quarter of 2020 was $18.7 million compared to $15.7 million for the first quarter of 2019.

Adjusted EBITDA for the first quarter of 2020 was $21.2 million, an increase of 21% compared to $17.5 million for the first quarter of 2019.

CASH

Our cash and cash equivalents at March 31, 2020 were $529.5 million, an increase of $1.1 million from $528.4 million at December 31, 2019.

All reconciliations of GAAP to adjusted (non-GAAP) figures above, as well as EBITDA to adjusted EBITDA, are detailed in the reconciliation tables included later in this press release.

Financial Guidance for 2020

Our financial guidance for the fiscal year 2020 is based on expectations for our existing business and includes the financial impact of our acquisition of C Technologies (which closed on May 31, 2019). The guidance below excludes the impact of potential additional acquisitions and future fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates.

FISCAL YEAR 2020 GUIDANCE:

We are maintaining our previous guidance for revenue in the range of $309-$319 million, reflecting overall revenue growth of 14%-18% and organic growth of 10%-14%.



Gross margin is expected to be 56%-57% on both a GAAP and non-GAAP basis, an increase from our previous guidance of 55%-56%.



Income from operations is expected to be in the range of $52-$56 million on a GAAP basis, an increase from our previous guidance of $50-$54 million. Adjusted (non-GAAP) income from operations is expected to be in the range of $72-$76 million, an increase from our previous guidance of $70-$74 million.



Net income is expected to be in the range of $34.5-$37.5 million on a GAAP basis, an increase from our previous guidance of $33.5-$36.5 million. Adjusted (non-GAAP) net income is expected to be in the range of $58-$61 million, an increase from our previous guidance of $57-$60 million. Our current guidance reflects a tax rate of 20% on adjusted pre-tax income, an improvement from our previous guidance of 23%.

Fully diluted GAAP EPS is expected to be in the range of $0.65-$0.70, an increase from our previous guidance of $0.63-$0.68. Adjusted (non-GAAP) fully diluted EPS is expected to be in the range of $1.09-$1.14, an increase from our previous guidance of $1.07-$1.12.

Our non-GAAP guidance for the fiscal year 2020 excludes the following items:

$4.7 million estimated acquisition and integration expenses; $0.5 million in cost of product revenue, $0.5 million in R&D and $3.7 million in SG&A.

$15.3 million estimated intangible amortization expense; $0.3 million in cost of product revenue and $15.0 million in G&A.

$11.0 million of non-cash interest expense (Other income (expense)) related to our convertible debt notes.

Our non-GAAP guidance for the fiscal year 2020 includes:

An income tax expense of $7.4 million, representing the tax impact of the acquisition and integration of C Technologies, intangible amortization, and non-cash interest expenses.

All reconciliations of GAAP to adjusted (non-GAAP) guidance are detailed in the tables included later in this press release.

Conference Call

Repligen will host a conference call and webcast today, May 6, 2020, at 8:30 a.m. EDT, to discuss first quarter 2020 financial results and corporate developments. The conference call will be accessible by dialing toll-free (844) 701-1063 for domestic callers or (412) 317-5487 for international callers. No passcode is required for the live call. In addition, a webcast will be accessible via the Investor Relations section of the Companys website. Both the conference call and webcast will be archived for a period of time following the live event. The replay dial-in numbers are (877) 344-7529 from the U.S., (855) 669-9658 from Canada and (412) 317-0088 for international callers. Replay listeners must provide the passcode 10141587.

Non-GAAP Measures of Financial Performance

To supplement our financial statements, which are presented on the basis of U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the following non-GAAP measures of financial performance are included in this release: revenue growth rate at constant currency, adjusted gross profit and adjusted gross margin, adjusted income from operations and adjusted operating margin, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, adjusted net income per share, adjusted earnings per diluted share (EPS), adjusted cost of sales, adjusted research & development expense, adjusted selling, general and administrative expense, adjusted income tax expense and adjusted income tax rate. The Company provides organic revenue growth rates in constant currency to exclude the impact of both foreign currency translation, and the impact of acquisition revenue for current year periods that have no prior year comparable, in order to facilitate a comparison of its current revenue performance to its past revenue performance. The Company provides revenue growth rates in constant currency in order to facilitate a comparison of its current revenue performance to its past revenue performance. To calculate revenue growth rates in constant currency, the Company converts actual net sales from local currency to U.S. dollars using constant foreign currency exchange rates in the current and prior period.

The Companys non-GAAP financial results and/or non-GAAP guidance exclude the impact of: acquisition and integration costs related to the Companys acquisitions of TangenX Technology Corporation, Spectrum Lifesciences, LLC (formerly known as Spectrum, Inc.), and C Technologies Inc.; inventory step-up charges; intangible amortization costs; non-cash interest expense; the impact on tax of intangible amortization and acquisition and integration costs; and, in the case of EBITDA, cash interest expense related to the Companys convertible debt. These costs are excluded because management believes that such expenses do not have a direct correlation to future business operations, nor do the resulting charges recorded accurately reflect the performance of our ongoing operations for the period in which such charges are recorded.

A reconciliation of GAAP to adjusted non-GAAP financial measures is included as an attachment to this press release. When analyzing the Companys operating performance and guidance investors should not consider non-GAAP measures as substitutable for the comparable financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP.

About Repligen Corporation

Repligen Corporation is a global life sciences company that develops and commercializes highly innovative bioprocessing technologies and systems that increase efficiencies in the process of manufacturing biological drugs. We are inspiring advances in bioprocessing for the customers we serve; primarily biopharmaceutical drug developers and contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) worldwide. Our corporate headquarters are located in Waltham, MA (USA), and we have additional administrative and manufacturing operations in Marlborough, MA; Bridgewater, NJ; Rancho Dominguez, CA; Lund, Sweden; Breda, The Netherlands and Ravensburg, Germany.

The following constitutes a Safe Harbor statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release contains forward-looking statements, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Investors are cautioned that statements in this press release which are not strictly historical statements, including, without limitation, express or implied statements or guidance regarding current or future financial performance and position, including cash and investment position, demand in the markets in which we operate, the expected performance of our business, the expected performance of the C Technologies business, the expected performance and success of our strategic partnerships, managements strategy, plans and objectives for future operations or acquisitions, product development and sales, selling, general and administrative expenditures, intellectual property, development and manufacturing plans, availability of materials and product and adequacy of capital resources, the projected impact of, and response to, the COVID-19 pandemic, and financing plans constitute forward-looking statements identified by words like believe, expect, may, will, should, seek, anticipate, or could and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including, without limitation, risks associated with the following: the ultimate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business or financial results; our ability to successfully grow our bioprocessing business, including as a result of acquisition, commercialization or partnership opportunities; our ability to successfully integrate any acquisitions, our ability to develop and commercialize products and the market acceptance of our products; our ability to integrate the C Technologies business successfully into our business and achieve the expected benefits of the acquisition; reduced demand for our products that adversely impacts our future revenues, cash flows, results of operations and financial condition; our ability to compete with larger, better financed bioprocessing, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies; our compliance with all U.S. Food and Drug Administration and EMEA regulations; the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, including mitigation efforts and economic effects, on our business operations; our volatile stock price; and other risks detailed in Repligens most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the other reports that Repligen periodically files with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from those Repligen contemplated by these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect managements current views and Repligen does not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect a change in its views or events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof except as required by law.

Repligen Contact:

Sondra S. Newman

Global Head of Investor Relations

(781) 419-1881

investors@repligen.com

REPLIGEN CORPORATION CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited, amounts in thousands, except share and per share data) Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 Revenue: Product revenue $ 76,060 $ 60,612 Royalty and other revenue 30 22 Total revenue 76,090 60,634 Costs and expenses: Cost of product revenue 31,982 26,845 Research and development 4,702 3,620 Selling, general and administrative 27,500 18,998 64,184 49,463 Income from operations 11,906 11,171 Investment income 1,364 713 Interest expense (2,976 ) (1,726 ) Other income, net 382 358 Income before income taxes 10,676 10,516 Income tax provision 861 2,463 Net income $ 9,815 $ 8,053 Earnings per share: Basic $ 0.19 $ 0.18 Diluted $ 0.18 $ 0.17 Weighted average shares outstanding: Basic 52,138,673 43,967,824 Diluted 53,108,847 46,279,017 Balance Sheet Data: March 31,

2020 December 31,

2019 Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities $ 529,525 $ 528,392 Working capital 609,525 593,515 Total assets 1,406,481 1,400,113 Long-term obligations 294,870 292,032 Accumulated earnings 15,658 5,843 Stockholders' equity 1,069,758 1,059,768





REPLIGEN CORPORATION RECONCILIATION OF GAAP INCOME FROM OPERATIONS TO NON-GAAP (ADJUSTED) INCOME FROM OPERATIONS (Unaudited, amounts in thousands) Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 GAAP INCOME FROM OPERATIONS $ 11,906 $ 11,171 ADJUSTMENTS TO INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS: Acquisition and integration costs 2,553 1,799 Intangible amortization 3,878 2,611 ADJUSTED INCOME FROM OPERATIONS $ 18,337 $ 15,581 REPLIGEN CORPORATION RECONCILIATION OF GAAP NET INCOME TO NON-GAAP (ADJUSTED) NET INCOME (Unaudited, amounts in thousands) Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 GAAP NET INCOME $ 9,815 $ 8,053 ADJUSTMENTS TO NET INCOME: Acquisition and integration costs 2,553 1,799 Intangible amortization 3,878 2,611 Non-cash interest expense 2,691 1,107 Tax effect of intangible amortization and acquisition costs (1) (2,177 ) (1,351 ) ADJUSTED NET INCOME $ 16,760 $ 12,219 (1) Effective as of the quarter ended June 30, 2019, the Company changed its methodology for calculating its non-GAAP financial measures to reflect certain tax effects related to acquisition and integration costs, intangible amortization and non-cash interest expense. Accordingly, the non-GAAP financial measures for the three months ended March 31, 2019 have been updated to be consistent with the methodology used to calculate such measures for the current period. REPLIGEN CORPORATION RECONCILIATION OF GAAP NET INCOME PER SHARE TO NON-GAAP (ADJUSTED) NET INCOME PER SHARE (Unaudited) Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 GAAP NET INCOME PER SHARE - DILUTED $ 0.18 $ 0.17 ADJUSTMENTS TO NET INCOME PER SHARE - DILUTED: Acquisition and integration costs 0.05 0.04 Intangible amortization 0.07 0.06 Non-cash interest expense 0.05 0.02 Tax effect of intangible amortization and acquisition costs (0.04 ) (0.03 ) ADJUSTED NET INCOME PER SHARE - DILUTED 0.32 $ 0.26 Totals may not add due to rounding. REPLIGEN CORPORATION RECONCILIATION OF GAAP NET INCOME TO ADJUSTED EBITDA (Unaudited, amounts in thousands) Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 GAAP NET INCOME $ 9,815 $ 8,053 ADJUSTMENTS: Investment Income (1,364 ) (713 ) Interest Expense 2,976 1,726 Tax Provision 861 2,463 Depreciation 2,485 1,575 Amortization(1) 3,905 2,638 EBITDA 18,678 15,742 OTHER ADJUSTMENTS: Acquisition and integration costs 2,553 1,799 ADJUSTED EBITDA $ 21,231 $ 17,541 (1) Includes amortization of milestone payments in accordance with GAAP of $27 for each period presented. REPLIGEN CORPORATION RECONCILIATION OF GAAP COST OF SALES TO NON-GAAP (ADJUSTED) COST OF SALES (Unaudited, amounts in thousands) Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 GAAP COST OF SALES $ 31,982 $ 26,845 ADJUSTMENT TO COST OF SALES: Acquisition and integration costs (280 ) (18 ) Intangible amortization (127 ) (134 ) ADJUSTED COST OF SALES $ 31,575 $ 26,693 REPLIGEN CORPORATION RECONCILIATION OF GAAP R&D EXPENSE TO NON-GAAP (ADJUSTED) R&D EXPENSE (Unaudited, amounts in thousands) Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 GAAP R&D $ 4,702 $ 3,620 ADJUSTMENT TO R&D: Acquisition and integration costs (282 ) (27 ) ADJUSTED R&D $ 4,420 $ 3,593 REPLIGEN CORPORATION RECONCILIATION OF GAAP SG&A EXPENSE TO NON-GAAP (ADJUSTED) SG&A EXPENSE (Unaudited, amounts in thousands) Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 GAAP SG&A EXPENSE $ 27,500 $ 18,998 ADJUSTMENTS TO SG&A EXPENSE: Acquisition and integration costs (1,990 ) (1,753 ) Intangible amortization (3,751 ) (2,474 ) ADJUSTED SG&A EXPENSE $ 21,759 $ 14,771




As India begins its biggest



evacuation excercise to bring back its citizens stranded in the Gulf and various countries due to the COVID-19 lockdown, the three airports in Kerala are all set to receive around 2,700 expatriatesin the first five days, beginning Thursday.

Three naval ships, whichhave also joined in the evacuation process, left for Maldives and UAE on Tuesdayto bring back Indian citizens.

The first of the three flights from the Gulf will take off from Abu Dhabi on Thursdaywith 200 passengers and touch down at the Kochi International airport at 9.45 pm.

Jishnu, a passegerfrom Abu Dhabi, who got his ticket, was elated that he would be able to return to his home state.

"I am very happy to have got the ticket. I was informed yesterday that I could travel", he told a television channel.

The Kochi-Doha flight of Thursday has been re-scheduled to Saturday, CIAL sources said.

Two flights with 200 passengers each are scheduled to land atKozhikode airport from Dubai and Riyadh on Thursday.

Another two flights are expected at Thiruvananthapuram on May9 and 10 from Doha in Qatar with 200 passengers each, Thiruvananthaouram Airport DirectorC V Raveedranath told PTI.

Arrangements are in place at Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram airports in Kerala to receive the NRKs.

For those arriving at Thiruvananthapuram, quarantine facilities have been arrangedin six taluks to accomodateover 11,200 people and the government will bear the expenses.

Hotel rooms have been arranged for another 6400 people for which they will have to pay, a government press release said.

These people will have to complete their observationas per the government'sCOVID-19 protocol.

Various hostels, hotels, auditoriums have been taken for quarantine facilitiesof the NRKs.

The Cochin International Airport and Cochin Port have also made all arrangements to receive expatriates returning from the countries, Ernakulam District administration said.

Thermal scanners have been set up at the airport for the screening of the passengers and for quarantine facilities, while 4,000 houses with water, electricity and bath attached facilities have been arranged in Ernakulam district.

From May 7 to May 13, 64 flights are expected to be operated from various countries to India to bring back expats from the Gulf countries, Singapore, US and UK, among others.

While all arrangements have been made by the state government to receive the NRKs, there is some confusion about the number of days passengers will have to undergo quarantine onarrival,.

The state government has said passengers from abroad will have to go on seven days quarantine on arrival at government arranged institutions and undergo tests after a week.

If found symptomatic, they will have to go to hospitals and those whose samples are found negative will be allowed to leave for home where they have to strictly follow home quarantine.

But as per the Centre's guidelines, they will have to undergo 14 days institutional quarantine.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said it was "dangerous" to bring back stranded NRKs to the state without any COVID-19 tests as it would lead to spreading of infection.

He wanted the centre to ensure that the NRKs undergo the tests before emplaning for their respective states.

Vijayan has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the state's concern on the matter.

There should not be any lapse in following globally accepted health protocols lestthere be a setback in the state's efforts to prevent community spread of COVID-19, Vijayan had said.

At least 4. 27 lakh NRKs have registered in the NORKA portal, of which about 1.69 lakh people constitute the most vulnerable sections-- those who have lost their jobs, those released from prisons and awaiting deportation, pregnant women,students who have completedcourses and whose visas have expired.

Over 9,900 pregnant women and 61,000 people who have lost their jobs are among those who have registered.

However, as per the centre's list, only 80,000 NRKs are in the priority list for being brought back to the state.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Turkmenistan hopes to get observer status in Word Trade Organization (WTO), according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.

This issue was discussed during an online meeting of the officers of the Permanent Mission of Turkmenistan to the UN Office in Geneva with experts from the World Trade Organization was held.

The parties discussed the possibility of including the issue of granting Turkmenistan observer status in the Organization on the agenda of the next session of the WTO General Council.

At the talks, the Turkmen side informed WTO experts about the work done to provide our country with observer status in the WTO.



In addition, according to the results of the regular meetings of the Government Commission for the Study of Turkmenistans Membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO), held on April 15 and May 4, 2020 in the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, it was noted that as a first step, it is necessary to achieve the observer status of the country in the Organization, as well as a review of the economic policy and regime of foreign trade of Turkmenistan was also prepared.



Emphasizing the satisfaction with the work done by the WTO representatives, it was noted that the acquisition by Turkmenistan of observer status in the organization will contribute to the development of the national economy of Turkmenistan.
If issues such BS-VI switchover and coronavirus-induced lockdown - that led to zero auto sales in April - werent enough, the automotive industry could see itself grappling with the third challenge  loss of contractual labour.

The automotive sector employs over 37 million people (directly and indirectly) in India spread among vehicle and auto component making companies, dealerships, service centers, road-side garages, auto spare parts shops and transport entities to mention a few. A sizeable portion of this comes from semi-skilled and or unskilled contractual labour.

An estimated 70 trains have been deployed to ferry 80,000 migrant workers stuck in various states. Around 55 trains have done trips carrying 1000 passengers each. Pressure is mounting on states like Maharashtra, Haryana, Punjab Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka to assist in sending back home the migrants, most of who come from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar belt.

The auto parts segment would be the worst hit because of the exodus. At least 70 percent of the 5 million workforce employed in the auto component space consists of semi-skilled and or unskilled contractual labour, according to the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA).

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 Tier 2 and Tier 3 auto parts making companies that supply to either Tier 1 auto parts vendors or in some cases directly to vehicle makers stand to get impacted the most from the loss of workforce.

A senior executive from a Delhi-based auto component company said if the migration is not stopped it would lead to dearth of workforce and it would also make cost of labour more expensive. "There is also no surety that these migrants will have the confidence to return to their jobs anytime soon, he said, requesting anonymity.

Auto companies are resuming operations majorly to finish any 'work in progress' and make do with existing parts inventory to meet booking requests.

Besides the shop floor contractual workforce is extensively used in areas where hard labour is required like foundry divisions and building construction. Several transport companies have already reported shortage of drivers. This again is a critical area where auto components and even completely built vehicles have to be shipped on time.
- The French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) has begun implementing a COVID-19-related programme in Ghana

- The project is in partnership with the WACCBIP and the NMIMR of the University of Ghana

- The programme would be extended to four African countries in the near future

Our Manifesto: This is what YEN.com.gh believes in

YEN.com.gh has learned that the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) is currently implementing a COVID-19-related programme in Ghana.

Information available shows that the programme is in partnership with the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious and Non-Communicable Diseases (WACCBIP) and the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) of the University of Ghana.

The aim of the research, which is currently entering its active phase in West Africa, is to strengthen Ghanas strategy to respond to the epidemic.

READ ALSO: Fitch rates Ghana's economy at a 'B'; looks forward to swift recovery after COVID-19

Per a report by graphic.com.gh, the plan is a component of a 1.2 billion COVID-19 joint health initiative launched by France, through the French Development Agency (AFD), in response to the global health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in developing countries.

According to the AFD, five countries, including Benin, Guinea and Senegal, are set to benefit from the programme, in partnership with national actors, for a total grant of 2.2 million.

In other news, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has expressed fears about the effects of the coronavirus on the African continent.

According to the IMF, Africa is likely to end up dealing with economic disruptions, spillovers from global fallouts, and commodity price shocks.

Following the April 2020 virtual Spring Meetings on Sub-Saharan Africa, the IMF noted that the region is likely to see its lowest growth in history, which is 1.6%.

READ ALSO: World Bank freezes $500 million debt Ghana owes for 2020

Enjoyed reading our story? Download YEN's news app on Google Playstore now and stay up-to-date with major Ghana news!

Rent advance exceeding 6 months could land you in jail in Ghana - Atta Akyea | #Yencomgh

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Source: YEN.com.gh
Nicolas Cage will portray Tiger King subject Joe Exotic in an eight-episode scripted series about the now-imprisoned big-cat breeder, TheWrap has learned.

The limited series  which is not to be confused with the Kate McKinnon Tiger King scripted show in the works at UCP  hails from Imagine Television and CBS Television Studios. No network or platform is currently attached to the show, working title Joe Exotic, but an individual with knowledge of the project tells TheWrap it will be taken to market in the next few days.

The series centers around Joe Shreibvogel (also known as Joseph Maldonado-Passage), an eccentric, exotic zookeeper in Oklahoma who fights to keep his park  even at the risk of losing his sanity, per its logline. The series will live in the lions den with Joe, explore how he became Joe Exotic, and how he lost himself to a character of his own creation.

Also Read: PETA Urges Kate McKinnon, Dawn Olmstead to Use Only CGI Cats in Scripted Series Based on 'Tiger King' (Exclusive)

The project is based on on the Texas Monthly article Joe Exotic: A Dark Journey Into the World of a Man Gone Wild, by Leif Reigstad, which American Vandal showrunner Dan Lagana and Paul Young optioned the rights to in June of 2019 through Laganas overall deal at CBS Television Studios.

Lagana will write and executive produce Joe Exotic. Other executive producers include Brian Grazer and Samie Kim Falvey for Imagine, Young for Make Good Content, Cage for Saturn Films, and Scott Brown and Megan Creydt for Texas Monthly.

Imagines James Seidman and Natalie Berkus are overseeing the project for Imagine.

Also Read: 64 Million Subscribers Have Watched 'Tiger King,' Netflix Says

Variety first reported the news of the Cage-led series, which comes a little over a month after Tiger King launched on Netflix. The docuseries has been a big hit for the streaming service, with Netflix boasting on April 21 that 64 million subscribers had watched the show since its premiere.

Read original story Tiger King Scripted Series Starring Nicolas Cage as Joe Exotic in the Works at Imagine, CBS TV Studios At TheWrap
A heartfelt letter penned by King George IV to the Duke of Wellington praising him for his success in the Battle of Vitoria in 1813 has been unveiled after 207 years.

The monarch, who became Prince Regent in 1811 before going on to succeed his father George III to the throne in 1820, wrote the two page correspondence following Wellington's triumph in the decisive battle.

The battle, which took place in Spain on June 21 in 1813, saw Wellington's combined British-Portuguese-Spanish army defeat King Joseph Bonaparte's French soldiers during the Peninsula war.

In the letter, which is now on auction at Forum Auctions and is expected to fetch 120, the military leader, who went on to defeat Napoleon Bonaparte at Waterloo two years later, said that his 'glorious conduct was above all human praise'.

King George IV praised the Duke of Wellington for his success in the Battle of Vitoria in 1813

In a letter, which has as come to light after 207 years and is now on auction at Forum Auctions, the monarch who was Prince Regent at the time wrote a two page correspondence to the Duke of Wellington

The soon-to-be king thanked the duke and said his 'glorious conduct was above all human praise'

As a token of his appreciation, he said he would send him a Field Marshal's baton, adding: 'You have sent me among the trophies of your unrivalled fame the staff of a French Marshal, and I send you in return that of England.'

A copy of George IV's letter has now emerged for sale with London-based Forum Auctions.

It is believed to be from the hand of one of the Royal household, or from a member of Wellington's staff, as a matter of record.

The battle of Vitoria, which took place on June 21, 1813, was decisive in breaking Napoleon Bonaparte's control over Spain during the Peninsular War.

On the day of the attack, Wellington split his soldiers into four attacking 'columns' and sent them towards Bonaparte's French army who were situated in a defensive position in the Spanish city of Vitoria.

At 8am, the allies crossed the Zadorra river at several bridges to the west in order to attack the heights overlooking the French army before heavy battle ensued.

The battle saw around 5,000 troops under Wellington's command killed while the French lost around 8,000 of their soldiers.

King George IV, who was 21st Prince of Wales, did not officially ascend to the throne until 1820 following the death of George III, but his father's increasingly ailing mental health meant he effectively ruled from 1811 onwards.

His high opinion of Wellington was not reciprocated by the duke who reputedly thought he spent too much, was morally corrupt and lazy.

Under the Duke of Wellington's command, a combined army of English, Spanish, and Portuguese soldiers were able to fight King Joseph Bonaparte's French army

The Battle of Vitoria was decisive in breaking Napoleon Bonaparte's control over Spain during the Peninsular War

It is said that he often destroyed correspondence he received from George IV, meaning this could be the only surviving record of this letter.

It has been consigned for sale by a private collector.

Max Hasler, specialist at Forum Auctions, said: 'This copy letter praises Wellington in extravagant terms after his victory at the Battle of Vitoria, and he sends him a Field Marshal's baton.

'It was presumably from one of the Royal household or a member of Wellington's staff for their staff records.

'The letter has been in the same private collection for the past 30 years.'

Wellington went on to twice be prime minister, with his first stint (1828-30) under the reign of George IV who died in 1830.

He was also prime minister for a month in 1834.

The sale of the letter, which is expected to fetch 120, takes place tomorrow.
By Sudip Kar-Gupta and Michel Rose

PARIS (Reuters) - France accused Apple on Tuesday of undermining its effort to fight the coronavirus by refusing to help make its iPhones more compatible with a planned "StopCovid" contact-tracing app.

Countries are rushing to develop smartphone apps, which are seen as a way to help keep the novel coronavirus epidemic in check while reopening the economy.

The apps would use the Bluetooth feature that allows phones to interact with nearby devices to help detect when users come into contact with people who potentially carry the virus.

Apple's iPhones normally block access to Bluetooth unless the user is actively running an app. French officials want Apple to change the settings to let their app access Bluetooth in the background, so it is always on. So far, they say, Apple has refused.

"Apple could have helped us make the application work even better on the iPhone. They have not wished to do so," France's minister for digital technology, Cedric O, told BFM Business TV.

"I regret this, given that we are in a period where everyone is mobilised to fight against the epidemic, and given that a large company that is doing so well economically is not helping out a government in this crisis."

"We will remember that when time comes," the minister added.

A spokesman for Apple in France declined to comment.

The issue of Bluetooth access on iPhones is one of several security-related questions that have arisen as countries try to roll out smartphone apps to fight the coronavirus.

France, along with some other countries, wants to keep contact data in a central database, arguing this would make it easier for the authorities to track suspected coronavirus cases.

Apple and Alphabet's Google, between them responsible for the operating systems on nearly all smartphones, want data to be stored on the phones themselves, out of government reach, saying this would better protect the privacy of users.

Story continues

O, the French minister, said he could not explain the reasoning behind Apple's decision on Bluetooth.

"We consider that oversight of the healthcare system, fighting the coronavirus, is a matter for governments and not necessarily for big American companies," he said.

The French minister said the app should be ready to be deployed on June 2 regardless of Apple's stance, and would enter a testing phase in the week of May 11 when the country starts to unwind its lockdown.

In France, Apple's mobile operating system accounted for 21.1% of the market in the first quarter, while Google's Android accounted for 78.8%, according to Kantar research.

Britain, which is using the same centralised approach as France to store data, will start testing its own COVID-19 tracing app on the Isle of Wight from Tuesday.

(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Michel Rose, additional reporting by Mathieu Rosemain; Editing by Peter Graff and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
Dunkin' Donuts website

It's National Nurses Day, and Dunkin' has a deal to celebrate them and all healthcare workers on the frontline fighting coronavirus.

The doughnut chain is offering a free medium coffee and free doughnut to any nurse or healthcare worker, no ID or purchase required.
Keeping Up with the Kardashians star Scott Disick reportedly checked in and out of a rehab facility after his personal information was leaked to the media. Scott has allegedly threatened a lawsuit against the rehab for releasing this personal information and some photos. Now, All Points North Rehab has released an official statement denying any claims of leaking Scott Disicks personal information.

Scott Disicks rehab issues official statement against data leak

The Coronavirus lockdown has led to several celebrities quarantining themselves in their homes. The Keeping Up with the Kardashians stars are no different. The Kardashian-Jenner family is spending quality time together amidst this lockdown. But one member of the reality TV family is facing some major issues.

Also read | When Kourtney Kardashian Was Seen Chilling In Scott Disicks Stay Home Outfit

This family member is none other than Kourtney Kardashians ex Scott Disick. Scott Disick recently checked himself in a rehab facility in Colorado. But soon checked himself out as his personal information and some photos from the facility were leaked to the media. According to a media portals report, Disick is planning to file a lawsuit against the All Points North Lodge rehab in Colorado due to this leak.

But now, Noah Nordheimerthe President of the rehab is firing back against the alleged claims of a data leak. In an interview with a media publication, the rehabs President said that he and his team are aware of the information that has been leaked to various media sources and further publicised. He continued and said that the protection of [their] clients personal and confidential information is of the utmost importance to them.

The alleged photo that was leaked of #scottdisick pic.twitter.com/8nnjM87N03  quickwiththetea (@quickwiththetea) May 5, 2020

Also read | Scott Disick Called Out For Posting Earth Day Beach Picture, Fans Call Him 'tone-deaf'

He also added that All Points North lodge ensures that legal action will be taken against an APN employee if any personal information is leaked and the facility will also be cooperating with law enforcement and other government authorities for the same.

Talking about Scott Disick, several media outlets reported that he checked himself in rehab as he is struggling due to alcohol and substance abuse amidst the ongoing lockdown. These media outlets also suggest that Scott has been having a hard time dealing with the loss of his parents Bonnie and Jeffrey Disick who passed away a few years ago. Scotts lawyer also supported the fact that Disick wants to deal with his past traumas regarding the loss of his parents and not alcohol or substance abuse.

Also read | All You Need To Know About Kourtney Kardashians Ex-partner Scott Disick

Also read | Keeping Up With The Kardashians: Khloe Kardashian's Mom Encourages Her To Freeze Eggs
The deployment of the South African National Defence Force during the countrys lockdown does not mean people should expect a massive increase in deployed soldiers on the countrys streets.

On 21 April 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa notified Parliament that he authorised the deployment of 73,180 members from the SANDFs Regular, Reserve, and Auxiliary Forces.

This is in addition to the deployment of 2,280 members in March, who were tasked with assisting the police in enforcing lockdown restrictions.

South Africans may be frightened at the idea of having over 70,000 armed soldiers patrolling the streets or stopping them at roadblocks.

National Secretary of the South African National Defence Union (SANDU) Pikkie Greeff told MyBroadband there is no need for panic, however.

Why the big number

Greeff firstly explained why President Ramaphosa opted for the deployment of effectively the entire SANDF.

Every time the President wants to utilise the SANDF, he is supposed to notify Parliament formally about the number of members to be used, the period that they are to be used, and the cost that is predicted with that kind of usage, Greeff said.

Instead of giving notices on an ad hoc basis, Ramaphosa has issued a blanket notice which covers the entire SANDF strength.

Thats given him great manoeuvrability in dealing with this crisis as it unfolds and provides him the ability to respond if the worst-case scenario should come upon us very quickly, Greeff said.

This could be helpful in deploying soldiers at short notice. I think its actually a brilliant strategic move, its prudent to have your reserves in place, Greeff said.

Not law enforcement

It should be noted that unlike certain media reports have indicated, these soldiers will not be used in carrying out law enforcement responsibilities.

The 73,180 deployment should not be seen as a mass of 73,180 boots on the ground being deployed to various areas, Greeff said.

Greeff explained that the 2,820 soldiers who were first deployed were called in under Section 19 of the Defence Act, which provides for the deployment of the SANDF to assist police in enforcing law and order.

As Ramaphosa invoked Section 18 of the Defence Act to deploy the additional 73,180 soldiers, they are tasked to help in other essential services or public service departments, which could include duties such as assisting in the preservation of life, health, and property, as well as border control.

Additional roles

Greeff provided several examples of where the soldiers could be utilised.

Any essential service where extra help is needed, thats where soldiers could potentially be deployed, he explained.

If a neighbouring country was to lift their lockdown restrictions, the effect could be that lots of people may attempt to enter South Africa.

Soldiers can then be deployed to assist immigration services and border control officials if required.

Additionally, military medical personnel and soldiers may be needed in the healthcare effort where clinics are understaffed or have been expanded.

Dont be surprised if you see soldiers wiping floors in hospitals, Greeff said.

They have the numbers available. They have the necessary transport and structure hierarchy to execute those kinds of tasks very quickly, as and where needed, he stated.

SANDFs engineers could also help with the construction of infrastructure and facilities to aid in the fight against the virus, such as field hospitals.

Training and equipment

The training of soldiers includes civilian operations in support of the police, stated Greef.

Just remember the soldiers are always theoretically and legally under command of the local police.

He said that it was also disingenuous to question the training of the military and police, especially when members of the public have attempted to assumed the role of law enforcement officers.

I do find it a bit worrying that members of the public would be concerned about soldiers and police, whom we all know receive training, yet they have no problem with civilians belonging to so-called neighbourhood patrols with no training whatsoever acting like law enforcement officers, Greeff said.

Public response

According to reports received by SANDU, soldiers are generally well-received by the public.

We havent heard of any incidents that soldiers reported to us that the public is anti-military as such, Greeff said.

He acknowledged media reports over incidents of alleged misconduct and unlawful behaviour from SANDF members, but said these were relatively few when taking into account the scale and length of the deployment.

He also expects the overall positive reception of the SANDF will continue as additional members are deployed to assist in essential services.

I think thats going to continue to grow where they will be in contact with the public on a different basis than where they are armed to the teeth. Where they will be like public servants in assisting pensioners in SASSA queues or whatever the case may be, Greeff stated.
An Australian tourist has been found dead on a bed in a hotel in Bali after authorities clad in COVID-19 protective suits broke through his locked door.

Christopher Steven Tolley, 47, was due to check out of his Seminyak hotel at 12.30pm on Tuesday but failed to do so.

Staff went to the room to check on him and found a 'do not disturb' sign placed on the front and the door locked from the inside, rendering the hotel's master key useless.

When they peered through a window, accessed from a neighbouring room, a staff member saw Mr Tolley, who is believed to come from Queensland despite his passport saying he's from Sydney, laying still on the bed.

His body has been taken to Sanglah morgue where an examination will be conducted to check for signs of violence

Authorities were called and a COVID-19 task force broke through the door to find him dead.

The cause of his death and when he died are still unknown.

The investigation unit head of Kuta Police, Bagus Nagara Baranacita, said the hotel room had not been fully searched due to fears of COVID-19 and that the virus needs to be ruled out before further investigations can take place.

'If we conduct investigations in the room without knowing the cause of the death, we are worried that our team will be infected by COVID-19,' he told 7News.

'So, COVID Task Force should do the task first and do a COVID -19 test. After we get the result, we can start to do investigations inside the room.

The room has been sealed off to prevent potential contamination.

Mr Tolley's belongings remain inside room 158 at the Fave Hotel on Sunset Road and no one has been allowed to enter.

Christopher Steven Tolley's passport indicates he was born in Bankstown, NSW, however it is understood he came from Queensland

Bali authorities cut off access to a section of the village (pictured) shortly after the discovery of the body

His body has been taken to Sanglah morgue, in Denpasar, where an examination will be conducted to check for signs of violence.

If signs of violence are detected, Balinese authorities will coordinate with the consulate to speak with Mr Tolley's family to ask for permission to conduct an autopsy.

Mr Barancita said authorities are checking the hotel's CCTV footage.

'We are still doing investigations to find the cause of the death, checking the hotel CCTV,' he said.

Mr Baranacita said multiple witnesses from the hotel were still being interviewed, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Mr Tolley had been staying alone in the hotel room since March 31. It is not known how long he had been in Bali.

Most flights to and from the popular holiday island have now ceased as a result of coronavirus and there are barely any tourists.
<! Ethiopian Airlines Dreamliner >

nigeria -makes-changes-in-evacuation-of-its-citizens-from-u-s-1.jpg" data-orig-size="512,342" data- nigeria -makes-changes-in-evacuation-of-its-citizens-from-u-s-1.jpg" data-orig-size="512,342" data- comments -opened="1" data-image-meta="{" aperture board anethiopian airlines dreamliner jet ahead of its take off on april at addis ababa bole international airport. the carrier became first airline to resume flying boeing that were grounded worldwide three months ago due battery problems. saturday flight will travel from nairobi and is expected return in evening. remaining ethiopia dreaminers also be retrofitted with a new contained ensuring can continue case malfuntion. ethiopian ceo tewolde gebremariam said he was very happy world after month grounding fleet. africa fastest growing operate dreamliner. afp photo vaughan. imageforum data-image-title="Ethiopian airline Dreamliner" data-image-description=" Passengers board anEthiopian Airlines Dreamliner jet ahead of its take off on April 27, 2013, at Addis Ababas Bole International Airport. The carrier became the first airline to resume flying the Boeing 787 that were grounded worldwide three months ago due to battery problems. Saturdays flight will travel from Addis Ababa to Nairobi and is expected to return in the evening. The remaining three of Ethiopias Dreaminers will also be retrofitted with a new battery that is contained, ensuring the flight can continue in case of malfuntion. Ethiopian Airlines CEO Tewolde Gebremariam said he was very happy to be the first airline in the world to resume flight after a three month grounding of the 50-strong fleet. Ethiopian Airlines, Africas fastest growing carrier, is the first airline in Africa to operate the 787 Dreamliner. AFP PHOTO/JENNY VAUGHAN.  data-medium-file=https://onlinenigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/nigeria-makes-changes-in-evacuation-of-its-citizens-from-u-s-1.jpg data-large-file=https://149366101.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/passengers-board-Ethiopia-airlines-dreamliner-504336.jpg src=https://onlinenigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/nigeria-makes-changes-in-evacuation-of-its-citizens-from-u-s-1.jpg alt width=512 height=342 class=size-full wp-image-161409 srcset=https://onlinenigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/nigeria-makes-changes-in-evacuation-of-its-citizens-from-u-s-1.jpg 512w , https://149366101.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/passengers-board-Ethiopia-airlines-dreamliner-7550.jpg 75w , https://149366101.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/passengers-board-Ethiopia-airlines-dreamliner-504336.jpg 504w , https://149366101.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/passengers-board-Ethiopia-airlines-dreamliner-495330.jpg 495w , https://149366101.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/passengers-board-Ethiopia-airlines-dreamliner-12080.jpg 120w , https://149366101.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/passengers-board-Ethiopia-airlines-dreamliner-165110.jpg 165w , https://149366101.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/passengers-board-Ethiopia-airlines-dreamliner-270180.jpg 270w , https://149366101.v2.pressablecdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/passengers-board-Ethiopia-airlines-dreamliner-480320.jpg 480w  sizes=(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px>

By Harrison Arubu/New York

Evacuation of the first batch of stranded Nigerians in the United States earlier scheduled for Sunday has been brought back to Saturday.

Also changed is the flight number from ET 509 announced on Sunday to ET 8509 by the same carrier, Ethiopian Airlines.

The Consulate-General of Nigeria in New York announced the changes in a statement issued on behalf of the Nigerian Missions in the U.S., on Tuesday.

In a notice on Sunday, the consulate had said no fewer than 700 Nigerians registered with the missions in the U.S. for evacuation, to be done in batches.

It said the plane could only accommodate 270 passengers, who would be picked on the first-come-first-served basis.

It, however, said the list of evacuees would be prioritised according to their immigration status.

This includes the need to consider those stranded with proof of short-stay visas, the elderly, families with children and returning students, it said.

The port of departure remains the Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey, and departure time, 9.15 p.m.

According to Tuesdays statement, the plane is expected to land at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on May 10 at 11:15 a.m.

Those already booked on Ethiopian Airlines ET 509 will now be transferred by the airline to the new flight ET 8509 on Saturday, May 9, 2020.

The projected cost for the one-way economy ticket is between 1,300 dollars (N488,800) and 1,700 dollars (N639,200) per adult, according to the consulate.
The Congress on Wednesday lauded the security forces for



bringing Hizbul Mujahideen's de facto chief Reyaz Naikoo to justice, with Rahul Gandhi saying the killing of innocents by terrorists must never go unpunished.

"I congratulate our security forces for bringing the terrorist, Riyaz Naikoo, to justice. The killing of innocent people by terrorists must never go unpunished," he said on Twitter.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the party applauds the brave armymen and the entire armed forces who, despite the coronavirus pandemic, are taking on terrorists being pushed into India by the ISI and the Pakistani government.

He said the manner in which the terrorists are pushed into India by Pakistan and the ISI is known to everybody.

"But, the way this architecture of terror is being demolished by our armed forces makes every Indian proud of them," he said.

"We salute their valour and bravery in demolishing this terror network on a daily basis which is now proven from the killing of the terror Commander in Jammu and Kashmir when he attacked our armed forces. Our armed forces ensured that the terror network was demolished, so we applaud them and we salute their valour," Surjewala said.

Hizbul Mujahideen's de facto chief and one of Kashmir's most wanted terrorists Reyaz Naikoo was on Wednesday killed by security forces in his village in Pulwama district, prompting authorities to suspend mobile phones and mobile internet across the Valley.

The 35-year-old maths teacher-turned-terrorist, with a Rs 12 lakh bounty on his head, had successfully escaped the dragnet for eight years. But his luck finally ran out when he was shot dead after a five-hour gunbattle in restive Pulwama's Beighbpora village, about 40 km from Srinagar, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The five bedroom, 3-bath Tudor-style Colonial in Bala Cynwyd's College Park neighborhood is near two parks and the heritage trail, as well as the Schuylkill and Martin Luther King Drive. Read more

Coming to the Philadelphia area from France in the fall of 2015, Claudia and Herve Le Meliner saw Bala Cynwyd as the perfect location.

Herve was taking a new job opening a U.S. subsidiary of a French cookie manufacturer, and the couple liked the fact that the area was accessible to his work in Center City and good schools for their three sons.

So they rented a five bedroom, 3-bath Tudor-style Colonial in the College Park neighborhood .

There were two parks nearby, the [Cynwyd] Heritage Trail, and it was close to the Schuylkill, I-76 and Martin Luther King Drive," Claudia said. A lot of neighbors with kids have moved into the neighborhood recently.

Its a quiet, green neighborhood with open spaces. In the summer, there are block parties, and in the fall, we have Halloween parties.

When their landlords decided they wanted to sell, the Le Meliners knew they didnt want to move. The house was in great shape, and they were comfortable there so they bought it.

Now, three years later, they are, indeed, moving back to France. Herves company has promoted him to a new job there.

The house, built in 1925, has refinished hardwood floors throughout, along with a new eat-in kitchen with granite countertops and a breakfast bar, stainless steel appliances, ceramic floors and backsplash, wood cabinetry, recessed lighting, and access to a brick patio and level rear yard.

It has a large, bright formal dining room, and a traditional living room with a wood-burning brick fireplace, recessed lighting, an updated powder room, and access to the front porch.

The second floor has a master bedroom suite with an updated master bathroom, three additional bedrooms, and a full hall bathroom.

The third floor has an additional bedroom and full bath, and there is a large walk-in-attic that could be converted to a sixth bedroom.

The house has a large attached garage and private driveway, and the basement has ample storage space.

The house is listed by Damon Michels of BHHS Fox & Roach-Narberth for $799,000.
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - Burkina Faso recorded 41 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease on Wednesday, bringing to 729 the number of positive cases since 9 March, the government information service (SIG) announced
I certainly dont think weve been able to get every single person from those two shuttered dispensaries so obviously theres some people out there that havent been able to get their medicine, Nelson said.

The current situation has been amplified for MedPharm after Acreage Holdings, which operates Iowa Relief in Cedar Rapids, announced April 3 that that it would temporarily close its Iowa facility, one of two manufacturing facilities in the Hawkeye State.

That means MedPharms precautions around COVID-19 are heightened, such as the use of face coverings for workers, the use of gloves, disinfecting surfaces and social distancing.

If we had to shut our manufacturing facility for some reason that would dry up the entire supply, Nelson said. This is 100% the difference between a child having seizures every day or not. It's reasons like that that we have to be really careful and mindful of everything our staff is doing to make sure the supply of medicine continues.

With COVID-19s ongoing financial impact, businesses have sought coronavirus-related monetary relief. But legal cannabis businesses have not been able to seek those dollars, such as the Paycheck Protection Program from the Small Business Administration.
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KENT COUNTY, MI -- Voters in the Byron Center School District approved a 30-year, $80.1-million bond request Tuesday, May 5.

The bond measure passed by a vote of 4,805 to 2,830, or about 63 to 37 percent, according to unofficial results from the Kent County Clerks Office. Turnout was at about 42 percent.

The bond measure will not result in a tax increase, instead it will extend the current debt levy of 7 mills for six year from 2047 to 2053.

District officials say the money will be aimed at increasing building capacities to meet the needs of the growing population.

Superintendent Kevin Macina previously told The Grand Rapids Press/MLive that the bond will primarily be used to construct a new school for their fifth and sixth graders and will also be used to renovate the current school, Nickels Intermediate, for a fourth elementary program.

Related: Byron Center Public Schools seeks $80.1M bond to accommodate growth

According to state data, the district is up 324 students from three years ago. It now has 4,243 students.

In addition to the building projects, bond funds will also be spent on increasing the bus fleet, new technology for learning and increased security measures, such as additional cameras at buildings and access controlled locks.

Eight other school districts in Kent and Ottawa counties have tax proposals on the May 5 ballot.

Related: See school tax proposals for the Grand Rapids-area on the May 5, 2020 election ballot

More on MLive:

Godwin Heights voters approve $13.9M school bond

Kelloggsville Public Schools voters approve tax for building, technology upgrades

Michigan polls quiet as absentee voting booms to record levels amid coronavirus outbreak

Tuesday, May 5: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan
Egypt will operate on Thursday three flights from Cairo International Airport to bring home stranded Egyptians from the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Nigeria, state-owned new agency MENA said on Wednesday.

Egypt has suspended international flights since 19 March over the coronavirus pandemic, with the exception of specially operated flights to bring home citizens stranded abroad.

The Cairo-bound UAE flight will be operated by EgyptAir and will bring home Egyptians stranded in Dubai.

The other two flights will be operated by AirCairo  one of the Civil Aviation Ministry's companies  and are scheduled to return Egyptians from Muscat and Lagos to the Red Sea city of Marsa Alam.

Egypt is set to operate several flights in the coming days to return more stranded Egyptians, who are set to be quarantined for 14 days in hotels or university dorms.

Late last month, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi stated that Egypt is committed to repatriating all Egyptians stranded abroad at the earliest opportunity.

"I assure all Egyptians [stranded abroad] who are listening to me, even if our circumstances are difficult, we will not leave you. As a state, we are obligated to bring home all stranded Egyptians, who are estimated at 3,500 citizens or slightly more, as soon as possible," El-Sisi said.

The cabinet has said the state will cover the cost for those staying at university dorms, while those who want to spend their quarantine period at designated hotels in Marsa Alam will have to pay for their stay.

The priority for Egyptians returning from abroad will be given to humanitarian cases, followed by those with expired residences or terminated contracts, then those with a final exit visa and tourists, Information Minister Osama Heikal said on Tuesday.

According to Egypt's Ministry of Emigration, Wednesday witnessed the arrival to Cairo of 190 Egyptians stranded in Kuwait, in addition to 151 Egyptians stranded in Baghdad to Marsa Alam through two special flights.

On Tuesday, Cairo and Marsa Alam airports received a number of special flights that were transporting home 921 Egyptians who had been stranded in Kuwait, Sudan, Iraq and Tanzania.

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ODH director Dr. Amy Acton featured in New York Times video The Leader We Wish We All Had (WEWS Channel 5)

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announces $775m in state budget cuts to education, Medicaid and more (cleveland.com)

Decision on Ohio restaurants, bars possible from Ohio Gov. DeWine on Thursday (cleveland.com)

Ohio K-12 students could go to school two days a week in fall, with online learning (cleveland.com)

Coronavirus in Ohio

Coronavirus cases reported by the Ohio Department of Health are spread more evenly across age groups than the fatal statistics.Rich Exner, cleveland.com

Ohio has 20,969 coronavirus cases, including 1,135 who have died: Gov. Mike DeWines Tuesday briefing (cleveland.com)

Mapping Ohios 20,969 coronavirus cases, updates and trends (cleveland.com)

Ohio hospitals want Medicare to forgive coronavirus loans (cleveland.com)

Speaker Larry Householder has been a consistent critic of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine during coronavirus response (cleveland.com)

ACLU asks judge to release 20 ICE detainees from central Ohio jail with dozens of coronavirus cases (cleveland.com)

Attorney asks Ohio Supreme Court to stop Ashland County judge from forcing trial during coronavirus pandemic for a second time (cleveland.com)

Ohio Turnpike is losing millions of dollars in tolls, but speeding is way up during the coronavirus crisis (cleveland.com)

You dont need to wear a face mask outdoors to prevent coronavirus. But experts say to carry one with you (cleveland.com)

Meijer is not requiring face coverings for shoppers in Ohio stores (cleveland.com)

Ohio Congress members want people who lack internet access to be able to track their coronavirus stimulus checks (cleveland.com)

Research suggesting nicotine might inhibit COVID-19 raises questions, doubts (cleveland.com)

Why respiratory therapist are heroes in the coronavirus pandemic: Doctors perspective (cleveland.com)

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Maple Heights High School secretary accused of embezzling more than $40,000 (cleveland.com)

Akron man accused of fatally stabbing brother in neck during drunken fight (cleveland.com)

Man arrested in 2018 double fatal shooting on I-90 in Cleveland (cleveland.com)

Teen accused of leading Elyria police on chase with 2 toddlers in car (cleveland.com)

Dog fatally shot during home invasion in Cleveland, police say (cleveland.com)

Headstones at Charleston Cemetery in Lorain destroyed by vandals (Elyria Chronicle-Telegram)

Michael Joyce sentenced in Painesville attempted murder case (News-Herald)

Cleveland / Cuyahoga County

Cleveland reports one new COVID-19 coronavirus death, 25 more residents infected (cleveland.com)

Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Center employee tests positive for coronavirus (cleveland.com)

Greater Cleveland RTA to install barriers around bus drivers, require face masks for all employees (cleveland.com)

Family donates $500,000 to help Tri-C students during coronavirus pandemic (cleveland.com)

Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish assures County Council that spending cuts will be strategically made, not across the board (cleveland.com)

Nonprofits team up for program that will hire people to monitor Cleveland, Cuyahoga County governments (cleveland.com)

Local news East

Kent State Universitys Board of Trustees to meet Wednesday to discuss employee pay cuts, buyouts (cleveland.com)

Drive-thru and walk-up coronavirus testing opens in Lake County (WOIO Channel 19)

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Great Lakes Mall reveals May 12 reopening plan: Masks not required, but recommended (WKYC Channel 3)

Local news West

32 Teacher appreciation parade at Horizon Education Center in Berea, May 5, 2020

Teacher appreciation parade at Bereas Horizon Education Centers an emotional reunion for students, leaders (photos) (cleveland.com)

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Akron / Canton area

Akron RubberDucks season officially delayed (cleveland.com)

Family of Akron woman killed in storage unit sues facility (Akron Beacon Journal)

State

Rep. Jim Jordan wants probe of FBIs Michael Flynn investigation (cleveland.com)
While most every other aspect of the economy is suffering, these are boom days for the scamming industry. Not only is there confusion to be sowed and ill-gotten gains to be reaped regarding the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 U.S. Census also provides opportunity to defraud unsuspecting Americans out of private and financial information, if not actual dollars.

Weve come a long way since that Nigerian prince sent out his first email, looking to bestow millions on a recipient hed never met.

The Better Business Bureau has warned of emails sent claiming the recipient needs to fill out the census before they can receive their federal virus stimulus check. While filling out your census forms is important (and required by law), this claim is patently false; theres no connection between the census and the stimulus program. Moreover, clicking for more information in the email downloads malware to the users computer or device.

The BBB is also warning of a puppy scam: In addition to the usual caveats about ordering a pet from a breeder or shop elsewhere, the new twist includes claims that puppies need special crates or insurance because of the coronavirus, costing more upfront.

Theres also a new bump in a relatively recent phenomenon. With the spike in the use of webcams for meetings in a remote business environment, scammers are betting that many people are unfamiliar with the technology. Theyre sending messages to potential victims, claiming their webcam has been hacked, that the hackers have video of the user visiting pornographic websites or other illegal or embarrassing info, and demanding a ransom. The emails often include a password the recipient has used, which may have been obtained via actual hacking of an account at some point. Chances are, the sender doesnt have control of the users webcam or computer, and has no video of any wrong or embarrassing actions. The best response is to delete the email and change your passwords.

The pandemic has created an ideal environment for scammers. People are nervous, and a little more isolated from their usual supports. The stimulus program, unemployment and other financial considerations during the crisis, combined with the uncertainty and worry about the economy and health matters, provides an excellent opportunity to catch people off-guard or more desperate and willing than normal to take chances.

As noted above, the ingenuity and creativity of scammers is endless. But the pitches generally come in three ways: emotional pitches, scare tactics or routine business connections.

More audacious crooks may try blackmail, such as the webcam scam above. They may pose as police or other officials and pretend youre in trouble and must comply. The real police will almost never call you to do financial business  such as bailing out a relative or paying a fine  over the phone or by email. Offer to go to the station to deal with it, and if they balk, its likely not real.

Emotional appeals often falsely portray someone in need or offer to assist others, as in a false charitable request. It could be a bogus GoFundMe site or a call/email from what appears to be a known charitable cause. The urge to help others is wonderful, but always know what youre donating to. And always do it through reliable means. No one legitimate is going to ask that you purchase gift cards and give them the numbers, or that you deposit their check and send them the difference.

These are worrisome times. People are out of sync and theres so much to pay attention to, its easier to find yourself taken advantage of.

Remember, scammers want either money or information. Dont give out either without careful checking.

 The Keene Sentinel, New Hampshire
The Liberal Party will turn to at least three potential candidates to fight the Eden-Monaro byelection in a looming preselection between a naval veteran, a farmer and a trade expert.

Former Navy seaman Jerry Nockles became the latest Liberal to join the contest when he told party members on Wednesday he intended to put his name forward by the deadline this Friday.

Fiona Kotvojs came close to winning the marginal electorate at the last election. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The decision sets up a rerun of the preselection contest held before the last election when Dr Nockles faced off against Fiona Kotvojs, a farmer and former teacher.

The third contender is Pru Gordon, the general manager for economics and trade at the National Farmers' Federation.
Thirteen Tablighi Jamaat members, including two Sri Lankan nationals, were arrested here for allegedly staying in a mosque in violation of the coronavirus lockdown orders, police said on Wednesday.

While the two Sri Lankan nationals have been sent to jail, the other 11 Jamaat members were released on bail, they said.

The Sir Lanka embassy in Delhi has been informed about the arrest of its two citizens, they added.

"The 13 were booked under IPC sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life)," police said.

The Sri Lankan nationals were also booked under sections 14 and 14c of the Foreigners Act for violating the visa regulations by indulging in religious activities, they added.

As per the guidelines issued by the Centre, religious places and places of worship will remain shut during the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The district authorities have launched a drive to trace all members of the Tablighi Jamaat who have been in "hiding" since the lockdown was imposed on March 25.

A gathering held at Tablighi Jamaat's headquarters at Nizamuddin in Delhi in mid-March, which was attended by delegates from across India and also abroad, had become a key source for the spread of COVID-19.

At least 9,000 people participated in the congregation, after which many of the attendees travelled to various parts of the country.

District Magistrate Chandra Bhushan had issued an appeal that "it was in public interest that such persons are immediately traced".

During the past two days, 72 such individuals, who belonged to different districts of the state, were identified, police said.

The district authorities with the help of some local Muslim leaders, including former legislator from Aligarh Haji Zameer Ullah, made the arrangements for sending these persons to their native places after completing medical formalities.

Zameer Ullah, in a statement, urged the UP chief minister to take necessary steps for the early release of the two Sri Lankan nationals on humanitarian grounds since they were the victims of the circumstances and also in view of the holy month of Ramzan.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Centre on Wednesday slammed the West Bengal government for not allowing movement of essential goods through the Indo-Bangladesh border, saying such acts were violation of the Constitution and will have international implications.

The fresh accusation might deteriorate the already strained relations between the Centre and the West Bengal government and further escalate war of words.

The Union Home Ministry told the West Bengal government that it has not implemented repeated directions of the Centre for free movement of cargo and this amounts to violation of the Disaster Management Act.

In his letter to West Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said directions were given on April 24 to allow cross land border of essential goods through all Indo-Nepal, Indo-Bhutan and Indo-Bangladesh borders and send a compliance report to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

"In this regard, I am constrained to say that we have not received the compliance report from the state government of West Bengal," he said.

The Union home secretary said it has been reported that goods traffic through border crossings between India and Bangladesh, falling in West Bengal, has still not resumed.

As a result, he said, a large number of trucks carrying essential supplies, to Bangladesh, are stranded at different border crossing points.

A number of drivers of such vehicles, while returning from Bangladesh, have also not been allowed to cross the border into India, and are stranded in the neighbouring country.

Bhalla pointed out that in the new guidelines on lockdown measures, it has been clearly spelt out that no state or union territory shall stop the movement of cargo for cross-border land trade under treaties with neighbouring countries.

"The unilateral action on the part of the West Bengal government to stop the cross land border movement of essential goods would have larger implications for the Indian government with regard to its legally binding international commitments.

"This act of the state government of West Bengal amounts to violation of the orders issued by the MHA under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 as well as articles 253, 256 and 257 of the Constitution of India," it said.

Bhalla again directed the West Bengal government to allow cross land border transportation through all Indo-Bangladesh borders without any further delay and send the compliance report on opening of cross land borders by Wednesday itself.

The union home secretary's fresh letter was one of the series of communications and verbal duel between the Centre, West Bengal government and its ruling Trinamool Congress over implementation of various central directives related to the lockdown and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last month, after the central government dispatched two Inter Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs) to West Bengal to assess the COVID-19 situation and the lockdown implementation, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the move and accused the Centre of sending faulty testing kits to the state.

Subsequently, leader of one of the teams, Additional Secretary Apurva Chandra, alleged that the West Bengal government was not providing cooperation to the team and sought detailed presentation on the coronavirus situation in the state.

The union home secretary had also alleged that the West Bengal government was not cooperating with the central teams visiting the state to assess the ground situation and are specifically restraining them from interacting with healthcare workers and touring the affected areas.

The central government had also blamed the West Bengal government for not implementing the lockdown properly.

Soon, the Union Home Ministry also directed the West Bengal government not to obstruct working of the two central teams visiting the state.

Even though the West Bengal chief secretary assured that it will abide by all the central government orders, the state's ruling TMC dubbed the visits of the IMCTs as "adventure tourism" and questioned why teams were not sent to other states with much higher number of cases and hotspots.

TMC leader Derek O'Brien had also criticised the IMCT terming it as "India's Most Callous Team" and he claimed that the team's real aim is to spread the "political virus".

"Their real aim is to spread the political virus. They are doing it shamelessly, Blatantly. Take your pick, IMCT = India's Most Callous Team IMCT = I Must Cause Trouble (in Bengal)," O'Brien tweeted.

Before wrapping up its two-week trip on Monday, the IMCT, headed by Apurva Chandra, indicted the West Bengal government over COVID-19, saying its 12.8 per cent mortality rate was highest in the country and it reflected the "low testing and weak surveillance" while tackling the pandemic.

The 21 days lockdown was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 in a bid to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was extended first till May 3 and again till May 17.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As of late, Tucker Carlson and others at Fox News have been feverishly covering the recent accusations levied against Joe Biden, whose former Senate aide, Tara Reade, alleges he sexually assaulted her in 1993. But on Tuesday night, Carlson struck a different tone about Biden, who has adamantly denied the allegations.

After reiterating the allegations against Biden, Carlson said, But there is evidence on the other side as well, and we feel honor-bound to tell you about it. Just last year, Tara Reade told a very different story about what happened with Joe Biden. In 2019, she said he touched her inappropriately on the neck and shoulders. She said not that she was fired for complaining about harassment, much less being penetrated by Joe Biden. She then said she was fired because she refused to serve drinks at an event.

Carlson then pointed out that Reade was a Bernie Sanders supporter, and questioned the timing and motive behind her allegations against Biden.

Theres the question of Reades politics, Carlson said. We normally wouldnt get into that because its not germane. But keep in mind this story is unfolding during a presidential campaign. And its also playing out against the backdrop of fierce infighting within the Democratic Party. Carlson later went on to add, Its notable that before Joe Biden started beating Bernie Sanders in the primary, Tara Reade wasnt attacking Joe Biden, instead she had effusively positive things to say about him. In 2017, Tara Reade repeatedly praised Joe Biden for his work against sexual assault.

While appearing to remain skeptical of Reade, Carlson wanted to make clear he was not trying to insinuate that shes lying.

Political imperatives sometimes influence claims like this, Carlson said. That does not mean that Tara Reade is some kind of liar or is a devious partisan. We dont know that is true and we are not saying it now. To be clear, we are not asserting that.

And Carlson called on the media to practice due diligence in separating fact from fiction.

Story continues

The timing does mean, and this is our duty, that we ought to keep our guard up as this story progresses. Those of us who cover it going forward should be very weary of being used, Carlson said. Again, this is a presidential year. Weigh everything against the facts. Take nothing for granted. The one thing you can be certain of this year, is youre being lied to.

Tucker Carlson Tonight airs weeknights at 8 p.m. on Fox News Channel.

Watch Sean Hannity condemn armed Michigan protesters for attempting to intimidate officials:

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A police chief who came under fire for allowing officers to chase Peak District ramblers with drones has retired.

Derbyshire Police chief constable Peter Goodman was accused of deploying overzealous tactics to enforce coronavirus lockdown rules.

The force published drone footage on its Twitter account in March shaming walkers for making non-essential trips to take exercise, contrary to Government guidance at the time.

It faced a further backlash two days later when officers dyed a beauty spot blue lagoon black to make the water look less appealing to visitors.

Derbyshire Police said Peter Goodman is retiring after 13 years in the force / Derbyshire Police

Mr Goodman has now announced his retirement. The force insisted it was not a response to the criticism.

Former Supreme Court Justice Jonathan Sumption QC was among those to weigh in on Derbyshire Police, branding the tactics disgraceful.

"This is what a police state is like. It's a state in which the government can issue orders or express preferences with no legal authority and the police will enforce ministers' wishes," he added.

"I have to say that most police forces have behaved in a thoroughly sensible and moderate fashion. Derbyshire Police have shamed our policing traditions."

Former justice secretary David Gauke described the drone post as "badly misjudged".

Derbyshire Police dyed a blue lagoon black on the Peak District / Buxton Police SNT/Facebook

Mr Goodman defended his officers actions, saying he was operating in "unprecedented times" and had "never expected to be asked by the Government to play the role that were playing"

He is due to retire at the end of July after 13 years service, the force said.

In a statement, Mr Goodman said: It has been my privilege and pleasure to lead Derbyshire Constabulary and I am very proud to have been part of such a hardworking and dedicated organisation.

Listen to The Leader: Coronavirus Daily podcast

He added: I am extremely proud of the work that officers and staff do day-in-day-out, most of it going unsung. The dedication to keeping the communities of Derbyshire safe is second to none by all members of the force and I know that this will continue.
Weeks after Charles Fiore resigned as Gloucester County prosecutor in early March, he contacted a former colleague to tell her she was on a hit list of employees he was supposed to have fired during his tenure, according to a lawsuit filed by that employee.

Gloucester County Prosecutors Office Lt. Stacie Lick claims in her suit that she was discriminated against because of her gender and retaliated against for doing her job, which included investigating internal affairs complaints.

The suit names the GCPO, Chief of Detectives Thomas Gilbert, Lt. James Ballenger and former Detective William Perna.

This is the latest in a series of complaints filed by employees, including Ballenger, alleging mistreatment and a hostile work environment. Unlike the last two suits, Licks case does not accuse Fiore of inappropriate behavior. The prosecutor resigned amid allegations that he had made crude comments to employees.

Citing the pending litigation, Gilbert declined to comment. Efforts to reach others named in the suit were unsuccessful. Fiore did not respond to a request for comment.

Lick, who joined the office in 2003 as an investigator in the major crimes unit, describes a reasonably good working relationship with Ballenger for her first seven years with the office, but says he began to refuse any communication with her and a colleague in 2010. The situation worsened the following year when he became her immediate supervisor.

Ballenger created an environment of hostility towards women, according to her suit, by ignoring her, never asking about her investigations and celebrating the accomplishments of male colleagues while rarely acknowledging Licks efforts.

He also intentionally overloaded her with cases, Lick says, giving her more work than male counterparts.

Lick says she didnt complain about the treatment until a meeting in 2015 when she confronted Ballenger and said many in the unit were unhappy with his supervision.

She was transferred to the Special Investigations Unit in 2016 and later promoted to sergeant of that division. No longer under Ballengers supervision, their relationship turned cordial and remained that way until 2018. Ballenger grew empowered by the arrival of Gilbert that year and began acting as if he was in charge of all detectives in the office, she says.

Her problems with Gilbert began when she was assigned to investigate Ballenger for failure to supervise another detective who failed to write more than 100 reports, according to the suit.

Gilbert believed the investigation was baseless, Lick says.

The allegations against Ballenger were sustained as a result of the investigation and Fiore and First Assistant Prosecutor Paul Colangelo issued him a written reprimand.

Licks role in the investigation led to retaliation from Gilbert and Ballenger, she alleges, claiming Ballenger ignores her in the presence of male colleagues, forwards her voicemail messages to others, doesnt follow up with her on emails and conversations, makes negative comments about her department and spreads false claims about her.

When Lick was promoted to lieutenant and made supervisor of the Special Victims Unit in January 2019, Gilbert ignored her during the promotion ceremony, while praising all other promoted officers, Lick says, leaving her embarrassed in front of family and friends.

Perna added to the mistreatment by spreading damaging falsehoods about Lick to others, according to the suit, including making disparaging comments about her job performance to Fiore when he joined the office in 2017. He did this, Lick says, because he had close relationships with several officers she investigated in her internal affairs role.

She also accuses Gilbert and Ballenger of violating internal affairs policy when a complaint was made about a detective in the office and they failed to launch an investigation. When Fiore learned of the matter in November 2018, he ordered an investigation of the allegation, which was not described in the suit.

Lick completed the investigation, which found the detective had violated regulations, and gave it to Gilbert for review, according to the suit, but her report remains unapproved to this day.

She also describes an incident from 2018 in which Ballenger was supposed to be watching a prisoner in an interview room at the prosecutors office. He was outside of the room drinking coffee when the prisoner tried to commit suicide by taking shoelaces and wrapping them around his neck, according to the suit. Gilbert refused to allow an internal affairs investigation into the incident because of his relationship with Ballenger, Lick alleges, and instead handled it as a meaningful review.

Lick describes several cases in which she says Gilbert undermined her in front of others, tried to cut her out of assignments or have her report to male employees not directly involved in her assignments. In multiple instances, Gilbert and Ballenger refused to provide her with personnel or resources she needed to do her job, Lick says.

Gilbert told Lick he was brought in to fix things and spoke negatively about the old administration under previous prosecutor Sean Dalton, according to the suit. In one conversation, Gilbert allegedly told Lick she needed to drink the Kool Aid if she was going to make it around here.

Lick describes incidents in which Fiore sided with her and says he told her at one point that Gilbert completely undermined his authority.

Several weeks after Fiores departure, he contacted Lick and told her that there was a hit list from the politicians of people he was supposed to get rid of during his term. That list, according to the suit, included several members of Daltons A-Team, including Lick, former Chief of Investigators John Porter, Captain Robert Pietrzak and Detectives Nick Schock, John Petroski and Bryn Wilden.

Lick claims violations of the states Law Against Discrimination and Civil Rights Act and seeks compensatory and punitive damages for financial losses and emotional stress.

Taken together, the multiple lawsuits paint a picture of warring factions in the office. Ballenger filed a suit of his own in March, claiming he was denied a promotion and demoted for testifying in a lawsuit by another employee alleging a hostile work environment in the office. That testimony included claims that Fiore made crude remarks.

In his suit, Ballenger claimed the internal affairs investigation was unfounded and retaliation for his testifying in the earlier case. He accused Lick and Pietrzak of abusing the internal affairs process to retaliate against employees they didnt like.

Days after Fiores departure, Detective Breia Renner sued, claiming she was harassed, denied promotions and retaliated against. Renner, who is described as a gay woman in her lawsuit, claimed Fiore asked her about her sex life during an office outing and said Fiores wife inappropriately touched Renners wife at the event.

Fiore told the staff his sudden departure was for family reasons and to pursue other opportunities, and the state Attorney General named Christine A. Hoffman as interim prosecutor. She was not a GCPO employee, but a career prosecutor who had worked for the AGs office.

Christine A. Hoffman has been named to serve as acting Gloucester County prosecutor following the sudden departure of Charles A. Fiore.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com.
The coronavirus may have sent people sheltering indoors, but it couldn't stop ecommerce. Quite the opposite, if online buying trends are any indication. Consumers have quickly turned to the Internet to buy a litany of everyday and specialty products, including many things they would never have purchased online before the global outbreak.

Case in point: Recent shopping behavior research from Adobe Analytics reveals that interest in e-purchases of hygiene and sanitization products have jumped by more than 800% since the beginning of COVID-19 shutdowns. Similarly, insights from GoodData and Emarsys suggest ecommerce as a whole has catapulted by 80% since the beginning of 2020.

Of course, Americans' lives won't be relegated to staying at home forever. The pandemic will pass, and everyone will try to return to normalcy. Nevertheless, shoppers may want to continue relying on their devices to make buying specific merchandise and services cheaper, more efficient, and more convenient.

What should you order online post-coronavirus, even if you have a choice? Consider these five suggestions.

1. Paper-based household goods

COVID-19 taught us the value of having at least a modest backup supply of pantry and linen closet necessities including toilet paper, facial tissues, and paper towels. You don't have to become a hoarder, of course. However, it's not a bad idea to find the brand you like and sign up for automatic monthly delivery through services like Amazon Subscribe and Save.

What's the upshot of receiving household must-haves at your door monthly or less often? Foremost, you'll never worry again about running low on bathroom essentials or paper goods, and you won't have to lug a 24-pack of toilet paper around the grocery store. Plus, you could see a significant reduction in your per-piece cost, which will help conserve your savings.

2. Prescription and over-the-counter medications

Adobe's data suggests that health-conscious consumers are focused on having pain killers and similar remedies on hand during coronavirus. Online purchases of cough and cold medications have risen nearly 200% in just a few weeks between the end of March and mid-April. Yet over-the-counter pills, syrups, and solutions aren't the only type of pharmaceuticals to get a web ordering boost. Prescription medications are rising in online popularity, too.

Before coronavirus, people who needed new prescriptions had to travel to their doctor before heading to a nearby pharmacy. COVID-19 has made this process impractical, and potentially dangerous, for many individuals and families. Consequently, consumers are finding legitimate websites devoted to connecting them with the prescriptions they need. Nurx, for example, makes ordering birth control and related prescription medications streamlined and inexpensive. Why spend valuable time on mind-numbing errands when you can have what you need shipped to your door?

3. Home office supplies

The Society for Human Resources Management estimates that around two-thirds of companies have moved to remote working for most, if not all, employees. Many of those workers never teleworked previously. The longer shelter-in-place regulations continue, the more normal working from home will become. Already, many people have innovatively set up ergonomically comfortable workstations in closets, empty corners, and basements. They've ordered furniture and routers, technology and folders. And they're successfully zoning out distractions like mewling cats and squabbling kiddos.

Even after workforces return to their physical offices, some team members may occasionally work remotely. For instance, a staffer who proved he could handle responsibilities from home during the outbreak may negotiate working out of his apartment once a week. In order to sell this type of arrangement, employees must show they can maintain a productive home office setting. And that means always having ink, toner, paper, and pens on hand. Those items can easily be shipped on a routine basis, making last-minute trips to the nearest office supply store unnecessary.

4. Telehealth

With doctors' offices, emergency rooms, and urgent care facilities swamped, patients seeking medical advice for problems not related to COVID-19 are exploring telehealth options. Plenty of insurance plans already cover telehealth on some level. Today, consumers are more open than ever to moving their healthcare online for fast, practical service and counsel.

If you haven't considered working telehealth into your annual healthcare routine, you may want to revisit the process. Telehealth can cost less, enable you to talk to a physician from the comfort of your living room, and allow you to avoid contact with potentially contagious people in crowded waiting rooms. Investigate your insurance package to learn if telehealth is a viable option for your needs. You don't have to ditch your favorite general practitioner; consider telehealth a supplement for times when in-person treatment isn't necessary.

5. Pet food

Are you a pet parent? Your pets probably love having you around. Coronavirus gives them the chance to hang out with their humans, getting attention, treats, and snuggle time. To keep up with your four-legged, finned, feathered, or scaly friends' nutritional and recreational needs without stepping foot outside, find websites devoted to selling high-quality pet products at decent prices.

Want to save money now and in the future? Look for specials and coupons. Some online pet supply chains like Chewy and Petco dangle repeat delivery discounts if you auto-schedule shipments. Just figure out how much food your pet eats each month, and then pre-order the perfect amount of nibbles and snacks. You'll never have to fret that you're running low on kibble, nesting material, or birdseed again.

If we've learned anything from the coronavirus outbreak, it's that we can order practically anything online. Bookmark all the ecommerce sites you visit to make life after COVID-19 more efficient. Schedule these recurring orders with an online calendar so you know when they are coming and can plan on when the bills hit. Overall, you might miss shopping at brick and mortar spots now, you'll appreciate being able to order key purchases online when the excitement of lingering in long checkout lines wears thin.

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
toondelamour

Business owners who received loans through the Paycheck Protection Program and don't need it have until May 14 to return the cash. The PPP  a forgivable loan program that allows small businesses to cover up to eight weeks of payroll costs, mortgage interest and other expenses  was just refilled to the tune of $310 billion on April 27. Since then, approximately 2.2 million loans have been made to applicants, adding up to more than $175 billion, according to the Small Business Administration. Small businesses aren't the only ones who participated, however. Shake Shack, Ruth's Chris Steak House and Potbelly, as well as other large companies, received funding.

Though Shake Shack, Ruth's Chris and Potbelly later returned the money, amid public outrage, many others said they'd keep it. This prompted Treasury and the SBA to issue a clarification in a set of "frequently asked questions," giving businesses up until May 7 to return the funding or else face government scrutiny, potential fines and more. TWEET On Tuesday night, the agencies granted borrowers still more time to return the cash, extending the deadline to May 14. "The SBA came out and said that if you had liquidity, if you were a publicly traded company with access to capital markets  you shouldn't have gotten the loans and you made a false certification to the lender," said Tony Nitti, CPA and partner at RubinBrown in Denver.

Not just public companies

The Treasury's FAQ didn't just single out companies with access to capital markets. Private companies with "adequate sources of liquidity to support the business's ongoing operations" must also consider whether they really needed the PPP loan and should return the money. Small businesses and CPAs assisting them are still uncertain on what "adequate sources of liquidity" means. "The thing that's got them concerned is what does it mean by 'access to capital,'" said Greg Zbylut, a tax attorney at Breyer Andrew in Burbank, California. "Do I have to tap into my savings to pay my employees for an indefinite period of time and then get the loan?" Even attorneys and accountants are at loggerheads on how to interpret the guidance and advise entrepreneurs.

"Good luck from a legal perspective arguing that someone has made a false certification when the CARES Act  the legislation that established the PPP  only says you need to certify that you need the money due to economic conditions," Nitti said. Indeed, a business that's fine right now could encounter rockier times as the economy worsens. Nitti said he recently spoke with a client who was trying to decide whether to return the PPP funds. Though the calculations seemed to suggest the business was fine in the present, two major customers are running into trouble. "So the dark times are probably ahead," Nitti said. "Why give this money back? When he took the loan, his business looked solid, but he could be in dire straits in three weeks."

Best course of action
Qatar Airways is planning to cut a significant number of jobs because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on travel, according to a company notice.

We have to face a new reality, where many borders are closed, rendering many of our destinations closed and aircraft grounded as a result, with no foreseeable outlook for immediate, positive change, Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker said in the notice.

The truth is, we simply cannot sustain the current numbers and we need to make a substantial number of jobs redundant  inclusive of cabin crew.

SOURCE: AGENCIES
May 1, Friday

Aggravated assault with a weapon was reported on the 1200 block of Elm just before 10 p.m. on Friday

Britany Cano, 18, was arrested on out of county felony warrant on the 1500 block of Houston just before 9 p.m. on Friday

A minor traffic accident resulting in vehicle damage was reported on the 700 block of EFR I-27 around 2:30 p.m. on Friday.

Assault was reported on the 1500 block of Nixon just before 2 p.m. on Friday

Assault was reported on the 2000 block of El Paso around 1:30 p.m. on Friday.

Damaged property was reported on the 1800 block of Yonkers around 8:15 a.m. on Friday.

A stolen vehicle was reported on the 1500 block of Dallas around 8 a.m. on Friday.

Theft from a vehicle was reported on the 600 block of W. 11th around 8 a.m. on Friday.

Assault was reported on the 1500 block of Yonkers just before 7 a.m. on Friday.

May 2, Saturday

A minor traffic accident resulting in vehicle damage was reported on the 200 block of E. 8th around 6:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Assault and criminal mischief was reported on the 600 block of North I-27 just after 6:15 a.m. on Saturday.

May 3, Sunday

Damaged property of a vehicle was reported on the 700 block of W. 11th around 10 p.m. on Sunday.

Terroristic threats/state offenses were reported on the 3300 block of Quincy just before 9 p.m. on Sunday.

Trespassing of private property was reported on the 4100 block of W. 16th just after 8 p.m. on Sunday.

Animal cruelty was reported on the 2400 block of W. 11th around 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Joyriding was reported on the 2100 block of E. 5th just before 11 a.m. on Sunday.

Driving while intoxicated was reported on the corner of 22nd & Joliet around 2:45 a.m. on Sunday.

May 4, Monday

Assault was reported on the 1000 block of Davidson was reported around 11:45 p.m. on Monday.

Bryan Ginez Aldaz, 18, was arrested on an out of county felony warrant and for possession of less than two ounces of marijuana on the 2000 block of SW 3rd around 8 p.m. on Monday.

A 23-year-old was arrested for a DUI after officers responded to a major traffic accident resulting in injury on the 2000 block of W. 20th around 5:30 p.m. on Monday.

Theft of government property was reported on the 600 block of W. 5th around 5 p.m. on Monday.

Deadly conduct was reported on the corner of 13th & Kokomo around 3 p.m. on Monday.

Fraud through illegal use of credit cards was reported on the 600 block of N. Date around 2 p.m. on Monday.

Harassment was reported on the 2000 block of Joliet around 1:30 p.m. on Monday.

Darin Lee Turner, 52, was arrested for unauthorized use of a vehicle on the 1000 block of Denver around 11 a.m. on Monday.

Theft from a vehicle was reported on the 3000 block of Dimmitt Rd. around 9:30 a.m. on Monday.

Violation of a court order was reported on the 1100 block of Canyon just before 9 a.m. on Monday.

A stolen vehicle was reported on the 200 block of N. Austin around 7:30 a.m. on Monday.

A stolen vehicle was reported on the 2000 block of W. 21st around 1 p.m. on Monday.

Assault and an animal ordinance violation was reported on the 800 block of Nassau around 1 a.m. on Monday.
A Sinn Fein councillor took part in a three-hour county council meeting via video conferencing app Zoom, while driving a 325km round trip to Dublin.

Councillor Brendan Barry, from Drumshambo, Co Leitrim, could be seen driving on screen for up to two hours of the meeting.

When contacted by the Irish Independent, Mr Barry confirmed he had taken part in the online meeting and was driving but felt there was not an issue with it.

Mr Barry, a farmer, said he had a valid reason to drive to Dublin as he was bringing a relative for a hospital appointment.

"I suppose I was able to listen in on what was happening and still be at the meeting. It was very useful," he said. "I would have a very necessary reason why I had to be driving. There isn't an issue with it is there?"

When it was suggested video calling while driving is dangerous, Mr Barry conceded "all right", but insisted he didn't believe it to be a problem.

"Well, I didn't realise there was an issue with it whatsoever because I wasn't touching the phone. The phone was on a mount. And it wouldn't affect my driving because I was listening on an earpiece, which is normal on a call.

He insisted: "I didn't realise there would be an issue with it whatsoever."

Mr Barry said he was bringing a relative to a hospital appointment and his trip was necessary and unavoidable.

At the end of the meeting Mr Barry was due to table a motion in relation to planning permission for one-off housing in Leitrim but his connection failed.

Councillors repeatedly attempted to contact him to reconnect his video chat but the meeting heard he was having trouble with coverage.

The meeting was attended at different times by 27 people - up to 24 of whom were fellow councillors.

Despite seeing Mr Barry manoeuvring the steering wheel and driving while trees, buildings and even a Dublin Bus flew past in the background, no councillor addressed the situation.

Mr Barry rarely looked directly at the screen but engaged frequently with the progress of the meeting. At different times, he gave a thumbs up and raised his hand.

When it came for Mr Barry's turn to table a motion at the end of the video call, his audio connection also failed. By this time he seemed to have pulled in and had spent over a minute trying to adjust his screen.

A councillor who took part in the meeting burst out laughing when contacted by the Irish Independent afterwards.

"You're not serious. I didn't realise he was driving. I certainly knew he was in the car but I thought he was pulled in when he was talking.

"I work close enough with him and find him sound. He's not a bad lad. The people around Ballinamore seem to like him. He did well in the last election.

"We have attempted this (online meetings) a few times and he certainly was in the car the last time, but he was pulled in then I thought. He must like that car."

He added: "Please don't waste the opportunity to highlight the problems of planning permission in Leitrim though."
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Kent and Ottawa counties saw historic voter turnout in the Tuesday, May 5 election.

While May elections typically yield a 10 to 15 percent turnout, Tuesday it was nearly double that in both counties. Ottawa County had a 27.4 percent turnout and Kent County was slightly higher at 29.2 percent, according to unofficial election results.

There were school tax proposals on the ballot for nine districts, including bonds, operating millage renewals and a sinking fund. They were all successful.

The last comparable May election was 2015, when voters shot down the statewide road funding proposal that would have raised the sales tax. The turnout for that measure was 24.93 percent in Kent County and 28.15 percent in Ottawa County.

County clerks say the historic turnout Tuesday was likely not driven by the ballot questions themselves but by the method of voting.

Related: Grand Rapids-area voters approve vital operating millage for school districts

Per an executive order by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to prevent the spread the coronavirus disease, COVID-19, the election was primarily mail-in, conducted using absentee ballots for safety. The state mailed all eligible voters absentee applications.

In-person ballots and registration were also available the day of the election.

Only 372 people voted in person out of 68,072 registered voters in Ottawa County and 1,171 of 95,074 in Kent County. The number of registered and eligible voters is smaller than usual because there were no countywide proposals on the ballot.

While the latest official guidance from the state is that elections in August and November will be held as usual, Ottawa County Clerk Justin Roebuck said his department is preparing to have continued high absentee turnouts.

In part, thats because more people are turning to absentee voting out of convenience or necessity, he said.

Also, health concerns from the coronavirus pandemic are expected to loom over the upcoming elections.

I think in our preparations we are definitely anticipating that COVID-19 is going to play a major role in the rest of this years elections, Roebuck said.

Were just trying to plan for the worst and hope the best in how we manage that  I think we owe it to our voters to be prepared.

Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons said she is advising local clerks at this time to prepare for regular-style elections but with the added health safety measures, such as social distancing and personal protective gear.

With or without any changes in election law, we are going to focus and put our priority on conducting safe and secure elections, elections that preserve the security and integrity of the election while at the same time really working to protect the health and safety of the election workers, our local election officials and our voters, Lyons said.

"We dont need a law to tell us that thats important on both fronts."

Anticipating a higher absentee turnout for the upcoming elections, Roebuck said he hopes the state Legislature passes measures accounting for the increase.

He pointed to one bill stalled in the state Senate that would allow absentee ballot voter verification a day before an election but bar the ballots from tabulation or removal from their secrecy sleeve until the normal time.

Another bill, Roebuck said, would allow jurisdictions to work with others that have greater capacity to process absentee ballots. That bill has passed the state House.

The cost of doing nothing, he said, is later results.

If nothing changes, if we dont have any resources or tools available to us, I think we can expect delayed results coming out of election night, Roebuck said.

Related: Ahead of Michigan primary, Sen. Mike Shirkey shoots down bills to speed up absentee ballots

Both clerks said the process Tuesday went smoothly and established health protocols they can build upon in the upcoming elections, if needed.

PREVENTION TIPS

In addition to washing hands regularly and not touching your face, officials recommend practicing social distancing, assuming anyone may be carrying the virus.

Health officials say you should be staying at least 6 feet away from others and working from home, if possible.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus.

Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

Read more election coverage:

Northview Public Schools voters approve $36.6M bond

Kelloggsville Public Schools voters approve tax for building, technology upgrades

Voters approve Caledonia schools $88M bond, operating millage

Kenowa Hills $67M school bond passes

Godwin Heights voters approve $13.9M school bond

Byron Center Public Schools voters approve $80.1M bond to accommodate growth

Grand Rapids-area voters approve vital operating millage for school districts
Retailers will face challenges over social distancing and ensuring public safety when stores reopen

Northern Ireland is facing an uphill battle to restore consumer confidence following the crippling coronavirus pandemic, it has been warned.

Retail NI boss Glyn Roberts said the biggest challenges when lockdown restrictions ease involve social distancing, public safety and securing the economic livelihood of the high street, including shops, restaurants, coffee shops and pubs.

Mr Roberts made the comments in the wake of public outcry over an Aer Lingus flight from Belfast to London where social distancing was virtually non-existent.

He believes the government has a significant role to play if normal rules are ever to apply again.

"There's absolutely no doubt that we're going to face a serious drop in consumer confidence when the restrictions are even partially lifted," he said.

"People will be cautious about how they buy and what they buy.

"In many respects, this could be the worst recession or economic crisis since records began - and I hope I'm wrong about that.

"More and more people are buying online and there's an issue around how we reanimate town centres and there's clearly an issue about people needing to feel safe.

"That's why procedures need to be put in place with regard to social distancing.

"We believe we need a specific document from government on how that will apply to retail."

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Mr Roberts said consumers must feel confident about visiting high streets and town centres.

He added: "We've already seen food retailers and pharmacies put social distancing in place and they've spent a lot of money on perspex glass and really changing the format of their stores and that's expensive. At the end of all of this we've got to have high streets and town centres that consumers feel safe and confident to visit again - and that is a massive challenge.

"We need a clear recovery plan for the Northern Ireland economy."

A Northern Ireland travel agent, however, said that despite air travel safety concerns there was still demand for holidays.

Helen Fielding, who sits on ABTA's Council of Regions for Northern Ireland, said many people who have had trips cancelled this year have already rebooked.

"America is selling very well for early next year because the flights have just been released for around Easter time, and St Patrick's Day, we've had a good uptake on those," she said.

"There's also a good uptake on next year's short Easter breaks.

"People are conscious that the longer this goes on, the demand for next year's holidays is going to be higher. People are getting booked early for next year to get their price locked down because if they leave it demand is going to force prices to go up."

Tuesday's revelation about the crowded Aer Lingus flight to London sparked widespread fury on social media, with many readers expressing concern on the Belfast Telegraph's Facebook page.

It underlines the problems that lie ahead in trying to restore consumer confidence.

Colin Thompson said he would think twice about flying with the carrier.

"I won't fly Aer Lingus again until they make a statement as to why they flouted safety measures and put the lives of their passengers and crew at risk," he added.

Nurse Angela Sayers called for the airline to be fined.

"NHS staff are dying because of working to contain this virus," she said.

"People are burying loved ones. We stay in away from friends and family.

"This needs to be stopped and Aer Lingus fined."

Patrick Carson, meanwhile, said: "What was Aer Lingus thinking of?"

Terry Cowie added: "All the people on that flight should hang their heads in shame. Life comes before work."
A medical researcher said to be on the "verge of making very significant" coronavirus findings was found shot to death over the weekend in Pennsylvania, officials said.

Image: Bing Liu (University of Pittsburgh)

Bing Liu, 37, a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, was found dead Saturday inside a home in Ross Township, north of Pittsburgh, the Allegheny County medical examiner said.

He had been shot in the head and the neck, the agency said.

An hour after Liu's body was discovered, a second person, Hao Gu, 46, was found dead inside a car less than a mile away, the agency said.

Ross Township police Detective Sgt. Brian Kohlhepp told NBC News that the men knew each other. Investigators believe Gu killed Liu before returning to his car, where he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Police believe the deaths occurred on Saturday after a "lengthy dispute regarding an intimate partner," according to the Ross Police Department Wednesday.

"We have found zero evidence that this tragic event has anything to do with employment at the University of Pittsburgh, any work being conducted at the University of Pittsburgh and the current health crisis affecting the United States and the world," police said.

The investigation has been forwarded to federal authorities because neither of the men were U.S. citizens.

Liu, who earned a Ph.D. in computational science from the National University of Singapore, worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon University before becoming a research associate at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

In a statement, the University of Pittsburgh described him as an excellent mentor and prolific researcher who had co-authored more than 30 papers. His work focused on systems biology.

"Bing was on the verge of making very significant findings toward understanding the cellular mechanisms that underlie SARS-CoV-2 infection and the cellular basis of the following complications," the school said. "We will make an effort to complete what he started in an effort to pay homage to his scientific excellence."
The City of Laredo confirmed four additional cases of the novel coronavirus in their daily update Tuesday as the areas total number of positive COVID-19 cases hit a new milestone at 400. However, Laredos test positivity rate  the number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 compared to the total number that have taken the test  has steadily decreased over the last 10 days.

As of noon, a total of 2,815 persons have been tested for the novel coronavirus, with 1,935 returning negative and 480 still pending results. A total of 144 people have cleared their mandatory two-week quarantine period and have been cleared by the city health department to return to the public.

The number of COVID-related deaths remains at 17.

Laredos positivity rate saw its downturn begin on April 25, when 21% of people tested came back positive for the virus. By Tuesday, that rate had fallen to 17.1%.

At its peak, 27.7% of people tested in Laredo came back positive for COVID-19; that was around mid-April. However, this does not mean Laredo is out of the woods.

Health Authority Victor Trevino said this and hospital admissions are both ways they determine the incidence of infection in Laredo. Theyve seen a decline in hospital admissions too, he said.

But we have to see a period of at least 14 days, as the CDC recommends, to see if there is really a drop in numbers, he said.

Laredos number of new cases has dropped over the last 10 days as well, with only one of those days ending with more than 10 people testing positive. That uptick was chalked up to a large family  a cluster of 11  who all contracted the virus.

This stands in stark contrast to other parts of the state, such as Dallas County, where every day this week has seen a record number of cases. And outbreaks at meatpacking plants in the Texas panhandle have driven up the infection rate statewide.

At Mondays City Council meeting, Laredo officials touted the strict social distancing and face mask measures that they had implemented early on as an explanation for the elusion of disaster. Still, 17 people have died and a major outbreak occurred at Laredo Medical Center.

Because Gov. Greg Abbott has made it so that cities and counties cannot issue fines if people do not cover their nose and mouth, City Council voted to instead issue tickets without a penalty if someone is not wearing a mask in public.

The Laredo Police Department is still working with the city on how this will be worked out in the amended emergency order.

In the meantime, the city is making graphics available for local businesses to post that say No mask, no entry, enabling each storefront or workplace to enforce this rule.

The city also reminded the public Tuesday that the Texas National Guard will host a free coronavirus testing clinic at the city health department at 2600 Cedar Wednesday. Those interested in getting tested can register for an appointment at txcovidtest.org or by calling (512) 883-8400. Those with further coronavirus questions are encouraged to call from the city coronavirus hotline at (956) 795-4954. The hotline is open from Mon to Fri 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

LMTs Louis San Miguel contributed to this report. Julia Wallace may be reached at 956-728-2543 or jwallace@lmtonline.com
Vietnamese citizens are set to be repatriated Thursday from the U.S., the worlds Covid-19 epicenter, after a brief delay.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Vietnamese Embassy in the U.S. have been working with related agencies to assist Vietnam Airlines in bringing Vietnamese citizens home as soon as possible, the ministry said in a statement Tuesday.

Vietnam Airlines, which has completed all required procedures by the U.S., has scheduled the flight to depart Thursday from San Francisco.

The flight was originally set to take off on May 2, but was postponed because the airline had not fulfilled all licensing procedures under local laws, the embassy said.

The ministry advised Vietnamese citizens to adhere to Covid-19 prevention measures in the U.S. and take guidance from the Vietnamese governments representatives in the country.

The U.S. is currently worst hit by the Covid-19 pandemic with more than 1.2 million cases and nearly 71,000 deaths.

Vietnam has recently coordinated with a number of countries such as the U.K., Italy, Japan, Singapore and Canada to repatriate its citizens after commercial flights were suspended to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Ministers are being urged to protect carers from a growing poverty crisis, with campaigners warning the coronavirus pandemic has placed them under intolerable pressure.

A joint letter to MPs, signed by 100 charities and unions including Oxfam, Carers UK and Unison, states that carers on the frontline of the fight against Covid-19 are facing intolerable pressure after having been undervalued and under-rewarded for far too long.

The organisations argue unpaid carers providing care for family members and friends were vital in the UKs effort to keep vulnerable people safe from the virus, but that they had been left feeling ignored and invisible during the pandemic.

The letter states coronavirus should be a turning point in how society treats carers and urged ministers to protect them from poverty by increasing social security levels and boosting cash given to social care providers.

It comes as new research by Care UK suggests the majority (81 per cent) of unpaid carers spend more on food and household bills, on top of what they already contribute towards care costs.

A new YouGov poll meanwhile indicates that more than three-quarters of the UK public believe care work is not valued highly enough by the government, while nearly two-thirds believe those on low incomes who look after sick or disabled people should receive more financial support.

Katy Styles, from Chartham near Canterbury, is an unpaid carer for her husband who has a degenerative, progressive disease, and she said her costs had increased due to the coronavirus.

We arent able to leave the house and we havent been able to get an online shopping slot, so weve been reliant on small local firms for supplies; and each delivery costs an extra 10. Not everyone has that sort of money to spare every time they need a shop, she said.

Katy is supporting the call for greater recognition and support for carers, saying: It felt like carers contributions were totally below the radar before the pandemic, but now, behind closed doors, it feels like were completely invisible.

Besides the financial implications of the crisis, physically Im exhausted and mentally Im crushed. And yet through Carers Allowance, the government values my efforts at less than 10 a day. It makes you feel worthless.

The coalition is calling for increases to key benefits, including Carers Allowance and Child Benefit, as well as immediate changes to universal credit, including removing the five week wait for an initial payment, the limit on the number of children families receive payment for and the benefit cap.

The organisations are also calling for a significant cash injection into the social care system to enable providers to pay their workers a minimum of the Real Living Wage.

Danny Sriskandarajah, chief executive of Oxfam GB, said: Carers have long been under-valued  even before this crisis hit, too many were living below the breadline, struggling to stay afloat.

"Theres overwhelming public support for carers to be given a fairer deal - political leaders across the UK owe it to them to make sure theyre protected from poverty, now and in the future.

Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, director of the Womens Budget Group, said: This pandemic has shone a light on the vital role of carers. For too long, care work has been undervalued, underfunded and underpaid.

Caring responsibilities dont fall equally; women make up the vast majority of the nations carers, both paid and unpaid. That means that its women who are at greatest risk of being pushed further and further into poverty during the Coronavirus crisis.

A Department of Health and Social Care Spokesperson said: Unpaid carers make an invaluable difference to the lives of the people they support, and are an integral part of our health and social care system, especially during this unprecedented period.

During the outbreak, providing emotional support counts towards the Carers Allowance threshold of 35 hours of care a week so that unpaid carers can continue to claim Carers Allowance if they need to self-isolate.

We are working closely with carers organisations to support carers during this period. We have provided funding to extend Carers UKs helpline opening times, information and advice services so unpaid carers are able to access trusted information and advice, and we are working on further guidance for young carers which will be published shortly.
Yves here. School profiteers, um, charter advocates, are trying to advance a radical plan to restructure Minneapolis schools, apparently regarding the coronavirus lockdown as giving them cover.

By Sarah Lahm, a Minneapolis-based writer and researcher whose work has appeared in outlets such as the Progressive and In These Times. Follow her on Twitter @sarahrlahm. Produced by Our Schools

Since mid-March, public school students in Minnesota have had to stay home because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, according to the states governor, Tim Walz, schools will remain closed until the end of this school year, with no guarantee that they will reopen in the fall for anything other than online teaching and learning.

This hasnt stopped the Minneapolis Public Schools from attempting to push forward with a dramatic restructuring plan, known as the Comprehensive District Design.

Under this plan, nearly all of the citys 34,000 public school students and teachers would be reassigned to new schools, beginning in the fall of 2021. The proposal includes the closure of several popular, long-standing magnet school programs, as well as the dismantling of existing community schools in favor of new school configurations.

The narrative surrounding the plan is one of crisis and urgency. Advocates for the shake-up, including administrators within the Minneapolis Public Schools, insist the reorganization will not only save moneya key issue for the cash-strapped districtbut also ensure access to a well-rounded education for all students, regardless of their background.

More than half of all district students live in poverty, according to federal guidelines, and many require special education services or English language support. Educational disparities that fall along racial and economic lines are a persistent problem in Minneapolis, and the pursuit of greater equity in achievement is a key argument being used in defense of the plan.

The rapid expansion of charter schools has also become a divisive issue in the district, and many strong supporters of the redesign are also proponents of the charter school industry.

In a recent interview with the Minneapolis Star Tribune, district superintendent Ed Graff insisted that it was necessary to keep moving forward with a comprehensive overhaul because students cannot afford to wait any longer. We must act now to reshape the district for future success, Graff argued, even as the coronavirus epidemic continues to spread doubt and uncertainty.

Another problem Graff must contend with is an ongoing decline in enrollment. More than a thousand students left the district in the last school year alone, snagging spots either in one of the growing number of charter schools in and around Minneapolis or enrolling in a neighboring district.

An exodus of students from the Minneapolis Public Schools means the district is left with aging infrastructure and fewer per-pupil dollars with which to serve all students, especially those with special education needs.

Disaster Leads to Opportunity

The crisis rhetoric puts the Minneapolis schools plan squarely in line with other disaster-driven public school upheavals, including those in New Orleans, Puerto Rico, Indianapolis, and Denver.

In New Orleans and Puerto Rico, hurricanes struck, paving the way for school choice and privatization advocates to swoop in and institute dramatic changes to public education.

In places like Chicago, Denver, Memphis, and Jackson, Mississippi, however, the threat has been driven less by a natural disaster and more by a desire to force change onto vulnerable communities from the top down, at the expense of democratic governance and community input.

Often, the pattern goes something like this. After years of struggling along with budget cuts and underfunding, districts are declared failures due to low student test scores or a gap in outcomes between white students and students of color. Then, a crisis is declared, thereby opening the door to state control of public schools, perhaps, or a push for school choice schemes.

Such schemes include tax credits for private school tuition and the proliferation of publicly funded, privately managed charter schools.

Meanwhile, the public to whom the school system belongs is typically shut out of such machinations and forced to fight to have a say in how their schools are run. The Little Rock, Arkansas, school system offers a stark example of this.

In 2015, Little Rock schools were subject to a state takeover against the wishes of parents and community members. At the same time, the citys school board was also dissolved, leaving citizens with no local representation regarding the governance of their district.

The reasons cited for the takeover included the need for steep funding cuts and the prevalence of low test scores in several schools. Although the problems had been growing for years, according to news reports, state education officials declared the need to act with urgency on behalf of Little Rock.

The sense of urgency, it seems, provided cover for the drastic action of putting the schools under state oversight.

Community members fought back and were granted some control over the Little Rock schools earlier this year. An additional lawsuit was filed recently on behalf of residents, however, in order to challenge the ongoing restrictions the state has put on the district.

Now, we can add Minneapolis to the list of communities fighting for greater authority over their public schools.

Minneapolis Pushes Back

Francisco Segovia has a child in the Minneapolis Public Schools and a background as a teacher in his home country of El Salvador. He emigrated to the United States in the 1990s and has been working since then to help the Latino community in Minneapolis navigate the public school system.

Today, he serves as director of an advocacy group known as COPAL, or Communities Organizing Latinx Power and Action. Through this work, which is centered on helping immigrants gain agency and leadership roles, Segovia first learned of the Minneapolis Public Schools reorganization plans.

Right away, he noticed that district meetings targeted to the Latino community were often one-way information drops rather than interactive listening sessions. Segovia observed parents sitting passively while district administrators shared details of the district redesign with them, and that bothered him.

Eventually, he suggested to a fellow parent that they should take over the districts meetings. This led to the formation of a Latino parent collective that operated outside the purview of the Minneapolis Public Schools.

The goal was agency and systems change driven from the bottom up, not the top down. Through the parent collective, Segovia and others worked to identify the concerns that mattered most to the Latino community, including the desire for better communication from the schools and more support for bilingual education programs.

One issue that really stuck out to Segovia was that the district frequently seemed to rely on very small samplings of Latino parents in the schools, and then used their insights to create policies that impacted the entire community.

This became very important when Minneapolis school administrators started presenting their comprehensive redesign plan to parents. Missing from the plan were many elements Segovia and his network had identified as key issues, including bilingual education.

We need to reframe how the system functions, Segovia stated, so that we are not asking a favor of the district but advising it instead. The educational system actually belongs to us.

Silvia Ibanez, a Minneapolis parent and bilingual educator, would likely agree with this sentiment. In a recent virtual town hall organized by a local racial justice group, Ibanez pointed out that 75 percent of native Spanish speakers in grades K-8 stand to be displaced, should the Minneapolis schools reorganization plan go forward.

These students will lose their schools and be sent elsewhere, Ibanez warned, which would further the feeling of invisibility she says many Latino parents already have.

It often seems as though various communities are being pitted against one another as well.

In one case, Minneapolis administrators are proposing moving a popular Spanish dual-language immersion school into a building that already serves as a beloved community school for a diverse group of students. The community school students would be forced to move in this scenario, despite protests from parents and staff.

Somali Families Are Concerned

Another community that stands to face tremendous upheaval under the Minneapolis schools reorganization plan is Somali families. Minnesota is home to the largest Somali diaspora in the United States, and nearly 10 percent of all Minneapolis Public Schools have roots in this community.

Many of them want to send their children to K-8 schools, according to district parent and employee Zeinab Omar, but under the districts plan, most would no longer be able to do so. In the final version of the redesign, the number of K-8 options in Minneapolis shrinks from eleven to two.

K-8s provide stability for immigrant and refugee families, Omar and others have said, partly because many prefer to have their children in school together for as long as possible.

Omar sends her children to Minneapoliss Barton Open School, a K-8 magnet program that has become popular with Somali families in recent years. Many in fact put their names on a waiting list and went through a lot to get into Barton, Omar noted via email.

Under the districts new plan, however, Barton will become a K-5 community school serving a much whiter, wealthier demographic. The thought of losing access to Barton has triggered a PTSD response in some families, Omar said, who experienced trauma on their journey to the United States.

Many spent time in refugee camps, where families were often split up and left behind after being told by officials that not everyone could come along to this country. The threat of being forced out of their school here feels similar, Omar stated.

Division and Disruption

For local civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong, the level of division and disruption present in the Minneapolis Public Schools plan is troubling. Armstrong is the founder of an advocacy group called the Racial Justice Network, and she is the former head of the Minneapolis NAACP.

rmstrong is a prominent activist for racial justice in the Twin Cities, and, as such, she says she was asked to lend her support to the Minneapolis schools redesign. When she took a closer look at the proposal, however, she didnt like what she saw.

The whole premise of it is backwards, Armstrong noted over the phone, maintaining that it began as a way to save money and simplify transportation routes rather than improve academic outcomes.

This is an allegation made by others, especially since the district sought input on the plan from outside consultants known for advancing such efficiency-minded priorities. Pursuing cost savings and a smaller district footprint is understandable, as many Minneapolis schools are under capacity, thanks to the impact of charter schools and open enrollment policies.

Still, Armstrong believes the plan should not go forward in its current form if, as the district claims, the actual goal of it is the pursuit of more equity for students of color.

She pointed out that Concerns about disparities and the lack of community engagement within the district have been raised for years, with little follow-through or support. Minneapolis administrators and some board members have focused only on selling this plan, in Armstrongs view, and that is not, she said decisively, how you build trust with marginalized communities.

Instead, she would like to see a more comprehensive approach that centers on a deep dive into policies and practicesincluding discipline disparities, literacy instruction, and special education programmingthat impact students and teachers directly.

Just shuffling students and staff around to different buildings while dismantling well-regarded community schools and magnet programs wont lead to better results, Armstrong insisted.

And now, she and others have pointed out, families and teachers are having to adjust to new fears and concerns brought by the COVID-19 crisis, leaving little time for engagement in the Minneapolis schools redesign.

It has been more than three weeks since the district began online learning for all K-12 students, and parents and district staffers have said that many kids still do not have access to a working digital device or adequate Wi-Fi.

So far, however, the Minneapolis school board is still planning to vote on the Comprehensive District Design plan on May 12, citing the urgent need to push forward in order to serve students better in the future.

A lot of folks are latching onto the districts language about equity, Armstrong pointed out, but we have to make sure we arent being hoodwinked and bamboozled.

The nine-member Minneapolis school board was scheduled to vote on the plan in April. Due to COVID-19 closures, the vote has been pushed back to May 12, and public comment has been taken primarily via voicemailsince in-person meetings are not permitted now.
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Linkedin Arya Dipa (The Jakarta Post) Bandung  Wed, May 6, 2020 14:17 622 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd650dd4 1 National COVID-19,West-Java,coronavirus,West-Java-Governor-Ridwan-Kamil,West-Java-Health-Agency,virus-korona-indonesia,PSBB,large-scale-social-restrictions,mudik,idul-fitri-exodus,mudik-ban Free

The West Java administration has beefed up security at border posts across the province in a bid to prevent residents from participating in the Idul Fitri mudik (exodus), which has been banned as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil expected the move to bolster the province-wide large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) imposed in the region for two weeks starting Wednesday.

One of the main objectives is to control mobility at entry points, he said following a meeting with local police and military in provincial capital Bandung on Tuesday.

Idul Fitri holidaymakers dont only come from Greater Jakarta. Bandung also serves as a source of travelers, he added.

West Java Transportation Agency head Hery Antasari said the police had recognized various methods people use to sneak past the authorities and go on a trip to other regions.

Read also: COVID-19: Jakarta to restrict visitors after Idul Fitri

Some had chartered ambulances, while others had hitched a ride on a pickup truck, he said. We have identified such methods."

Hery said at least 3,000 vehicles had been stopped and instructed to return to their points of origin during the PSBB, which had started earlier in some of West Java's areas such as Bogor, Bekasi and Depok.

Several transportation agencies in a number of cities and regencies across the province have deployed their personnel to guard 252 entry points amid the mobility restrictions.

Hery, who is also a member of the provinces COVID-19 task force, said app-based motorcycle taxis would only be allowed to transport packages during the restrictions.

Public transportation may continue to operate as long as it complies with the COVID-19 protocol, he said.

Read also: COVID-19: 'Mudik' ban catches travelers flat-footed

West Java Health Agency head Berli Hamdani said the administration would maximize early detection of COVID-19 cases through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests. The administration currently has 40,000 PCR test kits, Berli said.

We will also carry out rapid tests in regions not yet affected by PSBB as instructed, he said.

PSBB in Jakartas satellite cities and regencies of Bogor, Depok and Bekasi, which first started on April 15 and were initially scheduled to end on April 29, were extended for another two weeks.

As of Tuesday, West Java -- the second-hardest-hit province in the country after Jakarta - has recorded at least 1,300 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 87 deaths linked to the disease out of a nationwide tally of 12,071 infections and 872 fatalities. (rfa)
One of the nations largest disaster relief organizations is feeding more New Jersey residents than ever in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Between April 2019 and April 2020, the Salvation Army increased its food distribution across Atlantic City, Vineland and Plainfield by 428%, serving 879,300 meals across those regions in April of this year alone.

Divisional Commander Major James Betts of the Salvation Army said these areas are some of the places where the increased demand has been most dramatic, and reflective of an enormous statewide spike in need caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.

In response to this spike, the organization has expanded its New Jersey food pantry and soup kitchen programs. Shifting its focus to prioritize providing food to the needy, the Salvation Army established two food pantries at the Newark Ironbound corps and Westside corps, and converted the gym at the Westside Corps into a warehouse to begin accepting bulk food donations.

Stating that the Salvation Army has become a type of centralized outsourcing model" in the wake of the global crisis, Betts explained that the meal distribution-focused changes were implemented because the Salvation Army is in a position to redirect our immense resources toward feeding people.

We just redirect our priorities depending on whats going on, so right now the big need is food," Betts said. "We dont typically have two or three warehouses across the state serving all of our local pantries, because weve just relied on the food bank to do that. But right now, because the volume is coming through so fast, and theres a need to package it and get it prepared and collected, weve now established three warehouses.

The Salvation Army has the most expansive network of distribution sites of any organization in the United States.Courtesy  The Salvation Army

With its regional expansion, the Salvation Army Newark Services Area is on track to distribute 360,000 meals to those in need each month. Approximately 40,000 meals were provided to Newark residents within the first 10 days of operation, 40% of whom had recently been furloughed, laid off or had their work hours reduced due to the pandemic.

Approximately 30 million Americans had filed unemployment claims as of April 30, 930,000 of whom are New Jersey residents.

Acknowledging the substantial increase in need throughout the state that has resulted from the pandemic, Betts expressed his confidence that the Salvation Army, which he said has the most expansive network of distribution sites of any organization in the United States, will sustain the increases that were seeing now.

I think that were going to continue to see those increases, Betts said. I dont think that it will go up to 500 or 600% of last year. I just think that the increased numbers are not going to go away quickly because folks who have just recently lost jobs or income are just now starting to feel the effects of that.

Recalling that the organizations offices specializing in recovery efforts for Superstorm Sandy remained active for between five and six years after the 2012 hurricane, Betts continued to affirm that the Salvation Army is in this for the long haul."

We would anticipate that down the road a little bit we will move into more recovery-type efforts, but what do those look like? Were not really sure, except that ... we know the need is going to be stretched out for a very long time, Betts said.

As the growing demand for aid is currently outpacing the supplies held in stock by the organization, the Salvation Army is asking for donations from the surrounding Newark community and beyond it.

In Newark, individuals are in need of non-perishable food, baby food and diapers. The warehouse staff is seeking two forklifts and electric pallet jacks.

Statewide, the Salvation Army is in need of over 5,000 surgical masks, 2,000 gloves and 500 N95 universal-size masks.

Volunteers who can provide consistent help for several months are also needed in Salvation Army warehouses across the state.

The Salvation Army has the most expansive network of distribution sites of any organization in the United States.Courtesy  The Salvation Army

The reality is that for us to continue to provide this service, the Salvation Army still has to be in business, Betts said. And so we need to be able to marshal the resources to make sure that we still have people on the ground, that we still have buildings open and that were able to maintain this incredible distribution network that we have.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Caroline Fassett may be reached at cfassett@njadvancemedia.com.
It was a dream come true when Caitriona ORiordan opened her small rural pharmacy in Enniskeane, Co Cork, five years ago. Now she is losing sleep over her business.

Her pharmacy is one of 1,900 community pharmacies struggling to cope with soaring costs and falling revenues because of Covid-19.

It has always been my dream to have my own pharmacy. I absolutely love working in a small rural community; you know all you patients and go through their life stages with them, she says.

I dont want to give up my business but at the same time it is a huge source of worry for me because I dont know where my business is going over the next couple of months.

Caitriona, a pharmacist for almost 21 years, is a member of the Irish Pharmacy Union that says government supports are urgently needed.

The IPUs Covid-19 business survey found the costs associated with physical distancing are considerable. Over two-thirds installed counter screens to protect staff and when personal protection equipment is included the average cost per pharmacy is 2,700 with some pharmacies spending up to 10,000.

However, costs are increasing at a time when retail sales in pharmacies have dropped by more than a third (36%) across the sectors.

A quarter of pharmacies have reached their credit limit with medicine wholesalers, and 30% find it difficult to order key medicines for patients.

According to the survey one-in-five pharmacies have laid off staff while a further 38% will do so over the next three months.

IPU secretary general, Darragh OLoughlin, says the cost of staying open was unsustainable for many pharmacies.

These pressures could cause the closure of some pharmacies, a situation that everyone wants to avoid, he says.

Caitriona employs one full-time staff member and another who works part-time.

I am already operating as lean as I possibly can. I am as small as a pharmacy can possibly be and, therefore very, very vulnerable.

Caitriona spent a lot of money on having a screen built so patients could be served from the door but it has wiped all of her front-of-shop sales.

My prescriptions have dropped by between 15% and 20% simply because people are not going to the GP.

We are only seeing prescriptions for chronic conditions. We are not seeing prescriptions for antibiotics or anti-inflammatories because people are just doing without them.
First the killing by a group of terrorists  a mix of local as well as foreign elements  of an Army officer of such senior rank as a colonel, besides a major, two other Army personnel, and a policeman on counter-terrorism duty, near Handwara in North Kashmir last Saturday/Sunday, and then the mowing down of two CRPF jawans on law and order duty by terrorists  again in the broad Handwara area on Monday, ought to compel a re-evaluation of the security grid put in place since the constitutional autonomy of J&K was dismantled by the Modi government on August 5 last year.

If the Handwara killings impart urgency on account of the slaying of two officers, one of them the CO of 21 Rashtriya Rifles, the counter-terrorism force deployed in Kashmir, it has been evident for some time that the terrorism scene has hotted up in Kashmir well before the arrival of summer this year. In the first week of April, in the Keran sector near the LOC near Kupwara in North Kashmir, five Army commandos were killed in a hand-to-hand combat with a bunch of terrorists, who too were killed.

It is the regularity with which members of the security forces have been losing their lives in encounters, especially from the beginning of this year, that calls special attention to the security situation, which in the case of Kashmir is principally a derivative of the political situation in J&K. Pakistan-driven militancy tends to gain force when the rapport between the government and the people dissipates, as appears to be the case in recent times.

The gravity of the situation is evident from the fact that the security forces have had to work extra hard this winter, which is the time of year in which terrorists typically lie low on account of the forbidding cold and the snow-bound mountains at the LoC. According to one estimate, the forces have killed around 75 terrorists and lost 30-odd men. Thats a high ratio of loss on the government side, suggesting that the militants may have been well-entrenched.

Also, since the killing of the Hizbul Mijahiden commander Burhan Wani in July 2016, it is the southern part of the Kashmir valley that had become the principal arena of anti-terrorist action. It is here that Operation All-Out played out. But in recent months, the northern part of the valley too has evidently become active. This appears to be a new element in the situation.

When the government abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, stripped J&K of its statehood, separated Ladakh from it, and made J&K a centrally-governed territory as a UT, it proffered the laboured narrative that Kashmirs special constitutional status conferred by Article 370 was the fundamental cause of the growth of a separatist sentiment in the valley. The striking down of this provision that had been duly ratified by the Constituent Assembly has clearly not offered the pathway to recovery in Kashmir, or extrication from the scourge of extremism and terrorism.

Dauntingly for the government, it is not just the predominantly Kashmir valley but also the predominantly Hindu Jammu region that has now begun to chafe at the abrogation of J&Ks special status and the consequent whittling of the political and economic privileges of the populace across J&K.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge has joined a volunteer project to deliver surplus food to vulnerable people in a bid to help out during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Fleabag actress, 34, donned a hi vis jacket and was pictured loading vans to deliver across London to those struggling in lockdown.

Phoebe teamed up with the Felix project, which collects food which would otherwise go to waste and delivers it to 350 front-line charities and vulnerable people.

Doing her bit: Phoebe Waller-Bridge has joined a volunteer project to deliver surplus food to vulnerable people in a bid to help out during the coronavirus pandemic

James Bond writer Phoebe got in contact with the project and asked to help out during the crisis, reports the Evening Standard.

During the trip, Phoebe delivered food to a a community centre and play association for children in London, which is currently supporting around 100 families.

Phoebe told the website: 'Reading about it [the project] and then coming here and volunteering has been such a wake up call, and such an inspiration to see that so much food could have gone to waste now it's going to the right places...

Helping hand: The Fleabag actress, 34, donned a hi vis jacket and was pictured loading vans to deliver across London to those in lockdown who needed it

'Meeting communities who are doing unbelievable things to keep people fed, and happy and communicating, in times where it's almost impossible for some people.

'I feel really privileged to have been able to have seen it from the inside.'

The star is also helping to raise funds for frontline staff working during the coronavirus crisis by making Fleabag's stage show available to stream.

Working hard: Phoebe teamed up with the Felix project, which collects food which would otherwise go to waste and delivers it to 350 front-line charities and vulnerable people

Fleabag fans can stream the one-woman performance on Soho Theatre's On Demand in the UK and Ireland for the price of 4.

While it is available in American on Amazon Prime Video as well as Canada and New Zealand for $5.

As well as help raise money for the NHS, funds will also go to Broadway Cares which will help to support theatre staff from all sectors in the US.
A few states, especially those in the eastern parts of the country, are finding it unfeasible to apply the Centres latest directive to impose a curfew between 7pm and 7am daily. Many of them are, instead, opting to start functioning earlier in the morning for a very simple reason: the sun rises earlier in the east.

In eastern and north-eastern states, many people go to work earlier than their counterparts in the western parts of India. In the north eastern states, people also wind up their work early, once again underlining the wide range of working conditions and styles in a country that stretches from 687 to 9725 east longitude.

The guideline issued by Union home ministry on May 1, announcing the second extension of the nationwide lockdown, had said, The movement for individuals, for all non-essential activities, shall remain strictly prohibited between 7pm and 7am.

But states such as Odisha, Assam, Manipur and Nagaland have opted for a timetable that suits their local requirements. In Kohima, the sunrise is at 4.33am (Wednesday) whereas the sunrise in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, in the west, is only at 6.04am.

Senior officials in Odisha said the chief secretary recently spoke to Rajeev Gauba, Modi governments cabinet secretary, seeking a relaxation in curfew hours.

In an eastern state like Odisha, the sun rises before 5.30am and farmers are in the fields by then. Curfew till 7am would hurt the movement of people in rural areas as well as semi-urban areas. So, the chief secretary had suggested easing the curfew hours by two hours, an official privy to the talks of chief secretary and cabinet secretary said.

Among the north-eastern states that have changed their timings are Assam, Manipur and Nagaland. In Assam and Manipur, the curfew timings are from 6pm to 6am.

Assam chief secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna said the modifications in timings were necessary. The MHAs guidelines make way for state-specific modifications, Krishna said.

In Manipur, deputy chief minister Y Joykumar said, Manipur is a green zone, and can afford to have a few relaxations. Manipurs two positive cases are now cured, and no new case has been reported. The curfew extends a bit longer in Nagaland -- from 5pm to 6am. Nagalands lone Covid-19 patient has been sent to Assam and is now cured.

Officials in Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangmas office said Meghalaya has decided to go with the MHAs recommended curfew timings of 7pm to 7am.

The curfew in Arunachal Pradesh is from 7pm to 5am, said an official in CM Pema Khandus office, as Itanagar has daybreak at around 4.30am. The states lone Covid case is now cured.
How to drink more mindfully during lockdown. (Getty Images)

A glass of wine to celebrate surviving another day of home schooling, a few GnTs to cheers a friends birthday via zoom, a lunchtime tipple to brace yourself for the daily briefing.

Hands up if youre drinking more alcohol during coronavirus lockdown?

We know our hands are firmly in the air right now.

According to Alcohol Change UK around one in five drinkers (21%) have admitted to drinking more frequently since the lockdown.

While almost half of the 2,000 people surveyed are drinking about the same amount on a typical drinking day, 15% said they have been drinking more per session since social-distancing measures were introduced.

And, worryingly, nearly one in five (18%) daily drinkers have further increased the amount they drink since lockdown.

Read more: Miss the pub? Here's how to get beer and cider delivered to your door

Experts believe the sudden upheaval of our lives and struggling to adjust to a new normal has contributed to many reaching for the rose.

With something like a pandemic, we totally underestimate the physiological impact of the fear, the grief (yes we grieve the loss of our routines, the loss of jobs, the loss of our way of life) and heightened anxiety, explains Ruari Fairbairns, founder of One Year No Beer.

Its perfectly normal that when there is a higher level of these emotions in society, that the normal day to day emotions of arguing with a partner or kids with a tantrum affect us harder.

This causes us to look for a way to soothe those emotions. Most of us have been used to using alcohol as a way to numb out the thoughts, to de-stress unwind and let go of the stress.

It is hardly surprising, therefore, that alcohol consumption has risen by 22% from early March in the UK.

Some people are turning to alcohol to get them through lockdown. (Getty Images)

Read more: Former alcoholic credits turning vegan for saving his life

But turning to alcohol to cope with coronavirus lockdown can have some pretty important implications on mental and physical health, so much so that the European arm of the World Health Organisation has warned relying on alcohol is an unhelpful coping strategy.

Story continues

Aside from the horrifying combination of having a hangover while also having to homeschool, increasing your alcohol intake could also lead to increased anxiety, depression and heightened emotions.

Alcohol has also been proven to increase the likelihood of developing and having greater symptoms of respiratory disorders, Fairbairns continues.

And it can severely impact the immune system, which is not something that we want to be doing more of right now.

The solution, according to experts, could be not to quit alcohol altogether, but to drink more mindfully.

Not only could drinking less help improve our immune system and therefore our chances of developing COVID-19, but it also means consuming less calories, getting better sleep as well as improving your physical and mental health.

There has never been a better time with the change of environment to focus on ourselves and our health, he adds.

So just how do we shrink the amount of sauvignon were chugging?

How to drink more mindfully

Keep a drink diary

What you think you drink can actually be pretty different to what you actually drink so keeping track of your alcohol consumption can be the first step in reducing it. According to consultant psychiatrist Dr Niall Campbell, alcohol addiction expert at the Priory Hospital in Roehampton, lockdown could be the perfect time to look honestly at your weekly consumption.

Familiarise yourself with what a 'unit' consists of and what the alcohol unit guidelines are (no more than 14 units a week), he suggests. It's not as simple as one drink, one unit. Large wine glasses hold 250ml, which is nearly three units or more in a single glass. Likewise, one pint of strong lager can contain more than three units of alcohol. A 750ml bottle of red, white or rose wine contains around 10 units.

He says that knowing what you consume, can help you make decisions about levels.

Read more: Unexpected health benefits of giving up alcohol

Know your ABVs

When looking at your consumption, consider the ABV (alcohol by volume) of what you are drinking. Wine that says '13 ABV' on its label contains 13% pure alcohol, explains Dr Campbell.

The ABV of popular 'new world' wines from New Zealand and Australia can be more than European wines.

Knowing which drinks have a higher ABV could also help you reassess your intake.

Self-Moderate

Just like we track our steps, you can keep count of your weekly cocktail consumption and set limits. My advice is don't drink at times that you wouldn't usually, but still treat yourself to a great cocktail when you'd normally have one, whether that's to celebrate the end of the working week, or a virtual Saturday night get-together with friends, says Jacob Briars, Global Head of Advocacy and Education at Bacardi.

Go No or Low

Remember when your only alcohol-free option was a bottle of Schloer? Tasty as Schloer is, alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks have come a long way. There are so many great no or low alcohol alternatives available on the market for those who fancy enjoying a cocktail, glass of wine, or beer without actually consuming alcohol, says Briars.

For those who want to drink alcohol, but want to drink less, why not try a spritzer. They're low-alcohol and will last you longer, great during the summer months when people tend to drink over longer periods, he adds.

Measure up

While bar staff have access to tools to measure out drinks, at home it is harder to keep track of how much were adding, so Briars recommends ditching free pouring. Unless you're an experienced bartender, it is often hard to gauge what a double or single measure looks like, he says.

Instead he recommends using a measuring jug to keep track of your measures.

A double measure is 50ml, and a single is 25ml, so when pouring yourself an at-home gin and tonic or vodka soda, use a jug or alternate measuring device to keep track of that pour.

It will also taste better! he adds.

Read more: New research uncovers personality type most likely to binge drink

Figures suggest some people are drinking more in lockdown. (Getty Images)

Shrink your Drink:

According to Briars some of the worlds top bars have debuted demi-serves of classic and bespoke cocktails that deliver big taste without the calories and alcohol content of full-serves. Think of this as the cocktail equivalent of choosing a starter versus a main course for dinner. Just cut the measures in half to turn the iconic Dry Martini cocktail into a Dry Marteeny, he says.

Think of the alcohol-less positives

Dr Campbell suggests thinking about the side-effects of drinking too much - on your physical, mental and emotional health. Remind yourself of your worst or most embarrassing hangover, he says. Thinking about these things will help you decide you might want to change, because the benefits of reducing or giving up alcohol are manifold.

Seek out help

Fairbairns believes people trying to cut down their alcohol intake could benefit from joining an online community of those wanting to achieve similar results, such as the One Year No Beer community. You can listen to our podcast, watch some testimonials on Facebook or Instagram and if you want to challenge yourselves then join a challenge - it will be life changing, I promise, he adds.
YouTube on Tuesday announced the Dear Class of 2020 event, which is a virtual commencement celebration bringing together inspirational leaders, celebrities, and YouTube creators to celebrate graduates, their families, and their communities. The Livestream event, which is set to premiere on YouTube on June 6, will bring together inspirational leaders, stars and creators under the same roof. Reportedly, Ex-President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, too, will grace the occasion. Since the news was made public, netizens seemed excited about the event, as they expressed their excitement on their social media handle.

Also Read | Barack Obama Believes Michael Jordan Should Have Tried Harder During The 1990 Senate Race

You, sir, are a hero...



We miss you and your family every day 



Charcoal/pencil drawing pic.twitter.com/S94QQ3lQtB  Jon Lion Fine Art (@jonlionfineart2) May 5, 2020

Obama will address all 2020 graduates, and do so safely with social distancing. This method keeps all graduates safe.

Trump is forcing West Point graduates to return to a Coronavirus hotspot so he can give an in person speech. This method guarantees no safety.  Dawn Young-McDaniel  (@justdawn_) May 5, 2020

Thank you Mr. President.



Congratulations to the class of 2020!



The current occupant of the White House could care less about the accomplishments of this class or about the 70,000 people who have died of #COVID19 https://t.co/UZuAKiWF58  Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) May 5, 2020

Omg this is the FATE! @BTS_twt has wrote MIC DROP which is a reference to mister Barack Obama iconic moment 

I can't believe #ObamaxBTS is real right now?! Jungshook #ddaeng! pic.twitter.com/mq0opqXXDi  Kushi Balthazar LET'S BULLY CHARTS  (@BTSCHARTSLAYER) May 5, 2020

Congratulations Class of 2020! Were excited to celebrate this momentous occasion   YouTube at  (@YouTube) May 5, 2020

Also Read | Why Was Barack Obama Titled 'Former Chicago Resident' In Michael Jordan's Documentary?

Also Read | LeBron James Confirms Barack Obama Will Give Commencement Speech At 'Graduate Together'

As mentioned in a report published by a leading news publication, Michelle Obama and husband Barack Obama will be honouring and congratulating the high school and college seniors, whose graduation ceremonies were cancelled due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Reportedly, Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama will be seen delivering commencement speeches and a joint message, which will be dedicated to this year's graduates. Additionally, Michelle Obama's Higher Reach initiative will reportedly host a full hour of content kicking off the celebration.

Coronavirus in the US

With more than 1.23 Million positive Coronavirus cases, the USA remains a COVID-19 hotbed, surpassing the national tallies of the worst-hit countries like Germany, Italy and the UK combined. The New York State remains the worst-affected region in the US with more than 3,00,000 cases, followed by New Jersey and Massachusetts, which have reported nearly 1,30,593 and 70,271 cases respectively. As per fresh reports presented by the news publications in the US, more than 72,000 people have died due to COVID-19 in the country, which is the highest recorded death in the world. Recently, US President Donald Trump revealed that the re-opening of the US economy will cause more deaths in the country.

Also Read | LeBron James Confirms Barack Obama Will Give Commencement Speech At 'Graduate Together'
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the AAP government to reply to a PIL alleging it was not providing doctors or maintaining hygiene and sanitisation at the DDA flats in Narela which have been turned into quarantine wards for coronavirus patients.

A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad issued notice to the Delhi government and asked it to file its response to the plea in three days.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on May 14.

The petitioner, Nirmal Gorana, has alleged that the Delhi government was not making available doctors at the flats and was not ensuring proper hygiene and sanitisation in the area.

His plea also claimed that there were not sufficient number of sanitation workers for carrying out disinfection of toilets and rooms, the food quality needs to be improved, and linen, soap, sanitizers and other essential items were not being provided.

The lawyer appearing for the Delhi government disputed the contentions and said that according to instructions received from the District Magistrate (North), "all facilities were being made available at the fourteen towers constructed by DDA at Narela that have been partly converted for housing patients who have been diagnosed as Covid-19 'positive' and partially for quarantining those who have turned Covid-19 'negative,' after treatment".

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

The head of the FBI in Boston said the men allegedly tried to capitalize on the coronavirus crisis by conspiring to fraudulently obtain loans intended to help small businesses teetering on the edge of financial ruin."

The FBI official, Special Agent in Charge Joseph Bonavolonta, added: Thankfully we were able to stop them before taxpayers were defrauded, but today's arrests should serve as a warning to others that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will aggressively go after bad actors like them who are utilizing the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to commit fraud."

The defendants are David A. Staveley, 52, of Andover, Massachusetts, and David Butziger, 51, of Warwick, Rhode Island. (Staveley also has aliases, Kurt David Sanborn or David Sanborn, court documents show.)

Multiple charges brought

Both men face charges including conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to lie to influence the SBA.

"Every dollar stolen from the Paycheck Protection Program comes at the expense of employees and small business owners who are working hard to make it through these difficult times, Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski of the Justice Department's Criminal Division said as the charges were announced.

Lives thrown into chaos

"Tens of millions of Americans have lost their jobs and have had their lives thrown into chaos because of the coronavirus pandemic, said U.S. Attorney Aaron Weisman in Rhode Island. It is unconscionable that anyone would attempt to steal from a program intended to help hard-working Americans continue to be paid so they can feed their families and pay some of their bills. Added Weisman: Attorney General Barr has directed all U.S. attorneys to prioritize the investigation and prosecution of crimes related to coronavirus and COVID-19, and we are doing just that."

Staveley and Butziger allegedly discussed via email the creation of fraudulent loan applications and supporting documentations to seek loans guaranteed by the SBA. It is also alleged that Staveley posed as his brother in real estate transactions.

In announcing the charges, the Justice Department thanked partner agencies including the FBI, the IRS Criminal Investigation unit, and the watchdog arms of the SBA and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
It looks like a dastardly device from a Roadrunner cartoon that might have fallen off a cliff and knocked out Wile E. Coyote.

But its actually a piece of Hamilton history, a 10 kg hunk of iron from a long-gone foundry that mysteriously carries the raised letters PMC.

Lets allow Bill Milne to explain: Its a weight used by milkmen to keep their horses from moving if they were going to stop at a place for a while. Otherwise the horse would just continue on the route and stop at the next customer.

In other words, the horses that pulled milk delivery wagons more than a century ago were so knowledgeable about their routes that they would clip clop to the next stop on their own if they were not tied down.

Bill was one of dozens of readers who sent in photos of Hamiltonia keepsakes in response to a Show Your Stuff request I made a couple of weeks ago.

But what do the PMC initials mean? Well, thats where the story gets interesting in terms of Hamilton, and Bill, an 88-year-old retiree who worked in financial services.

PMC stands for Pure Milk Company, a dairy business at John and Robert Streets that operated from 1901 until the 1950s. The company developed new technology to make milk safer than its competitors and was hugely successful.

Contaminated milk used to be a major problem. It was once described by The Spectator as the cause of much disease and was carrying off babies at an alarming rate.

Bill is the great grandson of John Milne (1838-1922), one of the people who started the milk company. He also ran a successful foundry called Burrow, Stewart and Milne, near the dairy operation.

No doubt, owning the foundry made it economical for John Milne to special order horse tie-down weights.

Among other business ventures, John Milne became a board member of the Hamilton Iron and Steel Company, one of five firms that merged to become the Steel Company of Canada (Stelco) in 1910. Five years later, Prime Minister Robert Borden made him a senator.

Its interesting how an object from long ago can become a looking glass into the past. In this case, a lump of metal is able to shed light into bygone days of horse-drawn milk delivery, an upstart clean milk company in the city, and a major Hamilton industrialist who eventually landed a political plum in Ottawa.

History may not repeat itself but its amazing what you can find when you dig into it.

On the subject of milk, there is probably no Hamilton dairy memorabilia collection finer than that of Deb Mack, whose dad made deliveries for Royal Oak Dairy, another Hamilton milk company. She sent in several photos of her milkman memories  a collection of bottles, company bumph and mementoes centred around her late father, Herbert Bartley. He began in the horse-drawn days but finished his career driving a motorized truck.

Dad was the east-end milkman until they took him off that route after an operation and he was sent to Ancaster. He was sad to end his career not being with his old customers.

Here are some other pieces of Hamiltonia:

 Reader Gord Speare sent in a picture of his R.M. Wanzer sewing machine and a Wanzer oil lamp. In the late 1800s, Hamilton was known as the sewing machine capital of Canada. And Robert Mott Wanzer was at the centre of it, churning out 1,500 machines per week between 1861 and 1881 from a downtown Hamilton factory. The Little Wanzer was his most famous product and touted as the most perfect of all sewing machines.

 Reader James Peace sent in a picture of a package of Hamilton-made Bull Dog Belt Lacers. Who knew? But in the early part of the last century, Hamilton had a company at 85 Cannon St. W. that made lacing to hold conveyer belts together. Talk about a niche industry.

If you know of some other unusual manufacturers from the citys past, please let me know. And keep sending photos of your Hamilton history keepsakes to markflashbacks@gmail.com. I plan on returning to the topic in the future. Its interesting to know whats out there. And who knows? Maybe someday there will be a Hamilton civic museum to display some of this stuff.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Sixty-four years ago, on April 21, 1956, the Dundas Museum and Archives was officially opened by then Lt. Gov. Louis Breithaupt. Since then the museum has blossomed into an amazing permanent collection with fascinating regular exhibitions.

Unfortunately, though, the museum, like so many other places, is closed until further notice because of COVID-19. But always on the lookout for evolving history, curators are asking people to submit stories and photos relating to the ongoing pandemic in Dundas. They can be sent to https://dundasmuseum.ca/archives/covid-19/ Perhaps it will lead to a future exhibit, when the pandemic is finally behind us.
SHANGHAI, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- China Rapid Finance Limited (NYSE: XRF) (the "Company") today announced the execution of a set of agreements (the "Agreements") on May 5, 2020 with Yong Bao Two Ltd. ("YBT"), the parent company of SOS Information Technology Co., Ltd. ("SOS") via a variable interest entity ("VIE"), the shareholders of YBT ("YBT Shareholders"), eight sophisticated investors introduced by YBT (the "Purchasers," collectively with the YBT Shareholders as the "Investors") and True North Financial, LLC ("True North").

The Agreements will allow the Investors to acquire share amounts previously issued to True North as well as certain additional shares in exchange for the repayment of the Senior Secured Promissory Note issued by True North Financial. YBT shareholders will be contributing the YBT business into XRF. The purchasers will make certain cash investments. The per share purchase price for the transaction is $1.36 which reflects an approximate 25% premium to the 30-day average closing price at signing.

Under the terms of the Agreements, True North will transfer 37,985,293 Class A shares and the Company will issue 3,465,574 Class B ordinary shares to the Investors. To compensate for the price difference between the True North financing ($1.93) and the current market price (30-day average closing price before signing), true-up shares of about 8,066,241 Class A and 9,806,331 Class B ordinary shares shall be issued to the Investors. All of the Class B Shares previously issued to True North will be canceled. Upon closing, the Company will have 131,039,056 total shares outstanding. The Agreements are subject to a number of closing conditions and there is no assurance that such conditions will be met or satisfied.

Upon the closing, YBT will become a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. YBT, through its consolidated subsidiaries, is a significant player in the emergency rescue business providing emergency healthcare services, emergency roadside assistance, emergency living assistance, and other rescue services in China.

Dr. Zane Wang will be leaving as Chairman, CEO and as a member of the Company's board of directors. He will be focusing on the winding down of the P2P business in China and the "Wealth Sharing" program. The Company will end the previous cooperation agreement with Hongkong Outjoy Education Technology Co., Ltd. ("OET") and cancel the unrealized warrants issued thereunder.

Mr. Yandai Wang, CEO of SOS (no relation to Zane Wang) will be appointed as the Executive Chairman and CEO of the Company. Mr. Wang has over 20 years of industrial experience in emergency rescue, telecom and call center services. He has been a visionary leader in the emergency rescue industry in China which has experienced explosive growth in the past decade.

Mr. Douglas Brown, an independent director of the Company, founder of Dlb Capital and former Vice Chairman-Investment Banking at Morgan Stanley, will be appointed as the Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of XRF.

The XRF Board has also appointed two new independent directors nominated by YBT, Mr. Jonathan Zhang who serves as the Chairman of 5C Group International Asset Management and Mr. Wenbin Wu who serves as the Chairman of Shenzhen Rongde Investments Ltd. and Shenzhen Rongde Enterprise Management Advisory Company. Both new directors will join the Company's Audit and Compensation Committees.

Upon closing, XRF's fin-tech business will drive cross-sell opportunities and leverage funding sources from SOS' portfolio. The Company expects significant growth potential with the combination of SOS' emergency rescue services and XRF's fin-tech services' member base, which represents over 55 million members combined.

Mr. Douglas Brown commented: "We couldn't be more excited about these developments. Since the change in regulations regarding the P2P industry we have been solely focused on conserving cash and making collections on behalf of our platform funders. As a result of these transactions we can now focus on growth. We believe that the addition of the SOS business will give the Company unparalleled opportunities in two areas: it gives us the resources to take advantage of valuable financial services licenses we have, as well as pursue the evolving capital markets opportunities within the portfolio on behalf of our platform investors. In addition, it gives us an entry into the fast-expanding emergency rescue business in China. The SOS customer base expanded 100% in last 6 months of 2019. Cross selling to the 55 million combined customers can create something exciting that will benefit our existing shareholders while giving XRF valuable resources to help transform the fin-tech side of our business. I am also excited to work with the two new independent directors who will bring extensive industry and management experience."

SOS' CEO Mr. Yandai Wang commented, "We are excited about the new opportunity and glad to be a part of XRF. Based on our vast resources in the emergency rescue and related industries, we believe this will provide us with meaningful business synergy and create value for XRF's shareholders. We are also looking forward to joining XRF and will remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of transparency and compliance."

Additional information about these Agreements and the Company's post-closing business will be made available in a subsequent 6-K filing.

About China Rapid Finance

China Rapid Finance (NYSE: XRF) is a leading fin-tech company that offers award-winning decisioning technology and marketing services that addresses China's growing consumer credit market. The Company utilizes its proprietary technology and 18 years of experience to provide its services. The Company is establishing partnerships and is currently developing strategic alternatives and new businesses in financial technology, marketing services and portfolio management. For more information, please visit http://ir.crfchina.com.

About Yong Bao Two Ltd and SOS Information Technology Co., Ltd.

Yong Bao Two Ltd. ("YBT"), a British Virgin Islands company, is the holding company of SOS Information Technology Co., Ltd. ("SOS"). YBT, through its subsidiaries including SOS, provides wide range of emergency rescue services to its corporate and individual members in China. SOS provides various types of membership cards to individual members in large corporations as part of employee benefits. Its products include SOS Medical Rescue Card, SOS Auto Rescue Card, SOS Financial Rescue Card, and SOS Life Rescue Card. It utilizes cloud and other cutting-edge technologies to provide emergency rescue services in a new fashion, including its app based mobile platform, cloud call centers and large data centers. It has contractual service agreements with major banks, insurance companies, internet companies, and telecom providers in China.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made herein are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "expect," "estimate," "plan," "outlook," and "project" and other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. Such forward-looking statements include timing of the proposed transaction; the business plans, objectives, expectations and intentions of the parties once the transaction is complete, and XRF's estimated and future results of operations, business strategies, competitive position, industry environment and potential growth opportunities. These forward-looking statements reflect the current analysis of existing information and are subject to various risks and uncertainties. As a result, caution must be exercised in relying on forward-looking statements. Due to known and unknown risks, our actual results may differ materially from our expectations or projections. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements.

The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements: the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the delay or termination of the transaction contemplated by the Agreements; the outcome of any legal proceedings that have been, or will be, instituted against XRF or other parties to the Agreements following announcement of the Agreements and transactions contemplated therein; the ability of XRF to meet the NYSE listing standards following the transaction and in connection with the consummation thereof; the inability to complete the transactions contemplated by the Agreements due to the failure to perform any other closing conditions; risks that the proposed transaction disrupts current plans and operations and the potential difficulties in employee retention as a result of the announcement of the Agreements and consummation of the transaction described therein; costs related to the proposed acquisition; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the ability of the combined company to meet its financial and strategic goals, due to, among other things, competition; the ability of the combined company to grow and manage growth profitability, maintain relationships with customers and retain its key employees; the possibility that the combined company may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; and other risks and uncertainties described herein, as well as those risks and uncertainties discussed from time to time in other reports and other public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") by XRF.

Additional information concerning these and other factors that may impact our expectations and projections can be found in our periodic filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018. XRF's SEC filings are available publicly on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. XRF disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Non-Solicitation

This press release is not a proxy statement or solicitation of a proxy, consent or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the proposed transaction and shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities of XRF, nor shall there be any sale of any such securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

SOURCE China Rapid Finance

Related Links

http://ir.crfchina.com


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Linkedin Riska Rahman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 6, 2020 17:44 622 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd66442f 1 Business Indonesia,bank-mandiri,global-bonds-issuance,SOEs,erick-thohir,capital,Hutama-Karya Free

Riska Rahman

The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

State-owned Bank Mandiri has successfully launched its US$500 million global bond as the demand from foreign investors, mostly from Asia and Europe, far exceeded the amount it offered.

The debt paper was oversubscribed by almost five times with demand reaching more than $2.4 billion, the bank said in a statement on Wednesday.

Around 66 percent of the investors that bought the bond came from Asia, and the remaining 34 percent came from Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the United States, the bank said in the statement.

The bank said the global bond offered a coupon of 4.75 percent per year, higher than the governments global bond coupon of 3.9 percent issued in April. The five-year debt paper, Bank Mandiri said, would mature in 2025.

It is the second global bond issued by state-owned companies this month. On Monday, Hutama Karya successfully launched its first ever global bond of US$600 million with a coupon of 3.75 percent. The bond was also oversubscribed by six times from buyers amid high demand from investors in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States.

The banks treasury and international banking director Darmawan Junaidi told The Jakarta Post that the proceeds from the bond issuance would be used to strengthen its financing capacity.

It will also be used to support our business in the medium to long term, he said via text message.

He went on to say that the issuance of new bonds followed last years global bond issuance of US$750 million that was part of the banks global bond ticket of US$2 billion.

State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister Erick Thohir lauded Bank Mandiris global bond issuance amid the uncertain global economic conditions.

Investors' high interest in the global bond shows that Indonesia has become one of the worlds most interesting investment destinations, he said, adding that he also encouraged other SOEs to seek other sources of funding and not only rely on funding from banks.

Bank Mandiris global bond issuance marks the second time SOEs have issued debt papers to the offshore market amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
(Alliance News) - Mobile Streams PLC, a mobile content and data intelligence company, on Wednesday said that it has raised GBP1 million via a share placing to support the continuing growth of the company.

The company placed 333.3 million shares at 0.3 pence per share, a 25% discount to Tuesday's 0.4p stock price.

Shares in Mobile Streams were down 12% at 0.36p each in London on Wednesday afternoon.

Chair Nigel Burton: "To provide strong alignment with shareholders and to conserve cash, the board and senior managers are all being remunerated in shares which will not be issued until 2021. As a result, our existing cash balances of over GBP250,000 along with the net proceeds of the placing provide sufficient funds to cover all overheads throughout 2020 as well as to support the expansion of the product, marketing and sales pipeline for both the content and data businesses.

"This placing provides the necessary additional balance sheet strength to give potential clients confidence in the longer term future of the company, thereby enabling the company to work with larger business to business clients in the US, LatAm and Europe. It also provides additional capital to speed up and advance our sales, marketing and development efforts as and when we need to."

By Tapan Panchal; tapanpanchal@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2020 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are adamant against bailing out state pension systems. New Jersey Senate President Stephen Sweeney says thats not the help he wants from Washington.

Sweeneys proposal to help New Jerseys public pension system relies on getting $500 billion in low-interest loans, not handouts, from the federal government.

We dont expect the federal government  nor should they  to bail us out, Sweeney, D-Gloucester, said Monday at a Star-Ledger editorial board meeting. Its not a bailout if Im paying it back. This is something we pay back.

And the pension funds would invest some of the money they save in interest costs in infrastructure, which Trump has said he wants to include in the next coronavirus stimulus package now being drafted on Capitol Hill.

Hes getting paid back but now Im investing in infrastructure where he doesnt have to put the money up, Sweeney said.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

States also want $500 billion to help them pay the bills because they had to shut down their economies to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

But Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., have argued that the money instead would be used to bail out underfunded state pension systems.

Ironically, Kentucky, at 34%, had the worst-funded state pension system in the nation in 2017, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts. New Jersey (36%) and Illinois (38%) were second and third.

Gov, Phil Murphy though, said his request for more federal aid had nothing to do with pensions.

This is not about legacy fiscal issues, he said.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com.
Afghan government releases over 100 Taliban prisoners

Iran Press TV

Tuesday, 05 May 2020 3:15 PM

The Afghan government has released 102 more imprisoned Taliban militants in accordance with a recent agreement between the US and the militant group.

Javid Faisal, the spokesman for the Afghan National Security Council (NSC), announced in a Twitter post on Tuesday that the prisoners had been freed on the order of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani a day earlier.

Faisal said that with the release of the latest batch of prisoners, Kabul has so far freed a total of 850 Taliban inmates from the 1500 agreed under a so-called US-Taliban peace deal in late February.

Stressing that more prisoners could be freed once talks start between Kabul and the Taliban, the Afghan official urged the militant group to continue releasing the country's National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) and military personnel in accordance with the agreement.

Faisal announced on Sunday that the Taliban inmates were being released based on their age, health, and length of remaining sentence as part of efforts toward peace and combating the new coronavirus outbreak.

Under the deal signed on February 28, the Taliban agreed to halt their attacks in return for Washington's phased withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan and a prisoner exchange with the government in Kabul.

The Afghan government, which was excluded from the talks and was thus not a signatory to the accord, is required to release up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners but reduced the number to 1,500 before the talks start. The militants are obliged to free 1,000 pro-government captives in return.

The agreement was supposed to lay the groundwork for a peace process in the war-ravaged Asian country but the Taliban militant group has already rejected a government offer of a ceasefire for the duration of Ramadan to help focus on efforts to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

According to a report by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), more than 500 civilians lost their lives in Afghanistan in the first three months of the year.

Washington is compelled under the deal to pull out American forces and foreign troops from Afghanistan by July next year, provided that the militants start talks with Kabul and adhere to other security guarantees.

About 14,000 US troops and approximately 17,000 troops from NATO allies and partner countries remain stationed in Afghanistan years after the invasion of the country that toppled a Taliban regime in 2001.

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MSNBCs Morning Joe co-hosts Wednesday dismissed President Donald Trumps Tuesday night statement that he had a lot going on before the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump claimed ahead of a Tuesday interview with ABC News David Muir that he inherited the equivalent of bare cupboards lacking emergency supplies when he took over the presidency. Pressed by Muir on what he did about that, Trump said, Ill be honest. I have a lot of things going on. We had a lot of people that refused to allow the country to be successful. They wasted a lot of time on Russia, Russia, Russia, and that turned out to be a total hoax. Then, they did Ukraine, Ukraine, and that was a total hoax. Then, they impeached the president of the United States for absolutely no reason (The they, of course, being Democrats.)

Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski rolled that clip, then summed it up: President Trumps reason for not refilling what he claims was an inherited empty national stockpile for emergencies: He has a lot of things going on.

Also Read: MSNBC's Joe Scarborough: 'The President Has Abandoned Us' (Video)

Host Joe Scarborough interjected, He was president, by the way, for three and a half years.

Brzezinski noted that Politifact called his blame of the Obama administration mostly false. Still, Wednesday, Trump tweeted again that his administration was left very little, but said, Ventilators, which were few & in bad shape, are now being produced in the thousands, and we have many to spare. We are helping other countries which are desperate for them. Hospitals nationwide have been overwhelmed by coronavirus cases and the lack of ventilators.

His statement about having a lot going on took place amid a tour of a factory that makes protective masks. Trump did not wear one.

Wheres his mask? Scarborough demanded.

Read original story Morning Joe Mocks Trump for Saying He Had A Lot of Things Going On Before Pandemic (Video) At TheWrap
Melissa Graboyes

Graboyes is an associate professor of medical history and African history at the University of Oregon. She is currently living in northern Italy with her family while on research leave and writes about the Covid-19 outbreak at www.coronaviruschronicles.com

University of Oregon President Michael Schill recently sent a note outlining his commitment to an in-person and on-campus fall term. But considering how much of his note focused on the universitys financial picture, its worth questioning whether that or sound public health policy is driving that decision. As a UO faculty member, a trained public health professional, and someone who has directly experienced the COVID-19 outbreak in northern Italy, I feel strongly that the universitys current plan to open in the fall for in-person, on-campus teaching is unsafe. Reconvening tens of thousands of students from across the globe to live in close quarters with each other could jumpstart COVID-19 transmission on campus and spread into the wider community. For the safety of everyone, the UO ought to continue remote-learning for fall term.

In theory, Im not opposed to the idea of the UO fully opening in fall, but it would require a heroic public health effort. Experts agree that safely having together thousands of people in contactas would happen in dormitories, dining facilities, libraries, classrooms and labswould require a robust plan for regular testing on campus, quickly tracking contacts of positive cases, and having facilities to isolate those who test positive. To effectively test, track, and isolate would require the UO to build a complex public health infrastructure that has eluded US states and rich European countries alike. When I see the wealthiest area in Italy still unable to roll out sufficient testing, when I see the EU unable to figure out a viable digital contact tracking strategy, and most countries unable to humanely isolate those who are positive, forgive me for saying I dont think the UO can develop these systems independently in four months.

President Schill hasnt provided any convincing information that suggests testing, tracking, or isolating protocols could be ready by September. In his note, there is a single sentence describing how the universitys Incident Management Team will explore a variety of methods to safeguard our community that include reducing density in offices, residence halls, and dining facilities; intensive cleaning of all facilities; and testing and contact tracing for students and employees. But how will that testing possibly be done at adequate levels, especially knowing that as many as 60% of positive cases are asymptomatic? The U.S., Oregon, and Lane County have all been unable to scale up testing to anywhere near reasonable levels. Veneto Province in northern Italy, where I am located, has spent millions of euros on tests and has the highest testing per capita in Italy; but it still remains below what experts say is necessary to catch and prevent a second wave of infection.

The news is not much better for building out contact tracing and isolation systems. Not a single U.S. state has put in place a convincing contact tracing program, though Massachusetts has a promising effort. Italy is trying to scale up tracing via apps and human workers but has run into legal challenges around privacy and resistance to using the apps. Finally, stopping an outbreak on campus would require places where people who test positive can recover without infecting others. Neither the United States nor Europe has set up effective out-of-home isolation facilities such as those used in China and South Korea. So, please forgive me (again) if I remain deeply skeptical that the university could complete all of these steps and have them ready in four months. The UO is a special place filled with talented and hardworking people whom I am lucky to call my colleagues and friendsbut these are unreasonable expectations.

We cant lose sight of the fact that the decision about fall term isnt just about the universitys fiscal healthits about peoples actual health and actual lives. Oregon has been lightly hit so far, but we are not done with COVID-19. Witnessing the COVID-19 outbreak and response in Italy, Ive seen what happens when an area gets the full brunt of a coronavirus outbreak and when health systems are overwhelmed. One of the ways our community can minimize risk is by acknowledging it is unrealistic and unsafe to have tens of thousands of students back on campus. To protect our communitys health, the UO needs to remain remote in fall.
In an effort to help support the states healthcare workers and first responders, the Nevada Franchised Auto Dealers Association (NFADA) and its southern chapter, Southern Nevada Franchised New Car & Truck Dealer Association, have donated a combined $100,000 to the states COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund.

Each chapter donated $50,000 to help secure and provide additional personal protective equipment (PPE) vital to protecting the states healthcare workers. In addition to association donations, Bill Pearce Automotive and Forman Automotive, members of NFADA, have made individual contributions as well.

Ensuring that we as a state protect our healthcare workers and those dedicated to fighting COVID-19 is critical to our members, statewide, said Andy Mackay, executive director of NFADA. We hope to support Nevadas healthcare workers by supporting the efforts of the emergency response fund while continuing to support our communities through charitable acts during these trying times.

Individual dealerships are also making donations to support healthcare professionals and the fight against the virus. In conjunction with their #DriveBigger campaign, Findlay Volkswagen Henderson has transformed its Little Free Library into a food pantry stocked with fresh fruits, vegetables and non-perishable food items for employees and the community as a whole.

Those who utilize the pantry are encouraged to take whatever they need and donations are welcome. Similarly, Jack Stanko of Champion Chevrolet in Reno has donated $25,000 and a Suburban SUV to support Sparks Rotary, Boys and Girls Club, Great Basin Brewery and Pinocchios Bar & Grill who have provided $10,000 in meals to all four Washoe County hospitals.

In accordance with health and safety guidelines, all meals were packaged individually for donation and delivery times were scheduled with the respective hospitals to keep in accordance with social distancing.

For more information on NFADA and the auto dealers community efforts, follow on Facebook or Instagram and visit www.nfada.net.
Infiniti Research, a leading market intelligence solutions provider, has recently announced the completion of their latest engagement on competitor analysis solution for a frozen food packaging company. During this engagement, the experts at Infiniti Research helped the client to better allocate resources and enhance their sales by 43% within the course of one year.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005698/en/

With technological progression and market advancements, the frozen food packaging industry continues to evolve. Moreover, the trends in packaging such as the introduction of sustainable packaging practices, convenient on-the-go packaging, clean labels, and healthy choices have gradually increased the number of new entrants into the European frozen food packaging market. This has made it vital for existing players in the European frozen food packaging market to keep track of their competitors' plan and actions and refine their existing business models to achieve maximum profitability. Therefore, companies are partnering with firms like Infiniti Research to leverage their expertise in offering competitor analysis solution.

Infiniti Research's team of industry experts and analysts are constantly monitoring the business impact of the COVID-19 crisis across sectors to help organizations prioritize response, mitigate risk, and continuously monitor the economic adversities on their business. Request a FREE proposal here.

The business challenge: The client is a frozen food packaging company based out of Europe. The entry of new players drastically increased the competition in the European frozen food packaging market. The client, therefore, was facing difficulties in competing with other major players, in terms of cost, quality, and capabilities in providing innovative packaging offerings for customers. Moreover, they were losing customers and market share to their competitors due to their inability to competitively price their products. This compelled them to reduce the price for their products, which subsequently resulted in a loss in profit margin by 7%.

Therefore, they approached the experts at Infiniti Research to leverage their expertise in offering competitor analysis solution. By leveraging Infiniti's competitor analysis solution, the client wanted to explore ways to stay competitive in the market by distinguishing market disruptions, analyzing competitors, and developing strategic business plans.

Want to know how we can help you to survive through these tough times and emerge stronger in the post-coronavirus world? Contact us here.

The solution offered Our experts followed a detailed four-phased competitor analysis approach to help the client tackle the industry challenges. The initial phase of the competitor analysis engagement involved identifying businesses offering similar products and services in the European packaging industry. The next phase of our competitor analysis engagement focused on identifying the client's key competitors' customer base. In the third phase of the competitor analysis engagement, the experts focused on evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the client in comparison to their competitors. The last phase of our competitor analysis engagement involved conducting a competitive benchmarking analysis, competitor mapping, and also identifying the marketing approaches employed by the client's competitors.

Infiniti's competitor analysis solution helped the frozen food packaging market client to:

Gain detailed insights about their end-customers, current market position, and their key competitors

Innovate their product offerings according to their customers' requirements

Apply automation solutions in their production process

Enhance their production efficiency and better manage workflow

Understand their competitors' pricing strategies and make constant changes in their pricing plans

Better allocate resources and enhance their sales by 43%

Wondering how your business can benefit from our competitor analysis solution? Request more information from our experts.

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/20200506005698/en/

Contacts:

Infiniti Research

Anirban Choudhury

Marketing Manager

US: +1 844 778 0600

UK: +44 203 893 3400

https://www.infinitiresearch.com/contact-us
A woman who was attacked and killed by an alligator in a gated community in South Carolina on Friday was trying to touch the animal when it grabbed her and dragged her underwater, authorities said today.

After briefly getting away from the alligator, the woman stood in waist deep water in the Kiawah Island pond and said 'I guess I wont do this again,' but the alligator grabbed her in its jaws again and took her under the water, according to a supplemental police report released Tuesday.

Cynthia Covert, 58, died of drowning before Charleston County deputies and firefighters were able to shoot and kill the alligator and use poles to get her out of the pond, authorities said.

Cynthia Covert, 58, was reportedly killed by an alligator on Friday after she got too close when trying to tough the animal (stock image)

Animal lover Covert came to Kiawah Island, a gated community southeast of Charleston, to give the homeowner a manicure Friday, according to the police report.

The woman told deputies Covert typically was professional in her salon, but was relaxed and excited at the home, talking about her boyfriend's visit from Tennessee, and brought a glass of wine with her.

Covert saw the alligator while working on the woman's porch and when Covert finished she started taking pictures of the alligator, the woman told deputies.

The woman and her husband started screaming for Covert to get away from the alligator because they saw it grab a deer a few days earlier, deputies said.

Covert said 'I don't look like a deer' and reached to touch the alligator when the animal attacked, according to the report.

The Charleston County Sheriff's department announced that the woman's official cause of death was drowning, and reminded citizens to be safe around wildlife

A deputy on the scene found the gator and fatally shot it before retrieving the reptile in the attack on Friday afternoon on Kiawah Island in Charleston County

The husband and a neighbor grabbed a rope and threw it to Covert when she surfaced and stood in the pond. Covert grabbed the rope and said 'I guess I wont do this again,' but was suddenly pulled under by the alligator, the police report said.

Deputies and firefighters looked for Colvert for 10 minutes before her body surfaced. The alligator took her back under once. When the alligator surfaced again, a deputy shot the animal in the head with his 9 mm handgun, the police report said.

Covert's leg was severely damaged, but an autopsy determined she drowned, the Charleston County Coroner's Office said.

The body of the alligator was taken by police to help with the investigation into the incident, who released a tweet saying: 'In May 1 Kiawah Island incident in which victim was pulled into pond by alligator, coroner has ruled death as accidental drowning. This case is an unfortunate tragedy.

'We urge citizens to be alert and cautious around wildlife. Enjoy the outdoors safely and responsibly,' the Tweet added.

Covert was the third person killed by an alligator in South Carolina in the past four years. A 90-year-old woman walked out of a Charleston nursing home in 2016 and was killed, while a 45-year-old woman walking her dog was fatally attacked on Hilton Head Island in August 2018.

Before those attacks, South Carolina had never recorded a person killed by an alligator.
The perpetrators of terrorist activities in India are under a false impression that they can take advantage of the situation arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said on Wednesday, stressing that both the destructive viruses of coronavirus and terrorism need to be simultaneously fought and defeated.

In an apparent reference to Pakistan, he said one of India's neighbours continues with its "nefarious and evil design" of abetting and promoting terrorist activities as well as using social media extensively to spin a fake narrative about the safety of certain communities in the country.

India, with the second-largest Muslim population in the world, has remained deeply committed to the welfare of all minority groups since it became independent and is one of the pioneers of practising secularism in the real sense, Naidu said, adding there is no need for anybody to preach India on how to treat its people.

"The perpetrators of terrorist activities are under a false impression that they can take advantage of the situation arising from the pandemic and succeed in their abominable practice," he said in a Facebook post.

Terrorist groups are trying to send infiltrators from across the border to create trouble in the country, he said apparently referring to the recent spate of encounters between security forces and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir.

Terror is a matter of grave concern for the entire world and every nation must stand united to defeat and wipe out terrorism, he said.

"There is no room for complacency. The world while fighting the pandemic, must simultaneously declare war against terrorism," he said.

"It is unacceptable that these attempts to create schisms and divisions between communities and peddle hate and fear should continue unchecked," he said.

"We have to seek remedies for both the natural health pandemic as well as the man-created destructive mindset," the vice president said.

Both viruses, Naidu said, are destructive and impede human progress and drastically reduce the quality of life.

"All nations must speak in one voice and come together in identifying and isolating nations which are sponsoring terrorism.

The world, the vice president noted, has a health challenge that is threatening to change the way we live and work.

It is a challenge we are collectively and individually coming to grips with.

"We must not allow any other concern to assume dangerous proportions that will retard human welfare and divert our energies away from the most important task at hand," he felt.

"Pluralism, tolerance and celebration of diversity and goodwill towards all neighbours, both far and near, have been the cornerstones of the state policy (in India)" Naidu noted.

Quite deplorably, India's neighbour is using social media extensively to spin a fake narrative about the safety of certain communities living in India, he said.

"This kind of false propaganda aimed at creating dissensions among different communities in India needs to be nipped in the bud.

He said "equally disturbing is the attempt by some people within India, including a minuscule section of the media, to portray a wrong image of the country through false propaganda. All such attempts are highly condemnable. "



Naidu said India cannot allow the virus of terror, misinformation, and hatred assault it.

"We cannot allow anyone to fish in troubled waters and foment trouble and support terrorist organizations and activities," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester have offered the first ever look inside their Kensington Palace home.

The Duke, a first cousin of the Queen, and his wife live in the Old Stables, an historic cottage in the grounds of the palace, which is home to several members of the royal family including Princess Eugenie and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

The Gloucesters moved into the cottage last year after vacating their previous home at Apartment 1, where they were neighbours with the Cambridges.

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester have offered the first ever look inside their Kensington Palace home. Pictured: The Duke of Gloucester phoned the Scottish Veterans Residences, an association that assists former servicemen and women, from the study, where he was photographed sitting inside an inbuilt bookcase that houses and impressive collection

The Duchess looked hard at work at a desk covered in trinkets and personal treasures, including a glass display case showcasing a collection of ceramic animals, including a hare (2) and jade carvings (3). Also pictured is: 4. An ornamental silver basket; 5. A statuette of a horse; 6. A commemorative tankard; 7. A framed painting depicting the Changing of the Guards

The cottage was previously home to Sir Alan 'Tommy' Lascelles, a longtime friend and private secretary to Edward VIII and King George VI, who was played by Pip Torrens on Netflix series The Crown.

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were both photographed working from home and the photos shared on the Royal Family social media accounts, which have been highlighting the work being carried out during quarantine.

The Duke of Gloucester phoned the Scottish Veterans Residences, an association that assists former servicemen and women, from the study, while his wife spoke to Asthma UK from a sitting room, Vanity Fair reported.

A closer look at the images reveal clues about the couple's personal tastes and their shared interests with other royals.

The Duke, a first cousin of the Queen, and his wife live in the Old Stables, a historic cottage in the grounds of the palace, which is home to several members of the royal family including Princess Eugenie and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Pictured, Kensington Palace

The Duke's study is dominated by a fitted bookshelf that houses an extensive collection of books, including several impressive-looking hardback tomes.

Although the titles of the books are difficult to make out, there appears to be a crown insignia on several of the spines, suggesting they could be titles related to royalty.

On the far left of the image, on top of the fireplace, there is a framed miniature painting of an unknown man in historical dress. It is possible this man is an ancestor of either the Duke or Duchess.

A number of members of the royal family, including the Duchess of Cornwall and the Earl of Wessex, have been photographed in front of similarly stacked bookshelves in recent weeks.

The cottage was previously home to Sir Alan 'Tommy' Lascelles, a longtime friend and private secretary to Edward VIII and King George VI, who was played by Pip Torrens on Netflix series The Crown (right)

Meanwhile the Duchess looked hard at work at a desk covered in trinkets and personal treasures, including a glass display case showcasing a collection of ceramic animals and jade carvings.

There is also a statuette of a horse on a stand, in a nod to her love of equestrian sports, which is shared with other members of the royal family. On the far right corner of the desk is a commemorative tankard, although the description is difficult to make out from the angle.

On the wall behind the duchess there is a framed painting depicting the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester spent many years living in the spacious 21-bedroom Apartment 1 at Kensington Palace, where they raised their three children: Lady Rose Gilman, Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster and Lady Davina Windsor.

Once their children left home the couple took the decision to downsize and move into the cottage.
Drug users stocked up on cannabis products over the darkweb in February and March in anticipation of the Covid-19 lockdown, while the sale of MDMA has largely declined in the same period as people faced the prospect of more time alone.

The lockdown has forced vendors to cut prices, offer discounts and maintain consumer confidence as they respond to new restrictions all over Europe.

A new, EU-wide analysis of the drugs trade said the virus pandemic has had a major impact on the sale and distribution of some products.

The report, published by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), focused on three darknet markets - Agartha, Cannazon and Versus - in the first three months of 2020. Further monitoring is planned by the EMCDDA in the coming months.

The analysis revealed an overall spike in the sale of cannabis products. There was a decline in the number of high value sales but a significant increase in smaller value sales. The value of sales declined by 20% but, for the same period, the volume increased by 30%.

This data on cannabis shows, on the one hand, those buying volumes of cannabis for sale or supply have reduced their activity, anticipating that resale may be more difficult due to social distancing measures. At the same time, established or new buyers seeking cannabis for personal use are increasing their activity on the market. This may explain the rising number of cannabis sales over time but diminishing revenues.

Cannazon, a market devoted to cannabis products, sold an estimated 4.3m worth of products over the three months, representing 1.6 metric tonnes.

"The cannabis market is a large one and many regular cannabis users may have decided to stock up, anticipating market disruption during the lockdown period," the report said.

"To some extent, this is observed in the data where an increase in online trade via darknet markets, driven largely by cannabis products, can be seen in February and March."

In contrast, the report shows a decline in the demand for synthetic drugs commonly used in recreational settings, such as MDMA. This is attributed to people spending more time at home in isolation.

Isolation and lockdown measures have caused problems for many vendors, who have reacted in different ways. Some appear to be trying to maintain consumer confidence by informing buyers that they are operating in business as usual mode.

Others have reacted to reduced demand for some drugs by trying to stimulate sales using marketing techniques, such as discounts. Another group have opted to suspend their activities or explain to their buyers that they can expect some disruption.

The report warns that a shift towards online drug supply, including the use of social media, secure messaging apps and darknet markets, would pose a major issue for law enforcement.

"If vendors and buyers switch to this type of technology, activities will not be visible through current darknet monitoring and interdiction will be more challenging," concludes the report.

In the markets analysed, drug sales appear to originate manily from the United Kingdom and Germany. Both countries were listed as the shipping country for just under 80% of sales, with France accounting for just 6% and and Spain 4%.
On Monday, the Indian government announced plans to begin phased repatriation of its citizens stranded abroad, from May 7. According to the information accessed by Republic TV, more than 50,000 people from Tamil Nadu who are stranded in various countries have applied to return to the state through the TN government website.

'200 from Malaysia will reach TN on May 8'

Tamilians stranded in Gulf countries like UAE, Qatar etc, US, European countries, Malaysia and Singapore have applied for the return. According to the sources, most of the entries are from Gulf countries. Sources added that 200 Indians from Malaysia will be initially reaching Tamil Nadu on May 8 and the government has arranged quarantine facilities for them since they have to be in mandatory 14 days quarantine.

According to the information, people will have to pay the flight charges and they will also have to pay if they want private hotels for quarantine. Quarantine facility provided by the state government is also available for the people which is free of cost.

'Commenced preparations for Vande Bharat Mission'

About 15,000 Indian nationals stuck abroad will return home via 64 flights from 12 countries  from 7 May to 13 May  as part of the Modi governments Vande Bharat Mission. Commenced preparations for Vande Bharat Mission. Planning underway for stranded Indian nationals to return home starting 7th May. Urge them to keep in regular touch with their Embassies, tweeted External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday.

READ | Hima Das: "I used to write 'Adidas' on my shoes; now Adidas writes my name on its shoes"

According to PTI, over three lakh Indians in Gulf have registered for evacuation but the government will bring back people like pregnant women, elderly, students and those having "compelling reasons" to return such as medical emergencies, expiry of visas and facing the prospect of deportation.

READ | Aarogya Setu team contacts hacker claiming security risk in India's flagship Covid app

According to estimates, around 1.4 crore Indians are staying in various parts of the world and a sizeable number of them wants to return home. The government has not given any estimate about how many Indians it plans to evacuate out of the 1.4 crores.

READ | Ramdas Athawale demands one MLC seat from BJP before May 21 polls; adds emotional reminder

The Indian Navy said two of its ships are on their way to the Maldives for evacuating Indians stranded in the island nation while the Indian Air Force has kept ready about 30 transport aircraft including C-17 Globemaster and C-130J Super Hercules for any requirement.

READ | China Army being aggressive & Communist party amping propaganda to deflect Covid blame: US

(With PTI inputs)
BRISTOL, Va.  Housing authorities across Southwest Virginia have been awarded a total of $274,168 through the CARES Act Admin Fee Regular and Mainstream Voucher Program.

The coronavirus outbreak has inflicted economic hardship on many, said U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem. [The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developments] award of $274,168 for housing assistance in the Ninth District will bring relief to individuals and families receiving housing assistance who are having greater difficulty paying their bills.
Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said the independence of the European Central Bank is key to the foundations of the European Union and no constitutional court should decide what it can do, in an interview published on Wednesday.

He spoke after Germany's highest court gave the ECB three months to justify bond purchases under its flagship stimulus Public Sector Purchase Programme (PSPP) or lose the Bundesbank as a participant.

"It is not up to any constitutional court to decide what the ECB can or cannot do. Its independence is the fulcrum of the European treaties, which are recognised by Germany too," Conte told newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano in an interview.

"I find it out of place for a national court, although a constitutional one, to ask the ECB to justify its purchases. It cannot interfere in these initiatives," he added.

The ECB's separate 750bn scheme, approved last month to prop up the coronavirus-stricken euro area economy, remained unaffected, as the Constitutional Court said its decision did not apply to that.

Conte said Italy did not need the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) but it would be hard for the new European Recovery Fund, built to help countries recover from the coronavirus pandemic, to take off before the summer.

Economy Minister Roberto Gualtieri said on Tuesday he was confident at least 100bn would be made available to Italy through the fund.

The premier said his coalition government would approve by the end of the week a 55bn stimulus package to support the country, which has one of the highest Covid-19 death tolls in the world.

The ruling coalition already approved in March a 25bn package to help the economy cope with the outbreak.

New measures will include tax breaks for renovations aimed at making homes more energy efficient, money for maintenance and public works to municipalities as well as a set of initiatives aimed at children for the summer months.

Conte ruled out any plan to nationalise companies struggling after the coronavirus emergency but said the state could still take "a more active role" and directly finance firms in need.

He added that citizens had showed great responsibility and respect for rules after the government on Monday eased a few of the restrictions it had imposed nearly two months ago to contain the virus outbreak.

"This makes me hopeful that the epidemic's curve will be kept under control," Conte said.
By Sheila Hagar, Walla Walla Union-Bulletin

Around the globe some people are choosing to participate in social gatherings for the express intention of catching COVID-19.

Theyre being called coronavirus or COVID parties, and the idea behind them is that it is better to get sick with the virus and get it over with.

Officials in Walla Walla County say some of that is happening here  to varying degrees of intention  and such behavior is irresponsible and damaging.

Walla Walla Police Department Chief Scott Bieber also noted that disobeying Gov. Jay Inslees March 23 Stay Home, Stay Healthy order that restricts groups is illegal and could result in being taken to court.

The coronavirus party concept is that with intentional exposure to the disease comes herd immunity.

That happens when enough people in a community have developed resistance to a contagious disease so that the majority of people are then immune to it, especially through vaccination.

Once potentially-deadly childhood diseases such as chickenpox, mumps and measles no longer instill fear in every parent, thanks to herd immunity and effective vaccines.

Those diseases dont return, agreed Sarah Murray, public health nurse and clinic lead for Walla Walla Countys Department of Community Health.

But there is no vaccine for COVID-19 yet, and no one knows if those who test positive for the virus actually develop immunity, Murray said. People dont develop immunity to influenza, she added. Instead they vaccinate for prominent flu viruses every year.

None of that has stopped people from intentionally flouting health recommendations by exposing themselves and others to COVID-19, said Meghan DeBolt, director of the countys Department of Community Health, on Monday.

When someone tests positive for the disease, he or she is asked by health officials to name who theyve been in personal contact with. Those queries have revealed people here are grouping together for these parties, she said.

We dont know when it is happening. Its after the fact that we hear from cases. We ask about contacts, and there are 25 people because: We were at a COVID party, DeBolt offered as an example.

New positive test results in the county have resulted from such gatherings, DeBolt said.

Its unacceptable. Its irresponsible.

Murray said today her team routinely investigates disease outbreaks. Often its a case of food poisoning that gets traced back to a restaurant because enough people, with diarrhea or other symptoms, recall they ate at one place.

We depend on the patient to provide us information. We also live in a small town and the hotline has been invaluable, Murray said. People are willing to tell on themselves and others.

Scouring the community for COVID-19 is the same principal, but in hyperdrive and with more speed bumps, she said.

Outside of coronavirus parties, for instance, people dont usually know everyone they came in contact with before they tested positive.

Like someone who went to Walmart and they talked to a guy they know but they dont know his name, Murray explained.

Coronavirus in the Northwest: Latest news | Live map tracker | Text alerts | Newsletter

Even when a person can name all their contacts, it doesnt mean everyone on the list can get tested, she said.

We do not have the capacity to test everyone who desires a test of who is not symptomatic. Going around testing everyone without symptoms is not wise.

That can be frustrating for people  without a test, people who have been possibly exposed to the coronavirus are told to stay home 14 days. With a positive test, they can potentially be back to work in 10 days, Murray said.

There are more unknowns about the virus than there are facts at this time, the nurse said, adding that she believes most of Walla Walla is being smart about the health crisis.

We want to make sure our Valley is making good choices and not making reckless decisions.

Bieber said he would be willing to add the possibility of criminal charges to Murrays hopes, in the case of a coronavirus party.

Were not going to overreact, he said of his officers.

But were going to contact people who tested positive and follow up with a phone call, making them aware of the potential gross misdemeanor offense of disobeying the governors orders. If we find intentional violations, we will refer them to the city attorney.

Walla Walla and the county have been very lucky in case numbers, Bieber said. But Id rather wake everybody up before that happens.

As of Monday, Walla Walla County has 94 residents, including some Tyson Fresh Meats employees, who have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

That includes 34 people who have recovered from and four people admitted to the hospital with the coronavirus, according to the health department.

Theres a reason this time of year is called spring fever and people are getting antsy, he said.

But his department has spent weeks explaining to people the reasons for staying home  now is not the time to let down the guard, Bieber said.

Were not going to be hardcore  but the time is past for education and encouragment.

Officer Dylan Schmick, spokesman for the College Place Police Department, said the department strongly condemns COVID-19 parties for the threat those place on the entire Walla Walla Valley.

Our department will be working diligently to locate and disperse these events if they are taking place. The departments goal is enforcement through education, but we are prepared to take further action if deemed necessary. The selfish actions of a few will greatly impact all of us, Schmick said.

DeBolt and Walla Walla City Manager Nabiel Shawa said irresponsible behavior surrounding COVID-19 can delay the reopening of the community.

We are struggling to get through this to open our businesses, Shawa said today.

The longer this goes on the more protracted the effect on our economy will be.

More on coronavirus:
[May 06, 2020] Crest View International Analysts Report on China's Kingsoft Cloud as They Prepare for Largest US IPO Since February

According to analysts at Crest View International, the Xiaomi-backed cloud services business, Kingsoft Cloud, is targeting US investor demand for Chinese public offerings following the aftermath of the Luckin Coffee with a listing that could raise more than USD 500 million. The initial public offering is the first in the US by a Chinese company since the scam controversy of Luckin Coffee erupted last month and comes when the industry struggles with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. "Kingsoft Cloud is selling 25 million American Depositary Shares which are valued between $16 and $18 each. This would generate potential net proceeds between $392 million and $451 million, resulting in the cloud business valuation, which is being spun-off of Hong Kong-listed Kingsoft Corp, at $3.6 billion to $3.8 billion US," reported Michael Kennedy, Head of Corporate Trading at Crest View International. On Tuesday, the group said it was anticipating the offer, which could raise up to USD 518 million if underwriters exercised a "greenshoe" option that would require them to sell extra shares, to price on Thursday. "Shares re expected to start trading on Friday. At a moment of heightened uncertainty for Wall Street, the Kingsoft IPO arrives as the coronavirus epidemic roils markets worldwide," added Nathan Hu, Head of Research at Crest View International.



It is the first offering in the US since March 3 when Canadian waste management firm GFL Environmental launched with a day-one decline of over 11 per cent. This Kingsoft IPO is also the first from a Chinese company since last month's stock of Starbucks rival Luckin Coffee collapsed over 75 per cent in a single day, following an internal inquiry which discovered hundreds of millions of dollars in earnings had been fabricated.

The Luckin scandal has prompted greater regulatory scrutiny of US-listed Chinese companies. Officials at the US Securities and Exchange Commission and Public Company Accounting Oversight Board released a joint caution to investors over the book-keeping standards of Chinese companies' last month, which they said had a "substantially increased risk that disclosures will be incomplete or inaccurate." "Kingsoft is not the first Chinese cloud service company to be listed in the United States this year, though it is the biggest. At the end of March, WiMi Hologram Cloud raised $26 million in their IPO," reported James Turner, Director of Sales & Trading at Crest View International. Jason Elder, a partner at the Mayer Brown law firm, said the timing of Kingsoft's listing was perfect because the demand for cloud services increased dramatically with more people watching content and working from home due to the pandemic. Kingsoft Cloud's annual revenue, which identifies itself as China's most prominent independent cloud service provider, increased more than 78 per cent from the previous year to Rmb3.9bn in 2019, according to its prospectus. Net losses for the year also rose by 10 per cent, topping Rmb1.1bn. Current shareholders Kingsoft Group, Xiaomi and French fund manager Carmignac Gestion showed interest in acting as anchor investors, actively acquiring as much as USD 125 million worth of the offered stock. About Crest View International Crest View International Limited is a private wealth management company headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan. Crest View International manages over $8.7 billion (USD) on behalf of its clients from around the world. Related Links https://www.crestviewcapital.com/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005564/en/

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

By Ilkin Seyfaddini - Trend:

Uzbekistan has started seasonal imports of electricity from Tajikistans hydropower plants, Trend reports with reference to the press service of the National Electric Grids of Uzbekistan.

"During the summer, i.e. during agricultural irrigation, electricity generated from water stored in reservoirs of hydroelectric power plants in Tajikistan is exported to Uzbekistan. This was implemented to increase the flow of water into Uzbekistan's water basins," the message said.

On 2 May 2020, in order to maintain a balance of energy and water resources in the country, national electric grids of Uzbekistan and Barqi Tojik (Tajikistan) signed an agreement for the period from May through September 2020.

National Electric Grids of Uzbekistan said electricity imports are currently accepted through two 220 kW high-voltage grids, and during the summer months, when demand for electricity and water is increasing, 500 kW grids are used.

Uzbekistan and Tajikistan resumed mutual supplies of electricity in 2018. They were terminated in 2009, when Uzbekistan withdrew from the unified energy system of Central Asia.

According to the agreements of the parties, Tajikistan exports electricity to the neighboring country only in the months when its own domestic needs are fully met. According to Uzbekenergo, up to 1.5 billion kWh of electricity was imported from Tajikistan in 2018.

In addition, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan planing to build two joint hydropower plants, with a total capacity of 320 MW on the Zarafshan River in Tajikistan.

---

Follow author on Twitter: @seyfaddini
Bunker Labs has been at the heart of entrepreneurial support for veterans for years. But what many people may not know is that its programs are also open to military spouses. In fact, it is launching one specifically for that demographic this week.

The Military Spouse CEO Circle is designed for spouses to discuss the challenges of being an entrepreneur or business owner, offer support to those in their cohort, and provide connections.

While the CEO Circle has been around for years, it recently transformed into a virtual model.

"We realized the program has the capacity to create the impact that entrepreneurs need right now, and so it was adapted over the last month for a virtual format," said Sabrina Wojtewicz, Southwest region executive director for Bunker Labs.

Wojtewicz, a military spouse, is one of several milspouses on the Bunker Labs leadership team. She mentioned that Bunker Labs has never really marketed specifically to the military spouse community and realized that it should.

"What we do really well is build community, and so we're changing how we talk to the community by creating the segment for a military spouse. And we're also doing it through leadership," she said.

Chief Operating Officer Sarita Connelly is a military spouse, and there are several milspouses on staff as well. Wojtewicz says Bunker Labs believes people will be who they can see, so by sharing more military spouse success stories and content they can relate with, they will see themselves in these programs.

Screenshot of Bunker Labs CEO Circle Participants. (Courtesy Photo)

How can you get involved? There are a few ways, actually.

First, spread the word. Help Bunker Labs reach more military spouses. The Military Spouse CEO Circle Program is launching nationally, so it'll be available as a virtual model at all chapters. (Need to find your local chapter? Start here.) Participants can choose the cohort that fits them best, including geographically based groups, industry-based groups or peer groups -- like the military spouse program.

Next, apply and get involved. Work with the entrepreneurs at Bunker Labs to help equip other entrepreneurs as you all learn together. Wojtewicz has many examples of how Bunker Labs is uniquely able to put together groups of people who learn from each other.

"What we've done is aggregate peer groups of entrepreneurs that are living the daily grind and grit of running and growing their businesses so they can crowdsource and share in a structured way what is working for them," she said.

When entrepreneurs get together and brainstorm, big things can happen, she said. Soon, they're adding revenue streams, pivoting from one month to the next and growing their businesses.

Third, share your resources. As Bunker Labs starts growing the Military Spouse CEO Circle and adding more spouses to local groups, it wants to feature more military spouse-friendly resources. Reach out and share them with the Bunker Labs team.

"What makes us different is that we recognize there is no single source or magic pill for being successful. Success is based on community and impact," Wojtewicz said.

Keep Up with the Ins and Outs of Military Life

For the latest military news and tips on military family benefits and more, subscribe to Military.com and have the information you need delivered directly to your inbox.

--Rebecca Alwine can be reached at rebecca.alwine@monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebecca_alwine.
EUR/GBP has been trading in a 0.868-0.886 range since early April.

The Bank of England are due to hold a rate decision meeting on Thursday but this is unlikely to provide the catalyst for a range break.

Germany's Constitutional Court (GCC) has challenged the ECBs QE programme and could limit its powers going forward.

Markets are mixed again in early Wednesday trading as it seems the initial risk-on rally spurred by the easing of lockdowns has run out of momentum and questions over the lingering effects on the economy have come to the fore. Data out of Europe continues to be awful as demonstrated by Spains print of just 7.2 for PMI Services on Wednesday morning. However, this was expected and didnt have any significant effect on the markets; the real focus is how quickly these numbers can bounce back now that restrictions are being lifted. Many analysts predict a slow recovery but no-one really knows.

Central banks are busy again this week, but having already thrown everything but the kitchen sink at the coronavirus crisis, there is only room for minor tweeks in the official policy meetings. The banks now have to wait and see whether the measures implemented are enough. Certainly the markets have been calmed, but whether economies manage to rebound is a longer-term problem. The Bank of England are next in line to meet on Thursday and the British Pound is trading slowly in anticipation.

BoE Preview

There is unlikely to be any significant announcements in Thursdays meeting, but there is still the potential for some interesting pointers on the banks view going forward. Forecasts on the economy and the rebound will be mostly guess work but many expect the bank to push back on the idea of a V-shape recovery. This could simply be a realistic view, but may also try to keep expectations low in the hope that they can be exceeded. ING point out,

Our own forecasts published back in April assumed around a 10-15% peak-to-trough fall in output (when measured on a quarterly basis), although we wouldnt be surprised to see the Bank of England pencil in a sharper decline. In the end, the precise size of the fall is a little academic now - more relevant is the speed and shape of the recovery.

Having already implemented a large QE programme, new measures are very unlikely and the bank can keep policy unchanged until around July according to INGs estimates,

From a flow point of view, there is no rush to expand the size of the QE target this week. For one thing, purchases remain well below the 645bn QE ceiling the BoE has set itself... Extrapolating the current pace of purchases, we estimate the BoE has just under two more months to go before reaching the ceiling, more if it tapers purchases.

By the July meeting the BoE should have a much better idea on how the economy is faring and what needs to be done from a monetary policy stand point. Other banks will be in a similar position and what they do going forward is likely to have a larger effect on currencies than what they have done in recent weeks. The British Pound has been stuck in a range versus the Euro and EURGBP has been unable to break and hold below 0.87. It looks like a new catalyst is needed to produce any telling movement.

A New Problem for the ECB

If the ECB didnt have its hands full already in dealing with the coronavirus crisis and the huge amounts of debt it is creating, a court ruling in Germany just complicated things further. Heres Danske bank to explain,

In a surprise decision Germany's Constitutional Court (GCC) yesterday ruled that ECB's Public Sector Purchase Programme (PSPP) violates European Union treatiesthe key concern is whether QE breaks EU law banning central bank financing of governments.

This is a complicated ruling and the key for now is that the ECBs bond purchases will continue unaffected. However, it could lead to problems going forward and the news produced a steep fall in the Euro of around 0.7% with perhaps more to come as the implications are digested by the markets.
Popular journalist, Kemi Olunloyo has sparked controversy on social media over her claims that Igbo girls are the least educated in Nigeria.

Olunloyo, who made this claim on her Twitter, also stated that Igbo girls display the mentality of housegirls and street prostitutes.

Blaming their female icons for not empowering their women, the journalist stated that the likes of blogger, Blessing Okoro who was caught flaunting another mans house as hers, are working towards changing the igbo women narrative.

Igbo girls are the least educated in Nigeria. The HOUSEGIRL and street prostitute mentality is still there. Igbo female icons dont empower their women enuff. Once they reach the top, they forget the girls in the village. People like Blessing Okoro are changing that, she tweeted.

Why are Igbo women online so weak? A strong Nigerian woman tells you how you can improve your lives out of maids and hookers, u flagged my post and @Facebook banned me for 30 days, then I went after Zuck, the ban reduced to 3 days. See you Friday. U may never progress in life. pic.twitter.com/pL7HkfCUEn  Medical Journalist Dr. Kemi Olunloyo (@KemiOlunloyo) May 5, 2020

KanyiDaily recalls that a Kenyan Businesswoman, Gesare Chife had shared her experience with Igbo women, after her first visit to the eastern part of Nigeria.

On her social media page, Chife said Igbo women are force of nature because theyre very strong and powerful.
The coronavirus lockdown has kept people from going out and enjoying their meals in restaurants. It has lead to the surge of takeout orders for the majority of famous brands and establishments.

Pizza Hut is one of the most popular pizza makers and has received an enormous increase in demand for its products.

The company has recently warned its customers, however, of fake websites that were conveniently set up to phish personal information and credit card details from unsuspecting victims who want something to eat.

A warm front for a dark site

The sites in question have superficially authentic-looking addresses that try to mimic the original site to its utmost details along with its signature brand logo.

The lockdown has since resulted in the massive increase of demand for takeout order as people stay indoors to maintain social distancing guidelines. The creators of the websites are only a few examples of the criminals who are taking advantage of the coronavirus situation for their gains.

Action Fraud, a UK cybercrime reporting center, said the number of COVID-19 related scams and crimes have increased by a massive 400% since the beginning of the lockdown.

There have already been more than 1,425 reports of fraud related to the coronavirus, where victims have lost more than $3 million.

Pizza Hut has released a statement asking its customers to be vigilant and take extra care when trying to order online amid the risk of fake websites that are looking to steal their private information.

Read Also: Beware! This Ransomware Self-Spreads At An Alarming Rate! What Can You Do To Keep Your Network Safe?

A spokesperson of the franchise said their customers' safety is of utmost importance and priority and are always trying to find ways to warn and help them make transactions only on the official website.

The staff also said that their website has not been compromised in any way and advise buyers to keep an eye out for any suspicious websites.

The fake websites include ones such as 'http://pizzahutaccount.com' and 'http://pizzahut-service.co.uk.'

Simple advice to prevent incidents

The franchise has shared they've already reported the incident are currently coordinating with officials to locate and take down the scammers and their websites, which can be a challenge if the perpetrators are experienced, scam artists.

It is advised if you have been affected by these sites to immediately contact your credit card company and go to actionfraud.police.uk to secure their data and information appropriately.

Pizza hut has shared that the closure of dine-in establishments and collection services has resulted in the massive surge of online and over the phone orders for delivery.

The company has also released a 'contact-free' delivery service that consists of drivers bring ordered food to a designated location before moving away at least three meters away to give space for the customers to grab the food without the worry of coming near any other person.

The attempts come with a recent wave of cybercrimes that have started to plague the online community and business networks. One of the newest and considered a top threat in cybercrime threats is LockBit, a self-spreading and fast-acting malware that is capable of infecting a whole system in a matter of hours.

Read Also: [Online Leaks] Nintendo Falls Victim To Hackers Who Got Access To Wii Source Code And Design Files; What Is It Doing To Combat These Criminals?
China's President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump attend a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on November 9, 2017.

The coronavirus pandemic might have peaked, but the political fallout from it is just picking up pace and investors are getting very worried, said an economist on Wednesday.

"The virus situation (has) already peaked," according to Zhiwei Zhang, president and chief economist of Pinpoint Asset Management. "On the margin, it's gradually improving. There are always concerns about a second wave (but) as long as the general public as well as the governments are aware of that risk, the risk is contained to some extent," he told CNBC on Wednesday.

However, political risks and U.S.-China trade tensions "look like something that will pick up," Zhang said. "That's probably the number one concern in the market when we talk to investors and sell-side analysts."

Zhang pointed out that these tensions are likely only in their early stages.

It comes just six months before the U.S. presidential election, and amid signs that U.S. officials may be ratcheting up pressure on Beijing, he said. "We already started to see some signs of escalation over the last few days (with) the U.S. side pointing fingers to China," Zhang added.

These tensions will hit the currency market and the Chinese yuan could weaken in volatile trade, he said.

Zhang said the market is very concerned about the current U.S.-China dispute over the origins of the virus, which was first reported from the Chinese city of Wuhan.

U.S. President Donald Trump said he believes that China's "mistake" caused the global pandemic. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also said "a significant amount of evidence" suggests that the virus originated in a laboratory in Wuhan.

China has rejected many of those claims.
The Ector County Health Department website reported one new positive case Tuesday, making the total 85. There are three probable cases at this time. ECHD reported that 60 people have recovered. There have been 1,387 tests taken, with 1,233 negative results and 69 pending results. ECHD has contacted 1,084 people during contact tracing.

The drive-thru at the Ector County Coliseum received one positive case. Of the 39 tests done, 27 are negative and 11 are pending. 163 people have called the triage center for testing.
In a cabinet meeting Wednesday, Mostafa Madbouly said protective face masks should become a part of people's everyday lifestyle

Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has ordered authorities to buy seasonal influenza vaccines by the beginning of next winter to prevent any potential shortage, the cabinet said in a statement Wednesday.

The move comes in line with the government's proactive measures to avoid any future crises, the statement said.

Madbouly also ordered authorities to speed up the expansion of manufacturing of protective face masks needed to confront the coronavirus, saying the government will coordinate with factories to allocate special production lines for the masks as soon as possible.

"The specifications of the reusable masks will be determined and approved by the relevant authorities," Madbouly told a cabinet meeting on efforts to fight the coronavirus.

During the meeting, officials emphasised the importance of observing social distancing policies and complying with a ban on social and religious gatherings and sporting events.

They also stressed the need to make protective face masks part of people's lifestyle, where they are worn in the streets, in the workplace, and while shopping or using public transport.

During the meeting, Health Minister Hala Zayed said that average daily calls received by the ministry's hotline designated for the coronavirus came in at 3,560 last week: 3,000 inquiries, 200 reports and 450 complaints and suggestions concerning isolation, fever, pulmonology, and central and health insurance hospitals. These also included calls from recovered coronavirus cases seeking to donate their plasma.

Last week, Egypts health ministry announced it started trials on plasma collected from donors who recovered from the coronavirus, to test whether plasma can be an effective treatment for patients who are severely ill with the disease.

Egypt has registered 7,201 confirmed coronavirus cases, including 452 deaths.

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Mrs Netta Forson-Ackon, the President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), on Tuesday applauded the midwives for their courage and skilful execution of their duties in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.



Although the rate of spread of the infection posed great danger to healthcare delivery, midwives the world over had remained resolute, delivering sustained midwifery services to their clients at the expense of their own lives and stigmatisation, she said.



Mrs Forson-Ackon encouraged them to continue with their good works whilst they strictly observed all the safety protocols to protect themselves from the infection.



She explained that adhering to the preventive protocols would also0 shield their clients from all forms of disease contamination and spreading them to others beyond the health facility level.



Mrs Forson-Ackon gave the commendation at the virtual launch of the 29th celebration of the International Day of the Midwife in Accra.



The celebration, on the theme: Midwives with Women: celebrate, demonstrate, mobilise, unite - the time is NOW! was chosen to highlight the core duties of midwifery practice in womens health.



The work of a midwife span pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, labour, delivery, post-delivery, and family planning including sexual, reproductive and child health.



She underscored the pivotal role of midwives in the provision of Universal Health Care and the Sustainable Development Goals.



Mrs Forson-Ackon called for their celebration because with the presence of the COVID-19, which we seem not to understand fully the disease and its transmission pattern, we are working with few PPE to make a difference.



You aim at a final goal where mother Ghana would win the fight against the deadly disease with mothers and their newborn babies still looking healthy.



She thanked the Government and the Ministry of Health for their role in the fight against the pandemic and called for the supply of more PPE to midwives to enable them to work better.



She stated the COVID-19 affected the attendance of antenatal and family planning clinics resulting in a massive drop, which could lead to complications during pregnancy and labour and may increase maternal and infant mortality and morbidity.



There was also the likelihood that the record of unwanted pregnancies could go up due to lapses in patients family planning regimen, she said.



The GRNMA President, however, appealed to the Government to provide midwives across the country with psychological counselling to help them to maintain their self and professional confidence in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.



Dr Bernard Okoe-Boye, the Deputy Minister of Health, said the Ministry of Finance had given clearance for the employment of 20,000 nurses.



He gave the assurance that the provision of PPE to health practitioners would be sustained to heighten use by all healthcare workers.



He, however, spoke about the low coverage of reproductive health education as well as immunisation programmes in the era of the COVID-19 and encouraged midwifery professionals to mobilise and offer midwife-led care to motivate their clients.



Dr Okoe-Boye urged midwives to create an environment, which would give their clients the assurance of their safety from any form of infection during their visit to health facilities.

Source: GNA









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Seeing his sister, who has cerebral palsy, battle to receive a full education crystallized Cody Longs desire to become a lawyer. As a student leader and advocate, he has made a significant impact on Emorys campus and in the community.

When Cody Long was a junior at North Carolina State University, a crisis arose over his sisters education.

Jessica, two years younger than Cody, has cerebral palsy. While making a delivery to her daughters school one day, Longs mother found the classroom unattended and some students watching pornography.

Horrified, his mother demanded better. No one would touch the case  not the lawyers she consulted, not even a nonprofit advocacy group. A state senator asked his mother, Why does your daughter need an education?

Then a political science and history major, Long saw the law as a possible career. His sisters battle crystallized his choice.

I remember wishing there was an attorney willing to do the right thing, Long notes. I wanted to be that person. At its best, the American legal system can advocate for those most disenfranchised.

Flash-forward three years: As the graduate recipient of this years Marion Luther Brittain Award, given annually to a graduating student who has performed significant, meritorious and devoted service to Emory University, with no expectations of recognition or reward, Long is well on his way to becoming that person.

His extensive record of impassioned service to the broader university includes being this years president of the Graduate Student Government Association, serving on the University Senate and working as a house director for Residence Life. In the Atlanta community, he has conducted research on behalf of detainees for Emorys International Humanitarian Law Clinic, interned with the Georgia Asylum and Immigration Network and worked with special victims units for the DeKalb County solicitor general and district attorney.

Building community on campus

In his first days here, Long saw involvement with Residence Life as a way to get to know, and serve, the broader university. Starting out as the house director for 15 Eagle Row, Long served sorority and fraternity students as well as transfers. This past year, he was a graduate fellow for the Few, Evans and Eagle Row community and finished out his time as the residence hall director for the Woodruff Residential Center and Clifton Tower.

Through his involvement with the campus community, he encouraged others to get involved, too. As Julie Seaman, Emory Laws associate dean for academic affairs, observes, Cody used his familiarity with campus to encourage law students to get out more and use facilities like the new Student Life Center.

Beyond this direct support to students, Long has joined larger conversations. Describing him as responsive and responsible, someone who cares a great deal about people, Dona Yarbrough, assistant vice president of Campus Life, lauds his contributions to the master-planning process and the impressive way he led a meeting this semester with Campus Crossings on community-building initiatives for graduate students living off campus.

A passionate believer in lifting up student voices, Long started as the University Senate representative from Emory Laws Student Bar Association, then served as the SBAs vice president for academic affairs.

In the course of his University Senate service, Long was a member of the Executive Committee, the Open Expression Committee, the Title IX Working Group and the Committee on Naming Honors. Katherine Brokaw, Emory Laws assistant dean for academic engagement and student success, says, It is unusual for a law student to commit as much time as Cody has to the well-being of the university as a whole. He not only does the hard work but is low-key about his contributions  exactly as the language for the Brittain Award states, with no expectations of recognition or reward.

Long capped off his career in student government by becoming president of the GSGA.

His accomplishments include establishing a committee responsive to students transportation needs; advocating for clear academic appeals processes in all schools, resulting in an administrative committee to examine processes; working with the Board of Trustees to create student counselor roles on the boards Campus Life Committee; striving for more gender-inclusive restrooms on campus, resulting in the universitys commitment to include these in new building construction; and pushing for an interdisciplinary certificate program for graduate and professional students.

In this position, Cody has shown a concern for the Emory community that far exceeds the usual duties of a student government president, Yarbrough says. Both tenacious and deeply collaborative, Cody has been a true partner with the university. His sense of duty and passion for Emory are infectious.

Serving vulnerable populations

Holding himself to a high academic standard and contributing so much to Emory student life

is just the half of it. Working with vulnerable populations outside Emory has been equally important to him.

Longs work at the Georgia Asylum and Immigration Network began as a 2018 summer internship. There, he helped obtain visas for people whose stories he describes as incredibly painful. The experience, he says, showed me that a legal career must be one that you are in love with intellectually and emotionally. You have to be capable of tears and laughter. The pain has to be worth the joy.

He also assisted the International Refugee Assistance Project, which assigns Emory Law students to King & Spalding attorneys to work on behalf of immigrant clients seeking asylum in the U.S. Recently, a transgender client he assisted for two years was resettled.

A handful of students and two attorneys can make a difference in at least one persons life, he concludes. These are lessons that I cannot imagine learning anywhere besides Emory Law.

In 2018, Long worked as a legal extern at the DeKalb County Solicitor General Special Victims Unit, preparing evidence for pre-trial and trial hearings and coordinating with investigators and victim advocates. In 2019, he joined the DeKalb County District Attorney Special Victims Unit as a legal extern, preparing evidence, witnesses and sentencing/bond recommendations for negotiations, hearings and trials. He also conducts research and suggests policy regarding survivor-defendants of domestic violence and human trafficking.

A lawyer joins the family genealogy

According to Long, most of the male members of his family are farmers or military members. Soon, with his law degree in hand, he will be able to advocate directly for his sister, whose challenges continue.

Last year, when Longs stepfather was retiring, the Army tried to end his sisters health benefits because she was older than 21. The family eventually secured a favorable ruling but, warns Long, Everything that has happened with my sister shows me the need for activism mixed with the law.

He texts her every day, impressed that she is learning things that I never learned. He wonders, though: What would her life have been like if the state had recognized the incredible potential in her?

After Emory, Long will start an apprenticeship with the DeKalb County district attorneys office that likely can turn into a full-time position. As a result of COVID-19, the bar exam has been postponed until September.

He is philosophical about missing out on a live Commencement event. If he and his wife have children, he has a ready answer for them if they ever complain. It goes like this: You think you have it tough? I didnt get to participate in my graduation from law school.

Grateful for all that Emory has meant to him, he is not complaining.
From a maths teacher to a calculative militant, Reyaz Naikoo had a charmed existence as a terrorist for eight years before he was killed by security forces on Wednesday in a gunbattle lasting five hours.

Life came to full circle for the 35-year-old bespectacled chief of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen terror outfit as he was gunned down at the same village from where he had scripted his journey in militancy in 2012.

Naikoo escaped the security dragnet several times before he lost the battle in his native village Beighpora, 40 kms from here, on Wednesday afternoon.

His first 'daily diary' entry in police records at Awantipora, which is part of Pulwama district of South Kashmir, dates back to June 6, 2012, two weeks after he had disappeared from his home at Beighpora village.

From teaching maths, a subject he loved, at a private school to joining the militancy, Naikoo, who had 11 cases against him and carried a cash reward of Rs 12 lakh, was a loner as he seldom trusted anyone within his outfit, says a senior police officer.

Naikoo, who was tech savvy, kept himself away from limelight and allowed Burhan Wani to take the centre stage after 2014. Post Wani's elimination, he kept himself away from the internal politics of the terror group and allowed Sabzar Ahmed and later Zakir Musa to take over the reigns of the outfit.

While Sabzar was neutralised within few weeks after Wani's death in July 2016, Musa split from the Hizbul Mujahideen group and formed his own Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, an affiliate of Al-Qaeda, in 2017, leaving a vacuum in the terror group which was filled by Naikoo.

Naikoo was calculative in his operation and his next move was only known to him. Being tech savvy, he never left any electronic trail about his movement, said the police official who had been tracking him for many months.

The son of a farmer, Naikoo, completed his graduation from Government Degree College in Pulwama and started teaching in a private school before he was detained by security forces during the unrest of 2010 and released in 2012.

Naikoo was a changed man and after his release and in third week of May 2012, he left his home and never returned there, till he shot into prominence in 2016 when he made a dramatic appearance at the funeral of a terrorist in Shopian carrying a Kalashnikov rifles.

There, he had fired several shots in the air, thus starting a trend of giving gun salute to militants who were killed in encounters with security forces.

His movements were generally noticed in Dogripora, Brawbandia, Banderpora, Litter, Chakoora and Chandgam, Renzipora along the axis of Awantipora to Shopian in South Kashmir.

Naikoo gave anxious moments to police in September 2018 when he picked up 11 relatives of police officers after his father was detained by the police. He was subsequently released and so were the hostages, leaving the police officials red faced.

Naikoo has been often been involved in promoting Pakistani propaganda and has released many videos and audios threatening policemen, asking them to stay away from anti-militancy operations.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Were excited about the clients that Ben, Dan and Angie will bring to BKD, and we also see tremendous promise in their abilities to help us grow our public sector practice, especially with large cities and public universities, said BKD CEO Ted Dickman.

BKD CPAs & Advisors has entered into an agreement with Grant Thornton (GT) to acquire a portion of GTs municipal government audit practice, mostly in Texas and Oklahoma. BKD also will acquire a small number of not-for-profit (NFP), commercial and benefit plan clients in the transaction.

This agreement is the culmination of six months of discussions with GT. As part of this transaction, three new partners will join BKD. Ben Kohnle joined BKDs Dallas office effective April 1, with the primary goal of managing the transition of client relationships to BKD. The firm expects that most clients will have moved to BKD by August 2020. As a result, new BKD revenues are expected to range from $3 million to $3.5 million in fiscal year (FY) 2021.

The additional partners joining BKD this year on a full-time basis are Angie Dunlap, joining BKDs Houston office on June 15, and Dan Barron, joining BKDs Dallas office on August 15. In the meantime, Dunlap and Barron will remain with GT to facilitate the wrap-up of their in-process audit engagements.

Were excited about the clients that Ben, Dan and Angie will bring to BKD, and we also see tremendous promise in their abilities to help us grow our public sector practice, especially with large cities and public universities. The South Regions public sector and NFP practice has grown nearly 14 percent in FY 2020 so far, and adding this new talent will help us maintain our momentum into 2021 and beyond, said BKD CEO Ted Dickman.

BKDs South Region public sector and NFP practice is one of the firms fastest-growing niches. The South Region has led the development of BKDs Nonprofit Advisory Services practice and has seen tremendous success in adding city governments, public and private universities and a wide range of NFP clients over the last five years.
Nurses at Abrazo Arrowhead Hospital in Arizona pose with Reshoevn8r's signature shoe cleaning kits We as a brand wanted to make sure the professionals that are diligently working to save lives feel especially important on a day that is set aside to honor their profession.

This year, National Nurses Day has even more meaning amidst the current global pandemic. Compelled to join the efforts in fighting the coronavirus  premium shoe care company Reshoevn8r is celebrating and honoring nurses by donating their signature cleaning kits to hospitals across the country. The brand, which relaunched earlier this year, not only wanted to honor healthcare professionals but also contribute in a way that would help the fight against COVID-19.

As research on the coronavirus is constantly being developed, its important now more than ever to defend against the virus in any way possible. And with information changing daily, new studies suggest that taking protective measures to clean your shoes will have a positive impact.

Researchers at the Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan wrote that half the samples from the soles of the shoes worn by ICU medical staffers tested positive for coronavirus and believe the soles may be acting as carriers of the virus.

New CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) research suggests that the best action to take in eliminating this bacteria is machine washing your shoes. Reshoevn8rs state-of-the-art patented laundry system is designed specifically to clean shoes, and its sneaker laundry pods and bags allow for a seamless process to clean and condition your shoes in the washing machine.

Nurses at Dignity Health Los Angeles, New York Presbyterian Queens Hospital, Abrazo Arrowhead Hospital Phoenix and The University of Chicago Medical Center will receive Reshoevn8rs Essential Cleaning Kit with hopes that it will show the brand's appreciation for their hard work and deem absolutely useful in their everyday lives.

National Nurses Day hits home for Reshoevn8rs Marketing Manager Jenesis Laforcarde, as her aunt puts her life on the line day in and day out as she serves as a nurse at Abrazo Arrowhead Hospital. We as a brand wanted to make sure the professionals that are diligently working to save lives feel especially important on a day that is set aside to honor their profession.

Reshoevn8r has cleaning solutions, spray repellent and portable sneaker wipes that can help in the process of eliminating bacteria. Reshoevn8rs repellent spray adds a layer of protection to your shoes prior to going out, and the sneaker wipes are convenient for certain professions to have a quick cleaning solution on the go.

While the disease is more likely to be spread among medical workers, its safe for everyone to take protective cleaning measures after being in public  especially in places where the virus is more likely to spread. By everyone taking these extra precautions, we can help in decreasing the amount of contamination.

About Reshoevn8r

Reshoevn8r was founded in 2011 and has sold over 1,000,000 units, making the company one of the top premium shoe care brands in the world. Reshoevn8r is 100% all-natural, made with non-toxic ingredients like coconut, jojoba, and other natural oils. Reshoevn8r can be purchased directly on its website and retailers that sell the products include Urban Outfitters, Nohble, Restock, KicksUSA, and many small sneaker boutiques around the country. For more information about Reshoevn8r, visit reshoevn8r.com
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., attended Tuesday's Senate session without wearing a face mask, declaring that he has immunity from the coronavirus - even though experts remain uncertain as to whether recovered covid-19 patients are actually immune to the disease.

In March, Paul, an ophthalmologist, became the first senator to test positive for the novel coronavirus. Word of Paul's diagnosis prompted two of his fellow senators, Republicans Mike Lee and Mitt Romney, both of Utah, to self-quarantine at the time because of their contact with him.

Most senators and staff members have been wearing cloth face coverings since the Senate returned to session Monday for the first time since late March. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and other top GOP leaders were wearing face masks as they left Tuesday's Senate Republican luncheon, although they took them off while addressing reporters.

Asked earlier Tuesday why he was not wearing a mask, Paul cited the fact that he had previously tested positive for the virus.

"I have immunity," Paul told reporters at the Capitol. "I've already had the virus. So I can't get it again, and I can't give it to anybody."

When pressed about reports that a new, more contagious strain of the virus may make people more vulnerable to being reinfected, Paul dismissed the possibility and maintained that he has immunity.

"I can't get it again, nor can I transmit it," he said. "So of all the people you'll meet here, I'm about the only safe person in Washington."

Despite Paul's statement, no one knows whether recovered covid-19 patients are immune to a new infection - or, if they are immune, how complete or long-lasting that immunity might be. Some kind of immunity post-infection is the most plausible scenario, but simply being positive might not be enough; people might need a certain threshold of antibodies to be protected.

One of Paul's GOP colleagues, Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., also opted not to wear a mask Tuesday, noting that they are "not pleasant to wear."

"I wear a mask when I go into grocery stores, that type of thing," Johnson said, according to Politico. "I think around here we probably won't have to."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people wear a cloth face mask that covers their nose and mouth to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

"This is to protect people around you if you are infected but do not have symptoms," the CDC said in guidance posted on its website.

- - -

The Washington Post's Joel Achenbach contributed to this report.
Israeli military sources say Iran withdrawing from Syria After suffering repeated attacks, 'closing bases in the country'

(ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, MAY 6 - Iran is "gradually" withdrawing from Syria and arranging for the closure of its military bases in the country, following a double attack on Monday night attributed to Israel, said sources at the Israeli defence ministry.



The sources called it a "significant reduction" of forces aimed at decreasing tension in one of the hottest zones in the region, close to Israel's northern border, which is already dealing with the Lebanese Hezbollah. In addition, Israeli sources said they have also seen a reduction in the number of Shiite militants operating in Syria, even though that is more due to the effect of the "natural progression of the civil war" than to actions attributed to Israel.



"We are determined, more determined than Iran, and I can explain why," said Israeli Defence Minister Naftali Bennett.



"For Iran, Syria is an adventure a thousand miles from home.



For us, it's about our lives," Bennett said.



"Iranian soldiers in Syria are risking their own lives and paying the price in blood. We will not allow the construction of an advanced Iranian base in Syria," he said.



This is an objective that Israel has always made clear, including in recent weeks with at least six attacks in Syrian territory attributed to Israel.



The most recent attacks took place in two waves on Monday night, said sources in Damascus.



According to Israeli defence sources, cited by the media, Iran had already begun evacuating its military bases near the border with Israel at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, which hit Iran hard.



The move was caused both by attacks attributed to Israel as well as the Iranian economic crisis, which grew tighter with US sanctions. Israeli daily Haaretz, citing defence ministry sources, said Syrian President Bashar al Assad realised that "Iran has become a weight for his country and he is paying too high a price for its presence".



In addition the Syrian army, dealing with its own reorganisaion, has been damaged by the alleged Israeli attacks and has lost "combat capacity" due to damages on its defence systems and anti-aircraft batteries. (ANSAmed).




Gen. Museveni

06.05.2020 LISTEN

Rebecca Kadaga, Ugandas Speaker of Parliament in a sharp rebuke to the countrys military ruler Gen. Yoweri Museveni has called for an investigation into the torture of an opposition member of Parliament. Meanwhile, the torture victim, Francis Zaake, has broken his silence and described how his abusers, while stomping on his head while in captivity, forced him to swear that henceforth he would support Gen. Museveni, his wife Janet, and the son, Gen. Muhoozi Kaenerugaba.

Its believed the aging dictatorhes estimated to be anywhere from 75 to 80 years oldhas been grooming the son as a successor.

He is facing serious challenge from a new powerful voting bloc youthful Ugandans who represent 80% of the populationunder the People Power umbrella. Zaake, who was arrested and tortured for distributing food to his starving constituents during the Covid-19 lockdown, is one of the voices of People Power. The most well-known face of the movement is another member of Parliament, Robert Kyagulanyi, a.k.a. Bobi Wine. Both Zaake and Wine were first arrested and tortured in 2018 when a politician whom both campaigned for defeated Gen. Musevenis candidate for an open Parliamentary seat. Zaake is 29, while Bobi Wine is 38.

Uganda heads to the polls next year. Its widely believed that the youth movement will help People Power and other opposition groups defeat Gen. Museveni comfortably. Most Ugandans ridiculed the recent public relations gimmick by Gen. Museveni when his aides distributed a doctored video showing him performing push-ups as a desperate scheme to appeal to young voters. Hes ruled Uganda since seizing power in 1986.

Its unusual for the Speaker of Parliament, Kadaga, who belongs to the dictators National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, to publicly demand for an investigation into the abuse of a high profile politician. There could also be outside pressure. The United States and the European Union (EU) have already called for a probe. The U.S. provides the Museveni regime with nearly $1 billion in annual aid while the EU provides tens of millions of dollars. Human Rights Watch has also called for an investigation.

Gen. Museveni has not made a public statement since news of Zaakes torture hit the headlines of all the Ugandan newspapers. Kadaga, who visited Zaake at Lubaga Hospital in Kampala, has called for the arrest of a district police commander named Alex Mwiine, who coordinated the kidnap of the member of Parliament from his home. Shes demanded an explanation into the abuse by Thursday from the countrys Internal Affairs Minister, Gen. Jeje Odong.

It's clear that he was beaten and battered," Kadaga said, after visiting the torture victim. Zaake told me that paper spray was sprayed directly into his eyes. He was in police custody for several days and they must account for his injuries." She added, "This is a violation of human rights and it is unacceptable.

After her visit with Zaake the speaker posted a statement on her Facebook page: "Im saddened to hear about acts of torture that continue to be meted on some Ugandans; its sad that this was reportedly inflicted upon an MP. When Zaake was arrested, he seemed to cooperate and walked himself to a van; it was shocking to see him days later being carried to court on a stretcher writhing in pain. I am a strong advocate against human rights abuse and this among other incidents, I intend to take up with relevant authorities.

The only relevant authority in Uganda is Gen. Museveni. No one would dare torture a member of Parliament without his blessing. Speaking from his hospital bed, for the first time since he was kidnapped on April 19, Zaake, who occasionally broke down into tears, said the people responsible for his abuse were, in addition to Alex Mwine: the regional police commander Bob Kagarura, the resident district commissioner Isha Ntumwa, Amos Kagoro of the special forces command, and several others. He described how he was pummeled with gun butts.

"They crashed my ribs and banged my head on the floor, as arrogantly as they could do, Zaake said, noting that the operatives spoke in Runyankole, a language spoken from the region where Gen. Museveni hails from. They mocked him, telling him to call your Katikiro or Kabaka of Buganda to help you" Zaake said. The Katikiro reference was to the traditional parliament of Buganda, the largest region in the country; and, the Kabaka is the hereditary king of Buganda.

Gen. Musevenis ethnic bigotry is unparalleled in Uganda and his military operatives were echoing their boss sentiments. Zaake said while he was crying and being assaulted yelled at him that you Baganda and other tribes will never lead this country, because it has its own'." He said his tormentors also said ..if you don't leave the First Lady, president Museveni and the most respected first sonyou will loose your life next time." Gen. Musevenis wife Janet is the Minister of Education, and the son, Gen. Muhoozi is a senior presidential advisor.

Zaake revealed that he never even physically left his home to distribute food to his constituents. He said after he packed the foodrice and sugarinto bags with the help of two of his employees, the free food was distributed by motorcycle taxi riders, known as boda bodas, from house to house in his neighborhood.

"I was very mindful of the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health regarding distribution of food items, Zaake said. Zaake said he was taking a shower when the government operatives broke into his house. He barely had time to dress before they barged into his bedroom and kidnapped him, leading to the torture thats now landed him in hospital.

The severe retribution is because the regime is playing food politics. As Ugandans starve during the lockdown, Gen. Museveni wants it known that his regime is the only source of distributed food, especially for urban residents.

(Also read:https://www.blackstarnews.com/global-politics/africa/francis-zaake-case-in-rebuke-of-ugandas-dictator-gen-museveni).
TAMPA, Fla., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Helios Education Foundation and Take Stock in Children (TSIC) are launching the Florida COVID-19 Student Support Initiative to support postsecondary students participating in Take Stock in College. The goal of the fund, which will be administered by the TSIC statewide office, is to encourage students' retention, persistence, and success in completing their postsecondary degree, despite the challenges and uncertainty brought on by the global pandemic. TSIC will work collaboratively with regional staff and partner colleges and universities to deploy an online application for support that will be distributed to all eligible students participating in Take Stock in College to gain a clear understanding of the individual needs and unusual hardships these students may be experiencing during this unanticipated transition to a virtual learning environment.

"Helios and Take Stock in Children are partnering, with a sense of urgency, to identify ways to support college students who are at risk of dropping out or delaying their postsecondary education due to the effects of COVID-19," said Vince Roig, Founding Chairman, Helios Education Foundation.

The Florida COVID-19 Student Support Initiative is focused on ensuring that Take Stock in College scholars complete their 2020 semester, enroll for the summer, and transition into the fall semester. A dedicated program coordinator will work with students and partners to identify and access available resources and services, such as emergency direct financial support, virtual advising, e-mentoring, wraparound services, webinars, and professional development to help navigate the current crisis and new learning norms.

"College students, especially those at risk for leaving their postsecondary studies, have faced incredible challenges as a result of COVID-19," said Take Stock President and CEO, Jillian Hasner. "We're so thankful for the longstanding partnership between Take Stock and the Helios Education Foundation as it allows us to provide emergency student support funding for our students most basic needs to ensure they remain on track to complete their academic goals and realize college graduation."

The initiative's funds are intended to supplement and fill gaps in the relief provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which provides almost $14 billion that will go directly to higher education institutions to support the costs of shifting classes online, and for grants to students for food, housing, technology, health care, childcare, and other purposes.

"It is our hope that this partnership will provide some security and stability to help first- generation, low-income, and underrepresented postsecondary students persist in their educational journey and graduate on time," said Paul J. Luna, President and CEO, Helios Education Foundation.

CONTACT:

Grace Maseda, 813-455-0713

Kelsey Frouge, 850-321-2262

SOURCE Helios Education Foundation

Related Links

www.helios.org


Actor Amitabh Bachchans granddaughter Navya Naveli Nanda could not fly back to her college in New York for her graduation ceremony so her family brought the ceremony home. Amitabh shared pictures and videos of Navya in her DIY robe and graduation cap, posing for the camera with a big smile on her face.

Amitabh mentioned that the robe and hat were made by their staff for Navya. Grand daughter NAVYA .. Graduation Day .. graduated from College in New York .. Corona cancelled travel & ceremony ..But she wanted to wear gown & cap, staff stitched impromptu gown & cap took pictures at home to celebrate occasion .. such a positive happy attitude, he said. His daughter Shweta Bachchan Nanda shared more details.

T 3523 - Grand daughter NAVYA .. Graduation Day .. graduated from College in New York .. Corona cancelled travel & ceremony ..

But she wanted to wear gown & cap, staff stitched impromptu gown & cap took pictures at home to celebrate occasion .. such a positive happy attitude . pic.twitter.com/5NsU1sDLr6  Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) May 6, 2020

Also read: When Shah Rukh Khan asked Priyanka Chopra if shell marry an actor like him at Miss India pageant, this was her response

Class of 2020 - Navya finished college today and since she and everyone else graduating this year wont get a ceremony we decided to DIY one. With a chart paper cap and a gown hand stitched from scraps of black tenting. I threw on a Fordham ( her college ) sweatshirt over my PJs!! Congratulations baby I love you and am proud of you! Go forth and conquer x ( Im not crying youre crying), she wrote and shared a bunch of photos with Navya.

Also Watch | Amitabh shares picture of Bachchan family from premiere of Sholay

Shwetas friends and followers congratulated Navya on graduating. So sweet!!! U girls really know how to have fun!! CONGRATULATIONS TO NAVYA n u too mommy, wrote one. Congratulations! SBN & to my lovely child @navyananda Love the DIY gown & Cap . Sending you good wishes and love, read another comment.

Navya is the eldest grandchild of Amitabh, who also has grandson Agastya and granddaughter Aaradhya. Navya and Agastya are Shwetas children while Aaradhya is the daughter of Amitabhs son Abhishek Bachchan and his wife Aishwarya Rai.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Press Release

6 May 2020

Governments and trade bodies need to start to measure tourism post crisis in terms other than purely economic and consider environmental and social impacts

Travel brands will need to be more transparent; data will be key to consumer confidence in travel

Amidst the trauma of coronavirus, there are green shoots and 'green swans' innovating their way out of the crisis

'Sustainable tourism' needs to be simply, 'tourism' done well, carbon offsetting is a 'band aid', not the solution

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A recent FINN Partners webinar on Responsible Travel featuring Jane Madden, Managing Partner, Global Sustainability and Social Impact, and Fiona Jeffery OBE, Senior Partner, Finn Partners Global Responsibility Tourism Practice, and Founder and Chairman of Just A Drop, was hosted on Wednesday 29 April 2020 and is now available to view online. The first in a series of planned webinars from FINN, it discussed the importance of responsible tourism in a post-lockdown world and how travel brands and destinations that embrace sustainable practices as part of their recovery process will reap the rewards in years to come.

With many sources identifying that post-lockdown travellers will be more thoughtful with their travel spend and will travel with purpose and sensitivity towards the health of people and planet, it was within this context that Madden and Jeffery provided long-term strategic insights and practical tips for travel companies and DMOs keen to develop sustainable offerings for these conscientious travellers of the future.

Amy Skelding, Senior Partner, Finn Partners Travel Practice UK, fielded questions from the 150 live participants ranging from how brands should promote their sustainable aims and what initial steps can be taken on the responsible tourism journey.

The panellists discussed the need for destinations to move away from acting as marketing organisations and focus on being responsible management companies with an environmental and social emphasis which will in turn, reap economic benefits.

Madden and Jeffery also identified traveller trends including how people will take fewer, but longer trips and will have a desire for more experiential travel that is seen to benefit local communities directly. They will also be looking for greater transparency from travel brands and as a result, robust data on their sustainable measures, as a key driver of consumer confidence.

Health and safety will also be embedded into travellers' decisions and the panellists stressed the importance of destinations working closely with the health ministries, banks, investors, insurance companies and the private sector to achieve this moving forward in a well-coordinated, informed and transparent way. Carbon offsetting also needs to be looked at more closely by all travel brands to ensure their schemes are ethically driven.

There was an optimistic outlook from both panellists who highlighted brands and destinations that were already leading the way as well as so called 'green swans', the innovators who are devising and creating positive developments such as airline uniforms that also act as PPE, and utilising mobile technology to manage tourism flows.

Jane Madden, Managing Partner of Global Sustainability and Social Impact, Finn Partners, commented, "The traveller of the future will be much more mindful and for the tourism sector to recover and thrive post-lockdown, it's important, now more than ever, that brands and destinations prioritise responsible travel as the cornerstone of all recovery plans. In the midst of Covid-19, we can't lose sight of the Paris Agreement, out of this tragedy will come green shoots that the travel industry must act on."

Fiona Jeffery OBE, Senior Partner, Finn Partners Global Responsible Tourism Practice, Founder and Chairman of Just A Drop said: "In recent years the travel industry has been impacted by environmental disasters including Day Zero in Cape Town and the bushfires in Australia, which has awakened our business and personal consciousness. The industry has arguably been running out of control and we are now at our own ground zero. This is a unique moment in time to take a pause, right the wrongs, and move away from viewing responsible travel as a 'nice to do'. There should be no such thing as 'sustainable tourism', simply 'tourism' where acting ethically and responsibly sits in the DNA of every travel brand."

Amy Skelding, Senior Partner, Finn Partners Travel Practice UK commented: "As Brighter Group we were the first UK agency to set up a responsible tourism division and upon joining Finn Partners in 2018, we established a global responsible tourism division. Our hope for this webinar is that it will inform travel leaders about the vast possibilities and rewards that exist by engaging with a more sustainable approach to tourism. In this strange time, where much of the world has stopped travelling we have the opportunity to take stock of the situation and set ourselves on a new, more responsibly sound path that will benefit both people and planet - both Jane and Fiona have so many tangible and practical ways brands can make great strides in responsible tourism and I urge anyone who wasn't able to dial in live, to listen to it online."

The Finn Partners Responsible Travel webinar can be viewed here: www.finnpartners.box.com/v/finn-partners-travel-webinars
The LGBTQ+ Center of Southern Nevada Announces New 24/7 Victim Hotline

The LGBTQ+ Community Center of Southern Nevada (The Center) announces the release of its new Center Advocacy Network 24/7 Victim Hotline, a resource for all victims of crime. Staffed 24/7 with an army of CAN trained and certified volunteer advocates, the hotline assists victims of crime in obtaining resources and services.

As the social impact of COVID-19 isolation spreads, our communities will continue to see an increase in crimeeverything from domestic violence, assault, elder abuse or neglect, identity theft, to sexual assault and burglary. The Centers hotline provides a way for victims of crime to connect to a volunteer advocate for assistance in locating the right services.

It has been a long-term goal of The Center to launch a victim hotline to serve our community, said Holly Reese, Community Engagement Manager for The Center. After years of training and certifying over 125 advocates, we are now able to staff a virtual call center at a time when Las Vegas needs us most.

The Center Advocacy Network (CAN) is one of two Nationally Credentialed victim advocacy training programs in Nevada and the only Nationally Credentialed advocacy program in the United States to specialize in LGBTQ issues.

The Hotline is the latest extension of The Online Center, a suite of online resources The Center has launched in response to the statewide Stay Home For Nevada initiative.

Since March 17 when Governor Sisolak announced statewide stay-at-home orders, The Center has remained available to our patrons and to our community, said John Waldron, Executive Director of The Center. The Centers doors remain open for essential services, but all group events have moved to The Online Center for Zoom-hosted group events. The staff continues to work from home and manage day-to-day programming.

In addition, The Center has been participating in the Delivering with Dignity meal delivery service. Over 10,500 meals have been delivered to at-risk individuals and families that lack the funds and resources to obtain basic nutrition. Meals are prepared daily at The Center by Jolt Coffee Co. who is one of the participating restaurants in the Delivering with Dignity program.

The Online Center, and The Center Advocate Network 24/7 Victim Hotline Virtual Call Center were developed in conjunction with The Centers technology partner, The Charity Gurus. The Center Advocacy Network and Hotline is supported by the Nevada State Division of Child and Family Services through Grant Number 2018-V2-GX-0076 from VOCA Victim Assistance funding.
PR-Inside.com: 2020-05-06 10:08:01

Art Connects the Globe. Chengdu Talks to the World

Mavis Deng

+8618180606558

mavis@thelake.art

As the global epidemic is raging, the first International Youth Art Festival, an art invitation gathering blending science and technology and art, kicked off on May 4th by Xinglong Lake in Tianfu New Area. This festival enjoys and focuses on three major events including Renovator, the global youth creative program, Improv, the global improv art interactive show, and Design Out Isolation, the design art exhibition, applying science and technology and art scenes to connect 20 countries around the world and invite 50 global top art and design schools, internationally renowned art institutions, over 10 international top mentor artists, and international improv art masters through online and offline activities. This festival Initiate friendship, warm greetings and art interactive communication with young people around the world. The unique charm of Chengdu as the World Famous Cultural City and the artistic vitality of Tianfu New Area are to be elaborated incorporating the internationally diverse digital art expression.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005

(Photo: Business Wire)

The organizers specially invited Franck Buzz, founder of the LightBox in France, Cathy Salit, top performing artist in New York, Stephen Achmanovitch, American improv music master, Ben Hartwig, doctor of genetic biology at the University of Cologne, Germanyto perform improv art through zoom

This festival also exhibited the design work of "design of overcoming isolation" launched by Sino Italian innovation base of Tsinghua University, with the background of epidemic, and carried out workshop on site.

In Chengdu, we extend greetings to young people all over the world. Chengdu, a famous historical and cultural city, welcomes young people around the world to gather in THELAKE.ART.www.thelake.art

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005
MONTREAL, April 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Boralex Inc. ("Boralex" or the "Corporation") (TSX: BLX) announces that it will hold its Annual Meeting of Shareholders in a virtual-only format at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 6, 2020.

This year, to limit the risks posed by COVID-19 to the health and safety of our shareholders, employees and other stakeholders, this event will be held in a virtual-only format, with live audio webcast. The online access to the Annual Meeting will start at 10 h 30 EDT. Shareholders will not be able to attend the meeting in person.

Registered shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders will be able to attend the meeting, ask questions and vote, all in real time, if they are connected to the Internet and fulfill the conditions set out in the Circular. Non-registered shareholders (shareholders who hold their Boralex shares through a securities broker, investment dealer, bank, trust company, custodian, nominee or other intermediary) who have not duly appointed themselves as proxyholder will be able to attend the meeting as guests but will not be able to vote.

Date and time: Wednesday, May 6, 2020 at 11:00 EDT



Internet link: https://web.lumiagm.com/242953600



Procedure: Click Login and then enter your 15-digit Control Number and Password boralex2020 (case sensitive);

OR click Guest and then complete the online form.

Registered Shareholders: The 15-digit Control Number located on the form of proxy or in the email notification you received is your Control Number.

Duly Appointed Proxyholders: Computershare will provide the proxyholder with a 15-digit Control Number after the proxy voting deadline has passed and the proxyholder has been duly appointed AND registered.



If you attend the meeting online, it is important to maintain your Internet connection at all times during the meeting in order to vote when balloting starts. It is your responsibility to ensure you are connected throughout the meeting. Allow for ample time to join the online meeting and complete the procedure.

Non-Registered Shareholders: A "non-registered shareholder" is a shareholder whose Class A shares are not registered in their own name, but are held in the name of a nominee such as a trustee, financial institution or securities broker. If your Class A shares are listed in an account statement provided to you by a broker, in all likelihood such shares are not registered under your name, but under the name of your broker or an agent of that broker. Without specific instructions, Canadian brokers and their agents or nominees are prohibited from voting shares for the broker's clients. If you are a non-registered shareholder and wish to attend, participate or vote at the meeting, you MUST insert your own name in the space provided on the voting instruction form sent to you by your intermediary, follow all of the applicable instructions provided by your intermediary AND register yourself as your own proxyholder. When you do so, you are instructing your intermediary to name you as your proxyholder. By doing so, you are instructing your intermediary to appoint you as its proxyholder. It is important that you comply with the signature and return instructions provided by your intermediary. Non-registered shareholders who have not duly appointed themselves as proxyholders will not be able to vote at the meeting, but will be able to attend the meeting as guests. This is because the Corporation and our transfer agent, Computershare, do not have a record of the Corporation's non-registered shareholders, and, as a result, will have no knowledge of your shareholdings or entitlement to vote unless you appoint yourself as proxyholder.

Note that the Boralex Annual Report and Circular are available on sedar.com.

About Boralex

Boralex develops, builds and operates renewable energy power facilities in Canada, France, the United Kingdom and the United States. A leader in the Canadian market and France's largest independent producer of onshore wind power, the Corporation is recognized for its solid experience in optimizing its asset base in four power generation types  wind, hydroelectric, thermal and solar. Boralex ensures sustained growth by leveraging the expertise and diversification developed over the past 25 years. Boralex's shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BLX. More information is available at www.boralex.com or www.sedar.com. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

SOURCE Boralex Inc.

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TORONTO - Some of the most active companies traded Wednesday on the Toronto Stock Exchange:

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 6/5/2020 (622 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO - Some of the most active companies traded Wednesday on the Toronto Stock Exchange:

Toronto Stock Exchange (14,830.74, up 19.18 points.)

Freegold Ventures Ltd. (TSX:FVL). Materials. Up nine cents, or 112.5 per cent, to 17 cents on 26.5 million shares.

Enbridge Inc. (TSX:ENB). Energy. Up 21 cents, or 0.49 per cent, to $43.27 on 25 million shares.

Bombardier Inc. (TSX:BBD.B). Industrials. Unchanged at 53 cents on 13.5 million shares.

Suncor Energy Inc. (TSX:SU). Energy. Down 78 cents, or 3.35 per cent, to $22.50 on 13.2 million shares.

Cenovus Energy Inc. (TSX:CVE). Energy. Down nine cents, or 1.76 per cent, to $5.03 on 9.6 million shares.

B2Gold Corp. (TSX:BTO). Materials. Up six cents, or 0.79 per cent, to $7.67 on 9.5 million shares.

Companies in the news:

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Shopify Inc. (TSX:SHOP). Up $67.17, or 6.9 per cent, to $1,034.42. Shopify Inc. overtook RBC as the most valuable Canadian company Wednesday after the company's share price climbed on signs demand for online commerce is higher than ever. Shopify shares have more than doubled in price since mid-March, as brick and mortar retailers that were forced to close amid the COVID-19 pandemic sought online alternatives. Shopify said new store creation jumped by 62 per cent between March 13 and April 24 compared with the six weeks prior, thanks in part to its offer of free 90-day trials of basic accounts for new merchants.

Suncor Energy Inc.  Consumer demand for fuel is growing slightly after a sudden decline due to measures to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic but the CEO of Suncor Energy Inc. says he doesn't expect a full recovery for his company or the Canadian energy sector until at least 2022. The Calgary-based oilsands and refining giant surprised analysts by cutting its quarterly dividend by 55 per cent to 21 cents per share as it reported a first-quarter net loss of $3.525 billion on Tuesday. It had 18 years of consecutive annual dividend increases, with the latest announced in February.

Barrick Gold Corp. (TSX:ABX). Down $2.14, or 5.4 per cent, to $37.52. Barrick Gold Corp. has withdrawn production guidance for its Porgera gold mine in Papua New Guinea after suspending operations amid a dispute with the national government over an extension of its expired mining permit. The company now expects its 2020 overall gold production to be between 4.6 and 5.0 million ounces, about 200,000 ounces lower than its previous estimate that included production from Porgera. The mine was shut down in April after the government said it wanted to negotiate an exit strategy for Barrick Niugini Ltd., the joint venture mine owner and operator that is owned 47.5 per cent each by Barrick and partner Zijin Mining Group of China.

Sun Life Financial Inc. (TSX:SLF). Up $3.02, or 6.7 per cent, to $47.81. Market declines triggered by COVID-19 have rattled Sun Life Financial Inc., whose net income plunged by 37 per cent to $391 million in its first quarter. The Toronto-based insurer said it earned 67 cents per share for the three months ended March 31, down from $1.04 per share or $623 million a year earlier. The pandemic pushed Sun Life  and every other insurer  to quickly adapt to a population with very different demands and one that has suffered mass layoffs and pay cuts.

Crescent Point Energy Corp. (TSX:CPG). Down nine cents, or 4.7 per cent, to $1.81. Crescent Point Energy Corp. reported a $2.32-billion first-quarter loss as it took a non-cash charge of $3.56 billion due to the plunge in oil prices. The company says the loss amounted to $4.40 per diluted share for the quarter ended March 31 compared with a profit of $1.9 million or less than a penny per diluted share a year ago. Crescent Point says its adjusted net earnings from operations totalled $48.7 million or nine cents per share for the quarter ended March 31 compared with $158.3 million or 29 cents per share in the first three months of 2019.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2020.
A Huawei logo is seen on a device at a media event in London

By Karen Freifeld and Chris Prentice

(Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Commerce is close to signing off on a new rule that would allow U.S. companies to work with China's Huawei Technologies on setting standards for next generation 5G networks, people familiar with the matter said.

Engineers in some U.S. technology companies stopped engaging with Huawei to develop standards after the Commerce Department blacklisted the company last year. The listing left companies uncertain about what technology and information their employees could share with Huawei, the world's largest telecommunications equipment maker.

That has put the United States at a disadvantage, said industry and government officials. In standards setting meetings, where protocols and technical specifications are developed that allow equipment from different companies to function together smoothly, Huawei gained a stronger voice as U.S. engineers sat back in silence.

The Commerce Department placed Huawei on its "entity list" last May, citing national security concerns. The listing restricted sales of U.S. goods and technology to the company and raised questions about how U.S. firms could participate in organizations that establish industry standards.

After nearly a year of uncertainty, the department has drafted a new rule to address the issue, two sources told Reuters. The rule, which could still change, essentially allows U.S. companies to participate in standards bodies where Huawei is also a member, the sources said.

The draft is under final review at the Commerce Department and, if cleared, would go to other agencies for approval, the people said. It is unclear how long the full process will take or if another agency will object.

"As we approach the year mark, it is very much past time that this be addressed and clarified," said Naomi Wilson, senior director of policy for Asia at the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), which represents companies including Amazon.co Inc, Qualcomm Inc and Intel Corp.

Story continues

The U.S. government wants U.S. companies to remain competitive with Huawei, Wilson said. "But their policies have inadvertently caused U.S. companies to lose their seat at the table to Huawei and others on the entity list."

The rule is only expected to address Huawei, the people familiar with the matter said, not other listed entities like Chinese video surveillance firm Hikvision.

In adding Huawei to the list last May, the Commerce Department cited U.S. charges pending against the company for alleged violations of U.S. sanctions against Iran. It also noted that the indictment alleges Huawei engaged in deceptive and obstructive acts" to evade U.S. law. Huawei has pleaded not guilty in the case.

A Department of Commerce spokesman declined to comment. A Huawei spokeswoman also declined to comment.

I know that Commerce is working on that rule," a senior State Department official told Reuters on Wednesday. "We are supportive in trying to find a solution to that conundrum."

The White House and departments of Defense, Energy, and Treasury did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

International standard setting is important to the development of 5G," said another senior administration official, who also did not want to be identified. "The discussions are about balancing that consideration with Americas national security needs.

Six U.S. senators, including China hawks Marco Rubio, James Inhofe and Tom Cotton, last month sent a letter to the U.S. secretaries of Commerce, State, Defense and Energy about the urgent need to issue regulations confirming that U.S. participation in 5G standards-setting is not restricted by the entity listing.

"We are deeply concerned about the risks to the U.S. global leadership position in 5G wireless technology as a result of this reduced participation," the letter said.

In the telecommunications industry, 5G, or fifth-generation wireless networks, are expected to power everything from high-speed video transmissions to self-driving cars.

Industry standards also are big business for telecommunications firms. They vie to have their patented technology considered essential to the standard, which can boost a company's bottom line by billions of dollars.

The ITIC's Wilson said the uncertainty has led U.S.-base standards bodies to consider moving abroad, noting that the nonprofit RISC-V Foundation (pronounced risk-five) decided to move from Delaware to Switzerland a few months ago.[L2N27N1JY]

The foundation oversees promising semiconductor technology developed with Pentagon support and, as Reuters has reported, wants to ensure those outside the United States can help develop its open-source technology.

(Reporting by Karen Freifeld; editing by Chris Sanders, Steve Orlofsky, Cynthia Osterman and David Gregorio)
W&M alumnus on a mission of Comfort

Arriving in NY: Scott Morris 10 stands on the USNS Comfort as it floats into the New York harbor. Courtesy of A. Scott Morris

USNS Comfort: The USNS Comfort is seen in New York City on April 16. The Comfort assisted New York City's medical system in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Scott Bigley Photo - of - Hide Caption

Having completed a month-long mission of helping New York City hospitals that were overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic, the USNS Comfort has sailed back to Virginia with about 600 doctors, nurses and other crew members, including Dr. A. Scott Morris 10, a lieutenant in the Navys Medical Corps.

Morris, who led the radiology division, reported for duty on the Navy hospital ship on March 18 and returned to Norfolk on May 2.

I am very proud of the work we did in New York, caring for our fellow citizens, and I am glad to be home, he says.

Stationed at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth since last July, Morris volunteered to serve on the Comfort. He is serving four years of active duty in return for his four years of medical school that were paid for by the Navy.

I was excited about serving on the Comfort, because while we often take care of our neighbors outside the U.S., this mission was an opportunity to treat Americans as well, he says.

While the ship was docked in the New York harbor, 182 patients were treated there, and 11 died from the coronavirus, according to The Associated Press. Initially, the plan was for the Comfort to treat non-COVID-19 patients, but that quickly shifted to accommodate local hospitals most pressing needs.

As a diagnostic radiologist, Morris had some limited contact with patients, mainly when doing ultrasounds. He looked for telltale signs of COVID-19 infection  peripheral inflammatory changes in the lungs.

In general, we worked behind the scenes to help ICU doctors, pulmonologists and surgeons, he says.

As of May 4, 24,788 people in New York have died from the coronavirus, many of them in and around New York City, according to The AP. During a news conference April 21, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo expressed appreciation for the Navy ships assistance.

I believe Comfort not only brought comfort but also saved lives, Cuomo said, according to the AP.

Morris and the other crew members will remain under restricted movement for the next two weeks, as a safety measure. For him, that means staying in his room in his apartment  away from his wife, Natalie, and 2-year-old daughter, Audrey  except for unavoidable trips, and wearing a mask in public at all times.

Being apart for more than a month has been challenging at times for Natalie, a speech pathologist who works from home while caring for their toddler daughter, but she says they talked by phone daily.

I was concerned that COVID-19 exposure would occur with the crew, but I knew he would be given appropriate personal protective equipment and be medically taken care of, she says. For me, the deployment tested my patience and strength, but left me confident that we can overcome the challenges of a deployment and come out stronger as a family.

A native of Roanoke, Morris majored in biology at William & Mary, where he was a member of the James Monroe Society and Phi Beta Kappa. He was commissioned into the Navy Medical Corps in 2010, and graduated from Georgetown University School of Medicine in 2014, followed by an internship at Washington Hospital Center. He then completed a diagnostic radiology residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2019.

Morris says that when he visited William & Mary on admitted students day in 2006, he heard a speech by retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day OConnor, then chancellor of the university.

I just remember it was the best speech Ive ever heard, he says. Then, walking around the campus, I was hooked.

W&M health professions advisor Beverly Sher says she often tells pre-med students about Morris undergraduate research project with biology professor Randy Chambers at the Keck Environmental Lab.

As I recall, the lab was interested in the fate of turtles that ended up in crab traps, and Scott spent at least one summer paddling on the York River, pulling up crab traps and checking for turtles, Sher says. Pre-meds who have scientific interests similar to his are often relieved to hear that medical schools would be perfectly happy to see them doing undergraduate research in the areas that interest them most, just like Scott did.

Biology Professor Randy Chambers, one of Morris advisors, remembers him as a a straight-as-an-arrow, excellent W&M student.

Chambers says he tried to persuade Morris to consider graduate work in ecology, but his former student had his heart set on medicine because he wanted to care for people. Hes not surprised that Morris would volunteer to serve in the heart of a pandemic outbreak.

It's the sort of thing he would do. This is not the best anatomy, but Scott's head bone is connected to his heart bone, Chambers says. Hes smart, compassionate and the sort of person you'd want to have as your doctor during a health crisis.
VANCOUVERA Canadian biotech company says its well on its way to developing a treatment for COVID-19 that could help save the lives of those most vulnerable to the virus.

And Carl Hansens AbCellera Biologics Inc. now has a $175-million vote of confidence from the federal government.

The Vancouver-based company, which recently received the federal funding, is one of many around the world racing to develop life-saving treatments in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

Its a situation that has led to rapid drug development on a scale that simply hasnt been seen before. And while such accelerated efforts hold definite risks, one medical ethicist says theyre justified in the case of COVID-19 and the deadly swath its cut across the globe.

Hansen is the CEO of AbCellera, which specializes in identifying and sequencing the genetic code of antibodies.

Thats a necessary step in the creation of antibody therapies, which can both protect people from a virus as well as cure people who are already sick.

Hansen says hes optimistic the coronavirus treatment will be available before the end of 2020.

While it achieves similar goals, an antibody therapy is different than a vaccine.

A vaccine is complementary to a therapy, Hansen said.

A vaccine delivers a piece of a virus to an individual, tricking that persons immune system into making antibodies that will ward off the real version of the virus. It is thanks to vaccines that some of the worlds deadliest diseases, such as smallpox and polio, have been all but eliminated.

Vaccines protect populations against a virus in the long term.

But some people  the elderly, the immunocompromised and those already severely ill with a virus  may not be strong enough to create the antibodies to fight it on their own.

Thats where antibody therapy comes in.

Antibody therapy involves patients being injected with the specific antibodies that will target the bacteria or virus in question. People who receive such treatments do not need to create their own antibodies.

When they work, the therapies both immunize healthy individuals and help people already sick recover.

The first people in line to receive a COVID-19 therapy would be those who are already sick with the virus, said Hansen. Next in line could be seniors, health-care workers and the immunocompromised.

In early March, Hansen got a call from the Canadian government  it wanted AbCellera to develop a treatment for COVID-19.

The company had experience in the field, identifying antibodies for another coronavirus  Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus or MERS  in 2018. AbCellera has also done work on cancer, neurodegeneration and fibrosis with pharmaceutical giants such as Novartis, Gilead and Pfizer.

AbCellera uses microfluidic technology that Hansen and his team developed at the University of British Columbia. It was developed to screen blood samples hundreds of times faster than what was possible before and has meant that thousands of analyses can be performed on a device the size of a credit card.

In March, AbCellera announced it had screened a blood sample from a recovered coronavirus patient and identified 500 antibodies that were candidates for a COVID-19 treatment.

AbCellera partnered with American antibody-manufacturing company Eli Lilly to develop therapeutic treatment using the antibody genes sequenced by AbCellera.

This month, the companies said a clinical trial was only a couple of months away.

Normally, getting to this stage takes years.

This is going not just at breakneck speed, its going at completely unprecedented world record speed, in terms of drug development, Hansen said.

Stephen Hoption Cann, chair of the clinical research ethics board at the University of British Columbia, acknowledged the rate and scale of drug development being conducted around the world.

Many studies are being fast-tracked, he said, and animal studies are being done at the same time as human studies. Normally, animal studies could go on for years before regulators would allow companies to test new drugs on humans, he said.

But COVID-19 has created a sense of urgency in the medical world. In Canada alone, there are 20 clinical trials related to COVID-19 treatment or diagnosis underway, according to Health Canada.

And around the globe, pharmaceutical companies are already testing possible vaccines on humans.

Because of the severity of the illness, things are getting pushed through a lot faster than they normally would, he said.

I think its pretty much justified due to the high mortality rate in this disease.

Putting new equipment or treatments onto the market quickly has the potential lead to problems.

On Sunday, the Ottawa-based biotech company Spartan Bioscience recalled 5,500 of its newly developed COVID-19 testing kits after Health Canada raised concerns about its effectiveness in the field. Laboratory trials yielded good results, but the testing kits had not performed well in real-life trials, said Dr. Theresa Tam, Canadas chief public health officer.

Hoption Cann said he is watching developments in the U.S. closely, where some authorities are encouraging the use of repurposed drugs to fight COVID-19. Drugs such as Remdesivir  originally developed for Ebola but proven ineffective  and hydroxychloroquine  normally used to treat malaria.

They are promoting it now even though we dont really have the data that it is truly beneficial in patients, said Hoption Cann. Were seeing a lot of treatments going into practice with maybe not the usual evidence behind it that wed normally expect.

But conventional treatments such vaccines and antibody therapy, which replicate the human bodys natural defence against pathogens, hold relatively fewer risks, he said.

And antibody therapy is one of the technologies the Canadian government has poured money into, in the hopes it will yield a highly effective treatment for COVID-19.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the federal government was giving AbCellera the $175 million in funding.

Hansen said the funding will help AbCellera do two things that are vital for dealing with the COVID-19 in the future: The first is to continue screening for antibodies in recovered patients, so that any resulting therapy is as potent as possible; and second, to build antibody-manufacturing capability in Canada.

AbCellera, which currently employs 130 people, plans to hire another 100 people in the coming months, said Hansen.

In the scenario where it takes longer than we hope to make a vaccine, and antibodies becomes one of the main ways we deal with this, we want to make sure we have the maximum capacity to ensure no patient is left without treatment.

And just as some countries are struggling to manufacture personal protective equipment on a scale large enough to protect people from COVID-19, many countries dont have the ability to manufacture antibodies at the rate needed to make the millions of doses that would be required around the world.

Hansen said the plan is for AbCellera to eventually develop that capability in-house.

The expansion will create long-term Canada-based manufacturing jobs  that will help us grow our biotech economy, he said. That contributes to Canada being strong, and self sufficient and ready for the next time a pandemic arises.

With files from The Canadian Press

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EL PASO, Texas - The National Science Foundation (NSF) has approved a $114,000 RAPID award to The University of Texas at El Paso's April Gile Thomas, Ph.D., assistant professor psychology, to conduct research related to COVID-19.

Her study, "Understanding At-Risk Adolescents' and Parents' Daily Experiences During COVID-19," is UTEP's first NSF RAPID award related to the coronavirus. The study began May 1 and will involve 105 adolescents and parents from throughout El Paso, to include some who are incarcerated or on probation. Thomas said that the virus' effect on at-risk youth could be pervasive and distinct.

Thomas, the project's principal investigator, will be supported by two UTEP graduate students and 25 undergraduates and post-baccalaureate student research assistants. Her co-PI is Cait Cavanagh, Ph.D., assistant professor at the School of Criminal Justice and the Department of Psychology at Michigan State University.

Roberto Osegueda, Ph.D., vice president for research, said the NSF award is a positive reflection on Thomas, her department, her college and the University.

"We are pleased with the National Science Foundation's selection of Dr. Thomas to conduct this timely and important research," Osegueda said. "It also is important to note the number of junior researchers involved. It is a testament to UTEP's unwavering commitment to student research, especially among undergraduates."

Thomas said she will incorporate her ongoing longitudinal study of the effects of incarceration and justice-involvement on youth sleep and social development research into the new research to provide a pre-COVID baseline. The research will compare adolescent's stress, mood, social skills, substance use, physical health, delinquency, mental health symptoms, quality of social relationships, and psychosocial development throughout the outbreak. She said the project also will study whether juvenile incarceration aggravates the potential effect of coronavirus on youth outcomes.

"All people are likely going to be affected in some way or another by this pandemic, but we believe that adolescents - particularly incarcerated adolescents - may be especially vulnerable and face unique challenges in the coming months," said Thomas, who added that her team was honored with the opportunity to conduct this research. "We hope our findings will improve our understanding of the needs, risks and potential protective factors of a vulnerable group of youth in a global state of emergency."

The UTEP researcher said this work could enhance best practice for juvenile detention facilities and probation departments in times of crisis to ensure that youth continue to receive important rehabilitative services.

Denis O'Hearn, Ph.D., dean of UTEP's College of Liberal Arts, said Thomas' selection brings great pride to the college because it is an NSF RAPID grant and because the investigation is so critical at this time.

RAPID funding is designed to provide support for research that is urgent in nature, in response to an unanticipated event, and serves the national interest. UTEP will receive a little more than $98,000 from the grant, and the rest will go to Michigan State University.

"(Thomas) is a leader among scholars across our college who have stepped up to provide research and advice to the community during this difficult time," O'Hearn said.

The grant is the latest of Thomas' achievements to impress Edward Castaneda, Ph.D., professor and chair in UTEP's Department of Psychology. He called her a diligent, productive, energetic and research-focused scientist who consistently shares her thoughtful and insightful opinions to enhance the department. He said that shows her commitment to the overall quality of UTEP's academic climate.

"It is not surprising that she quickly connected the dots to win research funding around her professional interests to understand the dynamics of incarceration that create unfavorable threats for at-risk youth," Castaneda said. "She demonstrates outstanding insights, in this case how COVID-19 further exacerbates the inequities that compound the physical and mental health of adolescents placed into juvenile detention."

###
The body of a woman has been found dumped in a rubbish bin outside a hospital in a remote mining town of Western Australia.

Police were called to Newman Hospital on Mindarra Drive, in the state's Pilbara region, around 4am on Wednesday following the gruesome discovery.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene but no details on her age or cause of death have been released.

The body of a woman was found inside a wheelie bin outside Newman Hospital (pictured) in Western Australia on Wednesday morning

WA Police were called to Newman Hospital, in the state's Pilbara region - about 1,186km north of Perth - following the gruesome discovery

Local media reports say a man was taken into custody late Wednesday morning and a home on nearby Nyaballee Road has been cordoned off by police.

Alcohol sales have been banned in Newman for the rest of the day in light of the discovery, the ABC reported.

It is believed the woman's death could be related to a family violence incident, according to The Northwest Telegraph.

Homicide detectives from South Hedland Police, located 452km north of the town, have launched a joint investigation into the death with local police.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers by calling 1800 333 000 or by making a report online at crimestopperswa.com.au.

Newman, a mining town located 1,186km north of Perth, has a population of just 7,200.
A grocery shop worker has revealed what it's really like to work in Whole Foods in one of the worst-hit countries amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The anonymous worker, who is a team leader at an American Whole Foods branch described as being in a 'huge vacation spot', revealed the company have raised their pay by an extra $2 'hazard pay' an hour - but admits she doesn't think it's 'worth the risk'.

Describing the atmosphere as 'pretty grim', the worker admitted that everyone is 'pretty stressed', and she wishes that customers were 'kinder to the workers'.

As well as battling busy stores with empty shelves, staff are sanitizing the store every two hours - wiping down everything from door handles to coolers - while having their temperatures tested before holding meetings.

Her interview comes amid protests from workers this week, which claim Amazon - who own Whole Foods - say have disregarded the health and safety of essential workers

The anonymous worker, who is a team leader at an American Whole Foods branch described as being in a 'huge vacation spot', revealed the company have raised their pay by an extra $2 'hazard pay' an hour - but admits she doesn't think it's 'worth the risk'

Speaking to Refinery 29, the employee said: 'Whole Foods is paying us an extra $2 an hour right now. I personally don't feel it's enough to risk it. I think we're sort of feeling like, who gives a cr** about me?'.

And speaking about the atmoshere, she added: 'It's been pretty grim. I definitely feel like people are feeling very stressed. There's a lot of anxiety. But our sales are down, and our shelves are empty. I just wish they (customers) were kinder to us. We're there, we're working, we're putting groceries on the shelves for them.'

Revealing that she recently got a complaint that one of her team members had 'touched her face' while stacking shelves, she admitted it feels like 'you're under a microscope'.

And the stores have a strict sanitizing process, with staff expected to do a sweep every two hours.

As well as battling busy stores with empty shelves, staff are sanitizing the store every two hours - wiping down everything from door handles to coolers - while having their temperatures tested before holding meetings

She added: 'It's a constant process  door handles to coolers in the back of the house and the front of the house. Anything that anybody would touch has either been shut down, or it gets cleaned every two hours. Normally we weren't allowed to have bleach in the stores at all.'

Additionally staff have been told they have to have their temperatures taken before meetings, and while she is happy to do so, she points out that customers are still a risk to them, as they don't undergo any health checks.

She also revealed that while staff weren't allowed to wear masks at the beginning of lockdown in March as it gives the 'impression they are sick', the rules changed on April 2nd and they are now able to wear masks to work.

But she still ponders if the risk is worth it, with her daughter, a restaurant worker, getting paid more ($800 a week) than some of her employees by the government after she was laid off.

FEMAIL have approached Whole Foods for comment.

Shares of Amazon have been on the rise during the pandemic as the public has come to rely on the retailer for shopping while in quarantine

On May 1st thousands of workers at Amazon, Instacart, Whole Foods, Walmart, Target and FedEx took part in a protest by calling in sick or walking off the job site to protest companies that they say have disregarded the health and safety of essential workers while earning record profits.

Following the protest, Amazon told its office staff that they don't have to come back to work until October 2.

'Employees who work in a role that can effectively be done from home are welcome to do so until at least October 2,' an Amazon spokesman said in an emailed statement on Friday, adding it was applicable to such roles globally.

Organizers say employees of Amazon, Whole Foods, Target, Fedex and other companies have become the unexpected frontline workers of the pandemic.

At least two Whole Foods employees have died of COVID-19 and some 263 workers have tested positive for coronavirus.

Whole Foods is owned by Amazon.

A social media page posted by workers at Target claims that employees from 100 of the company's locations nationwide will participate in Friday's work stoppage.

Employees will walk off the job or call out sick Friday on International Workers' Day in cities across the United States to demand unpaid time off work, hazard pay, sick leave, protective gear and cleaning supplies.

They say flawed policies by employers caused some of their co-workers to contract COVID-19.

In response to planned protests by its workers, Amazon said in a statement: 'While we respect people's right to express themselves, we object to the irresponsible actions of labor groups in spreading misinformation and making false claims about Amazon during this unprecedented health and economic crisis.

'We have gone to extreme measures to understand and address this pandemic.'
Spain's left-wing coalition government appears to have averted throwing the country into a political crisis on top of the enormous challenge it already faces from a devastating coronavirus outbreak that has claimed more than 25,000 lives and severely damaged its economy.

Prime Minister Pedro Snchez is appearing before Spain's parliament on Wednesday to receive its endorsement for a fourth two-week extension to a state of emergency that he declared on March 14 when Spain's decentralized health care system had lost control of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The lockdown has succeeded in reducing the contagion rate from over 20 per cent at the height of the crisis to under 1 per cent.

We have won a partial victory against the virus thanks to the sacrifice of all, Snchez said.

No one gets everything right in such an unprecedented situation but lifting the state of emergency now would be a complete error.

Snchez says that the state of emergency must stay in place to ensure that the country makes a coordinated and cautious return to a new normalcy, but he is poised to lose some key support from opposition parties who say he is abusing his extraordinary powers.

To compensate losing the backing of the leading opposition party and angering Catalonia's separatists, the government had to strike last-minute deals with the center-right Citizens party and Basque regionalists to guarantee the parliamentary endorsement. The vote is scheduled for Wednesday evening.

The state of emergency is set to expire on Saturday. The extension will take it through May 24.

The government argues the extension is critical to apply its complex rollback plan for the lockdown, which will vary by province as they prepare for a possible second wave.

The debate on Wednesday in the Madrid-based Congress that was limited in attendance to a few dozen members to limit risk of contagion was harsh.

The leading opposition party, Spain's conservative Popular Party, which had supported the government until now, has said it will abstain while accusing Snchez of violating citizens' constitutional rights by continuing to restrict free movement.

Our constitution establishes that the state of emergency cannot suspend any basic rights, but you have breached that limit repeatedly, Popular Party leader Pablo Casado said.

The state of emergency made sense at the start of the pandemic, but it cannot go on indefinitely.

An important separatist party from northeast Catalonia will go further, voting No and aligning itself with two other smaller Catalan separatist parties and their alter egos on the political spectrum: Spain's ultra-nationalist, far-right Vox party, the third largest in the chamber.

The Catalan separatists demand that the government give back control of the health care system to the regions.

Vox blamed the government for the deaths of the virus.

Maintaining the state of emergency won't save lives or jobs. What will save lives is a change of government, said Vox leader Santiago Abascal, adding that he will consider leading a no-confidence vote soon.

Snchez was forced to call early elections last year when the Catalan separatists and parties of the right killed his attempt to pass a national budget.

An inconclusive result to that April 2019 ballot led to another election in November and the eventual forging of a coalition of Snchez's Socialists and the anti-austerity United We Can party.

It took power in January just as the virus appears to have begun its spread in southern Europe.

Spain hasn't seen any public protests against the lockdown like in the United States. Overall, Spaniards have obeyed the strict stay-at-home rules that have only recently been loosened.

But even Snchez's allies warn him that as the strain on hospitals lifts and shops start to reopen, the government's support is crumbling.

The deals with Citizens and Basque regionalists PNV came with promises by Snchez to work more closely with the opposition parties and the regional administrations, and to separate ambitious economic and social welfare aid packages from the state of emergency so they can remain place when it falls.

Mr. President, use these next 15 days to get prepared, PNV spokesman Aitor Esteban said. Perhaps in all the phases of the rollback we won't need a state of emergency.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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How many people in Ontario are still catching COVID-19 in the community?

Its a simple question. Youve probably wondered about it before a trip to the grocery store. Several readers have asked the Star to look into it in our regular analysis of the provinces epidemic.

And the math should be straightforward: Simply take the number of new cases the province reports on any given day  370 more on Monday, for instance  subtract any that came in a long-term-care or retirement home or a hospital outbreak and there, you should have it.

But its not that simple. Why?

The fact is, a series of delays, inconsistencies and gaps in Ontarios COVID-19 data reporting mean neither we nor the province can answer a question about ongoing community spread with anything much better than a ballpark estimate.

On Monday, Dr. David Williams, the provinces chief medical officer of health, said trends suggest about 45 per cent of the 370 cases reported that day were in long-term care homes, meaning the remaining 55 per cent were probably in the community. But, he stressed, officials wouldnt know this for sure until about six or seven days from now.

Williams told the Star that this delay is due to the fact that the regional public health units have not been entering the results of their investigations into how people may have contracted the virus and who they came into contact with until the probes are complete  a process that can take several days.

He says Public Health Ontario is now asking local health units to begin entering information about cases right away, even if the investigations are still ongoing.

We want them, when they get the data, instead of waiting until they complete the whole investigation, enter in some stuff right away, Williams said. Then we can say now weve moved it up from seven days out to two or three days out and were even closer to the mark.

Were trying to encourage them to go as fast as they can.

For anyone outside of Public Health Ontario, the province puts out a database of case-by-case information sourced from its central reporting system, the integrated Public Health Information System (iPHIS). But that public data does not include details on whether each individual case is from an outbreak or not, so it doesnt help us answer the question about community cases.

And the fact that case information is put into the system by hand by Ontarios 34 health units leaves room for other data issues.

There are many different trajectories possible for how a COVID-19 death can get recorded as such and there are opportunities for it to be undercounted or just recorded as something else, said Jack Siemiatycki, an epidemiology professor at the University of Montreal. If youre asking how much can we rely on those daily reports, I would say with a lot of grains of salt.

Take, for example, the fact that we know the total number of fatal cases Ontario reports every day is missing hundreds of seniors home deaths. As of Tuesday, the Ministry of Long-Term Care was reporting 1,003 confirmed deaths in an Ontario long-term-care home, based on information self-reported by the facilities. (The Star maintains a separate count with a similar total.)

Meanwhile, according to iPHIS just 697 of the provinces 1,361 total deaths had come in a long-term-care home.

How many of the more than 300 missing dead have not yet been added to iPHIS at all? How many may have been entered into the system, but the investigation is not yet complete?

We simply dont know.

Raywat Deonandan, an epidemiologist and assistant professor in the faculty of health sciences at the University of Ottawa, said the inability to get a sense of the burden of disease at a precise moment in time prevents officials from making accurate projections about what may happen in the long-term. If I dont know what the true burden of our measured cases are  I have to wait two days or two weeks to know that  then any projection I make now for two weeks from now is by definition incorrect, he said.

Deonandan added that its important to have a cohesive disease surveillance system amid an epidemic. That means a process by which all the numbers go through the same pipeline and are processed in the same way and end up in a central repository, he said.

Disease surveillance is a low-tech and low-investment thing to do to allow us to make better decisions in real time.

Could we not ignore the Ministry of Long-Term Care numbers and the Stars own count and rely entirely on the numbers from iPHIS to get a reasonably recent estimate of community cases?

Well, no, we cant do that either.

For one thing, the data sometimes doesnt make sense. For instance: The province reported 61 new fatal cases in the iPHIS data on Tuesday, but the number of long-term-care resident deaths went up to 697 from 626  or 71 new deaths.

Clearly, those numbers dont go together.

In addition, cases in a long-term-care home are just one category of COVID-19 infections that are happening outside of the community. The Star has also counted more than 900 cases and more than 100 deaths in Ontario retirement homes. The public iPHIS data offers no insights on these outbreaks.

We cant answer the question about the true number of community cases without also knowing that information.

Todd Coleman, an epidemiologist and assistant professor in health sciences at Wilfrid Laurier University, said the fact that iPHIS depends on a person at each public health unit sitting down and manually entering the number of COVID-19 cases in their region contributes to the problem.

Each health unit likely looks a little bit different in terms of the way that they organize how to enter those cases, said Coleman, who used the system when he worked for the London-Middlesex Health Unit. He added that some may input the cases in batches, not adding them until a sizable number has been reached. Its not real-time data. Its dependent on a person sitting down and entering the cases.

Theres a level of delay which creates a level of uncertainty that means that any decisions made on the basis of those data could potentially be misinformed, he said.

Ed Tubb is an assignment editor and a contributor focused on crime and justice for the Star. He is based in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @edtubb
Norwegian Cruise Line raised more than $2 billion in a mix of stock and debt, ensuring the company can outlast the coronavirus pandemic for at least the next year without any revenue if necessary, the company announced Wednesday.

The company warned Tuesday that it might not have enough funding to get through the next 12 months. The fresh capital will give Norwegian $3.5 billion in liquidity once the transactions close, which it says will give the company enough cash to endure "well over 12 months of voyage suspensions in a potential downside scenario."

The coronavirus pandemic has brought the global travel industry, and the cruise industry in particular, to a standstill across the world. Norwegian, the smallest of the three major publicly traded cruise companies, said it had roughly $6 billion in long-term debt obligations as of Dec. 31.

The company said it issued $400 million in fresh stock and about $1.43 billion in two debt offerings. That's on top of a $400 million investment it received earlier this week from private equity fund L Catterton. The combined transactions gives Norwegian $2.23 billion in fresh capital, but that could rise to $2.4 billion "due to significant oversubscription and demand" for the stock and bond offerings.

On Tuesday, Norwegian said it may have to seek bankruptcy protection if it couldn't raise enough liquidity, adding that there was "substantial doubt" about its ability to continue as a "going concern" as the coronavirus pandemic wreaks havoc on the industry. However, the additional capital alleviates those concerns, the company said.

"This significantly strengthens the company's financial position and liquidity runway and it now expects to be positioned to withstand well over 12 months of voyage suspensions in a potential downside scenario," Norwegian said in a statement Wednesday.

Norwegian said Tuesday it was in compliance with all of its debt agreements as of March 31, but it couldn't guarantee that going forward and said it may need to seek waivers from its lenders or bankruptcy protection.

The company also announced it expects to report a loss for the quarter ended March 31 and on the year.

In March, the company fully drew down an $875 million revolving credit facility and a separate $675 million revolving credit line. The latter matures on March 4, 2021.

As the virus spread rapidly among some cruise passengers in early March, the State Department warned Americans against traveling by cruise ship. On March 14, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a no-sail order for cruise ships, extending it on April 9 until July 24.

"This is the first time that we have completely suspended cruise voyages, and as a result of these unprecedented circumstances, we are not able to predict the full impact of such a suspension on our company," Norwegian said Tuesday.

The company is preparing to provide cash refunds for passengers whose cruises were canceled. While the company is also offering 125% future cruise credits, it said "approximately half of the guests who have had their voyages cancelled and who have contacted us have requested cash refunds."

Even if guests accept the credit, the company warned of diminished future revenue when the company can resume sailing.

"We cannot predict when any of our ships will begin to sail again or when ports will reopen to our ships," it said Tuesday. "Moreover, even once travel advisories and restrictions are lifted, demand for cruises may remain weak for a significant length of time and we cannot predict if and when each brand will return to pre-outbreak demand or pricing."

The company also said it is cutting capital expenditures by $515 million and has furloughed 20% of its shoreside staff.

The news comes after competitor Carnival Corp., the world's largest cruise company, announced Monday that its Carnival Cruise Line will resume some North American sailings on Aug. 1.
At least 300 stranded migrant workers from various parts of the country gathered in front of the Aundh Kutir hospital in Pune as early as 3am to avail a medical certificate to travel back home.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)-run hospital has been authorised to issue health certificates to labourers after checking them for any Covid-19 symptoms. The large crowd in front of the Aundh hospital also consisted of women and children. Laltidevi, a woman from Chappra in Bihar said she came to Pune for a court hearing after her husband died, but has been stuck in the city for over 2 months.

I had come for 10 days for a court hearing after my husband died while working at a site in Pune. They had called me to collect the insurance money, now its been two months since Ive been stuck here, she said.

There are several others along with Laltidevi who belong to Chappra in Bihar. Most of them, walked 12 kilometers from Sutarwadi, Pashan area to Aundh. We started early at 6am to beat the queue, said Nasseruddin Khan, clutching his copy of the Aadhar card and the travel form close to him.

Can we get some food? We havent had anything to eat since last night. There was no ration and we are all hungry, he said, pointing to his fellow labourers.

According to Khan, the workers who walked with him were either working at construction sites or were involved in odd jobs like painting and denting in the Balewadi, Baner area.

Khan was working on painting interiors and was half way into his contract when the lockdown was announced. He did not get his full payment and now has to return home without the money.

I have a family back in Chappra and they must be worried about me. Hence, I came here as early as 7am to beat this queue. The faster, I get my medical certificate, the sooner I can go home, Khan said.

Not everyone in the queue was from Bihar, Vijaya Khidki, a resident of Buldhana, was visiting her son who works at a grocery store in the city.

I want to go back to my hometown, I had come for a short visit and now I am stuck here. Both my son and I, are leaving Pune at the earliest, she said.

The husband of a pregnant woman in the crowd asked NV Swami, senior pharmacy officer, incharge of the coordination for issuance of the medical certificate whether he will be allowed to travel to Sangli with his 9-month pregnant wife.

Swami asks him to stay in Pune and takes another set of questions posed by labourers.

We will first take the temperature and check for any Covid-19 symptoms, only when they are clear will they be issued a medical certificate. We will keep a copy of the certificate and a copy of their Aadhaar card with the mobile number. We started this two days ago, there werent so many people at first. The influx of workers has increased three-fold today and I was informed by the security that people have been waiting since 3am outside the gate, Swami said.

The hospital opens at 8.30am and is open until 1pm every day.
Its ironic, of course, that right now the idea of internet virality is much less of a positive thing as Covid-19 rages across the world. But acting like a virus  Facebook spreads and spreads and spreads exponentially  has been the thing that the company has excelled at compared with other social media companies. Its viral power is what has made it one of the most lucrative and successful organizations on the planet.

Which is to say in the simplest of terms that it is built that way, and Facebooks problems are structural in nature. It is evolving precisely as it was designed to, much the same way the coronavirus is doing what it is meant to do. And that becomes a problem when some of what flows through the Facebook system  lets be fair in saying that much of it is entirely benign and anodyne  leads to dangerous and even deadly outcomes.

That is what makes the job for these board members such an overwhelming challenge, since they are charged with dealing with issues on a case-by-case basis. To my mind, that is trying to push back the ocean with one hand.

And perhaps that is why one of its co-chairs, Michael McConnell, called for patience as the board developed. A former U.S. federal circuit judge who is also a constitutional law professor at Stanford Law, a religious-freedom and First Amendment expert and a U.S. Supreme Court advocate, Mr. McConnell seemed the most canny of the bunch when describing its role.

We are not the internet police, he noted flatly, discussing its role in hearing appeals and being deliberative. But that is perhaps the problem, in that we now have a kind of court, but without the real-time protection of cops where and when most of the damage is done.

Last fall, I wrote a column on the oversight board, hoping that there would be some way to fix this. Facebook has presented many ideas over the years to limit the toxicity  problematic artificial intelligence monitoring or more troubled systems that employ overwhelmed human moderators or even a blog effort in 2017 called Hard Questions, to name a few, I wrote. But this latest effort is intriguing  and even laudable. So while the possibility of its becoming a giant P.R. Potemkin village to assuage critics is very high, it deserves public support.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama has announced that 265 Nigerians will arrive in Lagos from Dubai on Wednesday amid the coronavirus pandemic.

This was made known in a statement on Tuesday, by the spokesman of the ministry, Ferdinand Nwonye.

It was revealed that the Emirates Airlines tasked with the transport is scheduled to arrive at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

Also Read: Geoffrey Onyeama Denies Testing Positive For Coronavirus

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In the statement, the ministry revealed that over 4,000 Nigerians are waiting to be evacuated across the world back home.

The ministry added that the Dubai evacuation is being carried out in accordance with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) guidelines.
While states were financially debilitated by the coronavirus pandemic, Sen. Josh Hawley said on Monday that Congress should not focus its attention on bailing out fiscally irresponsible state and local governments. "Fiscally irresponsible states shouldn't be using this as an opportunity to get free money from the taxpayer because it isn't free," the Republican Missouri lawmaker told " Fox & Friends."
The mayor of Houston has announced a plan to move the city to 100 percent renewable energy sources starting in July, a change that's expected to save the city $65million over the next seven years.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced the plan as part of an updated partnership with NRG Energy, which will supply the city with 1,034,399 MWh of electricity each year from a 'utility-scale' solar facility in Texas.

The transition is part of a larger plan the city has laid out to become fully carbon neutral by 2050, detailed in a recently released Houston Climate Action Plan.

The City of Houston has announced a new partnership with NRG Energy to provide 100 percent of the city's energy from renewable solar sources, starting on July 1, 2020

'Expanding our renewable energy investment through our partnership with NRG helps us build a more sustainable city and save over $9 million per year on our electric bill,' Turner said in a statement.

'Together, we are leading by example and showing how to reduce emissions in the Energy Capital of the World.'

Other changes detailed in Houston's Climate Action Plan include developing more public transportation options to lower car traffic and transitioning the city to electric vehicles.

Building codes will also be revised over time to encourage energy efficiency, while emphasis will be placed on planting more trees and bushes to protect flood zones and help sequester carbon from the air.

The changes come in part after the city government acknowledged Houston has the highest per capita emission of greenhouse gases in the country, with 14.9 metric tons of CO2 released annually for each of the city's 2.325 million residents.

Houston has the highest per capita carbon emissions in the US, generating 14.9 metric tons of CO2 annually for each of its 2.325 million residents

Researchers have linked greenhouse gas-fueled climate change as a factor that helped make 2017's Hurricane Harvey especially damaging.

Harvey flooded parts of the city, killed 80 residents, left 800,000 homeless, and caused more than $200billion in property damage.

HURRICANE HARVEY Hurricane Harvey first hit US shores on August 25 before hovering over Texas, causing torrential downpours and flooding. In Houston, a year's worth of rain was dumped on the city in just a few days, leaving 80 people dead and 800,000 in need of assistance With an estimated $200 billion (150 billion) in damages, Harvey is the most costly weather disaster in US history, more than Hurricanes Sandy and Catrina combined. Scientists have now found that climate change made Hurricane Harvey's deadly rains and flooding three times more likely. Advertisement

One study from Bristol University found Harvey brought at least 15 percent more rainfall than it might otherwise due to the effects of climate change.

The event left many Houstonians interested in pursuing new policies that might begin to make a contribution to the city's massive carbon footprint.

'We are proud to support the City of Houston with renewable power,' NRG Energy president Mauricio Gutierrez said of the new initiative.

'Our sustainable and more resilient future depends on collaborative action and partnerships like this, and the city is making a meaningful impact.'

'Houstonians can take pride in the citys transition to more efficient sources of energy and we look forward to offering our support, now and into the future.'

The contract with NRG will commence on July 1, 2020, and last for five years, with the option of two additional one-year extensions.
The Governor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, ordered residents to wear face masks while running essential errands, last month.

And Robin Wright obeyed the orders when she stepped out to pick up some groceries in Brentwood on Wednesday.

The 54-year-old beauty dressed casually for the errands run and was spotted solo.

Safety first: Robin Wright was seen following Los Angeles safety orders on Wednesday when she stepped out for an essentials errands run in Brentwood with a mask over her face

Robin stunned in a white T-shirt that she tucked into a pair of form-fitting denim jeans that were cuffed at the ankle.

She teamed the look with low rise sneakers and accessorised with a pair of shades and gold chains around her neck.

The House of Cards star slicked her blonde hair back and appeared to be wearing very little to no makeup.

No stress look: Robin stunned in a white T-shirt that she tucked into a pair of form-fitting denim jeans

Natural beauty: The House of Cards star slicked her blonde hair back and appeared to be wearing very little to no makeup

Robin's grocery purchases included some bottles of washing detergent.

The beauty's outing comes as she's been home self-isolating with her, husband, Clement Giraudet, 35.

Robin and Clement have been seen out and about on a regular basis keeping fit and healthy with daily exercise.

The mom-of-two recently showcased her incredible toned and lean physique on social media during one of her barre fitness sessions.

Staying fit: The mom-of-two recently showcased her incredible toned and lean physique on social media during one of her barre fitness sessions

Biking: Robin and her husband Clement have been seen out and about on a regular basis keeping fit and healthy with daily exercise (pictured April 2020)

The Wonder Woman 1974 star began dating the Saint Laurent executive back in 2017 before they secretly wed in August 2018 in France.

'It was very intimate and low-key. Robin wanted it to be about them, not a big production,' an insider shared to People about the ceremony.

Robin's first two marriages were to actors - daytime soap star Dane Witherspoon from 1986 until 1988 and Oscar-winner Sean Penn from 1996 to 2010.

Her second marriage resulted in two children - 28-year-old daughter Dylan, who has become a model, and a 26-year-old son Hopper, who is an actor.

Following her split from Sean Penn, she began dating Ben Foster in 2012.
EAST LONGMEADOW -- Hand washing is an important weapon in the fight against the novel coronavirus.

But so is hand drying, the folks at Excel Dryer in East Longmeadow reminded the public and U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, on Wednesday.

Company CEO and president Denis Gagnon, his wife, Nancy, and their son, Excel vice president Bill Gagnon, hosted Neal for a factory tour and to show off a stand-alone hand drying unit Excel is making along with one of its material suppliers. The new unit -- designed by the partner company -- brings towel-free warm-air hand drying to testing sites or other locations where people fighting coronavirus need to keep their hands clean.

When you talk about innovation, they did it right here," Neal, D-Springfield, said following the tour. "Its happening right here in East Longmeadow.

And it wouldnt be happening without Neal, said Denis Gagnon, inventor of the XLERATOR design of hand dryer.

Excel relies on suppliers -- increasingly U.S. suppliers -- for materials and components. But its stainless steel supplier -- Mercury Corp -- couldnt ship the panels it makes for Excel because Mercury wasnt listed as an essential business under New York state rules, Denis Gagnon said.

But Massachusetts listed Excel as essential because of its role supplying parts retailers like Grainger and in supplying the building trade with a product that can help fight the spread of disease.

Denis Gagnon said it was Neal, and Chief of Staff William Tranghese, who got the right paperwork into the truck drivers hands.

Because New York state police were stopping people at the state line, Gagnon said.

Excel has all 52 of its employees working either from home -- for office and sales staffers -- or properly spaced in the factory and warehouse wearing protective gear.

What they are making is a mobile hand-sanitizing solution.

Mercury makes the stand for the mobile units and Excel makes the dryer, a model with an HEPA filtration system capable of 99.999 percent of viruses from the air stream.

It goes next to a washing sink, Bill Gagnon said, so frontline workers can dry their hands without towels after washing.

Excel has already donated units to Massachusetts testing stations at Gillette Stadium and at the Big E in West Springfield.

Denis Gagnon said Exels distributors have added the unit to their product lines. Because it was designed for trade show booths it stands alone and doesnt need wiring, only a plug.

We think theyll be quite popular, Denis Gagnon said.

Neal said testing -- at stations where the dryers will be used -- is key in giving people confidence to head out of self seclusion and reopen the economy.

Also, he praised the Gagnons for using domestic parts. Neal said the county is learning that depending on foreign manufacturers for necessary equipment is a danger.

Neal has made several media visits to factories impacted in one way or another by coronavirus and the fight against it, including a tour of Cartamundi, also in East Longmeadow, with Gov. Charlie Baker where they learned how the toy maker is now making protective equipment and met with Cartamundi executives as well as folks from Cartamundi customer Hasbro.

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Demonstrators rallied in 2014 outside the U.S. Supreme Court during oral arguments in the Hobby Lobby case on whether a for-profit company could decline to provide employees with health insurance coverage for birth control. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)

The fight over whether employer-provided health insurance has to cover birth control for women returns to a familiar battleground Wednesday: the U.S. Supreme Court.

How did something as simple and straightforward and profoundly important to a womans life as contraception, and insurance for it, become the focus of years of legal wrangling? Because what started as a narrow exemption for religious organizations from a federal mandate to cover birth control has ballooned into Trump administration guidelines allowing any company to claim a religious or moral belief as a way to evade the mandate. Thats going too far, and the Supreme Court needs to put a stop to it.

All these issues stem from the 2010 Affordable Care Acts requirement that new insurance policies meet minimum federal standards, including coverage of preventive care. The law authorized the Health Resources and Services Administration to issue guidelines to implement that provision. During the Obama administration, the guidelines rightly instructed health plans to include coverage of contraception for women with no out-of-pocket cost.

Houses of worship were exempted in 2013 from having to offer any kind of coverage for birth control. (Under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the government cant impose a substantial burden on the exercise of religion unless its necessary to further an important government interest and its done in the least restrictive way.) And religious nonprofits were allowed to opt out of offering contraceptive coverage as long as they agreed to an accommodation: They filed a one-page form notifying insurers or plan administrators, which would then provide the coverage at no cost to the employer.

Things only got more complicated from there. In 2014, the for-profit craft company Hobby Lobby argued in the Supreme Court that forcing it to offer birth control coverage violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act because its owners objected on religious grounds to some of the mandated forms of contraception. Unfortunately, the high court agreed, ruling that the government had to find a less restrictive means of providing contraceptive coverage for employees of closely held corporations whose owners had religious objections. One possibility, the court suggested, was offering them the same accommodation that was available to religious nonprofits.

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After more legal skirmishing, the Trump administration issued new guidelines allowing any company, if it offered up a sincere religious or moral objection, to refuse to cover its female employees birth control. And companies would not even be compelled to offer a workaround. The states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey got a federal court to block the guidelines with a nationwide injunction, upheld by a federal appeals court. Now the case is at the Supreme Court, which is set to hear arguments Wednesday.

To be clear, houses of worship and religiously affiliated groups whose work is intertwined with the practice of their religions should not be compelled to violate their beliefs. The issue here, though, is how to fulfill the governments compelling interest in providing access to preventive care, as Congress mandated in the Affordable Care Act, without trampling on religious rights.

The workaround developed by the Obama administration met that test, severing religious-affiliated employers from any financial connection to the contraceptive coverage in the policies offered to their employees. The guidelines the Trump administration adopted last year, however, pretend that enabling women to obtain contraceptive coverage is merely optional. They would fully exempt any company whose owners (no matter the number) claim that the contraceptive mandate goes against their conscience, forcing their employees to find contraceptive coverage through separate policies or subsidized programs.

Of course, many companies  probably most  would not take away coverage of contraception even if they were allowed to cite a religious or moral objection. Employers compete for workers based in part on the health benefits they offer. Yet even the Trump administration estimates that as many as 120,000 women could be affected, and the National Womens Law Center contends that the total will be far higher.

Its true the Affordable Care Act doesnt explicitly require birth control be included in new insurance policies. But it does explicitly require those policies to cover preventive healthcare for women. And the Obama administration correctly interpreted that requirement to include coverage of birth control, with rare exceptions for religious employers and with a reasonable accommodation for others with religious objections. The Trump administration shouldnt be allowed to ignore the will Congress expressed in the Affordable Care Act to placate his supporters on the religious right.




UK Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said he wants nothing more than to see schools back up and running following their closure during the coronavirus lockdown. But he insists he cannot yet give a date for that to happen since there were no plans to open schools over the summer while the UK awaits scientific advice.

In contrast, Denmark began reopening schools in April. Germany and France will reopen progressively after May 4 and 11, respectively. Different contexts, different decisions in Europe.

As the director general of the World Health Organization said on March 12, the management of the COVID-19 pandemic is a question of finding a delicate balance between health protection, the prevention of economic and social risks and respect for human rights. The reopening of schools is seen as a symbolic and practical herald of recovery. These are important political decisions and must be based on robust evidence.

School closures affect all students and play a role in amplifying inequalities. The school is both a living environment for students and staff and an education setting. Besides the impact on learning and the consequences for the mental health of students, closure deprives the most vulnerable students of school meals and support from education, health and social staff.

Confinement also aggravates economic problems for families, which can lead to increases in episodes of domestic violence, child abuse and neglect. Preliminary neuroscience research suggests that the brains of young people need to be wired for social connection during childhood and adolescence in order to maintain health and wellbeing. Depriving children of social stimuli during this critical period of development can have long-term consequences.

Whats more, a recent literature review showed that, in previous epidemics, transmission in schools was very low or absent. Modelling studies for the COVID-19 pandemic predict that school closures would prevent only 2-4% of deaths  far less than other social distancing interventions. This suggests that reopening schools could be the right option, if combined with barrier use, social distancing and a robust programme of testing, contact tracing and isolation.

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Scientific knowledge alone is not enough to guide policies and practices; it is necessary to link it with other sources of knowledge  particularly from the experience of other countries and the knowledge of professionals in the field. Convergence of data is needed to identify what is desirable and achievable.

Learning from countries that have reopened schools

Even if comparisons are limited by cultural and social differences, learning from the successes of countries that have kept schools running is helpful.

Taiwan, for example, has been widely recognised for successfully managing the crisis. The number of cases has remained very limited, largely because institutions have learned from past epidemics and were prepared. Testing the close contacts of people who were infected and then quarantining them for 14 days at home was a primary strategy for containment.

Differentiated school closure rules were also enacted at the national level. If one teacher or student is affected, they are quarantined for 14 days at home. If two or more teachers or students have a confirmed infection, the school is closed. And if a third of schools in a district or city have to take this measure, then all schools in the area are closed too.

In classrooms and canteens, students are separated from each other by plastic partitions between desks, systematic temperature checks are carried out and masks are compulsory. A survey of secondary school students showed the majority (70%) considered that these measures had not affected their learning.

Making it work

The challenge is to design an education system that delivers effective learning while protecting staff and students. Available data allow us to identify four benchmarks that can guide both political decisions and the action of parents, students and professionals.

1. A differentiated system

The level of epidemic risk and the vulnerability of students differs across regions and even from one school to another. That means it wont be possible to reopen schools the same way everywhere.

A framework for decisions should be produced at the national level, but elected representatives and education professionals should be empowered to make decisions at the local level. This should be done in extensive consultation with education managers, administrators, teachers, families, students, health and social workers as well as technical support experts and those working in safety and transport. The aim must be to create a strategy that works within the local context.

Professionals need training, intersectoral health and education support and high-quality resources. The plan must include public health risk assessments of services outside direct school control  such as public transport used by children and parents.

Finally, because of the lower learning autonomy of young children, and the early onset of social and educational inequalities, priority should be given  as in Denmark, France and Germany  to primary school reopening before secondary schools.

2. Organising to protect students and staff

Research confirms the value of social distancing combined with frequent hand washing or sanitiser use. Mask-wearing remains a controversial issue, although a recent review recommends widespread adoption in line with the precautionary principle when scientific data remain elusive. The mask offers limited protection, but it is a visual reminder and could provide a behavioural boost. A robust reopening plan must include all these hygiene measures.

The number of students present simultaneously in different spaces can be reduced by specifying methods of circulation in the establishment. Classrooms can be reorganised to increase the space between students and breaks and lunchtimes can be staggered. If teachers move between classrooms instead of students, circulation around buildings can be reduced. School weeks could also be shortened and different groups of students can attend on different days throughout the week. School transport will need reorganisation.

3. A hybrid approach

The lockdown period has led to the exploration of new teaching methods, such as online learning. In countries where these changes have been studied, a large majority of teachers and parents have adapted well to distance teaching and learning, but a minority face significant difficulties.

Specific arrangements will be needed for students who need more support. In the UK, the launch of a scheme to supply laptops and routers to disadvantaged students during lockdown highlights the fact that some homes lack the equipment, quiet space and broadband connectivity students need.

Given that it will most likely be necessary to reorganise school and home attendance times, there is already a need to prepare for hybrid teaching arrangements. That will mean thinking more often about the individual needs of pupils to help reduce inequalities.

4. Redefining our vision of the epidemic

Absenteeism of both students and professionals can be very high during epidemics due to both illness and voluntary withdrawal. Everyone, therefore, needs to be empowered to understand why schools are reopened even if the war against the virus is not won. They need to be helped to develop a more operational vision of the epidemic for their own ongoing daily lives.

The epidemics of Sars, Mers, HIV/AIDS and Ebola disease were controlled mainly by screening and population-based approaches to protection. This calls for the development of citizen skills and personal responsibility. To understand how to live with the virus, it seems important to help everyone to understand that a new balance will be established  not by the virus disappearing, but by limiting its transmission.

When classes reopen, it will be essential for students to reinforce their knowledge of microorganisms (and not only viruses) and to have a more ecological vision of the relationship between microbes and everyday health. They will need to work on media literacy and critical thinking. Existing curriculum materials such as the EU e-bug series may be helpful in this regard.

An evidence and practice-based re-opening

Drawing on all available research and experiential global evidence can not only help to implement the most suitable solutions  it can also empower the entire population to understand and act effectively within the confines of the present situation.

It will be necessary to review ways of working, strengthen work between sectors that operate around schools, consolidate knowledge from various sources, and develop decision-making at the regional and local level. Systematic monitoring and dedicated research are also needed to underpin future responses that limit education disruption and promote health for all.

Thanks to Min Chien Tsai from Fu jen University, Taipei and Valerie Ivassenko from the UNESCO Chair and WHO Collaborating Centre in Global Health & Education, Clermont Auvergne, France.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The Conversation

Didier Jourdan a recu des financements de la Fondation MGEN pour la sante publique.

Michael Marmot received research grants from government research agencies and medical charities his whole professional life. He was an MRC Research Professor.

Nicola Gray is a member of the Labour party, Vice President (Europe) of the International Association for Adolescent Health and Governing Council member of the advocacy coalition NCD Child.
MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's party Shiv Sena has yet again targeted Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar for not doing enough to bring migrant workers stranded in the state back home.

In an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana, it said that the state governments of UP and Bihar are not doing enough to resolve the migrant workers crisis. ''It has now become a vote bank issue for the parties ruling these states. We dont want to do politics over the issue,'' the party said.

Comparing the migrant workers issue with the lynching of three men, including two seers in Maharashtra recently, the Sena editorial said that it ''as inhuman and condemnable like the Palghar mob lynching incident.''

Targeting the UP and Bihar governments, the Sena editorial asked the migrant workers stranded in Maharashtra to leave the state as early as possible and the two states to take immediate steps for bringing them back.

Attacking the UP govt, the Saamana editorial said that the Yogi Adityanath government has taken a U-turn over the issue even after the Centre has allowed the states to run trains to help stranded migrant workers.

Hitting out at Yogi Adityanath for slamming the Maharashtra government for the Palghar lynching incident, Shiv Sena said that the lynching incident in Palghar was horrifying but the state government took swift action and the accused were arrested.

The party said it feared that some people in Maharashtra would instigate the migrant labourers for their petty political gains.

The Shiv Sena had earlier said that it is the Centres responsibility to make arrangements for sending migrant labourers to their native places in the wake of the lockdown enforced to contain the spread of coronavirus. Several migrant labourers have been residing in the coronavirus hotspots of Mumbais Dharavi slum area, it noted.

If these people continue to flock the streets, it is not safe for their health, the Marathi publication said, adding that the Centre cannot shrug off its responsibility.

The Saamana editorial stated that the kind of promptness shown by the UP and Bihar for the return of students from Rajasthans Kota, the same promptness should also be shown in the case of migrant labourers.

Shiv Sena said that the Maharashtra government has been taking good care of each and every migrant labourer in Mumbai and elsewhere, but it is the sole responsibility of the UP and Bihar governments to take them back.

However, the Sena editorial spared Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal where thousands of migrant workers from other states are stranded due to lockdown and facing problem in going back home.
The swirls are visible from space. (NASA)

Melting snow in the Himalayas has led to enormous growth of a green slime in the Arabian sea, swirls of which are now visible from space.

Research published in Natures Scientific Reports used NASA satellite imagery to track the growth of the planktonic organism Noctiluca scintillans in the Arabian sea.

It was unheard of 20 years ago, but the huge blooms have grown to such an extent that it has disrupted the food chain and could threaten fisheries which sustain 150 million people.

The millimeter-size planktonic organism has forced out the photosynthesising plankton that used to support life in the area.

Read more: A 1988 warning about climate change was mostly right

Joaquim Goes, from Columbia Universitys Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, said: This is probably one of the most dramatic changes that we have seen thats related to climate change.

We are seeing Noctiluca in Southeast Asia, off the coasts of Thailand and Vietnam, and as far south as the Seychelles, and everywhere it blooms it is becoming a problem. It also harms water quality and causes a lot of fish mortality.

Normally, cold winter monsoon winds blowing from the Himalayas cool the surface of the oceans.

But with the shrinking of glaciers and snow cover in the Himalayas, the monsoon winds blowing offshore from land are warmer and more moist, meaning that Noctiluca blooms have flourished.

Read more: Why economists worry that reversing climate change is hopeless

Noctiluca (also known as sea sparkle) doesnt rely only on sunlight and nutrients; it can also survive by eating other microorganisms.

This dual mode of energy acquisition gives it a tremendous advantage to flourish and disrupt the classic food chain of the Arabian Sea.

Noctiluca blooms first appeared in the late 1990s.

The slush started to appear in the 90s. (NASA)

In Oman, desalination plants, oil refineries and natural gas plants are now forced to scale down operations because they are choked by Noctiluca blooms and the jellyfish that swarm to feed on them.

Story continues

The resulting pressure on the marine food supply and economic security may also have fuelled the rise in piracy in countries like Yemen and Somalia.

The study provides compelling new evidence of the cascading impacts of global warming on the Indian monsoons, with socio-economic implications for large populations of the Indian sub-continent and the Middle East.

Most studies related to climate change and ocean biology are focused on the polar and temperate waters, and changes in the tropics are going largely unnoticed, said Goes.
Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris says he would buy airlines, going against fellow billionaire investor Warren Buffett, who announced that Berkshire Hathaway sold all its airline stocks at the firm's annual meeting on Saturday. Sawiris, chairman and CEO of Orascom Investment Holding and the only non-North Korean to hold a telecom license in North Korea, told CNBC's Hadley Gamble on Tuesday that he sees opportunity not only in airlines, but in tourism, hotels and the internet sector. "With every crisis there is opportunity," Sawiris said. "You can go and buy an airline today for $1 if you are assuming the bulk of the debt." U.S. airline stocks have plunged this year as air travel demand has come close to a complete halt, dropping more than 95% because of the coronavirus pandemic. The disease has infected more than 3.6 million people globally and killed at least 256,800, according to data compiled by the Johns Hopkins University.

Naguib Sawiris, billionaire and chairman of Orascom Investment Holding. Sima Diab | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Sawiris, speaking from Cairo, said he agreed with U.S. President Donald Trump on the administration's controversial drive to reopen America's economy. U.S. stocks rose Tuesday on expectations that the U.S. economy could start to reopen. Sawiris said this is "one of the few times" that Trump is right. "They might not find the cure, they might not find the vaccine, so how long are we going to be in prison in our homes?"

Oil at $100
A party at a backpacker's hostel shutdown by cops saw 15 attendees handed more than $20,000 combined in fines for breaching social distancing rules.

A group of backpackers reportedly held the gathering on Saturday May 2 at the Bowen Backpackers hostel, in the Whitsunday region of Queensland's east coast.

Police were called to the hostel about 10.30pm and on arrival found a number of people who were not complying with health and social distancing restrictions.

Each of the backpackers was given a $1334 fine for failure to comply with a public health order. The hostel did not receive an infringement notice.

Police officers were called to shut down a party at Bowen Backpackers (pictured) on Saturday night, dishing out more than $20,000 in fines combined to the 15 attendees

District Officer Superintendent Glenn Morris said the occupants had been given prior warnings.

He said was important to remind people that social distancing rules had not changed, despite the easing of some restrictions on May 1.

Supt. Morris said social distancing laws would still be strictly enforced and anyone caught ignoring the rules would be liable for penalties.

'The directions are pretty straight forward and they are here to protective everybody. If we see a selfish, willful, blatant disregard of those directions, police will be taking enforcement action,' he told reporters on Tuesday.

Meanwhile in the south end of the state, Gold Coast Police shutdown a number of house parties over the course of the weekend, issuing close to $35,000 in fines.

Officers were initially called to a birthday party on Fitzwilliam Street at Carrara around 11.30pm on May 1 following a noise complaint.

District Officer Superintendent Glenn Morris warned infringement notices would continued to be used in cases of 'blatant disregard' of coronavirus restrictions

When officers arrived, they located a group of people aged in their early 20s having a birthday party for one of the residents at the address.

The group allegedly admitted to officers they were aware of the Chief Health Officers (CHO) directives and had still rented the home for the purpose of staging celebrations.

Seven males aged between 21 and 25 were issued with infringement notices of $1,334 and a noise abatement direction was issued.

Queensland police said officers were again called to the residence the following night in response to a noise complaint.

Officers located another large group of revellers, including five people who had been fined the previous evening.

A further 18 infringement notices were handed out to 12 men aged between 19 and 25, and six women aged 19 to 21.

Attending crews also seized stereo equipment to ensure compliance with the previous noise abatement direction.

In another incident, just after 9pm on Saturday night, officers responding to a noise complaint witnessed dozens of people fleeing a Maurie Pears Crescent address at Pimpama.

The host of the party, a 28-year-old man, was issued with an infringement notice for failing to comply with the CHOs direction.

Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler said it was frustrating to see people blatantly flouting restrictions on each one of these occasions.

'This type of behaviour puts all Queenslanders at risk and counteracts the hard work police have been doing,' Chief Superintendent Wheeler said.

'Its especially disappointing considering the vast majority of Gold Coast residents doing the right thing and following the rules in line with the easing of restrictions across the weekend.

'Blatant disregard of the COVID-19 directives will not be tolerated, as has been demonstrated by fines being issued on each of these occasions.'

In Brisbane, officers were called to a party in Banyo at 5pm on Saturday where nine people were celebrating a birthday party in a small unit on Tufnell Road.

Five women and four men, all aged in their early 20s, were issued with infringement notices for breaching the CHOs direction.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 11:38:44|Editor: huaxia

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by Xinhua writer Zhang Xin

BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- In a heart-wrenching move, the U.S. federal government recently ordered 100,000 new body bags for what it feared the "worst-case" scenario as the coronavirus pandemic continues to ravage through the United States.

The situation in what is now the world's epicenter for the pandemic has already become utterly calamitous, with over 1.2 million infections and more than 70,000 deaths so far. The latest body bag order suggests a possible turn for the worse.

Few across the globe could predict such chaos for the world's sole superpower. The word "botched" is widely used by western media in describing Washington's response to the pandemic.

Negligence in the nascent days of the outbreak by the decision-makers in Washington is considered one of the major causes.

There is now plenty of unambiguous evidence showing that the U.S. administration had been warned repeatedly about the virus since late last year by its own intelligence sources and cabinet officials, U.S. medical scientists working at the Geneva headquarters of the World Health Organization, and the Chinese government.

Unfortunately, it took several months for the White House to begin imposing rigorous federal measures after the country confirmed its first case in late January. During these long weeks in between, Washington not only pretended these red flags did not exist, but also tried to play down the severity of the pandemic and misinformed the American public that the disease was a "flu," and that everything was under control.

The fear in the White House that social-distancing actions could harm the economy, which in turn might cost the incumbent administration the coming presidential election in November, also played a crucial role in the government's botched approach to the disease, experts said.

The administration has seemingly set up a trap for itself. Since coming into power in 2017, it has been bragging about its successful economic policies and touting the country's solid stock market gains, thus promoting a tricky logic: since it takes the credit for a booming economy, it should naturally be held accountable if the economy goes south.

Facing a tanking, withering economy and skyrocketing jobless claims, the U.S. administration has grown increasingly restless, and is trying hard to push for reopening the economy though many scientists and medical experts have voiced their concerns over a hasty removal of social-distancing measures.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and key figure in the U.S. administration's coronavirus task force, cautioned last week that local leaders would be taking "a really significant risk" of prematurely loosening social distancing restrictions.

According to some internal documents obtained by the U.S. media outlet NBC News, the White House coronavirus task force members remain worried about insufficient coronavirus testing, and a possible "catastrophic resurgence" of the pathogen.

That brings us to a third and more deep-rooted cause for Washington's failure to limit the virus' spread: its ill-funded public healthcare system. The United States is the world's only developed economy without a universal healthcare system. In 2018, there were 27.9 million Americans without health insurance. And according to a new West Health and Gallup poll, one in seven Americans said they would not seek medical care even if they have key symptoms over concerns of high financial cost.

What's worse is that the current U.S. administration has tried to further undermine the country's public health system. The White House has proposed in its budget for fiscal year 2021 to cut 850 billion U.S. dollars in Medicare and 920 billion in Medicaid over the next decade in the name of reducing its deficit, according to a report by the Washington Post. In 2018, it disbanded the National Security Council's pandemic response team.

According to a New York Times report last month, the White House allowed a contract with a firm maintaining the government's stockpile of emergency, life-saving medical devices to expire last summer, and a new firm did not begin taking form until late January because of a contracting dispute. All of this made the problem of insufficient medical equipment like ventilators even worse.

Taking a closer look at such deficiencies sets the record straight on why the United States has been so hard hit by the pandemic.

For decision-makers in the White House, they need to understand that their propensity to blame others for their own mistakes cannot make the virus miraculously disappear. They ought to face the facts and join others worldwide in good faith in this arduous fight against the deadly disease. The time has come to summon that courage. Enditem
Hulu's lush TV take isn't the first experience actress Belinda Bromilow has had with The Great: the Perth native auditioned for director Peter Evans' original Sydney Theatre Company play in 2008. She didn't get the role.

"I auditioned for Mariel, the maid, but I missed out," says Bromilow, 44, who on the upcoming TV series about the rise of Catherine the Great plays the royal court's spacey Aunt Elizabeth. The play's writer (who is also the TV show's creator) was her then-partner of "about three years", Tony McNamara.

"Look, it was understandable 'cause [the role] went to Mandy McElhinney and she's a genius," laughs Bromilow of the snub. "So that's all right, I didn't take it too badly."

Belinda Bromilow as Aunt Elizabeth in The Great.

Over a decade later, the couple share two children (aged four and six), and a 21-year-old stepdaughter from McNamara's first marriage. Based in London but currently riding out lockdown in Bowral in NSW's southern highlands, The Great found the pair filming together for about six months across the UK countryside and southern Italy.
Pakistan on Wednesday violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. At about 3.40 pm, Pakistan initiated unprovoked firing with small arms in Shahpur sector of the Poonch district.

The Indian Army is retaliating befittingly. This is a developing story. More details are awaited.

On May 1, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a demarche had lodged a strong protest with the Pakistani high commission over the killing of an Indian citizen in a ceasefire violation by Pakistan. The unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan forces on April 30 took place in Krishna Ghati Sector of Jammu and Kashmir where 16-year-old Gul Faraz was killed. Another civilian, 36-year-old Zafar Iqbal was injured.

The Pakistan Army has carried out more than 1,518 unprovoked ceasefire violations so far in 2020. While asking the country to adhere to 2003 ceasefire understanding, India instructed Pakistan to desist from such acts. The issue of unprovoked ceasefire violation has been also raised during the weekly Director Generals Military Operations talks.

India, on March 13, also had issued a demarche to Pakistan over the killing of three of its civilians in ceasefire violations. Pakistan in ceasefire violation on April 12 in Chowkibal and Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir killed three Indian civilians, including women and a minor child. Pakistan in ceasefire violation killed 34-year-old Shamima Begum, 17-year old Javid Ahmad Khan of Reddi Chowkibal and 8-year old Zeeshan Bashir, resident of Tumna.
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 5, 2020 / Apteryx Imaging Inc. (TSXV:XRAY)(OTCQB:APTEF)(FRA:XRAY) (the "Company") is pleased to announce the completion of a new secured financing agreement with National Bank of Canada, securing an operating line of credit up to a maximum of CDN$3.5 million and a credit card facility up to a maximum of CDN$150,000."We are very pleased to have a credit facility with National Bank of Canada, one of Canada's top banks," stated Dr. David Gane, CEO of Apteryx Imaging. "From the outset, their Tech and Innovation team invested the time to understand our business, demonstrated a deep understanding of our space and provided sound business and financial advice. This new facility gives us flexibility for accessing capital to finance our day to day operations and to drive our growth initiatives for 2020 and beyond." The Facility is secured by assets of Apteryx Imaging and its US subsidiaries, which primarily consists of intellectual property, inventory and accounts receivable. The proceeds of the Facility will be used for general corporate and working capital purposes.Pursuant to the agreed upon conditions of the Facility, the Company can draw down funds as required based on a multiple of its monthly recurring revenues ("MRR"). The facility is competitively priced and contains customary financial and restrictive covenants."National Bank's Technology and Innovation Banking Group is excited to support Apteryx. We're proud to partner in this exciting global growth story and help Apteryx navigate through these uncertain economic times. With over 20 years of experience helping Tech companies like Apteryx, this collaboration further illustrates our commitment to Canada's national innovation ecosystem," said Irfan S. Daya, Managing Director, Technology and Innovation Banking Group at National Bank.For more information about Apteryx, its products and services, please visit www.apteryx.com or call 877-278-3799.About Apteryx Imaging Inc.Apteryx Imaging has provided dentists and oral health specialists with advanced diagnostic imaging software and device technologies for over 20 years. Our proprietary technologies include XrayVision, XVWeb and XrayVision DCV imaging software solutions, the VELscope Vx Enhanced Oral Assessment and TUXEDO Intraoral Sensors.Backed by an experienced leadership team and dedicated to a higher level of service and support, Apteryx Imaging is committed to providing dental practitioners with the best technology available by identifying and adding leading products to its growing portfolio. The Company is currently listed on the TSXV under the symbol XRAY, the OTCQB under the symbol APTEF, as well as the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol XRAY.About National BankWith $289 billion in assets as at January 31, 2020, National Bank of Canada, together with its subsidiaries, forms one of Canada's leading integrated financial groups. It has more than 26,000 employees in knowledge-intensive positions and has been recognized numerous times as a top employer and for its commitment to diversity. Its securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: NA). Follow the Bank's activities at nbc.ca or via social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.Media Contact:Apteryx Inc.Chris KochPhone: 678-293-9413Email: chris.koch@apteryx.com Corporate Contact:Apteryx Imaging Inc.David Gane, CEOPhone: 604-434-4614 ext. 227Email: david.gane@apteryx.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.SOURCE: Apteryx Imaging Inc.
By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump took a rare trip out of Washington on Tuesday to tour a mask production plant in Arizona, visiting a state he hopes to win in the November election even as Americans avoid travel to fight the coronavirus. Trump, a Republican who is running for re-election, has been holed up at the White House for weeks as his administration oversees the response to the pandemic that has killed tens of thousands of people in the United States alone.

By Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump took a rare trip out of Washington on Tuesday to tour a mask production plant in Arizona, visiting a state he hopes to win in the November election even as Americans avoid travel to fight the coronavirus.

Trump, a Republican who is running for re-election, has been holed up at the White House for weeks as his administration oversees the response to the pandemic that has killed tens of thousands of people in the United States alone.

The president has faced criticism for giving mixed messages about the virus, which he played down in the early stages of the outbreak. His trip to another state required a flight on Air Force One with an entourage of staff, Secret Service agents, reporters and military personnel at a time when many Americans are avoiding flying because of the risk of virus spread.

Trump has sought to give an optimistic view about the country's ability to recover from the virus and is eager for states to reopen businesses whose lockdown closings have driven down the economy and left millions unemployed.

The novel coronavirus already is known to have infected almost 1.2 million people in the United States, including more than 69,000 who have died from COVID-19, the respiratory illness it causes, according to a Reuters tally.

On Monday, researchers at the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation almost doubled their previous U.S. mortality model to nearly 135,000 from 72,400 on April 29.

The president is scheduled to tour a Honeywell International Inc mask production assembly line during his trip and to preside over a discussion about supporting Native Americans.

The federal government has encouraged Americans to wear masks to avoid spreading the virus even when not feeling any symptoms of COVID-19. Trump has so far declined to wear a mask himself, and Vice President Mike Pence drew criticism for not wearing one during a recent trip to the famed Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.

Asked by reporters as he left the White House whether he would wear a mask, Trump indicated he might.

I think its a mask facility, right? If its a mask facility I will, yeah. I dont know if its a mask facility. Were going to see Honeywell," he said.

"Im going to pay my respects to a great company and a great state, the state of Arizona," he said.

The location of Trump's first trip out of Washington in weeks was not coincidental.

Trump won Arizona in the 2016 election against Democratic nominee and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, but opinion polls show him currently trailing the presumptive 2020 Democratic nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden, in the Southwestern state.

Republican U.S. Senator Martha McSally is traveling with Trump on the trip to her home state. She is also trailing her Democratic opponent, retired astronaut Mark Kelly, in the November race, according to RealClearPolitics poll averages.

McSally, a former Air Force combat pilot, was appointed last year to the seat held by the late Senator John McCain. She is running in a special election to determine who will serve the last two years of the term.

McSally posted a message on Twitter in front of Air Force One before the flight. In it, she was not wearing a mask.

(Reporting by Jeff Mason; additional reporting by Steve Holland; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Alistair Bell)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
WASHINGTON  More than $5 billion in federal funding is headed to 90 New York hospitals that were hot spots for coronavirus care, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said.

New York, which has had more COVID-19 cases than any other state, received half of the $10 billion the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) allocated to support hospitals in areas with many virus cases. That exceeds the $4.4 billion that the administration told Senate Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., that New York hospitals would receive.

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany last week said that New York, New Jersey, and Illinois received the most funding by states, and counties in the New York City and Chicago metropolitan areas had received the most funding among counties.

Gary Fitzgerald, president of the Iroquois Healthcare Association, said "only a few upstate hospitals qualify for the $5 billion COVID-19 'hot spot' funding that has been allocated for New York state due to the strict allocation criteria, which does not consider loss of revenue as a factor," noting he is "extremely disappointed

The funding is heading to 395 hospitals across the country that had 100 or more COVID-19 inpatient admissions from Jan. 1 to April 10, HHS announced Friday. Those hospitals accounted for 71 percent of COVID-19 inpatient admissions reported to HHS from nearly 6,000 hospitals around the country, the department said. The money is expected to reach the hospitals via direct deposit in the next few days.

In addition to the hot spot aid, the 90 New York hospitals are also getting an additional $686.7 million in proportion to the amount of care they provided to low-income and uninsured patients. Most of that money is going to New York, Bronx, Kings, Nassau and Queens counties.

Also, 155 New York rural hospitals and clinics are receiving $264.2 million in funding from HHS, intended to lift these facilities, many of which were operating on thin profit-margins prior to coronavirus.

The Iroquois Healthcare Association, which represents hospitals and health systems in upstate New York, is concerned there may hospitals serving rural communities and populations that may not technically meet the rural definition outlined by HHS, Fitzgerald said.

"We are seeking additional clarification," Fitzgerald said. "We are fearful that without this funding relief, hospitals in certain parts of upstate New York will be unable to recover from the devastating financial impacts this crisis has had on the upstate healthcare delivery system."

Neither HHS nor hospital associations were able to say on Tuesday exactly which New York hospitals and clinics would receive the new hot spot or rural relief funds. The Iroquois Healthcare Association believes Albany Medical Center and St. Peter's Health Partners would qualify for the some of the hot spot funds, it said. Albany Medical Center declined to comment. St. Peter's Health Partners did not respond to a request for comment.

Healthcare Association of New York State President Bea Grause called the hot-spot funding and rural relief "significant," but added, "we have a long road ahead of us."

"Preliminary data suggest that, on average, New York hospitals saw revenues crash by over 40 percent during the last half of March alone," Grause said. "Combined, lost revenues plus extraordinary expenses during this small window indicate sustained losses of at least $750 million per week  and that figure is expected to grow as data from April is collected and analyzed."

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

HHS had already sent $1.4 billion to support New York hospitals overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic in April, but those payments did not account for how the coronavirus impacted hospitals and health systems.

Hospitals have seen their expenses climb as they provide expensive acute care to COVID-19 patients, while buying personal protective equipment and testing supplies in hot demand. Their revenues have been slashed by the cancellation of elective procedures and office visits. Upstate New York hospitals reported losing an average $250,000 per day in March, said Gary Fitzgerald, CEO of the Iroquois Healthcare Association. Those losses are anticipated to have worsened in April.

"The remarkable self-sacrifice and dedication of our health care workers took place in an environment that was oftentimes likened to wartime conditions," Greater New York Hospital Association President Kenneth E. Raske said, thanking the administration for the funds. "At enormous financial cost, our hospitals literally prevented the health care delivery system from collapsing.

Congress has appropriated $175 billion in federal aid for hospitals, less than half of which has been distributed so far. Lawmakers and hospital associations said the process for distributing the funds has been opaque and confusing, with hospitals typically unsure of when federal aid will arrive  or how much  until it shows up in their accounts.

U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, last week she had direct calls with HHS Sec. Alex Azar and Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan regarding hospital funding for upstate hospitals. She was unclear on how aid would be distributed to rural hospitals and clinics.

The hospitals received hotspot payments based on their number of coronavirus admissions and the number of low-income and uninsured patients they cared for, HHS said. Hospitals and clinics in rural areas were distributed a minimum base payment plus a percent of their annual expenses.
The U.S. Air Force X-37B UOV (unmanned orbital vehicle) is scheduled to go into space for the sixth time in mid-May, seven months after the other X-37B returned from its last, and longest (25.5 months) mission. The X-37B has been doing this for a decade now, going into orbit for the first time in April 2010, for over seven months. Each subsequent launch (March 2011, December 2012, May 2016 and September 2017) kept the X-37B in orbit longer (225 days then 469, 675, 718 and 780). There are actually two X-37B space planes so they are not putting the same one back into orbit soon after it returns.

One unanswered question is; what does X-37B do up there? The X-37B operations are classified secret and little information about what happens in orbit is released. The most recent X-37B mission caused a problem when the air force mentioned that the X-37B had carried and released three cubesats (very small satellites) that were not registered with the UN. That X-37B was known to be carrying ten cubesats to be released into orbit to perform various experiments. Cubesats are technically U Class spacecraft that can be no larger than 10 cm (about four inches) square and weigh no more than 1.33 kg (2.9 pounds). Cubesats are increasingly popular for science experiments by smaller organizations, or even individuals, who cannot afford a multi-million dollar satellite that is ten or more times larger and heavier than a cubesat. So far over 1,200 cubesats have been launched since 1998, with about 93 percent reaching orbit. That number is expected to double in the next few years because more and more commercial satellite launchers are providing unused space and weight on their launcher rockets for carrying and launching some cubesats. In some cases, the cubesat owners pay for this service while in other cases some cubesats are taken up for free, as a public service. The U.S. is accused of using the unregistered cubesats launched from the X-37B as a test of a new anti-satellite weapon. A cubesat placed in the proper orbit could intercept and destroy or disable a much larger satellite. Or so the theory goes. The U.S. Air Force has no comment although two senior air force officials did mention, in 2019, that there were some secret anti-satellite projects underway. An anti-satellite weapon that is kept secret is more effective when used because the enemy doesnt know what to prepare for.

America, Russia and China are the major players in orbital space and ASAT (anti-satellite weapons) development. This is mainly because these three countries own or operate most of the commercial and military satellites up there. Some other countries are active with ASAT as well. In March 2020 India tested an ASAT weapon when they launched one of their anti-missile missiles with the third stage interceptor reconfigured to hit an object in orbit rather than an ICBM warhead plunging towards earth. The target was a small Indian satellite launched in 2019 into a low (280 kilometers) orbit. This meant that, when the ASAT warhead hit the satellite, the resulting debris (hundreds of fragments) would soon fall to earth and burn up in the atmosphere. The target satellite was apparently launched just to be an ASAT target.

China conducted a similar test in 2007 but destroyed one of their own satellites that was no longer functional and in a higher orbit. The Chinese ASAT test debris are still in orbit and China is still criticized for this test. Other nations, including the big three, are working on ground bases electronic weapons for disabling satellite. Russia has some ambitious ASAT plans but no money to build their airborne ASAT laser (to blind or destroy low orbit spy or communications satellites), or an orbital satellite jammer powered by a nuclear reactor. Russia can afford more ground-based jammers and such, and are putting as much money as they can into that. So is China, which has a lot more cash. But so are nations like Japan and even less affluent states like North Korea and Iran.

And then theres the mysterious X-37B. It is unmanned and operated by earth-based controllers. It does have automatic landing software that has been used several times without any problems. While the air force reports few details about the X-37B, it was difficult to hide the fact that mission 5 used a different launch vehicle; the SpaceX booster. This was important because the SpaceX rocket itself is reusable ; its first stage returns to earth and lands upright for refurbishing and reuse. Air force officials noted that the SpaceX design is a fitting match for X-37B which was designed for multiple reuse and autonomous operation. Mission 5 was apparently similar to Mission 4 in that new technologies were tested and more micro-satellites were placed in orbit, including the unregistered cubeSats, which are the smallest class of satellites.

Mission 6 was originally scheduled for late 2019, using the disposable Atlas 5 launch vehicle normally employed but probably on its way out. SpaceX is cheaper and has a growing list of successful landings including twelve successes in a row, including all ten in 2017. The SpaceX landing tests began in 2010.

It was eventually revealed that mission 4 tested a new thruster system for mobile satellites that needed to be tried out while in orbit. Also carried were dozens of different materials, possibly including some new spy satellite components to see what the harsh environment in orbit, especially radiation, can do. Such exposure can have unpredictable effects on materials and microelectronics after prolonged time in space.

Earlier missions were also successful. The third X-37B mission ended in October 2014 after nearly two years in orbit. The second mission landed on June 16th, 2012 after 15 months in orbit. The first mission ended on December 3rd, 2010 after seven months in orbit. The official endurance of the X-37B was originally about nine months (280 days). The real endurance appears to be 3-4 times that, at least. The long endurance is largely because the X-37B carries a sizable solar panel, which is deployed from the cargo bay, unfolded and produces enough power to keep the X-37B up there for a long time. The air force has not made public much about what the X-37B has been doing up there for nearly 2,000 days so far.

In effect, the X-37B is a remotely controlled mini-Space Shuttle. The space vehicle, according to amateur astronomers (who like to watch spy satellites as well), appears to be going through some tests much of the time. The X-37B is believed to have a payload of about 227-300 kg (500-660 pounds). The payload bay is 2.1x1.4 meters (7x4 feet). As it returned to earth, it is designed to land by itself after being ordered to use a specific landing area. The X-37B weighs five tons, is nine meters (29 feet) long and has a wingspan of 4 meters (14 feet). In contrast, the Space Shuttle was 56 meters long, weighed 2,000 tons and had a payload of 24 tons.

The X-37B is a classified project, so not many additional details were expected to be made available. It's been in development since 2000 but work was slowed down for a while because of lack of money. Whatever the X-37B is now doing up there has been convincing enough to get Congress to spend over a billion dollars on it. What makes the X-37B so useful is that it is very maneuverable, contains some internal sensors (as well as communications gear), and can carry mini-satellites, or additional sensors, in the payload bay. The X-37B is believed capable of serving as a platform for attacks on enemy satellites in wartime. Using a remotely controlled arm, the X-37B could refuel or repair other satellites. All this is estimates because, as a classified project, there is little confirmed information about its payload or mission, other than testing the system on its first mission. It is likely that future missions will involve intelligence work, and perhaps servicing existing spy satellites, which use up their fuel to change their orbits. For regular satellite refueling missions a larger X-37C would probably be used. This is a scaled-up X-37B that would have a much larger (probably over a ton) of payload. The X-37C could be quickly switched between cargo and passenger configurations. The X-37C would still be robotic and not require anyone onboard to control it. Work on the X-37C has apparently been halted because there are similar alternative designs that are closer to service.

The X-37B also demonstrated that it could not be easily tracked while in orbit, although at times the X-37B could be elusive for amateur astronomers. The international collection of amateur skywatchers have proved remarkably adept at spotting orbital objects in the past, including classified ones like the X-37B. The amateur orbital observer community has concluded that one thing the X-37B tested was how well it could constantly switch positions, and stay hidden. In that respect, the X-37B was a resounding success. That's because these amateur observers are generally very good at tracking what's up there.

One notable incident occurred in 2008 when a U.S. spy satellite fell out of orbit, apparently because of a failure in its maneuvering system. The amateur astronomers were able to track it. If this had not been an American reconnaissance satellite, there would have been no media attention to this, because 4-5 satellites a month fall back to earth. Since most of the planet is ocean, or otherwise uninhabited (humans like to cluster together), the satellites tend to come down as a few fragments, and rarely is anyone, or anything manmade, hit.

Before the Internet became widely used after 2000 you heard very little about all these injured or worn-out space satellites raining down on the planet. But with the Internet, the many thousands of amateur astronomers could connect and compare notes. It was like assembling a huge jigsaw puzzle. Many sightings now formed a pattern, and a worldwide network of observers made visible the movements of hundreds of space satellites. These objects were always visible at night, sometimes to the naked eye, but unless you knew something about orbits and such, they could be difficult to keep track of. These days, a lot of the activity is posted and discussed at http://www.satobs.org/. But the X-37B has proved elusive and sometimes became a frustrating challenge to the amateur sky watchers. This is pleasing to American air force officials, who designed the X-37B to be elusive to terrestrial observation and the dedicated (and quite effective) amateur satellite watchers gave the X-37B quite a workout.
EXTON, Pa., May. 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- First Resource Bank (OTCQX: FRSB) is proud to announce that it has helped local businesses secure more than $50 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans through the Small Business Administration. With over 30 million Americans having filed for unemployment since mid-March, these loans, which were offered under the CARES ACT, were designed to help small businesses, struggling as a result of COVID-19, keep employees on the payroll.

Despite reports of large companies receiving funding though this program, First Resource Bank was happy to share that 80% of the applications they received were for loan amounts under $200,000. Applicants included existing customers and non-customers alike, who sought the personalized attention of a community bank. This proved to be crucial during the initial round of funding, as many larger banks turned away customers shortly after the application process opened.

"I am incredibly proud of the Bank's ability to help so many small businesses in our community impacted by the Coronavirus," commented First Resource Bank CEO, Glenn Marshall. "Behind each business that we helped to secure funding is a team of employees whose families rely on them. These families are what make our community great. We're not just saving small businesses with these loans, we're helping our community survive this crisis."

The Bank, which recently observed its 15th Anniversary on May 2, worked round-the-clock to help protect nearly 5,000 jobs since the application process launched in early April. With the second round of funding still open, First Resource Bank plans to continue helping businesses in the Delaware Valley apply for this much needed relief until the funds have been exhausted. Businesses still looking for assistance with this program can reach out to [email protected].

About First Resource Bank

First Resource Bank is a locally owned and operated Pennsylvania state-chartered bank, serving the banking needs of businesses, professionals and individuals in the Delaware Valley. The Bank offers a full range of deposit and credit services with a high level of personalized service. First Resource Bank also offers a broad range of traditional financial services and products, competitively priced and delivered in a responsive manner to small businesses, professionals and residents in the local market. For additional information visit our website at www.firstresourcebank.com. Member FDIC.

This press release contains statements that are not of historical facts and may pertain to future operating results or events or management's expectations regarding those results or events. These are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about our plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts. When used in this press release, the words "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "seeks", "estimates", or words of similar meaning, or future or conditional verbs, such as "will", "would", "should", "could", or "may" are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are either beyond our control or not reasonably capable of predicting at this time. In addition, these forward-looking statements are subject to assumptions with respect to future business strategies and decisions that are subject to change. Actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in these forward-looking statements. Readers of this press release are accordingly cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. First Resource Bank disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any of the forward-looking statements herein, whether in response to new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE First Resource Bank

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Wisconsin environmental officials could consider the impact of a high-capacity well on nearby lakes and streams when issuing permits to heavy water users under new guidance from Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul.

But with a case pending before the state Supreme Court and a decades worth of laws on the books chipping away at regulations for the wells used in irrigation and large dairy operations, its still unclear what the implications of that decision are.

Ultimately well probably have to wait on those seven individuals to tell us what to do and where were at, said John Holevoet of the Dairy Business Association, referring to the Supreme Court justices.

Kaul on Friday issued a letter throwing out a 2016 opinion from his Republican predecessor, Brad Schimel, that altered the permitting process for high-capacity wells, which can pump more than 100,000 gallons of water a day. In the time since, the state has approved hundreds of high capacity well permits.

That opinion found the Department of Natural Resources lacked the authority to consider cumulative impacts when reviewing permit applications, which was adopted by the agency shortly after. It was based on a 2011 law called Act 21 that restricts an agency from implementing rules or requirements not expressly listed in state law.

But Kaul argued decisions from the Dane County Circuit Court and Court of Appeals that tossed out eight high-capacity well permits issued by DNR staff following Schimels opinion necessitated its withdrawal, although the case is still awaiting Supreme Court action.

Scott Manley, of business lobby Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, said that reality means its hard to predict what the ultimate impact of Kauls action will be.

Thats especially so, he said, given the fact that the court in a 2011 landmark decision involving Lake Beulah in Walworth County had ruled that DNR had the broad authority and a general duty to consider the wells impacts on state waters.

But since the Lake Beulah decision, Republicans  who were then in complete control of state government  acted to relax regulations on those wells, including a 2013-15 budget item barring citizens from challenging permits or applications for the wells based on their cumulative impacts and a 2017 law preventing DNR from reviewing wells when theyre replaced or when the owners property is sold.

Manley argued Kauls withdrawal of Schimels opinion certainly doesnt change the legal authority DNR has in regard to well permitting, adding that the laws the state has enacted in the intervening years also still apply.

The real answer to all of these questions resides in the Supreme Court litigation because thats really going to provide clarity, he said. They had this previous decision in 2011 with Lake Beulah and the Legislature has done some enactment since then. What does it all mean and how does it all fit together? Thats really going to be the complete answer to all of these questions.

Amber Meyer Smith of environmental group Clean Wisconsin applauded Kauls decision. She acknowledged in an email that several actions by the Legislature in the past few years have drastically limited what DNR can do about existing permits, even if they have an unsustainable water use.

It does re-open the door for DNR to consider surface water and cumulative impacts when reviewing permit applications, she said, adding that any questions about application would have to be directed to DNR.

Both WMC and Clean Wisconsin are involved in the litigation. A DNR spokeswoman wrote in an email that the agency is currently reviewing the Attorney Generals letter to determine next steps for pending and future high capacity well applications.

A footnote in Kaul's letter notes that while the case before the Supreme Court "will likely resolve" whether Schimel's opinion "accurately interpreted Wisconsin law," his subsequent withdrawal of it "resolves any uncertainty as to whether DNR should apply the reasoning and conclusions of that opinion to permitting decisions made prior to the issuance of the supreme courts decision."

Holevoet, from DBA, said hed be surprised to see any quick changes from DNR in terms of operations, adding: So I think its pretty much business as usual, but I guess well see.

Those who would be impacted most, he said, are the people who are applying for permits in the near future.

Kauls letter was sent to DNR in response to a request from Secretary Preston Cole. Manley argued it was totally inappropriate for Kaul to act on the issue amid pending action from the Supreme Court. He pointed to listed criteria for offering a formal AG opinion that states, in part, that any such opinion should not be requested on an issue that is the subject of current or reasonably imminent litigation.

A Department of Justice spokeswoman noted Kauls letter was not an official opinion, but she didnt immediately return a follow-up request for comment about the languages timing.

Schimel's initial opinion came as his DOJ was involved in "cases where conservationists say regulators failed to use their authority to protect lakes, streams and wetlands," the Wisconsin State Journal reported in 2016.

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The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday paved the way for completing the process for appointment of 69,000 assistant basic teachers in Uttar Pradesh.

It directed the state government to complete the process of appointment within the next three months.

A division bench of Justices P K Jaiswal and K S Pawar passed the order on different special appeals filed by the state government as well as the private petitioners individually.

The chief minister has welcomed the decision of the high court.

"CM Shri@myogiadityanathji has welcomed the High Court decision in the matter of recruitment of 69,000 teachers of Basic department," A tweet by the CM Office said.

"He congratulated all the successful candidates by wishing them to contribute in the system if the state in the coming days," it said.

The process of the appointment is almost already complete on the strength on the interim direction of the division bench issued on May 29 last year and only result is to be declared finally.

The division bench has in fact set aside the single bench order that had quashed the government order of a fixed criteria of 65 per cent qualifying marks for general category candidates and 60 percent for reserved category candidates for appointment as basic teacher.

The single bench had said that the minimum cut off marks would be 45 per cent for general and 40 per cent for reserved candidates.

However, after the single judge bench order is now set aside by the division bench, the criteria set by the state government would be followed.

In its vehement plea, the state government had submitted that the cut off was increased to previous selection process for the purpose of selecting best candidates and there was nothing illegal in its decision.

The division bench had completed the hearing on March 3 and reserved its verdict.

Pronouncing the verdict on Wednesday, it allowed the special appeals, giving major relief to the state government.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Air India's repatriation flights under the Vande Bharat' mission could not be operated on Wednesday as the crew members' COVID-19 tests were not done on time, senior airline officials said.

The Vande Bharat' mission plans to bring stranded Indians from abroad amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

The flights under the mission will start operating from Thursday, the officials clarified.

Air India' first fight was scheduled to depart at 3.30 am on Wednesday from Delhi to San Francisco. The second flight was scheduled to depart at 6.30 am on Wednesday from Mumbai to London, they said.

"While the flight to London is now scheduled to leave from Mumbai at 6.30 am on Friday, the flight to San Francisco will leave at 3.30 am on Friday," the officials noted.

The COVID-19 tests for pilots and cabin crew members were not done on time and as a result, both the flights were postponed by 48 hours, they said.

Air India's flight to Singapore, which has been scheduled to leave from Delhi at 11.15 pm on Thursday, will be departing on time, the officials clarified.

"Delhi-Singapore flight will now be the first flight under the Vande Bharat mission instead of the Delhi-San Francisco flight," they noted.

Other flights, which were scheduled for Thursday, have also been postponed to Friday.

For example, the repatriation flight to Kuala Lumpur, which was earlier scheduled to depart from Chennai at 9 am on Thursday, is now scheduled to depart at 8.30 am on Friday, the officials noted.

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had announced on Tuesday that Air India would be operating 64 repatriation flights between May 7 and May 13 to bring approximately 15,000 Indian nationals from 12 countries amid the lockdown.

On Tuesday, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs stated that a person who has an OCI card, or held the citizenship of a foreign country, or held a valid visa of more than one year of that country, or had the green card of that country, can travel on the repatriation flight leaving India under the Vande Bharat mission.

India has been under a lockdown since March 25 to curb the spread of novel coronavirus.

All scheduled commercial passenger flights have been suspended for this lockdown period.

However, cargo flights, medical evacuation flights and special flights permitted by the aviation regulator DGCA have been allowed to operate during this time.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The UkrLandFarming agricultural holding, one of the largest agri-businesses by land banks in Europe, is completing the sowing campaign: 340,000 hectares have already been sown and 8,000 hectares are to be sown with soy and maize, said Oleg Bakhmatyuk, the owner of the holding.

"Oddly enough, we have conducted the sowing campaign with the best possible timing over the past three years," Bakhmatyuk told the Interfax-Ukraine news outlet. "If quarantine was an unexpected test for many people, we were ready for it much better. We used to live under time pressure with limited access to financial resources," said the owner of UkrLandFarming. The businessman added the agricultural sector had been least affected by the pandemic, prices of raw agricultural products were the same, although the situation on the bioethanol market would push the prices of maize and sunflower down, according to the Ukrainian News Agency.

Read alsoOleg Bakhmatyuk: Crop forecasts cut by 20%, but everything may change due to weather, technology

Bakhmatyuk said the company had not yet managed to get the benefits of lower prices of fuel and mineral fertilizers as it bought them in advance for the sowing campaign. However, if such a situation with prices on those markets remains until the harvest time and further in autumn, this will have a positive impact on the UkrLandFarming's indicators.

At the same time, the businessman predicted Ukraine's GDP drop would unlikely be less than in the U.S. and Europe and would be 10-15%. In his opinion, the country should learn how to live in a new era of national economic egoism. "Ukraine has not even begun to consolidate its capabilities," Bakhmatyuk said.

UkrLandFarming is one of Ukraine's largest agricultural holdings engaged in harvesting cereals and oilseeds, other seeds, as well as in livestock farming, and production of eggs and egg products. The enterprises that are part of the group of companies operate in 600 settlements across 22 regions of Ukraine. They are among the country's biggest taxpayers.
Acclaimed writer Paulo Coelho wrote a tweet of appreciation for Shah Rukh Khan after watching his production, Kaamyaab. The film, starring Sanjay Mishra in the lead, is about a character actor who never gets his due in the film industry.

The producers thank you in the very 1st frame, @iamsrk . I am doing the same. 2 days ago a great Brazilian actor , Flavio Migliaccio, committed suicide, leaving a note on how the industry treats their artists. This movie, labeled as comedy, is in fact the tragedy of Art, Coelho wrote in his tweet. Migliaccio died on May 4 in an apparent suicide. He left a letter addressed to his family in which he talked about throwing away 85 years of his life for the country.

Saw the film when it was doing Festival rounds and it touched a chord with the whole team at @RedChilliesEnt Am so moved you appreciate. Its a sad truth that character actors get forgotten. Look after yourself my friend and be safe & healthy https://t.co/4uKm1Zf5S2  Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) May 6, 2020

Replying to his tweet, Shah Rukh wrote, Saw the film when it was doing Festival rounds and it touched a chord with the whole team at @RedChilliesEnt Am so moved you appreciate. Its a sad truth that character actors get forgotten. Look after yourself my friend and be safe & healthy.

Also read: 100 Hours 100 Stars: Kirti Kulhari says she reads 3-4 books simultaneously to keep busy

Directed by Hardik Mehta, Kaamyaab throws light on the struggle of the extras or the side actors in the Indian cinema; it also stars Deepak Dobriyal in a pivotal role.Talking about getting support form Shah Rukh, Sanjay had said in an interview, The budget of Kaamyaab is lower than the cost of vanity vans parked on the sets of big budget films. Shah Rukh lives in peoples hearts and the level of energy he brings to the table is unrivaled.

Im getting appreciation from every corner. It is like climbing the steps of a ladder. Now, I feel I have reached a prominent position in my career. Earlier, people could have pushed me off the ladder but abhi maine khamba pakad liya hai (now I am firmly holding on to a poll), boss! People have liked the trailer of the film and the media has given a standing ovation to the film. Thats not regular scene for me so, it feels really nice, Mishra told IANS. The film released on March 6.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
The second edition of interim Congress president Sonia Gandhis meeting with chief ministers of party-ruled states has many stories to tell and important cues.

It is clear that she now wants to make COVID-19 the launching plank of sorts of for the Congress party. And, in many ways it is the return of Manmohan Singh as the trump card.

Like many other countries, India is staring at serious economic implications post the lockdown and the grand old party wants to put its best foot forward to offer an economic alternative if not a political one as yet.

Punjab, in fact, is the first and only Congress-ruled state to send this message after its CM Amarinder Singh roped in the former prime minister for advice on steps that can be taken for economic recovery.

Need for more avenues of revenue is of the problems confronting the state governments. Opposition-ruled states worry that priority for central assistance may go to BJP-ruled states or those with which the Centre has a good working equation like Delhi and Odisha.

So the pressure is on state governments. For Punjab, the shortfall, according to its CM is at 88%.

During a meeting with Sonia, Amarinder Singh said that Delhi cannot decide on demarcation of zones. The zones are an important yardstick to decide the range of economic activities.

Similar figures were given by other CMs as well like Bhupesh Baghel and Ashok Gehlot. They told Sonia and Singh that it is difficult to help their people if the Centre doesnt help them.

Sources say that a blueprint of sorts has been prepared specially by the COVID-19 consultative committee set up by Sonia. The committee is headed by the former PM and also has ex-finance minister P Chidambaram and senior party leader Rahul Gandhi among others.

The committee has worked on a plan for the Congress stats which will look at revenue-generating operations. Insistence on opening of liquor vends is one such area.

In fact, in an attempt to balance health and economy, the Punjab CM has decided to begin home delivery of liquor. This to ensure that there are no long lines and yet no giving up on revenues.

Sources say the committee will ask for money from the Centre for farming activities and opening of small industries and will try to bring in investment directly from abroad via sops.

It was the same Sonia-Manmohan team that had come up with the farm loan waiver scheme which helped it come back to power in 2014. The party veterans hope to use this winning combo once again.
Dubais ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has had a poor run in the past few months. In March, British courts found he had orchestrated the abduction of two of his children and subjected his youngest wife to a campaign of intimidation. Meanwhile, his local thoroughbred concerns continue to bleed money.

Sheikh Mohammed. Credit:Illustration: John Shakespeare

Sheikh Mohammed, as he is better known, is the proprietor of the sprawling Godolphin Australia thoroughbred racing and breeding operation. Last year, according to documents lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission on Tuesday, it lost $25 million.

Its hardly the worst result for Godolphin, which operates properties in the upper Hunter and in Victorias Goulburn Valley. To date, it has racked up losses of $1.16 billion (although with a net worth of $4 billion, we're sure the Sheikh is fine).

Notwithstanding the financial result and financial position of the company, the directors have continued to prepare the financial report on a going concern basis, after determining that the ultimate shareholder is expected to continue to provide financial support to ensure the company meets its cash flow obligations for at least twelve months, the report, signed off by Godolphins local boss Vin Cox, reads.
STAUNTON, Va., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Secure Futures Solar has signed an agreement with City National Bank to provide a total of $8 million in loan financing to cover the construction of solar projects at Augusta County Schools, Orange County Schools and at the CARITAS center in Richmond.

Using loan financing from the bank, Secure Futures will install a second round of solar panels on Augusta County Schools, which previously received 1.8 megawatts of solar panels on seven school campuses in 2019. Now, five additional campuses will receive a total of nearly two megawatts of solar arrays.

At Orange County Schools, the company will install 2.5 megawatts of solar arrays on eight campuses. In each school system, the company will restore roofs on three campuses to make them solar-ready prior to installing solar arrays.

Finally, loan financing will help Secure Futures install 427 kilowatts of solar arrays at the CARITAS center in Richmond, currently under construction. Once completed, CARITAS will host the largest solar energy system of any facility offering services to homeless people in Virginia.

"Solar power is a new industry in Virginia and few lenders have experience with the tools that solar companies use to make solar affordable for schools and community service organizations," said Dr. Anthony Smith, CEO of Secure Futures. "City National Bank understood the market opportunity early on and has been a trusted partner of our company ever since. We look forward to partnering with City National Bank for years to come."

Secure Futures will complete all three solar projects at no upfront capital cost to customers through a power purchase agreement, a financing system that Secure Futures introduced to Virginia in 2011. For the two school divisions, the cost of roof restoration is included in monthly payments for solar power, eliminating the capital expense of making roof repairs that were required regardless of whether the roofs would host solar panels or not.

"Enhancing the quality of life in our communities is paramount at City, and local schools and social service organizations play an important role in the daily lives of our customers and employees. We are excited to take part in the great work Secure Futures is doing in Augusta and Orange counties, and in Richmond," said Charles R. "Skip" Hageboeck, President and CEO of City National Bank.

The relationship between Secure Futures and City National Bank dates back to 2016, when the bank helped finance the first power purchase agreement to provide a public school district, Albermarle County Public Schools, with rooftop solar at no upfront cost. Since that time, Secure Futures has done more than $13 million in loan business with City National.

"One of my greatest joys is working closely with a client like Secure Futures, who's focused on bettering our communities. Through the past few years of getting to know the team and their goals, we've been able to provide the right products to meet their individual needs and get their projects off the ground as quickly as possible," said Lyle Moffet, SVP / Commercial Lender, City National Bank.

About City National Bank

With more than 90 locations in Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio, City National Bank is among the strongest and most financially sound community banks in the nation. In 2019, City received the highest ranking in customer satisfaction in the north central region of the country in J.D. Power's U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study for the second year in a row.



About Secure Futures, LLC

As a market and policy leader, Secure Futures builds, owns, manages and funds affordable Resilient Solar Solutions for hospitals, schools and businesses. Headquartered in Staunton, Va., the company combines state-ofthe-art solar technology with an innovative business model to make commercial scale solar readily affordable in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, helping customers to realize the economic, environmental, and community benefits of solar energy. In 2017, Secure Futures became a Certified B Corporation, having met the exacting standards for social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability established by the nonprofit B Lab. For more information: www.securefutures.solar

Media Contacts:

LeAnn Cain

Senior Marketing Manager

City National Bank

(304)769-1138

[email protected]

Erik Curren

Marketing Advisor

Secure Futures Solar

(540) 466-6128

[email protected]

SOURCE Secure Futures LLC

Related Links

http://www.securefutures.us


Computational imaging (CI) techniques exploit optical device and calculation algorithms to reconstruct object information. A key goal of CI is to develop more advanced algorithms in order to simplify hardware equipment and improve imaging quality.

Deep learning, one of the most powerful algorithms, uses a deep neural network to learn from a large number of input-output data pairs so as to establish mapping relationships among data. It has been widely used for CI and has achieved state-of-the-art results in many imaging problems. However, most existing deep-learning-based CI methods face challenges in data collection and generalization.

In a recent study, investigators from the Chinese Academy of Sciences described how they combined an untrained neural network and physics knowledge to eliminate the limitations of deep-learning-based CI methods.

"Our imaging method does not need a large amount of data to train a neural network. All it needs is the measurement of the object recorded by the detector and the physics model from the object to the measurement," said Prof. SITU Guohai, leader of the research team.

The researchers demonstrated their technique on a lensless quantitative phase imaging problem, which requires reconstructing the phase information lost in the detection stage.

The new approach is based on a deep neural network (DNN), a multi-layer calculation model widely used to fit different mapping functions from a lot of training data pairs, and the free space propagation principle, which has been established by hundreds of years of research.

The researchers turned to knowledge of the optical system to enhance the parameters' optimization of DNN. They fed the measured intensity diffraction pattern to a randomly initialized DNN (untrained), took the output of the DNN as the estimation of phase information, and calculated the estimate of the intensity diffraction pattern starting from the estimated phase by the free-space propagation principle.

Then, the parameters in the DNN were updated to minimize the error between the measured and estimated pattern. Along with the minimization of error, the output of DNN also converges upon real phase information.

"While most previous deep-learning-based CI methods used a lot of training data to optimize the parameters in DNN, our approach exploits the raw measurement and the physical model," said SITU. "It's a general method that can be used to reconstruct different kinds of objects."

The researchers tested their technique by using it to image a phase object. The new approach was able to resolve phase information using a single intensity diffraction pattern.

"The new approach for phase imaging is a single shot, non-interferometric method, which has great potential in microscopy and optical metrology. Also, a similar framework can be used in various CI methods provided that the physical model is known," said SITU.

This work was supported by the Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Sino-German Center, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

###
DENVER, CO, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- - Intrepid Potash, Inc. (Intrepid) (IPI) today reported its results for the first quarter of 2020. Please note a change in the conference call format described in the body of the press release due to updated Denver County stay-at-home restrictions.



Key Takeaways for Q1 2020

 Cash flow from operations of $14.8 million

 Net loss of $7.4 million, or $0.06 per share, driven by a one-time litigation settlement described below

 Adjusted net loss(1) of $2.0 million, or $0.02 per share

 Adjusted EBITDA(1) of $8.8 million

 Highly restricted sale of 320 acres of Intrepid South fee land for $4.8 million, resulting in a $4.7 million gain.

Recent Developments

Retired Series A Senior Notes of $20 million at maturity on April 16, 2020. After the payment, Intrepid had $26 million in cash on hand, $30 million outstanding on its senior notes, and $30 million in borrowing under its revolving credit facility with $44 million available to borrow.



Received $10 million loan under CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program. Intrepid will only use the money to fund payroll and other eligible expenses and expects the majority of the loan will be forgiven pursuant to the current guidelines of the CARES Act.

"We have taken significant steps to assist our employees and communities as we work through the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic." said Bob Jornayvaz, Intrepid's Executive Chairman, President, and CEO. "For our communities, we donated our stockpile of personal protective gear to the local hospital in Moab, Utah and continue our outreach and support of the hospitals and clinics near all our operating sites. As an essential business that supports agriculture, animal feed, and the oil and gas industry, we take our responsibilities seriously. We took decisive steps to safeguard our employees, contractors, and visitors early in March and our facilities continue to operate at normal rates. We established work at home policies for support staff while taking the necessary precautions at our mine sites, including staggered schedules, additional cleaning protocols, visitor limitations, and social distancing whenever possible. We also acknowledge the considerable mental, physical and financial stress caused by the pandemic, and we have provided our employees with resources to support their wellbeing. I'm continually impressed by the strength and resilience of our employees, their families, and the communities where we live and work. It will remain our top priority to support all these groups as we work through these challenging times together."

Story continues

Jornayvaz continued, "Good weather across our key regions resulted in robust potash and Trio sales volumes and we saw strong demand in higher-priced international Trio markets and from our water customers during the quarter. This led to better than expected cash from operations during the quarter as we continue to adjust to the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic we reduced our 2020 capital investment guidance to $15-$20 million to conserve cash and we continue to focus on cost reductions across the organization. While we operate in one of the best oil and gas basins in the United States, recent decreases in the price and demand for oil have created uncertainty in operator's completion schedules and we expect reduced demand for water for the remainder of the year. Despite the downturn in demand, we executed on our strategy to monetize the South ranch in multiple ways through a heavily restricted sale of fee land. In the sale, we retained all water rights, surface access, and limited the use of caliche on the property to prevent sales to third parties. We are working on several other projects with operators in the area as we look to maximize the value of this unique asset. Looking ahead, we expect our diversified revenue streams will help us manage through this ever-changing time and we remain confident in the long-term potential of our company."

Consolidated Results

Intrepid generated a first quarter net loss of $7.4 million, or $0.06 per share and adjusted net loss of $2.0 million or $0.02 per share. Consolidated gross margin decreased to $5.6 million in the first quarter compared to the prior-year period. The decrease in gross margin was driven primarily by reduced average net realized sales price(1) and increased cost of goods sold for potash as a result of the below average evaporation at our potash facilities in the summer of 2019. In the first quarter of 2020, as compared to the first quarter of 2019, Intrepid sold a higher percentage of premium Trio tons, which carry a higher per ton carrying cost than our other Trio products. Significant wet weather at our Wendover facility limited the production of magnesium chloride and the product available for sale in the first quarter of 2020, as compared to the first quarter of 2019. These factors more than offset the $3.1 million increase in water sales compared to the first quarter of 2019. Given the dynamic nature of the COVID-19 pandemic Intrepid cannot reasonably estimate the impacts on its financial condition, results of operations or cash flows in the future. The Company expects that the COVID-19 pandemic will have a material effect on revenue growth and overall profitability, particularly for its oilfield solutions segment in future reporting periods.

Net loss was further impacted by the accrual of a $10 million settlement payment agreed upon at our March settlement hearing relating to the Mosaic litigation and partially offset by a gain of $4.7 million on the restricted sale of 320 acres of fee land at the Intrepid South property.

Segment Highlights

Potash

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 (in thousands, except per ton data) Sales $ 33,791 $ 34,330 Gross margin $ 4,334 $ 9,364 Potash sales volumes (in tons) 99 88 Potash production volumes (in tons) 137 110 Average potash net realized sales price per ton(1) $ 255 $ 288

Gross margin decreased $5.0 million in the first quarter of 2020, compared to the same period in 2019, due to the decrease in average net realized sales price per ton, increased per ton production costs, and a decrease in byproduct sales.

Sales in the first quarter of 2020 were similar compared to the same period in 2019, as a 13% increase in sales volume was offset by an 11% decrease in average net realized sales price per ton and a $1.8 million decrease in byproduct sales. Agricultural sales volumes benefited from good weather, partially offset by a decrease in industrial sales volumes. Average net realized sales price per ton was lower due to price decreases announced in the summer of 2019 and under the winter-fill program announced in January 2020. Intrepid also sold fewer tons into the industrial market which generally carries higher pricing. Potash segment byproduct sales decreased due to a $1.0 million decrease in magnesium chloride sales and a $0.9 million decrease in salt sales. Wet weather conditions reduced magnesium chloride production during the 2019 season and limited the amount of product available for sale in the first quarter of 2020. Salt sales decreased compared to 2019 as salt availability improved in certain regions of the country in the first quarter of 2020 which reduced Intrepid's sales footprint.

Cost of goods sold increased 19% in the first quarter of 2020, compared to the same period in 2019, due to a 13% increase in sales volume and higher per ton production costs across Intrepid's facilities as a result of the below average evaporation in 2019.

Potash production increased 25% compared to the first quarter of 2019 as Intrepid produced less salt at its Moab facility which allowed for additional days of potash production.

Trio 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 (in thousands, except per ton data) Sales $ 22,581 $ 17,809 Gross (deficit) margin $ (3,555 ) $ 731 Trio sales volume (in tons) 76 56 Trio production volume (in tons) 50 63 Average Trio net realized sales price per ton(1) $ 193 $ 206

Trio generated a gross deficit of $3.6 million in the first quarter of 2020, compared to a gross margin of $0.7 million in the first quarter of 2019 as increased sales volumes were offset by lower average net realized sales price and increased cost of goods sold.

Sales increased 27% as compared to the same period in 2019 due to a 36% increase in Trio sales volume offset by a 6% decrease in the average net realized sales price per ton. Increased sales volume was a result of good weather in domestic markets that has advanced the spring application season a few weeks compared to an average year and an increase in export sales. International Trio sales volumes increased 48% in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the first quarter of 2019, due to the timing of shipments to international customers. Intrepid's Trio average net realized sales price per ton decreased 6% during the first quarter of 2020 as compared to the first quarter of 2019 due primarily to lower domestic pricing.

Cost of goods sold increased 57% compared to the first quarter of 2019, due to increased sales volume and a higher percentage of tons sold as premium Trio which has a higher per ton carrying cost than other Trio products. Also, in the first quarter of 2019, a higher portion of tons sold had been written down in prior quarters through lower of cost or net realizable adjustments which resulted in lower per ton costs of product sold.

Trio production volume decreased 21% in the first quarter of 2020, compared to the first quarter of 2019, as Intrepid used fewer tons of work-in-process inventory to convert to premium Trio.

Oilfield Solutions

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 (in thousands) Sales $ 7,741 $ 6,623 Gross margin $ 4,844 $ 3,073

Gross margin increased $1.8 million, or 58% compared to the first quarter of 2019. Sales increased $1.1 million in the first quarter of 2020, compared to the same period in 2019, mainly due to a $2.6 million increase in water sales offset by a $1.8 million decrease in sales of potash in our high-speed mixing service. Oilfield solutions water sales increased due to strong demand and the acquisition of additional water rights as part of Intrepid South.

Recent decreases in the price and demand for oil as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic have led to reduced demand for water and Intrepid's high-speed mixing service. Intrepid expects the planned reduction in activities by operators will reduce its water sales in the second quarter, and likely into the second half of 2020, although the unprecedented conditions resulting from COVID-19 make forecasting future demand difficult. Given this uncertainty, Intrepid is suspending its 2020 water guidance.

Liquidity

Cash provided by operations was $14.8 million during the first quarter of 2020. Cash used in investing activities was $0.9 million, as additions to property, plant, and equipment were mostly offset by a $4.8 million sale of land on the Intrepid South property. As of March 31, 2020, Intrepid had $44.4 million in cash and cash equivalents.

On April 16, 2020, Intrepid repaid at maturity its Series A Senior Notes in the amount of $20 million. After the payment, Intrepid had $26 million in cash on hand, $30 million outstanding on its senior notes, and $30 million in borrowing under its revolving credit facility with $44 million available to borrow.

In April 2020, Intrepid also completed the approval process and was funded for a loan under the CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program. Under the program, Intrepid borrowed $10 million. Intrepid will use the loan to fund payroll and other eligible expenses. Pursuant to the current guidelines of the CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program, Intrepid expects the majority of the loan will be forgiven. Intrepid entered into amendments with its senior noteholders and under its credit facility to permit the additional indebtedness.

Notes

1 Adjusted net (loss) income, adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (or adjusted EBITDA) and average net realized sales price per ton are non-GAAP financial measures. See the non-GAAP reconciliations set forth later in this press release for additional information.

Unless expressly stated otherwise or the context otherwise requires, references to tons in this press release refer to short tons. One short ton equals 2,000 pounds. One metric tonne, which many international competitors use, equals 1,000 kilograms or 2,204.62 pounds.

Conference Call Information - Please note the updated format

A teleconference to discuss the quarter is scheduled for May 7, 2020, at 12:00 p.m. ET. The dial-in number is 1-800-319-4610 for U.S. and Canada, and is +1-631-891-4304 for other countries. The call will also be streamed on the Intrepid website, intrepidpotash.com .

Due to the extension of Denver County's stay-at-home policy until May 8, Intrepid is not able to hold a question and answer session with investors on May 7. Intrepid will hold another live call for investors on Monday, May 11 at 12:00 p.m. ET, to respond to investor questions. Intrepid believes the change in the timing and process of its investor call better aligns with its actions to limit the exposure to COVID-19 and will lead to a more productive teleconference.

Intrepid plans to release its first quarter 2020 10-Q on May 7. Intrepid encourages those with questions to read the 10-Q and email questions directly to Intrepids Investor Relations team ( ir@intrepidpotash.com ) or to Matt Preston, Vice President of Finance, ( matt.preston@intrepidpotash.com ) in advance of the meeting. On Monday's call, Intrepid will hold an extended question and answer session and respond to both email and live questions. The dial-in number for the Q&A call on Monday, May 11 is 1-800-319-4610 for U.S. and Canada, and is +1-631-891-4304 for other countries. The call will also be streamed on the Intrepid website, intrepidpotash.com .

An audio recording of both the conference call and the investor Q&A call will be available at intrepidpotash.com and by dialing 1-800-319-6413 for U.S. and Canada, or +1-631-883-6842 for other countries. The replay will require the input of the conference identification number 4399 or 4557, for the conference call or the investor Q&A call, respectively.

About Intrepid

Intrepid is a diversified mineral company that delivers potassium, magnesium, sulfur, salt, and water products essential for customer success in agriculture, animal feed, and the oil and gas industry. Intrepid is the only U.S. producer of muriate of potash, which is applied as an essential nutrient for healthy crop development, utilized in several industrial applications, and used as an ingredient in animal feed. In addition, Intrepid produces a specialty fertilizer, Trio, which delivers three key nutrients, potassium, magnesium, and sulfate, in a single particle. Intrepid also provides water, magnesium chloride, brine, and various oilfield products and services.

Intrepid serves diverse customers in markets where a logistical advantage exists and is a leader in the use of solar evaporation for potash production, resulting in lower cost and more environmentally friendly production. Intrepid's mineral production comes from three solar solution potash facilities and one conventional underground Trio mine.

Intrepid routinely posts important information, including information about upcoming investor presentations and press releases, on its website under the Investor Relations tab. Investors and other interested parties are encouraged to enroll at intrepidpotash.com , to receive automatic email alerts for new postings.

Forward-looking Statements

This document contains forward-looking statements - that is, statements about future, not past, events. The forward-looking statements in this document relate to, among other things, statements about Intrepid's future financial performance, cash flow from operations expectations, water sales, production costs, acquisition expectations and operating plans, its market outlook, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the company. These statements are based on assumptions that Intrepid believes are reasonable. Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are uncertain. The particular uncertainties that could cause Intrepid's actual results to be materially different from its forward-looking statements include the following:

changes in the price, demand, or supply of Intrepid's products and services;

challenges to Intrepid's water rights;

Intrepid's ability to successfully identify and implement any opportunities to grow its business whether through expanded sales of water, Trio  , byproducts, and other non-potassium related products or other revenue diversification activities;

Intrepids ability to integrate the Intrepid South assets into its existing business and achieve the expected benefits of the acquisition;

Intrepid's ability to sell Trio  internationally and manage risks associated with international sales, including pricing pressure and freight costs;

the costs of, and Intrepid's ability to successfully execute, any strategic projects;

declines or changes in agricultural production or fertilizer application rates;

declines in the use of potassium-related products or water by oil and gas companies in their drilling operations;

Intrepid's ability to prevail in outstanding legal proceedings against it;

Intrepid's ability to comply with the terms of its senior notes and its revolving credit facility, including the underlying covenants, to avoid a default under those agreements;

further write-downs of the carrying value of assets, including inventories;

circumstances that disrupt or limit production, including operational difficulties or variances, geological or geotechnical variances, equipment failures, environmental hazards, and other unexpected events or problems;

changes in reserve estimates;

currency fluctuations;

adverse changes in economic conditions or credit markets;

the impact of governmental regulations, including environmental and mining regulations, the enforcement of those regulations, and governmental policy changes;

adverse weather events, including events affecting precipitation and evaporation rates at Intrepid's solar solution mines;

increased labor costs or difficulties in hiring and retaining qualified employees and contractors, including workers with mining, mineral processing, or construction expertise;

changes in the prices of raw materials, including chemicals, natural gas, and power;

Intrepid's ability to obtain and maintain any necessary governmental permits or leases relating to current or future operations;

interruptions in rail or truck transportation services, or fluctuations in the costs of these services;

Intrepid's inability to fund necessary capital investments;

the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Intrepid's business, operations, liquidity, financial condition, and results of operations;

Intrepid's ability to regain compliance with the continued listing criteria of the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"); and

the other risks, uncertainties, and assumptions described in Intrepid's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including in "Risk Factors" in Intrepid's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, as updated by subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.

In addition, new risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for Intrepid to predict all risks that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements Intrepid may make.

All information in this document speaks as of the date of this release. New information or events after that date may cause our forward-looking statements in this document to change. We undertake no duty to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to conform the statements to actual results or to reflect new information or future events.

Contact:

Matt Preston, Vice President - Finance

Phone: 303-996-3048

Email: matt.preston@intrepidpotash.com









INTREPID POTASH, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED)

FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2020 AND 2019

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 Sales $ 63,984 $ 57,554 Less: Freight costs 11,860 10,456 Warehousing and handling costs 2,904 2,236 Cost of goods sold 43,047 31,694 Lower of cost or net realizable value inventory adjustments 550  Gross Margin 5,623 13,168 Selling and administrative 6,599 5,807 Accretion of asset retirement obligation 435 417 Litigation settlement 10,075  (Gain) loss on sale of asset (4,696 ) 19 Other operating (income) expense (11 ) 501 Operating (Loss) Income (6,779 ) 6,424 Other Income (Expense) Interest expense, net (792 ) (603 ) Interest income 116  Other (expense) income 16 334 (Loss) Income Before Income Taxes (7,439 ) 6,155 Income Tax Benefit 42  Net (Loss) Income $ (7,397 ) $ 6,155 Weighted Average Shares Outstanding: Basic 129,572 128,730 Diluted 129,572 130,880 Earnings Per Share: Basic $ (0.06 ) $ 0.05 Diluted $ (0.06 ) $ 0.05





INTREPID POTASH, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (UNAUDITED)

AS OF MARCH 31, 2020 AND DECEMBER 31, 2019

(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)

March 31, December 31, 2020 2019 ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents $ 44,371 $ 20,603 Accounts receivable: Trade, net 31,862 23,749 Other receivables, net 1,554 1,247 Inventory, net 87,860 94,220 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 4,669 5,524 Total current assets 170,316 145,343 Property, plant, equipment, and mineral properties, net 372,057 378,509 Water rights 19,184 19,184 Long-term parts inventory, net 28,403 27,569 Other assets, net 7,726 7,834 Total Assets $ 597,686 $ 578,439 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Accounts payable $ 12,377 $ 9,992 Income taxes payable 50 50 Accrued liabilities 27,461 13,740 Accrued employee compensation and benefits 3,994 4,464 Advances on credit facility  19,817 Current portion of long-term debt 20,000 20,000 Other current liabilities 19,393 19,382 Total current liabilities 83,275 87,445 Advances on credit facility 29,817  Long-term debt, net 29,781 29,753 Asset retirement obligation 22,574 22,140 Operating lease liabilities 3,577 4,025 Other non-current liabilities 420 420 Total Liabilities 169,444 143,783 Commitments and Contingencies Common stock, $0.001 par value; 400,000,000 shares authorized; 129,643,509 and 129,553,517 shares outstanding at March 31, 2020, and December 31, 2019, respectively 130 130 Additional paid-in capital 653,946 652,963 Retained deficit (225,834 ) (218,437 ) Total Stockholders' Equity 428,242 434,656 Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity $ 597,686 $ 578,439





INTREPID POTASH, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED)

FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2020 AND 2019

(In thousands)

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 Cash Flows from Operating Activities: Net (loss) income $ (7,397 ) $ 6,155 Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash provided by operating activities: Allowance for doubtful accounts 275  Depreciation, depletion and amortization 9,586 8,746 Accretion of asset retirement obligation 435 417 Amortization of deferred financing costs 86 68 Amortization of intangible assets 80  Stock-based compensation 1,032 1,031 Accrual for litigation settlement 10,075  Lower of cost or net realizable value inventory adjustments 550  (Gain) loss on disposal of assets (4,696 ) 19 Other  4 Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Trade accounts receivable, net (8,388 ) (3,057 ) Other receivables, net (308 ) (362 ) Inventory, net 4,976 (4,091 ) Prepaid expenses and other current assets 857 103 Accounts payable, accrued liabilities, and accrued employee

compensation and benefits 8,119 2,455 Operating lease liabilities (552 ) (479 ) Other liabilities 41 (2,888 ) Net cash provided by operating activities 14,771 8,121 Cash Flows from Investing Activities: Additions to property, plant, equipment, mineral properties and other assets (5,710 ) (3,958 ) Deposit on asset purchase  (3,250 ) Proceeds from sale of assets 4,786  Net cash used in investing activities (924 ) (7,208 ) Cash Flows from Financing Activities: Proceeds from short-term borrowings on credit facility 10,000  Employee tax withholding paid for restricted stock upon vesting (49 ) (112 ) Proceeds from exercise of stock options  9 Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities 9,951 (103 ) Net Change in Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash 23,798 810 Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash, beginning of period 21,239 33,704 Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash, end of period $ 45,037 $ 34,514 Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information Net cash paid during the period for: Interest $ 227 $ 49 Income taxes $  $  Amounts included in the measurement of operating lease liabilities $ 637 $ 565 Accrued purchases for property, plant, equipment, and mineral properties $ 2,557 $ 1,435 Right-of-use assets exchanged for operating lease liabilities $ 104 $ 5.916





INTREPID POTASH, INC.

UNAUDITED NON-GAAP RECONCILIATIONS

FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2020 AND 2019

(In thousands, except per share amounts)

To supplement Intrepid's consolidated financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP, Intrepid uses several non-GAAP financial measures to monitor and evaluate its performance. These non-GAAP financial measures include adjusted net (loss) income, adjusted net (loss) income per diluted share, adjusted EBITDA, and average net realized sales price per ton. These non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation, or as a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. In addition, because the presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures varies among companies, these non-GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies.

Intrepid believes these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to investors for analysis of its business. Intrepid uses these non-GAAP financial measures as one of its tools in comparing period-over-period performance on a consistent basis and when planning, forecasting, and analyzing future periods. Intrepid believes these non-GAAP financial measures are used by professional research analysts and others in the valuation, comparison, and investment recommendations of companies in the potash mining industry. Many investors use the published research reports of these professional research analysts and others in making investment decisions.





Adjusted Net (Loss) Income and Adjusted Net (Loss) Income Per Diluted Share

Adjusted net (loss) income and adjusted net (loss) income per diluted share are calculated as net (loss) income or (loss) income per diluted share adjusted for certain items that impact the comparability of results from period to period, as set forth in the reconciliation below. Intrepid considers these non-GAAP financial measures to be useful because they allow for period-to-period comparisons of its operating results excluding items that Intrepid believes are not indicative of its fundamental ongoing operations.

Reconciliation of Net (Loss) Income to Adjusted Net (Loss) Income:

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 (in thousands) Net (Loss) Income $ (7,397 ) $ 6,155 Adjustments Litigation Settlement 10,075  Gain on sale of asset (4,696 )  Total adjustments 5,379  Adjusted Net (Loss) Income $ (2,018 ) $ 6,155

Reconciliation of Net Income (Loss) per Share to Adjusted Net Income (Loss) per Share:

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 Net (Loss) Income Per Diluted Share $ (0.06 ) $ 0.05 Adjustments Litigation settlement 0.08  Gain on sale of asset (0.04 )  Total adjustments 0.04  Adjusted Net (Loss) Income Per Diluted Share $ (0.02 ) $ 0.05

Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (or adjusted EBITDA) is calculated as net (loss) income adjusted for certain items that impact the comparability of results from period to period, as set forth in the reconciliation below. Intrepid considers adjusted EBITDA to be useful, and believe it to be useful for investors, because the measure reflects Intrepid's operating performance before the effects of certain non-cash items and other items that Intrepid believes are not indicative of its core operations. Intrepid uses adjusted EBITDA to assess operating performance.



Reconciliation of Net (Loss) Income to Adjusted EBITDA:

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 2019 (in thousands) Net (Loss) Income $ (7,397 ) $ 6,155 Litigation settlement 10,075  Gain on sale of asset (4,696 )  Interest expense 792 603 Income tax expense (42 )  Depreciation, depletion, and amortization 9,586 8,746 Amortization of intangible assets 80  Accretion of asset retirement obligation 435 417 Total adjustments 16,230 9,766 Adjusted EBITDA $ 8,833 $ 15,921





Average Potash and Trio Net Realized Sales Price per Ton

Average net realized sales price per ton for potash is calculated as potash segment sales less potash segment byproduct sales and potash freight costs and then dividing that difference by the number of tons of potash sold in the period. Likewise, average net realized sales price per ton for Trio is calculated as Trio segment sales less Trio segment byproduct sales and Trio freight costs and then dividing that difference by Trio tons sold. Intrepid considers average net realized sales price per ton to be useful, and believe it to be useful for investors, because it shows Intrepid's potash and Trio average per ton pricing without the effect of certain transportation and delivery costs. When Intrepid arranges transportation and delivery for a customer, it includes in revenue and in freight costs the costs associated with transportation and delivery. However, some of Intrepid's customers arrange for and pay their own transportation and delivery costs, in which case these costs are not included in Intrepid's revenue and freight costs. Intrepid uses average net realized sales price per ton as a key performance indicator to analyze potash and Trio sales and price trends.

Reconciliation of Sales to Average Net Realized Sales Price per Ton:

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 (in thousands, except per ton amounts) Potash Trio Total Segment Sales $ 33,791 $ 22,581 Less: Segment byproduct sales 3,973 1,380 Freight costs 4,540 6,534 Subtotal $ 25,278 $ 14,667 Divided by: Tons sold 99 76 Average net realized sales price per ton $ 255 $ 193





Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 (in thousands, except per ton amounts) Potash Trio Total Segment Sales $ 34,330 $ 17,809 Less: Segment byproduct sales 5,785 1,259 Freight costs 3,242 5,035 Subtotal $ 25,303 $ 11,515 Divided by: Tons sold 88 56 Average net realized sales price per ton $ 288 $ 206





INTREPID POTASH, INC.

DISAGGREGATION OF REVENUE AND SEGMENT DATA (UNAUDITED)

FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2020 AND 2019

(In thousands)

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 Product Potash Segment Trio Segment Oilfield Solutions Segment Intersegment Eliminations Total Potash $ 29,818 $  $  $ (129 ) $ 29,689 Trio  21,201   21,201 Water 583 1,247 6,661  8,491 Salt 2,096 133   2,229 Magnesium Chloride 759    759 Brines 535  31  566 Other   1,049  1,049 Total Revenue $ 33,791 $ 22,581 $ 7,741 $ (129 ) $ 63,984





Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 Product Potash Segment Trio Segment Oilfield Solutions Segment Intersegment Eliminations Total Potash $ 28,545 $  $ 1,822 $ (1,208 ) $ 29,159 Trio  16,550   16,550 Water 340 942 4,104  5,386 Salt 3,001 317   3,318 Magnesium Chloride 1,740    1,740 Brines 704    704 Other   697  697 Total Revenue $ 34,330 $ 17,809 $ 6,623 $ (1,208 ) $ 57,554





Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 Potash Trio Oilfield Solutions Other Consolidated Sales $ 33,791 $ 22,581 $ 7,741 $ (129 ) $ 63,984 Less: Freight costs 5,441 6,548  (129 ) 11,860 Warehousing and handling

costs 1,296 1,608   2,904 Cost of goods sold 22,720 17,430 2,897  43,047 Lower of cost or net

realizable value inventory

adjustments  550   550 Gross Margin (Deficit) $ 4,334 $ (3,555 ) $ 4,844 $  $ 5,623 Depreciation, depletion, and amortization incurred1 $ 7,312 $ 1,508 $ 632 $ 214 $ 9,666 Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 Potash Trio Oilfield Solutions Other Consolidated Sales $ 34,330 $ 17,809 $ 6,623 $ (1,208 ) $ 57,554 Less: Freight costs 4,640 5,035 781  10,456 Warehousing and handling

costs 1,267 969   2,236 Cost of goods sold 19,059 11,074 2,769 (1,208 ) 31,694 Gross Margin $ 9,364 $ 731 $ 3,073 $  $ 13,168 Depreciation, depletion, and amortization incurred1 $ 6,795 $ 1,558 $ 190 $ 203 $ 8,746

(1) Depreciation, depletion, and amortization incurred for potash and Trio excludes depreciation, depletion, and amortization amounts absorbed in or relieved from inventory.
Stephen Walt, a professor of international affairs at Harvard, wrote by email that Trump has responded

to the crisis with his now-familiar playbook: blaming others, denying responsibility, invoking racial differences and foreign dangers, and trying to discredit honest reporting so that he can sell a false narrative about the great job hes doing.

As a result, Walt continued, Trump has gotten at most a minor bump in his approval ratings, far less than other presidents have received at moments of national emergency, which, in turn,

suggests that most Americans arent buying the con this time around. People can see the impact of the crisis in their communities, in their workplaces, and in their own families, and I think most Americans recognize that he blew this big time.

In a March essay, A World Less Open, Prosperous, and Free, Walt wrote:

The crisis will also accelerate the shift in power and influence from West to East. South Korea and Singapore have responded best, and China has reacted well after its early mistakes. The response in Europe and the United States has been slow and haphazard by comparison, further tarnishing the aura of the Western brand.

Other foreign policy experts have elaborated on this assessment of the Trump administration.

Mira Rapp-Hooper, senior fellow for Asia Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, was explicit in her critique of the American response under Trump, writing in a March 24 essay, China, America, and the International Order after the Pandemic:

The U.S. governments pandemic leadership has been its own special brand of catastrophe. The American president denied the threat, rejected scientific expertise, spread misinformation, and left state and local governments to fend for themselves in public trust violations of the highest order.

In effect, Rapp-Hooper contends, Trump opened the door to China, his claimed adversary:

With shambolic self-governance, the U.S. government has placed its own citizens in unnecessary peril, while sidelining itself from acting as a global crisis leader in a way that is unprecedented in the last seven decades. China is all too happy to fill the vacuum.

Trumps inability to fully capitalize on the pandemic politically lends a degree of credibility to those who argue that the electoral consequences of the current crisis may be relatively modest  or at least are yet to be determined.

Bruce Cain, a political scientist at Stanford, emailed that he and several colleagues, including Morris Fiorina and David Brady, both of at Stanford, and Sandy Maisel at Colby, regularly meet via Zoom to discuss politics.

We all doubt that anything will change Democrats and Republicans minds one way or the other in November. Polarization is subsuming short term forces and campaigning effects. If we can polarize the weather, as we have with climate change, we can polarize a virus.

The parties, Cain continued,

are already heavily racialized so it is hard to imagine that Covid is going to change either Democratic or Republican minds about globalization, immigration or racial tolerance.

Eric Kaufmann, a political scientist at the University of London and author of the book Whiteshift: Immigration, Populism and the Future of White Majorities, has a more optimistic take on the likely political consequences of the pandemic: My view is that Covid-19 weakens national populism because it reduces cultural threat.

It does so, Kaufmann observes, because it

a) cuts immigration, b) cuts globalization, c) raises the profile of health care and the economy, two material issues, and reduces the profile of culture war issues which drive right populism, d) compels faith in experts, making it riskier to entrust burn it all down populists with power and e) focuses on the (relatively diverse and foreign-born) health care workers as heroes.

Bart Bonikowski, a sociologist at Harvard, argues that short-term developments notwithstanding, right-wing populism will remain a force nationally and globally. He notes that in recent years, aggregate Americans attitudes toward immigrants and minorities have been shifting, on average, toward greater inclusion and there is no reason to expect these trends to reverse in the post-Covid era.

The future of conservative populism, in Bonikowskis view, will vary country by country:

Most right-wing populist parties are led by political amateurs who have little regard for scientific expertise and effective governance  hardly a winning combination in the midst of a pandemic. But they are adept at scapegoating others  elites, minorities, other countries  for domestic social ills, while undermining institutional norms. What is more certain is that regardless of their ability to capitalize on the current crisis, radical-right parties will continue to be a feature of contemporary politics for years to come.

Ryan Enos, a political scientist at Harvard, foresees serious detrimental consequences. While there is evidence that pathogen avoidance is linked to anti-immigrant and other group-centric attitudes and that would point to the pandemic stoking xenophobic attitudes, Enos wrote in an email, these issues have been made so salient during the Trump administration, that there is probably much less room for any event to cause these attitudes to move.

In the long term, in Enoss view, the consequences of the health care crisis will expose

another trend that has become more acute during the Trump presidency, which is the glaring abdication of global leadership by the United States. The is the greatest global crisis since the Cold War and the United States has become an inward looking and bungling sideshow.

Justin Gest, a political scientist at George Mason University and the author of The New Minority: White Working Class Politics in an Age of Immigration and Inequality wrote me:

The nature of the United States governments response has already dimmed the possibilities for new forms of social solidarity. Rather than create a universal program that nationalized payroll and avoided layoffs like Denmark, congressional acts have distributed loans and money to people through business owners and welfare. The White House has eschewed Americas historic international leadership and suggested that every country is out for itself. It has divested from institutions of global governance that work across borders, like the United Nations and the multilateral effort to find a vaccine. The president has blamed foreigners for the proliferation of disease and suspended immigration. Finally, because many people of minority backgrounds work in essential jobs, live in high-density neighborhoods, or lack access to health care, they have been disproportionately exposed to risk. The rhetoric of Were all in this together falls flat when not everyone is rescued by the government, when not everyone is protected, and when we insularly blame others rather than recognize the universality of this challenge.

The conclusion drawn by Dani Rodrik, an economist at Harvard, addresses the impact of the coronavirus on global power relations:

Covid-19 may well not alter  much less reverse  tendencies evident before the crisis. Neoliberalism will continue its slow death. Populist autocrats will become even more authoritarian, Rodrik wrote at Project Syndicate:

China and the U.S. will continue on their collision course and the battle within nation-states among oligarchs, authoritarian populists, and liberal internationalists will intensify, while the left struggles to devise a program that appeals to a majority of voters.

Lets shift perspective for a moment. Judith Butler, a professor of comparative literature at Berkeley, in response to an email I sent her, sent me an interview she did with a professor of philosophy at Emory, George Yancy, published April 30 at Truthout. I think she has captured something no purely political or economic analysis can.

Yancy asked Butler to speak to how youre thinking about vulnerability at this moment, especially in terms of how that vulnerability isnt equally distributed. Butler replied:

On the one hand, the pandemic exposes a global vulnerability. Everyone is vulnerable to the virus because everyone is vulnerable to viral infection from surfaces or other human beings without establishing immunity. Vulnerability is not just the condition of being potentially harmed by another. It names the porous and interdependent character of our bodily and social lives. We are given over from the start to a world of others we never chose in order to become more or less singular beings. That dependency does not precisely end with adulthood. To survive, we take something in. We are impressed upon by the environment, social worlds and intimate contact. That impressionability and porosity define our embodied social lives. What another breathes out, I can breathe in, and something of my breath can find its way into yet another person. The human trace that someone leaves on an object may well be what I touch, pass along on another surface or absorb into my own body. Humans share the air with one another and with animals; they share the surfaces of the world. They touch what others have touched and they touch one another. These reciprocal and material modes of sharing describe a crucial dimension of our vulnerability, intertwinements and interdependence of our embodied social life.

Butler went on:

On the other hand, the public response to the pandemic has been to identify vulnerable groups  those who are especially likely to suffer the virus as a ravaging and life-threatening disease and to contrast them with those who are less at risk of losing their lives from the pathogen. The vulnerable include Black and Brown communities deprived of adequate health care throughout their lifetimes and the history of this nation. The vulnerable also include poor people, migrants, incarcerated people, people with disabilities, trans and queer people who struggle to achieve rights to health care, and all those with prior illnesses and enduring medical conditions. The pandemic exposes the heightened vulnerability to the illness of all those for whom health care is neither accessible nor affordable. Perhaps there are at least two lessons about vulnerability that follow: it describes a shared condition of social life, of interdependency, exposure and porosity; it names the greater likelihood of dying, understood as the fatal consequence of a pervasive social inequality.

Although, the worst outcome  the kind warned of by Jones, Inglehart and the New York Fed  has not materialized, there is no guarantee that it wont. The more Trump feels cornered, the more dangerous he and his angry, frightened followers can become.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And here's our email: letters@nytimes.com.

Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram.
HNX - 5/6/2020 8:34:00 AM

Pursuant to the Document No. 163/CNNT dated 23/04/2020 of Ninh Thuan Water Supply Joint Stock Company regarding the cancellation of the shareholder list for attending 2020 Annual General Meeting, Vietnam Securities Depository (VSD) would like to announce as follows:

Cancelling the shareholder list for holding 2020 Annual General Meeting on the record date of 06/04/2020.

Reason for cancellation: Due to Covid  19 epidemic, the company decided to change the meeting date of 2020 Annual General Meeting.
A PIL was filed in the Delhi High Court on Wednesday seeking direction to the AAP government to close liquor shops here until the coronavirus pandemic is under control.

The plea was mentioned for an urgent hearing and it is likely to be listed on May 8.

The petition by NGO, Civil Safety Council of India, challenged the Delhi government and its Excise Department's decision to open liquor shops in the city from Tuesday without any planning and crowd management.

The plea, filed through advocate Arvind Vashistha, said the people of Delhi are facing complete lockdown for the last so many days but the May 3 notification regarding opening of liquor shops has failed the whole system, set up by the state, and it is going waste and putting the life of citizens in danger.

Liquor consumption is not in consonance with the directive principles of state policy, under which improving public health is among the primary duties of the state. This would include prohibition of intoxicating drinks and drugs which are injurious to health, the plea said.

It said due to this decision, a large number of persons have lined up outside liquor shops in the city for the second consecutive day, when they were re-opened after a 40-day dry spell because of the coronavirus lockdown.

The plea said that on May 4, the authorities imposed a 'special corona fees' of 70 per cent tax on MRP of all liquor brands but even then the public gathered at outside liquor shops in huge number without following the social distancing guidelines.

Instead of closing the shops, the government increased the tax on it but the situation is the same, it said, adding that the steps taken by the Delhi government will be more critical and there are full chances of increase in coronavirus or COVID-19 cases.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
For restaurant delivery, think 15-20%. Newfield says that even before the pandemic, a lot of people were tipping 22% at better restaurants, and now some people are tipping 40% for delivery. But thats not your average tip. Carrico, the Gig Workers spokesperson, estimates that people are tipping about 15% for restaurant delivery nationwide. A local Grubhub driver responding to the Tribunes query on Facebook said she typically gets tips of 20% or more. Of the 63 Facebook users responding clearly to the Tribune restaurant query, 51 indicated that they tip at least 20%. Six of the 51 named a specific amount over 20%, ranging from 25% to 50%. An additional four people said they tip in the 10-15% range and eight gave flat dollar amounts from $5 to $30.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 6) President Rodrigo Duterte cannot reverse the National Telecommunications Commission's controversial order on the shutdown of media giant ABS-CBN's broadcast operations, his spokesperson said Wednesday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque told CNN Philippines that the chief executive cannot overrule actions rendered by the NTC, a quasi-judicial body. This means that only the courts can review the NTC's decisions.

"They can only be reviewed by our courts, either the Court of Appeals or our Supreme Court. I think that makes it very clear that there is no way the President could influence the decision of a quasi-judicial body," Roque said in an interview with The Source.

"We leave it to those with specialized competence to deal with the matter," he added.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra also stressed it would be "useless" to discuss the issue of a possible recall of the directive, as Duterte has repeatedly said he would not intervene with the judgment call of the NTC.

He said that while the President has control over all agencies under the executive department, it does "not mean that NTC decisions are appealable to the Office of the President."

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman also shared the sentiment, noting that Duterte can only overrule NTC decisions made in the exercise of its administrative jurisdiction.

"I don't think so (revoking NTC order), because the cease and desist order was issued by the NCT in exercise of its quasi-judicial authority, not in the exercise of its administrative jurisdiction," Lagman said in a separate interview with CNN Philippines.

"With respect to a quasi-judicial function or decision, then it should be the courts which should be able to review the legality of the action of the NTC," he added.

Exploring legal remedies

Retired Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, on the other hand, said NTC's order was rolled out in accordance with the high court's 2003 decision (Associated Communications & Wireless Services versus NTC), which stated that there is a need for an existing license before a corporation can operate.

The ruling, which was earlier pointed out by Former Chief Justice Reynato Puno, says that even with a grant of a temporary license, entities still cannot operate with an expired franchise.

Carpio said that a legal remedy for the case is for the media network to obtain a temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court.

ABS-CBN went off air on Tuesday evening in compliance with the order to stop operations due to the expiry of its legislative license.

The move comes in contrast with the agency's earlier promise to issue the network a provisional permit, pending action on the franchise renewal measures lobbied in Congress.

RELATED: SolGen warns NTC of graft charges if it issues ABS-CBN provisional permit

The development was met with a flurry of protests from netizens, who have called for the upholding of press freedom, as well as lawmakers, who warned of the additional burden this may cause to the current COVID-19 crisis.

The Palace welcomed the remarks and criticisms, but stressed that only lawmakers have the power to grant a fresh franchise to allow the media giant back on air.

"I think getting a franchise could be a speedier remedy for ABS-CBN. That's why the President has asked me to tell lawmakers that he is absolutely neutral in this regard," Roque added.

Lawmakers from both chambers have also expressed optimism that hearings on the 12 pending measures will push through by next week. However, members of the House of Representatives said they are awaiting green light from the leadership.

Roque also said the Labor Department will be consulted on the possible grant of financial assistance to the 11,000 affected media workers of the network.

Despite the signoff, ABS-CBN's digital platforms including its online news websites, video streaming services, and social media platforms will continue to operate.

CNN Philippines' Anjo Alimario contributed to this report.
As we approach the close of the spring semester at Winona State University, Im struck by how different this year is from any other that came before it.

In the 162-year history of this university, theres never been a semester quite like this.

Classes were suspended for part of the Civil War, and there werent any commencement ceremonies between 1861 and 1866. There were widespread concerns during the Spanish Flu epidemic in 1918, when several WSU students became ill and others volunteered to make protective masks, just as many do today.

During the Great Depression and World War II, there was talk of closing the university. But until now, never before were classes transformed into a different pedagogy halfway through a semester, and never before has the university transitioned the traditional commencement exercises into an alternate format.

Typically this time of year, campus would be bustling  busier than ever with classes and students studying late into the night, research events, joyous celebrations of a new graduating class and the culmination of another academic year.

Instead, its quiet, and eerily so, with classrooms and offices abandoned in the pursuit of protecting and preserving the greater good.

In the face of the unknown, despite the disruption and disconnection, what Ive seen emerge are heroes  across the Winona community and throughout our Winona State faculty, staff and students.

Our faculty rose to the challenge to continue our commitment to our academic mission, translating the vigor and creativity of academic pursuit to digital channels  chat, video, simulation platforms.

Thanks to our eWarrior program, formerly called the laptop program, WSU was uniquely positioned for success when this semesters classes were forced suddenly to migrate online. In the first week of online education alone, our community hosted more than 3,000 separate Zoom sessions, with a staggering total of more than 35,108 attendees. We are still a community of learners  just a virtual community.

WSU was also uniquely positioned to continue our commitment to improving our world.

Through our eWarrior program, we were able to help institutions address their IT challenges, supplying laptops and iPads to higher education partners and health-care facilities in and around the state.

We inventoried resources campus-wide and found hospital beds, masks and other supplies we could donate to local health-care providers, and housing assets that could provide housing for medical professionals as well as serve as potential alternate care environments as needed.

We vow to continue to be good neighbors here in Winona and in Rochester so that our assets and expertise can benefit the communities we serve. This is simply what good neighbors do, just as Winona Health and many others have helped us time and again in the past.

I continue to be impressed at every turn by the ingenuity, generosity and thoughtfulness I see present in our communities during this profoundly challenging time.

Many people are wondering what the future holds, and we dont have an answer to that yet  much will depend on projections for the coming weeks and the guidance of public health officials.

But what I can tell you is that Winona State will persevere. We survived the Civil War, World Wars I and II, the Spanish Flu epidemic, the Great Depression. We will survive this, and we will emerge stronger.

But we couldnt do that without the support of the greater community, and for that, I thank you.

Scott R. Olson is president of Winona State University.

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New Delhi:

In a huge setback for the Arvind Kejriwal Government, the Delhi High Court today held that the LG is the administrative head of National Capital Territory and the AAP Government's contention that he is bound to act on the advice of Council of Ministers was "without substance".

Check out top 5 stories on August 4:

1. Setback for Kejriwal Govt as HC says LG is Delhi administrative head

In a huge setback for the Arvind Kejriwal Government, the Delhi High Court today held that the LG is the administrative head of National Capital Territory and the AAP Government's contention that he is bound to act on the advice of Council of Ministers was "without substance".

2. Gujarat High Court quashes 10 per cent EBC quota ordinance

The Gujarat High Court today quashed a state ordinance on 10 per cent quota for economically backward classes among the unreserved category, in a setback to BJP government which had taken the step to pacify the agitating Patel community.

3. Rajnath barely shook hands with his counterpart Khan at SAARC meet

The ongoing strain in Indo-Pak relations was evident at the SAARC Interior/Home Ministers conference here when Home Minister Rajnath Singh came face-to-face with his Pakistani counterpart Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan for the first time today and the two leaders barely shook hands.

4. BSP supremo Mayawati meets Dalit victims in Una

BSP supremo Mayawati today reached Una to meet the Dalit victims who were , who were thrashed by 'cow vigilantes' at Una in Gir-Somnath district and are admitted in the civil hospital here.

5. Hillary Clinton a founder of ISIS: Donald Trump

Hillary Clinton is a founder of ISIS, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has alleged as he stepped up his attack against the Democratic candidate.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
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Californias superbloom was expected to be bust due to a historical drought that plagued the state earlier this year.

However, a March Miracle brought significant rainfall that birthed fields of fiery orange poppies across the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve landscape.

NASA has now shared a stunning image of the wildflowers as seen from space, which shows patches throughout the valley.

Park officials called this bloom an unexpected surprise due to the late season rains, but suggest the wildflowers may stick around longer than usual.

Scroll down for video

NASA has now shared a stunning image of the wildflowers as seen from space, which shows patches of blooms throughout the valley

The US Drought Monitor showed 60 percent of California was either abnormally dry or in a moderate drought in January and February of this year, when rainfall is necessary for the state's superbloom.

Richard Minnich, a professor of geography in the Earth Sciences Department at the University of California, Riverside, told SFGate in February: The rains have shut off since Christmas.

It also has been a cold winter and that suppressed the growth of everything. Ive seen years where we have the March Miracle.

Weve had a year where its terrible all winter and then we have a gush of rain in March.

Californias superbloom was expected to be bust due to a historical drought that plagued the state earlier this year. However, a March Miracle brought significant rainfall that birthed fields of fiery orange poppies across the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve landscape

Park officials called this bloom is an unexpected surprise due to the late season rains, but suggest the wildflowers may stick around longer than usual

'If we dont get any late rains, it will be a bust this year, and the late rains might be too late anyway. Were being hurt by the January-February drought this year.

California received its Miracle March with enough rainfall for its majestic superbloom.

Lancaster, where the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve is located, received around 10.5 inches of rain in March and April, which is nearly four inches above the average.

A sea of orange poppies fill the valley, so much that NASA's Operation Land Image (OLI) satellite was able to capture an image of the stunning bloom while orbiting in space.

For years, crowds have flocked to the park to catch a glimpse of the stunning bloom, but due to the coronavirus pandemic it has been shutdown to visitors. However, the outbreak is not stopping people from enjoying the views  many have disregarded officials to run, dance and pose for photos in fields. Pictured is a face mask among the flowers

Lancaster, where the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve is located, received around 10.5 inches of rain in March and April, which is nearly four inches above the average. The heavy rainfall was just enough to sprout flowers across the valley

Although California residents are under stay-at-home orders amid the coronavirus, some could not miss the chance for a photo in the fields of poppies

California is known for its stunning blooms that usually occur in the spring months. Poppies grow wild across the landscape and is destination for thousands of people

For years, crowds have flocked to the park to catch a glimpse of the stunning bloom, but due to the coronavirus pandemic it has been shutdown to visitors.

However, the outbreak is not stopping people from enjoying the views  many have disregarded officials to run, dance and pose for photos in fields.

California State Parks Interpreter Jean Rhyne told SFGate: There are a lot of people not obeying the stay-at-home order, but visitation to the valley is only a fraction of what it would normally be at this time.

People from all over take the trip to southern California to visit the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve near Lancaster

The Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve State Natural Reserve has been closed to the public temporarily to avoid large gathering, but some could not resist visiting the stunning bloom

California has been under stay-at-home orders for more than a month due to the coronavirus - the Golden State has more than 56,000 cases and over 2,000 reported deaths.

Although the coronavirus has infected nearly every country around the world, the US has been hit the hardest.

As of Wednesday there are over 1.2 million cases and more than 72,000 deaths across the nation.
COVID-19 deaths, hospitalisations and lockdowns could be over this year, says WHO

Sonia Gandhi, Cong CMs question Govt's strategy after lockdown 3.0

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, May 06: Former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Wednesday during a web interaction on COVID-19 with Congress president Sonia Gandhi questioned the government on its steps after the third phase of lockdown ends.

''We need to know what will happen after lockdown 3.0,' ex-PM Manmohan Singh said during a meeting with Congress CMs.

The meeting was held on Wednesday through video conferencing. And the Chief Ministers of Punjab, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Puducherry will be attending.

The meeting comes in the wake of the announcement by the Congress to bear the cost of travel of the stranded migrants and Rahul Gandhi's talk with Noble laureate Abhijeet Banerjee.

Congress is harping on the condition of the migrant labourers and the poor, who it says have been badly affected by the unplanned lockdown. By taking up this issue, the party is strategically avoiding direct conflict with the Union Government and yet taking up the issue to corner the Centre on the plight of the poor.
Overnight strikes on positions held by Iranian-backed militias and their allies in eastern Syria killed 14 fighters, a war monitor said on Tuesday. It was not immediately clear who carried out the strikes in the desert near the town of Mayadin, which came minutes after Syrian air defences intercepted Israeli strikes over the north of the country, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. A spokesman for the US-led coalition battling the Islamic State group said it was not responsible for the strikes. Observatory head Rami Abdul Rahman said it was "likely" that Israel mounted the operation, which killed several Iraqi as well as Iranian fighters. State media did not report the strikes. Iranian-backed militias and their allies command a significant presence in eastern Syria south of the Euphrates Valley. The region lies close to the Iraqi border. Israel has launched hundreds of strikes in Syria since the start of the civil war in 2011, targeting government troops, allied Iranian forces and Hezbollah fighters. It rarely confirms details of its operations in Syria but says Iran's presence in support of President Bashar al-Assad is a threat and that it will continue its strikes. An Israeli diplomatic official, who asked that their name be withheld, did not comment on the strikes but said "Iran was only country still shipping missiles and missiles technologies to their proxies in the region" amid the global health crisis. Just before midnight on Monday, Syrian air defences intercepted Israeli missiles targeting a research facility in Aleppo province, state media said. State news agency SANA said the intercepted missiles targeted several "military depots" in the Al-Safira area southeast of Aleppo, Syria's government-held second city. On Friday, Israeli forces hit a missile depot in central Syria used by Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah, another Iran ally, hours after Israeli helicopters fired missiles at other targets in southern Syria. Commenting on the apparent intensification of Israeli raids, Yoram Schweitzer of Israel's Institute for National Security Studies told AFP the Jewish state might be reacting to increased hostile action from Iran and Hezbollah. It is also possible that Israel is trying to apply added pressure as its rivals endure the fallout of the coronavirus crisis, he said. "I don't know which one of the two it is, but might be a combination of the two," Schweitzer said.
T he death toll among Covid-19 patients in the UK has risen by 449 to above 25,000.

NHS England announced 331 new coronavirus deaths on Wednesday, bringing the total number of confirmed hospital fatalities in the country to 22,049.

A further 21 people have died after testing positive for coronavirus in Wales, taking the total number of deaths there to 1,044, health officials said.

In Scotland, 83 new deaths were recorded, bringing the total to 1,703, and Northern Ireland has seen another 14 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing its total to 418.

The number of deaths in UK hospitals now stands at 25,214.

Coronavirus in numbers: UK death toll rises to 29,427

The statistics are from each individual NHS body and differ from those released each day by the UK Government, which include fatalities in the wider community.

Yesterday, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced that the official UK death toll had risen to 29,427  with a further 693 deaths confirmed over night.

This means Britain has now overtaken Italy in the number of recorded fatalities, making it Europe's worst-hit country.

Of the 22,049 confirmed reported deaths so far in hospitals in England, 11,575 (52 per cent) were people aged 80 and over while 8,547 (39 per cent) were 60-79.

A further 1,761 victims were aged 40-59, with 155 aged 20-39 and 11 aged 0-19, according to NHS England.

The number of deaths announced so far by University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust has reached 798.

This is the highest number for any trust in England.

It comes after figures provided by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and National Records of Scotland (NRC) painted a bleaker picture of UK fatalities.

Their findings reveal that just under 33,000 Covid-19-related deaths have now been registered across the UK.

Data published by the NRC on Wednesday showed Scotland had registered 2,795 deaths involving the virus up to May 3.

This follows yesterday's ONS figures which found that 29,710 deaths had been registered in England and Wales up to May 2.

The latest available figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, published last week, showed 393 deaths involving Covid-19 had been registered in Northern Ireland up to April 29.

Listen to The Leader: Coronavirus Daily podcast



Together these figures mean that so far 32,898 deaths have been registered in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate, including suspected cases.
ALBANY, N.Y.  A Kansas farmer has gotten more than he expected when he donated an N95 mask to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo last month.

First, Dennis Ruhnke received plaudits from around the country for keeping four masks for his family and mailing his last one to Cuomo, who highlighted the kind gesture during his nationally televised coronavirus briefing April 24.

Then on Tuesday afternoon, Ruhnke received his college degree from Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly.

Ruhnke left college in 1971 and was two credits short of earning his degree in agriculture when his father died, the governor wrote on Facebook.

"He chose to leave school to take care of his mother and the family farm," she wrote. "Dennis kindness and lifelong career in agriculture make him more than qualified to receive a degree."

Post by GovLauraKelly.

Ruhnke and his wife, Sharon, both in their 70s, had five masks on their farm, but figured they would send the one they weren't using to New York, which at the time was facing a shortage of personal protective equipment as the nation's epicenter for coronavirus.

Sharon has one lung, among other health problems.

"Enclosed find a solitary N-95 mask left over from my farming days. It has never been used," Ruhnke wrote to Cuomo.

"If you could, would you please give this mask to a nurse or doctor in your state?"

Cuomo praised the selflessness during his daily COVID-19 briefings that are carried on national news channels, holding up the mask that the farmer had provided.

"You want to talk about a snapshot of humanity? You have five masks," Cuomo said. "What do you do? Do you keep all five? Do you hide the five masks? Do you keep them for yourselves or others? No, you send one mask to New York to help a nurse or a doctor."

Cuomo continued, clutching the mask: "How beautiful is that? I mean, how selfless is that? How giving is that?"

Tennessee is giving out free masks to residents: The state hopes it will increase testing

Story continues

Dennis and his wife, Sharon talk on the front porch of their home near Troy, Kan. Friday, April 24, 2020. Dennis, a retired farmer, shipped one of the couple's five N95 masks to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for use by a doctor or a nurse.

Ruhnke initially was so overwhelmed by the recognition that he didn't even want his last name revealed.

"I didn't want any notoriety," he said at the time, noting he had missed Cuomo's briefing that day.

But with the national media soon covering the story, Ruhnke started to provide his name to outlets.

Kansas State University President Richard Myers presented Ruhnke with the bachelor's degree during the ceremony.

We read that Dennis, who sent 1 of his 5 masks to NY for a healthcare worker, was awarded his college degree today



Gov Cuomo tracked down his number



He gave an entire country reason to believe in the goodness of America & that should be celebratedhttps://t.co/u1UnG86wyc pic.twitter.com/3slfu6p7Sc  Melissa DeRosa (@melissadderosa) May 6, 2020

Tuesday night, Cuomo gave his congratulatory phone call, saying on Twitter: "Congratulations Dennis. Your kindness continues to shine and inspire."

Ruhnke said he didnt write the letter to be in the spotlight, according to TV station KSN.

But he did offer some advice to others during these difficult times.

Many of those who wrote to me to thank me asked me how they could help. Just pay it forward as much as you can afford to do so to honor all those who have lost their lives, Ruhnke said.

Follow Joseph Spector on Twitter: @GannettAlbany

Happy birthday, Archie!: Harry and Meghan's baby turns 1 in LA, stars in adorable Instagram video

All night, my eyes are open: After mass job losses, Americans forced to choose: Pay bills or buy food?

This article originally appeared on New York State Team: Kansas farmer who donated mask to Gov. Cuomo gets college degree
06.05.2020 LISTEN

I, first of all, extend my greetings and appreciation to the President and everyone who had been supporting the dreams of the President in this trying times. In fact, the President has tried any other means to fight this pandemic but the more the cases of this stubborn virus is shooting up.

The citizens are all doing well to fight this virus even to the extent of taking in concoctions that help to boost the immune system since we are made known that our immune system fights against the Coronavirus and adhering to the all the precautionary measures except just a few ones.

As our Elders say, "When God creates a blind person, He creates his helper". Just recently, Madagascar was blessed to find a cure for this virus which other Researchers claim that there is no cure. After this cure was found, some funny things are happening that I think the attention of Africans must be drawn to.

The WHO had warned that this cure found in the Africa land is not tested and hence should not be taking in, even though all evidence shows that it curing people with the virus. I personally do not agree with the WHO and how they see Africans. I must say that our ancestors didn't have any laboratory for testing any medicines but their medicines were perfect.

Our ancestors grew very old but why are we not growing old even in the presence of all the so-called ultramodern testing labs? What even shows that whatever the Western land discovers is better? Just recently, Tanzania took a blood sample of a goat and pawpaw and tested it with the test kit brought from this Western land but something awful and awkward happened. The sample of the pawpaw and goat tested Positive. These are the people we are waiting for their vaccines while their test kits are testing positives on pawpaws and goats. Does this not sound funny?

Let me draw the attention of Ghanaians and Africans on the statistics of recovery by the countries that had to take this concoction from Madagascar at the time of my research. Cambodia had 122 cases with 120 recoveries and 0 death, whiles Madagascar had 128 cases with 92 recoveries and 0 death. Other African countries such as Equatorial Guinea, Senegal had all joined the train of countries travelling to the Island to pick up the drug to cure it, people, with some other neighboring countries such as DR Congo, Guinea Bissau showed interest in it.

So the question I'm now asking is that, Are we still waiting for their vaccine or we are going for the cure from our African neighbour (Madagascar) or we should still wait for our Doctors? This is the time for all African countries to reconsider our thought because the Western countries still have a perception that, Africans are good for nothing and hence this virus will kill us all so that they will come for our natural resources in the name of providing us with their so-called vaccines but hardly did they know that, something better could come out of Nazareth as once said in the Bible. Africans, this is the time for us and our Leaders to rise and act.

I still believe in our Africa and hence, AFRICA SHALL RISE AGAIN!!!

The writer (Justice Phinehas Gyesi) can be reached through his email on [email protected]
It could be Kanye Wests outspoken political views or always controversial music which makes the rapper-turned-sneaker-designer a household name. Perhaps its his marriage into one of the most widely recognizable families in America or the fact that his beautiful wife, Kim Kardashian, is the queen of social media. Either way, Wests fans are following his every move with rapt attention. Critics wonder as West leads his private Sunday worship concerts if the rapper isnt trying to become a religious leader. However, West insists he wants fans to follow their spirit and not him.

Kanye Wests multifaceted career has taken him to the top

Kanye West | Randy Holmes/Walt Disney Television via Getty Images

West is most widely known as a musician and songwriter, but thanks to some influence from his wife, he can now add fashion mogul to the list. In fact, his collection of real estate combined with the success of his fashion line, Yeezy, has officially pushed him over the billionaire mark. According to Forbes, Kanye has officially made the list of celebrity billionaires for the first time.

West currently poses on the cover of the May edition of GQ

Wests cover shoot for Mays edition of GQ shows him posing on his land in Wyoming; the big sky looms behind him. But his personality wont be muted by the size of the landscape behind him. The superstars persona shines through in his eclectic wardrobe and, maybe more notably in the shadows of the matte black tank he stands atop.

Its the tank that really draws our attention. Its a symbol of the rappers power and star status, for sure. But, what does it tell us about Wests plans for the future? The tank leads many to believe he sees himself as a leader to be followed in an almost militaristic fashion.

For the intensive GQ interview, Will Welch spent three months traveling to three different countries to talk to West about his music and his faith. The rapper insists his faith in God is not about gaining followers, but about allowing his fans to learn about Christ and follow their own heart.

He doesnt see himself as a leader, he is simply an individual

At Wests large ranch in Wyoming, he plans to create an atmosphere of spiritual learning while also taking his clothing lines production business there. Despite being the inspirational leader for his now-iconic Sunday Services, he makes it clear that he doesnt want people to blindly follow him. Hes setting the stage for people to follow his example.

According to his lengthy interview in GQ, thats what he means when he says he is creating a new paradigm for human living. He wants to lead by example.

West explains: You get into a position and you become influential, and that becomes more of your goal rather than following your spirit and your anointing. He doesnt want his goal to ever be just being influential. He wants to remain true to himself, following his spirit. He makes it clear he wants his fans to do the same.

So look, Im not telling anybody who they should vote on, what they should wear, where they should live, he continues, Im doing me. If you just so happen to catch a photograph of me doing me, thats what I was doing! Im not doing nobody else in the photograph.

His fame and position bring him a lot of criticism

Wests lead by example ideology seems to come as a defense against his haters. Hes been getting quite a bit of push back on his new-found Christian claims. Christians, especially, have been questioning Kanyes sincerity regarding his claims to be born again and look back on his past to see how his current ideals match up with his previous behavior.

Many claim that he is simply using his faith as an attention-seeking publicity stunt, much like when he posed as Jesus in 2006 for Rolling Stones cover image.

Columnist Tobi Oredein of Premier Christianity argues that there is one major flaw in Kanyes Sunday Services, her major issue with Kanyes Sunday Services is that they appear to be exclusive clubs for the rich and famous. Its an invite-only worship service, and it is not what was intended by a church gathering. Oredein points out what everyone is thinking: This is just another of Wests publicity stunts.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 6) - The start of classes may come earlier for private schools, should the government's Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) allow it, Education Secretary Leonor Briones said on Wednesday.

Briones clarified that the start of classes on August 24, which was earlier announced, would apply to both public and private schools.

"Private schools who want to open in June may do so if allowed by the IATF and DOH (Department of Health) guidelines, and no face-to-face for June," Briones said Wednesday.

The Department of Education (DepEd) is finalizing the Learning Continuity Plan (LCP), which will detail changes in policy and practices necessary to ensure education will continue amid the COVID-19 crisis.

"We have repeatedly consulted and collaborated with our partner institutions and organizations in crafting the LCP, which includes key features on K-12 curriculum adjustments, alignment of learning materials, various modalities of delivery, and corresponding teacher and parent or guardian training for homeschooling," the DepEd said in a statement.

"Our policies will also be continuously guided by science and by the advice of our health experts," it added.

The Learning Continuity Plan will have to be presented to the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Disease once finalized.

Briones announced on Tuesday that the next school year will officially open on August 24 and end on April 30, 2021.

READ: School year 2020-21 to formally begin on August 24, says DepEd chief

The department said that the decision to delay the start of classes will help make sure that learners and teachers are given enough time to prepare and be equipped to adjust to the new learning environment.

Briones clarified that the start of the academic year 2020-2021 in August does not necessarily mean elementary and high school students will physically return to schools. Classes can be conducted online, until the government allows the reopening of school buildings, which were temporarily closed to mitigate the spread of coronavirus disease.

"Opening can be face-to-face or virtual, depending on the decisions of the IATF," Briones said. "No need for face-to-face if not allowed by IATF."

CNN Philippines' correspondent AC Nicholls contributed to this report.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 22:50:57|Editor: huaxia

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MADRID, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The coronavirus has caused a crash in the number of foreign tourists visiting Spain in March, according to the monthly data published in a study by the Spanish Statistical Office (INE).

The study showed that international arrivals fell by 64.3 percent during March when compared with the same period of 2019, while tourist spending dropped by 63.3 percent.

The INE said it was only able to count the number of visitors who arrived by road or rail until March 16, when Spain's land frontiers with France and Portugal were closed, while arrivals by aircraft or ports were counted until March 21.

Until Spain was forced to lockdown, each visitor had spent an average of 1,097 euros (2.7 percent more than in the same period in 2019) and stayed in the country for 7.2 days.

The United Kingdom was the main source market for Spain, with 397,117 visitors traveling to the country, followed by 288,903 French and 277,862 German tourists.

The data comes on the same day when the European Commission estimated Spain will suffer a 9.2 percent drop in GDP because of the coronavirus in 2020.

Tourism accounts for around 14 percent of Spain's GDP and 2019 saw Spain welcome 83.7 million foreign tourists, who spent a total of 92.2 billion euros. Enditem
Norwegians cultivated as sources of information "don't realize" that the diplomats are also basically spies, counterintelligence chief notes.

Three diplomats at the Russian Embassy in Oslo were identified by newspaper Aftenposten on Wednesday as having ties to Russia/s military intelligence agency known as GRU, earlier accused of murder and poisonings in addition to spying, while Norway's own police intelligence agency PST claims the "real number" of intelligence agents operating in Norway "is much higher."

"We can confirm that Russia's intelligence service and those of various other countries use their embassy as a cover for their intelligence officers," Hanne Blomberg, chief of counter espionage at PST, told Aftenposten, according to newsinenglish.no. "We are aware that several of the Russian intelligence-gathering agencies have a presence in Norway and use diplomatic cover through the embassy."

She added that "Aftenposten has found its way to three. The real number of intelligence agents who operate in Norway is much higher."

Aftenposten reported that it used residential address databases described as normally closed to the public but possible to access in Moscow because various private and public entities need to use them every day. The newspaper also claimed it used some of the same methods used to identify two alleged Russian tourists in the UK who were revealed as Russian GRU agents sought in a poisoning attack on a former KGB defector and his daughter in Salisbury. The suspects' registered addresses were the same as those of the diplomats in Norway.

Aftenposten also noted how the identities of 305 GRU employees in Moscow were revealed in 2018 following various leaks from Russian address lists made possible due to poor data security.

None of the three men was willing to comment on Aftenpostens information from the Russian databases, where they were registered by name, birthdate, address and ID number.

Read alsoFinland should brace for Russian hybrid aggression  experts

The Russian Embassy itself claimed in a lengthy written response to the newspaper that the questions posed by Aftenposten "have nothing to do with diplomatic relations between Russia and Norway." In the embassy's statement sent to the newspaper, it suggested that there are laws to protect "personal information" deemed "unsuitable" for being made public.

PST has been warning for years that Russia, along with China, represents a major security threat to Norway. So do spies posing as diplomats as they travel around Norway, nurture contacts and gain access to politicians in Parliament, government ministries and companies.

"What they want is contact with individuals, sources, to gain information they otherwise wouldn't get," PST told Aftenposten. "They want information on technology, research, sensitive company information and political decision-makers. Sometimes they want to influence decision-making processes."

Read alsoSBU nabs Russian spy who gathered intel on Ukrainian missile systems (Photo, video)

One of the biggest problems they pose for Norwegian officials is their diplomatic immunity that allows them to avoid prosecution under Norwegian law. "With diplomatic immunity, they can operate relatively freely in Norway as intelligence officers," PST's Blomberg said. "The only thing they risk is being found out and sent home."

PST's counter-espionage chief is also concerned that Norwegians cultivated as sources of information "don't realize" that the diplomats are also basically spies. "Sometimes they (the agent-diplomats) combine their intelligence gathering with completely legal, normal diplomatic activity," Blomberg said. "That gives them access to interesting people and operations. Individual Norwegians don't understand that until it's way too late."

Asked why those suspected or confirmed as being tied to their homeland's intelligence agency aren't sent out of the country, Blomberg said that there can be cases where they were declared unwanted in Norway and sent home quietly.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 22:54:42|Editor: huaxia

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A man jogs in rain near the Washington Monument in Washington D.C., the United States, May 6, 2020. Private companies in the United States shed around 20.2 million jobs in April as the COVID-19 fallout continues to ripple through the country, U.S. payroll data company Automatic Data Processing (ADP) reported on Wednesday. Payrolls in service-providing industries declined by 16,007,000 and goods producers cut 4,229,000 jobs, according to the report. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

WASHINGTON, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Private companies in the United States shed around 20.2 million jobs in April as the COVID-19 fallout continues to ripple through the country, U.S. payroll data company Automatic Data Processing (ADP) reported on Wednesday.

Payrolls in service-providing industries declined by 16,007,000 and goods producers cut 4,229,000 jobs, according to the report.

Large firms shed 8,963,000 workers, medium companies 5,269,000 and small businesses 6,005,000 employees, the report showed.

"Job losses of this scale are unprecedented. The total number of job losses for the month of April alone was more than double the total jobs lost during the Great Recession," Ahu Yildirmaz, co-head of the ADP Research Institute, said in a statement.

"Additionally, it is important to note that the report is based on the total number of payroll records for employees who were active on a company's payroll through the 12th of the month," he said, noting the report does not reflect the full impact of COVID-19 on overall employment.

Economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago said Tuesday that the true unemployment rate could rise to between 25.1 percent and 34.6 percent in April, citing a new measure of labor market underutilization that is tailored to the COVID-19 crisis.

Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Richard Clarida also said on Tuesday that the unemployment rate could surge to the worst level since the 1940s as the economy is on track for a sharp contraction in the second quarter caused by the pandemic.

"We're living through the most severe contraction in activity and surge in unemployment that we've seen in our lifetimes," Clarida said in an interview with U.S. television network CNBC. Enditem
Since the lockdown, Karishma Tanna has been to the hospital multiple times  a few times for her mother, who needed treatment for her back pain, and then for a quick surgery for her ingrown toe nail.

I didnt expect that I would have to go to the hospital and have the nail removed. There was a fungal infection and was paining a lot. Doctors suggested that I get the small operation. Going to the hospital during the lockdown was quite unusual. They were only treating emergency patients, she says. Tanna has been posting photos of her workout, despite the pain in her toe. She admits that she does light stretching which she does after she takes her painkillers. Doctors have advised her not to put pressure on her toes, so any regular workouts are out for the moment.

The Nagin actor found driving around Mumbai when the streets are deserted quite eerie. It made me feel sad as this has never happened. I have been born and brought up in Mumbai and I like the citys hustle bustle and I want it back. I want to feel the energy of the city again, she says.

Tanna has been eager to get back to work and is missing being on the sets. I have been feeling a whirlwind of emotions. Sometimes, I feel that this will pass and on other days, I feel we are all stuck. I feel anxiety about the situation. Then, on other days, I feel we should make the most of this time and learn new things. And most of all, I want to work and go back to the sets. I am sure others are feeling the same too. I think, shootings wont start before September-October [this year]. The new normal will be something that we will all have to adjust to. Shootings and social distancing will have to be worked out. It would require a plan, she concludes.

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France-Armenia Chamber of Commerce and Industry has expressed concern over the illegal activities against Gurgen Khachatryan, the chairman of the Ucom board of directors.

The statement runs as follows:

The France-Armenia Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been following closely the developments around Ucom and Galaxy Group of Companies, within the scope of its mission in Armeniawhich is the improvement and development of the commercial, business and investment climate.

We are convinced that the business and investment environment in this difficult transition period in Armenia must be protected from instability, from a decrease in business confidence and from an atmosphere of mistrust.

In this context, it was particularly disturbing to see the Prime Minister's newly appointed spokesperson's Facebook statement about the government's intention to interfere in the sale of Ucom's shares and the events around Gurgen Khachatryan, the chairman of the company's board of directors.

The RA Constitution proclaims freedom of economic activity and guarantees economic competition. It also defines the economic order of the State, which is based on private ownership, freedom of economic activity and free economic competition, with the goal of achieving general economic well-being and social justice through state policies.

At the same time, the main governing principle in the Republic of Armenia is that of separation and balance of the legislative, executive and judicial powers.

Being deeply convinced that the three branches of power in Armenia must be independent, we would like to believe that the spokesperson's remarks about the possibility of an unhealthy interdependence of the judicial and executive powers are simply a result of her inexperience.

In a rule of law state, the executive refrains from interfering in disputes among shareholders, from influencing such disputes or putting pressure on shareholders. Also, before a court verdict is reached, it refrains from making controversial and dubious statements and/or actions that may affect the impartiality of the courts decision and have a negative effect on the Republic of Armenia's business environment and the country's attractiveness for investments.

We continue to follow the developments, and we are hopeful that the parties will refrain from unlawful and unconstitutional approaches and actions.

Respectfully, and with a vision of the Republic of Armenia as a strong rule of law state,

France-Armenia Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
ZOLLIKOFEN, Switzerland, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Tracking crowd movements through a passenger contagion map, as well as identifying contagious groups at an early stage, will be two powerful tools that airports can actively use to ensure they will be compliant with post-COVID19 travel regulations, and can give returning travelers some peace of mind.

The advice comes from scientific research by Xovis, the world's leading provider of people flow management systems in airports and was published in a whitepaper. The company believes that physical distancing will be a key challenge for airports to deal with once passenger numbers increase again over the coming weeks.

The data builds upon Xovis' years of algorithms analyzing crowd movements and measuring queues and groups in a dynamic environment. It highlights how crowd density needs to be understood in context of a contagion map whereby both absolute contagion risk (where person-to-person infection is most likely to happen) and relative contagion risk (where the contagion risk is highest for an individual) need to be analyzed. In airports, places of particular attention will, of course, be security lines, but also areas that are frequently used and touched by passengers such as self-service facilities or bathrooms.

In addition, the detection of groups that violate physical distancing rules are another important factor for airports to consider.

Christian Studer, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Xovis explains: "Using a high-precision people flow monitoring system is the most effective way for airports to ensure physical distancing regulations are met. The whitepaper builds the foundation for implementing exactly this, while protecting airport workers from unnecessary risks and maintaining passenger experience levels."

"We've been helping airports for a decade to manage crowds with our 3D stereovision sensors. We're glad that our unparallel accuracy and privacy compliant solution can now be adapted to serve new use cases that have emerged recently," adds Florian Eggenschwiler, Xovis' Managing Director Airports.

The complete scientific whitepaper is available for free PDF download here.

About Xovis

Switzerland-based Xovis is the world's leading provider of people flow solutions. So far, the company has deployed over 100,000 high-accuracy 3D sensors across a wide-range of industries. Nearly 100 airports as well as retail system integrators, and numerous other industries around the globe rely on Xovis solutions. Clients measure KPIs such as footfall, queue length and waiting times to optimize customer experience and increase revenue.

Contact

Xovis

Industriestrasse 1

3052 Zollikofen

Switzerland

https://www.xovis.com | info@xovis.com

LinkedIn | Twitter

Media contact

Christian Studer, CPO

+41-32-508-35-41

hristian.studer@xovis.com

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Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1164578/Whitepaper_Contagion_map.jpg

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A former CIA Station Chief warned that Monday's failed coup of Venezuela, which resulted in the arrest of two U.S. citizens, may have been infiltrated by Venezuela's intelligence unit or military.

Daniel Hoffman told Fox & Friends Wednesday that the arrested men  veterans Luke Denman, 34, and Airan Berry, 41 - could be used as leverage against the U.S. by Venezuela, warning that the foiled attack could 'make it that much more difficult for us'.

Denman and Berry were arrested Monday along with six Venezuelans following the launch of a haphazard coup organized by ex-Green Beret Jordan Goudreau. It came after eight people were killed and two more arrested on Sunday also linked with the failed plot.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro claimed the attack was an attempt to assassinate him, placing blame on the Trump administration, Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaido and neighboring Colombia, all of which have denied any involvement.

Venezuela officials also claimed that one of the people arrested Sunday was a drug smuggler linked to the US Drug Enforcement Administration. The DEA has denied involvement in the weekend's events.

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Venezuelan Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez presented a video Tuesday from Jose Alberto Socorro Hernandeas which allegedly includes an admission from Hernandeas that he works with the DEA. The DEA has denied any involvement in the failed coup in Venezuela

Eight people, including two Americans, were arrested Monday as part of the failed coup. Former CIA Station Chief Brian Hoffman has warned that the arrested U.S. citizens could now be used as leverage by the Venezuelan government against the Unites States

Speaking on Fox, Hoffman claimed that the coup had not been as large as Maduro was claiming but that those involved showed 'horrifically bad judgement' because of the 'far greater impact' it would now have on U.S. relations with Venezuela.

He warned that the group training for the coup in Colombia may have been infiltrated and that it would be 'something for the United States to look at'.

'This is not the coup that Nicolas Maduro is claiming it to be, roughly 60 Venezuelans and a couple of retired US special forces,' Hoffman said, adding that there were three major ways that it would now affect relations.

Hoffman said that the reported links between Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido and the attack would cause Maduro to reiterate his claim that Guaido is a 'puppet of the United States', something he says is not true.

The United States has recognized Guaido as the legitimatize leader of Venezuela and has led the cause to oust Maduro.

'He [Maduro] will also try and use this as a scapegoat for Venezuela's failing economy, look at the drop in oil prices which has significantly impacted the world but Venezuela as well,' Hoffman added.

Former CIA station chief Brian Hoffman warned that Venezula's allies in Russia, Cuba, Iran and China would be advising Preisdent Maduro as he used the arrested Americans as leverage

Brian Hoffman, a former CIA station chief (pictured right), appeared on Fox&Friends on Wednesday, calling the failed coup attempt 'horrifically bad judgement' from those involved

The former CIA station chief warned of the way in which the arrested American citizens may now be used as leverage by the Venezuelan government.

'We have broken diplomatic relations with Venezuela and it's going to make it that much more difficult for us,' he said.

'We don't have an embassy in Caracas and we've got five Citgo employees who are also illegally detained.

'Maduro is known, among everything else, not only for narco-terrorism but also for violating human rights and extrajudicial killings. This is going to be a tough situation for us diplomatically.

Luke Denman (right) and Airan Berry (left), both former U.S. special forces soldiers, were arrested on Monday as part of a failed overthrow of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro

Luke Denman (left) and Airan Berry (right): Two arrested US 'mercenaries playing Rambo' are paraded after failed attempt 'to kill' Venezuela's Maduro in a failed raid, the president claimed

Two U.S. citizens arrested in Venezuela Monday are seen being taken into custody following a foiled plot to capture the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the socialist leader has claimed. The footage shows Venezuelan authorities catching the group as they attempted to land in a fishing boat and arresting them. Pictured is Airan Berry, a former U.S. soldier

'Now, it's over to Secretary Pompeo's team to try to negotiate a way out and expect the FBI to deal with the ringleader from Florida who apparently organized this,' he added.

Venezuela's allies in Cuba Iran, Russia and China would also be advising Maduro, he cautioned.

'Now our former Special Forces guys are going to be leveraged and there will be some negotiations and discussion about this,' Hoffman said.

'It may happen publicly because we don't have relations with Venezuela. But, make no mistake that Maduro will try to use them as leverage  first for propaganda and second as leverage.

'And, you are right: Cuba Iran, and Russia  not to mention China  are key allies of Venezuela and they'll be advising Maduro and helping him to gain maximum advantage over this ill-fated, poorly organized incursion attempt.'

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump denied all involvement in the failed coup in Venezuela that was established by a veteran who claims to have previously worked security for the president.

'We'll find out. We just heard about it,' Trump said when asked about the incident and the Americans' arrests.

'But it has nothing to do with our government.'

Goudreau is said to have hatched the plan for the coup after he met with associates with opposition leader Guaido. Keith Schiller (left), President Donald Trump's longtime bodyguard, is also said to have attended the meeting but has since cut ties with Goudreau

A still from a video on Goudreau's company website Silvercorp claims to show the ex-Green Beret working security at a Donald Trump rally in North Carolina in 2018. The website lists the President of the United States among its clients

It emerged that the ringleader Goudreau struck on the idea of a coup after meeting with Trump's longtime bodyguard Keith Schiller, who accompanied him to a meeting in Miami with activist Lester Toledo, then Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido's coordinator for the delivery of humanitarian aid.

The White House says Schiller cut off all contact with Goudreau after the meeting.

Venezuela on Tuesday pushed to highlight alleged links between the U.S. and Goudreau's plot, which the former Green Beret said was a plan to capture Maduro not assassinate him.

The Venezuelan government said one of the detainees who was arrested on Sunday worked for the US Drug Enforcement Administration and was linked to drug smuggling.

The DEA said it had 'no involvement in this weekend's events'.

Venezuelan Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez presented a video Tuesday from Jose Alberto Socorro Hernandeas who allegedly states his part in the coup.

Venezuelan Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez (left) claimed U.S. involvement in the failed coup and presented information which he said linked the plan back to the American government. The U.S. government has denied all knowledge of the attempt led by ex-Green Beret Jordan Goudreau. Rodriguez added that one of those arrested was linked to the DEA

'There is a very important testimony, that he is a DEA agent, he is a drug trafficker recruited by the DEA, something very common in the actions carried out by the Anti-drug Office of the United States of America,' he says of Hernandez' video.

Rodriguez claims that Hernandez would going to oversee the logistical parts of the attack once the group reached Venezuela.

'In other words, it is an operation that uses two main elements, on the one hand, the drug trafficking embodied in Jose Alberto Socorro Hernandez, which in turn is the link with the government of the United States of America through the DEA,' Rodriquez said.

He added a claim that the farm where the group trained and set off from is owned by a drug trafficker also linked to the DEA. Rodriguez said that on May 1, two boats set off from the farm of Elkin Javier 'Doble Rueda' Lopez Torres.

Elkin Javier 'Doble Rueda' Lopez Torres, an alleged drug trafficker who Venezuelan Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez claims is linked to the DEA and to the attempted coup

'And on the other [hand you have] a famous drug trafficker from the La Guajira Cartel, Elkin Javier 'Doble Rueda' Lopez Torres. I remember that Doble Rueda's farm in the Colombian peninsula of La Guajira is where the two boats departed to generate the armed terrorist incursion against Venezuela,' Rodriguez said.

'This is a branch that, as Jose Alberto Socorro Hernandez rightly says, quickly leads the DEA and [links] the DEA to the government of the United States of America and to the government of Ivan Duque [President of Colunbia] because according to his knowledge all the training activities and logistical provisioning of mercenaries and terrorists were carried out from his territory.'

Former Green Beret Jordan Goudreau has claimed responsibility for the failed coup on Venezuela. He claims to have previously worked security for President Donald Trump

Doble Rueda is said to be a family member of Marta Gonzalez, wife of Cliver Alcala Cordones, the ringleader of the Venezuelan military deserters who worked with Goudreau on a coup plot.

The Associated Press reported that Goudreau is believed to have met Alcala in Bogota, Columbia, where the former Venezuelan general explained how he had selected 300 combatants from among the throngs of low-ranking soldiers who abandoned Maduro and fled to Colombia in the early days of Guaido's uprising.

Last month, Alcala was indicted by U.S. prosecutors alongside Maduro as one of the architects of a narcoterrorist conspiracy that allegedly sent 250 metric tons of cocaine every year to the U.S.

Alcala is now in federal custody in New York awaiting trial. But before his surrender in Colombia, where he had been living since 2018, he had emerged as a forceful opponent of Maduro, not shy about urging military force.

Venezuela has been in a deepening political and economic crisis under Maduro's rule. Crumbling public services such as running water, electricity and medical care have driven nearly 5 million to migrate.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaking during a press conference on Monday in which he claimed that the coup was an attempt to assassinate him. He said that two U.S. veterans had been arrested and blamed the Trump administration for the scheme

The United States broke diplomatic ties with Venezuela last year amid heightened tensions, so there is no U.S. embassy in Caracas.

A coalition of nearly 60 nations backs opposition leader Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate leader, saying Maduro's 2018 election was a sham because the most popular opposition candidates were banned from running.

The United States has led the campaign to oust Maduro, increasing pressure in recent weeks by indicting the socialist leader as a narco-trafficker and offering a $15 million reward for his arrest in March.

In February, Guaido appeared as a surprise guest at President Trump's State of the Union address in which the U.S. President used his speech to support efforts to oust socialist Maduro.

Trump blasted Maduro as an an 'illegitimate dictatorship' and pledged to 'stand alongside the Venezuelan people to ensure a future that is democratic and prosperous'.

In response, Maduro has called Guaido a U.S. puppet seeking to oust him in a coup.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper was quick to distance his department and the U.S. government at large from a bizarre attempt at overthrowing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro that failed on Monday.

The raid resulted in the arrests of two U.S. citizens and roughly a dozen Venezuelans by local authorities. The Americans were later identified as two former Army Green Berets by a third former Green Beret whose company, Silvercorp USA, was purportedly behind the incursion.

The United States government had nothing to do with whats happened in Venezuela in the last few days, Esper said during a Pentagon press briefing Tuesday afternoon.

Former Green Beret turned private contractor Jordan Goudreau used his companys Twitter account to announce the raid Sunday, tagging President Donald Trumps own Twitter account in the process.

An Associated Press investigation published Friday reported that Goudreau worked with retired Venezuelan military Maj. Gen. Cliver Alcala  who separately was indicted by U.S. prosecutors on narcotics charges  to train Venezuelan defectors at secret camps in Colombia.

Ex-Green Beret led failed attempt to oust Venezuelas Maduro

The two U.S. citizens now in Venezuelan custody were identified as Luke Denman and Aaron Berry. Maduro held up what appeared to be an expired military ID with Denmans name on it and a Veterans Affairs ID with Berrys name during a televised address to Venezuelans on Monday.

Trump also denied any connection to the incident and told reporters before departing the White House on Tuesday that he had only just learned of Denman and Berrys detention by Venezuelan authorities.

Whatever it is, well let you know, Trump said. But it has nothing to do with our government.

Goudreau, who is based in Florida, has said hes working to help his detained colleagues. He alleged that he signed a contract with U.S.-backed Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido to overthrow Maduro, an agreement Guaido denies.

Story continues

The United States has been at odds with Maduros government, sanctioning and indicting officials there, as it attempts to pressure the leader to step aside and allow Guaido to take control.

Our view remains that Maduro is a brutal, corrupt leader who has oppressed the people of Venezuela, Esper said during the briefing. They deserve better and we will continue to make the case that he should step aside and allow an elected government to form and take that country in the rightful direction that it should go, a very democratic prosperous path that it was on many years before.

Goudreau provided to Miami-based journalist Patricia Poleo an eight-page general services agreement he said Guaido and his advisers signed in October 2019 with Silvercorp USA. Though the contract was for $213 million, Goudreau said Guaido never paid.

Due to the diplomatic row between the two countries, there is no U.S. embassy operating in Venezuelas capital of Caracas that could immediately assist the detained U.S. veterans. All consular services were suspended in March 2019 as crime, civil unrest and the economic outlook of Venezuela declined dramatically, according to the State Department.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Most employers are required to provide workers with health insurance that covers birth control. The Supreme Court is considering how wide the exemptions to that requirement should be. (Los Angeles Times)

The Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments on whether the Trump administration went too far in allowing employers to obtain exemptions on religious or moral grounds from a requirement to include contraceptive coverage for women in their insurance plans. But once again, the realities of how employer-based insurance functions seemed lost in the debate.

Which is too bad. Because, objectively, those realities make clear that there's no rationale for the exemptions that the Trump administration provided.

The case before the justices concerns the mandate in the Affordable Care Act that new health insurance policies cover certain preventive services with no out-of-pocket costs. Among those services were, "with respect to women, such additional preventive care and screenings ... as provided for in comprehensive guidelines supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration." The HRSA's guidelines specify a number of birth control methods, and that's where the trouble starts.

Some religious-affiliated employers and companies led by people with strong religious beliefs have fought a series of court battles in recent years to be exempted from all or part of the contraceptive mandate, saying it conflicts with their faiths. And the Supreme Court has given them some support in the past, ruling that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act requires the government to accommodate employers' sincerely held religious beliefs when implementing the contraceptive mandate.

The Obama administration offered a workaround that pushed the cost of contraceptive care onto insurers and plan administrators, meaning that employers who objected to the coverage wouldn't have to pay for it but their employees would still be covered automatically. Yet that didn't satisfy some employers, who argued that their insurance plans were being hijacked to provide contraceptive coverage, making them complicit in what they viewed as an immoral act. Among those employers was Little Sisters of the Poor, a Catholic service organization that had previously won an injunction allowing it not to comply with the contraceptive mandate.

Story continues

The Trump administration then took an egregiously large step in the other direction, disregarding the Obama administration's workaround in favor of flatly exempting any company with a religious objection to the contraceptive mandate. It also offered exemptions to many companies whose leaders opposed the mandate on moral grounds.

The result, as Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor observed Wednesday, was a system that allowed employers to stop their workers from having ready access to contraceptives with no out-of-pocket costs, contrary to Congress' clear and explicit intent.

Which raises the obvious question: Why should an employer's religious or moral beliefs affect the insurance policies its employees pay for? Because that's who is paying in reality; any contribution the employer makes to premiums comes out of the workers' total compensation.

But let's assume just for the sake of argument that the employer is still responsible somehow for the insurance, beyond merely picking the carrier or the administrator. Under the workaround (or accommodation) offered by the Obama administration, there would still be no responsibility for contraceptive coverage.

The accommodation completely severed the employer's connection to the coverage of birth control or the payment of claims. As two former Labor Department officials (both of them experts on employer health plans) explained in a brief to the court, "the accommodation did not, in any sense, employ the healthcare plans sponsored by objecting employers to provide the contraceptive coverage once the employer provided notification of its wish to opt out of the contraceptive requirement on religious grounds." Instead, the coverage would have been provided directly by the insurer or plan administrator that handled the employer's health plan.

Such technical arguments received only passing mentions during Wednesday's arguments, and yet they are the key to resolving this dispute.

The heart of the case is whether the contraceptive mandate and the Obama administration's workaround impose a substantial burden on the religious beliefs of employers. But if employers aren't providing the contraceptive coverage, there is no burden on them. That's what the Obama administration workaround accomplished.

You could argue that forcing insurers to cover contraceptives for women with no out-of-pocket costs imposes a substantial burden on religious-affiliated insurance companies, but as a lawyer for the Little Sisters conceded Wednesday, such insurers can't be compelled by the federal government to provide the benefit. The Little Sisters' insurer falls into that category.

Such details matter. So does Congress' decision that insurers cover preventive care with no out-of-pocket costs, including all the services for women identified by the Health Resources and Services Administration. The Trump administration tried to ignore that decision, and the Supreme Court should push the administration back into its lane.
As most of our readers will be well aware, the Temora Aviation Museum in New South Wales boasts one of Australias finest airworthy warbird collections. About three years ago, we highlighted the collections exciting decision to return their English Electric Canberra TT.18 back to flying condition. This aircraft served in Britains Royal Air Force as WJ680, and has been with TAM since 2001. Although she arrived in airworthy condition, and indeed flew on the Australian air show circuit for a while, it has been some time since her last flight. Maintaining such complex aircraft in flying condition is an expensive business, so its understandable when they sometimes run fallow. But with the centenary of the Royal Australian Air Force fast approaching, the museum decided to begin resurrecting the Cold War bomber so that she could participate in these celebrations around Australia in 2021. Canberras served for many years in the RAAF, including in combat over Vietnam. Furthermore, Australias Government Aircraft Factory at Fishermans Bend near Melbourne, Victoria built 48 of the type for indigenous service. And with the type being named after Australias capital city, these elegant aircraft hold a special place in the hearts of many in the nation. TAM have been methodically going through WJ680s systems over the past three years and are coming close to the day when she can take to the skies again. Since our last update in June, 2018 much progress has taken place. The museums latest update lists the following details for recent work

The Canberra major maintenance is progressing well. The update so far is:

The aircraft is off jacks and has been washed  what a job!

Almost all the air frame work has been completed.

The engines are fitted and rigged.

Test fittings have been made for extra gauging on engine runs.

The starter wiring modification is complete and ready for the starters.

The electric starters have been bench tested and we should have them delivered soon. When they are installed we can begin testing them on the aircraft. Once we are satisfied that the starting system works well, we will begin engine runs. Starting with low power leak checks and tests, building to full power tests.

Once the COVID-19 restrictions lift, the museum hopes to begin test flying sometime later this year! It will be a momentous achievement to see this aircraft flying once more. Outside of the three heavily-modified WB-57s serving NASA in the USA, this Canberra be the only one of its kind flying anywhere in the world, and a unique sight on the air show circuit. We wish the Temora Aviation Museum well with achieving this aim, and look forwards to seeing the results in due time.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments in the Trump administration's attempt to allow more employers to refuse to provide insurance coverage for birth control for female employees because of religious or moral objections.

The case is the latest dispute over the expansion of health-care benefits for women under the Affordable Care Act and pits questions of religious liberty against a woman's right to equal health-care access. It was the third time the high court considered the contraceptive coverage requirement but the first since Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh joined the bench.

The Trump administration in 2018 expanded the types of organizations that could opt out of providing cost-free access to birth control and allowed exemptions based on moral as well as religious objections.

The Obama administration had narrower exceptions for churches and other houses of worship and created a system of "accommodations" or workarounds for religiously affiliated organizations such as hospitals and universities to avoid directly covering the cost of birth control.

Kavanaugh acknowledged the "very strong interests on both sides," but suggested it was up to each administration to use its discretion in the absence of specific limits imposed by Congress.

"Why isn't this a reasonable way to balance this?" he asked the attorney representing the state of Pennsylvania, which is challenging the rules.

Chief Deputy Attorney General Michael Fischer said in response that the rules go well-beyond what Congress envisioned by exempting organizations that had no problem complying with the accommodation provision. The rules provide "a grant of authority so broad" that any employer could "opt out entirely, including for reasons as amorphous as vaguely defined moral beliefs," he told the court.

Wednesday marked the third consecutive day the high court held arguments by conference call because of the coronavirus pandemic. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg participated from Johns Hopkins Hospital in Maryland, where she is recovering from treatment of a gallbladder condition.

Among the issues before the justices is to what extent the government should create exemptions for religious groups and nonreligious employers that say involvement in such coverage makes them complicit in acts that violate their faith.

If the new rules take effect, the government has said between 70,500 and 126,400 women would lose access to cost-free birth control in one year.

Ginsburg and Justice Sonia Sotomayor expressed concerns about the possibility that tens of thousands of women could be left without no-cost access to birth control.

"You have just tossed entirely to the wind what Congress thought was essential," Ginsburg said, "that women be provided these services with no hassle, no cost to them."

Solicitor General Noel Francisco disagreed, telling the court that no part of the Affordable Care Act specifically requires contraceptive coverage, but instead allows the administration to "decide whether or not to cover it in the first place."

Under the new rules, the employers able to opt out include essentially all nongovernmental workplaces, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. And the employer has the choice of whether to permit the workaround, which some organizations said made them complicit in providing contraception.

Pennsylvania and New Jersey challenged the Trump administration rules, noting that when women lose coverage from their employers, they seek state-funded programs and services.

Last summer, a unanimous panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit blocked the rules from taking effect nationwide. The court said the administration probably lacked authority to issue such broad exemptions and did not comply with requirements to provide notice and allow public comment on the rules.

In its opinion, the 3rd Circuit noted that cost is a significant barrier to contraceptive use and access and that after the health-care law ensured free access, women switched to the more effective and expensive methods of contraception.

Nearly 63 million U.S. women in 2018 had insurance coverage for birth control without out-of-pocket fees - about 7 million more than federal estimates from 2015, according to the National Women's Law Center.

In addition to the Trump administration, a charity called Little Sisters of the Poor is defending the rules. The order of nuns, which runs homes for older people, points out that the government provided exemptions from the beginning for religious organizations such as churches. They say the accommodation provision violates the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the law that says the government must have a compelling reason for programs that substantially burden religious beliefs.

For some groups, providing any birth control would violate their religious faith; others object only to contraceptives that work after an egg has been fertilized, such as the "morning-after pill" and intrauterine devices.

In 2014, a divided court ruled in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby that certain closely held businesses do not have to offer birth control coverage that conflicts with the owners' religious beliefs. Justice Samuel Alito Jr., writing for the court's five conservatives, said that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act protected two family-owned companies. But the court did not take a position on the accommodation provision, which requires objecting organizations to notify the government.

Two years later, a shorthanded court of eight justices declined to rule on the merits of another challenge to the contraceptive-coverage requirement and sent the case back to the lower courts. The unusual, unsigned decision was viewed as a punt by the court then equally divided along ideological lines.

Since then, President Donald Trump's two high-court nominees, Gorsuch and Kavanaugh, have replaced Justices Antonin Scalia and Anthony Kennedy.

The combined cases are Trump v. Pennsylvania and Little Sisters of the Poor v. Pennsylvania.

- - -

The Washington Post's Robert Barnes contributed to this report.




South Korea's prime minister called on citizens Wednesday to thoroughly maintain social distancing in their daily lives as the country began to relax quarantine rules amid a declining number of new coronavirus infections.







After the implementation of strict social distancing measures for six weeks, the government began to switch to an "everyday life quarantine" scheme Wednesday to allow people to carry out social and economic activities under quarantine rules.







"We should bear in mind that reopening schools and boosting the economy will be possible only when practicing social distancing takes root as daily routine," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said at a meeting on the government's response to COVID-19.







Chung described the new scheme as the "minimum" steps that should be taken in order for even a limited return to normalcy.







"The government unveiled details about social distancing guidelines as part of daily routines. But it is of no use if people do not implement them in daily lives" he said.







The education ministry announced Friday it will gradually reopen schools starting on May 13 with high school seniors first attending classes.







The operation of state-run museums and libraries will resume starting Wednesday as well, in line with government social distancing guidelines. (Yonhap)


'Dolans Presents' have today announced that the 'Live at the Docklands' series of gigs will not take place this year. All confirmed gigs are now in the process of being rescheduled for 2021.

Speaking this morning, promoter Neil Dolan said: Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the governments recently announced exit strategy, we are not in a position to bring the Live at the Docklands series to Limerick, as planned, this June.

The concept of the Live at the Docklands series was devised to ensure that Limericks events calendar was further enhanced, ensuring an annual boost to the city both culturally and economically.

With heavy hearts we have had no alternative but to take this decision based on the advice from HSE and central government.

However, it is our hope that all our loyal customers will retain their tickets for our rescheduled dates in 2021 and join us for a hell of a celebration next year.

Dolans have also confirmed that all original tickets for these rescheduled dates remain valid.

This years Live at the Docklands series was set to coincide with Dolans 25th anniversary celebrations in Limerick.

The Dolans team introduced the series in Limerick last year, an event that saw thousands of concert goers celebrate some of the best Irish and International acts on the banks of the River Shannon.

Mick Dolan of Dolans Presents said: By joining with the nation and putting our business on hold, we are saving the lives of our fellow citizens. On behalf of the Dolans team we offer our sincere sympathy to all the relatives and friends of those who have lost their lives due to Covid-19.

2020 was to be a year that was all about celebration for us as we reached the milestone of 25 years since opening in Limerick. Instead, our celebrations have been put on hold as a result of the most serious public health emergency in over 100 years.

In a nutshell, Live at the Docklands 2020 will now become Live at the Docklands 2021. We will be confirming rescheduled dates over the coming weeks. Tickets already purchased will remain valid for the 2021 shows, and your support will make a huge difference in helping us to secure the future of the Live at the Docklands series during these difficult and uncertain times, he added.

Dolans hope all its customers recognise that the decision made today is in the interest of the health and wellbeing of citizens.

As a small local family business with strong roots in the local community we value and welcome your continued support. We look forward to welcoming you again to Dolans and wish you and your families all the very best over the coming weeks, Mick Dolan added.

Confirmed dates for the rescheduled Live at the Docklands series in 2021 will be announced shortly. The Dolans Presents team will be contacting ticket holders with full details on individual shows over the coming weeks.

Dolans wish to thank all the artists, funders, friends and audiences for their patience and understanding during these very challenging times.
The military adviser to Iran's supreme leader said the Islamic republic's response to a US strike that killed one of the country's top commanders will be military, CNN reported on January 5.

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed "severe revenge" after a US drone strike Friday in Baghdad killed Qasem Soleimani, the powerful commander of the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force foreign operations arm.

"The response for sure will be military and against military sites," Brigadier General Hossein Dehghan told CNN in Farsi, according to a translation by the US news network.

In a televised news conference on Sunday, foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said "Iran is not seeking a war but is ready for any situation".

Mousavi said the final decision would be made by "the system's leadership".

It would try to "devise a response in a way that would both make the enemy regret" the assassination and "not bring the Iranian nation to a war".

In his interview with CNN, Dehghan said: "It was America that has started the war. Therefore, they should accept appropriate reactions to their actions." "The only thing that can end this period of war is for the Americans to receive a blow that is equal to the blow they have inflicted," said the former Iranian defence minister.

In a statement on Friday, Iran's Supreme National Security Council said the Islamic republic would retaliate in the "right time and place" for Soleimani's assassination.

Iran-US tensions have escalated sharply since 2018 when President Donald Trump withdrew America from a landmark nuclear agreement and reimposed crippling sanctions on the Islamic republic.
Further Results from Drilling at Zones 2 and 3 in the Goldlund Main Zone

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 6, 2020 / First Mining Gold Corp. ("First Mining" or the "Company") (TSX:FF)(OTCQX:FFMGF)(FRANKFURT:FMG) is pleased to announce additional results from the 2020 drill program at the Company's wholly-owned Goldlund Gold Project ("Goldlund") in northwestern Ontario, Canada. Drilling to date continues to define mineralization in the eastern and western portions of the defined resource area at Goldlund (the "Main Zone") and provides important geological information on the structural and lithological controls of gold mineralization around the Main Zone.

Latest highlights from holes drilled at the Main Zone include:

Hole GL-20-010 intersected 1.20 grams per tonne gold ("g/t Au") over 44.0 metres ("m") Including 1.94 g/t Au over 17.0 m; and Including 15.90 g/t Au over 1.0 m

Hole GL-20-006 intersected 2.10 g/t Au over 13.0 m Including 12.07 g/t Au over 1.0 m; and Including 1.67 g/t Au over 9.0 m



"We are pleased with the continuing mineralization intersected by our recent drill program", stated Dan Wilton, CEO of First Mining. "Our work at Goldlund continues to enlarge the areas of known mineralization and highlight the Project's expansion potential, while at the same time giving us a better understanding of how the mineralization is structured around the resource."

The 19 holes highlighted in this news release include both infill and step-out holes designed to test the area between Zones 2 and 3. Seventeen of these holes are located approximately 1.5 kilometres southwest along strike from the first 11 holes drilled in this program which targeted the northeast extensions of Zones 2 and 3. Hole GL-19-034 targeted the northeast extension of Zone 2. The majority of the remaining holes reported in this news release targeted the southwestern extension of Zone 3 and the area between Zones 2 and 3. Hole GL-20-004 intersected both Zones 2 and 3 in their southwest extension. Hole GL-20-016 targeted the southwest extension of Zone 4. Most of the mineralization intercepted by these holes is associated with altered porphyry units. Minor mineralization is also associated with gabbro and basalt/andesite, and mainly occurs in close proximity to the contacts with porphyry. The highest-grade gold mineralization was intersected in holes GL-20-010 (44 metres at 1.20 g/t Au) and GL-20-006 (13 metres at 2.10 g/t Au) which were drilled vertically through Zone 3.

The 2019 - 2020 drill program at the Main Zone has so far consisted of 39 drill holes for a total of 7,300 metres, focused primarily on Zones 2 and 3. Drilling was completed on approximate 50 metre spacing. The goal of this drill program is to define and extend mineralization in the eastern and western portions of the Main Zone area. This news release incorporates results from 19 of the 39 holes completed to date (following on from the Company's March 2, 2020 news release which announced the results of the first 11 holes), with results from the final 11 holes of the drill program to be released as assay results become available, and prior to resuming the 2020 main zone drill program.

Select assay results from these 19 holes from the Main Zone drill program are reported below:

Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au g/t Target GL-19-021 139.00 140.0 1.00 9.19 Main Zone and 188.00 191.00 3.00 3.20 (Zone 3) including 188.00 189.00 1.00 6.54 and 286.00 288.61 2.61 1.97 including 286.00 286.70 0.70 6.64 GL-19-034 25.94 27.17 1.23 8.63 Main Zone and 30.72 31.20 0.48 1.81 (Zone 2) and 53.00 55.00 2.00 1.46 and 60.00 62.00 2.00 3.40 GL-20-006 153.00 211.00 58.00 0.83 Main Zone including 153.00 166.00 13.00 2.10 (Zone 3) and including 161.00 162.00 1.00 12.07 and including 165.00 166.00 1.00 5.10 and including 202.00 211.00 9.00 1.67 and including 208.00 209.00 1.00 9.00 GL-20-010 119.00 122.00 3.00 3.06 Main Zone including 120.00 121.00 1.00 7.86 (Zone 3) and 148.00 192.00 44.00 1.20 including 152.00 153.00 1.00 6.70 and including 166.00 183.00 17.00 1.94 and including 182.00 183.00 1.00 15.90 and 199.00 210.00 11.00 0.26 Notes: Assaying for the Goldlund 2019-2020 drill program is being completed by SGS Canada Inc. ("SGS") at their laboratories in Red Lake, Ontario and Vancouver, BC. Prepared 50 g samples are analyzed for gold by lead fusion fire assay with an atomic absorption spectrometry finish. Multi-element analysis is also being completed on selected holes by two-acid aqua regia digestion with ICP-MS and AES finish.

Reported widths are drilled core lengths; true widths are unknown at this time. Assay values are uncut.

Intervals for holes GL-20-006 and GL-20-010 include results of selected assay repeats. These repeats were done by screened metallic fire assay on 1 kg size samples at the SGS laboratory in Vancouver, BC.

Geological Highlights

This new drilling once again highlights that mineralization at Goldlund is structurally controlled and can be associated with lithological units other than the granodiorite (tonalite) that is the main host for the Zone 1 and 7 gold mineralization which comprises approximately 70% of the current resource.

As with the last eleven reported holes, these latest 19 drill holes within Zones 2 and 3 encountered mineralization within locally silicified, sheared and variolitic andesites, as well as gabbros and altered porphyries, with gold mineralization typically associated with quartz-ankerite veining and alteration halos associated with the veining (as is also typical of the "Goldlund-style" of mineralization present in granodiorite). Gold mineralization associated with andesite was not previously recognized at Goldlund and hence this association provides a new exploration horizon at the Project. The drilling completed so far in 2020 continues to provide important geological information on the structural and lithological controls of gold mineralization in and around the main resource area at Goldlund.

Drill Result Details

A plan map showing the drill hole locations and assay status at the Main Zone can be viewed at: https://www.firstmininggold.com/_resources/news/GLD_NR_May_Plan_Map.pdf

A cross section showing drill results and highlights for holes GL-20-010 and GL-20-011 can be viewed at: http://www.firstmininggold.com/_resources/news/GLD_NR_May_XSection.pdf

A complete list of the 2019 - 2020 drill results to date, including hole details, can be viewed at: https://www.firstmininggold.com/_resources/news/2020-05-06-FF-NR-Goldlund-2019and2020-Drill-Results.pdf

Drill Hole Locations

Hole ID Azimuth  Dip  Final Depth (m) UTM East UTM North GL-19-021 0 -90 386 546100 5527506 GL-19-022 0 -50 173 546100 5527506 GL-19-034 335 -45 74 547774 5528162 GL-20-001 0 -90 314 546099 5527538 GL-20-002 0 -90 293 546150 5527548 GL-20-003 0 -90 206 546150 5527576 GL-20-004 0 -55 194 546150 5527576 GL-20-005 0 -90 188 546200 5527550 GL-20-006 0 -90 221 546200 5527525 GL-20-007 0 -90 83 546250 5527530 GL-20-008 0 -90 203 546250 5527530 GL-20-009 0 -90 125 546250 5527555 GL-20-010 0 -90 218 546295 5527527 GL-20-011 0 -75 164 546295 5527527 GL-20-012 0 -90 263 546350 5527559 GL-20-013 0 -55 122 546350 5527559 GL-20-014 0 -90 188 546400 5527566 GL-20-015 0 -90 191 546388 5527591 GL-20-016 0 -70 206 546338 5527332

QA/QC Procedures

The QA/QC program for the 2019-2020 drilling program at Goldlund consists of the submission of duplicate samples and the insertion of Certified Reference Materials and blanks at regular intervals. These are inserted at a rate of one standard for every 20 samples (5% of total) and one blank for every 30 samples (3% of total). The standards used in the 2019-2020 Goldlund drilling program range in grade from 0.5 g/t Au to 9.0 g/t Au, and are sourced from CDN Resource Laboratories in Langley, BC. Blanks have been sourced locally from barren granitic material.

Field duplicates from quartered core, as well as 'coarse' or 'pulp' duplicates taken from coarse reject material or pulverized splits, are also submitted at regular intervals with an insertion rate of 4% for field duplicates and 4% for coarse or pulp duplicates. Additional selected duplicates are being submitted to an umpire lab for check assaying. SGS also undertakes its own internal coarse and pulp duplicate analysis to ensure proper sample preparation and equipment calibration.

Qualified Person

Hazel Mullin, P.Geo., Director, Data Management and Technical Services of First Mining, is a "Qualified Person" for the purposes of NI 43-101, and she has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure contained in this news release.

About First Mining Gold Corp.

First Mining Gold Corp. is a Canadian-focused gold exploration and development company advancing a large resource base of 7.4 million ounces of gold in the Measured and Indicated categories and 3.8 million ounces of gold in the Inferred category. First Mining's primary focus is the development and permitting of its Springpole Gold Project and the advanced exploration of its Goldlund Gold Project, both located in northwestern Ontario. Springpole is one of the largest undeveloped gold assets in Canada, with permitting and a Pre-Feasibility Study underway. Goldlund is an advanced exploration stage asset where drilling in 2020 is planned to define both the extension of the existing resource area and to better define the regional scale potential. First Mining's eastern Canadian property portfolio also includes Cameron, Pickle Crow, Hope Brook, Duparquet, Duquesne, and Pitt.

First Mining was created in 2015 by Mr. Keith Neumeyer, founding President and CEO of First Majestic Silver Corp.

ON BEHALF OF FIRST MINING GOLD CORP.

Daniel W. Wilton

Chief Executive Officer and Director

For further information, please contact:

Spiros Cacos | Vice President, Investor Relations

Toll Free: 1 844 306 8827 | Email: info@firstmininggold.com

www.firstmininggold.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news 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. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "intends", "estimates", "envisages", "potential", "possible", "strategy", "goals", "objectives", or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions.

Forward-looking statements in this news release relate to future events or future performance and reflect current estimates, predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to: (i) ) the timing for the receipt of outstanding assays from the 2019 - 2020 drill program at the Main Zone and the interpretation of the results of such assays; (ii) the goal of the 2019 - 2020 drill program at the Main Zone being to define and extend mineralization in the eastern and western portions of the Main Zone area; (iii) the potential for a new exploration horizon at Goldlund due to the results from the 2019 - 2020 drill program at the Main Zone indicating that gold mineralization at the Project is associated with andesite; (iv) the timeframe for the suspension of operations at Goldlund due to the current COVID-19 pandemic; (v) the timeframe of the current COVID-19 pandemic and the potential for plans to be adjusted further as the situation evolves; (vi) the Company's primary focus on developing and permitting Springpole and the advanced exploration of Goldlund; and (vii) realizing the value of the Company's gold projects for the Company's shareholders. All forward-looking statements are based on First Mining's or its consultants' current beliefs as well as various assumptions made by them and information currently available to them. 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. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the respective parties, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation the Company's business, operations and financial condition potentially being materially adversely affected by the outbreak of epidemics, pandemics or other health crises, such as COVID-19, and by reactions by government and private actors to such outbreaks; risks to employee health and safety as a result of the outbreak of epidemics, pandemics or other health crises, such as COVID-19, that may result in a slowdown or temporary suspension of operations at some or all of the Company's mineral properties as well as its head office; fluctuations in the spot and forward price of gold, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in the currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar versus the U.S. dollar); changes 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); the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities, indigenous populations and other stakeholders; availability and increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development; title to properties.; and the additional risks described in the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2019 filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, and in the Company's Annual Report on Form 40-F filed with the SEC on EDGAR.

First Mining cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on our forward-looking statements to make decisions with respect to First Mining, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. First Mining does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the Company or on our behalf, except as required by law.

Cautionary Note to United States Investors

This news release has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. Unless otherwise indicated, all resource and reserve estimates included in this news release have been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum 2014 Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators which establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. Canadian standards, including NI 43-101, differ significantly from the requirements of the SEC, and mineral resource and reserve information contained herein may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies. In particular, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term "resource" does not equate to the term "reserves". Under U.S. standards, mineralization may not be classified as a "reserve" unless the determination has been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is made. The SEC's disclosure standards normally do not permit the inclusion of information concerning "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" or "inferred mineral resources" or other descriptions of the amount of mineralization in mineral deposits that do not constitute "reserves" by U.S. standards in documents filed with the SEC. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. U.S. investors should also understand that "inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource" will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimated "inferred mineral resources" may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource" exists or is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of "contained ounces" in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by SEC standards as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. The requirements of NI 43-101 for identification of "reserves" are also not the same as those of the SEC, and reserves reported by the Company in compliance with NI 43-101 may not qualify as "reserves" under SEC standards. Accordingly, information concerning mineral deposits set forth herein may not be comparable with information made public by companies that report in accordance with U.S. standards.

SOURCE: First Mining Gold Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/588629/First-Mining-Announces-Additional-Drill-Results-From-its-Goldlund-Gold-Project-Ontario-Canada
By Express News Service

TIRUVANNAMALAI: A 55-year-old woman, who had been undergoing treatment for COVID-19 for about three weeks, died at the Tiruvannamalai government medical college hospital on Wednesday. Doctors said the death was caused by a sudden cardiac arrest.

"Her last two COVID-19 test results were negative and she was about to be discharged from the hospital in a day or two," Perumal Babu, Dean, Tiruvannamalai government medical college hospital told The New Indian Express.

A resident of Pallikooda Street in Arni, the woman also had chronic diabetes.

When contacted, Tiruvannamalai Collector KS Kandasamy told TNIE, "The patient's blood pressure shot up in the morning and led to complications. However, she had recovered from the coronavirus as two tests were negative."

She is the mother of a Tablighi Jamaat attendee who tested negative for the virus. But she tested positive on April 13 and was immediately admitted to the hospital.

"The patient's locality was brought under the containment zone and over 95 samples were lifted in the zone including from those suffering from influenza like illnesses (ILI) and co-morbid diseases and pregnant women. The test results of all the samples turned out to be negative," a health department official of SV Nagaram block told TNIE.

So far, the district has reported 25 cases. After the death of the woman patient, there are 14 active cases, while 10 have been discharged.

Of the 14 active cases, ten are being attributed to the Koyambedu market, which is one of the major hotspots for the spread of the virus in the state.
Surreal is one of those great misused and abused cliches of convenience. But maybe for good reason.

Right now, I cant think of any other word to describe the feeling of trying to process another day of discordant messages and disparate responses to this pandemic.

Each hour of coronavirus mayhem and social distancing, reality seems to shift and warp. One talking head says the spread of a deadly virus is hastening and we should stay hunkered down. Another points to a $17 million tent hospital sitting empty at NRG as proof of overreaction.

One minute, I look around at my kids in masks and the Subaru gathering dust, and I think, enough of this! The next, Im calling my mom in Seguin to tell her we cant be with her this Mothers Day. Sorry, Mom.

Navigating the headlines is a balancing act through uneven footing of varying perceptions, experiences and motivations.

I find myself asking: Am I crazy? Are they? Whos overreacting in this outbreak and whos acting stupid?

Quick, somebody! Throw me a rope of sanity, of normalcy, of precious nonchalance. No, wait. Dont. We might hang ourselves with it.

In todays Chronicle alone:

Weve got bikini-clad tubers floating carefree along the Guadalupe, apparently throwing caution and social distancing to the wind and the whim of the rivers current.

Weve got two Houston-area state representatives  Briscoe Cain and Steve Toth, not particularly known for sophisticated reasoning on a good day  directly thwarting Gov. Greg Abbott by getting haircuts when salons are still ordered closed. No one was arrested during this courageous stand, er, swivel, for two precious American principles: civil liberty and vanity.

And, oh look, President Donald Trump is disbanding his COVID-19 task force, due to, as Vice President Mike Pence put it, tremendous progress in fighting a virus that continues to claim lives with ravenous zeal. Then the president backtracked. The task force stays.

On the very same page of Wednesdays paper, another headline announces that a popular model used  even by the White House  to forecast COVID-19 deaths has dramatically adjusted its outlook on Texas, raising projected deaths from 1,288 to 3,632 by the first week of August.

Theres Lake Creek High School Principal Phil Eaton emerging in a wheelchair after 51 days at Memorial Hermann in The Woodlands, 21 on a ventilator, thanking his team of doctors and nurses for saving his life from the clutches of COVID-19.

Theres this disturbing paragraph in a New York Times piece on the national outlook: More than a month has passed since there was a day with fewer than 1,000 deaths from the virus. Almost every day, at least 25,000 new coronavirus cases are identified, meaning that the total in the United States  which has the highest number of known cases in the world with more than 1 million  is expanding by between 2 percent and 4 percent daily.

Meanwhile, the Chronicles map of Texas counties, updated daily to reflect the virus stampede across the state, seems to be throbbing deeper red each day  giving the once-benign political mantra keep Texas red a morbid new meaning.

How are we supposed to process these competing realities?

The Trumps and Pences, who tour hospitals  indeed, even a mask factory!  while refusing to wear a mask. And the Lina Hidalgos who never leave home without one.

The upscale Houston restaurant, Steak 48, already booked two weeks out, whose chief branding officer Oliver Badgio told the Chronicle that prioritizing comfort meant a conscious decision to forgo masks and gloves for service staff: The governors order didnt require it, he said.

Compare that to the third-generation deli man, Ziggy Gruber of Kenny & Ziggys Delicatessen Restaurant & Bakery, who, out of concern for his customers and staff, decided his conscience wouldnt let him reopen this early.

Gruber, in his op-ed, likened the situation to a Ray Bradbury novel.

Thats as fitting as surrealism and Dalis melting clocks.

But this science nightmare isnt fiction. And no matter how much we want to stop the clock on COVID-19 cases, on illnesses, on death, the reality keeps on ticking.

Falkenberg is the Chronicles Editor of Opinion, a columnist and a member of the editorial board.
A push for a trade deal between the United Kingdom and the United States has been on the cards since Brexiters made a convincing enough argument that membership in the European Union was holding the UK back from more profitable deals with potential trading partners around the world.

Nearly four years after a slim majority of Britons voted to depart the EU, the talks finally began  albeit by videoconference due to the near-global lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic  on Tuesday.

It is a busy time in Londons trade circles as the UK is simultaneously attempting to negotiate a deal with the EU, with a firm, self-imposed deadline of the end of the year for completion.

And even if coronavirus and an EU deal werent enough of a distraction, there are still significant obstacles to be surmounted in a potential UK-US agreement, say analysts.

A trade agreement with the US has always been part of the Brexit project, trade expert David Henig, the UK director of the European Centre For International Political Economy, told Al Jazeera.

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As such, this is about politics more than economic gains, which are likely to be minimal and may even be negative if a deal makes UK-EU trade harder. Reaching an agreement is not a certainty  UK sensitivities on US food and the [National Health Service] will be a problem, and if Trump loses the presidential election in November, we dont know what a Biden presidencys priorities would be.

The UKs Department for International Trade says its analysis shows a deal with the US would provide benefits across the country, with the greatest windfalls coming to Scotland, the northeast and the Midlands, while also including a dedicated chapter to help the UKs 5.9 million small businesses.

Increasing transatlantic trade can help our economies bounce back from the economic challenge posed by coronavirus, UK International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said in a statement.

But it could be years before the details are finally hashed out. At the starting point in talks, the US wants full access to UK markets for its agricultural products, and minimal tariffs on the goods it wants to export to the UK, according to trade objectives published by Washingtons negotiators more than a year ago.

That could pose a problem  there is strong British opposition to US genetically modified crops and antibacterial treatments for poultry  chlorinated chicken, as it is described in UK media. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised to drive a hard bargain, and Truss has said that the UK would not reduce its food safety standards.

The biggest hurdles the trade agreement will need to overcome are political, former diplomat and trade negotiator Dmitry Grozoubinski told Al Jazeera.

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US farmers, bruised by the presidents trade war with China, will be pushing the Trump administration to demand far greater guaranteed access into the UK market than the UK will be comfortable providing. To get to a deal, one side of that equation has to change.

Changing its regulatory standards to allow the import of US goods would knock the UK out of alignment with the EU, which could make getting a deal with the UKs closest neighbours more difficult than it might otherwise be.

But that does not necessarily have to be the case, though British economists are not getting their hopes up about the overall gains to be had from a US trade deal.

Our Brexit research suggests that the benefits of a trade deal with the US are pretty limited and will not compensate for the worsening of trade relations with the EU, economist Garry Young, deputy director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, told Al Jazeera.

Im not sure that progress with the US would make negotiation with the EU any harder: EU negotiators already know that there is a risk that a UK-US deal could pose a threat to EU competitiveness.

A Free Trade Agreement certainly has the potential to improve the business climate for some exporters, in some ways, some of the time - but the average citizen likely won't even notice it's there. Dmitry Grozoubinski, trade expert

The UK was the USs fifth-largest goods export market and the seventh-largest supplier of imports in 2018, according to the office of the United States Trade Representative.

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Trade between the US and UK came to an estimated $261.9bn in 2018, with $140.4bn of exports from the US and $121.5bn of imports from the UK.

The balance is such that neither country looks likely to unlock hidden riches through a new trading deal.

Anyone expecting a free trade agreement to transform either economy is likely to be severely disappointed, said Grozoubinski, now a visiting professor at the University of Strathclyde and the founder of ExplainTrade.com.

The US and UK are some of the most open and liberalised economies in the world, with their remaining major trade barriers unassailable, politically entrenched and fiercely defended by activists and special interests. A free trade agreement certainly has the potential to improve the business climate for some exporters, in some ways, some of the time  but the average citizen likely wont even notice its there.

This first round of negotiations will last approximately two weeks and will involve around 100 negotiators on each side. Subsequent rounds are scheduled for approximately every six weeks  and will also be carried out by videoconference until border closures and lockdowns are lifted.
Airports were geared up to receive Indian nationals stranded abroad due to the coronavirus lockdown with Air India's repatriation flight from Abu Dhabi to Kochi on Thursday set to kickstart the country's biggest evacuation exercise by air and sea.





The AI's non-scheduled commercial flight with around 200 passengers on board is expected to land at the Kochi International airport in Kerala at 9.45 pm, as logistical arrangements and strict health protocols were put in place at several airports including in Thiruvananthapuram, Delhi and Mumbai.



Jishnu, a passenger from Abu Dhabi who was among those in the first lot to fly out of the United Arab Emirates, was elated that he would be able to return to his home state.

"I am very happy to have got the ticket. I was informed yesterday that I could travel", he told a television channel on Wednesday.



From the Gulf countries to Malaysia and the UK to the US, the multi-agency operation christened 'Vande Bharat Mission' will see the state-owned AI operate 64 flights till May 13 in the first phase to ferry around 15,000 Indian nationals from 12 countries.



Private Indian airlines may join the repatriation effort after May 13.



As many as 10 flights are planned to be operated on the first day from various destinations abroad. Besides Kochi, the other cities where the flights are scheduled to land on Thursday are Kozhikode (Kerala), Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Srinagar. Only asymptomatic passengers will be allowed to board the flights.



The Cochin International Airport and Cochin Port have made all arrangements to receive the returning expatriates, Ernakulam District administration said.



Thermal scanners have been erected at the airport for the screening of the passengers and for quarantine facilities, while 4,000 houses with water, electricity and bath attached facilities have been arranged in Ernakulam district.



"Entire synthetic/textile wrapped furniture were replaced with temporary plastic chairs," an airport spokesman said.



The pilots and the cabin crew of the first batch of Air India Express evacuation flight were imparted training on handling of in-flight operations at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.



Doctors and nurses of a government medical college hospital in Kochi along with experts in handling COVID-19 patients briefed the 12 airline staff including four pilots.



The pilots and cabin crew were provided training on donning and doffing of Personal Protective Equipment suits, infection control practices to be followed in-flight and also the management of anticipated health emergencies during the flight, hospital authorities said.



A practical demonstration of both donning and doffing of PPE suits according to the protocol was also given to the crew.



"The training given by GMC Ernakulam has helped to build up the confidence level of the entire crew considerably and we are now fully confident to undertake the rescue mission," said Captain Paartha Sarkar.

For those arriving at Thiruvananthapuram, quarantine facilities have been arranged in six taluks to accommodate over 11,200 people and the government will bear the expenses.



Hotel rooms have been arranged for another 6,400 people for which they will have to pay, an official release said.



Various hostels, hotels, auditoriums have been taken for quarantine facilities of the Non-resident Keralites.



While all arrangements have been made by the state government to receive the NRKs, there is some confusion about the number of days passengers will have to undergo quarantine on arrival.



The state government has said passengers from abroad will have to undergo seven days quarantine on arrival at government arranged institutions and undergo tests after a week.



If found symptomatic, they will have to go to hospitals and those whose samples are found negative will be allowed to leave for home where they have to strictly follow home quarantine.



But as per the Centre's guidelines, they will have to undergo 14 days institutional quarantine.



Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said it was "dangerous" to bring back stranded NRKs to the state without any COVID-19 tests as it would lead to spreading of infection.



He wanted the Centre to ensure that the NRKs undergo the tests before emplaning for their respective states.



Vijayan has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the state's concern on the matter.



There should not be any lapse in following globally accepted health protocols lest there be a setback in the state's efforts to prevent community spread of COVID-19, Vijayan had said.



The Delhi government issued guidelines for screening and handling of repatriated passengers at the airport to reduce the possibility of spread of COVID-19.



Passengers returning to Delhi airport will be quarantined in a paid facility for 14 days from their date of arrival, it said.



Telangana chief secretary Somesh Kumar held a review meeting on arrangements for the arrival of the state's natives.



"The chief secretary informed that seven flights from six countries with about 2,350 passengers are likely to arrive in Hyderabad," according to an official release issued in Hyderabad.



Launching Operation 'Samudra Setu'( Sea Bridge), the Indian Navy despatched two ships to Maldives capital Male to commence the first phase of the evacuation operations from May 8.



A total of 1,000 people are planned to be evacuated in the first trip in naval ships 'INS Jalaswha' and 'INS Magar', a Navy release said. The evacuated people will disembark in Kochi, it added.



The largest-ever civilian evacuation was carried out by India in 1990 during the first Gulf war-- between Iraq and Kuwait--when almost 1.7 lakh Indian nationals were brought by air from Kuwait.



The 64 AI flights will be landing in 10 Indian states -- 15 in Kerala, 11 each in Tamil Nadu and Delhi, seven each in Maharashtra and Telangana, five in Gujarat, three each in Karnataka and Jammu and Kashmir and one flight each in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.



The flights would be operated by Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express to repatriate Indians from 12 countries-the UAE, the UK, the US, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.



Out of this, 10 flights will be to the UAE, seven flights each to the US and the UK, five flights to Saudi Arabia, five flights to Singapore and two flights to Qatar to repatriate Indian nationals between May 7 and May 13.



During this period, seven flights each will be operated to Malaysia and Bangladesh, five flights each to Kuwait and Philippines, two flights each to Oman and Bahrain.



The government has already evacuated about 2,500 stranded Indians from China, Japan, Iran and Italy in the last couple of months after the outbreak of coronavirus in those countries.
The ruling Trinamool Congress in



West Bengal on Wednesday denied charges levelled by Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla that the state government is not allowing movement of essential goods through the Indo- Bangladesh border, and claimed the senior official is "trying to please his political bosses in Delhi".

Accusing the Union government of sending less number of testing kits and "faulty" equipment to the state, the party leaders said that was why the number of tests conducted is low.

Senior TMC leader and MP Sougata Roy said, "The central government is playing a political game and is using the services of bureaucrats who are obligated to the political leadership of the central government."



"Otherwise they would have known that state has not objected to the opening of the borders for cargo movement. It had to be stopped because of tremendous local agitation. As we dont believe in using police force, talks have started with the locals so that services can be resumed," he told PTI.

Officials of the Petrapole land port authorities on Tuesday said they are trying to hold talks with local people and the state government in order to resume Indo-Bangladesh trade, which was stopped on May 2 after two days of operation following protests by local people.

They had said villagers are afraid that truck drivers and labourers might spread coronavirus infection when they return from Benapole, located on the other side of the border and has been affected by the disease.

In a letter to West Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha earlier in the day, the Union home secretary slammed the state government for not allowing movement of essential goods through the Indo-Bangladesh border, saying such acts violate the Constitution and will have international implications.

The Union home ministry also criticized the West Bengal government over its COVID-19 management in another letter.

Referring to the second letter by Bhalla, Roy said the union home secretarys letter has a "subliminal political tilt, which is devoid of facts and figures".

"As far as COVID-19 management is concerned, West Bengal is doing its best. It ranks 10th in terms of infected people. But the Centre is not sending letters to states such as Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, where the number of such people is much higher," the senior TMC leader said.

"If at all there is short of tests, the fault lies entirely with the Centre, which has not only sent less number of kits but those faulty Chinese kits are faulty also. The state government is also doing its best to enforce stricter lockdown," Roy said.

The West Bengal government alleged last month that the COVID-19 testing kits supplied by the NICED, the Indian Council of Medical Research's (ICMR) nodal agency in the state, were "apparently defective".

The NICED had then withdrawn the consignment of defective COVID-19 testing kits from some of the state-run laboratories in West Bengal.

Another senior TMC leader and MP Manas Bhunia claimed that Centre is trying to wash its hands off by constantly blaming the state government.

"It was the Centre which had sent less number of kits, and the majority of them are faulty. If you don't give us kits, how will we conduct tests?" he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - At 2.00 am ET Wednesday, Destatis is set to release Germany's factory orders for March. Economists forecast orders to fall 10 percent on month after falling 1.4 percent in February. Ahead of the data, the euro traded mixed against its major trading partners. While the currency dropped against the franc, it held steady against the rest of major rivals. The euro was worth 1.0540 against the franc, 115.25 against the yen, 0.8716 against the pound and 1.0837 against the greenback at 1:55 am ET. 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.
-- China's new large carrier rocket Long March-5B made its maiden flight on Tuesday, sending the trial version of China's new-generation manned spaceship and a cargo return capsule for test into space.

-- Specially developed for China's manned space program, Long March-5B will be mainly used to launch the modules of the space station.

-- China aims to complete the construction of the space station around 2022. A total of 12 missions have been planned. After the maiden flight of the Long March-5B, the core module of the space station, named Tianhe, and two experiment capsules, named Wentian and Mengtian, will be sent into space.

WENCHANG, Hainan, May 6 (Xinhua) -- China's new large carrier rocket Long March-5B made its maiden flight on Tuesday, sending the trial version of China's new-generation manned spaceship and a cargo return capsule for test into space.

The successful flight inaugurated the "third step" of China's manned space program, which is to construct a space station, said the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The white large rocket blasted off from the Wenchang Space Launch Center on the coast of southern China's island province of Hainan at 6 p.m. (Beijing Time).

China's new large carrier rocket Long March-5B blasts off from Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China's Hainan Province, May 5, 2020. The Long March-5B made its maiden flight on Tuesday, sending the trial version of China's new-generation manned spaceship and a cargo return capsule for test into space. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

About 488 seconds later, the experimental manned spacecraft with no crew, together with the test version of the cargo return capsule, separated with the rocket and entered the planned orbit, according to CMSA.

Specially developed for China's manned space program, Long March-5B will be mainly used to launch the modules of the space station.

The Long March-5B carrier rocket will help expand China's aerospace activities, said Wang Xiaojun, head of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

Modified on the basis of Long March-5, the new large rocket has a total length of about 53.7 meters, which is as tall as an 18-floor building, and has a 5-meter-diameter core stage and four 3.35-meter-diameter boosters, as well as a 20.5-meter-long and 5.2-meter-diameter fairing.

The rocket uses environment-friendly propellants, including liquid oxygen, liquid hydrogen and kerosene. It has a takeoff mass of about 849 tonnes and is able to send over 22 tonnes of payloads, equivalent to the weight of more than 10 cars, to low-Earth orbit, which is currently the largest low-Earth orbit carrying capacity among China's rockets.

The successful maiden flight verified the design of the rocket. A series of technological breakthroughs have been achieved such as the separation of the large fairing and the payloads in space and the precise control of the rocket to enter orbit directly with high thrust, laying the foundation for constructing China's space station, CMSA said.

"We are excited to witness the liftoff of the Long March-5B carrier rocket 50 years after the launch of China's first satellite Dongfanghong-1. The success of the mission is another major breakthrough of China's aerospace development," Ji Qiming, an assistant to the CMSA director, said at a press conference Tuesday evening.

A congratulatory message sent by the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission hailed Tuesday's launch as "a good beginning for the country's space station program."

China's new large carrier rocket Long March-5B blasts off from Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China's Hainan Province, May 5, 2020. The Long March-5B made its maiden flight on Tuesday, sending the trial version of China's new-generation manned spaceship and a cargo return capsule for test into space. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)

The new manned spacecraft is designed to adapt to multiple tasks including low-Earth orbit missions and deep-space explorations. The spacecraft comprises a service capsule and a return capsule.

The mission will test the key technologies of the new spaceship such as the control of its re-entry into the atmosphere, heat shielding and recovery technology, according to the China Academy of Space Technology under CASC.

The new manned spaceship can be used in the operation of China's space station and future manned lunar exploration, Ji said.

Some space science experiments, including space 3D printing, will be conducted on the experimental spacecraft.

The test version of the cargo return capsule, developed by the Second Academy of the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, is flexible and inflatable.

The mission will test key technologies of the cargo return capsule, which is expected to become a new kind of space transport vehicle, Ji said.

The two experimental spacecraft are scheduled to return to the Dongfeng landing site in the desert in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Wednesday and Friday respectively, according to Ji.

Before the launch, joint drills of the Long March-5B rocket and the prototype core capsule of the space station had been conducted at the Wenchang Space Launch Center.

All personnel participating in the mission had overcome tremendous difficulties caused by the novel coronavirus epidemic, and the challenges and pressure brought by the recent failures of the Long March-7A and Long March-3B rockets.

In 1992, China started its manned space program with a three-step strategy.

Yang Liwei carried out the first step -- sending an astronaut into space and return safely -- in the Shenzhou-5 mission in 2003.

File photo taken on Oct. 16, 2003 shows astronaut Yang Liwei getting out of the re-entry capsule of China's Shenzhou-5 spacecraft following its successful landing in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. A total of 10 Chinese astronauts have fulfilled their space mission in the past 10 years. (Xinhua/Wang Jianmin)

The second step was developing advanced space flight techniques and technologies including extra-vehicular activity and orbital docking. This phase included the launch of Tiangong-1, a transitional platform to test the docking technology, and the Tiangong-2 space lab.

So far, a total of 16 major missions of China's manned space program have been accomplished, with a success rate of 100 percent.

China has launched 11 manned spacecraft, one cargo spacecraft, Tiangong-1 and Tiangong-2, sending 11 astronauts into space, completing the first two steps of the manned space program.

The next step is to assemble and operate a permanent manned space station.

China aims to complete the construction of the space station around 2022. A total of 12 missions have been planned. After the maiden flight of the Long March-5B, the core module of the space station, named Tianhe, and two experiment capsules, named Wentian and Mengtian, will be sent into space.

During the construction of the space station, China plans to launch four Shenzhou manned spaceships and four Tianzhou cargo spacecraft to transport astronauts and supplement materials, Ji said.

Photo taken on Nov. 5, 2018 shows a full-size model of the core module of China's space station Tianhe exhibited at the 12th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition (Airshow China) in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Liang Xu)

The assembly of the station's core module has been completed, and the two experiment capsules and the scientific payloads are under development, according to Ji.

The crewmembers to participate in the construction of the space station have been selected and are trained for the missions. China's third batch of reserve astronauts will be selected around July, Ji said.

Tuesday's launch was the 331st mission of the Long March rocket series.
Sharmila Tagore Mourns The Loss Of Two Of Her Beloved Actors

The Amar Prem actress wrote for Scroll, "Two of my beloved actors and stars, both on the cusp of greater glories, both gone ahead of time, both leaving behind not only their personal families but also their extended families of film lovers and fans. Two entirely unexpected deaths on two consecutive days in the middle of such unprecedented and worrying times."

The Veteran Actress Is Devastated By Both The Deaths

She further wrote, "There wasn't even an opportunity to say goodbye. The passing of Rishi and Irrfan - how does one even commit that phrase into writing - leaves me devastated. At this moment, I cannot begin to contemplate the enormous void that these magnificent actors have left behind. Who can possibly fill the gap? Do we even want to fill the gap?"

When Rishi Took Sharmila's Attention Away From Saif In Hum Tum

"Rishi embraced his characters with such vivacity and enthusiasm that it was impossible to resist his charm. When he bursts onto the screen in Hum Tum singing 'Main shayar toh nahin', you instantly surrender yourself to his joie de vivre and smile along with him. He literally owns the scene. In that moment, despite myself I felt my attention wavering from Saif to Rishi," revealed the veteran actress.

She continued, "Rishi turned the corner in 2012 with his menacing and ruthless Rauf Lala in Agneepath. His follow-up act in D-Day with his rose-tinted glasses as Goldman was pure gold. Rishi believed in the king-size moment, without going over the top. You just have to watch him feed off Amitabh Bachchan in 102 Not Out to realise that on his day he could beat any actor hollow."

Sharmila Reveals Her Favourite Performance Of Rishi Kapoor

"For me, Mulk is his most memorable film. A nuanced and balanced portrayal of a retired Muslim lawyer countering Islamophobia. His words "Aaj jo hum faisla kar rahein hain, woh hamaare kal ka faisla karega" will always remain relevant. In the hands of someone less aware, this ran the risk of playing to the gallery. But with Rishi, even as you are aware that he is cherishing every moment of this challenging role, you also know that this actor will not give in to the temptation of "overacting". Such was his control on his craft," revealed the veteran actress.

Rishi Kapoor Wasn't An Insecure Actor

Sharmila wrote, "Rishi was not an insecure actor. He had the generosity in letting his co-actors inhabit a scene. Luck by Chance, Love Aaj Kal, Do Dooni Chaar, Kapoor and Sons and many others are proof enough. As an actor, Rishi understood the integrity of the scene as a whole, allowing his co-stars the space without overwhelming them with his star persona."

Sharmila Tagore On Irrfan Khan

"On the other hand, Irrfan was a master of the understated. His deadpan amused demeanour and his casual throwaway delivery were in direct contrast to Rishi's. And yet, he was as effective. He was king of the small gesture - a raised eyebrow, a smirk, a look in his intriguing eyes that you could never wholly interpret. All of this lent him a mystique that haunted the viewer long after the screens dimmed, leaving the audience wanting more. You went back just to see what you might have missed the first time.

What gave his acting an edge, to my mind, is the feeling that he hid more than he revealed. A kind of absent-mindedness, as if he's both present and not present. I looked forward to his multi-dimensional performances," wrote the actress in her tribute.
Harvard Law School appears to cancel anti-homeschooling summit amid pandemic

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An invite-only anti-homeschooling conference that was to take place at Harvard Law School appears to have been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Homeschooling Summit: Problems, Politics, and Prospects for Reform conference was sponsored by the Harvard Law School Child Advocacy Program and in cooperation with a number of anti-abuse groups. It was designed to convene leaders in education and child welfare policy, legislators and legislative staff, academics and policy advocates, to discuss child rights in connection with homeschooling in the United States.

The focus will be on problems of educational deprivation and child maltreatment that too often occur under the guise of homeschooling, in a legal environment of minimal or no oversight. Experts will lead conversations about the available empirical evidence, the current regulatory environment, proposals for legal reform, and strategies for effecting such reform.

The elite law school has not made an official announcement of the cancellation but invitees were reportedly emailed directly regarding the change of plans. Corey A. DeAngelis, director of School Choice at the Reason Foundation, tweeted on Friday both a screenshot and direct link to a Facebook update from the Coalition of Responsible Home Education, a group that was invited to present at the event, stating that the conference was no longer happening. The CRHE Facebook post has been taken down.

The apparent cancellation comes following a widely-circulated article in Harvard magazine calling for a presumptive ban on all homeschooling. The article featured an interview with Harvard Law School professor Elizabeth Bartholet, who opined that children have a right to a "meaningful education" and that homeschool environments can be abusive contexts that warrant state intervention. Bartholet cited as typical the experience of Tara Westover, whose harrowing homeschooling ordeal among Idaho survivalists is recounted in Westover's memoir, Educated.

"The issue is, do we think that parents should have 24/7, essentially authoritarian control over their children from ages zero to 18?" the professor asks in the interview.

"I think thats dangerous. I think its always dangerous to put powerful people in charge of the powerless, and to give the powerful ones total authority.

Bartholet elaborated in the interview that some of the parents who homeschool their children are "extreme religious ideologues" who question science and are in favor of white supremacy and female subservience.

Her comments drew criticism from many, including Harvard graduates.

Following the fallout, the professor said in a recent interview with The Harvard Crimson, Theres no way Im for indoctrinating children in some universal majority culture.

I think parents absolutely have the right to raise their children within their own religion," she added. "I just dont think parents have a right to isolate their children from the larger culture.

In a Tuesday email to The Christian Post, Mike Donnelly, senior counsel at the Home School Legal Defense Association, said that "Bartholets closed conference, apparently now canceled, was aimed at discovering strategies to infringe on the freedoms of homeschooling families and only invited participants who agreed with their narrow and unsupported views about the homeschooling community."

He noted that her comments in the Harvard magazine illustrate the elitist mentality that parents cant be trusted to raise democratic citizens.

"We see a robust homeschooling movement as a vital part of any pluralistic free society," he said.

With schools closed across the nation due to the coronavirus pandemic, HSLDA said it is seeing an uptick in interest in homeschooling.

"With virtually all children suddenly schooling at home, HSLDA has created www.mompossible.org as a resource for all parents confronting school closings," Donnelly said. "Crisis schooling is different from typical homeschooling, but we have seen a noticeable increase in people talking about not sending their children back to school in the fall. Whether it's 1% or 10%, it seems pretty likely that there will be an increase in the number of children homeschooling this year."
India is on a consistent mission to chase growth, modernity and prosperity, but it has not been without a challenger -- China.

Chinas rise is the foremost challenge that could derail Indias quest, and the more India rises, the more it must expect opposition from neighbouring giant.

Former bureaucrat Shivshankar Menon, who served as the National Security Advisor to the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh between January 2010 and May 2014, has come up with some of these observations in INDIAS Foreign Affairs Strategy an impact series by Brookings India.

Menon says global realities are changing and internal problems are also not subsiding. In such a scenario, he vouches for strategic autonomy and leadership that is not populist or legitimises hyper-nationalism.

Doklam Emphasizes Strategic Autonomy

Why is strategic autonomy the best way forward for India? asks Menon as he gives the example of the Doklam crisis that should tell Indian policymakers who they can fall back on in times of countering China.

The Doklam crisis of 2017 is only the most recent example that shows that no one else is ready to deal with Indias greatest strategic challenge  China. It saw a tepid reaction from the rest of the world. To expect anything else is unreasonable, he writes.

He says tepid reaction comes only because other countries do not share Indias interest in the integrity or the rise of India. No other country shares Indias precise set of interests for the simple reason that no other country shares Indias history, geography, size, culture, and identity, and Indias domestic condition, all of which determine what it seeks from the international system.

From the international system, India seeks an external environment that supports the countrys transformation that enables it to build a modern, prosperous and secure country, eliminating poverty, illiteracy, disease and the other curses of underdevelopment from the lives of Indias people. That is Indias core interest.

He recollects the period of Cold War when the world was divided into two hostile camps -- it obviously served Indias interest not to be dragged into external entanglements decided on by an ally or alliance.

When the bipolar world ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union, it entered two decades of globalisation, of an open international trading and investment climate. Once again it was in Indias interest to pursue a multi-directional foreign policy, working with all the major powers in the pursuit of Indias transformation, he writes.

How to Handle China?

The big question in creating external environment is, of course, is how to handle China. One possibility is to engage China bilaterally to see whether the two countries can evolve a new modus vivendi, to replace the one that was formalised in the 1988 Rajiv Gandhi visit, which successfully kept the peace and gave the relationship a strategic framework for almost thirty years.

However, he feels that framework is no longer working and the signs of stress in the relationship are everywhere, from Indias membership application to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to the Doklam stand-off (where Chinese behaviour differed from previous such instances but Indias did not).

The more India rises, the more it must expect Chinese opposition, and it will have to also work with other powers to ensure that its interests are protected in the neighbourhood, the region and the world.

In his opinion, the balance will to keep shifting between cooperation and competition with China both of which characterise that relationship. The important thing is the need to rapidly accumulate usable and effective power, even while the macro balance will take time to right itself.

Pakistan Strong Because of China

Menon says Pakistan is not a strategic threat to India unless India hands it victory by making it possible for Pakistan to exploit religious fissures in Indias society. India has done best in the years when Pakistan was most active making trouble in Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, and elsewhere.

He further says that Indias Pakistan problem now is in large part a China problem, because it is China that enhances Pakistans capabilities, keeping it one step behind India at each stage of its nuclear progress, building up its defences, and committing to its long-term future in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, he said.

No Hyper nationalist Leadership

As China seeks primacy in a world so far dominated by the United States, the world faces a destabilising power transition that may or may not be completed.

In the changing world, Menon says, The immediate prospect, therefore, is for a low-growth world which is more riven by inter-state and intra-state conflict and violence. It is a hinge moment in the international system.

As populist and authoritarian leadership mushrooms across the globe, Menon says such nativist leaders are more mercantilist than their predecessors. It is an age of ultra-nationalism where politics precludes many sensible economic choices."

"The emergence of leaders who rely on a heightened sense of nationalism for their legitimacy, who present themselves as strong leaders, represents both an opportunity and a danger.

He added, As strong and decisive leaders they could take the decisions required to deal with difficult issues in the relationship. At the same time, a reliance on nationalism limits their ability to compromise and be flexible. It remains to be seen how this dynamic will work itself out.

Risks Ahead of India

India risks missing the bus to becoming a developed country if it continues business and politics as usual, or tries to imitate Chinas experience in the last 40 years, does not adapt, and does not manage its internal social and political churn better, Menon warns.

He says that avoiding war and attaining ones goals is the highest form of strategy by any tradition or book  whether Kautilya, Sun Tzu or Machiavelli.

Transforming India requires the national security calculus to consider broader questions  from technology issues, like atomic energy and cyber security, to resource issues like energy security, while building the strength to deal with traditional hard security issues.

The most important improvement that India needs to make is regarding national security structures and their work  introducing flexibility into Indias thinking and Indias structures.
NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance (pictured during the bushfires)

NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance has changed his mind and won't seek Liberal pre-selection for the federal seat of Eden-Monaro, just 24 hours after putting his hand up.

Mr Constance, the state MP for Bega, on Tuesday said he wanted to head to Canberra to champion bushfire recovery and the regional response to the COVID-19 crisis.

But on Wednesday, he released a statement saying he had pulled out of the race.

'I need to remain focused on the bushfire recovery and be grateful for the opportunities I already have, he said.

'I appreciate people will be confused by my actions over the past couple of days, and for that, I am sorry.'

Mr Constance had earlier cancelled a scheduled photoshoot at his NSW South Coast home with AAP stating in a text message: 'That won't be happening sorry.'

It leaves local farmer Fiona Kotvojs, who contested the seat in May 2019, as the most likely candidate to win Liberal pre-selection.

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro announced on Monday he would not contest the South Coast seat for the Nationals.

Mr Barilaro then delivered a scathing attack on Nationals federal leader Michael McCormack in a text message leaked to Sky News.

The NSW Nationals leader said Mr McCormack felt threatened by him and blamed the deputy prime minister's lack of support for his decision not to run in the by-election.

The federal seat of Eden-Monaro was vacated last week when popular Labor member Mike Kelly retired as a result of ill-health.

Bega mayor Kristy McBain has been selected as Labor's candidate.
Leading phone-maker Xiaomi, with an aim to bridge the gap between consumers and nearby Mi Stores and multi-branded mobile shops, announced 'Mi Commerce' website in India

Interested consumers can log in to the Mi Commerce web app at https://local.mi.com/. It will help them connect with the nearest retail store and its available inventory. Users can express their interest, and the store will call to confirm the order and delivery time.

The payment can be done on delivery and the company promises that all the delivery staff will ensure safe and hygienic delivery.

Also, users can send a WhatsApp message to Xiaomis Business account number: +91 8861826286 to start the Mi Commerce shopping jas well. He/she can interact with the WhatsApp bot to get the info about the Mi stores. The company plans to add more value-added features in the coming months.



Xiaomi opens Mi Commerce in India (Picture credit: Xiaomi)



Mi Commerce is a specially designed platform to cater to the needs of our Offline retail partners in the current COVID-19 scenario and it is Xiaomi's first step towards a longer-term Omnichannel strategy. This special initiative is built to ensure ease of purchase, keep partners and customers safe, and foster business continuity. However, we are especially proud that this is a future-ready experience enabling our users and retail partners in the post-COVID world. We hope the Mi Commerce solution would be a game-changer in enabling Offline retail business to grow and enabling ease & convenience to our customers, Muralikrishnan B, Chief Operating Officer, Xiaomi India, said.

Must read | Xiaomi Mi 10 with 108MP camera set to launch in India soon

Xiaomi India has also started operating Mi Store and studios, experience zones in orange and green zones with strict adherence to the government guidelines.

Must read | Samsung-Benow opens a digital platform for local retail stores in India

Get the latest news on new launches, gadget reviews, apps, cyber security and more on personal technology only on DH Tech.
The 360 shows you diverse perspectives on the days top stories and debates.

Whats happening

When Amazon opened its first cashless Go stores in 2019, cities and states that banned cashless businesses forced the company to quickly pivot and start accepting cash. But amid the coronavirus pandemic, many Americans are rushing to use cashless payments, eager to avoid touching surfaces potentially contaminated with the virus. According to a YouGov poll, almost half of Americans say that they are turning to cashless payments when making in-person transactions during the crisis. And as businesses look at reopening, they are implementing cashless protocols, such as Starbucks pledge to shift to cashless payments so customers dont have to worry about virus spread.

Why theres debate

For cashless proponents, the pandemic is demonstrating why its time to go digital. Cash can spread germs as it moves through hands, they say. And cashless payments are faster: The millions of Americans still waiting for mailed coronavirus stimulus checks could have had the money deposited directly into their bank accounts.

Advocates also argue that swiping or hovering a card over a terminal is more convenient than counting out bills. Businesses would save money by saving the time that would otherwise be used to handle cash, they say. Plus, they say that thefts would decrease with the absence of money in cash registers and a better ability to track payments.

But opponents maintain that going cashless is discriminatory. Several states and cities, including New York City and New Jersey, have already banned cashless businesses. Going cashless excludes people without bank accounts  such as those who are young, low-income, homeless or undocumented. And a cashless world would be difficult for people who are less tech savvy, like the elderly, who often struggle to navigate digital systems.

Critics also worry about scenarios in which, instead of being robbed of $20 from your pocket, you are hacked and lose everything in your bank account. There are also privacy concerns, as its easier to monitor digital payments. Vulnerable people, such as domestic abuse victims, could no longer secretly save cash in hopes of escaping dangerous circumstances. Finally, critics say that there are logistical difficulties to a cashless society, given that theres no universal global digital banking system.

Story continues

Whats next

China is currently piloting the worlds first digital national currency, and other countries are considering following suit. Amid the pandemic, Democrats have floated plans to give Americans digital dollars for future stimulus relief and to provide banking for those without accounts, but no legislation has yet been passed.

Perspectives

Proponents

Cash is dirty and can carry germs

Do I want to grab the thing that you were just holding in your hand? No.  Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff to Politico

Digital wallets are more convenient

For the U.S., digital wallets would have radically improved the governments ability to help individuals and small businesses in this pandemic. Americans who signed up for direct deposit received stimulus payments much more quickly than those waiting for paper cheques  Gary Cohn, Financial Times

Going cashless will help businesses recover in the pandemic

I think the business case spoke for itself before COVID-19. I think its a necessity after COVID. And who knows how long were going to be operating with a latent amount of fear in our [customers] minds about touching and extra contact?  Steve Cannon to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Its time to modernize our financial system

The U.S. financial system was once considered unrivaled, but COVID-19 has exposed a network of outdated and inefficient technologies. Among the many lessons from this crisis, one will be that the U.S. must invest in its financial infrastructure to promote economic growth at home and its strategic influence abroad.  Aditi Kumar, Los Angeles Times

Critics

A cashless society is an exclusionary society

Forcing customers to use only credit or debit is a discriminatory business model that disadvantages low-income people, people of color, undocumented immigrants and seniors. Communities of color in New York City are more than twice as likely to be unbanked and are far less likely to host a branch of a bank than the national average.  Stuart Appelbaum, labor union president, to the Guardian

Without cash, its easier to get into financial trouble

It can hurt people with low incomes when businesses go cashless, it can hurt workers who rely on cash tips and  even if youre not in either of these groups  it can hurt you because its easy to get into financial trouble with credit cards.  Sally French, New York Times

Cash provides privacy

Cash safeguards our personal information, so each of us can decide whether or not to share the details of our spending habits. Digital payment technology makes it too easy to surrender our privacy.  Doug Pertz, USA Today

Everyone should be able to participate in our economy

"Going cashless had positive results, but it also had the unintended consequence of excluding those who prefer to pay or can only pay with cash. Everyone in the community needs to have access to real food.  Statement from SweetGreen restaurant chain, which reversed its cashless policy, Washington Post

Digital systems can fail

Digital systems may be convenient, but they often come with central points of failure. Cash, on the other hand, does not crash. It does not rely on external data centres, and is not subject to remote control or remote monitoring.  Brett Scott, the Guardian

Is there a topic youd like to see covered in The 360? Send your suggestions to the360@yahoonews.com.

Read more 360s

Cover thumbnail photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Getty Images
Foiled, again.

Just as Joe Biden looked to have his nomination for Democratic Party presidential nominee all locked up, out comes a New York state judge, who ruled that New York must hold its presidential primary, coronavirus or no coronavirus.

According to The Hill:

A federal judge issued a ruling Tuesday requiring New York to hold its presidential primary in June and restore Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and other former presidential contenders to the ballot. The ruling from Judge Analisa Torres of the Southern District of New York, an Obama appointee, said Gov. Andrew Cuomos (D) decision to scrap his states primary violated the First and 14th Amendment rights of White House contenders who have since ended their campaigns. The Court concludes that Plaintiffs and Plaintiff-Intervenors have shown a clear and substantial likelihood of success on the merits of their claim that the Democratic Commissioners April 27 Resolution removing Yang, Sanders, and eight other Democratic presidential candidates from the ballot deprived them of associational rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution, Torres ruled, referring to entrepreneur Andrew Yang, another former presidential candidate who filed the lawsuit against New York.

On principled judicial grounds, it was the right call, because cripes, calling off an election is banana-republic stuff, in this case, another power-overreach by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. And New York was already in the miserable position of being one of the last primaries. Calling off an election just because you think you already know the result is not only bad in itself, it opens the gates to some Hugo Chavez-style abuses of power. Hugo, by the way, never called off any of his pre-rigged 'elections.'

That's bad news for Biden because it highlights how little he's consolidated his position in the party.

All the other candidates, who are nominally out, are still looking to pick up delegates, the better to force Biden, the party figurehead, to drive the platform leftward, as they dictate. No leftward drive, no donated delegates to put Biden over the top on the delegate count. Biden's got about a dozen of these back-seat drivers, and even though they're nominally out of the race, actually, they're still in. Bernie Sanders, Andrew Yang, Elizabeth Warren, Julian Castro, they're all still in and Joe's got to keep fighting them off for the next three or four months instead of use his energy to square off against President Trump.

The judge's ruling signals that he's going to have to earn New Yorkers' votes, even as he thought it was time to kick back and wait for the coronation.

Which highlights what a shambles the Democratic Party is in. Joe Biden was basically the last leftist standing in that race, the only one who commanded the power of the Democratic establishment, which explains why it all came together for him by Super Tuesday.

But he was also the guy with the most baggage and the least charisma. He's corrupt as heck, he paws little girls on camera, he says racist things, he's grown rich while in public office, he's addled and nearly senile, and he has absolutely no new ideas. He's so bad Bernie Sanders refused to leave the race until last month out of a belief that Biden would eventually be knocked out on some ground or other, while female candidates now circle him like vultures, hoping for a vice presidential placement from him, not because they're fangirls, but the better to get positioned for the inevitable post-presidency takeover, even though they'd be pairing with a pervert who's been credibly accused of sexual assault.

For the angry Bernie-ites, that's reason enough for some not to vote for him and some 10% to 15%, according to polls, plan to outright vote for Trump. But they have their primary now, to make their statement.

Joe's going to be comical indeed as he attempts to placate them, Mr. Square Establishmentarian with decrepit ideas, trying to woo the slick hipster Bernie bros, or 'brothers' as he puts it, over to his side.

If Biden really did have solid support behind him, there would be no such battles in the courts such as we have just seen. But he does. And it highlights what a weak candidate he is. New polls show that Trump is gaining on him. Maybe voters can smell blood in the water, too.

Image credit: Obama White House archives // public domain
Astec Lifesciences was locked in an upper circuit of 20% at Rs 519.75 after consolidated net profit jumped 145% to Rs 31.18 crore 35% rise in net sales to Rs 180.57 crore in Q4 March 2020 over Q4 March 2019.

Consolidated profit before tax (PBT) surged 96% to Rs 39.63 crore in Q4 March 2020 over Q4 March 2019. The board of the company recommended a final dividend of Rs 1.5 per equity share.

The stock has surged 24.35% in last one week from its previous closing of Rs 417.35 posted on 29 April 2020. The benchmark BSE Sensex has fallen 2.9% in the same period.

Astec LifeSciences manufactures a wide range of Agrochemical active ingredients and pharmaceutical intermediates. The company has manufacturing facilities located at two locations in Maharashtra, India comprising of three units viz. one unit at Dombivli, Maharashtra and two units at Mahad, Maharashtra.

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Technavio has been monitoring the commercial vehicle transmission market and it is poised to grow by 6.6 million units during 2019-2023, progressing at a CAGR of over 5% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005051/en/

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Commercial Vehicle Transmission Market 2019-2023 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Technavio suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. Please Request Latest Free Sample Report on COVID-19 Impact

The market is moderately fragmented, and the degree of fragmentation will accelerate during the forecast period. Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd., Allison Transmission, Inc., Daimler AG, Dana Ltd., Eaton Corp. Plc, Grupo KUO SAB de CV, JATCO Ltd., Magna International Inc., Ricardo Plc, ZF Friedrichshafen AG are some of the major market participants. The need for automatic transmission 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 automatic transmission has been instrumental in driving the growth of the market.

Commercial Vehicle Transmission Market 2019-2023: Segmentation

Commercial Vehicle Transmission Market is segmented as below:

Type Automatic Transmission Manual Transmission Automated Manual Transmission

Geographic Landscape APAC Europe MEA North America South America



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=IRTNTR32145

Commercial Vehicle Transmission 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 commercial vehicle transmission market report covers the following areas:

Commercial Vehicle Transmission Market Size

Commercial Vehicle Transmission Market Trends

Commercial Vehicle Transmission Market Industry Analysis

This study identifies emergence of 3D printing in truck components as one of the prime reasons driving the commercial vehicle transmission market growth during the next few years.

Commercial Vehicle Transmission Market 2019-2023: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of vendors operating in the commercial vehicle transmission market, including some of the vendors such as Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd., Allison Transmission, Inc., Daimler AG, Dana Ltd., Eaton Corp. Plc, Grupo KUO SAB de CV, JATCO Ltd., Magna International Inc., Ricardo Plc, ZF Friedrichshafen AG. Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the commercial vehicle transmission market are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support.

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Commercial Vehicle Transmission Market 2019-2023: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period 2019-2023

Detailed information on factors that will assist commercial vehicle transmission market growth during the next five years

Estimation of the commercial vehicle transmission market size and its contribution to the parent market

Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the commercial vehicle transmission market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of commercial vehicle transmission 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 TYPE

Market segmentation by type

Comparison by type

Automatic transmission Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Manual transmission Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Automated manual transmission Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Market opportunity by type

PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

North America Market size and forecast 2018-2023

APAC Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Europe Market size and forecast 2018-2023

South America Market size and forecast 2018-2023

MEA Market size and forecast 2018-2023

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Market drivers

Market challenges

PART 11: MARKET TRENDS

Emergence of 3D printing in truck components

Development of 2-speed transmission for electric heavy-duty trucks

Increasing popularity of 10-speed transmission in commercial vehicles

PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

Competitive scenario

PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Aisin Seiki Co. Ltd.

Allison Transmission, Inc.

Daimler AG

Dana Ltd.

Eaton Corp. Plc

Grupo KUO SAB de CV

JATCO Ltd.

Magna International Inc.

Ricardo Plc

ZF Friedrichshafen AG

PART 14: APPENDIX

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

Definition of market positioning of vendors

PART 15: EXPLORE TECHNAVIO

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Officials in Houston are investigating two separate cases of animal cruelty caught on tape.

The Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals released footage of a puppy being strangled and thrown on the ground. In another video, a dog was attacked with a knife, according to a release from the SPCA. That organization, along with Houston police, rescued the three canines.

ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Houston SPCAs Wildlife Center of Texas sees spike in injured and orphaned animals during pandemic

The first case involves a Labrador-mix puppy who was seen on video being strangled and thrown out of the front door of an apartment in the Greenspoint area. Following the submission of the video, Harris County Constable Precinct 1 on April 24 issued a warrant and Houston SPCA officials seized the animal.

The puppy is in stable condition and is currently housed at the Houston SPCA pending a custody hearing. Precinct 1 sought criminal charges of animal cruelty, but the Harris County District Attorney's Office did not accept those charges, citing lack of sufficient evidence, according to Precinct 1 Office spokesman Kevin Quinn.

The second case involves a dog and puppy who were seized after the owner was caught on video repeatedly hitting the dog in the face with a knife. The dog was tied down with shoestrings during the attack, according to the SPCA. Both animals are being treated for severe skin and flea issues and will be in SPCA care pending a civil custody hearing. It is unclear if the owner will face criminal charges at this time.

'INHUMANE AND EXTREMELY FILTHY': Flea market breeder surrenders nearly 100 animals to Houston Humane Society

SPCA officials said the animals may be available for adoption at a later date, pending the custody hearings.

Anyone who witnesses animal cruelty is encouraged to report it to the Harris County Constable Precinct 1 animal cruelty hotline at 832-927-1659 or the Harris County Animal Cruelty Task Force at 832-927-PAWS. Abuse can also be reported to the Task Force via an online form.
Winter is a 4-year-old chocolate-colored llama with spindly legs, ever-so-slightly askew ears and envy-inducing eyelashes. Some scientists hope she might be an important figure in the fight against the novel coronavirus.

She is not a superpowered camelid. Winter was simply the lucky llama chosen by researchers in Belgium, where she lives, to participate in a series of virus studies involving both SARS and MERS. Finding that her antibodies staved off those infections, the scientists posited that those same antibodies could also neutralize the new virus that causes Covid-19. They were right, and published their results Tuesday in the journal Cell.

Scientists have long turned to llamas for antibody research. In the last decade, for example, scientists have used llamas antibodies in H.I.V. and influenza research, finding promising therapies for both viruses.

Humans produce only one kind of antibody, made of two types of protein chains  heavy and light  that together form a Y shape. Heavy-chain proteins span the entire Y, while light-chain proteins touch only the Ys arms. Llamas, on the other hand, produce two types of antibodies. One of those antibodies is similar in size and constitution to human antibodies. But the other is much smaller; its only about 25 percent the size of human antibodies. The llamas antibody still forms a Y, but its arms are much shorter because it doesnt have any light-chain proteins.
Serafina Rivera 17, a senior at Nova Classical Academy, dances with her prom date Ben Parsonage, 17, a junior, during their prom for two at Rivera's home in St. Paul, Minn., on Friday, May 1, 2020. With schools cancelled and many proms not happening due to coronavirus concerns, Riveras mother Deborah Rathman decided to take matters into her own hands and throw a prom in her own home. The couple have only had contact with each other and their own families since Minnesota's stay-at-home order began due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Read more

School dances, they way we know them, may be cancelled for the foreseeable future, but prom season is still happening.

Around the country, high school students are still celebrating prom in a number of ways, from solo portrait shoots in their prom look, to socially distanced outdoor gatherings with friends, to virtual parties.

If youre a Philadelphia area resident who attended or are planning to attend an alternative prom, we want to hear your story. Please tell us about what you did or what youre planning through this Google Form. If youre under 18, you need your guardians permission to submit. Submissions sent before Friday, May 15 at 5 p.m. will be considered for publication in our print and online editions.

When you submit, if you have already have photos and videos to share for publication, please email them to cowens@inquirer.com.
Judge Justin Walker, President Trumps pick for an influential appeals court, faced brutal questioning from Senate Democrats on Wednesday over his views on health care policy, as the 37-year-old nominee sought to dispel criticism that he was too inexperienced and ideologically driven for the post.

The nomination of Judge Walker, a Louisville, Ky., native and protege of Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky and the majority leader, has drawn fire from Democrats and liberal activists who suggest that Mr. McConnell maneuvered inappropriately to position his favored candidate for the powerful post.

But during a sometimes surreal hearing before the Judiciary Committee, Democrats homed in instead on his ultraconservative positions, including his comment that the 2012 Supreme Court ruling upholding the Affordable Care Act was indefensible.

Why, in the middle of a pandemic, should we support a nominee who would take away health care for millions of Americans, including those with pre-existing conditions? asked Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the panel.
A 48-storey skyscraper in the United Arab Emirates was engulfed in flames earlier tonight causing fiery debris to destroy cars lining the streets below.

The Abbco Tower, one of the largest skyscrapers in the city of Sharjah - which is located above Dubai in the UAE - was visibly alight with flames shortly after 9pm local time last night.

After breaking out on the 10th floor, the blaze crept up the block, and hailed burning concrete and glass on to the streets below, according to images and videos circulated on social media.

Though there were no fatalities in the fire, nine people were first treated for minor injuries at the scene, Colonel Dr. Ali Abu Al Zoud, Deputy Director General of Central Operations of Sharjah Police, told Gulf News.

Pictured: The 48-storey Abbco Tower in flames in Sharjah last night after a fire broke out and tore through the building

Pictured: People stand on a bridge and watch a fire that erupts in A 48-Storey Residential Tower in Sharjah last night

They reported that seven of the injured were then taken to a local hospital.

The colonel added that drones were used to reach the tops of the building to ensure that residents had not been left inside.

Dozens of firetrucks were deployed to the scene after the fire broke out and they're now working to cool the building, which was mainly made up of residential flats.

The 250 displaced families who were evacuated have been provided with alternative accommodation, the colonel said.

Residents of the burning high-rise building look on as fire fighting efforts are ongoing, in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, this morning

People stand on a bridge and watch a fire that erupts in A 48-Storey Residential Tower in Sharjah last night

Residents told Gulf News they realised the fire early and got out of the building as soon as possible, with many taking refuge in their cars nearby.

Five other buildings were also evacuated for safety.

'We heard commotion and then saw fire trucks within a few minutes. We were scared and left with the whole family,' said Samantha, who lived in a nearby building.

Officials did not know the cause of the fire last night but said the main cause of residential blazes in Sharjah last year involved short circuits and cigarette butts not being put out properly.
[May 06, 2020] Philips Professional Display Solutions Announces New Product to Support Essential Businesses

Philips Professional Display Solutions (Philips (News - Alert) PDS), the market-leading digital display solutions provider, today announced the release of a new state-of-the-art series of customer line management and people counting signage solutions. As social distancing becomes an increasingly important way of life for people and businesses during the current climate, the need for tools to easily and efficiently monitor and manage foot traffic in public settings like grocery stores, retail stores and convenience stores, has become paramount to ensuring the safety of both customers and staff. In response, Philips Professional Display Solutions has worked with partners globally to create a solution that helps retailers follow government guidelines and control store traffic. With health officials recommending social distancing of at least 6 feet, businesses - particularly those with high foot traffic - are being urged to implement strict measures around capacity and crowding to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus. Philips Professional Display Solutions is committed to providing customers with timely end-to-end solutions and seamless integrations. This new product uses the company's strategic partnerships with global software and peripherals providers and its software powered by Android (News - Alert) to deliver a new digital signage solution that is both cost effective and easy to install. Designed to fit settings with one or several points of entry, the solutions will provide store employees and customers with visibility into the number of people entering and exiting a building, as well as introducing effective and efficient line management systems, informing and engaging customers at the same time. The solution is currently being tested among Philips Professional Display Solutions' customers across Europe. Kersten Retail Techniek, one of the Benelux region's largest retail installers that supports some of the world's leading brands, such as H&M and Footlocker, is in the process of introducing the solution across stores. Conversations with a number of other leading organizations are also taking place in the UK and Europe. "Philips Professional Display Solutions has responded immediately to these new retail challenges bringing a complete solution to market that simply didn't exist before," said Ronald Kuypers, Kersten Retail CEO. "Even during this lockdown, people still need to visit stores, so it's crucial we ensure they feel safe and comfortable in doing so." "North America and the rest of the world are in the midst of unprecedented circumstances. COVID-19 has caused us to think twice about engaging in 'normal' activities like going into work or going to the grocery store so we can protect the population's health an reduce the burden on our frontline workers," said Joseph King, Senior Director of Philips Professional Display Solutions, North America. "As we navigate this 'new normal' of social distancing and decreased personnel and customers in stores, the collaboration between digital signage and technology has never been more important."



The new displays, which can be used across industries such as retail, corporate, hospitality, education and healthcare, provide benefits for both the current climate and the future. They can be programmed to provide customers and staff with clear information around store capacity, alerting customers to whether it's safe to enter the store by installing cameras at building entrances. These cameras will feed information on expected wait times, as well as engaging, promotional messaging onto the displays. Additional features include: Ability to broadcast updates using audio and a traffic light system (red, yellow and green), ensuring complete inclusivity

Integration with automatic doors, enabling them to open and close based on capacity - potentially freeing up staff from managing lines

Access to the flexible and secure Android SoC, which enables partners and developers to add and integrate their own API/software features, bringing more choice and benefits to customers quickly and efficiently

Utilization of Philips Professional Display Solutions' exclusive control and management software, CMND, which allows for single and multiple displays to easily create and share information and provide customers with complete control locally and remotely "Helping our customers is and has always been our top priority, but this is even more important due to the current environment. It is because of that mission and through our partnerships with some of the world's top organizations that we have been able to bring a solution to market within weeks that was not originally in our pipeline," King said. "Further, these displays can be utilized across a variety of industries and essential businesses and partners have the ability to easily integrate their solutions thanks to our use of the Android operating system."

Partners and customers across North America are currently testing these solutions. To learn more about this new solution or other ways Philips Professional Display Solutions is helping customers during the COVID-19 pandemic, visit https://www.philips.co.uk/p-m-pr/professional-displays/people-count?nocache=1 or the Philips Professional Displays USA LinkedIn page. About Philips Professional Display Solutions Philips Professional Display Solutions ("PPDS") is a trading name of TP Vision Europe B.V. ("TP Vision") and MMD-Monitors & Displays Nederland B.V. ("MMD"), registered in the Netherlands, with their head offices in Amsterdam. TP Vision and MMD are wholly-owned subsidiaries of TPV Technology Limited ("TPV"), the world's largest manufacturer of monitors and a leading provider of display solutions. PPDS exclusively markets and sells Philips-branded professional displays, covering professional TVs, signage and LED solutions, worldwide under trademark license by Koninklijke Philips N.V. By combining the Philips brand promise with TPV's manufacturing expertise in displays, PPDS employs a competitive and focused approach to bring innovative products to market - from its 10" touchscreen through to the 880" LED displays. Designing solutions that make a positive impact, both for resellers and for end-customers - at the right time and in the right places. Connect with us: https://www.facebook.com/philipsprofessionaldisplaysolutions https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/philips-professional-display-solutions-north-america/ https://twitter.com/PhilipsDisplays View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005741/en/

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For 35 weeks, Selina Herrera lived just inches from her mothers heartbeat, thub-dubbing above her in a peaceful, reassuring rhythm.

Then came the diagnosis: Emelia Herrera, a 30-year-old from Cypress, 35 weeks pregnant with her second daughter, tested positive for COVID-19. On April 8, Emilias symptoms grew so severe that she couldnt breathe. She could barely even speak when she reached the Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital.

They didnt even put me in the waiting room, she says. They took me straight to a room and started giving me oxygen. And I basically blacked out after that.

When she awoke, three weeks later, unsure of where she was and unable to move, Emelia felt the absence of her baby bump immediately. She had no memory of giving birth, but she soon learned that shed delivered little Selina during an emergency C-section the day she was admitted.

On Saturday, one day before Mothers Day and a day after Selinas one-month birthday, Emelia was finally released to meet her little girl.

She pulled Selina in close, and held her to her chest, careful not to squeeze too hard. And there, both mother and daughter had a chance to listen to the sounds theyd learned by heart these past weeks.

At Houston Methodists main campus, where Emelia had been transported during her illness, a therapist had an idea early on in Emelias stay: What if she could make Emelia and Selina feel as though they were once again listening to heartbeats together?

I wanted to help her bond with her baby, says music therapist Virginia Gray. And I told her Id like to record your heartbeat, and use that beat as the base to a song for a baby. Because the baby will know your heartbeat. Shell know your voice.

Yes, Emelia answered her. She knows my heartbeat.

Gray used a special stethoscope to record Emelias heartbeat, and asked if the young mother would like to sing the words to a lullaby. But Emelias voice was shot, after weeks of intubation and being hooked up to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation machine, which operates like an external lunch.

Can you sing it? she asked Gray.

Gray obliged, singing the well-known words, Twinkle, twinkle little star, over Emelias heartbeat. At the very end of the song, Emelia added I love you Selina, words she hoped her daughter would remember her whispering while she was in-utero. The team at Methodist then dropped the recording into a stuffed heart, similar to the ones used at the toy shop Build-A-Bear, and delivered it to Emelias mother, who has been watching Selina and her 3-year-old sister until their mother is discharged.

It sits in Selinas crib.

Its made me feel a lot better, Emelia said last week, from her hospital bed. I felt like my daughter was missing out on me. So it meant a lot that she could have my heartbeat next to her, since she was in my stomach for so long.

Heartbeats are, of course, chock full of symbolism about love and a steady hand. But theres more to this gesture. Theres science behind it, too.

Studies show that hearing a mothers heartbeat can have a calming effect on infants, and can even reduce their stress hormones.

The sound of the mothers voice and heartbeat reduces the anxiety that an infant experiences, says Dr. Ben Weinstein, chair psychiatry at Methodist. And that stress reduction goes more than just one way.

For a parent to hear the sound of a childs heartbeat, thats a really special thing too, he says. If youre a parent, you know that. When mothers go to their ultrasound appointments, they looked forward to hearing their babys heartbeat. Its a symbol of life.

Gray, and Emelias husband, Erick Herrera - whom she hadnt seen since her intake, due to quarantine requirements - wanted Emelia to experience this. So they used that special stethoscope again, this time recording Selinas heartbeat. For this gift, Gray paired the heartbeat with the song that Emelia had walked down the aisle to at her wedding.

Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years, Gray sang along to Emelias cherished song, by Christine Perri. I'll love you for a thousand more.

Gray eventually recorded a third song, which syncs up the heartbeats of Selina, Erick and Emelia.

The goal was to help mom bond, and to use the music to give her opportunities for processing, in a safe and organized way, the trauma shes experienced in the journey of being in the hospital, Gray says. And to her eyes, its worked.

Each time she touches this story, its less traumatic, the music therapist says. At first, she couldnt talk about it without becoming short of breath or tearful. Shes getting better now.

Emelia still has a long road to recovery. She needs rehabilitation to help with the lingering side effects both of the coronavirus, and of being sedated for so long. There is nerve damage, and she cant yet move one of her feet.

This is the hardest thing Ive ever had to do, the stay-at-home mom said last week.

But she listened to the heartbeat. It helped her feel closer to the daughter shed only seen through video screens.

On Saturday, Emelia couldnt contain her tears when her mother handed her Selina, clad in an elephants-and-bears onesie. She pulled the baby close. And cried.

After such a long journey, she said, Im home.

maggie.gordon@chron.com;

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Tributes have been paid to a Cumbria farmer who died after a tragic accident involving a quad bike near his farm.

Martyn Mawson, 52, a beef and sheep farmer, was pronounced dead at the scene following the accident on Sunday 3 May.

Cumbria Police were called by North West Ambulance Service at around 11.30pm to fells near a property on the A591 between Bothel and Keswick.

Tributes have now been paid to Mr Mawson, who leaves behind his wife and two sons.

Adam Day, managing director of Penrith-based the Farmer Network, played two songs dedicated to the farmer on a live video on Facebook.

A close friend of the family told me just ten minutes before I was due to play and sing live, and I felt I had to say something and play a couple of songs as a dedication to a man who will be sorely missed by the whole farming community, said Mr Day.

Martyn always had a smile on his face, and wasnt afraid to try out new things.

It comes as farmers were recently warned not to underestimate the dangers of quad bike use, as figures show 26 all-terrain vehicle related deaths since 2010.

Farmers and farm workers were told to avoid subconscious thinking and to take extra care to ensure their safe use  or risk serious legal and financial repercussions.

Matt McWhirter, of Farmers and Mercantile Insurance Brokers, said 'complacency is farm safetys worst enemy'.

It is of particular concern in relation to ATVs which, because of their versatility and ease of use, and are often deployed on a daily basis for a variety of farming-related tasks, he said.
In their tiny living room, Maria Luisa Prado told her flatmates about a 28-year-old woman "who was also a family doctor like us" who died from coronavirus. Lourdes Ramos, who shares the Madrid apartment, said she felt "very anxious" at the beginning of the outbreak. "I got cracks on the skin of my hands from washing them so much," she said. Two steps from the hospital where they battle the coronavirus outbreak, four young doctors help keep each other calm during the pandemic in one of the world's hardest-hit countries. About 18 percent of Spain's confirmed cases of the virus have involved healthcare staff, according to health ministry figures released Tuesday. Prado and Ramos are 29. Their flatmates Ana Rubio and Cristina Rios are a year younger. When their neighbours go to their windows each night to applaud healthcare workers, they do not realise that the four doctors completing their speciality training are on the frontlines of the virus fight. The women sometimes work a double shift -- first at a local healthcare centre and then overnight at a hospital emergency ward. Three of them were about to finish their training and had planned to celebrate with a trip to Vietnam in April. But on March 3, Spain recorded its first coronavirus death. The toll has since climbed to over 25,000, one of the highest in the world. - 'We're not immortal' - Like other Madrid hospitals, the Gregorio Maranon hospital where the four women work quickly became overwhelmed. "All the halls were full of patients, patients, patients, many waiting for a bed for 48 hours, sleeping in chairs," recalled Rubio. "There was not enough staff to verify who was okay and who was not. You were left with the fear that 'someone could die here right now and I won't realise it'," she added. The peak of cases at the hospital came on April 1, with over a thousand patients, including 112 in intensive care, said Rubio. The four interns, three of them daughters of doctors, say they discovered the weak points of the public health system and their own fragility during the pandemic. "This experience will help us to grow as doctors and human beings, to value life in another way," said Rubio. "We're not immortal," she repeated twice. - 'Therapy among friends' - The four women are reluctant to talk about the difficult situations they experienced. But Prado says she is still troubled by the suffering of other colleagues who, when there were no longer any respirators available, had to deny access to the intensive care unit to certain COVID-19 patients. The four flatmates said they sometimes could not contain their tears, such as when they had to deliver bad news to family members. For Rios the hardest part was telling several people that they could not enter the intensive care unit to say goodbye to a loved one "because they could not expose themselves" to the virus. All four women were sent to work at a field hospital for less serious coronavirus cases set up at Madrid's main conference centre, which closed on Friday. They said they enjoyed the sense of camaraderie they found there, and experienced joy at seeing hundreds of grateful patients being discharged after they were cured. Now they fear a resurgence of the coronavirus which would force the field hospital to reopen. With their family members far away and boyfriends in lockdown elsewhere, the four women vowed not to let the pandemic dominate their entire lives. Prado rehearses contemporary dance, Ramos draws, Rubio works out with free weights and Rios takes an online guitar course. They gather in the living room to talk, play cards, swing dance or share meals made by Rubio. "It's like therapy among friends. Therapy with music, laughter, dance," said Rubio.
Civil society organizations on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the Railways should not charge for tickets on the special trains being run to transport migrant workers back to their homes amid the coronavirus-forced lockdown.

They said all travel must be free and food expenses should be borne by the state.

The civil society organizations, who have come together to form 'National Campaign for Migrant Workers', demanded that the migrant workers returning home be provided an ex-gratia of Rs 7,000 in lieu of the wages lost due of the lockdown.

They also appealed to the Ministry of Home Affairs to issue directions to withdraw FIRs against migrant workers filed in places such as Surat, Mumbai, and Hyderabad where workers protested to be allowed to go home.

"The protests were an expression of genuine distress,," they said.

The campaign also urged the MHA to withdraw the May 2 order, clarifying the definition of stranded workers.

The Home Ministry had on Sunday made it clear that the relaxations given for the movement of people during the lockdown was available only to distressed migrant workers.

It clarified that the order is not applicable to those categories of persons who are otherwise residing normally at places other than native places for purposes of work etc and those who wish to visit their native place in normal course.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A pair of would-be burglars got away emptyhanded after breaking into the Houston Museum of Natural Science early Wednesday morning.

The two broke an outer window near the museums Cockrell Butterfly Center and wrapped a chain around an ATM inside the building, police said. They backed a white van on the sidewalk to pull the ATM out of the building, but a Houston police officer hired to protect the museum intervened before they could steal anything.
Trump admin. says PPP money won't be going to Planned Parenthood, 'abortion industry'

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The Trump administration has ensured that funds from the new Paycheck Protection Program meant to help small businesses amid the COVID-19 crisis dont go to the abortion industry.

President Trump is committed to ensuring Paycheck Protection Program money is used for saving jobs at small businesses, not getting the government into the business of funding abortion, The Daily Signal quoted a senior administration official as saying. While not all Americans share President Trumps pro-life beliefs, there is broad bipartisan support for the idea that American taxpayers should not have to fund abortion.

The Daily Caller also quoted a senior official saying the same. Through the Paycheck Protection Program, President Trump is delivering vital relief to help small businesses keep employees on payroll. Its clear that the abortion industry shouldnt be able to qualify for those funds, which are desperately needed by small businesses.

At an event for small businesses at the White House earlier this week, the president praised the Small Business Administration for processing loans at a high pace in the second round of funding for the PPP. So far, weve processed an amazing 450,000 loans totaling over $50 billion, Trump recently said, according to Fox News. Demand is extraordinarily high and there are already twice as many users accessing the system as on any day under the first round.

Last month, Trump signed a bill into a law setting aside $310 billion as additional funding to the PPP to ensure that millions of Americans will stay on the payroll during this global health crisis. In the first round, the PPP program had reached its lending limit within two weeks after approving nearly $1.7 million loans worth $350 billion.

Our swift action supported or saved 30 million American jobs at least, Trump said at the event.

The source told the Signal that big enterprises such as Planned Parenthood, the nations largest abortion provider, are excluded from the SABs mission. The SB in SBA is for small business, so SBA has regulations called affiliation rules to define when small employers might be so closely affiliated with a parent organization that they should be considered one large employer.

The source explained, While each Planned Parenthood affiliate has fewer than 500 employees, nationwide it has over 16,000 employees. So when applying PPPs affiliation rules neutrally, its clear that Planned Parenthood is one large employer and not eligible for PPP money. The interim final rule made crystal clear that an organization with Planned Parenthoods corporate structure doesnt qualify.

The National Abortion Rights Action League has alleged in an ad that the president and Republicans are trying to limit abortion access by using the coronavirus outbreak, but Trump campaign maintains that the pandemic should not be used to promote abortion.

President Trump is the most pro-life president in American history, Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh told the Daily Caller earlier. Its disgusting, but not surprising, that the extreme abortion lobby would try to use a global health crisis to promote the killing of unborn children.
Prince Harry shares a lot in common with his late mother, Princess Diana. Like his mom, who was beloved by royal watchers around the world, Harry has officially left the royal family to embark on his own journey. Although Prince Harry is no longer representing the crown, his relationship with the public will change how the royal family operates for the foreseeable future.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex | Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage

Princess Diana becomes an international icon

Dianas divorce from Charles in the 1990s was the biggest scandal to hit the royal family in decades. It took Charles years to turn around his public image and the Prince of Wales is still dealing with low popularity ratings to this day.

Diana, however, quickly morphed into an international icon. Royal watchers around the world paid attention to her every move and her sense of style inspired fashion trends of the day.

She also continued her amazing work in the charitable world, and her dedication won numerous accolades from world leaders.

Princess Diana was a bad ass. Setting aside her advocacy for mental health, removing the stigma around HIV/AIDS; and land mines. Back in 1991, she broke royal protocol and not only attended Sports Day at Wetherby School, where Prince Harry was a student, she raced other mothers. pic.twitter.com/zrNKiRJPLA  James LaPorta (@JimLaPorta) May 3, 2020

Following her tragic death in 1997, the prime minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair, called her the peoples princess. Millions of people around the world grieved after her passing, and Dianas influence on the royals continued long after she was gone.

This is particularly true with her two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, who were both young when she passed.

Prince Harry follows in Princess Dianas shoes

In recent years, Harry has been more open about how his mothers death affected his mental health. He is also keenly aware of the cost of being in the royal spotlight, something that undoubtedly contributed to his decision to leave the royal family.

Back in January, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, announced that they were stepping down as active members of the royal family. As part of their exit, they will no longer use their royal titles and will spend most of their time in North America.

The move came after the two spent years fighting British tabloids, whose relentless attacks on Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, led to serious struggles behind the scenes.

Harry ultimately decided to get out of the royal family and is now living in Los Angeles with Meghan and their son, Archie Harrison. Harry may be out of the royal family, but like Diana, his influence as a public figure will likely increase as the years go by.

Inside Harrys rise in popularity

One reason Prince Harry is so popular with the public is because of his laid-back attitude. Whereas William and Kate Middleton are more conservative in their public duties, Harry has always been viewed as more relatable (something the Cambridges have been working on).

After experiencing several scandals in his youth, Harry left his wild days behind him and has done a lot of work in the realm of charities. This includes launching the Invictus Games and becoming a huge advocate for mental health.

Prince Harry is putting his popularity as a member of the British royal family behind a consortium devoted to sustainability in tourism https://t.co/3yq7dJ2My3  The New York Times (@nytimes) September 3, 2019

Prince Harry also teamed up with his brother to start a mental health awareness charity called Heads Together. According to Newcastle Herald, he opened up about his struggles with mental health in an interview in 2017, admitting that he bottled up all of my emotions for the last 20 years to cope with his moms death.

Like Diana, Harry proved to be very popular with crowds and often received praise for being so down-to-earth. Although his popularity has taken a slight hit following Megxit, Harrys relationship with the public will change the royal familys protocol forever.

How Prince Harry has changed the royal family

Now that Harry and Meghan are out of the monarchy, their exit has affected other members of the royal family in a variety of ways. For starters, many of their previous duties and charitable work will be passed on to other royals.

The Sussexes are also planning on becoming financially independent from the crown, which means starting their own careers in the private sector. Other royals have done this in the past, including Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, but none of them have as much influence as Harry and Meghan.

Exactly what the couple plans on doing is yet to be seen, but their activities will continue to affect how the royals manage the monarchy, especially when it comes to modernizing the institution.

Prince Harry and Meghans exit has also affected how William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, are approaching their public life. The Cambridges have been trying to appear more relaxed during their recent public appearances, seemingly taking a page right out of Harry and Meghans book.
A threat actor is offering a database apparently belonging to Pakistans leading telecom service, it includes data of 44 Million Pakistani mobile users.

The threat actor is leaking the database of Pakistans leading telecom service Mobilinks (now @jazzpk).

The database contains personally-identifiable and subscription information for 44,000,000 Pakistanis, including customer full names, home addresses (city, region, street name), National identification (CNIC) numbers, mobile phone numbers, landline numbers, and dates of subscription.

It seems that the huge trove of data was the result of a data breach that took place in 2017, the oldest entries are dated back as 2013.

Actor leaks Mobilink's (now @jazzpk) database  Pakistan's leading telecom service.



 Database contains information such as names, addresses, phone numbers, national IDs, and more on over 44,000,000 Pakistanis.



 Database apparently got hacked in 2017. pic.twitter.com/xjpg6EvpDE  Under the Breach  (@underthebreach) May 5, 2020

Last month, a hacker offered for sale a dump containing 115 Million Pakistani mobile user records for over $2 million worth of bitcoin.

The dump was discovered by a Dubai-based cybersecurity firm Rewterz (@rewterz) that confirmed its authenticity and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is investigating the matter.

#Pakistan is investigating the authenticity of a #Dubai-based cyber security company @rewterz report that claims the personal data of 115 million Pakistani mobile users is up for sale on #DarkWeb for $2.1m || @PTAofficialpk https://t.co/4IzVWaBxa8  Arab News Pakistan (@arabnewspk) April 13, 2020

Experts at ZDNet have obtained a copy of the dump containing 44 Million records determined that it is part of 115 Million data dump.

The dump also includes information for Pakistani companies.

At the time it is not possible to determine if the dump has been stolen from Jazz servers, it is possible that hackers breached the systems of one of its business partners or a government organization.

Please vote Security Affairs for European Cybersecurity Blogger Awards  VOTE FOR YOUR WINNERS

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Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs  Pakistani mobile users, hacking)
Almost a year on from the disappearance of Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez in Byron Bay, his family have criticised media leaks revealing information NSW Police had asked them to keep quiet.

Theo Hayez was just 18 when he went missing in Byron Bay after a night out on May 31 last year.

Missing Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez. Credit:AAP

Theo was last seen leaving the Cheeky Monkey bar, and his disappearance sparked a massive community effort to join the official NSW Police search.

His family twice came out from Belgium to join the search, but found little trace of their missing son and brother. Belgian police also visited Byron Bay to work with local officers.
President Donald Trump tours the assembly line of a Honeywell facility manufacturing protective masks for the CCP virus pandemic in Phoenix, Arizona, on May 5, 2020. (Tom Brenner/Reuters)

Trump Praises American Manufacturing at New Mask Facility in Arizona

In his first trip out of Washington since late March, President Donald Trump on Tuesday visited a new mask production facility in Phoenix, Arizona, and took the opportunity to praise the manufacturing might of the facility to support healthcare workers amid the CCP virus pandemic.

The Honeywell International Inc. aerospace facility at Phoenix had in less than five weeks shifted from manufacturing aircraft engines to producing N95 respirator masks to supply the Strategic National Stockpile for health care and emergency services workers. N95 respirators are designed to filter 95 percent of airborne particles.

Related Coverage President Trump Delivers Remarks at Honeywell International Inc. Mask Production Facility

Respirators are there to protect our heroic doctors and nurses as they fight the unseen enemy, Trump said after touring the facility. He praised the facilitys N95 masks, calling them high-quality and made to perfection.

President Donald Trump looks at a protective mask being shown to him by Honeywells Vice President of Integrated Supply Chain Tony Stallings in Phoenix, Arizona, on May 5, 2020. (Tom Brenner/Reuters)

Trump also pointed out that more than 150 Honeywell employees are working around the clock, three shifts a day, six days a week to create the masks.

Its the men and women of Honeywell who are supplying the weapons, armor, the sweat, and skill in the war to defeat the new and invisible enemy, a tough enemy, a smart enemy  The people of our country are warriors, the president said.

Like generations of patriots before you, the workers of this factory are pouring their heart and their soul and their blood into defending our nation and keeping our people healthy and safe, he added. You make America proud. You really do. And I want to thank you very much. Thats why Im here.

Honeywell had earlier announced about its efforts to ramp up mask production at the aerospace plant in Phoenix, as well as at its safety eyewear plant in Smithfield, Rhode Island. Such efforts have added at least 1,000 jobs500 to each siteand will enable the company to produce more than 20 million N95 respirators per month. Trump called the feat a truly miraculous achievement.

The president also took the opportunity to praise local manufacturing.

We know it matters where something is made, and we want essential medicines, supplies, and equipment to be manufactured, produced, and made right here in the good old USA, Trump said.

My administration believes in two simple rules: Buy American and hire American, he added. In the 20th century, Honeywell workers helped make America the worlds greatest manufacturing superpower. This is a great company, and it played a very big role.

The Honeywell mask factory where President Donald Trump visited and held a roundtable on Native American issues in Phoenix, Arizona, on May 5, 2020. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

President Donald Trump looks at an assembly line machine manufacturing protective masks being shown to him by Honeywells Vice President of Integrated Supply Chain Tony Stallings in Phoenix, Arizona, on May 5, 2020. (Tom Brenner/Reuters)

Prior to addressing the workers at Honeywell, Trump participated in a roundtable discussion at the facility about supporting Native Americans amid the CCP virus pandemic.

Native Americans have been hit hard by the terrible pandemic, Trump said, later adding that the administration is bringing the Navajo Nation 1,000 rapid-result Abbott Laboratories tests for the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, a novel coronavirus that emerged in China late last year. Trump also said that the Navajo Nation will receive $600 million to combat the effects of the pandemic.

Vice President of the Navajo Nation Myron Lizer said that 2,400 members of the Navajo Nation have been infected and 73 have died from the CCP virus. He added that health professionals have advised the peak in new cases will be in mid-May.

Read More Pence: White House Considering Scaling Back CCP Virus Task Force
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston said Tuesday that it would establish a $500,000 fund devoted to diversity initiatives, a move that comes a year after a group of black middle school students said they had been subjected to racist comments while on a field trip there.

The museum also said that as part of an agreement with the state, it would do more to engage with and support local communities, artists and young people of color, according to Maura Healey, the Massachusetts attorney general.

Our cultural institutions play an important role in fostering and providing an inclusive environment for communities and people of all backgrounds, Ms. Healey said. Todays agreement affirms the experiences of students and teachers from the Helen Y. Davis Leadership Academy and lifts up their voices and the voices of local communities of color to help shape change and greater understanding.

During the field trip, one museum employee was accused of telling students from the Davis Academy, No food, no drink and no watermelon. After an investigation, the museum said it could not verify the allegations. It said an employee recalled telling the students that no food, no drink and no water bottles were allowed in the galleries.
[May 06, 2020] Infoblox Named One of Inc.'s Best Workplaces of 2020

Infoblox Inc., the leader in Secure Cloud-Managed Network Services, has been named one of Inc. magazine's Best Workplaces for 2020. Inc. reviewed submissions from over 3,000 companies, ultimately selecting 395 finalists for this year's list. Employees from each company that entered were surveyed on a number of topics such as trust, management effectiveness, benefits, and feelings about the future. Inc. gathered, analyzed, and audited the data, then ranked all employers using a composite score of survey results. "We are honored to be named one of Inc's Best Workplaces of 2020," said Norma Lane, Executive Vice President, People and Places at Infoblox (News - Alert). "We take pride in our culture and the positive, innovative and supportive workplace we have developed at Infoblox. Our employees are our most valuable asset, and this award demonstrates how deeply our entire team believes in making Infoblox a great place to work." The list, which is part of a prominent feature on Inc.com and will be featued in the May/June 2020 issue of the magazine, is the result of a comprehensive survey of private US-based companies that have created exceptional workplaces through strong and vibrant cultures, deep employee engagement, and outstanding benefits.



"This award is a testament to the commitment of every one of our employees, not only to the products and solutions we provide and the customers we serve, but also to the environment we create," said Jesper Andersen (News - Alert), President and CEO of Infoblox. "Culture is one of those things that is easy to talk about, but much harder to enact. At all times, but especially the last couple months when we quickly transitioned to work-from-home in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, I have been amazed at the creative ways that our teams have found to stay connected and engaged with one another." About Infoblox

Infoblox delivers the next level network experience with its Secure Cloud-Managed Network Services. As the pioneer in providing the world's most reliable, secure and automated networks, we are relentless in our pursuit of next level network simplicity. A recognized industry leader, Infoblox has more than 50 percent market share in the DDI networking market comprised of 8,000 customers, including 350 of the Fortune 500. Learn more at https://www.infoblox.com. About Inc. Media The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005474/en/

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(Kitco News) - Torex Gold Resources Inc. (TSX: TXG) posted an adjusted profit in the first quarter but has not yet listed new production guidance for 2020 due to uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the company announced Wednesday.

Adjusted net earnings were listed at $19.9 million, or 23 cents per share, a turnaround from an adjusted loss of $5.7 million, or 7 cents, in the first quarter of 2019.

The company listed a net loss of $47 million, or 55 cents per share on a basic basis and a loss of 57 cents per share on a diluted basis. The net loss was impacted by a 24.8% depreciation in the Mexican peso against the U.S. dollar, the company said. In the first quarter of 2019, the companys net loss was $1.3 million.

The U.S. monetary stimulus in reaction to COVID-19 resulted in the depreciation in many emerging-market currencies, including Mexicos, said Fred Stanford, president and chief executive officer. This has us offside with our currency hedges and when marked to market, the significant lost opportunity to benefit from the depreciated peso affected earnings.

There were also benefits realized due to the rapid deterioration in the value of the peso. All said and done, the business was solid for the quarter, [but] the financials are a bit messy.

Quarterly gold production was 108,537 ounces, up from 77,870 in the same period a year ago, Torex said. The average realized gold price rose to $1,571 an ounce from $1,302.

All-in sustaining costs per ounce were $975. The company said this was impacted by accounting changes in the treatment of stockpiled ore, adding $100 per ounce to AISC.



This impact will decline over the coming quarters and is expected to average out at the impact expected in the original annual guidance numbers, Stanford said.



The company said it repaid $21.8 million of outstanding debt during the quarter.

Torex had to temporarily shut down its Mexico operations after the end of the quarter due to government restrictions to combat COVID-19. However, ahead of time, the company developed plans for COVID-19 scenarios, Torex said. While there is uncertainty on when full operations can restart, the company said it is preparing for the possibility that the Mexican decree could be lifted as early as May 18.

At the end of the quarter, we started a significant planned maintenance shutdown, Stanford said. The decree to suspend non-essential businesses in Mexico was enacted during this shutdown, and we did not restart when the maintenance was completed. Extensive infection control has been effective, and the care-and-maintenance team has remained free from COVID-19 infection.

The company said its too early to announce new guidance due to the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19. Previous guidance was withdrawn on April 2.

Jody Kuzenko will succeed Stanford as CEO following the companys annual shareholder meeting, and Stanford will transition to executive chair.
GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- The election process looks a little different this year but there were still a few items on the ballot for Genesee County voters May 5.

Clio, Grand Blanc, Bentley and Mt. Morris schools are the only districts in the county that kept tax proposals on the May ballot rather than pushing them to August due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Heres how and where to vote Tuesday, May 5, in Genesee County

Linden, Goodrich and Durand school districts have all pushed theirs to August, according to Genesee County Clerk John Gleason.

Michigan polls quiet as absentee voting booms to record levels amid coronavirus outbreak

See election results as they come in for four Genesee County school districts with proposals on the Tuesday, May 5, ballot:

Update: 48 out of 48 precinct reporting as of around 11 p.m. Tuesday, May 5.

Grand Blanc Community Schools bond proposal:

Yes: 6396

No: 4411

Read more here: Grand Blanc schools passes proposal to get $87 million bond on ballot

Mt. Morris Consolidated School District building and site bond proposal

Yes: 1242

No: 953

Read more about it here: Mt. Morris schools is asking voters to pass $11.2M bond proposal in May

Clio Area Schools bond proposal

Yes: 2664

No: 2489

Read more about it here: Clio schools ask voters to pass $40.6 million bond

Bentley Community Schools building and site bond proposal

Yes: 732

No: 433

Read more here: Bentley Community Schools asks voters to approve $2.2 million bond

Read more:

Related story: How Michigans May 5 election will look amid the coronavirus pandemic

Michigan voters can register, return ballots on site for May 5 elections

Complete coverage at mlive.com/coronavirus

Tuesday, May 5: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan
There were glitches getting started, sound problems and people talking over each other, but a convicted killer was sentenced Wednesday to 40 years in prison in a proceeding conducted completely online  a first in San Antonio.

The defendant, Montrail Tre Butler, 24, sat at a desk in a room at Bexar County jail. His defense attorneys were in their offices at Travis and St. Marys streets. The prosecutors were in their offices in the Paul Elizondo Tower, the court reporter was at home and Judge Stephanie Boyd was in her 187th state District Court.

At one point, 14 people were connected via Zoom videoconferencing, and the entire hearing was shown live on the judges YouTube channel. That made it a public proceeding, as required by law.

On ExpressNews.com: Instead of All rise the clicks on the phone herald start of court proceedings

Boyd and other jurists have been sampling this new way of keeping the wheels of justice turning since mid-March, when the coronavirus pandemic halted juries and stay-at-home orders were issued.

On Wednesday, she presided over four pleas and a motion to revoke probation before Butlers hearing started around 2 p.m.

But Wednesday was the first time for a virtual murder sentencing.

My client wanted to do this, he wanted to get this thing done, said attorney J. Charles Bunk, who represented Butler at his February jury trial and at the sentencing.

Butler was 21 when he was charged with murder in the death of Stephanie Woodford, 34, after an argument March 18, 2017, in the backyard of a home in the 4900 block of Teasdale on the Northeast Side, where he had been staying.

He had returned to the house to pick up his belongings when Woodford confronted him, court records show, and an argument ensued. Woodford was fatally shot in the head.

Butler also was charged with one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for threatening Nikki James at the scene.

He was arrested shortly after Woodford was killed and he has been at Bexar County Jail ever since, more than three years behind bars.

After a trial set for September 2019 was postponed due to a mix-up involving a new witness, a new trial took place earlier this year. A jury convicted Butler of murder Feb. 5, but he opted for the judge to decide on his sentencing.

On ExpressNews.com: Case reset for San Antonio man accused in 2017 backyard killing of woman

He was scheduled to be sentenced in March, but about that time, court proceedings were halted as coronavirus restrictions kicked in.

As the stay-at-home orders keep getting extended, officials worked at finding ways to conduct proceedings that honor the required 6-foot social distancing protocol and prohibition against large gatherings.

Recently, more court proceedings have been done via video conference.

Much like she would in regular courtroom proceedings, Boyd presided over the video hearing. She began by asking Butler at least twice if he had consulted with his attorneys about this precedent-setting hearing, and if he consented to doing it all via video.

Yes, maam, he replied.

Boyd has the ability to mute observers and she can provide a private virtual meeting room, where the defense attorneys and Butler could talk confidentially with each other, as many times as they wanted.

During the hearing, the usual things happened: Bunk and his co-counsel, Kelly McGinnis, raised objections  albeit via hand signals  and prosecutors Nicole Phillips and Sade Mitchell argued those objections.

Because of the number of people on the call, Bunk would raise his hand or both of them in a flagging manner, so he could attract the judges attention and have his objection heard.

It was only clumsy during objections, but I thought the judge did a good job, Bunk said following the hearing.

On ExpressNews.com: State District Judge Stephanie Boyd debuts videoconferencing

Witnesses also appeared  a fingerprint expert and a detention officer  both seen from offices at the jail.

Because Butler has a criminal history that includes two convictions for buglary of a habitation by force, he was deemed a repeat offender. He faced 15 to 99 years on the murder charge and five to 99 years on the aggravated assault.

Bunk told the court his client has spent 38 months in jail since his arrest a week after the killing, and the pandemic has only prolonged his sentence since the conviction.

He cited Butlers age  24  and the fact that he has an 8-year-old daughter and asked the judge to consider a 25-year sentence.

Hes been a good guy while in jail, polite to the court, the state, his lawyers, Bunk told Boyd.

On the other side, prosecutor Nicole Phillips asked the court for a life sentence, pointing out that Butler already had spent time in prison for two burglary convictions and had been out for 45 days before he killed Woodford.

Punish the defendant for life for the life that he took, she said.

In the end, Boyd opted for a middle ground, handing him the 40-year sentence.

Butler will have to serve at least 20 years  half of his sentence  before he is eligible for parole.

Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales, who watched some of the proceedings from the courtroom, said that for a first, things went well, despite some unique glitches, such as objections from the defense, who challenged whether his client was the one fingerprinted because Butler was wearing a mask, and only his eyes were exposed.

Despite that, Gonzales said he hoped to keep using the new technology in cases that can be handled routinely.

On ExpressNews.com: Administrative judge plans to extend COVID-19 delay of jury duty into June

In another first, Woodfords mother did her victim impact statement over audio, using her cellphone.

Mr. Butler, you murdered my daughter, and all I want to know is why, Lori Anderson said.

But she couldnt see Butler and Butler couldnt see her because she wasnt using video. However, everyone attending the hearing from their respective locations could hear her loud and clear.

She was very loved, she said of her daughter, who also was a mother. You destroyed her, but not the love she gave everybody.

Boyd thanked her and Anderson hung up. After a few final housekeeping duties, the judge thanked everyone else and, as host of the Zoom session, ended the call.

Not everyone is sure that virtual court proceedings are the way to go.

There really is something to the idea of a face-to-face encounter in a courtroom, said Donna Coltharp, St. Marys University assistant law professor. It was something that (Supreme Court) Justice (Antonin) Scalia was extremely interested in. He was very reluctant to pass off on, for example, video tape depositions or videotaped proceedings because he believed that face-to-face encounters mattered in criminal trials.

There is some evidence  that seems to suggest that in sentencing in particular, a face-to-face encounter with the person who is going to sentence you makes a difference.

Coltharp, who practiced for 20 years as a criminal defense attorney and was also a federal public defender before entering the world of academia, sees value in presenting a case in person.

When I was federal public defender, we went through a period of time when we agreed to some limited videotaped sentencing and we were really, really reluctant to do that because we thought that  being present actually put a little bit of weight on your side of the scale, the professor said. The judge had to look you straight in the eye as the evidence was being heard and that makes a difference.

Still, Coltharp said, she understands the novel coronavirus pandemic is prompting changes because of serious concerns, such as the outbreak of the deadly disease at the Bexar County Jail.

But she questions whether all the changes are truly necessary.

Coronavirus has been a time that a lot of our kind of fundamental assumptions about who we are are being challenged, she said, adding, however, that the pandemic might no longer be a compelling reason since Gov. Greg Abbott already has started reopening businesses in Texas.

There is going to be, I think, a real tension between whether what some of us are doing is justified by legitimate or compelling interests when the message from state and federal leaders appears to signal less of an emergency, she said. I mean, I am still in my slippers sheltering at home, but thats not necessarily the official message.

I dont know whether the pandemic is a compelling interest at this point.

Elizabeth Zavala covers county and state courts in San Antonio. To read more from Elizabeth, become a subscriber. ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863
 Flash

Top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, could not have been artificially or deliberately manipulated.

Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), made the comments Monday in an interview with National Geographic.

While answering a question regarding evidence that the virus was made in or accidentally released from a lab in China, Fauci said, "If you look at the evolution of the virus in bats, and what's out there now is very, very strongly leaning toward this (virus) could not have been artificially or deliberately manipulated -- the way the mutations have naturally evolved."

"A number of very qualified evolutionary biologists have said that everything about the stepwise evolution over time strongly indicates that it evolved in nature and then jumped species," he said.

Asked about the possibility that the virus was found outside the lab, then brought back and escaped, Fauci said, "That means it (virus) was in the wild to begin with."

"That's why I don't get what they're talking about (and) why I don't spend a lot of time going in on this circular argument," he said.

According to the National Geographic report, Fauci is most concerned that the United States will be put to the test this fall and winter by a second wave of COVID-19 if the country does not blunt the infection rate by the summer.

The United States needs to have not only an adequate supply of tests available before a second wave hits, but also a system for getting those tests to the people who most need them, Fauci said.

"I don't think there's a chance that this virus is just going to disappear," Fauci said. "It's going to be around, and if given the opportunity, it will resurge."

The United States should also focus this summer on properly reinforcing the nation's health care system, ensuring the availability of hospital beds, ventilators, and personal protective equipment for health care workers, Fauci was quoted by National Geographic as saying.

He also stressed the importance of continuing social distancing everywhere until the case counts start to fall in cities and states.

As countries around the globe are stepping up efforts for a vaccine to treat COVID-19, Fauci said there is better chance of quickly getting a vaccine for the novel coronavirus than for HIV based on his years of experience, because for some reason human bodies make more adequate immune response to coronavirus than HIV.

The experimental vaccines are inducing, at least in animal models, really rather substantial immune responses, particularly the mRNA vaccine, according to Fauci.

He said the NIAID is developing and supporting multiple vaccine candidates.

"You want a lot of shots on goal. We want four or five candidates that we put out there all within a reasonable time," Fauci said.
Eighth graders in their class at Doan Thi Diem Secondary School in Ninh Kieu District of Can Tho City in southern Vietnam on their first day back to school after a long break due to Covid-19, May 4, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Cuu Long.

More than 1,300 Vietnamese children living in Cambodia but studying in schools in Vietnam cannot attend classes now since borders are closed.

Vietnam closed its borders in late March.

The Department of Education and Training in An Giang Province said on Tuesday its An Phu District, which shares a border with Cambodia, has 1,347 students from the neighboring country studying in grades in primary and high schools.

Every day they would cross the border to attend class and return home afterward.

An Giang authorities recently agreed to allow in 18 12th grade students, quarantine them for 14 days and then permit them to attend school. The parents of seven of the students have agreed to this.

The remaining 1,329 students have to wait until the border is reopened.

The department said it would instruct schools to organize extra classes for the students to make up for the time they are in quarantine.

Nguyen Thi Diem Tuyet, principal of A Khanh An primary school in An Phu, said of her schools 1,049 students, around 390 live in Cambodia.

"The school has told the students in Cambodia to follow classes on the An Giang television channel. Teachers will also send curriculum materials to students via the Internet."

With the government easing social distancing restrictions late last month many students returned to school on Monday for the first time since the Lunar New Year holiday in late January as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Many schools had resorted to online lessons during the break.
I don't know Argishti Kyaramyan and don't know what his abilities are, but I do know that the Prime Minister is the ex officio director of the National Security Service in Armenia. This is what head of the Bright Armenia faction of the National Assembly told reporters in parliament today, touching upon the appointment of Argishti Kyaramyan to the position of deputy director of the National Security Service.

This is stated in the Constitution that Serzh Sargsyan wrote along with Hrayr Tovmasyan. The Prime Minister is also the police chief, and consequently, if the Prime Minister has decided to appoint Argishti Kyaramyan, this means he is right from his perspective, he said and reminded that there was a time when his political party had said that the positions of director of the National Security Service and police chief need to be political positions.

Two days ago, Argishti Kyaramyan was appointed vice-chairman of the Investigative Committee, and a day later, he was dismissed and appointed deputy director of the National Security Service.
Public health advice on face coverings was removed from the Government's roadmap for reopening the country.

The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) recommended publishing guidelines for "wearing face coverings in the community" by the second phase of the plan, on June 8.

However, this recommendation was deleted from the final version of the Government's 'Roadmap for Reopening Society and the Economy'.

The Government's roadmap says any decision on face coverings would be "based on guidance".

In phase one, starting on May 18, Nphet advised that the Government should "develop guidance for wearing of face coverings in the community and has regard to the need for medical grade masks by healthcare workers".

This was also removed from the publicised version of the plan.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has suggested the public may be asked to wear face coverings to help stop the spread of the virus.

There are concerns that a recommendation on face coverings may result in panic buying and could lead to fewer masks being available for frontline health workers.

Health officials are working on guidelines and these will be published in the coming weeks.

Yesterday, the Irish Independent revealed public health advice on cocooning was removed from the roadmap by Cabinet ministers.

Tanaiste Simon Coveney said ministers had to take into account the "mental health and the stress" of people who have "effectively been locked" in their homes for weeks.

"We talk about these things and we raise the issues and the concerns that politicians are getting on the ground from people in terms of their anxiety and so on," he said.

"We listen to the public health advice and expertise which so far has served us really well."

Speaking at a briefing last night, chief medical officer Tony Holohan insisted the relationship between Nphet and the Government has worked.

However, Mr Holohan admitted Covid-19 decisions "will not be made on public health grounds alone".

"We give public health advice that relates to our expertise and area of responsibility and the Government has a range of considerations to play into any decision that is made. That is a normal part of decision-making," he added.

Meanwhile, the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) insisted masks should be compulsory for public transport passengers as the country emerges from the lockdown.

The NBRU also called for temperature testing for frontline transport workers when restrictions are lifted after May 18. It said those with high temperatures should be sent home without losing pay while they waited for test results.

In a letter to the National Transport Authority (NTA), the union outlined measures it said were necessary to facilitate the continuation of public transport through the phased easing of the lockdown.

The letter from general secretary Dermot O'Leary to the NTA's chief executive Anne Graham sent last Friday said face masks should be compulsory for all commuters.

Mr O'Leary said all frontline transport workers who interacted with commuters should have their temperature checked as they arrived for work. Workers who register a high reading would then receive immediate assistance to get a Covid-19 test.
WASHINGTON  As Europe and the U.S. loosen their lockdowns against the coronavirus, health experts are expressing growing dread over what they say is an all-but-certain second wave of deaths and infections that could force governments to clamp back down.

Were risking a backslide that will be intolerable, said Dr. Ian Lipkin of Columbia Universitys Center for Infection and Immunity.

Elsewhere around the world, German authorities began drawing up plans in case of a resurgence of the virus. Experts in Italy urged intensified efforts to identify new victims and trace their contacts. And France, which hasnt yet eased its lockdown, has already worked up a reconfinement plan in the event of a new wave.

There will be a second wave, but the problem is to which extent. Is it a small wave or a big wave? Its too early to say, said Olivier Schwartz, head of the virus unit at Frances Pasteur Institute.

In the U.S., with about half of the states easing their shutdowns to get their economies restarted and cellphone data showing that people are becoming restless and increasingly leaving home, public health authorities are worried.

Many states have not put in place the robust testing that experts believe is necessary to detect and contain new outbreaks. And many governors have pressed ahead before their states met one of the key benchmarks in the Trump administrations guidelines for reopening  a 14-day downward trajectory in new illnesses and infections.

If we relax these measures without having the proper public health safeguards in place, we can expect many more cases and, unfortunately, more deaths, said Josh Michaud, associate director of global health policy with the Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington.

Cases have continued to rise steadily in places such as Iowa and Missouri since the governors began reopening, while new infections have yo-yoed in Georgia, Tennessee and Texas.

Lipkin said he is most worried about two things: the reopening of bars, where people crowd together and lose their inhibitions, and large gatherings such as sporting events, concerts and plays. Preventing outbreaks will require aggressive contact tracing powered by armies of public health workers hundreds of thousands of people strong, which the U.S. doesnt yet have, Lipkin said.

Worldwide the virus has infected more than 3.6 million people and killed over a quarter-million, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University that experts agree understates the dimensions of the disaster because of limited testing, differences in counting the dead and concealment by some governments.

The U.S. has recorded over 70,000 deaths and 1.2 million confirmed infections, while Europe has reported over 140,000 dead.

This week, the researchers behind a widely cited model from the University of Washington nearly doubled their projection of deaths in the U.S. to about 134,000 through early August, in large part because of the easing of state stay-at-home restrictions. Newly confirmed infections per day in the U.S. exceed 20,000, and deaths per day are running well over 1,000.

In hard-hit New York City, which has managed to bring down deaths dramatically even as confirmed infections continue to rise around the rest of the country, Mayor Bill de Blasio warned that some states may be reopening too quickly.

My message to the rest of the country is learn from how much effort, how much discipline it took to finally bring these numbers down and follow the same path until youre sure that its being beaten back, he said on CNN, or else if this thing boomerangs, youre putting off any kind of restart or recovery a hell of a lot longer.

A century ago, the Spanish flu epidemics second wave was far deadlier than its first, in part because authorities allowed mass gatherings from Philadelphia to San Francisco.

Its clear to me that we are in a critical moment of this fight. We risk complacency and accepting the preventable deaths of 2,000 Americans each day, epidemiologist Caitlin Rivers, a professor at Johns Hopkins, told a House subcommittee in Washington.

President Donald Trump, who has pressed hard to ease the restrictions that have throttled the economy and thrown more than 30 million Americans out of work, pulled back Wednesday on White House plans revealed a day earlier to wind down the coronavirus task force.

He tweeted that the task force will continue meeting indefinitely with a focus on SAFETY & OPENING UP OUR COUNTRY AGAIN.

Underscoring those economic concerns, the European Union predicted the worst recession in its quarter-century history. And the U.S. unemployment rate for April, which comes out Friday, is expected to hit a staggering 16 percent, a level last seen during the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Governors continue to face demands, even lawsuits, to reopen. In Michigan, where armed demonstrators entered the Capitol last week, the Republican-led Legislature sued Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, asking a judge to declare invalid her stay-at-home order, which runs at least through May 15.

In hard-hit Italy, which has begun easing restrictions, Dr. Silvio Brusaferro, president of the Superior Institute of Health, urged a huge investment of resources to train medical personnel to monitor possible new cases of the virus, which has killed about 30,000 people nationwide.

He said that contact-tracing apps  which are being built by dozens of countries and companies  arent enough to manage future waves of infection.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after meeting with the countrys 16 governors that restaurants and other businesses will be allowed to reopen in coming weeks but that regional authorities will have to draw up a restriction concept for any county that reports 50 new cases for every 100,000 inhabitants within a week.

Britain, with over 30,000 dead, the second-highest death toll in the world behind the U.S., plans to extend its lockdown but has begun recruiting 18,000 people to trace contacts of those infected.

On Thursday, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern outlined a plan for a further relaxation of its lockdown rules, under which the country would reopen bars, retail stores and hair salons beginning next week and once again allow domestic travel.

In other developments, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said nearly 5,000 coronavirus illnesses and at least 88 deaths have been reported among inmates in American jails and prisons. An additional 2,800 cases and 15 deaths were reported among guards and other staffer members.

A 57-year-old immigration detainee at Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego died Wednesday from complications related to the coronavirus, authorities said, marking the first reported death from the virus among about 30,000 people in U.S. immigration custody. Otay Mesa has been a hotbed for the spread of the coronavirus.

___

Johnson reported from Seattle. Associated Press journalists around the world contributed to this report.

___

Follow AP pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
- Senator Kipchumba Murkomen said having military officers running a civilian government amounted to violation of the Constitution

- He said it will be difficult to hold military officers accountable as they are only charged in martial courts

- He said the head of state has set a bad precedent for future leaders who may think they can easily take over a civilian government

Elgeyo-Marakwet senator Kipchumba Murkomen has strongly opposed the introduction of military officers in the Nairobi Metropolitan Services.

According to the senator, it will be difficult to hold military personnel accountable given they are usually charged in Martial Courts.

READ ALSO: Omar Lali azungumza yaliyojiri kwa Tecra Muigai

Senator Kipchumba Murkomen says it was wrong for President Uhuru Kenyatta to appoint military officers to NMS. Photo: Kipchumba Murkomen

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: She was special to me, why would I kill her? - Tecra's boyfriend speaks out

Speaking in the Senate on Tuesday, May 5, the vocal Jubilee senator said President Uhuru Kenyatta's actions amounted to turning the county into a military barrack.

"Nairobi county has been militarised and is no longer a civilian government, something that I never imagined when we passed the Constitution 2010 that active military men are running a county government," said Murkomen.

Murkomen said the president was setting a bad precedent for other future leaders who may end up thinking they can simply take over a county government and run it the way they want.

"I must say militarisation of a civilian government in a county is the worst form of violation of our Constitution," he added.

READ ALSO: Kenyan newspapers review for May 6: COVID-19 hotspot areas face total lockdown in coming days

The senator's sentiments came after the Kenya Defence Council approved the secondment of military officers to join the Nairobi Metropolitan Service team.

Among other officers who were approved included General Mohammed Badi who was appointed to lead as NMS director general.

Other officers whose secondment was approved included Brig F. Leuria, Major J.V Mbithi, Major A.N Nyakundi, Major J. K. Njoroge, Lt Col J.K.Biomdo and Major A.L. Musoma.

The military officers were appointed despite the Governor Mike Sonko's protests who had already indicated he will terminate the transfer of functions to the national government citing intimidation from officials.

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 chemistry between South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be used to benefit both countries as they work towards recovering their economies post COVID-19, South African High Commissioner to India, Sibusiso Ndebele, said.

The diplomat was participating in a webinar organised on Tuesday by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Exim Bank that linked up Indian and African business leaders and diplomats, who shared ideas for recovering the economies in both countries that have been severely impacted by COVID-19.

The webinar, titled "Africa Economic Update  COVID & Beyond: Focus Southern Africa", was part of a series that will cover the different regions of the continent.

"As far as our bilateral trade with India is concerned, the institution of a fairly restrictive lockdown on both sides has had an equally negative impact at a time when our countries are determined to increase trade links between them," Ndebele said.

"As an immediate impact, there will be congestion at the ports in shipments while the supply chain in different countries returns to normal, depending on the different stages of the virus in their respective countries.

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 warm and cordial relationship between our two countries needs to fully deliver on its economic potential," Ndebele said, adding that visits by the heads of state to each other's countries have resulted in a unique "chemistry" between Ramaphosa and Modi.

"As both countries move out of their respective lockdowns and new opportunities are explored, we will need to work together to ensure that we fully support the private sector to realise these opportunities and ensure that our bilateral trade and investment relations hit new heights," the diplomat said.

The participants in the webinar shared a number of suggestions, which Mukul Sarkar, Chief General Manager at Exim Bank, said would be pursued further between CII members and the bank.

Rajesh Ranjan, High Commissioner to Botswana, believed that opportunities existed for pension funds in the country to be invested in India.

In Namibia, which borders both Botswana and South Africa, consideration is being given to establishing an alternative port to those currently used in South Africa to ship good to countries in the region, according to High Commissioner Prasant Agrawal.

Sandra Uwera, CEO of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa Business Council, called on Indian companies to develop e-commerce in the region and also to set up export processing zones jointly.

Rajiv Jaiswal, Regional Manager for Southern & East Africa at Tata Motors, South Africa, felt that the Make in India Ambulance project, which had seen success in Sri Lanka, Seychelles and Malawi, could be extended to the rest of Africa.

Srikar Reddy, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, said southern Africa had emerged as an important trade partner of India.

"In order to mitigate the adverse effect of COVID-19 on India-South Africa trade, new ways and means are being considered to continue and expand that trade," Reddy said as he called on mission heads to play a key role in diversifying export opportunities to southern Africa.
(TNS)  The COVID-19 crisis has painfully highlighted the shortcomings of an almost absolute reliance on face-to-face medicine.Timely interactions between patient and doctor foster a long-term relationship and build continuity of care  a simple, yet an often-overlooked aspect of our nation's healthcare system. Maintaining continuity is important for patients with chronic conditions like diabetes. A doctor familiar with a patient's case will know when to take appropriate actions: Are there new complications, or a need for different medications?Research shows that an established doctor-patient relationship results in fewer and shorter hospitalizations , improved patient satisfaction, and more consistent utilization of preventive services. However, face-to-face interactions are sometimes not possible: when the patient must tend to child care; when the patient is unable or can't afford to travel; or when a COVID-19 infection has resulted in an appointment cancellation. Missing an appointment could result in long-term adverse effects for the elderly or infirm.While the current pandemic has exposed these deficiencies, it also has accelerated the development and adoption of a promising solution: telemedicine  a convenient substitute for many traditional visits that can help preserve continuity. Telemedicine is cheaper  an average of $38 versus $114 for an office visit; it diverts the patient's use of more expensive settings such as emergency care, generating long-term savings: $19 to $121 per visit . And it reduces no shows. It also offers a safe alternative when providers may be at risk of getting infected from sick patients.Telemedicine has limitations. A doctor cannot "feel" the patient (think abdominal examination), which is why traditional office visits must not be abandoned, but rather supplemented through telemedicine.Even with all the upsides, patients and providers have been slow to embrace telemedicine. A survey by Amwell, a telemedicine company, found that less than 8% of Americans had a telemedicine visit, while 96% of us own a cellphone, according to Pew Research Center. The lingering barriers include: complex regulatory matters; lack of established standards by commercial insurers; restrictions on teleservices covered by Medicare; reluctance to embrace something new; and confidentiality concerns.COVID-19 has forced us to innovate and reconsider telemedicine. Medicare and Medicaid agreed to cover a broader array of telemedicine services for as long as the crisis lasts, with many commercial insurers following their example. But, what happens when the crisis is over? How can continuity be maintained?Policymakers can seize this moment to reform the way primary care is delivered and elevate the telemedicine option. They can start by removing barriers to adoption, such as  in the case of Medicare  abolishing certain eligibility requirements for reimbursement for telemedicine visits, especially those for rural patients.State legislatures and regulatory bodies could simplify licensing processes, especially for qualified doctors and those willing to serve as family physicians already licensed to practice in other states. All levels of government should invest in infrastructure to enhance broadband connectivity.Ensuring wider availability and use of telemedicine post-pandemic would benefit patients, providers, and the system. The continuity of care for the chronically ill could be increased by avoiding the "one-and-done" interactions with random practitioners. Forming long-standing and consistent patient-doctor partnerships will improve our nation's overall health.Like other sectors, the large-scale implementation of telemedicine will also spur development of complementary innovations, as witnessed with mobile health applications and home-based point-of-care testing that use smart devices to track and transmit patients' data, leading to enhanced continuity of care. Overall, this will not only improve the U.S. healthcare system but also help prepare us for the next, inevitable, crisis.Ahuja is an assistant professor of operations management at the SMU Dallas Cox School of Business and an adjunct faculty at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. His research focuses on decision-analytics that improve patient health.
A coalition of civil society groups has described the proposed Control of Infectious Diseases Bill as a threat to human rights.

The group, 41 in total, said the House of Representatives must subject the bill to public scrutiny by embarking on stakeholders consultations and a public hearing to harness public inputs into the legislation.

Many Nigerians had criticised a move by the House of Representatives to repeal the Quarantine Act and replace it with the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill.

The bill, which scaled second reading before it was stood down last week, has 82 sections.

Sponsored by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, the bill seeks to strengthen the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and make it more proactive and not just reactive and function when there is an outbreak.

The bill seeks to empower the president, the minister of health as well as the director-general of NCDC, and the institutions they head, to make regulations on quarantining, vaccination and prevention of infectious diseases in Nigeria.

CSOs position

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the groups said the bill empowers NCDC to restrict fundamental rights and freedoms of the people.

The Bill empowers the NCDC to restrict fundamental rights and freedoms at will, and abuse constitutionally established institutions and processes, without any form of accountability.

For instance, Section 10 (3) gives the Director-General express powers to use force to enter any premises without a warrant, it said.

The group also said the bill violates key principles of legislative drafting rules mandating laws to be simple, clear and unambiguous.

It, therefore, demanded the immediate review of all provisions of the bill.

The Bill violates key principles of legislative drafting rules mandating laws to be simple, clear and unambiguous.

This leaves room for significant amount of discretion on the part of the implementing authorities and limits the rights of citizens and respective institutions to question decisions taken in the exercise of the powers provided in the Bill.

We demand a review of all provisions of the Bill that foster inter-agency conflicts and abuse of power and undermine constitutionally guaranteed rights and are contrary to the rule of law and Nigerias international human rights obligations.

The groups include: Girl Child Africa, Center For Liberty, Centre for Democracy and Development, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Say No Campaign, Amnesty International, YIAGA Africa, Human and Environmental Development Agenda, Global Rights and African Centre for Media and Information Literacy.

Others are International Press Centre, Lawyers Alert, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, Enough is Enough, Community Life Project, Centre for Information Technology and Development, Centre for Impact Advocacy, Concerned Nigerians, Lex Community NG, Education as a Vaccine, Dinidari Foundation, Albino Foundation, The Community of PWDs in Nigeria, Dorothy Njemanze Foundation, Tap Nitiative for citizens development, Raising New Voices Initiative, Haly Hope Foundation, Youths Concerns Development Foundation, Adopt A Goal For Development Initiative, Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution, PITCH Nigeria, House of Justice, Molluma Medico-Legal Centre, Albino Foundation, The Community of PWDs in Nigeria, Alliances for Africa, Youths in Motion, Persons with Disabilities Action Network, Silverchip Fox, Community Action for Popular Participation and Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education.

Allegations

On Tuesday, Mr Gbajabiamila said the allegation that the bill is a sinister attempt to turn Nigerians into guinea pigs for medical research while taking away their fundamental human rights was far from the truth.

He said as representatives of the Nigerian people, members of the House would never contemplate doing anything that would jeopardise the wellbeing of the citizens.

He promised that a public hearing would be conducted during the consideration of the bill.
New Delhi, May 6 : Talking about a new "world order" and calling for action against those responsible for the Covid-19 pandemic that infected millions across the globe, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological mentor of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), took a dig at China, without naming it, here on Wednesday.

In a rare interaction with the foreign media, through video link, RSS Joint General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said India was set to take the lead in the post-Covid-19 world.

"Hopefully, a detailed inquiry will be carried out to find the pandemic's origin, reason and impact. The world should come together to avoid such an emergency in future and create new regime to deal with it, involving responsible individuals, organisations and countries," Hosabale said.

It is well-known that the virus originated in Wuhan province of China.

The future world order was not going to be the same, the RSS functionary said.

Reiterating Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for "self sustenance" and the Swadeshi Jagran Manch's "Swadeshi", Hosabole said self-reliance and Swadeshi would be the new reality not just for India but for all countries in the post-pandemic world.

Hosabale said, "Bharat is eminently placed to play a significant role that would lead humanity to sustainable development, progress with a humane face, and durable peace based on cooperation and mutual respect. We need to accept this challenge and work patiently to realise a harmonious and integrated world where every 'local' will be equally important as the 'global'.

"A human centric holistic coalition is the prerequisite for the emergence of a new world order." The RSS praised the Centre's handling of the lockdown by bringing it in phases, which acclimatised Indians to the notion and the urgency of the situation.

However, Hosabale hit out at the Tablighi Jamaat, without naming it, congregation that proved a "super spreader" of the virus. "Despite a few incidences of unacceptable behaviour by some, a pro-active and decisive government and a sensitive society ensured that the Covid-19 tally remained reasonable," he said.

He pointed out how the RSS cancelled its 'Pratinidhi Sabha' in Bengaluru to help reduce spread of virus.

He also talked about the Sangh's efforts in helping people with food and relief. So far, 50,48,088 families and individuals have been helped by the RSS.
Doctors, nurses and first responders on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic are being called "heroes." But some worry that giving essential workers this title without providing them with necessary support "sets them up to be sacrificed" and taken advantage of.

Now, legislators across the country are proposing unique ways to repay those on the front lines.

On Tuesday, New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney introduced a bill in the House of Representatives that would eliminate the student debt of health-care workers treating patients with coronavirus.

"Frontline health workers are delivering care to the sickest patients and putting their own safety at great risk in order to keep doing their jobs," said Maloney in a statement. "And in return, I believe that we have an obligation to ensure that they are relieved of the debt they incurred to train for this critical work  in graduate degree programs or other professional certification. Health-care workers are worrying about their own health and how it will affect their families. They should not have to worry about their financial security after the crisis has passed. That is a burden that we can lift right now. And this bill will do that. It will help take care of the people taking care of all of us."

The Student Loan Forgiveness for Frontline Health Workers Act, co-signed by nine other House Democrats, would forgive the outstanding balance of interest and principal due on the federal and private student loans of qualifying frontline health-care workers.

The bill defines a frontline health-care worker as someone who is "certified under federal or state law to provide health-care services and who provides COVID-related health-care services" including doctors, medical residents, medical interns, medical fellows, nurses, home health-care workers and mental health professionals.

Importantly, the forgiven debt would not be counted as income.
Hall Booth Smith, P.C. is delighted to announce the opening of a new office in Miami so it can better meet client needs across the Sunshine State.

The new office is located at 9130 South Dadeland Blvd., Suite 1705, Miami FL 33156. It is the firms fifth office in Florida, and its 19th office overall.

Leading the Miami office is Partner John J. Goran, a seasoned attorney with more than 25 years of experience. Born and raised in Miami, Goran specializes in medical malpractice, pharmaceutical litigation, general liability, product liability cases and transportation litigation.

Recognized as Top Attorney by South Florida Legal Guide, Goran has also been named a Legal Elite by Florida Trend Magazine, and he is rated AV Preeminent on Martindale-Hubbell peer reviews. He earned a Juris Doctorate from St. Thomas University School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Miami.

Goran is deeply involved in the Miami-Dade community. In 2006, he was appointed by the Miami-Dade County Commissioners to serve on the Educational Facilities Authority, and he currently serves as Vice Chair of the authority. He is fluent in Spanish. He is also a participant in the Justice Teaching Program sponsored by the Florida Supreme Court.

The Miami area has such a rich and vibrant culture, and we are eager to provide full-service counsel to businesses and individuals whose needs change and evolve each day, Goran said. We wholeheartedly look forward to building a larger team of attorneys to service clients in the economic and cultural center of South Florida.

Joining him in the Miami office is William T. Bill Goran, who is Of Counsel. He has more than 35 years of experience in defending insurance carriers and employers in the construction and hospitality industries in a wide range of workers compensation disputes, including high volume matters.

Bill Goran previously owned his own boutique practice in Miami, where he specialized in all aspects of workers compensation litigation for Fortune 500 companies. He also represents employers and business owners in Fair Labor and Standards Act claims, labor and employment claims and Americans with Disability Act claims.

Earlier in his career, Bill Goran worked at another litigation firm in Coral Gables, Florida, for nearly 25 years. He earned a Juris Doctorate degree at the University of Miami, and a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Florida.

Also working in the Miami office is Associate Jordan Rosales, who focuses his practice on medical malpractice, professional liability, premises liability, transportation and auto negligence claims, and workers compensation disputes. He has significant experience as a defense counsel prior to joining the Miami office.

Rosales has been nominated as One to Watch in the Nation's Best Lawyers Magazine. Rosales previously interned at Floridas Third District Court of Appeal with the Honorable Judge Ivan F. Fernandez, and he served as an advisor/intern at the United Nations for the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in New York City. He earned a Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from St. Thomas University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida. He is a native Spanish speaker.

I am thrilled to join this incredible team in Miami to continue to better serve our clients in South Florida! Rosales said. We are excited to continue building our practice to bring a different, aggressive-minded approach to assist our clients in obtaining the results they deserve."

Miami brings the number of Hall Booth Smiths offices in Florida to five as the firm expands to meet client needs throughout the state. HBSs other Florida offices are located in St. Petersburg, Jacksonville, North Palm Beach and Tallahassee.

We are delighted to establish a presence in Miami, where healthcare, transportation and other businesses across many industries want full-service legal representation from a firm with a footprint across the entire Southeast and up to New York and New Jersey, said HBS Managing Partner Alex Booth.

About Hall Booth Smith

Established in 1989, Hall Booth Smith, P.C. (HBS) is a full-service law firm with six regional offices strategically located throughout Georgia, as well as offices in Birmingham, Alabama; Charleston, South Carolina; Asheville and Charlotte, North Carolina; Miami, Jacksonville, North Palm Beach and Tallahassee, Florida; and Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee; Saddle Brook, New Jersey; and New York City. Experienced across a wide range of legal disciplines, HBS attorneys pride themselves on providing knowledgeable, proactive, client-specific counsel to individuals, domestic and international corporations, state and federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations. The firms promise: Serving to Achieve Excellence." To learn more, please visit: http://www.hallboothsmith.com.

Follow us on:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/hall-booth-smith-p-c-

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Small Montana School Among First in US to Reopen Under Phased Plan

'How they open schools and how learning takes place is up to them,' state officials said

A tiny public school in rural Montana will be among the first in the United States to resume classroom teaching this week under the states phased Reopening the Big Sky plan.

Dozens of Willow Creek Schools 56 students and 18 staff are expected to show up at Thursdays opening bell.

Beginning May 7, all schools in Montana have the option to reopen under the states phased approach (pdf) to restoring normal life. Gov. Steve Bullock, in an April 22 directive (pdf), made Montana the first state under a shutdown to give schools a specific calendar day for an optional reopening, with the final decision left to the discretion of the local school board.

State guidelines, called Reopening Montana Phased Approach (pdf), advise schools on social distancing and other arrangements to ensure safety to staff and students amid the outbreak of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, the novel coronavirus that emerged from China and causes the disease COVID-19.

Consider use of face coverings by all staff and students, the guidelines say, and advise canceling extra-curricular activities.

Education officials say with its small student size and relatively large two-story schoolhouse, Willow Creek School has the means to operate without violating state directives.

Desks will be spaced 6 feet apart, temperatures will be checked upon arrival, and any child not following social-distancing guidelines will be sent home, officials said.

District Superintendent Bonnie Lower said 6-foot-long foam pool noodles have helped staff arrange the school space for social distancing and will serve as visual cues in monitoring compliance once students and staff hit the classrooms.

Its the handiest tool on the planet right now, Lower said. I swear we are going to live and die by the noodle.

A state agencythe Office of Public Instructionhas collected data from 116 of the approximately 400 state school districts and said that only Willow Creek and a one-room independent schoolhouse in southwestern Montana plan to fully reopen.

We anticipated that some of our smallest and most rural schools might be able to reopen without violating the governors directive, said Dylan Klapmeier, an agency spokesman.

Klapmeier added there may be some small schools planning to reopen that the state agency is not aware of.

Despite the risk, most parents believe they are making the right choice for their children.

Three-quarters of the parents surveyed in Willow Creek, a farm and ranching community with a population of 250, want their kids to catch up on their studies and experience a little normalcy before the summer break, Lower said.

We ride that seesaw everydayis it a good idea? she said. Were not taking this lightly.

She said if all 56 students at Willow Creek had planned to come back, the school might not have reopened but around one-quarter plan to continue their studies from home.

We dont want people to think were being irresponsible by making this choice. Were trying to do what we feel is in the best interest of the students, she added.

Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen, told Education Week in an interview on May 5 that she trusts local school leaders to make the right choices.

How they open schools and how learning takes place is up to them, she told the publication.

Forty-seven states, four U.S. territories, the District of Columbia, and the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) have ordered or recommended school building closures for the rest of the academic year, according to data collected by Education Week.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Dr Karl Kruszelnicki (pictured) spoke to Nova 96.9 hosts Fitzy and Wippa

One of Australia's leading science commentators has dispelled some of the 'lies' that have been circulating about the deadly coronavirus and put to bed rumours about how Australia will 'eradicate' the infectious disease.

Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, who has degrees in medicine and biomedical engineering, spoke to Nova 96.9 hosts Fitzy and Wippa about the global pandemic on Wednesday, saying that there are rumours circulating about the proposed vaccine and how to kill the virus that are wrong.

As Australia begins to reemerge from a two month lockdown and focus on growing its economic activity, Dr Karl cautions against thinking that social distancing will no longer apply, because this is a long-term race against an unruly disease.

'THE VIRUS DIES AT TEMPERATURES OVER 30C'

'If it dies in temperatures over 30C, the inside of your body is at temperatures over 30C, so that is what we call a lie,' Dr Karl told the radio hosts.

Some individuals were suggesting that drinking something hot could 'protect' them, and there was also theories around summertime heat ridding the body of the virus.

'That was a lie to try and pick up who is really gullible. To kill the virus, you take it up to 92C for 15 minutes or you kill it with soap,' he said.

'With this virus we are so lucky because the coronavirus has a layer around it which is disrupted by alcohol and soap. That story about the virus dying over temperatures of 30C is a lie, it's 90C.'

'If it dies in temperatures over 30, the inside of your body is at temperatures over 30, so that is what we call a lie,' Dr Karl told the two radio hosts during the interview (Australians walking along Burleigh Heads foreshore)

'THE VACCINE WILL BE READY TO DISTRIBUTE IN 12-18 MONTHS'

As a timeline we are looking at anything from six months, which is 'really unlikely', to several years, Dr Karl said.

'As an example, three years ago they tried to come up with a vaccine against the AIDS virus. They succeeded in making a vaccine one-and-a-half years ago, they tested it for the remaining years and what they've got now is a vaccine that doesn't work so they have to start again,' he said.

'So in coming up with a vaccine against the coronavirus, you need to try many different ways and one of them will work.'

The reason it's hard to make a vaccine is because of the old law of Paracelsus; all drugs are poisons, what matters is the dose,' Dr Karl continued.

As a timeline we are looking at anything from six months, which is 'really unlikely', to several years, Dr Karl said (A clinical staff member draws vaccine from a BCG vial in Perth, Australia)

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

This means scientists are hurriedly trying to come up with a vaccine that has virtually no side-effects or none.

There was a vaccine against SARS made, but as soon as scientists tested it they found it was causing problems for people, so it couldn't be released on the broader public.

Dr Karl is 'pretty sure' there will be a safe vaccine within four years, but 'really we want it within four months'.

'If we are lucky and we work hard I'm pretty sure we can get it within six months. Until then the only way to build up herd immunity is by people dying and to avoid people dying is by keeping people separate.

'But then the economy falls over, it's a complicated question.'

'THE DISEASE CAN BE ERADICATED IN AUSTRALIA NOW'

While there are many parts of the country who have developed no new cases in a number of weeks, that doesn't mean we can 'eradicate' it.

'The disease has many reservoirs. Think about smallpox, it has only one reservoir which is humans but the flu and coronavirus, they've got multiple reservoirs (like bats and for the flu, pigs),' Dr Karl said.

'So if the disease has multiple reservoirs you can't eradicate it, all you can do is come up with a vaccine and with the vaccine it depends on how quickly the virus mutates.'

While there are many parts of the country who have developed no new cases in a number of weeks, that doesn't mean we can 'eradicate' it (A woman sitting with her mask at the Opera House)

While there have been conflicting reports about when pubs, sporting clubs and concerts will be reinstated, Dr Karl believes it's going to be a lengthy journey before anything returns to 'normal'

'AUSTRALIA WILL HAVE SPORTING EVENTS AND CONCERTS SOON'

While there have been conflicting reports about when pubs, sporting clubs and concerts will be reinstated, Dr Karl believes it's going to be a lengthy journey before anything returns to 'normal'.

'Social contact will be changed until we get a vaccine. We are looking at a situation where herd immunity is going to be somewhere around 50 to 60 per cent of the population and to get there without a vaccine means to infect the population,' Dr Karl said.

When it comes to music festivals, things are going to be very different the next time you're moshing in front of a stage.

'Provided everybody says 1.5 metres apart and doesn't touch anybody...' he said, doubting that they would resume soon.
Slowdown hampering sluggish divestments, illustration photo, source: internet

The unexpected events surrounding the pandemic have taken a toll on the health of equity markets and, together with other global market factors, have sparked market turbulence, causing plans for divestment and equitisation of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to become highly uncertain.

The pandemic is likely to continue through the second quarter of 2020 with spillover effect on business activities. It has yet to consider the scenario if the global health emergency lasts until the end of the year.

Various challenges

Fresh data from the Vietnam Business White Book 2020 released last week by the General Statistics Office revealed that in 2018, SOEs secured a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.4, while the ratios of private and foreign-invested enterprises were lower, at 1.9 and 1.7, respectively.

According to a report from the Ministry of Finance last December, between 2016 and 2019 only 28 per cent of required SOEs were successfully equitised, which left 92 more SOEs to go through the process within 2020.

State divestment from existing companies by State Capital Investment Corporation (SCIC) or other ministries has been sluggish. In the first two months of 2020, SCIC was only able to divest from four companies, collecting VND79 billion ($3.37 million).

Seck Yee Chung, partner of Baker McKenzie Vietnam, told VIR that the speed of state divestment and equitisation has slowed, in particular towards the end of 2019 and towards the Lunar New Year in late January.

The SOEs to be put on sale in 2020 include various big players in the market such as Agribank, MobiFone, Bao Viet Holding (BVH), and Bao Minh Insurance (BMI). However, the attractiveness and interest will depend on whether there is market recovery and growth, the pricing, and if potential investors are themselves well placed and persuaded to pursue opportunities, said Chung.

As of April 16, the state divested VND400 billion ($17.07 million) worth of its stakes in eight SOEs, collecting VND962.65 billion ($41.1 million). Due to the turmoil caused by the coronavirus, state divestment pace in the first quarter of 2020 is slower than the same period last year. The number of divested SOEs accounts for 67 per cent of the year-ago period, according to a recent report by securities firm Yuanta Vietnam.

Although efforts to push state withdrawals and first-time sales of SOEs have been picking up speed over past years, the pace of divestments and equitisations remain slow.

We could reap high proceeds in some divestment cases, but we held auctions several times to sell the state capital in 40 businesses, with disappointing results at every turn, explained Nguyen Duc Chi, chairman of SCIC.

Some analysts believe the main reason lies in the lack of a thorough evaluation process and reasonable minimum offer price. For example, as of April 22, SCIC announced its ambition to divest its entire stake of 45 million shares, equal to 9 per cent, of Haiphong Thermal Power JSC with an initial value of $1.30 per share  nearly twice as high than the current market price.

Looking back, tie-up deals between Vietcombank and Singapores sovereign wealth fund GIC, or BIDV and South Koreas KEB Hana Bank, were also postponed for a year due to disagreements on pricing.

Given the economic difficulties, information of enterprises  especially unlisted ones  are not updated regularly, which will hinder interest and decision-making to partake in state divestments. Furthermore, a pile of debt and thin capital would even rub salt into the wound for equitisation.

Global ratings firm Fitch Ratings noted recently that thin capital buffers are one of the weaknesses of some Vietnamese banks to comply with Basel II requirements, especially state-owned lenders such as Agribank.

On the other hand, an SOE must review and declare all land plots, prepare a plan to use such land plots in the future, and seek approval from the local authority. Some SOEs have land plots spread across the country, which complicates the process.

The determination of minimum offer price under Decree No.32/2018/ND-CP released in March 2018 on state capital investment in enterprises is considered state-friendly and creates uncertainty around the market value of the SOE at the time of offer, which in turn creates challenges in attracting the attention of potential investors, said Chung of Baker McKenzie.

In addition, information disclosure remains an issue at Vietnamese SOEs  partly because of differences in Vietnams accounting standards and the international financial reporting standards. The lack of quality information can discourage investors from inking deals with SOEs. For instance, financiers looking to invest in state-owned lender Agribank are being urged to stay their hands after its initial public offering was postponed.

Experts also cautioned the current health crisis has pushed businesses to re-evaluate their business models and strategies, manage the challenges presented in their current portfolio. Thus, firms would be more critical in assessing where and what would be their next investment opportunity.

Meanwhile, the state might also face pressure on the offering price and as to whether it meets desired expectations. Travel restrictions or reluctance would also drag out the process, particularly where trying to attract foreign investors, Chung added.

Silver lining

In a previous meeting with New York-based private equity firm Warburg Pincus, Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue stated that the Vietnamese government is mulling over approving non-voting shares  a move to encourage foreign investors to raise their ownership. The government would also reduce the stakes in state-owned banks in the forthcoming time.

Besides that, SCIC has recently confirmed its plan of divesting 85 SOEs, including VNSteel, Vinatex, and BVH, among others.

Notably, there are 27 listed companies in SCICs divestment proposal, including BVH, BMI, Tien Phong Plastic, FPT, and Binh Minh Plastics. SCIC is currently a major shareholder owning over 50 per cent of capital in many others on the list, for example VNSteel (94 per cent), Vietnam Plastics (66 per cent), Seaprodex (63 per cent), and A Chau Food Technology JSC (79 per cent).

Last December, Japanese insurer Sumitomo Life registered to purchase more than 41.4 million shares of BVH, which lifted Sumitomos ownership at BVH to 22.09 per cent. Sumitomo also said it could pour further investment into BVH down the road.

Meanwhile, French insurer AXA and Hongkong-based firm Firstland are expressing their appetite about buying more stakes of BMI. Bao Minh, in fact, has also mulled over to ease its foreign ownership cap from 49 per cent to zero. Its recent change in shareholder structure is slated to amplify the upcoming divestment plans of the firm.

With SCICs strong will in speeding up equitisation, BVH and BMI could catch the eyes of overseas groups that wish to hold all the aces in Vietnams insurance sector.

South Korean fourth-largest lender, Nonghyup Financial Group, also expressed its keen interest in Agribank. Japans AEON Group, meanwhile, recently disclosed intentions to jump onto Vietnams financial bandwagon.

Astute investors seeking to participate in the secular growth of Vietnam, as well as manufacturers looking to de-couple from China, are still actively looking for mammoth potential in the country, Andy Ho, managing director and chief investment officer at VinaCapital, told VIR.
ATLANTA, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ARIUM Living, a CARROLL company, focused on managing 100 multifamily communities (30,000 units) across the Southeast and Southwest continues to partner with not-for-profit organizations and frontline essential workers to help those affected by COVID-19. Its most recent donation was made to Feeding America on behalf of its residents and in conjunction with its business partners in the amount of $29,000. Feeding America is the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization, working to connect people with food and end hunger.

ARIUM Living and its parent company, CARROLL, have given over $100,000 during this time of social distancing to individuals and organizations across its national footprint.

"As a survivor of COVID-19, I understand the toll this disease takes on a person  both physically and emotionally. I am lucky to be in a position to help those who are hurting right now and so I along with my companies are taking action."  Patrick Carroll, Founder and CEO of CARROLL.

Patrick Carroll's personal donations to COVID-19 relief, have included 11 food banks across the United States, feeding frontline hospital workers, and providing financial support to residents who are part of ARIUM Living communities.

CARROLL has remained financially stable throughout this crisis and points to its efforts over the last two years to lead the industry in customer experience as the reason for its success. Residents of CARROLL's ARIUM Living communities validated the value they receive through these tough times. CARROLL believes in a people-first approach to business, meaning that it hires the best people, provides a rewarding career experience, and simultaneously focuses on constantly improving the experience of its customers. As a result, CARROLL remains in a position to continue to help those in need.

"Our residents and employees have always been the most important part of our business. When we take care of people, all of the business results seem to take care of themselves. And in times of crisis, we are lucky to be able to continue doing everything we can to take care of our customers and the CARROLL family."  David Perez, COO of CARROLL.

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Bodies of coronavirus victims have been seen lying in the streets of the Ecuadorian capital amid warnings the pandemic is yet to peak across Latin America.

Forensics experts were seen attending to the corpse of a 65-year-old man suspected of contracting COVID-19 in Quito on Tuesday. Funeral home workers later arrived to load him into a coffin and drive him away.

Ecuador has more than 31,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus, including 1,569 deaths. The toll across Latin America and the Caribbean passed 15,000 on Wednesday, with more than 280,000 cases reported.

Ecuador is the third worst affected after Brazil with 7,921 fatalities and 114,715 cases, and Mexico which has recorded 2,271 deaths and 26,025 cases.

Forensics experts were seen attending to the corpse of a 65-year-old man suspected of contracting COVID-19 in Quito on Tuesday

Funeral home workers later arrived to load him into a coffin and drive him away

Forensic investigators look at the body of a man infected with the new coronavirus who collapsed on the street and died, according to Police Captain Diego Lopez

Experts believe that the pandemic will peak in Latin America in the coming days.

Several countries, including Ecuador, Colombia and the Dominican Republic, have extended their lockdown measures in an attempt to halt the spread of the virus.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has asked governments to be 'cautious' when they begin to loosen restrictions, warning that virus transmission remains 'very high' in Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Chile and Mexico.

Brazil was the first country in the region to report a case of the novel coronavirus on February 26.

The patient was a 61 year-old man who had been travelling in Lombardy, one of Italian regions most affected by the pandemic.

The International Monetary Fund said they expect a 5.2 percent GDP contraction across the region due to the coronavirus crisis.

Alejandro Werner, head of the IMF's Western Hemisphere section, said the region faces the spectre of another 'lost decade' between 2015-25, comparable to the no-growth era of the 1980s.

Several countries, including Ecuador, Colombia and the Dominican Republic, have extended their lockdown measures in an attempt to halt the spread of the virus

Ecuador is the third worst affected after Brazil with 7,921 fatalities and 114,715 cases, and Mexico which has recorded 2,271 deaths and 26,025 cases

Funeral home workers arrive to remove the body of a man infected with the new coronavirus who collapsed on the street and died, according to Police Captain Diego Lopez, in Quito, Ecuador

While Latin America braces for the devastation seen elsewhere in the world, indigenous peoples are deeply fearful.

One of Ecuador's indigenous communities believes it could be wiped out and dozens of its members have fled into the Amazon rainforest for shelter.

The Siekopai nation along the border between Ecuador and Peru, with some 744 members, has 15 confirmed cases of the virus and two elderly leaders died in the last two weeks after showing symptoms of COVID-19, the group said.

A large number of Siekopai have presented symptoms related to the outbreak but, after they sought help from a government health centre in nearby Tarapoa city, doctors told them they just had a 'nasty flu,' community President Justino Piaguaje said.

When the first of the elderly died in mid-April, Siekopai leaders urged Ecuador's government to fence off the community and test the inhabitants but have received no response, he said.

A body is transported on a cart by medics outside Teodoro Maldonado Carbo Hospital in April

People look at a body said to be laying oustide a clinic for three days in Guayaquil, Ecuador on April 3

'There are barely 700 of us. In the past we were victims of this type of disease and today we don't want history to be repeated,' Piaguaje said in a meeting held via social media on Monday.

'We don't want our people saying that there were 700 of us and now there are 100. What a scandal it would be for the Ecuadorian government to leave us with such a sad story in the 21st century,' he added.

Fearful of the coronavirus, dozens of children and elderly Siekopai fled in canoes to Lagartococha, one of Ecuador's largest wetlands in the heart of the jungle, to avoid infection.

President of the Siekopai nation, Justino Piaguaje (centre), along with unidentified leaders, in Lagartococha, a community along the Aguarico River in Ecuador

Members of the Siekopai indigenous nation on canoes around the message "Siekopai Ancestral Territory" in the Aguarico River in the community of Waiya in Ecuador

Ecuador's Health Ministry personnel testing a Siekopai indigenous nation woman for COVID-19 during the novel coronavirus pandemic, in the community of San Pablo

Siekopai who stayed behind in their territory in Ecuador's Sucumbios province are turning to homeopathic medicines to cope with respiratory problems, said Piaguaje.

Other indigenous groups in Ecuador's Amazon also have confirmed coronavirus cases, according to indigenous organization CONFENIAE. Ecuador has reported more than 30,000 cases.

In neighbouring Peru, indigenous groups submitted a formal complaint to the United Nations in late April, saying the government had left them to fend for themselves against the coronavirus, risking 'ethnocide by inaction.'

Human rights organisations working in Ecuador's Amazonian regions say the health ministry is neglecting communities like the Siekopai, who have yet to receive tests or medical supplies despite their vulnerability.

'They are in serious risk of being physically and culturally wiped out by the spread of COVID-19 in their territory,' said Maria Espinosa, a human rights defender with the group Amazon Frontlines.
Article L. 238-8-II of the French commercial Code and article 223-16 of the AMF (French Financial Markets Authority) general regulation

Regulatory News:

Corporate name of the issuer: Veolia Environnement (Paris:VIE) 21, rue La Boetie 75008 PARIS FRANCE (ISIN code: FR0000124141-VIE)

Information

closing date Total number of

shares forming

the share capital Total number of voting rights April 30, 2020 567,266,539 Total number of theoretical voting rights (1): 602,486,622 Total number of voting rights that may be exercised (2): 589,474,657

Inclusion in the Veolia Environnement Articles of Association of a clause requiring a reporting obligation of the declaration of crossing a shareholding threshold, complementary to the one relating to the thresholds provided by the French law and the regulations in force (article 8).

(1) Number of theoretical voting rights after taking into account the number of shares with double voting rights as of April 30, 2020 (35,220,083 shares) and the number of treasury shares held as of April 30, 2020 (13,011,965 shares).

(2) Number of voting rights that may be exercised number of theoretical voting rights (or total number of voting rights attached to shares) shares without voting rights (number of treasury shares held as of April 30, 2020).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005770/en/

Contacts:

Veolia Environnement
Leaked internal government documents on biosafety, obtained by NTD, suggest the Chinese regime knew about human-to-human transmission of the virus weeks before telling the public.

American scholars are warning of a second virus outbreak since the number of asymptomatic cases is much higher than previously thought.

China is introducing a new digital currency backed by its central bank. Its said to make payment easier and faster. But an analyst warns it could be used to tighten the regimes control over the Chinese people.

A researcher in Pennsylvania working on understanding the virus has been found dead. Police are investigating it as a murder-suicide.

A recent Chinese think tank article is catching attention and raising debate on social media. Which U.S. candidate would China prefer in the 2020 election? And what does it mean for the future of U.S.- China relations?

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(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Suppose youre working in an essential industry and your employer hasnt provided you with adequate personal protective equipment. Maybe you say to yourself, Okay, theres a shortage, theyre trying. Then you discover that just a couple of years ago, your employer had been warned that its supply of PPE was inadequate. Or maybe you find out that until recently, your employers supply of PPE was plentiful, but its all been sold off. Youd be furious. You might even decide to sue.

Unless, of course, your employer is a state agency. Then youd be stuck. The doctrine of sovereign immunity would bar your lawsuit. Which provides more evidence, if any is needed, that the doctrine is in most instances a bad idea.

The reason we impose tort liability on private companies is to force them to take into account the costs their operations impose on others. If a company dumps pollution in the river, we sock it with damages to create an incentive for this company and others to be more careful next time. (The technical term for this is mulcting, a legal word I love.)

Governments, for the most part, face no such risk. When they mess up, theyre punished (if at all) at the ballot box. And yet there are plenty of situations when tort liability for state agencies could have made a difference in how much care was taken to avoid harm. Skeptical? Ask the people of Flint, Michigan, whose water supply wound up contaminated due to a series of decisions by state and local government. Ask anyone who lives near the Animas River in Colorado, accidentally polluted by the Environmental Protection Agency five years ago, after which the EPA refused to pay the cleanup costs, estimated in excess of $1 billion.

The Covid-19 pandemic supplies a fresh example. Suppose, for instance, that youre an essential employee of the government of California but you lack sufficient PPE. During Governor Arnold Schwarzeneggers administration, the Golden State decided to invest heavily in pandemic preparedness, including ventilators, protective equipment, and even mini-hospitals. The plan was abandoned by Schwarzeneggers successor, who chose to invest in other priorities instead.

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A private company would consider liability before taking so great a chance.

Government agencies at all levels had plenty of warning. There was, for instance, the detailed report on pandemic preparedness published by President George W. Bushs administration  a report that urged specifically that private and public employers alike stockpile personal protective equipment. Prefer a more recent instance? Take a look at the 2019 review of New York States readiness to deal with a pandemic caused by a novel virus. This line jumps out: The stockpiles for vaccines, personal protective equipment, supplies for diagnosis, and antiviral medications, need to be procured, maintained and packaged for distribution.

Oops.

A private company that failed to heed warnings would be facing lawsuits aplenty from its employees. A public agency, not having to worry about liability, is free to claim that its all somebody elses fault.

Remember how, early in the pandemic, ordinary citizens were urged not to purchase protective equipment so that there would be enough for first responders? Another way of looking at those desperate pleas is that public agencies  fire and police department, for example  had failed to secure an adequate supply. Rather than confess their own negligence, they sought to shift blame by creating an atmosphere in which peoples private decisions on how to protect themselves and their families would be viewed as selfish.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has received thousands of complaints against private employers (particularly in health care) said to be taking inadequate precautions against the spread of the novel coronavirus. But if you try to file a similar complaint against a state employer, youll be told that OSHA has no jurisdiction.

To be sure, one might reasonably argue that the imposition of liability would burden the ability of government at every level to weigh competing priorities and make choices. Maybe its not fair to blame them for choosing to fund other programs instead of securing more PPE.

Excellent point.

One might also respond that despite repeated and recent warnings, nobody was ready for Covid-19. As Judge Richard Posner has argued, disasters become disasters precisely because it is not possible to prepare adequately for everything bad that might occur. Its not reasonable, one could then conclude, to make state agencies liable for their failure to plan for so unlikely an event.

Also an excellent point.

But the same points apply to private companies, which also must choose among competing priorities and also cant possibly prepare for everything bad that might occur. If we wouldnt be sympathetic to these defenses from a private employer, why should we accept them from a public one? To put the matter the other way around, why should we create an incentive for public employers to be less cautious than private ones?

As Justice David Souter pointed out two decades ago, the status of sovereign immunity as a matter of constitutional history might charitably be described as shaky. The doctrine is a holdover from the days when rule was by the Crown, and theres a good case to be made that its inconsistent with principles of popular sovereignty and individual rights.

If the government were small, and the market provided many of the services now provided by the state, the claim that public institutions need special protection might have merit. Given the sprawl of government authority, however, theres no reason that its agencies should be able to make decisions without regard to the costs they impose  particularly on their own employees. Among the many hard lessons of the present crisis is that absent the discipline of tort liability, state agencies will make lots of wrong choices.

(Corrects reference to David Souter in 17th paragraph.)

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Stephen L. Carter is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He is a professor of law at Yale University and was a clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. His novels include The Emperor of Ocean Park, and his latest nonfiction book is Invisible: The Forgotten Story of the Black Woman Lawyer Who Took Down America's Most Powerful Mobster.

For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinion

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2020 Bloomberg L.P.
[May 06, 2020] Bob Gold & Associates Opens New Bankruptcy & Litigation Communications Practice

In response to the business ramifications of COVID-19, including a wave of restructuring activity, increased litigation related to corporate debt, contract defaults and bankruptcies, Bob Gold & Associates, a 23-year old boutique PR & Marketing services agency, announced today the establishment of its new Bankruptcy and Litigation Communications Practice, featuring a highly experienced team that has helped clients manage disruption, controversy and damaged reputations. The new practice is led by Bob Gold and longtime litigation communications expert, Paul Jacobson of Denver-based SilversJacobson, both known for their proven track records in crisis management and public relations strategies. Gold and Jacobson met while working together to handle corporate communications, manage local and national news and business media, and calm the nationwide workforce and customers of a scandal-ridden company navigating a massively complex, multi-billion-dollar Chapter 11 reorganization. Since then they have gone on to advise or lead communications in several Chapter 11 bankruptcies. "Today many companies are facing in-court or out-of-court restructuring to preserve their value. Board members and company management have responsibilities to preserve and maximize the enterprise value for the benefit of creditors, which is achieved, in part, by coordinated and comprehensive communications with stakeholders and influencers," said Bob Gold, founder of Bob Gold & Associates. "This is not the time to hire a team who is going to learn on the job."



Often in Chapter 11 cases, the judge requires a communications plan as part of the reorganization. The reorganization of business activities is a singular moment where a company has several options, all of which require careful communications to creditors, and close and trusting partnerships with attorneys, CFOs and company leadership to all stakeholders. "Gaining the trust of attorneys is paramount in creating effective and compelling litigation communications," said Paul Jacobson, bankruptcy expert. "Whether communicating to creditors and the court, or to customers in hopes of retaining their business, we support the bankruptcy litigation, while putting a human face on a complex and impersonal procedure."

There are key messages to explain to constituencies from what Chapter 11 is, why the company has moved itself into that state, and how Chapter 11 status will affect each person's relationship to the company. These statements should address the concerns company employees, vendors, creditors, suppliers, customers, shareholders, the sales force, and others. Key influencers like industry observers and the media, including the specialized bankruptcy media, must also be addressed. The court will need to see not only a reorganization plan, but also many management functions, including communications and public relations, must be court-approved. Bob Gold founded and manages Bob Gold & Associates, one of the premier independent integrated communications public relations agencies in the country. He was honored by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Los Angeles Board of Directors as the 2019 Communications Professional of the Year. He is also a co-founder and managing partner of the family office network, Hemisphere Technologies Inc. Gold has extensive experience in small and large-scale transactions, and works as a key member engaged in all aspects, including sourcing, evaluating, structuring, monitoring, and, where applicable, harvesting investments. Gold is also a published author of a popular children's picture book, The Shiny Penny. For more information, visit www.bobgoldpr.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005283/en/

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Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. (Alex Brandon / Associated Press)

Students accused of sexual misconduct will get stronger due process protections under sweeping federal rules announced Wednesday by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos  changes critics warn will weaken the fight against campus sexual assaults.

The long-awaited rules make key changes to former guidelines from the Obama administration, including a tighter definition of sexual misconduct, reduced responsibility of colleges to investigate complaints and the right for advisors on all sides to cross-examine those involved.

DeVos has said the revisions are aimed at restoring fairness and rebalancing the rights of the accuser and accused in the contentious arena of campus sexual assault. Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in education by schools that receive federal funding.

"Today we release a final rule that recognizes we can continue to combat sexual misconduct without abandoning our core values of fairness, presumption of innocence and due process," DeVos said during a news briefing. She said the Obama-era rules amounted to a "failed approach" that resulted in "kangaroo courts" against accused students.

When the Obama administration cracked down on college sexual assault with tougher rules, more investigations and heavier sanctions against colleges deemed lax on the issue, hundreds of alleged offenders across the nation fought back with lawsuits saying their due process rights were violated in a rush to unfair judgments.

In California, some of those lawsuits have succeeded in forcing public and private campuses to strengthen due process rights for accused students. In one case last year, a state appellate court ruled that fundamental fairness required that accused students have a right to a hearing and to cross-examine their accusers. As a result, the University of California, California State University, USC, Occidental College and other campuses have made changes to their Title IX processes.

UC President Janet Napolitano said the "misguided" new rules sought to reverse hard-fought gains against college sexual misconduct but would not deter the UC system from continuing the fight against it.

Story continues

"UC opposes these ill-conceived changes and, in spite of them, will continue our hard-won momentum through education, prevention, and processes that are fair and compassionate to all parties," Napolitano said in a statement.

Mark Hathaway, a Los Angeles attorney who has represented more than 200 accused students, said he has continued to file lawsuits against California campuses alleging they have not fully complied with court directives for meaningful cross-examination and other due process protections. He said the new federal regulations would provide more specific instructions and additional pressure on campuses to conduct equitable Title IX proceedings.

"It's been a long time coming for these protections to become federal regulations," Hathaway said. "Colleges and universities will have to take a road that will be fair."

Others, however, sharply criticized the rules and predicted an onslaught of lawsuits. Title IX experts and advocates for survivors of sexual assault warned that the prospect of an adversarial proceeding similar to a criminal trial, complete with cross-examination, would significantly deter the filing of complaints.

"This will likely cause a very dramatic chilling effect on the willingness of people to come forward and report sexual violence and discrimination," said Brett Sokolow, president of the Assn. of Title IX Administrators.

DeVos issued the final rules despite pleas by hundreds of education and advocacy organizations, along with state attorneys general, to wait until the COVID-19 pandemic eased. The Department of Education unveiled its draft proposal in 2018 and received more than 124,000 comments about it as of last year.

Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, said the federal directive to implement the rules by Aug. 14 was "as cruel as it is counterproductive," since colleges and universities reeling under the pandemic don't have the bandwidth to undertake the massive and complex effort needed to change existing policies and launch campus-wide trainings.

"This package of mandates represents the worst in regulatory overreach," he said in a statement.

DeVos, however, defended the timing, saying, "Civil rights really can't wait."

The National Women's Law Center was one of many organizations vowing to challenge the rules in court.

"We wont let DeVos succeed in requiring schools to be complicit in harassment, turning Title IX from a law that protects all students into a law that protects abusers and harassers," Fatima Goss Graves, president of the law center, said in a statement.

The final rules would for the first time require colleges and universities to allow cross-examination during mandatory live hearings in misconduct cases. Parties would not question each other directly, and a hearing officer must determine if questions are relevant.

Both sides would have equal opportunity to present witnesses and access evidence. And the person making the ultimate finding could not be the same person who investigated the complaint, addressing widespread criticism that Title IX coordinators often act as prosecutor, judge and jury.

The new rules will require UC campuses to change their current cross-examinations, which allow only indirect questioning by a hearing officer in order to minimize trauma to either side. Suzanne Taylor, systemwide Title IX coordinator, said the federal changes will require campuses to allow direct questioning by a student's advisor  who could be an attorney.

She also said the tighter definition of sexual harassment will bar Title IX investigations of behavior that UC policies now prohibit. The new rules define sexual harassment as conduct so severe, pervasive and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to the schools educational program or activity.

Obama-era guidelines required that the unwelcome sexual conduct be severe or pervasive, rather than both. Taylor said a one-time instance of students forcing others to sexually touch them, for instance, would no longer be prohibited under Title IX rules. But campuses can still sanction such behavior as violations of student conduct codes.

UC officials welcomed, however, the first-time inclusion of dating violence, stalking and domestic violence in the definition of sexual harassment.

The new rules also allow campuses to raise the bar for substantiating allegations by using the higher standard of "clear and convincing evidence." They may still use, however, the lower standard of "preponderance of the evidence," which was recommended by the Obama administration and is widely used by campuses, including the UC and Cal State systems.
Sydney, April 25, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just released, this edition of Paul Budde Communications focus report on Paraguay outlines the major developments and key aspects in the telecoms markets.

Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Paraguay-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses

The state-owned incumbent, Corporacion Paraguaya de Comunicaciones (Copaco) retains a monopoly on all fixed-line voice services, including local telephony, international long-distance telephony, and VoIP. In the mobile market, however, there has been competition since 1998. The internet market is also open to competition, and there are over a dozen ISPs offering services. Copaco lost its monopoly over the international backbone for internet connectivity in early 2009.

Growth in the number of mobile subscribers in recent years has been helped by the poor condition of much of the countrys fixed-line infrastructure. Underinvestment in infrastructure by Copaco has meant that lift Paraguays teledensity remains very low for the region. There is little expectation that the situation will be addressed effectively until the operator is restructured. Despite this the number of mobile subscriptions fell in recent years, partly due to economic constraints and partly due to price competition among operators which has made it less attractive to have SIM cards from different networks.

Another major drawback for Copaco and for Paraguays telecom sector generally is the countrys landlocked position, which makes it dependant on neighbouring nations for interconnection with submarine cable networks. This has driven up the price of broadband services, hampered growth in the sector and resulted in relatively low penetration. Available technologies include DSL, cable modem, FttP, and WiMAX. Copaco has a near-monopoly in the DSL market, given that there is little regulatory provision for unbundled local loops and other access mechanisms. DSL is the main fixed broadband technology, but it is unavailable in much of the country due to low teledensity. There is a fast-growing fibre broadband market, though the number of subscribers remains small while network builds remain limited to certain pockets within the major cities.

Copacos main competitor in the fixed broadband market is Millicoms Tigo, which offers broadband via cable modem under the brand name Tigo Hogar. The service is available in Asuncion and neighbouring towns over a Hybrid Fibre-Coaxial (HFC) network. Tigo also provides broadband using WiMAX and FttP technologies.

There is effective competition in the mobile market, which is served by four operators: Tigo (the market leader), Telecom Argentinas Nucleo, America Movils Claro, and Copacos Vox. These operators have capitalised on the opportunities created by poor fixed-line infrastructure and by consumer demand for mobile voice and data services. There are about 18 mobile phones in Paraguay for every fixed-line in service, the highest proportion in Latin America.

BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus in 2020 is having a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries.

On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth.

Although it is challenging to predict and interpret the long-term impacts of the crisis as it develops, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report.

The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions.

Key developments:

Telcos and government agencies agree to coordinate efforts to improve fibre connectivity;

Regulator raises $84 million from 700MHz auction; approves updated National Telecommunications Plan 2016 - 2020;

Tigo to invest $100 million to provide 66% population coverage with LTE by end-2020;

Paraguay joins the South American fibre ring project developed by the Union of South American Nations;

Report update includes the regulator's market data to for 2017, operator data to Q1 2019, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, recent market developments.

Assessment of the global impact of COVID-19 on the telecoms sector.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Copaco, Millicom (Tigo Paraguay), Vox, America Movil (Claro Paraguay), Grupo Clarin, DirecTV, Personal (Telecom Argentina).

Key statistics

Country overview

COVID-19 and its impact on the telecom sector Economic considerations and responses Mobile devices Subscribers Infrastructure

Telecommunications market Historical overview Market analysis Telecom Maturity Index by tier Top-tier  Market Leaders Middle-tier  Market Challengers Bottom-tier  Market Emergents South America Telecom Maturity Index Central America Telecom Maturity Index TMI versus GDP Mobile and mobile broadband penetration Fixed and mobile broadband penetration

Regulatory environment Historical overview Regulatory authority Universal Service Fund

Fixed network operators Copaco

Telecommunications infrastructure National telecom network International infrastructure Infrastructure developments Wireless Local Loop (WLL) Wholesale Data centres

Fixed-line broadband market Introduction and statistical overview Broadband statistics WiMAX Forecasts  fixed broadband subscribers  2019; 2021; 2023

Digital economy eHealth

Mobile market Market analysis Mobile statistics Mobile data SMS / MMS Mobile broadband Forecasts  mobile subscribers  2019; 2021; 2023 Regulatory issues Spectrum allocations and spectrum auctions 1700MHz and 2100MHz 700MHz Mobile Number Portability (MNP) Mobile infrastructure 4G (LTE) 3G Other infrastructure developments Machine-to-Machine (M2M) Major mobile operators Tigo (Millicom International Cellular) Personal (Nucleo/Telecom Argentina) Claro (America Movil) Vox (Hola Paraguay/Copaco)

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1  Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Paraguay  2018

Table 2  Evolution of GDP in Paraguay  2013  2018

Table 3  Fixed and mobile market share of subscribers  2009  2019

Table 4  Fixed lines in service and teledensity  2010 - 2019

Table 5  International bandwidth  2009- 2016

Table 6  Tigo broadband homes connected  2015 - 2019

Table 7  Internet users and user penetration  2010 - 2019

Table 8  Broadband subscribers, annual change and penetration  2010 - 2018

Table 9  Fixed broadband subscribers by platform 2006  2016

Table 10  Fixed internet subscribers by access speed  2010 - 2016

Table 11  Forecast fixed broadband subscribers 2019; 2021; 2023

Table 12  Mobile and mobile internet coverage by technology  2017

Table 13  Mobile subscribers and penetration rate  2010 - 2019

Table 14  Mobile subscribers: contract and prepaid  2010  2016

Table 15  Mobile operators market share  2002  2016

Table 16  SMS traffic  2012  2017

Table 17  Mobile broadband subscribers by data rate  2010 - 2017

Table 18  Active mobile broadband subscribers  2009 - 2019

Table 19  Forecast mobile broadband subscribers 2019; 2021; 2023

Table 20  Mobile spectrum distribution

Table 21  Annual mobile numbers ported  2012  2016

Table 22  Operator devices in service by technology  2017

Table 23  Tigo mobile subscribers (regulator data)  2002  2017

Table 24  Tigo mobile subscribers (company data)  2016  2019

Table 25  Tigo revenue  2015  2019

Table 26  Personal - mobile ARPU and churn  2017 - 2019

Table 27  Personal - mobile subscribers  2009 - 2019

Table 28  Personal mobile revenue  2011 - 2019

Table 29  Claro mobile subscribers  2010 - 2017

Table 30  Vox mobile subscribers  2010 - 2017

List of Charts

Chart 1  Latin America  Overall Telecoms Maturity Index

Chart 2  Latin America Telecoms Maturity Index  Market Leaders Category

Chart 3  Latin America Telecoms Maturity Index  Market Challengers Category

Chart 4  Latin America Telecoms Maturity Index  Market Laggards Category

Chart 5  South America Telecoms Maturity Index by country

Chart 6  Central America Telecoms Maturity Index by country

Chart 7  Latin America Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita

Chart 8  Latin America mobile subscriber penetration versus mobile broadband penetration

Chart 9  Latin America fixed broadband penetration versus mobile broadband penetration

Chart 10  Fixed lines in service and teledensity  2005  2019

Chart 11  Internet users and user penetration  2010  2019

Chart 12  Broadband subscribers, annual change and penetration  2015  2019

Chart 13  Fixed broadband subscribers by platform 2006  2016

Chart 14  Fixed internet subscribers by access speed  2010 - 2016

Chart 15  Mobile subscribers and penetration rate  2005  2019

Chart 16  Mobile subscribers: contract and prepaid  2010  2016

Chart 17  Mobile operators market share  2002  2016

Chart 18  Active mobile broadband subscribers  2009 - 2019

Chart 19  Tigo revenue  2015  2019

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1  Map of Paraguay

Exhibit 2  Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment

Exhibit 3  South America - Key Characteristics of Telecoms Markets by Country

Exhibit 4  Central America - Key Characteristics of Telecoms Markets by Country













Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Paraguay-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses
Srinagar: Riyaz Naikoo, one of the most-wanted terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, was on Wednesday killed by a joint team of Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force and Jammu and Kashmir Police at his native Beighpora village of Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. The forces also gunned down one os his associates during the fierce encounter.

Naikoos elimination is a major blow to the local terror groups active in the area, especially Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, the Pakistan-backed group.

The dreaded terrorist was born in April 1985 in Beighpora village of Awantipora tehsil in Pulwama district and picked up the gun at the age of 33. Before joining the terrorist ranks, Naikoo was a mathematics teacher in a private school.

READ: Riyaz Naikoo, Pak-supported Hizb-ul-Mujahideen's top terrorist, killed in J&K

Riyaz Naikoo took over as the commander of Hizbul Mujahideen after the outfit`s poster boy and commander Burhan Wani was eliminated in a gunfight with the security forces in the Kokarnag area in Anantnag district on July 8, 2016.

Security forces hold Naikoo responsible for holding Hizbul together after its possible disintegration when Zakir Musa broke away from the Hizbul ranks to form his own splinter group.

Musa split from the Hizbul in 2017 and formed his own group called Ansar Ghazwatul Hind that claimed to be the Indian affiliate of the Al-Qaeda. Musa was killed in Dadsara area in Tral tehsil in an encounter with the security forces on May 23, 2019.

Naikoo also carried a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head. Naikoo had been masterminding the killings of local policemen to put pressure on them not to engage in anti-militancy operations.

It was because of this threat perception that policemen were advised not to visit their homes especially in South Kashmir districts where Naikoo held sway among the terrorist ranks.

With his killing, the security forces have possibly avenged the deaths of four Indian Army soldiers and a Jammu and Kasmir policeman. The five were killed in Kupwara district on May 3 during an encounter with another group of terrorists.

Naikoo, Kashmir`s most wanted terrorist, was trapped late on Tuesday in his native Beighpora village in Jammu and Kashmir`s Pulwama district.

The Hizbul Mujahideen commander and his associate were killed early on Wednesday while another terrorist was killed in a separate operation in Sharshali village of Khrew area in Pulwama district away from Naikoo`s encounter spot.

The operation to eliminate Naikoo was carried out with pinpoint precision without any collateral damage. Authorities had suspended mobile Internet across the Kashmir Valley and imposed curfew in most major towns of the valley to ensure that Naikoo`s killing does not create a law and order problem in the area.
A reinterpreted version of Skye Canyons already popular Skye and Stars event is set for World Astronomy Day on Saturday, May 2. Re-created as an opportunity for families to continue their love of stargazing, the new Driveway Edition encourages residents to have a nighttime picnic from the driveway while participating in the event all together  yet still apart.

A favorite event for Skye Canyon residents for the past four years, the updated concept will expand the boundaries so that all Las Vegas residents can participate. This new version of the beloved event will feature a live-streamed virtual guided tour through the night sky led by Keith Caceres, president of the Las Vegas Astronomical Society.

Caceres and his team will share live photos from their own powerful telescopes, focus on unique stars and constellations in that nights sky and provide factoids for all at home astronomers. In an effort to bring the event to all potential stargazers, Skye Canyon and the Las Vegas Astronomical Society will broadcast the event via YouTube Live beginning at 8:30 p.m. This special night sky viewing party will feature insights, tutorials and fun facts.

Some highlights of the sky tour will include:

The Moon, The planet Venus and prominent constellations and stars visible in the sky on that night, including: Orion, Ursa Major (The Big Bear, containing The Big Dipper), Ursa Minor (The Little Bear, containing The North Star and Little Dipper)

In addition to the live-streamed tour, Caceres and team will share a recorded and more comprehensive tutorial including their Astrophotography. This will include past images of spectacular space spectacles such as: Orion Nebula (M42), Great Globular Star Cluster in Hercules (M13), and a pair of galaxies 12 million light-years away that are gravitationally bound to each other: M81 Bodes Galaxy and M82 The Cigar Galaxy.

Skye & Stars is Skye Canyons most popular event and we didnt want to miss the chance to celebrate the stars and galaxies this year, said DeCourcy Graham, Chief Marketing & Development Officer at Olympia Companies. We are excited to not only share this incredible evening with the residents of Skye Canyon, but to all of Las Vegas with our new live-stream format. Partnering with Las Vegas Astronomy Society to give attendees a fun, memorable, and educational evening is something we aim for in every event we organize.

For more information about how to join the live-stream event on May 2nd, visit https://skyecanyon.com/stars/ for details.
PORTLAND, Ore., May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For the third consecutive year, Northwest Natural Holding Company (NWN), was recognized by 2020 Women on Boards as a Winning "W" company for 2019.



Women on Boards is a non-profit dedicated to creating gender diversity at the executive level and urges corporations to meet or exceed 20% women on their boards by the year 2020.

Due to its high percentage of female board members, NW Natural Holdings was recognized as a shining example of enlightened business leadership, along with the 52% of Russell 3000 companies that are currently "W" companies.

NW Natural Holdings 12-member board includes four women with diverse professional backgrounds: Martha L. Stormy Byorum, chief executive officer of Cori Investment Advisors, LLC; Monica Enand, founder and chief executive officer, Zapproved; Jane L. Peverett, former president and chief executive officer, British Columbia Transmission Corporation; and Malia H. Wasson, president, Sand Creek Advisors LLC.

Were pleased that our commitment to gender diversity at the companys highest level has been acknowledged, says said Tod Hamachek, chairman of the board, NW Natural. I am genuinely grateful to and inspired by our women board members who bring deep experience and insight to our corporate governance process.

About NW Natural Holdings

Northwest Natural Holding Company, (NWN) (NW Natural Holdings), is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, and through its subsidiaries has been doing business for more than 160 years. It owns NW Natural Gas Company (NW Natural), NW Natural Water Company (NW Natural Water), and other business interests and activities.

NW Natural is a local distribution company that currently provides natural gas service to approximately 2.5 million people in more than 140 communities through more than 760,000 meters in Oregon and Southwest Washington with one of the most modern pipeline systems in the nation. NW Natural consistently leads the industry with high J.D. Power & Associates customer satisfaction scores.

Story continues

NW Natural Holdings subsidiaries own and operate 35 Bcf of underground gas storage capacity with NW Natural operating 20 Bcf in Oregon.

NW Natural Water provides water distribution and wastewater services to communities throughout the Pacific Northwest and Texas. NW Natural Water currently serves approximately 61,000 people through about 25,000 connections. Learn more about our water business at nwnaturalwater.com .

Additional information is available at nwnaturalholdings.com .

Media Contact: Melissa Moore, 503-818-9845 pager, msm@nwnatural.com
On the left, the oxygen-producing biosphere (photosynthesis/respiration) is fed by nutrient runoff from land. On the right, if you increased water on Earth enough to cover all land, then nutrient runoff is stopped. This significantly reduces how much oxygen the biosphere can produce. CREDIT D. Glaser/ASU

Whether there is life elsewhere in the universe is a question people have pondered for millennia; and within the last few decades, great strides have been made in our search for signs of life outside of our solar system.

NASA missions like the space telescope Kepler have helped us document thousands of exoplanets - planets that orbit around other stars. And current NASA missions like Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) are expected to vastly increase the current number of known exoplanets. It is expected that dozens will be Earth-sized rocky planets orbiting in their stars' habitable zones, at distances where water could exist as a liquid on their surfaces. These are promising places to look for life.

This will be accomplished by missions like the soon-to-be-launched James Webb Space Telescope, which will complement and extend the discoveries of the Hubble Space Telescope by observing at infrared wavelengths. It is expected to launch in 2021, and will allow scientists to determine if rocky exoplanets have oxygen in their atmospheres. Oxygen in Earth's atmosphere is due to photosynthesis by microbes and plants. To the extent that exoplanets resemble Earth, oxygen in their atmospheres may also be a sign of life.

Not all exoplanets will be Earth-like, though. Some will be, but others will differ from Earth enough that oxygen doesn't necessarily come from life. So with all of these current and future exoplanets to study, how do scientists narrow down the field to those for which oxygen is most indicative of life?

To answer this question, an interdisciplinary team of researchers, led by Arizona State University (ASU), has provided a framework, called a "detectability index" which may help prioritize exoplanets that require additional study. The details of this index have recently been published in the Astrophysical Journal of the American Astronomical Society.

"The goal of the index is to provide scientists with a tool to select the very best targets for observation and to maximize the chances of detecting life," says lead author Donald Glaser of ASU's School of Molecular Sciences.

The oxygen detectability index for a planet like Earth is high, meaning that oxygen in Earth's atmosphere is definitely due to life and nothing else. Seeing oxygen means life. A surprising finding by the team is that the detectability index plummets for exoplanets not-too-different from Earth.

Although Earth's surface is largely covered in water, Earth's oceans are only a small percentage (0.025%) of Earth's mass. By comparison, moons in the outer solar system are typically close to 50% water ice.

"It's easy to imagine that in another solar system like ours, an Earth-like planet could be just 0.2% water," says co-author Steven Desch of ASU's School of Earth and Space Exploration. "And that would be enough to change the detectability index. Oxygen would not be indicative of life on such planets, even if it were observed. That's because an Earth-like planet that was 0.2% water--about eight times what Earth has--would have no exposed continents or land."

Without land, rain would not weather rock and release important nutrients like phosphorus. Photosynthetic life could not produce oxygen at rates comparable to other non-biological sources.

"The detectability index tells us it's not enough to observe oxygen in an exoplanet's atmosphere. We must also observe oceans and land," says Desch. "That changes how we approach the search for life on exoplanets. It helps us interpret observations we've made of exoplanets. It helps us pick the best target exoplanets to look for life on. And it helps us design the next generation of space telescopes so that we get all the information we need to make a positive identification of life."

Scientists from diverse fields were brought together to create this index. The formation of the team was facilitated by NASA's Nexus for Exoplanetary System Science (NExSS) program, which funds interdisciplinary research to develop strategies for looking for life on exoplanets. Their disciplines include theoretical and observational astrophysics, geophysics, geochemistry, astrobiology, oceanography, and ecology.

"This kind of research needs diverse teams, we can't do it as individual scientists" says co-author Hilairy Hartnett who holds joint appointments at ASU's School of Earth and Space Exploration and School of Molecular Sciences.

In addition to lead author Glaser and co-authors Harnett and Desch, the team includes co-authors Cayman Unterborn, Ariel Anbar, Steffen Buessecker, Theresa Fisher, Steven Glaser, Susanne Neuer, Camerian Millsaps, Joseph O'Rourke, Sara Imari Walker, and Mikhail Zolotov who collectively represent ASU's School of Molecular Sciences, School of Earth and Space Exploration, and School of Life Sciences. Additional scientists on the team include researchers from the University of California Riverside, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Porto (Portugal).

It is the hope of this team that this detectability index framework will be employed in the search for life. "The detection of life on a planet outside our solar system would change our entire understanding of our place in the universe," says Glaser. "NASA is deeply invested in searching for life, and it is our hope that this work will be used to maximize the chance of detecting life when we look for it."

Astrobiology

Please follow Astrobiology on Twitter.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-07 01:09:49|Editor: huaxia

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WASHINGTON, May 6 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held a phone conversation on Wednesday, discussing issues of arms control and COVID-19, the U.S. State Department said in a statement.

Pompeo and his Russian counterpart discussed next steps on arms control issues as well as several bilateral issues of mutual concern, including global efforts to respond to the spread of COVID-19, according to the statement.

"In my discussion with #Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, I affirmed that we are ready to engage in arms control negotiations that advance the security of the United States and our partners," the top U.S. diplomat tweeted later in the day.

"We'll continue to push for mechanisms that are verifiable and enforceable," he added.

In 2010, Washington and Moscow signed the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), which stipulates the limits to the numbers of deployed nuclear warheads and strategic delivery systems by both. The New START, the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty in force between the two nuclear superpowers, expires on Feb. 5, 2021.

The agreement can be extended for at most five years with the consent of the two countries. Russia has expressed willingness to extend the treaty, while the Donald Trump administration has yet to officially reply. Enditem
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Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided that the Government will be paying for the travel of all the migrant workers who were accommodated in relief centres setup across the state ever since the lockdown was imposed and wish to return to their respective states.

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided that the Government will be paying for the travel of all the migrant workers who were accommodated in relief centres setup across the state ever since the lockdown was imposed and wish to return to their respective states.

Apart from this, he has also instructed the officers to ensure that a one-time financial assistance of 500 is given to all these migrants from various other states like Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar who are stuck and wish to return via trains arranged by the state government.

He further reiterated that the state is also ready to pay for the return of migrant workers from Andhra Pradesh who are stuck in other states and wish to return.

The chief minister expressed his concern with respect to the economic toll that all these migrant workers have had to endure and might have to endure in the near future due to the spread of coronavirus and the consequential lockdown.

He further added that at a time like this , the state is determined to help migrant workers from Andhra Pradesh as well as other states by making sure that their return is taken care of by the state.

Speaking on the matter, PV Ramesh, Special Chief Secretary to Chief Minister said, "Chief Minister of Andhra has made a radical decision today with reference to the migrant labourers who are in Andhra Pradesh, from other states and also those who are from Andhra Pradesh and are staying in other States. He has decided that those migrants who have come here have already been housed in centres and they are being fed."

"Now they have the opportunity either to continue working here or to return to their home States. If they choose to go back, the government will ensure that it will bear the train fare, provide the food during the journey and give Rs 500 cash.

In addition, if anyone is sick, they would also be given the medicines. This would ensure that each and every person who is in Andhra Pradesh would be able to return to their home without any inconvenience, he added.

"Similarly, CM has decided to facilitate the return of migrants who have gone to other States. He has instructed the officials to coordinate with various State Governments and ensure their safe return," said Ramesh.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 22:35:10|Editor: huaxia

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COLOMBO, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan authorities on Wednesday said that beauty parlors and barbershops, which have remained closed in the country since March 20 due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, would be able to reopen accompanied by strict health guidelines, a statement released by the government information department said.

Despite businesses set to reopen in the high-risk districts including the capital city Colombo from May 11, which has been under a curfew since March 24, the statement said beauty parlors and hair salons would be issued new guidelines approved by the Director General of Health Services.

"Then they should arrange the salon structure and facilities to provide their services in line with the instructions given. After informing the Medical Officer of Health that the facilities and structure have been arranged, the Public Health Inspector in charge of the area will inspect these arrangements comparing with the checklist and provide his recommendations to the Medical Officer of Health," the statement said.

It is the only way to get approval.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, in a statement on his official twitter, said Tuesday that curfew would be relaxed in the high-risk districts of Colombo, Gampaha, and Kalutara, on the outskirts of the capital, from May 11, but business owners are encouraged to operate on minimum staff while adhering to strict health regulations.

All public gatherings, celebrations, and festivals will continue to be banned while the public will be allowed to step out only to attend to work.

The COVID-19 pandemic has infected over 750 people in Sri Lanka to date while nine deaths have been reported. Enditem
China on Wednesday dared US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to show the "enormous evidence" he has to prove that the novel coronavirus originated from a lab in Wuhan and asserted that the matter should be handled by scientists instead of politicians out of their domestic political compulsions in an election year.

In recent days, US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Pompeo have claimed that the deadly virus originated from the Wuhan Institute of Virology in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where the outbreak was first detected last December. The two leaders have also said that China has refused to give international scientists access to learn what happened.

The claim has drawn fierce rebuttal from Beijing, which on Wednesday described the accusation as "smear" intended to bolster President Trump's re-election chances in November.

"He (Pompeo) said 'enormous evidence'. Then show us," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing here.

"Pompeo cannot present any evidence because he does not have any," Hua said. "This matter should be handled by scientists and professionals instead of politicians out of their domestic political need.

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

China's foreign ministry called the accusations a political strategy to "smear China" for Republicans ahead of the 2020 election.

"The recently exposed US Republican strategies shows they are encouraged to attack China under the pretext of the virus," Hua said, adding that China was "fed up with such tricks."

"We urge the US to stop spreading disinformation or misleading the international community. It should deal with its own problems and deal with the pandemic at home," she said.

Hua said the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that the US has not presented any evidence to it so far to back up its claims.

"On the issue of the origin of coronavirus, people have different opinions. I think tracing the origin is a very serious matter. That should be researched by scientists and professionals," she said.

"Almost all top scientists, including those in the US, believe that this virus came from nature, not man-made and there is no possibility that it was leaked from a lab," said.

"The WHO officials also said all the evidence showed that the virus is not man-made, she said.

Hua also said all countries must examine the reports that the cases of COVID-19 were reported in some countries in September and December last year.

She said recent reports said coronavirus cases were reported in the US in October last year. Reports from France spoke of a coronavirus case detected from a patient in December last year, Hua said.

In the light of this "all countries must re-examine the cases emerged in 2019, she said.

She also challenged Pompeo to show evidence to prove his charge that the viruses in the past originated from labs in China.

"Exactly when, where and which lab in China got such failures," she asked and called for an investigation into US' use of bacterial weapons in the past.

"The US used bacterial weapons in the Korean war and Agent Orange in the Vietnam war. In the recent decade, the US is blocking the protocol regime to the biological weapons convention, she said.

Noting that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year suspended research on pathogens at army lab, she said, "They have been silent on their purposes and safety. So, we hope the US can act in a responsible manner and respond to international calls to accept investigations and respond to concerns."

The novel coronavirus has so far killed over 2.5 lakh people and infected more than 3.6 million globally. The US is the worst-hit nation with over 71,000 deaths and 1.2 million COVID-19 infections.

The Chinese government has faced criticism at home and abroad over its handling of the virus, especially in the early days of the outbreak. It was accused of silencing whistle-blowers and delaying in informing the public about the severity of the crisis. But it has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, brushing aside accusations of a deliberate coverup in the critical early stages.
Assam has reported the first instance of African swine fever in the country in Assam where the disease has killed around 2,900 pigs across 306 villages of the state.

Assams animal husbandry minister Atul Bora has said, despite the go-ahead from the Centre, the state government will not cull the animals immediately and choose an alternative option to prevent the spread of the disease.

African swine fever, Atul Bora has said, was detected towards the end of February this year, but it started in April 2019 at a village in Xizang province of China bordering Arunachal Pradesh.

What is African swine fever?

African swine fever (ASF) is a severe, highly-contagious hemorrhagic viral disease of domestic and wild pigs. This transboundary animal disease (TAD) can be spread by live or dead pigs, domestic or wild, and pork products.

It is caused by a large DNA virus of the Asfarviridae family, which also infects ticks of the genus Ornithodoros.

Signs of African swine fever and classical swine fever (CSF) may be similar but the ASF virus is unrelated to the CSF virus.

African swine fever is a disease listed in the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Terrestrial Animal Health Code and must be reported to the OIE.

Transmission and spread

Routes of transmission can include direct contact with infected domestic or wild pigs.

It can be through indirect contact by consumption of contaminated materialfood waste, feed, garbage, contaminated fomites such as shoes, clothes, vehicles, knives, equipment, due to the high environmental resistance of ASF virus.

It can also be transmitted through biological vectorssoft ticks of the genus Ornithodoros where present

Public health risk

African swine fever is not a risk to human health. While swine flu can spread from animals to humans, African swine fever does not and therefore is not a public health threat.

Signs of African swine fever

Signs and mortality rates can vary according to the virulence of the virus and the type/species of pig.

Acute forms of ASF are characterised by high fever, depression, anorexia and loss of appetite, haemorrhages in the skin (redness of skin on ears, abdomen and legs), abortion in pregnant sows, cyanosis, vomiting, diarrhoea and death within 6-13 days (or up to 20 days). Mortality rates may be as high as 100%.

Subacute and chronic forms are caused by moderately or low virulent viruses, which produce less intense clinical signs that can be expressed for much longer periods. Mortality rates are lower, but can still range from 30-70%.

Chronic disease symptoms include loss of weight, intermittent fever, respiratory signs, chronic skin ulcers and arthritis.

Different types of pigs may have varying susceptibility to ASF virus infection. African wild suids may be infected without showing clinical signs allowing them to act as reservoirs.

Diagnosis

African swine fever may be suspected based on clinical signs but confirmation must be made with laboratory tests, particularly to differentiate it from classical swine fever (CSF).

Prevention and control

Currently, there is no approved vaccine for ASF.

Geographical speed

Historically, outbreaks have been reported in Africa and parts of Europe, South America, and the Caribbean.

More recently, since 2007, the disease has been reported in multiple countries across Africa, Asia and Europe, in both domestic and wild pigs.

China has been battling African swine fever since August 2018, after the disease spread rapidly throughout the worlds top pork producer, killing millions of pigs and sending pork prices soaring.

African swine fever was first detected in 1921 in Kenya.

(Sourced from the World Organisation for Animal Health)

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Senator Richard Burr was not the only member of his family to sell off a significant portion of his stock holdings in February, ahead of the market crash spurred by coronavirus fears, an investigation by ProPublica has revealed.

On the same day Burr sold, his brother-in-law also dumped tens of thousands of dollars worth of shares.

The market fell by more than 30% in the subsequent month.

Burr's brother-in-law, Gerald Fauth, who has a post on the National Mediation Board, sold between $97,000 and $280,000 worth of shares in six companies  including several that have been hit particularly hard in the market swoon and economic downturn.

A person who picked up Fauth's phone on Wednesday hung up when asked if Fauth and Burr had discussed the sales in advance. Fauth's sister Brooke is Burr's wife of more than 35 years.

Family affair: Richard Burr's brother-in-law joins him in coming under scrutiny for his share dealings. The Republican chairman of the Senate intelligence committee was in the Capitol for a hearing Wednesday

Just a coincidence? Gerald Fauth dumped up to $122,000 of stocks - some of which were hit by the coronavirus downturn - the same day as his brother-in-law Richard Burr

Declaration: This is the document showing how Gerald Fauth dumped his holdings the same day as his brother-in-law

In 2017, President Donald Trump appointed Fauth to the three-person board of the National Mediation Board, a federal agency that facilitates labor-management relations within the nation's railroad and airline industries.

He was previously a lobbyist and president of his own transportation economic consulting firm, G.W. Fauth & Associates.

Burr came under scrutiny after ProPublica reported that he sold off a significant percentage of his stocks shortly before the market tanked, unloading between $628,000 and $1.72 million of his holdings on Feb. 13 in 33 separate transactions.

As chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the health committee, Burr had access to the government's most highly classified information about threats to America's security and public health concerns.

Before his sell-off, Burr had assured the public that the federal government was well-prepared to handle the virus.

In a Feb. 7 op-ed that he co-authored with another senator, he said 'the United States today is better prepared than ever before to face emerging public health threats, like the coronavirus.'

That month however, according to a recording obtained by NPR, Burr had given a VIP group at an exclusive social club a much more dire preview of the economic impact of the the coronavirus, warning it could curtail business travel, cause schools to be closed and result in the military mobilizing to compensate for overwhelmed hospitals.

The timing of Burr's stock sales drew widespread outrage, allegations of insider trading, calls for his resignation and an FBI investigation.

Burr defended his actions, saying he relied solely on public information, including CNBC reports, to inform his trades and did not rely on information he obtained as a senator.

Relative values: Richard Burr's wife Brooke (center) was with him when he was sworn in in 2016 at the start of his term. Her brother Gerald is now under scrutiny for his dealings

Facing scrutiny too: George Republican senator Kelly Loeffler's stock dealings after secret briefings on coronavirus are also under the microscope

Fauth avoided between $37,000 and $118,000 in losses by selling off when he did, considering how steeply the companies' shares fell in recent weeks, according to an analysis by Luke Brindle-Khym, a partner and general counsel of Manhattan-based investigative firm QRI.

Brindle-Khym obtained Fauth's financial disclosure from the Office of Government Ethics and shared it with ProPublica. Government forms only require that the value of stock trades be disclosed in ranges. After the February sales, the total value of Fauth's individual stock holdings appears to be between $680,000 and $2 million.

Burr's spokespeople did not immediately respond to requests for comment about whether the North Carolina Republican discussed the stock sales with his brother-in-law, or whether he shared any information he learned as a senator with Fauth or any other relatives.

A review of Fauth's financial disclosure forms since 2017 show that he is not a frequent stock trader, but that he also had a major day of sales in August 2019.

On Feb. 13, Fauth or his spouse sold between $15,001 and $50,000 of Altria, the tobacco company; between $50,001 and $100,000 of snack food maker Mondelez International; and between $1,001 and $15,000 of home furnishings retailer Williams-Sonoma.

He also sold stakes in several oil companies, which have been hit particularly hard, including between $15,001 and $50,000 of Chevron; between $1,001 and $15,000 of BP and between $15,001 and $50,000 of Royal Dutch Shell.

The finances of the Burrs and Fauths have intersected before. Federal Election Commission records show that Burr's leadership PAC, Next Century Fund, has paid $120,348 since 2002 to his sister-in-law, Mary Fauth, Gerald's wife, who serves as treasurer.

The PAC has also paid $104,850 in rent and utilities over the same period to 116 S. Royal St. Partners, in which Gerald Fauth is a partner.

Georgia senator Kelly Loeffler's husband's company gave her a $9million golden goodbye when she joined Senate - weeks before she offloaded stock after a secret coronavirus briefing

Georgia Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler got a $9 million golden parachute when she left her job to join the U.S. Senate  at a company where her husband is the CEO.

Loeffler, who was appointed to her seat last year and is one of the richest people ever to serve in the Senate, has been under fire for stock trades in the weeks after she attended a closed briefing on the coronavirus.

She made the market moves even after securing the generous parting package from her employer, Intercontinental Exchange, the company that owns the New York Stock Exchange.

Sen. Kelly Loeffler got a $9 million golden parachute when she left International Exchange, according to an investigation of securities filings and financial disclosures. Her husband is CEO of the company

Her husband, Jeffrey Sprecher, is the CEO. The New York Times calculated the size of the package by researching Securities and Exchange Commission filings and examining Loeffler's public financial disclosure forms.

$7.8 million of the award was a stake in a subsidiary firm that she ran, according to the paper.

Loeffler, who faces a primary election against Republican Rep. Doug Collins, has attacked critics since news broke of her stock trades after attending a Senate coronavirus briefing.

This is a socialist attack, she told Fox News channel last month. This is a political attack that is designed to distract from the issue at.

Loeffler and her husband traded millions in stocks in the days after a closed Senate briefing on the coronavirus  and dumped holdings in retail stores that have been battered by the pandemic.

She sold off 27 stocks - valued at between $1.275 million and $3.1 million - starting in late January until mid-February.

Primary challenger Rep. Doug Collins, a conservative firebrand, has blasted Loeffler for the stock sales

Loeffler is pictured here with President Trump

They then sold stocks totaling $1.4 million in March,

Kelly spokesman Stephen Lawson pushed back at the Times report.

'Kelly left millions in equity compensation behind to serve in public office to protect freedom, conservative values and economic opportunity for all Georgians, he said, calling a raft of public reports on her trade an 'obsession of the liberal media and career politicians.'

Intercontinental Exchange spokesman Josh King said Loeffler was being rewarded for her contribution to the company.

'During her long tenure at Intercontinental Exchange, Kelly Loeffler played an essential role at every stage of the companys growth and in building it into a global leader in trading, markets and data,' he said in a statement. 'As CEO of Bakkt since 2018, she was also instrumental in the launch and growth of that company.'

He continued: 'We admire Kellys decision to serve her country in the U.S. Senate and did not want to discourage that willingness to serve.'

Loeffler served as an executive at International Exchange and married Sprecher two years after joining the company in 2002. She became the head of Bakkt, a company that allows for payments with digital currencies.

Late last month, Trump responded to a question by DailyMail.com about why he included her on a coronavirus task force of advisors despite reports of her stock sales.

'That I don't know. I really don't know about that," Trump responded. "She's a senator from Georgia and she was included in the list, absolutely."

The SEC and the Justice Department are investigating stock trades by Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina, the Intelligence Committee chair who also attended the briefing. He says he got his information from public sources, including financial media in Asia.

She joined the Senate late last year after being appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp.

When she was appointed to the Senate, her firm issued a glowing statement about her. 'Intercontinental Exchange has a proud tradition of service to the community, and we applaud Kellys sense of duty to step forward to serve her country and represent the people of Georgia in the U.S. Senate,' spokesman Josh King said at the time.

Generous paydays are not illegal for execs who leave their firms to join the government. Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson got compensation worth $180 million when he left to become Trump's first secretary of state. The amount he accepted was $7 million less than he would have gotten under his retirement plan, the AP reported at the time.
HERAT, Afghanistan -- To escape war and poverty, Shah Wali left his village in northwestern Afghanistan in search of a better life in neighboring Iran.

As the 28-year-old set off on his journey, he was gripped by fear.

Iranian border guards beat, shot at, and even killed Afghan migrants who illegally crossed the border. And even if he reached Iran, he would be subjected to the violence and injustice suffered by many members of Irans sizable Afghan community.

But for Wali, it was worth the risk.

Even if he earned a meager living, he would be able to send money back home to his impoverished family in Afghanistans Faryab Province, a poor, remote region that has long been the scene of intense fighting between the Islamic extremist Taliban group and Afghan government forces.

Soon after crossing into Iran last week, Walis fears were realized.

He was among dozens of Afghan migrants who were illegally smuggled into Iran from the Gulran district in Afghanistans Herat Province, located along the border with Iran. But after crossing the 900-kilometer border on May 1, he said the group of around 50 Afghans were stopped and detained by Iranian border guards.

For the next several hours, they were questioned, repeatedly beaten, and then tortured. The guards, he said, then transported the group by bus to the banks of the Harirud, a 1,100-kilometer-long river shared by Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkmenistan.

"After torturing us, Iranian border guards fired their guns and ordered all of us to jump into the river, Wali told RFE/RL.

"While we were struggling for our lives and drowning in the river, they were laughing," he said.

The river took them downstream toward Afghanistan.

Wali said he and 11 others swam to safety. He said 23 others drowned. He helped retrieve the bodies of seven of them.

'Very Serious Human Rights Violation'

Afghan authorities on May 2 launched an investigation into the claims and started a hunt to retrieve the bodies of the many still missing. Officials said there were 70 Afghans in the group.

Afghan health officials said they had so far received the bodies of 12 Afghan migrants, saying most had drowned.

On May 3, Abbas Musavi, a spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry, denied the "incident" took place on Iranian soil, although he added that Tehran had launched an investigation into the claims.

But Afghan officials pointed the finger at Iran, with which Afghanistan has deep cultural, linguistic, and historical ties.

Abdul Ghani Noori, governor of Herat's Gulran district, accused Iranian security forces of beating the Afghan migrants with shovels before sending them into the river.

Herat Governor Sayed Wahid Qatali blamed Iranian security forces in a tweet on May 3.

"Our people, who you put in the river, were not Osama [bin Laden]. One day we will settle this."

Qatali was referring to the late founder of the Al-Qaeda terrorist group. Afghan migrants and refugees in Iran are often blamed for insecurity or of being terrorists.

Afghanistans Independent Human Rights Commission said it had spoken to survivors who accused Iranian forces of beating and torturing them.

"They were made to cross the Harirud River. As a result, a number of them drowned and some survived," it said in a statement on May 3.

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul said on Twitter on May 4 that it shared the concerns of the Afghan government, civil society, and people about reports of killings and abuse against Afghan migrants along the border with Iran.

"Iran's cruel treatment and abuse of Afghan migrants alleged in these reports is horrifying," Alice Wells, the acting U.S. assistant secretary for South Asia, added on Twitter. "Those found guilty of such abuse must be held accountable."

If proven, the actions of the Iranian border guards would amount to a very serious human rights violation, said Human Rights Watch, calling for a thorough investigation" into the "shocking" allegations.

History Of Discrimination

International human rights groups have documented violations against Afghan refugees and migrants in Iran, including physical abuse, detention in unsanitary and inhumane conditions, forced payment for transportation and accommodation in deportation camps, slave labor, and the separation of families.

In December 2018, a viral video appeared to show an Iranian police officer slapping, insulting, and humiliating a group of Afghan migrants.

The United Nations estimates the number of Afghan citizens in Iran at just under 1 million. Tehran puts the figure of documented and undocumented Afghan refugees and migrants closer to 3 million.

For decades, Afghans weary of war and poverty have turned to Iran to earn a living. Tehran has expelled many Afghans, who are often blamed for insecurity and unemployment, and periodically threatens those who remain with mass expulsion.

Many other Afghans moved to Iran following the decade-long Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and the long civil war that followed the Soviet withdrawal.

Others sought refuge in Iran after the fundamentalist Taliban took power in Afghanistan. After the U.S.-led invasion that followed the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, some Afghans left for Iran in search of jobs, although hundreds of thousands of them returned last year amid a crippling economic crisis in the country.

So far in 2020, it is estimated that some 270,000 Afghans living in Iran have returned home due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has hit Iran very hard. But as the outbreak has eased in Iran in recent weeks, Afghans have begun returning to Iran.

Many Afghans take on menial work that is of little interest to Iranians.

In 2015, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a decree allowing all Afghan children to be allowed an education. But Afghans are still denied basic services, including access to health care, jobs, and housing.

Written by Frud Bezhan based on reporting by RFE/RL Radio Free Afghanistan correspondent Shapoor Saber
[May 06, 2020] Federal Reserve Announces FedNowSM Community

The Federal Reserve Banks today announced the formation of a FedNow Community group for their upcoming instant payment offering, the FedNow Service. Despite the challenges that have come with the coronavirus, work on the FedNow Service remains on schedule for a 2023 or 2024 service launch. "While we work to support the industry and our customers during this difficult time, we want to ensure that our collaboration with industry stakeholders on FedNow features and functionality continues on a virtual basis," said Kenneth C. Montgomery, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston first vice president and chief operating officer and FedNow program executive. "The FedNow Community will help influence FedNow Service design and our development roadmap by providing input on desired service features, technology and implementation plans." The Federal Reserve seeks active participation from a variety of organizations that will represent the key constituents of the FedNow Service ecosystem. The FedNow Community is open to individuals who are interested in committing time and expertise to contribute to the success of the FedNow Service. Interested individuals should submit the FedNow Community participant profile form, detailing relevant experience, expertise and their organization's role in faster payments. Over the course of developing the FedNow Service, the Federal Reserve will call upon the group, either the entire membership or specific members with needed expertise, to provide insights via focus groups, work groups, conference calls, virtual meetings, surveys and other channels. Even after gathering and traveling are safe again, face-to-face meetings are expected to be limited to key strategic milestones. Enrolled members will receive an invitation to the FedNow Community kickoff online webinar planned for this summer.



About the FedNow Service The FedNow Service will support financial institutions' provision of end-to-end faster payment services to their customers by allowing real-time, payment-by-payment, final settlement of interbank obligations through debits and credits to financial institutions' balances in their accounts at the Reserve Banks. The service will incorporate clearing functionality into the process of settling each payment, allowing financial institutions to exchange the information needed to make debits and credits to customer accounts and notify customers of completed (or failed) payments. Access will be provided through the Federal Reserve's FedLine network, which serves more than 10,000 financial institutions directly or through their agents. For more information, visit FRBservices.org.

"FRBservices.org," "FedNow" and "FedLine" are service marks of the Federal Reserve Banks. A list of marks related to financial services products that are offered to financial institutions by the Federal Reserve Banks is available at FRBservices.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005822/en/

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Republican Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, a retired member of the Iowa National Guard and veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, has proposed that service members deployed for COVID-19 response get hazardous duty pay.

Ernst plans to introduce legislation this week that would provide a tax-free stipend for all active-duty, Reserve and National Guard members fighting the pandemic. If enacted, it would provide a monthly bonus as well as back pay to the initial date of deployment for thousands of service members.

The senator, who served in Kuwait and Iraq from 2003 to 2004, said those on the front lines potentially exposing themselves to illness deserve the support.

"Whether it's delivering personal protective equipment, food, or medical supplies, our National Guardsmen and women have answered the call to help during COVID-19," Ernst said in a statement released Tuesday. "As a former Iowa Army National Guardsmen, I could not be more proud of their tireless and selfless efforts."

According to the Pentagon, more than 62,800 service members, including 46,800 National Guard members, are supporting COVID-19 response. The troops are treating patients, conducting coronavirus testing, distributing food and personal protective equipment and helping at hotels housing homeless persons who have tested positive for the virus.

Related: Military Announces New Hardship Pay For Troops in Quarantine

As of Tuesday, 889 members of the National Guard Bureau had tested positive for COVID-19. A Guardsman, Capt. Douglas Linn Hickok, was the first service member to die of the virus, although he had not been mobilized for COVID-19 response.

Nearly 5,000 additional U.S. service members have contracted COVID-19, 100 have been hospitalized and two have died: Hickok and Aviation Ordnanceman Chief Petty Officer Charles Robert Thacker, who was assigned to the aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt and died April 13.

Nationwide, cases of COVID-19 reached nearly 2 million on Tuesday, with 70,646 American deaths.

For most members of the U.S. military, hazardous duty incentive pay totals $150 a month.

Military advocates, including the National Guard Association of the United States and the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States threw their support behind Ernst's legislation Tuesday.

"By definition, hazardous duty incentive pay is a monetary incentive for volunteers who perform hazardous duty based upon the inherent dangers of that duty and the risks of physical injury. EANGUS agrees with Sen. Joni Ernst that the duty our National Guard members are performing embodies that risk, and should receive hazardous duty incentive pay for COVID-19 response duty," said retired Sgt. Maj. Frank Yoakum, EANGUS executive director.

Ernst's proposed legislation follows a similar request last month from the American Federation of Government Employees, which is seeking hazardous duty pay for Department of Veterans Affairs workers caring for patients at VA facilities.

"I ... implore Congress to pass legislation to provide hazardous duty pay to all front-line federal employees not already covered by existing laws like our nurses in federal prisons, and health care workers at the VA who provide direct patient care to our nation's veterans," AFGE National President Everett Kelley said in a statement.

-- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Military.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime.

Read More: Drug Smugglers May Have Started COVID-19 Outbreak Aboard Destroyer
Pictures taken on Aer Lingus Belfast-London flight yesterday morning and posted on Twitter by the BBCs Kelly Bonner

DUP MP Gavin Robinson has called on the government to implement clear guidance on the use of air travel and other forms of public transport after images emerged of a packed flight between Belfast and London Healthrow on Monday morning.

The East Belfast MP said airlines and individual passengers also have responsibility for their personal safety as some restrictions look set to be eased.

Read More

Aer Lingus carried out a review following the incident and on Tuesday evening announced it was adding an extra flight to the route and making changes to boarding procedures.

Mr Robinson said he was shocked to see no one appeared to be wearing gloves or masks on the flight and said he would have felt "uncomfortable" sitting on the plane.

But he said fundamental questions had to be asked about what steps need to be taken to ensure personal health and safety when in close proximity with others.

"I'm not aware of any clear guidance from government, either the Department of Infrastructure here in Northern Ireland or indeed nationally about air travel," he told BBC's Good Morning Ulster.

Mr Robinson said people whose employers were still operating will need to satisfy their contracts of employment, which may involve travel.

"If they don't, they will be in a very precarious position," he said.

A Department for Infrastructure spokesperson said the department is not responsible for air travel advice.

"Aviation matters in Northern Ireland, including airline safety, are the responsibility of central UK Governments Department for Transport (DfT) which has issued advice and guidance to all UK airports and airlines in response to the COVID-19 crisis," the spokesperson said.

The chief executive of Belfast City Airport, Brian Ambrose, has said it was working "around the clock" to make it as safe as possible for travellers.

Mr Ambrose said Monday saw the first big influx of passengers since the virus outbreak, with 154 on the flight.

He told the BBC's Stephen Nolan Show: "Measures yesterday were not up to our usual standards. The people at the airport will not be found wanting to find solutions."

North Antrim MP Ian Paisley raised the matter in the Commons on Wednesday. He asked Business Minister Paul Scully what guidelines the government would put in place to protect workers.

Speaking from Northern Ireland, he asked: "Can the minister tell us what guidelines he will put in place and the government put in place to assist necessary workers and passengers travelling from Northern Ireland to London on airlines?

"What assistance will he put in place to air operators taking and making necessary flights to ensure there is the necessary guidelines and protections in place for those workers?"

In response, Mr Scully said from Westminster: "In part of giving confidence to people returning to work, clearly it's also important to be able to give the confidence to travel to and from the various parts of the UK to work as well.

"That's why this process will also look at transport, it will look at opening of schools and these kind of things when the health guidance is suitably appropriate."

This week, Aer Lingus advised all customers due to travel on an extra route to give themselves additional time to check in, as changes to the boarding procedure will be introduced and more luggage will be checked into the hold.

"In order to reduce the operational pressure involved in implementing these measures, Aer Lingus is putting on an additional flight frequency on each day of operation of the service," said the airline.

"The two services will depart at 0845 and 0945 on each day of operation. It is expected that this additional frequency will result in reduced loads on each flight.

"The Belfast-London Heathrow service is provided to maintain a vital air link between Belfast and London and to allow critical workers to travel where required.

"The safety and security of Aer Lingus' customers and crew is our number one priority, and these process changes are being implemented as a matter of urgency."

Meanwhile, the DUP raised concerns about a job retention scheme put in place by the Westminster government that is set to end on June 30.

The party has called on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to extend the scheme until October to assist ground airline staff as well as other sectors.

"If this ends on June 30, it will lead to thousands upon thousands of redundancies in Northern Ireland and across the United Kingdom," said Mr Robinson.

He said the ending of the scheme in June would have a "cataclysmic outcome" for the economy.

The department for Infrastructure has been asked for a response.
Harry and Meghan did things differently when Archie was born. (Getty Images)

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor is achieving many royal firsts.

As he turns one, he can claim to be the first royal dual citizen, the first royal in the direct line of succession to live in another country and the first to be born in secret.

Archie was only eight months old when his parents, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, announced they wanted to step back as senior members of the Royal Family.

But there may have been signs from the handling of his birth that they were already planning a dramatic move.

Unlike other recent royal births, the location of mother and son wasnt known until the birth certificate was released.

Read more: How Archie's LA life with Harry and Meghan will be different to his other royal cousins

Archie's first photo call was two days after he was born. (Getty Images)

In April 2019, a month before Archie was due, the Sussexes sent out a statement informing the media that details would be private before the birth.

The statement said: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very grateful for the goodwill they have received from people throughout the United Kingdom and around the world as they prepare to welcome their baby.

Their royal highnesses have taken a personal decision to keep the plans around the arrival of their baby private.

The Duke and Duchess look forward to sharing the exciting news with everyone once they have had an opportunity to celebrate privately as a new family.

When the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth each time, she was known to be at the Lindo Wing, and crowds of journalists and photographers waited outside.

Read more: Prince William and Kate mark Archie's first birthday with throwback photo

It led to three photo calls, one for each child, with the new parents on the steps of the hospital.

So Meghans decision to have a more private birth was a notable difference. Archie had already been born when the worlds media found out she had gone into labour.

Story continues

Meghan also gave birth at Portland Hospital, instead of the Lindo Wing at St Marys Hospital. Beatrice and Eugenie were the last royals to be born in Portland Hospital.

It was also significant that she and Harry waited two days to present their newborn. Rather than hours after, as Kate has had to do (she called it terrifying) Meghan and Harry spent two days with their son in private, before a photo call with just a few members of the press, at Windsor Castle.

Harry and Meghan also chose to refuse a royal title or the HRH styling for Archie. This was not a royal first, as Princess Anne did the same for her children.

Read more: Archie Mountbatten-Windsor turns one: 14 pictures of Prince Harry and Meghan's son

But what was an additional surprise was that Archie wasnt given the use of one of Harrys titles, the Earl of Dumbarton.

He was also given relatively few names. Usually royals have two middle names but Archie has just one - Harrison, meaning son of Harry.

His name reflected a commitment by his parents to a private upbringing - but perhaps the extent of that wasnt so clear at the time.

Harry and Meghan took Archie to South Africa. (WireImage)

Read more: Why are Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepping back as senior royals?

His christening, two months after his birth, was also private, with press not invited to take pictures of the family before and after the service. They had been invited to Prince Louiss a year earlier.

And Harry and Meghan have never confirmed the name of his godparents.

However, Archie was the youngest royal to ever be taken on a tour, when he accompanied his parents to South Africa in October 2019 at just four months old.

But that tour became dominated by the interview his mother did in which she talked of her struggle in the spotlight, and by the announcement of her decision to sue Associated Newspapers Ltd.

Then came the sabbatical. Rather than spend Archies first Christmas in the traditional royal way, the new parents took their baby to Canada for a few weeks off.

The announcement they wanted to step back was a shock to many. But perhaps the clues were there much earlier than it seemed.
WEBSTER GROVES  A man was killed and a Webster Groves police officer was wounded in an exchange of gunfire Tuesday night on Interstate 44 after the officer responded to a call about a stranded motorist on the highway, authorities said.

The unidentified officer was treated at a hospital after suffering multiple gunshot wounds, according to St. Louis County police Sgt. Benjamin Granda. He was released from the hospital Wednesday, Granda said.

The assailant was shot multiple times by the officer and died at the scene, along westbound I-44 near the Elm Avenue exit, according to Granda and Cpl. Dallas Thompson with the Missouri Highway Patrol. He was later identified as 23-year-old Qavon Webb, of the 4200 block of Springdale Avenue in Bel-Ridge.

The officer and a colleague in a separate patrol vehicle had responded to the highway about 8:20 p.m. to assist a stranded motorist, Granda said. The suspects car, a white sedan, was stopped in the left lane, near the center median, he said. As the officer exited his car, Webb did as well and began firing at the officer.
NEW DELHI  Before disappearing into the woods almost a decade ago, Riyaz Ahmad Naikoo was a schoolteacher living a relatively quiet life in Kashmir.

But then he resurfaced in videos on social media sitting next to automatic weapons and grenades, rebranding himself as a fighter, and demanding that India pull out of the disputed Himalayan territory.

Mr. Naikoos quest came to a violent end on Wednesday. Indian security forces surrounded the small village where he was hiding in the district of Pulwama, dug trenches to prevent civilians from coming to his rescue, and shot him dead.

The gunning down of Mr. Naikoo, a senior leader in Hizbul Mujahideen, a banned militant group, was one of the most significant recent victories for Indian troops fighting the secession movement in Kashmir, a rugged, contested territory between India and Pakistan.
Sales of $610 million, down 9% versus prior-year quarter

Net loss of $582 million, or -$9.61 per diluted share

Loss from continuing operations of $575 million, or -$9.48 per diluted share

Adjusted income from continuing operations of $52 million, or $0.84 per diluted share

Adjusted income from continuing operations excluding intangibles amortization expense of $69 million, or $1.12 per diluted share

Adjusted EBITDA of $142 million

WILMINGTON, Delaware, May 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ashland Global Holdings Inc. (ASH) today announced preliminary1 financial results for the second quarter of fiscal 2020 ended March 31, 2020. The global specialty materials company serves customers in a wide range of consumer and industrial markets.

As expected, the Ashland portfolio performed well during the quarter, despite the global macroeconomic uncertainty brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sales were $610 million, down 9 percent versus the prior-year quarter, with the legacy Pharmachem business and previously communicated prior-year business losses in oral care representing approximately half of this decline. Unfavorable foreign currency contributed an additional one percent to the decline. Net loss was $582 million compared to net income of $76 million in the prior-year quarter, driven primarily by the previously-disclosed non-cash goodwill impairment charge following the business unit realignment that occurred during the quarter. Loss from continuing operations was $575 million compared to income of $45 million in the prior-year quarter, or -$9.48 per diluted share compared to income of $0.71 in the prior-year quarter. Adjusted income from continuing operations was $52 million, consistent with the prior-year quarter, or $0.84 per diluted share, up from $0.83 in the prior-year quarter. Adjusted income from continuing operations excluding intangibles amortization expense was $69 million, consistent with the prior-year quarter, or $1.12 per diluted share, up from $1.08 in the prior-year quarter. Adjusted EBITDA was $142 million, consistent with the prior-year quarter, as the impact of lower sales was offset by lower operating expense.

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Results in the second quarter were consistent with the update we issued on April 16, said Guillermo Novo, chairman and chief executive officer, Ashland. I am pleased with the leadership demonstrated by our teams and the continued progress we have made transforming the company, particularly in light of the challenges that arose from the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the important end markets we serve are demonstrating their resilience despite the global-economic uncertainly.

The majority of the portfolio continues to perform well. We expect Consumer Specialties and certain end markets within Industrial Specialties to demonstrate continued relative strength in the second half of the year as we are a critical technology and solutions provider to our customers in these key end markets, added Novo. While increased global uncertainty is expected to impact demand in more industrial-focused businesses, we are confident that our continued self-help actions will offset many of these temporary demand dynamics. We are excited about the rapid progress we have made advancing our strategy and transforming the company. I want to thank everyone at Ashland for their dedication and leadership during these dynamic times. I look forward to sharing additional thoughts on our plans and the progress we have made during the conference call with securities analysts tomorrow morning.

Reportable Segment Performance

To aid in the understanding of Ashlands ongoing business performance, the results of Ashlands reportable segments are described below on an adjusted basis. In addition, EBITDA, or adjusted EBITDA, is reconciled to operating income in Table 4, free cash flow and adjusted operating income are reconciled in Table 6, and adjusted income from continuing operations adjusted diluted earnings per share and adjusted diluted earnings per share excluding intangible amortization expense are reconciled in Table 7 of this news release. These adjusted results are considered non-GAAP financial measures. For a full description of the non-GAAP financial measures used, see the Use of Non-GAAP Measures section that further describes these adjustments below.

Consumer Specialties

Sales were $343 million, down 9 percent from the prior-year quarter, with the legacy Pharmachem business and previously communicated prior-year business losses in oral care representing approximately 6 percentage points of the decline. Unfavorable foreign currency also reduced sales by an additional 1 percent. Excluding these items, the Life Sciences and Personal Care & Household business units performed well during the quarter, demonstrating the important market positions Ashland holds in end markets that are performing well in spite of the weak overall economy.

Operating loss was $300 million, compared to income of $58 million in the prior-year quarter, due primarily to the goodwill impairment charge within Personal Care & Household. Adjusted EBITDA was $91 million, down 1 percent from the prior-year quarter, as lower sales volumes and unfavorable foreign currency were nearly offset by favorable price/mix and lower operating costs.

Industrial Specialties

Sales were $240 million, down 7 percent from the prior-year quarter, due primarily to lower demand in certain industrial end markets and reduced pricing partially reflecting lower raw-material costs. Unfavorable foreign currency also reduced sales by 1 percent.

Operating loss was $145 million, compared to income of $15 million in the prior-year quarter, due primarily to the goodwill impairment charge within Specialty Additives. Adjusted EBITDA was $53 million, down 10 percent from the prior-year quarter, driven by lower volume and unfavorable fixed-cost absorption, partially offset by favorable price/mix in both Performance Adhesives and Specialty Additives.

Intermediates & Solvents

Sales were $37 million, down 16 percent from the prior-year quarter, due primarily to lower pricing and lower intercompany volume reflecting inventory-management initiatives within Consumer Specialties. Volumes of derivatives sold to third-party customers grew by approximately 1 percent compared to the prior year.

Operating loss was $2 million, down from income of $9 million in the prior-year quarter. Adjusted EBITDA was $5 million, down from $12 million in the prior-year quarter, due primarily to unfavorable price/mix and operating costs.

Unallocated & Other

Unallocated and Other expense was $21 million, compared to $38 million in the prior-year quarter, primarily due to lower restructuring-related expenses and the elimination of stranded costs. Adjusted Unallocated and Other expense was $7 million, compared to $21 million in the prior-year quarter, primarily due to the benefits of cost reductions achieved during the previous fiscal year.

Outlook

Chairman and CEO Guillermo Novo will provide commentary on the outlook for Ashland during the conference call with securities analysts on Wednesday, May 6, 2020.

Conference Call Webcast

Ashland will host a live webcast of its second-quarter conference call with securities analysts at 10:00 a.m. ET Wednesday, May 6, 2020. The webcast will be accessible through Ashlands website at http://investor.ashland.com and will include a slide presentation. Following the live event, an archived version of the webcast and supporting materials will be available for 12 months.

Use of Non-GAAP Measures

Ashland believes that by removing the impact of depreciation and amortization and excluding certain non-cash charges, amounts spent on interest and taxes and certain other charges that are highly variable from year to year, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, EBITDA margin and adjusted EBITDA margin provide Ashlands investors with performance measures that reflect the impact to operations from trends in changes in sales, margin and operating expenses, providing a perspective not immediately apparent from net income, operating income, net income margin and operating income margin. The adjustments Ashland makes to derive the non-GAAP measures of EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, EBITDA margin and adjusted EBITDA margin exclude items which may cause short-term fluctuations in net income and operating income and which Ashland does not consider to be the fundamental attributes or primary drivers of its business. EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, EBITDA margin and adjusted EBITDA margin provide disclosure on the same basis as that used by Ashlands management to evaluate financial performance on a consolidated and reportable segment basis and provide consistency in our financial reporting, facilitate internal and external comparisons of Ashlands historical operating performance and its business units and provide continuity to investors for comparability purposes. EBITDA margin and adjusted EBITDA margin are defined as EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA divided by sales for the corresponding period.

Key items, which are set forth on Table 7 of this release, are defined as financial effects from significant transactions that, either by their nature or amount, have caused short-term fluctuations in net income and/or operating income which Ashland does not consider to most accurately reflect Ashlands underlying business performance and trends. Further, Ashland believes that providing supplemental information that excludes the financial effects of these items in the financial results will enhance the investors ability to compare financial performance between reporting periods.

Tax-specific key items, which are set forth on Table 7 of this release, are defined as financial transactions, tax law changes or other matters that fall within the definition of key items as described above. These items relate solely to tax matters and would only be recorded within the income tax caption of the Statement of Consolidated Income. As with all key items, due to their nature, Ashland does not consider the financial effects of these tax-specific key items on net income to be the most accurate reflection of Ashlands underlying business performance and trends.

The free cash flow metric enables Ashland to provide a better indication of the ongoing cash being generated that is ultimately available for both debt and equity holders as well as other investment opportunities. Unlike cash flow provided by operating activities, free cash flow includes the impact of capital expenditures from continuing operations, providing a more complete picture of cash generation. Free cash flow has certain limitations, including that it does not reflect adjustment for certain non-discretionary cash flows such as mandatory debt repayments. The amount of mandatory versus discretionary expenditures can vary significantly between periods.

Adjusted diluted earnings per share is a performance measure used by Ashland and is defined by Ashland as earnings (loss) from continuing operations, adjusted for identified key items and divided by the number of outstanding diluted shares of common stock. Ashland believes this measure provides investors additional insights into operational performance by providing earnings and diluted earnings per share metrics that exclude the effect of the identified key items and tax specific key items.

Adjusted diluted earnings per share, excluding intangibles amortization expense metric enables Ashland to demonstrate the impact of non-cash intangibles amortization expense on earnings per share, in addition to key items previously mentioned. Ashlands management believe this presentation is helpful to illustrate how previous acquisitions impact applicable period results.

About Ashland

Ashland Global Holdings Inc. (ASH) is a premier global specialty materials company serving customers in a wide range of consumer and industrial markets, including adhesives, architectural coatings, automotive, construction, energy, food and beverage, nutraceuticals, personal care and pharmaceutical. At Ashland, we are approximately 4,700 passionate, tenacious solvers  from renowned scientists and research chemists to talented engineers and plant operators  who thrive on developing practical, innovative and elegant solutions to complex problems for customers in more than 100 countries. Visit ashland.com to learn more.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Ashland has identified some of these forward-looking statements with words such as anticipates, believes, expects, estimates, is likely, predicts, projects, forecasts, objectives, may, will, should, plans and intends and the negative of these words or other comparable terminology. Ashland may from time to time make forward-looking statements in its annual reports, quarterly reports and other filings with the SEC, news releases and other written and oral communications. These forward-looking statements are based on Ashlands expectations and assumptions, as of the date such statements are made, regarding Ashlands future operating performance, financial condition, and expected effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Ashlands business, as well as the economy and other future events or circumstances. These statements include but may not be limited to Ashlands expectations regarding its ability to drive sales and earnings growth and realize further cost reductions.

Ashlands expectations and assumptions include, without limitation, internal forecasts and analyses of current and future market conditions and trends, management plans and strategies, operating efficiencies and economic conditions (such as prices, supply and demand, cost of raw materials, and the ability to recover raw-material cost increases through price increases), and risks and uncertainties associated with the following: the impact of acquisitions and/or divestitures Ashland has made or may make (including the possibility that Ashland may not realize the anticipated benefits from such transactions); Ashlands substantial indebtedness (including the possibility that such indebtedness and related restrictive covenants may adversely affect Ashlands future cash flows, results of operations, financial condition and its ability to repay debt); severe weather, natural disasters, public-health crises (including the current COVID-19 pandemic), cyber events and legal proceedings and claims (including product recalls, environmental and asbestos matters); the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the geographies in which we operate, the end markets we serve and on our supply chain and customers, and without limitation, risks and uncertainties affecting Ashland that are described in Ashlands most recent Form 10-K (including Item 1A Risk Factors) filed with the SEC, which is available on Ashlands website at http://investor.ashland.com or on the SECs website at http://www.sec.gov. Various risks and uncertainties may cause actual results to differ materially from those stated, projected or implied by any forward-looking statements. The extent and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business and operations is uncertain. Factors that will influence the impact on our business and operations include the duration and extent of the pandemic, the extent of imposed or recommended containment and mitigation measures, and the general economic consequences of the pandemic. Ashland believes its expectations and assumptions are reasonable, but there can be no assurance that the expectations reflected herein will be achieved. Unless legally required, Ashland undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this news release whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

1Financial results are preliminary until Ashlands Form 10-Q is filed with the SEC

 Trademark, Ashland or its subsidiaries, registered in various countries.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

Investor Relations: Media Relations:

Seth A. Mrozek Carolmarie C. Brown

+1 (302) 594-5010 +1 (302) 995-3158

samrozek@ashland.com cbrown@ashland.com





Attachments
S ecurity minister James Brokenshire said a top scientist made the right decision in resigning from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage ) after he broke lockdown restrictions.

Professor Neil Ferguson allowed his "lover" Antonia Staats into his London home on at least two occasions while Covid-19 measures were in place, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Prof Ferguson previously advised the Government to take drastic action and implement social distancing policies saying that 250,000 Brits could die from coronavirus.

The scientist admitted an "error in judgement" and said he had "stepped back from my involvement in Sage".

Mr Brokenshire told Sky News: Professor Ferguson I think has obviously made his statement underlying that theres no excuse for not following the social distancing rules and I think hes made the right decision here.

The work of Sage continues and obviously we will continue to be informed by that group and the experts that provide that support to the Government.

The scientist allowed a woman to visit him on at least two occasions

When asked whether Prof Fergusons comments about immunity  in which he stated he believed he was immune after contracting Covid-19  should be taken seriously, Mr Brokenshire said it was too early to reach conclusions.

I think its still far too early with this new and novel disease to be able to make those sorts of judgments, he said.

Antonia Staats at Number 10 (Flickr)

Which is why I think Professor Ferguson has rightly now taken the decision he did.

Clearly we are going to continue to look at what the science is telling us, under normal circumstances, we look at what that antibody support gives you, but its still far too early to make those judgements.

Professor Neil Ferguson predicted a large number of deaths if lockdown ends early / UnHerd

He continued: He (Prof Ferguson) acknowledged that he was wrong to take the action that he did, he very clearly said in his statement.

I think we do need to be very careful and very thoughtful as to how we approach this, looking at what the studies and science is telling us around this really sensitive and important issue of immunity.

James Brokenshire said resigning was the right thing to do / AFP/Getty Images

A Government spokesman confirmed Prof Ferguson had stepped back from his role.

He is not the first high-profile resignation of the pandemic and Dr Catherine Calderwood quit as Scotlands chief medical officer after making two trips to her second home.

Prof Ferguson said: "I accept I made an error of judgment and took the wrong course of action. I have therefore stepped back from my involvement in Sage.

I acted in the belief that I was immune, having tested positive for coronavirus, and completely isolated myself for almost two weeks after developing symptoms.

I deeply regret any undermining of the clear messages around the continued need for social distancing to control this devastating epidemic. The Government guidance is unequivocal, and is there to protect all of us.

The mathematician and epidemiologist, led the Imperial team which modelled the spread and impact of Covid-19 in a Government-commissioned report.

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The paper said merely slowing the spread of the virus, which had at that point been the aim, would have led to the NHS being overwhelmed by cases.

Around 250,000 people would have died in the UK in that scenario but the research said stricter measures would drastically reduce this.

In the reports wake, the Prime Minister announced the lockdown on March 23 ordering the public to stay at home as he shut most shops and gave police unprecedented enforcement powers.

Under those measures, partners who do not live together were told they can no longer see each other.

Prof Ferguson said on March 18 that he had the fever and cough symptoms of Covid-19 and that there was a small risk he had infected others.

The more serious point is that it highlights the need for the response which has been enacted, he said at the time.

Following his recovery from the symptoms, he later told the BBC that significant levels of social distancing would be required until a vaccine has been developed.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4s Today programme last month, he said: If we want to reopen schools, let people get back to work, then we need to keep transmission down in another manner.

It is not going to go back to normal, we will have to maintain some level of social distancing  significant levels of social distancing  probably indefinitely until we have a vaccine available.

Listen to The Leader: Coronavirus Daily podcast

A statement from Imperial College London said Prof Ferguson continues to focus on his important research.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Arjun Deshpande, 18, started the business two years ago with funding from his parents

Ratan Tata has made the undisclosed investment at a personal level

30 retailers from Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and Odisha are part of Generic Aadhar chain

Deshpande plans to roll out 1,000 pharmacies in a year and expand to Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Delhi

Also Read: Coronavirus India Live Updates: Tamil Nadu liquor shops open from Thursday; country's total cases past 52,000

Tata Group patriarch Ratan Tata has picked up a stake in 'Generic Aadhar', a unique pharmacy retail chain promoted by 18-year old Arjun Deshpande from Mumbai. Unlike other online pharmacies, Generic Aadhar sells medicines at much cheaper rates than the market price.

Deshpande confirmed the development but refused to disclose the amount of the deal. He said the business tycoon had keenly listened to his proposal 3-4 months ago. Tata was interested to partner and mentor him in running the business.

Sources said Ratan Tata had made the investment at a personal level and it was not linked to the Tata Group. Ratan Tata has invested in many startups in the past, including Ola, Paytm, Snapdeal, CureFit, Urban Ladder, Lenskart, and Lybrate.

ALSO READ: World's first coronavirus vaccine? Italian scientists claim they have developed it

Deshpande started Generic Aadhar two years ago. It now boasts Rs 6 crore annual revenue. The startup follows a unique pharmacy-aggregator business model. It sources generic drugs directly from manufacturers and sells to retail pharmacies, eliminating 16-20 per cent wholesaler margin.

About 30 retailers from Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and Odisha are part of the chain and follow a profit-sharing model. These are mainly standalone pharmacies who found it difficult to cope with intense competition from established medical stores and online pharmacies.

The stores are offered a free face-lift with Generic Aadhar branding, logo and requisite IT infrastructure with links to the head office in Thane. Generic Aadhar has about 55 employees, which include pharmacists, IT engineers and marketing professionals.

"Within a year, plans are to have 1,000 small franchisee medical stores under the Generic Aadhar fold and expand to rest of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Delhi," says Deshpande.

ALSO READ: Coronavirus vaccine update: These countries are closest to finding a treatment

The company mainly supplies diabetes and hypertension drugs but will soon start offering cancer drugs at rates much lower than the market price. It has a tie up with four WHO-GMP certified manufacturers in Palghar, Ahmedabad, Pondicherry and Nagpur. Cancer drugs will be procured from a manufacturer in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh.

Deshpande had started the business with a funding from his parents, who run their own businesses. His mother owns a pharmaceutical marketing company, which sells drugs in international markets, and father runs a travel agency. The young entrepreneur says he got the business idea while travelling with his mother during a summer vacation to the US, Dubai and a few other countries to attend pharmaceutical trade events. "India provides generic drugs to the world and in many of those markets, the margins are much lower than what they are in India," he says.

A leading retail chain owner had also expressed interest in picking up stake in Generic Aadhar a year ago, but it did not fructify. Last year, Deshpande, also a student in a Mumbai college, was shortlisted for the Thiel Fellowship in Silicon Valley, a two-year programme for young people who want to build new businesses.

In the last few years, government has been trying to bring all essential drugs under price control. About 80 per cent of the drugs sold in the country, which includes over 50,000 brands, are outside price controls and they enjoy margins of about 30 per cent - 20 per cent to retailers and 10 per cent to wholesalers. The margins are even higher for premium branded products in segments like cancer and cardiovascular drugs.

ALSO READ: Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries in talks to buy e-pharmacy Netmeds
Momentum Builds for Military Funds to Blunt Chinas Pacific Ambitions

Momentum is building in Congress to funnel more money into the Pacific Command theater in order to blunt Chinas ambitions for regional military dominance.

A similar scheme, worth around $3 billion to $4 billion per year, took place in Europe after Russia invaded Crimea in 2014, when politicians were keen to send a message to President Vladamir Putin and his little green men.

Since then, Russia has been replaced by China as the United States No. 1 official military adversary.

The current U.S. National Defense Strategy prioritizes the U.S. abilities to counter Chinese aggression, in particular throughout the Indo-Pacific, Timothy Walton, a defense analyst at the Hudson Institute, told The Epoch Times.

However, there have been a number of questions raised as to how much the Department of Defense is reprioritizing its funding to focus on operations in the Indo-Pacific.

In contrast, over the past number of years, there have been special initiatives established to fund deterrence and reassurance activities in the European command theater of operations while a similar initiative hasnt been established in the Pacific. 

The idea of a Pacific deterrence initiative has been floated for two or three years in Congress but gained little momentum until recently.

Right now you have the support of both the ranking member and the chairman on the House side, Frederico Bartels, a senior policy analyst in Defense Budgeting at The Heritage Foundation, told The Epoch Times in reference to the Armed Services Committee. On the Senate side, you have some internal war games to see what would be in the Indo-Pacom deterrence initiative that they can support.

The U.S. military has been pivoting away from counter-terrorism, modernizing and adjusting strategies to counter China over the past two years, with Congress broadly granting the Pentagons budget requests, and sometimes exceeding them.

The amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) arrives at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam following a Western Pacific deployment, on Nov. 13, 2019. As of March 23, 2020, two sailors stationed on the ship have tested positive for the virus that caused COVID-19. (DOD/Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Aja B. Jackson)

However, the new proposals would directly funnel money to the Pacific command, skirting around current Pentagon modernization lines of effort and prioritization.

In April, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, proposed a $6 billion package.

Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said he will gladly consider Thornberrys bill and is working on a similar proposal, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on April 22 became the latest member of Congress to push for such an initiative, folding it into a much larger $43 billion proposal, which includes various other measures to bolster U.S. military forces against China.

Cottons proposal also includes legislation to sanction foreign officials suppressing information about the CCP virus and a ban on research visas for those working with scientific institutions with links with Chinas military.

One of Chinas man-made islands in the South China Sea, on May 21, 2015. (U.S. Navy/Handout/Reuters)

Cottons proposal includes $3.3 billion to shore up the defense industrial base and $11 billion on mitigating the impact of the virus on military procurement.

The Chinese Communist Party will try to exploit the worlds weakness in the wake of a virus it unleashed,  Cotton said in a statement. We cannot allow it to succeed.

Cotton said that his bill would greatly strengthen the United States position in the Indo-Pacific, allowing us to block Chinas goals of regional dominance, and ultimately, competition with the United States.

The Shifting Overton Window

Various commentators, including the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal, have suggested that Beijings handling of the pandemic has whetted congressional appetites to ramp up military deterrence against China.

However, Bartels says that the idea of such a deterrence initiative has been around for some time, and was picking up interest anyway. He says that the extra money, such as the $6 billion earmarked by Thornberry, would be only a small portion of the funding that ultimately powers the U.S. military machine in the Pacific.

In funneling money through this route, the proposals from Congress would shift the balance in the bureaucratic tussle between the military commands and the services over strategic direction and influence.

The U.S. military is divided between services such as the Air Force, Navy, Army, and Marine Corps, and the regional commands, such as those in the Pacific, Middle East, and Africa.

Chinese dredgers work on the construction of artificial islands on and around Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands of the South China Sea on May 2, 2015. (U.S. Navy)

Commands, as the name suggests, give orders to troops on regional deployment and are the overall command structure in combat. The services, on the other hand, supply the commanders with troops trained and equipped to fight.

The commands are generally seen as having a shorter-term view but with perhaps more on-the-ground experience and know-how, whereas the services have more typically been given more weight in longer-term strategic planning and in modernization efforts.

Indo-Pacom is more similar to a beat cop, he is in the region, working with the day-to-day activity, whereas the Department of Defense has a more detached, global perspective, Bartels said.

Congress pushed for greater direct insight from the Indo-Pacific commanders in 2019, mandating a report of recommendations published in March that then formed the basis for the deterrence initiatives.

Sending a Message

Some commentators say that a deterrence initiative would be an opportunity to send a message to Beijing and to regional allies.

An alignment of the Pentagon and Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill around this effort would be a real opportunity to begin to do in Asia what has already occurred in Europe in the last seven years, Randy Schriver, former assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific affairs, wrote in an article posted on War on the Rocks.

The message the European Deterrence Initiative has sent NATO and Russia should be the same signal we want to send our Asian allies and partners as well as those in Beijing who have grown confident of their military capabilities.

China has increased its military spending by around tenfold in the past 20 years, seeking to undo the dominance of U.S. aircraft carriers with a massive arsenal of long-range missiles.

However, national defense strategy tasks the U.S. military with not only being able to triumph in a full-on conflict but also to be able to jostle for position within the gray zone that falls short of war.

U.S. Marines currently under the 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, and members of the Indian military run to shore on Kakinada Beach, India, on Nov. 19, 2019. (Lance Cpl. Christian Ayers/U.S. Marine Corps)

With China, that means being able to blunt ongoing low-level Chinese aggression in the South China Sea.

Some China observers have said the communist party has notched up aggression in the South China Sea during the pandemic, while others say its too early to tell, or suggest China has simply continued on the previous trajectory.

Within the U.S. leadership, there also appears to be a difference of opinion.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned over the weekend: Youve seen, too, China become aggressive even during this crisis, moving ships to the South China Sea, taking down a fishing vessel in the South China Sea. These authoritarian regimes are the kinds of regimes that hope to benefit in times of crisis, in this case a crisis that emanated from one of their countries.

Pentagon leaders have given general warnings that adversaries may seek to take advantage of the pandemicbut have held back from saying that any country has yet dialed up the tempo as a result of the pandemic.

The Pentagons chief spokesperson, Jonathan Hoffman, downplayed the perception of Chinas rising aggression in the Pacific during the pandemic.

Chinas been very active in the South China Sea for years, said Hoffman, listing various incursions. Whether theyre taking advantage of a crisis, a global crisis for which they were on the front end of, I wont say that. I think that they are continuing with their destabilizing activities that we have seen for many years.
GARY  A 17-year-old boy was killed in a shooting early Wednesday, marking the city's third homicide in four days, police said.

The boy, whose name has not yet been released, was found inside a home in the 3200 block of East 12th Avenue after officers responded about 12:30 a.m., police said.

The boy was among three dead and at least three wounded since Sunday in separate shootings in Gary, police said.

Monday

In a separate shooting about 3 p.m. Monday, a 38-year-old man suffered a graze wound after a feud between him and another man about parking in the 900 block of West 35th Avenue escalated, Lt. Thomas Pawlak said.

A 38-year-old drove through his 51-year-old neighbor's yard several times, tearing up grass, running over a decorative cement bench and driving through bushes, police said.

When the 38-year-old began steering the car toward the 51-year-old, the 51-year-old began shooting, Pawlak said. The 38-year-old, who suffered graze wounds to the head and shoulder, drove to a nearby location and called police.
Veteran star Judi Dench says there is nothing likeable about getting older.

The actor, who is the oldest celebrity to appear on the cover of British Vogue, said she disagrees with the oft-quoted adage that age is an "attitude".

Asked by the magazine what she likes most about being 85, Dench said, "Nothing."



"I don't like it at all. I don't think about it. I don't want to think about it. They say age is an attitude... It's horrible," she added.

The "Skyfall" star said she shares sentiments with colleague Maggie Smith, also 85, whom she claims is beginning to worry about losing her driving license.

"I saw Mags - Maggie Smith - the other day, and she said, 'My God, I think they're going to stop me driving my car'," she recalled.

Dench, who was forced to give up driving in 2017 when her sight began to deteriorate, said she missed getting behind the wheel of a car.

"It's the most terrible shock to your system. Ghastly. It's terrible to be so dependent on people," she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Norwegian Cruise and rivals Carnival Corp and Royal Caribbean Cruises have been among the most high-profile victims of the pandemic. Photo: Bloomberg

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings , the world's third-largest cruise operator, raised doubts about its ability to keep running as a business yesterday, the first in the sector to signal it may succumb to the coronavirus crisis.

The company's shares slumped about 14pc in early trading as it launched a $1.6bn (1.47bn) offering of shares and bonds in a scramble to raise money. It also announced a $400m investment from a private equity firm.

Norwegian Cruise and rivals Carnival Corp and Royal Caribbean Cruises have been among the most high-profile victims of the pandemic after deadly outbreaks on some cruise ships led to extended port quarantines in Japan and California.

The industry was left out of a $2.3 trillion US stimulus package for troubled companies as the major players are all incorporated outside the United States.

Reuters
More than 30 million workers have filed for unemployment since March 15, a 23-fold increase over last year. Across the country, state unemployment systems stagger under the unprecedented demand.

While the federal government sets broad guidelines on unemployment benefit coverage and eligibility, state governments decide on the specifics of how generous those benefits will be and how long they'll last. That means where you live - rather than the work you do or how much you normally make - determines how much you can receive when you lose your job.

Here's what you need to know about inequality across the U.S. state-based unemployment system.

- - -

Why does the U.S. have such a peculiar system?

Compared to other advanced democracies, America has an unusual system of unemployment compensation. The contentious politics of the New Deal during the Great Depression in the 1930s created a federal-state partnership rather than a uniform, nationally determined benefit. To minimize the likelihood that the Supreme Court would invalidate the new program, in 1935 President Franklin D. Roosevelt and a Democratic Congress decided against taking over and expanding the reach of the only state unemployment system in place - which, at that time, was Wisconsin's. Instead, FDR took the advice of Justice Louis Brandeis and gave states considerable control over the new unemployment insurance program.

Here's how it works today. Each state places employers' payroll taxes in a dedicated trust fund with the U.S. Treasury, which then disburses the money to states as needed. So long as states conform to loose federal regulations, federal law empowers states to decide how their programs will run - including the unemployment tax rate employers must pay, how much of the employer's payroll is subject to the unemployment tax, how much laid-off workers will receive in benefits, and what circumstances make someone eligible.

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States have been cutting unemployment benefits

Before the Great Recession, many states would pay qualifying laid-off workers about half the state's average weekly wage for between 26 and 30 weeks. The Great Recession in 2008 and 2009, however, severely shrank state unemployment trust funds.

Instead of raising taxes on employers to replenish the funds, a number of states cut benefits' duration and amounts. For example, in 2012 Michigan reduced the maximum number of weeks a worker could collect unemployment, from 26 to 20. That same year, Florida effectively reduced that time from 26 to 12 weeks, and reduced the maximum benefit amount from $7,150 to $6,325.

Researchers commonly measure the size of unemployment benefits by what's called the "replacement rate," which tells us how much lost income the state replaces while a worker is defined as unemployed, typically for a six- or 12-month period of joblessness. For a worker earning the national median wage, which was $39,810 as of 2019, who is unemployed for six months, Oregon, New Jersey and a few other states replace as much as two-thirds of lost income. About 30% of states replace less than 40%. Florida is at the bottom, replacing 17%.

- - -

States have been tightening eligibility rules

Nationally, the percentage of Americans collecting unemployment has been falling steadily since the Great Recession. All states now require any potential unemployment recipients to give evidence that they are "actively seeking work" and are ready to accept any offer of "suitable" work. But states define these terms in different ways.

For instance, Maine and Delaware require workers to contact one new prospective employer per week to be classified as actively seeking work; Florida and North Carolina require five new weekly contacts. In Massachusetts, the unemployed are expected to apply for jobs with similar skill and pay profiles as their previous positions. North Carolina, in contrast, mandates that even lawyers and doctors apply for and accept any job paying more than $21,800 per year after collecting 10 weeks of unemployment.

Many states have been adding more such restrictive requirements and cut off any workers who don't meet them, driving down the percentage of the jobless collecting unemployment benefits. And because 10 states have limited how long anyone can receive benefits while more people are out of work for longer, higher portions of the unemployed are exhausting their benefits.

In New Jersey and Massachusetts in 2019, more than half of the unemployed collected benefits. In other states, such as North Carolina and Florida, that was about 10%.

- - -

The Cares Act shook up the unemployment system

The $2 trillion dollar Cares Act extended each state's benefits by 13 weeks and supplemented every state's unemployment payments with $600 each week through the end of July.

What this means is that, in most states, benefits now replace more than 100% of lost wages for workers earning at or below the national median wage. Even states with the skimpiest benefits, such as Florida, now replace at least 80% of the median wage for up to six months.

If state unemployment systems can actually get these funds into people's pockets, the stimulus measures will help stabilize workers' incomes while businesses are closed. Should the recession linger, some Democrats are talking of extending the unemployment stimulus payments through December.

Still, an increasing number of critics argue that these federal measures are too generous and will discourage workers from going back to their jobs. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., last week told a state task force panel that the Senate would only extend federal unemployment benefits over "our dead bodies."

As policymakers weigh how to balance public health concerns with restarting the economy, debates about the appropriate balance between the federal government and states in determining unemployment compensation are sure to continue.

- - -

Watson is an associate professor of political science at Ohio State University. For other analysis and commentary from The Monkey Cage, an independent blog anchored by political scientists from universities around the country, see www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage
Weve been thoughtful from the beginning about creating a purposeful environment thats collaborative and encouraging for everyone, and honors like this motivate us to keep finding new ways to foster that culture.

Innovative customer marketing platform MessageGears has been named to Inc. magazines annual list of the Best Workplaces for 2020. The list is the result of a wide-ranging and comprehensive measurement of private American companies that have created exceptional workplaces through vibrant cultures, deep employee engagement, and stellar benefits.

MessageGears has experienced tremendous growth in the past few years, sending billions of emails each month for companies like Expedia, Chick-fil-A, Rakuten Rewards, Stylist, and CarRentals.com, and significantly growing its workforce. MessageGears leadership and CEO Roger Barnette make team management and work/life balance a high priority. Thats enabled the company to keep their employee turnover rate low and earn a 4.8 rating on Glassdoor.

Collecting data from more than 3,000 submissions, Inc. singled out 395 finalists for this years list. Each nominated company took part in an employee survey, conducted by Quantum Workplace, on topics including trust, management effectiveness, perks, and confidence in the future. Inc. gathered, analyzed, and audited the data, then ranked all the employers using a composite score of survey results. This year, 73.5 percent of surveyed employees were engaged by their work.

The strongest engagement scores came from companies that prioritize the most human elements of work. These companies are leading the way in employee recognition, performance management, and diversity. It is a different playbook from a decade ago, when too many firms used the same template: free food, open work environments, and artifacts of fun.

Its a high honor for our company to be recognized for being a place that people love to work, especially when that recognition comes directly from team member feedback, Barnette said. Weve been thoughtful from the beginning about creating a purposeful environment thats collaborative and encouraging for everyone, and honors like this motivate us to keep finding new ways to foster that culture.

Building a great corporate culture comes only from strong leadership, says Inc. magazine editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk. The companies on Inc.s Best Workplaces list are setting an example that the whole country can learn from, especially now, when company culture is more important to the workforce than ever.

While researching the finalists, Inc. and Quantum saw distinct themes:



100 percent provide health insurance.

50 percent allow employees to bring pets to work.

62 percent take employees to offsite retreats to relax and recharge.

20 percent offer paid sabbaticals to reward length of service.

About MessageGears

MessageGears is the only customer marketing platform exclusively built for todays large enterprise. We empower the worlds most demanding marketers to deliver more relevant messages, faster and more flexibly than legacy ESPs and marketing clouds. Our platform connects directly to companies existing data sources, enabling marketers to maximize the value of their customer data in real time without moving data around. Join sophisticated marketers at Expedia, Rakuten, and Chick-fil-A who rely on MessageGears to deliver more personalized cross-channel messages that grow their business. Learn more at messagegears.com.

About Inc. Media

The worlds most trusted business-media brand, Inc. offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across a variety of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 gives the founders of the best businesses an opportunity to engage with an exclusive community of their peers, and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com.

About Quantum Workplace

Quantum Workplace, based in Omaha, Nebraska, is an HR technology company that serves organizations through employee-engagement surveys, action-planning tools, exit surveys, peer-to-peer recognition, performance evaluations, goal tracking, and leadership assessment. For more information, visit QuantumWorkplace.com.


Just days after returning as Andy Dwyer in the Parks and Recreation special, Chris Pratt is returning to the small screen with a brand new Amazon Studios series, in his first TV role since Parks and Rec went off the air in 2015.

The 40-year-old actor has signed on to star in The Terminal List, adapted from the best-selling 2018 novel of the same name by Jack Carr.

The book was Carr's debut novel and the first in a trilogy, which he wrote after a 20-year career as an active-duty Navy SEAL before retiring from active duty in 2016.

TV Return: Just days after returning as Andy Dwyer in the Parks and Recreation special, Chris Pratt is returning to the small screen with a brand new Amazon Studios series

Pratt will portray James Reese, whose Navy SEAL platoon was ambushed after a covert mission, as he returns home to his family.

The soldier finds he has conflicting memories about the ambush, and the role he himself had to play in it.

When new evidence about the ambush is discovered, Reese finds that his family's life is in danger as shadowy forces surround him.

Navy SEAL: Pratt will portray James Reese, whose Navy SEAL platoon was ambushed after a covert mission, as he returns home to his family

Pratt himself secured the rights to Carr's book The Terminal List, and brought it to his The Magnificent Seven remake director Antoine Fuqua, who is slated to direct the pilot and executive produce.

Both Pratt and Fuqua brought the project to Media Rights Capital (MRC), which packaged the project in February where it attracted a number of buyers before landing at Amazon

David DiGiglio (Strange Angel) is writing the pilot script, with reportedly half the show's writer's room made up of veterans or those with veterans in their family.

Rights: Pratt himself secured the rights to Carr's book The Terminal List, and brought it to his The Magnificent Seven remake director Antoine Fuqua, who is slated to direct the pilot and executive produce

Pratt also revealed the news to his 7.7 million Twitter followers on Tuesday, revealilng how excited he is for the project.

'This will be unlike anything Ive ever done. LESSGO #AntoineFuqua Im greteful for the challenge,' Pratt began.

He also told author Jack Carr that, 'Well do right by your characters,' while telling fans, 'If you havent read #TerminalList check it out!

Tweet: Pratt also revealed the news to his 7.7 million Twitter followers on Tuesday, revealilng how excited he is for the project

Unlike: 'This will be unlike anything Ive ever done. LESSGO #AntoineFuqua Im greteful for the challenge,' Pratt began

The Terminal List was published in 2018, followed by the second book in the trilogy, 2019's True Believer with the third installment, Savage Son, published in April, currently on the New York Times best seller list.

Pratt most recently lent his voice to the Disney animated hit Onward with Tom Holland, and he was filming Jurassic World: Dominion when production was shut down due to COVID-19.

Pratt returned with his Parks and Recreation cast mates for a special that benefited a number of COVID-19 relief charities.
A landmark study conducted in Finland shows that giving free money to the unemployed doesn't boost the jobs market as some had hoped but it does raise happiness levels.

The final results, published on Wednesday, are in line with initial findings released in February 2019. The main conclusions suggest that a basic income improves the mental well-being of recipients and makes them feel more secure with their finances.

Interest in the concept has resurfaced since lockdowns across much of the globe destroyed millions of jobs, depriving many people of a living wage. Even in Finland, a Nordic bastion of welfare, the covid-19 crisis has overwhelmed the country's jobless benefits system. A number of economists including Nobel laureate Angus Deaton argue that some form of basic income fights the kind of wealth inequality that ultimately tends to destabilize societies.

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin isn't planning to introduce a basic income, as such. Instead, her five-party coalition wants to look into a negative income tax, whereby low income earners would stop paying taxes to the government and instead receive a payment.

The country's minister of social affairs and health, Aino-Kaisa Pekonen, said the latest study results "can also be used when reforming the social security system."

Participants in the study received $600 (560 euros) per month. Those included were part of a randomly selected group of 2,000 jobless people aged between 25 and 58, who got free money from the state from 2017 to 2018.

"This was a big carrot, and we can see it didn't fully work," Kari Hamalainen, chief researcher at the VATT Institute for Economic Research, said on a webcast. Implementing a universal basic income for all citizens "would be expensive. If we had a universal basic income, we'd have to incorporate taxation," and based on these results "it would be unsustainable."

The original aim of the Finnish study was to explore new ways of distributing social security in a world in which more workers are threatened by automation and fewer are likely to take on traditional nine-to-five jobs. Many regard the current system of jobless benefits as too rigid and fear it dissuades people from taking on temporary or part-time work.

Preliminary results had already dispelled the idea that recipients of free money would work less.

"The scheme did not have negative effects on employment," said Anthony Painter, chief research and impact officer at the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, a U.K. charity. "If anything, it was positive -- an important rebuke to those who think it would lead to more people being lazy."

In the first year, 18% of study participants found work, roughly in line with the control group. In the second year, 27% of those getting a basic income worked, just 2 percentage points more than the control group. The results in 2018 are somewhat skewed by a model introduced by the government penalizing jobless people who didn't actively seeking work.

The study's results are based on employment data, interviews as well as responses to a questionnaire.

Signe Jauhiainen, research manager at the social insurance institution Kela, said that the results can be used to revamp social security, for instance by "increasing certainty over incomes, by reducing the amount of applications people need to file."
An Amazon worker at a warehouse in New York where employees called for greater coronavirus safety measures has died of COVID-19, the e-commerce giant said on Tuesday.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of an associate at our site in Staten Island, NY," Amazon spokesperson Lisa Levandowski said in a statement emailed to AFP.

"His family and loved ones are in our thoughts, and we are supporting his fellow colleagues," she added.

Amazon has become a lifeline for consumers facing lockdowns and restrictions around the world, and the company is in the process of adding some 175,000 new employees to cope with the surging demand.

But the company has also faced protests from warehouse workers and activists who claim Amazon has failed to do enough to keep them safe.

More than a dozen demonstrators, including employees and activists, protested outside the Staten Island warehouse last week.

In March, New York Attorney General Letitia James called for an investigation after Amazon fired employee Chris Smalls after he organised a walkout of workers at the warehouse.

Smalls claimed the company was failing to take precautions to protect warehouse staff from COVID-19, and said that between 50 and 60 employees at the facility had contracted the illness.

Amazon said Smalls was fired after he went to work after coming in contact with someone who had contracted the virus, in a violation of quarantining rules.

Amazon insists it has invested to protect staff and says the rate of infection at the Staten Island facility is significantly below the community rate.

New York is the worst-hit state in the country, with over 320,000 declared cases and around 20,000 deaths.

On Monday, Tim Bray, an Amazon vice president, said he had resigned in protest at the company sacking three staff who spoke out against the treatment in warehouses.

In France, Amazon has been locked in a battle with labour unions, which say not enough was done to mitigate the contagion risk for the staff working in close proximity to process a flood of orders amid the nationwide lockdown.

France's labour ministry said it had denied a request by Amazon for emergency funds to pay employees during the coronavirus crisis after the US behemoth shut its warehouses, following a court order to sell only essential items.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
SRINAGAR, India (AP)  Rebels fighting against Indian rule ambushed a group of paramilitary soldiers in Kashmir on Monday, killing three of them, an official said, an escalation in fighting in the disputed Himalayan region in recent weeks despite a stringent lockdown to combat the coronavirus. A teenage boy was also killed in the attack.

Rebels attacked a patrol party in the northwestern Handwara area, said Gul Junaid Khan, a paramilitary official. He said the militants fled after carrying out the attack.

Khan said officials were ascertaining the identity of the teenager who died.

There was no independent confirmation of the circumstances leading to the boy's death. No rebel group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

The attack comes a day after militants killed five Indian security personnel, including two army officers and a counterinsurgency police officer, in the Handwara area. Two militants were killed in that fighting.

India has stepped up its counterinsurgency operations across Kashmir in recent months amid the coronavirus lockdown. Militants fighting Indian rule have not ceased their attacks on government forces and alleged informants. Over two dozen militants and about a dozen Indian troops have been killed in April, the most in any month this year.

There has also been almost daily fighting over the last several months along the rugged and mountainous highly militarized frontier that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

On Friday, two Indian soldiers were killed in border skirmishes. On Wednesday, a Pakistani soldier and three civilians on both sides were killed in another bout of fighting.

India and Pakistan both claim the divided territory of Kashmir in its entirety. Most Kashmiris support the rebel goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country, while also participating in civilian street protests against Indian control.

India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the anti-India rebels. Pakistan denies this, saying it offers only moral and diplomatic support to the militants and to Kashmiris who oppose Indian rule.

Rebels have been fighting Indian rule since 1989. About 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian military crackdown.
Steve Bannon: The Coming Collapse of the Tyrant Regime

Trailer:

Narration: First, they attacked Mike Pompeo. Then, Chinese media ran a hit piece on Steve Bannon.

Simone Gao: Why now? Why do they target you right now?

Steve Bannon: I think the reason theyre talking to me right now is Im on media all the time.

Narration: Does it have anything to do with the rumor that Bannon met with a defected scientist from the Wuhan P4 lab?

Mr. Bannon: I will tell you that there are so many good people in China that are outraged about what happened and want to belong to the whistleblower movement.

Ms. Gao: Can you confirm one way or another, If such a scientist from the Wuhan institute of Virology Actually, theres such a person who came to America.

Mr. Bannon: Id say all you, you will see that all in due time.

Narration: Are these the dark clouds on the horizon?? Will Beijing face a Tiananmen-like backlash over the virus? At this critical moment in time, I had this discussion with the host of War Room pandemic, Steve Bannon.

Host: I am Simone Gao, and you are watching Zooming In.

Title: Steve Bannon: Chinese People Want to Join the Whistleblower Movement

Ms. Gao: Thank you very much Mr. Bannon for being with us today.

Mr. Bannon: Thanks for having me, Simone.

Ms. Gao: CCTV released a critical review on you yesterday and called you many names. Ultra Rightest, a blaster, stubborn, anti-China activist with no moral integrity. Do you want to respond to this name calling?

Mr. Bannon: Sure. It shows me that both our show and our effort to actually speak to the Chinese people and to speak to people throughout the world about the crimes of the CCP of the Chinese communist party is starting to hit home. The Chinese communist party is very nervous. What are they nervous about? Theyre nervous that the free people of the world will partner with or bond with, Lao Baixing, old hundred names in China and hold the Chinese communist party accountable for the crimes theyve committed that started this pandemic.

Ms. Gao: Why now? Why do they target you right now? What are they trying to achieve?

Mr. Bannon: Well, I think the reason theyre targeting me right now is Im on media all the time. Ive got this show, War Room Pandemic that has a massive audience in the United States and also throughout the world. And remember because of GTV and Guo news And also often when we do the specials at Epoch Times, its subtitled in Mandarin and we blow through the Firewall and get to VPNs and actually get the truth out to the people of China. So the Chinese communist party is very concerned that the American people are waking up. The people in Europe are waking up, (and people) throughout the world and particularly the people in China, the Chinese citizens understand that they have brothers and sisters throughout the world that support them in trying to achieve their freedom.

Ms. Gao: Have you received direct threats from the Chinese government?

Mr. Bannon: I receive threats from the Chinese all the time. Thats one of the reasons I have security. I receive threats all the time from Chinese. I dont know if its Chinese officials, but from people that are at least representing that theyre from China.

Ms. Gao: Have you received threats recently?

Mr. Bannon: Ive received threats over the lastlisten, Ive been doing this (for a long time). It just came to the attention of a lot of people, but Ive been doing this for many years. Years before I joined the presidents campaign at Breitbart. In fact, the CCTV, and one of the Global Times editorials today, theyre hitting me in the Global Times. Theyre hitting me in every propaganda platform theyve got. They hit me from my years at Breitbart. So Ive been doing this for, I dont know, 9 or 10 years. The threats from the Chinese dont worry me. In fact, they empower me because I know were having an impact. I know theyre scared and Xi should be scared and Wang Qishan and the Chinese communist party should be scared because their days are numbered.

Ms. Gao: You know, at the end of the critical article released by CCTV, it raised a few questions. Im quoting them. America Had its first COVID-19 death on February 6th, who had no China travel history. When on earth did America first discover infected patients? So this is their question. Another question is, Why does the U.S discriminate and ban the voices of people who are fighting the disease? And finally, Canadian media reports early cases came from the U.S. Not China. How does America explain this? What are they trying to do?

Mr. Bannon: This is very easy. CCTV is a propaganda arm. Theyre the mouthpiece of the Chinese communist party. Global Times is a mouthpiece. Peoples Daily is a mouthpiece. All the news services are just mouthpieces. Theyre propaganda arms of the most murderous dictatorship, and thats what it is, the most murderous dictatorship in world history. They have murdered more Chinese people than any other regime in history, including the Nazis including the fascists in Italy, the military Junta in Japan, the Soviet union, the Soviets. This is a murderous dictatorship. And the CCTV, the commentators and also the writers at all the other propaganda (outlets) are just propagandists. So what theyre trying to do is distract attention. What we know for fact is that this started in Wuhan. (The person) who told us the facts was Dr. Li, the great hero of Wuhan.

It was he and his colleagues that told us originally back in the last week of December that there was human to human transmission and community spread in Wu Han. The Chinese communist party knew this and the Chinese communist party should understand there are many people inside those labs in both mainland China and in Hong Kong that are now talking, reaching out to whistleblowers. There are whistleblowers who are reaching out to people and giving details. So their lies and misrepresentations are not going to hold. We know the fact that they had human to human transmission, they had community spread in Wuhan. They knew this in the last week of December. They hid that information principally because they wanted to sign the trade deal in the United States and they wanted to go to Davos. So they kept it all under wraps until they got panicked about the Chinese new year and then set the travel restrictions and then (the virus) obviously exploded in Wuhan because they hadnt taken the proper measures.

Thats whyRemember Simone, the biggest victims in this are the poor citizens in Wuhan. The Chinese communist party had every opportunity to stop this early on. In fact we know that the University of Southampton in England told us that if the Chinese communist party had acted responsibly in the last week of December, 95% of the deaths, 95% of the agony and suffering, 95% of the economic carnage could have all been avoided. So this is right at the doorstep of President Xi and Wang Qishan and his other henchmen, and the worlds going to hold them accountable. They can throw as big a temper tantrum as they want, they can say all they want to about Steve Bannon. They can say all they want to about the people associated with me. They can say all they want about the free voices of the world, (such as) Mike Pompeo and others. Its not going to change anything.

This is going to be adjudicated. Theyre going to be stripped of their assets. Theyre gonna be stripped of their personal assets. The Chinese communist party is gonna be stripped of its assets. Eventually theyre going to be put on trial, a Nuremberg type trial in Wuhan for the biological Chernobyl that they released on the people of Wuhan, Hubei province, China, and then the rest of the world. Theres going to be a trial. Theyre going to stand trial in a Nuremberg type setting and the citizens of Wuhan are going to sit in for mankind and render judgment on the Chinese communist party.

Ms. Gao: Its just amazing. I think its amazing that when all this information is out, theyre still trying to push the narrative that America is the origin of the virus and it did not come from China, but from America,

Mr. Bannon: Listen Simone, theyre panicked. Theyre reaching out and striking out everywhere they can. They understand thateverybody in the world knows thats a joke. They do understand. Remember all the intelligence services, all the public health (organizations) from the World Health Organization to NIH in Canada, the National Health Service in England, the NIH in Australia, NIH and CDC in the United States. Everybodys investigating this. It all leads back to Wuhan. It all leads back to the incompetence and the corruption of the Chinese communist party. This is a biological Chernobyl and just like in Chernobyl where the Soviet union, the commissars tried to shut down any information and didnt care how many people in Chernobyl died and they didnt care how many people in Kiev died and they didnt care how many people in Western Europe or the rest of the world died. Thats the exact same thing we have here. The regime immediately went to protect their own hold over the people and thats why when the all the facts come out, theyre going to be condemned by first the Chinese people, second the people in the United States and third, the citizens of the world.

Ms. Gao: You talk about the lawsuits. I wonder what those lawsuits will actually lead to. I mean, whats the possibility that the CCP will actually compensate the world? I think the possibility is pretty low. But you said we can seize their assets in the United States. What else?

Mr. Bannon: Youre wrong there. The probability is very high. First off, congress. We can move very quickly. And theres a huge groundswell right now to do JASTA to basically strip the Chinese communist party, just like we did the kingdom of Saudi Arabia for 911. Remember, theres a $50 billion lawsuit right now between the 911 victims and the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We have full rights to strip the Chinese communist party of their sovereign immunity and to have state governments go after them, Individuals go after them, the federal government go after them. The Chinese communist party is going to pay tens of trillions of dollars for this. Theyre going to pay until theyre bankrupt. And not just that. And this is the warning to Xi and Wang Qishan and all their gangsters. All of their assets in the United States, in London and throughout Western Europe are all going to be seized. Theyre not going to have any wealth. All theyve done is steal from the people in China, convert it to dollars, get it out of the country, put it in real estate in New York, real estate in Los Angeles, real estate in London, in the West end of London, in Belgravia, right? In Kensington. All those placesKnightsbridge. They own all this real estate throughout the worldManhattan. Its all going to be seized from them. The people of the world are gonna demand compensation for this. The people of the world are totally innocent here and quite frankly, one of the things were fighting for is to make sure the people of Wuhan and Hubei provincethat Chinese citizens get appropriate compensation from the Chinese communist party.

This is going to bankrupt the Chinese communist party. Thats why theyre throwing out these wild things, Oh, you cant do this. No legal system. Theyre finished. The people of the world are uniting to take them down. They are finished. Theyre a group of gangsters that have run and destroyed China. Theyve destroyed the Chinese people. They run a police state. And you can see that every way you want to turn, they run a Gulag, right? First the firewalls going to come down, then the peoples of the world, the laws of the world are going to entangle them. And I gotta tell you, we have plenty of laws here in the United States. You already have some of the smartest attorneys general, you have some of the smartest strike lawyers. Everybodys getting their lawsuits ready. The Chinese communist party is going to be tied up for years in litigation and this one of the things thats going to bring them down because theyre going to be bankrupt. And Wang Qishan and Xi personally should understand, and their families, all your assets are going to be seized. And so I think anybody that says its not going to happen is just fooling themselves. Theres already a big effort underway to start this process right now.

Ms. Gao: If they just decided to say, no matter what youre saying in court, were not going to pay, what are the options for the Western world, sanctions?

Mr. Bannon: No, its very simple we can sanction easily, but more importantly, just seize their assets. Remember, most of their wealth is not in China. Theyve moved a lot of their wealth over to the world. Remember, this is one of the issues of the Chinese communist party. Theyve stolen from the Chinese people to convert it into dollars and then they get as much of their cash as possible outside of China because they understand theyre running a Ponzi scheme in China. Most of their wealth is tied up in the West. Thats all going to be seized. Theyre going to be very poor and then people are going to sanction themtheyre going to get choked down. This is why theyre trying to stop me because they understand. I came out of Goldman Sachs and Harvard business school. I understand the finance part of this very, very well.

I understand what theyre trying to do with their cryptocurrency. I understand what theyre trying to do in Saudi Arabia. They can run, but they can hide. Okay? The days are numbered of the Chinese communist party because now theyve shown their true face. Their true face is the lies and misrepresentations they did on this pandemic and had it destroy the world, starting in China and then going to the rest of humanity. The mask has been stripped off them. And now the worldand I can tell themthey can complain all they want. They can take out all the editorials and want. Every day I have conference calls and meetings around the clock with different groups throughout the world that are getting ready to move on the Chinese communist party. Theyre going to be stripped of all their assets. Theyre going to be put in bankruptcy and then the people in China are going to turn against them. Theyre going to be overthrown. Theyre going to stand trial and Wuhan in a Nuremberg type trial. Theyre going to be found guilty. And then the Chinese people can decide what they want to do with them.

Ms. Gao: You told me in your last interview that this virus would take down the communist party. So now the question is, do you think America is ready for an immediate collapse? Do you think America is ready for an immediate collapse of the CCP? In other words, does the American leadership want the CCP to collapse?

Mr. Bannon: The American peopleits most important to look at the polling. Remember, its the American people that take the lead. Its the American people that put Donald Trump into office. Its the backing of the American people that led to the confrontation with the CCP. The American people are tired of it. They dont have jobs. They dont have pension funds. Theyre not out seeing their sports. Theyre not going to church. They cant do Ramadan. They cant do Passover. They cant go worship the risen Christ because a group of atheistic, materialistic, communists, right? Decided to allow a deadly virus to come out of their labs and to basically destroy the city of Wuhan, and destroy Chinese people. We have no idea how many hundreds of thousands, if not millions of innocent Chinese are dead. How much economic havoc its wreaked in China. Thats all behind the firewall. The days of the CCP are numbered and they understand the righteous indignation of the entire peoples of the world are going to bond with Lao Baixing, old hundred names, and first bankrupt them and then overthrow them.

Ms. Gao: Now you know that the U.S. And Chinas economies are so intertwined, the worry is that if Chinas economy collapses, that will have a big impact on the U.S. Economy. Do you think thats still a concern? I mean consider the economy, the current economy.

Mr. Bannon: We dont have to have the economy in China collapse. What we have to do is have the Chinese communist party collapse. Theres no American, and me particularly, that wants the Chinese economy to collapse. Were big supporters of the Chinese people. Remember the Chinese people are among the most decent, hardworking people on earth. And when you see the Chinese people go to Hong Kong with English common law, go to Taiwan with English common law or Singapore or Simone, particularly, all of your fellow Chinese here in the United States. They thrive. They prosper. When you give them the rule of law and allow them to stand on their own as free people. They thrive throughout the world, whether its in Europe, London, the United States, Hong Kong. Look at it. The Chinese are not only prosperous, theyre happy, right? Why cant the Chinese be prosperous and happy and free in China?

Its ridiculous. Its racist. The Chinese communist party is the biggest racist organization in history. They treat the Chinese people like animals. They dont allow them free access to information in the world. Chinese people are among the smartest people Ive ever met. Look at all the people I know here in the United States and in Hong Kong and in Taiwan, and all my friends in mainland China, the Chinese are incredibly hardworking, very scholarly, very up to date on what the worlds doing. And yet the Chinese communist party treats them like animals. They wont even let them interact with the world on the internet. They treat them like children. They keep saying theyre not ready for democracy. Chinas not ready for democracy. Well, guess what? If India in Europe in the United States, in Mexico and Brazil, right? If theyre ready for democracy, Hey, guess what?

Chinas ready for democracy and the Chinese people are ready for democracy. All of this grief, all of this agony, all of this death, all of this destruction is because of the Chinese communist party and President Xi, Wang Qishan and his other henchmen. And they can run as far as they want to run. They can say everything they want to do. They can try to suck up to all the elites in the West and the party of Davos. It doesnt make a difference. Its not relevant. The peoples of the world demand retribution. Okay? And theyre going to stand before the peoples of the world and have to account for their crimes and account for their behavior.

Ms. Gao: Im glad you told me how you feel about the Chinese people. We have talked a lot. You have shown your respect to the Chinese people. Tell me, this is what the Chinese communist party has been confusing. They slander you and they call you like a China hater, and you just hate all Chinese people. But that, thats just not the case. Tell me a little bit about yourself. I mean, your China experience.

Mr. Bannon: Well that doesnt fly because every dayremember I broadcast every day and its subtitled in Mandarin and it blows through the firewall. So the Chinese people know I have a great fondness for them. You know, I, as a very young man, the whole reason I joined the Navy as a young boy in my late teens, early twenties, was to basically go to China to go serve in the Pacific fleet. I was born on the East coast in a Navy town, Norfolk, but I never wanted to serve in the Atlantic fleet. I always wanted to go to the Pacific. The reason I wanted to go to the Pacific was to go to China. And so I got assigned

Ms. Gao: Why did you want to go to China?

Mr. Bannon: I just always have been fascinated since I was a very young child with the Chinese people and with China. I read all the histories of China, all the books about China. I just always had a great affinity for Asia, a great affinity for China. I studied World War II as a young boy, very, very closely. The war in the Pacific. I had always wanted to serve in the seventh fleet, the great fleet of the United States that basically defeated Imperial Japan. I have a great fondness for the Japanese people too. So I just wanted to go for all Asian cultures. But particularly China. A very important moment in my life is when my destroyer pulled into Hong Kong. I think it was in 1977. We pulled into Hong Kong for the first time and I went to shore and it was just amazing.

I loved Hong Kong, loved the Chinese people, and Ive had a great affinity (for them). Ive gone back and forth to China over my time at Goldman Sachs (as well as with) my own firm, which we did in partnership with a Japanese trading company. I spent a lot of time in Hong Kong. And then later as it opened back up I founded companies in China and actually lived for a short period of time in Shanghai. We had a headquarters, one of my companies, actually owned a cable TV (station) called Games TV. It was headquartered in Shanghai and I actually lived in the French concession. And so I just have a great fondness and a great affinity for the Chinese people and I love the culture, love the society. And its always upset me that the Chinese people are not free. And the excuse that was always given is, well, theyre not ready for their freedom. Theyre not ready for democracy. And I said, Theyre among the best people Ive ever met in my life. Theyre hardworking, theyre very family oriented, theyre very decent people. And as I said, when you see them with democracy in Hong Kong, you see them with democracy in Taiwan, you see them with democracy in Singapore. You see them with democracy in the United States and in England, and they thrive. You give the Chinese people the rule of law and you give them democracy and theres nothing that can stop them. And thats the dilemma we have today. Its about the freedom of the Chinese people. Thats what this all gets down to. The Chinese communist party is a scourge on the world, and theyre principally a scourge on the Chinese people. They run, essentially a Gulag with slave labor, and that has to be stopped. We see now their true faces. This pandemic has ripped their face away and (exposed) their ridiculous nature. They come after me and other other people every day which just makes them look more and more absurd throughout the world. The facts of the matter are going to condemn them. Theyre eventually going to be put on trial. Theyre gonna be put on trial in Wuhan in a Nuremberg type trial, and theyre gonna have to answer for all their crimes, all their crimes against humanity.

Ms. Gao: Lets go back to the Chinese communist party and the Chinese economy a little bit. If the Chinese communist party collapsed today, you dont think the Chinese economy will collapse with it? Right?

Mr. Bannon: It definitely will not collapse with it. You may have some perturbations as China reorganizes and gets a new government. It will be like Eastern Europe and these places after the fall of the Soviet union. But think how great it would be with the Chinese people being free, having democracy and having true freedom and not having to have a firewall, not having to have social credit scores and not having everybody like the great hero, Dr. Li (who had to) face torture and had to sign a confession that he was a rumor monger. All that goes away. May the economy go down slightly? Yeah. The economy may go down. Its not going to be perfect at first, but look, the economy is collapsing in China anyway because of the actions of the Chinese communist party and what they did in this pandemic.

The first quarter in China has been terrible. The second quarter has been terrible. The factories arent back up and the workers dont feel safe. Remember we have another whole wave of this in China and its not affecting the guys in Beijing because they have total quarantine. If you go out to the fifth ring or sixth ring, you cant get back into the area around the forbidden city. Its like a quarantine, right? Because they want to protect themselves. They know how deadly this virus is. So this shows you the hypocrisy of the leadership of the Chinese communist party. Might the Chinese go through some rough times after they fall? Maybe, but then China will come roaring back. And the reason is a free China, right?, Its something that works for the entire world. If we want to have peace and prosperity for the entire world, its very simple. It is time to free the Chinese people from this dictatorship. And the elites in the West have made money off this. They financed this. Theyve given technology. Its time now for those elites to be held accountable. They have to be brushed aside. The peoples of the world have to unite to help and assistonly the Chinese people can free themselves, but to assist the Chinese people in their freedom.

Ms. Gao: Okay. There has been information circulating on the internet that you met with a senior scientist from the Wuhan Institute of virology. Can you talk about that a little bit?

Mr. Bannon: Well, look, I dont want to get into what the internet says and doesnt say, but I will tell you that there are so many good people in China that are outraged about what happened and want to belong to the whistleblower movement. So people in mainland China, people in Hong Kong, other people that know the facts have reached out to whistleblowers. And there are people that really want to make sure the facts and the truth gets out there and the Chinese communist party cant lie about this. So the Chinese communist party ought to be very worried about the citizens of China, the people of China who are tired of their lies, tired of their brutality, tired of the way they treat the Chinese people. The people in China are fed up with this. Theyre tired of it. Theyre tired of being treated like animals.

Theyre tired of being second class people throughout the world. How can people in India, how can people in the Middle East, how can people in Africa, how can people in Europe, in Mexico, in Brazil, all of South America, the United States, Canada, how can all these people have free access to the internet? Free access to talk to anybody in the world you want to. Free access to be able to communicate. Yet the Chinese are treated like the North Koreans and like people in Iran, right? Theyre treated like slaves and theyre treated like animals, right? That they cant have free commerce. They cant have a free relationship. They cant have information go back and forth like their children. The Chinese people are not children. China is an ancient civilization. Its a noble people. Its a good people. It is time that they are free. It is an outrage in the 21st century, given everything we went through in the 20th century, that the people in China live under a totalitarian dictatorship.

Thats what this pandemic, the good that can come out of this pandemic is the freedom of the Chinese people. And people have to understand if you support the Chinese communist party, youre racist, if you support the Chinese communist party, youre a xenophobe because you are supporting the worst people on earth to suppress the 1.4 billion people in China. And youre going to be held accountable. Anybody that backs the regime is going to be held accountable. Okay? Theres absolutely no doubt this regime is going to fall. Just like the Nazis fell just like Mussolini and the fascists fell, just like the commissars and the Soviet union fell. They always fall. The Chinese communist party is the next one to get kicked into the dustbin of history.

Ms. Gao: Im gonna press a little bit. Can you confirm one way or another, if such a scientist from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, if a person exists, who came to America.

Mr. Bannon: You will see that all in due time.

Ms. Gao: Okay. And this person will testify?

Mr. Bannon: I didnt say that. I said youll see whether thats true or false, over due time. I dont wanna respond to the internetif I had to respond to every internet rumor, Id spend all my time just responding to internet rumors, right? So I just think, lets just see how things develop. But I will tell you this, there are many, many, many good people in China that are outraged about what happened. Theyre outraged by the Chinese communist party suppressing information. Theyre outraged about the Chinese communist party destroying evidence. Theyre outraged by what the Chinese communist party did and (how they) looked the other way and allowed Wuhan to be destroyed and the citizens of Wuhan to be destroyed. So every family that hasnt been able to basically mourn their loved ones that died, everyone that cant go to a tomb sweeping ceremony once a year because they dont know if theyve got the right set of ashes or the right body. Thats all because of what Beijing did to you. So I dont respond to internet rumors, but I think over time youll see that many, many people in China want to get the truth out.

Ms. Gao: Okay. We have talked about the CCP this whole time, but now I want to talk about America. You know, the American CDC has a branch in China, NIH who gave 3.7 million dollars to the Wuhan Institute of Virology. What do you think is the nature of such a partnership?

Mr. Bannon: I think that throughout the world, the World Health Organization BARDA, the NIH in Australiapeople have tried to help and the reason is that the rest of the world wants to help the Chinese people. This was all because they thought it would be a benefit to the Chinese people. Well have to review that all over time. Right now people are investigating and looking at the grants. This was cash that was given to do research in China. Thats all part of the investigation that is going on right now. And youre going to find out about the World Health Organization, places in Europe, in Australia, the United States, probably others. Right? And well find out all that. But the takeaway is that all that was to help the Chinese people. Remember, one of the things that people in the West have always tried to do is to understand how bad SARS was, and to make sure that they could be of some sort of assistance to the Chinese people to make sure that there was never another SARS outbreak.

So whether it was giving money to the Hong Kong university or others well see over time. But for the Chinese communist party to flip this and to try to make it part of their propaganda just shows you how evil they are. It shows you they dont care about the Chinese people. All they care about is themselves. So all this will come out over time. And the way I look at it..it was money too. People gotta be held accountable for it. But there was money basically given to make sure that a SARS-like virus never came upon the Chinese people again.

Ms. Gao: So to what degree within American institutions, like the CDC, know whats going on in the Wuhan lab, to your knowledge.

Mr. Bannon: I dont know if they knew anything. Well have to find that out over time. I think if you look at these grants, these grants were given to basically back up the research of the lead investigators, whether it was the Australian NIH, whether it was the American NIH, whether it was the World Health Organization. I think they mightve had a reference lab in Hong Kong that was to oversee things or to at least be some sort of coordination effort. But obviously the investigations, all the research is going to be done by Chinese scientists in Wuhan. So well have to see over time.

Ms. Gao: So you dont think, even if the American government gave the Wuhan lab 3.7 Million dollars, that America has responsibility for what might have gone wrong in the Wuhan lab.

Mr. Bannon: No, because its a zero chance because there was never any agreement from the Chinese communist party or Wuhan that there would be any supervision from the World Health Organization in providing these funds. This is normally done throughout the world where you provide funds to actually do research in different areas. This is just like the World Health Organization the NIH in America, the NIH in Australia, in France and the United Kingdom. They have grants throughout the world, but thats to let scientists in those countries perform their experiments. This is why I call it a biological Chernobyl. Clearly the Chinese communist party did not put in the controls, did not have the management in Wuhan in both the CDC, the P2 lab and also the P4 lab of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, W. I.V. But obviously there wasnt the level of supervision there should have been. And one of the reasons you see is you cant even get information out of there. The Chinese communist party controls it. We still today havent had access to it. We still today dont even know if weve got the right genome sequence. We still today dont know if we got the original virus and if we knowany information has all been blocked by the CCP. Remember the CCP went to the wetlab on January 1st and bleached it and washed it down before any investigation. Right? The reason they did that, they wanted to make sure they got rid of any evidence in case you could prove that theres no chance that came from the wet market. Thats why instead of cordoning it off and making sure there was an international investigation where everybody could see it, they bleached it right away and washed it down right away. To hide their guilt.

Just like all the papers they did and everything was drawn from the first phase of providing information, they stopped all that. They destroyed information. This is exactly how they ran Wuhan. This is exactly how they ran that lab and the other labs. Right? And people are going to find out, I think over time, that they were doing experiments there that they should not have been doing with lack of supervision. Exactly analogous to what happened in Chernobyl. Remember Chernobyl came about because they did an experiment on the reactor that they werent well-trained for and not prepared for and it was not supervised. It was that training exercise, right? That led to the meltdown of the reactor. And what did the Soviet Union, the communists in Moscow do? They tried to first make sure that no information got outside (because of) their guilt, because they did not effectively manage this.

Its the exact same thing in Wuhan. Thats why they hate when I say its a biological Chernobyl because it is a biological Chernobyl. They also understand that Chernobyl is one of the things that led at the end, to the collapse and overthrow of the Soviet Union, of the regime. And they understand in Beijing this is going to lead to their overthrow. Remember, theyre at each others throats right now. Reuters just had a story about how Xi and Wang Qishan, the elites, are very worried because now theres a whole global resistance to them, led by people like me that are holding them accountable like during Tiananmen square. But theyre afraid that its bigger than Tiananmen square. Where was that story leaked from? The Ministry of State Security. And what does that show you? That the criminals in Beijing are at each others throats.

I think youre looking at people that want to overthrow Xi and also people that want to support Xi. But the takeaway is that theyre at each others throats in Beijing. Why? Because theyre a group of criminals and this is how criminals react. Theyre at each others throats. Theyre very nervous about the entire regime collapsing because they saw what happened in Chernobyl and this is exactlythis is just a biological Chernobyl. And as much as they spin as much as they lie, as much as they try to accuse other people, were coming for them and the facts are on our side and thats whats driving them nuts.

Ms. Gao: When you talk about the Wuhan lab doing experiments that they shouldnt have been doing. What experiments are you talking about?

Mr. Bannon: I think they were doing gain of function experiments and maybe even other experiments beyond that. Maybe even experiments where they were actuallyand youre seeing a lot of, you know, Dr. Sean Lin and others are coming out with was certain parts of the proteins mess with humanly. You got IIT, The scientists in India, at the India Institute of technology, you have the Nobel prize winner, the French doctor who was one of the individuals on the team that found a big development in HIV back in 2014. He won the Nobel prize for this. Hes come out and said, Hey, the zero chance this was not manufacturing. Youve had Russian scientists come out. Look, Im not a biologist. This is not my line of work, but Im smart enough to understand what smart people are talking about.

And you see directionally where it heads. Thats all going to have to be investigated. Its being investigated right now. And so the Chinese communist party can try to spin it, and can try to call people names. It doesnt matter what they do. Heres the thing, its out of their control. And thats the beauty of it. They can have their running dogs in the West try to call people (this or that). It doesnt matter. The weight of the evidence is so compelling and the destruction is so huge and so global that the peoples of the world are going to hold them accountable. And thats going to lead for the Chinese people to actually overthrow. You see in Beijing right now, theres tremendous tension in Beijing right now among the elites, as they point fingers at each other. Who caused this? How did this happen? Why has this been mishandled? This is exactly what happened in Moscow back during the times of Chernobyl. Youre seeing the exact same thing play out here.

Ms. Gao: So to the best of your knowledge, can we rule out lab-made altogether?

Mr. Bannon: I dont think you can rule anything out until you have definitive reports and until people have gotten in those labs and quite frankly until theyve taken every person in the lab and interviewed them and really put them through the drill of getting all the information. Until we have full access to the labs, until you have full access to the series of labs, until you have full access to the biological weapons program that the PLA runs, until you have full access to everything like that, people cant be definitive on this. Remember we know very little about this virus right now were just finding out about this virus, the way it mutates. So this is all at the very beginning. But that information is all going to come out. Its not going to be withheld. Just like Chernobyl.

We know all the details of Chernobyl today. In fact, they made a five hour HBO movie about it in excruciating detail because all the facts are out. The facts here are going to come out. And the Chinese communist party can destroy as much information as they want, destroy as much evidence they want. All the facts are going to come out here. And the number one problem the Chinese communist party should start worrying about is not Steve Bannon and not other people that are populist or nationalist throughout the world. The number one problem they should worry about is their own people, their own people who know their lies and misrepresentations, their own people that know what happened in those labs, their own people who knew how they lied to people and tried to have a misdirection play here so that people wouldnt pay attention to it while they let people in Wuhan die. This is a regime that wouldnt blink an eye to have 30 or 40 million innocent Chinese die. Okay? Everybody knows that. The Chinese people know that and thats why they (the CCP) have to leave the stage now and go into the dustbin of history as every other murderous dictatorship in modern times has done.

Ms. Gao: Well these are all my questions. Do you have anything else to add Mr. Bannon?

Mr. Bannon: No, just that Epoch Times is doing a great job. And heres the thing. We are at the very beginning of this. Were not going to go away. People in the United States are not going to go away and we love the Chinese people. We understand its an incredibly tough struggle for them. But this is going to end with a happy ending and the happy ending is going to be the removal of the Chinese communist party and the freedom of the Chinese people.

Ms. Gao: I do have one more question for you. What is your favorite Chinese food? Is it the dumpling?

Mr. Bannon: Its not dumpling. Its Peking duck. I love all Chinese food, but Im particularly a sucker for Peking duck. Perfect Peking duck is my favorite food of everything, of everything. Even of American food. I love Chinese food. I would eat Chinese food every day of the week if I had access to great Chinese food. Its very difficult in the United States.

Ms. Gao: Yes, thats true. Peking duck. Thats one of my favorites too. Thank you so much, Mr. Bannon, and you take very good care of yourself. Okay.

Mr. Bannon: Thank you, Simone. Thank you very much. And the people at the Epoch Times. Im really, really honored to be on.

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Australians are turning to slang terms to describe life during coronavirus lockdowns as a way to lighten the situation and feel connected, experts say.

One of the unique points of our national vocabulary is the ability to shorten almost any word or name in informal situations - as nearly any 'Strayan could tell you.

And with people struggling to adjust to social distancing in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, new words such as 'rona' for coronavirus, 'quazzie' for quarantine and 'sanny' for hand sanitiser are being increasingly used.

Australians have already turned to humour to cope with lockdowns with the 'bin isolation outing' page trending

Dr Celeste Lawson, who is head of communication for Central Queensland University said the slang terms were useful for creating a sense of community.

'It gives us a shared understanding and brings us closer together. It is how we show we are a part of a group,' Ms Lawson told the ABC.

AUSSIE CORONAVIRUS SLANG TERMS 'Rona' - Coronavirus 'Magpie' - supermarket hoarder 'Iso' - isolation or lockdown 'Sanny' - hand sanitiser 'Pando' - the Coronavirus pandemic 'Quazzie' - quarantine Advertisement

'We've developed this slang and it does provide this sense of comfort that we can just talk about 'being in iso' and we know what that means.'

Angela Peita, a Brisbane based poet, agreed explaining that using words that you have created or feel some sense of ownership with helps people to feel empowered in uncertain situations.

She said humour was also important as a coping strategy and is often expressed through slang, especially during COVID-19 lockdowns.

'If we can make a joke out of it, or we can find something funny to get us through it, then we do,' Ms Peita said.

The use of slang and humour is similar to another lockdown trend which also began in Australia where people dress up in fancy costumes to take their garbage bins to the kerb.

The Facebook group 'Bin isolation outing' has more than 400,000 members and features pictures of people dressed up in everything from ball gowns with high heels to colourful costumes and super hero outfits.

Group administrator Danielle Askew told Daily Mail that the community started as a way to 'just have a bit of fun' during social distancing.

'My friend posted a meme on Facebook about being excited it's bin night so they get to go out. I dared her to dress up and said I would too. Then I made the page so all my friends could join in and dress up too.'' Ms Askew said.

Comedian Josh Hawkins was one of the early pioneers of some of the slang terms

Experts have also said the use of social media during social distancing has also helped to speed up the formation and spread of slang.

Whereas previously vocabulary would have been isolated to geographic locations and spread very slowly through word of mouth, new terms can now be popularised to thousands of people with the press of a button.

And Australians aren't the only ones coming up with unique words to describe the unprecedented phenomenon - though our particular brand of slang is quite unique.

Dictionary.com has listed the words 'zoombombing' to describe an unexpected person on a videocall, 'coronacation' used ironically to describe cancelled classes or shifts, and 'blursday' to describe the days running together during lockdowns.
In Mexico, an emergency decree that suspends all nonessential activities in the country was extended through May 30 by the Ministry of Health on April 21. This decree aims to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus. It was initially set to end on April 30.



Here are some important facts you need to know about the COVID-19 measures in the country covering the extended period:

Essential Activities in the Country

Under the extension, companies performing essential activities are allowed to continue operations. These businesses are required to follow social distancing guidelines in their facilities and production. Also, they are required to strictly make use of sanitary contingency protocols such as sanitizing and cleaning of work stations. Additionally, mass gatherings with more than 50 attendees are not allowed. Furthermore, companies are required to enforce among its workforce proper hygiene. Moreover, workers should be prohibited from hugging each other, kissing, and shaking hands.



Individuals with High Risk with COVID-19

People who are at high risk of contracting the novel coronavirus are required to stay at home. This rule applies to everyone, even if they are working for an essential or nonessential business and regardless of the municipality where they belong. The order does not mention if the employers of these individuals should still give 100 percent of their salaries and benefits.



Sanitary Contingencies in Mexico

Mexico's Ministry of Health did not mention any sanitary contingency. Also, they have not announced any suspension of the labor relation. According to the law of the country, employers should give minimum wage to their workers during the suspension of work order given by a health authority. On this basis, employers are not required by law to pay their workers the appropriate minimum wage.



Extraordinary Actions on Sanitary Contingency

According to the decree, the Ministry of Health will lift the extraordinary actions as of May 18 in municipalities will now to zero number of COVID-19 cases, says an article.

The decree also states that the Ministry of Health will be creating criteria for the evaluation of transmission of the coronavirus. Also, it will be determining any factor that is connected to the risk of the further spread of the novel coronavirus and the vulnerability of affected communities.



Going Back to Work

The government did not officially announce that businesses will be able to return to their regular operation on June 1. For some regions where the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus is not that significant, businesses may be allowed to operate by May 18. However, it is still not clear if businesses can resume their operations on those dates.



Check these out:



Employers in the Country

Local and federal authorities are performing inspections to businesses to determine to classify them as either an essential or nonessential business. Also, it will determine if the business is following proper sanitary measures and social distancing guidelines.

Authorities will not need to give employers a notice before arriving at the work area of the business.
Former President Barack Obama.

AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

The office of former President Barack Obama excoriated a Republican-led congressional investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and purported Ukrainian election interference as giving "credence to a Russian disinformation campaign," according to a March letter obtained by BuzzFeed News.

The letter said the investigation, led by GOP Sens. Ron Johnson and Chuck Grassley, "arises out of efforts by some, actively supported by Russia, to shift the blame for Russian interference in the 2016 election to Ukraine."

It also said that in addition to legitimizing Russia's disinformation campaign in the US  which has been promoted by Republican lawmakers  Johnson and Grassley's request is legally unprecedented.

Nonetheless, Obama's office will provide the committees access to the records they'd requested "in the interest of countering the misinformation campaign underlying this request," the letter concluded.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The office of former President Barack Obama excoriated a Republican-led congressional investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and purported Ukrainian interference in the 2016 election as giving "credence to a Russian disinformation campaign," according to a March letter obtained by BuzzFeed News.

Anita Decker Breckenridge, a records representative for Obama, sent the letter to the National Archives and Records Administration on March 13. The letter was sent in connection to a November request from Republican Sens. Ron Johnson and Chuck Grassley to NARA requesting Obama administration records "related to certain meetings connected to Ukraine."

The two senators launched their investigation into Biden and alleged Ukrainian election meddling last year, while the House of Representatives was investigating President Donald Trump's efforts to strongarm Ukraine into delivering political dirt against Biden in exchange for vital security assistance and a White House meeting for Ukraine's president. Biden is now the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

Story continues

The US intelligence community concluded with high confidence in early 2017 that Russia interfered in the 2016 US election to propel Trump to the presidency. There is no evidence that the Ukrainian government engaged in a similar effort to help Democrats, as Trump and Republicans have alleged.

NARA is authorized to provide "special access to presidential records to a Committee of either House of Congress before their scheduled release date, provided the information in the records 'is needed for the conduct of its business' and 'is not otherwise available,'" Breckenridge wrote.

She also highlighted that incumbent and former presidents are allowed to review and potentially withhold documents to protect the "confidentiality of presidential communications," and that Obama has "consistently supported the nonpartisan administration of presidential records and the commitment to transparency core to NARA's mission."

However, the letter continued, Johnson and Grassley's request is an improper use of the NARA exceptions and "arises out of efforts by some, actively supported by Russia, to shift the blame for Russian interference in the 2016 election to Ukraine."

Breckenridge pointed to impeachment testimony from Fiona Hill, the White House's former senior director for Russian and Eurasian affairs. Hill was one of several witnesses who testified last year about her knowledge of an "irregular" foreign policy channel that Trump's allies used to force Ukraine to cave to the president's demands.

In her opening remarks, Hill skewered several Republican lawmakers on the House Intelligence Committee for suggesting Ukraine had meddled in the 2016 race.

"Based on questions I have heard, some of you on this committee appear to believe that Russia and its security services did not conduct a campaign against our country and that, perhaps, somehow for some reason Ukraine did," Hill said. "This is a fictional narrative that is being perpetrated and propagated by the Russian security services themselves."

David Hale, the US's undersecretary of state for political affairs, also testified that he had not seen any "credible evidence" showing Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election to help Democrats.

Breckenridge's letter continued to take aim at Republicans conducting the Ukraine congressional probe, saying their request for the early release of presidential records "in order to give credence to a Russian disinformation campaign  one that has already been thoroughly investigated by a bipartisan congressional committee  is without precedent."

However, Breckenridge concluded the letter by saying that Obama's office would provide the committees access to the records they'd requested "in the interest of countering the misinformation campaign underlying this request."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Virgin Money UK, a former National Australia Bank spin-off, is the latest bank to see profits hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, with provisions for bad debts slashing returns in the latest half.

The dual-listed bank, which is more than 60 per cent owned by Australian investors and was previously known as Clydesdale Bank, on Wednesday reported a 58 per cent slump in underlying profit, to 120 million ($232 million).

Virgin Money UK chief financial officer Ian Smith. Credit:Eamon Gallagher

The plunge was driven by a 232 million ($448 million) provision for soured loans, as the lender awaits the full economic impact of the coronavirus lockdown amid unprecedented government support.

The bank, under its own name Clydesdale, was spun off from National Australia Bank in 2016 and remains heavily owned by Australian shareholders, mainly institutional investors.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

May. 06, 2020 | OBION COUNTY

By West Kentucky Star Staff May. 06, 2020 | 11:28 AM | OBION COUNTY

An Obion County man faces assault charges after two people were stabbed Tuesday night in Rives.



The Obion County Sheriff's Office says deputies responded at around 10:30 p.m. to a report of a stabbing on Church Drive.



When deputies arrived, two victims, Jeremy Loraine and Payton Breeden, had already been taken to Union City Baptist Memorial Hospital by private vehicle after being stabbed several times.



Loraine and Breeden told deputies Juan Sarmiento was the one who stabbed them during an altercation.



Deputies located Sarmiento outside the home and took him to a hospital for a treatment of a possible head injury. They later arrested him on two counts of aggravated assault. He is being held without bond at the Obion County Jail, and his arraignment has been set for Friday.
The groups of over 200 actors, filmmakers, scientists and people from other professions have signed an editorial in the wake of coronavirus pandemic

A number of international cine personalties, including Robert De Niro, Joaquin Phoenix, Alfonso Cuaron and Cate Blanchett, have cautioned the world leaders against going back to "normal" if they want to avoid an "ecological catastrophe" in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.

The groups of over 200 actors, filmmakers, scientists and people from other professions have signed an editorial, written by Juliette Binoche and astrophysicist Aurelien Barrau for French paper Le Monde.

Titled, "No To A Return To Normal", the editorial called the COVID-19 pandemic, which has claimed the lives of over 250,000 people worldwide, a "tragedy" and said there is a "direct existential threat" now looming on mankind more than ever.

"The Covid-19 pandemic is a tragedy. This crisis is, however, inviting us to examine what is essential. And what we see is simple: 'adjustments' are not enough. The problem is systemic.

"The ongoing ecological catastrophe is a meta-crisis: the massive extinction of life on Earth is no longer in doubt, and all indicators point to a direct existential threat. Unlike a pandemic, however severe, a global ecological collapse will have immeasurable consequences," the editorial read.

It called upon world leaders and citizens to undertake a profound overhaul of our goals, values, and economies".

The editorial further said that rampant pursuit of "consumerism" and "an obsession with productivity", have "led us to deny the value of life itself".

"Pollution, climate change, and the destruction of our remaining natural zones has brought the world to a breaking point. For these reasons, along with increasing social inequalities, we believe it is unthinkable to 'go back to normal'.

"The radical transformation we need at all levels demands boldness and courage. It will not happen without a massive and determined commitment. We must act now. It is as much a matter of survival as one of dignity and coherence," the editorial concluded.

The signatories of the letter also include Pedro Almodovar, Adam Driver, Monica Bellucci, Javier Bardem and actor-wife Penelope Cruz, Alexandre Desplat, Willem Dafoe, Jane Fonda, Ralph Fiennes, Eva Green, Jeremy Irons, Rooney Mara, Ricky Martin, Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu and Marion Cotillard, among others.
By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijan's state-owned rail transport operator Azerbaijan Railways CJSC will purchase nine freight locomotives and 10 passenger trains by the end of 2020, chairman of the company Javid Gurbanov said on May 5.

Overall, the company has ordered 50 freight locomotives and 20 passenger trains.

"Of the 50 freight locomotives we have already received 21, and delivery of another nine is expected by the end of this year," said Gurbanov addressing the companys board meeting via videoconference.

The company will also receive 10 passenger trains that it has purchased and is going to place an order for 10 others.

According to the contract with French Alstom Transportation S.A. of May, 2014, AR will receive 50 alternating current locomotives, 40 of which will be used for cargo transportation on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars route and 10 more for passenger transportation. The whole order for deliveries should be fulfilled by the end of 2021.

In addition, in November 2019, AR signed a contract with Swiss Stadler worth 115 million euros for the delivery of 10 passenger trains. According to the terms of the contract, four trains will be equipped with diesel-electric drive and will be used for regional transportation, 6 - electric trains (3 will be used in regional transportation, and 3 more in suburban transportation). According to the contract, AR will receive the first trains in 2022.

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Of the large drug/biotech companies that have reported so far, most came up with better-than-expected earnings and maintained their guidance for the year. Sales of drugs/medicines that require significant physician office or institutional visits were hurt in the quarter, while oral and self-administered medicines and consumer products benefited from stockpiling.

R&D timelines have been impacted with some companies pausing enrolments in ongoing studies and others delaying new study starts. However, almost all companies have announced R&D initiatives to make therapies or vaccines for COVID-19, mostly through collaborations with their smaller counterparts.

Most companies maintained their financial guidance for the year with J&J JNJ and Merck MRK being the exceptions. J&J lowered its sales and earnings outlook mainly due to weakness in its Medical Devices unit due to widespread decline in elective surgical procedures. Merck lowered its sales and earnings guidance for 2020 as almost two-third of its pharmaceutical revenues come from physician-administered products.

Per the Zacks classification, the pharma/biotech industry comes under the broader Medical sector, which comprises pharma/biotech as well as medical device companies.

Per the Earnings Trends report of Apr 30, 36.5% of the companies in the Medical sector, constituting nearly 58.5% of the sectors market capitalization, reported earnings. While 73.7% beat earnings estimates, 68.4% beat the same for sales. Earnings are up 16.8% year over year on 9.9% higher revenues. Overall, first-quarter earnings and sales growth for the Medical sector is expected to be 4.5% and 8.3%, respectively.

Zeroing in on Winners

Here we have highlighted five drug/biotech companies, which are expected to deliver positive earnings surprise in their upcoming quarterly earnings announcements.

Earnings ESP is our proprietary methodology for determining the stocks that have the best chance to deliver a positive earnings surprise. Earnings ESP shows the percentage difference between the Most Accurate Estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate.

Story continues

According to the Zacks model, the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. The selection can be done with the help of the Zacks Stock Screener.

Our research shows that for stocks with this combination, the chance of a positive earnings surprise is as high as 70%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

5 Drug/Biotech Stocks That Match the Criteria

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals ALNY

This Cambridge, MA-based biotech focused on the development of novel therapeutics based on RNA interference (RNAi) has an Earnings ESP of +4.44% and a Zacks Rank of 3. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the first quarter is pegged at a loss of $1.89 per share. The company is scheduled to release results on May 6.

You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Alnylam beat estimates in two of the last four quarters while missing in the remaining two with the average positive surprise being 5.87%.

Alexion Pharmaceuticals ALXN

This New Haven, CT based drugmaker for ultra-rare disorders, has an Earnings ESP of +1.08% and a Zacks Rank #2. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the first quarter is pegged at $2.70 per share. The company is scheduled to release results on May 6

Alexions earnings performance has been encouraging with the company delivering a positive surprise in all the trailing four quarters with the average beat being 9.12%.

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals ACAD

This San Diego, CA-based biotech, which makes medicines for central nervous system (CNS) disorders, has as an Earnings ESP of +6.88% and a Zacks Rank of #3. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the first quarter is pegged at a loss of 46 cents per share. The company is scheduled to release results on May 7

In the trailing four quarters, ACADIA delivered a positive earnings surprise in three of the past four quarters and missed in one with the average positive surprise being 11.38%.

Allogene Therapeutics ALLO

The South San Francisco, CA-based development stage biotech has an Earnings ESP of +2.44% and is #2 Ranked. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the first quarter is a loss of 57 cents per share. The company is scheduled to release results on May 6.

Allogenes earnings beat expectations in each of the last four quarters with the average beat being 14.52%.

Horizon Therapeutics Public Limited Company HZNP

This Dublin, Ireland-based drugmaker has an Earnings ESP of +2.90% and a Zacks Rank of 3. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the first quarter is pegged at 23 cents per share. The company is scheduled to release results on May 6.

Horizon Therapeutics beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average positive surprise being 71.17%.

Breakout Biotech Stocks with Triple-Digit Profit Potential

The biotech sector is projected to surge beyond $775 billion by 2024 as scientists develop treatments for thousands of diseases. Theyre also finding ways to edit the human genome to literally erase our vulnerability to these diseases.

Zacks has just released Century of Biology: 7 Biotech Stocks to Buy Right Now to help investors profit from 7 stocks poised for outperformance. Our recent biotech recommendations have produced gains of +50%, +83% and +164% in as little as 2 months. The stocks in this report could perform even better.

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To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
After Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU) will become the second facility to conduct Covid-19 tests in Ludhiana.

Confirming the development, vice-chancellor (V-C) AS Nanda said the process will start soon after the university receives the requisite infrastructure. We are in talks with the vice-chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS), Faridkot, Raj Bahadur, who is supervising the project. Once fully functional, minimum 400 tests will be conducted in a single day at the diagnostic lab of GADVASU, Nanda added.

To conduct Covid-19 tests, the university has sent 10 scientists  six to Government Medical College, Amritsar, and four to Government Medical College, Patiala  for training, GADVASU V-C said.

Nanda said, Due to the lockdown, mobility has been restricted. So some tasks are taking more than the usual time to get completed. But we are trying our best to start the facility soon. He added that the veterinary varsity had trained the medical support staff in conducting the tests.

Scientists, including Dr Rajnish Sharma, Dr Mudit Chandra, Dr JS Arora, Dr Neeraj Singh, Dr Harsh Pawar and Dr Omar Khaleel Baba, have joined duty at Government Medical College, Patiala. Dr Mohan Jairath, Dr Deepali, Dr Jaspreet Kaur and Dr Astha Sharma are giving their services at Government Medical College, Amritsar, the V-C said.

Besides, the university has provided two PCR testing machines, one each to Government Medical College, Amritsar, and Government Medical College, Patiala, Nanda added.

Besides DMCH, in Punjab, Covid-19 tests are also being conducted at BFUHS, Government Medical College, Amritsar, and Government Medical College, Patiala.

MORE TESTING CENTRES IN STORE

The state government has also decided to rope in universities and state-run labs to conduct Covid-19 testing. The chief minister has sanctioned 12 crore for six such institutions to purchase required equipment. Besides GADVASU, Ludhiana, these are  Regional Disease Diagnostic Lab (RDDL), North Zone Jalandhar; Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar; Punjabi University, Patiala; Punjab Biotech Incubator, Mohali; and Punjab Forensic Lab, Mohali.
BENZIE COUNTY -- The Benzie Bus Board of Directors have approved a temporary raise for the employees who are still working on the "front lines" of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The board decided to approve 'essential worker' pay," said Bill Kennis, executive director for the Benzie Bus. "Hourly employees are getting $4 more an hour. Managers are getting $200 a week. The board felt they deserve essential worker pay."

The move was approved by the board on April 7, and paid retroactively about a week from the board decision.

According to Kennis, the money is coming from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which the Michigan Department of Transportation is administering to Michigan transit agencies on behalf of the federal government.

While staff are getting a temporary raise, about half of the Benzie Bus' 40 employees have been furloughed voluntarily.

"It worked out fine," Kennis said. "Right now our ridership is down 70 percent. We used to do 400 rides a day, now we do around 100. It would have made for some hard decisions but Jessica Carland and Chad Hollenbeck met with the employees and discussed the situation. We let anybody who was concerned about catching the disease or who were taking care of at-risk family members who requested to get furloughed do so."

Kennis said he is grateful for the CARES Act and that the Benzie Bus has been deemed essential and still able to help the community by providing rides to essential workers and to the grocery store.

"Our package delivery service has been amazing," Kennis said. "We've delivered around 400 items, and we've also increased the amount of grocery items people can order. We didn't know how many people would use it so we started out at a low number."

People can call the bus and have staff pick up groceries for delivery to their homes at (231) 325-3000.

The Benzie Bus also will pick up prescriptions and deliver them, or pick up items from one of the county's baby pantries.

Drivers and riders are required to wear masks.

The Benzie Bus is also helping to deliver masks to area agencies that need them, including masks made by members of the community.
Meanwhile, the government is trying to secure an $8 billion package from the IMF, conditional on reforms.

Lockdown measures to battle the coronavirus pandemic will cause Ukraine's economy to shrink by 1% in the first quarter of 2020 and contract 10.9% in the second quarter, a Reuters monthly poll of analysts said on Wednesday.

The government has forecast that the country's gross domestic product will shrink by about 5% overall this year and the State Statistics Service will publish GDP data for the first quarter in mid-May, Reuters reports.

If the Reuters poll forecast is confirmed, this would mark the first quarterly decline in economic growth for Ukraine since 2015. Last year, the first two quarters had growth of 2.9% and 4.7% respectively.

In the wake of Russia's annexation of Crimea and ongoing hostilities with Russia-controlled forces in the industrial Donbas, GDP fell 16.0% in the first quarter and 14.0% in the second quarter of 2015.

With recession looming again, the government is trying to secure an $8 billion package from the International Monetary Fund, conditional on reforms.

Artem Shcherbyna from investment company Capital Times said: "Due to the implementation of quarantine measures throughout Ukraine in April-May 2020, we are recording a partial or full halt to the activity of most sectors of the national economy."

The government has extended to May 22 a nationwide lockdown that was initially imposed in mid-March, banning or limiting many business operations except critically important services.

Read alsoNBU: Business expectations in Ukraine drastically worsen in April over COVID-19 quarantine

"A deep drop is seen in the passenger transport sector (due to the quarantine), in industries (due to a fall in external demand, primarily due to the quarantine in the EU)," wrote Hanna Cherednychenko from the think tank International Centre for Policy Studies.

She also said wholesale and retail trades suffered due to low demand from households, with people staying at home and curbing their spending as incomes were hit.

The poll, conducted with analysts from 11 Ukrainian banks and investment companies, also pointed to the country's economy starting to recover in the second half of the year.

But the analysts said it was difficult to predict when exactly the recovery would start or how strong it would be until a date for lifting the lockdown fully was fixed.

The government has promised to lift some restrictions from Monday, May 11, depending on the epidemiological situation. This could include reopening parks as well as some shops, such as those specializing in household goods.

The country has reported 13,184 coronavirus cases and 327 deaths as of May 6.
NATO Secretary General discusses COVID-19 and disinformation with Lithuanian President

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

05 May. 2020

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda on Tuesday (5 May 2020), as part of his regular political consultations.

The two leaders discussed NATO's response to the COVID-19 crisis and how the Alliance continues to deliver strong deterrence and defence. The Secretary General underlined NATO's commitment to Lithuania, including with a multinational battlegroup in Rukla, the Baltic Air Policing mission and maritime patrols in the Baltic Sea.

The Secretary General also welcomed Lithuania's donations of medical supplies to Italy and Spain and support to partners, including Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. He praised the country's contributions to NATO missions and commitment to defence spending.

The Secretary General and President Nauseda also discussed the importance of countering disinformation from state and non-state actors trying to sow divisions during the crisis. The Secretary General stressed that NATO will continue to work closely with Allies and partners to identify, expose, and counter disinformation.

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-07 01:51:46|Editor: huaxia

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LONDON, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Another 649 COVID-19 patients have died, bringing the total coronavirus-related death toll in Britain to 30,076, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Robert Jenrick said Wednesday.

The figures include deaths in all settings, including hospitals, care homes and the wider community.

Chairing the Downing Street daily briefing, Jenrick told reporters that 69,463 tests were carried out Tuesday, with a total of 201,101 people having tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Britain.

The latest figures came one day after Britain overtook Italy as the worst-hit country in Europe by the virus.

Jenrick insisted that it is too early to make international comparisons about the death toll.

"It is difficult to make international comparisons with certainty today, there will be a time for that...That's a hard calculation to do with accuracy today," he said.

About the planned easing of the lockdown, Jenrick said "We want to ensure appropriate and safe social distancing, providing the public with the confidence to return to work and to return to public spaces and public transport knowing that it is always safe to do so."

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed during the Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) -- which gives MPs the chance to question the prime minister -- that he will set out details of his plan to start relaxing the lockdown on Sunday.

Johnson said he "wants some lockdown easing measures to come into force from Monday" next week, while pledging to reach 200,000 lab tests a day by the end of May.

Shortly after the PMQs, a Downing Street spokesman said that Johnson's new target applied to the testing capacity.

The prime minister said last Thursday that Britain was "past the peak" of the COVID-19 outbreak and a "comprehensive" plan will be published on "how we can continue to suppress disease" while restarting the economy.

Meanwhile, Government Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance has said many of the early COVID-19 cases imported into Britain came from European countries, rather than China.

"Early in March the UK got many, many different imports of virus from many different places, and those places were particularly from European countries with outbreaks," Vallance told the parliament's committee on health and social care on Tuesday.

"So we see a big influx -- probably from Italy and Spain, looking at the genomics of the virus, in early March -- seeded right across the country... a lot of the cases in the UK didn't come from China and didn't come from places you might have expected," he said. Enditem
Mulan (Credit: Disney)

The boss of Disney has said that more of its movies could circumvent cinemas as they remain shuttered around the world due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In an earnings call to shareholders, CEO Bob Chapek said that it will review its release slate 'case by case' going forward into the summer.

We very much believe in the value of the theatrical experience, he said. But we also believe that either because of changing and evolving consumer dynamics or because of certain situations like COVID, we may have to make some changes to that overall strategy.

Read more: Odeon bans Universal movies after Trolls snub

Were going to evaluate each of our movies as a case-by-case situation, as we are doing during this coronavirus situation.

Disney is already releasing its adaptation of YA novel Artemis Fowl via Disney+ next month, without it having played in cinemas, with most of its other movies now delayed until later in the year.

The high-profile, big budget remake of Mulan was delayed until July, though it's possible that it might be bumped once again if cinemas around the world remain closed.

It follows the recent high-profile spat between the Odeon chain  via its parent company AMC  and Universal Pictures.

Trolls: World Tour (Credit: Universal)

Universal released a number of movies early to VOD in the immediate wake of the worldwide lockdown, including horror reboot Invisible Man and The Hunt.

But it caused particular ire among cinema chains when it decided to release animated sequel Trolls: World Tour direct to VOD rather than delay the release, as other studios have done.

However, Disney currently has other concerns aside from its movie studio.

Read more: Trolls sequel has history-making digital debut

It has reported a staggering loss of $1.4 billion in all, with its combined movie and theme park businesses both in limbo.

Chapek added: We are seeing encouraging signs of gradual return to some semblance of normalcy in China.

While it's too early to predict when we'll be able to begin resuming all of our operations, we are evaluating a number of different scenarios to ensure a cautious, sensible and deliberate approach to the eventual reopening of our parks.
New Delhi, May 6 : Congress leader P. Chidambaram has cautioned the government on raising taxes as he said that when business is halted then this should not be done and instead the government should borrow to meet the deficit.

Former Finance Minister Chidambaram said "New or higher taxes are justified only when the economy is booming. Tax burdens on the middle class and poor is actually taxing distress." The Congress leader said that government should give money into the hands of the people.

"Governments should give money to the people in times of distress, not squeeze and take money from the people," tweeted Chidambaram.

The Congress has been demanding cash transfers from the government to poor families.

"Instead governments are doing a Reverse Transfer of money from the people to the government! Cruel. New or higher taxes will impoverish families further," he said.

He suggested that governments must borrow to meet their deficits, not impose higher tax burdens when economic activity has ground to a halt.

The party has suggested that "One way of doing it is the direct transfer scheme something called NYAY which the UPA had proposed in its manifesto. Unless you create liquidity in the hands of the people it is not possible to fix the demand side." While in an interaction with Rahul Gandhi noted economist and Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee suggested a need for a stimulus package.
T he number of people who have died after contracting coronavirus in the UK has passed the grim milestone of 30,000.

The figure - which includes those who have died in hospitals, care homes and the wider community - now stands at 30,076, a rise of 649 from the day before.

The new total, from figures collated by the Department of Health, was announced by Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick at the daily Downing Street press conference.

The UK is the first country in Europe to announce 30,000 deaths. The latest total for Italy, which also records deaths of those who have tested positive for the virus, stands at 29,684.

It makes the UK the country with the second-highest number of recorded coronavirus deaths in the world, after the United States.

But experts have warned that it could be months before full global comparisons can be made and have urged caution due to the differerent methods in calculating fatalities.

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Public Health England medical director Professor Yvonne Doyle said it was "too early" to compare the UK statistics with that of other countries.

It is far too early to say how countries have fared in this epidemic, she said at the Downing Street press conference.

One minute silence to NHS heroes who lost lives to the Coronavirus 1 /25 One minute silence to NHS heroes who lost lives to the Coronavirus London Ambulance Staff observe the minute silence today at their HQ in Waterloo Road Jeremy Selwyn Staff stand outside Salford Royal Hospital in Manchester during a minute's silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak PA Shoppers queue in the rain outside Costco in Thurrock during a minutes silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak PA A minute silence in honour of key workers who have lost their lives due to COVID-19 Sky News London Ambulance Staff observe the minute silence today at their HQ in Waterloo Road Jeremy Selwyn Staff react outside Salford Royal Hospital in Manchester during a minute's silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak PA A staff member reacts outside Salford Royal Hospital in Manchester during a minute's silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak PA Members of the public, NHS staff, and Police offices, some wearing PPE (personal protective equipment) of a face mask as a precautionary measure against COVID-19, pause for a minute's silence to honour UK key workers AFP via Getty Images A police officer observes a minute silence in honour of key workers who have lost their lives due to COVID-19 outside 10 Downing Street, Reuters London Ambulance Staff observe the minute silence today at their HQ in Waterloo Road Jeremy Selwyn Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill, Prime minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak stand inside 10 Downing Street, London, to observe a minutes silence in tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak PA A minute silence in honour of key workers who have lost their lives due to COVID-19 Sky News London Ambulance Staff observe the minute silence today at their HQ in Waterloo Road Jeremy Selwyn Staff stand outside the Royal Derby Hospital, during a minutes silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak PA Staff stand outside the Royal Derby Hospital, during a minutes silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak PA Staff stand inside Camberwell bus depot in London, during a minute's silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak PA National Shop Stewards Network protesters outside St Thomas' Hospital in London, during a minute's silence which was to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak. PA Staff members applaud outside the Royal Derby Hospital, following a minute's silence to pay tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak. PA First Minister Nicola Sturgeon stands outside St Andrew's House in Edinburgh to observe a minute's silence in tribute to the NHS staff and key workers who have died during the coronavirus outbreak PA

We need to give it some time  probably a year.

She also said the numbers of both Covid-19 deaths and hospital patients with the disease are slowly going down.

Mr Jenrick also insisted it is too early to make international comparisons.

It is difficult to make international comparisons with certainty today, there will be a time for that, he said.

Thats a hard calculation to do with accuracy today.

Meanwhile, the number of deaths involving Covid-19 that have been registered across the UK also currently stands above this, at 32,898.

This includes 29,710 deaths that had been registered in England and Wales up to May 2.

The latest provisional figures from NHS England show that 450 hospital patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 died between May 3 and May 5  which, together with the total figure for registered deaths, suggests the overall death toll for the UK has now passed 33,000.

Worldwide, more than 3.4 million people have been infected by coronavirus, with the death toll passing 246,000.
New Delhi, May 6 : Many experts and foreign agencies worldwide are taking the stand that the coronavirus pandemic is the most challenging crisis the world has faced since the second world war.

This has caused an unpredictable market crisis that any of the sectors has ever witnessed. Undoubtedly, the hardest hit industry is aviation, hospitality and tourism which are interdependent on each other. Hoteliers anticipate the following months might be tough for the hospitality industry with no definite vision of a recovery.

Image Source: IANS News

Roop Pratap Choudhary, Managing Director of Noor Mahal in Karnal, said: "As an independent hotel brand, we were the first ones to experience the extreme conditions. We are now carefully assessing the challenges and focusing on the recovery roadmap." "The prognosis for revival does not look especially promising as of now-considering we have no knowledge of when the restrictions on travel will be lifted. The impending worldwide economic recession is a very real threat, since it's unlikely that people will have the disposable income to travel even after the crisis, besides this the fear of infection will persist," said Vivasvat Pal from Bhanwar Vilas Palace in Rajasthan.

Image Source: IANS News

The ongoing lockdown in the country and pause in all domestic and international travel has impacted all segments -- domestic, inbound and outbound; and all verticals - leisure, MICE, heritage, adventure and niche. The crisis has put the tourism business activity of the country, which is estimated at over $28 billion and related activities, to an unimaginable halt.

Image Source: IANS News

As per Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH), around 70 per cent out of a total estimated workforce of 5.5 crore (direct and indirect) could get unemployed (around 3.8 crore).

If the next full-fledged season revives by October of 2020, Sobha Mohan, founder of Rare India feels: "In terms of financial value, if the next full fledged season revives by Oct of 2020, we could be looking at losses on the current books for the inbound to be close to 20-25 per cent. The domestic and the outbound, the summers which are their key months are completely wiped out so the loses can be upwards of 40 per cent. Since the impact to the traveller is yet to be gauged and how they will behave post the lockdown is not an easy answer. There will be real fear for health and hygiene, confidence levels are very low and we may see this last till over January." A global future travel survey conducted in April 2020 by Preferred Hotels & Resorts suggests a more optimistic outlook. The survey reveals people want to travel with around half of the people ( more than 50 percent) across countries worldwide say they'll book a trip in 2020 itself, and do so as soon as travel restrictions are lifted or eased.

Image Source: IANS News

The survey was conducted amongst 3,695 of its members participating from United States 56 percent; Europe 14 per cent; Canada 11 per cent; Asia Pacific 9 per cent; all other regions 10 per cent.

It revealed that 75 percent of respondents plan to travel with family, having spent so much time apart; they are ready to reunite with loved ones. It added that more than 50 per cent people intend to travel regionally or domestically while 40 per cent still want to travel to another continent. Surprisingly contrary to what perception is, over 80 percent of the participants were ready to travel by air.

"We are hopeful that from June onwards domestic tourism will start witnessing some recovery signs. India has so far created a case study in managing the effects of pandemic by implementing the lockdown. This has developed a lot of confidence in the domestic capabilities hence attracting travel enthusiasts to explore more local experiences. This confidence in capabilities is bound to have a positive impact by way of increased trust in domestic travel-tourism players," Choudhary added.

Akshita M Bhanj Deo, who is the Director of The Belgadia Palace, feels that post the lockdown, domestic travel will be the future for the hospitality industry. "Given how the pandemic has created both physical and economic duress, the first thought on travelers' minds will be proximity and low-cost safe travel," she said.

With the rising needs of essential goods and services among people, the purchasing behaviour of consumers is changing constantly to a major extent. It now becomes even more important for the hospitality industry to bring new fertile models with more opportunities for the development of the business.

"With rising needs of essential/necessary goods and services among people, the purchasing behaviors of consumers are changing constantly to a major extent. It now becomes even more important for our hospitality industry to bring new fertile models with more opportunities for the development of our business. Due to the outbreak, our economy is constantly fluctuating, but we can still make better use of this lockdown by investing our times in defining new concepts of delivering our services, we can take new initiatives which can shape into potent strategies which can help in policy making. Staying safe at home, and building on our positivity and sail each of our ships to the shores of constructive market," suggested Hari Sukumar, VP-Operations, Jaypee Palace Hotel, Agra.

For the sector to bounce back once the operations resume, the industry has come up with new policies and concept and reboot its services, giving priority to health and hygiene.

"Most travelers are already interested in browsing the internet for quick getaway trips with experienced hosts who can guarantee the safety and have stringent health checks. Technologically adept places with medical facilities nearby will be a must. Security and screening will become the norm with wellness at the core of all functions. A doctor on call will be as important as offering wellness programs, yoga, spa, forest bathing etc. Health and hygiene will be a major fact with guests taking extra precautions in making sure that their rooms and all common areas are not just cleaned but also regularly sanitized with external parties. What we need to understand is that the old world order no longer exists and mindful, conscious living with an affordable cost that is curated and tailor-made is the new norm. Social media will become the new go-to tour agent and people more than ever will be drawn in by authentic storytelling and experiences," noted Deo.

Sukumar adds, "Whilst this focus will continue, the implications for economic growth and corporate profits have to lead to a sharp reimburse in worth markets across the globe. The operators and investors are trying to alleviate the cash and capital to stay in close contact with their stakeholders. Where the primary focus of the policy makers is the safety of their people, the secondary one is to balance the economic parameters to ensure smooth running market. It is the need of hour to stimulate new decisions which can take forward our hospitality enterprises without making it stagnant.

Vivasvat Pal believes that the government needs to sep in and recognise the role of hospitality in the growth of the country adding, "It is time that the government realizes the contribution of the hotel industry, particularly heritage hotels, not only to the GDP, but also to employment and to the preservation of ancient buildings and cultural traditions. It is imperative to heavily reduce taxation on the hospitality industry and reduce the costs of bar licenses, visa fees and other associated costs if there is to be any hope of recovery within the next five years." (Puja Gupta can be contacted at puja.g@ians.in)

-- Syndicated from IANS
Secretary of State William Galvin on Wednesday released a package that expands early voting and outlines contingencies for people who are quarantined during the coronavirus pandemic and cannot vote in person.

In a memo sent to the Election Law Committee, Galvin detailed a plan to offer a vote-by-mail option for the September primary and expand in-person voting for both the primary and general elections.

We believe that with these expanded voting options, the voters of Massachusetts will be able to fully participate in the democratic process in a safe and convenient manner, Galvin wrote in the memo, which was also sent to House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Karen Spilka.

Galvins plan would allow in-person voting 18 days ahead of the November election, up from the 12 days currently allowed under state law. It would also allow early voting up to seven days ahead of the state primary in September. State law currently does not allow early voting ahead of the primary.

Under that plan, the polls will be open during at least two weekends before the general election and one weekend before the primary election. Each municipality will have to be open for a minimum number of hours for early voting, depending on how many registered voters the community has.

It is our hope that requiring weekend hours, including the addition of a second weekend, to the early voting period would limit crowding at early voting locations and at polling places on Election Day, Galvin wrote in the memo.

His plan would also allow voters to request a mail-in ballot for the September primary. Voters would be able to request a mail-in ballot online or submit a paper application distributed by the secretarys office, according to the memo.

Voters who are hospitalized or quarantined would be allowed to have a family member submit an early ballot on their behalf.

Galvin told lawmakers he anticipates his office will need more supplies to print more ballots and envelopes to meet the increased demand of mail-in ballots.

Lawmakers across the country are calling for vote-by-mail options in light of the coronavirus pandemic, including Congressman Joseph Kennedy III, who is running for Sen. Ed Markeys seat.

The coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 71,000 people nationwide, including more than 4,000 people in Massachusetts.

Gov. Charlie Baker extended his executive order banning large gatherings and closing non-essential businesses until at least May 18. He also announced a reopening advisory board that would issue a report outlining a phased reopening for non-essential businesses, also on May 18.

Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, who is overseeing the advisory board, suggested a safe, effective reopening of businesses could take months as the state tries to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. As of Tuesday, more than 70,000 people in Massachusetts have tested positive.

Reps. John Lawn and Michael Moran filed a bill on Tuesday that would require municipal clerks to mail ballots to voters with corresponding paperwork. Those who want to vote in person or have their ballot mailed to a different address would need to apply for that change in writing to the municipal clerk.

The bill calls for early voting 11 days before the primary election and 16 days before the general election. It also requires that the polling places and early voting sites have sanitizers, appropriate clothing and social distancing protocols in place.

Sen. Becca Rausch and Rep. Adrian Madaro filed legislation that would send mail-in ballots to voters, rather than requiring them to request the ballots. The bill required that a mail-in ballot be postmarked by Election Day and get to a city or town clerk within five days of the election. If the bill passed, the terms would sunset at the end of the year.

If the state successfully mailed ballots to all voters, Rausch said that certainly opens up a broader conversation about whether we can and should do this going forward for all of our elections, but right now, and I think this is true for all policy questions that the Legislature is looking at right now right now, were focused on a crisis.

The bill would reduce the number of poll workers required to be at a polling place and make sure those workers receive personal protective equipment to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Voting rights advocates say the state should permanently implement a process to automatically mail ballots to registered voters. In a policy brief released in April, MassVOTE recommended automatically mailing registered voters a ballot, a pre-paid return envelope to submit their ballot and a secrecy sleeve.

For unenrolled voters, the organization recommends that Massachusetts replicates a system similar to Utahs where local election officials notify them by mail that they should request one of the states four ballots and give those voters enough time to request and submit those ballots.

As a result, unenrolled voters have the burden shifted off of them, and are treated equally with enrolled voter, the brief states.

MassVOTE are backing the bill filed Tuesday by Lawn and Moran, saying it helps establish practical parameters for a vote-by-mail process in November.

The last thing we want to do is feed the beast of voter fraud, problems with vote-by-mail. We want this process to move forward in as safe, secure a manner as possible, maximizing accessibility, but also recognizing the limitations we currently face, said Alex Psilakis, policy and communications manager for MassVOTE. We would love to see a bill that sees full-on vote by mail for the primary, but we just dont have the time to implement that.

Galvin is wary of proposals that would automatically mail ballots to Massachusetts households. He argued those proposals make good press but are impractical.

We dont know if some of the people on the voters list are well, are they still there, did they move? Mailing lists, even good mailing lists that are vetted, sometimes have issues, Galvin told MassLive in a recent interview. This is about the voters. Its not about campaign strategy. Its not about a press release. Its about the integrity of the voter process.

Psilakis, however, argues that Massachusetts has the resources to implement a vote-by-mail process that doesnt put the onus on voters to request ballots.

We dont care about publicity. We dont care about making a big name for ourselves. We care about serving the people of Massachusetts, and we are fighting for the safest, most inclusive solution possible to make sure that people can speak their minds in November, Psilakis said. We understand the details, we understand how complex the process is, but were digging into those details.

Related Content:
The Kalyan Dombivli Municipal



Corporation (KDMC) on Wednesday put on hold its controversial decision to deny entry to local residents employed for essential services in Mumbai, which has reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, after a furore.

Apart from KDMC, the municipal corporation of Ulhasnagar and municipal councils of Ambernath and Badlapur-- all in neighbouring Thane district--had announced similar decisions on Tuesday.

However, only KDMC has stayed the decision, which was supposed to come into force from May 8 and remain effective till May 17, during the period of the extended lockdown.

The announcement to suspend the decision was made on Wednesday by KDMC commissioner Vijay Suryavandhi.

Issuing an order, the KDMC commissioner had on Tuesday appealed to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other establishments to arrange for the stay of their employees who travel from KDMC to Mumbai.

"Many COVID-19 cases found in Kalyan-Dombivli and Ulhasnagar municipal corporations traced the source of their infection under the BMC limits.

"Unless we stop people from moving between these cities and Mumbai, we cannot control further spread of COVID- 19," said officials from both the municipal corporations.

Ambernath and Badlapur municipal councils have given options to their residents who travel daily to Mumbai to either stay in the metropolis from May 8 till May 17, or to avoid going to work and stay at their homes.

Meanwhile, several nurses and employees of the state government and the BMC have expressed their concerns over the decision of the KDMC and Ulhasnagar.

"What will happen to daily chores if I stay here in Mumbai for more than a week. My son is not even three-year- old, who will look after him?" said a nurse from state-run Nair Hospital who travels from Dombivli via bus.

"It is not an issue of one or two days. Everyone is scared of coronavirus infection. We feel safe when we go home and spend time with our family members. We can not simply stay in Mumbai. I am not even sure about what kind of facilities we will be provided if we choose to stay in Mumbai," said a BMC staffer.

However, several health officials attached with these municipal corporations and councils have said that more than 50 per cent of COVID-19 cases in the metropolitan areas were traced to Mumbai.

"Some people returned from Mumbai have infected local residents, which has further stressed our already fragile health infrastructure," they said.

Congress leader and Mumbai city guardian minister Aslam Shaikh said the issue would be discussed at the state government level.

"This is the time to applaud the coronavirus warriors. The people who travel from KDMC, Ulhasnagar, Badlapur and Ambernath to Mumbai are nurses, BMC employees and other officials who are required to work in this crisis. We should be respecting their efforts.

"There are some places identified in Mumbai where temporary arrangements for accommodation can be arranged for people working in hospitals and other essential services. The state government will discuss the issue and decide further," he said.

However, Shiv Sena leader and Thane guardian minister Eknath Shinde said that no such decision will be taken without consulting the authorities concerned.

Earlier in the day, Thane Municipal Corporation Commissioner Vijay Singhal suggested that similar decision--to ban entry of local residents workingin Mumbai--can be taken.

Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde expressed the need for a proper staying facility for the people who travel to Mumbai to avoid further spread of coronavirus infection.

"Such arrangement can be made in Mumbai city," he sid.

Millions of working class people commute daily to Mumbai in local trains and other transport for work from Thane, Navi Mumbai, Virar, KDMC, Ulhasnagar, Ambrnath and Badlapur.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[May 06, 2020] New app optimizes home visits for virtual clinical trials

HORSHAM, United Kingdom, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cmed Technology announces the encapsia Home Visit app to capture and manage clinical trial data from patients at home or in the community. The app works seamlessly with all the other encapsia apps, including web EDC (Entry app) and direct data capture (esource app) to provide tremendous flexibility in the choice of data capture methods both before and during a study. This helps maintain patient participation and clinical data flow which is particularly compelling to minimize disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as in the new landscape for clinical trials that is expected to follow.

Supplementing or replacing site visits with home visits by nurses allows more patients to be included in clinical trials. For some trials, all assessments can be conducted outside a hospital or clinic while in other trials the number of visits to the hospital or clinic may be reduced. The technology has obvious benefits for very many patients, especially those who are ill or elderly and unable to travel. It may also make patient enrolment easier, faster and more representative of the patient population. The Home Visit app does not need bespoke hardware, avoiding problems of sourcing and logistics. The Home Visit app is simply downloaded onto a standard iPad and will work in locations without internet access, automatically and seamlessly resynchronizing with the cloud-hosted encapsia servers when a connection is available. The app will guide the study nurse in the accurate and complete capture of clinical trial data with all edit checks firing on entry of data (as in the other encapsia apps). In addition, the encapsia Home Visit app can also provide the nurse with access to other vital patient data such as laboratory reports an study documentation.



Encapsia is powered by a full cloud architecture to enable the collection of all types of clinical trial data from multiple sources into a single data repository and using a single configuration. This structure means any mix of home captured, EDC, eSource, lab data reports or data from wearables is collected into the same data repository and all displayed through sophisticated live visualizations that can be acted upon inside the system. In the same way, encapsia integrates with other information systems including ePRO, eCOA and IRT for real-time visibility of all trial data and streamlined patient interactions. Dr Timothy Corbett-Clark, Cmed Chief Technology Officer, commented, Recent events have brought the shortcomings of current EDC solutions into industry awareness. Their age and a history of 'bolting together' different technologies and products has created inflexible solutions that are struggling to adapt to a changing world. Many people working in clinical trials wanted and needed better approaches but change wasnt given the priority it needed - until now. The future has arrived sooner than expected, so its up to us to make something good come out of this.

The Home Visit app, like esource and Entry apps, also works with the Randomization and Inventory apps of encapsia to support seamless requests for drug dispensation, perform drug accountability and randomization. Encapsia is available via Software as a Service from Cmed Technology or with CRO services via Cmed Clinical Services. About Cmed and encapsia

Cmed Technology is the technology division of Cmed Group, with headquarters in Horsham, UK plus offices in Morrisville NC, Cambridge MA, San Bruno CA, Timisoara, Romania and Dublin, Ireland. Cmed Technology is the developer of encapsia, an innovative, powerful, next-generation clinical data suite. Encapsia delivers a complete solution to gather and manage data in clinical trials with live insights and analytics on trial progress to inform and support management decisions. www.encapsia.com Cmed Technology

Ashurst, Broadlands Business Campus

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+44 1403 755 050 Cmed Inc

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+1 919 595 6900 Contacts: Ian Macholl, Marketing Manager

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e: [email protected] Dr Timothy Corbett-Clark, Chief Technology Officer

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Work to assess and defend certain sites continues

WORK on a masterplan for future development around Thatcham is still ongoing during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Newbury Weekly News exclusively reported in February that West Berkshire Council was building evidence to defend edge-of-town sites from housing developments.

Sites that would accommodate around 3,000 homes if they were all developed have been put forward by landowners and developers.

Last week, the councils planning and transport policy manager, Bryan Lyttle, said: The team are continuing to work on the roll forward of the local plan and it is business as usual, even with the coronavirus.

However, what that means is working from home and using Zoom to hold virtual meetings.

With developers wanting to surround Thatcham with development and the council needing to supply homes, a masterplanning exercise of three assessments is being put together.

The first looked at Thatchams history and how it had grown since the 1940s.

The second assessed the town now.

The third part asked community representatives what they would want to see if more homes came to Thatcham.

The event, held at the Regency Park Hotel in February, allowed community organisations and stakeholders to express views on what the town needed and where development should be focussed.

Attendees were handed iPads and asked to add homes to Thatcham, which would then trigger infrastructure requirements.

Mr Lyttle said that nothing had been decided yet and that the next stage of the project would be a public consultation of the plan in the autumn.
ASM: TSX/NYSE American

VANCOUVER, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd. (ASM: TSX/NYSE American; FSE: GV6, "Avino" or "the Company") released today its consolidated financial results for the Company's first quarter ended March 31, 2020. The Financial Statements and Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) can be viewed on the Company's web site at www.avino.com, on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov.

David Wolfin, President and CEO commented, "Avino had a strong first quarter that included a 10% increase in silver equivalent payable ounces sold, a 6% increase in revenues and a significant increase in mine operating income compared to Q1 2019. We were also able to transition to full production from the Avino mine, in keeping with our scheduled mine plan. We have, as previously announced, placed the mine on care and maintenance, and are following the Mexican Government's order to temporarily suspend operations. We look forward to bringing the Avino mine back into production when it is safe to do so. Above all, the health and wellness of our employees, stakeholders, and shareholders globally is our top priority, and we are working on back-to-work plans that we will be able to implement as soon as we are given the all-clear by both the Mexican and Canadian Governments."

Financial Highlights and Overview

FIRST QUARTER 2020 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

Revenues from mining operations of $7.1 million , up 6% from Q1 2019

, up 6% from Q1 2019 Mine operating income of $0.8 million , up significantly from $0.1 million for the same period in 2019

, up significantly from for the same period in 2019 Net loss from continuing operations of $0.2 million , or $Nil per share

, or $Nil per share Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") 2 and Adjusted EBITDA 2 of $0.4 million

and Adjusted EBITDA of Consolidated cash costs 2 of $9.83 per silver equivalent payable ounce 1

of per silver equivalent payable ounce Consolidated all-in sustaining cash cost ("AISC") 2 of $14.88 per silver payable equivalent ounce 1

of per silver payable equivalent ounce Working capital of $10.8 million , with $6.7 million consisting of cash, at the end of Q1 2020

, with consisting of cash, at the end of Q1 2020 Reduced term facility and equipment debt by $1.2 million during Q1 2020

1. In Q1, 2020, AgEq was calculated using metals prices of $16.94 oz Ag, $1,584 oz Au and $2.56 lb Cu. In Q1, 2019, AgEq was calculated using metals prices of $15.57 oz Ag, $1,304 oz Au and $2.82 lb Cu. Calculated figures may not add up due to rounding.

2. "Silver equivalent payable ounces sold" for the purposes of cash costs and all-in sustaining costs consists of the sum of payable silver ounces, gold ounces and copper tonnes sold, multiplied by the ratio of the average spot gold and copper prices to the average spot silver price for the corresponding period.

3. The Company reports non-IFRS measures which include cash cost per silver equivalent payable ounce, all-in sustaining cash cost per payable ounce, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, and cash flow per share. These measures are widely used in the mining industry as a benchmark for performance, but do not have a standardized meaning and the calculation methods may differ from methods used by other companies with similar reported measures. See Non-IFRS Measures section for further information and detailed reconciliations.

HIGHLIGHTS

(Expressed in 000's of US$) First Quarter 2020 First Quarter 2019 Change Financial Revenues $ 7,116 $ 6,711 6% Mine operating income $ 843 $ 56 1405% Net loss from continuing operations $ (232) $ (539) 57% Cash $ 6,698 $ 2,526 165% Working capital $ 10,751 $ 10,507 2% Earnings before interest, taxes and amortization ("EBITDA")1 $ 372 $ 63 490% Adjusted EBITDA1 $ 391 $ 15 2507% Per Share Amounts Loss per share ("EPS")  basic $ (0.00) $ (0.01) 100% Cash flow per share (YTD)1  basic $ 0.00 $ 0.00 -%



1. The Company reports non-IFRS measures which include cash cost per silver equivalent payable ounce, all-in sustaining cash cost per payable ounce, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, and cash flow per share. These measures are widely used in the mining industry as a benchmark for performance, but do not have a standardized meaning and the calculation methods may differ from methods used by other companies with similar reported measures. See Non-IFRS Measures section for further information and detailed reconciliations.

Costs and Capital Expenditures:

Capital expenditures for Q1 2020, were $0.5 million compared to $2.5 million for the corresponding period in 2019, with the decrease is due mostly to the timing of expenditures and a cautious approach regarding the current COVID-19 pandemic. We expect that this amount will increase later into 2020, as certain capital expenditures have been pushed into the latter half of the year.

Operational Highlights and Overview

HIGHLIGHTS (Expressed in US$) First Quarter 2020 First Quarter 2019 Change Operating Tonnes Milled 164,096 197,687 -16% Silver Ounces Produced 266,718 268,399 -1% Gold Ounces Produced 1,531 1,813 -16% Copper Pounds Produced 1,808,172 1,062,702 70% Silver Equivalent Ounces1 Produced 683,944 615,019 11% Concentrate Sales and Cash Costs Silver Equivalent Payable Ounces Sold2 575,067 522,626 10% Cash Cost per Silver Equivalent Payable Ounce1,2 $ 9.83 $ 11.44 -14% All-in Sustaining Cash Cost per Silver Equivalent Payable Ounce1,2 $ 14.88 $ 16.22 -8%



1. In Q1 2020, AgEq was calculated using metals prices of $16.94 oz Ag, $1,584 oz Au and $2.56 lb Cu. In Q1 2019, AgEq was calculated using metals prices of $15.57 oz Ag, $1,304 oz Au and $2.82 lb Cu.

2. "Silver equivalent payable ounces sold" for the purposes of cash costs and all-in sustaining costs consists of the sum of payable silver ounces, gold ounces and copper tonnes sold, before penalties, treatment charges, and refining charges, multiplied by the ratio of the average spot gold and copper prices to the average spot silver price for the corresponding period.

3. The Company reports non-IFRS measures which include cash cost per silver equivalent payable ounce, all-in sustaining cash cost per payable ounce, EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, and cash flow per share. These measures are widely used in the mining industry as a benchmark for performance, but do not have a standardized meaning and the calculation methods may differ from methods used by other companies with similar reported measures. See Non-IFRS Measures section for further information and detailed reconciliations.

Silver equivalent production in Q1 2020 increased by 11% compared to Q1 2019, with record copper quarterly production of over 1.8 million pounds. The Avino Mine produced a record 262,238 silver ounces, the highest quarterly total achieved to date.

Operational Overview

Consolidated Production Tables

Q1 2020 Production by Mine Tonnes

Processed Silver

Oz Gold

Oz Copper

Lbs AgEq Avino 159,385 262,238 1,512 1,803,315 677,084 Historic Above Ground Stockpiles 4,711 4,481 19 4,857 6,860 Consolidated 164,096 266,719 1,531 1,808,172 683,944

Q1 2020 Grade & Recovery by Mine Grade

Ag g/t Grade

Au g/t Grade

Cu % Recovery

Ag % Recovery

Au % Recovery

Cu % Avino 57 0.40 0.58 90% 74% 88% Historic Above Ground Stockpiles 59 0.31 0.15 50% 41% 31% Consolidated 57 0.40 0.57 89% 73% 86%



* In Q1, 2020, AgEq was calculated using metals prices of $16.94 oz Ag, $1,584 oz Au and $2.56 lb Cu. In Q1, 2019, AgEq was calculated using metals prices of $15.57 oz Ag, $1,304 oz Au and $2.82 lb Cu. Calculated figures may not add up due to rounding.

Increase in Talisker Resources Inc. ("Talisker") Holdings

During the first quarter of 2020, the Company increased its position in Talisker by 3.29 million shares, up to 15.87 million common shares from 12.58 million at the end of 2019. The increase was made through the exercise of 6.29 million share purchase warrants at an exercise price of C$0.25 per share, and paid for using proceeds from the sale of 3 million Talisker common shares at an average price of $0.57 per share, thus the Company did not have to put up any cash to increase its position.

Non-IFRS Measures

The financial results in this news release include references to cash flow per share, cash cost per silver equivalent ounce, and all-in sustaining cash cost per silver equivalent ounce, EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA, all of which are non-IFRS measures. Cash flow per share, cash cost per ounce, and all-in sustaining cash cost per ounce are measures developed by mining companies in an effort to provide a comparable standard of performance. However, there can be no assurance that our reporting of these non-IFRS measures is similar to that reported by other mining companies. Cash flow per share, cash cost per silver equivalent ounce, and all-in sustaining cash cost per silver equivalent ounce are measures used by the Company to manage and evaluate operating performance of the Company's mining operations, and are widely reported in the silver and gold mining industry as benchmarks for performance, but do not have standardized meanings prescribed by IFRS, and are disclosed in addition to the prescribed IFRS measures provided in the Company's financial statements and MD&A.

Conference Call and Webcast

In addition, the Company will be holding a conference call and webcast on Thursday, May 7, 2020 at 9:00 am PST (12:00 am EST). Shareholders, analysts, investors and media are invited to join the webcast and conference call by logging in here Avino First Quarter 2020 Webcast and Conference Call or by dialing the following numbers five to ten minutes prior to the start time:

Toll Free Canada & USA: 1-800-319-4610

Outside of Canada & USA: 1-604-638-5340

No passcode is necessary to participate in the conference call or webcast; participants will have the opportunity to ask questions during the Q&A portion.

The conference call and webcast will be recorded, and the replay will be available on the Company's web site later that day.

Qualified Person(s)

Peter Latta, P.Eng, MBA, Avino's VP Technical Services, and Jasman Yee, P.Eng., Avino Director, both of whom are qualified persons within the context of National Instrument 43-101 have reviewed and approved the technical data in this document.

On Behalf of the Board

"David Wolfin"

________________________________

David Wolfin

President & CEO

Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd.

Safe Harbor Statement - This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (together, the "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to meet its production guidance, expectations of All-In Sustaining Cash Cost ("AISC"), information on the updated mineral resource estimate for the Company's Avino Property located near Durango in west-central Mexico (the "Property") with an effective date of February 21, 2018, and amended on December 19, 2018, prepared for the Company, and reference to Measured, Indicated, Inferred Resources referred to in this press release. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and the dates of technical reports, as applicable. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the future circumstances, outcomes or results anticipated in or implied by such forward-looking statements will occur or that plans, intentions or expectations upon which the forward-looking statements are based will occur. While we have based these forward-looking statements on our expectations about future events as at the date that such statements were prepared, the statements are not a guarantee that such future events will occur and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors which could cause events or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that the Company's Property does not have the amount of the mineral resources indicated in the updated report or that such mineral resources may be economically extracted.

Such factors and assumptions include, among others, the effects of general economic conditions, the price of gold, silver and copper, changing foreign exchange rates and actions by government authorities, uncertainties associated with legal proceedings and negotiations and misjudgments in the course of preparing forward-looking information. In addition, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Known risk factors include risks associated with project development; the need for additional financing; operational risks associated with mining and mineral processing; fluctuations in metal prices; title matters; uncertainties and risks related to carrying on business in foreign countries; environmental liability claims and insurance; reliance on key personnel; the potential for conflicts of interest among certain of our officers, directors or promoters with certain other projects; the absence of dividends; currency fluctuations; competition; dilution; the volatility of the our common share price and volume; tax consequences to U.S. investors; and other risks and uncertainties. Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. We are under no obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statements except as required under applicable securities laws.

Cautionary Note Regarding Non-GAAP Measures

This news release includes certain terms or performance measures commonly used in the mining industry that are not defined under International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"), including silver equivalent ounces (AgEq oz) of production. Non-GAAP measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS and, therefore, they may not be comparable to similar measures reported by other companies. We believe that, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, certain investors use this information to evaluate our performance. The data presented is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. Readers should also refer to our management's discussion and analysis available under our corporate profile at www.sedar.com or on our website at www.avino.com.

SOURCE Avino Silver & Gold Mines Ltd.

Related Links

http://www.avino.com/


Mandan city commissioners have voted unanimously to reject the bid for a project that includes replacing traffic lights, repairing concrete pavement and adding curb extensions along Main Street.

City staff recommended the elected officials reject the bid from Diamond Surfaces Inc., a contractor based in Rogers, Minn. The bid the city received from the company was a little more than $4.2 million -- about 25% higher than the project estimate by KLJ Consulting, the engineering consulting firm the city hired.

"I do know that we will get some flack from some of the downtown businesses who were very excited for this project to go forward, but I think with the financial conditions and the economy where it's at right now, this is probably the wise move, " Mandan Mayor Tim Helbling said before voting against the bid Tuesday.

The city plans to use two grants from the North Dakota Department of Transportation to fund part of the project, mostly for curbside extensions and concrete pavement repair, Project Engineer Andrew Larson said. The bid would have increased the city's estimated share of the project from $323,000 to $1.5 million.

City Commissioner Amber Larson also voted in favor of rejecting the bid, saying that she doesn't "think it's reasonable for us to take more of our local share of funds that are obviously very limited these days."

City staff plan to bid the project again in the fall.

Reach Andy Tsubasa Field at 701-250-8264 or andy.field@bismarcktribune.com.

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After about two months of working, 20-year-old Robin Allums was ready for some retail therapy after the states largest mall opened for the first time since being closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

With a mask on her face and hand sanitizer in her car, Allums said she felt safe walking through Riverchase Galleria mall in Hoover. As an employee at Walmart, the outbreak has put her on an all-work-no-play schedule. She wants to have fun and relax, but she does want the state to reopen safely.

I just want to touch and look at everything, Allums said. Being out and about and being at restaurants and going to the movies  all of that I really miss. Im OK with things reopening. I just hope it happens slowly.

Riverchase Galleria had been closed since mid-March when Gov. Kay Ivey allowed retailers to open at 50 percent capacity on Thursday. The next day, Riverchase Galleria officials announced that the mall will be open from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon until 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Multiple malls across the state have reopened since Ivey issued the Safer at Home order. Barbershops, salons and nail shops are to remain closed. In-restaurant dining is still not permitted.

Customers had a hit-or-miss shopping experience as they trickled into a mall thats adjusting to the realities of a pandemic. Customers browsed past many dark storefronts, since some of the malls 109 stores dont plan to open until later this week. While some food vendors were open at the food court, the chairs in the dining area were nonexistent. Caution tape was wrapped around the booths.

Riverchase Galleria General Manager Mike White hopes foot traffic will pick up as more people realize the mall is open. He said staff are providing free masks for customers and hand sanitizer stations are located at the malls main entrances. Cleaning staff is wiping down high-traffic areas frequently, he said.

Top of mind for us is to keep the community safe, keep the retailers safe and make this a place where people feel comfortable shopping, White said.

Melissa Lopez, co-owner of a family-owned boutique called Luna, said she had four customers within the first hour of the malls opening at 11 a.m. Shes hoping more customers will come once more stores open. She was told by mall management that only 30 percent of the stores opened today, but about 50 percent of the stores should be open by the weekend.

Lopez said the health protocols implemented by the mall made them feel safe to open.

Our family has been praying about what is the best decision to make, and we feel supported by the mall here, Lopez said. I woke up today excited and blessed to be able to come back to work.

Linda Maple tried to satisfy her retail therapy by shopping online during quarantine. Shes still getting used to online shopping, she said. She came to the mall early to return many of the items she bought from Belk, but learned the store wasnt going to be opening until later this week.

Maple is fine with playing the waiting game. She just wanted to return the items, get her store credit and head back home. She has been breast cancer free for a year now, and she wants to remain healthy.

Im immunocompromised myself, Maple said. Im not taking a chance with all of this. Im just going to see how all of this will play out.

Lopez said her family implemented multiple changes at the store in order to protect themselves and customers. All employees are required to wear masks. Only one person is manning the store per shift to maintain social distancing. If a customer isnt wearing a mask, Lopez said the store can call security who will then provide the customer with a mask. If someone wants to try on jewelry, an employee will ask them to wear gloves. In order to prevent the virus spread, Lopez said they closed the fitting rooms and cancelled the stores return policy.

Lopez said customers have remained loyal to the family business as they have adjusted their business model throughout the pandemic. Locals can order from Lunas website and have it delivered to them for free or they can message the store and do curbside pickup.

You adjust as a small business, Lopez said. We understand that since its a pandemic, not everyone is wanting to shop. So as a local business, it has been really great to give customers different options so they make the best decision for themselves.

There have been multiple protests across the state demanding state officials to reopen salons, barbershops and dine-in restaurants. About 60 people gathered on the steps of the Alabama Capitol building in Montgomery today.

Lopez hasnt paid attention to the protests, but she is happy to be working again in what she describes a safe environment.

If you allow businesses to make that decision for themselves and practice safe measures, in my opinion, that is the best way, she said.
12:52 | Lima, May. 6.

The measure was ordered by Judge Victor Zuniga Urday from the Fourth National Preparatory Investigation Court Specialized in Organized Crime and Corruption by Officials.





In the resolution, the magistrate explained that due to a principle of legality the request of Yoshiyama's technical defense to cease said preventive detention does not correspond with the matter.





The house arrest will be in force until September 9, 2020. Likewise, the former Fuerza Popular adviser must pay a bond of S/70,000 (about US$20,624).





Yoshiyama must follow rules of conduct such as the prohibition of communicating with co-defendants, making statements about the case to the media and not holding social gatherings in his home.





During the virtual hearing, his lawyer Humberto Abanto presented a medical report indicating that his client suffers from diabetes, high blood pressure, ocular herpes, and has a history of cancer.









(END) VVS/RMCH/MVB
HNX - 5/6/2020 2:40:00 PM

Pursuant to the Document No. 22/2020/CV-HQT dated 27th April 2020 of Ha Noi Consultant And Construction Investment Joint Stock Company regarding the cancellation of the shareholder list for attending 2020 Annual General Meeting, Vietnam Securities Depository (VSD) would like to announce as follows:

Cancelling the shareholder list for holding 2020 Annual General Meeting on the record date of 1st April 2020

Reason for cancellation: To strengthen the prevention of Covid-19 spread, the company decided to change the meeting date of 2020 Annual General Meeting.
Miguel Vera Pena hands a despensa (a pack of food for Central American and Mexican populations) to a person waiting for the donation at the Los Taquitos de Puebla III in South Philadelphia on Thursday, April 30, 2020. Read more

About 30 minutes before the food distribution started, the crowd had already formed at the corner of Ninth and Federal Streets at the Capitolio Playground in South Philadelphia. Hundreds of men, women, and children stood in line, observing social distancing requirements, one day before their rent payments were due. Some were pushing strollers or grocery carts. The adults wore face masks to prevent the coronavirus and hoodies to hide their shame of seeking free food.

Two volunteers reviewed the addresses on the utility bills the recipients were required to bring, verifying they lived in South Philadelphia. Standing in the middle of Ninth Street, restaurant owner Ignacio Marcelo Flores directed the crowd to his restaurant, Los Taquitos de Puebla III, where they would pick up a large, clear plastic bag filled with food.

Among the recipients was a 35-year-old woman from Guerrero, Mexico, who lives on Dickinson Street. She didnt want to be identified because she said she was ashamed to seek food for her three children ages 9, 8, and 3. She and her husband both lost their jobs three weeks ago. She is a housekeeper, her husband a chef.

My husband and I are grateful that we are home with our kids and not being exposed to this virus, but we dont have enough savings to pay the rent of May and buy our groceries, she said.

The food distribution last week was an effort to make certain that the Latino community did not have to make a choice at the end of the month  rent or food?

Seven Latino restaurant owners in South Philly, along with neighborhood residents and two businesses, collaborated to distribute 350 bags of food. The food packs, commonly called despensa  Spanish for pantry, and the word that most Mexican and Central American Latinos use to refer to the purchase of food  included items to meet the food choices and cooking practices that these Latino families use at home. The packs were filled with rice, beans, milk, eggs, flour tortillas, hot peppers, and soups. The goal was to provide enough food to feed a large family for two weeks.

The community effort, a day before the May 1 rent was due, took place as the United States experienced lengthy lines in food banks around the country, as a result of the economic impact of the pandemic.

 READ MORE: The meat shortage affects more than just supermarkets. Heres why.

The South Philly despensa project began after the owners of Tamalex on Federal and Seventh Streets decided to close the family-run restaurant until the economy improves. Tamalex put together 150 food packs filled with its produce for local residents to pick up April 23. The need was great and the Tamalex owners fell short by almost 200.

This experience spurred the family, community journalists, and local volunteers to organize a larger food distribution effort to meet residents needs as they struggle to pay bills. They hope to continue the program.

It was devastating to see that our community was in such need [for food]. Something had to be done, and we did this with all our hearts, Tamalex owner David Pina said of the April 23 distribution.

The next day, the larger collective was formed. At South Phillys Los Taquitos de Puebla III, 322 despensas were distributed in about 30 minutes last week to families primarily from Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua.

Edgar Ramirez, a community journalist and the founder of Philatinos Radio, served as the liaison between the people in need and the organizers. He said residents and community members said they didnt know how to prepare meals from the food boxes being offered at the citys larger food distribution sites.

Our community already feels disenfranchised with all these stimulus and loans that werent built with us in mind, Ramirez said. To have our own struggling to prepare canned goods when we know what is practical for them, for our large families, its not solidarity, its our responsibility.

Ramirez suggested that Philadelphia officials must recognize that the grassroots work needed in these Latino communities isnt always pursued by the established nonprofit organizations or the consulates in Philadelphia for each country.

 ASK US: Do you have a question about the coronavirus and how it affects your health, work and life? Ask our reporters.

Heather Keafer, chief of communications and strategies for the citys Office of Children and Families, said that during the pandemic, 32,000 food boxes are being distributed every week (175,629 boxes to date) at the 40 food sites supported by the city, packed with nutritious food  shelf-stable items on Mondays and fruits and vegetables on Thursdays.

Through this effort, we are providing food to all communities. Were also grateful to everyone who has stepped up to donate their time and energy to help out at this time. The need is great and its true that working together we can do more to help our neighbors in need, she said in a statement via email.

 READ MORE: Phillys farmers markets roll with the punches during a pandemic

In South Philly, the restaurant owners and volunteers have already started another drive for a second despensa distribution. The date will be determined by need, volunteers, and donations.

Its very satisfying for all of us to serve our people when they need us most, said Pina.
The World Health Organization is in talks with China to send a follow-up mission to the country to investigate the source of the coronavirus pandemic, a WHO official said Wednesday.

WHO officials previously said the coronavirus emerged from a seafood market in Wuhan, China, and likely originated in bats, then jumped to an "intermediate host" before infecting humans. Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, head of WHO's emerging diseases and zoonosis unit, said Wednesday that it's critical for officials to determine from what species the virus emerged.

"There is discussion with our counterparts in China for a further mission, which would be more academic in focus and really focus on looking at what happened at the beginning in terms of the exposures with different animals so that we can look to a new approach to find the zoonotic source," Van Kerkhove said during a news conference at the agency's Geneva headquarters.

Scientists continue to run tests on various animals, but have so far not found the host responsible for the outbreak.

In February, the WHO sent a team of international experts, which included Van Kerkhove, to join Chinese counterparts in a mission to explore the nature of the virus and to inform the global response. Van Kerkhove said that team recommended China to further investigate the animal source of the outbreak.

"The public health importance of this is critical because without knowing where the animal origin is it's difficult for us to prevent this from happening again," she said Wednesday. "This happens with all emerging pathogens because most emergent pathogens come from animals."

SARS, the coronavirus that emerged in November 2002 and killed nearly 800 people across the world over nine months, was also believed by scientists to have originated in bats before spreading to civet cats and later humans.

The coronavirus has infected more than 3.6 million people worldwide and has killed at least 257,818 since it emerged in Wuhan, China, over four months ago, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

WHO officials also warned world leaders Wednesday that there can be "no going back to business as usual" following the pandemic, which has upended economies and wreaked havoc on nearly every country across the globe.

"This virus likes to find opportunities to spread and if these lockdown measures are lifted too quickly, the virus can take off," Van Kerkhove said. "The only way to control and suppress this virus, this Covid-19, is to actually find [cases], quarantine those contacts, isolate the cases and it will be brought under control."

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said countries cannot "let preparedness go by the wayside. As we work on responding to this pandemic, we must also work harder to prepare for the next one. Now is an opportunity to lay the foundations for resilient health systems around the world, which has been ignored for long."

While reported cases are beginning to decline in regions such as Western Europe, more cases are being reported every day in Eastern Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Americas, Tedros said, adding an average of around 80,000 new cases have been reported to the agency every day.

"These are not just numbers. Every single case is a mother, a father, a son, a daughter, a brother, sister or friend," he said.

Tedros urged caution to countries looking to ease social distancing restrictions intended to curb the pandemic. He said the risk of returning to lockdowns "remains very real" if countries do not manage the transition "extremely carefully."
BENSENVILLE, Ill., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to recent quarantining efforts, JustPierogi.com, one of the premier suppliers of handmade pierogi and other Polish and Eastern European delicacies, announces that it has redesigned its website (www.JustPierogi.com) for streamlined ordering and doorstep delivery anywhere within the U.S.

"During these times of trouble and need, people crave a sense of comfort. One way to achieve this peace of mind is with old world comfort foods delivered to your door by JustPierogi.com," explains Jake Brozek, president of the gourmet food supplier.

Delivering comfort in every bite.

Originally produced in Central and Eastern Europe, Pierogi are filled dumplings made by wrapping unleavened dough around savory or sweet fillings. Making pierogi from scratch takes hours in the kitchen, not to mention the lines at the grocery store shopping for ingredients. However, meals from JustPierogi.com are delivered to your doorstep and can be ready in minutes.

JustPierogi.com offers 15 different pierogi flavors: Blueberry, Cabbage, Cherry, Cheese, Kraut & Mushroom, Kraut, Maultaschen, Meat, Mushroom, Plum, Potato & Cheddar, Potato & Cheese, Potato, Spinach, and Strawberry.

In addition to Pierogi, JustPierogi.com also offers Uszka, Blintzes (Nalesniki), Pyzy, Finger Dumplings (Kopytka), and Silesian Dumplings (KluskiSlaskie).

All JustPierogi.com products are manufactured through partnership with highly respected Alexandra Foods in the Midwest at one of the few USDA inspected pierogi plants in the entire United States.

"Pierogi can be the centerpiece to a holiday meal, but they can also be enjoyed as a simple comfort food treat once a week. With JustPierogi.com, you can keep your freezer stocked with Polish treats," offers Brozek.

Pierogi-like dumplings are popular in most Central and Eastern European countries as well as in Ashkenazi Jewish and modern-day American cuisines, where they are known under their local names.

Pierogi from JustPierogi.com may be served plain or with a topping, such as melted butter, sour cream or fried onions. JustPierogi.com offers toppings and sauce recipes on its website.

"Whether you want pierogi, uszka, blintzes, pyzy, finger dumplings, or Silesian dumplings, JustPierogi.com is your go-to source for authentic old-world taste created from recipes handed down over the generations," says Brozek. "Our meals are delicious and easy to prepare. It's easy to indulge your craving without hours in the kitchen. Put your trust in JustPierogi.com. You won't be disappointed."

To order visit www.JustPierogi.com or call (888) 351-7710.

Contact:

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(888) 351-7710

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Late in the summer of 2016, as a great tide of Islamist protest washed over southern Kashmir, sweeping aside the Indian state and turning large swathes of territory into liberated zones, thousands of children, women and men assembled in the small central Kashmir village of Nyaina-Bandina for the funeral rites of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen jihadist Shariq Ahmad Bhat. Fevered, the crowd fought for a glimpse of his body and to tear off parts of his clothing  the kind of ecstatic reverence usually reserved for a venerated saint.

Then, a bespectacled, slight young man in a white shirt raised the Kalashnikov rifle he had been cradling in his arms and fired a burst into the sky.

From then to his death in a shootout on Wednesday, Riyaz Naikoo rose to be the best known face of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen in Kashmir, appearing in hundreds of Facebook posts or through WhatsApp messages, broadcasting retribution against informers, demanding police officers resign from their jobs, and threatening annihilation to India.

But even though Naikoo was the Hizb-ul-Mujahideens longest-serving division commander in Kashmir, he ultimately failed to turn the uprising of 2016, the biggest Islamist mobilisation in decades, into a platform to expand the Hizb-ul-Mujahideens power. His rise and fall tells us important things about the limits of jihadist power and influence in Kashmir.

Next generation of terrorists

Like so many mid-level commanders in Kashmirs jihadist movement, Naikoo was part of a cohort of educated young people drawn to political Islam by the bruising communal movements that began to sweep 2008. Like the overwhelming majority of those recruited by jihadist groups after this time, he never received formal combat training  a sharp break from an earlier generation of terrorists instructed at camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Born in 1986 to Zeba and Asadullah Naikoo, Naikoo grew up in Beighpora, near the central Kashmir town of Awantipora. His father, a small peasant, also ran a tailors shop.

Like so many farming families in Kashmir, the couple invested in education, hoping it would help their children claw their way into the middle class. Naikoos younger brother is completing the final year of his Bachelor of Arts degree and his sister is also a student.

For most of his early years, it appeared Naikoo would go down the road his parents hoped for. Following education at government schools in Beighpora and Gulzarpora, he graduated with a respectable 462 out of 600, and then secured a degree from the Degree College in Pulwama.

The only job Naikoo could find, though, was at the Hanfia Model School in Malangpora, an institution run by a pietist Islamic trust. In addition to teaching arithmetic, Naikoo began delivering lectures on Islam.

In 2010, massive street violence  which would go on to claim the lives of 112 protesters  broke out after a rogue Indian Army unit killed three residents of the village of Nadihal in northern Kashmir and sought to pass them off as terrorists killed in an encounter. The violence came just two years after the communally-charged Amarnath Shrine Board agitation had also claimed the lives of dozens of young people who had taken on Indian forces in pitched battles on the streets.

Like hundreds of other young people in the Awantipora area, Naikoo was arrested on charges of participating in mobs throwing rocks at police. In prison, police sources say, his life changed.

Naikoo's entry into the Hizb

Early in June 2012, Naikoo borrowed Rs 7,000 from his parents, saying he needed it to apply for a postgraduate degree  and disappeared. He was, police believe, drawn into the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen by Sajjad Mir, a resident of Litter in Pulwama, who was then serving as the terrorist groups commander and financial head for south Kashmir. Mir, alleged to be responsible for the killing of Kulpora village sarpanch Ghulam Mohammad Bhat and Indian Army soldier Mehraj-ud-Din was himself shot dead by the police in 2013.

The period was critical for the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen. Even though a new generation of young people had been radicalised by the street violence of 2010 and 2012, recruitment was at record lows: just 23 people, police records show, joined the Hizb in 2011, down from 54 in 2010, and 110 five years earlier, in 2006.

In the year Naikoo joined the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, 2012, just 20 others were recruited by jihadist groups; the next year, the number would drop even lower, to 16.

Low recruitment, and the steady elimination of mid-level commanders like Naikoos mentor, Mir, allowed the schoolteacher-turned-jihadist to rise through the ranks of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen far faster than he might otherwise have done.

Perhaps more important, it placed Naikoo in a position of authority when jihadist recruitment again began to climb from 2014  helped along by former chief minister Mehbooba Muftis orders to police to cut back operations targeting overground sympathisers and supporters of jihadist groups. From 53 in 2014, jihadist recruitment grew in successive years to 66, 88 and then 128.

In 2016, when protests sparked off by the killing of jihadist icon Burhan Wani sparked off the largest mobilisation against India since the early 1980s, the state collapsed in large swathes of southern Kashmir. For all practical purposes, Naikoo became the emperor of the military apparatus which ruled this liberated zone.

The young divisional commander demonstrated considerable skill at propaganda, re-instituting gun salutes for slain jihadists at their burials, and using social media to tell the stories of young recruits to its ranks.

Ensuring the Hizb-ul-Mujahideens supremacy, though, wasnt easy. Wani had broken away from the Hizb, charging Pakistans intelligence services with opportunism, and accusing the secessionist politicians of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference with treachery. Naikoo tried to heal the wounds, but to little effect.

The strains deepened after Wanis successor, Zakir Rashid Bhat, along with south Kashmir Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Abu Dujanah, set up a new breakaway group that would evolve into al-Qaeda affiliated Ansar Ghazwatul Hind.

Naikoo demonstrated considerable political skill, ensuring the Hizb-ul-Mujahideens young recruits stayed committed to their group despite the social media visibility of the new, more radical organisation. He studiously avoided attacks on fellow jihadists  but made clear, to the Hizbs rank and file, that the Ansar Ghazwatul Hinds anti-Pakistan position would ensure it was cut off from resources, and annihilated.

Even as the rival organisation haemorrhaged cadre and commanders, and found itself short of both weapons and cash, the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen slowly rebuilt itself across Kashmir.

Hizb's future unclear

For all the hype surrounding Naikoos career though, the Hizb-ul-Mujahideens future is still unclear. Even though last weeks killing of five security force personnel, including 21 Rashtriya Rifles commanding officer Colonel Ashutosh Sharma, has raised concerns over heightened infiltration across the Line of Control, theres little evidence Pakistan has reversed the tapering-off of support to jihadists it implemented after the air strike on Balakot last year.

Last year, intelligence data obtained by News18 shows an estimated 219 jihadists crossed the Line of Control into Kashmir, down from 328 in 2018, and 419 in 2017. This year so far, intelligence services estimate the levels remain similar to those seen in the winter of 2019.

That means the ill-trained recruits brought into the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen  some 35 of whom joined the group since January  suffer from chronic shortages of weapons and ammunition. In addition, they lack the training to effectively operate independently of foreign-trained jihadists from Pakistan who, in turn, have been unable to stage a single major operation since the Pulwama bombing last year.

Little evidence exists for media claims that foreign jihadists are better trained than in the past, either. Last weeks tragic killing of Colonel Sharma and four others, for example, came about because stood in front of a home where terrorists were hiding out on the first floor  an error of judgment, rather than a combat defeat.

Indeed, levels of violence from January to April this year, measured by the killing of Indian security force personnel, jihadists and incidents, are similar to those seen in the same months of 2019, government data shows.

Naikoos success was to ensure the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen was able to expand its wellspring of support in society, retaining its status as the predominant ethnic-Kashmir in the face of challenges from globalist organisations like al-Qaeda. He wasnt, however, able to resolve its core weaknesses: complete dependence on Pakistan. Today, by most intelligence estimates, the group he commanded, once Kashmirs largest, has some 75 cadre, to the over-100 of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, and the 50-odd of the Jaish-e-Muhammad.

Put simply, hopes among Kashmiri Islamists of a significant revival of the jihadist movement after the 2016 uprising have proved illusory. Even though anger against India remains substantial, this doesnt in itself translate into a more powerful jihadist movement.

The future of the Kashmir jihad will depend not on the local commander who succeeds Naikoo, but the generals in the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate headquarters in Rawalpindis Aabpara.

Ever since the Balakote attacks, the generals have held on to their cards, fearing war with India. Naikoo died waiting for them to call their bets.
Her Dancing On Ice skate partner Alexander Demetriou confirmed he had split from wife Carlotta Edwards last week, after being linked to the Love Island beauty.

Yet Maura Higgins put the drama behind her as she showed off her new Ann Summers swimwear collection to Instagram on Wednesday.

The Irish beauty, 29, set pulses racing as she displayed her toned figure in an 'Itsy Bitsy' purple bikini.

Wow: Maura Higgins put the drama behind her as she showed off her new Ann Summers swimwear collection to Instagram on Wednesday

Maura styled her brunette locks into a wet slicked back look, she added a slick of glamorous make-up and oversized silver hooped earrings.

She penned alongside the photo: 'This little "Itsy Bitsy" purple beauty from my @annsummers collection has just landed online.'

Posting her discount code, she added the hashtags: '#stayhomestaysexy #bemoremauraswim2020.'

Sizzling: The Irish beauty, 29, has been working with the lingerie giant since appearing on the 2019 series of Love Island

Maura's new swimwear collection, called More Maura Swim, combines her own taste with the lingerie giants' classic styles.

The sizzling snap comes after Dancing On Ice star Alexander Demetriou confirmed he had separated from wife Carlotta Edwards last week.

The professional skater, 28, took to Instagram Stories to confirm the news and revealed to his followers that it had been a 'tough time' for him.

Sad: The sizzling snap comes after Dancing On Ice star Alexander Demetriou confirmed he had separated from wife Carlotta Edwards last week (pictured in November 2019)

It comes amid weeks of speculation that their four-year marriage was on the rocks after reports that Alexander became 'besotted' with Love Island beauty Maura.

In a statement posted on Instagram stories, Alexander said: 'I'm sorry I have been quiet on social media recently but it's been a tough time personally for me.

'Carlotta and I have separated. Although it saddens me that we can no longer be together, I feel this is best for both of us.

His statement: The professional skater, 28, took to Instagram stories to confirm the news and revealed to his followers that it had been a 'tough time' for him

'I'm looking forward to what the future will bring but in the meantime let's all stay home and stay safe.'

While Alexander went public with a statement, Carlotta, 30, has remained silent, and has instead been hauled up in Calgary, Canada with her family.

A friend of the former couple recently told their marriage troubles 'came as a shock', as they were so close before the last Dancing On Ice series.

'Besotted': It comes amid weeks of speculation that their four-year marriage was on the rocks after reports that he became 'besotted' with Maura

A source spoke to The Sun about the visit, saying: 'Everything has seemed fine and her family thought they were having a good time.

'No one in her family suspected anything was up between them, so obviously this has all been quite a shock.'

Responding to speculation linking Maura and Alex, Curtis Pritchard recently revealed that Maura forbid him from coming to watch her skate with Alex and that he's sure nothing 'more' happened between the pair.

Forbidden: Curtis Pritchard recently revealed that ex Maura forbid him from coming to watch her skate with Alex and that he's sure nothing 'more' happened between the pair

Curtis, 24, told The Sun: 'I have no proof that anything more has happened between them. I don't like to think about it.

'I don't want to look back over the past few months for warning signs. But it's not nice to read about her relationship with Alex and to see pictures of them together.

'I went to her first three shows, but after that she asked me not to come. She said she had terrible nerves and it was easier without me there. I just accepted that. I wasn't concerned about there being anything romantic between her and Alex.'
By Natalie David and Gabriela Solomon

Late at night on March 10, Muhlenberg College students received an email from the president that we had all of four days to vacate the dorms and prepare for online courses for the next month. Only students in extenuating circumstances were permitted to remain on campus.

Fortunately, there was infrastructure for even this unprecedented upheaval. Last semester, the college administration launched a food pantry, MULE Community Cupboard, and emergency fund grants to address financial hardships and food insecurity on campus. Rev. Kristen Glass Perez, director of the pantry, said the preparations helped. "We would be in a really different place with supporting our students who remain on campus if we had not already had the MULE in place, she said.

Today were seeing how dependent student academic success is on external, often invisible, factors. Issues such as campus hunger, homelessness and well-being are rarely at the forefront of academic and campus discourse. However, given the COVID-19 crisis and subsequent shift to virtual learning, these issues are impossible to ignore. Professors previously impervious to their students basic needs have been forced to adapt, such as recording lectures for students. Colleges are discovering that a students success is affected by more than just the hours sitting in class or memorizing a textbook.

Muhlenberg transitioned to remote learning for the rest of the semester and required most students to return home. Student Support Coordinator Michele Paules said there has been an increase in requests to cover the costs of remote learning, such as laptops, internet access and textbooks that cant be borrowed from friends. Students without wi-fi at home are having to rely on cellular hotspots to attend class.

As unemployment increases and students cannot rely on federal work-study to afford tuition payments, they are taking jobs in supermarkets, pharmacies and Amazon warehouses, where the risk of COVID-19 transmission is high. Paules reported that many students are requesting funds not for themselves, but for their families as they file for unemployment. Students scrambling to cover their immediate financial needs may not be able to afford to return to school.

Through the CARES Act, Muhlenberg College will receive $809,954 to assist students impacted by the pandemic, prioritizing those with most limited resources, according to Vice President of Enrollment Robert Springall. The administration is awaiting rapidly evolving guidance from the federal government on how to allocate these funds. Dean of Students Allison Gulati said, I expect fully that the college will support any of our non-Title IV (federal financial aid) eligible students through college grants where they otherwise meet the criteria.

Undocumented and international students are ineligible for support from the CARES Act. Thus, the responsibility falls upon the college to support them in these uncertain times.

Every university across the country needs to have a safety net for their students. Rising tuition costs and stagnation of wages, paired with the growing number of nontraditional students, means a growing proportion of students cannot meet their basic needs. While 75% of universities have emergency aid in place, many students say these programs are under-advertised and underfunded. Additionally, many colleges fail to connect students to federal resources. More than 2 million students eligible for food stamps are not getting those benefits. Many universities dont work with local or federal policy makers to increase support for these basic needs.

Pennsylvania spends the second lowest amount per student in higher education in the nation. In his 2020-21 budget proposal, Gov. Tom Wolf called for several changes to help college students, including shifting $200 million from a racehorse development trust fund to scholarships for low- and middle-income students at state universities. We call on our state legislators to support Wolfs scholarship proposals  and ensure that funds are available for emergency grants for unexpected crises.

As students are uprooted from academic, emotional and financial support, we are required to perform academically in environments not conducive for success. We should not have to worry about the affordability of education while focusing on the health and safety of ourselves and our families.

Education is the great equalizer in our country. We cannot afford to lose an entire generation to this crisis.

Natalie David is a sophomore majoring in biology at Muhlenberg College, where she is a leader of the Campus Hunger Project. Gabriela Solomon is a senior majoring in accounting and finance. They are co-presidents of the colleges chapter of Challah for Hunger, a national philanthropic organization.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he won't consider implementing a herd immunity strategy in the fight to eliminate coronavirus.

Australia opted for a suppression strategy of lockdowns and strict social distancing measures to combat the global pandemic which have been successful in flattening the curve and has recorded far fewer deaths than most other nations.

The prime minister remains emphatically opposed to the herd immunity approach, which he described as a death sentence.

He has no doubt the death toll would have been in the 'thousands, if not tens of thousands' had strict social distancing measures not been enforced by the government earlier on in the outbreak.

Australia's death toll would be in the tens of thousands if social distancing wasn't enforced, according to Scott Morrison. Pictured are Queenslanders congregating in Burleigh heads after lockdown restrictions were eased due to Australia'a success in flattening infection rates

'Certainly in terms of people contracting the virus, potentially hundreds of thousands,' Mr Morrison told 2GB morning show host Ray Hadley on Wednesday.

'This idea of herd immunity, nobody's got herd immunity, you've got to get to about 60 per cent, two-thirds of your population.'

'And even with all the death and devastation we've seen in all of those countries, they're nowhere near herd immunity.

'So the idea that that is some sort of path that you can go down, that is a death sentence and that is not something that Australia has ever contemplated.'

Australian remains opposed to the herd immunity strategy implemented by other nations. Pictured are Sydneysiders at a reopened Bondi Beach after a five week closure

Australia has recorded 6,856 cases and 97 deaths since the outbreak first hit shores three months ago.

In comparison, Sweden, which has a similar population, has 23,000 confirmed infections and 2,800 deaths.

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 pandemic has claimed more than 70,000 lives in the United States while the death toll in the UK and Italy is approaching 30,000.

During the 20 minute radio interview, Mr Morrison also vowed to continue campaigning for a worldwide inquiry into how coronavirus began.

'These are important questions, and I don't intend to back off from asking them,' Mr Morrison said.

'I've written to all the G20 leaders and asked that this be done.

'On what we've seen the most likely outcome was the transfer from an animal to a human, these things can happen.

'We need to protect public health because a quarter of a million people are dead.

'We can't have this happen again.'
Description

GIS - 06 May, 2020: The school calendar as well as the assessment calendar will accordingly have to be adjusted, that is, it will be from the period August 2020 up to February/March 2021. In this context, discussions are already ongoing with the Cambridge Assessment International Education regarding the rescheduling of SC/HSC examinations. Such examinations will have to be taken next year for the 2020 SC/HSC Cohort of students after the end of the newly adjusted calendar.

The Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun made this statement, yesterday, in the National Assembly in reply to a Parliamentary Question with regard to the rescheduling of the Cambridge School Certificate (SC) and the Higher School Certificate (HSC) 2020 amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

The Vice-Prime Minister highlighted that the closure of schools as subsequent postponement of examinations is an international reality. She indicated that the Cambridge Assessment International Education is responsible for conducting O Level examinations in over 50 countries while AS and A Level are taken in some 130 countries.

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, she underlined, most of these countries have taken the decision to close schools, resulting in loss of school days which in turn have implications for assessments and examinations.

She pointed out that on the twenty third of March 2020, Cambridge informed of its decision not to hold its international examinations in May/June 2020 in any country. We are given to understand that Cambridge is not yet in a position to receive entries of October/November 2020 examinations as in an update of 20 April 2020 Cambridge has stated that it will confirm the dates when school candidates can be entered for the November 2020 series as soon as possible, she said.

The Vice-Prime Minister further stressed that with the resumption of schools on 03 August 2020 in Mauritius, there will be the need for students to catch up with their studies. Also, students will be required to adequately complete their syllabus for the different subjects to be taken both at SC and HSC School Level, she added.

She underscored the need to ensure that sufficient time and space are provided to students to develop their preparedness and to complete their syllabi so that they may take part in their international examinations in the best possible conditions.

Government Information Service, Prime Ministers Office, Level 6, New Government Centre, Port Louis, Mauritius. Email: gis@govmu.org Website: http://gis.govmu.org Mobile App: Search Gov


Shanghai Disneyland Park is set to reopen its gates on Monday, May 11. It is the first Disney theme park in the world planning to open back up after being closed on January 25 because of COVID-19. The news came on Tuesday, May 5, when Disneys CEO Bob Chapek held an earnings conference call with investors and analysts.

Chapek explained that the park will not be operating under normal circumstances, and will have temporary restrictions in place for guests. Disney is planning on a phased approach, to keep staff and visitors safe.

Safety Measures

Shanghai Disneyland will have an enhanced reservation and entry system, which will work to control guest density. Image credit: disneyparks.disney.go.com

During the call, Chapek described how the new measures will be in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. There will be an enhanced reservation and entry system, which will work to control guest density. Although the parks normal capacity is 80,000 visitors each day, this number will be reduced to less than 30%. The property will initially open with even fewer guests per day and will work its way up to 30%, or 24,000.

Disney Shanghai will also be following other strict government-required health and prevention procedures, including social distancing rules, temperature screenings, early detection systems, and contact tracing. All visitors and most Disney employees will also be wearing masks. The company will also open up Shanghais Disneyland Hotel, Wishing Star Park, and Disneytown on May 11, with similar safety measures.

Hard Hit

Disneyland Shanghai was the first Disney park to shut down in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hong Kong Disneyland was the next to close, and Japan's Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea followed suit towards the end of February. The company estimated that the global lockdown caused around $1 billion in lost revenues to their Parks, Experiences, and Products segment.

Disney was hoping to reopen its parks by the middle of April, but this was not possible. All parks, along with their surrounding shopping districts and hotels, were shuttered until further notice. This led to widespread furloughs of the parks staff members, and some executives have taken large salary cuts. It was also reported that Chapeks salary was cut by 50%, and Disney executive chairman and former CEO Bob Iger gave up his entire salary during the crisis.

Looking to the Future

As for when the remaining Disney attractions around the world will reopen, no dates have been released. Disneys Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy stated that they do not know when their parks, resort properties, retail stores, and cruise ships will be back in operation. However, on April 29 Florida officials released a new set of guidelines pertaining to how Walt Disney World resort can safely open in time. The Florida theme park reopening will also be done in phases, starting at a 50 percent capacity. Additional regulations will include face masks and temperature checks for cast members, and hand sanitizer available throughout the park. Guests will also be required to keep six feet apart from one another while waiting in lines. The second phase will allow the park to increase capacity to 75 percent.

Shanghai Disney also sent out a press release, stating that they were looking forward to "recognizing and celebrating medical professionals who helped make our reopening possible.
Washington

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pressed ahead Tuesday with the next coronavirus aid, a sweeping package that is expected to be unveiled soon even as the House stays closed while the Senate reopens in the pandemic.

Key to any plan to reopen the economy, Democrats say, is robust testing. They are also expected to propose another round of direct cash aid for anxious Americans, funds for states to prevent layoffs and more money to shore up businesses in the stay-home economy. Pelosi had indicated more than $800 billion could be needed, but her office declined to confirm a final figure Tuesday.

"We still don't have a national testing strategy that is adequate," Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said. "It's life and death."

The contours of the next package are taking shape despite Republican resistance to more spending and a deepening debate over how best to confront the deadly pandemic and its economic devastation.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday it's time to push "pause" on more aid.

President Donald Trump is encouraging states to reopen and Republicans hope the gradual comeback will kick-start the economy, reducing the pressure for more pricey aid.

"Now it's time to go back to work," Trump said at the White House.

Under strict social distancing guidelines, the Senate reconvened Monday for the first time since March, while the House is staying away due to the health risks. The Washington area remains a virus hot spot under stay-home rules.

McConnell has focused the chamber's workload on confirming Trump's nominees, with several committees meeting remotely this week. The GOP leader insists that any new aid package must include liability protections for the hospitals, health care providers and businesses that are operating and reopening in the pandemic. He said Tuesday he wants to prevent "an epidemic of lawsuits."

But McConnell also signaled an interest in beefed-up virus testing strategies as central to the nation's ability to take steps "back toward normalcy."

By reconvening, Senate Republicans are trying to set the terms of debate, frustrated that Pelosi was able to fill up earlier aid bills with Democratic priorities. They're reluctant to unleash federal funds beyond the nearly $3 trillion Congress already approved in virus relief and hope Trump's push to re-open will reduce the need for more aid.

"I just don't think we need to act as quite urgently as we did last time," Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, told reporters.

The No. 2 Republican, Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, said Washington had already "flooded the zone" with virus relief and should assess "what's working and what's not."

Senators returned to a changed place with new guidelines, including the recommendation that senators wear masks, though not all of them were complying. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who tested positive for the virus in March, asserted he no longer needs to cover his face because he has "immunity"  even though health officials warn there is no guarantee that infected people can't contract the virus again.

It's not just lawmakers and the Capitol's workers at risk. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said he disagreed with McConnell's decision to decline Trump's offer of instant virus testing, warning that lawmakers should be screened on exit.

"Members of Congress would represent sort of a virus-spreading machine, coming in here to a coronavirus hot spot and then going home," Alexander said.
SRINAGAR, India - Indian government forces killed a top rebel commander and his aide in disputed Kashmir on Wednesday and shut down cellphone and mobile internet services during subsequent anti-India protests, officials and residents said.

Riyaz Naikoos death was seen as a major victory for Indias counterinsurgency efforts and is likely to spark more unrest in the region.

Naikoo, 35, was the chief of operations of the regions largest indigenous rebel group, Hizbul Mujahideen, which has spearheaded an armed rebellion against Indian rule.

He was the groups top commander for almost eight years and was responsible for recruiting dozens of Kashmiris to fight against India, according to officials. He shot into prominence after a 2016 public uprising following the killing of the groups charismatic leader, Burhan Wani.

After Wanis death, Naikoo helped give new life to the militant movement. He unified rebel ranks, which had been divided by splinter factions.

Police and army soldiers launched an operation in the Awantipora area in southern Kashmir late Tuesday based on a tip that some militant commanders were sheltering there. They used earth movers to dig up several patches of land, including a school playground, looking for possible underground hideouts, residents said.

Troops blasted at least two civilian homes with explosives, a common tactic employed by Indian troops in Kashmir.

On Wednesday, as the government forces began house-to-house searches in the area, they came under heavy gunfire from rebels, police said. In the ensuing firefight, two militants were killed, a police official said on condition of anonymity, keeping with government policy. He identified one of the slain rebels as Naikoo. The officer said Naikoo was the most wanted militant in Kashmir and troops had conducted dozens of operations to get him.

Before joining the group, Naikoo was a popular mathematics teacher.

Some anti-India protests and clashes between protesters and government forces were also reported in the area where the gunfight occurred. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Authorities first blocked mobile internet service, a common Indian tactic in the region when such fighting erupts. As the fighting continued and word spread that Naikoo was trapped, they also stopped mobile phone service.

Authorities say it is necessary to halt cellphone and internet service to prevent anti-India protesters from assembling.

In 2019, the government imposed a monthslong total communication blackout during an unprecedented military crackdown in the strife-torn region.

India has stepped up its counterinsurgency operations across Kashmir in recent months during a coronavirus lockdown. Militants have also continued their attacks on government forces and alleged informants. More than two dozen militants and about a dozen Indian troops were killed in April, the most in any month since August 2019, when India revoked the regions semi-autonomous status and statehood and imposed direct federal rule.

There also has been almost daily fighting over the last several months along the rugged and mountainous frontier that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

India and Pakistan both claim the territory in its entirety. Most Kashmiris support the rebel goal of uniting the territory, either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country, while also participating in civilian street protests against Indian control.

India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the anti-India rebels. Pakistan denies this, saying it offers only moral and diplomatic support to the militants and to Kashmiris who oppose Indian rule.

Rebels have been fighting Indian rule since 1989. About 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian military crackdown.
Three arrested for drug trafficking in Carlisle County


A new study suggests the sun appears to experience far fewer changes in brightness and intensity than other stars like it.

Researchers reported last week on their examination of 369 stars. They compared each one to the sun in terms of surface temperature, size and rotation. They found that on average, the other stars had five times more brightness variability than our sun.

A report on the study and its findings was published in Science magazine.

The lead author was Timo Reinhold, an astronomer with the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Germany. He told the Reuters news agency that the variability in brightness results from dark spots on the surface of the star moving in and out of view.

A direct measure of solar activity is the number of sunspots on the surface, Reinhold said. Finding such stars with very similar parameters as our sun but being five times more variable was surprising.

The sun  made up mainly of hydrogen and helium - is an average-sized star that formed more than 4.5 billion years ago. It stretches about 1.4 million kilometers across and has a surface temperature of 5,500 degrees Celsius.

The researchers compared scientific data on the similar stars to historical records of the suns activity. The records included about 400 years of observational data on sunspots. The researchers also studied about 9,000 years of data based on chemical element variants in tree rings and ice buildup tied to solar activity. These records show the sun has not been much more active than it is now.

The researchers said increased magnetic activity related to sunspots can lead to electromagnetic events that affect Earth. For example, large releases of plasma - a collection of charged particles - from outer areas of the suns atmosphere could cause problems for satellites and other communications equipment. Other electromagnetic activities could also result in such difficulties.

The discovery that the sun does not experience as many changes as other stars may be good news for life on Earth.

A much more active sun might have had more major effects on Earths geology and ancient climate. A too active star would definitively change the conditions for life on the planet, so living with a quite boring star is not the worst option, Reinhold said.

The findings, he noted, do not rule out the possibility that the sun may be in a quiet period and could become more variable in the future.

However, the researchers say there are no signs that solar activity will be increasing any time soon.

For the last decade, the sun has been showing itself to be rather weakly active, even by its own low standards, they said in a statement. Predictions of activity for the next 11 years indicate that this will not change soon.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Reuters reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for VOA Learning English, with additional information from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

rotation  n. turning in a circular direction

variability  n. the state of changing often

author  n. a writer of a book or report

view  n. the ability to see something or to be seen

parameter  n. a limit that controls the way something is done

geology  n. the study of rocks and soil and the physical structure of the Earth

boring  adj. not interesting

option  n. a choice or possibility

decade  n. a period of 10 years

standard  n. a level of quality or behavior
T he London property market has mostly come to a halt. Transactions are expected to plummet to their lowest in 20 years in the three months to June.

Yet prices are not forecast to fall as fast or as far as they did after the banking collapse.

So what does this mean for buyers?

How hard has coronavirus hit the London property market?

Activity started to curtail in mid-March as the threat of Covid-19 grew. When full lockdown was announced on March 23 it halted the majority of the housing market.

Physical viewings of all property stopped, whether new-build or second-hand homes, and estate agents and mortgage lenders were no longer able to value properties in person.

As a result Knight Frank predicts a 35 per cent fall in the number of sales in Greater London from 82,000 last year to 53,000 this year, compared to a 37.5 per cent fall across the UK.

Will house prices fall in and around London?

Savills has predicted falls in London of between five and 10 per cent  the most pessimistic of the collection of forecasts made mid-April.

But over the next five years, Savills expects prices will rise by 15 per cent.

However, if the lockdown is extended into summer the industry may be forced to re-forecast.

Read our in-depth reports on house price forecasts here.

Will Covid-19 hold up the supply chain of new homes?

Most construction sites closed when lockdown was enforced. However, some developers, such as Taylor Wimpey, Persimmon and Redrow, plan to reopen this month.

There will be a drop in the number of homes built but it will not be as drastic as first feared.

Pressure is on the Government to help buyers by dropping stamp duty and extending the Help to Buy scheme beyond 2023.

Can I still go ahead and buy a property?

Of the homes that were listed on Rightmove before the coronavirus crisis, 97 per cent are still for sale. But there are barriers to buying.

The Government has said anyone wanting to move home should delay the transaction where possible, while physical viewings are out and it varies from lender to lender whether you can get an automated valuation and mortgage approval.

The new-build sector is open for business, with new apartments being marketed online via virtual tours.

For those who feel comfortable with buying off-plan and online, who do not have a property to sell and have a reasonably sized deposit given current mortgage constraints, it is possible to buy and move into a new-build home during lockdown. Some removal firms are operating.
A new study of public attitudes across Europe, America and Asia has found that people in the UK have the highest overall levels of concern about coronavirus - more than Italy or Spain - while those in South Korea are the least concerned.

Researchers from the University of Cambridge conducted surveys on how people feel and think about the risk of the virus between mid-March and mid-April, across ten different countries with varying approaches to tackling the pandemic.

The study, co-authored by Dr Sarah Dryhurst and Dr Claudia Schneider from the Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication, measured risk perception by combining people's ratings of how prevalent, how life-threatening, and how worrying they thought the virus was.

The Cambridge team also set out to uncover some of the key psychological factors behind people's concern. The findings, based on data from 6,991 participants, are published today in the Journal of Risk Research.

"Without pharmaceutical treatment, we are relying on people changing their behaviour to put the brakes on this pandemic," said Dr Sander van der Linden, study lead and Director of the Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab.

"The willingness to adopt protective behaviours such as frequent hand-washing or physical distancing is likely to be influenced, in part, by how risky people perceive the virus to be."

"We think this is the first comparative evidence of how people perceive the risk of COVID-19 around the world," he said.

In the study's sample, Spain followed the UK for greatest public concern about coronavirus, with the US in third place. Although remaining differences were smaller, Germany came in fourth above Sweden - where the government has been less proscriptive about lockdowns - followed by Australia then Japan.

Perhaps surprisingly, Italy - the pandemic's first European epicentre - ranked fairly low out of the ten nations, with only Mexico and South Korea having lower average risk perception scores.

However, there was little difference between many of the countries, with risk perception generally high in all nations.

The researchers also found that greater concern about the virus did indeed correlate with taking a number of preventative public health measures such as increased hand washing or wearing facemasks.

Men typically had lower levels of concern about the virus than women, despite the fact that, on average, COVID-19 appears to be considerably more dangerous to men if contracted.

The significance of different psychological factors varied between countries. However, some attitudes and traits consistently indicated increased perception of risk in people across several countries.

For example, across all nations, those who suspected they had already contracted the virus perceived a higher risk from it. In several countries, people who got information on the virus from friends or family also perceived higher risk.

"Prosociality", or a belief in the importance of doing things for the benefit of others, related to heightened concern about the virus in nine of the ten countries. In fact, it emerged as one of the most important psychological factors of risk perception internationally.

"Appealing to prosocial motives can be an important part of solving social dilemmas during pandemics," said Dr Claudia Schneider, co-author of the study. "For example, 'clap for our carers' campaigns help us to publicly signal prosocial intentions through shared sentiment and the spread of positive emotions."

By contrast, what the researchers term an "individualistic worldview" - inferred from a belief that governments meddle too much in our lives - related to lower levels of concern about the risks of coronavirus.

While this worldview is famously associated with certain US states, it was also significantly related to risk perception in several other countries, such as Germany, Sweden, Spain, Japan and the UK.

"The perception that the government is restricting people's freedom might cause psychological pushback among some people with strong individualistic worldviews," said Dr Sarah Dryhurst, co-author of the study. "We see this expressed in anti-lockdown protests in the US and Germany, for example."

Political ideology was less significant for risk perception overall, although a more conservative outlook was associated with lower levels of concern in the UK and the US.

"Governments are asking people to stay inside and give up their livelihoods in order to protect their societies. It's important we understand how people react to the information and instructions they receive about the virus," said Dr Alexandra Freeman, Director of the Winton Centre.

"We've made all our data publicly available to help institutions and journalists communicate better. We hope that this work can help the global effort to react appropriately to this threat," she said.

###
The county had said in a news release on Monday that the authorities were receiving reports of Covid-19 parties occurring in our community, where non-infected people mingle with an infected person in an effort to catch the virus. Officials later elaborated on those reports in interviews, saying the parties were discovered after tracing the paths of people who were found to be infected after the gatherings.

Officials in Walla Walla have been working in recent weeks to contain a large outbreak at a meat processing facility in the area. Ms. DeBolt said the county was not close to halting the rise in infections, and health officials are concerned that more people are engaging in ill-advised social interactions despite stay-at-home requirements.
Two terrorists were killed after an encounter between security forces and terrorists in Sharsali area of Khrew Pampore in Southern part of Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Wednesday (April 6).

According to sources, one terrorist was killed in the morning and the second was eliminated after few hours. Huge amount of weapons and ammunitions have been recovered from the site of encounter.

A joint team of Army's 50 Rashtriya Rifles, 185 BN of CRPF and police launched cordon and search operation in Sharsali area of Khrew on Tuesday night after receiving credible inputs that some terrorists were hiding in the area. During cordon and search operation, terrorists opened fire at the security personnel triggering the encounter. Army sources said that a search operation is still on in the area.

In a separate development, the security forces on Wednesday succeeded in tapping a most wanted terrorist after an overnight operation in Beighpora village in Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir`s Pulwama district. The dreaded terrorist has been identified as Riyaz Naikoo - a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander. He carries a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head. If Naikoo is arrested or eliminated in the ensuing encounter, it will be a big blow to the local terror groups active in the area, especially Hizbul Mujahideen.

Sharing more information, the Jammu and Kashmir Police earlier took to Twitter and said, Contact established in the third operation at Beighpora in Awantipur. Top terrorist commander is trapped. Exchange of fire is on and more details will follow, it added.

The overnight operation by the security forces started on Tuesday evening after which a massive search operation was launched in the native village of Naikoo.
Salon owner Shelley Luther holds a citation and speaks with a Dallas police officer after she was cited for reopening her Salon A la Mode in Dallas, Texas, on April 24, 2020. (LM Otero/AP Photo)

Texas AG Calls for Immediate Release of Imprisoned Salon Owner

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton called for officials to immediately release a Dallas salon owner who was jailed for seven days for defying the stay-at-home order by continuing to serve customers.

Shelley Luther should immediately be released from jail. Locking her up is a misguided abuse of power, especially considering Dallas County released real criminals to protect them from COVID-19,' Paxton said in a statement on Wednesday.

Paxton sent a letter to a judge in Dallas County, urging the judge to order the release of Luther.

Luther reopened Salon a la Mode on April 24 in defiance of the stay-at-home order issued by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.

Dallas County Judge Eric Moye told Luther on Tuesday that she would not be sentenced to prison time if she apologized for her selfish actions.

I have to disagree with you, sir, when you say that Im selfish, because feeding my kids is not selfish. So, sir, if you think the laws more important than kids getting fed, then please go ahead with your decision. But I am not going to shut the salon, Luther responded.

Shelly Luther in a booking photo on May 5, 2020. (Dallas County Sheriffs Office via AP)

The sentence was for contempt of court, Moye said.

The refusal of the Defendants to cease operation of the Salon, despite the clear and unambiguous language of the Order which instructed them to so do constitutes Criminal Contempt of this Court. The defiance of the Courts Order was open, flagrant and intentional. The Defendants, although having been given an opportunity to do so, have expressed no contrition, remorse or regret for their contemptuous action, the sentencing order (pdf) stated.

The sentence appeared to be another political stunt in Dallas, Paxton charged.

Abbott also said he disagrees with the sentence, calling it excessive.

As I have made clear through prior announcements, jailing Texans for non-compliance with executive orders should always be the last available option, he said in a statement on Wednesday.

Compliance with executive orders during this pandemic is important to ensure public safety; however, surely there are less restrictive means to achieving that goal than jailing a Texas mother.

Musician Tim Georgeff, Luthers significant other, said in a Facebook post Wednesday that he was proud of Luther, who stood up for what so many are too scared to do.

She will spend Mothers Day and her Birthday locked away for defending the rights of all Americans to provide for their families, at the hand of a truly despicable human being. Ill be outside the jail on those days hoping for someone in this state to have some damn sense, he said.
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As many students in Vietnam returned to school for the first time in three months on Monday morning, a debate has erupted over the rationality of a requirement for them to wear see-through plastic face shields as a precaution against novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

For many localities in Vietnam, including such major cities as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang, May 4 was the back-to-school date after a three-month COVID-19 break.

Following the prime ministers latest directive on the disease prevention and control, schools in Ho Chi Minh City have installed more faucets for hand washing and made students wear face masks as protective measures.

Some schools, including those in Binh Thanh District and District 11, even took an extra precaution by asking students to wear transparent plastic face shields, which are normally used by healthcare workers to protect themselves from respiratory droplets that can carry pathogens.

Our school intends to let the students make their own face shields or tell them to buy the protective equipment for themselves, a leader of a high school in Binh Thanh District told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

The extra precaution, however, has raised concerns from parents.

Nguyen Thanh Tam, a parent residing in District 11 whose child is in ninth grade, told Tuoi Tre that his child said they felt stuffy, short of breath, and awkward to look at the blackboard while wearing the shield.

I felt worried hearing that, Tam said.

Regarding the issue, Dr. Truong Huu Khanh, head of infectious diseases and neurology at Childrens Hospital 1 in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, told Tuoi Tre that it is unnecessary and inadvisable for students to wear face shields.

Face shields are only for those who directly take care of patients, or make face-to-face contact with sick people, Dr. Khanh said.

Meanwhile, [as] students all sit in the same direction [in classrooms], there is no use [in wearing face shields].

Face shields are only suitable for students when they play [during break time]."

Dr. Khanh warned that wearing face shields for long hours can affect students visibility, resulting in unclear vision, eye strain, and potentially causing harm to eyesight.

It is not to mention that the plastic shield may break while the children play, leading to unwanted incidents, Khanh warned.

Vietnam has confirmed 271 COVID-19 cases so far, with 39 remaining active and no documented death.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
It seems that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un decided to "lay low" for some dyas in order to see how the North Korean elite reacted to rumours of his death, said Outsiders host James Morrow.

Kim recently made his first public appearance in weeks after his absence from public view led to speculation about his health and well-being.

State television network KCNA reported that kim attended the completion of a fertiliser plant in a region north of Pyongyang, the capital city of North Korea.

According to Morrow, the ruse is a "classic Stalinist manoeuvre."

"What has probably gone on here that the rumours of his demise was greatly exaggerated. He decided to do this, lay low, and see how things broke power wise, and see who tried to take power in the event of his actual demise. I suspect we will see some purges in North Korea pretty soon," said Morrow.

The speculations over Kim's health got stronger following his absence at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang on the birthday of late state founder and his grandfather, Kim Il-sung, earlier in April.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump welcomed the reemergence of Kim but prospects for the US efforts to force Pyongyang to give up its nulcear weapons still lookes denuclearize appear as bleak as ever.
A Chinese Communist Party-owned company is buying up rights to Australia's scarce water supply - as experts warn there is minimal government supervision of investment in the precious commodity.

Unibale Pty Ltd - a subsidary of major state-owned Chinese agriculture company COFCO Corporation - has acquired 7,000 megalitres of water in the Gwydir River system in the north of New South Wales' Murray-Darling Basin.

Foreign investors in the region emerged after the easing of basin trading rules in 2014 - which allowed companies to buy and sell water more easily.

Former Australian Federal Police commissioner Mick Keelty, who is now the Inspector General of the basin's water resources, said many in the community were frustrated by the arrival of interloper companies to buy up the scarce resource.

Aerial view of Murray Darling Junction at Wentworth in New South Wales' far south west. A Chinese communist party-owned company is buying up rights to Australia's scarce water supply

'There is a segment of the community who says why should people own water who don't have any interest in agriculture?' he told 7.30.

'Equally, there's a section of the community that says, "well, the government made this decision that gave us some options to trade in water and we have actually invested in that trade."'

Water is already scarce in the region - which has struggled through 'extreme drought' for the past two years, according to the Murray-Darling Basin Authority.

It is not clear what Unibale are doing with the water supply but Daily Mail Australia has contacted COFCO Corporation for comment.

Mr Keelty said while a foreign ownership register was introduced in 2017 which required overseas companies to declare their interests, the register was not accessible to the public.

He added the sale and purchase of water commodities was not overseen to the same degree by the government as materials like gold or minerals.

'It is a commodity and yet it doesn't have the same governance and due diligence around it as other commodities, and that's what's of concern to people,' Mr Keelty said.

Former AFP commissioner Mick Keelty (pictured) said many in the community were frustrated non-agricultural companies were free to buy up water supplies

McCullough Robertson law firm partner Duncan Bedford said the Chinese acquisition skirted around the Foreign Investment Review Board.

'FIRB approval may be required for the acquisition of water assets when it forms part of a broader business acquisition. But on their own, water entitlements do not require FIRB approval,' he said.

Adding to the frustration of farmers in the Murray-Darling region, the perceived lack of government oversight comes despite the Treasury saying it would review nearly all foreign asset purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Locals are seen on the Louth bridge over the Darling Barka river, as a flow of water from upstream arrives on February 24, 2020. The Murray-Darling has fought through drought for the past two to three years

The importance of water assets was highlighted when it recently emerged that Australia could soon run out of rice because of mismanagement of the water supply during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Southern Murray, which stretches across the south-eastern states, is normally responsible for 60 per cent of the country's grain and dairy production.

It is widely regarded as 'Australia's food bowl' but with the Murray in a state of zero-water allocation for the past two years, rice and dairy farms aren't growing produce.

The Murray-Darling Basin stretches across the south-eastern states and covers South Australia, Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales

A general view of a parched Wilcannia weir on March 4, 2019 in north-western New South Wales

'Rice is definitely a big risk because we haven't been using the water we've got to grow rice,' Ms Slattery, a former employee of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, said.

The Murray-Darling Basin Authority has hit back though, saying: 'There is no problem with our food security and its mischievous and misleading for vested interest groups to use COVID-19 to push their biased and incorrect positions.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Unibale Pty Ltd for comment.
The unprecedented challenges that the COVID-19 virus has brought upon the world have proven that the solidarity and efforts of the fast-acting healthcare industries; both the private and public, are very critical in providing solutions that mitigate the effects of the pandemic.

To implement DoH's vision of a "Healthier Abu Dhabi," Plug and Play helps to identify and attract the best local, regional, and international startups and tech companies.

For COVID-19, Plug and Play is providing a range of emergency response services, in addition to supporting the AFC-19 Members throughout this pandemic. These services include virtual webinars for knowledge/best practices exchange and adhoc startup sourcing from their local and global network within health, travel, enterprise solutions, supply chain, and logistics. Large Abu Dhabi healthcare providers and Daman will benefit from these services and ensure that innovative solutions will reach all patients in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Mental wellness is a top concern for the community and those working at the frontline of our healthcare system. Through the Ma'an Social Incubator and as part of AFC-19, Ma'an are championing the discovery and acceleration of product or service-based solutions with social startups that can help the people of Abu Dhabi manage their stress, anxiety, fears, fatigue and other mental wellbeing challenges. With the diversity and unity of the AFC-19 members, Ma'an has ambitious targets to bring immediate mental and social relief to the Abu Dhabi community during the current health and economic challenges.

H.E Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Kaabi, Acting Undersecretary of the Department of Health Abu Dhabi elaborates, "DoH, Plug And Play and our strong partners in 'Alliance to fight COVID-19' have risen to the challenge and banded together to fight against the COVID-19 outbreak. We are deeply convinced that we are ready to look beyond the horizon of today's healthcare and find new innovative ways to control and manage the disease. We encourage startups to come forward with innovative technologies and solutions that can be leveraged to fight this virus."

H.E. Salama Al Ameemi, Director General of Ma'an, said: "Startups, social enterprises and non-profit associations have a vital role to play in making a positive social impact in Abu Dhabi, whether it is during the current challenges or more long term."

"At Ma'an, we recognize that mental health is an extremely important social priority with, on average, 1 in 4 people suffering from a mental health challenge at some point in their life globally. In Abu Dhabi we are proud to be at the center of the conversation to understand the support communities need to cope with mental wellbeing challenges and find effective and workable solutions  through the Ma'an Social Incubator and through the new AFC-19 initiative. There has never been a more important and crucial time to accelerate the growth of startups working in this area and we look forward to working with our partners through Plug and Play ADGM to identify new ideas that can contribute to the national effort at this time," Al Ameemi added.

The Deputy CEO of the National Health Insurance Company  Daman, Hamad Al Mehyas, said: "Daman is proud to partner with the Department of Health-Abu Dhabi, Plug and Play ADGM, and the wider healthcare sector on this important alliance. Since early February, Daman has been supporting government initiatives beginning with the national health awareness campaign where we worked with our corporate customers, comprising of the country's largest employers, to ensure that they and their employees have the correct information to apply at work and at home. This alliance is another excellent opportunity to find more ways to support the overall national efforts to defeat this unprecedented health challenge."

Juma Al Hameli, Senior Executive Director of Strategy and Business Development at ADGM, said: "As the implications of COVID-19 have become increasingly apparent, the UAE has proven to be a global leader and continues to prioritize the development of innovative solutions to curb the spread of the virus. Today, we are proud to witness the launch of the 'Alliance to fight COVID-19' ('AFC-19') initiative, as it brings together start-ups from around the globe to join the fight against the pandemic. ADGM is committed to supporting DoH and Plug and Play ADGM through its holistic business ecosystem and looks forward to welcoming start-ups from around the world who aim to make a positive impact in the midst of this turbulent time."

Dr Nadia Bastaki, Vice President of Etihad Medical Services, said: "The health and safety of our employees and guests is of utmost importance to Etihad, and we are constantly looking at innovative solutions to ensure that we provide the best level of care to everyone flying with us. We look forward to working closely with DoH and fellow members of the Alliance to identify new technologies to help us overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact."

Babak Ahmadzadeh, Director at Plug and Play ADGM, said: "COVID-19 has shown that technology and innovation is not just a nicety, but an imperative to save lives, maintain social welfare and to keep businesses going. Plug and Play ADGM is privileged to bring these critical technologies to the Abu Dhabi market by supporting our partners and AFC-19 Members in discovering and developing valuable collaborations between exceptional local/international technology startups. The Abu Dhabi healthcare ecosystem is more united than ever to fight COVID-19. If you have a tech solution that may help our people in any way, we would like to help you."

Abu Dhabi Health Tech Accelerator was founded in October 2019 by the Department of Health, Plug and Play, and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) to attract innovators and technologies that can help to increase the quality of patient care and patient experience; improve access to healthcare and manage cost, and prevent and manage diseases affecting the UAE population.

SOURCE Plug and Play
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- If the federal government does not step in to help New York City with its budgetary woes essential municipal workers could be furloughed, Mayor Bill de Blasio warned Wednesday.

Right now what I'm staring down the barrel of, and cities and states all over the country, people are either acting on furloughs and layoffs or preparing for furloughs and layoffs of the exact people who have been the heroes in this crisis, who we should be celebrating and supporting  the first responders, the health care workers, the educators, de Blasio said during an interview on CNNs New Day.

How are we going to support these people who we need if we don't have any money? I've lost $7.4 billion already and my economy can't come back until I get that stimulus and get back to normal and provide those basic services, he continued. It's a real catch-22. No stimulus, no recovery, no revenue. It only gets worse.

Staten Island is home to more than 15,000 civil servants from about 70 different city agencies.

De Blasios remarks came on the heels of the mayor ripping President Donald Trump for not supporting relief of blue states during the coronavirus pandemic.

The president had said that federal bailouts for "blue state governments were not fair to the Republicans because all the states that need help  theyre run by Democrats in every case.

Asked exactly who he planned to furlough Wednesday, de Blasio said he did not want to project anything while the city was fighting for stimulus funding from the federal government and in the middle of budget negotiations.

We need to get that stimulus done so that people dont have to experience furloughs and layoffs if it doesnt happen and were missing $7.4 billion in revenue, then all options are on the table, but its not time to talk about specifics yet, he told reporters during a press conference Wednesday.

He stressed that he would prioritize anything related to health and safety in the upcoming budget including mental health, physical health, shelter, and food.

The mayors executive budget will have to be adopted before June 30 before the citys fiscal year 2020 ends

He said Tuesday he had no anticipated budget cuts at this time specifically planned for the NYPD or Department of Corrections.

However, he cautioned anything could happen between now and adoption, of the fiscal 2021 budget.

De Blasio said the number one question is what would happen in Washington, D.C. with the next stimulus.

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Could Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank Co., Ltd. (HKG:3618) be an attractive dividend share to own for the long haul? Investors are often drawn to strong companies with the idea of reinvesting the dividends. On the other hand, investors have been known to buy a stock because of its yield, and then lose money if the company's dividend doesn't live up to expectations.

With a goodly-sized dividend yield despite a relatively short payment history, investors might be wondering if Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank is a new dividend aristocrat in the making. It sure looks interesting on these metrics - but there's always more to the story . Some simple analysis can offer a lot of insights when buying a company for its dividend, and we'll go through this below.

Click the interactive chart for our full dividend analysis

SEHK:3618 Historical Dividend Yield May 6th 2020

Payout ratios

Dividends are usually paid out of company earnings. If a company is paying more than it earns, 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. Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank paid out 26% of its profit as dividends, over the trailing twelve month period. This is a medium payout level that leaves enough capital in the business to fund opportunities that might arise, while also rewarding shareholders. Besides, if reinvestment opportunities dry up, the company has room to increase the dividend.

Remember, you can always get a snapshot of Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank's latest financial position, by checking our visualisation of its financial health.

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. Looking at the last decade of data, we can see that Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank paid its first dividend at least eight years ago. The dividend has been quite stable over the past eight years, which is great to see - although we usually like to see the dividend maintained for a decade before giving it full marks, though. During the past eight-year period, the first annual payment was CN0.14 in 2012, compared to CN0.23 last year. Dividends per share have grown at approximately 6.4% per year over this time.

Story continues

The dividend has been growing at a reasonable rate, which we like. We're conscious though that one of the best ways to detect a multi-decade consistent dividend-payer, is to watch a company pay dividends for 20 years - a distinction Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank has not achieved yet.

Dividend Growth Potential

Dividend payments have been consistent over the past few years, but we should always check if earnings per share (EPS) are growing, as this will help maintain the purchasing power of the dividend. Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank has grown its earnings per share at 4.1% per annum over the past five years. Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank is paying out less than half of its earnings, which we like. Earnings per share growth have grown slowly, which is not great, but if the retained earnings can be reinvested effectively, future growth may be stronger.

We'd also point out that Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank issued a meaningful number of new shares in the past year. Regularly issuing new shares can be detrimental - it's hard to grow dividends per share when new shares are regularly being created.

Conclusion

When we look at a dividend stock, we need to form a judgement on whether the dividend will grow, if the company is able to maintain it in a wide range of economic circumstances, and if the dividend payout is sustainable. Firstly, we like that Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank has a low and conservative payout ratio. Unfortunately, earnings growth has also been mediocre, and we think it has not been paying dividends long enough to demonstrate resilience across economic cycles. Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank might not be a bad business, but it doesn't show all of the characteristics we look for in a dividend stock.

Investors generally tend to favour companies with a consistent, stable dividend policy as opposed to those operating an irregular one. At the same time, there are other factors our readers should be conscious of before pouring capital into a stock. For example, we've picked out 2 warning signs for Chongqing Rural Commercial Bank that investors should know about before committing capital to this stock.

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.
The global search for a treatment targeting the novel coronavirus has led to an unlikely potential savior: a cocoa-colored llama named Winter, whose blood could hold a weapon to blunt the virus.

She lives at a research farm in Belgium with about 130 other llamas and alpacas. And like all of them, she produces a special class of disease-fighting antibodies - tiny, even by antibody standards - that show early promise in laboratory tests in blocking the novel coronavirus from entering and infecting cells.

In a paper published Tuesday in the journal Cell, an international team of scientists reports that these petite antibodies, harvested from Winter's blood, were used to engineer a new antibody that binds to the spiky proteins that stud the surface of the novel coronavirus, "neutralizing" its insidious effect. The study, though preliminary, points to a possible treatment for covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, if the results hold up in animal and human studies.

Winter the llama is the cuddly face of a broader - and urgent - scientific quest to create coronavirus drugs inspired by the targeted responses mustered by the immune system. Winter's antibodies are a niche kind that are called nanobodies and are prized by researchers because of their ability to get into nooks and crannies and because they are slow to degrade in the body.

Other scientists are exposing laboratory mice to the coronavirus spike protein and studying the blood of people who have recovered from covid-19 to identify traditional antibody drugs. While work continues in the lab, U.S. hospitals are already harnessing naturally occurring antibodies to treat patients by providing experimental transfusions of blood plasma from covid-19 survivors, hoping the plasma, rich with virus-fighting antibodies, can save lives.

With a widely available vaccine probably at least a year away, antibody therapies have become, in the eyes of some experts, one of the most promising weapons against covid-19, which has killed more than 250,000 people worldwide.

Wayne Marasco, an infectious disease specialist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute who developed experimental antibody therapies against close cousins of the current coronavirus, said he thinks the approach could be a "game changer." A single dose could potentially act to treat the disease or to prevent it for months. Former Food and Drug Administration commissioner Scott Gottlieb wrote in the Wall Street Journal last month that such drugs "may be the best chance for a meaningful near-term success."

The antibodies inspired by Winter are still far from being tested in people. Belgian researchers are only now starting preclinical trials on hamsters.

But other efforts to create more-traditional antibody drugs are moving forward fast, with the hope they could provide a bridge until there is a vaccine.

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals exposed a special strain of mice, genetically tweaked to have a human immune system, to the characteristic spike protein on the surface of the coronavirus to identify thousands of antibodies that show promise. The company also studied the blood of people who recovered. The company will start several human trials in June, testing antibody cocktails both as a treatment and a prevention measure for people who are at high-risk of developing covid-19. The company hopes to make the treatment available by the end of summer or early fall, with the ability to manufacture hundreds of thousands of doses.

"It's never been done before," George Yancopoulos, chief scientific officer of Regeneron, told investors Tuesday. "On the other hand, I don't think we ever had quite a pandemic like this before... And so the hope is yes, it might be possible by the end of the summer or the fall that, our antibody treatment could be available. A lot of risks, a lot of concerns, but we are working as hard as we can with so many collaborators to try to turn that into a reality."

Vir Biotechnology, which also plans to start human tests this summer, hired a nationwide network of phlebotomists to go door-to-door collecting blood from people who recovered from covid-19 to aid the search for an antibody-based treatment. The company that did the blood draws, Sanguine Biosciences, sent phlebotomists to people at home to reduce the risk of infection, saving recently recovered people a trip to a crowded clinic or laboratory.

A research team from Utrecht University in the Netherlands reported Monday in the journal Nature Communications that it had created a monoclonal antibody called 47D11 that is capable of blocking the coronavirus in laboratory tests.

Such drugs are manufactured not by chemists but by living cells growing in bioreactor vats and tend to be expensive; they must be given by injection. Even now, with little idea of whether their drugs will be shown safe and effective, researchers are thinking about how to increase production.

"It takes time to scale, and we're already scaling," said George Scangos, chief executive of Vir. "The problem with this whole approach is you have to scale before you know if your drug works. Because if you don't [scale], and your drug works - now it's a year before you can provide any reasonable number of doses, and that's not a situation that anyone wants to be in."

The fastest way to a coronavirus treatment would be to repurpose an existing drug with a long safety record. To that end, scientists are pulling many time-tested drugs off the shelf to see whether they show promise in laboratory experiments and are moving some into the clinic. But antibody treatments could provide a powerful and targeted way to quickly develop a new drug that not only treats the disease but also could prevent people from becoming ill.

Much of this research already has a head start based on experience with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Marasco developed a library of 27 billion human antibodies from blood samples taken from hospital staffers in the late 1990s, which he then used to develop experimental therapies for SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). Those therapies were licensed to companies, but government and commercial interest evaporated when those viral outbreaks petered out. Marasco is working now on antibody therapies for the novel coronavirus, confident that this time things will be different.

Winter's part in the battle against coronavirus disease began in 2016, when researchers immunized her with spike proteins from MERS and SARS. Then they drew her blood and isolated antibodies, one of which showed potential for neutralizing MERS, and another of which neutralized SARS, said Daniel Wrapp, a co-author of the study and graduate student at the University of Texas at Austin.

The Texas team, working with colleagues at the U.S. National Institutes of Health and Ghent University in Belgium, was trying to develop a universal vaccine for human coronaviruses, four of which are common and cause cold-like symptoms. While the researchers were hoping to find a single antibody that could target all the coronaviruses, the "consolation prize" was finding two that showed promise against MERS and SARS, Wrapp said.

They were writing up what they'd learned from Winter when the novel coronavirus emerged. They quickly got to work. Soon, they'd found that a new antibody - which they created by linking two copies of the llama antibody that had hindered the original SARS - was able to bind to and neutralize the novel coronavirus, known as SARS-CoV-2, Wrapp said.

"It's interesting to have a renewed sense of urgency toward your work, because it could have such dramatic implications for vaccine development and therapeutic" treatments, Wrapp said.

If the small antibodies work in humans, their stability means they possibly could be delivered as treatment via an inhaler, Wrapp said. Larger monoclonal antibodies must be administered by injection.

Winter was randomly selected from her herd to participate in this research, noted Wrapp, who has never met the 4-year-old llama. Now, he said, "she's kind of the superstar of this."
Maguindanao (CNN Philippines, May 5)  Government troops guarding quarantine areas clashed with members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in Datu Hoffer Ampatuan town in Maguindanao, leaving two soldiers killed, the military said on Monday.

A member of the 57th Infantry Battalion deployed in Barangay Talibadok was also wounded in the encounter on Sunday night.

The military's Western Mindanao Command said Private First Class Vicente Gata Jr. and Private First Class Jermie Ombiang died during the firefight which lasted for 45 minutes.

Soldiers are pursuing the BIFF members who fled the scene.

"We will make sure that these terrorists, who are obviously desperate to strike back during this time when we are all working to defeat the coronavirus, will pay for their treacherous acts," Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said in a statement.
[May 06, 2020] Symetra Promotes Three Leaders to Executive Vice President

Symetra Life Insurance Company today announced the promotions of three senior executives to executive vice president: Wes Severin, who will lead the Retirement Division; Harry Monti, who will lead the Benefits Division; and Chantel Balkovetz, who will lead Service and Operations enterprise-wide. The three EVPs also join the Symetra Leadership Team, reporting to Margaret Meister, president and chief executive officer, Symetra Financial Corporation. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005598/en/ Symetra Life Insurance Company promoted Wes Severin to executive vice president, Retirement Division. "One of Symetra's longtime strengths is the breadth of talented leaders on our team. Today, I am pleased to recognize the significant contributions of Wes, Harry and Chantel to our Retirement and Benefits business lines, and to our Service and Operations. Their drive, leadership and strategic approach make them ideal for their new roles, as does their collective commitment to serving our customers, which has been especially impressive these last challenging months," said CEO Margaret Meister. "Our Symetra Empowers strategic vision remains focused on helping our customers, partners, employees and communities thrive in the changing world we live in. Wes, Harry and Chantel will each play a key part in executing that long-term vision, prioritizing our initiatives and successfully navigating this unprecedented business environment."



Wes Severin, EVP, Retirement Division Most recently senior vice president, Retirement Product and Distribution, Mr. Severin has been involved in or led efforts to further grow Symetra's bank partners, expand distribution to broker-dealers and independent marketing organizations, design and launch products, and build the division's sales team. He joined Symetra in March 2011 as western divisional sales manager for retirement products and was promoted to vice president of national sales the following year. In that role he was instrumental in leading the relationship management and external sales teams through a high-growth period that established Symetra's position in the fixed annuity and FIA markets. Prior to Symetra, Mr. Severin was national sales director of financial institution markets at Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company in Denver.

Harry Monti, EVP, Benefits Division Harry Monti joined Symetra in June 2014 as vice president, Life and Disability (LAD), bringing 25 years of group benefits experience spanning financial, operations and strategy roles. Named senior vice president, Life and Disability (LAD) and Select Benefits, in April 2018, Mr. Monti played an integral role in the evolution of those business lines and in the development of Symetra's new voluntary benefits practice. His operational leadership and strategic oversight has seen customer service evolve into a key differentiator for Symetra in the benefits marketplace. Prior to Symetra, Mr. Monti was director, Insurance Advisory Services with PricewaterhouseCoopers (News - Alert) (PwC) in Hartford, Connecticut. He had previously spent 13 years in senior level operational and claims roles at The Hartford. Chantel Balkovetz, EVP, Chief of Service and Operations In her newly expanded role, Chantel Balkovetz now leads customer and service operations for all three Symetra divisions-Retirement, Benefits and Individual Life-with responsibility for new business, customer service, billing and premium collection, contract administration, claims, agency services, business system solutions, quality assurance, training and operations risk management. Ms. Balkovetz joined Symetra in 2008 as director of Retirement Service and Operations. She subsequently moved into the Individual Life Division, and was named vice president in 2011. In 2012, she became vice president, Individual Life and Retirement Service and Operations, and was promoted to senior vice president in March 2017. About Symetra Symetra Life Insurance Company is a subsidiary of Symetra Financial Corporation, a diversified financial services company based in Bellevue, Washington. In business since 1957, Symetra provides employee benefits, annuities and life insurance through a national network of benefit consultants, financial institutions, and independent agents and advisors. For more information, visit www.symetra.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005598/en/

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Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 16:26:50|Editor: huaxia

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SYDNEY, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Two clusters of COVID-19 in Australia, at a meat processing facility and an aged-care home, have contributed to a jump in new cases, as much of the country eyes easing restrictions.

On Tuesday, 11 new cases at a meat processing plant in the State of Victoria took its total number of infections to at least 45, following widespread testing of employees.

The plant was temporarily closed and despite the high rate of infections, both government and company representatives said that there had been no risk to public health from contamination.

"All workers are self-quarantining and we are working closely with the Victorian health authorities," Cedar Meats General Manager Tony Kairouz said earlier in the week.

Meanwhile, Anglicare Newmarch Nursing Home in Sydney recorded a 16th death of an elderly resident, with an additional 66 confirmed cases, 29 of whom were staff and 37 residents.

The clusters take the total number of confirmed cases in Australia to over 6,850 and total number of deaths to just under 100.

Between them they accounted for the majority of Australia's 26 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said.

Kelly defended state health authorities' handling of the outbreaks amid suggestions that the response was delayed, saying that uncovering and containing virus clusters takes time.

"These things evolve. It's not always clear in a contact tracing exercise where those links are occurring," he said.

Elsewhere in the country, the State of South Australia declared it had gone two weeks without a new case, while Western Australia had also gone several days without a positive test.

Leaders in those states were crafting a cautious easing of restrictions allowing more social freedom without creating the potential for further outbreaks.

Despite the State of Queensland recording five new cases, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Tuesday outlined plans for a reopening to domestic tourism in order to help the struggling industry.
Scientists across the globe are working hard to develop a COVID-19 vaccine as worldwide deaths from the coronavirus illness push toward 300,000.

But theres no guarantee these vaccine efforts will succeed -- and millions of Americans seem to be fine with that.

The results from a new set of surveys by Morning Consult found that 14 percent of American adults would not get a COVID-19 vaccine if one were available and 22 percent arent sure if they would. In a separate recent survey, currently undergoing peer review, political scientists Kristin Lunz Trujillo and Matt Motta found that 23% of U.S. respondents said they would not get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Anti-vaccine activists have participated in many of the protests across the U.S. against governors stay-at-home orders, which are meant to slow the coronavirus pandemic. Anti-vaccine leaders tend to argue that fear of COVID-19 is being manufactured by corrupt governments and corporations. Various false claims are being spread, such as the idea that a vaccine has existed for years and has been kept from public consumption, write Trujillo and Motta.

Morning Consults latest data shows that 64% of American adults overall say they would get a COVID-19 vaccine. That rises to 80% among those 65 and older.

The age group most likely to take a pass on a vaccine: those between 35 and 44. In the Morning Consult polls, only 53% of Americans in this age group said theyd get vaccinated, and 18% said they wouldnt. Twenty-eight percent said they dont know if they would.

Trujillo and Mottas data, meanwhile, indicates that 62% of Americans of all age groups who are skeptical of vaccines said that they will forego COVID-19 vaccination.

By a wide margin in the Morning Consult surveys, Republicans (20%) are more likely than Democrats (7%) to insist they would not get vaccinated against COVID-19. Sixteen percent of political independents said they wouldnt get vaccinated.

With most U.S. residents being under emergency stay-at-home orders for more than a month, Americans of all political persuasions are becoming less worried about the coronavirus pandemic. Morning Consult found that the percentage of Americans who say the coronavirus is a severe health risk in their community has dropped 11 points from early April, now standing at 30% of U.S. adults.

Public-health officials says the earliest a COVID-19 vaccine could be available will be sometime in 2021. A vaccine typically takes many years to successfully develop.

-- Douglas Perry

@douglasmperry

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Britons could miss out on summer holidays to the continent as European countries prepare to agree when travel will be possible and which nations to bypass.

The UK's position has been hammered after its coronavirus death toll (29,876) soared past Italy's yesterday to become the worst in Europe. The EU has closed cross-border travel to prevent the spread of the virus until mid-May, with some exceptions in place.

However, formal and informal allegiances have already been struck up between those countries which feel they have the virus under control. Germany and Italy have begun to ease their lockdowns and today said their citizens should be able to enjoy summer holidays.

Meanwhile a global alliance between Australia, Austria, Israel, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece and New Zealand, has been forged among the nations who have best kept a lid on the disease.

Beach-goers cool off and sunbathe on the beach of the seaside resort of Benidorm in August 2018

This map shows Europe's East-West divide on coronavirus, with countries in Western Europe suffering far more cases per million people than those in the east which generally closed their borders at a much earlier stage of the outbreak

'Our nations reacted early and forcefully and now we're in a better place,' Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz told The Wall Street Journal.

Despite Berlin warning against these unilateral actions by EU members and a 'race' to open up for the summer, the German tourism commissioner sounded highly optimistic of doing just that today.

Baltic states form 'travel bubble' Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia will open their borders to each others' citizens from May 15, creating a Baltic 'travel bubble' within the EU, their prime ministers said on Wednesday. The Baltic travel area would be first of its kind in the bloc, where most countries restricted entry to non-nationals and imposed quarantine on incoming travellers as the novel coronavirus spread across the continent. 'We have agreed that all three Baltic states have properly contained the spread of the coronavirus, and we trust each others' health systems,' Lithuania's Prime Minister Saulius Skvernlis wrote on Facebook. 'So, starting from May 15, we are removing all restrictions for citizens of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia traveling between the Baltic states.' People entering the region from other countries will need to self-isolate for 14 days, he added. The European Commission has recommended that internal border controls between all member states should be lifted in a coordinated manner, once their virus situation converges sufficiently, the commission's office in Lithuania said. Reporting by Reuters Advertisement

Thomas Bareiss told Der Tagesspiegel sojourns in neighbouring countries 'that can be reached by car,' like Austria, France, Poland, Belgium and the Netherlands would be possible.

Bareiss said if the virus was kept under control then things could move faster, adding: 'I would not yet write off other regions in Europe, such as the Balearic Islands or the Greek islands.'

Bareiss added: 'I hope that, given the good numbers, we will be able to relax the (travel) restrictions in the next four to eight weeks.'

Last month Spain's Balearic Island's tourism minister Iago Negueruela singled out Britain for its response to the virus and suggested it had handicapped its chances of summer holidays.

Negueruela said: 'There are countries like the United Kingdom that have taken too long to adopt containment measures. That also puts us in a different situation with respect to them.'

However, he did not elaborate on how the islands would enforce a system whereby only tourists from certain nations would be allowed to return for holidays.

On Tuesday, Francina Armengol, President of the Balearic Islands, specifically mentioned the Germans as 'essential' to tourism on the islands of Majorca and Ibiza.

Her latest statement is in marked contrast to a month ago when she urged the Spanish government to keep the ports and airports closed until whenever was necessary.

Armengol has now asked Madrid and the EU to set up a 'homogeneous framework across the continent to guarantee the safe recovery of air activity.'

The Cypriot tourist minister Savvas Perdios has also signalled an a la carte arrangement could be reached.

Speaking to CyBC state radio last month he said: 'The important thing is that travel agents have Cyprus in mindthere are positive signs from Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Nordic countries, Greece, Israel and perhaps the Netherlands.'

Asked about the key tourism markets of the UK and Russia, Perdios replied: 'We hope to know in a few weeks when tourists will be able to come from these countries.'

President of Spain's Balearic Islands Francina Armengol specifically mentioned the Germans as 'essential' to tourism on the islands of Majorca and Ibiza on Tuesday (file photo of Cala Tarida, Ibiza)

People sat on the beach outside Cafe Del Mar, San Antonio, Ibiza (file photo)

Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told Il Fatto Quotidiano today that if the virus was kept under control, Italians could take a summer holiday.

And Greek tourism minister Haris Theocharis told the BBC of plans to reopen the country to visitors. First by road, which 'will be safer initially than flying and we'll see that kind of tourism earlier.'

However, Britain remains under lockdown and the government is urging people to take 'stay-cations' until it is safe to travel.

French President Emmanuel Macron also sounded cautious yesterday saying it was 'too soon to say whether we can take holidays,' adding it ought to be clear by the start of next month.

French President Emmanuel Macron also sounded cautious yesterday saying it was 'too soon to say whether we can take holidays,' adding it ought to be clear by the start of next month

'What I can say is that we will limit major international travel, even during the summer. We will stay among Europeans and, depending on how the epidemic evolves, we might have to reduce that a little more.' Macron said.

A new debate began this week after the president said that when lockdown easing begins on May 11, tourists arriving from 'the European Union, the Schengen zone or Britain, regardless of their nationality,' would no longer face a 14-day quarantine.

Most member states have adopted a 14-day quarantine for those arriving in their their borders, including their own citizens.

According to the EU Commission such measures are permissible on public health grounds as long as they are 'proportionate and non-discriminatory.'
Beancounters must get better at flagging poor quality audits to avoid misleading shareholders and members of the public, the accounting regulator has warned.

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has found most accounting firms are failing to assess whether their audits of major companies are any good until after they have already published them.

Over the last few months alone, the FRC has launched probes into EY's audit of scandal-hit hospital group NMC Health, after the company discovered a mountain of undisclosed debt, and PwC and EY's audits of Thomas Cook, after the travel firm collapsed last year.

The Financial Reporting Council has found most accounting firms are failing to assess whether their audits of major companies are any good until after they have already published them

The watchdog has called for better use of so-called 'audit quality indicators' (AQIs), such as how much time is spent reviewing the judgements in the audit, how much of the work is done by senior staff, and how heavy each partner's workload is.

It has called on firms to broaden the range of AQIs they evaluate, and report on them monthly.

The FRC's executive director of supervision, David Rule, said: 'Audit firms need a relentless focus on improving audit quality.

'Public reporting of a consistent set of audit quality indicators is required to provide companies and investors another window on audit quality.

'It is clear that improvements are needed in this area and the FRC will be consulting on proposals in due course.'
Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  There are headaches and heartburn on tap at the Roundhouse, as a new report issued Wednesday indicated New Mexicos revenue outlook will be bleak for the foreseeable future.

Specifically, a double whammy of collapsing oil prices and a broader economic downturn triggered by the coronavirus means New Mexico will likely collect between $1.8 billion to $2.4 billion less than previously projected for the fiscal year that starts in July.

It hasnt been  in any way  a pretty picture, Rep. Patricia Lundstrom, a Gallup Democrat and chairwoman of the House Appropriations and Finance Committee, told the Journal.

The revenue drop would represent a decline of up to 30% compared with the revenue projection issued when the state approved its $7.6 billion budget earlier this year.

In other words, instead of $7.9 billion in total state revenue collections for the budget year that starts in July  as was projected in December  its now expected the state will take in $5.5 billion to $6.1 billion. The lower end of those estimates would mark the states lowest revenue levels since 2010.

And the financial squeeze isnt expected to be temporary.

The revenue range for the following fiscal year shows downward revisions on a similar scale, suggesting New Mexico policymakers shouldnt count on an immediate recovery.

The economists I speak to believe were in for a pretty long haul on this, said Sen. John Arthur Smith, a Deming Democrat and chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

Balanced approach

The new revenue report  issued by legislative and executive branch economists  outlines the daunting scope of the states budget problem as Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and legislators prepare for a special session in mid-June.

Lujan Grisham, a Democrat in her first term, said she would support tapping more heavily into New Mexicos largest permanent fund to help survive the financial storm.

But the idea is sure to run into opposition from Republicans and perhaps some Democrats. Voter approval would also be required.

Sen. Jim White, an Albuquerque Republican and member of the Senate Finance Committee, said he will object to any push to take more money from the Land Grant Permanent Fund. The 5% distribution level now in place, he said, is a prudent amount that provides hundreds of millions of dollars a year to support schools and other beneficiaries.

Youve got to be careful how much you take out of it, White said.

There are expenses  such as tax incentives for film production  that could be examined first, he said.

Top-ranking lawmakers have said other budget-balancing measures could include spending cuts, drawing down state cash reserve levels and the clawing back of proposed one-time spending  including $320 million for a new early childhood trust fund, $180 million for statewide road repairs and $55 million to shore up a state retirement system.

Approved pay raises for teachers, judges and other state workers that are scheduled to take effect July 1 could also be reduced  or put on hold.

Everything is on the chopping board now, Im afraid, Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, D-Albuquerque, told the Journal this week.

The governors top budget official, Finance and Administration Secretary Olivia Padilla-Jackson, said Wednesday that the Lujan Grisham administration is taking a balanced approach to revising the budget.

That approach will likely include using some of the states reserves and reducing both recurring and one-time spending levels, Padilla-Jackson said.

While there is no doubt that these revenue losses are significant, the state is well positioned  with over 25% reserves in its coffers, she said.

Padilla-Jackson also said state officials hope the Trump administration and Congress will give states more flexibility to use federal relief funds to address their budget crunches.

New Mexico has received more than $1 billion from a stimulus package passed by Congress in March. But most of that money cannot be directly used to backfill state programs. Instead, its intended to reimburse the government for coronavirus-related costs, including expanded unemployment benefits.

Two forecasts

Potential solutions aside, the new revenue report warns that difficult times are ahead.

Employment levels in New Mexico may not recover to pre-recession totals until 2025, according to a forecast from the University of New Mexicos Bureau of Business and Economic Research.

And the state budget could be squeezed from all sides  declining oil prices and energy production, business closures and layoffs, and reduced economic activity in general, the report says.

The report released Wednesday isnt a formal revenue forecast. Updated revenue projections are expected before lawmakers meet in June.

But the report offers policymakers their first look at the potential damage wrought by the pandemic, stay-at-home instructions and global economic turmoil.

Staff economists outlined two scenarios for state revenue: One is a U-shaped recovery in which revenue begins a modest recovery in the coming budget year, while the other is an L-shaped recovery with a longer, deeper economic contraction.

The variance in the potential outcomes, the report says, depends on a variety of factors: the epidemiological path of the virus, the strategies for reopening the New Mexico and U.S. economies, the time it takes consumer confidence to rebound, the effect of business closures on the long-term viability of New Mexicos businesses, the degree to which temporary layoffs become permanent, and the impact of global oil supply and demand on oil prices and the associated effect on the states oil production.

Moving target

The state has substantial reserves, expected to total $1.9 billion at the end of the current budget year in June, after Lujan Grisham line-item vetoed about $150 million worth of infrastructure projects from two spending bills in March.

That means there should be enough money in reserves to avoid emergency budget-balancing measures for the current budget year, leading legislators say.

But staff economists, in Wednesdays report, warned that state reserves are likely insufficient to cover the extent of the projected revenue declines for next year.

Its a stunning turnaround after budget surpluses  driven largely by an oil boom in the Permian Basin  allowed New Mexico to sharply increase spending in recent years.

Smith, the Senate Finance Committee chairman, said legislators may make two rounds of budget adjustments  a set of initial changes in June, then others in January, after more economic information is available.

Obviously, its a moving target, Smith said.
San Franciscos health department confirmed Wednesday that the city was administering alcohol, tobacco, medical cannabis and other substances in an effort to prevent a handful of people quarantined or isolating in city-leased hotels from going outside to get the substances themselves.

The hotel residents are also receiving medications such as methadone  delivered by methadone clinics  to tamp down heroin cravings. Its all part of a widely used harm reduction approach to helping addicts stay inside and curb the spread of the novel coronavirus while coping with the loss or reduction of their core drugs.

News of the health departments efforts was first reported by television station KTVU.

The city-rented hotels have been reserved for individuals who either have COVID-19 or are at heightened risk of catching it, and who have no space of their own to safely self-isolate or quarantine. And some of those individuals have substance-abuse issues or are already on a methadone regimen.

The citys health department is doing what it can to help those individuals through the duration of their self-isolation or quarantine period, said Jenna Lane, a spokeswoman for the Department of Public Health.

Theyre doing San Francisco a great service by staying inside, Lane said. Were saying, Were doing what we can to support you staying inside and not have to go out and get these things. The health department is also making clinicians and social workers available to anyone who wishes to begin addiction treatment while under DPHs supervision in the hotels.

No taxpayer money was being used to administer the substances to hotel guests, Lane said, only private donations.

There are around 270 people in city-leased hotel rooms who are waiting out self-isolation or quarantine periods, most of whom are homeless. Other rooms have been set aside for vulnerable homeless people who may not require COVID-19 isolation or quarantine.

Those receiving substances from the health department represent a small subset  a few dozen people  of the population staying in hotel rooms to safely self-isolate or quarantine.

Eleven of those under isolation and quarantine have received alcohol from the health department and around 27 have received tobacco, Lane said. The health department helped five people coordinate delivery of medical cannabis to their hotels.

Alcohol abuse, which is widespread among the citys homeless population due in part to its easy availability, is also a concern. So health department workers are calculating how much alcohol a hotel guest needs to stave off the effects of mild withdrawal.

For those guests, the DPH medical staff are calculating the minimum medically appropriate amounts of alcohol and distributing it with meals, Lane said. Alcohol withdrawal is the only one you can die from.

But one drug counselor in the city has trouble with the cannabis and liquor being handed out.

I have it from a pretty reliable source that weed and booze are being given to people in the hotels, and I have a real problem with that, said Thomas Wolf, a case manager who works with addicts in San Francisco. Theres an ethical issue there. Alcohol kills more people than any other drug. And I understand the risks of having people detox in hotel rooms, but my understanding is the people who are quarantined in the hotels can leave for 30 minutes for essential services.

So if they have to get what they think they need, thats what they should do. But dont deliver it to them, he said.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

He also pointed out that while marijuana is legal in California, it is illegal under federal law, which might put the Federal Emergency Management Agency funding for some of the hotel costs in jeopardy.

We want them to stay inside, but, man, youve got to draw the line somewhere and ask for more accountability, said Wolf, who was a homeless addict before cleaning up years ago and becoming a counselor. Dont be enabling people.

Alameda, Santa Clara and Contra Costa counties are also using a harm reduction approach in their hotels, administering medications to keep addicts stable, according to officials there. A program similar to San Franciscos is also in place in King County, Wash.

Last month, the National Health Care for the Homeless Council released a memo saying that if city programs cant find ways to accommodate the use of substances among very vulnerable people, clients may overdose or go into withdrawal (which can also be deadly if not medically monitored). Clients may also leave the program against medical advice, risking their own health and/or civil detention, as well as contributing to public health risk.

San Francisco Health Director Dr. Grant Colfax said the citys approach was underpinned by decades of (medical) literature supporting harm reduction approaches to addiction management.

Our focus is using the best evidence to help people manage their addictions, Colfax said at a Wednesday news conference. In some cases, this will include helping them manage their alcohol and nicotine use so they can stay safe and in place as much as possible to help their communities and help themselves.

Dominic Fracassa and Kevin Fagan are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com, kfagan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa, @KevinChron
This Wish Of Rishi Kapoor & Jackie Shroff Will Remain Unfulfilled

He told the leading tabloid, "Chintuji always used to tell me, Jaggu dada, I want to do a film opposite you. We've worked together in so many movies but never faced each other on camera.' Him being a senior to me and one of the finest actors of the industry, I so wanted to act with him. I feel sad that this wish will never come true now. We've lost a precious jewel of the crown."

Jackie Shroff Was Awestruck When He Saw Rishi Kapoor For The First Time

Jackie recalled how he was awestruck by Rishi Kapoor's aura and personality, when he saw him for the first time.

The Ram Lakhan actor revealed, "I remember his film Bobby (1973) had released and he shot to fame overnight. I was hanging around the Pastry Palace in Mumbai and I saw him there for the first time. I was like, Wao, Rishi Kapoor!' I wasn't an actor then and seeing a superstar was like a fan moment to me and I never knew that one day, we would share such great camaraderie."

The Actor Was A Huge Fan Of Rishi Kapoor

Jackie Shroff said that he loved everything about Rishi Kapoor. "I couldn't do what he could. Neither I could dance like him nor romance," he said, further adding, "He would meet people with a big warm hug and was so jovial and always sharing good vibes. I could always feel that affection from a senior not just for myself but for Tiger (son, Tiger Shroff) as well. We would ring up and discuss Tiger's performance in his recent movies. Coming from him really meant a lot to me."

Jackie Shroff On Rishi Kapoor's Demise

The actor said that Rishi Kapoor's death has left a huge void which can never be filled. "He is embedded deeply in my heart forever," signed off Jackie.
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The woman having an affair with Professor Neil Ferguson had said the lockdown was putting a 'strain' on her open marriage as Health Secretary Matt Hancock today admitted the shamed scientist's trysts had left him 'speechless'.

Professor Ferguson was branded an 'arrogant hypocrite' by critics today for catastrophically 'undermining' the government's position and there was pressure for the police to fine him for ignoring the lockdown rules he helped create.

But Scotland Yard has said this afternoon that while his behaviour is 'plainly disappointing', officers 'do not intend to take any further action' because 'he has accepted that he made an error of judgement and has taken responsibility'.

Professor Ferguson will no longer advise the Government in any capacity, the PM's spokesman said today, having quit the influential SAGE committee and the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group [NERVTAG]. His employer Imperial College London is standing by him - but it is not clear if he will lose the significant amounts of taxpayer-funded grants he receives for his research each year.

Professor Ferguson, 51, had asked his mistress Antonia Staats, 38, to travel across London from her 1.9million home at least twice despite lecturing 66million in Britain on the need to stay apart to stop the spread of the killer virus and stop the NHS being overwhelmed with patients.

In a podcast on March 31, 24 hours after her first visit to his central London flat, Ms Staats, who is said to have met her lover on online dating site OkCupid a year ago, said of the lockdown: 'I think it's also a strain on  maybe strained has sounded too negative  but it's an interesting relationship challenge, for Chris [her husband] and my relationship.'

And despite seeing her lover across town as the pandemic approached its peak she admitted: 'Chris has been not feeling great and thinks he got it. But we can't know for sure'. Prof Ferguson is thought to have met Ms Staat's husband Chris, who also has tightly cropped hair and glasses, and they learned they share an interest in data science, a friend said.

Matt Hancock said: 'It's just extraordinary. I don't understand the decision [to ignore the lockdown]. I am speechless - and that doesn't often happen to me. But I am. The social distancing rules are there for everyone. And they are incredibly important and deadly serious'.

Speaking to Sky News today the Health Secretary hinted that the police should fine Professor Ferguson for breaking the lockdown laws. He said: 'It's a matter for the police.. but I think the social distancing rules are there for a reason. I back the police here. They will make the decisions independently - but I think he was right to resign'.

Neil Ferguson was nicknamed 'Professor Lockdown' when the crisis began because he convinced Boris Johnson to order millions to stay at home - with the Health Secretary admitting today that his advice, which included apocalyptic warnings of 500,000 UK deaths, had heavily influenced the Government's policies.

The shamed academic also predicted the United States faced 2.2million death without a lockdown and today Elon Musk branded him a 'moron' and a 'tool' and said he and other academics spooked the White House into initiating its own lockdown by peddling 'fake science'.

Professor Neil Ferguson, 51, allowed his lover, Antonia Staats (main picture), to visit him at his home, despite the lockdown. Ms Staats, 38, who lives with her husband Chris Lucas (right) and their children in another house, went over to see the scientist at least twice during the lockdown

The South London home of Antonia Staats, which she shares with her husband Chris and their two children. Prof Ferguson is thought to have met Ms Staat's husband and they share an interest in data science, a friend told the Telegraph.

Ms Staats is believed to have visited the scientist shortly after he finished self-isolating for two weeks - and may also face police action

How architect of the lockdown lectured the country while flouting the rules Professor Neil Ferguson, 51, pictured on March 25 before the Commons Science and Technology Committee - five days before allowed his married lover, Antonia Staats, to visit him at his home MARCH 16: A week before the lockdown began Professor Neil Ferguson was arguing that a full lockdown was required to slow the number of deaths and said: 'We are left with no option but to adopt this more draconian strategy'. A report he authored for his employer Imperial College London warned that 500,000 people could die without mass self-isolation of households. MARCH 17: He visited Downing Street to advise the Prime Minister on his findings including recommendations for a lockdown. MARCH 18: Professor Ferguson tests positive for coronavirus MARCH 23: Boris Johnson announces there will be a lockdown in a national TV address MARCH 25: Prof Ferguson appears before the Commons Science and Technology Committee and warns that the NHS will be overwhelmed without a lockdown, MARCH 30: His married lover Antonia Staats visited Prof Ferguson just after he had finished two weeks of self-isolation after testing positive for the virus. He also did a Radio 4 interview on the importance of the lockdown. APRIL 4: Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today, he said: 'We want to move to a situation where at least by the end of May we can substitute less intensive measures for the current lockdown we have now... I don't think anyone wants to lift measures at the current time and risk the epidemic getting worse' APRIL 8: Antonia made a second visit to Professor Ferguson 8 despite telling friends that her husband, an academic in his 30s, was showing symptoms of coronavirus. APRIL 16: Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Professor Neil Ferguson had stressed the importance of keeping to social distancing guidelines. He said at the time: 'If we want to reopen schools, let people get back to work, then we need to keep transmission down in another manner. It is not going to go back to normal, we will have to maintain some level of social distancing - significant levels of social distancing - probably indefinitely until we have a vaccine available.' APRIL 25: The number of deaths from coronavirus could reach 100,000 in the UK by the end of this year if a gradual lockdown is implemented just to shield the elderly, Professor Neil Ferguson warned. He told UnHerd: 'You would require a very high level of effective shielding for that to be a viable strategy. If you just achieve 80 per cent shielding - and 80 per cent reduction in infection risk in those groups - we still project that you would get more than 100,000 deaths this year from that kind of strategy. The most vulnerable people are also the people who most need care and most need interaction with the health system and are least able to be truly isolated.' Advertisement

Critics including many Britons on social media called him an 'arrogant hypocrite' for ignoring the lockdown rules he helped sculpt.

Matt Hancock admitted it was 'just not possible' for Prof Ferguson to continue advising the Government, and on the academic's claims he believed he was 'immune' from Covid-19 Mr Hancock said: 'I asked the Chief Medical Officer this exact question recently and said: 'because I've had it do I have to do social distancing?' and the answer was a clear 'yes'.

The Cabinet minister praised him as a 'very eminent' scientist whose work has been 'important' in the Government's response, but said he had to resign.

Scotland Yard said in a statement this afternoon that Prof Ferguson had accepted responsibility so they will not take further action.

'We remain committed to our role in supporting adherence to Government guidance and have made it clear that our starting position is explaining the need to follow the regulations with anyone who is in breach in order to keep people safe and protect the NHS,' a statement from the force said.

'It is clear in this case that whilst this behaviour is plainly disappointing, Professor Ferguson has accepted that he made an error of judgement and has taken responsibility for that.

'We therefore do not intend to take any further action.'

In a resignation statement last night, the academic, who is married with a son but is believed to be separated from his wife, admitted he had 'made an error of judgement' but claimed he thought he was 'immune' to the illness - despite leading scientists and the World Health Organisation saying there is still not enough evidence recovering from Covid-19 can protect you from reinfection.

Piers Morgan tweeted: 'Unbelievable and shocking. So, the government is ''following the science'' of scientists who don't even follow their own science. What a shameful shambles. Professor Ferguson's excuse is he thought he was immune from COVID-19 after having it - despite there being zero scientific proof people who've had it actually get immunity. And this guy's the No1 'expert' on whom the government is basing its entire coronavirus strategy?'

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: 'Scientists like him have told us we should not be doing it, so surely in his case, it is a case of we have been doing as he says and he has been doing as he wants. He has peculiarly breached his own guidelines. For an intelligent man, I find that very hard to believe. It risks undermining the Government's lockdown message'.

Good Morning Britain medic Dr Hilary Jones said today: 'He says it was an error of judgement but I don't think there was any judgement at all. He was prepared to take risks but when you take risks you not only put yourself at risk but others as well. He had no choice but to resign as it was unacceptable that someone who set down rules and told the government what measures should be in place does that.'

Psychologist Emma Kenny told GMB: 'I'm not surprised he has broken his own rules because he consistently got the figures wrong and has given us a completely false representation of what we are facing'.

The epidemiologist, director of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College, London, authored the report containing the apocalyptic prediction that coronavirus could kill 500,000 Britons - convincing the Prime Minister he had to lockdown the country from March 23.

Elon Musk leads US anger at 'hypocritical' British 'Professor Lockdown' over rule-breaking trysts Elon Musk has branded the British scientist who initiated the lockdown a 'moron' and a 'tool' after he broke his own rules to see his married lover. The billionaire tech tycoon also rubbished Professor Neil Ferguson's 'fake science' which in March forecast apocalyptic death tolls in the UK and US if both governments remained squeamish about enforcing social distancing The Imperial College London scientist's worst-case scenarios of 500,000 and 2.2million victims, respectively, is credited with spooking Downing Street and the White House into action. Responding to a tweet about Prof Ferguson's resignation, the billionaire SpaceX founder Mr Musk said: 'What a tool'. Labeling him 'a moron', Musk wrote: 'Something more should be done. This guy has caused massive strife to the world with his absurdly fake 'science'.' Advertisement

Yet on March 30, Ms Staats, who lives with her husband Chris and their two children in a 1.9million house in south London, travelled across the capital to visit her scientist lover, who then apparently warned the country the lockdown would be necessary until June in a BBC interview when Ms Staats was allegedly in his flat.

His married lover, a Left-wing campaigner who has repeated slammed Boris Johnson and Brexit on social media, made a second visit to Professor Ferguson on April 8 despite telling friends that her husband, an academic in his 30s, was showing symptoms of coronavirus.

Ms Staats has reportedly insisted her actions to visit the scientist are not hypocritical, as she considers the households to be one because she is understood to be in an 'open relationship'.

One friends of the couple told MailOnline: 'I last spoke to Chris and Antonia about a week ago. They were going out for a walk with their kids, which is what they've been doing every day.

'We just chatted about life in lockdown and how we're all coping. They're home schooling their kids and Antonia was saying how weird it all is because they had never spent so much time together. But she did say they've got a nice house with lots of space and are luckier than many other people.

'She did say that the cleaner isn't coming at the moment and that they're dividing the household chores between them, which made me laugh because that's a very middle class problem'.

Other neighbours described Chris Lucas as a bright, articulate man who enjoys taking part in community activities.

They said that both he and Antonia are popular residents of the affluent, middle class area where houses cost in excess of 1.5 million.

One said: 'Chris is incredibly intelligent. He speaks about six or seven languages and is an academic at SOAS.

'Both he and Antonia are very popular around here and are a big part of our community. I always enjoy talking to them, especially Chris who is very knowledgeable about Middle Eastern affairs.

'Whenever we have any kind of community celebration they always take part along with their kids. They are a great family.'

Another neighbour said: 'I've known Chris and his family for five years they are really nice, helpful people.

'Chris is really intelligent and successful but he's really down to earth, as is Antonia, who is also incredibly bright. I' m not interested in the kind of relationship they had, that's nobody's business.

'She's a lovely person, really kind hearted and cares about making the world a better place. They're a wonderful family.'

In 2017, Ms Staats was pictured protesting outside Parliament next to puppets of Theresa May and Rupert Murdoch while holding a banner that read: 'Stop Murdoch pulling the strings.'

Ms Staats (second left) has insisted her actions to visit the scientist are not hypocritical, as she considers the households to be one

How Professor Neil Ferguson has advised the government on series of outbreaks including swine flu, foot and mouth and BSE Professor Neil Ferguson, 51, is considered one of the country's most eminent scientists having made his name during the foot and mouth crisis. His controversial predictions about the number of possible deaths from coronavirus in the UK and US, as well as his regular TV and radio interviews, has also made him a household name He was born in Cumbria but grew up in Mid Wales, earning a masters degree in Physics and a PhD in theoretical physics from the University of Oxford. He specialises in measuring the spread of infectious disease in humans and animals through mathematical modelling and has provided data on several outbreaks including the swine flu outbreak in 2009 in the UK, the 2012 Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus outbreak and the ebola epidemic in Western Africa in 2016. He is currently the director of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College, London, and, before his resignation, a member of the government's SAGE committee that advises ministers on tackling the coronavirus pandemic. In March, he calculated that without a draconian national lockdown, coronavirus would claim 510,000 lives. But crucially, he also estimated that 250,000 would die if ministers stuck with the strategy of controlling the spread with limited measures  such as home isolation for those displaying symptoms of the virus. Prof Ferguson reckoned that if the strictest possible measures were introduced the number of deaths over a two-year period would fall to below 20,000. In hindsight that estimate was ambitious  in less than three months Britain's death toll has soared to more than 32,000. But it was enough to persuade Mr Johnson to impose the most drastic peacetime measures ever seen. Prof Ferguson has been a regular presence on television and on the radio throughout the crisis. But he has rejected the 'Professor Lockdown' nickname used by many. In one interview, on the Andrew Marr show last month, he insisted it was up to ministers to make the decisions. 'We provide scientific evidence along with a lot of other scientific groups across the country which fed into government policy,' he said. 'But we did not determine that policy, there are a number of balancing acts involved in doing that.' He also points out that he leads one of at least five modelling teams who had come to similar conclusions in March. But as a long-term member of the Government's SAGE scientific advisory committee  and with a high-profile media presence  his voice is one that will have been heard louder than most. On March 18 he fell victim to the virus himself. Two days previously he stood next to Health Secretary Matt Hancock at a Press conference. Mr Hancock learned he had the virus a few days later. Mr Johnson and Chris Whitty, the chief medical advisor, developed symptoms the same day. Colleagues describe the 51-year-old as an energetic workaholic who has little need for sleep. Prof Ferguson rose to prominence during the 2001 foot and mouth crisis. His research, carried out with mentor Professor Roy Anderson, helped persuade Tony Blair's government to carry out a devastating cull of animals, and saw him awarded an OBE.His work suggested that animals to be culled should include not only those found to be infected with the virus but also those on adjacent farms. A decade later another highly critical report said the Government ordered the destruction of millions of animals because of 'severely flawed' modelling. In 2002, Prof Ferguson published a report on the BSE crisis, years after the peak of the episode.He speculated that BSE in cows and sheep could cause up to 150,000 human deaths  to date fewer than 200 have died. He has since been involved in modelling numbers during the SARS, bird flu, ebola and Zika epidemics, with varying accuracy. He stands by his work  pointing out that each calculation has come with a 'range' of possible eventualities. Advertisement

The scientist has quit his role on the secretive SAGE committee of experts advising the Prime Minister but Imperial College London appears to be standing by him and said today that Prof Ferguson 'continues to focus on his important research'.

The epidemiologist said in a statement: 'I accept I made an error of judgment and took the wrong course of action. I have therefore stepped back from my involvement in Sage [the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies].

'I acted in the belief that I was immune, having tested positive for coronavirus, and completely isolated myself for almost two weeks after developing symptoms.

'I deeply regret any undermining of the clear messages around the continued need for social distancing to control this devastating epidemic. The Government guidance is unequivocal, and is there to protect all of us.'

Neighbours at Prof Fergusons former marital home in Oxford were furious at his behaviour.

He and his wife Kim, who is involved with the residents association, are said to be estranged.

Their home, set on a private cul-de-sac next to a pond, was part of a luxury horseshoe-style development completed in 2001.

One elderly resident who did not want to be named said: 'I feel incredibly sorry for his wife and child. They are totally blameless and humiliated I would think. I find it very sad that he has done this.'

Another resident sitting in the sunshine near to Professor Ferguson's home, said: 'My sympathies are with his wife. She has put a message on our lockdown Whatsapp group saying she does not want to talk about it.

Another man, out for a stroll with his wife, said: 'He's not been around for weeks. I don't think he actually lives here anymore. I think he should have taken a leaf out of his neighbours' books. We have been observing the lockdown like everyone else. I just think he must have thought it was no risk because he'd already had it.'

Security Minister James Brokenshire said Prof Ferguson had 'made the right decision' in resigning from Sage.

He told Sky News: 'Professor Ferguson, I think, has obviously made his statement underlining that there's no excuse for not following the social distancing rules, and I think he's made the right decision here.

'The work of Sage continues and obviously we will continue to be informed by that group and the experts that provide that support to the Government.'

Asked whether Prof Ferguson's comments about immunity - in which he stated that he believed he was immune after contracting Covid-19 - should be taken seriously, Mr Brokenshire said it is 'too early' to reach conclusions.

Ms Staats visited Prof Ferguson just after he had finished two weeks of self-isolation after testing positive for the virus.

The visits came despite the government warning couples that they would either have to move in with each other or face staying apart during the coronavirus lockdown.

He told the BBC Today Programme in mid-April, after he had seen his lover: 'If we want to reopen schools, let people get back to work then we need to keep transmissions down in another manner. It's not going to be going back to normal, we will have to maintain some level of social distancing, significant level of social distancing probably indefinitely until we have a vaccine available'.

It was suggested the restrictions are an opportunity to 'test relationships' and Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer, said: 'If the two halves of a couple are currently in separate households, ideally they should stay in those households.

'The alternative might be that, for quite a significant period going forwards, they should test the strength of their relationship and decide whether one wishes to be permanently resident in another household.'

The first of Ms Staat's visits to Prof Ferguson was on Monday March 30, a week into coronavirus lockdown.

He appeared on the BBC Today programme at 7.50am that day, with Ms Staats thought to be at the house at the time.

The visit coincided with a public warning by Prof Ferguson that the lockdown measures would have to remain until at least June.

Ms Staats, who is a left-wing campaigner, made a second visit to Prof Ferguson on April 8, despite reportedly telling friends that she suspected her own husband, an academic in his 30s, had symptoms of coronavirus.

She and her husband Chris met while studying at SOAS in London and live in a 1.9 million home with their two children and are understood to be in an 'open relationship'.

Ms Staats grew up in Isny, south Germany, went to university in Berlin and came to London in 2003, earning a masters in Asian Politics from the School of Oriental and African Studies, where her husband works.

She has worked for Avaaz, a US-based online network which promotes global activism on issues such as climate change.

Professor Neil Ferguson (left on April 5) warned the number of deaths from coronavirus in the UK could reach 500,000 if lockdown wasn't implemented - yet he was still happy to spend the night with Antonia Staats, who reportedly told friends that she suspected her own husband, an academic in his 30s, had symptoms of coronavirus

How Imperial College report written by Prof Ferguson warned of 500,000 deaths and persuaded the PM to implement lockdown A scientific paper published by Professor Neil Ferguson and his colleagues on the Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team was credited for persuading Boris Johnson's Government to ramp up their response to the coronavirus. The paper predicted that the Government's original plan to 'mitigate' the outbreak instead of trying to stop it could have led to a quarter of a million people dying. Using data from Italy and China, the scientists predicted how different Government measures would have different impacts on the outbreaks. If no action at all had been taken against the coronavirus it would have claimed 510,000 lives, the team's report said. Had the Government stuck with their strategy of trying to 'mitigate' the spread  allowing it to continue but attempting to slow it down  with limited measures such as home isolation for those with symptoms this number would be roughly halved to 260,000. If the strictest possible measures are introduced  including school closures and mandatory home quarantine  the number of deaths over a two-year period would fall below 20,000, the scientists said, despite Britain's death toll far-surpassing that number. 'Instead of talking about hundreds of thousands of deaths, there still will be a significant health impact that we'll be talking about,' Professor Ferguson said. As a result, the Government implemented the lockdown, announcing that people should stop travelling, stop socialising and work from home. They were also told to avoid visiting their sick or elderly relatives unless they have to. Other points in the Imperial College report, titled Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to reduce COVID19 mortality and healthcare demand, included: Advertisement

In 2017, Ms Staats was pictured protesting outside Parliament next to puppets of Theresa May and Rupert Murdoch while holding a banner that read: 'Stop Murdoch pulling the strings.'

A few weeks after the second visit, Prof Ferguson warned that the number of deaths from coronavirus could reach 100,000 in the UK by the end of this year if a gradual lockdown is implemented just to shield the elderly.

He said it was impossible to send the young and healthy back to work while keeping the vulnerable in lockdown without seeing a huge increase in deaths.

The epidemiologist added that some degree of social isolation will continue to be required until a vaccine to the killer bug is released.

He has faced criticism for suggesting that UK deaths could hit 500,000 prior to the lockdown.

Bur Prof Ferguson previously insisted there had been nothing wrong his prediction, saying he'd made it prior to the government bringing in tough measures and said he never thought that such a lockdown would have been pursued.

His is not the first high-profile resignation of the pandemic, with Dr Catherine Calderwood having quit as Scotland's chief medical officer after making two trips to her second home.

Prof Ferguson, a mathematician and epidemiologist, led the Imperial team which modelled the spread and impact of Covid-19 in a Government-commissioned report.

In the report's wake, the Prime Minister announced the lockdown on March 23 ordering the public to stay at home as he shut most shops and gave police unprecedented enforcement powers.

Under those measures, partners who do not live together were told they can no longer see each other.

Prof Ferguson said on March 18 that he had the fever and cough symptoms of Covid-19 and that there was a small risk he had infected others.

'The more serious point is that it highlights the need for the response which has been enacted,' he said at the time.

The number of people dying each week during the UK's coronavirus crisis has been significantly higher - more than double in recent weeks - than the average number of deaths for this time of year

Neil Ferguson joins long list of famous names who flouted the lockdown Professor Neil Ferguson, the scientist whose research helped usher in the lockdown, has resigned from his role as a key Government adviser after admitting that he had undermined social distancing rules by meeting his lover at his home. But Prof Ferguson is not the first prominent figure to be caught breaching social-distancing restrictions amid the global coronavirus pandemic. - Dr Catherine Calderwood Scotland's chief medical officer resigned in April after twice breaking lockdown restrictions in order to visit her second home, which was located more than an hour away from her main residence in Edinburgh. Despite Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon backing Dr Calderwood to remain in her position, she ultimately decided to relinquish her role so as not to be a 'distraction' from the Government's social-distancing message. - Robert Jenrick The housing, communities and local government secretary was forced to explain himself after travelling more than an hour to visit his parents despite warning people to remain at home. Mr Jenrick was also criticised for travelling 150 miles from his London property to his Herefordshire home from where he travelled to his parents in Shropshire. However, he defended his actions, saying he went to deliver food and medicine to his isolating parents. - Stephen Kinnock The MP for Aberavon in South Wales was publicly shamed by police after travelling to London to celebrate his father's birthday. After Mr Kinnock posted a photo on Twitter of himself practicing social distancing with his parents outside their home, South Wales Police replied: 'We know celebrating your Dad's birthday is a lovely thing to do, however this is not essential travel. We all have our part to play in this, we urge you to comply with (lockdown) restrictions, they are in place to keep us all safe. Thank you.' Advertisement

Following his recovery from the symptoms, he later told the BBC that 'significant levels of social distancing' would be required until a vaccine has been developed.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme last month, he said: 'If we want to reopen schools, let people get back to work, then we need to keep transmission down in another manner.

'It is not going to go back to normal, we will have to maintain some level of social distancing - significant levels of social distancing - probably indefinitely until we have a vaccine available.'

It comes as another 693 people were yesterday confirmed to have died of COVID-19 in Britain, taking the number of victims to 29,427 and making Britain the worst-hit nation in Europe.

And separate backdated figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show the figure appears to have already been higher than 32,000 by April 24 - 10 days ago.

In other developments in the UK's coronavirus battle today:

Dominic Raab issued a thinly-veiled warning to Russia and China tonight as he lashed out at 'predatory' hackers targeting organisations involved in the fight against coronavirus;

At least 12 different strains of coronavirus were circulating in the UK in March - including one that has only ever been found in Britain, Government-funded study finds;

Rishi Sunak could reduce government furlough wage support from 80 per cent to 60 per cent in the months ahead as part of a plan to ease Britain back to work, it was claimed today;

Experts warned the NHS's new coronavirus track-and-trace app could be hijacked by trolls;

Nicola Sturgeon unveiled her own lockdown 'exit strategy' and suggested she will not let schools open until August;

Cities and rural areas could be treated differently when coronavirus lockdown measures are eased, the Government's Chief Scientific Adviser hinted today.

That number is 42 per cent higher than the count announced by the Department of Health at the time, suggesting the current total could be higher than 40,000 - this would mean COVID-19 has killed more Britons in eight weeks than died over seven months during the Blitz bombings in World War Two.

Today's data confirms that more people have died of the coronavirus in the UK than in Italy, still considered to be the worst-hit country in Europe and had suffered 29,079 fatalities by this morning. Only the US has had more deaths than Britain - almost 70,000 - while there have been 25,600 in Spain and 25,200 in France.

What ARE the lockdown rules and has Professor Ferguson broken them? Regulation 6 of the The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 states no person may leave the place where they live without a reasonable excuse. The National Police Chief's Council has released its interpretation of what constitutes a 'reasonable excuse': It classifies explains its interpretation of how the law relates to everyday activities. It defines activites that are likely to be reasonable as: - Buying several days' worth of food, including luxury items and alcohol. - Buying tools and supplies to repair a fence panel damaged in recent bad weather. - Exercise including: going for a run or cycle or practicing yoga. Walking in the countryside or in cities. Attending an allotment. - Stopping to rest or to eat lunch while on a long walk. It defines activities that are 'not likely to be reasonable' as: - Buying paint and brushes, simply to redecorate a kitchen - A short walk to a park bench, when the person remains seated for a much longer period - A person who can work from home choosing to work in a local park. - Couples who live in separate homes should stay living apart. This final point suggests that Professor Ferguson, 51, and Antonia Staats, 38, should be fined - although Ms Staats is said to believe that because they are lovers they should be classed as the same household. But Scotland Yard has said Professor Neil Ferguson's behaviour is 'plainly disappointing' but officers 'do not intend to take any further action' after accepting his error. Advertisement

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab today also announced 4,406 more cases of the life-threatening virus had been confirmed, taking the official size of the outbreak to 194,990 - but the true size of the UK's crisis is a mystery due to the controversial decision to abandon widespread testing early on.

In Downing Street's press conference, Mr Raab also lashed out at 'predatory' hackers targeting organisations involved in the fight against coronavirus, saying criminals and 'hostile states' were trying to take advantage of the crisis for their own 'malicious ends'.

Discussing the death toll, he added that the scale of the disaster in Britain was a 'massive tragedy' on a scale the country has never seen before. He refused to speculate on international comparisons.

Meanwhile, Mr Raab warned that a blanket reopening of schools next month would risk a deadly second wave of coronavirus.

The Foreign Secretary dashed hopes of a widespread return after half-term, warning that it was too soon to even consider the move.

Speaking at the daily No 10 press briefing, Mr Raab said evidence from scientists indicated that opening all schools would lead to a 'very real risk' of a steep rise in transmission rates.

The warning came just hours after Nicola Sturgeon said schools north of the border were unlikely to reopen in the foreseeable future.

Scotland's First Minister said reopening now would 'most likely' see hospitals north of the border 'overwhelmed' with coronavirus cases within two months. She warned it 'might not be possible at all ahead of the summer holidays'.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson told MPs there would be a 'phased approach' to reopening.

Is Neil Ferguson right and do coronavirus survivers really gain immuinity? Leading virologists have repeatedly warned the truth on whether COVID-19 survivors have any degree of immunity is still murky. With some infectious diseases, such as measles, the immunity can be lifelong. With others, immunity can wane over time. When someone gets infected with a virus their immune system must work out how to fight it off and produce substances called antibodies. Antibodies  which can be found in blood tests - are stored in the immune system so if it comes into contact with that same virus again it can fight it off. While antibodies typically confer some degree of immunity, whether that is the case with this unique coronavirus is not yet known. Most scientists tracking the pandemic, which started in China in December, agree that COVID-19 survivors will get some degree of protection. But the World Health Organization has warned there is 'currently no evidence' recovered patients are protected from a second infection at all. Other experts have claimed similar coronaviruses - including ones that cause the common cold - also induce immunity for around three months. Number 10's chief scientific adviser yesterday told MPs that survivors will 'almost certainly' not obtain 'absolute immunity'. Advertisement

He said: 'We will take a phased approach in terms of reopening schools and we will always aim to give schools, parents and, of course, critically importantly, children the maximum notice in terms of when this is going to happen.'

Mr Raab said that it would not be a 'binary' situation where schools were either fully open or fully shut.

He added: 'At least to date the evidence has been that we wouldn't be able to open up all schools without a very real risk that the R rate  the transmission rate  would rise at such a level that we would risk a second spike.'

He said he had asked the Government's scientific advisers for the best options and would be guided by them.

Sources last night said ministers were still hopeful that some children could go back to school after half-term at the beginning of next month. However, they have ruled out making any return compulsory.

Sources told the Mail parents would not face fines if they refuse to send children back.

Any return is likely to involve only some year groups going back to school at first to allow for greater social distancing in the classroom. Under normal circumstances schooling is compulsory, with parents facing 60 fines if they fail to send their children to school without good reason. Fines double to 120 if not paid within 21 days, and parents can face prosecution if they refuse to pay after 28 days.

Teaching unions have asked for guarantees that fines will be suspended during any back-to-school transition, when many children will still be told to stay at home.

Teachers yesterday warned they 'must not be used as an experiment', amid fears that resistance to returning to classrooms could render the reopening of schools impossible.
On Sunday night the former head of Doctors Without Borders, Dr. Joanne Liu, said something that stopped me in my tracks. The Quebec City-born doctor has said she read The Plague by Albert Camus as a teenager; she was inspired by the line a doctor says, amid the carnage: I never got used to death. She has seen plagues.

When I was in West Africa, we made mistakes, just like anyone would anywhere, said Liu in French, on the popular Quebecois show Tout le monde en parle. But the population forgave us for those mistakes.

Except the one thing they never forgave was that we allowed people to die alone. What they never forgave was not allowing them to perform their rites when someone died.

And I think once COVID is behind us in a couple of years, people wont remember everything we did in terms of washing our hands, or masks. They will remember that they werent there when their mother died, and theyll remember they couldnt have a funeral. Man is not made to die alone.

Liu then said once the long-term-care home disaster has stabilized, Quebecs call for long-term-care home staff should include family members trained so they could be by a parents side, too. She said, Everyone can learn how to put on personal protective equipment. The prime minister agreed.

On Tuesday, Quebec indeed announced that a designated caregiver will indeed be allowed into certain long-term-care homes, if the home is COVID-free and they respect infection protocols. And when a patient in palliative care is dying, family will be allowed to attend.

It did not solve the problem of people dying alone from COVID-19, in the nations worst outbreak. Not while personal protective equipment is still a fraught lifeline, and not while hospitals and long-term-care homes are still battling outbreaks of this hideously contagious virus.

For non-COVID patients, some hospitals have allowed families to say goodbye in palliative care, fully masked and wearing PPE. Some families choose video goodbyes, so that the person they love can see their face. The coronavirus and the experience of death may be an insoluble problem.

But Quebecs move to grant more families access to their loved ones was striking, and maybe Ontario should follow.

You have to balance the risk of more foot traffic coming into that home, but also having someone come into the home is better than nobody, where the residents wont receive the care they need, says Dr. Samir Sinha, the director of geriatrics at Mount Sinai and the University Health Network. So this is a rock and a hard place. We need to really make sure were protecting the rest of the residents.

Part of Quebecs move is surely their dire situation; there has literally been a public call to staff long-term-care homes, and having a family member could help.

But Ontario has called in the military to help with long-term-care homes, too. According to Sinha, Quebec had 6,603 cases of the coronavirus across 273 homes as of April 30, and not counting staff; Ontario, as of May 4, had 6,815 cases in 289 homes, including staff. Assuming Quebec has continued to rise, they are likely ahead. But it is hard to say by how much.

So would letting family members care for their loved ones  after PPE training, with proper protection  help here? One paramedic recently told the Star about lax mask usage and residents in the halls in at least three Mississauga long-term-care homes; it is not a sure thing that it would be a safe situation.

But Quebec is desperate, and Ontario could become desperate, too, and family access and the end-of-life experience are linked. Palliative visits have been limited and uncertain in Ontario, in this pandemic. Maybe, once we have things in better shape, family can be a part of care again, to the end.

If youre at the end of life youre allowed to have a visitor, though in some hospitals theyre not allowing that person to be there right at the very end, but maybe more of a fixed time towards the end of life, says Sinha. I find that very difficult, personally. But I think every hospital is doing it differently.

This (pandemic) has really disrupted how families can grieve, and how families can support their loved ones that are dying  the best that might look like is the person holding your hand wearing a mask, and personal protective equipment.

To try and protect life we actually have to cut people off from the only things that brought them joy: holding the hand of their loved ones.

So maybe training families to don and doff PPE will help, some small amount. Maybe its too dangerous. Maybe, at the end of a life, the question isnt easy.

At the end of the day, everyones trying to do the right thing, says Sinha. But ultimately one of the biggest things were seeing is family members who are really worried about their loved ones in these settings, and the notion of your frail loved one dying alone in a home is something I think families will never be able to forgive themselves for.

So at least in a catastrophe, or at least in a situation where we have some real homes that are struggling right now, if theres one way we can alleviate suffering by allowing people to be with their loved ones at the end of their lives in a safe and dignified way, that might be a little solace we can at least give families and residents amidst all the anguish as well.

There are no easy answers in all this, no matter what we want. But I will think for a long time about what Dr. Liu said, and what inspired her. We should try to keep that humanity, in any safe way we can. Whatever happens, we should not get used to death.

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Boris Johnsons most senior aide is facing fresh allegations he flouted lockdown rules by taking a sightseeing trip on Easter Sunday.

The prime minister is facing mounting calls to sack Dominic Cummings amid claims he made several trips to see his family in County Durham, while the country was being told to stay at home.

Ministers vociferously defended Mr Cummings after it emerged he had made the 260-mile journey, insisting he had obeyed the rules by staying in one place while there.

However, an eyewitness told The Observer and the Sunday Mirror he had seen Mr Cummings on 12 April, 30 miles from Durham in Barnard Castle.

Another eyewitness said they saw the prime ministers most trusted aide in Durham on 19 April, days after he had been photographed returning to Downing Street.

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AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 23 November 2021 The coffin of Sir David Amess is carried past politicians, including former Prime Ministers Sir John Major, David Cameron and Theresa May, Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Home Secretary Priti Patel and Prime Minister Boris Johnson during the requiem mass for the MP at Westminster Cathedral, central London PA UK news in pictures 22 November 2021 The scene in Dragon Rise, Norton Fitzwarren, Somerset where police have launched a murder probe after two people were found dead Tom Wren/SWNS UK news in pictures 21 November 2021 London-based midwife Sarah Muggleton, 27, takes part in a 'March with Midwives' in central London to highlight the crisis in maternity services PA UK news in pictures 20 November 2021 Police officers monitor as climate change activists sit down and block traffic during a protest action in solidarity with activists from the Insulate Britain group who received prison terms for blocking roads, on Lambeth Bridge in central London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 19 November 2021 A giant installation of Prime Minister Boris Johnson made from recycled clothing goes on display at Manchester Central, as part of Manchester Art Fair, in a 'wake-up call for the Prime Minister to tackle textile waste' PA UK news in pictures 18 November 2021 The scene at a recycling centre in Stert, near Devizes in Wiltshire after a large blaze was brought under control. 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He began his demonstration on 24 October after his wife lost her latest appeal in Iran, saying his family was caught in a dispute between two states PA

Earlier, Downing Street had described the first trip as essential, saying Mr Cummings needed his familys help to care for his young son because his wife was sick with coronavirus and he feared he was next.

Cabinet ministers lined up to defend Mr Cummings, saying he had put his family first and accused critics of trying to politicise the issue.

Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, used the daily Downing Street press conference to suggest that Mr Cummings had not broken lockdown rules because he had stayed put upon arrival in Durham.

But Robin Lees, 70, a retired chemistry teacher, told the papers he had seen Mr Cummings in Barnard Castle on Easter Sunday.

Mr Lees compared him to Catherine Calderwood, Scotlands former chief medical officer, who stood down after visiting her second home twice during lockdown.

Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP have written to Sir Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary, calling for an inquiry into Mr Cummingss decision to travel from London to Durham.

They want the probe to include when the prime minister was made aware Mr Cummings had left the capital.

Senior Tories also expressed concern that Mr Cummings's behaviour could encourage others to flout the rules, jeopardising the governments plans to gradually lift the lockdown.

The Independent can reveal that senior MPs are set to question Mr Johnson over Mr Cummings later this week, as pressure grows on the prime minister to explain what he knew about the trip under lockdown.

Parliament is in recess until June, meaning Mr Johnson will not have to face MPs at Prime Ministers Questions.

But members of the Commons Liaison Committee, which is made up of the chairs of other select committees, said they expected Mr Johnson to be questioned about Mr Cummings when he makes his first appearance before them later this week.

Pete Wishart, an SNP MP who sits on the committee and is a member of the "quad" which organises its business, said: If nothing has changed and Dominic Cummings is still in post by Wednesday, it would be very surprising if this was an issue that was not raised.

Another member of the committee said: Im sure one of my colleagues will crowbar the Cummings question in.

In a statement defending Mr Cummings, Downing Street said his trip had been essential to ensure his young son was properly cared for. After an offer of help from his sister and nieces, he travelled to a house near to but separate from his extended family.

A spokesperson for No 10, said: "Yesterday [Friday] the Mirror and Guardian wrote inaccurate stories about Mr Cummings. Today [Saturday] they are writing more inaccurate stories including claims that Mr Cummings returned to Durham after returning to work in Downing Street on 14 April. We will not waste our time answering a stream of false allegations about Mr Cummings from campaigning newspapers."

There was confusion about the involvement of police, however. No 10 also said that at no stage was Mr Cummings or his family spoken to by the police.

On Saturday night Durham Police took the unusual step of confirming they had spoken to Mr Cummingss father.

Steve White, the police and crime commissioner for Durham Police, a former head of the Police Federation in England and Wales, said it was "most unwise" for Mr Cummings to have travelled when "known to be infected".

The SNP accused No 10 of a "cover up" after reports some in Downing Street knew Mr Cummings had made the 260-mile journey during lockdown.

Former Tory cabinet minister David Lidington, Theresa Mays de facto deputy prime minister, told Newsnight: "There's clearly serious questions that No 10 are going to have to address, not least because the readiness of members of the public to follow government guidance more generally is going to be affected by this sort of story."

Professor Neil Ferguson, the epidemiologist whose modelling prompted the lockdown, quit as a government adviser for flouting the rules when he was visited at this home by his lover.

At the time Mr Hancock, the health secretary, said he was "speechless" and that he backed any police action against Mr Ferguson.

Sir Ed Davey, acting leader of the Liberal Democrats, called for Mr Cummings to quit over the allegations, while a spokesperson for Labour said: "The British people do not expect there to be one rule for them and another rule for Dominic Cummings."

Asked by reporters on Saturday if he had considered his position, Mr Cummings said "obviously not".
(CNN) - China's latest large carrier rocket made its first successful flight Tuesday, an important step in the nation's plan to build a space station, according to state-run news agency Xinhua.

The Long March-5B rocket blasted off from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China's Hainan province, sending an unmanned prototype spacecraft and a cargo return capsule successfully into orbit.

The new rocket model is a variant of the Long March-5 and can carry larger payloads -- up to 22 tonnes into low-Earth orbit.

It was designed to carry space station modules into orbit, said Wang Jue, chief director of the rocket development team at the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT).

It measures around 53.7 meters in length, reports Xinhua, and weighs around 849 tonnes at takeoff.

It has been almost 10 years in development and boasts the largest fairing -- the protective nose cone that contains the payload -- of any Chinese carrier rocket.

The single core stage makes for a simple structure and will ensure greater reliability compared to multi-stage rockets, according to Xinhua.

One of the main challenges for designers was making sure the rocket could drop its payload directly into orbit, which requires extreme precision.

As a result the Long March-5B is equipped with guidance, navigation and control technology that mean its trajectory can be adjusted continuously, chief designer Li Dong told Xinhua.

Designers will use what they learned from the Long March-5B to develop a heavy-lift launch vehicle, he added.

Before the end of the year, the Long March-5 is scheduled to launch China's first Mars probe and the Chang'e-5 lunar probe to collect moon samples and return to Earth, according to Xinhua.

China launched its first manned space flight in 2003 -- more than 40 years after NASA.

But as the nation has grown richer and more powerful in recent decades, its space program has accelerated.

Buoyed by billions of dollars in government investment, Beijing has fired space labs and satellites into orbit and even become the first country to send an unmanned rover to the far side of the moon.

Now China is planning to launch a permanent space station by 2022, and there has even been talk of becoming just the second nation to send a person to the surface of the moon, possibly in the 2030s.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "China takes step towards space station with new rocket launch"
Sanitation workers in a renowned Chinese mountain attraction have returned to what could be the world's most dangerous cleaning job after a lengthy coronavirus shutdown.

With a hardhat, a harness and a rope, these so-called 'spider-man cleaners' need to collect garbage left by visitors on dangerous cliff faces in Zhangjiajie, south-western China.

Dizzying drone footage shows one such daredevil litter picker undertaking the highly risky task as he clung onto trees on a rock face at nearly 4,600 feet above the ground.

Footage shows sanitation worker Yang Feiyue clinging onto trees on a rock face at nearly 4,600 feet above the ground as he collected rubbish left by tourists on Tianmen Mountain

The video was taken on the Tianmen or Heaven's Gate Mountain in Zhangjiajie when it welcomed tourists on May 1, the first national holiday in China since officials lifted quarantine restrictions.

A separate clip shows the cleaner, named Yang Feiyue, abseiling down the cliff with the help of a rope and a metal hook as he headed towards the area he was assigned to clean.

Yang's daily job is to gather rubbish on a section of the cliff about 100 metres (330 feet) under a glass-bottomed walkway.

Yang and his colleagues have earned the nickname 'spider-man cleaners' for their remarkable ability of moving up and down high vertical surfaces at ease just like the fictional superhero.

Yang (left) and his colleagues are branded as the 'spider-man cleaners' for their ability of moving up and down high vertical surfaces at ease just like the fictional superhero (right)

Yang job is to gather rubbish on a section of the cliff about 100 metres (330 feet) under a glass-bottomed walkway. The worker is seen gathering garbage on a vertical rock face in the video

The 'Coiling Dragon Cliff' skywalk snakes along the mountainside for 100 metres (330 feet) and is just 1.6 metres (5 feet) wide.

Opened on August 1, 2016, the cliff-side footpath gives tourists a clear view of the plunging valley on the other side of the barrier.

During this year's Labour Day national holiday, which lasted from May 1 to May 5, a total of 53,819 people visited the Tianmen Mountain, according to official figures.

The number, however, is a far cry from the same period last year, which saw 49,000 visitors swarming to the scenic spot every day.

The Hunan government ordered all attractions in Zhangjiajie to limit the number of visitors to a maximum of 30 per cent its capacity.

Tourists had to book a specific timeslot to enter the park to allow social distancing. They also had to have their temperatures taken and use a government-approved app to show they don't have the coronavirus before their entrance.

The 'Coiling Dragon Cliff' skywalk snakes along the mountainside for 100 metres (330 feet) and is just 1.6 metres (5 feet) wide. It is a popular tourist site in Tianmen Mountain, China

China has reported 4,633 deaths from the virus among 82,883 cases, but strict travel restrictions, testing, quarantining and case tracing policies appear to have stemmed the virus as warm weather arrives in much of the country.

The country's National Health Commission reported two new infections and no new death on Wednesday. Officials said that both cases were 'imported' and discovered in the province of Shaanxi.

Besides, three more suspected cases, all imported from abroad, were registered in Shanghai, according to a statement from the commission.

As of Tuesday, there were 339 active cases across the country, including 26 patients who were in critical condition, but none of them was in the former epicentre Hubei province, the authority claimed.
reathing tubes hang next to a man with COVID-19 on a ventilator at a Stamford Hospital Intensive Care Unit in Stamford, Connecticut on April 24, 2020. (John Moore/Getty Images)

Drugmakers Announce Trial of Jakafi for COVID-19 Patients on Ventilators

Two drugmakers plan on testing a drug that blocks enzymes in COVID-19 patients on ventilators in the United States.

The phase-three trial of Jakafi will start soon on patients who are on mechanical ventilation and who have acute respiratory distress syndrome, a type of respiratory failure characterized by rapid onset of widespread inflammation in the lungs, Novartis and Incyte announced Tuesday.

Jafaki is trademarked by Incyte in the United States and by Novartis outside of the country.

The drug is a JAK (Janus kinase enzyme) inhibitor, and was previously approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of several conditions.

The trial will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the drug, also known as ruxolitinib, plus standard of care, compared to standard of therapy alone, on the COVID-19 patients.

COVID-19 is a disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also called the novel coronavirus, which first appeared in China. Some patients require hospital care and a percentage of those struggle so much that theyre placed on ventilators, machines that help people breathe.

A mannequin wearing a ventilator in a file photograph. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)

The trial is the second evaluating Jafaki.

Incyte and Novartis launched a global phase trial last month assessing the drug in patients aged 12 years or older with COVID-19-associated cytokine storm.

Cytokines help the human immune system but having too many of them released in the body all at once, called a cytokine storm, can be harmful and can lead to multiple organ failure and death.

Another study that Incyte is involved in is examining baricitinib, or Olumiant, against COVID-19. Baricitinib is another inhibitor thats typically used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

A number of existing drugs are being analyzed around the world for safety and effectiveness against COVID-19, which has no proven treatments. Hydroxychloroquine and remdesivir are the most widely known ones, while others include Kevzara, Ivermectin, and lopinavir and ritonavir.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday filed a charge sheet against Yes Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor, arrested on money laundering charges, in a special court here

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday filed a charge sheet against Yes Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor, arrested on money laundering charges, in a special court here.

Kapoor, the former MD and CEO of Yes Bank, was arrested by the ED on 8 March under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

He is accused of sanctioning loans to certain firms against kickbacks.

Among other things, the central probe agency is investigating Rs 600 crore received by a company allegedly controlled by Kapoor, his wife and three daughters from an entity linked to the scam-hit Dewan Housing Finance Limited (DHFL).

Kapoor and his family members allegedly got benefits worth Rs 4,300 crore through the companies controlled by them as kickbacks for sanctioning huge loans, the ED has alleged.

He is also accused of receiving bribes for going easy on the recovery of loans given to some big corporate groups which had turned into non-performing assets (NPAs).
FILE PHOTO: A Goldman Sachs sign is displayed inside the company's post on the floor of the NYSE in New York

By Elizabeth Dilts Marshall

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc <GS.N> is gradually returning staff to work at offices in Hong Kong, Sweden and Israel, but will take longer to start the phased-in approach in cities still battling large coronavirus outbreaks like London and New York, the chief executive told staff on Tuesday in a memo seen by Reuters.

In the memo, which was verified by a bank spokeswoman, Chief Executive Officer David Solomon said Goldman is also considering "the feasibility of testing (staff and visitors for the coronavirus), subject to availability and more information on the accuracy of results."

Large banks worldwide have been developing plans to gradually return staff to offices after nearly two months of working remotely and from home during the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

Goldman's CEO said many details still need to be decided, but "the fact that we are thinking through this next phase ... is promising. It's a step in our path forward."

Nearly 98% of Goldman's worldwide staff has been working remotely since mid-March.

The return-to-work plan involves bringing staff back in phases, starting with 20% and gradually ramping up to 50%.

In Hong Kong, about 25% of employees were back at work as of last week, and the bank aims to have 35% by May 11 and 50% by May 25.

The bank has temperature scanners at its Hong Kong office to check employees for fever, and is considering installing them at more offices, including at its New York headquarters.

Most offices will remain at about 50% capacity to allow for more space between employee desks, in accordance with social distancing guidelines, the bank has said.

Goldman has not yet decided whether to re-open office gyms or childcare centers, and it is exploring ways to provide alternatives to public transportation for employees at certain offices, according to the memo.

There is no "one size fits all solution" for the bank's offices worldwide, Solomon said. However, he wrote, "everyone will need to adhere to certain rules ... including strictly abiding by the firm's sick policy."

(Reporting By Elizabeth Dilts Marshall, Editing by Franklin Paul and Bill Berkrot)
London: A genetic study of samples from more than 7500 people infected with COVID-19 suggests the new coronavirus spread quickly around the world after it emerged in China sometime between October and December last year, scientists say.

Scientists at University College London's Genetics Institute found almost 200 recurrent genetic mutations of the new coronavirus - SARS-CoV-2 - which the ICL researchers say shows how it is adapting to its human hosts as it spreads.

People wait at Hankou Railway Station in Wuhan in China, where the coronavirus outbreak is believed to have originated. Credit:Getty Images

"Phylogenetic estimates support that the COVID-2 pandemic started sometime around October 6, 2019 to December 11, 2019, which corresponds to the time of the host jump into humans," the research team, co-led by Francois Balloux, wrote in a study published in the journal Infection, Genetics and Evolution.

Balloux said the analysis also found that the virus was and is mutating, as normally happens with viruses, and that a large proportion of the global genetic diversity of the virus causing COVID-19 was found in all of the hardest-hit countries.
In Charing Cross, you may see a group of luminous tabarded folk following a guide down the corridor, then suddenly disappear into the wall.

In the Edwardian passageways of Piccadilly Circus (which have been closed to commuters since 1929), the makers of the original tiles -- W.B. Simpson and Sons -- remain visibly stamped on.

Inside Aldwych, off the Strand, you can marvel at the interior of an old Otis elevator, fitted with the added luxury of a wooden bench.

It's something the modern London commuter can only dream of.

Down Street can be visited from time to time, too. This ghost station is one of London's most storied.

It was a bomb-proof hideaway for Winston Churchill during the Blitz. He and his cabinet would convene down there in the gloom to discuss the fate of the country, while the clackety-clack of the typing pool reverberated off the tiles.

Could it be that a grimy roll-top bathtub -- still down there now -- is where the great man lathered up while plotting against Hitler?
The biotechnology company BIOCAD has signed an agreement with the State Scientific Center for Virology and Biotechnology Vektor (Novosibirsk) on joint work on a vaccine based on rVSV against the COVID-19 virus. The vaccine development process has reached the final animal safety study stage. The cooperation agreement was signed by Dmitry Morozov (BIOCAD) and Rinat Maksyutov (Vector). According to the parties, the vaccine showed high promise in tests on laboratory animals, including lower primates.

According to the agreement, the biotechnology company BIOCAD, as an industrial partner of the project, takes the costs and organizational efforts associated with conducting clinical trials of the rVSV vaccine, creating the technology for the release of the drug and the commercial production itself. Now, three research groups have been allocated to work on vaccines, in which more than 80 people specialized in virus work: from genetic engineering and virology to chemistry and bioinformatics. This approach provides a complete set of specialists necessary for all stages of the work on the vaccine, including production and clinical trials.

"We have been in a scientific collaboration with Novosibirsk Vector for a long time," said Dmitry Morozov, Director General of BIOCAD Biotechnology Company, "and now we are an industrial partner of the rVSV vaccine development project. We are pleased to provide our partners with industrial release when clinical trials are completed. In my opinion, today is not the time for research teams to compete, we must combine our intellectual efforts. "

"I see the possible perspective of our cooperation between the scientific center and one of the most dynamic domestic biotechnological companies, this greatly shortens the path from development to mass vaccination of citizens. We have studied the world experience in reducing the time for preclinical and clinical studies. And I think that the fast start of vaccine production is a realistic and achievable goal, "added Rinat Maksyutov, General Director of Vector. It is planned that already in May the first pilot series for research will be received, and in July the clinical trials will begin.

Moreover BIOCAD is currently working on its own development of the mRNA vaccine against coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Developments will be carried out on the basis of previous developments in cancer vaccines. At the end of March, the company agreed with the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation on the terms and programs of the preclinical and first phase of the clinical vaccine development. Clinical trials are expected to begin in 4-5 months.

About the company

BIOCAD is among the biggest Russian companies that take biotechnology and innovation to an international level. It unites R&D centers of highest standard, modern pharmaceutical and biotechnological factory, clinical and pre-clinical research that meets international requirements.

BIOCAD is a fully integrated company dedicated to new drugs development on all stages: from search for a molecule to mass production and marketing support. The drugs produced are mainly targeted at cancer and autoimmune diseases treatment. Nowadays, portfolio includes 59 ready products and over 40 are still at various stages of development.

BIOCAD team unites more than 2700 employees, one third of which are researchers and scientists. The company is represented in 8 countries, including UAE, Brazil, China, Vietnam, India, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Russia. BIOCAD exports its products to 24 countries and running more than a hundred registration processes in 38 countries.

Source: BIOCAD press office, https://biocadglobal.com/

###
EDWARDSVILLE  The longest-serving mayor in city history, Gary Niebur, died at his home on Saturday after two decades of leading the community.

Most recently, Niebur won the Democratic primary for the Madison County Boards District 17 seat, defeating Victor Valentine Jr. in March.

A lifelong resident of Edwardsville, Niebur was 64.

Garys dedication to this community was second to none, said Mayor Hal Patton, who succeeded Niebur. He turned the YMCA into a first-class educational and recreation center while contributing another 30 hours a week leading our city for an unprecedented 20 years.

Niebur led the city for five consecutive terms, beginning in 1993.

Schnucks Marketplace, Dierbergs Commons, Gateway Commerce Center and the new YMCA (Meyer Center) are just a few examples of projects where Gary led the way, Patton said. In addition to my condolences to his family, I would like to thank them for sharing so much of Garys time with us.

During his tenure, the YMCA raised $10 million in private donations for capital improvements, facility expansions and two new facilities.

Mayor Niebur was a great leader who was responsible for bringing me to Edwardsville and knew the value of the city investing in its infrastructure and appearance to be a catalyst for private investment and growth, said City Attorney Jeff Berkbigler. Mayor Niebur will be greatly missed but he will be remembered by what he helped to create in Edwardsvilles past, present and future.

Gary Niebur was a sincere, kind and generous person. He was passionate about the City of Edwardsville and served to make this community he loved some much better. My deepest sympathies to his wife Debby, his children and family. He was my friend and mentor. I will truly miss him.

More Information PROCESSION After a private visitation for the family, a procession will leave the Weber & Rodney Funeral Home at 11 a.m., turn left on North Main Street, then right on St. Louis Street, left on West Street (Route 157), left on Esic (past the Niebur Center YMCA), left on Governors' Parkway, right on Ridge View Road, right on Goshen Road (past the Meyer Center YMCA), which changes to Center Grove Road at Route 159, then finally left on Route 157 to the Calvary Catholic Cemetery. The public is welcome to line the route to pay respects. See More Collapse

Before his time at the citys helm, Niebur served as an alderman on the council from 1985 to 1992. Before that, he served as the citys parks and recreation director.

From the time I was 11 or 12 years old, Gary has been one of my heroes, said Alderman SJ Morrison. He was not only one of Edwardsvilles most effective community leaders; he was an incredibly generous and passionate individual who loved people as much as he loved the organizations he served. Edwardsville is the community that it is today thanks in large part to Gary Niebur.

Gary was an active community leader that epitomized service and good governance, said Alderman Chris Farrar. I knew Gary initially as my mayor but more personally as a neighbor and friend. When I became the new alderman representing his ward, Gary was always encouraging, informative and never at a loss to give insights that only he could provide from his many years of service. He was a true champion of Edwardsville and we live in a better place for it. He will be sorely missed.

I have always respected Garys knowledge and commitment to the community, said Alderman Jack Burns. I did not know him well until he and I delivered supplies to Hurricane Michaels victims in the Florida Panhandle [in 2018]. The residences of Edwardsville, Glen Carbon and surrounding areas donated a great deal of supplies to be transported via a 20-foot U-Haul. We drove straight through; about 14 hours each way. That gave us plenty of time to talk.

Burns recalls thoroughly enjoying Nieburs company and his sense of humor.

We developed a relationship that I will always remember and cherish, he added. He would confirm that neither of us would qualify as an over-the-road truck driver, but thats another story.

Police Chief Jay Keeven said it was obvious to him that Niebur loved Edwardsville.

He poured his heart and soul into this community and was a driving force behind the prosperity Edwardsville enjoys today, Keeven said. On a personal note, he always made me feel appreciated and never missed a chance to tell me how glad he was to have hired me as the citys police chief  I suspect he made everyone in his life feel appreciated. I will miss him.

Every time I spoke with Gary Niebur, he was clearly focused on the good of the Edwardsville community, said Fire Chief Rick Welle.

Before I ever came to Edwardsville to live and work, I had recognized that he was the steady hand at the helm of the city, especially fiscally, Welle said. The principles he established laid a rock-solid foundation for this city. That foundation is now helping to carry us through one of the most difficult times in our history. That is a great part of his legacy. On a personal note, Garys smile was infectious  he will be missed.

Niebur announced in 2013 that he would not seek a sixth term as mayor. In February 2018, he stepped down from the president/chief executive officer position at the Edwardsville YMCA, a post he had held for 35 years.

Bob Pfeiffer, who was retired in December as the citys parks director, probably worked for Niebur the longest, he said.

I was very heartbroken when I heard the news, Pfeiffer said. He was a mentor to me and a life-long friend.

Pfeiffer said Niebur taught him about government, politics and dealing with different agencies. He was probably the best at what he did. I tried to be there for him through the years.

Ben Dickmann, who served as police chief from 1974 to 1999 and its first city administrator from 2000 to 2014, worked with Niebur on many projects and plans.

Mayor Niebur had a professional commitment to fiscal responsibility, Dickmann said. He was determined to see the city grow within its means. He sought and encouraged development that brought important revenue to the community without carelessly burdening the taxpayers.

However, what most people dont know or understand is the role he had at the state level through his contacts at the Illinois Municipal League and the legislature. Gary was the local leader who got the law changed allowing municipalities under 25,000 population (including Edwardsville at the time) to create Special Business Districts, a vehicle that uses sales tax rather than property tax as development incentives. That tool made it possible to continue discussions over development of what is now Edwardsville Crossing.

Former city administrator Tim Harr, who retired in Dec. 2018 after 22 years with the city, gave a somber remembrance of his former boss when Harr worked as the citys public works director.

Were very saddened to hear of his death, Harr said Monday by phone. He was a great leader and a great boss. I learned a great deal from him. I think the thing that astounded me the most was his financial grasp of the city.

Harr said in regard to capital improvement projects  such as the water and sewer plants or street improvement projects  Niebur ensured that they had a fiscally responsible plan for financing and debt service payment in place.

Gary was always concerned about keeping property taxes low and having a balanced budget. He preached about living within your means and sticking to budgets. He will be missed and our thoughts and prayers are with his family, Harr noted with melancholy.

Harr also talked about Nieburs community leadership, how he instilled best customer service practices in employees and reminded them that the taxpayers are the citys customers and to make sure they were responsive to taxpayer questions and needs.

Cheryl Watson, who joined the city as the mayors executive assistant in 2010, recalled her first 18 months on the job with Niebur.

He was always very kind to me, she said. I know he could be a hard taskmaster because he had a vision for the city. He knew what he wanted for the city. I had never been in that kind of role before. He just made such an impression on me.

He was just a force for the city, she added.
United States (US) Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells Wednesday hailed the wildlife scientists of Pakistan and Uzbekistan for conservation of the rare snow leopards

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th May, 2020 ) :United States (US) Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells Wednesday hailed the wildlife scientists of Pakistan and Uzbekistan for conservation of the rare snow leopards.

"Excited to see snow leopards on tracking cameras, thanks to wildlife conservation scientists from Pakistan to Uzbekistan--a positive sign their populations are rebounding," Wells posted on Twitter.

Wells said the United States would continue to support conservation of "our planet's most threatened species".

The snow leopard, a large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia, is listed as 'vulnerable' on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's red list.

The global population of snow leopards is estimated to less than 10,000 mature individuals and is expected to decline around 10 percent by 2040.

In Pakistan, the snow leopard is found in the Hindu Kush and Karakoram region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir with an estimated population of around 200-420, according to the Snow Leopard Trust.
Iran's Trade Balance With Asian Partners Negative For First Time

Dalga Khatinoglu May 05, 2020

Official data published by Turkey and Iran's other Asian economic partners indicate that trade between Iran and these countries dropped significantly in the first quarter of 2020 with the balance going into negative for Iran for the first time in recent history.

The international Monetary Fund (IMF) has predicted that Iran's total oil, non-oil and service exports in 2020 will drop by 20% to $46 billion with imports of around $64 billion compared with the previous year. Iran's exports were close to $110 billion in 2017, a year before the United States reintroduced sanctions against Iran.

The figures published by Iran's trade partners, however, suggest that the IMF forecast is probably too optimistic.

According to the latest report of Turkey Statistics Agency published on May 4, Iranian exports to Turkey dropped by more than six-fold to $282 million for the first quarter of 2020 in comparison with the same period in 2019. Turkey has only imported $33 million worth of commodities from Iran in March which indicates a 19-fold drop in comparison to the same month in 2019. Both countries are stricken with the coronavirus pandemic.

Turkey's exports to Iran in the first quarter of 2020 has almost dropped by 50% to $451 million and by more than six-fold to $47 million in March in comparison with March 2019.

Figures published by Japan Customs also indicate that Iran has only exported $14 million worth of commodities to Japan, twenty-seven times less than the first quarter of 2019 but Japanese exports to Iran have doubled in the same period amounting to $19 million.

South Korean Customs statistics indicate exports worth $47 million to Iran in the first quarter of 2020 which is one sixth of the exports to Iran in the first quarter of 2019. During the same period South Korea's imports from Iran amounted only to $2.7.

India, also a major Asian trade partner for Iran, has not released customs statistics for the first quarter of 2020 but according to the data published by its Ministry of Economy the country only imported commodities worth $33 million from Iran in January which is down from the same month in 2019 by twenty-one fold while its exports to Iran also dropped by almost 30% to $234 million.

The steep drop in Iran's exports are mainly due to U.S. sanctions that have crippled its fossil fuel sales.

According to the official statistics released by the Customs of China, in the first quarter of the current year China's imports from Iran went down to $1.8 billion, indicating a 52.7% drop. However, Chinese exports to Iran rose by 16% to $2.130 billion in the same period.

China and Syria are the only countries that buy crude oil from Iran now. In January and February China imported around 81,000 barrels of crude oil per day from Iran which dropped to around 62,000 barrels in March.

The European Union has not published its statistics for trade with Iran in the current year but the figures for 2019 indicated EU exports to Iran in 2019 had dropped to half while their imports from Iran had gone down by fourteen-fold in comparison with 2018.

In 2019 the EU countries exported commodities worth 4.524 billion euro to Iran with imports from Iran amounting only to 701 million euros, the lowest since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

Neither Iraq, Afghanistan, nor the United Arab Emirates, also major trade partners of Iran, have published any statistics for trade with Tehran in 2019 and the current year.

Source: https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-s-trade-balance -with-asian-partners-negative -for-first-time/30593706.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.

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Goldman Sachs Group Inc is gradually returning staff to work at offices in Hong Kong, Sweden and Israel, but will take longer to start the phased-in approach in cities still battling large coronavirus outbreaks like London and New York, the chief executive told staff on Tuesday in a memo seen by Reuters.

In the memo, which was verified by a bank spokeswoman, Chief executive officer David Solomon said Goldman is also considering "the feasibility of testing (staff and visitors for the coronavirus), subject to availability and more information on the accuracy of results."

Large banks worldwide have been developing plans to gradually return staff to offices after nearly two months of working remotely and from home during the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

Goldman's CEO said many details still need to be decided, but "the fact that we are thinking through this next phase ... is promising. It's a step in our path forward."

Nearly 98 percent of Goldman's worldwide staff has been working remotely since mid-March.

The return-to-work plan involves bringing staff back in phases, starting with 20 percent and gradually ramping up to 50 percent.

In Hong Kong, about 25 percent of employees were back at work as of last week, and the bank aims to have 35 percent by May 11 and 50 percent by May 25.

The bank has temperature scanners at its Hong Kong office to check employees for fever, and is considering installing them at more offices, including at its New York headquarters.

Most offices will remain at about 50 percent capacity to allow for more space between employee desks, in accordance with social distancing guidelines, the bank has said.

Goldman has not yet decided whether to re-open office gyms or childcare centers, and it is exploring ways to provide alternatives to public transportation for employees at certain offices, according to the memo.

There is no "one size fits all solution" for the bank's offices worldwide, Solomon said. However, he wrote, "everyone will need to adhere to certain rules ... including strictly abiding by the firm's sick policy."
A Political Science Lecturer at the KNUST, Dr. Kwesi Amakye Boateng says there is nothing wrong with Vice President Bawumias response to former President Mahamas recent comments.



According to him the former President has been doing politics with the COVID-19 pandemic.



After setting a team of NDC members christened NDC COVID-19 Team parallel to the governments response team, former President Mahama has also been attacking the governments COVID-19 response effort in his series of social media engagements.



After a prolonged silence, the government hit back through the Vice President, who reminded the former President of how he mismanaged the Ghanaian economy and also failed to put in place mitigating measures to cushion Ghanaians and businesses who suffered from the debilitating effect of dumsor, which the Vice President labelled self-created during his media encounter.



Following the Vice Presidents well-publicised response, leading members of the NDC and their social media army have been attacking the Vice President, with some attacking his person.



But speaking on Metro TVs 'Good Evening Ghana' on Tuesday, the Political Science Lecturer said Dr. Bawumia was right to have responded due to Mahamas conduct.



He said the former President has been seeking to profit politically from his social media engagement on governments handling of the COVID-19 crisis.



Everything is unfolding in a context. We are in an election year. It is common knowledge that former President Mahama is going to contest the Presidency so definitely when he comes out the way he has been coming out, he is doing politics, Dr. Amakye said.



He is engaging the good people of Ghana in a way to endear himself to them. Come December, in the the way he is saying, 'look the economy that we were told is robust isnt necessarily so. We go into COVID-19 for 3 months and we run to IMF' Definitely, that is politics, he said.



"But can you also blame Dr. Bawumia for coming in to defend their record? The significant thing is that he speaks to data. So not until people are able to come out to challenge the facts, the data that he puts out, he is going to visit these issues."



Dr. Amakye said it is unfortunate that people resort to personal attacks when real issues are put on the table for discussions.



That is not what is needed now. These are ideas and the ideas are about contesting one another and then facts also come out to tell the record of what everyone has done.



Dr. Amakye said one thing that cannot be overlooked is that former President Mahama has led a government before and he has a record which will always be used in making comparative analysis with the present government.



There is one significant factor that we cant run away from, is that President Mahama has a record there. He has been in office before and whether people like it or not, his records are there and you cant help but do comparisons with them.



When you manage the economy in respect of COVID-19 it is governance. When you manage the economy in respect of energy challenges, it is governance.



So over there comparisons can be made. So over there, a comparison can be made. How did one go about making judicious use of the nations scarce resource in respect of COVID-19 and in respect of energy crisis. Yes, there is ground for one to make comparison.









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MBABANE  The Ministry of Health is housing healthcare workers, who are self-isolating after testing positive for COVID-19, in hotels and lodges.



The healthcare workers, who include nurses and doctors, are currently sheltered at Siteki Hotel as they recuperate from the novel coronavirus.



Currently, there are 16 healthcare workers who have tested positive for COVID-19. They include nurses who work at RFM Hospital, a nursing assistant who was working at the Out Patient Department (OPD), and support staff members.

Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi confirmed that the healthcare workers were isolated in hotels. The minister said the ministry did this deliberately to give them (healthcare employees) some distance because they needed it.



She said the employees dealt with illnesses on a daily basis and when they slept next to patients, they would not be able to recuperate fully because they (patients) would now and again ask medical questions regarding their illness, when they too should be recovering.



Separation



We did this to give them the space and separation from their work, Nkosi said.

She explained that while they were sleeping on their hospital beds, they were also being equipped. The minister disclosed that the ministry was roping in personnel to train the healthcare workers because it wanted to ensure that they were using the right personal protective equipment (PPE), and correctly.



We needed to do this, to give them the space required to look after themselves, the minister alluded. Despite the ministers sentiments, the medical personnel who tested positive for the novel coronavirus feel neglected.

Some of the personnel, who spoke to this publication on condition of anonymity, said the Ministry of Health had neglected them. This, they claimed, was because they were not offered the same medical attention that was given to the patients who were admitted to the Lubombo Referral Hospital.



An example of the discrepancy, according to the nurses, was that since their specimen had tested positive, they were supposed to have blood tests and an X-ray to determine how the virus had affected them. To date, the medical staff said they had not been taken to the Lubombo Referral Hospital to do the x-rays. They claimed that communication shared with them was to the effect that there was no transport to ferry them.

This is disheartening because there is a bus parked at the Lubombo Referral Hospital which was used to transport patients to their various destinations after being released from the hospital, one nurse said. Another nurse added that the medical treatment that was being offered to them was no longer the same to that which was administered to the first few coronavirus patients.



Injected



The nurse said the first group of patients who ended up being released from the hospital were also injected with azithromicin, gentamicin and zinc.

Since we were admitted, weve not been offered the same treatment. Some of us have not been offered zinc while others have not been given the gentamicin, the nurse said.



This, the health practitioner said, would lead to them not recuperating early and having the disease not detected in their body. President of the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU), Bheki Mamba, said this was daunting to them as a cadre.

He said they were discouraging what government was allegedly doing  neglecting the healthcare workers at their hour of need.



The nurses sacrificed their lives for the country and should be taken care of and given what is happening, well report it to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Mamba said. The nurses leader further vouched that they would seek medication and treatment to assist their cadre wherever they could.



On the other hand, the Ministry of Healths Director of Health Services, Dr Vusi Magagula, said he would investigate this and get to the bottom of it. He said as this was a novel virus, they were aware that there were challenges but they anticipated that they would be minimal.
Defiant staff at a leading Philippines TV station applauded as the network was taken off-air yesterday by the order of President Rodrigo Duterte.

The Philippines' telecoms body ordered ABS-CBN to cease operations immediately saying its 25 year license had expired following a long-running feud with the country's president.

Footage shows staff at the headquarters in the capital Manila, who say they are determined to resume operations, clapping and cheering when the channel was shut down.

Media watchdogs accused Duterte and his government of muzzling independent media like ABS-CBN that have reported critically on issues including the president's anti-drug crackdown, in which thousands of mostly poor drug suspects have been killed.

Footage shows staff at the headquarters in the capital Manila, who say they are determined to resume operations, defiantly clapping and cheering when the channel was shut down

International watchdogs condemned the closure of ABS-CBN Corp., which Duterte has targeted in the past for its critical coverage, as a major blow to press freedom in an Asian bastion of democracy

The National Telecommunications Commission ordered the media giant to stop operating after its 25-year congressional franchise ended Monday. It reversed a statement to Congress that it would issue a temporary permit while legislators assess a franchise renewal.

Only the House of Representatives can grant or revoke such a franchise and its hearings have been delayed, in part by a coronavirus lockdown.

In a reflection of the extent of unease over the shutdown of the network, which went off air Tuesday night, both the opposition and key Duterte allies questioned the commission's action.

Vice President Leni Robredo, who leads the opposition, said the timely dissemination of accurate information saves lives in a crisis and galvanizes national unity.

'Closing down ABS-CBN costs lives, on top of unnecessarily burdening the thousands who will lose their jobs,' she said.

Supporters and other media persons gather in fron of ABS-CBNs main office in Manila on Tuesday

Supporters and other media persons gather in fron of ABS-CBNs main office on May 5, 2020 in Manila, Philippines

Rep. Franz Alvarez, who belongs to a pro-Duterte coalition and heads the House Committee on Legislative Franchises, said the telecommunications commission's order 'is a clear encroachment on the jurisdiction of the House.'

Alvarez told ABS-CBN's DZMM radio station that commission officials told lawmakers in a hearing in March that they would issue a temporary operating permit to ABS-CBN while its franchise renewal was pending based on guidance from the Department of Justice.

'We're really surprised why they backtracked so they have to explain,' Alvarez told DZMM before it too went off air late Tuesday.

The Makati Business Club, a prestigious group of top business executives, said the network's closure was a setback to national unity amid the unprecedented crisis.

Amnesty International in the Philippines said the closure order was an 'outrageous attack' on media freedom and asked the government to immediately to bring the network back on air.

Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines protested the closure 'on behalf of journalists and thousands of workers affected by the decision' as they struggled to cope with the contagion.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Tuesday that ABS-CBN was free to seek legal solutions and added that Duterte has left its fate to Congress

ABS-CBN has more than 11,000 news and production personnel nationwide. Aside from reporting on the coronavirus, which has infected nearly 10,000 people and killed 637 in the Philippines, it has also provided truckloads of food and medical aid.

Government officials denied the closure was a press freedom issue, insisting that everyone must comply with the law.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Tuesday that ABS-CBN was free to seek legal solutions and added that Duterte has left its fate to Congress.

But ahead of the franchise expiration, Solicitor-General Jose Calida asked the Supreme Court in February to revoke the operating franchises of ABS-CBN and a subsidiary in a separate attempt to shut down the company for allegedly abusing its franchises and violating a constitutional prohibition on foreign investment in Philippine media. ABS-CBN denied the allegations.
Chris Cuomo, CNN host and brother of New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, spoke with Doctor Anthony Fauci live on air about their friendship and conversations the two had while Cuomo and his family were suffering with the coronavirus.

Doctor Fauci is recognized as one of the world's leading experts in infectious diseases, and has been a White House's key scientific spokesman during the crisis, and a vital part of the nation's coronavirus task force. But that didn't stop him from calling a friend every night.

During an interview with Fuaci on his CNN show, 'Cuomo Prime Time', the anchor said that the doctor, who is also the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, took the time to call him every day.

'I have spoken to you, almost without exception, every day,' Cuomo said. 'You have been calling me out of personal concern to make sure that I'm OK, that my wife was OK, that my son was OK. 11 O'Clock at night, later, waiting for my show to end. Saturday, Sunday morning, the rare time you have with your family.'

While @ChrisCuomo and his family were sick with coronavirus, Dr. Anthony Fauci called them almost every day to check in on their health.



Youre a friend... I care about you... but I was worried about you, Fauci tells Cuomo. pic.twitter.com/VRkeX4ifTV  Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) May 5, 2020

When Cuomo, who announced he had been diagnosed with the coronavirus on March 31, asked Fauci why he had done this, Fuaci said: 'Well, first of all because you're a friend. We have a professional relationship, but you're a friend.

'I've known you since [...] you were almost a kid. And the fact is, you were going through some difficult times,' Fauci recalled.

'I don't think that the people who were seeing you on the show were really experiencing, or realizing, how you were really sucking it up to look relatively normal. But when you finished the show and we would start chatting, at eleven, eleven-thirty at night, you were wiped out.'

During his time suffering from the coronavirus, anchor Chris Cuomo hosted his show from the basement in his home. He said that Dr Fauci would call him late at night, having waited for his show to finish at 11 p.m.

Fauci explained that Cuomo not only had difficulty with the virus replicating within him, but that he also had some of the secondary effects associated with the virus, including a fever, aches and feeling washed out.

The doctor said that for many patients who get over this stage and start to feel better, their condition can quickly relapse again for the worse, and he was concerned the same thing could happen to his friend.

'We don't even have a full grasp of the pathogenesis of why some people do what you did - you felt bad, you felt bad, and then you started getting better and better and better,' Fauci explained.

'Some people, they feel good, they feel bad, they feel bad, and then they start to feel better - then boom - they go down hill.

'We need to figure out what that is, because when we do, it will help us to intervene and do something about it,' he concluded.

Doctor Fauci (right) at the daily White House coronavirus taskforce briefings, as President Trump listens on. The pair have disagreed on how to approach lifting the coronavirus lockdown, with the doctor warning that it is still too early

The grateful Cuomo said that the reason he wanted to publicly talk about his friendship with Doctor Fauci was to highlight his humanity during the crisis.

'The only reason that I'm sharing it on TV instead of saying it to you as I have many times in person - I want people to know who they're getting in Tony Fauci. It's not just TV, it's not just 30 years of excellence in the scientific field,' Curomo said.

'The head and the heart that comes together in your body is the real deal, Dr Fauci. And that's why people believe in you.

'It's not the science, the numbers are all over the place, nobody knows what the hell they're talking about with this virus or what's going to happen. But they know that where you're coming from is a point of concern in humanity.'

To end the segment, Cuomo, who has recovered from the coronavirus, thanks Doctor Fauci for caring about him and his family, and added: 'I know you're worried as hell about where we're going, and whatever happens, we've just got to try to keep ourselves together.'

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (L) and CNN anchor Chris Cuomo (R) attend the the Tribeca Film Festival together in 2018

Chris Cuomo is not the only Doctor Fauci super-fan. Erotic novelist Sally Quinn has said she modeled the dashing hero scientist of her 1991 bestseller 'Happy Endings' on a young Dr Anthony Fauci.

Quinn, who brought to life the fictional Dr Michael Lanzer in the pages of her romance novel, has finally revealed the inspiration behind the mysterious doctor who romances the former First Lady while developing a cure for AIDS is none other than the top US scientist currently leading the nation through the coronavirus pandemic.

Quinn said she met a young Fauci at a Washington dinner party and instantly 'fell in love' with the 'sexy' scientist with his huge glasses and tie askew. 'I just fell in love with him,' Quinn told The Washingtonian.

Erotic novelist Sally Quinn (left) has said she modeled the dashing hero scientist of her 1991 bestseller 'Happy Endings' on a young Dr Anthony Fauci (right)

Fauci, who has not been far from the news since the beginning of the coronavirus, yesterday said there is 'no evidence' that coronavirus escaped from a Chinese lab - contradicting repeated claims by the Trump administration.

Fauci panned the conspiracy theory that China's outbreak began at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in an interview with National Geographic published Monday.

'If you look at the evolution of the virus in bats and what's out there now, [the scientific evidence] is very, very strongly leaning toward this could not have been artificially or deliberately manipulated,' Fauci said.

'Everything about the stepwise evolution over time strongly indicates that [this virus] evolved in nature and then jumped species.'

He also shut down an alternate theory that someone found the virus in the wild and brought it to a lab before it accidentally leaked.

Fauci's comments came as Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have continued to suggest there is evidence supporting the lab leak theory.

During a town hall meeting on Sunday night, Trump described the pandemic as a 'horrible mistake' by China as he accused President Xi Jinping's of intentionally misleading the global community.

Hours earlier, Pompeo told ABC News: 'I can tell you that there is a significant amount of evidence that this came from that laboratory in Wuhan.'

China has fiercely condemned the suggestions while charging that the Trump administration is rushing to shift blame amid criticism over how it handled the US outbreak, which has sickened more than 1.2million Americans and killed at least 69,788 to date.

The White House has been continuing an effort to restrain coronavirus task force members from testifying in Congress  on Monday extending a new policy to all members of the team amid scrutiny of the administration's response to the crisis.

The move came after the White House blocked Fauci from testifying before an oversight hearing by the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, calling the under-oath session 'counter-productive.'

In total, the United States has seen 1,236,500 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, with 72,133 deaths resulting from the diseases. Despite the numbers still rising, some states are beginning to lift their stay-at-home orders.
Stephenie Meyers long-awaited prequel to her hugely successful human-vampire love story series, Twilight is releasing on August 4, the author announced on her website (www.stepheniemeyer.com). Titled The Midnight Sun, this story is narrated from vampire Edward Cullens perspective. The prequel will chronicle Cullens past and the time he first meets Bella Swan, his human high school classmate who later becomes his wife. The earlier installments have been told from Bellas point of view.

Meyer had kept her fans in suspense all weekend with a countdown clock on her site that promised a major announcement. The site soon crashed Monday morning, but the book was also announced by Meyers publisher, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

It feels strange to be making this announcement when the world is suffering through a pandemic, and no one really knows whats next. I thought seriously about delaying this announcement until things were back to normal; however, that felt wrong, considering how long those who are eager for this book have already waited, Meyer said in a statement.

I know how much I personally need distractions right now, how much I need something to look forward to and most of all, how much I need more books to read. So, I hope this book gives my readers a little pleasure to anticipate and after it arrives, a chance to live in an imaginary world for a while.

Meyer had abandoned The Midnight Sun back in 2008 when the first 12 chapters were leaked online. The earlier installments of the Twilight books sold more than 100 million copies and were also adapted into a blockbuster film series starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart as Edward and Bella respectively.

On ABCs Good Morning America show, Meyer said she hoped the book would be a welcome distraction from the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Its a crazy time right now, and I wasnt sure if this was the right time to put this book out, but some of you have been waiting for just so, so long. It didnt seem fair to make you wait anymore.

-- with inputs from Reuters and AP

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Dr. Aboagye Dacosta

06.05.2020 LISTEN

The Director of Health Promotions at the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Aboagye DaCosta, has cautioned that wearing of nose mask should not be seen as substitute for other preventive measures but rather, an addition. He made this known at the regular press briefing at the Ministry of Information, Accra on Tuesday, 5 May, 2020.

Speaking on the guidelines put in place by the Government to guide the usage of nose mask in the country, Dr. Aboagye DaCosta mentioned that wearing of the mask is not to replace the preventive measures or the social distancing. It is actually to support it. So it means that we are to wear the mask, observe the social distancing and also follow the preventive etiquette like washing of hands with soap and under running water, when sneezing and coughing, you use tissue to cover your mouth and dispose it in a bin and cover it appropriately.

In the wake of the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country, Government has intensified public education on the wearing of nose mask especially in public spaces along with other preventive measures. This decision forms part of Governments effort to curb the spread of the virus in the country.

However, speaking on the benefits of wearing masks, Dr. Dacosta noted that using of nose mask can slow the spread of the virus. The mask protect us all since there may be people in the community with the virus who are not showing any signs. The mask also helps to reduce stigma because we are all wearing the mask so there is nothing like segregation and discrimination.

Dr. Aboagye Dacosta also encouraged the vast majority of Ghanaians and businesses to stick to the mandatory wearing of nose masks particularly in public spaces.

All persons in public and commercial centers, facilities and buildings will all have to wear a mask. All frontline media staff and people visiting media premises including reporters in confined offices or studios will have to wear a mask. All commercial vehicle drivers and attendants, all forms of public transports including public transport operators and passengers have to wear mask as well as observe social distancing he added
Shares of IT major Wipro are trading lower by 0.54% at Rs 183, with the extending extending its two-day slide.

The Wipro stock is now down 3.93% in three trading sessions from its recent closing high of Rs 190.50 on 30 April 2020.

Meanwhile, Wipro has signed MoU with the Government of Maharashtra under which it will repurpose one of its information technology campuses in Hinjewadi, Pune to a 450-bed intermediary care COVID-19 hospital. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 5 May 2020.

Wipro has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Maharashtra under which it will repurpose one of its information technology campuses in Hinjewadi, Pune to a 450-bed intermediary care COVID-19 hospital in four weeks and hand it over to the state government by May 30. The hospital will be converted back to an IT facility after a year.

The 450-bed hospital, to be equipped to treat moderate cases, will include 12 beds to stabilise critical patients before shifting them to a tertiary care facility. This is an independent, isolated COVID-19 dedicated complex that also includes 24 well-appointed rooms to accommodate doctors and medical staff.

Wipro will provide the physical infrastructure, medical furniture and equipment besides appointing an administrator and skeletal support staff to help operationalise the hospital quickly with the required medical professionals.

Wipro is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Dubais ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, has had a poor run in the past few months. In March, British courts found he had orchestrated the abduction of two of his children and subjected his youngest wife to a campaign of intimidation.

Meanwhile, his local horseflesh concerns continue to bleed money. Sheikh Mohammed is the proprietor of the sprawling Godolphin Australia thoroughbred racing and breeding operation. Last year, according to new documents lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, it lost $25 million.

Its hardly the worst result for Godolphin, which operates properties in the Upper Hunter in NSW and in Victorias Goulburn Valley. To date, it has racked up losses of $1.2 billion.

Sheikh Mohammed Credit:Shakespeare

Notwithstanding the financial result and financial position of the company, the directors have continued to prepare the financial report on a going concern basis, after determining that the ultimate shareholder is expected to continue to provide financial support to ensure the company meets its cash flow obligations for at least 12 months, the report, signed off by Godolphins local boss, Vin Cox, reads. The result was a significant improvement from Godolphin Australias 2016 loss: $91 million.
Foot traffic to stores had been down even before the virus outbreak, and it remains to be seen how quickly shoppers will return to the newly refashioned environments while the country continues to grapple with a highly contagious virus.

Ms. Syngal emphasized that most of Gaps revenue did not come from indoor malls, pointing to Old Navy locations at strip malls, its outlet business and online business. Old Navy, in particular, is very, very relevant for what people are wanting right now, she added, with apparel for families and active-wear available at off-mall stores.

Gap said it would start reopening stores this weekend in Texas, though it declined to share the number of locations that would welcome customers. The company said it anticipated 800 re-openings this month, based on changing decisions by state and local authorities and a patchwork of restrictions across the country. The figure is nearly one-third of Gaps locations in North America, where it also owns Intermix and Janie and Jack.

While the company has built a robust online operation, its stores remain crucial. It has nearly 2,800 locations in North America, mostly in the United States. The company recently said that it had suspended rent payments for its North American retail stores in April, which comes out to about $115 million per month, and that it had been negotiating lease terms. It also said the pandemic continues to negatively impact our operations and liquidity.

In the meantime, Gaps brands have introduced curbside pickup and product shipment from stores. The company, which furloughed nearly 80,000 store employees in North America as part of the closures, declined to say how many workers had been brought back or how many would return.
Leading tele-health service provider Apollo TeleHealth's Foundation has launched a toll-free call service Sanjeevani Telehealth Seva for non-COVID patients in Bhopal and Indore.

The toll-free call service, launched on April 30, will help patients with non-COVID-19 related issues seek timely medical help at a time when non-emergency OPDs have been suspended by many hospitals, a release from Apollo Hospitals Group said.

Bhopal and Indore are the two districts most seriously hit by the COVID-19 pandemic in Madhya Pradesh.

The Sanjeevani Telehealth Seva project is being executed along with Bharat Financial Inclusion Limited (recently merged into IndusInd Bank) under their CSR initiative.

The toll-free number (1800-103-7378) was immediately flooded with queries, receiving over 200 calls within a few hours of being launched.

Over 1,000+ calls have been received till now, with about 9 per cent of them being non-clinical calls and termed generic, it said.

With the COVID-19 outbreak hindering the conventional doctor-patient consultations, a large number of patients have been left in the lurch.

Many patients living with serious conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes need ongoing treatment and regular medical consultation.

Sangita Reddy, joint managing director, Apollo Hospitals Group, said the doctors will proactively help patients to the best of their abilities.

The tele-health service will offer specialist consultations under nine specialties -- general medicine, gynaecology, dermatology, orthopaedics, endocrinology, ENT, paediatrics, ophthalmology and cardiology.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The ministry of health in Nepal has informed that 16 new cases have been registered in the country. Out of the 16 cases, 15 are the contacts of Tablighi jamaat member who is a religious leader and returned from the Markaz event in Delhi. As per reports, they have been quarantined.

All of them were reported positive on Sunday. With these 16 new cases, the number of coronavirus cases in Nepal has risen to 75. The Ministry said on Sunday that 15 out of 16 patients were already quarantined. All of them came in contact with a Muslim cleric who had returned to Nepal after attending the Nizamuddin Markaz event of Tablighi Jamaat in Delhi in March and was later found infected with the coronavirus. Of these 15 people, there are 8 males and 7 females. They all belong to the Nepalgunj region of western Nepal, and one of them is a 7-year-old child. All 15 were asymptomatic, and they are either family members or relatives of the person who had attended the Tablighi Jamaat.

Other than them, a 36-year-old man from Parsa also tested positive for COVId-19 after his swab was tested in the National Public Health Laboratory, Kathmandu on Sunday.
With a vaccine at least a year away, the past may hold the answer to getting the world back in order. Variolation is a six-hundred-year-old predecessor to the smallpox vaccination. It was also an essential part of creating the United States of America. It may be time to visit it once again.

Variolation worked by introducing a minute dose of the smallpox virus into the human body to trigger a mild infection that stimulates the immune system. Unfortunately, some people reacted strongly even to a small dose, and about 2% of people died. The variolation mortality rate, though, was still better than having smallpox running rampant through a community. With variolation, smallpoxs mortality ranged from 35% in Europeans to 90% in Native Americans.

Variolation also failed to control contagion. Because variolated people genuinely had smallpox, they were contagious. However, if a substantial subset of the population was variolated, that helped resolve the infection problem.

Unlike variolations, which mildly infect people to trigger an immune response, vaccinations trick the body into believing its been infected, which also creates an immune response. It is, of course, better to fake-out the immune system than to infect people with a disease, no matter how light the viral load. For now, though, we don't have that fake-out vaccination for the Wuhan virus.

Robin Hanson, a scientific polymath, has argued for some time that, with an approved vaccination far in the future, the best short term approach to dealing with the Wuhan virus is variolation. The issue, says Hanson, is viral load:

[E]xtreme lockdowns, which isolate most everyone at home, not only limit freedoms and strangle the economy, they also greatly increase death rates. This is because infections at home via close contacts tend to come with higher initial virus doses, in contrast to the smaller doses you might get from, say, a public door handle. As soon as your body notices an infection, it immediately tries to grow a response, while the virus tries to grow itself. From then on, it is a race to see which can grow biggest fastest. And the virus gets a big advantage in this race if its initial dose of infecting virus is larger. [snip] Just as replacing accidental smallpox infections with deliberate low dose infections cut smallpox deaths by a factor of 10 to 30, a factor of 3-30 is plausible for Covid19 death rate cuts due to replacing accidental Covid19 infections with deliberate small dose infections.

Variolation has the virtue of being an honored American tradition.

In 1738, Charleston had a major smallpox outbreak. Eventually, there was a small effort at variolation, but it hadn't gotten off the ground when the epidemic subsided. Twenty-two years later, in 1760, when smallpox appeared again, the towns doctors were more open to variolation. Within 2 1/2 weeks, theyd variolated 6,000 of the towns 8,000 residents, black and white alike.

An interesting historical footnote is that, when doctors were called to white patients, they sweated the patients  that is, they basically parboiled the patients, killing them. Blacks, ignored by the medical establishment, did better, especially if they were exposed to sunshine. Sunshines benefits appeared again with the Spanish Influence in 1918, making ludicrous todays mandate that Americans must be trapped indoors.

In 1776, the British brought smallpox with them to the siege of Boston. The British began deliberately sending sick people into rural populations outside of Boston that had no immunity to smallpox. Because these rural populations filled the Continental Army, the British were conducting germ warfare. George Washington stymied this effort by ordering that every recruit into the Continental Army be variolated before joining with the main body.

Today, variolation could be extremely successful because we have an advantage colonial Americans lacked: If the Wuhan virus is caught early enough, it appears that both the hydroxychloroquine cocktail and Remdesivir can treat it. Additionally, the Israeli Ministry of Defense announced that Israeli scientists have made a terrific breakthrough that will lead to an antidote to the Wuhan virus:

Defense Minister Naftali Bennett on Monday said he witnessed a significant breakthrough by Israels defense biological research institute in developing an antibody to COVID-19, as the researchers wrapped up the development phase and moved to patent and mass produce the potential treatment. Bennett visited the labs of the Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR), a secretive unit that works under the Prime Ministers Office, in Ness Ziona and was shown the antibody that attacks the virus in a monoclonal way and can neutralize it within the bodies of those ill, according to a statement from his office.

The lockdowns are killing the American economy. Inducing a light viral load into the majority of health Americans may be the way to get America back to work.
Married At First Sight's Stacey Hampton deleted her Instagram for several hours on Wednesday after facing an unexpected backlash.

The 26-year-old law graduate briefly abandoned her influencer career because she wanted to 'distance herself from the negativity' she was facing.

Stacey's followers had turned on her after she posted a throwback video of herself at the gym. Many of them mistakenly believed it was a recent clip and that she was flouting government advice during the coronavirus pandemic.

Goodbye influencer career! Married At First Sight's Stacey Hampton deleted her Instagram for several hours on Wednesday after facing an unexpected backlash

Stacey captioned the video on her Instagram Story: 'Back to gym days.'

Despite making it clear the video was old, some fans were convinced she had only recently visited a packed gym - despite the fact all gyms have been ordered to close.

'Everyone messaging me please read caption on my post prior. It says "back to gym days". No gyms are open, it's common knowledge I believe,' she wrote.

Despite her clarification, Stacey couldn't handle the backlash and deactivated her account in order to take a break from social media.

'Back to gym days': Stacey's followers had turned on her after she posted this throwback video of herself at the gym. Many of them mistakenly believed it was a recent clip and that she was flouting government advice during the coronavirus pandemic

Stacey told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday: 'I've deleted my Instagram for the moment. I'm just distancing myself from the negativity and all that comes with it.'

She instead wants to focus more on her new charity, which aims to help women suffering from postnatal depression.

'It's a huge passion of mine,' she said of the cause, adding that she had suffered from postnatal depression herself after giving birth to her two sons, Kosta and Kruz.

'It's common knowledge': Despite making it clear the video was old, some fans were convinced she had only recently visited a packed gym, despite the fact all gyms have been forced to close

Stacey added: 'I'm just focusing on doing my charity and doing the right thing, and then you'll probably see me back on Instagram soon at some point.'

She has since reactivated her Instagram account, having spent a total of eight hours offline.

The reality star shared a cryptic post upon her return to social media, writing: 'Time is something money can't buy. Time is something I desire.'

'I'm just distancing myself from the negativity': Stacey deleted her Instagram in response to the backlash, before reactivating her account eight hours later

It comes after Stacey experienced 'a little bit of a hiccup' with police in Adelaide Airport on Wednesday, as she returned home from a business trip to Melbourne.

A South Australia Police spokesperson told Daily Mail: 'SAPOL can confirm that a 26-year-old woman arriving from Melbourne was stopped at Adelaide Airport this afternoon.

'Police determined that she was not an essential traveller and therefore she was issued with a direction to self-quarantine for a period of 14 days.'

Stacey has disputed this, however, saying: 'This is incorrect. It was just over my form [and] whether or not it was essential.'

Stacey claims to perform 'essential work' for a transport company in Melbourne every fortnight. Her charity is also supposed based in Victoria.

In South Australia, essential travellers are allowed to enter the state and continue as normal. Non-essential travellers need to self-quarantine for 14 days.
About 400 tests were planned at the site, said Chaka Washington, who called patients inside. In two more weeks, 30 more testing sites are scheduled to open, state officials said. Around 100,000 people in Indiana should be tested within the first month, officials said.
A national office supply company has decided to permanently close a distribution center in Pennsylvania.

Office Depot, which also owns OfficeMax is closing its distribution center in Bristol Township, Bucks County.

Due to the overall decline in business due to COVID-19, the company has decided to permanently close the Bristol Distribution Center, located at 3001 Frost Road, Bristol, PA 19007, a company spokesperson said in an e-mail.

Office depot filed a WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) notice with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry last month. The company will lay off 175 people and they include one office associate, 66 warehouse associates, three delivery coordinators, 30 delivery drivers, one general manager, four maintenance mechanics, one maintenance technician, seven managers, 50 equipment operators, three lead delivery specialists and nine warehouse specialists. The layoffs are expected to take place between June 5 and June 18

READ MORE:

The WARN Act is federal legislation that offers protection to workers, their families and communities by requiring employers to provide notice 60 days in advance of a covered-business closing and covered-business mass layoff. The company filed the notice with the state on April 6.

Office Depot is also closing its OfficeMax store at 650 E. High St., Suite 600, in Carlisle. The store is scheduled to close on May 16. It is the last OfficeMax left in Cumberland County. And there are no more OfficeMax stores left in Dauphin County. OfficeMax closed a store at 6416 Carlisle Pike in Silver Spring Township in 2018. The OfficeMax store in the Colonial Commons shopping center at 5098 Jonestown Road in Lower Paxton Township closed in 2016. OfficeMax also previously had a location in the Union Square shopping center on Union Deposit Road in Susquehanna Township for many years.

There are 16 OfficeMax/Office Depot locations in Pennsylvania including the one Carlisle, according to the company website including OfficeMax stores in the Lancaster and Reading areas.

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When news surfaced that Prince Harry wouldn't ask his bride-to-be at the time Meghan Markle to sign a prenup, many people raised some eyebrows and believed that he was so naive.

Many assumed that Prince Harry doesn't care about his wealth, but might believe that there is eternal love and that his marriage with Meghan Markle would work.

Though there's nothing romantic about signing a prenup, Prince Harry comes from one of the wealthiest families in the world. Even billionaires are still tempted to ask their other half to sign on the dotted line.

But why not Prince Harry?

According to the Duke's friend who told The Daily Mail at that time, "There was never any question in Harry's mind that he would sign a prenup. He's determined that his marriage will be a lasting one, so there's no need for him to sign anything."

At that time, Prince Harry's net worth was around $42 million, while Meghan Markle's net worth was about $5.6 million thanks to her acting career.

As it also turns out, prenups, unlike in the US, are not common in England unless you're a celebrity.

But royal courtiers did suggest that the Duke of Sussex signed one before marrying Meghan Markle.

As per Katie Nicholl, author of "Harry: Life, Loss, and Love," she explained that members of the royal family don't sign prenuptial agreements.

"It may be common for a celebrity marriage, but this is not a celebrity marriage. It's a royal marriage."

Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, also declined to sign a prenup before marrying Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge.

Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana also didn't have a prenuptial agreement before their wedding, but she was able to receive some money as the Queen deemed her son was in the wrong. So she gave the late princess a settlement of $22 million and $600,000 for her private office.

But even without a prenup, the Duchess of Sussex isn't entitled to very much since Prince Harry's assets are mostly protected.

Members of the royal family's wealth belong to the Crown Estate, which means it wouldn't be eligible to count as assets after the dissolution of their marriage.

It's different from how American assets often get divided once spouses decided to divorce.

The legal definition behind this says because Queen Elizabeth II owns all the palaces and other residences, there aren't any other concerns about having to divide up properties. Issues with money or child custody, however, will be handled by an outside court.

But what would happen if Meghan Markle and Prince Harry would end up in a divorce?

Though it is possible that it would happen, as royal fans have been tracking Meghan Markle's every move and how they notice the former actress quits everything after two years.

She was once married before, but she and her then-husband divorced after 23 months of marriage.

Meghan Markle, after divorcing, has also started dating another man, two years later.

The Duchess of Sussex was also a royal girlfriend for two years before getting married to the Duke of Sussex, and the most important of all, Meghan Markle quit the working life after two years too.

So if Meghan Markle and Prince Harry divorced in 2020, two years after they got married, it would not be too public, and royal watchers will not be able to see some nasty drama.

These days, royals prefer to have those subjects handled as promptly as possible, and out of the spotlight, therefore, agreements would be managed in private.

READ MORE: Royal PROOF: Princess Diana Paved the Way for Prince Harry to Exit Royal Family
The Indian Medical Association's



Thane chapter on Wednesday objected to bodies of deceased persons being released from hospitals without COVID-19 tests and suggested that all funerals be held with only five people in attendance.

Several mourners attend funerals of people who have died of other ailments and hospitals have been releasing bodies without conducting COVID-19 tests on them, posing a great health risk, president of IMA Thane Dr Dinkar Desai stated in a release.

There have been cases in Maharashtra's Thane city, where deceased persons have tested positive for the virus and the administration had to track down mourners and other high- risk contacts in such cases, he said.

At least for the next couple of months, funerals should be held in the presence of the police, with not more than five people in attendance, Dr Desai suggested.

In a related development, a medical officer at the CSMG Civic Hospital in Kalwa town tested positive for COVID- 19, an official said.

All those who had come in contact with the person have been quarantined, he said.

At least 43 persons tested positive for COVID-19 in Thane district on Tuesday, taking the tally here to 452 cases, including 17 deaths.

Meanwhile, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation is fast approaching 400 cases, while the count in Palghar district is nearing 200.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Riyaz Naikoo, a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander who had been on the run for eight years, has reportedly been killed by security forces

Riyaz Naikoo, a top Hizbul Mujahideen commander who had been on the run for eight years, has reportedly been killed by security forces in a village in Kashmir's Pulwama district, news agency ANI reported.

The report, however, is yet to be confirmed by Jammu and Kashmir Police and the security forces.

Authorities in the Valley have snapped mobile internet services across the region, News18 reported. Strict restrictions have been imposed on the movement of people as preemptive measures to ward off any law and order problems.

A police spokesperson had earlier confirmed that a top terrorist commander along with an accomplice was trapped in an encounter, but had refused to reveal his identity.

Later in the day, officials disclosed that the man in their sights was Naikoo, the operational commander of the banned terrorist outfit, who carried a bounty of Rs 12 lakh.

Declining to give details, officials had only said they had launched a plan to nab Naikoo after establishing his presence in the village and wanted to ensure he did not escape this time. They said details would be shared after the encounter was over.

Hours later, ANI confirned that the militant commander has been killed.

Naikoo (32) -- who was number two to Burhan Wani, the poster boy of militancy in the Valley -- became the de facto chief of the terror group after Wani was killed in July 2016.

Since then, Naikoo managed to escape the police dragnet thrice in Shopian in south Kashmir.

Before joining militancy, Naikoo, who comes from Awantipora in Pulwama district, used to give private tuitions to school children. He had played a crucial role in holding the terror groups hold in Kashmir, after Zakir Musa split the outfit in 2017.

He joined militancy in 2012 and has since been involved in a number of attacks and militancy related activities in south Kashmir, according to police. He was one of the last few popular faces of militancy in Kashmir. He had worked tremendously on increasing the visibility and popularity of the banned terror organisation. A popular face on social media, Naikoo was a tech-savvy person and had used platforms like Whatsapp and Facebook to galvanise support for the new age militancy in the Valley.

Meanwhile, in Sharshali village, two militants who are yet to be identified were gunned down in an encounter with security forces.

Acting on a tip-off about the presence of militants in the village, security forces launched a cordon and search operation. It turned into an encounter after militants opened fire towards security forces' positions, officials said. In the retaliatory firing, two militants were killed, they said.

With inputs from PTI
In addition to strengthening strict management measures to ensure safety for visitors, localities have initiated many measures to welcome and serve domestic tourists.

Positive signals

After Hanoi municipal Peoples Committee issued DirectiveNo.07 on Covid-19 prevention and control, allowing the resumption of amusement parks and tourists attractions in the capital city, many destinations were bustling in their welcome tovisitors. The area around Hoan Kiem Lake saw a large number of tourists from April 30 to May 2, mainly those from the outskirts of Hanoi and other localities. Notably, many famous tourist attractions such as Van Mieu  Quoc Tu Giam (The Temple of Literature), Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Hoa Lo Prison, Hanoi Museum and Hanoi Zoo, remained closed; therefore, people moved to suburban destinations to relax during the recent holiday. Bat Trang pottery village in Gia Lam District and Duong Lam ancient village in Son Tay Town are ideal destinations for many tourists.

Ho Chi Minh City celebrated the 45th anniversary of Southern Liberation and National Reunification Day in an atmosphere more subdued than usual. Many famous destinations have not reopened. Several travel enterprises resumed tours, but the number of visitors was limited. During the recent holiday, the tour Following the footprint of Saigon Special Forces attracted many people. However, visitors were divided into small groups and asked to wear face masks and maintain the required distance to ensure their safety.

According to Sapa Cultural and Information Department, there were around 8,000 visitors to Sapa Town in Lao Cai Province on May 1-2.

Tourist areas and business and service establishments in Quang Ninh Province also welcomed visitors from May 1. By 3pm on May 2, 46 cruise ships, carrying over 500 passengers (including 30 internationals), arrived in Ha Long Bay; meanwhile, Yen Tu relic site received around 800 tourists and Quang Ninh Museum welcomed 700 guests.

During the holiday, tourist attractions in Ninh Binh Province welcomed 17,340 visitors, including 358 foreigners (mainly experts working in Vietnam). The province's accommodation facilities served 1,025 guests, including 115 internationals.

Tam Chuc national tourism area in Ba Sao Town, Kim Bang District, Ha Nam Province resumed its operation on April 28 and welcomed around 10,000 visitors per day over the recent holiday.

Director of the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, Vo Le Nhat, said that Thua Thien  Hue provincial Peoples Committee will allow visitors to enjoy free tickets to the relic sites in the ancient city until May 7.

Meanwhile, a promotional programme, with discounts of up to 60% on cable car tickets at the Ba Na Hills tourism complex in Da Nang City, has been officially launched for visitors from 14 central coastal provinces and five Central Highland provinces. Several other destinations in the central city resumed their operations. The visitors have the chance to visit tourist attractions in the ancient city of Hoi An and Quang Nam Province for free. The total number of arrivals in the province was estimated at 10,800 during the recent holiday.

According to statistics of Da Lat City Peoples Committee, the mountainous locality received over 58,000 visitors, including over 1,300 foreigners, during the recent holiday.

Many other provinces and cities around the country began to reopen destinations as well as resume tourist activities in safe conditions.

Enhancing strict measures to ensure safety for visitors

Most localities have enhanced strict measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 epidemic. Some provinces and cities, including Ba Ria  Vung Tau and Khanh Hoa, still limited visitors bathing in the sea. Functional forces have been assigned to inspect and remind visitors to wear face masks and maintain asafe distance as well as checking the tourists body temperatures. Many accommodation facilities are recording the information of the guests and are equipped with more taps, soap and disinfectant solution while checking their body temperature every day. Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Department, Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, said that all units were committed to organising safe tourism activities.

The tourism sector has also issued a written directive, asking tourist accommodation establishments, travel enterprises and tourist attractions to strictly implement Covid-19 prevention and control measures in accordance with the direction of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Health in order to ensure safety for workers and visitors. The sector has also directed the relevant agencies, localities and tourist areas to focus on exploiting the domestic market as well as preparing specific plans to recover after the epidemic is controlled.

According to leaders from Thua Thien  Hue Province, many preferential programmes are being offered for visitors to the local relic sites. The 11th Hue Festival will be held from August 28 to September 2; however, its scale will be changed in line with prevailing conditions. Earlier, the provincial authorities issued a set of criteria for safe tourist attractions, establishments and enterprises. The province will also soon commence a project to recover and stimulate its tourism for 2020-2021 period.

Khanh Hoa Provinces authorities have outlined many measures for the recovery of tourism after the pandemic, including the effective implementation of mechanisms and policies to supporttravel businesses and boost promotional programmes to attract more visitors from July until December.

Vice Chairman of Chau Doc City People's Committee Tran Quoc Tuan said that functional units in the city in particular and An Giang Province in general have mobilise locals, visitors, restaurants and hotels to implement all measures to prevent and control the epidemic.

With the enhanced anti-epidemic measures, the countrys tourism sector is expected to recover quickly once the pandemic is controlled. The sector should thoroughly grasp the opportunity to nurture a safe, friendly and attentive Vietnam for both domestic and international visitors.
Viruses are common enemies of human beings and the COVID-19 pandemic poses common challenges for all countries. It is a humane and just act for countries to do their best to help others in the pandemic while maintaining strict prevention and control policies at home.

However, some U.S. politicians and their followers are being cold-blooded even though they always speak of Bible verses. They described Chinas donation to other countries as politics of generosity, medical teams as geopolitical expansion, and material supports as mask diplomacy. Their narrow mind and vicious manipulation are really astonishing.

Saving lives comes before everything as life is invaluable, and goodwill shall be repaid with greater kindness - those are Chinas traditional virtues. China received strong support from the international society when it had a hard time battling the novel coronavirus, and it is grateful to and will never forget the assistance offered by each country.

After China achieved initial progress in containing the virus, it immediately started offering assistance for other countries, launching the most intensive and wide-ranging emergency humanitarian operation since the founding of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949, from Tokyo to Paris, from Teheran to Madrid, and from the shore of the Black Sea to the cape of Africa.

China is taking concrete actions to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

This spring, batches of medical supplies arrived at major airports around the world from China; huge amounts of cash were donated to international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO); teams of Chinese medical experts traveled across countries to help relieve the pandemic; and cross-continental teleconferences were held between Chinese and foreign experts to exchange anti-pandemic experiences.

Facts shall not be distorted, and any act tarnishing truth shall not be tolerated. Never estimate the generosity of others with narrow-mindedness, as every effort made by global countries to save lives deserves respect and recognition.

American dignitaries said publicly that the status of the United States as a global leader over the past seven decades has been built not just on wealth and power but also, and just as important, on the legitimacy that flows from the United States domestic governance, provision of global public goods, and ability and willingness to muster and coordinate a global response to crises.

However, what on earth did the U.S. do for itself and the world in the pandemic?

At the initial phase of the pandemic, the White House ignored the warning from the WHO and failed to take effective measures, which later led to a drastic surge in infections. Besides, it also passed the buck to China, the WHO and immigrants. Turning a blind eye to the urgency of pandemic relief, the U.S. enhanced its sanctions on Iran, Syria and Venezuela, and told countries not to accept the help from Cuban medical teams with various ridiculous excuses. It even threatened to stop funding the WHO, an important international organization that helps the world fight the pandemic, and arbitrarily requested to replace the WHO chief.

Theres no refuge in the world as the virus is still rampant around the globe, and only mutual assistance and cooperation can help the world get through the difficulty. It is a fundamental point, as well as an international consensus.

On the contrary, the U.S. refused to join a UN initiative to research, manufacture and distribute a possible vaccine and treatments for COVID-19. In the past two months, our lives have changed beyond all recognition. The only thing that has remained the same is President Trumps failed foreign policy, said Washington Post in a recent article.

Washington even ditched its allies when anti-pandemic materials are in short supply, intercepting medical materials ordered by other countries. Vaccines are considered hope and a sharp weapon in the pandemic, but the U.S. offered large sums of money to get exclusive access to a coronavirus vaccine being developed by a German company, in a move condemned as modern piracy by Western media. German Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn commented that his country would only develop a vaccine for the whole world, not for individual countries.

The power of morality and warmth of humanity are valuable especially in crisis. Some U.S. politicians compared COVID-19 to traffic accidents, in an attempt to play down the deaths of tens of thousands of people, which only revealed their cold-bloodedness. Some publically called to allow the transmission of the virus, so as to fix what is a significant burden on our society and resources that can be used at the sacrifice of the lives of the vulnerable groups and the homeless. Their cold-bloodedness is way beyond peoples recognition.

They bragged about the strong leadership of the U.S. in pandemic response, and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo shamelessly declared that generosity is a core American value. However, those are just empty talks. U.S. Ambassador to Israel once promised to give $5 million to Palestinian households and hospitals in coronavirus aid. However, Palestinian Ambassador to France later said the donation was different from what the U.S. had promised, and Washington lied on its assistance to Palestine. It was even reported by media that the donation was indeed lip service.

Ironically, U.S. magazine The National Interest noted that the assistance received by the U.S. from China was indeed more than what the U.S. government has offered its own people. This makes it easier to understand the Americans who criticized U.S. politicians on the internet, saying humanity and morality are rare.

There is only one Earth where all countries co-exist. In the global war against the pandemic, nothing comes before saving lives through international cooperation.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People's Daily to express its views on foreign policy.)
Pope Francis is calling for migrant farm workers to be treated with dignity, issuing an appeal as Italy weighs whether to legalize undocumented agricultural workers amid a shortage of seasonal farm labor due to the coronavirus emergency.

Francis said he had been struck by the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on migrant farm workers, who even before the pandemic lived hand-to-mouth with day jobs that paid 25 euro (USD 27). While migrants are not testing positive in great numbers, they have seen their precarious, off-the-books work dry up because of Italy's lockdown.

Francis said Wednesday at the end of his general audience that migrant workers in Italy are very harshly exploited.

He said: It is true that the current crisis affects everyone, but people's dignity must always be respected. ... May the crisis give us the opportunity to make the dignity of the person and of work the center of our concern.

Farm lobby groups and some Italian ministers have warned that spring and summer harvests are at risk because Italy's usual seasonal workers, many of whom live in Eastern Europe, are stuck at home because of virus travel restrictions.

Italy's agriculture minister, from the center-left Italy of Values party, has proposed legalizing them, backed by the interior minister and minister for the south who also wants to legalize Italy's army of foreign domestic workers who care for the elderly at home. But the majority 5-Star Movement is divided on the issue.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two healthcare workers are dead and one has been hospitalized after each fell from hospital windows in Russia over the past two weeks.Russian authorities are investigating each incident to determine a cause. Two of the three healthcare workers fell after reportedly challenging or disagreeing with officials in Russia's state-run healthcare system over coronavirus-related issues.The hospitalized worker is a Russian paramedic Alexander Shulepov. He reportedly fell from his 2nd story hospital room and is now in serious condition with a skull fracture, the Latvia-based independent news outlet Meduza reports.Shulepov, along with his colleague Alexander Kosyakin, posted a video online on April 22 saying that he had been diagnosed with COVID-19 but was still being forced to work. The paramedic was hospitalized for the disease the same day.On April 25, Shulepov posted another video online recanting his earlier condemnations of his work and supervisor at the Novousmanskaya District Hospital. The 37-year-old man blamed his April 22 video on "emotional" rantings, according to The Moscow Times Kosyakin is wanted by Russian authorities for spreading "fake news" about the coronavirus. He had previously complained about a lack of medical supplies and personal protective equipment in hospitals for healthcare workers treating coronavirus patients.Kosyakin told CNN Elena Nepomnyashchaya served as the acting head of the Krasnoyarsk Krai Hospital for War Veterans in Siberia. On April 25, she fell from a 5th story window either during or immediately after a conference call with regional Health Minister Boris Nemik. The call was over turning one of her hospital's buildings into a ward for coronavirus patients. She was staunchly against the idea.After the fall, Nepomnyashchaya was hospitalized in critical condition. She later died from her injuries.Natalya Lebedeva, who ran emergency operations in a hospital near Moscow, died on April 24 after falling out of a window. Lebedeva had also been diagnosed with the coronavirus.Meduza reports:Russia's state-run healthcare system has broken under the strain of the coronavirus. Though the Kremlin tries to control information coming out of the country and enforces strict messaging among the state's healthcare officials, reports of mass resignations and under-supplied hospitals have leaked out.On April 27, a former nurse at Moscow's Kommunarka hospital appeared in a video online telling of mass resignations at the hospital over poor working conditions and little pay.the former nurse said, according to Meduza
Field-Wide Intelligence Improves Efficiency, Uptime and Production for Global Assets

HOUSTON, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Weatherford International plc (OTC Pink: WFTLF) today announced its ForeSite Production-Optimization Platform demonstrated $18 million in annual savings for a Fortune 500 producer by delivering measurable improvements in efficiency, uptime and production. The compelling combined results persuaded the operator to order a global rollout of Weatherford's field-wide intelligence platform to maximize production across their U.S. and international operations.

Weatherford, in tandem with the West Texas operator, successfully implemented the ForeSite production-optimization platform enterprise-wide, leveraging existing field-data streams as a path to improving efficiencies for multiple forms of artificial lift. Demonstrated improvements included savings in equipment life and personnel gain through management-by-exception techniques.

"The customer's objectives were clear," said Manoj Nimbalkar, Global Vice President, Production Automation and Software, Weatherford. "One, the solution must accommodate multiple forms of production, including natural flow, rod lift, gas lift, and electrical-submersible pumps (ESPs). Two, Weatherford must create an enterprise-wide, data-agnostic optimization system to reach across multiple software systems and companies. Three, the solution must leverage historical data from the outgoing software and integrate real-time feeds from the existing Weatherford CygNet SCADA platform, as well as a competitor's field-allocation and well configurator."

The Weatherford production-optimization team collaborated with the operator to assess the production strategy and data needs across thousands of wells. Together, Weatherford and the operator agreed to a phased rollout of the ForeSite production-optimization platform, starting with an initial pilot that was governed by KPIs that would lead to further, enterprise-wide adoption.

Following the complete rollout, the operator expects an annualized savings of $18 million per year. These projections include a savings of $6 million in personnel efficiency, $7 million in increased equipment run-life, and an additional $5 million in revenue garnered from wells transitioned more quickly from natural-flow lift to artificial lift.

ForeSite was installed on a subset of wells-including natural flow, reciprocating rod lift, gas lift, and ESPs-and the platform seamlessly integrated all existing and historic data-management and planning systems into a single production-optimization platform. The resulting real-time efficiencies empowered the operator to manage all pilot wells, both productive and underperforming, by exception, leading to the multi-million dollar savings in both production and uptime.

"The ForeSite pilot exceeded all KPIs and as a real result, the program was expanded to include nearly 1,000 wells in a Phase 1 rollout, which will be adopted enterprise-wide over the next two years," said Nimbalkar.

About Weatherford

Weatherford is the leading wellbore and production solutions company. Operating in more than 80 countries, the Company answers the challenges of the energy industry with its global talent network of more than 20,000 team members and 610 locations, which include service, research and development, training, and manufacturing facilities. Visit weatherford.com for more information or connect on LinkedIn , Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , or YouTube .

Contact:

Karen David-Green

+1.713.836.7430

Senior Vice President Stakeholder Engagement and Chief Marketing Officer

Christopher Wailes

+1.832.851.8308

Director, Global Media Engagement

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/73933/weatherford_international_logo.jpg
India on Wednesday evening came close to hitting the 50,000- mark for coronavirus cases in the country while the Central government expressed concern with the situation in Maharashtra and West Bengal. Karnataka announced a relief package while raising prices of liquor and Uttar Pradesh, too, raised the prices on liquor and on fuel in order to generate some revenue.

Here are the top 10 coronavirus news stories on May 6, 2020.

1. Indias coronavirus tally is set to cross 50,000-mark on Thursday when the fresh official figures are released in the morning. The total number of Covid 19 cases in India stood at 49,391 on Wednesday. Countrys coronavirus death toll has risen to 1,694. Maharashtra continues to be the worst affected state with 16,758 positive cases including the fresh 1,233 cases reported on Wednesday, the highest single-day spike for the state. 34 people have died in Maharashtra in the last 24 hours taking the combined death toll to 651. A total of 3094 people including, 275 persons in the last 24 hours, have recovered from the disease. Mumbai reported 769 new cases, taking the total number of infected in the maximum city past the 10,000-mark at 10,714. Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said he was concerned with Maharashtra situation and will hold a meeting with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to review disease containment efforts.

Read: Covid-19 situation in Maharashtra matter of concern, will hold meeting with CM: Health minister

2. Karnataka announced a relief package worth Rs 1,610 crore to aid the poor including washermen, barbers, auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers, weavers, construction workers and farmers who have been hit hard due to the cessation of economic activities in the wake of coronavirus pandemic outbreak. The state government led by BS Yediyurappa also announced a waiver on electricity bills for two months for small scale industry while raising the liquor prices by 11% to generate revenues.

Read: In Karnatakas Rs 1600-cr lockdown relief, Rs 5,000 for barbers, taxi drivers

3. The Uttar Pradesh government decided to hike prices of petrol, diesel and liquor with an aim to earn an additional Rs 4,429 crore in the current financial year. The government said the decision was taken to recover some of the economic loss suffered due to coronavirus pandemic outbreak. Petrol in the state is slated to be costlier by Rs 2 per litre while diesel will be costlier by Re 1.

The rise in liquor prices ranges between Rs 5 a bottle (for country-made liquor) to Rs 400 per bottle (for more than 500 ml) for foreign brands.

Read: Uttar Pradesh cabinet approves hike in petrol, diesel and liquor prices

4. At least 85 personnel of the Border Security Force (BSF) tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday taking the total number of Covid-19 infections in the Central Armed Police Forces close to 400. BSF is leading the chart with at least 152 cases followed by 146 from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 45 from the ITBP, 15 from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and 13 cases from Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). Around 10 lakh strong Central forces are deployed for counter-insurgency, border guarding and law and order duties across the country.

Read: 85 more BSF personnel turn Covid-19 positive

5. In a positive development, no new positive cases were reported in Kerala on Wednesday and eight of its 14 districts were left without any single case of Covid-19 infection. The state, now, has only 30 active cases of the disease that are under treatment in various hospitals, as over 468 positive patients have been treated successfully over the course of the last four months. State Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said his government has made all necessary arrangements to prevent a new chain of infections in the state when expatriates from the Middle East begin arriving from Thursday onwards.

Read: Covid-19 update: As expatriates return, Kerala vows to prevent past slip-ups

6. The Centre warned the West Bengal government that it was violating central laws and international treaties by blocking the movement of essential goods to Bangladesh. The letter written to Bengal chief secretary Rajiva Sinha said the states unilateral action had larger implications for the Indian government. The West Bengal government responded by saying that it will take a considered decision on the issue. The home ministry also faulted Bengal for alleged poor containment efforts citing the low rate of testing and a high mortality rate in the state along with its alleged failure to implement lockdown measures.

Read: Bathing in rivers, playing cricket: MHA on lockdown violations in Bengal

Read: Centre tells Bengal to open Bdesh border, cites international commitments

7. Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari has assured private operators that bus and taxi services were likely to resume soon with some guidelines in force to moderate their operation while the threat of rise in coronavirus infections remains. Gadkari said the challenge was to strike a balance between ensuring social distancing and commercial viability for bus operations.

Read: Public transport may open soon with some guidelines, says Nitin Gadkari

8. The Central government responded to claims made by an ethical hacker that the Aarogya Setu app, developed by the Centre, was putting the privacy of its users at a big risk. The hacker had suggested that the data from the App could be used for surveillance or other activities. The government rubbished these claims and said there was no data or security breach and that personal information of any user was not at any risk as claimed by the hacker. It also added that the App will only remain in circulation until the coronavirus pandemic lasts.

Read: No privacy breach in Aarogya Setu app: IT min Ravi Shankar Prasad

9. Israel has promised to share the coronavirus antibody vaccine, it claimed was in the advanced stages of development, with the rest of the world including India. It added that 50 areas in health and science were suggested by the Israeli government for cooperation with India. These were aimed to find solutions to the Covid-19 crisis while an attempt to bring together private enterprises from both the countries for development of technologies to manage and overcome the pandemic were in the works.

Read: Covid-19: Israel suggests 50 topics in health for cooperation with India

Read: Of course, well share it with the world: Israels ambassador to India on Covid-19 breakthrough

10. The Delhi government announced summer vacation in government-run and aided schools from May 11 to June 30. The government also made it clear that the students will not be asked to come to the schools for any vacation-related activity during the break to avoid crowding conducive to the spread of Covid-19.

Read: Delhi schools to observe summer vacation from May 11 to June 30: Officials
Company announcement no 2020-07 5 May 2020

Interim Management Statement covering the period year-to-date

Very strong start to the year driven by strong performances in all hearing healthcare business activities

Significant negative growth since mid-March due to severe market impact of coronavirus

Level of unutilised funding facilities significantly expanded on terms similar to terms of existing facilities

Outlook for 2020 remains withdrawn due to continued uncertainty of impact of coronavirus

Year-to-date, the Groups performance has been extraordinarily mixed as a result of the global coronavirus pandemic. Until mid-March, the Group (excluding EPOS) saw double-digit organic growth significantly above the estimated growth rate of the hearing healthcare market. However, the lockdowns of virtually all our key markets in Europe and North America in response to the spreading of coronavirus have almost completely eliminated the ability to service patients and have had an unprecedented negative impact on the hearing healthcare market since mid-March. We estimate that the global hearing aid market is currently seeing a sales run rate of around 20% of what we would normally expect.

The negative impact on the Group accelerated in most major markets in mid-March, and since then revenue has been approx. 30% of our original expectations (including EPOS). Consequently, revenue and profits have year-to-date been significantly below the levels in the same period last year.

Our hearing aid wholesale business started the year with double-digit organic growth driven by broad-based success generated particularly by Oticon Opn S and Philips HearLink. However, sales have declined very significantly since mid-March, as lockdowns across the world have forced most customers to temporarily close their clinics or materially reduce their activity level. In the first quarter as a whole, organic growth was roughly flat, but the current revenue run rate is only approx. 20% of our original expectations.

In our hearing aid retail business, the year started with strong organic growth driven by Europe, particularly by France where comparative figures were low as a result of the negative effect last year of the new hearing healthcare reform. However, the lockdowns of almost all our markets have led us to temporarily close the vast majority of our shops and the impact has been severe. The current revenue run rate is approx. 20% of our original expectations.

In Hearing Implants, the continued success of the Ponto 4 sound processor helped drive exceptionally strong growth in our bone anchored hearing systems (BAHS) business until mid-March, whereas growth in our cochlear implants (CI) business was slightly negative due to lower-than-expected sales in France. Coronavirus has had a very negative impact on both businesses since mid-March, particularly on the CI business, and the current revenue run rate is approx. 20% of original expectations.

Our Diagnostics business started the year with strong and broad-based organic growth, and even though the impact of coronavirus has been significant, the orders placed in past periods and a recurring stream of revenue from services and disposables have supported the business. Year-to-date, organic growth has  despite the impact of coronavirus  been slightly positive thanks to the strong start to the year. However, the current revenue run rate is only approx. 60% of our initial expectations.

Communications (EPOS) faced supply chain headwinds in the first months of the year, which hampered sales. However, sales have since then accelerated significantly driven by Enterprise Solutions, which has benefitted from the working-from-home trend that has followed in the wake of coronavirus. The current revenue run rate for EPOS is approx. 120% of our initial expectations of strong double-digit growth.

Year-to-date, the Groups gross profit margin has been below the same period last year. This is to a large extent caused by expected dilutions due to the consolidation of EPOS and an increasing share of sales of rechargeable products. In April, we started to reduce our production level, and with a lower coverage of fixed costs in operations, the gross profit margin will temporarily see significant headwind until the production level normalises, despite actions taken to reduce costs at our production sites.

In terms of OPEX, we saw low double-digit growth until mid-March of which organic growth accounted for around half and the other half was attributable to the consolidation of EPOS and to acquisitions. Since then, we have taken numerous actions to reduce our costs. These include significant savings in staff costs due to the availability of publicly funded salary compensation schemes in most major markets as well as savings due to significantly reduced sales and marketing activities, mainly in Hearing Devices and Hearing Implants. At this point in time, the OPEX run rate is around 60% of our original plans. The savings are obtained in both distribution costs and administrative expenses, whereas R&D costs are deliberately kept more in line with our original plans.

As a result of our strong start to the year, the free cash flow has year-to-date been positive, but after acquisitions and share buy-backs, the net cash flow has been negative. We expect a significant negative impact on cash flows in the coming months, and available credit facilities have been expanded considerably since the beginning of the year. As of today, unutilised credit facilities and other available liquidity amount to around DKK 6.0 billion compared to around DKK 2.1 billion at the beginning of the year. The Groups debt to credit institutions with maturity in 2020, which excludes rolling short-term bank facilities, amounts to DKK 1.0 billion compared to DKK 2.0 billion at the beginning of the year.

As previously communicated, we believe that the negative impact of coronavirus will be temporary, and we see no changes to the fundamental drivers of demand for hearing healthcare products and services. However, we believe that the hearing healthcare market will only see a gradual recovery, which will likely carry over into 2021. Uncertainty as to whether any pent-up demand will start materialising in 2020 has increased over the last couple of weeks due to the fact that it has taken longer than initially expected to re-open society after the lockdown.

The Groups outlook for 2020 was withdrawn on 15 March as a direct consequence of coronavirus, and we still lack visibility when it comes to the duration of the lockdown in individual markets and the pace of the subsequent recovery. Consequently, we are still not able to provide a financial outlook for 2020.

Story continues

The Demant Group entered 2020 on a very positive note with high growth rates and market share gains in all hearing healthcare business activities. However, our good momentum came to a sudden halt when the hearing healthcare market almost completely stalled with the outbreak of coronavirus. Governments restrictions to prevent the spreading of the virus have particularly affected the elderly, who are staying at home. We make a huge effort every day to serve customers and users in the best possible way with remote services, and in countries that are open, we meet people with safety procedures as well as innovative solutions for delivering our services and products. But the situation for the Group is very challenging as we are facing a long road towards normalisation. It is difficult to estimate the time horizon, but it could carry over into 2021, and we are dedicated to doing what we can to get through this as fast as possible  with very high concern for peoples well-being, says Sren Nielsen, President & CEO of Demant.

Hearing Devices

Market trends

We estimate that the market growth rate was at the high end of our general expectation of 4-6% unit growth until the outbreak of coronavirus, which had a substantial, negative impact on demand in key markets from around the middle of March. Currently, we estimate that the sales run rate in the global hearing aid market is around 20% of what we would normally expect.

According to statistics from the Hearing Industries Association (HIA), unit sales in the US increased by 0.7% in the first quarter of the year driven by very strong unit growth at the beginning of the year until the outbreak of coronavirus put a halt to hearing care activities in most of the country. The very strong unit growth was driven by increasing sales through managed care channels in the private market and sales to US Veterans Affairs (VA). In the first quarter as a whole, the commercial part of the US market grew by 0.9% and growth in VA was -0.1%. However, we estimate the current run rate to be around 10% of what we would normally expect for the region. No later than in August 2020, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is required to introduce draft legislation to establish a new over-the-counter (OTC) category of hearing aids, but the exact timing has not been confirmed officially yet. Whether or not there will be changes to the timeline due to coronavirus has not been communicated either. We maintain our view that any impact of the new OTC category will be limited.

We estimate that unit growth in Europe was in line with our medium- to long-term expectations of 4-6% in the first two months of the year. Since then, we have seen the market rapidly deteriorating, and we currently estimate the market run rate to be around 20% of what we would normally expect in the region.

In Asia, we saw market lockdowns at the beginning of the year  especially in China  but we have since then seen gradual improvements in market conditions in the region. We do not have definitive market statistics for the region, but we estimate the current market run rate to be around 75% of what we would normally expect.

In many countries, governments have announced plans to partly re-open society, and while we are monitoring the developments closely, it is too early to estimate the impact and duration of the gradual market recovery.

There are no reliable industry statistics available on the development of prices in the global hearing aid market, and given the current market environment, we are unable to accurately estimate the development in average selling prices (ASP) for the hearing aid wholesale and retail markets.

Wholesale

Year-to-date, our hearing aid wholesale business has seen significant negative organic growth. In line with our plans, the business saw double-digit organic growth in the first months of the year, but lockdowns of

almost all markets have forced most customers to temporarily close their clinics or materially reduce their activity level. In the first quarter as a whole, organic growth was roughly flat, but we are currently seeing

a revenue run rate of only approx. 20% compared to our original plans. While our customers have materi-

ally reduced their activity level, we encourage and support their use of virtual solutions, such as Oticon

RemoteCare, to service the users in the best possible way.

The increased momentum that we saw towards the end of last year carried over into the beginning of this year where we realised very strong, broad-based organic growth in line with our plans up until mid-March despite the fact that a number of our small markets were impacted already at the early stages of the outbreak of coronavirus. Growth was driven by our highly competitive product portfolio, including an increased uptake of Oticon Opn S. Geographically, growth was driven particularly by the US, Germany, France and export sales. Improved mix effects drove a low, double-digit increase in the ASP, while unit growth was solid. We continued to see strong demand for rechargeability, and in February, Oticon launched a new series of mid-priced rechargeable products, Oticon Ruby, which are based on the powerful Velox S platform. The introduction of these products has naturally been impacted by the outbreak of coronavirus, so the products have only generated negligible sales year-to-date. Nonetheless, they are an important addition to our already strong product portfolio.

We continue to broaden the reach of Philips-branded products by adding rechargeability in additional price points as well as by roll-outs in new markets, and at the beginning of the year, we launched Philips HearLink in China and other Asian markets where we saw strong interest due to the unique combination of leading technology and a well-known consumer brand that is trusted and recognised all over the world. The planned roll-out and sales in this region have naturally been delayed by the outbreak of coronavirus, but are now beginning to pick up, and we continue to see Philips-branded hearing aids as a meaningful growth driver over the coming years.

We also recently launched new mid-priced rechargeable products in our Sonic and Bernafon brands to meet the increasing demand for rechargeable solutions. Naturally, these launches have also been affected by the outbreak of coronavirus, but they will support our overall growth when we see a normalisation of the market.



Since the middle of March, the global outbreak of coronavirus has triggered a significant deterioration in market conditions, as quick lockdowns of all major markets have severely impacted the hearing healthcare market. In Europe, we saw strong growth rates in many countries before the outbreak of coronavirus, but as a result of widespread lockdowns, organic growth has year-to-date been negative. Italy, France and Spain have been hit the hardest by the outbreak of coronavirus, and sales in these countries quickly dropped to a fraction of what we expected prior to the outbreak. In some countries, including Sweden and the Netherlands, we have not seen the same market deterioration, but in general, the current impact of coronavirus in Europe is severe.

In North America, we had a strong start to the year with very strong organic growth driven by continued momentum in sales to independent customers and strong sales to a large customer in the US. Since the middle of March, we have seen a rapid deterioration in market conditions similar to the one in Europe, albeit with material differences across states. Year-to-date organic growth has thus been negative, and we are currently seeing very limited sales.

The outbreak of coronavirus has also had severe implications for sales in Asia, but the timing and severity have been somewhat different than what we have seen in Europe and North America. In China, we have seen a gradual re-opening of the market in March and April with improvements in sales compared to previous months. We are monitoring the development in China very closely, but current indications suggest a gradual recovery, and it will take some months before market conditions are back to normal.

We had a very strong start to the year in the Pacific region, but market conditions have also deteriorated in this region as a result of coronavirus, albeit so far to a lesser extent than in Europe and North America.

Retail

Our retail business had a strong start to the year with strong organic growth before the outbreak of coronavirus. The lockdowns of almost all our markets have led us to temporarily close our shops or dramatically reduce our activity level, and year-to-date organic growth has been significantly impacted and is thus negative. The current revenue run rate is approx. 20% of our original expectations. In markets where we are unable to meet the users in person, we focus on servicing them in the best way possible at a distance through our call centres, by delivering batteries directly and through virtual solutions, including Oticon RemoteCare.

In Europe, we saw strong organic growth in the first months of the year, which was partly due to weak comparative figures as a result of the introduction of the French hearing healthcare reform last year, and partly due to strong performances in a number of other markets. However, most clinics in Europe are currently closed.

In North America, we were slightly behind plans in the first two months of the year, partly due to optimisations of the operating model in stores acquired as part of a large acquisition in 2018 in the US, and partly due to an increasing share of sales through managed care channels. In the rest of our US clinic network, performance in the first two months of the year was in line with the original plans, as productivity gains compensated for a lower ASP due to growth in managed care. Currently, our clinic network in North America is almost completely closed except in a few states that have avoided lockdown.

Performance in the Pacific region in the first two months of the year was in line with expectations in the first two months of the year, as we delivered solid organic growth in Australia despite the anticipated spill-over effect of last years IT incident. Year-to-date, organic growth has been negative due to the outbreak of coronavirus, although we have kept most of our clinics open in the region.

In many countries, governments have announced plans to partly re-open society, and we are monitoring the developments closely and evaluating on an ongoing basis when and where it is safe to open our clinics. We are therefore preparing our clinics to ensure that they work optimally and meet the increased safety and health precautions required when we re-open the shops.

Hearing Implants

Our Hearing Implants business activity has seen negative organic growth year-to-date. Growth in the CI business was slightly negative at the beginning of the year due to strong comparative figures, lower-than-expected sales in France and the timing of tender sales. Since the middle of March, the outbreak of coronavirus has caused a postponement of most elective surgeries, including hearing implants, in almost all markets, and we are currently seeing very little commercial activity. Our CI production facilities in Nice, France, are temporarily closed as a precautionary measure related to coronavirus, but we have sufficient stock to meet short- to medium-term demand, and we continue to operate critical service functions to support our clients. At the end of March, we submitted our final application for pre-market approval of the Neuro system in the US to the FDA.

In our BAHS business, the momentum from the second half of last year carried over into 2020, and we saw exceptionally strong organic growth rates at the beginning of the year driven by the Ponto 4 sound processor. The growth momentum was interrupted by the outbreak of coronavirus, and we are currently seeing a significant impact on sales, albeit to a somewhat lesser extent than in our CI business. The current revenue run rate in Hearing Implants as a whole is approx. 20% of our original expectations.

Diagnostics

In Diagnostics, we saw strong organic growth in the first months of 2020, as our momentum from last year continued into 2020. Growth was broadly based across product segments, brands and geographies with US as the primary driver. The outbreak of coronavirus has naturally impacted sales of diagnostic equipment, and we have seen a material slowdown in new orders for instruments and other equipment since the middle of March, which may result in a somewhat lagging effect of coronavirus. Still, orders placed in past periods and recurring revenue from services and disposables have supported the business. Year-to-date, organic growth in Diagnostics has been slightly positive thanks to the strong start to the year. However, the current revenue run rate is only approx. 60% of our initial expectations.

Communications

EPOS, our premium audio and video solutions business for enterprises and gamers, was fully consolidated into the Group with effect from 1 January 2020. Year-to-date, sales, have been slightly ahead of our initial expectations due to a strong uplift in demand in the last part of March and in April after a soft start to the year where EPOS faced supply chain headwinds, which hampered sales. The supply chain situation has now normalised and in contrast to the hearing healthcare market, we have seen a surge in demand for headsets in our Enterprise Solutions segment following the outbreak of coronavirus, as it has led to a significant increase in the use of virtual collaboration tools. Gaming has also seen an increase in demand as a result of coronavirus. Despite a now normalised supply chain situation, we are seeing a significant level of backorders as a result of the high demand, and the current revenue run rate is approx. 120% of our initial expectations of strong double-digit growth.

Other matters

Gross profit and OPEX

Year-to-date, the Groups gross profit margin has been below the same period last year. This is to a large extent caused by expected dilutions due to the consolidation of EPOS and an increasing share of sales of rechargeable products. We have also seen a temporary negative impact of increased shipping costs related to coronavirus. In the first months of the year, we continued to produce hearing healthcare products at close to full capacity to ensure healthy local stock levels in all markets and to mitigate the risk of constraints in our supply chain in this unprecedented situation, but in April, we started to reduce our production output. Consequently, the gross profit margin will due to the lower coverage of fixed costs in operations temporarily see significant headwind until the output normalises. Meanwhile, we maintain strict focus on recalibrating the activity level in production to accommodate lower demand, including actions taken to reduce costs at our production sites.

In terms of OPEX, we saw low double-digit growth until mid-March of which organic growth accounted for around half and the other half was attributable to the consolidation of EPOS and to acquisitions. Since then and in response to the impact of coronavirus, we have taken numerous actions to reduce our costs. This includes significant savings in staff costs due to the availability of publicly funded salary compensation schemes in most major markets and a significant number of employees having been temporarily furloughed or working under similar arrangements. The vast majority of these furloughed employees work in our distribution activities, primarily in retail clinics that are temporarily closed, and some work in administrative functions. Our R&D activities are unaffected. Also, we have significantly reduced our sales and marketing activities, mainly in Hearing Devices and Hearing Implants. At this point in time, the OPEX run rate is around 60% of our original plans. The savings are obtained in both distribution costs and administrative expenses, whereas R&D costs are deliberately kept more in line with the original plans made.

Remuneration to the Executive Board and the Board of Directors

To support the business and the employees in this challenging situation, the Executive Board have voluntarily decided to reduce their salaries by 10% for the remaining part of 2020, and the Board of Directors have decided to reduce their fees by 20% in the same period.

Financial position and share buy-backs

As a result of our strong start to the year, the free cash flow has year-to-date been positive, but after acquisitions and share buy-backs, the net cash flow has been negative. As a logical consequence of the currently low level of revenue generation and an expected delay in payments by customers, we anticipate a significant negative impact on cash flows in the coming months until market conditions approach a normalisation.

The Group continues to have ample access to funding, and in order to ensure some degree of financial flexibility, we have expanded our available credit facilities considerably since the beginning of the year. As of today, unutilised credit facilities and other available liquidity amount to around DKK 6.0 billion compared to around DKK 2.1 billion at the beginning of the year. The Groups debt to credit institutions with maturity in 2020, which excludes rolling short-term bank facilities, amounts to DKK 1.0 billion compared to DKK 2.0 billion at the beginning of the year. We continue to see very strong support from both commercial and non-commercial banks, and financing is still available on terms similar to the terms of our existing facilities. With our current access to funding, we do not foresee any short- to medium-term liquidity challenges. As a result of the expansion of our credit facilities, financial expenses in 2020 will be higher than last year.

Share buy-backs have been suspended since 15 March. Prior to the suspension, the Group had bought back shares worth DKK 197 million.

One-offs related to the consolidation of EPOS

As a natural consequence of the withdrawal of our outlook for 2020, we are also unable to guide on one-offs related to the consolidation of EPOS. However, in the first half of this year, we expect to recognise a material, positive fair value adjustment related to the demerger and a negative revaluation of inventory purchased as part of the demerger. None of these one-offs will have cash flow effects. We also expect to incur one-off costs related to extraordinary spending on the branding of EPOS, which will impact cash flows and are likely to be back-end loaded. In summary, we still expect a positive net effect on reported profit this year, but a negative net effect on cash flows.

Hearing healthcare market outlook

We believe that the negative impact of coronavirus will be temporary, and we see no changes to the fundamental drivers of demand for hearing healthcare products and services. However, we believe that the hearing healthcare market will only see a gradual recovery that will likely spill over into 2021. The duration of the market recovery will depend not only on the timing of the re-opening of society, but also on how quickly people  particularly the elderly population  will start to feel comfortable leaving their homes to buy hearing healthcare services. Uncertainty as to whether any pent-up demand will start materialising in 2020 has increased over the last couple of weeks due to the fact that it has taken longer than initially expected to re-open society after the lockdown.

Outlook for 2020

On 15 March, we withdrew our outlook for 2020 due to uncertainty of the impact of the current outbreak of coronavirus and the resulting changed outlook for the hearing healthcare market. We still lack visibility when it comes to the duration of the lockdown in individual markets and the pace of the subsequent recovery. Consequently, we are still not able to provide a financial outlook for 2020. Thanks to our strong competitive position, we delivered organic growth significantly above the estimated market growth rate until we began to see the effect of coronavirus in mid-March, but we lack visibility when it comes to guiding on our performance for the full year relative to the market.

We maintain the suspension of share buy-backs, pending a better overview of the financial implications of the current situation.

As soon as we are able to properly assess the impact of coronavirus on the hearing healthcare market and the derived impact on our own business, we will release an updated outlook for 2020, and we will publish any material new information as it becomes available.

*******

Demant will host a conference call on 5 May 2020 at 14:00 CET. To attend this call, please use one of the following dial-ins: +45 3544 5577 (DK), +44 3333 000 804 (UK) or +1 6319 131 422 (US). The pin code is 31432104#. A presentation for the call will be uploaded to www.demant.com shortly before the call.

Further information:

Sren Nielsen, President & CEO

Phone +45 3917 7300

www.demant.com Other contacts:

Rene Schneider, CFO

Mathias Holten Mller, Head of Investor Relations

Christian Lange, Investor Relations Officer

Trine Kromann-Mikkelsen, VP Corporate Communication and Relations

Attachment
Since the first lockdown was imposed to arrest the spread of Covid-19 on March 25, the country has witnessed instances of police high-handedness on violators. The men in uniform have often been targeted by the public for trying to enforce safety measures.

The case hasnt been different in Assam too. But besides going overboard in some cases to enforce the lockdown, the police in the North-eastern state have also taken up the role of caregivers to those in need during the ongoing crisis.

Till Tuesday, the police in Assam had reached out to nearly 2 lakh families, around 6 lakh people, and 15,000 animals by distributing food materials and medicines amid the lockdown.

Also read: 548 doctors, nurses, paramedics infected with Covid-19 across India

The police, with help from NGOs and civil society groups, have distributed around 15 lakh kilograms of food materials, which include rice, pulses, edible oil, vegetables and fruits. The men in khaki are also serving cooked food to thousands daily in the states 33 districts.

Apart from this, the police has ensured home delivery of medicines to more than 8,000 people who requested for it, said a senior police official requesting anonymity.

Sixteen helpline numbers have been started by the police to address the problems of those within the state and persons from the state stranded outside due to the lockdown.

In the view of the psychological stress faced by people due to Covid-19 pandemic, the police in association with the department of psychiatry of Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) launched mental health helpline numbers on April 7, the official said.

Till date, nearly 2,000 persons have been counselled through the helpline numbers.

As enforcers of the lockdown, the police have lodged 1861 cases, arrested 3913 persons, detained over 24,000 vehicles and realized Rs 1.89 crores as fines for violations till date.

Nearly 100 cases have been registered for spreading fake news on Covid-19 and 50 persons have been arrested, informed police officials.
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Linkedin Marchio Irfan Gorbiano (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 6, 2020 16:10 622 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd65c913 1 National BNPT-chief,bnpt,Jokowi,Boy-Rafli-Amar,National-Police,national-police-chief,Idham-Azis,anti-terrorism,counter-terror,inauguration Free

President Joko Jokowi Widodo on Monday inaugurated police Insp. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar as the new head of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) despite criticism from police watchdogs over the manner of the appointment.

Boy  a veteran police officer who has held various high positions in his 32-year career, including Papua Police chief  was chosen to replace fellow police officer Comr. Gen. Suhardi Alius, who had helmed the BNPT since 2016. Prior to the promotion, Boy served as the deputy chief of the polices education and training institute (Lemdiklat).

Around 20 people, including some high-ranking officials, attended the inauguration ceremony, maintaining a distance between one another in the line the health protocol amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

I would like to convey my gratitude to Pak Jokowi for giving me this opportunity. In facing the challenges ahead, the BNPT should be an institution that can incorporate strengths from all elements in the government and society in the fight against terrorism, Boy said after the ceremony.

He added that the focus of the BNPT would be to intensify cooperation with stakeholders from home and abroad. We know that terrorism is a transnational organized crime. We have to work together; we have to collaborate and incorporate resources from the government and from the people.

The mechanism of Boys appointment has been under scrutiny, with Indonesia Police Watch (IPW) chairman Neta S. Pane criticizing the fact that Boy was appointed through a National Police chief telegram.

Neta argued it was the Presidents prerogative to appoint and inaugurate the BNPT chairman, not the National Police chiefs, as stipulated in a 2010 presidential regulation on the BNPT.

While the antiterror agency had previously been led by police generals, Neta said the police chief only had the authority to recommend a name to the President to fill the position.

Boy defended his appointment, saying that some people might have misunderstood the process. He said the National Police chiefs telegram had merely appointed him as a senior officer to the National Polices Densus 88 counterterrorism squad, who would then be assigned to the BNPT.

So, in the telegram, I was not [directly] named as the head [of the BNPT], Boy said, adding that the appointment and inauguration of the BNPT head was the Presidents domain.

Boy, who graduated from the National Police Academy in Semarang, Central Java, in 1988, served as the Papua Police chief from April 2017 to August 2018, when he was assigned to the Lemdiklat. Prior to his assignment in Papua, he had served both as a National Police and Jakarta Police spokesperson as well as the Banten Police chief. (asp)
Zarif advises Pompeo to read UNSCR 2231

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, May 5, IRNA -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a message said Iran nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is part of UNSCR 2231 and advised US secretary of state to read the resolution.

"@SecPompeo pretends UNSCR 2231 is independent from #JCPOA," Zarif wrote in his Twitter account on Tuesday.

"He should READ 2231. JCPOA is PART of 2231. That's why it's 104 pages& why he's not read it," he added.

"2231 for Dummies: -It would NOT EXIST w/o JCPOA - US violated it & prevented others from complying -US has NO standing," he noted.

Earlier, Iran's Ambassador to the United Nations headquarters at Geneva Esmaeil Baqaei Hamaneh said on Monday that the United States' invocation of UNSC Resolution 2231 against Iran is a travesty and it should be held accountable for abusing the UN Security Council.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has recently claimed that the US is still a participant to the UNSC Resolution 2231 and can request an extension of Iran's arms embargo based on the Article 11 of the Resolution.

With its unilateral exit from Iran nuclear deal two years ago, the United States violated its commitments under the 2015 multilateral accord and a subsequent UNSC Resolution 2231 as well.

Russia, China, as two other signatories to Iran nuclear deal, as well as some European countries and Iran have made clear that the US claim is a misconception of the Resolution. They reiterated that Washington is no longer a party to Iran nuclear deal as it has unilaterally withdrawn from the accord.

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Herndon, VA, May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The skies in Brunswick County were buzzing with activity last week. Leading unmanned aerial vehicle companies were demonstrating the viability of using drones for medical emergency package delivery. This operation took place in response to the White House task force on Coronavirus (COVID-19). The former Saint Pauls College campus located in the Town of Lawrenceville, Virginia provided the perfect test location.



Virginias Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) coordinated the multiday testing effort that was led by DroneUP of Virginia Beach and included UPS and its subsidiary UPS Flight Forward, Workhorse Group and AirBox Group based in Richmond. The group was researching how unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones, might assist medical professionals in their fight to stop the spread of the Coronavirus.



Experts in the healthcare industry and in government are looking for technologies that can speed the pace of testing and treatment for infected patients, making unmanned aircraft a potentially valuable tool. The experiment evaluated the commercial drone industrys ability to scale up small UAS deliveries in order to assist the U.S. healthcare system during the pandemic.



I am encouraged to see so many private sector partners stepping up and thinking innovatively as we work together to combat COVID-19, said Virginia Governor Ralph Northam. Drones can be an important way to deliver medical supplies while people stay home to adhere to our social distancing guidelines. Virginia is well-positioned to be a leader in the unmanned system industry, and we are pleased to be a part of this initiative.



The Brunswick County Board of Supervisors is pleased that CIT reached out to our County to assist in this time of national crisis, said Dr. Charlette T. Woolridge, County Administrator. We were able to demonstrate that we could rapidly respond to the need of the companies and the government. This is another example of how we validate that Brunswick County is open for business. We welcome this testing and are eager to support this emerging economic sector.



This is an exciting event for the Virginias Growth Alliance (VGA) region. We have been making historic strides in the unmanned systems sector for more than two decades. We were able to show that our Region supports this industry, and that we have the resources for companies to be successful. This is a very proud moment for Brunswick County and VGA, said Jeffrey Reed, Executive Director of VGA.

Over the course of three days test participants conducted exercises in Lawrenceville, which sought to determine processes, policies and training necessary to conduct efficient, safe and effective delivery operation during day and night.



GO Virginia and GO Virginia Region 3 are excited to support the tests in Brunswick County, said Erik Johnston, Director, Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and Randy Lail, GO Virginia Region 3 Chairman. GO Virginia quickly pivoted to use a portion of its funds to support projects like this that can lead to economic recovery, said Johnston. GO Virginia Region 3s ability to quickly review this project is one way we can support opportunities that lead to long-term recovery that aligns with our Regional goals, said Lail. Additionally, this testing highlights the assists in the Region that help make southern Virginia an ideal location for the Unmanned Industry sector. We are eager to continue to use our resources to help our Region recover.



Drones offer a low-touch option for delivery of lab specimens and medical products that could make a significant impact in an urgent response application Said Scott Price, UPS Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer. Last year, UPS initiated the first ongoing revenue-generating drone delivery service at WakeMeds flagship hospital and campus in Raleigh, N.C. UPS also established UPS Flight Forward, which later earned the Federal Aviation Administrations standard Part 135 Standard certification to operate a drone airline. UPS has worked with innovative drone technology partners and aviation regulators for years to advance the use of drones for delivery.



Data collected during this fast-paced simulation will be included in a report to the White House, who will consider what role the growing UAS industry might play in the Coronavirus response. Many in the public  along with federal, state and local officials  are asking how drones can be used in this time of crisis, said Tom Walker, DroneUp CEO. Rather than speculate, it is incumbent upon our industry to conduct operationally-based exercises that produce factual data and lessons learned to ensure we can respond safely, effectively and efficiently when called upon. Data collected now will impact our capabilities beyond the COVID-19 outbreak we are currently facing. DroneUp provides end-to-end aerial data collection services for its clients. The company also qualifies and deploys drone pilots to serve a variety of commercial industries.



Virginias Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) has been Virginias primary driver of innovation and entrepreneurship since 1985. Virginias commitment to unmanned system innovation led to the development of The Virginia Unmanned Systems Center at CIT to support this rapidly growing and innovative industry. Our thoughts are with those who have been most affected by this crisis, said Ed Albrigo, CIT President and CEO. CIT is committed to exploring innovative responses to the COVID -19 pandemic, including emergency package deliveries by drones. We appreciate the willingness of DroneUp, UPS and Workhorse to be part of the solution.





For More Information:

About Brunswick County

https://www.brunswickco.com/government/departments/economic_development



About Virginias Growth Alliance (VGA)

http://vagrowth.com/



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During the days of the pandemic, Flight Hunter, a startup created to organize charter flights, is undertaking the Come Back to Armenia initiative through which citizens of Armenia abroad can register and return to their homeland via a charter flight whenever possible.

Citizens of Armenia abroad learn about the initiative on our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/flighthuntercom/) and inform their desire to come to Armenia by filling out a special online questionnaire. We have already received about 3,000 applications, and most of the applicants are from Russia and the US. Moreover, we are currently in contact with airline companies and are trying to make sure the charter flights are carried out directly from the cities from which people want to return to Armenia, and those cities are especially Russian cities, Tigran Petrosyan, one of the creators of the startup, told Armenian News-NEWS.am, stating that the dates arent specified yet due to the changing restrictions in different countries.

The team has been working on the startup for two years, and during the pandemic, it has put in all its efforts to organize more charter flights. When the project is fully launched, citizens of Armenia in every corner of the globe can provide the required information and express the desire to move from a particular point to Armenia. The startup will process the data and discuss the transport of registered passengers for a specific period with air carriers. This can even provide an opportunity to organize direct flights from new directions. This is a global project and is designed to make the movement of people through air space more convenient.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 6, 2020 13:19 622 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd64ee9c 1 Science & Tech Akademi-Edukreator,Education-and-Culture-Ministry,YouTube,online-learning,Kok-Bisa Free

The Akademi Edukreator initiative aims to inspire and train teachers, content creators and professionals in Indonesia to produce high-quality video content via YouTube.

The initiative is the result of a collaboration between science and education media firm Kok Bisa, educational video platform YouTube Learning, the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), educational organization Yayasan Semua Murid Semua Guru (All Students All Teachers Foundation) and the Education and Culture Ministry.

During its launch on Wednesday, Akademi Edukreator held a series of discussions to be aired on YouTube via the Kok Bisa? channel, the Ministrys and Televisi Edukasi.

Around 24 speakers were featured, including actor Nicholas Saputra, Google Indonesia policy head Putri Alam, Kok Bisa cofounder Gerald Bastian, actor Chelsea Islan, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani, Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim and Indonesian student studying at Waseda University in Japan Jerome Polin.

Read also: Studying from home: Seven online learning platforms for students

Topics of discussions included Building a New World of Education, Learning Doesnt Just Happen in School and Learning How to Break the Way of Learning.

Gerald said the discussion intended to inspire and connect education activists.

Well also be holding a series of free classes to share knowledge as educreators for people, Gerald said in a statement. Well announce the information and registration on akademiedukreator.com and our social media accounts.

Putri Alam said YouTube had always supported content creators in delivering messages and creating positive social impacts, especially in the education sector.

As the educreator community in Indonesia develops, were committed to strengthening its positive impact and extend its resources and support for the community, said Putri.

Numerous educational content can be accessed on YouTube on Belajar #SamaSaya playlist. (wir/wng)
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court held Day Three of arguments by telephone with the audio available live to audiences around the world.

The higher profile case of the two heard by the justices on Wednesday dealt with Trump administration rules that would allow more employers who cite a religious or moral objection to opt out of providing no-cost birth control to women as required by the Affordable Care Act.

It was the last day for arguments this week. The justices have three more days and six cases remaining next week.

Some observations, trivia and analysis from our Supreme Court reporters (all times local):

4:50 p.m.

Was it the flush heard round the world? Or just some weird electronic noise that sounded suspiciously like a flushing toilet?

Lawyer Roman Martinez was responding to a question from Justice Elena Kagan, late in his argument for striking down a federal law barring robocalls to cellphones, when live audio picked up the familiar sound.

There was no word from the court on what exactly happened or, if it was a toilet, who may have flushed. The justices were on the line for nearly three hours Wednesday, but they did take a short break between cases.

Ajit Pai, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, offered a humorous take on Twitter: To be clear, the @FCC does not construe the flushing of a toilet immediately after counsel said what the FCC has said to reflect a substantive judgment of the Supreme Court, or of any Justice thereof, regarding an agency determination.

___

1:20 p.m.

The Supreme Court has wrapped up its first week of arguments by telephone, with live audio available also for the first time.

The three days of hearings were remarkably smooth, even as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg participated from her hospital room and Justice Stephen Breyer was briefly kicked off the line on Wednesday. The 87-year-old Ginsburg is being treated at a Baltimore hospital for an infection caused by a gallstone.

Breyers brief absence from the arguments came in a case about robocalls. When Breyer rejoined the call, he said he was cut off when someone had tried calling him.

The court Wednesday also heard arguments over Trump administration rules that would make it easier for employers to cite moral or religious objections in refusing to provide cost-free contraceptives to women, as required by the Affordable Care Act.

The justices will return to the phones next week for six cases over three days. Those include President Donald Trumps efforts to shield his tax and other financial records and whether presidential electors must cast their Electoral College votes for the candidate who wins the popular vote in their state.

Wednesdays session was scheduled for two hours but lasted nearly three hours. One-hour sessions Monday and Tuesday ran a few minutes over.

___

12:55 p.m.

In Supreme Court phone arguments about robocalls, Justice Stephen Breyer says he got cut off when someone tried calling him.

Breyer said after he rejoined the courts arguments Wednesday: The telephone started to ring, and it cut me off the call and I dont think it was a robocall.

The court was hearing its second argument of the day by telephone because of the coronavirus pandemic. It was a free speech case involving a law aimed at protecting consumers from unwanted telemarketing calls.

Earlier in the day, the justices heard a case that involves the Affordable Care Acts requirement that most insurers cover contraceptives for women.

___

11:55 a.m.

The Supreme Court has finished its first phone argument for the day and quickly moved on to the second.

The court on Wednesday spent an extra 40 minutes beyond the allotted one hour for the first argument. It heard about Trump administration plans to make it easier for employers to get out from the requirement in the Obama-era health care law to provide women covered by their health insurance plans with cost-free contraceptives.

The justices took a break of only a couple of minutes before beginning the second set of phone arguments, about whether a 1991 law protecting consumers from unwanted telemarketers violates the First Amendment.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been participating from a Maryland hospital where shes being treated for an infection caused by a gallstone.

___

10:25 a.m.

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is participating in telephone arguments from a Maryland hospital where shes being treated for an infection caused by a gallstone.

The court said Tuesday evening that the 87-year-old justice had undergone non-surgical treatment for a benign gallbladder condition. The court said she planned to participate in arguments from the hospital Wednesday.

Ginsburgs first question was a lengthy one, essentially saying the Trump administration tossed to the wind the requirement in the Affordable Care Act that women have seamless access to no-cost contraceptives.

Because of Ginsburgs seniority on the court she has been third to ask a question during this weeks telephone arguments, following Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Clarence Thomas. But Thomas apparently was having some technical difficulties when Roberts first called on him. Instead, Thomas followed Ginsburg with questions.

The court says Ginsburg is expected to be in the hospital for a day or two. It has said some justices are participating in arguments from home while others are at the court.

___

10 a.m.

The Supreme Court has started Day Three of arguments its hearing by telephone because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The court again urged lawyers to use a landline, not a cellphone. There are two arguments Wednesday, and theyre more high-profile than the ones the court heard Monday and Tuesday. Theyre scheduled to each last an hour, with a short break in between. The arguments Monday and Tuesday ran a few minutes long.

If youve been following along, then you know the drill: The justices will ask questions in order of seniority, after Chief Justice John Roberts goes first.

The court announced late Tuesday that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is being treated for an infection caused by a gallstone and plans to participate from a Maryland hospital.

Before the justices is a case that involves the Affordable Care Acts requirement most insurers cover contraceptives for women. The second argument is a free speech case involving a law aimed at protecting consumers from unwanted telemarketing calls.

___

8:15 a.m.

The stakes are higher in the phone arguments the Supreme Court is set to hear Wednesday.

The high court will hear two arguments in one day over the phone because of the coronavirus pandemic, with audio provided live. The session is expected to last approximately two hours.

The higher-profile case is about a dispute over Trump administration rules that would allow more employers who cite a religious or moral objection to opt out of providing no-cost birth control to women. It stems from former President Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act.

The second argument is a free speech case involving a 1991 law aimed at protecting consumers from unwanted telemarketing calls.

On Monday the court heard a case about Booking.coms ability to trademark its name. On Tuesday the case was about federal money to fight AIDS around the world.

___

8 a.m.

The Supreme Courts foray into modern technology has gone smoothly. On Monday and Tuesday there were few glitches as the justices heard arguments over the telephone with audio available live for the first time in the courts history because of the coronavirus pandemic.

But the stakes are higher Wednesday. There are two arguments in one day, and theyre more high profile. One case involves the Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare. The other relates to unwanted telemarketing calls.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has an infection caused by a gallstone and plans to participate from a Maryland hospital.

The court heard one case per day on Monday and on Tuesday. Among the biggest surprises during arguments came from Justice Clarence Thomas, who once went 10 years between questions. In this format, Thomas has been speaking up, asking questions both days.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor forgot to unmute herself both days, but it was only for a moment. On Tuesday, she told Chief Justice John Roberts, Im sorry, chief. Did it again.

___

Follow APs Supreme Court Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/AP_Courtside. And Supreme Court reporters Mark Sherman at https://twitter.com/shermancourt and Jessica Gresko at https://twitter.com/jessicagresko.
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ROME  From the marbled halls of Italy to the wheat fields of Kansas, health authorities are increasingly warning that the question isnt whether a second wave of coronavirus infections and deaths will hit, but when  and how badly.

In India, which partly relaxed its lockdown this week, health authorities scrambled Wednesday to contain an outbreak at a huge market. Hard-hit New York City shut down its subway system overnight for disinfection. Experts in Italy, which just began easing some restrictions, warned lawmakers that a new surge of virus infections and deaths is coming, and they urged intensified efforts to identify victims, monitor their symptoms and trace their contacts.

Germany warned of a second and even a third wave and threatened to re-impose virus restrictions if new cases can't be contained. German Chancellor Angela Merkel met Wednesday with the country's 16 governors to discuss further loosening restrictions that have crippled Europe's largest economy.

"There will be a second wave, but the problem is to which extent. Is it a small wave or a big wave? It's too early to say," said Olivier Schwartz, head of the virus and immunity unit at France's Pasteur Institute. France, which hasn't yet eased its lockdown, has worked up a "re-confinement plan" to ready for that second wave.

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Many areas are still struggling with the first wave. Brazil for the first time locked down a large city, the capital of Maranhao state. Across the ocean, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Africa has shot up 42% in the past week. Infections were expected to surpass 50,000 there on Wednesday.

An Associated Press analysis, meanwhile, found that U.S. infection rates outside the New York City area are in fact rising, notably in rural areas. It found New York's progress against the virus was overshadowing increasing infections elsewhere.

"Make no mistakes: This virus is still circulating in our community, perhaps even more now than in previous weeks," said Linda Ochs, director of the Health Department in Shawnee County, Kansas.

The virus is known to have infected more than 3.6 million and killed more than 251,000 people, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins that all experts agree is an undercount because of limited testing, differences in counting the dead and concealment by some governments.

The U.S. has seen over 71,000 deaths amid its 1.2 million confirmed infections, and Europe has endured over 144,000 reported deaths.

"Burying both parents at the same time? It's hard," said Desmond Tolbert, who lost his mother and father in rural Georgia. Because they had the virus, he couldn't be with them when they died.

The researchers behind a widely cited model from the University of Washington nearly doubled their projection of deaths in the U.S. to around 134,000 through early August, in large part because of the easing of state stay-at-home restrictions.

President Donald Trump, with his eye on being reelected in November, is pushing hard to ease the social-distancing orders and resuscitate the U.S. economy, which has seen over 30 million workers lose their jobs in less than two months. Though the White House had signaled Tuesday that it would begin winding down the country's coronavirus task force, Trump tweeted Wednesday that it would continue "indefinitely with its focus on SAFETY & OPENING UP OUR COUNTRY AGAIN."

A century ago, the Spanish flu epidemic's second wave was far deadlier than its first, in part because authorities allowed mass gatherings from Philadelphia to San Francisco.

As Italy's lockdown eased this week, Dr. Silvio Brusaferro, president of the Superior Institute of Health, urged "a huge investment" of resources to train medical personnel to monitor possible new cases. He said tracing apps  which are being built by dozens of countries and companies  aren't enough to manage future waves of infection.

"We are not out of the epidemic. We are still in it. I don't want people to think there's no more risk and we go back to normal," said Dr. Giovanni Rezza, head of the institute's infectious-disease department.

In Germany, authorities may reimpose restrictions on any county that reports 50 new cases for every 100,000 inhabitants within the past week.

Lothar Wieler, head of Germany's national disease control center, said scientists "know with great certainty that there will be a second wave" of infections but said Germany is well-prepared to deal with it. The country has been hailed for testing widely and has had one-fourth the number of deaths in Italy or Britain, which have smaller populations.

Britain has begun recruiting 18,000 people to trace contacts of those infected. British officials acknowledge that they should have done more testing and tracing earlier and could learn from South Korea, which brought its outbreak under control by rigorously testing, tracing and isolating infected people.

South Africa, which has years of experience tracking HIV and other infections, has more than 30,000 experienced community tracers at work. Turkey has 5,800 teams of contact tracers who have tracked down and tested nearly half a million people.

India was concentrated on the immediate drama around the market in the southern city of Chennai, which is now tied to at least 1,000 virus cases. An additional 7,000 people connected to the now-shuttered Koyambedu market are being traced and quarantined. Experts are worried about a health catastrophe in a country of 1.3 billion people with an already stressed medical system.

New confirmed daily infections in the U.S. exceed 20,000, and deaths per day are well over 1,000, according to the Johns Hopkins tally. And public health officials warn that the failure to lower the infection rate could lead to many more deaths  perhaps tens of thousands  as people venture out and businesses reopen.

"The faster we reopen, the lower the economic cost  but the higher the human cost, because the more lives lost," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo sai d. "That, my friends, is the decision we are really making."

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned on CNN that some states may be reopening too quickly.

"My message to the rest of the country is learn from how much effort, how much discipline it took to finally bring these numbers down and follow the same path until you're sure that it's being beaten back," he said, "or else if this thing boomerangs, you're putting off any kind of restart or recovery a hell of a lot longer."

Trump acknowledged the toll but argued that keeping the U.S. economy closed carries deadly costs of its own, such as drug abuse and suicides.

"I'm not saying anything is perfect, and yes, will some people be affected? Yes. Will some people be affected badly? Yes. But we have to get our country open and we have to get it open soon," he said during a visit to Arizona in which he did not wear a face mask.

 The Associated Press

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Kilkenny landowners are urged to be vigilant as the Department of Agriculture has issued a Condition Red - Extreme Fire Risk warning, for the whole country.

The danger period is from 12noon on Tuesday, May 5, to 12noon on May 7.

The issue of Condition Red Extreme fire risk warnings is a comparatively rare event and implies that recipients should take immediate action to protect resources and property.

Such action may involve the mobilisation, assembly and prepositioning of resources such as water tankers, machinery, personnel and contract aviation support in high risk areas.

According to the Department a Type A high pressure system associated with extreme fire risk potential is currently located East of Scotland and is inducing moderate to fresh Easterly airflows over Ireland.

Fine Fuel Moisture Code levels are currently above 85 and wind speeds are likely to exceed the critical 30kmh threshold in most areas over the next 24 hours.

This type of pattern has previously been associated with extreme fire behaviour under Irish conditions. Projected Initial Spread Index values are also in the very high range in Western areas. This indicates a strong potential for rapid fire spread and difficulty of suppression in typical upland fuels.

Fire behaviour may be moderated by increased live growth in some areas.

Based on recent fire incidents, most ignitions risks appear to be associated with deliberate ignitions on areas where active turf cutting or illegal waste dumping is taking place.

Members of the public intending to visit forests and other recreational sites are reminded of the requirement to remain within 5km of their homes and to adhere to regulations introduced to limit the spread of Covid-19. Vehicles should not be parked at site entrances or impede emergency service access to forest roads.

Under extreme Fire Risk Conditions any ignition source in hazardous fuels will give rise to rapid and unpredictable wildfire development and spread. Under these conditions, in upland situations fire can be expected to cover extensive areas and pose extreme difficulties to suppression efforts and may potentially likely give rise to Major Emergency scenarios.

Forest owners / managers, other land managers, landowners and local authorities should implement fire patrols to exclude all fire activity from the landscape and enforce relevant fire protection legislation.
The logo for Occidental Petroleum is displayed on a screen on the floor at the NYSE in New York

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Occidental Petroleum Corp on Tuesday swung to a first quarter loss on writedowns and charges, and the troubled U.S. oil producer cut its budget for the third time since March in response to a historic oil-price crash.

The company has been struggling with debt taken on in last year's $38 billion acquisition of Anadarko Petroleum, an ill-timed bet on rising shale oil prices ahead of a market dive.

Global energy demand has tumbled amid coronavirus-related travel and business restrictions and a glut of oil from a price war. U.S. crude collapsed this year, and remains down about 60% from January despite a recent rally.

Occidental's results included a $1.4 billion impairment charge on its Western Midstream pipeline assets, a $580 million writedown of oil and gas properties and $670 million loss on interest-rate swaps. The losses were partially offset by a $1 billion gain on crude oil hedges.

The company cut its 2020 project budget for a third time, to about $2.5 billion, from the original roughly $5.3 billion plan. It identified an additional $1.2 billion in operating and overhead cost cuts, it said on Tuesday.

Occidental is "taking aggressive action to ensure our long-term financial stability," Chief Executive Officer Vicki Hollub said.

The company reported a net loss of $2.23 billion, or $2.49 per share, for the quarter ended March 31, compared with a profit of $631 million, or 84 cents per share, in the year-ago period.

Occidental beat Wall Street estimates for adjusted earnings. Analysts expected an adjusted loss of 63 cents, but the company reported a loss of 52 cents, according to Refinitiv.

The Anadarko purchase saddled Occidental with $40 billion in debt and the oil-price crash has cut the value of assets Occidental picked up in the deal, dashing its hopes of selling some of them to pay down the debt.

French oil giant Total SA on Tuesday said it had been told by Occidental it cannot acquire Occidental's oil and gas assets in Algeria, which were part of an $8.8 billion deal reached by the companies on Anadarkos assets in Africa.

Berkshire Hathaway Inc Chairman Warren Buffett, who helped bankroll the Anadarko purchase, on Saturday said the investment was conditioned on much higher oil prices.

Story continues

"It does not work at $20 a barrel," said Buffett.

Shares edged 1.3% lower to close at $15.32 on Tuesday, down 64% year-to-date.

In March, Occidental agreed to take three directors nominated by activist investor Carl Icahn, who had opposed the Anadarko deal. The company will hold a call with analysts on Wednesday morning to discuss the results.

(Reporting by Jennifer Hiller in Houston and Shariq Khan in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur, David Gregorio and Tom Brown)
Cyber criminals are attacking healthcare and medical research organisations during the coronavirus outbreak, UK and US officials have warned.

The official cybersecurity agencies of both countries said they have seen an array of attacks on medical bodies, especially those that have been involved in the response to the pandemic.

The attacks appear to be attempting to take advantage of the difficulties in dealing with the outbreak and could undermine the response in both countires, officials warned.

The UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have issued an advisory urging staff to change any passwords to one created using three random words, and to implement two-factor authentication on accounts to reduce the threat of compromises.

The agencies say they have seen a number of "password spraying" attacks, where hackers attempt to access a large number of accounts using commonly known passwords, targeting healthcare organisations and other medical groups.

The two bodies said they believe criminals were targeting such organisations in the hope of gathering information related to the coronavirus outbreak.

Paul Chichester, NCSC director of operations, said: "Protecting the healthcare sector is the NCSC's first and foremost priority at this time, and we're working closely with the NHS to keep their systems safe.

"By prioritising any requests for support from health organisations and remaining in close contact with industries involved in the coronavirus response, we can inform them of any malicious activity and take the necessary steps to help them defend against it.

"But we can't do this alone, and we recommend healthcare policymakers and researchers take our actionable steps to defend themselves from password-spraying campaigns."

Last month, the NCSC launched its Suspicious Email Reporting Service, following an increase in the number of Covid-19-related email scams, which allows the public to forward emails directly to the centre in order to report suspected scams.

Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Show all 18 1 /18 Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, with a carer in PPE at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jackie Wilson, a healthcare assistant, wearing PPE before going into rooms Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, speaks to a carer at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Carers working at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A care worker wearing PPE opens a drink carton Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, sits with a carer Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, with a carer in PPE Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A care staff member wearing PPE Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A staff member at Newfield Nursing Home looks after a resident SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer wearing PPE uses a speaker Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer helps Jack Dodsley, 79, from his chair Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer wearing PPE helps Jack Dodsley, 79 Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A staff member at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer brings food to a resident at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, with a carer in PPE Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A staff member puts on PPE at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jackie Wilson, a healthcare assistant, puts on PPE before she enters a room SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A bench at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS

In its first week, the NCSC said the service received more than 25,000 reports, which resulted in 395 scam websites being taken down.

Bryan Ware, CISA assistant director of cybersecurity, said it was prioritising its services to healthcare organisations and other medical groups involved in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, so that those firms can focus on their response to the virus.

"The trusted and continuous cybersecurity collaboration CISA has with NCSC and industry partners plays a critical role in protecting the public and organisations, specifically during this time as healthcare organisations are working at maximum capacity," he said.

Speaking at the daily coronavirus briefing, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab added: "We're working with the targets of those attacks, with the potential targets, and with others, to make sure that they're aware of the cyber threat and that they can take the steps necessary to protect themselves and at the very least mitigate the harm that could be brought against them.

"There are various objectives and motivations that lie behind these attacks, from fraud on the one hand, to espionage, but they tend to be designed to steal bulk personal data, intellectual property and wider information that supports those aims, and they're often linked with other state actors.

"We expect this kind of predatory, criminal behaviour to continue and to evolve over the coming weeks and months ahead, and we'll be taking a range of measures to tackle that threat."

Additional reporting by Press Association
Across the Bay Area, coronavirus cases and deaths have reached a stubborn plateau after seven weeks of sheltering in place, and public health leaders in most counties say they are committed to a slow reopening of the economy  even as the state prepares to relax some restrictions and a handful of local businesses are pushing for a quicker recovery.

The Bay Area approached 9,000 cases on Tuesday, and last week the region saw a small uptick in the number of new cases from the previous week. Death reports have been slightly, but steadily, dropping week to week. But in individual counties, the pace of the outbreak has been undulating.

The sobering truth is that the Bay Area is still in the thick of the coronavirus pandemic, public health experts said. And if counties emerge too quickly from sheltering in place, they risk a resurgence of cases and an outbreak far more dramatic than the one narrowly avoided by early and aggressive social distancing orders.

Its understandable that people are getting a little frustrated. I think its because weve hit this plateau, said Stephen Shortell, former dean of the School of Public Health at UC Berkeley. People get restless, and they see on TV and social media whats happening in other states that are opening. They need to be reminded: Were not as bad off in California because weve had patience, discipline and leadership. We need to keep on trucking for a little bit longer.

That message was repeated by several Bay Area health officers this week as Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that some parts of the state may be ready to relax stay-home restrictions as early as Friday, assuming they have measures in place to protect their communities.

The Bay Area, many health officers said, is not there yet. Several counties are beginning to release plans for reopening  but those are long-term, and much of the region is still weeks from allowing businesses to resume some normal operations.

But in Napa County  where case counts havent crossed 100 and only two deaths have been reported  the health officer said Tuesday that she plans to revise the local stay-home order this week to more closely match the somewhat looser restrictions in Newsoms statewide directive. That could allow retail businesses to open for curbside sales as early as Friday.

Jessica Christian / The Chronicle

The Sonoma County health officer also said Tuesday that he plans to align his local order with the state directive. The county has reported about 260 cases and three deaths.

On Monday, a few Napa businesses were already open in direct defiance of state and county orders, their owners insisting that the risk of infection for their staff and customers was low. By Tuesday, county officials had already told some to close again. The county public health department said it was aware of complaints about the businesses but had no further comment.

At Quent Cordair, an art gallery in downtown Napa, the owners set out masks at the front door for customers who hadnt brought their own. About 60 people came by on Monday, said Linda Cordair.

We had a good day, she said. There was a lot of local support, and people found items they wanted to take home with them.

Cordair said she had dinner that night at Fume Bistro, a neighborhood restaurant a few miles from her shop that also defied the local order.

Napa County has not supported numbers and statistics for us to remain closed, said Terry Latson, the owner of Fume, where staff handed out paper napkins instead of the usual cloth and cleared out half the tables to create more distance between customers. We have super, super low statistics and instances and deaths, too. So we decided to push the envelope a little bit.

We feel like if youre not comfortable, please wait. But if youre ready to come in, then wed like to be here to support you and for you to support us, Latson said.

In Northern California, several rural counties have allowed business to resume, in violation of state mandates. Restaurants and hair salons in Yuba and Sutter counties are already open again, and the Yuba Sutter Mall planned to let in customers as early as Wednesday.

Jessica Christian / The Chronicle

Newsom on Tuesday chided those counties for moving too fast and risking the health of their own communities and the rest of the state. Theyre making a big mistake, and theyre putting their public at risk. Theyre putting our progress at risk, Newsom said at his daily briefing.

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.

Last week, California reported its first drop in the weekly death toll since the outbreak began in early March  an important marker of the progress made so far, infectious disease experts said. But the state is still reporting wide fluctuations in case counts day to day. More than 2,300 people have died, including more than 80 deaths reported on Tuesday.

Case reports in the Bay Area and the rest of the state climb and fall based on a number of factors  a cluster of cases in a single nursing home, for example, or a batch of tests results released at once. As counties attempt to increase testing, public health officials said they expect small increases in new cases too. Eventually those should stabilize.

Its unlikely, though, that the Bay Area will see zero new cases anytime soon  a goal that a few months ago seemed attainable. The virus is simply too widespread  not only in the region, but across the state and country. As long as there are hot spots in other parts of the United States, it will be impossible to fully contain the outbreak, infectious disease experts said.

The Bay Area is behaving very much like what one would expect in terms of slight undulations, ups and downs, but were not going to have these tremendous peaks. I think this is what we can expect now for the next few months, said John Swartzberg, a UC Berkeley infectious disease expert. From the perspective of the virus, it has plenty of susceptible people to infect.

Swartzberg and others noted that as the state and counties loosen some restrictions, further small jumps in cases can be expected. The more people interact, after all, the more opportunity the virus has to spread. Thats why its important that counties move slowly to reopen, so they can gauge the impact of any new easing of restrictions.

Jessica Christian / The Chronicle

Thats already happening as some counties across the state have moved to reopen parks and beaches. In the Bay Area, six counties this week allowed construction to resume, along with a few outdoor-only businesses. Public health officials will carefully watch local statistics over the next two weeks to see if those changes result in more cases.

This more controlled relaxation of the restrictions, I think its reasonable, said Lee Riley, a UC Berkeley infectious disease expert. And if we start seeing an uptick again, well know which businesses are at risk and we can assess that. We can take more precautions.

Erin Allday, Jill Tucker and Matt Kawahara are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: eallday@sfchronicle.com, jtucker@sfchronicle.com, mkawahara@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ErinAllday, @JillTucker, @matthewkawahara
A Political Science Lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Dr. Kwesi Amakye Boateng, has commended Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia's ability to speak to facts and data in his political analysis.



The Vice President on Monday responded to former President Mahama's numerous comments against the government over its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic by reminding Mr. Mahama how official data proves how he mismanaged the economy during his time as President, and also daring him to show one mitigating measure to cushion Ghanaians and businesses during the 4-year dumsor crisis under his presidency.



Dr. Bawumia's stinging response has irked the rank and file of the NDC and they have since launched scathing attacks on his person.



Contributing to Metro TV's Good Evening Ghana Program hosted by Paul Adom Otchere on Tuesday night, Dr Amakye said it is unfortunate that people resort to personal attacks when facts and ideas are being discussed.



"That is not what is needed now. These are ideas and the ideas are about contesting one another and then facts also come out to tell the record of what everyone has done," the Lecturer told the host.



He added that Dr. Bawumia speaks to facts and data and until those who want to respond to him also come with facts and data for a comparitive analysis, the Vice President will continue to point out issues.



"The significant thing is that he (Dr. Bawumia) speaks to data. So not until people are able to come out to challenge the facts, the data that he puts out, he is going to visit these issues," Dr. Amakye noted.



The lecturer also disagreed with those saying the Vice Preaident erred by responding to the former Preaident and making a comparative analysis of how Mahama responded to the Dumsor crisis and how Nana Akufo-Addo is responding to the Coronavirus crisis.



He said as long as former President Mahama remains a candidate for the December elections and has been campaigning shrewdly, analysis and scrutiny of his record while in government is a must.



"One significant factor that we can't run away from is that President Mahama has a record there. He has been in office before and whether people like it or not, his records are there and you can't help but do comprisons with them," Dr. Amakye said.



"When you manage the economy in respecct of COVID-19 it is governance. When you manage the econony in respect of energy challenges, it is governance."



"So over there, comprisons can be made. How did one go about making judicious use of the nation's scarce resource in respect of COVID-19 and in respect of energy crisis. Yes, there is ground for one to make comparison."

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Last chance plan for THAI Airways, warns Prayut

THAILAND: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has said the financially-ailing Thai Airways International Plc (THAI) will be given one last chance to turn itself around.

transport

By Bangkok Post

Wednesday 6 May 2020, 09:06AM

THAI Airways has suffered huge financial losses for years, with a B12 billion deficit confirmed last year. Photo: Bangkok Post

Gen Prayut stressed the need for its executives and union members to work together to steer the distressed flag carrier out of its problems, calling it a matter of life or death for the company and its employees.

I gave THAI five years to fix the problems, but it still has not succeeded, he said after a cabinet meeting yesterday (May 5).

Gen Prayut said the latest rehabilitation plan will be THAIs last chance to ensure its financial situation does not get worse, before noting that restructuring the national carriers organisational structure will be a challenge.

THAI first entered business rehabilitation five years ago, as approved by the State Enterprises Policy Committee (SEPC).

While the government seemed committed to helping THAI once more, Gen Prayut said the carriers rehabilitation plan was not discussed at yesterdays cabinet meeting.

Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob said yesterday the plan was not tabled before yesterdays meeting because the SEPC has yet to send the latest rehabilitation plan to the ministry.

He added the ministry is currently working on a concrete action plan to stop THAI from going under.

The SEPC approved THAIs latest rehabilitation plan last Wednesday (Apr 29).

The committee, chaired by Gen Prayut, assigned a financial consultant to work out a recovery blueprint to be submitted to THAIs executive board. Central to the plan is a loan to essentially bail out the company.

A source at Government House said the plan comprises network, fleet, commercial, operation, cost, organisation and portfolio strategies.

The source said the Finance Ministry will guarantee a B50 billion loan to rescue THAI, which is short of the B70 billion loan it had initially sought. Also, THAI will have to renegotiate its debts and cut costs.

The loan will be disbursed in tranches to ensure recovery stays on track.

THAI has suffered huge financial losses for years. According to Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) data, the national carrier posted a net loss of B2.11 billion in 2017 - which grew to B11.6 billion in 2018 and B12 billion last year.
The Trump administration has initiated talks on winding down the White House Task Force on Coronavirus and gradually delegating its responsibilities to the relevant federal agencies, US Vice President Mike Pence said on Tuesday.

Pence leads the task force.

"I think we are having conversations about that and about what the proper time is for the task force to complete its work and for the ongoing efforts to take place on an agency-by-agency level," Pence told a select group of reporters.

The White House has already begun to talk about a transition plan with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), he said.

The was first reported by The New York Times.

In Arizona, President Donald Trump also confirmed the

"I think we are looking at phase two and we are looking at other phases," he said, adding that the country is starting to open up and noting that the task force has done "a phenomenal job".

Responding to a question, Trump indicated that the task force has done an incredible job. The president said he would not need to consult certain people, such as those who worked on ventilators.

"We will have something in a different form," he said, describing the need to focus on both safety and reopening.

Asked why is now the time to wind down the task force if there could be a recurrence, he said, "Because we cannot close our country down for the next five years. The administration has learned a lot."



The president noted that health experts believe there could be a recurrence but they would need to "put it out".

By Tuesday, more than 71,000 Americans had died in the last three months due to coronavirus and the number of those infected crossed 12 lakh, the highest across the world. But with the decline in the number of new cases and fatalities over the last one week, quite a few states have started opening up.

"It really is all a reflection of the tremendous progress we have made as a country. The president stood up the White House Coronavirus Task Force in January to marshal a national response," Pence told reporters at the White House.

As the head of the task force, Pence has held daily meetings with its members comprising eminent doctors, health experts, heads of multiple federal agencies and cabinet members.

"As I have said before, as we continue to practise social distancing and states engage in safe and responsible reopening plans, I truly believe -- and the trend lines support it -- that we could be in a very different place. And by late May and early June -- and that probably represents the timetable for our agencies," he said.

Responding to a question, Pence said the task force might be closed by early June.

"I think we are starting to look at the Memorial Day window, early June window, as a time when we could begin to transition back to having our agencies to manage our national response in a more traditional manner," he said.

Dr Deborah Birx, a member of the task force, said the White House will "continue to review and analyse data and work with the departments in agencies to help that data inform their decision-making processes".

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

Since the early hours of May 6, pro-Kremlin illegal armed gangs have attacked positions of Ukrainian forces in Donbas 15 times. That resulted in combat injuries for two Ukrainian soldiers, Defense Ministry reports.

The enemy used Minsk-banned 82 mm mortars, as well as sniper rifles, small arms, grenade launchers of various systems, and heavy machine guns.

82 mm mines hit positions near Nevelske and Bohdanivka (Donetsk region). The enemy also attacked Pavopil, Slavne, Mariinka, Starohnativka and Avdiivka (twice).

In the Luhansk region, the Russian mercenaries attacked Orikhove, using automatic grenade launchers and sniper rifles. Rocket-propelled grenades hit Krymske and Pivdenne.

Previously, we reported that militants launched an unguided missile in the Donetsk region; it was found hundreds of meters away from residential buildings on the outskirts of Pavlopil. According to preliminary information, the missile was fired from Verkhnoshyrokivske village. The rocket did not explode, none of the locals were injured.

The case was documented by the relevant investigative bodies. Engineering and sapper units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine neutralized the missile on the spot by detonation.
TANZANIA, Tanzania - France and Tunisia urged the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday to adopt a resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in major conflicts to tackle the coronavirus pandemic after weeks of contentious negotiations that have paralyzed the United Nations most powerful body.

France, one of five veto-wielding permanent council members, and Tunisia, one of 10 elected members, melded their rival resolutions in hopes of winning approval for the first council resolution since COVID-19 started circling the globe. But diplomats say a vote has been held up primarily over a dispute between the United States and China on including a reference to the World Health Organization.

President Donald Trump suspended funding to WHO in early April, accusing the U.N. health agency of failing to stop the virus from spreading when it first surfaced in China, saying it must be held accountable, and accusing WHO of parroting Beijing.

China strongly supports WHO and is insisting that its role in calling for global action on COVID-19 be included in any resolution, diplomats say, while the U.S. insists on a reference to transparency on COVID-19 and no mention of the WHO.

Ambassadors from the 15 council nations met privately Tuesday on the French-Tunisian draft resolution and Frances U.N. Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere said later it was a good discussion.

France and Tunisia are working hard on it, things are moving forward, he said. The Security Council must act now.

Tunisias U.N. Ambassador Kais Kabtani told several journalists that the two countries are working very hard to present a final package deal and are relying on the spirit of compromise from the council members.

At the meeting, he said, Tunisia highlighted the urgency of concluding the ongoing consultations process on the draft resolution on COVID-19 in the next few days

Its a moment of truth for the United Nations and the multilateral system which faces the most difficult crisis the U.N. has been confronted with since World War II, Kabtani said.

The 193-member U.N. General Assembly approved two resolutions on COVID-19 in April.

One recognizes the unprecedented effects of the pandemic and calls for intensified international co-operation to contain, mitigate and defeat the new coronavirus. The other urges global action to rapidly scale up development, manufacturing and access to medicine, vaccines and medical equipment to confront the pandemic.

General Assembly resolutions reflect the opinion of governments around the world but are not legally binding. By contrast, Security Council resolutions are legally binding.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who called for a cease-fire to all global conflicts on March 23 to tackle COVID-19, told reporters last Thursday: It is my hope the Security Council will be able to find unity and adopt decisions that can help to make cease-fires meaningful and real.

The draft French-Tunisian resolution demands an immediate cease-fire in major conflicts that are on the Security Council agenda from Syria and Yemen to Libya, South Sudan and Congo, and calls for all parties to armed conflicts to engage immediately in a durable humanitarian pause for at least 30 consecutive days to deliver aid.

The draft, obtained by The Associated Press, states that these measures do not apply to military operations against the Islamic State and al-Qaida extremist groups and their affiliates.
John Syrigos back at home in Kildare with his wife Joanna

A Kildare couple who could not get a specialist appointment for sudden deafness during the coronavirus crisis after contacting more than 30 doctors have spoken about their nightmare ordeal.

John Syrigos and his wife Joanna, who live in Timolin with their son William, eventually had to go to Belfast to get an MRI scan to find out what was causing John's loss of hearing.

"It highlights the challenge many people are having in accessing emergency treatment despite government assurances," said Joanna.

"John has had a completely blocked ear since January with declining hearing.

Closed

"He saw a GP on return in March who wrote a referral for an ear, nose and throat specialist just before lockdown.

"Since then he contacted more than 20 specialists in Ireland who all advised they were closed and not seeing patients.

"They advised he go to A&E at Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital in Dublin.

"But it has ceased all walk-in patients to A&E and instead set up appointments by phone.

"John was advised by a nurse by phone that they wouldn't see him as only extremely urgent cases are taken in despite his symptoms worsening, including ringing in ears and numbness spreading down his arms."

The couple, who run the website Ancient-Origins.net, tried to call A&E at the hospital as John's symptoms worsened.

However, despite calling more than 30 times in three days, he could not get through, Joanna said.

"He tried six other hospitals in Ireland - all closed for walk-in A&E - and finally went to the Mater Hospital but he was also told he could not see a specialist," she added.

"John has tried everything to get assistance but could not get help.

"I myself have also suffered as a result of the current lack of healthcare as my scheduled eye surgery was cancelled, leaving me virtually blind in one eye for the foreseeable future.

"If hundreds of Irish citizens cannot access medical treatment now for conditions it could result in even more deaths or long-term health implications."

John eventually travelled to the Kingsbridge Hospital in Belfast for an MRI where he was diagnosed with middle ear effusion, a build-up of fluid in the space behind the eardrum - which can happen after an infection.

He now needs a tympanostomy tube inserted surgically to help drain the fluid, but as the waiting list backlog grows he does not know when it will be carried out.

Virtual

A spokeswoman for the Eye and Ear Hospital said patients needing to see an ear nose and throat specialist will be referred by their GP for an outpatient appointment.

All units are accepting emergencies, "albeit following altered guidelines for the common emergencies", she said.

All units have established virtual clinics to triage patients who were on the waiting list.

"The Eye and Ear Hospital has established a helpline for patients with concerns," the spokeswoman added.

"This service is consultant-led and is proving to be very effective.

"While we have had to make changes within some hospital services to adapt to Covid-19, and postpone some services, the health service is here to respond to emergencies or urgent health needs."

Details of hospital service disruptions and visiting restrictions are on HSE.ie.

Meanwhile, GPs have urged that preparations should begin now for how the health service will cope next winter.

Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) president Dr Padraig McGarry said the Government's plans for a total population flu vaccine programme will require urgent and detailed planning now if they are to prove successful.

Dr McGarry said the IMO fully supported the announcement by Health Minister Simon Harris that he was seeking a total population flu vaccine scheme.

"Covid-19 changes the flu challenge completely. We simply can't have the double-whammy of a flu and Covid-19 crisis this winter. We have to up our game," he added.
The Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee is hosting the 'SPARK summer internship program' in the online mode due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Interns will be working remotely during the tenure of the internship.

The Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee is hosting the 'SPARK summer internship program' in the online mode due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Interns will be working remotely during the tenure of the internship.

Students who have been selected for the online internship should check their registered email ids for more details about the programme.

The objective of SPARK is to provide research exposure to some of the best undergraduate students in the country and to let them experience IIT Roorkee, Prof. Ajit K Chaturvedi, Director of IIT Roorkee, was quoted as saying by NDTV.

Chaturvedi added that he appreciated the SPARK team for quickly adapting to the reality of the current situation and offering internships in the online (remote) mode.

Interns chosen for the SPARK programme were selected based on their work in certain projects.

Selected candidates will work in 17 participating departments of IIT Roorkee and perform theoretical and computational research in science, engineering, management and social sciences

The eligibility criteria for the SPARK internship programme include completion of at least two semesters of the undergraduate degree (B.Arch./B.E./B.Tech./M.Sc) in a relevant discipline from any institute in India. Selected interns are provided a fellowship of Rs 2,500 per week.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle fans are celebrating baby Archie's birthday having raised over 40,000 for a fundraiser to mark the big day.

Supporters of Meghan, 38, and Prince Harry, 35, are marking the celebration today with the hashtag #ArchieDay on social media.

After officially launching the campaign earlier this month, they urged others to share donations with charities to help vulnerable children impacted by coronavirus in countries which the Duke and Duchess of Sussex hold dear to their hearts, including Canada America, South Africa and the UK.

The initiative, which has now raised over 40,000 for the four charities, posting on their official Instagram today, writing: 'Its here, its here! Happy Archie Day and happy birthday, Archie! You have the rest of today to celebrate Archie!'

Prince Harry, 35, and Meghan Markle, 38, fans are celebrating today after raising 40,000 to mark baby Archie's first birthday

Followers of the Sussexes have been hosting a fundraiser for the past month in honour of the little royal's birthday

Launching the campaign officially earlier this month, fan account @Archie_day urged others to help 'celebrate Archie's birthday with a global party', before listing a series of charities selected for the 'desire to help children.'

Among the charities chosen was British organisation WellChild, which is a patronage of Prince Harry's, with donations quickly wracking up to over 8,000 in a matter of weeks.

Another of the three charities chosen by the group was the Nourish Eco Village in South Africa, where Prince Harry and Meghan performed their final royal tour in November.

Fans of the couple have now raised over 14,000 for the charity, which provides food to children from impoverished families in rural communities that rely on schools to get a meal daily.

Followers of Prince Harry and Meghan have raised thousands of pounds for different charities across the world in order to help vulnerable children impacted by coronavirus

Canadian charity Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, which was chosen because 'Canada has always been central to The Duke and Duchess of Sussexs love story and relationship', have been donated 6,919 as part of the campaign.

Fans were also directed to the organisation Children's Aid, which helps children living in poverty in America to honour the Duchess' home country, with over 12,100 donated to their cause.

Launching the campaign earlier last month, fan account @Archie_Day shared an image which read: 'Motivated by the pure joy of Archie's arrival and the very serious circumstances of our time, we introduce a campaign to honour his first birthday and to promote the principles we hold dear. Community, kindness and compassion.'

The image, which was shared by multiple fan accounts on social media as they launched the coordinated campaign read: 'Before COVID-19 became an ominous presence in our lives, a group of us got together ot organise a fundraising campaign to honour the principles emphasized by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in their humanitarian efforts: community, kindness, and compassion for vulnerable people and ecologies.'

The campaign was launched earlier this month to mark Archie's first birthday today, with fans encouraged to donate to a series of charities to celebrate the day

It went on to explain that the group hoped to build on the success of previous fundraising efforts, including last year's #GlobalSussexBabyShower, which was launched by a Meghan fan account, called for users to celebrate Mother's Day by donating to some of the Duchess' favourite charities and patronages.

The message went on: 'It is in that spirit, we kick off the #ArchieDay fundraiser in benefit of vulnerable children affected by the coronavirus epidemic.

'We are all in this together. We will get through this together. We would love your support.'

Prince Harry and Meghan shared a short video clip of the birthday boy today to mark the big day.

It comes as the Duke and Duchess released a video clip to Save the Children as Meghan read the birthday boy a story

With his cheeky smile and head of strawberry blonde hair, birthday boy Archie is the spitting image of his father Prince Harry in the family video shared on social media today.

Archie, who turns one today, showed off his first teeth as he smiled at his father behind the camera while mother Meghan read him children's book Duck! Rabbit!.

The sweet video, filmed at their Los Angeles home, was met with great excitement from royal fans, who noted how much Archie looked like Harry at the same age.

The video was shared on the Save the Children Instagram account this morning and is part of a fundraising campaign that sees celebrities reading storybooks.
GirlsDoPorn videogrpaher Matthew Wolfe is seeking to be released from jail on bail, but federal prosecutors say evidence seized from the porn site's offices suggest that he could be a flight risk, if freed

As the FBI was closing in on their criminal enterprise, owners of the notorious California-based website GirlsDoPorn were planning to flee to one of the countries not bound by extradition treaties with the US, and plotted to harass and intimidate their victims, according to newly released documents.

In October 2019, federal agents raided the porn site's offices in San Diego, seizing documents and material evidence against GirlsDoPorn operators Matthew Wolfe and Michael Pratt.

A day after the search, Wolfe, Pratt and two staffers, including adult film actor Andre Garcia, were charged with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion.

Pratt has since gone on the run, possibly returning to his native New Zealand. He is considered a fugitive by the FBI.

In January, a judge found Wolfe and Pratt liable for fraud and breach of contract for lying to women about how their explicit videos would be distributed, and ordered them to pay just under $13million in damages to 22 victims.

In January, a judge found GirlsDoPorn operators liable for fraud and breach of contract for lying to women, and ordered them to pay just under $13million

In the civil lawsuit against GirlsDoPorn and its operators, the women said that they had applied for modeling jobs. They were flown to San Diego from their home towns where they were put up in hotel rooms before being told they would be making sex videos, for which they were paid $5,000.

Wolfe, GirlsDoPorn's chief videogrpaher, has been in jail from the time of his arrest last fall.

He has recently filed a motion seeking to be released on bail, citing his mild sleep apnea a risk factor for contracting COVID-19 behind bars, as Vice first reported.

In late April, federal prosecutors filed their response opposing to Wolfe's request, in which they argued that as a citizen of New Zealand with in-depth knowledge of cryptocurrency and a suspected access to hundreds of thousands of dollars, he is a flight risk, and that if freed, he would 'obstruct justice and intimidate prospective witnesses...'

The document obtained by Vice goes on to list some of the evidence seized during the raid on GirlsDoPorn's' headquarters as a way to support the prosecution's opposition to Wolfe's release.

According to the filing, FBI agents found a chart inside the office listing countries that do not extradite people to the US.

'The chart indicates whether each country had on-line banking and whether citizens of New Zealand, like [Wolfe], could obtain a visa,' the document stated.

According to the prosecution, if Wolfe were to flee to his native New Zealand, where his fiance and her children stayed for an extended visit last winter, 'it would take years to extradite him back to the US.'

During the raid in October 2019, federal agents also found evidence of efforts to harass and intimidate the victims of GirlsDoPorn and their lawyers.

GirlDoPorn owner Michael Pratt, a New Zealand native like Wolfe, in June 2019 had gone on the run and remains at large

One item was a video scripted titled, '22 Wh***s + 5 Shady Lawyers VS GirlsDoPorn,' with the subheading, 'Share and spread this video as far and wide as possible.'

Brian Holm, a lawyer representing some of the plaintiffs in the civil lawsuit against Pratt and Wolfe, told Vice that GirlsDoPorn operatives in November digitally inserted his face into a pornographic video featuring male actors and spread it on social media.

Harassers also allegedly targeted his wife and baby daughter.

A search of the office also yielded a phone list with the victims' names and numbers, revealing a campaign to extract information from them by posing as a journalist.

On the back of the list was a handwritten script for impersonating a reporter, which read, 'Hi My name is [******}, I'm a journalist from LA. I'm calling in regard to the girlsdoporn case. I've heard your [sic] related to the case & curious to get a comment if you have the spare time.'

Federal prosecutors noted that after Pratt went on the run in June of last year, Wolfe allegedly wired him more than $5,000.

Wolfe has allegedly maintained a Bitcoin wallet and has been handing cryptocurrency for years.

A week after Wolfe's arrest, $250,000 was deposited into a bank account opened in the name of one of his fiancee's children, the court document stated.

'Defendant has no reason to remain in the United States,' prosecutors argued. 'He is a citizen of New Zealand with no right to live or work in the United States. He could live anywhere. He owes millions of dollars to a subset of his victims. For the reasons previously stated, and in consideration of the new evidence below, the United States urges the Court to deny the motion.'
Business interruption insurance has been a much-debated topic during the coronavirus crisis, with some businesses already pushing back against virus-related claim denials.

In several cities, groups of businesses have filed lawsuits challenging virus exclusions in their business interruption policies, such as recent claimants in Philadelphia and Chicago. Additionally, legislators in various states have proposed bills that, if passed, would mandate business interruption insurers cover COVID-19-related claims.

However, the insurance industry has held firm that business interruption insurance was not designed or priced to cover virus-related losses as they typically do not meet the requirement for physical damage in a business interruption policy, with most policies containing clear exclusions.

For agents aiming to address clients concerns, transparency is key, according to panelists during Insurance Journals April 8 webinar on business interruption and the coronavirus.

Setting Expectations

Its all about setting expectations, Doug Jones, managing director at JAG Insurance Group, said. If you lead somebody to believe that this is going to be a positive outcome, then thats what theyre going to expect. And that may lead to retention issues on your part.

Its important to be honest with clients about the scope of their business interruption policy and the likelihood of their claim being denied, according to Chris Boggs, executive director of Risk Management and Education at Big I Virtual University. However, agents should still be willing to file a claim on the clients behalf if asked, he added.

You need to explain the policy as you understand it, he said. But if your insured says, I want to submit a claim submit the claim. Do not talk them out of submitting a claim.

Jones said his agency has received hundreds of calls in the last four weeks regarding filing claims. Still, the agency aims to do business as transparently as possible.

If a client calls us and says, I heard this is going on in Louisiana, or, This is going on in California, we give our side of the story, and ultimately, if the client wants to file a claim, they can file a claim, he said.

Business Interruption and the Coronavirus: Things to Know Learn about the latest issues surrounding business insurance and COVID19 including: who is buying business interruption insurance and why

why pandemic-related losses are typically excluded from BI policies

what to know about possible litigation during this pandemic

how agents can assist clients through this crisis

what could be in store for pandemic-related coverage in the future

Don Hayden, co-founder and partner at Mark Migdal & Hayden, added that its important for agents to do this to avoid any potential errors and omissions (E&O) claims as a result of the pandemic.

Theres no basis for an E&O claim against you if you filed a claim when you were asked to file the claim, he said. You have to remember youre the broker. Youre not the insurer. Its for the insurer to accept or deny the claim.

Claim Denial Litigation

While agents try to be transparent and work with clients, litigation has already occurred regarding business interruption claim denials. A Minnesota dentist, an Ohio bridal shop and a New York pizzeria are among six small businesses that are the latest to sue insurers seeking compensation for business interruption claims due to the coronavirus crisis, Insurance Journal previously reported. The lawsuits, which are class actions, have been filed against Aspen American Insurance, Auto-Owners Insurance, Lloyds of London, Society Insurance, Oregon Mutual Insurance, and Topa Insurance Co.

And Hayden says there are likely more where those came from.

Just because were taking the position that this is not a covered claim does not mean that there will not be litigation, he said, adding that he believes there will be more attempts by lawyers to file bad faith claim or claims on the denial of coverage. I could imagine someone saying that somehow the virus infiltrated my ventilation system in my building and that it caused physical damage to the property or something like that. But they have to prove that. And with this virus, theres no physical damage to the property.

Other Areas of Concern

However, business interruption isnt the only concern for businesses during this crisis, panelists added.

I think were going to see a ton of workers comp claims from people being sick on the job, Jones said. Ive already heard multiple reports about many, many, many people getting sick on the job.

He added that employment practices liability is another area of insurance to watch for claims cropping up as workers continue to experience layoffs.

There have been six and a half million people let go from their jobs, he said. We are going to have a lot of people that got maybe half the workforce laid off. Those other half cant find a job, and theyre going to look back at their employer and say, Why them and not me? Or, Why me and not them? I think were going to see a rash of employment practice liability claims for wrongful termination.

Hayden agreed, adding that as more employers are set to make difficult decisions about their workforce, there will likely be questions of whether workforce reductions or layoffs were appropriate or if there was sexual or age discrimination. All of this could lead to additional monetary concerns for an already financially challenged small business sector.

Client Retention Concerns

In fact, for agents worried about client retention during such a tumultuous time, the biggest cause for concern isnt clients who are unhappy with claim denials, panelists said.

I think your biggest concern is going to be really the small businesses that you have as clients not making money, Jones said.

Boggs agreed.

I was talking to an agent in California as a matter of fact, and the majority of his book  I think it was 80% of his book  was hospitality and restaurants, he said. He was talking about how hes looking at a loss of 40% of his insureds just going out of business.

Although business interruption insurance does not typically cover virus-related losses, Jones said he is still encouraging clients to keep track of losses in case theres an opportunity to recover any money down the road.

We as a firm are encouraging all of our clients to keep track of their losses, keep track of the payroll that theyre still paying, the lost revenue, the bills, he said. That way, in the event that one day, near or far, theres an opportunity to recover money, theyre still set up. So were not closing the door absolutely.

Boggs agreed that documentation is key.

Document everything, document the conversations, document their decisions, make sure its in writing, have them sign off on it, promise their firstborn, whatever, he said. You can never have too much documentation, but you can have too little.

In the future, this data can be used to support a business interruption claim if there is any chance of finding coverage later, Hayden said.

Who knows. Down the road, we may be all wrong, and there may be a kink in the armor of the insuring agreement and the exclusion, and there is found to be some way of getting coverage, he said.

New Pandemic Coverage

That said, Hayden stated its unlikely any new coverage will be developed in the future to cover some of the virus-related losses brought to light due to this pandemic, and if it is, the coverage will probably be too costly for most policyholders.

Even if there are policies available, theyre going to be cost prohibitive, he said. doing a cost benefit analysis, youre going to decide, Id rather take the riff than pay this ridiculous premium for a narrow coverage thats going to be very narrowly defined.'

Boggs explained that flood coverage can illustrate this.

A lot of people buy flood coverage only because theyre required to by the federal government when they buy a federally backed loan, he said.

He pointed to one example of an agent he knows whose client paid off his house and was no longer required to purchase flood insurance.

This guy so much hated paying for flood coverage that the day he paid off his house, he walked to the agents office, stood outside the agents office, took the flood policy, took a lighter, lit it on fire and canceled his policy, he said.

The client canceled his policy because he believed it was cost-prohibitive since it only covered one thing, Boggs added.

People would say after the loss, Yeah, I definitely wouldve paid for it,' he said. No they wouldnt.

Jones used terrorism insurance as another example.

In 15 years, I havent sold a terrorism policy that wasnt required by a lender, he said. Not one. Not a single time. And I think the same will ring true with any future pandemic policies that come out.

Pay Attention to Exclusions

With all of this in mind, panelists added it is good practice for policyholders to pay attention to exclusions in their policies, as it can be an important indicator of what additional coverage may be worth the cost.

If you see something excluded from your policy, thats because the insurance company and its actuaries and its team members are prepared and know that this is not in their best interest, Jones said. And it might not be because, Hey, were just the bad guy, and we dont want to help people. It would be detrimental to their business

Often, products can be purchased on a mono-line basis to provide coverage for areas that are excluded, he said, and business owners should ensure that they are prepared for something that may not be covered by insurance.

Be concerned about the things excluded from your policy, Jones said. Because that is what the insurance company is concerned about.

Topics Lawsuits COVID-19 Agencies Claims Flood
Officials say 64 children in N.Y. have had mystery ailment.

Sixty-four children in New York State have been hospitalized with a mysterious illness that doctors do not yet fully understand but that may be linked to Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, officials said on Wednesday.

In an advisory to health care providers, state health officials said that most of the children who were thought to have what has been labeled pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome had tested positive for the virus or for antibodies to it.

The new tally from state officials came two days after New York City health officials said that 15 children in the city had been hospitalized with the syndrome and that many of them had been infected with the virus.

The symptoms of the mystery ailment, state health officials noted, overlap with those associated with toxic shock syndrome and Kawasaki disease, a rare illness in children that involves inflammation of the blood vessels, including coronary arteries. Fever, abdominal symptoms and rash may also be present, officials wrote.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 11:10:30|Editor: huaxia

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SYDNEY, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Logging of Australia's native forests likely contributed to the severity of deadly bushfires which swept the nation last summer, a new research revealed on Wednesday.

By increasing fuel loads and changing the ecology of wet forests, logging increases the risk and severity of fires, a team of researchers from the Australian National University (ANU), Macquarie University, University of Queensland (UQ), and the Wildlife Conservation Society found.

"Logging causes a rise in fuel loads, increases potential drying of wet forests and causes a decrease in forest height," UQ Professor and Wildlife Conservation Society Director James Watson explained.

"It can leave up to 450 tons of combustible fuel per hectare close to the ground - by any measure, that's an incredibly dangerous level of combustible material in seasonally dry landscapes."

The team was investigating Australia's historical and contemporary land-use in the wake of the devastating bushfires, which were the worst in the country's history, killing at least 34 people and destroying an estimated 18.6 million hectares of bushland.

Study lead author Prof. David Lindenmayer from ANU said there were land management actions authorities could take to help prevent such fires from occurring in the future.

"The first is to prevent logging of moist forests, particularly those close to urban areas. We must also reduce forest fragmentation by proactively restoring some previously logged forests," Lindenmayer said.

The research concluded that logging should be removed from areas where it adds to the fuel load and creates risk to human safety such as close to housing developments. Enditem
The Senate is set to consider the nomination of Justin Walker for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. One of the talking points about Judge Walkers nomination consistently raised by the mainstream media is that, when Walker was nominated for his federal district court judgeship, the ABA rated him not qualified.

The rationale for this rating was that Walker had no experience trying cases in federal court. However, as I explained here:

Trial experience is relevant in considering a nominee for a trial court. However, it has little bearing on the qualifications of an appeals court judge  the position Walker now has been tapped for. In any event, Walker has now presided over federal trials.

The ABA seems at least in part to understand this logic  unassailable, if say so myself. For it rates Judge Walker well qualified to serve on the D.C. Circuit.

CNN still seems not to grasp the logic. Its headline regarding the ABAs rating states American Bar Association now rates Trump nominee for powerful court seat as well-qualified' (emphasis added), and it calls the ABAs new rating a reversal from last year.

Its not a reversal. Walker is being considered for a different job from last year and has different credentials.

In any case, the ABA rating no longer provides an excuse for opposing Judge Walkers confirmation. The Democrats need to manufacture new ones.

They will have no difficulty doing so. However, in light of Tara Reades charges against Joe Biden, I can think of one rationale Democrats are unlikely to manufacture in this instance.
The Episcopal Conference of Ecuador releases a statement on 5 May detailing its plans for the reopening of Churches in the country.

By Fr. Benedict Mayaki, SJ

The Catholic Church in Ecuador has detailed a safety protocol for the gradual reopening of churches in the country. The plan will take place in two phases according to a system of reopening and authorization created by the Ecuadorian government.

In a document issued on Tuesday by the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference, the bishops communicated the biosafety protocol. They also indicated that the measures are aimed at safeguarding health as a common good during the reopening process, which will lead to a spiritual reunion in the Church.

The two phases, scheduled to be implemented in May and June, do not provide for the celebration of Masses, processions, or any grand acts of expression of faith. Likewise, the protocol does not permit people older than sixty years, children younger than twelve, or people with preexisting health conditions to participate in the protocol measures at this time.

On 12 April, the Ecuadorian government created a traffic light system to measure the risk of contagion and spread of the Covid-19 virus. The colour red indicates areas with the highest risk; orange, areas under consideration for change; and green, areas with the least danger of infection.

Phase one

The first phase concerns churches, parishes and regions indicated as red and yellow.

The protocol indicates that from the end of May, these churches will be open only for personal prayer and access will be limited to a maximum of twenty minutes at a time. The faithful can also come for the Sacrament of Reconciliation in the church or other sufficiently large places. People are encouraged to maintain a distance of one and a half metres from each other.

Phase two

The second phase applies to churches indicated as yellow or green. This will be implemented in June.

Churches in this category will respect the same provisions in phase one. However, there is the possibility of reception of Holy Communion without Mass for those who request it, following the precautionary protocols established by health authorities.

Covid-19 in Ecuador

Ecuador is the fourth most affected country in Latin America. The latest reports put the number of confirmed cases at 31,881, with 1,569 deaths and 3,433 recovered patients.
There's no doubt a talent for making things runs in families. Sometimes it's as straightforward as skills passed down from one generation to another. Often, it's a little more complicated. I know a ceramic artist who is famous for her meticulous work. Each piece is sanded down and fired more times than she cares to mention.

"Where did you get your talent?" I asked, in that typical Irish way. We always think that talent has to be "got" from somewhere. She laughed. "I always wondered, until I looked into my family history," she said. "Grave diggers on one side and lace-makers on the other!"

The way that craft talent is passed down through families is the subject of Generation, an exhibition that was due to run at the National Design and Craft Gallery this spring. Currently, it is a virtual event, released episodically on Facebook and Instagram.

For some of the exhibitors, the lines of inheritance are straightforward. Cara Murphy, silversmith from Hillsborough, Co Down, shares a workshop with her silversmith father, Michael McCrory. Both work at the fine art end of the spectrum, albeit using traditional skills, and Murphy makes extraordinary sculptural tableware (from 260 for a 3cm bowl). Her silversmithing skills are passed down from her father; the enamelling she learnt from her mum. Deirdre McCrory, take a bow.

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A little further south, in Emyvale, Co Monaghan, Ryan Connolly makes bespoke furniture (from 630 for a side table) in the grounds of his father's business, Connolly Furniture Ltd.

"My father found his niche as a furniture maker, creating a successful business making domestic furniture," Connolly writes. "This was Ireland in the 1970s and 80s; there wasn't room for anything except function. If you took the time to make something with your hands, it was made to last. Nothing was wasted. Values are different nowadays, but if I can continue to incorporate my father's values in my own work, I feel I will stay on a sustainable path."

The story of Mourne Textiles, producer of contemporary woven textiles, began in 1947 when the Norwegian weaver and designer Gerd Hay-Edie came to Ireland and set up her workshop at the edge of Carlingford Lough. She was an enormously capable person and, throughout the 1950s, made handwoven upholstery fabrics for furniture designed by Robin Day and produced by Hille.

Once she described her design process: "I follow fashion in newspapers and magazines. Then I let it flow until you realise that out of the present designs, there follows the next development. For me, out of the past flows the future."

It's a comment that still has relevance for her grandson, Mario Sierra, who now runs the company with his mother, Karen Prescott.

"There were incredibly bright colours within her fabrics," says Sierra. "She called them kicker colours. When you were putting them on the loom, you'd wonder - where did that come from? But then the fabric was woven and you could see the balance in it."

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Cushions from Mourne Textiles start at around 86; blankets are 223; and furnishing fabric is about 206 per metre.

One of the key concepts behind Generation is the dynamic relationship between the future and the past. The exhibitors, craft scholar Glenn Adamson says, have been "assembled on the basis of two criteria: the forward-thinking qualities of their work, and the inheritance that each has received from their own family. In the exhibition, we see how the first of these is nurtured by the second; the way that experimentation relies on passed-down knowledge."

There's a similar story - although unrelated (ahem) to the Generation exhibition - behind the designs of Olga Shevchenko, a Russian designer based in London, who started Olenka, a homeware brand dedicated to Russian craft heritage. It began with wallpaper designs inspired by Khokhloma art and has recently expanded to lampshades. Fabrics will follow. Wallpaper from Olenka costs around 136 for a 10 metre roll; lampshades are 110.

Generation is curated by Frances McDonald and Muireann Charleton. The other exhibitors are: Hugo Byrne, Mark Campden, Roisin de Buitlear, Alla Sinkevich and Katharine West. See @NDCGallery and @DCCIreland. See also oleankadesign.co.uk, connollyandcompany.com, mournetextiles.com.
Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Tuesday that the U.S. military and government played no role in the bizarre and failed coup attempt in Venezuela allegedly involving at least two former U.S. Special Forces members who were captured.

The U.S. "had nothing to do with what happened in Venezuela in the last few days," Esper said at a Pentagon news briefing, while making clear that U.S. policy backs the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

He said Maduro is a "brutal and corrupt leader who has oppressed the Venezuelan people. They deserve better."

Related: Ex-Green Beret Led Failed Attempt to Oust Venezuela's Maduro

While Esper denied Maduro's charges that the U.S. gave support to the attempt to overthrow him, he said that it would "continue to make the case that he should step aside and allow an elected government to form and take that country in the rightful direction it should go."

At his own triumphal news conference Tuesday, Maduro waved what he said were the U.S. passports and Texas driver's licenses of two Americans he identified as Luke Denman and Airan Berry, both former Special Forces soldiers, The Associated Press reported from Caracas.

Denman and Berry allegedly were part of a small-boat invasion force from Colombia that was attacked and broken up by the Venezuelan military, Maduro said. He charged that Colombia and the Trump administration were behind the failed attempt to overthrow him.

Another former Green Beret, Florida-based Jordan Goudreau, has claimed responsibility for organizing the invasion with the intent of capturing Maduro to "liberate" Venezuela, the AP reported.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com

Read More: Troops Supporting Pandemic Response Should Get Hazard Pay, Senator Says
"We are pleased to support an organization that shares our passion for educational development and literacy," said Energy Harbor president and CEO John Judge. "The Imagination Library recognizes that the best way to ensure that children are armed with the knowledge they need to succeed is reading aloud to them and giving them access to books. Ensuring young learners have books and other resources they need at home is increasingly important now that students are unable to physically attend school."

Ohio's First Lady Fran DeWine said, "I am thrilled that Energy Harbor is partnering with the Ohio Governor's Imagination Library to help us put more books in the hands of Ohio's kids. Early access to books is critical to a child's future success inside the classroom and beyond, and we want every child in Ohio to be able to register in the Ohio Governor's Imagination Library. We are so close to making this program available in every zip code in Ohio thanks to our amazing community partners like Energy Harbor."

In addition to this partnership, Energy Harbor continues to develop and support local efforts to improve the economic vitality and enhance the safety and security of the communities it serves. Judge added, "COVID-19 has created challenges for all of us, and we intend to do all that we can to be good neighbors to those who live and work around us. Recently we helped the Mason Community Learning Center, an elementary school in Akron, provide hotspots for families to provide internet access for remote learning."

"We are grateful for the ongoing partnership with Energy Harbor and the commitment they have made to our students and to our educators," said Mason Community Learning Center principal Angela Harper.

Energy Harbor also provided support to Akron's Haven of Rest Ministries which plays a vital role in breaking the cycle of homelessness and helping people live hope-filled lives. "While other facilities have been closed, the Haven of Rest has seen an 11% increase in the meals we serve," said Haven of Rest Ministries CEO Rev. Jeff Kaiser. "This support from Energy Harbor is a wonderful surprise and enables us to provide our services when the community needs them most."

Energy Harbor is a financially secure independent power producer and fully integrated retail energy provider focused on safe and best-in-class operations and financial performance. With its fleet of reliable generating resources, including substantial carbon-free generation, Energy Harbor is well positioned for long-term value creation and competitiveness in a low-carbon future and is focused on enabling a growing customer and stakeholder base to meet their environmental, social and sustainability goals.

For more information on Energy Harbor visit www.energyharbor.com

Forward Looking Statements and Further Information

This press release contains "forward-looking statements." All statements, other than statements of historical facts, that are included in this press release that address activities, events, or developments that Energy Harbor Corp. (the "Company") expects or anticipates to occur in the future (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as "intends," "plans," "will likely result," "are expected to," "could" and "will continue"), are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that in making any such forward-looking statement its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, any such forward-looking statement involves uncertainties and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the discussion of risk factors under "Risk Factors" contained in the Disclosure Statement of FirstEnergy Solutions Corp. filed with the Bankruptcy Court on May 30, 2019, which will be available on the Investor Website (as described below) and the following important factors, among others, that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements: the actions and decisions of regulatory authorities; economic conditions and power pricing within the Company's territories and markets; the Company's ability to accomplish or realize anticipated benefits from strategic and financial goals; the uncertainties associated with the deactivation of remaining commodity-based generating units, including the impact on vendor commitments, and as it relates to the reliability of the transmission grid, the timing thereof; the risks and uncertainties associated with litigation, arbitration, mediation and like proceedings, including with respect to the timing and amounts of the capital expenditures that may arise in connection with any such proceedings; changes in customers' demand for power; and weather conditions affecting future sales, margins and operations.

Any forward-looking statement included in this press release speaks only as of the date hereof, and except as may be required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or circumstances. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of them; nor can the Company assess the impact of each such factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. As such, you should not unduly rely on such forward-looking statements.

Further information regarding the Company will be available at www.energyharbor.com under the heading www.energyharbor.com/ir (the "Investor Website"). The Company advises that holders of the Company's securities should review all available information before making any decisions whether to buy or sell any of the Company's securities. Any information in any materials posted on the Investor Website in the future will automatically update and, where applicable, modify or supersede the information contained in this press release and any other information previously posted on the Investor Website.

SOURCE Energy Harbor

Related Links

http://www.energyharbor.com


The disgraced actor Kevin Spacey has spoken out for the first time since he was accused of a string of sex assaults.

The 60-year-old described his 'painful' journey three years after he was accused of assault by a string of men in 2017 and said he could relate to workers who've being laid off during the coronavirus pandemic.

Spacey, who made the comments in an interview for the Bits & Pretzels podcast, said: 'I don't think it will come as a surprise for anyone to say that my world completely changed in the fall of 2017.

'My job, many of my relationships, my standing in my own industry were all gone in just a matter of hours.'

The former House of Cards star - who was dropped by the show after allegations surfaced - has largely kept a low profile since the slew of sexual assault claims first surfaced. He has always strenuously denied the claims.

He was also removed from the completed movie All the Money in the World, which was reshot with actor Christopher Plummer.

Spacey was asked during the podcast to reflect on the current coronavirus pandemic causing global and widespread devastation.

The shamed actor (pictured above) has largely kept a low profile since he was accused of the sexual assault against a string of men

The actor, who has not appeared in a professional movie or series since the accusations were made, said: 'I don't often like to tell people that I can relate to their situation because I think it undermines the experience that they may be having which is their own unique and very personal experience.'

Spacey added 'But in this instance I feel as though I can relate to what it feels like to have your world suddenly stop.

'And so while we may have found ourselves in similar situations, albeit for very different reasons and circumstances, I still believe that some of the emotional struggles are very much the same.

'And so I do have empathy for what it feels like to suddenly be told that you can't go back to work or that you might lose your job and that it's a situation that you have absolutely no control over.'

On July 17, prosecutors announced that they were dropping an indecent assault and battery charge brought against the star last year. He is pictured during court proceedings in January

William Little accused Spacey of reaching his hand down his pants at The Club Car in 2016 when he was 18. He is pictured with his mother outside court last month

One accuser passed away in October, leading to Los Angeles prosecutors rejecting a sexual battery case against the actor.

The case stemmed from a masseur's allegations that Spacey inappropriately touched him during a massage session at a home in Malibu, California, in October 2016.

The decision stated that the allegations against Spacey could not be proven without the masseur's participation.

The groping allegation was first brought in 2017, days after Spacey's first accuser, actor Anthony Rapp, said Spacey climbed on top of him on a bed when Rapp was 14 and Spacey 26.

Spacey said he did not remember such an encounter with Rapp but apologised if the allegations were true.

Spacey also used the statement to disclose he is gay.

Meanwhile, on July 17 last year, prosecutors announced they were dropping an indecent assault and battery charge brought against the star last year.

Spacey, pictured above in House of Cards, added: 'I was so busy defining myself by what I did or what I was trying to do, that when it all stopped I had no idea what to do next.

Spacey was accused of groping an 18-year-old man at a bar on the resort island of Nantucket in 2016.

William Little, 18, accused Spacey of reaching his hand down his pants at The Club Car, a claim he said could be corroborated by text messages he exchanged with an group of friends and his then-girlfriend.

Little, who worked at the establishment where the alleged incident took place, told Spacey he was 23 at the time.

It was revealed however the texts on the accuser's phone had been deleted by his mother prior to handing it over to authorities - and the phone had been lost at some point in the past year.

The case unraveled after the accuser invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify about text messages from the night of the alleged groping that the defence claimed were deleted.

At the end of the podcast interview, Spacey added: 'I was so busy defining myself by what I did or what I was trying to do, that when it all stopped I had no idea what to do next.

'I dont want to sugarcoat this devastating time that were in, I am hoping that I can encourage you to see an opportunity in all of this and turn this into a positive.'
BISHKEK -- The trial of former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev and 13 co-defendants over deadly clashes with security forces last year at Atambaev's compound in a Bishkek suburb has been postponed again.



The Birinchi Mai district court in the Kyrgyz capital ruled on May 6 to move the hearing to May 11 because Atambaev was unable to attend the hearing due to unspecified health problems.



The high-profile trial has been postponed several times since March due to Atambaevs health issues, the failure of some defendants' lawyers to show up, and because of the state of emergency imposed to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

In August 2019, security officers were sent to Atambaev's compound in Koi-Tash near Bishkek after he refused to obey three subpoenas calling him to the Interior Ministry for questioning in an investigation into his alleged involvement in the illegal release of a jailed organized-crime boss in 2013.



Atambaev was arrested on August 8 after he surrendered to police following a violent two-day standoff.

The standoff by the former president and his supporters resulted in the death of a 47-year-old security officer, Usenbek Niyazbekov, and injuries to more than 170 others, including 79 law enforcement officers.



Atambaev and the 13 co-defendants were charged with murder, attempted murder, threatening or assaulting representatives of official authority, hostage taking, and the forcible seizure of power.



All 14 defendants pleaded not guilty and called the case against them politically motivated.



Five more defendants in the case made plea deals with investigators and will be tried separately.



The 63-year-old former president currently faces a separate trial for charges linked to the release of the crime boss. Aziz Batukaev was convicted of several high-profile crimes, including the murders of a Kyrgyz lawmaker and an Interior Ministry official, before his illegal release in 2013.



Kyrgyzstan saw a smooth and peaceful transfer of power from Atambaev to his ally, Sooronbai Jeenbekov, a move welcomed by the international community after presidential transitions in 2005 and 2010 came after violent rioting.



However, the deadly clashes in August at Atambaev's compound underscored a power struggle between him and Jeenbekov.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 6)  A House leader said on Wednesday the National Telecommunications Commission should be abolished in light of the order for ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation to go off air.

In a privilege speech, House Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante, Jr. said the cease-and-desist order of NTC preempted Congress in deciding on the fate of the network.

This is an open defiance and an insult to Congress, he said.

The NTC should be abolished and its functions and powers be transferred to the DICT (Department of Information and Communication Technology) where it can be better exercised and hopefully be more responsive to the needs of our changing times, he added.

Abante said the regulator should have just carried out its earlier statement to issue a provisional authority pending the franchise application in Congress.

READ: Lawmakers slam NTCs cease and desist order vs ABS-CBN

However, Senior Deputy Majority Leader Jesus Crispin Remulla moved to strike out Abante's remarks from the records as the issue is still pending at the committee and cannot be discussed in plenary yet.

The motion was approved.

Twelve bills in the House and three counter measures in the Senate proposed a fresh 25-year franchise for ABS-CBN.

House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano has yet to comment since the network shutdown, while Senate President Vicente Sotto III said senators are ready to grant a new permit to operate.
Experts say that the lockdown and its aftermath will further quicken the consolidation in the real estate sector, which has been taking place since 2012, with more small players going out of the business and bigger, branded players dominating the market.

Bengaluru-based real estate developer Avinash Reddy was in talks with a landowner to seal the deal on one of the biggest projects of his life.

But once the lockdown kicked in, Reddys much wished-for five-acre villa project near Bengaluru airport vanished into uncertainty.

We wanted to fast-track the project as it is near the airport and we saw a lot of potential in it, says Reddy, who has been in the real estate business for 13 years.

Now he doesnt know if it will happen at all. In fact, he has dropped all plans to launch projects in the near future.

We have opted for the moratorium which will help us survive the next couple of months.

"Also, development management contracts will be the smartest thing to do to stay afloat, Reddy says.

His real estate company, Vyapt, saw an 80 per cent drop in sales in the March quarter.

Reddy is not alone. The lockdown is threatening the survival of a host of small and mid-sized developers.

With sales coming to a grinding halt and debt burdens mounting every passing month, they dont see how they can grapple with the crisis and manage to remain in business.

Many say that even after the lockdown is lifted, the situation is unlikely to improve for at least a year.

I do not think people will come to buy in the next couple of months, says a Mumbai-based mid-sized developer, who does not wish to be named.

The moratorium will help now, but we have to pay in the next quarter, he says despairingly, adding that he would either have to go for a joint venture with a bigger developer or go bust.

Experts say that the lockdown and its aftermath will further quicken the consolidation in the real estate sector, which has been taking place since 2012, with more small players going out of the business and bigger, branded players dominating the market.

According to real estate data analytics firm PropEquity, over 50 per cent of the developers that existed in 2011-12 left the market by 2017-18.

The exodus was spurred by events such as demonetisation, the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA), the GST regime and the NBFC crisis, all of which hit their businesses hard. PropEquity founder Sameer Jasuja believes that an additional 10-20 per cent of developers will be affected by the lockdown and its after effects.

Thanks to the consolidation, the market share of the top 10 developers in the big cities grew from 41 per cent in 2015 to 53 per cent in 2019.

Real estate advisory firm Trespect believes the market share of the big players may balloon to 60-65 per cent by 2021.

Small and mid-sized developers will face more liquidity challenges as compared to big brands due to their limited ability to absorb costs without a corresponding inflow during this period of lockdown and the ensuing months, says Sharad Mittal, director and CEO at Motilal Oswal Real Estate.

Vikas Oberoi, chairman and managing director of Oberoi Realty, adds: Only developers who have been prudent and have shown fiscal discipline and customer centricity will survive.

Niranjan Hiranandani, MD of Hiranandani Group, agrees, saying financially prudent companies will play a bigger role in the days ahead.

Companies which have positive net worth will ascertain opportunities from those in challenged situations.

"In the post-lockdown scenario, the industry will most likely see new players in different segments and in different markets, he says.

Bigger brands, such as Oberoi Realty, are already negotiating joint venture and joint development proposals.

These proposals are mainly from financial institutions which have invested in projects that are stuck due to financial mismanagement or have weaker brands that customers are weary of, says Oberoi.

Vijay Wadhwa, chairman of the Mumbai-based Wadhwa Group, says: We have received many proposals from other developers.

"We have told them to wait till the lockdown is lifted.

The real estate sector was in the doldrums even before the lockdown was imposed.

The March quarter of the current calendar year saw a nearly 30 per cent decline in the sale of residential properties in the top cities, according to property consultant JLL India.

Photograph: Rupak De Chowdhury/Reuters
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: High drama ensued on the streets of Bengaluru on Monday night as over 200 migrants walked over 20 km with their luggage to the Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna railway station hoping to board special trains for them. However, all migrant special trains presently run only from Chikkabanavar railway station and Malur railway station in Kolar.

They had come walking from Sarjapur, Marthahalli and Attibele with luggage in hand on the false assumption that they could leave by trains to their homes in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh from the station. According to Maitreyi Krishnan, Executive Member of All India Central Council for Trade Union, Karnataka,We received a call around 9.15 pm that police were chasing hundreds of workers on Monday night near Mysore Bank Circle and we reached there.

Migrants walked a long distance, with the hope of

returning home, in Bengaluru on Tuesday

| pandarinath B

Each one had paid someone `100 for filling up the forms on the state governments Seva Sindhu portal. They were asked by their local panchayats that trains would be available for them from KSR station, she said.

A top railway source said that police had told them they should not walk on the streets like this and had asked them to return to their homes as trains were not running from Majestic.

There was high drama and commotion after that as the migrants refused to leave after having walked so far. Hence, police were ordering them to leave, he said.

Krishnan said the migrants finally had to relent. They were finally sent in mini trucks and buses, packed like sheep, to the houses from where they came walking, she said. The AITUC has put out a series of tweets urging Minister Suresh Kumar to help the migrants out.

KSRTC buses operating from 8am to 6pm

83,880 passengers transported since May 2On Tuesday,

488 buses left Bengaluru with 24,000 passengers on board
TRENTON  Mayor Reed Gusciora said Wednesday he referred hate-filled Twitter threats over to the State and Trenton Police to investigate as a possible bias crime.

The messages poured in after councilwoman Robin Vaughns homophobic rant on Saturdays coronavirus briefing against the openly gay capital city leader.

She called the mayor a drug addict pedophile and suggested he runs young boys through City Hall. The West Ward leader also told councilman Joe Harrison to continue sucking the mayors d**k.

Attorney General Gurbir Grewal was asked about Vaughns homophobic rant during Tuesdays news briefing. He was guarded in his remarks and wouldnt close the door on a potential probe of the councilwomans statements.

Im being a little bit measured because I also oversee two agencies that investigate this kind of conduct, but I have zero tolerance for it, Grewal said. And if there is something for us to look at and somethings referred to us, he continued, I need to be a little bit measured and not go into any more detail than that.

A press flack for Grewals office referred the newspapers inquiry to State Police.

NJSP Major Brian Polite said in an email late Wednesday he could not find anything to suggest that the NJSP are investigating online threats made to Trenton Mayor Gusciora.

A Trenton Police spokesman also could not immediately confirm the existence of any reports from Guscioras office.

Gusciora said he also contacted Twitter asking them to remove the couple dozen hate-filled screeds he received from so-called MAGA people in the days since Vaughns meltdown.

Gusciora shared a handful of them with The Trentonian.

At least one of the alleged trolls Twitter handles included a MAGA reference, and some of the posts tagged the mayor and Vaughn.

MAGA is the slogan popularized by President Donald Trump, appearing on blood-red hats and other Trumpian garb.

Its used by many of his supporters as a rallying cry, and in some circles, has become synonymous with hate.

In one of the tweets aimed at Gusciora, someone going by Soco Fa Sho said, We, the people, dont play that pedophile sh*t. Welcome to the club pervert. Now youre exposed and in case word doesnt travel fast where youre at, theres a storm comin.

Twitter user Paul Lawrence Weiner asked Gusciora to explain why someone would accuse you of being a pedophile. After #PEDOGATE2020 it seems like something that needs to be looked into.

Another user thanked Vaughn for exposing a criminal and a pedophile. Our countrys leadership has been infiltrated and controlled by pedophiles for long enough. That is the REAL pandemic.

Gusciora said he sent the tweets to law director John Morelli for direction about what to do.

He said out of an abundance of caution his administration recommended reporting the messages.

Morelli did not respond to an emailed request for confirmation.

The mayor said he wants to head off any potential for another Pizzagate.

Im not one to waste police time, but at the same time, when someone says theres a storm coming and you have a couple of dozen people identify themselves as MAGA, and you get that experience with Pizzagate, I dont know if MAGA is code for, Lets get this guy next.'

Pizzagate started as a claim that Hillary Clinton was a pedophile running a child sex-ring in the basement of a Washington D.C. pizza joint allegedly tied to influential Democrats during the 2016 presidential election.

A North Carolina man, Edgar Maddison Welch, armed with an AR-15 semautomatic rifle and other weapons, later traveled to the Comet Ping Pong and fired shots into the pizza joint after believing the vicious internet-fueled conspiracy theory.

He received four years in prison.

Gusciora stressed hes not fearful for his life, but all possible threats must be scrutinized these days.

If I was fearful for my life, Id be taking off for Vermont and growing a beard, he said.

Editors Note: This story was updated to include a response from NJSP
Indian Navy has launched "Operation Samudra Setu" (Sea Bridge) to repatriate Indian citizens from overseas under the Vande Bharat Mission. Vande Bharat Mission is a multi-agency operation that aims to bring back Indians from the Gulf countries, US, UK, Singaporean, among other nations.

The official handle of the India Navy, wrote on Twitter that ships INS Jalashwa and INS Magar had left for the Maldives on May 5. The Phase 1 of the evacuation will commence on Friday, May 8.

In the first trip, at least 1,000 Indian citizens will be evacuated from Male, capital of Maldives.

Also read: Coronavirus Lockdown India Live Updates: Liquor sales soar as states open alcohol shops; COVID-19 cases-49,391

Commander Vivek Madhwal said that all navy personnel involved in mission will be given basic amenities and medical facilities during the sea-passage. Evacuated citizens will be disembarked at Kochi, Kerala.

Operation Samudra Setu will be carried out in close coordination with Defence Ministry, Ministry of Home Affairs, External Affairs, and the state governments.

Yesterday, the government announced that Air India will operate 64 repatriation flights between May 7 to 13 to bring back thousands of Indians stranded abroad.

The first Air India flight will fly from Abu Dhabi in the UAE carrying around 200 passengers to Kochi in Kerala. As many as 10 flights will be operated on the first day.

Also read: Coronavirus: BMC asks Mumbai doctors to serve COVID patients for 15 days or lose licence

Also read: Coronavirus: Mumbai hospitals face bed, medical personnel shortage as cases rise
WASHINGTON  Chalk up another "first" for Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: participating in oral argument from her hospital bed.

The high court's oldest justice and a four-time cancer survivor, Ginsburg, 87, joined the court's telephonic debate Wednesday morning from Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she was recovering from acute cholecystitis, a benign gallbladder condition.

And the leader of the court's liberal minority didn't mince words: She criticized the Trump administration's rule exempting employers with religious or moral objections from providing cost-free insurance coverage for contraceptives in unusually sharp terms.

You have just tossed entirely to the wind what Congress thought was essential, she told U.S. Solicitor General Noel Francisco, who was defending the new exemption that lower courts have blocked temporarily. "The women end up getting nothing. They are required to do just what Congress didnt want.

Ginsburg later told Paul Clement, the lawyer representing Little Sisters of the Poor, which objected to providing contraceptives coverage, that under the rule "the balance has to be all for the Little Sisters-type organizations and not at all for the women."

More: After cancer, Supreme Court's Ruth Bader Ginsburg hits the road to prove her vitality -- and longevity

Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg joined oral arguments Wednesday from her hospital room.

Ginsburg initially sought medical care Monday after the first day of oral arguments held by telephone conference call, a first for the court prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. She received outpatient tests at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C., which confirmed that she had a gallstone blocking her cystic duct, resulting in an infection.

Ginsburg was released from the hospital Wednesday evening, and "is doing well and glad to be home," court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said. She has had several health scares dating back to 1999, including bouts with colorectal, pancreatic and lung cancer.

Story continues

She is expected to return to the hospital for follow-up outpatient visits in the coming weeks to "eventually remove the gallstone non-surgically," Arberg said.

Ironically, the coronavirus pandemic is allowing Ginsburg to participate in oral arguments because they are being held by phone, with the justices in different remote locations. In the past, she has been forced to miss occasional oral arguments held in the courtroom while recuperating from cancer treatments.

Ginsburg was nominated to the bench by President Bill Clinton in 1994 and is now second in length of service among the current justices, behind Associate Justice Clarence Thomas. The court has a 5-4 conservative majority that could be expanded if she were to be replaced by a Republican president and Senate. If Democrats win the White House or the Senate, that would change the equation.

Contributing: Savannah Behrmann

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg participates from hospital
President Muhammadu Buhari has described late president Musa YarAdua as a patriot of the country who truly loves the masses during his lifetime.

Speaking on the occasion of the 10th year anniversary of his death, Buhari called on Nigerians to imbibe the gentleness of the late president.

Despite our political differences, the late President YarAdua was unarguably a patriot because of his passion for the masses and his reversal of policies he believed were hurting ordinary Nigerians.

Read Also: APC Lauds Atiku Over His Advise To Buhari

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Every leader should be given the credit that he deserves, whether you agree with President YarAdua politically or not, I must say that history will always record his honest and sincere service to the country.

As we remember President YarAdua today, let us emulate his patience and gentle nature so that we dont introduce toxicity into our politics, where opponents perceive each other as enemies.

Let me also use this occasion to extend my prayers and goodwill to his family, and Katsina State Government on the 10th anniversary of his demise. May Allah continue to bless and comfort his gentle soul.

Despite our political differences, the late President Yar'Adua was unarguably a patriot because of his passion for the masses and his reversal of policies he believed were hurting ordinary Nigerians.  Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) May 5, 2020

Every leader should be given the credit that he deserves, whether you agree with President YarAdua politically or not, I must say that history will always record his honest and sincere service to the country.  Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) May 5, 2020

As we remember President Yar'Adua today, let us emulate his patience and gentle nature so that we don't introduce toxicity into our politics, where opponents perceive each other as enemies.  Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) May 5, 2020

As we remember President Yar'Adua today, let us emulate his patience and gentle nature so that we don't introduce toxicity into our politics, where opponents perceive each other as enemies.  Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) May 5, 2020
After being shut for more than 40 days, two-wheeler, car and commercial vehicle showrooms are finally beginning to open in areas that were lesser impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dealerships of Maruti Suzuki, Bajaj Auto, Mahindra & Mahindra, Hyundai, Toyota, Honda Cars, VE Commercial Vehicles have already opened. While some have opened for the fumigation and disinfection process, others have started to do business. Buyers who had booked cars before the lockdown but did not get delivery will get priority.

Market leader Maruti Suzuki has opened 600 showroom so far and also delivered 50 cars on May 5. Hyundai have opened 150 dealerships and 200 service centres.

Many automotive dealerships located in Karnataka, Goa, Orissa and the North East have reopened, according to a senior functionary from the Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA). Priority has been given to dealerships located in green followed by orange zones while red zone dealerships continue to stay shut.

Vinod Aggarwal, Managing Director and CEO, VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV) said, In some areas dealerships have started opening but dealerships in the metros are in lockdown. But in smaller cities dealerships are opening. About 30-35 percent of our dealerships are open.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

More than 25,000 automotive dealerships across the country had downed shutters following a call for a lockdown made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March in the hope of arresting the spread of coronavirus.

While several vehicle-making companies are pushing for online sales wherein the entire process of buying a vehicle is made digital, this medium is not entirely feasible throughout the country for several reasons.

For a high-ticket purchase especially of an aspirational product like a car, consumers do desire to walk in to showrooms and experience the touch and feel of the product especially if its the first car in the family.

Secondly, the digital drive is more prevalent in urban centres and its adoption is lesser in semi-rural or rural pockets. Buying vehicles online needs coordination from banks for vehicle loans and from insurance companies too.

Ashish Kale, President, FADA said, "As per the latest MHA guidelines and subsequent to state guidelines, auto dealerships are opening in Karnataka, Goa, Delhi and a few northeastern states. Some showrooms have opened to complete deliveries of booked/ sold vehicles. Mostly service workshops will open in green and orange zone and a few showrooms with limited staff to check customer response. We expect the dealership networks to completely open only after the national lockdown is revoked."

Guidelines

Honda Cars India has given guidelines in line with government norms on safety and social distancing along with its own measures that dealers must follow before restarting operations.

Rajesh Goel, Senior VP and Director, Marketing and Sales, Honda Cars India, said, "Each of the dealerships is in the process of getting necessary approvals from the local authorities to resume operations and opening accordingly. As of today, quite a few of the dealerships have opened across north, east, west and south. The dealerships will open sequentially during the month and can focus on servicing vehicles being used by essential services staff like doctors, etc. as also for breakdown vehicles."

After the implementation of standard operating procedures and based on approvals from the state governments, Maruti Suzuki dealerships have started to open and deliver the cars to waiting customers.

In a statement, Kenichi Ayukawa, Managing Director and CEO, Maruti Suzuki India, said, All our dealerships have put in place steps to ensure complete safety, hygiene and sanitisation of all touchpoints. I would like to assure our customers that your car buying experience with Maruti Suzuki is completely safe.

Maruti Suzuki has started the online booking of its cars. The company is allowing consumers to choose a time for showroom visit, purchase accessories online and submit documents digitally. Fully sanitised and disinfected cars will be delivered to the doorsteps of consumers, the company has claimed.

Even luxury car making companies like Mercedes-Benz and BMW have jumped on the online bandwagon. Products priced between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 2.5 crore are transacted fully online with a promise of delivery of the vehicle upon lifting of the lockdown.

As per a report by brokerage Anand Rathi, two in every five passenger vehicle bookings done in March have been cancelled citing budget constraints, job uncertainty and greater expense. Several dealers are reworking cost reductions, renegotiating rents, reducing staff, inventories, salaries and incentives to ensure continuity in operations.
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The year's final supermoon is set to rise tomorrow with the so-called 'Flower Moon' expected to be six per cent larger than normal.

It is the third and final supermoon of 2020 and it is also set to be less visually striking than the other two, which occurred on March 9 and April 7-8.

The moon will be at its fullest at 11.45am BST on Thursday morning, but it will not be visible in the UK at this time.

However, the moon will be at its most impressive before it sets on Thursday morning at around 5.42 BST, and also after moonrise around 8.45pm BST tomorrow evening.

Its name comes from the period of increased fertility and blooming plants during early May and it is also called Mother's Moon, Milk Moon and Corn Planting Moon.

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Pictured, the moon last night over Reading, UK. Tomorrow marks the last super-moon of the year, dubbed the Flower Moon. It is also sometimes referred to as the Mother's Moon, Milk Moon, and Corn Planting Moon, references to a time of increased fertility

Pictured, the silhouette of a narcissus flower with a moon background taken last night in Turkey. The moon will be at its fullest at 11.45am on Thursday morning, but it will not be visible in the UK at this time. It will be at its most impressive before it sets on Thursday morning at around 5.42 BST, and also after moonrise around 8.45pm BST tomorrow

Greg Brown, an astronomer at the Royal Observatory, said: 'Technically the exact moment of full moon is 11.45am, however the moon will not be visible in the sky in the UK at that time.'

The moon is expected to rise over London at 8.44pm BST tomorrow. It will be also be larger than normal early Thursday morning, before it disappears from the sky at 5.42am.

Mr Brown said: 'Times for moonrise and set vary slightly across the UK, but not by more than about 10 minutes or so.'

This full moon will also be a supermoon, meaning it will be about six per cent larger than a typical full moon and around 14 per cent bigger than a micromoon, which is when the moon is at its furthest point from Earth.

Dr Brown said: 'The moon's orbit around the Earth is not entirely circular, instead a slightly flattened circle or ellipse.

'As such, it is sometimes closer to and sometimes further away from the Earth.

'While definitions vary, a supermoon typically occurs when a full moon coincides with the moon being within the closest 10 per cent of its orbit.'

Dr Brown also said this event would be the third and final supermoon of this year.

The moon in the early hours today. It will be even more spectacular tonight, into tomorrow morning and then again tomorrow night, after it rises once again

This full moon will be a supermoon, meaning it will be about six per cent larger than a typical full moon and around 14 per cent bigger than a micromoon, which is when the moon is at its furthest point from Earth. Pictured, the moon this morning above houses in Bamburgh, Northumberland

He added: 'Because of how the dynamics of orbits work, these usually occur in runs of two or three with longer gaps of several months between each set of suquamoons.'

The full moon comes in the midst of another celestial display - the Eta Aquariids Meteor Shower, which reached its peak yesterday.

The Eta Aquariids take place every year from the middle of April until the end of May, when Earth passes through the stream of debris left behind by Halley's Comet.

This result in dozens of shooting stars every hour. Like tomorrow's supermoon, they were visible with the naked eye and did not require a telescope or specialist equipment,

The next supermoon will be visible in April 2021, with the Flower Moon being the last one of 2020.

NASA: 'The Eta Aquariids are pieces of debris from Halleys Comet, which is a well-known comet that is viewable from Earth approximately every 76 years'
India has embarked on a "massive" operation calling up passenger jets and naval ships to bring back some of the hundreds of thousands of its nationals stuck abroad due to coronavirus restrictions, the government said Tuesday. India banned all incoming international flights in late March as it imposed one of the world's strictest virus lockdowns, leaving vast numbers of workers and students stranded. Two ships were steaming towards the Maldives' capital Male to evacuate some 1,000 citizens from Friday, the navy said in a statement late Tuesday. A defence spokesman told AFP a third vessel was heading to the United Arab Emirates -- home to a 3.3-million-strong Indian community, who make up around 30 percent of the Gulf state's population. A government statement said repatriation flights would start bringing nationals home from Thursday, and that Indian embassies and high commissions were preparing lists of "distressed Indian citizens". But to the anger of some of those abroad, the evacuees will have to pay for their passage, the statement said, and spend 14 days in quarantine on arrival. "COVID test would be done after 14 days and further action would be taken according to health protocols," it added. The consulate in Dubai said that it alone had received almost 200,000 applications, appealing on Twitter for "patience and cooperation" as India undertakes the "massive task" of repatriation. The oil-rich Gulf is reliant on the cheap labour of millions of foreigners -- mostly from India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka -- many of whom live in squalid camps far from the region's showy skyscrapers and malls. But coronavirus and the devastating economic impact of the pandemic has left many workers sick and others unemployed, unpaid and at the mercy of sometimes unscrupulous employers. It has also blown a large hole in remittances sent back to India from its workers abroad, which totalled almost $80 billion in 2018, according to the World Bank. - 'Please help me' - According to the civil aviation ministry, around 14,800 people will be taken back on 64 flights from 12 countries, with the first leaving the UAE and Qatar on Thursday. Other flights will leave Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines, as well as London, San Francisco, New York, Chicago and Washington. The flights will bring an average of 2,000 people back to various Indian destinations every day for a week, according to the foreign ministry. So far some 20,000 Indians in the US have signed up for the evacuations, The Times of India reported. But some Indians said they would not be able to pay for their homeward journeys and pleaded with the government for help. "I request govt to take all of us at no charge during this crisis situation as we are all struggling here due to prolonged lockdown," tourist Sadhana Srivastava tweeted from Dubai. "I'm homeless now after I lost my job in March, please take me to India or else I will be in a big trouble here in Dubai, please help me sir," Saroj K Swain wrote on Twitter. The UAE has been the most vocal among Gulf countries in demanding governments take workers back, with almost 23,000 having left as of April 20. But New Delhi had until now refused to cooperate, balking at the logistical and safety nightmare of repatriating and quarantining returning citizens. India had earlier evacuated some 2,500 Indians from China, Japan, Iran and Italy before banning international and domestic travel. India, the world's second-most populous nation with 1.3 billion people, on Tuesday reported 46,433 cases of the infectious disease and 1,568 deaths. It was the biggest single-day jump with 3,900 new infections and 195 deaths in the last 24 hours.
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to a Kolhapur man who was booked for allegedly instigating and assaulting a homeguard personnel after a heated argument ensued between them over being asked to wear a face mask.

The single-judge bench of Justice Bharati Dangre while hearing the plea of Shekhar Sanadi, through video conferencing was informed by advocate Hrishikesh Mundargi that Sanadi was booked under sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 353 (punishment for assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant provisions of Disaster Management Act, 2005 for placing his hand on the shoulder of the home guard.

In light of the above Mundargi said that no offence was made out from the FIR filed by the police, hence Sanadi should be granted pre-arrest bail. However, public prosecutor Deepak Thakare opposed the plea.

After hearing submissions, Justice Dangre observed, On perusal of the FIR, prima facie what emerges is a verbal altercation between the complainant and the applicant while the latter was discharging his duty. No ingredients of Sections 323 and 353 of the IPC are made out of the complaint/FIR.

While disposing of the application the bench restrained Sandi from making any inducement, threat, or attempt to persuade a person acquainted with the case from disclosing the facts to the court and not to tamper with the evidence. The court further said that in case of arrest shall be released on bail on furnishing personal bond of Rs 50,000.
Bihar logs 4551 new Covid-19 cases 18 Jan 2022 | 11:18 PM Patna, Jan 18 (UNI) With 154010 samples tested in the last 24 hours, 4551 fresh cases of Covid-19 were registered on Tuesday. see more..

Bengal reports 10,430 new COVID cases 18 Jan 2022 | 11:05 PM Kolkata, Jan 18 (UNI) West Bengal on Tuesday reported 10,430 new covid cases, according to the state health department. see more..

Legendary illustrator-comic strip creator Narayan Debnath dead 18 Jan 2022 | 10:52 PM Kolkata, Jan 18 (UNI) Legendary artist-illustrator Narayan Debnath, whose comic strips in Bengali childrens magazines have attained a cult following for close to 60 years, passed away at a private hospital here on Tuesday following old age complications.





Debnath, 96, breathed his last at 10-15 AM in Belle Vue Clinic, where he was admitted on December 24 following acute weakness, low haemoglobin count as also lungs and kidney problems. see more..

Legendary illustrator-comic strip creator Narayan Debnath dead 18 Jan 2022 | 10:51 PM Kolkata, Jan 18 (UNI) Legendary artist-illustrator Narayan Debnath, whose comic strips in Bengali childrens magazines have attained a cult following for close to 60 years, passed away at a private hospital here on Tuesday following old age complications.



Debnath, 96, breathed his last at 10-15 AM in Belle Vue Clinic, where he was admitted on December 24 following acute weakness, low haemoglobin count as also lungs and kidney problems. see more..
It is there he gives us intimate introductions to his patients, and we get to know some of them, though names and identifying facts have been changed to protect privacy and maintain confidentiality. There is Troy, a vibrant young man (who) seemed to have aged fifty years in the space of two weeks; Robert, who had withered into a skeleton; David, struggling under the mask to catch his breath, hed turned an indescribable shade of gray, a color between the pink of life and the blue of death. There are many more and Slotten treats them all with a respect and kindness that in combination are heroic.
PORTLAND, Maine, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Tilson, a national network development and information infrastructure professional services firm, has recently appointed Andy Spurgeon to spearhead the development of public sector opportunities, with a particular focus on local and federal programs, newly funded emergency programs, and infrastructure stimulus opportunities that align with key initiatives across Tilson's lines of business. On May 11th, Mr. Spurgeon joins Greg Edmoundson, Vice President of Network Development, as Tilson's most recent addition to its senior leadership team.

As Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, Mr. Spurgeon will work closely with Tilson's executive, network, infrastructure development and consulting teams to oversee Tilson's long-term initiatives and program execution supporting broadband expansion, telehealth, and distance education in response to the impacts of COVID-19 and Tilson's vision to build America's information infrastructure, including connecting all Americans to high speed broadband.

"When I first met Andy during the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program during the last stimulus period he struck me as a pragmatic problem solver, highly intelligent, and mission driven person, and I'm thrilled that he has joined our team to help us connect every American to high speed broadband," said Joshua Broder, Tilson CEO. "America's information infrastructure is more critical than ever to the resilience of our communities and this newly-created position is at the heart of Tilson's mission and growth objectives."

Mr. Spurgeon comes to Tilson with wide-ranging experience in IT strategy and leadership, sales, marketing, and business development across numerous technology companies in the telecommunications and cloud computing industries. For the last ten years, Mr. Spurgeon served as Chief of Operations for BroadbandUSA, a program within National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) at the US Department of Commerce. The breadth of his responsibilities included grant evaluation and oversight at all levels of government, nonprofits and industry, data analytics, broadband technical assistance, and implementation the National Broadband Availability Map (NBAM). He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geological Engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the need for all Americans to have reliable broadband Internet connectivity into sharp focus, due to surging demand for remote health, education, telework, and conferencing applications. These conditions are expected to accelerate public sector investments in these vital services," said Mr. Spurgeon. "Tilson's experience and capabilities make it an ideal partner for public sector programs targeting broadband gaps through the deployment of fiber, 5G, WiFi, and other infrastructure. I'm thrilled to join Tilson's incredible team and bring the benefits of advanced communications to more Americans."

About Tilson:

Tilson is on a mission to build America's information infrastructure. Recognized nine consecutive years on the Inc. 5000, Tilson provides network development and information infrastructure professional services to telecom, construction, utility and government clients. As a leading network design, build, and operating firm, Tilson builds high-performing technology project teams who take on the largest and most impactful information infrastructure projects in the country.

For more information: www.tilsontech.com

SOURCE Tilson

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Eliot Rabin, owner of Peter Elliot Blue talks inside his clothing store in Manhattan, New York on May 4, 2020. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times)

Businesses Across US Defy Lockdown Measures: We Have No Choice

NEW YORKA number of restaurants and businesses deemed by officials to be nonessential are openly defying lockdown measures in states across the nation as they grapple with their livelihoods being stripped away and their finances going down the drain.

While some states are slowly reopening, the rest continue under tight restrictions. Authorities have fined, arrested, or revoked the business licenses of those defying the orders. Some have decried these actions as unconstitutional, even sliding toward tyrannical, while others say its warranted.

Business owners who resisted the unprecedented lockdown rules told The Epoch Times they had no other choice as the economic fallout forced them to use their retirement money.

They grappled with a new normal of falling behind on rent, wrestling with the idea of letting employees go, or letting their relatives and those in their community down. Supporters and other businesses that were able to survive without breaking the orders were sympathetic, saying they could understand the pressure they were facing.

Governors have enacted stay-at-home measures and ordered schools and most businessesaside from those deemed essentialto close in a bid to counter the spread of the CCP virus, also known as the novel coronavirus. Those defying these measures mostly agree the restrictions are effective, but say their lives cant continue unless they start making money.

In recent weeks, businesses across the country have reopened in defiance of their states lockdown orders. In North Carolina, a man who opened his tattoo parlor over concerns he would lose his new home was arrested for violating an executive order. A barber in Nevada received a warning from her licensing board, including a citation and a $1,000 fine for reopening.

A salon owner in Dallas who reopened early was sentenced to a week in jail and ordered to pay $500 for each of the seven days her business was open. Similar cases have also occurred in Florida, Oregon, Colorado, New York, California, and Maine.

However, restaurants that allowed patrons to dine inside their premises and owners of nonessential businesses who reopened their stores have seen a massive outpouring of support from their local communities. On GoFundMe, more than $185,541 was raised for the jailed salon owner.

When talking about the positive feedback they received, some of them became emotional.

Were All In This Together

Paul Zimmerman, owner of the Red Maple Inn, a full-service restaurant and hotel in Guilford, Maine, said the sheriff warned him they would strip his license per the state attorney general if he defied lockdown restrictions.

Zimmerman told The Epoch Times the lockdown put immense financial strain on him as he was forced to spend all of his retirement money to stay afloat. While he initially followed the quarantine restrictions by only offering takeout, he recently started allowing patrons to sit inside to eat.

The inn, which sits on his personal one-acre property, follows state guidelines and has tables 10 feet apart. On May 3, after fully reopening, he was sold out by 4:30 p.m. He normally closes at 7 p.m. He said it was an awesome feeling knowing his community was behind him, noting one of his most loyal patrons, an 85-year-old man who had supported him for more than 10 years.

The patrons wife was in a nursing home, and due to restrictions, he hadnt been able to see her for more than eight weeks. Prior to the pandemic, he had been relying on the restaurant for his meals.

For eight weeks, this gentleman has thanked me every single day. I have let him eat at my house. I have fed him my own personal food to make sure he eats every day, Zimmerman said.

That gentleman was here all weekend long, he said. Ive lost both my parents, he considers me his son. What am I supposed to tell him? No you cant come to my property? Im not going to do that.

Zimmerman broke down as he described how his customer sat outside his backyard on April 4, watching his business, as he couldnt let him directly inside his own home.

If somebody from the state would listen, listen to some of these stories, he said. Not this side or that side. I dont care whether youre a Democrat, Republican, independent. I dont care what color skin you arewere all in this together.

Over the past weekend, state liquor inspectors and state health inspectors checked the inns premises. Zimmerman said he received a health inspection report on May 4 in which they ultimately decided not to take away his license.

As of May 5, there have been 1,226 cases of the CCP virus in Maine and 61 deaths. Under Democrat Gov. Jane Mills, restaurants arent allowed to fully reopen until June.

Ive worked hard all my life to get where Im at because I havent had a silver spoon handed to me, Zimmerman said. Ive had to work for what I have. If my freedoms get taken away, then Im done.

A resident from Androscoggin County, Maine, who took part in multiple anti-lockdown protests recently, argued his state never should have shut down due to the low number of virus cases its had.

Im going to find a restaurant open and give them some patronage, 50-year-old John Beaulieu told The Epoch Times. I think we need to rebel against this.

I Went Home and I Cried

Roughly 450 miles from Maine, Eliot Rabin, owner of Peter Elliot Bluea mens clothing store in Manhattanexpressed much the same sentiment.

Rabin told The Epoch Times he initially followed New Yorks quarantine orders but started to open his doors again, citing the grim financial situation he was in. He was behind on rent, behind on vendors, and we had to open, otherwise we would go bye-bye.

While state authorities hadnt contacted him, Rabin said the NYPD visited him on multiple occasions. The first time they warned him to take down his Open signs. In a later visit, they stopped customers from buying from and entering the store.

You cannot give me an illegal order, he said. Youre going against my constitutional rights, my freedom of speech, my freedom of press, my freedom of access. If people want to shop, Im going to let them shop.

If the state issues him a fine, Rabin said he isnt going to pay. If they arrest him, he said he will take his case to the Supreme Court, adding that lawyers have approached him saying they would go pro bono.

Eliot Rabin, owner of Peter Elliot Blue stands in front of the display window of his store in Manhattan, New York on May 4, 2020. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times)

The inside of Peter Elliot Blue store in Manhattan, New York on May 4, 2020. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times)

Eliot Rabin, owner of Peter Elliot Blue sits inside his clothing store in Manhattan, New York on May 4, 2020. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times)

Some customers have driven in from Pennsylvania and Long Island to support him in person, while others from around the country have supported the store with online purchases.

Its been amazing. It humbled me to a point where I went home and I cried, Rabin said.

Americans are starting to becoming wiser on the importance of reopening the economy, he said, adding that he doesnt want to make light of the disease.

But you know what, were going to get more and more, he said, referring to the number of virus cases in New York.

There have been 326,659 cases of the virus in the state and 25,028 attributed deaths, according to data from May 6. New York authorities have hesitated to reopen over fears the virus could take hold again.

Rules and social distancing-related guidance are posted on the stores front door. The clothing boutique provides masks, gloves, and sanitation to anyone entering.

Rabin said 95 percent of the feedback and response he has received has been positive. He believes all Americans will unite if they know what life is like for everyday businesses like his.

I would love to have 10 to 15 minutes [of] national television timean American speaks to his fellow Americansand I think you can fix this country in 10 minutes, he said.

Makes No Sense

Some small-business owners said they havent received any money from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), described as a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll.

Chuck Roulet, a small-business owner who runs his own law firm and has a large number of small-business clients, said that it makes no sense for some businesses to be open while others are not allowed to.

I have not heard of a single business owner that I know or work with that has actually received any PPP money, he told The Epoch Times via email. No PPP money and no income means they have to reopen.

Some of the government actions and guidelines have been confusing, Roulet said, as he questioned why grocery stores were allowed to open without people dropping dead while other businesses couldnt. Owners are well aware of the virus numbers and the moving goal posts, he said.

The cure has become much worse than the disease, and we are more concerned about our financial futures than the virus, he said. That is how I feel, and it is how my small-business owner clients feel as well.

For some businesses, their biggest problem is getting enough supplies from foreign manufacturers. Jared Ebrahimoff, founder & COO of Lavari Jewelers, told The Epoch Times via email that while demand for products is constant, stocks in our warehouse are getting increasingly low, and international cargo is almost impossible with the current restrictions.

When stocks run out, we have no choice but to cease operations for the time being with a chance of furloughing employees if our cash reserves start to hit critical levels, he said.
Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Mayor John Coopers proposed 32 percent property tax increase is a terrible idea and would be detrimental to the city of Nashville, potentially creating a chilling effect across Middle Tennessee. An increase of such magnitude would bring additional pain and suffering to untold thousands of Nashvillians already harmed by the government-mandated COVID-19 lockdown and the tornado that preceded it.

Decisions about tax increases should be delayed until next spring. After the Mayor has made significant cuts and structural changes in Metro government. It also must come after Mayor Cooper has hosted townhall meetings in every Nashville neighborhood. At such times he can educate voters about what he will have done to cut spending and exactly how he will operate the city in a fiscally conservative manner.

Mayor Cooper needs to lead by example. Given that he was able to contribute $2 million of his own money to win election, he should emulate President Donald Trump and donate his pay to government service. If he chooses to draw a salary, he should be the first high-ranking executive to take a significant pay cut and set a belt-tightening example. This should be followed by pay cuts in Metro government, beginning with top officials in tourism, where a couple of salaries exceed $700,000.

The Mayor has not done enough to cut waste or to find additional resources through a restructuring of government. Major contractors such as Bridgestone Firestone are reportedly overcharging, and there is corruption in some departments that must be addressed. Across-the-board pay cuts of 25 percent or more (32 percent, perhaps?) should be mandated for Metro employees earning more than $100,000. Just for starters.

During his election campaign, the mayor-to-be pledged to restore faith and trust in government. So far, he is flunking. If this were college, he could expect a pink warning slip soon. He has done nothing to improve public safety in the city even though he received the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police. Chief Anderson, a holdover from previous administrations, remains in place despite complaints and ongoing problems within the police department. Firefighters, dispatchers, and other first responders had fallen to the bottom of the list of priorities before the crises. Plus, the proposed new budget offers first responders nothing in the way of a pay raise nor does it fund body cameras for police officers.

Questions must be addressed and answered: Why has Metro paid its employees full salaries during the lockdown when other non-essential workers had to apply for unemployment? Shouldnt Metro employees have been laid off or furloughed if they were not performing essential services?

I am not finished.

How did the Mayor arrive at such an inflated number  a 32 percent increase  which will destroy budgets for taxpayers on fixed incomes and kill many small businesses? He is a loose cannon.

Again, why does the proposed new budget not include a pay raise for first responders? The federal money that Mayor Cooper said will provide some workers with a $3-an-hour increase is only temporary. Besides, why should the federal government be supporting a basic service that citizens pay taxes to receive?.

We should not be surprised by Mayor Coopers ill-advised tax increase or the heavy handedness of a shutdown that considers abortion clinics and liquor stores essential services, while shutting down many businesses that provide services people need.

All across the nation, Democrats are operating from the same playbook. High crime, high taxes, poorly performing schools, and government corruption are common in cities under Democrat control. We should resist ANY tax increase this year. If we fail in our efforts, those of us who want good government might just have to vote with our feet and move to a location governed by fiscally conservative elected officials.

This commentary was published in The Tennessee Star
Caracas blames Washington for incursion aimed at removing President Nicolas Maduro but the US denies involvement.

The Venezuelan government said this week it foiled an armed incursion from the sea, killing a group of alleged mercenaries who sought to assassinate President Nicolas Maduro and spark a coup.

Authorities blamed the alleged plot on the United States and said a number of terrorists, including two former US soldiers, had been arrested.

The incident came at a time of high tensions between the US and Venezuela.

The US is among nearly 60 countries that back opposition politician Juan Guaido as Venezuelas legitimate leader. It has also imposed tough economic sanctions against Caracas in an effort to force Maduro, whom it accuses of having rigged elections in 2018, to step down.

Here is what we know so far about the events of recent days:

What happened?

Maduros government initially said eight people were killed as they tried to enter the country on May 3 via the Caribbean coast to topple the president. The Associated Press news agency said officials later revised the number of the suspects killed to six.

200503162349161

Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said the attackers tried to land on speedboats before dawn on a beach at Macuto, about an hour north of Caracas, but were intercepted by the military and special police units.

According to Reverol, the group, which departed from neighbouring Colombia, planned to carry out terrorist attacks, including assassinating officials.

He added the plan aimed to increase the spiral of violence, generate chaos and confusion  and with that lead to a new attempt at a coup detat.

Venezuelan soldiers move a suspect from a helicopter after what Venezuelan authorities described was a mercenary incursion [Handout via Reuters]

Who was involved?

Venezuelan authorities said they had arrested 13 terrorists involved in the incident, including the son of a prominent imprisoned general.

In a televised address on Monday night, Maduro also showed what he said were the passports and other identification papers belonging to two former US army members: Airan Berry, 41 and Luke Denman, 34.

200505025057889

According to The Associated Press, military records showed both were decorated soldiers who served in Iraq.

Maduro described the pair as members of Donald Trumps security and said they were captured in a boat west of Caracas along with six other terrorists.

Military equipment on display during a meeting with the Bolivarian armed forces a day after Venezuelas government said it foiled an attempted incursion by terrorist mercenaries from Colombia, at Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela [Via Reuters]

Who was behind the alleged incursion?

On Sunday night, Jordan Goudreau, a US military veteran who leads a Florida-based security company, SilverCorp USA, claimed responsibility for the incursion.

He said he was working with two US citizens in an operation designed to capture, not kill, Maduro and liberate Venezuela.

Goudreau said he had organised the raid on a shoestring budget after signing an agreement with the US-backed Guaido, whom Goudreau accuses of failing to pay him.

Maduro tied the alleged plot to Guaido and Colombias right-wing President Ivan Duque.

Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab shared on social media a video in which Goudreau says an operation against Maduro involving hired mercenaries was under way.

Saab also showed an alleged contract that said SilverCorp USA had a $212m agreement with Guaido using funds stolen from state oil company PDVSA, whose US subsidiary, Citgo, was put under the opposition leaders control.

Venezuelan security forces boats after Venezuelas government announced the failed mercenary incursion, in Macuto [Manaure Quintero/Reuters]

Reaction

Guaido denied having any relationship with Goudreau and any involvement in the incursion.

He also cast doubt on the Maduro governments version of the events.

200505025057889

Theyre trying to create a state of apparent confusion, an effort to hide whats happening in Venezuela, Guaido said, citing local issues  such as petrol shortages, a deadly prison riot and a violent gang battle  in a country that has been gripped by deepening social, political and economic crises.

President Donald Trump said the US had no part in the incident.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper, echoing Trump, said: The United States government had nothing to do with whats happened in Venezuela in the last few days.

The State Department accused the Maduro government of a highly questionable representation of the details, saying it did not accept the account at face value and was seeking more information.

Reacting to Trumps denial, Venezuelas Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez showed a photograph of Goudreau next to Trump.

He claimed the photograph was taken on October 18, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and it appeared on Goudreaus Instagram account.
Hundreds of bankers worked non-stop to provide more than 12,000 businesses the financial support needed to remain open and serve local communities

GULFPORT, Miss., May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hancock Whitney has helped to bring more than $2.4 billion to 12,000-plus businesses through rounds one and two of the U.S. Small Business Administrations Paycheck Protection Program. Of the PPP loans for which Hancock Whitney received approvals, 67 percent of the total number of loans approved are for loan amounts less than $100,000. More than 88 percent of these approved loans are for a loan amount under $350,000, ensuring the money was provided to the Gulf Souths smaller businesses.



Businesses that maintained applications in the Hancock Whitney pipeline through the Paycheck Protection Program approval process received approval for PPP loans, said Hancock Whitney President and CEO John M. Hairston. Our bankers worked tirelessly around the clock since the program began on April 3rd to enter as many completed applications as possible into the SBA queue, while guidelines evolved and SBA systems faced challenges from massive, unprecedented demand. Its an honor for us to help sustain our local economies, and were very grateful to businesses that chose us to help them get the funds they needed to keep their doors open and people employed during this pandemic. We also acknowledge the hard work and long hours performed by the SBA team who ultimately made this beneficial program a reality.

Hancock Whitney provided loans to businesses primarily based in markets throughout the banks five-state Gulf South footprint. More than 13 percent of businesses served by Hancock Whitney applied for and received a PPP loan.

The PPP loans for which we received approval are helping thousands of businesses of all types and sizes and hundreds of thousands of employees in our communities. The majority of the PPP loans for which we received approval are smaller loans that will help smaller businesses vital to the communities we serve. We are proud to have been a part of assisting Americas small business community navigate economic hardships caused by the COVID-19 economic shutdown, added Hairston.

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Hancock Whitney maintains a special page at www.hancockwhitney.com/covid19 with timely updates on bank locations and operations, resources, fraud prevention tips, and ongoing direct assistance available for people and businesses suffering financial impacts from the pandemic, including fee waivers, loan payment deferrals, and SBA loans.

About Hancock Whitney

Since the late 1800s, Hancock Whitney has embodied core values of Honor & Integrity, Strength & Stability, Commitment to Service, Teamwork, and Personal Responsibility. Part of Hancock Whitney Corporations Gulf South financial services family, bank offices and financial centers in Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas offer comprehensive financial products and services, including traditional and online banking; commercial and small business banking; private banking; trust and investment services; healthcare banking; certain insurance services; and mortgage services. The company also operates a loan production office in Nashville, Tennessee, as well as trust and asset management offices in New Jersey and New York. BauerFinancial, Inc., the nations leading independent bank rating and analysis firm, consistently recommends Hancock Whitney as one of Americas most financially sound banks. More information is available at www.hancockwhitney.com .

For more information

Trisha Voltz Carlson, Investor Relations Manager

504.299.5208 or trisha.carlson@hancockwhitney.com
On 5 May, 1993, three eight-year-old boys went missing in the city of West Memphis, Arkansas. Steve Branch, Michael Moore, and Christopher Byers were found the next day in a wooded area along the interstate highway, their bodies nude, bound, and apparently mutilated. One month later, three teenagers  Jessie Misskelley Jr, Damien Echols, and Jason Baldwin  were charged with murdering the three second-graders.

What followed is an 18-year saga that would see the West Memphis Three, as Misskelley, Echols, and Baldwin became known, get convicted of the crime despite maintaining their innocence. Rumours of a satanic crime spread around the community. All were convicted, an outcome bolstered in part by Misskelleys controversial confession, which he ultimately recanted. Echols was sentenced to death; Misskelley and Baldwin received life sentences. The trio spend almost two decades behind bars and, in Echolss case, on death row, before being freed in 2011 as part of a deal with prosecutors.

Over the years, their case became a cause celebre, with high-profile advocates such as Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Eddie Vedder, and Peter Jackson publicly supporting the West Memphis Three. It also formed the basis of three documentaries that helped bring the fate of the three men back to the forefront, years before the world found itself engrossed by true-crime hits such as Serial, Wild Wild Country, and Making a Murderer.

Filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky, who would eventually devote two decades of their lives to the West Memphis Three, starting working on the first film of the trilogy convinced of Echols, Misskelley and Baldwins guilt. In the first film, there was no advocacy impulse that sent us down to West Memphis, Arkansas, originally, Berlinger told The AV Club in 2012. We thought we were making a film about disaffected youth, about kids who had done something rotten. Basically, we thought they were guilty because the local press reports coming out were very one-sided.

But while shooting the first instalment, Berlinger and Sinofsky became aware of issues in the case  a realisation that would result in their eventual pledge to keep making movies about the West Memphis Three until they were freed. Several months into the process, most notably when we finally got access to the West Memphis Three  although, they were not called the West Memphis Three back then  Bruce and I felt there was something not quite right, Berlinger added. The more we dug into it, the more we realised that this was not a case about guilty teens run amok. These guys have been wrongfully charged. We were still naive enough to believe that it would all work itself out at the trial.

Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills, the first chapter of the trilogy, was released by HBO in 1996, documenting Misskelleys, Echolss, and Baldwins trials. It informed the public of several few key elements, including that Misskelley had an IQ of 72 at the time of his questioning by authorities, and that his defence attorney maintained that his confession, in which he had implicated Echols and Baldwin, had been forced  a narrative naturally disputed by the prosecution. The documentary also includes abundant, often striking trial footage, such as clips of a teenage, baby-faced Echols attempting to explain the principles of Wicca to an Arkansas courtroom, and having to deny ever being part of any type of human sacrifice.

Pulitzer-winning critic Roger Ebert received Paradise Lost as such: The film creates a vivid portrait of a subculture in which Satan is a central figure. Where did Damien, Jason and Jesse hear about satanic rituals? Mostly in church, it would appear. Some members of this community seem to require Satanism as part of their world view; they seize upon the devil to explain what dismays them. ...We leave the film unsure about who committed the murders, but convinced that an obsession with Satanism extends here far beyond the circle of defendants.

Joe Berlinger, Jessie Misskelley Jr, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Bruce Sinofsky at a screening of Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory on 10 October 2011 in New York City. (Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for HBO)

Damien Echols and actor Johnny Depp at the West of Memphis photo call during the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival on 8 September 2012 in Toronto, Canada. (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Paradise Lost went on to win the Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Informational Programming in 1997. Paradise Lost 2: Revelations, the first of two sequels, followed in 2000, documenting Echolss appeal of his death sentence and examining more elements of the case. The film earned an Emmy nomination as well as this remark by Ebert: Watching it, you feel like an eyewitness to injustice.

The final film, Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory came out in 2012, five months after the three mens release. It ends with extraordinary footage of Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley entering Alford pleas and walking free for the first time in 18 years. An Alford plea is a peculiar judicial beast, in that it requires a defendant in a criminal case to enter a guilty plea while asserting their innocence.

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The reason [the Alford plea] exists is so that it sort of brings closure to a case and it prevents a state from being responsible for what theyve done, Echols told Katie Couric in 2014. They dont have to compensate you in any sort of way or ever admit that they made a mistake.

Winona Ryder at an event in support of the West Memphis Three on 6 September 2003 in Los Angeles, California. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Fran Walsh, Amy Berg, Peter Jackson, Lorri Davis, and Damien Echols at the New York premiere of West Of Memphis on 7 December 2012. (Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

Marilyn Manson and Damien Echols at an event on 11 April 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Echols told Couric that despite those specificities, he didnt have a hard time taking the plea, his health having begun to seriously deteriorate while on death row. Perhaps the most gripping moment in the entire Paradise Lost trilogy  and there are many  comes when a 34-year-old, freshly liberated Baldwin explains during a 2011 press conference that he did not want to take the deal from the get-go.

However, theyre trying to kill Damien and sometimes you just have to bite the gun to save somebody, adds Baldwin, who, unlike Echols, was sentenced to life behind bars but did not receive the death penalty in the case. Echols, 36, says in turn of Baldwin: I want to publicly thank Jason too. Just to let him know that I do acknowledge what he did, that he did want to keep fighting. He didnt want to take this deal in the beginning. And I recognise and acknowledge that he did do it almost entirely for me. He then turns to Baldwin and adds: Thank you before being pulled into a hug.

Joe Berlinger, Jason Baldwin and Bruce Sinofsky at the 84th Academy Awards on 26 February 2012 in Hollywood, California. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Damien Echols and his wife Lorri Davis at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival on 20 January 2012 in Park City, Utah. (Larry Busacca/Getty Images)

Paradise Lost 3 was nominated for two Emmys as well as the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Like its two predecessors, the documentary featured music by Metallica, one of the bands favoured by Echols  a fact that displeased the prosecution back in 1993, as did his taste for Stephen King novels. The bands drummer and co-founder Lars Ulrich told Rolling Stone in 2011 that lending music to the project was the least we could do. They were outsiders who didnt fit into what that community wanted, he added. I could definitely identify with them. We all could.

Echols and Peter Jackson co-produced another documentary, titled West of Memphis, directed by Amy J Berg and released in 2012, the same year as Paradise Lost 3. The Independent gave it one of several positive reviews, noting at the time: Director Berg lays out the film with clarity and persuasiveness, and brings it as close to a happy ending as the tragic squalor of the case will allow.

Now living in New York City, Echols devotes his time to magick, a spiritual practice. His memoir, Life After Death, came out in 2012 and became a New York Times Best-Seller. Baldwin co-founded the non-profit Proclaim Justice, which advocates for inmates who say theyve been wrongfully convicted.

Echols recently spoke to the Wrongful Conviction podcast about what he learned about isolation while on death row, and how others can learn from his experience to better cope with coronavirus lockdown. Dont just worry the days away  seize them, and wring every ounce of opportunity out of them, he wrote on his website. On death row, I turned my cell into a monastery and used the time to learn, grow, and expand. We can all easily do this right now.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Health care workers carry a significant burden of coronavirus infections worldwide, but a new evidence review by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University shows the rate can be lowered with the use of personal protective equipment combined with proper training in infection control.

The review, funded by the World Health Organization, published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

"Most people understand it's a high priority to protect our nurses and doctors," said senior author Roger Chou, M.D., director of the Pacific Northwest Evidence-based Practice Center at OHSU and a professor of medicine (general internal medicine and geriatrics) in the OHSU School of Medicine. "In addition to the impact that COVID-19 would have on infected health care workers, they can pose a transmission risk. Plus, they can't work if they become infected, and maintaining health care capacity throughout the pandemic is important."

Adequate supplies of personal protective equipment such as masks, gowns and eye protection have been the subject of heightened attention throughout the pandemic. Chou said the evidence suggests that lowering the rate of infection among health care workers must also include adequate training and education to ensure workers use the equipment properly.

"Infection control training is important," Chou said. "It's not just about providing the equipment, but helping health care workers understand how they need to use it. Training and education were consistently associated with decreased risk of infection."

Other key findings:

Front-line exposures: Certain exposures, such as involvement in intubations, direct contact with infected patients, or contact with bodily secretions, were associated with increased risk of infection.

Mental health impact: Researchers found high rates of depression, anxiety and psychological stress among health care workers on the front lines of the pandemic. Chou said this finding underscores the importance of focused employee wellness programs such as one instigated by OHSU.

Researchers conducted an evidence review of 64 studies related to rates of infection among health care workers exposed to the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19 along with earlier outbreaks caused by coronaviruses known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, and Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS.

The researchers will continue to track new evidence and update the findings as a "living rapid review."

Chou noted that the SARS-Cov-2 virus appears to be much more transmissible than the strains involved in the previous outbreaks of SARS and MERS. With some health care workers staying in hotels to isolate themselves from family members, researchers looked for evidence about the risk of transmission in their own homes.

"Unfortunately, we have no data yet for risk factors on health care workers transmitting the infection to household contacts," Chou said. "That's a big area we need to understand in order to reduce risk of transmission from health care workers to family members and other close contacts."

Explore further Anxiety up for nonmedical health care workers versus those on front lines

More information: Roger Chou et al, Epidemiology of and Risk Factors for Coronavirus Infection in Health Care Workers, Annals of Internal Medicine (2020). Journal information: Annals of Internal Medicine Roger Chou et al, Epidemiology of and Risk Factors for Coronavirus Infection in Health Care Workers,(2020). DOI: 10.7326/M20-1632
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Wednesday vetoed a resolution that said he must get a nod from Congress before engaging in further military action against Iran. Trump called it insulting to the presidency.

The nonbinding congressional resolution was introduced first in the House after the U.S. launched an airstrike that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani. There was concern in Congress that Tehran and Washington were perilously close to all-out conflict, and some lawmakers wanted to restrain further actions Trump might take against Iran.

The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war. Even so, Trump said the resolution implied that his own constitutional authority to use military force was limited to defending the United States and its forces against imminent attack.

That is incorrect, Trump said in a statement. We live in a hostile world of evolving threats and the Constitution recognizes that the president must be able to anticipate our adversaries next moves and take swift and decisive action in response. Thats what I did!

The resolution came in the wake of rising conflict between the U.S. and Iran.

Tensions rose after the Trump administration withdrew from the nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers in 2018 and reimposed crippling sanctions against Iran. Last May, the U.S. sent thousands more troops, including long-range bombers and an aircraft carrier, to the Middle East in response to what it called a growing threat of Iranian attacks on U.S. interests in the region.

The tensions spiked when U.S. forces killed Irans most powerful general in January. Iran responded with a ballistic missile attack on a base in western Iraq where U.S. troops were present. No Americans were killed, but more than 100 suffered traumatic brain injuries from the blasts.

Trump did not consult with congressional leaders ahead of the attack on Soleimani, and there was concern in Congress that Tehran and Washington were perilously close to all-out conflict.

The White House sent Congress a notification explaining the rationale for killing Soleimani, but kept it classified. Some Democrats were unconvinced that the threat posed by Soleimani was imminent or that other alternatives to the killing were pursued in good faith. After Trump administration officials briefed lawmakers, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced a vote on the resolution, calling the killing of Soleimani provocative and disproportionate.

Trump said the resolution was based on misunderstandings of facts and the law.

Four months ago, I took decisive action to eliminate Qassem Soleimani while he was in Iraq. Iran responded by launching a series of missiles at our forces stationed in Iraq. No one was killed by these attacks, Trump said.

He said the strike on Soleimani was authorized by law, including the war powers to use force against Iraq in 2002 and Article II of the Constitution, which outlines presidential powers.
The cover of "Guisin-dong and Other Seoul Villages" by Stephane Mot





By Jon Dunbar









If you find yourself in Guisin-dong, a nomadic, shape-shifting neighborhood of Seoul, you may never escape. That's one of the revelations in "

," a recently released ebook by Stephane Mot, a Seoulite originally from France.







"We all live in Guisin-dong," Mot told The Korea Times. "If Guisin-dong doesn't exist, it's somehow a microcosm of life, and of Seoul's diverse villages, a social satire and a tribute to this shapeshifter of a city. Too many people roam Seoul without feeling anything for her."







He presents 12 short stories, or "dragedies," which is his word for his short stories based on a portmanteau of the French candies dragees which come in small bundles, and tragedy.







"Dragees are candies you offer in small bundles to celebrate, and somehow exorcise festive events  generally a wedding or a birth... they can be treacherous for the teeth," he said. "My dragedies are short fictions basically exorcising death, so each small bite can be sweet or sour, sad or funny."







Alongside "Guisin-dong," which translates to "Ghost Neighborhood," his dragedies are full of surrealism and magical realism. In "de Vermis Seoul" he follows an alcoholic who studies the invisible worms that infest Seoul, subsisting on concrete dust and rats. In "Black Snow," a woman finds a man lying comfortably in the snow in sub-zero weather and brings this mysterious person into her home. In "Seoul Metamorphosis," a man wakes up to find himself transformed into a cockroach, but unlike Kafka's original short story, this Samsa finds the lighter side of his new form as he scurries out to make the world a better place. The last few stories involve Kim Mudangnim, a shaman who goes renegade, prowling the alleys like a comic book superhero after the police declare her a public threat.







The magical realism in his stories carries a clear inspiration from Korean shamanism, an indigenous belief system that sees spirits everywhere and is practiced mainly in hidden corners of the city.







"Like it or not, shamanism is as much as Confucianism part of Korea's DNA, a more repressed dimension of its rich culture. I let it naturally permeate through my fiction now and then. Sometimes as a narrative testing device, since shamans have good antennae. I met a few, and I know people who'd be terrific shamans. Not because they believe, but because they know how humans tick."







He's been writing short stories about Seoul for years, and some of the ones in this collection were released in French originally years ago.







The collection is a series of love letters to Seoul and its many alleyways.







"I enjoy walking across cities without a purpose, letting my mind wander as well. We're all drifters, and I see cities as more or less beautiful scars we humans leave on Earth. I have a special dialogue with Seoul, where as you well know whole neighborhoods can disappear," Mot told The Korea Times.







"I've walked through each and every Seoul neighborhood, and all my memories are now fictions."









Mot has been running his blog

since 2007, focusing on the city's texture and developments, often taking a satirical tone. It's evident his fiction takes inspiration from his wanderings, and characters even visit real locations of change, such as Cheonggye Stream while it was being "daylighted" in the early 2000s, and a moon village (post-war refugee village built on a hillside) in the later stages of demolition. Through his stories he speaks with disdain of redevelopment, new construction and the flattening of Seoul and straightening of its pathways.







"If you walked only along wide avenues, what would be the fun?" he asked. "You're reading the script ahead; you know what and whom you'll see in the near future. Alleyway thinking slows down your pace, keeps you alert, adds twists and turns. And lovely dead ends."









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May 05, 2020

News

By C. Todd Lopez

Defense.gov

DOD Focuses on Sustaining Industrial Base Through Pandemic

The Defense Department is using an array of tools to ensure the defense industrial base stays afloat so it can provide critical materiel now and remain robust after COVID-19 has passed.

Ellen M. Lord, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, said last week that DOD is "carefully and methodically" tracking the state of the defense industrial base, which includes businesses large and small that have direct business with DOD or provide important components or support to companies with defense contracts.

"Our acquisition and sustainment team remains focused on partnering with industry to maintain readiness and drive modernization," Lord said. "Our industrial policy team continues to lead multiple industry calls every week with 18 Industrial associations. I am proud of the department's responsiveness in addressing defense industry concerns that are outlined during these calls."

One agency heavily involved in ensuring that the defense industrial base remains strong and capable throughout the COVID-19 pandemic is the Defense Contract Management Agency, which manages some of the largest contracts for the department, including that of the F-35 joint strike fighter aircraft.

Navy Vice Adm. David Lewis, agency director, said when the first of the COVID-19 closures started happening, he told the defense industrial base businesses the agency works with that if they stayed open, DCMA would be there to support them.

"If you're open, we're open," he said. "I said that, like, Day One or Day Two when this started happening. My point in that is we need the industrial base to stay open. We're still building airplanes. We're still building tanks. There are still soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines in harm's way around the world. They still need their parts, they still need their equipment. We're still deploying. People are still shooting at us. We're still shooting back."

While DCMA works with nearly 10,500 businesses, the actual defense industrial base is much larger, Lewis said. A sister agency, the Defense Logistics Agency, also works with many companies, though there may be great overlap between the companies DLA and DCMA work with. Globally, the number of domestic and foreign companies in the defense industrial base could exceed 160,000.

One tool the department is using to ensure the companies remain viable is a memorandum published in March and signed by Lord. That memorandum defines the defense industrial base as the industrial complex that enables research and development as well as design, production, delivery and maintenance of military weapons systems/software systems, subsystems and components or parts, as well as purchased services to meet U.S. military requirements.

In the memorandum, Lord identifies the defense industrial base as a critical infrastructure sector as defined by the Department of Homeland Security. This allows companies to stay open even when other businesses have been directed to close.

"I've given the memorandum to every single DCMA employee, and we have given those to every company that wanted one and told them to give them to their employees," Lewis said. "That has been hugely helpful."

Another tool the department is using to help are changes made to increase the "progress payment" rate on some defense contracts. Those payments are made to improve cash flow for industry involved in the ongoing production of large defense items.

"There are about 1,500 contracts that [DCMA] pays every couple of weeks based on the progress that they've done," Lewis said. "They don't have to deliver a product. It's such an expensive thing that we pay them incrementally as they build it."

The progress payment rate increase from 80% to 90% for large businesses and from 85% to 95% for small businesses, Lewis said. "That has the effect of pushing $3.3 billion into the defense industrial base," he added. Last week, Lord said about $1.2 billion in invoices were processed at the higher progress payment rate.

"We have spoken with each of our major prime companies, and they have each confirmed their detailed plans to work with their supply chains to accelerate payments, and to identify distressed companies and small businesses," she said. "I want to particularly commend Lockheed Martin, who publicly committed to accelerating $450 million dollars to their supply chain, again, focusing on distressed and small businesses who need it most."

It's important that extra funding from the government gets pushed down from large "prime" contractors  such as Lockheed Martin or Boeing  to their smaller suppliers, Lewis said, because those small businesses are also a critical part of the defense industrial base and are more vulnerable to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"If you are a big company, you've got cash in the bank, you've got money on hand, you can probably work through things financially  it may not be pleasant, but you're OK," Lewis said. "If you're a small wiring harness maker, you might be living paycheck to paycheck, as a company."

Lewis also said that DCMA is working with companies to continue to provide payments even if those businesses are unable to keep the original agreed-upon schedule for product delivery.

"We'll give them grace  if you're supposed to deliver 10 this week, but you completed eight  that's fine," he said. "We've allowed partial payments. We'll relax some of our normal contract provisions for penalties ... we'll relax our penalties if you're late on deliveries. So you're still producing, you're compliant with the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines for the health of your workforce ... but you're still producing product, which means you're still getting paid, which means you have an income stream and you can stay open."

DOD also has made changes in what's allowed within a "request for equitable adjustment." The changes were part of the recent Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

Lewis likened a request for equitable adjustment as something that might be used by a small business to recoup additional, unforeseen costs associated with a contract. A contractor, he said, might agree to replace a customer's roof for $15,000. If during the execution of that work the roofer discovers extensive termite damage to the customer's home, then this would increase the cost of the roofing work. The roofer would need to work with the customer to get additional funds beyond what was initially agreed upon.

Businesses doing work with the government who suffer similar unforeseen circumstances  such as costs associated with COVID-19  would use the request for equitable adjustment to seek additional funding.

"The company could say, well, 'I was supposed to deliver ten, but because of the pandemic I could only deliver eight, ... [or] it took me longer to make up the difference and that cost me extra, I had to expedite things, I had to air-freight stuff, so I'm requesting a request for equitable adjustment,'" Lewis said.

Part of the DCMA mission involves having representatives embedded in businesses who would witness the kinds of problems that might give rise to a request for equitable adjustment, Lewis said.

"We're the ones that will say, 'This is what happened on April 29 at a facility with this delivery,' for instance," he said. "So we provide the facts to the contracting activity, the buying activity, the company provides a request for equitable adjustment, and then the buying activity and the company negotiate that."

While businesses in the defense industrial base can submit a request for equitable adjustment at this point, Lewis said he's not aware that any company has done so.

Lord said that, as of last week, 93 of the companies that DCMA tracks are closed, and that's down 13 from the week before. As a result of COVID-19, she said, a total of 141 of those companies had closed and then reopened. She said the trend now is that DOD is seeing more companies reopening from a closure, than new companies closing. Of the companies tracked by DLA, she said, 437 were closed last week, with 237 having closed and reopened, up almost 100 companies from a week before.

While any company within the defense industrial base suffers when it's forced to close as a result of COVID-19, small companies are hit especially hard, Lewis said. But the worst case scenario, he said, is if a company is closed permanently as a result of COVID-19. It's a loss for that business, and for those employees who are out of a job. It's also, he said, a loss to DOD.

"A lot of our stuff is niche, specialty equipment," he said. "If a company packs up, shuts down, and sends their people away, the question is how many other companies do that work? There might only be one, there might be just a couple. It would be a challenge if we couldn't get the material that we needed to support the warfighter."

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Houston-area teacher shortages hit new highs for some districts A number of districts have closed through Tuesday due to a rise in COVID-19 cases.
Ferne McCann has confirmed she is single again after splitting up with boyfriend Albie Gibbs despite admitting she wanted to marry him.

The reality star, 29, confirmed in Wednesday's episode of First Time Mum that she and the city trader, 25, had ended their romance due to being apart because of the coronavirus lockdown.

Ferne explained that with her in the UK and Albie in New York for a year, it had put a strain on their relationship, leading her to conclude he was the 'right guy at the wrong time'.

Breakup: Ferne McCann, 29, has confirmed she is single again after splitting up with boyfriend Albie Gibbs

Speaking to the camera, Ferne said: 'How can I see a future with someone when I can't physically be with them for the foreseeable future? I was naive to think the long distance thing would be OK. We have broken up and it is proper s**t.

'It sucks to say that I think he was the right guy, and I want to stress this, the right guy at the wrong time. But that to me just means it wasn't right at all. I think yet again, Ferne McCann is officially back on the market.'

Viewers watched as Ferne debated the status of her relationship with Albie throughout the episode.

The former TOWIE star explained that lockdown had put a strain on the relationship and their conversations were 'dead'.

Split: The reality star, 29, confirmed in Wednesday's episode of First Time Mum that she and the city trader (pictured), 25, had ended their romance due to being apart because of the coronavirus lockdown

She said: 'There's a lot of time to think which isn't the best when you're an overthinker. I've had a lot of time to think and it is massively putting the strain on my relationship.

'Long distance relationships are hard. Not knowing when I'm next going to see him is rubbish. The conversations, it's dead.

'There's nothing to talk about is there? "What are you up to? Not a lot," It's very monotonous. It's completely out of both of our hands. I can't help but think this is for a reason.'

The breakup comes after Ferne previously admitted she wanted to get engaged to Albie during the first episode of the current series of First Time Mum.

Apart: Ferne explained that with her in the UK and Albie in New York for a year, it had put a strain on their romance, leading her to conclude he was the 'right guy at the wrong time'

Ferne insisted to her close friends that she will be married next year and even tried on wedding dresses as she envisaged their future nuptials.

Opening the first episode, the reality star revealed to her friend: 'I am in a relationship, a really serious grown up relationship with cinema guy who I dumped in the back of the cab.

'We went on the most gorgeous date, one downfall, he's moving to New York. The person I want to spend the rest of my life with has moved to New York for the foreseeable future. Of course he has!'

Tough decision: Viewers watched as Ferne debated the status of her relationship with Albie throughout the episode

Ferne revealed that he offered to stay and move in with her but it was 'too early days' and she wants to 'keep it cute'.

Later in the show, the star, who already has daughter Sunday, two, joked about having a baby with Albie as she invited pregnant BFF Danielle Armstrong over to her new house.

Ferne admitted that she'd love to be pregnant at the same time as Danielle and their kids be the same age.

She joked to her former TOWIE co-star: 'Me and Albie are official... it's been 11 weeks so we can get started [on having a baby]. I am in love, give the girl a break or a baby!'

Ferne said: 'Long distance relationships are hard. Not knowing when I'm next going to see him is rubbish. The conversations, it's dead'

Realising she might be going too fast with their relationship, Ferne added: 'He knows the kind of girl he is with, I can't scare him off. He just text me 'I miss you'.'

Although Ferne admitted that she was finding the distance difficult, she continued: 'Right now, I feel like I don't have a boyfriend. People think I am making him up.

'He doesn't want to be in the public eye, he hasn't even been on my Instagram then he coincidentally moves to NYC so no one can meet him. He's there for a year. Why move to NYC when you've got your future wife sitting right here... come home!

'It's so hard, it will test our relationship to the max, I want to be with him, I want to marry him.'

Wedding bells: Ferne previously revealed she wanted to get engaged to Albie on the first episode of the current series of First Time Mum

To which Danielle joked: 'Babe, it's been eight weeks!' with Ferne adding: 'I've got to take it slowly. I am not going to get pregnant, I can see a future now. Something I couldn't see before Albie.'

Later in the episode, Ferne went to try on a gown for the NTAs and couldn't resist getting fitted for a wedding dress while she was there.

Wearing a collection of different white gowns, the star admitted: 'I've never tried on a wedding dress before. I honestly think he is the one, why am I getting emotional? I might have found the guy but not the dress. I can't wait to be engaged now.'

Looking at herself in a wedding dress in front of a mirror, Ferne gushed: 'I can't wait to be engaged now! I do, I do. Do you think this will scare him?'

Dead serious: Ferne insisted to her close friends that she will be married next year and even tried on wedding dresses as she envisaged their future nuptials

The reality star also added their potential wedding to her vision board on the episode, she said: 'I would love to marry Albie. I could see myself in NYC, who knows, how exciting. This is the thing about life, I could end up in New York on Broadway.'

While Ferne insisted to friends that she would be married next year later on the show.

While getting ready for the NTAs, which took place earlier this year at London's The O2, the star said: 'I look at Canary Wharf and it reminds me of my boy. Mark my words, I am going to be married next year.

'I mentioned if we get married, I want to do a magazine, he said absolutely not.'

Hooray: She admitted: 'I honestly think he is the one, why am I getting emotional? I might have found the guy but not the dress. I can't wait to be engaged now.'

Ferne is said to have met Albie in 2018 during a luxury holiday to Dubai with the two dating last year.

The star is even reported to have attended Albie's family birthday meal in December and taken Sunday who she shares with her acid attacker ex Arthur Collins.

Ferne previously admitted she wants to keep her budding romance 'private', two years after splitting from Collins, who is serving 20 years for throwing acid over 22 people in April 2017.

Prior to Albie, the TV personality had enjoyed a brief fling with Love Island's Jordan Hames in September.

Motherhood: Meanwhile, on Wednesday's show, Ferne was also left feeling overwhelmed by Sunday's tantrums

Meanwhile, on Wednesday's show, Ferne was also left feeling overwhelmed by daughter Sunday's tantrums.

The star went with her daughter and mother Gilly to purchase a hot tub when Sunday started screaming and crying in the store.

Later, Ferne expressed her frustration at the 'terrible twos' as Sunday cried as her mother tried to dress her.

She said: 'Honestly I thought we were over this but clearly not. I don't want to go back to this daily battle. I've tried to just ignore her, didn't work.

Parenting: Ferne found that as lockdown began, she was able to get Sunday's tantrums under control

'I've tried to give her options, didn't work. I need to put something in place but I don't know what that is.'

Ferne went on Instagram to ask her followers for advice but soon found that as lockdown began, she was able to get Sunday's tantrums under control and was thrilled when she presented her with a card for Mother's Day.

She said: 'The tantrums believe it or not, are kind of getting less and less and not lasting as long. I've gone from being super busy to being a stay at home mum.

'The more occupied Sunday is, the happier she is so we are cracking on with all the activities. I am really having a lovely time with her. Her personality is growing day by day.'
Riyaz Naikoo, the top Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist who had never been caught, has been gunned down by security forces in a joint operation in his south Kashmirs village on Wednesday. Naikoo had come to meet his family on Tuesday and stayed overnight at a hideout in Awantiporas Beighbora village. This was home turf.

The 32-year-old, also known by his alias Zubair ul Islam and Bin Qasim, was counted among Kashmirs most-experienced terrorists. On 5 June, Riyaz Naikoo would have completed eight years in the Hizbul Mujahideen, a rarity in a career where many dont last for more than a few years. Security forces had come close to cornering him on several occasions; he managed to dodge them every time.

WATCH | Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo eliminated: All the key details

But on Tuesday, Kashmir Polices anti-militancy unit Special Operations Group (SOG) had pinpointed information about his movements. He was going to be in his village to meet his family and relatives. According to one account, the SOG had an idea where he would stay overnight.

Riyaz Naikoo, the calculative Hizbul terrorist He was the chief operational commander of Hizbul Mujahideen in Jammu and Kashmir Naikoo took command of Hizbul Mujahideen after Zakir Musa defected from Hizbul Riyaz Naikoo used audio and video clips put out on social media to motivate youth to join terror His audio and video messages articulated separatist ideology and praised Pakistan J&K police says he was the brain behind revival of Hizbul in J&K He is blamed for killing several police personnel and civilians Naikoo funded terror by looting money from orchard owners and illicit cultivation of opium in south Kashmir Hizbul Mujahideen has been found to be involved in narco trade in Jammu as well Naikoo had taken credit for freeing Lashkar-e-Taibas Naveed Jutt from custody in 2018 Naveed Jutt was shot dead in November 2018, months after his escape

It was getting dark by the time a large contingent of Jammu and Kashmir police and the 21 Rashtriya Rifles started surrounding the village. And then, they lay low, waiting for dawn to make the move, a senior police officer said.

A gun battle erupted early on Wednesday.

He had been trapped and there was no way to escape.

When the firefight was over, security personnel found Riyaz Naikoo in a bunker from where he had been firing at them. He and his associate had died of gunshot wounds.

It is a major success for the security forces in Kashmir, a senior Jammu and Kashmir Police officer told Hindustan Times. J&K police chief Dilbag Singh had been monitoring the entire operation that the police insisted could break the back of the Hizbul Mujahideen in south Kashmir.

In the records of Jammu and Kashmir police, Riyaz Naikoo was listed as A++ terrorist who had a reward of Rs 1.2 million on his head. According to his dossier, he had studied till class 10 at the Beighpora government high school, cleared his Class 12 from the higher secondary school in Gulzarpora and graduation from the government degree college in Pulwama.

It is a major success for the security forces in Kashmir, a senior Jammu and Kashmir Police officer

He took up a private teachers job in Hanfia Model Public School a couple of kilometres away in 2010. It is around this time that he first started helping out the Hizbul before going missing on 5 June 2012 to join the Hizbul at the instance of Sajad Mir, who was later killed.

Over the next four years, he climbed the Hizbul hierarchy and came to the attention of the Hizbul boss in Pakistan Syed Salahuddin. After Zakir Musa took over the Hizbul in Kashmir following the killing of Burhan Wani and had differences with its leadership in Pakistan, Riyaz Naikoo stayed on Syed Salahuddins right side and became the de facto chief of Hizbul in Kashmir.

The Hizbul mostly operates in south Kashmir districts of Kulgam, Shopian and Anantnag and Pulwama. This part of Kashmir has traditionally been seen as the hotbed of homegrown terror fuelled from across the Line of Control.

A Jammu and Kashmir police statement later said Naikoo was involved in the killing of a panchayat sarpanchs father Haji Ghulam Mohd Dar in Dogripora in March 2014, firing on a police bus near Bhatpora Tokena, killing of Ghulam Mohi-Ud-din Dar, murder of Javaid Akbar Khanday of Khandaypora, the murder of head constable Ashiq Hussain Mir at Padgampoara crossing, abduction of constable Naseer Ahmad, lootiing 9 firearms from residence of ex-MLA Wachi, kiiling of six migrant labour in Kulgam,killing of truck drivers and fruit traders post Aug 5 and threatening jail staffers who had stopped the practice of giving preferential treatment to terrorists in jail.

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Copyright  2020 Albuquerque Journal

Police say a 15-year-old girl was shot and killed Saturday night during a fight near an elementary school in Northeast Albuquerque.

Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque police spokesman, said Angelique Anderson was found fatally injured a short distance from Hawthorne Elementary Park.

He said detectives are investigating and no suspects have been identified.

Officers responded around 7:35 p.m. to a fight at the park, near Copper and Eubank NE.

Multiple callers stated that multiple individuals were in a fight and shots had been fired, Gallegos said in a news release.

Police found Anderson with a gunshot wound near the 400 block of General Somervell NE, and she died shortly after.

Vickie Maestas, Andersons mother, said the killing doesnt make any sense.

How can someone attack someone that sweet? she asked the Journal. I dont understand. I dont understand. I dont understand.

Maestas said her daughter left the house to meet with friends around 3 p.m.

I braided her hair, (we) talked, we had breakfast, Maestas said. She had just left. She said, Ill be back, Mom. 

Later that night, Maestas found out from a nieces Facebook post that her daughter had been killed.

We didnt know where she was or what happened, she said.

Maestas said one of Andersons friends told her that a fight broke out and that her daughter, caught in the middle, was shot in the face.

When she got shot, they didnt stay with her; they just left her there, she said.

Maestas said her daughter didnt keep her in the loop about her personal life, but she believes there may have been issues she wasnt aware of.

Im tormented that I lost my daughter in that way; nobody called me and told me my daughter was laying dead up in the Heights, Maestas said.

Anderson, one of six siblings, was a freshman at Robert F. Kennedy Charter School. Relatives describe the teen as a lover of oldies music, her tabby cat Yao, and spending time with friends and family.

She was always happy and so friendly, Maestas said. Everybody loved her.

She said she will miss her daughter and watching movies with her and her sisters.

I will miss her smile, her presence, Maestas said. I miss so much about her already.
Riyaz Ahmed Naikoo first came to light in 2014 after the killing of Ghulam Mohammad Dar, father of a Sarpanch, in Dogripora on March 8, 2014. A case was registered against Naikoo and three others on June 12, 2014. The same year three other cases were registered against Naikoo. He was behind the brutal attack against police personnel near Batpora while they were on their way to the police station after Muharram duty from Wakherwan on November 4, 2014.

Since then, 16 cases have been registered by Jammu and Kashmir police against Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) operational commander-in-chief. He shot to prominence the same year during elections when Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Dar was shot dead at his residence in Dogripora on November 16, 2014.

READ | Hizbul Mujahideen Chief Riyaz Naikoo Neutralised By Forces In J&K's Awantipur

76 joined Hizbul in 2017

In 2015, Naikoo was booked by J&K Police for terrorist activities in Dadsara area. The same year he was named as the prime accused in the killing of one Javid Ahmad Khan, a resident of Nowgam. In the years to come, Naikoo then took up the reigns of Hizbul and focussed on recruitment in South Kashmir. Official records reviewed by Republic TV indicates that since 2017, the maximum number of recruitment done among all tanzeems was in Hizbul. In 2017, of the 128 terrorists recruited, 76 joined Hizbul.

READ | Mobile Internet Suspended In Kashmir As Top Hizbul Commander Riaz Naikoo Trapped In Encounter

The number increased in 2018  79 out of 208 recruits joined Hizbul. In 2019 and 2020, the overall recruitment had reduced with strong action being taken by security forces which once again is reflected in the statistics  119 terrorists were recruited in 2019 of which 51 joined Hizbul and in 2020 of the 36 youth recruited, 16 joined Hizbul. Those within security apparatus who have been following Naikoo for long say he became popular among the youth through his video and voice messages. He, in fact, revived the tradition of gun salutes to killed terrorists. Videos of the same would be circulated among the youth to draw them towards terrorism.

READ | Top Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Killed In An Encounter; Internet Suspended In Kashmir

Top sources say Naikoo had held talks with Zakir Musa to arrive at an operational understanding with Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind. Naikoo is also considered to be brainchild behind inter-tanzeem cooperation between Hizbul, LeT and JeM. Reliable sources have confirmed to Republic TV, Naikoo orchestrated the escape of LeT terrorist Naveed Jutt from a hospital. Naikoo was promoted as the operational commander-in-chief after the elimination of Yaseen Yatoo in August 2017.

READ | Ex-J&K DGP Hails Forces For Eliminating Hizbul Chief Riyaz Naikoo, Says 'well Done Boys'
LP Insurance Services LLC has added Ben Woodbury to the southern Nevada commercial sales team.

Woodbury has been a licensed commercial insurance broker for nearly 20 years.

He works with clients throughout Nevada to provide insurance solutions and risk mitigation guidance particularly in the construction industry and medical practice sector.

Reno, Nev.-based LP is a risk management and commercial insurance brokerage firm specializing in property/casualty, surety, workers compensation, employee benefits, healthcare professionals, personal and risk management services.

Topics Commercial Lines Nevada
[May 06, 2020] Michigan Angel Community Releases Annual Report: 1322 Angels Invested $73.6 Million in Startups

The Michigan Angel Community recently released its 2019 annual research report. The study aimed to capture data on meaningful metrics by surveying angel groups, individual angels, as well as angel-funded companies. "Since we started publishing this report in 2017, angel activity across Michigan has steadily increased," explained Skip Simms, Michigan Angel Fund managing director and Ann Arbor SPARK senior vice president. "Our inaugural report discovered 797 angels in Michigan, who invested $41.9 million in startups here. This past year, that number swelled to 1,322 angels who invested $73.6 million in Michigan companies. This activity is a testament to the quality of businesses originating here and the support they receive to nurture their long-term growth." Key findings include: There were 1,322 angels who invested in Michigan companies in 2019.

Angels invested $73.6 million in Michigan companies.

A total of 106 companies received angel funding.

Of the companies that received angel funding, 23 were women-owned and 24 were minority-owned.

The companies that received angel funding employed more than 950 people.

These Michigan companies attracted total investment of $226.6 last year, which includes venture capital on top of the angel dollars. While the majority of companies to receive angel funding were information technology (IT) businesses, life sciences companies received more investment dollars. Angel invested $21.7 million in 51 IT companies and $29.6 million in 31 life sciences companies. Of note, life sciences surpassed IT in total investment dollars raised, attracting $118.8 million compared to IT's $54.5 million.



Michigan angels invested $12.7 million in 11 advanced materials and manufacturing companies, $6.4 million in seven consumer product companies, and $3.3 million in six mobility companies. Companies from these industries attracted total investment of $66 million in 2019, which includes VC in addition to angel dollars. The Michigan Angel Community's annual report includes only angel activity in the high-tech sector. Angel investment in traditional, non-tech businesses - real estate, retail, professional services, and restaurants - are not included in this report.

To view the full report, visit the Michigan Angel Community website: https://www.michiganangels.org/annual-report-2019 The Michigan Angel Community is an initiative to accelerate the growth of angel activity in Michigan as well as investment into Michigan companies. The Michigan Angel Community educates and expands the base of angel investors in Michigan, holds statewide events and programs, and fosters greater collaboration, affiliation, and social engagement among angels. Its research report is designed to help guide and promote the growth of the market with policymakers, potential angels, and out-of-state investors. The Michigan Angel Community is supported by the William Davidson Foundation. About Ann Arbor SPARK Ann Arbor SPARK, a non-profit organization, is advancing the region by encouraging and supporting business acceleration, attraction and retention. The organization identifies and meets the needs of business at every stage, from startups to large organizations. Ann Arbor SPARK collaborates with business, academic, government, and community investor partners. For more information, please call (734) 761-9317 or visit www.AnnArborUSA.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005897/en/

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Colleagues of NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance are pushing for him to be dumped from cabinet, angry that his flirtation with a federal byelection has become a major distraction for the Berejiklian government.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian will face pressure from senior Liberals to demote Mr Constance after he bowed out of a preselection for Eden-Monaro, blaming his colleagues for his change of heart.

NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance in his electorate on Wednesday. He has blamed his colleagues for a smear campaign that ended his federal byelection hopes. Credit:Taylor Aiken/Channel Seven

The extraordinary development came less than 24 hours after Mr Constance declared his intention to move to federal politics and quit his 17-year career in State Parliament.

Speaking in Malua Bay in his Bega electorate on Wednesday, Mr Constance said he had been undermined by his colleagues, including people who had questioned his mental fragility.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry shared an adorable never-before-seen video of their son Archie to mark his first birthday.

The video was originally uploaded on Save the Children's Instagram page, but was reuploaded on Save With Stories' Instagram page and Save Children UK's Instagram page, where it shows Meghan Markle reading one of Archie's favorite books, "Duck! Rabbit!" while relaxing at their Los Angeles mansion.

The Duchess of Sussex is wearing a casual blue shirt while the one-year-old was on her lap. Prince Harry, on the other hand, is behind the camera, capturing the adorable family moment.

In the video, the former "Suits" actress asks her son, "Ready?" before reading the book, as Archie eagerly grabs the book and opens it before letting out a little giggle.

Archie continues to turn the pages as Meghan Markle tells him, "Look, Arch."

In the background, you can hear Prince Harry making duck sounds while laughing at his favorite people.

The two-minute video was uploaded to highlight the continuing need to get food and learning aids like books to children around the world.

A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said, "As they celebrate this family moment, the Duke and Duchess wanted to continue to raise awareness around the urgency of bringing food and learning supplies to millions of children."

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry also want people to support Save the Children in this time of coronavirus pandemic.

Save the Children has also put in place an emergency grants program to make sure that even the most vulnerable children can purchase essential items such as food, grooming necessities, and many more.

"THIRTY MILLION CHILDREN rely on school for food. Responding to the needs of kids during these school closures, @savethechildren and @nokidhungry have a new fund @SAVEWITHSTORIES to support food banks, mobile meal trucks, and community feeding programs with funds to do what they do best - and also - with educational toys, books and worksheets to make sure brains are full, as well as bellies," the caption reads.

Archie, along with his parents, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, celebrated his first birthday in their new mansion in Los Angeles after moving from Vancouver Island, Canada, early this year.

Other royal family members have also greeted little Archie.

Kensington Palace, Kate Middleton and Prince William's Instagram page, posted a picture of them during his christening with the caption, "Wishing Archie a very happy first birthday today!"

Archie's grandfather, Prince Charles, also took to the Clarence House Instagram page to greet his precious grandson, "A very Happy Birthday to Archie, who turns one today. This photo of Archie and his grandfather was taken following his christening in July 2019."

A very Happy Birthday to Archie, who turns one today. This photo of Archie and his grandfather was taken following his christening in July 2019. Chris Allerton  Sussex Royal pic.twitter.com/AYxqkRxE1d  Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) May 6, 2020

Queen Elizabeth II, through TheRoyalFamily Instagram page posted a picture and captioned it with, "Happy Birthday to Archie Mountbatten-Windsor who is celebrating his 1st birthday today! Archie is The Queen's eighth great-grandchild."





Archie is The Queens eighth great-grandchild. Happy Birthday to Archie Mountbatten-Windsor who is celebrating his 1st birthday today!Archie is The Queens eighth great-grandchild. pic.twitter.com/PMaiY6NR1a  The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) May 6, 2020

Archie reportedly weighed around 7 pounds when he was born in Portland Hospital in London, with Meghan Markle telling the press at that time that their son was "really calm" and had the "sweetest temperament."

After Prince Harry confirmed that he was a boy and that both Meghan and Archie were okay via Instagram, the Duke of Sussex stepped outside their home in Frogmore Cottage to tell the media.

Prince Harry was also happy to become a father, telling the press at that time, "He's just been the dream, so it's been a special couple of days."

The Duke of Sussex felt great being a father, saying that "parenting is amazing."

"It's only been two and a half, three days, but we're just so thrilled to have our own little bundle of joy," he said on May 9, 2019.

In July 2019, the couple didn't invite any member of the press to the christening of their son and maintained the identity of his godparents a secret.

While Prince Harry is sixth in line to the throne, his son Archie is seventh in line but has no royal title. He is only known as Master Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.

READ MORE: Naive Royal? Why Prince Harry Refused to Get a Prenup Before Marrying Meghan Markle
Mr Fredrick Nartey Dodzi who is nowhere around his own home told the Ghana News Agency in a telephone interview that his life is in danger and "there is no protection and no hope in sight" for him.

He said after they returned from the court, he had more threats and no one would hear his story so he decided to flee and to save his life.

"The Chairman of the okada boys went with us to the court as my witness but I was asked to produce more witnesses on Friday 8th May 2020 before they can hear the case."

He appealed to the President for state protection since whatever had brought the danger was as a result of his duties as an elected Assemblyman.

"Meanwhile, I am seeking refuge somewhere. I can't take chances. I could be murdered like the Sogakorpe Assembly Member who lived just a bridge away," he said.

The Assemblymember was allegedly beaten up in public by one Seth Sowu, a man believed to be affiliated to his political rival.

Police Inspector Kwekuvi at the Dawa Police Station confirmed to the Ghana News Agency that the case had been duly reported and booked and that the suspect had been arraigned before the court on Monday, 4th May 2020, now adjourned to Friday 8th May 2020.

---GNA
The Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka governments decided to increase taxes on liquor and fuel on Wednesday to mop up resources to fight coronavirus, a few days after Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal increased taxes on liquor.

In the past three days, states such as Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal had increased taxes on liquor to fund the fight against Covid-19.

Several states including West Bengal, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand on Wednesday reported up to 20% higher excise revenue than normal days and said the rush reported on Monday was slowly tapering. As a result, lesser people were seen at liquor shops in these states.

However, women in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, Bolangir in Odisha and in some parts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh protested over the reopening of liquor shops saying it would derail their families. In West Bengals North 24 Parganas district, some women wielding sticks thrashed people who queued outside liquor vends.

The Uttar Pradesh cabinet on Wednesday approved proposals making petrol, diesel and liquor costlier to earn an additional Rs 4,429 crore in 2020-2021, said states finance minister Suresh Khanna. He said petrol prices will increase by Rs 2 per litre from the present Rs 71.91 and diesel Re 1 per litre from Rs 62.86. The prices will increase from Wednesday night.

The cabinet decided to make liquor costlier by Rs 5 per bottle in case of country made liquor to Rs 400 per bottle (of more than 500 ml) in the case of imported brands of foreign liquor.

For brands of regular and premium categories, an additional Rs 20 will be charged on 180 ml bottle, Rs 30 on 180 ml to 500 ml bottle and Rs 50 on more than 500 ml bottle, he said. For imported liquor Rs 100 extra will be charged on 180 ml bottle while Rs 200 additional amount will be charged on 180 ml to 500 ml bottle. An additional Rs 400 will be charged on more than 500 ml of imported liquor.

Since May 4, when the liquor shops opened in the state, the government has got revenue of Rs 200 crore. We got maximum revenue on Wednesday even though there was so much hype on Monday, an official said. In 2019-20, UP had earned revenue of Rs 23,918 crore from liquor sales (2018-19) against the target of Rs 30,000 crore.

Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa also announced an increase in liquor prices by 11% and a stimulus package worth Rs 1,610 crore. As a part of the package, the government has decided to pay one time compensation of Rs 5,000 to Rs 60,000 to washer men (dhobis), Rs 2,30,000 to barbers, Rs 7.75 lakh to auto rickshaw and taxi drivers.

In West Bengal, a huge rush was witnessed outside liquor stores for the second consecutive day despite the government increasing the prices by 30%.

Bengals commissioner excise, Niranjan Das, said the sale of liquor in the last two days was about 58 crore, which is slightly higher than normal days. On an average Bengal gets Rs 25 crore from excise revenue. On Monday, the liquor sale was about Rs 29 crore and on Tuesday it was about Rs 28 crore even though bars and liquor shops in malls are closed, Das said, adding liquor sale contributes substantially to the states revenue.

Similarly, revenue from liquor sale has been encouraging in Assam. In three days, the state earned Rs 75 crore as revenue from liquor sales, which was Rs 65 crore for entire March, officials said. In April, due to lockdown, the state had earned only Rs six crore from liquor sales. Rajasthan reported revenue of Rs 40 to 45 on Tuesday and Madhya Pradesh about Rs 40 crore.

In Haryana, where shops opened on Wednesday, long queues were seen outside the liquor vends in several districts such as Bhiwani, Dadri, Rohtak and Sonepat districts. However, in many places the vends did not open in the absence of stock, officials said.

RK Pandey, a resident of Kumaon, who waited for 30 minutes outside a liquor store, said: The liquor shop was closed for six weeks and people are not sure whether it will remain open tomorrow or not so they are stocking liquor.

There were reports of women protesting against vends opening in some districts such as Uttarkashi and Chamoli districts. Sunita Negi, head of Virpur village said, People have not been working here in the village and nearby villages due to the coronavirus pandemic. The situation will only worsen if liquor shops are opened as the men will spend money on liquor.

Liquor shops remained closed in Jharkhand, Kerala and Punjab.
On Friday SBS VICELAND screens a news documentary Under The Wire: Life Of A War Reporter

On 13 February 2012, war-correspondent Marie Colvin and photographer Paul Conroy entered war-ravaged Syria to cover the plight of civilians trapped in the besieged Homs, under attack by the Syrian army. Only one of them returned. This is their story.

Their aim was to cover the plight of Syrian civilians trapped in Homs, a city under siege and relentless military attack from the Syrian army.

Based on the book by Paul Conroy, Under The Wire: Life Of A War Reporter tells the incredible story of his and Maries fateful mission, and Pauls epic battle to escape the city, to tell the world of his fallen colleague and the plight of the people of Homs.

Its a film about real journalism, war, and an extraordinary commitment to telling the truth, whatever the cost.

11:05pm Friday on SBS VICELAND.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been recorded admitting that reopening Texas amid the coronavirus pandemic will lead to more infections.

Abbott announced in a media briefing last week that the state would 'strategically' allow businesses such as malls, movie theaters and restaurants to run at 25 per cent capacity and said 'it's only logical to see there would be an increase in the number of people that test positive'.

But in a Friday call with lawmakers Abbott directly linked the reopening to the spread of COVID-19, while stating that his goal was not to eliminate the disease but only get the number of reported cases reduced.

'How do we know reopening businesses won't result in faster spread of more cases of COVID-19?' Abbott is heard asking in the audio obtained by The Daily Beast.

'Listen, the fact of the matter is pretty much every scientific and medical report shows that whenever you have a reopeningwhether you want to call it a reopening of businesses or of just a reopening of societyin the aftermath of something like this, it actually will lead to an increase and spread. It's almost ipso facto.'

Greg Abbott said: 'In the aftermath of something like this, it actually will lead to an increase and spread.' He admitted in the Friday call 'the goal never has been to get transmission down to zero' but what 'we want to see is a reduction in the percentage of people who test positive'

Malls reopened Tuesday with increased health and safety measures in place. Texas' stay-at-home orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic expired and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott eased restrictions on many businesses that have now opened

The authenticity of the conversation, first reported by The Quorum Report, with members of the state legislature and Congress was confirmed by the governor's spokesperson.

In the recording Abbott goes on to admit that he is not aiming to eradicate the virus in the state and knows that allowing people to gather again will cause the infection rate to spike.

'The more that you have people out there, the greater the possibility is for transmission,' Abbott continued. 'The goal never has been to get transmission down to zero and never can be to keep transmission down to zero.'

He added: 'There's always going to be, with a rapidly transmittable disease like this, there will always be a level of transmission. And even when you have an immunization come out, there will be a transmission rate for COVID-19.'

Texas shutdown March 20 and from Friday Abbott will allow beauty salons to reopen. Next Friday gyms can reopen.

Despite earlier stating that the actual infection rate is likely to increase, Abbott stated that his priority was to see a decrease in the number of people who test positive.

'The more that you have people out there, the greater the possibility is for transmission,' Abbott continued. 'The goal never has been to get transmission down to zero and never can be to keep transmission down to zero'

Beachgoers enjoy a day of sunshine at Galveston Beach on May 2, in Galveston, Texas. -Beaches opened on May 1. In a statement, the City of Galveston said, 'The City of Galveston's top priority is the health of our residents. We strongly urge our residents to continue taking health precautions and following the CDC, state and health district guidelines regarding COVID-19, including social distancing and avoiding gatherings of more than 10'

Protesters called for an end to the lockdown outside the Texas State Capital building on April 18 in Austin

'The goal is to reopen using strategies that are proven strategies that can continue to contain the spread of COVID-19,' Abbott explained. 'These are strategies that have been proven effective in the state of Texas for the past month and a half.

'This may come up in answer to a future question, but the main thing that we look forand this is the primary number that I've seen doctors and epidemiologists useis that what we want to see is a reduction in the percentage of people who test positive.

'If we can continue to achieve that, that means that we have COVID-19 under the control that we need. And that's what we're looking to achieve.'

As of Tuesday the total number of Texans tested was 427,210. Active cases were 15,372. The recovery count was 16,791. Confirmed hospitalizations were 1,888.

Abbott has focused on having a thousand more people recovered than active cases. In a media briefing Tuesday he said the trend in more recoveries than active cases was going for the fourth day in a row.

The goal never has been to get transmission down to zero Gov. Greg Abbott

Texas Democratic Party Executive Director Manny Garcia said in a statement: 'Republicans are not here to protect you or your family. Governor Abbott finally admitted that prematurely opening Texas is going to lead to more cases and more deaths. Republicans are putting our families lives at risk so their billionaire donors can get richer. What Texas Republicans say in public yet again doesnt match what they say in private.

Texas Democratic Party Executive Director Manny Garcia said in a statement: 'It is absolutely shameful Governor Abbott wont face the press, take the tough questions, and admit the deadly risks of his decisions. He knew people would die after reopening Texas and now he needs to own it'

'It is absolutely shameful Governor Abbott wont face the press, take the tough questions, and admit the deadly risks of his decisions. He knew people would die after reopening Texas and now he needs to own it.'

Progress Texas responded in a statement: 'Gov. Abbott is trying to normalize an increase in cases to make people think the illnesses and deaths are not surprising. He wants to say this isn't news. Really?

'There is no bigger news than a government leader confessing to us that there will be an increase in illnesses and deaths from his actions. Texans are concerned for their families, neighbors, and communities, yet Gov. Abbott plows ahead while following orders from Donald Trump.'

A representative for Abbott said the governor has maintained his stance from the audio since the beginning, adding that 'as we begin to open up, we will see flare ups, whether we open now or three months from now'.

The spokesperson, John Wittman added: 'The key is ensuring we are able to contain that spread, which is where contact tracing comes into play.'

However in past interviews Abbott had claimed the increase in infection rate would be because of increased testing.

In one interview Abbott said that 'when you begin to reopen, there can be spikes or increases in those who test positive for COVID-19'. 'This is nothing to be worried about,' he said. 'In part, because we will be doing far more testing in the future than we have in the past and that alone will identify more people testing positive.'

In Texas Wednesday morning there were 33,912 coronavirus cases and 925 deaths.

Dallas and HarrisHouston counties were worst affected with more than 4,000 cases and Harris-non-Houston county had more than 3,000 cases.

It was closely followed by Tarrant, Bexar, Fort Bend and El Paso counties which all had more than one or two thousand cases.

The reopenings come after protests from people claiming the lockdowns are a violation of their rights.

In Texas as of Wednesday morning there were 33,912 cumulative coronavirus cases

The number of coronavirus-related deaths in Texas was 925 as of Wednesday morning
Naikoo carried a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head.

Top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo was killed in an encounter with security forces in Awantipora town of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.

Naikoo carried a reward of Rs 12 lakh on his head and his killing would be considered a big blow to terror activities in the Valley as he was responsible for a number of attacks against the security forces in the last few years.

According to a news channel, Naikoo's bodyguard is also believed to have been killed in the operation which began late last night.

As per media reports, the operation was jointly conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Indian Army and the CRPF.

As a precuationary measure, the administration suspended mobile internet services in the Valley, PTI said.

Update. In the ongoing encounter at Sarshali, #Khrew,#Awantipur

One terrorist killed so far.

Details shall follow. https://t.co/jcoE9l6Bon  J&K Police (@JmuKmrPolice) May 6, 2020

"Police last night launched an operation on a specific input at Beighpora. Senior officers are monitoring it since last night," a police official said without mentioning the name of Naikoo.
NEW YORK, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- US Army special operations military veteran Magda Khalifa struggled with transition and health issues after two tours in Iraq. She succeeded in turning her life around, sharing her success path through the Freedom Triangle Framework - introduced to the world in her bestseller memoir, "American DREAM: Discipline, Resilience, Endurance, Adaptability and Mentorship". Khalifa recently launched "Triangle Fragrance" - a luxury fragrance line for men and women, inspired by the Freedom Triangle.

"Confidence" for women, is an alluring floral and woody scent, featuring notes of Lavender, Rose, and Whiskey. "Victory" for men, is a very masculine scent created with notes of Cuban Tobacco, Russian Leather and Bourbon.

"From the battlefield through my post war journey, I realized the power of smells and scents. I set out to create unique, beautiful fragrances that correspond to the points of the Freedom Triangle," said Khalifa. Confidence and Victory represent the first point, Time Freedom.

In the aftermath of exposure to toxic burn pits in the combat zone, Khalifa became very aware of toxicities in environments that affect people's health. Features of Triangle Fragrances include:

- vegan-friendly, cruelty-free

- made with plant-based alcohol

- made without parabens, sulfates, triclosan, phthalates, mineral oil, or dyes

Khalifa explained, "It is fundamental to my values and to the brand that the fragrances are made in America, and that ingredients and production reflect a very high quality."

Triangle Fragrances are long-lasting eau de parfums, with 18% concentration of fragrance oils. The stunning packaging features an elegant collector's card inside, offering written inspiration and motivation to its owner.

The brand showcases models from all walks of life on its social media, many of them who have never modeled before. "It is an honor to share the stories of many great Americans who literally embody the spirit of the fragrance they represent," said Khalifa.

The next Triangle Fragrances  the white line - is due to release this summer. These scents will represent Health Freedom in the Freedom Triangle. When the series is completed, the colors of the bottles and boxes will reveal red, white, and blue.

Retailers interested in carrying the next great American brand are encouraged to reach out to: [email protected].

Triangle Fragrance is available now, exclusively online at trianglefragrance.com.

SOURCE Triangle Fragrance

Related Links

https://trianglefragrance.com


Ryan Reynolds revealed the upcoming Free Guy might be his favorite movie he's ever made on The Tonight Show.

The 43-year-old actor appeared through video conferencing to speak with Fallon about a wide range of topics on Tuesday night.

Free Guy was originally slated to be released on July 3, but it was pushed to December 11 due to the COVID-10 pandemic.

Ryan's favorite: Ryan Reynolds revealed the upcoming Free Guy might be his favorite movie he's ever made on The Tonight Show

'Free Guy, I think its my favorite movie Ive ever been a part of,' Reynolds began, before explaining the movie's plot.

'Its about a bank teller, who, every day hes shot at, hurt, injured, and one day he realizes hes a background character in an open world video game and decides to take the power back,' Reynolds added.

He also said the open world game his character is stuck in is, 'sort of like if you hybridized Fortnite with Grand Theft Auto.'

Favorite plot: 'Its about a bank teller, who, every day hes shot at, hurt, injured, and one day he realizes hes a background character in an open world video game and decides to take the power back,' Reynolds added

Reynolds added the movie is, 'so funny and just a total fastball of joy, which I think we need more than ever.'

He also opened up about the possibility of a third Deadpool movie, which many have questioned after Disney bought Deadpool and Deadpool 2 distributor 20th Century Fox.

Since Disney rarely releases R-rated movies, many have wondered how the lucrative R-rated Deadpool franchise would fit in under Disney, but Reynolds thinks there's room for the Merc With the Mouth at Disney, in some fashion.

New Deadpool: He also opened up about the possibility of a third Deadpool movie, which many have questioned after Disney bought Deadpool and Deadpool 2 distributor 20th Century Fox

'Deadpool was Fox and now its in the hands of Marvel now over at Disney,' Reynolds began.

'I see infinite possibility in either version. I think if Deadpool was in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I think it would be explosive and amazing and what a sandbox to play in. If Deadpool continued to just do his own thing and be his own thing, also just like infinite possibilities.'

Reynolds added that he writes the Deadpool movies with two 'geniuses' named Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, adding that they've written the movies in the same room he was conducting the interview in.

Marvel: 'Deadpool was Fox and now its in the hands of Marvel now over at Disney,' Reynolds began

I write it with two other guys, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, who are geniuses and we have so much fun. THeres a lot more story to tell so we hope we can get to do it.

He also opened up about the donations he and his wife Blake Lively have made in recent weeks.

'Were obscenely, and I mean obscenely privileged to be able to do that. Theyre companies who are doing well, despite all this, and if youre doing well in all this, youve gotta give back,' he added.

I grew up in a super middle class neighborhood, my dad was a cop and we didnt have money but we always had food on the table, and my dad always told us how lucky we were.

Doing well: 'Were obscenely, and I mean obscenely privileged to be able to do that. Theyre companies who are doing well, despite all this, and if youre doing well in all this, youve gotta give back,' he added

He also spoke about the movie he was filming when the coronavirus pandemic forced production to shut down, entitled Red Notice.

'Id say we made it one or two days past the halfway mark. we might have finished the movie if we didnt spend 90% of the time d***ing around,' he joked.

Reynolds stars alongside Dwayne Johnson, who he said he's known for the past 15 years, adding they're always trying to make each other laugh.

Red Notice: He also spoke about the movie he was filming when the coronavirus pandemic forced production to shut down, entitled Red Notice

He added hes been friends with Dwayne for 15 years and theyre always trying to make each other laugh.

'I think one of the reasons Ive been friends with him for so long is he laughs at himself. If you parrot his lines but like 27% faster hes gone,' Reynolds said.

He plays a totally normal sized FBI agent and I play a con artist bathed in elegant lighting and Gal Gadot plays a mystery character I dont want to give away yet,' Reynolds added about the movie, which will be released on Netflix.

Bathed: He plays a totally normal sized FBI agent and I play a con artist bathed in elegant lighting and Gal Gadot plays a mystery character I dont want to give away yet,' Reynolds added about the movie, which will be released on Netflix

He added that he's, 'Im quarantined with my wife and kids and mother in law. It was a real toss-up, do I quarantine with my real family or my secret family in Denmark?'

When asked if his kids are happy that he's always around now these days, he said, 'I think it sets a dangerous precedent, and I think theyre gonna look back and think of the time I was always there.

'Im trying to let myself appreciate this as much as possible. It really does vacillate between deep beautiful connection to the third act of Alien, he joked.

Jokes: 'Im trying to let myself appreciate this as much as possible. It really does vacillate between deep beautiful connection to the third act of Alien, he joked.

Karlie Kloss also appeared on the program revealing that she's in New York City quarantining with her husband.

'In the middle of the day its like waiting for Batman to show up. But at 7 PM, you hear all these crazy sounds and you really fee the heartbeat of New York CIty,' she said, referencing the nightly heathcare tributes during the 7 PM shift change.

When asked how she's transitioning to working from home, the supermodel said, 'I feel really lucky, I have a whole new appreciation for everything that goes into production. Im a one-woman crew.'
UPDATE: Easton police throughout the morning worked with Ohio State Police on locating Robert Williams, 25, of Easton, who was armed and on the run, and a state police aviation unit spotted him on state Route 3 in Medina County and he was arrested without incident just before 10:30 a.m., Lt. Matthew Gerould reports. Williams will face an extradition proceeding in an effort to return him to Northampton County to face charges, Gerould said. When asked if a gun was recovered, Gerould said he wasnt releasing details because a criminal investigation is continuing here.

INITIAL POST: A 25-year-old armed man, who was recently laid off and was frustrated about restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic, threatened a woman on Tuesday afternoon in Eastons West Ward, police and court papers say.

Robert Williams, who court papers say lives in the 1200 block of Butler Street in Easton, was charged with making terroristic threats and recklessly endangering another person but was not in custody as of Wednesday morning, authorities say.

Court papers say he pointed a gun at a woman about 3 p.m. in the 1200 block of Butler Street and told her not to call police. The report of the crime came well after the incident, court papers say.

Along with the criminal charges, police are also concerned with Williams wellbeing, Gerould said in a news release.

Williams is driving a white 2015 Kia Sorrento with a Pennsylvania tag of KMJ9318, Gerould said.

If anyone sees Williams or knows where he might be, you are asked to call 911. People should not approach Williams, Gerould said.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting lehighvalleylive.com with a voluntary subscription.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com.
Zimbabwean women's rights activist, Betty Makoni, describes her battle with the coronavirus to VOA's Hayde Adams FitzPatrick from her Essex home in the U.K., where she has been quarantined since March. Makoni, a social worker, says she likely got the virus from a colleague.
Ashley Diaz had two major breakthroughs working at a prestigious genomic institute last summer.

For one, the Emory College senior redesigned a patented molecule that triggers the body to produce insulin when needed. Her success has allowed the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard to move onto pre-clinical animal testing for the compound, which, if developed into a drug, could lead to a new treatment option for millions of Americans with Type 2 diabetes.

The second discovery was more personal. Diaz realized that, even with the potential to help countless people with a single discovery, she wants to know the people she helps. The culmination of her medically focused biology and chemistry research will be training as a physician, in addition to working in a lab.

She starts at the Pritzker School of Medicine at the University of Chicago on a full scholarship in the fall. She plans to pursue a specialty with immediate impact, either emergency medicine or trauma surgery.

Emory gave me the opportunity to dive into the sciences in a way I never could have elsewhere, Diaz says. And, the times science has been the most meaningful for me have been when there is a direct human interaction.

Either way, the Broad Institute scientist who mentored Diaz last summer and the Emory Healthcare neurologist who worked with her as a student and as a teaching assistant agree: Science wins.

If something sparks her curiosity, Ashley wont stop until she knows more, says Emory neurologist Jaffar Khan. The medical ideal is not just understanding what medicine is but how it all works and what the patient is experiencing. Ashley is that ideal.

And in the lab?

Ashley belongs with the top tier of scientists, says Brian Chamberlain, a senior research scientist in Florence Wagners lab at the Broad Institutes Center for the Development of Therapeutics. I support her 100 percent, whatever her focus. Shes just that talented.

Making her mark in chemistry

Diaz has long gravitated to health care, but with an emphasis behind the bench. She was a Howard Hughes Medical Institute researcher in high school, studying enzymes that flare after a spinal cord injury as part of the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at the University of Miami.

Coming to Emory as a Woodruff Scholar, Diaz moved from neurobiology research to chemistry after becoming enamored with organic chemistry and Emory Colleges then-new integrated and interdisciplinary chemistry curriculum.

Her blossoming interest became a passion for chemical biology, the emerging field of applying chemical techniques to the study of biological systems, leading her to double major in chemistry and neuroscience and behavioral biology.

Her passion is award-winning. She was named a 2018 Goldwater Scholar for her work in chemistry professor Bill Wuests lab, which seeks to develop new ways to synthesize natural product-inspired molecules to understand bacterial processes such as resistance.

Specifically, Diaz studied some of those compounds in Wuests lab  after she built them. In that regard, it was the perfect groundwork for her challenge at the Broad Institute.

Researchers there had already created a synthetic compound that induces glucose-dependent insulin secretion  at least in the cell. But because the molecule was essentially flat, it lacked the water solubility needed to test its potential as medicine.

Chamberlain, who served as Diazs mentor at the Broad Institute, came up with the concept to alter the shape of the compound. Diazs job was to design the routes and conduct the synthesis, stretching the molecule in 3D so it was no longer flat. She wasnt finished there.

Whats incredible is how curious she is about the whole process, Chamberlain says. She overcame this big obstacle, then insisted on partnering with a biologist to test whether her compound still worked as we intended.

Exploring medical school options

The compound did work. Diaz managed to move the project to a major milestone in nine weeks. At the same time, she completed all of her medical school applications.

Her original plan was to pursue a joint MD/PhD and possibly continue research, depending on how she develops during medical school. And while trauma medicine is the plan now, she also is interested in other fields that put her problem-solving skills to use, such as neurology. That interest stems from following Khan, who specializes in neuromuscular disorders, strokes and patients with dizziness and vertigo.

She was among 12 undergraduates chosen for a class that allows them to shadow Khan and his colleagues for a half day each week. Students interact with 40 to 50 patients a semester, then present information about aspects of the visit, from patient history to neurological examinations to underlying pathophysiology and treatment.

Khan chose Diaz to be his teaching assistant for the next session of the course, thrilled at how she helped her peers think about the assignments, the science and the patients.

She is more than a super smart individual, he says. She shows compassion, emotion and empathy. I love seeing a student blossom from someone who doesnt just understand medicine to someone who appreciates the practice of medicine.

Diaz thought about those experiences following Khan when deciding on a medical career. A chance encounter with an ER patient during another shadowing opportunity, though, is what she remembers most.

Diaz was with the ER doctor when they went to tell the 19-year-old patient  who had come in just worried about a fever  that her colon cancer had returned. It was terminal.

To see someone at their most vulnerable is rare, Diaz says. Yet physicians face those kinds of interactions daily. That, and the opportunity to solve complex problems, is what drew me to health care. I feel like most of the time, there is something I can do to help someone. Even with the 19-year-old patient, I could still do something, just by being there for her.
President Donald Trump has been mercilessly mocked by his opponents for touring a factory without a face mask while the song Live And Let Die blared over the sound system.

The President's visit to a mask manufacturer in Arizona yesterday set Twitter alight, with many pointing out the ill-chosen song's message while Trump comes under fire for urging people back to work while the pandemic still rages.

In an interview with ABC News during the visit last night, the president suggested that there would be 'more death' due to the pandemic, as states begin the process of allowing businesses to reopen.

Late night host Jimmy Kimmel led the social media pile-on and described the blunder as the 'metaphor for this presidency'.

As the US mourns the highest coronavirus death toll in the world, which has now surpassed 70,000, others branded the farce the 'worst optics ever'.

There is no suggestion that the playlist was selected by the White House, but the gaffe was likened to a scene from a sitcom.

Trump is already under fire for the factory tour because of his failure to wear a face mask - despite them being mandatory on site.

Late night host Jimmy Kimmel led the social media pile-on and described the apparent blunder as the 'metaphor for this presidency'

US President Donald Trump tours a Honeywell International Inc. factory producing N95 masks during his first trip since widespread COVID-19 related lockdowns

President Donald Trump has been mercilessly mocked for touring a factory without a face mask while the song Live And Let Die blared over the sound system

The choice to play the 1973 song by Paul McCartney and Wings was met with ridicule, horror and disbelief.

Journalist Chris Megerian said: 'The president has been encouraging people to return to work during an ongoing and deadly pandemic, and he's touring a factory producing emergency medical supplies while the sound system blares Live And Let Die.'

To which a fellow reporter replied: 'A writer's room would send this one back for being unrealistic.'

Much of the reaction compared the gaffe to a comedy scene, with one person tweeting: Live And Let Die *breathes* We are living in a poorly written movie.'

Others used the song as ammunition to attack the Republican Party, with one person tweeting that blasting out the hit while 'Trump demonstrates safety ignorance by not wearing a mask is very on brand for the GOP'.

There was disagreement over whether the song was an unfortunate accident or a conscious decision by a factory worker trying to send a message.

Political analyst Bill Palmer wrote: 'If anyone at that factory gets fired for blasting that Live And Let Die song at Donald Trump, I want their name so I can set up a gofundme and make them rich.'

Another wrote: 'Great choice of loud musicgive that employee a raise.'

The choice to play the 1973 song by Paul McCartney and Wings was met with ridicule, horror and disbelief

There was disagreement over whether the song was an unfortunate accident or a conscious decision by a factory worker trying to send a message

The flurry of scathing tweets over the choice of song was accompanied with a backlash over the president's lack of face mask.

'Attention, face mask is required in this area,' read the sign in the portion of the factory President Trump toured. 'Please wear your mask at all times,' was one of the safety guidelines on a sign near the factory's entrance.

But President Trump did not wear one as he observed workers. A White House official said that the facility said officials were not required to wear masks but to take all precautions.

The president was non-committal about wearing a mask before he left on his trip, telling reporters at the White House that he might 'wear' one.

But he did not.

President Donald Trump ignored signs requiring a mask be worn when he toured a mask factory in Arizona and only wore safety goggles on his eyes

President Trump was surrounded by workers wearing masks during the tour

The Honeywall factory the president toured was converted to making N95 masks

The tour came before he sat down with ABC News' David Muir for an interview in which the president said as states reopen: 'There'll be more death, than the virus will pass, with or without a vaccine'.

Over the course of the interview, the president suggested that there would be 'more death' due to the coronavirus pandemic, as states begin the process of allowing businesses to reopen.

'It's possible there will be some because you won't be locked into an apartment or a house or whatever it is,' the president said. 'But at the same time, we're going to practice social distancing, we're going to be washing hands, we're going to be doing a lot of the things that we've learned to do over the last period of time.'

The president, making his first trip out of Washington in three weeks, toured an Arizona factory that was expanded to make N95 masks in response to the coronavirus epidemic.

During the tour, given by Honeywell International Inc. CEO Darius Adamczyk and Honeywell International Inc. Vice President Tony Stallings, the president was surrounded by workers wearing face coverings as they produced masks to be sent to health care workers on the frontline of the pandemic.

'I just want to thank all the people at this incredible company, this incredible plant,' Trump told workers after his tour. 'This pandemic has underscored the vital importance of restoring our supply chains and constructing a powerful domestic manufacturing base.'

President Trump has never been photographed wearing a face mask and has shown reluctance to do so even as he acknowledges the recommendation of the CDC to wear one when proper social distancing cannot be enforced.

Before he left for Arizona, he said he'd wear a mask if it was a 'mask facility.'

'If it's a mask facility I will, yeah. I don't know if it's a mask facility,' he added.

A sign near the entrance of the Honeywell factory asks people to wear face masks

Arizona Senator Martha McSally (right) listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a tour of a Honeywell International plant; the senator and factory workers wore masks

Honeywell started making masks at the end of April due to concerns about a shortage of facial coverings. The company said it can make 10 million of the masks per month.

Arizona remains under a modified stay-at-home order until May 15. Republican Gov. Doug Ducey allowed some stores to reopen Monday voluntarily as part of the administration's push to get the country reopen. The state has seen almost 9,000 infections and more than 350 deaths.

Trump's trip had additional security concerns - how to stop anyone from getting infected from the coronavirus when the group travels together in the tight quarters of Air Force One and the cars in the presidential motorcade.

Three Arizona Republican lawmakers traveled to the state with Trump. Senator Martha McSally tweeted a photo of them in front of Air Force One preparing to board and ignoring social distancing guidelines.

'Headed to Arizona on Air Force One soon,' she wrote, adding a selfie that showed Rep. Paul Gosar and Rep. Debbie Lesko in tight approximation with her.

President Trump said everyone traveling with him on the plane was tested for the coronavirus. The White House has ordered anyone meeting with the president to undergo a coronavirus test first. Factory workers at Honeywell were also reported to have been tested for the virus.

'Everybody traveling has been tested,' Trump said at the White House before he departed. 'Literally they have been tested over the last hour and the test results come back in 5 minutes. We have great testing or they wouldn't be allowed to travel with me. It's not my choice, it's a very strong group of people that want to make sure that they are tested, including Secret Service. They're all tested - everyone traveling on the plane.'

Gosar spent two weeks in March in self-quarantine out of concerns he came in contact with someone who tested positive for the virus while attending CPAC.

The dentist-turned-congressman closed his offices and wrote he'd rather die 'gloriously in battle' than from the coronavirus.

'Been thinking about life and mortality today,' Gosar tweeted at the time. 'I'd rather die gloriously in battle than from a virus. In a way it doesn't matter. But it kinda does.'

Trump has been noncommittal about mask wearing after Vice President Mike Pence was criticized for not wearing one during a visit to the Mayo Clinic last week, flouting hospital policy to wear a face covering. Pence later said he should have worn one.

'I will know when I get there. If it's a masked environment I would have no problem,' the president told reporters on Air Force One as they prepared to go to Arizona.

The president's last trip to Arizona was on February 19, when he held a campaign rally in Phoenix. The state is crucial to his re-election.

A poll out last month showed Democratic presumptive nominee Joe Biden up nine points in Arizona, which tends to trend red. The poll was a troubling sign for Trump as Arizona hasn't gone for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1996.

The president has shown his restlessness.

'I've been at the White House now for many months, and I'd like to get out,' Trump said last week.

As the coronavirus crisis was becoming more serious at the beginning of March, the president spent the weekend away at his Mar-a-Lago resort and then stopped in Orlando to host fundraisers before returning to the White House on March 9.

He's essentially been there since.

The president took a day trip to Norfolk, Virginia on March 28 to see the USNS Comfort depart for New York City.

This past weekend, Trump flew off the Camp David before returning Sunday.

He then participated in a Fox News Channel town hall at the nearby Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Trump admits there will be 'more deaths' as states start to reopen and US fatalities hit 70,000, believes coronavirus 'will pass with or without a vaccine' and predicts the economy will be 'raging' next year

President Trump had a message for the families of the 70,000-plus Americans who are now dead from COVID-19.

'I want to say I love you,' he told ABC News' David Muir in an interview that was broadcast Tuesday night. 'And to the people that have lost somebody, there's nobody - I don't sleep at nights thinking about it - there's nobody that's taken it harder than me.'

Over the course of the interview, the president suggested that there would be 'more death' due to the coronavirus pandemic, as states begin the process of allowing businesses to reopen.

President Donald Trump and ABC News' David Muir practice social distancing during an interview on Tuesday night

Trump said in the ABC interview that 'we can't sit in the house for the next three years'

'It's possible there will be some because you won't be locked into an apartment or a house or whatever it is,' the president said. 'But at the same time, we're going to practice social distancing, we're going to be washing hands, we're going to be doing a lot of the things that we've learned to do over the last period of time.'

The president said the reality is, 'We can't sit in the house for the next three years.'

'There'll be more death, than the virus will pass, with or without a vaccine,' he again suggested.

There's no evidence yet that the coronavirus will simply go away, or that it's seasonal.

'And I think we're doing very well on the vaccines but, with or without a vaccine, it's going to pass and we're going to be back to normal. But it's been a rough process. There is no question about it,' Trump said.

Several weeks ago, on April 17, Trump said he expected 'around 60,000, maybe 65,000' Americans dead of the coronavirus.

Ten days later he used 70,000 as the benchmark.

The death toll surpassed 70,000 earlier Tuesday.

On Friday, he said 'hopefully' the full tally would be below 100,000 lives lost.

During Sunday night's Fox News Channel town hall at the Lincoln Memorial, Trump acknowledged he kept giving himself a higher ceiling.

'I used to say 65,000. Now I'm saying 80 or 90 and it goes up and it goes up rapidly,' Trump told the anchors. 'But it's still going to be, no matter how you look at it, at the very lower end of the plane if we did the shutdown.'

The president had put the original '15 Days to Slow the Spread' in place when medical experts cited a death count in the millions if no social distancing was practiced.

To the family members of victims Trump said, 'I want to say that we're doing everything that we can.'

'We love you, we're with you, we're working with you, we're supplying vast amounts of money like never before, we want that money to get to the people and we want them to get better,' Trump said.

'No matter how well we do next year - I think our economy is going to be raging, it's going to be so good - no matter how well, those people can never ever replace somebody they love,' the president continued.

'But we're going to have something that they're going to be very proud of,' he added.

Muir and his ABC News team interviewed Trump during his first big trip out of the White House since the coronavirus pandemic struck.

Trump traveled to Phoenix, Arizona where he toured a Honeywell N95 mask plant - and didn't wear a mask.

Muir said during the 'World News Tonight' broadcast his temperature was taken before the sit-down and he sat at least 11 feet away from Trump.

'There were no handshakes with the president this time,' Muir said.
Former president of Georgia and former head of the Odessa regional administration Mikheil Saakashvili confirmed his appointment to the National Reforms Council of Ukraine. The head of the executive committee, not the secretary, Saakashvili told Deutsche Welle.

Earlier, Ukrainian presses had reported on his appointment to the post of secretary of the council.

Saakashvilis exact date of appointment has not been announced yet.

The National Reforms Council was created in 2014 by decree of the fifth Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko. The document noted that it is a "special advisory and advisory body under the President of Ukraine on strategic planning, harmonization of positions on a single state policy of reforms in Ukraine and their implementation." The president approves the personal composition of the National Council.

According to official information, 28 meetings of the National Reforms took place in 2014-2018, the last one in early March 2018.
The Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) and Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) issued an order disallowing movement of people from their jurisdiction who are working in the essential services sector in Mumbai, in the days ahead. The decision, according to both KDMC and NMMC, has been taken as the commuting employees have a sizeable contribution in the Covid-19 count in the region which comes under the jurisdiction of the two civic bodies.

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President Donald Trump has again expressed his wish for his border wall with Mexico to be painted black.

Painting the steel bollards that make up the wall would add at least an extra $500m to the cost of the project, according to contracting estimates seen by The Washington Post.

The presidents enthusiasm for painting the wall has ebbed and flowed over the years. He believes that the dark colour will make the wall more forbidding and too hot to touch. Mr Trump is said to favour a matte black because it absorbs more heat.

The military and border officials, who see the black paint as unnecessary  not just because of the cost, but also the long-term maintenance required  believed that they had talked him out of it and omitted it from the original specifications.

The Post reports that the idea resurfaced in a meeting in April, with the president telling his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, to get cost estimates for the paintwork.

The estimates seen by The Post range from $500m for two coats of acrylic paint, up to $3bn for a premium powder coating.

Whichever option is chosen will add significant costs to what is already one of the most expensive infrastructure projects in the countrys history  $15bn has already been appropriated for construction.

The steel bollards that make up the wall are already weather resistant with a lifespan of 30 years.

Recommended The unexpected reason Texans are rejecting Trump

Painting would not only be costly, but would significantly slow progress. It would involve painting components before erecting them, revisiting completed segments, and working out how to paint the Mexican side of the barrier, given that only a thin strip of land separates the two countries.

The president has promoted progress on the wall as part of his 2020 re-election pitch, promising to complete 500 miles of construction by 2021.

Approximately 175 miles of new wall has been completed so far and Customs and Border Protection hosts video and an interactive map on the progress of the project.
A birthday is an important and momentous occasion, which can hardly be underestimated. It is a time to celebrate, reflect and give thanks to God for his blessings and pray for more fruitful years.



How true this assertion is as we celebrate the 70th birthday of His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Occupant of the Golden Stool (Sika dwa), the sacred stool that binds the Asante together.



With proud heritage from Tepaman (Tepa Baanie) and Asante Mampong (Silver Stool), I wish to pay homage as we commemorate three scores and a decade of our King.



Early days



Your preparation for kingship was birthed by your uncle Kwame Kyeretwie (Otumfuo Sir Osei Agyemang Prempeh II) and the Hiahene, Oheneba Mensah Bonsu.



As a teenager, Barima Kwaku Dua, as you then was, was not sent to Prempeh College after you passed your common entrance examination and was offered admission to the prestigious school. Rather, your guardian uncle, Oheneba Mensah Bonsu, sent you to the Sefwi Wiawso Secondary School where you went through your Ordinary Level education, under the guidance of the Omanhene of Sefwi Wiawso, Nana Kwado Aduhene II. A move defeated pampering and rather prepared you for a great tomorrow.



Special initiatives



With 301,980 students having received full scholarships and bursaries from the Otumfuo Education Fund, young people, many of whom would have had difficulty furthering their education, were able to pursue their education at all levels.



In health care, Otumfuo established a health fund aimed at pursuing a basic healthcare plan for the reduction of maternal and infant mortality, glaucoma and other eye diseases, buruli ulcer as well as guinea worm.



Otumfuo has also set up the Serwaa Ampem AIDS Foundation for children under the leadership of his wife, Lady Julia Osei Tutu to help children who have become victims of the HIV/AIDs pandemic.



As Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Otumfuo Osei Tutu had catapulted the university to greater heights.



Support for governance



His Majestys support for local governance has been unparalleled. Recently, you charged traditional authorities to take active interest in governance issues especially at the local level. I remember in 2003 , a delegation of Presiding Member in the Ashanti Region led by the then Regional Minister, Mr S. K. Boafo, paid a courtesy call on you, where you admonished us to use our offices to ensure the right things were done.



During my tenure as District Chief Executive (DCE) for Ahafo Ano North, the district became a beneficiary of two basic schools and two boreholes under the Asanteman Council's Promoting Partnership with Traditional Authorities Programme, sponsored by the World Bank. Many other districts also enjoyed similar developments.



The Asantehene, during my seven-year membership of the Ashanti Region Coordinating Council (RCC), was supportive as he provided leadership in counsel for the administration of the region.



Dagbon issue



Otumfuo Osei Tutus role in the restoration of peace in Dagbon and the subsequent enskinment of a new Ya-Naa cannot be overemphasised. It brings to bear the wise counsel of the King.



Appeal



As the wise King commemorates his 70th birthday, I would like to extend an appeal to his high office for the consideration of support for traditional leaders to get involved in the work of the districts disaster management committees.



This would afford traditional authority the opportunity to partake in the disaster management initiatives to be taken at the district level.



Happy Birthday my Great Nephew



Long Live Otumfuo Osei Tutu II



Long Live Asanteman



Long Live Ghana



Ohene wo nkwaso, Nya Nkwa Daa









The writer Eric Nana Agyemang-Prempeh, is a Local Government Practitioner, a Former District Chief Executive, former Presiding Member, a Politician and currently the Director-General of NADM0









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) - China on Tuesday successfully launched its largest carrier rocket, which was carrying a new-generation spacecraft, state broadcaster CCTV said.

The Long March-5B carrier rocket took off at 1800 local time (1000 GMT) at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in the southern island province of Hainan. It was the first mission carried out by the Long March-5B, CCTV reported, citing the China Manned Space Engineering Office.

The Long March-5B - with a length of about 53.7 meters and takeoff mass of about 849 tonnes - was also carrying an inflatable cargo return module.

China said in March it was aiming to launch an experimental spacecraft without a crew as part of a broader spaceflight programme to shuttle astronauts to its future space station and for future manned space exploration. The launch was earlier scheduled for mid- to late April.

China aims to complete a multi-module, inhabited space station around 2022. It became the third country to put a man in space with its own rocket in 2003 after the former Soviet Union and the United States.

China has since been racing to catch up with Russia and the United States to become a major space power by 2030.
Israel has announced a plan for thousands of new Jewish settlement homes in the occupied West Bank as Washington voiced readiness to back de facto Israeli annexations there.

United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo plans to visit Israel next week, a source said, a sign that he is weighing in on a territorial issue that has been a centrepiece of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus coalition-building efforts.

Netanyahu wants to ally with political rival Benny Gantz and start cabinet discussions on July 1 about declaring Israeli sovereignty over settlements and the strategically key Jordan Valley in the West Bank.

The unity government deal has been contested in Israels top court.

Fresh construction for the settlement of Efrat was approved on land that could accommodate around 7,000 housing units, Defence Minister Naftali Bennetts office said on Wednesday.

The building momentum in the country must not be stopped, even for a second, tweeted Bennett, a religious-nationalist in Netanyahus current caretaker government.

The settlements are deemed illegal by most world powers and condemned by the Palestinians, who see all the West Bank, which Israel captured in a 1967 war, as part of their future state.

The US has offered to recognise Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank as part of a proposal US President Donald Trump unveiled in February, which also envisages talks on founding a Palestinian state in up to 70 percent of the territory.





Pompeo planned to visit Israel for one day next week and meet Netanyahu, a conservative, as well as the centrist Gantz, a person briefed on the trip said, without elaborating on the agenda.

The US Department of State had no immediate comment.

The newspaper Israel Hayom quoted US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman as saying that sovereignty in the West Bank and the Jordan Valley was an Israeli issue and adding: We are ready.

In separate remarks to the Jerusalem Post newspaper, Friedman reiterated a call for Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking:

The expectation is that the prime minister will agree to negotiate and, if the Palestinians show up, he will negotiate in good faith based on this [Trump] plan.

The Palestinians say the plan is biased against them, and have boycotted Washingtons mediation efforts since it recognised Jerusalem as Israels capital in late 2017.

The Trump Administrations Annexation plan endorses everything that the illegal Israeli colonial-settlement enterprise is about: A racist narrative, violations of international law and the perpetuation of the denial of Palestinian rights, Palestinian official Saeb Erekat said.

Al Jazeeras Nida Ibrahim, reporting from Ramallah, said Palestinians on the ground no longer view the US as an honest broker in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel is now using its special relationship with the US President Donald Trump to try to get away with whatever they can in terms of violating international laws. The Palestinians have been saying they want an international conference where different players take part in ending the conflict as they dont trust US being an honest, she said.

Palestinians are saying that theyve been left alone and not only on the official level but the Palestinians on the ground have been saying that theyve seen settlements growing and settler attacks have also been on the rise.

Israel and the US do not use annexation for Israels planned moves, arguing that the term applies to land taken from a sovereign country, whereas the West Bank was controlled by Jordan but not generally recognised as part of its sovereign territory before the 1967 war.
The satellite image of the exposed Martian cliff face. Credit: NASA JPL-Caltech UoA Matt Balme & William McMahon

Researchers have spent decades looking for evidence of ancient water on Mars. As technology has progressed, more evidence has come to light that rivers, lakes and even oceans were once abundant on the red planet.

Modern Mars is icy and dusty and unlikely to have much liquid water on the surface, if any at all. But billions of years ago, Mars was warmer and could have had enough liquid water to support life. In fact, experts think Mars is one of the most likely places we will find evidence of extraterrestrial life.

A high-resolution satellite has captured detailed images of a rocky Martian cliff face revealing that it was formed by rivers more than 3.7 billion years ago. That is roughly the same time that life was starting to begin on Earth.

It's the first time that scientists have been able to examine these kinds of rocks up close.

Geologists Dr. Francesco Salese and William McMahon from Utrecht University, the Netherlands, were supported by an international team including Dr. Matt Balme at the Open University and Dr. Joel Davis, a postdoctoral researcher at the Museum. Their findings are published in the journal Nature Communications.

Joel says, "We've never seen an outcrop with this amount of detail on it that we can definitely say is so old. This is one more piece of the puzzle in the search for ancient life on Mars, providing novel insight into just how much water occupied these ancient landscapes."

The team examined images of taken by NASA's High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft. The images were taken inside the enormous Hellas impact crater in the southern Martian hemisphere, one of the largest impact craters in the solar system.

A 200-metre-thick stack of layered rocks are visible within the cliff walls, shown in enough detail that Joel and his colleagues could be sure they are sedimentary rocks, formed by running water. The rivers would have continuously shifted their gullies, creating sandbanks.

The ExoMars rover prototype Bruno. ExoMars 2020 will be the first mission to take core samples from deep within the Martian surface.

The images also show that the river processes that formed these rocks occurred over a very long time period.

Joel explains, "The rivers that formed these rocks weren't just a one-off eventthey were probably active for tens to hundreds of thousands of years."

This evidence bolsters hope that sedimentary rocks from this period could be ideal for the search for evidence of past life on Mars.

William McMahon, co-lead author of the paper, says, "Here on Earth, sedimentary rocks have been used by geologists for generations to place constraints on what conditions were like on our planet millions or even billions of years ago.

"Now we have the technology to extend this methodology to another terrestrial planet, Mars, which hosts an ancient sedimentary rock record that extends even further back in time than our own."

ExoMars

In 2022, the European Space Agency (ESA) is due to launch the Rosalind Franklin ExoMars Rover, which will explore similar terrains to determine whether there has ever been life on Mars, and to better understand the history of water on the planet.

Joel and his colleagues at the Museum will help the ESA team to interpret the rover's findings. These new images are a great sign that the rover could be successful in its mission.

Explore further Mars rocks may harbor signs of life from four billion years ago

More information: Francesco Salese et al. Sustained fluvial deposition recorded in Mars' Noachian stratigraphic record, Nature Communications (2020). Journal information: Nature Communications Francesco Salese et al. Sustained fluvial deposition recorded in Mars' Noachian stratigraphic record,(2020). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15622-0
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 21:54:27|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- A national campaign to boost the employment and entrepreneurship of Chinese university graduates will be launched from May to August, according to the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Wednesday.

During the campaign, jointly implemented by the MOE and five other departments and units, measures including expanding enrollment for higher education and creating more jobs at the grassroots level will be carried out.

The ministry has arranged to expand postgraduate enrollment by nearly 190,000 this year. In addition, over 400,000 graduates will be recruited as teachers of kindergartens, primary and secondary schools.

Relevant departments are urged to implement preferential policies to encourage small, medium-sized and micro enterprises to recruit more college graduates. Enditem
New Delhi: India is in contact with Pakistan through diplomatic channels on implementation of International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision in Kulbhushan Jadhav case, sources said.

"Last year the ICJ gave a decision in favor of India. We are in touch with Pakistan through diplomatic channels on implementation of ICJ decision," sources said

On September 2 last year, India's Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan Gaurav Ahluwalia met Jadhav in Islamabad after Islamabad had granted consular access to the former naval officer.

In July, the ICJ, by a vote of 15-1, had upheld India's claim that Pakistan has committed an egregious violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations on several counts.

The world court had ordered Islamabad to carry out an effective "review and reconsideration" of his conviction.

Jadhav was purportedly "arrested" from Balochistan by Pakistani security forces on March 3, 2016, after he allegedly entered the country from Iran as claimed by Islamabad.

India has rejected Pakistan's allegations about Jadhav's involvement in spying and subversive activities and said he was kidnapped from the Iranian port of Chabahar where he was running a business
People often comment that if JFK were alive today, he would be a Republican, or at least scorned by the Democrats. There is probably some truth to this. The political goalposts have shifted over the decades, with ideology now taking precedence over intergenerational party membership, so the COVID-19 reset might be a good time for conservatives to rediscover their ideological core.

Both political parties focus their criticisms on the fringes of the other party, often ignoring their own fringe elements and the Venn diagram overlap of common ground. Each party has a core set of values to defend, often for political reasons, unaware that its competing values are often the other side of the same coin. Real differences exist, to be sure, some irreconcilable, but conservatives should take the lead by looking in the mirror.

Consider the traditional conservative defense of capitalism. Conservatives understand the importance of market economies for promoting liberty and economic prosperity, but they sometimes forget that capitalism is a means to an end, not an axiom. Conservatives tolerate a certain level of income disparity, with a reluctant nod to the Pareto principle, but often turn a blind eye to obscene levels of corporate corruption and crony capitalism. Is it any wonder that liberals doubt the sincerity of the conservative defense of capitalism?

Oddly, as conservatives continue to bear the brunt of the 1% backlash, CEOs and hedge fund managers continue their shift to the Democrats as liberals kneel before some of the most profitable and least diverse technology companies in America. This peculiar alliance reveals a deeper truth that should inspire a conservative reset: we should never allow the pursuit of profits to unravel the social fabric of America, which is an axiom for conservatives.

Given the liberal propensity to do or say the opposite of what conservatives do or say, liberals have opted to embrace globalism over nationalism, which is music to the ears of the corporate elite. Why build a product in the country that makes the business activity possible if you can make it overseas for a fraction of the cost? Why pay an American worker a "livable wage" in a developed country if you can pay a foreign worker a "livable wage" in a developing country?

To sell this clever ruse to average Americans, the agenda was given an ideological spin that appeals to emotion, not reason: to rectify the injustices of our history (slavery, racism, etc.), we must reject nationalism and embrace globalism. No objection from Democrats, who were willing to sideline the one presidential candidate who dared to voice his support for American workers. No objection from many Republicans, either, who were locked in a narrative of profits over people. For the corporate elite, globalism is a business model, not a philosophy.

Enter Donald Trump. This lunatic dared to suggest that globalism, open borders, and a complex and fragile global supply chain anchored in China might have negative consequences for average Americans. He dared to challenge corporations and trade deals that Democrats themselves raged against for years. However, because Democrats were now in a position to gain political power, they turned a blind eye to their Faustian deal. For the Democratic elite, liberalism is a narrative for taking political power, not a philosophy.

The next phase of this trend should be clear: automating workers out of jobs in exchange for the promise of universal basic income. Technology will indeed save us from the burden of labor! How insightful of corporations to conclude that a large segment of the population would leap at the opportunity to receive pay without work. How naive of this segment to believe that corporations will not one day lobby their way out of the burden of universal basic income.

As President Trump realized before his 2016 election victory, American workers and their values are the natural allies of conservatives. The capitalism of corporate America is still an important pillar in our quest for liberty and prosperity, but conservatives should take the lead by renouncing corporate abuse and demanding legal action, if necessary. The free market should continue to be the engine of economic growth  we should not throw out the baby with the bath water  but we should prove our mettle with actions, not words.

The fact that Democrats cheer the bought-and-paid-for corporate media's war on President Trump and celebrate the censoring and vilifying of his supporters suggests that they are either drunk with the potential for political power or oblivious to how the corporate and political elites are playing them like fiddles. A powerful formula for election success in 2020 would be President Trump cracking the whip on corporate corruption and keeping American workers first as we recover from the COVID-19 disaster, which the "essential" corporate and political elites seem only too eager to prolong.

Image: Marco Verch Professional Photographer and Speaker via Flickr.
Ukraine's Deputy Foreign Minister Yevhen Yenin and Egypt's Ambassador to Ukraine Hossam Eldeen M. Aly have discussed cooperation in the context of ensuring the rights and interests of citizens of the two countries, the press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has reported.

"During the meeting, the deputy minister discussed issues of cooperation, in particular, in the consular field, noted a proper level of cooperation between Ukraine and Egypt and outlined further ways of interaction in the context of ensuring the rights and interests of citizens of the two countries," the report said.

During the meeting, the sides paid special attention to the issue of building a bilateral legal framework, as well as to the case of Edward Chikosh, a citizen of Ukraine sentenced to 25 years in Egypt, and ways of returning him to Ukraine.

In October 2011, Egyptian police detained a resident of Uzhgorod, Edward Chikosh, who worked in the tourism business. He was charged with smuggling a weapon and intending to hold mass riots. In March 2012, Chikosh stood trial at the State Security Emergency Court of Egypt and was sentenced to 25 years in prison without the right to file an appeal.

op
The United States will provide $225 million in emergency aid to Yemen to support food programs, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday, as aid groups there are forced to scale down operations due to Houthi interference and amid a spreading coronavirus outbreak.

"This assistance will provide the UN World Food Programs emergency food operation in southern Yemen, as well as a reduced operation in northern Yemen, which the WFP was forced to scale down earlier this month because of the ongoing interference of (the) Iran-backed Houthis" Pompeo told a news conference.

Yemen is already grappling with the world's biggest humanitarian crisis caused by a war between the Saudi-led coalition seeking to restore the internationally recognized government, and the Houthi movement that drove the government from power in Sanaa in late 2014.

Around 80% of Yemen's population, or 24 million people, rely on aid, and 10 million are facing famine. Yemen has the world's fourth highest internally displaced population and healthcare is scarce in rural areas.

The country has reported a total of 26 coronavirus infections with 6 deaths but due to inadequate testing and a shattered health system aid groups fear a devastating outbreak. According to WHO only 200 tests with results have been delivered nationwide.

Under such circumstances, a gap in aid funding is a major risk. The United Nations last week warned that 31 of 41 major UN humanitarian assistance programmes will scale down or stop in coming weeks without more money as donors and aid agencies have increasingly complained of interference and obstruction from Houthi authorities.

Reuters reported last month the United States was readying a "substantial contribution" to help Yemen but that it had to find alternatives to the WHO after President Donald Trump criticized the agency being "China-centric" over its handling of the coronavirus outbreak, and paused funding.

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Liquor shops reopened in Madhya



Pradesh on Wednesday following talks between traders and the state government.

Traders wanted some kind of relief from the government to make up for the loss of business as the shops remained closed for over a month this fiscal due to the lockdown imposed to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

Though the shops opened after 41 days, there were no scenes of tipplers jostling to buy alcohol and forcing the police to use their batons, unlike in Delhi and some other places in the country after the lockdown was relaxed.

No instance of unruly buyers breaking social distancing norms was reported in the state.

But at some shops happy buyers were seen breaking into dance after getting hold of the bottle.

The state government had ordered liquor traders -- called 'liquor contractors' in local parlance -- to reopen shops except in Indore, Bhopal and Ujjain which are the worst-affected by the pandemic, but retail liquor shops did not open on Tuesday.

The contractors instead moved the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which issued a notice to the state government. Home Minister Narottam Mishra had then said that if liquor traders had any problem, they should have approached the government.

Traders held talks with the government on Wednesday.

"We reopened our shops after holding talks with top government officers at Mantralaya (secretariat) today," MP Liquor Association president Akhilesh Rai told PTI.

"We have been assured that our concerns will be looked into," he added.

The MP government has set a target of collecting revenue of Rs 11,500 crore from liquor sales this fiscal.

But owing to lockdown, liquor shops have remained closed for 35 days in Financial Year 2020-21, said a liquor contractor.

Liquor shop owners in MP have to bag a contract for sale every fiscal, coughing up a hefty licensee fee, paid in part every fortnight, he explained.

"We want the state government to make up the loss of around Rs 1,102.73 crore incurred due to closure of shops for 35 days as we did not earn a penny during this period," he said.

On Monday, the state government ordered reopening of liquor and hemp (bhang) shops from Tuesday, excluding Bhopal, Indore and Ujjain which fall under Red zone.

But the next day, liquor contractors moved the HC fearing loss of business as the order to reopen excluded bars and 'ahatas' (low-budget drinking vends usually attached to liquor shops).

They sought a court direction that the contracts be either reviewed or recalled in view of the "unstable" market condition caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Consumers welcomed the opening of liquor shops on Wednesday.

"I am happy that at last booze shops reopened," said a man outside a shop in Sehore district.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
I know how important it is for so many students and teachers to finish out the school year, and I was holding out hope  particularly for high school seniors  that wed at least be able to complete the final few weeks, Mr. Lamont said in a statement. But given the current circumstances and to protect everyones safety, it has become clear that its just not possible.

At a subsequent news briefing, Mr. Lamont said he would provide details about the states plans for colleges and universities later in the week.

On the front lines: Ben Rapp, 19, Instacart shopper.

Image Credit... Ben Rapp

The Times is regularly profiling essential workers in the New York region during the pandemic.

Where do you live? Far Rockaway, Queens.

Where do you work: Queens and Long Island.

How has your job changed in the last two months?

I worked as a shopper over the summer and when I was home for winter break [he is a student at N.Y.U.]. It was easy money then. Six weeks ago I wasnt wearing gloves and a mask. Then one day I get a message from a customer asking me to wear P.P.E. and everything changed. Now, with the concern with the health aspect of it all, it can be very stressful.

Whats been your strangest order?

There was an order for 120 packs of eight-pack Gatorades. I obviously couldnt get it all because the store didnt have that much and it wouldnt have fit in my car. But I got all the store had and brought it over. It was a crazy amount of Gatorade.

Why are you continuing to work as a shopper through this?

I see the need for it. As a 19-year-old with no pre-existing conditions Im able to do this and be less at risk than some others. On a larger scale, knowing that Im helping to limit the spread means a lot. Ive done six orders in a couple of hours. That means I stopped six people from going to the store. Thats 30 people a week. If every week Im stopping 20 people from going out, Im keeping 100 people a month from going out. Im stopping the spread.
NICHOLASVILLE, Ky., May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Liberty Institute and network attorneys with WilmerHale and Bilby Law PLLC today filed a federal lawsuit and a motion for a temporary restraining order in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky on behalf of Tabernacle Baptist Church of Nicholasville, Kentucky, challenging Governor Andy Beshears orders that prohibit in-person church services and threaten criminal penalties.



You can read First Libertys complaint here .

Governor Beshears orders unlawfully target religious worship and violate the First Amendment, said Roger Byron, Senior Counsel for First Liberty Institute. The Constitution forbids the government from burdening churches with restrictions that are not imposed on other entities. The fundamental rights of religious Americans who seek to abide by the public health guidelines during this pandemic may not be singled out for onerous restrictions.

Churches like Tabernacle Baptist stopped holding in-person religious services after a March 19, 2020 order by Kentuckys Cabinet for Health and Family Services, a branch of Governor Beshears administration, that prohibited church gatherings on threat of criminal penalty. On March 25, Governor Beshear issued Executive Order 2020-257, and asserted religious organizations are not life-sustaining organizations, except when they function as charities by providing food, shelter, and social services. But while restricting churches the Governor permits people to congregate indoors in large numbers in a variety of other contexts, from shopping malls, to retail stores, to laundromats, to liquor stores, so long as they do so consistent with social distancing practices.

In its complaint, First Liberty argues, Defendants statewide ban on religious worship services is a substantial burden on the religious exercise of Tabernacle Baptist and its members if they cannot meet for in-person corporate worship. For six weeks, since March 22, Tabernacle Baptist and its congregants have been unable to gather for religious worship in their sanctuary for fear of criminal prosecution despite their willingness to abide by social distancing precautions.

To address the challenges posed by the COVID-19 outbreak, Tabernacle Baptist is committed to physically gathering in a manner consistent with social distancing guidelines issued by the CDC and Governor Beshears March 25 order to ensure the safety and well-being of all congregants, including: encouraging the use of personal protection equipment (PPE), ensuring the availability of hand sanitizer, separating the seating of households by a minimum of six (6) feet, and regularly disinfecting frequently touched surfaces.

In April, First Liberty and WilmerHale secured a temporary restraining order for On Fire Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. There, federal Judge Justin Walker stated in his order that Louisvilles ban on drive-in church services violated the Free Exercise clause beyond all question.

About First Liberty Institute

First Liberty Institute is a non-profit public interest law firm and the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans.
Tod is the managing editor of Governing and the contributing editor of our sister publication, Government Technology. He was previously the editor of Public CIO, e.Republics award-winning publication for IT executives in the public sector, and is the author of several books on information management.
Americans urged to pray remotely for revival, God's glory on Nat'l Day of Prayer

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On the 69th National Day of Prayer to be observed Thursday, the Southern Baptist Convention is calling on Americans to join in a nationwide, remote prayer gathering for spiritual awakening and revival, and to pray specifically for seven centers of influence.

As the theme for the National Day of Prayer is Pray Gods Glory Across the Earth, SBC is urging Christians to pray for Gods glory into the seven centers of influence: government, military, media & arts, business, education, church and family.

Pray for wisdom (for federal, state and local officials) in all matters related to COVID-19, and the major national and global challenges they address daily. Pray that God will work in them and through them, the prayer guide says. "Ask God for a great spiritual awakening in the United States."

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Christian leaders will gather remotely to observe the day on May 7.

SBC President J.D. Greear will lead the online National Day of Prayer and Fasting event Thursday afternoon. The gathering will be streamed live in several places, including the SBC Executive Committees and Baptist Press Facebook pages.

SBC will be hosting another prayer event this week.

The day before the National Day of Prayer, Ronnie Floyd, president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee, will be joined by Fred Lunsford (a 95-year-old retired pastor and revivalist who started the prayer movement) Greg Mathis (pastor of Mud Creek Baptist Church in Hendersonville, N.C.), and David Horton (president of Fruitland Baptist Bible College) for Praying on the Mountain, a nationwide remote prayer gathering for spiritual awakening and revival.

Lunsford, Mathis and Horton are among those who have been involved in the effort to gather churches together to pray for a spiritual awakening.

On why he joined the three, Floyd said, As soon as I watched the message on America by Dr. Greg Mathis as well as his compelling interview with 95-year old Pastor Fred Lunsford, I joined the team to pray on May 5th for spiritual awakening in America," according to Baptist Press.

The event, in which more than 100,000 people are expected to pray with Lunsford, will feature an account of how Lunsford initially felt God speaking to him, telling him to pray for revival, and of how Mathis, Horton and others caught the vision.

Two years ago, Lunsford thought it was time for the Lord to take him home, as he had pastored for 70 years, fought World War II and preached at revivals all over the U.S. But God had different plans for his life.

He extended my years for a reason, and He wanted me to pray for spiritual awakening and to get as many people praying as I could, Lunsford said, according to Baptist Press. God spoke into my heart, and I yielded to it. Its not me; its the Lord.

Floyd said that while he has been praying for a spiritual awakening for years, never have I seen a greater moment for this to occur in America than today.
We're living in a data-driven world where there's a constant risk of private information getting leaked and going in the wrong hands. But sadly, the saga of irresponsible handling of data continues, and this time the COVID-19 patients are at the center of the scene.

According to a new report, the Rajkot Municipal Corporation has uploaded private information of all COVID-19 patients in the city to its official site. And the worst part is that the info is publicly available, which means literally anybody can access the info.

 medianama

The fact they uploaded the info to their site itself is kind of alarming because it's not something that's meant to be public info. But it even has private info like their address, name, gender, age, date of diagnosis, and more. Heck, you can even plot each patient's address with Google Maps.



The source claims that the number of people accessing the website and all this data is increasing by the day. We will not be linking the website here for privacy concerns. The last thing we want is to further spread the info by providing a link to the site. But besides the information mentioned above, the website seems to have a lot of other data too. It even has graphical representations of day-wise positive/recovered cases, week-, age group-, and gender-wise positive cases and more.

 Reuters

In addition to all this, Rajkot has also been pasting stickers outside houses of people who enter the city to announce to the world that they are under home quarantine.



This, by the way, isn't the first time the government has irresponsibly made personal details of COVID-19 patients public. A couple of months ago, even the Karnataka government had made the home addresses of residents public who had been quarantined to stop them from stepping out.

It's really disappointing to see such irresponsible handling of data. It's 2020 and the least we expect from everyone around us is to take user data and privacy more seriously.

Source: Medianama


JV partner IGO to drill Fraser Range Projects

Perth, May 6, 2020 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Rumble Resources Ltd ( ASX:RTR ) ( FRA:20Z )is pleased to advise that joint venture partner IGO Ltd ( ASX:IGO ) has planned exploration activities on its Fraser Range JV Projects in the current June 2020 Quarter.Managing Director Mr Shane Sikora Said' "The Rumble team are looking forward to the re-commencement of exploration by our JV partner IGO on our highly prospective projects in the Fraser Range. The region has gained significant renewed interest thanks to a new nickel-copper discovery by Legend Mining at the Mawson Prospect, only 30kms along strike from our Thunderdome Project, which has two (2) new exciting prospects to be drill tested."Combine this with our compelling Lamil Project in the Paterson province, another sought after exploration region due to the new Winu Copper-Gold discovery by Rio Tinto, and we now have two (2) projects to be drilled by JV partners in two of the most sought after regions in Australia capable of Tier 1, large scale discoveries."Thunderdome JV Project - 70% IGO 30% RTR, Fraser RangeThe Thunderdome Project consists of tenement E28/2366 which covers 140sq km's on the main Fraser Range gravity ridge associated with dense mafic/ultramafic rocks of the Fraser Complex. It has a large prominent dome feature clearly visible on regional airborne magnetic images. This large dome feature is one of the largest in the Fraser Range and has a fold axis of some 22km. Within this larger target area are also several smaller features which may represent later stage intrusions.The Thunderdome project is located 30 km north-east along trend of the recent Mawson nickel-copper discovery (refer Image 2*) made by Legend Mining.*To view tables and figures, please visit:About Rumble Resources Ltd

Rumble Resources Limited (ASX:RTR) (FRA:20Z) is an Australian based exploration company, officially admitted to the ASX on the 1st July 2011. Rumble was established with the aim of adding significant value to its current gold and base metal assets and will continue to look at mineral acquisition opportunities both in Australia and abroad.
Congratulations to this amazing group of loan originators who continue to break ground in helping people achieve their dream of homeownership, said 2020 NAHREP President Sara Rodriguez. A lot of new homeowners were created thanks to their hard work, passion and excellence.

The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) today released its sixth annual Top 250 Latino Mortgage Originators Report recognizing the top producing Latino mortgage professionals across the United States. This years report, sponsored by Radian, ranks individual originators based on both number and dollar volume of transactions in 2019 and represents over $10 billion in combined sales volume.

Congratulations to this amazing group of loan originators who continue to break ground in helping people achieve their dream of homeownership, said 2020 NAHREP President Sara Rodriguez. A lot of new homeowners were created thanks to their hard work, passion and excellence.

NAHREP salutes the professionals among the Top 250 Latino Mortgage Originators for their efforts and contributions to sustainably growing intergenerational wealth through homeownership. The Hispanic homeownership rate has increased annually for five consecutive years, according to NAHREP, and access to affordable mortgage credit is essential for those gains to continue.

New American Funding led the way as the company with the most honorees, followed by loanDepot and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. Lizy Hoeffer of CrossCountry Mortgage in Phoenix, Arizona was the leading originator for the third year in a row, the first and only originator to hold the top slot for multiple consecutive years.

The 2020 Top 10 Latino Mortgage Originators in the U.S. and the number of loans they originated are:

1) Lizy Hoeffer, CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC., Phoenix, AZ  981

2) Alex Varela, PrimeLending, A PlainsCapital Company, Grapevine, TX  458

3) David Medrano, UFCU Mortgage Services, Austin, TX  367

4) Alfredo Madrid, Supreme Lending, Tulsa, OK  361

5) Luisa Bedoya, MSA Mortgage, LLC., Revere, MA  359

6) Armando SanMiguel, Ameris Bank Mortgage Services, Franklin, TN  357

7) Carlos Villalon, First Centennial Mortgage, Schaumburg, IL  349

8) Saul Pinela, Neighborhood Loans, Downers Grove, IL  342

9) Norma Guerrero-Cowes, DHI Mortgage, Austin, TX  341

10) Jorge Montoya, Guild Mortgage, Reno, NV  339

Radian is proud to celebrate the accomplishments of the Top 250 Mortgage Originators, who share our commitment to making sustainable and affordable homeownership a reality, said Brien McMahon, senior executive vice president and chief franchise officer of Radian. The hard work and dedication of these extraordinary individuals helps guide their customers through the most significant financial transaction of their lives, and we are thrilled to partner with NAHREP to support them.

Honorees will be recognized at the 2020 NAHREP Sales Mastery, Real Estate and Wealth Conference at L'ATTITUDE in September. The conference will include the Elevate Sales Summit, where some of the individuals on the Top Originators list will be featured.

About NAHREP

The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, a nonprofit 501(c)6 trade association, is dedicated to advancing sustainable homeownership for the Hispanic community in America. NAHREP has over 40,000 real estate professional members and 100 local chapters nationwide.

Press Contact:

Katherine Wood

press@nahrep.org

(619) 719-4814
TORONTO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- BGI Genomics announced today that its subsidiary BGI Americas Corporation has received authorization under Interim Order from Health Canada to supply its Real-Time Fluorescent RT-PCR Kit for Detecting SARS-CoV-2 in the Canadian market. The testing kit is part of an integrated solution that includes automated extraction methods to support fast and accurate detection of SARS-CoV-2 around the world.

BGI Genomics and MGI, members of the BGI Group, are jointly providing a high throughput, clinically validated workflow to address major bottlenecks for large-scale COVID-19 testing. The solution includes BGI's Real-Time Fluorescent RT-PCR Kit for Detecting SARS-CoV-2, which is the authorized device by Health Canada, as well as MGI's MGIEasy Nucleic Acid Extraction Kit and MGISP-960RS Automated Sample Preparation System.

Both BGI and MGI have existing local entities and business operations in Canada, allowing the companies to deploy immediate local resources for establishing supply chain and customer service to ensure successful adoption of the testing solution in clients' laboratories.

"BGI's RT-PCR kit is one of the most widely recognized molecular products for SARS-CoV-2 detection by global regulatory agencies," said Yin Ye, CEO of BGI Genomics. "It is another testament to our strong commitment to enabling safe and effective COVID-19 testing on a global scale."

BGI's highly-sensitive RT-PCR testing kit, which can return results within three hours, detects the RNA of SARS-CoV-2 extracted from a wide range of respiratory samples. The kit is validated on a number of RT-PCR instruments with broad adaptability. It features

High sensitivity: Limit of detection as low as 100 viral copies/mL

High specificity: No cross-reactivity with 54 human respiratory pathogens

Ease of use: All-inclusive with pre-mixed reaction reagents

Easy interpretation: Analysis of one target with well-defined controls

The authorization includes MGI's MGIEasy Nucleic Acid Extraction Kit as a validated method for viral RNA extraction, which is currently in abundant supply worldwide and addresses a severe sample preparation bottleneck for widespread testing. In addition, MGI's robotic sample preparation system significantly improves throughput and reproducibility. The combination of the MGI products enable processing of 192 samples in 80 minutes, a major increase in productivity compared to manual processing.

"The integrated SARS-CoV-2 testing workflow offers our customers unique ability to scale testing efforts in Canada," added Stephen Rogers, BGI/MGI's Country Manager in Canada. "BGI and MGI are committed to supporting Canadian labs with our tools to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic."

The integrated solution of MGI sample preparation with BGI's RT-PCR kit is part of a comprehensive solution BGI Group has introduced for rapidly scaling up diagnostic testing  the Huo-Yan or "Fire Eye" labs. The Fire Eye Laboratory model that demonstrated its early success in Wuhan, China, where the virus was first identified, is now being implemented in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and around the world. Fire Eye laboratories combine the best of BGI Group expertise, with the most recent labs launched in Saudi Arabia and Australia.

BGI Genomics currently has a manufacturing capacity of 2 million RT-PCR tests per day and is fulfilling international orders from more than 80 countries and regions around the world.

BGI's RT-PCR Test for Detecting SARS-CoV-2 is one of the most reliable and widely used testing methods available, with over 20 million tests already performed. In 2020, BGI's testing kit for SARS-CoV-2 received emergency approval from China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) on January 26, followed by the European CE-IVD marking on February 24, the U.S. FDA-issued Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) on March 26, Japan's PMDA approval on March 27, and Australia's TGA approval on April 10.

SOURCE BGI Group

Related Links

https://www.bgi.com


An elderly man was left fuming when Telstra staff told him it would cost $30 for their help installing the COVIDSafe app on his mobile phone.

Gary Allen went to a Telstra store in regional Victoria after receiving a text about the Australian Government's tracing software that was developed to control the spread of coronavirus.

The 79-year-old said he first tried to install the app himself but eventually became overwhelmed so he decided to get assistance from the Telstra shop where he originally purchased the phone.

Gary Allen, 79, went to a Telstra store in regional Victoria to get help installing the COVIDSafe app but was told by staff it would cost $30

The Australian Government launched the COVIDSafe app on April 26 to trace the spread of coronavirus

'I had a go at it myself and I got about three quarters of the way through and I was going around and around in circles so I gave that up,' Mr Allen told 3AW Breakfast radio on Wednesday.

'I went into the Telstra shop, they met me at the door and said how can I help you?

'I said I'd like to install the COVID-19 app and he said sure I can do that for you but there is a cost.'

Mr Allen said he didn't mind if there was a small fee because he believes the COVIDSafe app 'is a good idea' that will help save lives.

'Knowing these young blokes I thought he'll do it in two minutes so it'll probably be five bucks so I said that's alright,' he said.

'Then I said, how much is it? He said ''30 bucks'' - 30 bucks!

'I said ''Forget about it, seeya later!''

Telstra regional general manager Loretta Willaton admitted had 'missed the mark'.

'We're sorry for the experience this customer had in-store,' she said, adding that it's not Telstra policy to charge for the installation of COVIDSafe.

'The store shouldn't have asked for payment to help the customer install the app on their phone.

'While it's the first time we've heard of this happening, we've made it clear to store managers they're there to help customers who may come in seeking help with downloading the app.'

To make amends, Ms Willaton said she is visiting with Mr Allen this morning to personally help him install the COVIDSafe app and ensure everything is up and running.

More than five million Australians have so far downloaded the COVIDSafe app.
The European Union has entered the deepest economic recession in its history, EU Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni told reporters in Brussel.

The EU economy is predicted to contract by 7.5% this year, before growing by about 6% in 2021, ABC reported.

"The group of 19 nations using the euro as their currency will see a record decline of 7.75% this year, and grow by 6.25% in 2021, the European Commission said in its Spring economic forecast."

It is now quite clear that the EU has entered the deepest economic recession in its history," EU Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni told reporters in Brussels. As the virus hit, economic activity in the EU dropped by around one third practically overnight," he said.
Nordstrom plans to permanently close 16 of its 116 full-line stores while moving toward a phased reopening of others, as it tailors its immediate future to the realities of retail in the coronavirus pandemic.

The Seattle-based company also said it will make changes to how its stores function in a market-by-market approach, and will move its big Anniversary Sale from July to August.

Weve been investing in our digital and physical capabilities to keep pace with rapidly changing customer expectations. The impact of COVID-19 is only accelerating the importance of these capabilities in serving customers, said CEO Erik Nordstrom. More than ever, we need to work with flexibility and speed. Our market strategy helps with both, bringing inventory closer to where customers live and work, allowing us to use our stores as fulfillment centers to get products to customers faster, and connecting digital and physical experiences with services like curbside pickup and returns.

The stores to be shuttered were not identified in the companys statement.

Nordstrom had selectively closed some full-line stores in recent years: In January 2019, it had 121.

It gave no timetable for the reopening of other stores, which closed temporarily in mid-March. At that time Nordstrom also withdrew its financial guidance for the year, saying coronavirus outbreaks had made forecasts difficult.

Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter

Retailers have been reeling from the pandemics shutdown of shopping. On Monday, J. Crews parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and observers predict other retailers may follow.

Nordstrom has been applauded by industry analysts for adding online components to its retail strategy earlier than many others. It said Wednesday that at both full-line Nordstrom and discount Nordstrom Rack stores, the online and in-store sides are closely integrated: More than half of Nordstroms store sales involve an online journey and a third of online sales involve a store experience. According to the company, more than half of Nordstrom.com orders are fulfilled from full-line stores, and 25 percent of Nordstromrack.com and HauteLook.com orders are fulfilled by Nordstrom Rack stores.

The company also said it will restructure its regional and corporate organization for greater speed and flexibility in moves that will save about $150 million a year. Details were not provided. The company had previously said it aims to cut more than $500 million in cash outlays for operating expenses, capital expenditures and working capital. Earlier cost-cutting has already yielded expected savings of more than $200 million, it said.

When its stores do reopen, Nordstrom said, changes will include conducting health screenings for employees; providing face coverings for employees and customers; taking steps to allow for social distancing of six feet or more, including limiting the number of customers and employees in the store; increasing cleaning and sanitizing; modifying the fitting room experience; and continuing to offer curbside services at full-line stores.

In addition to its full-line stores, the company operates 247 Nordstrom Rack stores and five Nordstrom Local service hubs.

--The Seattle Times/Tribune News Service

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Stylist Karla Welch recently posted a behind-the-scenes look at her fitting with the actor.

There are perfectly good celebrity style moments, and then there are the looks that really stick with you, the ones you try desperately to recreate at home. In 'Great Outfits in Fashion History,' Fashionista editors are revisiting their all-time favorite lewks.

The Cannes Film Festival is always a highlight on the red-carpet calendar because the stars bring their sartorial A-game. The days of photo calls and evenings of premieres have crowned Best-Dressed mainstays, like Kristen Stewart and Elle Fanning. Since so many films begin their awards-season campaigns there, we're also introduced to some fresh faces every year, who make their mark with both their performances and fabulous wardrobes.

In 2016, Ruth Negga got on everyone's radar for her work in "Loving." Though the Irish actor had been in the industry for years, this was one of her first big leading roles, and she arrived to the film's Cannes premiere looking the part in a stunningly detailed, black long-sleeved Marc Jacobs gown, styled by Karla Welch.

I remember really digging this look (and all subsequent looks from the "Loving" press and award-show tour) when I first saw it on the red carpet. But I fell in love with it all over again a few weeks ago, when Welch posted a throwback photo of her fitting with Negga for it, along with her memory of meeting the actor and getting that gown.

"[One] week before this picture was taken I was reading about the films debuting at Cannes... one that somehow caught my eye was called 'Loving' and the lead was a girl named Ruth Negga," Welch wrote in the caption. A few days later, she continued, a Hollywood publicist got in touch  that got the wheels turning: A fitting in Albuquerque and a loan from Marc Jacobs later, we got this magical moment in the south of France.

Story continues

I highly recommend following Welch's #meetthedress and #fittingsinprocess series  she's been giving some behind-the-scenes insight into how some pretty epic celebrity fashion moments came together, from Sarah Paulson's plunging beaded Prada gown from the 2016 Emmys to Caitriona Balfe's old-Hollywood Valentino Haute Couture ensemble for the most recent Oscars. (If I may humbly request: Do Tracee Ellis Ross's many Fashion Awards looks next! Sincerely, a fan.)

Feeling inspired by Negga's gothic-romantic red-carpet look? Shop similar black lace dresses in the gallery below.

Alice McCall Black Beauty Lace Dress, $395, available here.

View the 5 images of this gallery on the original article

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Protesters block an intersection near Uber's corporate headquarters in San Francisco, Calif., on May 8, 2019. (Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)

Los Angeles Joins Lawsuit to Classify Ride-Hail Drivers as Employees

LOS ANGELES (CNS)The top attorneys for the states largest cities joined California Attorney General Xavier Becerra on May 5 to announce a lawsuit against Uber and Lyft, claiming the ride-hailing companies misclassified their drivers as independent contractors instead of employees.

Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer joined Becerra, and the city attorneys of San Diego and San Francisco, in the lawsuit.

Enough is enough. California law makes it clear that Uber and Lyft drivers are employees, Feuer said.

We allege Uber and Lyft defy this mandate, exploit their drivers, and unlawfully shift the costs of their responsibilities as employers to Californias taxpayers.

Feuer added, As law enforcement leaders across the state, were going to aggressively protect these hard-working drivers, and fight to uphold Californias worker classification laws.

In the lawsuit, filed in the Superior Court of San Francisco, the coalition of attorneys seeks restitution for workers, a permanent halt to the unlawful misclassification of drivers, and civil penaltieswhich they said could reach hundreds of millions of dollars.

The attorneys said classifying drivers as independent contractors deprives them of workplace protections, such as the right to minimum wage and overtime pay, as well as access to paid sick leave, disability insurance, and unemployment insurance.

The attorneys allege that since the passage of Assembly Bill 5 (AB5), and under Californias Unfair Competition Law, Uber and Lyft have not classified employees as full-time. The AB5 law went into effect on Jan. 1, and requires companies to hire independent workers as employees rather than classify them as contractors.

We are looking forward to working with the attorney general and mayors across the state to bring all the benefits of Californias innovation economy to as many workers as possible, Lyft said in a statement, especially during this time when the creation of good jobs with access to affordable health care and other benefits is more important than ever.

Uber also responded to the lawsuit, and said the company is prepared to contest it in court.

At a time when Californias economy is in crisis with 4 million people out of work, we need to make it easier, not harder, for people to quickly start earning, Uber said in a statement.

We will contest this action in court, while at the same time pushing to raise the standard of independent work for drivers in California, including with guaranteed minimum earnings and new benefits.

According to Becerra, independent contractor classification also allows companies to avoid obligations such as paying payroll taxes.

The attorney general said the companies ignore the fact that California law allows for drivers to choose when and how much to work, and still be classified as employees.

Nothing prevents the companies from providing flexibility to their drivers and classifying them as employees, he said.

Becerra said unemployment claims have been skyrocketing during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the vulnerability of Ubers and Lyfts drivers to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, is evident.

Sometimes it takes a pandemic to shake us into realizing what that really means, and who suffers the consequences, Becerra said.

Uber and Lyft drivers who contract the coronavirus, or lose their job quickly, realize what theyre missing. But its not just these workers who lose. American taxpayers end up having to help carry the load that Uber and Lyft dont want to accept.

In the lawsuit, the attorney general and the city attorneys are seeking up to $2,500 for each violation of the California Unfair Competition Law, and up to another $2,500 for violations perpetrated against senior citizens or individuals with disabilities.

All Californians are harmed when companies like Uber and Lyft cheat their employees out of health care, unemployment benefits, and basic protections required by law, San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliott said.

Uber and Lyft are billion-dollar companies that refuse to follow the rules, expecting taxpayers to pick up the slack when their employees get sick, need a hospital, or lose their jobs. Its time for Uber and Lyft to pay their own bills.
Val Kilmer is opening up about battling throat cancer  sort of. In a profile for the New York Times, the Top Gun: Maverick star talked to journalist Taffy Brodesser-Akner about his medical journey that resulted in him losing his voice and getting a tracheostomy tube. But according to the actor, he never had cancer.

Kilmer is a lifelong Christian Scientist and those who practice the religion typically avoid seeking traditional medical care. When the actor finally went to the doctor in 2014 for a big lump in his throat  he was also having a hard time swallowing and woke up in a pool of his own blood a few times  he was told it was cancer. However, Christian Science calls it the suggestion of throat cancer, meaning the idea is rather than say I have it or possess it, there is a claim, theres a suggestion that this is a fact.

Val Kilmer and his daughter Mercedes at the 2019 annual Thespians Go Hollywood Gala at Avalon Hollywood on Nov. 18, 2019 in Los Angeles, Calif. (Photo: Getty Images)

Kilmer said the Christian Science cure would be to work with a practitioner, similar to a spiritual adviser, and pray his fear away so that his body would no longer manifest outwardly what can be diagnosed as a malady. That meant its not really cancer, but that he just had to go away for awhile and pray to relocate his faith within himself. Well, his kids were having none of that.

The 61-year-old actor shares two adult children with ex-wife Joanne Whalley: Jack, 24, and Mercedes, 28. Kilmers kids are not Christian Scientists and his family did not want him to go try and heal by himself. The Doors star listened to them and agreed to get medical treatment.

I just didnt want to experience their fear, which was profound, Kilmer said of his decision. I wouldve had to go away, and I just didnt want to be without them.

In 2014, Kilmer had surgery. After surgery, his treatment plan included chemotherapy and radiation that zapped my whole throat, and its still dry as a bone. It left him with a tracheostomy tube and a feeding tube.

Several years ago, Kilmer was photographed wearing scarves and tabloids speculated about his health. His co-star in The Ghost and the Darkness, Michael Douglas, let slip to reporters he had cancer. But Kilmer denied it, saying he had no cancer whatsoever.

Story continues

When asked why he denied having cancer, Kilmer replied, Because I didnt have cancer.

They said I was denying that I had cancer, and when they asked me, I didnt have cancer. It was a bit like do you have a broken bone? And if you broke it in high school, you would say no, Kilmer explained. Suddenly suspect. I have had a bone broken, but why are you being so aggressive? I had a bone broken. It was broken in my leg. Oh, so you have a broken leg. No, no, I dont, I say. I did have a broken leg.

Kilmer is no longer suffering from cancer, but attributes his healing to prayer, not medical intervention.

I prayed, and that was my form of treatment, he said.

Kilmer noted that he is suffering and pointed to his tracheostomy tube.

Thats from radiation and chemotherapy. Its not from cancer, he declared. That treatment caused my suffering.

Kilmer isnt letting that get in the way of living the life he wants, which includes coming back to Hollywood.

I feel like I could not possibly be in a better place for attracting better and better roles, he stated. If an actor is fortunate enough to do so, to steer their own course and own their own material, they control their own destiny, creating their own products.

Kilmer has filmed five roles this year, including the Top Gun sequel with Tom Cruise where he reprises his role of Iceman. While he said he couldnt divulge details, the actor did tease one thing, revealing Iceman and Cruises character Maverick have a different relationship.

Were friends, he revealed. This time were friends.

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Bangkok, May 6, 2020  Philippine authorities should conduct a swift and transparent investigation into the killing of reporter Rex Cornelio Pepino, determine if the attack was related to his journalism, and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

At about 9 p.m. yesterday, unidentified assailants on a motorcycle shot Pepino, a reporter at the privately owned Original Energy 93.7 FM broadcaster, in Dumaguete Citys Daro village, in the southern Philippines, according to news reports.

Pepino sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the head, chest, shoulder, and wrist, and was declared dead on arrival at the Silliman University Medical Center, according to the Cebu Daily News. The assailants fled the scene after the attack, according to that report.

Authorities should leave no stone unturned in investigating the killing of reporter Rex Cornelio Pepino and bringing those responsible to justice, said Shawn Crispin, CPJs senior Southeast Asia representative. Until the Philippine government shows it is serious about solving journalist killings, this vicious cycle of impunity will continue.

At the time of the attack, the reporter was riding home with his wife on a motorcycle after finishing his regular Hit It Baby program, according to the Cebu Daily News, which said that his wife survived the attack.

Pepinos program addressed local issues related to illegal mining, official graft and corruption, and poor governance, the Philippine Inquirer reported.

CPJ emailed the Presidential Task Force on Media Security, a state agency tasked with solving media killings, but did not receive an immediate reply.

The Philippines ranked fifth on CPJs most recent Impunity Index, a ranking of countries worldwide where journalists are slain and their killers go free.
In Nha Trang (Photo: VNA)

It will replace the Cau Da Tourist Pier in the citys Vinh Nguyen commune, which has been at full capacity for many years.

The new 5,500 square metre pier is for passenger transport, with each boat allowed to carry a maximum of 99 people.

Local authorities plan to replace Cau Da Pier with a park and a parking lot.

Nha Trang is a popular beach resort in Khanh Hoa province. Its long stretches of stunning beaches, primeval islands, scuba diving, mud baths, as well as excellent local dishes have made the locality an alluring destination for foreign tourists, particularly those from China and Russia.

According to statistics from the provincial Department of Tourism, the province welcomed 3.56 million foreign arrivals in 2019, a year-on-year surge of 28.4 percent.

However, the tourism sector has been hurt by the acute respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) from the outset of the year.
A federal judge granted a request from the League of Women Voters of Virginia to waive the requirement that a witness sign absentee ballots sent in the mail for the June primaries.

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the Virginia State Board of Elections on behalf of three voters and the League of Women Voters in U.S. District Court in Lynchburg. The ACLU argued that the social distancing guidelines recommended during the coronavirus crisis could force absentee voters who live alone to choose between not voting or risking their health by asking another person to come to their homes to witness their signatures.

Under state law, any voter who submits an absentee ballot by mail must open the envelope containing the ballot in front of another person, fill out the ballot and then ask the witness to sign the outside of the ballot envelope before it is mailed. Virginia is one of 11 states that require witnesses for absentee voters.

"In ordinary times, Virginia's witness signature requirement may not be a significant burden on the right to vote," U.S. District Judge Norman Moon wrote in his opinion. "But these are not ordinary times. In our current era of social distancing  where not just Virginians, but all Americans have been instructed to maintain a minimum of six feet from those outside their household  the burden is substantial for a substantial and discrete class of Virginia's electorate."

Republicans will pick a U.S. Senate nominee in June. Primaries for the U.S. House of Representatives include Democrats in the 5th Congressional District  which includes Franklin County and part of Bedford County  choosing a candidate to compete in the November general election.

The Republican Party of Virginia tried to step in last week to maintain the witness requirement, arguing that removing it would harm the integrity of the June 23 primaries and increase the risk of votes cast by people who are not permitted to vote.

An attorney for the party said he was unaware of any quantitative data "one way or the other" on the efficacy of witness requirements, according to the opinion.

Studies show that all forms of voting fraud are very rare in the United States. There are slightly more instances of voter fraud with mail-in systems than in-person voting. But studies show that states that do more mail-in voting have less fraud than states that only do voting by mail irregularly.

Advocates for expanded voting rights wanted to have the witness requirement suspended for all of the 2020 elections.

Attorney General Mark Herring, a Democrat, worked with the plaintiffs to reach an agreement last week that Virginia would not require witnesses for mail-in ballots for the June primaries.

"No Virginian should ever have to put their own health and safety at risk to exercise their right to vote, Herring said in a statement. Now, susceptible Virginians will not have to jeopardize their well-being and violate social distancing measures to cast their ballot by mail.

The Virginia Department of Elections is encouraging people to submit absentee ballots in the June elections to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at polling places. Voters can choose reason 2A My disability or illness on their absentee ballots.

To apply for an absentee ballot, visit elections.virginia.gov.

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To control the spread of



coronavirus in Ahmedabad city, civic authorities on Wednesday ordered the closure of all the shops except those selling milk and medicines for a week.

As per the order signed by municipal commissioner Mukesh Kumar, the shops will remain closed from May 7 midnight till 6 am on May 15.

While milk outlets and medical stores can remain open, all other shops, including thoses selling fruits, vegetables and grocery items, will remain closed, the order said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Walt Disney CEO Bob Chapek revealed Disneyland Shanghai will reopen its gates to the public on Monday.

Located in China's largest populated city, it will become the first Disney theme park to start operating again since the coronavirus outbreak began.

Mr Chapek added the company would be taking a phased approach to the reopening, with the park set to operate at around 20 per cent capacity.

Disneyland Shanghai will be open to the public once again on May 11, becoming the first Disney theme park to reopen its gates since the coronavirus outbreak

Walt Disney CEO Bob Chapek stated that guests have been 'looking forward to returning to Disneyland Shanghai' but confirmed that it will be a phased reopening of the park

The Disney CEO said: 'We know how much our guests have been looking forward to returning to Shanghai Disneyland, and our cast is excited to begin welcoming them back.

'As the park reopens with significantly enhanced health and safety measures, our guests will find Shanghai Disneyland as magical and memorable as ever.'

Disney also outlined some special procedures and measures they will be taking when the park reopens next week.

Queue lines will conform to China's social distancing guidelines with guests only allowed to enter the park if they have bought a ticket for that specific day in advance

Queue lines and spacing on rollercoaster rides will conform to social distancing guidelines, while visitors will only be able to buy tickets for specific dates and must do so in advance.

Disneyland Shanghai will also follow the Chinese government's coronavirus health procedures, which includes the screening of temperatures, and regular monitoring of guests using the Shanghai Health contact tracing system guided by QR codes.

Hand sanitizer will be available for guests at the entrance and exit of every rollercoaster ride, with increased sanitisation on attractions which have handlebars, queue railings, turnstiles or vehicles.

Spacing on rollercoaster rides will also meet social distancing regulations while hand sanitizer will be available for guests when they begin and finish a specific attraction

Disneyland workers in Shanghai will be given protective equipment, such as masks, while they will also be trained in contactless interaction with guests

Furthermore, Disneyland workers will be trained in contactless interaction with guests and they will be given protective equipment such as masks.

Shanghai Disney Resort, a complex which offers dining, shopping and other recreational operations, has been open since March 9, while Hong Kong Disneyland Resort have reopened their hotels.

As of Tuesday night, China reported a total of 82,881 cases of the virus, a total which includes 4,633 deaths.
Move on. Nothing to see here. Simon Coveney is doing his best Lieutenant Frank Drebin from 'Police Squad' act as he flails about trying to play down tensions between the Government and medical experts over the lifting of restrictions.

Comical Coveney started out the crisis praising the media.

"Media generally have been great since yesterday's announcements: informative, fair and carrying the message to the public of a need for unity of purpose across the country - thanks, we all need to work together on this one," he said in mid-March as the lockdown began. Last month, he decried false information about the coronavirus on social media, praising the "good mainstream media".

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As soon as the scrutiny doesn't suit the Government's agenda, suddenly the media can't be trusted. After a week of widely reported fractious Cabinet meetings, Comical Coveney bizarrely denies there is any tension between the Government and the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet). Even when he is presented with documentary evidence by the Irish Independent showing the Cabinet overruled health officials' advice that over-70s should keep cocooning in their homes until August, he still denies it.

Chief medical officer Tony Holohan also insisted relations between Nphet and the Government are on track.

Expand Close Dr Tony Holohan. Picture: Steve Humphreys / Facebook

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Whatsapp Dr Tony Holohan. Picture: Steve Humphreys

The minister has a bugbear about leaks in politics. God bless his naivety. Maybe he's forgotten what happened last week. Just as he seemed to forget to mention his own involvement in the Keelings debacle. He was contacted directly by the company before it flew in 189 seasonal workers from Bulgaria during the lockdown. He just didn't care to mention his role.

Coveney's own personal encounter with coronavirus was brief. After learning he had come into contact with a confirmed case 12 days previously and not showing any symptoms, he got tested and received clear results back within 48 hours. No wonder he thinks everything is awesome.

Contrast that with the 16 days Mary-Lou McDonald had to wait or the 35 days Eamon Ryan had to wait for his son's results.

Expand Close Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan. Photo: Gerry Mooney / Facebook

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Whatsapp Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan. Photo: Gerry Mooney

Being leader of an Opposition party doesn't confer any privilege. Being a Merchant Prince Minister clearly does.

The former Fine Gael leader who brought the minister into politics, John Bruton, had a mantra about government operating on "openness, transparency and accountability".

Comical Coveney is no worthy successor to the aspiration of such standards.
Police said the victim tried to run inside the Walmart as he was being punched and that he was stabbed in the abdomen near the stores front entrance. Police also said they arrested Hale at gunpoint outside the Walmart.
Shareef Elnahal knows exactly who is in his hospital.

As another month of the coronavirus pandemic ground to a close last week, about 140 beds at University Hospital in Newark are filled with patients who have either tested positive for COVID-19 disease or are awaiting test results, said Elnahal, the hospitals president and CEO. Many are fighting for their lives.

But Elnahal also knows exactly who isnt in his hospital.

Because of a state order banning elective surgeries, no one is getting knee replacements. Few are coming in for routine tests. The dental and ophthalmology clinics are quiet.

Even the cardiac and stroke units, ready to accept emergency patients, are relatively empty  probably because people in distress are afraid to come to the hospital for help.

Were not seeing the emergencies we usually see, Elnahal said. Weve seen a 40% reduction in heart attacks and strokes.

For University Hospital, the lack of patients means a lack of cash. The states only public hospital, which was in the black earlier this year, is now hemorrhaging $7.5 million a month due to the crisis. It expects to be a staggering $50 million to $70 million in the red  and in need of a major public bailout  by the end of the calendar year, Elnahal said.

Other hospitals around New Jersey tell the same ironic story. While they are struggling to treat a flood of coronavirus patients in one of the epicenters of the worldwide pandemic, they are also facing a deepening financial crisis because they dont have enough regular patients.

Coronavirus has exposed one of the stark truths of hospital economics: Emergency patients dont really pay the bills. Its the elective procedures  the joint replacements, the plastic surgeries, the pacemaker implementations  covered by health insurance that are the real moneymakers for hospitals.

When Gov. Phil Murphy issued an order banning all elective medical and dental procedures starting on March 27, the bottom fell out of many hospital budgets. That loss of that revenue, coupled with the need to quickly spend cash on more masks, gowns, face shields, respirators and staff to ramp up for coronavirus patients, left hospitals reeling.

Now, with the number of hospitalized coronavirus patients continuing to level off or decline, New Jersey hospitals are facing empty coffers.

We dont have specific impact numbers at this time, but hospitals have sustained a substantial financial impact as theyve responded to the COVID-19 emergency. Its a combination of a loss in revenue due to the suspension of services like elective procedures, along with steep increases in expenses, said Kerry McKean Kelly, a spokeswoman for the New Jersey Hospital Association, which represents about 400 health care organizations around the state.

The association, which includes more than 70 acute care hospitals, is not sure how this will all play out when the pandemic is over. Will smaller hospitals close? Will there be layoffs? Will hospitals scale back services? Will a government bailout fix everything?

COVID-19 isnt through with New Jersey yet and were still focused on the response, but the lingering financial impact on our health care system will be significant, Kelly said.

The pandemic is also an opportunity for New Jersey to take a hard look at how its hospitals are funded and whether the current system  with its complex mix of health insurance payments, charity care and federal and state funding  is broken.

We have to think very differently about public hospital funding, said Elnahal, the former state health commissioner now heading University Hospital in Newark. This is an asset that cant close.

I can't stress this enough: if you're facing a health emergency, CALL 911.



We see a steep decrease in heart attacks, strokes, and children in our @UnivHospNewark ER.



More from our own Dr. @LNelsonMD on not letting fear of #COVID19 prevent urgent care: https://t.co/h11Q2o3zQr  Shereef Elnahal, MD (@ShereefElnahal) April 29, 2020

Some hospitals have already started layoffs and furloughs. Shore Medical Center, which serves Atlantic and Cape May counties, asked its staff last month for voluntary layoffs, though a spokesman said no doctors or nurses would be let go. Hospital officials said they need to reduce staff and cut pay to top executives because Shore Medical lost too much money on canceled elective surgeries while also having to invest in personal protective equipment for COVID-19.

AtlantiCare, a chain of Jersey Shore hospitals, urgent care centers and medical offices, also furloughed or reduced hours for some workers and asked executives to take a 25% voluntary salary reduction. Also in South Jersey, Mullica Hill-based Inspira Health said it has furloughed 219 employees.

Executives at other hospitals, including the Hackensack Meridian Health chain and University Hospital in Newark, said they cant consider layoffs as a way to save money when the need for staff at their hospitals is so great as they work through the pandemic.

Government officials have acknowledged we cant have hospitals closing in the middle of a health crisis. The federal government had sent about $40 billion in emergency funding to hospitals around the country as of last week.

This virus has landed on Jersey like a sledgehammer. Bc of a screwy formula the 1st allocation of CARES Act money was a bad joke and our delegation raised hell.



This evenings allocation of $1.7B to our hospitals finally prioritizes states like #NJ carrying the heaviest burdens. pic.twitter.com/LTaIf56D8f  Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@BillPascrell) May 1, 2020

But New Jersey hospitals say they have been shortchanged because the formula to split up the money to states didnt take into account the high number of coronavirus patients they are treating compared to the rest of the country.

Because of a screwy, utterly unfair formula, the first allocation of CARES Act funding was a bad joke for our state," said Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-9th Dist.

New Jersey hospitals received about 3% of the first wave of $30 billion distributed by the federal government under the CARES Act and 2% of the $9 billion awarded in the second wave by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Because the federal government used Medicare reimbursement data to quickly calculate how much each hospital should get, New Jersey hospitals got no credit for the high number of coronavirus patients it was treating.

New Jersey averaged about $18,000 per COVID-19 case in the early rounds of federal bailout money, while Minnesota, Nebraska and Montana, where cases are low, each received more than $300,000 per case, according to Kaiser Health News.

The third round of federal hospital money, which was announced Friday, seemed to be more fairly distributed, according to some New Jersey hospital officials. The $12 billion will be split among 395 hospitals that have had at least 100 COVID-19 cases. That includes 53 hospitals in New Jersey that will get a total of $1.7 billion.

But some smaller New Jersey hospitals, especially those in South Jersey, were left out of the latest round of funding because theyve had few COVID-19 patients.

Shore Medical Center and Cape Regional Medical Center urged supporters to call Sen. Cory Booker and Sen. Robert Menendez, both D-N.J., to push for the federal government to rethink the funding rules.

Fortunately, the number of diagnosed cases in Atlantic and Cape May counties have been relatively low so far. But whether it was one patient treated or 100, Shore and Cape Regional embraced the same risk as every other hospital. Every patients life and every clinician who cared for them should be counted and valued the same as those in other hospitals in the state and across the country, hospital officials said in a statement.

Wall Street analysts have been closely tracking the health of local hospitals and hospital chains.

Moodys, the bond rating agency, changed its outlook on Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck from stable to negative last month, citing the hard hit the Bergen County hospital has taken as one of the early coronavirus hotspots.

Once the immediate crisis is over, uncertainty will remain regarding the hospitals ability to ramp up volumes and staffing given the highly competitive service area, the Moodys report said. But Moodys stopped short of downgrading Holy Names Baa2 bond rating, which helps determine how costly it will be for the hospital to borrow money.

Moodys also kept its negative outlook and Baa2 bond rating for St. Josephs Healthcare System, which has hospitals in Paterson and Wayne overseen by the Catholic Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth. Between the coronavirus outbreak the uncertain global economy, the long-term outlook for all of health care seems hazy, the report said.

The combined credit effects of these developments are unprecedented, the report said.

Neither Holy Name Medical Center nor St. Josephs Healthcare System responded to requests to comment on their financial health.

When the Murphy administration allows New Jersey hospitals to begin doing elective surgeries and procedures again, hospitals will get a bump in revenue. And federal stimulus money will help make up for the some of the losses. But many will still be in the red, said Jennifer Barr, a Moodys analyst who tracks Holy Name Medical Center and RWJ Barnabas Health in New Jersey.

Its unlikely that hospitals will be made whole for lost revenue, Barr said.

However, its important to remember heading into this crisis most hospitals in New Jersey, a high-income state with a large number of insured patients, were at a good starting point" when the pandemic began, Barr said.

Most large hospital chains have millions in reserve and investments to help them weather financial storms. Its the smaller community hospitals and rural health care centers that are the most likely to face long-term problems or possible closure.

Some hospitals are very busy, others in the country are empty, said Lisa Goldstein, a lead health care analyst for Moodys. Some very well may be on the financial bubble."

Other states that are weeks ahead of New Jersey in their recovery from their coronavirus outbreaks, including Washington state and Oregon, had similar concerns about the financial health of their hospitals. But there have been relatively few layoffs or closures, so far.

Both Oregon and Washingtons governors recently began allowing some elective procedures at hospitals. Hospital officials say it is a relief to begin treating more patients, including patients who have been waiting for surgery. But, at the same time, they are anticipating a potential second wave of coronavirus patients.

As we prepare for a potential COVID-19 surge this fall, we hope to begin offering additional medical services soon, such as cancer screenings. Patients rely on this care for their wellbeing, and we want to be there for our communities, said Cassie Sauer, president and CEO of the Washington State Hospital Association.

In New Jersey, Murphy has not said when he will begin allowing elective surgeries and routine procedures at hospitals and medical offices again. Elnahal, the head of University Hospital in Newark and one of the hospital CEOs participating in daily meetings with state officials, said it is a regular topic of conversation.

Its possible there will be a gradual return to normal hospital operations, rather than allowing all of the New Jerseys hospitals to begin allowing all surgical procedures again all at once.

Its important to know there is a spectrum of procedures, Elnahal said. I trust that decision will be made at the right time. ... When were all comfortable, well turn it on again.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Staff writer Jonathan D. Salant contributed to this report.

Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 17:23:10|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- A flexible and inflatable cargo return capsule that China sent into space for test for the first time operated abnormally during its return to the ground on Wednesday, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

Aboard the country's new large carrier rocket Long March-5B, the test capsule was launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Center on the coast of southern China's island province of Hainan on Tuesday.

Experts are now analyzing the relevant data, the agency said. Enditem
SAN ANTONIO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Cadillac Muzik is a Southern funk-inspired urban R&B band/duo that has continued to take its listeners on a mentally optimistic acid-laced journey with every project they've released. Their new project "Playa Innovators" will be releasing this July 24th, featuring a modern urban avor with an old-school soulful twist, very reminiscent of Alternative Hip Hop/Soul acts like Ceelo and Outkast. Led by Beseja "CaddyMack" Moses and Scott "DaddyDvil" Campbell, the band is rapidly climbing up the ladder independently. Not only are they growing in the music industry as artists, but they envision themselves leading the way for modern-day musicians. Nowadays, being producers, entertainers, business owners, and entrepreneurs require wearing multiple hats.

Cadillac Muzik Playa Innovators EP Cover

"Were heavily inuenced by '70s soul bands," Moses told San Antonio Current. The band's unique style and charisma profoundly inuenced people of all ages for the past 10 years. "When we started Cadillac Muzik in 2010, we never realized our authentic style had the power to inuence the characteristics of major modern acts such as Kendrick Lamar, Anderson Paak, EarthGang, and Childish Gambino," Campbell stated. The funk-avored originality of the band surrounds you with a nostalgic vibe of music greats like James Brown, George Clinton, Prince, Isley Brothers, and several Motown acts, to which the band attributes their style. In 2018, the band quickly peaked at #12 on the Billboard R&B Album Sales Charts for their project titled "Lac Gospel." The following year in 2019, they ranked #10 for R&B Album Sales, #22 for Heatseekers Albums, and #45 for Independent Albums Sales for their project "Groove Nation."

For Cadillac Muzik, arising from the eastside streets of San Antonio was a task in and of itself. Being surrounded in poverty-based crime-infested neighborhoods propelled them to move towards a positive direction in life. Making a global positive impact on others has always been their dream. "God is the only reason we are pursuing what we are doing," Moses told Texas Public Radio. With there being such a small urban music scene in San Antonio, Cadillac Muzik continues to break barriers and bring light to their community. They've managed to gain 60,000+ followers on social media, over 2 million streams, and appeared in the Billboard Charts. Nobody from their city has gotten this far in the past 25 years. Independently owned and self-proclaimed, the band will continue to evolve and add authenticity to the music industry for years to come, continuing with their upcoming project titled "Playa Innovators" scheduled to release on July 24th, 2020.

Previous Released Projects

Groove Nation (lnk.to/6Uilvbky)

Lac Gospel (lnk.to/RTZUY4Ib)

For more information:

Label: Bona Fide Mindz Ent.

Website: www.itscadillacmuzik.com

Phone: 210-549-8921 (Moses)

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/210CadillacMuzik

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cadillacmuzik

SOURCE Cadillac Muzik

Related Links

http://www.itscadillacmuzik.com


This man hires woman to slap him every time he opens Facebook; Elon Musk approves

How much do Facebook, Google earn from India? Here's what BJP lawmaker says

Sensitive FB post lands man in jail

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

Jammu, May 06: The police have arrested one person for posting sensitive and objectionable comments on Facebook in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district on Tuesday, officials said.

On the basis of a complaint, an FIR has been lodged against Rattan Singh of Ramban for a sensitive and objectionable post on the social media platform, they said.

SSP Ramban Haseebur Rehman said the FIR has been registered at Dharamkund police station in Ramban district against the accused who has been arrested in Udhampur.

Facebook bans ads with false claims about new coronavirus

He said there was tension in some areas of Sumber over the objectionable post by the accused on FB which was shared wildly on whatsapp groups.

He said IGP Jammu monitored the situation a until the case was registered and the accused arrested from Udhampur.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:

Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov has clarified the issue related to the construction of the Khudaferin and Giz Galasi hydro-junctions and hydroelectric power plants on the Araz River, Trend reports on May 6.

On February 23, 2016, the Azerbaijani and Iranian governments signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of the continuation of the construction and operation of the Khudaferin and Giz Galasi hydro-junctions and hydroelectric power plants on the Araz River, as well as in the field of joint using energy and water resources.

"This agreement is based on the principles of mutual respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both countries, Khalafov stressed. In accordance with these principles, the agreement emphasizes the importance of restoring Azerbaijans territorial integrity in accordance with the requirements of the UN resolutions.

In accordance with agreement, the parties, supporting the sovereignty, territorial integrity and interests of both countries, carry out joint activity to continue the construction, as well as in connection with the operation of the Khudaferin and Giz Galasi hydro-junctions and hydroelectric power plants on the Araz River running through the border, deputy foreign minister said.

The deputy foreign minister said that the construction of bridges, which is featured by media, must be considered within the implementation of the projects of the Khudaferin and Giz Galasi hydro-junctions and hydroelectric power plants.

"The Iranian embassy in Azerbaijan stressed that parts of dams and bridges on Azerbaijans territory is perceived by the Iranian side within Azerbaijans territorial integrity, Khalafov added. This has been reflected in the abovementioned agreement, which has been approved by the parliaments of both countries and has legal force.

Proceeding from mutual trust, friendly and good neighborly relations between Iran and Azerbaijan, we express confidence that these bridges serve to the implementation of the projects related to Khudaferin and Giz Galasi hydro-junctions and hydroelectric power plants, deputy foreign minister added.
A training programme that teaches GPs how to identify domestic violence and abuse (DVA) victims has led to a 30-fold increase in DVA referrals, according to a collaborative study of 205 general practices led by Queen Mary University of London

A training programme that teaches GPs how to identify domestic violence and abuse (DVA) victims has led to a 30-fold increase in DVA referrals, according to a collaborative study of 205 general practices led by Queen Mary University of London, in partnership with the Centre for Academic Primary Care, Bristol Medical School.

Across the world, 'lockdowns' in response to the COVID-19 pandemic are putting women at increased risk of DVA. In England, the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge, has seen a 50 per cent increase in calls compared to pre-COVID-19, along with a 400 per cent increase in web traffic

In most settings, including high-income countries, healthcare is still not responding adequately to DVA. The World Health Organization, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and Department of Health and Social Care have called for greater health sector involvement in helping those affected.

IRIS (Identification and Referral to Improve Safety) is a training and support programme to help primary care teams identify and refer women affected by DVA. It involves training the whole primary care team at GP practices (GPs, nurses, practice managers and healthcare assistants and ancillary staff) in identifying DVA in their patients.

This includes adapting electronic medical records to prompt health workers to ask further questions about DVA, when presented with clinical conditions such as depression, anxiety or injury. The programme also includes a simple referral pathway to a named DVA advocate, ensuring direct access for women to specialist services.

The latest research, published in the journal BMC Medicine, looked at 205 general practices across London over four years. It compared practices in four London boroughs which had implemented the IRIS DVA training and referral programme, with general practices in a fifth borough which only had a stand-alone education session.

The study found that the benefits seen in the 144 practices receiving the full IRIS DVA programme were substantial, increasing DVA referrals 30-fold, with no increase in the 61 practices in a comparator borough. IRIS also led to a 27 per cent increase in new identification of women affected by DVA in the implementation borough, but not in the comparator borough.

Beth, who used the DVA service as a result of the IRIS programme, said: "IRIS were the first people to get right into my life and begin to make that difference. I had stressed repeatedly about what was happening to many professionals in the past but no-one could really help to make it stop. By the time IRIS became involved I was exhausted. My Advocate Educator was incredible, so knowledgeable, patient and intent on transforming my stuck situation. I will always feel beyond grateful to her and the team at IRIS for giving me the freedom I have now. The children and I are now safe and happy. It feels amazing."

Study lead Dr Alex Sohal from Queen Mary University of London said: "This new work shows that implementation of the IRIS programme surprisingly remains highly effective at scale in day to day general practice. It allows GPs to engage constructively with DVA rather than turning their back on this vulnerable group of patients."

A previous smaller randomised controlled trial in London and Bristol found IRIS to be very effective in identifying and referring women facing domestic abuse. The IRIS programme has been funded in 41 English and Welsh sites, but in one quarter of those, funding has since stopped despite the programme being effective

Co-author Professor Chris Griffiths from Queen Mary University of London, said: "Health commissioners can now commission this programme with the confidence that it works in practice. IRIS can help GPs respond to the increased needs of women during COVID-19. Our work shows that the Mayor of London's recent investment in rolling out the IRIS DVA programme across a further seven London boroughs is an excellent use of resource. Boroughs and Violence Reduction Units across the UK should follow this lead."

Professor Rosalind Raine (Director, NIHR ARC North Thames) said: "We were delighted to be able to fund this research, which has profound implications for women and their families in great need. Our findings are timely given the new Domestic Abuse Bill in which the Government has committed to investing in domestic abuse training for responding agencies and professionals."

Co-author Professor Gene Feder of University of Bristol said: "This is a landmark study, showing that an evidence-based DVA programme commissioned within the NHS is effective and sustainable in general practice. Our findings strengthen the case for the implementation of IRIS across the whole NHS and further development of a global primary care based response to DVA."

The social enterprise IRISi, who work to improve the healthcare response to gender-based violence, have recently been helping GP teams to continue to respond to domestic abuse during the COVID-19 lockdowns, by releasing guidance on how to apply IRIS during telephone and video consultations with their patients.

###

The study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research through the NIHR North Thames Applied Research Collaboration (formerly NIHR CLAHRC North Thames).

For support, call the Freephone 24-h National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge, on 0808 2000 247, or visit http://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk.

For more information, please contact:

Joel Winston

Communications Manager (School of Medicine and Dentistry)

Queen Mary University of London

j.winston@qmul.ac.uk

Tel: +44 (0)7968 267 064

Notes to the editor

* Research paper: 'Improving the healthcare response to domestic violence and abuse in UK primary care: interrupted time series evaluation of a system-level training and support programme'. Alex Hardip Sohal, Gene Feder, Kambiz Boomla, Anna Dowrick, Richard Hooper, Annie Howell, Medina Johnson, Natalia Lewis, Clare Robinson, Sandra Eldridge & Chris Griffiths. BMC Medicine volume 18, Article number: 48 (2020).

Available here: https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-020-1506-3

About Queen Mary University of London

At Queen Mary University of London, we believe that a diversity of ideas helps us achieve the previously unthinkable.

In 1785, Sir William Blizard established England's first medical school, The London Hospital Medical College, to improve the health of east London's inhabitants. Together with St Bartholomew's Medical College, founded by John Abernethy in 1843 to help those living in the City of London, these two historic institutions are the bedrock of Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry.

Today, Barts and The London continues to uphold this commitment to pioneering medical education and research. Being firmly embedded within our east London community, and with an approach that is driven by the specific health needs of our diverse population, is what makes Barts and The London truly distinctive.

Our local community offer to us a window to the world, ensuring that our ground-breaking research in cancer, cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, and population health not only dramatically improves the outcomes for patients in London, but also has a far-reaching global impact.

This is just one of the many ways in which Queen Mary is continuing to push the boundaries of teaching, research and clinical practice, and helping us to achieve the previously unthinkable.

About the Centre for Academic Primary Care

The Centre for Academic Primary Care (CAPC) at the University of Bristol is a leading centre for primary care research in the UK, one of nine forming the NIHR School for Primary Care Research. It sits within Bristol Medical School, an internationally recognised centre of excellence for population health research and teaching. Follow us on Twitter: @capcbristol.
A man has been arrested in Michigan after CCTV footage showed him wiping his face on a dollar tree worker after being told to wear a mask, police say.

Holly Department Police said that a man entered a Dollar Tree store on Saginaw St on Saturday without a face covering, despite a statewide order mandating residents to wear masks in enclosed public spaces.

CCTV footage released by police shows a man walk back over to the employee, where he appears to wipe his face on her T-shirt.

According to police, the employee had told the man he needed to wear a face mask to remain in the store.

The man allegedly responded by saying, here, Ill just use this as a mask, before wiping his nose and face on the shirt, leaving behind bodily fluids, Holly Police Chief Jerry Narsh told CNN.

The man continued to be disruptive in the store before leaving, according to police. He reportedly did not come into contact with any other employees while he was in the store.

Oakland County prosecutor Jessica Cooper told CNN that 68-year-old Rex Howard Gomoll of Linden is facing misdemeanour charges of assault and battery.

Holly Police Department said on Monday that an arrest had been made regarding the incident but they did not disclose the identity of the suspect in a post on Facebook.

Thank you to all who shared this post, a viewer tip assisted investigators in determining the identity of the suspect, police said after sharing the security footage online in an attempt to find the culprit.

Michigan currently has more than 43,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus and more than 4,000 deaths as of Wednesday.

We are appreciative of the work of the Holly Police Department in seeing this mans irresponsible and unacceptable behaviour toward our associate was addressed promptly, Randy Guiler, vice president of investor relations at Dollar Tree Inc told CNN in a statement.
Why are you going to the office every day? Punes additional municipal commissioner Rubal Agarwals seven-year-old son asked her soon after the national lockdown was first imposed on March 25. He was under the impression that only doctors and police officers had to report to duty, Agarwal, said. That evening, however, her son and her husband Prakher Agrawal, employed at an IT company, welcomed her home with a card and some homemade delicacies  clearly the father and son had had a heart-to-heart.

An Indian Administrative Services officer of 2008 batch, Agarwal is responsible for bringing the Covid-19 pandemic under control in Pune, as she supervises the health department of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and is the chief executive officer of Pune Smart City Development Corporation Limited (PSCDCL).

The PSCDCL is responsible for updating figures: Covid-19 positive patients, deaths and those recovered. It is also tasked with keeping track of the surveys conducted among the city residents, and communicating the results to the concerned agencies.

With Pune being one of the prominent hotspots of the disease in the country  it has recorded 1890 cases till May 4  the PMCs staff of 15,000 is in the forefront of the citys response. All our 42 departments are working round-the-clock to provide back-up services apart from our medical teams, engineers and clerical staff, said Agarwal.

The PMC has established a Command Control War Room at the Smart City office. A lot of emphasis is placed on data crunching to trace and track areas where the coronavirus cases are emerging from, Agarwal said. We are maximising our efforts in those areas from where the maximum number of positive cases are emerging and undertaking extensive surveys and testing. This is the reason why Pune started getting more positive patients, she said.

Agarwals day starts at 6 am, with surya namaskar. Even after she returns from in the evening, work continues till midnight. Agarwal, like several of her ilk, has been putting in at least 14 to 18 hours of work a day since the pandemic began to sweep through the country.

With the health department falling under her charge, she regularly reviews the staff and the contact tracing efforts of positive patients, as well as taking care of quarantined people. I am also required to visit hospitals dedicated to Covid-19, said Agarwal, pointing out that as the number of positive cases was increasing in Pune, the number of quarantine facilities and isolation beds was being stepped up. Currently, Pune has 17,000 beds.

Once out of the house, she uses masks and gloves and PPE (personal protective equipment) while visiting hospitals. Her biggest concern is staffing. If the numbers of positive patients increase, additional medical staff will be needed, Agarwal said. From where should I bring them if the situation worsens? she asked.

This is, undoubtedly, the most challenging situation in my career and life; but I am confident we will win this fight against Covid-19, she said.
President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards(D-LA) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on April 29, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

Trump Denies US Role in What Venezuela Says Was Mercenary Incursion

WASHINGTONPresident Donald Trump on May 5 denied any involvement by the U.S. government in what Venezuelan officials have called a failed armed incursion in the South American country that led to the capture of two American mercenaries.

Trump made the comment to reporters at the White House after socialist Venezuelan regime leader Nicolas Maduro on May 4 said authorities there had detained two U.S. citizens working with a U.S. military veteran who has claimed responsibility for the foiled operation.

Well find out. We just heard about it, Trump said when asked about the incident and the Americans arrests. But it has nothing to do with our government.

In a state television address, Maduro said authorities arrested 13 terrorists on May 4 involved in what he described as a plot coordinated with Washington to enter the country via the Caribbean coast and oust him.

Before dawn on May 3, officials say the first attack started on a beach near Venezuelas port city of La Guaira when security forces made the first two arrests and killed eight others attempting to make a landing by speedboats.

Maduro showed what he said were the U.S. passports and other identification cards belonging to Airan Berry and Luke Denman, whom he said were in custody and had been working with Jordan Goudreau, an American military veteran who leads a Florida-based security company called Silvercorp USA.

The two detained Americans, former special operations forces members who had served with Goudreau, were believed to be in the custody of Venezuelan military intelligence, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The State Department did not provide any immediate comment on the arrests. U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, had strongly denied any U.S. government role in the incursions.

Venezuela and the United States broke diplomatic ties in 2019 amid heightened tensions, so there is no U.S. Embassy in Caracas.

Washington has waged a campaign of tough economic sanctions and diplomatic measures against Venezuela in an effort to oust Maduro, accusing him of having rigged elections in 2018.

But while Trump has repeatedly said all options are on the table, his administration has shown no apparent interest in military action as it pursues what it calls a maximum pressure strategy against Maduro.

Guaido: Maduro Seeks to Distract

Since early 2019, the United States and dozens of other countries have recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as the legitimate interim president.

But Maduro remains in power, backed by the military as well as Russia, Cuba, and China, which some U.S. officials say privately is a source of frustration for Trump.

The Venezuelan government, presiding over an economic meltdown, is also struggling to cope with the global spread of the CCP virus.

May 4 arrests come after Maduros regime on May 3 announced it had thwarted a mercenary incursion.

Goudreau released a video identifying himself as an organizer of the operation, alongside dissident Venezuelan military officer Javier Nieto. He identified one of the fighters as Commander Sequea, which appeared to be a reference to Antonio Sequea, who was identified by state television as one of the people arrested.

Silvercorps website describes Goudreau as a highly decorated Special Forces Iraq and Afghanistan veteran.

Goudreau said by telephone on May 4 that 52 other fighters had infiltrated Venezuelan territory and were in the first stage of a mission to recruit members of the security forces to join their cause.

An investigation found that Goudreau had been working with a retired Venezuelan army generalwho now faces U.S. narcotics chargesto train dozens of deserters from Venezuelas security forces at secret camps inside neighboring Colombia. The goal was to mount a cross-border raid that would end in Maduros arrest.

By Steve Holland & Matt Spetalnick

The Associated Press contributed to this report
Local governments could find their emergency powers hemmed in during future emergencies under recommendations proposed by a task force that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick set up.

State government needs an off-switch to end local disaster declarations if necessary and clarify what steps mayors, counties and school boards can take during an emergency, says the Texans Back to Work Task Force in its 114-page report.

The recent shutdown showed how the principles of representative government can be thwarted when mayors and county judges have too much power in making unilateral decisions without the agreement of the rest of the executive body, the report says.

The report comes as public pushback against emergency orders is increasing at all levels of government, particularly from conservatives.

RESTRICTIONS CHALLENGED: As COVID-19 restrictions drag on in Texas, legal challenges gain a foothold

Some coronavirus restrictions on businesses and individuals have been in place since mid-March. It is unprecedented for such sweeping orders to linger for so long. Adding to the frustration is confusion over contradictory orders from cities, counties and state government that have left people guessing about whether they have to wear a mask in public, whether they can visit parks and beaches, and which businesses can stay open.

Even the judicial system has begun to look at emergency orders in a different light. The Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to directly weigh in on business closure orders, but seemed to sympathize with those challenging them.

As more becomes known about the threat and about the less restrictive, more targeted ways to respond to [COVID-19], continued burdens on constitutional liberties may not survive judicial scrutiny, the court wrote.

The leader of Patricks task force says the patchwork of state and local emergency orders has been difficult for businesses in Texas to navigate, particularly those with multiple locations in different jurisdictions that are subject to different rules.

Obviously we're not calling for a one-size-fits-all, said Task Force Chairman Brint Ryan, founder and CEO of Ryan, LLC. But if there was a framework, you know a conceptual framework or guidelines in place, then you could achieve that local control and local initiative without confusing businesses that have to operate in more than one locale.

BACKGROUND: Dallas megadonor leads secret team charged with carrying out Dan Patricks plan to restart economy

Patrick echoed that concern, saying we cant have this patchwork where even cities in the same county can have different rules.

Patrick, as lieutenant governor, is elected statewide and presides over the Texas Senate where he plays a major role in what bills are heard in the Senate.

The new recommendations come a few weeks after State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, said he was ready to file legislation to stop the overreach of emergency orders by local governments in Houston and Harris County. Bettencourt has targeted Harris Countys attempt to release inmates from the jail as a step too far that the state Legislature is determined to rein in.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, a Democrat, has said she knows shes going to take criticism, but in the heat of the moment, she is making decisions to do her best to save lives.

Once this is over, Ill be happy to debate anybody about the decisions that were made, Hidalgo said after she put in place a face-covering requirement for all of Harris County. Thats the reason we have elected leaders.

The recommendations on local government emergency rules are just a small part of a report that had over 400 recommendations for employers, employees, state and local government and the public as the state prepares to emerge from the economic damage caused by the coronavirus.

The task force was largely comprised of business leaders around the state from a variety of industries to help make proposals on how to restart the Texas economy.

This report will help leadership and business return Texas once again to be the number one job creator in the nation, Patrick said. It is a bottom-up guide of best practices for businesses to follow as we re-open the Texas economy and prepare to rebuild after the severe damage from the long shutdown.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 17:50:58|Editor: huaxia

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WINDHOEK, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Namibia for the first time will be represented on the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Digital Transformation Advisory Council (DTAC) as a member, the country's airline, Air Namibia announced Wednesday.

Air Namibia's chief IT director, Victor Nghifindaka, will serve as a member for a period of three years effective May, the airline said in a statement.

The DTAC acts as an advisor to the Board of Governors and the IATA Director-General on matters concerning industry transformation and aviation industry data connected with international air transport.

Air Namibia's Acting CEO, Elia Erastus commended Nghifindaka of his new assignment and is confident that he will discharge his responsibilities with skill, diligence, and passion.

"This is a great milestone for the airline and the country at large since this is the first time Air Namibia is being represented on the council," he said, adding that it is humbling to see that Namibian human capital is being recognized by international bodies such as IATA to represent the region.

According to Nghifindaka, Namibia's economic aspirations to become a logistics hub can be complemented by a strong and modern aviation industry driven by digital transformation and the country should be ready for the 4th industrial revolution.

Currently, the DTAC is comprised of 11 members, who were nominated from each of the seven IATA Board geographical regions. Enditem
[May 06, 2020] Fujitsu Advances Open ROADM Innovation with Industry's First Network Design and Planning Tool

Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. today announced that the industry's first multi-vendor network design and planning tool for Open ROADM (News - Alert) networks has been selected by a Tier One service provider. FUJITSU Network Virtuora PD, an SDN-based application, optimizes and simplifies planning, design, and testing of optical networks that conform to Open ROADM specifications. As service providers strive for greater accuracy, cost efficiency and scalability - particularly with regard to critical communications infrastructure that is now more important than ever - they need advanced tools that ensure interoperability and peak performance. Virtuora PD enables closed-loop multi-vendor network design and deployment with capacity planning; and a unified view of planned and deployed networks. Virtuora PD accesses a set of common network characteristics from multiple vendors' equipment to align with service provider business processes. As a result, service providers can speed up the overall process of network design and deployment; reduce errors withzero touch provisioning; and drive out operational inefficiencies with tightly integrated Operations Support Systems (OSS) tools.



"As a contributing member of the Open ROADM Multi-Source Agreement (MSA), Fujitsu (News - Alert) is committed to the core principles of multi-vendor, software-enabled Open ROADM ecosystems," said Francois Lafontaine, vice president and head of the software business at Fujitsu Network Communications (News - Alert), Inc. "Virtuora PD is a key component in enabling open networks, helping providers overcome the disadvantages of proprietary architectures." About Fujitsu

Fujitsu 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 (TSE: 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. About Fujitsu Network Communications Inc. Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. is a leading provider of digital transformation solutions for network operators, service providers and content providers worldwide. We combine best-in-class hardware, software and services with multivendor expertise to enable cost savings, faster services delivery and improved network performance. Working closely with our customers and ecosystem partners, we design, build, operate and maintain better networks for the connected world. For more information, please see www.fujitsu.com/us/products/network or connect with us on LinkedIn (News - Alert) at www.linkedin.com/company/Fujitsu-network-communications. Fujitsu, the Fujitsu logo, "shaping tomorrow with you" are trademarks or registered trademarks of Fujitsu Limited in the United States and other countries. All rights reserved. All other company or product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Information provided in this press release is accurate at time of publication and is subject to change without advance notice. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005180/en/

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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 6)  Solicitor General Jose Calida came to the defense of the National Telecommunications Commission, which is under fire for its order to stop ABS-CBN's TV and radio broadcasts.

Why blame NTC when they are only following the law, Calida said in a statement on Wednesday, a day after the ABS-CBN went off air on NTC's cease and desist order.

Calida stressed the NTC could not allow any broadcasting entity to operate without a franchise from Congress.

The bill renewing ABS-CBNs franchise has been pending in Congress since 2016, Calida said. The question we should be asking is, why hasnt Congress acted on it? Who is at fault here?

Numerous bills have been filed seeking to grant ABS-CBN Corporation a fresh 25-year franchise.

House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said lawmakers were too busy with more pressing matters, and instead asked the NTC to give the Lopez-owned network provisional authority pending the renewal of its franchise. In February, Cayetano said those who disagree with him could take the case to the Supreme Court, adding that he is ready to face the consequences, even if it would mean being imprisoned for it. The Senate also passed a resolution asking the NTC to allow ABS-CBN to continue its operations.

The NTC earlier agreed to do so, but on the eve of the expiry of ABS-CBN's franchise, Calida warned that the regulator's commissioners may face graft charges since allowing the network to keep on airing in the absence of a franchise would be "unlawful."

ABS-CBN's franchise expired on Monday. The next day, NTC ordered it to stop broadcasting.

Grave abuse?

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon called NTC's move "grave abuse of discretion," questioning why it did not grant provisional authority to ABS-CBN now, when it had done so with other media entities in the past.

In an interview with CNN Philippines, Drilon stressed that all franchise bills must first be passed by the House before it can be approved by the Senate. Once passed, it will be up to Duterte whether to veto, sign into a law, or let it lapse into a law.

But in ABS-CBN's case, both houses of Congress said the NTC should grant provisional authority, in line with the opinion of the Department of Justice, Drilon said. He also called out Calida, the government's top lawyer, for conflict of interest.

"Si SolGen Calida with all due respect, siya po ang abogado ng NTC bilang SolGen. E sa aming mga abogado ang tawag diyan ay conflict at practice na hindi dapat gawin dahil hindi mo naman dapat kasuhan ang kliyente mo. You should defend your client," Drilon said.

[Translation: SolGen Calida, with all due respect, is the lawyer of the NTC as SolGen. To us lawyers, that is conflict and a practice that should not be done since you cannot file a case against your client. You should defend your client.]

Calida said he was only fulfilling his "duty to advise the NTC of what is legal or not."

What's next for ABS-CBN?

The fight is not over for ABS-CBN, since the NTC's order can be taken to the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court, questioning the commission's grave abuse of discretion, Drilon said.

ABS-CBN's shutdown hogged headlines as more than 11,000 media workers lost their jobs amid the coronavirus disease pandemic. It was heavily criticized as an attack on press freedom, since President Rodrigo Duterte had publicly lashed out at the ABS-CBN and warned that he would block the renewal of its franchise, over the network's refusal to carry his campaign commercials even if they have been already paid for.

In late February, Duterte accepted ABS-CBN's apology for airing a political advertisement of the opposition in 2016 which offended him. He was then a mayor gunning for the presidential post.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Wednesday said Duterte is "completely neutral" on the issue, and lawmakers should act on ABS-CBN's franchise renewal bid without worrying about what the President would feel.
(Newser)  Human trials for another possible coronavirus vaccine have begun in the US, this time from Big Pharma giant Pfizer, reports Reuters. The company is partnering with a German firm, BioNTech, and if all goes well, the vaccine could be available for high-risk people in September, per the New York Times. As is now normal with COVID-19, researchers are speeding up the usual process, in this case by testing four versions of the vaccine at the same time, explains the Washington Post. Trials are taking place in Germany, too. This is the eighth potential vaccine to enter human trials, including another in the US that began in Seattle in March. Another of the eight, from researchers at Oxford University in the UK, also hopes to have shots available in the fall.

story continues below

"The pandemic came upon us, fast and furious, and we didnt have a lot of time to do years of research," says Pfizer exec Kathrin Jansen. "Because of the urgency and the crisis, we said, 'What can we do to shorten the development time for a vaccine?'" The Pfizer contender uses genetic material called messenger RNA to "trick" a person's immune system into rendering the coronavirus harmless, per the Post. In the US, the first stage will involve 360 healthy volunteers, but the trials will eventually have 8,000 participants at four locations: The Grossman School of Medicine in New York, the University of Maryland School of Medicine, the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York, and the Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center. (Read more coronavirus vaccine stories.)
Top health officials of the Trump administration repeatedly warned the multiple warnings with regard to the coronavirus pandemic, including the alleged poor quality of malaria drug hydroxychloroquine from India and Pakistan, a fired American scientist has said in a whistleblower complaint.

In a complaint filed on Tuesday before the US Office of Special Counsel, which oversees protection of whistleblowers, Rick Bright alleged that top officials of the Department of Health and Human Services repeatedly ignored his messages and that of others with regard to personal protective equipment and medicines like hydroxychloroquine in particular.

When fired, Bright was head of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, a research agency within the Health and Human Services (HHS) Department. He reported directly to Robert Kadlec, the assistant secretary of preparedness and response at the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Dr Bright remained extremely concerned about the drugs importation from Pakistan and India because the FDA had not inspected the drugs or the factory that produced them, the complaint said.

In Dr Brights experience, drugs from uninspected factories can be contaminated or dosed improperly, and this could obviously be dangerous to those who took the medication. Apparently unconcerned about this known danger, Dr Kadlec and others in the administration sought to flood the marketplace with these drugs, it alleged.

The Trump administration has imported nearly five crore units of the malaria drug, hydroxychloroquine, which in March had received Emergency Use Authorisation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The Trump administration, the complaint said, was not interested in hearing from Bright and his department or subject matter experts.

Dr Bright and his team had apparently spent all their political capital in their effort to limit chloroquine and rushing into a potentially dangerous situation and that there was no one to help stop the push to flood the country with this unproven and potentially dangerous drug, the complaint said.

He concluded that his only remaining avenue was to share his concerns with the journalist who understood the specific issue and risks associated with these drugs and who had already gathered substantial information from multiple sources, it added.

The complaint alleged that HHS Secretary Alex Azars directive to secure a Nationwide Expanded Access IND protocol for chloroquine, based on scant scientific evidence and on such a short time-frame, sent Bright and his colleagues scrambling.

Within the hour, Bright had called a meeting of Dr Linda Lambert, Chief Medical Officer Dr Robert Walker, Director of Regulatory and Quality Affairs Dr Tremel Faison, and Drs Johnson, Disbrow and Houchens to discuss the directive.

The group expressed serious concerns about a Nationwide Expanded Access IND protocol for chloroquine given the lack of clinical data available about its therapeutic benefits and concerns about its potential safety risks, especially if administered without close physician supervision, it said.

Bright and his FDA colleagues were also concerned about the quality and potential toxicity of the chloroquine supplies produced and shipped in from facilities in India and Pakistan that were not approved by the FDA and therefore, not approved to be used in the US marketplace.

The HHS clinical and regulatory expert teams worked frantically for 48 hours without sleep to come up with a plan that would ensure the greatest level of safety for people who received this drug.

They discussed narrower options for the rollout, including a small pilot study, and established an inter-agency working group of clinical and regulatory experts to determine the safest way to make the unproven drug available without causing harm to the American public, the complaint said.

When fired earlier, Bright alleged that he was ousted because of his insistence that the government spend funds on safe and scientifically-vetted solutions to address the coronavirus crisis and not on drugs, vaccines and other technologies that lack scientific merit.
When China was an impoverished country trying to make its own way in a world that didn't recognize it, American nationalists and neo-conservatives accused China of being unresponsible and unconcerned about the world order. Now that China is sending medical supplies and experts abroad, China is accused of trying to cause other countries to be "dependent."

Surely, if China were to put restrictions on the exports of masks and gloves, similar to those restrictions the U.S. placed on exports in April, China would also be attacked!

It's a double bind. The reality is that China hawks want to bash China no matter what. They'll look for justification later.

Not to say that China's government does everything right. However, if China hawks nitpick every single thing China does under all circumstances, they will lose credibility (and are, indeed, already losing credibility). On the list of things for which it could be legitimately criticized, producing and selling masks, antibiotics, and drugs worldwide is not there.

Yet, there have been articles published in the Washington Post, Washington Times, Washington Examiner, National Review, Politico, and The Hill about the fact that Chinese factories produce so much of the world's supply of antibiotics and generic drugs. Washington political professionals think this is a problem, and they want ordinary Americans to think so, too.

The fact of the matter is that the United States is actually the third-leading country for pharmaceutical exports. But those are mostly expensive brand name drugs under patent protection. The U.S. doesn't produce everyday antibiotics and generic drugs. And that's because they aren't considered profitable enough for American companies.

It's not China's fault that American companies stopped producing antibiotics with low profit margins. The U.S. used to have thousands of companies doing so in the 1980s, but most of them had ceased production by the start of the new century.

American drug policy gives heavy subsidies to the creation of new drugs and allows companies to price gouge the poor ailing consumer. Lawmakers refuse to change policy largely because their election campaigns are funded by the pharmaceutical giants.

The problem is not that China produces so many much-needed drugs. The cause of the purported problem is that the United States does not. According to a 2015 article in National Geographic, "[antibiotics] are sold for relatively low prices, compared for instance to cancer drugs  not making antibiotics is a rational choice for a private company that answers to the demands of shareholders and analysts, even if that choice deprives the wider world of a wider good."

The problem is an economic and political system that prioritizes corporate profit. That's also why it is hard for the U.S. to produce enough chemical reactants to use with coronavirus tests.

Now, it shouldn't be a huge problem if America can get its antibiotics from China, which we do, along with ibuprofen and hydrocortisone. It's how commerce works for people to buy and sell across borders. And China continues to sell drugs to America and to the world.

But these China hawks also have the fear that someday China might cut off its drug supply. It's a fear that, so far, exists more in the minds of lawmakers than in actual practice.

Same with medical supplies. It's not China who is refusing to provide other countries with masks. One of the main reasons that Italy is "depending" on China is because EU countries did nothing. When Italy put out a notice to the EU commission asking for provisions, none of its European neighbors responded.

Elisabeth Braw of the Royal United Services Institute wrote in Foreign Policy that the EU "abandoned" Italy. China, by contrast, put nine experts and 31 tons of supplies onto a jet for immediate delivery to Italy.

However, while the fear of a cut-off might be exaggerated, it is still a country's solemn responsibility to prepare itself for any potential risk. So, it is not a completely wrongheaded idea for the U.S. to consider producing more drugs domestically.

There is precedent for countries enacting export bans and import bans either to put political pressure on their adversaries or to protect national stock. As previously noted, the U.S. did place export bans on N95 face masks, and France maintains an export ban on COVID-19 drugs, ignoring an EU insistence that this be rescinded.

It is extremely hypocritical for the U.S. to cite the hypothetical threat of China potentially using its trade policy as a weapon against America, when the U.S. has been using trade policy as a weapon against China for the past two years, which was the explicit goal of the Trump administration raising tariffs on China.

The New York Times wrote that the administration "attempted to force China to change the way it does business." White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow said, "We're not going to give up our leverage."

Perhaps some of those American op-ed writers who write warnings that China would use drugs as a weapon are just projecting their own thinking.

Mitchell Blatt is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/MitchellBlatt.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn.
YEREVAN.  What is the point of these tightening of getting gloves and masks at the entrance of the NA [National Assembly sessions] hall? If there is a sick person, let's tell them not to come, or let's all of us go and take a test. Edmon Marukyan, chairman of the opposition Bright Armenia party and head of the Bright Armenia faction in parliament, stated this in the NA Wednesday, noting that NA speaker Ararat Mirzoyan, who is chairing the sitting, has neither a mask nor a glove.

"There is such a new epidemic in the world, including in Armenia, due to the coronavirus," Mirzoyan said in response. "Now no one is forced to do anything, the MPs are offered to take a mask and a glove at the entrance of the hall; you may wear, you may not.

Yes, there is a suspicion, perhaps a reasonable suspicion, that one of the employees of the NA has had contact [with a person with COVID-19]. Until the circumstances become clear, we are all taking preventive measures a little more stringently.

I would like to inform that a few days after the state of emergency was declared, I said that all the MPs who would have concerns and would prefer not to participate in the sittings, those absences would be consider acceptable. [But] I will come to work until the last day [of the current state of emergency]."
<! Buhari Nigerias oil minister: Revenue dries up >

Despite Brent-crude futures rallying in recent weeks, Nigeria, is facing a fast-looming future without reliance on fiscal revenue from its massive oil wealth, Bloomberg has reported.

Amid the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has brought to a halt economic activity and travel, demand for crude has been crippled, resulting in a dramatic oversupply.

Accordingly, a glut of Nigerian oil has been bringing the country about $10 less than the $30 a barrel registered on Tuesday.

Its now dawned on everyone across the country how severe this threat is. There is a possibility that at least for three to five years, theres going to be no revenue flowing to the government from oil, Andrew Nevin, a partner and chief economist for Nigeria at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, told Blooomberg.

Once oil prices, which normally contribute about half of Nigerias fiscal revenue, are at around $20 a barrel, Nigeria receives very little cash for its crude, Nevin of PwC was cited as saying at a webinar on 30 April.

Current global measures to fight the spread of COVID-19, with lockdown procedures, travel bans and shut industries, have driven oil prices to new lows where they fail to cover the costs of pumping barrels for many of Nigerias companies, writes the outlet.

Despite such low prices, on 5 April traders were cited as acknowledging that around a quarter of Nigerias oil cargoes for his month were still awaiting buyers, with at least six tankers used as storage space for about 4.5 million barrels of crude were idling off Gibraltar and nearby Ceuta.

According to tanker tracking data cited by Bloomberg, the tankers, floating in the area since the end of March, were about to be joined by another one.

Despite such low prices, on 5 April traders were cited as acknowledging that around a quarter of Nigerias oil cargoes for his month were still awaiting buyers, with at least six tankers used as storage space for about 4.5 million barrels of crude were idling off Gibraltar and nearby Ceuta.

According to tanker tracking data cited by Bloomberg, the tankers, floating in the area since the end of March, were about to be joined by another one.

On Tuesday Nigerias Finance Minister spoke in a webinar to deplore the twin challenge of dealing with the coronavirus epidemic itself and economic impact from it facing the country.

Its a double whammy. This has set us back significantly, said Zainab Ahmed.

Clement Agba, minister of state for budget and national planning, echoed the dismal forecasts, saying: It is no longer a secret that government revenues have collapsed.

Nigeria was already struggling before the pandemic, as a US shale oil boom had slashed the countrys crude exports to America.

About 40 to 50 percent of the oil was typically sent to the US.

Amid the dire forecasts, Nigeria has sought a $3.4 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to shore up the countrys 2020 spending plan.

Its also requested a further $3.5 billion from the World Bank and other financial institutions.

In late April, the IMF reviewed its earlier forecast of an anticipated 2 per cent growth of Nigerias economy, predicting it would shrink by 3.4 percent in 2020.

According to the IMF, crude revenues were predicted to decline by $26.5 billion this year, down from $54.5 billion in 2019.

With oil making up 9 percent of the Nigerian economy, crude exports fetch over 90 per cent of foreign exchange earnings.

This is a period of crisis Job losses are imminent across the petroleum industry. The impact of this will start reflecting from June and July.

The reality is that some members will certainly be impacted.

What matters most to us is how to manage the process of any of such expected exit, Shell Nigerias Fortune Obi, a spokesman of the countrys oil union for senior workers, was quoted as confirming.

The economic downfall could spark social unrest in a country that has witnessed spells of militant violence for years, with oil facilities often targeted by protesters lashing out against allegedly unfair practices by the government and large oil companies.

Regarding possible future government measures, experts predict there will be pressure to keep oil wells pumping, with focus on maximizing revenue by slashing output from high-cost producers.

Deep offshore operators would potentially be the hardest hit from such moves, said Cees Uijlenhoed, chief financial officer First Exploration & Petroleum Plc.

He added, optimistically, that prices might tentatively reach around $50 a barrel by the end of 2020.
Nuns belonging to Little Sisters of Poor outside the Supreme Court in Washington on March 23, 2016. On May 6, 2020, counsel representing the order was again before the Supreme Court. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

Catholic Nuns Battle Contraceptive Mandate in Supreme Court

The Trump administration told the Supreme Court on May 6 that an exemption given to religious organizations allowing them not to offer contraceptive coverage should be upheld.

Under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, most employers have to make cost-free contraceptives available. Churches were exempted.

Oral arguments took place telephonically at the Supreme Court in the cases cited as Little Sisters of the Poor v. Pennsylvania and Trump v. Pennsylvania, which were consolidated and heard together. Although the court scheduled one hour for the hearing, it lasted about an hour and 40 minutes.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who turned 87 in March, participated in the hearing from a hospital where, according to a court official, she has been receiving non-surgical treatment for acute cholecystitis, a benign gallbladder condition.

The Little Sisters of the Poor, a religious order and charity that operates facilities nationwide, describes itself on its website as an international congregation of Roman Catholic women  founded in 1839 by Saint Jeanne Jugan  [who] serve the elderly poor in over 30 countries around the world.

The 2011 Obama-era contraception mandate has spurred more than 100 lawsuits from private individuals, religious groups, state governments, and businesses that objected to it on religious grounds. In October 2017, the Trump administration issued a regulation exempting religious groups from complying with the Obamacare mandate.

The government said it had been wrong to try to compel the Little Sisters and others to provide services such as the morning-after pill in their health plans because doing so violated their religious beliefs.

President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 13798 in May 2017, taking steps to protect Americans fundamental rights of conscience and religious liberty.

EO 13798 directs that all executive departments and agencies  to the greatest extent practicable and to the extent permitted by law, respect, and protect the freedom of persons and organizations to engage in religious and political speech.

The Little Sisters and other religious organizations dont want to have to cover birth control. The Trump administration exempted them from the mandate, but last year, the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an injunction blocking the exemption.

Pennsylvania, which doesnt have a state-level contraceptive mandate, sued the Trump administration to take away the religious exemption, noting it already has many of its own government programs that provide contraceptives to women who seek them. Pennsylvanias position is that the Little Sisters have to comply with the federal mandate or pay tens of millions of dollars in fines.

Texas and 15 other states filed a friend-of-the-court brief in support of the Little Sisters, as did 92 Republican lawmakers, including U.S. Sens. John Cornyn of Texas and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, and U.S. Reps. Kevin Brady of Texas and Thomas Massie of Kentucky.

During oral arguments, Chief Justice John Roberts expressed frustration that the long-running legal dispute has not yet been settled.

The problem is that neither side in this debate wants the accommodation to work, he told Paul Clement, who represents Little Sisters of the Poor. Is it really the case that there is no way to resolve those differences?

U.S. Solicitor General Noel Francisco argued that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act permits the exemptions from the mandate.

Justice Ginsburg would have none of it, coming down hard on Francisco during the question-and-answer session.

You have just tossed entirely to the wind what Congress thought was essential, that is, that women be provided these  services, with no hassle, no cost to them. Instead, you are shifting the employers religious beliefs, the cost of that, on to these employees who do not share those religious beliefs.

Francisco said he rejected the premise of the question because theres nothing in the [Obamacare statute], as this court previously recognized in its ruling in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby (2014) that requires contraceptive coverage. That decision held that corporations have to be exempted from the mandate if offering contraception would run afoul of its owners sincerely held religious beliefs.

Chief Deputy Attorney General of Pennsylvania Michael J. Fischer told the court the other side was being disingenuous.

These arguments make apparent that what this case is about is not the resolution of a long-running dispute but rather the assertion of vast agency authority at the expense of Congress and the courts, he said.

Justice Clarence Thomas broke his usual silence during hearings to ask Clement about the proliferation of nationwide injunctions, such as the one in this case.

I think that its particularly inappropriate to have a nationwide injunction in a case like this, Clement said, adding that the courts have not come to uniform decisions on this contraceptive mandate.

For a single district court judge to think that he or she has a monopoly on the reasoning here and impose a remedy that affects people across the nation is damaging, he said. These nationwide injunctions short-circuit the judicial process and put enormous pressure on this court and it forces this court to hear cases in emergency postures.
Phuket officials release details of islands third COVID death

PHUKET: Vachira Phuket Hospital Director Dr Chalermpong Sukontapol has released details of the death of the 69-year-old Australian man who became the third fatality on the island directly related to COVID-19, including that the man had received hospital treatment for 38 days.

COVID-19Coronavirusdeath

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 6 May 2020, 08:18PM

Vachira Phuket Hospital Director Dr Chalermpong Sukontapol said the man had received hospital treatment for 38 days. Screenshot: PR Phuket / Facebook

Speaking at a press conference held at Phuket Provincial Hall this afternoon (May 6), Dr Chalermpong explained that the man, who worked as a hotel manager in Khao Lak, had several preexisting health conditions.

The man had asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), high blood pressure and he was overweight, Dr Chalermpong said.

The man already had breathing difficulties, he added.

The mans family lived in Nai Harn, where he stayed in a house together with his wife, two children, and a relatives child, he said.

The man had constant close contact with other foreigners. He went to a private clinic three times, on Mar 21, 24, and 27, for coughing and fever, Dr Chalermpong explained today.

On Mar 28, the man was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital, where he underwent an x-ray examination and tested for COVID-19.

On Mar 29, the results confirmed that he tested positive for the virus, and doctors started him on a course of antibiotics, Dr Chalermpong said.

Officials publicly reported that the man had tested positive for the virus, as Case 63, on Mar 31.

On Apr 1, the infection in the mans lungs became worse, and doctors had to change the antibiotics being administered, Dr Chalermpong said.

On April 7, there was infection in his blood and high fever, he continued.

From April 8-20, the mans condition kept deteriorating. His lungs became smaller and his kidneys started work improperly, and he was put on dialysis, Dr Chalermpong said.



On April 21, the infection on the lungs spread even further, making breathing even more difficult.

On April 22-30, the man suffered renal failure and needed dialysis every day, Dr Chalermpong noted.

From May 1-5, his symptoms became critical and he became unconscious, and eventually he passed away at 5:35pm, Dr Chalermpong said.

The man had received medical treatment for 38 days, he added.

Dr Chalermpong today said that 33 people had high risk exposure to this patient. Four people had close contact with him, and only one person had been confirmed as infected from this patient.

On Apr 3 officials confirmed that a Thai woman, 56, an accountant at a hotel in Nai Harn, had been confirmed as infected (Case 91), The woman had a history of contact with the 69-year-old Australian hotel manager. The woman also had a history of contact with foreign tourists. The woman became ill on Mar 14. Twelve people had high risk exposure to her.

The next day (Apr 4), that womans daughter, a Thai woman, 27, who worked as a Chinese language teacher, was confirmed as infected with COVID-19 (Case 107). The daughter was also reported to have had close contact with foreign tourists. However, the report at that time did not note when the daughter became ill, but did mark that no people had high risk exposure to this patient.
boonchai wedmakawand

Coronavirus scams are on the rise  and thieves are targeting your financial relief from the government. Federal agencies like the IRS, Federal Trade Commission, Social Security Administration and FBI have warned consumers and business owners in recent weeks to be vigilant as fraudsters try to take advantage of them during the coronavirus pandemic. "Whenever crises erupt, the scammers and fraudsters have a heyday," Sally Greenberg, executive director of the National Consumers League, a consumer advocacy group, told CNBC earlier.

There's a been a surge in financial fraud related to the $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief law enacted in late March. The law included one-time stimulus payments to American households, billions of dollars in low-interest loans to small businesses and greater unemployment benefits, among other things. Americans lost $13.4 million to coronavirus-related fraud from the beginning of the year through mid-April, according to the FTC. The scope of fraudulent activity may be significantly higher since the FTC report is based solely on consumer complaints.

Small business loans

Stimulus checks

Con artists have also taken aim at the stimulus payments Americans began receiving from the IRS last month. Individuals are eligible for up to $1,200 and married couples could get up to $2,400. Families receive an extra $500 per eligible child. Bad actors may try to ensnare the unwary through nefarious means like fake-check scams, phone calls and e-mail phishing scams that aim to steal consumers' personal information, officials warned.

Whenever crises erupt, the scammers and fraudsters have a heyday. Sally Greenberg executive director of the National Consumers League

Google reported seeing 18 million daily malware and phishing e-mails related to COVID-19 over a one-week period in mid-April alone. "While you are waiting to hear about your economic impact payment, criminals are working hard to trick you into getting their hands on it," according to Don Fort, the head of criminal investigations at the IRS. Taxpayers should be wary of emails, text messages, websites and social media trumpeting messages about stimulus checks or stimulus payments that request money or personal information, the IRS said.

Scam artists may use this information to commit tax fraud, identity theft or steal money from financial accounts. Social Security officials also warned recipients this week of providing personal information or payment via retail gift cards, wire transfers, internet currency or by mailing cash to maintain Social Security benefits or receive the Treasury's payments. There's been a 209% increase in criminals' use of senior citizens' personally identifiable information to commit fraud, according to the firm IDology, which largely attributes the uptick to Covid-19. The company compared averages over August-January and February-March.

Unemployment

Scammers are also trying to trick jobless Americans into forking over some of their unemployment benefits. More than 30 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits over approximately the last month and half.

Con artists are seizing on the pandemonium of people rushing to file for unemployment benefits. Amid the schemes is one in which scammers offer to help individuals file for unemployment insurance benefits, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General. The CARES Act boosted weekly unemployment pay, increased the duration of benefits and extended it to previously ineligible groups like the self-employed. Fraudsters posing as a state unemployment officials may also contact people and ask for unemployment insurance overpayments to be paid back by credit card or gift card. However, individuals who received an over-payment will only be contacted by mail through the U.S. Postal Service, officials said.

seksan Mongkhonkhamsao

Protect yourself
States and union territories (UTs) have so far lifted 69.28 lakh tonnes of foodgrains under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Anna Yojana (PMGAY) for free distribution to the poor ration card holders and help them sail through the COVID-19 crisis, according to the Union Food Ministry.

Around 14 states/UTs have lifted foodgrains for one month, 18 states for two months and five UTs for the entire three months in one go under the PMGAY, it added.

In March-end, the government announced free distribution of 5 kg foodgrains to each of 81 crore ration card holders for three months from April to June. This is over and above 5 kg allocation at a subsidised rate to each beneficiary under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).

"There has been enthusiastic response from the state governments against this scheme and a quantity of 69.28 lakh tonnes has already been lifted up to May 6," the ministry said in a statement.

This means, about57 per cent of the total allocation of 120 lakh tonnes has been lifted so far under the scheme.

Though overall lifting has been encouraging, the ministry said there are variations among the states in the pattern of lifting under the scheme.

So far, five UTs including Chandigarh, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar, Ladakh and Lakshadweep have lifted entire three months' foodgrains under the PMGAY.

About 18 states including Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh have lifted foodgrains for two months.

About 14 states such as Punjab, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Bihar, Gujarat, Assam, Manipur and Nagaland have lifted foodgrains for one month.

"Every support is being extended to the states by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) for completing the lifting of stocks in the earliest," the ministry said.

The Centre is incurring an expenditure of about Rs 46,000 crore for supply of free grains under the PMGAY, which is being implemented without any financial burden on state governments, it added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An Amazon worker at a warehouse in New York where employees called for greater coronavirus safety measures has died of COVID-19, the e-commerce giant said Tuesday.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of an associate at our site in Staten Island, NY," Amazon spokesperson Lisa Levandowski said in a statement emailed to AFP.

"His family and loved ones are in our thoughts, and we are supporting his fellow colleagues," she added.

Amazon has become a lifeline for consumers facing lockdowns and restrictions around the world, and the company is in the process of adding some 175,000 new employees to cope with surging demand.

But the company has also faced protests from warehouse workers and activists who claim Amazon has failed to do enough to keep them safe.

More than a dozen demonstrators, including employees and activists, protested outside the Staten Island warehouse last week.

In March, New York Attorney General Letitia James called for an investigation after Amazon fired employee Chris Smalls after he organized a walkout of workers at the warehouse.

Smalls claimed the company was failing to take precautions to protect warehouse staff from COVID-19, and said that between 50 and 60 employees at the facility had contracted the illness.

Amazon said Smalls was fired after he went to work after coming in contact with someone who had contracted the virus, in a violation of quarantining rules.

Amazon insists it has invested to protect staff and says the rate of infection at the Staten Island facility is significantly below the community rate.

New York is the worst-hit state in the country, with over 320,000 declared cases and around 20,000 deaths.

On Monday, Tim Bray, an Amazon vice president, said he had resigned in protest at company sacking three staff who spoke out against treatment in warehouses.

In France, Amazon has been locked in a battle with labor unions which say not enough was done to mitigate contagion risk for staff working in close proximity to process a flood of orders amid the nationwide lockdown.

France's labor ministry said it had denied a request by Amazon for emergency funds to pay employees during the coronavirus crisis after the US behemoth shut its warehouses following a court order to sell only essential items.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

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New Delhi, May 6 : National carrier Air India is all set to operate the first 'special ferry' flight from New Delhi to Singapore on Thursday, under India's massive 'Vande Bharat Mission' to bring back its stranded citizens from abroad.

Following the laid-down Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) which were released on Tuesday, the airline has tested its pilots and crews for Covid-19 and is expecting their reports by Thursday afternoon.

The aircraft has been readied and Air India has also taken care of all other logistical aspects to embark on this mission.

According to highly placed sources, the Delhi-Singapore flight will be the first in the 64 ferry services which will be operated by the airline and its subsidiary Air India Express from May 7-13. It will also be the only one to be operated on Thursday.

"There is no delay in our flight operations, we are following all the set guidelines, which were released only yesterday. In such a short while we have achieved readiness and are only awaiting the final test report," a source told IANS.

India will commence one of the world's largest air rescue operations from May 7, when the two airlines will start the first phase of the mission. As per plans, these two airlines will operate 64 flights in 7 days to bring back 14,800 stranded Indians from 12 countries. Overall, more than 190,000 Indian nationals, who would have to pay a one-way ferry service charge, are expected to be brought back in an airlift operation that might last couple of weeks or even more.

In comparison, three decades ago, Air India led a group of airlines which included Indian Airlines and Aeroflot as well as IAF to rescue an estimated 111,711 Indians from the Gulf, after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. The 59-day operation involved 488 flights and was conducted before the first Gulf war. This time, the exercise will encompass flights to the US in the west to the Philippines in the east. As per the plan, 10 flights will be operated to the UAE to bring Indians from May 7-13, while 7 will be sent to the US, 7 to Malaysia and 5 to Saudi Arabia, amongst others.

Subsequently, the passengers availing these flights will be charged for the one-way ferry service, as the national carrier is already in a financial turmoil. Lately, despite its precarious financial position, the flag carrier has emerged as one of the few airlines in the world that have evacuated more than 9,000 passengers during the Covid-19 crisis.

The airline to date has carried out massive flight operations to China, Japan and Europe to bring back stranded Indians, mostly students and pilgrims. Additionally, the airline has been instrumental in repatriating foreigners to Israel, UK and Germany. Moreover, Air India and its subsidiary Alliance Air has reached every corner of the country to supply essential medical equipment.

(Rohit Vaid can be contacted at rohit.v@ians.in)
Facebook faces a storm over the make-up of its new $130million 'politically neutral' supreme court after it was swamped with left-wing luminaries including ex-Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger and Neil Kinnock's daughter-in-law.

Critics have accused Mark Zuckerberg of 'blowing' his chance of setting up a 'meaningful' and 'politically balanced' oversight committee for the social media giant because so few of its members have conservative credentials.

They will be charged with hearing appeals against the way the social network moderates content and chooses advertising as well as privacy issues and fake news.

But Tory MP Andrew Bridgen says the board's make-up will hurt the company and 'alienate' users, telling MailOnline: It seems strange that any company which aims to offer services to a population would consistently recruit to positions of considerable responsibility individuals with what are clearly minority political views. It is not only bad practice  its also bad business and risks alienating the majority of their customer base.

Denmark's first female prime minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the wife of Labour MP Stephen Kinnock, son of ex-party leader Neil, is among the big names appointed to the powerful group. The social democrat was elected in 2011 on a pro-immigration, high tax manifesto before losing power in 2015 and is now chief executive of Save the Children.

British former Liberal Democrat MP leader Sir Nick Clegg, now head of public affairs at Facebook, is said to have been instrumental in the decision to appoint Alan Rusbridger. He was editor of the left-leaning Guardian newspaper for 20 years, which was chosen by Edward Snowden to publicise his NSA leaks and campaigned against the extradition of Julian Assange to the United States.

He has recently argued that US TV should stop live broadcasting Donald Trump's White House press conferences claiming the President was 'spreading disinformation'.

Tory MP Damian Green, a member of the UK's Culture, Media, and Sport committee told the Telegraph Mark Zuckerberg's social network was 'failing miserably to provide confidence in the board's political balance', adding: 'Globally, Facebook is much more important than any newspaper or broadcaster, so it has a consequent responsibility to demonstrate it is open to a range of views.'

Scroll down for the full list of members

The board was first proposed by Facebook co-founder and chief Mark Zuckerberg in 2018, and the California-based internet giant has set up a foundation to fund it, costing $130m

Former Danish prime minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, wife of Labour MP Stephen Kinnock, son of Neil Kinnock, is one of the chairs of Facebook's independent oversight panel sometimes referred to as a 'supreme court'. Former editor of the left-wing Guardian Newspaper Alan Rusbridger has also been appointed to the so-called court

The 20 members of Facebook's 'Supreme Court' Afia Asantewaa Asare-Kyei - A human rights advocate who works on women's rights, media freedom and access to information issues across Africa at the Open Society Initiative for West Africa. Evelyn Aswad - A University of Oklahoma College of Law professor who formerly served as a senior State Department lawyer and specializes in the application of international human rights standards to content moderation issues Endy Bayuni - A journalist who twice served as the editor-in-chief of The Jakarta Post, and helps direct a journalists' association that promotes excellence in the coverage of religion and spirituality. Catalina Botero Marino, co-chair - A former U.N. special rapporteur for freedom of expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States who now serves as dean of the Universidad de los Andes Faculty of Law. Katherine Chen - A communications scholar at the National Chengchi University who studies social media, mobile news and privacy, and a former national communications regulator in Taiwan. Nighat Dad - A digital rights advocate who offers digital security training to women in Pakistan and across South Asia to help them protect themselves against online harassment, campaigns against government restrictions on dissent, and received the Human Rights Tulip Award. Jamal Greene, co-chair - A Columbia Law professor who focuses on constitutional rights adjudication and the structure of legal and constitutional argument. Pamela Karlan - A Stanford Law professor and Supreme Court advocate who has represented clients in voting rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and First Amendment cases, and serves as a member of the board of the American Constitution Society. Karlan had been asked to describe the differences between a U.S. president and a king during Trump's impeachment hearing when she brought up the first son's name. 'The Constitution says there can be no titles of nobility, so while the president can name his son Barron, he can't make him a baron,' Karlan told lawmakers. She later apologised. Tawakkol Karman - A Nobel Peace Prize laureate who used her voice to promote nonviolent change in Yemen during the Arab Spring, and was named as one of 'History's Most Rebellious Women' by Time magazine. Maina Kiai - A director of Human Rights Watch's Global Alliances and Partnerships Program and a former U.N. special rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association who has decades of experience advocating for human rights in Kenya. Sudhir Krishnaswamy - A vice chancellor of the National Law School of India University who co-founded an advocacy organization that works to advance constitutional values for everyone, including LGBTQ+ and transgender persons, in India. Ronaldo Lemos - A technology, intellectual property and media lawyer who co-created a national internet rights law in Brazil, co-founded a nonprofit focused on technology and policy issues, and teaches law at the Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Michael McConnell, co-chair - A former U.S. federal circuit judge who is now a constitutional law professor at Stanford, an expert on religious freedom, and a Supreme Court advocate who has represented clients in a wide range of First Amendment cases involving freedom of speech, religion and association. Julie Owono - A digital rights and anti-censorship advocate who leads Internet Sans Frontieres and campaigns against internet censorship in Africa and around the world. Emi Palmor - A former director general of the Israeli Ministry of Justice who led initiatives to address racial discrimination, advance access to justice via digital services and platforms and promote diversity in the public sector. Alan Rusbridger - A former editor-in-chief of The Guardian who transformed the newspaper into a global institution and oversaw its Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the Edward Snowden disclosures. He was editor of the left-leaning Guardian newspaper for 20 years, which was chosen by Edward Snowden to publicise his NSA leaks and campaigned against the extradition of Julian Assange to the United States. Andras Sajo - A former judge and vice president of the European Court of Human Rights who is an expert in free speech and comparative constitutionalism. John Samples - A public intellectual who writes extensively on social media and speech regulation, advocates against restrictions on online expression, and helps lead a libertarian think tank. Nicolas Suzor - A Queensland University of Technology Law School professor who focuses on the governance of social networks and the regulation of automated systems, and has published a book on internet governance. Helle Thorning-Schmidt, co-chair - A former prime minister of Denmark who repeatedly took stands for free expression while in office and then served as CEO of Save the Children. The social democrat was elected in 2011 on a pro-immigration, high tax manifesto before losing power in 2015. Advertisement

Twitter users were quick to point out that many of the panel are left-wingers.

Conservative MP Daniel Kawczynski said: 'It is important that any organisation, be it a global corporate or local government, benefits from a plurality of views which are reflective of the societies in which they operate.'

The board is to be expanded to 40 members.

It remained unclear when the board would start hearing cases due to restrictions on gathering or travelling caused by the deadly coronavirus pandemic - or how much, exactly, they will be paid.

Five of the members are from the US - and 15 are from around the world including at least two with strong links to Britain.

Facebook will pay $130 million (105m) over the next six years to establish their court and cover salaries for supreme court members and their personal staff, as well as office space.

Americans on Facebook's first supreme court includes Trump impeachment witness Pamela Karlan, who made the president's son Barron, 14, the butt of a joke about president's powers during her testimony - and was accused of being 'biased' against the US President.

She was forced to apologise over the incident and Barron's mother publicly criticised her on Twitter saying: 'A minor child deserves privacy and should be kept out of politics.

'Pamela Karlan, you should be ashamed of your very angry and obviously biased public pandering, and using a child to do it'.

Hungarian lawyer Andras Sajo, former judge and vice president of the often controversial European Court of Human Rights who is an expert in free speech, is also on the board.

Tawakkol Abdel-Salam Karman, a Yemeni activist who became Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

She is described by Time Magazine as one of 'History's Most Rebellious Women', is among the other big names on the 20-strong list.

Facebook public policy director Brent Harris yesterday described creation of the board as the 'beginning of a fundamental change in the way some of the most difficult content decisions on Facebook will be made.'

Facebook's board director Thomas Hughes said during a phone briefing said: 'This is a group that has a diverse set of insights, backgrounds, and beliefs but share a deep commitment to advancing human rights and freedom of expression.'

Some free expression and internet governance experts told Reuters they thought the board's first members were a diverse, impressive group, though some were concerned it was too heavy on U.S. members.

Facebook said one reason for that was that some of its hardest decisions or appeals in recent years had begun in America.

'I don't feel like they made any daring choices,' said Jillian C. York, the Electronic Frontier Foundation's director of international freedom of expression.

David Kaye, U.N. special rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, said the board's efficacy would be shown when it started hearing cases.

'The big question,' he said, 'will be, are they taking questions that might result in decisions, or judgments as this is a court, that go against Facebook's business interests?'

Board members have met virtually and training has started, according to Hughes.

The board was first proposed by Facebook co-founder and chief Mark Zuckerberg in 2018, and the California-based internet giant has set up a foundation to fund it operating as an independent entity, Harris said.

'As the world lives through a global health crisis, social media has become a lifeline for helping people and communities to stay connected,,' the board said in a blog post.

'At the same time, we know that social media can spread speech that is hateful, harmful and deceitful. In recent years, the question of what content should stay up or come down, and who should decide this, has become increasingly urgent for society.'

Hughes said he was open to the board serving as an arbiter of disputes for other social media firms such as Twitter but that, for now, the focus is on filling its roster and getting into action on cases about Facebook or Instagram posts.

Facebook will implement the board's decisions, unless they violate law, and 'respond' to guidance on policies, according to Harris.

The board said it will decide whether disputed posts comply with Facebook and Instagram policies and 'values' as well as freedom of expression within the framework of international norms of human rights regardless of the social network's corporate interests.

The board will make decisions public and report on how well Facebook obeys rulings.

Zuckerberg has personally assured the board the social network will abide by its decisions, according to co-chair Helle Thorning-Schmidt, a former prime minister of Denmark.

'This board is not designed to be an echo chamber,' said co-chair Catalina Botero-Marino of the Universidad de los Andes Faculty of Law in Colombia.

'Facebook would have a very high reputational cost if it doesn't carry out decisions by a body it created to resolve its thorniest problems.'

Facebook cannot remove members or staff of the board, which is supported by a $130 million irrevocable trust fund.

'For the first time, an independent body will make final and binding decisions on what stays up and what is removed,' Thorning-Schmidt said.

'This is a big deal; we are basically building a new model for platform governance.'

Board co-chair Michael McConnell, a university law professor and former US federal judge, said the expected volume of cases would make it impossible to consider them all.

Instead, like the US Supreme Court, the board will prioritize content removal cases that can set precedents for how Facebook should handle similar material, according to McConnell.

'We are going to have to select maybe a few flowers, or maybe they are weeds, from a field of possibilities,' McConnell said.

The board plans to first focus on cases affecting large numbers of users; second on cases look to have major effect on public discourse, and then those that effect policy at the platform, he explained.

'We are not the internet police,' McConnell said.

'Don't think of us as a fast action team that is going to swoop in. Our job is to consider appeals, provide an after-the-fact, deliberative second look.'

Former British MP Nick Clegg, who was leader of the Liberal Democrats before becoming Facebook's head of global affairs, told Reuters in a Skype interview the board's composition was important but that its credibility would be earned over time.

'I don't expect people to say, 'Oh hallelujah, these are great people, this is going to be a great success' - there's no reason anyone should believe that this is going to be a great success until it really starts hearing difficult cases in the months and indeed years to come,' he said.

The board will start work immediately and Clegg said it would begin hearing cases this summer.

Former U.S. federal circuit judge Michael McConnell (left) and constitutional law expert Jamal Greene (right) are the American co-chairs of the board

Colombian attorney Catalina Botero-Marino is the fourth co-chair. The co-chairs selected the other members of Facebook's 'supreme court'

What to know about Facebook's content oversight board WHAT WILL THE OVERSIGHT BOARD REVIEW? The board, which some have dubbed Facebook's 'Supreme Court,' will rule on whether some individual pieces of content should be displayed on the site. It can also recommend changes to Facebook's content policy, based on a case decision or at the company's request. At first, the board will review posts, videos, photos and comments that the company has decided to remove from Facebook or its photo-sharing site Instagram, but eventually it will handle cases where content was left up. This could be content involving issues such as nudity, violence or hate speech. Facebook has said the board's remit will in future include ads, groups, pages, profiles and events, but has not given a time frame. It will not deal with Instagram direct messages, Facebook's messaging platforms WhatsApp, Messenger, its dating service or its Oculus virtual reality products. Facebook expects the board will initially take on only 'dozens' of cases, a small percentage of the thousands it expects will eventually be brought to the board. In 2019, users appealed more than 10 million pieces of content that Facebook removed or took action on. But Facebook's head of global affairs, Nick Clegg, told Reuters he thought the cases chosen would have a wider relevance to patterns of content disputes. HOW WILL THE BOARD WORK? The board will decide which cases it reviews, which can be referred either by a user who has exhausted Facebook's normal appeals process or by Facebook itself for cases that might be 'significant and difficult.' Users who disagree with Facebook's final decision on their content will have 15 days to submit a case to the board through the board's website. Each case will be reviewed by a panel of five members, with at least one from the same geographic region as the case originated. The panel can ask for subject matter experts to help make its decision, which then must be finalized by the whole board. The board's case decision - which is binding unless it could violate the law - must be made and implemented within 90 days, though Facebook can ask for a 30-day expedited review for exceptional cases, including those with 'urgent real-world consequences.' Users will be notified of the board's ruling on their case and the board will publicly publish the decision. When the board gives policy recommendations, Facebook will give public updates and publish a response on the guidance and follow-on action within 30 days. For more details on the board's operations, see Facebook's proposed bylaws. WHO IS ON THE OVERSIGHT BOARD? The board will eventually have about 40 members. Facebook chose the four co-chairs - former U.S. federal circuit judge Michael McConnell and constitutional law expert Jamal Greene from the United States, Colombian attorney Catalina Botero-Marino and former Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt - who then jointly selected the other 16 members named so far. Some were sourced from the global consultations conducted by Facebook to obtain feedback on the oversight board. The members, who will be part-time, so far include constitutional law experts, civil rights advocates, academics, journalists, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and a former judge of the European Court of Human Rights. The members will be paid by a trust that Facebook has created and will serve three-year terms for a maximum of nine years. The trustees can remove a member before the end of their term for violating the board's code of conduct, but not for content decisions. Thomas Hughes, former executive director for freedom of expression rights group Article 19, has also been appointed to oversee the board's full-time administrative staff. Advertisement

The board, which will grow to about 40 members and which Facebook has pledged $130 million to fund for at least six years, will make public, binding decisions on controversial cases where users have exhausted Facebook's usual appeals process.

Former Lib Dem MP Nick Clegg is now head of public affairs at Facebook

The company can also refer significant decisions to the board, including on ads or on Facebook groups. The board, in turn, can make policy recommendations to Facebook based on case decisions, to which the company will publicly respond.

'We are not the internet police, don't think of us as sort of a fast-action group that's going to swoop in and deal with rapidly moving problems,' co-chair McConnell told reporters on a conference call.

The board's case decisions must be made and implemented within 90 days, though Facebook can ask for a 30-day review for exceptional cases.

Initially, the board will focus on cases where content was removed and Facebook expects it to take on only 'dozens' of cases to start, a small percentage of the thousands it expects will be brought to the board.

Some members of the board have advocated against the tight regulation of online expression. John Samples, vice president of the libertarian Cato Institute, has praised Facebook's decision not to remove a doctored video of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, while Sajo has warned against allowing the 'offended' to have too much influence in the debate around online expression.
Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Tuesday spelled out a detailed plan for the week starting May 7 to repatriate stranded nationals, but clarified that only those with compelling needs will take one of the 64 non-scheduled commercial flights.

The flights would bring back Indians from 12 nations  the UAE, the UK, the US, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Kuwait and Omanwhile those stranded in the Maldives would be brought back in naval ships.

Christened Vande Bharat Mission, the operation will bring back 14,800 Indians through flights operated by Air India and its subsidiaries, Minister of Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri said. A passenger on a London-Delhi flight will be charged Rs 50,000 and on a Dhaka-Delhi flight Rs 12,000, he added.

Spelling out the compelling conditions, sources said only those awaiting deportation, migrant workers who have been laid off, people on short term visas, those with medical emergencies, pregnant women and old persons, those with deaths in their near family and students whose educational institutions have shut, will be allowed to board the flights.

The focus is on the Gulf countries as around 9 million Indians are there. We have received registrations from 3 lakh people from the region alone. Also, the region has a lot of people who have been laid off. Hence the process, in its first phase, will concentrate on this region, said a source and added that OCI card holders would not be considered.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) also issued a standard operating protocol (SOP) for the return of Indians stranded abroad and those who are stuck in India and wish to travel to international destinations for urgent reasons. The cost of travel will be borne by such travellers, the ministry said. Stranded Indians who will be brought back by special flights from abroad will have to download Aarogya Setu app and detailed procedures for this entire evacuation operation will be issued.

Based on the registrations received, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) will prepare flight- or ship-wise database of all such travellers, including details such as name, age, gender, mobile phone number, place of residence, place of final destination; and information on RT-PCR test taken and its result.

This database will be shared by MEA with the respective states and Union territories in advance. The MEA will designate state and UT wise nodal officers, who will co-ordinate with the nodal officers designated for this purpose by the respective states, the home ministry said.

Sources said that as a large migrant worker population is expected to return, arrangements have been made for their easy rehabilitation post-quarantine.Through the e-migrate programme, we have shared information about their professions with the respective state governments. This will help in their easy rehabilitation through flagship programmes, said a source. All the data of the passengers would be available to stakeholders on an online platform.

The airline crew and maintenance staff would wear PPEs and the passengers would be given food before the flight. Foreigners and Indians with valid visa and OCI cardholders will be allowed to leave the country in the flights going out, sources said.

Mandatory quarantine

All travellers will have to pay up for their journey. They must undergo quarantine for 14 days upon arrival at their cost. Only asymptomatic people will be allowed to board flights. All of them have to download Aarogya Setu app on their mobiles. They will get at least two-day notice before beginning their journey
The Ministry of Industry and Trade has extended the period of selecting prestigious exporters for 2019 until May 30, one month later than the schedule of April 30 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Workers process shrimp for export at a factory of the Ba Hai Joint Stock Company in Phu Yen province

The ministry has announced this extension to ministries, sectors, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, commodity associations, industry and trade departments of provinces, organisations and individuals.

The extension is aimed at ensuring the quality of the selection and creating favourable conditions for the local exporters in joining the selection.

According to the ministry, the COVID-19 pandemic has prolonged the verification for export enterprises joining the selection, not meeting the initial plan.

Last year, the Ministry of Industry and Trade selected 225 prestigious exporters for 2018 from 25 commodity sectors, including farm produce, garment, telephone, electric equipment, wood, plastics, confectionery and footwear.

The list of exporters was chosen based on the proposals of relevant agencies, along with the ministrys criteria of maximum export turnover, prestige with foreign partners, duties to the tax and customs sector and environmental protection.

Notably, the ministry has given priority in choosing sectors in which the country has encouraged exports as well as those facing difficulties in finding export markets.

The vote aimed to recognise exporters positive contributions to the countrys export growth while giving them support in seeking markets.

It also aimed to encourage Vietnamese exporters to further improve their image towards international integration with the world economy.

The voted exporters would be permitted to advertise their products for free on the ministrys website, newspapers and magazines.

Last year, overseas shipments earned the country 263.45 billion USD, up 8.1 percent year-on-year and higher than the target set by the National Assembly and the government of 7-8 percent.

Vietnams export value saw a year-on-year increase of nearly 5 percent to an estimated 82.94 billion USD in the first four months of this year./.VNS

Mismanagement causes difficulties for Vietnam's rice exporters Hundreds of thousands of tons of rice in enterprises storehouses cannot be exported because of inconsistent policies.
Associated Press

En espanol | Most people would be happy to find an extra couple hundred dollars in their mailbox or bank account  unless, of course, the unexpected windfall was earmarked for someone who died. Not only is the money a painful reminder of a loved one's absence, it raises vexing questions: What do I do with it? Should I spend it? Send it back? And if so, how?



That was the dilemma facing Americans who received $1,200 stimulus payments in 2020 by paper check or direct deposit, in the names of deceased spouses and other family members. The federal government had sent stimulus payments to about 1.1 million dead people totaling nearly $1.4 billion. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) told people to give the money back.

But the rules have changed for the second, maximum $600 stimulus checks, as well as the $1,400 checks being issued now. The legislation that authorized the second stimulus payment to eligible recipients says that only recipients who died in 2019 or earlier must return the payments. But, the legislation that authorized the third round of stimulus payments says that those who died in 2020 arent qualified to get a stimulus check. Someone who died in 2021 still qualified.

The IRS is checking to make sure that checks arent issued to people who died when they werent qualified to get one.

If you received a payment for a deceased person who was not entitled to it, you must return it. You must return a canceled check, too. A [stimulus] payment made to someone who died before receipt of the payment should be returned to the IRS by following the instructions about repayments, according to guidance posted on IRS.gov. Return the entire payment unless the payment was made to joint filers and one spouse had not died before receipt of the payment, in which case, you only need to return the portion of the payment made on account of the decedent."
Tamil actor and politician Khushbu Sundar spoke to us as part of the 100 Hours 100 Stars initiative, put in place by Fever FM and Hindustan Times. She talked about spending time with her two teenaged daughters during the lockdown and life as a politician.

When asked about the positives during these stressful times, Khushbu explained having a full house is a nice feeling, We are all at home. We are spending time together. Normally we are always there only for dinner because my husband leaves for work, I go for work, my girls - the elder one moved to London last year - and the younger one goes to school. So we usually get time only at dinner, now we are spending a lot more time together, watching films together. My younger one is writing a lot of songs. She is reading out those songs to me. So its fun.

She compared life in lockdown with her busy schedule -- she was working on a TV serial and constantly travelling -- she visits her daughter in London once every three weeks. Even the constant hum of life back home in Chennai is on a pause due to the lockdown.

Also read: Shilpa Shetty shows bitter truth of life after marriage, says Dont think Raj Kundra was amused. Watch video

She was asked about time as a politician and how she is unconventional. Talking about fun moments as a politician, she said, Fun moment are there. Unfortunately, as a politician, you are told oh how can you have fun moments, you are a politician, how can to joke in these hours of crises? Probably, being a politician comes with a tagline - all work, no play. But I tend to be a little different. I enjoy myself, when I have to work, I work. When I have to be normal, I am normal. We share jokes, it doesnt matter which party you belong to. If there is some thing good, you appreciate. If there is some thing bad, you rip them apart. I do my job.

Khushbu Sundar also joked about her experiences on campaign trails when women pulled her hair in rural Tamil Nadu to know if they are real and thats the reason she does her long hair in a plait. While, when in Delhi, she simply clips them but still she is posed similar questions when well-heeled ladies ask her if these are hair extensions.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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Defense Secretary Esper: US 'Had Nothing to Do' With Attempted Raid in Pakistan Summons Indian Diplomat to Register Strong Protest Over Cross Border Fire

Sputnik News

10:00 GMT 05.05.2020

New Delhi (Sputnik): India and Pakistan both control parts of Kashmir while claiming it in full. The recent escalations at the border began after India revoked the special status of the region in August 2019.

Pakistan summoned a senior Indian diplomat on Tuesday to register a strong protest over alleged cross border firing by Indian troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in which at least six civilians were injured.

"The Indian occupation forces along the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB) have continuously been targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars and automatic weapons. In 2020, India has so far committed 957 ceasefire violations," a statement issued by the Pakistan foreign ministry reads.

Pakistan asked the Indian side to respect "the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding; investigate this and other such incidents of deliberate ceasefire violations and maintain peace along the Line of Control and the International Border".

The ministry claimed that India has already committed 957 ceasefire violations this year, while the Indian side has accused Pakistani troops of initiating unprovoked fire more than 1,500 times.

This is the second time in the last 24 hours that Pakistan has summoned an Indian diplomat.

Earlier on Monday, Pakistan's Foreign Office filed a complaint after India lodged a strong protest with Pakistan against a Supreme Court of Pakistan ruling on the country's de facto Northern Areas, also known as Gilgit-Baltistan.

"The Government of Pakistan or its judiciary has no locus standi on territories illegally and forcibly occupied by it. India completely rejects such actions and continued attempts to bring material changes in Pakistan occupied areas of the Indian territory of Jammu & Kashmir," said India's Ministry of External Affairs on Monday.

The statement added that Pakistan should vacate all the areas of Kashmir under its "illegal occupation".

India and Pakistan have been engaged in a conflict over the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir since gaining independence from British rule in 1947 and have fought three wars over the issue in the past seven decades.

The recent tensions erupted when India revoked the statehood and special status of Jammu and Kashmir on 5 August. Pakistan said the decision violated the 1972 Simla Agreement which governs the status of border areas.

 Sputnik

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In an almost unparalleled example of a the do as I say, not as I do mentality of our egregious liberal elites, Neil Ferguson, the Imperial College modeler whose initial alarmist projections that 2.2 million Americans would die of COVID-19 prompted the U.S. and U.K. to go into a hard lockdown, has been forced to resign as an adviser to the British government following revelations that he violated the stay-at-home protocols. But thats only the beginning of the story.

Get a load of this account from The Guardian:

Prof Neil Ferguson, the epidemiologist whose modelling helped shape Britains coronavirus lockdown strategy, has quit as a government adviser after flouting the rules by receiving visits from his lover at his home. Ferguson runs the group of scientists at Imperial College London whose projections helped persuade ministers of the need to impose stringent physical distancing rules, or risk the NHS being overwhelmed. In a statement on Tuesday, he said he was resigning his post on the governments Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), over an error of judgment. The Daily Telegraph revealed that Antonia Staats had crossed London from her family home to visit him on at least two occasions since lockdown measures were imposed, on 30 March and 8 April. Friends told the newspaper that Staats did not believe their actions to be hypocritical because she considered the households to be one.

Two things need to be added to this account. Antonia Staats is married. Just not to Ferguson. Who is Antonia Staats? She is identified as a senior campaigner at Avaaz.org, much of whose work appears to be dedicated to climate change activism.

As Glenn Reynolds like to say, were in the best of hands. . .
T his is the first picture of a pensioner who died after being found by police with head injuries at his north London home.

Anthony Rooks, 79, died at his home in Dalmeny Road, Holloway, at 7.20pm on Monday.

Police are investigating what triggered the fatal incident.

A Met spokesman said: "Officers and London Ambulance Service attended. The 79-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.

"Detectives believe that the victim and suspect were known to each other, but retain an open mind regarding any motive at this time. Enquiries into the circumstances remain ongoing."

Sable Thomas, 42, was appearing at Highbury Corner Magistrates court today charged with murder.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or to remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-org.uk
UK opposition leader Keir Starmers has come under fire for repositioning Labour partys India policy vis-a-vis Jammu and Kashmir which was seen as an attempt to rebuild links with the Indian diaspora. Labour partys relation with the Indian community in the UK had been strained for its stance over Indias decision to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and divide the state into two Union Territories.

Labour delegates had passed a motion in September criticising Indias decision and maintained that the people of Kashmir should have self-determination rights. Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, in a controversial tweet, said that the rights of the Kashmiri people must be respected and UN resolutions implemented.

However, Ian Lavery later clarified the partys position on the matter and said that the issue was bilateral for India and Pakistan. The clarification came as the motion left sections of Indian community angered and several groups wrote to Corbyn protesting the controversial motion which was also rejected by Ministry of External Affairs.

Read: UK PM Boris Johnson Shows Willingness To Ease Lockdown Measures From May 11

Ahead of the parliamentary elections in December 2019, Labour Friends of India (LFIN) expressed disappointment for ignoring the diaspora in choosing candidates. LFIN had also highlighted the anti-India rhetoric contained in the emergency motion on Kashmir. The Labour Party must ensure it is never seen to take the support of the Indian community for granted, said LFIN in a statement in November 2019.

Read: UK Health Minister Calls Top Adviser's Lockdown Breach 'extraordinary'

'Bilateral issue'

In a clear repositioning after the lack of support from the Indian community in elections, new party chief talked to LFIN to discuss rebuilding trust. Calling Kashmir a bilateral issue of India and Pakistan, Starmer said that any constitutional issues in India are a matter for the Indian Parliament.

A Labour Government under my leadership will be determined to build even stronger business links with India and to co-operate on the global stage on issues such as climate change, said Starmer during the online discussion.

Several Labour leaders are due to meet on May 7 to discuss the apparent repositioning of the party leadership over the Kashmir issue. While Starmer has made an attempt to mend ways with Indian diaspora, it is yet to be seen how Pakistani community would react to the change in earlier held stance.

Read: COVID-19: UK Health Minister Asserts Govt Didn't Sacrifice Care Homes For Hospitals

Read: UK: Opposition Leader Keir Starmer Says Labour Party Will Support Lockdown Extension

(Image: AP)
The future of the agriculture industry in New York, which supplies many of the states schools, restaurants and residents, looks different than it did just two months ago, when farmers were already struggling to turn a profit in an increasingly volatile open market.

New threats have now emerged for farmers in upstate New York, where the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a series of ripple effects for the states agriculture industry.

It started in March, when New York closed restaurants to the public and pulled students from schools in an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19. That immediately cut off a major part of the supply chain for New Yorks farmers.

Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, a Democrat from Broome County who chairs the Agriculture Committee, said dairy farmers have been hit particularly hard. Half the butter thats produced in New York goes to restaurants and schools, she said.

I have heard from so many farmers, so many craft brewers, so many people in the horticulture field, so many folks who put that food on people's tables, who really were not set up for this type of work shortage, Lupardo said. We're not nimble, we can't really shift quickly.

The problem extends beyond dairy farmers, who were hoping for a comeback this year afterseveral years of lower-than-ideal milk prices. Prices werestarting to go up in January before COVID-19 hit New York in March.

Slaughterhouses in New York have also proven vulnerable to the disease. Some meat processing plants have been forced to close temporarily after the disease affected workers, said David Fisher, president of the New York Farm Bureau.

Just for pork, for example, last week, a couple more pork plants have closed, Fisher said. We were about a half a million pigs short each week of processing capabilities. So, that's causing those prices to plummet and backlogs in fat hogs.

Farmers in New York are now seeking more detailed guidance from the state on how to keep workers safe without sacrificing the food supply. Thats to avoid a situation where a farm is left understaffed  or without staff  at a critical time.

The disease presents a unique challenge for some farmers, who hire guest workers and provide them with congregate housing on-site. If one worker contracts the disease, its likely that others will be put at risk without an area to isolate and treat that individual.

Fisher said farmers have approval from the U.S. Department of Labor to secure temporary housing for workers in the event that they have to be placed in quarantine.

That will spread quickly in some of those housing units, Fisher said. So, we have approval to get waivers on temporary housing or for quarantine reasons and things like that.

Farmers are also getting help from the federal government to allow more flexibility for their workforce. Its difficult to bring guest workers to New York from certain countries right now, Fisher said. That means the labor market for agriculture will be tight this year.

We hope that this loosens up a little bit by fall, especially for large numbers of people that come in for apple harvest and fruit like that, Fisher said. A lot of workers are here, but not without challenge.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture haslent a hand in that respect by allowing certain workers to stay in the country beyond their allotted time. The federal agency has also made it easier for farmers to hire guest workers already in the country.

Farmers have also tried to take advantage of the federal Paycheck Protection Program, which was created by Congress last month to offer short-term loans for small businesses to pay their employees for up to eight weeks.

Fisher said hes heard from farmers who applied for the program during its first round of funding, which ran out in April. Congress has since approved more funds, which Fisher said will give farmers in New York a second chance.

I know a lot more people are interested in that, he said.

That money comes with an advantage: if a farm, or any small business, uses it for purposes of payroll, and a collection of other limited expenses, the loan will be forgiven.

But Lupardo said the federal government didnt do enough for farmers in New York when the COVID-19 crisis started to affect the supply chain. Officials should have addressed the issue when it became a problem in March, she said.

On the federal side, we are so late in trying to address supply chain disruptions across the system in New York state, Lupardo said. These folks should have leaped into action weeks ago.

Thats an obvious challenge presented by the COVID-19 pandemic for farmers, who are struggling to raise revenue to cover costs. There may be fewer opportunities to sell for farmers, but that doesnt mean cows stop producing milk, or chickens stop producing eggs.

With less demand for dairy products, farmers in upstate New York have been forced to start dumping their milk, which is exactly what it sounds like. Rather than going to a plant to be processed, the milk is literally dumped down the drain, or in an approved location.

Fisher, who runs a dairy farm in St. Lawrence County, recently had to dump some of his own milk supply. Thats frustrating, he said, because he knows it could be put to good use if the demand was high enough for processors to take it.

It's very frustrating to the fact that, you know, we have excess milk but we can't get it to people that are in need at this time, Fisher said.

That has also frustrated Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who said last week that its a total waste for farmers to be dumping milk while demand at local food banks has surged across the state over the last month. Demand at food banks in New York City alone has doubled.

We have people downstate who need food. We have farmers upstate who can't sell their product, Cuomo said. We have to put those two things together. It's just common sense.

New York is now planning to address the problem in two ways. First, Cuomo said last week, the state is planning to buy milk from struggling farmers who would otherwise have to dump it, and make sure its used to make dairy products for low-income families.

Second, New York is planning to provide an additional $25 million to food banks across the state. Of that, $11 million will go to New York City. The rest will be split between various regions of the state experiencing the most need.

Some companies in upstate New York have also stepped up to use excess milk from farmers to make dairy products for regional food banks. Among them are Chobani, well-known for its Greek yogurt, and Cabot, a cheesemaker.

It also includes smaller businesses, some of which have taken the initiative to purchase milk from struggling farmers and produce food for those in need.

Lively Run Dairy in Seneca County usually makes artisan cheese products, but has shifted its strategy in recent weeks to make as much cheese as possible for food banks in the Finger Lakes and Southern Tier. They donated 450 pounds of cheese last week alone.

Thats thanks, in part, to more than $40,000 raised through an online fundraiser for the initiative, which started in mid-April. That moneys been used to buy milk from farmers at prices above market value.

Pete Messmer, the head cheesemaker at Lively Run, said they heard farmers were being forced to dump their milk and decided to instead take it off their hands and do something with it.

Theres more people with food insecurity issues now than I think weve had in a long, long time. Its pretty unprecedented, Messmer said. Food banks are scrambling for food in general.

New York is planning to continue its support for food banks while demand remains high at those locations, Cuomo has said in recent days.

Lupardo remains cautious about the states support for the agriculture industry, particularly when it comes to direct spending. With New York facing a projected $13 billion revenue gap, spending could be cut in the coming months for services that benefit farmers, she said.

New York state spends money every year on agriculture research and production. That funding went down in this years state budget, Lupardo said. She hopes lawmakers can prevent Cuomo from targeting it for more cuts in the coming weeks.

The state Legislature, in early April, approved legislation that will allow Cuomo to cut spending across the board if revenues remain down. Initial cuts are expected to be announced in mid-May, according to Robert Mujica, director of the state Division of Budget.

Lawmakers left a provision in the bill that would allow them to convene in Albany after the cuts are announced and approve a joint resolution between the state Senate and Assembly to prevent them. That may be a hard ask for some lawmakers, who agreed to grant Cuomo that power.

Lupardo hopes that, if farmers are affected by the states finances, the Legislature will agree to push back.

When we revisit this, we have to view this as essential, Cuomo said. We cannot take a line across agricultural funding and research.

Fisher said farmers are hoping for the best in an increasingly uncertain market, but that disruptions in the agriculture industry arent out of the norm. Farmers take a gamble every year when they plant their crops, only to find out later how much of it can actually be sold.

We're used to those risks, I guess is the best way to put it, he said.
The use of predictive grades to assess Leaving Cert students is on the agenda for a crunch meeting today as pressure mounts to abandon the traditional exams.

Education Minister Joe McHugh will take part in the discussions with other education figures to explore the issues around the Leaving Certificate.

The ultimate decision on how best to assess 61,000 students in the Leaving Cert class of 2020 caught up in the fallout from a global pandemic is expected to be announced within a week.

Some weeks ago, Mr McHugh announced that, because of Covid-19, the Leaving Cert was being rescheduled for July 29  but even that date was subject to public health advice.

And there is still no certainty about whether it would be feasible to start exams at the end of July involving the gathering of more than 61,000 students and supervisors in school halls around the country.

The National Parents Council Post Primary (NPCPP) said that the level of stress on students and parents grows daily and the timehas come to give certainty to candidates.

There was support from education stakeholders around the rescheduling of the exams to July 29 on the basis that, ultimately, it was the most familiar and fairest option.

But that consensus has started to crack in recent days.

One concern is the scale of the logistics involved in running the exams on a safe footing in an era of Covid-19, which will not have gone away by the end of July.

The other crucial factor is student wellbeing and mental health, with the ongoing uncertainty blamed for pushing up stress levels.

That is driving calls for a prompt decision.

Today's meeting of the Department of Education advisory group on the exams is the sixth such, but only the second attended by the minister.

There was no indication last night of the minister's thinking.

A spokesperson said work was continuing on contingency planning around the issues related to the Leaving Cert and that a number of complex issues were being considered.

Ahead of the meeting, the National Parents Council Post-Primary highlighted its concerns.

The council said the ongoing public health situation "creates predicaments which make it impossible to categorically state that exams will take place from July 29". It expressed concern about what it would take to ensure safety if seated exams went ahead.

The council said student wellbeing was a priority concern and that candidates continued to face uncertainty.

"The increasing level of stress and pressures on Leaving Certificate students and their families grows daily and is unacceptable," it stated.

Another worry is equity and the NPCPP pointed to what it described as the "clear disparity between facilities and support for Leaving Certificate students across the country".

The parents' body said it was "now very obvious that students and parents alike need clarity and prompt action regarding the Leaving Certificate Examinations and clear alternative options to be made available to them". The NPCPP said "considerations and decisions regarding the Leaving Cert must be cognisant of the unparalleled situation in which Covid-19 has placed us, as a nation".

"Extraordinary creative solutions are now required from all involved in education. Plans must be put in place which take account of the extraordinary conditions under which our students face their final senior cycle assessment," it said, adding that a number of possible options had been put forward by themselves, the Irish Second-Level Students' Union and others.

It said "one solution cannot and will not offer fairness and equity to all students" and it favoured the use of estimated grades based on a student's track record, with the fallback of traditional exams for those who wanted to sit them.

Speaking on RTE's 'Prime Time' last night, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said holding the Leaving Cert at the end of July "is not consistent with public health advice".

The Department of Education advisory group, which is made up of stakeholders representing interests such as parents, teachers, school managers and students, last met on Friday, when it discussed the practicalities of holding the exams, given the constraints of social distancing and other requirements that may be necessary on foot of public health advice.

There were also discussions on the challenges in providing two weeks of schooling prior to the exams.
In a recent talk, directors of two travel firms, one based in Hoi An and the other in Da Nang, complained that their capital has been buried in supply chains since the epidemic outbreak.

Nguyen Son Thuy, director of Indochina Unique Tourist, said before the epidemic outbreak, his company left a deposit worth tens of billions of dong to book accommodation and transport services for its tours in 2020.





We want to get back the deposits to improve our working capital, but we have been refused, Thuy complained.



He said Indochina Unique Tourists partner is Mercure Bana Hills French Village in Da Nang City. The hotel refused Thuys proposal to return the deposits, saying that it will only make a refund in June as stipulated in the contract.



Thuy tried to persuade the hotel to accept the proposal, saying that parties should concede in such conditions. However, the hotel replied that it faced difficulties because of the epidemic and that Thuy will have to pay a fine if he wants to withdraw money immediately.

In a recent talk, directors of two travel firms, one based in Hoi An and the other in Da Nang, complained that their capital has been buried in supply chains since the epidemic outbreak.

Our cash flow is frozen, partially because partners refuse our proposals to return deposits back to help settle difficulties caused by Covid-19, he said.



It is also impossible to get back the deposit money from airlines. They (airlines) only accept to delay bookings to 2021, Thuy said.



Meanwhile, Nguyen Ngoc Anh, director of Omega Tours, said his situation is better than Thuys. I have a deposit of VND3-5 billion. If they refuse to pay, I will be affected, he said.



Anh advised Thuy to hire a lawyer to settle the case.



Le Tan Thanh Tung, deputy general director of Vitours, affirmed that Anh and Thuy are not alone.



In normal conditions, the units in tourism supply chain, including travel firms, airlines, accommodation service providers and excursion points, cooperate smoothly with each other to serve travelers and share profit.



But since Covid-19 broke out, the links of the chains have been disrupted. Since there is no client, no one can collect money. The units in the chain all try to keep deposit money and prioritize to settle their problems.



According to Tung, the deposits at airlines represent the biggest amounts of money for travel firms.



I know some travel firms have to leave a deposit of VND5-10 billion. Airlines agree to delay bookings to the next year. However, travel firms have to pay principal and interest every month, he said.



In general, travel firms have to pay deposits in January if they want to book services for summer tours.

Kim Mai

Digitally-driven travellers lead Vietnams travel re-opening Vietnams reopening of its domestic travel sector is expected to be replicated by focusing on Asian markets, according to a survey conducted by C9 Hotelworks and Delivering Asia Communications.
She has dropped a considerable amount of weight between her two stints on Married At First Sight.

But some fans are now concerned about Elizabeth Sobinoff well-being.

On Wednesday, the 29-year-old posted a new photo to her Instagram, where her white top flaunted her protruding collarbone.

'All bones': Married At First Sight star Elizabeth Sobinoff has sparked concern among fans over her weight loss after posting this picture to Instagram

The post sparked a furious debate among her followers.

'All bones yuck,' one commented.

'It doesn't look normal,' another added.

In the photo, Elizabeth wore a white off-the-shoulder crop top that exposed her tiny midriff.

Concern: The post sparked a furious debate among her followers, many who believe she has taken her weight loss too far

The brunette beauty licked her crimson pout as she showed off her glowing tan and glamorous makeup, including smokey eyes with extra lashes.

However, plenty of Elizabeth's fans flocked to tell the brunette beauty how great they thought she looked.

'You look gorgeous,' commented one.

'You are stunning,' added another.

In a video posted to her Insta Stories the same day, the fitted top appeared loose on Elizabeth's frame.

The popular reality star has slimmed down considerably since she was fat-shamed by her first on-screen 'husband' Sam Ball, last year.

Tiny: In the photo, Elizabeth wore a white off-the-shoulder crop top that exposed her tiny midriff

'I've never really dated girls as big as Elizabeth in the past,' Sam told producers, before suggesting that she needs to go 'running in the mornings' to lose weight.

Elizabeth has spoken candidly in the past of her health issues, which have contributed to her significant transformation since she first hit the screens in 2019.

In an editorial for in May 2019, Elizabeth addressed fans who were praising her weight loss.

Remember this? The popular reality star has slimmed down considerably since she was fat-shamed by her first on-screen 'husband' Sam Ball, last year

'You will never see me talk about my supposed "glamorous weight loss secrets", but I will put myself out there to help defeat the belief that says you should be defined as a whole based entirely on your dress size...' she wrote.

'I have been quite candid about how when I'm unwell I fluctuate in my weight.'

She revealed that she suffers from two chronic health conditions, Porphyria, a blood disorder, and an autoimmune disease, which is a mild form of Lupus.

'You will never see me talk about my supposed "glamorous weight loss secrets": Elizabeth has spoken candidly in the past of her health issues, which have contributed to her significant transformation since she first hit the screens in 2019

Elizabeth has since found love with Seb Guilhaus after returning to the experiment in 2020.

In an emotional post to Instagram on Monday, Elizabeth confessed she was feeling 'low'.

'When your heart is full of memories. I'm a little low right now, that's okay though, it's more than okay. I'm one to embrace my emotions,' she wrote.

She added the hashtag '#sebsplace', sharing a smiling throwback photo, which was taken at Seb's house in South Australia.

The couple is currently apart with Seb in lockdown in Adelaide while Elizabeth is holed up in Newcastle with family.
A medical researcher said to be on the verge of making very significant coronavirus findings was found shot to death over the weekend in Pennsylvania, officials said.

Bing Liu, 37, a researcher for the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, was found dead Saturday inside a home in Ross Township, north of Pittsburgh, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner said.

He had been shot in the head and neck, the agency said.

An hour after Liu's body was discovered, a second person, Hao Gu, 46, was found dead inside a car less than a mile away, the agency said.

Ross Township Police Detective Sgt. Brian Kohlhepp told the Associated Press that the men appeared to be connected beyond their proximity to each other. A motive for the killings remained unknown, and the relationship between the men was also unclear.

Download the TODAY app for the latest coverage on the coronavirus outbreak.

Liu, who earned a PhD in computational science from the National University of Singapore, worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon University before becoming a research associate at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

In a statement, the University of Pittsburgh described him as an excellent mentor and prolific researcher who had co-authored more than 30 papers. His work focused on systems biology.

Bing was on the verge of making very significant findings toward understanding the cellular mechanisms that underlie SARS-CoV-2 infection and the cellular basis of the following complications, the school said. We will make an effort to complete what he started in an effort to pay homage to his scientific excellence.
Coronavirus infections in the metro area have largely spared Portlands close-in neighborhoods and its most exclusive suburban enclaves, flourishing instead among people who live in far-flung suburbs and exploding in the Woodburn area of Marion County.

New data released Tuesday by the Oregon Health Authority reveal for the first time the neighborhoods across the state where residents infected with the virus live. (Click here for an interactive map).

The ZIP code-level statistics show that roughly two-thirds of all infections in Multnomah County identified through Sunday are among residents living in neighborhoods east of 82nd Avenue, including one hotspot featuring two large outbreaks at nursing homes.

Nearly half of the infections in Washington County, meanwhile, are in western suburbs such as Aloha, Hillsboro, Forest Grove and Cornelius.

And in Clackamas County, affluent suburbs such as Lake Oswego and West Linn have reported so few infections that the state declined to provide specific tallies.

The ZIP code numbers account for roughly 85 percent of the 2,742 infections identified statewide through Sunday night. Health officials chose not to provide specific figures for areas with nine or fewer infections.

Release of the data  nearly 10 weeks since Oregons first infection  marks a new level of transparency by the state government, but it has concerned some local health officials who worry that disclosure could perpetuate bigotry or violence.

Certain neighborhoods where people with infections live are home to higher rates of people of color or households with lower income levels.

The Oregon Health Authority did not make anyone available to discuss the new numbers. But in a message announcing the public release of the data, a top state official said the goal of disclosure is to help the public better understand the extent of community-based spread of the virus.

We are committed to being transparent and accountable to all the communities we serve, especially those hardest hit by the pandemic, wrote Lillian Shirley, the authoritys public health director. We know from earlier analysis that communities of color in Oregon have been disproportionately impacted by the virus. OHA wants to acknowledge the degree to which data, particularly by ZIP code, may contribute to or reinforce stigma and discrimination in communities of color and underserved neighborhoods.

The report released Tuesday included demographic data that once again show coronavirus has disproportionately infected Oregons Latinx population. About a third of infections among people identified by ethnicity are Hispanic, according to state data, well above the statewide Hispanic population of 13%.

Inequities in OHAs data are likely to reflect the inequitable distribution of power and resources among Oregon communities, Shirley wrote. OHA believes by sharing this data, we can identify and continue conversations with affected communities for how to redistribute resources and power to rectify injustice. We are committed to helping the public better understand why the impact of the disease is shouldered more by certain communities.

But Rachael Banks, Multnomah Countys public health director, said the neighborhood numbers are not statistically significant and are skewed by the inclusion of cases at long-term care facilities.

I think this data is not useful, she said. I think its not accurate to understand disease patterns.

Banks said the Oregon Health Equity Alliance has raised concerns about the potential that certain communities will be targeted for hate or that others will try to draw inferences about who lives in communities with the highest numbers or rates of infection.

Banks said generally that the COVID-19 disease has revealed how economics factor in across the country and she suspects that may be happening locally, as well.

While front-line service employees continue to work and risk exposure, others with office jobs are able to telecommute, for instance. Infections could also spread more easily among households with more people, while families with fewer people may be better able to isolate at home, benefiting from simply having more bathrooms.

Banks said tracking where people live is the wrong metric for understanding community spread of coronavirus.

Its about where youre exposed, she said. Its about your exposure.

But neither Banks nor other county health officials were able to immediately provide details showing what efforts Multnomah County has taken to quantify where known exposures have occurred by geography.

To be sure, the state data in some cases are skewed by outbreaks at long-term care facilities.

The report lists the 97236 ZIP code in east Portland as having the highest number of infected residents at 159, for example. But that volume can almost wholly be connected to large outbreaks at Healthcare at Foster Creek and Cornerstone Care Options. The state reported 117 infections linked to Foster Creek and 16 infections tied to the other facility.

Its a similar story for the 97030 ZIP code in Gresham. The tally includes two care facilities where infections account for more than half of the reported 71 cases.

But other parts of east Portland, Gresham and the surrounding suburbs also have higher total cases and per capita rates that arent easily explained. The 97233 ZIP code in east Portland and Gresham has 49 identified cases, for example, or about 12 infections per 10,000 people.

That rate is three times higher than the 97211 ZIP code in Northeast Portland and nearly five times higher than 97202 in Southeast Portland.

Meanwhile, the neighborhood data show infection clusters in western Washington County. Officials last week disclosed for the first time that about half of the people with known infections in Washington County are Hispanic.

Release of the statewide statistics also show just how disproportionately the novel coronavirus has affected residents in certain communities in Marion County. Officials there had previously released ZIP code level data but until Tuesday it wasnt clear if other communities across the state were experiencing such localized infection rates.

The 97026 ZIP code for Gervais in northwest Marion County has the highest rate of infection in Oregon, at about 57 cases per 10,000, with 26 total infections. The neighboring ZIP code for Woodburn, 97071, is just below that rate at 54 infections per 10,000 people. It has recorded the second-most infections statewide, at 155.

Its unclear whats driving those rates and volume of infections.

Marion County officials did not make their public health director available for an interview and subsequently asked for, but did not respond to, written questions.

Mark Friesen contributed to this story.

-- Brad Schmidt; bschmidt@oregonian.com; 503-294-7628; @_brad_schmidt

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Seen is the screen capture of the website of Light & Truth Church. Screen capture of Light & Truth Church



By Park Ji-won



A pastor and several leaders of a Seoul-based church that is a member of the General Assembly of Presbyterian Church in Korea have come under fire for allegedly abusing believers and forcing them to take part in activities that included eating their own feces, according to the alleged victims.



In a press conference Tuesday, a civic group said several of the church's members were groomed by Pastor Kim Myung-jin and leaders of the Light & Truth Church to perform inhumane and demeaning actions including eating feces and whipping each other as part of a leadership initiation program.



In a press release the members said, "We decided to reveal the pastor's insane and illegal abusive actions against the believers under the name of religious activityThe church forced the believers to take what they called leadership training such as eating one's own feces, getting into a garbage bin full of food waste, whipping other believers, staying inside a sauna longer than was safe and sleep deprivation over a period of days."



They added, "The church has been claiming that the believers voluntarily carried out the training, but considering the hierarchy and the circumstances, we were groomed step by step."



A believer, who insisted not to be named, reportedly said during the conference that "When a group leader of the training ordered me to eat my own excrement, I wasn't able to do it right away. But I ended up posting footage of me eating my own feces after being approved by the leader I was out of my mind at that time wanting to become a leader and I thought I was doing the right thing. But I realized later I was brainwashed."



The victims also claimed that one of them ended up becoming disabled during the training because officials of the church deliberately delayed calling for medical assistance when she had a brain hemorrhage Oct. 27, 2018 in a bid to hide the group's activities from outsiders.



They also raised suspicions that the pastor and his followers embezzled money from the church for their own interests.



"The pastor, who claimed that he would not take any money from the church, bought real estate and is also suspected of embezzlement by creating a paper company."



They said they reported the pastor and the leaders to the police for assault and "negligence of duties," asking for their punishment and the disbandment of the church.



The revelation came after police started an investigation last month based on the reports from the victims.



The church, meanwhile, apologized for its actions that "hurt the feelings" of church members, but didn't admit that it forced them to "perform abusive actions," pledging to take legal steps to resolve the situation.



"We are sorry about the rage you felt after what happened. We ask for forgiveness for not expressing enough love to you.



"It is a pity for us to come to a confrontation in court due to our differences. But with the help of experts, we will reveal the truth and resolve this situation to establish a healthier church."


An experiment with 'free money' in Finland made people happier but did not improve employment levels and would be 'unsustainable', a study has found.

2,000 unemployed people were given a 560 (490) basic income every month in a two-year trial to see whether the system would work better than traditional benefits.

Participants in the Finnish study 'were more satisfied with their lives and experienced less mental strain, depression, sadness and loneliness,' researchers said.

But the Finnish study found that the handout led to people being employed for only six more days over a one-year period.

Finland's prime minister Sanna Marin does not plan to introduce such an income, although her health minister said the experiment would be useful for future social security reforms.

Finland put 20million (18million) towards a two-year trial of a basic income - but prime minister Sanna Marin (pictured) does not plan to introduce one

Advocates of a so-called universal basic income argue that it cuts bureaucracy and say that people will be more willing to take on temporary or part-time work if their benefits will not be cut as a result.

Traditional unemployment benefits in Finland can be docked as soon as the recipient starts earning money.

In the experiment, people were given the handout regardless of whether they were working or not, and were free to spend the money however they wished.

Researchers said people who received the money 'described their well-being more positively' than those who did not.

'They also had a more positive perception of their cognitive abilities, i.e. memory, learning and ability to concentrate,' researchers said.

The guaranteed monthly payment also led to participants becoming more trusting of others and in the institutions of society.

But Kari Hamalainen of Finland's VATT Institute of Economic Research said the basic income had only a 'small' effect on employment levels.

The results suggest that for many people, 'the problems related to finding employment are not related to bureaucracy or to financial incentives,' he said.

Creating such an income across the country would be expensive and 'unsustainable', he said, according to Bloomberg.

The Helsinki government allocated 20million (18million) to the two-year trial.

2,000 unemployed people were given a 560 (490) handout every month in a two-year experiment to see whether the system would work better than traditional benefits

The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has previously claimed that a basic income programme in Finland would not be economically viable and could leave significant numbers of people worse off.

Similar schemes have previously been trialled in Kenya, Canada, India and parts of the United States.

In 2017, Swiss voters rejected a proposed universal basic income in a referendum after critics slammed the idea as rewarding the lazy and the feckless.

Although the Finnish trial was the widest to be conducted in recent years in Europe, it was limited to participants who were already unemployed.

The experiment began in 2017, but has taken on an extra significance because the coronavirus pandemic has prompted growing calls for a universal basic income.

The global economic standstill is likely to cost tens of millions of jobs around the world as many countries suffer disastrous slumps in output.

In addition, experts have suggested that people will be more able to follow public health advice if they have the security of a guaranteed income.

Some countries have, in effect, introduced temporary basic incomes by sending people cheques as part of stimulus packages.

Prior to the coronavirus crisis, Finnish trade unions called instead for employers to pay living wages that do not need to be subsidised by benefits.
WASHINGTON - Rep. John Ratcliffe, President Donald Trumps pick to be the nations top intelligence official, was nothing if not consistent as he told lawmakers a dozen or so times that he wouldnt allow politics to colour information he took to the president.

The senators kept asking anyway as Trumps firing or forcing out of at least seven top U.S. intelligence officials since last summer overshadowed the Texas Republicans confirmation hearing Tuesday.

The forced departures have left the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which oversees the nations 16 spy agencies, without a single Senate-confirmed leader as the nation faces the COVID-19 pandemic, threats from Iran and North Korea, Russian disinformation campaigns to interfere in the U.S. elections and rising competition from China. The turmoil has deepened speculation that the president is trying to place loyalists in charge of the nations intelligence apparatus.

The senators questions reflected that skepticism: Would you communicate intelligence to Trump even if you knew the president strongly disagreed with it?

Of course, Ratcliffe replied.

Even if it put your job in jeopardy?

Of course.

Ratcliffe added: Anyones views on what they want the want intelligence to be will never impact the intelligence that I deliver. Never.

Variations of the question kept coming, but Ratcliffe offered the same answer: No.

I will be entirely apolitical as the director of national intelligence, he said, adding that he had an apolitical job as a U.S. attorney and kept both parties out of everything that I did.

Ratcliffes critics arent convinced and worry hes beholden to Trump. They point to his ardent defence of the president during the Russia investigations and Trumps impeachment and argue that he doesnt have enough intelligence experience for the job. Before being elected to Congress in 2014, Ratcliffe was mayor of Heath, Texas, and a U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Texas.

Jesus. He is going to be the DNI, tweeted Mike Hayden, a former director of the CIA and the National Security Agency who served in both Republican and Democratic administrations.

Trump first nominated Ratcliffe for the job nine months ago, but Ratcliffe withdrew after doubts about his experience were raised. Trump unexpectedly nominated him again in February and his chances at securing the job appear better, although confirmation is not assured.

His knowledge of cybersecurity is particularly important given the challenges our country faces, said Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who joined fellow Republicans as well as Democrats in pressing Ratcliffe to deliver objective intelligence to the president regardless of Trumps views.

He has the backing of former Attorney General John Ashcroft and other fellow Republicans, including Texas Rep. Will Hurd, a former undercover officer for the CIA, who said Ratcliffe has more than 15 years of experience dealing with national security-related issues.

Liberal-leaning lawmakers expressed concern that Trump nominated Ratcliffe to gain an upper hand on the typically nonpartisan intelligence network.

I find it very disturbing, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said in an interview last week. It appears that the president wants to shape the intelligence community. My concern is that this is a politicizing of the intelligence community, which would be a huge mistake for the president himself.

You want intelligence to be truthful and unvarnished and as straightforward as possible  not what you want to hear, not what supports your policy positions, he said. Because if you dont get that kind of information, youre liable to make catastrophic mistakes. ... Our foreign policy disasters of the last 50 years often have been preceded by cooked intelligence.

Sen. Mark Warner, the Virginia Democrat who is vice chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, specifically accused Trump of not wanting to hear any intelligence that does not comport with his views. The White House has disputed that allegation in the past.

Unfortunately, what we have seen from the president, ever since he came into office, is an unrelenting and undeserved political attack upon the professional women and men of our intelligence agencies, Warner said. This is not because our intelligence community is deserving of these attacks. Nor are they at the heart of some deep state conspiracy to undermine our political leaders.

Warner listed intelligence officials who have been sidelined: former national intelligence director Dan Coats and his deputy, Sue Gordon; former acting director of the National Counterterrorism Center Russ Travers and his deputy, Peter Hall; former acting national intelligence director Joseph Maguire and his deputy, Andrew Hallman; and Michael Atkinson, the former watchdog of the intelligence community who first revealed a whistleblower complaint last fall that led to Trumps impeachment.

The ODNI currently is led by an acting director, Richard Grenell, the U.S. ambassador to Germany, who has a background in communications and is seen as a loyalist to Trump. As acting director, Grenell has made additional personnel moves and ordered a review of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence that Trump critics fear is a house-cleaning and something that an acting official shouldnt be allowed to undertake.

Some intelligence professionals disagree that Grenell is trying to purge the agencies of qualified individuals, saying that in most cases the replacements named for those ousted have been experienced national security professionals.

Amanda Schoch, communications director at ODNI, said Grenell and his staff are addressing reforms recommended by previous national intelligence directors. Even so, Warner and Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., the chairman of the intelligence committee, asked Grenell in a recent letter to consult with the committee before making any more personnel changes and perhaps stop making them altogether until someone is officially confirmed for the job.

Warner expressed concern that Shelby Pearson, who leads a unit focused on Russian and other nations meddling in U.S. elections, might be fired. With the November election just months away, Warner asked Ratcliffe to promise not to dismantle that unit or oust its leaders.

I have no intention of making changes in that regard, Ratcliffe said.
How far off is Tsakos Energy Navigation Limited (NYSE:TNP) from its intrinsic value? Using the most recent financial data, we'll take a look at whether the stock is fairly priced by taking the foreast future cash flows of the company and discounting them back to today's value. This is done using 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. If you want to learn more about discounted cash flow, the rationale behind this calculation can be read in detail in the Simply Wall St analysis model.

Check out our latest analysis for Tsakos Energy Navigation

Step by step through the calculation

We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. 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$169.5m US$98.0m US$64.7m US$49.7m US$41.8m US$37.4m US$34.9m US$33.4m US$32.6m US$32.2m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Est @ -33.95% Est @ -23.25% Est @ -15.75% Est @ -10.5% Est @ -6.83% Est @ -4.26% Est @ -2.46% Est @ -1.2% Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 29% US$131 US$58.8 US$30.1 US$17.9 US$11.7 US$8.1 US$5.8 US$4.3 US$3.3 US$2.5

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = US$273m

Story continues

The second stage is also known as Terminal Value, this is the business's cash flow after the first stage. 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 29%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2029  (1 + g)  (r  g) = US$32m (1 + 1.7%)  29% 1.7%) = US$120m

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= US$120m ( 1 + 29%)10= US$9.3m

The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is US$282m. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of US$3.0, the company appears around fair value at the time of writing. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out.

NYSE:TNP Intrinsic value May 6th 2020

The 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 Tsakos Energy Navigation 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 29%, which is based on a levered beta of 2.000. 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:

Although the valuation of a company is important, 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. For Tsakos Energy Navigation, There are three additional factors you should further research:

Risks: We feel that you should assess the 4 warning signs for Tsakos Energy Navigation (1 can't be ignored!) we've flagged before making an investment in the company. Future Earnings: How does TNP'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. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the NYSE every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks 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.
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court seemed concerned Wednesday about the sweep of Trump administration rules that would allow more employers who cite a religious or moral objection to opt out of providing no-cost birth control to women as required by the Affordable Care Act.

The justices were hearing their third day of arguments conducted by telephone because of the coronavirus pandemic. The first of two cases before them Wednesday stemmed from the Obama-era health law, under which most employers must cover birth control as a preventive service, at no charge to women, in their insurance plans.

In 2017, the Trump administration announced it would broaden an exemption to the contraceptive coverage requirement that previously applied to houses of worship, such as churches, synagogues and mosques. But the change was blocked by courts.

The Supreme Courts four liberal justices suggested they were troubled by the changes, which the government has estimated would cause about 70,000 women, and at most 126,000 women, to lose contraception coverage in one year.

Chief Justice John Roberts, a key vote on a court split between conservatives and liberals, suggested that the Trump administrations reliance on a federal religious freedom law to expand the exemption was too broad.

And Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who joined the conversation from a Maryland hospital where she was being treated for an infection caused by a gallstone, gave the governments top Supreme Court lawyer, Solicitor General Noel Franciso, what sounded like a lecture.

You have just tossed entirely to the wind what Congress thought was essential, that is that women be provided these . services with no hassle, no cost to them, said Ginsburg, who was released from the hospital later Wednesday.

The courts conservative justices seemed more willing to side with the administration, with Trump appointee Justice Brett Kavanaugh suggesting the administrations changes might be considered within the bounds of reasonable.

Beyond exempting churches, synagogues and mosques from the contraceptive coverage requirement, the Obama administration also created a way by which religiously affiliated organizations including hospitals, universities and charities could opt out of paying for contraception, but women on their health plans would still get no-cost birth control. Some groups complained the opt-out process itself violated their religious beliefs.

That opt-out process was the subject of a previous Supreme Court case, but the court, with only eight justices at the time because of the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, didnt decide the issue. It instead sent both sides back to see if they could work out a compromise.

That didnt happen. Is it really the case that there is no way to resolve those differences? Roberts asked at one point.

After the Trump administration took over, officials announced a rule change that allows many companies and organization with religious or moral objections to opt out of covering birth control without providing an alternate avenue for coverage.

New Jersey and Pennsylvania challenged the rules in court, and a judge blocked them from going into effect. The judge found the Trump administration did not follow proper procedures for issuing the rules. An appeals court agreed, and the administration appealed to the Supreme Court to step in, as did the Little Sisters of the Poor. The order of Roman Catholic nuns had been instrumental in challenging the Obama administration rules.

But on Wednesday, Justice Sonia Sotomayor questioned why the Little Sisters of the Poor were even at the court because for a number of reasons they dont have to provide contraceptive coverage. Sotomayor also referenced the coronavirus pandemic during her questioning, asking attorney Paul Clement, who was representing the nuns, whether an employer might be able to object to paying for a coronavirus vaccine. He said no.

Even though the Trump rules remain blocked, a ruling by a federal judge in Texas in June already allows most people who object to covering contraception to avoid doing so.

In the second case the justices heard Wednesday, political consultants and pollsters were among those asking the Supreme Court to strike down a federal law from 1991 that bars them from making robocalls to cellphones. The case only arose after Congress in 2015 created an exception in the law that allows the automated calls for collection of government debt.

The court wrestled with whether it could get rid of just the government-debt restriction or would have to invalidate the entire ban on cellphone robocalls. No one wants robocalls on their cellphone, Roberts said, though he typically votes for the challengers in free-speech cases.

The argument provided a light moment of the day when Justice Stephen Breyer got cut off when someone tried calling him. Breyer said after he rejoined the courts arguments: The telephone started to ring, and it cut me off the call and I dont think it was a robocall.

___

Follow APs Supreme Court Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/AP_Courtside. Supreme Court reporters Mark Sherman can be reached at https://twitter.com/shermancourt and Jessica Gresko at https://twitter.com/jessicagresko.
Online supermarket Ocado said retail revenues surged by 40.4 percent over the past two months as demand soared due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The company said it expects 'the long-term shift towards online grocery to accelerate post-crisis.'

The update came ahead of Ocado's annual general meeting, where shareholders are expected to protest over the 58.7 million pay packet Chief Executive Tim Steiner received for 2019.

The company said it ramped up its capacity 'significantly' in order to support the rise in demand, running its warehouses close to their peak capacity and highest efficiency.

Steiner, 50, pictured with his girlfriend, lingerie model Patrycja Pyka, 30, was awarded a 58million bonus for his work with Ocado despite the company posting losses of 214million

Ocado said grocery demand increased significantly 'almost overnight' at the start of the outbreak.

It said it adapted its platform rapidly in order to meet the record demand and is now delivering significantly more groceries to households than ever before.

However, it said 'more normal shopping patterns have returned' in recent weeks.

The online grocer said its current priority is operating its retail business safely and therefore has introduced contact-free deliveries, temperature monitoring for staff, and now regular testing of frontline workers.

It said it expects online grocery shopping to accelerate post-crisis' but said it is unable to provide guidance for its outlook for the rest of the year due to the uncertainty caused by the pandemic.

Mr Steiner said: 'We are facing quite a different challenge to many, as we scale up Ocado.com to play its part in feeding the nation, and as we help our clients launch and roll out their online businesses more rapidly against a backdrop of a likely long-term increase in demand for online.

'Ocado remains in a strong position and, while we should be grateful that our current challenges are around growth, expansion and increased demand, we have great empathy for all who are facing different challenges at this time.

The company said it expects 'the long-term shift towards online grocery to accelerate post-crisis'

'In retail, we are working with our small suppliers to make sure we pay them earlier than normal and we will work closely with any who are struggling.'

Mr Steiner bagged the 58.7million bonus back in February.

His pay-out is one of the largest ever to a British chief executive, falling just below the 70million paid to advertising mogul Sir Martin Sorrell in 2015.

Under his leadership, Ocado shares had risen more than five-fold since late 2017. A saver who invested 1,000 in Ocado in December 2017 would now have 5,255.

Earlier this week, the value of Mr Steiner's shareholding in Ocado had increased to close to 296million.

Mr Steiner's eye-watering pay packet came as the company's losses ballooned from 44million to 214million, which it blamed in part on a fire at its warehouse in Andover last year.

Responding to news of his bonus earlier this year, his former wife, Belinda Cohen insisted she had no regrets over the divorce from the 50-year-old food delivery chief executive after he was awarded the huge bonus.

Speaking to MailOnline at her 3.5million north London home, Belinda, 48, said: 'Congratulations to him. I'm delighted. It's a fantastic amount of money. Good luck to him.

She added: 'I don't have any regrets. I just wish him lots of luck in the future.'

Belinda wed the city high-flier in 1999, the year before he founded Ocado, but their marriage floundered in 2016 and Mr Steiner is now dating glamorous Polish model Patrycja Pyka, 30.

The end of their marriage led to an acrimonious court battle with the father-of-four dividing his 116 million fortune with Belinda.

Ocado's successes are likely to continue as M&S are due to deliver their full range through the online supermarket from September.

M&S will pay Ocado 750million for a 50% share of the new venture, when Ocado's deal to supply Waitrose products expires.

M&S have launched on Deliveroo and will deliver 130 store favourites to customers's doors in 30 minutes amid coronavirus lockdown. The store will deliver its full range through Ocado from September

The 600million cash call on its shareholders will bring its ready meals and other food hall items in a 1.5billion deal with Ocado.

But analysts have raised concerns that M&S overpaid for the Ocado deal.

Ocado announced last year that it had cut ties with Waitrose after 19 years  to sign with the middle-class favourite's arch-rivals Marks & Spencer.

Many shoppers are not pleased that Ocado's deal will change amid coronavirus concerns and uncertainty.

Waitrose will refocus its online efforts into Waitrose.com after the deal loss with Ocado.

In the meantime M&S have expended their Deliveroo range and will deliver store favourites to customers' doors in 30 minutes amid the coronavirus lockdown.

The upmarket grocer had a trial partnership with Deliveroo and after its success, have made more than 130 M&S food, beverage and household items available across the country.
Apart from a delayed response and acknowledgement of the crisis, China has also been blamed for silencing critics, which include medical workers, journalists and even citizens

Almost five months after reporting the coronavirus outbreak and battling two waves of rising cases, China reported just two confirmed cases on Wednesday. Apart from a delayed response and acknowledgement of the crisis, China has also been blamed for silencing critics, which include medical workers, journalists and even citizens.

The virus spread to various countries, having infected 37,43,654 people and claimed 2,58,850 lives so far. On the outset of the outbreak in December itself, officials questioned eight people who had posted on social media about the virus in December, accusing them of spreading rumours.

Medical workers silenced

Prominent expert on respiratory diseases Wang Guangfa told a local television channel in January that the virus was under control and was just causing a mild condition. In contrast, Li Wenliang, the whistleblower doctor who warned on 30 December last year about the coronavirus and later contracted and succumbed to it, was made to sign a letter admitting that he was "spreading rumors" and "making false comments on 3 January. In December, Li had shared a diagnostics report that identified a new illness which looked much like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) with his colleagues on messaging platform WeChat. Days before his death on 7 February, he told New York Times that more openness and transparency was needed in China. After backlash over his death, China posthumously awarded him the highest official honour of a martyr.

Just like Li, the 2003 SARS outbreak too had seen the government springing into action only after military doctor Jiang Yanyong laid stress on the seriousness of the outbreak. He was put under periodic house arrest and forbidden to visit the United States to collect a human rights award. Rose Luqiu, who had covered the 2003 outbreak for Hong Kong-based Phoenix Television, told New York Times about the muzzling of the news media then and now. She had followed the Beijing mayor for a week to report the governments response then. The freedom to question governments has diminished now, with her article in January detailing the steps taken by Hong Kong to deal with the virus being deleted 10 hours within being published.

In the absence of a muted health fraternity, people of Wuhan, also the epicenter of the outbreak, travelled during the Lunar New Year season, when an estimated three billion trips are recorded. Soon after, the virus spread from Wuhan to Beijing, with the capital city reporting five cases on 20 January.

Authorities censorship glare on media

With the aim to ensure that positive news about Chinas fight against the virus reaches the people, the authorities also began a clampdown on reportage by journalists and citizen journalists. A group of Hong Kong journalists were detained for a few hours when they visited a Wuhan hospital and the police asked them to delete their camera footage and hand over their phones for inspection.

Prominent political commentators Guo Quan and Xu Zhiyong were detained in February, while Xu Zhangrun was put under house arrest. On 12 March, political commentator Ren Zhiqiang had disappeared after criticizing the regimes failings.

The latest issue of the magazine Ren Wu, a sister publication of Peoples Daily, was pulled from news stands on 10 March for carrying an interview in which the head of the emergency department at Wuhan Central Hospital criticized the censorship imposed on doctors, according to Reporters Without Borders. Additionally, a popular opinion blog Dajia was removed from the internet last month after it published a commentary by a renowned journalist calling for greater press freedom in China, reported New York Times.

The works of citizen journalists Chen Quishi and Fang Bin laid bare the crumbling health infrastructure in Wuhan, inviting the governments ire. In his last video broadcast live on 4 February, Chen interviewed a Wuhan resident whose father had succumbed to the coronavirus. His Weibo account was deleted two days later. On 7 February, his parents were told that he was in quarantine.

Fang, a businessman-turned-reporter, had posted a video from a Wuhan hospital on 1 February, where he was seen counting the bodies of those who had succumbed to the coronavirus inside a minibus. He later posted on 2 February that his laptop was confiscated and he was interrogated. Fang told the Los Angeles Times in an interview that the police officers accused him of receiving foreign funding and told him to stop posting rumors. After many days of reporting mounting harassment by the police, he posted a video showing a paper bearing the message, Let all citizens resist. Both Chen and Fang are missing since then.

China also announced last month that it would expel at least 13 American journalists working in the country for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post. In fact, the government deployed 300 reporters to Wuhan to tell positive stories about the Communist Partys fight against the virus.

Activists, businessmen, citizens not spared

Fearing the impact of dissenting voices which criticize the State, China also began a crackdown on citizens not belonging to the health and news fraternities. Ren Zhiqiang, a property tycoon in Beijing, went missing last month after he wrote an essay criticizing the Xi-Jinping led governments attempts to silence whistleblowers and concealing the outbreak. He also called the Chinese premier a power hungry clown. I see not an emperor standing there exhibiting his new clothes, but a clown who stripped naked and insisted on continuing to be an emperor, he wrote.

Joshua Left, an entrepreneur in Wuhan, posted messages on his WeChat account in mid-January sharing information about the family that his family might not have access to, according to a report by Vice News. Soon, he received a warning message from WeChat administrators. Then he began receiving messages that appeared to come from four of his friends on WeChat, all asking him for his location and his US phone number. Later, all these accounts urged him to return to China as soon as possible.

On 20 January, Dongguan resident Jiang Ming responded to a tweet criticizing the governments response to the outbreak. Days later, agents stood at his door, presenting to him a screenshot of his tweet, telling him that the content attacks the Communist Party of China. Ming was detained and interrogated. Ming had his cell phone confiscated for evidence collection but he had a second phone which he used to secretly take pictures of the promise note he was forced to sign saying he would not repeat the threat he had made.

Seven affected residents of Wuhan, who had either lost family members to COVID-19 or had suffered from it sought legal help to sue the government. But New York-based Yang Zhanqing, assisting them in the matter, told Daily Mail that at least two of these residents had to drop their plans after authorities had harassed and threatened them.

A civil servant was also interrogated after he filed the country's first lawsuit on 13 April against the provincial government of Hubei for 'causing unprecedented losses' to its people's lives and properties. The petition also accused officials of organising a vast banquet ahead of the Lunar New Year, knowingly putting more than 40,000 attending families at risks of being infected.

China, however, adopted measures to mold the narrative around the countrys response to the coronavirus outbreak. By early February, the government issued guidelines naming 10 categories of new criminal charges to brought against people deemed jeopardizing disease control, undermining social stability by spreading fear about the disease, and criticizing the Communist Partys handling of the novel coronavirus, South China Morning Post reported.

A week later, the health commission of Xiantao, a city of around 1.6 million people, published directives to health workers and government officials that outlawed giving interviews without permission, mentioning the outbreak in group chats to retweeting anything other than the official line, Vice News reported. By March, a law came into effect criminalizing posting content on the internet that criticizes the government. Moreover, Chinese diplomats used to Twitter to give momentum to the conspiracy theory that the virus was allegedly implanted by United States personnel during the October 2019 Military Olympics in Wuhan.

With inputs from agencies
Israeli military sources say Iran withdrawing from Syria After suffering repeated attacks, 'closing bases in the country'

(by Massimo Lomonaco) TEL AVIV - Iran is "gradually" withdrawing from Syria and arranging for the closure of its military bases in the country, following a double attack on Monday night attributed to Israel, said sources at the Israeli defence ministry.



The sources called it a "significant reduction" of forces aimed at decreasing tension in one of the hottest zones in the region, close to Israel's northern border, which is already dealing with the Lebanese Hezbollah. In addition, Israeli sources said they have also seen a reduction in the number of Shiite militants operating in Syria, even though that is more due to the effect of the "natural progression of the civil war" than to actions attributed to Israel.



"We are determined, more determined than Iran, and I can explain why," said Israeli Defence Minister Naftali Bennett.



"For Iran, Syria is an adventure a thousand miles from home.



For us, it's about our lives," Bennett said.



"Iranian soldiers in Syria are risking their own lives and paying the price in blood. We will not allow the construction of an advanced Iranian base in Syria," he said.



This is an objective that Israel has always made clear, including in recent weeks with at least six attacks in Syrian territory attributed to Israel.



The most recent attacks took place in two waves on Monday night, said sources in Damascus.



According to Israeli defence sources, cited by the media, Iran had already begun evacuating its military bases near the border with Israel at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, which hit Iran hard.



The move was caused both by attacks attributed to Israel as well as the Iranian economic crisis, which grew tighter with US sanctions. Israeli daily Haaretz, citing defence ministry sources, said Syrian President Bashar al Assad realised that "Iran has become a weight for his country and he is paying too high a price for its presence".



In addition the Syrian army, dealing with its own reorganisaion, has been damaged by the alleged Israeli attacks and has lost "combat capacity" due to damages on its defence systems and anti-aircraft batteries.




In my house, we sometimes splurge on fancy butter, but mostly we use Land OLakes. The brand recently removed the Native American woman from its logo. Im down with this, even if Im gloomy that generations of bored children will never be able to discover the trick Lorrie Moore described in her novel Who Will Run the Frog Hospital?

Moores young and desperately horny characters would devote themselves to cutting out the Indian maiden from the package and bending the knees so that they appeared like breasts through a slot we made in her chest. The things we did for fun before the internet.

An easy and inexpensive way to feel beneficent is to cook a package of bacon (I use the oven method) before anyone else is awake. I respect Susan Sontags interest in bacon. Sigrid Nunez, in her memoir Sempre Susan, wrote that Sontag would sometimes cook a whole package of bacon and call it dinner.

I like ham just as much with breakfast. In The Taste of Country Cooking, Edna Lewis wrote: Ham held the same rating as the basic black dress. If you had a ham in the meat house any situation could be faced. This is lockdown wisdom.

Last fall on Broadway, I saw a production of Sam Shepards True West starring Ethan Hawke and Paul Dano. I like productions of True West because a lot of toast is flung around onstage, the way it used to be at midnight screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

If you dont know True West, a character goes on a rampage one night and steals all the toasters from local houses. Theres gonna be a general lack of toast in the neighborhood this morning, he comments.

Long ago I used to fear, when drinking, that I would do something like steal all the toasters in the neighborhood. Now I fear becoming the character in Shepards Fool for Love who believes he is married to Barbara Mandrell.
Chance The Rapper is showing his appreciation to teachers and schools with a brand new awards show honoring educators.

Starting Wednesday, Chance, 27, will be giving a total of $300,000 in cash to educators and schools in need during the virtual Twilight Awards, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Taking place during Teacher Appreciation Week, The Twilight Awards will see Chance surprise educators and schools with supplies, donations, and money on behalf of his partner, Box Tops for Education, a General Mills fundraising initiative benefiting schools.

Doing his part: Chance The Rapper is giving back to the teachers and schools at The Twilight Awards (pictured 2019)

Chance will be celebrating educators serving both his hometown of Chicago and nationwide during the show, which will be taking place virtually due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The first night will see Chance surprise four teachers serving Chicago Public Schools, followed by three to four teachers on subsequent nights.

The rapper announced his intention to create a teacher awards show back in 2017, and was delighted to reveal his dreams were finally coming true on Tuesday, when he took to Instagram to reveal The Twilight Awards were happening.

'Crazy announcement right now,' he said in a video. 'Some of you guys are aware, some of you guys may not be, but this is Teacher Appreciation Week, so first of all shout-out to all the teachers going the extra mile.

Giving back: The awards show, which will be taking place virtually due to the coronavirus outbreak, will be streaming from May 6 to 9 at 7pm on Chance's Instagram Live (pictured 2018)

Honoring educators: In 2017, the musician generously gave $1,000,000 to Chicago Public Schools, created the New Chance: Arts & Literature Fund, and announced he would be donating $10,000 to individual city schools (pictured 2019)

'I don't know if you all remember, but a couple of years ago I had an idea to do an awards show called The Twilight Awards where we would honor the amazing teachers out there as celebrities.

'And I am extremely proud and excited to say that Box Tops for Education and General Mills, the geniuses behind Cinnamon Toast Crunch, are helping me bring this to reality!

'This Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, I'm going to be giving out prizes and recognizing the amazing teachers that are superstars and celebrities themselves. So tune into my live and 7PM each day, cash prizes, hilarious fun, you gotta tune in!'

Let's do this! The rapper announced his intention to create a teacher awards show back in 2017, and was delighted to reveal his dreams were finally coming true on Tuesday, when he took to Instagram to reveal The Twilight Awards were happening

'Shout-out to all the teachers going the extra mile': The musician was thrilled to finally be able to honor educators across the country

The Twilight Awards will be streaming from May 6 to 8 at 7pm on Chance's Instagram Live.

Chance has been a huge supporter of the Chicago education system.

In 2017, the musician generously gave $1,000,000 to Chicago Public Schools, assisted in creating the New Chance: Arts & Literature Fund, and announced he would be making $10,000 donations to 10 individual city schools.
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Linkedin (Reuters) Istanbul  Wed, May 6, 2020 16:47 622 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd6622bd 2 News Turkish-Airlines,Airlines,coronavirus,COVID-19 Free

Turkish Airlines plans a gradual resumption of flights from June and will take four months to return to near full operation, a draft plan seen by Reuters showed, as the economy reopens following a slowdown in coronavirus cases.

The flag carrier, which flew to 126 countries before the coronavirus outbreak, was forced to shut down all international passenger flights, will fly to just 19 countries next month, the April-dated plan proposed.

It plans to gradually build up the number of destinations to 99 countries in September, according to the plan, which the company told Reuters may be subject to change in line with developments.

Read also: Singapore Airlines extends cancellation of 96 percent of flights till end-June

Turkish Airlines, which carried more than 74 million passengers last year, has suspended passenger flights until May 28 after borders were shut down to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus.

It plans to resume 60 percent of domestic flights in June, according to the draft plan. Turkish Airlines shares were up 0.38 percent at 0919 GMT.

Ankara has launched efforts to gradually revive the economy from late May after the spread of the virus slowed over the past two weeks. Turkey has about 130,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, the highest total outside Western Europe, the United States and Russia.
After more than six years since the establishment of the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, over 100 institutional innovations have been launched, including "negative list" and "pre-establishment national treatment ", which have greatly helped boost productivity.

This aerial photo taken on Sept. 21, 2016 shows the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone in Shanghai, east China. Sept. 29 will mark the 3rd founding anniversary of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone. (Xinhua/Pei Xin)

Taking one of the institutional innovations for reference, in the past in order to open a convenience store enterprises, one must obtain at least five permits, including those on food safety, tobacco monopoly, medical equipment sales and so on, after obtaining a business license.

"After the introduction of the policy, i.e. 'integrating multiple approval items involved in an industry access into a comprehensive industry license', it is only necessary to apply for a comprehensive industry license to open a convenience store in Pudong district of Shanghai. The time required to apply for the license has been reduced from 95 working days to five working days," said a representative applying for the license from a convenience store named Suning.

Through a series of reforms and innovations of government mechanism, the vitality of market entities in Shanghai Free Trade Zone has been stimulated.

Data shows as of March this year, a total of 64,000 new enterprises had been established in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, with the number of newly established enterprises in the past six years 1.8 times that of the same region in the previous 20 years.

Meanwhile, 12,000 new foreign-funded enterprises have been established, accounting for about 20 percent of the total, up from 5 percent from the number at the beginning of the listing of the free trade zone.
President Trump opted out of wearing a mask during his visit to a Honeywell mask production facility in Phoenix on Tuesday, after telling reporters he would cover his face while there.

As he left the White House, Trump was asked by reporters if he would wear a mask while at Honeywell. "If it's a mask facility, I will," he said. "I don't know if it's a mask facility?"

It was a mask facility, and in addition to touring the area where masks are produced, Trump spoke at a roundtable. While Trump did wear goggles, he skipped the mask, as did the other officials who joined him. The Washington Post reports there were signs visible across the facility asking people to don face coverings, with one at the entrance stating, "Please wear your mask at all times." A White House official told the Post Honeywell said the Trump team they did not have to wear masks.

Vice President Mike Pence was criticized last week when he visited the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and did not wear a mask while speaking with doctors and patients, going against the medical center's policy. On Sunday, Pence admitted that while he "didn't think it was necessary," he "should have worn a mask at the Mayo Clinic."

More stories from theweek.com

American individualism is a suicide pact

White House press secretary says idea that all Americans need to be tested for COVID-19 is 'nonsensical'

Trump let stay-at-home guidelines expire the same day experts warned him of deadly consequences


The Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA) has announced that the 2020 Effie Awards South Africa programme has been cancelled and the inaugural Awards are postponed with the events now scheduled to take place in July 2021.

Mathe Okaba, CEO, Association for Communication and Advertising.

At the heart of Effies is effectiveness, and highlighting the incredible value our profession adds to business success. Agencies find themselves in a tumultuous period, having to effectively manage their own business needs while guiding and assisting brands through this difficult time. Focusing on this is key, and we do not wish to apply additional pressure in any form at this time. Our top priority is to protect the health and safety and overall wellbeing of the advertising and communications industry, our partners and stakeholders and therefore believe the decision is the correct one.

New calendar for 2021

The difficult decision to postpone the inaugural programme follows consultations with all relevant ACA stakeholders, including Effie Worldwide and the decision is reflective of the unprecedented challenges currently facing the entire world, and the industry specifically. The decision will also ensure that any uncertainty about the running of the awards and event for the industry and ACA and Effie South Africa partners is communicated timeously.Mathe Okaba, CEO, Association for Communication and Advertising notes that in response to the continuing developments of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic in South Africa and abroad, the decision has been an extremely difficult yet necessary one to make.A unique situation in South Africa has presented itself in that the global pandemic has occurred in parallel with the launch and entry period for the inaugural awards. The ACA has postponed the inaugural launch of Effie South Africa and will extend the eligibility period for campaigns once the new entry dates are communicated for 2021. This is being proposed in order to ensure that the work that worked in terms of standard entry eligibility is recognised and not overlooked as a result of the current challenges.The ACAs priorities guide our strategy and our activities, and while this is a difficult decision, we believe it is the correct route of action to take. Together with the leadership of the ACA, the committee is taking every possible step to ensure that the postponement is just that, and furthermore that it does not negatively affect those agencies that are either in the process of, or have already submitted entries. We look forward to celebrating the most effective campaigns and to bringing the first ever Effie Awards to South Africa in 2021, comments Kagiso Musi, Effie Awards South Africa Committee chair.The focus will now centre on planning the new calendar of events for 2021, with the ACA fully committed to hosting the inaugural Effie Awards South Africa in the months ahead.New entry dates and deadlines will be communicated in due course, as will updated campaign eligibility periods and adjudication dates.Were experiencing uncertain times and as unfortunate as it may be, we all need to adapt. Going ahead this year could possibly have compromised the integrity of the awards and the future success thereof. We need to allow time for all to regroup, to refocus and return to a sense of relative normality. As we face these unprecedented challenges together, we assure all that we will soon return to Awarding Ideas That Work, concludes Okaba.For more information visit the Effie Awards South Africa website or visit the ACA website
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Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Seminyak, Bali  Wed, May 6, 2020 15:47 622 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd658957 1 National Bali-hotels,seminyak,Australian,dead,hotel-room,investigation,death,COVID-19-protocol Free

Authorities are investigating the death of an Australian man who was found dead in his hotel room in Seminyak, Bali, on Tuesday.

While investigators work to ascertain the cause of death, authorities are treating the body with COVID-19 protocols to protect medical workers in case the man tests positive for the disease.

He has been identified as 48-year-old Christopher Steven Tolley. He was found dead on the bed of his hotel room on Tuesday afternoon after he missed his check-out time.

When the witness went to Tolleys room, he found a Do Not Disturb sign on the door. The witness knocked but heard no answer, said Kuta Police investigation unit head First Insp. Bagus Nagara Baranacita.

He added that the hotel general manager could not open the door as it had been locked from inside. When hotel staff looked into the room through a window, they saw the victim lying on the bed. He did not respond as they called his name.

Read also: French national found dead on Bali sidewalk tests positive for COVID-19

The police immediately coordinated with the COVID-19 task force to remove Tolleys body as using COVID-19 protocols as a preventive measure. Health authorities took the body to the Sanglah Hospitals forensic unit for further examination.

A team from the hospitals morgue will conduct an examination to find any signs of violence. Should they find anything, we will coordinate with the Australian consulate in Bali, who will inform his family, Bagus said.

He added that investigators had not started a forensic examination of the hotel room because of concerns that Tolley had died of COVID-19.

We are concerned that investigators will be infected by COVID-19. Therefore, the COVID-19 task force will examine the room first.

Badung Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) emergency and logistic unit head Nyoman Ermy Setiari said the agency had implemented COVID-19 protocols in every evacuation process.

Our team always wears personal protective equipment to protect them from the disease. (kuk)
Amid simmering tension between China and the US over coronavirus outbreak, Chinas ambassador to Washington has called for an end to the blame game. In the Washington Post column, Cui Tankai warned that accusing China over the virus outbreak could lead to the decoupling of the worlds two largest economies.

The Chinese envoy emphasised in his published column that it is the time to focus on the disease and rebuild trust between the two countries. Cuis reaction came after US President Donald Trump, along with his aides, launched an all-out attack on China over the handling of coronavirus and accused them of hiding facts for a long time.

Recently, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had said that there is significant amount of evidence that the virus originated from a laboratory in Wuhan. Without mentioning any name, Cui denounced conspiracy theories about Chinas geopolitical intentions in the aftermath of the virus outbreak. He also criticised the leaders demanding reparations and said that Wuhan was the first victim of coronavirus and it is ridiculous for asking compensation from a victim.

Read: Top US General Says 'no Conclusive Evidence' On Origin Of Coronavirus

'Groundless accusations'

Last month, the Chinese envoy had taken a veiled swipe at Trump for making groundless accusations and ignoring scientific expertise. Speaking at a webcast event organised by Bloomberg News, Ambassador Cui Tiankai said that some politicians are so preoccupied in their efforts for stigmatisation and groundless accusations that they pay little attention to the views of the scientists.

Read: Mike Pompeo's Comment On Origin Of Coronavirus Remains 'speculative': WHO

In stark contrast with Pompeos assessment, top US general Mark Milley said that it is still unknown whether the novel coronavirus originated from a wet market or some laboratory in China. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told a news conference on May 5 that the US government is looking into the issue but indicated that it was probably not intentional.

"We don't have conclusive evidence in any of that, but the weight of evidence is that it was probably not intentional," the chairman said.

Read: White House Planning To Disband Coronavirus Task Force, Signals Donald Trump

Read: China Lambasts Mike Pompeo, Calls His Theory Of Virus Origin 'insane'
Sudan outlawed female genital mutilation in April. Campaigners said that this move will herald a "new era" for recognizing women's rights in the African nation.

According to UNICEF, within an amendment to criminal legislation, the government of Sudan imposed 3 years of prison time and a fine on individuals who perform female genital mutilation.

United Nations data showed that almost 9 out of 10 women and girls in prime Muslim Sudan have undertaken the procedure.

According to Sudan's representative for the UN's body for children's issues UNICEF, which has been relatively regular in segments of Sudanese society, pains young girls and must end.

"This practice is not only a violation of every girl child's rights, it is harmful and has serious consequences for a girl's physical and mental health," said Abdullah Fadil in a statement.

The UN said that some 87% of Sudanese women between the ages of 14 and 49 have undertaken forms of FGM.

It is regular in Sudan for women to get the inner and outer labia, and often the clitoris, removed.

The criminalization followed the transitional Government approving the landmark draft law.

The law is still yet to be ratified by a joint meeting of the sovereign council, which assumed power after longtime President Omar al-Bashir was overthrown last year, and the Cabinet.

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry said in a statement said that the action was part of the government's obligation to international human rights agreements.

Sudan is one of the world's most-affected nations of FGM.

Also Read: Pope Francis Meets, Blesses Death Row 'Apostasy' Woman Freed From Sudan (WATCH)

The new law was approved by the council of ministers on 22nd of April but is still yet to be passed by sovereign council members, which was drafted after the former dictator Omar al-Bashir's ousting.

According to Amira Azhary, from the National Council for Child Welfare and a campaigner for the Saleema initiative, which advocates for an end to the practice, said, "We expect that the law will be passed by the sovereign council and if that happens, it will be an expression of the political will in this country."

However, some activists caution the practice could be difficult to eradicate in a nation where it is so deep-seated in the culture.

The World Health Organization (WHO) explained female genital mutilation (FGM) as involving "the partial or total removal of external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons." It added that the act has no health benefits for women and girls.

"Happy news!" wrote UNICEF on Twitter.

In 1946, Sudan enacted the most severe forms of FGM illegal, but enforcement of the law was scarce.

A recent report surmised that female genital mutilation is a regular practice in over 90 countries.

Women's and children's rights campaigners honored the move but cautioned much work would be required to certify that the law would be implemented properly.

Related Article: South Sudan Oil Tanker Explosion Leaves 'More Than 100' Dead, Officials Say

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) in partnership with the Manhyia Palace and the security services, has launched an operation to enforce the wearing of nose masks by residents in the metropolis.



Mr Osei Assibey Antwi, Mayor of Kumasi, together with Adumhene, Baffour Agyei Kese IV, and some Divisional Police Commanders in the metropolis, began the operation on Wednesday with a tour in the central business district to enforce compliance.



The team which included police and military personnel ensured that each person in the business district wore the mask as a protective measure against the further spread of the coronavirus in the metropolis and its environs.



Mr Osei Assibey Antwi told the Ghana News Agency that the exercise was part of efforts to ensure that all preventive protocols such as social distancing, wearing of nose masks, as well as washing of hands were strictly adhered to by all residents.



He said the involvement of the police and the military was to ensure that every individual put on nose masks while walking or trading in public places.



The Mayor said it was also part of a sustained educational campaign to ensure that people complied with all the outlined preventive protocols to prevent further spread of the virus in the country.



Mr Osei Assibey commended the majority of people who have been wearing the nose masks and obeying the preventive rules and said concerted efforts were needed by all to fight the spread of the virus.



Barfour Agyei Kese IV, Adumhene on his part, thanked the people, especially those in Adum, for complying with the President's order and hence, using the nose masks and obeying all other protocols.



He advised the few recalcitrant to comply with the rules as a matter of urgency, and obey the simple instruction since that was the only way through which they could stay safe from catching and spreading the virus.



Meanwhile, a section of the traders and buyers who spoke to the GNA during the exercise expressed worry over the rate at which the coronavirus infection was rising in the region.



They called for strict enforcement of the various protocols to prevent further spread in the 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.

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India on Wednesday donated 30,000 COVID-19 test kits to Bangladesh as part of its emergency medical assistance to the neighbouring country which has reported 11,719 coronavirus cases and 186 fatalities.

"This assistance which is covered under the SAARC COVID-19 Emergency Fund is intended to support the efforts of Government of Bangladesh in tackling the spread of coronavirus," the Indian High Commission in Dhaka said in a statement.

Indian High Commissioner Riva Ganguly Das handed over the kits to Bangladesh's Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen at his office, saying these domestically produced kits were widely used in India for COVID-19 detection.

According to the statement, Das said Bangladesh was the first country to receive these test kits from India on priority, "which reflects the importance of Dhaka to New Delhi".

Momen appreciated India's help for the three tranches of assistance.

An Indigo cargo flight transported the supply to be dispatched to Bangladesh's Institute of Epidemiological Disease Control and Research (IEDCR). Dhaka received the first tranche of the Indian emergency medical assistance containing 30,000 surgical masks and 15,000 caps on March 25.

The second Indian consignment consisted of 50,000 sterile surgical latex gloves and 1,00,000 Hydroxychloroquine medicine tablets.

The Indian gesture came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi ensured his country's readiness to help Bangladesh in containing the spread of COVID-19 and in mitigating health and economic impact of the pandemic.

In a video conference on forming a joint strategy to fight COVID-19 in the SAARC region, Prime Minister Modi on March 15 proposed the emergency fund with an initial offer of USD 10 million from India and asserted that the best way to deal with the coronavirus pandemic was by coming together, and not growing apart.

Bangladesh's foreign ministry said in a statement that Momen thanked India for the medical supplies as well as assistance in returning Bangladeshi nationals stranded in India.

He also urged India to take steps to allow goods-laden Bangladesh-bound trucks stranded in Petrapole land border to cross the frontier, saying the delay would result in huge loss to Bangladeshi importers.

Meanwhile, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Additional Director General (administration) Nasima Sultana said that three people died with coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours, taking the toll to 186.

The confirmed cases have jumped to 11,719, as the country recorded the highest single-day jump with 790 more people testing positive in the last 24 hours, she said.

On March 8, the health authorities in Bangladesh reported the first case of COVID-19, a severe acute respiratory illness caused by a new strain of coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
SANY team members Tom Cooper & Rob Nelson delivered masks to Piedmont-Fayette Hospital in Fayetteville, Ga.

As the world continues to adapt and adjust work and life through the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, SANY America, Inc. has worked to support several local health care institutions and their teams that are helping to keep everyone safe and well.

Through its corporate contacts, SANY America was able to source medical-grade disposable facemasks. These masks are among the most critical personal protective equipment needed by medical employees, and have been increasingly difficult to source with the incredible surge in demand. SANY America delivered 10,000 masks to Piedmont Fayette Hospital in Fayetteville, Ga., just a few miles from SANY America headquarters, and another 10,000 masks to the Georgia Department of Public Health for them to distribute to those in need.

SANY America supplied an additional 30,000 masks to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany, Ga. This hospital serves Dougherty County, which has seen the highest number of fatalities from coronavirus in the state, making the hospital one of the facilities most in need during the crisis.

We know that the current situation has impacted everyone, from here in Georgia to every corner of the world, said Doug Friesen, CEO of SANY America. We were fortunate to have facemasks available at our headquarters facility, and wanted to do what we could to help those workers and facilities helping to keep our neighbors, our employees and our families healthy and safe during this crisis.

SANY America has also worked to support internal staff and dealer partners. For team members working on site at the Georgia headquarters, SANY America has provided remote work options when possible. For manufacturing team employees, the company offered paid leave for staff when work was temporarily halted in April, and has since adjusted the workflow of the production line to accommodate social distancing guidelines now that operations have been allowed to resume. The companys parts team has remained on the job throughout, supported by remote call center staff, using internal staff rotations, and employing safe working protocols and social distancing, along with other CDC recommendations, allowing for some continuity of service for equipment owners and dealers.

To support the network of SANY dealers, SANY America has also provided more than 13,000 of its medical-grade masks to dealers for their employees who work with customers on a daily basis. Members of the SANY America management team have also personally reached out to speak with dealers across the nation to discuss their needs and current situation and to offer support.

Our dealers are the backbone of the SANY experience for many of our customers, said Friesen. They help support the equipment, handle maintenance, and provide service and parts ordering assistance. They play a critical role, and we want to do all that we can to make sure that were providing them with the support they need to keep delivering on promise of SANY America.

While the current crisis has posed a number of new challenges and unique circumstances for everyone, SANY America has strived to provide support for those customers still at work and assistance for vital workers on the front lines throughout this difficult period. Learn more about SANY America and how the company is working every day to deliver on the promise of being More than Machines by visiting sanyamerica.com.

About SANY

SANY manufactures, sells and supports construction and material handling equipment, including crawler cranes, rough terrain cranes, excavators, container reach stackers and empty container handlers. The company handles SANY brand equipment sales and support in the United States, Mexico and Central America. SANY America's headquarters in Peachtree City, Ga., includes 340,000 square feet of manufacturing space and 60,000 square feet of office space. Excavators are assembled at the facility, which has the capacity to produce more than 2,000 units per year. In addition to assembly, the Peachtree City facility performs machine testing, touch up painting and distribution.
[May 06, 2020] Synovus Announces Paycheck Protection Program Lending Results

Synovus Bank today announced it has processed and approved approximately 18,000 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans totaling $2.9 billion as of May 5. The bank processed approximately 8,300 loans totaling $2 billion from April 3 to April 16, when the first round of funding was exhausted, and processed approximately 9,800 loans totaling $900 million beginning April 27, following the restoration of PPP funding. The funding provided by Synovus through PPP will support businesses that employ more than 335,000 individuals across the bank's five-state footprint. "Small businesses are the foundation of the U.S. economy and Synovus is proud to have served so many customers and communities through our participation in the Paycheck Protection Program," said Kessel D. Stelling, Synovus chairman and CEO. "Even before the official launch of PPP on April 3, hundreds of Synovus team members began working diligently, proactively communicating with customers early and often to ensure timely documentation, processing, underwriting, and funding of PPP applications. Their dedication - especially considering the constraints imposed by the healthcare crisis - is a wonderful demonstration of Synovus' relationship-based approach to banking. We are grateful for the opportunity to stand with and support our small business customers, and for their essential role in the communities we serve together." 70 percent of Synovus' PPP loans were for $100,000 or less and 35 percent of loans were less than $25,000. Statewide totals are as follows: Georgia - 7,918 loans aeraging $148,754, totaling $1.18 billion, and associated with 151,860 jobs;

Florida - 5,059 loans averaging $150,774, totaling $762 million, and associated with 88,450 jobs;

Alabama - 2,305 loans averaging $175,939, totaling $465 million, and associated with 43,900 jobs;

South Carolina - 2,190 loans averaging $174,373, totaling $382 million, and associated with 46,175 jobs;

Tennessee - 383 loans averaging $156,352, totaling $60 million, and associated with 6,680 jobs.



Synovus Bank, a Georgia-chartered, FDIC-insured bank, provides commercial and retail banking, investment, and mortgage services together with its affiliates through 299 branches in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee. Synovus Bank has been recognized as one of the country's "Most Reputable Banks" by American Banker and the Reputation Institute. Synovus Bank is on the web at synovus.com, and on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Equal Housing Lender.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005269/en/

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Coronavirus coverage might overshadow the recent developments in Libya, yet rarely has the situation on ground been more complex and difficult to predict. Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar first announced that he is about to take control of entire Libya, allegedly spearheading a popular mandate to consolidate the North African country, only to later declare a month-long ceasefire for the entire holy month of Ramadan. The internationally-recognized government of National Accord (GNA) riposted by declaring that it does not trust Haftar and that its fighters would continue fighting, disregarding the unilateral ceasefire announced by the Field Marshal. More fighting, less long-term certainty and no thought for Libyas ailing oil sector  a combination of things that Libya needs the least on its road to recovery.

Field Marshal Haftars army has been fighting to wrest control over Tripoli for 13 months already, yet the last 2-3 weeks witnessed a series of military victories of militias associated with the GNA. Sorman and Sabrata, two cities on the Mediterranean coast, have come under effective GNA control, complicating Haftars quest of besieging Tripoli. The alteration in the ongoing civil wars course might be very well linked to Turkish armed forces increasing their involvement by means of drone reconnaissance flights and airstrikes against Haftar airbases, as well as military equipment and means of transport. It is against this background that the ceasefire should be assessed, just as the May 01 shelling of the Zanata neighborhood in Tripoli, fighting has reached an impasse and both sides see more benefit in taking the heat out of the fighting so that they can prepare for further military action.

With his strategic position weakened, Field Marshal Haftar is creating some smoke and mirrors for the international community, another round of lengthy deliberation on how the unified post-civil war Libya should come about. Even countries generally assumed to favor Haftar as the new Libyan national leader have lobbied against the sudden announcement  the UAE which has just recently supplied a sophisticated air missile defense system to Haftar has called upon all Libyan parties to stick to political process, French authorities claimed that unilateral action will not solve the conflict.



Related: This Could Be The Beginning Of A Tremendous Oil Rally



Russia also protested against the unilateral character of Haftars announcement, saying that whatever future Libya is to have, it must take place with a social support across all sectors.

Story continues

Yet all relevant parties are cognizant of the fact that absent any proper UN brokerage the political process is at best frozen, if not dead entirely. UN talks, the (seemingly) only international platform for constructive dialogue has seen its capacities debilitated this spring, with the position of the UN special envoy on Libya having been vacant for more than 2 months already. The spread of coronavirus might also render constructive talks difficult  heretofore Libya has only had 60-odd cases with 3 reported casualties, however the deadly virus might become a much bigger threat than it is now, especially in Tripoli where most previous cases were diagnosed. With no real prospect of a mediated outcome, where does this leave Libyas embattled oil sector?

Graph 1. Libyas Oil Production in 2020 (million barrels per day).





Source: Thomson Reuters.

Since January 18 when Field Marshal Haftar started the ongoing blockade of all Libyan ports and export terminals, Libyan oil output has been in a freefall. Back in the day the chairman of the Libyan NOC Mustafa Sanalla predicted that if no measures are taken to counteract Haftar, Libyas oil production would plummet to 72kbpd, all the way from 1.2mbpd in mid-January. It might have seemed a very implausible proposition back in the day, but it turned out to be a prophetic one  as of April 30, Libyas production stood at 95kbpd. The CEO of the Italian oil firm ENI Claudio Descalzi stated during one of his most recent executive calls that he expects Libyan production to come back to normal around end June. It remains to be seen what could potentially kickstart such an output rebound.

Related: Oil Prices Fall As 20 Million Americans Lose Their Jobs

Currently only two oil-producing objects are safe from any military blockade  Libyas offshore assets, Bouri and Al Jurf, both located along the Tunisian maritime border. The ENI-operated Bouri field was Libyas first offshore venture, having decommissioned the previous floating storage and offloading vessel, Bouri is now utilizing a brand new FSO with 1.5 MMbbls of storage capacity. The Total-operated Al Jurf has a production capacity of 45kbpd and is using the Farwah FPSO, wielding an aggregate storage capacity of 0.9 MMbbls. Given that the Libyan national oil company holds 70% of Bouri and 50% of Al-Jurf, its share of Libyas total output stands around 60kbpd, which has left an indelible mark on NOCs financial stature.

According to data provided by the Libyan NOC, the cumulative financial losses arising from the production blockade amount to $4.35 billion as of end-April. In terms of output lost, some 110 million barrels have been missing, with Libyas output effectively consisting exclusively of offshore fields. The Libyan NOCs income revenues have parched up compared to last years relative financial bounty, February incomes were at a mere $555 million, roughly a quarter of last years average. With oil production decreasing to the lowest minimum possible, nationwide availability of transport fuels has been deplorable. Especially dire is the fuel situation in the capital Tripoli  there are no gasoline or diesel stocks there, whilst Benghazi has some 14 days worth of gasoline inventories and 2 days worth of Diesel.



By Viktor Katona for Oilprice.com

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A nurse wearing protective clothing and face mask checks data as she takes care of a COVID-19 patient at the Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) department in the Karolinska hospital in Solna, near Stockholm, Sweden, on April 19, 2020 during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Jonathan NACKSTRAND / AFP) (Photo by JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty Images)

FRONTLINE health workers have been offered flexible working options including virtual clinics to enable them to care for their children while creches are closed.

A new HSE circular said other options include rotating shifts, longer work days, weekend working, split shifts, night working, and staggered start and finish times.

It also said essential health workers could provide expertise for new teams set up to support nursing homes or assessment hubs.

Union sources said the HSE has not provided any details on the operation of virtual clinics, but speculated that it might involve nurses or speech and language therapists holding community clinics over Zoom with patients.

The circular from John Delamere of the HSE corporate employee relations department to managers yesterday is an elaboration on flexible working options offered to staff in a similar circular last week.

It said childcare arrangements are important to ensure services continue during the Covid-19 crisis, although paid leave has been ruled out

Workers across all sectors have been strugging to balance childcare since the government ordered the closure of creches and schools due to the pandemic.

The HSE noted that an initial measure to facilitate attendance at work was to enable workers partners who are public servants to stay at home to look after children.

However, Mr Delamere said it has been acknowledged that the above measure does not address the majority of situations.

The government has announced further measures for frontline workers from May 18.

From that date, an in-reach childcare service will be offered in the homes of essential healthcare workers.

The reopening of creches, pre-schools and childminding facilities for essential workers will happen in a phased manner from June 29.

From July 29, facilities are set to be opened for the children of all other workers on a gradually increasing phased basis (eg one day a week).

Mr Delamere said the HSE has been engaging with staff regarding work pattern flexibilities to enable them to attend work.

He said shift rotation would be on offer where both parents are frontline workers, while longer working and a combination of shorter days during the week with longer days at the weekend were another potential solution.

Mr Delamere said days could be swapped where job sharing arrangements are in place.

He said if all the options were explored and were not feasible, a worker may have to stay at home to mind children.

However, they would be classified as being available to work like other public servants and given other work or roles.

He said employers should be very flexible where employees have caring responsibilities

Forsa said the HSE approach risked reducing the number of available essential workers..

Head of health Eamonn Donnelly said the complicated new arrangement still falls far short of whats required to balance the childcare and professional needs of essential health workers.

It also does little to assist the very many dedicated health workers who have now made expensive provision for alternative childcare arrangements in order to balance their home and professional responsibilities, he said.

The solution is for the Government to either make direct childcare provision available to essential staff, or meet the additional costs incurred by individuals who make their own childcare arrangements during the period when schools and creches remain closed, he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 17:06:44|Editor: huaxia

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With a diameter of 10.88 meters, the largest Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) that China has exported to Europe was put into use at a metro construction site in Russian capital Moscow on Tuesday It weighs 1,700 tons. It is constructed by China Railway Construction Corporation, a major heavy machinery producer. It's designed to work normally in cold weather conditions in Moscow where temperatures can drop to minus 30 degrees Celsius.
A man who is spending lockdown making sure people living on the streets don't go hungry reveals his mother was homeless when he was a baby in Stacey Dooley's Lockdown Heroes.

For her latest BBC Three documentary, journalist Stacey - who is isolating in her London flat with boyfriend Kevin Clifton - reaches out to people across the country in search of those who are trying to help others.

Jonathan, from Glasgow, told how homeless charities and street groups 'stopped going out' when the coronavirus hit in March.

Concerned that the homeless community, who usually depend on food handouts from passersby, would suffer as a result of lockdown, he rallied a group of kind volunteers.

Jonathan, from Glasgow, told how homeless charities and street groups 'stopped going out' when the coronavirus hit in March

Concerned that the homeless community, who usually depend on food handouts from passersby, would suffer as a result of lockdown, Jonathan rallied a group of kind volunteers

'Every night we're out making sure the homeless people of Glasgow are getting a hot meal,' he told Stacey.

'The coronavirus isn't a problem for them, it's the food. There's no one buying them a sausage roll during the day, there's no one giving them a few quid, no one buying them cheeseburgers, so I've been out every day since.'

Asked about his own experience with homelessness, Jonathan explained: 'My mum was homeless when she was pregnant and when I was a baby.

'I didn't know that until recently, because I don't like to ask her a lot of questions about it when I was kid, because it wasn't very good.

'She's doing well [now], she sometimes comes out and helps us on the street.'

Jonathan said his group has gone from five reliable, self-sacrificing volunteers to around 30, and he often makes up to 100 sandwiches a day (pictured)

Jonathan said his group has gone from five reliable, self-sacrificing volunteers to around 30, and he often makes up to 100 sandwiches a day.

Speaking about his desire to help people on the streets, Jonathan said: 'For myself it's a question of dignity, it's the right thing to do.

'It just comes from a good place in everyone... everyone's selfless. I think the thing as well just now, given the environment we're in, you're only a couple of pay cheques from being on the street.

'People always say, "nah I'll never be on the street," blah blah blah. And now, if it wasn't for mortgage holidays, you wouldn't have a house anymore.'

During the documentary, Stacey also speaks to Freya, a charity worker based in Greece who chose to stay overseas and help others rather than return home to her family.

During the documentary, Stacey also speaks to Freya, a charity worker based in Greece who chose to stay overseas and help others rather than return home to her family

'My family are in the UK, they have the NHS, they have each other,' she said.

'This kind of work doesn't stop just because there's a virus, and we still had to tackle all of the issues that we have to deal with day out before the virus, and we just have this on top of it now.'

She told how one lady from the camp on the island of Lesvos, which was built for 3,000 people and now has over 20,000 people living in it, gave birth in Athens before returning to the camp, where she was diagnosed with coronavirus.

'We think she probably picked it up in the hospital in Athens, and overnight they found 23 more cases in the same camp,' Freya explained.

During the documentary, Stacey also speaks to Freya, a charity worker based in Greece who chose to stay overseas and help others rather than return home to her family

'It's going to spread so quickly because people are living so closely together. They still have to queue up for hours to get food very close together, they still have to queue to use showers and toilets that are difficult to keep clean. That's a massive challenge.'

Asked by Stacey how she is feeling, Freya replied: 'Scared. I'm very scared and worried and everything feels really big, but there are things that we can do and I am making it just a little bit better.'

Stacey also spoke to Charlotte, a textiles teacher turned scrub maker in Wigan, who's busy churning out protective equipment with her furloughed friend Hannah, and has a backlog of orders to fill.

Stacey also spoke to Charlotte, a textiles teacher turned scrub maker in Wigan, who's busy churning out protective equipment with her furloughed friend Hannah, and has a backlog of orders to fill

She's working 14 hour days for free, managing a team of 70 seamstresses to provide desperately needed equipment to frontline services.

Those services include people like Serena and Richard, St John Ambulance volunteers who have joined thousands of others to help the health service manage the crisis.

And in Croydon, junior doctor Zainab is working to support those struggling with the challenges of lockdown, and those recovering from the shock of being in intensive care.

In Croydon, junior doctor Zainab is working to support those struggling with the challenges of lockdown, and those recovering from the shock of being in intensive care

'We are seeing patients a lot less face-to-face, it's very difficult to have that balance of looking after your patient and being there for them, but at the same time protecting them and protecting yourself in this new way of working,' she said.

'We are dealing with, I don't want to say a loss of dignity, but a loss of self. You'e having a lot of things done to you and you have no control over it because it's the only way we can look after you.

'Things like having catheters put in place, things like being rolled over, being cleaned by someone else, when youre used to doing all of these things yourself.'

Watch Stacey Dooley: Lockdown Heroes on the BBC iPlayer now.
Mexico's Interior Department warned state governments to avoid using prison terms to enforce coronavirus stay-at-home policies.

The Monday warning came after the Queretaro state passed a bill that allowed officials to charge people who do not follow the mandated isolation with four to six years in jail.

The department said that the law was disproportionate and unconstitutional. They also claimed it discriminated against impoverished citizens. The law sets sentences of up to five years for disobeying the orders of health authorities during a health crisis.

The department also stated that the law could be used against legitimate demonstrations as one clause sets a minimum of two years and a maximum of five years for people who are obstructing public works.



Winning against the Virus

Mexico's coronavirus pandemic has entered its third week of phase three. According to deputy health minister Hugo Lopez-Gatell, the country is winning against the virus. He says that the latest data shows promising results despite recording more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases and 117 deaths on Monday.

Lopez-Gatell also said that the country is preparing for a possible second wave that could strike in October. He claims Mexico still has an extensive response capacity to see off the peak of the pandemic.

The Mexican government has urged 126 million residents to stay inside their homes in late March. It also ordered the suspension of classes and other non-essential business activities. The measures, Lopez-Gatell believes, will help change the course of the virus and helped reduce the spread of the infection.



Testing Limits

Despite the promising numbers, the health minister said the true number of infections and fatalities are likely several times more than reported.

Testing rates in the country remain low compared to other nations. According to recent data, less than 800 people per 1 million residents have been tested for COVID-19. Many mild or asymptomatic carriers go undetected.

The report also showed the number of tests conducted each day fluctuated during the country's most critical coronavirus phase. On April 28, only 5,900 people were tested, but only 2,603 people were tested on May 2. The number dropped even lower on Sunday, with only 2,048.

Health care workers have reported difficulties getting tested for the virus despite showing coronavirus-like symptoms.



Reopening the economy

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador hopes to begin reopening the economy in some areas of the nation by May 17. The rest of the country will follow on June 1.

No decision has been made on when to restart the auto industry. The supply chain is crucial and is highly integrated with the rest of North America.

The interdependence led many U.S. business owners and political figures to lobby for Mexico to synchronize te restart with the rest of the continent.

Lopez-Gatell said the Mexican government could not guarantee that Mexico would reopen its economy before the United States does. He expects the outbreak to peak anytime from May 6 to 8, and the country's stabilization to start soon after.



Want to read more? Check out Latin Post for the latest news:
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has warned Fine Gael TDs about being buoyed up for any snap election and said his party would be in a weak position trying to justify one to the public.

He said he hoped to form a government by the end of May or early June, potentially with the help of the Labour and Independents on top of the Greens.

He told his parliamentary party it would be a long-lasting coalition that would ensure the middle classes are not hit by new taxes but also protects farmers as well as businesses.

A long video-conference meeting on Tuesday evening of TDs, senators and MEPs heard contrasting views about attempts by Fine Gael to agree a coalition with Fianna Fail and the Greens.

Mr Varadkar said he understood there was disquiet among his party about the negotiations and move to form the three-party coalition, but that the proposed government-if it worked-could very good for the country.

He said the world was changing and that there was a need to embrace the digital economy and decarbonisation.

He said a big role of Fine Gaels would be to try and reassure businesses that this would be a green recovery in which rural Ireland would also be protected, farmers in particular.

Fine Gael would need to ensure any programme for government helped middle class working people so they were not hit by a raft of new taxes.

Party sources stressed that a crucial point in any coalition programme agreed with Fianna Fail and the Greens would be the living standards of middle income people.

He set out how having the support of five Independents, on top of the Greens, would bring the coalition numbers to 90, but that with Labour this could be increased further to 96.

Such a coalition make-up would last until at least 2024 or 2025, the meeting heard.

These numbers would also provide a buffer for any TD who dropped support, defected or left any of the groups or parties, Fine Gael members were told.

Mr Varadkar also addressed recent internal suggestions, including by junior ministers, that there could be a general election in the autumn. A weekend poll showed support for Fine Gael surgung to 35%, well ahead of the bruising results in Februarys election for the party.

But Mr Varadkar warned members not be buoyed on by polls or talk of an election and for such talk or opinions to be tempered with realism.

He noted that every government in the world was doing well in opinion polls.

He went on to warn about any such snap general election and that Fine Gael would be in a weak position trying to explain one away to the electorate.

A number of members highlighted worries about Green demands in government.

Agriculture Minister Michael Creed told the party the already-agreed 3.5% cut in emissions - besides the Greens' target of 7% - was "very challenging" for farmers, concerns that were echoed by local government minister John Paul Phelan.

Junior public expenditure minister Patrick ODonovan also highlighted concern about wind energy, and how wind turbines often didnt turn on good days.
At a recent press conference, US president Donald Trump claimed to have proof that the novel coronavirus originated in a Wuhan lab, but refused to share the evidence

Tensions between the US and China continue to intensify over the coronavirus, threatening what many are calling a 'new cold war'. At a recent press conference, US president Donald Trump claimed to have proof that the novel coronavirus originated in a Wuhan lab, but refused to share the evidence. Earlier, he said that the US was investigating whether the virus escaped from lab, and warned of consequences if China was 'knowingly responsible'. Trump has also been referring to it as the "Chinese virus" from very early on.

It has widely been found to be true that the COVID-19 outbreak began in China, but the term "Chinese virus" has been used in a derogatory manner as a dog whistle  in a sense, blaming the Chinese people for the coronavirus outbreak as if it was 'intentionally done'. At the heart of this tension between US and China are conspiracy theories that the virus was a bioweapon created by China that either accidentally got leaked or might have even been intentionally leaked.

Such theories are intuitively appealing, considering that China's economy is recovering rapidly while western countries continue to suffer. However, one cannot help but notice that a completely opposing theory  that the virus was created and planted by United States to harm China as a part of trade war tactic  was popular during the initial stage of coronavirus, when China was suffering heavily and the western countries were largely unaffected. Many in the Chinese government, as well as Iran, directly blamed the United States.

This is not to say that all conspiracy theories are untrue. There is nothing inherently wrong about conspiracy theories in themselves; it is, in fact, important to scrutinise and challenge the official narrative. The Chinese government certainly has a lot to answer for its initial handling of the outbreak. The jailing of whistleblowers gave credence to conspiracy theorists. But, is that sufficient to conclude that the conspiracy theories are true?

It is one thing to say that China mishandled the outbreak and demand accountability, but it is a completely different thing to say that 'China infected the world' on purpose.There are people, within and outside China, raising legitimate questions over the role of Chinese government; this is not to question them. This is to address those who already believe in conspiracy theories without conclusive evidence  who have been believing in such conspiracies even as the outbreak began.

An impartial international commission to look into China's role is a reasonable demand. However, given the relationship between US and China, the Chinese government is likely to be reluctant to concede to the demand. There is hardly anything unusual about an authoritarian regime being reluctant to an open enquiry. One must be cautious before equating the reluctance of Chinese government as a conclusive proof of conspiracy theories. Taking big actions, after jumping to conclusions based on far-fetched conjecture, could be perilous: the US invasion of Iraq is a case in point.

Evidence in future may point towards the conspiracy theory but, so far, it is supported by little to no scientific evidence. Instead, preliminary research, based on public genome sequence data, suggests the opposite. There is wide scientific consensus that the SARS-CoV-2 was not human-made or genetically modified. So, why are some wild conspiracy theories still appealing, without conclusive evidence?

There are two key ideas implicit in such theories. First, is that idea that big events have big causes  that, considering its scale, there must be some gameplan behind the outbreak. This is a very common tendency and is referred to as "proportionality bias" by psychologists. There, however, is no logical reason to believe so; big things could arise out of a series of mundane events. This idea is captured, albeit in an exaggerated way, by what is called "the butterfly effect".

The second implicit idea is that we will never know the actual gameplan. Most conspiracy theories attribute something(s) to very powerful entities that are executing some big plan as a secret mission. As a result, they are never wrong: everything that supports the theory can be construed as proof of its validity; everything that contradicts the theory can be downplayed as a "cover-up". Scholars have attributed this tendency to confirmation bias.

At a philosophical level, conspiracy theories also satisfy what is referred in the literature as "epistemic need": The desire to find causal explanations of the events that occur around us. We often like simple explanations that fit our world view. Scientific explanations are usually complicated and somewhat uncertain, which makes them less appealing. Conspiracy theories, on the other hand, are usually simple and provides certainty, satisfying the desire for understanding and certainty.

How do we then avoid the trap of baseless theories while also maintaining healthy scepticism? It is important to constantly ask ourselves what it will take for us to accept that our theory is wrong. If the threshold for falsification of the theory is impractically high; or, if it is much higher than the threshold for accepting the theory (ie if you are convinced of the validity of a theory with much less evidence than you expect for its falsification), then there could be a problem. In that case, it is probably the time for an honest scrutiny and re-evaluation of the theory based on competing evidence.

The author studies politics at Ashoka University.
By Lambert Strether of Corrente

Sometimes when frustrated, I recall the famous New Yorker article by an author who thought he had a story about a bird in the woods, said to be extinct. But maybe not! So he found the local who thought theyd heard the birds distinctive, booming call, bought some yellow waders, hired guides and a boat, and set out through the swamps and the Spanish moss and the dripping and the stinging insects in search of the bird. Long-form story short, they never found the bird. So whats the point of a story where you dont find the bird?

I had intended to do a round-up of the much ballyhooed May Day strikes. (Here is a history of May Day in the Haymarket strikes in Chicago, 1886.) Unfortunately, to do a round-up, there has to be coverage to rounded up. In this case, the coverage of what was going to happen was much greater than the coverage of what did happen. I didnt find the bird.. So let me at once appeal to readers: If you witnessed a May Day strike  workplace strike or rent strike  please describe in comments. Note that Im not saying that nothing happened. What I am saying is that what did happen doesnt seem commensurate with the degree to which the working class is being openly and nakedly abused[1]. There was nothing like the oft-called-for general strike. Maybe later!

Now let me aggregate what I have. First, I tried various left journals. Then I did Google searches on May Day + strike, and then May Day + Amazon and/or Instacart, since those were the firms most mentioned in the pre-May Day coverage. The results are pretty meagre, but this is what I have. Of course, newsrooms have been gutted (yet again) during the pandemic, there hasnt been a labor beat for some time, and anyhow, its easier and more comfortable to quote politicians praising essential workers (and by implication disrespecting all other workers)[2] than to grant workers agency and go ask them what theyre doing. So Im not saying the bird isnt out there. Just that I didnt find it.

A sidebar on the term essential workers, which has grown like kudzu all over everything. As is well known, we leave in a capitalist society. The purpose of capitalism is capital accumulation. To that end, all workers are essential. Workers sell their labor power to capital in return for wages (or salaries, commissions, etc.). They do that to purchase the means of subsistence so that so that they and those for whom they are responsible can survive. To those ends, all workers are essential. So, when liberals say essential workers, what do they mean? To be fair, they do refer in part to some professionals who really do (unlike, say, macro-economists) perform essential, socially necessary functions. But they also mean workers who are essential to them. Workers who deliver pizza to them. Workers who shelve groceries for them. Workers who deliver Amazon packages to them. Taxi drivers, for example, are not regarded as essential, even though they are essential to taking nurses home from late shifts. Cleaners, for example, are not considered essential, whether in groceries or in the hospital, because they are not visible when groceries are purchased or medical conditions are treated. But they are the ones who disinfect those spaces! And on and on and on. The loony right is correct on this, note well and beware: All workers are essential. End sidebar.

First, I looked at left publications, starting with Payday report, which has a regularly updated COVID-19 Strike Wave Interactive Map. There have been 173 strikes since March 1. Here are the strikes with May 1 in their labels:

1 Amazon Workers May 1st strike 2 Amazon Workers May 1st strike 3 Amazon Workers May 1st strike 4 Amazon Workers May 1st strike 5 Amazon Workers May 1st strike 6 Amazon Workers May 1st strike 7 Amazon Workers May 1st strike 8 Walmart workers May 1st strike 9 Target workers join May 1st general strike 10 Whole Foods workers join May 1st strikes 11 FedEx workers join May 1st strikes 12 Instacart workers join May 1st strike

On the map, you can click each strike listed in the lefthand sidebar to get more information about it. There are in fact more than twelve strikes, because Shipt is known to have struck. Also, some of the strikes are listed at single locations (Amazon) and others are listed by firm (Target). (This is absolutely not a knock on Payday Reports Mike Elk; I did a similar dynamic map for fracking protests, back in the day, and the work is time-consuming and finicky, the kind of job where you discover youve got the wrong data structure halfway through and have to start over.) Nevertheless, slice the numbers how you will, twelve is not large..

So then I went looking for other left publications. Jacobin: Workers at Amazon, Whole Foods, Instacart, and Target Are on Strike and Need Your Solidarity. This not coverage of the May Day strikes, but anticipation of them. Labor Notes: The Worker Mini-Revolts of the 21st Century, which is interesting, but not about the May Day strikes per se. The Nation: Celebrating May Day Starts by Taking Workers Seriously, another anticipatory piece, and Demand Protections for People on the Front Lines (today), a brief summary with no links to actual reporting. WSWS: The COVID-19 pandemic: A trigger event in world history, a transcipt of a speech by the chairman of the International Editorial Board of the WSWS. Come on, people. I want to know what the worker are doing!

Having quickly skimmed the left, I started to search. Amusingly, Googles top hit for May Day was Animal Crossing May Day maze: how to complete the New Horizons challenge, where to get tickets and how long the island is there. Good job, Nintendo.

May Day + Amazon was totally polluted, but I had better luck with May Day + Intstacart. So here is a more or less random collection of reports from mainstream sources, in no particular order:

Wired, Essential Workers [ugh] Unite for a May Day Strike. Is It Enough?, expresses skepticism:

Even several groups of workers banding together may not be able to effectively withhold labor enough to force companies to meet their demands. Organizers say their bases number in the tens of thousands, but that represents a minuscule part of the overall workforce of these companies. And even reaching that level of participation may be difficult. One Instacart worker, who was asked by WIRED about Fridays strike, said shed never heard it was happening; another said she had seen shoppers talking about it on Reddit but had no intention of participating, because Instacart wont even blink.

Vice, which seems to have gotten good for reasons I cant understand, actually interviewed strikers (!) in Amazon, Instacart, Target, and FedEx Workers Explain Why Theyre Striking. Im picking out the one that most moved me, but the whole article is worth reading. From an anonymous Shipt shopper, which I have helpfully annotated:

I have been working as a Shipt Shopper since December of last year. When I started this job, I thought it would be perfect for my situation. Ive had two failed spinal fusions, so being able to work a schedule of my own making and choose what I pick up was ideal. However, this job is creating a major issue in my life because Shipt doesnt see me as a person. Im a number on a body bag. They dont care if I live or die working this job [a]. There are more people who can replace me. I loved this job. Being able to help people, shop at Target, and be paid. Yes, please. Now its a constant fight to get orders. They are lying left and right in their PR scheme. Its hurtful to be treated with such little disrespect. Im striking for hazard pay and for a more transparent pay scale. I need to know how much Im going to make so I can continue to see my doctor, get my prescriptions, pay my rent, and all my other bills [b].

[a] This is the capital accumulation part. [b] This is the selling your labor power to buy the means of subsistence part.

Democracy Now has an anticipatory interview with Kali Akuno of Operation Jackson, May Day Peoples Strike! Target, Amazon, Instacart Workers Demand Safe Conditions & Pandemic Relief:

[AKUNO:] So, were going to be out in force today. I think there will be many millions of people consciously and deliberately acting today. And I think its the start of a critical movement that were going to need in this country for some time to come, because after the crisis ends on the pandemic side, we know the economic dimension of it is still going to keep waging on.

Operation Jackson is neat, but millions? Hard to know.

Reuters has a roundup, Amazon, Target, Instacart workers stage U.S. protests on May Day:

The protests took place in New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon and other states, organizers said in social media posts and interviews. Labor groups and unions involved include the United Food and Commercial Workers and Workers United. Workers across the United States were invited to join by calling in sick. The number of workers that took part in the protests was unclear. Organizers said they were collecting signatures through Google Docs for a tally. The emphasis now is on putting pressure on our governments to take action against employers who are not doing enough to protect workers, said Patricia Campos-Medina, co-director at union federation AFL-CIOs New York arm, who helped coordinate the protests.

Not sure how much coordination AFL-CIO was doing if theres no participant count.

From the Los Angeles Times, Coronavirus energizes the labor movement. Can it last?

In Los Angeles, Glendale and Long Beach, thousands of laid-off janitors and hotel workers besieged elected officials with petitions seeking future job guarantees. Nurses took to the streets in San Francisco, Santa Monica, Irvine and Oceanside to shame hospitals for failing to protect them against the coronavirus. And from Oakland to Monterey Park, employees at dozens of fast-food outlets, including McDonalds, Dominos and Wendys, walked off their jobs protesting a lack of social distancing measures. The COVID-19 pandemic is unleashing a wave of labor unrest across California and the nation. Unions, harnessing the fear and anger, are organizing many of the protests, rallying media coverage and successfully pressuring public officials, including Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Fascinating, because blows the essential workers at Amazon, Target, and Instacart narrative to smithereens.

And lastly, Vox, which in The May Day strike from Amazon, Instacart, and Target workers didnt stop business. It was still a success administers a pat on the head to workers:

But regardless of scale, the protests were historic and, to a degree, effective. For the first time, organizers brought together a coalition of low-paid, non-unionized, often temporary employees from some of the largest companies in the US. They gained the backing of major political leaders like Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Cory Booker, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who tweeted in support of workers.

Lol. See note [2]. More:

And more importantly, their protests drew significant media coverage and public support at a time when the customers are more grateful and sympathetic than ever to the workers essential in keeping them supplied with food and necessary goods during the pandemic. Publications like the Washington Post, the Los Angles Times, and Vice as well as broadcast networks like CNN covered the event, and social media posts about it were shared widely.

Quite the theory of change, there.

We havent seen anything like this since the 1930s  a crisis like this and workers who are hurting badly, said Thomas Kochan, a professor at MIT who leads research on work and employment. Kochan explained that, in the past, times of severe crisis have led to workers gaining rights, and he thinks the current conditions will wake up the general public to long-standing labor issues.

I wouldlnt worry about waking up the general public. Id worry about the workers waking themselves up.

* * *

Like I said, I didnt find the bird. The coverage, no matter where I looked, is spotty. Theres little to aggregate, and what there is, is partial and contradictory. I dont want to theorize in advance of my data. Clearly, however, theres a lot of activity that we just dont know about. But I would like to end on a note of hope, from a strike at Dollar General that didnt show up anywhere else, including Payday Reports map. Daniel Stone:

Last week I was let go from my role at @DollarGeneral corporate. This came after months of organizing my fellow coworkers in stores, at corporate, in distribution centers & more. Please read and share this thread about why myself & others took action to fight for one other.  Daniel Stone (@DanielGStone) May 5, 2020

Read the whole thread. I found it inspiring.

I would imagine there are a few hundred Daniel (or Daniela) Stones out there. A few thousand, and things should start to bubble. Ten thousand? What would that take? [3]

NOTES

[1] It could be that Im like the drunk looking for his keys under the lamp post (this is where the light is), and that the story is out in the world of podcasting, which is a non-searchable medium with no deep linking ability. I can see advantages there for organizing, but it doesnt make my aggregation task easier. If readers can suggest podcasts on strikes (and, I suppose, direct action) that would be great. I like Chapo well enough, and love the Trillbillies, but they are not the source for this material.

[2] Here is a random selection of May Day encomiums from Democrats, ordered from most repellent to not repellent at all. Kamala Harris:

This #MayDay and every day, I'm thinking about our essential workers who are working tirelessly to get us through this pandemic. We must do more to support them. That means hazard pay, paid leave, and free COVID-19 tests and treatment regardless of their immigration status.  Kamala Harris (@SenKamalaHarris) May 2, 2020

Sounds good until you focus on essential workers. Youll have to pry complex eligibility requirements from liberals cold, dead hands. Also, theyre not working tirelessly (doubtless many are tired) to get us through. More than likely, theyre working to feed their families, not for your personal benefit.

Elizabeth Warren:

On this #MayDay, Im proud to stand in solidarity with essential workers who are exercising their right to strike to demand fair wages and basic protectionsespecially when we're leaning on them most.  Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) May 1, 2020

Stand in solidarity with essential workers. Not all workers. And youre not leaning on them. Youre exploiting them.

Bernie Sanders:

On this #MayDay2020, I stand with the workers at Amazon, Whole Foods, Instacart and Target who are on strike. Essential workers are putting their lives on the line and deserve protection and hazard pay. The endless corporate greed has got to end! https://t.co/v68WCw9kAr  Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) May 1, 2020

At least Sanders mentions the strikes. But note the contradiction: Corporate greed applies to all workers; in that sense, all workers are essential.

Marianne Williams:

I support the strike. Its insane that people are having to strike in order to increase the chances of their survival. #MayDay https://t.co/LgVWW1XzUw  Marianne Williamson (@marwilliamson) May 1, 2020

Williams mentions strikers too. But she hits home on the reality of wage labor in a way that Sanders does not. Even if corporations were not greedy, having to strike in order to increase the chances of their survival is the power relation in wage labor.

[3] It does seem to me that any diffusely organized movement will inevitably be decapitated by liberal Democrat NGOs. Its the one thing theyre good at. One might draw a lesson from Occupys fate, there.
Long March-5B a successful comeback after two failed space launch missions: China's Manned Space Agency

Global Times

Source:Global Times Published: 2020/5/5 21:33:40

Tuesday's successful debut flight of the Long March-5B, which came after the previous consecutive launch failures in March and April, declares a huge comeback for China's space program, pumping confidence into the country's future space missions, according to Ji Qiming, an official with China's Manned Space Agency (CMSA) on Tuesday.

Ji made the remarks during a special CMSA press conference after the successful maiden flight of the Long March-5B.

China's space program has experienced two consecutive launch failures on March 16 and April 9, which demonstrates the high-risk nature of space development, according to the official.

China's space sector has recently encountered rarely-seen setbacks twice within a monthfirstly, the maiden flight of the newly developed variant of the Long March-7 carrier rocket, known as the Long March-7A on March 16 and the launch of the veteran Long March-3B carrying an Indonesian commercial satellite on April 9.

The location and cause of the malfunctions have been basically found out, Ji said.

Relevant departments have run an overall quality check and review in the space system, and made proper adjustment of the timetable for missions that were originally scheduled in the coming dates.

Media had previously reported that the Long March-5B maiden flight was scheduled by the end of April.

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Hollywood heavyweight Sylvester Stallone has revealed that a sequel to his 1993 "Demolition Man" is on the way.

The 73-year-old actor-filmmaker said that he is in talks with Warner Bros Studio for a follow-up to the sci-fi action film.

Asked if there would be another "Demo Man", Stallone said, "I think it is coming."



In an Instagram Q&A, the actor said, "We're working on it right now with Warner Bros and it's looking fantastic, so that should come out. That's going to happen."



The original also starred Sandra Bullock, but there's no word on whether she will return.

"Demolition Man" follows two men: an evil crime lord (Wesley Snipes) and a risk-taking police officer (Stallone).

Cryogenically frozen in 1996, they are reanimated in 2032 to find mainstream society changed and all crime seemingly eliminated.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Linkedin Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 6, 2020 12:02 623 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd648c57 3 Opinion wuhan,China,pandemic,COVID-19,US,India,Nigeria Free

As the COVID-19 pandemic has continued to take its toll on the global economy, some countries are planning to sue China for causing financial problems and a health crisis in their countries.

Countries like the US, India and Nigeria have blamed China for failing to to take precautionary measures to stop the virus spreading globally.

At the time of writing, 217,000 people have died due to the virus and the pandemics global cost could range from US$2 trillion to US$4.1 trillion  2.3-4.8% of global gross domestic product (GDP).

However, under international law, such a legal move is impossible. It is also not strategic, given Chinas rising status as the new world power.

In a time of crisis like today, instead of blaming one another, countries should foster international cooperation.

Impossible lawsuits

Suing China for the COVID-19 pandemic is legally impossible under international law.

A principle developed during the early days of English monarchs that The King can do no wrong, called the Sovereign Immunity principle, prevents the government or its political subdivisions, departments and agencies from being sued in civil or criminal litigation.

In the current day, the principle means no country can be sued without its consent in domestic and international courts. This means China would need to consent to have litigation filed against it before it could be sued.

Thus, as Natalie Klein, a law professor at the University of New South Wales, argues, if China chooses not to consent, which is the most likely option, there would be no case against it.

A 19th-century treaty on the global spread of infectious diseases had rules requiring payment of compensation for damage in other countries associated with violations of treaty rules. However, the International Health Regulations signed in 2015 and now the worlds main contemporary health treaty, has no provisions on this issue.

Blaming China is not strategic

China is the worlds biggest manufacturing country as well as the worlds biggest creditor.

This means much of the world is dependent on China. Countries are either trading more goods with China or receiving more investment from Beijing.

While China may need other countries to achieve economic recovery, the world is also dependent on China for its recovery.

As one of the worlds biggest lenders, China holds, for example, about 20% of the total debt in Africa. Blaming China is to risk creating a situation where poor nations have trouble getting loans in future.

Equally important, China is the worlds leading source of medical supplies needed to control the virus, including surgical masks. If a vaccine is ever developed, China will also be a major player in its production, distribution and maybe its invention. Therefore, it would be injudicious to condemn Chinas mendacity too loudly.

The Chinese government bears some responsibility for the pandemic, but we still need its assistance to fight the virus.

Promoting global cooperation amid the pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic should be a moment for the international community to reflect that working together is the best solution.

There is already international collaboration to deal with climate change, refugees and other global problems. It is about time countries developed solid cooperation to tackle COVID-19.

The 20 member nations in the G20 provided a shining example when the group suspended debt repayments from the worlds poorest countries until the end of the year. The goal is that those countries could instead channel their funds into health care.

Blaming or even suing one another would only shift the focus away from making real and concrete efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus and to cure those who are already infected.

Pursuing the path of blame game would distract countries from what should be the utmost priority: flattening the curve.

---

Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat, Lecturer in International Relations, Universitas Islam Indonesia (UII)

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
On Wednesday, May 6, the national dailies reported on the stiffer measures that the government is set to impose due to the exponential rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the last four days.

The papers also reported on Keroche Breweries heiress Tecra Muigai's death where her boyfriend, Omar Lali is at the centre of the demise.

READ ALSO: Mutahi Ngunyi blasts Dennis Itumbi, says he is cursed for going against Uhuru

National dailies on May 6. Photo: UGC.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Inspiring: Story of 28-year-old Thika woman who survived 4 medical conditions, 6 surgeries after road accident

1. Daily Nation

Areas in Nairobi and parts of Mombasa which have emerged as COVID-19 hotspot areas could face a total lockdown, Daily Nation reports.

Options being considered which could be announced as soon as this week include a total shutdown or a ban of movement in the areas.

Sources revealed to this newspaper that a total lockdown was still not in the cards but the ban of movement even during the day in areas emerging as key highrisk areas was very likely.

This came after Kenya recorded 124 cases in just four days after the commencement of the mass testing exercise which further proved there could be many undetectable cases still out there.

2. The Standard

The paper reports on the unfulfilled promise of KSh 100 million to artistes which President Uhuru Kenyatta pledged on April 6.

Local entertainers said they were yet to receive the cash which was meant to cushion them against the economic pinch of COVID-19.

The creatives' umbrella organisations such as Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) and Kenya Association of Music Producers (Kamp) among other bodies issued a statement and said they had tried to follow up with the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage with no response from the latter.

COVID-19 pandemic also affected the creatives in various ways such as in the production of various shows which were put on hold in line with the government's directives of social distancing.

READ ALSO: Diamond Platnumz gives cash to 57 needy families days after promising to pay their rent

3. The Star

The newspaper reports on the Eastleigh Imam who became a super spreader of COVID-19 in the estate before succumbing to the virus.

The cleric reportedly knew his positive status but he, nonetheless, interacted with people in the mosques and also in houses. He died on April 16.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe announced 45 new cases of which 29 were from Eastleigh raising its total tally to 63.

Additionally, some experts who spoke to the Star said it was still early to make any policies on reopening of the economy given that the number of cases was rising especially after mass testing began.

4. Taifa Leo

According to Taifa Leo, President Uhuru Kenyatta has sent seven army officers to help solve the ongoing wrangles between Governor Mike Sonko and the Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NIMS).

This came after Sonko threatened to terminate the agreement on the transfer of various functions to the national government citing he was not given enough time to read the deal.

Jubilee administration sent the seven top army officers to control various departments in the Nairobi county government, a move which experts opined was meant to get Sonko and his staffers out of the way.

The embattled governor was seemingly shaken by how things turned out and said he would hold on to God in the battles he was facing.

5. People Daily

Mass testing in Old Town, Mombasa has been brought to a sudden halt after days of hostility and push and pull between the residents and the health officers.

Mombasa county chief public health officer Aisha Abubakar said the locals had gone to the extent of blocking medical personnel and ambulances from accessing the area.

The exercise was moved to Likoni sub-county.

Abubakar said only 197 people against a target of 28,000 people had been tested in Old Town which was also emerging as a breeding ground for the novel coronavirus.

Do you have a groundbreaking story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Contact Tuko.co.ke instantly.

Kenyans come through for elderly couple kicked out by landlady over rent arrears | Tuko TV.

Source: TUKO.co.ke
Xiabuxiabu Catering Management (China) Holdings Co., Ltd. (HKG:520), which is in the hospitality business, and is based in China, saw a significant share price rise of over 20% in the past couple of months on the SEHK. With many analysts covering the stock, we may expect any price-sensitive announcements have already been factored into the stocks share price. However, could the stock still be trading at a relatively cheap price? Today I will analyse the most recent data on Xiabuxiabu Catering Management (China) Holdingss outlook and valuation to see if the opportunity still exists.

Check out our latest analysis for Xiabuxiabu Catering Management (China) Holdings

What is Xiabuxiabu Catering Management (China) Holdings worth?

Xiabuxiabu Catering Management (China) Holdings is currently expensive based on my price multiple model, where I look at the company's price-to-earnings ratio in comparison to the industry average. 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 Xiabuxiabu Catering Management (China) Holdingss ratio of 24.95x is above its peer average of 15.36x, which suggests the stock is trading at a higher price compared to the Hospitality industry. But, is there another opportunity to buy low in the future? Given that Xiabuxiabu Catering Management (China) Holdingss share is fairly volatile (i.e. its price movements are magnified relative to the rest of the market) this could mean the price can sink lower, giving us another chance to buy in the future. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for share price volatility.

What kind of growth will Xiabuxiabu Catering Management (China) Holdings generate?

SEHK:520 Past and Future Earnings May 6th 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. With profit expected to more than double over the next couple of years, the future seems bright for Xiabuxiabu Catering Management (China) Holdings. It looks like higher cash flow is on the cards for the stock, which should feed into a higher share valuation.

Story continues

What this means for you:

Are you a shareholder? It seems like the market has well and truly priced in 520s positive outlook, with shares trading above industry price multiples. However, this brings up another question  is now the right time to sell? If you believe 520 should trade below its current price, selling high and buying it back up again when its price falls towards the industry PE ratio can be profitable. But before you make this decision, take a look at whether its fundamentals have changed.

Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping an eye on 520 for a while, now may not be the best time to enter into the stock. The price has surpassed its industry peers, which means it is likely that there is no more upside from mispricing. However, the optimistic prospect is encouraging for 520, which means its worth diving deeper into other factors in order to take advantage of the next price drop.

Price is just the tip of the iceberg. Dig deeper into what truly matters  the fundamentals  before you make a decision on Xiabuxiabu Catering Management (China) Holdings. You can find everything you need to know about Xiabuxiabu Catering Management (China) Holdings in the latest infographic research report. If you are no longer interested in Xiabuxiabu Catering Management (China) Holdings, 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.
Hyundai Motor India on Wednesday said around 250 company dealerships have resumed operations across various states.

The company, which is the country's second largest carmaker, said over 250 workshops have also commenced work and vehicle deliveries have also begun.

"A start has been made and going forward let us see how things progress. We are taking all kind of precautions at dealerships and hope that business will soon start coming to normal," Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) Director (sales and marketing) Tarun Garg told PTI.

The dealerships have opened in Northeast, Kerala, Karnataka and Uttarakhand, among other states, he added.

HMIL currently has around 500 dealerships across the country.

"Deliveries have also started since last two days. There are lot of pending bookings which the dealers would be able to clear from their stock," Garg said.

The company is yet to start rolling out vehicles from its Chennai plant though it has commenced preparations to do so.

Garg said the dealers have sufficient stock to clear the pending bookings and if need be there is some inventory available at plant as well.

When asked by when the company's entire sales network would be able to resume operations, he added: "We are following all guidelines issued by the government. Our dealers are taking permission from the local authorities, so we wish that it happens soon."



The company is ready on its part with availability of stock and has also strengthened online sales vertical, Garg said.

HMIL on Wednesday introduced an 'EMI Assurance'programme which is offered on select car models purchased during the month of May and covers the customer for a period of one year from date of sale of the car.

The initiative covers up to three car loan EMIs of the customers who are impacted by various issues like job loss impacting their financial health.

"We are sure, the Hyundai EMI Assurance Program will give new Hyundai owners working in private organisations full peace of mind during these times and create positiveand confident sentiments for Hyundai car purchase," Garg said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi could learn a lesson in sound and caring management from then PM Indira Gandhis handling of the 1971 influx of 10 million East Pakistani refugees.

It was masterly compared to the present governments bungling over a far smaller number of pandemic victims who were stranded in other states and some of whom are now being fleeced for the return journey.

Not that the government isnt spending crores on relief. But the help was unconscionably delayed with still no sign of a long-term master plan. Former RBI governor Raghuram Rajans Rs 65,000-crore estimate for the post-pandemic rehabilitation isnt mentioned.

Instead of welcoming the initiative shown by 50 revenue officers whose Fiscal Options & Response to the Covid-19 Epidemic (Force) report proposed taxing the rich more, a wealth tax and an additional four per cent Covid Relief Cess to earn Rs 18,000 crores, the authorities have denounced the report as irresponsible and are investigating its authors for misconduct.

The enterprising officers also suggested taxing multinationals, a tax-saving scheme involving Covid Savings Certificates, amnesty for collecting undisputed tax, and a higher surcharge on foreign companies.

Presumably, the government has no intention of soaking the rich. Its own $1.18 billion expenditure on two Boeing 777-300ER aircraft with exactly the same attributes as Americas Air Force One that will allow Indias President and Prime Minister to jet around the world like Donald Trump recalls Lee Kuan Yews caustic comment that the poorer the country, the bigger the Cadillacs they hired for their leaders.

The pandemic will leave India absolutely devastated. The wheels of business and commerce have ground to a halt. Production has dwindled. Exports are languishing. Agriculture is stagnant. Jobs have disappeared. Wages are slashed or not paid at all. Casual workers have been reduced to destitution.

No one knows how many have perished or how many more will die. Any comparison with 30 million out-of-work Americans is farcical because they can claim benefits while there is no safety net for Indias staggering 139 million migrant labourers.

A responsible government would have announced on March 24 itself, when the lockdown was declared, that the Army would immediately set up relief camps for these men, women and children until special trains or convoys of trucks took them back to their homes under military protection.

At the same time, plans should have been drawn up for a longer-term emergency scheme of subsidies. Instead, the government has been patting itself on the back and delivering homilies without the practical details that New Zealands Jacinda Ardern and Singapores Lee Hsien Loong include in their speeches. Even President Trump is more transparent. He at least holds press conferences.

The senior Lees stricture was inspired by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who arrived in style in his own aircraft for a Commonwealth summit in Ottawa. Lee Kuan Yew saw Mujibs Boeing 707 at Ottawa airport idle for eight days, getting obsolescent without earning anything ... but being loaded with packages (shopping?) from two huge vans.

Listening to the irony of Mujib demanding financial aid at the conference, Lee mused that Third World politicians should set out to impress the world that they were poor and in dire need of assistance, not flaunt their extravagance.

Pakistans Nawaz Sharif was equally lavish. When paying President Bill Clinton what Pakistani newspapers called a begging bowl visit, he took eight officials and 20 journalists in an Airbus costing a daily $210,000. Forty limousines were hired in Washington. The 10-day jaunt cost $2.5 million.

As the two state-of-the-art aircraft for the President and Prime Minister demonstrate, India doesnt lag behind its subcontinental neighbours when it comes to cutting a dash for the benefit of the world. The bill for the Prime Ministers foreign travels reportedly stands at Rs 2,021 crores.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patels colossal statue not only cost nearly Rs 3,000 crores, but also showed up Indias technological backwardness since the entire metal cladding outside is Chinese. India ranks a lowly 116th globally in terms of per capita gross domestic product but makes up for it by being the worlds second largest importer of weapons and a proud third in military spending.

To cap it all, the ambitious Central Vista project in New Delhi, a far grander version of Ozymandiass megalomaniacal folly, will cost around Rs 20,000 crores. What is as noteworthy as the expense is the likely intention of rewriting history in the ruling partys image.

It provides a contrast to the governments dilly-dallying for five weeks while migrant workers starved, and some even died before throwing the burden of repatriating them on state governments without the money, experience or institutional resources for the task.

Another contrast is with exporting semi-skilled or unskilled men -- 30 million at last count  to toil in the Gulf and Southeast Asia at the beck and call of rich, lighter-skinned employers. India could be the coolie sardar of the prosperous world. Most of Singapores more than 323,000 migrant workers confined to 43 mega-dormitories and 1,200 other places of residence where they are restricted to cramped rooms that house up to 20 people are Indian.

All this suggests a certain indifference to the sufferings of the underclass and an obsession with placating the rich and impressing foreigners Westerners really with a make-believe image of India. But the pandemic might help to remind our rulers that heady rhetoric, dazzling constructs and military might do not create as lasting an impression as the economic status of the multitude. India will always be equated with the poorest of its poor.

It is they who must receive attention if India is to earn the worlds esteem and improve its own self-respect. Now is the time for the master plan for a real welfare state. The Force report has showed the way.
Filmmaker Joe Russo has said that conversations about a follow-up to the recent Netflix action film Extraction began about a month ago, and the films record-breaking performance only encouraged everyone involved to move ahead with another instalment.

Russo, who wrote the script for the first film, confirmed that he had signed on to the follow-up on Tuesday. Asked about how the sequel (or prequel) came into being, he told Collider, I think there were preliminary conversations prior to release. Everyone was very happy with the movie and very excited about it. There was good energy going into the release. And certainly the release cemented it. But yeah, it had been a conversation thats been going on for a little over a month.

Also read: Extraction review: Breakneck and bonkers, Chris Hemsworths Netflix film is the shot of adrenaline we need right now

Extraction is the feature film debut of stunt coordinator Sam Hargrave, who worked with Russo and his brother Anthony on several Marvel movies. The film stars Chris Hemsworth as a black market mercenary sent to Dhaka to rescue a kidnapped Indian boy.

Russo continued, Yeah, they said they were very happy with the film and excited about it. And they knew there was potential there for another story. And everyone was blown away by Sams execution on the film, so I think the numbers just reaffirmed what we all felt about the movie. And now were just going to go explore what potential story there could be moving forward with this character. With Anthony and I, everything we do is story based, we got to find the right story to tell to know that, Yeah, were going to go make the film. Russo also said, I dont think the sequels going to be filmed without Sam.

Netflix revealed recently that Extraction is pacing to become the biggest ever original film debut for the streaming service, with an estimated 90 million households tuning in during the first month. According to Deadline, it eclipsed Spenser Confidential (85 million), 6 Underground (83 million), Bird Box (80 million), and the Adam Sandler/Jennifer Aniston comedy Murder Mystery (73 million).

Also read: Chris Hemsworth, Joe Russo dissect Extractions ambiguous ending: Is Tyler Rake a ghost?

Asked about where hed like to take the story next, Russo said, Well I think what was compelling about our approach to this one  and has been informed by our time spent working on Marvel films and travelling the world  is hopefully gaining a deeper understanding of international markets and telling stories that explore them in the films [and] that are less U.S.A. in the story. I think that that was very successful in this film and something that we would continue to do on a future movie in this franchise.

He added, Certainly Im going through that in my mind right now, what makes sense. Theres critical aspects of [Extraction] that you would want to carry over as part of the main tenets of a franchise. And location is a big part of that. What I like is that theres a fresh approach just in terms of the canvases are pretty wide open on it.

Hargrave was asked during a recent watch party which elements hed like to explore in a possible follow-up, and he said, Its a hypothetical ... there are so many storylines in this world that Joe built with the script, theres so many ways it could go. If anything were to happen, its really up to finding the best story and whats the best thing for the movie and the universe that is growing out of the script that Joe wrote. I am open, I think theres so many fun possibilities, Im ready, whatever the next challenge brings, Ill be there.

Extraction also features Indian actors Rudhraksh Jaiswal, Randeep Hooda, Pankaj Tripathi and Priyanshu Painyuli, in addition to David Harbour and Golshifteh Farahani.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Monika Monalisa By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: As a stage artiste, Diya Naidu is used to being under the spotlight. But the last few weeks have been particularly overwhelming for the COVID-19 survivor, who is one of the first plasma donors from Karnataka.

Her phone has been buzzing ever since she took to Instagram to talk about donating plasma for coronavirus treatment trials. More so, after her aunt, veteran actor Nafisa Ali, posted about it as well.

Pic: Dannilla Correya

In convalescent plasma therapy, antibodies from the blood of a recovered COVID-19 patient are used to treat those affected by the virus.

There have been many times I thought this is the last time I was going to speak about my journey. But I continued to do it as the doctors suggested this would help reduce the fear people had about the virus and it could help them get more donors too, says the 36-year-old dancer-choreographer.

Living in the city alone meant there was no one to accompany her for medical procedures.

I was nervous initially. But it seemed like a regular process and the medical staff also put me at ease, says Naidu.

The process was carried out in three cycles, in intervals.

Though not painful, the donation can make one momentarily weak, she says.

I take dance classes in the mornings and evenings. I had to cancel some of the evening sessions because I had to take it easy for a few days since my body was still recovering, says Naidu, who probably contracted the virus on her way back to Bengaluru from Switzerland after a dance project in March.

She returned to India on March 9 and tested positive on March 16.

Though asymptomatic, she had lost her sense of taste and smell, leading some doctors to initially believe that it could have just been a sign of sinus.

We were learning things one day at a time but now we are better informed, says Naidu, who stayed in the hospital for 20 days.

While her immediate contacts were also taken for testing, their results came out negative.

Love and wishes from friends and family members were plenty but Naidu encountered peoples meaner side too.

Afraid of having infected others, the artiste had taken to social media to urge people to get tested if they had got in touch with her.

I did that out of genuine concern but instead, I was trolled for not quarantining myself on my return, recalls Naidu, adding that at that time, only those returning from Iran, China, Italy and Singapore were required to self-isolate. But she isnt one to hold grudges.

This behaviour is coming from a place of fear, she says. Right now, my only request to everyone is to be compassionate and show support for those on the frontline.
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Linkedin Nina A. Loasana (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 6, 2020 19:52 622 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd66805b 1 City COVID-19-in-Indonesia,COVID-19-Jakarta,NGO,homeless,LBH-Jakarta Free

Thousands of people in Jakarta are at risk of becoming homeless after losing their livelihoods because of the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, several NGOs have reported.

"Between April 20 and 24, we received 71 complaints from Jakartans saying they are struggling to pay their rent," Rujak Center for Urban Studies executive director Elisa Sutanudjaja said in a teleconference on Wednesday.

The complaints, she said, ranged from sellers to college students, housewives, construction workers, taxi drivers, app-based ride-hailing drivers and app-based massage therapists.

Thousands of other Jakarta residents are also at risk of losing their homes.

"Thirty five percent of Jakarta residents live in rented homes," she said.

A recent survey conducted by the Amrta Institute, Lokataru Foundation, Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta) and Rujak Center for Urban Studies found that around 27 percent of Jakartans were now struggling to pay their rent.

Budiarso, a resident from Pademangan Barat, North Jakarta is one of these people.

Read also: Indonesias economy heads into turbulence as Q1 growth plunges: Economists

"I've fallen behind on my rent for more than a month. I've talked to my landlord but I don't know how long he can give me leniency," Budi said in the teleconference.

Budi, who used to worker as a hawker in Ancol, said he lost his livelihood after the Jakarta administration temporarily closed tourist destinations in the city to curb the spread of the virus.

"I've tried to earn money in other ways but Ive only made enough to feed my wife and three children; it isnt enough to pay our Rp 1 million rent each month," he said.

Elisa said the government should provide a safety net to ensure residents who rented homes would not become homeless.

"The government should provide a mechanism to give renters leniency or provide rental relief," she said.

The government could also cooperate with NGOs to list residents who have become homeless.

"The government could provide temporary housing for residents who have been evicted from their rental homes by utilizing sport halls, schools, mosques or vocational training centers," she said.

Read also: Indonesia could enter recession as virus response remains fractured, unclear: Economists

LBH Jakarta director Arif Maulana said the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic had also put people who borrowed money from online lenders at risk of intimidation and data breaches.

"In the last two months we have recorded 53 cases related to online lenders. Many residents are struggling to pay their debts because of the pandemic. However, creditors refuse to provide leniency despite the current situation," Arif said on Wednesday.

He said many borrowers experienced online or even physicals threats from creditors after falling behind on their dues.

"Some creditors even leak the borrowers data online."

According to Arief, layoffs were the second most common legal issue the institute handled during the pandemic.

"We have received 35 complaints regarding layoffs in the last two months. Apparently many companies have refused to fulfill their obligations when laying off employees.

Some residents said they were pressured to resign from their jobs so that the company did not have to pay severance pay. Some companies did not pay the employees health insurance for months before they were laid off, some purposefully laid off by their employees before Ramadan so they do not have to pay for the Idul Fitri holiday bonuses," he said.
Jacksonville LGBT ordinance struck down

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A Florida appellate court has ruled that amendments made to Jacksonvilles anti-discrimination ordinance by adding sexual orientation and gender identity are null and void. The city says it will fight to defend the law.

In a unanimous decision by a three-judge panel, Floridas 1st District Court of Appeal ruled that the expansion of the citys Human Rights Ordinance to include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity violated state law because the entire ordinance was not completely written when it was passed, according to Action News Jax.

On behalf of Jacksonville residents and businesses, the conservative Christian legal nonprofit Liberty Counsel also argued that they had suffered or will suffer injuries to their rights of privacy, religious conscience, and business interests under the (city) code as amended.

Its authors and sponsors illegally hid the effects of the ordinance through intentionally deceptive drafting and messaging, the legal firm said in a statement.

The trial court twice dismissed Liberty Counsels case against the ordinance, saying the plaintiffs lacked legal standing to file the lawsuit because they were not injured yet or enough by the citys illegal act, the organization said.

Jacksonvilles General Counsel called the appellate courts decision mindboggling and bizarre, according to Florida Politics.

Its a hyper-technical ruling with some bizarre findings, Jason Gabriel, the citys head lawyer, was quoted as saying. The city appropriately published (didnt drop the ball in any way). Rules have been on the books for enforcement in their entirety since the law was passed in early 2017 For anyone to think the city dropped some part of this (and didnt fix it for that matter) in the subsequent three years since its passage is mindboggling to me.

Incoming City Council President Tommy Hazouri, also the legislations sponsor, said it was potentially possible to pass the law again.

Roger Gannam, Liberty Counsel assistant vice president of Legal Affairs, said the appellate courts decision exposes the deception of the HRO authors and sponsors and rejects the citys attempt to cover it up with its own deception in the form of clever procedural maneuvers in the city council.

Legislation passed without openness and honesty cannot be good for anyone, Gannam added.

The fair and honest people of Jacksonville should not be forced to participate in others celebrations of same-sex relationships under threat of fines or loss of their businesses, and Jacksonvilles women and young girls should feel safe from predatory men in their own restrooms and facilities, he said.
As parts of measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nigerian government on Wednesday extended the closure of airports in the country by four weeks.

This decision was disclosed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, at the daily Presidential Task Force briefing on COVID-19.

Mr Mustapha, who doubles as the Chairman of the Task Force, said the decision was reached based on advice from experts.

Tomorrow marks the last day for the enforcement of the closure of Nigerias airspace to flights.

We have assessed the situation in the aviation industry and have come to the conclusion that given the facts available to us and based on the advice of experts, the ban on all flights will be extended for an additional four weeks, he said.

The Nigerian government had on March 23 shut all international airports in the country for an initial period of one month. Following the one month completion, the airport closure was extended by two weeks.

The move was part of efforts to contain the spread of the virus which has affected over three million people worldwide.

However, the government said emergency and essential flights could be operated from any of the airports within the period.

Rising cases

Despite the shutdown, cases of coronavirus across the world have barely subsided as new cases are being announced daily by health authorities.

Nigeria recorded its highest number of COVID-19 cases in the past few weeks.

As of Tuesday night, Nigeria has recorded 2950 cases of the virus. Of these, 481 have recovered and have been discharged and 98 deaths recorded in 34 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Sydney, May 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just released, this edition of Paul Budde Communications focus report on Tanzania outlines the major developments and key aspects in the telecoms markets.

Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Tanzania-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses

Tanzanias telecom sector enjoys effective competition, particularly in the mobile segment. There remains considerable movement within it, with Smart having stopped services in late 2019 and Tigo having completed its merger with Zantel.

The government has encouraged foreign participation to promote economic growth and social development, and policy reforms have led to the country having one of the most liberal telecom sectors in Africa.

Tanzania only has one fixed-line operator, the incumbent TTC, after the second provider stopped offering fixed services. There are also several mobile service providers, with four additional players licensed under a new converged regulatory regime. Mobile penetration reached 85% by early 2020, and growth in the number of subscribers remains strong. In recent years a price war among these players has adversely affected the smaller operators (including Smart), which have suffered from customer churn.

Following the launch of mobile broadband services, the mobile network operators have become the leading ISPs. Operators are hoping for revenue growth in the mobile data services market, given that the voice market is almost entirely prepaid and voice ARPU continues to fall. To this end they have invested in network upgrades. A fast-developing source of revenue is from mobile money transfer and m-banking services.

The landing of the first fibre optic international submarine cables in the country some years ago revolutionised the market which up to that point had entirely depended on expensive satellite connections. In parallel, the government is working on the later phases of a national fibre backbone network aimed at connecting population centres around the country.

The government has become more determined to manage the telecom sector more effectively. It has cracked down on counterfeit smartphones, which were thought to account for up to 30% of devices in circulation, and has introduced a biometric SIM card registration scheme.

BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus in 2020 is having a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries.

On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth.

Although it is challenging to predict and interpret the long-term impacts of the crisis as it develops, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report.

The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions.

Key developments

Tigo completes merger with Zantel;

New MTRs agreed to 2022;

Tigo Pesa receives the GSMA Mobile Money Certification;

Halotel Tanzania launches HaloPesa m-banking service;

TTC extends LTE-A service, launches investment program for its FttP project;

Regulator completes biometric SIM card registration scheme;

TTC seeks TZS1.77 trillion over five years to upgrade networks and gain market share;

Government allocates TZS17.5 billion to improve rural telecom infrastructure;

Report update includes regulators market data to December 2019, operator data to Q4 2019, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of COVID-19 on the telecoms sector, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report

Tanzania Telecommunications Corporation (TTC); Zanzibar Telecommunications Corporation (Zantel); Vodacom Tanzania; Bharti Airtel (Zain); Millicom (Tigo); Benson Informatics Limited (BOL); Sasatel (Dovetel); Africa Online; Raha.com; Tele2; Alink; SatCom Networks; SimbaNet; Afsat; Cats-Net

Key Statistics

Regional African Market Comparison TMI vs GDP Mobile and mobile broadband Fixed and mobile broadband

Country overview

COVID-19 and its impact on the telecom sector Economic considerations and responses Mobile devices Subscribers Infrastructure

Telecommunications market Market analysis

Regulatory environment Regulatory authority National Telecommunications Policy 1997 National ICT Policy Regulatory overhaul Electronic and Postal Communication Act 2010 Electronic and Postal Communications Regulations 2018 Fixed-line developments Telecom sector liberalisation Converged licensing framework (CLF) International gateways Interconnection Universal Communication Services Access Fund (UCSAF) Foreign ownership restrictions Mobile network developments Mobile Number Portability (MNP) Quality of Service Spectrum auction  700MHz Tariffs International roaming Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs) Network sharing SIM card registration

Mobile market Market analysis Mobile statistics Mobile data services Mobile broadband Mobile infrastructure 4G (LTE) 3G Other infrastructure developments Major mobile operators TTC Mobile Vodacom Tanzania Airtel Tanzania Tigo Tanzania Zanzibar Telecommunication (Zantel) Halotel (Viettel Tanzania0 Mobile Virtual network Operators (MVNOs) Mobile content and applications M-money, m-banking M-health

Fixed-line broadband market Introduction and statistical overview Market analysis Broadband statistics Public internet access locations Tanzania Internet Exchange (TIX, AIXP) Broadband infrastructure Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) Networks Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) EV-DO Fixed wireless (WiMAX, WiBro, Wi-Fi) Satellite broadband

Digital economy E-health E-learning

Fixed network operators TTC Privatisation and exclusivity period 2000-2005 SaskTel management contract 2007-2009 Future direction Zantel Smart

Telecommunications infrastructure TTCs fixed-line network Wireless local loop (WLL) Private networks National fibre backbone International infrastructure Submarine fibre Satellite Terrestrial

Appendix  Historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1  Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities  Tanzania  2020 (e)

Table 2  Change in average mobile tariffs  2010  2019

Table 3  Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration  2010  2025

Table 4  Mobile voice subscriber market share by operator  2011  2019

Table 5  Average use of services per subscriber  2012  2019

Table 6  Change in mobile voice traffic by type  2014  2019

Table 7  Growth in the number of SMS sent  2012  2019

Table 8  Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration  2010  2025

Table 9  Growth in the number of internet users and penetration rate  2010  2019

Table 10  Growth in the number of TTC mobile subscribers  2010  2019

Table 11  Growth in the number of Vodacom Tanzanias mobile subscribers  2010  2019

Table 12  Growth in the number of Airtel Tanzanias mobile subscribers  2010  2019

Table 13  Growth in the number of Tigo Tanzanias mobile subscribers  2010  2019

Table 14  Change in the number of Zantels mobile subscribers  2010  2019

Table 15  Growth in the number of Halotels mobile subscribers  2015  2019

Table 16  Mobile money subscriptions by operator 2015  2019

Table 17  Share of mobile money subscriptions by operator 2018  2019

Table 18  Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers  2010  2025

Table 19  Fixed wireless internet subscribers  2013  2019

Table 20  Decline in the number of Smarts mobile subscribers  2015  2019

Table 23  Growth in international internet bandwidth  2010  2017

Table 24  Historic  Fixed interconnection rates  2013- 2017

Table 25  Historic - Average mobile tariffs  2005  2009

Table 26  Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate  1995  2009

Table 27  Historic - Vodacom Tanzania data subscribers  2013  2016

Table 28  Historic - Vodacom Tanzania ARPU ($)  2003  2014

Table 29  Historic - Vodacom Tanzania ARPU (TZS)  2011  2016

Table 30  Historic - TTC mobile subscribers  2006  2009

Table 31  Historic - Vodacom Tanzania subscribers  2000  2009

Table 32  Historic - Airtel Tanzania subscribers  2002  2009

Table 33  Historic - Millicom Tanzania mobile subscribers  2000  2009

Table 34  Historic  Zantels mobile subscribers  2000  2009

Table 35  Historic - Internet users and penetration rate  1999  2015

Table 36  Historic - Fixed-line internet subscribers  2001  2009

Table 37  Historic - Fixed-line broadband subscribers  2005  2009

Table 38  Historic - Cable modem broadband subscribers  2005  2014

Table 39  Historic - TTC financial data  2010; 2012  2014

Table 40  Historic - Fixed lines in service by operator and teledensity  1999  2009

Table 41  Historic - Fixed lines in service  1995  2009

Table 42  Historic - International bandwidth  2001  2009

List of Charts

Chart 1  Overall Africa view - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita

Chart 2  East Africa - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita

Chart 3  Africa  Bottom-tier Telecoms Maturity Index (Market Emergents)

Chart 4  East Africa Telecoms Maturity Index by country

Chart 5  East Africa mobile subscriber penetration versus mobile broadband penetration

Chart 6  East Africa fixed and mobile penetration rates

Chart 7  Change in average mobile tariffs  2010  2019

Chart 8  Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration  2010  2025

Chart 9  Mobile voice subscriber market share by operator  2011  2019

Chart 10  Growth in the number of SMS sent  2012  2019

Chart 11  Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration  2010  2025

Chart 12  Growth in the number of internet users and penetration rate  2010  2019

Chart 13  Growth in the number of TTC mobile subscribers  2006  2019

Chart 14  Growth in the number of Vodacom Tanzanias mobile subscribers  2009  2019

Chart 15  Growth in the number of Airtel Tanzanias mobile subscribers  2010  2019

Chart 16  Tigo Tanzania mobile subscribers  2009  2019

Chart 17  Change in the number of Zantels mobile subscribers  2009  2019

Chart 18  Growth in the number of Halotels mobile subscribers  2015  2019

Chart 19  Mobile money subscriptions by operator 2015  2019

Chart 20  Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers  2010  2025

Chart 21  Decline in the number of Smarts mobile subscribers  2015  2019

Chart 23  Growth in international internet bandwidth  2009  2017

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1  Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment

Exhibit 2  East Africa - Key Characteristics of Telecoms Markets by Country

Exhibit 3  700MHz spectrum auction  June 2018

Exhibit 4  Emergency rescue scheme for Lake Victoria

Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Tanzania-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses
By Dan Williams

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - With military cemeteries and ceremonies off-limits, Israelis went online on Tuesday to mourn their war dead in annual remembrances held under the shadow of the coronavirus crisis.

As on every Memorial Day, a siren to honour soldiers and Israeli civilians killed in Palestinian bombings and other attacks sounded in the morning, bringing thin traffic to a halt.

People who have been staying home under partial lockdowns stood at flag-draped balconies to observe a two-minute silence during one of Israel's most solemn days.

After sunset on Tuesday, the mood shifts, with the start of Independence Day celebrations. But this year public events are banned and some cities will forgo fireworks to save money in an economic crisis caused by the pandemic.

Bereaved families were instructed to stay away from military cemeteries in the name of public health. On their behalf, troops in surgical masks videotaped themselves saluting at the graves.

"I know how hard this is," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message, noting that he had also been denied the customary graveside visit to pay respects to his brother Yoni, who died leading a 1976 rescue of Israeli hostages in Uganda.

"This year, on this day, we will remember them in many other ways - with stories, songs, films, lit candles, meetings screened online and, above all, in our hearts."

Israel - population 9 million - has reported 15,589 coronavirus cases and 208 deaths.

Around 100 ventilators have been taken up by COVID-19 sufferers, leaving another 2,000 on standby and allowing the government to ease curbs. It reimposed lockdowns for the back-to-back Memorial Day and Independence Day.

The former began on Monday night with a state ceremony at Jerusalem's Western Wall, a Jewish holy site. Under social-distancing rules, the televised event was held without an audience present.

From home, war veterans held video chats about lost comrades or watched roll-calls of the dead aired by Israeli TV stations.

Story continues

The relative quiet on Israel's borders with the Palestinian territories, Lebanon and Syria have freed up the military to focus on helping in what its chief, Lieutenant-General Aviv Kohavi, described as a "war" against the pandemic coronavirus.

But in what police called a terrorist attack, a man stabbed and wounded an elderly woman in the town of Kfar Sava on Tuesday before being shot. Medics said he was hospitalised with injuries. His identity was not immediately given.

(Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Mike Collett-White)
Ninety percent of people who tested positive for coronavirus in San Francisco's Mission District were still leaving their homes to go to work, a new study found.

Researchers from the University of California - San Francisco, launched a broad testing effort in the Mission District last month in hopes of forming a comprehensive picture of how COVID-19 is spreading within the neighborhood.

Results released this week revealed that 2.1 percent of the 4,160 people tested were positive for COVID-19.

Among the positive individuals, 90 percent had 'no capability of working from home', according to lead researcher Dr Diane Havlir, chief of the UCSF Division of HIV, Infection, and Global Disease at San Francisco General.

'These were frontline workers, they had to work outside of the home, either that or they were furloughed or unemployed,' Havlir told KCBS.

Ninety percent of people who tested positive for coronavirus in San Francisco's Mission District were still leaving their homes to go to work, a new study found

Researchers from UC San Francisco tested 4,160 people in the Mission District between April 25 and 28. The charts above show characteristics among the 62 who tested positive

The testing effort was organized by Unidos En Salud, a partnership between UCSF researchers, Mission community organizers in the Latino Task Force for COVID-19, the City and County of San Francisco, and officials with the San Francisco Department of Public Health (DPH).

All residents living in a 16-block section of the Mission District - the second-most dense area of the city - were offered free, voluntary tests between April 25 and 28.

Researchers said about half of the people living in that area showed up for testing.

In total, 62 people tested positive for COVID-19, three quarters of them men.

Ninety-five percent of the positive individuals were Hispanic or Latinx.

'The COVID-19 pandemic is disproportionately affecting the Latinx community in San Francisco, both in terms of infection rates and economic hardship,' Dr Carina Marquez, an assistant professor of medicine at UCSF, said in a statement.

'We have been partnering very closely with the Latino Task Force for COVID-19 to support this community by working to disrupt transmission of the disease.'

Researchers from the University of California - San Francisco launched a broad testing effort in the Mission District last month in hopes of forming a comprehensive picture of how COVID-19 is spreading within the neighborhood. A testing site is pictured on April 27

Ninety-five percent of the people who tested positive were Hispanic or Latinx. The pie charts above show the percentage of ethnicities tested (left) versus those who tested positive (right)

More than 80 percent of positive individuals said they had been financially affected by the pandemic, compared with 53 percent of negative individuals.

When the results were released on Tuesday, city officials announced that all essential workers would be eligible for free COVID-19 testing as part of its ongoing expansion efforts.

'This project represents an exponential leap into the next stage of the fight against COVID-19, which is to move from diagnostic testing of people who are ill to broad community-based screening,' Havlir said.

'This is critical to our ability to identify where the virus is still actively spreading and to enable us to act swiftly to get control of this epidemic.

'We hope this can be a model for future community screening efforts in San Francisco and beyond.'

As of Monday, San Francisco County has 1,624 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 29 deaths.

Nationwide, nearly 1.23 million people have tested positive and at least 71,642 have died.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 01:54:50|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

People walk past a Love NHS (National Health Service) sign outside Salford Royal Hospital in Manchester, Britain, on May 5, 2020. Britain has overtaken Italy as the worst-hit country in Europe by the COVID-19, according to the latest official figures released Tuesday. British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said another 693 COVID-19 patients have died, bringing the total coronavirus-related death toll in Britain to 29,427. (Photo by Jon Super/Xinhua)

LONDON, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Britain has overtaken Italy as the worst-hit country in Europe by the novel coronavirus, according to the latest official figures released Tuesday.

Chairing Tuesday's Downing Street press briefing, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said another 693 COVID-19 patients have died, bringing the total coronavirus-related death toll in Britain to 29,427.

The figures include deaths in all settings, including hospitals, care homes and the wider community.

Earlier in the day, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published its latest coronavirus-registered death figures, showing the total death toll has passed 32,000, making Britain the worst-hit country in Europe followed by Italy.

The ONS uses an alternative measure as its figures are based on all mentions of COVID-19 on a death certificate, including suspected COVID-19.

The coronavirus-related death toll in Italy currently stands at 29,315.

Responding to a question by the BBC about his reaction on Britain's death toll, Raab called it a "massive tragedy" but said it is difficult to compare among different countries before the pandemic is over.

"It is important but I don't think you can make the international comparisons you are making at this stage," he said.

"I don't think we'll get a real verdict on how well countries have done until the pandemic is over and particularly until we've got comprehensive international data on all cause of mortality," he said.

Meanwhile, Raab said Britain is continuing to see evidence of the flattening of the peak of the virus.

The next stage "won't be easy" as Britons go on to the next phase of adjusting to a "new normal", he said.

A coronavirus-tracing app has started to be trialled from Tuesday in the Isle of Wight. The government hopes to roll out the app across the country in the "middle of this month", according to Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last Thursday that the country was "past the peak" of the COVID-19 outbreak and a "comprehensive" plan will be published later this week on "how we can continue to suppress disease" while restarting the economy.
People wearing face masks stand outside the Selam Palace, a structure occupied by migrants, in La Romanina district, on the outskirts of Rome on April 7, 2020, amid the novel coronavirus' crisis (COVID-19). (Andreas Solaro/AFP via Getty Images)

CCP Virus Deaths in Italy Appear to Pass Peak, Travel Rules Relaxed

Italy on Wednesday reported 369 new deaths from the CCP virus over the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 29,684, as the country adapts to the new lockdown rules.

Data released by Italys Civil Protection Department showed that the peak of the virus appears to be over. And under the relaxed rules, Italians can visit relatives and move more freely in each region, according to The Local.

On Tuesday, Italian authorities said that 236 people died from the virus.

Italian officials, amid the downward trend in daily deaths, said that there would be a removal of limits on walks outside and exercise.

But the governments website suggests it might not be as straightforward.

You may leave your home only to go to work, for health reasons, out of necessity [], or to do sport or physical activity outdoors. Therefore, walks are allowed only if strictly necessary for a trip justified by one of the reasons just indicated, says the governments official FAQs on the new rules, according to a translation.

Also in Europe, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said Tuesday that 29,427 people have died from COVID-19, meaning that the country has overtaken Italy. Some 693 deaths were reported in the most recent 24-hour period.

Raab stated at the daily UK government press briefing that a real verdict on how countries have done will not be fully available until the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus pandemic subsides, CNN reported. The UK is also expected to loosen restrictions.

Its now clear that the second phase will be different. We will need to adjust to a new normal, Raab said on Tuesday. We want to make sure that the next phase is more comfortable, is more sustainable, he added. But we need to be under no illusions, the next stage wont be easy.
MORE than 200,000 jobs have been lost in the tourism industry due to the coronavirus crisis and it will take years to recover, the Dail has been told.

Junior minister Brendan Griffin laid out the stark challenges facing Ireland's largest indigenous sector as he said the impact of the Covid-19 emergency is greater than disruption caused by 9/11, Sars, volcanic ash and foot and mouth disease combined.

Fianna Fail's Marc MacSharry meanwhile, criticised the business supports put in place by the government as "not worth the paper they're written on" and raised concern that it was the junior minister answering questions in the Dail.

Transport, Tourism and Sport Minister Shane Ross lost his seat in the election and has also been 'cocooning' as per the public health advice for the over-70s.

Mr Griffin said job losses in the tourism industry are estimated at being in excess of 200,000 adding: "the devastation being experienced is unprecedented."

He said many tourism businesses have now written off 2020 completely and some may not reopen at all until 2021 and others may go out of business.

"It is likely to take years to recover business back to anything like 2019 levels," he said.

Mr Griffin said there have been calls in the industry for the reduction of VAT rates for tourism.

He said he will be seeking a reduction adding: "It's something that I am very passionate about and I believe is very much needed in the recovery phase."

Mr Griffin later said he agreed with calls for a 0pc VAT rate for the tourism sector saying: "This is something that I think is very necessary to give us a fighting chance to recover as quickly as possible and to take on the huge competition that there is internationally."

Mr MacSharry said he regrets that Mr Ross was not present in the Dail.

He said he is concerned that issues being discussed by industry stakeholders in video conferencing calls are not getting to the Cabinet table.

Mr Griffin later insisted Mr Ross is taking part in "the vast majority" of the stakeholder meetings and their feedback has been directed to Cabinet by Mr Ross feedback has been really directed to Cabinet by the senior minister.

Mr MacSharry claimed the business supports announced the government at the weekend "aren't worth the paper they're written on" as they're "one-size-fits-all" and not sector-specific.
National Nurses Week runs from Wednesday, May 6 through Tuesday, May 12.

Since the coronavirus has taken a toll nationwide and worldwide, frontline health care workers are receiving more appreciation than ever.

Several major chains are now showing their support by providing free food and drinks to health care workers.

Here are some of the chains giving away free products to frontline health care workers fighting the coronavirus pandemic:

Chipotle Mexican Grill

(Gene J. Puskar/AP Photo)AP

Chipotle ran an offer from April 21 through April 26 where customers could name their burrito order 4HEROES, so health care workers could score a future free burrito. Health care workers can now redeem a free burrito when they sign up here starting May 6. Eligibility requirements are available on Chipotles offer website.

Dunkin'

Dunkin is offering a free medium coffee (hot or iced) and donuts to all health care workers who visit participating Dunkin restaurants nationwide on May 6. The offer is valid until supplies last.

Krispy Kreme

Popular doughnut chain Krispy Kreme has been giving health care workers a free dozen glazed doughnuts every Monday since March 30. The offer is valid through May 11.

Health care workers just need to show their badge at any Krispy Kreme drive-thru.

McDonalds

(Courtesy of McDonald's)Courtesy of McDonald's

The fast food giant has been distributing Thank You Meals to health care workers and first responders since April 22, and has chosen to extend the offer through May 6.

The meals are served in a McDonalds Happy Meal box and include a choice of sandwiches, drinks and a side.

Sweetgreen

Salad chain Sweetgreen has been donating meals through their Sweetgreen Impact Outpost Fund at 200 hospital partners nationwide since April.

So far, 100,000 meals have been donated and now the chain has a new goal of donating 250,000 meals to health care workers.

Click here to donate free salads to health care workers.

Wawa

Wawa now has a Hoagies for Healthcare Heroes offer on its mobile app. For every Shorti" hoagie purchased, Wawa will match the purchase by donating one Shorti hoagie coupon to a health care worker. Wawa will donate up to 50,000 Shorti hoagie coupons.

The offer is valid for health care workers at hospitals in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and D.C., the company said in a statement.

Its free coffee offer for health care workers and first responders is also ongoing through May 31 in approximately 900 stores.

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SAN DIEGO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Dalrada Health Products, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dalrada Financial Corp. (OTC Pink: DFCO) is pleased to announce it has reached an agreement with a large Mexican distributor to supply its GlanHealth products to healthcare facilities, commercial businesses, and consumers across Mexico.

The overall contract includes a $10 million minimum order per year with an initial purchase order of $250,000 that has been placed and product shipments that have begun. In return, the distributor will receive exclusivity to cover all states in Mexico. Sales activity for the sanitizing products has sky-rocketed due to the current pandemic. In response, Dalrada Health is working on fulfilling a backlog of orders totaling $1 million with all shipments expected to be completed during the month of May.

On the domestic front, sales forecasts for the GlanHealth product line are also rapidly increasing, especially as certain states begin to open up. In parallel, the company is expanding operations while hiring additional staff to support the urgent orders of businesses and distributors alike.

GlanHealth's full line of anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and sanitizing products are alcohol-free and laboratory-tested and designed to reduce viruses, bacteria, fungi, and spores. The proprietary formulas are safe and effective, offering long-term protection in various products that include hand sanitizers, soaps, surface cleaners, wound and skin therapy, mold and mildew cleansers, and laundry sanitizing treatments. GlanHealth products are available to businesses and consumers world-wide and the subsidiary also provides on-site spray services.

About Dalrada Health

A subsidiary of Dalrada Financial Corp., Dalrada Health is focused on solving health problems around the world. The company develops products and services that address the unmet needs of consumers due to accessibility, affordability, or availability. With operations in the U.S., Malaysia, and India, Dalrada Health can reach underserved markets through strong partnerships and the development of efficient supply chains. Dalrada Health is committed to solving universal health problems through improved methodologies resulting in products and services that benefit the global marketplace. For details, visit https://dalradahealth.com. For details about GlanHealth's hand sanitizers and surface cleaners, visit https://GlanHealth.com.

About Dalrada (DFCO)

Dalrada Financial Corp. (OTC Pink: DFCO) solves real-world problems by producing innovation-focused and technologically-centered solutions on a global level. Delivering next-generation manufacturing, engineering, and healthcare products and services designed to propel growth, Dalrada is a team of industry experts and an organization built upon a strong foundation of financial capital. The Company and its subsidiaries are positioned for stable long-term growth through intelligent market research, sound business acumen, and established operational infrastructure. For more information, visit www.dalrada.com or call 1-858-283-1253.

Disclaimer

Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding future revenues and sales projections, plans for future financing, the ability to meet operational milestones, marketing arrangements and plans, and shipments to and regulatory approvals in international markets. Such statements reflect management's current views, are based on certain assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results, events, or performance may differ materially from the above forward-looking statements due to a number of important factors, and will be dependent upon a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, our ability to obtain additional financing that will allow us to continue our current and future operations and whether demand for our products and services in domestic and international markets will continue to expand. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof or to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard to these forward-looking statements or the occurrence of unanticipated events. Factors that may impact the Company's success are more fully disclosed in the Company's most recent public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including its annual report on Form 10-K.

SOURCE Dalrada Health

Related Links

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While the task forces advice has sometimes been swept aside by Mr. Trump and the guidelines it produced for states to reopen ignored by some of them, the group was a comforting symbol for people scared about the viruss spread and looking for a sign the White House was taking it seriously. People closely monitored which members attended, noting any time Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, a leading infectious disease expert, was absent. The decision to phase out the task force has prompted new questions about whether the administration will be adequately organized to address the complex, life-or-death decisions related to the virus and give sufficient voice to scientists and public health experts in making policy.

We will have something in a different form, Mr. Trump told reporters on Tuesday during a trip to Arizona.

Asked why now was the right time to wind down the task force, he replied, Because we cant keep our country closed for the next five years.

If there is a recurrence of cases in the fall, he said, were going to put the flame out.

White House officials said that medical officials like Dr. Birx would still be advising the president and be available to answer reporters questions.

Still, the change means a growing role for Mr. Kushner, who is looking for a czarlike appointee to oversee the development of a vaccine and therapeutic treatments, as well as for top economic officials like Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, and the White House advisers Larry Kudlow and Kevin Hassett.

Since it was formed in January, the task force has been the scene of bureaucratic and policy battling, its influence only as great as Mr. Trumps episodic willingness to accept its advice.

Its priorities and configuration often reflected the most immediate circumstances, starting with quarantines for passengers of cruise ships and repatriated Americans in late January and early February. But the group spent little time managing the testing of Americans for the virus, a problem the administration still has not fully resolved.
The federal aged care watchdog is threatening to revoke the licence of the western Sydney nursing home at the epicentre of the state's coronavirus outbreak.

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has given Newmarch House operators Anglicare until Thursday afternoon to agree to steps including the appointment of an independent adviser, or face having its licence to operate revoked.

The action comes as more staff at the facility tested positive for the virus this week, while one agency worker from Aspen Medical was stood down on Monday following what Anglicare alleged were a number of breaches of protocol for personal protective equipment use.

A total of 16 residents have died at the facility, and 37 residents and 29 staff have so far tested positive to COVID-19, with three staff members testing positive as recently as Monday.
Los Angeles County Health Department Announces Guidelines in place for Businesses to Follow as L.A. Prepares for Economic Recovery

Tuesday May 5, Los Angeles Public Officials disclosed charitable news surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak. L.A. is preparing for a gradual recovery of local businesses and community locations. There is concern of what guidance will be provided from the health department. The decisions made by city leaders continue to be guided by the data collected by the department of health services, and other professional medical personnel. Los Angeles County Director of Public Health, Barbara Ferrer delivered updated numbers that represent positive cases and death rates within the Los Angeles County. All public officials stressed the importance of the requirements of social distancing as L.A. approaches a new way of operating businesses.

Under the direction of Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor Hilda Solis, L.A. County is donating $3-million dollars to the L.A. regional food bank. With this donation, the food bank will continue to service families in Los Angeles. The L.A. Regional Food bank assisted 3,000 people last week in Baldwin Park. Their recent work also contributed to assisting 8,000 families in East L.A. at the Civic Center. Starting on Tuesday, elderly Angelenos can receive food from the Great Plates Delivery Program.

Barbara Ferrer, Director of Public Health shared the latest updates on the COVID-19 Virus. Ferrer shared Tuesday, May 5. there were 58 additional deaths, 43 of these individuals were between the ages of 65 and over, 38 of them with underlining health conditions. 10 people who died were between the ages of 41-65, seven of them had preexisting health concerns. One victim was under the age of 41, they also had underlining health concerns. This brings the total COVID-19 related deaths in the L.A. County to 1,313.

Barbara disclosed as of May 5. There were 1,638 new COVID-19 reports. In summary, there is a total amount of 27,815 coronavirus cases in the Los Angeles region. 768 incidents were reported in the city of Long Beach and 452 cases in the city of Pasadena. For the 1,201 fatal cases where race and ethnicity were identified; 12% were African American, 19% were Asian, 38% were LatinX, 28% were white, and 1% were native Hawaiian or pacific islander, and 1% identified as another ethnicity. There are tests calculating fatal case numbers by demographic, including where each victim fell on the poverty line. Within the unsheltered community, the director of public health confirmed 199 positive cases. There were 101 people who were sheltered and properly isolated.

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The L.A. Department of Health will provide multiple resources for guidance, as local businesses open soon, Barbara Ferrer clarified that there will be specific requirements within each sector, in addition to a standardized physical distancing requirement all brick-and-mortars will adhere to. Ferrer stated, There are 20-30 different very specific guidances that we have issued to date, some are sector specific or business specific, some are more helpful for families and individuals she continued, As we move into recovery, we will be issuing both general guidelines for all of us to adhere to and some of that will show up in the modified health officer orders, but you can also count on very specific guidance for sectors, that will guide them through safely re-opening.
The Maharashtra government



collected more than Rs 100 crore in taxes in three days after liquor shops in the state were allowed to reopen, excise minister Dilip Walse Patil said on Wednesday.

Sale of liquor was allowed in parts of the state as the lockdown to contain coronavirus entered its third phase on Monday.

The excise department collected more than Rs 100 crore by Wednesday night with just one third of the total number of liquor shops in the state remaining open, the minister said.

An estimated 16.10 lakh litres of bottled IMFL (Indian-Made Foreign Liquor), beer, wine and country liquor were sold on Tuesday.

The trend continued despite the Mumbai municipal commissioners decision to suspend sale of liquor in the state capital.

There are over 10,000 licensed shops in Maharashtra selling country liquor, IMFL, wine and beer, of which merely 2,967 operated on Wednesday, Patil said.

Unlike Tuesday, there were no incidents of police resorting to lathi charge or buyers violating social distancing norms on Wednesday, said an official.

Liquor shops were closed for almost 40 days due to the lockdown to curb coronavirus outbreak.

The lockdown has been extended till May 17, but standalone liquor shops were permitted to operate as part of relaxations granted by the state government.

29 lakh litres of liquor were sold in the first three days after shops reopened, the official added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Neither of the Sztajnboks is getting much sleep these days. Dr. Jacques Sztajnbok, head of intensive care at one of the main coronavirus hospitals in Sao Paulo, Brazil, says the stress of being on the front line of the pandemic often wakes him up in the middle of the night. His wife, Dr. Fabiane Sztajnbok, an infectious disease specialist in the hospital's emergency room, says the same. He spends his sleepless hours trawling through scientific studies, hoping to find something that will "add a piece to the COVID-19 puzzle," he said. She awakens simply because she is "worried and anxious," she said. The Sztajnboks work at the Emilio Ribas Infectious Disease Institute in Brazil's biggest city, the epicenter of COVID-19 in Latin America. The pandemic has changed life in big and small ways for their family of four. Jacques, 55, and Fabiane, 47, no longer hug or kiss their children when they get home. Instead, they first shed their potentially contaminated clothes and head straight for the shower. Jacques has not taken a day off since mid-March. "I'm responsible not only for my patients' health, but that of my team," he said. His intensive care unit's 11 beds have been full since mid-April, all with COVID-19 patients. On average, one has been dying each day. Several of his colleagues have also gotten sick. "Whenever my phone rings, I think, 'Do we have another doctor who's gotten sick?' And that's a worry we've never had before, even in other epidemics," he said. - Front-line family - The Sztajnboks met, fittingly enough, during another epidemic: a measles outbreak in 1997. They live in a big, plant-filled apartment in the chic neighborhood of Pinheiros with their children, Ana, 12, and Daniel, 10. Ana said she does not worry about her parents, because "they're not in the high-risk group." Daniel, meanwhile, thinks their work is "cool and courageous." "At dinner we always talk about what happened during their shifts. It's really interesting," he said. - Birthday wish - The Sztajnboks say they feel the need to talk about their days more than ever. "It helps us get through to know we have the same objective, to know we're in this together," said Fabiane. But it can be hard to draw a line between work and home. They set a rule early on: evening time is to unplug and be together as a family. But sometimes it gets broken. On Jacques' 55th birthday, he came home from work and changed into flip-flops and shorts, all set to relax. But he could not help looking constantly at his phone, following the progress of his patients and infected colleagues. As the family gathered around a computer screen for a virtual celebration with relatives, Jacques got a piece of welcome news on his phone. One of their patients, an obese woman in serious condition, had doubled her respiratory capacity after Jacques had her turned over onto her stomach to help her breathe. Happy, Jacques read the message aloud to his family several times. "This disease is very complicated. Not all patients respond to the same treatment. We have to tailor our treatment to every case. That's why I can't bring myself to stop working," he said. "But it's so rewarding when a patient starts doing better." Then it was time for cake. Even then, it was difficult to disconnect, said Jacques: as he blew out his candles, his thoughts were with his patient, lying on her stomach in the ICU -- his ICU. Dr. Jaques Sztajnbok (left), head of the intensive care unit of the Emilio Ribas Infectious Disease Institute, and his wife Fabiane, an infectious diseases specialist in the same hospital, talking during an interview with AFP at their house in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on April 29, 2020 Sztajnbok (center) said he was unable to stop checking for updates on his patients even during his 55th birthday recently Jaques Sztajnbok (left), head of the intensive care unit at the Emilio Ribas Infectious Disease Institute of Sao Paulo, and his wife Fabiane, an infectious diseases specialist in the same hospital, speak with AFP at their house in Sao Paulo on April 29, 2020 A health worker wearing a biosafety suit checks a COVID-19 patient in the intensive care unit at the Emilio Ribas hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil on April 20, 2020 A health worker wearing a protective suit checks ventilators for the intensive care unit, where COVID-19 infected patients are treated, at the Emilio Ribas hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil on April 20, 2020 Sztajnbok (right) working at the hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on April 29, 2020
Two years after he was arrested, Aref Muhammad Barghala was dumped in front of his house, bleeding and showing clear signs of torture reports Jesr.

Regime intelligence late last week released Aref Muhammad Barghala, a young man from Douma in Eastern Ghouta, after he had spent two years in Sednaya Prison.

A state security patrol, driving a van in Douma, released him in front of his house, located near the al-Tawhid Mosque on Tayseer Taha Street in the citys downtown area.

Barghala was covered in blood when he was thrown from the state security vehicle, with fresh signs of beating and torture on his body.

He faced beatings from personnel working the checkpoint at the entrance of Douma from the Damascus side, which belongs to the same branch, after they realized he had been detained on charges of terrorism, according to their claim.

Barghala was arrested at his home in Douma in mid-2018, during a raid by state security patrols in the city. He faced a number of charges, including leading a group loyal to the opposition Jaish al-Islam faction during its control over the area.

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.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday said it was his nation's right that a United Nations arms embargo should be lifted at the appropriate time, based on agreed terms.

Rouhani was responding to a move by the US which last month circulated a draft U.N. resolution that would indefinitely extend the embargo that is set to expire in October.

The UN 2231 Security Council resolution that endorsed the 2015 nuclear deal between six major powers and Iran ends the embargo five years after the deal.

"America and some other countries must know Iran will, under no circumstances, accept the violation of U.N Security Council Resolution 2231," Rouhani said.

"It is Iran's inalienable right that the arms embargo is lifted based on that resolution. Of course our weapons, whether we make them or buy them, are for our own defense and for defending other nations."

The U.S. said the aim of the draft is to present the resolution for a vote in May since Iran is admittedly no longer complying with several elements of the nuclear deal, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Rouhani warned of a strong Iranian response if the arms embargo was extended.

The remarks came amid a recent escalation of tensions between Tehran and Washington.
Paris Saint-Germain has donated 100,000 euros ($108,000) to the Action Against Hunger charity amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The money provides charity workers helping those at risk with protective equipment such as surgical masks, goggles, gloves, gowns, gels and thermometers.

The Parc des Princes has been operating as a support base for the charity in the Greater Paris region.

PSG says club volunteers have helped charity staff make, assemble and store hygiene kits and health equipment for those most at risk. More than 2,000 people have benefited from hygiene and household kits.

PSG president Nasser al-Khelafi says the charity's wide-ranging work in many fields is more essential than ever.

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

Roberge: power is government's, Sante publique decides

In response to Quebecs English language school boards declaring that they will ultimately decide if and when to re-open public schools, Quebec Education Minister Jean-Francois Roberge sent a letter to the media clarifying that the authority to decide on reopening rests exclusively with the Quebec government.

Roberge reiterated that it is up to the experts of Sante publique to determine if the health conditions required for a gradual return to class are met, not school commissioners.

In a letter to parents Monday morning, the EMSB said it is in favour of reopening its elementary schools when it is safe to do so. The EMSB will continue to work towards the reopening of our Elementary schools. We will aim for May 19, but we will take the time needed to plan carefully. Most importantly, the EMSB wants its parents, staff, students and community to be assured that the boards first priority is the health and safety of our students and staff. It is very important to state that the EMSB has great respect for, and every confidence in Sante Publique. And we will follow all of their health and safety guidelines.

The Minister said that the governments decision was approved by Sante publique, which considered all health and hygiene aspects affecting students. He also reminded all Quebecers and the English boards that according to the Quebec association of Pediatricians, a prolonged confinement could have a damaging effect on the development and mental health of children, from nutrition and isolation, to issues of abuse, learning delays and more. Delaying the reopening of schools is hard to defend said the association last week in a statement by president and pediatric infectious disease specialist Dr. Marc Lebel. Knowing that the novel coronavirus will be part of our lives for a long time to come, is there any benefit to be expected in September to return to school? Do we really want children to face COVID at the same time as other viruses in the fall and seasonal flu in winter? Sooner or later, they will have to be exposed to the virus and the result will be the sameA gradual return to real life for our children is not only desirable, it is necessary. This return will, of course, have to be gradual and prudent. The grandparents of these children remain extremely vulnerable, as do older school and daycare staff.

Roberge said school boards and service centres must continue their efforts in view of the gradual and prudent reopening of classes, which will be non-compulsory for students, and scheduled for May 11 in the regions, followed by May 19 in the greater Montreal area. However, Roberge, like Premier Francois Legault and public health director Horacio Arruda, added we will not hesitate to push back if the epidemiologic situation does not permit reopening at these dates.

The school board association reminded the government two weeks ago that the lawsuit challenging Bill 40 will be filed to prevent legislation that would see boards transformed into service centres, doing away with the current regime of elected and unelected commissioners governing public schools.

French boards have already been abolished, with English boards granted until November to hold elections among parents, so all boards continue to function, save for the EMSB which was put under trusteeship last fall.
The leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany party, Alexander Gauland, opposed the announcement of the day of the surrender of Nazi Germany - May 8 - as a permanent holiday. "May 8 cannot be a holiday because it is a mixed day. It was a day of release for prisoners of concentration camps. But it was also a day of absolute defeat, a day of the loss of significant parts of Germany and decision-making opportunities," he told the German media.

According to an ultra-right politician, May 8 cannot be a "happy day for Germany." As Gauland noted, on May 8 there is a positive, but women raped in Berlin will see this very differently from prisoners in concentration camps.

In an open letter to Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Angela Merkel, Holocaust-surviving Auschwitz committee chairman in Germany, Esther Bejarano, called for May 8 to be declared a holiday of liberation from National Socialism.

This year, May 8 - 75 years after the end of World War II - will be celebrated as a public holiday in Berlin.

Recall that the party "Alternative for Germany" has repeatedly distinguished itself by statements aimed at revising the historical assessment of the period of National Socialism in Germany. One of the partys leaders, Bernd Hecke, spoke out against the presence of a Holocaust memorial in central Berlin.

However, the deputy of the Bundestag, the co-chairman of "AdG" Alexander Gauland urged the Wehrmacht to be proud, verbatim declaring: "We have the right to be proud of the merits of our soldiers in two world wars."

It should be noted that in Vestnik Kavkaza he repeatedly warned of the revisionist approach of German nationalists to the history of World War II. The ideology "Alternatives for Germany", whose supporters live with dreams of restoring the Third Reich and returning East Prussia (Kaliningrad), is a long-term threat to Russia's interests.

It is noteworthy that at the same time, the Nazis from Alternative for Germany closely cooperate with the Armenian authorities and the Karabakh separatists. One of the favorite guests in Nagorno-Karabakh was MP Stefan Koyter, cursed by the fact that he greeted his colleagues in the Bundestag with the phrase "Zig Heil!"

As the German political scientist Heiko Langner noted in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza, both Karabakh separatists and German nationalists are convinced of the supposed superiority of Christian civilization over the rest, and therefore advocate a nationalist identity policy to the detriment of other groups of the population. In Nagorno-Karabakh, in many ways "became a reality a picture that AdG would very much like to see in Germany."
In April, the coronavirus was the leading cause of death in New Jersey. By far.

Thats a grim statistic, but perhaps not a surprising one in a state thats become one of the worlds epicenters for the deadly virus.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Businesses that are open | Homepage

Each day now, state officials gather in Trenton for a briefing that includes an announcement of how many more people have died as a result of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. And each day, Gov. Phil Murphy eulogizes at least three residents who have passed on, telling reporters and viewers of the livestream about the life each led.

They were real people who did great things, Murphy said last week. It is for them that we will continue this fight and for whom we will win this fight.

COVID-19 killed more than 7,000 New Jerseyans in April.

Thats a figure more than four times greater than the average number of deaths caused by heart disease each month.

The data on the causes of death in New Jersey comes from the states Department of Health, which regularly assesses death certificates and other sources to determine how people died. During the pandemic, the Health Department has been continuously counting and verifying deaths caused by COVID-19.

Other causes of death are not reported as quickly. We know that overall, 14,420 people died of all causes across New Jersey in April. But we only know the cause of death for the more than 7,000 who died from COVID-19.

So NJ Advance Media averaged death data from 2014 through 2018 to determine how many people typically die from common ailments each month and year. Of course each month and year has fluctuations, so this is an estimate and not an exact count of deaths.

The numbers give an illustration of how much deadlier COVID-19 likely is compared with leading causes of death such as heart disease, cancer and stroke.

Critics of government orders to shelter in place and close nonessential businesses, for example, alleged that more people would die of the flu this year than COVID-19, attempting to minimize the threat and seriousness of the pandemic.

And that was true in New Jersey, for a short time.

But on April 8, the state counted 275 new deaths, bringing the total to 1,517. On average, 1,256 New Jerseyans die of the flu/pneumonia each year.

From 2014 to 2018, a total of 6,281 New Jerseyans died of the flu/pneumonia. On April 28, New Jersey totaled 6,489 COVID-19 deaths.

Compared with five-year averages, COVID-19 currently ranks as the third most common cause of death in New Jersey annually.

Heart disease killed an average of 17,951 people each year from 2014 to 2018, and cancer killed an average of 15,484. COVID-19 has caused 8,549 deaths as of Wednesday.

New Jersey also hit another sobering milestone last week, Murphy said. The number of COVID-19 deaths is now more than the deaths of New Jersey residents in six wars, Hurricane Sandy and the 9/11 terror attacks, combined.

Murphy on Saturday called the number of deaths unfathomable."

This can never be about numbers, these are precious lives, he said.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

J. Dale Shoemaker can be reached at jshoemaker@njadvancemedia.com.
Nearly 50 per cent of the tractor dealerships in the country have become functional as they are in rural areas that are not under lockdown, a report said on Wednesday.

With the opening up of mandis and aggressive procurement of crops by the government, there are positive indicators for near-term growth in rural demand, it added.

While the domestic passenger, commercial vehicles and two- and three-wheelers segment reported almost zero sales in April, the tractor space did see some action after the government allowed agriculture activities in full swing from April 21.

"As per our channel checks, nearly 50 per cent of the tractor dealerships have now opened up as they are in rural areas that are not under lockdown. (Tractor) sales were recorded in the last few days of April after the exemption of sale of agri-machinery announced by the Government," brokerage firm Centrum Broking said in the report.

Tractor firms Mahindra & Mahindra and Escorts registered domestic volumes of 4,716 units and 613 units, respectively. These volumes were lower by 83 per cent and 88 per cent on year-on-year-basis.

"As per the managements, rural sentiments are gradually improving because of the expected good Rabi crop output and expectation of good monsoon.

"Opening up of mandis, aggressive procurement of crops by the Government, and gradual opening by banks and NBFCs are positive indicators for near-term growth in rural demand," Centrum said.

Observing that demand sentiment for the vehicles is "low" due to uncertainty regarding jobs and the economic outlook, the report said some of the financiers have reduced the required loan to value (LTV) by about 10 percentage points.

Following the announcement of nationwide lockdown from March 25, the passenger and commercial as well as two-wheeler original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have reported zero production and sales in the domestic market.

Post the opening up of ports of Mundra, Chennai and Mumbai, the OEMs have reported small volumes of exports, the report said.

Some OEMs have received permission from the local authorities to resume operations on a lower scale, with safeguards and 25-30 per cent of workforce.

"We believe the next two months also would witness a subdued performance due to the ongoing COVID-19 issue and lockdown till May 17, and that social distancing will become the new normal post COVID-19 too...there would be a shift from shared mobility to personal mobility," it said.

Centrum Broking also said it expects the earliest recovery will be by the second half of the next fiscal in the two-wheeler and tractor segments.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
IRVING, Texas, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Darling Ingredients Inc. (NYSE: DAR, "Darling") --

First Quarter 2020

Net income of $85.5 million , or $0.51 per GAAP diluted share

, or per GAAP diluted share Net Sales of $852.8 million

Adjusted EBITDA of $213.3 million

Diamond Green Diesel ("DGD") earned $2.63 EBITDA per gallon on approximately 79 million gallons sold

("DGD") earned EBITDA per gallon on approximately 79 million gallons sold Repurchased $55 million of common stock

Darling reported net sales of $852.8 million for the first quarter of 2020, as compared with net sales of $835.1 million for the same period a year ago. Net income attributable to Darling for the three months ended March 28, 2020 was $85.5 million, or $0.51 per diluted share, compared to a net income of $18.0 million, or $0.11 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2019.

"We delivered a strong first quarter performance consistent with the guidance we provided on our February 2020 earnings call, generating $213 million of combined adjusted EBITDA," said Randall C. Stuewe, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Darling Ingredients Inc. "The diversity of our global platform from food to feed to green hydrocarbon is helping us to weather the COVID-19 pandemic."

"We continue to execute our global strategy of creating sustainable ingredients for feed, food and fuel, from the waste streams of the food processing industry and being a leader in the production of green hydrocarbons to assist with global decarbonization. First and foremost, Darling has acted to ensure that we are providing a safe work environment for our employees across our network of 200+ locations around the world," added Stuewe. "We are also taking the necessary steps to safeguard our balance sheet in the current environment. While we anticipate some disruption and potential lighter volumes of raw materials processed in the coming quarter, accordingly, we are committed to managing and reducing operating expenses across the business. Consistent with this approach, we are targeting a deferral of 15% to 20% in capital expenditures until the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak improves."

"In April, DGD had accumulated over $600 million of cash, sufficient to fund the phase II 2020 expansion of DGD and provide each joint venture partner with a $125 million distribution. Also, Darling anticipates receiving an additional $65 to $75 million in July consistent with the distribution policy at DGD," stated Stuewe.

As of March 28, 2020, Darling had $76.4 million in cash and cash equivalents, and $795.9 million available under committed revolving credit agreements. Total debt outstanding at the end of the first quarter of 2020 was $1.75 billion.

Under Darling's current share repurchase authorization, the Company repurchased 2.2 million shares of common stock during the first quarter for a total of $55 million. Darling has approximately $126 million remaining under its current authorization.

Combined adjusted EBITDA was $213.3 million for the first quarter of 2020, compared to $133.3 million for the same period in 2019.

Segment Financial Tables (in thousands)

Three Months Ended March 28, 2020 Feed Ingredients Food Ingredients Fuel Ingredients Corporate Total











Net Sales $ 512,625 $ 270,294 $ 69,923 $ - $ 852,842 Cost of sales and operating expenses 388,453 205,430 53,025 - 646,908 Gross Margin $ 124,172 $ 64,864 $ 16,898 $ - $ 205,934











Loss on sale of assets 50 2 9 - 61 Selling, general and administrative expenses 53,947 25,476 1,654 15,116 96,193 Depreciation and amortization 53,521 20,305 8,092 2,753 84,671 Equity in net income of Diamond Green Diesel - - 97,820 - 97,820 Segment operating income/(loss) $ 16,654 $ 19,081 $ 104,963 $ (17,869) $ 122,829 Equity in net income of unconsolidated subsidiaries $ 869 $ - $ - $ - $ 869 Segment Income/(loss) $ 17,523 $ 19,081 $ 104,963 $ (17,869) $ 123,698











Segment EBITDA $ 70,175 $ 39,386 $ 15,235 $ (15,116) $ 109,680 DGD Adjusted EBITDA (Darling's Share) $ - $ - $ 103,634 $ - $ 103,634 Adjusted EBITDA $ 70,175 $ 39,386 $ 118,869 $ (15,116) $ 213,314











Three Months Ended March 30, 2019 Feed Ingredients Food Ingredients Fuel Ingredients Corporate Total











Net Sales $ 495,819 $ 279,164 $ 60,121 $ - $ 835,104 Cost of sales and operating expenses 386,859 214,004 50,050 - 650,913 Gross Margin $ 108,960 $ 65,160 $ 10,071 $ - $ 184,191











Loss/(gain) on sale of assets (4,391) 114 27 - (4,250) Selling, general and administrative expenses 48,831 21,887 (754) 15,039 85,003 Depreciation and amortization 49,369 19,511 7,798 2,486 79,164 Equity in net income of Diamond Green Diesel - - 24,277 - 24,277 Segment operating income/(loss) $ 15,151 $ 23,648 $ 27,277 $ (17,525) $ 48,551 Equity in net loss of unconsolidated subsidiaries $ (504) $ - $ - $ - $ (504) Segment income/(loss) $ 14,647 $ 23,648 $ 27,277 $ (17,525) $ 48,047











Segment EBITDA $ 64,520 $ 43,159 $ 10,798 $ (15,039) $ 103,438 DGD Adjusted EBITDA (Darling's Share) $ - $ - $ 29,828 $ - $ 29,828 Adjusted EBITDA $ 64,520 $ 43,159 $ 40,626 $ (15,039) $ 133,266

Darling Ingredients Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

March 28, 2020 and December 28, 2019

(in thousands)



March 28,

December 28, 2020

2019 ASSETS (unaudited)



Current assets:







Cash and cash equivalents $ 76,339

$ 72,935

Restricted cash 106

110

Accounts receivable, net 397,700

406,338

Inventories 381,432

362,957

Prepaid expenses 45,107

46,599

Income taxes refundable 3,106

3,317

Other current assets 26,270

25,032

Total current assets 930,060

917,288 Property, plant and equipment, net 1,764,120

1,802,411 Intangible assets, net 497,779

526,394 Goodwill 1,202,592

1,223,291 Investment in unconsolidated subsidiaries 802,184

689,354 Operating lease right-of-use assets 123,859

124,726 Other assets 42,653

47,400 Deferred income taxes 14,532

14,394

$ 5,377,779

$ 5,345,258 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY





Current liabilities:







Current portion of long-term debt $ 86,397

$ 90,996

Accounts payable, principally trade 211,596

239,252

Income taxes payable 8,593

8,895

Current operating lease liabilities 37,472

37,805

Accrued expenses 307,688

311,391

Total current liabilities 651,746

688,339 Long-term debt, net of current portion 1,664,858

1,558,429 Long-term operating lease liabilities 91,250

91,424 Other noncurrent liabilities 111,145

115,785 Deferred income taxes 250,338

247,931

Total liabilities 2,769,337

2,701,908 Commitments and contingencies





Total Darling's stockholders' equity 2,543,565

2,565,819 Noncontrolling interests 64,877

77,531

Total stockholders' equity $ 2,608,442

$ 2,643,350



$ 5,377,779

$ 5,345,258

Darling Ingredients Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Operating Results

For the Periods Ended March 28, 2020 and March 30, 2019

(in thousands, except per share data)





(First Quarter Unaudited)



Three Months Ended











$ Change



March 28,

March 30,

Favorable



2020

2019

(Unfavorable) Net sales $ 852,842

$ 835,104

$ 17,738 Costs and expenses:











Cost of sales and operating expenses 646,908

650,913

4,005

Loss (gain) on sale of assets 61

(4,250)

(4,311)

Selling, general and administrative expenses 96,193

85,003

(11,190)

Depreciation and amortization 84,671

79,164

(5,507) Total costs and expenses 827,833

810,830

(17,003)

Equity in net income of Diamond Green Diesel 97,820

24,277

73,543 Operating income 122,829

48,551

74,278 Other expense:











Interest expense (19,090)

(19,876)

786

Foreign currency gain/(loss) 1,664

(732)

2,396

Other income (expense), net (1,881)

(2,525)

644 Total other expense (19,307)

(23,133)

3,826 Equity in net income/(loss)









of unconsolidated subsidiaries 869

(504)

1,373 Income before income taxes 104,391

24,914

79,477 Income tax expense 18,300

5,274

(13,026) Net income 86,091

19,640

66,451 Net income attributable to











noncontrolling interests (581)

(1,628)

1,047 Net income attributable to Darling $ 85,510

$ 18,012

$ 67,498













Basic income per share: $ 0.52

$ 0.11

$ 0.41 Diluted income per share: $ 0.51

$ 0.11

$ 0.40













Number of diluted common shares: 167,927

168,660





Darling Ingredients Inc. and Subsidiaries

Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows

Periods Ended March 28, 2020 and March 30, 2019

(in thousands)

(unaudited)









Three Months Ended







March 28,

March 30, Cash flows from operating activities: 2020

2019

Net income $ 86,091

$ 19,640

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:









Depreciation and amortization 84,671

79,164



Loss/(gain) on disposal of property, plant, equipment and other assets 61

(4,250)



Gain on insurance proceeds from insurance settlement -

(845)



Deferred taxes 6,377

(2,901)



Increase (decrease) in long-term pension liability (264)

646



Stock-based compensation expense 10,818

10,327



Write-off deferred loan costs -

27



Deferred loan cost amortization 1,416

1,574



Equity in net income of Diamond Green Diesel and other unconsolidated subsidiaries (98,689)

(23,773)



Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects from acquisitions:









Accounts receivable 487

11,692



Income taxes refundable/payable 348

7,270



Inventories and prepaid expenses (24,999)

(5,063)



Accounts payable and accrued expenses (16,790)

(43,016)



Other (14,981)

(1,891)





Net cash provided by operating activities 34,546

48,601 Cash flows from investing activities:







Capital expenditures (61,599)

(84,269)

Acquisitions, net of cash acquired -

(1,431)

Gross proceeds from disposal of property, plant and equipment and other assets 379

7,868

Proceeds from insurance settlement -

845

Payments related to routes and other intangibles (3,416)

(2,778)





Net cash used by investing activities (64,636)

(79,765) Cash flows from financing activities:







Proceeds from long-term debt 8,264

2,138

Payments on long-term debt (8,638)

(10,974)

Borrowings from revolving credit facility 219,933

156,829

Payments on revolving credit facility (100,782)

(138,147)

Net cash overdraft financing (9,594)

14,525

Issuance of common stock 67

12

Repurchase of common stock (55,044)

-

Minimum withholding taxes paid on stock awards (4,328)

(3,190)

Acquisition of noncontrolling interest (8,784)

-

Distributions to noncontrolling interests (688)

-





Net cash provided by financing activities 40,406

21,193 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash flows (6,916)

(1,575) Net increase/(decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash 3,400

(11,546) Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of year 73,045

107,369 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period $ 76,445

$ 95,823 Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:







Accrued capital expenditures $ (1,630)

$ (8,623)

Cash paid during the period for:









Interest, net of capitalized interest $ 5,863

$ 21,602



Income taxes, net of refunds $ 11,453

$ 2,894

Non-cash operating activities:









Operating lease right of use obtained in exchange for new lease liabilities $ 9,121

$ 4,794

Non-cash financing activities:









Debt issued for service contract assets $ 21

$ -

Diamond Green Diesel Joint Venture

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019

(in thousands)









March 31,

December 31,







2020

2019 Assets:



(unaudited)





Total current assets

$ 821,602

$ 668,026

Property, plant and equipment, net

779,961

713,489

Other assets

30,446

30,710



Total assets

$ 1,632,009

$ 1,412,225













Liabilities and members' equity:









Total current portion of long term debt

$ 496

$ 341

Total other current liabilities

70,758

75,802

Total long term debt

8,936

8,742

Total other long term liabilities

4,273

4,422

Total members' equity

1,547,546

1,322,918



Total liabilities and members' equity

$ 1,632,009

$ 1,412,225

Diamond Green Diesel Joint Venture

Operating Financial Results

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 and March 31, 2019

(in thousands)







(First Quarter Unaudited)





Three Months Ended













$ Change





March 31,

March 31,

Favorable Revenues: 2020

2019

(Unfavorable)

Operating revenues $ 358,615

$ 302,718

$ 55,897 Expenses:











Total costs and expenses less













depreciation, amortization and accretion expense 151,347

243,063

91,716

Depreciation, amortization and 11,774

11,418

(356)



accretion expense







` Total costs and expenses 163,121

254,481

91,360

Operating income 195,494

48,237

147,257 Other income 461

641

(180)



Interest and debt expense, net (315)

(324)

9



Net income $ 195,640

$ 48,554

$ 147,086

Darling Ingredients Inc. reports Adjusted EBITDA results, which is a Non-GAAP financial measure, as a complement to results provided in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) (for additional information, see "Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures" included later in this media release). The Company believes that Adjusted EBITDA provides additional useful information to investors. Adjusted EBITDA, as the Company uses the term, is calculated below:

Reconciliation of Net Income to (Non-GAAP) Adjusted EBITDA and (Non-GAAP) Pro forma Adjusted EBITDA

Three months ended March 28, 2020 and March 30, 2019





Three Months Ended Adjusted EBITDA March 28,

March 30, (U.S. dollars in thousands) 2020

2019









Net income attributable to Darling $ 85,510

$ 18,012 Depreciation and amortization 84,671

79,164 Interest expense 19,090

19,876 Income tax expense 18,300

5,274 Foreign currency loss/(gain) (1,664)

732 Other expense, net 1,881

2,525 Equity in net (income) of Diamond Green Diesel (97,820)

(24,277) Equity in net (income)/loss of unconsolidated subsidiaries (869)

504 Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests 581

1,628

Adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP) $ 109,680

$ 103,438 Foreign currency exchange impact 2,158 (1) -

Pro forma Adjusted EBITDA to Foreign Currency (Non-GAAP) $ 111,838

$ 103,438 DGD Joint Venture Adjusted EBITDA (Darling's Share) $ 103,634

$ 29,828









Darling plus Darling's share of DGD Joint Venture Adjusted EBITDA $ 213,314

$ 133,266









(1) The average rate assumption used in this calculation was the actual fiscal average rate for the three months ended March 28, 2020 of 1.00:USD$1.10 and CAD$1.00:USD$0.75, as compared to the average rate for the three months ended March 30, 2019 of 1.00:USD$1.14 and CAD$1.00:USD$0.75, respectively.

About Darling

Darling Ingredients Inc. is a global developer and producer of sustainable natural ingredients from edible and inedible bio-nutrients, creating a wide range of ingredients and specialty solutions for customers in the pharmaceutical, food, pet food, feed, technical, fuel, bioenergy, and fertilizer industries. With operations on five continents, the Company collects and transforms all aspects of animal by-product streams into useable and specialty ingredients, such as collagen, edible fats, feed-grade fats, animal proteins and meals, plasma, pet food ingredients, organic fertilizers, yellow grease, fuel feedstocks, green energy, natural casings and hides. The Company also recovers and converts recycled oils (used cooking oil and animal fats) into valuable feed and fuel ingredients and collects and processes residual bakery products into feed ingredients. In addition, the Company provides environmental services, such as grease trap collection and disposal services to food service establishments. The Company sells its products domestically and internationally and operates within three industry segments: Feed Ingredients, Food Ingredients and Fuel Ingredients. For additional information, visit the Company's website at http://www.darlingii.com.

Darling Ingredients Inc. will host a conference call to discuss the Company's first quarter 2020 financial results at 8:30 am Eastern Time (7:30 am Central Time) on Thursday, May 7, 2020. To listen to the conference call, participants calling from within North America should dial 1-844-868-8847; international participants should dial 1-412-317-6593. Please refer to access code 10142656. Please call approximately ten minutes before the start of the call to ensure that you are connected.

The call will also be available as a live audio webcast that can be accessed on the Company website at http://ir.darlingii.com. Beginning one hour after its completion, a replay of the call can be accessed through May 14, 2020, by dialing 1-877-344-7529 (U.S. callers), 1-855-669-9658 (Canada) and 1-412-317-0088 (international callers). The access code for the replay is 10142656. The conference call will also be archived on the Company's website.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures:

Adjusted EBITDA is not a recognized accounting measurement under GAAP; it should not be considered as an alternative to net income, as a measure of operating results, or as an alternative to cash flow as a measure of liquidity and is not intended to be a presentation in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted EBITDA is presented here not as an alternative to net income, but rather as a measure of the Company's operating performance. Since EBITDA (generally, net income plus interest expenses, taxes, depreciation and amortization) is not calculated identically by all companies, this presentation may not be comparable to EBITDA or Adjusted EBITDA presentations disclosed by other companies. Adjusted EBITDA is calculated in this presentation and represents, for any relevant period, net income/(loss) plus depreciation and amortization, goodwill and long-lived asset impairment, interest expense, (income)/loss from discontinued operations, net of tax, income tax provision, other income/(expense) and equity in net loss of unconsolidated subsidiary. Management believes that Adjusted EBITDA is useful in evaluating the Company's operating performance compared to that of other companies in its industry because the calculation of Adjusted EBITDA generally eliminates the effects of financing, income taxes and certain non-cash and other items that may vary for different companies for reasons unrelated to overall operating performance.

As a result, the Company's management uses Adjusted EBITDA as a measure to evaluate performance and for other discretionary purposes. In addition to the foregoing, management also uses or will use Adjusted EBITDA to measure compliance with certain financial covenants under the Company's Senior Secured Credit Facilities and 5.25% Notes and 3.625% Notes that were outstanding at March 28, 2020. However, the amounts shown in this presentation for Adjusted EBITDA differ from the amounts calculated under similarly titled definitions in the Company's Senior Secured Credit Facilities and 5.25% Notes and 3.625% Notes, as those definitions permit further adjustments to reflect certain other non-recurring costs, non-cash charges and cash dividends from the DGD Joint Venture. Additionally, the Company evaluates the impact of foreign exchange impact on operating cash flow, which is defined as segment operating income (loss) plus depreciation and amortization.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information:

{This media release contains "forward-looking" statements regarding the business operations and prospects of Darling Ingredients Inc. and industry factors affecting it. These statements are identified by words such as "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "estimate," "intend," "could," "may," "will," "should," "planned," "potential," "continue," "momentum," and other words referring to events that may occur in the future. These statements reflect Darling Ingredient's current view of future events and are based on its assessment of, and are subject to, a variety of risks and uncertainties beyond its control, each of which could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, among others, existing and unknown future limitations on the ability of the Company's direct and indirect subsidiaries to make their cash flow available to the Company for payments on the Company's indebtedness or other purposes; global demands for bio-fuels and grain and oilseed commodities, which have exhibited volatility, and can impact the cost of feed for cattle, hogs and poultry, thus affecting available rendering feedstock and selling prices for the Company's products; reductions in raw material volumes available to the Company due to weak margins in the meat production industry as a result of higher feed costs, reduced consumer demand or other factors, reduced volume from food service establishments, or otherwise; reduced demand for animal feed; reduced finished product prices, including a decline in fat and used cooking oil finished product prices; changes to worldwide government policies relating to renewable fuels and greenhouse gas("GHG") emissions that adversely affect programs like the U.S. government's renewable fuel standard, low carbon fuel standards ("LCFS") and tax credits for biofuels both in the United States and abroad; possible product recall resulting from developments relating to the discovery of unauthorized adulterations to food or food additives; the occurrence of 2009 H1N1 flu (initially known as "Swine Flu"), Highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza (collectively known as "Bird Flu"), severe acute respiratory syndrome ("SARS"), bovine spongiform encephalopathy (or "BSE"), porcine epidemic diarrhea ("PED") or other diseases associated with animal origin in the United States or elsewhere, such as the outbreak of African Swine Fever ("ASF") in China and elsewhere; the occurrence of pandemics, epidemics or disease outbreaks, such as the current COVID-19 outbreak; unanticipated costs and/or reductions in raw material volumes related to the Company's compliance with the existing or unforeseen new U.S. or foreign (including, without limitation, China) regulations (including new or modified animal feed, Bird Flu, SARS, PED, BSE, ASF or similar or unanticipated regulations) affecting the industries in which the Company operates or its value added products; risks associated with the DGD Joint Venture, including possible unanticipated operating disruptions and issues relating to the announced expansion project; risks and uncertainties relating to international sales and operations, including imposition of tariffs, quotas, trade barriers and other trade protections imposed by foreign countries; difficulties or a significant disruption in our information systems or failure to implement new systems and software successfully, risks relating to possible third party claims of intellectual property infringement; increased contributions to the Company's pension and benefit plans, including multiemployer and employer-sponsored defined benefit pension plans as required by legislation, regulation or other applicable U.S. or foreign law or resulting from a U.S. mass withdrawal event; bad debt write-offs; loss of or failure to obtain necessary permits and registrations; continued or escalated conflict in the Middle East, North Korea, Ukraine or elsewhere; uncertainty regarding the exit of the U.K. from the European Union; and/or unfavorable export or import markets. These factors, coupled with volatile prices for natural gas and diesel fuel, climate conditions, currency exchange fluctuations, general performance of the U.S. and global economies, disturbances in world financial, credit, commodities and stock markets, and any decline in consumer confidence and discretionary spending, including the inability of consumers and companies to obtain credit due to lack of liquidity in the financial markets, among others, could cause actual results to vary materially from the forward looking statements included in this release or negatively impact the Company's results of operations. Among other things, future profitability may be affected by the Company's ability to grow its business, which faces competition from companies that may have substantially greater resources than the Company. The Company's announced share repurchase program may be suspended or discontinued at any time and purchases of shares under the program are subject to market conditions and other factors, which are likely to change from time to time. Other risks and uncertainties regarding Darling Ingredients Inc., its business and the industries in which it operates are referenced from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Darling Ingredients Inc. is under no obligation to (and expressly disclaims any such obligation to) update or alter its forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.}

For More Information, contact:

Jim Stark, Vice President, Investor Relations Email : [email protected] 5601 MacArthur Blvd., Irving, Texas 75038 Phone : 972-281-4823

SOURCE Darling Ingredients Inc.

Related Links

http://www.darlingii.com


LONDON  The United Kingdom risks repeating the same tragic mistakes again and again as its coronavirus death toll continues to spiral, public health experts have warned.

Senior experts in the U.K. have told NBC News that without more testing, contact-tracing and improved scientific advice, bad decisions will continue to be made.

"The government's response has been characterized by an absence of good public health thinking, and in fact, included some very bad public health thinking, said Prof. Gabriel Scally, a former regional director of Public Health England. Overall, the system has exposed its weaknesses in such a tragic way.

Scally, who now heads up the epidemiology and public health section of the Royal Society of Medicine, a long-established independent non-profit, commented on Tuesday as new figures suggested the U.K.s provisional number of recorded deaths attributed to COVID-19 rose to more than 32,000.

Image: Photographs and memorials for those who died during the lockdown sit outside Riverside Church on April 30, 2020 in Burton-on-Trent, England. (Christopher Furlong / Getty Images)

If confirmed, that makes Britains death toll higher than Italy's, the next worst affected European country, and behind only the United States, which has recorded more than 70,000 deaths.

Scally's claims were disputed by a spokesperson from Prime Minister Boris Johnson's at Number 10 Downing Street, who insisted that "reliable and robust public health data and thinking have been cornerstones of our response to the coronavirus outbreak."

The effect on the U.K. from the lockdown has been severe. More than 25 million people said they suffered from anxiety as the country went into lockdown in March, official figures show, while youth unemployment could reach 1 million as job opportunities vanish, according to figures from the Resolution Foundation, a London think tank.

Funerals in churches are banned and only a small selection of family members are allowed to say their goodbyes at the graveside burial or crematorium. Some businesses offer loved ones the chance to watch these sparsely attended funerals via webcam.

Story continues

Related: Analysis: "Time was lost in the beginning, and that has led to this high number of deaths," one leading expert said.

Scally, professor of public health and planning at the University of the West of England, Bristol, has joined a cohort of senior medical professionals, academics and scientists who have criticized the British governments pandemic response.

There isn't a public health infrastructure in the country at the present time to do the job properly, he told NBC News.

U.K. authorities have over the past few months relied on a long-established scientific advisory group for emergencies, known as SAGE. But the group has been criticized for lacking political independence, after Prime Minister Boris Johnsons office acknowledged that at least one of Johnsons top political advisors had been attending its meetings.

SAGE is traditionally chaired by a non-partisan chief scientific advisor, a system dating back 20 years. But the names of many of the committees members have only been made public this week, after continued questioning about the U.K.s decision to introduce lockdown measures so late and the ever higher fatality numbers recorded in both hospitals and care homes.

Image: A man wears full protective equipment to protect against the coronavirus as he shops in London (Kirsty Wigglesworth / AP)

Epidemiologist Neil Ferguson, of Imperial College, London, was an influential member of the group who helped persuade the government to impose strict lockdown measures in mid March. He resigned from the committee Tuesday night after a U.K. newspaper revealed details of his private life, and reported that he had breached the same lockdown conditions he promoted.

The current chief scientific advisor, Sir Stuart Vallance, who often stands beside Johnson during daily coronavirus public briefings, told a parliamentary committee Tuesday morning that there was no doubt that authorities in the U.K. could have handled the crisis better.

Certainly there will be times when evidence didnt allow decisions to be made that you could make now, he told lawmakers. And therell be times at which you look back and say that something might have been done differently.

One of Vallances predecessors, Sir David King, has established a rival scientific advisory committee, which he says is designed to offer more independent advice, transparent data and potentially countervailing views to the official government stance, as the country prepares to ease lockdown restrictions in the coming weeks.

Image: Epidemiologist Neil Ferguson speaks at a news conference in London, Britain (Reuters file)

Ahead of his new groups first meeting on Monday, King expressed concern that discussions and decision-making behind closed doors had made it difficult for outside experts, let alone the general public, to question the governments path forward.

The advice from a scientific group should be purely scientific, he told Sky News. Then the government makes policy decisions. Thats what theyre elected for.

I dont know what the specifics of the advice are - Im just a little worried that the ministers are setting the scientists up to be the fall guys.

His criticism of SAGEs opacity, and how its advice feeds into government processes, has been shared by many.

Ministers  and the prime minister  regularly say that they're following the science, public health professor Scally, who is also a member of the new rival committee, told NBC News. But the science, I'm afraid, hasn't been transparent.

The government advisory committee has focused too much on abstract and sometimes obtuse scientific data and analysis, according to Scally, rather than taking concrete actions, like introducing health checks at airports, cancelling mass gatherings, and ramping up community testing and contact tracing in the second half of March.

Other experts warned that these failings must not be repeated, including Dr. Bharat Pankhania, a senior clinical lecturer at Exeter University, who has spent the past two decades focused on pandemic planning in the U.K. and globally.

We gave up too soon, said Pankhania of the failure by British authorities to isolate and quarantine infected individuals and those they had been in contact with quickly and efficiently back in March.

We need to use the shutdown to prepare for a large number of cases, he told NBC News Tuesday.

The testing, the contact tracers should all be in place before we lift the shutdown, because the virus is still circulating. It will generate cases.

The Downing Street spokesperson insisted that the SAGE group was made up of "some of the most well-respected academics in the world. SAGE brings together expertise from across the scientific spectrum."

They added: "We have published two batches of evidence so far and have plans to publish all the evidence in the coming weeks and months. Some evidence remains under live consideration for policy decisions being made by Government, and as such, it would not be appropriate to publish at this time."
As the exodus of migrant workers triggered by the coronavirus lockdown continued, the railways said on Wednesday it has ferried over 1.25 lakh stranded people across the country from May 1 in 122 trains, while a fresh row erupted after Karnataka government withdrew its request for such special trains apparently due to concerns over shortage of labour.

The opposition attacked the BJP government in Karnataka , accusing it of treating migrants workers worse than "bonded labourers", even as Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa appealed to more than one lakh workers who wished to go back to their native states to stay back as construction and industrial activities have begun.

Yediyurappa announced a Rs 1,610-crore relief package for the benefit of those in distress due to the COVID-19-induced lockdown which included a compensation of Rs 5,000 each for registered workers.

The Principal Secretary in the Revenue Department, N Manjunatha Prasad, who is the nodal officer for migrants, had on Tuesday cancelled the request for 10 Shramik Special trains, apparently after the builders had apprised Yediyurappa about the shortage of labourers if they were allowed to go back to their home states, said a source privy to the issue.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury hit out at the state's decision. "This is worse than treating them as bonded labour. Does the Indian constitution exist? he said in a tweet.

A section of migrant labourers from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal had created a ruckus in Bengaluru on May 4, demanding that they be sent home.

Many desperate workers said they are keen on returning due to difficult survival conditions. They are also concerned about the well-being of their families back home and are apprehensive that they may not be able to return quickly if their kin faced some problems.

Shailesh, a painter from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, said he had exhausted all the money that he had.

"My elder brother is stuck in Hyderabad whereas I am held up in Bengaluru. Both of us are jobless for the past one-and- half months," he said.

The first Shramik Special train from Haryana carrying 1,200 migrant workers left for Katihar in Bihar from Hisar railway station even as Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar too renewed his appeal to migrant workers engaged in industries not to leave and instead start working in manufacturing units that have been allowed to resume operations.

In Maharashtra, state Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik accused the BJP governments in Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka of adopting an uncooperative approach in taking back migrant workers hailing from these two states.

"They are creating new hurdles. There are no such problems in case of other states like Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal though," he said.

As on Tuesday morning, Gujarat was the originating station for around 35 of these special trains, followed by Kerala with 13.

Among the receiving states, Bihar has accepted 13 trains, with 11 more currently on journey and six more planned, the data accessed by PTI shows.

Uttar Pradesh has received 10 such trains and five more are on their way and 12 more planned, as per the data.

The West Bengal government has, however, given clearance to only two trains -- one each from Rajasthan and Kerala -- and they are enroute to the state.

Jharkhand has accepted four trains, while five are on their way to the state. Two more Shramik Special trains have been planned.

Odisha has received seven trains and five are on their way to the state, with one more planned, the data shows.

The Odisha government said a total of 35,540 migrant workers have so far returned to the state.

Earlier, the Centre had drawn flak from opposition parties after the railways had made these services chargeable.

The Maharashtra government has sought clarity from the Railways over whether it is bearing 85 per cent of the transport cost of migrant workers heading home amid the lockdown, the state home minister said.

The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal blamed the Centre's alleged "lack of farsightedness" for the migrant labourer crisis in the country and asked why the PM CARES fund is not being used to finance their journey home.

The party also said it is condemnable that migrant labourers who have been "starving" for over 40 days are being made to pay for their tickets, as is being alleged.

"The PM Cares Fund has now turned into the PM Does Not Care fund. Where is the money of the fund going? Why isn't it is being used to finance the return of the labourers? The Centre is not bothered about migrant labourers who are in a mess due to the sudden announcement of the lockdown," senior TMC leader Derek O'Brien said during an online press conference.

Civil society organizations on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the Railways should not charge for tickets on these special trains for migrant workers.

They said all travel must be free and food expenses should be borne by the state.

The civil society organizations, who have come together to form 'National Campaign for Migrant Workers', demanded that the migrant workers returning home be provided an ex-gratia of Rs 7,000 in lieu of the wages lost due of the lockdown.

They also appealed to the Ministry of Home Affairs to issue directions to withdraw FIRs against migrant workers filed in places such as Surat, Mumbai, and Hyderabad where workers protested to be allowed to go home.

They also urged the MHA to withdraw the May 2 order, clarifying the definition of stranded workers.

The Home Ministry had on Sunday made it clear that the relaxations given for the movement of people during the lockdown was available only to distressed migrant workers.

It clarified that the order is not applicable to those categories of persons who are otherwise residing normally at places other than native places for purposes of work etc and those who wish to visit their native place in normal course.

Protests have been held at several places in recent days by restless workers, many of whom are jobless due to the lockdown, demanding that they be sent to their states.

A group of over a 100 migrant workers turned violent near Silvassa town of the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli on Tuesday night, police said.

The workers, most of them from Uttar Pradesh, were arrested from the spot for rioting and stone-pelting, an official said on Wednesday.

One policeman was injured in the incident, he added.

The workers are employed at a yarn manufacturing unit in the Naroli industrial area and live in a labour colony near the factory, the official said. Before protesting, they had told the media that they wanted to return to their native places.

Meanwhile, the office of Chief Labour Commissioner, which had ordered a count of stranded migrant labourers in the country last month, does not have any data on it, the Union Labour Ministry told an RTI activist.

Applicant Venkatesh Nayak from Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative said the data remains unavailable even after the CLC, on April 8, directed its regional office to count within three days every labourer who was stranded after the lockdown imposed to combat coronavirus.

In Gujarat, a senior official said that nearly 3.75 lakh migrant workers have so far left the state for their native places in trains, buses and other vehicles since the lockdown restrictions were eased last week



Besides, 36,000 more migrant workers will leave for Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand in 30 trains from Surat, Ahmedabad, Rajkot and Vadodara, among other stations, in Gujarat by Wednesday night, the chief minister's secretary Ashwani Kumar said in a video message.

The migrants have been enduring hardships in their desperation to reach their native places as all inter-state public transport remains suspended since March 25.

About 30 per cent of 140 lives in over 600 road accidents over the course of the two phases of the nationwide lockdown till May 3 were migrant workers returning to their homes, according to a report by NGO SaveLIFE Foundation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[May 06, 2020] Pitney Bowes Delivers Support for Small Businesses and Communities

Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE: PBI), a global technology company that provides commerce solutions in the areas of ecommerce, shipping, mailing and financial services, today announced a series of programs and efforts to help small businesses and communities impacted by COVID-19. These projects include the new content hub The Way Forward for Small Business; partnership with GoDaddy's Open We Stand project and the provision of fulfilment and delivery services for $1m worth of denim donated to healthcare workers by Good American. The Pitney Bowes Foundation has also announced their support of numerous non-profit organizations which are addressing essential and critical community needs, including efforts to supply PPE to hospitals, programs to address food insecurity, and literacy and education. For 100 years, Pitney Bowes has supported small businesses and communities guided by its core value of 'doing the right thing, the right way.' With more than 750,000 small business clients around the world, the business has developed a deep understanding of the challenges these organizations face. The Way Forward for Small Business is a new program to support small businesses on their paths to recovery. The program delivers a diversity of helpful, informative content including videos, articles and fact sheets, on topics which are front-of-mind for the millions of small businesses impacted by COVID-19. Themes, which change every week, include government assistance, workplace operations and safety, and information on how to effectively market, sell and stay productive in a remote working environment. To provide additional help for small businesses, Pitney Bowes is partnering with GoDaddy, supporting its Open We Stand campaign. New clients who sign up to shipping platform SendPro Online through Open We Stand receive a 30-day free trial, a $25 postage credit and 10lb scale, enabling them to effectively manage their shipping and mailing remotely. Existing clients have also benefited from Pitney Bowes support. Good American, Khloe Kardashian and Emma Grede's inclusive clothing brand, uses Pitney Bowes' Fulfilment and Delivery services. Pitney Bowes is supporting the brand's generous donation of $1m worth of denim to healthcare workers by facilitating their shipments, picking, packing and shipping the clothing. "Pitney Bowes' enduring culture is built on the core value of doing the right thing, the right way. Our passion for giving back runs deep, and this extends to our clients, employees, suppliers and communities. This spirit and resilience have never been as strong in our business," said Marc Lautenbach, President and Chief Executive at Pitney Bowes. "Giving back is not only the right thing to do, it's intrinsic to our organization, and I'm immensely proud of the steps we are taking to help shoulder the burden for our clients and communities during this challenging time." Reinforcing Pitey Bowes' dedication to education



Reinforcing its longstanding commitment to the communities in which it operates and its dedication to education, Pitney Bowes has supported a series of efforts at a local level. With classrooms shut down, Jefferson County Public Schools Group in Kentucky needed a way to ship 20,000 Chromebooks to its students, quickly and efficiently to minimize the impact of school closures on students' education. In just three days from the initial conversations, processes were accelerated, a SendPro Enterprise account was set up, 20,000 shipping labels were printed and the Chromebooks were on their way to the students. Norwalk Community College, which serves students in Pitney Bowes' home office community in Fairfield County, Connecticut, called on Pitney Bowes to help it continue to educate students during their necessary shift to online learning. As many students have limited technology resources at home, the Pitney Bowes' IT Depot Team quickly readied 100 used and reimaged laptops and power cords for donation to help those in need complete their?course work?online.?

In Brown Deer, WI, the Pitney Bowes Presort Services Milwaukee team was contacted by its local United Way for help donating paper to the Milwaukee Public School system. The administration needed paper to create educational packets for all the students working from home during COVID-19. Pitney Bowes delivered the boxes of paper needed, supporting the community and reaffirming the company's commitment to education. Pitney Bowes is supporting Read to Grow's effort to donate books to students in need in Bridgeport, CT. Beginning in May, on a weekly basis, students will be able to choose books to take home at school meal locations across the city. Charitable contributions Pitney Bowes is making contributions to the following: The United Way Worldwide COVID-19 Community Response and Recovery Fund, the United Way of Western Connecticut for the Connecticut United Ways COVID-19 Response Funds and ALICE Relief Fund, the Valley United Way for the Valley COVID-19 Fund, and Fairfield County's Community Foundation COVID Fund, the Stamford Hospital, as well as to Project Hope, which is working to source Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) from global vendors in partnership with other members of the Business Roundtable. The company has also converted the event sponsorships for its nonprofit partners to unrestricted operating support. The Pitney Bowes Foundation is making special donations to the local food banks in more than 45 U.S. communities where it has operations. In addition, the Foundation is accelerating grants to many of its literacy and education grantees who are providing critical support to at this time. These efforts include national and local education non-profit partners providing essential services such as onsite care for hospital staff and first responders as well as programs to support students from underserved communities with books, enrichment programs and online math curriculum. The Pitney Bowes Foundation will be giving a special team volunteer grant to the United Way Worldwide COVID-19 Relief Fund in recognition of employees' wide array of community efforts, which include contributing to food banks, helping local hospitals, delivering meals to first responders and showing appreciation for delivery people. 100 Years at Pitney Bowes On April 23, 1920, Arthur Pitney, the inventor, and Walter Bowes, the promoter, founded The Pitney Bowes Postage Meter Company. Over the next 100 years, the combination of creativity with business acumen enabled Pitney Bowes to pioneer innovations for over one million clients through several decades - beginning with the postage meter to pushing the boundaries of global ecommerce. The Pitney Bowes centennial commitment continues to put the client first with sustainable innovation created by exceptional people who have deep ties to our communities and driven by a culture of doing the right thing the right way. For additional information visit: www.pitneybowes.com/100. About Pitney Bowes Pitney Bowes (NYSE:PBI) is a global technology company providing commerce solutions that power billions of transactions. Clients around the world, including 90 percent of the Fortune 500, rely on the accuracy and precision delivered by Pitney Bowes solutions, analytics, and APIs in the areas of ecommerce fulfillment, shipping and returns; cross-border ecommerce; office mailing and shipping; presort services; and financing. For 100 years Pitney Bowes has been innovating and delivering technologies that remove the complexity of getting commerce transactions precisely right. For additional information visit Pitney Bowes, the Craftsmen of Commerce, at www.pitneybowes.com. About the Pitney Bowes Foundation The Pitney Bowes Foundation is a private entity with a mission to support education and the diverse community interests of Pitney Bowes employees. We commit our resources to closing the opportunity gap and preparing the workforce of tomorrow. For information about these programs and other Pitney Bowes Corporate Citizenship and Philanthropy initiatives, please visit pb.com/community. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005247/en/

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EAST LONGMEADOW -- U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said work on another round of federal stimulus for the coronavirus-ravaged economy will be public in a few days.

It will have money for hospitals, Neal said, as well as money for state and local governments struggling with revenue losses and increased expenses from the coronavirus crisis. Its possible there will be more payments to individuals as well.

The new package will also likely have a set of tax credits sought by Republican lawmakers who've been hesitant to back payments to state and municipal governments.

I think that would be a fair trade-off, Neal, D-Springfield, said Wednesday after touring the Excel Dryer factory in East Longmeadow.

As chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Neal has jurisdiction over tax policy, the IRS and managed the passage of the last stimulus bill on the House floor.

Neal defended the need to put money in the hands of state and local government saying impending budget problems are due to unprecedented lost revenue and the cost of providing basic services in a pandemic.

"It's not about mismanagement and bad decision making," he said.

Neal said economists advised lawmakers that the key to a quick, v-shaped recovery, is liquidity meaning the availability of money in the markets to drive demand.

Thats the logic behind the Paycheck Protection Program loans offered through the U.S. Small Business Administration.

I never said the Paycheck Protection was perfect, but its getting better, Neal said.

Related Content:
ANN ARBOR, MI  The Ann Arbor City Council has endorsed the Fair and Equal Michigan campaign to change state law to prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ residents.

Council voted unanimously this week to urge others to support the statewide initiative, which aims to put a proposal on the November ballot to amend Michigans Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act and prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

We need to do everything we can to protect the vulnerable members of the LGBTQ community and obviously changing the Elliott-Larsen Act would be an outstanding step in the right direction, Mayor Christopher Taylor said. Its inexcusable as a society that we permit this kind of invidious discrimination and we ought to do everything we can to stop it.

Council members thanked Ann Arbor resident Michelle Hughes, who is working on the campaign and collecting signatures, for prompting them to take up the issue.

Hughes said Michigan residents can sign the ballot petition online at FairAndEqualMichigan.com/sign.

Fair and Equal Michigan is working to pass Michigan's first-ever LGBTQ rights law through a citizens' petition  we have just 21 days left! the petition website states.

The group needs to collect roughly 340,000 signatures by May 27 to get the initiative on the ballot.

Group trying to put LGBT initiative on Michigan ballots turns to electronic signatures

State law already protects people from housing, employment and other forms of discrimination based on religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, familial status or marital status. The campaign aims to redefine "sex" to include gender, sexual orientation and gender identity or expression and define "religion" to include religious beliefs of an individual.

A lot of people dont even realize that its completely legal to fire someone in the state of Michigan for being gay and for being transgender, Hughes said. And weve been trying to get lawmakers for years in Michigan to pass a bill to change that to add protections for LGBTQ people and they just dont seem to be interested in doing that, so this year were going around them by doing this petition.

Hughes noted the Big Three automakers  Fiat Chrysler, Ford and General Motors  are endorsing the campaign, as are the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti Regional Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Chamber of Commerce and Huron Valley Democratic Socialists of America.

I think when you have the democratic socialists agreeing with the chamber of commerce, you have whats referred to in politics as a broad consensus, Hughes said.

Ann Arbor residents unite to fly rainbow flags after anonymous note

Leaders at both the state and federal levels have failed many Americans, so people are left to gather petition signatures to get the question before voters, said Council Member Ali Ramlawi, D-5th Ward, calling it basic democracy.

Its odd because there are some deaf ears above and this is the only way to get things done sometimes, he said.

The city of Ann Arbor is a community that values diversity, inclusiveness and the ability of individuals to choose their own life and their own values without fear of economic hardship or social recrimination, the council resolution states.

The rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals in the state of Michigan should be clearly and purposefully defined in our laws so there is no question that our state is a welcoming and inclusive place for all people, it continues. The Fair and Equal Michigan ballot language will bring Michigans laws in line with the prevailing and common sense approach to LGBTQIA+ rights that most residents in our state and nation support.

Updating the states anti-discrimination laws to protect LGBTQ residents is long overdue, council members said.

Crises highlight what happens when we create cracks for people to fall through, and basic civil rights are something we should extend to all people, said Council Member Zachary Ackerman, D-3rd Ward. I think were reminded in these times in particular, but hopefully always, that loving our neighbors  no matter what they look like, or who they love, or who they identify to be  is critically important to keep us all safe.

The council resolution was sponsored by Taylor and Council Members Ackerman, Anne Bannister, Jack Eaton, Julie Grand, Kathy Griswold, Jane Lumm, Elizabeth Nelson, Ramlawi and Chip Smith.

MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS:

Changes may be coming to Ann Arbor streets to allow safer social distancing

It wont be like this forever. Ann Arbor officials embrace vision for downtown gathering place

This is a very substantial crisis. Ann Arbor reduces penalties for late tax payments

Ann Arbor reopening dog parks, disc golf, tennis and basketball courts, farmers market

Ann Arbor looks to attract more affordable housing by aligning DDAs target income goals
Chad Richison is a billionaire who lives in Oklahoma. A liberal, he often weighs in on political issues. On March 22, he wrote an open letter to Oklahomas Governor, Kevin Stitt, calling on him to impose a harsh shutdown order. Richison criticized Governor Stitt and called for bold action, saying We cant afford not to act any longer, Governor.

Richison laid out a lengthy plan of action that included commandeering all medical supplies intended for non-essential procedures, mandating newly established uniform standards for critical portions of the supply chain, banning all non-essential air travel, and closing various categories of businesses. Richisons open letter received wide publicity in the Oklahoma news media, which was his intention.

The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, run by my friend Jonathan Small, is a highly-respected conservative policy organization. OCPA has clashed with Richison several times in the past. In 2017, an oil and gas downturn caused Richison to campaign for tax increases in Oklahoma. OCPA opposed raising taxes. Richison responded in classic liberal style, with a letter to the University of Oklahomas Board of Trustees, urging them to dismiss from that board those trustees who were also members of OCPAs board of directors.

OCPA has taken an approach to the COVID epidemic different from Richisons, by helping businesses apply for exemptions so they can return to work, publicizing the harm suffered by Oklahomans unable to get the medical care they need, and conducting a petition drive supporting the safe reopening of Oklahomas economy.

On March 23, OCPA published a post on its web site, titled Stitt: Businesses survival important to state recovery. The post mostly covered a press conference given by Stitt, but it included this anodyne reference to Chad Richison:

Some individuals have called for Stitt to order most businesses to close and have the government control how others operate, including grocery stores. Chad Richison, CEO of Paycom, is among those who have advocated such actions.

OCPAs post included a link to Richisons open letter, so any reader could see exactly what he had called on the governor to do.

Richison responded by suing OCPA. His lawsuit, brought (incorrectly) in the name of his company, Paycom Payroll LLC, accuses OCPA of defamation, on a single ground. Richisons sole complaint is that his open letter called on Governor Stitt to close some, but not most, Oklahoma businesses. His lawsuit does not dispute that he called on Stitt to control how others operate, including grocery stores.

This is one more in a long series of episodes demonstrating that liberals dont want to argue with conservatives, they want to shut us up or drive us out of business. OCPA released a statement on Richisons lawsuit:

OCPA and Chad Richison have engaged in public-policy debates. Sometimes our views align, sometimes they do not. Today, Chad Richison continues to exercise his First Amendment rights; its a shame he does not respect the First Amendment rights of others. In recent months, Richison, a billionaire, advocated for closure of many businesses while OCPA argued for preserving citizens ability to get the medical care they need and earn a living to provide for their families, especially since societys most vulnerable are hardest hit by these business closures. If Paycom has lost clients, it is not because OCPA truthfully reported on Richisons public support and public advocacy for business shutdowns (including through a direct link to Richisons public letter), but because of the economic consequences of governments following policies similar to those Richison endorsed.

I believe OCPA is currently seeking legal counsel to represent it in Richisons defamation case. Unlike Richison, it does not have endless amounts of cash at its disposal. If you want to support both free speech and the work of an excellent policy organization, you can go here to donate to the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.




GOVERNMENT has said it is going to investigate the possible theft of personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline workers in the health sector which is not reaching the intended beneficiaries after being released from the National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm).





The Ministry of Health and Child Care said despite distributing PPE to various stations, health workers are still complaining that they are not receiving the critical clothing.





PPE is important for health workers as it protects them from contracting Covid-19.





In an interview on the sidelines of a training workshop for health care workers from Bulawayo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands and Masvingo on handling of Covid-19 cases yesterday in Bulawayo, Ministry of Health and Child Care epidemiology and disease control director, Dr Portia Manangazira said NatPharm is responsible for logistics and distribution of the PPE.





She said Government was concerned that the protective clothing was not getting to frontline workers after being released from NatPharm.





She said this is happening despite Government implementing measures to ensure there is increased production of the equipment locally as well as addressing procurement bottlenecks for the importation of PPE.





To date we have seen quite a lot of protective clothing being produced locally. We also have made improvement in terms of procurement bottlenecks in terms of getting those that cannot be produced locally to be brought in from outside. The case in point being surgical masks, but also the N95 masks which are required by the health care workers to protect them. You have seen improvement in terms of the supply, she said.





The concern has been to ensure that all the facilities managing Covid-19 have got sustained supplies. But also, to block some of the pilferage that has been going on in the system. So, you will find out that sometimes there has been issuance of the PPE but you go there (to medical facilities) and the health care workers still say they have not received it.





Dr Manangazira said the Ministry will investigate the issue to ensure that frontline workers get the necessary protective clothing.





This training exposes me to five provinces and if you hear health care workers from a number of areas expressing that (not getting PPE), then its something that needs to be taken up with the Ministry management. Its a management and governance challenge, she said.





She said Government has trained more than 4 000 workers in the medical sector on handling Covid-19.





Dr Manangazira said the Ministry has 35 000 workers who need training and the same process should be extended to those working for local authorities and the private sector.





The training was organised by Providence Human Capital, a subsidiary of Innscor Africa as part of the companys corporate social responsibility.





Dr Manangazira said it was critical for the private sector to be involved in fighting Covid-19 as the virus is highly contagious and knows no boundary.





Providence Human Capital southern region manager Ms Buhle Ndlovu said her company has done a similar training in Harare for medical employees in the northern part of the country




While human travel has become severely restricted in recent months, the movement of goods has remained a constant priority -- and in some cases, has become even more urgent. Today, a startup out of Switzerland that builds hardware and operates a logistics network designed to transport one item in particular -- pharmaceuticals -- is announcing a significant round to fuel its growth.

SkyCell -- a designer of "smart containers" powered by software to maintain constant conditions for drugs that need to be kept at strict temperatures, humidity levels, and levels of vibration, which are in turn used to transport pharmaceuticals around the globe on behalf of drug companies -- is today announcing. that it has raised $62 million in growth funding.

This latest round is being led by healthcare investor MVM Partners, with participation also from family offices, a Swiss insurance company that declined to be named, as well as previous investors the Swiss Entrepreneurs Fund (managed by Credit Suisse and UBS), and the BCGE Banks growth fund.

The company was founded in 2012 Switzerland when Richard Ettl and Nico Ros were tasked to design a storage facility for one of the big Swiss pharma giants. The exec charged with overseeing the project brainstormed that the work they were putting in could potentially be applied to transportation containers, and thus SkyCell was born.

Today, Ettl (who is the CEO, while Ros is the CTO), said in an interview that the company now works with eight of the world's biggest pharmaceutical companies and has been in validation trials with a further seven. These use SkyCell's network of some 22,000 air freight pallets to move their products around the world.

The new capital will be used to expand that reach further, specifically in the U.S. and Asia, and to double its fleet to become the biggest pharmaceutical transportation company globally. With 30 of the 50 biggest-selling drugs in the world being temperature sensitive (and some generics for one of the biggest-selling, the arthritis medication Humira, now also coming out), this makes for a huge opportunity.

Story continues

And unsurprisingly, several of SkyCell's customers are working on COVID-19 medications, Ettl said, either to help ease symptoms or potentially to vaccinate or eradicate the virus, and so it's standing at the ready to play a role in getting drugs to where they need to be.

"We are well positioned in case there is a vaccine developed. Out of the six pharma companies developing these right now, four of them are our customers, so there is a high likelihood we would transport something," Ettl said.

For now, he said SkyCell has been involved in helping to transport "supportive" medications related to the outbreak, such as flu shots to make sure people are not falling ill with other viral infections at the same time.

SkyCell is not disclosing its valuation but we understand that it's in the many hundreds of millions of dollars. The company had raised some $36 million in equity and debt before this, bringing the total outside funding now to $98 million.

In a market that's estimated to be worth some $2.8 billion annually and growing at a rate of between 15% and 20% each year, there are a number of freight businesses that focus on the transportation of pharmaceuticals. They include not only freight companies but airlines themselves, which often buy in containers from third parties. (And for some more context, one of its competitors, Envirotainer, was acquired for over $1 billion in 2918; while another, CSafe, has raised significantly more funding.)

But there was virtually no innovation in the market, and most pharmaceutical companies factored in failure rates of between 4% and 12% depending on where the drugs were headed.

One key differentiator with SkyCell has been its containers, which are able to withstand temperatures as high as 60 degrees Celsius or as low as -35 degrees Celsius, and have tracking on them to better monitor their movements from A to B.

These came to the market at a time when incumbents were only able to (and some still are only able to) guarantee insulation for temperatures as high as 40 degrees, which was not as pressing an issue in the past as it is today, in part because of rising temperatures around the globe, and in part because of the growing sophistication of pharmaceuticals.

"We've found that the number of days where [one has to consider] temperature extremes has been going up," Ettl said. "Last year, we had 30 days where it was warmer than 40 degrees Celsius across our network of countries."

On top of the containers themselves, SkyCell has built a software platform that taps into the kind of big data analytics that are now part and parcel of how modern companies in the logistics industry work today, in order to optimise movement and best routing for packages.

The conditions it considers include not only the obvious ones around temperature, humidity and vibration, but distance and time of travel, as well as overall carbon emissions. SkyCell claims that its failure rate comes out at less than 0.1%, with CO2 emissions reduced by almost half on a typical shipment.

Together, the hardware and software are covered by some 100 patents, the company says.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 6)  The Duterte administration is studying the inclusion of 11,000 ABS-CBN workers affected by the media giants closure through the governments COVID-19 cash assistance programs.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Wednesday said while the circumstances are different, the affected artists, production crew and staff may be eligible to claim cash for two months through the governments "Small Business Wage Subsidy Program"  which is seen to help middle-class families during the health crisis.

Ang alam ko yung programa for SME dapat continuous ang employment. Dahil itong pangyayaring ito na nawalan sila ng trabaho na hindi naman nila ninais, hindi naman sila nag-resign, at hindi naman po nag-voluntarily shutdown ang ABS-CBN, baka maipasok natin sila sa programa ng SMEs para makakuha sila ng panandaliang dalawang buwan na ayuda, he said in an interview on state-owned television network PTV.

[Translation: The SME program is intended for those who are still employed. This incident has left workers without jobs, but they did not resign, nor did ABS-CBN want to voluntarily shutdown. But I think they can be eligible under the SME program that will give them two months of financial assistance.]

Under the program, the affected workers will receive financial assistance worth P5,000 to P8,000, depending on the minimum wage in their region.

Roque said he will discuss with Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III the situation of 11,000 media workers as thousands of Filipinos grapple with holding on to their jobs amid the health pandemic and lockdown restrictions.

ABS-CBN TV host Bianca Gonzalez said the networks bosses assured no worker will be retrenched amid the closure. She said that during a live chat, the network's executives vowed all employment benefits, including medical assistance, will be available to all workers for three months regardless of the companys unsure future.

ABS-CBN's 11,000 employees were put in a precarious position after the country's broadcasting network went off air on Tuesday night.

This came hours after the National Telecommunications Commission ordered it to stop its operations due to the expiration of its legislative franchise, walking back on its promise to legislators last March to issue a provisional permit pending its renewal. The move has been denounced by various media and human rights groups as an assault on press freedom at a time when credible information is crucial in addressing the COVID-19 crisis.

President Rodrigo Duterte has been publicly ranting against ABS-CBN since assuming office, saying the network refused to carry his campaign commercials even if they have been already paid for.

In 2018, Duterte said he will block the renewal of the network's franchise. Last year, he told the Lopez family to just sell the company to a new owner to boost its chances of staying in business.

However, the President accepted the apology offered by ABS-CBN President Carlo Katigbak during a Senate hearing for airing an anti-Duterte ad during the 2016 campaign which was paid for by the opposition.
Dr. Gideon Boako, an economist, has criticised the leader of the largest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), for what he casts as 'grotesque choice of self, over country, in times of a major health crisis'.



He said it was deeply upsetting that former President John Dramani Mahama, should capitalise on a global pandemic, which had hit hard, changed the pattern of life and sent everybody reeling, to engage in political mischief and propaganda, in a desperate bid for power.



This goes beyond the pale, he said, adding that, the attitude was wrong, repulsive and a terrible judgement call

Mr. Mahama recently took a dig at the government, saying, Ghanas economy was in the intensive care unit, badly exposed in just one month by the flu-like coronavirus pandemic.



But, speaking to Journalists in Accra, Dr. Boako, who is the Economic Advisor to the Vice President, dismissed the claim as a fleeting distraction, to take the focus away from the fight to contain and stop the spread of the acute respiratory diseaseCOVID-19.



He reminded the former President that the scars of the countrys four-year power crisis under his watch are still raw.



The economy, he superintended, between 2012 and 2016, was so fragile that it could not provide any mitigation and give cushion to both the people and industry.



He served notice that the Government was not going to remain silent to allow the deception to continue.



Dr. Boako said if indeed the former President, and the party he was leading, genuinely wanted to support the Governments efforts at checking the spread of the pathogen, the way to do it was not to set up a parallel team.



They set up their team for political reasons - to give Mr. Mahama the opportunity to make noise about what he had also been doing and to attack the government, with the goal of scoring political points.



Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, had on Monday, May 04, deflated the assertion by the former President that the economy had performed badly under the current political leadership, saying, the facts and data showed the contrary.



He stated that the government remained focused on providing strong leadership to win the battle against the novel coronavirus pandemic.



The economy was withstanding the shocks from the pandemic and stimulus packages were being provided for households and businesses to lessen the suffering, he pointed out.

Source: GNA









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THERE ARE LOCAL FAMILIES LOCKED OUT OF THEIR JOBS AND WITHOUT ANY HELP PROMISED FROM KANSAS!!!

Kansas unemployment woes continue: Some still waiting for help weeks later LENEXA, Kan. - Nearly two months into the coronavirus crisis, some Kansans are still waiting for an unemployment check. While the Lenexa company where Barbara Cooney has worked is still up in running, some of the office employees, like her, are currently laid off. "My other co-workers got sent home to work from home.

Outcry and local agony are reaching crisis proportions in Kansas as promises of assistance simply can't reach the public because of faulty Internets systems.Make no mistake:These aren't folks looking for a free ride, most of them have never been on unemployment in their lives yet still paid into the system year after year.Here's more on the ongoing story that offers a reality check about the payments to locals that simply haven't arrived for far too many people:
Doug Schneider felt he had to do something.

He had to say thank you.

Schneider read the news last month about a team of Rutgers scientists, biologists and lab technicians who developed a quicker method of testing for the coronavirus, and he wanted to show his support.

As the owner of two New Brunswick restaurants, Schneider recently launched a not-for-profit community kitchen that brings free meals to hospital workers, first responders and people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Wednesday, he donated 165 meals to Rutgers Universitys RUCDR Infinite Biologics, the lab that made national headlines when the FDA approved its collection method that uses saliva as the primary test biomaterial for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. It was the first such approval granted by the federal agency and has resulted in thousands and thousands" of people receiving rapid test results since mid-April, according to Jay Tischfield, the chief executive officer and scientific director of RUCDR.

Were very fortunate to have businesses in the New Brunswick community that can help," said Schneider, the owner of Tavern on George and the Olive Branch in Middlesex Countys hub city. Weve been in business for many years, and we have a lot of Rutgers customers. A lot of funds were raised to feed people who need it."

Schneider and his director of operations, Matthew Ferguson, arrived at the Life Sciences Building on the universitys Piscataway campus shortly before noon. After stacking five 27-gallon totes on a dolly, they delivered individual boxes that included grilled chicken over seasoned rice with vegetables and a side salad to the 135 employees in the lab.

This is unique," said Dana Garbolino, director of project management at RUCDR. We truly appreciate Tavern on George bringing lunch to our essential staff members. Its great to be recognized by our community...

Theyve been working around the clock, so its a morale booster.

Garbolino said the lab techs test saliva samples and nasal swabs from patients suspected of being infected with COVID-19, and the results are given to their doctors usually within 48 hours.

The saliva test has been hailed as a game-changer.

What were doing here is really instrumental in getting the help and the answers they need much quicker than some of the other (testing) options that are out there," Garbolino said. Its really wonderful to be able to give individuals the answers they need quickly."

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

Dr. Jay Tischfield, founder of RUCDR Infinite Biologics at Rutgers Medical School, offers thanks to Doug Schneider, owner of Tavern on George and Olive Branch restaurants, and his director of operations Matt Ferguson on Wednesday for delivering lunch to his staff in Piscataway. 05/06/2020Steve Hockstein | For NJ Advance Media

Tischfield, who also serves as a professor in the universitys department of genetics and at the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, said RUCDR is administering 10,000 tests per day. It is expected to double that capacity this week.

He said the national recognition that the biorepository has received in recent weeks is totally rewarding because we think the work that we do ultimately saves lives."

When youre doing COVID-19 testing, the result is direct," he said. Youre giving people a diagnosis. Youre making sure they dont spread the disorder to their family members and others. Its exactly what we need to be doing.

We have to do more and more testing and more understanding of how to isolate infected individuals. By doing that, well have fewer and fewer infected individuals every day, and well bring this down to a more manageable number.

For his part, Schneider said the lunch drop-off was one of several he had planned this week. Since launching the #FeedRvillage initiative last month with seed money from the New Brunswick Development Corp. and a crowd-sourcing fundraising campaign, Schneider said the program has donated more than 5,000 meals throughout the state.

His Twitter feed shows donations to a hospital in Gloucester County, a nursing home in Ocean County and a police department in Monmouth County.

Today, were also doing the New Brunswick firehouse," Schneider said. Our goal is to feed every New Brunswick firefighter this week. Ive heard its nursing home appreciation week, so were going to take care of that community as well.

We learned quickly that in New Brunswick the way to keep our employees employed was to develop this non-profit community kitchen. So with all of this fundraising, weve been able to every day make people happy, to feed people that need it and then to also keep our small army of people employed.

Doug Schneider, owner of Tavern on George and Olive Branch restaurants (left) and his director of operations Matt Ferguson deliver lunch Wednesday to the RUCDR Infinite Biologics staff at Rutgers Medical School in Piscataway. 05/06/2020Steve Hockstein | For NJ Advance Media

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Keith Sargeant may be reached at ksargeant@njadvancemedia.com.
In a symposium for charities on the front lines of the battle against Covid-19, three of the nations sagest visionaries will come together on May 17 to discuss how the pandemic will indelibly change the country and affect the daily life of every American.

The program is part of the Conversations on the Green series in the Greater New Milford area.

A trio of renowned panelists will participate: historian Douglas Brinkley, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof and bioethicist Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, a leading voice on devising national policies to battle the ongoing pandemic.

The forum, which will be moderated by former NBC correspondent and national talk show host Jane Whitney, is the opening event of COGs eighth season and will be interactive, allowing viewers to participate and pose questions for the panelists.

The discussion, Life After COVID-19: A Brave New World, is designed to sketch an outline of how the pandemics legacy will reverberate through time and grows out of the history of previous contagions.

Brinkley is an historian and author of more than a dozen best-selling books on myriad social and cultural trends.

A Rice University professor, he is a noted student of the presidency and international relations, a CNN commentator and a Vanity Fair contributing editor as well as a prominent spokesperson on conservation issues.

The winner of two Pulitzer prizes including one for his coverage of the Tiananmen Square protests, Kristof grew up on an Oregon sheep and cherry farm, covered economics and presidential politics for the paper and is renowned for giving, as the Pulitzer committee noted, voice to the voiceless.

Celebrated as a renaissance thinker, Emanuel is an oncologist and bioethicist, a leader in crafting national COVID-19 policy, a vice provost at the University of Pennsylvania and a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, a public policy research and advocacy organization.

The symposium, which will begin at 3 p.m. and run 90 minutes, will be live streamed, allowing anyone with an internet-connected device to participate and ask questions.

Tickets are $25 and require advance registration at conversationsonthegreen.com, where participants can leave a question for the panelists.

On the day of the event, registrants will be sent a link to the live stream and a private password to the channel.

All net proceeds of the event support charities on the front lines of the battle against the pandemic, including the American Nurses Foundation Coronavirus Response Fund, which provides immediate assistance to those risking their lives during this crisis; Greenwoods Counseling Referrals Inc., which provides access to compassionate and high quality mental health care; Susan B. Anthony Project, which promotes safety, healing and growth for all survivors of domestic and sexual abuse; and New Milford Hospital, a provider of cutting edge medical care to the northwest Connecticut community.
Catholic churches are beginning to plan for reopening in Scotland as they look at ways to ease 'painful and difficult' lockdown restrictions on worshippers.

Bishops will be forming a Covid-19 working group, to examine ways of limiting the spread of infection but allowing worshippers to return to church at an 'early and safe' opportunity.

A case will then be made by the Bishops' Conference of Scotland to the Scottish Government, based on its guidelines around social distancing and hygiene.

Measures could include a "one pew between two" rule for worshippers, or even removing them completely.

Bishop Hugh Gilbert said that the lives of Christians have been painful in the Covid-19 outbreak

Other options being considered include suspending the use of hymn books and Holy water, as well as stopping people using the The Peace sign - where Catholics traditionally shake hands with fellow members of the congregation.

A pew between two... steps being considered to get Scotland's churches open again Sharing a single pew between two worshippers Removing pews altogether to maintain social distancing Withdrawing hymn books to prevent contamination Suspending use of The Peace sign, where Catholics shake hands with fellow worshippers Stopping the use of Holy water Advertisement

Bishop Hugh Gilbert said: 'Our lives remain greatly restricted by this crisis in a way that is painful and difficult for us as Christians.

'As bishops, we want to offer our thanks to our clergy, religious and laity for their patience and forbearance during these testing times.'

'Throughout these weeks of lockdown, there have been many signs of hope and faith and it is in the hope that we will recover, that we must plan for the future and find a safe pathway to the resumption of our sacramental life.'

'The bishops are keen to benefit from the advice of experts in medicine and public health.

'In the interests of everyone's safety we will proceed cautiously and carefully in step with public health guidance.'

Catholic churches like St Mary's Cathedral in Aberdeen, pictured, are beginning to tentatively plan for reopening in Scotland

It comes after Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon yesterday revealed a 27-page plan for a provisional lockdown exit strategy north of the border.

The document revealed five restrictions that may be first to ease 'when the time is right'.

They include changes to the 'stay at home' message, changes to advice about visiting other households, resuming care and support for those most affected by the restrictions, changes affecting businesses and options for schools reopening.

It also outlines a four-part 'routemap' of measures which the Scottish Parliament hopes will speed up the time it takes to lift the lockdown.

The document ends by saying further information on these plans will be made available ahead of the next review date on May 28.

Ms Sturgeon said her preference was for the UK to coordinate action but stressed her 'overarching responsibility' was to do what was right for Scotland.

And she flatly ruled out easing the draconian curbs this week, saying the outbreak might be 'slightly' stronger than in England.

Boris Johnson is set to open up on England's path out of lockdown on Sunday and implied in Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions that the measures could start as early as Monday.

The First Minister (pictured yesterday) released a 27-page plan for how the loosening might happen north of the border, days before the PM is expected to unveil his 'road map' on Sunday
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 13:34:55|Editor: huaxia

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SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, May 6 (Xinhua) -- A militant was killed Wednesday in a gunfight with government forces in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The gunfight broke out at Sharshali-Khrew village near Pampore of Pulwama district, about 25 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

According to officials, so far government forces have not suffered any casualty in the gunfight.

Gunfights take place intermittently in the region. Enditem
Since then, the brand has nearly tripled their CV-19 donations by partnering with outside organizations such as Operation Gratitude, Direct Relief, MAP International, SAHF, Food for the Poor, L.A. Food Bank, the Los Angeles Unified School District, Meals on Wheels, and over 2,300 hospitals. In total, they have donated over 2 million servings to CV-19 relief.

"We have a longstanding partnership with Operation Gratitude," said Sean Lavin, Liquid I.V.'s V.P. of Mission. "By joining the coalition, we're doing our best to ensure we can get Liquid I.V. into the hands of as many military service members as possible."

Liquid I.V. is a founding partner of Operation Gratitude's ongoing Coalition to Support COVID-19 Frontline Responders, which also includes such brands as Starbucks, Prudential, Veterans United and Mars Wrigley.

In a statement released on April 8th, Kevin Schmiegel, CEO of Operation Gratitude and retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel, said of the coalition:

"As we have all seen recently, the world can turn upside down in a matter of days. One thing we can always count on during a crisis is our military and first responders on the frontlines. While they continue to serve, we will continue to support them with the help of this coalition. Together, we will deliver millions of critically needed items and letters of appreciation globally to Deployed Troops, and all across the country to First Responders, National Guardsmen, and health care professionals who need it most."

"We get a lot of clients who ask us for bottled water because their tap water doesn't taste good. We can't carry bottled water for them, so this will be huge. This will get them to drink water and stay hydrated," Veronica Dover, Executive Director, Meal on Wheels LA shared. "This is a great product for clients."

Brandin Cohen, Founder and CEO of Liquid I.V., shared in a recent video interview, "It might be a little cliche, but wow does it hold true right now - tough times don't last, tough people do. We are facing real adversity as humans. But I know we will make it through to the other side and we will make it through even stronger."

About Liquid I.V.

Liquid I.V. is a health-science nutrition and wellness company based out of El Segundo, CA, created to fuel life's adventures. Their drink mixes are great tasting, non-GMO, made in the USA, and contain no artificial ingredients. Liquid I.V. utilizes Cellular Transport Technology (CTT) to deliver hydration and other key nutrients rapidly into the bloodstream  helping consumers feel better, faster. As part of their 1 to1 Giveback Mission to Change the World, Liquid I.V. has donated over 5M servings to people in need around the globe.

Liquid I.V. can be found in more than 20,000 doors across the country including the world's leading specialty, big box and online retailers including: Costco, Whole Foods Market, Target, Amazon, GNC, CVS, Walgreens, Albertsons, Hudson News, and many more. For more information, please visit www.liquid-iv.com .

SOURCE Liquid I.V.
Trinity Networx

Trinity Networx opened a branch office in Boise, Idaho. Trinity says the new location expands its operations and establishes a substantial local presence in Boise's growing economy. Ontario, California-based Trinity provides IT support to small and medium businesses.




85 more Border Security Force (BSF) personnel have tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday raising the number of Covid-19 infections in the Central Armed Police Forces close to 400.

The central paramilitary forces now have a total of 383 active cases across the country and maximum of these are from the BSF (152), while 146 of the infected personnel are from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 45 from the ITBP, 15 from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and 13 cases are from Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

Around 10 lakh strong border guarding forces are deployed for counter-insurgency, border guarding and law and order duties across the country.

The spike in Covid-19 infections in CAPFs in last one week has raised concerns among its brass, which has asked the troopers to maintain highest levels of personal hygiene and maintain social distancing at work.

An official communication from BSFs Delhi office in the CGO complex said that all the 85 found infected were performing essential duties.

The press release further adds that each establishment of the BSF is following the standard operating procedures that are in place to contain the coronavirus disease.

On May 2, two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel from the 138th battalion in Ambassa, Tripura were found positive. A day later on May 3, 12 more personnel from the same battalion, too, tested positive.

Also Read- 13 more BSF personnel test Covid-19 positive in Tripura, states tally rises to 42

13 new cases emerged in the same battalion on May 4 followed by another 13 on May 5.

24 members including some retired army officers had tested positive at the Army Research and Referral Hospital in Delhi on Tuesday, they were then shifted to the Army Base Hospital designated for treating coronavirus cases.

The HT Guide to Coronavirus COVID-19
Entrepreneurs who want to make a difference and stand out online should go to the Entrepreneur Conundrum podcast and see what is working for others and how they can apply that to their business.

GRANDE PRAIRIE, AB / ACCESSWIRE / May 6, 2020 / Distinct Digital Marketing has announced that it launched Entrepreneur Conundrum podcast May 4, 2020.

This is an exciting and important development for growing entrepreneurs because the Entrepreneur Conundrum podcast launched May 4 and is in the top 50 in under one day.

In the podcast, the host Virginia Purnell, speaks to growing entrepreneur startups in the different ways that they are trying to become a subject matter expert. The unique thing about this show is that it is not talking to people who have been and done it and are all over the internet as superstars. It is talking to the average growing entrepreneur who is trying to get visible in their market.

Entrepreneurs who want to make a difference and standout online should subscribe to the podcast and see what is working for others and how they can apply that to their business.

Typically it can take years for a podcast to reach noteablly high rankings in the charts. So it's not everyday in under 24 hours that a podcast reaches the top 50 ranking for their category.

Head over to iTunes and subscribe to the Entrepreneur Conundrum podcast.

Entrepreneurs who are wanting to get traction online will want to listen as the podcast explores what other growing entrepreneurs are doing to become visible online as the same thing doesn't work for every business

This move further strengthens Entrepreneur Conundrum's position as a leader to growing businesses.

"Everyone has opinions and what works for them. And it can work for you too." says Virginia Purnell, Owner of Distinct Digital Marketing and host of Entrepreneur Conundrum podcast.

Distinct Digital Marketing helps businesses gain visibility and increase customer acquasition through funnels for marketing, sales and client aquisition as well as other marketing tactics.

Story continues

More information for growing entrepreneurs is available online at https://distinctdigitalmarketing.com and https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/entrepreneur-conundrum/id1508586086.

Or please contact Virginia Purnell at 833-762-5336 / hello@distinctdigitalmarketing.com

Contact Info:

Name: Virginia Purnell

Email: Send Email

Organization: Distinct Digital Marketing

Address: undefined, Grande Prairie, AB T8V 0V1, Canada

Phone: +1-833-762-5336

Website: http://www.distinctdigitalmarketing.com

SOURCE: Distinct Digital Marketing





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/588672/Distinct-Digital-Marketing-Releases-New-Podcast-Entrepreneur-Conundrum




Landlords Disadvantaged by Residential Rental Crisis Measures

April saw state and territory governments implement measures to support the residential rental market through the economic downturn caused by the CCP virus crisis with most opting to put a moratorium on evictions for six months, following the national cabinet doing the same for the commercial market.

While governments are trying to strike a balance of interests and encourage good-faith negotiations between tenants and landlords, there are concerns landlords may end up bearing the brunt of the costs.

The Disadvantage for Landlords

Real Estate Institute of New South Wales CEO Tim McKibbin is unhappy with the rent waiver, saying landlords are subsidising the tenants occupation.

The NSW Government has made it very clear that landlords are expected and required to waive all, or a significant portion, of the rent due by the Tenant; and waive is a good descriptor, because the Landlord is waving goodbye to the money due to them, he said in a statement on April 27.

He said the majority of landlords are Mum and Dad investors with just one property and a mortgage they cant take a holiday from paying. Banks wont waive mortgages, instead offering deferrals that come at a substantial cost.

Landlords will still pay and pay it all, just a bit later on! he said.

Nerida Conisbee, the chief economist of the REA group, said that while the six-month eviction ban has led to greater certainty for renters, it has transferred the problem onto investors.

This health and financial crisis is also impacting the job of mum and dad landlords, so if they are financially stretched, we may see some property investors being forced to sell their properties, she told Australian Financial Review on April 27.

Ray White group Head of Marketing Lisa Penne echoed Conisbees concerns. Penne believes it is critically important that the needs of both tenants and landlords must be catered for in government policy.

Her group has seen numerous instances of tenants who were not financially affected attempting to take advantage of this policy.

Some states have not yet clarified rules around the moratorium on evictions, this is a problem as it cannot be a blanket ban without creating vulnerability for landlords and an unfair balance of power in the hands of tenants, she told The Epoch Times.

Property Managers Under Pressure

The government packages provide only a succinct guideline leaving agents to be innovative and proactive in how they facilitate negotiations and find solutions for their clients.

Real Estate Institute of Victoria president (REIV) Leah Calnan told The Epoch Times: [Agents] have to spend a lot of time on the phone trying to facilitate the negotiation for both landlords and tenants.

Suzannah Toop, the CEO of Toop & Toop group, the largest independent agency in South Australia, told The Epoch Times that its tenants and landlords were generally open to negotiating, and her team was dealing with every situation on a case by case basis to find a suitable solution.

We have also launched an advice line should any tenants or landlords have any questions over this period, both within our portfolio and the wider community, she said. Our team are in constant contact with clients to see how they are going, and keeping our customers informed at every step along the way is incredibly important.

Zoe Berardinelli, head of the property management department with Parramatta NSW Ray White Group said a number of tenants within their companys rent roll had requested rental reduction, with some already owing rental arrears.

She said the company has set up procedures to assess on a case-by-case basis, and their job starts with qualifying those tenants. Those who couldnt provide proof of hardship were rejected.

They were requested to fill in financial hardship information form so that we can tell whether they are genuinely experiencing financial hardship, she told The Epoch Times.

She said while most landlords are understanding and willing to offer rental reduction, some themselves are also under financial pressure, especially elderly investors who rely on rental income to pay for their daily needs.

While the overall performance of the rental roll is not bad currently, Berardinelli is most concerned over how the pandemic impact will play out in the long term.

What we are at now is just an early stage, she said. If the economic fallout drags on for a prolonged period, this could end up draining the savings of people, both landlords and tenants. 

Rental Market Outlook

Domains latest figures showed rental listings in most capital cities surged significantly during the three weeks to April 5 in comparison to the same period last year.

Hobart saw a staggering 60 percent more listings, Melbourne jumped by 20 percent, Sydney by 18 percent, Adelaide by 8 percent, and Brisbane by 7 percent.

Domain senior research analyst Dr. Nicola Powell said the surge of listings is largely due to the release of Airbnb and other short-term properties into the long-term leasing market.

Veteran property investor Peter Koulizos told The Epoch Times that some of his tenants, and those of his friends, were moving out because of financial concerns.

Some have lost their jobs and are seeking to break their lease, he said.Some are choosing to move back to their family. Others are consolidating their accommodation situation and moving in with other people.

Separate figures show that rental vacancy nationwide has lifted to 2.5 percent in April, compared with 1.8 percent a month earlier.

The two largest cities recorded their highest vacancy rate in three years, with Sydney sitting at 3.9 percent, up from 2.7 percent in March; and Melbourne rising to 2.8.percent, up from 1.6 percent a month prior. Vacancies in all the other capital cities recorded the same movement during the same period.

Hobart vacancies moved upward from 0.6 percent to 1.3 percent; Brisbane jumped to 2.9 percent from 2.1 percent, Perth rose to 2.4 percent from 1.8 percent.

Canberra surged to 2.4 percent from 0.8 percent, Adelaide rose to 1.2 percent from 0.8 percent, and Darwin lifted to 3.5 percent from 3.3 percent.

Rising vacancy rates point to rents falling in the coming months. Domain research predicts that rents are likely to fall most significantly in inner-city suburbs and holiday regions.
The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) says it has detained an alleged spy accused of collecting data on a "modern missile system" on behalf of Russia.

The SBU said in a statement that a resident of Ukraine's eastern region of Luhansk was detained on May 6 while trying to pass "secret technical documentation" regarding the Ukrainian system to Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB).

The detainee, who is accused of committing high treason, promised Ukrainian military personnel cash in return for the classified information.

Relations between Ukraine and Russia have been tense since Russia seized and annexed Ukraine's Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in March 2014.

Moscow has also fomented unrest and backed separatists in Ukraines eastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk, where some 13,200 people have been killed in the ensuing conflict since April 2014.
Little Women Atlanta star Ashley 'Minnie' Ross died after losing control of her car and colliding with a vehicle in opposite lane.

A police report obtained by TMZ on Wednesday revealed that Minnie lost control of her car while traveling on one side of the highway causing her to jerk the steering wheel right according to eyewitness testimony.

Police said that she briefly went off-road before abruptly swinging back to the left and colliding with another vehicle in the opposite lane. The reality star was deemed responsible for the crash.

Minnie was unresponsive at the scene and later pronounced dead. The other driver went to the hospital with complaints of pain.

Scroll down for video

Sad: Little Women Atlanta star Ashley 'Minnie' Ross died after losing control of her car and colliding with a vehicle in opposite lane according to TMZ Wednesday

No alcohol or drug tests were administered to either driver and there was no autopsy performed on Minnie and she will likely be listed as dying from blunt force trauma from the accident according to TMZ.

Meanwhile her family is holding a memorial for her this Saturday, May 9 as only 10 of her loved ones will be able to attend in person due to CDC guidelines for gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

All others can view the memorial via livestream on her website.

This came just a week after her management team took to her Instagram early Tuesday morning to make the sad announcement of her death alongside a photo of the reality star.

Gone too soon: A police report obtained by TMZ on Wednesday revealed that Minnie lost control of her car while traveling on one side of the highway causing her to jerk the steering wheel right according to eyewitness testimony, she is seen in February 2016

They wrote: 'It is with profound sadness that we confirm on behalf of the family of Ashley Ross aka "Ms Minnie" of Little Women Atlanta has succumbed to injuries from a tragic hit and run car accident today at the age of 34.

The family respectfully asks for their privacy as they grieve during this very difficult time.'

A representative for Ross told DailyMail.com that the hit and run car accident occurred in Atlanta, Georgia on Sunday night, April 26 at around 11pm as she was behind the wheel of a vehicle.

The incident took place on the Old National Highway.

She succumbed to her injuries just a day later at Grady Memorial Hospital at around 10:30pm.

'It is with profound sadness': Her team took to her Instagram early Tuesday morning last week to make the sad announcement alongside a photo of the reality star

Ross was one of the original castmembers of the Lifetime series which began airing in 2016.

The reality show follows a group of little women living in Atlanta as they deal with drama, friendship, careers, and men.

Ross has starred on the main cast of all six seasons of the show as the sixth is yet to air sometime in 2020.

A whole lot of drama: Ross was one of the original castmembers of the Lifetime series which began airing in 2016

Legacy: Minnie pictured speaking at the 2019 Atlanta Ultimate Women's Expo in November

She starred on the hit program with castmates Shirlene 'Ms Juicy Baby' Pearson, Briana Barlup, Tiffany 'Monie' Cashette, Emily Fernandez and twins Amanda and Andrea Salinas since 2016.

Ross cast-mates took to social media to share their condolences and favorite memories with the reality star.

'This is too much too much,' declared Ms Juicy Baby.

Amanda Salinas, one of the Salinas twins, shared photos of Ross in her wedding. Her sister, Andrea, also took to Instagram to pay homage to the reality star.

Remembering their friend: Ms Juicy Baby took to Instagram to offer prayer's for Minnie's family

Amanda Salinas, one of the Salinas twins, shared photos of Ross in her wedding

Andrea Salinas said: 'Minnie why did you have to leave us so soon!!?? You were such a great friend / mama bear to us since the day we meet in LA To film the pilot shoot for the show omg I cant believe this!!'

Amanda Salinas said: 'As Im writing this Im in tears I cant believe it my Minnie!!!! Why did they take you away from us!!!! WHY!!!!! It always seems like we have all the time in the world, only to realize how fleeting it really is. I wish we had more time to do and say the things we saved for later which along with you is gone forever.'

Her sister, Andrea Salinas, added: 'Minnie why did you have to leave us so soon!!?? You were such a great friend / mama bear to us since the day we meet in LA To film the pilot shoot for the show omg I cant believe this!!'

Tonya Renee Banks, from Little Women: LA, also offered her condolences in a heartwarming post.

The show is a spin-off to Little Women: LA as Little Women: Dallas is also part of the franchise.

Ross is survived by her mom Tammy Jackson, aunt Veronica Deloney, uncle John Deloney, & grandmother Rose Deloney.

Tiffany 'Monie' Cashette acknowledged that she and Minnie had a rocky past

Tonya Renee Banks, from Little Women: LA, also offered her condolences in a heartwarming post
BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - German stocks edged lower in cautious trade on Wednesday as the latest batch of earnings proved to be a mixed bag and U.S. President Donald Trump again took aim at China, urging the country to be transparent about the origins of the novel coronavirus outbreak. 'We want them to be transparent. We want to find out what happened so it never happens again,' Trump told reporters on Tuesday. As many countries ease lockdown measures, investors also remain concerned about a potential second wave of infections. The benchmark DAX slipped 12 points, or 0.12 percent, to 10,717 after climbing 2.5 percent in the previous session. Dialysis specialist Fresenius Medical Care rallied 2.4 percent after reporting better-than-expected first-quarter earnings. Schaeffler surged 8.4 percent after reporting robust earnings and strong free cash flow for the first quarter. Hannover Re rose 4 percent. The reinsurance giant withdrew its 2020 guidance after posting solid results in the first quarter. BMW tumbled 3 percent after the automaker cut its automotive profit margin forecast for 2020 to between zero and 3 percent. Professional kitchen specialist Rational AG fell about 1 percent after posting lower profits and sales in the first quarter. Specialty chemicals maker Lanxess gained 2.7 percent despite cutting its full-year profit guidance. In economic news, Germany's factory orders declined the most since the records began in 1991, due to the coronavirus pandemic, data published by Destatis revealed. Factory orders declined sharply by 15.6 percent on a monthly basis in March, much bigger than the 1.2 percent drop logged in February. This was the biggest fall since January 1991. On a yearly basis, factory orders were down 16 percent, in contrast to a 1.9 percent rise in February. 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.
Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo state, has revealed that two COVID-19 patients in the state have fled the isolation centre.

The governor made the disclosure in a series of tweets via Twitter on Wednesday, saying the patients may have returned to their residence.

He said: We have received more results from pending COVID-19 confirmation tests. The result of one suspected case came back POSITIVE, on 03/05/2020. The person is based in Ibadan.

The results of five suspected cases came back POSITIVE on 04/05/2020. Four of these five cases are immigrants and the last person is an Oyo State resident. The results of five suspected cases came back POSITIVE on 05/05/2020. Four of these five cases are travellers from the Northern part of Nigeria and the last one is an Oyo State resident.

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Of the 33 active cases being managed by the state, two have absconded, possibly to their permanent places of residence. This brings the number of active cases in Oyo State to 31.

Read Also: Makinde Not At War With FG, PDP Replies APC

Ten cases are self-isolating while twenty-one cases are being managed in the isolation centres in Oyo State; one at the University College Hospital, Ibadan & twenty in Olodo. Nineteen of these twenty cases at Olodo are asymptomatic & the last person has anosmia (loss of smell).

A total of 975 samples have so far, been collected and are being processed. Please call the Emergency Operations Centre if you find travellers from other states arriving in your neighbourhood.

The has recorded a total number of 44 cases of COVID-19 so far.
BRIGHTON, England, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Ten Bear Group are thrilled to announce a number of exciting company updates to their clients, partners, and friends.

What is changing?

Ten Bear are changing their trading name from Ten Bear Social to Ten Bear Group expanding their services , and pivoting their approach. The company feels that this better reflects the strategic services they deliver, moving beyond social listening, and providing clients with multi-dimensional consumer insights to inform business strategy.

Why is the company changing?

Over the years, Ten Bear have delivered a wide range of successful projects . As trust in the company has grown, so have the variety of projects they have worked on, and it is clear that the services they provide go far beyond their previous offering at Ten Bear Social. While social listening will always be at the core of what they do, it is their services in data, research, insight, and strategy which really set them apart from a purely social listening niche.

How will this benefit their clients?

Ten Bear Group's experience is that consumer opinions change over time and the team's research methods do, too. The company will future-proof clients' consumer-led strategies with new technology stacks, analytical views, and data sources. Leveraging these increased data connectors and enhanced analytics approaches has expanded Ten Bears' range of expertise. With additional services added, including API connectors and advanced analytics methodologies, their expert team assists with focused research and insights into consumer behaviours, market penetration and product ideation. Ten Bear will continue scaling their research and analysis capabilities, giving their customers access to better services, expanded data-sets, and better technology.

Ten Bear Group's sustainability efforts

Ten Bear Group is ensuring their business is as sustainable as possible. In a time when many organisations have also been pushed into new ways of operating, Ten Bear Group would like to share their sustainability measures for 2020. Read more

Ten Bear Groups Commitment To The Community

During these uncertain times, the company remains committed to their community more than ever. Whilst they are pivoting their business, Ten Bear Group is also there to support their network with expertise and mentorship, and are taking steps to assist clients who are experiencing financial constraints.

About Ten Bear Group

Ten Bear Group is an award-winning Digital Consumer Intelligence consultancy, providing a broad range of strategic services and solutions in social listening, data analytics, API connectors, consumer research, and insight. With 30+ years combined in consumer intelligence, Ten Bear Group's expertise lies in harnessing the value of big data. This enables clients to navigate complex digital conversations and understand what drives consumer behaviours and product ideation. Ten Bear Group has global presence with virtual offices in London, New York, and Singapore and is the go-to choice for world-leading technology vendors.

For more information about Ten Bear Group, please contact press@tenbeargroup.com or visit tenbeargroup.com
Moody's Investors Service said that it continues to incorporate a high/very high probability of government support for the ratings of Saudi banks driven by their government shareholdings, importance in the domestic banking and payment system and the track record of pre-emptive government support.



At the same time, the ratings agency has changed the outlook on the long-term deposit ratings of 10 banks in Saudi Arabia to negative from stable and maintained the negative outlook on the long-term deposits of one bank.



The rating action follows Moody's decision to change the outlook to negative from stable on the Saudi Arabian government's A1 rating on May 1.



Moody's decision to affirm the ratings of all 11 banks reflects the rating agency's view that the current ratings continue to reflect the resilience in their financial performance underpinned by strong capital buffers, favourable funding profiles and ample liquidity buffers.

The negative outlooks are driven, to a different extent, by a combination of the following:



 the potential weakening of the government's capacity to support the Saudi banks and this driver also applies to Banque Saudi Fransi whose long-term deposit ratings already carry a negative outlook;



 the deteriorating operating environment faced by the country's banks and



 idiosyncratic challenges for Saudi British Bank, Bank AlBilad, The Saudi Investment Bank and Banque Saudi Fransi where these challenges are largely related to one or more factors in their solvency profile.  TradeArabia News Service
An impromptu memorial gathering for New York City hip hot artist Kiing Shooter in New York City has led to three arrests related to social distancing orders, according to the Queens Daily Eagle.

The outlet and the New York Post report that NYPD officers arrived at Queensbridge Park after anywhere from dozens to a group of about 50 congregated either in apartment complexes there or eventually outside as reports spread on Tuesday that Kiing Shooter, whose real name is William Daniels, had died after he was hospitalized earlier this week.

HipHopDX reports that the 24-year-old artist was a part of 'Nas and Jungles Mass Appeal offshoot Street Dreams Records and that he was admitted to the hospital because of liver problems.

A cause of death was not immediately known. A social media post from Daniels suggested that he was dealing with the coronavirus, however. He lived in Queensbridge Park.

This Cant Be Life I Said Henny Was Stronger Than The Rona I Aint Kno It Was That Strong No More Drinkin For Me, Daniels recently wrote on Instagram.

According to the Queens Daily Eagle:

"Local resident CJ Wojtowski was in the park and said he heard people playing rap music before cops began swarming.

"The cops started swarming and drove up and parked all over sidewalks so that bikers had to swerve, said Wojtowski, who shared photos of the cops response on Twitter and with the Eagle.

Earlier in the day, city officials had distributed masks to residents in the park, which is located within the largest public housing complex in the United States.

It was not immediately clear why only three people were arrested. New York city and state, like many around the country, have limited gatherings to 10 people or less, if they are even permitted at all, to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

At least 30, maybe 40 cops plus special operations are crowded in Queensbridge Park, plus 20 cop cars and a couple of helicopters, Wojtkowski wrote on Twitter. They closed the park.
Seeking to return home amid the



coronavirus lockdown, a group of over a 100 migrant workers turned violent near Silvassa town of the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli on Tuesday night, police said.

One hundred workers, most of them from Uttar Pradesh, were arrested from the spot for rioting and stone-pelting, an official said on Wednesday.

One policeman was injured in the incident, he added.

The workers are employed at a yarn manufacturing unit in the Naroli industrial area and live in a labour colony near the factory, the official said.

Before taking to the street and protesting, they had told the media that they wanted to return to their native places.

Superintendent of Police Sharad Darade said the administration was looking after them and they had no reason to become impatient.

"Around 100 migrant workers came on roads late in the night and hurled stones at police. They also set ablaze a motorcycle and damaged a police vehicle," he said.

"One policemen received minor injuries. We have arrested 100 persons from the spot and lodged an FIR against them for rioting and assault," said Darade.

"The local administration is taking good care of these migrants. We are also providing them food, and factories have also started their operations now," the SP added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
CHICAGO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- COVID-19 has changed our world. As of April 27, 2020, the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center reported over 3 million cases of COVID-19 worldwide, including 979,077 in the United States. There are also about 200,000 individuals with sarcoidosis, a rare and chronic respiratory illness, in the U.S.. A group of researchers are actively seeking more information about how COVID-19 may impact the sarcoidosis community.

The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research and University of Cincinnati launched a questionnaire for sarcoidosis patients three weeks ago. They seek to understand whether sarcoidosis patients are more likely to contract COVID-19, if they have worse outcomes than otherwise healthy individuals, and if certain medications or demographic factors affect the risks of COVID-19 in sarcoidosis patients.

To date, over 1600 sarcoidosis patients have responded to the survey. Of these, only 31 patients  less than 2% reported having COVID-19. Most were able to be treated at home and none required mechanical ventilation. More preliminary information and a link to the survey can be found at www.stopsarcoidosis.org/covid-19. The study is ongoing and will include a follow up questionnaire in July.

Dr. Robert Baughman, principal investigator of the study, commented: "When COVID-19 began, there was controversy about the additional risks of sarcoidosis and treatments. This information, although only preliminary, found the rate of infection only slightly higher than the national average. Sarcoidosis patients with COVID-19 mostly did well, which is what we are seeing for many other patients." Dr. Elyse Lower, co-director of the University of Cincinnati Sarcoidosis Center added, "Thank you FSR for working on getting this information together in a timely manner."

Dr. Marc Judson of Albany Medical Center and co-investigator added, "Although more sarcoidosis patients need to participate in this survey to reach definite conclusions, these preliminary results are reassuring. These data show no obvious signal of a particularly poor outcome from COVID-19 infection in sarcoidosis patients. Furthermore, these preliminary results do not suggest steroids or other immunosuppressive medications are placing sarcoidosis patient at greater risk of poor outcome. This has been an important undertaking by the FSR."

About the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research

The Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure for this disease and to improving care for sarcoidosis patients. Since its establishment in 2000, FSR has fostered over $5 million in sarcoidosis-specific research efforts. For more information about FSR visit: stopsarcoidosis.org

Maggie Hudson

Communications Manager

Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research

[email protected]

312-341-0500

SOURCE Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research

Related Links

https://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/


People vote at a polling site at a public school in New York City on Nov. 8, 2016. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Federal Judge Reinstates New York Democratic Presidential Primary

A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that the New York Democratic presidential primary must take place on June 23 because canceling it would be unconstitutional.

U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres ruled that there was enough time to figure out how to carry out the presidential primary safely.

The ruling comes after New York officials in late April had canceled the Democratic presidential primary in the state in an attempt to curb the spread of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, a novel coronavirus from China.

Democratic members of New Yorks State Board of Elections had voted to cancel the primary, citing the CCP virus as a danger to voters, while noting that Democratic presidential candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden, stands virtually unopposed among Democrats. New York was still going to hold its congressional and state-level primaries on June 23.

Lawyers for former presidential candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Andrew Yang had argued a day prior to Torress ruling against canceling the presidential primary.

Torres wrote that the removal of presidential contenders from the primary ballot not only deprived those candidates of the chance to garner votes for the Democratic Partys nomination, but also deprived their pledged delegates of the opportunity to run for a position where they could influence the party platform, vote on party governance issues, pressure the eventual nominee on matters of personnel or policy, and react to unexpected developments at the Democratic National Convention scheduled for Aug. 17-20.

It also deprived Democratic voters of the opportunity to elect delegates who could push their point of view in that forum, she wrote. The loss of these First Amendment rights is a heavy hardship.

Former Vice President Joe Biden (L) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (R) greet each other before they participate in a Democratic presidential primary debate at CNN Studios in Washington, on March 15, 2020. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo)

Sanders and Biden reached a deal late April to let Sanders keep hundreds of delegates, even though the senator had suspended his campaign earlier in the month.

Sanders had made clear that he wanted to continue collecting delegates from remaining primaries, including in New York, to maximize his influence over the party platform and other decisions at the Democratic convention.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Read More New York Becomes 1st State to Cancel Presidential Primary Over CCP Virus
The Aarogy Setu Interactive Voice Response System' has been implemented to include citizens with feature phones and landline connections under the ambit of the Aarogya Setu' mobile application, the Union Health Ministry has said, urging people to download the application for combating COVID-19.

The Aarogy Setu Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS)' is a toll-free service, available across the country, wherein citizens can give a missed call to the number 1921' and they will get a call back requesting for inputs regarding their health, the ministry said in a statement on Monday.

"The questions asked are aligned with Aarogy Setu App, and based on the responses given, citizens will also get an SMS indicating their health status and further alerts for improving their health, it said.

The toll-free service is implemented in 11 regional languages similar to the mobile application.

The inputs provided by citizens will be made part of the Aarogy Setu database and the information will be processed to send alerts to people on the action to be taken to ensure their safety, it said.

The health ministry has urged the citizens to download the mobile application, saying it will enable them to assess the risk of catching the novel coronavirus infection which has claimed 1,694 lives and infected 49,391 people across the country so far.

Close to 9 crore users have downloaded the Aarogya Setu mobile application so far, a ministry official said.

Meanwhile, the Centre on Wednesday rejected charges by the opposition that the application breached privacy.

Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad asserted that the platform is "absolutely robust, safe and secure" in terms of privacy protection and data security.

The response came after a French hacker and cyber security expert Elliot Alderson on Tuesday claimed that "a security issue has been found" in the Aarogya Setu app and that "privacy of 90 million Indians is at stake".

The Centre had on Friday made it mandatory for government and private sector employees to use the Aarogya Setu mobile application to bolster the efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, and entrusted the organisational heads with ensuring its 100 per cent coverage.

Elaborating on how it works, the health ministry said the user, upon installation of the application, is asked to answer a number of questions.

In case some of the answers suggest COVID-19 symptoms, the information will be sent to a government server.

"The data will then help the government take timely steps and initiate the isolation procedure if necessary, and it also alerts if someone comes in close proximity with a person who has tested positive," the statement said.

The application is available on both Google Play (for Android users) and iOS app store (for iPhone). It is also available in 10 Indian languages and English, the ministry added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Taiwan urged the World Health Organization to allow it to rejoin a key global health assembly later this month despite objections from China, as Taipei pushes for more inclusion in international bodies.

Taiwan needs a seat at the WHO's annual decision-making meeting, the World Health Assembly, on May 18 to allow it access to firsthand information about the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, health minister Chen Shih-chung said at a briefing in Taipei Wednesday.

"The WHO continues to exclude Taiwan's participation only because of political pressure from China, ignoring the health and welfare of people around the world," Chen said. "We look forward to being allowed to participate in this assembly," he added. "We believe the WHO and the WHA should assume the mantel of world health leaders, and only when they do that will the world progress."

Taiwan's successful handling of the outbreak -- and rising global concern about China's initial response to it -- has led to a groundswell of support for the island's participation in this month's assembly. The U.S. has publicly backed Taiwan's inclusion and, according to a Fox News report is seeking support from major European nations too.

Earlier this week, a WHO lawyer said the organization was unable to agree to Taiwan's request for participation as the United Nations had decided in 1971 that Beijing was the sole representative of China, including Taiwan. China sees the island as a province.

"Things are always changing," Chen said. "Don't say we can't change a decision made 49 years ago. As long as it is reasonable, we can change any decision we've made in recent years."

Beijing granted Taiwan a brief period of access to WHA meetings as an observer between 2009 and 2016 after then-President Ma Ying-jeou, who accepted the negotiating framework that both sides were part of "one China."

But that arrangement came to an end when current president Tsai Ing-wen came into power and refused to accept the "one-China" premise, stating instead that the island was a sovereign, independent nation. Beijing subsequently withdrew its permission for Taiwan's participation in the meetings.

China -- which has repeated its support for the WHO in recent weeks even as U.S. President Donald Trump said he would halt its funding -- sees the attempts by Tsai's ruling Democratic Progressive Party to join the WHA as a separatist act.

China's foreign ministry on Wednesday said the DPP had been "making political manipulations under the pretext of the pandemic to hype up Taiwan's participation in the WHO and its annual assembly."

"Their real intention is to seek independence and we firmly oppose that. Their attempt will never succeed," ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters in Beijing. "Based on the 'one China' principle, the central government of China has already made proper arrangements on the Taiwan region's participation in global health affairs."

The latest request by Taipei comes weeks after it demanded an apology for comments by the WHO's Ethiopian director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, after he accused Taiwan of being behind a racist campaign against him and Africans in general. While Taiwanese foreign minister Joseph Wu has been critical of the WHO's handling of the pandemic and its exclusion of Taiwan, it was unclear what campaign of racist attacks Tedros was referring to.

Through a combination of early health screening for arrivals, thorough testing and contact tracing, and widespread medical mask usage, Taiwan has managed to limit the spread of Covid-19. Health officials have confirmed just 439 cases since the outbreak began, with no new domestic infections for the past 24 days.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar discussed giving Taiwan a bigger role in the global fight against the coronavirus in a telephone call with Chen last week, a rare Cabinet-level meeting between the two governments. Taipei has also won over friends by donating millions of surgical masks to U.S., Europe, Southeast Asia and beyond.

While Taiwan's government was a founding member of the UN, the People's Republic of China took its seat in the body -- and all related organizations, such as the WHO -- in 1971.

When asked if there was any possibility of an agreement between Beijing and Taipei that would allow Taiwan to participate in this month's WHA, Chen, the Taiwanese health minister, said he'd be willing to talk.

"Reaching a consensus with China would be fine but the point is that Taiwan cannot be downgraded," he said. "People need to maintain their dignity and it's the same for countries too. We welcome any country that's willing to sit down with us to reach a consensus on how to help the world."
Foundation said its primary healthcare body Swasthya has so far handled and addressed over 2.5 lakh phone calls related to COVID-19 queries during the lockdown period.

Swasthya Management and Research Institute has tied up with seven states -- Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka and Bihar -- for providing its Health Information Helpline - 104 in this COVID-19 crisis period.

So far, the institute has received 2.5 lakh plus phone calls on this helpline platform and addressed callers' queries on coronavirus disease, the Piramal Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Piramal Group, said in a statement.

On an average, the health helpline received around 20,000 calls in a day. The calls were received from seven states, but maximum were from Bihar, Assam, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh, it said.

During this COVID-19 pandemic, the health helpline service has been acting as a channel between the governments and the communities by offering validated medical advice to the callers 24x7 every day.

Piramal Swasthya said to deal with the increased number of calls, the frontline staff team has been significantly expanded as per state requirement.

Currently, over 1,200 staff across various centres, which include paramedics, counsellors and doctors, are relentlessly attending to calls related to health advice, counselling, information sharing and reporting of COVID-19.

Commenting about the helpline, Piramal Foundation CEO Paresh Parasnis said: "This initiative has helped in creating awareness thus bringing down the anxiety and fear in the society caused due to the coronavirus."



The 104-health helpline proved to be a simple and yet effective tool to share validated information as per the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, especially for people who are not technology savvy or live in areas where access to media is challenging, he added.

It was in 2006, Piramal Swasthya had started 104-Health Information Helpline in India as a one stop solution for all health-related information and advice.

The service is supported by innovative software application and Clinical Decision Support System of validated algorithms and disease summaries and helps in tackling shortage of human resource enabling access to quality healthcare services.

(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.)
TOKYO, May 5 (Reuters) - Gilead Sciences Inc's antiviral drug remdesivir may be approved in Japan for domestic COVID-19 patients when the health ministry's review board is held on Thursday, Japanese Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said.

Remdesivir was granted emergency use authorization last week by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for COVID-19, the highly contagious lung disease caused by the new coronavirus, and Gilead filed for fast-track approval in Japan on Monday.

Kato said on a TV news programme on Tuesday if the review board gives its consent, he plans to approve it right away.

"Once imported, we would like to have it used by those who are suffering from serious conditions as soon as possible," Kato said.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Monday extended a nationwide state of emergency to May 31, saying the new coronavirus infection rate had yet to drop enough to justify ending measures aimed at slowing the outbreak.

Even though Japan has not seen a huge outbreak compared with some global hotspots, there are more than 16,000 recorded cases, including 712 from the cruise ship previously quarantined in Yokohama, and 579 deaths, according to public broadcaster NHK. (Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; editing by David Evans)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 6

By Ilhama Isabalayeva - Trend:

Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic has affected the introduction of the compulsory medical insurance system in Azerbaijan, Chairman of Board of Azerbaijans State Agency for Compulsory Medical Insurance Zaur Aliyev said.

Aliyev made the remark at a briefing of the Operational Headquarters under the Cabinet of Ministers, Trend reports on May 6.

The project was launched successfully in some regions of the country, the chairman said.

"There were more than 1,000 visits to the hospitals. Unfortunately, after the coronavirus outbreak, we were forced to mobilize all efforts to fight against it. It was impossible to continue the fight against coronavirus simultaneously with the implementation of the compulsory medical insurance system. The phased implementation of the project in other districts was postponed until January 2021," he added.
Today, May 6, 2020, is National Travel Advisor Day, as declared by the American Society of Travel Advisors. This year, it's a day to recognize the silent heroes who work around the clock, seven days a week, across all international time zones, assisting clients with their travel concerns.

Nearly 65,000 travel advisors affiliated with Travel Leaders Group, the largest travel agency organization in North America, continue during this coronavirus pandemic to serve travelers in extremely confusing, volatile, and unpredictable situations, just as they do throughout the year during hurricanes, health concerns and times of wedded bliss.

"In the entire history of our industry there has never been a more fitting time to celebrate National Travel Advisor Day to thank travel advisors for going above and beyond caring for their clients every single day," said Travel Leaders Group J.D. O'Hara. "Travel advisors are the calm to the fears of a worried public, guiding clients all while facing extreme challenges to their own businesses as they sought assistance to keep their employees working so they can continue to be a lifeline to travelers all over the world."

On this National Travel Advisor Day, Travel Leaders Group and its companies, including ALTOUR, Andrew Harper, Protravel International, Tzell Travel Group, Nexion Travel Group and Travel Leaders Network, salute these advisors by retelling some of the heartwarming stories of how these talented individuals "Saved the Day."

Jody Bear , Tzell Travel: "Before the coronavirus travel ban went into effect, my clients were in Zurich on their way to Athens via a connection flight through Rome . They contacted me when their Rome -to- Athens flight was cancelled. Although they booked their flights using travel awards through an online booking engine, I was happy to assist them. I advised they should avoid flying through Rome because of the ban. I re-routed them through London and they were able to get back to the U.S., literally, hours before the United Kingdom ban went into effect."

"Before the coronavirus travel ban went into effect, my clients were in on their way to via a connection flight through . They contacted me when their -to- flight was cancelled. Although they booked their flights using travel awards through an online booking engine, I was happy to assist them. I advised they should avoid flying through because of the ban. I re-routed them through and they were able to get back to the U.S., literally, hours before the ban went into effect." Kurt Crowl , Travel Leaders Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach, Florida . "We worked with a local university to get their students who were studying abroad back to the U.S. With one student who was studying in Zambia , they experienced flight cancellation after cancellation through Europe . We eventually got her home to Miami via Sao Paulo . Another college student was stranded in Peru when the borders closed in March. Working through several options with charter flights, we were able to get the student back into the U.S. All of the students are now home."

Travel Leaders Palm Beaches, West . "We worked with a local university to get their students who were studying abroad back to the U.S. With one student who was studying in , they experienced flight cancellation after cancellation through . We eventually got her home to via . Another college student was stranded in when the borders closed in March. Working through several options with charter flights, we were able to get the student back into the U.S. All of the students are now home." Hilary Chivian , Travel Leaders branch of Tzell, Norwich, CT . "I had a 17-year old client, Matt, studying abroad in Croatia with Rotary International. Matt's parent had reached out to me on March 30 and decided it was time to bring Matt home as he just had an emergency appendectomy. Later that day, I had found him flights and reissued his ticket and he was all set. Or so we thought! On Saturday, April 4 , I had received a panicked email from Matt's dad that his flight from Zagreb had been cancelled and there was nothing else operating on that Sunday. I spent the next two hours on the phone with several airlines trying to find something else for an unaccompanied minor that would not have transfers in Amsterdam . I booked him on the only flight out that day and it was a forced overnight in Frankfurt . I was able to get him on a flight from Frankfurt to Atlanta . Finally, on the 10th of April, Matt was able to get home to his parents.

, Travel Leaders branch of Tzell, . "I had a 17-year old client, Matt, studying abroad in with Rotary International. Matt's parent had reached out to me on and decided it was time to bring Matt home as he just had an emergency appendectomy. Later that day, I had found him flights and reissued his ticket and he was all set. Or so we thought! On , I had received a panicked email from Matt's dad that his flight from had been cancelled and there was nothing else operating on that Sunday. I spent the next two hours on the phone with several airlines trying to find something else for an unaccompanied minor that would not have transfers in . I booked him on the only flight out that day and it was a forced overnight in . I was able to get him on a flight from to . Finally, on the 10th of April, Matt was able to get home to his parents. Tiffany Bowne , All Star Travel Group, a branch of Tzell Travel Group: "I worked with a family that was set to go to Disney World and just before their arrival, Disney World announced the closure of the park. My client is CEO of a large company out of Dallas and instead he chose to take his family on a driving trip the next morning to the Florida panhandle. I was able to find an alternate trip for them to take quickly while at the same time, I was working on the refund of their experiences and Disney package. I received many praises from my client for saving the day: 'Oh Tiffany!!!! This place is GREAT!!!!!! The white sand beach is beautiful, perfect weather, resort is super close to the beach, the area has lots of amenities, the room is pretty and huge, and I love the washer and dryer! Thank you sooooo much for putting this together super fast!!!!'"

All Star Travel Group, a branch of Tzell Travel Group: "I worked with a family that was set to go to Disney World and just before their arrival, Disney World announced the closure of the park. My client is CEO of a large company out of and instead he chose to take his family on a driving trip the next morning to the panhandle. I was able to find an alternate trip for them to take quickly while at the same time, I was working on the refund of their experiences and Disney package. I received many praises from my client for saving the day: 'Oh Tiffany!!!! This place is GREAT!!!!!! The white sand beach is beautiful, perfect weather, resort is super close to the beach, the area has lots of amenities, the room is pretty and huge, and I love the washer and dryer! Thank you sooooo much for putting this together super fast!!!!'" Tim Klopfenstein , Travel Leaders in Cedar Rapids, Iowa , "During the early days of the coronavirus crisis, before the current travel restrictions, I received a call from travelers -- three families (13 travelers in all) -- who were not clients and they were panicked that their cruise had been cancelled while they were driving to New Orleans for the Caribbean cruise during Spring break. Within an hour, I helped them detour to Mexico . They met me in our Coralville office since they weren't too far away. An hour and a half later, all three families were re-booked at the Hard Rock Los Cabos hotel with flights. "Tim was able to support travelers who were previously not clients of our agency in their time of need," said owner Duane Jasper . Jasper continued:

"One member of the family did not realize that a passport book and a passport card are not the same thing. Upon booking, Tim confirmed with all families and they all assured him that they had a passport valid for at least six months upon return. The individual with only a passport card was unable to check in. Tim did not waver. He connected the client to the nearest passport office in Chicago and they were able to fly out of Chicago to meet up with the other two families with only a minor inconvenience."

Travel Leaders in , "During the early days of the coronavirus crisis, before the current travel restrictions, I received a call from travelers -- three families (13 travelers in all) -- who were not clients and they were panicked that their cruise had been cancelled while they were driving to for the cruise during Spring break. Within an hour, I helped them detour to . They met me in our office since they weren't too far away. An hour and a half later, all three families were re-booked at the Hard Rock Los Cabos hotel with flights. "Tim was able to support travelers who were previously not clients of our agency in their time of need," said owner . Jasper continued: "One member of the family did not realize that a passport book and a passport card are not the same thing. Upon booking, Tim confirmed with all families and they all assured him that they had a passport valid for at least six months upon return. The individual with only a passport card was unable to check in. Tim did not waver. He connected the client to the nearest passport office in and they were able to fly out of to meet up with the other two families with only a minor inconvenience." Eric Hrubant , Tzell Travel : When the Level 4 Travel Advisory came out from the State Department, we needed to repatriate 45 clients who were traveling internationally. Our team got them all booked on flights within two hours. Every last one of them was back on US soil within 48 hours. In addition, we had a non-client at risk of being stranded in St. Maarten when it was announced that the SXM airport was closing. She couldn't get her airline on the phone and there weren't any rebooking options on their website. Desperate, she reached out to us to see what we could do. We got her a seat on a flight home for the next day (one of the last) and gave her peace of mind.

: When the Level 4 Travel Advisory came out from the State Department, we needed to repatriate 45 clients who were traveling internationally. Our team got them all booked on flights within two hours. Every last one of them was back on US soil within 48 hours. In addition, we had a non-client at risk of being stranded in when it was announced that the SXM airport was closing. She couldn't get her airline on the phone and there weren't any rebooking options on their website. Desperate, she reached out to us to see what we could do. We got her a seat on a flight home for the next day (one of the last) and gave her peace of mind. Stephen Scott , a luxury travel advisor with Protravel International, summed up reasons to book with a travel professional like this, "Our team has provided support for companies, groups, couples and families that have had to either cancel or reschedule trips into next year. The biggest benefit we have provided clients during this crucial time is that we are not only accessible and educated on their options, but because they chose to use a travel advisor they are speaking to the exact same people who planned their trip. It did not take them three hours on hold to get an answer from someone who doesn't know them at all. Our ability to assist them through this with continued personalization and service is one of the best things we can do for our clients to make the most of the situation."

"Your sincere passion, your dedication, and your deep love of enabling travel will be remembered. You're the mainstay in this amazing industry and the most trusted voice on the current travel landscape," O'Hara said in a video he circulated to travel advisors on National Travel Advisor Day. "When recovery comes, and it will come, your clients will need you more than ever to reignite their many hopes and dreams in them of exploring the world safely."

About Travel Leaders Group

Travel Leaders Group (www.TravelLeadersGroup.com) is transforming travel with a commitment to our vacation and business travel clients through our progressive approach toward each unique travel experience. Having already assisted millions of travelers, Travel Leaders Group manages leisure, business and franchise travel operations under a variety of diversified divisions and brands. With over 6,000 agency locations, Travel Leaders Group ranks as one of the industry's largest travel agency companies.

Contact: Sheree Curry

763-344-3679

[email protected]

SOURCE Travel Leaders Group

Related Links

http://www.travelleadersgroup.com


In 2018, sales of medical and recreational cannabis in the US were nearly nine times higher than sales of Oreo cookies.

In 2018, the US market posted approximately $8 billion in legalized cannabis sales. This number could rise to more than $40 billion by 2025.

The report also considered the challenging legal environment for insurers, discussed possible coverage solutions and analyzed issues for each category of insurance coverage, including directors and officers, cyber, product liability, workers compensation, cash and contents, crop insurance, and fleet auto and cargo.

Legal cannabis is a rapidly growing market, currently with a legal foothold in over 30 US states, said Max Carter, CEO of New Dawn Risk. Right now, the COVID-19 outbreak has led to an increased demand for cannabis in the US, and stores in many states have been allowed to reopen or offer curbside sales. However, the crisis has also exposed the financial pressures on many cannabis firms, with many VC-backed cannabis firms struggling already to meet financial projections. A COVID-19 recession, which seems all but a certainty, will only increase such financial pressures for young cannabis businesses.

Carter said that the pandemic would make it even more difficult for cannabis producers to obtain insurance as providers tightened terms and introduced exclusions. Meanwhile, many insurers who may have been looking to enter the cannabis market have put those plans on hold.

With the federal government shut down and the possibility of a change of administration in Novembers presidential election, the progress of legislation that would open up the cannabis market to insurers will be delayed, he said. This reality fails to reflect the fact that many firms have significant insurance needs that are critical to help them manage the risks that exist in this young industry, with its untried legal and societal framework.

Despite all this, the growth of the sector is inexorable, and New Dawn Risk is committed to working with carriers and clients to share knowledge and insights to help identify and deliver creative solutions for this market, he said. In just one example, we have already successfully placed cyber cover for a number of cannabis businesses. But we want to do more, which is what we hope this report can contribute.

The report can be accessed on New Dawn Risks website.
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala government on Tuesday announced new quarantine guidelines for those stranded Malayalees coming in from red zones in other states.

"There are some areas in the country where the outbreak is severe. Ten districts/places with the most severe outbreaks have been identified and special attention will be given to those coming from such red zones. Just like for those returning from overseas, they will have to spend a week in government quarantine center and then tested. If they are negative, they will be sent home for a further seven days quarantine. Those positive will be shifted to hospitals for treatment," Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said.



He further stated that efforts are being made to arrange special trains to bring back Keralites from far off states. "Students who are stuck in Punjab and Haryana will be brought to Delhi, and from there to Kerala by a train," he said.

"Keralites stranded in other states have started reaching Kerala. So far, 1,80,540 people have registered through Norka website, expressing their desire to return to the state. Of these, 25,410 passes have been issued and 3,363 of them have reached back in the last two days."
The cybercrime wing of the Uttar Pradesh Police has registered a case against an unidentified person who in a video message on WhatsApp had threatened former state chief minister Kalyan Singh.

BJP legislator from Chharra Ravendra Pal Singh had filed a complaint with SSP Muniraj G and demanded that an FIR be lodged and an inquiry be instituted into a video clip being shared on WhatsApp, where an unidentified youth is seen threatening Kalyan Singh, who is also former governor of Rajasthan, Station House Officer, Civil Lines police station, Amit Kumar said.

The FIR in the case was registered on Tuesday, he said.

President of All India Lodhi Mahasabha had also in a letter to the SSP demanded action against the youth, Kumar said.

The BJP MLA has also urged the Uttar Pradesh government and the Union home minister to probe the video where "highly derogatory remarks" have been made against Kalyan Singh.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Perhaps the biggest question hanging over Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings Inc. in the midst of the pandemic is whether advertisers will resume spending as quickly as officials at the San Antonio-based outdoor advertising company hope.

In the meantime, Clear Channels Worldwide CEO William Eccleshare said Wednesday its difficult to forecast what sort of a downturn it will endure as advertisers defer buying decisions and reduce marketing expenditures.

We dont even yet know what the timing of the end of the lockdown in different states and different countries are going to be, Eccleshare said on a conference call with analysts. And we dont have any real sense of what the damage to the economies are going to be. And we dont yet know how advertisers are going to respond to this.

The uncertainty has executives keeping a daily eye on our pipeline, he added. In some cases, there are signs of a positive pipeline building as things return to normal. But its way too early to call a number for (the second quarter), Im afraid.

More for you Frost Bank hit with patent suit by mysterious company

On ExpressNews.com: San Antonios Clear Channel taps line of credit during COVID-19 spread

Clear Channels net loss widened on lower revenue in the first quarter. It reported a loss of $291.7 million, or 60 cents a share, on $550.8 million in revenue. By comparison, it lost $165.2 million, or 45 cents a share, on $587.1 million in revenue in the same period last year.

The pandemic hobbled the company largely in Europe and China, where revenues already were sliding before the crisis. Revenue actually rose in the Americas, primarily in the U.S. where COVID-19s spread will be felt in second-quarter results.

Clear Channel has been bracing for the impact. It has taken cost-cutting measures to maintain financial flexibility, including temporarily cutting salaries, reducing hours for hourly employees and implementing furloughs. Eccleshare and Scott Wells, CEO of the Americas division, each took 30 percent pay cuts effective last month.

The company had 1,700 U.S. employees and 4,200 international employees as of Dec. 31. It has more than 460,000 advertising displays in 32 countries.

Clear Channel has been negotiating with landlords of its billboard and display locations to align lease expenses with shrinking revenue.

We have thousands of landlords and the process of engaging is one that you need to do kind of landlord by landlord, Wells said. The company is seeing good partnership with its government landlords but success with private landlords has been slower, he added.

The company has a goal of axing more than $100 million in costs from the business and achieving more than $25 million in savings from reduced capital expenditures during the current quarter.

Texas Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox

Clear Channel also has drawn down on a $150 million revolving credit facility, becoming the first San Antonio-based publicly traded company to announce it was tapping a line of credit in response to COVID-19.

In addition, the company expects to net $220 million from the sale of a 51 percent stake in a Chinese subsidiary.

Clear Channel was spun off from iHeartMedia Inc. last year as part of the San Antonio broadcast companys bankruptcy reorganization.

Outdoor advertising was experiencing great momentum before the pandemics arrival, JPMorgan Chase & Co. analyst Alexia Quadrani said last month in a report on the state of the industry.

Advertisers have been shifting outdoor advertising campaigns to later in the year rather than canceling them entirely.

Overall, we expect (outdoor advertising) to maintain its relevancy in the advertising market following the COVID-19 crisis and for the medium to see a return to growth once normal out-of-home activity resumes, Quadrani added.

Clear Channels shares closed at almost 76 cents Wednesday. The shares have traded below $1 for 38 consecutive days, falling as low as about 43 cents on March 23.

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
- On April 29, a man in Buruburu burnt to death inside his car with many speculating he could have been killed before being set on fire

- The autopsy report showed the man died as a result of inhaling soot from the burning car

- Government pathologist Johansen Oduor said other organs, including the brain, lungs and intestines remained intact

- The deceased was set to be buried at his village home over the weekend

An autopsy report on body of Nairobi man who burnt to death inside his car has revealed he was alive before the fire broke out, contrary to claims that he could have been killed then his body set ablaze.

On Tuesday, May 5, chief government pathologist Johansen Oduor said Terrance Korir, 36, was alive before the fire and that he died from burns.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Kenya confirms record 45 new cases, national tally rises to 535

Chief government pathologist Johansen Oduor addresses the press at Chiromo Mortuary on May 5, 2020. Photo: The Star

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Senator Ledama worked with DP Ruto's allies to win powerful Senate post

Speaking to journalists at Chiromo mortuary, Oduor said they found soot in the deceased's lungs, a clear indication that he was breathing by the time the fire broke out.

There was a lot of soot in the airway from the tongue to the lungs. This shows us that actually the person died in the fire This is not a person who was planted dead in the fire. He was alive when he was burning, said Oduor.

Oduor further clarified other organs, including the brain, lungs and intestines remained intact, clearing the air on the reports that the victim might have been attacked and his body put into the car in a cover-up.

A view of the car in which Terrance Korir, a resident of Nairobi's Buruburu Estate, died following a fire on April 29. Photo: Daily Nation

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Mutahi Ngunyi amnyoa Dennis Itumbi, asema amelaaniwa kumkaidi Rais Uhuru

We estimate most likely he inhaled a lot of soot and took a lot of time in the car before he died, the reason being there was red discolouration of tissues because of inhaling carbon monoxide, Oduor said.

Korir was found dead in his car outside his rental apartment in Mai Mahiu Court along Katulo Road in Buruburu Phase 5 on Wednesday, April 29.

There was debate on social media with many Kenyans questioning the nature of the fire and some alleging the deceased could have been murdered and then burnt.

READ ALSO: Kenyans begin campaign to build house for elderly Baringo woman who lost home to storm

At least five people have already recorded a statement over the incident including security guards, the widow, househelp and a neighbour who was the first respondent at the scene.

The car was cordoned off at Buruburu Police Station as police focused on forensic analysis to unravel the circumstances that led to his death.

Do you have an inspirational story you would like us to publish? Please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690. Follow us on Telegram: Tuko news

Source: TUKO.co.ke
On Wednesday, May 6, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels will be heading to Houston as part of a flyover series in salute to front line workers serving on the forefront against COVID-19.

The Lone Star Flight Museum is set to commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE Day with "The Fight to Finish Flyover," on Friday, May 8, with over 30 rare and historic warbirds. This mission also serves to lift the spirits of the community during this time.
Xiaomis affordable brand Redmi has a reason to celebrate today - it reached 30 million sales of its Note 8 lineup. That includes the Redmi Note 8 (and its sibling Redmi Note 8T) and Redmi Note 8 Pro versions, and both devices made it to the Top 10 smartphones sold in Q4 2019.

The good news was announced by Lu Weibing, brand manager of Redmi. He reminded that 1 million units were sold in one month, in the next one sales reached up to 5 million when the phone went global, the 10 million milestone was reached in a quarter of a year and it took 5 months to reach the staggering 20 million sales.

The lineup was announced on August 29 with the Redmi Note 8 Pro becoming officially the first phone with a 64 MP camera but didnt arrive for sale until September. Since then, Xiaomi has been pushing over 120,000 units per day, every day.

Numbers are likely to slow down in the foreseeable future, given the fact the Redmi Note 9 lineup is already selling around the world, and time will tell whether the new family will manage to beat the records of its predecessor.

Source (in Chinese) | Via
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The New York subway's overnight service has been suspended for the first time ever in an 'aggressive' bid to deep clean the system every 24 hours, as police remove thousands of homeless people from trains.

The subway, which has effectively run around the clock since it opened in 1904. But from May 6, all 472 stations are being closed overnight while 500 cleaners in hazmat suits surge through the system and decontaminate the subway and halt the spread of coronavirus among riders.

It is also an effort to eject the large number of homeless people who have taken up residence on the deserted subway during the lockdown.

Photos and video showing the homeless seeking shelter in the Big Apple's underground transit system have circulated widely on social media this week, sparking outrage.

Outrage had been growing among MTA employees who complained that they were being forced to transport homeless population in unsanitary conditions that would allow the virus to thrive.

There has been a spike in crime on the network of trains which includes complaints of nudity, sexual activity, human waste and even arson.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo vowed to clean up the system. He said: 'The trains are filled with homeless... to let homeless people stay on the trains in the middle of a global health pandemic with no masks, you're not helping the homeless by letting them endanger their own life and the lives of others. It's not helping anyone.'

Members of the New York Police Department rouse passengers sleeping on a train as Metropolitan Transportation Authority workers clean subway cars at the Wakefield - 241 St station. New cleaning rules mean all subway riders will be removed by police come 1am

Gov. Cuomo said: 'The trains are filled with homeless... to let homeless people stay on the trains in the middle of a global health pandemic with no masks, you're not helping the homeless by letting them endanger their own life and the lives of others'

The homeless have been seeking refuge in subway trains instead of shelters, believed to be a breeding ground for coronavirus

The mandate means all of the city's subway stations are exit-only between during the four-hour cleaning window while officials pilot disinfecting techniques. Above, a man is seen sleeping on a train at the Wakefield-241 St station

Metropolitan Transportation Authority workers clean a subway car at the Wakefield - 241 St station above

Nearly 100 subway workers have been killed by the outbreak and thousands more sickened

Workers had previously been cleaning the subway just once every 72 hours

The city's homeless population - estimated to be around 70,000 - have become far more visible on the network, taking overnight refuge on the trains instead of in packed shelters, which are considered a breeding ground for spreading coronavirus.

Before the pandemic around 2,000 homeless people were believed to spend their nights in the subway system.

But the suspension of the overnight service mean officers will be able to forcibly remove thousands of vagrants come 1am.

The NYPD has also assigned more than 1,000 officers to secure the system's labyrinth of stations as fewer than 200 can be physically locked up, CBSNews reported.

Cuomo added: 'They deserve better and they will have better. We have to have a system that is clean and where the trains are disinfected. Homeless people on trains... it's not even safe for them.

'You have this whole outbreak and we let them stay on trains without protection in this epidemic?

'No. We have to do better than that and we will. We will learn from this and be better from this.'

The MTA had already banned shopping carts  which homeless people often use to transport items  from the subway, and people are not allowed to linger on platforms for more than an hour.

Officials have said that more than 60 coronvirus victims have died in the city's homeless shelters

Officials are piloting antimicrobial agents, electrostatic disinfectants, and ultraviolet radiation in a bid to disinfect the subway

But housing activists have warned that removing the homeless from the subway system could 'push them further into the shadows'.

Jacquelyn Simone, a policy analyst at the Coalition for the Homeless, said: 'Increasing the number of outreach professionals and police officers is not going to address the problem if we dont give people somewhere safe to go.

'If none of those people are offering them that very basic resource, that person is going to remain on the street in all likelhood ... they might actually get pushed further into the shadows.'

Officials have said that more than 60 coronavirus victims have died in the city's homeless shelters.

Above, passengers are pictured sleeping within a subway car. Housing officials said ejecting the homeless from the subway system could push them 'further into the shadows'

A video from concerned subway worker Torry Chalmers was recently posted online that showed an alarming number of homeless people alongside boxes, luggage items and bags, with several splayed out across seats.

'This is what they making me do, transporting the homeless and the virus at the same time thru every Borough of NY,' Chalmers wrote in a caption for the footage shared on his Facebook page.

'This is what I gotta do. I gotta go to work in this. It's not making any sense. It's nasty, nasty.'

New York City police officers with the department's homeless outreach division talk to people remaining in the Coney Island station after a suspension of service for the night at the in Brooklyn, New York,

Although the subway service was curtailed in late March, it is the first time it hasn't run 24/7 except for times of emergency.

The deep clean is a huge and drastic ramping up of efforts, with workers previously disinfecting the trains just once every 72 hours.

The city usually has busiest public transit system in the US with weekday ridership of more than five million. But since the pandemic exploded in the city, ridership has plummeted by a staggering 90 per cent as millions of people stopped commuting to work.

Nearly 100 subway workers have been killed by the outbreak and thousands more sickened.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio told the Metropolitan Transportation Authority they must suspend all subway services across its 26 lines between 1am and 5am in an unprecedented move to slow the spread of the killer bug.

The city's subway stations are exit-only between during the four-hour cleaning window while officials pilot disinfecting techniques

Governor Cuomo has previously said it was not safe for homeless people sleeping on the network to be on subways without protective equipment, nor was it fair to the essential workers who rely on the trains to get to work

The city's homeless population have become far more visible on the network as they took overnight refuge on the trains instead of in packed shelters, which are considered a breeding ground for spreading coronavirus. Above, NYPD officers escort people from the Wakefield -241 St station

The mandate means all of the city's subway stations are exit-only between during the four-hour cleaning window while officials pilot disinfecting techniques.

These include antimicrobial agents, electrostatic disinfectants, and ultraviolet radiation.

The subway has also become a hotbed for crime, with many complaints of nudity, sexual activity, human waste and arson reported on the trains.

At the time of the announcement Cuomo said: 'This is going to be one of the most aggressive, creative, challenging undertakings that the MTA has done. We've never been here before'.

He added that: 'The best thing you can do is disinfect the whole inside of the car, as mass a challenge as that is'.

Alternative travel is being provided for essential workers commuting early in the morning with the city's rapidly expanding overnight bus service and free taxi and for-hire vehicle trips.

Patrick Foye, CEO of the MTA, said the closure will allow for a 'never-before-seen level' of cleaning on the subway.

'Unprecedented times call for unprecedented action', he said.

The NYPD has assigned more than 1,000 officers to secure the system's labyrinth of stations as fewer than 200 can be physically locked up

Metropolitan Transportation Authority workers clean the Wakefield - 241 St station. The new cleaning rules come after Cuomo previously blasted the 'dangerous' number of homeless people still riding the subway

Cleaning staff wore personal protective equipment as the embarked on the first morning of intensive disinfection along the subway network

An NYC worker is pictured mopping down the floor of a subway car while wearing PPE

Signs were spotted posted outside stations warning potential commuters of disruption to their travel plans

The subway system, which has effectively run around the clock since it opened in 1904, has long been seen as a symbol of the city's tireless energy

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio have now forced the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to suspend all subway services between 1am and 5am in an unprecedented move to slow the spread of the killer bug

New York is the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, with more than 1.2million confirmed cases of the killer bug and more than 72,000 deaths.

In New York City it is now compulsory for residents to wear face coverings to shield their noses and mouths to prevent the spread of the respiratory illness.

The statewide stay-at-home order is currently in place until May 15, and Cuomo promised on Tuesday that a normal subway service will only resume 'when the pandemic is not problematic.'
Kevin Spacey says he empathizes with people who have lost their jobs as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

I can relate to what it feels like to have your world suddenly stop," Spacey, 60, recently said, pointing to the allegations of sexual assault and harassment that upended his career in 2017.

Spacey, a South Orange native, made the comments from his home as part of a streamed German business conference, the Bits & Pretzels Founders Breakfast, on March 29.

I dont think it will come as a surprise for anyone to say that my world completely changed in the fall of 2017," he said. My job, many of my relationships, my standing in my own industry were all gone in just a matter of hours. I dont often like to tell people that I can relate to their situation because I think it undermines the experience that they may be having, which is their own unique and very personal experience, but in this instance, I feel as though I can relate to what it feels like to have your world suddenly stop. And so while we may have found ourselves in similar situations, albeit for very different reasons and circumstances, I still believe that some of the emotional struggles are very much the same. And so I do have empathy for what it feels like to suddenly be told that you cant go back to work, or that you might lose your job, and that its a situation that you have absolutely no control over.

Spaceys career imploded during the surge in the #MeToo movement in 2017, as a series of men made allegations against the actor, starting with Star Trek actor Anthony Rapp, who said Spacey made sexual advances toward him in 1986, when Rapp was 14 and Spacey was 26.

If I did behave as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior, Spacey tweeted at the time, saying he had no memory of the alleged incident. Spacey was criticized for coming out as gay in the same statement.

Kevin Spacey at the London premiere of "Baby Driver" in 2017. The actor saw his star fall later that year in the wake of a series of allegations of sexual assault.Tim P. Whitby | Getty Images

In December, a civil lawsuit against Kevin Spacey was dismissed following the death of a massage therapist who accused the actor of sexual assault. The man had alleged that Spacey forced him to touch the actors genitals during a treatment. Spacey denied the allegation.

A sexual assault charge against Spacey was dropped in Nantucket, Massachusetts in July after prosecutors said the witness was unavailable to testify about the whereabouts of a phone. The man had alleged that in 2016, when he was 18, Spacey groped his crotch for several minutes at the bar where he worked. Spacey had pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of indecent assault and battery in connection with alleged groping incident.

Allegations against Spacey stretch back decades, including his tenure as artistic director of Londons Old Vic theater.

The actor, who has won two Oscars, for The Usual Suspects and American Beauty," told the German conference that he struggled with what to do after losing acting work. Netflix cut all ties with the actor and he was fired from House of Cards." Members of the crew had accused the actor of sexual assault and harassment.

In 2017, Spaceys role as billionaire Jean Paul Getty in the Ridley Scott film All the Money in the World" was recast even though his scenes were already filmed (Christopher Plummer filled in, receiving an Oscar nomination).

I was so busy defining myself by what I did or what I was trying to do that when it all stopped, I had no idea what to do next, because all I ever knew was how to act, all I ever wanted to do was act, Spacey said at the conference appearance.

And when my career came to a grinding, screeching halt, when I was faced with the uncertainty that I might never be hired as an actor again, I had to ask myself a question Id never asked myself before, which is, If I cant act, who am I? ... Who am I when all I am left with is just ... me? Its not something I ever thought Id have to contemplate."

Spacey made a rare public appearance in August to read a poem in Rome. And for the second consecutive Christmas Eve, he released a video in which he spoke in the manner of his House of Cards character, Frank Underwood.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription.

Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com.
Domestic manufacturers have reached the capacity of producing nearly 2.5 lakh PPE and 2 lakh N-95 masks per day which is sufficient to meet the country's requirement in dealing with the novel coronavirus pandemic in the near future, the Group of Ministers (GoM) on COVID-19 has been informed.

The GoM, which held its 14th meeting under the chairmanship of Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday, discussed various aspects pertaining to the performance, impact and benefits of the Aarogya Setu application.

It also highlighted the need for ensuring stringent measures for quality control of personal protection equipment (PPE), masks, ventilators among others.

The GoM was informed that close to 9 crore users had downloaded the Aarogya Setu app as on May 4.

"People have informed about their health status on the application which has helped in tracing those suffering with any symptoms for COVID-19 containment, a statement from the health ministry said.

The GoM was also informed that a mechanism has been devised to reach out to the people who have landline or featured phones through Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) in local languages for better results," it said.

Vardhan said the use of technology is integral for the containment strategy and is helping the states to manage the deadly disease in a more effective manner.

Random batch sampling for ensuring compliance and adherence to quality standards was also stressed upon by the GoM, the statement said.

It said a detailed presentation on the present status of COVID-19 cases globally and within the country was made to the GoM, and states were asked to follow and further strengthen their contingency plans to combat the infection on the basis of classification of districts.

Several other measures about strengthening capacity of states, including devoting adequate resources for creating dedicated COVID-19 hospitals, equipping medical institutions with adequate number of PPE, ventilators and other essential equipment, were also discussed at the meeting.

The GoM was apprised that the death rate of COVID-19 patients is around 3.2 per cent, while the recovery rate is more than 25 per cent, which may be taken as a positive effect of the lockdown in the country along with the cluster management and containment strategy, the statement said.

The GoM was also informed that genome sequencing of strains of the novel coronavirus isolated from patients in different parts of the country has been initiated.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, chairman of the Empowered Group -11 informed the GoM that they are monitoring and supervising the strategic issues arriving out of the measures taken so far in containing the pandemic.

He also apprised the GoM that at different stages during the lockdown, decisions on graded liberalisation were taken after consultations with stakeholders, cutting across various ministries and other Empowered Groups, the statement said.

A presentation was made by Ajay Sawhney, Secretary, MeitY, and chairman of Empowered Group-9, dealing with technology solutions and data management for combating COVID-19, the statement said.

The GoM was also told that under the Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Package (PMGKP) as on May 4, 29.38 lakh MT of foodgrain has been distributed to 58.77 crore beneficiaries by 36 states/UTs as first month (April) entitlement.

A total of 5.82 lakh MT of foodgrain has been distributed to 11.63 crore beneficiaries by 20 states and UTs as second month (May) entitlement so far, the statement said.

In total, 66.08 lakh MT food grain has been lifted by 36 states and UTs from the Food Corporation of India so far, it said.

An amount of Rs 6,868.74 crore has been transferred to Ujjwala (PMUY) beneficiaries. Also, 4.98 crore PMUY cylinders have been booked and 4.72 crore have been delivered during April-May.

Financial sanction for 8.18 crore beneficiaries (farmers) at Rs 2,000 each has been generated during 2020-21 and Rs 16,364 crore have been released under DBT cash transfers to farmers during the same period, the statement added.

As support for senior citizens, widows and divyang', the first installment of funds at Rs 500 per beneficiary has been released to 2.812 crore accounts of eligible beneficiaries, amounting to Rs 1,405 crore. The next installment of Rs 500 will go in the second fortnight, the statement said.

As on date, 20.05 crore Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana accounts of women are being credited with Rs 500 per account as cash transfers under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyana Package ( PMGKP). Besides, 9.27 lakh members of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) had availed the facility of online withdrawal amounting to Rs 2,895 crore, it added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday that salons and pools would be permitted to open May 8, earlier than initially expected.

However, like retailers and restaurants, there are stipulations.
House helps and washerman services have been allowed in non-containment zones across Noida and Greater Noida, but interstate and inter-district movement will remain prohibited for non-essential works, Gautam Buddh Nagar administration said in its new coronavirus guidelines on Wednesday.

The guidelines stated that residents are not allowed to take walks outdoors and advised them not to invite guests during the lockdown period.

The guidelines were made public Wednesday night as the third phase of the coronavirus-induced lockdown continues. The guidelines clarify issues related to residents of this western Uttar Pradesh district, adjoining Delhi.

Considering the diverse views received, it is clarified, that RWAs can take a decision, after consulting their respective residents and consensus building, whether to allow or not allow or allow with conditions, the entry of maid or house help.

"In case the maid or house help are allowed or allowed with conditions they can come only from non-containment zone and one maid or house help can work only in one house. The RWA should make arrangements for thermal scanning of all maid or house help entering the RWA premises," the guidelines stated.

"Closure of interstate and inter-district borders shall remain in force as per previous order. No relaxation has been made in this regard, it added.

The district administration had last month sealed its borders with Delhi in a major bid to check the spread of coronavirus, banning movement of people except for emergency cases, media and doctors.

Gautam Buddh Nagar has been categorised as COVID-19 'Red Zone' and has recorded 192 cases of coronavirus till Wednesday, according to officials.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The NLJ article highlights two significant Fish pro bono victories in 2019. Fish won an important case for plaintiff Jose Alfaro, a teen survivor of sex trafficking, in Alfaro v. Gandy (USDC S.D. Tex.) that resulted in a $1.4 million civil award for Alfaro. The Alfaro case was led by Fish principal Andrew Kopsidas . In OCA-Greater Houston v. State of Texas (USDC W.D. Tex./5 th Cir. Court of Appeals), Fish attorneys David Hoffman , Kenneth Darby and David Morris successfully argued that a Texas Election Code provision preventing voters from using the interpreter of their choice during the voting process violated the Voting Rights Act. Fish donated nearly $200,000 in post-judgment attorneys' fees from the case, which safeguards the voting rights of individuals with limited English proficiency.

Fish's win on another important pro bono voting rights case  which gives voters in Minnesota the right to get assistance from the person of their choice at the polls  was also featured. Partnering with the ACLU of Minnesota and Fredrikson & Byron P.A, Fish was successful in securing a court order concluding that the state's restrictions on voting assistance violate both the federal Voting Rights Act and the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The case was led by Fish senior principal Michael Florey.

Pro bono work is an integral part of the firm's professional culture. Over the past year, nearly 75% of the firm's attorneys have participated in pro bono projects. Principal Lawrence Kolodney has chaired the firm's pro bono program since 2007. Mia Friedman joined Fish as pro bono manager in 2019.

Fish & Richardson, the premier global intellectual property law firm, is trusted by the world's most innovative and influential companies. From patent, trademark, and copyright prosecution and counseling to our full-service litigation practice, we work together to provide our clients with exceptional advocacy across the life cycle of intellectual property needs in the U.S. and around the world. Our deep bench of attorneys with first-chair trial experience in every technology makes us the go-to firm for the most technically complex cases. Fish was established in 1878, and now has more than 400 attorneys and technology specialists in the U.S., Europe, and China. Our success is rooted in our creative and inclusive culture, which values the diversity of people, experiences, and perspectives. For more information, visit fr.com or follow us at @FishRichardson.

Contact: Amy Blumenthal or Patricia Baressi

Blumenthal & Associates

Fish & Richardson P.C.

(617) 879-1511

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What they are using to test, do you know what it is? Do you know why it can show positive and negative? Do you know? A virus they told us they are still studying, why dont they study it first?
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday afternoon that could provide $350 million to help local governments with coronavirus expenses.

The money comes from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which Congress passed last month. It can only be used on expenses related to the pandemic -- such as disinfectant, personal protective equipment and emergency personnel expenses. It cannot be used for other budget-related issues, such as backfilling revenue holes, said Sen. Matt Dolan, a Chagrin Falls Republican.

The guidelines make it very clear what this money is not to be used for, he said.

The state will audit counties, cities and villages to make sure theyve used the money legally, he said.

In all, the CARES Act provided nearly $4.6 billion for Ohio.

Of that, $2 billion was to go to local governments -- with $775 million going to local governments with over 500,000 residents. In Ohio there are six: Columbus and Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton, Summit and Montgomery counties.

And $1.2 billion is to go to other local governments, but the legislature decided to only distribute $350 million of that in Senate Bill 310.

The reason? Dolan said lawmakers are hopeful the federal government will ease the strict guidelines on how the money can be spent in coming months to allow local governments suffering from revenue shortfalls to use it on payroll and other expenses.

Senators pressed the Ohio House to pass the bill soon.

The sooner this bill lands on the governors desk for signing, the sooner Ohio opens, said Sen. David Burke, a Marysville Republican.

The bill wasnt on the Ohio Houses schedule on Wednesday.

Other coverage:

Ohio has 20,969 coronavirus cases, including 1,135 who have died: Gov. Mike DeWines Tuesday briefing

See how much Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is cutting funding to each college and university

Ohio House Republicans move to limit Health Director Amy Actons authority

Ohio tax revenues plummeted in April during first full month of coronavirus closures, new numbers show
The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwesi Amoako Atta has expressed shock over shoddy work done on the Konongo-Praaso Road in the Ashanti Region



The Roads Minister who was outraged during a working visit to some of the ongoing road projects in the Ashanti Region was worried over the poor work executed by the road contractor and has ordered him to better it or else the project would be assigned to another contractor.



"This road is badly shaped and, it wont last long as expected," the Minister noted.



Hon. Amoako Atta said the government cannot waste the resources on poor and shoddy works because the people deserve better.



He also took time to inspect the Anwia Nkwanta-Obuasi stretch which is under construction by the Joshob Construction and later the 20km Obuasi Township Road by the Justmo construction.



The Obuasi Township Road is expected to be completed in March 2022 though work was far advanced.



The Anwia Nkwanta-Obuasi Road has always been in the news for its poor state which according to drivers and passengers, plying the stretch has been stressful.



The Minister was, however, satisfied with the progress of work and lauded the two construction companies, adding that local contractors need capacity building because per his observations he is confident they can take international assignments like any other foreign contractor.



He said his government is ready to support these local contractors by paying their monies on time and also supervise their works regularly to keep them on track.



Parliament recently approved a $150-million loan from the International Development Association (IDA) to finance the development of road infrastructure in the country under the Transport Sector Improvement Project (TSIP).

Source: Prince Kwadwo Boadu/ Hello FM









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Within the 16 programs, Armenia has provided assistance to about 21 thousand business entities and over 1 million people, said PM Nikol Pashinyan on Wednesday at the parliament.

We contacted the Central Bank, which provided communications with commercial banks. As of May 5, banks and credit organizations provided credit vacations to over 420 thousand individuals and 15 thousand legal entities, he noted.

So, according to the PM, 768,180 loans to individuals and 16,875 loans to legal entities were restructured during this period.

As a result of the measures taken, sensational data were achieved, and this indicates that Armenia managed to avoid social collapse.
What The Study Did: The intensive care unit and inpatient bed needs for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in two cities in China are described and compared to estimate the peak number of intensive care unit beds needed in U.S. cities if an outbreak equivalent to that in Wuhan occurs.

Authors: Ruoran Li, M.Phil., of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, is the corresponding author.

To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.8297)

Editor's Note: The article includes conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflicts of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

###

Media advisory: The full study is linked to this news release.

Embed this link to provide your readers free access to the full-text article This link will be live at the embargo time http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.8297?utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_term=050620

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. On weekdays, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.
A distress call from her 14-year-



old son forced a disabled woman from Pune to travel 1,200 km to Amravati on a two-wheeler to bring him home amid the COVID-19 lockdown.

An accountant with a private firm, Sonu Khandare had no idea that the lockdown would force her to make the journey of a lifetime.

On April 25, the 37-year-old disabled woman rode her scooter for 18 hours to bring her son home from a village in Maharashtra's Amravati district.

"My son Prateek had gone to my in-laws' place at a village in Anjangaon Surji tehsil on March 17 and was stuck there after the lockdown was announced on March 22," Khandare told PTI.

The Khandare couple was initially not worried about the boy's well-being, but when the lockdown was extended further till May 4, they got restless.

Khandare approached district authorities, applied for a travel pass online and even considered hiring a car for the journey, which would have cost her an exorbitant sum of Rs 8,000.

After none of these options seemed viable, she personally went to the police commissioner's office to get special permission.

"When I was granted a travel pass for 48 hours on April 24, I just headed home, packed some food and water and left on my two-wheeler without thinking twice," the 37-year- old said.

The trip proved to be a test of her grit and perseverance, as she had to encounter harsh weather conditions and dry terrains of Marathwada and Vidarbha along the way.

"I kept riding my two-wheeler even at night, with no light except the dim one coming from the headlight and to make things worse, I was stopped and questioned at every check-post along the way," she said.

In order to break the journey at night, Khandare managed to make a pitstop at a petrol pump along the highway near Khamgaon, where she slept on the sidewalk under the watchful gaze of a CCTV camera.

"When I noticed the CCTV cameras near the petrol pump, I decided to rest there on the open ground, as I believed that if anything were to happen to me, it will be recorded," she said.

Khandare made an early start on April 25 and reached her in-laws home in the afternoon.

"I hardly spent a couple of hours there, as I kept thinking about getting back home safely, before my travel pass expired," said the mother of three, who had to tackle dehydration and hunger, apart from the rough terrain and potholed roads.

Khandare managed to reach her home in Bhosari area of Pune, with limited stops, at around 11 pm on April 26, just an hour before her travel pass expired.

"My son and I immediately rushed to the hospital to check if we needed to be quarantined, as we had travelled," she said, adding that doctors only advised her home quarantine for 14 days and bed rest.

The trip took a toll on Khandare, who is pursuing her post-graduation in commerce in a bid to get a government job.

However, knowing that her son was under the same roof during these unprecedented times, made the journey worth it, she said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Kim Hyun-suk, president of Samsung Electronics' consumer electronics division, introduces the company's Ballie companion robot at the Consumer Electronics Show, Jan. 7. Samsung, one of the forefront companies in the fast-growing smart sensor market, said the Ballie robot has a set of sensors that allow it to perform various household chores. / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics



By Baek Byung-yeul



People are being advised to maintain social distancing to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and this has made a contactless lifestyle a new normal.



The advancement of information technology has made it possible for people to work from home, using collaborative tools such as videoconferencing; and students to study from home as schools go online during this time of social distancing.



With more contact-free services being made available, industry analysts forecast businesses will see a rise in sensors, core components for contactless services.



Sensors are modules that detect events or changes in the environment and send the information to other electronic devices.



With the development of semiconductor and micro electromechanical system technologies, sensors were downsized in the 1990s, and they became smarter after micro controller units (MCU), a small computer on a chip, were installed starting in 2012.



As the industry is a technology-intensive one, mainly used for electronics and vehicles, the sensor industry has strong forward and backward links to many different industrial sectors, according to report from Lee Mi-hye, a researcher at the Export-Import Bank of Korea.



The sensor industry was valued at an estimated at $137.8 billion in 2017, according to market researcher BCC Research, and will grow to $283.4 billion in 2023 with an annual growth rate of 12.8 percent.



Among the types of sensor businesses, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are accelerating their efforts to capitalize on the fast-growing CMOS market. CMOS stands for "complementary metal oxide semiconductor," an image sensor increasingly used in smart devices.



The image sensors are an essential part of IT devices such as smartphones, digital cameras and laptops as they convert light information into electrical signals. With the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, image sensors are increasingly used for security devices, self-driving vehicles and robots.



Samsung Electronics is one of the companies at the forefront in the image sensor market. With the aim of catching up with market leader Sony, Samsung's Device Solution division launched a sensor business team within its System LSI Business Department.



Thanks to its efforts, Samsung is now placed second in the market with a 21 percent share, following Sony at 48 percent as of 2019, according to data from market researcher Techno System Research.



In its earnings report for the first quarter, Samsung said it has seen increasing demand for image sensors with ultra-high resolution mainly used for high-end smartphones. To find a breakthrough in the COVID-19 hit market, the company said it "will focus on minimizing impacts by maximizing the supply of high-pixel image sensors."



SK investing more for image sensor business



SK hynix is also strengthening its CMOS image sensor business. The company recently launched new image sensors for smartphone cameras under its new brand Black Pearl. To increase production volume, the company converted part of its DRAM chip production line in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province into a CMO image sensors line.





Hyundai Mobis' fully autonomous driving concept car M. Vision S is on display during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this January. Equipped with various sensors such as cameras, radar and lidar, the concept model showed how a self-driving car interacts with pedestrians, obstacles and other vehicles on the street. / Courtesy of Hyundai Mobis
Phu Lac wind power plant in Binh Thuan Province  PHOTO: VNA According to the prime ministers Decision 39 on supporting the development of wind power, wind power projects will enjoy FITs until the end of 2021. However, due to the negative impact of Covid-19, many wind power projects have been postponed and will not be completed on time. Many companies have suspended their production, causing shortages of construction materials and equipment for wind power projects. As a result, the projects cannot be finished as scheduled. I hope the Government will extend FITs to support investors, said Bui Van Thinh, president of the Binh Thuan Province Wind Power Association. Vietnam holds great potential for wind power development. Data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade showed that there are currently 11 wind power projects operating in the country, with a total capacity of 377 megawatts (MW). Over 31 projects with a total capacity of 1,660 MW are scheduled to be put into operation in 2020 or 2021. Thinh noted that construction technology and the technical requirements of wind power projects are much more complicated than those associated with solar power projects. In addition, wind power projects are facing a number of issues such as leasing procedures for land and water and problems with national security and defense. Many investors are also concerned that the power transmission infrastructure will be overloaded when proposed or in-progress wind power projects are finished and put into operation. Thinh stated that Phu Lac wind power plant in Binh Thuan Province sometimes had to cut its capacity by up to 61% due to the overloaded power grids. Dr Ha Dang Son, director of the Center for Energy and Green Growth Research, said that these issues are a great challenge for investors and the Ministry of Industry and Trade, hampering the development of clean energy. He expressed hope that the countrys power plan will see drastic adjustments to address these issues and ensure the sustainable development of the power sector. SGT
By Trend

Turkmenistan and the EU have discussed the Central Asia regional program on the rule of law, Trend reports with reference to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.

This program was presented at the videoconference meeting with representatives of the EU and Turkmenistan, which was held on May 5, 2020.



The purpose of this meeting was to familiarize Turkmenistan with the regional program EU-Central Asia Rule of Law Platform, as well as its main component on promoting transparency and action against economic crimes in Central Asia.

The fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism, corporate governance and compliance with business standards are important components of EU and Turkmenistans joint projects.

The participants of the meeting exchanged views on the prospects of this project, its goals and objectives.

From Turkmenistan's side, the meeting was attended by representatives of several ministries and departments, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Finance and Economy of Turkmenistan.

Representatives of the EU in Turkmenistan and specialists from the Transparency and Action against economic crimes in Central Asia project represented the European side.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Tara Reade poses for a photograph during an interview in Nevada City, Calif., on April 4, 2019. (Donald Thompson/AP Photo)

Pelosi Says She Wont Answer Further Questions About Tara Reades Sexual Assault Allegation

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she will no longer answer questions about the sexual assault allegation against presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

Tara Reade, who worked for Bidens Senate office in 1992 and 1993, says Biden sexually assaulted her at the U.S. Capitol in 1993.

Biden denied the claim last week, publicly addressing the matter for the first time. Asked May 5 about Bidens answer, Pelosi said I believe him when he says it didnt happen.

But I also believe him when he says let them look into the records, and thats what they should do, she said during an appearance on MSNBCs The Beat.

Reade said she filed a document with a Senate office about what allegedly happened. Biden asked the secretary of the Senate to try to find any documentation of Reades complaint.

The secretarys office told The Epoch Times that it couldnt disclose any documents about the matter.

Pelosi then said she wont answer questions about the sexual assault allegation.

Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden speaks in Wilmington, Delaware, on March 12, 2020. (Matt Rourke/AP Photo)

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in Washington on May 5, 2020. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Im not going to answer this question again. I will just say I have every confidence that Joe Biden will be a great President of the United States, not only because of the person of integrity that he is, but the person of vision that he is for just some of the things you talked about, about health care for all Americans, about job security, about the kitchen table issues that he is so familiar with in his own family when his father lost his own job, she said.

Joe Biden is Joe Biden, she added.

Top Democrats have closed ranks around Biden, saying they support him and dismissing Reades allegation, including many who previously said women who accuse men of assault should be believed.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a former Democratic presidential candidate, told reporters in Washington that Bidens denial was credible and convincing.

I believe that everyone has a right to tell her story, to be listened to, and treated with respect, she said. Asked whether there should be an independent probe into Reades allegation, she declined to answer directly.
The six-county coalition formed in mid-March to respond to the coronavirus pandemic in Southeast Texas will close its drive-thru test sites and stand down on May 15.

But Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick made it clear during a news conference Wednesday to announce the changes that things are not back to normal.

He struck a firm but diplomatic chord when asked whether area residents should continue taking precautions as Gov. Greg Abbott continues allowing restaurants and other businesses to reopen.

I dont have any plans in the near future to go to a restaurant, Branick said.   Im going to continue what Ive been doing, which is coming to work and then going back home. I think thats something thats the most reasonable under the circumstances we find ourselves in. I wish all the best to the restaurants, just without me in them.

A day earlier, Abbott laid out the next phases of his Open Texas plan, which prohibit city and county leaders from passing any emergency orders that are stricter than the ones hes issuing.

When asked if that contributed to the timeline for disbanding the coalition, Branick reiterated that the group had met its three operational objectives: Provide COVID-19 testing to as many individuals as possible, keep residents informed to prevent the virus spread and ensure the availability of personal protective equipment such as masks for medical personnel.

We still have the ability to make emergency orders, just not contradictory orders, Branick said in closing. We have the authority to encourage individuals to wear face masks in public but not order them to do so.

He also noted that the region had tested more than 1% of residents  a goal set forth in late April by Abbott  and hoped to reach 2% by mid-May.

On Wednesday, regional 218 residents were tested at the publicly run sites at the Jack Brooks Regional Airport and in Silsbee. The hotline set up by the coalition to streamline the screening and testing process received an additional 209 calls.

This week has seen the highest sustained numbers of calls to the hotline and people being tested. The coalition has been running additional one-day testing sites at various locations across the region.

An additional 13 coronavirus cases were confirmed on Wednesday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the region to 581. This was the largest single-day increase this week.

Helpful numbers (409) 550-2536: Hotline for residents of Jasper, Jefferson, Hardin, Newton, Orange and Tyler counties who want to be tested for coronavirus. 211, option 6: For general coronavirus inquiries. At a glance What: West Hardin County testing When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday Where: West Hardin CISD School, 39221 Highway 105, Saratoga What: Hamshire-Fannett testing When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday Where: St. Mary's Catholic Church, 9894 Gilbert Road What: Jasper County testing When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 13 Where: Jasper County Sub-Courthouse, 33625 Highway 96 S., Buna What: Hardin County testing When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 14 Where: Hardin County Old Courthouse Annex, 440 Monroe, Kountze Details: A test must be scheduled in advance by calling the number above. Only 100 appointments will be scheduled for each location. Proof is residency is required. See More Collapse

>> Related: Beaumont opens up outdoor dining to accommodate social distancing, Abbott's orders

After the public test sites close on May 15, Branick said, the Jefferson County emergency operations center will continue to monitor local coronavirus trends for a surge or any other changes that indicate we need to jump back into action.

The hotline set up by the coalition also will stay operational, but all calls will be forwarded to the jurisdiction an individual lives in.

Local health authorities have given some details regarding how those calls will be handled and other specifics are expected to be rolled out as May 15 approaches.

The city of Beaumont has the most fleshed-out plan, which Mayor Becky Ames alluded to at a Tuesday meeting of the City Council. She gave more details on Wednesday.

She said the city is working with seven private providers in Beaumont to determine what kind of testing they can do. Ames said the intent is that the health department will be able to send residents seeking testing to one of those clinics.

>> Related: Beaumont expected to soon send residents for coronavirus testing at seven sites

Ames said she does not anticipate demand to exceed capacity, based on how testing has slowed over the past few days. But just in case, she said, the city is working with a private contractor that could set up an eighth testing site.

You dont have to be symptomatic, she said. You dont have to have insurance because we want anyone to be tested that needs to be tested.

Port Arthur Mayor Thurman Bill Bartie, reached by The Enterprise after the news conference, said hes been talking with his public health director and manager to develop a testing plan to be announced Thursday afternoon.

He said it would be inappropriate to give more details until then. Bartie has repeatedly called on local officials to establish a coronavirus testing site in Port Arthur because of the small number of individuals that have been tested and the higher risks the virus poses to people of color.

On Wednesday he made it clear he also disagrees with decisions made by Abbott to set the goal for number of residents to be tested for the virus at 1% and to reopen businesses the way its being done.

But theres not much he can do to stop it.

>> Related: Port Arthur to release plan to test residents for coronavirus

We cant enforce anything, so you have to go along with what theyre doing, Bartie said. I can speak out as I am mayor of a city that knows we shouldnt be getting ready to go back to the old way of doing things because we havent contained the virus.

Jefferson County Health Authority Dr. Cecil Walkes plans to use the countys mobile medical unit to continue virus testing in outlying areas such as China, Cheek and Sabine Pass.

Hardin County Judge Wayne McDaniel said his countys health authority, which also covers Orange County, will operate its own testing site once a week through at least the first week of June.

Jasper County Judge Mark Allen said he expects his countys health department, which also is responsible for Newton, Sabine and Tyler counties, will still help individuals who want to be tested find opportunities and coordinate with the state on the best locations should it want to open any more one-day testing sites.

Over the course of Wednesdays news conference, Branick acknowledged that increased testing means identifying and quarantining more asymptomatic individuals who could be unknowingly spreading the virus. As test kits have become more widely available, he added, testing could be shifted back to the private sector and local health departments.

kaitlin.bain@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/KaitlinBain
The Government announces the first 64 repatriation flights to bring back about 15,000 stranded Indians from abroad, but only those with compelling grounds, excluding OCI holders.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, over 3 lakh people have registered with Indian missions in the Gulf region to be repatriated home, according to official sources. However, not everyone but only those with compelling grounds to return will be brought back, sources involved in this exercise told ANI on Tuesday.

The government today said it will operate the first 64 repatriation flights from May 7 to bring back about 15,000 Indian nationals from abroad over a period of one week, in one of its biggest-ever evacuation exercises.

Indian missions on the ground will do due diligence and decide on who with compelling reasons can fly back to India. Those who fit the parameters include people facing deportation, migrant workers who have been laid off, short-term visa holders, people with medical emergencies, pregnant women, elderly persons, a person who has lost a near one, tourists, and students whose colleges and hostels are shut.

Government of India to facilitate return of Indian Nationals stranded abroad. Process to begin from May 7 in a phased manner. Ministry of external affairs & Ministry of civil aviation to soon share details on website. https://t.co/otTkHBpWUL pic.twitter.com/eZgQsMBrRc  Guwahati City.com (@guwahaticity) May 4, 2020

Corona Warriors of Lifeline UDAN help ICMR in completing one million RT-PCR tests by transporting PPE, testing kits, reagents, enzymes & supplies to ICMR labs across India. 430 flights have flown 4,21,790 kms to ferry 795 tons of cargo since 26th March. pic.twitter.com/IfaNDXWbVE  Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) May 3, 2020

Sources said repatriation will only be available for Indian citizens and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders, green card holders, or any foreign nationals will be brought back.

However, whenever our flights will go from here to bring back our stranded citizens from respective countries, we will be allowing OCI or green card holders or other foreign nationals of that country who want to go. We will be liberal with people going out only if their countries are open to receive them, sources said.

For a seamless flow of the repatriation process, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has formed a coordination committee. It has appointed one coordinator per state to manage the repatriation process of Indian citizens.

64 flights to be operated from May 7 to May 13 to bring back stranded Indians from abroad: Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 5, 2020

The committee includes senior joint secretary /additional secretary rank officials from MEA. Seventeen coordinators have been appointed. Starting from May 7, 64 flights will go to 12 countries including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Maldives, Singapore and the US. Naval ships will be sent to the Maldives, which has several Indians working there.

More than 10000 Indians have tested positive in Gulf countries, 84 have died till now, sources said. Sources also indicated that in the coming days more countries will be included in the repatriation operation titled Vande Bharat Mission.

The Prime Ministers office and particularly cabinet secretary, external affairs minister and foreign secretary are personally giving direction to this huge repatriation process undertaken by India, according to sources.

Heroes of @IAF_MCC who have themselves been at the frontline of India's fight against COVID19 by operating more than 170 Lifeline UDAN flights with medical & essential cargo fly past & shower petals to inspire our frontline healthcare workers. Salute.  pic.twitter.com/JrnRd8XJHQ  Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) May 3, 2020

Ministry of External Affairs will also be sharing the data of the skills of the workers with their respective states so that they can be rehabilitated with the help of state governments and the Ministry of Skill Development.

Unscheduled commercial flights will be involved in the entire repatriation process and the cost of travel has to be borne by passengers. Only asymptomatic passengers will board and two-week institutional quarantine will be implemented for all who are flown back from foreign countries.

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BERLIN (Reuters) - Measures to constrain and combat the coronavirus pandemic are likely to remain in place for a long time, meaning a rapid and strong economic recovery is relatively unlikely, German central bank President Jens Weidmann said on Tuesday.

But Weidmann, who also sits on the European Central Banks rate-setting Governing Council, said that he did expect a sustained recovery once the pandemic was fully overcome.

It was too soon for the German government to launch a fiscal stimulus programme, however, since the social distancing measures in place would blunt its impact.

A stimulus programme could make sense if a recovery didnt properly get going later on, he said.
A leading Jewish civil rights group has filed a freedom of information legal request against the NYPD and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to establish why the mayor chose to target a Jewish funeral in calling out social distancing violations.

The Lawfare Project, the world's leading Jewish civil rights litigation fund, has accused the mayor of adding 'fuel to the fire' of anti-Semitic hate crimes after personally traveling to disperse mourners on the same day that hundreds gathered to watch the Navy Blue Angels and Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration teams participate in flyover.

'It is outrageous for the mayor, charged with protecting the rights of all New Yorkers, to seemingly selectively enforce the law only against the Jewish community,' Brooke Goldstein, Executive Director of The Lawfare Project, told DailyMail.com

'That is the essence of anti-Semitism, and it must stop.'

Mayor Bill de Blasio traveled to Orthodox Jewish funeral in Williamsburg on April 28 to warn off hundreds of mourners for a lack of social distancing. A Jewish civil rights litigation fund has now filed a freedom of information request to establish why he targeted the Jewish community

The NYPD have also been filed with the request, looking for documents relating to police presence at the funeral. Pictured at NYPD officer at the April 28 funeral of Rabbi Chaim Mertz

Mayor Bill de Blasio came under attack in late April for singling out the Jewish community for breaking social distancing - when he travels 11 miles from his home to go for a walk in Prospect Park.

On April 28, he instructed police to arrest mourners at funerals and anyone gathering in large groups in a new 'zero tolerance' approach to stop the spread of coronavirus.

'Something absolutely unacceptable happened in Williamsburg tonite: a large funeral gathering in the middle of this pandemic,' he wrote on Twitter after traveling to the funeral of Rabbi Chaim Mertz.

He claims he decided to go after photos revealed hundreds of people had gathered in the streets to pay their respects.

'When I heard, I went there myself to ensure the crowd was dispersed. And what I saw WILL NOT be tolerated so long as we are fighting the Coronavirus.'

The mayor went on to send a stark warning to the community that the police will issue summons and even arrest people flouting social distancing guidelines.

Mayor de Blasio was criticized for his tweet which some claimed targeted the Jewish community while ignoring that other groups were not using social distancing

'My message to the Jewish community, and all communities, is this simple: the time for warnings has passed,' he wrote on Twitter.

'I have instructed the NYPD to proceed immediately to summons or even arrest those who gather in large groups. This is about stopping this disease and saving lives. Period.'

De Blasio's response faced a backlash from some members of the Jewish community who said he was 'singling out' the group.

The Lawfare Project, which describes itself as the legal arm of the international Jewish community, has now issued the FOIL request to establish what information led to de Blasio tweeting specifically about the Jewish community.

The Lawfare Project has now filed this freedom on information legal request

The request calls on NYPD officials to release documents surrounding the funeral

The have also requested information from the NYPD on the police presence deployed to other minority neighborhoods such as the Muslim, African-American and Latinto community.

To place in contrast, The Lawfare Project requested access to information on the NYPD forces deployed as hundreds gathered to view the Blue Angels flyover that happened just hours before Mayor de Blasio appeared at Rabbi Chaim Mertz' funeral.

'The Lawfare Project is concerned that, at a time when anti-Semitic hate crimes are skyrocketing in New York City, Mayor de Blasio has added fuel to the fire by singling out the entire Jewish community for the spread of the coronavirus, even threatening its members with arrest,' Gerard Filitti, Senior Counsel at The Lawfare Project, told DailyMail.com.

'In light of the mayor's outrageous statement, we have filed FOIL requests to investigate whether the mayor and the NYPD have taken actions that have disproportionately - and unlawfully - targeted the Jewish community.'

The FOIL filed against De Blasio for his tweet about the Jewish funeral includes requests for information about the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds flyover that happened the same day

The FOIL filed against De Blasio for his tweet about the Jewish funeral

In order to determine, the process behind the Mayor's call to the NYPD to arrest mourners while remaining silent on other large social gatherings in the city, the group has requested documents referring to the funeral of Rabbi Chaim Mertz from NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea, NYPD Chief Terence Monahan, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Captain Mark Vaquez from the 90th precinct, as well as documents referencing NYPD cooperation or preparation for a funeral in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on April 28.

Commissioner Shea has also been asked to present documents in which he may have been informed of the death of Rabbi Chaim Mertz on April 28.

The Mayor's office is specifically asked for documents reflecting the actions taken by Mayor Bill de Blasio when he traveled to Brooklyn on April 28, 2020 in connection with the dispersal of the funeral of Rabbi Chaim Mertz.

New York police officers and members of the Jewish Shorim neighborhood safety patrol instruct a crowd as hundreds of mourners gather in Brooklyn on April 28. Mayor Bill de Blasio has been criticized for traveling to the funeral to warn about social distancing

Mayor Bill de Blasio chastised 'the Jewish community' following the breakup of the large funeral that flouted public health orders, for which he was harshly criticized

They have requested the same group of people to provide documents in connection with the flyover of the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds on the same day including any NYPD participation and the instructions personnel were given.

They also focus on 311 calls involving complaints about breaches in social distancing guidelines, focusing on April 28, the day of the funeral and the Blue Angels flyover.

The group is reaching further back, requesting any documents involving the assignment, mobilization or deployment of police officers or resources that contain the terms 'Jew,' 'Jews,' 'Jewish,' 'Temple,' 'Synagogue,' 'Shul, 'Hassid' or 'Hassidic' from March 18 onward when the social distancing guidelines began to be implemented.

They extended this with a request for any documents regarding the deployment, mobilization, assignment of NYPD personnel, including but not limited to police officers, to predominantly Haisdic, Muslim, African-American and Latino neighborhoods from March 1 onward.

Mayor de Blasio was forced to apologize in late April after he singled out the Jewish community for attending a large orthodox funeral in Brooklyn.

Pilots from the US Navy joined forces with the Air Force for a dazzling display over New York City that also drew out hundreds of onlookers on the same day as the funeral

The lawmaker said he had instructed police to arrest large groups of mourners in a new 'zero tolerance' approach after personally traveling to break up the Hasidic funeral of Rabbi Chaim Maertz.

But his actions and words sparked a furious backlash, with critics pointing out he travels 11 miles from his home to go for a walk and that crowds had earlier gathered to watch a military flyover but were not similarly treated by officials.

De Blasio was later forced to say sorry - but still insisted he had 'no regrets about calling out this danger and saying we're going to deal with it very, very aggressively'.

He said: 'If in my passion and in my emotion, I said something that in any way was hurtful, I'm sorry about that.

'That was not my intention. But I also want to be clear: I have no regrets about calling out this danger and saying we're going to deal with it very, very aggressively.'
Regarding taking money from the inheritance fund for this  or budgeting for it  Commissioner Bill Bamesberger said, Id rather keep it out of the mill levy and take it out of inheritance funds. There are adequate funds there at this time.

Warrelmann noted that there will need to be proof of funds (of the $50,000) at the time of application.

I would prefer that the money comes from the inheritance fund, I dont want to dip out of the general fund, said Commissioner Bulgrin. I just have a little uneasiness about this right now. I realize there is a deadline, but we dont know what the economic impact is going to be from the COVID-19 situation. You see producers having to destroy livestock and the grain prices are down . . . The citys been delaying projects due to concerns over sales tax issues, which is wise. I just dont know if this is the right time to do this. I know there is a $5 million balance in the inheritance fund but every dollar counts.

York County Development Corporation Director Lisa Hurley said she felt even more critical repair needs will exist next year due to the loss of peoples incomes, if the program doesnt take place this year.
California Governor Gavin Newsom seal View Photo

Sacramento, CA  Governor Gavin Newsoms stay at home order won a legal battle in federal court on Tuesday.

Judge John Mendez ruled that the Governor has the right to prohibit church gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic, and stated that the government must balance public health safety and constitutional rights.

The specific case was in regards to a lawsuit filed by the Cross Culture Christian Center in Lodi. The judge ruled against granting a temporary restraining order that would have allowed for continuing services, and said the church was unlikely to succeed on the merits of their claim.

The Associated Press reports that the church was refusing to close, but then the buildings landlord stepped in and changed the locks after receiving legal threats from public health officials.

Pastor Jonathan Duncan released a statement noting that he is disappointed with the ruling but will continue to fight for the right to worship.
He also called on her to apologize to the elected officials whose orders she flouted, saying that until a vaccine for the virus is developed, citizens must obey emergency orders.

Failure to do so will only have catastrophic consequences, Judge Moye said, and those reach far beyond the exigencies of one family or one business.

But Ms. Luther said that she would not comply with stay-at-home orders and that she had no regrets about reopening after a closure of more than a month.

I have to disagree with you, sir, when you say that Im selfish, because feeding my kids is not selfish, Ms. Luther said. So, sir, if you think the laws more important than kids getting fed, then please go ahead with your decision. But I am not going to shut the salon.
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Linkedin (The Straits Times/Asia News Network) New York, United States  Wed, May 6, 2020 18:04 622 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd664c52 2 Books author,Pulitzer-Prize,fiction,Colson-Whitehead Free

American author Colson Whitehead's novel The Nickel Boys, which chronicles the horrors of a reform school in Florida, has made him the fourth person ever to win the Pulitzer prize for fiction twice.

The 50-year-old won the same award in 2017 for his book The Underground Railroad.

Colson joins Booth Tarkington, William Faulkner and John Updike as authors who had won the Pulitzer prize for fiction twice, BBC reported.

The Pulitzer Prizes have been handed out since 1917, when newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer established them in his will.

They are awarded in 15 journalism categories and seven book, drama and music categories. Winners are traditionally announced in Columbia University in New York.

This year, however, Pulitzer administrator Dana Canedy delivered the news on Monday in a video filmed from her living room, following weeks of remote discussion between the 18 board members.

The prize for general non-fiction was given to two books, Anne Boyer's The Undying: Pain, Vulnerability, Mortality, Medicine, Art, Time, Dreams, Data, Exhaustion, Cancer And Care; and The End Of The Myth: From The Frontier To The Border Wall In The Mind Of America by Greg Grandin.

The music award went to The Central Park Five, an opera by Anthony Davis about the five African-American and Latino teenagers wrongly convicted in the 1989-1990 New York "Central Park jogger" rape case.

This year, an audio reporting prize was also given out for the first time, The Guardian reported.

The podcast This American Life, along with Los Angeles Times reporter Molly O'Toole and Emily Green, a freelancer with Vice News, were commended for an episode examining the effects of the American President Donald Trump administration's "Remain in Mexico" policy.

Considered the most coveted journalism award, the prize for public service journalism went to Alaska newspaper Anchorage Daily News and ProPublica, which is based in New York. Their reporting on indigenous populations in Alaska's rural villages revealed rampant sexual abuse and the lack of police protection there, reported Reuters.

Photography staff from Reuters won the breaking photography award for documenting last year's violent protests in Hong Kong, while The Washington Post won the explanatory journalism award for a series on climate change.

The New York Times, which had won a record 127 Pulitzer prizes and citations before this year, received three more on Monday (May 4). These included the commentary prize for Nikole Hannah-Jones' personal essay launching the newspaper's sweeping 1619 Project, which "seeks to place the enslavement of Africans at the centre of America's story", in the words of the Pulitzer board.

A posthumous special citation was also given to Ida B. Wells, the African-American investigative journalist and civil rights activist.

Wells, who was born into slavery in Mississippi in 1862, chronicled the use of lynching to oppress black Americans.

A US$50,000 (S$70,820) donation will be made in support of her mission, with the recipients to be announced later.

"Ironically, the very first time the prizes were presented was June 1917 - less than a year before the 1918 outbreak of the Spanish Flu pandemic," Ms Canedy was quoted by Reuters as saying.

"During this season of unprecedented uncertainty, one thing we know for sure is that journalism never stops."

Some of the winners:

Fiction: The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

Drama: A Strange Loop by Michael R. Jackson

History: Sweet Taste Of Liberty: A True Story Of Slavery And Restitution In America by W. Caleb McDaniel

Biography: Sontag: Her Life And Work by Benjamin Moser

Poetry: The Tradition by Jericho Brown

General Non-fiction: The End Of The Myth: From The Frontier To The Border Wall In The Mind Of America by Greg Grandin; The Undying: Pain, Vulnerability, Mortality, Medicine, Art, Time, Dreams, Data, Exhaustion, Cancer And Care by Anne Boyer

Music: The Central Park Five by Anthony Davis

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This article appeared on The Straits Times newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
By Godknows Igali, PhD

It was originally meant to be a gathering of Nigerias ecclesiastical hierarchy, as Head of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, offered his Formal Exit Thanksgiving Service on 22nd March, 2020. However, due to the global Corona Virus (COVID-19) pandemic, and in compliance with Government directives, Church authorities, opted for a lowkey worship service while on 25th March, 2020, the Formal Presentation of the New Primate held in Abuja, involving few senior clergy and church legal persons.

Dr Nicholas Okoh, had sometime in the past, exited honourably from top position in the Nigerian Army Chaplaincy. This second pull out therefore, saw to the official takeover of the leadership of one of Nigerias premier Christian denominations  the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) from him to Archbishop Henry Chukwudum Ndukuba. The 58 years old new Head of the Church, a theologian, is renowned within Christian circles for addicted prayerfulness and deep spirituality. Although born to parents from Orlu in Imo State, he had cut his teeth in missionary work in the predominantly Muslim north of Nigeria.

It is common fact, that from his teenage years of evangelical work, undergraduate theological studies and up to formal ordination into priesthood, Ndukuba steadily traversed northern Nigeria with unimaginable devotion, eventually rising to become the Bishop of Gombe Diocese and Archbishop of Jos Ecclesiastical Province. In line with church traditions, at a Special Meeting in Asaba in September, 2019, the 175 Bishops of the Anglican Communion elected him to succeed Dr Okoh. Quite urbane and intellectual, he comes to the job with postgraduate degrees from vaunted institutions, i.e. Durham University, UK and Princeton (theological seminary), New Jersey, United States. More than that, those who know him well, are quick to judge that he talks little, but get the toughest things done on his kneels

HOW THE CHURCH WORK ALL STARTED

The story of this manner of succession in the leadership of the Church and its involvement in nation building goes further down history to the days when a future state to be called Nigeria was still at its foetal stages. Christianity had first come to Nigeria through the Roman Catholic Church in the 15th century by Augustinian and Capuchin monks from Portugal, when the monarch, King Alphonsus V, sent explorers towards Africa. At that time, they developed close relationship with the people of Warri area and the Benin empire. This was to the extent that one of the future Benin kings, Oba Esigie (1504-1550) established diplomatic relations with Portugal and ensured that his, son and successor Oba Orhogbua (1547-1580), received western (priestly) education in Lisbon. Oba Esigie, in 1517, even established his Holy Arousa Church, which still exists in some form in Benin City.

By the 17th century, the Portuguese and Spaniards who joined them left the West African coast, including the scratches of Christian work in places like Gold Coast (Ghana); with the exception of some presence in Sao Tome. In contrast, a new evangelical surge rose in Europe in mid-18th century, resulting in many Christian denominations forming groups and societies, with a fervour to adventure into the unknown recesses of Africa to spread the gospel. Some of these included Church Missionary Society (CMS) for the Church of England also known as the Anglicans, Holy Ghost Fathers (Roman Catholics), etc. Sierra Leone which was a settlement for freed slaves since 1808 was the breeding ground for these early works.

As it pertained to Nigeria, the Abeokuta-Badagry axis became the initial epicentre for church work. So, one Rev Henry Townsend from the CMS arrived in Badagry on 17th December, 1842, to rekindle Church work. Townsend, an Englishman had started working for the CMS mission field in Sierra Leone as far back as 1836. Interesting enough, he had learnt Yoruba language, then referred to as Aku from freed slaves in Hasting in the United Kingdom. On Christmas day 1842, along with one Dr Thomas Birch Freeman, a Methodist Missionary, who was around the area before him, for the first time in Nigerian history, Christmas Worship Service took place in Badagry. Townsend, however entered Abeokuta in January, 1843 to start the great work which began the renewed Christian inroad into Nigeria.

Townsend was soon joined by Rev Samuel Ajayi Crowther, a former freed slave of Yoruba origin and had also been ordained as a priest in 1842. Crowther, who was actually raised by CMS missionaries in Sierra Leone, had received education at St. Marys Church, Islington, UK and later at Fourah Bay College (University), Freetown established in 1827, of which he was the first student. He later attended the elitist Oxford University, obtaining Doctor of Divinity degree.

Townsend remained in present west of Nigeria, Togo and Dahomey (Benin) where he championed the Yoruba Mission, and perfecting speaking the language. The penetration into Yoruba hinterland and indeed parts of what is Nigerias middle belt was also made easier by the influx of many freed slaves of Yoruba origin known as Saro who were settled in Sierra Leone. Churches were quickly established in Abeokuta in 1846, Lagos in 1851, Ibadan in 1853, Oyo in 1856. These efforts were not alone as the Baptists led by Rev Thomas Bowen moved into Ogbomosho (1855) while Catholics set up a base in Lagos in 1868.

On the other hand, Crowther proceeded inter-land to the south-east, in what is today, Nigerias Ibo heartland and the motley of peoples of the Niger Delta area. Crowthers adventure into the interior of Nigeria had been bolstered by his selection to participate in the series of Niger Expeditions of 1841, 1854 and 1857, which were, British government sponsored joint mercantilist, academic study and missionary endeavours. These expeditions, enabled Crowther increase his rich multilingual skills, which already had Yoruba, Greek, Latin, Mende and Temne (Sierra Leonian) to include fair amount of Nupe, Hausa, Igbo and Ibani/Nembe (Ijaw).

Crowther, in whose footsteps Bishops Okoh and Ndukuba and the various hundreds of Bishops in Nigeria walk today, was consecrated as the first black man ever, to be made a Bishop in the Church of England in 1864, a position he held until his death in 1891. Aided by his mentor, Rev. Henry Venn, then Secretary of the CMS, he was designated Bishop of the Countries of Western Africa beyond the dominion of the Queen. In reality, he operated only as Bishop of the Niger Mission, but was influential, including reciting the Lords Prayer in Yoruba to the great English monarch, Queen Victoria, which she is reported to have described as soft and melodious. He also enjoyed respect of many within government and the Church.

Crowther embarked on his awesomely unimaginable evangelical work in a manner that took the church along with western education to the various people of Nigeria. With his initial base at Bonny, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, he reached out to the rest of Nigeria, going as far as Bida. Crowthers focus on the coastal areas was also influenced by the fact that his missionary drive into the interior of Nigeria by land route had become hazardous as a result of perennial wars between Egba and Ibadan as well as the Ijaye War. He opted to go up the River Niger from its outlets to the sea. He established churches around Ontisha (1857) and in such coastal places Lokoja (1858), Akassa (1861), Bonny (1864), Brass (1868), Nembe (1871), Elem Kalabari (1875), Okrika (1880) as well as the Ndokwa hinterland.

Being a linguist, he also took giant steps in translation of the Holy Bible, Book of Common Prayer into Yoruba. Additionally, he produced a Vocabulary of Yoruba Language, Yoruba Proverbs in 1852 as well as helped pioneer compilation of vocabularies and reading books in Igbo in 1857, Nupe in 1860 and also Hausa. (Other Christian denominations such as the Presbyterians led by Rev Hope Waddel had earlier moved into Calabar in 1846, supported by Mary Slessor who arrived in 1876. In the Eastern parts of Nigeria, the Catholics also came by establishing work post in Onitsha in 1886). It was quite difficult for Christian missions to penetrate core Hausaland until 1889.

THE BIRTH OF CHURCH OF NIGERIA

With the advent of colonial rule, the CMS, which had churches in all of West Africa, went on to established an Anglican Province of West Africa, with headquarters in Sierra Leone. As a matter of fact, Sierra Leone had become a Diocese in 1852, while similar Dioceses had been established in major towns of British West Africa. These include Accra (1909), Lagos (1919), On the Niger (1920) and Gambia (1935). Against this backdrop, Church leaders from the Anglican Communion in West Africa, held Special Conferences in 1906, 1935 and 1944, all in Lagos, with the purpose of establishing a Province of West Africa. Finally, with a nod from the parent, Church of England, the new Province was inaugurated on 17th April, 1951 in Freetown by then presiding Archbishop of Canterbury and Head of the Church, Dr Geoffrey Fisher. The then Bishop of Lagos, Leslie Gordon Vining, became its first Archbishop.

After the exit and death of Crowther in 1891, church activities shifted essentially to Lagos, culminating in the formal establishment of the Diocese of Lagos and the appointment of a Bishop on Dec 10th, 1919. Afterwards was commencement of the building of Christ Church Cathedral, in Marina in 1924. Besides, Lagos had also become Nigerias federal capital. The initial Bishops in Lagos, Melvin Jones, H. Tugwell and of course Vinning, undertook major efforts to train young Nigerians who they not only ordained as Priests but later consecrated as Bishops.

New Dioceses such as Niger Delta (1952), Ibadan (1952), Ondo (1952), Benin (1952), Northern Nigeria (1959) and so many others sprung up in those early days, getting to a total number of sixteen, so were the number of consecrated Bishops. By 1979 after following the necessary church protocols, Nigeria was weaned from the rest of West Africa. It acquired autonomy becoming the Church of Nigeria, in full fellowship with Church of England and Anglican Communion worldwide, on St. Mathias Day of the same year.

THE CHURCH AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

From the swaddling days, of Townsend and Crowther, the Church, turned out to be the harbinger of social and economic development across Nigeria. So, Christian faith came as it were, with the the Bible and the Plough; i.e., the main agent of socio-economic development. Church workers came with new forms of agricultural practice, poultry farming, animal husbandry, tailoring, carpentry, craft and handicraft production and vocational training programmes. This was done in almost all places where they set up stations and helped considerably to add value to the livelihood and economic wellbeing of the local population.

Even better known, CMS and other denominations committed heavily into propagation of formal western education. This had two facets. First was the role which it played in the development of Indigenous Languages. As a way of enhancing the missionary work, the Church encouraged the development of local orthography, grammar and its vocabularies, classification of languages and even compilation of aspects of the indigenous literature. Crowther and other missionaries documented aspects of the literature, sociology and history of the various peoples, some of which could have been lost in the course of time. By 1859, Townsend started publishing Nigerias oldest newspaper, Iwe Irohin, in Yoruba language while Crowther and his son Archdeacon Dandeson Crowther, also opened a printing press in Bonny in the 1870s.

More profoundly promotion of western education. Crowthers approach, well known to the CMS was evangelization through education. This made it easier for strong Nigerian potentates, who were largely animist to accept the faith. A good example was King Ockyia of Nembe, whose conversion in 1876, was preceded by the enrolment of his 11 children in school 9 years. The first Primary School in Nigeria was built in Badagry by the Methodist church in 1843 while Hope Waddel built the Presbyterian School in Duke Town, Calabar in 1846. However, it was the CMS that established a more formal school in Lagos in 1851 and went on to the first Grammar school, then CMS Grammar School, Barriga in the suburbs of Lagos in 1859, followed by St Gregorys College (Catholic) in 1876 and Methodist Boys High School (1878) and even a Methodist Girls High School was established in 1879.

Besides this, Healthcare was a major aspect of the work of the church, as their coming to Nigeria was confronted by the existence of the scourge of Malaria and other water-borne diseases which made Africa a grave for the white man. In addition, there were other global pandemics which occurred in those early days, such as; Measles, the Spanish Plague, Influenza (1918-1920), Small Pox, Tuberculosis, Leprosy, Yellow Fever. The Church in Nigeria therefore, dwelt copiously on response to the challenges of health care. The first health care facilities built by the missionaries was a dispensary opened by the CMS in Obosi, in present Anambra state in 1880. This was followed by two additional facilities in Onitsha and Ibadan in 1886. However, the first actual health facility worth called a Hospital was the Sacred Heart Hospital built by the Catholics in 1884.

FOOTPRINT ON SOCIAL ADVOCACY

As time went on, the church in Nigeria passed through different revolutionary stages in not shying away from the question of the demand for social change amongst the various peoples. From the very beginning, the leadership of the church, especially Crowther who himself had been a victim, spoke harshly against Slavery and Slave Trade and campaigned rigorously against its cessation. More than that, the Church championed the crusade against other harmful cultural practices such as human sacrifice, obnoxious ceremonial rites, discrimination of persons such as outcast system, oppression of widows, killing of twins and the like. The Church also led the vanguard against inter-tribal or inter-communal conflicts, which itself was a breeding ground for Slave Trade. Townsend also opened what could be regarded as the first formal Orphanage in Abeokuta in 1861, in response to children displaced from the plethora of internecine Yoruba Wars in the late 19th century.

THE THRUST OF POLITICAL ACTIVISM

Typically speaking, politics has not been one of the big spheres of the church. However, from the birth of the new Nigerian State in 1914, various leaders of the church of Nigeria, especially with the consecration of more indigenous Bishops upscaled the voice of the church on the unacceptability of rule of one class of people over others against their will.

Also, of note, most of the Bishops who were consecrated as the Church expanded around Nigeria and were vibrant and well educated. So, a good number of them were able to challenge, unjust governance practices, transparency and accountability, using the customary immunity of the pulpit as a launchpad. Further, some of these bishops were even outspoken against military rule and the level of social decay including corruption and impunity, electoral violence and the like.

THE MAN, NICHOLAS OKOH

Nicholas Orogodo Okoh, now exited deserve a word. Unlike others before, he came from a background of military service. As a senior military chaplain, his duty was to ensure that members of the Nigerian army (protestant faith) were in the right spiritual frame to defend the country. As he rose in rank in the army, so did he ascend in status, steadily in the church. He was born on 10th September, 1952, at Owa- Alero, one of sixty-five communities in Ikah North East Local Government, in Delta State. Owa-Alero is part of Owa kingdom and due to it footprint in agriculture, is known as food basket of Delta state. Interesting enough, it is the hometown of current Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa.

In the dying days of the Nigerian Civil War, that is 1969, Okoh entered the army and fought in the war. From early childhood, those who knew him well attest that there was always a sign of a prophet and greatly inspiring leader who was set to emerge from his ancient the community. Not surprising, at the end of the war, he became religiously zealous while still serving as a young army officer. It was during this period that he began to develop an urge for freelance evangelism. This came to a crest in 1975 when his restless religious zeal became common knowledge. This urge drove him to enrol in pastoral studies at the Emmanuel College of Theology, Ibadan from where he obtained two separate diplomas, one in Religious Studies and the other in Theology. Thereafter he was ordained a deacon in the Anglican Church in 1979 and became a priest in 1980. He also continued further studies at University of Ibadan receiving Bachelor of Arts and later, Masters degree in Theology. Within the military, he rose steadily and got to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1996. Eventually, he was consecrated as the second Bishop of Asaba Diocese in 2001 and was later elected Archbishop of the Province of Bendel in 2005. With the eminent retirement of then Primate, Dr Jasper Akinola, the Anglican Bishops opted to bring in this soldier-cleric as their Head on 15th September, 2009.

Under Okoh, the Church of Nigerian experienced exponential expansion, now having a membership of over 18 million members and penetrated the most unreached communities with over 10,000 churches. Most of Okohs often forthright thoughts on both religion and society are contained in his several books, particularly the two volumes entitled Not by Might nor by Power. It is important to mention that he was one of the leading voices in what became known as Anglican Realignment and Co-fellowship of Confessing Anglicans. They led the vanguard against the extreme neo-liberalism in the church and led many Bishops from the Developing Countries around the world to speak out against Homosexuality and breaking of fellowship with those who favoured same sex practice and the blurring of gender identity. He particularly described homosexuality as poisoning Nigerian society and departure not only from scripture but from African identity. He was at a time, Chairman of Global Anglican Fellowship Conference (GAFCON).

WHAT NEXT?

Only God knows. While Okoh steps down, he joins the rank of Emeritus Bishops, Archbishops and Former Heads of the Church of Nigeria, but he remains a priest and a voice of reckon in the country. This is more so, as he steps down and Archbishop Ndukuba takes the baton at a time when some of the virtues and ideals which the church has stood for over 150 years since it came to Nigeria, remains largely unfulfilled. For example, society is still endemic with idolatry, superstition and cultism. Also, lines of social stratification, religious and ethnic atavism and upsurge in the political intolerance are at the highest. Fortunately, like Crowther, the new Primate is used to promotion of inter-faith dialogue and coexistence.

Again, the church which has, historically, invested so heavily in bringing the social wellbeing of Nigerias people, especially in education and healthcare, to where it is, must continue to play the expected role in reaching the unreached in society. This, lately, became clear with the scourge of COVID 19, as the Church and other faith-based organizations have already come to team up with government to do the needful., under the watch of the New Primate; a pointer of the future.

True, the Church has come a long way to stay and hell cannot prevail.

Igali, an Ambassador and Administrator, is a Fellow, Historical Society of Nigeria.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The coronavirus tracking app Aarogya Setu was "secure" and there was no privacy breach in it, Union IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Wednesday, rejecting charges that it was a "sophisticated surveillance system" that was leveraged to track citizens without their consent.

The government's assertion also came a day after French hacker and cybersecurity expert Elliot Alderson had claimed that "a security issue has been found" in the app and that "privacy of 90 million Indians is at stake".

Describing the app as a "prominent preventive measure" in India's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, an official release said as per information available, close to nine crore users have downloaded it as on May 4.

The mobile application is used by the government for contact tracing and disseminating medical advisories to users in order to contain the spread of COVID-19.

"This is a technological invention of India -- Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, our scientists, NIC, Niti Aayog and some private (entities) -- whereby it is a perfectly accountable platform to help in the fight against COVID-19. It is safe and secure. The data is in an encrypted form. Most importantly, it is for the safety of Indians in the public interest because it cautions you in the event there is a COVID-infected person in your vicinity. " Prasad told PTI.

Last week, the Centre made it mandatory for government and private sector employees to use Aarogya Setu mobile application to bolster the efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and instructed the organizational heads to ensure 100 percent coverage.

The Union Home Ministry also said the mobile app will be a must for people living in COVID-19 containment zones.

Following the government's announcement, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the app is a "sophisticated surveillance system, outsourced to a private operator, with no institutional oversight", raising serious data security and privacy concerns.

"Technology can help keep us safe, but fear must not be leveraged to track citizens without their consent," Gandhi had said.

Using the GPS (global positioning system), the app helps in tracking the movement of COVID-19 patients within coronavirus hotspots.

However, the opposition party and others have maintained that the application captures more information than necessary for the tracking purposes.

Prasad said the mobile application also helps to trace contacts in the event a person is infected.

"It is a very robust invention of technology and many other countries are using similar applications to fight COVID-19. And the second most important point is that the data is limited. Routine data remains for 30 days and in the event, you are infected, then (for) 45 to 60 days. Then automatically it will vanish," he explained.

There is always an option to scratch the app out of the phone or uninstall it, he added.

"Then what is this 'hangama' (rukus) all about? The country has understood its utility and has willingly accepted it," he said.

The Aarogya Setu app is for smartphones. "For feature phones we have developed Aarogya Setu IVRS. The app is absolutely robust in terms of privacy protection and safety and security of data," he said.

According to the Union home ministry, it is mandatory for all government and private sector employees attending office to download the app.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been urging people to download the Aarogya Setu app, saying it is a fantastic use of technology to combat coronavirus.

"Tracks the spread of COVID-19 and notifies you if someone around you is suffering from it. Also lists help-desk numbers of various states," he had said in a series of tweets last month.

Dismissing Alderson's claim, the government said "no personal information of any user has been proven to be at risk by this ethical hacker".
A province in China has enforced a new measure of social distancing by requiring citizens to stand back to back in the lift to avoid catching the coronavirus.

Local authorities from the north-eastern Chinese province Heilongjiang has issued a new set of guidelines as precautions against the spread of the killer bug in lifts and escalators within public areas, according to the press yesterday.

The rules, which has taken effect from May, include forcing residents to stand with their backs facing each other inside the lift.

A video shows a residential complex in Harbin, the provincial capital city of Heilongjiang, adopting the new measure of social distancing on Tuesday.

A city in China has enforced a new measure of social distancing by requiring citizens to stand back to back in the lift to avoid catching the coronavirus.

Heilongjiang Elevator Industry Association published new regulations to prevent spreading the deadly disease in lifts and escalators in public areas  such as hospitals, hotels, train stations - Harbin Daily reported yesterday.

The newly-issued guidelines require residents to stand at least one metre (three feet) apart from each other when waiting for an elevator. They also need to stand back to back to avoid spreading the killer bug.

Staff members are asked to disinfect the lifts twice a week and wipe-clean the control boards with 75 per cent isopropyl alcohol.

A video shows a residential complex in Harbin, the provincial capital city of Heilongjiang, adopting the new measure of social distancing on Tuesday

Heilongjiang Elevator Industry Association published new regulations to prevent spreading the deadly disease in lifts and escalators in public areas. Pictured, workers disinfect a subway train in preparation for the restoration of public transport in Wuhan on March 23

A residential compound in Harbin of Heilongjiang province has been following the preventative measures as two passengers are filmed standing with their backs facing each other in a lift on Tuesday.

Community workers can also been seen disinfecting the elevators and stairs in the complex.

'The epidemic prevention work is very important,' a resident told Pear Video. 'It's a precaution against the spread.'

Harbin, the provincial capital of Heilongjiang, has been grappling with what is now the country's biggest coronavirus outbreak.

Harbin, the provincial capital of Heilongjiang, has been grappling with what is now the country's biggest coronavirus outbreak. Passengers wearing face masks are seen pushing luggage carts at an airport in Harbin on April 11

The city of 10 million residents has adopted draconian quarantine measures against the novel coronavirus since late April after a new outbreak was detected there. Police officers in protective suits are seen at an airport in Harbin on April 11

The city of 10 million residents has adopted draconian quarantine measures against the novel coronavirus since late April after a new outbreak was detected there.

More than 80 people have been infected in Harbin after the virus was believed to be 'imported' into the city by a student who had returned from New York, according to media reports.

Officials banned gatherings and ordered communities to closely monitor non-local visitors and vehicles.

Checkpoints were also installed at the airport and train stations, to screen those coming from elsewhere.

Harbin, a city of around 10 million people in north-eastern China's Heilongjiang province, has adopted draconian quarantine measures against the coronavirus. The picture shows a man keeping watch at a checkpoint in the border city of Suifenhe, in Heilongjiang, on April 21

Harbin, the provincial capital and the biggest city of Heilongjiang, which borders Russia

The government also released a directive to instruct further restrictions on its residents, visitors and inbound traffic.

Before entering any public facilities and residential complexes, people must use a government-approved health app to prove they don't have the virus, have their temperature taken and wear a face mask, the notice says.

Residents must follow social-distancing measures. Weddings, funerals, public performances and conferences are banned.

China where the coronavirus pandemic began has shifted its focus from tracing domestic patients to detecting imported cases from inbound travellers.

The country shut down its border with Russia last month following a surge of new confirmed cases from citizens who tried to enter China from the Far East.
A new 60million office and mixed-use development close to Bank Buildings in Belfast city centre has been given the go-ahead.

Under the terms of the ambitious scheme, Norwich Union House, which occupies part of Castle Street and Fountain Street, will be redeveloped.

The plan was brought forward by ES NUH Ltd, a development company associated with Co Tyrone construction business McAleer and Rushe.

The new project will sit just behind Bank Buildings, home to Primark.

The store was destroyed in a huge fire in August 2018.

The subsequent closure of much of that area of the city centre led to a massive drop in trade and footfall.

The new scheme would see Norwich Union House knocked down and replaced with a 231,000 sq ft development that would include office space, retail, restaurants, cafes and bars.

The building was awarded permission by Belfast City Council.

A previous scheme also included a hotel.

"The application originally proposed a hotel as part of the redevelopment proposals. However, this element has been removed from the scheme and replaced by additional office accommodation," planning documents read.

"Re-consultation has been carried out on the amended description."

When recommending the scheme for approval, planners said that "having regard to the development plan and relevant material considerations, it is considered that the proposal is acceptable".

Meanwhile, there are fresh plans for a 10-storey serviced apartment development on the Dublin Road.

Like Architects has been appointed by John Smyth's Estates to design 85 apartments and a restaurant.
A Delhi court Wednesday came down heavily onan administrative officer of the court for sending bail applications and the replies at the penultimate time to the concerned partiesand not inadvance, saying ititfrustratesthe very purpose of hearing.

Thejudge further said thatin most of the matters which are listed for hearing through video conferencing,the applications were also being sent to the parties and the judicial officer in a dis-organised manner.

According to the directions of the district judges, since matters are being heard through video conferencing due to lockdown in the country in wake of COVID-19 pandemic, the administrative officer should send the bail application and all other documents to the concerned parties by mail or through WhatsApp.

Additional Sessions Judge Gaurav Raodirected the In-charge of the bail filing section of the Saket district court to ensure that the reports being sought from the jail, the investigating officer or an authority or department, be mailed to the concerned judicial officer as well assupplied to the concerned parties well in advance.

The judge further said that non-complianceof the directionsshall be dealt with strictly.

The observations camewhen a medical report of the accused sought from Tihar Jail Superintendent was not received for the third time.

The court washearing through video-conferencing an interim bail application offormer CMD of Religare Enterprises Ltd (REL) Sunil Godhwani, arrested inacase related to alleged misappropriation of funds at Religare Finvest Ltd (RFL), on the ground that he was suffering from sleep apnea(potentially serioussleepdisorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts).

It hadon earliersought his medical report from the jail authorities.

During the hearing, the Additional Public Prosecutorinformed that court thathe has not been supplied with the copy of the bail plea or the reply or any report.

Noreport has been received from the Jail Superintendent....This is the third time when no report has been received. During the video conferencing, inquiries were made from the bail filing section officials as well as Computer Branch officials however no satisfactory reply could be received, the court said in its order.

Further senior advocatesRebecca John, appearing for Godhwani and Mohit Mathur, appearing for Religare,saidthat non-receipts of report not only wastes the time of the court butwasalso causing harassment to their clients and all the concerned parties.

I am constrained to observe that in most of the matters which are listed for hearing through video conferencing, the bail applications and the replies are being sent at the penultimate time and not in advance which frustrates the very purpose of hearing. Further they are beingsent in adis-organisedmanner.

It is therefore directed that the In-charge bail filing section shall ensure that the reports as are being sought whether from the jail or the investigating officer or the concerned authority or departmentbe mailed to the concerned judicial officer as well as be supplied to the concerned parties well in advance.Non-compliance shall be dealt with strictly.Bail Filing section shall supply the reports as received by them after making noting regarding receiving, to the judicial officer and to the concerned parties in advance, the judge said.

The court directed that the medical reportbe mailed or supplied to the concerned parties positively on or before May 11 and listed the matter for further hearing on May 14.

It alsodirectedED's Special Public Prosecutor Nitesh Rana, toensure thatthereport is received from the Jail Superintendent/ hospital and supplied to the parties positively by May 11.

Former Fortis Healthcare promotersMalvinderSingh and his brotherShivinder, former CEO of REL Kavi Arora and former CFO of RFL Anil Saxena were also arrested by the EconomicOffencesWing (EOW) of the Delhi policefor allegedly diverting RFL''s money and investing in other companies.

The counsel for the complainant RFL had earlier told the court that loans were disbursed to shell companies known to the promoters and the ultimate beneficiary was RHC Holding company, of whichShivinderwas a shareholder.

RFL is a group firm of REL - Religare Enterprises Ltd, which was earlier promoted byMalvinderand his brotherShivinder.

The EOW registeredanFIR in March last year after it received a complaint from RFL''s Manpreet Suri againstShivinder, Godhwani and others.

"They put RFL in a poor financial condition by disbursing loans to companies with no financial standing and controlled by them. The companies to which the loans were disbursed willfully defaulted in repayments and caused a loss to RFL to the tune of Rs 2,397 crore," the police had alleged.

ED filed a money laundering case against the accused based on the EOW case.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Linkedin (Reuters) Los Angeles, United States  Wed, May 6, 2020 11:09 623 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd64371f 2 Entertainment Tom-Cruise,space-station,coronavirus,COVID-19,NASA Free

Action star Tom Cruise is working on a movie shot in outer space, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration said on Tuesday.

"NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station!," NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine wrote on Twitter.

"We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASAs ambitious plans a reality," Bridenstine added.

NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station! We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASAs ambitious plans a reality. pic.twitter.com/CaPwfXtfUv  Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) May 5, 2020

He gave no details but the tweet followed a report in Hollywood trade outlet Deadline that Cruise was working with Tesla and SpaceX entrepreneur Elon Musk to make what would be the first feature film to be shot in space.

The proposed action adventure is in its early stages, Deadline reported on Monday.

Representatives for Cruise did not immediately return a request for comment.

Read also: My big break: Tom Cruise on the snapped ankle that halted 'M:I6'

"Mission: Impossible" star Tom Cruise, 57, is renowned for his daredevil films and for doing his own stunts. He flew fighter jets for the upcoming "Top Gun: Maverick," hung off the side of a plane as it took off in "Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation" in 2015 and climbed the Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai - the tallest building in the world - for "Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol."

Filming on "Mission: Impossible 7" was put on hold in February as the coronavirus epidemic took off in Italy. The disease later led to a worldwide shutdown of Hollywood movie and TV production and the closure of movie theaters.
Williamson, WV (25661)

Today

Cloudy with light rain developing later in the day. High 47F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Rain mixing with and changing to snow late. Low 27F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precip 100%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.
(Natural News) A new study published in the British Journal of Hematology revealed that COVID-19 can cause micro-clots in the lungs that result in abnormal blood clotting. In their report, clinicians at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences observed that patients admitted to hospital with severe COVID-19 infection showed signs of abnormal blood clotting, which, in some cases, played a key role in their deaths.

Our novel findings demonstrate that COVID-19 is associated with a unique type of blood clotting disorder that is primarily [focused] within the lungs and which undoubtedly contributes to the high levels of mortality being seen in patients with COVID-19, explained senior author Dr. James ODonnell, who is also the director of the Irish Centre for Vascular Biology at RSCI.

This scenario, where the lungs have both small blood clots and pneumonia, isnt seen with other types of lung infection. ODonnell said that this could explain why many patients with severe COVID-19 infections have their blood oxygen levels drop drastically.

Understanding how these micro-clots are being formed within the lung is critical so that we can develop more effective treatments for our patients, particularly those in high-risk groups, he added.

The study also noted that this abnormal blood-clotting can increase the risk for heart attacks and strokes.

The team believes that their work can pave the way for other studies to test the effectiveness of blood-thinning treatments, especially for high-risk populations.

Coronavirus may also affect the skin

In another study, researchers from Ramon y Cajal Hospital in Madrid reported the case of a 48-year-old man who developed a severe skin rash on his posterior, lower abdomen, and thighs  as well as other COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, chest pain, and shortness of breath. In their report, which was published on JAMA Dermatology, the team noted while the man had a history of hypertension, he had not taken new drugs during the year.

The researchers noted that only one other report of a COVID-19 patient having a skin rash was recorded. In earlier cases in China, similar symptoms were recorded; however, these were seen in patients with comorbidities, drug reactions and even occupational skin diseases.

We hope that, in the upcoming months, skin rashes associated with COVID-19 will be better understood, the authors concluded. (Related: Doctors concerned as skin of recovering COVID-19 patients in China turns dark brown.)

Prior to their findings, researchers from hard-hit areas like Italy and Spain reported cases of painful lesions on patients toes, as well as their Achilles heels and soles of the feet. Most reported cases were in children, teens and young adults, and some experts believe that the symptom could be a potential sign of healthy immune response.

In particular, a small study in Italy revealed that COVID-19 patients can develop skin rashes and lesions. The report, which was published in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venerology, was the first body of work to explore how COVID-19 affected the skin.

Sebastiano Recalcati, a dermatologist at Lecco Hospital in northern Italy, examined a total of 88 coronavirus patients and found that around 20 percent exhibited skin issues. Some patients reported that their skin issues started at the onset of their COVID-19 symptoms, while others reported developed symptoms after being admitted to hospital. Recalcati noted that symptoms ranged from chickenpox-like blisters to hives, with most appearing in the torso. In response to Recalcatis findings, dermatologists from Ramon y Cajal Hospital reported the case of a 32-year-old patient who developed hive-like rashes after developing COVID-19 symptoms.

Meanwhile, a separate case published in JAMA Dermatology reported the case of an elderly woman who developed skin lesions at the onset of COVID-19 symptoms. However, the team behind the study noted that the woman also had preexisting conditions like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, which they indicated could also be potential causes of her lesions.

Learn more about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

ScienceDaily.com

UPI.com

JAMANetwork.com

NYTimes.com

Newsweek.com
Balkans: Draft, EU prospective reaffirmed, 3.3 bn mobilised But in text no mention of 'enlargement'

(ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, MAY 6 - The European Union is "reaffirming its unequivocal support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans" as one of the main points in a draft declaration from the EU-Western Balkans Zagreb Summit, which will be published on Wednesday evening at the conclusion of the summit, and which ANSA has viewed in advance.



Other points include being "ready to reinvigorate political dialogue" including with "regular high-level meetings" and mobilising a 3.3-billion-euro package to help partners face the coronavirus pandemic in a spirit of "unity and solidarity" with support and cooperation "that go much further than any other partner has given to the region".



The declaration, however, doesn't include the word "enlargement", after France and the Netherlands objected at the European Council.(ANSAmed).




Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-07 04:56:34|Editor: huaxia

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DAMASCUS, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Syrian forces brought in reinforcements to areas close to the western countryside of Daraa on Wednesday, just a couple of days after nine Syrian soldiers were killed in the area, a war monitor reported.

The "mass reinforcements" were seen near the Tal Khuder on the western outskirts of Daraa as well as the village of Yadodeh, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Britain-based watchdog said the Syrian forces are intending to attack the Mzairib area in the countryside of Daraa.

The new development comes after an attack against a police department in Mzairib on Monday when nine Syrian soldiers were killed.

The Syrian army is planning to capture the killer who is a former rebel commander, the Observatory said.

A total of 435 kidnapping and killing attempts have taken place in Daraa since June 2019, claiming the lives of 280 including 61 civilians and 152 Syrian soldiers and policemen, it added.

The Syrian army captured the border city Daraa from the rebel groups in 2018.

Securing Daraa, birthplace of the Syrian war that erupted in 2011, was a big victory for the Syrian army both symbolically and militarily, as the rebels have used the border to bring in arms and fighters throughout the war. Enditem
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says that if reports are accurate that Americans are captured in Venezuela, the U.S. will 'use every tool that we have available' to get them back because "it's our responsibility to do so."

"We're going to work on this. It's a consular matter in the sense of any time there are Americans that are detained someplace, we'll work to get them back," said Pompeo Wednesday.

"We will start the process of trying to figure a way if if, in fact, these are Americans that are there that we can figure out a path forward."

Pompeo said the United States had nothing to do with an alleged incursion into Venezuela that landed two U.S. citizens behind bars.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said the two are mercenaries and were part of an operation to kill him that was backed by neighboring Colombia and the United States.

Authorities in Venezuela identified the two men as Luke Denman and Airan Berry, both former U.S. special forces soldiers associated with the Florida-based private security firm Silvercorp USA. Military records show both decorated soldiers served in Iraq.

A third U.S. ex-Green Beret and Silvercorp founder, Jordan Goudreau, claimed responsibility for leading Operation Gideon, which was launched with an attempted beach landing before dawn on Sunday.

Officials said Tuesday that six suspected attackers were killed, giving a revised figure from the eight previously reported.
New Delhi/Islamabad, May 6 : Hindus and Christians continued to face religious persecution in the Islamic republic of Pakistan last year, as per the latest report of the countrys human rights body.

In an excruciating indictment of the Imran Khan government, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has said that religious minorities in the country are being deprived of their right to freedom of religion.

The HRCP said that over the years "there have been horrific, religiously motivated attacks on the minority communities and any efforts towards eradicating the violence, prejudices, and inequalities have been virtually imperceptible." Both the Hindu and Christian communities in Sindh and Punjab continued to face forced conversions last year. Recounting the incidents, the commission said in Punjab and Sindh, girls as young as 14 were abducted, forcibly converted and coerced into marriage.

In recent years, the commission said, people from minority religions have been facing persecution, and the Hindu community is feeling insecure and vulnerable as they face antagonism and mob attacks over allegations of blasphemy.

The Hindu community has a history of being targeted, the commission said. "They are also forced to learn Islamic studies in school. There is also some concern that there are not enough Christian burial grounds and Hindu cremation grounds." In its field-based report on 'Faith-Based Discrimination in Southern Punjab' the HRCP assessed the nature and forms of discrimination against religious minority communities in southern Punjab. The study was conducted in Khanewal, Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan, districts with small, but significant, Hindu and Christian communities.

The commission noted lack of several basics of life including quality education, opportunities, job quotas, legislation prohibiting forced conversions and protection for places of worship. It also expressed alarm at the exploitation of minority communities based on their faith by various industries in Punjab and lack of access to clean drinking water for religious minority communities in various districts of southern Punjab.

The commission also noted that during a visit to India, former PTI MP from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Baldev Kumar sought political asylum due to mistreatment of religious minorities in Pakistan.

Regretting that even as the court had directed in 2014 to set up a taskforce to develop a strategy for religious tolerance, reform of the curricula, action against hate speech in the media, a special police force to protect places of worship, and prompt registration of cases of desecration, nothing has happened yet. The job quota for religious minorities is also yet to be implemented, the commission lamented.
Each weekend since the coronavirus pandemic put more than a million people out of work, Amar Singh and five other volunteers from western Sydney's Indian community meet in local halls to pack grocery hampers.

Turbans 4 Australia pack hundreds of hampers in local halls in Harris Park and Liverpool each weekend. Credit:Peter Rae

The halls are provided for free by councils, flour is shipped at no cost from Golden Grain Flour Mills in Melbourne, lentils, rice and teabags are bought with donations, and AusPackaging provides cardboard boxes.

It's a community effort to support those left vulnerable by the economic downturn. Most recipients have been international students, without jobs or access to JobSeeker.

Volunteer drivers for relief group Turbans 4 Australia have so far distributed five tonnes of non-perishable food items to students in the Parramatta area, western and south-west Sydney, the CBD and Epping.
(CNN) - The Spanish Parliament approved the extension of the countrys state of emergency for a fourth time on Wednesday, continuing severe restrictions on movement and business until at least May 24 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision, approved by 178 votes against 75 and with 97 abstentions, came after Spains Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez negotiated last-minute votes to secure the extension, despite the main opposition Popular Party, PP, abstaining.

The extension gives the Socialist Party-led minority government the power to continue enforcing restrictions under the state of emergency rules decreed on March 14th.

During the parliamentary debate ahead of the vote, opposition and right-wing parties harshly criticized the socialist minority-led government, accusing Sanchez of holding Spanish citizens "hostage" by curtailing fundamental rights.

We are limiting two rights, to guarantee another two: public health and life. And to limit the two rights of mobility and of assembly, we need the only constitutional and juridical instrument that allows us to act over them, which is the state of emergency", Sanchez responded.

The Spanish prime minister said he will request 15-day extensions throughout the countrys de-escalation period, expected to last until the end of June.

Most of Spain began "Phase Zero" of the government's de-escalation plan on Monday, by lifting some of the confinement restrictions to additional sectors of the work force to return to their jobs, such as restaurants for take-away service, small stores and hair salons with clients by appointment only.

It is expected that next Monday, some regions will advance to Phase One if they show infections rates are low and that their health facilities are able to react quickly to any new outbreaks.

The government says the state of emergency during the de-escalation plan is crucial.

"To ignore the risk of the epidemic and hastily lift the state of emergency would be an absolute, total, and unforgivable mistake that the government will not commit, and which is why its requesting the extension, Sanchez argued ahead of Wednesdays vote.

The state of emergency was first declared on March 14 and extended for the first time on March 27.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Spains Parliament extends state of emergency for 4th time"
Microsoft unveiled several new products on Wednesday, including a new Surface Book 3 laptop and an affordable Surface Go 2 tablet. It's a tough time to announce new products. Like Apple, which recently released a new iPhone, new iPads Pro and new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air computers, Microsoft wasn't able to hold a splashy press event to talk about its new gadgets. And, with stores closed around the country, people can't really see them in person before making a decision. But, lots of people are using computers more than ever right now. The company said earlier this week that Windows 10 monthly usage is up 75% from the same time last year. Here's what Microsoft announced.

Surface Go 2

Surface Go 2 (keyboard, mouse and pencil are not included.) Microsoft

The Surface Go 2 follows Microsoft's original Surface Go. It's a miniature and lower-powered version of Microsoft's far more expensive Surface Pro tablets. It starts at $399 and includes a more powerful processor than the first version (Microsoft says it's 64% faster) and a slightly larger 10.5-inch screen. It also has a sharp 5-megapixel front-facing camera that may be useful right now, since we're all spending more time on video calls. The entry-level model only has 4GB of memory and 64GB of storage, however, which is probably too little for people who want to do more than surf the web. A more powerful version with twice the storage and memory will also be available. The Surface Go 2 will be available starting May 12.

Surface Book 3

Surface Book 3 Microsoft

Microsoft announced a new version of its high-end laptop, the Surface Book 3. Like earlier Surface Books, it has a unique design that allows you to remove the screen from the laptop so you can use it like a tablet. It's sort of like Microsoft's version of the MacBook Pro  it's targeted at the same type of power users  just with a screen you can take off and carry around. Microsoft upgraded it to the latest Intel 10th generation processors. It's also adding an option for NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 graphics, which it says commercial customers have asked for. It starts at $1,599 and will be available beginning on May 21.

Surface Headphones 2 and a release date for Surface Earbuds

Surface Headphones 2 Microsoft

Microsoft also announced the Surface Headphones 2, the latest version of its noise-cancelling headphones. They have a new ear-cup that's supposed to be more comfortable and 13 levels of ambient noise control, which lets you choose how much sound is blocked out in the background. But Microsoft said it specifically tuned these to block out people talking in places like noisy cafes (or, right now, noisy households). They'll be available in black for the first time when they launch on May 12 for $249.

Surface Earbuds Microsoft
Ukraine sees the Asian direction as a priority in the development of international relations after the lifting of coronavirus restrictions, Deputy Head of the President's Office Ihor Zhovkva has said.

"The Asian direction is important. If we talk about the president's activities, when we lift the travel ban due to coronavirus, we will definitely be planning the president's Asian tour so that he could visit several countries with which we need to strengthen relations," the press service of the President's Office quoted Zhovkva as saying.

He said that Ukraine considered the Asian direction to be a priority in the development of international relations. According to him, the issue concerns the deepening of cooperation with Japan, China, and India.

Zhovkva stressed that currently, Ukraine's strategic partners are the United States, Germany, France, Poland, and Turkey.

He also mentioned "warm relations" with Britain and Canada.

He said that the priority in establishing relations with other states is to protect Ukraine's national interests.

op
By Ahmed Rasheed, Alex Lawler and Ahmad Ghaddar

BAGHDAD/LONDON (Reuters) - Iraq has yet to inform its regular oil buyers of cuts to its exports, suggesting it is struggling to fully implement an OPEC deal with Russia and other producers on a record supply cut, traders and industry sources said.

Less than full compliance by Iraq, as well as by smaller producers such as Nigeria and Angola, could hurt the OPEC+ group's efforts to cut output by 9.7 million barrels per day from May 1, equivalent to about 10% of world demand before the coronavirus crisis led to a slide in consumption and prices.

Iraq, OPEC's second largest oil producer, has instructed its biggest company, Basra Oil Co. (BOC), to cut output from May as part of its efforts to reduce its output by 1 million bpd, or 1% of global supply, an oil ministry source said.

But it has yet to agree an action plan with other oil companies such as BP, Exxon, Eni or Lukoil, which operate the biggest fields in the country, a BOC spokesman said.

"Talks with international oil companies are still continuing to discuss ways of curtailing production that serve all parties and ensure mutual interests are observed," the BOC spokesman said. "We can't say talks hit deadlock. We expect a breakthrough to be reached soon."

Iraq's oil ministry could not be immediately reached for comment. BP, Exxon, Eni and Lukoil declined to comment.

One industry source active in Iraq said the companies were refusing the cut and that delays in forming a new government in Iraq were complicating the discussions.

"It's a mess at the moment," the source said.

OPEC+ Cuts for May and June https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/editorcharts/yxmvjorrwpr/eikon.png

OPEC Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, have informed their customers of cuts to exports. Kuwait, Oman and the UAE have also officially informed OPEC. Three trading sources said Iraq has not issued any such statements to its regular oil buyers yet.

Story continues

Two of the sources said Iraq's May export plans from the south were broadly in line with April's at around 3.3 million bpd.There is no requirement for participating countries to tell OPEC how they will make their cut, but informing customers about their oil allocations is standard practice.

OPEC's Secretary General Mohammad Barkindo declined to discuss individual country compliance: "We are now focused on the full and timely implementation of this historic agreement," he told Reuters.

Iraq, Nigeria Oil Production https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/editorcharts/bdwvkrezypm/eikon.png

'DEADLOCK'

The challenge for many OPEC+ countries arises from how much they are asking international oil companies (IOCs) to cut, said Amrita Sen of analyst firm Energy Aspects.

"Beyond logistical shut-ins, some of the cuts needed from Iraq, Nigeria and others when they have barely complied with previous cuts are simply not going to happen," she said.

Companies producing in Iraq's southern oilfields operate service contracts that pay them a fixed dollar fee for their output and are also compensated in crude cargoes.

This type of contract shields oil companies against sharp falls in oil prices. But it also means that with the OPEC cuts, Iraq ends up with less crude to market itself.

"Most operators have told Iraq, they are happy for them to cut but want their fees repaid in full. It is basically a deadlock," said a source from one of the four companies.

Nigeria and Angola's current export schedules show they are currently not cutting as much as required under the OPEC+ deal, but will go further than they did under the previous OPEC+ agreement that ended on March 31. [OPEC/O]

Under the latest deal, Nigeria should cap production at 1.41 million bpd in May and June. But data from price reporting agency Argus Media shows it plans to export 1.56 million bpd in May and 1.65 million bpd in June, excluding the Akpo condensate stream.

A trade source who has seen Nigeria's latest loading programmes said that while Nigeria has made a significant cut to its export plans in May, they will still fall short of the pledged OPEC+ cut.

Nigeria's ministry of petroleum resources did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Export plans for May and June from Africa's second biggest exporter, Angola, may also fall short of its OPEC obligations.

Angola's petroleum ministry and its petroleum regulator did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

May volumes were retroactively cut back to around 1.27 million bpd and June export volumes are expected to be around 1.25 million bpd, loading programmes showed.

These are both higher than the 1.18 million bpd production level Angola has agreed to under the OPEC+ deal for the initial two months.

(Additional reporting by Noah Browning; Julia Payne; Libby George; Shadia Nasralla; Dmitry Zhdannikov; Rania El Gamal. Editing by Jane Merriman and Nick Tattersall)
A failure to impose New Zealand-style entry restrictions undermining efforts to combat Covid-19 in Ireland.

That's according to Sinn Fein health spokesperson Louise OReilly who has said she is 'baffled' as to why the government have still not initiated stricter entry restrictions to the State, such as those successfully adhered to in New Zealand in their efforts to combat COVID-19.

Speaking today, Teachta OReilly said, for some time now, many members of the general public, media and politicians have been highlighting the need for stricter entry restrictions to curb COVID-19 transmission.

The government has failed to act in this regard. For weeks now, as the vast majority across the State adhere to a strict lockdown, people have still been arriving into the State from abroad. It is baffling that there are still a significant number of travellers arriving at our seaports and airports who are neither residents nor have a valid reason for travelling to Ireland."

She said it was also confusing as to why residents returning home are not being assessed when they arrive as to the risk they pose of carrying COVID-19 and whether they need to be medically quarantined or be provided with a place to isolate for 14 days.

Deputy O'Reilly continued, since March 19, the New Zealand border has been effectively closed to almost all. The ban, which applies to all arrivals by land or sea, with the exception of permanent residents and residents with valid travel conditions returning to New Zealand, has been pivotal to their successful efforts to reduce COVID-19 transmissions. Their regulations also ensure that those arriving home are medically assessed, with high-risk persons medically quarantined, and all other arrivals have been managed in isolation facilities."

She stated that these measures, along with their day-to-day public health response, have clearly been a success as New Zealand has been able to contain the virus to the point that they have had no new cases of COVID-19 for the past two days.

Only yesterday the New Zealand Prime Minister took aim at our governments handling of the crisis and the slow scale at which the lockdown is being eased by comparison to how they have fared," Deputy O'Reilly said, adding, "it is truly baffling that the government havent enacted a travel ban to all entering this State, with the exception of residents.

"But it is not too late to apply one and I would call on the government to ensure that until the May 18th that all travel into the State is restricted and regulated," the Sinn Fein TD concluded.
S amara Weaving has made the transition from small screen to  well, a slightly bigger small screen  as she carves a name for herself in Tinseltown in Ryan Murphys new Netflix series, Hollywood.

While she has featured in massive blockbuster hits, such as Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, until now Weaving has mostly played smaller parts - aside from her turn in last year's horror Ready Or Not.

However, she has now landed a major role in what is set to be one of the biggest television events of the year.

As Hollywood arrives on the streaming platform, we take a closer look at her career.

Samara Weaving is starring in Ryan Murphy's new Netflix series, Hollywood / Getty Images

Who is Samara Weaving?

The 28-year-old Australian actress and model was born in Adelaide in 1992, but grew up between Singapore, Fiji and Indonesia.

She got her first acting gig in the TV series Out of the Blue, but her first major role was in the daytime soap, Home & Away - which is massively popular in the UK, too.

Since March last year, Samara has been engaged to creative producer Jimmy Warden.

Home & Away (2009-2013)

Samara's first major role was in Home & Away, in which she played Indi Walker / Home and Away

Weaving played rebellious teen Indi Walker, who arrived in Summer Bay with her parents and little brother Dex.

The actress spent the majority of the time on Home & Away on the beach, as her character was a pro surfer.

Some of Weaving's biggest storylines in the soap centred around Indi's relationship with Romeo (Luke Mitchell), who also had a thing with Ruby (played by Rebecca Breeds, who, coincidentally, is his wife in real life).

Romeo then developed skin cancer and left Summer Bay without telling Indi, to spare her the pain. She later learned about his death, when she was in a new relationship - but the memory of Romeo made her feel so guilty she decided to leave town, too, to start a new life in Copenhagen, Denmark.

SMILF (2017-2019)

Weaving played Rose Nelson in the hit HBO series / HBO

SMILF marked Weaving's first role in an American production.

In the comedy series - which is about a young, bright single mother named Bridgett, who is trying to cope with her unconventional family - Samara played Nelson Rose.

However, in 2019 the series was cancelled after two seasons.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

Although she only played a minor role, Weaving also featured in Three Billboards / Searchlight Pictures

Although a minor role, Weaving did feature in the Oscar-award-winning feature film starring Frances McDormand and Woody Harrelson.

She played Penelope, the new girlfriend of Mildred's (McDormand) ex-husband.

Picnic at Hanging Rock (2018)

Picnic at Hanging Rock: Irma Leopold (SAMARA WEAVING), Miranda Reid (LILY SULLIVAN), Marion Quade (MADELEINE MADDEN) / BBC/Fremantle Media/Sarah Enticknap

In the six-part Australian mystery drama, Weaving played Irma Leopold.

The show, which also starred Game of Thrones actress Natalie Dormer, saw a group of young girls go on a day trip to Hanging Rock, Victoria.

Things take a turn for the worse, however, when their teacher goes missing.

Ready Or Not (2019)

Eric Zachanowich

Weaving made waves in Hollywood in 2019 with a lead performance that allowed her to exercise her extraordinary range as an actress: horror movie Ready or Not.

Hollywood (2020)

Samara plays Claire Wood in Ryan Murphy's Hollywood / Netflix

Ryan Murphy's new star-studded Netflix series could be Weaving's big break.

In the show, Weaving stars as Claire Wood, who is the (rather spoilt) daughter of the owners of Ace movie studios.

She's also an aspiring actress, who goes up against Camille (Laura Harrier) in auditions for the role of Peg.

Hollywood is available to stream on Netflix now




Haiti - News : Zapping...





Monitoring of the 150 million loan from Taiwan

Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe's new visit to the Embassy of Taiwan (Republic of China) in Haiti. He was accompanied by Chancellor Claude Joseph and Charles Jean Jacques from the Office of the National Authorizing Officer of the European Development Fund (BONFED). At the center of the discussions was the finalization of the US $ 150 million loan agreement for the 24-hour electricity program. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26457-haiti-politic-government-borrows-$150m-from-taiwan-for-electricity.html



Schoolchildren lost 100 out of 189 school days

Of the 189 school days in Haiti, between the "peyi lok" and the Coronavirus Covid-19, this academic year the students have already lost almost 100 school days.



Death of a detainee in the Cap-Haitien prison

Sunday at the civil prison of Cap-Haitien, Mackendy Yacinthe (31 years old) aka "Pouchon" who would be member of the gang" Aji Vit" arrested on April 25th died. No information has been released on the causes of his death.



Haitians and Dominicans dialogue on the Covid-19

Important working meeting between Haitian Chancellor Claude Joseph and his Dominican counterpart Miguel Vargas Maldonado, on the need for the two countries to work together in order to contain the spread of Covid-19 on the island. The reactivation of the Joint Haitian-Dominican Commission, the issue of visas for Haitian students and the protection of the rights of our compatriots in the Dominican Republic were among the other topics discussed at this meeting.



Delmas distributes 10,000 masks

Tuesday Wilson Jeudi the Mayor of Delmas announced the distribution of 10,000 masks from this Wednesday in public markets to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the town



Works at the Prime Minister's Office

"I visited the premises of the Prime Minister's office at the Bicentenaire this Tuesday. I have decided to return to my office by next week. Some repair work is due to start shortly," Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe said on Tuesday.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Now more than ever, the nursing profession should be honored for their selfless commitment to keeping us all healthy and well.

SpringHill Suites Navarre Beach will celebrate nurses during National Nurses Week with a Navarre Beach Dream Vacation Giveaway. The beachfront hotel will accept nominations on its Facebook page throughout National Nurses Week Wednesday, May 6 through Tuesday, May 12. One deserving nurse will be selected on Wednesday, May 13.

SpringHill Suites Navarre Beachs National Nurses Week Dream Vacation includes:



Spacious suite four days and three nights with early check-in and late check-out, breakfast daily and WiFi

A welcome amenity and a resort gift customized to the selected nurse with merchandise from the resort shop

$500 dining credit to be used poolside or at the on-site Beach House Bar & Grille

$250 gift card courtesy of Navarre Family Water Sports

Complimentary beach chairs throughout the stay

Half-day paddleboard rental and half-day bicycle rental for each person in the party courtesy of Sage Paddle Company

Private tour of Navarre Beach Sea Turtle Conservation Center

Nominations will be accepted on the hotels Facebook page at Facebook.com/SpringhillSuitesNavarreBeach from Wednesday, May 6, which is National Nurses Day through Tuesday, May 12, which is Florence Nightingales birthday. Florence Nightingale is known as the founder of modern nursing. The nomination should include a brief description of why the nominee is deserving of the dream vacation, and the nominee must be tagged. The selected nurse will be announced via Facebook and notified on Wednesday, May 13.

We are thrilled to do our part to celebrate and honor the backbone of the medical profession with this token of our appreciation, said Scott Mauer, General Manager of the SpringHill Suites Navarre Beach. Now more than ever, the nursing profession should be honored for their selfless commitment to keeping us all healthy and well.

SpringHill Suites Navarre Beach is located on Navarre Beach at 8375 Gulf Blvd in Navarre, Florida. It boasts panoramic views of the Gulf of Mexico and Santa Rosa Sound and blends home-like comforts with resort-inspired amenities. Each spacious suite features separate areas for sleeping, living and relaxing; spa-like bathrooms; hard surface flooring; stylish decor; free WiFi and more. A short trip downstairs will take guests to the ocean for a beautiful day on Navarre Beach or to the resort-style pool with lazy river and poolside food and beverage service. The on-site Beach House Bar & Grille offers indoor and outdoor dining for lunch and dinner. Two on-site bars offer hand-crafted cocktails. The hotel also features 3,000 square feet of event space, great for weddings, meetings and special occasions. Owned by Peachtree Hotel Group, SpringHill Suites Navarre Beach is managed and operated by Peachtree Hospitality Management, the management division of Peachtree Hotel Group. For more information or to make a reservation, travelers may call 850-939-0010 or visit http://www.marriott.com/vpssh.

# # #

About Peachtree Hotel Group

Peachtree Hotel Group operates, develops and invests in premium-branded, select- and limited-service and extended-stay hotel assets under the Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Choice and InterContinental Hotels Group flags. Since its inception, Peachtree has invested in more than $3.5 billion of hotel properties and first mortgage notes. Peachtree's current portfolio is comprised of 119 hotel assets totaling 15,620 rooms, including 50 real estate assets and 61 notes. For more information, please visit http://www.peachtreehotelgroup.com.

About Peachtree Hospitality Management

Peachtree Hospitality Management is the hotel operations and management division of Peachtree Hotel Group. PHM has developed and tested its systems and processes with passion and attention to detail. It is ranked number 40 on Hotel Business magazines list of top hotel management companies in 2020  up 15 spots from 2019. The companys proven, cutting-edge, proprietary operating systems differentiate it from other hotel management companies. The companys range of services include hotel operations, human resources management, sales and marketing, ecommerce and digital strategy, revenue management, centralized accounting, asset management, pre-opening services, renovation project management, food and beverage concept and design.
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The coronavirus-led (COVID-19) shutdown has sent the hiring activity in the country into a tailspin, according to data by online job portal Naukri.

The Naukri JobSpeak Index April 2020 plummeted 62 percent to 951. JosSpeak is a monthly Index that calculates and records hiring activity based on the job listings on Naukri.com website month on month.

The index includes jobs that might also be for replacement hiring. December 2008 is taken to be the base with an index value of 1,000 and the subsequent monthly index is compared with the data for December 2008.

Naukri is a brand of Info Edge and is the countrys largest online recruitment platform.

Also Read: Live updates from COVID-19 pandemic in India

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

Among the different sectors, Naukri JobSpeak Index for April 2020 showed the decline in hiring is led by industries like hotel/restaurant/travel/airlines (-91 percent); auto/ancillary (-82 percent); retail (-77 percent) and accounting/finance (-70 percent).

The jobs analysed for the monthly index are qualified on the basis of white-collar jobs belonging to the organized corporate sector with a focus on service industries.

Across cities, the job market registered a double-digit dip in hiring. The decline was led by metros wherein Delhi declined by 70 percent followed by Chennai (-62 percent), Kolkata (-60 percent) and Mumbai (-60 percent).

There was an across-the-board decline in hiring at varying experience levels with the entry-level experience bands (0 to 3 years' work experience) witnessing the sharpest decline of 67 percent.

Pawan Goyal, Chief Business Officer, Naukri.com said the disruption caused by COVID-19 continues to impact hiring activity. He said industries like IT-Software, software services, pharma/biotech/clinical research and insurance have been less impacted.

Among the various functional roles too, there was a hiring decline. Naukri JobSpeak data showed functional roles in purchase/supply Chain declined 70 percent. Further, roles in marketing and advertising dipped 69 percent. A similar decrease in hiring in sales and business development was seen while a 68 percent steep dip was seen in accounts and finance hiring.

Due to COVID-19 and the lockdown, businesses like airlines, hospitality and travel and hotel/restaurants which depend on customers have seen a decline in business. These entities are also making use of cost-cutting measures, one of which is slowing down fresh hiring.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here
Police Commission President Eileen Decker listens during a meeting in May 2019. Decker's panel heard testimony Tuesday from advocates calling for an end to the LAPD's use of a statewide gang database. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Police reform advocates on Tuesday demanded the Los Angeles Police Department stop using a statewide database for identifying and tracking gang members, arguing it has undermined public safety and derailed the lives of innocent people.

The advocates told members of the Los Angeles Police Commission that they are not only concerned with the allegations of overt abuses of the CalGang database by officers, but with the system overall. Even when operating as intended, they said, the database too often places incorrect and life-altering labels on young men of color based on little more than their clothing, their tattoos and the neighborhoods they live in.

"We need to divest in suppression policing, and instead invest in youth development," said Anthony Robles of the Youth Justice Coalition, who said he experienced police harassment growing up after being misidentified as a gang member.

Melanie Ochoa, a staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, said the database "cannot just be fixed with some tweaks and additional oversight," because the problems are systemic and officers are misidentifying people routinely.

"All the evidence we have is that LAPD officers are actually very bad at this, and very often incorrect," she said.

The comments came during the first of several meetings intended to collect public input on the matter after years of controversy and amid several reviews of the database's use within the LAPD, including by the department, Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra and the California Department of Justice.

The California Legislature gave oversight of CalGang to the attorney general in 2018 after an audit found it lacked proper state oversight and contained questionable records. Thousands of records were purged from the database as a result, but thousands more have been added since  many of them by LAPD officers.

Earlier this year, the department said as many as 20 officers from the LAPD's Metropolitan Division were being investigated for falsifying interview cards from traffic stops and entering incorrect information into the database to make it seem as if they were doing a better job collecting intel.

Story continues

Police officials have condemned abuses of the system but defended it as a valuable crime-fighting tool.

Police Commission President Eileen Decker said Tuesday that she and other commissioners had grave concerns about abuses of the system, and welcomed input from the advocates on what should be done to end those abuses and improve the program.

A few advocates said an immediate moratorium on adding any new names to the database should be adopted until the department can get a better grasp on how best to operate it appropriately. But most of the advocates said the database should be scrapped entirely.

Several shared personal stories about how it had negatively affected their lives.

Michael Saavedra, legal coordinator for the Youth Justice Coalition, said he was formerly incarcerated and haunted for years by his designation as a gang member. He was recently accepted to UC Berkeley but still feels the shadow of that designation.

"For folks like me who have done their time and are trying to change their life, this label, this stigma, stays with you forever," he said.

Demetra Johnson, with PUSH L.A., said her son was put into the database when he was 17 years old despite never having come into contact with police except as a police cadet, and it took her two months of collecting letters from his teachers and counselors, and taking him to a police station to prove he didn't have any gang-related tattoos, to get the police to remove his name.

"During those 60 days when he was on there, I was just terrified," she said.

Ochoa, of the ACLU, said police try to downplay the importance of the gang database, even though they know that putting a person's name into it, and thereby sharing the assertion that they are gang affiliated with an array of other law enforcement agencies across the country, can have devastating effects.

"That label alone can cost them their housing, their employment, their right to remain in the United States, their freedom and their life," she said.

Several commissioners said they believe change is needed, but are evaluating the database one step at a time. They still have to hear back from the Police Department on its investigation into the alleged abuses, and look at the results from a separate audit of the program in all of the department's divisions, before making any decisions on how to change it.

Commissioner Shane Murphy Goldsmith said the people who testified provided valuable insight into the detrimental effects of labeling people as threats, both for them and the broader community.

"There are people behind these labels," she said, "and extraordinary people who are held back by these labels."
The board game Pandemic probably isnt the best choice for those looking for a bit of escapism while on lockdown, but if you want to try your hand at saving the world from an outbreak of a deadly disease, set up the map and put your characterscientist, research technician, quarantine experton the starting point: Atlanta, home of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Where else could possibly be home base? Since shortly after the end of World War II, the CDC in Atlanta has been the axis mundi of the infectious disease world, head and shoulders above any other national public health agency. And yet, now that a pandemic has actually struck the United States full force, the CDC seems baffledbumbling, cowed, and, above all, silent. Veteran science and health journalists are stunned by the CDCs lack of leadership in the very sort of crisis it was born to combat. As one said to CDC head Robert Redfield early last month: Youre invisible now, sir. Your agency is invisible.

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The problems at the CDC run much deeper than the bungled rollout of coronavirus test kits or sloppy procedures that led to contaminated labs. As serious as these mistakes (and their public health consequences) are, they are not the only reasons that CDCs reputation has taken such a precipitous tumble. Its sometimes hard to see the forest fire for the burning tree, but the fall of the CDC is part of a broader trend of exceptional, world-leading American agencies abdicating their preeminent positions. The CDC isnt even the first example.

A bit more than a year ago, the Federal Aviation Administration was the agency in crisis. After two high-profile plane crashes, a mainstay Boeing airplane, the 737 Max, seemed unsafe to fly. However, the FAA, the most renowned agency on the planet for ensuring airline safety, was slowand seemingly reluctantto ground the planes. As Italy, Poland, Oman, and essentially every other country around the world suspended flights of the 737 Max, the FAA tried to reassure the public that the 737 plane was perfectly safe. The acting administrator of the FAA declared that the agencys extensive review had found no systematic performance issues and  no basis to order grounding the aircraft. Unlike every other airline regulator around the world, the FAA was seemingly blind to an enormous safety issue. A scathing review by a House committee declared the agency had failed in its duty and that its oversight of Boeing was grossly insufficient. But that was nothing compared with what Boeings own employees were saying behind the regulators back: This airplane is designed by clowns, who are in turn supervised by monkeys, wrote one. The debacle was a clear sign that the agency could no longer be relied upon to make hard-nosed decisions founded on engineering evidence; politics, economics, industry ties, or some combination thereof had trumped the FAAs scientific judgment.

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These slipping standards are having a very real effect on our lives right now.

Sometimes an agency doesnt decline from the zenith like a falling star, but its reputation slouches, bit by bit, toward mediocrity. Since the early 1960s, the Food and Drug Administration has been approving drugs and medical devices based upon their safety and efficacyan objective, scientific assessment that makes benefits and harms to patients the criterion for whether a pharmaceutical can come to market. But in the past two decades, the agency has shown signs of surrendering objectivity under political pressure. In the early 2000s, for example, FDA leadership overruled the decision of its rank-and-file scientists to put up roadblocks limiting the over-the-counter sale of the Plan B emergency contraceptive. Generally, though, external pressures have led the agency to approve questionable drugs rather than block them. Its seldom as spectacular as when leadership overrules the scientists (as happened in 2016 with a drug for muscular dystrophy); more generally, its a loosening of standards, accepting lesser and lesser support for a drugs safety and efficacy. There has been a gradual erosion of the evidence thats required for FDA approval, the author of one study in the Journal of the American Medical Association said earlier this year.

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These slipping standards are having a very real effect on our lives right now. Even given the need to relax certain standards in the face of the coronavirus crisis, the FDA has faced (warranted) criticism for letting ineffective COVID-19 antibody tests on the market without sufficient scrutiny and for authorizing the use of the presidents favorite COVID treatment, hydroxychloroquine, with scant evidence of efficacy. I understand the desire to find hope, but we need more evidence than is currently available before we encourage widespread use, warns former FDA commissioner Margaret Hamburg.

Not all American government agencies are internationally recognized for their excellence, but the ones that are have a lot in common. They attempt to base their decisions on scientific or engineering data or, at the very least, objective criteria that leave little wiggle room for political interference. They invite scrutiny; a high degree of transparency keeps them from departing from their standards on the fly. And above all, they maintain and nurture a pool of expert staff that is as good as or better than anything one can find in the commercial sector on a scale that no private company could ever hope to match. These are the attributes that make an institution healthy enough to resist the crushing political pressure that bears on all high-stakes regulatory agencies.

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Yet transparency is under attack seemingly everywhere in government. The CDC has forbidden its scientists from speaking to journalists without clearance from headquarters. Ive had to take the FDA to court to get it to release certain basic information about clinical trialsinformation that its European sister agency, the EMA, releases as a matter of coursedeeming the records confidential. In-house experts are gainsaid by leadership or even made entirely irrelevant as their duties are passed off to the commercial sector. The FAA was dependent on Boeing employees to vouch for the 737 Max rather than independently verifying the planes safety itself. The FDAs dependence on test manufacturers to vouch for the accuracy of its coronavirus tests is unlikely to have much better results.

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The forces weighing on these great institutions arent newthe CDC, for example, got a taste of the politicization of science in the mid-1990s when Congress functionally forbade the agency from studying gun violence as a public health problem. In previous administrations, experts pointed to possible signs that the agency was losing its way; since the beginning of the Trump administration, the scorn for science and transparency has further taken its toll. But the public only noticed the agencys malaise when a crisis came and exposed its weakness.

Unless we figure out how to reverse the course of this institutional disease, government agencies that once served as models for the rest of the world may soon cross into the nether realm of bureaucratic mediocrity. At that point, there wont be much left to mourn if activists finally succeed in drowning what remains in that proverbial bathtub.
The Delhi High Court has agreed to hear next week a PIL seeking direction to the authorities to convene frequently the meetings of sentence review board (SRB) so that the convicts eligible for premature release could be benefitted and jails be decongested for containing the spread of coronavirus pandemic.

The plea was mentioned for an urgent hearing and it has been listed on May 11.

Advocate and activist Amit Sahni, in his plea, said the SRB had convened its first quarter meeting of this year on February 28 and its meeting for the second quarter is not convened till date.

He sought direction to the authorities to convene the second quarter meetings of the board immediately as it is expedient in the interest of justice in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The petition also sought direction to the authorities to convene meetings of SRB more frequently as provided in Delhi Prison Rules, 2018 to ensure that cases of convicts, who qualify the parameters as determined by the government are considered more frequently in the pandemic of Covid-19, to de-congest Jails under the respondents and to fructify the directions of the Supreme Court and the high court.

Delhi government's SRB reviews jail terms awarded and makes recommendations for premature release in appropriate cases.

The panel, chaired by Delhi Home minister, comprises principal secretary (Home), principal secretary (law), director general (prisons), joint commissioner of police (crime), chief probation officer and a district judge.

As per the rules, SRB should meat atleast once in three months.

Sahni had earlier filed a plea seeking direction to convene SRB meetings in a timely manner and the high court had directed the authorities to do it in accordance with the provisions of the law.

Thereafter, a contempt petition was filed and after the court issued notice seeking the stand of the authorities, SRB convened its first quarter meeting in February, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
"Grey's Anatomy" showrunner Krista Vernoff says the writers of the series will get together to discuss its 17th season this month through conference call.

The chapter 16 of the long-running medical drama was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic and wrapped up with its episode 21, which aired on April 9.

"I'm going to start up the writers' room in May, but it's going to be a 'Zoom room'," Vernoff told TVLine.

The writer said under normal conditions, the cast and crew would start shooting in July, but they may have to wait considering the COVID-19 outbreak.

"The hope is that we will be able to start production when we usually do, which is in July. But we have to wait and see how this thing plays out, obviously," she added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Covid-19 test kits in Tanzania have raised suspicion after samples taken from a goat and a pawpaw fruit came back with positive results, as the president said there were technical errors.

President John Magufuli said during an event in the north west of Tanzania that the test kits were imported from overseas, but did not say where.

He said that in order to evaluate the quality of the kits, Tanzanian security forces randomly obtained non-human samples, including from a pawpaw, a goat and a sheep. The random samples were assigned human names and ages, and sent to a laboratory to test for coronavirus.

Lab technicians were deliberately not informed about the origins of the samples. The pawpaw and goat samples tested positive for Covid-19, said Mr Magufuli.

The president said the faulty kits meant some people were testing positive for coronavirus without actually being infected, reported Reuters.

He said: There is something happening. I said before we should not accept that every aid is meant to be good for this nation.

The Tanzanian government has come under scrutiny for its secretive approach to the pandemic. Earlier this week, footage of burials taking place at night under tight security circulated on social media, with activists accusing the government of covering up the real impact of the virus in the country.

Opposition leader Zitto Kabwe was quoted by the BBC as saying: I dont want to feel like the government is hiding something. I want it to perform its role. Right now, we are witnessing a lot of mourning, burials and dead bodies everywhere.

Without transparency, the citizens will be more scared, which may cause even more deaths.

Mr Magufuli also came under fire in March when he encouraged Tanzanians to continue going to church and praying, as he likened the pandemic to Satan.

His comments came during a church service in the capital, Dodoma, just before announcing six more confirmed cases of the virus. The devout Catholic claimed the virus cannot live in the body of Christ, it will burn instantly.

Tanzania has recorded 480 positive cases of coronavirus and 17 deaths as of Sunday. Mr Magufuli said during a speech he was sending a plane to Madagascar to collect a herbal cure.

He said: Im communicating with Madagascar. They have got a medicine. We will send a flight there and the medicine will be brought into the country so that Tanzania too can benefit.

Madagascars president Andry Rajoelina launched a plant-based tonic cure for Covid-19, claiming it has cured two people and shows results within seven days.

At the launch of the drink, called Covid-Organics, at the Malagasy Institute of Applied Research, Mr Rajoelina said:Schoolchildren should be given this to drink little by little throughout the day.

But the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned against believing in the tonic, and said there is no proof of a cure for coronavirus. The body did not recommend self-medication with any medicines and warned there were no short-cuts to finding treatment for the virus.
Bobby Wilkerson was weeks away from retiring from the U.S. Postal Service when he was sent home from work with a cough in late March and told to quarantine for 14 days as a precaution due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the next few days, the 62-year-old Detroit natives condition worsened. His sister, Pam Frank, said he called for an ambulance but was told his symptoms werent severe enough.

Wilkerson died April 5. His family hasnt heard an official cause of death yet. But they believe his symptoms, combined with his underlying condition (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), fit the profile of COVID-19.

It amazes me how he survived Desert Storm and his time in the Army, said Pam Frank, Wilkersons sister. Then to come out and work all of those years at the post office and to be ready to retire -- its rough to say the least. He had plans.

Related: Coronavirus continues to disrupt mail service in parts of Michigan

Wilkerson got a job sorting packages with the U.S. Postal Service after serving three tours in the U.S. Army. He spent more than 30 years between the two service fields.

Frank said her brother regularly picked up extra shifts for his coworkers. She recalled bringing him Sunday dinners often at the downtown distribution center.

He couldnt come to a lot of family functions because he was at that post office, she said. He enjoyed what he did there.

Before he got sick, Wilkerson planned to take the last two weeks of April off before retiring May 1. That would wrap up his more than 30 years of public service before he turned 63 in June.

After he was quarantined at home, he began growing weaker, Frank said. He ran a high temperature and couldnt eat much. When one of his nephews came to check on him, he found him on the ground and called an ambulance.

I cant believe it, he was just fine a few days before he passed, said T Wilkerson, Bobbys nephew. Even told me he was OK. Just shocking.

Wilkerson is one of at least two U.S. postal service workers in Michigan who have died since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Detroits Anthony Smith was the first known mail handler death attributed to the virus.

As of May 4, there were 113 Detroit-Pontiac-Flint area USPS employees who tested positive for coronavirus, according to the Michigan chapter of the National Postal Mail Handlers Union The postal service declined to disclose how many of its employees have died from the virus.

Customers in Southeast Michigan have experienced delays in receiving mail during the pandemic. A spokesperson for USPS said mail is delivered throughout the Detroit area daily but some customers may experience a lighter volume of mail and a temporary delay in package delivery due to the impacts of the pandemic.

We appreciate the patience of our customers and the efforts of employees as conditions change on a day-to-day basis, reads a USPS statement.

Wilkersons family is remembering him as the comedian of the family. His sister said he often sought to make people laugh and would take a bad situation and make people see the bright side of it.

He helped Frank raise her four children and would use his different sense of humor to cheer them up after they got in trouble.

After Wilkerson died, Frank began receiving calls from his friends, family and coworkers asking about a memorial service. But due to social distancing requirements, the family is waiting until June 2021 to host a memorial to honor him around his birthday.

When families are close, it really hits hard and when you cannot celebrate their life the way one would normally, that makes it even harder, Frank said.

The virus is still lurking around. But hopefully next year well give people an opportunity to come share their stories or whatever they want to do to remember him.

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.

Use disinfecting wipes or disinfecting spray cleaners on frequently-touched surfaces in your home (door handles, faucets, countertops) and carry hand sanitizer with you when you go into places like stores.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also issued an executive order requiring people to wear face coverings over their mouth and nose while inside enclosed, public spaces.

Read all of MLives coverage on the coronavirus at mlive.com/coronavirus. Additional information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

More from MLive:

Michigan farmers to benefit from U.S. buying $470M in surplus food

Less than 10% of Michigan coronavirus tests coming back positive; 86 new deaths reported

From closing restaurants to requiring masks, Gov. Whitmer has issued 69 executive orders in 56 days
A second suspect has been arrested in connection with a deadly interstate crash that killed a Birmingham woman.

Keanjra Lashai Maddox, 22, was arrested Tuesday afternoon by Birmingham police after Alabama State Troopers announced they were searching for her. She is the second person to be arrested in connection with the March 9 death of 20-year-old Octavia Nicole Johnson.

Kevin Lamar King, 27, was taken into custody Monday. Both are charged with reckless manslaughter in Johnsons death. Authorities said Johnson was killed in a crash while Maddox and King were racing on Interstate 59/20.

Birmingham police took Maddox into custody after receiving a tip on her whereabouts. She was booked into the Jefferson County Jail at 9:52 p.m. and remains held on $30,000 bond. King has already been released on the same bond.

The deadly crash happened at 1:11 a.m. that Monday on Interstate 59/20 southbound near Fairfield. Authorities at the time said Johnson was the passenger in a southbound vehicle that collided with another vehicle on the interstate.

The vehicle Johnson was riding in left the roadway, went airborne and landed on a surface street below. Johnson was ejected from the vehicle and found by first responders about 50 feet away. She was taken to UAB Hospital where she was pronounced dead at 2:31 a.m.

Troopers on Tuesday said Johnson was the passenger in a 2017 Chevrolet Camaro driven by Maddox. Authorities said the investigation showed that Maddox and King, who was driving a 1998 Chevy Camaro, were racing along I-59 South, near mile marker 119, when Kings vehicle struck Maddoxs vehicle from behind as both drivers attempted to negotiate a curve.

Both vehicles left the roadway and traveled down a ravine. Maddox and King also were injured and transported to the hospital for treatment.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-07 00:44:03|Editor: huaxia

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RABAT, May 6 (Xinhua) -- Moroccan navy on Wednesday announced it has rescued 157 migrants who tried to reach Spain during different operations from May 2 to 4.

The migrants, mostly sub-Saharan nationals, were traveling in several inflatable boats in the Strait of Gibraltar, which separates the African continent from Europe, said the Moroccan official news agency MAP quoting a military source.

The migrants, including 30 women and children, some of whom were in bad health conditions, received the necessary first aid aboard the coast guard units of the Moroccan navy, before being brought back safely to the nearest ports, the agency added.

Morocco has become a hub for African migrants who seek to reach Europe for a better life.

Thousands of migrants try to flee poverty and unrest in Africa each year via Morocco to Europe. Enditem
HOUSTON - A construction firm promoted by President Donald Trump to build his signature border wall violated American treaty obligations with a private border fence next to the river separating Texas and Mexico, a U.S. agency has found.

The International Boundary and Water Commission found that Fisher Industries 3-mile (4.8 kilometre) fence of steel posts just 35 feet (10 metres) from the Rio Grande could worsen flooding and called on the company to make changes to the project. The IBWC released a copy of its letter to Fisher Industries on Wednesday.

Built on private land in South Texas Rio Grande Valley, the project was originally promoted as an online fundraiser started by Trump supporters, We Build the Wall, that raised over $20 million.

It instead became a showcase for the North Dakota-based Fisher Industries, whose president, Tommy Fisher, has pitched the company on Fox News and other media consumed by the president and his backers. U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, has also spoken to Trump about Fisher Industries, the president said on Fox News last year.

Fisher Industries won a $400 million contract in December to build a section of government border wall in Arizona. The Pentagons internal watchdog later said it would investigate the awarding of the contract.

Fisher Industries built the fence in January after a federal judge lifted a restraining order originally sought by the non-profit National Butterfly Center. The fence is far closer to the riverbank than government border walls in the region, some of which are a mile or more away from the water. Thats because the U.S. and Mexico have agreed to share water and electricity generated by the Rio Grande. Significant construction in the floodplain could change the flow of water and potentially damage communities on either side.

In its letter, the commission drew some of the same conclusions as opponents of the project, saying that installing posts so close to the river could catch debris and deflect water flow in a way that would worsen flooding in a storm. At one point in the fence, the commission found a potential deflection twice the acceptable rate.

The commission did not call on Fisher Industries to take down the fence. Instead, it asked the company to install gates, realign the fence, or consider other ways to mitigate potential flooding.

Tommy Fisher said Wednesday that his team was working with the commission to find a mutually agreeable solution. He added that in a major flood, his crews could take down some fence posts to allow the unimpeded flow of water.

Javier Pena, an attorney for the butterfly centre, said he doubted work crews could remove fence posts in a storm. The butterfly centre still wants the fence taken down, Pena said.

We dont know if theres any kind of remediation that would alleviate that risk, he said.

Scott Nicol, a South Texas activist who opposes border walls, said he questioned why the commission didnt ask Fisher Industries to remove the fence.

If the Rio Grande sees significant flooding, this wall will be uprooted, its bollards slammed into homes, businesses, and the dam downstream, Nicol said.
Two Niger nationals who were admitted at the Police Hospital after refusing COVID-19 treatment at the Ga East Municipal Hospital have recovered.

According to the police, the two have been discharged.

The two Nigerien COVID-19 cases in the care and management of the Police have recovered. They have therefore been discharged from the Police Hospital. We continue to urge public support and cooperation to help curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Stay home as much as possible and wear the [face] mask whenever you have to meet others, the police said in a Facebook post.

Controversial cases

The two Nigeriens were arrested on April 5, 2020, in Accra when a taxi they were in was stopped by police officers who were enforcing the partial lockdown.

The two could not give tangible reasons for their movement, sparking suspicion and their arrest.

Further investigations by police led to a medical test on them at the Ridge Hospital and they were confirmed to be COVID-19 positive on April 13, 2020.

The two Nigeriens caused a stir when they refused to undergo care at the Ga East Municipal Hospital on Monday, April 20, 2020, and attempted to leave the facility without authorisation.

The two also reportedly threatened staff with a sharp object saying that they will not stay at the facility.

It took some security personnel about three hours to subdue them and have them returned to the Greater Accra regional police command.

They were subsequently moved to the Police Hospital to be treated in isolation after some intervention from Nigerien authorities in Ghana.

---citinewsroom
We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Bing Liu, a prolific researcher and admired colleague at Pitt. The University extends our deepest sympathies to Lius family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time, his colleagues reportedly said in the statement.
A woman in her 20s was found on the streets of Salford after she escaped an unknown property where she was being forced to operate as a 'sex slave'.

Police say that around 7:30am on May 2, officers responded regarding concern for the welfare of a woman after she was found at Dallas Court, off South Langworthy Road by a member of the public.

Following enquiries, as reported by the MEN, it has emerged that the woman escaped the property from outside Greater Manchester, asked a passing lorry driver for assistance and was taken to Salford.

The street of Dallas Court in Salford (pic) where the woman in her 20s was found by a member of the public on Saturday morning

She was found on Saturday morning wearing a blue denim jacket, a dark-coloured dress, and police have said her shoulder-length brown hair was tied in a ponytail.

Detective sergeant Gareth Humphreys, of Greater Manchester Police's Salford district, said: 'This woman has endured a terrifying experience and our specialist officers are supporting her through this distressing time.

'We appreciate there is a limited amount of information available currently, but it is only right that we pursue every line of enquiry available to us.

The woman travelled to the street off South Langworthy Road (pic) after asking a passing lorry driver for assistance outside Greater Manchester

'We are appealing to anyone with information, or who recalls helping or seeing this woman in the early morning of Saturday 2 May, or the days preceding, to contact police.

'We'd particularly like to appeal to the driver of the lorry who assisted the woman in travelling to Salford.

'I'd like to stress that the lorry driver is not in any trouble and we only want to speak to them to help us piece together the woman's movements following her escape.'

Anyone with information can call police on 0161 856 7693 quoting incident number 580 of 02/05/2020 or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Barr. Agbor Balla CIN Screen Capture

Second semester courses for the 2019/2020 academic year in the English Law Department of the University of Buea initially allocated to Barrister Nkongho Felix Agbor alias Agbor Balla have been withdrawn.

The students whose long essays he was supervising have also been withdrawn and reassigned to other teachers in the aforementioned department lodged under the Faculty of Laws and Political Science.

The move came ahead of a Disciplinary Panel Hearing Wednesday against Agbor Nkongho, Instructor at the English Law Department summoned by authorities to justify why he set an examination question on the Anglophone Crisis.

The verdict of the Disciplinary Hearing which opened at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, May 6, 2020 at the Board Room of the Central Administrative Block is yet to be made public especially given that Human Rights Lawyer Agbor Nkongho boycotted.

Sheriff-Bailiff Tapa Justin Lebrin served Agbor Nkonghos Appearance Under Protest to the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buea Wednesday morning. The four-page document was received on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor by his private secretary.

The withdrawal of Agbor Nkonghos courses even before the hearing justifies claims that his dismissal from the University of Buea is only a matter of time.

Prof. Atangcho Nji Akonumbo, Dean of the Faculty of Laws and Political Science suggests that the rights activist breached professional obligations when he set an exam question on the Anglophone Crisis in a first semester level one course titled Political and Constitutional History of Cameroon. The question read: The Anglophone crisis since 2016 was caused by lawyers and teachers strikes. Assess the validity of this statement. (40 marks)

An Invitation Letter to a Disciplinary Hearing dated April 29, 2020, was only delivered to Agbor Ballas office at the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA) at 12:08 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, 2020, 22 hours to the hearing.

In the invitation letter, Prof. Atangcho writes: On the instruction of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buea, and in keeping with article 16 of decree No. 93/036 of 29th January 1993, you are being invited to appear before a constituted Disciplinary Panel of the University to hear allegations against you for non-compliance of professional obligations for a question you set on LAW243: Political and Constitutional History of Cameroon, during the 2019/2020 first semester examination.

The Minister of State for Higher Education and Chancellor of Academic Orders, Professor Jacques Fame Ndongo had on April 20 instructed the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Buea ,Professor Horace Ngomo Manga to put a definite end to all on-campus activities of Agbor Nkongho which breach the ethics and deontology of the University.

Trusted sources at the University of Buea suggest that Agbor Nkonghos dismissal is already being concluded. We learnt that the university authorities had initially wanted to tolerate Agbor Nkongho until his present contract expires in April 2021, but the letter from Minister of State Fame Ndongo now necessitates his expulsion.

Cameroon-Info.Net recalls that when the crisis in the North West and South West regions started in October 2016 with the Lawyers and later Teachers strike, Agbor Nkongho was President of the Fako Lawyers Association (FAKLA) as well as President of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium, CACSC which two structures were deeply involved in the protests.

When pressure came to bear on government, the CACSC was banned on January 17, 2017 and Agbor Balla arrested same day along with Dr. Fontem Neba who served as Secretary General of the Consortium.

Brought before the Yaounde military court for promoting terrorism among other charges that carry the maximum sentence, Agbor Nkongho was freed when President Biya ordered the discontinuance of proceedings against him and others on August 30, 2017.

Human Rights Lawyer Nkonghos trouble at the University of Buea may not be unconnected to his indictment of government for the February 14, 2020 killings in Ngarbuh. In his capacity as Founder/President of the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa, he had blamed state forces for the Valentines Day killings.
Description

GIS  06 May, 2020 : Mr Asraf Caunhye was appointed Chief Justice, this morning, at the State House, Reduit. He was also elevated to the rank of Grand Officer of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean (GOSK) following his swearing-in in presence of the President, Mr Prithvirajsing Roopun, and the Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Jugnauth, as well as other personalities.

In a statement to the Government Information Service, Mr Asraf Caunhye said he was very honoured by the appointment. He underlined that many challenges await him and he will get down to work immediately. He also pointed out that the strength of the judiciary lies in its team.

Career path

Appointed as barrister and solicitor in 1976, Mr Caunhye was educated at the Council of Legal Education, London, and the Middle Temple, London, United Kingdom. Since March 2019, he has been practising as a Senior Puisne Judge at the Supreme Court.

From 1976 to 1982, he practised as a barrister at the Mauritian Bar and served as District Magistrate and Senior District Magistrate between 1982 and 1986.

From 1986, he was attached to the Attorney-General's Office and the Ministry of Justice as Senior and Principal State Counsel. From 1994 to 1998, Mr Caunhye was the Assistant Solicitor-General and became one of the main legal advisers to the Government, with special responsibility for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Law.

In addition, as Parliamentary Counsel from 1998 to 2001, he was the head of the legal drafting department responsible for the drafting of legislation for Parliament. During the same period, he also acted as Solicitor-General and Director of Public Prosecutions on various occasions.

In May 2001, he was appointed as judge of the Supreme Court. He is also a member of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights from 2018 to 2022.

The appointment of Mr Asraf Caunhye as Chief Justice will bring about changes in the judiciary. Ms Nalini Matadeen will succeed him as Senior Puisne Judge. Judge Rehana-Mungly Gulbul, who sits in the Commercial Court, will be propulsed as the number 3 Judge. Mr Asraf Caunhye has succeeded Mr Eddy Balancy who has retired.

Government Information Service, Prime Ministers Office, Level 6, New Government Centre, Port Louis, Mauritius. Email: gis@govmu.org Website: http://gis.govmu.org Mobile App: Search Gov


Last month, a little-known place in a state thats largely kept its coronavirus infections in check became the new national epicenter of COVID-19.

In a matter of days, confirmed coronavirus cases in Marion, Ohio -- a city about two hours southwest of Cleveland where former President Warren Harding long lived -- went from a metaphorical 10 mph to 1,000 mph. All because of the sprawling minimum- to medium-security state prison just outside of town where COVID-19 turned out to have been silently incubating.

Cleveland.coms Jeremy Pelzer has reported that, as of April 21, 2,011 inmates, or more than 80 percent of the population at Marion Correctional Institution, had tested positive for COVID-19, according to state data. At the time, Pelzer noted, that represented 16 percent of Ohios total coronavirus cases.

The state has since said 96 percent of Marion inmates testing positive had no symptoms. As of Monday, according to state data, 409 Marion inmates had recovered, 703 were quarantined, 1,746 whod tested positive were in isolation and 14 were awaiting test results.

Marion Correctional illustrates the difficulties -- and health and safety challenges -- when crowded prisons become incubators of the virus.

The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction says it has implemented rigorous cleaning protocols, new bunking practices to maximize distancing, reduced hot meals to two large meals in most facilities to reduce interactions and authorized use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer and production of cloth masks in its prisons.

Those are laudable moves, but Ohio needs to move much faster to separate prisoners and to keep both inmates and staff better protected against infection. State officials also must make sure that inmates now being released early (and hurriedly), either because they are close to the end of their sentences or meet other state criteria, are appropriately quarantined and monitored. That goes, as well, for inmates released after completing their sentences.

The Marion Star (a newspaper President Harding owned from 1884 until shortly before his death in 1923), reports on one Marion inmate, Kevin Cherry, from Akron. Cherry tested positive for COVID-19 three days after his April 11 release from Marion after completing his 15-month sentence for felony theft and vehicular assault, the Star reported. He said he was released without being tested for COVID-19, even though hed asked for a test.

The Marion prison now represents the nations largest single COVID-19 outbreak. And thats meant that Marion County, with 2,332 confirmed cases as of yesterday morning, had nearly as many cases as Cuyahoga County (2,398), even though Cuyahoga has nearly 19 times the population.

Partly, that is because of aggressive state COVID-19 testing at Marion and two other Ohio prisons. But it also reflects, according to interviews Pelzer conducted with Marion inmates, the difficult challenges of creating appropriate social-distancing, hygiene, and other precautions in a prison system that already has far more prisoners than it was designed to hold.

The Dayton Daily News reports that Ohios prison system was designed to hold about 35,000 inmates but currently holds 49,000. Overcrowding is a way of life inside.

Pelzer found that the Marion prison was putting those who test negative for COVID-19 into the prison gym, where one inmate, Imre Smith, a 46-year-old from Youngstown serving time for murder, told Pelzer there was just one toilet for 200 men after 8 p.m., and no social distancing.

Some may think, So what? and argue that these convicted felons lost their right to privacy and freedom through their own wrongdoing. But its not just that this novel coronavirus can impose its own death penalty. Its also all the correctional officers, staff and others -- and their families and loved ones -- who are being infected in turn.

At least 11 Marion inmates have now died of COVID-19-related causes, along with at least one corrections officer who died in early April. And 175 other staff also are infected, the state reported this week. The Ohio National Guard has been called up to provide perimeter security and other assistance at the hard-hit prison.

Yet Marion is but the eye of a storm that is engulfing all the states correctional facilities, including jails and juvenile detention facilities. In these places, the highly contagious but stealthy COVID-19 finds ideal conditions to spread.

With the disease likely already entrenched in its prison and jail facilities, the state must urgently find ways to change conditions inside detention, to keep inmates better separated, facilities sanitized and all staff appropriately equipped with (and required to wear) personal protective equipment. If that means building emergency barracks to separate inmates, that needs to be done.

And when the disease abates, Ohio must examine how to create safer, cleaner, better designed and less crowded prison conditions -- a goal that can be achieved, in part, through criminal justice reform.

About our editorials: Editorials express the view of the editorial board of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer -- the senior leadership and editorial-writing staff. As is traditional, editorials are unsigned and intended to be seen as the voice of the news organization.

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B oris Johnson has set out a new target of 200,000 coronavirus tests a day by the end of May, as he admitted he "bitterly regrets" the crisis in care homes.

On his return to the Commons since his recovery from Covid-19 and his son's birth, the Prime Minister outlined the "ambition" to double testing "by the end of the month".

It comes after the Government fell short of its 100,000 a day target for the third day in a row.

Pressed on the shortfall by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, he said: "Yes, hes right that capacity currently exceeds demand, were working on that, were running at about 100,000 a day, but the ambition clearly is to get up to 200,000 a day by the end of this month and then to go even higher."

Boris Johnson made his return to the Commons / PA

The PM added that testing would be "absolutely critical" to the "long-term economic recovery" from the pandemic, having previously said he wants 250,000 tests a day.

Sir Keir replied: "I'm glad the Prime Minister has now said that the target is 200,000 tests a day by the end of this month. But of course just having a target isn't a strategy."

The PM admitted the continued reported shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) on the front line was "enraging" but that Downing Street now had a "massive plan to ramp up domestic supply".

He also said he "bitterly regrets" the crisis in care homes, where staff have hit out at a lack of testing and PPE.

The latest figures show that nursing home fatalities are continuing to rise, standing at 2,794 in the week to April 24, despite deaths in all settings beginning to fall.

Sir Keir Starmer took on Boris Johnson over the stark death toll / PA

Health Secretary Matt Hancock initially pledged to hit the 100,000 mark by the end of April and said it had been achieved, but it emerged that about a third of the tests had not been processed by labs.

Ministers have been under fire since the daily rate dipped below 80,000 on Saturday, with 85,186 carried out on Sunday and 84,806 on Monday.

In other highlights from the first duel between Mr Johnson and his new opponent:

The PM announced he would brief MPs about the Government's lockdown plans on Monday, warning it would be an "economic disaster" if a premature relaxation prompted a second peak of infections

Mr Johnson said there had been a "palpable improvement" in the situation in care homes but that he "bitterly regrets" the outbreak hitting elderly residents

Labour leader Sir Keir challenged the PM on the death toll nearing 33,000, the highest in Europe, adding: "So can the Prime Minister tell us how on earth did it come to this?"

Mr Johnson replied: "Every death is a tragedy and he's right to draw attention to the appalling statistics, not just in this country but across the world"

The pair also clashed over how accurate international comparisons of death tolls are, with Mr Johnson saying it is too early to conclusions.

It comes ahead of the PM's speech on Sunday night where he is expected to pave the way for the next phase of Britain's lockdown.

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MPs questioned him during PMQs over why he is breaking normal Parliamentary protocol to not inform them of the eased measures first.

Listen to The Leader: Coronavirus Daily podcast

He said: "The reason for that is very simple, that we have to be sure the data is going to support our ability to do this.

"That data is coming in continuously over the next few days. We want if we possibly can to get going with some of these measures on Monday."
LEXINGTON  A Lexington postal worker with nearly three decades of experience retired on April 30. Mary Ann Hickey has been with the United States Postal Service for 28 years.

Hickey began working with the Postal Service back in 1992. When asked how she got her start, Hickey said the postmaster asked her if she would be interested and she took the position.

Her first time was Postmaster Relief, PMR, meaning she would fill in for the postmaster when needed, as well as sorting mail, helping customers and just generally covering the office.

During this time she worked in Overton, Eddyville and Sumner.

In 1998, Hickey became a part-time flexible clerk in Elm Creek, this now meant she was a full federal employee. She also began covering Odessa, back when there was a post office there.

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Hickey said although her title changed, the work did not, noting her title depended on what office she was working at.

When help was needed at the Lexington post office, Hickey took the chance for more hours and became a full time employee.
A worker assembles a car at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen, Germany as carmakers begin to bring plants back online after the shutdown. (Andreas Gebert/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

The coronavirus pandemic ruptured industrial orders in Germany in March, with new orders falling by 15.6% from the month before, making it the biggest slump since 1991.

The Federal Office of Statistics said on Wednesday the producers of investment goods were particularly badly affected, with a plunge in orders of over 22%. The office noted that the decline in domestic and international orders was roughly the same, as the Germany economy went into lockdown in response to the pandemic.

March is the first part of the tragedy, said DekaBank economist Andreas Scheuerle. The slump in incoming orders shows the force with which corona is hitting German industry.And yet that's only half of the truth, because the collapse of new orders will also result in a wave of order cancellations.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Germany to extend travel ban to at least mid-June

Germanys swift and strict coronavirus response in mid-March has won it praise, as the number of deaths from COVID-19 have been significantly lower than the UK, Spain, Italy and France. Johns Hopkins University data as of Wednesday morning shows that the number of coronavirus cases have reached 167,007, with 6,993 deaths from the virus.

The sudden drop in demand, along with the fact that its factories have been shuttered since mid-March has dealt a huge blow to the manufacturing-heavy German economy.

The government forecast last week that economic growth would to shrink to minus 6.3% in 2020, and exports will fall by over 11%, making it the worst recession for the country since the Second World War.

Keen to reboot their local economies, some leaders have been pushing ahead with big steps to open up businesses again. Chancellor Angela Merkel is due to more or less hand over the reins to the state premiers at a meeting today, allowing them to decide on how they open up again.

READ MORE: Germany braces for worst recession in post-war history

Germanys automotive giants have all started ramping up production again at their plants, but are also calling on the government in Berlin for aid to boost the sector again.
Binge watching Alle Folgen & Clips online sehen Konnen Ben und Erin die Immobilien so restaurieren, dass sich die neuen Besitzer sofort in ihre neuen Hauser verlieben? Alle Folgen ansehen
The NCP on Wednesday hit out at the Ministry of Railways regarding travel fare for migrants. Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh questioned the ministry and asked for more clarity over whether migrants would be charged, disputing the Ministry's clarification that the migrants are being provided free travel.

READ | Free Food & Water Being Given; Travel Free For Migrants: Railways Sources Clarify Amid Row

'Ministry of Railways should come clean'

Anil Deshmukh took to Twitter and disputed the Centre's claims about incurring 85 per cent of the total cost. In addition, he also hit out and alleged that the Centre is charging full fare from the migrant labourers.

@RailMinIndia should come clean on how it is charging full fare from every single migrant labourer travelling back home. All claims that the Centre is picking up 85% of the tab are completely false! Such complete lack of empathy for the poor is unheard of.#EmpathyForPoor  ANIL DESHMUKH (@AnilDeshmukhNCP) May 6, 2020

READ | 'State Govt To Pay For Migrants' Travel; Cabinet To Discuss Modalities': Punjab Minister

Free Food & Water Being Given; Travel Free For Migrants: Railways Sources Clarify

Aid the ongoing row over migrant labourers being charged, the Centre on Monday clarified with regards to ticket fare for special trains for migrants. It made clear that migrants' travel would be free, contrary to the opposition's assertion. The railways will charge 15 per cent fare from the state governments. The rest of the expenses will be borne by the railways itself, with the travelling migrants not being charged.

The ministry has also cleared the air around the queries and announced that food and water, in addition to travel, are being provided for free to migrant labourers travelling in the special trains. This comes after the government received flak from several opposition parties amid a window where there was purportedly a lack of clarity, with the Congress asserting that it would pay if the government does not.

READ: NCP's Sharad Pawar Questions PM Modi For Choosing Gandhinagar Over Mumbai For IFSC Centre

READ: Special Train Carrying Migrants Leave For Bihar From Kalyan

(With agency inputs)
EBikes to Pave Green Path for Postal Deliveries

The Royal Gibraltar Post Office will start this week to trial two e-assisted bikes. The three-month trial has been arranged in partnership with local company E-Bikes Gibraltar.

The premium, non-polluting eBikes from Riese & Muller are equipped with top quality components such as a state of the art Bosch motor, inbuilt lighting, disc brakes, secure locks and various speeds.

While the bikes themselves are interesting, the significance is that HM Government of Gibraltar is illustrating that practical, cycle-powered alternatives in Gibraltar can be used.

The load cargo area of the bikes is designed to primarily carry letters and small packages. If the trial is deemed successful, Royal Gibraltar Post Office will expand the program. Postal workers have welcomed the addition of the new bikes to the fleet and the initial tests are very encouraging.

Minister for Postal Services, The Hon Vijay Daryanani, said:

The trial is significant, because it increases awareness about the alternatives means of transport available. That it is e-assisted is also significant. Electric bikes are proving to lower the psychological barrier to getting people out of cars and as such, I wholeheartedly welcome this move. I hope we will see more local businesses inspired to follow suit.
FILE PHOTO: Enbridge Inc.'s crude oil storage tanks are seen during a tour of their tank farm in Cushing

By Jeff Lewis

TORONTO (Reuters) - Enbridge Inc <ENB.TO> said on Monday the Canadian pipeline operator has reached a deal with shippers to temporarily store crude oil in North America's largest oil pipeline network from June 1 and is working with governments to provide additional capacity.

Oil companies have been slashing costs and cutting production due to a crash in crude prices and slumping fuel demand due to global restrictions to fight the novel coronavirus pandemic. This has stoked fears that global storage levels are fast approaching capacity.

"Given the impacts of the pandemic and the collapse in crude oil prices, demand for incremental crude petroleum storage throughout North America and even more urgently in Western Canada is high," the company said in a May 1 filing with the Canadian Energy Regulator.

The Mainline, Canadas longest oil pipeline system, has capacity for nearly 3 million barrels per day, moving western Canadian oil to U.S. refiners.

Enbridge last month said it would not ration capacity for May on the network, a sharp reversal from restrictions that have dogged Canadian producers for years.

The company is offering about 900,000 barrels of storage, equivalent to about four standard-sized tanks, for an eight-month term, a spokeswoman said. It would use an older portion of its Line 3 pipeline in Canada before the line is decommissioned next year.

Enbridge is also working with provincial and the Canadian federal governments "to support producers goal of more storage," spokeswoman Tracie Kenyon said in an email, without providing details.

"This temporary storage, along with the further maintenance optimizations to our storage tank program will create more than two million barrels of additional storage capacity for 2020," she said.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has repeatedly warned that storage levels are in danger of reaching capacity.

Cuts to Alberta's oil production have been large enough to avoid filling storage completely but levels could still spike to tank-top capacity of 43 million barrels, Canadian producer Cenovus Energy Inc <CVE.TO> said last week.

(Reporting by Jeff Lewis; Editing by Marguerita Choy and David Gregorio)
[May 06, 2020] First Dollar Closes $5M Seed Funding Round to Transform Health Savings and Spending

First Dollar, the first human-centric health care savings platform, has announced it has closed a seed funding round of $5M. Next Coast Ventures led the round with participation from Meridian Street Capital. Additional investors in the round include former athenahealth CEO Jonathan Bush, Everlywell CEO Julia Cheek, Bright Health CTO Brian Gambs and Capital Factory. The funding will be used to recruit a top team of engineers and designers to scale the HSA offering and build new functionality for First Dollar's platform. Today, the nation's more than 26 million Health Savings Accounts control $61.7 billion in assets, but the healthcare industry is the primary beneficiary of that total. Most users allow their contributions to sit idle, turning a potential investment vehicle into an under-utilized bank account. Only 11% of participants maximize their contributions each year, and only 13% invest their HSA savings for growth. Even worse, many HSAs charge a monthly fee, so savings are slowly depleted by as much as $100 per year. Empowering Consumers with a Modern Health Care Savings Account Platform To solve these problems, First Dollar co-founders Jason Bornhorst and Colin Anawaty set about building an HSA people will actually use. There are no monthly fees, and there will be a heavy focus on easy-to-understand language, education on how to maximize savings nd an offering of high-quality health care products at fair prices. No other company offers this complete ecosystem.



"HSAs are the worst-marketed health care benefit in the United States," said Bornhorst, First Dollar CEO. "Most of them are effectively little-used bank accounts. We're building a product that not only helps you maximize your savings but also offers great health care at a great price. We believe that for every $1 you put into your First Dollar HSA, you should get $2 in value back in savings and spending." "I've been an HSA user for years, and it's an amazing tool if you know how to use it," said Anawaty, First Dollar's chief product officer. "The products on the market, though, don't live up to the power of the HSA. I'm excited to build a product that people will love that makes their finances healthier and also helps them make more informed decisions about their long-term health."

First Dollar targets Millennials and Gen Z, a generally healthy population that typically spends too much per year for more coverage than they need. Only 1 in 5 people in those demographics reach their deductible amount each year. First Dollar believes they would be better served by putting the money they spend on premiums into a simple, informative, 100% fee-free HSA account. Investor Perspectives on First Dollar Seed Funding Round "Two of the biggest concerns on people's minds today are their money and their health," said Mike Smerklo, Next Coast Ventures co-founder and managing partner. "In an ever-changing healthcare market, it pays to have leaders who know the space. As co-founders, Jason and Colin know this marketplace, having sold their previous company to athenahealth and then running athenahealth's Austin office. We're excited to partner with them as they redefine an old industry to help consumers get more for their money." "Individuals and employees are increasingly taking responsibility back from the employer with regards to managing and spending their healthcare benefits," said Scott Law, general partner at Meridian Street Capital. "After having worked closely with Jason and Colin from idea to company formation, I believe their unique blend of experiences in both consumer technology and health care will enable First Dollar to become the go-to resource for every American when it comes to healthcare benefits." About First Dollar

First Dollar is revolutionizing how people think about and interact with healthcare. Founded in October 2019 by repeat successful entrepreneurs Jason Bornhorst and Colin Anawaty, First Dollar's powerful platform helps people save for out-of-pocket expenses and find great health care for a fair price. With $5 million in funding, First Dollar is building the first human-centered health care experience. For more, visit firstdollar.com. About Next Coast Ventures

Next Coast Ventures is an Austin-based venture capital firm that partners with entrepreneurs building high-growth companies in 'Next Coast' markets. The firm uses macro trends and themes to guide its investment strategy, providing early-stage capital to founders scaling companies across the consumer, enterprise and emerging platform sectors. NCV focuses on bringing value to its founders post-investment by equipping its growing portfolio with hands-on, company building resources through its strong industry network, Entrepreneurs Council program and applying the partners' own operational experience as entrepreneurs. Learn more at www.nextcoastventures.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005077/en/

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Directed by Nadia Hallgren, the movie takes viewers on an even-keeled journey with Obama as she embarks on her book tour. She intends to use the time to reflect on her eight years in the White House and to figure out what just happened to me, she says. And while its hard to believe that someone who has been in the public eye for so long can actually be unplugged, Obamas multicity conversations are invigorating, offering more personal insights and showing sharper versions of her signature charm and humor. She discusses overcoming impostor syndrome, that nagging feeling of not belonging, while studying at Princeton University. She also talks about her initial reluctance to date Barack Obama when they worked at the same Chicago law firm because, in part, everyone expected it. Thats just what they are waiting for, she recalls. You two love each other dont you? Youre black, hes black. This will be great.

While many elements of the documentary feel stagy, Obamas more interesting responses are instigated during community events, when she speaks to smaller groups of people, often young students. They ask her how she overcame the sense of isolation that haunts many black women as they move through the world. She attributes her confidence to her parents, who allowed her to ask questions and made her feel visible. We cant afford to wait for the world to be equal to start feeling seen, she says.

The students also express to Obama their fears and frustrations surrounding the results of the 2016 election. Here, she ventures into politics and offers her take on not just Trumps election but the challenges her husband faced while in office. It wasnt just in this election, but every midterm. Every time Barack didnt get the Congress he needed, that was because our folks didnt show up, she said. After all that work, they just couldnt be bothered to vote at all. Its a claim that the film doesnt press Obama on, letting it go unexplored and unquestioned.

Becoming is not the candid Michelle Obama film that people might have been waiting for. And truthfully, I doubt we will ever see such a film in her lifetime. Instead, we get a familiar, albeit more carefree, Obama who, in her own words, learned a long time ago to be much more scripted.

Becoming

Rated PG. Running time: 1 hour 29 minutes. Watch on Netflix.
MANILA, Philippines  The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) advises media giant ABS-CBN to appeal for a temporary restraining order (TRO) with the Supreme Court (SC) to resume broadcast on TV and radio after its shutdown on Tuesday evening (May 5).

According to NTC Deputy Commissioner Edgardo Cabarios, a TRO is ABS-CBNs potential remedy for now to stop the cease and desist order issued by the agency after the networks franchise lapsed on May 4.

If they get the TRO then they can resume operation, Cabarios said.

The NTC explained that only the Congress has the power to grant a franchise to media networks in the country.

Section 1 kasi ng Act 3846 ay klaro na kung wala kang congressional franchise, you cannot operate radio broadcasting stations, [Section 1 of Republic Act 3846 is clear, without congressional franchise you cannot operate radio broadcasting stations], the NTC official said.

Cabarios clarified, however, that ABS-CBN programs may still be aired on other platforms.

Pwede sa online, Internet, pwede ring cable television or pwede ring sa ibang radio and television stations na mayroon valid franchise at authority from the Commission [They can go online, they may use the Internet or other cable, radio or television stations that have valid franchise and authority from the Commission], he noted.

Meanwhile, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines condemned the NTCs action saying it was an attack on press freedom.

The cease and desist order issued by the NTC against ABS-CBN is a deplorable assault on free press that further reveals that this administration is more interested in restricting basic freedoms than in containing a pandemic, the group said in a statement.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) noted the importance of the medias role in democracy.

Gusto lang natin na ma-tackle ito, ma-deliberate ito, [We want this tackled and deliberated], argued CHR spokesperson, Atty. Jacqueline De Guia.

Kasi ang isa sa mga suliranin sa kasong ito ay hindi nagkakaroon ng tamang pagdinig doon sa issue na kinakaharap para sa pagre-renew ng franchise, [One of the problems in this case is the lack of deliberation on the franchise renewal] she concluded. MNP (with details from Rey Pelayo)

The post ABS-CBN may ask SC for TRO against shutdown order  NTC appeared first on UNTV News.
(Natural News) Vitamin D may play an important role in reducing the severity of COVID-19 infections, according to a new study conducted by researchers from Trinity College Dublin.

The study, conducted by the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) and published in the Journal of Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, explored major discrepancies in COVID-19 mortality rates at different latitudes worldwide.

Countries in the southern hemisphere, such as Australia, have relatively low coronavirus-related mortality rates compared to countries located in the northern hemisphere, such as Italy and Spain. These two countries not only logged two of the highest number of mortality in the pandemic, but they also logged low population levels of vitamin D.

The researchers pointed to the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the northern countries as the possible reason for their high coronavirus-related mortality rates.

This deficiency, the researchers noted, could stem from the fact that these countries are located in latitudes that receive insufficient sunlight in both winter and spring. Vitamin D is a nutrient synthesized by the human body as a response to sunlight exposure.

We have evidence to support a role for Vitamin D in the prevention of chest infections, particularly in older adults who have low levels. In one study Vitamin D reduced the risk of chest infections to half in people who took supplements, Rose Anne Kenny, Principal Investigator of TILDA, said in a press statement.

According to Kenny, aside from its known ability to support a healthy immune system response and promote good bone and muscle health, vitamin D also has the ability to suppress severe inflammatory responses in patients who are seriously ill with COVID-19.

Vitamin D has many benefits for bone and muscle health and the immune system, in addition to a potentially critical role in suppression of the severe pro-inflammatory response which characterizes severe COVID-19 complications, Kenny said.

In their study, the TILDA researchers recommended vitamin D supplementation for at-risk populations, effectively echoing similar calls from several institutions such as Public Health England and the Scottish and Welsh governments, which have all issued recommendations for supplementation of vitamin D for nursing home residents, as well as those who may not get enough sun exposure, such as people who are required to wear clothes that cover most of the skin when outdoors, or people with dark skin.

If vitamin D status is sufficient, it could benefit vulnerable adults, in particular, those 70+ years and older who are cocooning during the COVID-19 outbreak, the TILDA research team noted.

Vitamin D can be obtained from food sources such as salmon, tuna, sardines and other oily fish, as well as cheese, egg yolks and beef liver.

However, according to Eamon Laird, a Trinity research fellow who also worked with the TILDA team, supplementation is the best means of getting vitamin D, echoing a statement by his TILDA colleague Kenny who said that taking supplements of 800 to 1,000 mcg per day will help ensure normal blood values of the vitamin in individuals.

As the effects of coronavirus continue, many of us are limited in the time we can spend outdoors, so extra care is required to keep vitamin D levels healthy, Laird stated.

Vitamin D can help protect respiratory, immune systems

A fat-soluble nutrient, vitamin D is associated with the proper functioning of the bodys musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, endocrine, and cardiovascular systems.

One of its more important functions, however, is its ability to support an optimal immune system.

Theres no disagreement between scientists and doctors that vitamin D is important for the immune system, Harvard geneticist David Sinclair said, noting that the bodys immune cells need vitamin D in order to properly function.

In a review published in the Central European Journal of Immunology, researchers from the University of Palermo in Italy noted that vitamin D plays a crucial role in promoting a healthy immune response by acting as an immunomodulator. The vitamin does this by enhancing the production of antimicrobial agents within the body.

Recent findings, meanwhile, from an in vitro study by researchers from the University of Eastern Finland, noted that vitamin D may play a role in the activation of certain genes that are involved in the bodys immune response. (Related: Vitamin D: Are you getting enough of this essential vitamin?)

Aside from its positive effects on the bodys immune system, a paper published in the BMJ also links vitamin D to improvements in respiratory health, noting that the vitamin aids in protecting the respiratory system by preventing it from contracting infections.

The study was based on the extensive analysis of raw data that the researchers compiled from around 11,000 individuals who participated in 25 clinical trials conducted across 14 countries.

They found that vitamin D helped guard the respiratory system from infections by boosting levels of antimicrobial peptides  natural antibiotic-like substances  in the lungs.

Our results add to the body of evidence supporting the introduction of public health measures such as food fortification to improve vitamin D status, particularly in settings where profound vitamin D deficiency is common, the research team from Queen Mary University of London, said.

Visit Pandemic.news for the latest news and studies on potential COVID-19 treatments like vitamin D.

Sources include:

NutraIngredients.com

TILDA.tcd.ie

IrishHealth.com

IrishTimes.com

UniversityTimes.ie

HealthLine.com

MindBodyGreen.com

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

MDPI.com

BMJ.com
The first person in Oregon to test positive for coronavirus  a school custodian from Hillsboro  has recovered enough to leave the hospital with the apparent help of an experimental drug treatment and the promise of a mariachi band send-off.

Hector Calderon, 46, who works at Forest Hills Elementary School in Lake Oswego, was transferred Monday from Kaiser Permanente Westside Medical Center in Hillsboro to a skilled nursing facility, where he is expected to continue recuperating.

Calderon was the second patient in the country known at the time to contract the virus through community spread. Calderon lives in Hillsboro and tested positive Feb. 28.

Calderon first had symptoms Feb. 19. One of his family members at the time also was diagnosed with coronavirus and was quarantined at home. The Forest Hills School community launched a GoFundMe to support Calderon and his family.

Hospital officials said Calderon also was among the first to be treated with Remdesivir, an antiviral medication being tested as treatment for the illness, but offered no other details.

He was on a ventilator during his hospitalization, they said.

Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter

He now requires oxygen when he exerts himself and still has some work to do and his long-term prognosis is unknown since this is a new virus, said Dr. Sahra Rahimtoola, a Kaiser physician who helped treat Calderon.

Kaiser announced Calderons release one day after his discharge.

Kaiser said an ICU nurse, Chad Cabe, motivated Calderon during his recovery with the promise of a mariachi band and parade. On Monday, as Calderon was released from the hospital, a mariachi band played outside while staff lined the hallways. Members of his church also came to wish him well, the hospital said.

During his treatment, Calderon asked about students and staff at Forest Hills and issued a message to the school community through the hospital this week:

I would just like to let you know I miss you so much. Thank you for your support to me and my family. God bless you and I will see you soon.

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

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.
Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has said the emergency unemployment wage scheme set up in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis will continue beyond mid-June, but warned the payment itself may change.

However, Sinn Fein finance spokesman Pearse Doherty said supports absolutely needed to be extended, but not reduced.

Mr Doherty told RTEs Morning Ireland programme: They need to be extended. Weve called for that at the very start.

"When we called for such a scheme, we said it should be at least 20 weeks and then monitored afterwards.

"Ibec, I think, also argued the same when they argued for such a scheme. A 12-week period isnt enough as many businesses will be not back up, he said.

The 350 weekly Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), available to employees and the self-employed who have lost their job after March 13, was originally slated to stay in place until at least June 8, along with the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS), which funds employers who retain workers.

According to figures from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, it issued PUP payments valued at 209.3m to 598,000 people. Around 11,000 people are receiving a payment for the first time this week.

There are now over 52,000 employers registered with Revenue for the TWSS, the Department said. The payments are in addition to the approximate 205,000 people who were on the Live Register as of the end of March, it added.

There are also 39,100 people medically certified for receipt of the Covid-19 enhanced Illness Benefit, which covers people advised by their GP to self-isolate, along with those diagnosed with the disease.

Of the 598,000 people in receipt of a PUP, 256,200 are women and 341,800 are men.

The highest sector with people in receipt of the PUP is accommodation, tourism and food services at 128,500, followed by wholesale and retail at 90,300, and construction at 79,300.

Employees between the ages of 35 and 44 are the hardest hit, with 144,000 in receipt of the PUP.

With supports due to run until June 8, Mr Donohoe said they will both continue beyond this date in some form.

"Were going to be dealing with this now across the next few weeks and then we will be in a position to outline a pathway for both of those payments," he told Morning Ireland.

They are going to continue in a form, but the level of those payments, and how they will be made available to the economy is something that the government will make a decision on soon.

He said the payments are effective but very costly.

"Theyre working keeping people in a job, or if you have lost a job, theyre working in helping our citizens cope with a huge change in living standards that nobody was expecting.

"The second reason we have to take care with the future is because of their cost. They are costing many hundreds of millions of euros per week. And what I and the government will aim to do is change those payments in a way that is affordable but also makes sense for our citizens.

Mr Donohoe said changes are being made to the wage subsidy scheme to make it more effective for people on low incomes.
[May 06, 2020] Circle K and Its Customers Create a Fuel-Good Movement With Over 25 Million Meals* Given to Food Banks

Circle K, the global convenience store chain, announced today a milestone achievement in its efforts to support Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization. Following a pledge made on April 10, 2020 to provide one meal* for every fuel transaction made at a Circle K, the brand has achieved and surpassed its goal of donating 25 million meals to local food banks across the country. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005555/en/ "We are proud to have reached a donation of 25 million meals through our partnership with Feeding America, and to extend our support to 40 million meals in this time of tremendous need in our communities," says Brian Hannasch, President and CEO of Circle K. "I want to thank all of our employees and customers for being part of the solution in the communities where we work and live, and for helping Circle K make it easier for so many families in need during these difficult days. As we are all in this together, I am grateful we can turn to them to reach this new goal of 40 million meals." Following the initial success of its campaign to support Feeding America, Circle K intends to continue the fuel-based initiative at all of its locations in the United States, as more than 37 million people are currently faced with hunger. "Feeding America estimates that an additional 17.1 million people could be food insecure as a result of the pandemic. This is a 46% increase over the number of people who were food insecure prior to the COVID-19 crisis," said Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America. "By extending their campaign goal to provide 40 million meals for their neighbors, Circle K is helping us sustain our response to ensure that people across the nation will have enough to eat. We are grateful to Circle K for this powerful partnership." Circle K invites consumers to join the fuel-good movement by visiting a location nearby. For more information and details of the campaign to support Feeding America, please visit https://www.circlek.com/feedingamerica, or follow along on Circle K's social media channels on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.



*$1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local member food banks. Meal claim valid as of 12/5/18 and subject to change. Circle K will donate up to 25 million meals and a maximum of 40 million meals during the promotional period. About Circle K:

Circle K is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alimentation Couche-Tard ("Couche-Tard"). Couche-Tard is the leader in the Canadian convenience store industry. In the United States, it is the largest independent convenience store operator in terms of the number of company-operated stores. In Europe, Couche-Tard is a leader in convenience store and road transportation fuel retail in the Scandinavian countries (Norway, Sweden and Denmark), in the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), as well as in Ireland, and has an important presence in Poland. In addition, under licensing agreements, approximately 2,280 stores are operated under the Circle K banner in 15 other countries and territories (Cambodia, China, Egypt, Guam, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Jamaica, Macau, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam), which brings the worldwide total network to more than 14,800 stores. For more information on Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. or to consult its quarterly Consolidated Financial Statements and Management Discussion and Analysis, please visit: https://corpo.couche-tard.com. About Feeding America: Feeding America is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 40 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005555/en/

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The Beckhams are currently homeschooling their children while holed up in their country pile in the Cotwolds during the coronavirus pandemic.

And lessons were well underway on Wednesday, as Victoria, 46, shared a snap of her youngest, Harper, eight, enjoying some reading with their dog Olive.

The family seemed to be taking homeschooling seriously, as it appeared that Harper was dressed in her school uniform in the sweet photo.

Cute! Victoria, 46, shared a snap of her youngest, Harper, eight, enjoying some reading with their dog Olive

Harper appeared to be engrossed in the novel as she sat in the family living room with their cocker spaniel, who was dozing alongside her.

Victoria captioned the image: 'Afternoon reading with Olive xx Kisses from #HarperSeven. #HomeschoolDay.'

It comes amid reports Victoria and husband David, 45, are attempting to win over the public again after facing backlash for furloughing 30 of their staff, something they have since reversed.

The stars are said to have been advised as part of a PR campaign to remind their fans of 'all the great work they do'.

Family: Victoria captioned the image: 'Afternoon reading with Olive xx Kisses from #HarperSeven. #HomeschoolDay'

The reports come as David shared a sweet video of himself playing teqball with his son Romeo, 17, on Monday.

A source told The Sun: 'David and Victoria's team have gone into overdrive to try to win over the public again.

'They are using their social media channels to reaffirm all the charities they help and remind their people how much good work they do.'

They added that the couple have been posting about their Age UK care packages and reposting messages from charities they have helped in the past.

Father and son: The reports come as David shared a sweet video of himself playing teqball with his son Romeo, 17, on Monday

Advised? The stars are said to have been advised as part of a PR campaign to remind their fans of 'all the great work they do' (pictured in March)

The source continued that 'the public aren't daft' and that their attempts so far have been 'a bit obvious'.

They concluded: 'But Posh took such a hammering, they're willing to try anything.'

On Monday, David shared a sweet video of himself playing teqball with his son Romeo.

Sweet: On Monday, David shared a sweet video of himself playing teqball with his son Romeo

Lockdown fun: The father-of-four captioned the clip posted to his Instagram with: 'Romeo V dad who's gonna win ?? Unlucky son maybe next time @romeobeckham @teqball  @intermiamicf sign us up.'

The father-of-four captioned the clip posted to his Instagram with: 'Romeo V dad who's gonna win ?? Unlucky son maybe next time @romeobeckham @teqball  @intermiamicf sign us up.'

Only recently Victoria abandoned plans to seek a government bailout to furlough 30 members of staff at her fashion brand following a major backlash.

The former Spice Girl, whose family is worth 335million, had planned to use the Government's COVID-19 scheme to pay 80 per cent of the wages of some of her staff.

The fashion brand, which employs 120 people, sent letters to 30 members of staff warning them that they were going to be furloughed under the Government's scheme for two months.

Reversed decision: Only recently Victoria abandoned plans to seek a government bailout to furlough 30 members of staff at her fashion brand following a major backlash (pictured in February)

She told The Guardian: 'We will not now be drawing on the government furlough scheme. At the beginning of the lockdown the shareholders agreed with senior management to furlough a small proportion of staff.

'At that point we didn't know how long the lockdown might last or its likely impact on the business.

'The welfare of my team and our business means everything to me.'

It is understood the firm's application would have cost taxpayers 150,000.

The firm denied the U-turn was a result of the public backlash and instead insisted the board 'now believe that with the support of our shareholders, we can navigate through this crisis without drawing from the furlough scheme'.

Plans: The former Spice Girl, whose family is worth 335million, had planned to use the Government's COVID-19 scheme to pay 80 per cent of the wages of some of her staff (pictured on her birthday last month)

In a statement, the company said: 'Victoria Beckham Ltd has been working hard to protect its people and, while adjusting to the impact of COVID-19 and the government lockdown, our decision to furlough a small number of our staff seemed the most appropriate option in keeping with many other businesses.

'The situation is dynamic, and, with the support of our shareholders, we now believe we can navigate through this crisis without drawing from the government furlough scheme.

'Our application was made in the best interests of trying to protect our staff, and that is still our absolute focus. We are doing everything we can to ensure we can achieve that without using government assistance.'

Over the weekend Victoria and David risked fresh money fury as a report which alleges they took out a 10 million bank loan to buy their 18 million Miami penthouse emerged.

MailOnline has contacted Victoria and David's representatives for comment over the claims.
Nurses treating patients with the coronavirus are putting themselves on the line.

Theyre caring for patients and also answering the questions of worried loved ones who cant be in the hospital because of the virus.

As part of National Nurses Week, PennLive is featuring nurses who are treating patients with COVID-19, the virus that has infected more than 50,000 people in Pennsylvania and claimed more than 2,400 lives.

Pennlive spoke with nurses at UPMC Community Osteopathic about the most challenging aspect of treating patients with the coronavirus.

The nurses offered candid and illuminating replies.

Vanessa Somerset described how hard it is for patients to be without their families.

Seeing my patients who have to be alone in the hospital," she said. Theyre having a really hard time, many of them, trying to wrap their head around why they cant have visitors. Its also difficult for those patients who have to absorb a lot of information on their own.

Portrait of Rachel Heinbaugh, Critical Care, at UPMC Community Osteopathic for National Nurses Week. April 29, 2020 Sean Simmers | ssimmers@pennlive.com

Rachel Heinbaugh said she saw the biggest challenge as stepping in as the role of family members and visitors especially at the time of death of a patient.

Portrait of Kristie Foreman, Critical Care, at UPMC Community Osteopathic for National Nurses Week. April 29, 2020 Sean Simmers | ssimmers@pennlive.com

Kristie Foreman said the most challenging aspect of her work is dealing with the unpredictability of COVID-19.

The nurses are having to adjust to new procedures to deal with a virus health care professionals are still learning about.

Portrait of Molly Sweeney at UPMC Community Osteopathic for National Nurses Week. April 29, 2020 Sean Simmers | ssimmers@pennlive.com

Molly Sweeney described the challenge of being nimble enough to adapt to changing procedures to care for patients of a novel virus.

She said the toughest aspect of her work now is staying flexible to meet patients needs as we learn more about the coronavirus and what we need to do to protect our patients and care for them."

Portrait of Ketura Miller at UPMC Community Osteopathic for National Nurses Week. April 29, 2020 Sean Simmers | ssimmers@pennlive.com

As Ketura Miller said, Trying to navigate through all the change, the change in policies and procedures, while trying to maintain calm and a positive attitude.

Portrait of Heather Diehl at UPMC Community Osteopathic for National Nurses Week. April 29, 2020 Sean Simmers | ssimmers@pennlive.com

For Heather Deihl, being a nurse in a pandemic means dealing with the everyday uncertainty.

Our patients will ask us questions and sometimes we dont have the answers, she said. Were sometimes just as fearful as they are with everything thats going on.

Portrait of William Iseminger at UPMC Community Osteopathic for National Nurses Week. April 29, 2020 Sean Simmers | ssimmers@pennlive.com

Bill Iseminger talked about the intensive process for the nurses to care for the coronavirus patients. The nurses have to put on personal protective equipment for each patient.

When youre on a regular floor, you dont have to do that for every patient, he said. However, when youre taking care of the COVID patients, it requires more time.

The nurses are very cognizant of the risks of caring for patients with COVID-19. More than 3,000 health care workers have been infected with the virus, according to the state Department of Health.

Portrait of Sarah McPherson at UPMC Community Osteopathic for National Nurses Week. April 29, 2020 Sean Simmers | ssimmers@pennlive.com

As Sarah McPherson said, At the end of our shift, its always in the back of our mind: Did we protect ourselves enough today? And are we going to take this virus home to our families, possibly? I feel like thats a reality most nurses can relate to.

Note: PennLive video journalist Jimmie Brown produced the video for this feature. Portraits by PennLive photographer Sean Simmers. Look for more features highlight nurses on PennLive in the coming days.

More from PennLive

Theyre the front lines'; Staff care for adults with disabilities amid pandemic, funding challenges

Warehouse workers say their safety concerns are being ignored. Heres their cautionary tale for reopening.
B2Gold (TSX:BTO) said today it had record quarterly total gold production of 264,862 ounces in Q1.

Revenue was up 44% to $380 million, also a record.

The quarterly consolidated cash flow provided by operating activities from the company's three operating mines was $216 million, also a record. Cash-flow was up $130 million or 151% over the first quarter of 2019.

The jump in gold production over the first quarter of 2019 was driven by the Fekola Mine in Mali, which had a strong start to the year with record quarterly gold production of 164,011 ounces, well-above budget by 9% (14,011 ounces) and 49% (53,662 ounces) higher compared to the first quarter of 2019. Fekola's significant increase in gold production over the first quarter of 2019 was mainly due to expansion of the Fekola mining fleet and optimization of the pit designs and mine plan for 2020, which have provided access to higher grade portions of the Fekola deposit earlier than anticipated in previous mine plans.

Consolidated all-in-sustaining-costs for the first quarter of 2020 were $695 per ounce sold, $110 lower than AISC in the first quarter of 2019. The favourable budget variance resulted from lower-than-budgeted cash operating costs and lower-than-budgeted sustaining capital and exploration expenditures (mainly due to timing and expected to be incurred later in 2020).

At the end of the first quarter of 2020, B2Gold's Calibre announced the temporary suspension of its Nicaraguan operations due to COVID-19. B2Gold has a 34% share of Calibre's production.

The company said it doesn't anticipate any other work stoppages due to COVID-19.
FOSTER CITY, Calif., May 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Conversica, Inc., the leader in Intelligent Virtual Assistants (IVA) helping organizations attract, acquire and grow customers at scale, announced today it has signed a strategic European reseller partnership with Brussels-based LeadFabric. A pioneer in the MarTech field, LeadFabric will enable enterprise-level European organizations across manufacturing, finance and technology to embrace a new normal by augmenting their workforce with Intelligent Virtual Assistants from Conversica.

Conversica and LeadFabrics relationship dates back to early 2018, when the two companies began collaborating through a referral partnership in joint marketing activities for European prospects. Now, as a key European reseller partner for Conversica, LeadFabric continues to deliver new and innovative MarTech solutions to the European market. Businesses from a range of industries will benefit from an array of Intelligent Virtual Assistants that use sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) to augment Marketing, Sales, Customer Success, and Finance teams in large organizations to accelerate revenue across the customer lifecycle while improving operational efficiency.

Conversicas Intelligent Virtual Assistants deliver a personalised human touch at scale engaging prospects and customers in authentic conversations over email or SMS to surface sales-ready leads that have a higher probability to convert into pipeline. In a changing world where B2B buyers are raising the bar regarding their prospect and customer experience expectations, Conversica AI Assistants can communicate in multiple languages and have the unique ability to switch between languages which is critical in the European market. Now more than ever, organizations are being asked to do more with less; Intelligent Virtual Assistants help organizations to support their teams by further maximizing every prospect and client engagement.

Conversica is already helping businesses across Europe to engage with high volumes of leads for example: Purple, which provides enterprise WiFi, analytics, engagement and navigation solutions, to convert more leads and deliver exceptional customer service; as well as NewVoiceMedia, now Vonage, which creates tailored cloud contact centre software for businesses, to aid in its mission to increase conversation rates and generate sales.

LeadFabric has been a pioneer in the MarTech field in the European market for over a decade now, and they truly understand the value of how cutting edge technology such as Conversica AI Assistants can help businesses across Europe, said Amelia Farber, Director of Global Partnerships at Conversica. Theyre a premier reseller in Europe and were thrilled to expand our partnership with them to enable European enterprises to augment their teams capacity, productivity and performance by adding an Intelligent Virtual Assistant to their workforce. Even in uncertain times, new innovations give us and our partners hope for recovery and further development.

Koen De Witte, Founder of LeadFabric, said, Marketing Technology has earned its place in every B2B organisation. However, the success of digital marketing has resulted in an overload of point solutions. Many of which promise value exploiting the hype surrounding new trends like AI, but often fail to deliver. Conversica is different. They have built a true and stable AI offering that delivers proven value. This was clear from the moment we started working with Conversica in early 2018. Through this expanded partnership with Conversica, LeadFabric can now provide a new and innovative AI solution to the European marketplace, a region Conversica is committed to serving and growing. This is especially compelling in todays economic climate because Conversicas Intelligent Virtual Assistants enable companies to optimise the cost of Sales, Marketing, and Success. Were incredibly excited about working together to bring their innovative marketing and technology solutions to the European B2B marketplace.

For more information, visit https://www.conversica.com/partner/leadfabric and https://leadfabric.com/partnership-conversica

About Conversica



Conversica is a leading provider of Intelligent Virtual Assistants helping organizations attract, acquire and grow customers at scale. A Conversica Intelligent Virtual Assistant is an AI-powered, SaaS-based software application that serves as a virtual team member and autonomously engages contacts, prospects, customers or partners in human-like, two-way interactions at scale to drive towards the next best action accelerating revenue; whether thats scheduling a sales meeting, gauging interest to buy additional products or services, or politely but persistently collecting overdue payments.

Reaching out to over 100 million people on behalf of thousands of companies, Conversicas Intelligent Virtual Assistants are built on a proven and patented platform integrating natural language understanding (NLU), natural language generation (NLG), autonomous action chains and deep learning capabilities that engage prospects over multiple communication channels and in multiple languages. Recognized as one of the fastest-growing companies year over year and ranked among the Deloitte Technology Fast 500, Inc. 5000 and Fast Companys most innovative AI companies. Conversica is a portfolio company of Providence Equity, Kennet Partners and Toba Capital and is headquartered in Foster City, CA.

To learn more, visit conversica.com and follow the company on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.



About LeadFabric

LeadFabric was founded in 2008 to transform customer engagement through innovative B2B marketing technology services. Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, the company serves clients from offices across Europe and Asia-Pacifice regions. LeadFabric is an experienced and certified partner to all leading global marketing platforms including Adobe, Oracle, Hubspot and Salesforce.com. They are the preferred partner for key MarTech players across conversational marketing, account-based marketing, intent data and content/web personalization engines. Leadfabric helps marketing and sales teams leap forward in their efforts to drive digital transformation, improve customer experiences and deliver future growth.

Find out more at www.leadfabric.com, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter

###





Conversica Media Contact:

Deborah Mullan

Director, Conversica Corporate Communications

deborah.mullan@conversica.com



LeadFabric Media Contacts:

For press enquiries contact: udavis@leadfabric

For sales enquiries contact: kdewitte@leadfabric.com

For customer success enquiries contact: mbisnel@leadfabric.com




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Linkedin Joe Jackson (Agence France-Presse) London, United Kingdom  Wed, May 6, 2020 08:05 623 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd636972 2 World Britain,UK,coronavirus,virus-corona,COVID-19,pandemic,response,COVID-19-death-toll Free

Britain now has the world's second-highest cumulative coronavirus death toll, behind only the United States, after updated official figures released on Tuesday showed it had surpassed Italy.

The grim milestone seemed unthinkable just two months ago, when the country recorded its first fatality and Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was "extremely well prepared [for] all eventualities".

Britain's toll has jumped dramatically on several occasions as the Office for National Statistics (ONS) -- which tallies all deaths, including those from the virus outside hospital -- has updated the count.

It releases weekly updates for periods up to two weeks prior and, alongside updated numbers from health agencies in Britain's devolved regions, showed 32,313 deaths from the virus.

That compares with nearly 68,700 who have died in the United States and more than 29,000 in Italy.

The government's chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance had said limiting Britain's toll to 20,000 would be "a good outcome".

Johnson maintains that expert advice has been followed throughout.

But criticism has intensified that his government's response has been slow and muddled.

"It's extraordinary [to be] approaching 30,000 deaths in this country now," David King, the top scientific advisor from 2000 to 2007, told BBC television last week.

"What we see is a whole panoply of actions that need to take place to manage a pandemic of this kind, and yet there seems to have been an absence here.

"We seem to be in a very reactive mode. So I am very critical of the slow response."

Strategy shift

Johnson, who spent three days in hospital intensive care battling the virus, has faced accusations of initially not taking the outbreak seriously enough.

In early March, with the World Health Organization warning of a potential pandemic, his government was promoting rigorous hand-washing as the best defense, alongside limited contact tracing.

Johnson proclaimed he was still shaking people's hands after meeting patients on March 3.

Two days later, officials announced Britain's first COVID-19 death.

As case numbers started to spiral by mid-March, contact tracing -- which involves finding and testing people who have been in proximity with those infected -- was largely abandoned.

The strategy has been used intensively by countries such as South Korea and New Zealand to keep transmission rates and death counts low.

Instead, the UK government said it would try to suppress case numbers to stagger demand on the state-run National Health Service (NHS) through social distancing measures.

That followed a dire warning from Imperial College London that suppression was "the preferred policy option" to curb the virus's spread and prevent hundreds of thousands of potential deaths.

The shift appeared to acknowledge that the transmission of COVID-19 in Britain was out of control, but Johnson initially stopped short of ordering a lockdown.

Meanwhile, Vallance sowed confusion after he suggested allowing some "herd immunity" to develop in the population.

Ministers swiftly denied this was their intent, calling it "a scientific concept, not a goal".

Ramped up response

On March 20, with cases and deaths surging, schools, pubs, restaurants, gyms and other social venues were ordered to close.

Three days later Johnson said people should go outside only to buy food, exercise once a day or travel to work if they could not do so from home.

But on deaths alone, Britain -- and the global city of London in particular -- became an epicenter of the outbreak.

There were 10,000 hospital deaths by mid-April -- including nearly 1,000 on April 8 -- and the toll doubled again within two weeks.

Debate continues over the true extent of fatalities in Britain, given different reporting methods internationally and comparisons of per capita rates of infections and mortality.

Meanwhile, with the lockdown crippling the economy and no easing date yet announced, Britain is aiming to revert to the contact tracing tactics which critics argue it should never have abandoned.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock pledged to increase tests to 100,000 a day by the end of April and hire more than 18,000 tracers to work alongside a new tracing app due out mid-May.

Although he met the target and trials of the app are taking place this week on the Isle of Wight, experts have criticized the government for taking so long to reach this point.

Richard Horton, editor of The Lancet medical journal, described the overall UK response as "the biggest science policy failure in a generation".

"If we had used February to scale up capacity for testing and contact tracing, and to begin surge capacity for intensive care bed use, it's absolutely clear we would have saved lives," he told the Financial Times recently.
The governments coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has, on the face of it, been a stand out success.

So far, according to HMRC, some 800,000 businesses have successfully tapped the new subsidy programme, putting 6.3 million of their employees, around a fifth of the entire UK labour force, on furlough.

Its reasonable to assume that in the absence of the scheme a large proportion of those employees would have been made redundant and the wave of joblessness currently breaking over the UK would have been significantly greater.

Yet there are also now noises coming out of the Treasury suggesting that the scheme might, in some respects, have been too successful  that so many companies have accessed the support that withdrawing it could prove agonisingly difficult. The chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has also raised concerns over the spiralling cost of the support to the public purse.

Are such fears warranted? And with the chancellor due to issue an update on the policy next week, what should the governments next steps be when it comes to supporting both workers and firms through this crisis?

The costs and the benefits

In an interview with ITV News on Monday Mr Sunak said the furlough scheme  whereby the state picks up 80 per cent of the cost of an employees wages up to a ceiling of 2,500 a month  was potentially as expensive as funding the NHS.

That is not a sustainable situation, he said.

The estimated cost of the support extended so far is around 8bn. The scheme is currently due to expire on 30 June, but there is no cap on the number of firms who can tap it in that time. The Office for Budget Responsibility put out a scenario last month that had the scheme costing 42bn over three months.

The cost of running the health service for three months is around 45bn, which is the likely basis for the chancellors comparison.

Yet its a mistake to view the job subsidy as a pure public cost.

If those millions of workers were unemployed instead of furloughed that would entail a much higher state welfare bill, via unemployment and other benefits.

And the fact that the scheme keeps workers linked to their employers  meaning they can be put back to work rapidly when the crisis is over  should also, theoretically, be more economically efficient than redundancies and attempted re-hirings.

Avoiding the cliff-edge

Business lobby groups have raised the alarm over a potential wave of redundancies when the scheme ends.

The problem for many businesses is that they do not know what the state of demand for their goods and services will be in two months time.

Many suspect that it will not be as strong as it was prior to the lockdowns. If thats the case they may feel they need to reduce their workforce. Yet theres a legal consultation period for making redundancies of between 30 to 45 days.

If the support ended suddenly at the end of June that would mean they would have to start making redundancies very soon if they wanted to have downsized their workforce by the time of the economy re-opening.

Lobby groups say the government should remove this cliff edge facing firms by committing now to extend the scheme past June and allowing some workers to return on a part-time basis.

Theres some discussion of the government tapering down financial support rather than removing it all at a stroke, such as by covering a smaller share of an employees wages.

This, of course, would have financial implications for the Treasury.

An incentive problem

Some around Mr Sunak have, apparently, suggested that companies are in danger of becoming addicted to the scheme.

And one of his predecessors, Norman Lamont, has argued that it might provide a false sense of security for people because their jobs are not likely to return after the scheme ends  that furlough is merely delaying the inevitable.

Economists says the addiction analogy is inaccurate and most strongly support the broad principles of the scheme.

Yet there is a concern about some of the incentives created by the scheme, such as the effective pressure on companies to furlough employees entirely to access the subsidy, rather than to merely reduce their hours.

It could also conceivably discourage firms from re-opening as early as they otherwise would.

The furlough scheme is also likely to prevent some workers from searching for work elsewhere, even when this might be in their own long-term interests.

At a time when the economy is still in lockdown this might not represent a major economic problem. But as hiring picks up it could become one.

The trade-off facing policymakers is in extending the support to protect certain firms and allowing the normal, broad, employment market incentives to operate.

The balancing act

The Institute for Fiscal Studies says the government should try to identify sectors where many furloughed employees are less likely to return to work as normal  citing hotels and restaurants  and act to reduce barriers to these individuals taking alternative work.

Mike Brewer of the Resolution Foundation, the think tank that originally proposed the furlough scheme, says that it was the right policy at the time it was introduced, but agrees that it needs adjusting for the next phase of the crisis.

What we need is a scheme that encourages and allows employers to adjust, encourages and allows work to happen where it can do so safely and tries to avoid millions of families seeing a huge income hit, he says.

Doing all those is really, really hard.
Authorities in the Chinese capital have stepped up security measures ahead of annual parliamentary sessions that were postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic, detaining at least one rights activist.



Security checks are under way ahead of the China's rubber-stamp parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC) and its advisory body the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which will begin shortened sessions on May 21.



Beginning in May, district and neighborhood government offices have been told to draw up "stability maintenance" plans to ensure no trouble comes from peaceful critics of the ruling Chinese Communist Party ahead of the meetings.



Plans include spot checks and monitoring of small hotels and guesthouses, temporary rental accommodation, and other "hidden dangers," sources said.



Meanwhile, authorities elsewhere in China are contacting people with grievances against the government and warning them not to travel to Beijing until after the parliament is over.



Authorities in the central province of Hunan are holding pro-democracy activist Xie Wenfei under criminal detention on suspicion of "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble."



Xie, also known by his birth name Xie Fengxia, was detained by police in Hunan's Chenzhou city on April 29.



"His family have been notified of his criminal detention on suspicion of picking quarrels and stirring up trouble," fellow rights activist Ou Biaofeng told RFA.



"His family went to get the document from the state security police, who called them on the morning of May 3," Ou said. "His family hasn't had any news of him since then."



"They are looking for a defense lawyer."



Police have also interviewed Xie's friends, Ou said, adding that his detention is likely linked to a poem he wrote about the coronavirus epidemic in Wuhan.



Petitioners evicted, phones monitored



A petitioner from the central city of Wuhan surnamed Zhang--who is currently in Beijing--said his phone is currently being monitored by local police, and that petitioners from out of town who are staying in Beijing are also being evicted from their accommodation.



"They have started evicting rights activists, since yesterday," Zhang said.



"A friend told me this morning that they had been sent to Majialou and that [interceptors] from his hometown had been called to come and pick him up," he said, referring to a large, extrajudicial detention center for out-of-town petitioners on the outskirts of Beijing.



"The people they are clearing out [of Beijing are also] being sent to Jiujingzhuang," Zhang said, referring to a second detention center in a suburb of Beijing.



A Beijing academic who declined to be named said the length of this year's parliamentary sessions has been shorted from around 12 days last year to just eight days this year, with the size of provincial delegations also slashed.



Hong Kong's pro-Beijing newspaper, the Ta Kung Pao, said hotels in Beijing are already preparing to receive the delegations, often by shutting their doors to external customers for the duration of the parliament.



It said the Beijing Hotel close to the Great Hall of the People had no rooms available from May 10 through May 29.



A Beijing resident surnamed Liu said security measures are somewhat looser this year than in previous years owing to widespread concerns over the coronavirus.



"Everyone is stuck at home, and they will stop you from buying a ticket as soon as you try it," Liu said. "The local governments won't let people travel [to Beijing]."



Chinas minister of public security Zhao Kezhi called on law enforcement on Monday to "go all out to resolutely complete the important political task of security for the NPC and CPPCC sessions."



Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
After concerns of data or security breach on Aarogya Setu app, an official statement has been put out to assure all its users that their personal information is safe.

The Aarogya Setu app team on Wednesday assured that no personal information of any user has been proven to be at risk and there has been no data or security breach. The statement came after claims regarding data security issues were made by an ethical hacker. A statement by Aarogya Setu team on its official Twitter handle said the app fetches user location by design and this clearly detailed in the privacy policy.

Aarogya Setu app is a mobile application for contact tracing and dissemination of medical advisories to contain the spread of COVID-19. It added that the location is fetched, stored and reproduced in a secure, encrypted, anonymised manner for the benefit of others at risk of contracting the disease.

An ethical hacker had alerted about potential security issue of the app. The points raised by the ethical hacker included the app fetching user location and users being able to get the COVID-19 stats displayed on the home screen by changing the radius and latitude-longitude using a script.

Also Read: India to repatriate nearly 15,000 stranded citizens, excluding OCI holders

The statement added that the COVID-19 stats are already public for all locations and hence, it does not compromise on any personal or sensitive data. No personal information of any user has been proven to be at risk by this ethical hacker. We are continuously testing and upgrading our systems. Team Aarogya Setu assures everyone that no data or security breach has been identified, it added.

Also Read: BJP asks leaders not to encourage migrant workers to leave cities as it will impact the economy

Statement from Team #AarogyaSetu on data security of the App. pic.twitter.com/JS9ow82Hom  Aarogya Setu (@SetuAarogya) May 5, 2020

The Aarogya Setu app, launched earlier last month, enables people to themselves assess the risk for their catching the coronavirus infection. The app makes its calculations based on a persons interaction with others, using Bluetooth technology, algorithms and artificial intelligence.

Also Read: COVID-19: Delhi government issues standard operating procedures for screening stranded people entering or leaving the capital, requests to download Aarogya Setu app

For all the latest National News, download NewsX App
Tailored exercise programs led by accredited exercise physiologists don't just provide physical benefits for residents living in aged care - they improve mental wellbeing and social engagement, according to new Edith Cowan University (ECU) research.

Tailored exercise programs led by accredited exercise physiologists don't just provide physical benefits for residents living in aged care - they improve mental wellbeing and social engagement, according to new Edith Cowan University (ECU) research.

A series of studies led by ECU Associate Professor Annette Raynor from the School of Medical and Health Sciences has investigated the benefits of a 12-week exercise program delivered by an accredited exercise physiologist for older adults living in three different residential aged care facilities in Perth.

According to health authorities, more than 50 per cent of the 230,000 Australian residents living in aged care experience symptoms of depression.

The new studies have provided preliminary evidence for the feasibility and effectiveness of an accredited exercise physiologist-led therapy program to promote residents' physical and psychosocial wellbeing.

Associate Professor Raynor said previous research on exercise in aged care had tended to focus on the physical effects of resistance training and balance programs on fall prevention and in promoting functional capacity and mobility.

"This focus on the physical outcomes from exercise often decreases the significance of psychosocial benefits, such as enhanced independence, elevated mood and reduced agitation that can also be achieved with exercise," Associate Professor Raynor said.

Key findings:

The program led to improvements in residents' sense of independence, autonomy and social engagement.

Residents demonstrated improvements in balance, strength, flexibility and mobility.

The individualised structure of the program enabled residents to foster personal connections and accommodated specific needs relating to cognitive and physical impairments.

More than just physical benefits

While the exercise programs achieved physical improvements in balance, strength and flexibility, other significant benefits such as increased connectedness and motivation were also observed.

Associate Professor Raynor said staff had noticed that residents were coming out of their rooms more often, joining in activities, their mood was enhanced and they were generally more happy.

"One lady we worked with had experienced a stroke. She couldn't dress herself or go to the toilet unassisted. Prior to her stroke she had been very independent and found her current situation frustrating.

"Through the exercise program she regained some independence, was able to join classes, choose her own clothes and go to the bathroom on her own," Associate Professor Raynor said.

"These are the changes we were looking for - an increase in strength and functional ability are great, but the extra benefits that this enhanced physical ability brings to the residents' quality of life demonstrated the meaningfulness of the program."

No one-size-fits all approach

Associate Professor Raynor said exercise interventions in aged care in WA were typically not delivered by exercise physiologists, who are specifically trained to deliver tailored exercise programs.

"Because this exercise program was led by an exercise physiologist, they could prescribe and deliver one-on-one or group sessions tailored specifically to each individual.

"This also meant they could build personal relationships and adapt the exercise to the residents' needs," she said.

The paper It's not just physical: Exercise physiologist-led exercise program promotes functional and psychosocial health outcomes in aged care is published in in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity.

###

Media contact: Tori Pree, Communications Coordinator, 08 6304 2208, t.pree@ecu.edu.au

Images available for download: https://ecu.box.com/s/dz7fjh75ysugmrt18duzvonqmih98icf
Advertisement

Since we can't go on holiday  here's how to bring a bit of holiday into your home.

MailOnline Travel asked staff members from some of Britain's poshest hotels - including The Landmark London and The Lowry in Manchester, as well as a designer and etiquette expert William Hanson - for advice on adding five-star-hotel touches to your house.

From setting the table in fine-dining style to making your bed fit for an executive suite and from giving your rooms a heavenly scent to tweaking the lighting for a glorious glow, we reveal the lowdown for a luxurious lockdown.

The bedroom

Think you've got the bed-making-technique down? Then enter Hotels.com's bed-making challenge using the hashtag #HotelBedChallenge and tag @hotelsdotcom

Want to tuck yourself into a hotel-style bed? Here's the dream advice.

Sandor Varga, Assistant Director of Accommodations at The Landmark London, said: 'Adopt the triple-sheeting technique. By layering a duvet between two sheets it will give a crisp feel and eliminates the need for a duvet cover. And create what we call a "hospitality corner" by tucking sheets neatly underneath the mattress using overlapping folds. It is kind of like wrapping a present.'

Tzveta Ivanova is Executive Housekeeper at the five-star Milestone Hotel & Residences in Kensington and The Cateys' 2019 Housekeeper of the Year.

She added: 'Pop some extra pillows and cushions onto your bed and stack them upright rather than laying them flat. Fold a quilt or blanket over the foot of your bed to create layers and add texture. Some carefully positioned, artful objects or beautiful looking books on your nightstand will complete the look.

For a posh hotel-style bed, Sandor Varga, Assistant Director of Accommodations at The Landmark London (pictured), said: 'Adopt the triple-sheeting technique. By layering a duvet between two sheets it will give a crisp feel and eliminates the need for a duvet cover'

'We always like to spoil our guests with thoughtful little surprises in their rooms, and turndown treats. You can do something similar at home by baking some fresh cookies, putting them into a pretty box and enjoying one when you have a cup of tea. They will smell delicious as they're cooking, which will instantly make your home extra-heavenly.'

Varga also suggested using pillow mist before getting into bed 'to dream better'. Lavender and chamomile are well known for their relaxing benefits, she revealed.

And flowers will lend an air of posh, too.

Varga said: 'The power of fresh-cut flowers is real, their smell is healing and comforting in a bedroom. Use seasonal flowers with a gentle smell matching the colour palette of the room.'

Tzveta Ivanova, Executive Housekeeper at the five-star Milestone Hotel & Residences in Kensington (pictured), said: 'Pop some extra pillows and cushions onto your bed and stack them upright rather than laying them flat'

Finally, keep your bedroom five-star-hotel clean by using, said Varga, 'a slightly perfumed water-based furniture polish'.

She said: 'Lightly wipe with a duster, it will bring out the shine and resist the dust. Your bedroom will be clean and shining with a pleasant perfume.'

Thread counts... count

What is the best thread count for your linen?

Joe Molloy who is the Co-founder of luxury linen provider to some of the worlds top hotels, Tielle Love Luxury, said: 'Three-hundred-thread-count or 400tc linens woven from good quality cotton will have all the luxe factor you need to create a hotel bed feel in your room.

'Thread count refers to the number of horizontal and vertical threads in a square inch of cloth. So, in a 200tc cloth you might have 110 threads running vertically and 90 running horizontally. In a 400tc, you might find 280 horizontal and 120 vertical threads. The problem begins when you increase the thread count as the threads need to be packed tighter together, creating an impermeable barrier that makes the fabric less breathable and potentially harder to launder. Think wrinkles on a grand scale. Manufacturers may also twist multiple individual threads together to artificially boost the thread count.'

Think you've got the bed-making-technique down? Then enter Hotels.com's bed-making challenge using the hashtag #HotelBedChallenge and tag @hotelsdotcom.

A fine-dining-style table setting

Give your mealtimes a Michelin-star makeover  by setting the table fine-dining style.

Jason Orton, Director of Guest Services at the five-star Lowry Hotel in Manchester, reveals how to lay it all out.

Set a charger plate

Give your mealtimes a Michelin-star makeover - heed the advice of Jason Orton, Director of Guest Services at the five-star Lowry Hotel in Manchester

Jason said: 'There are many facets of the charger plate. While mainly used for presentation purposes, having the charger plate set on the table starts the setting for the meal ahead. Usually larger than a dinner plate, the charger is placed on the table pre-guest-arrival [obviously you'll need to imagine them].

'This can either be removed after the guest has sat down and napkins have been broken or can be left until after mains have been served. A charger plate would never be left on the table by dessert as it is regarded as bad etiquette, as is using them for eating purposes.

'The charger was initially used to catch pieces of food and prevent spills onto the tablecloth. Some say it aids in keeping the food warm as it helps retain heat for the dinnerware.'

Cutlery

A table set to perfection at The Lowry Hotel - note how the main plate can be placed without having to move the cutlery

'This needs to be perfectly polished and placed well,' says Jason. 'All cutlery on the table should be a thumbnail from the bottom of the table. Tip - place your main plate on the table while setting so you know how much space to leave for this. Cutlery should never have to be moved to place a plate down. It should be in the right place from setting stage. Some people find what cutlery to use at what course bewildering.

'The golden rule is to work from the outside in and for me a good restaurant should replace the cutlery fresh to the table after each course. Dessert cutlery if set on the table should be fork on the bottom facing right and spoon above facing left. When you're ready for dessert and the table has been crumbed the dessert cutlery should be pulled down to a thumbnail from the bottom of the table.'

Crockery

Jason said: 'Never under-estimate how important this is as each piece of crockery should really present a frame for the food you present. Obviously, crockery should either match perfectly - or be eccentrically mismatched to create a theme - polished and with no visible fingerprints. Tip  warm water and a little vinegar is a good tool to polish plates.'

Glasses

Jason said: 'Crystal clear glasses that are odourless are so important. After the glasses have been washed fill a bowl or ice bucket with boiling water and use the steam and a polishing cloth to achieve the perfect shine.

Jason said: 'Crystal clear glasses that are odourless are so important.' He recommends using steam to polish them

Etiquette expert William Hanson

'Many different opinions on placement can be found but for me the rules are  usually three per guest, the stem of the white wine glass (the smaller one) should be in line with the main knife, the water glass should be to the right and slightly lower and the red to the right and slightly higher. Tip  if glasses are not being used during the meal make sure you remove them.'

Napkin

As few folds as possible is the key, apparently.

Jason said: 'For me, a five-star napkin has as few folds as possible to ensure the napkin is as fresh as it can be for the guest. I also prefer a fold where it's easy to grab a corner to open the napkin, so placement is slick and fluid.'

Table centrepieces

'Your choice of centrepiece can really finish the setting,' said Jason. 'Fresh flowers are always best and candles help make the atmosphere more appealing. Rules for this should be to keep your centres around glass height so that you are able to see your guests across the tables. If taller ones are being used make sure it does not impede sightlines.'

Etiquette expert William Hanson added: 'Arriving to any table - in a hotel, restaurant or house - that has been set correctly and where the accoutrements gleam always ensures the food and drink that follows will taste even better. A dirty, muddled table doesn't inspire confidence in the cook.

'And there are indeed many different ways to set glasses on a table. How hotels and restaurants will do it will differ from private houses as in a private home the guests don't choose what they are eating or drinking and so it is easier all round. In private houses glasses are placed in order of use (with the glass used first closest to the diner). The glass to be used for the main course should be placed directly above the knife.

'Flowers used for centrepieces should be fairly fragrance-free, so their smell does not conflict with the aromas of the food or wine.'

General - from sage scents to enticing colour palettes

Henry Chebaane, designer for The Gyle hotel in Kings Cross (pictured), suggests burning sage for a heavenly scent

Henry Chebaane, designer for the newly opened Gyle hotel in London's Kings Cross has some general pointers to make your house a bit more five-star-hotel-like.

He said: 'Lighting can enhance any home immediately. Avoid using ceiling lights and favour instead floor, table and wall lights - they create a more flattering glow and some dramatic shadows.

'Two or more indirect light sources combined will give a richer, warmer feel. Dimmable switches are an effective low-cost mood-enhancing tool. They can often be retro-fitted on the electrical lead for very little. Or use the lowest wattage bulb you can bear as this will automatically give you a cosier, softer atmosphere.

'Votive candles, meanwhile, are a natural mood enhancer and their effect can be optimised by placing the candle on or into a reflective surface - glass, mirror, metal - as this will create a local specular effect around the space.

'The sense of smell is the next element that one could explore.

'We often hear about the proverbial smell of coffee or fresh bread... but really, these cliches are actually not that practical.

Follow our experts' tips and you could make your home just a little bit like the magnificent Landmark London (pictured)

'A tip I picked up from Native American cultures (they use it in cleansing ceremonies) is to roll a bunch of fresh sage, tie it into a bundle and let it dry. It can store almost forever. Whenever you feel like it, you light the end of the sage bundle (off a candle for example) and blow the flame out. The ash will diffuse a soothing botanical scent that you can waft around the room. It's economical as just a few seconds will do and the aroma will linger for the day or longer.

'Then edit your soft furnishings a bit. Often, you don't need to buy anything new to elevate the experience of your own home.

'For example, try to limit your dominant colour palette to three (in as many tones/patterns as you want) in one area of the room. This will make your furnishing immediately feel richer.

'Once the colours are sorted, try different arrangements of your furniture and accessories to create neutral spaces around objects: between pieces, on shelves, on walls. This allows your eyes to reset between each item you look at during the day. In turn, this will help you appreciate the textures and proportions of your surroundings with more intensity.

'Even in a busy home with children it is possible to make it feel like your own sanctuary. With a bit of planning, you can make a good meal from modest ingredients the same goes with your home interiors.'
Some 1,800 photos of masks, signs and other objects have been received by the Vienna Museum.

An appeal to submit photos of everyday objects to document the coronavirus pandemic for future generations has drawn hundreds of submissions, Viennas museum of city history said on Tuesday.

Some 1,800 photos of masks, signs and other objects have been received since the Vienna Museum (Wien Museum) launched its appeal on March 25, spokeswoman Konstanze Schaefer said.

We want to see how we tell our children, or our childrens children, what happened in Vienna because of course this is a big moment for all of us, Schaefer told AFP news agency.

We must call for this now  A lot of the projects that came into existence in the beginning [of the crisis], such as neighbourhood aid initiatives, dont exist anymore, she said.

Some 200 photos of submissions received have been put up on the museums website.

They include a photo of a discarded blue rubber glove, a police signboard that urges one-metre (three feet) social distancing and a mobile phone screen showing a call with the coronavirus hotline number of more than one hour and 28 minutes.

The museum will continue to accept submissions as long as corona exists, Schaefer said.

Those objects eventually chosen to become part of the collection will be picked up from their owners and put into storage  but any exhibition could be years from now, to allow time to step back from the crisis, according to Schaefer.

Other museums in Austria and in neighbouring Germany have started similar initiatives to try to document the crisis for future generations, Schaefer added.

The Alpine nation of almost nine million people has so far been spared the brunt of the health crisis, with just under 15,600 reported infections and 606 deaths.

Austrias first loosening of its coronavirus lockdown three weeks ago, in which thousands of shops reopened, has not led to a new spike in infections, though further vigilance is necessary, its health minister said on Tuesday.

Austria acted early to tackle the viral pandemic, closing bars, restaurants, schools, theatres, non-essential shops and other gathering places seven weeks ago.
SAN ANTONIO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Wyatt Law Firm, PLLC, is pleased to announce that, since the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the firm and its related entities have donated $300,000.00 to the San Antonio Food Bank, helping to provide approximately 2.1 million meals to San Antonians and other Southwest Texans at risk of food insecurity. The firm most recently presented a $100,000.00 check to the food bank on May 4, 2020.

Representatives of Wyatt Law Firm present a $100,000.00 check to the San Antonio Food Bank on May 4, 2020.

"The greater San Antonio community has supported our firm since 2007, and with people being out of work due to the coronavirus pandemic, we want to do our part to help the San Antonio Food Bank and those facing hunger," said Paula Wyatt, Founding Partner of the Wyatt Law Firm. "This is a time of unprecedented demand for Texas food banks, and it's our firm's privilege to do anything we can to assist the families, students, seniors, veterans, and many others who rely on the San Antonio Food Bank to meet their nutritional needs. We also encourage others to give whatever they can. Every dollar helps."

The San Antonio Food Bank is the largest hunger-relief organization in Southwest Texas. Through its network of more than 530 nonprofit agencies and a myriad of distribution programs  including mobile food distribution  the Food Bank serves 58,000 individuals each week and distributes 74,000,000 meals annually to needy Texans in a 16-county service area.

"We have seen a devastating economic impact from the COVID-19 virus and its domino effect into the lives of our neighbors and friends," said San Antonio Food Bank President & CEO Eric Cooper. "The San Antonio Food Bank has worked tirelessly to meet the increase in demand for food and resources, but we depend wholeheartedly on the community to help us in this struggle. The generosity of the Wyatt Law Firm is an example of the support we desperately need."

The Wyatt Law Firm plans to continue giving back to local charities and nonprofit organizations in the greater San Antonio area throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Those who wish to support the good works of the San Antonio Food Bank can visit www.safoodbank.org/ways-to-help.

About the Wyatt Law Firm:

Get a fighter on your side. Wyatt Law Firm fights for victims of negligence. We speak for those who can't. We stand firm in the legal arena, seeking compensation and justice for our clients. We are passionate about taking swift, aggressive, and effective legal action for people who have suffered at the hands of negligent corporations and individuals. Most of all, we are passionate about doing what is right for our clients. With decades of combined experience, each lawyer at our firm possesses a unique range of skills and abilities that, when pooled together, create a formidable force for justice. Our law firm is small, but our reach is large  as proven by our results. For more information, visit www.wyattlawfirm.com. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wyattlawfirm, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/wyattlawfirm, and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/wyattlawfirm.

About the San Antonio Food Bank:

The San Antonio Food Bank is a 501c3 non-profit organization providing millions of pounds of food to more than 500 charitable organizations in Southwest Texas serving those in need. In addition to food distribution, the San Antonio Food Bank provides numerous programs that not only solve the immediate problems of hunger, but help individuals and families gain long-term food security. For more information about the San Antonio Food Bank, visit our website at www.safoodbank.org. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/safoodbank or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/safoodbank.

SOURCE Wyatt Law Firm

Related Links

https://www.wyattlawfirm.com/




OTTAWA (dpa-AFX) - Suncor Energy Inc. (SU, SU.TO) reported a first-quarter net loss of C$3.525 billion or C$2.31 per share, compared to net earnings of C$1.470 billion or C$0.93 per share in the prior year quarter.



The company's results in the first quarter of 2020 were impacted by the significant weakness and volatility in commodity prices as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and OPEC+'s initial plan to increase production.



The net loss for the first quarter of 2020 included C$1.798 billion of non-cash after-tax asset impairment charges, a C$1.021 billion unrealized after-tax foreign exchange loss on the revaluation of U.S. dollar denominated debt and a C$397 million after-tax hydrocarbon inventory write-down to net realizable value.



Operating loss was C$309 million or C$0.20 per share, compared to operating earnings of C$1.209 billion or C$0.77 per share in the prior year quarter, with the first quarter of 2020 impacted by a net FIFO inventory valuation loss of C$446 million after-tax on the declining value of refinery feedstock costs.



Funds from operations were C$1.001 billion or C$0.66 per share, compared to C$2.585 billion or C$1.64 per share in the prior year quarter.



The company said its board has decided to reduce the quarterly cash dividend by 55% to C$0.21 per common share from C$0.465 per common share. This dividend will be payable on June 25, 2020 to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 4, 2020.



In order to maintain the financial health and resiliency of the company to navigate the current market conditions, the company has reduced operating costs by C$1 billion (10%) compared to 2019 levels. It has also increased its liquidity by C$4 billion.



In addition, the company has reduced 2020 capital expenditures by C$1.9 billion (33%) compared to the original 2020 plan.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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Israel will keep up its operations in Syria until its arch enemy Iran leaves, Defence Minister Naftali Bennett said yesterday after strikes on Iranian-backed militias and their allies killed 14 fighters.

Israel has launched hundreds of attacks in Syria since the start of the civil war in 2011, targeting government troops, allied Iranian forces and fighters from Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

The Jewish state rarely confirms details of its operations in Syria but says Iran's presence in support of President Bashar al-Assad is a threat and that it will continue its attacks.

Bennett, speaking to the state-owned Kan 11 television news channel, did not claim Israeli responsibility for the latest overnight strikes on Syria.

But he said: 'Iran has nothing to do in Syria... (and) we won't stop before they leave Syria'.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said the strikes came minutes after Syrian air defences intercepted Israeli air raids over the north of the country.

A spokesman for the US-led coalition battling the Islamic State (IS) group said it was not responsible for the raids in the desert near the eastern Syrian town of Mayadin.

Bennett said Iran was 'trying to establish itself on the border with Israel to threaten Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa'.

His allegation is not new and has often been made by Israeli officials.

'They have to leave Syria,' Bennett said.

'This is our life we are talking about, the life of our children, and if we allowed them to settle in Syria... in a year we will wake up with 10,000 missiles, 20,000 missiles, that would put us in danger.

'For them it's an adventure, they are 1,000 kilometres away... it's their Vietnam in a way,' Bennett said.

The Israeli defence minister said Iran should be more concerned with its own citizens and mounting domestic problems.

'They have enough problems at home with the coronavirus (and) the collapsing economy,' he said.

Iran on Tuesday announced that confirmed coronavirus infections had reached almost 100,000 in the Islamic republic while the overall death toll from COVID-19 topped 6,000.

Iran is facing economic hardship that worsened after US President Donald Trump withdrew from a landmark nuclear clear and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Tehran in 2018, targeting key oil and banking sectors.

Bennett said Iran had become a 'burden' for the Assad regime.

'It used to be an asset for the Syrians, it helped Assad deal with Daesh, but now it's a burden,' he said, referring to IS.

The overnight attacks in Syria were the latest in a spate of strikes on Israel's neighbour.

On Friday, the Observatory said Israeli raids hit a missile depot in eastern Syria that belonged to Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese movement that fought a war with Israel in 2006.

That strike came a day after Germany designated Hezbollah a 'Shiite terrorist organisation,' winning applause from the Israeli government.

Israel and the United States have long designated Hezbollah as a terrorist group.

And last week, Israel was accused of hitting pro-regime positions in Syria at least three times.

Commenting on the apparent intensification of Israeli raids, Yoram Schweitzer of Israel's Institute for National Security Studies told AFP the Jewish state might be reacting to increased hostile action from Iran and Hezbollah.

It is also possible that Israel is trying to apply added pressure as its rivals endure the fallout of the coronavirus crisis, he said.

'I don't know which one of the two it is, but it might be a combination of the two,' Schweitzer said.
PROVIDENCE, R.I., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE: UNFI) will participate in next week's BMO Farm to Market Conference. UNFI's Chief Executive Officer, Steven Spinner, and Chief Financial Officer, John Howard, will participate in a fireside chat beginning at 3:20 ET on May 13, 2020.

A link to the live audio webcast will be available on the investor relations section of the Company's website at www.unfi.com via the "Events and Presentations" link.

About United Natural Foods, Inc.

UNFI is North America's premier food wholesaler delivering the widest variety of products to customer locations throughout North America including natural product superstores, independent retailers, conventional supermarket chains, ecommerce retailers, and food service customers. By providing this deeper 'full-store' selection and compelling brands for every aisle, UNFI is uniquely positioned to deliver great food, more choices, and fresh thinking to customers everywhere. Today, UNFI is the largest publicly-traded grocery distributor in America. To learn more about how UNFI is Moving Food Forward, visit www.unfi.com.

Investor Contact

Steve Bloomquist

952-828-4144

[email protected]

SOURCE United Natural Foods, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.unfi.com


TEHRAN, Iran, May 6

Trend:

Iranian government needs to implement necessary precautions before reopening workplaces, Tehran representative in the parliament Parvaneh Salahshour told Trend.

"The statistic show that the number of visits to hospitals has reduced to one tenth, she said. "The president has announced that schools in white zones will be reopened; however, in my opinion, it's not necessary to reopen schools except for exams. If the schools are reopened, it is impossible to observe social distance, which will impose more risks."

"The World Health Organization has announced that the coronavirus peak in Iran may be around May 20, and it would be better to keep some centers closed and continue quarantine," said the MP.

"We are witnessing coronavirus spread in southern regions of the country such as Khuzestan province; thus, the precautions should continue to be implemented," she said. "The National Headquarters to Fight Coronavirus is considering all the aspects; for example, the Quds Day parade on May 22 and other mass gatherings are supposed to be held in white zones, while precautions are to be observed."

"The headquarters has been successful so far, and we have witnessed reduction of coronavirus cases and deaths, so, hopefully, the situation will improve," the MP added.

"I don't think it's wrong to open mosques, but reopening schools is not necessary. As for the mosques, visits there are optional, as people can decide for themselves whether to go there or not," she said.
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Students at an Illinois high school have graduated in an empty auditorium after friends and relatives were banned from the ceremony due to social distancing measures.

A total of 523 teenagers from Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School in Bradley, Illinois walked across stage to collect their diplomas in matching red robes after lining up back stage with gaps of 10 feet between them amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Only 10 were allowed inside at a time.

Some young men and women from the Class of 2020 had loved ones waiting outside who emotionally greeted them with congratulations, while others headed straight back to their cars and headed home to shelter-in-place.

Students graduated from Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School with no friends of family inside the auditorium

Makeya Butler was seen in a 'class of 2020' face mask to match her robes as she waited to have her picture taken Wednesday

A student wearing a homemade face mask waits patiently to walk across the stage to receive her diploma

Students had to keep a safe distance between one another as they celebrated the end of their time in high school

Sadie Carcelli (L) adjusts her face mask before picking up her diploma as her mother Kayla Button (R) watches. Loved ones waited outside to greet the young men and women on a sunny day in Illinois but their emotions were somewhat hidden by the masks

But the young people from the school located about 60 miles south of Chicago, and with about 2,100 students, came ready to wrap up their high school experience despite the devastation the virus outbreak has caused.

Illinois was the fourth most effected state in the country on Wednesday with over 68,000 cases of COVID-19 and 2,974 deaths. In Kankakee County where the school is, there were 416 cases and 27 deaths.

Because of social distancing mandates instituted by the state to curtail the spread of COVID-19, graduates donned face coverings nearly the entire time.

While some showed up in disposable medical masks, other wore bandannas or other homemade styles.

Several students fashioned cloth masks to cover their nose and mouth areas. One student made was pictured in one with the motif 'class of 2020' sewn on.

'I can say I never thought I would have a mask on!' senior Hunter Abrassar told ABC 7.

Safe distance: An aerial photo captured with a drone shows vehicles lined up as graduates arrive to pick up their diplomas

Ready to go: Graduate Edward Gray puts on his gown as he arrives to pick up his diploma at the high school on Wednesday

Matching mask: Kiyah Gonzalez arrived for her graduation ceremony wearing a red and white polka dot face mask

Only 10 people were allowed in the auditorium at a time and they had to stand 10 feet apart from each other, the state said

A student is seen removing his protective face mask as he prepares to go across the stage on Wednesday in Bradley, Illinois

A student picks up his diploma during a graduation ceremony at Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School in Bradley, Illinois on Wednesday

The superintendent said he was nervous about pulling off the occasion. 'It's exciting, and a little filled with anxiety because we've never done it before'

Say cheese: Seniors poses for their graduation portraits before picking up their diplomas on Wednesday

They only removed the protecting clothing for their big moment on stage where there was no one to personally hand them their diploma.

The students also took off the coverings to smile for their official graduation pictures.

Otherwise they had to wait until they emerged outside and into the fresh air to reveal their faces.

Loved ones waited by the curb to greet the young men and women on a sunny day in Illinois but their emotions were somewhat hidden by their own masks that remained on as people gathered while trying to maintain a safe distance.

'It was really cool,' Courtney Allen said about her graduation. 'I'm really just glad that the administration is still doing something for us. It really means a lot since this is so hard for us right now, but I know a lot of schools are not getting anything really so I'm just really grateful.'

One father was pleased with the school initiative but admitted it would have been nice to be inside the auditorium.

'I'm glad he's graduating,' Chris Benoit said. 'I'm glad he's getting a ceremony also as a family would have loved to been able to see him walk across the stage and celebrate with him and his friends and classmates, it would have been nice.'

No food or drink was allowed at the ceremony as per rules from the state which recently relaxed rules regarding graduations

'Class of 2020': A graduate holds a yard sign after picking up his diploma as a member of staff organizes collection

A student is seen wearing blue medical gloves on his graduation day that took much longer for organizers to complete

Prior to the ceremony, the superintendent said he was nervous about pulling it off.

The occasion was supposed to take place on Monday but was pushed back in hopes of getting it approved by authorities.

State Superintendent Carmen Ayala had forbidden any type of graduation ceremony, even with social distancing measures.

However, after the llinois Department of Public Health reached out, it was announced that 'decisions around whether or not to host safe and socially distanced graduation ceremonies will remain at the discretion of local school boards and superintendents'.

No food or drink was allowed at the ceremony.

'It's exciting, and a little filled with anxiety because we've never done it before,' BBCHS Superintendent Scott Wakeley told the Daily-Journal.

He added before the ceremony: 'It's going to be a long day. We may start at 9am and we may end at 9pm, but we're going to get it done. We're going to stay as long as it's necessary.'

Virtual ceremonies were 'strongly encouraged' with drive-ins and drive-thrus even more so. Schools even have the option of bringing the graduation ritual to a student's home.

Those who did get the watch their loved one graduate can watch the ceremony May 16 during a scheduled streaming.

Makeya Bradley gets a kiss from a relative after picking up her diploma and takes a selfie once her mask could come off

Left, Lila Altman arrives for her graduation ceremony and right Megan Clifton arrives. Masks could only be removed inside cars but some students broke the rules for pictures outside school

Kaliyah Bell arrives with her parents, Kim and Ron. They didn't get to go inside but the event will be streamed on May 16

Virtual ceremonies were 'strongly encouraged' with drive-ins and drive-thrus even more so. Schools in Illinois even have the option of bringing the graduation ritual to a student's home
SPRINGFIELD  The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield says from now on it will notify area law enforcement once it learns of any allegations of clergy sexually assaulting minors or any other vulnerable persons at Western Massachusetts parishes.

In a statement issued Wednesday by the dioceses Office of Public Affairs and Communications, Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski has entered into what is called Memo of Understanding with the district attorneys for Hampden, Hampden and Franklin, and Berkshire counties.

This is long overdue, said Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan.

Bishop Rozanski has made great strides to be transparent and accountable, but it still had to take four to five decades for this to happen.

Under the memo, which goes into effect immediately, the diocese agrees that upon learning of any actual or attempted sexual abuse or misconduct involving a vulnerable person  defined as or a child under age 18, someone over age 60, or any disabled adult  to notify the appropriate authorities immediately.

The document covers misconduct by priests and clergy, but also any employee of the diocese, any subcontractor, or any volunteers at diocesan programs or services. It also stipulates the diocese will provide the name of the accused, the name and contact information of any victims and witnesses, and a summary of the allegations.

The agreement is signed by Rozanski, and John J. Egan, legal counsel for the diocese, and Sullivan, Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni and Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington.

I am most grateful to all who worked so diligently in preparing this agreement, one which demonstrates our commitment to work with law enforcement in identifying all allegations of sexual misconduct that come to our attention, Rozanski said in a prepared statement.

The agreement is the result of an extensive back and forth with the diocese. This is the product of that negotiation, Gulluni said.

We wanted to get it right, he said. Its important to have a system in place. We hope there is no need for it.

If it seems odd that a detailed written process is necessary for the diocese to report sexual assault, there are numerous instances through the years, both in the Springfield diocese nationwide, where parish officials knew of priests preying on children and kept silent.

The statement by the diocese acknowledges previous inconsistencies in how allegations of sexual abuse were reported to authorities.

Sullivan said it has been well-documented that the church operated in what he called an era of secrecy.

Victims of abuse, often children, would often stay silent. When someone did come forward to report being molested or raped, the dioceses would often respond by quietly transferring the priest to another parish.

The Catholic church continues to be embroiled in scandal after scandal involving allegations of pedophile priests and church leaders who were willing to cover it up.

These should have been reported as crimes and investigated by the police and DAs from Day One, Sullivan said.

To have something in writing where the diocese agrees to report misconduct, Sullivan said, is a good step forward.

Gulluni said past discrepancies in the reporting of abuse allegations by the diocese made it clear that a clear and specific written process is needed.

Trant said the agreement establishes a standardized process by which the diocese takes responsibility for notifying law enforcement in order to launch an investigation. He called it a significant agreement.

Sexual abuse of a child or a vulnerable adult is a crime. Period! he said.

Harrington said the document establishes a clear process for the reporting and investigation of abuse.

This is an overdue commitment from the church after clergy members committed terrible crimes against children for decades and too many victims never received the justice they deserve, she said.

Given the history of sexual abuse and cover-ups, law enforcement investigations must not be impeded," Harrington said.

Gulluni said anyone who knows of any cases of abuse within the diocese is not reliant on the diocese to have the matter reported to authorities.

More than a year ago, Gulluni established a dedicated hotline in his office for reporting clergy abuse. The hotline was created in part out of what he called his dissatisfaction with inconsistent reporting by the diocese.

The hotline, at 413-800-2958, remains in operation.

All tips received through it are investigated by State police detectives assigned to his office. No matter the age of the complaint, or whether it was previously reported, any victim of clergy sexual abuse should feel free to contact law enforcement directly.
WASHINGTON - Senate officials said Monday that they cannot legally release any potential records related to a complaint purportedly filed by a former aide to Joe Biden who has since accused him of sexual misconduct, rebuffing a request by the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

Tara Reade has accused Biden, who was then a senator from Delaware, of sexually assaulting her in 1993, although she has said a formal complaint she filed that year describes only harassment, not assault. Biden, who denies all the allegations, has responded in part by calling on the Senate to release all the documentation pertaining to the complaint that Reade says she filed.

Responding to a letter Biden sent Friday, the secretary of the Senate's office, on the advice of legal counsel, concluded that the "Secretary has no discretion to disclose any such information as requested." The office, which did not confirm or deny the complaint's existence, based its decision in part on a review of confidentiality requirements.

The letter from Biden was related to Reade's allegation that Biden reached up her skirt and penetrated her with his fingers in 1993. Biden unequivocally denied the allegations on Friday, speaking directly about them for the first time. He also said he did not recall any complaint being filed.

Reade has told The Washington Post that her complaint dealt with harassment in the office, not assault. She has said that she cannot recall the office to which she filed her complaint and that she does not have a copy.

Reade was employed in Biden's Senate office for nine months, ending in 1993. She said she filed a complaint that year with a congressional human resources or personnel office. The Senate Office of Fair Employment Practices fielded complaints starting in 1992.

On Friday, Biden said relevant documents would not be found in his Senate papers, which are closed to the public, but would rather be housed at the National Archives.

A spokesperson for the Archives said that it has no control over the release of such records and that any documents "would have remained under the control of the Senate." A Senate resolution requires that such personnel records remain out of public view for 50 years.

On Friday afternoon, Biden's campaign released a copy of a letter the candidate had sent to the secretary of the Senate.

"The Archives now states that the records would have remained under the control of the Senate. Accordingly, I request that you take or direct whatever steps are necessary to establish the location of the records of this Office, and once they have been located, to direct a search for the alleged complaint and to make public the results of this search," Biden wrote.

He added, "I would ask that the public release include not only a complaint if one exists, but any and all other documents in the records that relate to the allegation."

The latest development adds to the fog surrounding the Reade allegations and illustrates the difficulty of looking into a 27-year-old alleged incident.

After the secretary of the Senate's statement, Biden campaign attorney Bob Bauer responded with follow-up questions about the possibility for a more limited release.

"Is just the existence of any such records subject to the same prohibition on disclosure?" Bauer asked, according to a statement from the campaign.

Without naming Reade, he asked if the accuser might be able to obtain the records: "Is there anyone, such as a complainant, to whom such records, if they exist, could be lawfully disclosed?" Finally, Bauer asked whether the Senate could release "the procedures and related materials" in 1993 for processing a complaint such as the one Reade has described.

The secretary of the Senate's office responded late Monday to say it was advised by legal counsel that even disclosing the existence of such records "would amount to a prohibited disclosure under the Government Employee Rights Act of 1991." The office said it was not aware of any exceptions in the law allowing it to disclose any records, "even to original participants in a matter."

In response to the campaign's third question, the office attached a public document from the time of the alleged complaint titled "Office of Senate Fair Employment Practices" - the entity that Bauer referred to in his question and that the secretary of the Senate's office referenced in its initial response to Biden.

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

The document outlines the procedure for bringing concerns to the attention of that office. It states that an employee would first submit a request for counseling to the director of the Office of Senate Fair Employment Practices, in person, by phone or in writing. Unless the employee and the director agreed in writing to contact the employee's office, the information relating to the counseling would not be disclosed to anyone outside the Office of Senate Fair Employment Practices, the document states. If the matter were not resolved, the employee could request mediation, at which point the employee's office would be contacted and involved, the document says. If the matter still remained unresolved after mediation, an employee could file a "formal complaint," according to the document.

Reade did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Over 35 months, which covered Reade's employment period, 479 people sought assistance from the Senate fair employment office, according to congressional testimony in 1995.

Of those, 325 sought informal advice, while 102 went into a five-step process that included counseling and mediation. Only 38 people ended up filing a formal complaint.

If Reade was among those who filed a formal complaint, her record would not normally be available until 2043, based on a Senate resolution passed in 1980 mandating that such information remain private for 50 years.

- - -

The Washington Post's Seung Min Kim contributed to this report.
Australia could soon set up a travel bubble with China, a coronavirus official with mining industry links says.

Neville Power, the chairman of the federal government's National COVID-19 Coordination Commission, has suggested a resumption in travel between Australia and China. Mr Power was previously the chief executive of Fortescue Metals Group, one of Australia's major iron ore exporters to China

The national border was closed on March 20, almost six weeks after a China travel ban was imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 from its source in Wuhan.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has declared overseas travel beyond New Zealand would be unlikely 'anytime soon' as part of a drive to keep infection rates low.

Nonetheless Neville Power, the chairman of the federal government's National COVID-19 Coordination Commission, has suggested a resumption in travel between Australia and China, along with Japan, Korea and possibly Indonesia.

Mr Power was previously the chief executive of Fortescue Metals Group, one of Australia's major iron ore exporters to China.

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The West Australian newspaper, which Mr Power spoke to, is linked to Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes (pictured with his wife Christine Simpson Stokes) - a billionaire with significant business interests in China through his mining equipment dealer company WesTrac. Mr Stokes last week used the front page of his newspaper to demand Australia appease China by backing away from its call for an inquiry into the origins of COVID-19

'There are opportunities within that to look at specific destinations and specific testing  departure and arrival testing  so that critical activities and key travel can get going earlier,' he told The West Australian.

'We have very significant trade links with Japan, Korea, China so there may be opportunities to restart that.'

The West Australian newspaper, which Mr Power spoke to, is linked to Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes - a billionaire with significant business interests in China through his mining equipment dealer company WesTrac.

Mr Stokes last week used the front page of his newspaper to demand Australia appease Communist China by backing away from its call for an independent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19.

New Zealand could soon reopen its borders to Australian holidaymakers as part of a 'trans-Tasman bubble' (pictured, travellers leaving Auckland, New Zealand on April 8)

Australians may soon be able to go to a few key destinations in Asia, including China where the COVID-19 outbreak began (pictured, a wet market up and running in Guangzhou on May 4)

Mr Power, who ran Fortescue Metals for seven years until February 2018, talked up Australia's need to maintain commodity export ties with Asia.

His observations were made before the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed Australia had a record trade surplus of $10.6billion in March, despite the coronavirus, as China ramped up its demand for Australian coal and iron ore.

'Our resources sector relies very heavily on those Asian markets and there may be need for travel there,' he said.

'Indonesia there might be some particular challenges.'

The coronavirus outbreak began in China in December, infecting 82,000 people and causing 4,600 deaths.

In Japan, there have been 15,253 confirmed infections and 556 deaths.

South Korea has also relatively well during the global health crisis, with 10,806 infections and 2,255 deaths.

An Australian family waits to go into quarantine after landing at Adelaide airport on April 21 (pictured)

A woman is seen shopping at a wet market in Wuhan, the epicentre of the deadly virus, on April 29 (pictured)

HOW SAFE ARE THESE ASIAN COUNTRIES? Australia could soon open a travel bubble with several Asian countries, officials said. These are their reported COVID-19 stats. China Infections: 82,883 Deaths: 4,633 Japan Infections: 15,253 Deaths: 556 South Korea Infections: 10,806 Deaths: 255 Indonesia Infections: 12,438 Deaths: 895 Advertisement

The Prime Minister hand-picked Mr Power to chair the National COVID-19 Co-ordination Commission.

The idea of the 'trans-Tasman bubble' is that the movement of people and free trade would once again flow normally, while the rest of the world remains in COVID-19 lockdown.

Federal Liberal MP Dave Sharma, a former ambassador, said that trade and travel to the Pacific Islands should also be considered, as their governments had done a 'good job' in limiting the COVID-19 spread.

'By allowing normal air links and tourism to resume, we would provide a lifeline for many of these small economies,' he wrote in The Australian.

'The Pacific Islands could once more begin to access their biggest tourism markets, Australia and New Zealand.

'And it would provide an opportunity for many Aussies and Kiwis to take a holiday in our region, rather than further abroad, and get to know our own neighbourhood a little better.'

Travellers may soon be able to travel to the likes of Tokyo in Japan (pictured on May 5) as part of a coronavirus travel bubble agreement

Australia may even consider opening up travel with Indonesia, Nev Power, the chairman of the government's national COVID-19 Coordination Commission (pictured, a Bali beach)

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said both countries would need to be confident they would neither import or export cases before travel between them is allowed.

Ms Ardern joined Australia's coronavirus cabinet meeting on Tuesday for the neighbouring countries to discuss reopening their borders to trans-Tasman travel following their successes in containing the disease.

Following the meeting Ms Ardern said the logistics of how the 'travel bubble' would work were still being discussed.

She said the 'trans-Tasman bubble' would likely not include a quarantine period.

'People wouldn't travel if they had to stay on either side in quarantine for a two-week period and have to do the same when you return. But there is still a lot of work to be done before we can progress an idea like that,' she said.

A passenger wearing a facemask waits at Melbourne airport during the COVID-19 outbreak on April 21

Both countries have a COVID-19 mortality rate of just 1 per cent and have boosted their medical equipment reserves as they plan to slowly reopen their economies, including restarting travel across the Tasman sea.

New Zealand recorded its second day in a row of zero cases on Tuesday following a strict four-week lockdown, and just one new case on Wednesday.

Last week, when the idea of the bubble was floated, Ms Ardern said she didn't want to move too quickly to reopen the borders.

She said she was not willing to jeopardise the position that New Zealand had got itself into by moving too soon.

Ahead of the meeting on Tuesday, New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian, said she was hopeful that a travel 'hub' could be formed between the two countries.

Jacinda Ardern (pictured on May 6) said both countries would need to be confident they would neither import or export cases before travel between the two countries is allowed

'We know that unfortunately international travel is a mid to long term vision, so if can establish a hub between New Zealand and Australia I think that would be a very positive move,' Berejiklian 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

'I'm hoping that we'll get to a stage where our state borders can be relaxed and then we can potentially have a phenomenal New Zealand and Australia cooperation which would allow us to pull our economic resources, pull our trade opportunities but also move together into the future.'

The move would give the tourism industry a much-needed boost as international tourism is likely to remain banned for many months. Both countries closed their borders to travellers in March as the coronavirus crisis escalated.

The move brought the travel industry to a crashing halt and saw thousands of workers with jobs.

Airlines have been struggling to stay afloat amid the pandemic.

Virgin Australia was the first to fold with the company going into voluntary administration two weeks ago owing almost $7 billion.

Qantas has recently secured funding to keep ensure the company survives until December 2021.

It is preparing to lose $40 million a week until the travel industry recovers.
Marc Knapper. Yonhap



The United States expects South Korea to be flexible in their defense cost-sharing negotiations, a U.S. official said Tuesday, amid a prolonged impasse in talks.



The comment by Marc Knapper, deputy assistant secretary of state for Korea and Japan, suggests Washington continues to seek significant increases in Seoul's contributions to the cost of stationing 28,500 American troops on the peninsula.



"Our leaders have spoken recently, and we'll continue to look for ways to sit down and talk," he said during a virtual seminar hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, noting that the coronavirus pandemic has made it difficult for negotiators to meet face to face.



"Suffice to say that I think we believe our side has been very flexible up until now," he added. "And we're looking for some flexibility on the part of the Korean side too."






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The publication of this study follows recent research out of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai that shows a large number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 have developed high levels of life-threatening blood clots, leading to potentially deadly thromboembolic events. A team of investigators evaluated records of 2,773 confirmed COVID-19-positive patients admitted to five hospitals in the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City (The Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai West, Mount Sinai Morningside, Mount Sinai Queens, and Mount Sinai Brooklyn) between March 14 and April 11, 2020. They specifically looked at survival rates for patients placed on blood thinners versus those not placed on blood thinners. The researchers took certain risk factors into account before evaluating the effectiveness of anticoagulation, including age, ethnicity, pre-existing conditions, and those already on blood thinners.Of the COVID-19 patients analyzed, 786 (28 percent) received a full-treatment dose of anticoagulants--a higher dose than what is typically given for blood clot prevention, and one that is usually given to those who already have clots or are suspected to have clots. Treatment with anticoagulants was associated with improved hospital survival among COVID-19 patients both in and out of the intensive care unit setting. Of the patients who did not survive, those on anticoagulants died after spending an average of 21 days in the hospital, compared to the non- anticoagulant patients who died after an average of 14 days in the hospital. The effect of anticoagulation had a more pronounced effect on ventilated patients--62.7 percent of intubated patients who were not treated with anticoagulants died, compared to 29.1 percent for intubated patients treated with anticoagulants. Of the intubated patients who did not survive, those with no anticoagulants died after 9 days, while those on anticoagulants died after 21 days.All patients in the study had blood work done when they arrived at the hospital, which included measuring various inflammatory markers. The analysis of their records showed patients who received anticoagulants had higher inflammatory markers compared to patients not treated with anticoagulants. This may suggest patients with more severe illness may benefit from anticoagulants early on.The observational study also explored the association of systemic anticoagulant treatment with bleeding events. Major bleeding was defined as 1) hemoglobin <7 g/dL and any red blood cell transfusion; 2) at least 2 units of red blood cell transfusion within 48 hours; or 3) a diagnosis code for major bleeding including intracranial hemorrhage; hematemesis; melena; peptic ulcer with hemorrhage; colon, rectal, or anal hemorrhage; hematuria; ocular hemorrhage; and acute hemorrhagic gastritis. Among those who did not receive anticoagulants, 38 (1.9 percent) patients had bleeding events, compared to 24 (3 percent) among those who received anticoagulants, p=0.2). "We are hopeful that this report of the association of anticoagulation therapy with improved survival will be confirmed in future investigations. The astute scientists at Mount Sinai continue to analyze our data on COVID-19 patients in order to contribute to worldwide efforts to find effective treatments," says David Reich, MD, President and Chief Operating Officer of The Mount Sinai Hospital."As a cardiologist who has been on service caring for COVID-19 patients for the last three weeks, I have observed an increased amount of blood clot cases among hospitalized patients, so it is critical to look at whether anticoagulants provide benefits for them," says co-researcher Anu Lala, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "It's important to note that further analysis and prospective studies are required to determine the effectiveness for widespread use of anticoagulants in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.""This study is opening the door for a more extensive study that will be carried out with 5,000 COVID-19-positive patients, where we will evaluate the effectiveness of three types of antithrombotic therapy--oral antithrombotic, subcutaneous heparin, and intravenous heparin--and then perhaps engage our data for prospective clinical trials," says senior author Girish Nadkarni, MD, Co-Director of the Mount Sinai COVID Informatics Center. "We are excited about these preliminary results that may have a positive impact on COVID-19 patients and potentially give them a greater chance of survival, although more studies are needed."Source: Eurekalert
San Francisco, May 6 : Google has announced that Stadia Controller would finally work wirelessly with laptops and desktops.

"Starting this week, you can now use the Stadia Controller to play wirelessly on your laptop and desktop. You no longer need to connect your Stadia Controller physically to your computer to play your favorite games," said the company.

"You'll be able to link your Stadia Controller and Stadia.com through your Wi-Fi network and play without a USB-C cable connection," it added.

At the launch in November, this capability was restricted to the Chromecast Ultra when playing on televisions.

Google has also rolled out an update that would let the Stadia Controller 'capture' screenshots and video clips on Android.

Captured screenshots and clips will be stored automatically on users Stadia account.

With a Stadia Pro subscription, one can store up to 500 clips and unlimited screenshots. Without a subscription, a user can store up to 100 clips and unlimited screenshots.

One can buy a Stadia controller for $69. However, the Stadia Premiere Edition bundle is for $129, which also includes a Chromecast Ultra and three months of the paid Stadia Pro subscription.
(Newser)  Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has released the department's overhaul of how schools and colleges should handle sexual misconduct complaintsand while some controversial proposals have been watered down, victims' rights groups are still vowing to fight the new rules. Under the new guidelines, which replace some Obama-era policies that DeVos revoked, the definition of sexual harassment has been narrowed to conduct "so severe, pervasive and objectively offensive" that it essentially prevents a victim from having equal access to an education at the school, NBC reports. Under the Obama rules, the broader definition encompassed actions that interfered with or limited that access. The changes also give alleged perpetrators more rightsincluding the right to have their accuser cross-examined at live hearings.

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Democrats had asked the department to delay releasing the final rules and focus on the pandemic instead. DeVos said the rule changes, which tell schools how to implement the "Title IX" 1972 federal law on sexual discrimination in education, will "combat sexual misconduct without abandoning our core values of fairness, presumption of innocence, and due process," the AP reports. Victims' rights advocates warned that the new rules would discourage people from reporting assaults. Fatima Goss Graves, president of the National Women's Law Center, vowed to fight the rules in court, reports the New York Times. "We refuse to go back to the days when rape and harassment in schools were ignored and swept under the rug," she said. (Read more Betsy DeVos stories.)
The squeaky wheel more usually gets the grease. It's an unlovely political metaphor and the Green Party politicians and activists will not be happy at being described as "squeaky".

It's just a way of saying that their political dilemmas and sensitivities have commanded much attention for the past week. The result is that we risk forgetting the other parties in this triangle - Fine Gael and Fianna Fail - which have their own base of loyal supporters to keep on board.

"The dilemma we face is to satisfy the Greens' demands on all their core issues, especially climate change, while also not alienating our own rural support base," one person close to the drawn-out coalition process told the Irish Independent.

We know that the Green Party is replete with tension and potential divisions on engaging in coalition. And we are keenly aware that whatever government programme might be agreed has to be ratified by the high bar of the two-thirds of the Green Party membership voting by postal ballot.

This clearly strengthens Green leader Eamon Ryan's hand in any talks. But if that hand is over-played he will again be reminded that he is not the only one with members, activists, and mavericks.

Fine Gael definitely gets the easier ride here - though everything is relative. Its weighted-voting process ratification process gives 50pc of the say to TDs, senators and MEPs, 25pc to constituency delegates, 15pc to councillors, and 10pc to the national executive. That gives more than a sporting chance to Leo Varadkar to get a government programme ratified in his own house.

The Fianna Fail story is much harder. In Ireland BC - that is before coronavirus - it would have been a one-member/one-vote simple majority at a special ard fheis. Usually that would be a hard day for the staff at HQ and the leadership team - but swiftly the job would be done.

For weeks now, Micheal Martin and his advisers have been pondering a way around the impossibility of holding a gathering of between 2,000 and 3,000 delegates at a venue like Citywest on the southern edge of Dublin city. There has been much talk of an informal rolling consultation process, with the leadership team talking to all the party's 279 city and county councillors.

Soundings have not been good from those self-same councillors. A fortnight ago this newspaper reported grave disappointment being expressed among the councillors in the leader's Cork base.

This week we hear rumblings of discontent from Fianna Fail councillors in Donegal and elsewhere. The mood has not been improved by the weekend's Red C opinion poll findings in the 'Business Post', which showed Fine Gael soaring away on 35pc support on the back of well-received crisis management.

Worse again, Sinn Fein, which looks like "owning the opposition" when post-coronavirus bills must be paid, is doing very nicely on 27pc.

That's even before a government begins to oppose necessary spending cuts to mop up.

Let's recall that in the recent General Election all three parties scored pretty close to one another in the early 20s on vote share.

An interesting grace note here, as yet unexplored, is that Ryan has confirmed the Green Party's members will have a postal vote. Martin has signalled that this would be cumbersome and time-consuming for Fianna Fail. But can Martin avoid a postal vote if the Greens are doing it?

What is clear here is that all three parties must negotiate with one eye permanently on not just their own support base - but that of the other two parties. Talks finally begin tomorrow - just one day short of three months since the election day on February 8 - with trust in very short supply.

But to borrow a famous phrase from the 1998 Good Friday talks, trust must somehow creep in here.

It has been a slow and often fractious process to get this far. It is clear that the gaps between all parties are so considerable, and that they each have major supporter sensitivities to be taken on board, that weeks of talks are required.

But outside the Leinster House bubble, people are worried about all sorts. It is time to hurry up and make a deal.
Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Wednesday expressed concern over the coronavirus situation in Maharashtra and said he will hold a meeting soon with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to discuss the course of action.

The situation in Maharashtra is certainly a matter of concern right now as 34 out of 36 districts are affected by Covid-19, Vardhan told reporters on Wednesday.

I will hold a meeting with CM as well to discuss further course of action to control spread of the virus in the state, the health minister added.

The situation in Maharashtra is certainly a matter of concern right now as 34 out of 36 districts are affected by #COVID19. I will hold a meeting with CM as well to discuss further course of action to control spread of the virus in state: Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan pic.twitter.com/g2Ez09pNLM  ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2020

Maharashtra continues to be the worst-hit state in the country with 15,525 total Covid-19 cases. Nearly 2,819 have recovered from the disease in the state or have been discharged from hospitals while 617 patients have succumbed to death.

Also read: What will happen after lockdown 3.0? Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh question govt

Mumbai, Pune and Thane are the worst affected regions in Maharashtra. While Mumbai has reported nearly 10,000 coronavirus cases so far (9,945), Pune has over 2,000 Covid-19 cases and 1,404 are infected in Thane.

The total number of coronavirus cases in the country crossed the 49,000-mark on Wednesday with 49,391 people infected across India. According to the latest figures updated by the Ministry of Health, there are 33,514 active coronavirus cases in the country, 14,182 patients have been cured or discharged while 1,694 people have died from the deadly contagion.

The virus has infected more than 3 million people across the globe. More than 2.5 lakh people have died due to Covid-19 across the globe while more than one million patients have recovered from the disease.
Maharashtra, which reported 15,525 coronavirus disease (Covid-19) positive cases, including 984 fresh cases, till Tuesday, is likely to breach the 16,000-mark on Wednesday.

The state, which tops the list with the maximum number of Covid-19 positive cases, is likely to double its tally from 8,000 in only 10 days.

So far, Maharashtra has reported 617 Covid-19 related deaths, including 387 in Mumbai alone.

Mumbai, which is the worst-affected in the state with 9,945 Covid-19 positive cases, recorded 635 new cases on Tuesday.

Earlier on Monday, 841 new Covid-19 positive cases were reported and another 143 pending results also came positive, the state government officials said.

Besides Mumbai, Pune, Mumbai Metropolitan Region, and Pune Metropolitan Region; Aurangabad and Malegaon have also emerged as the other Covid-19 hotspots in Maharashtra.

Both Aurangabad and Malegaon have reported a spike from 159 to 337 Covid-19 positive cases and 201 to 361, respectively, over the past five days.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) authorities ordered the closure of all non-essential goods shops, including liquor stores, because of overcrowding.

On Monday, the state government had allowed the opening of non-essential goods shops even in the citys red zones, even though the lockdown restrictions were further extended in hotspots for another 14 days to contain the spread of Covid-19 outbreak.
New Delhi: The nation is currently witnessing a lockdown to combat the deadly novel coronavirus. The pandemic has gripped the world so tight, resulting in a shutdown in most places. Keeping in view the current scenario, all the movie and television shootings have been put on hold.

The Producers Guild of India has issued a fresh clarification regarding the guidelines of shooting amid the lockdown.



Here's the official statement: A work-in-progress document prepared by the Guild of draft guidelines for the resumption of shooting activities has recently been circulating widely in the media and industry.

This is to clarify that this document is only an early internal draft prepared by the Guild in preparedness for the future resumption of shooting activities. Any final safety protocols and guidelines will be formalised only after comprehensive consultations with government officials, medical professionals and relevant industry bodies.
06.05.2020 LISTEN

The Volta River Authority (VRA) has presented items worth GHc210,000.00 to 5 Districts and Municipal Assemblies within its operational areas.

The beneficiary Assemblies including Upper Manya, Yilo, Asuogyaman, North Tongu, and the Akwamu Traditional Council each received quantities of Veronica buckets, Surgical masks, Hand gloves, disposable gowns, gallons of liquid soap, Tissue, Hand sanitizers, non-contact thermometers and a cheque of GHS5,000.00 to support their public education activities on COVID-19.

In a short statement before the presentation, Ing. Ebenezer Koramoa, Director, Technical Services, of the VRA, stated that Over the years, VRA has lived by its mantra of Adding Value to Lives by diligently executing its public sector mandate, as well as meaningfully contributing to improving the lives of the people living in communities impacted by its operations.

He added that the support is part of the low-key activities to commemorate the Authoritys 59th anniversary which fell on Sunday, April 26. He further reiterated VRAs determination to continually pursue its foundational unique cultures of purpose-driven values and progressive management principles to shape a future that is linked to its strategy of growth, sustenance, and agility.

Mr. David Prah, Senior Liaison Officer, representing the VRA Chief Executive, assured the DCEs and MCEs that the Authoritys commitment to ensuring the Safety and Health of the people in the communities affected by its operations will go beyond COVID-19, which he said cannot be won in isolation.

Dr. (Mrs.) Rebecca Acquah Arhin, Medical Director of the VRA Health Services, who presented the items on behalf of the Authority, advised all to ensure strict compliance with the laid down preventive protocols.

It would be recalled that a couple of weeks ago, VRA also presented a cheque of GHc200,000 to the National COVID-19 Trust Fund in Accra, as its contribution towards the Presidents initiative in the fight against the pandemic.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 6)  The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO 7) will send more troops to secure the COVID-19-infected barangays in Cebu City as a police station undergoes quarantine after one of its officers and two detainees contracted the viral disease.

Police Director PBGen Albert Ignatius Ferro on Wednesday said Police Station 6 in Barangay Sawang-Calero is under isolation, with all 56 personnel quarantined in a facility near the station for the next 14 days. Station 6 is among the units tasked to enforce the enhanced community quarantine in critical areas such as Barangay Suba, where there are 124 COVID-19 cases.

During the two-week period, Ferro said they will deploy reserve personnel from the regional office and ask for augmentation from the Armed Forces' Central Command in Cebu City.

These measures come after a patrolman tested positive for COVID-19 while on duty. Two inmates who were arrested on April 12 over a drug-related case were also found to be positive for coronavirus before they were transferred to the city jail.

The infected police officer is currently staying in barangay Mabolo's isolation facility, the director added. He is a member of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion and one of the policemen assigned to secure sitio Zapatera in Barangay Luz that was locked down due to a surge of COVID-19 cases. Among the 40 assigned officers in the barangay who underwent testing, he was the only one who tested positive.

Ferro said the station's quarantined personnel along with 38 other detainees will also take a polymerase chain reaction-based test to check if they have COVID-19. None of the policemen and the detainees have exhibited symptoms so far, he said.

Cebu's COVID-19 cases reached 1,459 on Tuesday after recording 192 additional cases. Regional health officials expect the infected toll to rise further as it starts testing more people in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu using rapid antibody test kits.

But positive results from these tests will not be included in the official count, health regional director Jaime Bernadas said, unless a PCR-based test confirms them. The Department of Health earlier warned that the rapid antibody tests can yield false negative results since it does not detect the coronavirus in the body but the antibodies that fight it.

Cebu-based journalist Dale Israel contributed to this report.
Allstate Corp. reported that its adjusted net income rose 47% in the first quarter to $1.14 billion, a jump of 47%, thanks to higher underwriting income and lower catastrophe costs, compared with the quarter one year ago. The highlights for the quarter also included a 92% jump to $1.34 billion in the underwriting profit on its auto and home insurance lines.

The big insurer reported overall revenue of $10.08 billion in the first quarter of 2020, an 8.3% decrease from the prior year quarter, primarily driven by net realized capital losses.

Net investment income decreased 35.0% in the first quarter on lower performance-based results. Property/liability insurance premiums earned increased 4.4%.

The results include the effect of the companys $600 million Shelter-in-Place Payback for policyholders that was made in response to reduced driving due to the pandemic. Allstate is recording a $210 million expense towards that payback in the first quarter of 2020. The payback increased the expense ratio by 2.4 points in the first quarter.

Another Allstate Auto Insurance Rebate Likely By Suzanne Barlyn May 5 (Reuters)  Insurer Allstate Corp. will likely grant an additional rebate to auto insurance customers due to reduced driving during the coronavirus outbreak, Chief Executive Officer Tom Wilson said in an interview on Tuesday. A second round of rebates would be tailored to reflect the incidences of reduced driving in specific geographies, Wilson said. Allstate Corp., one of the largest U.S. auto insurers, said on April 6 it would return more than $600 million in premiums to customers as many Americans were driving about 40% to 55% less due to stay-at-home orders aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. I think its likely that there will be a next time and when we do it, we will be more precise, Wilson told Reuters, noting that people are driving more than in mid-April, but still 30% to 40% less than before the pandemic. Allstate is in the process of distributing the initial $600 million payback to most customers of 15% of their monthly premiums in April and May, Wilson said. There has been an increase in driving in areas where people are no longer bound by stay-at-home orders, but also in places where such orders remain, Wilson said. Driving patterns are also different in urban areas, where driving might be down by 50% to 60% than before the pandemic, compared to rural areas, which might be down by 20%, Wilson said. Wilson declined to provide specifics on the possible timing of a second rebate, noting that a tailored approach to the issue would require more analysis than issuing a flat 15% rebate to all customers, he said. Allstate developed the initial program in about 10 days, but more specificity will take longer, Wilson said. The insurer based the initial driving frequency analysis partly on data that Allstate collects from tracking products that some customers agree to use in exchange for discounts, as well as other sources. Geico Corp, part of billionaire Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway Inc, State Farm, Progressive Corp and USAA are among the U.S. insurers that have also issued rebates to auto insurance customers during the pandemic. (Reporting by Suzanne Barlyn in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania Editing by Chris Reese, Sonya Hepinstall and Kim Coghill) Copyright 2020 Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Lower accident frequency from reduced miles driven contributed to an improved auto combined ratio.

Allstates proactive risk and return management served customers and shareholders exceptionally well as the coronavirus pandemic hit our shores, said Tom Wilson, chair, president and CEO. After 89 years in the catastrophe business, we know success is determined by acting decisively, quickly and putting people first.

He cited the companys $600 million return premium to policyholders since they are driving less due to social distancing requirements and that 95% of its employees and agents have been working from home to serve customers.

The firm also deployed its technology tools. Virtual sales and support capabilities were expanded. We leveraged our digital innovations, such as QuickFoto Claim and Virtual Assist, to better protect our customers, employees and agents, he said.

The company reduced its public equity holdings in February by $4 billion as it adjusted its risk and return profile, which Wilson said lowered the negative impact of the March equity market decline.

Q1 Results

Property/liability written premium of $8.59 billion increased 3.2% in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the prior year, driven by higher average premiums and policy growth in the Allstate brand. The recorded combined ratio of 84.9 in the first quarter of 2020 generated underwriting income of $1.35 billion, an increase of $645 million compared to the prior year quarter, primarily due to lower catastrophe losses, increased premiums earned and a decline in auto losses, partially offset by the companys $600 million Shelter-in-Place Payback for policyholders that was made in response to reduced driving due to the pandemic. Excluding the 2.4 points impact of the payback, the expense ratio improved by 1.0 point to 23.4, compared to the first quarter of 2019.

Allstate brand auto insurance net written premium grew 3.3%, and policies in force increased 0.9% in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the prior year quarter. The recorded combined ratio of 88.2 in the first quarter of 2020 was 2.2 points below the prior year quarter. Higher premiums earned and lower accident frequency from reduced miles driven contributed to the improved ratio, partially offset by higher severity and the impact of the driver payback expense.

Allstate brand homeowners insurance net written premium grew 3.4%, and policies in force increased 0.9% in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the prior year quarter. The recorded combined ratio of 70.9 in the first quarter of 2020 was 21.3 points below the first quarter of 2019, primarily driven by lower catastrophe losses.

Esurance brand net written premium decreased 2.3% in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the prior year quarter, primarily driven by a decline in auto policies in force partially offset by higher average premiums.

Encompass brand net written premium decreased 0.9% in the first quarter of 2020, driven by a decline in policies in force. The recorded combined ratio of 94.5 in the first quarter of 2020 was 6.3 points lower than the prior year quarter, primarily driven by lower catastrophe losses.

Allstate Investments $84.8 billion portfolio generated net investment income of $421 million in the first quarter of 2020, a decrease of $227 million from the prior year quarter, due to lower performance-based results. Total return on the investment portfolio was -2.4% for the quarter, reflecting lower valuations for fixed income and equity investments.

Service Businesses policies in force grew to 113.7 million, and revenues increased to $430 million in the first quarter, 9.7% higher than the first quarter of 2019. Adjusted net income of $37 million increased by $26 million compared to the prior year quarter, primarily due to growth at Allstate Protection Plans and improved results at Allstate Roadside Services.

At Allstates mobility data unit Arity, revenue was $30 million in the first quarter of 2020, primarily from contracts with affiliates. The adjusted net loss of $3 million in the quarter includes investments in capabilities and growth.

Topics COVID-19 Auto Profit Loss Personal Auto Risk Management
New Delhi: After relaxing COVID-19 lockdown norms, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday (May 6) decided to impose a corona tax on liquor, besides raising prices of petrol and diesel. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting held today in Lucknow.

Finance Minister Suresh Khanna told media that the state government will impose corona tax on liquor, adding that the revised rates are likely to fetch an additional revenue of Rs 2,350 crore.

With this price hike, country-made liquor will now be costlier by Rs 5, medium-level alcohol by Rs 10 for 180 ml, Rs 20 for 500 ml and Rs 30 for those above 500 ml, while premium brands have been hiked by Rs 20 for 180 ml, Rs 30 for 500 ml and Rs 50 for those above 500 ml.

Khanna said, price of foreign branded liquor has been hiked by Rs 100 for 180 ml, Rs 200 for 500 ml and Rs 400 for above 500 ml.

The UP Finance Minister said the government will impose an additional VAT (Value-Added Tax) of Rs 2 per litre on petrol and Rs 1 per litre on diesel, which is expected to generate additional revenue of Rs 2,070 crore for the cash-starved state exchequer.

He further said petrol will now cost Rs 73.91 per litre in UP, while diesel will be available at Rs 63.86 per litre. The hiked prices will come into effect from midnight today.

Notably, the Yogi Cabinet also passed a draft ordinance allowing provision for a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh and a jail term of up to seven years as it amended the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897. It will ensure stricter punishment for those assaulting corona warriors, including doctors, paramedical staffs, police personnel and sanitary workers.

This has come days after the central government brought an ordinance to protect the health workers.

Notably, the amendment made by the state government -- Uttar Pradesh Epidemic Disease Covid-19 Regulations, 2020 -- will be implemented at the earliest.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 6)  Authorities have nabbed 56 Chinese nationals in a residential area in Makati City, which was being used to run an "illegal" offshore gaming firm.

The suspects were arrested at Obrero St., Barangay Olympia on Tuesday, the National Capital Region Police Office said in a spot report.

The police also reported seizing several laptop computers and cellular phones associated with the foreigners illegal activities.

The Chinese nationals are currently detained at Camp Bicutan in Taguig City, while the Makati City Police Station is preparing to file a case against them.

The raid comes days after the government allowed Philippine offshore gaming operators.

Metro Manila Police Chief Debold Sinas appealed to foreign nationals to comply with laws and enhanced community quarantine rules.

Sinas said this is to "alleviate the difficulties brought by this pandemic not just to our frontliners but to each of us alike."
Microsoft could be the first major cloud provider to launch a region in New Zealand, if the Overseas Investment Office approves the vendor's project.

Currently Amazon Web Services, Google, IBM and Oracle provide services from other regions, with all having a physical presence in Australia. Gartner research VP Michael Warrilow said he expects other cloud providers to make similar announcements within the next few weeks.

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The approval of a Microsoft region could mean that delays, such as the one suffered by the Parliamentary Services roll out of Office 365 to rebuild a cloud-based charities register, could be prevented.

However, as Warrilow warned, this Microsoft data centre is not a guarantee that an Azure region will operate in New Zealand  now or anytime soon. "Rather, its an intention and a precursor to doing so," he told Computerworld New Zealand.

"New Zealand has shown itself to be an early adopter of public cloud services. The ability to access public cloud services directly from within New Zealand amplifies current usage," Warrilow said. If an Azure region is deplotyed in New Zealand, "it will improve network performance and provide improved access to public cloud innovation for more types of usage."

Microsoft New Zealand did not disclose the size of the investment in this data centre stating that the parent company has spent billions in US dollars creating a global cloud infrastructure. It was also unable to provide a possible timeline as the region is yet to be approved.

If approved, the region would bring Azure, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365 and Power Platform and the vendor's built-in trust and security services. The services would be accessible to public- and private-sector entities, large enterprises, and small and medium-size businesses.

Existing Microsoft customers such as telelcommunications provider Spark NZ and dairy co-operative Fonterra have indicated they would use the data centre for cloud services.

"When choosing data centre sites, we consider more than 35 weighted criteria including proximity to population centers, an ample, reliable and stable power source and multiple high capacity network connections, a large pool of skilled labour, and affordable energy rates to determine the long-term viability of each site," a Microsoft spokesperson explained when questioned about the issue suffered by data centres in New Zealand due to the risk of earthquakes.
KITCHENER  To help weather the economic fallout of COVID-19, Conestoga College says it will require all employees to use up their paid vacation days by the beginning of August and the union is warning more temporary layoffs are also being considered.

The colleges upcoming vacation period was supposed to extend from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021 and Conestoga says employees will be granted unpaid time off next year to help make up for using their vacation time over the next three months.

Because of the campus closures, many of our employees ... are unable to perform their normal duties, and as the weeks go by there are fewer options for these individuals to participate in meaningful work for the college, said college spokesperson Brenda Cassidy.

Scheduling employee vacations during the shutdown allows our employees to retain their full salaries and benefits while the campuses are closed.

All Conestoga College campuses closed in mid-March in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the spring term is scheduled to resume May 19 via remote learning, meaning the majority of employees have not been required on campus.

Vikki Poirier, president of the support staff union at the college, said the college is also considering laying off up to 30 per cent of its 574 full-time members temporarily. Union members were expected to discuss the potential layoffs Tuesday evening, she said.

Temporary layoff notices have already been issued to 119 part-time employees.

Cassidy wouldnt comment on the possibility of additional layoffs, but did confirm nothing was off the table.

We are considering a whole range of measures as we work to keep the college financially sustainable, she said. Conestoga anticipates a shortfall of approximately $20 million compared to earlier projections for the Spring 2020 semester, she said.

The school has also deferred capital projects, implemented a freeze on new hires and administrative salaries, and suspended contracts in a bid to save money.

Poirier said shes confused and frustrated by workers having to use up all their vacation time over the next three months, which would leave them with approximately 11 months between paid vacation periods.

Im very concerned that when we come into the fall, if things are back to normal, and into the new year and next spring, Im really concerned about my members mental health, she said.

Anyone with banked overtime hours is also being asked to use them by the start of August, or to have them paid out.

The union, part of the Ontario Public Services Employees Union, represents 574 full-time members and more than 900 part-time employees at the college.

The college has more than 1,200 full-time employees, including nearly 500 full-time faculty. In 2019, Conestoga paid out close to $180 million in salaries and benefits, and overall revenue of more than $316 million  exceeding total expenditures by more than $39 million.

The coronavirus and the shutdown of international borders, however, poses a large financial risk to the college after it spent much of the past decade rapidly expanding and growing the number of international students on campus to close to 11,000.

International students now make up about 56 per cent of total student enrolment and pay about $125 million in tuition.

In an email to employees last month, the college warned it will be profoundly affected by travel restrictions, particularly in terms of the international student enrolment that has fuelled college growth over the past several years.

The college said at the time it had no layoff plans.
The total number of Covid-19 cases in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday crossed 3,000 with 107 new infections being reported, government data showed.

The statewide tally rose to 3,049.On a positive note, around 1,000 patients were discharged from government hospitals after being cured, official said.

Among states that have reported more than 100 Covid-19 deaths, Madhya Pradesh has the second highest fatality rate in the country, trailing only West Bengal. MPs fatality rate, with 176 deaths, is 5.77% compared to West Bengals 10.56%.

Indore reported 43 new coronavirus cases that surfaced in the past 24 hours, taking the citys tally to 1,654, or 54% of MPs total. Indore with 79 Covid deaths, accounts for 44.84% of the states fatalities.

Ujjains situation continued to be grim. It has reported 184 positive cases, the third highest in the state after Indore and Bhopal, but its fatality rate is the worst with 40 deaths, making for a fatality rate of 21.73% . In the past two days, Ujjain has reported 10 deaths.

The central government decided on Sunday to send one medical team each to Indore and Bhopal to control the situation in the two cities.

The states health minister requested Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Monday to send a team from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal ,to Ujjain to bring the situation under control.

On Monday night, the state government shifted Ujjain collector Shashank Mishra to the state secretariat in Bhopal and appointed Indore Municipal Corporation commissioner Ashish Singh as the new collector .

There should be a constant watch on patients in Ujjain, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said at a review meeting on Tuesday.

If required, the help of doctors from Indore and Bhopal should be sought for those patients who are on ventilators or in intensive care units. The death rate should not go up.
MANILA, Philippines - Alarm over a Philippine government agencys shutdown of the countrys largest TV and radio network heightened Wednesday with a top official warning that taking a major provider of news on the coronavirus pandemic off the air could cost lives.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 5/5/2020 (623 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A vehicle enters the property of the broadcast network ABS-CBN on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, in Manila, Philippines. A government agency has ordered ABS-CBN, the country's leading broadcast network, which the president has targeted for its critical news coverage, to halt operations. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

MANILA, Philippines - Alarm over a Philippine government agencys shutdown of the countrys largest TV and radio network heightened Wednesday with a top official warning that taking a major provider of news on the coronavirus pandemic off the air could cost lives.

International watchdogs also condemned the closure of ABS-CBN Corp., which President Rodrigo Duterte has targeted in the past for its critical coverage, as a major blow to press freedom in an Asian bastion of democracy.

The National Telecommunications Commission ordered the media giant to stop operating after its 25-year congressional franchise ended Monday. It reversed a statement to Congress that it would issue a temporary permit while legislators assess a franchise renewal.

Only the House of Representatives can grant or revoke such a franchise but its hearings have been delayed, in part by the country's ongoing coronavirus lockdown.

Reflecting the extent of unease over the shutdown of the network, which went off the air Tuesday night, both the opposition and key Duterte allies questioned the commissions action. Concerns were also raised by a diverse range of groups, from top business executives to left-wing activists and Catholic church officials.

An employee lights candles in front of the headquarters of broadcast network ABS-CBN on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, in Manila, Philippines. A government agency has ordered the country's leading broadcast network, which the president has targeted for its critical news coverage, to halt operations. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Vice-President Leni Robredo, who leads the opposition, said the timely dissemination of accurate information saves lives in a crisis and helps shape an efficient response and find people who need to be helped.

This free flow of information literally saves lives. Closing down ABS-CBN costs lives, Robredo said.

Rep. Franz Alvarez, who belongs to a pro-Duterte coalition and heads the House Committee on Legislative Franchises, said the telecommunications commissions order is a clear encroachment on the jurisdiction of the House.

An activist holds a slogan outside the headquarters of broadcast network ABS-CBN corp. on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 in Quezon city, Metro Manila, Philippines. A Philippine government agency has ordered the country's leading broadcast network, which the president has targeted for it's critical news coverage, to halt operations after its congressional franchise expired, sparking shock over the loss of a major news provider during the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Alvarez told ABS-CBNs DZMM radio station that commission officials told lawmakers in a hearing in March that they would issue a temporary operating permit to ABS-CBN while its franchise renewal was pending based on guidance from the Department of Justice.

Were really surprised why they backtracked so they have to explain, Alvarez told DZMM before it too went off air late Tuesday.

ABS-CBN has more than 11,000 news and production personnel nationwide. Aside from reporting on the coronavirus, which has infected more than 10,000 people and killed 658 in the Philippines, it has also provided truckloads of food and medical aid to more than 2 million people, company officials said.

A man wearing a mask passes by the headquarters of broadcast network ABS-CBN Corp. on Wednesday May 6, 2020 in Manila, Philippines. Philippine church and business leaders expressed alarm Wednesday over a government agencys shutdown of the countrys largest TV and radio network, which has been a major provider of news on the coronavirus pandemic. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Founded in 1953, the network was last shuttered under the rule of dictator Ferdinand Marcos and reopened after his 1986 ouster by an army-backed people power revolt.

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Media watchdogs accused Duterte and his government of muzzling independent media like ABS-CBN that have reported critically on issues including his anti-drug crackdown, which has left thousands of mostly poor drug suspects dead. The brash-speaking leader has accused the network of not airing his paid campaign ad and favouring a rival candidate in the 2016 elections, allegations the company denied.

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch said ABS-CBNs shutdown was a huge blow for press freedom in the Philippines and deprived Filipinos of information about the epidemic from a major network. Closing the network in the middle of the epidemic is the height of irresponsibility, Robertson told The Associated Press.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said ABS-CBN was free to seek legal solutions and added that Duterte would have rescued the company if the president had the power to grant franchises.

But ahead of the franchise expiration, the government's solicitor-general, Jose Calida, asked the Supreme Court in February to revoke the operating franchises of ABS-CBN and a subsidiary in a separate attempt to shut down the company for allegedly abusing its franchises and violating a constitutional prohibition on foreign investment in Philippine media. ABS-CBN denied the allegations.

___

Associated Press journalist Kiko Rosario in Bangkok contributed to this report.
Silent Eight Launches On-Demand Cloud-Based AI to Meet Growing AML Needs in Midst of Pandemic Unprecedented times really do demand unprecedented responses by businesses. It's an obligation, really, as a business owner to not just protect our employees, but to consider how we can help the community at large, says Martin Markiewicz, CEO and co-founder of Silent Eight. How can a RegTech hel

Silent Eight today announced the immediate availability of their alert solving AI as a cloud based, on-demand service. The AI is traditionally custom built for large banks to solve name and entity alerts; but now, for the first time, is available to a broader market as a means of supporting alert solving during the COVID-19 pandemic. The custom AI is configurable in as few as two (2) weeks and offers a new way for banks and other financial institutions to solve alerts.

Unprecedented times really do demand unprecedented responses by businesses. It's an obligation, really, as a business owner to not just protect our employees, but to consider how we can help the community at large, says Martin Markiewicz, CEO and co-founder of Silent Eight.

How can a RegTech help during a global health crisis? Thats not an easy answer, but we can do our best to make our product more broadly available. We can enable institutions to make the world just a little bit safer right now and in this way help others in their fight against financial crime and terrorist financing, says Markiewicz.

Features and benefits of the AI include:



Fully customized; learns from your institutional AML process and experience

Military-grade encryption

Deployable in as few as 2 weeks

No limit on geographies, or hits per alert

Covers any type of alert: AM, PEP, Sanctions, Internal

The on-demand AI will be available starting May 4, 2020, with pricing as low as $10/alert. The unprecedented commercial structure allows customers to only pay for the alerts solved, without any annual commitment. For more information on Silent Eights on-demand name/entity screening AI visit http://www.silenteight.com.

About Silent Eight: We are a Singapore-based technology company whose mission is to enable financial institutions to fight global crime with the use of our AI. Our name screening solution works with a client's existing due diligence process to solve every alert and reduce regulatory risk. We are currently used by top tier banks around the world.
A Tyson Foods employee puts on a second protective mask outside of the company's meat processing plant, which has been hit by a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Waterloo, Iowa, U.S.

Tyson Foods will resume limited production at its largest U.S. pork plant this week, the company said late on Tuesday, a week after President Donald Trump ordered companies to keep meat-processing plants open to protect the supply chain.

The company closed two pork processing plants, including the Iowa plant, to contain the spread of the coronavirus, further tightening meat supplies after other major slaughterhouse shutdowns.

Tyson's shares rose about 2% in trading before the bell on Wednesday.

The virus outbreak has forced meat-processing companies, including Smithfield Foods, Cargill, JBS USA, to halt production at about 20 slaughterhouses and plants in North America as workers fall ill.

Some restaurant chains including Shake Shack said their supply chains remain strong, but expect beef prices to increase.

Several retailers such as Costco Wholesale and Kroger put limits on meat purchases and burger chain Wendy's said it was limiting its menu at some locations.

Trump's order last week sparked some backlash from unions and lawmakers over the safety of meat-plant workers.

Tyson said on Tuesday all employees returning to work had been tested for Covid-19 and anyone who tested positive would remain on sick leave until allowed by health officials to return to work.

The company also increased short-term disability coverage for employees to 90% of normal pay until June 30, adding it had performed an additional deep clean and sanitization of the entire Waterloo facility while the plant was idled.

The plant, which will resume operations on Thursday, had been working at reduced capacity before it was shut late last month.

As summer approaches and demand for meat increases, plant-based meat burger makers Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods are expanding their presence in U.S. retail stores and offering discounts, hoping to replace meat patties with the vegan alternative.
Fake: Government is not increasing shift timings of Central Govt employees to 10 hours

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, May 06: With not many updates relating to the 7th Pay Commission, some persons have been indulging in fake news.

There is a message that has gone viral which states that the Central Government is planning to increase the daily shift of the employees to 10 hours.

However, the Press Information Bureau clarified that this is false news. " According to some social media and main stream media reports that claim that the Centre is going to change Central Government employees working schedule from morning 9 am to evening 7 pm is completely fake. The Centre has neither taken any such decision not it has any such proposal to look at," the PIB said.

Fake News Buster

While CG employees continue to look for some news relating to the 7th Pay Commission, the government had recently decided to delay the DA hike payment until June 2021. Once this announcement was made, rumours continued to float stating that there are plans to increase the shift timing and also cut salaries of the CG employees. However, these turned out to be fake.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers have had to work extra hard to adapt to educate their students virtually, all while missing those smiling, young faces in person.

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 4-8, and Sarah Smith, a German teacher at Taylor High School, started a Facebook group to make sure teachers in the area and beyond feel acknowledged and recognized for their daily efforts.

Morning Report: Get the top stories on HoustonChronicle.com sent directly to your inbox

Smith modeled her group, Teacher Appreciation 2020: A Covid Project, after the group, Adopt a Teacher: Texas. Smith knew of the Texas group and said she wanted to do something to make teachers feel special during what has been a very difficult school year.

I was like, oh, Ill start something like that for Houston, Smith said. That would be kind of fun. And the idea behind that one is teachers post about themselves and then either other teachers, parents or community members can like adopt them and buy them maybe one thing.

After her initial thought, Smith consulted with a community members about whether it was a good idea because she didnt want come off as grabby because that is not the person she says she is. She also wondered whether the group would come across as altruistic and helpful.

She said she wanted to make it where people just maybe are encouraged to appreciate teachers, whether theyre teachers themselves or, you know, instead of having one specific person that youre showering with appreciation or whatever.

SUMMER SCHOOL ONLINE: Katy ISD to hold summer school virtually this year

How to recognize a teacher from a distance because of the virus was another factor. Plus, some people may have lost their jobs, which makes it difficult to give specific directions for how to appreciate a teacher, Smith said.

The groups around 240 members have come up with some creative ways to show teachers support. They come in all shapes and sizes, from sidewalk chalking some encouraging words to handmade art to gift cards to care packages and candy.

Sharon Dworaczyk met Smith at Taylor High School, where Smith taught her oldest son, who is now a freshman in college. She helped Smith brainstorm with other mothers about getting the group started.

I saw her post, and she has just the kindest heart and, I mean, is out there doing this for other teachers, not just for herself, Dworaczyk said. And I just think, you know, thats awesome. Most teachers wouldnt do that. And so I just figured Id help her as much as I could.

NEW SCHOOLS ALMOST READY: Two new Katy ISD schools on schedule to open for 2020-2021

Dworaczyk, her youngest son and another family went out chalking some teachers driveways at night so that they wake up in the morning to an encouraging note. As of May 4, they had done five driveways and were planning to do four more on May 5. She said the teachers were all very thankful their students and parents had thought of them.

They were humbled, Dworaczyk said.

Jennifer Simpson knows Smith because they both teach at Taylor HS. Being an educator, she was more than willing to help her childrens teachers feel valued and appreciated.

I get it. And I know how hard its been and how hard were working, and honestly my childrens teachers are wonderful and very well-deserving ladies, Simpson said.

She said it has been a particularly hard year. Therefore, showing teachers gratitude this year is important, she said.

I just felt like its nice to have reminders as to why we do this and for somebody to make us feel appreciated and grateful, Simpson said.

Top hits: Get Houston Chronicle stories sent directly to your inbox

So Simpson and her children Tres and Lola gave their teachers Chick-fil-A and Whataburger gift cards and homemade cards. Later, they chalked some driveways. All lessons in gratitude at a young age.

Simpson said teaching online during a crisis was not what teachers were expecting and that it is hard.

So I just felt like its nice to have reminders as to why we do this and for somebody to make us feel appreciated and grateful, she said.

Smith said participating in the group doesnt have to mean some big gesture but could be as simple as sending an email or a letter in the mail.

And it doesnt have to be a teacher teaching your own children, just anyone that you know who is a teacher because I think most people have at least been positively influenced by one teacher, Smith said.

While the group is based in the Houston area, it encourages anyone to show their appreciation to teachers in their lives. For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/yavw69zm.
Brisbane City Council has unanimously supported a motion to "note with concern" the proposed demolition of parts of the state-heritage-listed Broadway Hotel, but held back from a resolution to reject the development application.

At Tuesday's council meeting, a motion was moved by Greens councillor Jonathan Sri (The Gabba), which originally included a paragraph requesting the council reject the development application to demolish aspects of the derelict site.

The Broadway Hotel after the September 2018 fire. Credit:Jesse Harrison

That paragraph was removed and council voted to reaffirm its support for heritage values in Brisbane and to note with "concern" the proposed demolition.

The Broadway's owners lodged the DA in March to remove sections of the fire-ravaged 1880s-era hotel on Logan Road, ahead of restoring the main hotel building.
As battle-hardened Islamic State prisoners grow increasingly restless in northeast Syrias detention centers, Kurdish authorities are warning of their potential to exploit gaps in security while the international communitys attention is focused elsewhere.

IS fighters took control of a large prison in the northeastern Syrian city of Hasakah on Saturday, according to the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that run the facility. The riot ended a day later when the SDF and members of the American-led coalition fighting IS negotiated with the militants.

SDF spokesperson Kino Gabriel told Al-Monitor the talks with the detainees included their demands for improved living conditions and greater access to information about their fates.

There is no timeline. We are working to make their living situation better, but its not something easy that we can do, said Gabriel. Its our demand to the international community to reach a solution on this.

The Hasakah prison incident was the second such riot in a little over a month. In late March, several IS militants managed to escape the same facility, but were apprehended the next day. The prison unrest comes as remnants of the terrorist group are stepping up attacks and assassinations in Syrias eastern desert region, as well as in neighboring Iraq.

[IS] will continue to seek to overwhelm SDF defenses of the prisons, both from prison riots inside and attacks from outside, said Nicholas Heras, a Middle East expert at the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War.

Most of the SDF-run prisons are small facilities where IS prisoners are crowded tens or hundreds to a room, Heras said. These prisons require guards, administration, food, medical care that the SDF can barely provide.

When Turkey invaded northeast Syria in October, IS suspects welcomed the distraction. US officials said more than 100 detainees escaped as the Turkish shelling against Kurdish forces intensified and those guarding the facilities were redeployed to assist in the fighting.

The long-term security of the prisons and the potential for detainees to escape remains a concern for Pentagon officials.

The longer IS prisoners are held in SDF prisons, the greater the potential for them to organize breakouts, said a Defense Department Inspector General report from January.

In an audio recording released in September, then-IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi called on his adherents to free detainees and their families from prisons of humiliation. Baghdadi was killed in October. More recently, the extremist groups weekly newsletter encouraged jihadis to free IS prisoners as the coronavirus diverts the attention of the governments that hold them.

Although just one COVID-19 death has been reported in the northeast, experts say a mass infection among detainees is a real possibility given the regions war-battered health infrastructure and the severe overcrowding at its prisons.

Feeding and guarding the prisons is already overwhelming the Kurdish authorities, said Dareen Khalifa, senior Syria analyst at the Brussels-based International Crisis Group.

The administration's resources are woefully lacking and their capacity is waning, Khalifa said. Should this virus hit these densely populated detention facilities, or much of northeast Syria, we risk being in a position to witness a major outbreak.

Informal SDF-run detention centers across northeast Syria hold more than 12,000 IS fighters, according to Gabriel, most of them from Syria and Iraq. An estimated 3,000 are foreigners who traveled from Europe or elsewhere to join the group.

The SDF has repeatedly called on foreign governments to repatriate their nationals, but most European countries have dragged their feet or flat-out refused to bring them home for prosecution. Some have gone as far as to strip the citizenship of their citizens, leaving the under-resourced SDF to deal with them.

The families of those fighters have ended up in the same legal limbo. Rights groups have sounded the alarm on squalid conditions inside camps hosting tens of thousands of IS wives and children. In the al-Hol camp in Hasakah province, hundreds of children are thought to have died from malnutrition, diarrhea and pneumonia.

But even in the cases of innocent and orphaned children born to foreign parents, many countries have refused to get involved.

I think theres zero interest to repatriate right now, said Anne Speckhard, director of the Washington-based International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism.

These people were already looked at as not worthy to come home, that theyre carrying a virulent ideology and theyll infect others, she said. Well, now maybe theyre carrying COVID too.

In the absence of repatriations, the SDF has asked that the international community at the very least provide more aid to the northeast, where an estimated 1.6 million people rely on humanitarian assistance and medical equipment is in short supply.

In late March, the US-led coalition came through with $1.2 million worth of supplies, which included masks, shields and batons for detention camp guards. But much more is needed, said Gabriel, who warned a major coronavirus outbreak would derail efforts by the SDF to rout the militants from the region. He said, It would be hard to focus on our operations against ISIS sleeper cells or defend the area against any threats. It is hard now, and if any spread happens, it would be much, much harder.
Wanted: People with a talent for telling terrible news to total strangers.

As the economy re-opens and people start venturing back out into the world, California's counties are building an army of 20,000 "contact tracers" to find everyone who is unknowingly infected by the COVID-19 virus, preventing the ignition of deadly new clusters of disease.

The recruits -- redeployed civil servants and volunteers across the state -- will be trained as disease detectives, serving six- to 12-month-long gigs that demand skills ranging from data entry and psychology to project management and crisis intervention.

"Ultimately, it's customer service," said Contra Costa County Public Health Director Daniel Peddycord. "We need people with critical thinking skills and empathy."

Contact tracing, combined with expanded testing, is a pillar of the state's modified stay-at-home order, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday.

The goal is to track and trace every person in the state who may have been exposed, then quickly isolate and test them. On Wednesday, the new UC San Francisco Pandemic Workforce Training Academy, an $8.7 million partnership with the California Department of Public Health, will start online trainings in public health techniques.

If coronavirus flare-ups can be quickly extinguished, there's no need to lock down the entire economy again.

Track, trace and test has long been part of the toolkit of local health departments in California. By identifying and isolating close contacts of infected individuals, officials have been able to stop the spread of diseases such as measles and tuberculosis. But in the early days of the pandemic, they lacked the manpower to catch every case -- especially in Santa Clara, which was hit early and hard.

"Contact tracing is a foundation of public health work" said Dr. Nicholas Moss, acting director of Alameda County's Public Health Department, which has expanded its staff of contact tracers from seven to 60 and plans to grow to 300.

Already, there has been an outpouring of response, said Bay Area health officers. And the effort is paying off: Current teams, while small, are catching silent infections, they said.

"It's incredibly moving to hear all of the people in our community step forward and ask how they can help support these efforts," said Moss.

No longer are we trying to stop the introduction of isolated cases from overseas, as in the early days of the pandemic.

Rather, we're trying to extinguish the hundreds or thousands of community-based viral sparks "rustling under the leaves," said Harvard epidemiologist Michael Mina, that could ignite outbreaks so large that they would dwarf the first wave of the pandemic.

COVID-19 presents unique challenges for containment, said Dr. Mike Reid, a UCSF infectious disease expert who is leading efforts to train new contacts. That's what makes early identification of infection so important.

"It spreads so rapidly," he said. "And it can be spread before the appearance of symptoms."

On laptops and phones, these experts seek to find everyone who has spent at least 10 minutes within six feet of a person who has tested positive for the virus -- up to two days before that person felt sick.

Then they inform them of their risk, refer them to testing and urge them to stay isolated at home for 14 days.

Maybe it's someone who helped unpack boxes in a grocery aisle or shared a coffee break during a shift at the local hardware store. Perhaps they were part of a team that laid irrigation pipes or hung drywall. They may have cooked church dinner or bathed an elder.

A county's contact tracing squad -- officially known as Case Investigators -- gets a name and phone number for every person who has tested positive, either from their doctor or drive-through public site. During the call, the investigators ask where they have been and who they have been with in the days leading up to their illness.

The sleuthing then turns to potential contacts, narrowing down names and phone numbers.

The phone conversation, typically read from a script, starts formally: "You have been identified as a close contact to a person with a confirmed novel coronavirus infection," they say. "We would like to ask you some questions since we think you may have been exposed to the virus."

But it ends warmly, with offers of help -- for food, housing, medicine, childcare, elder care or any other needs. The county also is available to provide symptom "checkups," via text, chat, email or phone.

"The responses range from tears to 'I'm glad I know,' " said Peddycord of Contra Costa County, which is focusing its efforts on what's called "SOS," or Sensitive Occupations and Settings, such as nursing homes. "Most people are grateful and reassured."

Until now, contact tracing has been relatively easy, because most people have been stuck at home. They know who they've been with.

Each case typically has only three or four "contacts," on average, said UCSF's Reid. With 40 new daily cases, San Francisco has 120 to 160 people to track down every day.

If a sick person lives or works in a group setting, like a nursing home, it's straightforward to obtain a list of their contacts.

But as people return to their jobs, the effort will become much more complicated. People may not know who've they've seen or how to reach them. On Tuesday, Santa Clara County Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody estimated the average number of contacts, per case, could jump to 40.

"It is a very, very large body of work," she told the county board of supervisors on Tuesday.

Within the next two weeks, Santa Clara County aims to have about 700 investigators in place, according to County Executive Dr. Jeff Smith.

To find people, "it is a bit of 'hunt and peck' to get ahold of folks and who they've been around," said Peddycord. His team will call three to five times, then deliver a letter. "That is the ugly nuts and bolts of this."

People are under no legal requirement to disclose where they've been or who they've been with.

The tracers won't disclose names. They also won't ask for immigration status, health coverage, social security number or bank account information.

"First and foremost we want to protect privacy," said Moss. "The most important thing is to be able to build trust."

It will be increasingly important to test people who feel fine -- people who are infectious despite showing no symptoms -- to stop the virus before it spreads, said Peddycord. Workplaces are potential hot spots of new outbreaks, he predicts.

Contacts may not have enough food and supplies to undergo 14 days of quarantine, especially if they're living paycheck to paycheck. So contact tracers provide information about health and social services while navigating cultural and language barriers. In San Francisco, the Hispanic and Latinx communities are being affected disproportionately.

"I talked to a man that works in a food packaging plant with 200 other people, and I was asking him to stay home for 14 days, even though he felt fine, and forgo a paycheck," said Susie Welty, a UCSF public health expert who's doing contact tracing.

New technologies can help tracers with their jobs. The UCSF and San Francisco partnership relies on a contact-tracing app by software company Dimagi. This week, Apple and Google released details about how they will build Bluetooth-based functionality into their mobile operating systems to alert users in the event of contact with someone who's COVID-19-positive. Given privacy concerns about this technology, tracking will be done anonymously and will also require opt-in.

There also have been development efforts led by academic groups, such as the mobile app "Covid Watch," a joint effort between researchers at Stanford University and the University of Waterloo, which allows users to anonymously log their contacts with other app users through Bluetooth.

Without a sudden adoption of apps to aid contact tracing, the skills of traditional contact tracers remains central to the state's re-opening success, said health directors.

"Compassion, curiosity and some competence with technology," said UCSF's Reid. "Those are the skills that count the most."

Editor's Note: Because of the health implications of the COVID-19 virus, this article is being made available free to all online readers. If you'd like to join us in supporting the mission of local journalism, please visit napavalleyregister.com/members/join/.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
By Ayya Lmahamad

The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) has started drilling a new well at the Umid-1 platform of the Umid field, the company told local media on May 5.

The design depth of the well is 6,270 meters, production is projected at 1.5-2 million cubic meters of gas. Once the well is commissioned, gas production from the Umid field is expected to increase from 3-3.5 million cubic meters to 4.5-5 million cubic meters per day.

Rovnag Abdullayev visited the Umid-1 platform at the Umid field to start to the process of the drilling of the new well.

In addition to the Umid-1 platform, two more wells would be drilled from the Umid field to accelerate production.

In connection with drilling of new wells on the platform, SOCAR has carried out reconstruction, increased production capacity and plans to bring daily gas production from 2.4 million cubic meters to 6.6 million cubic meters. To strengthen safety measures on the platform, automated firefighting, digital control and video surveillance systems have been installed and put into operation.

The design of the new well was carried out by the SOCAR Oil and Gas Research and Design Institute and coordinated with the renowned British engineering company Norwell. Preparation for drilling of the well started in May 2019. For the first time the entire drilling process will be controlled by Umid Babek Operation Company (UBOC).

Umid field is located 40 km south of Baku. It was discovered in 2010 and exploitation of the gas condensate field started in 2012. Since the beginning of development, 3.4 billion cubic meters of gas and 540 thousand tons of condensate have been produced from this field. Currently, production in the field is carried out from three wells.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
The circumstances leading to the arrest of MasterChef fan favourite Ben Ungermann during filming has been shrouded in mystery.

And it seems eagle-eyed fans of the show were left baffled after he reappeared on Tuesday night's program only to be given an 'unfair advantage' during a challenge.

Viewers were quick to slam guest judge Helly Raichura, who dropped a major hint as she passed by his table.

'That's wrong!' Eagle-eyed viewers slammed guest judge Helly Raichura, who appeared to drop a major hint as she passed by his table on Tuesday night's episode

'You're not forgetting anything?' Helly asked him, leading Ben to realise he was forgetting one crucial ingredient - turmeric.

Ultimately beating fellow contestant Rose Adam, who was sent packing her bags, fans were quick to vent their frustration over social media.

'That's wrong!' one fan tweeted. 'He did get a bit of help the others didn't,' a second commented.

'You're not forgetting anything?' Helly asked him, leading Ben to realise he was forgetting one crucial ingredient - turmeric

'They should not have told a contestant they forgot an ingredient,' added another.

It comes as viewers were quick to notice fan fave Ben's return to the show after he appeared absent in the last few episodes.

'Is it just me or was Ben Ungermann on MasterChef just now?' one fan asked.

Another said: 'I thought Ben wasn't there last episode but there there today?'

No Ben in sight: It seems the fan questions and comments about Ben missing from the episode were valid.

Missing: Last week, a shot looking down at the kitchen and the contestants on the gantry failed to show the noticeably tall and muscular ice cream aficionado

It seems the fan questions and comments about Ben missing from the episode were valid.

Last week, a shot looking down at the kitchen and the contestants on the gantry failed to show the noticeably tall and muscular ice cream aficionado

It comes after MasterChef Australia producers reportedly held crisis talks following Ben's arrest over a personal matter during filming.

Shock: News of Ben's arrest surfaced last month, prompting a spokesperson for Endemol Shine to issue a brief statement: 'We can confirm Ben Ungermann has left the MasterChef Australia competition. As this is a police matter, we will not be making further comment'

Ben himself has acknowledged his infrequent appearances on screen, saying in an Instagram post that 'it's up to MasterChef' what happens in the editing suite.

News of Ben's arrest surfaced last month, prompting a spokesperson for Endemol Shine to issue a brief statement to the media.

'We can confirm Ben Ungermann has left the MasterChef Australia competition. As this is a police matter, we will not be making further comment.'

They added that the arrest was of 'a personal nature'.
DANBURY  When patients die at Danbury and New Milford hospitals, health care workers  not their families  are typically by their side.

It has been one of the hardest parts of the coronavirus pandemic for hospital staff.

The emotional toll is so much greater than we could ever imagine, said Jessica Ellul, a union representative who has worked part-time on a Danbury Hospital COVID-19 unit.We never thought we would be Facetiming patients families so they can say goodbye for the last time.

The emotional strain on staff is a main reason workers at Danbury and New Milford hospitals say they deserve hazard pay during the pandemic.

Four unions representing more than 1,800 employees have created an online petition demanding hazard pay, defined by the U.S. Department of Labor as additional pay for performing hazardous duty or work that causes extreme physical discomfort and distress. Similar petitions are circulating for the Yale New Haven Health System, the Hartford HealthCare Medical Group and Prospect Medical Holdings.

We have supported our communities and worked many hours outside of our normal schedules in order to provide exceptional care to all of our patients particularly those patients with the COVID 19 virus, Janice Stauffer, president of the Danbury Nurses Union Unit 47, wrote. We feel fear and concern for our own safety and the health of our families although put that aside to honor our commitment to our patients.

The hospitals, which are part of the Nuvance Health network, said they have launched new benefit programs in the wake of the pandemic, spokeswoman Andrea Rynn said.

We value all of our employees and are so proud of the commitment they make caring for our patients, she said in a statement. We provide comprehensive benefit programs to keep our employees safe and healthy  both mentally and physically, including new programs and supports implemented due to the pandemic.

This includes expanding paid time off for employees diagnosed with COVID-19, Rynn said.

We continue to consider every viable opportunity to help them feel valued and safe as we work together to come out of this health emergency, she said. For this reason, we are always searching for new ways to help our employees continue their essential work and ensure they remain fairly compensated.

Ellul, a staff representative with Connecticut Health Care Associates, which represents roughly 900 service and maintenance workers at Danbury and New Milford hospitals, said administrators have been helpful in implementing various measures to assist staff.

This includes arranging hotel discounts, setting up space for workers to shower before going home and keeping employed staff who worked at departments that are now closed, she said. But requests for hazard pay have apaprently gone unanswered.

Yale New Haven Health System plans to give a COVID-19 Recognition Award, with 5 percent of their earnings from the total hours they worked between the first pay period of the calendar year and May 9.

Northwell Health in New York is giving employees a $2,500 bonus and one week of paid time off, while Senate Democrats have proposed giving essential workers a $13 per hour raise.

The petition does not request a specific amount  thats something unions would negotiate on, said John Brady, statewide vice president for AFT Connecticut, which represents unions for Danbury and New Milford nurses, as well as technical professionals for both facilities.

Communities have thanked health care workers with signs and parades, but the hazard pay would go beyond this, he said.

Part of it is a matter of respect, Brady said. Money is another way of showing respect to people.

Hospital workers across the state have faced a shortage in personal protective equipment, with some being forced to transfer to a sister hospital, without regard for extra costs for travel and child care, he said. Some hospitals  but not at Danbury or New Milford  employees who have gotten sick with the virus have been denied workers compensation, Brady said.

Meanwhile, the state requirement that insurance companies cover coronavirus testing and treatment for fully insured members often does not apply to health care workers because they are on self-insured plans, he said.

Not only are people putting their lives at risk every day, but theyre also facing financial problems, too, he said.

More than 8,000 people have signed the petition, including Mary Consoli, who worked as a nurse at Danbury Hospital for about 30 years and served as president of the union for 17 years until her retirement nearly three years ago.

She served as a nurse when the HIV/AIDS epidemic was emerging, but said she never feared bringing that disease home to her family. Thats not the case with COVID-19, she said.

Weve cared for many infectious disease, Consoli said. We do this all the time, whether its the flu, whether its staph infections, many things, but its the unknown. Its the contagion and the lethal part, the fact that you could get COVID-19 and die. Fortunately, none of our nurses have, but its that fear.

The idea of hazard pay is not new. During the Ebola crisis, the union and hospital had started to negotiate a bonus for nurses, but that was ultimately not offered because the disease did not come to the United States, Consoli said.

Ellul works eight hours a week at Danbury Hospital as a unit coordinator, normally on the oncology wing. But her last two shifts were in units with COVID-19 patients. She described patients begging staff to stay in their rooms because they were afraid to die alone, and a husband who pleaded to be discharged so he could bury his wife.

I was only there two days on that COVID unit and the impact it took on me, I can still cry talking about it right now, she said. These are things we will never forget, ever.
Still, Dr. S.D. Gupta, a public health expert and a member of the governments Covid-19 task force, said testing would need to ramp up significantly to capture the full scope of Indias coronavirus outbreak.

States like Tamil Nadu and Gujarat are witnessing sharp jumps in the number of cases. Officials in West Bengal have been accused of sitting on higher-than-usual mortality figures. In Punjab, the rate at which new cases were doubling dropped from 18 days to four this past week, largely because of an aggressive outbreak among religious pilgrims returning from Maharashtra, Indias worst afflicted state.

Dr. Gupta said it was difficult to say whether India was in the midst of experiencing a dangerous upward trajectory of new cases. But he warned that the countrys growth curve of new infections had still not peaked. With so many asymptomatic patients unaware of their status, he said, officials needed to remain especially vigilant as more restrictions were eased in the coming weeks.

What we are seeing is the tip of the iceberg, he said. Unless we do testing, we will never know how many cases we have. Thats a problem.

Suhasini Raj and Hari Kumar contributed reporting.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 13:49:50|Editor: huaxia

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BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- A spokesperson for the State Council Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office on Wednesday denounced violence and the "burn with us" mentality in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), calling them the political viruses of Hong Kong society and the enemy of the "one country, two systems" policy.

"Hong Kong will not enjoy a day of peace until violence is eradicated," the spokesperson said in a statement, noting that the central government will never sit idly and allow this destructive force to act wantonly. Enditem
Nearly two months after committing to selecting a woman as his running mate, former Vice President Joe Biden has yet to announce his vice-presidential nominee.

He is facing increasing pressure from different branches of the Democratic party to pick their desired candidate.

While many liberals are urging Biden to pick Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren as his running mate, one voice is reportedly against the choice: Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

The Washington Post reports Sanders declined to support Warren as a vice presidential pick, citing three people with knowledge of Sanders conversations with Biden.

While Warren and Sanders are ideological allies on the left, they clashed during their 2020 presidential bids.

A report that Sanders told Warren he didnt believe a woman could be elected president during a private meeting two years ago - which he denied saying - came to a head following a January presidential debate.

I think you called me a liar on national TV, Warren said, confronting Sanders and folding her hands in front of her after hed extended a hand.

CNN released audio from microphones worn by the candidates, revealing the brief heated discussion that had already captured viewers and the medias attention.

What? Sanders responded, his hand still half outstretched.

I think you called me a liar on national TV, Warren repeated.

Lets not do it right now, Sanders said. You want to have that discussion, well have that discussion."

Anytime, she said.

Sanders then said that, You called me a liar. You told me  lets not do it right now,"

Biden is said to be considering a pool of as many as a dozen potential vice presidential picks, including former Democratic presidential hopefuls: Warren, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and California Sen. Kamala Harris, who would be the first black female nominee.

A CBS News poll released Sunday found Warren to be the top pick among registered Democratic voters by a wide margin for not only white Democrats and liberals, but also black Democrats polled.
[May 06, 2020] Seegrid Accomplishes 3 Million Autonomous Miles Driven Without a Single Personnel Safety Incident While Supporting Essential Businesses Through COVID-19 Challenges

Seegrid, the leader in self-driving industrial vehicles for material handling, today announced that its vision guided vehicles (VGVs) reached three million autonomous production miles at customer sites without a single personnel safety incident. As the industry pioneer, Seegrid's VGVs log more autonomous miles at customer sites than any other infrastructure-free automated guided vehicle (AGV) company in the world. This achievement comes only 36 weeks after reaching two million miles driven -- an average of nearly 4,000 miles daily -- a testament to the company's commitment to self-driving safety while remaining steadfast in providing solutions to support their customers amid COVID-19 challenges. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005195/en/ "We are extremely proud to be at the forefront of the infrastructure-free AGV industry, delivering one of the safest and most proven solutions to a market that is constantly evolving and becoming more complex, especially during these unprecedented times," said Seegrid CEO Jim Rock. "Our teams remain focused on -- and dedicated to -- helping our manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics customers, many of which are providing essential products and services to support our communities." Seegrid Vision, the company's proprietary, unique navigation technology, is fundamental to Seegrid's ability to reliably navigate the most dynamic industrial environments. Using stereo cameras, sophisticated algorithms, and machine learning, the patented technology enables the VGVs to see and process more information about the environment than laser-based navigation systems. This detailed, expansive field of view, combined with robust safety systems, enables VGVs to navigate seamlessly and safely alongside humans in high-traffic environments. Seegrid VGVs reliably follow the intended route, maintain the right speed limits, avoid collisions, behave predictably and consistently, and never behave erratically. Because there is no greater concern than the safety, health, and lives of workers, Seegrid self-driving vehicles are designed with fail-safe features that meet all industry regulatory requirements. Seegrid's technology is utilized by several global leaders in manufacturing, distribution, and e-commerce fulfillment.



More and more organizations worldwide are integrating AGVs and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to work alongside employees within facilities. Between the tens of thousands of manually-driven forklift injuries occurring each year, customer demands continuing to climb and shift, and emerging pressures due to COVID-19 impacts, automation is now a necessity throughout the supply chain network. By implementing Seegrid's automation solutions, safety is increased, throughput and efficiency are improved, and disruptions in material flow are mitigated. "Our manufacturing and distribution center customers need efficient material flow, now more than ever. We are honored that our technology is playing a role in their efforts and supporting the continuity of their operations," said Rock. "Helping our customers remain resilient and flexible -- and enabling them to safely move material -- is a responsibility we take very seriously."

To learn more about Seegrid's industry-leading, self-driving material handling solutions and software, visit www.seegrid.com. About Seegrid Seegrid combines infrastructure-free vision guided vehicles, fleet management software, and actionable analytics for a complete, connected, material handling solution. Seegrid Vision navigation technology is reliable, flexible, and proven with millions of autonomous production miles driven and zero personnel safety incidents. Manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics companies around the world leverage Seegrid smart automation solutions. With Seegrid's best-in-class service and support that extends from project design through deployment and training, material flow is both safe and optimized, accelerating Industry 4.0 initiatives today and into the future. www.seegrid.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005195/en/

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Arlene Foster has remained silent on the controversy over social distancing on aircraft, despite the Deputy First Minster and Health Minister both saying they were shocked at images of a crowded Aer Lingus flight between Belfast City and Heathrow.

Michelle O'Neill called the photographs "horrendous" while Robin Swann said they were "frightening" and that the airline appeared "oblivious of any of the regulations."

Aer Lingus said on Tuesday it would be adding an extra flight on each day of operation to reduce passenger numbers.

Mrs O'Neill called on all airlines to do everything possible to stop the spread of Covid-19.

"I think it's important that we look at all these things - and we are," she said.

"The images of all those people on a flight are horrendous.

"It's frightening and it should never be allowed to happen.It's absolutely right for all airlines to take a look at their policies. The issue of airlines needs to be very, very seriously scrutinised."

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Health Minister Robin Swann said he was "shocked".

"It was as if they were living in a time before Covid-19, completely oblivious of any of the regulations and the guidance," he added.

"How can they think that what the practice they were actually carrying out was in any way in keeping with the guidance that we have been issuing?

"I think it was a short, sharp shock that they could still be behaving in that manner."

Speaking on current affairs programme The View on April 23, First Minister Arlene Foster said she did not believe there was a need to isolate people flying into Belfast from airports in Great Britain.

She said international travellers coming here via London should self-isolate.

But she added: "I think it would be quite wrong to stop people coming in from the rest of the UK into Northern Ireland and expecting them to self-isolate when they are only travelling within the one country."

The DUP did not respond to a request for further comment from the First Minister.

However, DUP colleague Ian Paisley MP said that any call for flights between Northern Ireland and Great Britain to be stopped would be "the height of lunacy".

"We have to be cautious and careful, but we have to get on with life," he added.

"The alternative is that we do not leave Northern Ireland ever.

"Total reassurance cannot be given.

"I think we have personal responsibility in this. We've been told what we have to do.

"Stopping air travel is not going to stop the spread of the virus - the virus is already here," he said.

"The logical conclusion of doing so would be that we all lock ourselves up and never come out again."

As well as an second flight between Belfast and Heathrow, Aer Lingus has advised all customers due to travel on the route to give themselves additional time to check in, as changes to the boarding procedure will be introduced and more luggage will be checked into the hold.

"It is expected that this additional frequency will result in reduced loads on each flight," the airline said.
Only the minuscule Christian community living in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is forced into manual scavenging, reported The New York Times. They work under inhuman conditions and have to clean clogged sewers without masks or gloves. As such, there has been a surge in the number of deaths of Christian sewer cleaners.

While manual scavenging has been banned in India (although prevalent in some parts of the country), reportedly, the Muslim-majority State of Pakistan encourages such a dehumanising practice. It is important to mention that the Pakistan army put out a bigoted advertisement last year, asking only Non-Muslims to apply for the post of sanitary workers.

Non-Muslim Sanitation workers

Municipalities in Pakistan rely heavily on Christians for manual scavenging as Muslims refuse to clean the gutters and the Christian minorities have few other employment options. According to one estimate by the rights group, even though Christians constitute 1.6% of the population, they account for 80% sanitation workers.

The rest 20% comprises of Dalits who constitute the overwhelming majority of Hindus in Pakistan. Illiteracy and lack of alternate sources of income have pushed these Pakistani minorities with no other options but to clean drains clogged with faeces and medical waste to earn a meagre living.

Health Hazard

The job is life-threatening as workers become vulnerable to respiratory and skin disorders. The stench of sewage remains with them throughout the day and they are paid very less.

They live in neighbourhoods infested with mosquitoes, garbage, and cockroaches. Several sewer cleaners die of asphyxiation in deep gutters and it becomes an uphill task to recover such bodies. Reportedly, doctors even refuse to medically examine sanitation workers for being unclean and untouchable.

Minorities in Pakistan

Discrimination against religious minorities is rampant in Pakistan, even though the state denies its existence. The discrimination is visible even during the coronavirus crisis. Earlier, the Sindh Government had issued orders to local NGOs to distribute ration to poor daily-wage workers and labourers. However, the Hindus and Christians were singled out and denied their fair share of the ration by a Karachi-based NGO, Saylani Welfare Trust.

Hindus of Sindh region are also under the constant threat of forced conversions and kidnappings. Underage Hindu girls are frequently kidnapped by local Muslim men, often with the active support from Imams and clerics. The girls are then forcefully converted, married off to men much older in age. The local Imams issue a marriage certificate that is then used in police station and courts to claim that the girl has embraced Islam out of her will and can no longer be sent to her family.
ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y., May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Kara Constantine, the ALP RN Director at Maple Pointe Assisted Living, 260 Maple Avenue, Rockville Centre, has been named Nurse of the Year by the New York State Center for Assisted Living (NYSCAL), an industry group supporting long-term care and assisted living facilities across the state.

Award winner Kara Constantine, RN, in action at Maple Pointe Assisted Living in Rockville Centre, NY

"She has been a hands-on champion during this pandemic working extra hours while displaying endless energy and kindness," remarked Tammy Marshall, Executive Director of Maple Pointe. "But even before the coronavirus struck, Kara's enthusiasm was like a tangible force."

Ms. Constantine is a tireless advocate for our residents, especially when they are ill or hospitalized. She generously gives her personal cell phone number to all providers and doctors and thinks nothing of texting or calling them directly at all hours for anything from a prescription refill to a medical emergency. The providers all know her by name and can count on her for useful information for a resident in need of services.

A mother of two, Ms. Constantine's nurturing shines through when communicating with some of the younger staff members, to whom she is a mentor and leader. Earlier this year, she gave up her own evening plans in favor of taking staff members to dinner after an unusually tough day. This selfless display of loyalty and support is typical.

She is a true team player who helps with fundraising and marketing and takes a stake in overall improvements in the community. Her sincerity is evident in the relationships she has built in the two years she's been with us.

If anyone ever deserved the title of Nurse of the Year, it is Kara Constantine. We congratulate her!

Contact: Tom Kranz

Chelsea Senior Living

[email protected]

908-889-4299

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Kara Constantine

Award winner Kara Constantine, RN, in action at Maple Pointe Assisted Living in Rockville Centre, NY

SOURCE Chelsea Senior Living
YEREVAN, MAY 6, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government managed to keep the socio-economic crisis caused by the novel coronavirus within the manageability framework with the help of the Parliament, but its still early to say that the crisis is over, the coronavirus crisis will continue at least in the upcoming year, until May 2021, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in his remarks in the Parliament.

Talking about the utility payments, the PM said they have implemented 4 programs over the utility payments. The government compensated the utility bills of the citizens by nearly 5 billion drams with the assumption that people have debts, are unable to pay and need assistance. Of course, this is true for a major segment, but as of today, nearly 2 billion drams out of these 5 billion AMD transfers went to the accounts as an advanced payment. Its a proved statistics that in Armenia the subscribers from poor class are the most conscientious payers of utility bills. And according to our calculations, 800 million drams has been sent to the accounts of the people of this segment as a prepayment. According to our estimates, the 1.2 billion drams were sent to the accounts of the people who do not in fact need that, the PM said.

I have an honor to record that the government managed to keep the socio-economic crisis of the coronavirus within the manageability framework also with the help of the Parliament. But this doesnt mean that the citizens of Armenia continue living in the same way as they did for instance in January or February. This means that fortunately we do not have a social collapse and crisis. But it will be wrong to think that the crisis is over or is passing, the crisis is just starting. And we record that during the upcoming year, until next May, we will still have a coronavirus crisis, he said.

According to the latest data, the number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in Armenia has reached 2,782, out of which 1,135 have already recovered. The active cases are 1,600. The death toll has reached 40.

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.

According to the data of the World Health Organization, coronavirus cases have been confirmed in more than 210 countries and territories.

Reporting by Anna Grigoryan; Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 11:22:51|Editor: huaxia

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GAZA, May 6 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army attacked monitoring military sites belonging to the Islamic Hamas movement on Wednesday "in response to a rocket" fired earlier from the Palestinian enclave.

"Israeli artillery targeted monitoring sites of al-Qassam brigades, the military wing of Hamas in the central and northern Gaza Strip, causing huge damages," Palestinian security sources said.

"Our tanks bombed three military sites of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, in response to a rocket fired from the strip," the Israeli army said in a press statement, adding that the missile landed in an open area without causing injuries or damage.

Earlier in the day, a handmade rocket was launched from the coastal enclave into Israel. Enditem
For his entire life, President Trump had an inability to demonstrate empathy for people he has injured or for the victims of his incompetence during this coronavirus pandemic. Instead, he has a long history of ignoring the suffering of others while bragging about the spectacular job hes doing and attacking his personal enemies and political opponents.









May 6, 2020

COVID-19 Coronavirus Outbreak  World StatisticsEmail

Coronavirus Cases: 3,795,702 Closed Cases: 1,545,928 Deaths: 262,784 Recovered: 1,283,144 Currently Infected Patients 2,249,774

United States

Total Coronavirus Cases: 1,249,791 Active Cases: 971,286 Closed Cases: 278,505 Deaths: 73,633 Recovered: 204,872









If the President of the United States cares about the health and welfare of the American people why would he push dangerous cures, play down the massive U.S. death toll and ongoing danger of the pandemic pushing to re-open the economy by ignoring his own stated waiting period of 14 days of decline in reported cases?



Why would he more concerned with opening the country up and ignore the record infections and deaths that are occurring in the same states hes trying to re-open for business.

Amanda Terkel of the Huffington Post today opined 

There has been a central theme running through his response: his seeming utter lack of empathy for the people who are suffering from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

She went on to point out that

On April 26, The Washington Post analyzed the 13 hours Trump had spent talking in his daily coronavirus briefings, which were stopped after his own aides intervened to argue that the appearances were hurting his popularity.

The fact is that over the 13 hours President Trump spent talking during the Coronavirus Task Force, he spent four and a half minutes expressing condolences for coronavirus victims, two hours attacking people, and 45 minutes bragging about what a tremendous job hes doing.

Instead of putting on the needed personal protection gear and visiting with coronavirus or COVID-19 patients in a U.S. hospital or consoling the families of those who have died from the pandemic, Trump left Washington for the first time in over 66 days to visit a business that makes masks in Arizona. Trump said as he boarded Air Force One. 

Im going to pay my respect to a great company.

Then state that the American people should think of themselves as warriors in the battle to re-open the economy. Private Citizens are not warriors; they shouldnt be put in harms way. Warriors are trained, armed, and young.

Allowing the pandemic to ravage nursing homes, food processing plants, and cripple our hospital system doesnt take bravery. It takes a coward to push the elderly, infirmed, and people with pre-existing conditions on to the battlefield. Thats what Adolf Hitler did while hiding in his bunker during the last days of World War II. The pictures of him pinning medals on children and the elderly during the siege of Berlin by Russia still haunt.

White House spokesman Judd Deere was quoted yesterday as saying...

The American people have shown tremendous spirit throughout this difficult time and are continuing to respond to the President [s] message.

Is that why his poll numbers are dropping so low?

Trump claims that he knew some people who died from COVID-19, then expressing amazement at the speed and viciousness of the horrible disease. The President admits to talking to just three or four families who have had someone die from deadly disease. Its amazing that he has even called four families, and cant bring himself to discuss the tragedy victims and families have gone through.

He instead is pushing a re-opening policy that will result not in just 100,000 COVID-19 deaths by the end of May, but as many as 350,000 dead by Election Day November 3, 2020, because he is incapable of showing empathy publicly. When youre a sociopath, you only care about yourself and your feelings. Thats why hes pushed remedies that are not only unproven but are often dangerous. Disinfectant ingested or injected into the human body by any other name to still called poison.





Donald Trump: A sociopath in charge of a crisis





With 180 days left before the Presidential election, Trump is focused on one thing, getting businesses back open. No matter how much his medical experts warn that doing so could lead to a geometric spike in infections and deaths using lies to do it.

Here are two lies that will kill people. While cheering on the states to re-open without meeting benchmarks set by the White House, he said during the Fox News town hall this past Sunday

Theres not too many states that I know of that are going up. Almost everybody is headed in the right direction.

Were on the right side of it, but we want to keep it that way, but we also want to get back to work.

Trump is lying outright, while more than 73,000 people in the United States have died from COVID-19, the only state in the country that has seen a reduction of infections and deaths at this point is New York, in most states, cases are either increasing or staying the same.

Experts have warned him that the rate of infection could double, and as many as 2,000 people a day could die from the disease through not only the election but until possibly the end of the year. 2,000 deaths a day plus the 72,000+ today comes to 432,000 by Election Day and 540,000 dead before the end of the year.

President Trump's sociopathic tendencies have been exposed over and over again. Most recently, when he asked 

Administration officials have said he asked the question repeatedly in conversations in the Oval Office. This is not a new behavior Amanda Terkel of the Huffington Post points out

When four U.S. soldiers died in Niger in 2017, he said and did nothing for a week until pressed by the media. When he did finally made a call, one of the soldiers widows, he told her that her husband knew what he signed up for.

In June 2017, Trump called the father of another soldier who died in Afghanistan, promising that he would give him $25,000 and set up an online fundraiser. Four months later, when The Washington Post followed up, the father said he had not received anything.

And in 2018, when meeting with survivors and families of victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting that killed 17 people, a photographer caught a photo of Trumps notes, including one bullet point reminding him to say I hear you to the visitors.

During his Fox News town hall on Sunday, at the Lincoln Memorial, Trump was unable to resist his sociopathic pathology and implied that he was the real victim in the coronavirus crisis.

Look, I am greeted with a hostile press the likes of which no president has ever seen, he said. The closest would be that gentleman right up there. They always said Lincoln  nobody got treated worse than Lincoln. I believe I am treated worse.

Will American voters recognize that when Trump does mention families who have suffered or lost loved ones during occasions like his State of the Union speeches that he does so only to promote his political agenda?

Psychiatrist: Trumps Dangerous Response To Coronavirus | The Last Word | MSNBC








Saula and Monsuru



According to Punch Metro, a bricklayer, Idris Saula, will never be the same again after six years of his life were stolen by the countrys criminal justice system.

Saula was held in the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos State for six years despite legal advice from the states Directorate of Public Prosecutions that he should be released five years earlier.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the 36-year-old had in 2014 gone to work at a construction site in the Sangotedo, Ajah area of the state.

He was, however, arrested during a raid by policemen from the Ajiwe Police Station.

After a few days in custody, he was transferred to the Ikeja office of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, where he spent five months.

The victim was subsequently taken to a magistrates court and arraigned for armed robbery and was remanded in prison.

It was gathered that the DPP released the legal advice absolving Saula of all charges.

However, the police prosecutor did not take the advice to court, as the bricklayer languished in prison.

PUNCH Metro learnt that after the arraignment of the Lagos State indigene in 2014, he did not step into court again until his miraculous release on April 30, 2020.

When they opened the prison gate and told me to go, I could not understand what was happening to me. I felt giddy as fresh air blew on me. I have still not recovered, he told our correspondent as he sat on a pinning bed, while his mother and siblings battled to save his life at home.

Saula, our correspondent learnt, was his parents only son, with four female siblings.

It was gathered that their father died when they were young and their mother, a fried fish seller, had been catering for them.

The victim, while recounting his ordeal, said his inability to pay N50,000 to the policemen at the Ajiwe Police Station for bail was behind his predicament.

He stated, I was called for a bricklayers job at Sangotedo. We were working when we heard a noise of some thugs fighting. Shortly afterwards, the police came and raided the area. I was among the seven construction workers they arrested.

When we got to the police station, they demanded N50,000 for our bail. Others paid and they were released. My phone had been taken and I did not know the number of any family member off hand.

After spending three days in the station, I was taken to the SARS office in Ikeja. I spent five months and two weeks there. They did not even bother to find out the whereabouts of my family or anybody.

One day, they just brought me out of the cell and took me to the Ikeja Magistrates Court, where I was arraigned alone for armed robbery. From the court, I was taken to the Kirikiri Medium Prison. For days, I was depressed, because I was suffering for what I knew nothing about.

Saula said in 2017, some inmates in the medium security prison were moved to the maximum security prison, because the medium facility was congested.

He explained that luck, however, smiled on him when an elderly man, who lived in Ikorodu, was brought to the prison for a minor offence.

The new inmate, after listening to his story, promised to connect Saula to a rights lawyer.



He called Baba Femi Falana, who sent a lawyer to interview me. I was surprised on Thursday, April 30, 2020, when my name was called and I was told to go home, he stated.

Asked if he was aware of the legal advice on his matter, Saula said nobody told him about it.

He explained that complaints to the prison officials that he had never been taken to court for trial were rebuffed.



I always went to the prisons record office to know when my case file would be called. They kept telling me to be patient that it was not my turn yet. When I became persistent, they chased me away with a cane. I just resigned to fate and kept praying and asking God to bring me out, he added.

His mother, Olayemi Monsuru, said Saula collapsed at the bus stop and was conveyed home in a tricycle.

She explained that he was given blood tonic and malt to recover.

Monsuru recalled that when the 36-year-old did not return home from work in 2014, she raised a search party to look for him.

The 69-year-old mother said nothing was heard until eight months later when some freed inmates said they sighted him in Kirikiri.

She narrated, From that time, we kept visiting him in prison and later got a lawyer, whom we paid over N200,000. The man lived in the same community with us and we attended the same church.

But after some time, he stopped taking our calls and we were informed that he was dead. Since that time, we had been helpless.

We found a young lawyer, Folake, who asked us to pay N10,000 for her to visit him in prison. We paid the money.

After the visit, she demanded N150,000 to continue to help. I am a widow and I sell fried fish by the roadside. We were still making efforts to raise the money when God intervened.

Monsuru appealed for help for Saula, saying the family was heavily in debt.

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, while thanking the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), vowed to sue the Nigeria Police Force for Saulas ordeal.

He said, We wrote a letter to the attorney-general to inform him about Saulas unlawful detention. In the course of investigation, the DPP discovered that the legal advice written on the matter over five years ago was to the effect that he should be released from custody, because there was no evidence that he was part of any armed robbery or other criminal gangs whatsoever.

The legal advice was sent to the police, but it was not forwarded to the magistrates court. Hence, a dysfunctional criminal legal system kept an innocent man in jail for six years.

The legal advice was forwarded to the court and the magistrate ordered the production and release of the defendant. A court order was obtained and served on the Kirikiri Correctional Centre and he was released.

We are going to sue the Nigeria Police Force. Of course, we are going to join the prosecutor, whose negligence kept the man in unlawful detention for years. More importantly, we are going to challenge the dysfunctional criminal justice system that sentences indigent people to prolonged detention without trial.
Phil Wickham, Lecrae give Westmont College graduates surprise concert while in quarantine

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Westmont College had to postpone its commencement ceremony to later in the year because of nationwide restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But it decided to celebrate their graduates this month with messages and music from award-winning guests Lecrae and Phil Wickham.

The Christian college in Santa Barbara, California, hosted a virtual concert featuring both of the popular artists, on Saturday.

Gayle D. Beebe, president of Westmont College, kicked off the event with an emotional speech assuring graduates that they will reschedule their graduation for the fall.

"We do want to do something special to really honor and celebrate you and that is we're having a special concert with two distinguished Christian artists. This is really just to honor and celebrate you as you graduate, but it's also an opportunity for us to invite in the entire Westmont family, Beebe said.

Wickham performed a 20-minute worship set featuring some of his popular songs, including Great Things and This is Amazing Grace.

"I love that in Jesus, even in the midst of grief, you know there can be joy. Even in the midst of loss and expectations being demolished, we can experience joy, and we can still say thank you, we can still say we trust you, Wickham said during the event.

Following a word from two graduating seniors, rapper Lecrae took time to give a sermon on faith with the class of 2020.

"This is an important opportunity. Right now, we're in some extremely challenging times and when Westmont called me and asked me if I would do this, I said absolutely, of course, the rapper said.

"As Westmont graduates, if there was ever a time that the world needed you, [it] is now. So go out with audacious dreams, big hearts to change the world for Christ. You guys have got this. You're gifted with talents that God has given you. So take it to the next level.

"Your graduation will never be forgotten, not just because you graduated during a time period when the world was looking for answers and looking for hope," he added. "And who better to go out into the world and be beacons of hope in life.

Lecrae concluded with his song Ill Find You.

The novel coronavirus isnt the only challenge the graduating class of Westmont had to face during their years there. In 2017, students had to evacuate campus due to the Thomas Fire and later due to the Montecito debris flows. College officials hope to hold commencement for the class of 2020 in October.

Westmont College is an undergraduate residential, Christian, liberal arts community serving Gods kingdom by cultivating thoughtful scholars, grateful servants and faithful leaders for global engagement with the academy, church and world.
The poll surveyed 3,544 likely voters across the six states from May 1 to 3, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.7 percentage points.

A partisan split appeared to drive the shift. Only 39% of Republicans said they had at least somewhat serious concerns about the coronavirus disease, down from 55% last month. At the same time, 97% of Democrats said they had significant worries, nearly identical to the 98% share in mid-April.

About two-thirds, or 68%, of likely voters in the election battlegrounds of Arizona, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin said they have "very" or "somewhat" serious concerns about Covid-19 , the States of Play poll found. The share of respondents with major worries about the pandemic dropped from 76% in mid-April.

Fears about the coronavirus have fallen in key 2020 swing states as Republican worries about the pandemic slide, according to a new CNBC/Change Research survey.

The poll underscores how partisan views on and responses to the pandemic vary drastically. Many Republican governors have started the process of reopening their economies, while Democratic executives have generally moved more slowly to lift state shutdowns meant to slow Covid-19's spread. Republican senators and advisors to President Donald Trump, meanwhile, have largely pushed for a swifter return to normal life than Democratic lawmakers have.

Only 12% of Democratic voters responded that the effects of the coronavirus are starting to get better, versus 66% who said they are still getting worse. At the same time, 69% of likely GOP voters said things are starting to get better, while only 19% said they are getting worse.

Party identification appeared to drive feelings about the economy, as well. Nine in 10 Democrats responded that they think the economy is "probably" or "definitely" in a recession. But only 40% of GOP likely voters said the same.

Those splits carried over from the mid-April poll, even as similar shares of Democratic and Republican voters lose paychecks. More than a third, or 39%, of Democratic voters said they or a member of their household lost a job or were furloughed because of the coronavirus, versus 33% of Republicans, according to the May poll.

The pandemic continues to spread in the U.S. It has now infected more than 1.1 million Americans, and led to at least 70,000 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The April government jobs report due Friday is expected to show an unemployment rate above 15%.

Like last month, the poll found a close race between Trump and apparent Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in the swing states. It found 48% of respondents would back the incumbent, versus 45% who would support the challenger.

 Graphic by CNBC's John Schoen

Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube.
Jonathan Wallace spent 21 hours last July on top of the former Bethlehem Steel blast furnaces, and his punishment will be the 285 days hes spent in jail waiting for his criminal case to be resolved, a judge ruled.

Wallace, 25, reached a plea deal last week in his Northampton County court case, after an unsuccessful bid for mental health court.

Wallace, who is from Mertztown, Berks County, pleaded guilty on April 27 to misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct and defiant trespass. In exchange, prosecutors dropped a felony count of risking a catastrophe and a summary charge of defiant trespass in the case.

Assistant District Attorney Ed Penetar said the hearing was done entirely by video, with President Judge Michael Koury Jr. appearing by video from one county courtroom, Penetar appearing by video from a separate courtroom, Wallace by video from the prison and his defense attorney Rory Driscole from another location.

Under the plea deal, Wallace was given a time-served sentence, a total of 285 days in prison, to 23 months, followed by two years of probation. He was granted immediate parole on April 29, which means Wallace must serve the remainder of his prison sentence under supervision, plus the two years of probation.

A condition of his parole is that Wallace comply with all mental health treatment, and that he have no contact with the SteelStacks property.

Wallace was heading to a mental health treatment facility upon his release, Penetar said. Driscole did not immediately return a message asking about the case.

When Wallace applied for mental health court, Driscole previously said his client might not be eligible because he is not a Northampton County resident. The diversionary court program allows criminal charges to be wiped from a participants record if they meet certain requirements.

This is essentially what we were trying to accomplish from the beginning, Penetar said of Wallace getting treatment.

On July 12, Wallace climbed 280 feet up to the top of the blast furnace at SteelStacks. Numerous people called 911 starting at 6:52 p.m., reporting the man was yelling and threatening suicide.

Authorities evacuated about 1,500 people from the campus. Wallace refused to come down as the Bethlehem police crisis negotiation team negotiated through the night; his parents were also at the scene.

Wallace eventually came down the following afternoon and was taken in custody. An involuntary mental health commitment was agreed upon between police and Wallaces parents, then-District Attorney John Morganelli said.

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Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com.
President Trump on Wednesday vetoed the Iran War Powers resolution, a bipartisan law aimed at limiting his ability to direct attacks against the Islamic Republics military forces.

This was a very insulting resolution, introduced by Democrats as a part of a strategy to win an election on November 3 by dividing the Republican Party, Trump said in a statement. The few Republicans who voted for it played right into their hands.

After approval in the House, the resolution passed the Senate in February by a 5545 margin, with eight Republicans joining their Democratic colleagues. It directs the President to terminate the use of United States Armed Forces for hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran or any part of its government or military, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or specific authorization for use of military force against Iran.

Senators Mike Lee (R., Utah) and Rand Paul (R., Ky.), both staunch Trump supporters, were among those to back the measure, which was introduced after Trump ordered the killing of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in a January airstrike.

Trump ordered the operation in response to the killing of an American contractor by Iran-backed militias in Iraq, as well as the harassment by militias of the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. Several days after the airstrike on Soleimani, Iran launched ballistic missiles at American positions in Iraq, inflicting serious injuries on dozens of U.S. soldiers. Iran accidentally shot down a Ukrainian passenger jet after its ballistic missile strikes, killing all 176 passengers and crew.

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As Bismarck's two competing health systems come together to take care of the community during the pandemic, they're also honoring nurses.
Tourism revives over holiday

From:ChinaDaily | 2020-05-06 07:39

Trip numbers lower than last year, but domestic travel seen as encouraging

The May Day holiday that ended on Tuesday produced strong signs of recovery for the tourism sector, which has been buffeted by the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The five-day holiday saw 115 million trips, resulting in 47.56 billion yuan ($6.74 billion) in revenue for travel operators, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Though the results were still significantly below those of the same period last year, which saw 195 million trips during the four-day holiday, the market showed encouraging signs of recovery after travel restrictions were relaxed thanks to effective work in containing the coronavirus, officials said.

On Friday, the first day of the holiday, the surge began to take shape as attractions nationwide received a total of some 23.2 million visits generating 9.77 billion yuan in revenue for the day.

Officials at Lvmama, an online travel agency based in Shanghai, said the numbers showed that the desire to travel had increasedits reservations for tour packages were 150 percent higher than those placed for the Tomb Sweeping Day holiday last month.

Wang Xiaosong, Lvmama's president, said enthusiasm for domestic travel emerged as the COVID-19 outbreak eased. Most reservations were for short trips because travelers are still making health and safety a priority, he said.

A Lvmama report said 30 percent of its users traveled in the area of their hometown and 40 percent went to the destinations within their province. Also, self-guided tours via automobile were popular because they involve less contact with others.

The cities with the highest numbers of travelers were Shanghai; Hangzhou, Zhejiang province; Suzhou, Jiangsu province; and Beijing. The capital's residents were especially enthusiastic as Beijing lowered its emergency coronavirus response level as of Thursday from the top level to second level, relaxing some domestic travel restrictions.

Qunar, a travel agency in Beijing, said reservations for flights departing from Beijing surged fifteenfold in the half-hour following the capital's announcement.

"I was so excited when I heard the news, and I booked tickets to Sanya right away," said Qiu Ping, a 29-year-old accountant in Beijing. "It's not that easy getting a five-day break, I didn't want to waste it or just spend the time hanging out in Beijing."

He said that he prepared well for the flight because it's still important to guard against possible infection risks. "I wore a mask and sunglasses on the plane. The other travelers did, too, which made me feel safe."

COVID-19 control and prevention remains the priority, officials said, though measures are being taken to revive tourism. In late April, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and National Health Commission released a notice requiring domestic attractions to limit attendance to below 30 percent of their daily maximum visitor capacity during the holiday.
The Ministry of External Affairs on Wednesday held a flurry of meetings to fine tune arrangements for evacuation of thousands of stranded Indians from abroad under a mega exercise beginning Thursday.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla held a video-conference with chief secretaries of a number of states as part of efforts to ensure proper coordination in the operation christened 'Vande Bharat Mission', sources said.

As per the plan, the government will start sending flights to various countries from Thursday.

Coronavirus India News LIVE

They said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is personally keeping an eye on execution of the mission and held a series of meetings on the exercise also involving the Home Ministry, the Civil Aviation Ministry and the Health Ministry besides the states.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

The Ministry of External Affairs has deputed nodal officers for most of the states for the evacuation exercise.

Additional Secretary in the MEA Vikram Doraiswami has been assigned to coordinate with Kerala while another Additional Secretary Nagma Malik will coordinate with the government of Karnataka.

Senior Indian Foreign Service Officer P Harish has been tasked to coordinate with Andhra Pradesh, Additional Secretary in MEA V Paul has been assigned Punjab and Additional Secretary B Bala Bhaskar will coordinate with Telangana, the sources said.

Over 300,000 Indians in Gulf have registered for evacuation but the government will bring back people like pregnant women, elderly people, students and those having "compelling reasons" to return such as medical emergencies, expiry of visas and facing the prospect of deportation.

The sources said all laid down guidelines like screening of people at origin countries as well as on arrival will be strictly followed and the states have been told to arrange for mandatory quarantine of the returnees.

The immediate focus of the multi-agency operation will be to bring back Indians from the Gulf, countries in the neighbourhood as well as from the US, the UK and Singapore, the sources said.

Initially, 64 flights will be operated from May 7 to May 13 to bring back around 15,000 Indian nationals stranded abroad. The government has not given any estimate about how many Indians it plans to evacuate.

The Indian Navy has already sent two of its ships to the Maldives for evacuating Indians stranded in the island nation while the Indian air force has kept ready about 30 transport aircraft including C-17 Globemaster and C-130J Super Hercules for any requirement.

Follow our full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic here.
By PTI

KOLKATA: The West Bengal government on Wednesday said it will take a call on the movement of essential goods through the Indo-Bangladesh borders after considering all aspects.

State's Home Secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay said this in reply to the Union Home Ministry letter.

"We will take a call after considering all aspects. There are a lot of things that need to be looked into," he said.

The Centre during the day came down heavily on the West Bengal government for not allowing movement of essential goods through the Indo-Bangladesh border, saying such acts will have international implications.

The MHA in a letter to the chief secretary also said the state government has not implemented repeated directions of the Centre for free movement of cargo and this amounts to violation of the Disaster Management Act.
[May 06, 2020] ASEAN and Taiwan Cloud Infrastructure-as-a-Service Market, Forecast to 2025

NEW YORK, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The ASEAN cloud infrastructure market will gravitate toward a hybrid deployment model (partially premises-based and partially cloud-based) in the next 3 to 5 years. The demand for managed cloud offerings has been increasing, particularly for Application-as-a-Service and Network-as-a-Service offerings. Enterprises are looking to deploy more open-source private cloud platforms across hybrid environments, as hybrid-IT emerges as a new norm. The adoption of multicloud solutions will accelerate owing to factors such as the migration of development applications to the public cloud and disaster recovery and business continuity purposes.







Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05873694/?utm_source=PRN







Active government initiatives such as Smart Cities in developing countries and key digital hubs present new monetization opportunities for service providers in developing verticalized cloud solutions to address governments' digital transformation ambitions. The demand for integrated management solutions is likely to increase in multicloud environments. Managed hybrid cloud platforms are in demand to accommodate workloads, ranging from enterprise applications (such as email, enterprise resource planning (ERP), and cloud-native applications) and analytics to the Internet of Things (IoT).



While cloud security and privacy remain major concerns for many companies in the ASEAN region, the present monetization opportunities for vendors to provide ancillary managed security, cloud, and other professional services. The expansion of open-source technologies, as well as advances in application programming interfaces (API)-accessible single-tenant cloud servers, helps promote acceptance toward managed cloud providers. Established data center markets such as Singapore and countries experiencing high data center growth rates such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand are expected to be the key focus areas for cloud infrastructure market growth in the ASEAN region owing to the availability of necessary infrastructure and connectivity, as well as the presence of hyperscale cloud vendors. Stiff competition and increasing commoditization of pure-play storage and cloud offerings are driving providers to offer new services and innovate. These include bundling more managed services (such as managed security and analytics) into their cloud services portfolio, thereby shifting the focus away from being a pure reseller of public cloud services.







KEY ISSUES ADDRESSED What is the addressable market opportunity for cloud infrastructure services?

What are the driving and restraining factors that will shape the future of the data center services market in ASEAN and Taiwan ?

? What are the significant developments in the cloud infrastructure services space in ASEAN and Taiwan ? Which are the key participants in the market and what are their market strategies?

? Which are the key participants in the market and what are their market strategies? What are the key customer adoption trends in the cloud IaaS market in ASEAN and Taiwan ?

? Where are the growth opportunities, and what are some actionable recommendations for service providers and vendors to capitalize on these opportunities?





Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05873694/?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.



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Scientists have today claimed there is no evidence the coronavirus has mutated into more aggressive strains - despite studies claiming the contrary.

Just yesterday researchers from the University of Sheffield and a laboratory in New Mexico claimed that the type of COVID-19 racing through Europe was a newer and more infectious than the version found in China.

And a Government-funded study released yesterday found at least a dozen different strains of coronavirus were spreading through the UK in March.

But the claims are 'unfounded' and no version of the virus currently circulating is any more or less potent than another, University of Glasgow experts claimed.

The researchers admit they uncovered thousands of mutations but said they were so small that this was 'normal and expected'.

The changes are not large enough to affect the behaviour of the coronavirus - called SARS-CoV-2 - or offer any proof of there being different strains, leading them to conclude that only one type of the virus is circulating currently.

All viruses, including the one that causes COVID-19, naturally mutate as they spread through populations but it is not normally a cause for alarm.

Most of these changes will have little to no effect on the biology of the virus or the aggressiveness of the disease they cause.

Some viruses, such as the flu, mutate much quicker, which is why a different flu jab is created every year to protect millions of people against different strains.

Scientists have today claimed there is no evidence the coronavirus has mutated into more aggressive strains - despite studies showing the contrary

Researchers from the Centre for Virus Research (CVR) at Glasgow University looked at a catalogue of 7,237 mutations logged in the coronavirus during the pandemic.

These have been submitted to a database by scientists all over the world and were found in 396 genetic sequences taken from samples from all over the world.

They said that while this may sound like a lot of change, it is a relatively low rate of evolution for an infectious virus like SARS-CoV-2.

The team analysed these samples and found the mutations were unlikely to have any functional significance and, importantly, do not represent different virus types.

Lead researcher Dr Oscar MacLean said that there was 'extensive genetic sequence variation' between different samples of the virus.

He said: 'The evolutionary analysis shows why these claims that multiple types of the virus are currently circulating are unfounded.

'It is important people are not concerned about virus mutations - these are normal and expected as a virus passes through a population.'

But he added: 'These mutations can be useful as they allow us to track transmission history and understand the historic pattern of global spread.'

The researchers expect more mutations among the virus will continue to accumulate as the pandemic continues.

Most observed mutations would be expected to have no, or minimal, consequence to the virus's biology.

Confusion was sparked yesterday when scientists at the University of Sheffield and Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico, claimed that a more aggressive strain named G614 (blue) appeared later on in the pandemic but, since then, has dominated the older, slower-spreading strain D614 (orange) in most areas of the world

Most countries outbreaks began with the older D614 strain (shown in orange). In China and Singapore this remained the dominant strain but in most countries worldwide it was edged out in March by the mutated G614 version

Although the older D614 strain (orange) managed to remain dominant in Asia for most of the pandemic, it was quickly superseded by the mutated version in Western countries and Africa, which started recording outbreaks later on

CORONAVIRUS MUTATION FOUND IN USA 'SUGGESTS IT IS WEAKENING' Scientists have discovered a unique mutation to coronavirus in Arizona - and it's a pattern that they've seen before. One of the 382 samples they collected from coronavirus patients in the state was missing a sizeable segment of genetic material. In the middle and late stages of the SARS epidemic of 2003, this very same kind of deletion started cropping up in patients around the globe. It's not just any mutation - the change robs the closely related viruses of one of their weapons against the host's immune response, making the infection weaker. As that mutation became widespread, the SARS outbreak wound down. By July - five months after it emerged in Asia in February 23 - there were no new cases, and the outbreak was considered contained. Now, Arizona State University experts have only found one person who had a version of the virus with this mutation - but they say if genome sequencing for coronavirus become more common, we may find far more. They sequenced the genomes of the virus in 382 nasal swab samples. Like ours, viral genetic material is composed of chemical units known by their letters. The human genome consists of three billion DNA 'letters'. Viral genomes are far simpler than ours, and coronavirus consists of 30,000 letters of RNA. In one of the samples they collected, the ASU researchers discovered that a massive 81 letters were missing. And these were a particularly meaningful missing 81 pieces of RNA. 'This is something we've seen before in the 2003 SARS outbreak during the middle and late phase of the outbreak, the virus acquired large deletions in these SS3 proteins,' lead study author Dr Efrem Lim told DailyMail.com. 'These proteins are not just there to replicate - they are in there to help enhance virulence and suppress the immune system [of the host]. It evolved with a more attenuated from in the late phase of the epidemic.' In other words, the SARS virus changed to be weaker (attenuated viruses are less the less risky, modified versions researchers make in labs as the basis for vaccines) as time went on. And now, at least one sample of SARS-CoV-2 had done the same. Advertisement

However, tracking these changes can help scientists better understand the pandemic and how COVID-19 is spreading in the community. The study is published in the journal Virus Evolution.

Fears were sparked yesterday when scientists at the University of Sheffield and Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico, claimed that a more aggressive strain was gripping the UK and Europe.

But their work had not been reviewed by other scientists or published in any scientific journal.

They said the mutated form of the virus appeared more infectious and spreads faster, but it does not seem to affect how seriously ill someone becomes.

Believed to have originated in China or Europe the version of the virus, dubbed G614, is now 'the dominant pandemic form in many countries', the scientists said.

They said it was first found in Germany in February and had since become the most common form of the virus in patients worldwide - it appears to force out the older version whenever they clash.

The study focused on a mutation of the virus, which was referred to as D614G. The researchers referred to the viruses without the mutation as D614 and the version with it as G614.

It is not clear whether they classified them as separate strains because the mutation is so small and affects only one tiny part of the virus.

Looking at samples from around the world they found that D614 appeared to have been the virus's original state in humans, and the one found in Wuhan.

It made up the vast majority of all COVID-19 infections in China, and Asia as a whole, and also seemed to be the first version of the virus to appear in the countries they studied.

However, the mutated version - G614 - started to appear soon after in Europe and North America in particular, before going on to take over as the dominant virus.

'A clear and consistent pattern was observed in almost every place where adequate sampling was available,' the researchers said.

'In most countries and states where the COVID-19 epidemic was initiated and where sequences were sampled prior to March 1, the D614 form was the dominant local form early in the epidemic.

'Wherever G614 entered a population, a rapid rise in its frequency followed, and in many cases G614 became the dominant local form in a matter of only a few weeks.'

They said the G614 mutation may give the virus a 'selective advantage' which makes it better able to bind to cells in the airways, or to shed viruses which it uses to reproduce and spread.

There are at least a dozen different strains of coronavirus ravaging the UK. The most common is the B.12.1 strain (pink) and the B.11 strain (green). The researchers did not make clear which strains were imported from other countries, nor did it disclose which one is unique to Britain

12 STRAINS OF THE VIRUS WERE SPREADING THROUGH THE UK IN MARCH, STUDY CLAIMS At least a dozen different strains of coronavirus were spreading through the UK in March, a Government-funded study has found. Leading genetic scientists analysed the genomes of the killer virus in 260 infected patients from all corners of the UK. They say they have identified 12 unique lines of the virus, one of which has only ever been found in Britain  meaning it mutated on UK soil. But the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium (COG-UK) said the number of strains is very likely substantially higher due to under-sampling in the UK. The scientists say most of the strains were imported from Italy and Spain, the worst-hit countries in the world at the time the research was carried out. There is no suggestion that any of the strains are any more potent or infectious than another, infectious disease experts say. Professor Paul Hunter, at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline it is 'entirely plausible' this could happen to one of the strains if it continues to evolve. The report, made public today, was given to the Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) in March to help them map the outbreak's spread. Advertisement

It could do this because the D614G mutation appeared to affect the shape of the 'spike' protein that the virus uses to attach to a person's cells and infect them.

A sample of 447 hospital patients in Sheffield showed that people had a higher viral load when infected with G614, meaning they had a higher quantity of viruses circulating in their body.

Scientists have suggested that a high viral load - the number of viruses someone is infected with - may worsen the effects of infection.

Being exposed to someone else infectious while already ill is not thought to increase numbers of viruses in the body.

This could make them more likely to spread COVID-19 because they could be more likely to show symptoms and have more viruses on their breath, for example.

The researchers wrote: 'An early April sampling... showed that G614's frequency was increasing at an alarming pace throughout March, and it was clearly showing an ever-broadening geographic spread.'

And they added: 'Through March, G614 became increasingly common throughout Europe, and by April it dominated contemporary sampling.

'In North America, infections were initiated and established across the continent by the original D614 form, but in early March, the G614 was introduced into both Canada and the USA, and by the end of March it had become the dominant form in both nations.'

It comes as a Government-funded study released yesterday warned at least a dozen different strains of coronavirus were spreading through the UK in March.

Leading genetic scientists analysed the genomes of the killer virus in 260 infected patients from all corners of the UK.

They identified 12 unique lines of the virus, one of which has only ever been found in Britain  meaning it mutated on UK soil.

But the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium (COG-UK) said the number of strains is very likely substantially higher due to under-sampling in the UK.

The scientists say most of the strains were imported from Italy and Spain, the worst-hit countries in the world at the time the research was carried out.

There is no suggestion that any of the strains are any more potent or infectious than another, infectious disease experts say.

Professor Paul Hunter, at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline it is 'entirely plausible' this could happen to one of the strains if it continues to evolve.

The report was given to the Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) in March to help them map the outbreak's spread.
[May 06, 2020] Vietnam Publishes 'Stay At Home with Vietnam' Kit for Housebound Travellers

HANOI, Vietnam, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As Vietnam joins the rest of the world in social distancing to combat COVID-19, the country's tourism board is reaching out with a themed resource kit to keep travellers connected, creative and inspired. Those who have had to cancel or cut short trips to Vietnam, or are unable to travel to the country this year may enjoy exploring the activities in the ' Stay At Home ' kit, created by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) together with the Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board (TAB). The kit, free on www.vietnam.travel , features 360-degree interactive tours of Vietnam's renowned UNESCO World Heritage Sites, easy recipes for popular Vietnamese dishes such as banh mi and bun cha, colouring pages celebrating classic Vietnam moments, and sugestions for cultural explorations in books, music and art. The tourism board is also inviting future travellers to explore its ' My Vietnam ' series: a collection of insightful videos and personal interviews with locals across the country.



While the country's borders have been officially closed since March 22, the tourism board hopes the 'Stay at Home' kit will offer a piece of Vietnam to those outside, until the country is ready to welcome visitors again. Tourism leaders said the country's fast action and effective prevention system place Vietnam in a strong position to receive travellers again soon. Those who wish to share experiences from past trips to Vietnam can do so by tagging #MyVietnam or @vietnamtourismboard on Facebook and Instagram, or can win gift sets by participating in giveaways on Vietnam's official social platforms.

Vietnam recently set up an English-language tourism helpline for travellers remaining in the country. Those seeking assistance can call (+84) 378 173371 during business hours for guidance on visas, accommodation, food services, and more. New policies, closures and statistics related to the COVID-19 situation in Vietnam are updated daily on the national tourism website. For more information or to download the 'Stay At Home with Vietnam' materials, please visit: www.vietnam.travel About TAB The Tourism Advisory Board (TAB) is represented by Vietnam's leading tourism stakeholders and has entered into a public-private partnership with the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT). TAB comprises representatives from a broad base of industry leaders in Vietnam's travel and tourism sector. The mission of the TAB is to increase Vietnam's competitive advantage as a sustainable tourism and travel destination by leveraging the country's public and private resources, thus creating a cohesive and comprehensive industry strategy. TAB is grateful to its sponsors: Asia DMC, Muong Thanh Group, Saigontourist Holding Company, Sun Group, Thien Minh Group, BIM Land, Vietnam Airlines and Vingroup -- each of whom contributes to a privately managed fund dedicated to promoting tourism in Vietnam. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20200506/2796096-1 SOURCE Vietnam Tourism Advisory Board (TAB)

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Mom and Dad Who Beat COVID-19 Finally Meet Their Newborn Twins 20 Days After Birth

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After seeing me cry for my old friend Lisa McCully, one of the victims of the recent Nova Scotia massacre, my seven-year-old daughter suggested I send her a text in heaven.

When I asked her what I should write, she told me: Just tell her that you miss her.

And shes right, because I do. I miss her with a pain decades in the making that, in the wake of the horror, has cracked open wide. A snapped bone. A broken dam.

At the time of her death, Lisa was an elementary school teacher, a cherished church camp counsellor and a beloved single mom of two young children.

But thats not the Lisa I knew.

Lisa and I met in 1990 as students at Mount Allison University while taking part in the Terry Fox Run, which is fitting because she was selfless.

Shed say, Oh, my word! and Oh, my land! instead of words other 18-year-olds would say.

We played on the university rugby team. (And by played, I mean we laughed a lot and ran around in aimless circles). We travelled to McGill for a weekend of debauchery, where we spontaneously entered a dance contest as a team at the student pub and won first place: the prize was a hefty bar tab intended to last one student for a full year. Only there for a weekend, we bought garbage cans full of Long Island Iced Tea and made friends with the Harvard mens rugby team who were there that night. We saw the Tragically Hip when the price of admission was less than the price of a pint.

She talked about the power of prayer and meditation when neither were very cool concepts. She wrote endless letters the year she lived in France and I still have them in a shoebox. She encouraged me to audition for the university play  in French  and we both got parts. She could play piano, often songs shed written herself, and she could lick Jamaica rum remnants off a plate after shed lit fire to it. We loved Blue Rodeo and knew that if we were lost, then we were lost together. She was always singing.

In the mid-1990s, we had a falling out I never really understood. What I know is that it was over something insignificant. I disappointed her and didnt possess the maturity or the bravery to mend it.

We graduated. We lost touch.

To say I thought of Lisa a thousand times over the years would not be an exaggeration. If anything, it would be an understatement. Each time, I would tell myself, I really must reach out. I believed we were one latte away from rekindling a more adult version of our union. But, as a West Coaster with roots on the East Coast, trips back home felt rushed, so I bought into the delusion of the refrain Next time.

On April 18, after an active day spent outdoors on the shores of the Bay of Fundy, my friend  who annually lit a candle for victims of the Ecole Polytechnique killings  herself became one of 22 people whose lives were stolen in the worst massacre in Canadian history. With each life taken, infinite next times  deeds left undone, words left unsaid  died, too.

For those of us left behind, the toxic cocktail of grief and anger leaves a nasty hangover.

For my part, Ive vacillated between remembering the years we shared, missing the years we didnt and mourning the years we never will. In the darkness, what has emerged is an intense desire to grab the present moment by the lapels.

What Ive learned in these sad days is this:

1) Mend it: If something is worth fixing  be it a favourite pair of socks or a special relationship  fix it. Now.

2) Pare down: If something is not worth fixing  from unwanted junk to an exhausting relationship  get rid of it. Now.

3) Connect: If youre thinking of someone, and any version of I really must get in touch comes to mind, reach out. Now.

4) Speak up: If you have something to say, but feel you lack the courage or words to do so, just pretend you dont and say it. Now.

5) Know what matters, show up and listen: As stories of Lisa populate social media feeds, what is being shared are sentiments like, Lisa lit up the room, and Lisa made people feel special. No one is talking about her net worth, professional prestige or what she drove. Lisa knew what mattered. She showed up. She listened.

Theres an adage that people come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. In 1990, Lisa came into mine for a reason  to help make my university years unforgettable  and a season (see reference to university years). Despite growing apart, Ill carry Lisa and these lessons learned for a lifetime. I miss you, Lisa. Wherever you are right now, my daughter is sure youll get the message.

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An international team led by Emory scientists has gained insight into the pathological mechanisms behind two devastating neurodegenerative diseases. The scientists compared the most common inherited form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia (ALS/FTD) with a rarer disease called spinocerebellar ataxia type 36 (SCA36).

Both of the diseases are caused by abnormally expanded and strikingly similar DNA repeats. However, ALS progresses quickly, typically killing patients within a year or two, while the disease progression of SCA36 proceeds more slowly over the course of decades.

In ALS/FTD it appears that protein products can poison cells in the nervous system. Whether similar protein products exist in SCA36 was not known.

What Zachary McEachin, PhD and Gary Bassell, PhD from Emory's Department of Cell Biology, along with a team of collaborators at Emory, Mayo Florida, and internationally from Spain and Japan, discovered have provided a new paradigm for thinking about how aberrant protein species are formed.

Despite the disparate clinical outcomes between these diseases, this research could broaden the avenue of research toward genetically targeted treatments for such related neurodegenerative diseases.

Their study, published Tuesday in Neuron, provides a guide to types of protein gobbledygook that build up in brain cells in both disorders, and which should be reduced if the new mode of treatment is working in clinical trials.

We are thinking of these diseases as genetic doppelgangers. By that, I mean they are genetically similar, but the neurodegeneration progresses differently for each disease. We can use this research to understand each of the respective disorders much better -- and hopefully help patients improve their quality of life down the road with better treatments." Zachary McEachin, Postdoctoral Fellow, Bassell's lab, Emory Health Sciences

An estimated 16,000 people in the United States have ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The most common inherited form of ALS/FTD occurs because there is an abnormally expanded repeat of six DNA "letters" stuck into a gene called c9orf72.

Some of the degeneration of motor neurons comes from the expanded repeat being made into proteins that repeat two amino acids over and over. It's like a printing press being forced to print entire pages of "GPGPGPGP", "GAGAGAGA"..." or "PRPRPRPR" In c9 ALS, those proteins are thought to build up inside brain cells and poison them.

A striking finding is that in c9 ALS, there are others chimeric variants e.g. "GAGAGAGPGPGP" suggesting these toxic proteins are more complex than previously thought.

"A major goal in the field has been to identify and characterize the various types of pathological aggregates that accumulate in patient brains as 'bad actors' that cause neurodegeneration," Bassell says.

"Here we identify fundamental differences in this process for these two neurological diseases with disparate clinical outcomes. I think this is a paradigm shift for how heterogenous this process is in ALS and points to possible therapeutic strategies that might mitigate multiple bad actors simultaneously."

The two diseases (c9 form of ALS and SCA36) both have abnormally expanded 6-letter genetic repeats, but the letters that are being repeated are different. McEachin was able to show that the nonsensical protein products from the expanded repeats aggregate in c9 ALS patients' cells but do not in SCA36. He says it was surprising because the proteins were predicted to be similar in the two diseases.

"Studying the differences in the aberrant proteins gives insight into both diseases," McEachin says.

SCA36, one of several types of SCA, is a condition characterized by progressive problems with movement that typically begins in mid-adulthood. They also develop hearing loss and muscle twitches over time, including losing the ability to move their tongue. Their legs, forearms and hands atrophy as the condition worsens.

The mutation for SCA36 was discovered around same time as the c9 form of ALS/FTD in 2011. The ALS/FTD discovery has since formed the basis for myriad studies implicating these toxic protein aggregates as contributing drivers of disease in ALS and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

"The genetic overlap was known, however the rate limiting step in studying SCA36 has been the availability of patient samples," says McEachin.

He traveled to Spain and Japan where there are known pedigrees of SCA36 patients to learn more about the disorder. To obtain SCA36 patient samples, the authors reached out to neurologists Maria-Jesus Sobrido, MD and Manuel Arias, MD at the Hospital Clinico Universitario in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, and neurologist Koji Abe, MD of Okayama University in Japan.

Emory University's ALS Clinic, directed by Jonathan Glass, MD, a close collaborator on this study, is the largest in the southeast and has curated a substantial biorepository of C9orf72 ALS and FTD biospecimens, including those used in this study.

"The study would not have been possible without the interest of these clinicians and willingness of their patients to participate," McEachin says. "We are truly grateful for their collaboration as this study wouldn't have been possible otherwise."

The authors also worked in collaboration with Leonard Petrucelli, PhD, and Tania Gendron, PhD at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, who developed specialized antibodies to analyze the nonsensical protein products. Wilfried Rossoll, PhD now at Mayo Clinic, formerly at Emory, was also a collaborator.

In a separate paper released the same day in Cell Reports, these finding were further supported by similar observations in a novel mouse model of SCA36 generated by Leonard Petrucelli, Wilfried Rossoll and colleagues at Mayo. McEachin and Bassell were also co-authors on this manuscript.

A new technology for treating diseases with expanded DNA repeats - including Huntington's disease and myotonic dystrophy, as well as some forms of ALS and SCA -- is emerging. "Antisense oligonucleotides" can be delivered to the nervous system and shut down production of the toxic proteins. The Emory ALS clinic is participating in some of the ASO clinical trials.

"We think our analysis will guide future research into potential treatments, for example, by developing drugs that can best target these related aggregation-prone molecules," Bassell says.
At the time of the BP spill, my daughter was 2 and I remember lying awake at night, wondering if I could ever stand to watch her swim in the Gulf again, Wraithmell said. It amazes me how many people have forgotten the stark horror of this disaster. Maybe its because Florida is such a growth state, with newcomers who dont remember. Or maybe there have just been so many hurricanes, algal blooms and epidemics since then to make the memory of it fade.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the $2.25 billion bond suit against Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister of Finance, saying it was without merit.



The seven-member panel, presided over by Chief Justice Anin Yeboah, unanimously dismissed the claims of a group by name Dynamic Youth Movement of Ghana (DYMOG).



The Supreme Court said the reasons for the dismissal of the suit would be filed by tomorrow, May 6, at the Courts Registry.



The DYMOG had sued the Minister over an alleged procedural error and conflict of interest over the $2.25 billion bond issuance alongside with the Attorney General and the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).



The group, in its suit, was invoking the proper jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to interpret Article 284 of the 1992 Constitution, which states: A public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts or is likely to conflict with the performance of the functions of his office.



The applicants contended that the Finance Minister, in issuing the bond to Franklin Templeton, had put himself in a conflict of interest situation because one of the directors of the US-based investment group, Trevor Trefgarne, was also a director of a company owned by the Minister.



Meanwhile the Minister had earlier been cleared by CHRAJ of the conflict of interest allegation.



Among the reliefs the Movement was seeking included; (a) A declaration that by going beyond investigations to make a pronouncement (of guilty or otherwise) on the 1st Defendant in respect of the allegation of breach of conflict of interest, the CHRAJ has contravened Article 287 of the 1992 Constitution.



And (b) A declaration that by interpreting Article 284 of the 1992 Constitution (as disclosed between paragraph 3 of page 127 and paragraph 3 of page 133 of the CHRAJ Report) the 2nd Defendant (CHRAJ) has contravened Article 130(1)(a) of the 1992 Constitution.



The group was also seeking a declaration that by issuing or overseeing the issuance of the said bonds to Templeton without disclosing his relational interest with a director at Templeton, one Trevor G. Trefgarne, the 1st Defendant, has acted in contravention of Article 284 of the 1992 Constitution.

Source: GNA









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A man with a rifle who allegedly went on an crime spree Tuesday on Pleasure Island was fatally shot while trying to rob a man and woman that were crabbing.

Officers responded to a call in reference to active robbery at Island Grocery, 1900 S. Texas 82. Callers told police the suspect was a man armed with a rifle. While heading to the scene, officers were told the man fled eastbound down the highway. When officers arrived at the scene, the victims told police that the suspect tried to take their vehicle at gunpoint.
More than 3.5 million people have been infected across the world by coronavirus, with the death toll passing 257,000.

Here are the latest updates on the pandemic from around the world:

FRANCE

President Emmanuel Macron has confirmed plans to gradually reopen schools next week amid concerns from mayors, teachers and parents.

Mr Macron, wearing a mask, visited a primary school in a suburb west of Paris that has remained open for children of health workers.

More than 300 mayors in the capital region denounced an "untenable and unrealistic timetable" to meet the sanitary and safety conditions required by the state, including class sizes capped to 15.

GREECE

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said it appears "absolutely feasible" for restaurants and cafes to reopen on June 1 if the outbreak keeps slowing.

Greece began easing its lockdown measures on Monday, with the opening of a limited number of retail businesses, such as beauty salons and bookshops.

NETHERLANDS

Riot police arrested some demonstrators who gathered in The Hague to call for an end to the partial lockdown.

Authorities allowed the unannounced demonstration by a few hundred people on condition they maintained social distancing. But the mayor withdrew permission when demonstrators refused to follow police instructions.

INDIA

The country has discovered two viral clusters since it partly lifted a nationwide lockdown on Monday, contributing to the largest single-day spike in cases and deaths. There has been a total of 3,900 infection cases and 195 deaths in the past 24 hours, taking India's total to more than 46,000 cases and 1,500 dead.

Meanwhile, authorities in capital Dehli are imposing a special tax of 70pc on liquor purchases to dissuade huge gatherings a day after thirsty drinkers formed long queues at stores across the country.

On Monday, after some lockdown restrictions were eased, thousands turned up at liquor stores without following social-distancing guidelines.

HONG KONG

Authorities are to relax some measures and schools will resume from May 27.

All residents will receive a locally developed reusable mask, and each household will get a packet of 10 disposable masks. Schools and homes for the disabled and vulnerable populations will receive face masks from the government.

AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND

The leaders of Australia and New Zealand say they are committed to resuming travel between the two countries as soon as they can do so safely.

The announcement came after New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern took the unusual step of joining Australian counterpart Scott Morrison and his national cabinet for a discussion by video link.

Both countries have had success in suppressing their outbreaks. New Zealand reported no new cases yesterday for the second consecutive day, while Australia had 25 new cases.

IRAN

The coronavirus pandemic has brought back something unseen in Iran since its 1979 Islamic Revolution: a drive-in cinema.

Customers tune into the film's audio via an FM station on their car radios.

Iran has reported more than 98,600 cases with over 6,200 deaths, though international and local experts acknowledge the toll is likely to be far higher.
None of that, Bodney said, would identify any resident.

Conversely, he said, there is a public benefit to releasing the information  and not only to those who have relatives in these facilities or are considering moving them into one.

Disclosure, too, will allow the public and public policymakers to reach more informed judgment about the containment of this public health crisis in Arizona, Bodney wrote on behalf of the Arizona Republic and Phoenix TV channels 3, 5, 12 and 15.

The Health Department has set up a dashboard of information about the virus.

But the only data available on congregate care settings goes to the number of facilities with positive cases. The most recent posting shows a total of 208 different facilities that fit that category, led by 79 assisted-living facilities and 44 long-term-care facilities.

Of that 208 total, 131 are in Maricopa County, with 52 in Pima and 10 in Pinal, though that last group of facilities might also include state prisons.

Cochise and Mohave counties each have four facilities with COVID-19 outbreaks, with three in Yavapai, two in Navajo and one each in Yuma and La Paz counties.
Estate agents are beginning to bring staff back to work as people become desperate to move house - as London faces a potential 10 per cent slump in house prices.

Chestertons has returned some of its lettings staff after seeing a 28% increase in requests to view its rental properties as Britons start thinking about moving when lockdown ends.

Staff at the London agency are still working from home but have been taken off furlough to deal with the high volume of new tenants registering and demand for virtual viewings. Its sales leads have also increased by around 17% over the same period.

It comes as Savills predicts that the coronavirus crisis could mean a drop in London house values of up to 10 per cent, bringing the average price from 483,922 down to 435,529, Homes & Property reports.

Research by the publication shows house prices in six of the capital's boroughs could drop beneath the 483,922 average.

Barnet, Brent, Lambeth, Merton, Kingston upon Thames and Southwark could see prices plummet beneath the average price threshold

Research shows house prices in six of the capital's boroughs could drop beneath the 483,922 average (stock image)

Barnet, Brent, Lambeth, Merton, Kingston upon Thames and Southwark could see prices plummet beneath the threshold.

The borough with the lowest prices, Barking & Dagenham, could even see values fall below 300,000 - to 273,267.

As physical home viewing goes against social distancing measures, valuations have been cancelled and several high loan-to-value mortgage products have been withdrawn as the second-hand property market faces growing challenges.

SIX BOROUGHS FACING A DROP TO BELOW AVERAGE PRICES IN LONDON Data from December shows an average London price of 483,922 seen last December, to below it. If the coronavirus crisis sparks a drop in house prices of 10 per cent, as has been predicted, then several boroughs face dipping beneath the average. Barnet could see an average of 465,206, down from 516,896. Brent could have prices of around 454,849, compared to the recent 505,388. Kingston's 488,913 could plummet to 440,021. A 10 per cent drop would see Lambeth go from 519,275 to 467,347. Merton could stand at 455,706, down from 506,341. Southwark's average could drop to 461,402, down from 512,699. Advertisement

Rightmove expert Miles Shipside said that first-time buyers could face less competition now than they did following the global financial crash.

He added that the introduction of an additional three per cent stamp duty on second homes has acted as a deterrent to investors who would bid on new-build blocks.

Chairman of Dexters estate agents Jeff Doble told MailOnline business levels had increased 'four-fold in the past fortnight' with more than 100 new lettings each week, having established 'Covid-safe protocols'.

Dominic Agace, Chief Executive of Winkworth estate agents, said they had seen consistent growth in sales and lettings applicants since the initial lockdown hiatus - with lettings applicants doubling in recent weeks.

Mr Agace added that they were seeing 'very low' fall-through rates on sales since lockdown - lower than the same period last year.

'We believe there is significant pent-up demand which will be released once the lockdown is lifted,' he added.

'Mortgage rates are at record lows and we believe there is a real desire by people keen to move on to the next stage in their lives.'

In other revelations in lockdown Britain:

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to set out how he will wean workers off state aid as experts warn the final bill could be 40 billion

Businesses are being urged to follow a drastic model which would split the population into two groups and follow a four days on, ten days off office working strategy

Dominic Raab dashed hopes of a widespread return to school after half-term as he warned a blanket reopening next month would risk a deadly second wave of coronavirus

The Prime Minister is expected to renew social distancing rules on Thursday - with relaxing rules around outdoor activities expected to be one of the PM's first moves

Chestertons Managing Director Guy Gittins said: 'We are of course very keen to get as many of our staff back to work as soon as possible and have been monitoring interest and activity levels on a daily basis to calculate when this might be possible.

'Activity levels are understandably higher in lettings and we have therefore started the phased return of staff, beginning with lettings negotiators in areas of especially high demand, including Fulham, Islington and South Kensington.

Savills predicts that the coronavirus crisis could mean a drop in London house values of up to 10 per cent, bringing the average price from 483,922 down to 435,529

'We hope to bring more back over the coming weeks in anticipation of a very busy summer for lettings.'

Amazingly, the estate agent has still managed to see through 40 exchanges in the past five weeks.

'Sales activity has also been considerably higher than we anticipated at the start of lock-down,' he went on.

'Enquiries are increasing every week, but while viewings are still restricted to video viewings only, we are focusing on progressing our large pipeline of agreed sales as quickly and smoothly as possible for our clients.'

Richard Davies, Head of Lettings, added: 'There has been a steady flow of new tenants registering and doing virtual viewing with us in the weeks since lock-down, but over the past week there has definitely been a sharp uplift in the number of enquiries and the number of tenancies which we have been able to agree.

'We have also noticed an increased sense of urgency from the tenants, many of whom are keen to make offers and move as soon as possible, but mindful of following government guidance regarding home moves.

'It is also clear that more landlords are now bringing their properties to the market, or at least preparing to do so, as we witnessed a 28% increase in virtual market appraisals and a 24% increase in lettings instructions in the third week of April, compared to the second week.'

The government has warned people that there is no need to pull out of house sales during the coronavirus outbreak.

It said where homes are empty, moves could go ahead as normal, but when they are occupied, alternative moving dates should be sought.
Nearly 400 people in Miami-Dade County have died of complications of the novel coronavirus over the last few months. Now, one of those deaths is being investigated as a murder.

The unusual case involves a luckless man named Johnny Copeland, 44, who died late last month of COVID-19 with contributing problems of pneumonia, obesity and hypertension. But with all that, the Miami-Dade Medical Examiners Office ruled the chief cause of death was from complications of a gunshot wound that left Copeland paralyzed in 1997.

With his death ruled a homicide, Miami detectives must try and track down who was to blame in a shooting that happened 23 years ago.

Copeland life was marked by bad breaks . He was also a victim in ongoing criminal court case  his wife, Miami-Dade police said, abandoned him in an empty house and he was discovered dehydrated and disoriented, covered in feces and urine.

And when the global pandemic broke out, Copeland was living at the North Dade Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, a facility that wound up getting hard hit by the virus, with 38 residents testing positive. At least three residents have died.

Copelands sister, Robin Jones, says she is frustrated that the nursing home didnt do enough to prevent the spread of the virus. Copeland, complaining of having trouble breathing, was transferred to Jackson North Medical Center. He sounded upbeat but his condition worsened quickly. He died on April 29.

He wasnt scared of anything. He wasnt scared of death, Jones said. Hed already been through the worst of everything.

Copelands death continued a series of heartbreaks for his family. Another of Jones brothers also died last month, of colon cancer. Their grandmother  with whom Copeland was close  passed away a couple years ago, also of cancer.

Like her brother, Jones was also the victim of a crime. She was stabbed 15 times by the father of her children; she barely survived and had to learn to walk again.

Through the familys ups and downs, Copeland was a steadying presence, despite his disability.

He was shot in the summer of 1997, at age 20. Relatives say they know few details about the circumstances of the shooting but do not believe anyone was arrested.

Miami police detectives say they are researching the case to determine the exact date, and whether it even happened within city limits.

We are pulling the file, said Miami police spokeswoman Kenia Fallat.

Copeland spent more than a month in a coma and rang in his 21st birthday in the hospital.

I remember singing happy birthday to him by his bedside, Jones recalled.

He struggled to accept his paralysis at first. But over the years, while surviving on government disability funds, he became self-reliant. With full use of his arms, he could get out of bed and cook for himself  his favorite dish was spaghetti with sausages.

Copeland even helped care for his sisters children when she was recovering from the 2009 butcher knife attack by her former boyfriend, Derrick Davis (he made the news after he was convicted at trial, then accidentally released by the jail one day later).

But Copelands health  mental and physical  began to deteriorate over the years. He married Jakeya Javon Brown in August 2015, records show. But the relationship became rocky quickly, and the two were living in her sisters former home in Princeton.

It was September 2015. The home was up for sale and was supposed to be empty. The owner was checking on the property and found Copeland sprawled out on the ground, his wheelchair next to him.

He was in bad shape. Hed just had a heart attack a few days earlier, and had been released from the hospital. Copeland had apparently crawled to the door but could not escape before passing out. He was so disoriented after at least two days abandoned that he could not speak to paramedics and police, according to court records.

A trachea tube, which hed had to use over the years to help breathe, had not been cleaned and he had bed sores.

The Florida Department of Children and Families opened up a investigation. An investigator finally got a hold of Brown, according to an arrest warrant, who claimed shed fainted at a nearby McDonalds and had to be taken to Kendall Regional Hospital.

But none of the McDonalds restaurants in the area had any records of 911 being called for a customer. And the Kendall hospital had no record of Brown being brought in for treatment, according to the warrant.

Miami-Dade police and prosecutors prepared a warrant for Brown. The charge: felony neglect of a disabled adult. She remained a fugitive until her arrest in 2019.

Shes pleaded not guilty and the case was still awaiting trial. Brown, reached on Tuesday, insisted the allegations werent true  and pointed out that after the incident that Copeland went to live with her for a time in Alabama.

Brown claimed shed simply overslept from a nap after dropping her daughter at a babysitter and left Copeland alone less than one day. Instead, she said, somebody broke into my sisters house and did some awful things to him.

He told me they beat on him and tried to stab him and basically just mistreated him, said Brown, who said she had not heard from her estranged husband in years.

After leaving Alabama, Copeland eventually ended up at a nursing home in Pompano Beach, and then last year back with his sister in Miami.

But his health was failing. Wracked with anxiety, he frequently called fire-rescue for transport to the hospital. He began twitching a lot. In January, he eventually moved to North Dade Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

It was hard seeing him like that, Robin Jones said. He needed full-time care. He needed a doctor.

The highly contagious virus has ravaged many Florida long-term care facilities whose residents are often elderly or infirm. State data released late last week shows that nursing homes and assisted living facilities have accounted for one in three coronavirus deaths in the state.

According to Florida Department of Health statistics, the North Dade facility has logged 38 positive cases, plus two staff members who have contracted the virus. As of Friday, three COVID-19 deaths stemmed from the facility, and a fourth was under investigation.

The center did not return a call Tuesday seeking comment on his case.

Jones last saw her brother in early March, bringing him his usual favorite bags of gummy candies. Copeland didnt seem too concerned about the pandemic, even as state began to shut down segments of society and barred visitors from visiting nursing homes.

She had no idea Copeland had been transferred to Jackson North Hospital until the hospital, not the nursing home, called her. Her brother was having trouble breathing. His kidneys soon failed.

Im frustrated. How did they not do anything to prevent this? Jones said of the nursing home. To me, its negligence.



2020 Miami Herald

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Jennifer Garner was spotted out on a Los Angeles stroll this Tuesday with all three of her children as well as two other women.

The 48-year-old actress and all her companions all kept an eye to safety for their outing, putting on masks before stepping outside.

She shares her three children Violet, 14, Seraphina, 11, and Samuel, eight, with her amicable ex-husband Ben Affleck.

On the go: Jennifer Garner was spotted out on a Los Angeles stroll this Tuesday with all three of her children as well as two other women

For her latest excursion Jennifer wore a casually stylish sweater that featured the word: 'NATURE' splashed across the front.

Letting her dark hair down, she slipped into a pair of dark sweats and accessorized the ensemble with shades and a wristwatch.

Jennifer and her eldest daughter could be seen doing a little dance in the street as they took in some sun on Cinco De Mayo.

Violet could occasionally also be seen pushing along a stroller that contained Jennifer's cat, whom the family were also seen out with last month.

Due diligence: The 48-year-old actress and all her companions all kept an eye to safety for their outing, putting on masks before stepping outside

Family matters: She shares her three children Violet, 14, Seraphina, 11, and Samuel, eight, with her amicable ex-husband Ben Affleck

California casual: For her latest excursion Jennifer wore a stylish sweater that featured the word: 'NATURE' splashed across the front

The look: Letting her dark hair down, she slipped into a pair of dark sweats and accessorized the ensemble with shades and a wristwatch

Ben is currently dating his Deep Water co-star Ana De Armas, and the pair have gone into self-isolation together amid the coronavirus pandemic.

They were frequently seen packing on the PDA during loved-up outings in Los Angeles and last Thursday on her 32nd birthday they went Instagram official.

The dynamic duo were apparently enjoying a getaway to an isolated desert retreat where Ana was treated to cake and balloons for her big day.

Meanwhile Jennifer and her longtime businessman boyfriend John Miller are reportedly in lockdown separately with their respective children.

Having a ball: Jennifer and her eldest daughter could be seen doing a little dance in the street as they took in some sun on Cinco De Mayo

Feline friend: Violet could occasionally also be seen pushing along a stroller that contained Jennifer's cat, whom the family were also seen out with last month

An In Touch insider gossiped that 'because of the whole social distancing thing' Jennifer 'hasn't seen much' of her beau.

However another source told the same outlet that the couple are still 'doing great' as 'Hes got a separate life from Jens Hollywood world, so it works for them.'

Jennifer is copacetic with Ben dating Ana, according to an Us Weekly source who clarified: 'Jen has completely moved on from Ben in a romantic sense.'

The insider dished: 'She considers him a friend, thinks he is a good dad to their children and respects him. She is happy in her own life and supportive of him and happy for him and his relationship.'

Meanwhile: Jennifer and her longtime businessman boyfriend John Miller are reportedly in lockdown separately with their respective children

Jennifer and Amy Adams announced on social media in March they would read children's books on Insta Stories to raise money.

The duo launched this Save With Stories venture to encourage donations to Save The Children and No Kid Hungry.

Their aim is to help underprivileged children whose access to school lunches has been cut off by the widespread school closures due to the pandemic.

They have attracted help from a string of other celebrities including Hilary Duff, Camila Cabello, Lupita Nyong'o, Brie Larson, Noah Centineo and Beanie Feldstein.

Details: An In Touch insider gossiped that 'because of the whole social distancing thing' Jennifer 'hasn't seen much' of her beau
After a third patient in Motozintla, Chiapas was diagnosed with COVID-19, an angry mob of around 300 stormed the town's Social Security Institute hospital demanding to examine the patient themselves to make sure whether he have the coronavirus.

According to a recent article, doctors and nurses refused them entry.

The angry mob also demanded a meeting with the hospital's director and the region's political representative. Still, the hospital personnel called in the army and the National Guard to defuse the situation.

It all began when friends and family members of the infected patient took to social media their advocacy to "rescue" the patient from the hospital and claimed that the coronavirus diagnosis is a government conspiracy that aims to kill people.

The protesters bombarded the "Mercado Libre Motozintla" Facebook group, which usually functions as a sort of virtual yard sale, with messages urging members to leave their homes and march to the hospital.

"Coronavirus is a lie, let's not fall for it," one member wrote.

The crowd also called for the government to lift the stay-at-home guidelines because, they said, the virus does not exist.



Check these out:



But some members of the Facebook group opposed the protest.

"Motozintla has not understood the danger involved in continuing to expose oneself, not complying with the prevention measures against Covid-19, and people continue to believe that this disease does not exist or is a government lie," one member posted. "Hopefully, soon, people will stop believing in email chains and videos that a random person invents just to generate panic."

In other parts of Mexico, people also said they don't believe COVID-19 is real.

In an article by Latin Post, vendors of overpriced hand sanitizers in the streets of Mexico City claimed they do not believe the news of the virus. They said that people were wasting their money on hand sanitizer despite benefiting from the fear caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It's a rumor. The whole world's getting sick, but this is utter nonsense from the federal and world governments," said one vendor. "You go and find out who caused this disorder."

As of Tuesday, there are already 26,025 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Mexico, with 2,507 deaths.



Why do some people believe COVID-19 is a hoax?

Dr. Joseph Pierre, Health Sciences Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, explained that a pandemic on the scale of what a COVID-19 has done has not occurred since the influenza pandemic of 1918 that killed 50 million or more people worldwide.

"Since few of us were around then, and given medical advances in the form of preventative vaccines and antiviral medications since that time, it's hard for us to imagine that a "flu-like" illness could be so destructive," he said.

He also cited the "optimism bias," a general tendency that people tend to underestimate personal risks, as a likely contributor. The fact that the elderly and immunocompromised are at higher risk that those younger and healthier ones make them invalidate the possibility of getting infected.

Aside from those, some political leaders suggested it might be a hoax, despite the load of information provided by credible sources like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which created the differences in people's level of concern about COVID-19.

Throughout centuries, viruses have been responsible for wiping a large percentage of the human population. If we don't want history to repeat itself, the best option is to get informed and slow the spread of COVID-19 by practicing precautionary health measures.
Noted beauty chain, Naturals has



sought relief from both the central and state governments for business continuity in the wake of coronavirus crisis.

The city-based company has sought the intervention of the governments to provide support to pay wages to the staff following business shutdown.

"I need to pay salary to 10,000 people. The business we built passionately for 20 years is collapsing in front of our eyes," Promoter of Naturals, C K Kumaravel said.

While pointing out that the company remitted Rs 50 crore as goods and services tax last financial year, he sought to know whether the government could return 50 per cent of it to enable them to pay salaries of its employees.

"This is the time we require government's assistance.. I want support.. Please allow us to function or provide some kind of relief so that we can pay the salaries," he told PTI.

Asked whether companies can seek assistance under input tax credit, he said, "we are only asking for cash flows."



Kumaravel noted that more than 500 beauty salons of Naturals were operating under 'franchise-models' and most of them were run by women entrepreneurs.

"They are unable to pay salary for April month. If they function, we can manage. We do not know when salons will re- open," he said.

To another query, he said not just the salon industry, the state government has to extend support to micro,small and medium enterprises, which employs more than 12 crore people.

"Further delay will lead to loss of jobs, businesses and it will result in an economic pandemi,c, he claimed.

Observing that over 50 per cent of employees were migrant workers who want to go back to their respective states after being rendered jobless, Kumaravel said, "They have no other option but to return to their homes states as there is no business."



Asked whether any representation was made to the government, he said they have requested for financial aid.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A view of Baghdad international Airport, after Iraq suspended flights at its domestic airports as the CCP virus spreads, in Baghdad, Iraq on March 17, 2020. (Thaier Al-Sudani/File Photo/Reuters)

Rockets Hit Near Baghdad Airport, Launcher With Timer Found

BAGHDADThree Katyusha rockets landed in the perimeter of Baghdad International Airport on Wednesday but caused no damage or casualties, the Iraqi military said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. Security officials said it was not immediately clear whether a military base hosting U.S. troops next to the airport was the target.

The United States blames a series of rocket attacks near or on bases hosting its troops this year on Iran-aligned militia groups, although those groups have not claimed them.

Tension between the United States and Iran has ramped up over the last year, culminating in the U.S. killing of Iranian military mastermind Qassem Soleimani and Iraqs paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a drone strike at Baghdad airport in January.

Iran-backed paramilitary groups vow to avenge their deaths and rocket attacks on bases hosting U.S. troops have persisted. Rocket attacks have also hit near the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, with at least one direct hit on the compound.

After Wednesdays attack the military said it found a rocket launcher with a timer in a rural area in western Baghdad, and there were no reported damages or casualties.

The rockets were fired from the Bakriya neighborhood, about 6 km (4 miles) northeast of the airport. Security forces were deployed to search the area, security sources said.

Iraq faces the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus pandemic, a looming economic crisis, and increased security threats, including the U.S.-Iran standoff, and a resurging ISIS terrorist group, all without a sitting government.

ISIS has stepped up attacks this month including one that killed at least 10 paramilitary forces in the northern province of Salahuddin, according to paramilitary and security statements.

The U.S.-led coalition that is in Iraq to fight ISIS terrorists has begun to reduce troop numbers and consolidate soldiers into fewer bases. It says this is because Iraqi forces are now mostly able to fight ISIS remnants on their own.

Iraqi lawmakers are set to vote on a new government presented by Prime Minister-designate Mustafa al-Kadhimi later on Wednesday. It has been without a prime minister since Adel Abdul Mahdi, who remains in a caretaker capacity, resigned amid anti-government protests in November.

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report.
Texas salon owner Shelley Luther was sentenced to seven days in jail on Tuesday for refusing to shut down her business in accordance with stay-at-home orders

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has called for a salon owner to be released from jail as he slams the judge who locked her up for violating the state's stay-at-home order.

Shelley Luther, the owner of Salon a la Mode in Dallas, appeared in court on Tuesday where she was sentenced to seven days behind bars and $7,000 - $500 for each day she opened her business' doors.

Gov Greg Abbott's started phase one of Texas reopenings last week, which did not allow salons to resume business - but that didn't stop Luther from opening up.

Dallas County Judge Eric Moye found Luther in criminal and civil contempt of court and told her she owed local leaders an apology.

He gave her the opportunity to admit fault and offered to commute her sentence if she apologized for 'being selfish', but Luther refused to admit she did anything wrong.

On Wednesday, Paxton released a statement, claiming the salon owner was 'unjustly jailed'.

According to a statement from the attorney general's office, Paxton sent a letter to Moye stating that he 'abused his authority' by putting Luther in jail for trying to feed her family.

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Dallas County Judge Eric Moye (left) sentenced her to seven days. On Wednesday, Attorney General Ken Paxton released a statement, claiming the salon owner was 'unjustly jailed' and demanded that she be freed 'immediately'

Moye found Luther in criminal and civil contempt of court on Tuesday. In addition to jail time, he ordered her to pay $500 to the court for every day she opened her salon. Luther pictured in court Tuesday

The Judge gave her the opportunity to admit fault and offered to commute her sentence if she apologized for 'being selfish' but she refused saying: 'I have to disagree with you, sir, when you say that I am selfish because feeding my kids is not selfish'

'I find it outrageous and out of touch that during this national pandemic, a judge, in a county that actually released hardened criminals for fear of contracting COVID-19, would jail a mother for operating her hair salon in an attempt to put food on her family's table,' Paxton said

'I find it outrageous and out of touch that during this national pandemic, a judge, in a county that actually released hardened criminals for fear of contracting COVID-19, would jail a mother for operating her hair salon in an attempt to put food on her family's table,' Paxton said.

Paxton continued: 'The trial judge did not need to lock up Shelley Luther. His order is a shameful abuse of judicial discretion, which seems like another political stunt in Dallas. He should release Ms Luther immediately.'

Luther had said before the judge: 'I have to disagree with you, sir, when you say that I am selfish because feeding my kids is not selfish. I have hair stylists that are going hungry because they'd rather feed their kids.

'So sir, if you think the law is more important than kids being fed, then please go ahead with your decision. But I'm not going to shut the salon.'

If the salon continues to operate, the judge ordered Luther to pay $500 each day through May 8, which is when Texas will allow salons and barbershops to reopen.

'The defiance of the court's order was open, flagrant and intentional, Moye wrote in his decision. 'The defendants, although having been given an opportunity to do so, have expressed no contrition, remorse or regret for their contemptuous action.'

Luther reopened her Dallas business Salon a La Mode on April 24 and repeatedly ignored court orders to close up shop

Luther pictured holding her citation and speaking to the media after she was cited by City of Dallas officials for reopening her Salon A la Mode in Dallas, Friday April 24

Luther pictured being issued a citation by Dallas City officials on Friday April 24

A man carrying a rifle and Texas flag stands with salon owner Shelley Luther (left) and others in front of her salon on Friday April 24

Luther had received multiple citations for opening her business on April 24.

On April 24 she received a cease and desist letter from Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.

She received a court-issued temporary restraining order on April 28 mandating she close her business.

Last week on Wednesday Luther shared a Facebook Live video saying she intended to remain fully open and that it was her right to.

'I'm still here, I'm standing for your rights and Salon A La Mode is open for business,' she said.

On April 25 at an Open Texas rally to reopen businesses in Frisco, Texas, she ripped her cease and desist letter that was issued Friday into pieces before a cheering crowd.

Luther is one of many Texans who are rallying for the state to completely lift all closures and lockdown measures to reopen the economy. Pictured April 25 speaking at Open Texas rally in Frisco

Luther pictured speaking at an Open Texas rally in Frisco, Texas on April 25 where she ripped up the citation the state issued her for opening her salon

Luther says that her business needs to be open because her hairstylists need to work to provide for their families.

She argues that her salon is a safe and clean environment that doesn't pose a threat in spreading COVID-19.

'I can't afford to not stay open, and my stylists can't afford to stop working anymore,' Luther said to ABC13 over the weekend.

'We're about to lose everything and haven't gotten any help, so I had to make a decision.'

There have been widespread protests to lockdown measures in Texas, with hundreds calling on Gov Abbott to full open the state despite his incremental opening plan.

In Texas, there are more than 34,000 cases of COVID-19 and 946 deaths.
As a way to help the villages restaurants and still abide by social distancing rules, Hinsdale plans to close a block of First Street in its downtown and allow the restaurants there to set out tables for outdoor dining on the street.
Home minister Anil Deshmukh on Wednesday said 95,678 lockdown-related offences were registered in the state and at least 18,722 people were arrested in these cases. The home minister also said that 184 incidents of attacks on police were registered and 663 people were arrested in the cases since the lockdown was imposed on March 22.

Contribution of every citizen is expected in the fight against coronavirus. If there are a few relaxations given in the lockdown it does not mean the lockdown has ended. On the contrary, it is our responsibility to follow social distancing measures during this time. Therefore I appeal to all to follow rules, Deshmukh said in a statement.

The minister reiterated that stricter action will be taken against those involved in attacks on policemen and health workers, who are at the forefront of the fight against coronavirus. The minister added that 42 police officers and 414 police personnel have tested positive for coronavirus and are undergoing treatment. Covid-19 has also claimed the lives of four police personnel, including three from Mumbai.

Fines worth over Rs 3.51 crore were imposed in various cases during this period, while the police received 84,945 calls on the helpline number during the lockdown, the minister added.

Deshmukh said that the police traced and isolated 642 persons, who were stamped for home quarantine. At present, 2,11,638 have been quarantined, he added. Besides that,1,279 have been booked for flouting lockdown norms by travelling in vehicles, and 53,071 vehicles were seized, he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2020-05-06 05:00:41|Editor: huaxia

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Fighters of the UN-backed Libyan government stand on the top of a military vehicle during the conflict near Watya air base, some 140 km southwest of the capital Tripoli, Libya, May 5, 2020. For more than a year, the eastern-based army and the UN-backed government have been engaged in a vicious war over control of the capital Tripoli, despite repeated international calls for cease-fire. (Photo by Hamza Turkia/Xinhua)

TRIPOLI, May 5 (Xinhua) -- The eastern-based army of Libya on Tuesday announced killing more than 40 troops of the rival UN-backed government's forces in a military base in southwestern Libya.

"This morning, militia groups (UN-backed government's forces) desperately attempted to launch a coward attack on Watya air base (some 140 km southwest of the capital Tripoli), under Turkish air cover," the eastern-based army's information office said in a statement.

"The military units repelled this attempt, after killing more than 40 (of the UN-backed government's forces), injuring dozens, and capturing others," the statement said.

Mohamed Gonono, spokesman for the UN-backed government forces, admitted that its forces attacked the Watya air base, killing a number of soldiers of the eastern-based army and destroying 10 of their military vehicles.

For more than a year, the eastern-based army and the UN-backed government have been engaged in a vicious war over control of the capital Tripoli, despite repeated international calls for cease-fire.

The armed conflict has killed and injured many civilians, and forced more than 150,000 others to flee their homes.
Cape May County officials are hoping to incrementally reopen beaches, boardwalks, bars and other staples of its tourism industry over the next two months, but only if they can get Governor Phil Murphy to ease the statewide restrictions he implemented to fight coronavirus.

The county sent Murphy its proposal Tuesday, suggesting that non-essential businesses from hotels to whale watches can safely reopen before the peak vacation season by using mitigation measures like increased sanitation, decreased capacity and ubiquitous masking to limit the spread of the virus.

Among other things, it suggests bars and restaurants could open outdoor spaces the day after Memorial Day and hotels, rentals, retail, salons and other businesses could reopen indoor spaces with restrictions and limited capacity on June 1.

But none of that can happen unless the governor lifts or amends his executive order banning non-essential business and travel.

His office did not answer questions Tuesday about whether Murphy is considering the proposal, but did reiterate that counties and municipalities are prohibited from enacting any rule or action that conflicts with the stay at home order.

Asked at his press briefing Tuesday about when non-essential businesses could reopen, Murphy said its something his office is still carefully considering.

I cant give you a date, but this is something were looking at doing and doing it right, he said.

The 35-page proposal says the reopening makes sense given the countys relatively low case numbers  the second lowest in the state with 369 cases and 26 deaths as of Tuesday  and the importance of its tourism industry to both locals and the state economy.

Tourism creates 26,572 jobs in the county and brings in $6 billion in direct revenue and $500 million in state sales tax and local use taxes, county officials noted.

The proposal was crafted by the newly-formed Cape May County-Wide Recovery Initiative, led by Freeholders Will Morey and Leonard Desiderio and made up of mayors and business leaders.

People walk the North Wildwood beach, Saturday, May 2, 2020.Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

We hope that he is receptive to the proposal, Vicki Clark, president of the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce, said of Murphy. We proposed a plan for the progressive and thoughtful reopening of the county in a way that keeps in mind our vulnerable population and our seasonal economy."

She said businesses on the Shore are anxious to learn when they can reopen and are ready to take the steps necessary to make it happen safely. The proposal provides guidelines businesses will need to follow to reopen, giving them time to prepare, she said.

The reopening plan is based on the idea that mitigation protocols, ranging from checking employees temperatures to keeping restaurant tables six feet apart, can emulate stay-at-home results in terms of preventing new exposures.

The county noted no studies have determined whether the two can truly be equated, but said similar protocols have been used in grocery stores and other essential businesses for weeks and the state has still successfully flattened the curve. And the fact that people are accustomed to social distancing in these essential businesses shows that they can be trusted to comply with similar rules when on vacation at the Shore, county officials said.

For most, these protocols will not dramatically change what they are already doing. They will still be wearing masks and social distancing. They will still be congregating only with their family units or other discrete, small groups, the proposal said.

Beaches in Cape May County are currently open for active recreation in compliance with Executive Order 107. They could fully open for swimming and sunbathing June 1, subject to Murphy lifting the restriction and "local discretion, the proposal said.

Social distancing must be maintained and groups could not be bigger than 10 people, the document suggested. Each municipality will have to find the best way to enforce social distancing at beaches, including expanding beach patrols or entering into a shared-services agreement with other communities to increase staffing.

This effort will be paramount to maximizing the chances of a reopening and recovery without outbreaks, county officials wrote.

The proposal suggests reopening all boardwalks in the county for active recreation starting May 11 and for all activities June 1, as long as social distancing and other mitigation methods are followed.

It also says that all businesses will be expected to follow mitigation protocols from the Centers for Disease Control and industry-specific rules laid out in the proposal. They include limiting capacity, requiring staff to wear masks and gloves, increasing sanitation and disinfection, monitoring employees for symptoms and immediately removing and testing any worker with symptoms.

The county said it is ramping up testing and contact tracing, and expects businesses to have staff tested to have a concrete baseline of uninfected employees and management as they reopen.

People order from the Original Hot Spot on the Wildwoods Boardwalk, Saturday, May 2, 2020. Tim Hawk | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The proposal lays out the following timeline for reopening, while acknowledging that it cannot be met unless the governor repeals or amends his executive order.

Hotels: Hotels would open June 1 with 60% capacity and expand to full capacity on June 22.

Other rentals: Any rentals of more than 30 days can begin by May 11, with shorter term rentals beginning June 1.

Bars, restaurants, breweries, wineries and distilleries: The proposal says that bars and restaurants with outdoor service that can provide sufficient room for patrons to maintain social distancing can reopen at limited capacity on May 26. That capacity would be either 75% of the fire code limit, or the amount of seats for tables to remain six feet apart, whichever provides greater social distancing between groups. Dancing and other activities that encourage interaction should not be allowed, and service would end at midnight.

Indoor service would begin June 1 and be limited to 65% of fire code capacity or to the amount of seating available that would keep patrons six feet apart, under the proposal.

The county suggests municipalities can help these businesses safely reopen by relaxing existing rules so they can serve patrons on sidewalks or other outdoor areas.

Retail and salons: The county proposes allowing all businesses to sell items for pick up starting May 11. Indoor shopping could start June 1 but the number of people in a business must be limited so people can remain six feet apart.

Campgrounds: Campgrounds opened for seasonal visitors May 2. They will open for short-term visitors on June 1 under the proposal.

Public facilities: Outdoor parks, playgrounds and recreation areas would reopen for active recreation on May 11 and all other municipal facilities would open June 1, with the same social distancing requirements in place.

Indoor commercial recreational activities: Movie theaters, bowling alleys and other such facilities could reopen June 8, if they comply with sanitation, masking and social distancing rules.

Recreational fishing or tour vessels: Businesses could reopen May 18 but only at 50% capacity or with groups kept six feet apart.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com.
TACKLING THE CURRENT CRISIS PAVING THE WAY FOR THE FUTURE

Regulatory News:

AKKA (Paris:AKA) (BSE:AKA) (ISIN:FR0004180537):

Q1 2020 PERFORMANCE Q1 revenue down by 4.5% at 425.9 M Strong resilience of digital activities and AKKA North America Robust financial situation

2020 FIRST QUARTER REVENUE

( million) Q1 2020 Q1 2019 Growth Organic

Growth Group 425.9 446.3 -4.5% -9.2% France 152.8 169.1 -9.7% -9.7% Germany 106.8 125.6 -14.9% -14.9% North America 77.5 75.6 2.5% -0.7% International* 70.7 76.0 -6.9% -7.6% Data Respons** 18.2

* Excluding Germany and North America

** Data Respons has been consolidated since 1st March

Q1 2020 PERFORMANCE IMPACTED BY LOW Q4 GROWTH AND COVID-19 SITUATION

AKKA has been impacted in Q1 by low Q4 2019 growth due to key automotive customers' transition, B737 Max program's impact on aerospace suppliers and a lack of commercial performance. Combined with the impact of the COVID-19 situation that started to materialize in March, Group revenue was down 4.5% in the first quarter of 2020 and 9.2% organically.

Digital, Telecommunications, Energy, Defense, Railway and Life Sciences remained resilient, whereas Automotive and Aerospace suffered from the temporary closure of their production sites and from certain projects being postponed.

France and Germany were impacted by the drop in automotive and aerospace R&D whereas International and North Americas BUs proved to be resilient.

AN AGILE AND SUSTAINABLE RESPONSE TO THE CURRENT CRISIS

Launch of Fit2Clear. Performance in Q4 2019 came as a disappointment to the Group after recording 8 years of strong growth with revenue increasing from 400M in 2012 to 1.8bn in 2019. At the beginning of the year AKKA started to develop a performance-boosting initiative called Fit2Clear, aimed at further enhancing performance through a reduction of central costs, an acceleration of the nearshoring strategy for certain activities and the deployment of lean management structures to improve both net and operating margins. The implementation of this program has been accelerated by the COVID-19 crisis and is expected to start bearing fruit as early as H2 2020.

Proactively navigating COVID-19 and beyond. AKKA reacted swiftly to address the COVID-19 crisis. In order to protect the health of its employees and continue to support its clients' activity, the Group diligently and successfully took decisive steps: Setting up a secure and efficient system of remote working Re-insourcing of subcontracting and deciding of a temporary hiring freeze Taking key actions on its cost base, using all available levers from technical unemployment to SG&A reductions capex freeze Actively managing its cash collection through an accelerated invoicing process.

AKKA reacted swiftly to address the COVID-19 crisis. In order to protect the health of its employees and continue to support its clients' activity, the Group diligently and successfully took decisive steps:

Active Cash Management allows the Group's financial situation to remain strong. The Group is confident it will comply with all of its covenants at the end of June 2020 and has been successfully working towards protecting its financial capacity.

PAVING THE WAY TO EMBRACE FUTURE GROWTH

AKKA's willingness to expand its digital activity resulted in the acquisition of Data Respons. The rationale of the Data Respons acquisition, now complete, is further strengthened by the resilience of digital activities. Despite the crisis, Data Respons is still working at full capacity to propose solutions to its customers and grew 8% organically in Q1. The Group believes that innovation spurred by digital, mobility, electrification and ADAS will continue to drive demand. Consequently, the Group is accelerating the deployment of its digital strategy to emerge as a leading player in the post-crisis era.

AKKA has massively scaled up its training program with the objective of keeping onboard its highly experienced engineers to work alongside its clients when they will reaccelerate their R&D programs after the crisis. Additionally, AKKA Research has launched several R&D programs to enhance its leadership in tomorrow's technologies and to offer innovative solutions as the crisis ends.

2020 OUTLOOK

The Group expects, based on the information currently available, the second quarter to be challenging, and anticipates pro-forma decline in revenue at CER of about -15% for the first half of the year.

The Group is preparing itself to benefit from the economic recovery, hopefully due to commence in September, and therefore expects, to the best of its knowledge, a gradual recovery in Q3 and Q4.

MID TERM OUTLOOK ALLOCATION OF 1 SHARE FOR EVERY 10 SHARES HELD

AKKA continues to build on its strengths, including its financial position and long-term management approach, to emerge as a leading player in the post-crisis era.

In order to encourage long-term shareholding, the Group wishes to reward shareholder loyalty by allocating them one new share for every 10 shares held. The allocation has no impact on the cash the Group dedicates to its operations and post-crisis opportunities.

2,029,199 new shares will be allotted, which will be assimilated to existing shares (ISIN code FR0004180537) as of 18 May 2020 (Ex-date). According to European regulation, the operation will be the subject of a document specifying the reasons for and the details of the allotment. Fractional shares will be compensated in cash to each account holder on their shareholders' account.

The Group is willing to continue this strategy over the long term. It will therefore propose an amendment to its Articles of Association at its next Annual General Meeting on 16 June 2020 to offer its loyal shareholders the possibility of receiving one share for every 10 shares held for at least 24 months.

Next events:

Half-year 2020 revenue: Monday, 27 July 2020

Half-year 2020 results: Tuesday, 15 September 2020

In case of discrepancies between the French and English versions of the press release, only the English version shall be deemed valid.

About AKKA

AKKA is the European leader in digital solutions, engineering consulting and R&D services in the mobility segment. As an innovation accelerator for its clients, AKKA supports leading industry players throughout the life cycle of their products with cutting edge digital technologies (AI, ADAS, IoT/IIOT, Big Data, robotics, embedded computing, machine learning, etc.). With approximately 22,000 technology-passionate employees and half a billion Euros digital platform, AKKA is dedicated to advancing the future of industry and supporting the digital transition of its clients. The Group recorded revenues of 1.8 billion in 2019.

AKKA Technologies is listed on Euronext Paris and Brussels Segment A ISIN code: FR0004180537.

For more information, please visit www.akka-technologies.com

Follow us on: twitter.com/AKKA_Tech

GLOSSARY

Organic growth:

Growth at a constant scope and exchange rate

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200506005705/en/

Contacts:

Investor Relations

Dov Levy

VP Investor Relations

Tel: +32(0) 2 712 61 24

dov.levy@akka.eu

Media Relations

Markus Leutert

Group Head of Communications

Tel.: +32(0) 4 96 26 27 55

markus.leutert@akka.eu

FTI Consulting

akka@fticonsulting.com

Media Relations, France

Emily Oliver/Lea Truchetto

Tel.: +33(0) 1 47 03 68 15
TESDA courses are undoubtedly some of the most marketable ones at the moment. With quality at its forefront, each year, the agency witnesses an increasing enrollment into some of the accredited institutions.

Image: canva.com (modified by author)

Source: Original

Different courses are offered in their accredited private and public centers. Here is what you need to know about the authority, the courses, fees, and branches.

What is TESDA?

It is a government agency that manages and supervises technical training and skill development in the Philippines. The agency was established by the Technical Education and Skills Development Act of 1994.

The purpose of its establishment was to encourage the industry, labor, trade, and local government units to collectively participate in developing training programs for skilled workers in the country.

The authority has integrated the functions of three related government institutions and programs, They include:

National Manpower and Youth Council

Bureau of Technical Vocational Education of the Department of Education

Apprenticeship Program of DOLE

TESDA meaning

TESDA is an acronym for Technical Education and Skill Development Authority. The authority provides training, standards, programs, and policies towards technical training and skill development.

It is the overall controller and manager of the Philippine's Technical Education.

TESDA branches

Since its establishment, TESDA Philippines has expanded and extended its presence in various parts of the country. At the moment, the authority has many branches in the Philippines. They are given names according to the regions in which they are located.

What are the courses in TESDA?

TESDA courses last for days or months. The methods and school of study determine the time.

Image: facebook.com, @TESDA courses free

Source: UGC

The courses offered in the Philippines are categorized into two:

Modular courses - These courses are designed to prepare students to be technically competent, innovative, and creative. Upon passing the exams, successful students receive certificates of completion, transcripts, and diploma.

Short courses - These are programs designed to enhance skills and knowledge of learners further and prepare them to pass the National Certificate Examination in their area of specialization.

Under the above categories, there are several courses offered. Below are the top ten courses:

Shielded Metal Arc Welding (Courses I and II)

Cookery

Food and Beverage Service

Bread and Pastry Production

Housekeeping

Computer Systems Servicing

Contact Center Services

Bookkeeping

Electrical Installation and Maintenance

TESDA online courses

The Technical Education and Skill Development Authority has an online program that aims to make its services easily accessed by most of the Filipinos. TESDA Online Program (TOP) offers an effective and efficient way to deliver technical education and skills development services to all learners at a lesser cost.

READ ALSO: Trinity University of Asia location, application, courses, tuition fee (2020)

Free Webinar Registration

CPSC TVET Webinar Registration

FREE Amazon Web Services (AWS) TechTalks

Webinar Series On SEAMEO Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

21st Century Skills

Communication

Environmental Literacy

Agriculture

e-Learning for Agriculture and Fisheries

Fruit Grower

Automotive

Automotive Course from Labtech

Diesel Engine Tune-Up

Automotive Battery Servicing

Entrepreneurship

Start and Improve Your Business

STAR Online Training Program

Managing Your Personal Finances

Electrical and Electronics

Computer System Servicing

Solar Night Light Assembly

Heating, Ventilation and Air Condition

Packaged Air Conditioner Unit Servicing

HVAC by Labtech

Human Health/ Health Care

Massage Therapy NC II

Information and Communication Technology

ICT Courses

Microsoft Online Courses

Udemy Courses

Web Development using HTML5 and CSS3

Lifelong Learning Skills

Job Interview Skills Training Course

Skills to Succeed Academy

Maritime

Ships' Catering NC III (Updates)

Process Food and Beverages

Food Processing NC II

Social, Community Development and Others

Beauty Care Services (Nail Care) NCII

Tourism

Bread and Pastry Production NC II

Cookery NC II

Food and Beverage Services NC II

Front Office Services NC II

Housekeeping NC II

TVET

Trainers Methodology I

Trainers Methodology II

What are the requirements for TESDA?

The authority regulates both private and public registered institutions. It has, therefore, put in place a set of requirements to be met if one wishes to pursue training in the institutions. The requirements are as follows.

One must be eighteen years of age or above.

Must be a high school graduate.

Must be willing to undergo a pre-training assessment (YP4SC/NCAE).

Possess Barangay Clearance.

Certificate of birth

Medical certification

1x1 or 2x2 passport photo ID

However, it is essential to note that some private institutions may ask for additional requirements other than the ones listed above. Kindly visit the institutions and find out the other documents they may need.

Enrollment procedures in TESDA

There are two ways of how to enroll in TESDA. You can decide to do it online to visit an accredited institution.

Image: unsplash.com, @jeshoots

Source: UGC

For example, if you wish to enroll for a short course, you can follow the steps enumerated below.

Visit the nearest TESDA accredited institution. Ask about the availability of the training of your choice. If it is available, you will be given an entrance examination of the course of your choice. Upon passing the examination, you will be asked to hand in a list of requirements.

Once you have availed all the requirements, you will be contacted over a phone call, and you will be informed as to when you will begin the training.

READ ALSO: Our Lady of Fatima University courses, admission, tuition fee, address (2020)

How to enroll in TESDA online

An alternative way of enrolling is online. However, before doing so, you will be required to create an account on the TOP website.

To register,

Click on the Login link. Select Create a new account. Fill all the required information and create an account.

Once you are registered in the system, you can enroll in the online program of your choice and fill the TESDA application form online. You can do so by following the steps below.

Login to your account. You will be redirected to TESDA online program homepage where you will see the list of courses. Click the course you want to take. Courses are divided into modules. \Select the link of the module you want to study. At the lower-left tab, you will read Enroll me in this course. Confirm your enrollment by choosing YES in the popup window.

How much is the tuition fee in TESDA

The online courses under the TOP program are available for free. However, the vocational classes are offered at a fee. The tuition fees are accessible through the TESDA website. You can visit the site to establish the charge for your course of choice.

TESDA scholarship

The authority offers scholarship programs for students who enroll in some of their programs. The scholarship programs available include;

Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP)

Private Education Student Financial Assistance (PESFA)

Special Training for Employment Program (STEP)

Each program has different sets of requirements that must be met by the applicants.

What is TESDA contact number?

The Technical Education and Skill Development Authority has contact information available for anyone who wishes to get in touch with them. You can contact the agency through a text, a call or email.

Below is the contact information.

Phone number : (02) 8887-7777, or 0917-4794370 (Globe)

: (02) 8887-7777, or 0917-4794370 (Globe) Email address: contactcenter@tesda.gov.ph

TESDA has significantly improved skill development and training in the Philippines. It offers several courses, some of which could be studied online. With a flexible time and fee, you can enrol in some of its programs.

READ ALSO: UP Open University: courses and location

Source: KAMI.com.gh
Chinas ambassador to Washington called for an end to the blame game over the coronavirus, in the countrys most high-profile response since US President Donald Trump escalated his criticism of Beijing.

Ambassador Cui Tiankai said in a column published in the Washington Post that allegations blaming China for the outbreaks spread risked decoupling the worlds two largest economies. Increased suspicions also threatened to hurt US-China cooperation to fight the disease and restart the global economy.

It is time to end the blame game, Cui said. It is time to focus on the disease and rebuild trust between our two countries.

Click here for the complete coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic

Trump and his top aides have increasingly faulted China for the coronaviruss deadly expansion across the US and around the world. The pathogen has killed more Americans than the Vietnam War, pushed the US economy toward recession and clouded Trumps re-election prospects.

Conspiracy Theories

While Trump has accused China of a cover-up and trying to hurt him politically, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo has gone further, claiming there is enormous evidence that the virus escaped from a high-security virology laboratory near the first known outbreak in Wuhan. Pompeo has advanced the theory despite Chinese denials and a lack of consensus among US intelligence agencies examining the viruss origins.

Although Cui made no mention of the lab claim, he denounced conspiracy theories about Chinas geopolitical intentions. He also rejected calls for China to pay reparations for the damage wrought by the virus, saying similar responsibility wasnt laid on countries where H1N1 or AIDS originated.

Click here for the latest updates from the coronavirus outbreak

There is no denying that the first known case of Covid-19 was reported in Wuhan, Cui said. But this means only that Wuhan was the first victim of the virus. To ask a victim for compensation is simply ridiculous.

Cui has been seeking to ratchet down tensions with the US which have steadily escalated since he became ambassador in 2013. In March, Cui criticized a foreign ministry spokesmans tweets about whether the virus was introduced to Wuhan by US Army athletes. Last month, he urged cooperation in a similar column published in the New York Times.

Cuis latest op-ed closed with a reference to the Republican Partys first president, Abraham Lincoln, who Trump has been invoking as his re-election campaign heats up. As President Abraham Lincoln called for the better angels in his inauguration speech, I hope that the wisdom of preceding generations will guide us to choose the right side of history and work for our shared future together, Cui said.
A medical researcher said to be on the verge of making very significant coronavirus findings was found shot to death Saturday in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, local media NBC News quoted officials saying.

Bing Liu, 37, a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, was found dead inside a home in Ross Township, Pittsburgh, U.S.A., with gunshots in his head and neck, NBC News reported.

Less than a mile away, an hour after Mr Lius body was discovered, a second person, Hao Gu, 46, was found dead inside a car, authorities of Allegheny County said.

Local police detective, Brian Kohlhepp, said both men knew each other, and there are suspicions that Mr Gu killed Mr Liu before returning to his car where he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Although Mr Kohlhepp said authorities are still investigating this.

Mr Liu was said to have earned a Ph.D. in computational science from the National University of Singapore and worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon University before becoming a research associate at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

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In a statement, the University of Pittsburgh described him as an excellent mentor and prolific researcher, who had co-authored more than 30 papers. His work focused on systems biology.

Bing was on the verge of making very significant findings toward understanding the cellular mechanisms that underlie SARS-CoV-2 infection and the cellular basis of the following complications, the university said.
A joint federal-and-state task force has been created to combat a range of possible fraud, from stealing residents checks to price-gouging, lending scams and charities fraud.

Attorney General William Tong, U.S. Attorney John Durham, the FBI and Chief States Attorney Richard Colangelo announced the effort Wednesday morning in a joint statement, stressing that violators may be face civil fines and state or federal prosecution.

Later Wednesday morning, Tong joined Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle Seagull, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and Luke Frey, associate director of the Better Business Bureau of Connecticut, pointing out an increase in scams involving the purchasing of pets, and the approximately 1,000 consumer complaints field by the offices of the attorney general and Consumer Protection.

The COVID-19 Fraud Task Force will investigate fraud involving stimulus checks in which residents are asked to pay fees to access their money. Scammers also ask for personal information that the federal government doesnt require.

To those who seek to use this crisis as an opportunity to cheat, scam and defraud  stop, Tong said in a joint statement. Our office has received over a thousand complaints regarding price gouging, scams and other schemes and our attorneys and investigators are following up on each and every one. If you are aware of COVID-19-related fraud and abuse, we want to know about it.

The Justice Department is prioritizing the investigation and prosecution of COVID-19 fraud schemes and individuals who are exploiting this public health crisis for personal gain, Durham said. Our office has a dedicated COVID-19 fraud coordinator who is working closely with our state counterparts in the offices of the Attorney General and Chief States Attorney to review complaints and direct the prosecution of COVID-19-related crimes.

The task force also warned of fraudulent charities that use high-pressure tactics; price-gouging; hoarding and schemes involving the purchase of personal protective equipment; cyber fraud, including phony emails from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the World Health Organization; and false Medicaid claims data.

The task force will also be on the lookout for small business loan fraud, including so-called high-interest bridge loans from email addresses that include the logos of banks or the federal Small Business Administration; and mortgage and student loan scams.

In a related development, during a virtual news conference led by Bysiewicz Wednesday morning, several scams were discussed by Tong, Frey and Seagull, who agreed that consumers should be particularly wary of contracts for the purchase of dogs and cats that can obfuscate the actual expenses.

Its an issue that happens year-round, Seagull said, stressing the need to be cautious during pet adoptions, particularly the health of animals. Some pets can actually be quite expensive.

Trust has never been more important, Frey said, stressing the BBBs Scam Tracker service. We definitely dont want consumers to deal with scams on top of all of the other things that families, parents have to deal with right now.

He said during spring time, and in particular during the pandemic, there have been pet-ownership scams reported.

Tong said he is worried about fraudulent COVID-19 testing kits that consumers are told they can perform in their homes.

Were also very concerned about fake cures or people taking poisonous chemicals or buying purported pharmaceuticals that are supposed to cure or protect you from COVID, Tong told reporters. Any testing, any therapy, any cure for sure, any medicine should be undertaken with the advice and consultation of a licensed medical provider, your doctor or your hospital and nobody else. This is the worst kind of scam, frankly, and the worst kind of public health abuse during an emergency.

Residents can may report COVID-19 related fraud to the Task Force by contacting the Office of the Attorney General via email at attorney.general@ct.gov or by calling 860-808-5318. They may also report COVID-19 related fraud to the Department of Justices National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or by visiting www.justice.gov/disastercomplaintform.

Glitch stalls gig workers benefits

During Gov. Ned Lamonts daily briefing on Wednesday, a computer problem was revealed that has resulted in a delay for self-employed state residents awaiting unemployment benefits.

This is an entirely new system that had to be stood up from scratch, said Josh Geballe, the states chief operating officer and commissioner of the state Department of Administrative Services. With any new system thats being stood up, it has to be tested before its deployed and in the final testing a bug was encountered, so theyre fixing that. We hope to have that fixed and ready to be launched very, very soon.

Paul Mounds, Lamonts chief of staff, noted that overall, 418,000 unemployment claims have been processed, about 88 percent of the total claims that have come into the Department of Labor in the pandemic.

Early Wednesday evening Lamont and the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection announced that starting May 20, the state will resume bottle and can deposit redemptions on a limited basis until full operations June 3. Stores were given the option to stop taking deposit containers on March 17, to allow retailers to focus on sanitizing their operations.

In other coronavirus developments on Wednesday, Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle Seagull reported that there have been 72 complaints filed with her agency since restaurants were ordered closed for all but takeout and delivery on March 16, when an executive order took effect.

The allegations include violations of social-distancing policy to selling items such as mixed drinks to-go from their bars. The rule on selling alcohol-to-go is that the libations are sold in sealed containers from beverage wholesalers.

When we get notices about things like that we notify the local police, or we enforce ourselves, because right now it is strict, Lamont said. It is strict that food is just for takeout, and on May 20 it will be for takeout and outside eating. Rules are not worth much unless theyre followed and obeyed. I have found that overwhelmingly people are following the dictates, including the restaurants because nobody cares more deeply about how the consumers perceive the safety of going into a facility like that. But if there are particular places we should follow up with, well do.

Also during Lamonts briefing, the governor said that he expects that the General Assembly will be called back into session in June to debate a proposal to expand the use of absentee ballots in November. He said that older voters need the option to stay home, but still cast their ballots.

Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, said later Wednesday that Lamont hasnt reached out to him on the voting issue.

The calendar and the virus are going to dictate what we do and when we do it, Duff said in an interview. We know we have a constitutional issue and a statutory issue, but we all know that we need to make some changes for the election in November. The question is how and what.

Current law limits the use of absentee ballots to people ill, in the military, or out of their hometowns on Election Day.

Shortly after Lamonts news conference, both the House and Senate met in abbreviated, sparsely attended closings to the legislative session, which was to end at midnight Wednesday, but was essentially abandoned on the afternoon of March 11.

During about a half-hour of remarks from leaders, House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby, who is not running for reelection, said she missed the frantic-ness of the usual last day of a legislative session, even though lawmakers might be working even more daily hours at home in the pandemic.

The hardest part has been missing my friends, Democratic Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz said, declaring his friendship and love for Klarides. It is a bittersweet day.

An assistant House clerk started the half-hour ceremony with a mock bill for the pandemic 2020: An Act Concerning Immunizations.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: KenDixonCT
Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the Minority Leader in Parliament has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to withdraw the Pre-Tertiary Education Bill from the legislature to allow for a more thorough and broader national consultation on it.



He said there were legitimate and major concerns raised by stakeholders concerning the bill, hence, the need to withdraw it from Parliament and subject it to consultations and discussions by educationists, chiefs, opinion leaders, amongst other interest groups to address the concerns.



Mr Iddrisu, who is also Member of Parliament (MP) for the Tamale South Constituency in the Northern Region, made the call in Tamale on Tuesday when he presented 1000 dual desks to five basic schools in the Tamale Metropolis to support the delivery of quality basic education in the area for improved literacy and numeracy skills.



The desks, valued at GH300,000.00, formed part of the MPs portion of the Social Investment Fund. The beneficiary schools included Badariya E/A Primary at Nyohini, Nuriya Central Islamic Primary at Bulpela, Lahagu Islamic Primary, Dohini Islamic Primary and Tugu Yapala Islamic Primary.



Parliament is currently considering three Bills on Pre-Tertiary Education (2019).



Under section 32(3) of the Bill, the Head of the Local Government Service will be appointing heads and staff of the District Education Unit as well as be responsible for promotion, transfer, discipline and dismissal of staff of the District Education Unit.



Under section 32(4) of the Bill, inter-district transfer of a head teacher or staff of a basic school can only be undertaken by the Head of the Local Government Service whilst section 25(2) and 26(2) of the Bill stipulated that the President of the Republic shall be appointing Regional Directors and their Deputies and determining their terms and conditions of service.



Also, according to section 30(1c) of the Bill, the preparation, administration and control of budgetary allocations of the basic schools shall be determined by the District Assembly.



However, teacher unions in the country have kicked against some of the provisions in the Bill and have demanded further discussions on it.



Mr Iddrisu said I am not primarily against decentralisation or decentralised roles in basic education, but there are legitimate and major concerns raised by the stakeholders adding Are our Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies ready to do the responsibilities and obligations we are creating for them?



Mr Iddrisu spoke about the Pre-Tertiary Bill saying, one of the Bills sought to make secondary education a part of basic education, which was unconstitutional.



He reminded the President that he swore an oath and he swore to uphold the Constitution of Ghana. One of the Pre-Tertiary Education Bills seeks to make secondary education a part of basic education. That is unconstitutional because the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education is a constitutional provision and in that provision, it did not anticipate the addition of secondary education to basic education.



He emphasised that The President can go forward with his free secondary education but to make secondary education a necessary part of basic education is wrong in theory, practice and constitutionally.



He cited Articles 25 through to 38 of the Constitution saying The President is doing a constitutional wrong to say that secondary education should be part of basic education. He should also not forget that Ghana is part of the West African sub-region. Has he asked our neighbours whether they are doing same?



He said because there must be congruity, what the President is doing is incongruous with acceptable practice and norms in West Africa as far as basic education is concerned. Even by UNESCO definition, basic education is normally from Creche up to JHS.



Mr Tug-uu Ametus, Tamale Metropolitan Director of Education, who received the desks and handed them over to the headteachers of the beneficiary schools, said the education sector required the support of all, and lauded the MPs intervention.



Mr Ametus said there were inadequate furniture at the schools in the area and commended the MP for the gesture, which he said would help to ameliorate the situation and ensure enabling environment for quality teaching and learning at the schools.

Source: GNA









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European Union and Balkans leaders are holding talks later Wednesday aimed at reassuring six countries in the volatile region that the EU remains their most important partner, particularly as the coronavirus ravages world economies.

Amid delays over the start of EU membership talks for Albania and North Macedonia, lingering tensions between Serbia and its former territory of Kosovo, and a perception that the EU was slow to help its Balkans partners cope with the virus, concern has mounted that Russia and China might take advantage.

The summit, starting at around 1430 GMT (10:30 a.m. EDT), had been billed as a highly symbolic event to be held in Croatia, which became an EU-Balkans success story when it joined the bloc in 2013.

The country currently holds the bloc's rotating presidency until June 30. Now, the summit will be held by video conference.

The talks will include leaders from countries called the Balkan six: Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.

With the coronavirus the focus of concern, any official talks about EU enlargement are now off the table.

Instead, the EU will want to herald a new phase of close cooperation in light of the coronavirus, according to an organizational note released in Brussels.

An EU economic support package planned before the crisis is gone too, but European leaders will want to focus on 3.3 billion euros (USD 3.6 billion) in emergency coronavirus funding that it previously granted the six as it looks to burnish its credentials as a far more worthy partner to the region than Russia.

The Balkans six will be invited to affirm their European ambitions and recommit to democratic, political and economic reforms.

In a written statement to The Associated Press, North Macedonia's Prime minister Oliver Spasovski acknowledged that that the coronavirus has raised unforeseen challenges for all.

But it also brought something positive - it clearly showed that the European continent has a common destiny. The way we are dealing with the epidemic has shown that we share the same administrative, culture and other practices, he wrote.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Since the coronavirus arrived in Wyoming, weve debated how best to present the data released each day by the state. On the surface, it seems like an easy enough decision: collect the statistics, write them into an article and publish them online and in print. But thats hardly been the case.

In fact, two things have been true since Wyoming announced the first case of coronavirus here back on March 11:

People say they dont like the daily case updates.

People read the daily case updates more than almost anything else.

Thats left us in a quandary. Our web data shows that readers want this information. But my inbox and our Facebook comments suggest a segment of our readers are skeptical of the data and our motivations for publishing the numbers.

Lets start with the second part first. We publish this information because readers want it. And we publish this information because it gives a picture of how and where the coronavirus is affecting our state. Yes, there are limitations on the numbers. For one, they are almost certainly lower than reality, given that a lack of supplies meant only certain priority groups were being tested for weeks. Theres also a delay in the picture they illustrate, given the length of the virus incubation period, the amount of time that might pass before an ill person seeks medical care and the time it takes to actually process the test.

Still, the numbers have value. Consider that what they show  a few counties, such as Fremont and Laramie, have been hit particularly hard  matches what were anecdotally hearing from people living and working there. They also reflect the reality were seeing here in Casper, where the number of cases has dropped even as testing has continued at roughly the same rate. Plus, these are numbers that state leaders are analyzing as they consider whether to ease restrictions on businesses put in place to slow the viruss spread.

So it makes sense that we should share that same information with readers. The question then becomes how best to do that. What weve arrived at, in print and online, is a daily case update that includes a broad but digestible swath of information. The new cases are there, but so are the recoveries. There are definitions for what terms like probable cases and full recoveries mean. Plus there are the accompanying statistics that break down how many people are hospitalized and how people are being infected.

In print, you can find this information each day on A3. Online, we publish it shortly after 3 p.m., when the new data is released. For our online readers, we update daily several graphics and graphs that we hope makes the figures more understandable.

I hope you find this information valuable and  given how much else is happening in our lives  easy to consume. If you have thoughts on what data were publishing and how were presenting it, please let me know. Im rarely in the office these days, but you can always reach me at josh.wolfson@trib.com.

As always, thank you for reading the Star-Tribune and for supporting local journalism that asks questions, that tells stories and that investigates. If youre not yet a subscriber, I hope youll consider joining us at trib.com/members/join.
Based on The End of October, Lawrence Wright may be the most prescient author on the planet

Lawrence Wright is the author of The Looming Tower, the definitive book about the rise of al-Qaida leading up to and including the groups 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2001. He also wrote Going Clear about the prison of belief that is the cult of Scientology. He has written several other non-fiction books that should be read by all Americans. The End of October is his first novel and it is the most prescient novel ever written as it tells of a virulent pandemic that begins in Indonesia and subsequently takes over the globe much like COVID-19. The virus in the book is far more serious than what the world is dealing with at this moment in time, but the extenuating consequences are eerily similar and by now familiar.

Wright had to have written this book well before the onset of the Wuhan flu.

Because Wright is a researcher at heart, the attention to detail in the book  medical, microbiological, epidemiological  is more informative than the hundreds of articles published about COVID-19 for laymen. And yes, Wright shows that ideological bias, if not exactly political, does infect these branches of science that are so crucial to the health of humans. Although Drs. Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx might have been two of his sources, they are not listed in the acknowledgments. Yet Wright has clearly done his homework with countless other experts in many relevant fields.

Without spoiling the thread of the story, it's worth saying that Wright accurately predicts many of the immediate and the long-term consequences of a pandemic. Readers will be shocked at how he has foreseen exactly so many of the effects we have all endured with the current flu. Again, the virus in the book is much more catastrophic but the exponential reverberations across the planet are not so different. The book makes clear how crucially important our experts in these sciences are; not the ones on TV who meddle in public policy but the ones who spend their lives in laboratories fraught with danger to solve the mysteries of the viruses that routinely appear as outbreaks in confined places or spread across the earth without regard for race, class or gender. Wright offers a very complete and fascinating history of all the pandemics that have come before this one.

This is terrific book but it is not for the faint of heart; its not for anyone who is fearful of COVID-19 or living in a hot spot like New York City. That it was completed and released this month has to have been inadvertent, coincidental but weirdly prognostic. Virology and epidemiology were, until now, incomprehensible fields to most of us outside of the medical discipline. We have all learned a great deal about the flu in all its manifestations these past four months. Readers of this book will learn much, much more, more than may ever have wanted to know but will be left with a profound respect and awe for those who devote their lives to deciphering viruses and finding vaccines and cures for those that make us sick or kill us.

There is much more to the story than the pandemic but it is the disease that is the basis for all the other action and storylines. It is a gripping ride for those not easily frightened by fiction that gets too close to reality for comfort. This is not escapism. Its neither a Brad Thor thriller nor a Daniel Silva tale of international intrigue though there is a some of that. It is something of a gift for those of us who may have, until now, taken for granted our healthy insularity and the nearly absolute primacy of the American medical establishment. We should all be profoundly grateful for those who have kept this country going throughout this coronavirus crisis and for all those who have been working around the clock to ameliorate its effects and end it. We also all need to be personally more prepared for the unexpected eventualities that are a part of life on earth earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, forest fires, and pandemics. No government, state or federal, can be expected to rescue us from what nature deems we must endure.

Image credit: Twitter screen shot
A large-scale survey has found people in Ireland feature among countries with the highest subjective wellbeing in the EU, even amid the Covid-19 crisis.

Eurofound surveyed 8,700 Irish people last month and found their overall satisfaction with life and overall happiness are slightly above the EU average.

In terms of employment status, students had the lowest life satisfaction (5.2) followed by unemployed people (5.7), who usually score lowest.

Self-employed people in Ireland had somewhat higher life satisfaction than employees (6.7 vs. 6.5), while the reverse was true in the EU overall (6.2 vs. 6.4) and retired people had the highest (7.4).

On the other hand, optimism about the future among respondents in Ireland remained high in comparison to most other countries: 59% of respondents (compared with 45% in the EU overall) said that they were optimistic about their own future. When asked about their childrens or grandchildrens future, 55% were optimistic (compared with 33% of EU respondents overall).

As expected, people who were unemployed were the least likely to be optimistic (48%).

Irish respondents scored 63 on the mental well-being scale of 0-100  the third highest in the EU after Denmark and Luxembourg  compared to the EU average of 59.

Despite cocooning measures put in place by the government for older groups, people aged 50 or older had the highest mental well-being (65), followed by those aged 3549 (63), while the youngest group aged 1834 had the lowest (59). Students were among those with the lowest mental well-being (58), even lower than that of the unemployed (62).

While anxiety about health and the economy spread across Europe, Irish respondents were found to be less likely to say they felt tense all or most of the time than on average in the EU (13% vs. 18%), but feeling tense was much more common among young people (20%). Irish respondents were also

less likely than the EU average to feel downhearted and depressed (9% vs. 13%) and despite the introduction of restrictions in Ireland earlier than other countries, they reported feeling lonely less often (12% vs. 16%). However, 22% of people living on their own felt lonely all or most of the time.

Nearly a third (32%) of Irish respondents reported they lost their jobs (or contracts in the case of self-employed) either temporarily or permanently due to the COVID-19 crisis. This was higher than EU respondents reported overall (28%).

Both in Ireland and the EU on average, self-employed respondents were more often affected by job/contract loss (72% of people who lost their job were self-employed).

15% of working respondents in Ireland said it is very likely or rather likely that they would lose their job in the next three months, which is around the same as the EU average (16%).

Almost half of Irish respondents (46%) said their working hours had decreased, while 20% experienced an increase in their working hours. Women among Irish respondents were more likely to have had their working hours increase than men (22% vs 19%).

File photo.

Among Irish respondents still working, worklife balance was reported to be somewhat better than the EU average on both family and work-related measures. Among working respondents, Irish men were more often worried about work when not working, but Irish women were more often too tired after work to do the necessary household jobs than men, and they also more often found it difficult to concentrate on their job or give it enough time.

Working from home with children present may account for at least some of the gender differences, with women on average continuing to do more housework and childcare, while for some workers it may have improved worklife balance. Fewer respondents in Ireland than in other countries worked

from home regularly before the outbreak (13% did so at least several times a week compared with 17% in the EU), but 43% started teleworking as a result of Covid-19, higher than the EU average (37%). A third (33%) of working people with children under 12 in the household also started working

from home. Of all those respondents working from home in Ireland at present, nearly a third (32% vs. 26% in the EU on average) live in households with children under 12, with another 10% living with children aged 1217.

16% of respondents in Ireland reported difficulties making ends meet, which is less than the EU average (23%). A greater proportion of self-employed people had such difficulties (26%), even more than those unemployed (23%).

Over a third of Irish respondents (36%) said their financial situation was worse than three months ago, similar to the EU average (38%). The same proportion of people expected that over the next three months their financial situation would deteriorate.

Irish respondents were more likely to have at least some savings than the EU average, with 22% having no savings at all (28% in the EU overall). About a third of respondents (35%) said their savings would be enough to keep the household going for up to three months, and 11% stated they could afford to live off their savings for a year or more, which is less than the EU average at 14%. Self-employed people had savings more than others with just 18% having none, and they were on average in a better situation than the self-employed in the EU (23% of self-employed in the EU overall had no savings).

People aged 50 or over were most likely to have savings in Ireland (just 18% had none compared to 28% in the EU), with most of this group having enough to last up to three months, while people aged 3549 were most likely to have no savings at all (30%, same as the EU average).

Almost one in ten Irish respondents (9%) was unable to pay their rent or their mortgage: again, this was more common among self-employed (18%) and unemployed people (22%). In addition, 7% of respondents in Ireland thought it was likely that they would have to leave their accommodation in the next few months because they could no longer afford it. Accommodation insecurity and arrears in Ireland were similar to average EU levels in this survey.
MADISON  With the current schools superintendents departure just two months away, the town has tapped a temporary replacement, Board of Education Chairwoman Katie Stein announced Wednesday.

Dr. JeanAnn Paddyfote, who served as New Milfords superintendent of schools for 10 years until her retirement in 2016, will take over as Madison schools chief in July.

Obviously, Im very excited to be serving as interim in Madison, Paddyfote said. Im humbled and honored to be able to have that assignment.

Paddyfote will replace Thomas Scarice, who after eight years on the job is leaving to head up Westport schools.

The Board of Education is very pleased to welcome Dr. JeanAnn Paddyfote to Madison Public Schools, Stein said in a statement posted to the districts Facebook page. She brings with her a wealth of administrative experience in public education and special education. We are thrilled to have such a respected and experienced administrator in place to lead our district in these challenging times.

Paddyfote spent 36 years working for New Milford schools, where she held roles ranging from special education teacher to special services director to assistant superintendent, and where she ultimately became the head of the district, according to the statement.

And she is no stranger to helping districts transition, either. After leaving New Milford, Paddyfote served as an interim superintendent three times  twice for Ridgefield and once for Avon, she said.

The unprecendented times of the coronavirus pandemic raise questions about when and how school will resume, Paddyfote pointed out.

I think the challenge will be: where do we go from here? she said.

During her time in Ridgefield, Paddyfote gained some experience with the educational challenges the pandemic poses, staying on long enough to lead the district as it entered the early phases of distance learning, she said.

Paddyfotes goal in Madison will be to make sure everything is ready and in good order for the next superintendent, she said. She will seek to address any district challenges by working with all stakeholders, including parents, students, teachers and the Board of Education, she continued.

I want to make sure that were all working together collaboratively, consistently and effectively, Paddyfote said.

Scarice announced his departure in early April, barely a week after a tense Board of Education meeting at which one member criticized his leadership.

The superintendent cited the Westport school districts renowned reputation, the quality of its Board of Education members and its larger size compared to Madison as reasons for leaving.

Without question, this been the most difficult professional decision of my career, Scarice told parents in an email. Serving as Superintendent in Madison has been a great honor and the most rewarding 8 years of my career.

Meanwhile, the town continues to look for a long-term replacement. It put out a request for proposals from potential search consultants, according to Madisons website, which indicates bidding will close Friday.

meghan.friedmann@hearstmediact.com
The Hainan island in the south of China hosted over 1.3 million tourists during the May Day holiday, according to local authorities.



Tourism revenue generated during the five-day holiday totaled 994 million yuan (about 140 million U.S. dollars), said the provincial departments of tourism, culture, radio, television and sport.

Tourist attractions in Hainan received about 770,000 visitors. However, to practice social distancing and to ensure the safety of tours, the tourist sites were required to receive no more than 30 percent of their designed daily visitor capacity. Visitors had to pre-book tickets online and had their temperature checks before entering.

Duty-free shopping became a highlight in the holiday consumption. Four duty-free shops on the island received 71,121 customers and raked in over 298 million yuan in sales.
Amaravati, May 6 : Under fire from various quarters for allowing sale of liquor during lockdown, YSR Congress Party government in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday decided to reduce the number of liquor shops by 15 per cent.

The government said the decision to reduce the number of shops from 3,500 to 2,934 is in furtherance of its stated policy of prohibition in a phased manner.

With this, the number of shops has been reduced by 33 per cent since YSRCP came to power in May last year.

The government had last year taken control of the retail liquor business by cancelling the licenses of private dealers. The number of shops was then reduced by 20 per cent - from 4,380 to 3,500.

State-owned Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation Ltd has been running the shops since October last year.

Meanwhile, huge rush was seen for a third straight day at liquor shops across the state. Flouting social distancing norms at several places, the tipplers were seen vying with each other to buy the liquor.

Undeterred by increase in the liquor prices by 75 per cent, the liquor lovers queued up in large numbers at the outlets.

After a gap of 43 days, the state had re-opened liquor shops on Monday with a 25 per cent price hike. The shops were opened in all areas except in containment zones. As it came under flak from the opposition and the women's groups for allowing liquor sale, Jagan Mohan Reddy government on Tuesday further hiked the prices by 50 per cent. It said the move was aimed at discouraging liquor consumption.

However, going by the huge rush at the outlets on Wednesday, it is clear that the price hike failed to dampen the spirits of the tipplers.

On the first day, liquor worth Rs 68 crore was sold at 2,345 outlets. On the second day only 1,500 shops were opened and that too only for the half day. The second day sales were Rs 40 crore.

The 75 per cent hike is expected to fetch the state government an additional excise revenue of Rs 15,000 crore per annum.

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy directed the police department to control the flow of liquor from other states and illicit liquor.

Meanwhile, in an innovative way to ensure social distancing, Srikakulam district administration issued orders that liquor be sold to only those carrying umbrellas. The customers queued at the outlets were all carrying umbrellas and wearing face masks.
In her 2018 debut novel, The Bookshop of Yesterdays, Amy Meyerson took her main character from Philadelphia to Los Angeles to embark on a literary scavenger hunt.

In her second, The Imperfects (Park Row, $27.99), the Friends Central grad brings the story of a fractured family and a mysterious heirloom to her hometown (with stops in L.A., New York, and Vienna).

When a spectacular lost diamond is found in the brooch her grandmother left her, Rebecca Beck Miller embarks on a mission to prove that the bequest was acquired honestly. Along the way she learns that her grandmother was among 50 Jewish children who had been rescued from the Nazis by a Philadelphia couple (a nod, with names changed, to the story of Philadelphians Gilbert and Eleanor Kraus, which was told in a 2013 HBO documentary).

 READ MORE: Documentary recalls Philadelphia couple's heroic Holocaust mission

We talked with Meyerson, who teaches writing at the University of Southern California, about lost gems, found stories, and why family histories fascinate her.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

So which came first, the story or the decision to set it here in Philadelphia?

They were kind of simultaneous. My first book, The Bookshop of Yesterdays, is mostly set in L.A., with a little bit at the beginning in Philadelphia. I really enjoyed writing about Philadelphia for that book and getting to revisit it. And then when I was doing events for the first book, I was still very early in [working on] The Imperfects, but I kept mentioning at my events that I was thinking about setting it in Philadelphia, and everyone got really excited.

And then when I was researching and I kind of stumbled upon the Krauses. I was like, oh, this is perfect. For me, what happens a lot with writing is that I have instincts that I want to do something and I dont know why necessarily. But then, later on in the process, something unfolds that tells me it was the right decision.

You used the story of a real lost stone, the Florentine Diamond, and gave it, perhaps, an even more colorful history. Why the Florentine?

I knew I wanted to write about a diamond that had some historical significance. Initially, I thought I was going to write about one of the Romanov stones. But that was around the 100-year anniversary of the Russian revolution and I knew there was a lot of stuff coming out about the Romanovs. So I honestly just did a Google search for famous missing stones.

To me, anyway, it had the most interesting background. Even before it went missing, theres a lot of contradicting stories about how it ended up in Europe. It belonged to the Medicis and then it belonged to the Hapsburgs. But theres all of these really rich rumors of its earlier ownership. Every article I read had competing dates and competing ownership. It gave me more room to deviate from any truth because there wasnt sort of a singular truth about this diamond.

Does using true stories as a jumping-off point make storytelling easier, or does it add pressure to get even the fiction right?

I would say both. Part of why I changed the Krauses name is because I wanted to be inspired by their story, but I didnt want to feel an obligation of telling it 100%. What I really like about research is that it gives you plot points for writing. The whole backstory of my novel came out of true points of history. So in that regard, it made it easier.

I think the challenge was that I was writing about some figures that havent been written about that much, especially in English.

When you take away the mystery and the history, this is a family story, and the second youve written involving an inheritance. What is it about what happens after a family death that particularly interests you?

I didnt grow up in a family where generations were really close. My grandparents on one side lived in Pittsburgh. The other side, they werent in the picture. And I think as I get older, I have a lot of regrets over all the stories about my family that I dont know. And that I cant really know.

So Im really interested in this idea of what you can discover about the past, based on whats left behind. And I like in my books being able to allow the characters to discover more than Ive been able to discover about my own family. I think it primarily comes from this place of regret.

You recently became a mother. Did that change the way you think about family?

I think so. My immediate family has always been very close, but I think it does change the way I think about heritage. I dont have as many stories of the past as my parents do, and sort of thinking about the future, I want to be able to tell him what I know and more.

Your book is being published at a time when some people may have more time to read, but arent able to gather in places like bookshops. How different is promoting this book going to be from your first?

The mechanics of it are fairly different. But the essence of it is the same  you just want to get it in front of readers. I still think that word of mouth is the most powerful form of publicity for a book. The biggest trouble right now is that unless you get a ton of coverage, the way that most people encounter a book is walking into a bookstore and seeing it on a table. And, you know, booksellers will hand-sell books theyre passionate about. I think the struggle right now is figuring out how to replicate that online.

Amy Meyerson will be in conversation with author Angie Kim at 6:30 p.m. May 14 in a virtual event on Zoom sponsored by the Cherry Hill Library and Haddonfields Inkwood Books. Information on registering is available at chplnj.org. Copies, some signed, can be ordered from inkwoodnj.com/shop.
Artificial intelligence (AI) may be an aid to interpreting ECG results, helping healthcare staff to diagnose diseases that affect the heart.

Researchers at Uppsala University and heart specialists in Brazil have developed an AI that automatically diagnoses atrial fibrillation and five other common ECG abnormalities just as well as a cardiologist. The study has been published in Nature Communications.

An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a simple test that can be used to check the heart's rhythm and electrical activity. The results are shown on a graph that can reveal various conditions that affect the heart. The tool is routinely used in healthcare and each ECG needs to be interpreted manually by a cardiologist.

The new study demonstrates that an AI is capable of automatically diagnosing the abnormalities indicated by an ECG.

The AI was initially trained on a database comprising over two million ECGs that had already been diagnosed manually. In this way, it can learn to recognise typical patterns for the six most common ECG abnormalities and then make a diagnosis of another patient with one of these conditions - with the same precision as a cardiologist.

The method is currently not ready for use in clinics and hospitals; however, the researchers believe that it offers great potential for improved cardiovascular care in low and middle-income countries where large parts of the population lack the same level of access to specialists who are able to interpret ECG results as we enjoy in Sweden.

This is the first result of a collaboration that we have built up over the past two years. I have great confidence that in the future this type of deep collaboration between AI researchers and medical researchers will be able to create new knowledge that can help people enjoy a better quality of life," Thomas Schon, Professor of Automatic Control

Schon works in machine learning and AI at Uppsala University and was responsible for the technical part of the study.

The mathematical model (known as a deep artificial neural network) on which the study is based is a good example of the basic concept behind machine learning, where computers build their own model and then use it to learn to solve tasks based on collected data.

The method differs from the classic method of working with a computer where the computer is manually programmed to perform a very specific task. The results for many problems have proved to be better when machine learning is used and the computer itself is allowed to identify patterns from gathered figures, texts, diagrams and images.
NEW YORK, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Rosemary Extract Market is expected to grow from USD 240.13 Million in 2018 to USD 347.13 Million by the end of 2025 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.40%.







Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05871425/?utm_source=PRN







The positioning of the Global Rosemary Extract 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 Rosemary Extract Market including are Changsha E.K HERB Co., Ltd., FLAVEX Naturextrakte, Frutarom Industries Ltd., Kalsec Inc., Naturalin Bio-Resources Co., Ltd, Danisco A/S, Geneham Pharmaceutical, Hainan Super Biotech Co., Ltd., and Kemin Industries.



On the basis of Form, the Global Rosemary Extract Market is studied across Liquid and Powder.



On the basis of Nature, the Global Rosemary Extract Market is studied across Conventional and Organic.



On the basis of Application, the Global Rosemary Extract Market is studied across Food and Beverages, Personal Care Industry, and Pharmaceuticals.



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 Rosemary Extract Market

2. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and new product developments in the Global Rosemary Extract Market

3. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyzes the markets for the Global Rosemary Extract Market

4. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new products launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the Global Rosemary Extract Market

5. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players in the Global Rosemary Extract Market



The report answers questions such as:

1. What is the market size of Rosemary Extract market in the Global?

2. What are the factors that affect the growth in the Global Rosemary Extract Market over the forecast period?

3. What is the competitive position in the Global Rosemary Extract Market?

4. Which are the best product areas to be invested in over the forecast period in the Global Rosemary Extract Market?

5. What are the opportunities in the Global Rosemary Extract Market?

6. What are the modes of entering the Global Rosemary Extract Market?



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05871425/?utm_source=PRN



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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.



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Jacinda Ardern was so eager to get out of the house this morning she didn't notice nappy cream smeared on her coat.

The working mother-of-one said she'd 'spare everyone the details' of the mishap, but was praised by her followers for her ability to multitask and her honesty.

Ms Ardern is currently leading New Zealand through the coronavirus pandemic, and is the envy of the world for her nation's success in flattening the curve and almost eradicating the virus entirely.

'Why is it only when you are the furtherest you could possibly be from a change of clothes before you notice that you have nappy cream on you?' she wrote on Instagram on Wednesday morning.

Jacinda Ardern shared a photo of nappy cream on her pink coat after changing Neve before work

The 39-year-old Kiwi leader worked right through her pregnancy and returned to work after six weeks of maternity leave. She has sat in parliament with Neve since returning to work

The 39-year-old's only daughter, Neve, will be two next month.

The PM led her country right up until Neve's birth and returned to work after just six weeks maternity leave, opting to juggle new motherhood and watching over the population of five million.

Ms Ardern's fans commended her honesty for sharing the candid moment.

'Thanks for keeping it real,' one wrote.

'So lovely to see the human side of a politicians life - such a huge change.'

Ardern has been praised for her ability to juggle motherhood and leading the nation. Pictured with Neve on February 4 at an official event

Others took the opportunity to thank the PM for her leadership during the coronavirus crisis, as well as the White Island volcano tragedy and Christchurch mass shooting.

One follower said she shouldn't beat herself up for missing the nappy cream as she left for work in the morning because she would have been 'too busy being the world's best prime minister'.

'This just screams mama life.'

The Kiwi leader has been praised for her transparency during the coronavirus crisis, with the New York Times labelling her leadership a 'master class in how to respond.'

There are just 1,486 known cases of the deadly respiratory infection in New Zealand, including 20 deaths.
India's edible oils import declined by 34 per cent to 7,90,377 tonne during April mainly due to logistics related issues during the lockdown, industry body SEA said on Wednesday.

Import of palm oils showed a drastic decline in April, while shipment of soft oils like soybean and sunflower oils rose, it said in a statement.

India, the world's leading vegetable oil buyer, had imported 11,98,763 tonne of edible oils during April 2019.

"The drop in April is mainly due to logistics issues at destinations as well as at discharge ports," Mumbai-based Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA) said in a statement.

Among palm oils, import of RBD palmolein fell 87 per cent to 29,750 tonne in April 2020 from 2,38,479 tonne in the year-ago month after the commodity was placed under a restrictive list of imports on January 8, 2020, it said.

Last year, Malaysia had shipped excessive RBD palmolein to India taking the benefit of lower duty concession, SEA said.

Even import of crude palm oil and crude palm kernel oil registered 14 per cent drop in inbound shipments during November-April period due to slump in demand during the lockdown period, it noted.

According to SEA, the decline in palm oil imports has led to rise in shipments of soft oils. Soybean and sunflower oils imports rose by 13 per cent and 12 per cent, respectively in the six-month period, thanks to household demand for consumer packs.

However, total shipment of edible oils fell by 14 per cent to 61,82,184 tonne during November-April period of the 2019-20 oil year from 72,03,830 tonne in the year-ago same months.

The oil year runs from November to October.

SEA made it clear that the April import data was provisional and it would release the complete data once the situation returns to normal and it is able to access shipment details from all sources.

India imports palm oil mainly from Indonesia and Malaysia, and a small quantity of crude soft oil, including soybean oil from Argentina. Sunflower oil is imported from Ukraine and Russia.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hyderabad, May 6 : Union Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy on Wednesday revealed that the Centre allowed reopening of liquor shops during the third phase of the nationwide lockdown following requests from Chief Ministers of different states.

He said during a videoconference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, these Chief Ministers, including of BJP-ruled states, sought reopening of liquor shops, citing loss of revenue to the states since the beginning of the lockdown in March.

The Chief Ministers told the Prime Minister that their states don't even have money to pay salaries to their government employees.

Reddy revealed this during a webinar organized by the Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI) on 'Understanding MHA guidelines'.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has allowed reopening of liquor shops in all three zones -- green, orange and red.

Karunendra S Jasti, President, FTCCI, said the industry was pained to see the reopening of liquor shops in red zones but not the shops dealing in essentials.

Reddy also claimed that many US companies with operating base in China are now looking towards India, post Covid-19.

He said the Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday morning had a web discussion with many US companies, of which 60 evinced interest to relocate to India from China.

Reddy said the central government was taking all measures to control the coronavirus and at the same time opening up the economic activities in orange and green zones. He claimed that so far Rs 2,50,000 crore were spent in fighting Covid at the central and state levels.

He said in March the country had one testing lab in Pune but now it has 821 testing labs. "As many as 251,523 isolated dedicated beds for Covid patients have been made ready along with 27,000 ICU beds. The government has placed orders for 60,884 ventilators, of which we have already got 19,000," Reddy said.

The Minister said the government made arrangements for the travel of migrant labourers to their hometowns by arranging buses and trains on humanitarian grounds.

He said 107 trains were pressed into service till Wednesday for the migrant people in 12 states.

He said the central government was also bringing in Indians stranded abroad.

The first lot of 14,000 people will return to India starting May 8 in 64 flights from 12 countries. More than 1,90,000 Indian had registered to come back home from abroad. Priority will be given to deportees, those with expired visas and health issues and medical emergency.

Reddy said economic activity was opened in all zones with minimum activities in red zones, to bring back the Indian economy on track.

The government of India needs suggestions from experts and industry bodies like FTCCI on the ways and means to generate employment and skill development post covid-19.

"Migrant labour leaving for their home towns will impact the industrial activity. They will not return in the next 3-4 months. Hence, companies should try to convince their labour to stay back," the Minister said.
James Michael Waugh, 29, (pictured) a former reporter for The Queanbeyan Age, sent threatening messages over Facebook to Canberra church members, including a pastor, in March 2019

A former journalist who threatened to behead several Christians with a scimitar has walked free from court.

James Michael Waugh, 29, a former reporter for The Queanbeyan Age, sent threatening messages over Facebook to Canberra church members, including a pastor, in March 2019.

One message read: 'I want your address  Im going to cut you down like the dog you are, pray to God about that'.

Waugh, who previously described himself as a white nationalist Muslim, also made threats to a woman he had a brief relationship with, The Daily Telegraph reported.

He posted a warning to a Facebook group about wanting to behead church members with a scimitar, which he had bought from Pakistan.

Waugh made threats against members of a Canberra church (pictured)

He posted a warning to a Facebook group about wanting to behead church members with a scimitar (file picture), which he had bought from Pakistan

'Do not approach me in the street if you see me because I will attack you.

'I have issued threats, along with my name and address, to every coward dog church in Canberra.'

Waugh, who was at Parliament House in Canberra in 2018 when Scott Morrison defeated Malcolm Turnbull in the leadership spill, was arrested in 2019 after he was reported to the National Security Hotline.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of making threats to kill in the ACT Magistrates Court in February.

During sentencing on Thursday, the court heard how Waugh had been undergoing psychiatric help and had come to realise his views were bizarre, ABC reported.

He was sentenced to two years and six months behind bars, which was suspended with five months in custody already served.
Qatar Airways plans to cut jobs due the losses it is experiencing from the downturn in global travel.

A letter leaked Tuesday purportedly from Qatar Airways Group CEO Akbar Al Baker read, We currently cannot sustain the current staff numbers and will need to make a substantial number of jobs redundant.

The letter did not specify how many jobs are to be cut, nor when, but did say management would inform employees of the decisions within weeks. Qatar Airways confirmed there would be job cuts in a statement sent to Al-Monitor.

"The unparalleled impact on our industry has caused significant challenges for all airlines and we must act decisively to protect the future of our business," the statement read. "As a result, Qatar Airways can confirm that the airline will make a number of roles redundant due to the impact of COVID-19."

Qatar Airways plans to rehire dismissed staff when travel returns to normal, according to The Associated Press.

Airlines across the region and world are experiencing massive losses as the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have led to a downturn in global travel. Many regional airlines, including Royal Jordanian, Turkish Airlines and Emirates, have stopped almost all of their flights.

Qatar Airways still continues to fly to 30 destinations in the Middle East, Asia, Europe and North America, however. Qatar offers regular passenger flights where possible in addition to charter flights to return people to their home countries.

In April, Qatar Airways said it would defer some employees pay to save costs and enable it to continue to operate.

In more positive news for the Gulf carrier, Qatar Airways announced today that it plans to increase its destinations to 52 by the end of May and 80 by June. Twenty of these destinations are to be in the Middle East and Africa, including Amman, according to a press release.

The airline said restrictions are ever-changing, but that it expects global travel to increase.

Baker touted Qatar Airways maintenance of flights during the coronavirus crisis. We have maintained a flexible and agile network to help take over 1 million people home, he said in the release.
The COVID-19 financial pressures build at Wisconsin colleges with each passing week.

The states public university system may bear the brunt of a $70 million spending cut across state agencies. Private liberal arts institutions are laying off some employees.

And a small Catholic college in Manitowoc announced Monday that it would close its doors by the end of August, likely marking the first coronavirus-related campus closure in the state.

Wisconsin colleges, many of which operated on thin margins even before the pandemic hit, face wave after wave of economic bad news as revenues dwindle and uncertainty about the fall semester mounts, all at a time when most campuses are up against a demographic challenge that could worsen because of COVID-19.

Its a perfect storm, said Rolf Wegenke, president of the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, an organization representing the states private nonprofit institutions, some of which he said are preparing for enrollment to be down by as much as 20%.

Across the board, theyre struggling to adapt and (find) that fine line between being affordable and paying the bills, he said.

Edgewood College, for example, announced last week that it had offered buyouts to some faculty and notified some staff of layoffs. Spokesman Ed Taylor declined to provide the number of workers affected by the decision, which he said was pandemic-related. The layoffs were limited in number and some were partial layoffs, he said.

Trends too powerful

Before Holy Family College made its Monday announcement, Wisconsin went nearly two decades without a private college closure, Wegenke said. The last one came in 2002 when Mount Senario College in Ladysmith shuttered its doors, he said.

Higher education experts anticipate a wave of small schools folding amid financial problems exacerbated by COVID-19.

Holy Family College, formerly known as Silver Lake College, faced fundraising and enrollment challenges for several years, but the pandemic pushed the liberal arts institution beyond the brink of sustainability.

The trends working against us were just too powerful, President Robert Callahan said in an interview.

Callahan, who took over in January 2018, declined to specify the size of the colleges deficit before the coronavirus emerged, saying only that leaders had been looking at Holy Familys financial position for several months. He also said he could not estimate the financial loss related to COVID-19.

The number of students submitting deposits for fall 2020 was well behind what the college saw in the previous year and COVID-19 brought almost all enrollment activity to a halt, he said.

The college enrolled 444 students in the fall of 2018, nearly a fifth of whom received Pell grants, according to federal education data.

About 120 employees work for the college, Callahan said.

Most workers final day will be June 13. Some summer classes already scheduled will take place to allow some students to complete their degrees. College staff will help other students transfer to similar colleges that will accept their credits.

Wegenke said he did not see any others among the states private nonprofit colleges immediately closing because of COVID-19.

But I think everyone worries, he said. Enrollment is critical.

Estimates grow

Most everyone expects state budget cuts at the states public universities in the coming fiscal year.

But the University of Wisconsin System recently learned of a roughly $70 million spending reduction across state agencies for the current fiscal year ending June 30  and one leaders estimates show the System would absorb two-thirds of the states cuts.

Spokespeople for the state Department of Administration and System declined to provide estimates of how much each agency must shave from its budget, saying the numbers are still being finalized. UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank said at a Monday Faculty Senate meeting that the Systemwide total is between $46 million and $47 million, with UW-Madisons share amounting to $20 million.

This is another hit to our funding, she said. It does make our financial problems that much deeper.

The $20 million loss comes on top of the $100 million Blank previously estimated UW-Madison would lose due to the coronavirus, assuming life returns to normal by early summer.

UW-Madison vice chancellor for finance and administration Laurent Heller offered two new estimates at the Monday meeting based on less optimistic scenarios, cautioning that both figures were not precise but were meant to capture a range of outcomes depending on how the public health crisis plays out.

If long-term effects on revenue streams persist and the campus faces some snags in re-opening, UW-Madison may see as much as a $300 million loss over the coming year, he said.

And in what Heller dubbed a pessimistic, worst-case scenario in which COVID-19s disruptions to society cause significant and long-lasting changes in peoples behavior and the business climate, he estimated a loss of upward of $500 million over the coming year.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported there were 51,845 confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus in all 67 counties as of 12 p.m., May 6, 2020. There are at least 3,106 reported deaths from the virus.

Click the image to see a data page including an interactive maps for the state. (Please click the link in the previous sentence if you cant see the image)

Click here for a ZIP code breakdown of cases provided by the Pa. Department of Health.

The state is also providing detailed hospital and respirator data here for desktop users and here for mobile users.

PennLive is monitoring the new cases over a two-week period, part of the Wolf administrations criteria for reopening the state. A map and a database for these are below. If you cannot see either embed, please click here for the map and here for the database.

Below is a map of the current reopening status of Pennsylvania counties. Please click here if you cannot see that map.

Adams County

148 positive cases and 1,692 negative results with 5 deaths.

Allegheny County

1,394 positive cases and 18,006 negative results with 111 deaths.

Armstrong County

55 positive cases and 775 negative results with 3 deaths.

Beaver County

471 positive cases and 2,291 negative results with 76 deaths.

Bedford County

27 positive cases and 262 negative results with 1 death.

Berks County

3,048 positive cases and 6,342 negative results with 148 deaths.

Blair County

25 positive cases and 1,213 negative results.

Bradford County

36 positive cases and 830 negative results with 2 deaths.

Bucks County

3,508 positive cases and 9,728 negative results with 304 deaths.

Butler County

185 positive cases and 2,583 negative results with 6 deaths.

Cambria County

35 positive cases and 1,601 negative results with 1 death.

Cameron County

2 positive cases and 66 negative results.

Carbon County

186 positive cases and 1,186 negative results with 16 deaths.

Centre County

113 positive cases and 1,119 negative results with 1 death.

Chester County

1,636 positive cases and 6,113 negative results with 156 deaths.

Clarion County

23 positive cases and 529 negative results with 1 death.

Clearfield County

21 positive cases and 514 negative results.

Clinton County

34 positive cases and 299 negative results.

Columbia County

302 positive cases and 737 negative results with 16 deaths.

Crawford County

20 positive cases and 728 negative results.

Cumberland County

386 positive cases and 1,839 negative results with 26 deaths.

Dauphin County

711 positive cases and 4,217 negative results with 29 deaths.

Delaware County

4,373 positive cases and 10,437 negative results with 326 deaths.

Elk County

4 positive cases and 191 negative results.

Erie County

95 positive cases and 2,367 negative results with 2 deaths.

Fayette County

84 positive cases and 2,049 negative results with 4 deaths.

Forest County

7 positive cases and 31 negative results.

Franklin County

406 positive cases and 3,294 negative results with 9 deaths.

Fulton County

7 positive cases and 101 negative results.

Greene County

27 positive cases and 482 negative results with 1 death.

Huntingdon County

60 positive cases and 364 negative results.

Indiana County

75 positive cases and 827 negative results with 5 deaths.

Jefferson County

7 positive cases and 352 negative results.

Juniata County

86 positive cases and 180 negative results with 1 death.

Lackawanna County

1,076 positive cases and 2,981 negative results with 106 deaths.

Lancaster County

2,041 positive cases and 8,929 negative results with 145 deaths.

The county is reporting 206 deaths as of 1:50 p.m. May 5. Those deaths are in the following municipalities

Christiana: 12 deaths

Columbia: 3 deaths

East Cocalico Township: 3 deaths

East Hempfield Township: 9 deaths

East Lampeter Township: 1 death

Ephrata Township: 1 death

City of Lancaster: 3 deaths

Lancaster Township: 96 deaths

Lititz: 17 deaths

Manheim Township: 40 deaths

New Holland: 2 deaths

Paradise Township: 1 death

Penn Township: 4 deaths

Providence Township: 1 death

Rapho Township: 5 deaths

Salisbury Township: 1 death

Warwick Township: 2 deaths

Three non-residents also passed away in Lancaster County.

Lawrence County

68 positive cases and 833 negative results with 7 deaths.

Lebanon County

774 positive cases and 2,933 negative results with 15 deaths.

Lehigh County

3,063 positive cases and 8,013 negative results with 102 deaths.

Luzerne County

2,306 positive cases and 5,828 negative results with 107 deaths.

Lycoming County

90 positive cases and 1,274 negative results with 4 deaths.

McKean County

6 positive cases and 199 negative results.

Mercer County

69 positive cases and 845 negative results with 1 death.

Mifflin County

45 positive cases and 770 negative results.

Monroe County

1,190 positive cases and 3,041 negative results with 60 deaths.

Montgomery County

4,827 positive cases and 19,079 negative results with 471 deaths.

Montour County

50 positive cases and 2,973 negative results.

Northampton County

2,313 positive cases and 7,065 negative results with 122 deaths.

Northumberland County

111 positive cases and 711 negative results.

Perry County

34 positive cases and 306 negative results with 1 death.

Philadelphia County

13,742 positive cases and 32,319 negative results with 625 deaths.

Pike County

415 positive cases and 1,372 negative results with 17 deaths.

Potter County

4 positive cases and 92 negative results.

Schuylkill County

110 positive cases and 590 negative results with 5 deaths.

Snyder County

33 positive cases and 244 negative results with 1 death.

Somerset County

32 positive cases and 726 negative results with 1 death.

Sullivan County

1 positive cases and 46 negative results.

Susquehanna County

87 positive cases and 347 negative results with 11 deaths.

Tioga County

16 positive cases and 316 negative results with 1 death.

Union County

39 positive cases and 608 negative results with 1 death.

Venango County

7 positive cases and 273 negative results.

Warren County

1 positive cases and 192 negative results.

Washington County

121 positive cases and 2,463 negative results with 2 deaths.

Wayne County

110 positive cases and 590 negative results with 5 deaths.

Westmoreland County

409 positive cases and 5,327 negative results with 29 deaths.

Wyoming County

27 positive cases and 204 negative results with 2 deaths.

York County

722 positive cases and 7,912 negative results with 11 deaths.

This data is compiled from the Pa. Department of Health. The state will not be providing recovery data at this time.

Several counties have released their own data maps. Information reported at the county level may not be consistent with the state numbers. Those counties include:

Some medical systems have begun releasing discharge data. Those medical systems include:

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.
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Former Brexit secretary David Davis has called for a shake up of the Government's lockdown strategy during the coronavirus which he claimed was based on 'secret and potentially flawed calculations' - after scientist Professor Neil Ferguson was caught flouting the measures.

The Conservative politician spoke out as shamed expert Professor Ferguson was removed from all advisory positions after allowing his lover to visit him at his London home during the lockdown.

And it emerged the woman having an affair with Professor Ferguson had said the lockdown was putting a 'strain' on her open marriage as Health Secretary Matt Hancock today admitted the trysts had left him 'speechless'.

The news came one day before Ministers are officially due to review the measures tomorrow - although Prime Minister Boris Johnson today announced he is hoping to begin easing the lockdown from Monday.

Professor Ferguson was branded an 'arrogant hypocrite' by critics today for 'undermining' the Government's position and there was pressure for the police to fine him for ignoring the lockdown rules he helped create.

But Scotland Yard said this afternoon that while his behaviour is 'plainly disappointing', officers 'do not intend to take any further action' after 'he accepted that he made an error of judgement and has taken responsibility'.

And Mr Davis, 71, tweeted: 'A bigger issue than Professor Ferguson's private life is the accuracy of his model. When applied to the Swedish policy it forecast 40,000 deaths by now, over 15 times the reality.

'We need the whole model, its assumptions and working in the public domain. We can no longer run our strategy on secret advice and potentially flawed calculations.'

Professor Ferguson will no longer advise the Government in any capacity, the PM's spokesman said today, having quit the influential SAGE committee and the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group [NERVTAG]. His employer Imperial College London is standing by him - but it is not clear if he will lose the significant amounts of taxpayer-funded grants he receives for his research each year.

Professor Ferguson, 51, had asked his mistress Antonia Staats, 38, to travel across London from her 1.9million home at least twice despite lecturing 66million in Britain on the need to stay apart to stop the spread of the killer virus and stop the NHS being overwhelmed with patients.

In a podcast on March 31, 24 hours after her first visit to his central London flat, Ms Staats, who is said to have met her lover on online dating site OkCupid a year ago, said of the lockdown: 'I think it's also a strain on  maybe strained has sounded too negative  but it's an interesting relationship challenge, for Chris [her husband] and my relationship.'

And despite seeing her lover across town as the pandemic approached its peak she admitted: 'Chris has been not feeling great and thinks he got it. But we can't know for sure'. Prof Ferguson is thought to have met Ms Staat's husband Chris, who also has tightly cropped hair and glasses, and they learned they share an interest in data science, a friend said.

Matt Hancock said: 'It's just extraordinary. I don't understand the decision [to ignore the lockdown]. I am speechless - and that doesn't often happen to me. But I am. The social distancing rules are there for everyone. And they are incredibly important and deadly serious'.

Speaking to Sky News today the Health Secretary hinted that the police should fine Professor Ferguson for breaking the lockdown laws. He said: 'It's a matter for the police.. but I think the social distancing rules are there for a reason. I back the police here. They will make the decisions independently - but I think he was right to resign'.

Neil Ferguson was nicknamed 'Professor Lockdown' when the crisis began because he convinced Boris Johnson to order millions to stay at home - with the Health Secretary admitting today that his advice, which included apocalyptic warnings of 500,000 UK deaths, had heavily influenced the Government's policies.

The shamed academic also predicted the United States faced 2.2million death without a lockdown and today Elon Musk branded him a 'moron' and a 'tool' and said he and other academics spooked the White House into initiating its own lockdown by peddling 'fake science'.

Professor Neil Ferguson, 51, allowed his lover, Antonia Staats (main picture), to visit him at his home, despite the lockdown. Ms Staats, 38, who lives with her husband Chris Lucas (right) and their children in another house, went over to see the scientist at least twice during the lockdown

Former Brexit secretary David Davis has called for a shake up of the Government's strategy during the coronavirus lockdown

Mr Davis claimed the Government's lockdown strategy was based on 'secret and potentially flawed calculations'

The South London home of Antonia Staats, which she shares with her husband Chris and their two children. Prof Ferguson is thought to have met Ms Staat's husband and they share an interest in data science, a friend told the Telegraph.

Ms Staats is believed to have visited the scientist shortly after he finished self-isolating for two weeks

Neighbours at Professor Ferguson's former marital home in Oxford (pictured above) were furious at his behaviour. He and his wife Kim, who is involved with the residents' association, are said to be estranged

Lockdown will be eased on MONDAY: Government will drop 'stay at home' message this weekend when PM eases restrictions as Matt Hancock says cafes with 'outdoor facilities' could REOPEN and pubs gear up to let drinkers order rounds from beer gardens Boris Johnson today announced he is hoping to begin easing the UK's coronavirus lockdown on Monday as Matt Hancock suggested cafes could reopen if they have outdoor drinking areas. The Prime Minister said some measures will be lifted from the start of next week if the latest scientific evidence shows the spread of the disease is sufficiently under control. The PM will renew social distancing restrictions on Thursday before using an address to the nation on Sunday night to set out his lockdown exit strategy. He is pushing ahead despite today admitting the UK's death toll, which is closing in on 30,000 and is the worst in Europe, is 'appalling'. Mr Johnson said the Sunday address would prepare people for potential changes on Monday but the specifics remain a secret. However, Health Secretary Matt Hancock gave a hint as to what could be expected as he suggested cafes with outdoor seating could be allowed to reopen in certain circumstances. He told Sky News: 'There is strong evidence that outdoors the spread is much, much lower, so there may be workarounds that some businesses, for instance cafes, especially over the summer, may be able to put into place.' His comments are likely to prompt questions as to whether pubs could also be allowed to reopen over the summer if they have a beer garden as some chains suggested customers could order rounds using their mobile phones. Meanwhile, Public Health England is said to have told councils across the country to prepare this weekend to shift away from the government's current 'stay home' message to a new slogan. Mr Johnson made his lockdown timing announcement as he returned to the House of Commons for the first time since his recovery from coronavirus. Advertisement

Critics including many Britons on social media called him an 'arrogant hypocrite' for ignoring the lockdown rules he helped sculpt.

Matt Hancock admitted it was 'just not possible' for Prof Ferguson to continue advising the Government, and on the academic's claims he believed he was 'immune' from Covid-19 Mr Hancock said: 'I asked the Chief Medical Officer this exact question recently and said: 'because I've had it do I have to do social distancing?' and the answer was a clear 'yes'.

The Cabinet minister praised him as a 'very eminent' scientist whose work has been 'important' in the Government's response, but said he had to resign.

Scotland Yard said in a statement this afternoon that Prof Ferguson had accepted responsibility so they will not take further action.

'We remain committed to our role in supporting adherence to Government guidance and have made it clear that our starting position is explaining the need to follow the regulations with anyone who is in breach in order to keep people safe and protect the NHS,' a statement from the force said.

'It is clear in this case that whilst this behaviour is plainly disappointing, Professor Ferguson has accepted that he made an error of judgement and has taken responsibility for that.

'We therefore do not intend to take any further action.'

In a resignation statement last night, the academic, who is married with a son but is believed to be separated from his wife, admitted he had 'made an error of judgement' but claimed he thought he was 'immune' to the illness - despite leading scientists and the World Health Organisation saying there is still not enough evidence recovering from Covid-19 can protect you from reinfection.

Piers Morgan tweeted: 'Unbelievable and shocking. So, the government is ''following the science'' of scientists who don't even follow their own science. What a shameful shambles. Professor Ferguson's excuse is he thought he was immune from COVID-19 after having it - despite there being zero scientific proof people who've had it actually get immunity. And this guy's the No1 'expert' on whom the government is basing its entire coronavirus strategy?'

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: 'Scientists like him have told us we should not be doing it, so surely in his case, it is a case of we have been doing as he says and he has been doing as he wants.

'He has peculiarly breached his own guidelines. For an intelligent man, I find that very hard to believe. It risks undermining the Government's lockdown message'.

How architect of the lockdown lectured the country while flouting the rules Professor Neil Ferguson, 51, pictured on March 25 before the Commons Science and Technology Committee - five days before allowed his married lover, Antonia Staats, to visit him at his home MARCH 16: A week before the lockdown began Professor Neil Ferguson was arguing that a full lockdown was required to slow the number of deaths and said: 'We are left with no option but to adopt this more draconian strategy'. A report he authored for his employer Imperial College London warned that 500,000 people could die without mass self-isolation of households. MARCH 17: He visited Downing Street to advise the Prime Minister on his findings including recommendations for a lockdown. MARCH 18: Professor Ferguson tests positive for coronavirus MARCH 23: Boris Johnson announces there will be a lockdown in a national TV address MARCH 25: Prof Ferguson appears before the Commons Science and Technology Committee and warns that the NHS will be overwhelmed without a lockdown, MARCH 30: His married lover Antonia Staats visited Prof Ferguson just after he had finished two weeks of self-isolation after testing positive for the virus. He also did a Radio 4 interview on the importance of the lockdown. APRIL 4: Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today, he said: 'We want to move to a situation where at least by the end of May we can substitute less intensive measures for the current lockdown we have now... I don't think anyone wants to lift measures at the current time and risk the epidemic getting worse' APRIL 8: Antonia made a second visit to Professor Ferguson 8 despite telling friends that her husband, an academic in his 30s, was showing symptoms of coronavirus. APRIL 16: Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Professor Neil Ferguson had stressed the importance of keeping to social distancing guidelines. He said at the time: 'If we want to reopen schools, let people get back to work, then we need to keep transmission down in another manner. It is not going to go back to normal, we will have to maintain some level of social distancing - significant levels of social distancing - probably indefinitely until we have a vaccine available.' APRIL 25: The number of deaths from coronavirus could reach 100,000 in the UK by the end of this year if a gradual lockdown is implemented just to shield the elderly, Professor Neil Ferguson warned. He told UnHerd: 'You would require a very high level of effective shielding for that to be a viable strategy. If you just achieve 80 per cent shielding - and 80 per cent reduction in infection risk in those groups - we still project that you would get more than 100,000 deaths this year from that kind of strategy. The most vulnerable people are also the people who most need care and most need interaction with the health system and are least able to be truly isolated.' Advertisement

Good Morning Britain medic Dr Hilary Jones said today: 'He says it was an error of judgement but I don't think there was any judgement at all. He was prepared to take risks but when you take risks you not only put yourself at risk but others as well. He had no choice but to resign as it was unacceptable that someone who set down rules and told the government what measures should be in place does that.'

Psychologist Emma Kenny told GMB: 'I'm not surprised he has broken his own rules because he consistently got the figures wrong and has given us a completely false representation of what we are facing'.

The epidemiologist, director of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College, London, authored the report containing the apocalyptic prediction that coronavirus could kill 500,000 Britons - convincing the Prime Minister he had to lockdown the country from March 23.

Yet on March 30, Ms Staats, who lives with her husband Chris and their two children in a 1.9million house in south London, travelled across the capital to visit her scientist lover, who then apparently warned the country the lockdown would be necessary until June in a BBC interview when Ms Staats was allegedly in his flat.

His married lover, a Left-wing campaigner who has repeated slammed Boris Johnson and Brexit on social media, made a second visit to Professor Ferguson on April 8 despite telling friends that her husband, an academic in his 30s, was showing symptoms of coronavirus.

Ms Staats has reportedly insisted her actions to visit the scientist are not hypocritical, as she considers the households to be one because she is understood to be in an 'open relationship'.

One friends of the couple told MailOnline: 'I last spoke to Chris and Antonia about a week ago. They were going out for a walk with their kids, which is what they've been doing every day.

'We just chatted about life in lockdown and how we're all coping. They're home schooling their kids and Antonia was saying how weird it all is because they had never spent so much time together. But she did say they've got a nice house with lots of space and are luckier than many other people.

'She did say that the cleaner isn't coming at the moment and that they're dividing the household chores between them, which made me laugh because that's a very middle class problem'.

Other neighbours described Chris Lucas as a bright, articulate man who enjoys taking part in community activities.

They said that both he and Antonia are popular residents of the affluent, middle class area where houses cost in excess of 1.5 million.

One said: 'Chris is incredibly intelligent. He speaks about six or seven languages and is an academic at SOAS.

'Both he and Antonia are very popular around here and are a big part of our community. I always enjoy talking to them, especially Chris who is very knowledgeable about Middle Eastern affairs.

In 2017, Ms Staats was pictured protesting outside Parliament next to puppets of Theresa May and Rupert Murdoch while holding a banner that read: 'Stop Murdoch pulling the strings.'

Ms Staats (second left) has insisted her actions to visit the scientist are not hypocritical, as she considers the households to be one

How Professor Neil Ferguson has advised the government on series of outbreaks including swine flu, foot and mouth and BSE Professor Neil Ferguson, 51, is considered one of the country's most eminent scientists having made his name during the foot and mouth crisis. His controversial predictions about the number of possible deaths from coronavirus in the UK and US, as well as his regular TV and radio interviews, has also made him a household name He was born in Cumbria but grew up in Mid Wales, earning a masters degree in Physics and a PhD in theoretical physics from the University of Oxford. He specialises in measuring the spread of infectious disease in humans and animals through mathematical modelling and has provided data on several outbreaks including the swine flu outbreak in 2009 in the UK, the 2012 Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus outbreak and the ebola epidemic in Western Africa in 2016. He is currently the director of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College, London, and, before his resignation, a member of the government's SAGE committee that advises ministers on tackling the coronavirus pandemic. In March, he calculated that without a draconian national lockdown, coronavirus would claim 510,000 lives. But crucially, he also estimated that 250,000 would die if ministers stuck with the strategy of controlling the spread with limited measures  such as home isolation for those displaying symptoms of the virus. Prof Ferguson reckoned that if the strictest possible measures were introduced the number of deaths over a two-year period would fall to below 20,000. In hindsight that estimate was ambitious  in less than three months Britain's death toll has soared to more than 32,000. But it was enough to persuade Mr Johnson to impose the most drastic peacetime measures ever seen. Prof Ferguson has been a regular presence on television and on the radio throughout the crisis. But he has rejected the 'Professor Lockdown' nickname used by many. In one interview, on the Andrew Marr show last month, he insisted it was up to ministers to make the decisions. 'We provide scientific evidence along with a lot of other scientific groups across the country which fed into government policy,' he said. 'But we did not determine that policy, there are a number of balancing acts involved in doing that.' He also points out that he leads one of at least five modelling teams who had come to similar conclusions in March. But as a long-term member of the Government's SAGE scientific advisory committee  and with a high-profile media presence  his voice is one that will have been heard louder than most. On March 18 he fell victim to the virus himself. Two days previously he stood next to Health Secretary Matt Hancock at a Press conference. Mr Hancock learned he had the virus a few days later. Mr Johnson and Chris Whitty, the chief medical advisor, developed symptoms the same day. Colleagues describe the 51-year-old as an energetic workaholic who has little need for sleep. Prof Ferguson rose to prominence during the 2001 foot and mouth crisis. His research, carried out with mentor Professor Roy Anderson, helped persuade Tony Blair's government to carry out a devastating cull of animals, and saw him awarded an OBE.His work suggested that animals to be culled should include not only those found to be infected with the virus but also those on adjacent farms. A decade later another highly critical report said the Government ordered the destruction of millions of animals because of 'severely flawed' modelling. In 2002, Prof Ferguson published a report on the BSE crisis, years after the peak of the episode.He speculated that BSE in cows and sheep could cause up to 150,000 human deaths  to date fewer than 200 have died. He has since been involved in modelling numbers during the SARS, bird flu, ebola and Zika epidemics, with varying accuracy. He stands by his work  pointing out that each calculation has come with a 'range' of possible eventualities. Advertisement

'Whenever we have any kind of community celebration they always take part along with their kids. They are a great family.'

Another neighbour said: 'I've known Chris and his family for five years they are really nice, helpful people.

'Chris is really intelligent and successful but he's really down to earth, as is Antonia, who is also incredibly bright. I' m not interested in the kind of relationship they had, that's nobody's business.

'She's a lovely person, really kind hearted and cares about making the world a better place. They're a wonderful family.'

The scientist has quit his role on the secretive SAGE committee of experts advising the Prime Minister but Imperial College London appears to be standing by him and said today that Prof Ferguson 'continues to focus on his important research'.

The epidemiologist said in a statement: 'I accept I made an error of judgment and took the wrong course of action. I have therefore stepped back from my involvement in Sage [the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies].

'I acted in the belief that I was immune, having tested positive for coronavirus, and completely isolated myself for almost two weeks after developing symptoms.

'I deeply regret any undermining of the clear messages around the continued need for social distancing to control this devastating epidemic. The Government guidance is unequivocal, and is there to protect all of us.'

Neighbours at Prof Ferguson's former marital home in Oxford were furious at his behaviour.

He and his wife Kim, who is involved with the residents' association, are said to be estranged.

Their home, set on a private cul-de-sac next to a pond, was part of a luxury horseshoe-style development completed in 2001.

One elderly resident who did not want to be named said: 'I feel incredibly sorry for his wife and child. They are totally blameless and humiliated I would think. I find it very sad that he has done this.'

Another resident sitting in the sunshine near to Professor Ferguson's home, said: 'My sympathies are with his wife. She has put a message on our lockdown Whatsapp group saying she does not want to talk about it'.

Another man, out for a stroll with his wife, said: 'He's not been around for weeks. I don't think he actually lives here anymore. I think he should have taken a leaf out of his neighbours' books. We have been observing the lockdown like everyone else. I just think he must have thought it was no risk because he'd already had it.'

Security Minister James Brokenshire said Prof Ferguson had 'made the right decision' in resigning from Sage.

He told Sky News: 'Professor Ferguson, I think, has obviously made his statement underlining that there's no excuse for not following the social distancing rules, and I think he's made the right decision here.

'The work of Sage continues and obviously we will continue to be informed by that group and the experts that provide that support to the Government.'

Asked whether Prof Ferguson's comments about immunity - in which he stated that he believed he was immune after contracting Covid-19 - should be taken seriously, Mr Brokenshire said it is 'too early' to reach conclusions.

Ms Staats visited Prof Ferguson just after he had finished two weeks of self-isolation after testing positive for the virus.

The visits came despite the government warning couples that they would either have to move in with each other or face staying apart during the coronavirus lockdown.

He told the BBC Today Programme in mid-April, after he had seen his lover: 'If we want to reopen schools, let people get back to work then we need to keep transmissions down in another manner. It's not going to be going back to normal, we will have to maintain some level of social distancing, significant level of social distancing probably indefinitely until we have a vaccine available'.

It was suggested the restrictions are an opportunity to 'test relationships' and Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer, said: 'If the two halves of a couple are currently in separate households, ideally they should stay in those households.

Elon Musk leads US anger at 'hypocritical' British 'Professor Lockdown' over rule-breaking trysts Elon Musk has branded the British scientist who initiated the lockdown a 'moron' and a 'tool' after he broke his own rules to see his married lover. The billionaire tech tycoon also rubbished Professor Neil Ferguson's 'fake science' which in March forecast apocalyptic death tolls in the UK and US if both governments remained squeamish about enforcing social distancing The Imperial College London scientist's worst-case scenarios of 500,000 and 2.2million victims, respectively, is credited with spooking Downing Street and the White House into action. Responding to a tweet about Prof Ferguson's resignation, the billionaire SpaceX founder Mr Musk said: 'What a tool'. Labeling him 'a moron', Musk wrote: 'Something more should be done. This guy has caused massive strife to the world with his absurdly fake 'science'.' Advertisement

'The alternative might be that, for quite a significant period going forwards, they should test the strength of their relationship and decide whether one wishes to be permanently resident in another household.'

The first of Ms Staat's visits to Prof Ferguson was on Monday March 30, a week into coronavirus lockdown.

He appeared on the BBC Today programme at 7.50am that day, with Ms Staats thought to be at the house at the time.

The visit coincided with a public warning by Prof Ferguson that the lockdown measures would have to remain until at least June.

Ms Staats, who is a left-wing campaigner, made a second visit to Prof Ferguson on April 8, despite reportedly telling friends that she suspected her own husband, an academic in his 30s, had symptoms of coronavirus.

She and her husband Chris met while studying at SOAS in London and live in a 1.9 million home with their two children and are understood to be in an 'open relationship'.

Ms Staats grew up in Isny, south Germany, went to university in Berlin and came to London in 2003, earning a masters in Asian Politics from the School of Oriental and African Studies, where her husband works.

She has worked for Avaaz, a US-based online network which promotes global activism on issues such as climate change.

Professor Neil Ferguson (left on April 5) warned the number of deaths from coronavirus in the UK could reach 500,000 if lockdown wasn't implemented - yet he was still happy to spend the night with Antonia Staats, who reportedly told friends that she suspected her own husband, an academic in his 30s, had symptoms of coronavirus

How Imperial College report written by Prof Ferguson warned of 500,000 deaths and persuaded the PM to implement lockdown A scientific paper published by Professor Neil Ferguson and his colleagues on the Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team was credited for persuading Boris Johnson's Government to ramp up their response to the coronavirus. The paper predicted that the Government's original plan to 'mitigate' the outbreak instead of trying to stop it could have led to a quarter of a million people dying. Using data from Italy and China, the scientists predicted how different Government measures would have different impacts on the outbreaks. If no action at all had been taken against the coronavirus it would have claimed 510,000 lives, the team's report said. Had the Government stuck with their strategy of trying to 'mitigate' the spread  allowing it to continue but attempting to slow it down  with limited measures such as home isolation for those with symptoms this number would be roughly halved to 260,000. If the strictest possible measures are introduced  including school closures and mandatory home quarantine  the number of deaths over a two-year period would fall below 20,000, the scientists said, despite Britain's death toll far-surpassing that number. 'Instead of talking about hundreds of thousands of deaths, there still will be a significant health impact that we'll be talking about,' Professor Ferguson said. As a result, the Government implemented the lockdown, announcing that people should stop travelling, stop socialising and work from home. They were also told to avoid visiting their sick or elderly relatives unless they have to. Other points in the Imperial College report, titled Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to reduce COVID19 mortality and healthcare demand, included: Advertisement

In 2017, Ms Staats was pictured protesting outside Parliament next to puppets of Theresa May and Rupert Murdoch while holding a banner that read: 'Stop Murdoch pulling the strings.'

A few weeks after the second visit, Prof Ferguson warned that the number of deaths from coronavirus could reach 100,000 in the UK by the end of this year if a gradual lockdown is implemented just to shield the elderly.

He said it was impossible to send the young and healthy back to work while keeping the vulnerable in lockdown without seeing a huge increase in deaths.

The epidemiologist added that some degree of social isolation will continue to be required until a vaccine to the killer bug is released.

He has faced criticism for suggesting that UK deaths could hit 500,000 prior to the lockdown.

Bur Prof Ferguson previously insisted there had been nothing wrong his prediction, saying he'd made it prior to the government bringing in tough measures and said he never thought that such a lockdown would have been pursued.

His is not the first high-profile resignation of the pandemic, with Dr Catherine Calderwood having quit as Scotland's chief medical officer after making two trips to her second home.

Prof Ferguson, a mathematician and epidemiologist, led the Imperial team which modelled the spread and impact of Covid-19 in a Government-commissioned report.

In the report's wake, the Prime Minister announced the lockdown on March 23 ordering the public to stay at home as he shut most shops and gave police unprecedented enforcement powers.

Under those measures, partners who do not live together were told they can no longer see each other.

Prof Ferguson said on March 18 that he had the fever and cough symptoms of Covid-19 and that there was a small risk he had infected others.

'The more serious point is that it highlights the need for the response which has been enacted,' he said at the time.

The number of people dying each week during the UK's coronavirus crisis has been significantly higher - more than double in recent weeks - than the average number of deaths for this time of year

Neil Ferguson joins long list of famous names who flouted the lockdown Professor Neil Ferguson, the scientist whose research helped usher in the lockdown, has resigned from his role as a key Government adviser after admitting that he had undermined social distancing rules by meeting his lover at his home. But Prof Ferguson is not the first prominent figure to be caught breaching social-distancing restrictions amid the global coronavirus pandemic. - Dr Catherine Calderwood Scotland's chief medical officer resigned in April after twice breaking lockdown restrictions in order to visit her second home, which was located more than an hour away from her main residence in Edinburgh. Despite Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon backing Dr Calderwood to remain in her position, she ultimately decided to relinquish her role so as not to be a 'distraction' from the Government's social-distancing message. - Robert Jenrick The housing, communities and local government secretary was forced to explain himself after travelling more than an hour to visit his parents despite warning people to remain at home. Mr Jenrick was also criticised for travelling 150 miles from his London property to his Herefordshire home from where he travelled to his parents in Shropshire. However, he defended his actions, saying he went to deliver food and medicine to his isolating parents. - Stephen Kinnock The MP for Aberavon in South Wales was publicly shamed by police after travelling to London to celebrate his father's birthday. After Mr Kinnock posted a photo on Twitter of himself practicing social distancing with his parents outside their home, South Wales Police replied: 'We know celebrating your Dad's birthday is a lovely thing to do, however this is not essential travel. We all have our part to play in this, we urge you to comply with (lockdown) restrictions, they are in place to keep us all safe. Thank you.' Advertisement

Following his recovery from the symptoms, he later told the BBC that 'significant levels of social distancing' would be required until a vaccine has been developed.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme last month, he said: 'If we want to reopen schools, let people get back to work, then we need to keep transmission down in another manner.

'It is not going to go back to normal, we will have to maintain some level of social distancing - significant levels of social distancing - probably indefinitely until we have a vaccine available.'

It comes as another 693 people were yesterday confirmed to have died of COVID-19 in Britain, taking the number of victims to 29,427 and making Britain the worst-hit nation in Europe.

And separate backdated figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show the figure appears to have already been higher than 32,000 by April 24 - 10 days ago.

In other developments in the UK's coronavirus battle today:

Dominic Raab issued a thinly-veiled warning to Russia and China tonight as he lashed out at 'predatory' hackers targeting organisations involved in the fight against coronavirus;

At least 12 different strains of coronavirus were circulating in the UK in March - including one that has only ever been found in Britain, Government-funded study finds;

Rishi Sunak could reduce government furlough wage support from 80 per cent to 60 per cent in the months ahead as part of a plan to ease Britain back to work, it was claimed today;

Experts warned the NHS's new coronavirus track-and-trace app could be hijacked by trolls;

Nicola Sturgeon unveiled her own lockdown 'exit strategy' and suggested she will not let schools open until August;

Cities and rural areas could be treated differently when coronavirus lockdown measures are eased, the Government's Chief Scientific Adviser hinted today.

That number is 42 per cent higher than the count announced by the Department of Health at the time, suggesting the current total could be higher than 40,000 - this would mean COVID-19 has killed more Britons in eight weeks than died over seven months during the Blitz bombings in World War Two.

Today's data confirms that more people have died of the coronavirus in the UK than in Italy, still considered to be the worst-hit country in Europe and had suffered 29,079 fatalities by this morning. Only the US has had more deaths than Britain - almost 70,000 - while there have been 25,600 in Spain and 25,200 in France.

What ARE the lockdown rules and has Professor Ferguson broken them? Regulation 6 of the The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 states no person may leave the place where they live without a reasonable excuse. The National Police Chief's Council has released its interpretation of what constitutes a 'reasonable excuse': It classifies explains its interpretation of how the law relates to everyday activities. It defines activites that are likely to be reasonable as: - Buying several days' worth of food, including luxury items and alcohol. - Buying tools and supplies to repair a fence panel damaged in recent bad weather. - Exercise including: going for a run or cycle or practicing yoga. Walking in the countryside or in cities. Attending an allotment. - Stopping to rest or to eat lunch while on a long walk. It defines activities that are 'not likely to be reasonable' as: - Buying paint and brushes, simply to redecorate a kitchen - A short walk to a park bench, when the person remains seated for a much longer period - A person who can work from home choosing to work in a local park. - Couples who live in separate homes should stay living apart. This final point suggests that Professor Ferguson, 51, and Antonia Staats, 38, should be fined - although Ms Staats is said to believe that because they are lovers they should be classed as the same household. But Scotland Yard has said Professor Neil Ferguson's behaviour is 'plainly disappointing' but officers 'do not intend to take any further action' after accepting his error. Advertisement

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab today also announced 4,406 more cases of the life-threatening virus had been confirmed, taking the official size of the outbreak to 194,990 - but the true size of the UK's crisis is a mystery due to the controversial decision to abandon widespread testing early on.

In Downing Street's press conference, Mr Raab also lashed out at 'predatory' hackers targeting organisations involved in the fight against coronavirus, saying criminals and 'hostile states' were trying to take advantage of the crisis for their own 'malicious ends'.

Discussing the death toll, he added that the scale of the disaster in Britain was a 'massive tragedy' on a scale the country has never seen before. He refused to speculate on international comparisons.

Meanwhile, Mr Raab warned that a blanket reopening of schools next month would risk a deadly second wave of coronavirus.

The Foreign Secretary dashed hopes of a widespread return after half-term, warning that it was too soon to even consider the move.

Speaking at the daily No 10 press briefing, Mr Raab said evidence from scientists indicated that opening all schools would lead to a 'very real risk' of a steep rise in transmission rates.

The warning came just hours after Nicola Sturgeon said schools north of the border were unlikely to reopen in the foreseeable future.

Scotland's First Minister said reopening now would 'most likely' see hospitals north of the border 'overwhelmed' with coronavirus cases within two months. She warned it 'might not be possible at all ahead of the summer holidays'.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson told MPs there would be a 'phased approach' to reopening.

Is Neil Ferguson right and do coronavirus survivers really gain immuinity? Leading virologists have repeatedly warned the truth on whether COVID-19 survivors have any degree of immunity is still murky. With some infectious diseases, such as measles, the immunity can be lifelong. With others, immunity can wane over time. When someone gets infected with a virus their immune system must work out how to fight it off and produce substances called antibodies. Antibodies  which can be found in blood tests - are stored in the immune system so if it comes into contact with that same virus again it can fight it off. While antibodies typically confer some degree of immunity, whether that is the case with this unique coronavirus is not yet known. Most scientists tracking the pandemic, which started in China in December, agree that COVID-19 survivors will get some degree of protection. But the World Health Organization has warned there is 'currently no evidence' recovered patients are protected from a second infection at all. Other experts have claimed similar coronaviruses - including ones that cause the common cold - also induce immunity for around three months. Number 10's chief scientific adviser yesterday told MPs that survivors will 'almost certainly' not obtain 'absolute immunity'. Advertisement

He said: 'We will take a phased approach in terms of reopening schools and we will always aim to give schools, parents and, of course, critically importantly, children the maximum notice in terms of when this is going to happen.'

Mr Raab said that it would not be a 'binary' situation where schools were either fully open or fully shut.

He added: 'At least to date the evidence has been that we wouldn't be able to open up all schools without a very real risk that the R rate  the transmission rate  would rise at such a level that we would risk a second spike.'

He said he had asked the Government's scientific advisers for the best options and would be guided by them.

Sources last night said ministers were still hopeful that some children could go back to school after half-term at the beginning of next month. However, they have ruled out making any return compulsory.

Sources told the Mail parents would not face fines if they refuse to send children back.

Any return is likely to involve only some year groups going back to school at first to allow for greater social distancing in the classroom. Under normal circumstances schooling is compulsory, with parents facing 60 fines if they fail to send their children to school without good reason. Fines double to 120 if not paid within 21 days, and parents can face prosecution if they refuse to pay after 28 days.

Teaching unions have asked for guarantees that fines will be suspended during any back-to-school transition, when many children will still be told to stay at home.

Teachers yesterday warned they 'must not be used as an experiment', amid fears that resistance to returning to classrooms could render the reopening of schools impossible.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 1

Trend:

Coronavirus infection in the "orange zone" is more dangerous, Ibrahim Mammadov, spokesman for the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers, said.

Mammadov made the remark in Baku at the briefing of the Operational Headquarters under the Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers, Trend reports.

Therefore, the system of obtaining permissions in this zone will remain in accordance with the previous system, the spokesman said.

The permission system in the Azerbaijani districts has been canceled, Mammadov said. Citizens do not need to get permission to leave the houses.

The number of employees of the state agencies coming to work will gradually increase, the spokesman said. But some restrictions will remain in force.

The "orange zone" includes Baku, Sumgayit, Ganja and Lankaran cities and Absheron region.
A 29-year-old single mother who was released from mental health treatment at the start of lockdown has been charged with murder after an elderly church warden was stabbed to death outside a Co-op in south Wales.

Zara Anne Radcliffe, 29, has been charged with the murder of 88-year-old church warden John Rees and the attempted murder of three other people, South Wales Police said yesterday.

Rees was queuing up at a convenience store in Pen-y-Graig, south Wales shopping for him and his elderly wife, when Radcliffe allegedly launched a frenzied attack.

NHS nurse Lisa Way, 53, pensioner Andrew Price, 68, and a third person were treated for knife wounds after the incident at 1.45pm on Tuesday.

Donna Evans, 33, was in tears when she visited the scene of the bloody attack yesterday and said she couldn't believe it was her cousin Zara.

'But I knew she has some mental health problems and said she was hearing voices,' Evans said.

Pictured: Zara Radcliffe, 29, who has been seized by South Wales Police after an elderly man was stabbed in the throat at a Co-op

'I only saw her the day before and she was saying the police weren't taking her seriously.

'I was asking her what it was all about but she wasn't making much sense.'

Ms Evans said Radcliffe, from Porth, Rhondda, is a 'very pretty and kind' single mum who dotes on her young son.

She said Radcliffe had been a patient at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital for five months but came out six weeks ago at the start of the lockdown.

Ms Evans added: 'She slept on my settee for a couple of nights.

Nurse Lisa Way, 53, was stabbed as she was shopping in the village after completing her shift at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in nearby Llantrisant

Flowers were left at the scene yesterday, pictured, as tributes continued to flood in for Mr Rees

Pictured: Zara Radcliffe, who is appearing in front of magistrates in Cardiff tomorrow, for the murder of church warden John Rees, 88 and the attempted murder of three others

'She was doing well when she came out of hospital but she started putting strange stuff on Facebook and I remember thinking she's not well again.

'It's not her to do some thing like this, I can't understand it.'

A relative said in the hours before the stabbings Radcliffe had called police to ask about a complaint she had made over an alleged assault.

Police examining CCTV footage from the Co-op said the incident was 'extremely shocking and distressing' for the local community.

Radcliffe is being held 18 miles away at Merthyr Tydfil police station where she has been assessed by a mental health expert.

South Wales Police have referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct which investigate the 'most serious and sensitive' incidents and allegations involving the police

Meanwhile the store is still closed and cordoned off by officers from the South Wales Police Major Crime Investigations Team.

Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Dorian Lloyd, said: 'Yesterday's horrific incident in Penygraig was extremely distressing and shocking for the local community.

'I would like to pay tribute to the members of the public and police officers for their efforts at the scene, rendering first aid to those involved in this incident.

'Penygraig is a small close-knit community which has been put into the national spotlight in such tragic circumstances.

Eunice Reese, 87, who is said to suffer from dementia, was waiting in the car as husband John Rees, 88, was stabbed to death

'I would like to reassure the local community that the police response to the incident was extremely swift and officers were at the scene within minutes.

'We will continue to maintain a visible presence to support those in the area as they try and come to terms with what has happened.

'My thoughts and condolences remain with the victim's family and all those affected by this incident at a very sad time.'

A Co-op have spokesman said: 'We are shocked by the tragic incident which took place in our Penygraig store.

'We would like to thank the emergency services for their response, and we are working to support our colleagues and customers. Our thoughts are with those affected at this difficult time.'

One note, pictured, read: 'RIP. Heartbreaking losing your life in such a horrific way. Can't stop thinking of your poor wife. Thoughts are with you and your family.'

It was revealed yesterday that the horrific incident happened while Rees's dementia-suffering wife Eunice, 87, was waiting in their car nearby.

A South Wales Police spokesman said: 'We have charged a 29-year-old woman from Porth with the murder of John Rees from Trealaw and the attempted murder of three others following an incident in Penygraig in the Rhondda yesterday.

'Zara Anne Radcliffe will appear before Cardiff Magistrates Court.'

Mr Rees's family said in a tribute yesterday: 'John was the very definition of a good man, extremely respected and liked in the community.

'He was proud of his family, proud to be a Welshman and devoted to All Saints Church. We will all miss him terribly.'

Father-of-two Mr Rees rang the bells every Thursday night at his local church in the village of Trealaw, Rhondda, in tribute to NHS workers on the front line of the coronavirus pandemic.

Friends are arranging for the bells at the village's All Saint's Church to be rung in Mr Rees's honour.

The accused lives with her mother and young son in Porth, Rhondda.

Police officers yesterday outside the Co-op in the village of Pen-y-Graig in Rhondda, South Wales

A friend said: 'It is so tragic. John was so dedicated to Eunice and they were always together.

'She has no idea what has happened. Eunice has dementia and she can't take it in. She keeps on saying: 'Where's John?'

Father-of-two Mr Rees - described as a pillar of the community - took his wife to the Co-op store in Pen-y-Graig, Rhondda, from their home a mile away in Tonypandy.

But he never returned. Police found her 15 minutes later still in the car waiting for her husband.

Police at the scene of the stabbing in the village of Pen Y Graig in South Wales today

Police forensics officers investigate following the stabbing in South Wales this afternoon

The family friend said: 'He was known to everyone around here as Uncle John - he was that sort of man. He was very smart and always wore a shirt even though he was long retired.

'He was a church warden and never had a bad word to say about anyone. He was the perfect gentleman.'

Flowers were left at the scene today as tributes continued to flood in for Mr Rees, who rang the bells at All Saints Church in the village of Trealaw at 8pm every Thursday for frontline NHS workers in the Covid-19 crisis.

However, villagers will ring the bells in his memory tomorrow night, locals said.

Vicar Rev Peter Gale described him as 'one of the best members of the congregation.'

A note left with flowers left at the scene of the horrific attack said: 'Our hearts go out to John and his beloved wife Unis (sic). We are all heartbroken.

'He was such a lovely gentleman, kind and caring.'

South Wales Police said a woman was arrested at the scene following this afternoon's stabbing

Forensic officers look into what happened after a man died in the stabbing incident today

Emergency services outside the Co-Op this afternoon following the horrific stabbing incident

Another read: 'RIP. Heartbreaking losing your life in such a horrific way. Can't stop thinking of your poor wife. Thoughts are with you and your family.'

Neighbour Tracey Goodridge, 60, said: 'It's so sad and unbelievable.

'John was a carer for his wife and would help anybody, he was such a gentleman.

'He rang the church bells at the end of the street and he couldn't wait for the church services to start up again.'

Fruit seller George Price, 69, said how Mr Rees called at the stall on his regular daily walk to All Saints.

He said: 'You wouldn't wish for a nicer man.'He would go to the chapel every day.

'I met him when I was 12. He was a lovely man. It's a sin that this has happened to him.

'He would pass this stall and he would go to the shop for his newspaper. Everybody knew him. I have never known a nicer chap.'
James Corden took to Instagram to share a collage of photos with his sisters Andrea and Ruth on Tuesday.

To mark younger sister Ruth's birthday, James, 41, posted a heartfelt message alongside the collage - which included snaps from their childhood.

The images showed the happy siblings in their youth, and another snap saw the trio all together, still incredibly close.

Happy birthday Rudi! James Corden took to Instagram to share a collage of photos with his sisters Andrea and Ruth on Tuesday

This left Ruth - or Rudi, as James calls her - in tears as she also took to Instagram to thank her brother - who lives 5000 miles away in LA - for his sweet gesture.

James posted: 'My life has been blessed with two incredible sisters. Andrea my big sister and Ruth (Rudi!) my younger. Today is Rudis birthday.

'Its hard to describe to people who dont know Ruth how incredible she is. How she lifts everyone around her, and with her love and kindness and compassion is the person who makes lots of people feel safe in this world.

'Now more than ever, the work she has done as a key worker over the past decade in social care is inspiring and humbling to say the least. So today Id like to say Happy Birthday Rudi! Ive never felt so far from you and Ange and Mum and Dad.

Throwback: To mark younger sister Ruth's birthday, James, 41, posted a heartfelt message alongside the collage - which included snaps from their childhood

Close: Another snap saw the trio all together. James is the middle child of the family

Sweet: The throwback images showed the happy siblings in their youth

'But Ive also never felt so connected to you all. Todays birthday, like many days right now, will be weird at times, Im sure. But I love you very very much, And am always so proud to be your brother. Happy Birthday Rudi! x'

Ruth - who is three years younger than James - replied: 'I am a wreck here...totally blubbing!'

She added: 'Thank you so much, I am so blessed to have you as my brother and I NEVER take for granted the connection we all have has siblings.

'You will never know how much I love you and how grateful I am for you everyday... from our rapping to our japes to deep chats and love of politics I am so thankful youre mine. War buddies always xxx'

She also took to her own Instagram stories to share the post from her big brother, captioning it: 'I'm not crying, you're crying!'

Ruth - who is three years younger than James - replied: 'I am a wreck here...totally blubbing!'

Party time! She revealed that her friends threw her a Zoom party on her birthday eve which she enjoyed with a bottle of prosecco

5000 miles: James keeps his family life relatively private usually - and is currently isolating at his Los Angeles home while The Late Late Show is halted due to COVID-19

She also revealed that her friends threw her a Zoom party on her birthday eve which she enjoyed with a bottle of prosecco.

Sister Andrea is the eldest of the siblings, at 45. James keeps his family life relatively private usually - and is currently isolating at his Los Angeles home while The Late Late Show is halted due to COVID-19.

The star has reportedly vowed to pay the salaries for 60 of show's staff, who have been furloughed.

It's thought the presenter will cover the wages out of his own pocket, after the staff were informed CBS would no longer pay them.

Production for The Late Late Show was halted in March as the state of California was placed in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, and James has since been presenting the show from his home in Los Angeles.

Far far away: The star has reportedly vowed to pay the salaries for 60 of show's staff, who have been furloughed

Big move: A source claimed the presenter, 41, will cover the wages out of his own pocket, after the staff were informed CBS would no longer pay them

According to Variety, CBS originally vowed to cover the salaries of Late Late Show's staff for eight weeks, but have now informed them this agreement has come to an end.

James then told staff that they would be furloughed going forward, but that he would be covering their wages himself.

The publication added that it's possible the total figure James is paying to cover staff's wages is 'at least mid-five figures a week.'

It's also been reported that James and his Late Late Show producers have been keeping staff engaged with the show during lockdown through various work-from-home projects and daily talks over Zoom.

Big changes: Since March James has been representing The Late Late Show from his garage in Los Angeles after production was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic

It's thought due to the The Late Late Show's simple production, it could be among the first series to resume studio filming as lockdown restrictions are relaxed.

MailOnline has contacted representatives for James Corden and CBS for comment.

Production for the show was brought to a halt in March as fears grew surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

Since then James has been hosting the show in his garage and vowed he will return to the studio in the future when restrictions at lifted.

'I'll be back soon': James also revealed he'd undergone 'minor eye surgery' but assured fans he's 'doing well and recovering'

The star was also forced to take a break from filming this week to undergo a 'minor' eye surgery.

In a statement shared to his social media platform, the former Gavin and Stacey star said: 'Hey all. I had to have minor surgery on my eye yesterday. I am doing well and recovering, but wont be able to film new episodes for a few nights.

'Thank you to everyone who has been watching the Late Late Shows from my garage. Ill be back soon. Stay safe and well everybody. x.' [sic]

Earlier this month, the Gavin and Stacey star, who shares children Max, nine, Carey, five, and Charlotte, two, with wife Julia Carey, candidly discussed the life lessons he has picked up during the global coronavirus crisis.

Writing for TIME magazine, the anchor confessed he doesn't want to lose the feeling of gratitude he's developed in the pandemic.

The TV star, who resides in Los Angeles but hails from London, added he's 'never felt so far' from his British relatives and all that matters now is being there for those he loves.

Candid: Earlier this month, the Gavin and Stacey star candidly discussed the life lessons he has picked up during the global coronavirus crisis.

James mused: 'I can see now that Ive taken so many things for granted, things for which Im now acutely grateful. When things do revert to some form of normalcy, whenever that is, I hope I dont forget this feeling.'

Despite launching Homefest, a variety show taped at his home, James confessed: 'Ive never felt less inspired or creative  but the show must go on.

'What matters now is looking after the people you love and being there for them.

'And when all else fails, the power of a good deep breath, a chuckle with a friend and a glass of wine should never be underestimated.'
No immediate claim of responsibility for firing rockets that landed in the perimeter of Baghdads airport.

Three Katyusha-type rockets have struck a military complex near Baghdads international airport that is used by US troops and diplomats, Iraqs military said without reporting casualties.

Security officials said it was not immediately clear whether a military base hosting US troops next to the airport was the target of Wednesdays attack.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack which came hours ahead of a Parliament session that will vote on the proposed government of the latest prime minister-designate, Mustafa al-Kadhimi.

Iraqi security forces later discovered the launching pad for the rockets in the al-Barkiya area, west of the capital Baghdad.

An Iraqi security official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said one of the rockets struck close to Iraqi forces at the military airport, another near Camp Cropper, once a US detention facility, and the last near to where US forces are stationed at the base.

Another security source told AFP news agency that the target was the headquarters of the counter-terrorism service, where American troops are based.

Baghdads airport has been closed since mid-March as part of a nationwide lockdown to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

US-Iran tensions

The United States blames a series of rocket attacks near or on bases hosting its troops this year on Iran-aligned groups, although those groups have not claimed them.





Tension between Washington and Tehran has ramped up over the last year, culminating in the US killing of Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani and Iraqs paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a drone strike at Baghdad airport in January.

Iran-backed paramilitary groups vowed to avenge the killings and rocket attacks on bases hosting US troops have persisted.

Rocket attacks have also hit near the US embassy in Baghdad, with at least one direct hit on the compound.

Iraq faces the COVID-19 pandemic, a looming economic crisis and increased security threats, including the US-Iran standoff and a resurging Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS, also known as ISIL), without a sitting government.

The country has been without a prime minister since Adel Abdul Mahdi, who remains in a caretaker capacity, resigned amid anti-government protests in November.
Unions have warned Rishi Sunak against cutting support for workers affected by the coronavirus crisis, amid claims that the chancellor is considering cutting the value of the furlough scheme under which the state pays part of their wages.

And businesses are calling for clarity on the chancellors intentions, warning that support must remain in place as long as firms activities are impacted by restrictions on normal life.

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) floated proposals for a move to partial furloughs, allowing firms to phase in their return to pre-pandemic working practices.

Mr Sunak is facing growing pressure over the cost of the job retention scheme, with the latest government figures showing that 6.3 million people are having up to 80% of their salaries paid by the Treasury, at a price of 8bn.

A decision on whether to extend the support beyond the current cutoff of the end of June is needed by the middle of next week in order to avoid companies starting redundancy processes to lay off staff in July.

Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Show all 18 1 /18 Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, with a carer in PPE at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jackie Wilson, a healthcare assistant, wearing PPE before going into rooms Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, speaks to a carer at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Carers working at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A care worker wearing PPE opens a drink carton Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, sits with a carer Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, with a carer in PPE Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A care staff member wearing PPE Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A staff member at Newfield Nursing Home looks after a resident SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer wearing PPE uses a speaker Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer helps Jack Dodsley, 79, from his chair Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer wearing PPE helps Jack Dodsley, 79 Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A staff member at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A carer brings food to a resident at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jack Dodsley, 79, with a carer in PPE Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A staff member puts on PPE at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside Jackie Wilson, a healthcare assistant, puts on PPE before she enters a room SWNS Care home hit by coronavirus: A rare glimpse of life inside A bench at Newfield Nursing Home Tom Maddick/SWNS

The Times reported that Mr Sunak will announce plans next week to wind down the scheme from July, with options including cutting the subsidy level and lowering the 2,500 cap on monthly payments.

However, Treasury sources insisted that no decisions have yet been made, saying that everything is still on the table.

The TUC director general, Frances OGrady, warned that any changes must not undermine the incomes of workers who are currently furloughed.

The job retention scheme must be flexible enough to allow for a gradual return to work, she said.

But that cant be achieved by cutting support for workers.

Workers must get at least 80 per cent of their wages paid for every hour they are furloughed.

The BCC also called for flexibility, saying that the job retention scheme should be adapted as the UK gradually moves away from lockdown, rather than withdrawn in an abrupt cliff-edge.

The BCCs director general, Adam Marshall, said: The job retention scheme has been successful in its aim to protect livelihoods.

Ministers should adapt the scheme in alignment with any phased restart of the economy. Support must remain in place for firms that are not able to operate for an extended period and for those who face reduced capacity or demand for their services as a result of ongoing restrictions.

Adaptations could include the ability to partially furlough staff to support a phased rebuilding of capacity.

Businesses need clarity on this, and the future of other support schemes, so they can plan ahead, survive this crisis and thrive in the future.

The health secretary, Matt Hancock, has previously said the government must wean businesses off the scheme as the economy gets back on its feet.

And a senior government source told The Times that people are addicted to the scheme, adding: Were not talking about a cliff edge, but we have to get people back to work.

Angela Rayner, Labours deputy leader, criticised Mr Hancock and the source for using dreadful terms against workers who through no fault of their own have been told to stay away from work during the pandemic.

And the partys leader, Sir Keir Starmer, called on ministers to set out the next steps for the lifeline scheme.

Its important that that scheme is in place, Starmers spokesperson said. The government does need to provide clarity about the future status of that scheme.

What weve said is that the government should allow for greater flexibility for businesses, with some staff able to semi-furlough to ensure that they do not face a cliff edge when the scheme comes to an end.

Mr Sunak has previously acknowledged the current level of expenditure is not sustainable in the long term and said ministers were investigating ways to wind it down in a measured way.

Liberal Democrats have called for a tapered end to the programme, with the Treasury paying 50% of salaries for the first month after people return to work, falling to 30% after the third month, with employers picking up the full bill after the fourth.

And the Scottish National Partys Treasury spokesperson, Alison Thewliss, said it was vital the UK government does not take premature steps to wind down measures.

The Unison union has called on the government to extend the furlough scheme beyond private companies and open it up to the self-isolating staff of employers that receive public money to help provide services  such as charities, businesses providing contract cleaning or catering services for hospitals and schools, and nurseries receiving state support to provide free childcare.

In a letter to Mr Hancock, the union also asked for employees who are off work because they are protecting vulnerable loved ones to be treated the same as those in self-isolation and therefore be eligible for statutory or occupational sick pay and leave.

Unisons general secretary, Dave Prentis, said: Key workers are being forced to choose between protecting vulnerable loved ones or losing pay.

Employers putting their staff under pressure need to stop hiding behind public health guidance and use more common sense. Leaving staff with no income when there are other options to pursue is simply wrong.

Unison has put forward simple solutions that we hope ministers will take on board before more livelihoods, and potentially lives, are lost.
Sydney, May 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just released, this edition of Paul Budde Communications focus report on Israel outlines the major developments and key aspects in the telecoms markets.

Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Israel-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses

Mobile operators in Israel have increasingly felt the pressure from a highly competitive market, resulting in declining profits and revenue. Mobile ARPUs have dropped over the past few years for all the major operators, with the market accommodating six mobile operators.

In 2019 the government begun its tender process for 5G licensing; with the expectation that some operators may join together in the bidding process in order to meet the financial requirements.

While 4G coverage in Israel is significant, the adoption of such services remains low and this has been partly attributed to the prohibitive cost of services and devices.

Israel has a very high household internet penetration rate, almost all of which are broadband connections.  DSL subscriptions hold the largest market share of fixed broadband subscriptions. Fibre-network deployment is well underway as well, led by the Israel Broadband Company (IBC). Bezeq and HOT are both subject to broadband universal service obligations which has resulted in fixed broadband being available to 99% of all households.

Interest in the high-tech sector is still a key growth area for Israel with many start-ups operating. Recently Israel turned its attention towards the opportunities presented by the growing cyber-security sector.

BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus in 2020 is having a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries.

On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth.

Although it is challenging to predict and interpret the long-term impacts of the crisis as it develops, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report.

The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions.

Key developments:

In 2019 the regulator launched a tender of 5G spectrum in the 700 MHz, 2600 MHz and 35003800 MHz bands.

In 2018 Israel gained a new mobile operator with 018 Xfone launching 4G mobile services under the We4G brand.

There are concerns being raised that telecoms infrastructure investment is falling behind in Israel.

In 2018 Bezeq was directed by the Ministry of Communications to begin offering wholesale telephony services.

Assessment of the global impact of COVID-19 on the telecoms sector.

Companies mentioned in this report include:

Bezeq, Bezeq International, Pelephone, HOT Telecom, HOT Mobile, Cellcom, 013 NetVision, Partner (Formerly Orange), 012 Smile, Xfone, Golan Telecom (Electra Communications), Israel Broadband Company (IBC); Remi Levy, Mobile 019.





Key statistics

Country overview

COVID-19 and its impact on the telecom sector Economic considerations and responses Mobile devices Subscribers Infrastructure

Telecommunications market Overview Market analysis

Regulatory environment Historic overview Regulatory authority Privatisation of Bezeq Earlier privatisation attempts Telecom sector liberalisation in Israel Liberalisation begins Early moves towards fixed-line market liberalisation Kroll Committee Licences awarded to cable TV companies Further competition in the international calls market New domestic voice service licences and Bezeqs reaction Licensing of VoIP/VOB Interconnect Gronau Commission Hayek Commission Alternative fibre network operator Number Portability (NP) Net Neutrality Wholesale Overview

Fixed network operators Introduction Bezeq HOT Telecom 013 NetVision (Cellcom) 012 Smile Telecom (Partner) Xfone 018/Marathon Telecommunications

Telecommunications infrastructure National telecom network International infrastructure Submarine cable networks Satellite networks Smart infrastructure M2M/IoT Smart grids

Fixed broadband market Market analysis Broadband statistics Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks Fibre networks Unlimited (Israel Broadband Company) Fixed wireless (WiFi)

Digital economy Start-ups e-Banking

Digital media Videostreaming

Mobile market Market analysis Mobile statistics General statistics Mobile broadband statistics Mobile infrastructure 5G 4G LTE 3G GSM Regulatory issues Connection charges Licensing LTE Spectrum Roaming MTRs Early termination fee reduction MNP Network sharing Major mobile operators Cellcom Partner Communications Company (formerly Orange) Pelephone (Bezeq) HOT Mobile Golan Telecom (acquired by Electra in 2017) MVNOs Historical background Recent developments Mobile handsets

Appendix  Historic Data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports





List of Tables

Table 1  Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Israel  2019

Table 2  Israel - evolution of GDP and inflation in Israel  2014  2019

Table 3  Bezeq revenue and EBITDA  2009  Q1 2019

Table 4  Bezeq fixed access lines and monthly ARPL  2009  Q2 2019

Table 5  Israel - fixed lines in service and teledensity  2009  2024

Table 6  Israel - Internet penetration  2009  2019

Table 7  Israel - fixed broadband subscribers  2009  2024

Table 8  Bezeq - fixed broadband lines and retail broadband ARPU  2009  Q1 2019

Table 9  Average broadband speed per retail Bezeq customer  2009  Q1 2019

Table 10  Israel - fixed broadband subscribers  Cable, DSL and FttH/B - 2010  2017

Table 11  Israel - major mobile operators monthly mobile ARPU  2013  2018

Table 12  Israel - mobile subscribers and penetration rate  2009  2024

Table 13  Israel - major mobile operators market share by subscribers  2010  2017

Table 14  Israel - active mobile broadband subscriptions  2010  2024

Table 15  4G LTE adoption- 2016; 1H 2018

Table 16  Cellcom  consolidated revenue  2009  Q1 2019

Table 17  Cellcom  mobile subscribers and ARPU  2009  Q1 2019

Table 18  Partner  revenue and operating profit  2008  2018

Table 19  Partner  mobile subscribers and monthly ARPU  2008  2018

Table 20  Pelephone  revenue and operating profit  2008  Q2 2018

Table 21  Pelephone  mobile subscribers and monthly ARPU  2008  Q1 2019

Table 22  HOT Mobile  revenue and EBITDA  2017  Q2 2019

Table 23  HOT Mobile  mobile subscribers  2010  2018

Table 24  Historic  Israel - fixed lines in service and teledensity  1995  2008

Table 25  Historic  Israel - Internet users and penetration  1995  2008

Table 26  Historic - Israel - fixed broadband subscribers  2001  2008

Table 27  Historic - Israel - PC penetration  2002  2005

Table 28  Historic  Israel - mobile subscribers and penetration rate - 1995  2008

Table 29  Historic - Cellcom  consolidated revenue  2005  2008

Table 30  Historic - Cellcom  mobile subscribers and ARPU  2005  2008

Table 31  Historic - Bezeq fixed access lines and monthly ARPL  2003  2008

Table 32  Historic - Pelephone  revenue and operating profit  2003  2007

List of Charts

Chart 1  Israel  fixed-line subscriptions in decline  2009  2024

Chart 2  Israel  fixed broadband growth  2009 - 2024

Chart 3  Major mobile operators  monthly mobile ARPU decline  2013 - 2018

Chart 4  Israel  mobile subscriber growth and penetration  2009  2024

Chart 5  Israel mobile broadband growth  2009  2024

Read the full report: https://www.budde.com.au/Research/Israel-Telecoms-Mobile-and-Broadband-Statistics-and-Analyses
Parents facing the challenge of teaching their children at home can now access virtual homework help from aspiring teachers at the University of Winnipeg.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 6/5/2020 (622 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Parents facing the challenge of teaching their children at home can now access virtual homework help from aspiring teachers at the University of Winnipeg.

The virtual tutor program uses online video-conferencing tool Zoom to pair students learning from home with one of 40 U of W faculty of education students for some one-on-one support. Students are invited to join Monday and Wednesday afternoon sessions where they can receive help with a variety of subjects.

While the program launched in mid-April, its now beginning to pick up steam. Organizer Kari McCluskey, who works as an occasional instructor and co-ordinator of the U of Ws Lost Prizes seminars, said the idea emerged from hearing concerns from community members about the additional stresses families were experiencing.

"I thought that this homework club would be kind of a filler in the meantime to help support families, and even teachers, who now are having to redevelop their whole plan and what that means for access and that one-on-one time and all those extra pieces," she said.

After the project was given the go-ahead from university administration, education students jumped at the chance to provide help to parents, McCluskey said.

"Within an hour of sending out the email saying, this is what were going to try to do, basically we have no idea what its going to look like, but lets give it a go," she said. "It was amazing, it was awesome to see how many students were quickly like, heres my name, heres my major, Im happy to help any way I can."

Breanna Rae Laggo, a third-year education student double-majoring in English and French, is one of the students who took on the opportunity. She said shes mostly worked with middle school students, many of whom have parents who face a language barrier or are facing one themselves.

"I think the most common topics that weve seen so far have been French and math, so were working on that for anyone who wants to come," Laggo said.

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 project has shifted since that initial email. After the first weeks launch, McCluskey set up orientation sessions with parents.

"I think that was an important piece too, was inviting the parents to also get involved," she said. "If you want to come and check it out, check it out, ask your questions, if you want to sit with your child thats totally OK."

While the program isnt collecting data on how many students are involved, McCluskey said about 20 students took part last week and interest from parents continues.

"As long as theres need, theres families, theres requests, then well keep going," she said.

Parents interested in getting their children involved can email McCluskey at ka.mccluskey@uwinnipeg.ca.

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca
Germany's population climbs year by year to new record levels. Neither in Imperial Germany nor during the Nazi period, more people lived in the country. As the Federal Statistical office informed on Friday in Wiesbaden, Germany, increased the number of inhabitants also in 2019 and reached 83.2 million. However, the growth flattens: An increase from 147.000 means the lowest population increase since 2013.

In the three decades since German unification, the population has grown in most years with the exception of the years 1998 and 2003 to 2010. This increase is due, according to the statisticians, however, exclusively on immigration. Otherwise, the population would shrink since 1972. Since then, more people have died each year than were born.

in 2019, wandered about 300,000 people, more than. In this case, the Plus has become, however, in the fourth year in a row, small. In 2018, net Migration was about 400,000. In 2015, the net migration had increased due to the refugee crisis extremely hard to 978.000 people; now it has fallen back to the level of 2012.

Regional differences in population growth

at the same time, the Federal Republic of Germany there is a growing birth deficit: in 2019, there was 778.000 births and 939.500 deaths. This results in a deficit of around 161,000 results. The average age of the population increased in 2019, slightly by 0.1 years to 44.5 years. Over a century ago (1910), it was still at 23.6 years.

The development of the population varied from region to region: in Percentage terms, Berlin had (plus 0.7 percent), Brandenburg, Bavaria, and Hesse (in each case, plus 0.4 percent), the highest growth rates. In contrast, the number of inhabitants decreased most in terms of percentage, in Saxony-Anhalt (minus 13.500 or minus 0.6 percent), Thuringia (minus 9.800 or minus 0.5 percent) and the Saarland (minus 3.600 or minus 0.4 percent). For the former Federal region (without Berlin) results in a population increase of 143.700 people (plus 0.2 percent). In the new lander (without Berlin) the population decreased to 20,800 thousand persons or 0.2 percent. An exception to the Trend in the East of Brandenburg, was due to the proximity to Berlin, with an increase of 10,000 inhabitants.

the growth of the foreign population slowed down in the year 2019, while the number of Germans fell: the end of 2019 72,8 million Germans lived (minus 161.000 or minus 0.2 percent) and 10.4 million foreign citizens (plus 309.000, respectively, plus 3.1 percent) in the Federal Republic of Germany. The share of foreigners increased over the previous year of 12.2 to 12.5 percent. The average age of the population increased slightly by 0.1 years to 44.5 years.

Updated Date: 19 June 2020, 05:20
(Photo : Screenshot from Twitter post of @TomCruise) NASA Is Currently Planning To Shoot A Film With Tom Cruise And It Will Be Filmed In Space! (Photo : NASA on Unsplash) NASA Is Currently Planning To Shoot A Film With Tom Cruise And It Will Be Filmed In Space!

Tom Cruise's next movie will be filmed in outer space and will not be using green screens. According to Techcrunch's latest report, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) confirmed that it is working with the Hollywood actor in his upcoming movie which will take the actor to the outer limits of Earth and into space.

Also Read: NASA And Virgin Galactic Will Develop a Supersonic Aircraft Making New York City to Shanghai in 40 Minutes Possible

It was recently reported also by Techcrunch that the upcoming film is not a booked project, but rather is at the early stages of discussion with the space agency. The new film, however, probably won't be a Mission Impossible sequel, as Deadline has confirmed.

In related news, SpaceX was reported to certify its first human-rated spacecraft for service. The final preparatory step of NASA will launch on May 2 before the spacecraft can be used for normal astronaut-ferrying operations to and from the International Space Station. NASA astronauts will be carried for the first time on SpaceX during a demonstration mission.

NASA is currently planning to shoot a film with Tom Cruise and it will be filmed in space

According to the report, it was previously discussed by NASA that the ISS would like to open for more commercial ventures outside space. Offering the ISS as a filming location will the first step to achieving its goal. Jim Bridenstine, the administrator of NASA, confirmed on his Twitter post that NASA is excited to work with the famous actor on his upcoming film. SpaceX would likely be a potential project partner of the new movie.

NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station ! We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASA s ambitious plans a reality. pic.twitter.com/CaPwfXtfUv  Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) May 5, 2020

Bridenstine also stated that offering NASA's floating orbital platform in popular media will serve as an inspiration to the new generation of scientists and engineers of the space agency to achieve its future goals.

SpaceX will presumably take part as Tom Cruise rides to the ISS; however, it was concluded that the actor might face some challenges going to the site to film the movie.

NASA and SpaceX are currently looking also to make the Crew Dragon's passenger capacity available to commercial entities. Although the seating capacity of aircraft can accommodate up to seven passengers, NASA will only provide four seats which are included in the space agency's plans.

Offering ISS as a filming platform could help with sharing the cost of fuel for the space ride. The idea of commercial bookings could help lessen the cost of launches is still not confirmed. But it was previously announced by SpaceX that it will be offering private tourists flights that are expected to commence in 2022 or next year.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Herat:

Taliban militants attacked foreign tourists escorted by an Afghan army convoy in the western province of Herat today, officials said, with a military spokesman saying at least six people were wounded.

The Taliban have officially not claimed responsibility so far for the attack and the nationality of the tourists was not immediately known.

The convoy was ambushed by the Taliban in Chesht-e-Sharif district. The tourists were on their way to Herat from Bamiyan and Ghor provinces, said Jilani Farhad, the spokesman for Herats governor.

Military spokesman Najibullah Najibi said the ambush left at least five foreign tourists and their Afghan driver wounded, adding that they were being escorted to Herat city.

The attack comes as Taliban militants intensify their annual summer offensive after a brief lull during the holy fasting month of Ramadan, which ended in early July.

Highways in Afghanistan passing through insurgency-prone areas have become exceedingly dangerous, with the Taliban and other armed groups frequently kidnapping or killing travellers.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij on Wednesday said he has been receiving requests everyday from people wanting to cross the state border with Delhi but he will not give in to any pressure.

It will not work with me, he said, adding that the issue was linked to people's safety.

He said Haryana has sealed its border with Delhi as a spike in coronavirus cases has been witnessed in the past a few days in the state, with most cases being reported from districts adjoining the national capital.

Ever since we sealed these borders, I have to deal with many kind of pressures, which people try to put on me. But I am willing to take any kind of pressure because I have to keep people of my state safe, Vij told reporters.

A few days ago, Vij had issued orders to stop daily movement of people on inter-state borders, especially the Delhi-Gurgaon border.

Vij said during the past few days he has been getting phone calls daily as some people try to use their influence after which pressure is put on him to allow certain individuals or some people from a particular department cross the border.

Asked what kind of pressure he faces, Vij replied, There are different kinds of pressure; I get phone calls saying you let this person go; you allow so and so person; you let this department people cross the border. There are 100 hotspots in Delhi and if we continue with the daily movement of people from there, then Haryana too will go the Delhi way.

It is good when people say that we should fight COVID together. But when Haryana is okay and our situation is better, only then we can help others, including Delhi and other states, he said in reply to a question.

We have also sealed borders Punjab, Himachal, UP and Rajasthan. This is our right, we have to protect our people, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
LAKEWOOD, CO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU; TSX: EFR) ("Energy Fuels"), the leading producer of uranium in the United States, is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement to acquire from GeoInstruments Logging LLC ("GIL") all of its Prompt Fission Neutron ("PFN") technology and equipment, including all of its related intellectual property, which will give Energy Fuels the exclusive right to use, license, and service this particular PFN technology globally. PFN is critical to successfull uranium production particularly from many in situ recovery ("ISR") deposits, as it more accurately measures downhole in-situ U 3 O 8 ore grade versus traditional Total Gamma and Spectral Gamma methods.

The PFN equipment and technology to be acquired by Energy Fuels includes: four (4) PFN tools; nine (9) gamma tools with point resistivity, spontaneous potential and deviation; two (2) low-mileage, heavy-duty logging trucks with logging and associated equipment; power supplies, computers, communication, and other technology; and all associated intellectual property, including all internal details of the tools, circuit board diagrams, firmware code, software, manuals, instructions, patents and the sole right to utilize and license the acquired PFN technology globally. The total consideration to be paid by Energy Fuels to GIL will be US$500,000.00 cash. Closing of the transaction is expected to occur within approximately two weeks, after completion of a due diligence inspection of the equipment.

Energy Fuels currently has some PFN equipment in various states of repair, which it has used for its mining operations in the past, as do other companies in the U.S. and around the world. With the acquisition of this additional PFN equipment and technology from GIL, Energy Fuels will, not only be able to utilize the additional equipment to ramp-up production from its ISR properties more quickly and efficiently in the event of improved market conditions, it will also secure the ability to service, repair and maintain PFN equipment currently held by the Company and others, as well as license this technology to others in the future.

"Energy Fuels' acquisition of this PFN equipment and technology will further solidify Energy Fuels' position as the leading uranium miner in the United States, especially in the ISR space" stated Mark S. Chalmers, President and CEO of the Company. "We believe that acquiring PFN technology is now more important than ever, as we believe a revival of the U.S. uranium industry is imminent. On April 23, 2020, the U.S. Nuclear Fuel Working Group (NFWG) conclusively described why the U.S. needs healthy uranium and nuclear fuel industries in order to secure U.S. energy and national security and prevent Russia, China and other geopolitical rivals from gaining control of global  and U.S.  nuclear markets. We believe the NFWG report represents the strongest U.S. government commitment to supporting U.S. uranium miners in decades. The NFWG report also provides a menu of actions the U.S. government can take to support domestic uranium mining, including creating a U.S. uranium reserve, and potentially increasing the size of the American Assured Fuel Supply. We believe the NFWG report is an emphatic call for the U.S. government to take whatever actions are necessary to bring back U.S. uranium and nuclear fuel production. In response to the NFWG Report recommendations, President Trump has already announced a budget that seeks $150 million per year over the next 10 years (totaling $1.5 billion over that timeframe) to establish a strategic uranium reserve intended "to provide additional assurances of availability of uranium in the event of a market disruption." ("A Budget for America's Future", Page 46; "Table 25-1. Federal Budget by Agency and Account, FY-2021 President's Budget Policy", Page 127).

"We believe PFN technology is critical, as the technology provides significant advantages to miners that operate primarily ISR uranium projects, many of which are in a state of radioactive disequilibrium. PFN is able to more accurately detect and define uranium content and location versus traditional downhole gamma measurements. In fact without PFN, a uranium miner may miss large areas of high-grade uranium resources within a deposit. As a result, PFN can provide a uranium miner with the opportunity to gain a significant advantage by reducing uranium production, drilling, exploration, analytical costs and time."

Why PFN Is Important

PFN technologies have played an important part in discovering, and bringing to production, some of the best uranium deposits in the world, including the low-cost Beverly and Four Mile uranium mines currently operating in South Australia. Energy Fuels' Alta Mesa ISR Project in South Texas, which produced nearly 5 million pounds of U 3 O 8 between 2005 and 2012, also deployed PFN technology while in production.

Many geologically younger ISR uranium deposits in the U.S., and particularly in Texas, have a certain degree of disequilibrium, whereby the radioactivity measured in drill holes using traditional Total Gamma and Spectral Gamma methods does not accurately correspond to ore grade, due to the continued decay of uranium daughter products including potassium, thorium, lead and bismuth relative to radium (Ra226), a significant gamma emmiter. Traditionally, disequilibrium is calculated using mud rotary coring techniques and laboratory gamma and alpha spectometry. All of which are expensive and time consuming. Without accurate in-situ measurement of uranium, significant high-grade ore has been missed using the traditional downhole techniques. PFN technology solves this issue by instead using neutron activation to detect uranium in drill holes. The PFN tool creates very fast neutrons (14MeV) and fires 108 neutrons per second. Therefore, the neutrons emitted by the PFN tool excite, at an atomic level, in-situ uranium atoms in the drill hole, creating fast (epithermal) neutrons and slow (thermal) neutrons. The ratio of epithermal to thermal neutrons is proportional to uranium, allowing the U 3 O 8 ore grade to be accurately calculated. This provides a relatively inexpensive and instantaneous means for accurate assaying in-situ ore grades over large areas, and allows for accurate ore body mapping, resource estimation, and wellfield planning.

About Energy Fuels : Energy Fuels is a leading US-based uranium mining company, supplying U 3 O 8 to major nuclear utilities. The Company also produces vanadium from certain of its projects, as market conditions warrant. Its corporate offices are near Denver, Colorado, and all of its assets and employees are in the United States. Energy Fuels holds three of America's key uranium production centers, the White Mesa Mill in Utah, the Nichols Ranch in-situ recovery ("ISR") Project in Wyoming, and the Alta Mesa ISR Project in Texas. The White Mesa Mill is the only conventional uranium mill operating in the U.S. today, has a licensed capacity of over 8 million pounds of U 3 O 8 per year, and has the ability to produce vanadium when market conditions warrant. The Nichols Ranch ISR Project is in operation and has a licensed capacity of 2 million pounds of U 3 O 8 per year. The Alta Mesa ISR Project is currently on standby. In addition to the above production facilities, Energy Fuels also has one of the largest NI 43-101 compliant uranium resource portfolios in the U.S., and several uranium and uranium/vanadium mining projects on standby and in various stages of permitting and development. The primary trading market for Energy Fuels' common shares is the NYSE American under the trading symbol "UUUU", and the Company's common shares are also listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "EFR." Energy Fuels' website is www.energyfuels.com .

Cautionary Notes: This news release contains certain "Forward Looking Information" and "Forward Looking Statements" within the meaning of applicable United States and Canadian securities legislation, which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to: any expectation that this transaction will close and the timing of any such closing; any expectation that the Company will be able to utilize the additional equipment to ramp-up production from its ISR properties more quickly and efficiently in the event of improved market conditions; any expectation that the completion of this transaction will secure the Company's ability to to service, repair and maintain PFN equipment currently held by the Company and others, as well as license this technology to others in the future; any expectation that PFN is critical to successfull uranium production particularly from many ISR deposits; any expectation that a revival of the U.S. uranium industry is imminent; any expectation that the NFWG report is an emphatic call for the U.S. government to take whatever actions are necessary to bring back U.S. uranium and nuclear fuel production; any expectation that the NFWG's recommendations will revive and expand the production of U.S. nuclear fuel, including uranium mining; any expectation that the Company will be a beneficiary of U.S. government actions to support U.S. uranium miners; any expectation as to how the President's fiscal 2021 budget will be implemented and the timing of implementation; any expectation that Congress will make the requested appropriations; and any expectation with respect to the Company's ability to maintain its leading position as a producer. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans," "expects," "does not expect," "is expected," "is likely," "budgets," "scheduled," "estimates," "forecasts," "intends," "anticipates," "does not anticipate," or "believes," or variations of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "would," "might" or "will be taken," "occur," "be achieved" or "have the potential to." All statements, other than statements of historical fact, herein are considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements express or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include risks associated with: any expectation that this transaction will close and the timing of any such closing; any expectation that the Company will be able to utilize the additional equipment to ramp-up production from its ISR properties more quickly and efficiently in the event of improved market conditions; any expectation that the completion of this transaction will secure the Company's ability to service, repair and maintain PFN equipment currently held by the Company and others, as well as license this technology to others in the future; any expectation that PFN is critical to successfull uranium production particularly from many ISR deposits; any expectation that a revival of the U.S. uranium industry is imminent; any expectation that the NFWG report is an emphatic call for the U.S. government to take whatever actions are necessary to bring back U.S. uranium and nuclear fuel production; any expectation that the NFWG's recommendations will revive and expand the production of U.S. nuclear fuel, including uranium mining; any expectation that the Company will be a beneficiary of U.S. government actions to support U.S. uranium miners; any expectation as to how the President's fiscal 2021 budget will be implemented and the timing of implementation; any expectation that Congress will make the requested appropriations; any expectation with respect to the Company's ability to maintain its leading position as a producer; and the other factors described under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is available for review on EDGAR at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml , on SEDAR at www.sedar.com , and on the Company's website at www.energyfuels.com . Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update the information in this communication, except as otherwise required by law.

It should further be noted that the U.S. President's proposed budgeted activities are subject to appropriation by the Congress of the United States, and there can be no certainty of the outcome of his proposed budget activities or the NFWG's recommendations. Therefore, the outcome of this process remains uncertain.

SOURCE Energy Fuels Inc.

Related Links

http://www.energyfuels.com


EUR/USD Current Price: 1.0848

US ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI contracted to 41.8 in April, better than anticipated.

The markets mood was upbeat amid economic re-openings.

EUR/USD at risk of extending its decline once below 1.0790.

A better market mood lifted the greenback, particularly against its European rivals this Tuesday. The EUR/USD pair fell to 1.0825 as shared currency was the worst performer, affected by news coming from Germany. The German Constitutional Court ruled on the ECB stimulus program introduced back in 2015. The court said that the program had not violated any law, yet gave a three-month ultimatum to the ECB in order to demonstrate the proportionality between the plan and its effects. The news triggered a sell-off in local bonds, weighing also on local indexes, which anyway closed in the green. The upbeat sentiment was underpinned by economic re-openings, as some European countries and US states are slowly returning to normal.

The EU released its March PPI, which contracted by 1.5% when compared to a month earlier and fell by -2.8% YoY. The US released its April ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI, which came in better than anticipated at 41.8. Still, the employment sub-component plunged to a record low.

Wednesday will bring the final versions of the EU Markit Services PMIs for April, and the Unions Retail Sales, these last, seen down by 10.5% in March. The US will publish the ADP survey on private jobs creation seen down by 20 million. The report will be critical ahead of the Nonfarm Payroll report later this week, as the unemployment rate is seen north of 16%.

EUR/USD Short-Term Technical Outlook

The EUR/USD pair is trading at the lower end of its daily range ahead of the US close, retaining its bearish stance. In the 4-hour chart, the pair has established below all of its moving averages, with an attempt to regain the upside meeting sellers in the 1.0880 price zone, where it has the 100 and 200 SMA. Technical indicators remain at daily lows, lacking directional strength yet with no signs of downward exhaustion. A steeper decline is to be expected on a break below 1.0790, a strong static support level.

Story continues

Support levels: 1.0825 1.0790 1.0755

Resistance levels: 1.0880 1.0920 1.0950

Image sourced from Pixabay

See more from Benzinga

 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Updated at 7:39 a.m. ET on 2020-05-07

At least 55 medical workers have died from COVID-19 complications in Indonesia, officials disclosed on Wednesday, as President Joko Jokowi Widodo postponed regional elections from September to December because of the pandemic.

Limited supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE), combined with fatigue and risky emergency procedures, contributed to the high rate of fatalities among medical personnel, an official with the governments coronavirus task force said.

To date, 38 doctors and 17 nurses have died of COVID-19, task force senior official Wiku Adisasmito said.

This condition is also exacerbated by patients who are not honest about their infections, recent travel history and contacts, he told reporters participating in a virtual press conference. This is something that must be rectified by all parties involved in public health. We must shift the focus from treatment to prevention.

One month ago, the Indonesian Medical Association expressed alarm that the number of doctors killed by COVID-19 had jumped to 25  at a time when the national death toll was 209. The World Bank reported that the nation had one doctor for every 3,000 people.

On Wednesday, Indonesia recorded 367 new coronavirus cases, bringing the national tally to 12,438, task force spokesman Achmad Yurianto said. The death toll rose to 895 after 23 additional deaths were recorded overnight.

Globally, more than 3.7 million have been infected by COVID-19 and nearly 260,000 have died, according to data compiled by disease experts at U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

Meanwhile, Jokowi signed an emergency decree postponing regional elections until the end of the year because of the pandemic, the cabinet secretariat said Wednesday.



The elections for nine governors, 37 mayors and 224 district chiefs had been scheduled for Sept. 23, but were moved to a December date to be determined by the General Election Commission (KPU). The decree allows the elections to be postponed further if the epidemic has not been brought under control.

Speaking to his cabinet, Jokowi urged the country to focus on flattening the pandemics curve.

For this reason, I call on all the ministers, the commander of the Armed Forces and the national police chief to mobilize all resources and energy to mitigate COVID-19 and adverse effects, Jokowi said. We must achieve our target for the curve to go down this May.

Late last month, Doni Monardo, the COVID-19 task force chief, said if Indonesians obeyed restrictions imposed by the government, their lives could return to normal by July.

On Wednesday, Jokowi also inaugurated Police Inspector General Boy Rafli Amar as chief of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), in a ceremony where the president, Boy and other officials wore masks and practiced social distancing as safeguards against the coronavirus.

Boy, 55, takes over Indonesias top counterterrorist post from Suhardi Alius, who led the agency since July 2016 and has taken on a new role as a policy analyst at the national polices Criminal Investigation Department. Boy, a 32-year police veteran, earlier served as police chief in Indonesias restive Papua region and as national police spokesman, among other posts.

Poverty reduction set back

In other developments, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said that COVID-19 had set Indonesias poverty-eradication efforts back by a decade because 2 million people had lost their jobs during the last six weeks in Southeast Asias biggest economy.

All of our achievement in reducing the poverty rate between 2011 and 2020 is reversed, Indrawati said, according to Reuters news service.



Indonesias poverty rate was 12.36 percent in 2011, with nearly 30 million people considered poor. The rate was 9.22 percent in September 2019, with 24.79 million people counted as poor.



Last month, Sri Mulyani said about 2.9 million to 5.2 million jobs from a workforce of 134 million could be lost this year as a result of the pandemic.

Earlier this week, the Central Bureau of Statistics said the economy grew at 2.97 percent in the first quarter, its weakest pace in nearly two decades.

Also on Wednesday, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi announced that the government had decided to ease travel restrictions on specific modes of transportation, starting the next day, to allow trains, flights and ferries to operate provided that social distancing measures and health guidelines are observed.

The government suspended domestic air and sea travel on April 24 in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19. The measure had been scheduled to run until May 31.

Travel restrictions for the general public and the ban on the annual mass homecoming for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr remained in place, Budi said. Exceptions would be made for those who need to travel for urgent matters, including medical workers, members of security forces, politicians and people who work in essential sectors.

Aircraft and all other modes of transport can operate and carry these people, provided that they obey health protocols, Budi said during a virtual meeting with the House of Representatives.

People can travel within the greater Jakarta region for essential purposes such as grocery shopping, but are required to observe social distancing measures and wear masks at all times.

However, an Indonesian disease expert voiced skepticism.

The decision to reopen air, land and sea travel could be used by people to circumvent the Eid homecoming ban, adding that monitoring could be difficult, said Pandu Riono, an epidemiologist at the University of Indonesias School of Public Health, adding that monitoring could be difficult.

If many people travel, positive cases could soar again, he told BenarNews.

The updated version of this report includes details about the inauguration of the new counterterrorism chief.
Ghost tracks, fallen-soldier spirits and UFOs are just some of Texas' ghoulish legends.

Some stories stem from historic sites, like the Alamo or Hotel Galvez, which have seen devastation in decades past.

Others are folklore derived from strange images taken in this state.

Let us know which Texas-based urban legends we should add to this roundup in the comments.
FILE PHOTO: A woman wearing face mask and traditional Chinese clothing visits Gubei Water Town on the first day of the five-day Labour Day holiday, following the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, on the outskirts of Beijing

(Reuters) - More than 3.7 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 256,897 have died, according to a Reuters tally as of 1322 GMT on Wednesday.

DEATHS AND INFECTIONS

* For an interactive graphic tracking the global spread, open https://tmsnrt.rs/3aIRuz7 in an external browser.

* For a U.S.-focused tracker with state-by-state and county map, open https://tmsnrt.rs/2w7hX9T in an external browser.

EUROPE

* In France, data from the INSEE statistics office shows a nationwide increase in deaths at home, particularly pronounced in some of the low-income suburbs ringing central Paris.

* Germany's confirmed cases increased by 947 to 164,807, data from the Robert Koch Institute showed on Wednesday.

* The United Kingdom has drawn up a three-stage plan to ease the lockdown that was first imposed at the end of March, The Times newspaper said.

* Immunity is building up very slowly in the Czech Republic, with likely no more than 4-5% of the population covered, the health ministry said after starting mass testing for antibodies.

* Russian soldiers and medical workers providing coronavirus assistance in Italy will start returning to Russia from Thursday, the Interfax news agency reported, as the number of new cases in Russia rose by more than 10,000 for the fourth consecutive day.

* Russia's culture minister tested positive, becoming the third confirmed cabinet member to catch the disease, the TASS news agency reported.

* Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia will open their borders to each others' citizens from May 15, creating a Baltic "travel bubble" within the European Union.

* Pope Francis said employers must respect the dignity of workers, particularly migrants, despite economic difficulties.

AMERICAS

* U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the White House coronavirus task force would continue its work, focusing on vaccines and therapeutics, a day after he said it would wind down its operations.

Story continues

* Trump accused Democrats of hoping his coronavirus response fails "so they can win the election," as the Republican governor of Texas acted to further relax business shutdowns.

* Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele announced still tougher measures, including shopping trips limited to twice a week.

* Colombia's mandatory quarantine will be extended by a further two weeks, its president said, although additional sectors will be allowed to start returning to work.

* The Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) will loan Argentina $4 billion to help finance projects to combat the growing coronavirus impact. Confirmed cases topped 5,000 on Tuesday, though they remain far below the level of large neighbouring countries Chile, Brazil and Peru.

* Confirmed cases in Peru have now exceeded 50,000.

* Mexico registered 26,025 cases and 2,507 deaths on Tuesday. Separately, Foreign Minister Marcel Ebrard said the U.S. government had sent Mexico a plane loaded with ventilators.

* Brazil hit a record for daily coronavirus deaths on Tuesday, indicating that it is still in the thick of its battle even as some areas of the country begin to reopen.

ASIA-PACIFIC

* China will expand its funding if needed to support the United Nations initiative to speed up development of vaccines and treatment for COVID-19, the foreign ministry said.

* Hundreds of Indian police tested positive for the coronavirus in recent days, raising alarm as it attempts to enforce the world's largest lockdown.

* COVID-19 has set Indonesia's poverty eradication efforts back by a decade, its finance minister said after regional elections were postponed.

* The spread of the coronavirus in Kazakhstan has slowed in recent days, its government said, indicating it could exit a state of emergency next week.

* A delayed rotation of U.S. Marines to a defence base in Darwin, Australia, will go ahead under strict measures against COVID-19, the Australian defence minister said.

* Australia will have a COVID-19-safe economy up and running by July, its prime minister said as his government seeks to get one million unemployed people working again.

MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

* Uganda's president has called on international creditors to cancel all of Africa's debts to ease the economic distress caused by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

* Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas extended to June 5 a state of emergency declared in areas under his administration in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

ECONOMIC FALLOUT

* Global shares struggled on Wednesday as weak economic data, doubts about the easing of coronavirus lockdowns and simmering U.S.-China tensions cast a pall over markets. [MKTS/GLOB]

* Investment firms must take particular care to treat their customers fairly as trading by less experienced retail investors surges in volatile markets, the European Union's securities watchdog said.

* Italy's public debt is set to rise to nearly 160% of gross domestic product this year as the economy shrinks due to the crisis, the EU executive estimated.

* India's services activity suffered a shock collapse in April as the lockdown crippled global demand, causing a historic spike in layoffs and reinforcing fears of a deep recession in Asia's third-largest economy, a private survey showed.

* South African private sector activity fell to a new record low in April, a business survey showed, as company closures due to lockdown led to a collapse in demand.

(Compiled by Sarah Morland, Uttaresh.V and Vinay Dwivedi; Editing by Arun Koyyur, Tomasz Janowski, Anil D'Silva and Mark Heinrich)
[May 06, 2020] Activ Surgical Introduces New Surgical Intelligence and Sensing Platform to Revolutionize Surgery

BOSTON, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Activ Surgical , a pioneering digital surgery company focused on improving surgical efficiency, accuracy, patient outcomes and accessibility, today announced its ActivEdge platform. ActivEdge, an artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning (ML) platform, is designed to provide critical real-time intelligence and visualization to improve patient outcomes, avoid preventable surgical errors and complications, and provide significant overall savings to healthcare systems. The platform and its associated products will be initially available in the U.S. market, with plans to commercialize globally in 2021. "The future of surgery is collaborative, with human judgment and wisdom augmented by robotics precision," said Todd Usen, CEO, Activ Surgical. "With nearly 400,000 deaths in the U.S. every year due to avoidable medical errors, our surgical intelligence platform is designed to dramatically improve outcomes, safety and accessibility by arming surgeons with real-time information to make better informed decisions. We look forward to empowering global access to best-in-class surgery, regardless of location - saving millions of lives in the process." Preventable medical errors are currently the third leading cause of death, after heart attacks and cancer. Surgical errors account for 26% of these errors and are estimated to cost more than $36 billion in the U.S. Activ Surgical will initially focus on the 2.2 million most common laparoscopic procedures, including Cholecystectomy, Colectomy, Hysterectomy and Gastrectomy, where blood flow and critical structure identification are crucial to optimal outcomes. "Innovation in the surgical vision category is long overdue; the most commonly employed surgical imaging process, ICG, uses fluorescent dye invented more than 70 years ago and does not offer real-time, objective physiologic information to surgeons when they critically need it during procedures," said Dr. Peter Kim, co-founder and chief science officer, Activ Surgical. "Activ Surgical is designed to empower surgeons to make better informed decisions by offering real-time intelligence and visualization to dramatically reduce medical complications and surgical errors." "The next frontier in surgery is advanced imaging, led by innovationfrom companies like Activ Surgical, to enable intraoperative imaging and image overlays, guided by machine learning," said Dr. Vipul (Vip) Patel, Medical Director of the Global Robotics Institute at Advent Health Celebration and Medical Director of the Advent Health Cancer Institute Urologic Oncology Program and Activ Survical Advisory Board member. "The potential for Activ Surgical to use AI and machine learning to inform robotics-assisted surgery - bringing together the best of human judgment and wisdom augmented by robotics precision - is a game changer in helping the surgical community achieve better outcomes."



According to Dr. Steven D Schwaitzberg, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Surgery at University at Buffalo and Activ Surgical Advisory Board member, "As a surgeon, I rely heavily on surgical imaging to make informed decisions regarding procedures. Now that the majority of imaging systems have achieved optimal optical resolution, the next phase of innovation will be driven by companies like Activ Surgical who are developing new value-added features, including the visualization of tissue perfusion." Activ Surgical's product portfolio, built on its ActiveEdge platform, includes hardware agnostic imaging software and computer-driven guidance systems, both for scopes and robots, to improve situational awareness and real-time imaging during surgical procedures and enable safe tissue access.

ActivSight, the first product based on the company's platform, works dynamically and seamlessly with any installed visualization system to provide real-time intraoperative visual data and images not currently available to surgeons through existing technologies. The imaging module is an easy-to-adapt, connected platform that seamlessly attaches to today's laparoscopic and arthroscopic systems so outcomes can be improved immediately, providing real-time, on demand insights, integrated into standard monitors. With ActivSight, surgical systems - from scopes to robots - can visualize blood flow in real-time with no workflow impact, unlike ICG, which does not offer real-time information to surgeons. ActivSight is expected to be cleared by the FDA in 2020. To date, eight major hospital networks across the U.S. have been established as pilot sites. ActivInsight, the company's second product, will transform massive amounts of data gathered intraoperatively to help characterize tissue and critical structures, providing surgeons with augmented visuals and real-time guidance. The AI and ML-based product will be designed for continuous improvement and will be underpinned by one of the industry's largest annotated data sets to be developed by Activ Surgical over the next 12 months. ActivInsight is expected to be available within the next two years. Additional robotics-assisted surgery offerings, ActivAssist and ActivPilot, are also in active development. ActivAssist will use ML based on the ActivInsight data set to optimally position scopes, allowing surgeons to perform at the highest level. ActivPilot will perform autonomous procedures with a surgeon in the loop to consistently achieve best-possible outcomes. Anticipated release dates for these early stage offerings are not being shared at this time. About Activ Surgical

Founded in 2017, Activ Surgical is a first-of-its-kind digital surgery company focused on improving surgical efficiency, accuracy, patient outcomes and accessibility for both endoscopic and robotically-assisted procedures. The company completed the world's first autonomous robotic surgery of soft tissue, and is building hardware-agnostic surgical software that allows minimally invasive surgical systems to autonomously collaborate with surgeons. Activ Surgical's patent-protected surgical software platform reduces unintended and preventable surgical complications by using artificial intelligence, computer vision, machine learning and analytics to enhance a surgeon's intra-operative decision making. Activ Surgical is privately held, and backed by leading global venture capital firms including DNS Capital, GreatPoint Ventures (GPV), Tao Capital Partners, SONY Innovation Fund, Rising Tide Financial, WS Investment Company and Mintz. More information can be found at www.activsurgical.com . View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/activ-surgical-introduces-new-surgical-intelligence-and-sensing-platform-to-revolutionize-surgery-301054095.html SOURCE Activ Surgical

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WARM SPRINGS  The Warm Springs Reservation has become the first government in Oregon to require quarantine and masks under certain circumstances amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Tribal Council this week ordered any citizen or tribal employee working on the reservation to self-isolate if a healthcare professional says they should.

The move comes after a spike in positive COVID-19 tests on the reservation, where citizens were also told to wear face masks in public if they cant maintain 6 feet of distance, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.

The tribes' approach to slowing the spread of disease is more drastic than in nearby counties under state authority.

In neighboring Jefferson County, officials are drafting plans to be among the first places in the state to ease restrictions, beginning May 15.

Coronavirus in Oregon: Latest news | Live map tracker |Text alerts | Newsletter

Warm Springs government buildings will stay closed until at least June 1. The reservation's main source of revenue, Indian Head Casino, also remains closed.

The reservation is home to approximately 4,000 people, many of whom are connected to Jefferson, Wasco and Deschutes counties through work, family, shopping and school.

There were 11 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 on the reservation as of May 4, tribal authorities said.

 The Associated Press

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Editors Note: This story has been updated with a new statement from Sen. Cory Bookers office.

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker wants Gov. Phil Murphy to release more inmates from New Jersey prisons, which now have the highest coronavirus death rate in the nation.

The New Jersey Democratic senator and six House Democrats asked Murphy and the governors of five other states to use their clemency and emergency powers to lower prison populations, according to a Tuesday letter obtained by NJ Advance Media.

With the stroke of a pen, you could help save the lives of tens of thousands of juveniles, elderly and medically vulnerable people held in custody, Booker and other lawmakers wrote.

While Murphy has given the green light to potentially release more than 1,000 inmates, especially those at least 60 years old with health conditions, fewer than 100 had been temporarily set free by Friday. Anyone who committed a violent crime is ineligible.

Bookers request goes further by asking the state to release anyone at least 50 years old and all juveniles, irrespective of the offense, as long as they dont pose a reasonable risk to public safety.

Almost 3,300 inmates were at least 50 years old at the start of the year, according to the corrections department.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

In a statement Wednesday afternoon, Booker spokesman Thomas Pietrykoski added that the letter was by no means a criticism of Governor Murphys actions on this issue  to the contrary, our governor has shown incredible leadership in responding to this crisis by seeking to move the most vulnerable New Jersey inmates to community supervision."

Pietrykoski said more states  particularly those hardest hit  need to be doing more of what Governor Murphy has already been doing.

Murphys office did not immediately return a request for comment.

At least 37 New Jersey inmates have died of the virus, according to state data, and those deaths likely represent thousands of untested infections behind bars, because public health experts estimate the virus kills about 1% of cases.

Experts have also warned that New Jerseys near-capacity prisons threaten neighborhoods everywhere, because prisons can act as reservoirs" for epidemic resurgence, incubators allowing COVID-19 to be kept alive and carried outside by inmates and officers.

In the letter, the lawmakers cited a recent study by the American Civil Liberties Union that estimates the nations overall death toll could be dramatically lowered if prisons and jails reduce populations.

"We cannot flatten the curve while we continue to allow overcrowded prisons, jails, and detention centers to be vectors of infections, the lawmakers wrote.

The state oversees about 18,000 inmates in the adult system and more than 280 people in the juvenile system. New Jersey began mass testing all juveniles last week and plans to begin testing all adult inmates this week.

Tuesdays letter was also addressed to the governors of New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, Illinois and California.

Booker has previously introduced legislation to test and release prisoners around the country, including a bill to release many federal inmates.

Booker was joined by six colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives, including New Yorks Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Blake Nelson can be reached at bnelson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @BCunninghamN.
The Sauk Prairie Police Department has spent at least 20 years searching for a permanent home.

All it took was $1, as the Sauk Prairie School District offered to sell a plot of land next to Bridges Elementary School in Prairie du Sac to the police department in order to further strengthen the relationship between the entities.

The police department approached us about that piece of land, and we thought it was a great opportunity to put the police department on the same roads as four of our schools, and closer to all of them to increase student safety, Sauk Prairie Superintendent Jeff Wright said of the land, which is located on the corner of Broadway Street and 13th Street. The police department made us an offer, and we countered with $1 because we feel the taxpayers shouldnt have to pay for the land twice.

Sauk Prairie Police Chief Jerry Strunz wasnt prepared for that generous offer when he was asked to attend a school board meeting this winter. Wright had asked Strunz to attend, saying he should be there in case the school board had any follow-up questions from his last visit.
BRISTOL, Va.  A case of road rage in Bristol on Thursday left one man hospitalized with two gunshot wounds and a second in jail, police said Friday.

Thomas Wayne Johnson Jr., 39, of Bristol, Tennessee, has been charged with malicious wounding, according to the Bristol Virginia Police Department.

On Thursday at 1:19 p.m., Bristol dispatch received an emergency call reporting that an altercation was occurring and that a man had been shot. Sgt. Steve Crawford said it was reported that gunshots had been fired.

When patrol officers arrived in the area of King Mill Pike and Old Airport Road, which Crawford said was busy at the time, they found a man with wounds on his arm and abdomen.

The injured man, who Crawford did not identify, was taken to Bristol Regional Medical Center for treatment. He was listed in critical condition Friday, but he is expected to recover from his injuries, Crawford said. The detective said the man is to undergo surgeries.

Crawford said detectives began to investigate the scene of the altercation, which occurred in the roadway. The detective said it appears a road rage incident occurred as the two men were traveling in separate trucks along King Mill Pike in Washington County.

Once the vehicles entered into the city of Bristol, the man who was shot hit his brakes and stopped in the roadway. Crawford said both men then got out of their trucks, and a physical altercation ensued.

During the altercation, Johnson is believed to have pulled out a gun and shot the other man.

Johnson, who suffered minor injuries during the fight, was arrested and taken to the Bristol Virginia Jail. He was released on bond, Crawford said. He had not been arraigned on the charge Friday.
The timeline is advancing swiftly toward an end state adversely affecting the whole world: WWIII. The tell-tale sign is China's economy, which, without American markets to sell to, is in free fall. As much as we may complain about the shutdown, Americans have it better by far than most of the rest of the world, including Japan and Europe.

With desperation growing in China, Xi will have to do something. Expect it to be military action so that China's 12-million-man army has something to do and the rest of the country has something to focus on and support. War is immensely destructive; it will create a domestic market to partly replace foreign markets no longer available.

China isn't likely to come at us right away. She will begin by absorbing relatively weak adjacent states such as North Korea and moving into ever-rebellious Tibet in strength. After digestion, some fattening, and some training, NoKo's huge Army would be added to the Chinese, making up a total force of nearly 13 million men. The Norks would be willing to push into South Korea on order.

Tibet will almost certainly be helped by India, with her own immense Army and needs, which will also welcome a fight as a means to deflect hard times at home and to direct domestic sentiment against the invader. The next target for Chinese invasion would likely be Vietnam, which has opposed Chinese expansion in the South China Sea for decades and which fought a war with China in 1979. The North Viets are no more afraid of China today than they were of us 50 years ago. They will fight.

By that time, the U.S. will have taken an active interest in China's predations. Right now we have two aircraft carriers on site in the South China Sea and fighting men on Guam and in South Korea. We would immediately beef up our presence and tough talk. Should our guys get involved in hostilities, the Russians will take advantage to sneak into the Middle East in person rather than just by proxy. Xi, needing Russian oil, will send several of his armies to the Middle East in support.

The stage will be set for Armageddon and the most destructive war ever fought.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Belgium retailers closed by the coronavirus epidemic will reopen to shoppers from Monday under strict social distancing rules, Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes said.

Customers will be advised to remain apart and to wear masks when the stores open on May 11 but, in their private lives, Belgians will be allowed to enjoy a little more social life from Sunday.

From then, Wilmes said, households will be allowed to invite over a group of up to four friends or relatives, on condition that it is always the same four people.

Sunday is Mother's Day in Belgium, but Wilmes said the decision had not been made for that reason, rather because "physical distancing from our loved ones has become unbearable".

With one of the highest per capita death rates in the world from the virus, Belgium began lifting a strict lockdown in stages this week.

Some businesses whose staff are not in contact with the public have already re-started work, but schools, restaurants and bars will remain closed a while longer.

And on public transport, passengers have been instructed to wear protective face masks of the kind that have become ubiquitous on the streets of Brussels.

When the shops do open they must ensure there's enough space for each client to occupy 10 square metres (yards) and to remain 1.5 metres away from staff.

Belgium's schools may be see a gradual return from May 18, but decisions will be made by the linguistic communitiesFrench, Dutch and Germanthat manage them.

More than 8,300 people from a population of 11.5 million have died in the epidemic, but the daily toll is falling along with new admissions to hospitals, which were hard pressed but not overwhelmed.

Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

 2020 AFP
(Natural News) New evidence has surfaced to reinforce the notion that the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is actually a plandemic that was hatched by the deep state long ago as a means of imposing more authoritarian control over the masses.

In a 2010 documentary entitled, Outbreak: Anatomy of a Plague, which was put out by the National Film Board of Canada, Dr. Theresa Tam, Director General of the Canadian Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response, discussed a hypothetical future pandemic much like the one the world is now witnessing with the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19).

Dr. Tam explained that in the event of a major outbreak or pandemic crisis, governments would need to immediately intervene and take full control over society. All citizens and residents would be required to comply with their mandates or else face punishment  even if doing so goes against the law.

I think the public has to know that this is one of the worst-case scenarios in terms of an infectious disease outbreak, Dr. Tam stated about this hypothetical scenario. And if there are people who are non-compliant, then there are definitely laws and public health powers that can quarantine people in mandatory settings.

In addition to quarantining people, Dr. Tam also stated that she would like to see people tracked at all times using special devices that could keep tabs on their whereabouts 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Theres potential that you could track people, put bracelets on their arms, and have police and other setups to ensure quarantine is undertaken, she said.

It is better to be preemptive and precautionary and take the heat of people thinking you might be over-reactionary, get ahead of the curve, and then think about whether youve overreacted later. But its such a serious situation that I think decisive early action is the key.

Bill Gates has also stated that a pandemic police state with concentration camps is necessary for the new normal

Just to be sure that all avenues are addressed, Dr. Tam added that further police state measures would have to be imposed in order to prove that people are safe and virus-free, which she defined as mandatory vaccinations.

Police checkpoints are set up on all of the bridges, and everyone leaving the city is required to show proof of vaccination, the narrator of the Outbreak film is heard stating after Dr. Tam explained how the new normal would work during a pandemic. Those who refuse to cooperate are taken away to temporary detention centers.

This is the same mindset as billionaire eugenicist Bill Gates, who has repeatedly stated that human beings will essentially need to become human cattle in order to be let back out of the pen to rejoin society.

Gates also wants everyone in the world to be vaccinated against whatever outbreak or pandemic is declared, in this case the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). And those who refuse to comply would have to be taken away and placed into concentration camps, presumably to be disposed of permanently.

It wont go back to normal in some very rapid fashion, Gates stated during a recent webcam conversation with entertainer Ellen DeGeneres. Gates, as you may recall, has invested billions of dollars from his philanthropic foundation to develop new vaccines for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19).

And it wont be normal until we get an amazing vaccine for the entire world.

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:

Twitter.com

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NaturalNews.com
CHICAGO, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As the COVID-19 crisis continues to challenge business operations across the country, MW Industries, Inc., the leading American manufacturer of precision metal components, remains open at all locations to support the needs of its clients in every industry, including playing a key part in the supply chain for ventilators and other medical devices critical in combating the virus.

MW Industries Logo

MW's Tri-Star Industries location, in Berlin, CT, manufacturer of precision threaded inserts for plastic applications, has stepped up production to meet overwhelming demand, in support of a number of ventilator applications. Tri-Star is fulfilling orders from the largest ventilator manufacturers in the world, producing both off-the-shelf inserts, as well as manufactured to spec parts.

RAF Electronic Hardware, in Seymour, CT, has been a key supplier of precision metal fasteners and components for medical equipment manufacturers worldwide, including critical applications in ventilators, air filtration and medical imaging systems. To meet increased demand, RAF has been able to design, manufacture and ship parts in a matter of days to keep production lines up and running for some of the largest medical manufacturers in the world.

With the world's largest inventory of stock springs, Century Spring Corporation, in Commerce, CA, has been an ideal spring source for both ventilator R&D and production volumes. With inventories to ship same-day, Century has been supporting dozens of medical OEM and contract manufactures in their initiatives to quickly scale production of ventilators. Century's stock of stainless-steel compression springs, in particular, has seen high demand in support of this effort.

Those who were looking to make "the impossiblepossible" turned to Servometer, in Cedar Grove, NJ, to manufacture several bellows used in critical ventilator applications. Servometer's electroforming technology developments have been helping customers create extremely accurate and reliable devices since 1957.

At Economy Spring & Stamping, in Southington, CT, a team of engineers were able to utilize additive manufacturing to answer a local call for help. Early in the pandemic, they addressed a shortage of PPE masks at a Connecticut hospital, delivering the first batch of 3-D printed masks in under a week.

MW Industries, Inc. is the world's leading manufacturer of highly engineered industrial springs, fasteners, bellows, and related metal components. With several manufacturing locations throughout the United States, MW Industries designs and creates products for a variety of industries, including medical, aerospace, energy, and automotive.

MW Industries, Inc. is dedicated to supporting manufacturing throughout the world during this crisis and is committed to expediting any requests to ensure supply needs are met as quickly as possible. www.mw-ind.com

Contact: Chris Fillmore

Chief Commercial Officer

+1 (847) 565-4776

www.mw-ind.com

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SOURCE MW Industries, Inc.

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By Reeza Sebastian

Globally, no industry has remained unscathed from the onslaught of the COVID-19 outbreak. India is no exception, considering that the country was placed in what will be known in history as the world's largest lockdown.

However, as with every serious situation, there is light at the end of the tunnel. With a slew of measures from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), an increase in online sales of homes to NRIs, the stabilising of property prices across key markets and the robust measures that real estate companies have put in place for their labour force and employees, the sector is poised to bounce back as soon as two quarters.

An overview of impact of COVID-19 on the realty sector

The real estate sector has also faced the impact of the lockdown  with construction being halted, customers defaulting on payments for under-construction projects, reduction in residential unit sales and more, being just the tip of the iceberg. Site walk-ins reduced by 30 percent to 50 percent. With the quarter closing March, real estate sentiment has been exceptionally low, in terms of launches, sales and even pricing.

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

Most developers postponed launches of their residential projects, except soft launches. Even with the partial lifting of the lockdown, the slowdown is predicted to continue since most real-estate decision-making has been pushed to the backburner till there is better clarity on the true impact across various other sectors, and customer buying sentiment.



Delayed project handovers:While the government has said that construction activities can resume, with the caveat of labourers having to be on site, some activity will resume. However, a delay of around 8 months is inevitable. Besides the lack of labourers (considering several have gone, or will want to go home), there is also a disruptive supply chain of materials that will need to stabilise.

Launches Deferred: Most launches take place in the festive season but with the current state of affairs, several are going to be deferred, changing the dynamics of the demand and supply situation.

Increased Construction Cost:Considering the disruption in imports of materials like steel and iron, the cost of construction may rise, but builders will not want to pass this to the consumer in the current market scenario.



The immediate impact will be seen three specific segments of residential real estate:

Savills India, a realty consulting firm, believes that there will be surge in businesses once the pandemic slows down. The upcoming two quarters may be slow, but there is definitely an uptick to be seen post recovery.

It is expected that the residential market will stabilise in the second half of the year. Strong pent-up demand combined with rationalised pricing and able support from the government will be the key to recovery for the residential sector. This is likely to be further supported by the sharp declining trend with a high degree of volatility prevailing in the stock market.

Today, real estate is the second largest contributor of employment next only to agriculture. Any ripple impacts 200 ancillary industry which collectively accounts for almost 7 per cent of countrys GDP. For a revival to take place it is necessary that measures be undertaken from the industry perspective, hand-in-hand with relief packages and monetary infusions from the government to safeguard the sector that contributes significantly to the GDP.

How is the realty sector coping with the lockdown?

Like all other industries, the real estate sector too has quickly found ways to ensure that it does what it can in the current scenario. Here is a look at some of those initiatives:

Keeping the Conversation Going: While personal interactions are not currently underway, the realty segment is turning to digital channels such as AR/VR to connect with client and keep the conversation going. Creating a visual depiction of projects to engage new enquiries and handling queries with online chatbots has ensured the potential customer interacts with a brand.

Safeguarding Employees: Construction activities may be resumed soon in non-red-zone areas with several caveats. Up until this time, real estate companies have ensured support and protection to their employees in terms of food and shelter security. For those working on the corporate side of things, many have put basic protections in place for their employees and customers. Companies have activated no-travel and work-from-home policies for some workers and physical-distancing-at-work measures for others.

The real estate industry needs a good deal of external help to boost the sector and that has been happening at multiple levels.

Liquidity Boost: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently announced a slew of measures to accelerate the economy and facilitate bank credit flows. For the realty segment, the allotment of Rs 10,000 crore to National Housing Bank is a commendable move to enhance liquidity, giving HFCs capital.

Additionally the, RBI has reduced the reverse repo rates by 25 bps to stand at 3.75 percent. This will encourage banks to lend more. The RBI has also extended the date of commencement of commercial operations (DCCO) of project loans for commercial real estate projects for delay due to unforeseen reasons. This will bring much-needed relief to cash-strapped developers and will help maintain cash flows.

Monetary Relief Measures: The industry has collectively impressed on the state governments the need to take necessary steps to utilise the cumulative Rs 31,000 crore cess funds collected for the welfare of building and construction labourers who are severely impacted by the economic disruption.

This, in addition to the economic package announced by the Central government is expected to benefit 3.5 crore registered construction workers. Efforts are also underway to help the several non-registered workers as well. In addition, invoking force majeure with respect to COVID-19 under Section 6 of RERA will provide developers extension of project completion timelines and exemption from penal charges in case of any default.

At the state level, governments are ensuring buyers and their needs are looked into with an extension of timelines for payment of property tax. Local RERA authorities will be working closely with the developers and will also engage in detailed talks for a way forward once the lockdown is lifted.

A few additional measure the government may consider could include a possible increase in deduction of interest on home loans u/s 24; removal of restrictions on setting off loss from house property against other heads of income at Rs 2 lakh; Separate provision for deduction of principal repayment on home loans; Reduction in holding period of REITs for long-term capital gains and evision of circle rates to reflect market trends.

The road is ahead is a long one for the real estate industry but there are reasons to see a silver lining ahead. There has been an increase in online home sales, despite the lockdown. This has seentop developers across the country be able to resume at least 15-20 percent of their business. This is a good sign for the industry.

Reports indicate that the average property price in the top 7 cities has remained stable over the last few years at Rs 5,580 per sq. ft. by 2019-end. It was expected that the pandemic would reset these prices but currently these will remain stagnant and developers will have to plan wisely. Developers looking for cash and saddled with a large inventory may reduce prices in the short run.

This will be of added advantage to the NRI investor. The rupees depreciation against US dollar has made real estate investment a lucrative prospect for the NRI investor. Most surveys indicate that real estate is still considered a top investment asset by Indians abroad. With the currently volatility of the stock markets (which rank second in terms of an investment asset among the NRIs), several are turning to real estate.

The time is right for developers to re-strategise going forward. To re-design by ensuring space utilisation, optimum as well as price rationalisation to be able to cater effectively to this community. A crisis like this will see an increase in the demand for asset class like senior living. With essential services being hit senior living projects ensure the continuity of services. Ready-to-move in products in luxury gated community where there is no disruption in services will have the sustained interest of consumers.

(The author is president, Residential Business, Embassy Group)
New Delhi: The auspicious festival of Buddha Purnima will be celebrated on May 7, Thursday. It marks the birth anniversary of Lord Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. Buddha Purnima is also known as Buddha Jayanti. The birthday of Lord Buddha is widely celebrated across the globe. Buddha Purnima is a gazetted holiday in India.

Prince Siddhartha Gautama transformed into 'Gautam Buddha' by denouncing the worldly pleasures and embracing spirituality, seeking real enlightenment of the soul. He was born in Lumbini, now known as modern-day Nepal, around 563 BCE. He was later raised in Kapilavastu.

For the followers of Buddhism, Buddha Jayanti is the most important festival of the year. Preparations begin in advance. Devotees pay a visit to common Viharas, where they observe a longer-than-usual, full-length Buddhist sutra, similar to a service.

People usually don white attire and skip having non-vegetarian food. Kheer is cooked and distributes it is believed that a woman named Sujata had offered Gautama Buddha a bowl of milk porridge.

Pray to the lord with a pure heart as there's nothing else this will connect you to Buddha eternally!

Here's wishing our readers a very happy Buddha Purnima!
The boiling dispute between a Rocky Mount priest and a Richmond bishop could wind up spilling over the doorstep of the Vatican in Rome.

That is the intention of Michael Podhajsky, the canon lawyer retained by Father Mark White to defend against the efforts of Richmond Bishop Barry Knestout to remove White as pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Rocky Mount and St. Joseph Parish in Martinsville.

Knestout issued a decree effective April 13, the day after Easter Sunday, removing White and declaring the priest had persistently disregarded repeated instructions to desist from his scurrilous and public, published attacks on His Holiness, Pope Francis and other members of the hierarchy.

My canon lawyer and I both communicated with the bishop our intention to contest his decision to remove me from office, following the normal procedure to do so, White said. The church-law effect of the contest is: I remain pastor until the process concludes.

But Knestout maintains he has the authority to reassign White. In a letter to the parishioners of both churches, written the same day as the decree, Knestout wrote that White had been reassigned as chaplain to various prisons, state and federal, within the diocesan bounds.

He has received a new assignment and will [be] leaving the area within the week, Knestout wrote.

Said White: He wrote that I must vacate my residence by April 17, and should I continue to disobey, he will petition for my removal from the priesthood.

Late last year Knestout ordered White to remove a popular blog he had authored that often was critical of the way the hierarchy of the church has responded to the sexual abuse scandal.

White was summoned in early February to the Diocese of Richmond to meet with church officials, and church officials traveled to Rocky Mount a few days later to deliver an oral directive to White, telling him to cease posting to his blog under the threat of being removed.

The diocese also took out full-page ads in the Martinsville Bulletin and at least two other state newspapers.

Knestout later submitted a letter to Catholics that was published in the Bulletin, and White responded with a public letter to the bishop.

White initially complied with the bishops requirement, but then the coronavirus pandemic hit, and St. Joseph and St. Francis closed to the public and suspended all Masses.

White said in late March he realized the value of his blog, which had reached more than 1 million readers, as a means of communications was more important than ever, so he wrote to Knestout and asked to be allowed to resume his posts.

Receiving no response, White made the decision to violate Knestouts order and resurrect his blog.

Now that Knestout has issued the decree of removal, and Whites attorney has petitioned against it. White says he cannot get copies of his records.

If I want to examine the records of my dismissal from office, I must come to Richmond and sign a statement that I will keep everything I see a secret, White said. [The] bishop accuses me of fomenting dissent  publishing objectionable and misleading statements and is demonstrating disregard for the obligations that exist between a priest and a bishop.

Knestout has spoken about this conflict only through letters or statement from Deborah Cox, his director of communications. He has taken no direct questions.

Who is in charge?

Knestout has proceeded with his arrangements regarding the parishes in Martinsville and Rocky Mount as if White were cooperating.

On April 16, Father Kevin Segerblom, pastor of St. Andrews in Roanoke, calls the parish secretary to make arrangements to say the weekend Masses [via livestream], White said. She informs him that she is in possession of the bishops letter and my letter to parishioners, and, according to her information, I remain as pastor and will celebrate the Masses.

The following day, on April 17, White received a copy of a letter from Knestout to Whites lawyer.

In that letter, the bishop says he recognizes the suspensive effect of my appeal of his decision to remove me, however I do not have the right to reside in the parishes, and if I stay, I will stoke the fires of unrest, White said. Also, I have not been suspended from ministry, but I will be if I continue in manifest disobedience.

Mass surprise

White said he went about his business as usual on April 18, preparing for the live online version of Mass, which has been the new procedure since the COVID-19 crisis.

But Knestout arrived at the parish in Rocky Mount unannounced that day.

He says one sentence to me, You may concelebrate [celebrate together], White said. After Mass he leaves without speaking to me.

The concelebration of Mass between the unexpected Bishop Knestout and the surprised Father White was streamed live. The picture of the two men together, steeped in dispute, displayed the awkwardness between them.

Knestout delivered a prepared homily that struck at the core.

Father White and I are at odds, Knestout said in his homily. Everyones aware of that  it was in the Martinsville Bulletin  its been in other areas in terms of news  carried by AP [Associated Press] all over the country.

Were at odds, so its no surprise that its all over the place.

What is this about?  Some say its about the abuse scandal and my desire to tamp it down. I dont believe thats the case, but some believe that.

I believe its about communion  about a communion that needs to and should be established and exist between any bishop and priest.

Its like two brothers that have known each other for a long time and maybe there was an old wound that was never really dealt with and was never expressed  never talked about and it keeps coming out in bad ways later and it needs to be addressed.

An old wound

White said he was taken aback by Knestouts description of the dispute between them.

That there is an old wound between the two of us, White said. This is the first I ever heard him express this. I have no grudge against him.

The Martinsville Bulletin asked Knestout for clarification on what he meant by an old wound and for further comment, but Cox said Knestout was refraining from any further statements at this time.

The record of the relationship between Knestout and White goes back to 2003, when the now disgraced Cardinal Theodore McCarrick ordained White into the priesthood.

I was ordained by a predator, White wrote in his blog.

McCarricks priest secretary at the time was Knestout. After McCarrick was accused of engaging in sexual conduct with adult male seminarians over the decades, many outraged Catholics wondered out loud how the priest secretary of a sex abuser could not have been complicit in the knowledge of what was happening.

In June 2018, the Vatican removed McCarrick from public ministry, and the following month The New York Times published an article about McCarricks sexual involvement not only with male seminarians but also with minors.

In July 2018 McCarrick resigned from the College of Cardinals and that resignation was accepted by Pope Francis.

McCarrick was dismissed from the clergy in February 2019 and became the most senior church official to be laicized in modern times.

Different in Martinsville

After the surprise visit by Knestout to the parish in Rocky Mount, parishioners in Martinsville, who, like those in Rocky Mount, are staunch supporters of White, had expected Knestout to pay a similar visit at Mass the following day. This time they would be prepared.

On April 19 faithful parishioners gathered in the parking lot, many of them with signs showing their support for Father White, but Knestout failed to show.

Father [Kevin] Segerblom [of Roanoke, the designated temporary replacement for White] arrives to say the scheduled Mass in Martinsville with his seminarian, White said. He tells me he has come to celebrate Mass. I told him I intended to celebrate, but that I would be glad to have him concelebrate with me.

I also invited the seminarian to serve the Mass, and at first Father Kevin agreed, but then a few minutes later he left without a word to me.

Parishioners perspective

Joseph Kernan was one of the parishioners in the parking lot at St. Josephs.

I think the bishop will rue the day that he picked on Father Mark, Kernan said. Dont shoot the messenger is an admonition to not blame the bearer of bad news. It is often used when someone reveals a difficult truth that the listener does not want to hear.

It reminds the listener that the truth is not the fault of the person revealing the truth.

What happens if the shooter, in fact, shoots the messenger? Well  the shooter may die or disappear from the scene but other messengers will take up the cause and continue to deliver the message.

So what has been gained by the shooter?, Kernan asked. Nothing, except that the shooter has brought even more attention to the message that they found so troubling to begin with.

Help for Father White

Kernan began a gofundme account to raise $7,500  the estimated price of a canon lawyer to contest the bishops decree. In six days $7,975 was raised.

I have received about 100 letters, emails, phone calls and social media messages of encouragement and support from outside Virginia over the course of the past two weeks, White said. One came from Michael Fleming of California, a close friend of former Archbishop of Los Angeles Roger Cardinal Mahoney.

Your sense of outrage at the repugnant and criminal behavior of certain of your colleagues is shared by tens-of-millions of Catholics and non-Catholics the world over, Fleming wrote. Your efforts to encourage church hierarchy to be public and transparent regarding the horrendous acts upon children by ordained religious is to be applauded.

Given Bishop Knestouts very close professional and personal relationship with McCarrick followed by a period serving his Eminence Donald Cardinal Wuerl  both having been found guilty to varying degrees of participating in and intentionally covering up these heinous crimes  casts great suspicion on his motivations to muzzle you. ... It is well past time for the Catholic church hierarchy to publicly confess the sins of commission and omission and publicly repent.

It would appear that Bishop Knestout, and many others, are more inclined to deflect the truth in order to protect their position.

A tranquil life

White said he looks forward to resolving the conflict, but the legal process of getting to that point is not unexpected.

The fact I have to deal with is this: I cannot minister honestly as a Catholic priest if I do not try to connect my mind with the mind of the clergy sex-abuse victim sitting in the pew, White wrote in his blog. I have no choice there.

I wish none of the disturbance we experience as parishes right now. I want only a tranquil life for us all, praising God and making our way to heaven.

Bill Wyatt is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin.

Bill Wyatt is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at 276-638-8801, Ext. 236. Follow him @billdwyatt
School districts are scrambling to prepare for the first-ever budget vote and school board election conducted entirely by mail.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo set June 9 as the new date for the election. It was originally scheduled for May 19, but it was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Were working every day to make sure we hit these new deadlines and make sure were ready and on time with the changes, said Hudson Falls Superintendent of Schools Linda Goewey.

Districts will be required to mail out absentee ballots to all voters in the district about two weeks before the vote. Goewey said included with the ballot will be a stamped envelope to mail back to the district.

She said she is not sure if absentee ballots would be mailed separately to each voter at an address or there would be multiple ballots in one envelope.

To maintain social distancing, people will not be allowed to drop off ballots in person, according to Goewey.

The ballots must be received by 5 p.m. on June 9. Then, the counting will begin. Goewey said she believes the results would be available that night.

Election inspectors and other poll workers who would normally be staffing the voting locations will be on hand to assist in the ballot counting, according to Goewey.

Lake George Superintendent of Schools Lynne Rutnik said the process will be labor-intensive with having to mail absentee ballots and postage-paid return envelopes to all residents.

I appreciate the hard work and longstanding expertise of the Lake George Central School District clerk, Sarah Barton, and the committed inspectors of elections, along with the dedicated clerical staff who have stepped forth to do whatever it takes to get the job done under very unusual circumstances, she said in an email.

The 31 superintendents of the Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton Essex BOCES are working together to make sure this process happens smoothly and seamlessly for residents, Rutnik added.

School districts are facing a very compressed timeline, according to Jay Worona, deputy director and general counsel for the New York State School Boards Association.

We recognized that this is an option that preserves the right of citizens to vote. The timing of this places school districts in a situation where there are very unfortunate challenges that they have to try to meet, he said.

Worona said in a perfect world, school districts would have liked more notice. However, these are challenging times.

We recognize that this governor has been dealing with things that I dont think any governor has had to deal with, he said.

The first deadline is May 11. People who have not already filed to run for seats on boards of education must submit their petitions. Some candidates may already have filed petitions before the COVID-19 shutdown.

On May 12, school districts must publish the first of two required legal notices prior to the budget vote.

School districts must adopt their budgets by May 21 and submit the property tax report card, which details the proposed tax levy and fund balance and other information to the state, by the following day. Districts must hold public hearings between May 26 and June 2, seven to 14 days prior to the vote.

Districts also will mail out the ballots after the budgets are adopted.

The governors executive order does not spell out a timeline for a budget revote if the proposed spending plan is defeated by voters. In a normal year, budget votes occur on the third Tuesday in May and revotes take place in the third Tuesday in June.

When asked if he thought that voting strictly by absentee ballot would depress turnout, Worona said he believes the opposite may occur. Instead of having to make a trip to the polls, people can fill out a ballot from the comfort of their home.

It could encourage a lot more voting. Weve never done this before. Who knows how this going to be? he said.

Reach Michael Goot at 518-742-3320 or mgoot@poststar.com and follow his blog poststar.com/blogs/michael_goot/.

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Starting this week, large numbers of businesses in Quebec and Ontario, Canadas two most populous provinces, have begun to recall tens and soon hundreds of thousands of workers to their jobs, even though the novel coronavirus pandemic continues to rage.

Quebecwhich is the epicentre of the pandemic in Canada with more than half of the national total of 62,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 2,398 of the 4,036 deathsis also rushing to reopen elementary schools and daycares in stages over the coming two weeks. This is so it can force working parents back on the job.

The back-to-work drive is being spearheaded by Canadas hard-right premiers, Francois Legault in Quebec and Doug Ford in Ontario. They are defying the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and other medical experts, so as to relaunch the process of profit extraction from workers labour.

Quebec's top health officer, even as he promoted the provinces back-to-work plan as necessary for economic health, was forced to admit that it is a risky bet that will cost lives.

At the beginning of last week, Premier Ford declared that there would have to be 14 days of declining infections in Ontario before lockdown restrictions could be safely lifted. However, emboldened by Quebecs rapid reopening and no doubt under pressure from his big-business backers, he promptly did a volte-face and announced a plan to allow the construction industry and several other sectors to open on Monday.

The ostensibly progressive federal Liberal government is playing a critical role in implementing this precipitous return to work, which prioritizes capitalist profit over the lives of workers and their families. With the support of the unions, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is using hollow demagogy about Canadians standing together and helping each other to cover up the predatory actions of the ruling elite. With consummate cynicism, Trudeau asserted last week, Restarting our economy will be gradual and careful, and will be guided by science. Yet he has green-lighted the provinces reopening decisions, even though they run roughshod over his own governments guidelines for restarting the economy.

The capitalist elites drive for a premature reopening of nonessential businesses is deeply unpopular. In a recent poll, 90 percent of Canadians said lockdown measures should remain in place until a vaccine is available, or the health care system has been sufficiently strengthened, through a major injection of resources, to cope with a surge of COVID-19 cases. But anger and outrage are inadequate to stop the precipitous back-to-work drive. What is required is the independent political mobilization of the working class to fight for policies that prioritize the saving of human lives and protecting working people from the pandemics economic fallout, not corporate profit and investor returns.

Absent the independent intervention of the working class, workers face a ruinous choice between risking their health and lives by returning to work, or being driven into destitution, and ultimately hunger and homelessness.

Big business, its media mouthpieces, and the Conservative official opposition are already complaining that the makeshift programs the Trudeau government has set up to provide temporary relief to the more than 8 million workers who have lost their jobsthe Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) and the recently adopted Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB)are too generous. Both Conservative leader Andrew Scheer and Manitoba Tory Premier Brian Pallister have denounced the CERB, with Pallister, whose government is in the process of laying off thousands of public sector workers, declaring that he is fighting against a federal program that is paying people to stay out of the workforce.

The C.D. Howe Institute, arguably the countrys best-connected business think tank, published a report last week that demanded the CERB be cut back because it acts as a disincentive to work. National Post columnist John Ivison complained that the $2,000 a month CERB, which does not even cover the cost of renting a one-bedroom apartment in Toronto and Vancouver, is a lavish handout that risks turning workers into welfare slackers.

To force workers back on the job under unsafe conditions, governments and employers intend to threaten them with the loss of the CERB and all entitlement to Employment Insurance. This task will be made all the easier given the Trudeau governments underfunding of the CERB program, which has reportedly paid out more than 60 percent of its meagre $35 billion budget less than two months after its creation.

Quebecs Labour Minister Jean Boulet has repeatedly said that workers who fail to return to work when ordered by their employer will lose their government benefits. Asked at his Monday press conference what he thinks of Boulets remarks, Premier Legault endorsed them.

Throughout the pandemic, the focus of the Trudeau government, like the Trump administration and Europes governments, has been on safeguarding the wealth and investments of the rich and super-rich. Either directly, or through the Bank of Canada, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and other state institutions, the Liberals have injected more than $650 billion into the financial markets, banks and big business. Workers, meanwhile, have been given rations-style relief. Similarly, the Liberal government has committed only a pittanceless than $4 billionto strengthening Canadas health care system, which has been ravaged by decades of cuts, and to seeking a vaccine or other treatment for COVID-19.

The ruling elite views the inevitable surge in cases and deaths that will result from a premature return to work as a price worth paying to boost corporate profit. Blurting out what government and business leaders across the country are saying in private, Premier Legault declared April 23 that herd immunity ... is the best way out of the current pandemic.

All experts agree that pursuing a policy of herd immunity will result in the deaths of tens, or more likely, hundreds of thousands of Canadians.

Workers should reject the implicit claim that lies behind the reckless drive to reopen the economythat there is not enough money to support them through the pandemic. The $650 billion that has been turned over to the banks and financial markets would be sufficient to provide every one of Canadas 37 million residents with a cheque for $17,500.

The New Democrats and trade unions are intimately involved in the attempt to swindle and bully workers back to their jobs in the midst of a pandemic. The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) played a leading role in designing the CERB, as part of what it touts as a collaborative front with government and business. And both the NDP and unions have joined in the conspiracy of silence over the vast sums that have been turned over to the banks, business, and investorssums that are claims on value extracted from the working class and that in the future will be invoked in justifying a new and even deeper round of austerity measures.

Events at the Cargill meatpacking plant in High River, Alberta show just how far the union bureaucracy is willing to go in defending its collaboration with the bosses and state. The plant has recorded over 900 infections and one death, with seven workers remaining in hospital. However, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) opposed job action to prevent the reopening of the plant this Monday, joining management and Albertas United Conservative Party government in condemning a strike to protect workers lives as illegal.

Workers have already shown their determination to fight the ruling classs criminal return-to-work policy. Lockdowns and social distancing measures were only adopted after a wave of strikes and protests across North America in March, including by Fiat-Chrysler workers at the 6,000-strong Windsor, Ontario, assembly plant. Strikes by delivery workers, transit workers, and medical staff in the US and internationally for personal protective equipment and other safety measures mark a direct challenge to the corporate elites policy of placing profits before workers lives.

Working people must reject all efforts by the ruling class to bully them back to work amid a raging pandemic. They must intervene with their own independent program to protect lives and working peoples livelihoodsa program that begins with social needs, not what the capitalists claim they can afford. This program should include the rollout of mass testing, contact tracing, and quarantining to contain the virus; the shutting down of all nonessential industries with full pay for all workers affected; the provision of masks, gloves, and other personal protective equipment to medical staff and other essential workers; and the investment of billions in the health care system to provide the best possible care to those infected by the virus.

To fight for these demands, workers must create committees of action in their workplaces and neighbourhoods, independent of and in opposition to the trade unions and NDP, which for decades have suppressed the class struggle and are now aiding the ruling elite in dragooning workers back on the job.

None of these demands can be achieved under capitalism. The financial oligarchy that constitutes the core of the ruling class and to whom the politicians are beholden deems all money spent on workers livelihoods and social services to be a drain on its profits. Workers must wage a political struggle in alliance with their class brothers and sisters internationally to bring to power workers governments committed to socialist policies, so that societys abundant resources can be redeployed to protect human life and workers livelihoods, rather than augmenting private profit and death.

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Workers at Cargills Alberta meatpacking plant forced back to work despite 935 infections

[5 May 2020]

Quebec workers denounce governments rush to reopen the economy amid raging COVID-19 pandemic

[1 May 2020]

Canadas coronavirus wage-subsidy tailored to propping up business, not protecting workers incomes

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Yemens Houthi rebels fired two ballistic missiles from the capital Sanaa that landed inside Yemeni territory, the Saudi-led coalition said Tuesday.

Coalition spokesman Col. Turki al-Maliki said the provinces of Amran and Saada in northern Yemen were hit with air attacks in the latest violation by the Iran-aligned Houthi group of the unilateral cease-fire. In early April, the Saudi-led coalition announced the fighting pause, which the Houthis rejected, to allow for UN-brokered negotiations between the two parties amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Maliki said Houthi forces have violated the cease-fire 2,400 times, using light and heavy weapons in addition to ballistic missiles. Last month, the rebels launched a number of missiles in the direction of the Saudi capital Riyadh as well as Jazan, Asir and Najran near the Yemeni border.

Yemen has been ravaged by war since 2014, when the Houthis, backed by Iran, took control of the capital Sanaa and captured large swaths of the country from pro-government forces, on whose behalf the Saudis and a group of 20 Arab allies militarily intervened in March 2015.

In what the United Nations has called the worlds worst humanitarian crisis, the conflict has killed as many as 100,000 people. Nearly 80% of the population in need of some form of humanitarian assistance.

On Tuesday, Houthi authorities confirmed Yemens first death from COVID-19 in rebel-held territory. The country, which reported its first case on April 10, has so far registered 21 infections and three deaths in areas held by the Saudi-backed government.

Aid agencies have warned the Arab regions poorest country is ill-equipped to handle a major coronavirus outbreak. After five years of war, only half of Yemens hospitals are fully functional and health care workers already have to contend with a cholera epidemic and other infectious diseases.
Some churches restart in-person services across the country with precautions

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At Champion Church in Yuma, Arizona, congregants and leaders donned a variety of face masks as they celebrated being back together inside their sanctuary for the first time in six weeks on Sunday.

I dont know about you, I cant speak for you but I can speak for myself. I appreciate the church, Lead Pastor Stephen Bloomfield told attendees in his sermon. "If you want to find out the value of something, just have it taken away. You know, youre just tired of your marriage, well lets see how you do without it for six weeks.

Champion Churchs reopening coincided with a national Reopen Church effort being spearheaded by Christian advocacy organization Liberty Counsel. The group called on churches to open and urged Christians to start meeting again on Sunday, May 3, which is also the beginning of the National Day of Prayer week, which culminates on Thursday. And many churches across the country resumed in-person services on Sunday with precautions.

Arizona residents had been ordered to shelter in place beginning March 31. Gov. Doug Ducey announced last week that he would extend the state's stay-at-home order to May 15 with some changes aimed at slowly reopening Arizona's economy. Churches, however, got some relief when the office of Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich advised that attendance at a church service is an essential activity," under an executive order put into place by Ducey.

When we got the word that we could actually come back inside  Everybody was jumping up and down, we were so incredibly thankful, Polly Aitken, who has attended Champion Church for 10 years, told Fox 9.

Bloomfield and his congregants had been conducting drive-thru and online services in the churchs parking lot since the shelter in place order became effective so returning to their sanctuary for worship was a major milestone. And at the 10 a.m. service on Sunday, there werent many empty seats, Fox 9 reported.

Were just really, really, blessed that we have this opportunity to open back up to the community and be everything God has called us to be, to just really uplift people's spirits, to bring hope  thats what its truly all about, LaCinda Bloomfield, the pastor's wife and also lead pastor, said.

During the service, Stephen Bloomfield reflected on the 6-week quarantine, telling congregants, "If you  look at it from Gods perspective, there has been a 40-day pause on the planet. What was that about? What was God saying?"

The pastor called it a time of "purification."

"In the Bible 40 days, . 40 years  is often a time of judgment but its also often a time of testing," he preached.

He encouraged the congregation to think about what God has been doing in their lives over the last 40 days in quarantine and stressed that God wants His people to become spiritually strong.

"He wants you to begin to trust Him like never before," Bloomfield said.

While they are not required to follow specific social distancing measures, the church said, they have required that everyone who attends their church wear a mask. The church also provides hand sanitizer at their doors.

We dont have to do these things specifically, they werent in the rules but we have chosen to do that because in an abundance of caution, we want to be a good example, Bloomfield told Fox 9.

In Iowa, those who chose to attend in-person services at Trinity Baptist Church, were also happy.

Being in church felt like coming home, Fran Lehnhoff noted in a report in the Des Moines Register, which said about 14 people had showed up for church and practiced social distancing.

Everyone was very mindful, very safe in how they approached todays service here, Joe Shaw, who does administrative work for the church, said. We need to make sure that continues as people return. We want people to go their own pace, to make sure they feel safe and comfortable during this time, but know that they still have a community here that is open and welcoming to them.

Mat Staver, Liberty Counsel founder and ordained pastor, told Fox News that it was beyond time for churches to have some form of in-person services."

"Churches have always been essential, now more than ever, whether government recognizes them or not. They've been discriminated against with these orders, he said.

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus and the imposition of social distancing orders that affected the ability of churches to meet in-person, Liberty Counsel has represented churches defying those orders in several states, including Kentucky and Louisiana.

"I don't think any of these restrictions on churches  and we've reviewed thousands  are constitutional," Staver said. "They can't direct them to have online service or prohibit a drive-in service while people are in Walmart ... that kind of unequal treatment is exactly what Attorney General Barr is speaking against."

In their "Plan for Reopening," the Crossroads megachurch in Texas is requiring people to pre-register for services where they can choose a venue and time. Anyone with "concerns or health issues" is advised to stay home and watch online. The church has also suspended nursery service as well as their childrens and youth ministry.
Washington

President Donald Trump's choice to oversee a chunk of the $2 trillion economic rescue law pledged Tuesday to conduct audits and investigations "with fairness and impartiality.''

Brian Miller, a lawyer in the White House counsel's office, told the Senate Banking Committee during his confirmation hearing that "independence is vital" for the special inspector general for pandemic recovery. The post would place him in charge of overseeing a roughly $500 billion Treasury fund for industry created as part of the economic rescue law.

In prepared testimony, Miller pledged to be vigilant in protecting the integrity and independence of his office and vowed "to seek the truth in all matters that come before me and to use my authority and resources to uncover fraud, waste and abuse."

Special Investigation 147 NY dams are 'unsound,' potentially dangerous Thousands of dams have not been inspected in over 20 years.

Miller has worked at the Justice Department and was inspector general for nearly a decade at the General Services Administration, which oversees thousands of federal contracts. While he is respected in the oversight community, Miller's role in the White House counsel's office  which led Trump's defense during impeachment  is troubling, Democrats and watchdog groups said.

Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, top Democrat on the banking panel, said he questions whether Miller will be able to hold the Trump administration accountable for how it administers the business program.
Chennai: DMK President M K Stalin opposed the conducting of the NEET examination in the midst of a nation-wide lockdown brought about by the novel Coronavirus pandemic.

The Centres announcement of July 26 as the date for the Medical Colleges entrance examination for this year has been done with no concern for the students and their parents, Stalin said in a statement on Tuesday.

He wanted the Centre to take into consideration the mental make-up of the students and cancel the examination for this year.

He also urged the State government to protest against the conduct of the examination at a time like this, given the fact that the Tamil Nadu Assembly had passed two resolution against NEET itself.
Ahmaud Arbery Family Demands Arrests 2 Months After Son Shot Dead

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP)  The parents of a black man slain in a pursuit by two white men armed with guns called for immediate arrests Wednesday as they faced the prospect of waiting a month or longer before a Georgia grand jury could consider bringing charges.

A swelling outcry over the Feb. 23 shooting of Ahmaud Arbery intensified after a cellphone video that purports to show the killing surfaced online Tuesday. Following the videos release, a large crowd of demonstrators marched in the neighborhood where Arbery was killed, and the state opened its own investigation, which the governor and attorney general pledged to support. The men who pursued Arbery told police they suspected he had committed a recent burglary.

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Arberys mother, Wanda Cooper Jones, told reporters Wednesday she believes her 25-year-old son was just out for his daily jog in a neighborhood outside the port city of Brunswick. She hasnt watched the video.

I saw my son come into the world, Jones said. And seeing him leave the world, its not something that Ill want to see ever.

No arrests have been made or charges filed in coastal Glynn County more than two months after the killing. An outside prosecutor placed in charge of the case said he wants a grand jury to decide whether criminal charges are warranted. That wont happen until at least mid-June, since Georgia courts remain largely closed because of the coronavirus.

Attorneys for Arberys family said the father and son who grabbed guns and pursued Arbery in a truck after seeing him running in their neighborhood should be arrested now before a grand jury decides whether to indict them  as often happens in criminal cases.

These men were vigilantes, they were a posse and they performed a modern lynching in the middle of the day, said Lee Merritt, an attorney for Arberys mother.

Merritt also said the U.S. Justice Department should investigate Arberys death as a hate crime.

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According to an incident report filed by Glynn County police, Arbery was shot after two men spotted him running in their neighborhood on a Sunday afternoon. Gregory McMichael told police that he and his adult son thought the runner matched the description of someone caught on a security camera committing a recent break-in in the neighborhood. They armed themselves with guns before getting in a truck to pursue him.

The father said his son, Travis McMichael, got out of the truck holding a shotgun, and Arbery began to violently attack. He said Arbery was shot as the two men fought over the shotgun, according to the police report.

After Arbery was shot, the police report says, Gregory McMichael turned him onto his back to see if he was armed. The report doesnt say whether he had a weapon.

A phone number listed for Gregory McMichael has been disconnected. The Associated Press could not immediately find a phone listing for Travis McMichael.

The cellphone video, initially posted by a Brunswick radio station, shows a black man running at a jogging pace on the left side of a road. A truck is parked in the road ahead of him. One man is inside the pickups bed, and another is standing beside the open drivers side door.

The runner crosses the road to pass the pickup on the passenger side, then crosses back in front of the truck. A gunshot sounds, and the video shows the runner grappling with a man in the street over what appears to be a shotgun or rifle. A second shot can be heard, and the runner can be seen punching the man. A third shot is fired at point-blank range. The runner staggers a few feet and falls face down.

Tom Durden, the district attorney appointed to oversee the case, declined to comment Tuesday when asked if the video depicts Arberys shooting. A phone message was left for him Wednesday.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is now investigating the shooting after Durden requested the agencys help, GBI spokeswoman Nelly Miles said.

Republican Gov. Brian Kemp late Tuesday threw his support behind that probe. He posted on Twitter: Georgians deserve answers. State law enforcement stands ready to ensure justice is served.

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, also a Republican, spoke out as well.

Based on the video footage and news reports that I have seen, I am deeply concerned with the events surrounding the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, Carr said in a statement. I expect justice to be carried out as swiftly as possible.

Jackie Johnson, the district attorney for Glynn County, recused herself from the case because Gregory McMichael worked as an investigator in her office. He retired a year ago. George Barnhill, the first outside prosecutor on the case, stepped aside in mid-April at the urging of Arberys family. Barnhill has a son who works as an assistant prosecutor for Johnson.
After a year-long investigation by Claudia Joseph, Simon Trump, Ewan Fletcher, Adam Luck, Jason Buckner and Craig Hibbert, the Mail on Sunday named Banksy as Robin Gunningham.

The search began with a photograph taken in Jamaica showing a man in a blue shirt and jeans, with a hint of a smile on his face and a spray can at his feet. Taken in 2004, it was said to show Banksy at work. When the picture was published it appeared to be the first chink in the armour of anonymity with which the artist has shielded himself ever since his work began to attract the attention of the art world.

Armed with this photograph, the team travelled to Bristol, long said to have been Banksy's home city, where they made contact with a man who claimed to have once met the artist in the flesh.

Many people claimed as much, but the moment one started asking for more information, one discovered they actually 'know someone who met Banksy' - and the trail ran cold.

However, this man claimed not only to have met the elusive artist but was able to furnish us with a name - not the usual variations of the name Banks but one all the more intriguing.

The man in the photograph, he insisted, was formerly known as Robin Gunningham - and it didn't require much imagination to work out how such a name could result in the nickname Banksy.

From records available to the public, they were able to glean further information.

Robin's father, Peter Gordon Gunningham was from the Whitehall area of Bristol. His mother, Pamela Ann Dawkin-Jones was a company director's secretary and grew up in the exclusive surroundings of Clifton.

The couple married on April 25, 1970, at Kingswood Wesley Methodist Church. On February 8, 1972, their daughter Sarah was born at Bristol Maternity Hospital, by which time Peter had been promoted to area manager for a hotel company and the couple had bought their first home, a semidetached house in Bristol.

On July 28, 1973, Robin was born in the same hospital. According to neighbours, the boy had early surgery for a cleft palette.

The images provide a behind-the-scenes look at the guerrilla artist creating some of his famous works, captured by his long-time associate - although they do not appear to capture his face

When Robin was nine, the family moved to a larger home in the same street and it is there he spent his formative years and became interested in graffiti.

A neighbour, Anthony Hallett, recalls the couple moving into the street as newlyweds and living there until 1998. They have since separated.

When they showed Mr Hallett the Jamaica photograph, he said the man in it was Robin Gunningham.

In 1984, Robin, then 11, donned a black blazer, grey trousers and striped tie to attend the renowned Bristol Cathedral School, which currently charges fees of 9,240 a year and lists supermodel Sophie Anderton as a former pupil.

It was hard to imagine Banksy, the anti-authoritarian renegade, as a public schoolboy wandering around the 17th Century former monastery, with its upper and lower quadrangles and its prayers in the ancient cathedral.

But they then found a school photograph, taken in 1989, of a bespectacled Robin Gunningham in which he shows a discernible resemblance to the man in the Jamaica photograph.

Pictured is the former family home of Robin Gunningham in Bristol. It's believed Gunningham is Banksy

Indeed, fellow pupils remember Robin, who was in Deans House, as being a particularly gifted artist.

In the rare interviews Banksy has given (always anonymously), the artist has acknowledged that it was while at school that he first became interested in graffiti.

Robin Gunningham left school at 16 after doing GCSEs and began dabbling in street art.

As the investigation continued, their inquiries demonstrated again and again that the details of Robin Gunningham's life story dovetail perfectly with the known facts about Banksy.

By 1998 Robin Gunningham was living in Easton, Bristol, with Luke Egan, who went on to exhibit with Banksy at Santa's Ghetto, an art store which launched at Christmas 2001 in London's West End.

Egan and Gunningham are believed to have left the house when the owner wanted to sell it.

Camilla Stacey, a curator at Bristol's Here Gallery who bought the property in 2000, said that Banksy and Robin Gunningham are one and the same person. She knew the house had been inhabited by Banksy because of the artwork left there - and she used to get post for him in the name of Robin Gunningham.

Once the group were almost certain Banksy was Gunningham - they went searching for him and tried to see if his parents would help.

His mother Pamela lived in a neat modern bungalow in a village outside Bristol. After identifying ourselves, they asked her if she had a son called Robin.

Her reaction was very odd. They showed her the Jamaica photograph and she was visibly startled, but said she didn't recognise the man in the photograph, to whom she bears more than a passing resemblance. They asked if she could put us in touch with him.

'I'm afraid I don't know how to get in contact with him,' she said.

So she did have a son called Robin? 'No, I don't. I don't have a son at all.'

They asked her if she had any other children. 'Yes, a daughter.'

But no son and certainly not a son who went to Bristol Cathedral School?

'No,' she said, and went on to deny she was Pamela Gunningham, insisting that the electoral roll must be incorrect.

Their conversation with Peter Gunningham, who now lived in a gated development in the suburb of Kingsdown, was equally baffling.

Again, they presented the photograph of Banksy/Robin Gunningham. Mr Gunningham said he didn't recognise the person in the picture. They told him that they believed his son to be Banksy. 'No,' he replied. 'I can't help you, really.'

Mr Gunningham politely continued to deny that his son was Banksy but his manner was almost playful. He refused to give them any information about Robin. It was all very strange.

Had the couple never heard of Banksy or Robin Gunningham, one might have expected a reaction of complete bewilderment. This did not seem to be the case.
In the sixth episode of Mrs. America, Republican Jill Ruckelshaus (Elizabeth Banks) takes center stage as one of the leaders of the feminist movement, going head-to-head with Phyllis Schlafly in a battle for the partys support. Up to this point, the Hulu and FX series has mostly showcased the clash between proEqual Rights Amendment Democrats on one side and anti-ERA Republicans on the other, and Jill offers a more nuanced look at the battles being fought within the parties themselves. Below, just as we did for the first five episodes, we break down which parts are straight from history and which are artistic license.

Jill Ruckelshaus (Elizabeth Banks)

One of the founders of the National Womens Political Caucus, Jill Ruckelshaus had a unique position in the debate surrounding the ERA as she was both a leading proponent of the amendment and a Republican. Episode 6 opens with Ruckelshaus shaking hands with President Gerald Ford as she accepts the position of chairwoman on a national commission to honor women and urge ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. This event really did happen, and it was indeed held in celebration of something called International Womens Year, which was a formal title given to the year 1975 by the United Nations. And yes, Ruckelshaus really was appointed by Ford as presiding officer of the National Commission on the Observance of International Womens Year.

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Following the ceremony, Betty Ford takes Ruckelshaus aside and says, You should be front and center, Jill. Who better to prove feminism isnt a dirty word? A Midwestern married mom of five  youre as American as apple pie. It is true that, as a clean-cut, married, and fiscally conservative woman, Ruckelshaus challenged the dominant cultural stereotypes around feminists and the pro-ERA movement at the time. A 1983 Washington Post article described her as the kind of woman some women envy: aggressive and articulate, always maintaining her femininity. She can easily be described as pretty. She has Windex-blue eyes. And yes, she did raise five children, two of them from her husband Williams previous marriage. When she married him, he was recently widowed and had infant twin daughters, something she references later in the episode in conversation with Phyllis Schlafly.

William Ruckelshaus (Josh Hamilton)

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One of the episodes main storylines involves William Ruckelshaus being short-listed to be Fords running mate. The couple spend several days preparing Williams acceptance speech and envisioning possibilities for the future, but in the end he is overlooked for the position. The show suggests that Ruckelshaus may not have been socially conservative enough for the Republican party leaders and that his association with Jillwhose feminist ERA advocacy would upset the Reaganitesmay have done him in. The real William Ruckelshaus, who had served as director of the FBI and as Nixons deputy attorney general before resigning during the Saturday Night Massacre, was indeed a finalist for the 1976 vice presidential nomination, though in the end Ford went with Bob Dole. While it is unclear why, exactly, Ford chose Dole, the New York Times reported at the time that Ford made the decision after consulting with Ronald Reagan, who was particularly supportive of Dole. Ruckelshaus remained independent-minded until the end, endorsing Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election and criticizing Trumps treatment of the Mueller investigation in 2018 before dying in 2019.*

Lottie Beth Hobbs (Cindy Drummond)

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In this episode, we see Schlafly join forces with a right-wing Christian group called Women Who Want to Be Women, or WWWW, which is headed up by an extremely conservative fundamentalist woman, Lottie Beth Hobbs. Over the course of several meetings, Schlafly courts Hobbs to join the board of the Eagle Forum in an attempt to gain access to the WWWW mailing list, which will allow her to broaden her reach among conservative women. All of this tracks more or less with history. WWWW was in fact an early anti-feminist group that helped bring about the rise of the Christian right. Hobbs, a Fort Worth, Texas, woman who was fiercely anti-abortion and antigay rights, did team up with Schlafly to build a national conservative alliance against the ERA. (More on this in later episodes.) She went on to become a member of President Ronald Reagans Council on Family Values, and, like Schlafly, she died in 2016.

Betty Ford (Lori Hallier)

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The episodes opening scene also shows Betty Ford talking about her work in support of the ERA. Unlikely as it may seem today, the Republican first lady was, in fact, a major lobbyist for progressive womens rights policy throughout her career. In Jeffrey Ashleys 2003 biography Betty Ford: A Symbol of Strength, he notes that Betty was actually perceived by anti-ERA forces as being such a threat that Phyllis Schlafly of STOP ERA requested that Betty provide an accounting of how much federal money was being spent on the endorsement. Though her work was eventually slowed by her fight with breast cancer, it did not go unnoticed on either side the aisle: After the first lady revealed her diagnosis, Betty Friedan wished for Betty Ford the energy and power of the womens movement, saying, Shes done so much good for the movement, speaking out as she has for things like the Equal Rights Amendment, [we] hope some of our strength can flow back to her.

Schlaflys Confession

A particularly chilling moment in this episode comes when Phyllis confesses, weepily, to her priest that she fears her son is a pervert. This moment reveals a side of Schlaflys character that, while hinted at throughout the show, we havent seen displayed so nakedly until now: her deep and religious conservatism. The real Schlafly, who was a devout Catholic, did in fact refer to gay people as perverts on several occasions, including on Good Morning America.

Sexual Harassment

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A subplot of Episode 6, which centers on a series of allegations about powerful male senators sexually assaulting their female secretaries, will likely give modern viewers a frustrating sense of deja vu. In the show, the conversation around the sexualization of congressional secretaries is prompted by the then-famous Elizabeth Ray sex scandal, in which Rep. Wayne Hays of Ohio was found to have been keeping his mistress on his taxpayer-funded payroll. (Hays resigned.) Chisholm then explains that more secretaries were reporting having to perform sexual favors for congressmen. In the episode, Chisholm urges Bella Abzug to help her break the story and force the lecherous congressmen out of office, but, concerned about upsetting Democratic Party leaders, Abzug declines.

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While many of the specific details of this plot arc seem to have been invented for the show, it accurately reflects a larger cultural shift that was taking place in the mid-1970s, as greater awareness of sexual harassment began to emerge. Certain details also track with what we know about the time. In addition to the Ray scandal of May 1976, there was another scandal that same summer in which Rep. John Young of Texas was accused of paying a young aide a premium salary in exchange for sexual favors. While all too familiar to us now, these types of allegations were, at the time, still quite rare. According to Time magazine, the term sexual harassment was only officially coined, by a group of Cornell University researchers, in 1975. Around the same time, the prevalence of workplace sexual harassment also began receiving more media attention. A widely read article in the New York Times in 1975 cited a Cornell-funded survey which indicated that more than 70 percent of the 155 respondents had experienced some form of sexual harassment. And as the show suggests, Chisholm was indeed active and outspoken in her advocacy for the rights of women and people of color in the workplace. In recent years, Chisholm has received some belated recognition for her role in establishing the groundwork for womens fight against sexual harassment, and she has been cited as a foremother of the modern #MeToo movement.

In the show as in reality, when asked about the issue of workplace harassment, Phyllis Schlafly was, unsurprisingly, quick to blame the victim. Sexual harassment on the job is not a problem for virtuous women, except in the rarest of cases, she claimed to a Senate committee on sexual harassment in 1981. Men hardly ever ask sexual favors of women from whom the certain answer is no. Virtuous women are seldom accosted.
Alembic Pharmaceuticals rose 3.20% to Rs 774.85 after the company said its joint venture, Aleor Dermaceuticals, received establishment inspection report (EIR) for its formulation facility at Karkhadi in Gujarat.

Aleor Dermaceuticals is a 60:40 joint venture (JV) between Alembic Pharmaceuticals and Orbicular Pharmaceutical Technologies. It was formed in April 2016 and it focuses on commercialising dermatology products globally.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) had inspected Aleor Dermaceuticals' formulation facility at Karkhadi in Gujarat between 6th and 8th January 2020.

On a consolidated basis, the pharmaceutical company's net profit rose 88.10% to Rs 233.25 crore on a 30.19% increase in the net sales to Rs 1,206.83 crore in Q4 March 2020 over Q4 March 2019.

Alembic Pharmaceuticals is a vertically integrated research and development pharmaceutical company. The company manufactures and markets generic pharmaceutical products all over the world.

While the Nifty Pharma index has risen 12.47% in the past one month, shares of Alembic Pharma have added 26.98% during the same period.

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bhubaneswar, May 6 : Odisha reported the second Covid-19 death in the state after an elderly man infected with the virus died while undergoing treatment here, the health department said on Wednesday.

A 77-year-old male Covid-19 patient from Madhusudan Nagar in Bhubaneswar, who had underlying comorbidities of hypertension, diabetes and kidney ailment, died on Tuesday at the Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), said the health department.

The first death in the state caused by Covid-19 was reported on April 6 when a 72-year-old man passed away during treatment at the AIIMS, Bhubaneswar. The deceased from Jharpada area in Bhubaneswar was admitted to AIIMS on April 4 with complaint of respiratory distress.

Meanwhile, the number of Covid-19 positive cases in Odisha has gone up to 177 with the detection of one more case from the Ganjam district after an 18-year male and Surat returnee tested positive, the health department said.

Out of the 177 cases, 115 are active while 60 persons have recovered so far.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhia: A major fire broke out at the Tikri-Kalan PVC market near Delhi-Haryana border in the early hours of Wednesday (May 6), the fire department said confirming the incident.

The call about the blaze was received at 2.50 am and as many as 36 fire tenders have been dispatched to the site.

It was the scrap material placed in the open that caught fire. No casualty have been reported.

(This is a developing story, more details awaited)
Non-life insurers have received around 1000 novel Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) claims till May 4, 2020, with the aggregate claim amount being close Rs 20 crore, as per insurance industry estimates. Though the average claim amount works out to nearly Rs 2 lakh, insurers have observed wide variations too.

Some claims are in the region of Rs 2-3 lakh, while in some cases, the hospitalisation bill is as high as Rs 12 lakh, said a senior executive at a private general insurance company who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Making sense of claims data

Insurers have now started collecting claims data to understand the trends and identify unreasonable charges, if any. COVID-19 claims have started trickling in for the industry after the central government allowed private hospitals to treat patients from March 25. We are submitting our data regularly to the General Insurance Council. The process is still work-in-progress. We plan to study the patterns and use the insights to monitor anomalies in charges, if any, that result in inflated hospitalisation bills, said a senior industry official.

Non-life insurers are trying to evolve some uniformity for COVID-19-related hospitalisation expenses. A consensus is being worked out on what constitutes reasonable expenses. For instance, the usage of multiple masks and gloves. Everyone who comes in contact with the patient  doctors, nurses, ward boys and so on  has to wear masks and gloves. They have to be discarded at least once in eight hours. We hope clarity will emerge soon, said Nayan Shah, Managing Director, Paramount Healthcare, a third-party administrator. The industrys exercise will attempt to determine expenses that are admissible and the ones that qualify as exclusions. For example, in a case in Pune, the cost of PPE kits mentioned in the hospitalisation bill was around Rs 80,000. The insurer refused to pay. As TPAs, we depend on insurers calls. We have had meetings with insurers to work out a solution, said Shah.

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 key reasons for the huge gap include co-morbidities (that is, pre-existing ailments), need for isolated wards, ventilators and PPEs. Choice of hospitals and rooms, type of care being given, as also deductibles and co-pay in a policy will have a bearing on the claim payable, says Sanjay Datta, Chief, Underwriting, Claims and Reinsurance, ICICI Lombard. Hospitalisation charges such doctors fees, operation theatre charges, anaesthetists charges are linked to the room category chosen. So, you will not only have to shell out higher room rent if you were to choose a premium room over a standard one, but other charges, too, will be proportionately higher.

Hospitalisation expenses would be also higher if the patient is suffering from, say, diabetes and asthma, along with COVID-19. So, those conditions have to be managed as well. The cost of anti-retroviral drugs administered is also high, said Kapil Mehta, Co-founder and CEO, Securenow.in. Specialised treatment and newer requirements that the contagious disease warrants mean that it is difficult to arrive at a standardised treatment package in a short span of time.

Lack of uniformity in charges

A section of the industry believes that the lack of standardisation in charges is giving rise to inflated hospitalisation bills. We do not have any jurisdiction over the hospitals and neither does the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI), as it does not regulate hospitals. But we are in the process of collating the COVID-19 claim data to ascertain how reasonable the charges are. It will be submitted to IRDAI through the GI Council. We hope the regulator will be able to take it forward with the government authorities concerned, said the private insurance executive quoted earlier.

Acting on complaints that private hospitals are overcharging COVID-19 patients, the Maharashtra government issued a directive capping charges. The government will now provide insurance cover to all state residents. The capped tariffs will be aligned to GIPSA PPN packages and applicable to hospitals across the state, including private ones, said Shah. General Insurance Public Sector Association (GIPSA) is an industry body comprising the four public sector general insurers  New India, United India, National Insurance and Oriental Insurance. Preferred Provider Network, or PPN, is made up of hospitals that have agreed to treatment package rates prescribed by the GIPSA.
Representative image

In what could be a major breakthrough, a team of Italian scientists claimed to have developed the worlds first vaccine that neutralises coronavirus in humans.

Laboratory tests have so far been carried out on mice in Romes Lazzaro Spallanzani National Institute for Infectious Diseases. When mice were injected with the vaccine, they reportedly generated antibodies that prevented COVID-19 from infecting human cells.

It was found that the vaccine neutralised the coronavirus in human cells too, a report in Science Times said.

For live updates on coronavirus, click here

Luigi Aurisicchio, CEO, Takis, the firm that is developing the medication, told the Italian news agency ANSA that it was by far the most advanced stage of testing of a candidate vaccine created in Italy and human trials were likely to begin in summer.

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 firm is in talks with American drug company LineaRX to develop the vaccine and is hoping to get more support from the Italian government and other international bodies.

This is not a competition. If we join our forces and skills together, we can all win against coronavirus, Aurisicchio said.

Coronavirus pandemic | How does COVID-19 compare to other pandemics, outbreaks?

The Italian scientists have isolated the serum from the blood rich in antibodies and are now trying to analyse the longevity of the immune response preventing COVID-19 infection.

All the potential vaccines are being developed based on the gene material of the DNA protein spike, using a method called electroporation that helps break into cells to activate the immune system.

The scientists believe this will make the vaccine effectively generate antibodies that would fight the protein spike in lung cells, which is observed commonly in COVID-19 cases.

Dr Emanuele Marra, who is associated with Takis, said the batch of vaccines being developed would be able to adapt to all COVID-19 evolutions and effectively fight its mutations too.
REGINA, Saskatchewan, May 05, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Information Services Corporation (TSX:ISV) (ISC or the Company) today reported on the Companys financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2020.



2020 First Quarter Highlights

Revenue was $29.6 million, an increase of $1.0 million or 3.5 per cent compared to the first quarter of 2019.

Net income was $3.5 million or $0.20 per basic and diluted share, an increase of $0.5 million compared to the first quarter of 2019 when net income was $3.0 million or $0.17 per basic and diluted share.

EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization expense) was $7.8 million compared to $7.4 million in the same quarter last year, an increase of $0.4 million or 6.4 per cent.

The EBITDA margin for the first quarter of 2020 was 26.5 per cent compared to 25.7 per cent in the same quarter in 2019. Adjusted EBITDA was $7.9 million for the quarter compared to $7.8 million in the same quarter last year, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 26.7 per cent for the quarter compared to 27.3 per cent in the first quarter of 2019.

Free cash flow of $6.4 million compared to $5.3 million in Q1 2019.

Financial Position as at March 31, 2020

Cash of $21.2 million compared to $23.7 million as at December 31, 2019.

Total debt of $17.5 million compared to $18.0 million as at December 31, 2019.

Commenting on ISCs results, Jeff Stusek, President and CEO stated, Our primary focus, until all restrictions related to COVID-19 are removed, is ensuring the continuity of our services with the health and safety of our employees, customers and stakeholders a top priority. This pandemic has had a negative impact on the global economy which has made the future uncertain. As such, we have decided to withdraw our guidance for the year. Stusek continued, Nevertheless, all of our businesses are operating, with most of our employees working from home, and our results for the quarter were excellent considering the circumstances. My thanks to all our employees for coming together and ensuring we can continue to deliver for our customers.

Managements Discussion of ISCs Summary of 2020 First Quarter Financial Results

(thousands of CAD dollars;

except earnings per share

and where noted) Three Months

Ended March 31, 2020

Three Months

Ended March 31, 2019

Revenue Registry Operations $ 15,531 $ 16,270 Services 11,848 11,028 Technology Solutions 4,664 4,403 Corporate and other (2,447)

(3,094)

Consolidated revenue $ 29,596 $ 28,607 Consolidated expenses $ 24,521 $ 23,838 Consolidated EBITDA1 $ 7,834 $ 7,366 Consolidated EBITDA margin1 (% of revenue) 26.5 % 25.7 % Consolidated adjusted EBITDA1 $ 7,898 $ 7,803 Consolidated adjusted EBITDA margin1 26.7 % 27.3 % Consolidated net income $ 3,470 $ 3,011 Earnings per share (basic)1 $ 0.20 $ 0.17 Earnings per share (diluted)1 $ 0.20 $ 0.17 Free cash flow1 $ 6,370 $ 5,265

1 EBITDA, EBITDA margin, adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA margin and free cash flow are not recognized as measures under IFRS and do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and, therefore, they may not be comparable to similar measures reported by other corporations. For more information, please refer to section 9.8 Non-IFRS Financial Measures and section 2 Consolidated Financial Analysis for a reconciliation of EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA to net income in Managements Discussion and Analysis for the three months ended March 31, 2020. Refer to section 6.1 Cash Flow for a reconciliation of free cash flow in Managements Discussion and Analysis for the three months ended March 31, 2019.





2020 First Quarter Results of Operations

Total revenue was $29.6 million, up $1.0 million compared to Q1 2019.





Registry Operations segment revenue was $15.5 million, down compared to $16.3 million in Q1 2019.



Land Registry revenue was $10.4 million, compared to $11.3 million in Q1 2019.



Personal Property Registry was $2.2 million, down $71 thousand compared to Q1 2019.



Corporate Registry revenue was $2.9 million, up $0.2 million compared to $2.7 million in Q1 2019.





Services segment revenue was $11.8 million, up $0.8 million compared to Q1 2019.





Technology Solutions segment revenue was $4.7 million, compared to $4.4 million in Q1 2019.





Consolidated expenses (all segments) were $24.5 million compared to $23.8 million in Q1 2019.





Net income was $3.5 million or $0.20 per basic and diluted share, compared to $3.0 million or $0.17 per basic and diluted share for Q1 2019.

Outlook

The following section includes forward-looking information, including statements related to the industries in which we operate, growth opportunities and our future financial position and results. Refer to Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information.

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. This contagious disease outbreak, which has continued to spread, and any related public health developments, has adversely affected workforces, economies, and financial markets globally, potentially leading to an economic downturn.

We have been and continue to monitor the potential impact of COVID-19 on our people, operations and business. The situation continues to evolve, and our corporate Business Continuity Plan has been adapted to address COVID-19. Our primary focus, until all restrictions related to COVID-19 are removed is ensuring the continuity of our services with the health and safety of our employees, customers and stakeholders a top priority. All our employees have been urged to take protective measures, as recommended by government health authorities, to help prevent the spread of infection. We have closed all our physical offices to the public and most of our employees have been working from home since mid-March. Our technology systems are robust and have handled the additional load placed on them with employees working from home. We also expect that as more customers transact business online than normal, they will be able to do so seamlessly.

ISC has built a strong, sustainable and growing business underpinned by our two largest segments, Registry Operations and Services. These two segments deliver consistency and growth, respectively, while our Technology Solutions segment focuses to become a meaningful contributor to our consolidated results in the years to come.

One factor influencing the outlook for both our Registry Operations and Services segments is the impact on our transaction volumes due to the restrictions put in place to help contain the spread of COVID-19. Despite this, the services offered by both segments have remained available to our customers via our online portal or telephone and without interruption since the spread of COVID-19. Nevertheless, we expect our volumes from existing customers to be lower than normal for the balance of 2020.

For our Technology Solutions segment, several implementations are ongoing. As jurisdictions focus on responding to COVID-19, we expect that the timelines and hence the recognition of our revenues for some of our implementations will be delayed.

Due to the uncertainty surrounding the duration and potential outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are unable, at this time, to predict the overall impact on our operations and financial results for the remainder of the year, but the impact may be material. As a result, we are withdrawing our guidance.

Although we expect COVID-19 to adversely impact transaction volumes, revenue and EBITDA in the short term, the Company is well positioned to manage through this situation and our long-term strategy remains centered on delivering value for shareholders through the consistent performance of our existing business and the execution of appropriate growth opportunities.

The Company will also explore appropriate acquisition targets which are complementary to or add value to existing lines of business. The diversification of our business remains a key part of our strategy, which we will continue to pursue.

Note to Readers

The Board of Directors (Board) carries out its responsibility for review of this disclosure primarily through the Audit Committee, which is comprised exclusively of independent directors. The Audit Committee reviews and approves the fiscal year-end Managements Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) and financial statements and recommends both to the Board for approval. The interim financial statements and MD&A are reviewed and approved by the Audit Committee.

This news release provides a general summary of ISCs results for the quarters ended March 31, 2020, and 2019. Readers are encouraged to download the Companys complete financial disclosures. Links to ISCs financial statements and related notes and MD&A for the period are available on our website in the Investor Relations section at www.company.isc.ca.

Copies can also be obtained at www.sedar.com by searching Information Services Corporations profile or by contacting Information Services Corporation at investor.relations@isc.ca.

All figures are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted.

Conference Call and Webcast

We will hold an investor conference call on Wednesday, May 6, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. ET (9:00 a.m. MDT) to discuss the results. Participants may join the call by dialing toll-free (844) 419-1765 or (216) 562-0470 for calls outside North America. Simultaneously, an audio webcast of the conference call will also be available at the following link www.company.isc.ca/investor-relations/events . The audio file with a replay of the webcast will be available about 24 hours after the event on our website at the link above. We invite media to attend on a listen-only basis.

About ISC

Headquartered in Canada, ISC is the leading provider of registry and information management services for public data and records. Throughout our history, we have delivered value to our clients by providing solutions to manage, secure and administer information through our Registry Operations, Services and Technology Solutions segments. ISC is focused on sustaining its core business while pursuing new growth opportunities. The Class A Shares of ISC trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ISV.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation including, without limitation, those contained in the Outlook section hereof and statements related to the industries in which we operate, growth opportunities and our future financial position and results. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's plans or expectations include risks relating to changes in the condition of the economy, including those arising from public health concerns, reliance on key customers and licences, dependence on key projects and clients, securing new business and fixed-price contracts, identification of viable growth opportunities, implementation of our growth strategy, competition and other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company including those detailed in ISCs Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2019 and ISCs unaudited Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements and Notes and Managements Discussion and Analysis for the first quarter ended March 31, 2020, copies of which are filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

The forward-looking information in this release is made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, ISC assumes no obligation to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances.

Investor Contact

Jonathan Hackshaw

Director, Investor Relations & Capital Markets

Toll Free: 1-855-341-8363 in North America or 1-306-798-1137

investor.relations@isc.ca
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America in the late 1920s was much like America in early 2020 - the stock market was up; unemployment was low. But toward the end of the decade, everything changed. The over-inflated stock market crashed, taking millions of jobs with it. The Great Depression had begun.

While the downturn affected nearly every sector of the economy, musicians were among those hit the hardest. With no concerts to play, many fell into poverty. It would take three years, a new Congress and a new president before fortunes started to shift.

In March 1933, Congress passed the New Deal, a series of reforms aimed at pulling America out of the depression, which soon gave rise to the Works Progress Administration. The program didn't just benefit laborers, it also established the Federal Music Project aimed at helping musicians.

"The primary goal was simply to put professional musicians back to work," said Peter Gough, author of the book, "Sounds of the New Deal: The Federal Music Project in the West."

"They had sold their instruments, some of them even before the Great Depression, because of the advent of the technology of the 1920s," he said, referring to the phonograph, which cooled demand for live musicians in places like movie theatres and dance halls.

The Mexican "Tipica Orquesta" of the San Diego Federal Music Project in 1937. (Courtesy of the National Archives)

Gough says the music project would become one of four arts programs that received federal funds, and one of the few that enjoyed bipartisan support.

"You know, the Los Angeles papers in the 1930s were very, very conservative and Republican, and they tended to see art projects or cultural projects as what they called 'boondoggling,'" Gough said. "But there were several articles that said, 'Look, we don't like all this WPA boondoggling, but this Federal Music Project, it's a good thing. We need to keep that.'"

Under the project, public concerts were subsidized by the federal government. Musicians were given a regular paycheck. And black and white artists were paid the same wages.

The program contributed to a veritable time capsule of music -- some of it with political undertones.

"I think people were reassessing what it meant to be an American in the 1930s," Gough explains. "There was a very popular song called 'Ballad for Americans' sung by Paul Robeson on national radio and it expresses all of these views."

In the work, a suspicious female voice interrupts Robeson's patriotic tale to ask: "Are you an American?"

His reply:

Am I an American?



I'm just an Irish, Jewish, Italian,



French and English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Polish,



Scotch, Hungarian, Swedish, Finnish, Greek and Turk and Czech and double-check American!





Gough says music by Robeson and other artists of color would help erode racism in America, just in time for World War Two; diverse ensembles crossing the nation, playing music together gently reminded audiences that they were in the depression together.

By the time the program was defunded in 1943, over 250,000 concerts had been performed. Over 7,300 works had been composed.

The Federal Music Project Los Angeles "Colored Mixed Chorus" (Courtesy of the National Archives)

As the country stares down another economic whirlwind, musicians face the months ahead with none of the assurances afforded their forebears; the federal Paycheck Protection Program offers limited funds and it's unclear how long the latest injection of cash will last.

It might be a long time, at least half a year estimates suggest, before concerts are allowed to resume.

In California, unemployment insurance and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance can help make up for some lost earnings, but all of those programs come with significant hangups for performers.

Peter Gough says the time might be right for a program similar to the Federal Music Project, to help the many musicians struggling financially during the pandemic.

"I think now, given the situation, [the fact that] musicians who [used to make the majority of their income] playing in venues that people can no longer attend should definitely be a consideration," he said.

Listen to the full story below:

MORE STORIES ON UNEMPLOYMENT AND THE ARTS:


The people of the territory are U.S. nationals, not citizens, meaning they can fight in the armed forces and live in the rest of the United States. But they are ineligible to hold many public jobs and cannot vote for president or run for office outside of American Samoa.

In a letter to President Trump in March, Mr. Moliga, the Democratic governor, said the territory needed assistance and was doing its part to help other Americans, including the hundreds who were aboard the Norwegian Jewel cruise ship when it was allowed to refuel in American Samoa after being turned away at ports in Fiji and French Polynesia.

Since then, the territory has obtained at least $35 million of federal aid to deal with the pandemic, along with more than 1,000 test kits and a machine to analyze them.

Iulogologo Joseph Pereira, the head of American Samoas coronavirus task force, said the dozens of tests performed since the machine arrived in mid-April were all negative.
New Delhi:

Bollywood film Peepli Live co-director Mahmood Farooqui was on Thursday sentenced to seven years imprisonment by a Delhi court for raping a US researcher in New Delhi last year.



Additional Sessions Judge Sanjiv Jain awarded the minimum jail term prescribed for the offence to Farooqui, who was produced in the court in custody.



The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the 44-year-old filmmaker and said the amount be given to the victim, failing which he would have to undergo an additional imprisonment of three months.



It also tasked the Delhi Legal Service Authority to decide appropriate compensation for the woman.



The court had on July 30 held him guilty of raping the American woman last year at his house in a drunken state.



During the arguments on sentence earlier, Delhi Police had sought life imprisonment for the filmmaker, saying the crime perpetrated on the foreigner has brought disrepute to India.



Farooquis counsel Nitya Ramakrishnan had said as the filmmaker suffered from bipolar disorder and has fully cooperated in the case he should be given a chance to reform.



Seeking stringent punishment for Farooqui, complainants counsel Vrinda Grover had said, The foreigner (victim) was here for research work but was raped by a person she knew, who was her friend and whom she had trusted.



Farooqui, who was out on bail, was taken into custody immediately after his conviction in the case.



Prosecutor Mohammed Ikrar had earlier said that the woman, in her complaint, had alleged that Farooqui was drunk when he raped her at his house where she had gone to seek his help for her research work in March last year.



The police had on June 19, 2015, lodged the FIR against Farooqui on the womans complaint after which he was arrested.



The police had on July 29 last year filed a charge sheet against Farooqui, alleging he had raped the research scholar from Columbia University at his Sukhdev Vihar house in south Delhi on March 28 last year.



The court had on September 9, 2015, started the trial in the case after framing rape charge against Farooqui and the victim, based in the US, had appeared in the court on September 14, 2015 to record her statement.



The woman had, during the in-camera proceedings, alleged that Farooqui had raped her and later apologised to her in several e-mails exchanged between them.



Later, however, Farooqui had denied the allegations against him, saying he was falsely implicated by the woman.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi, May 6 : Just a week ago, it seemed that coronavirus cases were starting to plateau, as the Centre claimed that its growth had been more or less linear and not exponential. Yet, as many as 3,900 new cases and 195 deaths were reported on Tuesday.

Medical experts reckon that it's a significant spike, which could have emerged from increased testing, migration of people across states and flouting of social distancing guidelines.

In major cities, coronavirus is spewing fire and the bump in cases is pronounced.

Speaking to IANS, Arvind Kumar, Chairman of the Centre for Chest Surgery and Director at the Institute of Robotic Surgery in Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said, something had gone wrong in the past one week. The spurt in number of cases was not a good sign in the country's fight against coronavirus, he said.

"On the one hand we have lockdown and the other we see serpentine queues outside liquor shops. Also, why did the government allow labour migration at this stage. They could have been asked to stay back till the end of lockdown.

"All these factors are bound to play a major role in the increase in coronavirus cases. Of course, we are also testing more than before, which would lead to identification of more cases," said Kumar.

He said it's the real increase in number which could be due to movement of people and increase in testing. It could continue for 3-6 weeks after migration of people. Thre trend undermined the largely held notion that things were under control, he added.

Explaining the spike, the Health Ministry said some states were not reporting cases in a timely manner. The total number of coronavirus cases in the country is 49,391 and 1,694 people have succumbed to the disease. 14,182 people have been cured -- a recovery rate of 27 per cent.

Avi Kumar, consultant in Pulmonology at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, said, "After an increase in testing, we have seen a rise in positive as well as negative cases. The recovery rate has also improved. But throwing social distancing norms out of window and allowing migration of people would tend to have a role in the spurt in cases." He stressed the Kerala model of re-quarantine and chalking out a model of home delivery to maintain social distancing among people. "After this migration of people, the next 2-3 weeks will play a major role in deciding whether we have flattened the curve or hit the peak," said Kumar.

Sourabh Sachar, a senior resident in Radiology at Safdarjung Hospital, said the disregard to social distancing norms in the last few days had potentially contributed to the spike in cases along with increased testing.

"It's imperative that in orange and especially red zones, we don't let our guard down and social distancing and hygiene norms are strictly followed. Otherwise, the gain made in the last five weeks might be lost," Sachar said.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Rishi Kapoor And Neetu Kapoors Wedding Reception Card Goes Viral On Social Media
Delhi Police's Cyber cell has arrested the admin of the Instagram group which was being used to share obscene messages and morphed pictures of underage girls on the social media site, officials said on Wednesday.

On Monday, a juvenile, who was also a group member, was apprehended.

Ten members, including minors, of the Instagram group have also been identified, police said.

The minor was also quizzed and the devices used to engage in the "offensive and vulgar communication" have been seized from the members of the group known as "Bois Locker Room".

"The CyPAD unit has sought information about the alleged group and it's members from Instagram. Their reply is awaited. The devices of the identified members of the group have been seized and sent for forensic analysis," said Anil Mittal, Additional PRO of Delhi Police.

The role of other group members is also being ascertained, he said.

The identified members, who are major, are being examined. The minor members of the group are being dealt with as per the provisions of Juvenile Justice Act, police officials said.

Instagram had earlier said it takes the issue "very seriously" and does not allow such behaviour.

It had said the objectionable content featuring minor girls was removed from the platform as soon as it was made aware of it.

The Delhi Commission of Women (DCW) had issued a notice to Instagram and Delhi Police, taking cognizance of the matter.

Some of those involved are from reputed schools in the national capital, police said.

Information about the group came to light after a girl shared screenshots of its activities. Following this, the group started being called out on social media.

The police said during social media monitoring, it was noticed that the group was being used by the participants to share obscene messages and morphed pictures.

A case under relevant sections of IT Act and IPC was registered on Monday, officials said.

Further action will be taken on the basis of material evidence that is gathered in the course of the investigation, they added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Mayor Bill de Blasio committed on Tuesday to dismantling homeless encampments popping up around the five boroughs during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

One such encampment can be found outside the Richmond County Bank Ballpark in St. George -- home of the Staten Island Yankees.

Theyre absolutely unacceptable, de Blasio said at his Tuesday press briefing responding to a question from 1010 WINS reporter Juliet Papa about encampments around the city.

Again, theres a story that really should be understood. For decades, encampments were tolerated in New York City. People would see them in different places and, somehow, they were allowed to exist. I found it absolutely unacceptable and I said to the NYPD, to Social Services, to Sanitation Department, I said, if we see any encampment developed anywhere in New York City, were taking it down period.

This is not the first time the overhangs of Staten Islands minor league ballpark have been used as an area for people to congregate, but St. George resident Anthony Illardi said hes seen conditions worsen since the start of the pandemic.

It has gotten progressively worse over the last -- I want to say -- month and a half to two months, he said.

Multiple 311 complaints have been filed regarding that encampment, and the surrounding area right outside the NYPDs 120th Precinct Station House since the start of the pandemic.

Advance/SILive photos show a large group of people, with bags and shopping carts, gathered in front of the ballpark, and the unsanitary conditions they left behind. The people are not wearing masks, and are not social distancing.

Photo shows the remnants of a homeless encampment outside the Richmond County Bank Ballpark on Thursday, April 30, 2020. (Staten Island Advance/Tom Wrobleski)

A spokeswoman for the NYPD said the 120th Precincts commanding officer is aware of complaints about homeless people outside the ballpark, and that officers are working to connect those individuals to services.

Officers are continuously working to correct the condition by routinely officering services to the homeless in that area, said the spokeswoman.

The citys street homeless who refuse to enter its shelter system are often among the most vulnerable dealing with mental health and substance abuse issues.

City officials have committed to an around-the-clock outreach effort to those individuals with a focus on the citys subway system. The state-run Metropolitan Transportation Authority began on Wednesday its nightly cleaning of much of its system in an effort to combat the virus.

Outreach teams from the NYPD and nonprofits along with Department of Homeless Services staff were on hand to engage individuals removed from the citys subway system.

During his Tuesday press briefing, de Blasio did not specify what would be done with homeless people who continuously refuse to enter the shelter system after dismantling their encampments.

Department of Social Services spokesman Isaac McGinn said the city will continue to engage with those individuals, and acknowledged the hard work often involved getting help to some of the citys most vulnerable.

Helping our neighbors experiencing unsheltered homelessness get back on their feet is hard work in the best of times. In a crisis, it requires the best efforts of every level of government, working in tandem -- and through this partnership across Agencies and levels of government were focused on doing everything we can to connect individuals to the services they need, he said.

"We know that it can take hundreds of engagements for someone to accept services and that someone whos not ready to do so today may be ready to make that transition tomorrow. We intend to keep coming back again and again, through this effort and our ongoing 24/7 outreach, to make those breakthroughs.
Dressed as Star Wars characters, local officials in the Philippines are out and about to enforce strict quarantine measures while also handing out relief packages.

With Darth Vader outfits made from rubber mats and old plastic, the youth leaders catch the attention of villagers on the outskirts of Manila, who are then reminded to stay indoors.

We tell off residents who still go outdoors without the proper quarantine passes needed and also those who do not wear face masks. We make sure the government guidelines are properly followed, Muriel Baldago, an elected official dressed in a Stormtrooper costume, told Reuters.

His get-up is greeted with smiles and offers villagers a little distraction from outbreak, he added.

On May 4, also known as Star Wars Day and celebrated worldwide by fans of the franchise, government workers in costume also rode small wooden boats to distribute relief packs containing rice and canned goods in a nearby coastal neighbourhood.

The Philippines, whose capital and main cities are under strict quarantine protocols until mid-May, has recorded 9,485 confirmed coronavirus cases, 623 deaths and 1,315 recoveries as of Monday, government figures showed.

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YEREVAN.  Nazeli Baghdasaryan, a member of the majority My Step faction in the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, has self-isolated since Tuesday. She had had contact with a person infected with the coronavirus, and on Tuesday, it was confirmed that this person had COVID-19. This information was confirmed by the MP herself in a conversation with Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Baghdasaryan noted that she was feeling well and not running a fever. "I feel well," she said. "I had contact [with that person] for six days, yesterday this person tested positive [for the coronavirus]. I haven't been tested yet, but I will take the test today or tomorrow. "

To note, NA Speaker Ararat Mirzoyan informed Wednesday that one of the employees of the parliament had had contact with a person infected with the coronavirus.
The case against the first Americans accused of fraudulently applying for COVID-19 small business loans will continue next week, prosecutors say.

Special agents with the FBI and IRS took David Staveley of Andover and David Butziger of Warwick, Rhode Island, into custody Tuesday after a three-week investigation into their alleged efforts to secure more than $500,000 in federal loans to cover nonexistent employees at businesses they either did not own or werent operating when the coronavirus outbreak began.

Both men made their initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island today, and both were released on unsecured bond, Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Vilker of the District of Rhode Island said in a virtual news conference Tuesday afternoon.

Vilker said neither defendant has a hearing, but both requested a status conference next week. It remains unclear whether the pair have retained or been assigned attorneys.

The two businessmen, seeking Payroll Protection Program funds, claimed to have dozens of employees earning wages at four different businesses, though they had no employees working for them, Aaron L. Weisman, U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island, said in a statement earlier Tuesday.

Both men face charges of conspiracy to make false statements to influence the U.S. Small Business Administration and conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Weisman said Staveley was also charged with aggravated identity theft, and Butziger was charged with bank fraud.

FBI Special Agent In Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta said during the news conference that the men were taken into custody without incident, earning the distinction of being the first in the nation to be charged with defrauding the Small Business Administrations Paycheck Protection Program under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act recently passed by Congress."

We believe both men lied, cheated and carried out this scheme so they could line their pockets at the expense of the hardworking small businesses teetering on the edge of financial ruin, Bonavolonta said.

Bonavolonta noted that the investigation began about three weeks ago after receiving a tip from Berlin Police Chief Thomas Galvin. According to the tip, Staveley was allegedly posing as his brother in various real estate transactions. A voicemail left with Galvin at the Berlin Police Department was not immediately returned Tuesday evening.

Three search warrants were issued in the investigation, which remains ongoing, Bonavolonta said.

He said a review of emails between the pair showed they tried to obtain forgivable loans for dozens of employees at four businesses, including two restaurants in Rhode Island and one in Massachusetts, which they claimed in applications were hard hit by the crisis.

All of which were blatant lies, Bonavolonta said.

Prosecutors allege Staveley, 52, tried to secure more than $438,500 in PPP loans to cover payroll expenses at the former Remington House and Top of the Bay, both in Warwick, and On the Trax in Berlin. Authorities say Remington House and On the Trax werent open when the pandemic started, and Staveley didnt own or have any role in Top of the Bay.

The town of Berlin revoked On the Traxs liquor license earlier this year for several reasons, including that Staveley allegedly falsely claimed his brother owned the place.

Butziger, 51, is accused of seeking $105,381 in PPP loans, falsely claiming he was the owner of an unincorporated entity called Dock Wireless, according to Weisman.

Authorities say Butziger, in a telephone call with an undercover FBI agent posing as a bank officer, claimed to employ seven full-time workers on Dock Wirelesss payroll, including himself.

Kristina OConnell, special agent in charge of the IRS criminal investigation division in New England, alleged the men doctored up and submitted applications seeking loans to cover tens of thousands of dollars in wages," with little to no employees working for any of these businesses.

At a time when this country should be coming together, they decided to take advantage of the pandemic for their own personal benefit, OConnell alleged. She noted that no funds were released and that stopping this kind of fraud is a priority for the IRS.

Related Content:
Mr Richard Kwadwo Adu, a former Assemblyman has described Dr Ernest Ofori Sarpong, Chief Executive Officer of Special Ice Company, producers of mineral and bottled water as a true statesman embedded with high sense of patriotism and love for nation.



Dr Sarpong has proven himself for many years as an astute businessman and philanthropist, true statesman who has imprint and spirit of patriotism and nationalism. As a nation, we must honour and inspire him to continue with the humanitarian work, he said.



In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr Adu who is a former Assemblyman for Ntoase Electoral Area in the Wenchi Municipality of the Bono Region indicated Dr Sarpong, who jointly controls several businesses in Ghana, and own shares in Best Point Savings & Loans Limited, deserved a state honour.



Born more than 54 years ago, Ghana must publicly acknowledge and honour him because good people such as Dr Sarpong are extremely difficult to get, Mr Adu who is also a former constituency youth organiser of the New Patriotic Party indicated.



Nations that fail to appreciate and honour their heroes at the right time are not worth dying for, he said, worrying it was among this and other reasons that the spirit of voluntarism and love for nation was gradually declining among Ghanaians.



Mr Adu noted that a public or state honour directed at selfless, dedicated, patriotic and deserving individuals would serve as a memorial or monument, which the current and the unborn generation would build their lives.

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
On the quaint tree-lined block of Eighth Avenue between Jane and West 12th streets stands Casa Magazines, the newsstand that since 1995 has been run by Mohammed Ahmeddubbed the the last king of print by the New York Times. Just a few steps away is La Bonbonniere, the iconic diner dating back to the 1930s that serves 94-year-old food critic Mimi Sheratons favorite sandwich.

In a neighborhood that has seen gentrification replace its quintessential bohemian shops with luxury-label storefronts, this particular stretch of street is an anomaly. And if soaring rents and dwindling sales hadnt already been a threat, the coronavirus crisis is pushing its old-time tenants to the point of no return.

Photo: Courtesy of Casa Magazines / @casamagazinesnyc

Theres only a few [magazine] stores left in Manhattan nowthere used to be so many, Ahmed muses over FaceTime from his daughters house in Delaware, where hes been hunkering down until its safe to return to his home in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Though Casa Magazines has opened sporadicallymostly to accept deliveriessales of the maybe 2,500 titles it carries have all but ground to a halt. Its dead, he adds.

But not if Happy David, a social-media-savvy customer whos grown the shops Instagram following to 13,000 in the past three years, can help it. (Its an unofficial partnership, she says, in which shes rewarded with the occasional magazine or Corner Bistro burger.) Recently, shes approached her side gig with newfound vigor, captioning images of incoming covers or a mask-clad Ali Wasim (a beloved employee) with the hashtag #LongLivePrint, as well as spearheading multiple fundraisers.

Photo: Courtesy of Casa Magazines / @casamagazinesnyc

Two doors down, La Bonbonniere, which has stayed off of delivery apps (and often doesnt have a working phone, as this reporter soon realized), is also struggling to survive the pandemic. Marina Arrieta took over the restaurant with Gus Maroulletis more than 30 years ago, and when I finally reach her, she notes, Weve never closednot on 9/11 nor amid Hurricane Sandy and not even during the coronavirus. We are afraid, but we have to stay here and take care of the community, so were still working.

Story continues

Photo: Courtesy of Casa Magazines / @casamagazinesnyc

In turn, the community is taking care of them. If Bonbonniere is gone when were all back in business and hungry for lunch, then what has New York become? the filmmaker and West Village resident Gabriel Nussbaum wrote on the restaurants GoFundMe, which he organized. After David shared a link to it on Casa Magazines Instagram, donations increased by $15,000 overnight. Though its not difficult to imagine the two businesses competing for local patrons wallets in a time like this, that is not the case. We are a family there, explains Ahmed, who has often stopped by the restaurant for a plate of fries or pancakes. We love each other.

This is why Gus always says love your neighbors, in the good times and the bad times, says Arrieta, before admitting thatbetween past rent, unpaid expenses, and, of course, helping out her small stafftheres a long road ahead, even if they do reach their fundraising goals. She is nevertheless optimistic: If we get past this, were gonna be stronger and were gonna be better. #LongLiveNewYork.

Photo: Courtesy of Casa Magazines / @casamagazinesnyc

Donate to Casa Magazines here

Donate here to La Bonbonniere here

Originally Appeared on Vogue
Release no. 10/2020

Acceptable results in Q1 despite operating in COVID-19 unknown territory



Columbus continued the positive development from 2019 into the first two months of 2020 with growth in revenue. However, in March realities changed and the COVID-19 crisis has affected the results for Q1. Columbus are implementing measures to deal with the situation and has full attention on the wellbeing of employees while serving customers digitally.





In Q1 2020, Columbus delivered growth of 6% amounting to revenues of DKK 510m. EBITDA decreased by 12% amounting to DKK 53m and earnings before tax amounted to DKK 28m. Outlook for 2020 and long-term guidance will be released when having a better insight into the impact and temporary market slowdown.





In accordance with the regulations for listed companies submission of interim statements, Columbus A/S hereby submits the interim management statement for the period 01.01.2020-31.03.2020 (3 months).

Growth of 6%

Revenue in Q1 2020 amounted to DKK 510m (Q1 2019: DKK 482m), corresponding to an increase of 6% compared to the same period last year. Organically, Columbus grew by 2%. (isolated for the acquired Advania Business Solutions in Norway).

EBITDA decreased by 12% to DKK 53m primarily due to onboarding of 190 new employees as part of Columbus growth strategy as well as an increase in bad dept provision. Earnings before tax amounted to DKK 28m, corresponding to a decrease of 21%. Revenue and EBITDA are not significantly impacted by currency fluctuations.

2020 started off with a positive continuation of 2019 with overall revenue growth, despite a decline in our US business unit. In general, all Columbus business units came off to a good start where especially Dynamics Sweden and Columbus Care showed strong progress.

We had a positive start to the year with strong progress overall. I am content that we delivered growth despite a radical change in our business environment. We have managed to rapidly adapt our business to the changing situation, and I want to thank our employees for

showing leadership in this difficult situation as well as our customers for their commitment. We foresee a challenging 2020, however I am confident that we will get through this crisis together, says Thomas Honore, CEO & President in Columbus.

Story continues

In the beginning of March, we started to see the impact of the global outbreak of the COVID-19 materializing with customers holding back investments or postponing ongoing projects. Especially our retail segment has been negatively affected due to the close down of societies. Retailers with an omnichannel setup are not as badly hit because they can move part of their business online, which in some cases has led to increased demand for digital commerce or analytics services.

As expected, the food segment has experienced a hectic period with increased demand which in some cases has driven increased demand for digitalization, however in other cases the customers have postponed projects due to lack of resources.



Overall, Columbus expects to see a substantial, short-term negative impact on customer demand in the coming period.

According to local government regulations and lockdowns, Columbus has taken steps to ensure the health and safety of our employees, customers and partners while continuing to serve our customers 100% digitally. As we write the Q1 report, all Columbus employees are working remotely from home with full operation capacity globally.



As a leading digitalization company, we have broad experience serving our customers digitally, and we are experiencing a very positive interaction with customers and employees in between in adjusting to remote working routines.

We are able to deliver digitally from early engagement discussions to project initiation, implementation and

application management. We are currently in close connection with our customers to help them continue their operation during this period.

Growth in Columbus Services

The revenue from Columbus Services business increased by 4%. Organic growth is 2%. The main contributor to the growth is the increased sale of Columbus Care services and a general progress in the services business.

Chargeable hours constituted 52% in Q1 compared to 56% in Q1 2019. The decline is primarily due the adjustment to remote working setup in the beginning of March and is also affected by the postponement or cancellation of projects due to COVID-19 situation. Furthermore, the decline is affected by the onboarding of people.

Despite the decline in chargeable hours, the services business delivered overall growth and progress.





Growth in Recurring Revenue

The sale of cloud services grew by 51% due to the increasing conversion to cloud-based solutions. In addition, the sale of Columbus Care services grew by 26%.

Recurring revenue increased from DKK 106m to DKK 119m, a growth of 12%, which can be explained by good progress in sale of Columbus Care and Cloud. The recurring revenue constituted 23% of the total revenue in Q1 (Q1 2019: 22%).

Columbus Software same level as last year

The revenue from Columbus Software business is at the same level as last year, amounting to DKK 22m.

Columbus Cloud grew by 39%, while sales of Columbus licenses decreased by 23% due to the cloud conversion. Maintenance declined by 6%.

Progress in 9 Doors to Digital Leadership

In Q1 we launched a Cloud Factory initiative, where we partnered with

Microsoft to conduct an assessment and migrate more large accounts to the cloud. When businesses started seeing the aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Columbus worked proactively to identify offerings that would help businesses keep their lights on.

In line with our commitment to the UN Sustainability Goals, we also launched new offerings on energy and waste management, route optimization, and sustainable operations that will help our customers run are more sustainable operations.





Risk management

In order to address the short-term uncertainty, we have initiated a Business Continuity Plan to mitigate risk and keep our business in good health during this challenging period.

Columbus has executed capacity adjustments across business units to address the temporary decline in demand. In addition, we are closely monitoring the resource allocation and increasing global sourcing. We have also applied different COVID-19 aid packages around the world to minimize the business impact.

As announced in February, the Executive Board and the Board of Directors have reduced their salaries by 30% for the remaining of 2020. In addition, we have announced a global hiring freeze and other measures.

On the sales and marketing side, we have initiated a range of activities to drive growth despite a changed business structure. We have launched a comprehensive catalogue of services to support our customers in these unusual times that can help them operate remotely and keep their business safe and running, and we are executing global digital marketing campaigns with good traction.

Expectations for 2020

In the first two months of 2020, we have seen a general growth in our business. Now, realities have changed radically. Due to the current market uncertainty caused by the COVID-19, we expect a negative impact on our business and financial performance in the coming quarters.

Given the rapid day-to-day developments in our main markets, we are currently unable to accurately assess the magnitude of this short-term impact, including the duration of the expected temporary market contraction.



As stated in company release no. 6, 2020, we have therefore decided not to announce the expectations for 2020 and our long-term guidance until we have a better insight into the impact on our business.

As the situation normalizes, we expect to start picking up in a growing market.

We do expect that the conversion from on-premise solutions to cloud will be growing significantly over the next five years and we also expect digitalization efforts to pick up when the world is settling and returning to more normal modus. However, it is still unclear when and how the investment appetite will fully return.

Columbus is already well positioned and at the forefront in the market within cloud (e.g. Dynamics 365, M3 Cloud Suite) with a well-developed global delivery setup specialized in upgrading customer to a cloud solution

In 2020, cloud will be a prioritized growth opportunity for Columbus, thus helping our customers in the migration to cloud with the up- and cross sell the 9 Doors to Digital Leadership it entails.

In addition, our focus will be to leverage the opportunities to up- and cross sell the 9 Doors to Digital Leadership services to the installed customer base.

Investor presentation

Columbus Executive Board will present the results for 2020 at a conference call today at 14:00 CET.

Please use the following dial-in numbers:

Denmark: +45 32720417

UK/international: +44 (0) 2071 928338

US: +1 646 741 3167

Conference ID: 5258489

It is also possible to follow the online webcast via this link: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/pxuepg8i

A recorded version of the presentation will be available on the website after the webcast has concluded: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/pxuepg8i

DKK 000 YTD 2020 YTD 2019 2019 Columbus Software licenses 2,802 3,649 38,449 Columbus Software subscriptions 13,891 14,775 55,527 Columbus Cloud 5,562 4,009 24,002 External licenses 27,224 17,020 75,153 External subscriptions 45,528 45,861 200,588 External cloud 11,170 7,102 35,511 Services 396,584 379,729 1,468,533 Other 7,350 10,328 33,921 Total net revenue 510,111 482,473 1,931,684 EBITDA before share-based payment 54,505 61,467 243,540 Share-based payment -1,216 -998 -5,470 EBITDA 53,289 60,469 238,070











Latest developments

No events or transactions with a material effect on the companys financial position have occurred since the balance sheet date.



Ib Kune

Chairman

Columbus A/S



Thomas Honore

CEO & President

Columbus A/S For further information, please contact:

CEO & President, Thomas Honore: +45 70 20 50 00











Income statement





DKK 000 YTD 2020 YTD 2019 2019 Net revenue 510,111 482,473 1,931,684 External project costs -101,983 -95,827 -437,107 Gross profit 408,128 386,646 1,494,577 Staff expenses and remuneration -301,325 -283,935 -1,136,911 Other external costs -52,302 -41,739 -192,567 Other operating income 14 497 78,474 Other operating costs -10 -2 -33 EBITDA before share-based payment 54,505 61,467 243,540 Share-based payment -1,216 -998 -5,470 EBITDA 53,289 60,469 238,070 Depreciation, amortization and impairment -23,522 -22,092 -178,882 Operating profit (EBIT) 29,767 38,377 59,188 Financial income 544 760 590 Financial expenses -1,972 -3,411 -11,042 Profit before tax 28,339 35,726 48,736







Balance sheet





DKK 000 YTD 2020 YTD 2019 2019 ASSETS Goodwill 833,786 935,109 845,774 Customer base 54,221 60,871 50,933 Other intangible assets 10,012 6,289 10,565 Development projects finalized 72,569 71,985 78,852 Development projects in progress 13,813 9,767 6,066 Property, plant and equipment 11,694 23,811 12,248 Right-of-use assets 98,991 101,052 85,927 Deferred tax assets 27,981 22,031 26,737 Other receivables 7,660 7,493 7,466 Total non-current assets 1,130,726 1,238,407 1,124,568 Inventories 0 66 0 Trade receivables 287,477 334,499 307,231 Contract assets 34,899 38,879 28,605 Corporate tax receivables 7,338 7,659 1,360 Deferred tax assets 4,878 7,595 2,812 Other receivables 8,619 19,640 16,564 Prepayments 23,923 23,836 26,113 Receivables 367,134 432,108 382,685 Cash 118,746 114,085 147,264 Total current assets 485,880 546,258 529,949 TOTAL ASSETS 1,616,606 1,784,665 1,654,517







Balance sheet





DKK 000 YTD 2020 YTD 2019 2019 EQUITY AND LIABILITIES Share capital 155,778 155,778 155,778 Reserves on foreign currency translation -84,587 -26,475 -40,365 Retained profit 584,531 558,071 549,941 Group shareholders' equity 655,722 687,374 665,354 Minority interests 2,924 3,281 3,126 Equity 658,646 690,655 668,480 Deferred tax 22,085 20,040 26,296 Other provisions 40,716 14,825 28,635 Contingent consideration 0 219,508 157,850 Debt to credit institutions 169,708 183,230 176,000 Lease liability right-of-use assets 74,460 70,602 58,911 Non-current liabilities 306,969 508,205 447,692 Debt to credit institutions 2,750 13,738 0 Contingent consideration 161,037 87,156 0 Contract liabilities 18,489 25,798 17,727 Trade payables 59,937 75,312 85,618 Corporate tax payables 12,567 5,582 5,127 Other Payables 283,122 263,276 314,141 Accruals 79,446 79,327 82,872 Lease liability right-of-use assets 33,643 35,616 32,860 Current liabilities 650,991 585,805 538,345 Total liabilities 957,960 1,094,010 986,037 TOTAL EQUITY AND LIABILITIES 1,616,606 1,784,665 1,654,517







Segment data

In order to support decisions about allocation of resources and assessment of performance of the segments, the Groups internal reporting to the Board of Directors of the Parent Company is based on the following grouping of operating segments:

Strategic business areas Description Geographical segment ISV (Independent Software Vendor) Development and sale of industry-specific software within Columbus' three focus industries: Retail, food and manufacturing No specific area Consultancy Sale, implementation and service of standard business systems. Western Europe

Eastern Europe

North America Information about the Groups segments is stated below. Consultancy DKK 000 ISV Western

Europe Eastern

Europe North

America HQ, GDC and Eliminations Total YTD 2020 Columbus Software licenses 1,689 889 254 301 -331 2,802 Columbus Software subscriptions 11,221 4,530 280 1,287 -3,427 13,891 Columbus cloud 4,748 1,696 359 0 -1,241 5,562 External licenses 738 16,189 3,255 6,039 1,003 27,224 External subscriptions 2,422 20,281 4,197 20,174 -1,546 45,528 External cloud 520 4,738 381 4,678 853 11,170 Services 16,907 326,567 27,867 37,712 -12,469 396,584 Other 391 7,176 201 587 -1,005 7,350 Total net revenue 38,636 382,066 36,794 70,778 -18,163 510,111 Gross profit 33,032 300,199 29,029 44,026 1,842 408,128 EBITDA 17,500 45,924 2,009 1,187 -13,331 53,289 Consultancy DKK 000 ISV Western

Europe Eastern

Europe North

America HQ, GDC and Eliminations Total YTD 2019 Columbus Software licenses 2,624 1,369 128 390 -862 3,649 Columbus Software subscriptions 12,412 4,213 208 1,282 -3,340 14,775 Columbus cloud 3,102 1,787 118 0 -998 4,009 External licenses 624 10,051 2,360 4,575 -590 17,020 External subscriptions 1,963 19,968 3,515 21,705 -1,290 45,861 External cloud 504 2,599 199 3,800 0 7,102 Services 13,221 306,024 25,506 44,531 -9,553 379,729 Other 236 9,282 435 1,101 -726 10,328 Total net revenue 34,686 355,293 32,469 77,384 -17,359 482,473 Gross profit 30,759 273,728 26,447 49,952 5,760 386,646 EBITDA 15,506 50,845 2,589 1,202 -9,673 60,469

Attachment
A lab is being set up at the Deen Dayal Veterinary University here for COVID-19 testing, an Uttar Pradesh minister said.

"With the opening of the lab at the varsity, the time taken for getting reports of COVID-19 samples sent to J N Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University, would be less," Minister for Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairying Chaudhary Laxmi Narayan said.

Initially, 50 samples will be tested in a day. However, it will gradually increase to 100 or more, he said.

Chaudhary said the government has so far established 19 COVID-19 testing labs in the state.

Dr S K Garg said the work in the lab will begin after the supply of chemicals and testing kits will be received from Bengaluru-based firms, which is expected shortly.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Hailing the counter-terror operation of the Indian Armed forces which eliminated Hizbul Mujahideen chief Riyaz Naikoo, former Jammu and Kashmir DGP Shesh Paul Vaid complimented the "meticulous planning" of the forces and said the development will come as a relief for policemen in the Valley. In a massive victory, Naikoo was gunned down in a joint operation of the J&K police and Indian Army in Pulwama district on Wednesday.

Speaking to Republic TV, Shesh Paul Vaid said, "Riyaz Naikoo's upper ground network was very very strong. This is not the first time we had information on him. We must compliment the meticulous planning by all those part of this operation, the Army, CRPF, and those who executed the operation successfully."

The former top cop said that the Hizbul chief had given a slip to security forces earlier because he would get a tip-off on any movement by forces. "You can't imagine the kind of relief policemen in the Valley must have got with the news of his death today," SP Vaid said.

Elimination of top Hizbul Mujahideen Commander #RiyazNaikoo in a joint operation is a big success for J&K Police and Security Forces. He was responsible for kidnapping and killing of multiple policemen. Well done boys! #JaiHind   Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) May 6, 2020

READ | Hizbul Mujahideen Chief Riyaz Naikoo Neutralised By Forces In J&K's Awantipur

Pakistan's recruiter

He further stated that neighbour Pakistan was using the terrorist to recruit local boys and give a "local colour" to terrorism that the country unleashes in the restive Union Territory.

"People like Naikoo were used for anti-India propaganda on social media and motivating young boys and impressionable minds of Kashmir Valley to join terrorist groups and ending up dead; thereby damaging so many families in the Valley. Today I think whole of Valley is relieved by his death," SP Vaid said.

READ | Over Ground Worker (OGW) Of Hizbul Mujahideen Arrested In J-K's Doda

Terrorist eliminated

In the operation which began early in the day, Naikoo and his associate were eliminated at J&K's Beighpora area in Awantipur district. Sources state that the joint team of J&K police and Army had been conducting a search operation for the past two days, after receiving credible inputs that terrorists were present in the village. J&K police confirmed that the team came in contact with 2 terrorists as they were hiding in their uncle's house in Awantipur. After gunbattle of almost 8 hours, the forces eliminated the terrorists. In a separate operation in J&K's Pampore district, two more terrorists were killed by Indian forces.

READ | Hizbul Mujahideen Activist Held In Amritsar: Punjab DGP

READ | Kashmir: 4 Hizbul Mujahideen Terrorists Killed, 2 Army Personnel Injured In Gun-battle
Malia and Sasha Obama speak publicly for the first time in more than a decade in Michelle Obama's new Netflix documentary, where the two college students reflect on the former first lady's accomplishments.

"Becoming," which follows Obama on the 34-stop book tour for her bestselling memoir of the same name, was released on Wednesday. The film includes comments from Malia, 21, and Sasha, 18, who were rarely seen at public events at the White House other than the annual turkey pardon and the occasional state dinner.

Image: Barack Obama Holds Election Night Gathering In Chicago's Grant Park (Scott Olson / Getty Images)

"I'm excited for her to be proud of what she's done because I think that's the most important thing for a human to do is be proud of themselves," Sasha says in the documentary.

Malia was 10 when her father was first elected to the White House. She is now a junior at Harvard. Sasha, who was 7, is now a freshman at the University of Michigan.

Michelle Obama told TODAY's Jenna Bush Hager in 2018 that she purposely kept them out of the spotlight because she wanted to give them as much of a normal life as possible.

"You want them to be able to have wonderful experiences privately and you want them to be able to fail and stumble privately, like any other kids,'' she said. "And when they're not allowed to do that, it's unfair and you feel guilty about it, you know, because they didn't choose this life."

Sasha Obama, Malia Obama (AFP - Getty Images)

She encouraged the White House staff to allow the girls to have chores, while relaxing the dress code for the White House butlers because she didn't want them growing up thinking "grown African-American men serve them in tuxedos."

"I also had to beg the housekeepers, 'These girls need to learn how to clean their own rooms and make their beds and do their laundry. You cannot do this every day because they will not live here forever, and I am not raising kids who don't know how to make a bed,''' she told Jenna.

Story continues

In the Netflix film, Malia reflects on her mother's next chapter after spending eight years in the White House.

She is "no longer facing that same scrutiny  being able to let all of that leave your mind, creates so much more space," she said.

Malia also is seen in footage from backstage during her mother's sold-out book tour, marveling to her at the excitement of the crowds.

"What this has demonstrated in a way just, damn those eight years weren't for nothing, you know?" Malia says. "You see that huge crowd out there and that last kind of speech you gave about - people are here because people really believe in love and in hope and hope in other people."

Michelle also looks back on her life before entering the White House.

"Little of who I am happened in those eight years,'' she says in the film. "So much more of who i am is what happened before."

The Obama family was all together during the holidays last year when the girls returned home from college. (michelleobama/Instagram)

In addition, she shares lessons with the next generation that she has learned over the years.

"You've got to use the tools within yourself to feel visible and to be heard and use your voice,'' she says.

While former President Barack Obama and Michelle are now empty nesters, the coronavirus quarantine has brought their girls back home.

In March, the former first lady told Ellen DeGeneres that the family is in quarantine together and that her girls are keeping busy by completing their online classes.

"Theres some good and bad that goes with it. I feel for all the folks who are going to suffer because of whats going to happen to the economy and we have to be mindful about what were going to do to support those folks when this quarantine is over," she said. And that is a negative, but on the positive side, I know for us, its forced us to sit down with each other, to have real conversations  you know  really ask questions and figure out how to keep ourselves occupied without just TV or computers."
Jails and prisons are among the most challenging places to control the outbreak of the coronavirus. Similar to cruise ships and nursing homes, detention facilities have crowded living spaces and shared dining areas, as well as communal bathrooms and a lack of space to isolate infected detainees, all of which makes physical distancing practices difficult to achieve.

On Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study of the spread of the coronavirus in prisons and detention centers in the United States, both public and private. Although it did not have complete figures for the approximately 2.1 million people incarcerated nationally, the study found that nearly 5,000 prisoners had contracted the virus along with over 2,000 staff members, resulting in 103 deaths in total.

This analysis provides the first documentation of the number of reported laboratory-confirmed cases of Covid-19 in correctional and detention facilities in the United States, the report said.

Among the findings, the report found that slightly more than half of the affected facilities (53 percent) had at least one case among staff members and not detainees. Staff members move regularly between facilities and outside communities, which could be important factors in introducing the virus into prisons, it said.
INTRODUCTION

The African Centre for Health Policy Research and Analysis is health research, policy and public interest-based organization focused on helping the development of the health sector and systems for an effective health care delivery in Ghana and beyond. The Corona Virus pandemic is a global crisis affecting the world including our beloved country Ghana.

This paper takes a critical look at the pandemic in Ghana from the genesis of the virus elsewhere to the importation and confirmation, the measures and management of the pandemic (focusing on whether the measures and management have so far yielded the needed results) in Ghana. The presentation is going to be in four parts. These are

1. Medical and Scientific Perspective

2. The Management of the pandemic in Ghana so far

3. Executive restrictions and executive acts and

4. Conclusion and Recommendations

1.0 MEDICAL AND SCIENCE PERSPECTIVE

1.1 GENESIS OF OUTBREAK

As far back as December 27th, 2019, the Hubei Provincial Hospital in China reported to health officials that a novel coronavirus was detected, causing a disease known as SAR-COV2. It was reported that it had infected more than 180 individuals.

The government of the People Republic of China on the 7th of January 2020, reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) a confirmed novel corona virus. The virus demonstrated efficient human to human transmission leading to WHO declaring the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Based on this, the world health body requested all member states to strengthen their systems for enhanced preparedness to prevent importation, ensure early detection and appropriate response to the public health emergency. On January 31st 2020, WHO announced to the world that COVID 19 was upgraded to Global Health Emergency and on March 11th the world health body declared COVID-19 a Pandemic. Ghana was assessed in February and classified among 13 Priority-1 countries by WHO Africa region for being at risk based on flights and passenger volumes.

1.2 GOVERNMENT OF GHANA UNDERRATED COVID 19 RISKS

On January 31st 2020, WHO announced to the world that COVID 19 was upgraded to Global Health Emergency and entreating nations to prepare themselves to curb the spread. With this information at hand, our President and his team still went ahead with a planned 12 day tour of five European countries despite the risks, and this was at the expense of staying home to prepare the country towards implementing WHO recommendations (prevent importation, ensure early detection and appropriate response to any emergency). The tour took the president and his team to countries that had reported cases of COVID-19. Sadly however, upon return, the delegation refused to heed to the directives of self-quarantine, issued in the absence of the President by the Ghana Health Service. This gave room to other returnees to flout the directive leading to spread of the virus from Ghanas index case.

1.3 NO NATIONAL STRATEGY IN GOVERNMENTS APPROACH TO COVID-19

In challenging situations like that of Covid-19, one would expect government to provide Ghanaians with a clear strategy with possible scenarios on how it intends to manage the pandemic. A clear strategy brings about transparency and confidence for people to accept guidelines issued by government once they themselves analyze the situation using the strategy. As of today, no one has cited any strategy from government on COVID 19. The absence of a national strategy gives room for knee jerk reactions from government and that is what we are experiencing today. In fact, if we had a national strategy for COVID 19 in place, government probably wouldnt have lifted a lockdown when the rate of community-spread was on the rise. Probably government would have made the restrictions stricter to limit movement as well as embark on rigorous contact tracing, testing and treatment.

1.4 UNDERRESOURCED HEALTH AND EMERGENCY SYSTEMS IN TACKLING COVID-19

At the close of February 2020, when Ghana was assessed using WHO Country Readiness Checklist as been a high risk country, funding was found to be a major challenge. The government of Ghana was required to make available GHC 35 million to get the country adequately positioned to confront the looming pandemic. Unfortunately, only a paltry sum of 2.8 million Ghana cedis was made available for this course. This amount was woefully inadequate to activate the needed systems in times of national medical emergencies as Covid-19. As it is said a stitch in time saves 9. If government had released the recommended 35 million GHC most of the resources we are lacking today or buying at throat cut prices (Personal and protective equipment-PPEs, Reagents, PCR machines etc) to manage COVID 19 cases would not have been an issue to the country. As a result of the government late reaction, today management of the pandemic is costing us billions of Ghana cedis than it would probably have been.

1.5 GOVERNMENT DISREGARD TO MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC ADVICE.

As early as January 2020, WHO requested all member countries to do whatever they can to prevent importation of the virus into their respective countries. Several calls were made to government to shut our borders but to no avail. To make matters worse, the president himself decided to tour some European countries despite several cautions. Ghana as a country continued to receive flights from all over the world including affected countries until March 22nd by which time Ghana had recorded 23 COVID 19 cases with one death.

Government initial failure/refusal/neglect to follow medical advice to quarantine returnees to the country is what led to the fast spread of this disease. As the entire globe was issuing directives against mass gathering Ghana went ahead to celebrate the 63rd Independence Day in Kumasi with huge crowds in defiance of WHO recommendations. The Centre through a press release advised against the celebration but it was ignored.

Also calls on the National Identification Authority to halt its activities in the Eastern Region since it posed a threat to the people was equally ignored. The Government simply disregarded medical expert advice to prepare against importation of the virus.

1.6 LATE AND INEFFECTIVE BORDER CONTROLS AND MEASURES

Due to the disregard of medical and scientific advice of the risk of Covid-19, Government came in late with its directives to border closures and management. Many of the recorded cases were from the travels into the country by either land or airports. The poor border controls saw many illegal entries and exits even after the directives for closure. Border officials were not equipped with the needed tools and thus Immigration and Customs officers looked helpless as people move to and fro citing lack of protective equipment as their reason for not getting close to them.

1.7 PERSONEL TRAINING AND PROVISION OF PPE

Training of frontline workers and other health and non-health workers required to combat the pandemic was carried out very late when the pandemic had already engulfed our beloved country. Not until March 16 2020 the GHS had just trained just few workers within Accra and Kumasi. This put the country at serious risk for both care providers and the population at large.

A research the Center conducted in the five northern regions as late as March 23rd 2020 revealed that health facilities did not have the needed PPE to work. Training of personnel was yet to be done in some parts of the North and this resulted in the husband of the first case in Bolgatanga taking her wife home because frontline workers did not have the needed apparel to attend to her and the result of this are the numbers we see in Upper East Region.

We have heard the President make emphatic statements that thousands of personal and protective equipment have been distributed to facilities across the country yet, when you visit most hospitals, common facemask is still a challenge. With all this in the health sector which is directly responsible for managing the pandemic, the Electoral Commission whose mandate is not near this pandemic says they have all the needed personal and protective equipment for new voters registration. How is it possible to be committed to securing our lives and gives Personal and protective equipment to the Electoral body when the frontline worker lacks it?

1.8 TESTING SITES AND DATA MANAGEMENT

Governments refusal to plan for the pandemic is also manifested in the number of coronavirus testing centers. Had government conducted a need assessment and developed a strategic plan in combating the pandemic a lot of money would have been saved, turn-around time for testing would have been reduced, those with positive results would have been isolated quickly and the spread would have been minimal. For example, samples taken from suspects outside Accra and Kumasi not until last week were transported to either of the two testing sites at a huge cost. Tamale for instance transported samples every day to Kumasi with an ambulance spending GHC 900 on fuel alone for each trip.

Data emanating from testing centers have also received some criticisms from the scientific community for accuracy. Our investigations revealed that some of the people engaged in taking sample lack the expertise. About 800 samples were reported not to be useful for testing at KCCR only after the figures were challenged. Autopsy performed at 37 Military Hospital on corpse who were earlier tested negative to COVID 19 subsequently resulted positive, casting doubts on the quality of sample taken or the testing process or confirming the allegations of pure manipulations of numbers. What has happened to the backlog of 18,000 samples? And what about the people who are waiting for their results from these sample?

Contact tracing has been found to be a challenge as there are many confirmed cases who do not really know the exact person who might have transmitted the virus to them. This means that, we might have more positive cases in the country than the actual figure but for mild clinical presentation of the disease.

1.9 TREATMENT CENTRES

Earlier decision by government to use Korle Bu, Ridge and KATH as isolation centers for coronavirus patients was not well received by health experts citing challenges of preventing the spread of the disease to other patients in the regular hospital. Suggestions were made for government to rather make use of completed and both underutilized and abandoned hospitals like Legon Medical Center, Bank of Ghana Hospital and others. This was not taken by government until they had no choice. But ask, at whose cost? Obviously, at the cost of the safety of Ghanaians. If government had taken that advice early perhaps less health workers would have been infected and few having to observe quarantine due to contact with infected colleagues and patients.

1.10 PARTIAL LOCKDOWN

The way and manner government announced the partial lockdown was also an expression of how they underrated challenges faced by the vulnerable in society. They also failed to take valuable lessons from countries like Italy that implemented a partial lockdown and the resultant disaster that came with it. Between the time of the announcement to when the partial lockdown took effect, the gap gave opportunity for people to escape from the epicenters to virgin regions, thus contributing to the spread of the virus across the country. Equally problematic was the way government lifted the partial lock because no scientific reasons were given. Recommendation on easing the lockdown issued by WHO were not adhered to leaving the medical and scientific community in a state of shock as to what might have informed such a decision.

In summary, the Partial lockdown had some effect on the spread in general it could have been better if it was properly managed. Social interventions were marred with chaos and no respect for social distancing. People were still escaping from the lock down regions and spreading the disease.

2.0 EXTREME PARTISANSHIP IN THE MANAGEMENT OF COVID-19

2.1 POOR PUBLIC EDUCATION ON THE PANDEMIC

In pandemics like the one at hand, every single soul on this earth is at risk and therefore the need to provide the needed information to all using communication methods that best carry the information is important. This however is not the case in Ghana. Constitutionally mandated bodies responsible for public education such as National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and the Information Services Department (ISD) have been rendered useless by the extreme partisanship of the government.

Also, the government having taken over the work of these bodies, the government failed/neglected or refused to translate and educate the citizenry in the various languages. Sadly, the government has turned the platform that should be solely for education on the pandemic into political campaign platforms for petty propaganda. Instead of telling the citizenry about the preventive measures, they are busy on promises targeted at the next elections rather than the pandemic. For instance, how can a platform which should be solely for public education on the crisis at hand be given to the ministers of education to talk about successes in his ministry at this critical moment, the minister of agriculture to lie about prices of foodstuff? And even the president himself suddenly seeing the relevance of hospitals and making campaign promises to build more? The result of this is that majority of the masses still leave in disregard of the protocols of prevention due to ignorance.

Community radio stations that are major source of information to the rural folks have not been involve leaving the people to rely on other sources that sometime provide them with irrelevant and incorrect information.

2.2 FUNDING UTILIZATION AND TRANSPARENCY

Few days into the three weeks lockdown, government resorted to borrowing from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to fight the pandemic. Government also established COVID 19 Trust Found Board through the (Noble Coronavirus COVID-19 National Trust Fund Act, 2020 (Act 1013). Its mandate is to among others, raise money to complement the efforts of government to combat the pandemic and also design a programme for helping the vulnerable and the needy with the amounts of money realized.

It is however sad to note that the board has since not been transparent in its activities as there are no readily available information and regular public briefings by the board on their daily dealings. Till date Ghanaians dont know how much has been realized by the Trust Fund, who are the donors and amounts donated and what is it been used for. We have so far been able to track donations into the fund amounting to Ghs39, 695,040. This excludes the $35 million IMF facility, $1 billion World Bank facility they secured, and the over $200 million National Stabilization fund.

The Center is however surprise that, after bagging over Seven Billion Ghana cedis hospital are still facing serious challenges with PPE the main gear for frontline workers.

3.0 THE EXECUTIVE RESTRICTIONS AND EXECUTIVE ACTS

3.1 THE IMPOSITIONS OF RESTRICTIONS ACT AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTIVES

Covid-19 is a global pandemic causing havoc all over the world over. In line with the global health body, the World health Organizations directives and protocols on prevention, the President on March this year by an executive instrument, E.I 64, put in place some restrictions to help curb this pandemic in Ghana.

Generally speaking, the restrictions are much needed to help the fight even though in our case it was done without any emphasis of our peculiar circumstances. There could have been more thoughtful with specificities to our context. Nonetheless, little they say is always better than none.

More worrying is the disregard of these restrictions by the government and some of its institutions who should be leading the way in observing the protocols for our collective safety. The Electoral commission which is not an exempt institution under the E.I 64 disregarded the directives and a court order to organize meetings of numbers more than the 25 persons allowed. If the executive (government) is not in support of such disrespect to the rule of law by the Electoral Commission, why are they not arresting and prosecuting the Electoral commission officers who organized the meeting as they have done to some church, community leaders and individuals?

Also, just a couple of days ago, the police and military provided support for an installation of a Chief at Akropong in the Eastern Region of Ghana in clear disregard to the restrictions. Did the police and military give approval to this without regards to the powers that be? Have the organizers been arrested and arraigned before court or those involved are above the law? Or is it the case of giving different strokes to different folks? Fellow Ghanaians, is the law applied as and when it suits the government? This is most unfortunate to say the least.

Ghanaians must wake up to the global realties of this pandemic and resist all attempts by this governments political ambition as against their safety, health and welfare. We are yet to see true commitment to the welfare and interest of Ghanaians by the government than parochial partisan pursuit even in this pandemic. Words are nothing but mere fanciful expressions which is better understood by actions.

CONCLUSION

The African Centre for Health Policy Research and Analysis concludes that, the Government of Ghanas measures and management of the pandemic has been haphazard, not properly planned and thought out, not guided by any strategy and not based on medical science. The Centre notes sadly that despite medical and scientific advice for early precautions and measures to stop the importation and spread of this deadly virus, the government of Ghana and the managers of our health system failed to take the necessary precautions and hence the virus pandemic in Ghana.

Further, the Centre states that the management of the pandemic in Ghana has been extremely partisan and lacks direction and coordination. There are very few testing centres in the country, thus only few samples are tested which also take so long for the results to be made known. There is also a general complaint across the country of lack of preventive and protective equipment in health facilities, exposing many more persons to the badly managed virus. The pandemic and the safety of the citizenry doesnt seem a priority from the way it is been handled.

Lastly, the Centre notes further that; Governments handling of public education and sensitization about the preventive measures has been very poor. The messages churned out during these press meetings are rather more of petty campaign promises than that targeting at the pandemic. The constitutionally mandated bodies like the National Commission for Civic Education and Information Services Department who could have done this education better and in all local languages have regrettably been sidelined.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. The Centre calls on government, the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service to as a matter of urgency put in place a National Strategy in tackling the pandemic in Ghana. It is not too late as the pandemic keeping raging on in Ghana. A National Strategy is needed urgently to help the country refocus and prioritize the fight of this pandemic.

2. The government must prioritize the fight against the pandemic by opening up many testing centres across the country. This will help in testing many persons, help reduce the time for getting the results from the current delays so that positive persons can be quickly isolated and managed for the safety of Ghanaians.

3. Educating Ghanaians particularly in the rural areas must be given special attention. The National Commission for Civic Education, the Information Services Department which is in every region must be resourced immediately to disseminate the needed information to help the fight and demystify their wrong believes about the pandemic.

4. All hospitals and health facilities must be resourced and equipped with the needed tools as they are the first point of contact with unhealthy persons. This must be done with the needed urgency in this pandemic.

5. The Centre calls on the Novel Corona Virus National Trust Fund to make available to the public the amount of money mobilized so far and how they intend to proceed with the use of those monies in helping curb this pandemic. Transparency is key to earning public confidence in the Fund set up. Regular press briefings will be important in this respect.

6. The Centre call on the government to at all times act on medical and scientific expert advice in relation to this pandemic. Medical and science advice will help in the targeting of the lockdown and the reviews thereof.

7. The Center call on all law enforcement agencies to enforce the IMPOSITIONS OF RESTRICTIONS ACT AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTIVES without fear or favour.

Thank you.

DR THOMAS WINSUM ANABAH

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,

ACH-PRA.
Stress levels among people worried about catching coronavirus have increased amid speculation over when lockdown restrictions might ease, a study has found.

Since Boris Johnson announced on Monday 23 March that the nation was being placed in lockdown, the public has questioned how long they will need to stay in their homes.

Conversations concerning how lockdown restrictions may be eased have increased recently, with experts suggesting that the UKs exit plan may begin with conditions being relaxed for 60 per cent of the population.

And this growing speculation has correlated with an increase in stress, say scientists at University College London (UCL).

The researchers conducted a survey of more than 80,000 adults in England, as part of an ongoing look at how the pandemic has impacted peoples mental health and wellbeing.

The team found that stress levels were higher among adults who have children in their households.

Furthermore, stress levels were found to be notably lower among people living in urban areas.

Over the past week we have seen stress levels rise and the slight improvement in wellbeing we had seen since lockdown started has plateaued as discussions around an exit have begun, said Dr Daisy Fancourt, associate professor at UCLs Institute of Epidemiology and Health and lead author of the study.

Stress about unemployment remains relatively stable, with around one in 12 people worried about their future. These levels are similar across most demographics, although higher in those under 60 and those with a mental health diagnosis.

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Dr Fancourt stated that around one in six of the respondents reported being worried about their finances, particularly among people under the age of 60, those with lower household incomes, adults with children in their households and those living with a mental health condition.

The professor added that stress regarding access to food has stayed low over the past week, with only one in 12 people now worried about it.

However, this figure rises to around one in eight amongst people with a mental health condition and one in 10 for people with an annual household income lower than 30,000.

It is also slightly higher in people living with children, Dr Fancourt added.

The research conducted by UCL was funded by the Nuffield Foundation with additional support from Wellcome and UK Research and Innovation.

Cheryl Lloyd, education programme head at the Nuffield Foundation, said that the study can help identify which groups are most at risk from the social and psychological impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

As the UK begins to discuss an end to lockdown, this evidence can inform the governments response so that it considers and mitigates these risks, Ms Lloyd said.
Argentinas fishing sector to lose USD 563 million from COVID-19 impacts in optimistic scenario

by Christian Molinari

May 05,2020 | Source: SeafoodSource

With the worldwide seafood market affected by lower consumption and purchases due to the effects of COVID-19, Argentinas fishing sector is set to see exports drop by 30 percent this year, bringing in some USD 1.3 billion (EUR 1.2 billion) compared to the USD 1.86 billion (EUR 1.7 billion) recorded for 2019, according to estimates from the Interchambers of the Argentine Fishing Industry (Intercamaras).



Exports to the main destination markets alone  China, Spain, the U.S., and Italy, which have been strongly affected by the pandemic  are expected to fall by USD 324 million (EUR 295 million) in 2020, said Intercamaras, which groups together nine related associations throughout Argentina, including the Council of Argentine Fishing Companies (CEPA) and the Argentine Chamber of Deep Sea Fishing Vessel Owners (CAABPA). It added that its estimates consider an optimistic scenario, in which sector exports this year would be comparable to levels reached in 2010.



Fishing captures dropped 20.9 percent in the first quarter, reaching 174,599 metric tons (MT) in 2020 compared to 220,804 MT in 2019, the association said in a presentation, with captures falling 27.2 percent in the month of March alone. In year-over-year comparisons, the capture of Argentinas three main fishing products  squid, Argentine hake, and prawns  were down 30.5 percent, 10 percent, and 25.7 percent, respectively; to 61,009 MT, 49,591 MT and 33,788 MT in Q1 of 2020.



Were in a period of uncertainty as to whether we will be able to work as normal. Up to now, it has been very difficult to assemble boats and lift anchor, with greater delays and costs, even though the activity [fishing] has been declared essential, Eduardo Boiero, president of the Chamber of Shipowners of Fisheries and Freezers of Argentina (CAPECA), told El Cronista. The price of fish in general has dropped more than 30 percent, and we still dont know how this will end up. There is no consumption in our main markets, due to their closure and the lack of tourism."



Intercamaras highlighted the dire situation in prices and in volumes exported during the first two months of the year in several of its key markets, including:



-- Prawn export values dropped 38 percent to China, 28 percent in Spain and 24 percent in Thailand.





-- Total exports of squid fell 42 percent to China, 8 percent to Spain, and 41 percent to Japan.





-- Shipments of Argentine hake to the U.S. fell 19 percent, while the price of this fish dropped as much as 24 percent in Russia due to the weakened ruble, although exports of Argentine hake are mostly within Latin America so the worst is yet to come as the region was hit by the coronavirus outbreak at a later date than more-developed markets.





-- The price of black hake dropped 20 percent in the U.S. market, which has also been closed to spider crab imports  the main market for this product.





Sooner rather than later, the negative impact on the sector will be felt more strongly, both on the price side and in the volumes exported, the association predicted.



However, Argentinas fishing sector had already been performing poorly, and the impact of Covid-19 in the first quarter of the year may have just accentuated a negative trend. Compared to 2018, the country last year saw a drop in activity, both in catchment volume and in value exported.



Total exports last year reached USD 1.67 billion (EUR 1.52 billion), falling 10.2 percent from 2018s record levels of USD 1.87 billion (EUR 1.7 billion), and approaching 2017 levels. Within fishing exports, its main subcategory  crustaceans and mollusks  fell 17.8 percent from 2018 to USD 1.33 billion (EUR 1.21) in 2019, according to information from Intercamaras.



Comparing the first quarter of 2020 with that of 2018, exports, by volume, fell 70.9 percent to China, 13 percent to Spain, and 25.1 percent to the U.S.



Fishing is Argentina's eighth-largest export sector, representing 2.9 percent of GDP, with a presence in more than 85 international markets. Some 22,000 people are employed in the sector throughout Argentinas five provinces with coastline: Buenos Aires, Rio Negro, Chubut, Santa Cruz, and Tierra del Fuego.



In this context, the fishing sector has called for government help during the pandemic, La Nacion reported.



"In view of this very serious situation, the entire sector has requested that the government  seek the necessary mechanisms [for fishing companies] to at least be able to resume activity," industry actors were quoted as saying. "Unfortunately, the days continue to pass, the costs are accumulating and the companies' question these days it is not how much money they will lose, but how much longer they will be able to bear those losses before disappearing."

 2020 Diversified Communications. All rights reserved.

Theme(s): Others.
Health professionals disinfect streets in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the host of APEC 2020. (Photo: Xinhua)



In its statement on COVID-19, they said: We, the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade, recognise the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are deeply saddened by the human losses due to the pandemic. We also express our utmost appreciation to the frontline workers around the world, in particular those from member economies, for their contribution and sacrifice in protecting public health. We are aware that the health and economic crises the global community is facing have long-term adverse repercussions on the lives and livelihoods of our people.



We are also concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable developing economies. We reaffirm the utmost importance of collaboration at all levels and across the region to hasten our fight against COVID-19 and commit to work closely to defeat this pandemic with urgency, the statement stressed.

They acknowledged that while halting the spread of COVID-19 currently remains the top priority of every economy, remedying the economic challenges must also be accorded a specific focus.

They stressed the importance of keeping the markets open and working together to deliver a free, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent, predictable and stable trade and investment environment, to ensure that trade and investment continue to flow in these trying times.

The statement urged APEC economies to implement emergency measures designed to address COVID-19 challenges. These measures should be targeted, proportionate, transparent, temporary and should not create unnecessary barriers to trade, and be consistent with World Trade Organization, the statement noted.

In addition, the ministers encouraged APEC economies to act swiftly in providing timely and affordable access to essential healthcare services, and implement measures to further enhance the resilience, scalability and sustainability of the healthcare systems.

The ministers stressed that returning workers to employment should be a high priority for all economies. Apart from this, developing a coordinated approach to collecting and sharing information on policies and measures, and including stimulus packages for the immediate responses to the economic crisis and long-term recovery packages, were mentioned as effective ways to respond to the economic challenges brought on by the pandemic.

According to the statement, APECs digital agenda, including electronic commerce and related services, will be strengthened in order to effectively work towards mitigating the health and economic impact caused by COVID-19, fast-track the revitalisation of the regions economy and foster secure growth moving forward.

Worlds COVID-19 situation on May 5th

As of 08h00 on May 5th (Vietnam time), the world reported up to nearly 3,723,000 COVID-19 cases, including 257,896 fatalities and nearly 1.237 million cases recovered. The US remains the worlds center of COVID-19 as it has announced over 1.236 million infections and 72,167 fatalities.

The UK officially surpasses Italy in number of fatalities due to COVID-19. (Photo: Getty Images)

The UK on May 5th recognised nearly 30,000 deaths due to COVID-19, the highest recorded in Europe, and the country also officially surpassed Italy in the number of deaths due to the pandemic. So far, the UK has reported more than 195,000 cases of COVID-19.



Russia recorded the number of COVID-19 infections of more than 155,370, including 1,451 fatalities and 19,865 recovered.

In Australia, the country recorded losses of billions of USD each week, with nearly 1 million lost jobs due to COVID-19. The Australian Governments figures released on May 5th showed that Australia's economy will suffer a loss of AUD4 billion (USD2.5 billion) per week if the blockade measures to prevent COVID-19 continue to be applied.

In Southeast Asia, on May 5th, Dr. Li Ailan, representative of the World Health Organization in Cambodia, warned of the second wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in this country despite its effective response to the first one.

On May 5th, Indonesian health officials announced that the country had recorded an additional 484 cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in this Southeast Asian nation to 12,071. This is also the day with the greatest number of reported cases in the country.

On the same day, the Singapore Ministry of Health confirmed an additional 632 COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 19,410 people, including 18 deaths.

Meanwhile, the Philippines Ministry of Health also reported 637 fatalities due to COVID-19, among 9,684 infections.

In Malaysia, 30 more cases of COVID-19 were reported on May 5th, bringing the total number of cases to 6,383 people, with 106 deaths.

Meanwhile, the disease situation continued to change positively in Thailand as the country on May 5th recorded only one additional case of COVID-19. This is the lowest number of new cases recorded in a day in the last 2 months.

To date, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Timor-Leste have not recorded any deaths due to COVID-19./.
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Linkedin Adrian Wail Akhlas (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, May 6, 2020 07:23 623 fc6853813033f564188675f8bd633d13 1 Business GDP-growth,economic-growth,BPS,Statistics-Indonesia,household-consumption,investment,COVID-19 Free

Indonesias economy is heading into turbulence as the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to further batter growth after the country recorded the weakest economic expansion since 2001 in the first quarter of the year, economists have warned.

The country's gross domestic product (GDP) grew 2.97 percent year-on-year (yoy) in the first three months of the year as household spending and investment growth slowed amid the coronavirus outbreak, Statistics Indonesia (BPS) announced on Tuesday. The growth is weaker than the governments, the central banks and economists projections of around 4 percent.

The sudden stop in economic activity during the first quarter marks the beginning of weak GDP growth caused by the pandemic, University of Indonesia economist Fithra Faisal told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday. We are heading into the weakest growth since the 1998-1999 Asian financial crisis.

He expected the economy to contract 0.8 percent if the pandemic continued into the third quarter, adding that the economy would grow at a range of between 1.2 and 2 percent if the health crisis subsided by June.

It is crucial to immediately end the virus crisis through containment measures, Fithra said.

The Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) erased some of its gains on Tuesday after the announcement but closed trading up 0.53 percent to 4,630.13 while the rupiah appreciated by 0.13 percent to Rp 15,080 per US dollar on the day.

Four provinces and 22 regencies/cities nationwide have implemented large scale social restrictions to contain the virus spread, forcing businesses to close and hitting demand as people are required to stay at home. More than 12,000 people have contracted the disease in Indonesia with a death toll reaching at least 870 as of Tuesday afternoon, official data showed.

Household spending, which accounts for more than half of GDP, grew sluggishly by 2.84 percent in the first quarter  far lower than the 5.01 percent recorded over the same period in 2019, while investment, the second-largest contributor, grew 1.7 percent versus the 5.03 percent recorded in January-March last year.

Government expenditure grew by 3.74 percent in the first quarter, lower than the 5.22 percent growth recorded in the same period last year. Exports increased by 0.24 percent while imports contracted by 2.19 percent as Indonesias major trading partners, such as China, went into lockdowns.

Fitch Solutions wrote in its research note on April 22 that it expected consumer spending growth to tank to 1.2 percent this year as more Indonesians lose their jobs during the pandemic.

The second quarter GDP growth is expected to be significantly lower than that of the first quarter as the prolonged pandemic limits peoples travel and activities, Bank Mandiri economist Andry Asmoro said. Furthermore, high uncertainty about when the COVID-19 pandemic will completely end could drag down the full-year figure to below 2 percent.

The government has forecast the countrys economy to expand by 2.3 percent this year in the baseline scenario, or contract by 0.4 percent in the worst-case scenario.

Permata Bank economist Josua Pardede called on the government to expedite its spending on social safety nets, as well as to re-allocate more funds to mitigate the economic devastation caused by the pandemic.

The economy may grow between zero to 1 percent this year if economic activity does not pick up in the third quarter, Josua told the Post.

The governments budget re-allocation must be improved to focus more on COVID-19 relief in a bid to protect households purchasing power, he said, adding that the zero growth projection would translate into 5 million to 8 million people losing their jobs in the months ahead as the pandemic chokes companies cash flows.

Around 2.8 million people had been laid off as of mid-April, according to the Manpower Ministry and the Workers Social Security Agency (BPJS Ketenagakerjaan), with more than half of them on paid or unpaid leave.

The Finance Ministrys Fiscal Policy Agency (BKF) head, Febrio Nathan Kacaribu, said the government would speed up the distribution of its social assistance in the second quarter, especially the stimulus for micro, small and medium businesses.

With this kind of cushion, the government is hoping to ease the pressure on households and businesses, particularly small and medium businesses, Febrio said in a statement to reporters.

The government has allocated funds of Rp 436.1 trillion (US$28.9 billion), mainly for healthcare spending, social safety nets and incentives for laid-off workers, among other things, as it works to soften the pandemics impact on the economy.
Amid the Coronavirus outbreak, many people have gotten stuck away from their home towns and arent able to work either due to the lockdown. Recently, as many as 1,188 migrant workers reached Dankuni railway station in West Bengal from Rajasthan after being stuck away from home in lockdown for over 42 days.



 BCCL

The people returning home had to undergo a COVID-19 screening on the screening counters set for them at the railway station. Not only this, but all of them were also sprayed with disinfectants. Recently, ANI shared a video on Twitter saying, West Bengal: Disinfectant was sprayed on ppl at Dankuni railway station who arrived in Hooghly y'day from Ajmer(Rajasthan) by 'Shramik Special Train.' The train carrying around 1100 ppl, mainly migrant workers, had arrived in Hooghly yesterday.



Check out the video here-

#WATCH West Bengal: Disinfectant was sprayed on ppl at Dankuni railway station who arrived in Hooghly y'day from Ajmer(Rajasthan) by 'Shramik Special Train.' The train carrying around 1100 ppl, mainly migrant workers, had arrived in Hooghly yesterday. #CoronavirusLockdown (05.05) pic.twitter.com/i35WHzNoBW  ANI (@ANI) May 6, 2020

The video has already garnered over 13,000 views on Twitter. Many people on the internet are concerned if spraying disinfectant is the right way to fight against Coronavirus. This has also forced a lot of people to think that this is going to become the regular practice as hand sanitizers and disinfectants will become essentials even after the pandemic ends.

Heres what people have to say about the video-

Kuch bhi matlab kuch bhi.. disinfectant se corona bhag jayega to roz pani ki jagah usi se din me 2 baar nahao.. yede log  technical_Guru (@Analyst26Guru) May 6, 2020

Shameful act!  Subhendu Mazumder (@subhendu_90) May 6, 2020

Over educated  anilguptabhakt (@anilguptabhakt) May 6, 2020

Migrant Labours from Ajmer  Pankaj Agarwal (@pankajagarwal75) May 6, 2020

Shramik special train and shramik special treatment.  Achin Pakhi (@somanasrin123) May 6, 2020

Earlier, the Health Ministry had strongly advised against the spraying of chemical disinfectants on people or groups as it can cause physical and mental harm. The advisory also suggested a false sense of safety and might turn social distancing into a joke. The advisory also explained that spraying of the disinfectant wouldnt be able to kill the virus that has already entered your body. Also, there is no scientific evidence that suggests that the sprays will kill the virus that is on the clothes or skin.

 BCCL

Not only this, but spraying of chlorine can also lead to irritation in eyes and many skin problems. So, even if people have started accepting that this might help us in killing the virus, there is a chance that it isnt doing any good to us.


Expressions of patriotic praise filled several Iranian media outlets May 6 after the country said its first cargo of 40,000 indigenous COVID-19 testing kits had been exported to Germany. According to the Iranian vice president for science and technology, Sorena Sattari, the delivery was proof that Iran has reached a state of self-sufficiency for the domestic procurement of those kits. He also pushed the bar higher: Millions of such kits are planned to be sent overseas.

The kits were developed by Pishtaz Teb Diagnostics, a company that has been focused on laboratory research and medical diagnosis tools since 1988. The companys website doesnt specify its affiliation and funding sources.

Already approved by Irans Health Ministry, another batch of the same kits are also expected to reach Turkey soon. Company officials have spoken of similar orders placed by a host of other countries, including Spain and Brazil.

Javan, a hard-line paper affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), took pride in how Iranian kits had now reached the heart of Europes most medically advanced nation, Germany. While the coronavirus crisis has grounded the biggest medical powers, Iranian experts have not only supplied the demand at home but are now finding clients abroad in Europe, the paper wrote.

During the onset of the coronavirus outbreak in Iran, government officials complained that a shortage of medical supplies, including diagnostic kits, was hampering the containment process. They blamed such medical terrorism on sanctions and banking restrictions imposed by the United States, a charge that Washington denies, saying Irans medical sector has been exempted from punitive measures.

The diagnostic kit was the latest in a series of scientific achievements Iran has recently claimed. Officials say another lab is on the edge of the mass production of ventilators, a portion of which would be exported in a few months. Health Ministry spokesman Alireza Jahanpour told a virtual press conference that Iran is currently West Asias largest producer of masks, hospital gowns and other protective gear to be used against biological threats.

But Irans achievements have not been void of controversy. Last month, the IRGC unveiled a device it claimed to be capable of detecting humans and surfaces infected by the coronavirus. Irans Drug and Food Authority, however, came out in quick rejection of the device, saying such tools have not been put to its laboratory tests. Even Hesameddin Ashena, who serves as President Hassan Rouhanis media adviser, criticized the IRGC for disseminating odd news by promoting a device that has not been officially approved by the Health Ministry.

As of May 6, Irans confirmed cases stood above 101,000, with a recovery rate of 80%.

However, in the latest of statements from Iranian officials contradicting one another, the director of the pandemic response department at the Health Ministry, Hossein Erfani, indirectly dismissed Rouhanis support for the notion of herd immunity in Iran. Any assumption among the public that some herd immunity has been gained and we can now return to normal life is but a fallacy, the senior epidemiologist said.
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The Queen has today sent her best wishes to great grandson baby Archie on his first birthday - as parents Prince Harry and Meghan Markle plan a celebration for the youngster at their Los Angeles mansion.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are celebrating the birthday of their first and only child Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor while under lockdown in the US.

Royals including The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Charles and Camilla have shared birthday wishes with Archie in Instagram posts which all featured pictures of the young royal.

A post on the monarch's official Twitter account said: 'Happy Birthday to Archie Mountbatten-Windsor who is celebrating his first birthday today! Archie is The Queen's eighth great-grandchild.'

A royal expert said Harry and Meghan plan to treat Archie to an 'organic, sugar-free cake', a splash around in their pool and a video call with the Cambridge children as part of his birthday celebrations.

Fans have taken to Twitter to call for a photo of the youngster on his birthday - as is royal tradition. The milestone is likely to be marked by just Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, in person.

The couple are in lock-down in their Los Angeles home with California governor Gavin Newsom having issued a 'stay-at-home' order in the state.

The Queen was among the first to wish baby Archie a Happy Birthday. She is pictured being introduced to baby Archie in May last year. Little Archie Harrison was introduced to the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, and Meghan's mother Doria by his proud parents

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also shared their best wishes with baby Archie. The couple shared a photograph of Archie from his christening. The official christening photograph released by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shows the Duke and Duchess with their son, Archie and (left to right) the Duchess of Cornwall, The Prince of Wales, Ms Doria Ragland, Princess Diana's sisters Lady Jane Fellowes, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, The Duke of Cambridge and The Duchess of Cambridge in the Green Drawing Room at Windsor Castle

Prince Charles and Camilla also shared their best wishes with baby Archie who turns one today. The couple shared a photograph of Archie with in his father's arms following his christening in July 2019

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, on their official Kensington Palace Instagram account, said: 'Wishing Archie a very happy first birthday today!'

While Prince Charles and Camilla said on the Clarence House Instagram account: 'A very Happy Birthday to Archie, who turns one today.'

Royal expert Katie Nicholl revealed yesterday how the couple plan to celebrate Archie's first birthday, telling OK! magazine: 'The Queen will wish him happy birthday this week via Zoom as will the Cambridge children.

'They haven't seen their little cousin in months so they've been looking forward to seeing how much he's grown.'

Meanwhile she also claimed that while the family are busy settling into life in LA, the thought of having a 'little brother or sister for Archie' is 'very much on the agenda' as the couple are still considering having another child.

The royal expert also said it was unlikely the little royal would be showered with gifts on the big day, saying that he 'has everything he needs.'

She added that the couple would likely appreciate presents 'with meaning', such as donations to children's charities.

The young royal has experienced an eventful 12 months since he was born at London's Portland Hospital  first living in a cottage in the grounds of Windsor Castle, then an exclusive home on Vancouver Island in Canada and now in the sprawling metropolis known as the City of Angels.

Archie was born on May 6 2019 at 5.26am, weighing 7lb 3oz, and a few days after his birth his parents proudly showed him to the world. Pictured: Prince Harry with young Archie

Meghan Markle will bake a 'sugar-free' cake before the family 'splashes around in the pool' and video calls the Cambridge Royal expert Katie Nicholl has revealed how the couple plan to celebrate Archie's first birthday, telling OK! magazine: 'The Queen will wish him happy birthday this week via Zoom as will the Cambridge children. They haven't seen their little cousin in months so they've been looking forward to seeing how much he's grown.' Meanwhile she also claimed that while the family are busy settling into life in LA, the thought of having a 'little brother or sister for Archie' is 'very much on the agenda' as the couple are still considering having another child. The royal expert revealed: 'A little brother of sister for Archie is very much on the agenda...they seem to relish being busy and it really wouldn't surprise me if we get a pregnancy announcement.' She explained that they don't have a big entourage in their home, with just a nanny, housekeeper and security on site during the lockdown. Katie said the Duchess would be keen to whip up a birthday cake for her little-one, adding that she 'loves being creative in the kitchen.' But far from a sweet and sugary treat for Archie, the royal expert said it would likely be 'organic', 'possibly sugar-free' and 'suitably healthy' for the family. The expert also said that despite recent tensions between the families, the Sussexes would video-call the Cambridges so that the cousins could see each other on the big day. But while Archie may not be able to enjoy any playdates with friends and family in the Los Angeles region due to the coronavirus lockdown, Katie said he had become 'best friends' with the family's pet dogs. Speaking of Prince Harry and Meghan's beagle Guy and labrador Oz, the royal expert said they had been 'the family's saving grace'. She explained that they are 'very good' with Archie and he has become 'very used to them.' Advertisement

America is where they plan to bring up their son after walking away from the royal family in order to become financially independent, after their hopes of earning money while still supporting the Queen were ruled out.

Archie was born on May 6 last year at 5.26am, weighing 7lb 3oz, and a few days after his birth his parents proudly showed him to the world, before the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh saw the infant for the first time.

Meghan's mother Doria Ragland, a yoga instructor and social worker, was pictured at the royal gathering and she has been a constant presence in the Sussexes lives, and lives in Los Angeles where Meghan grew up and went to school.

Fans will be hoping the couple follow royal tradition and release a picture of Archie, who has rarely been seen in public.

One Twitter user, The Regal Watcher, said: 'Alright, here's hoping for we get a new photo of sweet little Archie tomorrow in celebration of his first birthday.'

But some on social media users don't think the couple will release a photograph today.

One Twitter user said: 'I think they'll break the chain of releasing photographs of the royal children on their birthday.

'They will deliver a thank you message to all their fans for the money raised in support of Archie, either a video message or a posted note on a social media site.'

He received his greatest exposure when the Sussexes took their son on his first royal tour, visiting South Africa last autumn when he was four months old.

The royal baby received a welcome kiss from Archbishop Desmond Tutu when Harry and Meghan introduced him to one of the heroes of the anti-Apartheid movement.

Archie made an impression with the Archbishop's daughter Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe, who joked the young royal favoured 'ladies better' when she caught him glancing in her direction and Meghan declared 'he likes to flirt'.

Earlier in 2019 Archie was photographed in his mother's arms while his father took part in a charity polo match.

Meghan and Harry are the subject of a highly anticipated book, due for publication in August, which its authors have said they want to be a 'definitive story' about the couple.

And in another development in their lives, the duchess lost the first High Court skirmish in her claim against the publisher of the Mail on Sunday over publication of a 'private and confidential' letter to her estranged father.

She is suing Associated Newspapers over an article which reproduced parts of a handwritten note she sent to Mr Markle, 75, in August 2018, three months after he was unable to walk her down the aisle following a heart attack.

The former Suits actress claims her father's decision to make the letter public in February 2019  days after he was 'vilified' by five of her closest friends in a US magazine - had breached her privacy, copyright and data protection rights in a case now dubbed 'Markle vs Markle'.

Large parts of her case against Associated Newspapers were dismissed as 'irrelevant', 'inadequate' and 'impermissibly vague' by a top judge last week, including her claims of a malicious media 'agenda' against her.

Mr Justice Warby has also 'struck out' her allegations that journalists had acted dishonestly and had caused the rift between her and her estranged father Thomas by 'digging up dirt' to portray Meghan in a 'negative light'.

He said in his judgment: 'I have struck out all the passages attacked in the application notice.

'Some of the allegations are struck out as irrelevant to the purpose for which they are pleaded.

'Some are struck out on the further or alternative ground that they are inadequately detailed.

'I have also acted so as to confine the case to what is reasonably necessary and proportionate for the purpose of doing justice between these parties.'

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are set to celebrate their son Archie's first birthday with an 'organic, sugar-free cake', a splash around in their pool and a video call with the Cambridge children, according to a royal expert

From Queen Elizabeth to baby Archie: Royal babies through the years

Princess Elizabeth: Now the Queen, Elizabeth arrived third in line to the throne on April 21 1926. She was born by caesarean section in her maternal grandparents' London home, 17 Bruton Street in Mayfair, while the home secretary Sir William Joynson-Hicks waited in the next room. The presence of the government minister was an age-old custom designed to ensure that no substitute had been smuggled in hidden in a warming pan or similar receptacle. Apparently one of Elizabeth's first acts was to yawn at Sir William.

Elizabeth's father George VI only became king after the abdication of his brother Edward VIII in 1936, so when she was born, the princess was not expected to be Queen. Pictured: Princess Elizabeth waves to crowds as she arrives back in Piccadilly in 1928.

Prince Charles: Now the Prince of Wales, baby Charles was born at Buckingham Palace  the Queen had all four of her children at home. The Duke of Edinburgh, said to be 'not indifferent but restless', played squash while his wife was in labour. Baby Charles arrived at 9:14pm on November 14, 1948, weighing 7lb 6oz. Pictured: Princess Elizabeth holding her son Charles after his christening. Charles's birth was the first in centuries without a government minister present to witness the arrival of a future heir to the throne.

Princess Anne: The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh's second child, and their only daughter, Anne, now the Princess Royal, was born in 1950. Elizabeth wrote to a friend how she hoped Charles (pictured left) would take kindly to his new sibling, joking how he encountered one baby and 'tried to pull her toes off and poke her eyes out'.

The prince grew into a sensitive home-loving child, while Anne, pictured centre, was more boisterous: 'Princess Anne was a very naughty little girl, a regular monkey,' a member of Philip's staff told biographer Sarah Bradford (pictured, a young baby Anne in 1951)

Prince Andrew: Now the Duke of York, Andrew was born in 1960 and was a chubby, happy baby. Pictured: With one hand for his father, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the other for big sister Princess Anne, laughing Prince Andrew sits up in his stroller on the grounds of Balmoral. He was the first baby born to a reigning monarch for 103 years, and the Queen, who was settled in her role as sovereign, had more time to devote to her third child.

Prince Edward: The Queen's youngest offspring Prince Edward, now the Earl of Wessex, arrived in 1964, and she told a friend: 'Goodness what fun it is to have a baby in the house again!' Pictured: The Queen with Prince Edward as they leave Liverpool Street Station for Sandringham in 1964. Andrew was particularly fond of his younger brother, describing him as 'my baby'.

Prince William: Now the Duke of Cambridge, Wills became the first future British king to be born in a hospital. He arrived at 9.03pm on June 21, 1982 at the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital, Paddington. Charles, who was at the birth, wrote to a friend: 'He really does look surprisingly appetizing and has sausage fingers just like mine.'

At the time, new mothers usually stayed in hospital for between five and eight days after giving birth, but the Princess of Wales took many by surprise by leaving 21 hours after William was born. Pictured: Prince William at Kensington Palace in December 1982.

Prince Harry: Prince Henry of Wales, now known as just Harry, was born on September 15 1984. The arrival of a second son was a surprise to Charles, but not to Diana. The princess told biographer Andrew Morton when she collaborated with him on the bombshell book Diana: Her True Story: 'I knew Harry was going to be a boy because I saw it on the scan. Charles always wanted a girl I knew Harry was a boy and I didn't tell him.'

A smiling Charles chatted to reporters outside the hospital, describing his new son as 'marvelous', adding when asked if he expected a boy: 'No. It doesn't matter what it was as long as it's alright I couldn't be more delighted.' Pictured: Three-month-old Prince Harry pulls at his historic Royal christening robe.

Prince George: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's first child, Prince George, was introduced to the world on the steps of the Lindo Wing in 2013, wrapped in a white shawl.

The future king weighed 8lb 6oz, and the duke said in a statement that he and the duchess 'could not be happier'. George's next public appearance showed how much he had grown, when the three-month-old was carried into his christening by his proud father.

Princess Charlotte: Doll-like Princess Charlotte made her debut on the steps of the Lindo in 2015.

Charlotte was photographed by Kate at Anmer Hall ahead of her first birthday.

Prince Louis: The youngest Cambridge sibling, Prince Louis, arrived on patriotic St George's Day in 2018. His name  a tribute to Charles's much-loved great uncle Earl Mountbatten who was murdered by the IRA  was not announced until four days later. William joked he had 'thrice the worry' as he took the prince home to Kensington Palace.

Archie: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle presented Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor inside the majestic St George's Hall - instead of outside the hospital where the baby was delivered - on May 8, 2019, two days after the baby was born. In a break with tradition, the former senior Royals decided to keep the birth of their first son private and instead posed for pictures and answered several questions before leaving the hall for a meeting with the Queen.
Protesters gather in Harrisburg on April 20, calling for Gov. Wolf to reopen up the state's economy during the coronavirus outbreak. Read more

 UPDATE: Car-bound protesters call for a plan to reopen Philadelphia

Supporters of reopening Philadelphia businesses will gather at City Hall on Friday, the day parts of northern and western Pennsylvania will begin a phased lifting of shutdown restrictions, to rally against mass closures aimed at mitigating the spread of the coronavirus.

Multiple groups are planning rallies set for the same time  some are small business owners in the city and workers who are sick of waiting for an unemployment check. Some also may be affiliated with the Philadelphia Proud Boys, a chapter of the self-described Western chauvinist organization that has been designated a hate group.

All are demanding that Mayor Jim Kenney lay out a plan to ease social distancing restrictions in the city, though it isnt clear if the mayor has the authority to do so. It was Gov. Tom Wolf who issued an order shutting down all but life-sustaining businesses across the state.

We hope Tom Wolf is watching, Victor Della Barba, 39, of Drexel Hill, said, because were angry at Harrisburg, too. But were just far away.

 READ MORE: Here are the life-sustaining businesses allowed to stay open during the coronavirus pandemic.

Della Barba and a few others  including his mother, Jody, well known in South Philadelphia civic and political circles  created the group ReOpen Philadelphia and are plotting a caravan of cars that will drive at noon Friday from Broad Street and Oregon Avenue to City Hall in an event they dubbed a gridlock rally.

Victor Della Barba said the event is meant to be a Philadelphia version of protests that have taken place at state capitol buildings across the country, including Harrisburg in April, when hundreds of protesters decried Wolfs mass closures. Organizers werent sure how many people to expect at the Philly event.

Jody Della Barba  who most recently helped plan large protests against a Kenney-backed supervised injection site in South Philly, which was ultimately put on hold indefinitely  said she and her son are encouraging participants to stay in their cars.

But they wont be alone. Other Facebook groups demanding a relaxation of Philadelphias business restrictions have cropped up, including one planning an event called Open Up Philly. The event invitation says nothing about staying in cars and reads: Bring flags, banners, signs, drinks and friends.

On Tuesday, word started circulating online that the event was organized in part by the Philadelphia Proud Boys. The group said in an email sent after the initial publication of this story that they would be present at Dilworth Park at noon to protest these outrageous, unlawful lock down decrees."

A person identified on social media as Jesus Tsirhc, one of the administrators of the Open Up Philly event, said via Facebook message that the group is "not the only ones fed up with not being allowed to work. He said some people would rally in cars; some on foot.

Weve heard that a bunch of different groups are coming, including the Proud Boys, he wrote. We encourage everybody to join us Friday, especially patriots, and weve researched into the Proud Boys and checked their website and seen they are patriots.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated the Proud Boys, founded in 2016, as a hate group  a move that prompted a lawsuit  and the Anti-Defamation League says the group represent[s] an unconventional strain of American right-wing extremism.

Victor Della Barba distanced himself from the Proud Boys, saying: What are we going to do? Are we going to say you guys cant do it because we are? Were not affiliated.

 READ MORE: Heres how low Phillys case count has to be for the state to consider reopening Southeastern Pa.

Kenney said Wednesday that data on the spread of the coronavirus, and not economic concerns, will dictate when the citys stay-at-home order will be lifted. He pointed to rising case counts in Florida, which has begun relaxing social distancing measures, and blamed the rush to reopen on President Donald Trump.

We are not going to sacrifice peoples lives," Kenney said in a virtual news conference. "Theres no such thing as collateral lives. Theyre all human beings. Theyre all part of our country, state, and city, and were not going to sacrifice anybody intentionally.

He added that whether he has the authority to supersede the governors order on business closures doesnt matter, because the city is working in tandem with leaders in Harrisburg and the suburbs.

We are in constant contact with them, with the governors office, on a regional basis, so that were all walking in the same direction, he said.

Staff writer Sean Collins Walsh contributed to this article.
A 24-year-old Bethlehem Township man who was in a stolen car on Tuesday morning faces drug charges after Bethlehem police found suspected methamphetamine in the glove box and a locked safe in the black Audi, court papers say.

Darious Marc Molina, of the 3400 block of Easton Avenue, had been known to drive the car and a license plate check about 8:30 a.m. in the 700 block of High Street, indicated the car was stolen, police said. Molina, who was alone in the car, was detained, police said.

The car was searched and an officer found an eyeglass case in the glove compartment that contained a black plastic bag and three labeled plastic bags containing an opaque crystal substance that resembled meth, police said. A locked safe was found in the car, and after a search warrant was obtained, a mason jar with a large amount of a meth-like substance was found as well as a digital scale and a large amount of packaging material, police said. Molina was holding the key to the safe when an officer first approached him, police said.

A small amount of marijuana, a marijuana grinder, a glass pipe and a larger pipe were recovered from the car as well, police said.

The crystal substance weighed more than two and a half ounces and field tested as meth, police said.

Molina was arraigned at 7 p.m. before District Judge Nicholas Englesson on charges of possession with intent to deliver drugs, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a small amount of marijuana, court papers say. Molina was not charged in the stolen car case but that investigation continues, police said.

Molina was housed in Northampton County Prison in lieu of $75,000 bail, records show. His preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled 9 a.m. May 19 in District Judge Roy A. Manwaring IIs court in Bethlehem. Court papers did not list an attorney for Molina.

Molina was in state prison until March 28 when he served out the maximum of his 15-month to 42-month sentence in an aggravated assault with injury to an officer case, the state department of corrections reports. He was not on parole at the time of his arrest.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting lehighvalleylive.com with a voluntary subscription.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com.
A group of over 60 stitchers in the North Derry area have produced over 700 pairs of scrubs for essential workers in a remarkable show of community spirit.

NI Scrubs began producing scrubs centrally after it became apparent there was a supply issue, and the group for Dungiven, Limavady and Derry was created soon afterwards.

Shauna McCloskey, from Dungiven, co-ordinates the group and says she got involved after trying to source some scrubs for a friend on the front line.

One of my best friends was working in one of the hospitals in Belfast, in intensive care, she told the County Derry Post.

She was really panicking, and it disturbed me a wee bit because shes normally so steady and never fazed by anything.

I knew my sister was involved in the scrubs so I contacted her to see if she could help her out, which she did.

In response then, I asked her if I could help in any way and she said if I knew any stitchers up here to see if I could get some.

Shauna was able to tap into work that was ongoing in the area, with Dungiven Regeneration Club already having their stitching club up and running.

She was also able to call on contacts who were part of sewing groups in Limavady, Glenullin and Derry city, as the number of volunteers swelled to over 60 stitchers.

The group were keen to get producing scrubs as soon as possible and began to source donations of fabric, with help from a local fabric business.

Shauna said: We had massive help from Paula Sweeney of Fabric World in Derry.

She donated a substantial amount of stock and we managed to get all the stitchers sorted with materials and get them started.

As donations began to come into the main NI Scrubs page, we were able to purchase new fabric and move away from donated fabric, which wasnt great in terms of health and safety.

We received lots of donations directly too. There was 300 from the Rotary Club in Limavady, 500 from Derek Warnock whod done a collection, and 1,000 from Unite the Union.

We were able to put that behind the counter in Fabric World so she could source fabric as well as the material coming from Belfast.

The resources are already being delivered to wherever there is a demand and the group have called on local volunteers, such as Eunan Doherty of Top Quality Blinds, to help with transport.

Eunan had a big enough van to transport the fabric rolls, said Shauna.

A lot of the stitchers are isolating, so we have to get the fabric to them. Many are elderly, sitting at home with no other social contact so weve needed a lot of help with transport and logistics.

All the stitchers reported that they havent had time to think about the crisis because theyre doing something proactive and helping people.

Personally, I havent seen the news in five weeks which has been wonderful for my mental health!

The huge effort from the NI Scrubs throughout the country have seen the supply issues eased over the last few weeks, but the county Derry group are not resting on their laurels.

They have contributed to an overall total of 12,919 scrub sets, 13,153 bags, 8,887 masks and 1,764 headbands.

The demand has settled now and there are a lot of questions about why there was such a shortfall in the first place, she said.

By the time we get the final orders sorted, we will have made 723 sets of scrubs in the past 4-5 weeks. The girls have been brilliant.

There will be more than that though - Id like to hit 1,000 before we stop.
The home of an innocent woman related to a man who has pleaded guilty to firearms charges associated with the Coolock feud was burnt down just hours after he was charged with the offences in court.

Jake Kearney, of Coolock Drive, Dublin 17, admitted the unlawful possession of a Grand Power semi-automatic pistol in Oscar Traynor Road, Santry, on October 30, 2019, at the Special Criminal Court yesterday.

He will be sentenced on June 29 and the court heard that his guilty plea was "without prejudice" to a charge that he possessed eight rounds of 9mm ammunition on the same date.

The home of Kearney's female relative was burnt to the ground in an arson attack on the same day that he was originally charged with the offences.

Revenge

"This woman has no involvement in crime but her home was torched in a revenge attack because Kearney had decided to get himself involved in a feud which led to five murders last year," a source said.

"There have been a number of arson attacks linked to this feud and one of the suspects for the attack on that woman's home was the victim of an arson attack himself last week as part of a separate dispute."

Gardai believe they foiled a gangland hit when they arrested Kearney and one of his associates in a taxi being driven by a man who had no knowledge of who was in his cab.

Detectives believe Kearney was working for the so-called 'Little' faction which has been involved in multiple revenge plots since drug dealer Sean Little (22) was lured to his gun death near Balbriggan on May 21 last year.

Little's father Stephen Little (46) and a 55-year-old man are due to go on trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court in July for having a handgun with intent to endanger life in relation to a separate alleged feud-related incident which happened in Harmonstown last September.

Kearney was busted after a major surveillance operation by the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (DOCB) which has arrested a number of the leading players in the Coolock feud, which has eased off recently, with many of the protagonists either locked up or dead.

However, the activities of a crazed 33-year-old criminal who constantly takes to social media to post bizarre and sinister threats against his enemies continue to be a cause of concern.

Associates of this man are suspected of being behind the arson attack on the woman related to Kearney last November.

However, a property the 33-year-old owns was targeted on Adare Road, Coolock, last Thursday night when a car was set on fire outside it. The property is occupied by an innocent family who rent it.

Afterwards the criminal again made wild threats on social media.

"Every gaff is going down tonight. Clonshaugh, Bunratty, Donaghmede, the whole lot of them will get burnt tonight. Every f**king one of them, watch my words," he screamed in a widely circulated video.

Threats

In January, he posted threats on social media against one of his many enemies just hours after being released from garda custody, where he and a 31-year-old gang boss had been quizzed about a botched double shooting in Swords.

The 33-year-old and the mob boss have twice been released without charge after being arrested for serious firearms offences.

On July 30, detectives from the DOCB seized a pistol and a revolver during an intelligence operation in Coolock which they believe led to a gangland murder being prevented.

Both men were quizzed for a number of hours before being released without charge.

However, the 33-year-old is facing separate serious drugs charges after being arrested in February by armed officers.
Israel's Ambassador to India Ron Malka (Image: Twitter)

On being asked about the latest breakthrough in COVID-19 antibodies, Ron Malka, Israel's Ambassador to India, on May 6 said the details of the same are being awaited. He said that although they are at an advanced stage, the processes are yet to be finalised, news agency ANI reported.

To track all live updates from the coronavirus pandemic, click here

Malka told ANI that India and Israel have gotten closer amid the ongoing crises, with both countries sharing their best practices in combating the COVID-19 pandemic. He also said that once things are finalised, Israel would surely share the details with the world.

Israel's defence minister Naftali Bennett had on May 4 said the country has isolated a key coronavirus antibody at its main biological research laboratory. He had called the step a 'significant breakthrough' toward a possible treatment for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read More | Israel isolates coronavirus antibody in 'significant breakthrough': Defence Minister

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 'monoclonal neutralising antibody' developed at the Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR) "can neutralise it (the disease-causing coronavirus) inside carriers' bodies," he said.

The IIBR has been leading Israeli efforts to develop a treatment and vaccine for the coronavirus, including the testing of blood from those who recovered from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus.

Track this blog for LIVE updates on the COVID-19 pandemic

Israel was one of the first countries to close its borders and impose increasingly stringent restrictions on movement to hamper the domestic coronavirus outbreak. It has reported 16,246 cases and 235 deaths from the illness.
The importance of eliminating Kashmirs dreaded terrorist Riyaz Naikoo

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, May 06: The killing of top Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist, Riyaz Naikoo is a major success for the security forces. He was killed today in an encounter in Kashmir.

Naikoo rose in the ranks of the Hizbul Mujahideen eight months after the killing of Burhan Wani. While the killing of Naikoo avenges the deaths of our security personnel, it also comes as a major relief for the security forces as he was a master at propaganda.

Top Hizbul terrorist, Riyaz Naikoo killed

The 35 year old former mathematics teacher carried a bounty of Rs 12 lakh on his head.

In the Hizbul Mujahideen he very quickly rose to become the operational commander of the outfit.

After taking over the spoils, he launched a massive campaign asking the policemen in the Valley to give up their jobs and join the Hizbul. He was also the one who urged terrorists to stage gun salutes at the funeral of terrorists. He had also planned the abduction day in which it was decided to kidnap the families of police officers who did not shun the force.

Intelligence Bureau officials whom OneIndia spoke with explain that the death is significant in a lot of ways. He was more dangerous because of his propaganda. He also held a considerable amount of sway with the youth and was capable of recruiting in large numbers. However, it was post the abrogation of Article 370 and thanks to the strict security measures in place, the recruitment spree into the outfit had gone down, the official also said.

In the past two years, the forces have seen a lot of success in the Valley. Several top terrorists have been eliminated and the Hizbul Mujahideen was one of the outfits that bore the brunt of the same the most. The outfit also suffered a major setback when Zakir Musa broke away and formed his own group. Musa was killed in the earlier part of 2019.

With the Hizbul disintegrating, the role of Musa became extremely important. It was on his shoulders to bring back the glory days of the outfit and had he lived on, he would have managed it to a large extent.

IB officials say that Naikoo post the Pulwama attack was planing a shift in the strategy of the Hizbul. The outfit would largely target the armed and police forces in gun battles. It never attempted fedayeen strikes. However in February 2019, days after the Pulwama suicide attack in which 40 CRPF jawans were martyred, Naikoo had spoke about a shift in strategy.

He had said that the time was not far when children in Kashmir will wear suicide vests and target security forces in the Valley. Even before the abrogation of Article 370 he had said that the forces must be prepared for a long and bloody battle, if the Article is tampered with.

The Article is our identity and when we fight if and when it is tampered with the police of Jammu and Kashmir should not stand in the way, he had said. He said that the youth would make the sacrifice as the Article is very important for J&K.

He had also planned on launching a campaign to kill all non-local labourers in Kashmir. He said that the Kashmiris were being targeted in different parts of the country. He said that the Hizbul Mujahideen would expand its base and launch attacks in all parts of the country.
Family members of JBS USA meat-packing-plant employee Saul Sanchez at his funeral after he died from the coronavirus, in Greeley, Colorado.

REUTERS/Jim Urquhart

American meat-processing plants have been hotspots for the coronavirus, and more than 20 workers in the US have died.

While companies have introduced protective measures for employees, workers say they've come too late and are not enough.

Social distancing inside of the densely packed plants is nearly impossible, workers and their union said.

Business Insider spoke with employees about what it's like to work on the front lines during the pandemic.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

For the past 2 1/2 years, most mornings started out the same for beef-processing-plant employee Ann Day.

She would wake before sunrise, drive five minutes from her home to the JBS plant in the city of Greeley, Colorado, walk through a narrow underground tunnel from the parking lot to the plant, collect her uniform  a plastic apron fitted over a metal apron  and sharpen her knife.

By 6:25 a.m, Day would be on the production line, ready to kick-off a repetitive eight-hour day of slicing into cattle hides and attaching them to bungee cords. By the end of the shift, Day and her colleagues on the line would have processed more than 2,500 cows, she told Business Insider.

One morning in late March there was a hiccup to an otherwise mundane workweek.

Minutes before the line started rolling, her boss visited each employee on the line, one by one, letting them know that another worker tested positive for COVID-19.

Leaving no time to for questions, Day said, her supervisor shared the news and pointed to a poster on the wall. The notice informed employees they were eligible for a $600 bonus if they continued to come to work for the next few months, Day said.

"This is seconds before I started my day. He gave me no time to process it, to ask questions. As soon as you start the line, that's it. You cannot stop the line," Day told Business Insider. "You could see the fear in people's eyes as he went down the line telling people."

Story continues

In the weeks following her boss's first announcement, seven JBS workers at the plant have died from the coronavirus. Several are on ventilators and hundreds have been diagnosed with the highly contagious virus, according to Kim Cordova, president of United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 7.

All the victims who died were over age 60, and most had worked at the plant for decades, Cordova said.

While the plant temporarily closed in early April after the first two deaths, it reopened on the 24th.

JBS told Business Insider that it has supplied personal protective equipment, or PPE, to employees, put partitions in place to separate people working on the lines, relaxed short-term disability policies, and hired additional cleaning staff.

Additionally, JBS spokesman Cameron Bruett said, nobody at the company is fired for calling out sick, and sick days do not affect bonuses.

But Day says she and her wife, Tammy, who also worked at the JBS plant, were terminated on March 27 after missing work while experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

The illness left them weak and unable to get out of bed. Ann Day, who is asthmatic, described a feeling of being "run over by a truck."

Bruett said that the couple lost their jobs because they didn't let their supervisors know that they were sick, which is in violation of a no-show policy.

The couple denies that's the case and showed Business Insider screenshots of calls and text messages they say they exchanged with the union and a supervisor the week they were ill.

The Days and Cordova feel that coronavirus safety measures at the plant were too little and too late to protect the 3,000 essential plant employees, most of whom work elbow to elbow.

Since the reopening, workers continue to report that there is a lack of company-wide testing or quality protective equipment and virtually no social distancing on-site, Cordova said.

"We understand that we have a job and we have to get it done. But, if you're not feeling well and you're going to work, you're going to infect other people," Ann Day said. "They put money over human beings."

Employees at one plant in Colorado were told they would receive a $600 bonus if they continued to come to work after learning one of their coworkers had tested positive for COVID-19.

David Silverman / Getty Images

A systemic work-while-sick culture made meat plants ripe for COVID-19 outbreaks, workers say

Even before COVID-19, meat processing wasn't a job for the squeamish.

The work is long and physical. The work environment is rife with viscous animal blood and fat and putrid smells, and the job can be perilous. Until 2015, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, didn't have strict accident-reporting guidelines for plants, and yet the risk of serious workplace injuries is very real. In 2016, the nonprofit Harvest Public Media found the top four meat-processing plants had reported 145 serious accidents  in which someone lost a limb or worse  at their plants.

A lack of paid leave in the industry has also created a work-while-sick culture that threatens the safety of employees at all times, but especially during a pandemic, Cordova said.

"They have really strict attendance policies, and they're only given so many days off before you're terminated," Cordova said. "Workers are less likely to report illnesses because they have to make a decision on whether to face financial devastation or to go to work sick."

Ann and Tammy Day, who both made a little over $16 an hour at JBS, said that not only was there a financial incentive to go to work sick, but there was also a feeling of not letting your colleagues and bosses down.

Both women felt compelled to go to work in the past when they were feeling unwell. When they did call out, they felt shamed when they returned.

"When you do go back they make you feel, like, 'you're not one of us,'" Tammy Day said.

JBS denied that the company's culture encourages employees to go to work ill.

"We absolutely do not have a work-while-sick culture. No one is forced to come to work, and no one is punished for being absent for health reasons," Bruett said. "Any team member who is fearful of coming to work can simply call the company and inform us, and they will receive unpaid leave without any consequence to their employment."

But Cordova said that's not the reality her workers are living. Many of the employees she represents, she added, cannot afford to take unpaid leave.

Trump justified his executive order to keep meat plants open by saying the plants were critical to the nation's food supply.

AP Photo/David Zalubowski

In meat processing, social distancing is nearly impossible

Meat-processing plants in the US have been hot spots for the novel coronavirus. At least 20 workers in the industry had died as of last week, and thousands more have tested positive.

Despite that, President Donald Trump last week took executive action to order the plants to stay open because of concerns about the impact on the nation's food supply.

Workers' union leaders, including Cordova, have criticized the executive order, saying it includes no language to ensure that workers' safety will be protected while the plants remain open. OSHA has said that while Trump's order is in place, it would not enforce coronavirus-related safety guidelines for the plants so long as they demonstrate "good faith" efforts to keep workers safe.

But without enforceable protections in place, Cordova fears that her union members and their families will continue to fall ill.

"You really are elbow to elbow. There are a lot of areas in the plant where you face each other," Cordova went on. "It's almost like a relay. The animal carcass, or the actual animal, is coming down the chain, and you're doing your job, and then you hand off the product or animal to the next person."

As of Monday, Cordova continued to field concerns from JBS workers that there is a lack of social distancing on-site.

"It's almost impossible in some areas, and they're really worried about that," Cordova said. "They've also been complaining that there was a lack of soap and hot water in the facilities."

When working on the production line, there is, at most, 18 inches between employees, Ann Day estimated.

To truly enforce social distancing at work, managers would have to remove at least half of the employees on the line, and doing so would severely limit production, she said.

Since reopening on April 24, some employees on the production side have been supplied with face shields, Cordova added. But those responsible for actually killing the cattle are unable to wear them.

"Where the animals are actually killed, the bloody side of the plant, it steams up their glasses and face shields so they can't wear them over there," Cordova said. "There's a lot of concern about that."

JBS's Bruett said surgical masks were not only provided to every employee but they are required to wear them on-site.

"Where six feet separation is not possible, we have erected physical barriers, such as stainless steel dividers and plexiglass partitions, to provide added protection," he wrote in an email. "All team members are provided, and required to wear, hard hats, ear protection, hair/beard nets, eye protection, surgical masks, frocks, and steel-toed boots."

Plant workers feel they're being "led to slaughter," union president Kim Cordova said.

REUTERS/Lane Hickenbottom

JBS workers are not alone in their concerns

While JBS might have gotten the most attention because of its high number of deaths, the issues meat-plant workers there face are not unique.

Magaly Licolli is the director of Venceremos, a grassroots organization that advocates for the rights of the thousands of poultry workers who live and work in northwest Arkansas.

Licolli told Business Insider that while none of the plants in her region have seen confirmed outbreaks, it's hard to know how many of the employees are sick without company-wide testing. She said the workers at the plants with whom she works are afraid to go to work but can't afford to take off.

"Right now we really don't know how many workers are sick. Tyson Foods just a week ago started providing the right equipment, but it was after they already had a confirmed case of COVID-19," Licolli said on April 30. "Every day they go to work, they feel like they are being led to slaughter."

But Tyson Foods said it has put additional safety measures in place to protect workers.

They include holding wellness screenings of everyone entering the facilities, supplying mandatory protective facial coverings and face shields, and assigning team members to be monitors ensuring that workers adhere to safety protocols and social distancing requirements, Tyson spokesperson Derek Burleson told Business Insider.

Tents have also been set up to be used for additional space during break times to promote social distancing, he said.

Tyson Foods is not publicly identifying how many employees have been diagnosed with COVID-19, 'because of the evolving nature of this situation,'" Burleson said.

"The health and safety of our team members, their families, and communities is our top priority, and we take this responsibility extremely seriously," Burleson wrote in an email. "We are conducting testing of team members and will not hesitate to idle any plant to conduct additional deep cleaning and sanitation of the entire facility."

One man who has worked for nearly a decade at a Tyson Chick'n Quick plant, in Rogers, Arkansas, told Business Insider that he didn't think the steps were enough and would like to see more transparency from supervisors during shifts.

He said that he and his wife fear that they would infect their four children by continuing to go to work.

"There is no social distancing, really," the worker told Business Insider through a Spanish translator. "It's difficult, and I've seen people come in sick, but I don't know if it's just a regular cold" or COVID-19.

The worker, who Business Insider has agreed not to name, acknowledged that there are partitions dividing some workers on the lines. His job, though, requires him to move around, and it's not possible to avoid coming in contact with other people, he said.

In addition to the threat of illness, the workers also face an increased risk of physical injuries now that there is a reduced number of employees on a line that is running the same speed, he said. Some employees are working additional days to increase production, he added.

"We are really at a high risk because the company is now making us work on Saturdays," the worker said. "The more that you come to work, the more exposure you have."

Burleson, though, said that there is no reason for workers to come into work sick.

"All employees who have tested positive will remain on sick leave until they have satisfied official health requirements outlined by the CDC for return to work," he said in the email, "and we have increased short-term disability coverage to 90% of normal pay until June 30 to encourage team members to stay home when they are sick."

Immigrant workers in these plants are especially vulnerable.

Reuters/Jeff Haynes

The industry is carried on the backs of a vulnerable population

While many of the men and women who work at JBS are second- and third-generation Colorado residents who have worked at the plant for decades, it also employs a large population of immigrants, according to Cordova.

Of the six workers who have died, five were Latino and one was Burmese, she said.

"There is a good population of workers who are refugees and immigrants who came to this country for not only democracy but a piece of the American dream," Cordova said, "and they're living this nightmare now because these companies and the federal government and their president are treating them as functional widgets, as disposable objects."

Immigrants, some of them unauthorized, make up a large percentage of the meat-processing workforce.

Following Trump's order to keep plants open during the pandemic, Vice President Mike Pence led a call with Cabinet members, governors, and meat-industry executives to discuss the measure last week.

Officials acknowledged that immigrants were primarily on the front lines of the industry, according to audio of the call obtained by Business Insider.

During the call, acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said the administration's rules on temporary immigrant visas, H-2As, adding that immigrant workers would be allowed to transfer between jobs and stay past the three-year limit. A few minutes later, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, the brother of one of Trump's chief fundraisers, Todd Ricketts, and a son of Chicago Cubs owners Joe Ricketts, said most workers in the meat-processing plants are immigrants.

"English is generally not their first language  folks are generally living in higher concentrations, which makes it harder to do social distancing," Ricketts said.

Pro-immigration activists have accused Trump and his team of putting immigrant lives at risk during the pandemic.

"Immigrants have always been essential to America's workforce and their contributions during the coronavirus pandemic have helped to power entire industries facing unprecedented challenges," Tyler Moran executive director of The Immigration Hub, said in a statement.

In addition to language barriers and immigration status, there are financial barriers that make exposure particularly devastating, Cordova said. Despite the high risk involved with the work they do, many workers choose not to report on-the-job accidents for fear of losing their jobs or incurring astronomical healthcare bills.

One worker who was put on a ventilator with coronavirus received a $44,000 hospital bill, Cordova said.

"Mind you, these workers don't have that kind of money," she said. "I think that the public doesn't understand that this really a vulnerable group of workers."

A worker at the Chick'N Quick plant, in Rogers, Arkansas, told Business Insider he was terrified of infecting his four children.

Tyson Foods

The mental health of workers and their families is being affected

At JBS, employees are showing up at meat plants every day as they mourn the deaths of their coworkers and family members, Cordova said. Many said they were feeling guilty for bringing the virus into their homes, a reminder their lives are viewed as disposable.

"It's not only the fear of going to work with the unknown because they're not testing, or grieving the deaths of the coworkers and family members," Cordova said, "but it's also the feeling that they have that they mean nothing to not only their company but their country."

The union has asked JBS to send in grief counselors for workers, but that hasn't happened, Cordova said.

In a town where so many people's livelihoods are connected to the plant, Cordova said, the impact has trickled down into the local schools. "They're so scared about losing their parents," Cordova said.

"You have to protect these workers. There's not a vaccine, and we may be dealing with this for a long time if they don't put worker safety first," she added. "This is a human-rights issue. It's like a class war."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Family Dollar

AP

Family Dollar security guard Calvin Munerlyn was shot and killed last week after getting in an argument with a customer over the state's mandated face-mask rule, prosecutors said.

Munerlyn's widow Latryna told CNN that Munerlyn's killing at the Flint, Michigan store was "senseless and stupid."

Three men have since been charged with first-degree murder and other firearms charges as a prosecutor said "Munerlyn was simply doing his job."

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Calvin Munerlyn was working as a security guard at a Family Dollar in Flint, Michigan, last week when he got into an argument with a customer who wasn't following the state's mandated face-mask rule, prosecutors said.

According to prosecutors, Munerlyn was shot dead when he wouldn't let a mother and her daughter in the store in what his wife Latryna later called a "senseless and stupid" killing.

Munerlyn, 43, is survived by his wife, six children, and three stepchildren. Latryna told CNN's Don Lemon days after his death that he was "devoted, loving, kind-hearted, courageous, brave, just committed."

"He was just loved everywhere," she told the CNN host.

County prosecutors said that at about 2 p.m. on Friday, Munerlyn stopped two people from trying to enter the store: Sharmel Lasse Teague, 45, and her daughter.

He stopped them, the officials said, because the unnamed daughter was not wearing a face mask.

A Genesee County prosecutor, David Leyton, said in a press conference that Teague "began yelling at Munerlyn and spit at him and Munerlyn told her to leave the store and instructed a cashier not to serve her."

The two left but returned 20 minutes later, the prosecutors said, when Teague came back in the same vehicle with two men  identified as her husband, Larry Edward Teague, 44, and her son Ramonyea Travon Bishop, 23.

Prosecutors said Larry Teague accused Munerlyn of "disrespecting his wife" and Bishop then shot Munerlyn in the back of the head.

Story continues

Sharmel Teague, Larry Teague, and Ramonyea Bishop have since been charged with first-degree murder and other firearms charges.

"From all indications, Mr. Munerlyn was simply doing his job in upholding the Governor's Executive Order related to the COVID-19 pandemic for the safety of store employees and customers," Leyton said in a statement.

"Now my babies (are) without a father for the rest of their life," Munerlyn's widow told CNN.

"My children are very, very strong," she said. "They are strong, and I say that man instilled something in them that can't nobody take away. My babies are super strong. They have been trying to cope with this and my baby boy said, 'As long as he's with God he's OK.'"

A GoFundMe created for Munerlyn's family had raised more than $331,000 as of May 6.

Ashley Collman contributed to this report.

Read the original article on Insider
KALAMAZOO, MI -- A plan to reopen Kalamazoo County business is on its way, the county health officer said.

The county health department is working on a document, an estimated 60 pages, outlining best practices for businesses to reopen, Health Officer Jim Rutherford said.

During the virtual county commissioner meeting on Tuesday, May 5, the health officer addressed the growing restless among the public to go back to work.

He noted that on a federal and state level reopening plans are moving forward and therefore the county needs to have local guidelines.

This reopening is a big train and its leaving the station whether we like it or not, he said. Whether we feel we have enough science to validate it, this is happening.

Related: Protesters brave the rain to send message to Michigan leaders as coronavirus state of emergency debate rages

When Michigan will reopen is still up for debate. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has vetoed legislation that would have shortened the length of some of her executive orders.

Senate Bill 858 would have amended Michigans Emergency Management Act of 1976, laying out deadlines for when some of Whitmers executive orders would end. Notably, it would have allowed restaurants, bars, gyms and other public-facing businesses to open May 15 with social distancing measures in place.

In Kalamazoo County, reopening the metro transit and securing enough protective equipment for workers will be essential factors, Rutherford said.

The plan is expected to be completed by next Monday, Rutherford told commissioners.

During the commissioner meeting, county Medical Director William Nettleton reiterated that there is still a great deal of uncertainty around COVID-19 and even when businesses reopen there will still be risk of contracting the virus.

As of Tuesday, May 5, Kalamazoo County has 491 cases and 22 deaths as a result of the virus.

The 290 cases and 12 deaths reported over the last two weeks equates to more than half of the countys total cases and deaths reported since the pandemic began.

While numbers continue to rise locally, Michigan has seen an 18.3% decrease in new cases and 29.4 percent decrease in deaths in the past week.

A visual representation of the increasing case counts and death toll in Kalamazoo County is shown below, based on data reported by the state. Apparent conflicts in data reported there result from slight differences in daily case counts provided by state and county health officials.

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More coronavirus coverage on MLive:

Michigan-made coronavirus vaccine from Pfizer in clinical trials

Less than 10% of Michigan coronavirus tests coming back positive; 86 new deaths reported

Stryker announces limited-release medical bed for coronavirus response
Ashanti Regional Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sam Pyne has reprimanded a number of Ghanaians who have decided to disregard the preventive etiquette regarding the Coronavirus pandemic.



Speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' program, Sam Pyne noted it will take the collective efforts of both government and the citizens to fight this deadly pandemic.



He stated that government alone cannot curb this disease if some people continue to challenge the relevance of the safety protocols, hence calling on all Ghanaians to cherish their lives.



He said the issue cannot be the burden of government alone as we are not in normal times for us to joke with it.



Watch Sam Pyne's submission in the video below:





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Vets have welcomed temporary amendments to bovine TB testing that will allow herd tests to continue while maintaining the safety of farmers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

It follows campaigning by the veterinary groups to allow a greater number of TB herd tests to be completed safely during the crisis.

The new measures in England and Wales, announced by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), came into force on Monday 4 May.

These measures allow calves under 180 days old to be excluded from certain routine and targeted surveillance TB skin tests in Officially TB Free (OTF) herds if, in the vets judgement, they cant be tested safely in line with government social distancing guidance.

No movement restrictions will be placed on herds as long as the other eligible (older) animals in the herd have been TB tested with negative results within the relevant testing window.

In Northern Ireland, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has introduced measures whereby TB testing is being allowed to proceed only in exceptional circumstances where it can be carried out safely.

As of Monday, calves under 180 days old may be exempt from all TB herd test types if they cannot be tested in accordance with public health guidance.

Herds with clear tests will retain or regain their OTF status and can trade freely, with the exception of untested calves aged between 42 and 180 days.

The untested calves will be restricted and cannot be traded until they can be tested safely with a negative result.

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) welcomed the announcement, calling it a 'pragmatic approach' to bovine TB testing rules amid the Covid-19 crisis.

BVA junior vice president, James Russell said: While we recognise that it will have some effect on the overall interpretation of the TB status of herds, the amendment provides a risk-based approach that prioritises safety whilst allowing vets and farmers to continue vital animal health.

From a longer-term perspective, it will help vets maintain the food supply chain by controlling bovine TB through statutory controls.

In Scotland, normal TB testing procedures still apply. If its not possible to safely TB test calves whilst maintaining social distancing, vets must record this on the test chart and the test will be incomplete.

If it is not completed within the testing window, then the whole test will become overdue.
ISLAMABAD - Afghanistan and Iran have launched a joint investigation into allegations that dozens of Afghan migrants who crossed illegally into Iran were tortured by Iranian border guards and thrown into a river, where at least 16 drowned.

Afghanistan's foreign ministry announced the launch of the joint investigation Wednesday after reports of the torture and killings emerged this week. The announcement follows criticism from Afghan and U.S. officials. The Afghan presidential spokesman called the reported killings "unforgivable crimes."

The allegations come as coronavirus lockdowns in Afghanistan have caused unemployment to spike and food prices to soar. As coronavirus spread in Iran earlier this year, more than 200,000 Afghans returned to Afghanistan. And now as the Afghan economy has been crippled by the pandemic, some are trying to return to Iran in search of work.

Afghanistan's acting foreign minister, Mohammad Hanif Atmar, told lawmakers Wednesday that talks with Iranian officials "ended with tension," according to Afghan media reports. Atmar said that 16 bodies had been recovered from the site and that 18 to 20 people are missing.

Atmar launched a separate investigation by the Afghan government into the incident earlier this week, pledging in a tweet Tuesday, "we will pursue this unforgivable crime with all our country's diplomatic means until we achieve justice and righteousness." Atmar's post included images from Afghan social media of bodies wrapped in cloth loaded into the back of a vehicle.

The U.S. Embassy in Kabul voiced support for the move and called on Iran "to cooperate fully and hold the guilty accountable."

Many Afghan laborers informally cross the nearly 600-mile-long border with Iran in search of work. As undocumented workers, they endure harsh conditions with little legal protection. An estimated 2.2 million Afghans were living in Iran before the coronavirus pandemic, according to Afghan officials.

Sayed Abdul Basit Ansari, the spokesman for Afghanistan's Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation, said Afghans returned from Iran during the coronavirus outbreak because Iranian hospitals refused to treat them. He said it was too early to comment on the ongoing investigation into abuse by Iranian border guards.

More than half of Afghanistan's population lives below the poverty line, and coronavirus lockdowns have caused unemployment to soar. Food prices have also spiked as restrictions on travel have interrupted supply lines. Save the Children is warning in a report this month that rising food prices are putting a third of the population, including more than 7 million children, at risk of hunger.

As of Wednesday, Afghanistan had identified more than 3,300 confirmed coronavirus cases and 104 deaths, according to the health ministry. Testing remains limited, and a United Nations body has warned that Afghanistan may have one of the highest coronavirus infection rates in the world.

- - -

The Washington Post's Sharif Hassan in Kabul contributed to this report.
Mayor Joe Hogsett will give an update early next week about the local plan to reopen Marion County.

Hogsett said during a May 6 briefing the countys stay-at-home order remains in effect until May 15, and churches will not be allowed to reopen this weekend.

Marion County is on a different path to reopening than most of the rest of the state, but Hogsett said the county will adopt the same statewide phases Gov. Eric Holcomb announced.

I hear the frustration from some that we are not moving at the same pace as other parts of the state, Hosgett said. Id ask our residents to remember population density is an important factor in this fight.

Marion County, the most populous county in the state, has 6,419 COVID-19 cases, according to data from the state health department, about three times more than the next highest county. The case total is updated daily.

In Gov. Eric Holcombs plan to reopen Indiana, churches are essentially a case study. There are recommendations for how to hold services safely  including limiting the number of people in church and practicing social distancing  but there are no formal restrictions starting May 8.

Hogsett would only go as far to say churches in Marion County wont reopen this weekend. More guidance is expected to come next week when the city gives an update to the local reopening process.

It is in our faith that we find our strength, Hogsett said. I will call upon that strength for at least another week as we work to love our neighbors through our sacrifice.

In the wake of several large gatherings that happened last weekend, Dr. Virginia Caine, the county health department director, said there should be no such gatherings this weekend.

When people do go out in public, Caine said, its still important to wear a face covering and stay at least six feet away from others.

We are pleading with everyone  to treat this virus with the seriousness it deserves, she said.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Chief Randal Taylor said officers are trying to take an education-first approach to large gatherings by dispersing crowds.

If that doesnt work, Taylor said, officers will start issuing summonses.

Anyone who wants to report large gatherings can email the citys Emergency Operations Center at eocmanager@indy.gov or call IMPDs non-emergency number at 317-327-3811.

Contact staff writer Tyler Fenwick at 317-762-7853. Follow him on Twitter @Ty_Fenwick.

Volunteers help at a COVID-19 testing site at Eastern Star Church. (Photo/Curtis Guynn)
The Maharashtra government has collected over Rs 62 crore revenue on May 4 and May 5 from liquor sales after relaxations announced in COVID-19 lockdown, while Rs 242 crore worth of liquor was sold in the two days in Karnataka.

To manage the mammoth rush to buy liquor, some state governments hiked prices of alcohol, like Delhi, which announced a 70 percent special corona fee' on alcohol and Andhra Pradesh that enhanced prices by 25 percent and later by another 50 percent.

But it clearly didn't matter much  not to casual drinkers who wanted to stock up their bars and neither to the more serious addicts reduced to despair without any alcohol.

As the liquor shops were opened, a huge number of people lined up or gathered outside from early morning, counting the hours for the shutters to go up and then more hours till they reached the counter. Some of them reportedly violated social distancing norms as the fear of COVID-19 was eclipsed by the eagerness to access alcohol after more than 40 dry days.

In Maharashtra's Pune, which is massively hit by COVID-19, taking a serious note of long queues outside liquor shops, police warned of strict action against such shops if they become the cause of crowding.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

Coronavirus LIVE updates

Heres how other states and cities are dealing with the rush at liquor shops:

Andhra Pradesh

The Andhra Pradesh government enhanced prices of liquor by 50 percent on May 5, only a day after imposing a 25 percent hike as shops were reopened in relaxation of the ongoing lockdown.

Chhattisgarh

The Chhattisgarh government has launched a web portal for home delivery of liquor in green zones of the state to avoid crowding at wine shops during the coronavirus-enforced lockdown. The portal has been named after the state-run CSMCL (Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited), which controls the sale of liquor in the state, a public relations department official here said.

Delhi

The Delhi government has levied a 70 percent 'special corona fee' on the sale of liquor.

The special branch of the Delhi police has also prepared a report suggesting extending the timings of the liquor sale in Delhi after chaos outside shops on May 4.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on May 4 said in a stern message that all relaxations in the areas where people violate social-distancing and other health norms will be withdrawn.

Coronavirus state-wise tally

Maharashtra

In Maharashtra, some district collectors have decided not to open liquor shops in their respective jurisdictions.

At some places in the state, including Kolhapur and Pune, police resorted to mild lathicharge to disperse people gathered outside liquor outlets.

West Bengal

In Kolkata, long queues were seen outside standalone liquor shops with either police or local administration ensuring that tipplers maintain social distancing.

Rajasthan

In Jodhpur, security personnel used batons to disperse crowds waiting to buy alcohol in a bid to reinforce social distancing norms.

Also read | Lockdown distress: Karnataka govt announces Rs 1,610 crore package

Telangana

Liquor shops in Telangana re-opened on May 6 with impatient tipplers forming serpentine queues even before the shutters went up. Police personnel were deployed at most of the outlets to avoid untoward incidents and ensure law and order.

Tamil Nadu

Prices of liquor will be raised by a maximum of Rs 20 from May 7 in Tamil Nadu.

Some states like Kerala and Madhya Pradesh have kept liquor shops closed. The Tamil Nadu government has announced resumption of liquor sales from May 7.

(With inputs from PTI)

Follow our full coverage on COVID-19 here
Fortitude by Rep. Dan Crenshaw is a formidable book that delves into the former Navy SEAL's hardships. More importantly, it explains how he overcame those hardships and challenges, something the current Texas congressman applies to American society. This book is about not the challenges, but the solutions.

The titles for all the chapters explain how Americans can find the strength to handle everything from daily frustrations to difficult hardships. The introduction, "Stay Outraged," to the conclusion, "The Story of America," shows how people must navigate their lives with humor, a sense of duty, respect, and perseverance.

For a little perspective, the first chapter delves into Crenshaw's injuries. Having served as a Navy SEAL for a decade, Lt. Commander Crenshaw was wounded in the Helmand Province in 2012, losing his right eye and requiring multiple surgeries to save his left eye. He earned two Bronze Star medals, one with Valor; the Purple Heart; and the Navy Commendation Medal with Valor. He was elected to the United States House of Representatives in November 2018, where he represents the Second Congressional District of Texas.

With Mother's Day coming up this Sunday, it was heartwarming to read his feelings about his mother, who died after battling cancer for years. In the book, he writes, "Going from kindergarten to 4th grade knowing that your mother is dying, that the center of a small boy's world is collapsing is an experience I wouldn't want to wish on anyone. But from this grief came learning. I got to experience the nature of a true hero, and the example she set was the most powerful fortifying and selfless thing I've ever seen, including in combat. Lying helpless in a hospital bed, I had to wonder whether my mother had asked the same desperate question I was currently asking  would I ever see my family again? I figured that if she could suffer through that question and the unknowable answer, so could I. My mother spent a half decade staring death in the face, burdened with caring for two small boys whom she would not live to see grow up. She lived day to day in ever-increasing pain. The cancer afflicted her, and the cancer treatments afflicted her, too. Six rounds of chemotherapy on top of radiation treatments are a brutal experience for even the strongest constitution."

Congressman Crenshaw told American Thinker, "Perspective is important. I had to live through blindness, but my mother definitely had it worse. The book is dedicated to my mom and wife. She was the first true sign of strength that I looked up to as a young boy. After being diagnosed with cancer when I was five, she died when I was ten. She never complained, never had self-pity, and she never saw herself as a victim. Those values were instilled in my brother and myself."

Another important lesson can be applied to all Americans who are going through the COVID-19 pandemic, where the world's fortitude comes to mind. This quote is applicable: "The most devastating mental state I could ever wish upon someone is a sense of helplessness, a sense that they are not in control of themselves or their destiny." Sound familiar?

Crenshaw directly commented, "I hope people see that what is required is mental toughness, honesty, and the ability to confront risk head on. The Queen of England's public address really stuck with me when she said, 'I hope in the years to come everyone will be able to take pride in how they responded to this challenge. And those who come after us will say the Britons of this generation were as strong as any. That the attributes of self-discipline, of quiet good-humored resolve and of fellow-feeling still characterize this country. The pride in who we are is not a part of our past, it defines our present and our future.'"

Furthermore, he writes, "What I took out of that, something I wrote about in my book, is being a victor instead of a victim. To be helpless, to change your circumstances, is to be totally disempowered, and to be disempowered is to be resentful, depressed, and unable to succeed. It's akin to being a bystander in your own life."

Protesters of the lockdown in some states are basically saying this. According to Crenshaw, "This gets to the issue of personal responsibility, where people advocate to control their own destiny. The problem with some states is that the governors are putting forth rules that do not make any sense to these people. There is a need to balance the lockdown with some reasonable measures."

A book quote applies to what is happening with the #MeToo movement: "It is about the outrage culture, and the newfound tendency to reflexively assume the worst of intentions when reacting to news or commentary or political discourse, and default into an emotionally driven hatred of the 'other.'" It is interesting how many conservatives support due process, while the Democrats support the individual, depending on if the accused is Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh or presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden. Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii is one of those who've loudly proclaimed that all female accusers must be believed, without question, throwing due process out the window, and infamously asserting, "I just want to say to the men in this country: Just shut up and step up. Do the right thing for a change." This is not to mention all the top Democratic V.P. prospects, all of whom are women and are unable to rationalize their earlier stances with Kavanaugh versus the accusations against Biden.

The congressman stated, "I do agree there is a clear hypocrisy. People are not consistent. Is there hypocrisy among politicians sometimes? It always seems to apply to the other side, but not to theirs. Yes, there are biases. Honest debate makes us better, but this does not always happen. Character assassination is not a substitute for ideas."

Asked about the Saturday Night Live incident where Pete Davidson made fun by saying, "This guy is kind of cool, Dan Crenshaw. You may be surprised to hear he's a congressional candidate from Texas and not a hitman in a porno movie. I'm sorry, I know he lost his eye in war or whatever...," Crenshaw's reply was calm: "Good rule in life: I try hard not to offend; I try harder not to be offended. That being said, I hope @nbcsnl recognizes that vets don't deserve to see their wounds used as punchlines for bad jokes." He was then asked to come on SNL, where Davidson apologized.

Why was his reaction so measured? "In that case it was clear he was going after Republicans and it was politically biased. But it wasn't clear he hates wounded veterans. Where our culture falls short is that people assume there might not be good intentions, assuming the worst of intentions. The reason they asked me to come on is because of how I reacted. Instead of acting as the outraged victim, I chose my own narrative. I did not want to express self-pity and to blame others."

One of the chapters is entitled "Who Is Your Hero?" Why didn't he name anyone? "For me, it is not about individuals to look up to because they can disappoint you. No one is perfect. But to look at someone's success to build a hero's architect, not a person."

Crenshaw hopes readers will understand the following: "establish a culture that can last with the need for individual liberty, equal opportunity, personal responsibility, and mental toughness. Do not accept a lesser version of yourself and be a victor as opposed to a victim. I think this book quote summarizes my feelings: '[i]t is about the importance of building a society or iron-tough individuals who can think for themselves, take care of themselves, and recognize that a culture characterized by grit, discipline, and self-reliance is a culture that survives."

The author writes for American Thinker. She has done book reviews and author interviews and has written a number of national security, political, and foreign policy articles.

Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr.
Nepal on Wednesday extended the nationwide lockdown till May 18 and suspended international flights and cross-border movement with the neighbouring countries like India and China until May 31 to stem the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

The decisions were taken at a Cabinet meeting held at Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's residence at Baluwatar, the state-run Nepal Television reported.

The ongoing lockdown, which was first enforced on March 24 to stop the spread of the COVID-19, was to an end on Thursday. This is for the fourth time that the lockdown has been extended by the government.

The meeting also decided to suspend international flights and cross-border movement with the neighbouring countries like India and China till May 31, the report said.

The government said it will restrict people's movement into the Kathmandu valley in a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Despite the ongoing lockdown, hundreds of people are entering the valley from various parts of the country.

Nepal reported seven new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, taking the number of infections in the Himalayan nation to 82. No death has been reported from the country so far.

Last month, the authorities in Nepal's Sunsari District sealed 14 mosques and quarantined 33 Indians and seven Pakistanis who were taking refuge in them, amid a surge in the coronavirus cases in the country.

The mosques were sealed in Itahari Municipality in eastern Nepal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As of Tuesday, more than 3.6 million cases and 251,000 deaths of the novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19, have been recorded worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University. Though the pandemic is scary and unsettling, it does offer a unique opportunity to document Lake Countys history, she said. Greg Hultman said his wife saw the online post from the museum asking for contributions to the project. She sent notes and photos of their children with a foster puppy, he said. The family has fostered and found homes for two puppies, with another one likely to be adopted this weekend.
Police have freed hundreds of manacled boys from a madrassa in northern Nigeria for the third time in a month, raising fears of systemic torture and sexual abuse in the regions Islamic schools.

Officers leading a raid on the Mal Niga school in the city of Katsina late on Wednesday found more than 500 boys and young men, many of whom had been chained to walls, molested and beaten.

The discovery followed a pattern that has become grimly familiar in Nigerias mostly Muslim north. More than 1,200 males, some as young as five, have been freed in three police operations since late September.

In all three cases, many were found to have been beaten, starved, sexually abused and held in chains, sometimes for so long that they were unable to walk unaided after their rescue.

As in the previous two cases, Mal Niga separated its pupils. One building was well-kept and students living there were not regularly mistreated.

But a second, filled with shackles, essentially functioned as a torture centre, a common feature at all three madrassas raided so far. Here inmates were held in chains and starved.

Newcomers and rebels were generally held in the second building, victims said, although students in the first were sometimes taken there to be beaten and molested.

The almost identical nature of the alleged abuse in the three madrassas, which are located across two separate states, has raised fears that the scale of the abuse could be much deeper than at first believed.

As many as 10m children are educated in privately owned madrassas across Nigeria, mostly in the north, according to Muslim Rights Concern, a local advocacy group.

Parents often send their children to private madrassas because they provide a better quality education than state schools  as well as providing more in-depth religious learning.

Adults also attend the schools, either to study the Koran or because they purport to offer university degrees.

Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerias president and a native of Katsina state, pledged to shut down madrassas in June before the abuses came to light. This week, he promised again to close those that treat students badly.

The government cannot allow centres where people, male or female, are maltreated in the name of religion, a spokesman for Mr Buhari said.

The owner and five members of staff at Mal Niga have been arrested, police said.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- The Grand Rapids Home for Veterans now has three residents and three staff members who have tested positive for COVID-19, according to Michigan Veteran Homes.

The first case of COVID-19 was identified in a staff member on April 28.

On Friday, there was one resident and two staff members who tested positive.

Officials with Michigan Veteran Homes, in a Friday interview with MLive, said they were testing several other residents and staff.

Related: Michigan coronavirus deaths down 29%, new cases down 18% compared to last week

The three residents who tested positive were living in two separate units at the veterans home. They have since been moved to an isolation unit.

Administrators with Michigan Veteran Homes said subsequent tests on the other residents in the two units shows no other positive results.

COVID-19 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 coronavirus coverage here

Tuesday, May 5: Latest developments on coronavirus in Michigan

Six weeks into extreme social distancing, how are Michiganders still catching coronavirus?

Whitmer vetoes bill that would have limited governors emergency powers

Woman arraigned in fatal shooting of Flint security guard over face mask

From closing resta
On Tuesday, a Midland County judge issued a decision to uphold the original 1984 sentencing of a Midland County man charged with first-degree felony murder.

Judge Stephen P. Carras of the Midland County Circuit Court issued a 39- page decision upholding the original sentence of life without parole for Brian Granger, who was originally sentenced to life without parole -- the mandatory adult sentence for first-degree felony murder -- by Judge Tyrone Gillespie in January of 1984.

The resentencing consideration was mandated by recent United States and Michigan Supreme Court decisions, as well as Michigan legislation, related to the mandatory sentencing of life without parole for offenders less than 18 years old -- Granger was 17 years, 8 months old at the time he committed murder.

Granger, 54, is currently being held in the Earnest C. Brooks Correctional Facility in Muskegon.

Granger was originally convicted of felony murder -- an intentional killing during the course of a forcible sexual assault -- in December of 1983.

The evidence presented at trial indicated that after the victim, Sandra Nestle, a 32-year-old mother of three, went out for an evening jog on June 21, 1983, Granger began to follow her on his bicycle.

After waiting until Nestle was in a very isolated area on Shepherd Road in Jasper Township, he attacked her, strangled her into unconsciousness, removed her clothing and sexually assaulted her. He then left her face down in a partially filled drainage ditch -- where she ultimately drowned -- covered her body with vegetation and went back home to clean up and eventually go to bed.

When she did not return home that evening, Nestle's family began a desperate search for her. With the help of the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Michigan State Police and their canine officer, her body was recovered the following day. On June 23, 1983, after witnesses had described a suspect and bicycle similar to Granger, and had reported seeing him following Nestle, Granger was arrested for her murder.

During a police interview, Granger eventually admitted that he had made contact with Nestle while out on Shepherd Road the evening she disappeared, but claimed he just wanted to speak with her. When he rode up next to her, Granger claimed Nestle scratched his arm and pushed him off his bike, and then began to scream. Granger said that he was then angry and scared, so he covered her mouth until he thought he accidentally killed her.

Granger further claimed that only once he thought she was dead, he decided to remove her clothing and have sex with her, but he changed his mind before he sexually assaulted her because a car drove by and he remembered that was how he got into trouble before.

Judge Gillespie found that Grangers explanation of the case was not credible, and that Nestle was intentionally killed during the sexual or attempted sexual assault.

After Granger was convicted at trial and sentenced by Judge Gillespie, his conviction and sentence were upheld during numerous appeals and attempts to commute the sentence.

During a sentencing review hearing before Judge Carras -- held in part on Feb. 2, 2019 and completed on July 15-17, 2019 -- the court heard from a number of witnesses, including prison officials, the defendants and victims family members, a brain development specialist, a psychologist, as well as some of the original police officers and the original trial prosecutor, Norman Donker.

In his decision, Carras noted that both court officials and the examining psychologist back in 1983 had noted that Granger seemed to be more mature than a typical 17-to 18-year-old. Further, Carras found that Granger's past criminal history -- including juvenile adjudications for indecent exposure and a criminal sexual assault on a 7-year-old victim in 1981, for which he was placed at Boysville Detention Center and then Parmenter House before being released just five or six days before the murder of Sandra Nestle -- showed a youth who continued to escalate his criminal behavior, whose social judgment was intact in that he knew right from wrong, was able to control his behavior, but still had never admitted and accepted full responsibility for his acts.

"As Judge Gillespie said at the defendants sentencing in 1984, 'There comes a time when society has to say enough, you forfeit your right to live in society,'" Carras said in his decision, despite noting Granger had done well in the prison-controlled setting. "In consideration of all the evidence, testimony and exhibits thus submitted for consideration under the Miller factors, this court finds that the factors do not mitigate the crimes committed and do not reflect the transient immaturity of youth. Therefore, life without the possibility of parole was the just and proportionate sentence in 1984 and remains so today."

Midland County Prosecutor J. Dee Brooks said his department is confident Carras took a great deal of time and effort to decide a very difficult matter.

"I am very grateful for the effort and support of my office, the Michigan State Police, the Michigan Department of Corrections and the Midland County Sheriffs Office, as well as the victims family, in helping us to obtain what I believe continues to be a just result in the case," Brooks said.

-- Processed by Mitchell Kukulka, Mitchell.Kukulka@mdn.net
ultrastructural morphology exhibited by corona viruses View Photo

Sonora, CA  Tuolumne County Public Health officials report the countys tally has dropped and will hold a virtual town hall this Friday.

Health officials explained that the last two cases in a congregate living facility outside of the county, have been reassigned to the county where that facility is located as part of an ongoing outbreak investigation there. They add that of those two remaining positive cases in Tuolumne County both have recovered.

The county has also announced it will hold a virtual town hall this Friday, May 8th from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. The meeting is titled The New Normal: Panel Discussion and will focus on education, senior care, joblessness, and homelessness while navigating the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent closures of public spaces.

Health officials advise with school closures, growing unemployment, and general uncertainty about the future, now is the time to prepare for a new normal and devise a plan to relieve the strain on families. Tuolumne County Supervisor Ryan Campbell will facilitate the discussion. The public will hear updates from local agency leaders and ask them questions. Individuals are encouraged to submit questions in advance to an anonymous survey by clicking here.

Those attending this virtual meeting can register at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SRBxQYb1Rfe7OIlyqX4Nxw or call 1-669-900-9128 with Access Code 938 5132 3427.

Presenters will include:

County Health Officer Dr. Liza Ortiz,

Superintendent of Schools Cathy Parker,

ATCAA Director Joe Bors,

Infant Child Enrichment Services Director Chris Mackenzie,

Sonora City Councilmember Colette Such,

County HHSA Director Rebecca Espino and other community representatives.

Panel discussion outline:

Local COVID-19 response update

School resources  Childcare resources

Housing and homelessness

Unemployment resources

Questions
Nina Dobrev was feeling festive on Cinco de Mayo.

The 31-year-old actress showed off her flawless figure in bikini snaps posted on Instagram on Tuesday in which she cuddled with her precious pooch Maverick Do(g)brev.

She donned a tiny black two piece swimsuit with colorful pattern reminiscent of Mexican dresses during the holiday which commemorates Mexican Army's victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla.

Feeling festive: Nina Dobrev showed off her flawless figure in bikini snaps posted on Instagram on Tuesday in which she cuddled with her precious pooch Maverick Do(g)brev

Nina definitely seems ready to travel again as she joked about being on a scenic vacation by the beach south of the border.

She wrote: 'I told @mrs.maverick that today, since its Cinco De Mayo, WERE GOING TO CABO!!!

'[Luckily, she doesnt know the difference between Mexico and the backyard] #wishfulquarantinetravels #tacotuesday'

It's a celebration: The 31-year-old actress donned a tiny black two piece swimsuit with colorful pattern reminiscent of Mexican dresses during the holiday which commemorates Mexican Army's victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla

No doubt Nina has been having a tough time with social isolation as days ago she shared a silly but sad Instagram that surely many could relate to.

In the clip, which was backed with Simon And Garfunkle's Sound Of Silence, the former Degrassi star knelt down in front of her fireplace while wearing pink pajamas.

Clutching the side of her face, she looked distraught.

Stuck: No doubt Nina has been having a tough time with social isolation as days ago she shared a silly but sad Instagram that surely many could relate to

Then she looked at the camera and held up a mug with a poop emoji on it, almost toasting to quarantine cabin fever.

'Mood,' Nina captioned the clip.

Still, there are some things keeping the star cheery during isolation.

Oh no: In the clip the distraught looking star knelt near her fireplace in pink pajamas

Cheers: Then she looked at the camera and held up a mug with a poop emoji on it, almost toasting to quarantine cabin fever

Dobrev appears to be hunkering down with rumored boyfriend Shaun White, who has been seen leaving her home several times recently.

Shaun and Nina were first linked after they were spotted out together for a bike ride through coastal Malibu last month.

Nina was previously dating actor Grant Mellon for a year, though they split up four months ago.
Rail horror: 7 die, 99 injured

At least seven people were killed and an estimated 99 injured, some critically, after a double-decker InterCity train smashed into the rear of a chartered steam train near Hawkesbury River Station, north of Sydney, last night. Early this morning rescuers were still working at the steam train's crushed rear carriage, where more people are feared trapped. Police and rail officials were unsure of the cause of the accident.

The great leap forward

Is there something amiss with the spirit of adventure on Australian television if, 25 years since it was first produced, viewers can now look forward to the return of Skippy in a fresh set of adventures? The all new, "environmentally aware" Skippy  complete with boy and girl chums cast as the grandchildren (already?) of the lad in the original series  won't be on our screens until late next year. Enough time to skip the country.

Teachers strike: no talks
06.05.2020 LISTEN

A group by name, We The People Matter Movement, a policy think tank is calling for the amendment of the Constitution to criminalize malicious publications on Social Media platforms.

According to the group, Social media is now part of our daily lives.

There is not a day that any of us abstain from visiting our social media account(s): WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, etc.

These are places that we tend to read the news, socialize, and make connections with new people.

In fact, social media has led to business/contract deals, marriages, and all other various positive outcomes

The group made this call in an article authoured by the Executive Director, Dr. Sa-ad Iddrisu.

The group is of the view that criminalization of publications on Social Media will serve as a deterrent to people who mount the platform to malign innocent people in society.

The group is, however, contesting that if it was always about the good, then there would have been no need for this article, captioned.

Social Media and Defamations: how effective is our justice system?

Even in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic, defamations and character assassinations on Social Media are still trending, the Convenor argued.

Personalities in government, politics, media, judiciary, academia, creative arts and all sectors, have been defamed or have endured character assassination on Social Media but a law against this in Ghana is nonexistent, Dr. Iddrisu stressed.

Below is unedited article authoured by Dr. Iddrisu advancing the call for criminalization of Social Media publications.

Social media and defamations: How effective is our justice system?

Social media is now part of our daily lives. There is not a day any of us abstains from our social media account(s): WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, etc.

These are places we tend to read news, socialize, and make connections with new people. In fact, social media has led to business/contract deals, marriages, and all other various positive outcomes.

However, had it always been good, there would be no need for this article. Defamations and character assassinations have become the new norm on social media. Even in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic, defamations and character assassinations on social media are still trending daily. Personalities in government, politics, media, judiciary, academia, creative arts and all sectors, have been defamed or endured character assassination on social media, but a law against this in Ghana is nonexistent.

Before I get into the law aspects, let me tell you a brief story. I remember around January this year when my friend sent me screenshot messages on WhatsApp detailing how friends' of his ex-partner wrote defamatory remarks about him on their Facebook page. His first emotional instinct was to get involved in the drama with a reply.

However, I advised him to think rationally and consider the benefits of his reply to such lies and defamation. Mind you, this was a relationship that he ended in 2018, but the exs and her group of friends dragged him with defamations in 2019 and 2020 with Facebook and WhatsApp posts.

In fact, the 2019 incidences ended up at the Dakpema Chief Palace in Tamale after he got fed up and threatened to expose them. An amicable solution was found by the Chief and the elders and the matter was laid to rest.

However, as predictable as the ladies were, 2020 gave them another opportunity to continue their annual rituals and unleash their bitterness again at the said friend.

As I sat quietly thinking about my friends situation, I contemplated how I could be of help. I called a Lawyer and Judge in Accra to see if they could help my friend take legal action on the said lady who wrote the Facebook post.

Upon examining our case, their feedback suggested law on social media in Ghana is nonexistent. If you brought such person(s) to court, there was high possibility they would deny such Facebook accounts ever been theirs. The case further becomes difficult when proving such accounts truly belonged to them in court.

This is more so as people tend to create a bunch of fake accounts with pictures of innocent people. This makes your court case a foolish case.

In some instances, if the person(s) truthfully admit in court that they own such social media account, then it becomes another case of constant adjournment in court until you reach a point that you are frustrated in wasting your time in court - another foolish case in the end.

The lawyer mentioned a lot of defamatory cases of this nature that ended in the courts and metamorphosed into foolish cases.

The only time defamatory lawsuits were won in our courts was when those statements were made by a media station (either print or electronic) against an individual or if there was a video or audio recording of such defamatory remarks. Even with this, it could take years or decade(s) before such cases were heard in court, thus wasting the individuals time and money pursuing such a case in court. In other words, justice delayed is justice denied.

As we listened to this legal advice, I realized that we are living in an animal kingdom with the inception of social media if citizens cannot seek legal redress in court for cases of social media defamations and get fast track judgment. Our lawmakers should take a review of our justice system and incorporate social media laws. A changing society demands to change laws.

Laws that scare people from hiding behind their phones to type gibberish regarding other's personalities on social media - knowing very well that their remarks are defamatory in nature. I am calling on the Attorney General, Justice Minister, Ghana Bar Association, and all legal experts in the country to review our laws and court system to meet current societal transformations.

Until that is done, you the one reading this, know that you are a potential victim of someones fingers behind his/her phone waiting to press send. Today its my friend, tomorrow it can be you. Exhibit rational thinking rather than emotional thinking if you become a victim to this unfortunate trend of social media defamation.
Job losses, lower incomes and fear of an uncertain future mean Vietnamese are tightening their purse strings.

Nguyen Thanh Loan, 39, used to buy imported foods at a fancy store in Saigons District 1, thinking nothing about spending VND3 million ($128) a week.

But things began to change around two months ago.

The white-collar worker now only shops at ordinary supermarkets and thinks twice about shopping online, something she used to do often.

She lamented: "Saving money is the first thing I think about every day. My salary has been shrinking because the company has had no clients in the last few months due to the coronavirus."

It sacked some employees last month, she said. "My friends have done the same thing, we encourage each other to save money instead of buying lipsticks or new shoes."

Loan is among millions of people in Vietnam who have been cutting spending due to the pandemic.

A man walks past a Vincom shopping mall in Hanoi on April 13, 2020. Photo by VnExpess/Ngoc Thanh.

The recent change in shopping behaviors has hit the retail industry badly.

The first decline in retail sales in five years occurred in March. The sales of VND390 trillion ($16.6 billion) represented a 4 percent decrease from February and a 0.8 percent decrease year-on-year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

In April they fell by an eye-watering 20.5 percent from the previous month, taking the year-to-date sales of goods and services down by 4.3 percent from the same period in 2019.

Pham Thi Thuy, 30, an English teacher in Hanoi, said, "We make a list of things we need whenever we go to the supermarket; this is no time to be a spendthrift."

The newly-married woman has stopped going to malls to buy new clothes and expensive skincare products since February though the semi-lockdown has been lifted. "Online classes do not pay much."

According to the GSO, around five million people were temporarily out of work, had to take turns to work or lost their jobs as of mid-April.

Peoples reluctance to spend or congregate in public means many stores and shopping malls barely have customers.

Property consultancy Jones Lang La Salle said footfall at many malls and other retail centers in Ho Chi Minh City had declined by 80 percent year-on-year in February and March before the national distancing campaign forced many of them to shut down temporarily.

Last month 21 major retail and food and beverage businesses asked the government for tax breaks and discounts on electricity and water tariffs, pleading a slump in sales.

A survey by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry last month found out 82 percent of Vietnamese businesses have expected their revenues to fall over last year.

Nguyen Huong Thao, owner of a clothes store in Hanois Hoan Kiem District, decided to switch to cheaper cosmetic products after sales slumped due to the pandemic.

She is even thinking of selling one of her apartments if her income does not improve soon.

But even those who have not seen a drop in their incomes are uncertain about the future and so wary of spending.

A deserted store in a shopping mall on Saigon's Dong Khoi Street on March 16, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran.

Nguyen Thanh Luc, who works in the marketing industry in Saigons District 7, said: "Who knows if there will be another wave of infections in the future? We are living with the pandemic, so I should not be surprised if my company fires me as part of a mass layoff."

The young man has given up plans to buy new sneakers and is learning to "buy less takeout coffee every day" to save money.

"I refused to go on a trip to Da Lat with my friends during the recent national holiday. It helped me save several millions [of dong], and I am happy about that."

Even though Vietnam has been praised for its success in combating Covid-19, not many people in the country are optimistic about the future.

Many organizations have lowered their growth projections for the Vietnamese economy after the outbreak.

The Vietnam Institute for Economic and Policy Research said in a report last month that the GDP could shrink sharply in the second and third quarters before returning to growth in the last quarter if the pandemic lasts until the end of the year.

The economic downturn means people are cautious about a return to normalcy.

Nguyen Hong Minh, 32, a Saigon office worker who has stopped buying new clothes and having weekend brunches with her friends in the last few months, said: "My friends lost their jobs and I am afraid it could be me one day. I am careful with my money; saving is a must."

She has lost her second job as an English teacher, which has reduced her income by a third.

The International Labour Organization has forecast that up to 10.3 million people in Vietnam could be impacted by the pandemic, losing jobs or seeing their incomes decline in the second quarter of 2020.

Loan said: "I do not know how long this will last, but I know I am not ready to get back to my old shopping habits. Saving is the key now."

She has even learned to make cold brew coffee to take to work instead of buying takeout every morning.
Santa Clara Countys executive officer cautioned Tuesday against moving quickly to lift the shelter-in-place order.

The death toll in California is still going up at significant numbers, Dr. Jeffrey Smith told the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors Tuesday. A Times analysis showed that 495 coronavirus deaths were reported statewide in the seven-day period that ended on Sunday. While the weekly death toll represented a 9% decrease compared to the previous week, it also represented nearly one-quarter of the states death toll up to that point.

You can still see that its still gone up pretty significantly in recent times, Smith said. Theres a lot of talk in California about relaxing shelter-in-place [orders]. I just want to point out that were still, in California, going up dramatically. So theres no clinical evidence that shelter-in-place [orders] should be relaxed at this point.

Echoing statements by other medical experts, Smith said loosening up the stay-at-home orders will result in more infections and deaths.

With many states now significantly relaxing stay-at-home orders, Smith noted the University of Washingtons Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation is now forecasting a national death toll of more than 134,000 by early August, close to double the current total of 70,000. The institute now forecasts a California death toll of 4,700 by early August, also roughly double of Californias current number of more than 2,300.

Dr. George Rutherford, a UC San Francisco epidemiologist and infectious disease expert, said on KGO-TV that the institutes estimates so far have been spot-on.

Separately, a private projection by the Trump administration forecasts the daily death toll nationwide to rise to about 3,000 a day on June 1, the New York Times reported. The average daily death toll nationally last week was 1,800 fatalities a day.

Such a daily death toll would be staggering, Rutherford said. Just remember, 3,000 deaths per day is 90,000 deaths per month.

There were 56,000 Americans who died in Vietnam; 44,000 that died in the Korean War, and that was spread out over years, he said.

Relaxing shelter-in-place will cause new people to die, Smith said. Relaxation thats more rapid and more widespread will be more risky.

So far, Santa Clara County has joined five other Bay Area counties in implementing one of the nations strictest shelter-in-place orders, and has opted for an extremely slow loosening of the rules. While construction in L.A. County was never ordered halted, the Bay Area had put brakes on most construction, a restriction that was repealed in a new health order on Monday. The Bay Areas stay-at-home order has been extended to May 31.

Dr. Sara Cody, the Santa Clara County health officer, said the Bay Areas most populous county is seeing cases and hospitalizations flatten or decrease, and has ample hospital bed capacity. But the county still does not have an adequate supply of personal protective equipment, like masks, gowns and gloves, only one-fifth of the needed testing capacity, and needs to do more to increase the countys capability to investigate new illnesses.

When asked if the governors announcement about the statewide loosening of stay-at-home orders would affect the Bay Area, Cody said health officials were still seeking more specifics from the state as to whats allowed to be opened.

One elected official, Santa Clara County supervisor Mike Wasserman, expressed concern about the potential duration of the shelter-in-place order and said he hoped all small businesses  from barber shops to jewelry stores  can be allowed to reopen as soon as possible.

We cant shelter in place forever, Wasserman told health officials. We do know if we dont let more people go back to work sooner than later, our economy will effectively go on life support.

County officials asked for more patience, saying increasing testing and disease investigating capabilities are crucial before weakening stay-at-home orders further.

Were working really hard because we do know that many, many in our community are suffering from the economy and the social isolation of being at home. So I hear you loud and clear. And I am worried, too, Cody said.

Smith added that sticking with the shelter-in-place order longer the first time may end up being the better move, not only from a health perspective, but also from an economic one.

During the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, while Philadelphia moved too slowly to deal with rising flu outbreaks, St. Louis acted far more quickly, closing many public places swiftly, and, strangely enough, their economy came back faster than Philadelphia, Smith said.

A recent study found that cities that moved more aggressively to close down the city as the flu hit experienced a better economic recovery afterward. Its never an either-or, its always how do you accomplish both good goals. And weve got two good goals, Smith said.

Smith said this pandemic is one of only four worldwide in the past 102 years, and the only one in modern history caused by a coronavirus, a type of virus that until now has been associated with the common cold.

In just a matter of a few months, 256,000 people who have been infected with the coronavirus have died, while the 1957-58 flu pandemic killed 1.1 million people; the 1968 flu pandemic resulted in 1 million deaths and the 1918 pandemic resulted in 50 million dead worldwide.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
'More than 114 cases have been registered for spreading fake messages, rumours and fake news on WhatsApp.'

'People on various groups are reporting such crimes.'

'The most heartening development is people are now not tolerating such things.'

"We have issued advisories about how you should use social media platforms like WhatsApp, what you should do and what you should not do, what is right or wrong," Dr Balsing Rajput, Superintendent of Police, Maharashtra Cyber Cell, tells Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com in the concluding segment of a two-part interview.

Part 1: How cyber criminals cheat YOU

While the Maharashtra Cyber Cell has asked social media platforms to curb hate messages and fake news originating on their sites, what has been the response of these social media platforms especially Facebook, Whatsapp or Twitter from where lot of these hate messages or fake news seem to originate?

We have not only asked them to curb such activities, but also served them notice under Section 79 (3)(d) (of the Information Technology Act) that they should also take proper precautions to prevent these crimes. It is their duty, once notified, to stop such kind of offences.

Under section 79 (3)(d) are these companies criminally liable if they don't stop such activities originating on their platforms?

Yes. Before notifying them they are not liable but once you have sent notices to them they are liable.

To which companies have you sent these notices?

All. We have sent these notices [under Section 79 (3)(d)] to WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok.

But despite these notices, hate messages and fake news continue to originate on these platforms.

Our request to them is that once notified, they should at least take action against particular users.

Have they taken any action against such users?

They have taken action. But the pace and the speed at which they should take action, the sensitivity they should show (against such crimes), and the manner in which they should act, the time they take to act on that need to be improved. That is more important. It's their responsibility.

My only thing is that if Google, Facebook, WhatsApp or TikTok are coming out with innovative products, then sensitising people about how their products work, how they can prevent frauds, how their users can use these platforms in a secure way, when they are using their products and services is also their responsibility.

You just can't sell your products and services and run away from your responsibilities once there are repercussions.

If Google Pay or PayTM or any other company with a banking application is in the market, and if people are using these and getting defrauded, then you cannot say that it's not your responsibility, but it is the duty of law enforcement agencies to stop these frauds.

It is your product, and due to the security lapses in your product because of which the users are getting defrauded, then it is your duty to sensitise them, create security arrangements (to prevent frauds).

That responsibility is also with the platform.

How many ads have you seen on social media that create awareness about how to stop these frauds? Their job is not to spend the CSR money on their NGOs and their employees. They should pay more attention towards their users.

Are our IT and cyber laws powerful enough to discourage these violations by these tech companies?.

The IT Act was enacted in 2000 and then again amended in 2008. But then the disruptive technological curve and various applications that the cyber space are creating, we must undertake a complete revamp of these laws every two to three years or say five years.

Even though the basic infrastructure is the same, the way in which communication, transportation, transaction and services are being offered on various online platforms, we need more stringent, more inclusive laws in cyberspace, particularly for cyber security, data protection and cyber crime.

The laws we have at present are very good, but there are many provisions, which are inadequate and need to be improved and brought at par with the pace with the rapidly changing technological space and technological environment.

What constitutes hate messages and what are the punishments one can face for posting such messages online?

Hate messages are messages which create a divide between two societies or two communities or religions or the class of religions.

Creating rifts between societies or enmity between two communities can constitute hate message.

These messages are not new, but the only thing is that platform has changed from physical space to virtual space.

We need very stringent laws for fake news, rumour mongering, hate messages, misinformation campaigns, which are happening in the cyber space.

Talking about the murder of two sadhus and their drivers in Palghar district as they happened, some say, on the back of fake rumours on WhatsApp messages about criminals kidnapping children taking away their organs, etc, have you been tracing such rumours on WhatsApp?

We trace (the origin of) rumours not only on WhatsApp, but on other platforms also.

More than 114 cases have been registered for spreading fake messages, rumours and fake news on WhatsApp.

It is not that we use any kind of surveillance, but people report about these crimes. People on various groups are reporting such crimes.

The Maharashtra Cyber Cell has started a big awareness campaign on social media, particularly through our TikTok, Facebook and Twitter accounts. So we started making them aware.

We have more than 50 to 70 active accounts on different platforms. Through these accounts we started sensitising people and encourage them to report such activities to the police.

If you can't report it to the police, just upload them on cybercrime.gov.in platform.

The most heartening development is people are now not tolerating such things.

We are also monitoring social media platforms for hate messages, fake news and issuing advisories to the public.

We have issued advisories about how you should use social media platforms like WhatsApp, what you should do and what you should not do, what is right or wrong.

Under which sections can people be booked for crimes like spreading fake news, posting hate messages and how long does it take to prove such crimes in a court of law?

It requires the might and coordination of the entire criminal justice system to bring a criminal to justice in such crimes. It is a multi-agency, coordinated work.

When someone lodges a complaint, the police investigates the case, then in the courts the prosecutors and defence lawyers play their respective roles and then ultimately justice is dispensed by the judiciary using the law of the land.

Being such multi-agency work there are legal barriers, legal requirements, and all these efforts take time maybe from 30 days to 365 days, depending upon the complexity of the case.

We have laws from Section 65 to Section 74 (of the Information Technology Act 2000) under which people can be booked for cyber crimes. Sections of the IPC (Indian Penal Code), which can be invoked for booking a person for cyber crime include Section 505 for spreading fake news, Section 153A and Section 295 for creating rift or enmity between two communities.

And then for cyber bullying and sexual harassment or online extortion under various sub-sections of Section 354 can be invoked.

Then there are sections for spreading diseases during pandemic like section 269, 270, 271 and Section 54 under Disaster Management Act, 2005 (makes or circulates false alarms causing panic). So, there are many sections which can be used.

If a person is held guilty by a court of law for cyber crimes under these sections then he can get anywhere between three years to five years of punishment.

In the context of people getting sextortion threats for watching porn, is watching porn in India a crime?

Watching porn online in your personal space or in your bedroom or when you are alone is not a crime.

But watching, storing, transmitting, receiving or anything related to child pornography is a crime.

Regarding pornography, publishing pornography is a crime but watching it in your personal space, say your bedroom is not a crime.

But again, watching it in public space, showing it to others, transmitting it, publishing it or selling it is a crime.

Which sections of Indian population are most vulnerable to becoming the victims of cyber crimes and, most importantly, what would be your advice to them to protect themselves from being trapped by cyber criminals?

Since the enactment of IT Act in 2000, crimes related to financial loss, cheating or where money is involved have been increasing.

People who do not take precautions while shopping online, or doing financial transactions are most vulnerable to falling prey to cyber fraudsters.

A section of women and children are also vulnerable to online sexual harassment and bullying or pedophilia.

Having said that there is no ultimate solution, or a single pill, or a golden bullet to prevent cyber crimes from happening.

The only insurance against such crimes can be self-awareness and use of technological innovations that will prevent cyber criminals from breaching your privacy, stealing your data, or social engineer your personal data.

You should not divulge personal sensitive information.

You should not send pictures, videos that are in compromising position or will be used by criminals to extort money.

And you should know reasonable basic security practices when you are online.

If you are using smartphones, then you must know basic security features and how to use them to protect your data and identity online.

What I feel is that cyber hygiene is very important, along with awareness and sensitisation about a products vulnerability.
Many thousands of parents, students, educators, and childcare workers have opposed the Chilean governments push for face-to-face teaching during an expected peak of the coronavirus pandemic. The push by the ultra-right government of President Sebastian Pinera is in response to the deepening economic crisis and demands from the financial and corporate elite for immediate implementation of return-to-work measures irrespective of the health consequences. Education Minister Raul Figueroa and Health Minister Jaime Manalich have spearheaded the back-to-work drive.

In a deceitful diatribe last month, Manalich said he had opposed the closure of schools from the outset because it put children in harms way. We never wanted, we never shared as a health ministry the idea of closing the schools, never. And the evidence we now have accumulated shows that this was indeed a serious mistake, which left children without vaccination, without education, without food, without protection, he claimed.

This was nothing but a malicious attempt to browbeat parents to send their children back to school. The fact is that the entire administration has responded to the pandemic with criminal negligence and brazen lies, seeking from the beginning to downplay the dangers posed by the novel coronavirus. Manalich first argued that the virus would mutate into something like the regular flu. In early April, he falsely claimed that the number of infections had plateaued and Chile had reached its first peak. Today he is issuing COVID-19 immunity cards insisting that once infected, recovered patients cannot be reinfected, in complete disregard of the World Health Organizations warning to avoid categorical assertions on the as yet unknown impact of the virus.

People gather during an anti-government protest in Santiago, Chile, in October (AP Photo Rodrigo/Abd)

The public hospitals continue to be starved of critical equipment, PPE and personnel, while it has been revealed that some private hospitals have accepted no COVID-19 patients. New mechanical respiratory ventilators that the minister claimed were purchased in January have dwindled in the course of three months from 1,000, to 600 to 400 to 72 when they finally arrived last week.

As for Manalichs claims of concern, to date the majority of the countrys children have not been immunized for influenza because the health departments nationally ran out of vaccine earlier in April, while the hampers the government promised would feed every child per indigent family have proven to be as elusive as the ventilators.

Figueroa, contradicting Manalichs feigned alarm, issued his own malicious comment: Im constantly hearing from parents who feel that going back to school means putting their children at extreme risk. We know better, because children are not a risk factor for the virus.

But the Health Ministrys own partial and deficient figures reveal that well over 1,000 children and adolescents have contracted the virus and, moreover, are able to infect those mainly affected in Chile, 20- to 60-year olds, who combined make up 76.6 percent of the total confirmed cases, which since March 3 has rapidly ascended to 22,016 as of Tuesday. This working age group comprises 57 percent of those requiring hospitalization, including ICU care. The breakdown of the 275 people who have died is not available. Nor is it the actual figure of deceased, because as Manalich himself explained, he counts as recovered people who have reached 14 days since the diagnosis or who have unfortunately died. Such is the contempt for human life!

Teachers, students and parents have issued intense criticisms of Figueroas and Manalichs incendiary statements. Secondary student coordinating assembly leader Isidora Godoy said that secondary students would not return to classes while the number of infections continue to rise, explaining that the municipal schools dont have the minimal health measures. Winter is coming and we find classrooms that leak, dirty bathrooms, among other things.

Silvia Silva, head of childcare workers, insisted that from day one we made a categorical call to [childcare] workers not to show up at their workplaces. We have been insistentthat neither voluntary nor of any type of work will continue since our service is tremendously sensitive.

Luciana Cortes, a teacher in the Commune of Pedro Aguirre Cerda, and one of many who have voiced their opposition online, said, We believe that today the government has not provided the necessary conditions to sanitize our schools.  I call on education workers, assistants, parents, students and teachers, to say that on the 27th or when the government wants to start teaching, we will not return to class.

Online classes were initiated in March, but as with every other aspect of social life, it has revealed how stratified Chilean society is: 44 percent of households do not have a fixed Internet connection, 170 communes of the country, representing over 77,000 people, have no Internet access, and only 30 percent of the population have adequate access to the Internet. A television channel was launched to provide educational resources.

Five hundred teachers were laid off at the end of last year, and hundreds more were dismissed before the beginning of first term by Socialist, Stalinist-Communist, pseudo-left and right-wing mayors alike. It is part of the massive job destruction that continues unimpeded. Four hundred thousand workers were made redundant between February and March, many of whom received no compensation for years of service. Following the enactment of a law permitting employers to furlough workers due to the pandemic, another 56,986 companies took advantage of the new law affecting 800,000 jobs in the second week of April.

Moves are now afoot to slash salaries, including those of education workers whose incomes start at a meager US$900 per month for a 44-hour shift, with rent taking more than half their earnings at an average of US$580.

Evelyn Matthei, the particularly repugnant Providencia mayor from the ultra-right Union Democratica Independiente (UDI), who appears on TV ad nauseam, declared, The question is, are we going to be able to continue paying [teachers], because I want to tell you that I am not making it to the end of the year in the municipality, I am cutting everyones salary, everyone.

A generals daughter, she succinctly summarized the Chilean ruling classs attitude towards the working class and the education of its children: Lets see, first of all, half the matter is useless. I was a teacher for a whole year, half of the subject spent in mathematics is pure rubbish, it will never be useful to them again in their lives, why do children have to learn to make logarithms, has anyone ever used logarithms?

The coronavirus has exposed a profound crisis in every social area. While the conditions of everyday life were always precarious, today they are becoming unbearable. The Chilean state does not guarantee the right to health, education, social services, housing, financial security, pensions or any other social necessity because it has all been placed in the hands of major domestic and transnational corporations and conglomerates.

The population at large has been left to fend for itself under the auspices of the free market. The results can be seen in the latest indices on social inequality: the richest 1 percent in Chile concentrates in its hands 33 percent of the national income; 70 percent of workers earn less than US$660 per month, 70 percent of retirees receive a pension of less than US$330, 11.5 million people are in debt, and 4.7 million are in arrears.

Where the state has intervened, its been to transfer the public wealth to the banking and corporate elite. Aside from beefing up the repressive institutions, one of the first measures Pinera implemented in response to the pandemic was a US$12 billion package, consisting largely of the capitalization of the State Bank to increase liquidity and implementing tax exemptions in which the greatest beneficiaries were large and medium-sized companies. Further measures were announced in the second week of April to ostensibly guarantee liquidity to SMEs in the form of zero-interest loans guaranteed by the state, but in which again large companies took the lions share.

With regards to the more than 1.2 million recently laid off, the support system that Pinera enacted with the approval of Congress, the so-called severance insurance, rests on the unemployed accessing funds they were forced to accumulate in individual accounts while employed, with a negligible contribution from the state. As for the 2.6 million-strong informal sector of street vendors and super-exploited laborers without contracts, virtually no assistance has been forthcoming. A much-vaunted stimulus package to assist this precarious sector hardest hit by quarantining measures and social distancing policies, consisted of a one-off payment of US$60, enough to continue starving in shantytowns or on the streets as the coronavirus reaches its peak this winter.

It is significant therefore that students, teachers, lecturers, education and childcare staff, and other sections of working class across Chile rebuffed the Education Ministrys orders to reopen the schools this past April 27. The impasse demonstrates that the entire political establishment is devoid of legitimacy in the eyes of millions and its every decision is perceived with extreme hostility and deep suspicion. With regard to opening schools, the government was obliged to do a volte face, but it is still pushing for a return to onsite work.

The response also reveals that the unprecedented mass demonstrations that erupted in October of last year have since evolved and include ever-wider sections of the working class, not only in the form of strikes and rallies, but in local actions and initiatives that aim to protect the safety of communities from the spread of the coronavirus. In fact, demonstrations continue to break out throughout the country under quarantine and curfews enforced by the notorious Carabinero police and the military.

May 1 saw the Carabineros carry out the violent arrests of protesters, beating and rounding up leaders of the CUT union federation, human rights lawyers and members of both the domestic and international media, including CNN Chile, Prensa Latina, and Telesur. In an earlier incident that recalled the worst days of the military dictatorship, two Carabineros driving an unmarked vehicle opened fire on an April 27 demonstration in the Santiago neighborhood of La Florida, wounding 10.

As social tensions mount, there is growing opposition to the official Chilean left made up of the Socialist Party, the Stalinist Communist Party (PCCh) and their pseudo-left satellites, who in their positions as mayors, deputies, senators and union leaders have been instrumental in imposing government policies.

One teacher, Raul Nunez Browton, raised sharp criticisms of the teachers union which had not taken into account the rank and file at all. Issues such as the reduction of classroom sizes, the governments refusal to pay retired teachers their entitlements for two years running and the historical debt owed to teachers who were persecuted under the 17-year military dictatorship, the lack of tenure, and the precariousness of contracted labornone of these pressing issues had been dealt with by the union leadership.

We also have to remember that so many mayors like Recoletas [PCCh mayor] and many others that are now playing the good guys, these mayors are the ones who have blacklisted and persecuted teacherstheir parties such as the PS, the PCCh voted against workers with the [furlough] law that clearly favored big business.
D octors at the London hospital at the centre of the coronavirus outbreak today told how they rapidly came up with innovative solutions when it ran out of vital life-saving equipment.

Medics at Northwick Park in Harrow had the idea of using mobile kidney dialysis machines  normally used by patients at home  in intensive care after being inundated with an unimaginable number of critically ill patients.

Problems were exacerbated by a national shortage of parts for their hospital machines  the plastic piping that circulates the blood and the fluid that removes the toxins from it.

At one stage, doctors had to send a taxi on a 40-mile round trip to St Helier Hospital, near Sutton, to obtain extra supplies. Kidney failure has been one of the biggest problems in the most seriously ill Covid-19 patients.

This is believed partly to be a consequence of the need to minimise a patients fluid intake to reduce the stress on their lungs. Up to a third of patients admitted to critical care have needed dialysis.

When Northwick Park ran out of in-hospital dialysis machines, doctors decided to use the more basic devices used by patients to treat themselves at home  believed to be the first time a UK hospital has done this.

They first used several NX Stage machines that are normally used to train patients, and then bought three more.

They now have 14 dialysis machines for 48 ICU beds.

Tariq Husain, clinical lead for intensive care at Northwick Park, said: There is always opportunity in crisis and the number of patients requiring intensive care and their illness severity was previously unimaginable... If you cant dialyze someone who needs dialysis, then they get worse and they die.

Doctors worked with colleagues at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs a large renal unit at Northwick Park, to source the machines.

Dr Husain said: With the shortage of the machines and the fluid and the circuits, we tried to think of another way of offering people dialysis.

What normally happens is that patients get trained how to use them  people on long-term dialysis who start off coming into the hospital three times a week. When its felt theyre able to use these machines, they get given one to use at home. We had some spare machines. We started off by using the training ones then we bought three from the manufacturer.

London North West Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs Northwick Park, Ealing and Central Middlesex hospitals, has suffered 530 coronavirus deaths  the highest toll in the capital and the second highest in the country.

More than 260 Covid patients have been treated in Northwick Parks intensive care unit since mid-March. Normally it has 800 patients a year. The trust serves deprived communities in Brent, Ealing and Harrow where there is a high prevalence of diabetes, obesity and heart disease  all risk factors for Covid-19.

The at home machines do not require replacement pipes or special fluid and operate more quickly than hospital machines, meaning they can be used on several patients a day.

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Dr Husain said the pressure on the unit had fallen in recent days, in line with a sharp fall in Londoners requiring hospital treatment for the virus  there are now fewer than 2,000 inpatients across the capital with Covid-19.

Dr Neill Duncan, a renal consultant at Imperial, said: One of the positives that has come out of this crisis is just how quickly and effectively everyone has come together to come up with a smart alternative solution.
WASHINGTON  A Koch-backed super PAC is planning an unprecedented push into Texas in 2020, throwing its support behind a slew of mostly Republican candidates and expecting to spend millions as Democrats also commit more resources to the state ahead of November elections.

Americans For Prosperity Action, a super PAC affiliated with the nonprofit funded by billionaire Charles Koch that has long supported conservative causes. It announced Wednesday its plans to spend heavily to support Republicans in three key congressional races in the suburbs of Houston, San Antonio and Dallas. The group also plans to spend seven figures defending U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, for whom it has already spent more than $700,000 on ads, as Democrats try to win their first statewide race in a generation. And its supporting a dozen Republicans  and one Democrat  in state House races.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

Texas has led the nation in advancing smart on crime, soft on taxpayers criminal justice reforms, cutting taxes on hardworking families, and innovating to ensure more Texans have access to quality, affordable health care, said Mack Morris, a senior adviser for Americans for Prosperity.

The group says it has never spent this much money in Texas. In 2018, it spent $68,000 supporting one candidate: U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, a West Texas Republican. As of Wednesday, the group was actively engaged in more races in Texas than any other state in the nation.

The Koch money comes as national groups aligned with Democrats have started pouring millions into Texas in an effort to capitalize on momentum gained in the 2018 midterm elections. Though the PAC plans to spend heavily on Republican candidates in Texas, the state is home to some of the first Democrats the group has supported.

GUN SAFETY SPENDING: Texas is the big target for gun safety group planning $8M campaign

We know we must continue to build broad-based policy coalitions  not focus on partisan majorities  in order to continue leading, Morris said. Thats why were focused on robustly supporting lawmakers and candidates that will be leaders in Austin and in Washington to keep advancing policies that make it easier for Texans to pursue their American dream.

All that attention marks a big shift for GOP-dominated Texas, which for decades has seen political dollars leaving the state, rather than coming in, as competitive races were rare.

Now, national money is flowing to a slew of Democratic candidates, including congressional candidates Wendy Davis, a former state senator, and Gina Ortiz Jones, as well as incumbent freshmen Democratic Reps. Lizzie Fletcher and Colin Allred. But Republican candidates are also benefiting from the states new reputation as a battleground  both by collecting checks from out of state and by keeping Texas Republican money here instead of watching it being exported to fuel campaigns across the nation.

The national spending includes more than $8 million that gun violence prevention groups say theyre planning to put into races, as well as hundreds of thousands from the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, a Washington-based group headed by former Obama administration attorney general Eric Holder aiming to seize the nine seats needed to take back the Texas House.

The Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC dedicated to winning a Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, plans to spend at least $3 million on ads in Houston. And the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has an office in Austin and a list of seven newly targeted districts across the state where it is likely to spend, as well.

DEMOCRAT SPENDING: National money flows into Texas for 2020 Democrats

Americans For Prosperity Action says it plans robust spending in three of those races: U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, a Central Texas Republican facing a challenge Davis; Wesley Hunt, an Army veteran challenging Fletcher in the west Houston suburbs; and Genevieve Collins, a Dallas business executive running against Allred.

That support will include ads, direct mail and efforts to reach voters through text messages, phone calls and virtual events.

The group says it has already spent more than $700,000 supporting Cornyn. It plans to run digital ads supporting the Texas Republican constantly through the election, as well as larger ad buys, such as $500,000 it spent on ads just after Super Tuesday.

While the group is mostly throwing its support behind Republicans, it is backing one Democrat this cycle: Longtime state Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., locked in an unexpected runoff to hold onto his Brownsville district against Sara Stapleton Barrera, who ran at him from the left.

Earlier this year, the PAC spent thousands defending South Texas U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar  the first Democrat it had ever supported in a federal race  in a tight primary race against progressive Jessica Cisneros.

ben.wermund@chron.com
The coronavirus criss has prompted a lot of giving and generosity on the part of the powerful and even the economically battered. The federal stimulus checks, for instance, were tax-free. Gyms are rebating membership fees. Some landlords are permitting a skipping of rent. Some local city councils are banning evictions. Auto insurance companies are giving their customers rebates. Credit card companies are giving laid off workers breaks. Restaurants are donating meals. It's a season of flexibility.

But then there's Andrew Cuomo, the New York governor with the tinnest ear in politics -- and zero gratitude:

NEW YORK  Health care workers that came to New York to help fight the coronavirus pandemic at its epicenter will have to pay state taxes, according to the governor. He addressed the issues Tuesday at a news conference. "We're not in a position to provide any subsidies right now because we have a $13 billion deficit," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. "So there's a lot of good things I'd like to do, and if we get federal funding, we can do, but it would be irresponsible for me to sit here looking at a $13 billion deficit and say I'm gonna spend more money, when I can't even pay the essential services." Even though the state government asked thousands of people to come to New York from out of state to help fight coronavirus, they will have to pay New York state taxes, even on income they might make from their home states that they're paid while in New York.

Hear that? Volunteer to help in New York, get socked for New York state taxes, and rest assured, those taxes are big. For some workers, that might mean paying taxes in two states for the 'privilege' of putting your life on the line with the coronavirus.

Cuomo claims that previous obligations and obviously, the state economic shutdown based on the pandemic, are why he won't give these workers a break.

Which is a heck of an incentive to volunteers in an emergency situation. If anyone deserves a break in such circumstances, it's emergency workers who fly in from other states and put their lives on the line to help save New York. In New York's state legislature, there is currently a bill on the table from Republicans, calling allowing volunteers who are being paid elsewhere to avoid state taxes, but thus far, it's gone nowhere . A previous bill from 2019, for fightfighters and first responder volunteers from the outside to be tax exempt is similarly sitting on the state senate floor, too, also going nowhere.

And now Cuomo of all people, is suddenly concerned about fiscal discipline.

So instead of cut bloated teacher pensions or force bureaucrats to retire at 65 like the rest of us, Cuomo complains about not having enough money for 'subsidies' (a heckuva insult given that the money in question was the workers' own money) for people who bailed out his state with their volunteering. He's citing his state's $13 billion deficit, and now he is effectively holding these workers' well deserved tax exemption hostage to the federal government, telling it to pay up with a bailout or else he sticks it to the first responders.

He was happy to take their labor, he was happy they saved New Yorkers' lives (or so one hopes), but he sure as heck wants them to shell out and at higher rates than any other state they could possibly live in, (and quite possibly to two states) because of his state's mismanaged finances.

Word tends to get out when stiffings like this happen.
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Competition with China has drawn more Pentagon resources to the Pacific, but the most visible U.S. military presence there...
The global lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic could prove to be a real test for those in a relationship. While it is bringing some couples closer together, it is taking a toll on others. Giorgia Andriani, who is quarantining with her boyfriend Arbaaz Khan in Mumbai, said that their relationship has not undergone much of a change.

When asked if she got to know Arbaaz better during the lockdown, Giorgia told Bollywood Hungama in an interview, We have already spent a lot of time together in the past so I had already known him very well.

For many months, there have been whispers about Arbaaz and Giorgia planning to take their relationship to the next level and get married. However, she is unfazed by the rumours.

People may assume whatever they want. But I am quite serene as a person, so if and when that (marriage with Arbaaz) will happen, I would definitely let everybody know. I dont have any problem with that. In the meantime, they can think whatever they want. I dont own anybodys mind, she said.

Also see: Athiya Shetty crops out KL Rahul from throwback pic, writes feels like a dream ago

Recently, Giorgia shared a video in which she was seen shaving off Arbaazs stubble, while he was asleep. She is in Mumbai during the lockdown, while her family is back home in Italy, which is one of the countries worst hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

Arbaaz found love in Giorgia after his marriage of 18 years with Malaika Arora ended. The two got divorced in 2017.

In a recent interview, Giorgia said that she was drawn to Arbaaz for his ability to make her laugh. Arbaazs positivity keeps me going. He keeps me balanced. I live in my fairytale world while he lives in reality and gets me back to the real world (laughs). I like his laughter. Its his humour that binds us together. We have a lot of fun all the time; we are always laughing and cracking jokes, she said.

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Firms are being forced to shed jobs, adding to the already near-record high unemployment rate.

New Delhi, India: The coronavirus pandemic has forced Ashutosh Jatia to make a decision he had been putting off for years: whether to replace workers at his factory in the Indian capital making electrical insulators with machines.

He fears a future in which a prolonged pandemic leads to a shortage of labour and higher running costs due to the need for more sanitisation, he tells Al Jazeera.

Cheap labour, which had so far given his business an edge by helping to keep costs down, now seems to have turned into a liability due to the same labour being prone to viral diseases, says Jatia. His solution: reduce the use of manual labour.

The virus is forcing many businesses around the world to make uncomfortable choices about their workforce. But mass layoffs in India could end up damaging what was already a deeply flawed labour market. The International Labor Organization estimates that more than 90 percent of jobs are in the so-called informal sector, comprising low-paid work with few if any benefits such as paid leave, healthcare or even formal contracts.

India, once the fastest-growing major economy, was already seeing its slowest pace of economic growth in a decade before the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, which has dealt a further blow to its economy and, in turn, to peoples ability to find jobs.

The country imposed a lockdown on March 25, the largest and toughest in the world, which, after an initial period of three weeks, has been extended until May 17.

Only the movement of essential goods and a handful of sectors like agriculture are allowed to operate, except for a partial lifting of restrictions in the least-affected areas.

The moves have had a dramatic impact on jobs, while economists revise down their economic growth estimates as the lockdown continues.

In a report released on April 7, before the extension of the lockdown was announced, Goldman Sachs predicted that Indias economy in the current financial year, which ends next March, would grow by 1.6 percent, down from an earlier expectation of 3.3 percent.

That would make it Indias worst slowdown since the 1970s, Goldman said.

The nationwide shutdown, and rising public anxiety about the virus, are likely to lead to a sharp deterioration in economic activity, the report said.

A week later, banking and investment firm Barclays had an even more dire prediction when it cut the countrys economic growth rate to flat in the current calendar year which ends in December, down from an earlier expectation of 2.5 percent.

For the current financial year, it now predicts the economy will grow by just 0.8 percent, from its earlier 3.5 percent projection.

Indias business owners expect to minimise the use of labour in manufacturing as the coronavirus pandemic forced the country into a nationwide lockdown and exacerbated health concerns [File: Amit Dave/Reuters]

Life in the slow lane

Life will not be the same in the post-COVID-19 world, says Sunil Sinha, principal economist at India Ratings, a unit of United States-based rating agency Fitch.

Unlike any other recession or episode, getting back to work wasnt so difficult, and you wouldnt fear any threat to your life. It was a question of whether enterprise opened and hired you, Sinha told Al Jazeera.

In the face of the unprecedented viral outbreak, mounting corporate losses, and the lockdown, companies large and small, from Jatias CJI Porcelain Pvt Ltd all the way up to information technology services giant Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), are rethinking their long-term business and employment strategies.

TCS is planning to significantly reduce the amount of time its employees spend in the office, chief operating officer NG Subramaniam said in comments last month after the release of its latest earnings.

After the initial three-week lockdown period, the company realised that we dont believe that every employee needs to be present all the time in our offices. I think it is sufficient that they spend 25 percent of their time in our offices, Subramaniam said. More importantly, the company no longer believes that it needs more than 25 percent of its workforce in the office at any given time, he said.

Before the lockdown, Indian IT companies had limited the number of days their employees could work from home. But a shift towards more remote working could have enormous implications, not only for the IT sector, but on many associated industries, and also for real estate and transportation.

Everyone will be more frugal because no one is sure of the future, Madan Sabnavis, chief economist at CARE Ratings, told Al Jazeera. When another shock comes in, they want to be prepared.

Move towards technology

Manufacturing companies typically use what is known as just-in-time methods  where raw materials and components are delivered immediately before they are required, saving companies storage costs and capital tied up in large amounts of inventory.

That strategy will likely change, says Sabnavis. Many companies globally were stung by dwindling supplies of components as suppliers were forced to shut down to control the spread of the virus.

Another change he expects is an increase in the use of technology to increase efficiency, including by small and medium-sized companies like Jatias.

Everyone will have to move towards technology, Sabnavis. People will try to minimize the use of labour as much as possible.

Ajay Sanghi agrees. Sanghis Jaipur-based Shri Krsna Group makes electrical transformers. While there is not much he can do to alter the firms end products or the supply chain that brings in components, he is looking at streamlining many other functions, such as receiving orders, purchasing inventory, accounts and sales reviews, among others.

All these things use up a lot of manpower, Sanghi told Al Jazeera. Now that we are working from home, theres more multi-tasking.

That trend will become more pronounced as he reopens his business with 15 people in the office who will have to take care of most tasks, as opposed to the usual staff strength of 150.

We used to have specialists for everything, and now theyll have to be all-rounders and deal with everything, Sanghi said.

To survive in the medium and near term, all of us are forced to reduce our overheads.

For some companies, the rapid shift by clients and suppliers towards meeting online rather than physically travelling for appointments has been something of a blessing.

Harish Agarwal, whose Kolkata-based firm Supreme & Co makes products for the transmission and distribution of electricity as well as for the telecom sector, says the fact that more people are working from home is making it easier for him to reach his clients, current and prospective.

People have learned to engage more effectively over video calls than they did earlier, Agarwal told Al Jazeera.

He also plans to exploit untapped markets  countries that until now have been either too far, too small or difficult to penetrate.

We are seriously exploring these, he said.

Harish Agarwal, who runs Supreme & Co in Kolkata, plans to go to untapped markets [Arjun Agarwal/Al Jazeera]

A grim situation

But as companies try to adapt to the challenges of the post-COVID world, many economists fear how those changes will affect employment.

Indias decades-high unemployment rate  even before the pandemic  skyrocketed from 7.8 percent in February to nearly 24 percent in the first three weeks of the lockdown, according to the Center for Monitoring Indian Economy.

That further shot up to 26 percent in the week ending April 19 before declining to 21 percent in the following week as the government lifted the lockdown in some of the rural pockets and allowed a limited resumption of work, CMIE managing director Mahesh Vyas told Al Jazeera.

With at least 10 million people joining the workforce every year and having a tough time finding jobs, unemployment has been a major challenge in India, even while the economy was growing at a healthy clip, said Sinha.

But as job seekers hit the economy while growth screeches to a halt, the country is looking at a grim situation, said Sinha.

So far, apart from a $22.6bn stimulus plan announced in March to provide direct cash transfers and food security measures to the millions affected by the lockdown, the government has not offered any other financial packages or support to individuals or companies. And it is not clear if there is one in the offing.

What game plan do they have? What game plan have we had all these years? asked Sinha. We have just been banking on the economy growing and absorbing some of the job seekers. With that gone, its a very difficult situation.
the process to the murder of Walter Lubcke begins When on this Tuesday morning in Frankfurt at 10 am, then it is important, even if it is difficult for many may be to focus on the core of what it is. A politician died because he stood up for the refugees. He was killed in his home with a shot to the head. Responsible for two extreme Right-wing are to the satisfaction of the office of the attorney General, the Lubcke as a symbolic figure saw for an odious development that they wanted to fight. The Federal court of justice saw it so far in his decisions.

As always in such processes, the hustle and bustle and distraction that take place all around and also in front of the courtroom, no Stop to be a lot of attention to themselves. Just to the first process days it's often a matter of interpretation. Images that are generated. Feelings to be conveyed. Sometimes those seem to get the biggest stage, the loudest or the most spectacular actions will bring, All this is true, it is in this process to observe the start and to classify it.

Out of sight

lost Who is looking but with some distance to the murder of Walter Lubcke and the possible failures of the Hessian Constitution protection, the one thing is clear: Right-wing networks are in Germany a reality. They are dangerous and ready to strike. With the NSU process a lot of hope for enlightenment and Reform was associated. However, the case Lubcke shows how far the way is and how much stronger efforts need to be, with the help of which the scene is observed. The state has lost Stephan E., and Markus H. from the eyes. He thought them to be harmless or at least not taken seriously enough. That's about it.

It is now but not alone at the top of the land court to clear this up and to draw the consequences. To make such a, is not the task of judges. Your contribution is, the case, to penetrate and to speak a sentence. Sure misconduct of the constitutional protection will come to the language. But no one should believe that the decision on the guilt of the accused anything done would be. The real challenge then: To prevent the back out of hatred and incitement to murder is.

Updated Date: 16 June 2020, 23:19
Some members of the Special Pathogens Team at Milton S. Hershey Medical Center have undergone five years of training and preparation in the event of an outbreak like the novel coronavirus.

Three of the team members who participated in a webinar on Tuesday said the only area not practiced in-depth was the emotional component. During the webinar, they explained what its like to be working on the frontlines fighting COVID-19. Despite sacrificing their own lives, each of them said they are happy to take care of people.

"Its been tough, said Dr. Fahad Khalid, chief of division of hospital medicine at Hershey Medical Center. We all went into healthcare because we care about taking care of people.

The pandemics intensity has caused a mix of emotions, from feelings of exhaustion to feelings of extreme satisfaction, he said. Two patients have died from COVID-19 at the center, and 76 patients have been discharged to date.

"We were not overrun, Khalid said. I think we owe a debt of gratitude to the community for social distancing. We were able to take care of patients without being overburdened.

Another large part of patient recovery is the preparedness plan that Hershey had been practicing.

Kimberly Pierre, coordinator of highly infectious disease preparedness at Hershey Medical Center, said she started keeping a keen eye on the supply chain in January. She said she wanted to ensure the center was fully equipped.

Since everyone was going to be pulling from the same resources, Pierre said she proactively made sure there was enough personal protective equipment  gloves, safety glasses and shoes, earplugs, respirators  to alcohol swabs before coronavirus hit central Pennsylvania in March.

"We havent reached a point of being unsafe, Pierre said.

The standard for disinfecting is at its highest, and the bar for working together as a team has been raised, she said. Handwashing is frequent.

"In a short time, weve learned what we can do better, Pierre said. "If we have to deal with another pandemic, were stocking certain supplies.

Additionally, she said available space in the hospital is being maximized and training continues for any new volunteers.

There could be another wave of the coronavirus this fall, Khalid said. Thats when he said he expects to find out how well Pennsylvania did with managing the outbreak.

"There could be a sharp increase in the fall, he said. "We have those discussions on a daily basis.

Once a patient is in recovery, generally the fever fades first, followed by the cough and then oxygen levels improve, Khalid said. When discharged, some patients have to continue the use of oxygen at home; others are required to have physical therapy at home or some have to go to a rehabilitation facility.

To get to that point, the Special Pathogens Team has spent countless hours supporting one another sharing knowledge from each persons respective area of expertise  and the patient, said Martha Jansen, a registered nurse at Hershey Medical Center.

"Administration has asked us, What do you want to do? she said. "Weve been able to change our policies based on how this virus has been impacting us. Weve become well-versed in special pathogens. We have all grown in that, working toward developing a cure plan that works well.

Evidence-based practices are being used, Jansen said. And when something isnt working, then the staff makes slight tweaks in order to protect as many people as possible.

When the threat of contracting the coronavirus increased, Hershey Medical Center changed its visitation policy, which stopped allowing visitors. Staff also began limiting spending time in patients rooms.

Watching a patients condition rapidly deteriorate is the hardest part, Jansen said, especially when the staff knows their family cannot be nearby.

"We have patients who are away from their families and we cant do visitors, she said. Theres a sadness they cant get in touch with their loved ones.

"Emotional support is something the nursing staff cares deeply about, Jansen said. Their only hope is to get a patient "home as soon as they can. Patient interaction is strongly anchored in trying to keep them calm to understand whats going on.

"Patients ask questions like what are all these wires? she explained. 'What is this equipment'? What is this medicine youre giving me? We have to teach them about breathing exercises.

Medical staff and volunteers are also learning, specifically how to put on and take off their safety gear, and why that matters. Seven weeks into the pandemic, the Special Pathogens Team said the cooperation among staff has gelled.

"Im pretty fortunate to be apart of that, Jansen said. We work together to make sure people are safe.

In spite of all the hardship that coronavirus has caused, the Special Pathogens Team said the journey so far has really been a celebration of family. And, when a person survives, there are unstoppable tears of joy watching someone depart after being admitted for 30 to 35 days.

"Weve been lucky, said Khalid. We were able to provide exceptional care. Its all that hard work.

More:

Top Pa. health official says state wont supply masks, other protective equipment to hospitals that resume elective surgeries

33-page study says new coronavirus strain spreads faster and is more contagious
This story moved us deeply when we first published it, in 2014. We're revisiting it for National Nurse's Day, to celebrate the men and women who make sacrifices to care for all of us.

When doctors told Tricia Somers that her cancer had spread, she turned to her nurse with an urgent question: "Can you raise my son if I die? If the cancer takes me, can you take my son?"

The two women had known each other for just a few weeks, but had formed a bond that would change both their lives. They first crossed paths in the spring at the Community General Hospital in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Somers, 40, had started feeling stomach pain, so doctors ordered a CT scan, which revealed spots on her liver and a tumor in her abdomen. It turned out to be epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, a very rare vascular cancer.

Wesley and his mom, Tricia Somers, share a happy moment on the beach. (Tricia Somers)

Somers immediately thought about her 8-year-old son Wesley. She was a single mom, with no family who could take care of him if the worst happened. Her parents were both dead and her only sibling lived out of state. So did Wesleys father, who was not a big presence in the boys life, she said.

Somers was in pain again and hospitalized in March. Tricia Seaman, an oncology nurse, walked in one night, introduced herself and told her patient it would be easy to remember her first name since it was the same as hers.

Wesley and his mom moved in with the Seamans in May.

I remember when she came into the room, it was just an overwhelming feeling I had over me. Its really hardto understand  it was just a warmth, Somers said. I felt calm, I felt at peace, I felt like this woman is going to be the one whos going to take care of me.

As the two Tricias chatted, Somers talked about her son Wesley, while Seaman noticed she was frequently on the phone trying to make sure the boy was taken care of. It was clear Somers didnt have many people in the area to help, the soft-spoken nurse recalled.

I felt very sorry for her because I could see her situation was quite serious and also it had to be completely overwhelming knowing you had a little boy and you were in the hospital, Seaman said.

Story continues

Tricia Seaman, left, agreed to become the guardian of her patient Tricia Somers' son when Somers loses her battle with cancer.

She was not assigned to Somers after that night, but she kept checking in on her whenever she was at work and they always chatted for a few minutes. On the day she was discharged, Somers told the nurse that her test results came back and they were not good. The cancer had spread to her abdomen wall.

She said, Im really glad you stopped by because I have something I need to ask you, Seaman, 45, recalled. She said, If I die, will you raise my son?

Tricia Seaman and her husband Dan pose with Wesley.

Seaman, a mom of three teenage girls and a 10-year-old boy, talked it over with her husband. It seemed like fate: The couple had been thinking about adopting a child and they were approved to become foster parents last fall, just as Somers was diagnosed with cancer. Their son Noah was feeling outnumbered by his sisters and the family was ready to welcome another boy.

We need to try to help this woman, Seaman recalled her husband Dan saying. We just need to follow whatever it is God wants us to do here.

Somers and Wesley visited the family at Easter, and then again on Mothers Day. In May, she began receiving chemotherapy and was having a tough time: She was disoriented, dehydrated and her legs were so swollen she could hardly walk. Doctors told her she couldnt go home by herself any more, so she asked the Seamans to take in her son right then. The Seamans invited both of them to move in with them.

The two families have been living together ever since. Doctors told Somers she had as little as a few weeks left to live, but surrounded by the warmth and care of the Seamans, shes gotten stronger.

Shes just being loved by a family and shes a part of a family, and that makes a huge difference, Seaman said.

Ultimately, this family has saved my life because I was told in May that I may have a month, and Im still here, Somers added.

Meanwhile, the children have bonded. Wesley and Noah love all the same things: Legos, Marvel superheroes and Xbox, Seaman said. The boys sleep in bunk beds in Noahs room and have become inseparable, Somers added. Wesley, an only child, loves the siblings he never had before.

Noah Seaman and Wesley Somers have become inseparable, their moms say.

The Seamans have made arrangements to become Wesleys legal guardians when Somers dies.

My son is well aware that when I pass on, he is welcome to stay here. And he knows that Dan and Tricia will be his guardians. Theyve explained to him that theyll never be mommy and daddy, but theyre sure going to try to be close, Somers said.

Theyve answered my prayers. Its wonderful, its absolutely wonderful.

This article was originally published in 2014.
Testing on an experimental COVID-19 vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 has begun in the United States.

BNT162, as the vaccine is called by its maker and one of the biggest pharmaceutical biotech companies Pfizer, was administered to the first US citizen on Tuesday.

Reuters (for representation only)

Having advanced from preclinical studies for the vaccine to its human testing within a span of four months, Pfizer Chairman and CEO Albert Bourla calls the achievement extraordinary.



This is not the first time that the BNT162 is being administered to humans. Human trials for the potential COVID-19 vaccine began in Germany towards the end of April.

That is also because Pfizers partner in the development of the vaccine is BioNTech, a German biotechnology major. Both the firms signed a letter of intent for the collaboration in March.

Pfizer COVID 19 Vaccine

For now, the experimental vaccine is being administered to adults aged 18 to 55. Post the first stage, it will be tested upon older groups. The company anticipates to test up to 360 people for the trial.



Since it is a vaccine, the purpose of BNT162 is to generate antigens in a human body that are required for an immunity against COVID-19. It does so through a genetic material inside it, called messenger RNA, or mRNA. mRNA is a genetic code that helps cells produce the right protein, in this case, antigens against SARS-CoV-2.

Within the US, human trials for the vaccine are being conducted at 2 sites, while 3 others will begin enrollment shortly, as per Pfizer.

Reuters

Once the vaccine is approved for use against the novel Coronavirus, Pfizer aims to produce millions of vaccines within this year. By next year, this would be increased to hundreds of millions, as Pfizers chief scientific officer, Dr. Mikael Dolsten, told CNBC last month.

Note that this is not the only vaccine to have entered human trials. As per WHO, at least eight vaccines are already in human trials. Italian firm Takis was recently claimed to have has developed world's first COVID-19 vaccine. Whether true or not, all the signs indicate that the world might be very soon to getting the first vaccine against the dreaded virus.
Shayla B. - Yelp

Napa restaurant Fume Bistro reopened for dine-in service this week, despite the county's shelter-in-place order. Owner Terry Letson put up a "Come On In" sign, moved tables six feet apart, started taking staff temperature checks, and began serving customers. Masks are not required for employees or customers.

On Tuesday, Napa County inspectors reportedly stopped by. When Letson told them he refused to stop serving patrons inside, they told him they would return with a restraining order as early as Wednesday, according to KTVU.
A Bergen County man was arrested Tuesday and charged with sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13, authorities said.

Steven Cabrera, 19, of Wood-Ridge was arrested after police received a complaint that the child had been assaulted, according to Prosecutor Mark Musella.

Wood-Ridge police and investigators with the countys Special Victims Unit investigated the complaint, which was received earlier in the day, before arresting Cabrera at his apartment, Musella said.

Cabrera was charged with first-degree aggravated assault, second-degree assault by sexual contact and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child. He was held in the Bergen County Jail ahead of a May 18 court hearing.

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Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com.
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh

Pegging the April revenue shortfall for Punjab at 88 percent, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said with all tax revenues dried up and only 1.5 percent of the industry currently operational, the state was facing a difficult financial situation. He said that the situation has been compounded by absence of aid from the central government.

Participating in a video conference of chief ministers of Congress-ruled states with party president Sonia Gandhi, along with Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi, Singh shared his state's COVID-19 containment strategy and the roadmap for economic revival.

During the meeting, Sonia Gandhi asked the chief minister to convey her congratulations to the farmers of Punjab for a smooth procurement season, with Singh disclosing that more than 100 lakh MT had arrived in the mandis already, and the entire procurement process was expected to be completed by mid-May.

As against the estimated revenue of Rs 3,360 crore for April, only Rs 396 crore had been received during the month, the chief minister said, adding that the state's power consumption had declined by 30 percent with a daily loss of Rs 30 crore to the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd.

In addition, the state's GST arrears of Rs 4365.37 crore are yet to be paid by Government of India, he said.

COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine  one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show

The initial report of the 'Group of Experts' headed by Montek Singh Ahluwalia, on the economic and industrial revival of the state, was likely to be received in three months, and it would take another month after that to refine and finalise the same, Singh said.

However, he said that despite the financial crunch, his government was committed to preparing the society and the common man to manage and contain the coronavirus, and it was also taking every possible step to upgrade and readjust the state's healthcare system to meet the challenges of the pandemic.

The chief minister was of the opinion that the decision on classification of zones as red, orange or green should be left to the states, which, in turn, could authorise the deputy commissioners to demarcate as per the ground realities.

He cited the example of Patiala being classified as a red zone, even though Nabha, a major milk-producing area, is located in the district, an official release said.

Punjab currently has four containment zones and four red zone districts. Fifteen districts are in orange zone and the remaining three in green zone.

Providing an update on the COVID-19 situation in the state, which has reported a total of 1,451 positive cases with 25 deaths (mortality rate of 1.72 percent), the chief minister said there had been a spike in cases in Punjab after Punjabis started coming back from Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

Of the 4,200-odd people who had returned from Nanded, 969 had tested positive, though only 23 of them were symptomatic, he said.

Some results were awaited, he said, adding that the spike was expected to end, with the situation stabilising in the next 3-4 days, once testing of all such people is completed.

All returnees are now being checked and quarantined, he added.

The chief minister warned of high-risk of spread of infection in the state from those returning to the state, especially the workers coming back from the Gulf in crowded ships.

Four ships of migrants, mostly labourers, were expected to arrive in the next few days, while the first plane with NRIs was expected to reach Punjab on Thursday, he said.

Giving details, the chief minister said around 20,000 international travellers are expected to return to Punjab in the next 3-4 weeks, in addition to around 12,000 who had registered in other states for coming back.

As for the migrant workers wanting to go back from Punjab to their native states, he said that 10 lakh had registered so far, of which 85 percent belonged to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

The state government has sanctioned Rs 35 crore to provide for train travel cost of these workers, he said, adding that three trains left on May 5 for UP and Jharkhand and six more were scheduled for May 6.

With around 2,500 regular tests being done daily, the total tests in the state had gone up to 30,199, Singh said.
By Foo Yun Chee

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Poland's biggest refiner PKN Orlen <PKN.WA> has offered to sell assets in its home market as part of a package of concessions aimed at allaying EU antitrust concerns over its Lotos <LTSP.WA> bid, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

The offer came after the European Commission last month set out its concerns about the deal in a so-called statement of objections, making it near impossible for PKN to win approval without concessions.

The extensive package of concessions includes quasi-structural and also so-called behavioural concessions, the people said. Structural concessions normally refer to asset sales and access to key infrastructure or inputs while behavioural means pledges to abstain from certain practices such as hiking prices or reduce the range of products.

PKN's concessions cover the wholesale fuels market, retail supply of fuels and supply of jet fuel, bitumen and lubricants, areas singled out by the European Commission when it launched a full-scale investigation into the deal in August last year, the people said.

The Commission, which has set a June 30 deadline for its decision, declined to comment, as did PKN. The EU executive will seek feedback from rivals and customers before deciding either to accept the offer or demand more.

State-run PKN announced its bid for at least 53% of smaller rival Lotos, in which Poland holds a 53.19% stake, in 2018. EU competition enforcers, however, said the deal may lead to higher prices and lessen competition in Poland, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Slovakia.

PKN is hoping that regulators will take the impact of COVID-19 into account when assessing the deal and efforts by Poland to comply with EU climate goals.

The argument is that a merged company will have the financial firepower to make the hefty investments required to help the country, which relies heavily on coal-fired power stations, to decarbonise.

PKN and Lotos, which respectively operate 1,800 and 506 Polish petrol stations, will defend the deal to senior Commission officials and national competition agencies during a video hearing on Monday.

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee, additional reporting by Agnieszka Barteczko in Warsaw; editing by Robin Emmott, Elaine Hardcastle and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
(Photo : Pixabay) Faster Than The Speed Of Sound? NASA And Virgin Galactic Plan To Develop Supersoni X-59; Shanghai To NYC Will Only Take 40 Minutes! (Photo : Screenshot from Twitter post of @virgingalactic) Faster Than The Speed Of Sound? NASA And Virgin Galactic Plan To Develop Supersoni X-59; Shanghai To NYC Will Only Take 40 Minutes!

While global air travel will definitely change due to the lingering effects of the coronavirus, tech developments in the industry have continued. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will be developing a super-fast aircraft in partnership with Virgin Galactic.

According to Techcrunch's latest report, a high-speed vehicle for point-to-point travel across the globe was revealed by NASA and Virgin Galactic on Wednesday, May 6. The development of high-mach air travel has been one of the goals of NASA before with the development of its Supersonic X-59, low-boon supersonic test plane built by Lockheed Martin.

However, a sustainable way to apply high-speed transportation technologies to civil and commercial aviation is still being studied by the new agreement of Virgin galactic and its subsidiary, The Spaceship Company.

Virgin Galactic has been working on the development, flight-testing, and engineering of its current aircraft, including the SpaceShipTwo winged spacecraft and the WhiteKnightTwo carrier aircraft that launches from a carrier to the edge of space.

Faster than the speed of sound? NASA and Virgin Galactic plan to develop the fastest aircraft

According to Techcrunch, traditional runways for take-off and landing will be used in the company's design of the new supersonic aircraft. The rocket-propelled SpaceShipTwo will provide its commercial tourist passengers with a trip that includes stunning views and a few minutes of weightlessness, skimming the outer edge of Earth's atmosphere at the boundary of space.

The report said that the technology of Virgin Galactic would make a good fit for point-to-point high-speed air travel. SpaceX best popularized the goal of NASA for point-to-point travel, including its ambitious plans for their forthcoming Starship.

Point-to-point air travel looks at venturing between two places on the planet at very high speeds compared with the current time travel of commercial planes, extremely high up in the atmosphere, or possibly even through space.

Traveling faster as the atmosphere thins will lessen the air resistance and lower the friction. It can be seen with the performed full orbit flights of The International Space Station around the globe which is conducted once every 90 minutes.

The development of the new aircraft will lessen the air travel from New York City to Shanghai from 16 hours to only 40 minutes, as explained by SpaceX. However, it was clarified that NASA and Virgin Galactic are not yet near the stage where they are discussing trip times.

However, with the current comparison of SpaceShipTwo that can travel at a top speed of 4,000 kilometer-per-hour with the 988 kilometer-per-hour capacity of Boeing 747, it was concluded that the development is possible.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
We are so thankful to Nuvo Suites for donating rooms and creating a safe space for Jackson's nurses, doctors, and other frontline caregivers, who are working so tirelessly during this pandemic, said Flavia Llizo, Executive Vice President, Chief Development Officer for Jackson Health Foundation

Nuvo Suites is proud to be part of Sweetwater and Doral communities and now during the outbreak of Coronavirus is classified as an essential lodging hotel for greater Miami and Dade County. Nuvo Suites is welcoming all people that are displaced residents and visitors, healthcare and medical professionals, front-line responders, National Guard members and law enforcement and several others that are displaced during the crisis.

Nuvo Suites is actively providing extended stay accommodations for Miami hospitals for its medical staff in need at Jackson Memorial Hospital and Kendall Regional Medical Center. We are so thankful to Nuvo Suites for donating rooms and creating a safe space for Jackson's nurses, doctors, and other frontline caregivers, who are working so tirelessly during this pandemic, said Flavia Llizo, Executive Vice President, Chief Development Officer for Jackson Health Foundation.

Nuvo Suites is on the forefront of ensuring every precaution to give our guests and staff the utmost stay in a safe and secure extended stay environment.



Staff is wearing protective gloves and masks

Staff are monitored for temperature and logged for reference as precaution.

Hotel staff is updated with ongoing training as for guest and precautionary measures.

Extensive cleaning procedures geared for concerns of front-line responders and the medical community.

Hand sanitizers at all points both inside and outside of the hotel.

Applying safe distance practices with a minimum of six feet of separation at all times.

Food is prepackaged for guests and all take-out and delivery options available.

Any and all visitors to the hotel (non-guests) will be screened before entry.

24-hour security and front desk services.

We are pleased to have the medical community and front-line responders from area hospitals staying with us. They are literally on the front lines of the crisis and we support them. Nuvo Suites has strived to meet their needs as we are prepared to do our part, to offer them a safe, and secure extended stays. The medical community and front-line responders are often needed to stay away from their homes during the Coronavirus outbreak. Nuvo Suites has developed additional protocols to accompany them for extended stays and to allow them to return to work from a safe and secure location," said Chuck Castiglia, General Manager, Nuvo Suites Hotel.

Virtual tours and photo images of extended stay suites and the precautions that are in places are available to view and access from a direct link https://www.mhcpcolab.com/nuvosuites-safeandsecure. Virtual Media tours are scheduled via Zoom by online appointments with Chuck Castiglia, General Manager at chuck.castiglia@nuvosuites.com.

Media and Press inquiries: MHCP COLAB, matth@mhcpcolab.com

About Nuvo Suites: Part of Doral and Sweetwater communities of Miami-Dade just minutes West of the Miami International Airport, Nuvo Suites is just steps away from the International Mall and a short car ride from the Dolphin Mall. Doral is a less populated community than Miami, making it a nice calm respite from the hustle and bustle of the big city. A haven to the business traveler and the savvy shopper, too. The hotel caters to the guests every single need. Guests are also offered daily complimentary breakfast and valet parking throughout their stay. Guests of the property may also use the fitness center situated directly in front of the pool, 24-hour business center, and meeting rooms equipped with fast WIFI and an abundance of practical amenities. With the immense diversity of Miami, Nuvo Suites has established a hotel brand in the city suitable to guests from all around the world. http://www.nuvosuites.com
The world is not facing a pandemic/epidemic for the first time. In almost every century, there has been a disease that has claimed thousands of lives. The 17th century Great Plague of London taught one section of the society the importance of isolation, and they have been doing that, since then.



During the time of that plague, a village by the name of Eyam, isolated itself - they did not let people cross its boundaries.

Tamworth Herald

The Village

Between 1665-66, England suffered the devastation of the terrible plague. Ever since Coronavirus started wreaking havoc in the world, that period of plague has been used as comparison by many. One story about that plague involves the Eyam village.

In Eyam at one time, there was human habitation, there were festivals and fairs, but then suddenly the village was deserted to be never settled in again. The story of Eyam's desolation dates back 350 years. The village is in the Derbyshire Dales district, about three hours from London.

The National

There are still less than one thousand people living in the outer parts of this village, but the main part has been completely deserted since the plague. The plague wreaked havoc in 166566 in various parts of England, especially in London and the areas around it, for nearly 14 months. According to government records, 75,000 people lost their lives due to it.

However, many historians claim that more than 1 lakh people had died. Well, the story is not of plague figures, but of courage. Because this village, prevented the spread of infection. If the people of Eyam village had not quarantined the entire village in time, then there would have been many more deaths.

When the plague was spreading in London, Eyam village was safe for some time. The reason was that people used to go out of their village very rarely. But Alexander Headfield, a tailor of a village unaware of the danger, reached London, from where he bought a cloth station. He did not know that the place he bought it from was infected with flea spreading the plague.

Plague Reaches The Village

He then reached the village and work continued in his shop. But within a week, the assistant George Vickers, who opened the bundle, died. All the people whom he had met for a week, had become infected and slowly a chain was formed. The infection spread throughout the village.

Tamwarth Herald

From September to December 1665, about 42 villagers died. In early 1666 people planned to move out of the village, so that the survivors were safe. However, the village rector, William Mompesson, and the expelled former rector, Thomas Stanley, explained to the villagers that it was more dangerous to do so. Because there is an epidemic even outside the village.

The Self-Imposed Isolation

Now, the only way was imprison themselves. That too in a way that the disease did not spread to the surrounding villages where the infection had not yet reached. After much persuasion, most of the villagers agreed to this decision and those who were not ready, moved out of the village.

None of them ever returned. On 24 June, 1666, all the roads in the village were closed to outsiders. At the behest of William Mompesson, a stone wall was built around the village which is still known as 'Mompesson's Wall'.

A small hole was placed in this wall. From where the villagers used to throw out some coins and other people who wanted to help, used to deliver food and other things. Due to this, the epidemic did not go out of the village; women and children of the house lived in tunnels built beneath the houses, so that they could be kept alive.

Picfair

The bodies of those who died of plague were buried in the forests far away from the village. In the process of cremation, the gathering of the villagers was banned. Nobody got out of houses. Churches were closed, meetings were held in the open ground, in which only the necessary people were involved.

Death continued in the village even after such tough rules. The most severe form of infection appeared in August 1666, when five to six deaths occurred within a day in the village. There was no house where there was no dead body. There is mention of a woman in history, whose name was Elizabeth Hancock, who within eight days saw her husband and six young innocent children die.

Daily, Elizabeth would drag a corpse from her house, dig a grave and bury the body. Gradually, the number of infected people became so high, that most of the families of the village were destroyed.

Flattening The Curve

Mompesen has written in his diary that the era was terrible but the villagers had so much faith in their God that they did not panic. They did not run, they stayed, so that the rest of the world would be safe. After thousands of deaths, cases of infection started decreasing in September-October and then on November 1, the disease suddenly disappeared .

LETSGOPEAKDISTRICT

But Eyam lost more than half of its families during this period. According to government document, 260 people from 76 families of the village died within a year. At that time, population of the village was less than 800. Even after the outbreak of the pandemic, the people of Eyam village had become adept at keeping themselves quarantined, or rather they were scared.

After many years, people started pulling themselves out and then gradually the main village became empty. Today Eyam has become a tourist destination. The isolation we have to observe today is way better and privileged than what Eyam had to do 350 years ago.

Do not consider yourself a prisoner, believe that you are staying at home to keep the world safe.
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: As many as 2,350 persons from Telangana, who are stranded in different countries including the United States, the UAE, Kuwait, UK and few others, are set to arrive in Hyderabad in the next few weeks, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The MEA on Monday issued the flight plan for the 2,350 citizens, who would be returning in seven flights across a week from Kuwait, the United Kingdom, the Philippines and Malaysia.

On Day 1, the date for which was not mentioned by the MEA, a flight from San Francisco would reach the Rajiv Gandhi International airport carrying 300 passengers. On Day 2, a flight from Kuwait would land in the city carrying 200 on board. Over 2,000 residents have availed the Kuwait governments amnesty period for illegal workers.

On Day 3, around 250 from the State would return from the UK. On the fourth day, two hundred people would arrive in Hyderabad from the UAE. On the same day, another flight would leave Washington, USA, and reach Hyderabad vie New Delhi carrying 300 passengers.

While there would be no flights on the fifth day, 250 persons would be returning from the Philippines on the sixth. Another flight from the USA, this time from New York, would reach Hyderabad via New Delhi carrying 300 passengers. Lastly, on the seventh day, 250 people would return from Malaysia. On the same day, a flight from Chicago would bring around 300 passengers to Telangana via New Delhi.
BAY CITY, MI - A group of high school students from Bay City Central have continued their mission of public service by working together to make face masks and distribute them.

Around 12 students are currently involved in the effort, many from student volunteerism group Club Give or Special Olympics group Unified Champions, said Penny Hildinger, a Spanish teacher and both clubs faculty sponsor.

The group has delivered at least 300 masks since the beginning of the quarantine, Hildinger said. The group is also making ear savers, or crocheted padding for the back of a mask-wearers head, worn to prevent pain and irritation from wearing masks for long periods of time, she said.

Other kids keep hearing about it and joining in, Hildinger said. "We wont turn down any help.

Club Give is a relatively new organization, founded by sophomore Maison Kalinowski around November, Hildinger said. The group was raising money for turkey dinners before the coronavirus pandemic, and began making masks to continue serving the community during the lockdown, Hildinger said.

The students move masks and materials around with minimal contact, Hildinger said. The low-contact approach became all the more important after Hildinger herself contracted COVID-19, she said. She continued to organize the logistics behind the scenes while recovering, but from the beginning the students have been taking charge, she said.

I love that they are just taking control, theyre coming up with ideas, theyre the ones calling places to figure out if they need masks, Hildinger said. It really is their project. Theyre doing a great job. Theyre really proud to be helping people out right now.

Kalinowski, the president and founder of Club Give, said she formed the group to volunteer and help others. The mask making continues that mission. The students are providing masks to some of the local businesses that sponsored the club before the pandemic, and are about to donate some to the Aleda E. Lutz VA Medical Center in Saginaw, she said.

Were all in quarantine, theres nothing else to do, Kalinowski said. It feels really gratifying to help people in need... Im really proud of my group for stepping up. It is a lot of work but its worth it if we get to help people."

Sophomore Melissa Mendoza got involved with Club Give after having Hildinger as a teacher, she said. Mendoza and her mother have been working to sew masks since the beginning of quarantine. Sewing takes up a lot of her time, she said, but shes found a way to balance schoolwork and making masks.

It does feel good to know Im helping people in a way, even though I cant go out and help, Mendoza said. I like being a part of it, and I like having the experience and opportunity to help people.

The group is asking for cotton material for masks and buttons for the ear savers, Hildinger said. Those interested in donating can reach out to Hildinger through email at hildingerp@bcschools.net.

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Scary swarms of Formosan termites are likely to be popping up just after dusk across the New Orleans area over the next two weeks, and at least one entomologist is recommending a strategy that flies in the face of tradition: Dont go hide in your home.

The termites are making a mistake one time a year and showing themselves, said Joe Martin, a co-owner of the New Orleans area Terminix franchise. This is the time when we can locate where they are and maybe where theyre coming from.

Martin recommends taking advantage of stay-at-home orders to do a careful search around the foundation of your home for tell-tale mud tunnels that provide a safe passageway from ground nests into walls, and knock them off. Make sure theres no mulch or stacked firewood piled up against foundations, as the termites will use them as cover to hide their tunnels.

The first significant swarm of Formosan termites actually occurred in early April when just the right swarming conditions appeared at dusk: high humidity, no wind and temperatures nearing 90 degrees. The biggest swarms in the New Orleans area in most years have been around Mother's Day.

Each termite colony contains different versions of the insects, called castes, that perform different functions, with the reproductive version having wings that allow them to fly about 300 yards away from their nest to create a new colony. When they land, the individual insects lose their wings and search for a mate, a source of water and a source of cellulose, or wood.

The Formosan termite  its scientific name is Coptotermes formosanus  actually is from mainland China. It invaded the New Orleans area and other coastal locations in the United States in the aftermath of World War II, hitching a ride in wooden packing crates full of military equipment.

Unlike native termites, which nest underground, the Formosan termite often nests above ground, taking advantage of moist wood resulting from leaky roofs or pipes.

But they also infest trees, especially water and live oaks.

We are always preaching at Terminix to our inspectors, its estimated that 50 percent of oak trees have termites, so every time you should be looking at the tree in the yard during a termite inspection," Martin said. "Because that could be the source.

PSA - termites are swarming in Metairie tonight. Turn off your lights. Neighbor left outside light on and our cat is very interested in this swirling termite cloud right now  #termites #nola pic.twitter.com/0PIgTMNojA  Carlie Kollath Wells (@carlie_kollath) May 6, 2020

The termites create shelter tubes of mud between pieces of bark. Martin describes the visible brown patch on a trunk or limb where the flying insects launch into the air as a swarm castle.

Theres now evidence that the Formosan termite is expanding its range in the United States by invading forested areas near infested urban locations, according to a recent study.

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Scientists have known for years that most new Formosan termite infestations in the U.S. are the result of people transporting the insects. Forschler pointed to 10 small infestations in the Atlanta area in the late 1980s that were linked by DNA evidence to a single shipment of railroad ties from New Orleans.

But researchers also know that the flying version of the termites naturally extends its range by flying towards the light of the moon. A major reason for the intensity of urban infestations is that the insects began flying towards street lights, porch lights and lights in windows instead.

But the study found that the moon remains a way that the insects are slowly spreading out from urban areas. In forested areas just outside New Orleans, such as the woods in lower Algiers, researchers found that the termites had infested between 57% and 67% of trees, and that the hollows in those trees were significantly greater than in trees without Formosans. A similar pattern was seen in forested areas outside of Charleston, S.C.

Tree infestations remain a problem throughout New Orleans, according to Carrie Cottone, principal research entomologist with the New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board.

We are working through a list of suspected infected trees, she said, injecting them with a foam termiticide that coats interior hollows. In some locations, including Jackson Square and City Park, bait stations also are installed, which contain a slow-acting insecticide that termites bring back to the nest, where its fed to the queen and disrupts the ability of new insects to form their hard exoskeleton.

Cottone said her team also will be closely monitoring sticky traps in the French Quarter, cards hung on lightposts that catch flying insects, to see whether the reduced swarming seen last year is repeated.

As part of a 14-year experiment to see if comprehensive use of baits would significantly reduce damage from Formosan termites, the U.S. Department of Agriculture paid for bait stations to be installed on every property in the French Quarter.

Survey results showed active termites found in the Quarter declined by 95%, and the number of alates, the flying versions of the insects, dropped by between 44% and 76% each year.

The citys continued surveys are aimed at determining whether the reduction continues.

Cottone said that her workers are running into enough pest control operators in the Quarter to indicate that a significant number of building owners are keeping their treatment contracts up to date.

Meanwhile, LSU students are studying how Formosan termites sense chemicals by using their antennae, and then use the chemical signals to interact with their nestmates, find food or avoid areas treated with insecticides, said Qian Karen Sun, director of the universitys urban entomology program.

My research focuses on how do they detect the environment, including their social environment, chemically, and how do they respond to their environmental cues behaviorally, Sun said. With that knowledge, hopefully we can better understand why this termite is so successful, and what we can do to aid pest control.
Publishers want Facebook, Google to share ad revenues, May 3

A free press is a major national security asset: Imagine if China had a free press that could have exposed early efforts to muzzle whistleblowers and fudge data.

Across the West, the media is keeping governments transparent and accountable.

A great example: The Toronto Star has not only exposed failings in provincial data collection, but each day publishes data more accurate and complete than Ontarios.

Now, however, newspapers are in dire straits. Ad revenues are plunging, layoffs rising. Their ability to keep governments honest is in jeopardy.

Newspapers badly need governmental assistance: Our national security depends on their survival as robust guardians of democracy.

Mario Possamai, senior adviser, SARS Commission

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